Chapter 2: Prayers by the Demigods for Lord Kṛṣṇa in the Womb

 

10.2.1-2

śrī-śuka uvāca

pralamba-baka-cāṇūra-

tṛṇāvarta-mahāśanaiḥ

muṣṭikāriṣṭa-dvivida-

pūtanā-keśī-dhenukaiḥ

 

anyaiś cāsura-bhūpālair

bāṇa-bhaumādibhir yutaḥ

yadūnāḿ kadanaḿ cakre

balī māgadha-saḿśrayaḥ

 

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; pralamba — by the asura named Pralamba; baka — by the asura named Baka; cāṇūra — by the asura named Cāṇūra; tṛṇāvarta — by the asura named Tṛṇāvarta; mahāśanaiḥ — by Aghāsura; muṣṭika — by the asura named Muṣṭika; ariṣṭa — by the asura Ariṣṭa; dvivida — by the asura named Dvivida; pūtanā — by Pūtanā; keśī — by Keśī; dhenukaiḥ — by Dhenuka;

 

anyaiḥ ca — and by many others; asura-bhūpālaiḥ — by demoniac kings on the surface of the globe; bāṇa — by King Bāṇa; bhauma — by Bhaumāsura; ādibhiḥ — and by others as well; yutaḥ — being assisted; yadūnām — of the kings of the Yadu dynasty; kadanam — persecution; cakre — regularly performed; balī — very powerful; māgadha-saḿśrayaḥ — under the protection of Jarāsandha, the King of Magadha.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Under the protection of Magadharāja, Jarāsandha, the powerful Kaḿsa began persecuting the kings of the Yadu dynasty. In this he had the cooperation of demons like Pralamba, Baka, Cāṇūra, Tṛṇāvarta, Aghāsura, Muṣṭika, Ariṣṭa, Dvivida, Pūtanā, Keśī, Dhenuka, Bāṇāsura, Narakāsura and many other demoniac kings on the surface of the earth.

 

10.2.3

te pīḍitā niviviśuḥ

kuru-pañcāla-kekayān

śālvān vidarbhān niṣadhān

videhān kośalān api

 

te — they (the kings of the Yadu dynasty); pīḍitāḥ — being persecuted; niviviśuḥ — took shelter or entered (the kingdoms); kuru-pañcāla — the countries occupied by the Kurus and Pañcālas; kekayān — the countries of the Kekayas; śālvān — the countries occupied by the Śālvas; vidarbhān — the countries occupied by the Vidarbhas; niṣadhān — the countries occupied by the Niṣadhas; videhān — the country of Videha; kośalān api — as well as the countries occupied by the Kośalas.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Persecuted by the demoniac kings, the Yadavas left their own kingdom and entered various others, like those of the Kurus, Pañcālas, Kekayas, Śālvas, Vidarbhas, Niṣadhas, Videhas and Kośalas.

 

10.2.4-5

eke tam anurundhānā

jñātayaḥ paryupāsate

hateṣu ṣaṭsu bāleṣu

devakyā augraseninā

 

saptamo vaiṣṇavaḿ dhāma

yam anantaḿ pracakṣate

garbho babhūva devakyā

harṣa-śoka-vivardhanaḥ

 

eke — some of them; tam — unto Kaḿsa; anurundhānāḥ — exactly following his policy; jñātayaḥ — relatives; paryupāsate — began to agree with him; hateṣu — having been killed; ṣaṭsu — six; bāleṣu — children; devakyāḥ — born of Devakī; augraseninā — by the son of Ugrasena (Kaḿsa);

 

saptamaḥ — the seventh; vaiṣṇavam — of Lord Viṣṇu; dhāma — a plenary expansion; yam — unto whom; anantam — by the name Ananta; pracakṣate — is celebrated; garbhaḥ — embryo; babhūva — there was; devakyāḥ — of Devakī; harṣa-śoka-vivardhanaḥ — simultaneously arousing pleasure and lamentation.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Some of their relatives, however, began to follow Kaḿsa's principles and act in his service. After Kaḿsa, the son of Ugrasena, killed the six sons of Devakī, a plenary portion of Kṛṣṇa entered her womb as her seventh child, arousing her pleasure and her lamentation. That plenary portion is celebrated by great sages as Ananta, who belongs to Kṛṣṇa's second quadruple expansion.

 

10.2.6

bhagavān api viśvātmā

viditvā kaḿsajaḿ bhayam

yadūnāḿ nija-nāthānāḿ

yogamāyāḿ samādiśat

 

bhagavān — Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; api — also; viśvātmā — who is the Supersoul of everyone; viditvā — understanding the position of the Yadus and His other devotees; kaḿsa-jam — because of Kaḿsa; bhayam — fear; yadūnām — of the Yadus; nija-nāthānām — who had accepted Him, the Supreme Lord, as their supreme shelter; yogamāyām — unto Yogamāyā, the spiritual potency of Kṛṣṇa; samādiśat — ordered as follows.

 

TRANSLATION

 

To protect the Yadus, His personal devotees, from Kaḿsa's attack, the Personality of Godhead, Viśvātmā, the Supreme Soul of everyone, ordered Yogamāyā as follows.

 

10.2.7

gaccha devi vrajaḿ bhadre

gopa-gobhir alańkṛtam

rohiṇī vasudevasya

bhāryāste nanda-gokule

anyāś ca kaḿsa-saḿvignā

 

gaccha — now go; devi — O you who are worshipable for the whole world; vrajam — to the land of Vraja; bhadre — O you who are auspicious for all living entities; gopa-gobhiḥ — with cowherds and cows; alańkṛtam — decorated; rohiṇī — by the name Rohiṇī; vasudevasya — of Vasudeva, Kṛṣṇa's father; bhāryā — one of the wives; āste — is living; nanda-gokule — in the estate of Nanda Mahārāja known as Gokula, where hundreds and thousands of cows are maintained; anyāḥ ca — and other wives; kaḿsa-saḿvignāḥ — being afraid of Kaḿsa; vivareṣu — in secluded places; vasanti — are living; hi — indeed.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The Lord ordered Yogamāyā: O My potency, who are worshipable for the entire world and whose nature is to bestow good fortune upon all living entities, go to Vraja, where there live many cowherd men and their wives. In that very beautiful land, where many cows reside, Rohiṇī, the wife of Vasudeva, is living at the home of Nanda Mahārāja. Other wives of Vasudeva are also living there incognito because of fear of Kaḿsa. Please go there.

 

10.2.8

devakyā jaṭhare garbhaḿ

śeṣākhyaḿ dhāma māmakam

tat sannikṛṣya rohiṇyā

udare sanniveśaya

 

devakyāḥ — of Devakī; jaṭhare — within the womb; garbham — the embryo; śeṣa-ākhyam — known as Śeṣa, the plenary expansion of Kṛṣṇa; dhāma — the plenary expansion; māmakam — of Me; tat — Him; sannikṛṣya — attracting; rohiṇyāḥ — of Rohiṇī; udare — within the womb; sanniveśaya — transfer without difficulty.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Within the womb of Devakī is My partial plenary expansion known as Sańkarṣaṇa or Śeṣa. Without difficulty, transfer Him into the womb of Rohiṇī.

 

10.2.9

athāham aḿśa-bhāgena

devakyāḥ putratāḿ śubhe

prāpsyāmi tvaḿ yaśodāyāḿ

nanda-patnyāḿ bhaviṣyasi

 

atha — therefore; aham — I; aḿśa-bhāgena — by My plenary expansion; devakyāḥ — of Devakī; putratām — the son; śubhe — O all-auspicious Yogamāyā; prāpsyāmi — I shall become; tvam — you; yaśodāyām — in the womb of mother Yaśodā; nanda-patnyām — in the wife of Mahārāja Nanda; bhaviṣyasi — shall also appear.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O all-auspicious Yogamāyā, I shall then appear with My full six opulences as the son of Devakī, and you will appear as the daughter of mother Yaśodā, the queen of Mahārāja Nanda.

 

10.2.10

arciṣyanti manuṣyās tvāḿ

sarva-kāma-vareśvarīm

dhūpopahāra-balibhiḥ

sarva-kāma-vara-pradām

 

arciṣyanti — will worship; manuṣyāḥ — human society; tvām — unto you; sarva-kāma-vara-īśvarīm — because you are the best of the demigods who can fulfill all material desires; dhūpa — by incense; upahāra — by presentations; balibhiḥ — by different types of worship through sacrifice; sarva-kāma — of all material desires; vara — the blessings; pradām — one who can bestow.

 

TRANSLATION

 

By sacrifices of animals, ordinary human beings will worship you gorgeously, with various paraphernalia, because you are supreme in fulfilling the material desires of everyone.

 

10.2.11-12

nāmadheyāni kurvanti

sthānāni ca narā bhuvi

durgeti bhadrakālīti

vijayā vaiṣṇavīti ca

 

kumudā caṇḍikā kṛṣṇā

mādhavī kanyaketi ca

māyā nārāyaṇīśānī

śāradety ambiketi ca

 

nāmadheyāni — different names; kurvanti — will give; sthānāni — in different places; ca — also; narāḥ — persons interested in material enjoyment; bhuvi — on the surface of the globe; durgā iti — the name Durgā; bhadrakālī iti — the name Bhadrakālī; vijayā — the name Vijayā; vaiṣṇavī iti — the name Vaiṣṇavī; ca — also;

 

kumudā — the name Kumudā; caṇḍikā — the name Caṇḍikā; kṛṣṇā — the name Kṛṣṇā; mādhavī — the name Mādhavī; kanyakā iti — the name Kanyakā or Kanyā-kumārī; ca — also; māyā — the name Māyā; nārāyaṇī — the name Nārāyaṇī; īśānī — the name Īśānī; śāradā — the name Śāradā; iti — thus; ambikā — the name Ambikā; iti — also; ca — and.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Kṛṣṇa blessed Māyādevī by saying: In different places on the surface of the earth, people will give you different names, such as Durgā, Bhadrakālī, Vijayā, Vaiṣṇavī, Kumudā, Caṇḍikā, Kṛṣṇā, Mādhavī, Kanyakā, Māyā, Nārāyaṇī, Īśānī, Śāradā and Ambikā.

 

10.2.13

garbha-sańkarṣaṇāt taḿ vai

prāhuḥ sańkarṣaṇaḿ bhuvi

rāmeti loka-ramaṇād

balabhadraḿ balocchrayāt

 

garbha-sańkarṣaṇāt — because He will be taken from the womb of Devakī to that of Rohiṇī; tam — Him (Rohiṇī-nandana, the son of Rohiṇī); vai — indeed; prāhuḥ — people will call; sańkarṣaṇam — by the name Sańkarṣaṇa; bhuvi — in the world; rāma iti — He will also be called Rāma; loka-ramaṇāt — because of His special mercy in enabling people in general to become devotees; balabhadram — He will also be called Balabhadra; bala-ucchrayāt — because of extensive bodily strength.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The son of Rohiṇī will also be celebrated as Sańkarṣaṇa because of being sent from the womb of Devakī to the womb of Rohiṇī. He will be called Rāma because of His ability to please all the inhabitants of Gokula, and He will be known as Balabhadra because of His extensive physical strength.

 

10.2.14

sandiṣṭaivaḿ bhagavatā

tathety om iti tad-vacaḥ

pratigṛhya parikramya

gāḿ gatā tat tathākarot

 

sandiṣṭā — having been ordered; evam — thus; bhagavatā — by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tathā iti — so be it; oḿ — affirmation by the mantra oḿ; iti — thus; tat-vacaḥ — His words; pratigṛhya — accepting the order; parikramya — after circumambulating Him; gām — to the surface of the globe; gatā — she immediately went; tat — the order, as given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tathā — just so; akarot — executed.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Thus instructed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Yogamāyā immediately agreed. With the Vedic mantra oḿ, she confirmed that she would do what He asked. Thus having accepted the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, she circumambulated Him and started for the place on earth known as Nanda-gokula. There she did everything just as she had been told.

 

10.2.15

garbhe praṇīte devakyā

rohiṇīḿ yoga-nidrayā

aho visraḿsito garbha

iti paurā vicukruśuḥ

 

garbhe — when the embryo; praṇīte — was carried from the womb; devakyāḥ — of Devakī; rohiṇīm — to the womb of Rohiṇī; yoga-nidrayā — by the spiritual energy called Yogamāyā; aho — alas; visraḿsitaḥ — is lost; garbhaḥ — the embryo; iti — thus; paurāḥ — all the inhabitants of the house; vicukruśuḥ — lamented.

 

TRANSLATION

 

When the child of Devakī was attracted and transferred into the womb of Rohiṇī by Yogamāyā, Devakī seemed to have a miscarriage. Thus all the inhabitants of the palace loudly lamented, "Alas, Devakī has lost her child!"

 

10.2.16

bhagavān api viśvātmā

bhaktānām abhayańkaraḥ

āviveśāḿśa-bhāgena

mana ānakadundubheḥ

 

bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; api — also; viśvātmā — the Supersoul of all living entities; bhaktānām — of His devotees; abhayam-karaḥ — always killing the causes of fear; āviveśa — entered; aḿśa-bhāgena — with all of His potential opulences (Ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa); manaḥ — in the mind; ānakadundubheḥ — of Vasudeva.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Thus the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the Supersoul of all living entities and who vanquishes all the fear of His devotees, entered the mind of Vasudeva in full opulence.

 

10.2.17

sa bibhrat pauruṣaḿ dhāma

bhrājamāno yathā raviḥ

durāsado 'tidurdharṣo

bhūtānāḿ sambabhūva ha

 

saḥ — he (Vasudeva); bibhrat — carried; pauruṣam — pertaining to the Supreme Person; dhāma — the spiritual effulgence; bhrājamānaḥ — illuminating; yathā — as; raviḥ — the sunshine; durāsadaḥ — very difficult even to look at, difficult to understand by sensory perception; ati-durdharṣaḥ — approachable with great difficulty; bhūtānām — of all living entities; sambabhūva — so he became; ha — positively.

 

TRANSLATION

 

While carrying the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead within the core of his heart, Vasudeva bore the Lord's transcendentally illuminating effulgence, and thus he became as bright as the sun. He was therefore very difficult to see or approach through sensory perception. Indeed, he was unapproachable and unperceivable even for such formidable men as Kaḿsa, and not only for Kaḿsa but for all living entities.

 

10.2.18

tato jagan-mańgalam acyutāḿśaḿ

samāhitaḿ śūra-sutena devī

dadhāra sarvātmakam ātma-bhūtaḿ

kāṣṭhā yathānanda-karaḿ manastaḥ

 

tataḥ — thereafter; jagat-mańgalam — auspiciousness for all living entities in all the universes of the creation; acyuta-aḿśam — the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is never bereft of the six opulences, all of which are present in all His plenary expansions; samāhitam — fully transferred; śūra-sutena — by Vasudeva, the son of Śūrasena; devī — Devakī-devī; dadhāra — carried; sarva-ātmakam — the Supreme Soul of everyone; ātma-bhūtam — the cause of all causes; kāṣṭhā — the east; yathā — just as; ānanda-karam — the blissful (moon); manastaḥ — being placed within the mind.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Thereafter, accompanied by plenary expansions, the fully opulent Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is all-auspicious for the entire universe, was transferred from the mind of Vasudeva to the mind of Devakī. Devakī, having thus been initiated by Vasudeva, became beautiful by carrying Lord Kṛṣṇa, the original consciousness for everyone, the cause of all causes, within the core of her heart, just as the east becomes beautiful by carrying the rising moon.

 

10.2.19

sā devakī sarva-jagan-nivāsa-

nivāsa-bhūtā nitarāḿ na reje

bhojendra-gehe 'gni-śikheva ruddhā

sarasvatī jñāna-khale yathā satī

 

sā devakī — that Devakīdevī; sarva-jagat-nivāsa — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the sustainer of all the universes (mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni); nivāsa-bhūtā — the womb of Devakī has now become the residence; nitarām — extensively; na — not; reje — became illuminated; bhojendra-gehe — within the limits of the house of Kaḿsa; agni-śikhā iva — like the flames of a fire; ruddhā — covered; sarasvatī — knowledge; jñāna-khale — in a person known as jñāna-khala, one who possesses knowledge but cannot distribute it; yathā — or just as; satī — so being.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Devakī then kept within herself the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes, the foundation of the entire cosmos, but because she was under arrest in the house of Kaḿsa, she was like the flames of a fire covered by the walls of a pot, or like a person who has knowledge but cannot distribute it to the world for the benefit of human society.

 

10.2.20

tāḿ vīkṣya kaḿsaḥ prabhayājitāntarāḿ

virocayantīḿ bhavanaḿ śuci-smitām

āhaiṣa me prāṇa-haro harir guhāḿ

dhruvaḿ śrito yan na pureyam īdṛśī

 

tām — her (Devakī); vīkṣya — after seeing; kaḿsaḥ — her brother Kaḿsa; prabhayā — with the enhancement of her beauty and influence; ajita-antarām — because of keeping Ajita, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, within herself; virocayantīm — illuminating; bhavanam — the whole atmosphere of the house; śuci-smitām — smiling and brilliant; āha — said to himself; eṣaḥ — this (Supreme Person); me — my; prāṇa-haraḥ — who will kill me; hariḥ — Lord Viṣṇu; guhām — within the womb of Devakī; dhruvam — certainly; śritaḥ — has taken shelter; yat — because; na — was not; purā — formerly; iyam — Devakī; īdṛśī — like this.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Because the Supreme Personality of Godhead was within her womb, Devakī illuminated the entire atmosphere in the place where she was confined. Seeing her jubilant, pure and smiling, Kaḿsa thought, "The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, who is now within her, will kill me. Devakī has never before looked so brilliant and jubilant."

 

10.2.21

kim adya tasmin karaṇīyam āśu me

yad artha-tantro na vihanti vikramam

striyāḥ svasur gurumatyā vadho 'yaḿ

yaśaḥ śriyaḿ hanty anukālam āyuḥ

 

kim — what; adya — now, immediately; tasmin — in this situation; karaṇīyam — is to be done; āśu — without delay; me — my duty; yat — because; artha-tantraḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is always determined to protect the sādhus and kill the asādhus; na — does not; vihanti — give up; vikramam — His prowess; striyāḥ — of a woman; svasuḥ — of my sister; guru-matyāḥ — especially when she is pregnant; vadhaḥ ayam — the killing; yaśaḥ — fame; śriyam — opulence; hanti — will vanquish; anukālam — forever; āyuḥ — and the duration of life.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Kaḿsa thought: What is my duty now? The Supreme Lord, who knows His purpose [paritrāṇāya sādhūnāḿ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām Bg. 4.8], will not give up His prowess. Devakī is a woman, she is my sister, and moreover she is now pregnant. If I kill her, my reputation, opulence and duration of life will certainly be vanquished.

 

10.2.22

sa eṣa jīvan khalu sampareto

varteta yo 'tyanta-nṛśaḿsitena

dehe mṛte taḿ manujāḥ śapanti

gantā tamo 'ndhaḿ tanu-mānino dhruvam

 

saḥ — he; eṣaḥ — that jealous person; jīvan — while living; khalu — even; samparetaḥ — is dead; varteta — continues to live; yaḥ — anyone who; atyanta — very much; nṛśaḿsitena — by executing cruel activities; dehe — when the body; mṛte — is finished; tam — him; manujāḥ — all human beings; śapanti — condemn; gantā — he will go; tamaḥ andham — to hellish life; tanu-māninaḥ — of a person in the bodily concept of life; dhruvam — without a doubt.

 

TRANSLATION

 

A person who is very cruel is regarded as dead even while living, for while he is living or after his death, everyone condemns him. And after the death of a person in the bodily concept of life, he is undoubtedly transferred to the hell known as Andhatama.

 

10.2.23

iti ghoratamād bhāvāt

sannivṛttaḥ svayaḿ prabhuḥ

āste pratīkṣaḿs taj-janma

harer vairānubandha-kṛt

 

iti — thus (thinking in the above-mentioned way); ghora-tamāt bhāvāt — from the most ghastly contemplation of how to kill his sister; sannivṛttaḥ — refrained; svayam — personally deliberating; prabhuḥ — one who was in full knowledge (Kaḿsa); āste — remained; pratīkṣan — awaiting the moment; tat-janma — until the birth of Him; hareḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari; vaira-anubandha-kṛt — determined to continue such enmity.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Deliberating in this way, Kaḿsa, although determined to continue in enmity toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead, refrained from the vicious killing of his sister. He decided to wait until the Lord was born and then do what was needed.

 

10.2.24

āsīnaḥ saḿviśaḿs tiṣṭhan

bhuñjānaḥ paryaṭan mahīm

cintayāno hṛṣīkeśam

apaśyat tanmayaḿ jagat

 

āsīnaḥ — while sitting comfortably in his sitting room or on the throne; saḿviśan — or lying on his bed; tiṣṭhan — or staying anywhere; bhuñjānaḥ — while eating; paryaṭan — while walking or moving; mahīm — on the ground, going hither and thither; cintayānaḥ — always inimically thinking of; hṛṣīkeśam — the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the controller of everything; apaśyat — observed; tat-mayam — consisting of Him (Kṛṣṇa), and nothing more; jagat — the entire world.

 

TRANSLATION

 

While sitting on his throne or in his sitting room, while lying on his bed, or, indeed, while situated anywhere, and while eating, sleeping or walking, Kaḿsa saw only his enemy, the Supreme Lord, Hṛṣīkeśa. In other words, by thinking of his all-pervading enemy, Kaḿsa became unfavorably Kṛṣṇa conscious.

 

10.2.25

brahmā bhavaś ca tatraitya

munibhir nāradādibhiḥ

devaiḥ sānucaraiḥ sākaḿ

gīrbhir vṛṣaṇam aiḍayan

 

brahmā — the supreme four-headed demigod; bhavaḥ ca — and Lord Śiva; tatra — there; etya — arriving; munibhiḥ — accompanied by great sages; nārada-ādibhiḥ — by Nārada and others; devaiḥ — and by demigods like Indra, Candra and Varuṇa; sa-anucaraiḥ — with their followers; sākam — all together; gīrbhiḥ — by their transcendental prayers; vṛṣaṇam — the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who can bestow blessings upon everyone; aiḍayan — pleased.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva, accompanied by great sages like Nārada, Devala and Vyāsa and by other demigods like Indra, Candra and Varuṇa, invisibly approached the room of Devakī, where they all joined in offering their respectful obeisances and prayers to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who can bestow blessings upon everyone.

 

10.2.26

satya-vrataḿ satya-paraḿ tri-satyaḿ

satyasya yoniḿ nihitaḿ ca satye

satyasya satyam ṛta-satya-netraḿ

satyātmakaḿ tvāḿ śaraṇaḿ prapannāḥ

 

satya-vratam — the Personality of Godhead, who never deviates from His vow*; satya-param — who is the Absolute Truth (as stated in the beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, satyaḿ paraḿ dhīmahi); tri-satyam — He is always present as the Absolute Truth, before the creation of this cosmic manifestation, during its maintenance, and even after its annihilation; satyasya — of all relative truths, which are emanations from the Absolute Truth, Kṛṣṇa; yonim — t;he cause; nihitam — entered*; ca — and; satye — in the factors that create this material world (namely, the five elements — earth, water, fire, air and ether); satyasya — of all that is accepted as the truth; satyam — the Lord is the original truth; ṛta-satya-netram — He is the origin of whatever truth is pleasing (sunetram); satya-ātmakam — everything pertaining to the Lord is truth (sac-cid-ānanda: His body is truth, His knowledge is truth, and His pleasure is truth); tvām — unto you, O Lord; śaraṇam — offering our full surrender; prapannāḥ — we are completely under Your protection.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The demigods prayed: O Lord, You never deviate from Your vow, which is always perfect because whatever You decide is perfectly correct and cannot be stopped by anyone. Being present in the three phases of cosmic manifestation — creation, maintenance and annihilation — You are the Supreme Truth. Indeed, unless one is completely truthful, one cannot achieve Your favor, which therefore cannot be achieved by hypocrites. You are the active principle, the real truth, in all the ingredients of creation, and therefore you are known as antaryāmī, the inner force. You are equal to everyone, and Your instructions apply for everyone, for all time. You are the beginning of all truth. Therefore, offering our obeisances, we surrender unto You. Kindly give us protection.

 

10.2.27

ekāyano 'sau dvi-phalas tri-mūlaś

catū-rasaḥ pañca-vidhaḥ ṣaḍ-ātmā

sapta-tvag aṣṭa-viṭapo navākṣo

daśa-cchadī dvi-khago hy ādi-vṛkṣaḥ

 

eka-ayanaḥ — the body of an ordinary living being is fully dependent on the material elements; asau — that; dvi-phalaḥ — in this body we are subject to material happiness and distress, which result from karma; tri-mūlaḥ — having three roots, the three modes of nature (goodness, passion and ignorance), upon which the body is created; catuḥ-rasaḥ — four rasas, or tastes; pañca-vidhaḥ — consisting of five senses for acquiring knowledge (the eyes, ears, nose, tongue and touch); ṣaṭ-ātmā — six circumstances (lamentation, illusion, old age, death, hunger and thirst); sapta-tvak — having seven coverings (skin, blood, muscle, fat, bone, marrow and semen); aṣṭa-viṭapaḥ — eight branches (the five gross elements — earth, water, fire, air and ether — and also the mind, intelligence and ego); nava-akṣaḥ — nine holes; daśa-chadī — ten kinds of life air, resembling the leaves of a tree; dvi-khagaḥ — two birds (the individual soul and the Supersoul); hi — indeed; ādi-vṛkṣaḥ — this is the original tree or construction of the material body, whether individual or universal.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The body [the total body and the individual body are of the same composition] may figuratively be called "the original tree." From this tree, which fully depends on the ground of material nature, come two kinds of fruit — the enjoyment of happiness and the suffering of distress. The cause of the tree, forming its three roots, is association with the three modes of material nature — goodness, passion and ignorance. The fruits of bodily happiness have four tastes — religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and liberation — which are experienced through five senses for acquiring knowledge in the midst of six circumstances: lamentation, illusion, old age, death, hunger and thirst. The seven layers of bark covering the tree are skin, blood, muscle, fat, bone, marrow and semen, and the eight branches of the tree are the five gross and three subtle elements — earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego. The tree of the body has nine hollows — the eyes, the ears, the nostrils, the mouth, the rectum and the genitals — and ten leaves, the ten airs passing through the body. In this tree of the body there are two birds: one is the individual soul, and the other is the Supersoul.

 

10.2.28

tvam eka evāsya sataḥ prasūtis

tvaḿ sannidhānaḿ tvam anugrahaś ca

tvan-māyayā saḿvṛta-cetasas tvāḿ

paśyanti nānā na vipaścito ye

 

tvam — You (O Lord); ekaḥ — being one without a second, You are everything; eva — indeed; asya sataḥ — of this cosmic manifestation now visible; prasūtiḥ — the original source; tvam — Your Lordship; sannidhānam — the conservation of all such energy when everything is annihilated; tvam — Your Lordship; anugrahaḥ ca — and the maintainer; tvat-māyayā — by Your illusory, external energy; saḿvṛta-cetasaḥ — those whose intelligence is covered by such illusory energy; tvām — unto You; paśyanti — observe; nānā — many varieties; na — not; vipaścitaḥ — learned scholars or devotees; ye — who are.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The efficient cause of this material world, manifested with its many varieties as the original tree, is You, O Lord. You are also the maintainer of this material world, and after annihilation You are the one in whom everything is conserved. Those who are covered by Your external energy cannot see You behind this manifestation, but theirs is not the vision of learned devotees.

 

10.2.29

bibharṣi rūpāṇy avabodha ātmā

kṣemāya lokasya carācarasya

sattvopapannāni sukhāvahāni

satām abhadrāṇi muhuḥ khalānām

 

bibharṣi — You accept; rūpāṇi — varieties of forms, such as Matsya, Kūrma, Varāha, Rāma and Nṛsiḿha; avabodhaḥ ātmā — in spite of having different incarnations, You remain the Supreme, full of knowledge; kṣemāya — for the benefit of everyone, and especially the devotees; lokasya — of all living entities; cara-acarasya — moving and nonmoving; sattva-upapannāni — all such incarnations are transcendental (śuddha-sattva); sukha-avahāni — full of transcendental bliss; satām — of the devotees; abhadrāṇi — all inauspiciousness or annihilation; muhuḥ — again and again; khalānām — of the nondevotees.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O Lord, You are always in full knowledge, and to bring all good fortune to all living entities, You appear in different incarnations, all of them transcendental to the material creation. When You appear in these incarnations, You are pleasing to the pious and religious devotees, but for nondevotees You are the annihilator.

 

10.2.30

tvayy ambujākṣākhila-sattva-dhāmni

samādhināveśita-cetasaike

tvat-pāda-potena mahat-kṛtena

kurvanti govatsa-padaḿ bhavābdhim

 

tvayi — in You; ambuja-akṣa — O lotus-eyed Lord; akhila-sattva-dhāmni — who are the original cause of all existence, from whom everything emanates and in whom all potencies reside; samādhinā — by constant meditation and complete absorption (in thoughts of You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead); āveśita — fully absorbed, fully engaged; cetasā — but by such a mentality; eke — the one process of always thinking of Your lotus feet; tvat-pāda-potena — by boarding such a boat as Your lotus feet; mahat-kṛtena — by that action which is considered the most powerful original existence or which is executed by mahājanas; kurvanti — they make; govatsa-padam — like the hoofprint of a calf; bhava-abdhim — the great ocean of nescience.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O lotus-eyed Lord, by concentrating one's meditation on Your lotus feet, which are the reservoir of all existence, and by accepting those lotus feet as the boat by which to cross the ocean of nescience, one follows in the footsteps of mahājanas [great saints, sages and devotees]. By this simple process, one can cross the ocean of nescience as easily as one steps over the hoofprint of a calf.

 

10.2.31

svayaḿ samuttīrya sudustaraḿ dyuman

bhavārṇavaḿ bhīmam adabhra-sauhṛdāḥ

bhavat-padāmbhoruha-nāvam atra te

nidhāya yātāḥ sad-anugraho bhavān

 

svayam — personally; samuttīrya — perfectly crossing; su-dustaram — which is very difficult to cross; dyuman — O Lord, who appear exactly like the sun, illuminating the darkness of this world of ignorance; bhava-arṇavam — the ocean of nescience; bhīmam — which is extremely fierce; adabhra-sauhṛdāḥ — devotees who are incessantly friendly to the fallen souls; bhavat-pada-ambhoruha — Your lotus feet; nāvam — the boat for crossing; atra — in this world; te — they (the Vaiṣṇavas); nidhāya — leaving behind; yātāḥ — on to the ultimate destination, Vaikuṇṭha; sat-anugrahaḥ — who are always kind and merciful to the devotees; bhavān — You.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O Lord, who resemble the shining sun, You are always ready to fulfill the desire of Your devotee, and therefore You are known as a desire tree [vāñchā-kalpataru]. When ācāryas completely take shelter under Your lotus feet in order to cross the fierce ocean of nescience, they leave behind on earth the method by which they cross, and because You are very merciful to Your other devotees, You accept this method to help them.

 

10.2.32

ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas

tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ

āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraḿ padaḿ tataḥ

patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-ańghrayaḥ

 

ye anye — anyone, or all others; aravinda-akṣa — O lotus-eyed one; vimukta-māninaḥ — falsely considering themselves free from the bondage of material contamination; tvayi — unto You; asta-bhāvāt — speculating in various ways but not knowing or desiring more information of Your lotus feet; aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ — whose intelligence is still not purified and who do not know the goal of life; āruhya — even though achieving; kṛcchreṇa — by undergoing severe austerities, penances and hard labor; param padam — the highest position (according to their imagination and speculation); tataḥ — from that position; patanti — they fall; adhaḥ — down into material existence again; anādṛta — neglecting devotion to; yuṣmat — Your; ańghrayaḥ — lotus feet.

 

TRANSLATION

 

[Someone may say that aside from devotees, who always seek shelter at the Lord's lotus feet, there are those who are not devotees but who have accepted different processes for attaining salvation. What happens to them? In answer to this question, Lord Brahmā and the other demigods said:] O lotus-eyed Lord, although nondevotees who accept severe austerities and penances to achieve the highest position may think themselves liberated, their intelligence is impure. They fall down from their position of imagined superiority because they have no regard for Your lotus feet.

 

10.2.33

tathā na te mādhava tāvakāḥ kvacid

bhraśyanti mārgāt tvayi baddha-sauhṛdāḥ

tvayābhiguptā vicaranti nirbhayā

vināyakānīkapa-mūrdhasu prabho

 

tathā — like them (the nondevotees); na — not; te — they (the devotees); mādhava — O Lord, husband of the goddess of fortune; tāvakāḥ — the followers of the devotional path, the devotees; kvacit — in any circumstances; bhraśyanti — fall down; mārgāt — from the path of devotional service; tvayi — unto You; baddha-sauhṛdāḥ — because of being fully attached to Your lotus feet; tvayā — by You; abhiguptāḥ — always protected from all dangers; vicaranti — they move; nirbhayāḥ — without fear; vināyaka-anīkapa — the enemies who maintain paraphernalia to oppose the bhakti cult; mūrdhasu — on their heads; prabho — O Lord.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O Mādhava, Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord of the goddess of fortune, if devotees completely in love with You sometimes fall from the path of devotion, they do not fall like nondevotees, for You still protect them. Thus they fearlessly traverse the heads of their opponents and continue to progress in devotional service.

 

10.2.34

sattvaḿ viśuddhaḿ śrayate bhavān sthitau

śarīriṇāḿ śreya-upāyanaḿ vapuḥ

veda-kriyā-yoga-tapaḥ-samādhibhis

tavārhaṇaḿ yena janaḥ samīhate

 

sattvam — existence; viśuddham — transcendental, beyond the three modes of material nature; śrayate — accepts; bhavān — Your Lordship; sthitau — during the maintenance of this material world; śarīriṇām — of all living entities; śreyaḥ — of supreme auspiciousness; upāyanam — for the benefit; vapuḥ — a transcendental form or body; veda-kriyā — by ritualistic ceremonies according to the directions of the Vedas; yoga — by practice of devotion; tapaḥ — by austerities; samādhibhiḥ — by becoming absorbed in transcendental existence; tava — Your; arhaṇam — worship; yena — by such activities; janaḥ — human society; samīhate — offers (its obligation unto You).

 

TRANSLATION

 

O Lord, during the time of maintenance You manifest several incarnations, all with transcendental bodies, beyond the material modes of nature. When You appear in this way, You bestow all good fortune upon the living entities by teaching them to perform Vedic activities such as ritualistic ceremonies, mystic yoga, austerities, penances, and ultimately samādhi, ecstatic absorption in thoughts of You. Thus You are worshiped by the Vedic principles.

 

10.2.35

sattvaḿ na ced dhātar idaḿ nijaḿ bhaved

vijñānam ajñāna-bhidāpamārjanam

guṇa-prakāśair anumīyate bhavān

prakāśate yasya ca yena vā guṇaḥ

 

sattvam — śuddha-sattva, transcendental; na — not; cet — if; dhātaḥ — O reservoir of all energies, cause of all causes; idam — this; nijam — personal, spiritual; bhavet — could have been; vijñānam — transcendental knowledge; ajñāna-bhidā — which drives away the ignorance of the material modes; apamārjanam — completely vanquished; guṇa-prakāśaiḥ — by the awakening of such transcendental knowledge; anumīyate — becomes manifested; bhavān — Your Lordship; prakāśate — exhibit; yasya — whose; ca — and; yena — by which; vā — either; guṇaḥ — quality or intelligence.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O Lord, cause of all causes, if Your transcendental body were not beyond the modes of material nature, one could not understand the difference between matter and transcendence. Only by Your presence can one understand the transcendental nature of Your Lordship, who are the controller of material nature. Your transcendental nature is very difficult to understand unless one is influenced by the presence of Your transcendental form.

 

10.2.36

na nāma-rūpe guṇa-janma-karmabhir

nirūpitavye tava tasya sākṣiṇaḥ

mano-vacobhyām anumeya-vartmano

deva kriyāyāḿ pratiyanty athāpi hi

 

na — not; nāma-rūpe — the name and form; guṇa — with attributes; janma — appearance; karmabhiḥ — activities or pastimes; nirūpitavye — are not able to be ascertained; tava — Your; tasya — of Him; sākṣiṇaḥ — who is the direct observer; manaḥ — of the mind; vacobhyām — words; anumeya — hypothesis; vartmanaḥ — the path; deva — O Lord; kriyāyām — in devotional activities; pratiyanti — they realize; atha api — still; hi — indeed (You can be realized by the devotees).

 

TRANSLATION

 

O Lord, Your transcendental name and form are not ascertained by those who merely speculate on the path of imagination. Your name, form and attributes can be ascertained only through devotional service.

 

10.2.37

śṛṇvan gṛṇan saḿsmarayaḿś ca cintayan

nāmāni rūpāṇi ca mańgalāni te

kriyāsu yas tvac-caraṇāravindayor

āviṣṭa-cetā na bhavāya kalpate

 

śṛṇvan — constantly hearing about the Lord (śravaṇaḿ kīrtanaḿ viṣṇoḥ); gṛṇan — chanting or reciting (the holy name of the Lord and His activities); saḿsmarayan — remembering (constantly thinking of the Lord's lotus feet and His form); ca — and; cintayan — contemplating (the transcendental activities of the Lord); nāmāni — His transcendental names; rūpāṇi — His transcendental forms; ca — also; mańgalāni — which are all transcendental and therefore auspicious; te — of Your Lordship; kriyāsu — in being engaged in the devotional service; yaḥ — he who; tvat-caraṇa-aravindayoḥ — at Your lotus feet; āviṣṭa-cetāḥ — the devotee who is completely absorbed (in such activities); na — not; bhavāya — for the material platform; kalpate — is fit.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Even while engaged in various activities, devotees whose minds are completely absorbed at Your lotus feet, and who constantly hear, chant, contemplate and cause others to remember Your transcendental names and forms, are always on the transcendental platform, and thus they can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

10.2.38

diṣṭyā hare 'syā bhavataḥ pado bhuvo

bhāro 'panītas tava janmaneśituḥ

diṣṭyāńkitāḿ tvat-padakaiḥ suśobhanair

drakṣyāma gāḿ dyāḿ ca tavānukampitām

 

diṣṭyā — by fortune; hare — O Lord; asyāḥ — of this (world); bhavataḥ — of Your Lordship; padaḥ — of the place; bhuvaḥ — on this earth; bhāraḥ — the burden created by the demons; apanītaḥ — now removed; tava — of Your Lordship; janmanā — by appearance as an incarnation; īśituḥ — You, the controller of everything; diṣṭyā — and by fortune; ańkitām — marked; tvat-padakaiḥ — by Your lotus feet; su-śobhanaiḥ — which are transcendentally decorated with the marks of conchshell, disc, lotus and club; drakṣyāma — we shall surely observe; gām — upon this earth; dyām ca — in heaven also; tava anukampitām — due to Your causeless mercy upon us.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O Lord, we are fortunate because the heavy burden of the demons upon this earth is immediately removed by Your appearance. Indeed, we are certainly fortunate, for we shall be able to see upon this earth and in the heavenly planets the marks of lotus, conchshell, club and disc that adorn Your lotus feet.

 

10.2.39

na te 'bhavasyeśa bhavasya kāraṇaḿ

vinā vinodaḿ bata tarkayāmahe

bhavo nirodhaḥ sthitir apy avidyayā

kṛtā yatas tvayy abhayāśrayātmani

 

na — not; te — of Your Lordship; abhavasya — of whom there is no birth, death or maintenance as for an ordinary being; īśa — O Supreme Lord; bhavasya — of Your appearance, Your birth; kāraṇam — the cause; vinā — without; vinodam — the pastimes (despite what is said, You are not forced to come to this world by any cause); bata — however; tarkayāmahe — we cannot argue (but must simply understand that these are Your pastimes); bhavaḥ — birth; nirodhaḥ — death; sthitiḥ — maintenance; api — also; avidyayā — by the external, illusory energy; kṛtāḥ — done; yataḥ — because; tvayi — unto You; abhaya-āśraya — O fearless shelter of all; ātmani — of the ordinary living entity.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O Supreme Lord, You are not an ordinary living entity appearing in this material world as a result of fruitive activities. Therefore Your appearance or birth in this world has no other cause than Your pleasure potency. Similarly, the living entities, who are part of You, have no cause for miseries like birth, death and old age, except when these living entities are conducted by Your external energy.

 

10.2.40

matsyāśva-kacchapa-nṛsiḿha-varāha-haḿsa-

rājanya-vipra-vibudheṣu kṛtāvatāraḥ

tvaḿ pāsi nas tri-bhuvanaḿ ca yathādhuneśa

bhāraḿ bhuvo hara yadūttama vandanaḿ te

 

matsya — the fish incarnation; aśva — the horse incarnation; kacchapa — the tortoise incarnation; nṛsiḿha — the Narasiḿha incarnation; varāha — the Varāha incarnation; haḿsa — the swan incarnation; rājanya — incarnations as Lord Rāmacandra and other kṣatriyas; vipra — incarnations as brāhmaṇas like Vāmanadeva; vibudheṣu — among the demigods; kṛta-avatāraḥ — appeared as incarnations; tvam — Your Lordship; pāsi — please save; naḥ — us; tri-bhuvanam ca — and the three worlds; yathā — as well as; adhunā — now; īśa — O Supreme Lord; bhāram — burden; bhuvaḥ — of the earth; hara — please diminish; yadu-uttama — O Lord Kṛṣṇa, best of the Yadus; vandanam te — we offer our prayers unto You.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O supreme controller, Your Lordship previously accepted incarnations as a fish, a horse, a tortoise, Narasiḿhadeva, a boar, a swan, Lord Rāmacandra, Paraśurāma and, among the demigods, Vāmanadeva, to protect the entire world by Your mercy. Now please protect us again by Your mercy by diminishing the disturbances in this world. O Kṛṣṇa, best of the Yadus, we respectfully offer our obeisances unto You.

 

10.2.41

diṣṭyāmba te kukṣi-gataḥ paraḥ pumān

aḿśena sākṣād bhagavān bhavāya naḥ

mābhūd bhayaḿ bhoja-pater mumūrṣor

goptā yadūnāḿ bhavitā tavātmajaḥ

 

diṣṭyā — by fortune; amba — O mother; te — your; kukṣi-gataḥ — in the womb; paraḥ — the Supreme; pumān — Personality of Godhead; aḿśena — with all His energies, His parts and parcels; sākṣāt — directly; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhavāya — for the auspiciousness; naḥ — of all of us; mā abhūt — never be; bhayam — fearful; bhoja-pateḥ — from Kaḿsa, King of the Bhoja dynasty; mumūrṣoḥ — who has decided to be killed by the Lord; goptā — the protector; yadūnām — of the Yadu dynasty; bhavitā — will become; tava ātmajaḥ — your son.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O mother Devakī, by your good fortune and ours, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, with all His plenary portions, such as Baladeva, is now within your womb. Therefore you need not fear Kaḿsa, who has decided to be killed by the Lord. Your eternal son, Kṛṣṇa, will be the protector of the entire Yadu dynasty.

 

10.2.42

śrī-śuka uvāca

ity abhiṣṭūya puruṣaḿ

yad-rūpam anidaḿ yathā

brahmeśānau purodhāya

devāḥ pratiyayur divam

 

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; iti — in this way; abhiṣṭūya — offering prayers; puruṣam — unto the Supreme Personality; yat-rūpam — whose form; anidam — transcendental; yathā — as; brahma — Lord Brahmā; īśānau — and Lord Śiva; purodhāya — keeping them in front; devāḥ — all the demigods; pratiyayuḥ — returned; divam — to their heavenly homes.

 

TRANSLATION

 

After thus offering prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Viṣṇu, the Transcendence, all the demigods, with Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva before them, returned to their homes in the heavenly planets.