Source
Texts:
Nârada
Concludes His Teachings to Vasudeva
Text
1:
The honorable
king [Nimi] said: 'O you perfect in the knowledge of
the soul, what is the destination of those who, as good as
never worshiping the Supreme Personality of Hari [see also
11.3:
*4], with
their lusts not at peace are out of control with
themselves?'
King
Nimi further inquired - My dear Yogendras, all of you are
most perfect in knowledge of the science of the self.
Therefore, kindly explain to me the destination of those who
for the most part never worship the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Hari, who are unable to quench their material
desires and who are not in control of their own
selves.
Text
2:
S'rî
Camasa said: 'From the face, arms, thighs and feet of the
Original Person were by the modes of nature [in different
combinations
*]
the four spiritual orders [or âs'ramas] and
vocations [or varnas] headed by the brahmins generated
[see also B.G. 4:
13].
S'rî
Camasa said - Each of the four social orders, headed by the
brâhmanas, was born through different combinations of
the modes of nature, from the face, arms, thighs and feet of
the Supreme Lord in His universal form. Thus the four
spiritual orders were also generated.
Text
3:
Any
member of them who, not of worship,
has a low opinion
of
the Original Person who is directly the excel of their soul and
Supreme Controller, will, having strayed from his position,
fall down [see B.G. 16:
23].
If
any of the members of the four varnas and four
âs'ramas fail to worship or intentionally disrespect
the Personality of Godhead, who is the source of their own
creation, they will fall down from their position into a
hellish state of life.
Text
4:
There
are many people far removed from the talks about the Destroyer
[of the sin; the Lord] and never think of the glories
of the Infallible One; they, for that matter just women
[compare 5.17:
15]
and s'ûdras and such, are the ones deserving the mercy of
personalities like you.
There
are many persons who have little opportunity to take part in
discussions about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari,
and thus it is difficult for them to chant His infallible
glories. Persons such as women, s'ûdras and other
fallen classes always deserve the mercy of great
personalities like yourself.
Text
5
Then again do
even the intellectuals, the nobles or the traders, [by
initiation] being allowed to approach the Lord His lotus
feet, get bewildered in being committed to [all kinds
of] philosophies [see also 5.6:
11, B.G.
2:
42-43].
On
the other hand, brâhmanas, members of the royal order
and vais'yas, even after being allowed to approach the lotus
feet of the Supreme Lord, Hari, by receiving the second
birth of Vedic initiation, can become bewildered and adopt
various materialistic philosophies.
Text
6
Ignorant
about the karma and arrogant do blockheads, thinking themselves
very learned, enchanted with sweet words speak in flattering
entreaties by which they get bewildered [see also B.G.
9:
3].
Ignorant
of the art of work, such arrogantly proud fools, enchanted
and enlivened by the sweet words of the Vedas, pose as
learned authorities and offer flattering entreaties to the
demigods.
Text
7
Full of passion
and perverted in their desires are they angry like snakes,
deceitful and conceited and do they sinful make fun of those
dear to Acyuta.
Due
to the influence of the mode of passion, the materialistic
followers of the Vedas become subject to violent desires and
are excessively lusty. Their anger is like that of a snake.
Deceitful, overly proud, and sinful in their behavior, they
mock the devotees who are dear to Lord Acyuta.
Text
8
As worshipers
of women they speak amongst each other in their homes
encouraging and worshiping sex as the very best thing; without
any regard for the distribution of food and gifts in gratitude
[to the spiritual leaders and their following], they
think of their own livelihood only and kill they, ignorant of
the consequences, the animals [see also B.G.
16].
The
materialistic followers of Vedic rituals, giving up the
worship of the Lord, instead practically worship their
wives, and thus their homes become dedicated to sex life.
Such materialistic householders encourage one another in
such whimsical behavior. Understanding ritualistic sacrifice
as a necessary item for bodily maintenance, they perform
unauthorized ceremonies in which there is no distribution of
foodstuffs or charity to the brâhmanas and other
respectable persons. Instead, they cruelly slaughter animals
such as goats without any understanding of the dark
consequences of their activities.
Text
9
With
their intelligence blinded by the pride based on their
opulence, special abilities, lineage, education, renunciation,
beauty, strength and performance of rituals, do they
hardhearted deride the saintly dear to the Lord along with the
Controller Himself [see also e.g.: 1.8:
26,
4.2:
24,
4.31:
21,
5.1:
12,
7.15:
19,
8.22:
26
also B.G. 2.42-43].
The
intelligence of cruel-minded persons is blinded by false
pride based on great wealth, opulence, prestigious family
connections, education, renunciation, personal beauty,
physical strength and successful performance of Vedic
rituals. Being intoxicated with this false pride, such cruel
persons blaspheme the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His
devotees.
Text
10
The Soul of the
most worshipable Controller just like the sky eternally
situated in all embodied beings, is the Ultimate Controller
glorified by the Vedas, but the unintelligent don't take heed;
they rather go on discussing the topics of their whimsical
pleasures.
The
Personality of Godhead is eternally situated within the
heart of every embodied being; still the Lord remains
situated apart, just as the sky, which is all-pervading,
does not mix with any material object. Thus the Lord is the
supreme worshipable object and the absolute controller of
everything. He is elaborately glorified in the Vedic
literature, but those who are bereft of intelligence do not
like to hear about Him. They prefer to waste their time
discussing their own mental concoctions, which inevitably
deal with gross material sense gratification such as sex
life and meat-eating.
Text
11
The indulgence
in sex and the taking of meat and alcohol indeed always found
in the conditioned living being are verily by no command of
scripture endorsed; what in regard of these is prescribed for
[respectively] the marriage, the sacrifice and the
ritual use of wine, is there to the end of their cessation
[see also 1.17:
38-39].
In
this material world the conditioned soul is always inclined
to sex, meat-eating and intoxication. Therefore religious
scriptures never actually encourage such activities.
Although the scriptural injunctions provide for sex through
sacred marriage, for meat-eating through sacrificial
offerings and for intoxication through the acceptance of
ritual cups of wine, such ceremonies are meant for the
ultimate purpose of renunciation.
Text
12
Of
all wealth [to be acquired] is religiosity the only
fruit from which indeed there is the knowledge along with the
wisdom and the subsequent liberation; they so successful in
their homes do not realize the insurmountable power of death
over their bodies [see also 3.30:
7,
7.6:
8,
4.29:
52-55
but also: 4.22:
10].
The
only proper fruit of acquired wealth is religiosity, on the
basis of which one can acquire a philosophical understanding
of life that eventually matures into direct perception of
the Absolute Truth and thus liberation from all suffering.
Materialistic persons, however, utilize their wealth simply
for the advancement of their family situation. They fail to
see that insurmountable death will soon destroy the frail
material body.
Text
13
It
is enjoined that wine should be taken by smelling it and that
likewise an animal should be killed as prescribed and not in
wanton violence [with wide-scale animal slaughter]; the
same way is sex there for begetting children and not for the
sensual pleasure [on itself] [B.G.
7-11];
this most pure, their own proper duty, do they [the
unintelligent] not understand [see also
7.15].
According
to the Vedic injunctions, when wine is offered in
sacrificial ceremonies it is later to be consumed by
smelling, and not by drinking. Similarly, the sacrificial
offering of animals is permitted, but there is no provision
for wide-scale animal slaughter. Religious sex life is also
permitted, but only in marriage for begetting children, and
not for sensuous exploitation of the body. Unfortunately,
however, the less intelligent materialists cannot understand
that their duties in life should be performed purely on the
spiritual platform.
Text
14
Those who have
no knowledge of these facts very impious presumptuously
considering themselves saintly, do harm to innocently trusting
animals; upon leaving their bodies will those animals eat them
[compare 5.26:
11-13 and
4.25:
7-8].
Those
sinful persons who are ignorant of actual religious
principles, yet consider themselves to be completely pious,
without compunction commit violence against innocent animals
who are fully trusting in them. In their next lives, such
sinful persons will be eaten by the same creatures they have
killed in this world.
Text
15
Envying
their own True Self, their Lord and Controller living in the
bodies of others, do they, fixed in their affection on their
own mortal frame and all its relations, fall
down.
The
conditioned souls become completely bound in affection to
their own corpselike material bodies and their relatives and
paraphernalia. In such a proud and foolish condition, the
conditioned souls envy other living entities as well as the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, who resides in the
heart of all beings. Thus enviously offending others, the
conditioned souls gradually fall down into hell.
Text
16
Those
who [thus] have not achieved the emancipation [of
moksha] but did transcend the gross foolishness, are
dedicated to the three goals of pious living [the ritual,
an income and regulated desires], but are, not for a moment
being of refection [working too hard], factually
[on the way of] killing themselves [see also the
purushârthas
10.2:
32].
Those
who have not achieved knowledge of the Absolute Truth, yet
who are still beyond the darkness of complete ignorance,
generally follow the threefold path of pious material life,
namely religiosity, economic development and sense
gratification. Not having time to reflect on any higher
purpose, they become the killers of their own soul.
Text
17
These
selfmurderers missing the peace, in their ignorance think to
know but do, failing to perform their duty, suffer the
destruction of all their hopes and dreams by
time.
The
killers of the soul are never peaceful, because they
consider that human intelligence is ultimately meant for
expanding material life. Thus neglecting their real,
spiritual duties, they are always in distress. They are
filled with great hopes and dreams, but unfortunately these
are always destroyed by the inevitable march of time.
Text
18
Those who
turned their face away from Vâsudeva enter, as arranged
by the illusory energy of the Supreme Soul, without them
wanting it, the darkness, letting alone their homes, children,
friends and wives.'
Those
who have turned away from the Supreme Lord, Vâsudeva,
being under the spell of the Lord's illusory energy, are
eventually forced to give up their so-called homes,
children, friends, wives and lovers, which were all created
by the illusory potency of the Supreme Lord, and enter
against their will into the darkest regions of the
universe.
Text
19
The honorable
king said; 'In what time did the Supreme Lord have what color
and what form and by what names and what processes is He
worshiped; please speak about it in our
presence.'
King
Nimi inquired - In what colors and forms does the Supreme
Personality of Godhead appear in each of the different ages,
and with what names and by what types of regulative
principles is the Lord worshiped in human society?
Text
20
S'rî
Karabhâjana replied: 'In these [yugas] named
Krita [or Satya], Tretâ, Dvâpara and Kali
is the Lord, having different complexions
[see also
10.26:
16],
names and forms, similarly by various processes
worshiped.
S'rî
Karabhâjana replied - In each of the four yugas, or
ages - Krita, Tretâ, Dvâpara and Kali - Lord
Kes'ava appears with various complexions, names and forms
and is thus worshiped by various processes.
Text
21
In
Satyâ-yuga is He white having four arms, matted locks, a
tree bark garment, a black deerskin, a sacred thread,
aksha-seed prayer beads and carries He a rod and a
waterpot.
In
Satyâ-yuga the Lord is white and four-armed, has
matted locks and wears a garment of tree bark. He carries a
black deerskin, a sacred thread, prayer beads and the rod
and waterpot of a brahmacârî.
Text
22
The human
beings then are peaceful, free from envy, kind to all,
equipoised and by austerity as well as by mind and sense
control of worship for the Lord.
People
in Satyâ-yuga are peaceful, nonenvious, friendly to
every creature and steady in all situations. They worship
the Supreme Personality by austere meditation and by
internal and external sense control.
Text
23
Thus
is He variously celebrated as Hamsa ['the Swan'],
Suparna ['Beautiful Wings'], Vaikunthha ['the Lord
of the Kingdom of Heaven'], Dharma ['the Maintainer of
the Religion'], Yoges'vara ['the Controller of the
Yoga', Amala ['the Immaculate One'], Îs'vara
['the Supreme Controller'], Purusha ['the Original
Person'], Avyakta ['the One Unmanifest'] and
Paramâtmâ ['the Supersoul'].
In
Satyâ-yuga the Lord is glorified by the names Hamsa,
Suparna, Vaikunthha, Dharma, Yoges'vara, Amala,
Îs'vara, Purusha, Avyakta and
Paramâtmâ.
Text
24
In
Tretâ-yuga has He a red complexion, four arms, wears He
three belts [to the initiations for the first three
varnas], has He golden locks and has He, as the
personification of the three Vedas, the sacrificial laddles
[**]
and such as His symbols.
In
Tretâ-yuga the Lord appears with a red complexion. He
has four arms, golden hair, and wears a triple belt
representing initiation into each of the three Vedas.
Embodying the knowledge of worship by sacrificial
performance, which is contained in the Rig, Sâma and
Yajur Vedas, His symbols are the ladle, spoon and other
implements of sacrifice.
Text
25
Then
do those human beings who as seekers of the Absolute Truth are
fixed in religiosity worship Him, Hari, the Godhead within all
the Gods, with the rituals of sacrifice of the three Vedas
[see also 1.16:
20].
In
Tretâ-yuga, those members of human society who are
fixed in religiosity and are sincerely interested in
achieving the Absolute Truth worship Lord Hari, who contains
within Himself all the demigods. The Lord is worshiped by
the rituals of sacrifice taught in the three Vedas.
Text
26
In
Tretâ-yuga the Lord is glorified by the names of Vishnu
['the All-pervading One'], Yajña ['the Lord
of sacrifice'], Pris'nigarbha [the son of Pris'ni,
10.3:
32],
Sarvadeva ['God of of All Gods'], Urukrama ['He of
Transcendental Feats'], Vrishâkapi [the Memorable
One Rewarding Who Dispels the Distress'], Jayanta ['the
All-victorious'] and Urugâya ['the Most
Glorified'].
In
Tretâ-yuga the Lord is glorified by the names Vishnu,
Yajña, Pris'nigarbha, Sarvadeva, Urukrama,
Vrishâkapi, Jayanta and Urugâya.
Text
27
In
Dvâpara-yuga is the Supreme Lord gray blue, wears He
yellow garments and carries He His implements [the disc,
club, lotus and conch] together with the bodily marks of
the S'rîvatsa and so on and His ornaments [like the
peacock feather and the kaustubha
gem].
In
Dvâpara-yuga the Supreme Personality of Godhead
appears with a dark blue complexion, wearing yellow
garments. The Lord's transcendental body is marked in this
incarnation with S'rîvatsa and other distinctive
ornaments, and He manifests His personal weapons.
Text
28
In
that age, o King, do the mortals who want to gain knowledge of
the Supreme worship Him, the Original Personality playing the
role of a great king, according the Vedas and
Tantra's
[like e.g. in 1.10:
16-18
and 10:
74: 17-24
and ***]
with:
My
dear King, in Dvâpara-yuga men who desire to know the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the supreme enjoyer,
worship Him in the mood of honoring a great king, following
the prescriptions of both the Vedas and tantras.
Text
29-30
'Our
obeisances for Sankarshana, Pradyumna, Aniruddha and You,
Vâsudeva; You Nârâyana Rishi, the Original
One and Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Greater Soul, the
Controller of the Creation, the Very Form of the Universe and
the True Self of all Living Beings [see
catur-vyûha].'
'Obeisances
to You, O Supreme Lord Vâsudeva, and to Your forms of
Sankarshana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. O Supreme Personality
of Godhead, all obeisances unto You. O Lord
Nârâyana Rishi, O creator of the universe, best
of personalities, master of this cosmos and original form of
the universe, O Supersoul of all created entities, all
homage unto You.'
Text
31
O
King, thus they praise in Dvâpara-yuga the Lord of the
Universe; please hear in which manner one to the scriptural
regulations also is of worship in Kali-yuga [see also
7.9:
38].
O
King, in this way people in Dvâpara-yuga glorified the
Lord of the universe. In Kali-yuga also people worship the
Supreme Personality of Godhead by following various
regulations of the revealed scriptures. Now kindly hear of
this from me.
Text
32
The
intelligent [then] do worship [Him who] with a
bright [not-dark or golden] luster along with
[His] associates, servitors, weapons and attendants, by
the sacrifice of mainly congregational chanting [is]
praising [speaks, spreads or is colored by] Krishna
with:
In
the age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational
chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead who
constantly sings the names of Krishna. Although His
complexion is not blackish, He is Krishna Himself. He is
accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons and
confidential companions.
Text
33
'O
Supreme Personality Your feet, always to meditate upon,
destroying the humiliation following the material influence,
amply rewarding the true desire of the soul, the abode and the
place of pilgrimage to which S'iva and Brahmâ bow down,
the most worthy shelter relieving the distress of Your
servants, the boat for the ocean of birth and death, I do offer
my homage.
My
dear Lord, You are the Mahâ-purusha, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, and I worship Your lotus feet, which
are the only eternal object of meditation. Those feet
destroy the embarrassing conditions of material life and
freely award the greatest desire of the soul, the attainment
of pure love of Godhead. My dear Lord, Your lotus feet are
the shelter of all holy places and of all saintly
authorities in the line of devotional service and are
honored by powerful demigods like Lord S'iva and Lord
Brahmâ. My Lord, You are so kind that You willingly
protect all those who simply bow down to You with respect,
and thus You mercifully relieve all the distress of Your
servants. In conclusion, my Lord, Your lotus feet are
actually the suitable boat for crossing over the ocean of
birth and death, and therefore even Lord Brahmâ and
Lord S'iva seek shelter at Your lotus feet.'
Text
34
To
the words of a brahmin [like Akrûra,
S'rî Advaita
or John the Babtist], as the Most Religious One abandoning
the so hard to forsake opulence of S'rî anxiously desired
by the godly, went He [as Râma, Krishna, the Buddha,
as Jesus, as Caitanya etc.], of mercy for the ones caught
in the animal nature, to the distant land [India, the
wilderness, the forest, the desert, into sannyas] running
after His desired object [His mission, His dharma, His
presence as the Lord of the devotees]; to the lotus feet of
You o Supreme Personality, I offer my homage.
[4*]'
O
Mahâ-purusha, I worship Your lotus feet. You gave up
the association of the goddess of fortune and all her
opulence, which is most difficult to renounce and is
hankered after by even the great demigods. Being the most
faithful follower of the path of religion, You thus left for
the forest in obedience to a brâhmana's curse. Out of
sheer mercifulness You chased after the fallen conditioned
souls, who are always in pursuit of the false enjoyment of
illusion, and at the same time engaged in searching out Your
own desired object, Lord S'yâmasundara.
Text
35
Thus
is the Supreme Lord Hari, the Controller of All Felicity, to
His names and forms as befitting each yuga worshiped by the
people of that age, o King.
Thus,
O King, the Supreme Lord Hari is the giver of all desirable
benefits of life. Intelligent human beings worship the
particular forms and names that the Lord manifests in
different ages.
Text
36
The
faithful ones [of spiritual progress] knowing of the
value, praise the age of Kali pointing out it's essence that by
[mere] congregational chanting as good as all one's
goals are attained.
Those
who are actually advanced in knowledge are able to
appreciate the essential value of this age of Kali. Such
enlightened persons worship Kali-yuga because in this fallen
age all perfection of life can easily be achieved by the
performance of sankîrtana.
Text
37
Indeed,
for the embodied wandering around in this universe, there is no
greater gain than this [sankîrtana] from which
one obtains the Supreme Peace and of which the cycle of birth
and death is broken [see also 2.1:
11,
3.33:
7,
8.23:
16
and 8.23
*].
Indeed,
there is no higher possible gain for embodied souls forced
to wander throughout the material world than the Supreme
Lord's sankîrtana movement, by which one can attain
the supreme peace and free oneself from the cycle of
repeated birth and death.
Text
38-40
The
inhabitants of Satyâ- and the other yugas, o King, want
to take birth in Kali-yuga as in that time for sure, o great
monarch, the devotees dedicated to Nârâyana are
found left and right; especially in great numbers in the
provinces of South India where those human beings who drink of
the water of the rivers the Tâmraparnî, the
Kritamâlâ, the Payasvinî, the extremely pious
Kâverî, the Mahânadî and the
Pratîcî, o lord of men, for the most part are
pure-hearted devotees of the Supreme Lord
Vâsudeva.
My
dear King, the inhabitants of Satyâ-yuga and other
ages eagerly desire to take birth in this age of Kali, since
in this age there will be many devotees of the Supreme Lord,
Nârâyana. These devotees will appear in various
places but will be especially numerous in South India. O
master of men, in the age of Kali those persons who drink
the waters of the holy rivers of Dravida-des'a, such as the
Tâmraparnî, Kritamâlâ,
Payasvinî, the extremely pious Kâverî and
the Pratîcî Mahânadî, will almost
all be purehearted devotees of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Vâsudeva.
Text
41
O
King, a person who, giving up the material duties, with his
whole being approached the shelter of Mukunda, the One
Affording Shelter, is not the servant nor the debtor of the
gods, the sages, the ordinary living beings, of friends and
relatives or of the forefathers [see also B.G.
3:
9].
O
King, one who has given up all material duties and has taken
full shelter of the lotus feet of Mukunda, who offers
shelter to all, is not indebted to the demigods, great
sages, ordinary living beings, relatives, friends, mankind
or even one's forefathers who have passed away. Since all
such classes of living entities are part and parcel of the
Supreme Lord, one who has surrendered to the Lord's service
has no need to serve such persons separately.
Text
42
Rooted
at His feet engaged in worship and so being dear to Lord Hari,
the Supreme Controller who with the forsaking of the
inclination towards others has entered the heart, are whatever
irregular acts that somehow occurred all removed [see
8.23:
16 and
B.G. 9:
22,
9:
30,
18:
56].'
One
who has thus given up all other engagements and has taken
full shelter at the lotus feet of Hari, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, is very dear to the Lord. Indeed, if
such a surrendered soul accidentally commits some sinful
activity, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is seated
within everyone's heart, immediately takes away the reaction
to such sin.
Text
43
S'rî
Nârada said: 'In this manner having heard about the
science of devotional service felt the master of Mithilâ
satisfied indeed and offered he next together with the priests
the sagacious sons of Jayantî [the yogendras
5.4;
8]
worship.
Nârada
Muni said - Having thus heard the science of devotional
service, Nimi, the King of Mithilâ, felt extremely
satisfied and, along with the sacrificial priests, offered
respectful worship to the sagacious sons of
Jayantî.
Text
44
Then,
as all present were watching, disappeared the ones of
perfection. The king, faithfully following this dharma,
achieved the supreme destination.
The
perfect sages then disappeared before the eyes of everyone
present. King Nimi faithfully practiced the principles of
spiritual life he had learned from them, and thus he
achieved the supreme goal of life.
Text
45
You
[Vasudeva], o most fortunate soul, will also, endowed
with faith in these principles of devotional service that you
heard of, being free from all material association go to the
Supreme.
O
greatly fortunate Vasudeva, simply apply with faith these
principles of devotional service which you have heard, and
thus, being free from material association, you will attain
the Supreme.
Text
46
The
earth became filled indeed by the glories of the two of you
being husband and wife, because the Supreme Lord, the
Controller Hari assumed the position of your
son.
Indeed,
the whole world has become filled with the glories of you
and your good wife because the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Lord Hari, has taken the position of your
son.
Text
47
For
Krishna manifesting the love of seeing, embracing and
conversing, taking rest, sitting and eating with a son, have
the hearts of the two of you become purified.
My
dear Vasudeva, you and your good wife Devakî have
manifested great transcendental love for Krishna, accepting
Him as your son. Indeed, you are always seeing the Lord,
embracing Him, speaking with Him, resting with Him, sitting
together with Him and taking your meals with Him. By such
affectionate and intimate association with the Lord,
undoubtedly both of you have completely purified your
hearts. In other words, you are already perfect.
Text
48
Kings
like S'is'upâla,
Paundraka
and S'âlva
who
with envy sporting upon His movements, glances and so on, thus
meditating fixed their minds upon Him lying down, sitting etc.,
have achieved a position at the same level, so what to speak of
those who were favorably minded [see mukti
and also Jaya
& Vijaya]?
Inimical
kings like S'is'upâla, Paundraka and S'âlva were
always thinking about Lord Krishna. Even while they were
lying down, sitting or engaging in other activities, they
enviously meditated upon the bodily movements of the Lord,
His sporting pastimes, His loving glances upon His devotees,
and other attractive features displayed by the Lord. Being
thus always absorbed in Krishna, they achieved spiritual
liberation in the Lord's own abode. What then can be said of
the benedictions offered to those who constantly fix their
minds on Lord Krishna in a favorable, loving mood?
Text
49
Do
not impose on Krishna, the Supreme Soul and Controller of All,
the idea of being your son; by His power of illusion He
appeared as a normal human being concealing His opulence as the
Supreme One Infallible [see also B.G. 4:
6].
Do
not think of Krishna as an ordinary child, because He is the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, inexhaustible and the Soul
of all beings. The Lord has concealed His inconceivable
opulences and is thus outwardly appearing to be an ordinary
human being.
Text
50
Of
Him who descended in order to kill the asura members of the
noble class burdening the earth and to award liberation, has
the fame spread wide in the world [see also B.G.
4:
7].'
The
Supreme Personality of Godhead descended to kill the
demoniac kings who were the burden of the earth and to
protect the saintly devotees. However, both the demons and
the devotees are awarded liberation by the Lord's mercy.
Thus, His transcendental fame has spread throughout the
universe.
Text
51
S'rî
S'uka said: 'Having heard this were the greatly fortunate
Vasudeva and Devakî most amazed and gave they up the
folly they had with themselves.
S'rî
S'ukadeva Gosvâmî continued - Having heard this
narration, the greatly fortunate Vasudeva was completely
struck with wonder. Thus he and his most blessed wife
Devakî gave up all illusion and anxiety that had
entered their hearts.
Text
52
He
who one-pointed of attention meditates upon this pious
historical account, will in this very life clean off the
contamination and achieve the spiritual
perfection.
Anyone
who meditates on this pious historical narration with fixed
attention will purify himself of all contamination in this
very life and thus achieve the highest spiritual
perfection.
*:
With the Rik-samhitâ (8.4: 19), the S'ukla-yajur
Veda (34: 11) and the Atharva Veda (19: 66) all saying
'The brâhmana appeared as His face, the king as His arms,
the vais'ya as His thighs, and the s'ûdra was born from
His feet' are, according to S'rîdhara Svâmî,
the brahmins considered to be born of the mode of goodness, the
kshatriyas of a combination of goodness and passion, the
vais'yas of a combination of passion and ignorance and the
s'ûdras of the mode of ignorance.
**
Mentioned here are the vikankata wooden sruk and the
khadira wooden sruvâ that serves the sruk
for pouring ghee into the fire.
***:
The paramparâ, as to remind us of the degradation of
devotion through the yugas [see also 1.16:
20]
elucidates: 'The inhabitants of Satya-yuga were described as
s'ântâh, nirvairâh, suhridah and samâh,
or peaceful, free from envy, the well-wishers of every living
entity, and fixed on the spiritual platform beyond the modes of
material nature. Similarly the inhabitants of Tretâ-yuga
were described as dharmishthhâh and brahma-vâdinah,
or thoroughly religious, and expert followers of the Vedic
injunctions. In the present verse, the inhabitants of
Dvâpara-yuga are said to be simply
jijñâsavah, desiring to know the Absolute Truth.
Otherwise they are described as martyâh, or subject to
the weakness of mortal beings.' One after the other age is one
thus worshiping by meditation, sacrifices, temple worship and
congregational chanting.
4*The
paramparâ adds to this: 'Corroborating the explanation of
this verse, the followers of Caitanya Mahâprabhu also
worship Him in His six-armed form of shad-bhuja. Two arms carry
the waterpot and danda of the sannyâsî Caitanya
Mahâprabhu, two arms carry the flute of Lord Krishna, and
two arms carry the bow and arrow of S'rî
Râmacandra. This shad-bhuja form is the actual purport of
this verse of the S'rîmad-Bhâgavatam'.
