Śrīmad Bhāgavatam - Canto 3
Sanskrit, word-for-word and original translation of Swami Prabhupāda
(for the purports one will have to consult the books under the copyright of the BBT)
(see
also the
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Chapter 1: Questions by Vidura
3.1.1
śrī-śuka uvāca
evam etat purā pṛṣṭo
maitreyo bhagavān kila
kṣattrā vanaḿ praviṣṭena
tyaktvā sva-gṛham ṛddhimat
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; evam — thus; etat — this; purā — formerly; pṛṣṭaḥ — being asked; maitreyaḥ — the great sage Maitreya; bhagavān — His Grace; kila — certainly; kṣattrā — by Vidura; vanam — forest; praviṣṭena — entering; tyaktvā — renouncing; sva-gṛham — own house; ṛddhimat — prosperous.
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: After renouncing his prosperous home and entering the forest, King Vidura, the great devotee, asked this question of His Grace Maitreya Ṛṣi.
3.1.2
yad vā ayaḿ mantra-kṛd vo
bhagavān akhileśvaraḥ
pauravendra-gṛhaḿ hitvā
praviveśātmasāt kṛtam
yat — the house; vai — what else is there to say; ayam — Śrī Kṛṣṇa; mantra-kṛt — minister; vaḥ — you people; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; akhila-īśvaraḥ — the Lord of everything; pauravendra — Duryodhana; gṛham — house; hitvā — giving up; praviveśa — entered; ātmasāt — identify with oneself; kṛtam — so accepted.
TRANSLATION
What else is there to say about the residential house of the Pāṇḍavas? Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of everything, acted as your minister. He used to enter that house as if it were His own, and He did not take any care of Duryodhana's house.
3.1.3
rājovāca
kutra kṣattur bhagavatā
maitreyeṇāsa sańgamaḥ
kadā vā saha-saḿvāda
etad varṇaya naḥ prabho
rājā uvāca — the King said; kutra — wherein; kṣattuḥ — with Vidura; bhagavatā — and with His Grace; maitreyeṇa — with Maitreya; āsa — there was; sańgamaḥ — meeting; kadā — when; vā — also; saha — with; saḿvādaḥ — discussion; etat — this; varṇaya — describe; naḥ — unto me; prabho — O my lord.
TRANSLATION
The King asked Śukadeva Gosvāmī: Where and when did the meeting and discussion take place between Saint Vidura and His Grace Maitreya Muni? Kindly oblige, my lord, and describe this to us.
3.1.4
na hy alpārthodayas tasya
vidurasyāmalātmanaḥ
tasmin varīyasi praśnaḥ
sādhu-vādopabṛḿhitaḥ
na — never; hi — certainly; alpa-artha — small (unimportant) purpose; udayaḥ — raised; tasya — his; vidurasya — of Vidura; amala-ātmanaḥ — of the saintly man; tasmin — in that; varīyasi — highly purposeful; praśnaḥ — question; sādhu-vāda — things approved by saints and sages; upabṛḿhitaḥ — full with.
TRANSLATION
Saint Vidura was a great and pure devotee of the Lord, and therefore his questions to His Grace Ṛṣi Maitreya must have been very purposeful, on the highest level, and approved by learned circles.
3.1.5
sūta uvāca
sa evam ṛṣi-varyo 'yaḿ
pṛṣṭo rājñā parīkṣitā
praty āha taḿ subahu-vit
prītātmā śrūyatām iti
sūtaḥ uvāca — Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī said; saḥ — he; evam — thus; ṛṣi-varyaḥ — the great ṛṣi; ayam — Śukadeva Gosvāmī; pṛṣṭaḥ — being questioned; rājñā — by the King; parīkṣitā — Mahārāja Parīkṣit; prati — to; āha — replied; tam — unto the King; su-bahu-vit — highly experienced; prīta-ātmā — fully satisfied; śrūyatām — please hear me; iti — thus.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Suta Gosvāmī said: The great sage Śukadeva Gosvāmī was highly experienced and was pleased with the King. Thus being questioned by the King, he said to him, "Please hear the topics attentively."
3.1.6
śrī-śuka uvāca
yadā tu rājā sva-sutān asādhūn
puṣṇan na dharmeṇa vinaṣṭa-dṛṣṭiḥ
bhrātur yaviṣṭhasya sutān vibandhūn
praveśya lākṣā-bhavane dadāha
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; yadā — when; tu — but; rājā — King Dhṛtarāṣṭra; sva-sutān — his own sons; asādhūn — dishonest; puṣṇan — nourishing; na — never; dharmeṇa — on the right path; vinaṣṭa-dṛṣṭiḥ — one who has lost his insight; bhrātuḥ — of his brother; yaviṣṭhasya — younger; sutān — sons; vibandhūn — having no guardian (father); praveśya — made to enter; lākṣā — lacquer; bhavane — in the house; dadāha — set on fire.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: King Dhṛtarāṣṭra became blind under the influence of impious desires to nourish his dishonest sons, and thus he set fire to the lacquer house to burn his fatherless nephews, the Pāṇḍavas.
3.1.7
yadā sabhāyāḿ kuru-deva-devyāḥ
keśābhimarśaḿ suta-karma garhyam
na vārayām āsa nṛpaḥ snuṣāyāḥ
svāsrair harantyāḥ kuca-kuńkumāni
yadā — when; sabhāyām — the assembly; kuru-deva-devyāḥ — of Draupadī, the wife of godly Yudhiṣṭhira; keśa-abhimarśam — insult by grabbing her hair; suta-karma — action taken by his son; garhyam — which was abominable; na — did not; vārayām āsa — forbid; nṛpaḥ — the King; snuṣāyāḥ — of his daughter-in-law; svāsraiḥ — by her tears; harantyāḥ — of she who was washing; kuca-kuńkumāni — red dust on her breast.
TRANSLATION
The King did not forbid his son Duḥśāsana's abominable action of grabbing the hair of Draupadī, the wife of the godly King Yudhiṣṭhira, even though her tears washed the red dust on her breast.
3.1.8
dyūte tv adharmeṇa jitasya sādhoḥ
satyāvalambasya vanaḿ gatasya
na yācato 'dāt samayena dāyaḿ
tamo-juṣāṇo yad ajāta-śatroḥ
dyūte — by means of gambling; tu — but; adharmeṇa — by unfair tricks; jitasya — of the vanquished; sādhoḥ — a saintly person; satya-avalambasya — one who embraced truth as shelter; vanam — forest; gatasya — of the goer; na — never; yācataḥ — when asked for; adāt — delivered; samayena — in due course; dāyam — right share; tamaḥ-juṣāṇaḥ — overwhelmed by illusion; yat — as much as; ajāta-śatroḥ — of one who had no enemy.
TRANSLATION
Yudhiṣṭhira, who was born without any enemy, was unfairly defeated in gambling. But because he had taken the vow of truthfulness, he went off to the forest. When he came back in due course and begged the return of his rightful share of the kingdom, he was refused by Dhṛtarāṣṭra, who was overwhelmed by illusion.
3.1.9
yadā ca pārtha-prahitaḥ sabhāyāḿ
jagad-gurur yāni jagāda kṛṣṇaḥ
na tāni puḿsām amṛtāyanāni
rājoru mene kṣata-puṇya-leśaḥ
yadā — when; ca — also; pārtha-prahitaḥ — being advised by Arjuna; sabhāyām — in the assembly; jagat-guruḥ — of the teacher of the world; yāni — those; jagāda — went; kṛṣṇaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; na — never; tāni — such words; puḿsām — of all men of sense; amṛta-ayanāni — as good as nectar; rājā — the King (Dhṛtarāṣṭra or Duryodhana); uru — very important; mene — did consider; kṣata — dwindling; puṇya-leśaḥ — fragment of pious acts.
TRANSLATION
Lord Kṛṣṇa was sent by Arjuna into the assembly as the spiritual master of the whole world, and although His words were heard by some [like Bhīṣma] as pure nectar, it was not so for the others, who were completely bereft of the last farthing of past pious works. The King [Dhṛtarāṣṭra or Duryodhana] did not take the words of Lord Kṛṣṇa very seriously.
3.1.10
yadopahūto bhavanaḿ praviṣṭo
mantrāya pṛṣṭaḥ kila pūrvajena
athāha tan mantra-dṛśāḿ varīyān
yan mantriṇo vaidurikaḿ vadanti
yadā — when; upahūtaḥ — was called by; bhavanam — the palace; praviṣṭaḥ — entered; mantrāya — for consultation; pṛṣṭaḥ — asked by; kila — of course; pūrvajena — by the elder brother; atha — thus; āha — said; tat — that; mantra — advice; dṛśām — just suitable; varīyān — excellent; yat — that which; mantriṇaḥ — the ministers of state, or expert politicians; vaidurikam — instructions by Vidura; vadanti — do they say.
TRANSLATION
When Vidura was invited by his elder brother [Dhṛtarāṣṭra] for consultation, he entered the house and gave instructions which were exactly to the point. His advice is well known, and instructions by Vidura are approved by expert ministers of state.
3.1.11
ajāta-śatroḥ pratiyaccha dāyaḿ
titikṣato durviṣahaḿ tavāgaḥ
sahānujo yatra vṛkodarāhiḥ
śvasan ruṣā yat tvam alaḿ bibheṣi
ajāta-śatroḥ — of Yudhiṣṭhira, who has no enemy; pratiyaccha — return; dāyam — legitimate share; titikṣataḥ — of he who is so forbearing; durviṣaham — unbearable; tava — your; āgaḥ — offense; saha — along with; anujaḥ — younger brothers; yatra — wherein; vṛkodara — Bhīma; ahiḥ — revenging snake; śvasan — breathing heavily; ruṣā — in anger; yat — whom; tvam — you; alam — verily; bibheṣi — do fear.
TRANSLATION
[Vidura said:] You must now return the legitimate share to Yudhiṣṭhira, who has no enemies and who has been forbearing through untold sufferings due to your offenses. He is waiting with his younger brothers, among whom is the revengeful Bhīma, breathing heavily like a snake. Surely you are afraid of him.
3.1.12
pārthāḿs tu devo bhagavān mukundo
gṛhītavān sakṣiti-deva-devaḥ
āste sva-puryāḿ yadu-deva-devo
vinirjitāśeṣa-nṛdeva-devaḥ
pārthān — the sons of Pṛthā (Kuntī); tu — but; devaḥ — the Lord; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; mukundaḥ — Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who awards liberation; gṛhītavān — has taken up; sa — with; kṣiti-deva-devaḥ — the brāhmaṇas and the demigods; āste — is present; sva-puryām — along with His family; yadu-deva-devaḥ — worshiped by the royal order of the Yadu dynasty; vinirjita — who have been conquered; aśeṣa — unlimited; nṛdeva — kings; devaḥ — Lord.
TRANSLATION
Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, has accepted the sons of Pṛthā as His kinsmen, and all the kings of the world are with Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. He is present in His home with all His family members, the kings and princes of the Yadu dynasty, who have conquered an unlimited number of rulers, and He is their Lord.
3.1.13
sa eṣa doṣaḥ puruṣa-dviḍ āste
gṛhān praviṣṭo yam apatya-matyā
puṣṇāsi kṛṣṇād vimukho gata-śrīs
tyajāśv aśaivaḿ kula-kauśalāya
saḥ — he; eṣaḥ — this; doṣaḥ — offense personified; puruṣa-dviṭ — envious of Lord Kṛṣṇa; āste — exists; gṛhān — household; praviṣṭaḥ — entered; yam — whom; apatya-matyā — thinking to be your son; puṣṇāsi — maintaining; kṛṣṇāt — from Kṛṣṇa; vimukhaḥ — in opposition; gata-śrīḥ — devoid of everything auspicious; tyaja — give up; āśu — as soon as possible; aśaivam — inauspicious; kula — family; kauśalāya — for the sake of.
TRANSLATION
You are maintaining offense personified, Duryodhana, as your infallible son, but he is envious of Lord Kṛṣṇa. And because you are thus maintaining a nondevotee of Kṛṣṇa, you are devoid of all auspicious qualities. Relieve yourself of this ill fortune as soon as possible and do good to the whole family!
3.1.14
ity ūcivāḿs tatra suyodhanena
pravṛddha-kopa-sphuritādhareṇa
asat-kṛtaḥ sat-spṛhaṇīya-śīlaḥ
kṣattā sakarṇānuja-saubalena
iti — thus; ūcivān — while speaking; tatra — there; suyodhanena — by Duryodhana; pravṛddha — swollen with; kopa — anger; sphurita — flapping; adhareṇa — lips; asat-kṛtaḥ — insulted; sat — respectable; spṛhaṇīya-śīlaḥ — desirable qualities; kṣattā — Vidura; sa — with; karṇa — Karṇa; anuja — younger brothers; saubalena — with Śakuni.
TRANSLATION
While speaking thus, Vidura, whose personal character was esteemed by respectable persons, was insulted by Duryodhana, who was swollen with anger and whose lips were trembling. Duryodhana was in company with Karṇa, his younger brothers and his maternal uncle Śakuni.
3.1.15
ka enam atropajuhāva jihmaḿ
dāsyāḥ sutaḿ yad-balinaiva puṣṭaḥ
tasmin pratīpaḥ parakṛtya āste
nirvāsyatām āśu purāc chvasānaḥ
kaḥ — who; enam — this; atra — here; upajuhāva — called for; jihmam — crooked; dāsyāḥ — of a kept mistress; sutam — son; yat — whose; balinā — by whose subsistence; eva — certainly; puṣṭaḥ — grown up; tasmin — unto him; pratīpaḥ — enmity; parakṛtya — enemy's interest; āste — situated; nirvāsyatām — get him out; āśu — immediately; purāt — from the palace; śvasānaḥ — let him breathe only.
TRANSLATION
Who asked him to come here, this son of a kept mistress? He is so crooked that he spies in the interest of the enemy against those on whose support he has grown up. Toss him out of the palace immediately and leave him with only his breath.
3.1.16
svayaḿ dhanur dvāri nidhāya māyāḿ
bhrātuḥ puro marmasu tāḍito 'pi
sa ittham atyulbaṇa-karṇa-bāṇair
gata-vyatho 'yād uru mānayānaḥ
svayam — he himself; dhanuḥ dvāri — bow on the door; nidhāya — keeping; māyām — the external nature; bhrātuḥ — brother's; puraḥ — from the palace; marmasu — in the core of the heart; tāḍitaḥ — being afflicted; api — in spite of; saḥ — he (Vidura); ittham — like this; ati-ulbaṇa — severely; karṇa — ear; bāṇaiḥ — by the arrows; gata-vyathaḥ — without being sorry; ayāt — excited; uru — great; māna-yānaḥ — so thinking.
TRANSLATION
Thus being pierced by arrows through his ears and afflicted to the core of his heart, Vidura placed his bow on the door and quit his brother's palace. He was not sorry, for he considered the acts of the external energy to be supreme.
3.1.17
sa nirgataḥ kaurava-puṇya-labdho
gajāhvayāt tīrtha-padaḥ padāni
anvākramat puṇya-cikīrṣayorvyām
adhiṣṭhito yāni sahasra-mūrtiḥ
saḥ — he (Vidura); nirgataḥ — after having quit; kaurava — the Kuru dynasty; puṇya — piety; labdhaḥ — so achieved; gaja-āhvayāt — from Hastināpura; tīrtha-padaḥ — of the Supreme Lord; padāni — pilgrimages; anvākramat — took shelter; puṇya — piety; cikīrṣayā — desiring so; urvyām — of high grade; adhiṣṭhitaḥ — situated; yāni — all those; sahasra — thousands; mūrtiḥ — forms.
TRANSLATION
By his piety, Vidura achieved the advantages of the pious Kauravas. After leaving Hastināpura, he took shelter of many places of pilgrimages, which are the Lord's lotus feet. With a desire to gain a high order of pious life, he traveled to holy places where thousands of transcendental forms of the Lord are situated.
3.1.18
pureṣu puṇyopavanādri-kuñjeṣv
apańka-toyeṣu sarit-saraḥsu
ananta-lińgaiḥ samalańkṛteṣu
cacāra tīrthāyataneṣv ananyaḥ
pureṣu — holy places like Ayodhyā, Dvārakā and Mathurā; puṇya — piety; upavana — the air; adri — hill; kuñjeṣu — in the orchards; apańka — without sin; toyeṣu — in the water; sarit — river; saraḥsu — lakes; ananta-lińgaiḥ — the forms of the Unlimited; samalańkṛteṣu — being so decorated; cacāra — executed; tīrtha — places of pilgrimage; āyataneṣu — holy lands; ananyaḥ — alone or seeing Kṛṣṇa alone.
TRANSLATION
He began to travel alone, thinking only of Kṛṣṇa, through various holy places like Ayodhyā, Dvārakā and Mathurā. He traveled where the air, hill, orchard, river and lake are all pure and sinless and where the forms of the Unlimited decorate the temples. Thus he performed the pilgrim's progress.
3.1.19
gāḿ paryaṭan medhya-vivikta-vṛttiḥ
sadāpluto 'dhaḥ śayano 'vadhūtaḥ
alakṣitaḥ svair avadhūta-veṣo
vratāni cere hari-toṣaṇāni
gām — earth; paryaṭan — traversing; medhya — pure; vivikta-vṛttiḥ — independent occupation for living; sadā — always; āplutaḥ — sanctified; adhaḥ — on the earth; śayanaḥ — lying; avadhūtaḥ — without dressing (of the hair, etc.); alakṣitaḥ — without being seen; svaiḥ — alone; avadhūta-veṣaḥ — dressed like a mendicant; vratāni — vows; cere — performed; hari-toṣaṇāni — that pleased the Lord.
TRANSLATION
While so traversing the earth, he simply performed duties to please the Supreme Lord Hari. His occupation was pure and independent. He was constantly sanctified by taking his bath in holy places, although he was in the dress of a mendicant and had no hair dressing nor a bed on which to lie. Thus he was always unseen by his various relatives.
3.1.20
itthaḿ vrajan bhāratam eva varṣaḿ
kālena yāvad gatavān prabhāsam
tāvac chaśāsa kṣitim eka cakrām
ekātapatrām ajitena pārthaḥ
ittham — like this; vrajan — while traveling; bhāratam — India; eva — only; varṣam — the tract of land; kālena — in due course of time; yāvat — when; gatavān — visited; prabhāsam — the Prabhāsa pilgrimage site; tāvat — at that time; śaśāsa — ruled; kṣitim — the world; eka-cakrām — by one military force; eka — one; ātapatrām — flag; ajitena — by the mercy of the unconquerable Kṛṣṇa; pārthaḥ — Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira.
TRANSLATION
Thus, when he was in the land of Bhāratavarṣa traveling to all the places of pilgrimage, he visited Prabhāsakṣetra. At that time Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was the emperor and held the world under one military strength and one flag.
3.1.21
tatrātha śuśrāva suhṛd-vinaṣṭiḿ
vanaḿ yathā veṇuja-vahni-saḿśrayam
saḿspardhayā dagdham athānuśocan
sarasvatīḿ pratyag iyāya tūṣṇīm
tatra — there; atha — thereafter; śuśrāva — heard; suhṛt — kinsmen; vinaṣṭim — all dead; vanam — forest; yathā — as much as; veṇuja-vahni — fire due to the bamboos; saḿśrayam — friction with one another; saḿspardhayā — by violent passion; dagdham — burnt; atha — thus; anuśocan — thinking; sarasvatīm — the River Sarasvatī; pratyak — westward; iyāya — went; tūṣṇīm — silently.
TRANSLATION
At the place of pilgrimage at Prabhāsa, it came to his knowledge that all his relatives had died due to violent passion, just as an entire forest burns due to fire produced by the friction of bamboos. After this he proceeded west, where the River Sarasvatī flows.
3.1.22
tasyāḿ tritasyośanaso manoś ca
pṛthor athāgner asitasya vāyoḥ
tīrthaḿ sudāsasya gavāḿ guhasya
yac chrāddhadevasya sa āsiṣeve
tasyām — on the bank of the River Sarasvatī; tritasya — the pilgrimage site named Trita; uśanasaḥ — the pilgrimage site named Uśanā; manoḥ ca — as also of the pilgrimage site named Manu; pṛthoḥ — that of Pṛthu; atha — thereafter; agneḥ — that of Agni; asitasya — that of Asita; vāyoḥ — that of Vāyu; tīrtham — places of pilgrimages; sudāsasya — of the name Sudāsa; gavām — that of Go; guhasya — that of Guha; yat — thereupon; śrāddhadevasya — of the name Śrāddhadeva; saḥ — Vidura; āsiṣeve — duly visited and performed the rituals.
TRANSLATION
On the bank of the River Sarasvatī there were eleven places of pilgrimage, namely, (1) Trita, (2) Uśanā, (3) Manu, (4) Pṛthu, (5) Agni, (6) Asita, (7) Vāyu, (8) Sudāsa, (9) Go, (10) Guha and (11) Srāddhadeva. Vidura visited all of them and duly performed rituals.
3.1.23
anyāni ceha dvija-deva-devaiḥ
kṛtāni nānāyatanāni viṣṇoḥ
pratyańga-mukhyāńkita-mandirāṇi
yad-darśanāt kṛṣṇam anusmaranti
anyāni — others; ca — also; iha — here; dvija-deva — by the great sages; devaiḥ — and the demigods; kṛtāni — established by; nānā — various; āyatanāni — various forms; viṣṇoḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; prati — each and every; ańga — part; mukhya — the chief; ańkita — marked; mandirāṇi — temple s; yat — which; darśanāt — by seeing from a distance; kṛṣṇam — the original Personality of Godhead; anusmaranti — constantly remembers.
TRANSLATION
There were also many other temples of various forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Viṣṇu, established by great sages and demigods. These temples were marked with the chief emblems of the Lord, and they reminded one always of the original Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa.
3.1.24
tatas tv ativrajya surāṣṭram ṛddhaḿ
sauvīra-matsyān kurujāńgalāḿś ca
kālena tāvad yamunām upetya
tatroddhavaḿ bhāgavataḿ dadarśa
tataḥ — from there; tu — but; ativrajya — by passing over; surāṣṭram — the kingdom of Surat; ṛddham — very wealthy; sauvīra — the kingdom of Sauvīra; matsyān — the kingdom of Matsya; kurujāńgalān — the kingdom of western India up to the Delhi province; ca — also; kālena — in course of time; tāvat — as soon as; yamunām — bank of the River Yamunā; upetya — reaching; tatra — there; uddhavam — Uddhava, one of the prominent Yadus; bhāgavatam — the great devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa; dadarśa — happened to see.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter he passed through very wealthy provinces like Surat, Sauvīra and Matsya and through western India, known as Kurujāńgala. At last he reached the bank of the Yamunā, where he happened to meet Uddhava, the great devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
3.1.25
sa vāsudevānucaraḿ praśāntaḿ
bṛhaspateḥ prāk tanayaḿ pratītam
ālińgya gāḍhaḿ praṇayena bhadraḿ
svānām apṛcchad bhagavat-prajānām
saḥ — he, Vidura; vāsudeva — Lord Kṛṣṇa; anucaram — constant companion; praśāntam — very sober and gentle; bṛhaspateḥ — of Bṛhaspati, the learned spiritual master of the demigods; prāk — formerly; tanayam — son or disciple; pratītam — acknowledged; ālińgya — embracing; gāḍham — very feelingly; praṇayena — in love; bhadram — auspicious; svānām — his own; apṛcchat — asked; bhagavat — of the Personality of Godhead; prajānām — family.
TRANSLATION
Then, due to his great love and feeling, Vidura embraced him [Uddhava], who was a constant companion of Lord Kṛṣṇa and formerly a great student of Bṛhaspati's. Vidura then asked him for news of the family of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead.
3.1.26
kaccit purāṇau puruṣau svanābhya-
pādmānuvṛttyeha kilāvatīrṇau
āsāta urvyāḥ kuśalaḿ vidhāya
kṛta-kṣaṇau kuśalaḿ śūra-gehe
kaccit — whether; purāṇau — the original; puruṣau — Personalities of Godhead (Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma); svanābhya — Brahmā; pādma-anuvṛttyā — by the request of the one who is born from the lotus; iha — here; kila — certainly; avatīrṇau — incarnated; āsāte — are; urvyāḥ — in the world; kuśalam — well-being; vidhāya — for doing so; kṛta-kṣaṇau — the elevators of everyone's prosperity; kuśalam — all well; śūra-gehe — in the house of Śūrasena.
TRANSLATION
[Please tell me] whether the original Personalities of Godhead, who incarnated Themselves at the request of Brahmā [who is born out of the lotus flower from the Lord] and who have increased the prosperity of the world by elevating everyone, are doing well in the house of Śūrasena.
3.1.27
kaccit kurūṇāḿ paramaḥ suhṛn no
bhāmaḥ sa āste sukham ańga śauriḥ
yo vai svasṝṇāḿ pitṛvad dadāti
varān vadānyo vara-tarpaṇena
kaccit — whether; kurūṇām — of the Kurus; paramaḥ — greatest; suhṛt — well-wisher; naḥ — our; bhāmaḥ — brother-in-law; saḥ — he; āste — is; sukham — happy; ańga — O Uddhava; śauriḥ — Vasudeva; yaḥ — one who; vai — certainly; svasṝṇām — of the sisters; pitṛ-vat — like a father; dadāti — gives; varān — everything desirable; vadānyaḥ — munificent; vara — wife; tarpaṇena — by pleasing.
TRANSLATION
[Please tell me] whether the best friend of the Kurus, our brother-in-law Vasudeva, is doing well. He is very munificent. He is like a father to his sisters, and he is always pleasing to his wives.
3.1.28
kaccid varūthādhipatir yadūnāḿ
pradyumna āste sukham ańga vīraḥ
yaḿ rukmiṇī bhagavato 'bhilebhe
ārādhya viprān smaram ādi-sarge
kaccit — whether; varūtha — of the military; adhipatiḥ — commander-in-chief; yadūnām — of the Yadus; pradyumnaḥ — the son of Kṛṣṇa named Pradyumna; āste — is; sukham — happy; ańga — O Uddhava; vīraḥ — the great warrior; yam — whom; rukmiṇī — the wife of Kṛṣṇa named Rukmiṇī; bhagavataḥ — from the Personality of Godhead; abhilebhe — got as a prize; ārādhya — pleasing; viprān — brāhmaṇas; smaram — Cupid (Kāmadeva); ādi-sarge — in his previous life.
TRANSLATION
O Uddhava, please tell me how is Pradyumna, the commander-in-chief of the Yadus, who was Cupid in a former life? Rukmiṇī bore him as her son from Lord Kṛṣṇa, by the grace of brāhmaṇas whom she pleased.
3.1.29
kaccit sukhaḿ sātvata-vṛṣṇi-bhoja-
dāśārhakāṇām adhipaḥ sa āste
yam abhyaṣiñcac chata-patra-netro
nṛpāsanāśāḿ parihṛtya dūrāt
kaccit — whether; sukham — is all well; sātvata — the Sātvata race; vṛṣṇi — the Vṛṣṇi dynasty; bhoja — the Bhoja dynasty; dāśārhakāṇām — the Dāśārha race; adhipaḥ — King Ugrasena; saḥ — he; āste — does exist; yam — whom; abhyaṣiñcat — installed; śata-patra-netraḥ — Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa; nṛpa-āsana-āśām — hope of the royal throne; parihṛtya — giving up; dūrāt — at a distant place.
TRANSLATION
O my friend, [tell me] whether Ugrasena, the King of the Sātvatas, Vṛṣṇis, Bhojas and Dāśārhas, is now doing well. He went far away from his kingdom, leaving aside all hopes of his royal throne, but Lord Kṛṣṇa again installed him.
3.1.30
kaccid dhareḥ saumya sutaḥ sadṛkṣa
āste 'graṇī rathināḿ sādhu sāmbaḥ
asūta yaḿ jāmbavatī vratāḍhyā
devaḿ guhaḿ yo 'mbikayā dhṛto 'gre
kaccit — whether; hareḥ — of the Personality of Godhead; saumya — O grave one; sutaḥ — son; sadṛkṣaḥ — similar; āste — fares well; agraṇīḥ — foremost; rathinām — of the warriors; sādhu — well behaved; sāmbaḥ — Sāmba; asūta — gave birth; yam — whom; jāmbavatī — Jāmbavatī, a queen of Lord Kṛṣṇa's; vratāḍhyā — enriched by vows; devam — the demigod; guham — of the name Kārttikeya; yaḥ — whom; ambikayā — unto the wife of Śiva; dhṛtaḥ — born; agre — in the previous birth.
TRANSLATION
O gentle one, does Sāmba fare well? He exactly resembles the son of the Personality of Godhead. In a previous birth he was born as Kārttikeya in the womb of the wife of Lord Śiva, and now he has been born in the womb of Jāmbavatī, the most enriched wife of Kṛṣṇa.
3.1.31
kṣemaḿ sa kaccid yuyudhāna āste
yaḥ phālgunāl labdha-dhanū-rahasyaḥ
lebhe 'ñjasādhokṣaja-sevayaiva
gatiḿ tadīyāḿ yatibhir durāpām
kṣemam — all good; saḥ — he; kaccit — whether; yuyudhānaḥ — Sātyaki; āste — is there; yaḥ — one who; phālgunāt — from Arjuna; labdha — has achieved; dhanuḥ-rahasyaḥ — one who understands the intricacies of military art; lebhe — also achieved; añjasā — summarily; adhokṣaja — of the Transcendence; sevayā — by service; eva — certainly; gatim — destination; tadīyām — transcendental; yatibhiḥ — by great renouncers; durāpām — very difficult to achieve.
TRANSLATION
O Uddhava, does Yuyudhāna fare well? He learned the intricacies of the military art from Arjuna and attained the transcendental destination which is very difficult to reach even for great renouncers.
3.1.32
kaccid budhaḥ svasty anamīva āste
śvaphalka-putro bhagavat-prapannaḥ
yaḥ kṛṣṇa-pādāńkita-mārga-pāḿsuṣv
aceṣṭata prema-vibhinna-dhairyaḥ
kaccit — whether; budhaḥ — very learned; svasti — well; anamīvaḥ — faultless; āste — does exist; śvaphalka-putraḥ — the son of Śvaphalka, Akrūra; bhagavat — regarding the Personality of Godhead; prapannaḥ — surrendered; yaḥ — one who; kṛṣṇa — the Lord; pāda-ańkita — marked with footprints; mārga — path; pāḿsuṣu — in the dust; aceṣṭata — exhibited; prema-vibhinna — lost in transcendental love; dhairyaḥ — mental equilibrium.
TRANSLATION
Please tell me whether Akrūra, the son of Śvaphalka, is doing well. He is a faultless soul surrendered unto the Personality of Godhead. He once lost his mental equilibrium due to his ecstasy of transcendental love and fell down on the dust of a road which was marked with the footprints of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
3.1.33
kaccic chivaḿ devaka-bhoja-putryā
viṣṇu-prajāyā iva deva-mātuḥ
yā vai sva-garbheṇa dadhāra devaḿ
trayī yathā yajña-vitānam artham
kaccit — whether; śivam — everything well; devaka-bhoja-putryāḥ — of the daughter of King Devaka-bhoja; viṣṇu-prajāyāḥ — of she who gave birth to the Personality of Godhead; iva — like that of; deva-mātuḥ — of the mother of the demigods (Aditi); yā — one who; vai — indeed; sva-garbheṇa — by her own womb; dadhāra — conceived; devam — the Supreme Lord; trayī — the Vedas; yathā — as much as; yajña-vitānam — of spreading the sacrifice; artham — purpose.
TRANSLATION
As the Vedas are the reservoir of sacrificial purposes, so the daughter of King Devaka-bhoja conceived the Supreme Personality of Godhead in her womb, as did the mother of the demigods. Is she [Devakī] doing well?
3.1.34
apisvid āste bhagavān sukhaḿ vo
yaḥ sātvatāḿ kāma-dugho 'niruddhaḥ
yam āmananti sma hi śabda-yoniḿ
mano-mayaḿ sattva-turīya-tattvam
api — as also; svit — whether; āste — does He; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; sukham — all happiness; vaḥ — of you; yaḥ — one who; sātvatām — of the devotees; kāma-dughaḥ — source of all desires; aniruddhaḥ — the plenary expansion Aniruddha; yam — whom; āmananti — they accept; sma — from yore; hi — certainly; śabda-yonim — the cause of the Ṛg Veda; manaḥ-mayam — creator of the mind; sattva — transcendental; turīya — the fourth expansion; tattvam — principle.
TRANSLATION
May I inquire whether Aniruddha is doing well? He is the fulfiller of all the desires of the pure devotees and has been considered from yore to be the cause of the Ṛg Veda, the creator of the mind and the fourth Plenary expansion of Viṣṇu.
3.1.35
apisvid anye ca nijātma-daivam
ananya-vṛttyā samanuvratā ye
hṛdīka-satyātmaja-cārudeṣṇa-
gadādayaḥ svasti caranti saumya
api — as also; svit — whether; anye — others; ca — and; nija-ātma — of one's own self; daivam — Śrī Kṛṣṇa; ananya — absolutely; vṛttyā — faith; samanuvratāḥ — followers; ye — all those who; hṛdīka — Hṛdīka; satya-ātmaja — the son of Satyabhāmā; cārudeṣṇa — Cārudeṣṇa; gada — Gada; ādayaḥ — and others; svasti — all well; caranti — pass time; saumya — O sober one.
TRANSLATION
O sober one, others, such as Hṛdīka, Cārudeṣṇa, Gada and the son of Satyabhāmā, who accept Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa as the soul of the self and thus follow His path without deviation — are they well?
3.1.36
api sva-dorbhyāḿ vijayācyutābhyāḿ
dharmeṇa dharmaḥ paripāti setum
duryodhano 'tapyata yat-sabhāyāḿ
sāmrājya-lakṣmyā vijayānuvṛttyā
api — as also; sva-dorbhyām — own arms; vijaya — Arjuna; acyutā-bhyām — along with Śrī Kṛṣṇa; dharmeṇa — on religious principles; dharmaḥ — King Yudhiṣṭhira; paripāti — maintains; setum — the respect of religion; duryodhanaḥ — Duryodhana; atapyata — envied; yat — whose; sabhāyām — royal assembly; sāmrājya — imperial; lakṣmyā — opulence; vijaya-anuvṛttyā — by the service of Arjuna.
TRANSLATION
Also let me inquire whether Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira is now maintaining the kingdom according to religious principles and with respect for the path of religion. Formerly Duryodhana was burning with envy because Yudhiṣṭhira was being protected by the arms of Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna as if they were his own arms.
3.1.37
kiḿ vā kṛtāgheṣv agham atyamarṣī
bhīmo 'hivad dīrghatamaḿ vyamuñcat
yasyāńghri-pātaḿ raṇa-bhūr na sehe
mārgaḿ gadāyāś carato vicitram
kim — whether; vā — either; kṛta — performed; agheṣu — unto the sinners; agham — angry; ati-amarṣī — unconquerable; bhīmaḥ — Bhīma; ahi-vat — like a cobra; dīrgha-tamam — long-cherished; vyamuñcat — has released; yasya — whose; ańghri-pātam — putting on the steps; raṇa-bhūḥ — the field of battle; na — could not; sehe — tolerate; mārgam — the path; gadāyāḥ — by the clubs; carataḥ — playing; vicitram — wonderful.
TRANSLATION
[Please tell me] whether the unconquerable Bhīma, who is like a cobra, has released his long-cherished anger upon the sinners? The field of battle could not tolerate even the wonderful playing of his club when he stepped on the path.
3.1.38
kaccid yaśodhā ratha-yūthapānāḿ
gāṇḍīva-dhanvoparatārir āste
alakṣito yac-chara-kūṭa-gūḍho
māyā-kirāto giriśas tutoṣa
kaccit — whether; yaśaḥ-dhā — famous; ratha-yūthapānām — amongst the great chariot warriors; gāṇḍīva — Gāṇḍīva; dhanva — bow; uparata-ariḥ — one who has vanquished the enemies; āste — doing well; alakṣitaḥ — without being identified; yat — whose; śara-kūṭa-gūḍhaḥ — being covered by arrows; māyā-kirātaḥ — false hunter; giriśaḥ — Lord Śiva; tutoṣa — was satisfied.
TRANSLATION
[Please tell me] whether Arjuna, whose bow bears the name Gāṇḍīva and who is always famous amongst the chariot warriors for vanquishing his enemies, is doing well. He once satisfied Lord Śiva by covering him with arrows when Śiva came as an unidentified false hunter.
3.1.39
yamāv utasvit tanayau pṛthāyāḥ
pārthair vṛtau pakṣmabhir akṣiṇīva
remāta uddāya mṛdhe sva-rikthaḿ
parāt suparṇāv iva vajri-vaktrāt
yamau — twins (Nakula and Sahadeva); utasvit — whether; tanayau — sons; pṛthāyāḥ — of Pṛthā; pārthaiḥ — by the sons of Pṛthā; vṛtau — protected; pakṣmabhiḥ — by shields; akṣiṇī — of the eyes; iva — like; remāte — playing carelessly; uddāya — snatching; mṛdhe — in the fight; sva-riktham — own property; parāt — from the enemy Duryodhana; suparṇau — Garuḍa, the carrier of Lord Viṣṇu; iva — like; vajri-vaktrāt — from the mouth of Indra.
TRANSLATION
Are the twin brothers who are protected by their brothers doing well? Just as the eye is always protected by the eyelid, they are protected by the sons of Pṛthā, who snatched back their rightful kingdom from the hands of their enemy Duryodhana, just as Garuḍa snatched nectar from the mouth of Indra, the thunderbolt carrier.
3.1.40
aho pṛthāpi dhriyate 'rbhakārthe
rājarṣi-varyeṇa vināpi tena
yas tv eka-vīro 'dhiratho vijigye
dhanur dvitīyaḥ kakubhaś catasraḥ
aho — O my lord; pṛthā — Kuntī; api — also; dhriyate — bears her life; arbhaka-arthe — for the sake of fatherless children; rājarṣi — King Pāṇḍu; varyeṇa — the best; vinā api — without him; tena — him; yaḥ — one who; tu — but; eka — alone; vīraḥ — the warrior; adhirathaḥ — commander; vijigye — could conquer; dhanuḥ — the bow; dvitīyaḥ — the second; kakubhaḥ — directions; catasraḥ — four.
TRANSLATION
O my lord, is Pṛthā still living? She lived only for the sake of her fatherless children; otherwise it was impossible for her to live without King Pāṇḍu, who was the greatest commander and who alone conquered the four directions simply with the help of a second bow.
3.1.41
saumyānuśoce tam adhaḥ-patantaḿ
bhrātre paretāya vidudruhe yaḥ
niryāpito yena suhṛt sva-puryā
ahaḿ sva-putrān samanuvratena
saumya — O gentle one; anuśoce — just lamenting; tam — him; adhaḥ-patantam — gliding down; bhrātre — on his brother's; paretāya — death; vidudruhe — revolted against; yaḥ — one who; niryāpitaḥ — driven out; yena — by whom; suhṛt — well-wisher; sva-puryāḥ — from his own house; aham — myself; sva-putrān — with his own sons; samanu-vratena — accepting the same line of action.
TRANSLATION
O gentle one, I simply lament for he [Dhṛtarāṣṭra] who rebelled against his brother after death. By him I was driven out of my own house, although I am his sincere well-wisher, because he accepted the line of action adopted by his own sons.
3.1.42
so 'haḿ harer martya-viḍambanena
dṛśo nṛṇāḿ cālayato vidhātuḥ
nānyopalakṣyaḥ padavīḿ prasādāc
carāmi paśyan gata-vismayo 'tra
saḥ aham — therefore, I; hareḥ — of the Personality of Godhead; martya — in this mortal world; viḍambanena — without being recognized; dṛśaḥ — on sight; nṛṇām — of the people in general; cālayataḥ — bewildering; vidhātuḥ — in order to do it; na — not; anya — other; upalakṣyaḥ — seen by others; padavīm — glories; prasādāt — by the grace of; carāmi — do travel; paśyan — by seeing; gata-vismayaḥ — without doubt; atra — in this matter.
TRANSLATION
I am not astonished at this, having traveled over the world without being seen by others. The activities of the Personality of Godhead, which are like those of a man in this mortal world, are bewildering to others, but I know of His greatness by His grace, and thus I am happy in all respects.
3.1.43
nūnaḿ nṛpāṇāḿ tri-madotpathānāḿ
mahīḿ muhuś cālayatāḿ camūbhiḥ
vadhāt prapannārti-jihīrṣayeśo
'py upaikṣatāghaḿ bhagavān kurūṇām
nūnam — of course; nṛpāṇām — of the kings; tri — three; mada-utpathānām — going astray out of false pride; mahīm — earth; muhuḥ — constantly; cālayatām — agitating; camūbhiḥ — by movement of soldiers; vadhāt — from the act of killing; prapanna — surrendered; ārti-jihīrṣaya — willing to relieve the distress of the sufferers; īśaḥ — the Lord; api — in spite of; upaikṣata — waited; agham — offenses; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; kurūṇām — of the Kurus.
TRANSLATION
Despite His being the Lord and being always willing to relieve the distress of sufferers, He [Kṛṣṇa] refrained from killing the Kurus, although they committed all sorts of sins and although He saw other kings constantly agitating the earth by their strong military movements carried out under the dictation of three kinds of false pride.
3.1.44
ajasya janmotpatha-nāśanāya
karmāṇy akartur grahaṇāya puḿsām
nanv anyathā ko 'rhati deha-yogaḿ
paro guṇānām uta karma-tantram
ajasya — of the unborn; janma — appearance; utpatha-nāśanāya — f or the sake of annihilating the upstarts; karmāṇi — works; akartuḥ — of one who has nothing to do; grahaṇāya — to take up; puḿsām — of all persons; nanu anyathā — otherwise; kaḥ — who; arhati — may deserve; deha-yogam — contact of the body; paraḥ — transcendental; guṇānām — of the three modes of nature; uta — what to speak of; karma-tantram — the law of action and reaction.
TRANSLATION
The appearance of the Lord is manifested for the annihilation of the upstarts. His activities are transcendental and are enacted for the understanding of all persons. Otherwise, since the Lord is transcendental to all material modes, what purpose could He serve by coming to earth?
3.1.45
tasya prapannākhila-lokapānām
avasthitānām anuśāsane sve
arthāya jātasya yaduṣv ajasya
vārtāḿ sakhe kīrtaya tīrtha-kīrteḥ
tasya — His; prapanna — surrendered; akhila-loka-pānām — all rulers of the entire universe; avasthitānām — situated in; anuśāsane — under the control of; sve — own self; arthāya — for the interest of; jātasya — of the born; yaduṣu — in the family of the Yadus; ajasya — of the unborn; vārtām — topics; sakhe — O my friend; kīrtaya — please narrate; tīrtha-kīrteḥ — of the Lord, whose glories are chanted in the places of pilgrimage.
TRANSLATION
O my friend, please, therefore, chant the glories of the Lord, who is meant to be glorified in the places of pilgrimage. He is unborn, and yet He appears by His causeless mercy upon the surrendered rulers of all parts of the universe. Only for their interest did He appear in the family of His unalloyed devotees the Yadus.
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