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
pdf for this chapter)
Chapter 20: Conversation Between Maitreya and Vidura
3.20.1
śaunaka uvāca
mahīḿ pratiṣṭhām adhyasya
saute svāyambhuvo manuḥ
kāny anvatiṣṭhad dvārāṇi
mārgāyāvara-janmanām
śaunakaḥ — Śaunaka; uvāca — said; mahīm — the earth; pratiṣṭhām — situated; adhyasya — having secured; saute — O Sūta Gosvāmī; svāyambhuvaḥ — Svāyambhuva; manuḥ — Manu; kāni — what; anvatiṣṭhat — performed; dvārāṇi — ways; mārgāya — to get out; avara — later; janmanām — of those to be born.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Śaunaka inquired: O Sūta Gosvāmī, after the earth was again situated in its orbit, what did Svāyambhuva Manu do to show the path of liberation to persons who were to take birth later on?
3.20.2
kṣattā mahā-bhāgavataḥ
kṛṣṇasyaikāntikaḥ suhṛt
yas tatyājāgrajaḿ kṛṣṇe
sāpatyam aghavān iti
kṣattā — Vidura; mahā-bhāgavataḥ — a great devotee of the Lord; kṛṣṇasya — of Lord Kṛṣṇa; ekāntikaḥ — unalloyed devotee; suhṛt — intimate friend; yaḥ — he who; tatyāja — abandoned; agra-jam — his elder brother (King Dhṛtarāṣṭra); kṛṣṇe — toward Kṛṣṇa; sa-apatyam — along with his one hundred sons; agha-vān — offender; iti — thus.
TRANSLATION
Śaunaka Ṛṣi inquired about Vidura, who was a great devotee and friend of Lord Kṛṣṇa and who gave up the company of his elder brother because the latter, along with his sons, played tricks against the desires of the Lord.
3.20.3
dvaipāyanād anavaro
mahitve tasya dehajaḥ
sarvātmanā śritaḥ kṛṣṇaḿ
tat-parāḿś cāpy anuvrataḥ
dvaipāyanāt — from Vyāsadeva; anavaraḥ — in no way inferior; mahitve — in greatness; tasya — his (Vyāsa's); deha-jaḥ — born of his body; sarva-ātmanā — with all his heart; śritaḥ — took shelter; kṛṣṇam — Lord Kṛṣṇa; tat-parān — those devoted to Him; ca — and; api — also; anuvrataḥ — followed.
TRANSLATION
Vidura was born from the body of Veda-vyāsa and was not less than he. Thus he accepted the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa wholeheartedly and was attached to His devotees.
3.20.4
kim anvapṛcchan maitreyaḿ
virajās tīrtha-sevayā
upagamya kuśāvarta
āsīnaḿ tattva-vittamam
kim — what; anvapṛcchat — inquired; maitreyam — from the sage Maitreya; virajāḥ — Vidura, who was without material contamination; tīrtha-sevayā — by visiting sacred places; upagamya — having met; kuśāvarte — at Kuśāvarta (Haridvāra, or Hardwar); āsīnam — who was abiding; tattva-vit-tamam — the foremost knower of the science of spiritual life.
TRANSLATION
Vidura was purified of all passion by wandering in sacred places, and at last he reached Hardwar, where he met the great sage who knew the science of spiritual life, and he inquired from him. Śaunaka Ṛṣi therefore asked: What more did Vidura inquire from Maitreya?
3.20.5
tayoḥ saḿvadatoḥ sūta
pravṛttā hy amalāḥ kathāḥ
āpo gāńgā ivāgha-ghnīr
hareḥ pādāmbujāśrayāḥ
tayoḥ — while the two (Maitreya and Vidura); saḿvadatoḥ — were conversing; sūta — O Sūta; pravṛttāḥ — arose; hi — certainly; amalāḥ — spotless; kathāḥ — narrations; āpaḥ — waters; gāńgāḥ — of the River Ganges; iva — like; agha-ghnīḥ — vanquishing all sins; hareḥ — of the Lord; pāda-ambuja — the lotus feet; āśrayāḥ — taking shelter.
TRANSLATION
Śaunaka inquired about the conversation between Vidura and Maitreya: There must have been many narrations of the spotless pastimes of the Lord. The hearing of such narrations is exactly like bathing in the water of the Ganges, for it can free one from all sinful reactions.
3.20.6
tā naḥ kīrtaya bhadraḿ te
kīrtanyodāra-karmaṇaḥ
rasajñaḥ ko nu tṛpyeta
hari-līlāmṛtaḿ piban
tāḥ — those talks; naḥ — to us; kīrtaya — narrate; bhadram te — may all good come unto you; kīrtanya — should be chanted; udāra — liberal; karmaṇaḥ — activities; rasa-jñaḥ — a devotee who can appreciate mellow tastes; kaḥ — who; nu — indeed; tṛpyeta — would feel satisfied; hari-līlā-amṛtam — the nectar of the pastimes of the Lord; piban — drinking.
TRANSLATION
O Sūta Gosvāmī, all good fortune to you! Please narrate the activities of the Lord, which are all magnanimous and worth glorifying. What sort of devotee can be satiated by hearing the nectarean pastimes of the Lord?
3.20.7
evam ugraśravāḥ pṛṣṭa
ṛṣibhir naimiṣāyanaiḥ
bhagavaty arpitādhyātmas
tān āha śrūyatām iti
evam — thus; ugraśravāḥ — Sūta Gosvāmī; pṛṣṭaḥ — being asked; ṛṣibhiḥ — by the sages; naimiṣa-ayanaiḥ — who were assembled in the forest of Naimiṣa; bhagavati — unto the Lord; arpita — dedicated; adhyātmaḥ — his mind; tān — to them; āha — said; śrūyatām — just hear; iti — thus.
TRANSLATION
On being asked to speak by the great sages of Naimiṣāraṇya, the son of Romaharṣaṇa, Sūta Gosvāmī, whose mind was absorbed in the transcendental pastimes of the Lord, said: Please hear what I shall now speak.
3.20.8
sūta uvāca
harer dhṛta-kroḍa-tanoḥ sva-māyayā
niśamya gor uddharaṇaḿ rasātalāt
līlāḿ hiraṇyākṣam avajñayā hataḿ
sañjāta-harṣo munim āha bhārataḥ
sūtaḥ uvāca — Sūta said; hareḥ — of the Lord; dhṛta — who had assumed; kroḍa — of a boar; tanoḥ — body; sva-māyayā — by His divine potency; niśamya — having heard; goḥ — of the earth; uddharaṇam — uplifting; rasātalāt — from the bottom of the ocean; līlām — sport; hiraṇyākṣam — the demon Hiraṇyākṣa; avajñayā — neglectfully; hatam — killed; sañjāta-harṣaḥ — being overjoyed; munim — to the sage (Maitreya); āha — said; bhārataḥ — Vidura.
TRANSLATION
Sūta Gosvāmī continued: Vidura, the descendant of Bharata, was delighted to hear the story of the Lord, who, having assumed by His own divine potency the form of a boar, had enacted the sport of lifting the earth from the bottom of the ocean and indifferently killing the demon Hiraṇyākṣa. Vidura then spoke to the sage as follows.
3.20.9
vidura uvāca
prajāpati-patiḥ sṛṣṭvā
prajā-sarge prajāpatīn
kim ārabhata me brahman
prabrūhy avyakta-mārga-vit
viduraḥ uvāca — Vidura said; prajāpati-patiḥ — Lord Brahmā; sṛṣṭvā — after creating; prajā-sarge — for the purpose of creating living beings; prajāpatīn — the Prajāpatis; kim — what; ārabhata — started; me — to me; brahman — O holy sage; prabrūhi — tell; avyakta-mārga-vit — knower of that which we do not know.
TRANSLATION
Vidura said: Since you know of matters inconceivable to us, tell me, O holy sage, what did Brahmā do to create living beings after evolving the Prajāpatis, the progenitors of living beings?
3.20.10
ye marīcy-ādayo viprā
yas tu svāyambhuvo manuḥ
te vai brahmaṇa ādeśāt
katham etad abhāvayan
ye — those; marīci-ādayaḥ — great sages headed by Marīci; viprāḥ — brāhmaṇas; yaḥ — who; tu — indeed; svāyambhuvaḥ manuḥ — and Svāyambhuva Manu; te — they; vai — indeed; brahmaṇaḥ — of Lord Brahmā; ādeśāt — by the order; katham — how; etat — this universe; abhāvayan — evolved.
TRANSLATION
Vidura inquired: How did the Prajāpatis [such progenitors of living entities as Marīci and Svāyambhuva Manu] create according to the instruction of Brahmā, and how did they evolve this manifested universe?
3.20.11
sa-dvitīyāḥ kim asṛjan
svatantrā uta karmasu
āho svit saḿhatāḥ sarva
idaḿ sma samakalpayan
sa-dvitīyāḥ — with their wives; kim — whether; asṛjan — created; sva-tantrāḥ — remaining independent; uta — or; karmasu — in their actions; āho svit — or else; saḿhatāḥ — jointly; sarve — all the Prajāpatis; idam — this; sma samakalpayan — produced.
TRANSLATION
Did they evolve the creation in conjunction with their respective wives, did they remain independent in their action, or did they all jointly produce it?
3.20.12
maitreya uvāca
daivena durvitarkyeṇa
pareṇānimiṣeṇa ca
jāta-kṣobhād bhagavato
mahān āsīd guṇa-trayāt
maitreyaḥ uvāca — Maitreya said; daivena — by superior management known as destiny; durvitarkyeṇa — beyond empiric speculation; pareṇa — by Mahā-Viṣṇu; animiṣeṇa — by the potency of eternal time; ca — and; jāta-kṣobhāt — the equilibrium was agitated; bhagavataḥ — of the Personality of Godhead; mahān — the total material elements (the mahat-tattva); āsīt — were produced; guṇa-trayāt — from the three modes of nature.
TRANSLATION
Maitreya said: When the equilibrium of the combination of the three modes of nature was agitated by the unseen activity of the living entity, by Mahā-Viṣṇu and by the force of time, the total material elements were produced.
3.20.13
rajaḥ-pradhānān mahatas
tri-lińgo daiva-coditāt
jātaḥ sasarja bhūtādir
viyad-ādīni pañcaśaḥ
rajaḥ-pradhānāt — in which the element of rajas, or passion, predominates; mahataḥ — from the mahat-tattva; tri-lińgaḥ — of three kinds; daiva-coditāt — impelled by superior authority; jātaḥ — was born; sasarja — evolved; bhūta-ādiḥ — the false ego (origin of the material elements); viyat — the ether; ādīni — beginning with; pañcaśaḥ — in groups of five.
TRANSLATION
As impelled by the destiny of the jīva, the false ego, which is of three kinds, evolved from the mahat-tattva, in which the element of rajas predominates. From the ego, in turn, evolved many groups of five principles.
3.20.14
tāni caikaikaśaḥ sraṣṭum
asamarthāni bhautikam
saḿhatya daiva-yogena
haimam aṇḍam avāsṛjan
tāni — those elements; ca — and; eka-ekaśaḥ — separately; sraṣṭum — to produce; asamarthāni — unable; bhautikam — the material universe; saḿhatya — having combined; daiva-yogena — with the energy of the Supreme Lord; haimam — shining like gold; aṇḍam — globe; avāsṛjan — produced.
TRANSLATION
Separately unable to produce the material universe, they combined with the help of the energy of the Supreme Lord and were able to produce a shining egg.
3.20.15
so 'śayiṣṭābdhi-salile
āṇḍakośo nirātmakaḥ
sāgraḿ vai varṣa-sāhasram
anvavātsīt tam īśvaraḥ
saḥ — it; aśayiṣṭa — lay; abdhi-salile — on the waters of the Causal Ocean; āṇḍa-kośaḥ — egg; nirātmakaḥ — in an unconscious state; sāgram — a little more than; vai — in fact; varṣa-sāhasram — a thousand years; anvavātsīt — became situated; tam — in the egg; īśvaraḥ — the Lord.
TRANSLATION
For over one thousand years the shiny egg lay on the waters of the Causal Ocean in the lifeless state. Then the Lord entered it as Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu.
3.20.16
tasya nābher abhūt padmaḿ
sahasrārkoru-dīdhiti
sarva-jīvanikāyauko
yatra svayam abhūt svarāṭ
tasya — of the Lord; nābheḥ — from the navel; abhūt — sprouted up; padmam — a lotus; sahasra-arka — a thousand suns; uru — more; dīdhiti — with dazzling splendor; sarva — all; jīva-nikāya — resting place of conditioned souls; okaḥ — place; yatra — where; svayam — himself; abhūt — emanated; sva-rāṭ — the omnipotent (Lord Brahmā).
TRANSLATION
From the navel of the Personality of Godhead Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu sprouted a lotus flower effulgent like a thousand blazing suns. This lotus flower is the reservoir of all conditioned souls, and the first living entity who came out of the lotus flower was the omnipotent Brahmā
3.20.17
so 'nuviṣṭo bhagavatā
yaḥ śete salilāśaye
loka-saḿsthāḿ yathā pūrvaḿ
nirmame saḿsthayā svayā
saḥ — Lord Brahmā; anuviṣṭaḥ — was entered; bhagavatā — by the Lord; yaḥ — who; śete — sleeps; salila-āśaye — on the Garbhodaka Ocean; loka-saḿsthām — the universe; yathā pūrvam — as previously; nirmame — created; saḿsthayā — by intelligence; svayā — his own.
TRANSLATION
When that Supreme Personality of Godhead who is lying on the Garbhodaka Ocean entered the heart of Brahmā, Brahmā brought his intelligence to bear, and with the intelligence invoked he began to create the universe as it was before.
3.20.18
sasarja cchāyayāvidyāḿ
pañca-parvāṇam agrataḥ
tāmisram andha-tāmisraḿ
tamo moho mahā-tamaḥ
sasarja — created; chāyayā — with his shadow; avidyām — ignorance; pañca-parvāṇam — five varieties; agrataḥ — first of all; tāmisram — tāmisra; andha-tāmisram — andha-tāmisra; tamaḥ — tamas; mohaḥ — moha; mahā-tamaḥ — mahā-tamas, or mahā-moha.
TRANSLATION
First of all, Brahmā created from his shadow the coverings of ignorance of the conditioned souls. They are five in number and are called tāmisra, andha-tāmisra, tamas, moha and mahā-moha.
3.20.19
visasarjātmanaḥ kāyaḿ
nābhinandaḿs tamomayam
jagṛhur yakṣa-rakṣāḿsi
rātriḿ kṣut-tṛṭ-samudbhavām
visasarja — threw off; ātmanaḥ — his own; kāyam — body; na — not; abhinandan — being pleased; tamaḥ-mayam — made of ignorance; jagṛhuḥ — took possession; yakṣa-rakṣāḿsi — the Yakṣas and Rākṣasas; rātrim — night; kṣut — hunger; tṛṭ — thirst; samudbhavām — the source.
TRANSLATION
Out of disgust, Brahmā threw off the body of ignorance, and taking this opportunity, Yakṣas and Rākṣasas sprang for possession of the body, which continued to exist in the form of night. Night is the source of hunger and thirst.
3.20.20
kṣut-tṛḍbhyām upasṛṣṭās te
taḿ jagdhum abhidudruvuḥ
mā rakṣatainaḿ jakṣadhvam
ity ūcuḥ kṣut-tṛḍ-arditāḥ
kṣut-tṛḍbhyām — by hunger and thirst; upasṛṣṭāḥ — were overcome; te — the demons (Yakṣas and Rākṣasas); tam — Lord Brahmā; jagdhum — to eat; abhidudruvuḥ — ran toward; mā — do not; rakṣata — spare; enam — him; jakṣadhvam — eat; iti — thus; ūcuḥ — said; kṣut-tṛṭ-arditāḥ — afflicted by hunger and thirst.
TRANSLATION
Overpowered by hunger and thirst, they ran to devour Brahmā from all sides and cried, "Spare him not! Eat him up!"
3.20.21
devas tān āha saḿvigno
mā māḿ jakṣata rakṣata
aho me yakṣa-rakṣāḿsi
prajā yūyaḿ babhūvitha
devaḥ — Lord Brahmā; tān — to them; āha — said; saḿvignaḥ — being anxious; mā — do not; mām — me; jakṣata — eat; rakṣata — protect; aho — oh; me — my; yakṣa-rakṣāḿsi — O Yakṣas and Rākṣasas; prajāḥ — sons; yūyam — you; babhūvitha — were born.
TRANSLATION
Brahmā, the head of the demigods, full of anxiety, asked them, "Do not eat me, but protect me. You are born from me and have become my sons. Therefore you are Yakṣas and Rākṣasas."
3.20.22
devatāḥ prabhayā yā yā
dīvyan pramukhato 'sṛjat
te ahārṣur devayanto
visṛṣṭāḿ tāḿ prabhām ahaḥ
devatāḥ — the demigods; prabhayā — with the glory of light; yāḥ yāḥ — those who; dīvyan — shining; pramukhataḥ — chiefly; asṛjat — created; te — they; ahārṣuḥ — took possession of; devayantaḥ — being active; visṛṣṭām — separated; tām — that; prabhām — effulgent form; ahaḥ — daytime.
TRANSLATION
He then created the chief demigods, who were shining with the glory of goodness. He dropped before them the effulgent form of daytime, and the demigods sportingly took possession of it.
3.20.23
devo 'devāñ jaghanataḥ
sṛjati smātilolupān
ta enaḿ lolupatayā
maithunāyābhipedire
devaḥ — Lord Brahmā; adevān — demons; jaghanataḥ — from his buttocks; sṛjati sma — gave birth; ati-lolupān — excessively fond of sex; te — they; enam — Lord Brahmā; lolupatayā — with lust; maithunāya — for copulation; abhipedire — approached.
TRANSLATION
Lord Brahmā then gave birth to the demons from his buttocks, and they were very fond of sex. Because they were too lustful, they approached him for copulation.
3.20.24
tato hasan sa bhagavān
asurair nirapatrapaiḥ
anvīyamānas tarasā
kruddho bhītaḥ parāpatat
tataḥ — then; hasan — laughing; saḥ bhagavān — the worshipful Lord Brahmā; asuraiḥ — by the demons; nirapatrapaiḥ — shameless; anvīyamānaḥ — being followed; tarasā — in great haste; kruddhaḥ — angry; bhītaḥ — being afraid; parāpatat — ran away.
TRANSLATION
The worshipful Brahmā first laughed at their stupidity, but finding the shameless asuras close upon him, he grew indignant and ran in great haste out of fear.
3.20.25
sa upavrajya varadaḿ
prapannārti-haraḿ harim
anugrahāya bhaktānām
anurūpātma-darśanam
saḥ — Lord Brahmā; upavrajya — approaching; vara-dam — the bestower of all boons; prapanna — of those taking shelter at His lotus feet; ārti — distress; haram — who dispels; harim — Lord Śrī Hari; anugrahāya — for showing mercy; bhaktānām — to His devotees; anurūpa — in suitable forms; ātma-darśanam — who manifests Himself.
TRANSLATION
He approached the Personality of Godhead, who bestows all boons and who dispels the agony of His devotees and of those who take shelter of His lotus feet. He manifests His innumerable transcendental forms for the satisfaction of His devotees.
3.20.26
pāhi māḿ paramātmaḿs te
preṣaṇenāsṛjaḿ prajāḥ
tā imā yabhituḿ pāpā
upākrāmanti māḿ prabho
pāhi — protect; mām — me; parama-ātman — O Supreme Lord; te — Your; preṣaṇena — by order; asṛjam — I created; prajāḥ — living beings; tāḥ imāḥ — those very persons; yabhitum — to have sex; pāpāḥ — sinful beings; upākrāmanti — are approaching; mām — me; prabho — O Lord.
TRANSLATION
Lord Brahmā, approaching the Lord, addressed Him thus: My Lord, please protect me from these sinful demons, who were created by me under Your order. They are infuriated by an appetite for sex and have come to attack me.
3.20.27
tvam ekaḥ kila lokānāḿ
kliṣṭānāḿ kleśa-nāśanaḥ
tvam ekaḥ kleśadas teṣām
anāsanna-padāḿ tava
tvam — You; ekaḥ — alone; kila — indeed; lokānām — of the people; kliṣṭānām — afflicted with miseries; kleśa — the distresses; nāśanaḥ — relieving; tvam ekaḥ — You alone; kleśa-daḥ — inflicting distress; teṣām — on those; anāsanna — not taken shelter; padām — feet; tava — Your.
TRANSLATION
My Lord, You are the only one capable of ending the affliction of the distressed and inflicting agony on those who never resort to Your feet.
3.20.28
so 'vadhāryāsya kārpaṇyaḿ
viviktādhyātma-darśanaḥ
vimuñcātma-tanuḿ ghorām
ity ukto vimumoca ha
saḥ — the Supreme Lord, Hari; avadhārya — perceiving; asya — of Lord Brahmā; kārpaṇyam — the distress; vivikta — without a doubt; adhyātma — minds of others; darśanaḥ — one who can see; vimuñca — cast off; ātma-tanum — your body; ghorām — impure; iti uktaḥ — thus commanded; vimumoca ha — Lord Brahmā threw it off.
TRANSLATION
The Lord, who can distinctly see the minds of others, perceived Brahmā's distress and said to him: "Cast off this impure body of yours." Thus commanded by the Lord, Brahmā cast off his body.
3.20.29
tāḿ kvaṇac-caraṇāmbhojāḿ
mada-vihvala-locanām
kāñcī-kalāpa-vilasad-
dukūla-cchanna-rodhasam
tām — that body; kvaṇat — tinkling with ankle bells; caraṇa-ambhojām — with lotus feet; mada — intoxication; vihvala — overwhelmed; locanām — with eyes; kāñcī-kalāpa — with a girdle made of golden ornaments; vilasat — shining; dukūla — by fine cloth; channa — covered; rodhasam — having hips.
TRANSLATION
The body given up by Brahmā took the form of the evening twilight, when the day and night meet, a time which kindles passion. The asuras, who are passionate by nature, dominated as they are by the element of rajas, took it for a damsel, whose lotus feet resounded with the tinkling of anklets, whose eyes were wide with intoxication and whose hips were covered by fine cloth, over which shone a girdle.
3.20.30
anyonya-śleṣayottuńga-
nirantara-payodharām
sunāsāḿ sudvijāḿ snigdha-
hāsa-līlāvalokanām
anyonya — to each other; śleṣayā — because of clinging; uttuńga — raised; nirantara — without intervening space; payaḥ-dharām — breasts; su-nāsām — shapely nose; su-dvijām — beautiful teeth; snigdha — lovely; hāsa — smile; līlā-avalokanām — sportful glance.
TRANSLATION
Her breasts projected upward because of their clinging to each other, and they were too contiguous to admit any intervening space. She had a shapely nose and beautiful teeth; a lovely smile played on her lips, and she cast a sportful glance at the asuras.
3.20.31
gūhantīḿ vrīḍayātmānaḿ
nīlālaka-varūthinīm
upalabhyāsurā dharma
sarve sammumuhuḥ striyam
gūhantīm — hiding; vrīḍayā — out of shyness; ātmānam — herself; nīla — dark; alaka — hair; varūthinīm — a bunch; upalabhya — upon imagining; asurāḥ — the demons; dharma — O Vidura; sarve — all; sammumuhuḥ — were captivated; striyam — woman.
TRANSLATION
Adorned with dark tresses, she hid herself, as it were, out of shyness. Upon seeing that girl, the asuras were all infatuated with an appetite for sex.
3.20.32
aho rūpam aho dhairyam
aho asyā navaḿ vayaḥ
madhye kāmayamānānām
akāmeva visarpati
aho — oh; rūpam — what beauty; aho — oh; dhairyam — what self-control; aho — oh; asyāḥ — her; navam — budding; vayaḥ — youth; madhye — in the midst; kāmayamānānām — of those passionately longing for; akāmā — free from passion; iva — like; visarpati — walking with us.
TRANSLATION
The demons praised her: Oh, what a beauty! What rare self-control! What a budding youth! In the midst of us all, who are passionately longing for her, she is moving about like one absolutely free from passion.
3.20.33
vitarkayanto bahudhā
tāḿ sandhyāḿ pramadākṛtim
abhisambhāvya viśrambhāt
paryapṛcchan kumedhasaḥ
vitarkayantaḥ — indulging in speculations; bahudhā — various kinds; tām — her; sandhyām — the evening twilight; pramadā — a young woman; ākṛtim — in the form of; abhisambhāvya — treating with great respect; viśrambhāt — fondly; paryapṛcchan — questioned; ku-medhasaḥ — wicked-minded.
TRANSLATION
Indulging in various speculations about the evening twilight, which appeared to them endowed with the form of a young woman, the wicked-minded asuras treated her with respect and fondly spoke to her as follows.
3.20.34
kāsi kasyāsi rambhoru
ko vārthas te 'tra bhāmini
rūpa-draviṇa-paṇyena
durbhagān no vibādhase
kā — who; asi — are you; kasya — belonging to whom; asi — are you; rambhoru — O pretty one; kaḥ — what; vā — or; arthaḥ — object; te — your; atra — here; bhāmini — O passionate lady; rūpa — beauty; draviṇa — priceless; paṇyena — with the commodity; durbhagān — unfortunate; naḥ — us; vibādhase — you tantalize.
TRANSLATION
Who are you, O pretty girl? Whose wife or daughter are you, and what can be the object of your appearing before us? Why do you tantalize us, unfortunate as we are, with the priceless commodity of your beauty?
3.20.35
yā vā kācit tvam abale
diṣṭyā sandarśanaḿ tava
utsunoṣīkṣamāṇānāḿ
kanduka-krīḍayā manaḥ
yā — whosoever; vā — or; kācit — anyone; tvam — you; abale — O beautiful girl; diṣṭyā — by fortune; sandarśanam — seeing; tava — of you; utsunoṣi — you agitate; īkṣamāṇānām — of the onlookers; kanduka — with a ball; krīḍayā — by play; manaḥ — the mind.
TRANSLATION
Whosoever you may be, O beautiful girl, we are fortunate in being able to see you. While playing with a ball, you have agitated the minds of all onlookers.
3.20.36
naikatra te jayati śālini pāda-padmaḿ
ghnantyā muhuḥ kara-talena patat-patańgam
madhyaḿ viṣīdati bṛhat-stana-bhāra-bhītaḿ
śānteva dṛṣṭir amalā suśikhā-samūhaḥ
na — not; ekatra — in one place; te — your; jayati — stay; śālini — O beautiful woman; pāda-padmam — lotus feet; ghnantyāḥ — striking; muhuḥ — again and again; kara-talena — by the palm of the hand; patat — bouncing; patańgam — the ball; madhyam — waist; viṣīdati — gets fatigued; bṛhat — full grown; stana — of your breasts; bhāra — by the weight; bhītam — oppressed; śāntā iva — as if fatigued; dṛṣṭiḥ — vision; amalā — clear; su — beautiful; śikhā — your hair; samūhaḥ — bunch.
TRANSLATION
O beautiful woman, when you strike the bouncing ball against the ground with your hand again and again, your lotus feet do not stay in one place. Oppressed by the weight of your full-grown breasts, your waist becomes fatigued, and your clear vision grows dull, as it were. Pray braid your comely hair.
3.20.37
iti sāyantanīḿ sandhyām
asurāḥ pramadāyatīm
pralobhayantīḿ jagṛhur
matvā mūḍha-dhiyaḥ striyam
iti — in this way; sāyantanīm — the evening; sandhyām — twilight; asurāḥ — the demons; pramadāyatīm — behaving like a wanton woman; pralobhayantīm — alluring; jagṛhuḥ — seized; matvā — thinking to be; mūḍha-dhiyaḥ — unintelligent; striyam — a woman.
TRANSLATION
The asuras, clouded in their understanding, took the evening twilight to be a beautiful woman showing herself in her alluring form, and they seized her.
3.20.38
prahasya bhāva-gambhīraḿ
jighrantyātmānam ātmanā
kāntyā sasarja bhagavān
gandharvāpsarasāḿ gaṇān
prahasya — smiling; bhāva-gambhīram — with a deep purpose; jighrantyā — understanding; ātmānam — himself; ātmanā — by himself; kāntyā — by his loveliness; sasarja — created; bhagavān — the worshipful Lord Brahmā; gandharva — the celestial musicians; apsarasām — and of the heavenly dancing girls; gaṇān — the hosts of.
TRANSLATION
With a laugh full of deep significance, the worshipful Brahmā then evolved by his own loveliness, which seemed to enjoy itself by itself, the hosts of Gandharvas and Apsarās.
3.20.39
visasarja tanuḿ tāḿ vai
jyotsnāḿ kāntimatīḿ priyām
ta eva cādaduḥ prītyā
viśvāvasu-purogamāḥ
visasarja — gave up; tanum — form; tām — that; vai — in fact; jyotsnām — moonlight; kānti-matīm — shining; priyām — beloved; te — the Gandharvas; eva — certainly; ca — and; ādaduḥ — took possession; prītyā — gladly; viśvāvasu-puraḥ-gamāḥ — headed by Viśvāvasu.
TRANSLATION
After that, Brahmā gave up that shining and beloved form of moonlight. Viśvāvasu and other Gandharvas gladly took possession of it.
3.20.40
sṛṣṭvā bhūta-piśācāḿś ca
bhagavān ātma-tandriṇā
dig-vāsaso mukta-keśān
vīkṣya cāmīlayad dṛśau
sṛṣṭvā — having created; bhūta — ghosts; piśācān — fiends; ca — and; bhagavān — Lord Brahmā; ātma — his; tandriṇā — from laziness; dik-vāsasaḥ — naked; mukta — disheveled; keśān — hair; vīkṣya — seeing; ca — and; amīlayat — closed; dṛśau — two eyes.
TRANSLATION
The glorious Brahmā next evolved from his sloth the ghosts and fiends, but he closed his eyes when he saw them stand naked with their hair scattered.
3.20.41
jagṛhus tad-visṛṣṭāḿ tāḿ
jṛmbhaṇākhyāḿ tanuḿ prabhoḥ
nidrām indriya-vikledo
yayā bhūteṣu dṛśyate
yenocchiṣṭān dharṣayanti
tam unmādaḿ pracakṣate
jagṛhuḥ — took possession; tat-visṛṣṭām — thrown off by him; tām — that; jṛmbhaṇa-ākhyām — known as yawning; tanum — the body; prabhoḥ — of Lord Brahmā; nidrām — sleep; indriya-vikledaḥ — drooling; yayā — by which; bhūteṣu — among the living beings; dṛśyate — is observed; yena — by which; ucchiṣṭān — smeared with stool and urine; dharṣayanti — bewilder; tam — that; unmādam — madness; pracakṣate — is spoken of.
TRANSLATION
The ghosts and hobgoblins took possession of the body thrown off in the form of yawning by Brahmā, the creator of the living entities. This is also known as the sleep which causes drooling. The hobgoblins and ghosts attack men who are impure, and their attack is spoken of as insanity.
3.20.42
ūrjasvantaḿ manyamāna
ātmānaḿ bhagavān ajaḥ
sādhyān gaṇān pitṛ-gaṇān
parokṣeṇāsṛjat prabhuḥ
ūrjaḥ-vantam — full of energy; manyamānaḥ — recognizing; ātmānam — himself; bhagavān — the most worshipful; ajaḥ — Brahmā; sādhyān — the demigods; gaṇān — hosts; pitṛ-gaṇān — and the Pitās; parokṣeṇa — from his invisible form; asṛjat — created; prabhuḥ — the lord of beings.
TRANSLATION
Recognizing himself to be full of desire and energy, the worshipful Brahmā, the creator of the living entities, evolved from his own invisible form, from his navel, the hosts of Sādhyas and Pitās.
3.20.43
ta ātma-sargaḿ taḿ kāyaḿ
pitaraḥ pratipedire
sādhyebhyaś ca pitṛbhyaś ca
kavayo yad vitanvate
te — they; ātma-sargam — source of their existence; tam — that; kāyam — body; pitaraḥ — the Pitās; pratipedire — accepted; sādhyebhyaḥ — to the Sādhyas; ca — and; pitṛbhyaḥ — to the Pitās; ca — also; kavayaḥ — those well versed in rituals; yat — through which; vitanvate — offer oblations.
TRANSLATION
The Pitās themselves took possession of the invisible body, the source of their existence. It is through the medium of this invisible body that those well versed in the rituals offer oblations to the Sādhyas and Pitās [in the form of their departed ancestors] on the occasion of śrāddha.
3.20.44
siddhān vidyādharāḿś caiva
tirodhānena so 'sṛjat
tebhyo 'dadāt tam ātmānam
antardhānākhyam adbhutam
siddhān — the Siddhas; vidyādharān — Vidyādharas; ca eva — and also; tirodhānena — by the faculty of remaining hidden from vision; saḥ — Lord Brahmā; asṛjat — created; tebhyaḥ — to them; adadāt — gave; tam ātmānam — that form of his; antardhāna-ākhyam — known as the Antardhāna; adbhutam — wonderful.
TRANSLATION
Then Lord Brahmā, by his ability to be hidden from vision, created the Siddhas and Vidyādharas and gave them that wonderful form of his known as the Antardhāna.
3.20.45
sa kinnarān kimpuruṣān
pratyātmyenāsṛjat prabhuḥ
mānayann ātmanātmānam
ātmābhāsaḿ vilokayan
saḥ — Lord Brahmā; kinnarān — the Kinnaras; kimpuruṣān — the Kimpuruṣas; pratyātmyena — from his reflection (in water); asṛjat — created; prabhuḥ — the lord of the living beings (Brahmā); mānayan — admiring; ātmanā ātmānam — himself by himself; ātma-ābhāsam — his reflection; vilokayan — seeing.
TRANSLATION
One day, Brahmā, the creator of the living entities, beheld his own reflection in the water, and admiring himself, he evolved Kimpuruṣas as well as Kinnaras out of that reflection.
3.20.46
te tu taj jagṛhū rūpaḿ
tyaktaḿ yat parameṣṭhinā
mithunī-bhūya gāyantas
tam evoṣasi karmabhiḥ
te — they (the Kinnaras and Kimpuruṣas); tu — but; tat — that; jagṛhuḥ — took possession of; rūpam — that shadowy form; tyaktam — given up; yat — which; parameṣṭhinā — by Brahmā; mithunī-bhūya — coming together with their spouses; gāyantaḥ — praise in song; tam — him; eva — only; uṣasi — at daybreak; karmabhiḥ — with his exploits.
TRANSLATION
The Kimpuruṣas and Kinnaras took possession of that shadowy form left by Brahmā. That is why they and their spouses sing his praises by recounting his exploits at every daybreak.
3.20.47
dehena vai bhogavatā
śayāno bahu-cintayā
sarge 'nupacite krodhād
utsasarja ha tad vapuḥ
dehena — with his body; vai — indeed; bhogavatā — stretching out full length; śayānaḥ — lying fully stretched; bahu — great; cintayā — with concern; sarge — the creation; anupacite — not proceeded; krodhāt — out of anger; utsasarja — gave up; ha — in fact; tat — that; vapuḥ — body.
TRANSLATION
Once Brahmā lay down with his body stretched at full length. He was very concerned that the work of creation had not proceeded apace, and in a sullen mood he gave up that body too.
3.20.48
ye 'hīyantāmutaḥ keśā
ahayas te 'ńga jajñire
sarpāḥ prasarpataḥ krūrā
nāgā bhogoru-kandharāḥ
ye — which; ahīyanta — dropped out; amutaḥ — from that; keśāḥ — hairs; ahayaḥ — snakes; te — they; ańga — O dear Vidura; jajñire — took birth as; sarpāḥ — snakes; prasarpataḥ — from the crawling body; krūrāḥ — envious; nāgāḥ — cobras; bhoga — with hoods; uru — big; kandharāḥ — whose necks.
TRANSLATION
O dear Vidura, the hair that dropped from that body transformed into snakes, and even while the body crawled along with its hands and feet contracted, there sprang from it ferocious serpents and Nāgas with their hoods expanded.
3.20.49
sa ātmānaḿ manyamānaḥ
kṛta-kṛtyam ivātmabhūḥ
tadā manūn sasarjānte
manasā loka-bhāvanān
saḥ — Lord Brahmā; ātmānam — himself; manyamānaḥ — considering; kṛta-kṛtyam — had accomplished the object of life; iva — as if; ātmabhūḥ — born from the Supreme; tadā — then; manūn — the Manus; sasarja — created; ante — at the end; manasā — from his mind; loka — of the world; bhāvanān — promoting the welfare.
TRANSLATION
One day Brahmā