Chapter 7: Further Inquires by Vidura

 

3.7.1

śrī-śuka uvāca

evaḿ bruvāṇaḿ maitreyaḿ

dvaipāyana-suto budhaḥ

prīṇayann iva bhāratyā

viduraḥ pratyabhāṣata

 

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; evam — thus; bruvāṇam — speaking; maitreyam — unto the sage. Maitreya; dvaipāyana-sutaḥ — the son of Dvaipāyana; budhaḥ — learned; prīṇayan — in a pleasing manner; iva — as it was; bhāratyā — in the manner of a request; viduraḥ — Vidura; pratyabhāṣata — expressed.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King, while Maitreya, the great sage, was thus speaking, Vidura, the learned son of Dvaipāyana Vyāsa, expressed a request in a pleasing manner by asking this question.

 

3.7.2

vidura uvāca

brahman kathaḿ bhagavataś

cin-mātrasyāvikāriṇaḥ

līlayā cāpi yujyeran

nirguṇasya guṇāḥ kriyāḥ

 

viduraḥ uvāca — Vidura said; brahman — O brāhmaṇa; katham — how; bhagavataḥ — of the Personality of Godhead; cit-mātrasya — of the complete spiritual whole; avikāriṇaḥ — of the unchangeable; līlayā — by His pastime; ca — either; api — even though it is so; yujyeran — take place; nirguṇasya — who is without the modes of nature; guṇāḥ — modes of nature; kriyāḥ — activities.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śrī Vidura said: O great brāhmaṇa, since the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the complete spiritual whole and is unchangeable, how is He connected with the material modes of nature and their activities? If this is His pastime, how do the activities of the unchangeable take place and exhibit qualities without the modes of nature?

 

3.7.3

krīḍāyām udyamo 'rbhasya

kāmaś cikrīḍiṣānyataḥ

svatas-tṛptasya ca kathaḿ

nivṛttasya sadānyataḥ

 

krīḍāyām — in the matter of playing; udyamaḥ — enthusiasm; arbhasya — of the boys; kāmaḥ — desire; cikrīḍiṣā — willingness to play; anyataḥ — with other boys; svataḥ-tṛptasya — for one who is self-satisfied; ca — also; katham — what for; nivṛttasya — one who is detached; sadā — at all times; anyataḥ — otherwise.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Boys are enthusiastic to play with other boys or with various diversions because they are encouraged by desire. But there is no possibility of such desire for the Lord because He is self-satisfied and detached from everything at all times.

 

3.7.4

asrākṣīd bhagavān viśvaḿ

guṇa-mayyātma-māyayā

tayā saḿsthāpayaty etad

bhūyaḥ pratyapidhāsyati

 

asrākṣīt — caused to create; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; viśvam — the universe; guṇa-mayyā — endowed with three modes of material nature; ātma — self; māyayā — by the potency; tayā — by her; saḿsthāpayati — maintains; etat — all these; bhūyaḥ — then again; praty-apidhāsyati — conversely dissolves also.

 

TRANSLATION

 

By His self-sheltered potency of the three modes of material nature, the Lord has caused the creation of this universe. By her He maintains the creation and conversely dissolves it, again and again.

 

3.7.5

deśataḥ kālato yo 'sāv

avasthātaḥ svato 'nyataḥ

aviluptāvabodhātmā

sa yujyetājayā katham

 

deśataḥ — circumstantial; kālataḥ — by the influence of time; yaḥ — one who; asau — the living entity; avasthātaḥ — by situation; svataḥ — by dream; anyataḥ — by others; avilupta — extinct; avabodha — consciousness; ātmā — pure self; saḥ — he; yujyeta — engaged; ajayā — with nescience; katham — how is it so.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The pure soul is pure consciousness and is never out of consciousness, either due to circumstances, time, situations, dreams or other causes. How then does he become engaged in nescience?

 

3.7.6

bhagavān eka evaiṣa

sarva-kṣetreṣv avasthitaḥ

amuṣya durbhagatvaḿ vā

kleśo vā karmabhiḥ kutaḥ

 

bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ekaḥ — alone; eva eṣaḥ — all these; sarva — all; kṣetreṣu — in the living entities; avasthitaḥ — situated; amuṣya — of the living entities; durbhagatvam — misfortune; vā — either; kleśaḥ — miseries; vā — or; karmabhiḥ — by activities; kutaḥ — what for.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The Lord, as the Supersoul, is situated in every living being's heart. Why then do the living entities' activities result in misfortune and misery?

 

3.7.7

etasmin me mano vidvan

khidyate 'jñāna-sańkaṭe

tan naḥ parāṇuda vibho

kaśmalaḿ mānasaḿ mahat

 

etasmin — in this; me — my; manaḥ — mind; vidvan — O learned one; khidyate — is troubling; ajñāna — nescience; sańkaṭe — in distress; tat — therefore; naḥ — my; parāṇuda — clear up; vibho — O great one; kaśmalam — illusion; mānasam — relating to the mind; mahat — great.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O great and learned one, my mind is greatly illusioned by the distress of this nescience, and I therefore request you to clear it up.

 

3.7.8

śrī-śuka uvāca

sa itthaḿ coditaḥ kṣattrā

tattva-jijñāsunā muniḥ

pratyāha bhagavac-cittaḥ

smayann iva gata-smayaḥ

 

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; saḥ — he (Maitreya Muni); ittham — in this way; coditaḥ — being agitated; kṣattrā — by Vidura; tattva-jijñāsunā — by one who was anxious to inquire to know the truth; muniḥ — the great sage; pratyāha — replied; bhagavat-cittaḥ — God conscious; smayan — wondering; iva — as if; gata-smayaḥ — without hesitation.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King, Maitreya, being thus agitated by the inquisitive Vidura, at first seemed astonished, but then he replied to him without hesitation, since he was fully God conscious.

 

3.7.9

maitreya uvāca

seyaḿ bhagavato māyā

yan nayena virudhyate

īśvarasya vimuktasya

kārpaṇyam uta bandhanam

 

maitreyaḥ uvāca — Maitreya said; sā iyam — such a statement; bhagavataḥ — of the Personality of Godhead; māyā — illusion; yat — that which; nayena — by logic; virudhyate — becomes contradictory; īśvarasya — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vimuktasya — of the ever liberated; kārpaṇyam — insufficiency; uta — as also, what to speak of; bandhanam — bondage.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śrī Maitreya said: Certain conditioned souls put forward the theory that the Supreme Brahman, or the Personality of Godhead, is overcome by illusion, or māyā, and at the same time they maintain that He is unconditioned. This is against all logic.

 

3.7.10

yad arthena vināmuṣya

puḿsa ātma-viparyayaḥ

pratīyata upadraṣṭuḥ

sva-śiraś chedanādikaḥ

 

yat — thus; arthena — a purpose or meaning; vinā — without; amuṣya — of such a one; puḿsaḥ — of the living entity; ātma-viparyayaḥ — upset about self-identification; pratīyate — so appear; upadraṣṭuḥ — of the superficial onlooker; sva-śiraḥ — own head; chedana-ādikaḥ — cutting off.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The living entity is in distress regarding his self-identity. He has no factual background, like a man who dreams that he sees his head cut off.

 

3.7.11

yathā jale candramasaḥ

kampādis tat-kṛto guṇaḥ

dṛśyate 'sann api draṣṭur

ātmano 'nātmano guṇaḥ

 

yathā — as; jale — in the water; candramasaḥ — of the moon; kampa-ādiḥ — quivering, etc.; tat-kṛtaḥ — done by the water; guṇaḥ — quality; dṛśyate — it is so seen; asan api — without existence; draṣṭuḥ — of the seer; ātmanaḥ — of the self; anātmanaḥ — of other than the self; guṇaḥ — quality.

 

TRANSLATION

 

As the moon reflected on water appears to the seer to tremble due to being associated with the quality of the water, so the self associated with matter appears to be qualified as matter.

 

3.7.12

sa vai nivṛtti-dharmeṇa

vāsudevānukampayā

bhagavad-bhakti-yogena

tirodhatte śanair iha

 

saḥ — that; vai — also; nivṛtti — detachment; dharmeṇa — by engagement; vāsudeva — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; anukampayā — by the mercy of; bhagavat — in relation with the Personality of Godhead; bhakti-yogena — by linking up; tirodhatte — diminishes; śanaiḥ — gradually; iha — in this existence.

 

TRANSLATION

 

But that misconception of self-identity can be diminished gradually by the mercy of the Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva, through the process of devotional service to the Lord in the mode of detachment.

 

3.7.13

yadendriyoparāmo 'tha

draṣṭrātmani pare harau

vilīyante tadā kleśāḥ

saḿsuptasyeva kṛtsnaśaḥ

 

yadā — when; indriya — senses; uparāmaḥ — satiated; atha — thus; draṣṭṛ-ātmani — unto the seer, the Supersoul; pare — in the Transcendence; harau — unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vilīyante — become merged in; tadā — at that time; kleśāḥ — miseries; saḿsuptasya — one who has enjoyed sound sleep; iva — like; kṛtsnaśaḥ — completely.

 

TRANSLATION

 

When the senses are satisfied in the seer-Supersoul, the Personality of Godhead, and merge in Him, all miseries are completely vanquished, as after a sound sleep.

 

3.7.14

aśeṣa-sańkleśa-śamaḿ vidhatte

guṇānuvāda-śravaṇaḿ murāreḥ

kiḿ vā punas tac-caraṇāravinda-

parāga-sevā-ratir ātma-labdhā

 

aśeṣa — unlimited; sańkleśa — miserable conditions; śamam — cessation; vidhatte — can perform; guṇa-anuvāda — of the transcendental name, form, qualities, pastimes, entourage and paraphernalia, etc.; śravaṇam — hearing and chanting; murāreḥ — of Murāri (Śrī Kṛṣṇa), the Personality of Godhead; kim vā — what to speak of; punaḥ — again; tat — His; caraṇa-aravinda — lotus feet; parāga-sevā — to the service of the flavorful dust; ratiḥ — attraction; ātma-labdhā — those who have gained such self-achievement.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Simply by chanting and hearing of the transcendental name, form, etc., of the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, one can achieve the cessation of unlimited miserable conditions. Therefore what to speak of those who have attained attraction for serving the flavor of the dust of the Lord's lotus feet?

 

3.7.15

vidura uvāca

sañchinnaḥ saḿśayo mahyaḿ

tava sūktāsinā vibho

ubhayatrāpi bhagavan

mano me sampradhāvati

 

viduraḥ uvāca — Vidura said; sañchinnaḥ — cut off; saḿśayaḥ — doubts; mahyam — unto me; tava — your; sūkta-asinā — by the weapon of convincing words; vibho — O my lord; ubhayatra api — both in God and in the living entity; bhagavan — O powerful one; manaḥ — mind; me — my; sampradhāvati — perfectly entering.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Vidura said: O powerful sage, my lord, all my doubts about the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the living entities have now been removed by your convincing words. My mind is now perfectly entering into them.

 

3.7.16

sādhv etad vyāhṛtaḿ vidvan

nātma-māyāyanaḿ hareḥ

ābhāty apārthaḿ nirmūlaḿ

viśva-mūlaḿ na yad bahiḥ

 

sādhu — as good as it should be; etat — all these explanations; vyāhṛtam — thus spoken; vidvan — O learned one; na — not; ātma — the self; māyā — energy; ayanam — movement; hareḥ — of the Personality of Godhead; ābhāti — appears; apārtham — without meaning; nirmūlam — without basis; viśva-mūlam — the origin is the Supreme; na — not; yat — which; bahiḥ — outside.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O learned sage, your explanations are very good, as they should be. Disturbances to the conditioned soul have no other basis than the movement of the external energy of the Lord.

 

 3.7.17

yaś ca mūḍhatamo loke

yaś ca buddheḥ paraḿ gataḥ

tāv ubhau sukham edhete

kliśyaty antarito janaḥ

 

yaḥ — one who is; ca — also; mūḍha-tamaḥ — the lowest of the fools; loke — in the world; yaḥ ca — and one who is; buddheḥ — of intelligence; param — transcendental; gataḥ — gone; tau — of them; ubhau — both; sukham — happiness; edhete — enjoy; kliśyati — suffer; antaritaḥ — situated between; janaḥ — persons.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Both the lowest of fools and he who is transcendental to all intelligence enjoy happiness, whereas persons between them suffer the material pangs.

 

3.7.18

arthābhāvaḿ viniścitya

pratītasyāpi nātmanaḥ

tāḿ cāpi yuṣmac-caraṇa-

sevayāhaḿ parāṇude

 

artha-abhāvam — without substance; viniścitya — being ascertained; pratītasya — of the apparent values; api — also; na — never; ātmanaḥ — of the self; tām — that; ca — also; api — thus; yuṣmat — your; caraṇa — feet; sevayā — by service; aham — myself; parāṇude — shall be able to give up.

 

TRANSLATION

 

But, my dear sir, I am obliged to you because now I can understand that this material manifestation is without substance, although it appears real. I am confident that by serving your feet it will be possible for me to give up the false idea.

 

3.7.19

yat-sevayā bhagavataḥ

kūṭa-sthasya madhu-dviṣaḥ

rati-rāso bhavet tīvraḥ

pādayor vyasanārdanaḥ

 

yat — to whom; sevayā — by service; bhagavataḥ — of the Personality of Godhead; kūṭa-sthasya — of the unchangeable; madhu-dviṣaḥ — the enemy of the Madhu asura; rati-rāsaḥ — attachment in different relationships; bhavet — develops; tīvraḥ — highly ecstatic; pādayoḥ — of the feet; vyasana — distresses; ardanaḥ — vanquishing.

 

TRANSLATION

 

By serving the feet of the spiritual master, one is enabled to develop transcendental ecstasy in the service of the Personality of Godhead, who is the unchangeable enemy of the Madhu demon and whose service vanquishes one's material distresses.

 

3.7.20

durāpā hy alpa-tapasaḥ

sevā vaikuṇṭha-vartmasu

yatropagīyate nityaḿ

deva-devo janārdanaḥ

 

durāpā — rarely obtainable; hi — certainly; alpa-tapasaḥ — of one whose austerity is meager; sevā — service; vaikuṇṭha — the transcendental kingdom of God; vartmasu — on the path of; yatra — wherein; upagīyate — is glorified; nityam — always; deva — of the demigods; devaḥ — the Lord; jana-ardanaḥ — the controller of the living entities.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Persons whose austerity is meager can hardly obtain the service of the pure devotees who are progressing on the path back to the kingdom of Godhead, the Vaikuṇṭhas. Pure devotees engage one hundred percent in glorifying the Supreme Lord, who is the Lord of the demigods and the controller of all living entities.

 

3.7.21

sṛṣṭvāgre mahad-ādīni

sa-vikārāṇy anukramāt

tebhyo virājam uddhṛtya

tam anu prāviśad vibhuḥ

 

sṛṣṭvā — after creating; agre — in the beginning; mahat-ādīni — the total material energy; sa-vikārāṇi — along with the sense organs; anukramāt — by a gradual process of differentiation; tebhyaḥ — out of that; virājam — the gigantic universal form; uddhṛtya — manifesting; tam — unto that; anu — later; prāviśat — entered; vibhuḥ — the Supreme.

 

TRANSLATION

 

After creating the total material energy, the mahat-tattva, and thereby manifesting the gigantic universal form with senses and sense organs, the Supreme Lord entered within it.

 

3.7.22

yam āhur ādyaḿ puruṣaḿ

sahasrāńghry-ūru-bāhukam

yatra viśva ime lokāḥ

sa-vikāśaḿ ta āsate

 

yam — who; āhuḥ — is called; ādyam — original; puruṣam — incarnation for cosmic manifestation; sahasra — thousand; ańghri — legs; ūru — thighs; bāhukam — hands; yatra — wherein; viśvaḥ — the universe; ime — all these; lokāḥ — planets; sa-vikāśam — with respective developments; te — all of them; āsate — living.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The puruṣa incarnation lying on the Causal Ocean is called the original puruṣa in the material creations, and in His virāṭ form, in whom all the planets and their inhabitants live, He has many thousands of legs and hands.

 

3.7.23

yasmin daśa-vidhaḥ prāṇaḥ

sendriyārthendriyas tri-vṛt

tvayerito yato varṇās

tad-vibhūtīr vadasva naḥ

 

yasmin — in which; daśa-vidhaḥ — ten kinds of; prāṇaḥ — air of life; sa — with; indriya — senses; artha — interest; indriyaḥ — of the senses; tri-vṛt — three kinds of life vigor; tvayā — by you; īritaḥ — explained; yataḥ — wherefrom; varṇāḥ — four specific divisions; tat-vibhūtīḥ — prowess; vadasva — please describe; naḥ — unto me.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O great brāhmaṇa, you have told me that the gigantic virāṭ form and His senses, sense objects and ten kinds of life air exist with three kinds of life vigor. Now, if you will, kindly explain to me the different powers of the specific divisions.

 

3.7.24

yatra putraiś ca pautraiś ca

naptṛbhiḥ saha gotrajaiḥ

prajā vicitrākṛtaya

āsan yābhir idaḿ tatam

 

yatra — wherein; putraiḥ — along with sons; ca — and; pautraiḥ — along with grandsons; ca — also; naptṛbhiḥ — with grandsons from daughters; saha — along with; gotra-jaiḥ — of the same family; prajāḥ — generations; vicitra — of different kinds; ākṛtayaḥ — so done; āsan — exist; yābhiḥ — by whom; idam — all these planets; tatam — spread.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O my lord, I think that the process manifest in the forms of sons, grandsons and family members has spread all over the universe in different varieties and species.

 

3.7.25

prajāpatīnāḿ sa patiś

cakḷpe kān prajāpatīn

sargāḿś caivānusargāḿś ca

manūn manvantarādhipān

 

prajā-patīnām — of the demigods like Brahmā and others; saḥ — he; patiḥ — leader; cakḷpe — decided; kān — whomsoever; prajāpatīn — fathers of the living entities; sargān — generations; ca — also; eva — certainly; anusargān — later generations; ca — and; manūn — the Manus; manvantara-adhipān — and the changes of such.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O learned brāhmaṇa, please describe how the leader of all the demigods, namely Prajāpati, Brahmā, decided to establish the various Manus, the heads of the ages. Please describe the Manus also, and please describe the descendants of those Manus.

 

3.7.26

upary adhaś ca ye lokā

bhūmer mitrātmajāsate

teṣāḿ saḿsthāḿ pramāṇaḿ ca

bhūr-lokasya ca varṇaya

 

upari — on the head; adhaḥ — underneath; ca — also; ye — which; lokāḥ — planets; bhūmeḥ — of the earth; mitra-ātmaja — O son of Mitrā (Maitreya Muni); āsate — do exist; teṣām — their; saḿsthām — situation; pramāṇam ca — also their measurement; bhūḥ-lokasya — of the earthly planets; ca — also; varṇaya — please describe.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O son of Mitrā, kindly describe how the planets are situated above the earth as well as underneath it, and also please mention their measurement as well as that of the earthly planets.

 

3.7.27

tiryań-mānuṣa-devānāḿ

sarīsṛpa-patattriṇām

vada naḥ sarga-saḿvyūhaḿ

gārbha-sveda-dvijodbhidām

 

tiryak — subhuman; mānuṣa — human beings; devānām — of the superhuman beings, or demigods; sarīsṛpa — reptiles; patattriṇām — of the birds; vada — kindly describe; naḥ — unto me; sarga — generation; saḿvyūham — specific divisions; gārbha — embryonic; sveda — perspiration; dvija — twice-born; udbhidām — of the planets, etc.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Also please describe the living beings under different classifications: subhumans, humans, those born of the embryo, those born of perspiration, those who are twice-born [birds], and the plants and vegetables. Kindly describe their generations and subdivisions also.

 

3.7.28

guṇāvatārair viśvasya

sarga-sthity-apyayāśrayam

sṛjataḥ śrīnivāsasya

vyācakṣvodāra-vikramam

 

guṇa — modes of material nature; avatāraiḥ — of the incarnations; viśvasya — of the universe; sarga — creation; sthiti — maintenance; apyaya — destruction; āśrayam — and ultimate rest; sṛjataḥ — of the one who creates; śrīnivāsasya — of the Personality of Godhead; vyācakṣva — kindly describe; udāra — magnanimous; vikramam — specific activities.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Please also describe the incarnations of the material modes of nature — Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara — and please describe the incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His magnanimous activities.

 

3.7.29

varṇāśrama-vibhāgāḿś ca

rūpa-śīla-svabhāvataḥ

ṛṣīṇāḿ janma-karmāṇi

vedasya ca vikarṣaṇam

 

varṇa-āśrama — the four divisions of social statuses and orders of spiritual culture; vibhāgān — respective divisions; ca — also; rūpa — personal feature s; śīla-svabhāvataḥ — personal character; ṛṣīṇām — of the sages; janma — birth; karmāṇi — activities; vedasya — of the Vedas; ca — and; vikarṣaṇam — categorical divisions.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O great sage, kindly describe the divisions and orders of human society in terms of symptoms, behavior and the characteristics of mental equilibrium and sense control. Also please describe the births of the great sages and the categorical divisions of the Vedas.

 

3.7.30

yajñasya ca vitānāni

yogasya ca pathaḥ prabho

naiṣkarmyasya ca sāńkhyasya

tantraḿ vā bhagavat-smṛtam

 

yajñasya — of sacrifices; ca — also; vitānāni — expansions; yogasya — of the mystic powers; ca — also; pathaḥ — ways; prabho — O my lord; naiṣkarmyasya — of knowledge; ca — and; sāńkhyasya — of analytical studies; tantram — the path of devotional service; vā — as well as; bhagavat — in relation with the Personality of Godhead; smṛtam — regulative principles.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Please also describe the expansions of different sacrifices and the paths of mystic powers, analytical study of knowledge, and devotional service, all with their respective regulations.

 

3.7.31

pāṣaṇḍa-patha-vaiṣamyaḿ

pratiloma-niveśanam

jīvasya gatayo yāś ca

yāvatīr guṇa-karmajāḥ

 

pāṣaṇḍa-patha — the path of the faithless; vaiṣamyam — imperfection by contradiction; pratiloma — crossbreeding; niveśanam — situation; jīvasya — of the living entities; gatayaḥ — movements; yāḥ — as they are; ca — also; yāvatīḥ — as many as; guṇa — modes of material nature; karma-jāḥ — generated by different work.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Please also describe the imperfections and contradictions of the faithless atheists, the situation of crossbreeding, and the movements of the living entities in various species of life according to their particular modes of nature and work.

 

3.7.32

dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣāṇāḿ

nimittāny avirodhataḥ

vārtāyā daṇḍa-nīteś ca

śrutasya ca vidhiḿ pṛthak

 

dharma — religiosity; artha — economic development; kāma — sense gratification; mokṣāṇām — salvation; nimittāni — causes; avirodhataḥ — without being contradictory; vārtāyāḥ — on the principles of the means of livelihood; daṇḍa-nīteḥ — of law and order; ca — also; śrutasya — of the codes of scriptures; ca — also; vidhim — regulations; pṛthak — different.

 

TRANSLATION

 

You may also describe the noncontradictory causes of religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and salvation and also the different means of livelihood and different processes of law and order as mentioned in the revealed scriptures.

 

3.7.33

śrāddhasya ca vidhiḿ brahman

pitṝṇāḿ sargam eva ca

graha-nakṣatra-tārāṇāḿ

kālāvayava-saḿsthitim

 

śrāddhasya — of the periodical offerings of respects; ca — also; vidhim — regulations; brahman — O brāhmaṇa; pitṝṇām — of the forefathers; sargam — creation; eva — as; ca — also; graha — planetary system; nakṣatra — the stars; tārāṇām — luminaries; kāla — time; avayava — duration; saḿsthitim — situations.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Please also explain the regulations for offering respects to the forefathers, the creation of the Pitṛloka, the time schedule in the planets, stars and luminaries, and their respective situations.

 

3.7.34

dānasya tapaso vāpi

yac ceṣṭā-pūrtayoḥ phalam

pravāsa-sthasya yo dharmo

yaś ca puḿsa utāpadi

 

dānasya — of charity; tapasaḥ — of penance; vāpi — lake; yat — that which; ca — and; iṣṭā — endeavor; pūrtayoḥ — of reservoirs of water; phalam — fruitive result; pravāsa-sthasya — one who is away from home; yaḥ — that which; dharmaḥ — duty; yaḥ ca — and which; puḿsaḥ — of man; uta — described; āpadi — in danger.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Please also describe the fruitive results of charity and penance and of digging reservoirs of water. Please describe the situation of persons who are away from home and also the duty of a man in an awkward position.

 

3.7.35

yena vā bhagavāḿs tuṣyed

dharma-yonir janārdanaḥ

samprasīdati vā yeṣām

etad ākhyāhi me 'nagha

 

yena — by which; vā — either; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; tuṣyet — is satisfied; dharma-yoniḥ — the father of all religion; janārdanaḥ — the controller of all living being; samprasīdati — completely satisfied; vā — either, or; yeṣām — of those; etat — all these; ākhyāhi — kindly describe; me — unto me; anagha — O sinless one.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O sinless one, because the Personality of Godhead, the controller of all living entities, is the father of all religion and all those who are candidates for religious activities, kindly describe how He can be completely satisfied.

 

3.7.36

anuvratānāḿ śiṣyāṇāḿ

putrāṇāḿ ca dvijottama

anāpṛṣṭam api brūyur

guravo dīna-vatsalāḥ

 

anuvratānām — the followers; śiṣyāṇām — of the disciples; putrāṇām — of the sons; ca — also; dvija-uttama — O best amongst the brāhmaṇas; anāpṛṣṭam — that which is not asked for; api — in spite of; brūyuḥ — please describe; guravaḥ — the spiritual masters; dīna-vatsalāḥ — who are kind to the needy.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O best among the brāhmaṇas, those who are spiritual masters are very kind to the needy. They are always kind to their followers, disciples and sons, and without being asked by them, the spiritual master describes all that is knowledge.

 

3.7.37

tattvānāḿ bhagavaḿs teṣāḿ

katidhā pratisańkramaḥ

tatremaḿ ka upāsīran

ka u svid anuśerate

 

tattvānām — of the elements of nature; bhagavan — O great sage; teṣām — of them; katidhā — how many; pratisańkramaḥ — dissolutions; tatra — thereupon; imam — unto the Supreme Lord; ke — who are they; upāsīran — being saved; ke — who are they; u — who; svit — may; anuśerate — serve the Lord while He sleeps.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Please describe how many dissolutions there are for the elements of material nature and who survives after the dissolutions to serve the Lord while He is asleep.

 

3.7.38

puruṣasya ca saḿsthānaḿ

svarūpaḿ vā parasya ca

jñānaḿ ca naigamaḿ yat tad

guru-śiṣya-prayojanam

 

puruṣasya — of the living entity; ca — also; saḿsthānam — existence; svarūpam — identity; vā — either, or; parasya — of the Supreme; ca — also; jñānam — knowledge; ca — also; naigamam — in the matter of the Upaniṣads; yat — that; tat — the same; guru — spiritual master; śiṣya — disciple; prayojanam — necessity.

 

TRANSLATION

 

What are the truths regarding the living entities and the Supreme Personality of Godhead? What are their identities ? What are the specific values in the knowledge in the Vedas, and what are the necessities for the spiritual master and his disciples?

 

3.7.39

nimittāni ca tasyeha

proktāny anagha-sūribhiḥ

svato jñānaḿ kutaḥ puḿsāḿ

bhaktir vairāgyam eva vā

 

nimittāni — the source of knowledge; ca — also; tasya — of such knowledge; iha — in this world; proktāni — mentioned; anagha — spotless; sūribhiḥ — by devotees; svataḥ — self-sufficient; jñānam — knowledge; kutaḥ — how; puḿsām — of the living entity; bhaktiḥ — devotional service; vairāgyam — detachment; eva — certainly; vā — also.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Spotless devotees of the Lord have mentioned the source of such knowledge. How could one have knowledge of devotional service and detachment without the help of such devotees?

 

3.7.40

etān me pṛcchataḥ praśnān

hareḥ karma-vivitsayā

brūhi me 'jñasya mitratvād

ajayā naṣṭa-cakṣuṣaḥ

 

etān — all these; me — my; pṛcchataḥ — of one who inquires; praśnān — questions; hareḥ — of the Supreme Lord; karma — pastimes; vivitsayā — desiring to know; brūhi — kindly describe; me — unto me; ajñasya — of one who is ignorant; mitratvāt — because of friendship; ajayā — by the external energy; naṣṭa-cakṣuṣaḥ — those who have lost their vision.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear sage, I have put all these questions before you with a view to knowing the pastimes of Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You are the friend of all, so kindly describe them for all those who have lost their vision.

 

3.7.41

sarve vedāś ca yajñāś ca

tapo dānāni cānagha

jīvābhaya-pradānasya

na kurvīran kalām api

 

sarve — all kinds of; vedāḥ — divisions of the Vedas; ca — also; yajñāḥ — sacrifices; ca — also; tapaḥ — penances; dānāni — charities; ca — and; anagha — O spotless one; jīva — the living entity; abhaya — immunity from material pangs; pradānasya — of one who gives such assurance; na — not; kurvīran — can he equalized; kalām — even partially; api — certainly.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O spotless one, your answers to all these questions will grant immunity from all material miseries. Such charity is greater than all Vedic charities, sacrifices, penances, etc.

 

3.7.42

śrī-śuka uvāca

sa ittham āpṛṣṭa-purāṇa-kalpaḥ

kuru-pradhānena muni-pradhānaḥ

pravṛddha-harṣo bhagavat-kathāyāḿ

sañcoditas taḿ prahasann ivāha

 

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; saḥ — he; ittham — thus; āpṛṣṭa — being questioned; purāṇa-kalpaḥ — one who knows how to explain the supplements of the Vedas (the Purāṇas); kuru-pradhānena — by the chief of the Kurus; muni-pradhānaḥ — the chief amongst the sages; pravṛddha — sufficiently enriched; harṣaḥ — satisfaction; bhagavat — the Personality of Godhead; kathāyām — in the topics of; sañcoditaḥ — being so infused; tam — unto Vidura; prahasan — with smiles; iva — like that; āha — replied.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Thus the chief of the sages, who was always enthusiastic about describing topics regarding the Personality of Godhead, began to narrate the descriptive explanation of the Purāṇas, being so infused by Vidura. He was very much enlivened by speaking on the transcendental activities of the Lord.