Chapter 2: Hiraṇyakaśipu, King of the Demons

 

7.2.1

śrī-nārada uvāca

bhrātary evaḿ vinihate

hariṇā kroḍa-mūrtinā

hiraṇyakaśipū rājan

paryatapyad ruṣā śucā

 

śrī-nāradaḥ uvāca — Śrī Nārada Muni said; bhrātari — when the brother (Hiraṇyākṣa); evam — thus; vinihate — was killed; hariṇā — by Hari; kroḍa-mūrtinā — in the form of the boar, Varāha; hiraṇyakaśipuḥ — Hiraṇyakaśipu; rājan — O King; paryatapyat — was afflicted; ruṣā — by anger; śucā — by grief.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śrī Nārada Muni said: My dear King Yudhiṣṭhira, when Lord Viṣṇu, in the form of Varāha, the boar, killed Hiraṇyākṣa, Hiraṇyākṣa's brother Hiraṇyakaśipu was extremely angry and began to lament.

 

7.2.2

āha cedaḿ ruṣā pūrṇaḥ

sandaṣṭa-daśana-cchadaḥ

kopojjvaladbhyāḿ cakṣurbhyāḿ

nirīkṣan dhūmram ambaram

 

āha — said; ca — and; idam — this; ruṣā — with anger; pūrṇaḥ — full; sandaṣṭa — bitten; daśana-chadaḥ — whose lips; kopa-ujjvaladbhyām — blazing with anger; cakṣurbhyām — with eyes; nirīkṣan — looking over; dhūmram — smoky; ambaram — the sky.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Filled with rage and biting his lips, Hiraṇyakaśipu gazed at the sky with eyes that blazed in anger, making the whole sky smoky. Thus he began to speak.

 

7.2.3

karāla-daḿṣṭrogra-dṛṣṭyā

duṣprekṣya-bhrukuṭī-mukhaḥ

śūlam udyamya sadasi

dānavān idam abravīt

 

karāla-daḿṣṭra — with terrible teeth; ugra-dṛṣṭyā — and fierce glance; duṣprekṣya — horrible to see; bhru-kuṭī — with frowning eyebrows; mukhaḥ — whose face; śūlam — trident; udyamya — raising; sadasi — in the assembly; dānavān — to the demons; idam — this; abravīt — spoke.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Exhibiting his terrible teeth, fierce glance and frowning eyebrows, terrible to see, he took up his weapon, a trident, and thus began speaking to his associates, the assembled demons.

 

7.2.4-5

bho bho dānava-daiteyā

dvimūrdhaḿs tryakṣa śambara

śatabāho hayagrīva

namuce pāka ilvala

 

vipracitte mama vacaḥ

puloman śakunādayaḥ

śṛṇutānantaraḿ sarve

kriyatām āśu mā ciram

 

bhoḥ — O; bhoḥ — O; dānava-daiteyāḥ — Dānavas and Daityas; dvi-mūrdhan — Dvimūrdha (two-headed); tri-akṣa — Tryakṣa (three-eyed); śambara — Śambara; śata-bāho — Śatabāhu (hundred-armed); hayagrīva — Hayagrīva (horse-headed); namuce — Namuci; pāka — Pāka; ilvala — Ilvala;

 

vipracitte — Vipracitti; mama — my; vacaḥ — words; puloman — Puloma; śakuna — Śakuna; ādayaḥ — and others; śṛṇuta — just hear; anantaram — after that; sarve — all; kriyatām — let it be done; āśu — quickly; mā — do not; ciram — delay.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O Dānavas and Daityas! O Dvimūrdha, Tryakṣa, Śambara and Śatabāhu ! O Hayagrīva, Namuci, Pāka and Ilvala! O Vipracitti, Puloman, Śakuna and other demons! All of you, kindly hear me attentively and then act according to my words without delay.

 

7.2.6

sapatnair ghātitaḥ kṣudrair

bhrātā me dayitaḥ suhṛt

pārṣṇi-grāheṇa hariṇā

samenāpy upadhāvanaiḥ

 

sapatnaiḥ — by the enemies; ghātitaḥ — killed; kṣudraiḥ — insignificant in power; bhrātā — brother; me — my; dayitaḥ — very dear; suhṛt — well-wisher; pārṣṇi-grāheṇa — attacking from the rear; hariṇā — by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; samena — equal to everyone (both the demigods and demons); api — although; upadhāvanaiḥ — by the worshipers, the demigods.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My insignificant enemies the demigods have combined to kill my very dear and obedient well-wisher, my brother Hiraṇyākṣa. Although the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu, is always equal to both of us — namely, the demigods and the demons — this time, being devoutly worshiped by the demigods, He has taken their side and helped them kill Hiraṇyākṣa.

 

7.2.7-8

tasya tyakta-svabhāvasya

ghṛṇer māyā-vanaukasaḥ

bhajantaḿ bhajamānasya

bālasyevāsthirātmanaḥ

 

mac-chūla-bhinna-grīvasya

bhūriṇā rudhireṇa vai

asṛk-priyaḿ tarpayiṣye

bhrātaraḿ me gata-vyathaḥ

 

tasya — of Him (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); tyakta-svabhāvasya — who has given up His natural position (of being equal to everyone); ghṛṇeḥ — most abominable; māyā — under the influence of the illusory energy; vana-okasaḥ — behaving exactly like an animal in the jungle; bhajantam — unto the devotee engaged in devotional service; bhajamānasya — being worshiped; bālasya — a child; iva — like; asthira-ātmanaḥ — who is always restless and changing;

 

mat — my; śūla — by the trident; bhinna — separated; grīvasya — whose neck; bhūriṇā — profuse; rudhireṇa — by blood; vai — indeed; asṛk-priyam — who was fond of blood; tarpayiṣye — I shall please; bhrātaram — brother; me — my; gata-vyathaḥ — becoming peaceful myself.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The Supreme Personality of Godhead has given up His natural tendency of equality toward the demons and demigods. Although He is the Supreme Person, now, influenced by māyā, He has assumed the form of a boar to please His devotees, the demigods, just as a restless child leans toward someone. I shall therefore sever Lord Viṣṇu's head from His trunk by my trident, and with the profuse blood from His body I shall please my brother Hiraṇyākṣa, who was so fond of sucking blood. Thus shall I too be peaceful.

 

7.2.9

tasmin kūṭe 'hite naṣṭe

kṛtta-mūle vanas-patau

viṭapā iva śuṣyanti

viṣṇu-prāṇā divaukasaḥ

 

tasmin — when He; kūṭe — the most deceitful; ahite — enemy; naṣṭe — is finished; kṛtta-mūle — having its roots cut off; vanas-patau — a tree; viṭapāḥ — the branches and leaves; iva — like; śuṣyanti — dry up; viṣṇu-prāṇāḥ — whose life is Lord Viṣṇu; diva-okasaḥ — the demigods.

 

TRANSLATION

 

When the root of a tree is cut and the tree falls down, its branches and twigs automatically dry up. Similarly, when I have killed this diplomatic Viṣṇu, the demigods, for whom Lord Viṣṇu is the life and soul, will lose the source of their life and wither away.

 

7.2.10

tāvad yāta bhuvaḿ yūyaḿ

brahma-kṣatra-samedhitām

sūdayadhvaḿ tapo-yajña-

svādhyāya-vrata-dāninaḥ

 

tāvat — as long as (I am engaged in the matter of killing Viṣṇu); yāta — go; bhuvam — to the planet earth; yūyam — all of you; brahma-kṣatra — of the brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas; samedhitām — made prosperous by the activities (brahminical culture and Vedic government); sūdayadhvam — just destroy; tapaḥ — the performers of austerities; yajña — sacrifices; svādhyāya — study of Vedic knowledge; vrata — the regulative vows; dāninaḥ — and those giving charity.

 

TRANSLATION

 

While I am engaged in the business of killing Lord Viṣṇu, go down to the planet earth, which is flourishing due to brahminical culture and a kṣatriya government. These people engage in austerity, sacrifice, Vedic study, regulative vows, and charity. Destroy all the people thus engaged!

 

7.2.11

viṣṇur dvija-kriyā-mūlo

yajño dharmamayaḥ pumān

devarṣi-pitṛ-bhūtānāḿ

dharmasya ca parāyaṇam

 

viṣṇuḥ — Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; dvija — of the brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas; kriyā-mūlaḥ — whose root is the performance of yajña and the ritualistic ceremonies mentioned in the Vedas; yajñaḥ — personified yajña (Lord Viṣṇu, who is known as the yajña-puruṣa); dharma-mayaḥ — full of religious principles; pumān — the Supreme Person; deva-ṛṣi — of the demigods and great ṛṣis like Vyāsadeva and Nārada; pitṛ — of the forefathers; bhūtānām — and of all other living entities; dharmasya — of the religious principles; ca — also; parāyaṇam — the shelter.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The basic principle of brahminical culture is to satisfy Lord Viṣṇu, the personification of sacrificial and ritualistic ceremonies. Lord Viṣṇu is the personified reservoir of all religious principles, and He is the shelter of all the demigods, the great pitās, and the people in general. When the brāhmaṇas are killed, no one will exist to encourage the kṣatriyas to perform yajñas, and thus the demigods, not being appeased by yajña, will automatically die.

 

7.2.12

yatra yatra dvijā gāvo

vedā varṇāśrama-kriyāḥ

taḿ taḿ janapadaḿ yāta

sandīpayata vṛścata

 

yatra yatra — wherever; dvijāḥ — the brāhmaṇas; gāvaḥ — the protected cows; vedāḥ — the Vedic culture; varṇa-āśrama — of the Āryan civilization of four varṇas and four āśramas; kriyāḥ — the activities; tam tam — that; jana-padam — to the city or town; yāta — go; sandīpayata — set fire; vṛścata — cut down (all the trees).

 

TRANSLATION

 

Immediately go wherever there is good protection for the cows and brāhmaṇas and wherever the Vedas are studied in terms of the varṇāśrama principles. Set fire to those places and cut from the roots the trees there, which are the source of life.

 

7.2.13

iti te bhartṛ-nirdeśam

ādāya śirasādṛtāḥ

tathā prajānāḿ kadanaḿ

vidadhuḥ kadana-priyāḥ

 

iti — thus; te — they; bhartṛ — of the master; nirdeśam — the direction; ādāya — receiving; śirasā — with their heads; ādṛtāḥ — respecting; tathā — so also; prajānām — of all the citizens; kadanam — persecution; vidadhuḥ — executed; kadana-priyāḥ — who are expert in persecuting others.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Thus the demons, being fond of disastrous activities, took Hiraṇyakaśipu's instructions on their heads with great respect and offered him obeisances. According to his directions, they engaged in envious activities directed against all living beings.

 

7.2.14

pura-grāma-vrajodyāna-

kṣetrārāmāśramākarān

kheṭa-kharvaṭa-ghoṣāḿś ca

dadahuḥ pattanāni ca

 

pura — cities and towns; grāma — villages; vraja — pasturing grounds; udyāna — gardens; kṣetra — agricultural fields; ārāma — natural forests; āśrama — hermitages of saintly persons; ākarān — and mines (that produce valuable metals to maintain brahminical culture); kheṭa — farm villages; kharvaṭa — mountain villages; ghoṣān — the little villages of cowherds; ca — and; dadahuḥ — they burned; pattanāni — the capitals; ca — also.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The demons set fire to the cities, villages, pasturing grounds, cowpens, gardens, agricultural fields and natural forests. They burned the hermitages of the saintly persons, the important mines that produced valuable metals, the residential quarters of the agriculturalists, the mountain villages, and the villages of the cow protectors, the cowherd men. They also burned the government capitals.

 

7.2.15

kecit khanitrair bibhiduḥ

setu-prākāra-gopurān

ājīvyāḿś cicchidur vṛkṣān

kecit paraśu-pāṇayaḥ

prādahañ śaraṇāny eke

prajānāḿ jvalitolmukaiḥ

 

kecit — some of the demons; khanitraiḥ — with digging instruments; bibhiduḥ — broke to pieces; setu — bridges; prākāra — protective walls; gopurān — city gates; ājīvyān — the source of livelihood; cicchiduḥ — cut down; vṛkṣān — trees; kecit — some; paraśu-pāṇayaḥ — taking axes in hand; prādahan — burned down; śaraṇāni — the dwellings; eke — other demons; prajānām — of the citizens; jvalita — blazing; ulmukaiḥ — with firebrands.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Some of the demons took digging instruments and broke down the bridges, the protective walls and the gates [gopuras] of the cities. Some took axes and began cutting the important trees that produced mango, jackfruit and other sources of food. Some of the demons took firebrands and set fire to the residential quarters of the citizens.

 

7.2.16

evaḿ viprakṛte loke

daityendrānucarair muhuḥ

divaḿ devāḥ parityajya

bhuvi cerur alakṣitāḥ

 

evam — thus; viprakṛte — being disturbed; loke — when all the people; daitya-indra-anucaraiḥ — by the followers of Hiraṇyakaśipu, the King of the Daityas; muhuḥ — again and again; divam — the heavenly planets; devāḥ — the demigods; parityajya — giving up; bhuvi — on the planet earth; ceruḥ — wandered (to see the extent of the disturbances); alakṣitāḥ — unseen by the demons.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Thus disturbed again and again by the unnatural occurrences caused by the followers of Hiraṇyakaśipu, all the people had to cease the activities of Vedic culture. Not receiving the results of yajña, the demigods also became disturbed. They left their residential quarters in the heavenly planets and, unobserved by the demons, began wandering on the planet earth to see the disasters.

 

7.2.17

hiraṇyakaśipur bhrātuḥ

samparetasya duḥkhitaḥ

kṛtvā kaṭodakādīni

bhrātṛ-putrān asāntvayat

 

hiraṇyakaśipuḥ — Hiraṇyakaśipu; bhrātuḥ — of the brother; samparetasya — deceased; duḥkhitaḥ — being very much distressed; kṛtvā — performing; kaṭodaka-ādīni — ceremonies observed after a death; bhrātṛ-putrān — the sons of his brother; asāntvayat — pacified.

 

TRANSLATION

 

After performing the ritualistic observances for the death of his brother, Hiraṇyakaśipu, being extremely unhappy, tried to pacify his nephews.

 

7.2.18-19

śakuniḿ śambaraḿ dhṛṣṭiḿ

bhūtasantāpanaḿ vṛkam

kālanābhaḿ mahānābhaḿ

hariśmaśrum athotkacam

 

tan-mātaraḿ ruṣābhānuḿ

ditiḿ ca jananīḿ girā

ślakṣṇayā deśa-kāla-jña

idam āha janeśvara

 

śakunim — Śakuni; śambaram — Śambara; dhṛṣṭim — Dhṛṣṭi; bhūtasantāpanam — Bhūtasantāpana; vṛkam — Vṛka; kālanābham — Kālanābha; mahānābham — Mahānābha; hariśmaśrum — Hariśmaśru; atha — as well as; utkacam — Utkaca;

 

tat-mātaram — their mother; ruṣābhānum — Ruṣābhānu; ditim — Diti; ca — and; jananīm — his own mother; girā — by words; ślakṣṇayā — very sweet; deśa-kāla-jñaḥ — who was expert in understanding the time and situation; idam — this; āha — said; jana-īśvara — O King.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O King, Hiraṇyakaśipu was extremely angry, but since he was a great politician, he knew how to act according to the time and situation. With sweet words he began pacifying his nephews, whose names were Śakuni, Śambara, Dhṛṣṭi, Bhūtasantāpana, Vṛka, Kālanābha, Mahānābha, Hariśmaśru and Utkaca. He also consoled their mother, his sister-in-law, Ruṣābhānu, as well as his own mother, Diti. He spoke to them all as follows.

 

7.2.20

śrī-hiraṇyakaśipur uvāca

ambāmba he vadhūḥ putrā

vīraḿ mārhatha śocitum

ripor abhimukhe ślāghyaḥ

śūrāṇāḿ vadha īpsitaḥ

 

śrī-hiraṇyakaśipuḥ uvāca — Hiraṇyakaśipu said; amba amba — my mother, my mother; he — O; vadhūḥ — my sister-in-law; putrāḥ — O sons of my brother; vīram — the hero; mā — not; arhatha — you deserve; śocitum — to lament about; ripoḥ — of the enemy; abhimukhe — in front; ślāghyaḥ — glorious; śūrāṇām — of those who are actually great; vadhaḥ — killing; īpsitaḥ — desired.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Hiraṇyakaśipu said: My dear mother, sister-in-law and nephews, you should not lament for the death of the great hero, for a hero's death in front of his enemy is glorious and desirable.

 

7.2.21

bhūtānām iha saḿvāsaḥ

prapāyām iva suvrate

daivenaikatra nītānām

unnītānāḿ sva-karmabhiḥ

 

bhūtānām — of all living entities; iha — in this material world; saḿvāsaḥ — the living together; prapāyām — in a place for drinking cold water; iva — like; su-vrate — O my gentle mother; daivena — by the superior arrangement; ekatra — in one place; nītānām — of those brought; unnītānām — of those led apart; sva-karmabhiḥ — by their own reactions.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear mother, in a restaurant or place for drinking cold water, many travelers are brought together, and after drinking water they continue to their respective destinations. Similarly, living entities join together in a family, and later, as a result of their own actions, they are led apart to their destinations.

 

7.2.22

nitya ātmāvyayaḥ śuddhaḥ

sarvagaḥ sarva-vit paraḥ

dhatte 'sāv ātmano lińgaḿ

māyayā visṛjan guṇān

 

nityaḥ — eternal; ātmā — spirit soul; avyayaḥ — inexhaustible; śuddhaḥ — with no material tinge; sarva-gaḥ — qualified to go anywhere in the material or spiritual worlds; sarva-vit — full of knowledge; paraḥ — transcendental to material conditions; dhatte — accepts; asau — that ātmā, or living being; ātmanaḥ — of the self; lińgam — a body; māyayā — by the material energy; visṛjan — creating; guṇān — various material qualities.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The spirit soul, the living entity, has no death, for he is eternal and inexhaustible. Being free from material contamination, he can go anywhere in the material or spiritual worlds. He is fully aware and completely different from the material body, but because of being misled by misuse of his slight independence, he is obliged to accept subtle and gross bodies created by the material energy and thus be subjected to so-called material happiness and distress. Therefore, no one should lament for the passing of the spirit soul from the body.

 

7.2.23

yathāmbhasā pracalatā

taravo 'pi calā iva

cakṣuṣā bhrāmyamāṇena

dṛśyate calatīva bhūḥ

 

yathā — just as; ambhasā — by water; pracalatā — moving; taravaḥ — the trees (on the bank of the river); api — also; calāḥ — moving; iva — as if; cakṣuṣā — by the eye; bhrāmyamāṇena — moving; dṛśyate — is seen; calatī — moving; iva — as if; bhūḥ — the ground.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Because of the movements of the water, the trees on the bank of a river, when reflected on the water, seem to move. Similarly, when the eyes move because of some mental derangement, the land appears to move also.

 

7.2.24

evaḿ guṇair bhrāmyamāṇe

manasy avikalaḥ pumān

yāti tat-sāmyatāḿ bhadre

hy alińgo lińgavān iva

 

evam — in this way; guṇaiḥ — by the modes of material nature; bhrāmyamāṇe — when shaken; manasi — the mind; avikalaḥ — changeless; pumān — the living entity; yāti — approaches; tat-sāmyatām — the same condition of agitation as the mind; bhadre — O my gentle mother; hi — indeed; alińgaḥ — without a subtle or gross body; lińga-vān — possessing a material body; iva — as if.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In the same way, O my gentle mother, when the mind is agitated by the movements of the modes of material nature, the living entity, although freed from all the different phases of the subtle and gross bodies, thinks that he has changed from one condition to another.

 

7.2.25-26

eṣa ātma-viparyāso

hy alińge lińga-bhāvanā

eṣa priyāpriyair yogo

viyogaḥ karma-saḿsṛtiḥ

 

sambhavaś ca vināśaś ca

śokaś ca vividhaḥ smṛtaḥ

avivekaś ca cintā ca

vivekāsmṛtir eva ca

 

eṣaḥ — this; ātma-viparyāsaḥ — bewilderment of the living being; hi — indeed; alińge — in that which does not possess a material body; lińga-bhāvanā — accepting the material body to be the self; eṣaḥ — this; priya — with those who are very dear; apriyaiḥ — and with those who are not dear (enemies, those not in the family, etc.); yogaḥ — connection; viyogaḥ — separation; karma — the fruits of action; saḿsṛtiḥ — the material condition of life;

 

sambhavaḥ — accepting birth; ca — and; vināśaḥ — accepting death; ca — and; śokaḥ — lamentation; ca — and; vividhaḥ — varieties; smṛtaḥ — mentioned in scripture; avivekaḥ — lack of discrimination; ca — and; cintā — anxiety; ca — also; viveka — of proper discrimination; asmṛtiḥ — forgetfulness; eva — indeed; ca — also.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In his bewildered state, the living entity, accepting the body and mind to be the self, considers some people to be his kinsmen and others to be outsiders. Because of this misconception, he suffers. Indeed, the accumulation of such concocted material ideas is the cause of suffering and so-called happiness in the material world. The conditioned soul thus situated must take birth in different species and work in various types of consciousness, thus creating new bodies. This continued material life is called saḿsāra. Birth, death, lamentation, foolishness and anxiety are due to such material considerations. Thus we sometimes come to a proper understanding and sometimes fall again to a wrong conception of life.

 

7.2.27

atrāpy udāharantīmam

itihāsaḿ purātanam

yamasya preta-bandhūnāḿ

saḿvādaḿ taḿ nibodhata

 

atra — in this connection; api — indeed; udāharanti — they cite; imam — this; itihāsam — history; purātanam — very old; yamasya — of Yamarāja, the superintendent of death, who gives judgment after death; preta-bandhūnām — of the friends of a dead man; saḿvādam — discussion; tam — that; nibodhata — try to understand.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In this regard, an example is given from an old history. This involves a discourse between Yamarāja and the friends of a dead person. Please hear it attentively.

 

7.2.28

uśīnareṣv abhūd rājā

suyajña iti viśrutaḥ

sapatnair nihato yuddhe

jñātayas tam upāsata

 

uśīnareṣu — in the state known as Uśīnara; abhūt — there was; rājā — a king; suyajñaḥ — Suyajña; iti — thus; viśrutaḥ — celebrated; sapatnaiḥ — by enemies; nihataḥ — killed; yuddhe — in war; jñātayaḥ — the kinsmen; tam — him; upāsata — sat around.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In the state known as Uśīnara there was a celebrated King named Suyajña. When the King was killed in battle by his enemies, his kinsmen sat down around the dead body and began to lament the death of their friend.

 

7.2.29-31

viśīrṇa-ratna-kavacaḿ

vibhraṣṭābharaṇa-srajam

śara-nirbhinna-hṛdayaḿ

śayānam asṛg-āvilam

 

prakīrṇa-keśaḿ dhvastākṣaḿ

rabhasā daṣṭa-dacchadam

rajaḥ-kuṇṭha-mukhāmbhojaḿ

chinnāyudha-bhujaḿ mṛdhe

 

uśīnarendraḿ vidhinā tathā kṛtaḿ

patiḿ mahiṣyaḥ prasamīkṣya duḥkhitāḥ

hatāḥ sma nātheti karair uro bhṛśaḿ

ghnantyo muhus tat-padayor upāpatan

 

viśīrṇa — scattered here and there; ratna — made of jewels; kavacam — protective armor; vibhraṣṭa — fallen off; ābharaṇa — ornaments; srajam — garlands; śara-nirbhinna — pierced by arrows; hṛdayam — the heart; śayānam — lying down; asṛk-āvilam — smeared with blood;

 

prakīrṇa-keśam — his hair loosened and scattered; dhvasta-akṣam — his eyes obscured; rabhasā — with anger; daṣṭa — bitten; dacchadam — his lips; rajaḥ-kuṇṭha — covered with dust; mukha-ambhojam — his face, which had formerly resembled a lotus flower; chinna — cut off; āyudha-bhujam — his arms and weapons; mṛdhe — on the battlefield;

 

uśīnara-indram — the master of the state of Uśīnara; vidhinā — by providence; tathā — thus; kṛtam — forced into this position; patim — the husband; mahiṣyaḥ — the queens; prasamīkṣya — seeing; duḥkhitāḥ — very much aggrieved; hatāḥ — killed; sma — certainly; nātha — O husband; iti — thus; karaiḥ — with the hands; uraḥ — the breast; bhṛśam — constantly; ghnantyaḥ — pounding; muhuḥ — again and again; tat-padayoḥ — at the feet of the King; upāpatan — fell down.

 

TRANSLATION

 

His golden, bejeweled armor smashed, his ornaments and garlands fallen from their places, his hair scattered and his eyes lusterless, the slain King lay on the battlefield, his entire body smeared with blood, his heart pierced by the arrows of the enemy. When he died he had wanted to show his prowess, and thus he had bitten his lips, and his teeth remained in that position. His beautiful lotuslike face was now black and covered with dust from the battlefield. His arms, with his sword and other weapons, were cut and broken. When the queens of the King of Uśīnara saw their husband lying in that position, they began crying, "O lord, now that you have been killed, we also have been killed." Repeating these words again and again, they fell down, pounding their breasts, at the feet of the dead King.

 

7.2.32

rudatya uccair dayitāńghri-pańkajaḿ

siñcantya asraiḥ kuca-kuńkumāruṇaiḥ

visrasta-keśābharaṇāḥ śucaḿ nṛṇāḿ

sṛjantya ākrandanayā vilepire

 

rudatyaḥ — crying; uccaiḥ — very loudly; dayita — of their beloved husband; ańghri-pańkajam — the lotus feet; siñcantyaḥ — moistening; asraiḥ — with tears; kuca-kuńkuma-aruṇaiḥ — which were red from the kuńkuma covering their breasts; visrasta — scattered; keśa — hair; ābharaṇāḥ — and ornaments; śucam — grief; nṛṇām — of the people in general; sṛjantyaḥ — creating; ākrandanayā — by crying very pitiably; vilepire — began to lament.

 

TRANSLATION

 

As the queens loudly cried, their tears glided down their breasts, becoming reddened by kuńkuma powder, and fell upon the lotus feet of their husband. Their hair became disarrayed, their ornaments fell, and in a way that evoked sympathy from the hearts of others, the queens began lamenting their husband's death.

 

7.2.33

aho vidhātrākaruṇena naḥ prabho

bhavān praṇīto dṛg-agocarāḿ daśām

uśīnarāṇām asi vṛttidaḥ purā

kṛto 'dhunā yena śucāḿ vivardhanaḥ

 

aho — alas; vidhātrā — by providence; akaruṇena — who is merciless; naḥ — our; prabho — O lord; bhavān — Your Lordship; praṇītaḥ — taken away; dṛk — of sight; agocarām — beyond the range; daśām — to a state; uśīnarāṇām — to the inhabitants of the state of Uśīnara; asi — you were; vṛtti-daḥ — giving livelihood; purā — formerly; kṛtaḥ — finished; adhunā — now; yena — by whom; śucām — of lamentation; vivardhanaḥ — increasing.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O lord, you have now been removed by cruel providence to a state beyond our sight. You had previously sustained the livelihood of the inhabitants of Uśīnara, and thus they were happy, but your condition now is the cause of their unhappiness.

 

7.2.34

tvayā kṛtajñena vayaḿ mahī-pate

kathaḿ vinā syāma suhṛttamena te

tatrānuyānaḿ tava vīra pādayoḥ

śuśrūṣatīnāḿ diśa yatra yāsyasi

 

tvayā — you; kṛtajñena — a most grateful personality; vayam — we; mahī-pate — O King; katham — how; vinā — without; syāma — shall exist; suhṛt-tamena — the best of our friends; te — of you; tatra — there; anuyānam — the following; tava — of you; vīra — O hero; pādayoḥ — of the lotus feet; śuśrūṣatīnām — of those engaging in the service; diśa — please order; yatra — where; yāsyasi — you will go.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O King, O hero, you were a very grateful husband and the most sincere friend of all of us. How shall we exist without you? O hero, wherever you are going, please direct us there so that we may follow in your footsteps and engage again in your service. Let us go along with you!

 

7.2.35

evaḿ vilapatīnāḿ vai

parigṛhya mṛtaḿ patim

anicchatīnāḿ nirhāram

arko 'staḿ sannyavartata

 

evam — thus; vilapatīnām — of the lamenting queens; vai — indeed; parigṛhya — taking on their laps; mṛtam — the dead; patim — husband; anicchatīnām — not desiring; nirhāram — the carrying out of the body for the funeral ceremony; arkaḥ — the sun; astam — the setting position; sannyavartata — passed away.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The time was appropriate for the body to be burned, but the queens, not allowing it to be taken away, continued lamenting for the dead body, which they kept on their laps. In the meantime, the sun completed its movements for setting in the west.

 

7.2.36

tatra ha preta-bandhūnām

āśrutya paridevitam

āha tān bālako bhūtvā

yamaḥ svayam upāgataḥ

 

tatra — there; ha — certainly; preta-bandhūnām — of the friends and relatives of the dead King; āśrutya — hearing; paridevitam — the loud lamentation (so loud that it could be heard from the planet of Yamarāja); āha — said; tān — unto them (the lamenting queens); bālakaḥ — a boy; bhūtvā — becoming; yamaḥ — Yamarāja, the superintendent of death; svayam — personally; upāgataḥ — after coming.

 

TRANSLATION

 

While the queens were lamenting for the dead body of the King, their loud cries were heard even from the abode of Yamarāja. Assuming the body of a boy, Yamarāja personally approached the relatives of the dead body and advised them as follows.

 

7.2.37

śrī-yama uvāca

aho amīṣāḿ vayasādhikānāḿ

vipaśyatāḿ loka-vidhiḿ vimohaḥ

yatrāgatas tatra gataḿ manuṣyaḿ

svayaḿ sadharmā api śocanty apārtham

 

śrī-yamaḥ uvāca — Śrī Yamarāja said; aho — alas; amīṣām — of these; vayasā — by age; adhikānām — of those advanced; vipaśyatām — seeing every day; loka-vidhim — the law of nature (that everyone dies); vimohaḥ — the bewilderment; yatra — from where; āgataḥ — came; tatra — there; gatam — returned; manuṣyam — the man; svayam — themselves; sa-dharmāḥ — similar in nature (prone to die); api — although; śocanti — they lament; apārtham — uselessly.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śrī Yamarāja said: Alas, how amazing it is! These persons, who are older than me, have full experience that hundreds and thousands of living entities have taken birth and died. Thus they should understand that they also are apt to die, yet still they are bewildered. The conditioned soul comes from an unknown place and returns after death to that same unknown place. There is no exception to this rule, which is conducted by material nature. Knowing this, why do they uselessly lament?

 

7.2.38

aho vayaḿ dhanyatamā yad atra

tyaktāḥ pitṛbhyāḿ na vicintayāmaḥ

abhakṣyamāṇā abalā vṛkādibhiḥ

sa rakṣitā rakṣati yo hi garbhe

 

aho — alas; vayam — we; dhanya-tamāḥ — most fortunate; yat — because; atra — at the present moment; tyaktāḥ — left alone, without protection; pitṛbhyām — by both father and mother; na — not; vicintayāmaḥ — worry; abhakṣyamāṇāḥ — not being eaten; abalāḥ — very weak; vṛka-ādibhiḥ — by tigers and other ferocious animals; saḥ — He (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); rakṣitā — will protect; rakṣati — has protected; yaḥ — who; hi — indeed; garbhe — within the womb.

 

TRANSLATION

 

It is wonderful that these elderly women do not have a higher sense of life than we do. Indeed, we are most fortunate, for although we are children and have been left to struggle in material life, unprotected by father and mother, and although we are very weak, we have not been vanquished or eaten by ferocious animals. Thus we have a firm belief that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has given us protection even in the womb of the mother, will protect us everywhere.

 

7.2.39

ya icchayeśaḥ sṛjatīdam avyayo

ya eva rakṣaty avalumpate ca yaḥ

tasyābalāḥ krīḍanam āhur īśituś

carācaraḿ nigraha-sańgrahe prabhuḥ

 

yaḥ — who; icchayā — by His will (without being forced by anyone); īśaḥ — the supreme controller; sṛjati — creates; idam — this (material world); avyayaḥ — remaining as He is (not having lost His own existence because of having created so many material manifestations); yaḥ — who; eva — indeed; rakṣati — maintains; avalumpate — annihilates; ca — also; yaḥ — who; tasya — of Him; abalāḥ — O poor women; krīḍanam — the playing; āhuḥ — they say; īśituḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; cara-acaram — moving and not moving; nigraha — in destruction; sańgrahe — or in protection; prabhuḥ — fully able.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The boy addressed the women: O weak women! Only by the will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is never diminished, is the entire world created, maintained and again annihilated. This is the verdict of the Vedic knowledge. This material creation, consisting of the moving and nonmoving, is exactly like His plaything. Being the Supreme Lord, He is completely competent to destroy and protect.

 

7.2.40

pathi cyutaḿ tiṣṭhati diṣṭa-rakṣitaḿ

gṛhe sthitaḿ tad-vihataḿ vinaśyati

jīvaty anātho 'pi tad-īkṣito vane

gṛhe 'bhigupto 'sya hato na jīvati

 

pathi — on the public road; cyutam — some possession dropped; tiṣṭhati — it remains; diṣṭa-rakṣitam — protected by destiny; gṛhe — at home; sthitam — although situated; tat-vihatam — struck by the will of the Supreme; vinaśyati — it is lost; jīvati — remains alive; anāthaḥ api — although without a protector; tat-īkṣitaḥ — being protected by the Lord; vane — in the forest; gṛhe — at home; abhiguptaḥ — well hidden and protected; asya — of this one; hataḥ — struck; na — not; jīvati — lives.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Sometimes one loses his money on a public street, where everyone can see it, and yet his money is protected by destiny and not seen by others. Thus the man who lost it gets it back. On the other hand, if the Lord does not give protection, even money maintained very securely at home is lost. If the Supreme Lord gives one protection, even though one has no protector and is in the jungle, one remains alive, whereas a person well protected at home by relatives and others sometimes dies, no one being able to protect him.

 

7.2.41

bhūtāni tais tair nija-yoni-karmabhir

bhavanti kāle na bhavanti sarvaśaḥ

na tatra hātmā prakṛtāv api sthitas

tasyā guṇair anyatamo hi badhyate

 

bhūtāni — all the bodies of the living entities; taiḥ taiḥ — their own respective; nija-yoni — causing their own bodies; karmabhiḥ — by past activities; bhavanti — appear; kāle — in due course of time; na bhavanti — disappear; sarvaśaḥ — in all respects; na — not; tatra — there; ha — indeed; ātmā — the soul; prakṛtau — within this material world; api — although; sthitaḥ — situated; tasyāḥ — of her (the material energy); guṇaiḥ — by different modes; anya-tamaḥ — most different; hi — indeed; badhyate — is bound.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Every conditioned soul receives a different type of body according to his work, and when the engagement is finished the body is finished. Although the spirit soul is situated in subtle and gross material bodies in different forms of life, he is not bound by them, for he is always understood to be completely different from the manifested body.

 

7.2.42

idaḿ śarīraḿ puruṣasya mohajaḿ

yathā pṛthag bhautikam īyate gṛham

yathaudakaiḥ pārthiva-taijasair janaḥ

kālena jāto vikṛto vinaśyati

 

idam — this; śarīram — body; puruṣasya — of the conditioned soul; moha-jam — born of ignorance; yathā — just as; pṛthak — separate; bhautikam — material; īyate — is seen; gṛham — a house; yathā — just as; udakaiḥ — with water; pārthiva — with earth; taijasaiḥ — and with fire; janaḥ — the conditioned soul; kālena — in due course of time; jātaḥ — born; vikṛtaḥ — transformed; vinaśyati — is vanquished.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Just as a householder, although different from the identity of his house, thinks his house to be identical with him, so the conditioned soul, due to ignorance, accepts the body to be himself, although the body is actually different from the soul. This body is obtained through a combination of portions of earth, water and fire, and when the earth, water and fire are transformed in the course of time, the body is vanquished. The soul has nothing to do with this creation and dissolution of the body.

 

7.2.43

yathānalo dāruṣu bhinna īyate

yathānilo deha-gataḥ pṛthak sthitaḥ

yathā nabhaḥ sarva-gataḿ na sajjate

tathā pumān sarva-guṇāśrayaḥ paraḥ

 

yathā — just as; analaḥ — the fire; dāruṣu — in wood; bhinnaḥ — separate; īyate — is perceived; yathā — just as; anilaḥ — the air; deha-gataḥ — within the body; pṛthak — separate; sthitaḥ — situated; yathā — just as; nabhaḥ — the sky; sarva-gatam — all-pervading; na — not; sajjate — mix; tathā — similarly; pumān — the living entity; sarva-guṇa-āśrayaḥ — although now the shelter of the modes of material nature; paraḥ — transcendental to material contamination.

 

TRANSLATION

 

As fire, although situated in wood, is perceived to be different from the wood, as air, although situated within the mouth and nostrils, is perceived to be separate, and as the sky, although all-pervading, never mixes with anything, so the living entity, although now encaged within the material body, of which it is the source, is separate from it.

 

7.2.44

suyajño nanv ayaḿ śete

mūḍhā yam anuśocatha

yaḥ śrotā yo 'nuvakteha

sa na dṛśyeta karhicit

 

suyajñaḥ — the king named Suyajña; nanu — indeed; ayam — this; śete — lies; mūḍhāḥ — O foolish people; yam — whom; anuśocatha — you cry for; yaḥ — he who; śrotā — the hearer; yaḥ — he who; anuvaktā — the speaker; iha — in this world; saḥ — he; na — not; dṛśyeta — is visible; karhicit — at any time.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Yamarāja continued: O lamenters, you are all fools! The person named Suyajña, for whom you lament, is still lying before you and has not gone anywhere. Then what is the cause for your lamentation? Previously he heard you and replied to you, but now, not finding him, you are lamenting. This is contradictory behavior, for you have never actually seen the person within the body who heard you and replied. There is no need for your lamentation, for the body you have always seen is lying here.

 

7.2.45

na śrotā nānuvaktāyaḿ

mukhyo 'py atra mahān asuḥ

yas tv ihendriyavān ātmā

sa cānyaḥ prāṇa-dehayoḥ

 

na — not; śrotā — the listener; na — not; anuvaktā — the speaker; ayam — this; mukhyaḥ — chief; api — although; atra — in this body; mahān — the great; asuḥ — life air; yaḥ — he who; tu — but; iha — in this body; indriya-vān — possessing all the sense organs; ātmā — the soul; saḥ — he; ca — and; anyaḥ — different; prāṇa-dehayoḥ — from the life air and the material body.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In the body the most important substance is the life air, but that also is neither the listener nor the speaker. Beyond even the life air, the soul also can do nothing, for the Supersoul is actually the director, in cooperation with the individual soul. The Supersoul conducting the activities of the body is different from the body and living force.

 

7.2.46

bhūtendriya-mano-lińgān

dehān uccāvacān vibhuḥ

bhajaty utsṛjati hy anyas

tac cāpi svena tejasā

 

bhūta — by the five material elements; indriya — the ten senses; manaḥ — and the mind; lińgān — characterized; dehān — gross material bodies; ucca-avacān — high class and low class; vibhuḥ — the individual soul, which is the lord of the body and senses; bhajati — achieves; utsṛjati — gives up; hi — indeed; anyaḥ — being different; tat — that; ca — also; api — indeed; svena — by his own; tejasā — power of advanced knowledge.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The five material elements, the ten senses and the mind all combine to form the various parts of the gross and subtle bodies. The living entity comes in contact with his material bodies, whether high or low, and later gives them up by his personal prowess. This strength can be perceived in a living entity's personal power to possess different types of bodies.

 

7.2.47

yāval lińgānvito hy ātmā

tāvat karma-nibandhanam

tato viparyayaḥ kleśo

māyā-yogo 'nuvartate

 

yāvat — as long as; lińga-anvitaḥ — covered by the subtle body; hi — indeed; ātmā — the soul; tāvat — that long; karma — of fruitive activities; nibandhanam — bondage; tataḥ — from that; viparyayaḥ — reversal (wrongly thinking the body to be the self); kleśaḥ — misery; māyā-yogaḥ — a strong relationship with the external, illusory energy; anuvartate — follows.

 

TRANSLATION

 

As long as the spirit soul is covered by the subtle body, consisting of the mind, intelligence and false ego, he is bound to the results of his fruitive activities. Because of this covering, the spirit soul is connected with the material energy and must accordingly suffer material conditions and reversals, continually, life after life.

 

7.2.48

vitathābhiniveśo 'yaḿ

yad guṇeṣv artha-dṛg-vacaḥ

yathā manorathaḥ svapnaḥ

sarvam aindriyakaḿ mṛṣā

 

vitatha — fruitless; abhiniveśaḥ — the conception; ayam — this; yat — which; guṇeṣu — in the modes of material nature; artha — as a fact; dṛk-vacaḥ — the seein