Canto
8
Chapter 5: The Fifth and Sixth Manu and the Prayers of Brahmâ with the Suras.
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'O King, I have described to you the - to the hearer liberating - activity of the Lord with the deliverance of the pious Gajendra. Now hear about the time of Raivata Manu. (2) The fifth Manu known as Raivata was the brother of Tâmasa, and Bali, Vindhya and the others headed by Arjuna were his sons. (3) Vibhu ruled the heavens, o King, and the god-fearing were lead by the Bhûtarayas: the twiceborn of Hiranyaromâ, Vedas'irâ, Ûrdhvabâhu and others. (4) From S'ubhra and his wife Vikunthhâ, appeared with the godly followers of the Truth as His own expansions, the Lord of Vaikunthha, the Supreme Lord in person. (5) By Him was, just to please the Goddess of Fortune, upon her request and to the appreciation of all, built a world free from carelessness [another Vaikunthha].(6) If someone would try to enumerate His exploits, qualities and transcendental glories would such a person count as many transcendental qualities of Vishnu as one can count particles of matter.
(7) The sixth Manu was Câkshusha, the son of Cakshu and with Pûru, Pûrusha and Sudyumna first were there the sons of Câkshusha. (8) Mantradruma was then the heavenly king and of the godly of the Âpyas and others there were the sages, o King, one knew as Havishmân, Vîraka and others. (9) From Vairâja his wife Devasambhûti was there a son named Ajita who was a partial incarnation [ams'a-avatâra] of the Lord, the all powerful master of the universe. (10) His churning the ocean [of milk], as Kûrma keeping Himself within the water in the form of a tortoise, with the moving left and right of the Mandara Mountain, produced the nectar of the Suras.'
(11-12) S'rî Parîkchit said: 'O brahmin for what purpose was the ocean of milk churned with the mountain and for what reason resided He in the water as a tortoise? And what all came with the nectar that the godly achieved from it? Please be so kind to describe all these so very wonderful activities of the Supreme Lord. (13) My heart distressed by hardship for so long is not yet fully satisfied with your describing all the glories of the Master of the Devotees'."
(14) S'rî Sûta Gosvâmî said: "The great son of Vyâsadeva thus requested, o dear twice-born, complimented him and began to describe the heroism of the Lord. (15-16) S'rî S'uka said: 'When the godly were besieged by the Asuras who fought them with their sharp edged weapons, had the majority of them fallen so that they couldn't rise to their feet again. With sage Durvâsâ having cursed Indra and his three worlds [*], o King, had they all fallen in poverty because they couldn't perform the rituals and ceremonies anymore. (17-18) The Suras, the great Indra, Varuna and all others, in consultation hearing one another meeting on this, could by themselves not reach a satisfactory conclusion. They then went to the assembly of Lord Brahmâ on top of mount Meru and informed him about it all, offering him their obeisances. (19-20) When Lord Brahmâ, the Almighty, saw how all the godly headed by Indra were bereft of all potency and light and how the three worlds were plunged in ill fortune while the Asuras were flourishing, set he his mind to a continuous remembrance of the Original Person in the beyond and spoke he, the most powerful of them all, bright-faced to the godly: (21) 'I, Lord S'iva, you all, as also the numbers of the unenlightened, the human beings, the animals, the trees and plants and the insects and germs, all generated from Himself, from His partial incarnation [Brahmâ here or the guna-avatâra] and from all those that are part of Him; let us all head now for the shelter offered by the Inexhaustible One. (22) For Him no one is to be killed or to be protected, to be disregarded or to be worshiped, nevertheless does He for the sake of creation, maintenance and annihilation accept in due order of time the part of [His incarnation as an avatâra of] passion, goodness and ignorance [see also B.G. 9: 29 and 4: 8]. (23) Now it is the time to establish, for the good of all living beings, His rule of maintenance in the mode of goodness; let us thus take to the shelter of the Teacher of the Universe - may He, so affectionate with His own people, us Suras, bring the good fortune we need [see B.G. 14 & 18].'
(24) S'rî S'uka said: 'The Lord of the Veda thus talking to the godly, o subduer of the enemies, went directly to the abode of the Invincible One beyond the world of darkness. (25) There, unto Him who in His true form cannot be seen, but about whom all the Veda speaks, uttered the master of the gods the divine prayers of which the vibrations then settled the rule over the mind. (26) S'rî Brahmâ said: 'The Unchanging One, the Truth Unlimited, the Original Cause in everyone's heart, the Undiminishing, Inconceivable, Evanescent, Unspeakable and Indescribable One, the Unsurpassed God most desirable, do we gods all offer our respects [compare 6.3: 20-21 and B.G. 15: 15 and 9: 4]. (27) With the omniscient, the living force to the mind and intelligence of all living beings; the ever vigilant to all the objective, the senses and the knowledge; the immaculate, impartial shelter of all the ones in the dark; with Him the infallible, all-pervading Lord of all three Yugas [in the fourth He is there as His own devotee], I seek my refuge. (28) The wheel of time that with its swifty fifteen spokes [the knowing and working senses and the five airs], three electrifying naves [the modes] and its eight segments [the five elements, mind, false ego and intelligence] by His external energy with great force is revolving around the hub they say that is Him, is there to the living being as a self-invented order; let us unto that factual reality of Him be of the greatest respect [compare 3.21: 18, 7.9: 21, 5.21: 13 and B.G. 18: 61]. (29) He of one profession [that of goodness], transcendental to the material darkness; that unmanifested, not to locate, unlimited One beyond all measure carried on the back of Garuda [the vedic verses]; He is by the unperturbed and sober, worshiped by means of yoga [see also 4.3: 23]. (30) The illusory energy no one is able to overcome, by that energy are the people in general bewildered and do they not understand the real wealth of life; Him of complete control over the living being and the modes of the external energy, that transcendental controller equal unto all who rules the living beings, we pay homage. (31) Unto us, we relying on a body created from goodness, You appear as near and dear as to the saints situated the same; nevertheless we are not fully aware of the destination so subtle. If that is so with us, then how would that be with the unenlightened and atheistic so displaced despite of their primal interest? (32) To this earth verily created by Him, to this material creation wherein one finds the four types of living beings at His feet [as born from wombs, eggs, moist and seed see, also 2.10: 37-40], He is in fact the Supreme One, the Original Person; may He, the Greatest One of unlimited potency, be merciful unto us. (33) The masses of water are but His semen so powerful in generating all life which, including all the godly ruling throughout the universe, wherever indeed flourishes by it; may He, the one of the greatest might, be pleased with us. (34) Soma, the moon, they say that is His mind, is the strength of the denizens of heaven, of the foodgrains and the duration of life; that Supreme Lord making the trees as also all other living entities grow, may He, that source of all opulence, be satisfied with us [see also: 2.10: 30 and 6.6: 24-26]. (35) From His mouth of fire, as also present in the depths of the ocean where it digests all the elements [like the fire of digestion in the stomach], He produces, by its presence in the ceremonies, all wealth; may He, the Almighty be content with us. (36) That which became His eye, the deity of the sun that is the lead of the godly in endeavoring materially; this focus and gateway for the realization of the eternal path, the Absolute Truth and one's liberation, this deity which as well is the cause of one's death, may that All-Powerful One be pleased with us [see also 2.1: 30 B.G. 7: 8, 10: 21 and 11: 19]. (37) From His life force, His breath, in all living entities, from that prâna as the basic principle, from following that air like subjects who follow an emperor, there is all the strength and vitality; may He of All Power be contented with us. (38) From His hearing there are the different directions, from His heart we know the body with its apertures and from the Original Person His navel [of space] generated the ether that of the life force, the senses, the mind, the vitality and our physical body is the [spiritual] shelter; may the Supreme Power of Him be pleased with us [2.1: 27 & 29]. (39) The great Indra is there of His strength and the servants [of Him] within the three worlds are there of His satisfaction; from His anger there is the Controller on the Mountain [Lord S'iva], and from his sober intelligence there is Viriñca [Lord Brahmâ]; from the apertures emanate the mantras while the saints and founding fathers are there from His genitals; may the One so Powerful be happy with us. (40) The goddess is from His chest, the ancestral is from His shadow, the religion was possible from His front, and irreligion could be there from His back; the higher places are from the top of His head and the dancing girls of heaven are there from His sense enjoyment; may He, the greatest of all prowess, be pleased with us. (41) The learned [brahmins] are there from His mouth, just as the vedic literatures and His confidential knowledge, the administrators [kshatriyas] and the physical strength are there of His arms, from His thighs there are the traders [the vais'yas see also 2.1: 37] and their know-how of provision and from His feet there are the workers [s'ûdras] unconcerned about the Veda; may He so Supremely Powerful be content with us all. (42) Greed is His lower lip and affection His upper lip; the bodily luster could exist from His nose and by His touch could there be the animalistic lust; from His brows there was the Lord of Death [Yamarâja] but from His eyelashes could there be the eternal Time; may He, the One of all Prowess, be pleased with us. (43) The material elements, their weaver [kâla, time], the fruitive labor and the modes of nature and the variety of forms created is that which makes up the complete of His creative potency [yoga-mâyâ] of which all the learned say that it is hard to fathom - it is the trouble from which the ones who came to realization turn away; may He the Controller of All and Everything be content with us. (44) Let there be our reverence for Him who is the peace free from endeavoring, the self-sustaining and the full satisfaction of all accomplishment; our obeisances unto Him, the Soul to the world that moves in modes, Him, the game-master, who like the air is aloof from all worries about the things of matter. (45) We are surrendered to You, yet wish to see Your smiling lotuslike face. May we see Him, You my Lord, in Your original form, directly visible before our eyes? (46) By and by, in factual forms, time after time appearing by Your personal will, do You in person, o Mighty One, perform uncommon activities so that You for us are indeed the Supreme Lord in control [B.G. 4: 7]. (47) For people eager to enjoy are there many obstacles and little results, thereto with one's projects ending in frustration; being like that is one indeed really not devoted to You. (48) Not even the slightest activity properly performed goes in vain, because in dedication to the Controller [who is the Time] one realizes You as the Original Soul who for sure is extremely dear and beneficial to all persons. (49) Like indeed with the watering of the root of a tree one also waters the trunk and the branches, is it also with the worship of Vishnu, the soul of everyone [see also 4.31: 14]. (50) All my obeisances unto You, my Lord of the Eternal, o worker of the wonders of the higher existence, o Controller of all the Modes now established in goodness.'
Second edition, loaded September 3, 2007.
Source texts:
The Demigods Appeal to the Lord for Protection
S'rî S'uka said: 'O King, I have described to you the - to the hearer liberating - activity of the Lord with the deliverance of the pious Gajendra. Now hear about the time of Raivata Manu.S'ukadeva Gosvâmî continued: O King, I have described to you the pastime of Gajendra-mokshana, which is most pious to hear. By hearing of such activities of the Lord, one can be freed from all sinful reactions. Now please listen as I describe Raivata Manu. (Vedabase)
The fifth Manu known as Raivata was the brother of Tâmasa, and Bali, Vindhya and the others headed by Arjuna were his sons.
The brother of Tâmasa Manu was the fifth Manu, named Raivata. His sons were headed by Arjuna, Bali and Vindhya. (Vedabase)
Vibhu ruled the heavens, o King, and the god-fearing were lead by the Bhûtarayas: the twiceborn of Hiranyaromâ, Vedas'irâ, Ûrdhvabâhu and others.
O King, in the millennium of Raivata Manu the King of heaven was known as Vibhu, among the demigods were the Bhûtarayas, and among the seven brâhmanas who occupied the seven planets were Hiranyaromâ, Vedas'irâ and Ûrdhvabâhu. (Vedabase)
From S'ubhra and his wife Vikunthhâ, appeared with the godly followers of the Truth as His own expansions, the Lord of Vaikunthha, the Supreme Lord in person.
From the combination of S'ubhra and his wife, Vikunthhâ, there appeared the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vaikunthha, along with demigods who were His personal plenary expansions. (Vedabase)
By Him was, just to please the Goddess of Fortune, upon her request and to the appreciation of all, built a world free from carelessness [another Vaikunthha].
Just to please the goddess of fortune, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vaikunthha, at her request, created another Vaikunthha planet, which is worshiped by everyone. (Vedabase)
If someone would try to enumerate His exploits, qualities and transcendental glories would such a person count as many transcendental qualities of Vishnu as one can count particles of matter.
Although the great activities and transcendental qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead's various incarnations are wonderfully described, sometimes we are unable to understand them. Yet everything is possible for Lord Vishnu. If one could count the atoms of the universe, then he could count the qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But no one can count the atoms of the universe, nor can anyone count the transcendental qualities of the Lord. (Vedabase)
The sixth Manu was Câkshusha, the son of Cakshu and with Pûru, Pûrusha and Sudyumna first were there the sons of Câkshusha.
The son of Cakshu known as Câkshusha was the sixth Manu. He had many sons, headed by Pûru, Pûrusha and Sudyumna. (Vedabase)
Mantradruma was then the heavenly king and of the godly of the Âpyas and others there were the sages, o King, one knew as Havishmân, Vîraka and others.
During the reign of Câkshusha Manu, the King of heaven was known as Mantradruma. Among the demigods were the Âpyas, and among the great sages were Havishmân and Vîraka. (Vedabase)
From Vairâja his wife Devasambhûti was there a son named Ajita who was a partial incarnation [ams'a-avatâra] of the Lord, the all powerful master of the universe.
In this sixth manvantara millennium, Lord Vishnu, the master of the universe, appeared in His partial expansion. He was begotten by Vairâja in the womb of his wife, Devasambhûti, and His name was Ajita. (Vedabase)
His churning the ocean [of milk], as Kûrma keeping Himself within the water in the form of a tortoise, with the moving left and right of the Mandara Mountain, produced the nectar of the Suras.'
By churning the ocean of milk, Ajita produced nectar for the demigods. In the form of a tortoise, He moved here and there, carrying on His back the great mountain known as Mandara. (Vedabase)
S'rî Parîkchit said: 'O brahmin for what purpose was the ocean of milk churned with the mountain and for what reason resided He in the water as a tortoise? And what all came with the nectar that the godly achieved from it? Please be so kind to describe all these so very wonderful activities of the Supreme Lord.
King Parîkshit inquired: O great brâhmana, S'ukadeva Gosvâmî, why and how did Lord Vishnu churn the ocean of milk? For what reason did He stay in the water as a tortoise and hold up Mandara Mountain? Mow did the demigods obtain the nectar, and what other things were produced from the churning of the ocean? Kindly describe all these wonderful activities of the Lord. (Vedabase)
My heart distressed by hardship for so long is not yet fully satisfied with your describing all the glories of the Master of the Devotees'."
My heart, which is disturbed by the three miserable conditions of material life, is not yet sated with hearing you describe the glorious activities of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the master of the devotees. (Vedabase)
S'rî Sûta Gosvâmî said: "The great son of Vyâsadeva thus requested, o dear twice-born, complimented him and began to describe the heroism of the Lord.
S'rî Sûta Gosvâmî said: O learned brâhmanas assembled here at Naimishâranya, when S'ukadeva Gosvâmî, the son of Dvaipâyana, was thus questioned by the King, he congratulated the King and then endeavored to describe further the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (Vedabase)
S'rî S'uka said: 'When the godly were besieged by the Asuras who fought them with their sharp edged weapons, had the majority of them fallen so that they couldn't rise to their feet again. With sage Durvâsâ having cursed Indra and his three worlds [*], o King, had they all fallen in poverty because they couldn't perform the rituals and ceremonies anymore.
S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: When the Asuras, with their serpent weapons, severely attacked the demigods in a fight, many of the demigods fell and lost their lives. Indeed, they could not be revived. At that time, O King, the demigods had been cursed by Durvâsâ Muni, the three worlds were poverty-stricken, and therefore ritualistic ceremonies could not be performed. The effects of this were very serious. (Vedabase)
The Suras, the great Indra, Varuna and all others, in consultation hearing one another meeting on this, could by themselves not reach a satisfactory conclusion. They then went to the assembly of Lord Brahmâ on top of mount Meru and informed him about it all, offering him their obeisances.
Lord Indra, Varuna and the other demigods, seeing their lives in such a state, consulted among themselves, but they could not find any solution. Then all the demigods assembled and went together to the peak of Sumeru Mountain. There, in the assembly of Lord Brahmâ, they fell down to offer Lord Brahmâ their obeisances, and then they informed him of all the incidents that had taken place. (Vedabase)
When Lord Brahmâ, the Almighty, saw how all the godly headed by Indra were bereft of all potency and light and how the three worlds were plunged in ill fortune while the Asuras were flourishing, set he his mind to a continuous remembrance of the Original Person in the beyond and spoke he, the most powerful of them all, bright-faced to the godly:
Upon seeing that the demigods were bereft of all influence and strength and that the three worlds were consequently devoid of auspiciousness, and upon seeing that the demigods were in an awkward position whereas all the demons were flourishing, Lord Brahmâ, who is above all the demigods and who is most powerful, concentrated his mind on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus being encouraged, he became bright-faced and spoke to the demigods as follows. (Vedabase)
'I, Lord S'iva, you all, as also the numbers of the unenlightened, the human beings, the animals, the trees and plants and the insects and germs, all generated from Himself, from His partial incarnation [Brahmâ here or the guna-avatâra] and from all those that are part of Him; let us all head now for the shelter offered by the Inexhaustible One.
Lord Brahmâ said: I, Lord S'iva, all of you demigods, the demons, the living entities born of perspiration, the living beings born of eggs, the trees and plants sprouting from the earth, and the living entities born from embryos - all come from the Supreme Lord, from His incarnation of rajo-guna [Lord Brahmâ, the guna-avatâra] and from the great sages [rishis] who are part of me. Let us therefore go to the Supreme Lord and take shelter of His lotus feet. (Vedabase)
For Him no one is to be killed or to be protected, to be disregarded or to be worshiped, nevertheless does He for the sake of creation, maintenance and annihilation accept in due order of time the part of [His incarnation as an avatâra of] passion, goodness and ignorance [see also B.G. 9: 29 and 4: 8].
For the Supreme Personality of Godhead there is no one to be killed, no one to be protected, no one to be neglected and no one to be worshiped. Nonetheless, for the sake of creation, maintenance and annihilation according to time, He accepts different forms as incarnations either in the mode of goodness, the mode of passion or the mode of ignorance. (Vedabase)
Now it is the time to establish, for the good of all living beings, His rule of maintenance in the mode of goodness; let us thus take to the shelter of the Teacher of the Universe - may He, so affectionate with His own people, us Suras, bring the good fortune we need [see B.G. 14 & 18].'
Now is the time to invoke the mode of goodness of the living entities who have accepted material bodies. The mode of goodness is meant to establish the Supreme Lord's rule, which will maintain the existence of the creation. Therefore, this is the opportune moment to take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Because He is naturally very kind and dear to the demigods, He will certainly bestow good fortune upon us. (Vedabase)
S'rî S'uka said: 'The Lord of the Veda thus talking to the godly, o subduer of the enemies, went directly to the abode of the Invincible One beyond the world of darkness.
O Mahârâja Parîkshit, subduer of all enemies, after Lord Brahmâ finished speaking to the demigods, he took them with him to the abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which is beyond this material world. The Lord's abode is on an island called S'vetadvîpa, which is situated in the ocean of milk. (Vedabase)
There, unto Him who in His true form cannot be seen, but about whom all the Veda speaks, uttered the master of the gods the divine prayers of which the vibrations then settled the rule over the mind.
There [at S'vetadvîpa], Lord Brahmâ offered prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, even though he had never seen the Supreme Lord. Simply because Lord Brahmâ had heard about the Supreme Personality of Godhead from Vedic literature, with a fixed mind he offered the Lord prayers as written or approved by Vedic literature. (Vedabase)
S'rî Brahmâ said: 'The Unchanging One, the Truth Unlimited, the Original Cause in everyone's heart, the Undiminishing, Inconceivable, Evanescent, Unspeakable and Indescribable One, the Unsurpassed God most desirable, do we gods all offer our respects [compare 6.3: 20-21 and B.G. 15: 15 and 9: 4].
Lord Brahmâ said: O Supreme Lord, O changeless, unlimited supreme truth. You are the origin of everything. Being all-pervading, You are in everyone's heart and also in the atom. You have no material qualities. Indeed, You are inconceivable. The mind cannot catch You by speculation, and words fail to describe You. You are the supreme master of everyone, and therefore You are worshipable for everyone. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You. (Vedabase)
With the omniscient, the living force to the mind and intelligence of all living beings; the ever vigilant to all the objective, the senses and the knowledge; the immaculate, impartial shelter of all the ones in the dark; with Him the infallible, all-pervading Lord of all three Yugas [in the fourth He is there as His own devotee], I seek my refuge.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead directly and indirectly knows how everything, including the living force, mind and intelligence, is working under His control. He is the illuminator of everything and has no ignorance. He does not have a material body subject to the reactions of previous activities, and He is free from the ignorance of partiality and materialistic education. I therefore take shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, who is eternal, all-pervading and as great as the sky and who appears with six opulences in three yugas [Satya, Tretâ and Dvâpara]. (Vedabase)
The wheel of time that with its swifty fifteen spokes [the knowing and working senses and the five airs], three electrifying naves [the modes] and its eight segments [the five elements, mind, false ego and intelligence] by His external energy with great force is revolving around the hub they say that is Him, is there to the living being as a self-invented order; let us unto that factual reality of Him be of the greatest respect [compare 3.21: 18, 7.9: 21, 5.21: 13 and B.G. 18: 61].
In the cycle of material activities, the material body resembles the wheel of a mental chariot. The ten senses [five for working and five for gathering knowledge] and the five life airs within the body form the fifteen spokes of the chariot's wheel. The three modes of nature [goodness, passion and ignorance] are its center of activities, and the eight ingredients of nature [earth, water, fire, air, sky, mind, intelligence and false ego] comprise the rim of the wheel. The external, material energy moves this wheel like electrical energy. Thus the wheel revolves very quickly around its hub or central support, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the Supersoul and the ultimate truth. We offer our respectful obeisances unto Him. (Vedabase)
He of one profession [that of goodness], transcendental to the material darkness; that unmanifested, not to locate, unlimited One beyond all measure carried on the back of Garuda [the vedic verses]; He is by the unperturbed and sober, worshiped by means of yoga [see also 4.3: 23].
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is situated in pure goodness [s'uddha-sattva], and therefore He is eka-varna - the omkâra [pranava]. Because the Lord is beyond the cosmic manifestation, which is considered to be darkness, He is not visible to material eyes. Nonetheless, He is not separated from us by time or space, but is present everywhere. Seated on His carrier, Garuda, He is worshiped by means of mystical yogic power by those who have achieved freedom from agitation. Let us all offer our respectful obeisances unto Him. (Vedabase)
The illusory energy no one is able to overcome, by that energy are the people in general bewildered and do they not understand the real wealth of life; Him of complete control over the living being and the modes of the external energy, that transcendental controller equal unto all who rules the living beings, we pay homage.
No one can overcome the Supreme Personality of Godhead's illusory energy [mâyâ], which is so strong that it bewilders everyone, making one lose the sense to understand the aim of life. That same mâyâ, however, is subdued by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who rules everyone and who is equally disposed toward all living entities. Let us offer our obeisances unto Him. (Vedabase)
Unto us, we relying on a body created from goodness, You appear as near and dear as to the saints situated the same; nevertheless we are not fully aware of the destination so subtle. If that is so with us, then how would that be with the unenlightened and atheistic so displaced despite of their primal interest?
Since our bodies are made of sattva-guna, we, the demigods, are internally and externally situated in goodness. All the great saints are also situated in that way. Therefore, if even we cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, what is to be said of those who are most insignificant in their bodily constitutions, being situated in the modes of passion and ignorance? How can they understand the Lord? Let us offer our respectful obeisances unto Him. (Vedabase)
To this earth verily created by Him, to this material creation wherein one finds the four types of living beings at His feet [as born from wombs, eggs, moist and seed see, also 2.10: 37-40], He is in fact the Supreme One, the Original Person; may He, the Greatest One of unlimited potency, be merciful unto us.
On this earth there are four kinds of living entities, who are all created by Him. The material creation rests on His lotus feet. He is the great Supreme Person, full of opulence and power. May He be pleased with us. (Vedabase)
The masses of water are but His semen so powerful in generating all life which, including all the godly ruling throughout the universe, wherever indeed flourishes by it; may He, the one of the greatest might, be pleased with us.
The entire cosmic manifestation has emerged from water, and it is because of water that all living entities endure, live and develop. This water is nothing but the semen of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, may the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has such great potency, be pleased with us. (Vedabase)
Soma, the moon, they say that is His mind, is the strength of the denizens of heaven, of the foodgrains and the duration of life; that Supreme Lord making the trees as also all other living entities grow, may He, that source of all opulence, be satisfied with us [see also: 2.10: 30 and 6.6: 24-26].
Soma, the moon, is the source of food grains, strength and longevity for all the demigods. He is also the master of all vegetation and the source of generation for all living entities. As stated by learned scholars, the moon is the mind of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. May that Supreme Personality of Godhead, the source of all opulences, be pleased with us. (Vedabase)
From His mouth of fire, as also present in the depths of the ocean where it digests all the elements [like the fire of digestion in the stomach], He produces, by its presence in the ceremonies, all wealth; may He, the Almighty be content with us.
Fire, which is born for the sake of accepting oblations in ritualistic ceremonies, is the mouth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Fire exists within the depths of the ocean to produce wealth, and fire is also present in the abdomen to digest food and produce various secretions for the maintenance of the body. May that supremely powerful Personality of Godhead be pleased with us. (Vedabase)
That which became His eye, the deity of the sun that is the lead of the godly in endeavoring materially; this focus and gateway for the realization of the eternal path, the Absolute Truth and one's liberation, this deity which as well is the cause of one's death, may that All-Powerful One be pleased with us [see also 2.1: 30 B.G. 7: 8, 10: 21 and 11: 19].
The sun-god marks the path of liberation, which is called arcirâdi-vartma. He is the chief source for understanding of the Vedas, he is the abode where the Absolute Truth can be worshiped, He is the gateway to liberation, and he is the source of eternal life as well as the cause of death. The sun-god is the eye of the Lord. May that Supreme Lord, who is supremely opulent, be pleased with us. (Vedabase)
From His life force, His breath, in all living entities, from that prâna as the basic principle, from following that air like subjects who follow an emperor, there is all the strength and vitality; may He of All Power be contented with us.
All living entities, moving and nonmoving, receive their vital force, their bodily strength and their very lives from the air. All of us follow the air for our vital force, exactly as servants follow an emperor. The vital force of air is generated from the original vital force of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. May that Supreme Lord be pleased with us. (Vedabase)
From His hearing there are the different directions, from His heart we know the body with its apertures and from the Original Person His navel [of space] generated the ether that of the life force, the senses, the mind, the vitality and our physical body is the [spiritual] shelter; may the Supreme Power of Him be pleased with us [2.1: 27 & 29].
May the supremely powerful Personality of Godhead be pleased with us. The different directions are generated from His ears, the holes of the body come from His heart, and the vital force, the senses, the mind, the air within the body, and the ether, which is the shelter of the body, come from His navel. (Vedabase)
The great Indra is there of His strength and the servants [of Him] within the three worlds are there of His satisfaction; from His anger there is the Controller on the Mountain [Lord S'iva], and from his sober intelligence there is Viriñca [Lord Brahmâ]; from the apertures emanate the mantras while the saints and founding fathers are there from His genitals; may the One so Powerful be happy with us.
Mahendra, the King of Heaven, was generated from the prowess of the Lord, the demigods were generated from the mercy of the Lord, Lord S'iva was generated from the anger of the Lord, and Lord Brahmâ from His sober intelligence. The Vedic mantras were generated from the bodily holes of the Lord, and the great saints and prajâpati's were generated from His genitals. May that supremely powerful Lord be pleased with us. (Vedabase)
The goddess is from His chest, the ancestral is from His shadow, the religion was possible from His front, and irreligion could be there from His back; the higher places are from the top of His head and the dancing girls of heaven are there from His sense enjoyment; may He, the greatest of all prowess, be pleased with us.
The goddess of fortune was generated from His chest, the inhabitants of Pitriloka from His shadow, religion from His bosom, and irreligion [the opposite of religion] from His back. The heavenly planets were generated from the top of His head, and the Apsarâs from His sense enjoyment. May that supremely powerful Personality of Godhead be pleased with us. (Vedabase)
The learned [brahmins] are there from His mouth, just as the vedic literatures and His confidential knowledge, the administrators [kshatriyas] and the physical strength are there of His arms, from His thighs there are the traders [the vais'yas see also 2.1: 37] and their know-how of provision and from His feet there are the workers [s'ûdras] unconcerned about the Veda; may He so Supremely Powerful be content with us all.
The brâhmanas and Vedic knowledge come from the mouth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the kshatriyas and bodily strength com e from His arms, the vais'yas and their expert knowledge in productivity and wealth come from His thighs, and the s'ûdras, who are outside of Vedic knowledge, come from His feet. May that Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is full in prowess, be pleased with us. (Vedabase)
Greed is His lower lip and affection His upper lip; the bodily luster could exist from His nose and by His touch could there be the animalistic lust; from His brows there was the Lord of Death [Yamarâja] but from His eyelashes could there be the eternal Time; may He, the One of all Prowess, be pleased with us.
Greed is generated from His lower lip, affection from His upper lip, bodily luster from His nose, animalistic lusty desires from His sense of touch, Yamarâja from His eyebrows, and eternal time from His eyelashes. May that Supreme Lord be pleased with us. (Vedabase)
The material elements, their weaver [kâla, time], the fruitive labor and the modes of nature and the variety of forms created is that which makes up the complete of His creative potency [yoga-mâyâ] of which all the learned say that it is hard to fathom - it is the trouble from which the ones who came to realization turn away; may He the Controller of All and Everything be content with us.
All learned men say that the five elements, eternal time, fruitive activity, the three modes of material nature, and the varieties produced by these modes are all creations of yogamâyâ. This material world is therefore extremely difficult to understand, but those who are highly learned have rejected it. May the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the controller of everything, be pleased with us. (Vedabase)
Let there be our reverence for Him who is the peace free from endeavoring, the self-sustaining and the full satisfaction of all accomplishment; our obeisances unto Him, the Soul to the world that moves in modes, Him, the game-master, who like the air is aloof from all worries about the things of matter.
Let us offer our respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is completely silent, free from endeavor, and completely satisfied by His own achievements. He is not attached to the activities of the material world through His senses. Indeed, in performing His pastimes in this material world, He is just like the unattached air. (Vedabase)
We are surrendered to You, yet wish to see Your smiling lotuslike face. May we see Him, You my Lord, in Your original form, directly visible before our eyes?
O Supreme Personality of Godhead, we are surrendered unto You, yet we wish to see You. Please make Your original form and smiling lotus face visible to our eyes and appreciable to our other senses. (Vedabase)
By and by, in factual forms, time after time appearing by Your personal will, do You in person, o Mighty One, perform uncommon activities so that You for us are indeed the Supreme Lord in control [B.G. 4: 7].
O Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, by Your sweet will You appear in various incarnations, millennium after millennium, and act wonderfully, performing uncommon activities that would be impossible for us. (Vedabase)
For people eager to enjoy are there many obstacles and little results, thereto with one's projects ending in frustration; being like that is one indeed really not devoted to You.
Karmis are always anxious to accumulate wealth for their sense gratification, but for that purpose they must work very hard. Yet even though they work hard, the results are not satisfying. Indeed, sometimes their work results only in frustration. But devotees who have dedicated their lives to the service of the Lord can achieve substantial results without working very hard. These results exceed the devotee's expectations. (Vedabase)
Not even the slightest activity properly performed goes in vain, because in dedication to the Controller [who is the Time] one realizes You as the Original Soul who for sure is extremely dear and beneficial to all persons.
Activities dedicated to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, even if performed in small measure, never go in vain. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, being the supreme father, is naturally very dear and always ready to act for the good of the living entities. (Vedabase)
Like indeed with the watering of the root of a tree one also waters the trunk and the branches, is it also with the worship of Vishnu, the soul of everyone [see also 4.31: 14].
When one pours water on the root of a tree, the trunk and branches of the tree are automatically pleased. Similarly, when one becomes a devotee of Lord Vishnu, everyone is served, for the Lord is the Supersoul of everyone. (Vedabase)
All my obeisances unto You, my Lord of the Eternal, o worker of the wonders of the higher existence, o Controller of all the Modes now established in goodness.
My Lord, all obeisances unto You, who are eternal, beyond time's limits of past, present and future. You are inconceivable in Your activities, You are the master of the three modes of material nature, and, being transcendental to all material qualities, You are free from material contamination. You are the controller of all three of the modes of nature, but at the present You are in favor of the quality of goodness. Let us offer our respectful obeisances unto You. (Vedabase)
*: The story goes: 'While Durvâsâ Muni was passing on the road, he saw Indra on the back of his elephant and was pleased to offer Indra a garland from his own neck. Indra, however, being too puffed up, took the garland, and without respect for Durvâsâ Muni, he placed it on the trunk of his carrier elephant. The elephant, being an animal, could not understand the value of the garland, and thus the elephant threw the garland between its legs and smashed it. Seeing this insulting behavior, Durvâsâ Muni immediately cursed Indra to be poverty-stricken, bereft of all material opulence. Thus the demigods, afflicted on the one hand by the fighting demons and on the other by the curse of Durvâsâ Muni, lost all the material opulences in the three worlds.'
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ISBN: o-91277-27-7
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