See for the online version with illustrations, music and links to the previous translation: http://srimadbhâgavatam.org/
S'RÎMAD BHÂGAVATAM
"The story of the fortunate one"
CANTO 6:
Prescribed Duties for Mankind
Chapter 1 Dharma and Adharma: the Life of Ajâmila
Chapter 2 Ajâmila Delivered by the Vishnudûtas: the motivation for the Holy Name
Chapter 3 Yamarâja Instructs His Messengers
Chapter 4 The Hamsa-guhya Prayers Offered to the Lord by Prajâpati Daksha
Chapter 5 Nârada Muni Cursed by Prajâpati Daksha
Chapter 6 The Progeny of the Daughters of Daksha
Chapter 7 Indra Offends His Spiritual Master, Brihaspati
Chapter 8 The Armor of Mantras that Protected Indra
Chapter 9 Appearance of the Demon Vritrâsura
Chapter 10 The Battle Between the Demigods and Vritrâsura
Chapter 11 The Transcendental Qualities of Vritrâsura
Chapter 12 Vritrâsura's Glorious Death
Chapter 13 King Indra Afflicted by Sinful Reaction
Chapter 14 King Citraketu's Lamentation
Chapter 15 The Saints Nârada and Angirâ Instruct King Citraketu
Chapter 16 King Citraketu Meets the Supreme Lord
Chapter 17 Mother Pârvatî Curses Citraketu
Chapter 18 Diti Vows to Kill King Indra
Chapter 19 Performing the Pumsavana Ritualistic Ceremony
This book relates the story of the Lord and His Incarnations since the earliest records of the vedic history. It is verily the Krishna-Bible of the Hindu-universe. The Bhâgavad Gîtâ compares to it like the sermon on the mountain by Lord Jesus to the full Bible. It has 18.000 verses and consists of 12 books also called canto's. These books tell the complete history of the vedic culture with the essence of all its classical stories called purâna's and includes the cream of the vedic knowledge compiled from all the literatures as well as the story of the life of Lord Krishna in full (canto 10). It tells about His birth, His youth, all His wonderful proofs of His divine nature and the superhuman feats of defeating all kinds of demons up to the great Mahâbhârat war at Kurukshetra. It is a brilliant story that has been brought to the West by Swami Bhaktivedânta Prabhupâda, a Caitanya Vaishnava, a bhakti (devotional) monk of Lord Vishnu [the name for the transcendental form of Lord Krishna] who undertook the daring task of enlightening the materialist westerners as well as the advanced philosophers and theologians, in order to help them to overcome the perils and loneliness of impersonalism and the philosophy of emptiness.
For the translation the author of this internet-version has used the translation of Svâmî Prabhupâda. As an âcârya [guru teaching by example] from the age-old indian vaishnava tradition he represents the reformation of the devotion for God the way it was practiced in India since the 16th century. This reformation contends that the false authority of the caste-system and single dry bookwisdom is to be rejected. Lord Krishna-Caitanya, the avatâra [an incarnation of the Lord] who heralded this reform, restored the original purpose of developing devotion for God and endeavored especially for the sacred scripture expounding on the devotion relating to Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This scripture is this bhâgavata purâna from which all the vaishnava-âcâryas derived their wisdom for the purpose of instruction and the shaping of their devotion. The word for word translations as well as the full text and commentaries of this book were studied within and without the Hare Krishna temples of learning in as well India, Europe as in America. The purpose of the translation is first of all to make this glorious text available for a wider audience over the Internet. Since the Bible, the Koran and numerous other Holy texts are readily available, the author meant that this book could not stay behind on the shelf of his own bookcase as a token of material possessiveness. Knowledge not shared is knowledge lost, and certainly this type of knowledge which stresses the yoga of non-possessiveness and devotion as one of its main values could not be left out. The version of Prabhupâda Swami is very extensive covering some 2400 pages of plain fine printed text including his commentaries. And that was only the first ten canto's. The remaining two canto's were posthumously published by his pupils in the full of his spirit. Thus the author was faced with two daring challenges: one was to make a readable running narrative of the book - that had been dissected to the single word - and second to put it into a language that would befit the 21th century with all its modern and postmodern experience and digital progress to the world order without losing anything of its original verses. Thus another verse to verse as-it-is translation came about in which Prabupâda's words were retranslated and set to the understanding and realization I myself acquired. This realization came directly from the disciplic line of succession of the Vaishnava line of âcâryas (teachers) as well as from a realization of the total field of indian philosophy of enlightenment and yoga discipline as was brought to the West by also non-vaishnava guru's and maintained by their pupils. Therefore the author has to express his gratitude to all these great heroes who dared to face the adamantine of western philosophy with all its doubts, concreticism and skepticism. Especially the pupils of Prabhupâda, members of the renounced order (sannyâsîs) who instructed the author in the independence and maturity of the philosophy of the bhakti-yogis of Lord Caitanya have to be mentioned. The author was already initiated in India by a non-vaishnav guru and been given the name of Swami Anand Aadhar ("teacher of the foundation of happiness"). That name the Krishna community converted into Anand Aadhar Prabhu (master of the foundation of happiness) without further ceremonies of vaishnav' initiation (apart from a basic training). Anand Aadhar is a withdrawn devotee, a so-called vânaprashta, who does his devotional service independently in the silence and modesty of his own local adaptations of the philosophy.
The spelling of Sanskrit names has here and there been adapted because of the absence of the suitable Sanskrit signs on the keyboard so that e.g. where normally a flat stripe was placed above the letters a ^accent is placed. It means that one has to choose for two letters where one is written, or that one has to pause pronunciating the word at that place. Also the name Krishna has been spelled this way as Krishna and rshi (=wise) as rishi. Normally the word for word translations of Prabhupâda have been taken as they were given in the translations of Prabhupâda, be it that here and there some words, because of their multiple meanings have lead to slightly different translations. E.g. the word loka means as well planet as place as world. Between square brackets [ ] sometimes a little comment and extra info is given to accommodate the reader when the original text is drawing from a more experienced approach. The original running text of Prabhupâda is linked up at each verse so that it is possible to retrace what the author has done with the text. This is according the scientific tradition of the Vaishnava-community. These texts, as also most of the images, are copyrighted material and the property of the ISCKON-Krishna community and may only be used as a fragment and not be published by non-members without permission (BBT). For the tenth Canto more verse-to-verse loyal translations of a former pupil of Prabhupâda (S'rî Hayesvar das) and Prabhupâda's godbrothers/pupils have been used [including their word for word translation] next to the translation of Prabhupâda, as for this volume [but not the eleventh canto] the word-for-word translations had been omitted and replaced by a more elaborate description of the text. The twelfth canto was drawn in reference to the work of only the ISKCON pupils of Prabhupâda who completed his work. Further was throughout the concatenation process of this version the so called Shastri-version of the Bhâgavatam (from the Gîtâ Press, Gorakpur) as extant with the common Himdu in India itself used as a reference and second opinion.
For copyright purposes concerning the used images and texts and further commentaries and the word-for-word translations of Prabhupâda themselves one will have to consult the Bhaktivedanta Booktrust and other Krishna sites and the printed books of Prabhupâda themselves. For the copyrights on this translation one will have to consult this writer. It is permitted to download and print these texts for private and non-commercial use. For all other usage one will have to contact the author from http://bhagavata.org/email.html.
With love and devotion, Anand Aadhar Prabhu, Enschede, The Netherlands, 05-28-2000.
Dharma and Adharma: the Life of Ajâmila
(1) S'rî Parîkchit said: 'By following the path of liberation described in the beginning by your Holiness is duly to order, by means of the process of yoga and by Lord Brahmâ, learnt how not to start for another life. (2) Marked by fate and indeed directed at the three modes, is one time and again caught in the material world, where there is a constant renewal of forms, o sage. (3) The hells typical for the different sorts of impiety you described as also the period of Manu, the manvantara wherein we find the original Svâyambhuva, the son of Brahmâ. (4-5) Of Priyavrata and of Uttânapâda you described the character and the dynasties and you also described the different realms, regions, oceans, mountains, rivers, gardens and trees of the earthly sphere and its situation in the sense of the divisions, characteristics and measurements of all the higher and lower worlds that the Almighty created. (6) Please explain to me right now what human beings must do out here so that they may not have to undergo all the sorts of terrible conditions of veritable suffering in hell.'
(7) S'rî S'uka said: 'If there within this life is not the necessary counteraction, the proper atonement, after having been wrong with the mind, in one's words and in one's sensuality, will undoubtedly that person, indeed after having died, end up in the different types of hell of terrible suffering, which I've already described to you. (8) Therefore, before one's death and before one's body is too old and decrepit, should one out here as soon as one can endeavor to nullify one's offenses with a proper estimate of their gravity, just like a physician good at diagnosing would do treating a disease.'
(9) The king said: 'What is the value of atonement when one, despite of hearing and seeing about it and of knowing how harmful to the self one acts in committing offenses, is not really able to exercise control in one's repetitiously falling down? (10) Sometimes ceasing with the sin, sometimes engaging in it again, I consider the process of atonement quite useless; it is like with an elephant covering itself with dust after coming out of the water.'
(11) The son of Vyâsa said: 'By undoing karma is indeed, from being without knowledge, not its end realized; for real atonement one really has to be through with all that. (12) Those who eat the right food are truly not overcome by all sorts of disease indeed, similarly is the one acting in orderly observance o King, more and more likely to be well. (13-14) This is done by vow and regulation [yama and niyama]; voluntary penance, celibacy, mindcontrol [in dhyâna and japa e.g.] and restraint of the sensual as also by donating to good causes, truthfulness and internal and external cleanliness. By the body, the voice and by the intelligence do the sober ones in full knowledge of the actual duty of dharma with faith put an end to all kinds of offenses, however great and abominable, like a fire consuming dry leaves. (15) Some manage, in relying on nothing but an unalloyed devotion [*] towards Vâsudeva, to destroy all their badness beyond revival, like the sun does with fog. (16) A man full of sin, o King is for certain not as much purified by penance and such as the devotee is who surrendered his life to Krishna in dedicated service unto the original person of God [or the âcârya]. (17) In this world is the path that is really appropriate the one that is followed by the well-behaved, fearless and auspicious, saintly people in surrender of Nârâyana. (18) Most of the atonement well performed by a nondevotee will not purify, o King, like all the rivers can't with the washing of a liquor jar. (19) Once the mind is of full surrender to the two lotusfeet of Lord Krishna, will one, hankering after His qualities, out here never encounter Yamarâja and his superintendents, or even in one's dreams meet his servants carrying the ropes to bind, because one is then of the right atonement [compare B.G. 18: 66]. (20) Relating to this is the example given of the very old story of the discussion between the order-carriers of Vishnu and Yamarâja. Please hear about it from me.
(21) In the city of Kânyakubja there was some brahmin with the name of Ajâmila who as the husband of a low class woman was contaminated by his association with her services and had lost all his truthful conduct. (22) By having resorted to reprehensible exploits as arresting without need, cheating in gambling and theft, gave he others a lot of trouble in maintaining his family in a most sinful way. (23) Living on this way keeping up his family consisting of many sons, o King, passed the great amount of time of eighty-eight years of his life. (24) He, as an old man, had ten sons and the youngest of them was a small child that by the father and the mother was held very dear and addressed by the name of Nârâyana. (25) The little one was very dear to him; to see its child-talk and its playing enjoyed the old man very much. (26) When he ate, drank and chewed fed he in great affection the child, and gave he it also something to drink, but being foolish failed he to understand that his end was near. (27) When the time of his death had arrived had he, living as an ignoramus, thus a mind fixed on the little son who carried the name of Nârâyana. (28-29) At a short distance he saw that three characters, with ropes in their hands and fearful features, twisted faces and their hairs erect on their bodies, had arrived, ready to take him away. Terrified and with tears in his eyes he thus loudly called for his nearby playing child which carried the name of Nârâyana. (30) Hearing the chant of the name of the Lord their master from the mouth of the dying man, o King, arrived His attendants immediately. (31) As the messengers of Yâma from within were pulling away the heart of the maid's husband, did the Vishnudûtas with resounding voices forbade it. (32) They being forbidden replied to them: 'Who are you all, to oppose the authority of the King of Dharma? (33) To whom or where do you belong, why have you come here and why are you forbidding us to proceed? Who would you be, the best of the perfect, gods or some godlike? (34-36) You all, with your lotuslike eyes, yellow garments, helmets, glittering earrings and lotusflower garlands; you all, looking so young and all beautiful with four arms, bow, quiver of arrows and the decoration of a sword, club, conch, disc and lotusflower, in all directions dissipate the darkness by the effulgence of the light emanating from you; what is the purpose of your denying us, the servants of the Maintainer of Dharma?'
(37) S'uka said: 'Thus being addressed by the Yamadûtas did they, always ready to serve Vâsudeva, reply them smilingly the following, with voices resounding like rumbling clouds. (38) The honorable Vishnudûtas said: 'If the lot of you are indeed the order-carriers of the King of Dharma, then you tell us the truth of dharma as also how adharma should be recognized. (39) In what way should punishment be administered or what would be the suitable place to do so, and are all or only some of the humans out for their advantage punishable?'
(40) The Yamadûtas said: 'In the Vedas indeed is the dharma prescribed, adharma is the opposite of that; the Vedas are to be seen as born from Himself, from Nârâyana, so we've heard. (41) By Him, from His own position, are under the rule of the modes of passion, goodness and slowness all these manifestations created and have they their appropriate differences in qualities, names, activities and forms. (42) The divinity of the sun, the fire, the sky, the air, the gods, the moon, the evening, the day and the night, the directions, the water and the land; all these are dharma personified verily thus bearing witness to the embodied living entity. (43) By all these is the deviation in adharma known and are the proper places of punishment all acknowledged with regard to the karma in question of the offenders deserving the chastisement. (44) With the karmîs who contaminated by the modes took up a material form, are there indeed auspicious, pious acts as well as actions opposite to that, o sinless ones, because practically no one does his work completely free from material motives. (45) The extent to which someone in this life performs a certain adharma or dharma, assures him of enjoying or suffering a particular result accordingly in his next life [compare B.G. 14: 18]. (46) The way in this life among the living, o best of the divine, from the different effects of the natural modes, the three kinds of attributes are achieved [of being peaceful, restless and foolish; of being happy, unhappy or in-between; or of being religious, irreligious and semi-religious], may one expect it to be similar when one reaches elsewhere [in an afterlife]. (47) Just as the present time is evidence of the past and an indication for the future, is even so this birth indicative of the dharma and adharma of one's past and future births. (48) In his abode does the godhead [of Yamarâja] in his mind's eye observe the previous form taken and considers he its possible future; to the mind is he a great Lord as good as Brahmâ. (49) The way someone in his sleep is engaged in acting to a particular form, is one similarly unaware of the past and of what's next when one because of one's birth has lost the remembrance. (50) By the seventeen of the five working senses, the five senses of perception and their five objects, he performs, knows and has its interests, but with these fifteen elements and the mind to it, is he himself the one [soul] that is the seventeenth element enjoying the threefold. (51) Since that sixteen part subtle body is the effect of the three forces of the greater of nature, is the living entity subjected to a [difficult to overcome] perpetual transmigration [samsriti] that gives it jubilation, lamentation, fear and misery. (52) The embodied one who, not being in control with the senses and the mind, misses the awareness, is against his will caused to perform actions for his own material benefit; like a silkworm he thus weaves himself into his own karma, getting bewildered. (53) There is verily no one who but for a moment can remain without doing something; indeed is one by the three modes automatically forced to perform fruitive activities that are the result of one's own natural tendencies. (54) By the so very powerful inborn nature comes into being, no doubt as a copy to the mother's flesh and the father's seed, the gross and the subtle of the body to the drive of the, for the person invisible, cause [see also: B.G. 8: 6]. (55) The position of a living entity has because of this association with the material of nature turned into an awkward one of forgetfulness, but if one but for a short while manages to enjoy the association of the Controller, is that problem overcome.
(56-57) This one [Ajâmila] was always good with the Veda, of a good character, good conduct and a reservoir of good qualities; conscientiously he followed the injunctions, was mild, controlled, truthful, knew his mantras, was neat and clean, of the greatest esteem in service of the guru, the fire-god, his guests and members of the household and free from false pride, friendly to all, faultless, non-envious and of the best words. (58-60) Once did this brahmin, following the orders of his father, go to the forest to collect from there fruits and flowers and samit and kus'a [types of grass]. Returning, he saw some s'ûdra very lusty together with a public woman that drunken of maireya nectar [a drink made from the somaflower] rolled her eyes to and fro of the intoxication. Under the influence had her dress slackened and, unashamed having fallen from proper conduct, stood he close to her singing and laughing, having a good time. (61) Seeing her with his lusty, with turmeric decorated, arm around her, fell Ajâmila thus, with his hart after what he saw, victim of perplexity. (62) From within trying to get himself under control, reminding himself what was taught, failed he to manage to restrain his mind, agitated as it was by Cupid. (63) Provoked by the sight was he, in the bewilderment of his mind, a planet in eclipse forgetting his real position and gave he, with his mind fixed on her, up on his dharma. (64) Her he ventured to please, as far as the money he had from his father would permit it, offering her material certainty in catering to her desires, so that she thus would be satisfied. (65) His youthful wife, a brahmins daughter from a respectable family whom he was married to, he in his sin abandoned the moment his mind got caught by the looks of the public woman. (66) By all means and at all times did he, this person, bereft of all intelligence, by either properly or improperly acquiring the money for it, take care of her and the many children that were part of the family she constituted. (67) Because this man, acting irresponsibly, broke with all the rules of the s'âstra, was his life of passing such a long time in wrongful activities, because of its impurity most condemned as being unclean. (68) Since he was of no atonement for his perpetual sinning, shall we therefore take him to the presence of the Lord of Punishment where being chastised he will find purification.'
•: In this regard comments S'rîla Jîva Gosvâmî that bhakti may be divided into two divisions: (1) santatâ, devotional service that continues incessantly with faith and love, and (2) kâdâcitkî, devotional service that does not continue incessantly but is sometimes awakened. Incessantly flowing devotional service (santatâ) may also be divided into two categories: (1) service performed with slight attachment and (2) spontaneous devotional service. Intermittent devotional service (kâdâcitkî) may be divided into three categories: (1) râgâbhâsamayî, devotional service in which one is almost attached, (2) râgâbhâsa-s'ûnya-svarûpa-bhûtâ, devotional service in which there is no spontaneous love but one likes the constitutional position of serving, and (3) âbhâsa-rûpâ, a slight glimpse of devotional service.
Ajâmila Delivered by the Vishnudûtas: the motivation for the Holy Name
(1) The son of Vyâsadeva said: 'O King, the servants of the Supreme Lord having heard what the Yamadûtas said then replied them, good as they were in argument and logic, in proper terms. (2) The Vishnudûtas said: 'Alas, how painful it is to see how irreligion affects the dharmic community; how from those being allotted the task, sinless people have to undergo punishment unnecessarily. (3) To whom must the citizens go for shelter if there is wrongdoing among those, who as the protectors of the citizens, endowed with all good qualities and equal to all, are to give instruction? (4) Whatever the better man puts in practice is done by the rest as whatever he does is, by the general public that is of following, accepted as the right thing [see also B.G. 3: 21]. (5-6) In whose lap the mass of people just like pets have laid their head to sleep in peace, indeed not knowing what would exactly be dharma or adharma; how can such a person with a soft heart enjoying the trust of the living beings, give pain to the unawares who surrendered themselves in good faith and friendship? (7) This one here has indeed already atoned for the sins of millions of births because he, being helpless, chanted the holy name of the Lord, that is the means for liberation. (8) When he said 'O Nârâyana, please come', realized he, because he thus chanted the four syllables [nâ-râ-ya-na], the complete of atonement for all the mischief he was guilty of as a sinner. (9-10) Irrespective the gravity of the sin one might have committed as a thief, an alcoholic, a spiteful one, a killer of a brahmin, someone who lusted for his guru's wife or a murderer of a woman, a king, cows or a father, will Lord Vishnu listen to anyone who is of that kind of concern for His name, because He considers the chanting of the holy name the perfection of atonement. (*) (11) A sinful man is not to that extend purified by the atonement in obedience to vows prescribed by the brahminical as he is by uttering the syllables of the Lord His name which remind one of the qualities of the One hailed in the scriptures [compare: 6.1: 16]. (12) Although one was of atonement, will the mind run out again on the path of the untrue, because the heart was not fully cleansed; therefore do those who are seriously interested in putting an end to their karma [see B.G. 4: 16], purify their existence by setting their mouths to the glories of the Lord [compare: 1.2: 17]. (13) Therefore do not try to take this man with you; he has already found the infinite to the atonement for his sins because he on his death bed chanted the name of the Supreme Lord [see also B.G. 7: 27 and 8: 5]. (14) For other purposes, for fun, as entertainment or casually done has resounding the name [of the Lord] of Vaikunthha an unlimited capacity to neutralize sin, thus know the advanced. (15) If one has fallen, slipped, broken one's bones, has been bitten or is plagued by disease or injured, is a person, thus ending up in relation to the Lord, sure not to be thrown into a hellish life [see also B.G. 8: 6]. (16) By the great sages who are well versed has the heavy and light of atonement been prescribed to the heavy and light of sins. (17) But all the sinful that according them finds its end in austerity, charity, vows and such, does not dissolve the adharmic knot in the heart; that one reaches in the service of what belongs to the Controller. (18) Knowingly or unknowingly chanting the name of the One praised in the verses is that which, like fire does with dry grass, burns to ashes the sins of a person. (19) A mantra uttered manifests its potency just like a powerful medicine does that somehow or other by even an ignorant one was used the proper way.'
(20) S'rî S'uka said: 'They, perfectly making sure what dharma is in terms of service to the Lord, o King, thus rescuing him from the noose of Yamarâja, released him from death. (21) O subduer of the enemies, the Yamadûtas thus having been answered went to the abode of Yamarâja to duly inform him in detail about everything that had happened. (22) The twice-born one released from the noose, now free from fear came to his senses and offered his respects bowing his head unto the servants of Vishnu, pleased as he was to see them. (23) The servants of the Supreme Personality though, understanding, o sinless one, that he wanted to say something, suddenly disappeared there from before his eyes. (24-25) Ajâmila who because of the talks about Lord Hari thus from the servants of Vishnu and Yamarâja came to know better of what the pure of dharma in relation to the Lord meant, how it is described in the three Vedas and how under the modes of nature in devotion unto the Supreme Lord the glorification of the name immediately purifies, greatly regretted all the bad that he remembered he had done: (26) 'Alas, because I lost the control over myself with this low class woman making babies, destroyed I all the brahminical in me and ended I up in utter misery. (27) He is condemned by the honest who has abandoned his chaste young wife, and, having fallen in sin, has defamed the family; doomed I am, I, who had sex with an unchaste wino maid. (28) My father and mother, old, with no one else, no other friend to look after them, had to suffer badly from the moment they were given up by me, as ungrateful as the lowest. (29) It may be clear that I as such, a truly miserable person that all too lusty broke with the dharma, should fall in hell to undergo there the pains of retribution. (30) Have I been dreaming or did I witness a miracle here? Where have all the ones now gone to, who were dragging me away with ropes in their hands? (31) And where went those perfect four personalities of extreme beauty who released me when I in the direction of hell was carried away arrested in ropes? (32) It was because of having seen these exalted devotees, thanks to whom the auspicious was bound to occur, that I, despite of my ill fortune, could see myself actually becoming happy! (33) And how could it without be so that a man heading for death, most unclean faithful to a prostitute, as such is able to have his tongue speak the word of the holy name of the Lord of Vaikunthha? (34) Where would I be as a cheater, sinner personified and shameless destroyer of his own culture; where would Nârâyana the all-auspicious of the holy name of the Supreme Lord then be? (35) As such a person of devotion am I decided to proceed that way, so that controlling the senses, the mind and the breath, my soul will not again because of ignorance be drawn into the darkness. (36-37) Released from this bondage in karmic actions of ignorance and lust will I be the self-realized, most kind, merciful and peaceful friend of all living entities. I will disentangle from the encasement of my soul, the being caught in mâyâ in the form of a woman, who with me, so fallen, played like with a pet-animal. (38) Thus giving up on the 'I' and 'mine' of the body and the things related to it, I will engage, concentrating and behaving to the values, my mind with the pure of the Supreme Lord His name in song and everything thereto.'
(39) Thus relinquished he the idea of a material life and went he to Hardvar [from the Ganges 'the doorway to Hari'] being freed from all bondage by only for a moment associating with the holy. (40) There in a place of spiritual discipline [an ashram or temple] turned he, under the lead of yoga, inwards away from his senses, [thus] fixing his mind on the true of the self. (41) To that absorbed within, detaching the mind from the direction of the modes, was he engaged with the Supersoul as the form of the Lord whose Self is step by step realized. (42) At the time he had fixed his mind and intelligence, saw he before him the very same [four divine] persons he saw before, whereupon the brahmin then reverentially bowed his head. (43) At that holy place at the Ganges seeing them, he immediately gave up his vehicle of time, to assume his original spiritual form [svarûpa] fit for an associate of the Lord. (44) Going to heaven where the husband of the Goddess of Fortune [Vishnu] resides, did the one of learning along with the servants of the Lord board a celestial chariot [vimâna] made of gold. (45) This way did he who had forsaken all dharma, who had married a low class maid, had fallen into abominable activities and, having broken with all his vows, had landed in a hellish life, immediately find liberation the moment he engaged the name of the Supreme Lord. (46) Therefore, in order not again to become attached to fruitive actions with a mind contaminated by passion and ignorance, is there for persons desiring to escape from the material bondage no better means to cut with the karmic consequence than repeatedly singing the name of the Refuge of all Holy places. (47-48) Any person who with faith hears about or with great devotion recounts this confidential history which frees one from all sins, will indeed not, under the supervision of the servants of Yamarâja, go to hell, but will be welcomed in the spiritual world of Vishnu, whatever the mishap in his material life. (49) If at the time of his death Ajâmila by his engaging the name of the Lord, even though he only meant his son, went to heaven, then what would that mean for the one who holds on to the name with faith and love?
*: It is this verse that âcâryas like S'rîla Visvanâtha Cakravartî Thâkura of the disciplic succession quote to give scriptural support to the argument that chanting the holy name will immediately cleanse oneself of all sins: it is how one calls for the Lord His protection. It is His dharma to do so and He will even incarnate for it if necessary as he explains in the Gîtâ (4: 7). Also as Lord Caitanya He came down for this reason being prayed for by S'rî Advaita, and thus He reinstated the necessity of this Bhâgavatam for the religious reform of the people of our modern time to chant the holy name.
Yamarâja Instructs His Messengers
(1) The king said: 'What did the divinity, the King of Dharma whose order had been foiled, reply after he had heard what his servants, defeated by the order carriers of the Slayer of Mura [Krishna], who rules all people of the world, had to say? (2) O wise, this breaking of the order of a godhead like Yamarâja was a thing no one heard of before; o sage, to this I am convinced that there is verily no one better than you to remove the doubts of the people.'
(3) S'rî S'uka said: 'The servants of Death, o King, whose plans had been frustrated by the men of the Supreme Lord, informed their master Yamarâja, the ruler of the city of Samyamanî. (4) The Yamadûtas said: 'How many controllers are there factually in this material world, to the cause of fruitive activity performed under the influence of the manifestation that is known in three, o master? (5) If there are so many authorities in this world to chastise the sinner or not, how can there of them be any certainty of either misery or happiness? (6) Should there not, with the diversity of governors to the many karmîs in this world, be one head of administration like one has with the different heads of state departments? (7) As such would you be the one supreme master and ruler over all beings including the other controllers; you would be the master of punishment to tell right from wrong in human society. (8) None of it can one, with the punishment you ordained, find in existence in this world, now that your order has been surpassed by four of the most magnificent and perfect beings. (9) By force they cut the ropes releasing this sinner who by us on your order was taken to the places of requital. (10) About them who quickly arrived saying 'Do not fear' when 'Nârâyana' was uttered, we would like to hear from you, if you think us worthy.'
(11) The son of Vyâsadeva said: 'He, Lord Yamarâja the controller of all alive, thus being questioned, replied his servants, pleased to be reminded of the lotusfeet of the Lord. (12) Yamarâja said: 'Superior to me there is another one who is as the warp and woof of cloth to all the moving and unmoving; in Him the entire cosmos is found and of Him there are the partial manifestations of the maintenance [Vishnu], creation [Brahmâ] and destruction [S'iva] of this universe - of Him is the whole creation under control like a bull is by a rope through his nose. (13) By Him who, with different names in vedic language, binds the people who emanated from Him the way bulls are bound by a rope, are they all taxed, tied as they are by the obligations to their titles and karma that carry them fear. (14-15) That is true for even myself, the one of death, as well as for Indra of heaven, Nirriti of chaos, Varuna of water, Candra of the moon, Agni of fire, Lord S'iva of destruction, Pavana of the air, Brahmâ of creation, Sûrya of the sun, Vis'vâsu of beauty [see 4.18: 17], the eight Vasus of goodness, the Sâdhyas of the godly, the Maruts of the wind, the Rudras of anger; the Siddhas of perfection, Marîci and the other ones settling order: immortal rulers like Brihaspati and sages like Bhrigu, if it is so with those who are not contaminated by passion and ignorance and who do not know themselves as being affected by mâyâ and who are predominantly of goodness, then what to say of others besides them? (16) He, the Supersoul present in the heart of all entities, can in fact by all breathing creatures, through the senses, the mind, the breath or by means of ideation and words not be seen or known, just like the different parts of the body cannot see the eyes supervising them [compare B.G. 7: 26]. (17) Of Him, who is the fully self-reliant Lord ruling everything, the Transcendence, the Master over the illusory energy of mâyâ, the Great of the Soul, are His order-carriers out here likewise in truth creating happiness with their appearance, to His nature with His qualities moving around in a body alike His. (18) The ones of Vishnu who are worshiped by the enlightened, have forms rarely seen that are most wonderful to behold; they protect the Lord His devotees against inimical ones like the normal mortals and those belonging to me, and thus are they protected against practically anything. (19) The full of dharma that is established by directly the Supreme Lord only, is truly not known by the great rishis, nor by the godly, nor by the best of perfection, nor by the ones of darkness, nor by the humans among whom one counts the ones founded in knowledge [the Vidhyâdharas] and the ones of music and song [the Câranas] and such. (20-21) Lord Brahmâ, Nârada, Lord S'iva, the four Kumâras, Kapila, Manu, Prahlâda, Janaka, Bhîshma, Bali, the one of Vyâsa [like S'uka] and I myself; we, these twelve [mahâjanas], know of the dharma of surrender to the Lord, my dear servants, which is very confidential, of the purest and hard to grasp; he who understands it achieves eternal life [compare 3.32: 2 and B.G.: 18: 66]. (22) So far is certain that for the people living in this material world the yoga of devotion unto the Supreme Lord starting with the singing of the holy name, is the recognised dharma of transcending. (23) Just see the exalted of pronouncing the holy name of the Lord my dear sons, see how it by itself assured the deliverance from the bondage to death. (24) This much suffices for removing the sins of man: the together chanting of the qualities and names to His actions, since this sinner at his death only innocently for his son crying out 'Nârâyana' thus achieved liberation. (25) Know that this of the mahâjanas, this of the divine, is practically always missed by indeed those whose minds got bewildered by mâyâ, whose intelligence was dulled to a great extend by the sweetness of the flowery language to the performances mentioned in the three Vedas and the weight of being preoccupied with fruitive activities [see also B.G. 2: 42-43]. (26) Of this consideration take the sharp-witted indeed to the yoga of love unto the Supreme and Unlimited Lord; such persons do therefore not deserve my punishment: and if there would be any falldown with them, will that be destroyed by the high praise they voice as well. (27) Never approach them, the godly and perfected to the pure narrations of which the devotees are singing who with an equal vision are of surrender to the Supreme Lord; because they are fully protected by the club of the Lord is it us, just as the time itself, not given to punish them. (28) Those who are unattached, those unbound swanlike of selfrealization [the paramahamsas], continuously relish the honey of the lotusfeet; those who enjoy a household life in desires of bondage are on the path leading to hell. Bring those before me who are of the untrue and who turned against Mukunda, the Lord of Liberation [compare 2.1: 4]. (29) All those who run from the truth, whose tongues never speak of the Supreme Lord His qualities and names, who do not know Him by heart, nor remember His lotusfeet, who do not even once bow their heads before what is of Krishna[see B.G. 4: 4-6] all those lacking in their duties towards Lord Vishnu, bring them before me. (30) I pray that He, the Supreme Lord, the original person, the oldest, Lord Nârâyana, will excuse me for my servants their offense of impudence; we, me and my men, were ignorant and thus do we, with folded hands, in the glorious of being respectful unto the all-pervading Authentic Personality, beg forgiveness.'
(31) [S'uka:] 'Therefore understand o descendant of Kuru, that the ultimate of atonement, the most auspicious in the world to cope with sin however great, is the together singing for Lord Vishnu. (32) Those who always hear and chant the heroic of the Lord that can wipe away all sin, may by devotional service very easily be purified, while that is not so easily brought about with the heart and soul set to the ceremonies and such. (33) The one who sticks to the honey of Krishna's lotusfeet does not fall in sin again because he already renounced the desire to enjoy the illusory to the modes of nature which brings distress; another one however, enchanted by the lust trying to do something to cleanse the passion out of his soul, is sure to find the passion reappear. (34) Being reminded of the power, the greatness of the Lord, as explained to them by their master, were all the servants of Yamarâja struck with wonder; from then on, o King, they remembered to fear on sight the person who is never of any fear in his taking shelter of the Infallible One. (35) This very confidential history was explained to me by the most powerful sage, the son of Kumbha [Âgastya Muni] who residing in the Malaya hills worships the Lord.'
The Hamsa-guhya Prayers Offered to the Lord by Prajâpati Daksha
(1-2) The king said: 'Although you in brief explained to me about the creation of the godly, the ones of darkness and the human beings; the serpentine, the beasts and the birds under the rule of Svâyambhuva Manu [see canto 3], I would like to hear a more detailed account about this from you, my Lord, as well as an account about the creation that thereafter rose from the potency of the Transcendental Supreme Lord'.
(3) S'rî Sûta said: "O best of the sages [assembled at Naimishâranya see canto 1.1], thus hearing the king his inquiry did the son of Vyâsa, the great yogi, praising him, reply. (4) S'rî S'uka said: 'When the Pracetâs, the ten sons of King Prâcînabarhi returned from [their meditations] near the ocean, saw they that the entire planet was overgrown by trees [see 4.24, 4.30, 4.31]. (5) Incensed about the trees, having undergone austerities for so long, had they by their mouths blown up a fire with the intention to burn down the forests. (6) Seeing all the trees being burnt by the blazing fire, o son of Kuru, spoke the king of the forest, the great Soma, in order to pacify their anger, like this:
(7) 'Do not burn the poor trees to ashes, o fortunate souls, it is yours to strive for an increase of all living beings who know you as their protectors. (8) You may regret; the Supreme Personality of the Lord, the original, unchanging father and almighty protector, created all the trees, plants and herbs to serve as food. (9) It is arranged that the ones nonmoving serve the winged ones as food and that those without limbs [like grasses] serve as food for the ones with legs who have no hands or paws; the fourlegged on their turn are there for the animals with claws and the bipeds [to serve with respectively their flesh and milk]. (10) You are, on the order of your father and the God of Gods, o sinless ones, there also to generate the population; how then, for the love of God, can you burn the trees to ashes? (11) Like your father, grandfather and great-grandfather did, just follow the path of the saints and subdue the anger that has risen in you! (12) Be the way parents, like eyelids to their eyes, are as friends to their children; be the way the husband protects the wife and the way the householder cares for the ones in need of charity, or be alike the learned who are as friends to the ignorant. (13) The Supersoul residing within the bodies of all living entities is the Lord and Controller of all; try to see them as His residence and may He thus be pleased with you. (14) Anyone who by inquiry of self-realization subdues the powerful anger that, as fallen from the sky, suddenly awoke, will transcend the modes of nature. (15) Enough with that burning the trees, let there be all fortune for the ones remaining and accept the daughter [called Mârishâ], that was raised by them, as your wife.'
(16) O King, after thus addressing them, delivered he, King Soma, the Apsara girl who had beautiful hips, to the ones who had returned and married they with her according the religion. (17) In her was from all of them generated Daksha, the son of the Pracetâs, of whose procreative activity thereafter the three worlds were said to fill with offspring. (18) Please attentively hear from me how Daksha, so affectionate with his daughters, by his semen as sure as also by his mind, brought about all that life. (19) By his mind indeed set the prajâpati in the beginning the scene for those living beings that are of the godly and the godless, including all those resorting under them that live in the sky, on the land or in the water. (20) But upon seeing that his creation of beings did not increase in number, went Daksha to the feet of the Vindhya mountains where he performed the most difficult austerities. (21) There at the most suitable place for ending all reactions to sin, the holy place called Aghamarshana, satisfied he the Lord by austere and regularly performing the ceremonies. (22) I shall now explain to you how with the Hamsa-guhya ['the secret of the swan']-prayers he satisfied the Lord, pleasing Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead beyond the senses. (23) Daksha said: 'My reverential homage I offer Him, from whom we may realize the right way of transcending the modes and the material energy to which all alive are bound; my offer is for Him, the self-born Controller beyond measure and calculation, who in His abode is imperceptible to the materially directed intelligence. (24) The friend of whose friendship the person has no knowledge, just like sense objects that have no knowledge of the sense-organ that oversees them; that friend one lives with in this body, unto Him I offer my obeisances. (25) This body with its life airs, its senses, its understanding, its elements and sense-objects, they to themselves, to each other and to everything outside of them are known by the living being; but knowing all those qualities, he does not know the Unlimited One who knows all; Him I revere. (26) When the mind is put to a stop and all ideas and names of form of a material vision and remembrance have ceased, will due to that ending He be perceived in His own unique spiritual completeness; unto that swanlike one [called swan because of sifting the true from the untrue, the milk from the water], unto Him who is realized in the purest state, my respects. (27-28) Just like with fire that locked within wood is extracted singing the fifteen hymns [the Sâmidhenî mantras], do the great brahmins of sacrifice extract what with His powers by the modes of nature is situated within the heart of the celebrated elements and the rest of them [see e.g. 3.26: 11]; He, who is realized by the bliss, the negation in liberation of the illusory of all the variety, He of all names, He, the gigantic form of the universe, may He, that inconceivable reservoir of all qualities have mercy with me. (29) Whatever expressed by words or ascertained by contemplation, by sense perception or by the mind, may of something, as an expression of the three modes, not be the actual form indeed; the actual form in truth appears as that [form of the Supreme Lord] which is the cause that puts an end to all that is of the modes in creation. (30) In whom, from whom and by whom and also to whom belongs and towards whom is directed; He, whether acting or causing to act, is of both the material and spiritual of existence the Supreme Origin well known to everyone that is the Brahman, the Cause of All Causes, the one without a second to which there is no other cause. (31) Of whose many energies the speakers of the different philosophies discussing the causes are of argument and accord, and of which they continuously, bewildered about the soul, create; unto Him, that unlimited, all-pervading One of all transcendental attributes, my reverence. (32) Those professing the knowledge of the ultimate cause speaking about what would be [the absolute has form: sâkâra] and would not be [the absolute is formless, nirâkâra], deal with one and the same subject matter but demonstrate different and opposing characters, as one may notice from that which is of mystic union and of analysis; indeed is that transcendental dwelling place, that ultimate cause, one and the same [compare 5.26: 39]. (33) In order to be of causeless mercy to the devotees at the lotusfeet does He, the eternal, Supreme Personality who is not bound to any name or form, manifest with the forms and holy names He takes birth with and enacts; may He, the Transcendence, be merciful with me. (34) He who by the lower grade paths of worship to the desires of each living being manifests from within the core of the heart, gains, just as the wind blowing over the earth, in color and aroma [taking the form of demigods thus]; may He, my Controller, attend to my bearings.'
(35-39) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus being praised by the prayers offered did He, the Supreme Lord, the caretaker of the devotees, appear there in Aghamarshana, o best of the Kurus. With His feet on Garuda's shoulders held He with His long and mighty eight arms, the disc, the conchshell, the sword, the shield, the arrow, the bow, the rope and the club. His intense black-blue form was clad in yellow garments, His face and glance were very cheerful and His whole body was adorned from top to bottom; decorated with the shining Kaustubha jewel, the S'rîvatsa mark, a large full circle helmet, glittering shark-earrings, a belt, finger-rings, bracelets around His wrists and upper-arms and with His ankle bells, captivated His appearance the three worlds. As the brilliance of the lower, the higher and the middle spheres was the Controller surrounded by Nârada, Nanda and other eternal associates as well as by the leaders of the godly, and was He glorified by the perfect, the heavenly singers, and the venerable ones of the Veda, who sang for Him. (40) Seeing that greatly wonderful form he was at first frightened but then pleased in body mind and soul did the prajâpati prostrate flat on the ground. (41) By the great happiness that filled His senses like rivers flooded by mountain streams, was he unable to utter a word. (42) Seeing a great devotee like him, desirous of offspring, prostrated before Him, did He, Janârdana who appeases all, knowing each his heart, speak as follows. (43) The Supreme Lord said: 'O son of the Pracetâs, you so greatly fortunate perfected, by your austerities, your good self in great faith and attained with Me as your object the supreme of love. (44) I am very pleased with you, o ruler of man; because of your penance the numbers of beings living here increased. May there of this desire be progress in all fields. (45) Brahmâ, S'iva, all you founding fathers, the Manus and all rulers of power [like the divinities of the sun and the moon], all these are indeed expansions of My energy and are the cause of the welfare of all living beings. (46) Penance is My heart, o brahmin, the vedic knowledge is My body, the spiritual activities are My form, the rituals conducted by the book are My limbs, and the enlivening of the godly [the unseen good fortune of devotional activities] is the true of My mind and soul. (47) In the beginning, before the creation, was I certainly the only one existing, nothing else was found besides me; the external of a material consciousness was unmanifest like it is with being immersed in sleep. (48) When in Me, from My unlimited potency, the unlimited of qualities in the form of the universe came into existence, was indeed therein born the first being, Lord Brahmâ, originating from no other but himself. (49-50) When he Svayambhû, the truly great God, in trying to bring about the creation, thought himself incapable in being an extension of My power, was the god he was at the time advised by Me to perform the severest austerity; thus were there from him in the beginning the nine great personalities of creation from whom all of you originated [see 3.24: 21 and also 3.8]. (51) O Prajâpati, take this daughter named Asiknî of another prajâpati called Pañcajana as your wife, my dear son. (52) You, married to her, will in sexual union according the religion again [see 4.2] be the cause of the many of this who according the dharma in marriage will give birth to all alive [see also B.G. 7: 11]. (53) All the ones alive who, because of My illusory energy, after you engage in sexual intercourse, will then also arrive at doing their best in making offerings to Me. '
(54) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus speaking before his eyes disappeared the Supreme Lord, the creator of all the universe, from there as if He, the Supreme Personality, had been a dream image.
Nârada Muni Cursed by Prajâpati Daksha
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Impelled by Lord Vishnu His external potency [mâyâ] begot he [Daksha] in his wife named Pâñcajanî [Asiknî] a countless number of most powerful sons who were named the Haryas'vas. (2) Alike in character and conduct went all of the sons of Daksha, o King, in the western direction, submitting to the order of their father to increase the population. (3) The water there named Nârâyana-saras, is a most great and sacred place where the Sindhu [the present Indus] flows into the ocean; it is frequented by the sages and the perfect. (4-5) Though to be in touch with that water was enough to completely purify them of their fixations on the untrue, felt they themselves in their minds highly attracted to the practices of the elevated souls and executed they with conviction the severest penances. The moment they were ready to meet the purpose of increasing the population as their father had ordered, were they visited by the devarishi [Nârada]. (6-8) He spoke to them as follows: 'O Haryas'vas, even though you are the princes to rule, do you, alas, lack in experience; how, with the lot of you not having seen the exesses of this earth, would you then for truth's sake beget offspring? Think of it as with a man whose kingdom consists of a hole in the ground from which there is no escape. At his side there is a woman trying in every possible way, with the single purpose of turning her own husband into a slave of love he has to pay for. There's a river there flowing both ways with a marvellous house built from twenty-five materials where a swan tells nice stories while a razor sharp disc is spinning. (9) How can you, not knowing about this, follow the orders of your father who very well knows, and still venture to create a whole world?'
(10) S'rî S'uka said: 'After the Haryas'vas had heard those enigmatic words of the devarishi, pondered they over them with the full of their intelligence and awakened their power of discrimination. (11) The earth was the field of action, the designation of the living being, which, existing since time immemorial, is the cause of his bondage; what would the use of timebound labor be not seeing its finality? (12) With indeed one controller, one Supreme Lord present who cannot be seen, who is not created and who independent, as His own shelter in the beyond, is the fourth dimension, what benefit can there be of a man's temporary activities? (13) If indeed ignorant [in the hole] out here a man is gone for the lower regions with no way to return to the spiritual abode from which one neither returns, of what use then can the impermanence of fruitive action be [compare B.G. 9: 4 and 8: 15]? (14) The different things that the living being in his intelligence tries, being possessed by passion and so on, make him alike someone living on paid love; what's the use of working for results, if there's no end to that in this world? (15) In that context subject to the material way, one loses one's status as an independent controller and moves thus the intelligence precisely like a sex-addicted person bereft of insight moves; what use in this world has all that love for being bound in karma ? (16) The illusory of matter gives rise to creation and dissolution, which is a river [thus streaming both ways] that for the maddened one flows [too] fast at its banks [to get out of it]; what's the use of working for a temporary advantage, if one has no knowledge of that? (17) When one in this existence doesn't know about the twenty-five ways [the elements see: 3.26: 11-15] to look at the reality of the original person, the wondrous mirror to the individual personality, what benefit is there then in exhausting oneself for the falsehood of material results? (18) If one does not know to discriminate [like the swan] to the refuge, in one's giving up on the Lord His literatures [the s'âstras] that inform about the ways of bondage and liberation, of what avail is then the wrestling in attachment to temporary results? (19) The so very sharp, revolving wheel of time drives all the world according its own measure and rule; what use is it to endeavor in desiring profit in this world not knowing about this [this order of time]? (20) How can one, entangled in the modes [see B.G. 18: 19-29], be after any profit, if one doesn't understand the instructions of the scriptures of the Father that urge to follow to the book which explains how to put an end to the material way of life?'
(21) Thus being convinced, o King, were the Haryas'vas all of the same opinion; circumambulating him [Nârada] they left to tread the path of no return [see also B.G. 8: 16]. (22) As he in spiritual sounds kept the Lord of the Senses in mind and thus, innerly undivided, engaged the consciousness at the lotus feet, traveled the muni all the worlds [see the bhajan Nârada Muni] (23) Hearing from Nârada about the loss of the sons that were the best of the best in conduct, had he, Daksha, to suffer in lamentation; to see what had become of his fine sons hurt him deep. (24) Pacified by the Unborn One he again begot in Pâñcajanî a thousand sons who were named the Savalâs'vas. (25) They then, by their father ordered to populate the universe, went, for the sake of their vows, to the perfect ones at Nârâyana-saras, the place where their elder brothers previously had gone to. (26) Bathing regularly there doing japa and reciting mantras for the Transcendence, they performed great austerities which indeed purified them from all the dirt within. (27-28) For months drinking water and eating air only, they used this mantra in their worship of the Master of all Mantras: 'Our obeisances unto Lord Nârâyana, the Great Soul residing eternally in the purest of goodness, the great swanlike personality upon whom we meditate.' [om namo nârâyanâya purushâya mahâtmane vis'uddha-sattva-dhishnyâya mahâ-hamsâya dhîmahi']. (29) They, in their meditations to populate the universe, were also approached, o King, by sage Nârada, who as before spoke in words that went deep: (30) 'O sons of Daksha, please listen attentively to my instruction. All of you, follow the path of your brothers you care so much about. (31) A brother faithful to the path of an elder brother knowing the dharma [see 6.1], is a pious person who may enjoy with the Maruts [the gods of the wind].'
(32) Saying this much departed Nârada with his all-auspicious vision from there, and so it came to pass that they followed the path of their brothers before them, o worthy friend. (33) The right way turned inwards thus taking to the transcendental path, have they, like the nights that have parted in the west, till today not returned. (34) At that very time observed the Prajâpati many inauspicious signs and heard he how, like before, because of Nârada his sons had come to naught. (35) He, overpowered in his grief for his children, became very angry with Nârada, and, meeting the devarishi, addressed him in fury with trembling lips. (36) S'rî Daksha said: 'You false preacher in the dress of a saint! What great profanity you've presented us; poor boys lacking in experience you've shown the path of beggars! (37) With them not freed at all from the three debts [to the saints, the gods and the father by celibacy, ceremony and progeny], have you, inconsiderate of their workload, ruined their path of good fortune to both heaven and earth, you sinner! (38) Thus have you heartlessly spoiled the minds of those boys, and have you, traveling in the company of the Lord, defamed Him, you dilettant! (39) You should know that the Lord His best are ever anxious to bless the fallen souls; but not you, you've really broken the bond and sown dissension among people of harmony [compare B.G.: 18: 68-69]. (40) In the delusion of your preaching you think renunciation is attained by cutting the bonds of affection, but this is not how renunciation works with people. (41) Not experiencing the hardship after the pleasure will a person not arrive at knowledge; one naturally refrains in the end, and not because of being brainwashed by others. (42) With wife and children do those who are honest take the load of vedic duties; with the unbearable wrong you did to us I can [for once] forgive. (43) But, you intrigant, for the bad you did to us for the second time may, therefore, o fool, there nowhere in the world be a place for you in your wandering around.'
(44) S'rî S'uka said: 'Nârada Muni, as appropriate for an accomplished saint [see also 3.25: 21-27 and B.G. 12: 13-20], said, tolerating it all, but: 'Accepted, so be it thus', although he himself was the man in control.
The Progeny of the Daughters of Daksha
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thereafter [after he had cursed Nârada] did the son of the Prâcetas, pacified by Lord Brahmâ, in his wife Asiknî beget sixty daughters who were all very fond of their father. (2) Ten of them he gave to king Dharma [Yamarâja], Kas'yapa he gave thirteen, twenty-seven were given to the moon-god and Bhûta, Angirâ and Kris'âs'va he gave each two. The four remaining he gave also to Kas'yapa. (3) Please hear from me the different names of all of them who with their many children and descendants populated the three worlds and from whom you and I are stemming.
(4) The wives of Yamarâja were Bhânu, Lambâ, Kakud, Yâmi, Vis'vâ, Sâdhyâ, Marutvatî, Vasu, Muhûrtâ and Sankalpâ. Now hear of their sons. (5) From Bhânu was born Deva-rishabha and from him was born Indrasena, o King. Vidyota appeared from Lambâ and he made many clouds [of babies]. (6) From Kakud came Sankatha and from him there was the son named Kîkatha from whom there were many protectors of the earth. Yâmi brought Svarga from whom was born Nandi. (7) The Vis'vadevas came from Vis'vâ, but it is said that from them there was no progeny. The Sâdhyas who were born from Sâdhyâ, had one son: Arthasiddhi. (8) Marutvân and Jayanta took birth from Marutvatî. Jayanta was an expansion of Vâsudeva, who thus was known as Upendra. (9) The Mauhûrtikas were the godly born from Muhûrtâ and the lot of them indeed took birth to deliver the living beings the fruit of their own timebound actions. (10-11) From Sankalpâ came Sankalpa and from him was Kâma [lust] born. Vasu gave birth to the eight Vasus and hear now the names of their sons: Drona, Prâna, Dhruva, Arka, Agni, Dosha, Vâstu and Vibhâvasu. From Drona's wife Abhimati there were sons as Harsha, S'oka, Bhaya and more. (12) Of the wife of Prâna, Ûrjasvatî there were Saha, Âyus and Purojava. The births from Dhruva's wife Dharani led to various cities and towns. (13) From the wife of Arka, Vâsanâ there were the memorable sons of Tarsha and so on and from Dhârâ the wife of the Vasu Agni there were the sons known as Dravinaka and so on. (14) From Skanda born from Krittikâ, another wife of Agni, were born all those who were headed by Vis'âkha [like Skanda and Kârttikeya] and from Dosha's wife S'arvarî came the son S'is'umâra, an expansion of the Lord of Time [see 5.23]. (15) Of Vâstu's wife Ângirasî was there the son Vis'vakarmâ [the great architect] the husband of Âkritî. From them was born the Manu named Câkshusha of whom the sons of Vis'vâ and Sâdhyâ were born [see 7]. (16) Ûshâ of Vibhâvasu gave birth to Vyushtha, Rocisha and Âtapa, the one of whom thereafter Pañcayâma ['the span of day'] was born who awakens the living beings to engage in material activities. (17-18) Sarûpâ, the wife of Bhûta, gave birth to the millions of Rudras and thus are there of the Rudras, Raivata, Aja, Bhava, Bhîma, Vâma, Ugra, Vrishâkapi, Ajaikapât, Ahirbradhna, Bahurûpa, Mahân and others [or other wifes of Bhûta], the associates the ghastly ghosts and Vinâyakas [a type of demons, hobgoblins]. (19) Prajâpati Angirâ his wife Svadhâ welcomed the Pitâs as her sons, whereafter as the son of his other wife Satî the son Atharvângirasa was received, who was the Vedas in person. (20) The wife of Kris'âs'va, Arcis gave birth to Dhûmaketu who in Dhishanâ begot Vedas'irâ, Devala, Vayuna and Manu. (21-22) Kas'yapa [or Târkshya] had four wives: Vinatâ [Suparnâ], Kadrû, Patangî and Yâminî. From Patangî originated the different species of birds, from Yâminî came the locusts and after that brought Vinatâ Garuda about, the one regarded as the carrier of Yajña [Vishnu] and Anûru the chariot driver of the god of the sun Sûrya. From Kadrû there were the serpents in their variety. (23) The constellations headed by Krittikâ were of the wives of the moon-god, but o son of Bharata, because of a curse of Daksha, had he, pestered by a degenerative disease, no children with them. (24-26) Again pacifying him had Soma in respect of the time factor managed to remove the decay [in the dark fortnight]. Now please take notice of all the names of the mothers, the wives of Kas'yapa from whose places thus set right, this whole universe was born: Aditi, Diti, Danu, Kâshthhâ, Arishthâ, Surasâ, Ilâ, Muni, Krodhavas'â, Tâmrâ, Surabhi, Saramâ and Timi. From Timi appeared the aquatics while the ferocious animals were the children of Saramâ. (27) From Surabhi the buffalo came the cows as well as others with cloven hooves, o King, from Tâmrâ came the eagles and vultures and so on and from Muni there were the groups of angels. (28) From the soul of Krodhavas'â were born the reptiles headed by the dandas'ûka snakes, from Ilâ came the creepers and trees and all the ones of evil were there from Surasâ. (29-31) From Arishthâ there were only Gandharvas and from Kâshthhâ there were the animals whose hooves are not split. From Danu there were sixty-one sons born; hear of the ones important: Dvimûrdhâ, S'ambara, Arishthâ, Hayagrîva, Vibhâvasu, Ayomukha, S'ankus'irâ, Svarbhânu, Kapila, Aruna, Pulomâ and Vrishaparvâ as well as Ekacakra, Anutâpana, Dhûmrakes'a, Virûpâksha, Vipracitti and Durjaya. (32) Suprabhâ, the daughter of Svarbhânu married Namuci so one says, but S'armishthhâ of Vrishaparvâ went to king Yajâti the powerful son of Nahusha. (33-36) There were four very beautiful daughters of Vais'vânara: Upadânavî, Hayas'irâ, Pulomâ and Kâlakâ. Hiranyâksha married Upadânavî and Kratu married Hayas'irâ, o King, but when on the plea of Lord Brahmâ the two daughters Pulomâ and Kâlakâ of Vais'vânara married to the o so mighty prajâpati Kas'yapa, were of them born the Pauloma and Kâlakeya demons who were very fond of fighting. The sixty thousand of them who [headed by Nivâtakavaca] were a disturbance to the sacrifices in the heavenly places, were by your grandfather [Arjuna] killed, o King, just to please Indra. (37) From Vipracitti's wife Simhikâ were born a hundred and one sons who all obtained a planet of their own: Râhu was the eldest and the hundred others were the Ketus. (38-39) Let it now be heard in chronological order how thereafter the dynasty originated from Aditi, wherein Nârâyana, the Lord, by His own plenary expansion descended as the Almighty: Vivasvân, Aryamâ, Pûshâ and Tvashthâ with next Savitâ, Bhaga, Dhâtâ, Vidhâtâ, Varuna, Mitra, S'atru and Urukrama. (40) Of Vivasvân gave the fortunate Samjñâ birth to the Manu called S'râddhadeva as well as to the demigod Yamarâja and his sister Yamî [the river Yamunâ]. She also, having become a mare, gave birth on this earth to the As'vinî-kumâras. (41) Châyâ [another wife of the sun-god] got the sons S'anais'cara [Saturn] and Sâvarni the Manu as well and a daughter from him named Tapatî who had Samvarana for her husband. (42) Of the union of Aryamâ with his wife Mâtrikâ were born many scholarly sons among whom Lord Brahmâ created a species of man that was indeed like them. (43) Pûshâ remained childless living on dough as he had his teeth broken because of formerly having shown his teeth laughing at the anger of Daksha [when he insulted Lord S'iva, see 4.5: 21, 4.7: 4]. (44) From the two of Tvashthâ, and the maiden named Racanâ, who was a Daitya daughter, were born the physically very powerful sons Sannives'a. (45) To be in line [with Brahmâ] was Vis'varûpa by the godly, who in disrespect with Brihaspati were abandoned by their spiritual master, accepted as a priest, even though he was the son of a daughter born from enmity.
Indra Offends His Spiritual Master, Brihaspati.
(1) The king said: 'Please, o great one, describe for what reason the god-conscious were rejected by their teacher of example [Brihaspati]; what was the offense of the disciples unto the spiritual master?'
(2-8) The son of Vyâsadeva said: 'King Indra, enjoying the wealth of the three worlds, due to pride had strayed from the path of truth. Surrounded, o King, by the Maruts [of the shining], the Vasus [of excellence], the Rudras [of anger], the Âdityas [of the untrue], the Rihbus [of invention, see also 4.4: 33], the Vis'vadevas [of royal riches], the Sâdhyas [of refinement], the As'vinî-kumâras [of helping] and the Kumâras [of the celibate] and being served by the Siddhas [of perfection], the Câranas [of the theater], Gandharvas [of song], the Munis [of wisdom], the Brahmavâdi's [of learning], the Vidyâdharas [of science], Apsara's [of heaven] and Kinnaras [of superpower], the Patagas [of the birds] and the Uragas [of the snakes], was king Indra with sweet song being offered prayers o son of Bharata [compare 2.3: 2-7]. In his assembly he was sitting on his throne enjoying the royal opulence of a white parasol as beautiful as the moon-disc, and other regalia like yaktails to fan him and such amenities. Shining with his wife S'acî, who shared the throne with him, thought he himself the highest and was the exalted teacher of example, the spiritual master of all the godly, having appeared in the assembly, not welcomed by him; he didn't rise from his throne to offer him a seat or greet the priest of the godly, the best of sages, who was respected by the enlightened and unenlightened alike. Even though Indra saw him enter, failed he to pay any respect.
(9) Brihaspati, the learned sage and master, thereupon immediately leaving, returned home in silence, well known with the alienation of being puffed up in wealth. (10) Immediately realized Indra that he had disrespected his own guru and criticized he himself publicly: (11) 'Alas, how disrespectful it was indeed what I have done; I must be out of my mind. Now have I, out of conceit about my wealth, mistreated the preceptor in the midst of this assembly! (12) What man of learning would venture to be of opulence; despite of being the king above all have I, the ruler who's supposed to be of goodness, now by it been led into a demoniac mentality. (13) He who says that to sit on the royal throne means that one should not rise for anyone else, has no idea of the higher code of dharma [compare 4.2]. (14) Those leading on the false path fall themselves into darkness, and anyone who places faith in their words will as well go down, sinking like a boat made of stone. (15) Therefore will I propitiate the spiritual leader of the immaculate twice-born whose knowledge is so profound and touch without duplicity his lotusfeet with my head.'
(16) As he, Indra the most powerful of all, was ruminating thus, became Brihaspati invisible to him due to the potency of his highly elevated state. (17) Vigorously searching all around not finding a trace of his guru, could the mighty Indra, relying on his own wisdom and with the help of all associated with him, not find any peace of mind. (18) When the lot of the unenlightened keeping to the precepts of S'ukrâcârya heard about it, took they, not that intelligent, up their weapons declaring war against the godly. (19) With their trunks, arms and legs being pierced by the sharp arrows they shot, took the godly together with Indra refuge with Lord Brahmâ, and bowed they their heads before him. (20) Seeing their plight of being pestered by the assault did the god, the supreme unborn one that was Brahmâ, out of his causeless, infinite mercy speak to assuage their distress. (21) Lord Brahmâ said: 'Alas, what an unpleasant surprise, o supreme of the enlightened. You indeed did great injustice to a faithful servant of the Absolute Truth, a brahmin of full control; because of your opulences you failed to welcome him properly. (22) It was this impudence of you being so very successful, that made the others, the enemies who defeated you, to turn against you in spite of their apparent weakness o faithful ones of God. (23) O you Indra Maghavan, Honor of Wealth, just see how your enemies formerly so weak because they neglected their preceptor, now, with great devotion worshiping their sage the son of Bhrigu [S'ukrâcârya], have regained their power to such an extent that they even might overtake my abode of truth! (24) In their decision to follow the instructions of the Bhrigu masters [like S'ukrâcârya] are they undivided in their plans and it is easy for them to hold sway over what all the gods care for; nor they, nor the human rulers, nor anyone who is of care and respect for the cows, the brahmins and Govinda, will, following this principle, suffer any misfortune. (25) Therefore devote yourselves forthwith to the son of Tvashthâ, Vis'varûpa, who is an independent ['unmarried'] soul of learning, austerity and penance; provided you tolerate his workload [of supporting the Daityas] will he hearten your interests if you are of respect for him.'
(26) S'rî S'uka said: 'They all thus being advised by Lord Brahmâ, o King, relieved from their worries went to the son of Tvashthâ to embrace that great rishi and tell him the following. (27) The godly said: 'We, arriving as guests at your abode, wish you all good fortune and would like to express the desire, o dear lord, to have, concerning the present situation, some things set right, according the authority of our ancestors. (28) The highest duty indeed of sons is to serve their parents as good as they can and even those of old who are without offspring, o brahmin, not to mention the celibates [the brahmacârîs]. (29-30) The teacher of example personifies the vedic knowledge, the father stands for the Original Father of God, the brother is the representative of the ruler over the godly and the mother is the direct embodiment of the earth. The sister personifies the mercy, the guest is there as the true self of dharma, the one invited is there as the representative of the sacrificial fire and all living beings are there to the example of the Supreme one of the Soul. (31) Take therefore, with the power of the austerity in you, o best one, because of the troubled ancestral interest, away the grief of being defeated by our enemies, we, who submitted to your authority, are yearning for this. (32) We choose you as our preceptor of perfection to the Supreme Brahman, as our brahmin and spiritual master, so that by the strength of your splendor we may easily defeat our rivals. (33) We know it is not forbidden to take interest in offering respects at the feet of someone younger like you; it is important to be of praise, o brahmin, to be advanced in age doesn't really count in such matters [*].'
(34) The honorable rishi [S'uka] said: 'Thus on the request of the enlightened accepting the priesthood as the great one of austerity, did he, Vis'varûpa, pleased with their sweet words address them. (35) Vis'varûpa said: 'Though it is condemned by the ones sworn to dharma as being detrimental to one's brahminical power, can right now, o lords, o controllers of all, a person like me, whose real interest in this could be described as being your disciple, not decline such a request. (36) Persons withdrawing from the world may count on the wealth of grains left behind in the field or the marketplace [s'iloñchana, to live 'on the dole']; that's the way how the sâdhus, acting piously in this world, succeed. But how reproachable indeed is it for me, o rulers of the worlds, to be of the duty of the priesthood, a duty which is designed for the bewildered to exult. (37) Nevertheless, I cannot turn down the request of the lot of you, who as persons are as good as the guru; because the desire for my own life and good is of little value, will I concede.'
(38) The son of Vyâsa said: 'Vis'varûpa, the great one of penance, thus promising them his priesthood, executed in their midst with great attention the highest. (39) Although by the talents of S'ukrâcârya the opulence of the enemies of the godly was protected, managed the mighty sage by means of a prayer unto Lord Vishnu [called Nârâyana-kavaca], to collect and give the wealth to the great Indra [compare B.G. 9: 31]. (40) By this hymn which by the liberal minded Vis'varûpa was expressed for Mahendra ['the great Indra'] was he, the god with the thousand eyes, protected and was the military power of the ones of darkness, that had grown into a great threat, defeated.
*: S'rî Caitanya Mahâprabhu, the propagator of this Bhâgavatam, approved of this when He expressed this opinion before Râmânanda Râya (Cc. Madhya 8.128): kiba vipra, kiba nyasi, s'ûdra kene naya yei krishna-tattva-vetta, sei `guru' haya': 'It does not matter whether one is a brâhmana, s'ûdra, grihastha or sannyâsî. These are all material designations. A spiritually advanced person has nothing to do with such designations. Therefore, if one is advanced in the science of Krishna consciousness, regardless of his position in human society, he may become a spiritual master. '
The Armor of Mantras that Protected Indra.
(1-2) The king said: 'What was the protection of the thousand-eyed king [Indra] when he sported with the armed forces of the enemy and their carriers; conquering the three worlds he enjoyed the opulence, o sage - please explain to me in which way the defense of Lord Nârâyana's mercy was protecting him when he defeated in the fight those who tried to kill him. '
(3) The son of Vyâsadeva said: 'Now hear attentively about that what the son of Tvashthâ, chosen as priest, upon being asked, told the great Indra of the protective defense in mantras of Nârâyana. (4-6)Vis'varûpa said: 'Having washed one's hand and feet, sipping the water with the necessary mantras [âcamana] should one, sitting in proper respect ['with kus'a grass'] facing the north, prepare oneself mentally designating mantras [like om namo bhagavate vâsudevâya and om namo nârâyanâya] to the different parts of the body. In silence purified in dedication to the lordship of Nârâyana should one, in case of rising fear, adopt the defense [called Nârâyana-kavaca] offering one's obeisances to Nârâyana by touching one's lower legs, the knees, the thighs, the abdomen, the heart, the chest, the mouth and the head one after another, beginning with 'om', or even do this once more in reverse order [this is called utpatti-nyâsa and samhâra-nyâsa]. (*) (7) Next one should assign the [12] syllables of the mantra beginning with om and ending with ya [: om na-mo bha-ga-va-te vâ-su-de-vâ-ya] to the fingers starting with the index finger and ending with the four joints of the thumbs. (8-10) The heart one should assign 'om', 'vi' next comes to the top of the head, 'sha' comes between the eyebrows, 'na' on the s'ikhâ [the tuft of hair on the back of the head with vaishnava monks], 've' comes between the eyes, the syllable 'na' should be assigned to all the joints of the body, and 'ma' should be thought of as a weapon in the form of a mantra. Thus should an intelligent person, saying the mantra of 'visarga' ending with 'phat' in all directions ['visarga mah astrâya phath' or: 'with this weapon I free myself from the world'], fix himself on 'Om Vishnave Namah' ['All glories to Lord Vishnu']. (11) One should recite the following mantras that personify the Supreme Self worthy to meditate upon that is endowed with the six opulences of learning, power and austerity [as also wealth, beauty and fame]:
(12) 'I pray that the Lord, He of the eight perfections [see 3.15: 45] whose feet rest upon the back of Garuda holding the conchshell, disc, shield, sword, club, arrows, bow and ropes in his eight arms, will grant me His protection. (13) May Matsya [the fish-incarnation of Lord Vishnu] protect me in the water against the predators of Varuna, may He on land protect me by the ropes of Vâmana, the dwarf-incarnation of Trivikrama [Lord Vishnu as the conqueror of the three worlds] and may He in the sky protect me as Vis'varûpa [Him in the form of the universe]. (14) May the Supreme Master protect me in my toiling in the wilderness and at the front in battle; may Lord Nrisimhadev release me, of whose fearful laughter, resounding in all directions, the enemy of the leader of the demons and his offspring to be born, came to fall. (15) May on the street there be the protection of that One Lordship respected in the rituals, Lord Varâha who on his own tusks raised the planet earth; may there for us be on the mountain peaks the protection of Lord [Paras'u-]Râma and in foreign countries the protection of the elder brother [Lord Râmacandra] of Bharata, and His brother Lakshmana. (16) May Lord Nârâyana protect me from religious fanaticism and from acting in madness; may Nara keep me from being arrogant, may Dattâtreya keep me away from disloyal union [non-yoga] and may the master of all Yoga, the controller of all quality, Lord Kapila, be my guarantee against the bondage of karma. (17) May Sanat-kumâra [the perfect celibate] keep me out of the hands of Cupid, may Hayagrîva [the horse-incarnation] keep me on the path away from disrespecting the divinity, may the best of sages devarishi Nârada keep me from offenses doing worship and may the Lord as Kûrma [the tortoise-incarnation] keep me out of the infinite hell. (18) May Bhagavân Dhanvantari [the physician-avatâra] protect me from things injurious to one's health, may Rishabhadeva, the full control over the mind and the self [see 5.4: 6], keep me from the duality and fear, may Yajña [Vishnu as the Lord of sacrifice] keep me from infamy and an akward social position, and may Lord Balarâma in the form of Ananta S'esha [the Lord of the ego, see 5.25] keep me away from the angry serpents. (19) May Bhagavân Dvaipâyana [Vyâsadeva] keep me from incompetence, may also Lord Buddha, who leads the ones who are illusioned, keep me away from the delusional and may Kalki, the Lord of this age of quarrel incarnating as the greatest in defense of the dharma [as the channa- or covert avatâras], protect me against the impurities of the time [intoxication, promiscuity, gambling and meat-eating; see also 1.17: 24]. (20) May Kes'ava with His club protect me in the morning, may Govinda holding His flute do so in the afternoon, may Nârâyana protect me in the late afternoon and may for the fourth part of the day Lord Vishnu, the ruler with the disc, be the controller of all forces [see also 5.21: 10]. (21) May Lord Madhusûdana with the fearful bow S'ârnga protect me in the early evening. May Mâdhava, the Lord of Brahmâ, Vishnu and S'iva, protect me in the late evening and may Lord Hrishîkes'a protect me in the early night. May around midnight Lord Padmanâbha [the Lord from whose navel the universe sprang] be my only protector. (22) May the Lord with the S'rîvatsa-mark be the controller after midnight, may Janârdana, the Lord with the sword in His hand be the controller over the end of the night, may Lord Dâmodara protect me at dawn and may the Controller of the Universe, the Supreme Lord who is the personification of time rule over the early morning [**]. (23) Please let the sharp rimmed disc operated by the Lord [His order of time, the cyclic of natural time], that at the end of the age is as the fire of devastation, with its moving around the entirety of worlds, burn to ashes the enemy forces just like a blazing fire with its friend the wind would do instantly with dry grass. (24) May You, o club, so dear to the Invincible Lord, whose touch like thunderbolts sparks with fire, pound to pieces and pound to pieces, destroy and pulverize my enemies, the imps [Kushmândas], the conjurers [Vainâyakas], the evil spirits [Yakshas], the demons [Râkshasas], the ghosts [Bhûtas] and the poisoners [Grahas]. (25) O conchshell, may you with your frightening sound cause the hearts of the enemy torturers [Pramathas], living dead [Pretas], bastards [Mâtâs], madmen [Pis'âcas] and heretics [Vipra-grahas] with their evil looks, to tremble to the core. (26) You, o sharpest of swords, may you in the hands of the Lord cut to pieces, chop up, the enemy soldiers. O shield marked with a hundred shining moons, blind the eyes of the envious so full of evil and pluck their sinful eyeballs out. (27-28) May by the glory of Your name, form and attributes all the enmity, all the sin, all the envious, the snakes, the scorpions and predators, the earthly ghosts, as well as the fear arousing poisoners of our minds and bodies which hindered our well-being, be sent to their full destruction. (29) Garuda, the majesty of the Lord glorified in verses, the personification of the Veda; may that master by all the names of Vishvaksena Himself [the Lord whose powers are found throughout the universe] protect us from endless suffering. (30) May the adornment of His retinue, of His holy name, form, carriers and weapons, protect and maintain our intelligence, mind and life-air from all kinds of dangers.
(31) As sure a fact that with the Supreme Lord there is no doubt of the ultimate over the manifest and unmanifest, are we sure that by this truth whatever that is all of disturbance to us will find its end. (32-33) With those bent upon an absence of differences is the oneness known by the diversity. Following that course, is He Himself by His expanding spiritual energy with all His decorations, weapons, characteristics and having so many potencies and different names, truly understood as the omniscient Supreme Lord defeating the illusion; may He, the all-pervading One, with all His forms, protect us always and everywhere. (34) May the Supreme Lord in every nook and corner, in all directions, above and below, from all sides, from within and from without, in the form of Nrisimhadev annihilate all worldly fears by His mighty roar [or song, see the Nrisimha Pranâma]; may He with His effulgence overshadow all other influences.
(35) O King Indra, under the protection of this mystic armor relating to Lord Nârâyana that I described, will you conquer very easily the leaders of the demoniac hordes. (36) Whichever person but sets his mind to it, whether he came to see it, found it at his feet or stumbled upon it, will immediately be freed from all fears. (37) He who employs this mystic prayer has nothing to fear, not from the government, nor from rogues, not from the poisoners and such nor from diseases at any time. (38) This prayer was before used by a man named Kaus'ika, a brahmin, a yoga-adept who gave up his body in the desert. (39) His dead body was spotted from above in his heavenly chariot by the king of the Ghandarvas, Citraratha when he once, surrounded by many a beautiful woman, went to where the twice-born one had died. (40) All of a sudden he inescapably, headfirst, fell down from the sky with his heavenly vehicle. Struck with wonder consulting with the Vâlikhilyas [the sages of the sun-god], he received instruction to collect all the bones and throw them in the eastward flowing Sarasvatî. After taking a bath in that river he could then return home.'
(41) S'rî S'uka said: 'Anyone who may hear this in times of trouble or anyone who employs this zealously, offering Him obeisances, is released from all fear raised by any creature in existence. (42) By this prayer received from Vis'varûpa enjoyed Indra as the vessel of enlightenment, the riches of all three worlds and conquered he in battle all the ones of darkness [see also B.G. 4: 34].
*: This is an actual practice of vaishnava monks living in the temple. Each morning they apply tilaka, holy clay, on different bodyparts addressing Lord Nârâyana with different mantras, thus allaying the fear and warding off the danger of facing the material world with all its opponents to the teaching.
**: Generally, each day and each night is divided into six parts consisting of five ghathikâs of 24 minutes each. To each portion of the day there is another name of the Lord or activity for God to be respected according these verses.
Appearance of the Demon Vritrâsura.
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Of Vis'varûpa [see previous chapter], o son of Bharata, there are three heads for drinking the soma [doing sacrifice], drinking the wine [taking the seat of enlightenment], and eating the food [the material purpose]. (2) He, o ruler, factually offered the gods, to whom he was related by his fathers side, their proper share in publicly chanting aloud the mantras. (3) Compelled by the affection for his mother though did he, sacrificing for the godly, without their knowledge offer a share in sacrifice to the unenlightened too. (4) The king of the enlightened [Indra] seeing how by that offense to the godly he betrayed the dharma, in fear, greatly angered, quickly cut Vis'varûpa's heads off. (5) The head of him used for drinking the soma became a kapiñjala [a francolin partridge], the head for drinking the wine turned into a kalavinka [a sparrow] and the one used for taking food turned into a tittiri [common partridge]. (6) However powerful he was, to the reaction of killing a brahmin had Indra with folded hands for one year to assume the responsibility and distributed he therefore the burden over the four divisions of the earth, the waters, the trees and the women, in order to purify from that sin to these elements. (7) The earth taking one fourth of the burden of killing a brahmin, had, because of the benediction of having its holes filled with water, indeed the deserts as the visible sign of it on her surface. (8) The trees accepting one fourth of the burden of killing the brahmin had, with their benediction of having their branches and twigs growing back when cut, the visible consequence of sap flowing from them. (9) With the women accepting one fourth of the burden of sin, could from their benediction of an ever sexual appetite, as a reaction the form of the monthly period be seen. (10) Water took one fourth of the sin and had from its benediction to increase the volume of the material it soaks, the visible reaction of bubbling and foaming, a result that must be discarded when one collects water. (11) Tvashthâ [zie 5.15: 14-15], having lost his son, thereafter performed a sacrifice for creating an enemy with the words: 'O enemy of Indra, flourish so that after not too long a time you can kill your adversary.'
(12) Thereupon appeared from the anvâhârya fire [the fire to the south] a most frightening character that looked like the destroyer of all the worlds at the end of the yuga. (13-17) Each day growing bigger he resembled a burnt mountain or clouds amassing in the evening with the sun shining from behind like arrows to all sides. To his hair, beard and mustache, that were as red as molten copper, had he eyes blazing like the sun at noon. He kicked up the dirt moving around dancing and shouting loudly with his blazing trident held high. With his mouth deep as a cave swallowing the three worlds, drank he the sky and licked he up the stars. Yawning over and over with his massive fierce teeth, fled the people who saw him in fear in all the ten directions. (18) He, that most fearful personification of sin, was in truth the form the son of Tvashthâ had taken. Now, by dint of his previous austerity, covered he all the worlds and was he thus called Vritra ['the encloser']. (19) Indra, together with the soldiers of all the defenders of wisdom, attacked him with the help of the complete of the divinity of their specific array of weapons, bows and arrows, but Vritra swallowed them all together. (20) Facing that, were they all struck with wonder and gathered they, having lost their courage, disheartened to pray to the Supersoul, the Original Person of God.
(21) The godly said: 'We, together with the gods, who from the beginning with Lord Brahmâ created the three worlds that are composed of air, fire, ether, water and earth, do all, trembling with fear, pay tribute to the lord of death; but since he himself fears Him [the Original Personality], should we acknowledge Him as our refuge. (22) One is a fool, when one wants to cross a sea holding on to a dog's tail; a fool if one wants to approach anyone else but Him who is never astound, always satisfied by His own achievements indeed, equipoised and very steady, and defies any material description. (23) Just like Manu [here: king Satyavrata] who bound his boat to the sturdy horn of Matsya [the fish-avatâra] to survive the flood, are we, dependents, sure to be delivered from the unending fear for the son of Tvashthâ, even though He in fact is there only in the form of a fish. (24) Formerly was the Independent One [Svayambhû or Lord Brahmâ], alone on the lotus, very afraid, by His grace narrowly escaping from a fall in the so very high waves of the waters of the flood blown up by the roaring wind [see 3.8]; let that deliverance there also be for us. (25) He, the one controller who by His transcendental potency created us and by whose mercy we also may create a world of matter, can, although He is in front of us as the actor, not in His form be recognized by us, who consider themselves separate controllers. (26-27) He who among us, who are always pestered by our enemies, and among the godly, the animals and men always is certain by His own internal potency to appear as an incarnation in different forms, protects in each millennium anyone dear and near to Him. Him indeed, the God and Lord of all of us and every other living being, is the transcendental original primary principle of nature, the Supreme Enjoyer whose energy is known in the form of the universe from which He Himself stands apart; He is the shelter that by all of us is approached; may He, the greatest of the Soul, bless with all good fortune us, His devotees who themselves serve as a shelter.'
(28) S'rî S'uka said: 'Because of that prayer of the enlightened souls, o King, became He, directing the vision inside, visible with His conchshell, disc and club. (29-30) On all sides was He, with eyes blooming like lotuses in autumn, attended by sixteen servants that were alike Him except for the Kaustubha jewel and the S'rîvatsa mark. Seeing Him, o King, they all fell prostrating to the ground, overwhelmed with happiness of seeing Him directly. Then they slowly stood up and offered prayers. (31) The godly said: 'Unto You, o Lord of the Sacrifice, do we, although You are the one to put an end to it all, bring our obeisances, because You are indeed the one using the cakra [the disc, the cyclic, the order of time] as a weapon; all our respect for You who is known by so many transcendental names. (32) Of You as the controller of the three destinations [of going to hell, to heaven or the purgatory] there is the supreme abode [of Vaikunthha]; having appeared after You in the creation, o controller, is one not able to understand. (33) O Lord, let there be our obeisances unto You, o Bhagavân Nârâyana, o Vâsudeva, o Original Person, o Highest Personality, o Supreme One of Opulence, o Most Auspicious One, o Transcendental Benediction, o Greatness of Mercy, o Changeless Support of the Universe and Only Proprietor of all Worlds, Ruler over All and Husband of Lakshmî Devî; by the transcendental absorption in devotional yoga are the best of the completely detached who wander all around, fully purified and do they by their dutiful respect of being paramahamsas ['swans of the supreme'] push open the door of the illusory existence that gives access to the consciousness that is free from contaminations in the spiritual world; personally experiencing Your Lordship does each of them thus find Your bliss. (34) This engagement of Yours in pastimes about the union in which You, not depending on anything else, not on this or that embodiment, never wait for us to cooperate, is rather difficult to understand; although You are transcendental to the modes of matter are You, by Your own self always being without transformations, nevertheless of creation, annihilation and maintenance. (35) In that respect therefore we wonder whether your Lordship is like an ordinary human being, bound to action in the material world, that has fallen under the influence of the modes in a dependence on time, space, activities and nature and therewith is forced to accept the good and bad results of what he does oneself; or whether You, completely self-satisfied and self-controlled of nature, are the unfailing spiritually potent and ever neutral witness. Here we are sure not to understand You. (36) Surely there is with You no contradiction in one's both being of the supreme, unlimited and Highest controller possessing all qualities that is of an unfathomable ability and glory, and one's being of an actually equivocal, opposing, judgmental, premature, argumentative, by scriptures agitated mind whose shelter is enjoyed by wicked obstinates and controversial philosophers out of line. With You withdrawn from all the illusory of matter, with the unparalleled of You, do You with soul and world form the inconceivable go-between of which indeed it is impossible to grasp the extend due to the absence of the nature of duplicity in You. (37) The way one perceiving a piece of rope sees a snake or not, does one the same way, when one is intelligent, conclude to the person of You, or else not. (38) With You, on closer scrutiny, being the substance, the controller of all in everything spiritual and material, who is there as the cause of all causes of the entire universe and who, up to the minutest atom, is present everywhere with all the quality, are You, of all the manifestations, indeed the only one to remain. (39) Therefore indeed are those, who relating to You but once have tasted a drop of the nectar of Your glories, in their minds of the incessant flow of bliss and are they, having forgotten the vague and limited portion of the sights and sounds of material happiness, as exalted devotees, solely of faith in You as the Supreme Personality, the only friend and dearmost one of all living entities. How can those devotees, whose minds are of a complete and continuous happiness, o Killer of Madhu, or those who are, as said, true experts in the matters of life in having accepted You as the dearmost lover and friend in service to Your lotusfeet, then ever give up this life wherein there is never again the repetition of birth and death? (40) O loving Soul and shelter of the three worlds, o power and opulence of the three worlds, o maintainer and seer of the three worlds, o most beautiful one of attraction in the three worlds, because of Your expansions in the material energy are we sure that by Your own Self manifested in the different forms of the enlightened [Vâmana], the humans [Râmacandra and Krishna], the animals [Varâha], a mixture of them [Nrisimhadeva] and of the aquatics [Matsya and Kûrma], at the time of their collusion all the sons of Diti and Danu and such are awarded the right punishment according each his offense, o Supreme Chastiser; and may You likewise also kill this one, the son of Tvashthâ, if You deem it necessary. (41) With us in full surrender totally relying on You, o Father of Fathers, o Lord Hari, are our hearts chained in love by meditation on the two of Your feet that are alike two blue lotuses; by the manifestation of Your own form, by Your compassionate smile, colorful brightness and highest pleasing, by Your cool, do those You accepted as Your own, melt in compassion with the drops of nectar of the very sweet words emanating from Your mouth, and consider we You the one eligible to curb the great pain deep within us, o Purest One. (42) Therefore o Supreme Lord, what would for us, who are like sparks to the original fire, be the purport or special necessity of the fact that You, who are directly the Supreme Absolute Truth, are informed by us? You being the cause of all creation, maintenance, and destruction of the material world, are, in Your entertaining Yourself with the spiritual energy, as well present in the core of the hearts of all the hordes of living entities as outside of them, as well as of the Supersoul beyond them. By the external elements of Your forms and the particulars according the circumstance, time, sort of body and material position is there thanks to You, as the exhibitor of all material causes, as the witness of all that is going on, as the witnessing itself, the eternal memory of the whole universe [the âkâshic record]. (43) For that reason of being our Supreme Lord and Master of Transcendence, please arrange by the thousand-petaled lotus flowers that are Your feet, a position in their shadow in order to alleviate the pain resulting from the dangers and desires of this conditioned life which have led us to approach You. (44) Hence o Controller, put an end to this son of Tvashthâ, who is devouring the three worlds and has consumed, o Krishna [see: B.G. 4: 4-6], all our strength and power, arrows and other means of defense. (45) Unto You as the Purest One who has His abode in the kernel of the heart, where You supervise the individual its actions, unto that manifestation of Krishna whose reputation as a redeemer is so bright, unto Him without a beginning who is solely understood by the pure devotee, unto that ultimate end of finding a safe harbor within this material world, unto the ultimate goal and supreme success of life, unto that Lordship, we offer our obeisances.'
(46) S'rî S'uka said: 'After by all the servants of the three worlds this way with due respect having been worshiped o King, replied the Lord, pleased as he was to hear their glorifying. (47) The Supreme Lord said: 'I'm very pleased with you o best of the godly, by your knowledgeable prayers unto Me as the Original Self and ruler over the remembrance of man, have You done Me a great service in Your devotion. (48) When I am satisfied can one have whatever that is difficult to obtain; still o best of the intelligent, does he who knows the truth, having fixed his attention exclusively on Me, not desire for anything but Me. (49) A miser [kripana] does, under the attraction of the formative of nature, not know the ultimate end of the soul, and the one who awards the desire for such things is no better. (50) One who personally knows of the supreme goal of life will not teach an ignorant one to build up karma exactly like a physician of experience wouldn't prescribe a patient the wrong foodstuffs, not even if the patient would desire them. (51) O patron of sacrifice [Maghavan; Indra], good fortune to all of you, go and without delay ask with Dadhyañca [Dadhîci], the most exalted of saints in education, penance and the essence, for the physical means. (52) Dadhyañca is no doubt he who, having assimilated the purely spiritual, delivered it to the As'vins; by the teaching that is called 'the head of the horse' [As'vas'ira] is there of them the award of immortality [*]. (53) Dadhyañca, the son of Atharvâ, his invincible protection [in mantras] consisting of Myself [see previous chapter] was given to Tvashthâ, who gave it to Vis'varûpa and that which Tvashthâ delivered have you again received from him. (54) The limbs of that knower of the dharma [Dhadyañca], that for all of you have been asked for by the As'vins, will be given to you. From them will by Vis'vakarmâ be manufactured the most powerful of all weapons. With the help of that weapon invested with my power, can the head of Vritrâsura be taken. (55) When he is killed will all of you regain your wealth, power, arrows and other means of defense; all good fortune will be yours, because you, being My devotees, will not be hurt.
* To this is by the âcâryas the next story told: 'The great saint Dadhîci had perfect knowledge of how to perform fruitive activities, and he had advanced spiritual knowledge as well. Knowing this, the As'vinî-kumâras once approached him and begged him to instruct them in spiritual science (brahma-vidyâ). Dadhîci Muni replied, "I am now engaged in arranging sacrifices for fruitive activities. Come back some time later." When the As'vinî-kumâras left, Indra, the King of heaven, approached Dadhîci and said, "My dear Muni, the As'vinî-kumâras are only physicians. Please do not instruct them in spiritual science. If you impart the spiritual science to them despite my warning, I shall punish you by cutting off your head." After warning Dadhîci in this way, Indra returned to heaven. The As'vinî-kumâras, who understood Indra's desires, returned and begged Dadhîci for brahma-vidyâ. When the great saint Dadhîci informed them of Indra's threat, the As'vinî-kumâras replied, "Let us first cut off your head and replace it with the head of a horse. You can instruct brahma-vidyâ through the horse's head, and when Indra returns and cuts off that head, we shall reward you and restore your original head." Since Dadhîci had promised to impart brahma-vidyâ to the As'vinî-kumâras, he agreed to their proposal. Therefore, because Dadhîci imparted brahma-vidyâ through the mouth of a horse, this brahma-vidyâ is also known as As'vas'ira.'
The Battle Between the Demigods and Vritrâsura
(1) The son of Vyâsa said: 'After thus having instructed Indra disappeared the Supreme Lord Hari, the Original Cause of the cosmic manifestation, then en there from before the eyes of the devoted. (2) When the son of Atharvâ [Dadhîci], the saint, as was told was beseeched by the godly, said the great personality, slightly amused, with a smile the following, o son of Bharata. (3) 'All of you, don't you know, o godly ones, that all embodied beings when they die have to suffer an unbearable agony that takes away the consciousness? (4) All souls struggle to remain alive, holding the bodies they desired in this world very dear; who would be willing to deliver that body, even if it were demanded by Lord Vishnu?'
(5) The godly said: 'What would there be so difficult to give up, o brahmin, for persons as great as your holiness, hailed by all and merciful towards all? (6) People in need surely won't ask a thing from others when they know that they are in trouble, nor would people capable of giving deny the ones in need anything, when they would know of their difficulties.'
(7) The great saint said: 'In consideration of my wish to hear from you what according the opposition, as contained in your retort, would be the dharma, will I, for you, have to give up this dear body which sooner or later would leave me anyway. (8) Anyone who by the impermanence of the body o Lords, would not be of dharma endeavoring with mercy for all, is an infamous person, a person pitiable even to the creatures immobile! [see also the S'rî S'rî Shadgosvâmî-ashthaka]. (9) By the meritorious that are celebrated is this much recognized as the imperishable dharma: dharmic is the soul that laments over the distress of other living beings and feels happy upon their happiness. (10) Away with the misery, away with the tribulation; because a physical body can perish any moment and be eaten by the jackals wouldn't it help to hold on to it, it is not there for myself - to that what is his own and to the ones he knows, is a mortal there with his body in order to give his life [see also S.B. 10.22: 35].'
(11) The son of Vyâsa said: 'Thus decided on the right course of action gave Dadhîci, the son of Atharvâ, up his body, sacrificing himself for the Supreme, the supreme Brahman, the Supreme Personality [compare: 1.13: 55]. (12) With the senses, life-air, mind and intelligence under control as someone who knows the reality, was he absorbed in trance liberated from bondage and left he, situated in the Supreme, from there, no longer taking notice of his material body [see also B.G. 8: 5]. (13-14) Thereafter took King Indra up the thunderbolt which by Vis'vakarmâ, empowered by the great sage [Dadhîci], had been manufactured. Suffused with the spiritual vigor of the Supreme Lord and harnessed with all the other gods, rode he out, shining on the back of Gajendra [his elephant] being offered prayers by the munis to the apparent pleasure of all the three worlds. (15) Vritrâsura surrounded by the asura chiefs and commanders was with great force attacked as the enemy, o King, like an angry Rudra did with Antaka [Yamarâja]. (16) What followed was a great and most ferocious battle between the sura, the divine, and the asura, the demoniac hordes, which took place at the bank of the [celestial] Narmadâ river at the onset of the first millennium [the Vaivasvata-manvantara] of Tretâ-yuga. (17-18) O King, when all the demoniac headed by Vritrâsura were confronted with the shining opulence of Indra the Heavenly King with the thunderbolt, the Rudras, the Vasus, the Âdityas, the As'vins, the Pitâs, the Vahnis, the Maruts, the Ribhus, the Sâdhyas and the Vis'vadevas, couldn't they bear the sight. (19-22) Namuci, S'ambara, Anarvâ, Dvimûrdhâ, Rishabha, Asura, Hayagrîva, S'ankus'irâ, Vipracitti, Ayomukha, Pulomâ, Vrishaparvâ, Praheti, Heti and Utkala and the hundreds and thousands of other Daityas, Danavas, Yakshas, Râkshasas and others headed by Sumâli and Mâli who were all dressed up with golden ornaments, drove back the front of Indra's army that even for death itself was difficult to approach. Fearlessly they furiously roaring like lions thereupon harassed with clubs, iron studded bludgeons, arrows, barbed missiles, mallets and lances. (23) With their array of spears, axes, swords, s'ataghnîs [catapults] and bhus'undis [winged missiles] drove they with their arrows apart all the chiefs of the divine forces. (24) Like stars in the sky covered by clouds, could they not be discerned, completely covered as they were by the downpour of arrows that from all sides in waves fell upon them. (25) But the showers of arrows and other weapons didn't reach the armies of the enlightened because the demigods quickly cut them midair into thousands of pieces. (26) Thereupon running out of arrows and weapons showered they a multitude of mountain peaks, trees and stones that, as before, were fragmented by the sura forces. (27) Upon seeing that they fared quite well under the load of weapons and mantras and that none was harmed by the trees, the stones and the different mountainpeaks either, became the troops led by Vritrâsura very afraid of the soldiers of Indra. (28) All their endeavors, of time and again waging against the demigods who enjoyed the favor of Krishna, ran futile, just as the rugged words do which by little men are used to abuse the great. (29) They, of no devotion unto the Lord, upon seeing their endeavors fruitless, were defeated in their pride as fighters and left the battlefield, abandoning, when the battle had just begun, the commander to inspire them but whose prowess was nullified.
(30) Vritra seeing how his followers the demons were fleeing and how his army was broken and scared away, spoke as a broad-minded hero with a big grin the following. (31) Befitting the time and circumstances pronounced the hero of heroes words of appeal to the greatest minds: 'O Vipracitti! O Namuci! O Pulomâ! O Maya, Anarvâ and S'ambara! Please listen to me. (32) All that are born have inevitably to face death wherever they might exist in the universe; there is no way to counter that in this world which offers someone the opportunity to reach a better world and be glorious. Considering this indeed to be the case, who wouldn't accept a suitable way to die? (33) There are two approved ways to die with honor in this world, and both are very rare. One is to be allowed to leave the body when one, engaged in yoga, in controlling the mind and senses concentrates on Brahman, and the other is to take the lead on the battlefield never turning one's back.'
*10.22: 35 It is the duty of every living being to perform welfare activities for the benefit of others with his life, wealth, intelligence and words.
The Transcendental Qualities of Vritrâsura
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Afraid and intent upon fleeing with their minds divided, o King, did they [the commanders of Vritrâsura] not take heed of the words of their master who was thus stressing the dharma. (2-3) When the best of the Asuras saw that the asura army, chased by the demigods who took the opportunity, was being shattered like there was no one to protect them, was he, the enemy of Indra, pained and angry and did he, unable to bear that, stepping in their way rebuke them with great force, o King, saying: (4) 'Of what interest are these cowardly sons to you? There is certainly no glory to be found in killing from behind someone who flees in fearnor will that lead those to a better world, who think themselves thus to be heroes. (5) If you believe in your battle, have patience in your hearts and if you're free from desiring the sensual pleasures, o small ones, then just stand still in front of me for a minute.'
(6) Thus being very angry were the demigods, his enemies, terrified by the roaring presence of that big mouth that scared the wits out of everyone. (7) Of that tumult of Vritra swooned indeed all the godly, so that they fell to the ground as if they were struck by a thunderbolt. (8) The sura army in fear having closed the eyes was trampled asunder as he arrogantly, just like a mad elephant running over a forest of hollow bamboos, holding his trident high with all his force stepped around the field that shook beneath his feet. (9) Seeing him in such a rage against his own kind, ran the carrier of the thunderbolt [Indra] at his enemy and threw he the mightiest club at him, but the demon caught the difficult to withstand weapon flying towards him very easily with his left hand. (10) That incensed Vritrâsura even more and with the club he, roaring loudly in the fight, struck Indra's elephant so famous for its strength on the head. That feat was lauded by all the soldiers on the field, o ruler of man. (11) Airâvata, struck by the club in Vritra's hand shook like a mountain hit by a thunderbolt and was, in great pain and spitting blood with a broken mouth, together with Indra thrown back a fourteen yards.
(12) The great soul though refrained from using the club again when he saw that Indra, thus wasted and innerly shaken about what had happened to his carrier, relieved the animal by the touch of his nectarean hand from all pains and injuries and next stood up before him. (13) Seeing him he remembered that Indra, his enemy who desired to fight him with the thunderbolt made of Dadhîci, o King Parîkchit, once had killed his brother. In bewilderment of the lamentation about that great and cruel sin, he sarcastically laughing addressed him. (14) S'rî Vritra said: 'How fortunate am I to encounter your lordship as my enemy, you as the murderer of a brahmin, the killer of his own guru and the slayer of my own brother; how lucky I am today to be relieved from my debt to my brother, o you total falsehood, with me soon piercing my trident right through your heart of stone! (15) Like he was an animal did you, desirous after heaven, merciless sever with your sword the three heads from him, our elder brother, who was a fully qualified and selfrealized brahmin and your spiritual teacher free from all sin who was entrusted the lead of the sacrifices. (16) You, bereft of all shame, mercy, beauty and glory are by your actions condemnable for even the infra-human; you will have to die slowly by my trident piercing your body, that in the end will not be burned but be eaten by the vultures.
(17) If you in this so cruel together with the others, who have no idea who they're dealing with, attack me with raised swords, shall I, with their severed heads on my pointy trident, make them an offering to the leader of the ghosts and his hordes. (18) At the other hand, o lordship of mine, if you with your thunderbolt, o hero, in this battle manage to cut my head off and destroy my army will I, in that case relieved of all debts, fall prey to the scavengers and achieve the dust of the feet of the great sages. (19) O master of the godly, why don't you hurl your thunderbolt at me, your enemy standing in front of you; don't doubt its infallibility, unlike the club that just like a request for money with a miser had no effect, may the bolt succeed. (20) Certainly will by this thunderbolt of yours o Indra, empowered by as well the prowess of Vishnu as the penance of Dadhîci, without fail your enemy be killed; whatever ordained by Lord Vishnu will bring the Lord His victory wherever and right there will all His opulences and qualities be found. (21) I, firmly fixing the mind shall, just as was said by our Lord Sankarshana His lotusfeet [see 5.25], by the force of your thunderbolt see the rope of material attachment cut and achieve the destination of the munis in having given up on this material world. (22) Upon persons advanced in the spiritual that He recognizes as His own will He not bestow the opulences found in the divine, the earthly or the hellish spheres because one has from those the envy,anxiety, agitation, pride, quarrel, distress and belligerence. (23) O Indra the endeavors of a selfrealizing person for the three goals of life [religion, economy, satisfaction] are beaten back by our Lord and from that can the special mercy of the Fortunate One be inferred that, being so close for the devoted, is so very difficult to obtain by others. (24) [And so do I pray:] 'Will I, o my Lord, whose only shelter is to be at Your lotus feet, become the servant of Your servant again; may my mind remember the transcendental attributes of You, o Lord of my life, may my words be of the chanting and may my body be engaged in working for You? (25) Not the heavenly planets nor the Supreme Abode, not the rule over the world nor to dictate the lower worlds is what I want; I do not desire the perfections [the siddhis] of yoga or to be freed from rebirth, o source of all opportunity, all I want is not to be separated from You! (26) Like small birds unable to fly looking for their mother, just like a young calf distressed of being hungry for the udder, just like a lover morose of the beloved that has departed, just as eager is my mind to see You, o lotus-eyed One. (27) As someone who knows You as the one hailed by the scriptures, as someone wandering around in this repetition of birth and death, I seek Your friendship; may there, o Lord, be an end to me as someone whose mind by Your external manifestation is bound to his own fruitive labor, body, children and home.'
Vritrâsura's Glorious Death
(1) The honorable rishi said: 'Thus eager to give up the body, o ruler of man, considering death in battle better than a victory in thought, took he [Vritrâsura] up his trident and attacked he Indra the King of the Enlightened just as the Supreme Person was attacked by Kaitabha at the time of the inundation. (2) Like the fire at the end of the yuga hurled the King of the Demons with great force the sharp pointed trident twirling at the great Indra roaring as the hero loudly at him in great anger: 'Dead you are thou sinner!'
(3) The rotating trident flying towards him like a star falling from the sky did, although the sight was difficult to bear, not scare Indra who with his thunderbolt cut it, as well as the arm of Vritra that resembled the body of the serpent king, in a hundred pieces. (4) With one arm missing he angrily aimed with a mace of iron taking it up against the thunderbolt and stroke he Indra as well as his elephant on the jaw so that the thunderbolt slipped from the hand of the generous one. (5) That very great accomplishment of Vritra was lauded by Sura and Asura and glorified by the heavenly singers and the association of the perfect, but seeing the danger Indra was in, they sincerely lamented 'Alas, alas' over it. (6) Unto Indra his enemy who in front of him was ashamed of the thunderbolt that had slipped from his hands said Vritrâsura: 'O lord take up your thunderbolt and kill your enemy, this is no time for regrets. (7) Except for the One of creation, annihilation and maintenance, the Controller who knows everything, the Original and Eternal Person, are the belligerent, who are themselves subordinate souls, being armed with weapons not always assured of a victory on the spot. (8) The worlds with all their rulers, of whom all those who live in dependence are under control, are, just like birds caught in a net, bound to the timefactor [the Lord] that is the cause in this. (9) Without knowing Him, the strength of our senses, mind, body, life force, immortality and surely also our mortality, considers a man his indifferent body the cause. (1o) O sir, please understand that all things thus, o generous one, just like a wooden doll or a stuffed animal, depend on the Strong One [Îs'a, the Controller, the Lord of Time]. (11) The person of generation [the purusha], the material energy, the principles of creation, the ego, the elements, the senses [of knowledge and perception] and what belongs to them [the mind, intelligence and consciousness] are without the mercy of Him not capable of anything in the creation of this universe. (12) An ignoramus thus considers himself, although he is fully dependent, to be the one in control, but it is He who creates beings by other living beings and it is He who devours them Himself through others. (13) Longevity, opulence, fame, power and the benedictions of a living being are sure to arise when the time is ripe indeed, just as do the reverse conditions without having an inclination for them. (14) Therefore should one in fame or infamy, victory or defeat be equal and even with the distress and happiness of dying or living as well. (15) Goodness, passion and slowness are found by the material of nature, they are not the qualities of the spiritual soul that is the observer to the reality of them; anyone who knows it as such is a person free from bondage [compare B.G. 18: 54]. (16) Look at me, with my weapon and arm cut off I'm already defeated, o enemy, and still I'm trying the best I can to give you battle with the desire to take your life. (17) Life is the stake at this battle, the arrows are the dice, our carriers are the game board and in this game it is not known whose is the victory and whose is the defeat.'
(18) S'rî S'uka said: 'King Indra hearing the straightforward, reverent words of Vritra, took up the thunderbolt and addressed him with a smile without further wondering about them. (19) Indra said: 'How astonishing o Dânava, now you are as perfect as this in your consciousness, now you are such a devotee who is all soul in relating to the Supersoul who is the greatest friend and the Ruler of the Universe [see B.G. 6: 20-23]. (20) Your good self indeed has surmounted the illusory energy of Lord Vishnu which deludes the common man; in your giving up the asura mentality, have you obtained the position of the exalted devotee [see 2.4: 18]. (21) This is truly a great miracle: of you, whose nature it is to be driven by passion, is there now, with your being in Vâsudeva, the Lord Supreme of pure goodness, a strong consciousness! [see Vritra's prayer 6.11: 25] (22) What is the use of water in small ditches to someone who's swimming in an ocean of nectar in his being devoted to the Supreme Lord Hari who is the Controller of the perfection of life?'
(23) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus having talked over the ins and outs of dharma, o King, resumed the great commanders Indra and Vritra who were equal in power, their battle. (24) Whirling dangerously threw Vritra, able to defeat him, with his left hand the club of iron at Indra, o best of kings. (25) But with the S'ataparvanâ [hundredfold hooked] thunderbolt cut he, the demigod, simultaneously the club and the hand as strong as an elephant's trunk to pieces. (26) Struck by the carrier of the bolt fell he, profusely bleeding with the wings of his arms cut from the root, like a mountain from the sky. (27-29) Of his great life-force and uncommon prowess and being alike the biggest snake and elephant, put the demon his lower jaw on the ground and his upper jaw in the sky so that his mouth became huge. With a tongue and teeth like that of a fearful snake did he, as if he were time itself, devour the three worlds with his preposterous body. As if they were the Himalayas moved he his feet pounding and shaking the earth and swallowed he upon reaching him, Thunderbolt Indra, together with his elephant. (30) Him seeing swallowed by Vritra lamented all the demigods with the founding fathers and the great sages: 'Alas, what a tribulation', thus being very morose.
(31) Though he was swallowed by the king of the demons did he not die in his belly, because getting there he was protected by the Supreme Personality as well as by his own power of yoga over the illusion [see S.B. 6.8]. (32) With his thunderbolt pierced the slayer of Bala, the powerful one, the abdomen and got he out to cut with great force off the head of the enemy that was like a mountain peak. (33) But, although it, very speedily cutting his neck, revolved all around to make it fall, took it as many days as it takes the luminaries to move over both sides of the equator to put an end to his time of living. (34) At that very time could in the sky the sound of the kettledrums of the indwellers of heaven and the perfected be noticed who with the gathering of the saintly celebrated the prowess of the victor, in glee praising him with various mantras and a shower of flowers. (35) From Vritrâsura's body came forth the light of his soul, o subduer of the enemies, and with all the gods watching did it achieve the supreme abode.
King Indra Afflicted by Sinful Reaction
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'With Vritra killed became, except for Indra himself, the leaders and everyone else in the three worlds, o charitable one, very soon free from all fears and physical agitation. (2) Thereafter, on their own accord [without taking leave from Indra], returned home the godly, Brahmâ, S'iva and the ones belonging to Indra as well as all other followers of the divine, together with the saints, the forefathers, the other living beings and the demoniac.'
(3) The king asked: 'O my Lord, great sage, I'd like to hear about the reason of Indra's being troubled; from where came his gloom while all the godly of Indra were so very happy?'
(4) S'rî S'uka said: 'By the power play of Vritrâsura were all the godly and the sages beset with fear, but afraid of killing a brahmin had Indra declined their request to kill him. (5) Indra had said: 'By the favor shown by the women, the earth, the trees and the water was the load of the sin of killing Vis'varûpa carried together [see 6.9: 6-10], but how am I released from killing Vritra?'
(6) S'uka continued: 'The sages hearing that said this to the great Indra: 'We will perform a great as'vamedha sacrifice [horse-sacrifice] for your good fortune, do not fear. (7) The as'vamedha sacrifice of worshiping the Original Person, the Supersoul, the Controller that is Lord Nârâyana our God, liberates even from the sin of killing the whole world! (8-9) One who has killed a brahmin, his father, a cow, his mother or his spiritual master, such a sinner or outcast dog-eater even may find purification in singing His holy name. If you, with us with faith conducting the as'vamedha sacrifice, the topmost of all sacrifices, are not even contaminated by killing all creatures of Brahmâ including the ones of respect for him, then what for having killed a harassing demon?'
(10) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus encouraged by the learned killed Indra his enemy, and was as well the reaction undone of killing a brahmin when Vritrâsura approached Vrishâkapi, the myth that is Indra. (11) By the reaction suffered Indra at first the deepest misery in not finding happiness but shame and ill-fame instead in missing the qualities, even though he had done others a favor. (12-13) He saw it chasing him in the form of an outcast woman old and trembling in her limbs whose clothes because of her suffering from consumption were covered in blood. With her disheveled, gray hair she yelled 'Wait, wait', spreading with her breath a bad fishy smell polluting the entire road. (14) The thousand-eyed Indra, went everywhere in all directions of the sky and then hurried in the northeastern direction to enter, o King, the Mânasa-sarovara lake. (15) Invisible to the servant of the sacrificial fire he lived there, bereft of all sustenance, for a thousand years in the subtle network of the fibers of a lotus stem, while he in his heart constantly pondered over how he could find liberation from having killed a brahmin. (16) For the time of his absence were the heavens ruled by Nahusha who, equipped with education, austerity, yoga and strength, turned mad with his intelligence blinded from the excess of opulence; chasing Indra's wife fell he [cursed by her] victim to the fate of a snake. (17) From being gone was he, whose offenses by the divinity of Rudra in his meditation on the Maintainer of truth were all nullified, by mouth of the brahmins then invited back. He, with all their power diminished, could not be overcome again by them, protected as he was by the wife of Vishnu, the Goddess of Fortune. (18) Welcomed back by the brahmins was he, for indeed pleasing the Supreme Lord Hari, properly, according the rules, consacrated by means of an as'vamedha sacrifice, o son of Bharata. (19-20) From that as'vamedha sacrifice performed by the expert brahmins in worship of the Original Person, the Supersoul and Maintainer of all divinity, could indeed the mass of sin of regrettably having killed the son of Tvashthâ, o King, like fog before the sun be reduced to nothing. (21) He, the worshipable Indra, was, favored by that as'vamedha sacrifice which as prescribed was performed by the priests headed by Marîci, in the worship of the Original Personality and Lord of Sacrifice completely cleansed of the misstep.
(22-23) This great historical incident describing the glorification of the Lord of the Holy Places, the growing in devotion and the victory and liberation of Indra the King of heaven, cleanses one of innumerable sins. This narration should always be read and continuously be heard by the intelligent and be reiterated on the occasion of great festivals; it sharpens one's senses, brings wealth and fame and releases from all misconduct; it brings victory over one's enemies and good fortune and longevity to all.'
King Citraketu's Lamentation
(1) S'rî Parîkchit said: 'How could Vritrâsura with a nature of passion and ignorance, o brahmin, and being that sinful minded be of such a strong consciousness in Nârâyana, the Supreme Person? (2) The great saints who directed their minds to the goodness and truthfulness of the gods and who have unblemished souls, hardly ever develop devotion unto the lotusfeet of Mukunda, the Lord of Liberation. (3) There are as many living entities as there are atoms in this material world; of them there are indeed some human and alike and out of them there are only a few acting to do good. (4) O best of the twice-born, one always sees that of those who are faithful to the liberation there are only some who desire liberation and that of the thousands of them there are only a few that are really liberated, really perfect. (5) Among those who found liberation and perfection, o great Sage, is out of the millions and trillions very rarely one found who concluded to Nârâyana and who has a mind that is completely peaceful [compare B.G. 7: 3 & 7: 26]. (6) How, with the truth of this, could Vritra then, being so sinful and the cause of such a suffering in all the world, in the midst of the fire of giving battle have an intelligence that was fixed on Krishna? (7) To this I am in great doubt and very eager to hear, o master, about how he managed to please the Thousand-eyed One in battle with his bravery and strength'."
(8) S'rî Sûta said: "The all-powerful son of Vyâsa thus hearing the perfect question of the faithful Parîkchit expressed his compliments and explained it to him. (9) S'rî S'uka said: 'Please listen carefully, o King, to what I can tell you of what I've heard from the mouths of Vyâsa, Nârada Muni and Devala Rishi. (10) Once there was a king, an emperor to all, living in S'ûrasena, who, o King, was named Citraketu ['the light of excellence'] and of whom, being honored with that name, there was of the earth everything one could wish for. (11) Of the tens of thousands and thousands of wives he had received the king, although they were very well capable of giving birth, not a single son. (12) With all his beauty, magnanimity, youth, good birth, education, opulence, welfare and all other good qualities he was endowed with, was he full of anxiety in the role of the spouse to that many incapable wives. (13) Nor his great opulence, nor all his queens with their beautiful eyes, nor all the lands of the empire could please him. (14) But Angirâ, the very powerful sage who traveled around all his countries, one day unexpected came to the palace. (15) Paying him his respects according the customs, he stood up from his throne and offered him worship. And after thus having been hospitable in offering him a comfortable seat, sat he in proper self-restraint down next to him. (16) The great rishi himself bowing to the ground then complimented him who in all humility sat beside him, o Mahârâja, and addressed him saying the following.
(17) Angirâ said: 'Is everything all right with your health and the material order of the state; the order of the king [in priests, ministers, territories, subjects, fortresses, the treasury, the police and the army] that is so much alike the seven material layers which protect the living being [consisting of the totality, the ego and the five objects of the senses; mahat-tattva, ahankâra and tanmâtras]? (18) The king submitting himself to these elements of royalty may befall all that is good, and so will each and all depending on him in offering wealth and services, o god of men. (19) And your wives, citizens, secretaries, servants and merchants as well as your ministers, your intimates, governors, landholders and offspring, do they all comply with your rule? (20) When the mind is controlled will all the subjects comply and then will everyone, along with the governors no longer being negligent, offer his contribution. (21) From the anxiety of your pale face I can tell that you're not quite happy of mind for some or another reason or that you're in fact frustrated in your plans.'
(22) By the philosopher, despite of his greater learning, thus being questioned o King, bent he [Citraketu], in his desire for offspring, low to the sage in great humility to reply him as follows. (23) King Citraketu said: 'O great one, what would there be that you, in your austerity, spiritual knowledge, and absorption and your association with other great and sinless yogis, do not know of the external and internal matters of the embodied souls? (24) Still, o brahmin, even though you know everything, you question me about my anxieties. Now, with your permission, let me dilate on what you asked me. (25) With a great empire even desirable for the demigods does all the wealth and the upkeep not give me any pleasure because I have no son; to me it is all like trying to satisfy one's hunger and thirst with everything else but food and drink. (26) For this reason save me and my forefathers from perdition in darkness o great wise; make it so that we get a son so that we may overcome that what is so difficult to overcome.'
(27) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus being beseeched made that most powerful and merciful son of Brahmâ him cook a preparation of sweet rice for Tvashthâ [the demigod father of Vis'varûpa, see 6.8], which he then offered in worship of him. (28) The first and most perfect queen of all the queens of the king, o best of the Bhâratas, listening to the name of Kritadyuti, was offered the remnants of the sacrifice delivered by the sage. (29) Thereafter said he to the king: 'O King, there will be one son who will be the cause of jubilation and lamentation for you', whereupon the son of Brahmâ left. (30) Kritadyuti proved to be pregnant of Citraketu after having eaten the food of the offering so that she got a son like the goddess Krittikâ got one [Skanda] from Agni. (31) Her fetus grew day after day developing step by step from the semen of the king of S'ûrasena like the moon does in the bright fortnight of the month. (32) Then in due time took the son his birth, creating the greatest delight among the inhabitants of S'ûrasena the moment they heard about it. (33) The king, very happy with his newly born son, bathed and decorated himself with ornaments, and then arranged for the brahmins to perform the birth ceremony with many benedictory words. (34) The brahmins he gave in charity gold, silver, garments, ornaments as also villages, horses, elephants and sixty crores of cows. (35) Like a raincloud showered the beneficent king all that one could desire for in order to increase the opulence, the reputation and longevity of his newborn. (36) Just like a poor man who has an increasing affection for the riches he gained with great difficulty, had the pious king, as a father, a day by day growing affection for the son he with so much difficulty got. (37) Also the mother had an excessive affection for the son, which, with all the co-wives of Kritadyuti, out of their ignorance led to a feverish desire to have sons also. (38) Just as with the constant care for the son became king Citraketu extraordinarily attracted to the wife who gave him the son and not so much to the others. (39) Of having no sons and being unhappy of being neglected by the king, they then lamented condemning themselves out of envy. (40) A woman being without a son is, by the husband and the co-wives who have sons, not honored at home finding all condemnation and is consigned the burden of sin; she, ill respected, is then just like a maid-servant. (41) And what indeed is there for maidservants to lament who find honor in being constantly of service to their husbands - but being like a maidservant to the maidservants one is most unfortunate. (42) Thus was there of the queens fallen out of grace, who burnt in lamentation with their king enjoying the wealth of a son from the co-wife Kritadyuti, a very strong growing envy. (43) Having lost their intelligence of the envy and unable to tolerate the king his ways, became the women extremely hardhearted and administered they poison to the boy. (44) Kritadyuti walking around the house was not aware of the sin committed by the co-wives and thought, looking upon her son, that he was fast asleep. (45) With the boy lying down for a long time gave she, as a lady of intelligence, thus the nurse the order: 'Please o friend, bring me my son'. (46) Looking after him she saw him lying down with his eyes turned upwards and his life force, mind and senses gone, and thus cried she, falling down to the ground: 'I'm doomed!'. (47) At that time hearing her agitated voice loudly in words of regret, to which she stroke her breast with both her hands, hurried also the queen in to see, upon approaching her son, that her child suddenly had deceased. (48) She swooned unconscious to the ground overcome by grief with her hair and dress in disarray. (49) Thereafter, o ruler of man, came all the inhabitants of the palace and all the people, men and women who had heard the loud crying nearby, and all lamented they equally aggrieved greatly, just as did pretentiously the ones who had committed the crime. (50-51) Hearing that his son had died for reasons unknown, could the king not see properly anymore as he, constantly falling and slipping, on his way was followed by his entourage of ministers and brahmins. Because of his affection and his rising wail of lamentation he fell unconscious down at the feet of the dead boy, heavily breathing with his hair and dress disheveled, and [coming to] was he because of the tears he cried not able to speak with his choked up voice. (52) The queen, seeing her husband as he was heavily lamenting in his grief over the deceased child, the only son of the family, cried her heart out and added thus to the pain in the heart of all gathered there, including the officers and ministers. (53) Her two with kumkum powdered breasts got wet of the teardrops that, mixed with her make-up, fell from her eyes, and from her scattered hair slipped down the flowers as she in every tone lamented over the son with a sound which reminded one of the sweet cries of a kurarî bird.
(54) 'Alas, o Providence, how short You fall in wisdom as someone who indeed performs just to the contrary of his creation; with the father still alive is there, with the death of the one that came later, a contradiction with You in the light of which You are found as a constant threat. (55) Not of the regular order out here of the death and birth of the embodied, You allow it to be so that, as a result of one's karma, that which follows from the bond of love, that which is personally made by You to Your greater glory, is cut away. That is what You do! (56) And you my dear son, shouldn't give up on me, me so poor without you as my protector. You should look after your father who grieves so deeply; by you we may easily cross that realm of darkness which is so difficult to cross without a son; please don't leave us. Don't abide by the mercilessness of the Lord of Death. (57) My dear son, get up, all the children, your playmates are calling for you to play with them, o prince of mine; you've slept for so long, you must be really hungry by now, please take my breast and drink, just to dissipate the grief of your relatives. (58) How unfortunate I am not to see any longer the charming smiles of you, born from my flesh, now you've closed the eyes of your lotusface; have you really left me for the place of no return, for the other world; have you really been taken away by the cruel Lord of Death? No longer I can hear your sweet prattle...'
(59) S'rî S'uka said: 'With the woman bewailing her dead son this way in several lamentations, was Citraketu very much aggrieved and cried he loudly along. (60) With the king and his wife thus lamenting cried all their subjects equally loud along, and so were all the men and women of the kingdom out of their wits of sadness. (61) The saint that was Angirâ, who knew that from the misery that fell upon them they had lost their senses and were helpless, then decided to go there with Nârada Muni.
The Saints Nârada and Angirâ Instruct King Citraketu
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'In order to instruct him on the factual that had to be stated, spoke they [the sages Nârada and Angirâ] to the king, who for dead lying at the side of the corpse was so very much aggrieved. (2) O best of kings, who would this be to you o lordship, this person you are lamenting about; and who would he have been before he was born to you; who is he at present and who would he be in the future? (3) Just as grains of sand come together at the shore and move apart by the force of the waves of the ocean, are they, the embodied souls, similarly united and separated by time [compare B.G. 2: 13]. (4) Just as from seeds sown sometimes grains grow and sometimes not grow, so do likewise the living entities result in other living beings impelled by the potency of the Supreme Controller. (5) We and you too o King, and also other creatures who move about or are fixed in one place, are, the way they all together exist with birth and death, as it were thus not really there before nor afterwards, even though one is there in the present. (6) Through some living entities does the Controller of All create other living entities and maintains He and annihilates He them as well; the living beings do not exist independent of Him, even though He Himself is as indifferent as a boy in His having created them [compare B.G. 3: 27]. (7) By the body of the one embodied is from one body another body created; just as indeed from one seed another seed is generated, is the one therewith embodied eternal, as are also the constituent elements of matter [see B.G. 8: 17-22]. (8) This division between the body and its indweller is there from not understanding that one has an existence of being generated from time immemorial, just as having a separate existence to the original substance is something as imaginary as having an individual element independent of its category.'
(9) S'rî S'uka said: 'King Citraketu, thus supported by what the twice-born had told him, wiped his shriveled face with his hand and spoke intelligently. (10) The honorable king said: 'The two of you who have arrived here disguised in the dress of total forsakers, are, considering the full of your knowledge, the greatest of the greatest. (11) As desired indeed do you brahmins, who are so dear to the Lord, dressed like madmen wander over the surface of the earth in order to awaken those who, like me, are of a familial intelligence. (12-15) Sanat-kumâra, Nârada, Ribhu, Angirâ, Devala, Asita, Apântaratamâ [an early name of Vyâsadeva], Mârkandeya and Gautama; Vasishthha, Bhagavân Paras'urâma, Kapila, S'ukadeva, Durvâsâ, Yâjñavalkya and Jâtukarna as well as Aruni, Romas'a, Cyavana, Dattâtreya, Âsuri, Patañjali, the sage Dhaumya head of the Vedas and the wise Pañcas'ikha, Hiranyanâbha, Kaus'alya, S'rutadeva and Ritadhvaja; all these and other masters of perfection are the wandering spiritual educators. (16) Therefore let from you the torchlight of spiritual knowledge be ignited o masters, as I am but a village dog with a foolish vision that is blind in the midst of darkness [*].
(17) S'rî Angirâ said: 'I am the one Angirâ who granted you the son that you desired o King and that one son of Brahmâ here is the great Nârada in person. (18-19) This way of being merged in a difficult to overcome darkness out of grieving over your son does not befit you who are supposed to remember the Supreme Personality. Just for your sake have the learned by the two of us arrived here at this place, o King, and to you, as someone anchored in Brahman and devoted to the Lord, we have to say that you don't deserve to come down like this. (20) The first time I came to your home, I could have given you the spiritual knowledge of transcendence, but, since you were absorbed in something else, I could only grant you a son. (21-23) At present you indeed experience the tribulation of someone with children who as such has a nice wife, a home, riches and various assets and luxuries. All the objects of the senses thereto of meaning to you, like a kingdom, opulence, land and royalty, strength and a treasury with servants, ministers and allies, all belong to what is temporary. Indeed is this all o Ruler of S'ûrasena, a lamentable illusion giving rise to fears and distress; these are figments concocted by the mind, preoccupations in the form of castles in the air. (24) What you are looking after is without any substance, they are fabrications born of fruitive action that you meditate upon; it is from the mind that all sorts of karmic engagements find their existence. (25) No doubt does this body of the living entity consist of material elements and senses of action and perception. These are declared to be the cause of the various sufferings and pains of the living entity [see also B.G 15: 7-11]. (26) Therefore be careful with the things of the mind and consider your real position, give up your belief in the duality as a permanent object; take to the peaceful condition.'
(27) S'rî Nârada said: 'Listen good and accept this mantra of philosophy from me, which, concentrating on it for seven nights, will give you the vision of the all-pervading Lord Sankarshana ['the one with the plough' see 5.25]. (28) From finding shelter at His lotusfeet o King achieved formerly all the godly, giving up on this illusion of duality, immediately His unequaled and unsurpassed glories, and so will you too after not too long a time obtain the Transcendence.
* Before lecturing do Vaishnavas pray the following prayer in which they describe the role of the guru:
'om ajñâna-timirândhasya
jñânâñjana-s'alâkayâ
cakshur unmîlitam yena
tasmai s´rî-gurave namah'"I was born in the darkest ignorance, and my spiritual master opened my eyes with the torch of knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisances unto him."
King Citraketu Meets the Supreme Lord
(1) The son of Vyâsa said: 'Then brought the devarishi, o King, the deceased son of the king [who was called Harshas'oka, or 'jubilation and lamentation'] into the vision of the lamenting relatives there and spoke he. (2) S'rî Nârada said: 'O living soul, all good to you, behold your mother, father, friends and relatives who, lamenting over you, are greatly distressed. (3) To complete your life you may reenter your body and in the midst of your kin enjoy all pleasures, accepting from your father the award of the royal throne.'
(4) The individual soul said: 'In which of all those births, wherein I from my karma have been wandering among the godly, the animals and the humans, were these my fathers and mothers? (5) Over time do all eventually become the friends, family members, enemies, neutrals, well-wishers, indifferent or envious ones of everybody else [compare B.G. 3: 27]. (6) Just as means of exchange, like gold, pass from one person to the other, passes the same way the living entity by different fathers through different species of life [see also B.G. 2: 22]. (7) From what one is accustomed to is there the temporary of relationships in human society for as long as in that association attachments are found in the sense of 'I' and 'mine'. (8) Thus being from a certain birth is the living entity eternal, as long as he does not identify himself with the body in which he may reside for so long and from the reality of which he has a sense of self. (9) It is eternal, imperishable and of the subtle; it is the self aware of the different embodiments obtained by the different modes of the divine of nature, appearing as its own master in this material world [see also 4.29: 29]. (10) To the living entity there is really no one dear or not dear, nor is there anything his own or of someone else; in other words it is the one witness to the different sorts of intelligence and performers of good and bad deeds [see also B.G. 9: 29]. (11) To the Soul is happiness nor distress acceptable nor the fruit of labor; like someone perfectly neutral resides the Lord within as the controller overseeing cause and effect [B.G. 2: 47].'
(12) The son of Vyâsa continued: 'Having spoken this way went the living entity away to the acute astonishment of his relatives, who gave up their lamentation after the shackles of the bond of affection had been broken. (13) When the family of the son with the performance of the proper rites removed the body, gave they therewith up the lingering affection, lamentation and illusion which caused the fear and distress. (14) Those who had killed the child performed, to the directions of the brahmins, very ashamed of having murdered the boy and bereft of their bodily luster, at the river the Yamunâ the atonement for having killed the baby, o Parîkchit, remembering what the twice-born one [Angirâ] had stated. (15) Citraketu, fully aware of the spiritual purport of the sayings of the two twice-born souls, emerged consequently from the dark well of his family attachment the way an elephant emerges from a muddy pool. (16) Taking a bath in the Yamunâ as was prescribed and piously performing oblations of water with gravity controlling his mind and senses, offered he the two sons of Brahmâ his obeisances.
(17) Following disclosed Bhagavân Nârada who was very pleased with him being such a surrendered devotee in control of himself, this knowledge [this mantra, this prayer] as he had promised. (18-19) 'O my Lord my obeisances unto You, the Supreme Lord Vâsudeva. Let me meditate upon Pradyumna [the Lord of intelligence], Aniruddha [the Lord of the mind] and Sankarshana [the Lord of the Ego, see also 4.24: 35-37]. All my respects for the full manifestation of wisdom, the embodiment of supreme bliss who is the self-effulgent True of the Self of peace with His vision turned away from the duality. (20) By the realization of Your personal bliss are the waves of the material ocean overcome. My reverences unto that Controller of the Senses so Supreme; my respects for You whose expansions are unlimited. (21) When words cease to serve is He, the One without a second, with the mind of no denomination or form and totally spiritual; may He, the one above truth and untruth, mercifully protect us. (22) In whom this all and from whom this all stands, dissolves and is born as it is with things that are made of earth; unto Him, the Supreme Cause, my reverential homage. (23) He who by the mind, the intelligence, the senses and the life airs cannot be touched, nor be known outside and inside; He who has expanded as vast as the sky, before Him I am bowed. (24) The body, the senses, the life air, the mind and intelligence are only stirred into action because of the support of the Ruling Principle [Brahman]; they, just like iron that [cannot bend if it] is not heated, can without that support not acquire the status of a self-conscious subject. (25) My obeisances unto You my Lord, o Supreme Personality, most Perfect Supersoul and Master of all Mystic power whose feet are served by the multitude of lotus bud hands of all the best devotees; for You, situated in the highest abode, my respects.'
(26) S'rî S'uka said: 'Nârada, after he unto this devotee of full surrender imparted the knowledge, then left with Angirâ for the abode of Brahmâ, o Lordship. (27) Citraketu consequently, only drinking water, with great concentration put himself uninterrupted for one week to the knowledge as was communicated by Nârada. (28) Not deviating from the instructions achieved he, by these prayers carefully practiced, at the end of seven days and nights the mastery of the Vidyâdharas ['the ones founded in knowledge'] o ruler of man. (29) Thus, in only a few days, by that spiritual excercise for his mind having found the enligthened course, went he to the shelter of the lotus feet of the God of all gods, Lord S'esha [Anantadeva or Sankarshana, see 5.25]. (30) He saw Him, his Master and Controller, with His smiling lotus face and reddish eyes, as white as a lotusleaf, wearing blue silk, a glittering helmet, armlets, a belt and bangles situated in the midst of His most perfect devotees. (31) The sight of Him destroyed all his sins so that he, healthy and pure at heart, like a saint could face Him in a devotional mood in which he, with tears in his eyes and his hairs standing on end, offered the Original Person of God his obeisances. (32) He at the lotusfeet of the Lord of the Verses, wetted with his tear drops that resting place over and over and was, because his voice was choked in his love, for a long time incapable of uttering a single letter of the alphabet to offer Him prayers. (33) Next recovering his speech in controlling his mind with intelligence, spoke this one king to the personification of devotional service and the scriptures, to the teacher of all who regulates the to the external world wandering senses.
(34) Citraketu said: 'O Unconquerable One who art conquered by people of recollection; to those devotees who with their surrendered souls were won by You and always sing Your glories with minds free from desire, You give Yourself in utter compassion. (35) To Your opulences that indeed, o Supreme One, are of the creation, maintenance and dissolution of this cosmic manifestation, rival the creators of this creation, who are part of the parts of You, in that in vain with one another, moved as they are by false conceptions of separateness. (36) From the smallest atom to the biggest of the manifestation have You Your existence at the beginning, in the end and in between; nevertheless are You there permanent outside of these three without Yourself having a beginning and an end, and without Yourself being all of that which exists in between. (37) This material world, this eggshaped universe consisting of the seven layers of which each is the tenfold of the preceding one [see 3.26: 52], is but insignificant compared to the millions of such universes in the cosmos, and for this reason You are Unlimited. (38) Eager to enjoy like animals, worships man only parts [demigods] but not the Supreme of You, o Controller; the benedictions of them are finished when they have ended, just as it is with politicians [B.G. 7: 20-23 S.B. 2.3: 10]. (39) They who desire gratification do, just as fried seeds, not flourish in You o Supreme One; but in the full of Your spiritual knowledge is a person not affected by the network of the modes and the duality of their material qualities [compare: B.G. 4: 9]. (40) They were conquered by Your Lordship, o unconquerable One, when You addressed them about the dharma of being devoted to You. The faultless who do not crave for material happiness, they who are great sages happy within, are the ones of worship on the path of liberation [see also 1.2: 6]. (41) Unequal does one lack in consciousness and has one among the people thus the 'I' and 'mine' and the 'me' and 'you'; in approaches other than Yours is, as a result of the unequal vision, the conduct indeed impure, temporary and full of unrighteousness [compare B.G. 18: 66]. (42) In what sense is it beneficial for oneself and others, or what purpose would it serve, to be envious with others and with the Supreme in following a [on itself] righteous procedure? Such a practice of human self-betrayal raises Your wrath and causes pain to others, and godless it is too [see B.G. 16: 17 and S.B. 1.2: 8]. (43) Your outlook in relation to the dharma of Your instructions and activities is declared to be infallible; following that making no distinctions between the nonmoving and moving living beings is one certainly of the civilized [the Âryans]. (44) Hasn't it, o my Lord, come to be so that by the sight of You all the sins of all human beings are annihilated and that by the hearing of your Name at once even the lowest of man is delivered from the entanglement of material existence? (45) Thus o Supreme Lord, have at present seeing You before my eyes the contaminations been wiped out, how otherwise could it be as was spoken by the great rishi of enlightenment [Nârada], Your devotee? (46) O Unlimited one, You, as the Supersoul of all the world, are well acquainted with everything that is done by all who live here. What can one see in the light of fireflies, when one has a sun like You as the teacher of transcendence? (47) All obeisances unto You, o Lordship of the existence, ending and creation of the universe; Your position is beyond the scrutiny of the ones who are unified in a material sense by false concepts of having an independent existence in relation to the pure of transcendence. (48) It is after Your endeavoring that indeed the directors of the creation also endeavor; it is after your perceiving that all of the acknowledging senses perceive; it is of Your keeping it on Your hood that the huge universe becomes like a mustard seed; may there for You be all the respect possible, You the Supreme Lord with the Thousands of Hoods.'
(49) S'rî S'ukadeva said: 'O best of the Kurus, the Supreme Lord Ananta Deva, being worshiped this way then answered him, Citraketu, being very pleased with the King of the Vidyâdhara's. (50) The Supreme Lord said: 'From directly seeing Me and from the worship with the prayer that Nârada and Angirâ have disclosed to you, have you now been perfected, o King. (51) I as the Supersoul of all, as the cause of the manifestation, indeed expanded in different forms and exist in both the eternal forms of the spiritual sound vibrations and the Supreme Brahman [compare B.G. 7: 4-5]. (52) The living entity expanded into the world and also spread the world itself within the living entity; just the same are they both, being created, pervaded by Me and present in Me as well. (53-54) Like a person asleep who dreaming sees the whole world within himself, but upon awaking finds himself lying down somewhere, are likewise the living entities their different states of consciousness and conditions of life exhibitions of the illusory potency of the Self, knowing which one should always remember the Supreme Creator and Witness to them [see bhajan Radha Krishna Bol Bol]. (55) Just know Me as Him, the pervader, the Supreme Spirit apart from the material condition by whom a sleeping man is able to distinguish what is of the dream and what would be his happiness. (56) When the person remembers both the states of consciousness of dreaming and sleeping may he, in the beyond, reach the spiritual knowledge of Brahman that is transcendental. (57) The living entity having forgotten about this spiritual nature of My position, leads because of that a materially conditioned life in separation from the Supersoul, of which it wanders from one body to the next, from one death to another death. (58) Achieving in this world a human birth has one with the spiritual knowledge and wisdom the chance to arrive at selfrealization, but they who fail to pick up that knowledge will in their life never succeed in it. (59) From remembering what a trouble it is to toil out here and then achieve the opposite of what was desired, and also from remembering the freedom from fear indeed when one has rid oneself of desiring material things, should one, knowing better, desist. (60) For the sake of their happiness and to be free from misery do man and wife perform activities which on themself are unsuccessful in finding cessation, because these actions are the source of as well happiness as of distress. (61-62) Those who consider themselves so smart but realize this way the opposite of what they wanted, find it extremely difficult to understand what it means to be of progress with the soul and to stand apart from the three states [of unconsciousness, sleep and waking]. Personally having experienced it or having understood from listening to others, should a person, being freed from materialism by dint of his own power of judgment in spiritual knowledge and wisdom, having found the full of satisfaction, become My devotee. (63) This is, taking it all together, the insight a capable and intelligent human must arrive at concerning the understanding of the oneness, the transcendence and the soul of yoga as the ultimate goal. (64) If you with faith, without taking to other conclusions, accept these words of Mine, o King, will you in the full of the spiritual knowledge and wisdom soon find your perfection.'
(65) S'rî S'uka said: 'After the Supreme Lord, the Teacher of the Universe, thus had cheered up Citraketu disappeared He, Lord Hari, the Soul of All, before his eyes.'
Mother Pârvatî Curses Citraketu
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'After making his obeisances in the direction to which Lord Ananta had disappeared, Citraketu, the King of the Vidyâdharas began traveling, moving about in the wide world. (2-3) He unhindered visited hundreds of thousands of people in thousands of places and was in his strength and sense control praised as a great yogi by the sages, the perfected and the monks. To his heart's content staying in between the hights of Kulâcalendra [Mount Meru] where one exercises for perfection, was he delighted to incite with the wives of the Vidyâdharas the praise of Lord Hari, the Controller. (4-5) Once roaming in his brightly shining, heavenly vehicle that he had gotten from Lord Vishnu, saw he Lord S'iva in the midst of all the saintly. Surrounded by the perfected and the singers of heaven, embraced he with his arm the goddess who sat on his lap. Citraketu laughing loudly thereto then spoke in the presence of the mother for her clearly to hear. (6) Citraketu said: 'This spiritual master of all the world, who to all the embodied is the direct representative of the dharma, sits here in the middle of an assembly while he embraces his wife! (7) With his hair matted, exalted, of penance, strict to the spiritual and presiding a gathering, is he hugging a woman, sitting there unashamed as a common materially motivated person. (8) Normally though do even conditioned souls embrace women in private... and this one master of vow and austerity enjoys his woman in an assembly!'
(9) S'rî S'uka said: 'The great Lord of fathomless intelligence when he heard that o King, just smiled and remained silent, and everyone in the assembly followed his example. (10) With him thus, unaware of the might, speaking against all etiquette, spoke the goddess angered to the audacious one who thought he was so well-controlled. (11) S'rî Pârvatî said: 'And now would this one here all of a sudden be the Supreme Controller, the one to chastise and the master of restraint for people like us, the ones criminal and shameless? (12) It must be the one from the lotus who has no idea of the dharma. Nor do Brahmâ's sons, Bhrigu or Nârada, nor indeed do the four Kumâras, Lord Kapila and Manu himself have a clue, otherwise they would have stopped our S'iva from breaking the rules! (13) This one is the lowest of all kshatriyas. He who by him, overriding the demigods, so impudently was chastised, is the one who with his lotus feet is the teacher of all the world, the auspicious of auspiciousness himself and the one to be meditated upon. Therefore deserves this man it to be punished. (14) This impertinent, haughty fellow does not deserve it to approach the shelter of the lotusfeet of Vaikunthha worshipped by all the saints [compare: the S'rî S'rî S'ikshâshthaka]. (15) Therefore, o greatest of sinners, leave from here to be born among the demons, o fool, so that this world again belongs to the great and you, my son, will no longer commit any offense.'
(16) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus being cursed came Citraketu down from his heavenly chariot to show Pârvatî the best of him in bowing his head low before her, o son of Bharata. (17) Citraketu said: 'Folding my hands before you o mother, I accept your curse; that which the gods impose upon a mortal is entirely determined by his deeds in the past. (18) Caught in the vicious circle of this material life is the living entity deluded in his ignorance and wanders he everywhere, constantly experiencing happiness and distress. (19) In this matter does a person not aware consider himself, and surely others too, as the doer, but, nor can indeed the individual soul, nor someone else, be the doer giving happiness and distress. (20) What would, in this current of the modes of matter, actually be a curse or what a favor, what a promotion to heaven or what a fall down in hell, or what would be happiness and distress therein? (21) He is the One Supreme Lord, who by His potencies creates the conditioned existence of all the beings as well as the life of liberation; the happiness and distress at the one hand and the position above time at the other. (22) To Him no one is dear or not dear, a kinsman or a friend, nor does one belong to others or to Him; He is equal, omnipresent, unaffected by the world and unattached in that happiness to which one, as an attached person, relates with anger. (23) Nevertheless is there because of His forces with the embodied the creation of the in repeat being destined to be of happiness and distress, profit and loss, liberation and bondage and birth and death. (24) For that reason am I not begging you to be released from your curse o angry one. All I want is that you accept my excuses for everything that in your eyes, o chaste one, was something improper to say for me.'
(25) S'rî S'uka said: 'After thus having shown the elevated ones his respect, o constant conqueror of the enemies, went Citraketu away in his heavenly vehicle leaving the two watching and smiling behind him. (26) Thereafter then said the great Lord to his wife the following while Nârada, the Daityas, the Siddhas and his personal associates were all listening. (27) S'rî Rudra said: 'Have you seen, my beauty, how magnanimous the servants of the servants are, the great souls who have forsaken the sensual in their relating to the Supreme Personality whose works are so wondrous? (28) The pure ones of Nârâyana are all in no instance afraid, whether it concerns heaven, liberation or a place in hell; in their eyes makes the location no difference. (29) The ones embodied are, because they're in touch with the physical, with the Lord His pastimes no doubt subject to the dualities of happiness and distress, death and birth and curse and favor. (30) When one not properly setting things apart makes distinctions, are there accordingly within the person himself the qualities and faults one makes of being imagined with the difference of, for instance, being sure whether one deserves a garland or not. (31) People who carry love and faith in their hearts for the Supreme Lord Vâsudeva are of real knowledge and detachment, they do not take to the shelter of any physical blessing [see also 1.2: 7]. (32) Nor I, nor Lord Brahmâ, nor the As'vinî-kumâras, nor Nârada, the sons of Brahmâ, the saints nor all the great demigods know the true nature of Him of whom we, who like to consider ourselves separate rulers, are all but parts of parts. (33) There is indeed no one particularly loved by Him nor disliked, nor does anyone even belong to Him or to someone else; as the Soul of the soul of all beings is the Lord the one dearest to all alive. (34-35) This greatly fortunate King Citraketu is of Him an obedient servant loved everywhere, is peaceful and equal minded and who, just as I, is the love of the Infallible one. Be therefore not surprised about the ways of those persons who are the great souls and personalities of devotion of peace and equality towards all.'
(36) S'rî S'uka said: Thus hearing what the great Lord S'iva had to tell her, found Pârvatî her peace of mind back o King and was the goddess freed from her astonishment. (37) When he, who as a great devotee in all respects was able to formulate a counter-curse against the goddess, accepted the condemnation loaded on his head, characterized this him as a true devotee. (38) Born from the brahmin called Tvashthâ turned he at the Dakshina fire sacrifice to the department of the demoniac species of life, and thus became he with all his knowledge and wisdom celebrated as Vritrâsura [see 6.9 and compare with 1.5: 19]. (39) This was all [dear Parîkchit] I had to explain to you to what you asked about Vritrâsura, the one of exalted intelligence who was born in the darkness. (40) This history of the pious Citraketu who was such a great soul, contains all the glory and he who hears it from the devotees of Vishnu is freed from bondage. (41) Anyone of remembrance with the Lord who, rising early in the morning, with faith controlling his words reads out this story, will reach the supreme destination.'
Diti Vows to Kill King Indra
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'From Pris'ni then, the wife of Savitâ [the fifth of the twelve sons of Aditi], there were [the three daughters] Sâvitrî, Vyâhriti and Trayî and [from them were born the sons] Agnihotra, Pas'u, Soma, Câturmâsya and the five Mahâyajñas. (2) Siddhi the wife of Bhaga [the sixth son of the twelve sons of Aditi], my dear King, bore [the sons] Mahimâ, Vibhu and Prabhu and Âs'î, a very beautiful and virtuous daughter. (3-4) Of Dhâtâ [the seventh son of Aditi] his wives Kuhû, Sinîvâlî, Râkâ and Anumati came [the sons] Sâyam, Dars'a, Prâtah and Pûrnamâsa respectively. The firegods called the Purîshyas were begotten by the next son [of Aditi: Vidhâtâ] in Kriyâ and Carshanî of Varuna [the ninth son of Aditi] was the one of whom Bhrigu took birth again. (5) Vâlmîki, the great yogi [from the semen of Varuna] was born from an anthill [hence his name] and indeed were the two sages Âgastya and Vasishthha [as their common sons] also there from Mitra [the tenth son] and Varuna. (6) Of being in the presence of Urvas'î was [by Mitra and Varuna] semen discharged in an earthen pot [and from that semen were the two sages born as common sons]. In Revatî begot Mitra [the three sons] Utsarga, Arishthâ and Pippala. (7) In Paulomî [or S'acîdevî] so we heard my best, begot lord Indra three sons Jayanta, Rishabha and Midhusha as the third. (8) Of [the twelfth son] Urukrama [or Vâmana], the Lord who in the form of a dwarf had appeared from His inner potency, was of His wife Kîrti born the son Brihats'loka from whom there were many others headed by Saubhaga. (9) The activities, qualities and power of this great soul and how He from Aditi made his descend as the son of Kas'yapa, I will describe later on.
(10) Now I will tell you about how from the [demoniac] sons born to Diti from the seed of Kas'yapa [see 3.14] there were, as well as the [later members of the family, the] great and glorious devotee Prahlâda and Bali Mahârâja [who was defeated by Vâmana]. (11) The two sons from Diti who were worshiped by the Daityas and Dânavas were known by the names of Hiranyakas'ipu and Hiranyâksha. (12-13) The wife of Hiranyakas'ipu named Kayâdhu, was a daughter born from Jambha and a descendant of Danu. She indeed gave birth to four sons with Samhlâda as the first, after whom came Anuhlâda, Hlâda and Prahlâda and a sister called Simhikâ who from Vipracit received Râhu. (14) His [Râhu's] head was severed by Lord Hari with His disc when he [along with the demigods] drank from the nectar. Kriti, the wife of Samhlâda, gave from him birth to [the son] Pañcajana. (15) Dhamani, the wife of Hlâda, gave birth to [the sons] Vâtâpi and Ilvala. The latter one was [in the form of a ram] by Vâtâpi cooked when Âgastya once visited her. (16) Of Anuhlâda's wife Sûryâ there were [the two sons] Bâshkala and Mahisha. Virocana was to be [the son] of Prahlâda and from his wife there was Bali. (17) With Bâna as his eldest begot he [Bali] from As'anâ a hundred sons; I'll make sure to describe the laudable of his character later on. (18) Bâna as a worshiper of Lord S'iva was by him promoted to the level of the chief associates next to him, and for that reason is the great Lord till the present day the protector of his capital. (19) The fourty-nine Maruts, also sons of Diti, had no sons themselves and were by Indra all elevated to the position of demigods.'
(20) The king said: 'Why o guru, gave they up the atheistic mentality they were born with; performed they that holy that they therefore by Indra were turned into demigods? (21) O brahmin, these sages together with me here, are all eager to hear about this from you o great one, please explain it therefore to us'."
(22) S'rî Sûta said: "Hearing those respectful words of the servant of Vishnu did he, the son of Vyâsa, very pleased with their value praise him briefly and gave he a reply, o S'aunaka. (23) S'rî S'uka said: 'Diti, whose sons were killed by Lord Vishnu helping out Indra, burned with anger and thought, clouded by the grief: (24) 'When will I, with the hard-hearted, cruel, sinful killer of these pleasure seeking brothers who caused [Vishnu] to end their lives, find satisfaction? (25) When one, designated a king, with one's body, which is doomed to end with the worms, as stool or as ashes, nevertheless hurts others in the pursuit of one's own happiness, is one then of real knowledge? Doesn't such a one await the punishment of hell? (26) He, thinking that this [material covering] lasts for ever, is out of his mind; can I count on a son of mine who will fight this madness of Indra?' (27-28) She then [Diti], charged with that intention, was constantly with all kinds of pleasing activities full of love and humility, selfrestraint and great devotion, o King, of service unto her husband [Kas'yapa] whose mind she, knowing him very well, with charming sweet words, smiles and furtive glances brought under her control. (29) Although a highly expert, learned scholar was he thus enchanted by the woman and acceded he, being under her control, therefore to her wishes; a thing not at all surprising in relating to a woman. (30) Seeing the living beings detached in the beginning of creation, has God the Father created the woman as the other half of his body and by her is the mind of men carried away. (31) Thus being served, o my best, was the mighty Kas'yapa very pleased with the smiling woman upon which he approvingly spoke to Diti.
(32) Kas'yapa said: 'Ask for any benediction you want o my beauty, for I, o irreproachable lady, am very pleased with you; what would there for a woman of desire be difficult to obtain when her husband is well pleased? (33-34) The husband for sure is considered the certain god supreme of the woman because, situated in the heart of all, there is Vâsudeva as the husband of the Goddess of Fortune. He, conceived by the forms and names of the different divinities, is worshiped by men as the Supreme Lord, as He is also by women in the form of their husband [see also B.G. 9: 23]. (35) Therefore are consciencious women of respect for their husbands, o slim one; and when the husband is of worship and devotion is he a controller representing the Supersoul. (36) I, worshiped by you with such devotion my love, shall as such a person fullfill the desires that for the untruthful are not feasible.'
(37) Diti said: 'If you for me are the one to give the benedictions o brahmin, do in that case, with my two sons dead, ask you for an immortal son capable of killing Indra, because he is the one responsable for the death of the two.'
(38) Hearing her words was the brahmin aggrieved and lamented he to himself: 'Alas what great impiety has befallen me today! (39) Regrettably, I've grown too attached to sensual pleasures in the form of the woman present before me; from my wretched mind captivated by mâyâ will I surely land in hell. (40) What an offense it is to dance to the tune of women in this world; because I'm thus out of control with my senses, I'll be damned alas in not knowing what is good for me. (41) Her face is like a blossoming lotus flower in autumn and her words are pleasing to the ear, but the schemes of a woman cut like a razor through the heart of him who knows. (42) The actual interest of women with their most beloved husband, son and brother, is not to hold anyone as dear as they do their own wishes; they'd even kill them or have them killed in that interest. (43) What was promised I shall give, that statement shall not prove false, but the related killing of Indra cannot be the proper course of action, for this I know something suitable.'
(44) The powerful Muni thinking thus o descendant of Kuru, got slightly angry in his self-condemnation and then spoke. (45) S'rî Kas'yapa said: 'Your son will, as a friend of the godless, be after Indra o gentle one, if for the duration of a year you for this purpose properly keep to a vow.'
(46) Diti said: 'I will accept that vow my dear brahmin, please tell me what I have to do and what is forbidden, as also what I must do not to break the pledge.'
(47) S'rî Kas'yapa said: 'Harm no living entity, do not curse or speak a lie, nor cut your nails and hair and do not touch things impure. (48) Do not enter water for a bath, do not get angry nor speak with wicked people and do not wear dirty clothes or ever wear a flower garland already worn. (49) Do not eat food left over, nor food containing flesh sacrificed to Kâlî, nor must you eat food brought by a s'ûdra or food looked after by a woman in her menses, and do not drink water cupping your hands. (50) Do in the evening, after having eaten, not go out without having washed yourself, with your hair loose, without ornaments, without being grave or without being covered. (51) Do not lie down without having your dirty feet washed nor with your feet wet, with your head northward nor westward and do not lie down with other women, naked or during sunset or sunrise. (52) In clean clothes, always being washed and adorned with all auspicious things you should worship before breakfast the cows and brahmins, the Goddess of Fortune and the Infallible One. (53) Women with husband and son you must worship with presentations of garlands, sandelwood pulp and ornaments, in worship of your husband you should offer prayers and meditate, and with him in you [during intercourse or pregnancy] you should do that also. (54) Keeping without violations to this vow of pumsavana ['of the forest person'] for a year will there be for you a son to kill Indra.'
(55) Assenting to it received Diti thus, o King, joyously the semen from Kas'yapa and performed she strictly to the vow. (56) O dear King of respect for all, Indra, who understood the intention of his mother's sister, then, keen on his own interests, waited upon Diti to serve her for the time she stayed in an âs'rama. (57) Daily he brought her from the forest flowers, fruits, roots and wood for the sacrificial fire as also leaves, kus'a grass, sprouts, earth and water at the right time. (58) Thus, o ruler of man, with her faithful discharge of duties trying to find a fault in her allegeance to the vow, was Indra serving her in deceit like a hunter posing for a deer. (59) But he couldn't detect a single failure of excecution and thus, o master of the world, wondered he in that desire anxiously: 'How can there be my well-being in this world?' (60) Once though did she, weakend of the vow, after she had eaten, not touch water and wash her feet, and went she, confused about the rules, to sleep at dusk. (61) Thereupon finding fault with her entered Indra as a master of yoga in control with the mystical power the womb of Diti who unconscious lay asleep. (62) He cut the embryo, that had a golden appearance, in seven pieces with his thunderbolt, and cut each crying piece into seven more, telling them not to cry. (63) To him they all, being pained, with folded hands said: 'O ruler, why do you want to kill us, o Indra, we are your brothers!'
(64) To his devoted followers the Maruts he thus said: 'You should not be afraid about this my brothers.'
(65) By the mercy of S'rînivâsa [Vishnu as the refuge of Lakshmî] did the embryo of Diti, being cut in many pieces by the thunderbolt, not die, just as you [my dear Parîkchit] didn't from the weapon of As'vatthâmâ [see 1.8] (66-67) Once a person has worshiped the Original Person attains he to His selfsame nature and so it happened with Diti who for almost a year had worshiped the Lord [see 5.18:12]. In order to compensate for the faults made by the mother became the fourty-nine parts that Indra had created, the Maruts, the gods who by the Lord were called into existence as soma-drinkers [priests]. (68) Diti waking up saw the children along with Indra shining as bright as the god of fire. It was a view about which the goddess, purified [after her penance], was very pleased. (69) She thereupon said to Indra: 'O dear one, calling for terror over the Âdityas executed I, desiring a son, this vow that is so difficult to keep. (70) Only one son I prayed for but fourty nine of them found their existence; how could that be? Speak to me if you know this, my dear son, and don't tell me lies.'
(71) Indra said: 'O mother, having understood what your vow was did I, having gotten close to you, find a fault upon which I, out of my selfinterest having lost sight of the dharma, cut up the embryo. (72) The embryo was cut in seven pieces by me and they became seven babies; and even though I cut each of them in seven as well, did none of them die. (73) Seeing that great wonder I following decided that it had to be some side-effect of your worshiping the Supreme Personality. (74) Those who without being covetous take interest in the worship of the Supreme Lord and therewith not even desire the transcendental position, one may consider experts in enlightened selfinterest [compare 2.3: 10 and B.G. 9: 22]. (75) Would an intelligent person still covet any form of material satisfaction that one even finds in hell, when he has been of the worship with which He, the Lord of the Universe and the most intimate Godhead, has given Himself to him? [see also the S'rî S'rî S'ikshâshthaka] (76) O best of women, please excuse me for being such a fool with this evil deed of mine; o mother, by your good fortune became the child I killed within you alive again.'
(77) S'rî S'uka said: 'With her being satisfied about his good manners left, after having offered his respects to the Maruts and to her, Indra with her permission for the worlds of the Lord. (78) Thus I've told you all that you asked me about concerning the auspicious birth of the Maruts, what should I tell you further?'
Performing the Pumsavana Ritualistic Ceremony
(1) The king said: 'I want to know about the vow called pumsavana that you spoke of o brahmin and by which Lord Vishnu is pleased.
(2-3) S'rî S'uka said: 'From the first day during the bright fortnight of Agrahâyana (November-December), should a woman with the permission of her husband begin with this vow which fulfills all desires. Before breakfast hearing about the birth of the Maruts and taking instruction from the brahmins, she should bathe and have her teeth cleaned white, put on ornaments and garments and worship the Supreme Lord who is with the Goddess of Fortune as follows: (4) 'May there be all the obeisances unto You o Lord indifferent, whose will is always done; unto the husband of Lakshmî Devî, the Master of all Perfection, my respects. (5) You as the One endowed with mercy, opulence, prowess, glory and strength o my Lord therefore art of all the divine qualities the One Supreme Master. (6) O Lakshmî espoused to Lord Vishnu, you are His energy and have all the qualities of the Supreme Personality, I beg you be pleased with me o Goddess of Fortune, o Mother of the World, may there be all reverential homage unto you. (7) My obeisances unto the Supreme Lord and Personality of all Power, the husband of that Greatness of Wealth with His associates; unto Him I offer my presentations'.
By the invocation of Lord Vishnu thus with this mantra every day must she then offer attentively presentations of gifts, lamps, incense flowers, scents, ornaments, garments, a sacred thread, bathing water and water for the hands, feet and mouth. (8) Next should the remnants of the sacrifice be offered in the fire with twelve oblations hailing Him thus: 'O My Lord all my respects for You as the One Supreme, the Greatest Enjoyer who is the husband of the Goddess of Fortune'.
(9) Lord Vishnu and the goddess are the bestowers of all benedictions and together the source of all blessings; if one desires all the opulences one should with devotion daily be of worship. (10) Stretched out straight on the ground [dandavat] one in devotion should be of sacrifice in a humble state of mind uttering this mantra ten times and then chant the next prayer: (11) 'The both of You are indeed the proprietors of the universe, the Supreme Cause. This external world of Yours is certainly difficult to fathom and the internal potency is difficult to surpass. (12) You as the Supreme Personality, You are her direct Master, the one of all sacrifices; this goddess ruling all that I do and this Enjoyer of the Fruits that You are I worship. (13) To this devî as the reservoir of all qualities are You indeed the Manifester and Enjoyer, the Supersoul of all embodied souls; You are the support and the cause of the manifestation of the name, form, body, senses and mind of her as Lakshmî, the Goddess of Fortune. (14) May, since the both of You are the benedictors and supreme rulers of the three worlds, therefore, o Uttamas'loka, o Lord Praised in the Verses, my great ambitions be fulfilled.'
(15) Thus one should pray to Vishnu who with Lakshmî is the abode of the goddess and the bestower of benedictions. Next one should remove the things of worship and wash one's hands and mouth after the offering and homage. (16) Then should one appreciate with devotion and a humble mind, the remnants of the sacrifice smelling them and again be of worship for Lord Vishnu. (17) By those offerings should the wife, with love for the husband who himself then also executes all the menial and elevated duties, with devotion accept the dear husband as if he were the Supreme Personality himself. (18) When the wife is unable to do so should the husband execute this attentively, because when even but one of them performs the sacrifice, still both the wife and the husband may enjoy the result. (19-20) One should not break with the execution of this vow to Lord Vishnu for any reason; daily should one in a regulated manner grant the brahmins and the women with their husbands and children, the offerings with garlands, sandalwood, food and ornaments to the Godhead. As a consequence of placing it before Him does one, having put the Godhead to rest, eating of what was offered and as should dividing it among others, find purification of one's soul and the fulfillment of all desires. (21) With this regulated puja must after the time of twelve months, a year, the wife then fast on the last day [the full moon] of Kârttika [October-November]. (22) The next morning contacting water should in worship of Lord Krishna according the injunctions of cooking for a sacrifice [as stated in the Grihya-sûtras] as before sweet rice with ghee boiled in milk be offered, with the husband twelve times doing oblations in the fire. (23) With the permission of the brahmins, whose blessings he accepted on his head after pleasing them expressing his obeisances, should he then in devotion eat. (24) With friends and relatives controlling the speech, should he first of all properly welcome the teacher of example and next should he give the wife the remnant of the offering. That will ensure him progeny and good fortune. (25) Performing this vow to the instructions gets a man in this life all things desired from the Almighty and is a woman performing this able to achieve all fortune, opulence, progeny, a long living husband and a good reputation and home. (26-28) Unmarried she can [to this vrata] get a husband with all good qualities and reaches she, free from faults with no husband or son, the divine abode; with a child dead she may have one living long, unfortunate will she find fortune and fare well, and ugly she finds beauty and excellence. A diseased man is freed from his disease and will be an able man again; reciting this in ceremony to the forefathers and the gods will please the both of them as well as the Lord, the enjoyer of all sacrifice, very much, so that satisfied they, upon the completion of the ceremony, will fulfill all one's desires. O King, thus I extensively explained to you about the great birth of the Maruts and the piety of Diti taking to the vow.'
Thus ends the sixth Canto of the S'rîmad Bhâgavatam named: 'Prescribed Duties For Mankind'.
Translation: Anand Aadhar Prabhu, http://srimadbhâgavatam.org/c/8/AnandAadhar.html
Production: the Filognostic Association of The Order of Time, with special thanks to Sakhya Devî Dasi for proofreading and correcting the manuscript. http://theorderoftime.com/info/guests-friends.html
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