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SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM by Krsna-Dwaipayana Vyasa
(Translation: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada & others)
CONTENTS
CANTO ONE
Chapter One Questions by the Sages 7
Chapter Two Divinity and Divine Service 8
Chapter Three Krsna Is the Source of All Incarnations 9
Chapter Four The Appearance of Sri Narada 12
Chapter Five Narada's Instructions on Srimad-Bhagavatam for Vyasadeva 13
Chapter Six Conversation Between Narada and Vyasadeva 15
Chapter Seven The Son of Drona Punished 17
Chapter Eight Prayers by Queen Kunti and Pariksit Saved 19
Chapter Nine The Passing Away of Bhismadeva in the Presence of Lord Krsna 21
Chapter Ten Departure of Lord Krsna for Dvaraka 24
Chapter Eleven Lord Krsna's Entrance into Dvaraka 25
Chapter Twelve Birth of Emperor Pariksit 27
Chapter Thirteen Dhrtarastra Quits Home 29
Chapter Fourteen The Disappearance of Lord Krsna 32
Chapter Fifteen The Pandavas Retire Timely 33
Chapter Sixteen How Pariksit Received the Age of Kali 36
Chapter Seventeen Punishment and Reward of Kali 38
Chapter Eighteen Maharaja Pariksit Cursed by a Brahmana Boy 40
Chapter Nineteen The Appearance of Sukadeva Gosvami 42
CANTO TWO
Chapter One The First Step in God Realization 44
Chapter Two The Lord in the Heart 46
Chapter Three Pure Devotional Service: The Change in Heart 48
Chapter Four The Process of Creation 49
Chapter Five The Cause of All Causes 51
Chapter Six Purusa-sukta Confirmed 53
Chapter Seven Scheduled Incarnations with Specific Functions 55
Chapter Eight Questions by King Pariksit 59
Chapter Nine Answers by Citing the Lord's Version 60
Chapter Ten Bhagavatam Is the Answer to All Questions 62
CANTO THREE
Chapter One Questions by Vidura 65
Chapter Two Remembrance of Lord Krsna 67
Chapter Three Remembrance of Lord Krsna 69
Chapter Four Vidura Approaches Maitreya 70
Chapter Five Vidura's Talks with Maitreya 72
Chapter Six Creation of the Universal Form 75
Chapter Seven Further Inquires by Vidura 76
Chapter Eight Manifestation of Brahma from Garbhodakasayi Visnu 78
Chapter Nine Brahma's Prayers for Creative Energy 80
Chapter Ten Divisions of the Creation 83
Chapter Eleven Calculation of Time, from the Atom 84
Chapter Twelve Creation of the Kumaras and Others 86
Chapter Thirteen The Appearance of Lord Varaha 88
Chapter Fourteen Pregnancy of Diti in the Evening 91
Chapter Fifteen Description of the Kingdom of God 93
Chapter Sixteen The Two Doorkeepers of Vaikuntha, Cursed by the Sages 96
Chapter Seventeen Victory of Hiranyaksa Over All the directions of the Universe 98
Chapter Eighteen The Battle Between Lord Boar and the Demon Hiranyaksa 99
Chapter Nineteen The Killing of the Demon Hiranyaksa 100
Chapter Twenty Conversation Between Maitreya and Vidura 102
Chapter Twenty-one Conversation Between Manu and Kardama 104
Chapter Twenty-two The Marriage of Kardama Muni and Devahuti 107
Chapter Twenty-three Devahuti's Lamentation 108
Chapter Twenty-four The Renunciation of Kardama Muni 111
Chapter Twenty-five The Glories of Devotional Service 113
Chapter Twenty-six Fundamental Principles of Material Nature 115
Chapter Twenty-seven Understanding Material Nature 119
Chapter Twenty-eight Kapila's Instructions on the Execution of Devotional Service 120
Chapter Twenty-nine Explanation of Devotional Service by Lord Kapila 122
Chapter Thirty Description by Lord Kapila of Adverse Fruitive Activities 125
Chapter Thirty-one Lord Kapila's Instructions on the Movements of the Living Entities 126
Chapter Thirty-two Entanglement in Fruitive Activities 129
Chapter Thirty-three Activities of Kapila 131
CANTO FOUR
Chapter One Genealogical Table of the Daughters of Manu 133
Chapter Two Daksa Curses Lord Siva 135
Chapter Three Talks Between Lord Siva and Sati 137
Chapter Four Sati Quits Her Body 138
Chapter Five Frustration of the Sacrifice of Daksa 140
Chapter Six Brahma Satisfies Lord Siva 141
Chapter Seven The Sacrifice Performed by Daksa 144
Chapter Eight Dhruva Maharaja Leaves Home for the Forest 148
Chapter Nine Dhruva Maharaja Returns Home 152
Chapter Ten Dhruva Maharaja's Fight With the Yaksas 156
Chapter Eleven Svayambuva Manu Advises Dhruva Maharaja to Stop Fighting 157
Chapter Twelve Dhruva Maharaja Goes Back to Godhead 159
Chapter Thirteen Description of the Descendants of Dhruva Maharaja 162
Chapter Fourteen The Story of King Vena 164
Chapter Fifteen King Prthu's Appearance and Coronation 167
Chapter Sixteen Praise of King Prthu by the Professional Reciters 168
Chapter Seventeen Maharaja Prthu Becomes Angry at the Earth 170
Chapter Eighteen Prthu Maharaja Milks the Earth Planet 172
Chapter Nineteen King Prthu's One Hundred Horse Sacrifices 173
Chapter Twenty Lord Visnu's Appearance in the Sacrificial Arena 175
Chapter Twenty-one Instructions by Maharaja Prthu 178
Chapter Twenty-two Prthu Maharaja's Meeting with the Four Kumaras 181
Chapter Twenty-three Maharaja Prthu's Going Back Home 184
Chapter Twenty-four Chanting the Song Sung by Lord Siva 187
Chapter Twenty-five The Descriptions of the Characteristics of King Puranjana 191
Chapter Twenty-six King Puranjana Goes to Forest to Hunt, His Queen Becomes Angry194
Chapter Twenty-seven Attack by Candavega on City of Puranjana; Character of Kalakanya196
Chapter Twenty-eight Puranjana Becomes a Woman in the Next Life 197
Chapter Twenty-nine Talks Between Narada and King Pracinabarhi 200
Chapter Thirty The Activities of the Pracetas 205
Chapter Thirty-one Narada Instructs the Pracetas 208
CANTO FIVE
Chapter One The Activities of Maharaja Priyavrata 210
Chapter Two The Activities of Maharaja Agnidhra 213
Chapter Three Rsabhadeva's Appearance in the Womb of Merudevi, Wife of King Nabhi215
Chapter Four The Characteristics of Rsabhadeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead 217
Chapter Five Lord Rsabhadeva's Teachings to His Sons 218
Chapter Six The Activities of Lord Rsabhadeva 221
Chapter Seven The Activities of King Bharata 223
Chapter Eight A Description of the Character of Bharata Maharaja 224
Chapter Nine The Supreme Character of Jada Bharata 226
Chapter Ten The Discussion Between Jada Bharata and Maharaja Rahugana 228
Chapter Eleven Jada Bharata Instructs King Rahugana 231
Chapter Twelve Conversation Between Maharaja Rahugana and Jada Bharata 232
Chapter Thirteen Further Talks Between King Rahugana and Jada Bharata 234
Chapter Fourteen The Material World as the Great Forest of Enjoyment 236
Chapter Fifteen The Glories of the Descendants of King Priyavrata 240
Chapter Sixteen A Description of Jambudvipa 242
Chapter Seventeen The Descent of the River Ganges 244
Chapter Eighteen The Prayers Offered to the Lord by the Residents of Jambudvipa 246
Chapter Nineteen A Description of the Island of Jambudvipa 249
Chapter Twenty Studying the Structure of the Universe 252
Chapter Twenty-one The Movements of the Sun 255
Chapter Twenty-two The Orbits of the Planets 256
Chapter Twenty-three The Sisumara Planetary Systems 258
Chapter Twenty-four The Subterranean Heavenly Planets 259
Chapter Twenty-five The Glories of Lord Ananta 262
Chapter Twenty-six A Description of the Hellish Planets 263
CANTO SIX
Chapter One The History of the Life of Ajamila 266
Chapter Two Ajamila Delivered by the Visnudutas 270
Chapter Three Yamaraja Instructs His Messengers 273
Chapter Four The Hamsa-guhya Prayers Offrered to the Lord by Prajapati Daksa 275
Chapter Five Narada Muni Cursed by Prajapati Daksa 279
Chapter Six The Progeny of the Daughters of Daksa 282
Chapter Seven Indra Offends His Spiritual Master, Brhaspati 283
Chapter Eight The Narayana-kavaca Shield 285
Chapter Nine Appearance of the Demon Vrtrasura 288
Chapter Ten The Battle Between the Demigods and Vrtrasura 292
Chapter Eleven The Transcendental Qualities of Vrtrasura 293
Chapter Twelve Vrtrasura's Glorious Death 295
Chapter Thirteen King Indra Afflicted by Sinful Reaction 297
Chapter Fourteen King Citraketu's Lamentation 298
Chapter Fifteen The Saints Narada and Angira Instruct King Citraketu 301
Chapter Sixteen King Citraketu Meets the Supreme Lord 303
Chapter Seventeen Mother Parvati Curses Citraketu 307
Chapter Eighteen Diti Vows to Kill King Indra 309
Chapter Nineteen Performing the Pumsavana Ritualistic Ceremony 313
CANTO SEVEN
Chapter One The Supreme Lord Is Equal to Everyone 315
Chapter Two Hiranyakasipu, King of the Demons 318
Chapter Three Hiranyakasipu's Plan to Become Immortal 321
Chapter Four Hiranyakasipu Terrorizes the Universe 323
Chapter Five Prahlada Maharaja, the Saintly Son of Hiranyakasipu 326
Chapter Six Prahlada Instructs His Demoniac Schoolmates 329
Chapter Seven What Prahlada Learned in the Womb 331
Chapter Eight Lord Nrsimhadeva Slays the King of the Demons 334
Chapter Nine Prahlada Pacifies Lord Nrsimhadeva with Prayers 338
Chapter Ten Prahlada, the Best Among Exalted Devotees 342
Chapter Eleven The Perfect Society: Four Social Classes 345
Chapter Twelve The Perfect Society: Four Spiritual Classes 347
Chapter Thirteen The Behavior of a Perfect Person 349
Chapter Fourteen Ideal Family Life 351
Chapter Fifteen Instructions for Civilized Human Beings 354
CANTO EIGHT
Chapter One The Manus, Administrators of the Universe 359
Chapter Two The Elephant Gajendra's Crisis 360
Chapter Three Gajendra's Prayers of Surrender 362
Chapter Four Gajendra Returns to the Spiritual World 364
Chapter Five The Demigods Appeal to the Lord for Protection 365
Chapter Six The Demigods and Demons Declare a Truce 368
Chapter Seven Lord Siva Saves the Universe by Drinking Poison 370
Chapter Eight The Churning of the Milk Ocean 372
Chapter Nine The Lord Incarnates as Mohini-Murti 375
Chapter Ten The Battle Between the Demigods and the Demons 376
Chapter Eleven King Indra Annihilates the Demons 379
Chapter Twelve The Mohini-murti Incarnation Bewilders Lord Siva 381
Chapter Thirteen Description of Future Manus 384
Chapter Fourteen The System of Universal Management 385
Chapter Fifteen Bali Maharaja Conquers the Heavenly Planets 386
Chapter Sixteen Executing the Payo-vrata Process of Worship 387
Chapter Seventeen The Supreme Lord Agrees to Become Aditi's Son 390
Chapter Eighteen Lord Vamanadeva, the Dwarf Incarnation 391
Chapter Nineteen Lord Vamanadeva Begs Charity from Bali Maharaja 393
Chapter Twenty Bali Maharaja Surrenders the Universe 395
Chapter Twenty-one Bali Maharaja Arrested by the Lord 397
Chapter Twenty-two Bali Maharaja Surrenders His Life 399
Chapter Twenty-three The Demigods Regain the Heavenly Planets 401
Chapter Twenty-four Matsya, the Lord's Fish Incarnation 402
CANTO NINE
Chapter One King Sudyumna Becomes a Woman 405
Chapter Two The Dynasties of the Sons of Manu 407
Chapter Three The Marriage of Sukanya and Cyavana Muni 408
Chapter Four Ambarisa Maharaja Offended by Durvasa Muni 410
Chapter Five Durvasa Muni's Life Spared 414
Chapter Six The Downfall of Saubhari Muni 415
Chapter Seven The Descendants of King Mandhata 418
Chapter Eight The Sons of Sagara Meet Lord Kapiladeva 419
Chapter Nine The Dynasty of Amsuman 420
Chapter Ten The Pastimes of the Supreme Lord, Ramacandra 423
Chapter Eleven Lord Ramacandra Rules the World 426
Chapter Twelve The Dynasty of Kusa, the Son of Lord Ramacandra 428
Chapter Thirteen The Dynasty of Maharaja Nimi 429
Chapter Fourteen King Pururava Enchanted by Urvasi 430
Chapter Fifteen Parasurama, the Lord's Warrior Incarnation 433
Chapter Sixteen Lord Parasurama Destroys the World's Ruling Class 434
Chapter Seventeen The Dynasties of the Sons of Pururava 436
Chapter Eighteen King Yayati Regains His Youth 437
Chapter Nineteen King Yayati Achieves Liberation 439
Chapter Twenty The Dynasty of Puru 441
Chapter Twenty-one The Dynasty of Bharata 442
Chapter Twenty-two The Descendants of Ajamidha 444
Chapter Twenty-three The Dynasties of the Sons of Yayati 446
Chapter Twenty-four Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead 448
CANTO TEN
Chapter One The Advent of Lord Krsna: Introduction 450
Chapter Two Prayers by the Demigods for Lord Krsna in the Womb 454
Chapter Three The Birth of Lord Krsna 457
Chapter Four The Atrocities of King Kamsa 459
Chapter Five The Meeting of Nanda Maharaja and Vasudeva 462
Chapter Six The Killing of the Demon Putana 463
Chapter Seven The Killing of the Demon Trnavarta 465
Chapter Eight Lord Krsna Shows the Universal Form Within His Mouth 468
Chapter Nine Mother Yasoda Binds Lord Lord Krsna 471
Chapter Ten Deliverance of the Yamala-arjuna Trees 472
Chapter Eleven The Childhood Pastimes of Krsna 474
Chapter Twelve The Killing of the Demon Aghasura 477
Chapter Thirteen The Stealing of the Boys and Calves by Brahma 480
Chapter Fourteen Brahma's Prayers to Lord Krsna 484
Chapter Fifteen The Killing of Dhenuka, the Ass Demon 487
Chapter Sixteen Krsna Chastises the Serpent Kaliya 490
Chapter Seventeen The History of Kaliya 494
Chapter Eighteen Lord Balarama Slays the Demon Pralamba 495
Chapter Nineteen Swallowing the Forest Fire 496
Chapter Twenty The Rainy Season and Autumn in Vrndavana 497
Chapter Twenty-One The Gopis Glorify the Song of Krsna's Flute 499
Chapter Twenty-Two Krsna Steals the Garments of the Unmarried Gopis 500
Chapter Twenty-Three The Brahmanas' Wives Blessed 502
Chapter Twenty-Four Worshiping Govardhana Hill 504
Chapter Twenty-Five Lord Krsna Lifts Govardhana Hill 506
Chapter Twenty-Six Wonderful Krsna 507
ChapterTwenty-Seven Lord Indra and Mother Surabhi Offer Prayers 509
Chapter Twenty-Eight Krsna Rescues Nanda Maharaja from the Abode of Varuna 510
Chapter Twenty-Nine Krsna and the Gopis Meet for the Rasa Dance 511
Chapter Thirty The Gopis Search for Krsna 513
Chapter Thirty-One The Gopis' Songs of Separation 515
Chapter Thirty-Two The Reunion 516
Chapter Thirty-Three The Rasa Dance 517
Chapter Thirty-Four Nanda Maharaja Saved and Sankhacuda Slain 519
Chapter Thirty-Five The Gopis Sing of Krsna as He Wanders in the Forest 520
Chapter Thirty-Six The Slaying of Arista, the Bull Demon 521
Chapter Thirty-Seven The Killing of the Demons Kesi and Vyoma 523
Chapter Thirty-Eight Akrura's Arrival in Vrndavana 524
Chapter Thirty-Nine Akrura's Vision 526
Chapter Forty The Prayers of Akrura 529
Chapter Forty-One Krsna and Balarama Enter Mathura 530
Chapter Forty-Two The Breaking of the Sacrificial Bow 532
Chapter Forty-Three Krsna Kills the Elephant Kuvalayapida 534
Chapter Forty-Four The Killing of Kamsa 535
Chapter Forty-Five Krsna Rescues His Teacher's Son 537
Chapter Forty-Six Uddhava Visits Vrndavana 539
Chapter Forty-Seven The Song of the Bee 541
Chapter Forty-Eight Krsna Pleases His Devotees 544
Chapter Forty-Nine Akrura's Mission in Hastinapura 546
Chapter Fifty Krsna Establishes the City of Dvaraka 547
Chapter Fifty-One The Deliverance of Mucukunda 549
Chapter Fifty-Two Rukmini's Message to Lord Krsna 552
Chaptert Fifty-Three Krsna Kidnaps Rukmini 553
Chapter Fifty-Four The Marriage of Krsna and Rukmini 556
Chapter Fifty-Five The History of Pradyumna 558
Chapter Fifty-Six The Syamantaka Jewel 559
Chapter Fifty-Seven Satrajit Murdered, the Jewel Returned 561
Chapter Fifty-Eight Krsna Marries Five Princesses 563
Chapter Fifty-Nine The Killing of the Demon Naraka 565
Chapter Sixty Lord Krsna Teases Queen Rukmini 567
Chapter Sixty-One Lord Balarama Slays Rukmi 570
Chapter Sixty-Two The Meeting of Usa and Aniruddha 571
Chapter Sixty-Three Lord Krsna Fights with Banasura 573
Chapter Sixty-Four The Deliverance of King Nrga 575
Chapter Sixty-Five Lord Balarama Visits Vrndavana 577
Chapter Sixty-Six Paundraka, the False Vasudeva 578
Chapter Sixty-Seven Lord Balarama Slays Dvivida Gorilla 580
Chaptrer Sixty-Eight The Marriage of Samba 581
Chapter Sixty-Nine Narada Muni Visits Lord Krsna's Palaces in Dvaraka 583
Chapter Seventy Lord Krsna's Daily Activities 585
Chapter Seventy-One The Lord Travels to Indraprastha 587
Chapter Seventy-Two The Slaying of the Demon Jarasandha 589
Chapter Seventy-Three Lord Krsna Blesses the Liberated Kings 591
Chapter Seventy-Four The Deliverance of Sisupala at the Rajasuya Sacrifice 592
Chapter Seventy-Five Duryodhana Humiliated 594
Chapter Seventy-Six The Battle Between Salva and the Vrsnis 596
Chapter Seventy-Seven Lord Krsna Slays the Demon Salva 597
Chapter Seventy-Eight The Killing of Dantavakra, Viduratha and Romaharsana 599
Chapter Seventy-Nine Lord Balarama Goes on Pilgrimage 600
Chapter Eighty The Brahmana Sudama Visits Lord Krsna in Dvaraka 601
Chapter Eighty-One The Lord Blesses Sudama Brahmana 603
Chapter Eighty-Two Krsna and Balarama Meet the Inhabitants of Vrndavana 605
Chapter Eighty-Three Draupadi Meets the Queens of Krsna 607
Chapter Eighty-Four The Sages' Teachings at Kuruksetra 609
Chapter Eighty-Five Lord Krsna Instructs Vasudeva and Retrieves Devaki's Sons 612
Chapter Eighty-Six Arjuna Kidnaps Subhadra, and Krsna Blesses His Devotees 615
Chapter Eighty-Seven The Prayers of the Personified Vedas 617
Chapter Eighty-Eight Lord Siva Saved from Vrkasura 621
Chapter Eighty-Nine Krsna and Arjuna Retrieve a Brahmana's Sons 623
Chapter Ninety Summary of Lord Krsna's Glories 625
CANTO ELEVEN
Chapter One The Curse Upon the Yadu Dynasty 627
Chapter Two Maharaja Nimi Meets the Nine Yogendras 629
Chapter Three Liberation from the Illusory Energy 632
Chaptrer Four Drumila Explains the Incarnations of Godhead to King Nimi 636
Chapter Five Narada Concludes His Teachings to Vasudeva 638
Chapter Six The Yadu Dynasty Retires to Prabhasa 641
Chapter Seven Lord Krsna Instructs Uddhava 643
Chapter Eight The Story of Pingala 647
Chapter Nine Detachment from All that Is Material 650
Chapter Ten The Nature of Fruitive Activity 652
Chapter Eleven The Symptoms of Conditioned and Liberated Living Entities 654
Chapter Twelve Beyond Renunciation and Knowledge 657
Chapter Thirteen The Hamsa-avatara Answers the Questions of the Sons of Brahma 659
Chapter Fourteen Lord Krsna Explains the Yoga System to Sri Uddhava 661
Chapter Fifteen Lord Krsna's Description of Mystic Yoga Perfections 663
Chapter Sixteen The Lord's Opulence 665
Chapter Seventeen Lord Krsna's Description of the Varnasrama System 667
Chapter Eighteen Description of Varnasrama-dharma 670
Chapter Nineteen The Perfection of Spiritual Knowledge 673
Chapter Twenty Pure Devotional Service Surpasses Knowledge and Detachment 675
Chapter Twenty-One Lord Krsna's Explanation of the Vedic Path 677
Chapter Twenty-Two Enumeration of the Elements of Material Creation 679
Chapter Twenty-Three The Song of the Avanti Brahmana 682
Chapter Twenty-Four The Philosophy of Sankhya 685
Chapter Twenty-Five The Three Modes of Nature and Beyond 687
Chapter Twenty-Six The Aila-gita 688
Chapter Twenty-Seven Lord Krsna's Instructions on the Process of Deity Worship 690
Chapter Twenty-Eight Jnana-yoga 693
Chapter Twenty-Nine Bhakti-yoga 695
Chapter Thirty The Disappearance of the Yadu Dynasty 698
Chapter Thirty-One The Disappearance of Lord Sri Krsna 700
CANTO TWELVE
Chapter One The Degraded Dynasties of Kali-yuga 701
Chapter Two The Symptoms of Kali-yuga 702
Chapter Three The Bhumi-gita 704
Chapter Four The Four Categories of Universal Annihilation 706
Chapter Five Sukadeva Gosvami's Final Instructions to Maharaja Pariksit 708
Chapter Six Maharaja Pariksit Passes Away 709
Chapter Seven The Puranic Literatures 713
Chapter Eight Markandeya's Prayers to Nara-Narayana Rsi 714
Chapter Nine Markandeya Rsi Sees the Illusory Potency of the Lord 717
Chapter Ten Lord Siva and Uma Glorify Markandeya Rsi
Chapter Eleven Summary Description of the Mahapurusa 720
Chapter Twelve The Topics of Srimad-Bhagavatam Summarized 722
Chapter Thirteen The Glories of Srimad-Bhagavatam 725
CANTO ONE
Chapter One Questions by the Sages
1. O my Lord, Sri Krsna, son of Vasudeva, O all-pervading Personality of
Godhead, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. I meditate upon Lord
Sri Krsna because He is the Absolute Truth and the primeval cause of all
causes of the creation, sustenance and destruction of the manifested
universes. He is directly and indirectly conscious of all
manifestations, and He is independent because there is no other cause
beyond Him. It is He only who first imparted the Vedic knowledge unto
the heart of Brahmaji, the original living being. By Him even the great
sages and demigods are placed into illusion, as one is bewildered by the
illusory representations of water seen in fire, or land seen on water.
Only because of Him do the material universes, temporarily manifested by
the reactions of the three modes of nature, appear factual, although
they are unreal. I therefore meditate upon Him, Lord Sri Krsna, who is
eternally existent in the transcendental abode, which is forever free
from the illusory representations of the material world. I meditate upon
Him, for He is the Absolute Truth.
2. Completely rejecting all religious activities which are materially
motivated, this Bhagavata Purana propounds the highest truth, which is
understandable by those devotees who are fully pure in heart. The
highest truth is reality distinguished from illusion for the welfare of
all. Such truth uproots the threefold miseries. This beautiful
Bhagavatam, compiled by the great sage Vyasadeva [in his maturity], is
sufficient in itself for God realization. What is the need of any other
scripture? As soon as one attentively and submissively hears the message
of Bhagavatam, by this culture of knowledge the Supreme Lord is
established within his heart.
3. O expert and thoughtful men, relish Srimad-Bhagavatam, the mature
fruit of the desire tree of Vedic literatures. It emanated from the lips
of Sri Sukadeva Gosvami. Therefore this fruit has become even more
tasteful, although its nectarean juice was already relishable for all,
including liberated souls.
4. Once, in a holy place in the forest of Naimisaranya, great sages
headed by the sage Saunaka assembled to perform a great thousand-year
sacrifice for the satisfaction of the Lord and His devotees.
5. One day, after finishing their morning duties by burning a
sacrificial fire and offering a seat of esteem to Srila Suta Gosvami,
the great sages made inquiries, with great respect, about the following
matters.
6. The sages said: Respected Suta Gosvami, you are completely free from
all vice. You are well versed in all the scriptures famous for religious
life, and in the Puranas and the histories as well, for you have gone
through them under proper guidance and have also explained them.
7. Being the eldest learned Vedantist, O Suta Gosvami, you are
acquainted with the knowledge of Vyasadeva, who is the incarnation of
Godhead, and you also know other sages who are fully versed in all kinds
of physical and metaphysical knowledge.
8. And because you are submissive, your spiritual masters have endowed
you with all the favors bestowed upon a gentle disciple. Therefore you
can tell us all that you have scientifically learned from them.
9. Please, therefore, being blessed with many years, explain to us, in
an easily understandable way, what you have ascertained to be the
absolute and ultimate good for the people in general.
10. O learned one, in this iron age of Kali men have but short lives.
They are quarrelsome, lazy, misguided, unlucky and, above all, always
disturbed.
11. There are many varieties of scriptures, and in all of them there are
many prescribed duties, which can be learned only after many years of
study in their various divisions. Therefore, O sage, please select the
essence of all these scriptures and explain it for the good of all
living beings, that by such instruction their hearts may be fully
satisfied.
12. All blessings upon you, O Suta Gosvami. You know for what purpose
the Personality of Godhead appeared in the womb of Devaki as the son of
Vasudeva.
13. O Suta Gosvami, we are eager to learn about the Personality of
Godhead and His incarnations. Please explain to us those teachings
imparted by previous masters [acaryas], for one is uplifted both by
speaking them and by hearing them.
14. Living beings who are entangled in the complicated meshes of birth
and death can be freed immediately by even unconsciously chanting the
holy name of Krsna, which is feared by fear personified.
15. O Suta, those great sages who have completely taken shelter of the
lotus feet of the Lord can at once sanctify those who come in touch with
them, whereas the waters of the Ganges can sanctify only after prolonged
use.
16. Who is there, desiring deliverance from the vices of the age of
quarrel, who is not willing to hear the virtuous glories of the Lord?
17. His transcendental acts are magnificent and gracious, and great
learned sages like Narada sing of them. Please, therefore, speak to us,
who are eager to hear about the adventures He performs in His various
incarnations.
18. O wise Suta, please narrate to us the transcendental pastimes of the
Supreme Godhead's multi-incarnations. Such auspicious adventures and
pastimes of the Lord, the supreme controller, are performed by His
internal powers.
19. We never tire of hearing the transcendental pastimes of the
Personality of Godhead, who is glorified by hymns and prayers. Those who
have developed a taste for transcendental relationships with Him relish
hearing of His pastimes at every moment.
20. Lord Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, along with Balarama,
played like a human being, and so masked He performed many superhuman
acts.
21. Knowing well that the age of Kali has already begun, we are
assembled here in this holy place to hear at great length the
transcendental message of Godhead and in this way perform sacrifice.
22. We think that we have met Your Goodness by the will of providence,
just so that we may accept you as captain of the ship for those who
desire to cross the difficult ocean of Kali, which deteriorates all the
good qualities of a human being.
23. Since Sri Krsna, the Absolute Truth, the master of all mystic
powers, has departed for His own abode, please tell us to whom the
religious principles have now gone for shelter.
Chapter Two Divinity and Divine Service
1. Ugrasrava [Suta Gosvami], the son of Romaharsana, being fully
satisfied by the perfect questions of the brahmanas, thanked them and
thus attempted to reply.
2. Srila Suta Gosvami said: Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto
that great sage [Sukadeva Gosvami] who can enter the hearts of all. When
he went away to take up the renounced order of life [sannyasa], leaving
home without undergoing reformation by the sacred thread or the
ceremonies observed by the higher castes, his father, Vyasadeva, fearing
separation from him, cried out, "O my son!" Indeed, only the
trees, which were absorbed in the same feelings of separation, echoed in
response to the begrieved father.
3. Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto him [Suka], the spiritual
master of all sages, the son of Vyasadeva, who, out of his great
compassion for those gross materialists who struggle to cross over the
darkest regions of material existence, spoke this most confidential
supplement to the cream of Vedic knowledge, after having personally
assimilated it by experience.
4. Before reciting this Srimad-Bhagavatam, which is the very means of
conquest, one should offer respectful obeisances unto the Personality of
Godhead, Narayana, unto Nara-narayana Rsi, the supermost human being,
unto mother Sarasvati, the goddess of learning, and unto Srila
Vyasadeva, the author.
5. O sages, I have been justly questioned by you. Your questions are
worthy because they relate to Lord Krsna and so are of relevance to the
world's welfare. Only questions of this sort are capable of completely
satisfying the self.
6. The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men
can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such
devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely
satisfy the self.
7. By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, Sri
Krsna, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from
the world.
8. The occupational activities a man performs according to his own
position are only so much useless labor if they do not provoke
attraction for the message of the Personality of Godhead.
9. All occupational engagements are certainly meant for ultimate
liberation. They should never be performed for material gain.
Furthermore, according to sages, one who is engaged in the ultimate
occupational service should never use material gain to cultivate sense
gratification.
10. Life's desires should never be directed toward sense gratification.
One should desire only a healthy life, or self-preservation, since a
human being is meant for inquiry about the Absolute Truth. Nothing else
should be the goal of one's works.
11. Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this
nondual substance Brahman, Paramatma or Bhagavan.
12. The seriously inquisitive student or sage, well equipped with
knowledge and detachment, realizes that Absolute Truth by rendering
devotional service in terms of what he has heard from the Vedanta-sruti.
13. O best among the twice-born, it is therefore concluded that the
highest perfection one can achieve by discharging the duties prescribed
for one's own occupation according to caste divisions and orders of life
is to please the Personality of Godhead.
14. Therefore, with one-pointed attention, one should constantly hear
about, glorify, remember and worship the Personality of Godhead, who is
the protector of the devotees.
15. With sword in hand, intelligent men cut through the binding knots of
reactionary work [karma] by remembering the Personality of Godhead.
Therefore, who will not pay attention to His message?
16. O twice-born sages, by serving those devotees who are completely
freed from all vice, great service is done. By such service, one gains
affinity for hearing the messages of Vasudeva.
17. Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramatma
[Supersoul] in everyone's heart and the benefactor of the truthful
devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the
devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in
themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted.
18. By regular attendance in classes on the Bhagavatam and by rendering
of service to the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is
almost completely destroyed, and loving service unto the Personality of
Godhead, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an
irrevocable fact.
19. As soon as irrevocable loving service is established in the heart,
the effects of nature's modes of passion and ignorance, such as lust,
desire and hankering, disappear from the heart. Then the devotee is
established in goodness, and he becomes completely happy.
20. Thus established in the mode of unalloyed goodness, the man whose
mind has been enlivened by contact with devotional service to the Lord
gains positive scientific knowledge of the Personality of Godhead in the
stage of liberation from all material association.
21. Thus the knot in the heart is pierced, and all misgivings are cut to
pieces. The chain of fruitive actions is terminated when one sees the
self as master.
22. Certainly, therefore, since time immemorial, all transcendentalists
have been rendering devotional service to Lord Krsna, the Personality of
Godhead, with great delight, because such devotional service is
enlivening to the self.
23. The transcendental Personality of Godhead is indirectly associated
with the three modes of material nature, namely passion, goodness and
ignorance, and just for the material world's creation, maintenance and
destruction He accepts the three qualitative forms of Brahma, Visnu and
Siva. Of these three, all human beings can derive ultimate benefit from
Visnu, the form of the quality of goodness.
24. Firewood is a transformation of earth, but smoke is better than the
raw wood. And fire is still better, for by fire we can derive the
benefits of superior knowledge [through Vedic sacrifices]. Similarly,
passion [rajas] is better than ignorance [tamas], but goodness [sattva]
is best because by goodness one can come to realize the Absolute Truth.
25. Previously all the great sages rendered service unto the Personality
of Godhead due to His existence above the three modes of material
nature. They worshiped Him to become free from material conditions and
thus derive the ultimate benefit. Whoever follows such great authorities
is also eligible for liberation from the material world.
26. Those who are serious about liberation are certainly nonenvious, and
they respect all. Yet they reject the horrible and ghastly forms of the
demigods and worship only the all-blissful forms of Lord Visnu and His
plenary portions.
27. Those who are in the modes of passion and ignorance worship the
forefathers, other living beings and the demigods who are in charge of
cosmic activities, for they are urged by a desire to be materially
benefited with women, wealth, power and progeny.
28-29. In the revealed scriptures, the ultimate object of knowledge is
Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead. The purpose of performing
sacrifice is to please Him. Yoga is for realizing Him. All fruitive
activities are ultimately rewarded by Him only. He is supreme knowledge,
and all severe austerities are performed to know Him. Religion [dharma]
is rendering loving service unto Him. He is the supreme goal of life.
30. In the beginning of the material creation, that Absolute Personality
of Godhead [Vasudeva], in His transcendental position, created the
energies of cause and effect by His own internal energy.
31. After creating the material substance, the Lord [Vasudeva] expands
Himself and enters into it. And although He is within the material modes
of nature and appears to be; one of the created beings, He is always
fully enlightened in His transcendental position.
32. The Lord, as Supersoul, pervades all things, just as fire permeates
wood, and so He appears to be of many varieties, though He is the
absolute one without a second.
33. The Supersoul enters into the bodies of the created beings who are
influenced by the modes of material nature and causes them to enjoy the
effects of these modes by the subtle mind.
34. Thus the Lord of the universes maintains all planets inhabited by
demigods, men and lower animals. Assuming the roles of incarnations, He
performs pastimes to reclaim those in the mode of pure goodness.
Chapter Three Krsna Is the Source of All Incarnations
1. Suta said: In the beginning of the creation, the Lord first expanded
Himself in the universal form of the purusa incarnation and manifested
all the ingredients for the material creation. And thus at first there
was the creation of the sixteen principles of material action. This was
for the purpose of creating the material universe.
2. A part of the purusa lies down within the water of the universe, from
the navel lake of His body sprouts a lotus stem, and from the lotus
flower atop this stem, Brahma, the master of all engineers in the
universe, becomes manifest.
3. It is believed that all the universal planetary systems are situated
on the extensive body of the purusa, but He has nothing to do with the
created material ingredients. His body is eternally in spiritual
existence par excellence.
4. The devotees, with their perfect eyes, see the transcendental form of
the purusa who has thousands of legs, thighs, arms and faces--all
extraordinary. In that body there are thousands of heads, ears, eyes and
noses. They are decorated with thousands of helmets and glowing earrings
and are adorned with garlands.
5. This form [the second manifestation of the purusa] is the source and
indestructible seed of multifarious incarnations within the universe.
From the particles and portions of this form, different living entities,
like demigods, men and others, are created.
6. First of all, in the beginning of creation, there were the four
unmarried sons of Brahma [the Kumaras], who, being situated in a vow of
celibacy, underwent severe austerities for realization of the Absolute
Truth.
7. The supreme enjoyer of all sacrifices accepted the incarnation of a
boar [the second incarnation], and for the welfare of the earth He
lifted the earth from the nether regions of the universe.
8. In the millennium of the rsis, the Personality of Godhead accepted
the third empowered incarnation in the form of Devarsi Narada, who is a
great sage among the demigods. He collected expositions of the Vedas
which deal with devotional service and which inspire nonfruitive action.
9. In the fourth incarnation, the Lord became Nara and Narayana, the
twin sons of the wife of King Dharma. Thus He undertook severe and
exemplary penances to control the senses.
10. The fifth incarnation, named Lord Kapila, is foremost among
perfected beings. He gave an exposition of the creative elements and
metaphysics to Asuri Brahmana, for in course of time this knowledge had
been lost.
11. The sixth incarnation of the purusa was the son of the sage Atri. He
was born from the womb of Anasuya, who prayed for an incarnation. He
spoke on the subject of transcendence to Alarka, Prahlada and others
[Yadu, Haihaya, etc.].
12. The seventh incarnation was Yajna, the son of Prajapati Ruci and his
wife Akuti. He controlled the period during the change of the
Svayambhuva Manu and was assisted by demigods such as His son Yama.
13. The eighth incarnation was King Rsabha, son of King Nabhi and his
wife Merudevi. In this incarnation the Lord showed the path of
perfection, which is followed by those who have fully controlled their
senses and who are honored by all orders of life.
14. O brahmanas, in the ninth incarnation, the Lord, prayed for by
sages, accepted the body of a king [Prthu] who cultivated the land to
yield various produces, and for that reason the earth was beautiful and
attractive.
15. When there was a complete inundation after the period of the Caksusa
Manu and the whole world was deep within water, the Lord accepted the
form of a fish and protected Vaivasvata Manu, keeping him up on a boat.
16. The eleventh incarnation of the Lord took the form of a tortoise
whose shell served as a pivot for the Mandaracala Hill, which was being
used as a churning rod by the theists and atheists of the universe.
17. In the twelfth incarnation, the Lord appeared as Dhanvantari, and in
the thirteenth He allured the atheists by the charming beauty of a woman
and gave nectar to the demigods to drink.
18. In the fourteenth incarnation, the Lord appeared as Nrsimha and
bifurcated the strong body of the atheist Hiranyakasipu with His nails,
just as a carpenter pierces cane.
19. In the fifteenth incarnation, the Lord assumed the form of a
dwarf-brahmana [Vamana] and visited the arena of sacrifice arranged by
Maharaja Bali. Although at heart He was willing to regain the kingdom of
the three planetary systems, He simply asked for a donation of three
steps of land.
20. In the sixteenth incarnation of the Godhead, the Lord [as Bhrgupati]
annihilated the administrative class [ksatriyas] twenty-one times, being
angry with them because of their rebellion against the brahmanas [the
intelligent class].
21. Thereafter, in the seventeenth incarnation of Godhead, Sri Vyasadeva
appeared in the womb of Satyavati through Parasara Muni, and he divided
the one Veda into several branches and subbranches, seeing that the
people in general were less intelligent.
22. In the eighteenth incarnation, the Lord appeared as King Rama. In
order to perform some pleasing work for the demigods, He exhibited
superhuman powers by controlling the Indian Ocean and then killing the
atheist King Ravana, who was on the other side of the sea.
23. In the nineteenth and twentieth incarnations, the Lord advented
Himself as Lord Balarama and Lord Krsna in the family of Vrsni [the Yadu
dynasty], and by so doing He removed the burden of the world.
24. Then, in the beginning of Kali-yuga, the Lord will appear as Lord
Buddha, the son of Anjana, in the province of Gaya, just for the purpose
of deluding those who are envious of the faithful theist.
25. Thereafter, at the conjunction of two yugas, the Lord of the
creation will take His birth as the Kalki incarnation and become the son
of Visnu Yasa. At this time the rulers of the earth will have
degenerated into plunderers.
26. O brahmanas, the incarnations of the Lord are innumerable, like
rivulets flowing from inexhaustible sources of water.
27. All the rsis, Manus, demigods and descendants of Manu, who are
especially powerful, are plenary portions or portions of the plenary
portions of the Lord. This also includes the Prajapatis.
28. All of the above-mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions
or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Sri Krsna is
the original Personality of Godhead. All of them appear on planets
whenever there is a disturbance created by the atheists. The Lord
incarnates to protect the theists.
29. Whoever carefully recites the mysterious appearances of the Lord,
with devotion in the morning and in the evening, gets relief from all
miseries of life.
30. The conception of the virat universal form of the Lord, as appearing
in the material world, is imaginary. It is to enable the less
intelligent [and neophytes] to adjust to the idea of the Lord's having
form. But factually the Lord has no material form.
31. Clouds and dust are carried by the air, but less intelligent persons
say that the sky is cloudy and the air is dirty. Similarly, they also
implant material bodily conceptions on the spirit self.
32. Beyond this gross conception of form is another, subtle conception
of form which is without formal shape and is unseen, unheard and
unmanifest. The living being has his form beyond this subtlety,
otherwise he could not have repeated births.
33. Whenever a person experiences, by self-realization, that both the
gross and subtle bodies have nothing to do with the pure self, at that
time he sees himself as well as the Lord.
34. If the illusory energy subsides and the living entity becomes fully
enriched with knowledge by the grace of the Lord, then he becomes at
once enlightened with self-realization and thus becomes situated in his
own glory.
35. Thus learned men describe the births and activities of the unborn
and inactive, which is undiscoverable even in the Vedic literatures. He
is the Lord of the heart.
36. The Lord, whose activities are always spotless, is the master of the
six senses and is fully omnipotent with six opulences. He creates the
manifested universes, maintains them and annihilates them without being
in the least affected. He is within every living being and is always
independent.
37. The foolish with a poor fund of knowledge cannot know the
transcendental nature of the forms, names and activities of the Lord,
who is playing like an actor in a drama. Nor can they express such
things, neither in their speculations nor in their words.
38. Only those who render unreserved, uninterrupted, favorable service
unto the lotus feet of Lord Krsna, who carries the wheel of the chariot
in His hand, can know the creator of the universe in His full glory,
power and transcendence.
39. Only by making such inquiries in this world can one be successful
and perfectly cognizant, for such inquiries invoke transcendental
ecstatic love unto the Personality of Godhead, who is the proprietor of
all the universes, and guarantee cent-percent immunity from the dreadful
repetition of birth and death.
40. This Srimad-Bhagavatam is the literary incarnation of God, and it is
compiled by Srila Vyasadeva, the incarnation of God. It is meant for the
ultimate good of all people, and it is all-successful, all-blissful and
all-perfect.
41. Sri Vyasadeva delivered it to his son, who is the most respected
among the self-realized, after extracting the cream of all Vedic
literatures and histories of the universe.
42. Sukadeva Gosvami, the son of Vyasadeva, in his turn delivered the
Bhagavatam to the great Emperor Pariksit, who sat surrounded by sages on
the bank of the Ganges, awaiting death without taking food or drink.
43. This Bhagavata Purana is as brilliant as the sun, and it has arisen
just after the departure of Lord Krsna to His own abode, accompanied by
religion, knowledge, etc. Persons who have lost their vision due to the
dense darkness of ignorance in the age of Kali shall get light from this
Purana.
44. O learned brahmanas, when Sukadeva Gosvami recited Bhagavatam there
[in the presence of Emperor Pariksit], I heard him with rapt attention,
and thus, by his mercy, I learned the Bhagavatam from that great and
powerful sage. Now I shall try to make you hear the very same thing as I
learned it from him and as I have realized it.
Chapter Four The Appearance of Sri Narada
1. On hearing Suta Gosvami speak thus, Saunaka Muni, who was the
elderly, learned leader of all the rsis engaged in that prolonged
sacrificial ceremony, congratulated Suta Gosvami by addressing him as
follows.
2. Saunaka said: O Suta Gosvami, you are the most fortunate and
respected of all those who can speak and recite. Please relate the pious
message of Srimad-Bhagavatam, which was spoken by the great and powerful
sage Sukadeva Gosvami.
3. In what period and at what place was this first begun, and why was
this taken up? From where did Krsna-dvaipayana Vyasa, the great sage,
get the inspiration to compile this literature?
4. His [Vyasadeva's] son was a great devotee, an equibalanced monist,
whose mind was always concentrated in monism. He was transcendental to
mundane activities, but being unexposed, he appeared like an ignorant
person.
5. While Sri Vyasadeva was following his son, beautiful young damsels
who were bathing naked covered their bodies with cloth, although Sri
Vyasadeva himself was not naked. But they had not done so when his son
had passed. The sage inquired about this, and the young ladies replied
that his son was purified and when looking at them made no distinction
between male and female. But the sage made such distinctions.
6. How was he [Srila Sukadeva, the son of Vyasa] recognized by the
citizens when he entered the city of Hastinapura [now Delhi], after
wandering in the provinces of Kuru and Jangala, appearing like a madman,
dumb and retarded?
7. How did it so happen that King Pariksit met this great sage, making
it possible for this great transcendental essence of the Vedas
[Bhagavatam] to be sung to him?
8. He [Sukadeva Gosvami] was accustomed to stay at the door of a
householder only long enough for a cow to be milked. And he did this
just to sanctify the residence.
9. It is said that Maharaja Pariksit is a great first-class devotee of
the Lord and that his birth and activities are all wonderful. Please
tell us about him.
10. He was a great emperor and possessed all the opulences of his
acquired kingdom. He was so exalted that he was increasing the prestige
of the Pandu dynasty. Why did he give up everything to sit down on the
bank of the Ganges and fast until death?<
11. He was such a great emperor that all his enemies would come and bow
down at his feet and surrender all their wealth for their own benefit.
He was full of youth and strength, and he possessed insuperable kingly
opulences. Why did he want to give up everything, including his life?<
12. Those who are devoted to the cause of the Personality of Godhead
live only for the welfare, development and happiness of others. They do
not live for any selfish interest. So even though the Emperor [Pariksit]
was free from all attachment to worldly possessions, how could he give
up his mortal body, which was shelter for others?<
13. We know that you are expert in the meaning of all subjects, except
some portions of the Vedas, and thus you can clearly explain the answers
to all the questions we have just put to you.<
14. Suta Gosvami said: When the second millennium overlapped the third,
the great sage [Vyasadeva] was born to Parasara in the womb of
Satyavati, the daughter of Vasu.<
15. Once upon a time he [Vyasadeva], as the sun rose, took his morning
ablution in the waters of the Sarasvati and sat alone to concentrate.<
16. The great sage Vyasadeva saw anomalies in the duties of the
millennium. This happens on the earth in different ages, due to unseen
forces in the course of time.<
17-18. The great sage, who was fully equipped in knowledge, could see,
through his transcendental vision, the deterioration of everything
material, due to the influence of the age. He could also see that the
faithless people in general would be reduced in duration of life and
would be impatient due to lack of goodness. Thus he contemplated for the
welfare of men in all statuses and orders of life.<
19. He saw that the sacrifices mentioned in the Vedas were means by
which the people's occupations could be purified. And to simplify the
process he divided the one Veda into four, in order to expand them among
men.<
20. The four divisions of the original sources of knowledge [the Vedas]
were made separately. But the historical facts and authentic stories
mentioned in the Puranas are called the fifth Veda.<
21. After the Vedas were divided into four divisions, Paila Rsi became
the professor of the Rg Veda, Jaimini the professor of the Sama Veda,
and Vaisampayana alone became glorified by the Yajur Veda.<
22. The Sumantu Muni Angira, who was very devotedly engaged, was
entrusted with the Atharva Veda. And my father, Romaharsana, was
entrusted with the Puranas and historical records.<
23. All these learned scholars, in their turn, rendered their entrusted
Vedas unto their many disciples, grand-disciples and great
grand-disciples, and thus the respective branches of the followers of
the Vedas came into being.<
24. Thus the great sage Vyasadeva, who is very kind to the ignorant
masses, edited the Vedas so they might be assimilated by less
intellectual men.<
25. Out of compassion, the great sage thought it wise that this would
enable men to achieve the ultimate goal of life. Thus he compiled the
great historical narration called the Mahabharata for women, laborers
and friends of the twice-born.
26. O twice-born brahmanas, still his mind was not satisfied, although
he engaged himself in working for the total welfare of all people.
27. Thus the sage, being dissatisfied at heart, at once began to
reflect, because he knew the essence of religion, and he said within
himself:
28-29. I have, under strict disciplinary vows, unpretentiously worshiped
the Vedas, the spiritual master and the altar of sacrifice. I have also
abided by the rulings and have shown the import of disciplic succession
through the explanation of the Mahabharata, by which even women, sudras
and others [friends of the twice-born] can see the path of religion.
30. I am feeling incomplete, though I myself am fully equipped with
everything required by the Vedas.
31. This may be because I did not specifically point out the devotional
service of the Lord, which is dear both to perfect beings and to the
infallible Lord.
32. As mentioned before, Narada reached the cottage of Krsnadvaipayana
Vyasa on the banks of the Sarasvati just as Vyasadeva was regretting his
defects.
33. At the auspicious arrival of Sri Narada, Sri Vyasadeva got up
respectfully and worshiped him, giving him veneration equal to that
given to Brahmaji, the creator.
Chapter Five Narada's Instructions on Srimad-Bhagavatam for Vyasadeva
1. Suta Gosvami said: Thus the sage amongst the gods [Narada],
comfortably seated and apparently smiling, addressed the rsi amongst the
brahmanas [Vedavyasa].
2. Addressing Vyasadeva, the son of Parasara, Narada inquired: Are you
satisfied by identifying with the body or the mind as objects of
self-realization?
3. Your inquiries were full and your studies were also well fulfilled,
and there is no doubt that you have prepared a great and wonderful work,
the Mahabharata, which is full of all kinds of Vedic sequences
elaborately explained.
4. You have fully delineated the subject of impersonal Brahman as well
as the knowledge derived therefrom. Why should you be despondent in
spite of all this, thinking that you are undone, my dear prabhu?
5. Sri Vyasadeva said: All you have said about me is perfectly correct.
Despite all this, I am not pacified. I therefore question you about the
root cause of my dissatisfaction, for you are a man of unlimited
knowledge due to your being the offspring of one [Brahma] who is
self-born [without mundane father and mother].
6. My lord! Everything that is mysterious is known to you because you
worship the creator and destroyer of the material world and the
maintainer of the spiritual world, the original Personality of Godhead,
who is transcendental to the three modes of material nature.
7. Like the sun, Your Goodness can travel everywhere in the three
worlds, and like the air you can penetrate the internal region of
everyone. As such, you are as good as the all-pervasive Supersoul.
Please, therefore, find out the deficiency in me, despite my being
absorbed in transcendence under disciplinary regulations and vows.
8. Sri Narada said: You have not actually broadcast the sublime and
spotless glories of the Personality of Godhead. That philosophy which
does not satisfy the transcendental senses of the Lord is considered
worthless.
9. Although, great sage, you have very broadly described the four
principles beginning with religious performances, you have not described
the glories of the Supreme Personality, Vasudeva.
10. Those words which do not describe the glories of the Lord, who alone
can sanctify the atmosphere of the whole universe, are considered by
saintly persons to be like unto a place of pilgrimage for crows. Since
the all-perfect persons are inhabitants of the transcendental abode,
they do not derive any pleasure there.
11. On the other hand, that literature which is full of descriptions of
the transcendental glories of the name, fame, forms, pastimes, etc., of
the unlimited Supreme Lord is a different creation, full of
transcendental words directed toward bringing about a revolution in the
impious lives of this world's misdirected civilization. Such
transcendental literatures, even though imperfectly composed, are heard,
sung and accepted by purified men who are thoroughly honest.
12. Knowledge of self-realization, even though free from all material
affinity, does not look well if devoid of a conception of the Infallible
[God]. What, then, is the use of fruitive activities, which are
naturally painful from the very beginning and transient by nature, if
they are not utilized for the devotional service of the Lord?
13. O Vyasadeva, your vision is completely perfect. Your good fame is
spotless. You are firm in vow and situated in truthfulness. And thus you
can think of the pastimes of the Lord in trance for the liberation of
the people in general from all material bondage.
14. Whatever you desire to describe that is separate in vision from the
Lord simply reacts, with different forms, names and results, to agitate
the mind as the wind agitates a boat which has no resting place.
15. The people in general are naturally inclined to enjoy, and you have
encouraged them in that way in the name of religion. This is verily
condemned and is quite unreasonable. Because they are guided under your
instructions, they will accept such activities in the name of religion
and will hardly care for prohibitions.
16. The Supreme Lord is unlimited. Only a very expert personality,
retired from the activities of material happiness, deserves to
understand this knowledge of spiritual values. Therefore those who are
not so well situated, due to material attachment, should be shown the
ways of transcendental realization, by Your Goodness, through
descriptions of the transcendental activities of the Supreme Lord.
17. One who has forsaken his material occupations to engage in the
devotional service of the Lord may sometimes fall down while in an
immature stage, yet there is no danger of his being unsuccessful. On the
other hand, a nondevotee, though fully engaged in occupational duties,
does not gain anything.
18. Persons who are actually intelligent and philosophically inclined
should endeavor only for that purposeful end which is not obtainable
even by wandering from the topmost planet [Brahmaloka] down to the
lowest planet [Patala]. As far as happiness derived from sense enjoyment
is concerned, it can be obtained automatically in course of time, just
as in course of time we obtain miseries even though we do not desire
them.
19. My dear Vyasa, even though a devotee of Lord Krsna sometimes falls
down somehow or other, he certainly does not undergo material existence
like others [fruitive workers, etc.] because a person who has once
relished the taste of the lotus feet of the Lord can do nothing but
remember that ecstasy again and again.
20. The Supreme Lord Personality of Godhead is Himself this cosmos, and
still He is aloof from it. From Him only has this cosmic manifestation
emanated, in Him it rests, and unto Him it enters after annihilation.
Your good self knows all about this. I have given only a synopsis.
21. Your Goodness has perfect vision. You yourself can know the
Supersoul Personality of Godhead because you are present as the plenary
portion of the Lord. Although you are birthless, you have appeared on
this earth for the well-being of all people. Please, therefore, describe
the transcendental pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri
Krsna more vividly.
22. Learned circles have positively concluded that the infallible
purpose of the advancement of knowledge, namely austerities, study of
the Vedas, sacrifice, chanting of hymns and charity, culminates in the
transcendental descriptions of the Lord, who is defined in choice
poetry.
23. O muni, in the last millennium I was born as the son of a certain
maidservant engaged in the service of brahmanas who were following the
principles of Vedanta. When they were living together during the four
months of the rainy season, I was engaged in their personal service.
24. Although they were impartial by nature, those followers of the
Vedanta blessed me with their causeless mercy. As far as I was
concerned, I was self-controlled and had no attachment for sports, even
though I was a boy. In addition, I was not naughty, and I did not speak
more than required.
25. Once only, by their permission, I took the remnants of their food,
and by so doing all my sins were at once eradicated. Thus being engaged,
I became purified in heart, and at that time the very nature of the
transcendentalist became attractive to me.
26. O Vyasadeva, in that association and by the mercy of those great
Vedantists, I could hear them describe the attractive activities of Lord
Krsna And thus listening attentively, my taste for hearing of the
Personality of Godhead increased at every step.
27. O great sage, as soon as I got a taste for the Personality of
Godhead, my attention to hear of the Lord was unflinching. And as my
taste developed, I could realize that it was only in my ignorance that I
had accepted gross and subtle coverings, for both the Lord and I are
transcendental.
28. Thus during two seasons--the rainy season and autumn--I had the
opportunity to hear these great-souled sages constantly chant the
unadulterated glories of the Lord Hari. As the flow of my devotional
service began, the coverings of the modes of passion and ignorance
vanished.
29. I was very much attached to those sages. I was gentle in behavior,
and all my sins were eradicated in their service. In my heart I had
strong faith in them. I had subjugated the senses, and I was strictly
following them with body and mind.
30. As they were leaving, those bhakti-vedantas, who are very kind to
poor-hearted souls, instructed me in that most confidential subject
which is instructed by the Personality of Godhead Himself.
31. By that confidential knowledge, I could understand clearly the
influence of the energy of Lord Sri Krsna, the creator, maintainer and
annihilator of everything. By knowing that, one can return to Him and
personally meet Him.
32. O Brahmana Vyasadeva, it is decided by the learned that the best
remedial measure for removing all troubles and miseries is to dedicate
one's activities to the service of the Supreme Lord Personality of
Godhead [Sri Krsna].
33. O good soul, does not a thing, applied therapeutically, cure a
disease which was caused by that very same thing?
34. Thus when all a man's activities are dedicated to the service of the
Lord, those very activities which caused his perpetual bondage become
the destroyer of the tree of work.
35. Whatever work is done here in this life for the satisfaction of the
mission of the Lord is called bhakti-yoga, or transcendental loving
service to the Lord, and what is called knowledge becomes a concomitant
factor.
36. While performing duties according to the order of Sri Krsna, the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, one constantly remembers Him, His names
and His qualities.
37. Let us all chant the glories of Vasudeva along with His plenary
expansions Pradyumna, Aniruddha and Sankarsana.
38. Thus he is the actual seer who worships, in the form of
transcendental sound representation, the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
Visnu, who has no material form.
39. O brahmana, thus by the Supreme Lord Krsna I was endowed first with
the transcendental knowledge of the Lord as inculcated in the
confidential parts of the Vedas, then with the spiritual opulences, and
then with His intimate loving service.
40. Please, therefore, describe the Almighty Lord's activities which you
have learned by your vast knowledge of the Vedas, for that will satisfy
the hankerings of great learned men and at the same time mitigate the
miseries of the masses of common people who are always suffering from
material pangs. Indeed, there is no other way to get out of such
miseries.
Chapter Six Conversation Between Narada and Vyasadeva
1. Suta said: O brahmanas, thus hearing all about Sri Narada's birth and
activities, Vyasadeva, the incarnation of God and son of Satyavati,
inquired as follows.
2. Sri Vyasadeva said: What did you [Narada] do after the departure of
the great sages who had instructed you in scientific transcendental
knowledge before the beginning of your present birth?
3. O son of Brahma, how did you pass your life after initiation, and how
did you attain this body, having quit your old one in due course?
4. O great sage, time annihilates everything in due course, so how is it
that this subject matter, which happened prior to this day of Brahma, is
still fresh in your memory, undisturbed by time?
5. Sri Narada said: The great sages, who had imparted scientific
knowledge of transcendence to me, departed for other places, and I had
to pass my life in this way.
6. I was the only son of my mother, who was not only a simple woman but
a maidservant as well. Since I was her only offspring, she had no other
alternative for protection: she bound me with the tie of affection.
7. She wanted to look after my maintenance properly, but because she was
not independent, she was not able to do anything for me. The world is
under the full control of the Supreme Lord; therefore everyone is like a
wooden doll in the hands of a puppet master.
8. When I was a mere child of five years, I lived in a brahmana school.
I was dependent on my mother's affection and had no experience of
different lands.
9. Once upon a time, my poor mother, when going out one night to milk a
cow, was bitten on the leg by a serpent, influenced by supreme time.
10. I took this as the special mercy of the Lord, who always desires
benediction for His devotees, and so thinking, I started for the north.
11. After my departure, I passed through many flourishing metropolises,
towns, villages, animal farms, mines, agricultural lands, valleys,
flower gardens, nursery gardens and natural forests.
12. I passed through hills and mountains full of reservoirs of various
minerals like gold, silver and copper, and through tracts of land with
reservoirs of water filled with beautiful lotus flowers, fit for the
denizens of heaven, decorated with bewildered bees and singing birds.
13. I then passed alone through many forests of rushes, bamboo, reeds,
sharp grass, weeds and caves, which were very difficult to go through
alone. I visited deep, dark and dangerously fearful forests, which were
the play yards of snakes, owls and jackals.
14. Thus traveling, I felt tired, both bodily and mentally, and I was
both thirsty and hungry. So I took a bath in a river lake and also drank
water. By contacting water, I got relief from my exhaustion.
15. After that, under the shadow of a banyan tree in an uninhabited
forest I began to meditate upon the Supersoul situated within, using my
intelligence, as I had learned from liberated souls.
16. As soon as I began to meditate upon the lotus feet of the
Personality of Godhead with my mind transformed in transcendental love,
tears rolled down my eyes, and without delay the Personality of Godhead
Sri Krsna appeared on the lotus of my heart.
17. O Vyasadeva, at that time, being exceedingly overpowered by feelings
of happiness, every part of my body became separately enlivened. Being
absorbed in an ocean of ecstasy, I could not see both myself and the
Lord.
18. The transcendental form of the Lord, as it is, satisfies the mind's
desire and at once erases all mental incongruities. Upon losing that
form, I suddenly got up, being perturbed, as is usual when one loses
that which is desirable.
19. I desired to see again that transcendental form of the Lord, but
despite my attempts to concentrate upon the heart with eagerness to view
the form again, I could not see Him any more, and thus dissatisfied, I
was very much aggrieved.
20. Seeing my attempts in that lonely place, the Personality of Godhead,
who is transcendental to all mundane description, spoke to me with
gravity and pleasing words, just to mitigate my grief.
21. O Narada [the Lord spoke], I regret that during this lifetime you
will not be able to see Me anymore. Those who are incomplete in service
and who are not completely free from all material taints can hardly see
Me.
22. O virtuous one, you have only once seen My person, and this is just
to increase your desire for Me, because the more you hanker for Me, the
more you will be freed from all material desires.
23. By service of the Absolute Truth, even for a few days, a devotee
attains firm and fixed intelligence in Me. Consequently he goes on to
become My associate in the transcendental world after giving up the
present deplorable material worlds.
24. Intelligence engaged in My devotion cannot be thwarted at any time.
Even at the time of creation, as well as at the time of annihilation,
your remembrance will continue by My mercy.
25. Then that supreme authority, personified by sound and unseen by
eyes, but most wonderful, stopped speaking. Feeling a sense of
gratitude, I offered my obeisances unto Him, bowing my head.
26. Thus I began chanting the holy name and fame of the Lord by repeated
recitation, ignoring all the formalities of the material world. Such
chanting and remembering of the transcendental pastimes of the Lord are
benedictory. So doing, I traveled all over the earth, fully satisfied,
humble and unenvious.
27. And so, O Brahmana Vyasadeva, in due course of time I, who was fully
absorbed in thinking of Krsna and who therefore had no attachments,
being completely freed from all material taints, met with death, as
lightning and illumination occur simultaneously.
28. Having been awarded a transcendental body befitting an associate of
the Personality of Godhead, I quit the body made of five material
elements, and thus all acquired fruitive results of work [karma]
stopped.
29. At the end of the millennium, when the Personality of Godhead Lord
Narayana lay down within the water of devastation, Brahma began to enter
into Him along with all creative elements, and I also entered through
His breathing.
30. After 4,300,000,000 solar years, when Brahma awoke to create again
by the will of the Lord, all the rsis like Marici, Angira, Atri and so
on were created from the transcendental body of the Lord, and I also
appeared along with them.
31. Since then, by the grace of the almighty Visnu, I travel everywhere
without restriction both in the transcendental world and in the three
divisions of the material world. This is because I am fixed in unbroken
devotional service of the Lord.
32. And thus I travel, constantly singing the transcendental message of
the glories of the Lord, vibrating this instrument called a vina, which
is charged with transcendental sound and which was given to me by Lord
Krsna.
33. The Supreme Lord Sri Krsna, whose glories and activities are
pleasing to hear, at once appears on the seat of my heart, as if called
for, as soon as I begin to chant His holy activities.
34. It is personally experienced by me that those who are always full of
cares and anxieties due to desiring contact of the senses with their
objects can cross the ocean of nescience on a most suitable boat--the
constant chanting of the transcendental activities of the Personality of
Godhead.
35. It is true that by practicing restraint of the senses by the yoga
system one can get relief from the disturbances of desire and lust, but
this is not sufficient to give satisfaction to the soul, for this
[satisfaction] is derived from devotional service to the Personality of
Godhead.
36. O Vyasadeva, you are freed from all sins. Thus I have explained my
birth and activities for self-realization, as you asked. All this will
be conducive for your personal satisfaction also.
37. Suta Gosvami said: Thus addressing Vyasadeva, Srila Narada Muni took
leave of him, and vibrating on his vina instrument, he left to wander at
his free will.
38. All glory and success to Srila Narada Muni because he glorifies the
activities of the Personality of Godhead, and so doing he himself takes
pleasure and also enlivens all the distressed souls of the universe.
Chapter Seven The Son of Drona Punished
1. Rsi Saunaka asked: O Suta, the great and transcendentally powerful
Vyasadeva heard everything from Sri Narada Muni. So after Narada's
departure, what did Vyasadeva do?
2. Sri Suta said: On the western bank of the River Sarasvati, which is
intimately related with the Vedas, there is a cottage for meditation at
Samyaprasa which enlivens the transcendental activities of the sages.
3. In that place, Srila Vyasadeva, in his own asrama, which was
surrounded by berry trees, sat down to meditate after touching water for
purification.
4. Thus he fixed his mind, perfectly engaging it by linking it in
devotional service [bhakti-yoga] without any tinge of materialism, and
thus he saw the Absolute Personality of Godhead along with His external
energy, which was under full control.
5. Due to this external energy, the living entity, although
transcendental to the three modes of material nature, thinks of himself
as a material product and thus undergoes the reactions of material
miseries.
6. The material miseries of the living entity, which are superfluous to
him, can be directly mitigated by the linking process of devotional
service. But the mass of people do not know this, and therefore the
learned Vyasadeva compiled this Vedic literature, which is in relation
to the Supreme Truth.
7. Simply by giving aural reception to this Vedic literature, the
feeling for loving devotional service to Lord Krsna, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, sprouts up at once to extinguish the fire of
lamentation, illusion and fearfulness.
8. The great sage Vyasadeva, after compiling the Srimad-Bhagavatam and
revising it, taught it to his own son, Sri Sukadeva Gosvami, who was
already engaged in self-realization.
9. Sri Saunaka asked Suta Gosvami: Sri Sukadeva Gosvami was already on
the path of self-realization, and thus he was pleased with his own self.
So why did he take the trouble to undergo the study of such a vast
literature?
10. All different varieties of atmaramas [those who take pleasure in
atma, or spirit self], especially those established on the path of
self-realization, though freed from all kinds of material bondage,
desire to render unalloyed devotional service unto the Personality of
Godhead. This means that the Lord possesses transcendental qualities and
therefore can attract everyone, including liberated souls.
11. Srila Sukadeva Gosvami, son of Srila Vyasadeva, was not only
transcendentally powerful. He was also very dear to the devotees of the
Lord. Thus he underwent the study of this great narration
[Srimad-Bhagavatam].
12. Suta Gosvami thus addressed the rsis headed by Saunaka: Now I shall
begin the transcendental narration of the Lord Sri Krsna and topics of
the birth, activities and deliverance of King Pariksit, the sage amongst
kings, as well as topics of the renunciation of the worldly order by the
sons of Pandu.
13-14. When the respective warriors of both camps, namely the Kauravas
and the Pandavas, were killed on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra and the
dead warriors obtained their deserved destinations, and when the son of
Dhrtarastra fell down lamenting, his spine broken, being beaten by the
club of Bhimasena, the son of Dronacarya [Asvatthama] beheaded the five
sleeping sons of Draupadi and delivered them as a prize to his master,
foolishly thinking that he would be pleased. Duryodhana, however,
disapproved of the heinous act, and he was not pleased in the least.
15. Draupadi, the mother of the five children of the Pandavas, after
hearing of the massacre of her sons, began to cry in distress with eyes
full of tears. Trying to pacify her in her great loss, Arjuna spoke to
her thus:
16. O gentle lady, when I present you with the head of that brahmana,
after beheading him with arrows from my Gandiva bow, I shall then wipe
the tears from your eyes and pacify you. Then, after burning your sons'
bodies, you can take your bath standing on his head.
17. Arjuna, who is guided by the infallible Lord as friend and driver,
thus satisfied the dear lady by such statements. Then he dressed in
armor and armed himself with furious weapons, and getting into his
chariot, he set out to follow Asvatthama, the son of his martial
teacher.
18. Asvatthama, the murderer of the princes, seeing from a great
distance Arjuna coming at him with great speed, fled in his chariot,
panic stricken, just to save his life, as Brahma fled in fear from Siva.
19. When the son of the brahmana [Asvatthama] saw that his horses were
tired, he considered that there was no alternative for protection
outside of his using the ultimate weapon, the brahmastra [nuclear
weapon].
20. Since his life was in danger, he touched water in sanctity and
concentrated upon the chanting of the hymns for throwing nuclear
weapons, although he did not know how to withdraw such weapons.
21. Thereupon a glaring light spread in all directions. It was so fierce
that Arjuna thought his own life in danger, and so he began to address
Lord Sri Krsna.
22. Arjuna said: O my Lord Sri Krsna, You are the almighty Personality
of Godhead. There is no limit to Your different energies. Therefore only
You are competent to instill fearlessness in the hearts of Your
devotees. Everyone in the flames of material miseries can find the path
of liberation in You only.
23. You are the original Personality of Godhead who expands Himself all
over the creations and is transcendental to material energy. You have
cast away the effects of the material energy by dint of Your spiritual
potency. You are always situated in eternal bliss and transcendental
knowledge.
24. And yet, though You are beyond the purview of the material energy,
You execute the four principles of liberation characterized by religion
and so on for the ultimate good of the conditioned souls.
25. Thus You descend as an incarnation to remove the burden of the world
and to benefit Your friends, especially those who are Your exclusive
devotees and are rapt in meditation upon You.
26. O Lord of lords, how is it that this dangerous effulgence is
spreading all around? Where does it come from? I do not understand it.
27. The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Know from Me that this is
the act of the son of Drona. He has thrown the hymns of nuclear energy
[brahmastra], and he does not know how to retract the glare. He has
helplessly done this, being afraid of imminent death.
28. O Arjuna, only another brahmastra can counteract this weapon. Since
you are expert in the military science, subdue this weapon's glare with
the power of your own weapon.
29. Sri Suta Gosvami said: Hearing this from the Personality of Godhead,
Arjuna touched water for purification, and after circumambulating Lord
Sri Krsna, he cast his brahmastra weapon to counteract the other one.
30. When the rays of the two brahmastras combined, a great circle of
fire, like the disc of the sun, covered all outer space and the whole
firmament of planets.
31. All the population of the three worlds was scorched by the combined
heat of the weapons. Everyone was reminded of the samvartaka fire which
takes place at the time of annihilation.
32. Thus seeing the disturbance of the general populace and the imminent
destruction of the planets, Arjuna at once retracted both brahmastra
weapons, as Lord Sri Krsna desired.
33. Arjuna, his eyes blazing in anger like two red balls of copper,
dexterously arrested the son of Gautami and bound him with ropes like an
animal.
34. After binding Asvatthama, Arjuna wanted to take him to the military
camp. The Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna, looking on with His lotus
eyes, spoke to angry Arjuna.
35. Lord Sri Krsna said: O Arjuna, you should not show mercy by
releasing this relative of a brahmana [brahma-bandhu], for he has killed
innocent boys in their sleep.
36. A person who knows the principles of religion does not kill an enemy
who is careless, intoxicated, insane, asleep, afraid or devoid of his
chariot. Nor does he kill a boy, a woman, a foolish creature or a
surrendered soul.
37. A cruel and wretched person who maintains his existence at the cost
of others' lives deserves to be killed for his own well-being, otherwise
he will go down by his own actions.
38. Furthermore, I have personally heard you promise Draupadi that you
would bring forth the head of the killer of her sons.
39. This man is an assassin and murderer of your own family members. Not
only that, but he has also dissatisfied his master. He is but the burnt
remnants of his family. Kill him immediately.
40. Suta Gosvami said: Although Krsna, who was examining Arjuna in
religion, encouraged Arjuna to kill the son of Dronacarya, Arjuna, a
great soul, did not like the idea of killing him, although Asvatthama
was a heinous murderer of Arjuna's family members.
41. After reaching his own camp, Arjuna, along with his dear friend and
charioteer [Sri Krsna], entrusted the murderer unto his dear wife, who
was lamenting for her murdered sons.
42. Sri Suta Gosvami said: Draupadi then saw Asvatthama, who was bound
with ropes like an animal and silent for having enacted the most
inglorious murder. Due to her female nature, and due to her being
naturally good and well-behaved, she showed him due respects as a
brahmana.
43. She could not tolerate Asvatthama's being bound by ropes, and being
a devoted lady, she said: Release him, for he is a brahmana, our
spiritual master.
44. It was by Dronacarya's mercy that you learned the military art of
throwing arrows and the confidential art of controlling weapons.
45. He [Dronacarya] is certainly still existing, being represented by
his son. His wife Krpi did not undergo a sati with him because she had a
son.
46. O most fortunate one who knows the principles of religion, it is not
good for you to cause grief to glorious family members who are always
respectable and worshipful.
47. My lord, do not make the wife of Dronacarya cry like me. I am
aggrieved for the death of my sons. She need not cry constantly like me.
48. If the kingly administrative order, being unrestricted in sense
control, offends the brahmana order and enrages them, then the fire of
that rage burns up the whole body of the royal family and brings grief
upon all.
49. Suta Gosvami said: O brahmanas, King Yudhisthira fully supported the
statements of the Queen, which were in accordance with the principles of
religion and were justified, glorious, full of mercy and equity, and
without duplicity.
50. Nakula and Sahadeva [the younger brothers of the King] and also
Satyaki, Arjuna, the Personality of Godhead Lord Sri Krsna, son of
Devaki, and the ladies and others all unanimously agreed with the King.
51. Bhima, however, disagreed with them and recommended killing this
culprit who, in an angry mood, had murdered sleeping children for no
purpose and for neither his nor his master's interest.
52. Caturbhuja [the four-armed one], or the Personality of Godhead,
after hearing the words of Bhima, Draupadi and others, saw the face of
His dear friend Arjuna, and He began to speak as if smiling.
53-54. The Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna said: A friend of a brahmana
is not to be killed, but if he is an aggressor he must be killed. All
these rulings are in the scriptures, and you should act accordingly. You
have to fulfill your promise to your wife, and you must also act to the
satisfaction of Bhimasena and Me.
55. Just then Arjuna could understand the motive of the Lord by His
equivocal orders, and thus with his sword he severed both hair and jewel
from the head of Asvatthama.
56. He [Asvatthama] had already lost his bodily luster due to
infanticide, and now, moreover, having lost the jewel from his head, he
lost even more strength. Thus he was unbound and driven out of the camp.
57. Cutting the hair from his head, depriving him of his wealth and
driving him from his residence are the prescribed punishments for the
relative of a brahmana. There is no injunction for killing the body.
58. Thereafter, the sons of Pandu and Draupadi, overwhelmed with grief,
performed the proper rituals for the dead bodies of their relatives.
Chapter Eight Prayers by Queen Kunti and Pariksit Saved
1. Suta Gosvami said: Thereafter the Pandavas, desiring to deliver water
to the dead relatives who had desired it, went to the Ganges with
Draupadi. The ladies walked in front.
2. Having lamented over them and sufficiently offered Ganges water, they
bathed in the Ganges, whose water is sanctified due to being mixed with
the dust of the lotus feet of the Lord.
3. There sat the King of the Kurus, Maharaja Yudhisthira, along with his
younger brothers and Dhrtarastra, Gandhari, Kunti and Draupadi, all
overwhelmed with grief. Lord Krsna was also there.
4. Citing the stringent laws of the Almighty and their reactions upon
living beings, Lord Sri Krsna and the munis began to pacify those who
were shocked and affected.
5. The clever Duryodhana and his party cunningly usurped the kingdom of
Yudhisthira, who had no enemy. By the grace of the Lord, the recovery
was executed, and the unscrupulous kings who joined with Duryodhana were
killed by Him. Others also died, their duration of life having decreased
for their rough handling of the hair of Queen Draupadi.
6. Lord Sri Krsna caused three well-performed Asvamedha-yajnas [horse
sacrifices] to be conducted by Maharaja Yudhisthira and thus caused his
virtuous fame to be glorified in all directions, like that of Indra, who
had performed one hundred such sacrifices.
7. Lord Sri Krsna then prepared for His departure. He invited the sons
of Pandu, after having been worshiped by the brahmanas, headed by Srila
Vyasadeva. The Lord also reciprocated greetings.
8. As soon as He seated Himself on the chariot to start for Dvaraka, He
saw Uttara hurrying toward Him in fear.
9. Uttara said: O Lord of lords, Lord of the universe! You are the
greatest of mystics. Please protect me, for there is no one else who can
save me from the clutches of death in this world of duality.
10. O my Lord, You are all-powerful. A fiery iron arrow is coming
towards me fast. My Lord, let it burn me personally, if You so desire,
but please do not let it burn and abort my embryo. Please do me this
favor, my Lord.
11. Suta Gosvami said: Having patiently heard her words, Lord Sri Krsna,
who is always very affectionate to His devotees, could at once
understand that Asvatthama, the son of Dronacarya, had thrown the
brahmastra to finish the last life in the Pandava family.
12. O foremost among the great thinkers [munis] [Saunaka], seeing the
glaring brahmastra proceeding towards them, the Pandavas took up their
five respective weapons.
13. The almighty Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, having observed that
a great danger was befalling His unalloyed devotees, who were fully
surrendered souls, at once took up His Sudarsana disc to protect them.
14. The Lord of supreme mysticism, Sri Krsna, resides within everyone's
heart as the Paramatma. As such, just to protect the progeny of the Kuru
dynasty, He covered the embryo of Uttara by His personal energy.
15. O Saunaka, although the supreme brahmastra weapon released by
Asvatthama was irresistible and without check or counteraction, it was
neutralized and foiled when confronted by the strength of Visnu [Lord
Krsna].
16. O brahmanas, do not think this to be especially wonderful in the
activities of the mysterious and infallible Personality of Godhead. By
His own transcendental energy, He maintains and annihilates all material
things, although He Himself is unborn.
17. Thus saved from the radiation of the brahmastra, Kunti, the chaste
devotee of the Lord, and her five sons and Draupadi addressed Lord Krsna
as He started for home.
18. Srimati Kunti said: O Krsna, I offer my obeisances unto You because
You are the original personality and are unaffected by the qualities of
the material world. You are existing both within and without everything,
yet You are invisible to all.
19. Being beyond the range of limited sense perception, You are the
eternally irreproachable factor covered by the curtain of deluding
energy. You are invisible to the foolish observer, exactly as an actor
dressed as a player is not recognized.
20. You Yourself descend to propagate the transcendental science of
devotional service unto the hearts of the advanced transcendentalists
and mental speculators, who are purified by being able to discriminate
between matter and spirit. How, then, can we women know You perfectly?
21. Let me therefore offer my respectful obeisances unto the Lord, who
has become the son of Vasudeva, the pleasure of Devaki, the boy of Nanda
and the other cowherd men of Vrndavana, and the enlivener of the cows
and the senses.
22. My respectful obeisances are unto You, O Lord, whose abdomen is
marked with a depression like a lotus flower, who are always decorated
with garlands of lotus flowers, whose glance is as cool as the lotus and
whose feet are engraved with lotuses.
23. O Hrsikesa, master of the senses and Lord of lords, You have
released Your mother, Devaki, who was long imprisoned and distressed by
the envious King Kamsa, and me and my children from a series of constant
dangers.
24. My dear Krsna, Your Lordship has protected us from a poisoned cake,
from a great fire, from cannibals, from the vicious assembly, from
sufferings during our exile in the forest and from the battle where
great generals fought. And now You have saved us from the weapon of
Asvatthama.
25. I wish that all those calamities would happen again and again so
that we could see You again and again, for seeing You means that we will
no longer see repeated births and deaths.
26. My Lord, Your Lordship can easily be approached, but only by those
who are materially exhausted. One who is on the path of [material]
progress, trying to improve himself with respectable parentage, great
opulence, high education and bodily beauty, cannot approach You with
sincere feeling.
27. My obeisances are unto You, who are the property of the materially
impoverished. You have nothing to do with the actions and reactions of
the material modes of nature. You are self-satisfied, and therefore You
are the most gentle and are master of the monists.
28. My Lord, I consider Your Lordship to be eternal time, the supreme
controller, without beginning and end, the all-pervasive one. In
distributing Your mercy, You are equal to everyone. The dissensions
between living beings are due to social intercourse.
29. O Lord, no one can understand Your transcendental pastimes, which
appear to be human and are so misleading. You have no specific object of
favor, nor do You have any object of envy. People only imagine that You
are partial.
30. Of course it is bewildering, O soul of the universe, that You work,
though You are inactive, and that You take birth, though You are the
vital force and the unborn. You Yourself descend amongst animals, men,
sages and aquatics. Verily, this is bewildering.
31. My dear Krsna, Yasoda took up a rope to bind You when You committed
an offense, and Your perturbed eyes overflooded with tears, which washed
the mascara from Your eyes. And You were afraid, though fear personified
is afraid of You. This sight is bewildering to me.
32. Some say that the Unborn is born for the glorification of pious
kings, and others say that He is born to please King Yadu, one of Your
dearest devotees. You appear in his family as sandalwood appears in the
Malaya hills.
33. Others say that since both Vasudeva and Devaki prayed for You, You
have taken Your birth as their son. Undoubtedly You are unborn, yet You
take Your birth for their welfare and to kill those who are envious of
the demigods.
34. Others say that the world, being overburdened like a boat at sea, is
much aggrieved, and that Brahma, who is Your son, prayed for You, and so
You have appeared to diminish the trouble.
35. And yet others say that You appeared to rejuvenate the devotional
service of hearing, remembering, worshiping and so on in order that the
conditioned souls suffering from material pangs might take advantage and
gain liberation.
36. O Krsna, those who continuously hear, chant and repeat Your
transcendental activities, or take pleasure in others' doing so,
certainly see Your lotus feet, which alone can stop the repetition of
birth and death.
37. O my Lord, You have executed all duties Yourself. Are you leaving us
today, though we are completely dependent on Your mercy and have no one
else to protect us, now when all kings are at enmity with us?
38. As the name and fame of a particular body is finished with the
disappearance of the living spirit, similarly if You do not look upon
us, all our fame and activities, along with the Pandavas and Yadus, will
end at once.
39. O Gadadhara [Krsna], our kingdom is now being marked by the
impressions of Your feet, and therefore it appears beautiful. But when
You leave, it will no longer be so.
40. All these cities and villages are flourishing in all respects
because the herbs and grains are in abundance, the trees are full of
fruits, the rivers are flowing, the hills are full of minerals and the
oceans full of wealth. And this is all due to Your glancing over them.
41. O Lord of the universe, soul of the universe, O personality of the
form of the universe, please, therefore, sever my tie of affection for
my kinsmen, the Pandavas and the Vrsnis.
42. O Lord of Madhu, as the Ganges forever flows to the sea without
hindrance, let my attraction be constantly drawn unto You without being
diverted to anyone else.
43. O Krsna, O friend of Arjuna, O chief amongst the descendants of
Vrsni, You are the destroyer of those political parties which are
disturbing elements on this earth. Your prowess never deteriorates. You
are the proprietor of the transcendental abode, and You descend to
relieve the distresses of the cows, the brahmanas and the devotees. You
possess all mystic powers, and You are the preceptor of the entire
universe. You are the almighty God, and I offer You my respectful
obeisances.
44. Suta Gosvami said: The Lord, thus hearing the prayers of Kuntidevi,
composed in choice words for His glorification, mildly smiled. That
smile was as enchanting as His mystic power.
45. Thus accepting the prayers of Srimati Kuntidevi, the Lord
subsequently informed other ladies of His departure by entering the
palace of Hastinapura. But upon preparing to leave, He was stopped by
King Yudhisthira, who implored Him lovingly.
46. King Yudhisthira, who was much aggrieved, could not be convinced,
despite instructions by great sages headed by Vyasa and the Lord Krsna
Himself, the performer of superhuman feats, and despite all historical
evidence.
47. King Yudhisthira, son of Dharma, overwhelmed by the death of his
friends, was aggrieved just like a common, materialistic man. O sages,
thus deluded by affection, he began to speak.
48. King Yudhisthira said: O my lot! I am the most sinful man! Just see
my heart, which is full of ignorance! This body, which is ultimately
meant for others, has killed many, many phalanxes of men.
49. I have killed many boys, brahmanas, well-wishers, friends, parents,
preceptors and brothers. Though I live millions of years, I will not be
relieved from the hell that awaits me for all these sins.
50. There is no sin for a king who kills for the right cause, who is
engaged in maintaining his citizens. But this injunction is not
applicable to me.
51. I have killed many friends of women, and I have thus caused enmity
to such an extent that it is not possible to undo it by material welfare
work.
52. As it is not possible to filter muddy water through mud, or purify a
wine-stained pot with wine, it is not possible to counteract the killing
of men by sacrificing animals.
Chapter Nine The Passing Away of Bhismadeva in the Presence of Lord
Krsna
1. Suta Gosvami said: Being afraid for having killed so many subjects on
the Battlefield of Kuruksetra, Maharaja Yudhisthira went to the scene of
the massacre. There, Bhismadeva was lying on a bed of arrows, about to
pass away.
2. At that time all his brothers followed him on beautiful chariots
drawn by first-class horses decorated with gold ornaments. With them
were Vyasa and rsis like Dhaumya [the learned priest of the Pandavas]
and others.
3. O sage amongst the brahmanas, Lord Sri Krsna, the Personality of
Godhead, also followed, seated on a chariot with Arjuna. Thus King
Yudhisthira appeared very aristocratic, like Kuvera surrounded by his
companions [the Guhyakas].
4. Seeing him [Bhisma] lying on the ground, like a demigod fallen from
the sky, the Pandava King Yudhisthira, along with his younger brothers
and Lord Krsna, bowed down before him.
5. Just to see the chief of the descendants of King Bharata [Bhisma],
all the great souls in the universe, namely the rsis amongst the
demigods, brahmanas and kings, all situated in the quality of goodness,
were assembled there.
6-7. All the sages like Parvata Muni, Narada, Dhaumya, Vyasa the
incarnation of God, Brhadasva, Bharadvaja and Parasurama and disciples,
Vasistha, Indrapramada, Trita, Grtsamada, Asita, Kaksivan, Gautama,
Atri, Kausika and Sudarsana were present.
8. And many others like Sukadeva Gosvami and other purified souls,
Kasyapa and Angirasa and others, all accompanied by their respective
disciples, arrived there.
9. Bhismadeva, who was the best amongst the eight Vasus, received and
welcomed all the great and powerful rsis who were assembled there, for
he knew perfectly all the religious principles according to time and
place.
10. Lord Sri Krsna is situated in everyone's heart, yet He manifests His
transcendental form by His internal potency. This very Lord was sitting
before Bhismadeva, and since Bhismadeva knew of His glories, he
worshiped Him duly.
11. The sons of Maharaja Pandu were sitting silently nearby, overtaken
with affection for their dying grandfather. Seeing this, Bhismadeva
congratulated them with feeling. There were tears of ecstasy in his
eyes, for he was overwhelmed by love and affection.
12. Bhismadeva said: Oh, what terrible sufferings and what terrible
injustices you good souls suffer for being the sons of religion
personified. You did not deserve to remain alive under those
tribulations, yet you were protected by the brahmanas, God and religion.
13. As far as my daughter-in-law Kunti is concerned, upon the great
General Pandu's death, she became a widow with many children, and
therefore she suffered greatly. And when you were grown up she suffered
a great deal also because of your actions.
14. In my opinion, this is all due to inevitable time, under whose
control everyone in every planet is carried, just as the clouds are
carried by the wind.
15. O how wonderful is the influence of inevitable time. It is
irreversible--otherwise, how can there be reverses in the presence of
King Yudhisthira, the son of the demigod controlling religion; Bhima,
the great fighter with a club; the great bowman Arjuna with his mighty
weapon Gandiva; and above all, the Lord, the direct well-wisher of the
Pandavas?
16. O King, no one can know the plan of the Lord [Sri Krsna]. Even
though great philosophers inquire exhaustively, they are bewildered.
17. O best among the descendants of Bharata [Yudhisthira], I maintain,
therefore, that all this is within the plan of the Lord. Accepting the
inconceivable plan of the Lord, you must follow it. You are now the
appointed administrative head, and, my lord, you should now take care of
those subjects who are now rendered helpless.
18. This Sri Krsna is no other than the inconceivable, original
Personality of Godhead. He is the first Narayana, the supreme enjoyer.
But He is moving amongst the descendants of King Vrsni just like one of
us and He is bewildering us with His self-created energy.
19. O King, Lord Siva, Narada the sage amongst the demigods, and Kapila,
the incarnation of Godhead, all know very confidentially about His
glories through direct contact.
20. O King, that personality whom, out of ignorance only, you thought to
be your maternal cousin, your very dear friend, well-wisher, counselor,
messenger, benefactor, etc., is that very Personality of Godhead, Sri
Krsna.
21. Being the Absolute Personality of Godhead, He is present in
everyone's heart. He is equally kind to everyone, and He is free from
the false ego of differentiation. Therefore whatever He does is free
from material inebriety. He is equibalanced.
22. Yet, despite His being equally kind to everyone, He has graciously
come before me while I am ending my life, for I am His unflinching
servitor.
23. The Personality of Godhead, who appears in the mind of the devotee
by attentive devotion and meditation and by chanting of the holy name,
releases the devotee from the bondage of fruitive activities at the time
of his quitting the material body.
24. May my Lord, who is four-handed and whose beautifully decorated
lotus face, with eyes as red as the rising sun, is smiling, kindly await
me at that moment when I quit this material body.
25. Suta Gosvami said: Maharaja Yudhisthira, after hearing Bhismadeva
speak in that appealing tone, asked him, in the presence of all the
great rsis, about the essential principles of various religious duties.
26. At Maharaja Yudhisthira's inquiry, Bhismadeva first defined all the
classifications of castes and orders of life in terms of the
individual's qualifications. Then he systematically, in twofold
divisions, described counteraction by detachment and interaction by
attachment.
27. He then explained, by divisions, acts of charity, the pragmatic
activities of a king and activities for salvation. Then he described the
duties of women and devotees, both briefly and extensively.
28. Then he described the occupational duties of different orders and
statuses of life, citing instances from history, for he was himself well
acquainted with the truth.
29. While Bhismadeva was describing occupational duties, the sun's
course ran into the northern hemisphere. This period is desired by
mystics who die at their will.
30. Thereupon that man who spoke on different subjects with thousands of
meanings and who fought on thousands of battlefields and protected
thousands of men, stopped speaking and, being completely freed from all
bondage, withdrew his mind from everything else and fixed his wide-open
eyes upon the original Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, who stood
before him, four-handed, dressed in yellow garments that glittered and
shined.
31. By pure meditation, looking at Lord Sri Krsna, he at once was freed
from all material inauspiciousness and was relieved of all bodily pains
caused by the arrow wounds. Thus all the external activities of his
senses at once stopped, and he prayed transcendentally to the controller
of all living beings while quitting his material body.
32. Bhismadeva said: Let me now invest my thinking, feeling and willing,
which were so long engaged in different subjects and occupational
duties, in the all-powerful Lord Sri Krsna. He is always self-satisfied,
but sometimes, being the leader of the devotees, He enjoys
transcendental pleasure by descending on the material world, although
from Him only the material world is created.
33. Sri Krsna is the intimate friend of Arjuna. He has appeared on this
earth in His transcendental body, which resembles the bluish color of
the tamala tree. His body attracts everyone in the three planetary
systems [upper, middle and lower]. May His glittering yellow dress and
His lotus face, covered with paintings of sandalwood pulp, be the object
of my attraction, and may I not desire fruitive results.
34. On the battlefield [where Sri Krsna attended Arjuna out of
friendship], the flowing hair of Lord Krsna turned ashen due to the dust
raised by the hoofs of the horses. And because of His labor, beads of
sweat wetted His face. All these decorations, intensified by the wounds
dealt by my sharp arrows, were enjoyed by Him. Let my mind thus go unto
Sri Krsna.
35. In obedience to the command of His friend, Lord Sri Krsna entered
the arena of the Battlefield of Kuruksetra between the soldiers of
Arjuna and Duryodhana, and while there He shortened the life spans of
the opposite party by His merciful glance. This was done simply by His
looking at the enemy. Let my mind be fixed upon that Krsna.
36. When Arjuna was seemingly polluted by ignorance upon observing the
soldiers and commanders before him on the battlefield, the Lord
eradicated his ignorance by delivering transcendental knowledge. May His
lotus feet always remain the object of my attraction.
37. Fulfilling my desire and sacrificing His own promise, He got down
from the chariot, took up its wheel, and ran towards me hurriedly, just
as a lion goes to kill an elephant. He even dropped His outer garment on
the way.
38. May He, Lord Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, who awards
salvation, be my ultimate destination. On the battlefield He charged me,
as if angry because of the wounds dealt by my sharp arrows. His shield
was scattered, and His body was smeared with blood due to the wounds.
39. At the moment of death, let my ultimate attraction be to Sri Krsna,
the Personality of Godhead. I concentrate my mind upon the chariot
driver of Arjuna who stood with a whip in His right hand and a bridle
rope in His left, who was very careful to give protection to Arjuna's
chariot by all means. Those who saw Him on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra
attained their original forms after death.
40. Let my mind be fixed upon Lord Sri Krsna, whose motions and smiles
of love attracted the damsels of Vrajadhama [the gopis]. The damsels
imitated the characteristic movements of the Lord [after His
disappearance from the rasa dance].
41. At the Rajasuya-yajna [sacrifice] performed by Maharaja Yudhisthira,
there was the greatest assembly of all the elite men of the world, the
royal and learned orders, and in that great assembly Lord Sri Krsna was
worshiped by one and all as the most exalted Personality of Godhead.
This happened during my presence, and I remembered the incident in order
to keep my mind upon the Lord.
42. Now I can meditate with full concentration upon that one Lord, Sri
Krsna, now present before me because now I have transcended the
misconceptions of duality in regard to His presence in everyone's heart,
even in the hearts of the mental speculators. He is in everyone's heart.
The sun may be perceived differently, but the sun is one.
43. Suta Gosvami said: Thus Bhismadeva merged himself in the Supersoul,
Lord Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, with his mind,
speech, sight and actions, and thus he became silent, and his breathing
stopped.
44. Knowing that Bhismadeva had merged into the unlimited eternity of
the Supreme Absolute, all present there became silent like birds at the
end of the day.
45. Thereafter, both men and demigods sounded drums in honor, and the
honest royal order commenced demonstrations of honor and respect. And
from the sky fell showers of flowers.
46. O descendant of Bhrgu [Saunaka], after performing funeral rituals
for the dead body of Bhismadeva, Maharaja Yudhisthira was momentarily
overtaken with grief.
47. All the great sages then glorified Lord Sri Krsna, who was present
there, by confidential Vedic hymns. Then all of them returned to their
respective hermitages, bearing always Lord Krsna within their hearts.
48. Thereafter, Maharaja Yudhisthira at once went to his capital,
Hastinapura, accompanied by Lord Sri Krsna, and there he consoled his
uncle and aunt Gandhari, who was an ascetic.
49. After this, the great religious King, Maharaja Yudhisthira, executed
the royal power in the kingdom strictly according to the codes and royal
principles approved by his uncle and confirmed by Lord Sri Krsna.
Chapter Ten Departure of Lord Krsna for Dvaraka
1. Saunaka Muni asked: After killing his enemies who desired to usurp
his rightful inheritance, how did the greatest of all religious men,
Maharaja Yudhisthira, assisted by his brothers, rule his subjects?
Surely he could not freely enjoy his kingdom with unrestricted
consciousness.
2. Suta Gosvami said: Lord Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, who is the maintainer of the world, became pleased after
reestablishing Maharaja Yudhisthira in his own kingdom and after
restoring the Kuru dynasty, which had been exhausted by the bamboo fire
of anger.
3. Maharaja Yudhisthira, after being enlightened by what was spoken by
Bhismadeva and Lord Sri Krsna, the infallible, engaged himself in
matters of perfect knowledge because all his misgivings were eradicated.
Thus he ruled over the earth and seas and was followed by his younger
brothers.
4. During the reign of Maharaja Yudhisthira, the clouds showered all the
water that people needed, and the earth produced all the necessities of
man in profusion. Due to its fatty milk bag and cheerful attitude, the
cow used to moisten the grazing ground with milk.
5. The rivers, oceans, hills, mountains, forests, creepers and active
drugs, in every season, paid their tax quota to the King in profusion.
6. Because of the King's having no enemy, the living beings were not at
any time disturbed by mental agonies, diseases, or excessive heat or
cold.
7. Sri Hari, Lord Sri Krsna, resided at Hastinapura for a few months to
pacify His relatives and please His own sister [Subhadra].
8. Afterwards, when the Lord asked permission to depart and the King
gave it, the Lord offered His respects to Maharaja Yudhisthira by bowing
down at his feet, and the King embraced Him. After this the Lord, being
embraced by others and receiving their obeisances, got into His chariot.
9-10. At that time Subhadra, Draupadi, Kunti, Uttara, Gandhari,
Dhrtarastra, Yuyutsu, Krpacarya, Nakula, Sahadeva, Bhimasena, Dhaumya
and Satyavati all nearly fainted because it was impossible for them to
bear separation from Lord Krsna.
11-12. The intelligent, who have understood the Supreme Lord in
association with pure devotees and have become freed from bad
materialistic association, can never avoid hearing the glories of the
Lord, even though they have heard them only once. How, then, could the
Pandavas tolerate His separation, for they had been intimately
associated with His person, seeing Him face to face, touching Him,
conversing with Him, and sleeping, sitting and dining with Him?
13. All their hearts were melting for Him on the pot of attraction. They
looked at Him without blinking their eyes, and they moved hither and
thither in perplexity.
14. The female relatives, whose eyes were flooded with tears out of
anxiety for Krsna, came out of the palace. They could stop their tears
only with great difficulty. They feared that tears would cause
misfortune at the time of departure.
15. While the Lord was departing from the palace of Hastinapura,
different types of drums --like the mrdanga, dhola, nagra, dhundhuri and
dundubhi--and flutes of different types, the vina, gomukha and bheri,
all sounded together to show Him honor.
16. Out of a loving desire to see the Lord, the royal ladies of the
Kurus got up on top of the palace, and smiling with affection and
shyness, they showered flowers upon the Lord.
17. At that time Arjuna, the great warrior and conqueror of sleep, who
is the intimate friend of the most beloved Supreme Lord, took up an
umbrella which had a handle of jewels and was embroidered with lace and
pearls.
18. Uddhava and Satyaki began to fan the Lord with decorated fans, and
the Lord, as the master of Madhu, seated on scattered flowers, commanded
them along the road.
19. It was being heard here and there that the benedictions being paid
to Krsna were neither befitting nor unbefitting because they were all
for the Absolute, who was now playing the part of a human being.
20. Absorbed in the thought of the transcendental qualities of the Lord,
who is glorified in select poetry, the ladies on the roofs of all the
houses of Hastinapura began to talk of Him. This talk was more
attractive than the hymns of the Vedas.
21. They said: Here He is, the original Personality of Godhead as we
definitely remember Him. He alone existed before the manifested creation
of the modes of nature, and in Him only, because He is the Supreme Lord,
all living beings merge, as if sleeping at night, their energy
suspended.
22. The Personality of Godhead, again desiring to give names and forms
to His parts and parcels, the living entities, placed them under the
guidance of material nature. By His own potency, material nature is
empowered to re-create.
23. Here is the same Supreme Personality of Godhead whose transcendental
form is experienced by the great devotees who are completely cleansed of
material consciousness by dint of rigid devotional service and full
control of life and the senses. And that is the only way to purify
existence.
24. O dear friends, here is that very Personality of Godhead whose
attractive and confidential pastimes are described in the confidential
parts of Vedic literature by His great devotees. It is He only who
creates, maintains and annihilates the material world and yet remains
unaffected.
25. Whenever there are kings and administrators living like animals in
the lowest modes of existence, the Lord in His transcendental form
manifests His supreme power, the Truth Positive, shows special mercy to
the faithful, performs wonderful activities and manifests various
transcendental forms as is necessary in different periods and ages.
26. Oh, how supremely glorified is the dynasty of King Yadu, and how
virtuous is the land of Mathura, where the supreme leader of all living
beings, the husband of the goddess of fortune, has taken His birth and
wandered in His childhood.
27. Undoubtedly it is wonderful that Dvaraka has defeated the glories of
the heavenly planets and has enhanced the celebrity of the earth. The
inhabitants of Dvaraka are always seeing the soul of all living beings
[Krsna] in His loving feature. He glances at them and favors them with
sweet smiles.
28. O friends, just think of His wives, whose hands He has accepted. How
they must have undergone vows, baths, fire sacrifices and perfect
worship of the Lord of the universe to constantly relish now the nectar
from His lips [by kissing]. The damsels of Vrajabhumi would often faint
just by expecting such favors.
29. The children of these ladies are Pradyumna, Samba, Amba, etc: Ladies
like Rukmini, Satyabhama and Jambavati were forcibly taken away by Him
from their svayamvara ceremonies after He defeated many powerful kings,
headed by Sisupala. And other ladies were also forcibly taken away by
Him after He killed Bhaumasura and thousands of his assistants. All of
these ladies are glorious.
30. All these women auspiciously glorified their lives despite their
being without individuality and without purity. Their husband, the
lotus-eyed Personality of Godhead, never left them alone at home. He
always pleased their hearts by making valuable presentations.
31. While the ladies of the capital of Hastinapura were greeting Him and
talking in this way, the Lord, smiling, accepted their good greetings,
and casting the grace of His glance over them, He departed from the
city.
32. Maharaja Yudhisthira, although no one's enemy, engaged four
divisions of defense [horse, elephant, chariot and army] to accompany
Lord Krsna, the enemy of the asuras [demons]. The Maharaja did this
because of the enemy, and also out of affection for the Lord.
33. Out of profound affection for Lord Krsna, the Pandavas, who were of
the Kuru dynasty, accompanied Him a considerable distance to see Him
off. They were overwhelmed with the thought of future separation. The
Lord, however, persuaded them to return home, and He proceeded towards
Dvaraka with His dear companions.
34-35. O Saunaka, the Lord then proceeded towards Kurujangala, Pancala,
Surasena, the land on the bank of the River Yamuna, Brahmavarta,
Kuruksetra, Matsya, Sarasvata, the province of the desert and the land
of scanty water. After crossing these provinces He gradually reached the
Sauvira and Abhira provinces, then west of these, reached Dvaraka at
last.
36. On His journey through these provinces He was welcomed, worshiped
and given various presentations. In the evening, in all places, the Lord
suspended His journey to perform evening rites. This was regularly
observed after sunset.
Chapter Eleven Lord Krsna's Entrance into Dvaraka
1. Suta Gosvami said: Upon reaching the border of His most prosperous
metropolis, known as the country of the Anartas [Dvaraka], the Lord
sounded His auspicious conchshell, heralding His arrival and
apparently pacifying the dejection of the inhabitants.
2. The white and fat-boweled conchshell, being gripped by the hand of
Lord Krsna and sounded by Him, appeared to be reddened by the touch of
His transcendental lips. It seemed that a white swan was playing in the
stems of red lotus flowers.
3. The citizens of Dvaraka, having heard that sound which threatens fear
personified in the material world, began to run towards Him fast, just
to have a long desired audience with the Lord, who is the protector of
all devotees.
4-5. The citizens arrived before the Lord with their respective
presentations, offering them to the fully satisfied and self-sufficient
one, who, by His own potency, incessantly supplies others. These
presentations were like the offering of a lamp to the sun. Yet the
citizens began to speak in ecstatic language to receive the Lord, just
as wards welcome their guardian and father.
6. The citizens said: O Lord, You are worshiped by all demigods like
Brahma, the four Sanas and even the King of heaven. You are the ultimate
rest for those who are really aspiring to achieve the highest benefit of
life. You are the supreme transcendental Lord, and inevitable time
cannot exert its influence upon You.
7. O creator of the universe, You are our mother, well-wisher, Lord,
father, spiritual master and worshipable Deity. By following in Your
footsteps we have become successful in every respect. We pray,
therefore, that You continue to bless us with Your mercy.
8. Oh, it is our good luck that we have come again today under Your
protection by Your presence, for Your Lordship rarely visits even the
denizens of heaven. Now it is possible for us to look into Your smiling
face, which is full of affectionate glances. We can now see Your
transcendental form, full of all auspiciousness.
9. O lotus-eyed Lord, whenever You go away to Mathura, Vrndavana or
Hastinapura to meet Your friends and relatives, every moment of Your
absence seems like a million years. O infallible one, at that time our
eyes become useless, as if bereft of sun.
10. O master, if You live abroad all the time, then we cannot look at
Your attractive face, whose smiles vanquish all our sufferings. How can
we exist without Your presence? Upon hearing their speeches, the Lord,
who is very kind to the citizens and the devotees, entered the city of
Dvaraka and acknowledged all their greetings by casting His
transcendental glance over them.
11. As Bhogavati, the capital of Nagaloka, is protected by the Nagas, so
was Dvaraka protected by the descendants of Vrsni--Bhoja, Madhu,
Dasarha, Arha, Kukura, Andhaka, etc.--who were as strong as Lord Krsna.
12. The city of Dvarakapuri was filled with the opulences of all
seasons. There were hermitages, orchards, flower gardens, parks and
reservoirs of water breeding lotus flowers all over.
13. The city gateway, the household doors and festooned arches along the
roads were all nicely decorated with festive signs like plantain trees
and mango leaves, all to welcome the Lord. Flags, garlands and painted
signs and slogans all combined to shade the sunshine.
14. The highways, subways, lanes, markets and public meeting places were
all thoroughly cleansed and then moistened with scented water. And to
welcome the Lord, fruits, flowers and unbroken seeds were strewn
everywhere.
15. In each and every door of the residential houses, auspicious things
like curd, unbroken fruits, sugarcane and full waterpots with articles
for worship, incense and candles were all displayed.
16-17. On hearing that the most dear Krsna was approaching Dvarakadhama,
magnanimous Vasudeva, Akrura, Ugrasena, Balarama (the superhumanly
powerful), Pradyumna, Carudesna and Samba the son of Jambavati, all
extremely happy, abandoned resting, sitting and dining.
18. They hastened toward the Lord on chariots with brahmanas bearing
flowers. Before them were elephants, emblems of good fortune.
Conchshells and bugles were sounded, and Vedic hymns were chanted. Thus
they offered their respects, which were saturated with affection.
19. At the same time, many hundreds of well-known prostitutes began to
proceed on various vehicles. They were all very eager to meet the Lord,
and their beautiful faces were decorated with dazzling earrings, which
enhanced the beauty of their foreheads.
20. Expert dramatists, artists, dancers, singers, historians,
genealogists and learned speakers all gave their respective
contributions, being inspired by the superhuman pastimes of the Lord.
Thus they proceeded on and on.
21. Lord Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, approached them and offered
due honor and respect to each and every one of the friends, relatives,
citizens and all others who came to receive and welcome Him.
22. The Almighty Lord greeted everyone present by bowing His head,
exchanging greetings, embracing, shaking hands, looking and smiling,
giving assurances and awarding benedictions, even to the lowest in rank.
23. Then the Lord personally entered the city accompanied by elderly
relatives and invalid brahmanas with their wives, all offering
benedictions and singing the glories of the Lord. Others also praised
the glories of the Lord.
24. When Lord Krsna passed over the public roads, all the ladies from
the respectable families of Dvaraka went up to the roofs of their
palaces just to have a look at the Lord. They considered this to be the
greatest festival.
25. The inhabitants of Dvaraka were regularly accustomed to look upon
the reservoir of all beauty, the infallible Lord, yet they were never
satiated.
26. The Lord's chest is the abode of the goddess of fortune. His
moonlike face is the drinking vessel for eyes which hanker after all
that is beautiful. His arms are the resting places for the
administrative demigods. And His lotus feet are the refuge of pure
devotees who never talk or sing of any subject except His Lordship.
27. As the Lord passed along the public road of Dvaraka, His head was
protected from the sunshine by a white umbrella. White feathered fans
moved in semicircles, and showers of flowers fell upon the road. His
yellow garments and garlands of flowers made it appear as if a dark
cloud were surrounded simultaneously by sun, moon, lightning and
rainbows.
28. After entering the house of His father, He was embraced by the
mothers present, and the Lord offered His obeisances unto them by
placing His head at their feet. The mothers were headed by Devaki [His
real mother].
29. The mothers, after embracing their son, sat Him on their laps. Due
to pure affection, milk sprang from their breasts. They were overwhelmed
with delight, and the tears from their eyes wetted the Lord.
30. Thereafter, the Lord entered His palaces, which were perfect to the
fullest extent. His wives lived in them, and they numbered over sixteen
thousand.
31. The queens of Lord Sri Krsna rejoiced within their minds to see
their husband home after a long period abroad. The queens got up at once
from their seats and meditations. As was socially customary, they
covered their faces shyly and looked about coyly.
32. The insuperable ecstasy was so strong that the queens, who were shy,
first embraced the Lord in the innermost recesses of their hearts. Then
they embraced Him visually, and then they sent their sons to embrace Him
[which is equal to personal embracing]. But, O chief amongst the Bhrgus,
though they tried to restrain their feelings, they inadvertently shed
tears.
33. Although Lord Sri Krsna was constantly by their sides, as well as
exclusively alone, His feet appeared to them to be newer and newer. The
goddess of fortune, although by nature always restless and moving, could
not quit the Lord's feet. So what woman can be detached from those feet,
having once taken shelter of them?
34. The Lord was pacified after killing those kings who were burdensome
to the earth. They were puffed up with their military strength, their
horses, elephants, chariots, infantry, etc. He Himself was not a party
in the fight. He simply created hostility between the powerful
administrators, and they fought amongst themselves. He was like the wind
which causes friction between bamboos and so sparks a fire.
35. That Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna, out of His causeless
mercy, appeared on this planet by His internal potency and enjoyed
Himself amongst competent women as if He were engaging in mundane
affairs.
36. Although the queens' beautiful smiles and furtive glances were all
spotless and exciting, and although they could conquer Cupid himself by
making him give up his bow in frustration, and although even the
tolerant Siva could fall victim to them, still, despite all their
magical feats and attractions, they could not agitate the senses of the
Lord.
37. The common materialistic conditioned souls speculate that the Lord
is one of them. Out of their ignorance they think that the Lord is
affected by matter, although He is unattached.
38. This is the divinity of the Personality of Godhead: He is not
affected by the qualities of material nature, even though He is in
contact with them. Similarly, the devotees who have taken shelter of the
Lord do not become influenced by the material qualities.
39. The simple and delicate women truly thought that Lord Sri Krsna,
their beloved husband, followed them and was dominated by them. They
were unaware of the extent of the glories of their husband, as the
atheists are unaware of Him as the supreme controller.
Chapter Twelve Birth of Emperor Pariksit
1. The sage Saunaka said: The womb of Uttara, mother of Maharaja
Pariksit, was spoiled by the dreadful and invincible brahmastra weapon
released by Asvatthama. But Maharaja Pariksit was saved by the Supreme
Lord.
2. How was the great emperor Pariksit, who was a highly intelligent and
great devotee, born in that womb? How did his death take place, and what
did he achieve after his death?
3. We all respectfully want to hear about him [Maharaja Pariksit] to
whom Sukadeva Gosvami imparted transcendental knowledge. Please speak on
this matter.
4. Sri Suta Gosvami said: Emperor Yudhisthira administered generously to
everyone during his reign. He was exactly like his father. He had no
personal ambition and was freed from all sorts of sense gratification
because of his continuous service unto the lotus feet of the Lord Sri
Krsna.
5. News even reached the celestial planets about Maharaja Yudhisthira's
worldly possessions, the sacrifices by which he would attain a better
destination, his queen, his stalwart brothers, his extensive land, his
sovereignty over the planet earth, and his fame, etc.
6. O brahmanas, the opulence of the King was so enchanting that the
denizens of heaven aspired for it. But because he was absorbed in the
service of the Lord, nothing could satisfy him except the Lord's
service.
7. O son of Bhrgu [Saunaka], when the child Pariksit, the great fighter,
was in the womb of his mother, Uttara, and was suffering from the
burning heat of the brahmastra [thrown by Asvatthama], he could observe
the Supreme Lord coming to him.
8. He [the Lord] was only thumb high, but He was all transcendental. He
had a very beautiful, blackish, infallible body, and He wore a dress of
lightning yellow and a helmet of blazing gold. Thus He was seen by the
child.
9. The Lord was enriched with four hands, earrings of molten gold and
eyes blood red with fury. As He loitered about, His club constantly
encircled Him like a shooting star.
10. The Lord was thus engaged in vanquishing the radiation of the
brahmastra, just as the sun evaporates a drop of dew. He was observed by
the child, who thought about who He was.
11. While thus being observed by the child, the Supreme Lord Personality
of Godhead, the Supersoul of everyone and the protector of the
righteous, who stretches in all directions and who is unlimited by time
and space, disappeared at once.
12. Thereupon, when all the good signs of the zodiac gradually evolved,
the heir apparent of Pandu, who would be exactly like him in prowess,
took birth.
13. King Yudhisthira, who was very satisfied with the birth of Maharaja
Pariksit, had the purificatory process of birth performed. Learned
brahmanas, headed by Dhaumya and Krpa, recited auspicious hymns.
14. Upon the birth of a son, the King, who knew how, where and when
charity should be given, gave gold, land, villages, elephants, horses
and good food grains to the brahmanas.
15. The learned brahmanas, who were very satisfied with the charities of
the King, addressed him as the chief amongst the Purus and informed him
that his son was certainly in the line of descent from the Purus.
16. The brahmanas said: This spotless son has been restored by the
all-powerful and all-pervasive Lord Visnu, the Personality of Godhead,
in order to oblige you. He was saved when he was doomed to be destroyed
by an irresistible supernatural weapon.
17. For this reason this child will be well known in the world as one
who is protected by the Personality of Godhead. O most fortunate one,
there is no doubt that this child will become a first-class devotee and
will be qualified with all good qualities.
18. The good King [Yudhisthira] inquired: O great souls, will he become
as saintly a king, as pious in his very name and as famous and glorified
in his achievements, as others who appeared in this great royal family?
19. The learned brahmanas said: O son of Prtha, this child shall be
exactly like King Iksvaku, son of Manu, in maintaining all those who are
born. And as for following the brahminical principles, especially in
being true to his promise, he shall be exactly like Rama, the
Personality of Godhead, the son of Maharaja Dasaratha.
20. This child will be a munificent donor of charity and protector of
the surrendered, like the famous King Sibi of the Usinara country. And
he will expand the name and fame of his family like Bharata, the son of
Maharaja Dusyanta.
21. Amongst great bowmen, this child will be as good as Arjuna. He will
be as irresistible as fire and as unsurpassable as the ocean.
22. This child will be as strong as a lion, and as worthy a shelter as
the Himalaya Mountains. He will be forbearing like the earth, and as
tolerant as his parents.
23. This child will be like his grandfather Yudhisthira or Brahma in
equanimity of mind. He will be munificent like the lord of the Kailasa
Hill, Siva. And he will be the resort of everyone, like the Supreme
Personality of Godhead Narayana, who is even the shelter of the goddess
of fortune.
24. This child will be almost as good as Lord Sri Krsna by following in
His footste]]>