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SRIMAD BHAGAVATA by Krsna-Dwaipayana Vyasa
(Compiled and edited by Jay Mazo, International Gita Society)
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 Angry 194
Chapter Twenty-seven Attack by
Candavega on City of Puranjana; Character of Kalakanya 196
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 Nabhi 215
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 718
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
footsteps. In magnanimity he will become as great as King Rantideva. And in
religion he will be like Maharaja Yayati.
25.
This child will be like Bali Maharaja in patience, a staunch devotee of Lord
Krsna like Prahlada Maharaja, a performer of many Asvamedha [horse] sacrifices
and a follower of the old and experienced men.
26.
This child will be the father of kings who will be like sages. For world peace
and for the sake of religion, he will be the chastiser of the upstarts and the
quarrelsome.
27.
After hearing about his death, which will be caused by the bite of a snake-bird
sent by a son of a brahmana, he will get himself freed from all material
attachment and surrender unto the Personality of Godhead, taking shelter of
Him.
28.
After inquiring about proper self-knowledge from the son of Vyasadeva, who will
be a great philosopher, he will renounce all material attachment and achieve a
life of fearlessness.
29.
Thus those who were expert in astrological knowledge and in performance of the
birth ceremony instructed King Yudhisthira about the future history of his
child. Then, being sumptuously remunerated, they all returned to their
respective homes.
30.
So his son would become famous in the world as Pariksit [examiner] because he
would come to examine all human beings in his search after that personality
whom he saw before his birth. Thus he would come to constantly contemplate Him.
31.
As the moon, in its waxing fortnight, develops day after day, so the royal
prince [Pariksit] very soon developed luxuriantly under the care and full
facilities of his guardian grandfathers.
32.
Just at this time, King Yudhisthira was considering performing a horse
sacrifice to get freed from sins incurred from fighting with kinsmen. But he
became anxious to get some wealth, for there were no surplus funds outside of
fines and tax collection.
33.
Understanding the hearty wishes of the King, his brothers, as advised by the
infallible Lord Krsna, collected sufficient riches from the North [left by King
Marutta].
34.
By those riches, the King could procure the ingredients for three horse
sacrifices. Thus the pious King Yudhisthira, who was very fearful after the
Battle of Kuruksetra, pleased Lord Hari, the Personality of Godhead.
35.
Lord Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, being invited to the sacrifices by
Maharaja Yudhisthira, saw to it that they were performed by qualified
[twice-born] brahmanas. After that, for the pleasure of the relatives, the Lord
remained a few months.
36.
O Saunaka, thereafter the Lord, having bade farewell to King Yudhisthira,
Draupadi and other relatives, started for the city of Dvaraka, accompanied by
Arjuna and other members of the Yadu dynasty.
Chapter Thirteen Dhrtarastra Quits Home
1.
Sri Suta Gosvami said: While traveling on a pilgrimage, Vidura received
knowledge of the destination of the self from the great sage Maitreya and then
returned to Hastinapura. He became as well versed in the subject as he desired.
2.
After asking various questions and becoming established in the transcendental
loving service of Lord Krsna, Vidura retired from putting questions to Maitreya
Muni.
3-4.
When they saw Vidura return to the palace, all the inhabitants--Maharaja
Yudhisthira, his younger brothers, Dhrtarastra, Satyaki, Sanjaya, Krpacarya,
Kunti, Gandhari, Draupadi, Subhadra, Uttara, Krpi, many other wives of the
Kauravas, and other ladies with children--all hurried to him in great delight.
It so appeared that they had regained their consciousness after a long period.
5.
With great delight they all approached him, as if life had returned to their
bodies. They exchanged obeisances and welcomed each other with embraces.
6.
Due to anxieties and long separation, they all cried out of affection. King
Yudhisthira then arranged to offer sitting accommodations and a reception.
7.
After Vidura ate sumptuously and took sufficient rest, he was comfortably
seated. Then the King began to speak to him, and all who were present there
listened.
8.
Maharaja Yudhisthira said: My uncle, do you remember how you always protected
us, along with our mother, from all sorts of calamities? Your partiality, like
the wings of a bird, saved us from poisoning and arson.
9.
While traveling on the surface of the earth, how did you maintain your
livelihood? At which holy places and pilgrimage sites did you render service?
10.
My Lord, devotees like your good self are verily holy places personified.
Because you carry the Personality of Godhead within your heart, you turn all
places into places of pilgrimage.
11.
My uncle, you must have visited Dvaraka. In that holy place are our friends and
well-wishers, the descendants of Yadu, who are always rapt in the service of
the Lord Sri Krsna. You might have seen them or heard about them. Are they all
living happily in their abodes?
12.
Thus being questioned by Maharaja Yudhisthira, Mahatma Vidura gradually
described everything he had personally experienced, except news of the
annihilation of the Yadu dynasty.
13.
Compassionate Mahatma Vidura could not stand to see the Pandavas distressed at
any time. Therefore he did not disclose this unpalatable and unbearable
incident because calamities come of their own accord.
14.
Thus Mahatma Vidura, being treated just like a godly person by his kinsmen,
remained there for a certain period just to rectify the mentality of his eldest
brother and in this way bring happiness to all the others.
15.
As long as Vidura played the part of a sudra, being cursed by Manduka Muni,
Aryama officiated at the post of Yamaraja to punish those who committed sinful
acts.
16.
Having won his kingdom and observed the birth of one grandson competent to
continue the noble tradition of his family, Maharaja Yudhisthira reigned
peacefully and enjoyed uncommon opulence in cooperation with his younger
brothers, who were all expert administrators to the common people.
17.
Insurmountable, eternal time imperceptibly overcomes those who are too much
attached to family affairs and are always engrossed in their thought.
18.
Mahatma Vidura knew all this, and therefore he addressed Dhrtarastra, saying:
My dear King, please get out of here immediately. Do not delay. Just see how
fear has overtaken you.
19.
This frightful situation cannot be remedied by any person in this material
world. My lord, it is the Supreme Personality of Godhead as eternal time [kala]
that has approached us all.
20.
Whoever is under the influence of supreme kala [eternal time] must surrender
his most dear life, and what to speak of other things, such as wealth, honor,
children, land and home.
21.
Your father, brother, well-wishers and sons are all dead and passed away. You
yourself have expended the major portion of your life, your body is now
overtaken by invalidity, and you are living in the home of another.
22.
You have been blind from your very birth, and recently you have become hard of
hearing. Your memory is shortened, and your intelligence is disturbed. Your
teeth are loose, your liver is defective, and you are coughing up mucus.
23.
Alas, how powerful are the hopes of a living being to continue his life.
Verily, you are living just like a household dog and are eating remnants of
food given by Bhima.
24.
There is no need to live a degraded life and subsist on the charity of those
whom you tried to kill by arson and poisoning. You also insulted one of their
wives and usurped their kingdom and wealth.
25.
Despite your unwillingness to die and your desire to live even at the cost of
honor and prestige, your miserly body will certainly dwindle and deteriorate
like an old garment.
26.
He is called undisturbed who goes to an unknown, remote place and, freed from
all obligations, quits his material body when it has become useless.
27.
He is certainly a first-class man who awakens and understands, either by
himself or from others, the falsity and misery of this material world and thus
leaves home and depends fully on the Personality of Godhead residing within his
heart.
28.
Please, therefore, leave for the North immediately, without letting your
relatives know, for soon that time will approach which will diminish the good
qualities of men.
29.
Thus Maharaja Dhrtarastra, the scion of the family of Ajamidha, firmly
convinced by introspective knowledge [prajna], broke at once the strong network
of familial affection by his resolute determination. Thus he immediately left
home to set out on the path of liberation, as directed by his younger brother
Vidura.
30.
The gentle and chaste Gandhari, who was the daughter of King Subala of Kandahar
[or Gandhara], followed her husband, seeing that he was going to the Himalaya
Mountains, which are the delight of those who have accepted the staff of the
renounced order like fighters who have accepted a good lashing from the enemy.
31.
Maharaja Yudhisthira, whose enemy was never born, performed his daily morning
duties by praying, offering fire sacrifice to the sun-god, and offering
obeisances, grains, cows, land and gold to the brahmanas. He then entered the
palace to pay respects to the elderly. However, he could not find his uncles or
aunt, the daughter of King Subala.
32.
Maharaja Yudhisthira, full of anxiety, turned to Sanjaya, who was sitting
there, and said: O Sanjaya, where is our uncle, who is old and blind?
33.
Where is my well-wisher, uncle Vidura, and mother Gandhari, who is very
afflicted due to all her sons' demise? My uncle Dhrtarastra was also very
mortified due to the death of all his sons and grandsons. Undoubtedly I am very
ungrateful. Did he, therefore, take my offenses very seriously and, along with
his wife, drown himself in the Ganges?
34.
When my father, Pandu, fell down and we were all small children, these two
uncles gave us protection from all kinds of calamities. They were always our
good well-wishers. Alas, where have they gone from here?
35.
Suta Gosvami said: Because of compassion and mental agitation, Sanjaya, not
having seen his own master, Dhrtarastra, was aggrieved and could not properly
reply to Maharaja Yudhisthira.
36.
First he slowly pacified his mind by intelligence, and wiping away his tears
and thinking of the feet of his master, Dhrtarastra, he began to reply to
Maharaja Yudhisthira.
37.
Sanjaya said: My dear descendant of the Kuru dynasty, I have no information of
the determination of your two uncles and Gandhari. O King, I have been cheated
by those great souls.
38.
While Sanjaya was thus speaking, Sri Narada, the powerful devotee of the Lord,
appeared on the scene carrying his tumburu. Maharaja Yudhisthira and his
brothers received him properly by getting up from their seats and offering
obeisances.
39.
Maharaja Yudhisthira said: O godly personality, I do not know where my two
uncles have gone. Nor can I find my ascetic aunt who is grief-stricken by the
loss of all her sons.
40.
You are like a captain of a ship in a great ocean and you can direct us to our
destination. Thus addressed, the godly personality, Devarsi Narada, greatest of
the philosopher devotees, began to speak.
41.
Sri Narada said: O pious King, do not lament for anyone, for everyone is under
the control of the Supreme Lord. Therefore all living beings and their leaders
carry on worship to be well protected. It is He only who brings them together
and disperses them.
42.
As a cow, bound through the nose by a long rope, is conditioned, so also human
beings are bound by different Vedic injunctions and are conditioned to obey the
orders of the Supreme.
43.
As a player sets up and disperses his playthings according to his own sweet
will, so the supreme will of the Lord brings men together and separates them.
44.
O King, in all circumstances, whether you consider the soul to be an eternal
principle, or the material body to be perishable, or everything to exist in the
impersonal Absolute Truth, or everything to be an inexplicable combination of
matter and spirit, feelings of separation are due only to illusory affection
and nothing more.
45.
Therefore give up your anxiety due to ignorance of the self. You are now
thinking of how they, who are helpless poor creatures, will exist without you.
46.
This gross material body made of five elements is already under the control of
eternal time [kala], action [karma] and the modes of material nature [guna].
How, then, can it, being already in the jaws of the serpent, protect others?
47.
Those who are devoid of hands are prey for those who have hands; those devoid
of legs are prey for the four-legged. The weak are the subsistence of the
strong, and the general rule holds that one living being is food for another.
48.
Therefore, O King, you should look to the Supreme Lord only, who is one without
a second and who manifests Himself by different energies and is both within and
without.
49.
That Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krsna, in the guise of
all-devouring time [kala-rupa] has now descended on earth to eliminate the
envious from the world.
50.
The Lord has already performed His duties to help the demigods, and He is
awaiting the rest. You Pandavas may wait as long as the Lord is here on earth.
51.
O King, your uncle Dhrtarastra, his brother Vidura and his wife Gandhari have
gone to the southern side of the Himalaya Mountains, where there are shelters
of the great sages.
52.
The place is called Saptasrota ["divided by seven"] because there the
waters of the sacred Ganges were divided into seven branches. This was done for
the satisfaction of the seven great rsis.
53.
On the banks at Saptasrota, Dhrtarastra is now engaged in beginning
astanga-yoga by bathing three times daily, in the morning, noon and evening, by
performing the Agni-hotra sacrifice with fire and by drinking only water. This
helps one control the mind and the senses and frees one completely from
thoughts of familial affection.
54.
One who has controlled the sitting postures [the yogic asanas] and the
breathing process can turn the senses toward the Absolute Personality of
Godhead and thus become immune to the contaminations of the modes of material
nature, namely mundane goodness, passion and ignorance.
55.
Dhrtarastra will have to amalgamate his pure identity with intelligence and then
merge into the Supreme Being with knowledge of his qualitative oneness, as a
living entity, with the Supreme Brahman. Being freed from the blocked sky, he
will have to rise to the spiritual sky.
56.
He will have to suspend all the actions of the senses, even from the outside,
and will have to be impervious to interactions of the senses, which are
influenced by the modes of material nature. After renouncing all material
duties, he must become immovably established, beyond all sources of hindrances
on the path.
57.
O King, he will quit his body, most probably on the fifth day from today. And
his body will turn to ashes.
58.
While outside observing her husband, who will burn in the fire of mystic power
along with his thatched cottage, his chaste wife will enter the fire with rapt
attention.
59.
Vidura, being affected with delight and grief, will then leave that place of
sacred pilgrimage.
60.
Having spoken thus, the great sage Narada, along with his vina, ascended into
outer space. Yudhisthira kept his instruction in his heart and so was able to
get rid of all lamentations.
Chapter Fourteen The Disappearance of Lord Krsna
1.
Sri Suta Gosvami said: Arjuna went to Dvaraka to see Lord Sri Krsna and other
friends and also to learn from the Lord of His next activities.
2.
A few months passed, and Arjuna did not return. Maharaja Yudhisthira then began
to observe some inauspicious omens, which were fearful in themselves.
3.
He saw that the direction of eternal time had changed, and this was very
fearful. There were disruptions in the seasonal regularities. The people in
general had become very greedy, angry and deceitful. And he saw that they were
adopting foul means of livelihood.
4.
All ordinary transactions and dealings became polluted with cheating, even
between friends. And in familial affairs, there was always misunderstanding
between fathers, mothers and sons, between well-wishers, and between brothers.
Even between husband and wife there was always strain and quarrel.
5.
In course of time it came to pass that people in general became accustomed to
greed, anger, pride, etc. Maharaja Yudhisthira, observing all these omens,
spoke to his younger brother.
6.
Maharaja Yudhisthira said to his younger brother Bhimasena, I sent Arjuna to
Dvaraka to meet his friends and to learn from the Personality of Godhead Krsna
of His program of work.
7.
Since he departed, seven months have passed, yet he has not returned. I do not
know factually how things are going there.
8.
Is He going to quit His earthly pastimes, as Devarsi Narada indicated? Has that
time already arrived?
9.
From Him only, all our kingly opulence, good wives, lives, progeny, control
over our subjects, victory over our enemies, and future accommodations in
higher planets have become possible. All this is due to His causeless mercy
upon us.
10.
Just see, O man with a tiger's strength, how many miseries due to celestial
influences, earthly reactions and bodily pains--all very dangerous in
themselves--are foreboding danger in the near future by deluding our
intelligence.
11.
The left side of my body, my thighs, arms and eyes are all quivering again and
again. I am having heart palpitations due to fear. All this indicates
undesirable happenings.
12.
Just see, O Bhima, how the she jackal cries at the rising sun and vomits fire,
and how the dog barks at me fearlessly.
13.
O Bhimasena, tiger amongst men, now useful animals like cows are passing me on
my left side, and lower animals like the asses are circumambulating me. My
horses appear to weep upon seeing me.
14.
Just see! This pigeon is like a messenger of death. The shrieks of the owls and
their rival crows make my heart tremble. It appears that they want to make a
void of the whole universe.
15.
Just see how the smoke encircles the sky. It appears that the earth and mountains
are throbbing. Just hear the cloudless thunder and see the bolts from the blue.
16.
The wind blows violently, blasting dust everywhere and creating darkness.
Clouds are raining everywhere with bloody disasters.
17.
The rays of the sun are declining, and the stars appear to be fighting amongst
themselves. Confused living entities appear to be ablaze and weeping.
18.
Rivers, tributaries, ponds, reservoirs and the mind are all perturbed. Butter
no longer ignites fire. What is this extraordinary time? What is going to
happen?
19.
The calves do not suck the teats of the cows, nor do the cows give milk. They
are standing, crying, tears in their eyes, and the bulls take no pleasure in
the pasturing grounds.
20.
The Deities seem to be crying in the temple, lamenting and perspiring. They
seem about to leave. All the cities, villages, towns, gardens, mines and
hermitages are now devoid of beauty and bereft of all happiness. I do not know
what sort of calamities are now awaiting us.
21.
I think that all these earthly disturbances indicate some greater loss to the
good fortune of the world. The world was fortunate to have been marked with the
footprints of the lotus feet of the Lord. These signs indicate that this will
no longer be.
22.
O Brahmana Saunaka, while Maharaja Yudhisthira, observing the inauspicious
signs on the earth at that time, was thus thinking to himself, Arjuna came back
from the city of the Yadus [Dvaraka].
23.
When he bowed at his feet, the King saw that his dejection was unprecedented.
His head was down, and tears glided from his lotus eyes.
24.
Seeing Arjuna pale due to heartfelt anxieties, the King, remembering the
indications of the sage Narada, questioned him in the midst of friends.
25.
Maharaja Yudhisthira said: My dear brother, please tell me whether our friends
and relatives, such as Madhu, Bhoja, Dasarha, Arha, Satvata, Andhaka and the
members of the Yadu family are all passing their days in happiness.
26.
Is my respectable grandfather Surasena in a happy mood? And are my maternal
uncle Vasudeva and his younger brothers all doing well?
27.
His seven wives, headed by Devaki, are all sisters. Are they and their sons and
daughters-in-law all happy?
28-29.
Are Ugrasena, whose son was the mischievous Kamsa, and his younger brother
still living? Are Hrdika and his son Krtavarma happy? Are Akrura, Jayanta,
Gada, Sarana and Satrujit all happy? How is Balarama, the Personality of
Godhead and the protector of devotees?
30.
How is Pradyumna, the great general of the Vrsni family? Is He happy? And is
Aniruddha, the plenary expansion of the Personality of Godhead, faring well?
31.
Are all the chieftain sons of Lord Krsna, such as Susena, Carudesna, Samba the
son of Jambavati, and Rsabha, along with their sons, all doing well?
32-33.
Also, Srutadeva, Uddhava and others, Nanda, Sunanda and other leaders of
liberated souls who are constant companions of the Lord are protected by Lord
Balarama and Krsna. Are they all doing well in their respective functions? Do
they, who are all eternally bound in friendship with us, remember our welfare?
34.
Is Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who gives pleasure to the
cows, the senses and the brahmanas, who is very affectionate towards His
devotees, enjoying the pious assembly at Dvaraka Puri surrounded by friends?
35-36.
The original Personality of Godhead, the enjoyer, and Balarama, the primeval
Lord Ananta, are staying in the ocean of the Yadu dynasty for the welfare,
protection and general progress of the entire universe. And the members of the
Yadu dynasty, being protected by the arms of the Lord, are enjoying life like
the residents of the spiritual sky.
37.
Simply by administering comforts at the lotus feet of the Lord, which is the
most important of all services, the queens at Dvaraka, headed by Satyabhama,
induced the Lord to conquer the demigods. Thus the queens enjoy things which
are prerogatives of the wives of the controller of thunderbolts.
38.
The great heroes of the Yadu dynasty, being protected by the arms of Lord Sri
Krsna, always remain fearless in every respect. And therefore their feet
trample over the Sudharma assembly house, which the best demigods deserved but
which was taken away from them.
39.
My brother Arjuna, please tell me whether your health is all right. You appear
to have lost your bodily luster. Is this due to others disrespecting and
neglecting you because of your long stay at Dvaraka?
40.
Has someone addressed you with unfriendly words or threatened you? Could you
not give charity to one who asked, or could you not keep your promise to
someone?
41.
You are always the protector of the deserving living beings, such as brahmanas,
children, cows, women and the diseased. Could you not give them protection when
they approached you for shelter?
42.
Have you contacted a woman of impeachable character, or have you not properly
treated a deserving woman? Or have you been defeated on the way by someone who
is inferior or equal to you?
43.
Have you not taken care of old men and boys who deserve to dine with you? Have
you left them and taken your meals alone? Have you committed some unpardonable
mistake which is considered to be abominable?
44.
Or is it that you are feeling empty for all time because you might have lost
your most intimate friend, Lord Krsna? O my brother Arjuna, I can think of no other
reason for your becoming so dejected.
Chapter Fifteen The Pandavas Retire Timely
1.
Suta Gosvami said: Arjuna, the celebrated friend of Lord Krsna, was
grief-stricken because of his strong feeling of separation from Krsna, over and
above all Maharaja Yudhisthira's speculative inquiries.
2.
Due to grief, Arjuna's mouth and lotuslike heart had dried up. Therefore his
body lost all luster. Now, remembering the Supreme Lord, he could hardly utter
a word in reply.
3.
With great difficulty he checked the tears of grief that smeared his eyes. He
was very distressed because Lord Krsna was out of his sight, and he
increasingly felt affection for Him.
4.
Remembering Lord Krsna and His well-wishes, benefactions, intimate familial
relations and His chariot driving, Arjuna, overwhelmed and breathing very
heavily, began to speak.
5.
Arjuna said: O King! The Supreme Personality of Godhead Hari, who treated me
exactly like an intimate friend, has left me alone. Thus my astounding power,
which astonished even the demigods, is no longer with me.
6.
I have just lost Him whose separation for a moment would render all the
universes unfavorable and void, like bodies without life.
7.
Only by His merciful strength was I able to vanquish all the lusty princes
assembled at the palace of King Drupada for the selection of the bridegroom.
With my bow and arrow I could pierce the fish target and thereby gain the hand
of Draupadi.
8.
Because He was near me, it was possible for me to conquer with great dexterity
the powerful King of heaven, Indradeva, along with his demigod associates and
thus enable the fire-god to devastate the Khandava Forest. And only by His
grace was the demon named Maya saved from the blazing Khandava Forest, and thus
we could build our assembly house of wonderful architectural workmanship, where
all the princes assembled during the performance of Rajasuya-yajna and paid you
tributes.
9.
Your respectable younger brother, who possesses the strength of ten thousand
elephants, killed, by His grace, Jarasandha, whose feet were worshiped by many
kings. These kings had been brought for sacrifice in Jarasandha's
Mahabhairava-yajna, but they were thus released. Later they paid tribute to
Your Majesty.
10.
It was He only who loosened the hair of all the wives of the miscreants who
dared open the cluster of your Queen's hair, which had been nicely dressed and
sanctified for the great Rajasuya sacrificial ceremony. At that time she fell
down at the feet of Lord Krsna with tears in her eyes.
11.
During our exile, Durvasa Muni, who eats with his ten thousand disciples,
intrigued with our enemies to put us in dangerous trouble. At that time He
[Lord Krsna], simply by accepting the remnants of food, saved us. By His
accepting food thus, the assembly of munis, while bathing in the river, felt
sumptuously fed. And all the three worlds were also satisfied.
12.
It was by His influence only that in a fight I was able to astonish the
personality of god Lord Siva and his wife, the daughter of Mount Himalaya. Thus
he [Lord Siva] became pleased with me and awarded me his own weapon. Other
demigods also delivered their respective weapons to me, and in addition I was
able to reach the heavenly planets in this present body and was allowed a
half-elevated seat.
13.
When I stayed for some days as a guest in the heavenly planets, all the
heavenly demigods, including King Indradeva, took shelter of my arms, which
were marked with the Gandiva bow, to kill the demon named Nivatakavaca. O King,
descendant of Ajamidha, at the present moment I am bereft of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, by whose influence I was so powerful.
14.
The military strength of the Kauravas was like an ocean in which there dwelled
many invincible existences, and thus it was insurmountable. But because of His
friendship, I, seated on the chariot, was able to cross over it. And only by
His grace was I able to regain the cows and also collect by force many helmets
of the kings which were bedecked with jewels that were sources of all
brilliance.
15.
It was He only who withdrew the duration of life from everyone and who, in the
battlefield, withdrew the speculative power and strength of enthusiasm from the
great military phalanx made by the Kauravas, headed by Bhisma, Karna, Drona,
Salya, etc. Their arrangement was expert and more than adequate, but He [Lord
Sri Krsna], while going forward, did all this.
16.
Great generals like Bhisma, Drona, Karna, Bhurisrava, Susarma, Salya,
Jayadratha, and Bahlika all directed their invincible weapons against me. But
by His [Lord Krsna's] grace they could not even touch a hair on my head.
Similarly, Prahlada Maharaja, the supreme devotee of Lord Nrsimhadeva, was
unaffected by the weapons the demons used against him.
17.
It was by His mercy only that my enemies neglected to kill me when I descended
from my chariot to get water for my thirsty horses. And it was due to my lack
of esteem for my Lord that I dared engage Him as my chariot driver, for He is
worshiped and offered services by the best men to attain salvation.
18.
O King! His jokings and frank talks were pleasing and beautifully decorated
with smiles. His addresses unto me as "O son of Prtha, O friend, O son of
the Kuru dynasty," and all such heartiness are now remembered by me, and
thus I am overwhelmed.
19.
Generally both of us used to live together and sleep, sit and loiter together.
And at the time of advertising oneself for acts of chivalry, sometimes, if
there were any irregularity, I used to reproach Him by saying, "My friend,
You are very truthful." Even in those hours when His value was minimized,
He, being the Supreme Soul, used to tolerate all those utterings of mine,
excusing me exactly as a true friend excuses his true friend, or a father
excuses his son.
20.
O Emperor, now I am separated from my friend and dearmost well-wisher, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, and therefore my heart appears to be void of
everything. In His absence I have been defeated by a number of infidel cowherd
men while I was guarding the bodies of all the wives of Krsna.
21.
I have the very same Gandiva bow, the same arrows, the same chariot drawn by
the same horses, and I use them as the same Arjuna to whom all the kings
offered their due respects. But in the absence of Lord Krsna, all of them, at a
moment's notice, have become null and void. It is exactly like offering
clarified butter on ashes, accumulating money with a magic wand or sowing seeds
on barren land.
22-23.
O King, since you have asked me about our friends and relatives in the city of
Dvaraka, I will inform you that all of them were cursed by the brahmanas, and
as a result they all became intoxicated with wine made of putrefied rice and
fought among themselves with sticks, not even recognizing one another. Now all
but four or five of them are dead and gone.
24.
Factually this is all due to the supreme will of the Lord, the Personality of
Godhead. Sometimes people kill one another, and at other times they protect one
another.
25-26.
O King, as in the ocean the bigger and stronger aquatics swallow up the smaller
and weaker ones, so also the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to lighten the
burden of the earth, has engaged the stronger Yadu to kill the weaker, and the
bigger Yadu to kill the smaller.
27.
Now I am attracted to those instructions imparted to me by the Personality of
Godhead [Govinda] because they are impregnated with instructions for relieving
the burning heart in all circumstances of time and space.
28.
Suta Gosvami said: Thus being deeply absorbed in thinking of the instructions
of the Lord, which were imparted in the great intimacy of friendship, and in
thinking of His lotus feet, Arjuna's mind became pacified and free from all
material contamination.
29.
Arjuna's constant remembrance of the lotus feet of Lord Sri Krsna rapidly
increased his devotion, and as a result all the trash in his thoughts subsided.
30.
Because of the Lord's pastimes and activities and because of His absence, it
appeared that Arjuna forgot the instructions left by the Personality of
Godhead. But factually this was not the case, and again he became lord of his
senses.
31.
Because of his possessing spiritual assets, the doubts of duality were
completely cut off. Thus he was freed from the three modes of material nature
and placed in transcendence. There was no longer any chance of his becoming
entangled in birth and death, for he was freed from material form.
32.
Upon hearing of Lord Krsna's returning to His abode, and upon understanding the
end of the Yadu dynasty's earthly manifestation, Maharaja Yudhisthira decided
to go back home, back to Godhead.
33.
Kunti, after overhearing Arjuna's telling of the end of the Yadu dynasty and
disappearance of Lord Krsna, engaged in the devotional service of the
transcendental Personality of Godhead with full attention and thus gained
release from the course of material existence.
34.
The supreme unborn, Lord Sri Krsna, caused the members of the Yadu dynasty to
relinquish their bodies, and thus He relieved the burden of the world. This
action was like picking out a thorn with a thorn, though both are the same to
the controller.
35.
The Supreme Lord relinquished the body which He manifested to diminish the
burden of the earth. Just like a magician, He relinquishes one body to accept
different ones, like the fish incarnation and others.
36.
When the Personality of Godhead, Lord Krsna, left this earthly planet in His
selfsame form, from that very day Kali, who had already partially appeared,
became fully manifest to create inauspicious conditions for those who are
endowed with a poor fund of knowledge.
37.
Maharaja Yudhisthira was intelligent enough to understand the influence of the
age of Kali, characterized by increasing avarice, falsehood, cheating and
violence throughout the capital, state, home and among individuals. So he
wisely prepared himself to leave home, and he dressed accordingly.
38.
Thereafter, in the capital of Hastinapura, he enthroned his grandson, who was
trained and equally qualified, as the emperor and master of all land bordered
by the seas.
39.
Then he posted Vajra, the son of Aniruddha [grandson of Lord Krsna], at Mathura
as the King of Surasena. Afterwards Maharaja Yudhisthira performed a Prajapatya
sacrifice and placed in himself the fire for quitting household life.
40.
Maharaja Yudhisthira at once relinquished all his garments, belt and ornaments
of the royal order and became completely disinterested and unattached to
everything.
41.
Then he amalgamated all the sense organs into the mind, then the mind into
life, life into breathing, his total existence into the embodiment of the five
elements, and his body into death. Then, as pure self, he became free from the
material conception of life.
42.
Thus annihilating the gross body of five elements into the three qualitative
modes of material nature, he merged them in one nescience and then absorbed
that nescience in the self, Brahman, which is inexhaustible in all
circumstances.
43.
After that, Maharaja Yudhisthira dressed himself in torn clothing, gave up
eating all solid foods, voluntarily became dumb and let his hair hang loose.
All this combined to make him look like an urchin or madman with no occupation.
He did not depend on his brothers for anything. And, just like a deaf man, he
heard nothing.
44.
He then started towards the north, treading the path accepted by his
forefathers and great men, to devote himself completely to the thought of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. And he lived in that way wherever he went.
45.
The younger brothers of Maharaja Yudhisthira observed that the age of Kali had
already arrived throughout the world and that the citizens of the kingdom were
already affected by irreligious practice. Therefore they decided to follow in
the footsteps of their elder brother.
46.
They all had performed all the principles of religion and as a result rightly
decided that the lotus feet of the Lord Sri Krsna are the supreme goal of all.
Therefore they meditated upon His feet without interruption.
47-48.
Thus by pure consciousness due to constant devotional remembrance, they
attained the spiritual sky, which is ruled over by the Supreme Narayana, Lord
Krsna. This is attained only by those who meditate upon the one Supreme Lord
without deviation. This abode of the Lord Sri Krsna, known as Goloka Vrndavana,
cannot be attained by persons who are absorbed in the material conception of
life. But the Pandavas, being completely washed of all material contamination,
attained that abode in their very same bodies.
49.
Vidura, while on pilgrimage, left his body at Prabhasa. Because he was absorbed
in thought of Lord Krsna, he was received by the denizens of Pitrloka planet,
where he returned to his original post.
50.
Draupadi also saw that her husbands, without caring for her, were leaving home.
She knew well about Lord Vasudeva, Krsna, the Personality of Godhead. Both she
and Subhadra became absorbed in thoughts of Krsna and attained the same results
as their husbands.
51.
The subject of the departure of the sons of Pandu for the ultimate goal of
life, back to Godhead, is fully auspicious and is perfectly pure. Therefore
anyone who hears this narration with devotional faith certainly gains the
devotional service of the Lord, the highest perfection of life.
Chapter Sixteen How Pariksit Received the Age of Kali
1.
Suta Gosvami said: O learned brahmanas, Maharaja Pariksit then began to rule
over the world as a great devotee of the Lord under the instructions of the
best of the twice-born brahmanas. He ruled by those great qualities which were
foretold by expert astrologers at the time of his birth.
2.
King Pariksit married the daughter of King Uttara and begot four sons, headed by
Maharaja Janamejaya.
3.
Maharaja Pariksit, after having selected Krpacarya for guidance as his
spiritual master, performed three horse sacrifices on the banks of the Ganges.
These were executed with sufficient rewards for the attendants. And at these
sacrifices, even the common man could see demigods.
4.
Once, when Maharaja Pariksit was on his way to conquer the world, he saw the
master of Kali-yuga, who was lower than a sudra, disguised as a king and
hurting the legs of a cow and bull. The King at once caught hold of him to deal
sufficient punishment.
5.
Saunaka Rsi inquired: Why did Maharaja Pariksit simply punish him, since he was
the lowest of the sudras, having dressed as a king and having struck a cow on
the leg? Please describe all these incidents if they relate to the topics of
Lord Krsna.
6.
The devotees of the Lord are accustomed to licking up the honey available from
the lotus feet of the Lord. What is the use of topics which simply waste one's
valuable life?
7.
O Suta Gosvami, there are those amongst men who desire freedom from death and
get eternal life. They escape the slaughtering process by calling the
controller of death, Yamaraja.
8.
As long as Yamaraja, who causes everyone's death, is present here, no one shall
meet with death. The great sages have invited the controller of death,
Yamaraja, who is the representative of the Lord. Living beings who are under
his grip should take advantage by hearing the deathless nectar in the form of
this narration of the transcendental pastimes of the Lord.
9.
Lazy human beings with paltry intelligence and a short duration of life pass
the night sleeping and the day performing activities that are for naught.
10.
Suta Gosvami said: While Maharaja Pariksit was residing in the capital of the
Kuru empire, the symptoms of the age of Kali began to infiltrate within the
jurisdiction of his state. When he learned about this, he did not think the
matter very palatable. This did, however, give him a chance to fight. He took
up his bow and arrows and prepared himself for military activities.
11.
Maharaja Pariksit sat on a chariot drawn by black horses. His flag was marked
with the sign of a lion. Being so decorated and surrounded by charioteers,
cavalry, elephants and infantry soldiers, he left the capital to conquer in all
directions.
12.
Maharaja Pariksit then conquered all parts of the earthly planet--Bhadrasva,
Ketumala, Bharata, the northern Kuru, Kimpurusa, etc.--and exacted tributes
from their respective rulers.
13-15.
Wherever the King visited, he continuously heard the glories of his great
forefathers, who were all devotees of the Lord, and also of the glorious acts
of Lord Krsna. He also heard how he himself had been protected by the Lord from
the powerful heat of the weapon of Asvatthama. People also mentioned the great
affection between the descendants of Vrsni and Prtha due to the latter's great
devotion to Lord Kesava. The King, being very pleased with the singers of such
glories, opened his eyes in great satisfaction. Out of magnanimity he was
pleased to award them very valuable necklaces and clothing.
16.
Maharaja Pariksit heard that out of His causeless mercy Lord Krsna [Visnu], who
is universally obeyed, rendered all kinds of service to the malleable sons of
Pandu by accepting posts ranging from chariot driver to president to messenger,
friend, night watchman, etc., according to the will of the Pandavas, obeying
them like a servant and offering obeisances like one younger in years. When he
heard this, Maharaja Pariksit became overwhelmed with devotion to the lotus
feet of the Lord.
17.
Now you may hear from me of what happened while Maharaja Pariksit was passing
his days hearing of the good occupations of his forefathers and being absorbed
in thought of them.
18.
The personality of religious principles, Dharma, was wandering about in the
form of a bull. And he met the personality of earth in the form of a cow who
appeared to grieve like a mother who had lost her child. She had tears in her
eyes, and the beauty of her body was lost. Thus Dharma questioned the earth as
follows.
19.
Dharma [in the form of a bull] asked: Madam, are you not hale and hearty? Why
are you covered with the shadow of grief? It appears by your face that you have
become black. Are you suffering from some internal disease, or are you thinking
of some relative who is away in a distant place?
20.
I have lost my three legs and am now standing on one only. Are you lamenting
for my state of existence? Or are you in great anxiety because henceforward the
unlawful meat-eaters will exploit you? Or are you in a sorry plight because the
demigods are now bereft of their share of sacrificial offerings because no
sacrifices are being performed at present? Or are you grieving for living
beings because of their sufferings due to famine and drought?
21.
Are you feeling compunction for the unhappy women and children who are left
forlorn by unscrupulous persons? Or are you unhappy because the goddess of
learning is being handled by brahmanas addicted to acts against the principles
of religion? Or are you sorry to see that the brahmanas have taken shelter of
administrative families that do not respect brahminical culture?
22.
The so-called administrators are now bewildered by the influence of this age of
Kali, and thus they have put all state affairs into disorder. Are you now
lamenting this disorder? Now the general populace does not follow the rules and
regulations for eating, sleeping, drinking, mating, etc., and they are inclined
to perform such anywhere and everywhere. Are you unhappy because of this?
23.
O mother earth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, incarnated Himself as
Lord Sri Krsna just to unload your heavy burden. All His activities here are
transcendental, and they cement the path of liberation. You are now bereft of
His presence. You are probably now thinking of those activities and feeling
sorry in their absence.
24.
Mother, you are the reservoir of all riches. Please inform me of the root cause
of your tribulations by which you have been reduced to such a weak state. I
think that the powerful influence of time, which conquers the most powerful,
might have forcibly taken away all your fortune, which was adored even by the
demigods.
25.
The earthly deity [in the form of a cow] thus replied to the personality of
religious principles [in the form of a bull]: O Dharma, whatever you have
inquired from me shall be known to you. I shall try to reply to all those
questions. Once you too were maintained by your four legs, and you increased
happiness all over the universe by the mercy of the Lord.
26-30.
In Him reside (1) truthfulness, (2) cleanliness, (3) intolerance of another's
unhappiness, (4) the power to control anger, (5) self-satisfaction, (6)
straightforwardness, (7) steadiness of mind, (8) control of the sense organs,
(9) responsibility, (10) equality, (11) tolerance, (12) equanimity, (13)
faithfulness, (14) knowledge, (15) absence of sense enjoyment, (16) leadership,
(17) chivalry, (18) influence, (19) the power to make everything possible, (20)
the discharge of proper duty, (21) complete independence, (22) dexterity, (23)
fullness of all beauty, (24) serenity, (25) kindheartedness, (26) ingenuity,
(27) gentility, (28) magnanimity, (29) determination, (30) perfection in all
knowledge, (31) proper execution, (32) possession of all objects of enjoyment,
(33) joyfulness, (34) immovability, (35) fidelity, (36) fame, (37) worship,
(38) pridelessness, (39) being (as the Personality of Godhead), (40) eternity,
and many other transcendental qualities which are eternally present and never
to be separated from Him. That Personality of Godhead, the reservoir of all
goodness and beauty, Lord Sri Krsna, has now closed His transcendental pastimes
on the face of the earth. In His absence the age of Kali has spread its
influence everywhere, so I am sorry to see this condition of existence.
31.
I am thinking about myself and also, O best amongst the demigods, about you, as
well as about all the demigods, sages, denizens of Pitrloka, devotees of the
Lord and all men obedient to the system of varna and asrama in human society.
32-33.
Laksmiji, the goddess of fortune, whose glance of grace was sought by demigods
like Brahma and for whom they surrendered many a day unto the Personality of
Godhead, gave up her own abode in the forest of lotus flowers and engaged
herself in the service of the lotus feet of the Lord. I was endowed with
specific powers to supersede the fortune of all the three planetary systems by
being decorated with the impressions of the flag, thunderbolt, elephant-driving
rod and lotus flower, which are signs of the lotus feet of the Lord. But at the
end, when I felt I was so fortunate, the Lord left me.
34.
O personality of religion, I was greatly overburdened by the undue military
phalanxes arranged by atheistic kings, and I was relieved by the grace of the
Personality of Godhead. Similarly you were also in a distressed condition,
weakened in your standing strength, and thus He also incarnated by His internal
energy in the family of the Yadus to relieve you.
35.
Who, therefore, can tolerate the pangs of separation from that Supreme
Personality of Godhead? He could conquer the gravity and passionate wrath of
His sweethearts like Satyabhama by His sweet smile of love, pleasing glance and
hearty appeals. When He traversed my [earth's] surface, I would be immersed in
the dust of His lotus feet and thus would be sumptuously covered with grass
which appeared like hairs standing on me out of pleasure.
36.
While the earth and the personality of religion were thus engaged in
conversation, the saintly King Pariksit reached the shore of the Sarasvati
River, which flowed towards the east.
Chapter Seventeen Punishment and Reward of Kali
1.
Suta Gosvami said: After reaching that place, Maharaja Pariksit observed that a
lower-caste sudra, dressed like a king, was beating a cow and a bull with a
club, as if they had no owner.
2.
The bull was as white as a white lotus flower. He was terrified of the sudra
who was beating him, and he was so afraid that he was standing on one leg,
trembling and urinating.
3.
Although the cow is beneficial because one can draw religious principles from
her, she was now rendered poor and calfless. Her legs were being beaten by a
sudra. There were tears in her eyes, and she was distressed and weak. She was
hankering after some grass in the field.
4.
Maharaja Pariksit, well equipped with arrows and bow and seated on a
gold-embossed chariot, spoke to him [the sudra] with a deep voice sounding like
thunder.
5.
Oh, who are you? You appear to be strong and yet you dare kill, within my
protection, those who are helpless! By your dress you pose yourself to be a
godly man [king], but by your deeds you are opposing the principles of the
twice-born ksatriyas.
6.
You rogue, do you dare beat an innocent cow because Lord Krsna and Arjuna, the
carrier of the Gandiva bow, are out of sight? Since you are beating the
innocent in a secluded place, you are considered a culprit and therefore
deserve to be killed.
7.
Then he [Maharaja Pariksit] asked the bull: Oh, who are you? Are you a bull as
white as a white lotus, or are you a demigod? You have lost three of your legs
and are moving on only one. Are you some demigod causing us grief in the form
of a bull?
8.
Now for the first time in a kingdom well protected by the arms of the kings of
the Kuru dynasty, I see you grieving with tears in your eyes. Up till now no
one on earth has ever shed tears because of royal negligence.
9.
O son of Surabhi, you need lament no longer now. There is no need to fear this
low-class sudra. And, O mother cow, as long as I am living as the ruler and
subduer of all envious men, there is no cause for you to cry. Everything will
be good for you.
10-11.
O chaste one, the king's good name, duration of life and good rebirth vanish
when all kinds of living beings are terrified by miscreants in his kingdom. It
is certainly the prime duty of the king to subdue first the sufferings of those
who suffer. Therefore I must kill this most wretched man because he is violent
against other living beings.
12.
He [Maharaja Pariksit] repeatedly addressed and questioned the bull thus: O son
of Surabhi, who has cut off your three legs? In the state of the kings who are
obedient to the laws of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, there is no
one as unhappy as you.
13.
O bull, you are offenseless and thoroughly honest; therefore I wish all good to
you. Please tell me of the perpetrator of these mutilations, which blackmail
the reputation of the sons of Prtha.
14.
Whoever causes offenseless living beings to suffer must fear me anywhere and
everywhere in the world. By curbing dishonest miscreants, one automatically
benefits the offenseless.
15.
An upstart living being who commits offenses by torturing those who are
offenseless shall be directly uprooted by me, even though he be a denizen of
heaven with armor and decorations.
16.
The supreme duty of the ruling king is to give all protection to law-abiding
persons and to chastise those who stray from the ordinances of the scriptures
in ordinary times, when there is no emergency.
17.
The personality of religion said: These words just spoken by you befit a person
of the Pandava dynasty. Captivated by the devotional qualities of the Pandavas,
even Lord Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, performed duties as a messenger.
18.
O greatest among human beings, it is very difficult to ascertain the particular
miscreant who has caused our sufferings, because we are bewildered by all the
different opinions of theoretical philosophers.
19.
Some of the philosophers, who deny all sorts of duality, declare that one's own
self is responsible for his personal happiness and distress. Others say that
superhuman powers are responsible, while yet others say that activity is
responsible, and the gross materialists maintain that nature is the ultimate
cause.
20.
There are also some thinkers who believe that no one can ascertain the cause of
distress by argumentation, nor know it by imagination, nor express it by words.
O sage amongst kings, judge for yourself by thinking over all this with your
own intelligence.
21.
Suta Gosvami said: O best among the brahmanas, the Emperor Pariksit, thus
hearing the personality of religion speak, was fully satisfied, and without
mistake or regret he gave his reply.
22.
The King said: O you, who are in the form of a bull! You know the truth of
religion, and you are speaking according to the principle that the destination
intended for the perpetrator of irreligious acts is also intended for one who
identifies the perpetrator. You are no other than the personality of religion.
23.
Thus it is concluded that the Lord's energies are inconceivable. No one can
estimate them by mental speculation or by word jugglery.
24.
In the age of Satya [truthfulness] your four legs were established by the four
principles of austerity, cleanliness, mercy and truthfulness. But it appears that
three of your legs are broken due to rampant irreligion in the form of pride,
lust for women, and intoxication.
25.
You are now standing on one leg only, which is your truthfulness, and you are
somehow or other hobbling along. But quarrel personified [Kali], flourishing by
deceit, is also trying to destroy that leg.
26.
The burden of the earth was certainly diminished by the Personality of Godhead
and by others as well. When He was present as an incarnation, all good was
performed because of His auspicious footprints.
27.
Now she, the chaste one, being unfortunately forsaken by the Personality of
Godhead, laments her future with tears in her eyes, for now she is being ruled
and enjoyed by lower-class men who pose as rulers.
28.
Maharaja Pariksit, who could fight one thousand enemies singlehandedly, thus
pacified the personality of religion and the earth. Then he took up his sharp
sword to kill the personality of Kali, who is the cause of all irreligion.
29.
When the personality of Kali understood that the King was willing to kill him,
he at once abandoned the dress of a king and, under pressure of fear,
completely surrendered to him, bowing his head.
30.
Maharaja Pariksit, who was qualified to accept surrender and worthy of being
sung in history, did not kill the poor surrendered and fallen Kali, but smiled
compassionately, for he was kind to the poor.
31.
The King thus said: We have inherited the fame of Arjuna; therefore since you
have surrendered yourself with folded hands you need not fear for your life.
But you cannot remain in my kingdom, for you are the friend of irreligion.
32.
If the personality of Kali, irreligion, is allowed to act as a man-god or an
executive head, certainly irreligious principles like greed, falsehood,
robbery, incivility, treachery, misfortune, cheating, quarrel and vanity will
abound.
33.
Therefore, O friend of irreligion, you do not deserve to remain in a place
where experts perform sacrifices according to truth and religious principles
for the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
34.
In all sacrificial ceremonies, although sometimes a demigod is worshiped, the
Supreme Lord Personality of Godhead is worshiped because He is the Supersoul of
everyone, and exists both inside and outside like the air. Thus it is He only
who awards all welfare to the worshiper.
35.
Sri Suta Gosvami said: The personality of Kali, thus being ordered by Maharaja
Pariksit, began to tremble in fear. Seeing the King before him like Yamaraja,
ready to Kill him, Kali spoke to the King as follows.
36.
O Your Majesty, though I may live anywhere and everywhere under your order, I
shall but see you with bow and arrows wherever I look.
37.
Therefore, O chief amongst the protectors of religion, please fix some place
for me where I can live permanently under the protection of your government.
38.
Suta Gosvami said: Maharaja Pariksit, thus being petitioned by the personality
of Kali, gave him permission to reside in places where gambling, drinking,
prostitution and animal slaughter were performed.
39.
The personality of Kali asked for something more, and because of his begging,
the King gave him permission to live where there is gold because wherever there
is gold there is also falsity, intoxication, lust, envy and enmity.
40.
Thus the personality of Kali, by the directions of Maharaja Pariksit, the son
of Uttara, was allowed to live in those five places.
41.
Therefore, whoever desires progressive well-being, especially kings,
religionists, public leaders, brahmanas and sannyasis, should never come in contact
with the four above-mentioned irreligious principles.
42.
Thereafter the King reestablished the lost legs of the personality of religion
[the bull], and by encouraging activities he sufficiently improved the
condition of the earth.
43-44.
The most fortunate Emperor Maharaja Pariksit, who was entrusted with the
kingdom of Hastinapura by Maharaja Yudhisthira when he desired to retire to the
forest, is now ruling the world with great success due to his being glorified
by the deeds of the kings of the Kuru dynasty.
45.
Maharaja Pariksit, the son of Abhimanyu, is so experienced that by dint of his
expert administration and patronage, it has been possible for you to perform a
sacrifice such as this.
Chapter Eighteen Maharaja Pariksit Cursed by a Brahmana Boy
1.
Sri Suta Gosvami said: Due to the mercy of the Personality of Godhead, Sri
Krsna, who acts wonderfully, Maharaja Pariksit, though struck by the weapon of
the son of Drona in his mother's womb, could not be burned.
2.
Furthermore, Maharaja Pariksit was always consciously surrendered to the
Personality of Godhead, and therefore he was neither afraid nor overwhelmed by
fear due to a snake-bird which was to bite him because of the fury of a
brahmana boy.
3.
Furthermore, after leaving all his associates, the King surrendered himself as
a disciple to the son of Vyasa [Sukadeva Gosvami], and thus he was able to
understand the actual position of the Personality of Godhead.
4.
This was so because those who have dedicated their lives to the transcendental
topics of the Personality of Godhead, of whom the Vedic hymns sing, and who are
constantly engaged in remembering the lotus feet of the Lord, do not run the
risk of having misconceptions even at the last moment of their lives.
5.
As long as the great, powerful son of Abhimanyu remains the Emperor of the
world, there is no chance that the personality of Kali will flourish.
6.
The very day and moment the Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krsna, left this
earth, the personality of Kali, who promotes all kinds of irreligious
activities, came into this world.
7.
Maharaja Pariksit was a realist, like the bees who only accept the essence [of
a flower]. He knew perfectly well that in this age of Kali, auspicious things
produce good effects immediately, whereas inauspicious acts must be actually
performed [to render effects]. So he was never envious of the personality of
Kali.
8.
Maharaja Pariksit considered that less intelligent men might find the
personality of Kali to be very powerful, but that those who are self-controlled
would have nothing to fear. The King was powerful like a tiger and took care
for the foolish, careless persons.
9.
O sages, as you did ask me, now I have described almost everything regarding
the narrations about Lord Krsna in connection with the history of the pious
Maharaja Pariksit.
10.
Those who are desirous of achieving complete perfection in life must
submissively hear all topics that are connected with the transcendental
activities and qualities of the Personality of Godhead, who acts wonderfully.
11.
The good sages said: O grave Suta Gosvami! May you live many years and have
eternal fame, for you are speaking very nicely about the activities of Lord
Krsna, the Personality of Godhead. This is just like nectar for mortal beings
like us.
12.
We have just begun the performance of this fruitive activity, a sacrificial
fire, without certainty of its result due to the many imperfections in our
action. Our bodies have become black from the smoke, but we are factually
pleased by the nectar of the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead, Govinda,
which you are distributing.
13.
The value of a moment's association with the devotee of the Lord cannot even be
compared to the attainment of heavenly planets or liberation from matter, and
what to speak of worldly benedictions in the form of material prosperity, which
are for those who are meant for death.
14.
The Personality of Godhead, Lord Krsna [Govinda], is the exclusive shelter for
all great living beings, and His transcendental attributes cannot even be
measured by such masters of mystic powers as Lord Siva and Lord Brahma. Can
anyone who is expert in relishing nectar [rasa] ever be fully satiated by
hearing topics about Him?
15.
O Suta Gosvami, you are a learned and pure devotee of the Lord because the
Personality of Godhead is your chief object of service. Therefore please
describe to us the pastimes of the Lord, which are above all material
conception, for we are anxious to receive such messages.
16.
O Suta Gosvami, please describe those topics of the Lord by which Maharaja
Pariksit, whose intelligence was fixed on liberation, attained the lotus feet
of the Lord, who is the shelter of Garuda, the king of birds. Those topics were
vibrated by the son of Vyasa [Srila Sukadeva].
17.
Thus please narrate to us the narrations of the Unlimited, for they are
purifying and supreme. They were spoken to Maharaja Pariksit, and they are very
dear to the pure devotees, being full of bhakti-yoga.
18.
Sri Suta Gosvami said: O God, although we are born in a mixed caste, we are
still promoted in birthright simply by serving and following the great who are
advanced in knowledge. Even by conversing with such great souls, one can
without delay cleanse oneself of all disqualifications resulting from lower
births.
19.
And what to speak of those who are under the direction of the great devotees,
chanting the holy name of the Unlimited, who has unlimited potency? The
Personality of Godhead, unlimited in potency and transcendental by attributes,
is called the ananta [Unlimited].
20.
It is now ascertained that He [the Personality of Godhead] is unlimited and
there is none equal to Him. Consequently no one can speak of Him adequately.
Great demigods cannot obtain the favor of the goddess of fortune even by
prayers, but this very goddess renders service unto the Lord, although He is
unwilling to have such service.
21.
Who can be worthy of the name of the Supreme Lord but the Personality of
Godhead Sri Krsna? Brahmaji collected the water emanating from the nails of His
feet in order to award it to Lord Siva as a worshipful welcome. This very water
[the Ganges] is purifying the whole universe, including Lord Siva.
22.
Self-controlled persons who are attached to the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna can all
of a sudden give up the world of material attachment, including the gross body
and subtle mind, and go away to attain the highest perfection of the renounced
order of life, by which nonviolence and renunciation are consequential.
23.
O rsis, who are as powerfully pure as the sun, I shall try to describe to you
the transcendental pastimes of Visnu as far as my knowledge is concerned. As
the birds fly in the sky as far as their capacity allows, so do the learned
devotees describe the Lord as far as their realization allows.
24-25.
Once upon a time Maharaja Pariksit, while engaged in hunting in the forest with
bow and arrows, became extremely fatigued, hungry and thirsty while following
the stags. While searching for a reservoir of water, he entered the hermitage
of the well-known Samika Rsi and saw the sage sitting silently with closed
eyes.
26.
The muni's sense organs, breath, mind and intelligence were all restrained from
material activities, and he was situated in a trance apart from the three
[wakefulness, dream and unconsciousness], having achieved a transcendental
position qualitatively equal with the Supreme Absolute.
27.
The sage, in meditation, was covered by the skin of a stag, and long,
compressed hair was scattered all over him. The King, whose palate was dry from
thirst, asked him for water.
28.
The King, not received by any formal welcome by means of being offered a seat,
place, water and sweet addresses, considered himself neglected, and so thinking
he became angry.
29.
O brahmanas, the King's anger and envy, directed toward the brahmana sage, were
unprecedented, being that circumstances had made him hungry and thirsty.
30.
While leaving, the King, being so insulted, picked up a lifeless snake with his
bow and angrily placed it on the shoulder of the sage. Then he returned to his
palace.
31.
Upon returning, he began to contemplate and argue within himself whether the
sage had actually been in meditation, with senses concentrated and eyes closed,
or whether he had just been feigning trance just to avoid receiving a lower
ksatriya.
32.
The sage had a son who was very powerful, being a brahmana's son. While he was
playing with inexperienced boys, he heard of his father's distress, which was
occasioned by the King. Then and there the boy spoke as follows.
33.
[The brahmana's son, Srngi, said:] O just look at the sins of the rulers who,
like crows and watchdogs at the door, perpetrate sins against their masters,
contrary to the principles governing servants.
34.
The descendants of the kingly orders are definitely designated as watchdogs,
and they must keep themselves at the door. On what grounds can dogs enter the
house and claim to dine with the master on the same plate?
35.
After the departure of Lord Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead and supreme
ruler of everyone, these upstarts have flourished, our protector being gone.
Therefore I myself shall take up this matter and punish them. Just witness my
power.
36.
The son of the rsi, his eyes red-hot with anger, touched the water of the River
Kausika while speaking to his playmates and discharged the following
thunderbolt of words.
37.
The brahmana's son cursed the King thus: On the seventh day from today a
snake-bird will bite the most wretched one of that dynasty [Maharaja Pariksit]
because of his having broken the laws of etiquette by insulting my father.
38.
Thereafter, when the boy returned to the hermitage, he saw a snake on his
father's shoulder, and out of his grief he cried very loudly.
39.
O brahmanas, the rsi, who was born in the family of Angira Muni, hearing his
son crying, gradually opened his eyes and saw the dead snake around his neck.
40.
He threw the dead snake aside and asked his son why he was crying, whether
anyone had done him harm. On hearing this, the son explained to him what had
happened.
41.
The father heard from his son that the King had been cursed, although he should
never have been condemned, for he was the best amongst all human beings. The
rsi did not congratulate his son, but, on the contrary, began to repent,
saying: Alas! What a great sinful act was performed by my son. He has awarded
heavy punishment for an insignificant offense.
42.
O my boy, your intelligence is immature, and therefore you have no knowledge
that the king, who is the best amongst human beings, is as good as the
Personality of Godhead. He is never to be placed on an equal footing with
common men. The citizens of the state live in prosperity, being protected by
his unsurpassable prowess.
43.
My dear boy, the Lord, who carries the wheel of a chariot, is represented by
the monarchical regime, and when this regime is abolished the whole world
becomes filled with thieves, who then at once vanquish the unprotected subjects
like scattered lambs.
44.
Due to the termination of the monarchical regimes and the plundering of the
people's wealth by rogues and thieves, there will be great social disruptions.
People will be killed and injured, and animals and women will be stolen. And
for all these sins we shall be responsible.
45.
At that time the people in general will fall systematically from the path of a
progressive civilization in respect to the qualitative engagements of the
castes and the orders of society and the Vedic injunctions. Thus they will be
more attracted to economic development for sense gratification, and as a result
there will be an unwanted population on the level of dogs and monkeys.
46.
The Emperor Pariksit is a pious king. He is highly celebrated and is a
first-class devotee of the Personality of Godhead. He is a saint amongst
royalty, and he has performed many horse sacrifices. When such a king is tired
and fatigued, being stricken with hunger and thirst, he does not at all deserve
to be cursed.
47.
Then the rsi prayed to the all-pervading Personality of Godhead to pardon his
immature boy, who had no intelligence and who committed the great sin of cursing
a person who was completely free from all sins, who was subordinate and who
deserved to be protected.
48.
The devotees of the Lord are so forbearng that even though they are defamed,
cheated, cursed, disturbed, neglected or even killed, they are never inclined
to avenge themselves.
49.
The sage thus regretted the sin committed by his own son. He did not take the
insult paid by the King very seriously.
50.
Generally the transcendentalists, even though engaged by others in the
dualities of the material world, are not distressed. Nor do they take pleasure
[in worldly things], for they are transcendentally engaged.
Chapter Nineteen The Appearance of Sukadeva Gosvami
1.
Sri Suta Gosvami said: While returning home, the King [Maharaja Pariksit] felt
that the act he had committed against the faultless and powerful brahmana was
heinous and uncivilized. Consequently he was distressed.
2.
[King Pariksit thought:] Due to my neglecting the injunctions of the Supreme
Lord I must certainly expect some difficulty to overcome me in the near future.
I now desire without reservation that the calamity come now, for in this way I
may be freed of the sinful action and not commit such an offense again.
3.
I am uncivilized and sinful due to my neglect of brahminical culture, God consciousness
and cow protection. Therefore I wish that my kingdom, strength and riches burn
up immediately by the fire of the brahmana's wrath so that in the future I may
not be guided by such inauspicious attitudes.
4.
While the King was thus repenting, he received news of his imminent death,
which would be due to the bite of a snake-bird, occasioned by the curse spoken
by the sage's son. The King accepted this as good news, for it would be the
cause of his indifference toward worldly things.
5.
Maharaja Pariksit sat down firmly on the banks of the Ganges to concentrate his
mind in Krsna consciousness, rejecting all other practices of self-realization,
because transcendental loving service to Krsna is the greatest achievement,
superseding all other methods.
6.
The river [Ganges, by which the King sat to fast] carries the most auspicious
water, which is mixed with the dust of the lotus feet of the Lord and tulasi
leaves. Therefore that water sanctifies the three worlds inside and outside and
even sanctifies Lord Siva and other demigods. Consequently everyone who is
destined to die must take shelter of this river.
7.
Thus the King, the worthy descendant of the Pandavas, decided once and for all
and sat on the Ganges' bank to fast until death and give himself up to the
lotus feet of Lord Krsna, who alone is able to award liberation. So, freeing
himself from all kinds of associations and attachments, he accepted the vows of
a sage.
8.
At that time all the great minds and thinkers, accompanied by their disciples,
and sages who could verily sanctify a place of pilgrimage just by their
presence, arrived there on the plea of making a pilgrim's journey.
9-10.
From different parts of the universe there arrived great sages like Atri,
Cyavana, Saradvan, Aristanemi, Bhrgu, Vasistha, Parasara, Visvamitra, Angira,
Parasurama, Utathya, Indrapramada, Idhmavahu, Medhatithi, Devala, Arstisena,
Bharadvaja, Gautama, Pippalada, Maitreya, Aurva, Kavasa, Kumbhayoni, Dvaipayana
and the great personality Narada.
11.
There were also many other saintly demigods, kings and special royal orders
called arunadayas [a special rank of rajarsis] from different dynasties of
sages. When they all assembled together to meet the Emperor [Pariksit], he
received them properly and bowed his head to the ground.
12.
After all the rsis and others had seated themselves comfortably, the King,
humbly standing before them with folded hands, told them of his decision to
fast until death.
13.
The fortunate King said: Indeed, we are the most grateful of all the kings who
are trained to get favors from the great souls. Generally you [sages] consider
royalty as refuse to be rejected and left in a distant place.
14.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the controller of both the transcendental
and mundane worlds, has graciously overtaken me in the form of a brahmana's
curse. Due to my being too much attached to family life, the Lord, in order to
save me, has appeared before me in such a way that only out of fear I will
detach myself from the world.
15.
O brahmanas, just accept me as a completely surrendered soul, and let mother
Ganges, the representative of the Lord, also accept me in that way, for I have
already taken the lotus feet of the Lord into my heart. Let the snake-bird--or
whatever magical thing the brahmana created--bite me at once. I only desire
that you all continue singing the deeds of Lord Visnu.
16.
Again, offering obeisances unto all you brahmanas, I pray that if I should
again take my birth in the material world I will have complete attachment to
the unlimited Lord Krsna, association with His devotees and friendly relations
with all living beings.
17.
In perfect self-control, Maharaja Pariksit sat down on a seat of straw, with
straw-roots facing the east, placed on the southern bank of the Ganges, and he
himself faced the north. Just previously he had given charge of his kingdom
over to his son.
18.
Thus the King, Maharaja Pariksit, sat to fast until death. All the demigods of
the higher planets praised the King's actions and in pleasure continually
scattered flowers over the earth and beat celestial drums.
19.
All the great sages who were assembled there also praised the decision of
Maharaja Pariksit and they expressed their approval by saying, "Very
good." Naturally the sages are inclined to do good to common men, for they
have all the qualitative powers of the Supreme Lord. Therefore they were very
much pleased to see Maharaja Pariksit, a devotee of the Lord, and they spoke as
follows.
20.
[The sages said:] O chief of all the saintly kings of the Pandu dynasty who are
strictly in the line of Lord Sri Krsna! It is not at all astonishing that you
give up your throne, which is decorated with the helmets of many kings, to
achieve eternal association with the Personality of Godhead.
21.
We shall all wait here until the foremost devotee of the Lord, Maharaja
Pariksit, returns to the supreme planet, which is completely free from all
mundane contamination and all kinds of lamentation.
22.
All that was spoken by the great sages was very sweet to hear, full of meaning and
appropriately presented as perfectly true. So after hearing them, Maharaja
Pariksit, desiring to hear of the activities of Lord Sri Krsna, the Personality
of Godhead, congratulated the great sages.
23.
The King said: O great sages, you have all very kindly assembled here, having
come from all parts of the universe. You are all as good as supreme knowledge
personified, who resides in the planet above the three worlds [Satyaloka].
Consequently you are naturally inclined to do good to others, and but for this
you have no interest, either in this life or in the next.
24.
O trustworthy brahmanas, I now ask you about my immediate duty. Please, after
proper deliberation, tell me of the unalloyed duty of everyone in all
circumstances, and specifically of those who are just about to die.
25.
At that moment there appeared the powerful son of Vyasadeva, who traveled over
the earth disinterested and satisfied with himself. He did not manifest any
symptoms of belonging to any social order or status of life. He was surrounded
with women and children, and he dressed as if others had neglected him.
26.
This son of Vyasadeva was only sixteen years old. His legs, hands, thighs,
arms, shoulders, forehead and the other parts of his body were all delicately
formed. His eyes were beautifully wide, and his nose and ears were highly
raised. He had a very attractive face, and his neck was well formed and
beautiful like a conchshell.
27.
His collarbone was fleshy, his chest broad and thick, his navel deep and his
abdomen beautifully striped. His arms were long, and curly hair was strewn over
his beautiful face. He was naked, and the hue of his body reflected that of
Lord Krsna.
28.
He was blackish and very beautiful due to his youth. Because of the glamor of
his body and his attractive smiles, he was pleasing to women. Though he tried
to cover his natural glories, the great sages present there were all expert in
the art of physiognomy, and so they honored him by rising from their seats.
29.
Maharaja Pariksit, who is also known as Visnurata [one who is always protected
by Visnu], bowed his head to receive the chief guest, Sukadeva Gosvami. At that
time all the ignorant women and boys ceased following Srila Sukadeva. Receiving
respect from all, Sukadeva Gosvami took his exalted seat.
30.
Sukadeva Gosvami was then surrounded by saintly sages and demigods just as the
moon is surrounded by stars, planets and other heavenly bodies. His presence
was gorgeous, and he was respected by all.
31.
The sage Sri Sukadeva Gosvami sat perfectly pacified, intelligent and ready to
answer any question without hesitation. The great devotee, Maharaja Pariksit,
approached him, offered his respects by bowing before him, and politely
inquired with sweet words and folded hands.
32.
The fortunate King Pariksit said: O brahmana, by your mercy only, you have
sanctified us, making us like unto places of pilgrimage, all by your presence
here as my guest. By your mercy, we, who are but unworthy royalty, become
eligible to serve the devotee.
33.
Simply by our remembering you, our houses become instantly sanctified. And what
to speak of seeing you, touching you, washing your holy feet and offering you a
seat in our home?
34.
Just as the atheist cannot remain in the presence of the Personality of
Godhead, so also the invulnerable sins of a man are immediately vanquished in
your presence, O saint! O great mystic!
35.
Lord Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, who is very dear to the sons of King
Pandu, has accepted me as one of those relatives just to please His great
cousins and brothers.
36.
Otherwise [without being inspired by Lord Krsna] how is it that you have
voluntarily appeared here, though you are moving incognito to the common man
and are not visible to us who are on the verge of death?
37.
You are the spiritual master of great saints and devotees. I am therefore
begging you to show the way of perfection for all persons, and especially for
one who is about to die.
38.
Please let me know what a man should hear, chant, remember and worship, and
also what he should not do. Please explain all this to me.
39.
O powerful brahmana, it is said that you hardly stay in the houses of men long
enough to milk a cow.
40.
Sri Suta Gosvami said: The King thus spoke and questioned the sage, using sweet
language. Then the great and powerful personality, the son of Vyasadeva, who
knew the principles of religion, began his reply.
CANTO TWO
Chapter One The First Step in God Realization
1.
Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said: My dear King, your question is glorious because it
is very beneficial to all kinds of people. The answer to this question is the
prime subject matter for hearing, and it is approved by all transcendentalists.
2.
Those persons who are materially engrossed, being blind to the knowledge of
ultimate truth, leave many subject matters for hearing in human society, O
Emperor.
3.
The lifetime of such an envious householder is passed at night either in
sleeping or in sex indulgence, and in the daytime either in making money or
maintaining family members.
4.
Persons devoid of atma-tattva do not inquire into the problems of life, being
too attached to the fallible soldiers like the body, children and wife.
Although sufficiently experienced, they still do not see their inevitable
destruction.
5.
O descendant of King Bharata, one who desires to be free from all miseries must
hear about, glorify and also remember the Personality of Godhead, who is the
Supersoul, the controller and the savior from all miseries.
6.
The highest perfection of human life, achieved either by complete knowledge of
matter and spirit, by practice of mystic powers, or by perfect discharge of
occupational duty, is to remember the Personality of Godhead at the end of
life.
7.
O King Pariksit, mainly the topmost transcendentalists, who are above the
regulative principles and restrictions, take pleasure in describing the glories
of the Lord.
8.
At the end of the Dvapara-yuga, I studied this great supplement of Vedic
literature named Srimad-Bhagavatam, which is equal to all the Vedas, from my
father, Srila Dvaipayana Vyasadeva.
9.
O saintly King, I was certainly situated perfectly in transcendence, yet I was
still attracted by the delineation of the pastimes of the Lord, who is
described by enlightened verses.
10.
That very Srimad-Bhagavatam I shall recite before you because you are the most
sincere devotee of Lord Krsna. One who gives full attention and respect to
hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam achieves unflinching faith in the Supreme Lord, the
giver of salvation.
11.
O King, constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord after the ways of the
great authorities is the doubtless and fearless way of success for all,
including those who are free from all material desires, those who are desirous
of all material enjoyment, and also those who are self-satisfied by dint of
transcendental knowledge.
12.
What is the value of a prolonged life which is wasted, inexperienced by years
in this world? Better a moment of full consciousness, because that gives one a
start in searching after his supreme interest.
13.
The saintly King Khatvanga, after being informed that the duration of his life
would be only a moment more, at once freed himself from all material activities
and took shelter of the supreme safety, the Personality of Godhead.
14.
Maharaja Pariksit, now your duration of life is limited to seven more days, so
during this time you can perform all those rituals which are needed for the
best purpose of your next life.
15.
At the last stage of one's life, one should be bold enough not to be afraid of
death. But one must cut off all attachment to the material body and everything
pertaining to it and all desires thereof.
16.
One should leave home and practice self-control. In a sacred place he should
bathe regularly and sit down in a lonely place duly sanctified.
17.
After sitting in the above manner, make the mind remember the three
transcendental letters [a-u-m], and by regulating the breathing process,
control the mind so as not to forget the transcendental seed.
18.
Gradually, as the mind becomes progressively spiritualized, withdraw it from
sense activities, and by intelligence the senses will be controlled. The mind
too absorbed in material activities can be engaged in the service of the
Personality of Godhead and become fixed in full transcendental consciousness.
19.
Thereafter, you should meditate upon the limbs of Visnu, one after another,
without being deviated from the conception of the complete body. Thus the mind
becomes free from all sense objects. There should be no other thing to be
thought upon. Because the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, is the
Ultimate Truth, the mind becomes completely reconciled in Him only.
20.
One's mind is always agitated by the passionate mode of material nature and
bewildered by the ignorant mode of nature. But one can rectify such conceptions
by the relation of Visnu and thus become pacified by cleansing the dirty things
created by them.
21.
O King, by this system of remembrance and by being fixed in the habit of seeing
the all-good personal conception of the Lord, one can very soon attain
devotional service to the Lord, under His direct shelter.
22.
The fortunate King Pariksit, inquiring further, said: O brahmana, please
describe in full detail how and where the mind has to be applied and how the
conception can be fixed so that the dirty things in a person's mind can be
removed.
23.
Sukadeva Gosvami answered: One should control the sitting posture, regulate the
breathing process by the yogic pranayama and thus control the mind and senses
and with intelligence apply the mind to the gross potencies of the Lord [called
the virat-rupa].
24.
This gigantic manifestation of the phenomenal material world as a whole is the
personal body of the Absolute Truth, wherein the universal resultant past,
present and future of material time is experienced.
25.
The gigantic universal form of the Personality of Godhead, within the body of
the universal shell, which is covered by sevenfold material elements, is the
subject for the virat conception.
26.
Persons who have realized it have studied that the planets known as Patala
constitute the bottoms of the feet of the universal Lord, and the heels and the
toes are the Rasatala planets. The ankles are the Mahatala planets, and His
shanks constitute the Talatala planets.
27.
The knees of the universal form are the planetary system of the name Sutala,
and the two thighs are the Vitala and Atala planetary systems. The hips are
Mahitala, and outer space is the depression of His navel.
28.
The chest of the Original Personality of the gigantic form is the luminary
planetary system, His neck is the Mahar planets, His mouth is the Janas
planets, and His forehead is the Tapas planetary system. The topmost planetary
system, known as Satyaloka, is the head of He who has one thousand heads.
29.
His arms are the demigods headed by Indra, the ten directional sides are His
ears, and physical sound is His sense of hearing. His nostrils are the two
Asvini-kumaras, and material fragrance is His sense of smell. His mouth is the
blazing fire.
30.
The sphere of outer space constitutes His eyepits, and the eyeball is the sun
as the power of seeing. His eyelids are both the day and night, and in the
movements of His eyebrows, the Brahma and similar supreme personalities reside.
His palate is the director of water, Varuna, and the juice or essence of
everything is His tongue.
31.
They say that the Vedic hymns are the cerebral passage of the Lord, and His
jaws of teeth are Yama, god of death, who punishes the sinners. The art of
affection is His set of teeth, and the most alluring illusory material energy
is His smile. This great ocean of material creation is but the casting of His
glance over us.
32.
Modesty is the upper portion of His lips, hankering is His chin, religion is
the breast of the Lord, and irreligion is His back. Brahmaji, who generates all
living beings in the material world, is His genitals, and the Mitra-varunas are
His two testicles. The ocean is His waist, and the hills and mountains are the
stacks of His bones.
33.
O King, the rivers are the veins of the gigantic body, the trees are the hairs
of His body, and the omnipotent air is His breath. The passing ages are His
movements, and His activities are the reactions of the three modes of material
nature.
34.
O best amongst the Kurus, the clouds which carry water are the hairs on His
head, the terminations of days or nights are His dress, and the supreme cause
of material creation is His intelligence. His mind is the moon, the reservoir
of all changes.
35.
The principle of matter [mahat-tattva] is the consciousness of the omnipresent
Lord, as asserted by the experts, and Rudradeva is His ego. The horse, mule,
camel and elephant are His nails, and wild animals and all quadrupeds are
situated in the belt zone of the Lord.
36.
Varieties of birds are indications of His masterful artistic sense. Manu, the
father of mankind, is the emblem of His standard intelligence, and humanity is
His residence. The celestial species of human beings, like the Gandharvas,
Vidyadharas, Caranas and angels, all represent His musical rhythm, and the
demoniac soldiers are representations of His wonderful prowess.
37.
The virat-purusa's face is the brahmanas, His arms are the ksatriyas, His
thighs are the vaisyas, and the sudras are under the protection of His feet.
All the worshipable demigods are also overtaken by Him, and it is the duty of
everyone to perform sacrifices with feasible goods to appease the Lord.
38.
I have thus explained to you the gross material gigantic conception of the
Personality of Godhead. One who seriously desires liberation concentrates his
mind on this form of the Lord, because there is nothing more than this in the
material world.
39.
One should concentrate his mind upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who
alone distributes Himself in so many manifestations just as ordinary persons
create thousands of manifestations in dreams. One must concentrate the mind on
Him, the only all-blissful Absolute Truth. Otherwise one will be misled and
will cause his own degradation.
Chapter Two The Lord in the Heart
1.
Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said: Formerly, prior to the manifestation of the cosmos,
Lord Brahma, by meditating on the virat-rupa, regained his lost consciousness
by appeasing the Lord. Thus he was able to rebuild the creation as it was
before.
2.
The way of presentation of the Vedic sounds is so bewildering that it directs
the intelligence of the people to meaningless things like the heavenly
kingdoms. The conditioned souls hover in dreams of such heavenly illusory
pleasures, but actually they do not relish any tangible happiness in such
places.
3.
For this reason the enlightened person should endeavor only for the minimum
necessities of life while in the world of names. He should be intelligently
fixed and never endeavor for unwanted things, being competent to perceive
practically that all such endeavors are merely hard labor for nothing.
4.
When there are ample earthly flats to lie on, what is the necessity of cots and
beds? When one can use his own arms, what is the necessity of a pillow? When
one can use the palms of his hands, what is the necessity of varieties of
utensils? When there is ample covering, or the skins of trees, what is the
necessity of clothing?
5.
Are there no torn clothes lying on the common road? Do the trees, which exist
for maintaining others, no longer give alms in charity? Do the rivers, being
dried up, no longer supply water to the thirsty? Are the caves of the mountains
now closed, or, above all, does the Almighty Lord not protect the fully
surrendered souls? Why then do the learned sages go to flatter those who are
intoxicated by hard-earned wealth?
6.
Thus being fixed, one must render service unto the Supersoul situated in one's
own heart by His omnipotency. Because He is the Almighty Personality of
Godhead, eternal and unlimited, He is the ultimate goal of life, and by
worshiping Him one can end the cause of the conditioned state of existence.
7.
Who else but the gross materialists will neglect such transcendental thought
and take to the nonpermanent names only, seeing the mass of people fallen in
the river of suffering as the consequence of accruing the result of their own
work?
8.
Others conceive of the Personality of Godhead residing within the body in the
region of the heart and measuring only eight inches, with four hands carrying a
lotus, a wheel of a chariot, a conchshell and a club respectively.
9.
His mouth expresses His happiness. His eyes spread like the petals of a lotus,
and His garments, yellowish like the saffron of a kadamba flower, are bedecked
with valuable jewels. His ornaments are all made of gold, set with jewels, and
He wears a glowing head dress and earrings.
10.
His lotus feet are placed over the whorls of the lotuslike hearts of great
mystics. On His chest is the Kaustubha jewel, engraved with a beautiful calf,
and there are other jewels on His shoulders. His complete torso is garlanded
with fresh flowers.
11.
He is well decorated with an ornamental wreath about His waist and rings
studded with valuable jewels on His fingers. His leglets, His bangles, His
oiled hair, curling with a bluish tint, and His beautiful smiling face are all
very pleasing.
12.
The Lord's magnanimous pastimes and the glowing glancing of His smiling face
are all indications of His extensive benedictions. One must therefore
concentrate on this transcendental form of the Lord, as long as the mind can be
fixed on Him by meditation.
13.
The process of meditation should begin from the lotus feet of the Lord and
progress to His smiling face. The meditation should be concentrated upon the
lotus feet, then the calves, then the thighs, and in this way higher and
higher. The more the mind becomes fixed upon the different parts of the limbs,
one after another, the more the intelligence becomes purified.
14.
Unless the gross materialist develops a sense of loving service unto the
Supreme Lord, the seer of both the transcendental and material worlds, he
should remember or meditate upon the universal form of the Lord at the end of
his prescribed duties.
15.
O King, whenever the yogi desires to leave this planet of human beings, he
should not be perplexed about the proper time or place, but should comfortably
sit without being disturbed and, regulating the life air, should control the
senses by the mind.
16.
Thereafter, the yogi should merge his mind, by his unalloyed intelligence, into
the living entity, and then merge the living entity into the Superself. And by
doing this, the fully satisfied living entity becomes situated in the supreme
stage of satisfaction, so that he ceases from all other activities.
17.
In that transcendental state of labdhopasanti (full bliss), there is no
supremacy of devastating time, which controls even the celestial demigods who
are empowered to rule over mundane creatures. (And what to speak of the
demigods themselves?) Nor is there the mode of material goodness, nor passion,
nor ignorance, nor even the false ego, nor the material Causal Ocean, nor the
material nature.
18.
The transcendentalists desire to avoid everything godless, for they know that
supreme situation in which everything is related with the Supreme Lord Visnu.
Therefore a pure devotee who is in absolute harmony with the Lord does not
create perplexities, but worships the lotus feet of the Lord at every moment,
taking them into his heart.
19.
By the strength of scientific knowledge, one should be well situated in
absolute realization and thus be able to extinguish all material desires. One
should then give up the material body by blocking the air hole [through which
stool is evacuated] with the heel of one's foot and by lifting the life air
from one place to another in the six primary places.
20.
The meditative devotee should slowly push up the life air from the navel to the
heart, from there to the chest and from there to the root of the palate. He
should search out the proper places with intelligence.
21.
Thereafter the bhakti-yogi should push the life air up between the eyebrows,
and then, blocking the seven outlets of the life air, he should maintain his
aim for going back home, back to Godhead. If he is completely free from all
desires for material enjoyment, he should then reach the cerebral hole and give
up his material connections, having gone to the Supreme.
22.
However, O King, if a yogi maintains a desire for improved material enjoyments,
like transference to the topmost planet, Brahmaloka, or the achievement of the
eightfold perfections, travel in outer space with the Vaihayasas, or a
situation in one of the millions of planets, then he has to take away with him
the materially molded mind and senses.
23.
The transcendentalists are concerned with the spiritual body. As such, by the
strength of their devotional service, austerities, mystic power and
transcendental knowledge, their movements are unrestricted, within and beyond
the material worlds. The fruitive workers, or the gross materialists, can never
move in such an unrestricted manner.
24.
O King, when such a mystic passes over the Milky Way by the illuminating
Susumna to reach the highest planet, Brahmaloka, he goes first to Vrisvanara,
the planet of the deity of fire, wherein he becomes completely cleansed of all
contaminations, and thereafter he still goes higher, to the circle of Sisumara,
to relate with Lord Hari, the Personality of Godhead.
25.
This Sisumara is the pivot for the turning of the complete universe, and it is
called the navel of Visnu [Garbhodakasayi Visnu]. The yogi alone goes beyond
this circle of Sisumara and attains the planet [Maharloka] where purified
saints like Bhrgu enjoy a duration of life of 4,300,000,0O0 solar years. This
planet is worshipable even for the saints who are transcendentally situated.
26.
At the time of the final devastation of the complete universe [the end of the
duration of Brahma's life], a flame of fire emanates from the mouth of Ananta
[from the bottom of the universe]. The yogi sees all the planets of the
universe burning to ashes, and thus he leaves for Satyaloka by airplanes used
by the great purified souls. The duration of life in Satyaloka is calculated to
be 15,480,000,000,000 years.
27.
In that planet of Satyaloka, there is neither bereavement, nor old age nor death.
There is no pain of any kind, and therefore there are no anxieties, save that
sometimes, due to consciousness, there is a feeling of compassion for those
unaware of the process of devotional service, who are subjected to
unsurpassable miseries in the material world.
28.
After reaching Satyaloka, the devotee is specifically able to be incorporated
fearlessly by the subtle body in an identity similar to that of the gross body,
and one after another he gradually attains stages of existence from earthly to
watery, fiery, glowing and airy, until he reaches the ethereal stage.
29.
The devotee thus surpasses the subtle objects of different senses like aroma by
smelling, the palate by tasting, vision by seeing forms, touch by contacting,
the vibrations of the ear by ethereal identification, and the sense organs by
material activities.
30.
The devotee, thus surpassing the gross and the subtle forms of coverings,
enters the plane of egoism. And in that status he merges the material modes of
nature [ignorance and passion] in this point of neutralization and thus reaches
egoism in goodness. After this, all egoism is merged in the mahat-tattva, and
he comes to the point of pure self-realization.
31.
Only the purified soul can attain the perfection of associating with the
Personality of Godhead in complete bliss and satisfaction in his constitutional
state. Whoever is able to renovate such devotional perfection is never again
attracted by this material world, and he never returns.
32.
Your Majesty Maharaja Pariksit, know that all that I have described in reply to
your proper inquiry is just according to the version of the Vedas, and it is
eternal truth. This was described personally by Lord Krsna unto Brahma, with
whom the Lord was satisfied upon being properly worshiped.
33.
For those who are wandering in the material universe, there is no more
auspicious means of deliverance than what is aimed at in the direct devotional
service of Lord Krsna.
34.
The great personality Brahma, with great attention and concentration of the
mind, studied the Vedas three times, and after scrutinizingly examining them,
he ascertained that attraction for the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna
is the highest perfection of religion.
35.
The Personality of Godhead Lord Sri Krsna is in every living being along with
the individual soul. And this fact is perceived and hypothesized in our acts of
seeing and taking help from the intelligence.
36.
O King, it is therefore essential that every human being hear about, glorify
and remember the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, always and
everywhere.
37.
Those who drink through aural reception, fully filled with the nectarean
message of Lord Krsna, the beloved of the devotees, purify the polluted aim of
life known as material enjoyment and thus go back to Godhead, to the lotus feet
of Him [the Personality of Godhead].
Chapter Three Pure Devotional Service: The Change in Heart
1.
Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said: Maharaja Pariksit, as you have inquired from me as
to the duty of the intelligent man who is on the threshold of death, so I have
answered you.
2-7.
One who desires to be absorbed in the impersonal brahmajyoti effulgence should
worship the master of the Vedas [Lord Brahma or Brhaspati, the learned priest],
one who desires powerful sex should worship the heavenly King, Indra, and one
who desires good progeny should worship the great progenitors called the
Prajapatis. One who desires good fortune should worship Durgadevi, the
superintendent of the material world. One desiring to be very powerful should
worship fire, and one who aspires only after money should worship the Vasus.
One should worship the Rudra incarnations of Lord Siva if he wants to be a
great hero. One who wants a large stock of grains should worship Aditi. One who
desires to attain the heavenly planets should worship the sons of Aditi. One
who desires a worldly kingdom should worship Visvadeva, and one who wants to be
popular with the general mass of population should worship the Sadhya demigod.
One who desires a long span of life should worship the demigods known as the
Asvini-kumaras, and a person desiring a strongly built body should worship the
earth. One who desires stability in his post should worship the horizon and the
earth combined. One who desires to be beautiful should worship the beautiful
residents of the Gandharva planet, and one who desires a good wife should
worship the Apsaras and the Urvasi society girls of the heavenly kingdom. One
who desires domination over others should worship Lord Brahma, the head of the
universe. One who desires tangible fame should worship the Personality of
Godhead, and one who desires a good bank balance should worship the demigod
Varuna. If one desires to be a greatly learned man he should worship Lord Siva,
and if one desires a good marital relation he should worship the chaste goddess
Uma, the wife of Lord Siva.
8.
One should worship Lord Visnu or His devotee for spiritual advancement in
knowledge, and for protection of heredity and advancement of a dynasty one
should worship the various demigods.
9.
One who desires domination over a kingdom or an empire should worship the
Manus. One who desires victory over an enemy should worship the demons, and one
who desires sense gratification should worship the moon. But one who desires
nothing of material enjoyment should worship the Supreme Personality of
Godhead.
10.
A person who has broader intelligence, whether he be full of all material
desire, without any material desire, or desiring liberation, must by all means
worship the supreme whole, the Personality of Godhead.
11.
All the different kinds of worshipers of multidemigods can attain the highest
perfectional benediction, which is spontaneous attraction unflinchingly fixed
upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, only by the association of the pure
devotee of the Lord.
12.
Transcendental knowledge in relation with the Supreme Lord Hari is knowledge
resulting in the complete suspension of the waves and whirlpools of the
material modes. Such knowledge is self-satisfying due to its being free from material
attachment, and being transcendental it is approved by authorities. Who could
fail to be attracted?
13.
Saunaka said: The son of Vyasadeva, Srila Sukadeva Gosvami, was a highly
learned sage and was able to describe things in a poetic manner. What did
Maharaja Pariksit again inquire from him after hearing all that he had said?
14.
O learned Suta Gosvami! Please continue to explain such topics to us because we
are all eager to hear. Besides that, topics which result in the discussion of
the Lord Hari should certainly be discussed in the assembly of devotees.
15.
Maharaja Pariksit, the grandson of the Pandavas, was from his very childhood a
great devotee of the Lord. Even while playing with dolls, he used to worship
Lord Krsna by imitating the worship of the family Deity.
16.
Sukadeva Gosvami, the son of Vyasadeva, was also full in transcendental
knowledge and was a great devotee of Lord Krsna, son of Vasudeva. So there must
have been discussion of Lord Krsna, who is glorified by great philosophers and in
the company of great devotees.
17.
Both by rising and by setting, the sun decreases the duration of life of
everyone, except one who utilizes the time by discussing topics of the all-good
Personality of Godhead.
18.
Do the trees not live? Do the bellows of the blacksmith not breathe? All around
us, do the beasts not eat and discharge semen?
19.
Men who are like dogs, hogs, camels and asses praise those men who never listen
to the transcendental pastimes of Lord Sri Krsna, the deliverer from evils.
20.
One who has not listened to the messages about the prowess and marvelous acts
of the Personality of Godhead and has not sung or chanted loudly the worthy
songs about the Lord is to be considered to possess earholes like the holes of
snakes and a tongue like the tongue of a frog.
21.
The upper portion of the body, though crowned with a silk turban, is only a
heavy burden if not bowed down before the Personality of Godhead who can award
mukti [freedom]. And the hands, though decorated with glittering bangles, are
like those of a dead man if not engaged in the service of the Personality of
Godhead Hari.
22.
The eyes which do not look at the symbolic representations of the Personality
of Godhead Visnu [His forms, name, quality, etc.] are like those printed on the
plumes of the peacock, and the legs which do not move to the holy places [where
the Lord is remembered] are considered to be like tree trunks.
23.
The person who has not at any time received the dust of the feet of the Lord's
pure devotee upon his head is certainly a dead body. And the person who has
never experienced the aroma of the tulasi leaves from the lotus feet of the
Lord is also a dead body, although breathing.
24.
Certainly that heart is steel-framed which, in spite of one's chanting the holy
name of the Lord with concentration, does not change when ecstasy takes place,
tears fill the eyes and the hairs stand on end.
25.
O Suta Gosvami, your words are pleasing to our minds. Please therefore explain
this to us as it was spoken by the great devotee Sukadeva Gosvami, who is very
expert in transcendental knowledge, and who spoke to Maharaja Pariksit upon
being asked.
Chapter Four The Process of Creation
1.
Suta Gosvami said: Maharaja Pariksit, the son of Uttara, after hearing the
speeches of Sukadeva Gosvami, which were all about the truth of the self,
applied his concentration faithfully upon Lord Krsna.
2.
Maharaja Pariksit, as a result of his wholehearted attraction for Lord Krsna,
was able to give up all deep-rooted affection for his personal body, his wife,
his children, his palace, his animals like horses and elephants, his treasury
house, his friends and relatives, and his undisputed kingdom.
3-4.
O great sages, the great soul Maharaja Pariksit, constantly rapt in thought of
Lord Krsna, knowing well of his imminent death, renounced all sorts of fruitive
activities, namely acts of religion, economic development and sense
gratification, and thus fixed himself firmly in his natural love for Krsna and
asked all these questions, exactly as you are asking me.
5.
Maharaja Pariksit said: O learned brahmana, you know everything because you are
without material contamination. Therefore whatever you have spoken to me
appears perfectly right. Your speeches are gradually destroying the darkness of
my ignorance, for you are narrating the topics of the Lord.
6.
I beg to know from you how the Personality of Godhead, by His personal
energies, creates these phenomenal universes as they are, which are
inconceivable even to the great demigods.
7.
Kindly describe how the Supreme Lord, who is all-powerful, engages His
different energies and different expansions in maintaining and again winding up
the phenomenal world in the sporting spirit of a player.
8.
O learned brahmana, the transcendental activities of the Lord are all
wonderful, and they appear inconceivable because even great endeavors by many
learned scholars have still proved insufficient for understanding them.
9.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is one, whether He alone acts with the modes
of material nature, or simultaneously expands in many forms, or expands
consecutively to direct the modes of nature.
10.
Kindly clear up all these doubtful inquiries, because you are not only vastly
learned in the Vedic literatures and self-realized in transcendence, but are also
a great devotee of the Lord and are therefore as good as the Personality of
Godhead.
11.
Suta Gosvami said: When Sukadeva Gosvami was thus requested by the King to
describe the creative energy of the Personality of Godhead, he then
systematically remembered the master of the senses [Sri Krsna], and to reply
properly he spoke thus.
12.
Sukadeva Gosvami said: Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme
Personality of Godhead who, for the creation of the material world, accepts the
three modes of nature. He is the complete whole residing within the body of
everyone, and His ways are inconceivable.
13.
I again offer my respectful obeisances unto the form of complete existence and
transcendence, who is the liberator of the pious devotees from all distresses
and the destroyer of the further advances in atheistic temperament of the
nondevotee-demons. For the transcendentalists who are situated in the topmost
spiritual perfection, He grants their specific destinations.
14.
Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto He who is the associate of the
members of the Yadu dynasty and who is always a problem for the nondevotees. He
is the supreme enjoyer of both the material and spiritual worlds, yet He enjoys
His own abode in the spiritual sky. There is no one equal to Him because His
transcendental opulence is immeasurable.
15.
Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the all-auspicious Lord Sri Krsna,
about whom glorification, remembrances, audience, prayers, hearing and worship
can at once cleanse the effects of all sins of the performer.
16.
Let me offer my respectful obeisances again and again unto the all-auspicious
Lord Sri Krsna. The highly intellectual, simply by surrendering unto His lotus
feet, are relieved of all attachments to present and future existences and
without difficulty progress toward spiritual existence.
17.
Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the all-auspicious Lord Sri Krsna
again and again because the great learned sages, the great performers of
charity, the great workers of distinction, the great philosophers and mystics,
the great chanters of the Vedic hymns and the great followers of Vedic
principles cannot achieve any fruitful result without dedication of such great
qualities to the service of the Lord.
18.
Kirata, Huna, Andhra, Pulinda, Pulkasa, Abhira, Sumbha, Yavana, members of the
Khasa races and even others addicted to sinful acts can be purified by taking
shelter of the devotees of the Lord, due to His being the supreme power. I beg
to offer my respectful obeisances unto Him.
19.
He is the Supersoul and the Supreme Lord of all self-realized souls. He is the
personification of the Vedas, religious scriptures and austerities. He is
worshiped by Lord Brahma and Siva and all those who are transcendental to all
pretensions. Being so revered with awe and veneration, may that Supreme
Absolute be pleased with me.
20.
May Lord Sri Krsna, who is the worshipable Lord of all devotees, the protector
and glory of all the kings like Andhaka and Vrsni of the Yadu dynasty, the
husband of all goddesses of fortune, the director of all sacrifices and
therefore the leader of all living entities, the controller of all
intelligence, the proprietor of all planets, spiritual and material, and the
supreme incarnation on the earth (the supreme all in all), be merciful upon me.
21.
It is the Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna who gives liberation. By thinking of
His lotus feet at every second, following in the footsteps of authorities, the
devotee in trance can see the Absolute Truth. The learned mental speculators,
however, think of Him according to their whims. May the Lord be pleased with
me.
22.
May the Lord, who in the beginning of the creation amplified the potent
knowledge of Brahma from within his heart and inspired him with full knowledge
of creation and of His own Self, and who appeared to be generated from the
mouth of Brahma, be pleased with me.
23.
May the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who enlivens the materially created
bodies of the elements by lying down within the universe, and who in His purusa
incarnation causes the living being to be subjected to the sixteen divisions of
material modes which are his generator, be pleased to decorate my statements.
24.
I offer my respectful obeisances unto Srila Vyasadeva, the incarnation of
Vasudeva who compiled the Vedic scriptures. The pure devotees drink up the
nectarean transcendental knowledge dropping from the lotuslike mouth of the
Lord.
25.
My dear King, Brahma, the firstborn, on being questioned by Narada, exactly
apprised him on this subject, as it was directly spoken by the Lord to His own
son, who was impregnated with Vedic knowledge from his very birth.
Chapter Five The Cause of All Causes
1.
Sri Narada Muni asked Brahmaji: O chief amongst the demigods, O firstborn
living entity, I beg to offer my respectful obeisances unto you. Please tell me
that transcendental knowledge which specifically directs one to the truth of
the individual soul and the Supersoul.
2.
My dear father, please describe factually the symptoms of this manifest world.
What is its background? How is it created? How is it conserved? And under whose
control is all this being done?
3.
My dear father, all this is known to you scientifically because whatever was
created in the past, whatever will be created in the future, or whatever is
being created at present, as well as everything within the universe, is within
your grip, just like a walnut.
4.
My dear father, what is the source of your knowledge? Under whose protection
are you standing? And under whom are you working? What is your real position?
Do you alone create all entities with material elements by your personal
energy?
5.
As the spider very easily creates the network of its cobweb and manifests its
power of creation without being defeated by others, so also you yourself, by
employment of your self-sufficient energy, create without any other's help.
6.
Whatever we can understand by the nomenclature, characteristics and features of
a particular thing--superior, inferior or equal, eternal or temporary--is not
created from any source other than that of Your Lordship, thou so great.
7.
Yet we are moved to wonder about the existence of someone more powerful than
you when we think of your great austerities in perfect discipline, although
your good self is so powerful in the matter of creation.
8.
My dear father, you know everything, and you are the controller of all.
Therefore may all that I have inquired from you be kindly instructed to me so
that I may be able to understand it as your student.
9.
Lord Brahma said: My dear boy Narada, being merciful to all (including me) you
have asked all these questions because I have been inspired to see into the
prowess of the Almighty Personality of Godhead.
10.
Whatever you have spoken about me is not false because unless and until one is
aware of the Personality of Godhead, who is the ultimate truth beyond me, one
is sure to be illusioned by observing my powerful activities.
11.
I create after the Lord's creation by His personal effulgence [known as the
brahmajyoti], just as when the sun manifests its fire, the moon, the firmament,
the influential planets and the twinkling stars also manifest their brightness.
12.
I offer my obeisances and meditate upon Lord Krsna [Vasudeva], the Personality
of Godhead, whose invincible potency influences them [the less intelligent
class of men] to call me the supreme controller.
13.
The illusory energy of the Lord cannot take precedence, being ashamed of her
position, but those who are bewildered by her always talk nonsense, being
absorbed in thoughts of "It is I" and "It is mine."
14.
The five elementary ingredients of creation, the interaction thereof set up by
eternal time, and the intuition or nature of the individual living beings are
all differentiated parts and parcels of the Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva,
and in truth there is no other value in them.
15.
The Vedic literatures are made by and are meant for the Supreme Lord, the
demigods are also meant for serving the Lord as parts of His body, the
different planets are also meant for the sake of the Lord, and different
sacrifices are performed just to please Him.
16.
All different types of meditation or mysticism are means for realizing
Narayana. All austerities are aimed at achieving Narayana. Culture of
transcendental knowledge is for getting a glimpse of Narayana, and ultimately
salvation is entering the kingdom of Narayana.
17.
Inspired by Him only, I discover what is already created by Him [Narayana]
under His vision as the all-pervading Supersoul, and I also am created by Him
only.
18.
The Supreme Lord is pure spiritual form, transcendental to all material
qualities, yet for the sake of the creation of the material world and its
maintenance and annihilation, He accepts through His external energy the
material modes of nature called goodness, passion and ignorance.
19.
These three modes of material nature, being further manifested as matter,
knowledge and activities, put the eternally transcendental living entity under
conditions of cause and effect and make him responsible for such activities.
20.
O Brahmana Narada, the Superseer, the transcendent Lord, is beyond the
perception of the material senses of the living entities because of the
above-mentioned three modes of nature. But He is the controller of everyone,
including me.
21.
The Lord, who is the controller of all energies, thus creates, by His own
potency, eternal time, the fate of all living entities, and their particular
nature, for which they were created, and He again merges them independently.
22.
After the incarnation of the first purusa [Karanarnavasayi Visnu], the
mahat-tattva, or the principles of material creation, take place, and then time
is manifested, and in course of time the three qualities appear. Nature means
the three qualitative appearances. They transform into activities.
23.
Material activities are caused by the mahat-tattva's being agitated. At first
there is transformation of the modes of goodness and passion, and later--due to
the mode of ignorance--matter, its knowledge, and different activities of
material knowledge come into play.
24.
The self-centered materialistic ego, thus being transformed into three
features, becomes known as the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance in
three divisions, namely the powers that evolve matter, knowledge of material
creations, and the intelligence that guides such materialistic activities.
Narada, you are quite competent to understand this.
25.
From the darkness of false ego, the first of the five elements, namely the sky,
is generated. Its subtle form is the quality of sound, exactly as the seer is
in relationship with the seen.
26-29.
Because the sky is transformed, the air is generated with the quality of touch,
and by previous succession the air is also full of sound and the basic
principles of duration of life: sense perception, mental power and bodily
strength. When the air is transformed in course of time and nature's course,
fire is generated, taking shape with the sense of touch and sound. Since fire
is also transformed, there is a manifestation of water, full of juice and taste.
As previously, it also has form and touch and is also full of sound. And water,
being transformed from all variegatedness on earth, appears odorous and, as
previously, becomes qualitatively full of juice, touch, sound and form
respectively.
30.
From the mode of goodness the mind is generated and becomes manifest, as also
the ten demigods controlling the bodily movements. Such demigods are known as
the controller of directions, the controller of air, the sun-god, the father of
Daksa Prajapati, the Asvini-kumaras, the fire-god, the King of heaven, the
worshipable deity in heaven, the chief of the Adityas, and Brahmaji, the
Prajapati. All come into existence.
31.
By further transformation of the mode of passion, the sense organs like the
ear, skin, nose, eyes, tongue, mouth, hands, genitals, legs, and the outlet for
evacuating, together with intelligence and living energy, are all generated.
32.
O Narada, best of the transcendentalists, the forms of the body cannot take
place as long as these created parts, namely the elements, senses, mind and
modes of nature, are not assembled.
33.
Thus when all these became assembled by force of the energy of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, this universe certainly came into being by accepting
both the primary and secondary causes of creation.
34.
Thus all the universes remained thousands of eons within the water [the Causal
Ocean], and the Lord of living beings, entering in each of them, caused them to
be fully animated.
35.
The Lord [Maha-Visnu], although lying in the Causal Ocean, came out of it, and
dividing Himself as Hiranyagarbha, He entered into each universe and assumed
the virat-rupa, with thousands of legs, arms, mouths, heads, etc.
36.
Great philosophers imagine that the complete planetary systems in the universe
are displays of the different upper and lower limbs of the universal body of
the Lord.
37.
The brahmanas represent His mouth, the ksatriyas His arms, the vaisyas His
thighs, and the sudras are born of His legs.
38.
The lower planetary systems, up to the limit of the earthly stratum, are said
to be situated in His legs. The middle planetary systems, beginning from
Bhuvarloka, are situated in His navel. And the still higher planetary systems,
occupied by the demigods and highly cultured sages and saints, are situated in
the chest of the Supreme Lord.
39.
From the forefront of the chest up to the neck of the universal form of the
Lord are situated the planetary systems named Janaloka and Tapoloka, whereas
Satyaloka, the topmost planetary system, is situated on the head of the form.
The spiritual planets, however, are eternal.
40-41.
My dear son Narada, know from me that there are seven lower planetary systems
out of the total fourteen. The first planetary system, known as Atala, is
situated on the waist; the second, Vitala, is situated on the thighs; the
third, Sutala, on the knees; the fourth, Talatala, on the shanks; the fifth,
Mahatala, on the ankles; the sixth, Rasatala, on the upper portion of the feet;
and the seventh, Patala, on the soles of the feet. Thus the virat form of the
Lord is full of all planetary systems.
42.
Others may divide the whole planetary system into three divisions, namely the
lower planetary systems on the legs [up to the earth], the middle planetary
systems on the navel, and the upper planetary systems [Svarloka] from the chest
to the head of the Supreme Personality.
Chapter Six Purusa-sukta Confirmed
1.
Lord Brahma said: The mouth of the virat-purusa [the universal form of the
Lord] is the generating center of the voice, and the controlling deity is fire.
His skin and six other layers are the generating centers of the Vedic hymns,
and His tongue is the productive center of different foodstuffs and delicacies
for offering to the demigods, the forefathers and the general mass of people.
2.
His two nostrils are the generating centers of our breathing and of all other
airs, His smelling powers generate the Asvini-kumara demigods and all kinds of
medicinal herbs, and His breathing energies produce different kinds of
fragrance.
3.
His eyes are the generating centers of all kinds of forms, and they glitter and
illuminate. His eyeballs are like the sun and the heavenly planets. His ears
hear from all sides and are receptacles for all the Vedas, and His sense of
hearing is the generating center of the sky and of all kinds of sound.
4.
The air is the moving agent of all the planets, and as such the generating
centers for promotion to the deserving planets, the sacrifices, are His bodily
surface and are naturally the origin of all auspicious opportunities.
5.
The hairs on His body are the cause of all vegetation, particularly of those
trees which are required as ingredients for sacrifice. The hairs on His head
and face are reservoirs for the clouds, and His nails are the breeding ground
of electricity, stones and iron ores.
6.
The Lord's arms are the productive fields for the great demigods and other
leaders of the living entities who protect the general mass.
7. Thus the forward steps of the Lord are the
shelter for the upper, lower and heavenly planets, as well as for all that we
need. His lotus feet serve as protection from all kinds of fear.
8.
From the Lord's genitals originate water, semen, generatives, rains, and the
procreators. His genitals are the cause of a pleasure that counteracts the distress
of begetting.
9.
O Narada, the evacuating outlet of the universal form of the Lord is the abode
of the controlling deity of death, Mitra, and the evacuating hole and the
rectum of the Lord is the place of envy, misfortune, death, hell, etc.
10.
The back of the Lord is the place for all kinds of frustration and ignorance,
as well as for immorality. From His veins flow the great rivers and rivulets,
and on His bones are stacked the great mountains.
11.
The impersonal feature of the Lord is the abode of great oceans, and His belly
is the resting place for the materially annihilated living entities. His heart
is the abode of the subtle material bodies of living beings. Thus it is known
by the intelligent class of men.
12.
Also, the consciousness of that great personality is the abode of religious
principles--mine, yours, and those of the four bachelors Sanaka, Sanatana,
Sanat-kumara and Sanandana. That consciousness is also the abode of truth and
transcendental knowledge.
13-16.
Beginning from me [Brahma] down to you and Bhava [Siva], all the great sages
who were born before you, the demigods, the demons, the Nagas, the human
beings, the birds, the beasts, as well as the reptiles, etc., and all
phenomenal manifestations of the universes, namely the planets, stars,
asteroids, luminaries, lightning, thunder, and the inhabitants of the different
planetary systems, namely the Gandharvas, Apsaras, Yaksas, Raksas, Bhutaganas,
Uragas, Pasus, Pitas, Siddhas, Vidyadharas, Caranas, and all other different
varieties of living entities, including the birds, beasts, trees and everything
that be, are all covered by the universal form of the Lord at all times, namely
past, present and future, although He is transcendental to all of them,
eternally existing in a form not exceeding nine inches.
17.
The sun illuminates both internally and externally by expanding its radiation;
similarly, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by expanding His universal form,
maintains everything in the creation both internally and externally.
18.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the controller of immortality and
fearlessness, and He is transcendental to death and the fruitive actions of the
material world. O Narada, O brahmana, it is therefore difficult to measure the
glories of the Supreme Person.
19.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is to be known as the supreme reservoir of
all material opulences by the one fourth of His energy in which all the living
entities exist. Deathlessness, fearlessness and freedom from the anxieties of
old age and disease exist in the kingdom of God, which is beyond the three
higher planetary systems and beyond the material coverings.
20.
The spiritual world, which consists of three fourths of the Lord's energy, is
situated beyond this material world, and it is especially meant for those who
will never be reborn. Others, who are attached to family life and who do not
strictly follow celibacy vows, must live within the three material worlds.
21.
By His energies, the all-pervading Personality of Godhead is thus comprehensively
the master in the activities of controlling and in devotional service. He is
the ultimate master of both nescience and factual knowledge of all situations.
22.
From that Personality of Godhead, all the universal globes and the universal
form with all material elements, qualities and senses are generated. Yet He is
aloof from such material manifestations, like the sun, which is separate from
its rays and heat.
23.
When I was born from the abdominal lotus flower of the Lord [Maha-Visnu], the
great person, I had no ingredients for sacrificial performances except the
bodily limbs of the great Personality of Godhead.
24.
For performing sacrificial ceremonies, one requires sacrificial ingredients,
such as flowers, leaves and straw, along with the sacrificial altar and a
suitable time [spring].
25.
Other requirements are utensils, grains, clarified butter, honey, gold, earth,
water, the Rg Veda, Yajur Veda and Sama Veda and four priests to perform the
sacrifice.
26.
Other necessities include invoking the different names of the demigods by
specific hymns and vows of recompense, in accordance with the particular
scripture, for specific purposes and by specific processes.
27.
Thus I had to arrange all these necessary ingredients and paraphernalia of
sacrifice from the personal bodily parts of the Personality of Godhead. By
invocation of the demigods' names, the ultimate goal, Visnu, was gradually
attained, and thus compensation and ultimate offering were complete.
28.
Thus I created the ingredients and paraphernalia for offering sacrifice out of
the parts of the body of the Supreme Lord, the enjoyer of the sacrifice, and I
performed the sacrifice to satisfy the Lord.
29.
My dear son, thereafter your nine brothers, who are the masters of living
creatures, performed the sacrifice with proper rituals to satisfy both the
manifested and nonmanifested personalities.
30.
Thereafter, the Manus, the fathers of mankind, the great sages, the
forefathers, the learned scholars, the Daityas and mankind performed sacrifices
meant to please the Supreme Lord.
31.
All the material manifestations of the universes are therefore situated in His
powerful material energies, which He accepts self-sufficiently, although He is
eternally without affinity for the material modes.
32.
By His will, I create, Lord Siva destroys, and He Himself, in His eternal form
as the Personality of Godhead, maintains everything. He is the powerful
controller of these three energies.
33.
My dear son, whatever you inquired from me I have thus explained unto you, and
you must know for certain that whatever there is (either as cause or as effect,
both in the material and spiritual worlds) is dependent on the Supreme
Personality of Godhead.
34.
O Narada, because I have caught hold of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, Hari, with great zeal, whatever I say has never proved to have been
false. Nor is the progress of my mind ever deterred. Nor are my senses ever
degraded by temporary attachment to matter.
35.
Although I am known as the great Brahma, perfect in the disciplic succession of
Vedic wisdom, and although I have undergone all austerities and am an expert in
mystic powers and self-realization, and although I am recognized as such by the
great forefathers of the living entities, who offer me respectful obeisances,
still I cannot understand Him, the Lord, the very source of my birth.
36.
Therefore it is best for me to surrender unto His feet, which alone can deliver
one from the miseries of repeated birth and death. Such surrender is
all-auspicious and allows one to perceive all happiness. Even the sky cannot
estimate the limits of its own expansion. So what can others do when the Lord
Himself is unable to estimate His own limits?
37.
Since neither Lord Siva nor you nor I could ascertain the limits of spiritual
happiness, how can other demigods know it? And because all of us are bewildered
by the illusory external energy of the Supreme Lord, we can see only this
manifested cosmos according to our individual ability.
38.
Let us offer our respectful obeisances unto that Supreme Personality of
Godhead, whose incarnations and activities are chanted by us for glorification,
though He can hardly be fully known as He is.
39.
That supreme original Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krsna, expanding His
plenary portion as Maha-Visnu, the first incarnation, creates this manifested
cosmos, but He is unborn. The creation, however, takes place in Him, and the
material substance and manifestations are all Himself. He maintains them for
some time and absorbs them into Himself again.
40-41.
The Personality of Godhead is pure, being free from all contaminations of
material tinges. He is the Absolute Truth and the embodiment of full and
perfect knowledge. He is all-pervading, without beginning or end, and without
rival. O Narada, O great sage, the great thinkers can know Him when completely
freed from all material hankerings and when sheltered under undisturbed
conditions of the senses. Otherwise, by untenable arguments, all is distorted,
and the Lord disappears from our sight.
42.
Karanarnavasayi Visnu is the first incarnation of the Supreme Lord, and He is
the master of eternal time, space, cause and effects, mind, the elements, the
material ego, the modes of nature, the senses, the universal form of the Lord,
Garbhodakasayi Visnu, and the sum total of all living beings, both moving and
nonmoving.
43-45.
I myself [Brahma], Lord Siva, Lord Visnu, great generators of living beings
like Daksa and Prajapati, yourselves [Narada and the Kumaras], heavenly
demigods like Indra and Candra, the leaders of the Bhurloka planets, the
leaders of the earthly planets, the leaders of the lower planets, the leaders
of the Gandharva planets, the leaders of the Vidyadhara planets, the leaders of
the Caranaloka planets, the leaders of the Yaksas, Raksas and Uragas, the great
sages, the great demons, the great atheists and the great spacemen, as well as
the dead bodies, evil spirits, satans, jinn, kusmandas, great aquatics, great
beasts and great birds, etc.--in other words, anything and everything which is
exceptionally possessed of power, opulence, mental and perceptual dexterity,
strength, forgiveness, beauty, modesty, opulence, and breeding, whether in form
or formless--may appear to be the specific truth and the form of the Lord, but
actually they are not so. They are only a fragment of the transcendental
potency of the Lord.
46.
O Narada, now I shall state, one after another, the transcendental incarnations
of the Lord known as lila-avataras. Hearing of their activities counteracts all
foul matters accumulated in the ear. These pastimes are pleasing to hear and
are to be relished. Therefore they are in my heart.
Chapter Seven Scheduled Incarnations with Specific Functions
1.
Lord Brahma said: When the unlimitedly powerful Lord assumed the form of a boar
as a pastime, just to lift the planet earth, which was drowned in the great
ocean of the universe called the Garbhodaka, the first demon [Hiranyaksa]
appeared, and the Lord pierced him with His tusk.
2.
The Prajapati first begot Suyajna, in the womb of his wife Akuti, and then
Suyajna begot demigods, headed by Suyama, in the womb of his wife Daksina.
Suyajna, as the Indradeva, diminished very great miseries in the three
planetary systems [upper, lower and intermediate], and because he so diminished
the miseries of the universe, he was later called Hari by the great father of
mankind, namely Svayambhuva Manu.
3.
The Lord then appeared as the Kapila incarnation, being the son of the
prajapati brahmana Kardama and his wife, Devahuti, along with nine other women
[sisters]. He spoke to His mother about self-realization, by which, in that
very lifetime, she became fully cleansed of the mud of the material modes and
thereby achieved liberation, the path of Kapila.
4.
The great sage Atri prayed for offspring, and the Lord, being satisfied with
him, promised to incarnate as Atri's son, Dattatreya [Datta, the son of Atri].
And by the grace of the lotus feet of the Lord, many Yadus, Haihayas, etc.,
became so purified that they obtained both material and spiritual blessings.
5.
To create different planetary systems I had to undergo austerities and penance,
and the Lord, thus being pleased with me, incarnated in four sanas [Sanaka,
Sanat-kumara, Sanandana and Sanatana]. In the previous creation the spiritual
truth was devastated, but the four sanas explained it so nicely that the truth
at once became clearly perceived by the sages.
6.
To exhibit His personal way of austerity and penance, He appeared in twin forms
as Narayana and Nara in the womb of Murti, the wife of Dharma and the daughter
of Daksa. Celestial beauties, the companions of Cupid, went to try to break His
vows, but they were unsuccessful, for they saw that many beauties like them
were emanating from Him, the Personality of Godhead.
7.
Great stalwarts like Lord Siva can, by their wrathful glances, overcome lust
and vanquish him, yet they cannot be free from the overwhelming effects of
their own wrath. Such wrath can never enter into the heart of Him [the Lord],
who is above all this. So how can lust take shelter in His mind?
8.
Being insulted by sharp words spoken by the co-wife of the king, even in his
presence, Prince Dhruva, though only a boy, took to severe penances in the
forest. And the Lord, being satisfied by his prayer, awarded him the Dhruva planet,
which is worshiped by great sages, both upward and downward.
9.
Maharaja Vena went astray from the path of righteousness, and the brahmanas
chastised him by the thunderbolt curse. By this King Vena was burnt with his
good deeds and opulence and was en route to hell. The Lord, by His causeless
mercy, descended as his son, by the name of Prthu, delivered the condemned King
Vena from hell, and exploited the earth by drawing all kinds of crops as
produce.
10.
The Lord appeared as the son of Sudevi, the wife of King Nabhi, and was known
as Rsabhadeva. He performed materialistic yoga to equibalance the mind. This
stage is also accepted as the highest perfectional situation of liberation,
wherein one is situated in one's self and is completely satisfied.
11.
The Lord appeared as the Hayagriva incarnation in a sacrifice performed by me
[Brahma]. He is the personified sacrifices, and the hue of His body is golden.
He is the personified Vedas as well, and the Supersoul of all demigods. When He
breathed, all the sweet sounds of the Vedic hymns came out of His nostrils.
12.
At the end of the millennium, the would-be Vaivasvata Manu, of the name
Satyavrata, would see that the Lord in the fish incarnation is the shelter of
all kinds of living entities, up to those in the earthly planets. Because of my
fear of the vast water at the end of the millennium, the Vedas come out of my
[Brahma's] mouth, and the Lord enjoys those vast waters and protects the Vedas.
13.
The primeval Lord then assumed the tortoise incarnation in order to serve as a
resting place [pivot] for the Mandara Mountain, which was acting as a churning
rod. The demigods and demons were churning the ocean of milk with the Mandara
Mountain in order to extract nectar. The mountain moved back and forth, scratching
the back of Lord Tortoise, who, while partially sleeping, was experiencing an
itching sensation.
14.
The Personality of Godhead assumed the incarnation of Nrsimhadeva in order to
vanquish the great fears of the demigods. He killed the king of the demons
[Hiranyakasipu], who challenged the Lord with a club in his hand, by placing
the demon on His thighs and piercing him with His nails, rolling His eyebrows
in anger and showing His fearful teeth and mouth.
15.
The leader of the elephants, whose leg was attacked in a river by a crocodile
of superior strength, was much aggrieved. Taking a lotus flower in his trunk,
he addressed the Lord, saying, "O original enjoyer, Lord of the universe!
O deliverer, as famous as a place of pilgrimage! All are purified simply by
hearing Your holy name, which is worthy to be chanted."
16.
The Personality of Godhead, after hearing the elephant's plea, felt that the
elephant needed His immediate help, for he was in great distress. Thus at once
the Lord appeared there on the wings of the king of birds, Garuda, fully
equipped with His weapon, the wheel [cakra]. With the wheel He cut to pieces
the mouth of the crocodile to save the elephant, and He delivered the elephant
by lifting him by his trunk.
17.
The Lord, although transcendental to all material modes, still surpassed all
the qualities of the sons of Aditi, known as the Adityas. The Lord appeared as
the youngest son of Aditi. And because He surpassed all the planets of the
universe, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. On the pretense of asking
for a measurement of three footsteps of land, He took away all the lands of
Bali Maharaja. He asked simply because without begging, no authority can take
one's rightful possession.
18.
Bali Maharaja, who put on his head the water washed from the lotus feet of the
Lord, did not think of anything besides his promise, in spite of being
forbidden by his spiritual master. The king dedicated his own personal body to
fulfill the measurement of the Lord's third step. For such a personality, even
the kingdom of heaven, which he conquered by his strength, was of no value.
19.
O Narada, you were taught about the science of God and His transcendental
loving service by the Personality of Godhead in His incarnation of Hamsavatara.
He was very much pleased with you, due to your intense proportion of devotional
service. He also explained unto you, lucidly, the full science of devotional
service, which is especially understandable by persons who are souls
surrendered unto Lord Vasudeva, the Personality of Godhead.
20.
As the incarnation of Manu, the Lord became the descendant of the Manu dynasty
and ruled over the miscreant kingly order, subduing them by His powerful wheel
weapon. Undeterred in all circumstances, His rule was characterized by His
glorious fame, which spread over the three lokas, and above them to the
planetary system of Satyaloka, the topmost in the universe.
21.
The Lord in His incarnation of Dhanvantari very quickly cures the diseases of
the ever-diseased living entities simply by his fame personified, and only
because of him do the demigods achieve long lives. Thus the Personality of
Godhead becomes ever glorified. He also exacted a share from the sacrifices,
and it is he only who inaugurated the medical science or the knowledge of medicine
in the universe.
22.
When the ruling administrators, who are known as the ksatriyas, turned astray
from the path of the Absolute Truth, being desirous to suffer in hell, the
Lord, in His incarnation as the sage Parasurama, uprooted those unwanted kings,
who appeared as the thorns of the earth. Thus He thrice seven times uprooted
the ksatriyas with His keenly sharpened chopper.
23.
Due to His causeless mercy upon all living entities within the universe, the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, along with His plenary extensions, appeared in
the family of Maharaja Iksvaku as the Lord of His internal potency, Sita. Under
the order of His father, Maharaja Dasaratha, He entered the forest and lived
there for considerable years with His wife and younger brother. Ravana, who was
very materially powerful, with ten heads on his shoulders, committed a great
offense against Him and was thus ultimately vanquished.
24.
The Personality of Godhead Ramacandra, being aggrieved for His distant intimate
friend [Sita], glanced over the city of the enemy Ravana with red-hot eyes like
those of Mara [who wanted to burn the kingdom of heaven]. The great ocean,
trembling in fear, gave Him His way because its family members, the aquatics
like the sharks, snakes and crocodiles, were being burnt by the heat of the
angry red-hot eyes of the Lord.
25.
When Ravana was engaged in the battle, the trunk of the elephant which carried
the King of heaven, Indra, broke in pieces, having collided with the chest of
Ravana, and the scattered broken parts illuminated all directions. Ravana
therefore felt proud of his prowess and began to loiter in the midst of the
fighting soldiers, thinking himself the conqueror of all directions. But his
laughter, overtaken by joy, along with his very air of life, suddenly ceased
with the tingling sound of the bow of Ramacandra, the Personality of Godhead.
26.
When the world is overburdened by the fighting strength of kings who have no
faith in God, the Lord, just to diminish the distress of the world, descends
with His plenary portion. The Lord comes in His original form, with beautiful
black hair. And just to expand His transcendental glories, He acts
extraordinarily. No one can properly estimate how great He is.
27.
There is no doubt about Lord Krsna's being the Supreme Lord, otherwise how was
it possible for Him to kill a giant demon like Putana when He was just on the
lap of His mother, to overturn a cart with His leg when He was only three
months old, to uproot a pair of arjuna trees, so high that they touched the
sky, when He was only crawling? All these activities are impossible for anyone
other than the Lord Himself.
28.
Then also when the cowherd boys and their animals drank the poisoned water of
the River Yamuna, and after the Lord [in His childhood] revived them by His
merciful glance, just to purify the water of the River Yamuna He jumped into it
as if playing and chastised the venomous Kaliya snake, which was lurking there,
its tongue emitting waves of poison. Who can perform such herculean tasks but
the Supreme Lord ?
29.
On the very night of the day of the chastisement of the Kaliya snake, when the
inhabitants of Vrajabhumi were sleeping carefreely, there was a forest fire
ablaze due to dry leaves, and it appeared that all the inhabitants were sure to
meet their death. But the Lord, along with Balarama, saved them simply by
closing His eyes. Such are the superhuman activities of the Lord.
30.
When the cowherd woman [Krsna's foster mother, Yasoda] was trying to tie the
hands of her son with ropes, she found the rope to be always insufficient in
length, and when she finally gave up, Lord Krsna, by and by, opened His mouth,
wherein the mother found all the universes situated. Seeing this, she was
doubtful in her mind, but she was convinced in a different manner of the mystic
nature of her son.
31.
Lord Krsna saved His foster father, Nanda Maharaja, from the fear of the
demigod Varuna and released the cowherd boys from the caves of the mountain,
for they were placed there by the son of Maya. Also, to the inhabitants of
Vrndavana, who were busy working during daytime and sleeping soundly at night
because of their hard labor in the day, Lord Krsna awarded promotion to the
highest planet in the spiritual sky. All these acts are transcendental and
certainly prove without any doubt His Godhood.
32.
When the cowherd men of Vrndavana, under instruction of Krsna, stopped offering
sacrifice to the heavenly King, Indra, the whole tract of land known as Vraja
was threatened with being washed away by constant heavy rains for seven days.
Lord Krsna, out of His causeless mercy upon the inhabitants of Vraja, held up
the hill known as Govardhana with one hand only, although He was only seven
years old. He did this to protect the animals from the onslaught of water.
33.
When the Lord was engaged in His pastimes of the rasa dance in the forest of
Vrndavana, enlivening the sexual desires of the wives of the inhabitants of
Vrndavana by sweet and melodious songs, a demon of the name Sankhacuda, a rich
follower of the treasurer of heaven [Kuvera], kidnapped the damsels, and the
Lord severed his head from his trunk.
34-35.
All demonic personalities like Pralamba, Dhenuka, Baka, Kesi, Arista, Canura,
Mustika, Kuvalayapida elephant, Kamsa, Yavana, Narakasura and Paundraka, great
marshals like Salva, Dvivida monkey and Balvala, Dantavakra, the seven bulls,
Sambara, Viduratha and Rukmi, as also great warriors like Kamboja, Matsya,
Kuru, Srnjaya and Kekaya, would all fight vigorously, either with the Lord Hari
directly or with Him under His names of Baladeva, Arjuna, Bhima, etc. And the
demons, thus being killed, would attain either the impersonal brahmajyoti or
His personal abode in the Vaikuntha planets.
36.
The Lord Himself in His incarnation as the son of Satyavati [Vyasadeva] will
consider his compilation of the Vedic literature to be very difficult for the
less intelligent persons with short life, and thus He will divide the tree of
Vedic knowledge into different branches, according to the circumstances of the
particular age.
37.
When the atheists, after being well versed in the Vedic scientific knowledge,
annihilate inhabitants of different planets, flying unseen in the sky on
well-built rockets prepared by the great scientist Maya, the Lord will bewilder
their minds by dressing Himself attractively as Buddha and will preach on
subreligious principles.
38.
Thereafter, at the end of Kali-yuga, when there exist no topics on the subject
of God, even at the residences of so-called saints and respectable gentlemen of
the three higher castes, and when the power of government is transferred to the
hands of ministers elected from the lowborn sudra class or those less than
them, and when nothing is known of the techniques of sacrifice, even by word,
at that time the Lord will appear as the supreme chastiser.
39.
At the beginning of creation there are penance, myself [Brahma], and the
Prajapatis, the great sages who generate; then, during the maintenance of the
creation, there are Lord Visnu, the demigods with controlling powers, and the
kings of different planets. But at the end there is irreligion, and then Lord
Siva and the atheists full of anger, etc. All of them are different
representative manifestations of the energy of the supreme power, the Lord.
40.
Who can describe completely the prowess of Visnu? Even the scientist, who might
have counted the particles of the atoms of the universe, cannot do so. Because
it is He only who in His form of Trivikrama moved His leg effortlessly beyond
the topmost planet, Satyaloka, up to the neutral state of the three modes of
material nature. And all were moved.
41.
Neither I nor all the sages born before you know fully the omnipotent
Personality of Godhead. So what can others, who are born after us, know about
Him? Even the first incarnation of the Lord, namely Sesa, has not been able to
reach the limit of such knowledge, although He is describing the qualities of
the Lord with ten hundred faces.
42.
But anyone who is specifically favored by the Supreme Lord, the Personality of
Godhead, due to unalloyed surrender unto the service of the Lord, can overcome
the insurmountable ocean of illusion and can understand the Lord. But those who
are attached to this body, which is meant to be eaten at the end by dogs and
jackals, cannot do so.
43-45.
O Narada, although the potencies of the Lord are unknowable and immeasurable,
still, because we are all surrendered souls, we know how He acts through
yogamaya potencies. And, similarly, the potencies of the Lord are also known to
the all-powerful Siva, the great king of the atheist family, namely Prahlada
Maharaja, Svayambhuva Mahu, his wife Satarupa, his sons and daughters like
Priyavrata, Uttanapada, Akuti, Devahuti and Prasuti, Pracinabarhi, Rbhu, Anga
the father of Vena, Maharaja Dhruva, Iksvaku, Aila, Mucukunda, Maharaja Janaka,
Gadhi, Raghu, Ambarisa, Sagara, Gaya, Nahusa, Mahdhata, Alarka, Satadhanve,
Anu, Rantideva, Bhisma, Bali, Amurttaraya, Dilipa, Saubhari, Utanka, Sibi,
Devala, Pippalada, Sarasvata, Uddhava, Parasara, Bhurisena, Vibhisana, Hanuman,
Sukadeva Gosvami, Arjuna, Arstisena, Vidura, Srutadeva, etc.
46.
Surrendered souls, even from groups leading sinful lives, such as women, the
laborer class, the mountaineers and the Siberians, or even the birds and
beasts, can also know about the science of Godhead and become liberated from
the clutches of the illusory energy by surrendering unto the pure devotees of
the Lord and by following in their footsteps in devotional service.
47.
What is realized as the Absolute Brahman is full of unlimited bliss without
grief. That is certainly the ultimate phase of the supreme enjoyer, the
Personality of Godhead. He is eternally void of all disturbances and fearless.
He is complete consciousness as opposed to matter. Uncontaminated and without
distinctions, He is the principle primeval cause of all causes and effects, in
whom there is no sacrifice for fruitive activities and in whom the illusory
energy does not stand.
48.
In such a transcendental state there is no need of artificial control of the
mind, mental speculation or meditation, as performed by the jnanis and yogis.
One gives up such processes, as the heavenly King, Indra, forgoes the trouble
to dig a well.
49.
The Personality of Godhead is the supreme master of everything auspicious
because the results of whatever actions are performed by the living being, in
either the material or spiritual existence, are awarded by the Lord. As such,
He is the ultimate benefactor. Every individual living entity is unborn, and
therefore even after the annihilation of the material elementary body, the
living entity exists, exactly like the air within the body.
50.
My dear son, I have now explained in brief the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
who is creator of the manifested worlds. Without Him, Hari, the Lord, there are
no other causes of the phenomenal and noumenal existences.
51.
O Narada, this science of God, Srimad-Bhagavatam, was spoken to me in summary
by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and it was spoken as the accumulation of
His diverse potencies. Please expand this science yourself.
52.
Please describe the science of Godhead with determination and in a manner by
which it will be quite possible for the human being to develop transcendental
devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead Hari, the Supersoul of every
living being and the summum bonum source of all energies.
53.
The Lord's activities in association with His different energies should be
described, appreciated and heard in accordance with the teachings of the
Supreme Lord. If this is done regularly with devotion and respect, one is sure
to get out of the illusory energy of the Lord.
Chapter Eight Questions by King Pariksit
1.
King Pariksit inquired from Sukadeva Gosvami: How did Narada Muni, whose
hearers are as fortunate as those instructed by Lord Brahma, explain the
transcendental qualities of the Lord, who is without material qualities, and
before whom did he speak?
2.
The King said: I wish to know. Narrations concerning the Lord, who possesses
wonderful potencies, are certainly auspicious for living beings in all planets.
3.
O greatly fortunate Sukadeva Gosvami, please continue narrating
Srimad-Bhagavatam so that I can place my mind upon the Supreme Soul, Lord
Krsna, and, being completely freed from material qualities, thus relinquish
this body.
4.
Persons who hear Srimad-Bhagavatam regularly and are always taking the matter
very seriously will have the Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna manifested in
their hearts within a short time.
5.
The sound incarnation of Lord Krsna, the Supreme Soul [i.e. Srimad-Bhagavatam],
enters into the heart of a self-realized devotee, sits on the lotus flower of
his loving relationship, and thus cleanses the dust of material association,
such as lust, anger and hankering. Thus it acts like autumnal rains upon pools
of muddy water.
6.
A pure devotee of the Lord whose heart has once been cleansed by the process of
devotional service never relinquishes the lotus feet of Lord Krsna, for they
fully satisfy him, as a traveler is satisfied at home after a troubled journey.
7.
O learned brahmana, the transcendental spirit soul is different from the
material body. Does he acquire the body accidentally or by some cause? Will you
kindly explain this, for it is known to you.
8.
If the Supreme Personality of Godhead, from whose abdomen the lotus stem
sprouted, is possessed of a gigantic body according to His own caliber and
measurement, then what is the specific difference between the body of the Lord
and those of common living entities?
9.
Brahma, who was not born of a material source but of the lotus flower coming
out of the navel abdomen of the Lord, is the creator of all those who are
materially born. Of course, by the grace of the Lord, Brahma was able to see
the form of the Lord.
10.
Please also explain the Personality of Godhead, who lies in every heart as the
Supersoul, and as the Lord of all energies, but is untouched by His external
energy.
11.
O learned brahmana, it was formerly explained that all the planets of the
universe with their respective governors are situated in the different parts of
the gigantic body of the virat-purusa. I have also heard that the different
planetary systems are supposed to be in the gigantic body of the virat-purusa.
But what is their actual position? Will you please explain that?
12.
Also please explain the duration of time between creation and annihilation, and
that of other subsidiary creations, as well as the nature of time, indicated by
the sound of past, present and future. Also, please explain the duration and
measurement of life of the different living beings known as the demigods, the
human beings, etc., in different planets of the universe.
13.
O purest of the brahmanas, please also explain the cause of the different
durations of time, both short and long, as well as the beginning of time,
following the course of action.
14.
Then again, kindly describe how the proportionate accumulation of the reactions
resulting from the different modes of material nature act upon the desiring
living being, promoting or degrading him among the different species of life,
beginning from the demigods down to the most insignificant creatures.
15.
O best of the brahmanas, please also describe how the creation of the globes
throughout the universe, the four directions of the heavens, the sky, the
planets, the stars, the mountains, the rivers, the seas and the islands, as
well as their different kinds of inhabitants, takes place.
16.
Also, please describe the inner and outer space of the universe by specific
divisions, as well as the character and activities of the great souls, and also
the characteristics of the different classifications of the castes and orders
of social life.
17.
Please explain all the different ages in the duration of the creation, and also
the duration of such ages. Also tell me about the different activities of the
different incarnations of the Lord in different ages.
18.
Please also explain what may generally be the common religious affiliations of
human society, as well as their specific occupational duties in religion, the
classification of the social orders as well as the administrative royal orders,
and the religious principles for one who may be in distress.
19.
Kindly explain all about the elementary principles of creation, the number of
such elementary principles, their causes, and their development, and also the
process of devotional service and the method of mystic powers.
20.
What are the opulences of the great mystics, and what is their ultimate
realization? How does the perfect mystic become detached from the subtle astral
body? What is the basic knowledge of the Vedic literatures, including the
branches of history and the supplementary Puranas?
21.
Please explain unto me how the living beings are generated, how they are
maintained, and how they are annihilated. Tell me also of the advantages and
disadvantages of discharging devotional service unto the Lord. What are the
Vedic rituals and injunctions of the supplementary Vedic rites, and what are
the procedures of religion, economic development and sense satisfaction?
22.
Please also explain how, merged in the body of the Lord, living beings are
created, and how the infidels appear in the world. Also please explain how the
unconditioned living entities exist.
23.
The independent Personality of Godhead enjoys His pastimes by His internal
potency and at the time of annihilation gives them up to the external potency,
and He remains a witness to it all.
24.
O great sage, representative of the Lord, kindly satisfy my inquisitiveness in
all that I have inquired from you and all that I may not have inquired from you
from the very beginning of my questionings. Since I am a soul surrendered unto
you, please impart full knowledge in this connection.
25.
O great sage, you are as good as Brahma, the original living being. Others
follow custom only, as followed by the previous philosophical speculators.
26.
O learned brahmana, because of my drinking the nectar of the message of the
infallible Personality of Godhead, which is flowing down from the ocean of your
speeches, I do not feel any sort of exhaustion due to my fasting.
27.
Suta Gosvami said: Thus Sukadeva Gosvami, being invited by Maharaja Pariksit to
speak on topics of the Lord Sri Krsna with the devotees, was very much pleased.
28.
He began to reply to the inquiries of Maharaja Pariksit by saying that the
science of the Personality of Godhead was spoken first by the Lord Himself to
Brahma when he was first born. Srimad-Bhagavatam is the supplementary Vedic
literature, and it is just in pursuance of the Vedas.
29.
He also prepared himself to reply to all that King Pariksit had inquired from
him. Maharaja Pariksit was the best in the dynasty of the Pandus, and thus he
was able to ask the right questions from the right person.
Chapter Nine Answers by Citing the Lord's Version
1.
Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said: O King, unless one is influenced by the energy of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is no meaning to the relationship of
the pure soul in pure consciousness with the material body. That relationship
is just like a dreamer's seeing his own body working.
2.
The illusioned living entity appears in so many forms offered by the external
energy of the Lord. While enjoying in the modes of material nature, the encaged
living entity misconceives, thinking in terms of "I" and
"mine."
3.
As soon as the living entity becomes situated in his constitutional glory and
begins to enjoy the transcendence beyond time and material energy, he at once
gives up the two misconceptions of life [I and mine] and thus becomes fully
manifested as the pure self.
4.
O King, the Personality of Godhead, being very much pleased with Lord Brahma
because of his nondeceptive penance in bhakti-yoga, presented His eternal and
transcendental form before Brahma. And that is the objective goal for purifying
the conditioned soul.
5.
Lord Brahma, the first spiritual master, supreme in the universe, could not
trace out the source of his lotus seat, and while thinking of creating the
material world, he could not understand the proper direction for such creative
work, nor could he find out the process for such creation.
6.
While thus engaged in thinking, in the water, Brahmaji heard twice from nearby
two syllables joined together. One of the syllables was taken from the
sixteenth and the other from the twenty-first of the sparsa alphabets, and both
joined to become the wealth of the renounced order of life.
7.
When he heard the sound, he tried to find the speaker, searching on all sides.
But when he was unable to find anyone besides himself, he thought it wise to
sit down on his lotus seat firmly and give his attention to the execution of
penance, as he was instructed.
8.
Lord Brahma underwent penances for one thousand years by the calculations of
the demigods. He heard this transcendental vibration from the sky, and he
accepted it as divine. Thus he controlled his mind and senses, and the penances
he executed were a great lesson for the living entities. Thus he is known as
the greatest of all ascetics.
9.
The Personality of Godhead, being thus very much satisfied with the penance of
Lord Brahma, was pleased to manifest His personal abode, Vaikuntha, the supreme
planet above all others. This transcendental abode of the Lord is adored by all
self-realized persons freed from all kinds of miseries and fear of illusory
existence.
10.
In that personal abode of the Lord, the material modes of ignorance and passion
do not prevail, nor is there any of their influence in goodness. There is no
predominance of the influence of time, so what to speak of the illusory,
external energy; it cannot enter that region. Without discrimination, both the
demigods and the demons worship the Lord as devotees.
11.
The inhabitants of the Vaikuntha planets are described as having a glowing
sky-bluish complexion. Their eyes resemble lotus flowers, their dress is of
yellowish color, and their bodily features very attractive. They are just the
age of growing youths, they all have four hands, they are all nicely decorated
with pearl necklaces with ornamental medallions, and they all appear to be
effulgent.
12.
Some of them are effulgent like coral and diamonds in complexion and have
garlands on their heads, blooming like lotus flowers, and some wear earrings.
13.
The Vaikuntha planets are also surrounded by various airplanes, all glowing and
brilliantly situated. These airplanes belong to the great mahatmas or devotees
of the Lord. The ladies are as beautiful as lightning because of their
celestial complexions, and all these combined together appear just like the sky
decorated with both clouds and lightning.
14.
The goddess of fortune in her transcendental form is engaged in the loving
service of the Lord's lotus feet, and being moved by the black bees, followers
of spring, she is not only engaged in variegated pleasure--service to the Lord,
along with her constant companions--but is also engaged in singing the glories
of the Lord's activities.
15.
Lord Brahma saw in the Vaikuntha planets the Personality of Godhead, who is the
Lord of the entire devotee community, the Lord of the goddess of fortune, the
Lord of all sacrifices, and the Lord of the universe, and who is served by the
foremost servitors like Nanda, Sunanda, Prabala and Arhana, His immediate
associates.
16.
The Personality of Godhead, seen leaning favorably towards His loving
servitors, His very sight intoxicating and attractive, appeared to be very much
satisfied. He had a smiling face decorated with an enchanting reddish hue. He
was dressed in yellow robes and wore earrings and a helmet on his head. He had
four hands, and His chest was marked with the lines of the goddess of fortune.
17.
The Lord was seated on His throne and was surrounded by different energies like
the four, the sixteen, the five, and the six natural opulences, along with
other insignificant energies of the temporary character. But He was the factual
Supreme Lord, enjoying His own abode.
18.
Lord Brahma, thus seeing the Personality of Godhead in His fullness, was
overwhelmed with joy within his heart, and thus in full transcendental love and
ecstasy, his eyes filled with tears of love. He thus bowed down before the
Lord. That is the way of the highest perfection for the living being
[paramahamsa].
19.
And seeing Brahma present before Him, the Lord accepted him as worthy to create
living beings, to be controlled as He desired, and thus being much satisfied
with him, the Lord shook hands with Brahma and, slightly smiling, addressed him
thus.
20.
The beautiful Personality of Godhead addressed Lord Brahma: O Brahma,
impregnated with the Vedas, I am very much pleased with your long accumulated
penance with the desire for creation. Hardly am I pleased with the pseudo
mystics.
21.
I wish you good luck. O Brahma, you may ask from Me, the giver of all
benediction, all that you may desire. You may know that the ultimate
benediction, as the result of all penances, is to see Me by realization.
22.
The highest perfectional ingenuity is the personal perception of My abodes, and
this has been possible because of your submissive attitude in the performance
of severe penance according to My order.
23.
O sinless Brahma, you may know from Me that it was I who first ordered you to
undergo penance when you were perplexed in your duty. Such penance is My heart
and soul, and therefore penance and I are nondifferent.
24.
I create this cosmos by such penance, I maintain it by the same energy, and I
withdraw it all by the same energy. Therefore the potential power is penance
only.
25.
Lord Brahma said: O Personality of Godhead, You are situated in every living
entity's heart as the supreme director, and therefore You are aware of all
endeavors by Your superior intelligence, without any hindrance whatsoever.
26.
In spite of that, my Lord, I am praying to You to kindly fulfill my desire. May
I please be informed how, in spite of Your transcendental form, You assume the
mundane form, although You have no such form at all.
27.
And [please inform me] how You, by Your own Self, manifest different energies
for annihilation, generation, acceptance and maintenance by combination and
permutation.
28.
O master of all energies, please tell me philosophically all about them. You
play like a spider that covers itself by its own energy, and Your determination
is infallible.
29.
Please tell me so that I may be taught in the matter by the instruction of the
Personality of Godhead and may thus act instrumentally to generate living
entities, without being conditioned by such activities.
30.
O my Lord, the unborn, You have shaken hands with me just as a friend does with
a friend [as if equal in position]. I shall be engaged in the creation of
different types of living entities, and I shall be occupied in Your service. I
shall have no perturbation, but I pray that all this may not give rise to
pride, as if I were the Supreme.
31.
The Personality of Godhead said: Knowledge about Me as described in the
scriptures is very confidential, and it has to be realized in conjunction with
devotional service. The necessary paraphernalia for that process is being
explained by Me. You may take it up carefully.
32.
All of Me, namely My actual eternal form and My transcendental existence,
color, qualities and activities--let all be awakened within you by factual
realization, out of My causeless mercy.
33.
Brahma, it is I, the Personality of Godhead, who was existing before the
creation, when there was nothing but Myself. Nor was there the material nature,
the cause of this creation. That which you see now is also I, the Personality
of Godhead, and after annihilation what remains will also be I, the Personality
of Godhead.
34.
O Brahma, whatever appears to be of any value, if it is without relation to Me,
has no reality. Know it as My illusory energy, that reflection which appears to
be in darkness.
35.
O Brahma, please know that the universal elements enter into the cosmos and at
the same time do not enter into the cosmos; similarly, I Myself also exist
within everything created, and at the same time I am outside of everything.
36.
A person who is searching after the Supreme Absolute Truth, the Personality of
Godhead, most certainly search for it up to this, in all circumstances, in all
space and time, and both directly and indirectly.
37.
O Brahma, just follow this conclusion by fixed concentration of mind, and no
pride will disturb you, neither in the partial nor in the final devastation.
38.
Sukadeva Gosvami said to Maharaja Pariksit: The Supreme Personality of Godhead,
Hari, after being seen in His transcendental form, instructing Brahmaji, the
leader of the living entities, disappeared.
39.
On the disappearance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, who is the
object of transcendental enjoyment for the senses of devotees, Brahma, with
folded hands, began to re-create the universe, full with living entities, as it
was previously.
40.
Thus once upon a time the forefather of living entities and the father of
religiousness, Lord Brahma, situated himself in acts of regulative principles,
desiring self-interest for the welfare of all living entities.
41.
Narada, the most dear of the inheritor sons of Brahma, always ready to serve
his father, strictly follows the instructions of his father by his mannerly
behavior, meekness and sense control.
42.
Narada very much pleased his father and desired to know all about the energies
of Visnu, the master of all energies, for Narada was the greatest of all sages
and greatest of all devotees, O King.
43.
The great sage Narada also inquired in detail from his father, Brahma, the
great-grandfather of all the universe, after seeing him well satisfied.
44.
Thereupon the supplementary Vedic literature, Srimad-Bhagavatam, which was
described by the Personality of Godhead and which contains ten characteristics,
was told with satisfaction by the father [Brahma] to his son Narada.
45.
In succession, O King, the great sage Narada instructed Srimad-Bhagavatam unto
the unlimitedly powerful Vyasadeva, who meditated in devotional service upon the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, on the bank of the River
Sarasvati.
46.
O King, your questions as to how the universe became manifested from the
gigantic form of the Personality of Godhead, as well as other questions, I
shall answer in detail by explanation of the four verses already mentioned.
Chapter Ten Bhagavatam Is the Answer to All Questions
1.
Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said: In the Srimad-Bhagavatam there are ten divisions of
statements regarding the following: the creation of the universe, subcreation,
planetary systems, protection by the Lord, the creative impetus, the change of
Manus, the science of God, returning home, back to Godhead, liberation, and the
summum bonum.
2.
To isolate the transcendence of the summum bonum, the symptoms of the rest are
described sometimes by Vedic inference, sometimes by direct explanation, and
sometimes by summary explanations given by the great sages.
3.
The elementary creation of sixteen items of matter--namely the five elements
[fire, water, land, air and sky], sound, form, taste, smell, touch, and the
eyes, ears, nose, tongue, skin and mind--is known as sarga, whereas subsequent
resultant interaction of the modes of material nature is called visarga.
4.
The right situation for the living entities is to obey the laws of the Lord and
thus be in perfect peace of mind under the protection of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. The Manus and their laws are meant to give right
direction in life. The impetus for activity is the desire for fruitive work.
5.
The science of God describes the incarnations of the Personality of Godhead and
His different activities together with the activities of His great devotees.
6.
The merging of the living entity, along with his conditional living tendency,
with the mystic lying down of the Maha-Visnu is called the winding up of the
cosmic manifestation. Liberation is the permanent situation of the form of the
living entity after he gives up the changeable gross and subtle material
bodies.
7.
The supreme one who is celebrated as the Supreme Being or the Supreme Soul is
the supreme source of the cosmic manifestation as well as its reservoir and
winding up. Thus He is the Supreme Fountainhead, the Absolute Truth.
8.
The individual person possessing different instruments of senses is called the
adhyatmic person, and the individual controlling deity of the senses is called
adhidaivic. The embodiment seen on the eyeballs is called the adhibhautic
person.
9.
All three of the above-mentioned stages of different living entities are interdependent.
In the absence of one, another is not understood. But the Supreme Being who
sees every one of them as the shelter of the shelter is independent of all, and
therefore He is the supreme shelter.
10.
After separating the different universes, the gigantic universal form of the
Lord [Maha-Visnu], which came out of the causal ocean, the place of appearance
for the first purusa-avatara, entered into each of the separate universes,
desiring to lie on the created transcendental water [Garbhodaka].
11.
That Supreme Person is not impersonal and therefore is distinctively a nara, or
person. Therefore the transcendental water created from the Supreme Nara is
known as nara. And because He lies down on that water, He is known as Narayana.
12.
One should definitely know that all material ingredients, activities, time and
modes, and the living entities who are meant to enjoy them all, exist by His
mercy only, and as soon as He does not care for them, everything becomes
nonexistent.
13.
The Lord, while lying on His bed of mystic slumber, generated the seminal
symbol, golden in hue, through external energy out of His desire to manifest
varieties of living entities from Himself alone.
14.
Just hear from me how the potency of His Lordship divides one into three, called
the controlling entities, the controlled entities and the material bodies, in
the manner mentioned above.
15.
From the sky situated within the transcendental body of the manifesting
Maha-Visnu, sense energy, mental force and bodily strength are all generated,
as well as the sum total of the fountainhead of the total living force.
16.
As the followers of a king follow their lord, similarly when the total energy
is in motion, all other living entities move, and when the total energy stops
endeavoring, all other living entities stop sensual activities.
17.
The living force, being agitated by the virat-purusa, generated hunger and
thirst, and when He desired to drink and eat, the mouth opened.
18.
From the mouth the palate became manifested, and thereupon the tongue was also
generated. After this all the different tastes came into existence so that the
tongue can relish them.
19.
When the Supreme desired to speak, speeches were vibrated from the mouth. Then
the controlling deity Fire was generated from the mouth. But when He was lying
in the water, all these functions remained suspended.
20.
Thereafter, when the supreme purusa desired to smell odors, the nostrils and
respiration were generated, the nasal instrument and odors came into existence,
and the controlling deity of air, carrying smell, also became manifested.
21.
Thus when everything existed in darkness, the Lord desired to see Himself and
all that was created. Then the eyes, the illuminating god Sun, the power of
vision and the object of sight all became manifested.
22.
By development of the desire of the great sages to know, the ears, the power of
hearing, the controlling deity of hearing, and the objects of hearing became
manifested. The great sages desired to hear about the Self.
23.
When there was a desire to perceive the physical characteristics of matter,
such as softness, hardness, warmth, cold, lightness and heaviness, the
background of sensation, the skin, the skin pores, the hairs on the body and
their controlling deities (the trees) were generated. Within and outside the
skin is a covering of air through which sense perception became prominent.
24.
Thereafter when the Supreme Person desired to perform varieties of work, the
two hands and their controlling strength, and Indra, the demigod in heaven,
became manifested, as also the acts dependent on both the hands and the
demigod.
25.
Thereupon, because of His desiring to control movement, His legs became
manifested, and from the legs the controlling deity named Visnu was generated.
By His personal supervision of this act, all varieties of human being are
busily engaged in dutiful occupational sacrifice.
26.
Thereupon, for sexual pleasure, begetting offspring and tasting heavenly
nectar, the Lord developed the genitals, and thus there is the genital organ
and its controlling deity, the Prajapati. The object of sexual pleasure and the
controlling deity are under the control of the genitals of the Lord.
27.
Thereafter, when He desired to evacuate the refuse of eatables, the evacuating
hole, anus, and the sensory organ thereof developed along with the controlling
deity Mitra. The sensory organ and the evacuating substance are both under the
shelter of the controlling deity.
28.
Thereafter, when He desired to move from one body to another, the navel and the
air of departure and death were combinedly created. The navel is the shelter
for both, namely death and the separating force.
29.
When there was a desire to have food and drink, the abdomen and the intestines
and also the arteries became manifested. The rivers and seas are the source of
their sustenance and metabolism.
30.
When there was a desire to think about the activities of His own energy, then
the heart (the seat of the mind), the mind, the moon, determination and all
desire became manifested.
31.
The seven elements of the body, namely the thin layer on the skin, the skin
itself, the flesh, blood, fat, marrow and bone, are all made of earth, water
and fire, whereas the life breath is produced by the sky, water and air.
32.
The sense organs are attached to the modes of material nature, and the modes of
material nature are products of the false ego. The mind is subjected to all
kinds of material experiences (happiness and distress), and the intelligence is
the feature of the mind's deliberation.
33.
Thus by all this, the external feature of the Personality of Godhead is covered
by gross forms such as those of planets, which were explained to you by me.
34.
Therefore beyond this [gross manifestation] is a transcendental manifestation
finer than the finest form. It has no beginning, no intermediate stage and no
end; therefore it is beyond the limits of expression or mental speculation and
is distinct from the material conception.
35.
Neither of the above forms of the Lord, as just described unto you from the
material angle of vision, is accepted by the pure devotees of the Lord who know
Him well.
36.
He, the Personality of Godhead, manifests Himself in a transcendental form,
being the subject of His transcendental name, quality, pastimes, entourage and
transcendental variegatedness. Although He is unaffected by all such
activities, He appears to be so engaged.
37-40.
O King, know from me that all living entities are created by the Supreme Lord
according to their past deeds. This includes Brahma and his sons like Daksa,
the periodical heads like Vaivasvata Manu, the demigods like Indra, Candra and
Varuna, the great sages like Bhrgu, Vyasa and Vasistha, the inhabitants of
Pitrloka and Siddhaloka, the Caranas, Gandharvas, Vidyadharas, Asuras, Yaksas,
Kinnaras and angels, the serpentines, the monkey-shaped Kimpurusas, the human
beings, the inhabitants of Matrloka, the demons, Pisacas, ghosts, spirits,
lunatics and evil spirits, the good and evil stars, the goblins, the animals in
the forest, the birds, the household animals, the reptiles, the mountains, the
moving and standing living entities, the living entities born from embryos,
from eggs, from perspiration and from seeds, and all others, whether they be in
the water, land or sky, in happiness, in distress or in mixed happiness and
distress. All of them, according to their past deeds, are created by the
Supreme Lord.
41.
According to the different modes of material nature--the mode of goodness, the
mode of passion and the mode of darkness--there are different living creatures,
who are known as demigods, human beings and hellish living entities. O King,
even a particular mode of nature, being mixed with the other two, is divided
into three, and thus each kind of living creature is influenced by the other
modes and acquires its habits also.
42.
He, the Personality of Godhead, as the maintainer of all in the universe,
appears in different incarnations after establishing the creation, and thus He
reclaims all kinds of conditioned souls amongst the humans, the nonhumans and
the demigods.
43.
Thereafter, at the end of the millennium, the Lord Himself in the form of
Rudra, the destroyer, will annihilate the complete creation as the wind
displaces the clouds.
44.
The great transcendentalists thus describe the activities of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, but the pure devotees deserve to see more glorious
things in transcendence, beyond these features.
45.
There is no direct engineering by the Lord for the creation and destruction of
the material world. What is described in the Vedas about His direct
interference is simply to counteract the idea that material nature is the
creator.
46.
This process of creation and annihilation described in summary herein is the
regulative principle during the duration of Brahma's one day. It is also the
regulative principle in the creation of mahat, in which the material nature is
dispersed.
47.
O King, I shall in due course explain the measurement of time in its gross and
subtle features with the specific symptoms of each, but for the present let me
explain unto you the Padma-kalpa.
48.
Saunaka Rsi, after hearing all about the creation, inquired from Suta Gosvami
about Vidura, for Suta Gosvami had previously informed him how Vidura left
home, leaving aside all his relatives, who were very difficult to leave.
49-50.
Saunaka Rsi said: Let us know, please, what topics were discussed between
Vidura and Maitreya, who talked on transcendental subjects, and what was
inquired by Vidura and replied by Maitreya. Also please let us know the reason
for Vidura's giving up the connection of his family members, and why he again
came home. Please also let us know the activities of Vidura while he was in the
places of pilgrimage.
51.
Sri Suta Gosvami explained: I shall now explain to you the very subjects explained
by the great sage in answer to King Pariksit's inquiries. Please hear them
attentively.
CANTO THREE
Chapter One Questions by Vidura
1. Sukadeva Gosvami
said: After renouncing his prosperous home and entering the forest, King
Vidura, the great devotee, asked this question of His Grace Maitreya Rsi.
2.
What else is there to say about the residential house of the Pandavas? Sri
Krsna, the Lord of everything, acted as your minister. He used to enter that
house as if it were His own, and He did not take any care of Duryodhana's
house.
3.
The King asked Sukadeva Gosvami: Where and when did the meeting and discussion
take place between Saint Vidura and His Grace Maitreya Muni? Kindly oblige, my
lord, and describe this to us.
4.
Saint Vidura was a great and pure devotee of the Lord, and therefore his
questions to His Grace Rsi Maitreya must have been very purposeful, on the
highest level, and approved by learned circles.
5.
Sri Suta Gosvami said: The great sage Sukadeva Gosvami was highly experienced
and was pleased with the King. Thus being questioned by the King, he said to
him, "Please hear the topics attentively."
6.
Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said: King Dhrtarastra became blind under the influence of
impious desires to nourish his dishonest sons, and thus he set fire to the
lacquer house to burn his fatherless nephews, the Pandavas.
7.
The King did not forbid his son Duhsasana's abominable action of grabbing the
hair of Draupadi, the wife of the godly King Yudhisthira, even though her tears
washed the red dust on her breast.
8.
Yudhisthira, who was born without any enemy, was unfairly defeated in gambling.
But because he had taken the vow of truthfulness, he went off to the forest.
When he came back in due course and begged the return of his rightful share of
the kingdom, he was refused by Dhrtarastra, who was overwhelmed by illusion.
9.
Lord Krsna was sent by Arjuna into the assembly as the spiritual master of the
whole world, and although His words were heard by some [like Bhisma] as pure
nectar, it was not so for the others, who were completely bereft of the last
farthing of past pious works. The King [Dhrtarastra or Duryodhana] did not take
the words of Lord Krsna very seriously.
10.
When Vidura was invited by his elder brother [Dhrtarastra] for consultation, he
entered the house and gave instructions which were exactly to the point. His
advice is well known, and instructions by Vidura are approved by expert
ministers of state.
11.
[Vidura said:] You must now return the legitimate share to Yudhisthira, who has
no enemies and who has been forbearing through untold sufferings due to your
offenses. He is waiting with his younger brothers, among whom is the revengeful
Bhima, breathing heavily like a snake. Surely you are afraid of him.
12.
Lord Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, has accepted the sons of Prtha as His
kinsmen, and all the kings of the world are with Lord Sri Krsna. He is present
in His home with all His family members, the kings and princes of the Yadu
dynasty, who have conquered an unlimited number of rulers, and He is their
Lord.
13.
You are maintaining offense personified, Duryodhana, as your infallible son,
but he is envious of Lord Krsna. And because you are thus maintaining a
nondevotee of Krsna, you are devoid of all auspicious qualities. Relieve yourself
of this ill fortune as soon as possible and do good to the whole family!
14.
While speaking thus, Vidura, whose personal character was esteemed by
respectable persons, was insulted by Duryodhana, who was swollen with anger and
whose lips were trembling. Duryodhana was in company with Karna, his younger
brothers and his maternal uncle Sakuni.
15.
Who asked him to come here, this son of a kept mistress? He is so crooked that
he spies in the interest of the enemy against those on whose support he has grown
up. Toss him out of the palace immediately and leave him with only his breath.
16.
Thus being pierced by arrows through his ears and afflicted to the core of his
heart, Vidura placed his bow on the door and quit his brother's palace. He was
not sorry, for he considered the acts of the external energy to be supreme.
17.
By his piety, Vidura achieved the advantages of the pious Kauravas. After
leaving Hastinapura, he took shelter of many places of pilgrimages, which are
the Lord's lotus feet. With a desire to gain a high order of pious life, he
traveled to holy places where thousands of transcendental forms of the Lord are
situated.
18.
He began to travel alone, thinking only of Krsna, through various holy places
like Ayodhya, Dvaraka and Mathura. He traveled where the air, hill, orchard,
river and lake are all pure and sinless and where the forms of the Unlimited
decorate the temples. Thus he performed the pilgrim's progress.
19.
While so traversing the earth, he simply performed duties to please the Supreme
Lord Hari. His occupation was pure and independent. He was constantly
sanctified by taking his bath in holy places, although he was in the dress of a
mendicant and had no hair dressing nor a bed on which to lie. Thus he was
always unseen by his various relatives.
20.
Thus, when he was in the land of Bharatavarsa traveling to all the places of
pilgrimage, he visited Prabhasaksetra. At that time Maharaja Yudhisthira was
the emperor and held the world under one military strength and one flag.
21.
At the place of pilgrimage at Prabhasa, it came to his knowledge that all his
relatives had died due to violent passion, just as an entire forest burns due
to fire produced by the friction of bamboos. After this he proceeded west,
where the River Sarasvati flows.
22.
On the bank of the River Sarasvati there were eleven places of pilgrimage,
namely, (1) Trita, (2) Usana, (3) Mahu, (4) Prthu, (5) Agni, (6) Asita, (7)
Vayu, (8) Sudasa, (9) Go, (10) Guha and (11) Sraddhadeva. Vidura visited all of
them and duly performed rituals.
23.
There were also many other temples of various forms of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead Visnu, established by great sages and demigods. These temples were
marked with the chief emblems of the Lord, and they reminded one always of the
original Personality of Godhead, Lord Krsna.
24.
Thereafter he passed through very wealthy provinces like Surat, Sauvira and
Matsya and through western India, known as Kurujangala. At last he reached the
bank of the Yamuna, where he happened to meet Uddhava, the great devotee of
Lord Krsna.
25.
Then, due to his great love and feeling, Vidura embraced him [Uddhava], who was
a constant companion of Lord Krsna and formerly a great student of Brhaspati's.
Vidura then asked him for news of the family of Lord Krsna, the Personality of
Godhead.
26.
[Please tell me] whether the original Personalities of Godhead, who incarnated
Themselves at the request of Brahma [who is born out of the lotus flower from
the Lord] and who have increased the prosperity of the world by elevating
everyone, are doing well in the house of Surasena.
27.
[Please tell me] whether the best friend of the Kurus, our brother-in-law
Vasudeva, is doing well. He is very munificent. He is like a father to his
sisters, and he is always pleasing to his wives.
28.
O Uddhava, please tell me how is Pradyumna, the commander-in-chief of the
Yadus, who was Cupid in a former life? Rukmini bore him as her son from Lord
Krsna, by the grace of brahmanas whom she pleased.
29.
O my friend, [tell me] whether Ugrasena, the King of the Satvatas, Vrsnis,
Bhojas and Dasarhas, is now doing well. He went far away from his kingdom,
leaving aside all hopes of his royal throne, but Lord Krsna again installed
him.
30.
O gentle one, does Samba fare well? He exactly resembles the son of the
Personality of Godhead. In a previous birth he was born as Karttikeya in the
womb of the wife of Lord Siva, and now he has been born in the womb of
Jambavati, the most enriched wife of Krsna.
31.
O Uddhava, does Yuyudhana fare well? He learned the intricacies of the military
art from Arjuna and attained the transcendental destination which is very
difficult to reach even for great renouncers.
32.
Please tell me whether Akrura, the son of Svaphalka, is doing well. He is a
faultless soul surrendered unto the Personality of Godhead. He once lost his
mental equilibrium due to his ecstasy of transcendental love and fell down on
the dust of a road which was marked with the footprints of Lord Krsna.
33.
As the Vedas are the reservoir of sacrificial purposes, so the daughter of King
Devaka-bhoja conceived the Supreme Personality of Godhead in her womb, as did
the mother of the demigods. Is she [Devaki] doing well?
34.
May I inquire whether Aniruddha is doing well? He is the fulfiller of all the
desires of the pure devotees and has been considered from yore to be the cause
of the Rg Veda, the creator of the mind and the fourth Plenary expansion of
Visnu.
35.
O sober one, others, such as Hrdika, Carudesna, Gada and the son of Satyabhama,
who accept Lord Sri Krsna as the soul of the self and thus follow His path
without deviation--are they well?
36.
Also let me inquire whether Maharaja Yudhisthira is now maintaining the kingdom
according to religious principles and with respect for the path of religion.
Formerly Duryodhana was burning with envy because Yudhisthira was being
protected by the arms of Krsna and Arjuna as if they were his own arms.
37.
[Please tell me] whether the unconquerable Bhima, who is like a cobra, has
released his long-cherished anger upon the sinners? The field of battle could
not tolerate even the wonderful playing of his club when he stepped on the
path.
38.
[Please tell me] whether Arjuna, whose bow bears the name Gandiva and who is
always famous amongst the chariot warriors for vanquishing his enemies, is
doing well. He once satisfied Lord Siva by covering him with arrows when Siva
came as an unidentified false hunter.
39.
Are the twin brothers who are protected by their brothers doing well? Just as
the eye is always protected by the eyelid, they are protected by the sons of
Prtha, who snatched back their rightful kingdom from the hands of their enemy
Duryodhana, just as Garuda snatched nectar from the mouth of Indra, the
thunderbolt carrier.
40.
O my lord, is Prtha still living? She lived only for the sake of her fatherless
children; otherwise it was impossible for her to live without King Pandu, who
was the greatest commander and who alone conquered the four directions simply
with the help of a second bow.
41.
O gentle one, I simply lament for he [Dhrtarastra] who rebelled against his
brother after death. By him I was driven out of my own house, although I am his
sincere well-wisher, because he accepted the line of action adopted by his own
sons.
42.
I am not astonished at this, having traveled over the world without being seen
by others. The activities of the Personality of Godhead, which are like those
of a man in this mortal world, are bewildering to others, but I know of His
greatness by His grace, and thus I am happy in all respects.
43.
Despite His being the Lord and being always willing to relieve the distress of
sufferers, He [Krsna] refrained from killing the Kurus, although they committed
all sorts of sins and although He saw other kings constantly agitating the
earth by their strong military movements carried out under the dictation of
three kinds of false pride.
44.
The appearance of the Lord is manifested for the annihilation of the upstarts.
His activities are transcendental and are enacted for the understanding of all
persons. Otherwise, since the Lord is transcendental to all material modes,
what purpose could He serve by coming to earth?
45.
O my friend, please, therefore, chant the glories of the Lord, who is meant to
be glorified in the places of pilgrimage. He is unborn, and yet He appears by
His causeless mercy upon the surrendered rulers of all parts of the universe.
Only for their interest did He appear in the family of His unalloyed devotees
the Yadus.
Chapter Two Remembrance of Lord Krsna
1.
Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said: When the great devotee Uddhava was asked by Vidura
to speak on the messages of the dearest [Lord Krsna], Uddhava was unable to
answer immediately due to excessive anxiety at the remembrance of the Lord.
2.
He was one who even in his childhood, at the age of five years, was so absorbed
in the service of Lord Krsna that when he was called by his mother for morning
breakfast, he did not wish to have it.
3.
Uddhava thus served the Lord continually from childhood, and in his old age
that attitude of service never slackened. As soon as he was asked about the
message of the Lord, he at once remembered all about Him.
4.
For a moment he remained dead silent, and his body did not move. He became
absorbed in the nectar of remembering the Lord's lotus feet in devotional ecstasy,
and he appeared to be going increasingly deeper into that ecstasy.
5.
It was so observed by Vidura that Uddhava had all the transcendental bodily
changes due to total ecstasy, and he was trying to wipe away tears of
separation from his eyes. Thus Vidura could understand that Uddhava had
completely assimilated extensive love for the Lord.
6.
The great devotee Uddhava soon came back from the abode of the Lord to the
human plane, and wiping his eyes, he awakened his reminiscence of the past and
spoke to Vidura in a pleasing mood.
7.
Sri Uddhava said: My dear Vidura, the sun of the world, Lord Krsna, has set,
and our house has now been swallowed by the great snake of time. What can I say
to you about our welfare?
8.
This universe with all its planets is most unfortunate. And even more
unfortunate are the members of the Yadu dynasty because they could not identify
Lord Hari as the Personality of Godhead, any more than the fish could identify
the moon.
9.
The Yadus were all experienced devotees, learned and expert in psychic study.
Over and above this, they were always with the Lord in all kinds of
relaxations, and still they were only able to know Him as the one Supreme who
dwells everywhere.
10.
Under no circumstances can the words of persons bewildered by the illusory
energy of the Lord deviate the intelligence of those who are completely
surrendered souls.
11.
Lord Sri Krsna, who manifested His eternal form before the vision of all on the
earth, performed His disappearance by removing His form from the sight of those
who were unable to see Him [as He is] due to not executing required penance.
12.
The Lord appeared in the mortal world by His internal potency, yoga-maya. He
came in His eternal form, which is just suitable for His pastimes. These
pastimes were wonderful for everyone, even for those proud of their own
opulence, including the Lord Himself in His form as the Lord of Vaikuntha. Thus
His [Sri Krsna's] transcendental body is the ornament of all ornaments.
13.
All the demigods from the upper, lower and middle universal planetary systems
assembled at the altar of the rajasuya sacrifice performed by Maharaja
Yudhisthira. After seeing the beautiful bodily features of Lord Krsna, they all
contemplated that He was the ultimate dexterous creation of Brahma, the creator
of human beings.
14.
The damsels of Vraja, after pastimes of laughter, humor and exchanges of
glances, were anguished when Krsna left them. They used to follow Him with
their eyes, and thus they sat down with stunned intelligence and could not finish
their household duties.
15.
The Personality of Godhead, the all-compassionate controller of both the
spiritual and material creations, is unborn, but when there is friction between
His peaceful devotees and persons who are in the material modes of nature, He
takes birth just like fire, accompanied by the mahat-tattva.
16.
When I think of Lord Krsna--how He was born in the prison house of Vasudeva
although He is unborn, how He went away from His father's protection to Vraja
and lived there incognito out of fear of the enemy, and how, although
unlimitedly powerful, He fled from Mathura in fear--all these bewildering
incidents give me distress.
17.
Lord Krsna begged pardon from His parents for Their [Krsna's and Balarama's]
inability to serve their feet, due to being away from home because of great
fear of Kamsa. He said, "O mother, O father, please excuse Us for this
inability." All this behavior of the Lord gives me pain at heart.
18.
Who, after smelling the dust of His lotus feet even once, could ever forget it?
Simply by expanding the leaves of His eyebrows, Krsna has given the deathblow
to those who were burdening the earth.
19.
You have personally seen how the King of Cedi [Sisupala] achieved success in
yoga practice, although he hated Lord Krsna. Even the actual yogis aspire after
such success with great interest by performance of their various practices. Who
can tolerate separation from Him?
20.
Certainly others who were fighters on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra were
purified by the onslaught of Arjuna's arrows, and while seeing the lotuslike
face of Krsna, so pleasing to the eyes, they achieved the abode of the Lord.
21.
Lord Sri Krsna is the Lord of all kinds of threes and is independently supreme
by achievement of all kinds of fortune. He is worshiped by the eternal
maintainers of the creation, who offer Him the paraphernalia of worship by
touching their millions of helmets to His feet.
22.
Therefore, O Vidura, does it not pain us, His servitors, when we remember that
He [Lord Krsna] used to stand before King Ugrasena, who was sitting on the
royal throne, and used to submit explanations before him, saying, "O My
lord, please let it be known to you"?
23.
Alas, how shall I take shelter of one more merciful than He who granted the
position of mother to a she-demon [Putana] although she was unfaithful and she
prepared deadly poison to be sucked from her breast?
24.
I consider the demons, who are inimical toward the Lord, to be more than the
devotees because while fighting with the Lord, absorbed in thoughts of enmity,
they are able to see the Lord carried on the shoulder of Garuda, the son of
Tarksya [Kasyapa], and carrying the wheel weapon in His hand.
25.
The Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krsna, being prayed to by Brahma to bring
welfare to the earth, was begotten by Vasudeva in the womb of his wife Devaki
in the prison of the King of Bhoja.
26.
Thereafter, His father, being afraid of Kamsa, brought Him to the cow pastures
of Maharaja Nanda, and there He lived for eleven years like a covered flame
with His elder brother, Baladeva.
27.
In His childhood, the Almighty Lord was surrounded by cowherd boys and calves,
and thus He traveled on the shore of the Yamuna River, through gardens densely
covered with trees and filled with vibrations of chirping birds.
28.
When the Lord displayed His activities just suitable for childhood, He was
visible only to the residents of Vrndavana. Sometimes He would cry and
sometimes laugh, just like a child, and while so doing He would appear like a
lion cub.
29.
While herding the very beautiful bulls, the Lord, who was the reservoir of all
opulence and fortune, used to blow His flute, and thus He enlivened His
faithful followers, the cowherd boys.
30.
The great wizards who were able to assume any form were engaged by the King of
Bhoja, Kamsa, to kill Krsna, but in the course of His pastimes the Lord killed
them as easily as a child breaks dolls.
31.
The inhabitants of Vrndavana were perplexed by great difficulties because a
certain portion of the Yamuna was poisoned by the chief of the reptiles
[Kaliya]. The Lord chastised the snake-king within the water and drove him
away, and after coming out of the river, He caused the cows to drink the water
and proved that the water was again in its natural state.
32.
The Supreme Lord, Krsna, desired to utilize the opulent financial strength of
Maharaja Nanda for worship of the cows, and also He wanted to give a lesson to
Indra, the King of heaven. Thus He advised His father to perform worship of go,
or the pasturing land and the cows, with the help of learned brahmanas.
33.
O sober Vidura, King Indra, his honor having been insulted, poured water
incessantly on Vrndavana, and thus the inhabitants of Vraja, the land of cows,
were greatly distressed. But the compassionate Lord Krsna saved them from
danger with His pastime umbrella, the Govardhana Hill.
34.
In the third season of the year, the Lord enjoyed as the central beauty of the
assembly of women by attracting them with His pleasing songs in an autumn night
brightened by moonshine.
Chapter Three Remembrance of Lord Krsna
1.
Sri Uddhava said: Thereafter Lord Krsna went to Mathura City with Sri Baladeva,
and to please Their parents They dragged Kamsa, the leader of public enemies,
down from his throne and killed him, pulling him along the ground with great
strength.
2.
The Lord learned all the Vedas with their different branches simply by hearing
them once from His teacher, Sandipani Muni, whom He rewarded by bringing back
his dead son from the region of Yamaloka.
3.
Attracted by the beauty and fortune of Rukmini, the daughter of King Bhismaka,
many great princes and kings assembled to marry her. But Lord Krsna, stepping
over the other hopeful candidates, carried her away as His own share, as Garuda
carried away nectar.
4.
By subduing seven bulls whose noses were not pierced, the Lord achieved the
hand of Princess Nagnijiti in the open competition to select her bridegroom.
Although the Lord was victorious, His competitors asked the hand of the
princess, and thus there was a fight. Well equipped with weapons, the Lord
killed or wounded all of them, but He was not hurt Himself.
5.
Just to please His dear wife, the Lord brought back the parijata tree from
heaven, just as an ordinary husband would do. But Indra, the King of heaven,
induced by his wives (henpecked as he was), ran after the Lord with full force
to fight Him.
6.
Narakasura, the son of Dharitri, the earth, tried to grasp the whole sky, and
for this he was killed by the Lord in a fight. His mother then prayed to the
Lord. This led to the return of the kingdom to the son of Narakasura, and thus
the Lord entered the house of the demon.
7.
There in the house of the demon, all the princesses kidnapped by Narakasura at
once became alert upon seeing the Lord, the friend of the distressed. They looked
upon Him with eagerness, joy and shyness and offered to be His wives.
8.
All those princesses were lodged in different apartments, and the Lord
simultaneously assumed different bodily expansions exactly matching each and
every princess. He accepted their hands in perfect rituals by His internal
potency.
9.
Just to expand Himself according to His transcendental features, the Lord begot
in each and every one of them ten offspring with exactly His own qualities.
10.
Kalayavana, the King of Magadha and Salva attacked the city of Mathura, but
when the city was encircled by their soldiers, the Lord refrained from killing
them personally, just to show the power of His own men.
11.
Of kings like Sambara, Dvivida, Bana, Mura, Balvala and many other demons, such
as Dantavakra, some He killed Himself, and some He caused to be killed by
others [Sri Baladeva, etc.].
12.
Then, O Vidura, the Lord caused all the kings, both the enemies and those on
the side of your fighting nephews, to be killed in the Battle of Kuruksetra.
All those kings were so great and strong that the earth seemed to shake as they
traversed the warfield.
13.
Duryodhana was bereft of his fortune and duration of life because of the
intricacy of ill advice given by Karna, Duhsasana and Saubala. When he lay on
the ground with his followers, his thighs broken although he was powerful, the
Lord was not happy to see the scene.
14.
[After the end of the Battle of Kuruksetra, the Lord said:] The abatement of
the earth's great burden, eighteen aksauhinis, has now been effected with the
help of Drona, Bhisma, Arjuna and Bhima. But what is this? There is still the
great strength of the Yadu dynasty, born of Myself, which may be a more
unbearable burden.
15.
When they quarrel among themselves, influenced by intoxication, with their eyes
red like copper because of drinking [madhu], then only will they disappear;
otherwise, it will not be possible. On My disappearance, this incident will
take place.
16.
Lord Sri Krsna, thus thinking to Himself, established Maharaja Yudhisthira in
the position of supreme control of the world in order to show the ideal of
administration on the path of piety.
17.
The embryo of Puru's descendant begotten by the great hero Abhimanyu in the
womb of Uttara, his wife, | 