The
honorable king (Parîkchit) said: 'O brahmin, we'd like to
know how she who is my grandmother, the sister of Krishna and
Râma [Subhadrâ,
see 9.24:
53-55],
got married to Arjuna.
The
honorable king (Parîkchit) said: 'O brahmin, we'd like
to know how she who is my grandmother, the sister of Krishna
and Râma [Subhadrâ, see 9.24: 53-55],
got married to Arjuna.' (Vedabase)
Text
2-3
S'rî
S'uka said: 'Arjuna, the great lord, gone on a pilgrimage to
Prabhâsa, heard as he wandered the earth that Râma
intended to give his maternal cousin
away to Duryodhana
and to no one else, and so went he, desirous of her, to
Dvârakâ disguised as a renunciate with a
tridanda [*].
S'rî
S'uka said: 'Arjuna, the great lord, gone on a pilgrimage to
Prabhâsa wandering the earth, heard that Râma
intended to give his maternal cousin away to Duryodhana and
to no one else, and so went he, desirous of her, to
Dvârakâ changed into a renunciate with a
tridanda [*]. (Vedabase)
Text
4
Determined
to fulfill his purpose, resided he there during the months of
the rainy season and was he [according the custom]
honored by the citizens and by Râma without them being
aware who he was.
There
did he, sure to fulfill his purpose, reside during the
months of the rainy season and was he for the time honored
by the citizens and by Râma unaware of who he was.
(Vedabase)
Text
5
One
day invited as a guest was he brought to Balarâma's house
where He faithfully presented him a meal.
One
day invited as a guest was he brought to Balarâma's
house where He presented him with faith food for him to eat.
(Vedabase)
Text
6
When
he there, with eyes blossoming of happiness, saw the wonderful
girl who enchanted heroes, put he, smitten, his mind on
her.
There,
with eyes blossoming of happiness seeing the wonderful girl
enchanting the heroes, did he, smitten, put his mind on
her.
(Vedabase)
Text
7
She
also seeing him who stole each woman's heart, fixed her heart
and eyes upon him as she with desire gave him a bashful smile
and look.
She
also seeing him who stole each woman's heart, with desire
giving him a bashful smile and look, fixed her heart and
eyes upon him. (Vedabase)
Text
8
Thinking
of nothing but her awaiting the right opportunity could Arjuna,
with his heart trembling of the strongest desire, find no
peace.
Thinking
of nothing but her awaiting the right opportunity could
Arjuna, with his heart trembling of the strongest desire,
find no peace. (Vedabase)
Text
9
When
during an important religious festival she rode out of the
fortress in a chariot, seized the mighty warrior the girl who
had stolen his heart. That took place with the consent of her
parents [see 1o.1:
56]
and Krishna.
When
during an important religious festival she rode out from the
fortress in a chariot, did the mighty warrior, with her
parents [see 1o.1: 56] and Krishna consenting, seize
her who had stolen his heart. (Vedabase)
Text
10
Standing
on the chariot raising his bow drove he, like the king of the
animals claiming his share, back the heroes and guards who,
while her relatives were shouting
in
anger,
tried to stop him.
Standing
on the chariot raising his bow drove he, like the king of
the animals claiming his share, back the heroes and guards
who, as his relatives were shouting in anger, tried to stop
him. (Vedabase)
Text
11
Hearing this
was Râma as disturbed as the ocean is during a badly
aspected moon [astrological conjunction or opposition].
Lord Krishna and His family had to grasp Him respectfully by
His feet in order to pacify Him.
Hearing
this was Râma, being as disturbed as the ocean during
a moon in conflict [astrological conjunction or
opposition], by Lord Krishna and His family grasped by
the feet and carefully pacified.
(Vedabase)
Text
12
He thereupon
was pleased to sent presents of great value, elephants and
horses and male and female servants as a wedding gift for the
groom and bride.'
So
He with pleasure sent presents of great value, elephants and
horses and male and female [servants] as a wedding
gift for the groom and bride.'
(Vedabase)
Text
13
S'rî
S'uka continued: 'Of Lord Krishna there was S'rutadeva, one of
the best among the twice-born, known for his fullness of
realization - his serenity, learning and freedom from sense
gratification - in exclusive devotion to
Krishna.
S'rî
S'uka continued: 'Of Lord Krishna there was S'rutadeva, one
of the best among the twice born, known for his fullness of
realization - his serenity, learning and freedom from sense
gratification - in exclusive devotion to Krishna.
(Vedabase)
Text
14
He,
as a householder dwelling in Mithilâ in the kingdom of
Videha, carried out his obligations unconcerned about what came
to him for his sustenance.
He,
as a householder dwelling in Mithilâ in the kingdom of
Videha, carried out his obligations unconcerned about what
came to him for his sustenance.
(Vedabase)
Text
15
Day
by day doing his duties as required was he happy with just that
- and nothing more - what he by providence acquired as his
share for his sober maintenance.
Day
by day doing his duties as required was he happy with just
that - and nothing more - what to his sober maintenance by
providence fell to his share. (Vedabase)
Text
16
The
ruler of that kingdom from the line of King Mithilâ
[Janaka]
was known by the name of Bahulâs'va and was likewise
selfless minded, my dearest. They were both equally dear to
Acyuta.
The
ruler of that kingdom from the line of King Mithilâ
[Janaka] known as Bahulâs'va was likewise
selfless-minded, my dearest; both indeed were dear to
Acyuta.
(Vedabase)
Text
17
Pleased
with the two of them mounted the Supreme Lord His chariot that
was brought by Dâruka, and mounting together with a group
of sages went the Master to Videha.
Pleased
with the two of them mounted the Supreme Lord His chariot
brought forth by Dâruka, and mounting together with a
group of sages went the Master to Videha.
(Vedabase)
Text
18
Along
came Nârada, Vâmadeva, Atri, Krishna
Dvaipâyana Vyâsa, Paras'urâma, Asita, Aruni,
I [S'uka], Brihaspati, Kanva, Maitreya and Cyavana and
others.
Along
came Nârada, Vâmadeva, Atri,
Krishna-dvaipâyana Vyâsa, Paras'urâma,
Asita, Aruni, I [S'uka], Brihaspati, Kanva, Maitreya
and Cyavana and others. (Vedabase)
Text
19
Everywhere
He came approached the citizens and villagers carrying
arghya [offerings of water] to greet Him who was
as the risen sun surrounded by the planets.
Everywhere
He came approached the citizens and villagers carrying
arghya [offerings of water] to greet Him who was as
the risen sun surrounded by the planets.
(Vedabase)
Text
20
In
Ânarta [where Dvârakâ is], Dhanva
[the desert region], Kuru-jângala [Thaneswar
and Kurukshetra], Kanka, Matsya [Jaipur and
Aloyar], Pañcâla [the Ganges region],
Kunti, Madhu, Kekaya [northeast Punjab], Kos'ala
[from Kâs'î to the Himalayas], Arna
[east of Mithilâ] and in many other kingdoms,
drank the men and women with their eyes in the lotus face that
was so generous with His smiles and affectionate glances, o
King.
In
Ânarta [where Dvârakâ is], Dhanva
[the desert region], Kuru-jângala
[Thaneswar and Kurukshetra], Kanka, Matsya
[Jaipur and Aloyar], Pañcâla [the
Ganges region], Kunti, Madhu, Kekaya [northeast
Punjab], Kos'ala [from Kas'i to the Himalayas],
Arna [east of Mithilâ] and in many other
kingdoms, drank the men and women with their eyes in the
lotus face generous with smiles and affectionate glances, o
King.
(Vedabase)
Text
21
The
Spiritual Master of the Three Worlds put an end to the
blindness of their eyes by bestowing upon them the fearlessness
of the spiritual vision. As He thus by and by reached Videha,
heard He how by the God-conscious and the commoners His glories
were sung, the glories that eradicate all misfortune and purify
every corner of the universe.
As
the Spiritual Master of the Three Worlds, destroying the
blindness of their eyes, bestowed on them the fearlessness
of the spiritual vision, heard He, by and by reaching
Videha, His glories that eradicate all misfortune and purify
every corner of the universe, being sung by the godly and
the commoners. (Vedabase)
Text
22
The moment the
villagers and citizens heard that Acyuta had arrived, o King,
came they joyfully forward to greet Him with offerings in their
hands.
As
soon as the villagers and citizens heard that Acyuta had
arrived, o King, came they joyfully out to Him with
offerings in their hands. (Vedabase)
Text
23
Seeing
Him Who is Praised in the Verses, bowed they with their faces
and hearts blossoming of love down with their joined palms held
to their heads, as they also did before the sages they only
knew from hearsay.
Seeing
Him Who is Praised in the Verses, bowed they with their
faces and hearts blossoming of love down with their joined
palms held to their heads, as they also did before the sages
they knew from hearsay.
(Vedabase)
Text
24
Each
of the kings of Mithilâ and S'rutadeva prostrated at the
feet supposing that the Spiritual Master of the Universe had
arrived to be of mercy for especially him.
The
king of Mithilâ and S'rutadeva each fell at the feet
thinking that the Spiritual Master of the Universe had
arrived to be of mercy to him. (Vedabase)
Text
25
Bahulâs'va
and S'rutadeva simultaneously joining their palms, then invited
the Descendant of Das'ârha and the twice-born to be their
guests.
Bahulâs'va
and S'rutadeva simultaneously joining their palms, invited
the Descendant of Das'ârha along with the twiceborn to
be their guest.
(Vedabase)
Text
26
The
Supreme Lord eager to please the two of them accepted their
offer by entering each his house without them knowing that of
each other [He did so at the same time in
vaibhava-prakâs'a].
The
Supreme Lord eager to please the two of them entered,
accepting them both, each his house without them seeing that
[He did so at the same time in
vaibhava-prakâs'a].
(Vedabase)
Text
27-29
The
descendent of Janaka [Bahulas'va] who later that day
saw them, fatigued, coming from a distance to his house,
mindfully brought out fine seats for them so that they could
comfortably sit. Overjoyed at heart with intense devotion and
eyes clouded with tears bowed he down to wash those feet of
which the water is able to purify the entire world. Together
with his family taking it on his head, honored he the Lords
[and sages] with sandalwood paste, garlands, clothing,
jewelry, incense, lamps, arghya, cows and
bulls.
The
descendent of Janaka [Bahulas'va] then seeing them,
fatigued, from a distance coming to his home, mindfully
brought out fine seats to them so that they could
comfortably sit. Overjoyed at heart with intense devotion
and eyes clouded with tears bowed he down to wash those feet
of which the water is able to purify the whole world.
Together with his family taking it on their heads, worshiped
he the Lords [and sages] with paste, garlands,
clothing, jewelry, incense, lamps, arghya, cows and
bulls.
(Vedabase)
Text
30
When
they had eaten their fill, said he while happily massaging the
feet of Vishnu on his lap, in order to please them in a gentle
voice slowly the following.
To
them gratified with the food said he slowly, happily
massaging the feet of Vishnu on his lap, the following,
trying to please in a gentle voice.
(Vedabase)
Text
31
S'rî
Bahulâs'va said: 'You indeed the Self-illumined Witness
and Soul of All Created Beings, o Almighty One, have now become
visible to us who are remembering Your lotus
feet.
S'rî
Bahulâs'va said: 'You indeed the Self-illumined
Witness and Soul of All Created Beings, o Almighty One, have
now become visible to us who are remembering Your lotusfeet.
(Vedabase)
Text
32
To be true to
the statement You made that 'No one, not even Ananta,
S'rî or the Unborn Brahmâ is as dear to Me as the
unalloyed devotee', have You appeared before our eyes [see
also 7.7:
51-52,
10.9:
20-21,
10.47:
58-63].
To
be true to the statement You made that 'No one, not even
Ananta, S'rî or the Unborn Brahmâ is as dear to
Me as the unalloyed devotee', have you made Yourself
accessible to our eyes [see also 7.7: 51-52, 10.9.20-21,
10. 47: 58-63]. (Vedabase)
Text
33
What person
knowing this would abandon Your lotus feet when You give
Yourself to sages who are peaceful from not striving for
possessions?
Who
ever, what person being in knowledge like this, would
abandon Your lotusfeet with You giving Yourself to sages who
are peaceful with no possessions of their own?
(Vedabase)
Text
34
Descending in
the Yadu dynasty for the sake of those who are caught in
worldly love [samsâra]
have You, to put a stop to it, disseminated Your fame which
removes the sins of the three worlds.
Descending
in the Yadu-dynasty for the people caught in worldly love
[samsâra] have You, to call it to a stop,
disseminated Your fame which removes the sins of the three
worlds.
(Vedabase)
Text
35
All
glories to You Krishna, the Supreme Lord ever fresh in His
intelligence, to
Nara-Nârâyana,
the One perfect of peace in undergoing the
austerities.
All
glories to You Krishna, the Supreme Lord ever fresh in His
intelligence, to Nara-Nârâyana, perfect of peace
in undergoing the austerities. (Vedabase)
Text
36
Please
o Omnipresent One, dwell,
joined by the twice-born, for a few days in our home and
sanctify with the dust of Your feet this dynasty of
Nimi.
Please
o Omnipresent One, dwell, joined by the twice born, for a
few days in our home and sanctify with the dust of Your feet
this dynasty of Nimi.
(Vedabase)
Text
37
S'rî
S'uka said: 'Thus invited by the king stayed the Supreme Lord
and Maintainer of the Entire World there and thus brought good
fortune to the men and women of Mithilâ.
S'rî
S'uka said: 'Thus invited by the king stayed the Supreme
Lord and Maintainer of the Entire World, bringing good
fortune to the men and women of
Mithilâ.
(Vedabase)
Text
38
S'rutadeva,
just as Bahulas'va receiving Krishna in his house, bowed down
to the sages to the occasion of which he in delight danced with
waving clothes.
S'rutadeva,
just as Bahulas'va receiving Krishna in his house, bowed
down to the sages to the occasion of which he delighted
danced with waving clothes.(Vedabase)
Text
39
He
made them sit on mats of darbha grass which were brought,
greeted them with words of welcome and washed next pleased
together with his wife their feet.
Making
them sit on mats of darbha grass which were brought, greeted
he them with words of welcome and washed he pleased together
with his wife their feet. (Vedabase)
Text
40
With
the water sprinkled he, overjoyed of having all his desires
fulfilled, most piously himself, his house and his
family.
With
the water he, overjoyed of having all desires fulfilled,
most piously showered himself, his house and his
family.
(Vedabase)
Text
41
With
offerings of fruits, aromatic root
[us'îra], pure nectarean sweet water,
fragrant clay, tulsî leaves, kus'a
grass and lotus flowers honored
he them with all items of worship available and with food
conducive to the mood of goodness [see B.G.
17: 8].
With
offerings of fruits, aromatic root [us'îra],
pure nectarean sweet water, fragrant clay, tulsî
leaves, kus'a-grass and lotus flowers honored he them with
all items of worship available and with food conducive to
the mood of goodness [see B.G. 17:
8].
(Vedabase)
Text
42
He wondered:
'How could it happen that I who fell down in the blind well of
family life, may enjoy this association with Krishna and these
godly people in whom He resides; it is indeed the dust of their
feet that constitutes the dignity of all holy
places.'
He
tried to understand: 'For what reason could befall me,
fallen in the blind well of a family life, this association
with Krishna and these godly people in whom He resides; it
is indeed the dust of their feet that is the dignity of all
holy places. (Vedabase)
Text
43
With them
comfortably seated and having proven the hospitality, spoke
S'rutadeva, as his wife, relatives and children were sitting
close, while he massaged His feet.
With
them comfortably seated and proven the hospitality, spoke
S'rutadeva, with his wife, relatives and children sitting
near, while massaging His feet.
(Vedabase)
Text
44
S'rutadeva
said: 'It is not for the first time that we see the Supreme
Personality present before us; in fact is that happening ever
since He, creating this universe with His energies, entered it
in His own state of [transcendental] being [as an
avatâra].
S'rutadeva
said: 'It is not just today that we have obtained the vision
of the Supreme Personality; in fact is that so ever since
He, creating this universe with His energies, entered it in
His own state of [transcendental] existence [as
avatâras]. (Vedabase)
Text
45
He enters this
world the way a sleeping person appears in his own dream: alone
with his mind creates he by his own imagination a separate
world.
He
appears like a sleeping person enters a dream, alone with
his mind by his own imagination creating a separate world.
(Vedabase)
Text
46
You appear
within the hearts of those people who with a pure mind again
and again hear about You, speak of You, glorify You, worship
You and converse about You.
For
those people who with minds pure again and again hear about
You, speak about You and, offering praise, worship You and
converse about You, do You appear within the heart.
(Vedabase)
Text
47
Even though
You're situated in the heart are You far removed from minds
agitated by material affairs, and even though one can't get
hold of You by one's own powers, are You near to those who
appreciate Your qualities [see also B.G.
7:
25].
Though
situated in the heart are You very far away to minds
agitated by material activities; though one by one's own
powers cannot take hold of You, are You near to those hearts
who realized Your qualities [see also B.G. 7: 25].
(48) Let there be my obeisances unto You, the Supreme Spirit
to those who know the Supersoul, the One [as Time]
bringing Death to the conditioned soul; the One assuming
forms having a cause [the universe] and not having a
cause [the transcendental], [respectively]
obstructing and [then again descending for Your
devotees] uncovering the vision by Your own deluding
potency. (49) You as Him, please command us Your servants.
What o God should we do? Oh, having this of You, Your good
Self, visible to the eyes, is what puts an end to the
troubles of humanity!' (Vedabase)
Text
48
Let there be my
obeisances unto You, the Supersoul from whom we know the
Absolute of the Truth, the One who [as the Time] calls
for the death of the conditioned soul; the One who assumes
forms that have a cause [the universe] and do not have
a cause [the transcendental], and thus
[respectively] obstructs matters and [then again
descending for Your devotees] broadens the outlook by Your
own deluding potency.
Let
there be my obeisances unto You, the Supreme Spirit to those
who know the Supersoul, the One [as Time] bringing
Death to the conditioned soul; the One assuming forms having
a cause [the universe] and not having a cause
[the transcendental], [respectively]
obstructing and [then again descending for Your
devotees] uncovering the vision by Your own deluding
potency.
(Vedabase)
Text
49
You as that
Supersoul, please command us Your servants. What o God should
we do? Oh, having this good self of You visible before our eyes
is what puts an end to the troubles of
humanity!'
You
as Him, please command us Your servants. What o God should
we do? Oh, having this of You, Your good Self, visible to
the eyes, is what puts an end to the troubles of
humanity!'
(Vedabase)
Text
50
S'rî
S'uka said: 'Having heard what he thus said to Him, spoke the
Supreme Lord, the Destroyer of the Distress of the Surrendered,
to him with a broad smile taking his hand into
His.
S'rî
S'uka said: 'Hearing what he thus had said to Him, spoke the
Supreme Lord, the Destroyer of the Distress of the
Surrendered, to him with a broad smile taking his hand into
His. (Vedabase)
Text
51
The
Supreme Lord said: 'O brahmin, you should know that these sages
came along for the purpose of blessing you; wandering with Me,
they purify all the worlds with the dust of their
feet.
The
Supreme Lord said: 'O brahmin, you should know that these
sages came for the purpose of blessing you; wandering with
Me, they purify all the worlds with the dust of their feet.
(Vedabase)
Text
52
The deities,
pilgrimage sites and sacred rivers being visited, being touched
and being worshiped purify gradually, but by the glance of the
one who is the most worshipable is that all attained at the
same time [see also 4.30:
37,
7.9:
44,
10.9:
21,
10.84:
11].
The
deities, pilgrimage sites and sacred rivers being seen,
being touched and being worshiped purify gradually, but by
the glance of the one most worshipable is that attained all
at the same time [see also 4.30: 37, 7.9: 44, 10.9:21,
10.84: 11]. (Vedabase)
Text
53
A brahmin is by
birth the best of all living beings, and what more wouldn't he
mean to Me when he by his austerity, his learning and his
contentment is endowed with a
grip on the time
[of this age of Kali, see also kâla]!
A
brahmin is by birth the best of all living beings, and what
more would he be unto Me, by his austerity, his learning and
his contentment being endowed with a grip on the time
[of this age of Kali, see also ** and kâla]!
(Vedabase)
Text
54
This four-armed
form is not as dear to Me as a brahmin is; a man of
[brahminical] learning comprises all the Vedas indeed
the way I comprise all the gods [see also
10.84:
12].
This
four-armed form is not as dear to Me as a brahmin is; a man
of [brahminical] learning comprises all the Vedas
indeed the way I comprise all the gods [see also 10.84:
12]. (Vedabase)
Text
55
Those who
corrupted in their intelligence fail to understand it this way,
behave in neglect enviously towards the man of
[brahminical] learning, their guru, Me factually, their
very self, while they do regard the visible form of an idol
worthy of worship.
Those
corrupted in their intelligence failing to understand it
this way, in neglect behave enviously towards the man of
[brahminical] learning, their guru, Me, their very
self; while regarding the visible form of an idol worthy of
worship.
(Vedabase)
Text
56
The
moving and nonmoving of this universe as well as the
elementary
categories
basic to it are by man of learning of respect for Me kept in
mind as being My forms [see also B.G.
5: 18].
The
moving and nonmoving of this universe as well as the
elementary categories basic to it are by a learned one in
regard of Me kept in mind as being My forms [see also
B.G. 5: 18]. (Vedabase)
Text
57
Therefore o
brahmin just worship, with the same faith you have in Me, these
brahmin seers, and thus will you directly be of worship for Me,
not by any other way as [e.g. offering] vast riches
[and such].'
Therefore
o brahmin just worship, in faith with Me, these brahmin
seers, and thus doing so will directly I be worshiped; not
by any other way as [e.g. offering] vast riches
[and such].'
(Vedabase)
Text
58
S'rî
S'ûka said: 'He as also the king of Mithilâ who
were thus instructed by the Lord, attained by the single-minded
devotion for Krishna and His company of most exalted twice-born
ones, the transcendental destination.
S'rî
S'ûka said: 'He as also the king of Mithilâ this
manner being instructed by the Lord, attained by worshiping
with single-minded devotion Krishna and His company of the
most exalted twice born ones, the transcendental
destination. (Vedabase)
Text
59
The Supreme
Lord of Devotion for His Own Devotees, thus staying and
teaching the two devotees the path of the truthful
[***],
o King, then returned to Dvârakâ.'
The
Supreme Lord of Devotion to the Devotees, thus staying and
teaching the two devotees the path of the truthful
[***], o King, then returned to
Dvârakâ.
(Vedabase)
*
The tridanda is a staff carried by vaishnava
sannayâsîs symbolizing the threefold
austerity of thought, speech and action. In all these three the
renunciate is vowed to serve Vishnu. The staff consists of
three sticks wrapped in saffron cloth with a small extra piece
wrapped in at the top.
** Time
is the Lord His impersonal feature. The paramparâ
says: 'It is understood from the Vedic science of epistemology,
the 'Nyâya-s'âstra', that knowledge of an object
(prameya) depends on a valid means of knowing
(pramâna)' (pp 10.86:
54).
So would to know Krishna
in the form of Time as-He-is (I am the Time, the light of the
sun and the moon, as He says in the Gîtâ to be the
objective of the universe) - by means of clocks managed validly
to His nature, the Sun as with a sundial, and calendars managed
validly to His order, the moon, like with its phases -
constitute the proper brahminical conduct. With weeks to the
moon and clocks to the sun, would standardtime with its mean
time deadness, zone time arbitrary false oneness and summertime
instability, constitute the time of ignorance in denial of
Krishna,
the father of Time, even though Krishna
affirms the worship of Time with the pragmatical and thus
karmic dictate of standardtime, to which He still calls that
demigod (...) worship less attractive and wrong [see also
cakra,
kâla
en 1.2:
26,
B.G. 9:
23,
10:
21,
30
& 33,
7:
8 and
the Bhâgavatam
time quotes].
***
Prabhupâda adds here: "The instruction we receive from
this incident is that King Bahulâs'va and S'rutadeva the
brâhmana were accepted by the Lord on the same
level because both were pure devotees. This is the real
qualification for being recognized by the Supreme Personality
of Godhead."