The
honorable king [Nimi] said: 'Please tell us of the
activities of each of these self chosen appearances, by which
the Lord performed, is performing and will perform in this
world [see also 2.7].
King
Nimi said: The Supreme Personality of Godhead descends into
the material world by His internal potency and according to
His own desire. Therefore, please tell us about the various
pastimes Lord Hari has performed in the past, is performing
now and will perform in this world in the future in His
various incarnations. (Vedabase)
Text
2
S'rî
Drumila said: 'Indeed, he who tries to enumerate the unlimited
transcendental qualities of the Unlimited One is certainly a
person with the intelligence of a child; somehow may one in
time count the
particles of dust of the earth, but not so the qualities of the
Reservoir of all Potencies [see also 10.14:
7,
10.51:
38].
S'rî
Drumila said - Anyone trying to enumerate or describe fully
the unlimited qualities of the unlimited Supreme Lord has
the intelligence of a foolish child. Even if a great genius
could somehow or other, after a time-consuming endeavor,
count all the particles of dust on the surface of the earth,
such a genius could never count the attractive qualities of
the Personality of Godhead, who is the reservoir of all
potencies. (Vedabase)
Text
3
When
the Original Personality of Godhead Nârâyana
entered His plenary expansion, the from Himself generated body
of the universe created out of the five material elements,
became He thus known
as the Purusha [see also 1.3:
1].
When
the primeval Lord Nârâyana created His universal
body out of the five elements produced from Himself and then
entered within that universal body by His own plenary
portion, He thus became known as the Purusha.
(Vedabase)
Text
4
Within
this elaborate three-world body of His are there from His
senses both the senses of action and perception of the embodied
beings, is there from His nature the spiritual knowledge and
from His tradition strength and ability. He is the prime
mover [the
original doer ànd non-doer] who by the goodness and
the other qualities is of creation, destruction and maintenance
[see B.G. 3:
27,
13:
30 and S.B.
6:17:
19,
3:
26: 7,
3:
27: 2,
3.32:
12-15,
10.46:
41,
10.83:
3].
Within
His body are elaborately arranged the three planetary
systems of this universe. His transcendental senses generate
the knowledge-acquiring and active senses of all embodied
beings. His consciousness generates conditioned knowledge,
and His powerful breathing produces the bodily strength,
sensory power and conditioned activities of the embodied
souls. He is the prime mover, through the agency of the
material modes of goodness, passion and ignorance. And thus
the universe is created, maintained and annihilated.
(Vedabase)
Text
5
In the
beginning manifested He in the creation of this universe
through the mode of passion the One commanding the hundreds
[of sages: Lord Brahmâ]; in the maintenance as
the protector of dharma of the twice-born He became Vishnu, the
Lord of Sacrifice and for the annihilation in the mode of
ignorance He became Rudra [Lord S'iva]; thus is He the
Original Person always of creation, maintenance and destruction
among the created beings [see also 2.10:
41-46,
4.29:
79,
4.30:
23].
In
the beginning, the original Supreme Personality manifested
the form of Brahmâ through the material mode of
passion in order to create this universe. The Lord
manifested His form as Vishnu, the Lord of sacrifice and
protector of the twice-born brâhmanas and their
religious duties, to maintain the universe. And when the
universe is to be annihilated the same Supreme Lord employs
the material mode of ignorance and manifests the form of
Rudra The created living beings are thus always subject to
the forces of creation, maintenance and destruction.
(Vedabase)
Text
6
As
Nara-Nârâyana, the best of sages perfectly of
peace, was He born from Mûrti the daughter of Daksha and
wife of Dharma
[*].
Standing for the cessation of all material work did He, who
even lives today and whose feet are being served by the
greatest of sages, speak about and perform Himself the work to
be done [see B.G. 9:
27 and also
2.7:
6,
4.1:
49: 57,
5.19:
9].
Nara-Nârâyana
Rishi, who is perfectly peaceful and is the best of sages,
was born as the son of Dharma and his wife Mûrti, the
daughter of Daksha. Nara-Nârâyana Rishi taught
the devotional service of the Lord, by which material work
ceases, and He Himself perfectly practiced this knowledge.
He is living even today, His lotus feet served by the
greatest of saintly persons. (Vedabase)
Text
7
Lord Indra
afraid thinking 'He wants to usurp my kingdom', engaged Cupid
who going to Badarikâs'rama with his associates the
Apsaras, with his arrows, the glances of the women and the
gentle breeze of spring, not knowing His greatness, attempted
to pierce Him.
King
Indra became fearful, thinking that
Nara-Nârâyana Rishi would become very powerful
by His severe penances and seize Indra's heavenly kingdom.
Thus Indra, not knowing the transcendental glories of the
incarnation of the Lord, sent Cupid and his associates to
the Lord's residence in Badarikâs'rama. As the
charming breezes of spring created a most sensuous
atmosphere, Cupid himself attacked the Lord with arrows in
the form of the irresistible glances of beautiful women.
(Vedabase)
Text
8
The Original
Godhead understanding the offense committed by Indra, spoke
free from pride laughingly to those who were trembling: 'Please
fear not, o mighty Madana [Lord of Love], o god of the
wind and wives of the demigods, please accept these gifts from
Us, do not deny this âs'rama your
grace'.
The
primeval Lord, understanding the offense committed by Indra,
did not become proud. Instead He spoke laughingly as follows
to Cupid and his followers, who were trembling before Him:
'Do not fear, O mighty Madana, O wind-god and wives of the
demigods. Rather, please accept these gifts I am offering
you and kindly sanctify My âs'rama by your presence.'
(Vedabase)
Text
9
O god of men
[Nimi], after He who Brings Fearlessness had spoken
this way, bowed the gods ashamed to Him, begging with their
heads down for compassion saying: 'O Almighty One, such a grace
is not so unusual with You, the Supreme One Unchanging to whose
feet in great numbers bow down the ones sober and
self-satisfied [see also 1.7:
10].
My
dear King Nimi, when Nara-Nârâyana Rishi thus
spoke, eradicating the fear of the demigods, they bowed
their heads with shame and addressed the Lord as follows, to
invoke His compassion - Our dear Lord, You are always
transcendental, beyond the reach of illusion, and therefore
You are forever changeless. Your causeless compassion toward
us, despite our great offense, is not at all unusual in You,
since innumerable great sages who are self-satisfied and
free from anger and false pride bow down humbly at Your
lotus feet. (Vedabase)
Text
10
For
those who serve You to transcend their material worlds of
living and reach Your abode, are there many hindrances created
by the enlightened souls [or the demigods], but for the
other type of devotee, the devotee who in sacrifices is
offering and allots those God-conscious ones their share, there
is no such thing because he with You as his Protector with his
foot steps over the head that [with those gods] was
formed by that obstacle [see
also 9.4:
* and
10.2:
33].,
The
demigods place many obstacles on the path of those who
worship You to transcend the temporary abodes of the
demigods and reach Your supreme abode. Those who offer the
demigods their assigned shares in sacrificial performances
encounter no such obstacles. But because You are the direct
protector of Your devotee, he is able to step over the head
of whatever obstacle the demigods place before him.
(Vedabase)
Text
11
Some try to
defeat the hunger, thirst and other physical conditions that
with us in time by the seasons might occur, by controlling
their breath, tongue and sexual urges, but [because of that
frustration] they fall victim of anger and thus waste the
benefit of their difficult austeristies. With their penance
rendered useless they are like people who crossed over
limitless oceans just to drown in a calf's hoofprint [see
B.G. 17:
5-6,
6.1:
16 and compare
5.8:
23 and
10.12:
12].'
Some
men practice severe penances to cross beyond our influence,
which is like an immeasurable ocean with endless waves of
hunger, thirst, heat, cold and the other conditions brought
about by the passing of time, such as the sensuous wind and
the urges of the tongue and sex organs. Nevertheless,
although crossing this ocean of sense gratification through
severe penances, such persons foolishly drown in a cow's
hoofprint when conquered by useless anger. Thus they exhaust
the benefit of their difficult austerities in vain.
(Vedabase)
Text
12
With them thus
offering praise manifested He before their eyes [a host
of] women most wonderful in appearance, who all nicely
decorated performed reverential service to the Almighty One
[see also 2.7:
6].
While
the demigods were thus praising the Supreme Lord, the
all-powerful Lord suddenly manifested before their eyes many
women, who were astonishingly gorgeous, decorated with fine
clothes and ornaments, and all faithfully engaging in the
Lord's service. (Vedabase)
Text
13
Seeing
these women were the followers of the godly bewildered by the
magnificence of their beauty and fragrance which rivaled that
of the goddess of fortune en were they defeated in their
opulence.
When
the followers of the demigods gazed upon the fascinating
mystic beauty of the women created by
Nara-Nârâyana Rishi and smelled the fragrance of
their bodies, the minds of these followers became
bewildered. Indeed, upon seeing the beauty and magnificence
of such women, the representatives of the demigods were
completely diminished in their own opulence.
(Vedabase)
Text
14
To
those who bowed down before Him said the Lord of All Lords with
a faint smile: 'Please choose any of these ladies suitable as
an ornament of heaven.'
The
Supreme Lord of lords then smiled slightly and told the
representatives of heaven, who were bowing down before Him,
'Please choose one of these women, whomever you find
suitable for you. She will become the ornament of the
heavenly planets.' (Vedabase)
Text
15
Vibrating
'om' to that, offered those servants of the demigods the
Lord their obeisances and returned they to heaven with placing
Urvas'î, the best of the Apsaras,
in front of them.
Vibrating
the sacred syllable om, the servants of the demigods
selected Urvas'î, the best of the Apsarâs.
Placing her in front of them out of respect, they returned
to the heavenly planets. (Vedabase)
Text
16
Bowing
down to Lord Indra in his assembly told they him, as the
residents of the three heavens were listening, about the
strength of Nârâyana. He was
perplexed.
The
servants of the demigods reached the assembly of Indra, and
thus, while all the residents of the three heavens listened,
they explained to Indra the supreme power of
Nârâyana. When Indra heard of
Nara-Nârâyana Rishi and became aware of his
offense, he was both frightened and astonished.
(Vedabase)
Text
17
Acyuta
in the form of the [transcendental] swan speaking about
selfrealization,
Dattâtreya,
the Kumâras
and Rishabha,
is the father, the Supreme Lord Vishnu who for the welfare of
the entire world by His expansions descends into this world
[B.G. 14:
4]. By
Him, the killer of Madhu,
were in His horse-incarnation [Hayagrîva]
the original texts of the Vedas brought back.
The
infallible Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vishnu, has
descended into this world by His various partial
incarnations such as Lord Hamsa [the swan],
Dattâtreya, the four Kumâras and our own father,
the mighty Rishabhadeva. By such incarnations, the Lord
teaches the science of self-realization for the benefit of
the whole universe. In His appearance as Hayagrîva He
killed the demon Madhu and thus brought the Vedas back from
the hellish planet Pâtâlaloka. (Vedabase)
Text
18
In His
fish-incarnation [Matsya]
were Vaivasvata Manu [Satyavrata],
the planet earth, and the herbs protected; in His
boar-incarnation [Varâha]
delivering the earth from the waters, was the demoniac son
[Hiranyâksha]
of Diti killed; as a tortoise [Kurma]
He held the mountain when the nectar was being churned upon His
back and [as Vishnu] He freed the king of the elephants
[Gajendra]
who surrendered to Him in his distress because of the
crocodile.
In
His appearance as a fish, the Lord protected Satyavrata
Manu, the earth and her valuable herbs. He protected them
from the waters of annihilation. As a boar, the Lord killed
Hiranyâksha, the son of Diti, while delivering the
earth from the universal waters. And as a tortoise, He
lifted Mandara Mountain on His back so that nectar could be
churned from the ocean. The Lord saved the surrendered king
of the elephants, Gajendra, who was suffering terrible
distress from the grips of a crocodile. (Vedabase)
Text
19
He delivered
from [a laughing] Indra the ascetic sages [the
Vâlakhilyas]
who offering prayers had fallen [into the water of a cow's
hoofprint]; He delivered Indra from the darkness of having
killed Vritrâsura;
He delivered the wives of the demigods imprisoned in the
asura palace [by Bhaumâsura];
as Nrisimhadeva He killed Hiranyakas'ipu,
the asura king, in order to bring the saintly devotees
fearlessness.
The
Lord also delivered the tiny ascetic sages called the
Vâlakhilyas when they fell into the water in a cow's
hoofprint and Indra was laughing at them. The Lord then
saved Indra when Indra was covered by darkness due to the
sinful reaction for killing Vritrâsura. When the wives
of the demigods were trapped in the palace of the demons
without any shelter, the Lord saved them. In His incarnation
as Nrisimha, the Lord killed Hiranyakas'ipu, the king of
demons, to free the saintly devotees from fear.
(Vedabase)
Text
20
For the sake of
the God-fearing He killed the daitya leaders in the
battle between the gods and the demons [see
8.10],
by His various appearances [the ams'a-avatâras]
during the reign of each Manu He protects all the worlds and as
Lord Vâmana took He on the pretext of charity the earth
away from Bali
to return her to the sons of Aditi.
The
Supreme Lord regularly takes advantage of the wars between
the demons and demigods to kill the leaders of the demons.
The Lord thus encourages the demigods by protecting the
universe through His various incarnations during the reigns
of each Manu. The Lord also appeared as Vâmana and
took the earth away from Bali Mahârâja on the
plea of begging three steps of land. The Lord then returned
the entire world to the sons of Aditi. (Vedabase)
Text
21
As Lord
Paras'urâma rid He the earth of the members of the ruling
class and destroyed He as the fire that He descending from
Bhrigu
was, twenty-seven times over the dynasty of
Haihaya.
As the husband of Sîtâ
[Râmacandra]
subdued He the ocean and killed He Ten-head
[Râvana]
along with the soldiers of Lankâ. When one tells the
stories about the glories of Him who is always victorious, is
the contamination of the entire world
annihilated.
Lord
Paras'urâma appeared in the family of Bhrigu as a fire
that burned to ashes the dynasty of Haihaya. Thus Lord
Paras'urâma rid the earth of all kshatriyas twenty-one
times. The same Lord appeared as Râmacandra, the
husband of Sîtâdevî, and thus He killed
the ten-headed Râvana, along with all the soldiers of
Lankâ. May that S'rî Râma, whose glories
destroy the contamination of the world, be always
victorious. (Vedabase)
Text
22
The Unborn Lord
[as Krishna] taking His birth in the Yadu-dynasty,
will, in order to diminish the burden of the earth, perform
deeds even difficult for the godly to perform; as [the
Buddha] will He by speculative arguments bewilder the ones
unfit to perform the vedic sacrifices and at the end of
Kali-yuga will He [as Lord Kalki] put an end to all the
low-class rulers.
To
diminish the burden of the earth, the unborn Lord will take
birth in the Yadu dynasty and perform feats impossible even
for the demigods. Propounding speculative philosophy, the
Lord, as Buddha, will bewilder the unworthy performers of
Vedic sacrifices. And as Kalki the Lord will kill all the
low-class men posing as rulers at the end of the age of
Kali. (Vedabase)
Text
23
Of the so very
glorious Lord of the Living Being [the Lord of the Universe
Jagadîs'vara]
thus described, o mighty-armed one, there are innumerable
appearances and activities just like these.'
O
mighty-armed King, there are innumerable appearances and
activities of the Supreme Lord of the universe similar to
those I have already mentioned. In fact, the glories of the
Supreme Lord are unlimited. (Vedabase)
*:
According to the Matsya Purâna (3.10), Dharma, the father
of Nara-Nârâyana Rishi, was born from the right
breast of Brahmâ and later married thirteen of the
daughters of Prajâpati Daksha.