Chapter 4: Ambarīṣa Mahārāja Offended by Durvāsā Muni

 

9.4.1

śrī-śuka uvāca

nābhāgo nabhagāpatyaḿ

yaḿ tataḿ bhrātaraḥ kavim

yaviṣṭhaḿ vyabhajan dāyaḿ

brahmacāriṇam āgatam

 

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; nābhāgaḥ — Nābhāga; nabhaga-apatyam — was the son of Mahārāja Nabhaga; yam — unto whom; tatam — the father; bhrātaraḥ — the elder brothers; kavim — the learned; yaviṣṭham — the youngest; vyabhajan — divided; dāyam — the property; brahmacāriṇam — having accepted the life of a brahmacārī perpetually (naiṣṭhika); āgatam — returned.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: The son of Nabhaga named Nābhāga lived for a long time at the place of his spiritual master. Therefore, his brothers thought that he was not going to become a gṛhastha and would not return. Consequently, without providing a share for him, they divided the property of their father among themselves. When Nābhāga returned from the place of his spiritual master, they gave him their father as his share.

 

9.4.2

bhrātaro 'bhāńkta kiḿ mahyaḿ

bhajāma pitaraḿ tava

tvāḿ mamāryās tatābhāńkṣur

mā putraka tad ādṛthāḥ

 

bhrātaraḥ — O my brothers; abhāńkta — have you given as the share of our father's property; kim — what; mahyam — unto me; bhajāma — we allot; pitaram — the father himself; tava — as your share; tvām — you; mama — unto me; āryāḥ — my elder brothers; tata — O my father; abhāńkṣuḥ — have given the share; mā — do not; putraka — O my dear son; tat — to this statement; ādṛthāḥ — give any importance.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Nābhāga inquired, "My dear brothers, what have you given to me as my share of our father's property?" His elder brothers answered, "We have kept our father as your share." But when Nābhāga went to his father and said, "My dear father, my elder brothers have given you as my share of property," the father replied, "My dear son, do not rely upon their cheating words. I am not your property."

 

9.4.3

ime ańgirasaḥ satram

āsate 'dya sumedhasaḥ

ṣaṣṭhaḿ ṣaṣṭham upetyāhaḥ

kave muhyanti karmaṇi

 

ime — all these; ańgirasaḥ — descendants of the dynasty of Ańgirā; satram — sacrifice; āsate — are performing; adya — today; sumedhasaḥ — who are all very intelligent; ṣaṣṭham — sixth; ṣaṣṭham — sixth; upetya — after achieving; ahaḥ — day; kave — O best of learned men; muhyanti — become bewildered; karmaṇi — in discharging fruitive activities.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Nābhāga's father said: All the descendants of Ańgirā are now going to perform a great sacrifice, but although they are very intelligent, on every sixth day they will be bewildered in performing sacrifice and will make mistakes in their daily duties.

 

9.4.4-5

tāḿs tvaḿ śaḿsaya sūkte dve

vaiśvadeve mahātmanaḥ

te svar yanto dhanaḿ satra-

pariśeṣitam ātmanaḥ

 

dāsyanti te 'tha tān arccha

tathā sa kṛtavān yathā

tasmai dattvā yayuḥ svargaḿ

te satra-pariśeṣaṇam

 

tān — to all of them; tvam — yourself; śaḿsaya — describe; sūkte — Vedic hymns; dve — two; vaiśvadeve — in connection with Vaiśvadeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; mahātmanaḥ — to all of those great souls; te — they; svaḥ yantaḥ — while going to their respective destinations in the heavenly planets; dhanam — the wealth; satra-pariśeṣitam — which remains after the end of the yajña; ātmanaḥ — their own property;

 

dāsyanti — will deliver; te — unto you; atha — therefore; tān — to them; arccha — go there; tathā — in that way (according to his father's orders); saḥ — he (Nābhāga); kṛtavān — executed; yathā — as advised by his father; tasmai — unto him; dattvā — after giving; yayuḥ — went; svargam — to the heavenly planets; te — all of them; satra-pariśeṣaṇam — remnants of yajña.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Nābhāga's father continued: "Go to those great souls and describe two Vedic hymns pertaining to Vaiśvadeva. When the great sages have completed the sacrifice and are going to the heavenly planets, they will give you the remnants of the money they have received from the sacrifice. Therefore, go there immediately." Thus Nābhāga acted exactly according to the advice of his father, and the great sages of the Ańgirā dynasty gave him all their wealth and then went to the heavenly planets.

 

9.4.6

taḿ kaścit svīkariṣyantaḿ

puruṣaḥ kṛṣṇa-darśanaḥ

uvācottarato 'bhyetya

mamedaḿ vāstukaḿ vasu

 

tam — unto Nābhāga; kaścit — someone; svīkariṣyantam — while accepting the riches given by the great sages; puruṣaḥ — a person; kṛṣṇa-darśanaḥ — black-looking; uvāca — said; uttarataḥ — from the north; abhyetya — coming; mama — my; idam — these; vāstukam — remnants of the sacrifice; vasu — all the riches.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Thereafter, while Nābhāga was accepting the riches, a black-looking person from the north came to him and said, "All the wealth from this sacrificial arena belongs to me."

 

9.4.7

mamedam ṛṣibhir dattam

iti tarhi sma mānavaḥ

syān nau te pitari praśnaḥ

pṛṣṭavān pitaraḿ yathā

 

mama — my; idam — all these; ṛṣibhiḥ — by the great saintly persons; dattam — have been delivered; iti — thus; tarhi — therefore; sma — indeed; mānavaḥ — Nābhāga; syāt — let there be; nau — of ourselves; te — your; pitari — unto the father; praśnaḥ — an inquiry; pṛṣṭavān — he also inquired; pitaram — from his father; yathā — as requested.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Nābhāga then said, "These riches belong to me. The great saintly persons have delivered them to me." When Nābhāga said this, the black-looking person replied, "Let us go to your father and ask him to settle our disagreement." In accordance with this, Nābhāga inquired from his father.

 

9.4.8

yajña-vāstu-gataḿ sarvam

ucchiṣṭam ṛṣayaḥ kvacit

cakrur hi bhāgaḿ rudrāya

sa devaḥ sarvam arhati

 

yajña-vāstu-gatam — things belonging to the sacrificial arena; sarvam — everything; ucchiṣṭam — remnants; ṛṣayaḥ — the great sages; kvacit — sometimes, in the Dakṣa-yajña; cakruḥ — did so; hi — indeed; bhāgam — share; rudrāya — unto Lord Śiva; saḥ — that; devaḥ — demigod; sarvam — everything; arhati — deserves.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The father of Nābhāga said: Whatever the great sages sacrificed in the arena of the Dakṣa-yajña, they offered to Lord Śiva as his share. Therefore, everything in the sacrificial arena certainly belongs to Lord Śiva.

 

9.4.9

nābhāgas taḿ praṇamyāha

taveśa kila vāstukam

ity āha me pitā brahmañ

chirasā tvāḿ prasādaye

 

nābhāgaḥ — Nābhāga; tam — unto him (Lord Śiva); praṇamya — offering obeisances; āha — said; tava — yours; īśa — O lord; kila — certainly; vāstukam — everything in the arena of sacrifice; iti — thus; āha — said; me — my; pitā — father; brahman — O brāhmaṇa; śirasā — bowing my head; tvām — unto you; prasādaye — I am begging your mercy.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Thereupon, after offering obeisances to Lord Śiva, Nābhāga said: O worshipable lord, everything in this arena of sacrifice is yours. This is the assertion of my father. Now, with great respect, I bow my head before you, begging your mercy.

 

9.4.10

yat te pitāvadad dharmaḿ

tvaḿ ca satyaḿ prabhāṣase

dadāmi te mantra-dṛśo

jñānaḿ brahma sanātanam

 

yat — whatever; te — your; pitā — father; avadat — explained; dharmam — truth; tvam ca — you also; satyam — truth; prabhāṣase — are speaking; dadāmi — I shall give; te — unto you; mantra-dṛśaḥ — who know the science of mantra; jñānam — knowledge; brahma — transcendental; sanātanam — eternal.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Śiva said: Whatever your father has said is the truth, and you also are speaking the same truth. Therefore, I, who know the Vedic mantras, shall explain transcendental knowledge to you.

 

9.4.11

gṛhāṇa draviṇaḿ dattaḿ

mat-satra-pariśeṣitam

ity uktvāntarhito rudro

bhagavān dharma-vatsalaḥ

 

gṛhāṇa — please take now; draviṇam — all the wealth; dattam — is given (to you by me); mat-satra-pariśeṣitam — the remnants of the sacrifice executed on my behalf; iti uktvā — after speaking like this; antarhitaḥ — disappeared; rudraḥ — Lord Śiva; bhagavān — the most powerful demigod; dharma-vatsalaḥ — adherent to the principles of religion.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Śiva said, "Now you may take all the wealth remaining from the sacrifice, for I give it to you." After saying this, Lord Śiva, who is most adherent to the religious principles, disappeared from that place.

 

9.4.12

ya etat saḿsmaret prātaḥ

sāyaḿ ca susamāhitaḥ

kavir bhavati mantra-jño

gatiḿ caiva tathātmanaḥ

 

yaḥ — anyone who; etat — about this incident; saḿsmaret — may remember; prātaḥ — in the morning; sāyam ca — and in the evening; susamāhitaḥ — with great attention; kaviḥ — learned; bhavati — becomes; mantra-jñaḥ — well aware of all Vedic mantras; gatim — the destination; ca — also; eva — indeed; tathā ātmanaḥ — like that of the self-realized soul.

 

TRANSLATION

 

If one hears and chants or remembers this narration in the morning and evening with great attention, he certainly becomes learned, experienced in understanding the Vedic hymns, and expert in self-realization.

 

9.4.13

nābhāgād ambarīṣo 'bhūn

mahā-bhāgavataḥ kṛtī

nāspṛśad brahma-śāpo 'pi

yaḿ na pratihataḥ kvacit

 

nābhāgāt — from Nābhāga; ambarīṣaḥ — Mahārāja Ambarīṣa; abhūt — took birth; mahā-bhāgavataḥ — the most exalted devotee; kṛtī — very celebrated; na aspṛśat — could not touch; brahma-śāpaḥ api — even the curse of a brāhmaṇa; yam — unto whom (Ambarīṣa Mahārāja); na — neither; pratihataḥ — failed; kvacit — at any time.

 

TRANSLATION

 

From Nābhāga, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa took birth. Mahārāja Ambarīṣa was an exalted devotee, celebrated for his great merits. Although he was cursed by an infallible brāhmaṇa, the curse could not touch him.

 

9.4.14

śrī-rājovāca

bhagavañ chrotum icchāmi

rājarṣes tasya dhīmataḥ

na prābhūd yatra nirmukto

brahma-daṇḍo duratyayaḥ

 

śrī-rājā uvāca — King Parīkṣit inquired; bhagavan — O great brāhmaṇa; śrotum icchāmi — I wish to hear (from you); rājarṣeḥ — of the great King Ambarīṣa; tasya — of him; dhīmataḥ — who was such a greatly sober personality; na — not; prābhūt — could act; yatra — upon whom (Mahārāja Ambarīṣa); nirmuktaḥ — being released; brahma-daṇḍaḥ — the curse of a brāhmaṇa; duratyayaḥ — which is insurmountable.

 

TRANSLATION

 

King Parīkṣit inquired: O great personality, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa was certainly most exalted and meritorious in character. I wish to hear about him. How surprising it is that the curse of a brāhmaṇa, which is insurmountable, could not act upon him.

 

9.4.15-16

śrī-śuka uvāca

ambarīṣo mahā-bhāgaḥ

sapta-dvīpavatīḿ mahīm

avyayāḿ ca śriyaḿ labdhvā

vibhavaḿ cātulaḿ bhuvi

 

mene 'tidurlabhaḿ puḿsāḿ

sarvaḿ tat svapna-saḿstutam

vidvān vibhava-nirvāṇaḿ

tamo viśati yat pumān

 

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; ambarīṣaḥ — King Ambarīṣa; mahā-bhāgaḥ — the greatly fortunate king; sapta-dvīpavatīm — consisting of seven islands; mahīm — the whole world; avyayām ca — and inexhaustible; śriyam — beauty; labdhvā — after achieving; vibhavam ca — and opulences; atulam — unlimited; bhuvi — in this earth;

 

mene — he decided; ati-durlabham — which is rarely obtained; puḿsām — of many persons; sarvam — everything (he had obtained); tat — that which; svapna-saḿstutam — as if imagined in a dream; vidvān — completely understanding; vibhava-nirvāṇam — the annihilation of that opulence; tamaḥ — ignorance; viśati — fallen into; yat — because of which; pumān — a person.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, the most fortunate personality, achieved the rule of the entire world, consisting of seven islands, and achieved inexhaustible, unlimited opulence and prosperity on earth. Although such a position is rarely obtained, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa did not care for it at all, for he knew very well that all such opulence is material. Like that which is imagined in a dream, such opulence will ultimately be destroyed. The King knew that any nondevotee who attains such opulence merges increasingly into material nature's mode of darkness.

 

9.4.17

vāsudeve bhagavati

tad-bhakteṣu ca sādhuṣu

prāpto bhāvaḿ paraḿ viśvaḿ

yenedaḿ loṣṭravat smṛtam

 

vāsudeve — unto the all-pervading Supreme Personality; bhagavati — unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tat-bhakteṣu — unto His devotees; ca — also; sādhuṣu — unto the saintly persons; prāptaḥ — one who has achieved; bhāvam — reverence and devotion; param — transcendental; viśvam — the whole material universe; yena — by which (spiritual consciousness); idam — this; loṣṭra-vat — as insignificant as a piece of stone; smṛtam — is accepted (by such devotees).

 

TRANSLATION

 

Mahārāja Ambarīṣa was a great devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva, and of the saintly persons who are the Lord's devotees. Because of this devotion, he thought of the entire universe as being as insignificant as a piece of stone.

 

9.4.18-20

sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor

vacāḿsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane

karau harer mandira-mārjanādiṣu

śrutiḿ cakārācyuta-sat-kathodaye

 

mukunda-lińgālaya-darśane dṛśau

tad-bhṛtya-gātra-sparśe 'ńga-sańgamam

ghrāṇaḿ ca tat-pāda-saroja-saurabhe

śrīmat-tulasyā rasanāḿ tad-arpite

 

pādau hareḥ kṣetra-padānusarpaṇe

śiro hṛṣīkeśa-padābhivandane

kāmaḿ ca dāsye na tu kāma-kāmyayā

yathottamaśloka-janāśrayā ratiḥ

 

saḥ — he (Mahārāja Ambarīṣa); vai — indeed; manaḥ — his mind; kṛṣṇa-pada-aravindayoḥ — (fixed) upon the two lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa; vacāḿsi — his words; vaikuṇṭha-guṇa-anuvarṇane — describing the glories of Kṛṣṇa; karau — his two hands; hareḥ mandira-mārjana-ādiṣu — in activities like cleansing the temple of Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; śrutim — his ear; cakāra — engaged; acyuta — of or about Kṛṣṇa, who never falls down; sat-kathā-udaye — in hearing the transcendental narrations;

 

mukunda-lińga-ālaya-darśane — in seeing the Deity and temples and holy dhāmas of Mukunda; dṛśau — his two eyes; tat-bhṛtya — of the servants of Kṛṣṇa; gātra-sparśe — in touching the bodies; ańga-sańgamam — contact of his body; ghrāṇam ca — and his sense of smell; tat-pāda — of His lotus feet; saroja — of the lotus flower; saurabhe — in (smelling) the fragrance; śrīmat-tulasyāḥ — of the tulasī leaves; rasanām — his tongue; tat-arpite — in the prasāda offered to the Lord;

 

pādau — his two legs; hareḥ — of the Personality of Godhead; kṣetra — holy places like the temple or Vṛndāvana and Dvārakā; pada-anusarpaṇe — walking to those places; śiraḥ — the head; hṛṣīkeśa — of Kṛṣṇa, the master of the senses; pada-abhivandane — in offering obeisances to the lotus feet; kāmam ca — and his desires; dāsye — in being engaged as a servant; na — not; tu — indeed; kāma-kāmyayā — with a desire for sense gratification; yathā — as; uttamaśloka-jana-āśrayā — if one takes shelter of a devotee such as Prahlāda; ratiḥ — attachment.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Mahārāja Ambarīṣa always engaged his mind in meditating upon the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, his words in describing the glories of the Lord, his hands in cleansing the Lord's temple, and his ears in hearing the words spoken by Kṛṣṇa or about Kṛṣṇa. He engaged his eyes in seeing the Deity of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's temples and Kṛṣṇa's places like Mathurā and Vṛndāvana, he engaged his sense of touch in touching the bodies of the Lord's devotees, he engaged his sense of smell in smelling the fragrance of tulasī offered to the Lord, and he engaged his tongue in tasting the Lord's prasāda. He engaged his legs in walking to the holy places and temples of the Lord, his head in bowing down before the Lord, and all his desires in serving the Lord, twenty-four hours a day. Indeed, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa never desired anything for his own sense gratification. He engaged all his senses in devotional service, in various engagements related to the Lord. This is the way to increase attachment for the Lord and be completely free from all material desires.

 

9.4.21

evaḿ sadā karma-kalāpam ātmanaḥ

pare 'dhiyajñe bhagavaty adhokṣaje

sarvātma-bhāvaḿ vidadhan mahīm imāḿ

tan-niṣṭha-viprābhihitaḥ śaśāsa ha

 

evam — thus (living a devotional life); sadā — always; karma-kalāpam — the prescribed occupational duties as a kṣatriya king; ātmanaḥ — of himself, personally (the head of the state); pare — unto the supreme transcendence; adhiyajñe — unto the supreme proprietor, the supreme enjoyer; bhagavati — unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; adhokṣaje — unto He who is beyond material sense perception; sarva-ātma-bhāvam — all different varieties of devotional service; vidadhat — executing, offering; mahīm — the planet earth; imām — this; tat-niṣṭha — who are faithful devotees of the Lord; vipra — by such brāhmaṇas; abhihitaḥ — directed; śaśāsa — ruled; ha — in the past.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In performing his prescribed duties as king, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa always offered the results of his royal activities to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, who is the enjoyer of everything and is beyond the perception of material senses. He certainly took advice from brāhmaṇas who were faithful devotees of the Lord, and thus he ruled the planet earth without difficulty.

 

9.4.22

īje 'śvamedhair adhiyajñam īśvaraḿ

mahā-vibhūtyopacitāńga-dakṣiṇaiḥ

tatair vasiṣṭhāsita-gautamādibhir

dhanvany abhisrotam asau sarasvatīm

 

īje — worshiped; aśvamedhaiḥ — by performing the horse sacrifice yajñas; adhiyajñam — to satisfy the master of all yajñas; īśvaram — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; mahā-vibhūtyā — with great opulence; upacita-ańga-dakṣiṇaiḥ — with all prescribed paraphernalia and contributions of dakṣiṇā to the brāhmaṇas; tataiḥ — executed; vasiṣṭha-asita-gautama-ādibhiḥ — by such brāhmaṇas as Vasiṣṭha, Asita and Gautama; dhanvani — in the desert; abhisrotam — inundated by the water of the river; asau — Mahārāja Ambarīṣa; sarasvatīm — on the bank of the Sarasvatī.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In desert countries where there flowed the River Sarasvatī, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa performed great sacrifices like the aśvamedha-yajña and thus satisfied the master of all yajñas, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such sacrifices were performed with great opulence and suitable paraphernalia and with contributions of dakṣiṇā to the brāhmaṇas, who were supervised by great personalities like Vasiṣṭha, Asita and Gautama, representing the king, the performer of the sacrifices.

 

9.4.23

yasya kratuṣu gīrvāṇaiḥ

sadasyā ṛtvijo janāḥ

tulya-rūpāś cānimiṣā

vyadṛśyanta suvāsasaḥ

 

yasya — of whom (Mahārāja Ambarīṣa); kratuṣu — in sacrifices (performed by him); gīrvāṇaiḥ — with the demigods; sadasyāḥ — members for executing the sacrifice; ṛtvijaḥ — the priests; janāḥ — and other expert men; tulya-rūpāḥ — appearing exactly like; ca — and; animiṣāḥ — with unblinking eyes like those of the demigods; vyadṛśyanta — being seen; su-vāsasaḥ — well dressed with valuable garments.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In the sacrifice arranged by Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, the members of the assembly and the priests [especially hotā, udgātā, brahmā and adhvaryu] were gorgeously dressed, and they all looked exactly like demigods. They eagerly saw to the proper performance of the yajña.

 

9.4.24

svargo na prārthito yasya

manujair amara-priyaḥ

śṛṇvadbhir upagāyadbhir

uttamaśloka-ceṣṭitam

 

svargaḥ — life in the heavenly planets; na — not; prārthitaḥ — a subject for aspiration; yasya — of whom (Ambarīṣa Mahārāja); manujaiḥ — by the citizens; amara-priyaḥ — very dear even to the demigods; śṛṇvadbhiḥ — who were accustomed to hear; upagāyadbhiḥ — and accustomed to chant; uttamaśloka — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ceṣṭitam — about the glorious activities.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The citizens of the state of Mahārāja Ambarīṣa were accustomed to chanting and hearing about the glorious activities of the Personality of Godhead. Thus they never aspired to be elevated to the heavenly planets, which are extremely dear even to the demigods.

 

9.4.25

saḿvardhayanti yat kāmāḥ

svārājya-paribhāvitāḥ

durlabhā nāpi siddhānāḿ

mukundaḿ hṛdi paśyataḥ

 

saḿvardhayanti — increase happiness; yat — because; kāmāḥ — such aspirations; svā-rājya — situated in his own constitutional position of rendering service to the Lord; paribhāvitāḥ — saturated with such aspirations; durlabhāḥ — very rarely obtained; na — not; api — also; siddhānām — of the great mystics; mukundam — Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; hṛdi — within the core of the heart; paśyataḥ — persons always accustomed to seeing Him.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Those who are saturated with the transcendental happiness of rendering service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead are uninterested even in the achievements of great mystics, for such achievements do not enhance the transcendental bliss felt by a devotee who always thinks of Kṛṣṇa within the core of his heart.

 

9.4.26

sa itthaḿ bhakti-yogena

tapo-yuktena pārthivaḥ

sva-dharmeṇa hariḿ prīṇan

sarvān kāmān śanair jahau

 

saḥ — he (Ambarīṣa Mahārāja); ittham — in this way; bhakti-yogena — by performing transcendental loving service to the Lord; tapaḥ-yuktena — which is simultaneously the best process of austerity; pārthivaḥ — the King; sva-dharmeṇa — by his constitutional activities; harim — unto the Supreme Lord; prīṇan — satisfying; sarvān — all varieties of; kāmān — material desires; śanaiḥ — gradually; jahau — gave up.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The king of this planet, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, thus performed devotional service to the Lord and in this endeavor practiced severe austerity. Always satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead by his constitutional activities, he gradually gave up all material desires.

 

9.4.27

gṛheṣu dāreṣu suteṣu bandhuṣu

dvipottama-syandana-vāji-vastuṣu

akṣayya-ratnābharaṇāmbarādiṣv

ananta-kośeṣv akarod asan-matim

 

gṛheṣu — in the homes; dāreṣu — in wives; suteṣu — in children; bandhuṣu — in friends and relatives; dvipa-uttama — in the best of powerful elephants; syandana — in nice chariots; vāji — in first-class horses; vastuṣu — in all such things; akṣayya — whose value never decreases; ratna — in jewels; ābharaṇa — in ornaments; ambara-ādiṣu — in such dresses and ornaments; ananta-kośeṣu — in an inexhaustible treasury; akarot — accepted; asat-matim — no attachment.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Mahārāja Ambarīṣa gave up all attachment to household affairs, wives, children, friends and relatives, to the best of powerful elephants, to beautiful chariots, carts, horses and inexhaustible jewels, and to ornaments, garments and an inexhaustible treasury. He gave up attachment to all of them, regarding them as temporary and material.

 

9.4.28

tasmā adād dhariś cakraḿ

pratyanīka-bhayāvaham

ekānta-bhakti-bhāvena

prīto bhaktābhirakṣaṇam

 

tasmai — unto him (Ambarīṣa Mahārāja); adāt — gave; hariḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; cakram — His disc; pratyanīka-bhaya-āvaham — the Lord's disc, which was extremely fearful to the enemies of the Lord and His devotees; ekānta-bhakti-bhāvena — because of his performing unalloyed devotional service; prītaḥ — the Lord being so pleased; bhakta-abhirakṣaṇam — for the protection of His devotees.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Being very pleased by the unalloyed devotion of Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead gave the King His disc, which is fearful to enemies and which always protects the devotee from enemies and adversities.

 

9.4.29

ārirādhayiṣuḥ kṛṣṇaḿ

mahiṣyā tulya-śīlayā

yuktaḥ sāḿvatsaraḿ vīro

dadhāra dvādaśī-vratam

 

ārirādhayiṣuḥ — aspiring to worship; kṛṣṇam — the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa; mahiṣyā — with his queen; tulya-śīlayā — who was equally as qualified as Mahārāja Ambarīṣa; yuktaḥ — together; sāḿvatsaram — for one year; vīraḥ — the King; dadhāra — accepted; dvādaśī-vratam — the vow for observing Ekādaśī and Dvādaśī.

 

TRANSLATION

 

To worship Lord Kṛṣṇa, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, along with his queen, who was equally qualified, observed the vow of Ekādaśī and Dvādaśī for one year.

 

9.4.30

vratānte kārtike māsi

tri-rātraḿ samupoṣitaḥ

snātaḥ kadācit kālindyāḿ

hariḿ madhuvane 'rcayat

 

vrata-ante — at the end of observing the vow; kārtike — in the month of Kārtika (October-November); māsi — in that month; tri-rātram — for three nights; samupoṣitaḥ — after completely observing the fast; snātaḥ — after bathing; kadācit — once upon a time; kālindyām — on the bank of the Yamunā; harim — unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; madhuvane — in that part of the Vṛndāvana area known as Madhuvana; arcayat — worshiped the Lord.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In the month of Kārtika, after observing that vow for one year, after observing a fast for three nights and after bathing in the Yamunā, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, in Madhuvana.

 

9.4.31-32

mahābhiṣeka-vidhinā

sarvopaskara-sampadā

abhiṣicyāmbarākalpair

gandha-mālyārhaṇādibhiḥ

 

tad-gatāntara-bhāvena

pūjayām āsa keśavam

brāhmaṇāḿś ca mahā-bhāgān

siddhārthān api bhaktitaḥ

 

mahā-abhiṣeka-vidhinā — by the regulative principles for bathing the Deity; sarva-upaskara-sampadā — by all the paraphernalia for worshiping the Deity; abhiṣicya — after bathing; ambara-ākalpaiḥ — with nice clothing and ornaments; gandha-mālya — with fragrant flower garlands; arhaṇa-ādibhiḥ — and with other paraphernalia to worship the Deity;

 

tat-gata-antara-bhāvena — his mind saturated with devotional service; pūjayām āsa — he worshiped; keśavam — unto Kṛṣṇa; brāhmaṇān ca — and the brāhmaṇas; mahā-bhāgān — who were greatly fortunate; siddha-arthān — self-satisfied, without waiting for any worship; api — even; bhaktitaḥ — with great devotion.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Following the regulative principles of mahābhiṣeka, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa performed the bathing ceremony for the Deity of Lord Kṛṣṇa with all paraphernalia, and then he dressed the Deity with fine clothing, ornaments, fragrant flower garlands and other paraphernalia for worship of the Lord. With attention and devotion, he worshiped Kṛṣṇa and all the greatly fortunate brāhmaṇas who were free from material desires.

 

9.4.33-35

gavāḿ rukma-viṣāṇīnāḿ

rūpyāńghrīṇāḿ suvāsasām

payaḥśīla-vayo-rūpa-

vatsopaskara-sampadām

 

prāhiṇot sādhu-viprebhyo

gṛheṣu nyarbudāni ṣaṭ

bhojayitvā dvijān agre

svādv annaḿ guṇavattamam

 

labdha-kāmair anujñātaḥ

pāraṇāyopacakrame

tasya tarhy atithiḥ sākṣād

durvāsā bhagavān abhūt

 

gavām — cows; rukma-viṣāṇīnām — whose horns were covered with gold plate; rūpya-ańghrīṇām — whose hooves were covered with silver plate; su-vāsasām — very nicely decorated with garments; payaḥ-śīla — with full milk bags; vayaḥ — young; rūpa — beautiful; vatsa-upaskara-sampadām — with nice calves;

 

prāhiṇot — gave in charity; sādhu-viprebhyaḥ — unto the brāhmaṇas and saintly persons; gṛheṣu — (who arrived) in his house; nyarbudāni — ten crores (one hundred million); ṣaṭ — six times; bhojayitvā — feeding them; dvijān agre — first the brāhmaṇas; svādu annam — very tasteful eatables; guṇavat-tamam — highly delicious;

 

labdha-kāmaiḥ — by those brāhmaṇas, being fully satisfied; anujñātaḥ — by their permission; pāraṇāya — for completing the Dvādaśī; upacakrame — was just about to observe the final ceremony; tasya — of him (Ambarīṣa); tarhi — immediately; atithiḥ — unwanted or uncalled-for guest; sākṣāt — directly; durvāsāḥ — the great mystic Durvāsā; bhagavān — very powerful; abhūt — appeared on the scene as a guest.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Thereafter, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa satisfied all the guests who arrived at his house, especially the brāhmaṇas. He gave in charity sixty crores of cows whose horns were covered with gold plate and whose hooves were covered with silver plate. All the cows were well decorated with garments and had full milk bags. They were mild-natured, young and beautiful and were accompanied by their calves. After giving these cows, the King first sumptuously fed all the brāhmaṇas, and when they were fully satisfied, he was about to observe the end of Ekādaśī, with their permission, by breaking the fast. Exactly at that time, however, Durvāsā Muni, the great and powerful mystic, appeared on the scene as an uninvited guest.

 

9.4.36

tam ānarcātithiḿ bhūpaḥ

pratyutthānāsanārhaṇaiḥ

yayāce 'bhyavahārāya

pāda-mūlam upāgataḥ

 

tam — unto him (Durvāsā); ānarca — worshiped; atithim — although an uninvited guest; bhūpaḥ — the King (Ambarīṣa); pratyutthāna — by standing up; āsana — by offering a seat; arhaṇaiḥ — and by paraphernalia for worship; yayāce — requested; abhyavahārāya — for eating; pāda-mūlam — at the root of his feet; upāgataḥ — fell down.

 

TRANSLATION

 

After standing up to receive Durvāsā Muni, King Ambarīṣa offered him a seat and paraphernalia of worship. Then, sitting at his feet, the King requested the great sage to eat.

 

9.4.37

pratinandya sa tāḿ yācñāḿ

kartum āvaśyakaḿ gataḥ

nimamajja bṛhad dhyāyan

kālindī-salile śubhe

 

pratinandya — gladly accepting; saḥ — Durvāsā Muni; tām — that; yācñām — request; kartum — to perform; āvaśyakam — the necessary ritualistic ceremonies; gataḥ — went; nimamajja — dipped his body in the water; bṛhat — the Supreme Brahman; dhyāyan — meditating on; kālindī — of the Yamunā; salile — in the water; śubhe — very auspicious.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Durvāsā Muni gladly accepted the request of Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, but to perform the regulative ritualistic ceremonies he went to the River Yamunā. There he dipped into the water of the auspicious Yamunā and meditated upon the impersonal Brahman.

 

9.4.38

muhūrtārdhāvaśiṣṭāyāḿ

dvādaśyāḿ pāraṇaḿ prati

cintayām āsa dharma-jño

dvijais tad-dharma-sańkaṭe

 

muhūrta-ardha-avaśiṣṭāyām — was remaining only for half a moment; dvādaśyām — when the Dvādaśī day; pāraṇam — the breaking of the fast; prati — to observe; cintayām āsa — began to think about; dharma-jñaḥ — one who knows the principles of religion; dvijaiḥ — by the brāhmaṇas; tat-dharma — concerning that religious principle; sańkaṭe — in such a dangerous condition.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In the meantime, only a muhūrta of the Dvādaśī day was left on which to break the fast. Consequently, it was imperative that the fast be broken immediately. In this dangerous situation, the King consulted learned brāhmaṇas.

 

9.4.39-40

brāhmaṇātikrame doṣo

dvādaśyāḿ yad apāraṇe

yat kṛtvā sādhu me bhūyād

adharmo vā na māḿ spṛśet

 

ambhasā kevalenātha

kariṣye vrata-pāraṇam

āhur ab-bhakṣaṇaḿ viprā

hy aśitaḿ nāśitaḿ ca tat

 

brāhmaṇa-atikrame — in surpassing the rules of respect to the brāhmaṇas; doṣaḥ — there is a fault; dvādaśyām — on the Dvādaśī day; yat — because; apāraṇe — in not breaking the fast in due time; yat kṛtvā — after doing which action; sādhu — what is auspicious; me — unto me; bhūyāt — may so become; adharmaḥ — what is irreligious; vā — either; na — not; mām — unto me; spṛśet — may touch;

 

ambhasā — by water; kevalena — only; atha — therefore; kariṣye — I shall execute; vrata-pāraṇam — the completion of the vow; āhuḥ — said; ap-bhakṣaṇam — drinking water; viprāḥ — O brāhmaṇas; hi — indeed; aśitam — eating; na aśitam ca — as well as not eating; tat — such an action.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The King said: "To transgress the laws of respectful behavior toward the brāhmaṇas is certainly a great offense. On the other hand, if one does not observe the breaking of the fast within the time of Dvādaśī, there is a flaw in one's observance of the vow. Therefore, O brāhmaṇas, if you think that it will be auspicious and not irreligious, I shall break the fast by drinking water." In this way, after consulting with the brāhmaṇas, the King reached this decision, for according to brahminical opinion, drinking water may be accepted as eating and also as not eating.

 

9.4.41

ity apaḥ prāśya rājarṣiś

cintayan manasācyutam

pratyacaṣṭa kuru-śreṣṭha

dvijāgamanam eva saḥ

 

iti — thus; apaḥ — water; prāśya — after drinking; rājarṣiḥ — the great King Ambarīṣa; cintayan — meditating upon; manasā — by the mind; acyutam — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pratyacaṣṭa — began to wait; kuru-śreṣṭha — O best of the Kuru kings; dvija-āgamanam — the return of Durvāsā Muni, the great mystic brāhmaṇa; eva — indeed; saḥ — the King.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O best of the Kuru dynasty, after he drank some water, King Ambarīṣa, meditating upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead within his heart, waited for the return of the great mystic Durvāsā Muni.

 

9.4.42

durvāsā yamunā-kūlāt

kṛtāvaśyaka āgataḥ

rājñābhinanditas tasya

bubudhe ceṣṭitaḿ dhiyā

 

durvāsāḥ — the great sage; yamunā-kūlāt — from the bank of the River Yamunā; kṛta — had been performed; āvaśyakaḥ — he by whom the necessary ritualistic ceremonies; āgataḥ — returned; rājñā — by the King; abhinanditaḥ — being well received; tasya — his; bubudhe — could understand; ceṣṭitam — performance; dhiyā — by intelligence.

 

TRANSLATION

 

After executing the ritualistic ceremonies to be performed at noon, Durvāsā returned from the bank of the Yamunā. The King received him well, offering all respects, but Durvāsā Muni, by his mystic power, could understand that King Ambarīṣa had drunk water without his permission.

 

9.4.43

manyunā pracalad-gātro

bhru-kuṭī-kuṭilānanaḥ

bubhukṣitaś ca sutarāḿ

kṛtāñjalim abhāṣata

 

manyunā — agitated by great anger; pracalat-gātraḥ — his body trembling; bhru-kuṭī — by the eyebrows; kuṭila — curved; ānanaḥ — face; bubhukṣitaḥ ca — and hungry at the same time; sutarām — very much; kṛta-añjalim — to Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, who stood there with folded hands; abhāṣata — he addressed.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Still hungry, Durvāsā Muni, his body trembling, his face curved and his eyebrows crooked in a frown, angrily spoke as follows to King Ambarīṣa, who stood before him with folded hands.

 

9.4.44

aho asya nṛ-śaḿsasya

śriyonmattasya paśyata

dharma-vyatikramaḿ viṣṇor

abhaktasyeśa-māninaḥ

 

aho — alas; asya — of this man; nṛ-śaḿsasya — who is so cruel; śriyā unmattasya — puffed up because of great opulence; paśyata — everyone just see; dharma-vyatikramam — the transgression of the regulative principles of religion; viṣṇoḥ abhaktasya — who is not a devotee of Lord Viṣṇu; īśa-māninaḥ — considering himself the Supreme Lord, independent of everything.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Alas, just see the behavior of this cruel man! He is not a devotee of Lord Viṣṇu. Being proud of his material opulence and his position, he considers himself God. Just see how he has transgressed the laws of religion.

 

9.4.45

yo mām atithim āyātam

ātithyena nimantrya ca

adattvā bhuktavāḿs tasya

sadyas te darśaye phalam

 

yaḥ — this man who; mām — unto me; atithim — who, being an uninvited guest; āyātam — had come here; ātithyena — with the reception of a guest; nimantrya — after inviting me; ca — also; adattvā — without giving (food); bhuktavān — has himself eaten; tasya — of him; sadyaḥ — immediately; te — of you; darśaye — I shall show; phalam — the result.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, you have invited me to eat as a guest, but instead of feeding me, you yourself have eaten first. Because of your misbehavior, I shall show you something to punish you.

 

9.4.46

evaḿ bruvāṇa utkṛtya

jaṭāḿ roṣa-pradīpitaḥ

tayā sa nirmame tasmai

kṛtyāḿ kālānalopamām

 

evam — thus; bruvāṇaḥ — speaking (Durvāsā Muni); utkṛtya — uprooting; jaṭām — a bunch of hair; roṣa-pradīpitaḥ — being reddish because he was very angry; tayā — by that bunch of hair from his head; saḥ — Durvāsā Muni; nirmame — created; tasmai — to punish Mahārāja Ambarīṣa; kṛtyām — a demon; kāla-anala-upamām — appearing just like the blazing fire of devastation.

 

TRANSLATION

 

As Durvāsā Muni said this, his face became red with anger. Uprooting a bunch of hair from his head, he created a demon resembling the blazing fire of devastation to punish Mahārāja Ambarīṣa.

 

9.4.47

tām āpatantīḿ jvalatīm

asi-hastāḿ padā bhuvam

vepayantīḿ samudvīkṣya

na cacāla padān nṛpaḥ

 

tām — that (demon); āpatantīm — coming forward to attack him; jvalatīm — blazing like fire; asi-hastām — with a trident in his hand; padā — with his footstep; bhuvam — the surface of the earth; vepayantīm — causing to tremble; samudvīkṣya — seeing him perfectly; na — not; cacāla — moved; padāt — from his place; nṛpaḥ — the King.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Taking a trident in his hand and making the surface of the earth tremble with his footsteps, that blazing creature came before Mahārāja Ambarīṣa. But the King, upon seeing him, was not at all disturbed and did not move even slightly from his position.

 

9.4.48

prāg diṣṭaḿ bhṛtya-rakṣāyāḿ

puruṣeṇa mahātmanā

dadāha kṛtyāḿ tāḿ cakraḿ

kruddhāhim iva pāvakaḥ

 

prāk diṣṭam — as previously arranged; bhṛtya-rakṣāyām — for the protection of his servants; puruṣeṇa — by the Supreme Person; mahā-ātmanā — by the Supersoul; dadāha — burnt to ashes; kṛtyām — that created demon; tām — him; cakram — the disc; kruddha — angry; ahim — a serpent; iva — like; pāvakaḥ — fire.

 

TRANSLATION

 

As fire in the forest immediately burns to ashes an angry snake, so, by the previous order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, His disc, the Sudarśana cakra, immediately burnt to ashes the created demon to protect the Lord's devotee.

 

9.4.49

tad-abhidravad udvīkṣya

sva-prayāsaḿ ca niṣphalam

durvāsā dudruve bhīto

dikṣu prāṇa-parīpsayā

 

tat — of that disc; abhidravat — moving toward him; udvīkṣya — after seeing; sva-prayāsam — his own attempt; ca — and; niṣphalam — having failed; durvāsāḥ — Durvāsā Muni; dudruve — began to run; bhītaḥ — full of fear; dikṣu — in every direction; prāṇa-parīpsayā — with a desire to save his life.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Upon seeing that his own attempt had failed and that the Sudarśana cakra was moving toward him, Durvāsā Muni became very frightened and began to run in all directions to save his life.