SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM: CANTO 9

(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Nâbhâga, the learned youngest son of Nabhaga [see 9.1: 11-12, not the uncle also called Nriga nor the Nâbhâga of Dishtha, see: 9.2: 23] returning from a celibate life received [as his share] the father when the elder brothers divided the property [among themselves].

(2) 'O, my brothers' [he said] 'What have you reserved for me as my share?'

'We allot you our father as yours' [they answered].

[To his father he then said:] 'O father, my elder brothers have not given me my share!'

[The father thereupon replied:] 'My son, take no heed of that! (3) All these so very intelligent descendants of Angirâ [see 6.6: 19] are today performing a sacrifice but every sixth day after having such a day, o learned one, will they fall in ignorance because of their karma. (4-5) You yourself, recite for those great souls, two vedic hymns relating to the God of the Universe so that they, after resuming their own course, will deliver you the wealth of what remains of the sacrifice of their own property; therefore go to them.'

He then did what his father had told him to and so gave they him the remnants of the yajña before they returned to their own heavenly places. (6) As he was accepting in the riches said some black-looking person who had arrived from the north to him: 'All these riches remaining from the sacrifice are mine!'

(7) [He replied:] 'They're all mine, the sages have handed them over to me!'

[The black man said:] 'Let us to this head for the son of Manu, your father and ask him', and so inquired he with his father as was proposed.

(8) [Father Nabhaga said:] 'Everything that belongs to the sacrificial arena, and what remains sometimes is by the sages set apart as a share for Lord S'iva; he is the demigod deserving it all.'

(9) Nâbhâga offered him [S'iva] his obeisances and said: 'As my father said: it's yours, o Lord, and so is for sure all that belongs to the sacrificial arena, o you of Brahmâ [see: 3.12: 6-14], let me bow my head before you, I beg your pardon.'

(10) [Lord S'iva said:] 'All that your father said is true and also is what you are saying the truth; let me, the knower of the mantras, grant you the spiritual knowledge that is transcendental and eternal. (11) Please take all the riches; I give you all that has been offered to me', and having spoken thus, vanished Rudra, the great lord and guardian of the dharma. (12) Anyone who in the morning and in the evening with great attention remembers this becomes learned: like a self-realized soul will he be a knower of the mantras and the destination. (13) From Nâbhâga was the most exalted and highly celebrated devotee Ambarîsha born; a curse of a brahmin against him failed: it could never ever touch him.'

(14) The king said: 'O lordship, I would like to hear about him, that king who was such a sober personality that the so insurmountable power of a brahmin's measure had no effect on him.'

(15-16) S'rî S'uka said: 'Ambarîsha, the man of great fortune, meant that, after achieving on this earth consisting of the seven continents an unlimited opulence, that all that is so rarely obtained by many a ruler is as the riches imagined in a dream: coming to one's senses it is all gone; it is the reason because of which a man lands in ignorance. (17) Unto Vâsudeva, the Supreme Personality, unto the devotees as also unto the saints was he as someone who has achieved the reverence and devotion in the transcendental because of which one takes the entirety of this universe for something as insignificant as a piece of stone. (18-20) He was sure to fix his mind upon the lotus feet of Krishna, his words upon the description of the qualities of Vaikunthha, his hands to things like cleaning the Lord His temple and to engage his ears in the Infallible. Hearing the transcendental talks, using his eyes to see the deities, the temples and buildings of Mukunda, being physically in touch with the bodies of the devotees, smelling the fragrance of the tulsî leaves at the lotusflower of His feet, to have on his tongue the food offered to Him, to walk his legs to the Lord's holy places, to bow his head to the feet of Hrishîkes'a, to set his desires more to being a servant than to sense gratification, was he as that one man [Prahlâda] who seeks his refuge with the Lord Glorified in the Scriptures. (21) Thus in his prescribed duties always of sacrifice unto the Transcendence, the Original One of the Sacrifice, the Supreme Lordship and Him Beyond the Senses, exercised he all the different forms of love for the True One of the Soul and ruled he, directed by the Lord His faithful ones of learning, this planet earth in the past [see also 5.18: 12 and B.G. 5: 29]. (22) In horse sacrifices executed by brahmins like Vasishthha, Asita and Gautama, worshiped he, everywhere the Sarasvatî river flowed through the desert countries, the Lord of Sacrifice, the Supreme Controller, with great opulence and all the prescribed paraphernalia and remuneration. (23) The loyals of penance and experts who as the participants in the sacrifice were the priests to perform for him the offerings, were, dressed up the finest, seen as the unblinking demigods. (24) The heavenly existence so dear to even the demigods, was not a thing desired by his citizens who were accustomed to hear and chant the glories of Uttamas'loka, the Lord hailed in the Verses. (25) Because such aspirations are not conducive to the happiness of those who are happy in their constitutional position of rendering service, are the persons who are used to having Mukunda thus in their hearts, rarely after the perfections of the great [see siddhis]. (26-27) He, the king, of bhakti-yoga and at the same time of austerity, in his constitutional activities unto the Lord satisfying all sorts of desires, this way gradually gave it up to have his mind fixed upon the untrue that one finds in one's home, the wife, in children, in friends and relatives, a good elephant, a nice chariot, fine horses and in durable goods like jewels, ornaments, an outfit and such and a never empty treasury. (28) Pleased with his unalloyed devotional service gave the Lord him for the protection of the devotees His cakra that is so intimidating to the ones opposed [see also 7.9: 43 and B.G. 9: 31]. (29) Aspiring to worship Krishna together with his equally qualified queen, accepted the king the vow of dvâdas'î [fasting on certain lunar days] for a whole year. (30) Once at the Yamunâ, at the end of his vow, observed he in the month Kârtika [Oct. - Nov.] for three nights a full fast after which he took a bath and worshiped the Lord in Madhuvana [a part of the Vrindâvana area]. (31-32) According the rules of bathing the deity bathing it [mahâbhisheka] with all paraphernalia for the honoring - nice clothing and ornaments, fragrant flower garlands and other means of worship - performed he the puja with a mind filled with divine love in bhakti unto the greatly fortunate of Kes'ava and the brahmins, to the peace of whom he equally became peaceful. (33-35) The brahmins, the learned who had arrived at his place fed he, whith the twice-born first, sumptuously with the most heavenly, delicious food after having donated sixty crores nicely decorated, young and beautiful cows with gold covered horns and silver plated hooves, full udders and extra calves next to them. When he to the full of their satisfaction and with their permission was about to observe the concluding ceremony were they all of a sudden confronted with a unexpected visit of the mighty sage Durvâsâ. (36) Even though he came there uninvited showed the king him his respect by standing up and offering him a seat, and asked he him with all regards fallen at his feet whether he would like to eat something. (37) He gladly accepted that request and next went, in order to perform the necessary rituals, to the Yamunâ to dip into the auspicious water and meditate on the Supreme Brahman.

(38) That, with less than an hour left before the ending of the dvâdas'î fast that was observed, made the king together with the twice-born wonder what now would be the appropriate notion of dharma in the precarious situation he had ran into: (39-40) 'Failing to respect the brahmin sage is an offense as well as not to break with the fast of dvâdas'î at the right time; what now is the best thing to do, what would be irreligious and what not? So let me touch water only so that I correctly may conclude the vow, because, o learned ones, the act of drinking water is considered to be indeed as well eating as not eating.'

(41) The great king, after thus drinking water, awaited the return of the brahmin mystic with his mind put to the Infallible One, o best of the Kurus. (42) When Durvâsâ had finished the rituals at the bank of the Yamunâ and returned, was he well received by the king but from his insight he managed to figure out what had taken place. (43) Incensed trembling all over, with his face tightened and frowning, addressed he hungry for action the perpetrator standing there with folded hands. (44) 'Alas, this one here, this 'love of all', has mad of his opulence, for everyone to see, transgressed the dharma; not a devotee of Vishnu at all, he thinks he is the Controller Himself! (45) This man has towards me, unexpectantly arriving here, after welcoming me as his guest, taken food without sharing it with me: I'll show you here and now what the repercussion is.'

(46) Speaking thus pulled he, red of anger, a bunch of hair out of his head and created he from it a demon that appeared like the fire at the end of time. (47) As the demon came at him with a trident blazing with fire in his hand and a footstep that made the earth tremble, did the king, seeing him clearly, not move an inch from the spot [compare 6.17: 28]. (48) The way it by the Original Person of the Supersoul was arranged for the protection of His devotees burned the cakra [that Ambarîsha had received, see verse 28] like fire that angry serpent of a created demon to ashes [see also B.G. 18: 66]. (49) Seeing how the disc moved at him and how his own attempt had failed, began Durvâsâ to run in great fear wherever he could go to save his life. (50) As a snake pursued by a forest fire blazing high with flames ran the muni, seeing how the disc, that wheel from the Lord His chariot, burned his back, quickly to mount Meru to enter a cave there. (51) But, fleeing in each direction, in the sky, on the earth's surface, in caves, in the seas, in all places hiding with all rulers of the three worlds - wheresoever he went, saw Durvâsâ the acute of His presence [Sudars'ana cakra] that was so frightening. (52) Without the shelter of a protector was he everywhere, with a constant fear in his heart, looking for someone who could give him protection. At last he approached Lord Brahmâ: 'O my Lord, o Selfborn One, save me from the fire released at me by the Invincible One.'

(53-54) Lord Brahmâ said: 'With a flick of His eyebrows will the place where I am, my residence, along with this entire universe at the end of the Supreme Lord His pastimes, upon the desire of Him in the form of time to burn it at the end of one day of my life [a dvi-parârdha, see 3.11: 33], be vanquished indeed. I, Lord S'iva, Daksha, Bhrigu and others under their lead, the rulers of man, the living beings and the demigods - we and all lead by us, who are bowing our heads for the good of all living beings surrendered to the principles regulating our lives, do carry out His orders.'

(55) Turned down by Lord Brahmâ went Durvâsâ, scorched by the cakra, for his shelter to him who always resides on Kailâsa [Lord S'iva]. (56) S'rî S'ankara said: 'We in relation to the Supreme One lack in power, my dear - with us rotating in Him, the Transcendence, can [I and] the other living beings up to the Unborn One, Lord Brahmâ and not even the universes, arrive at such a power; indeed can we nor any of the thousands and millions of our worlds evolve to that degree. (57-59) I, Sanat and the other Kumâras, Nârada, the great Lord Unborn, Kapila, Vyâsadeva, Devala [the great sage], Yamarâja, Âsuri [the saint] and Marîci, and the others all-perfect in knowledge headed by them, have met the limits of all there is to know, but none of us can fully comprehend His illusory energy and that which is covered by it. The Controller of the Universe His weapon [the cakra] is indeed even for us difficult to handle and therefore should you seek your refuge with the Lord who will not fail you in His auspiciousness.'

(60) Disappointed went Durvâsâ thereafter to the Supreme Lord His place known as Vaikunthha where He as S'rînivâsa , the Master of the Abode, perpetually resides with the goddess of fortune. (61) Scorched by the fire of the invincible weapon fell he down at His lotus feet trembling all over and said he: 'O Infallible and Unlimited One, o Desire of the Saintly, o Master give me, this great offender, protection, o Well-wisher of the Entire Universe! (62) Not knowing of Your inconceivable prowess have I committed a great offense at the feet of the ones dear to Your Lordship; please be so kind to do whatever is needed to counteract an offense like this o Vidhâta, Lord of Regulation, by whose name, when awakened, even a person destined for hell can be delivered.'

(63) The Supreme Lord said: 'Precisely o twice-born one, I am not self-willed, I indeed am fully committed to My bhaktas; it is because they are devotees that My heart is controlled by the saintly and by those who hold those bhaktas dear. (64) I as their ultimate destination am, without My saintly devotees, not for the blissful essence or the Supreme of My opulences [see om pûrnam]. (65) Their wife, house, children, relatives, their very lives and wealth - if they unto Me for the Transcendence gave up on all these in their taking shelter, then how can I be after those things and let them down? (66) The way a chaste woman controls a gentle husband, do the saintly, pure and equalminded [see also 7.9: 43], in their hearts firmly attached to Me, in settling for their devotional service, have Me under control. (67) In My service do they automatically achieve the four types of liberation and hanker they, simply being of service, not for the complete [the pûrnam] so that there is no question of other things: in the course of time have they been overcome. (68) The saintly are always in My heart and I am verily always in theirs; they know nothing apart from Me and I do not have the least interest apart from them [see also B.G 9: 29]. (69) Let Me tell you how to protect yourself with this, o learned one, just listen to what I say: with this action of yours have you become your own enemy; now waste no time and forthwith go to him [Ambarîsha] because of whom this happened - you see: the power applied against the devotee is harmful to the one who employs it. (70) Penance and knowledge are the two causes for the upliftment of the learned ones, but practiced by an obstinate person lead they to the exact opposite. (71) O brahmin, go therefore to the king, the son of Nâbhâga, to satisfy him, that great personality - then will there be peace.'

S'rî S'uka said: 'Nâbhâga, the learned youngest son of Nabhaga [see 9.1: 11-12, not the uncle also called Nriga nor the Nâbhâga of Dishtha, see: 9.2: 23] returning from a celibate life received [as his share] the father when the elder brothers divided the property [among themselves].

S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: The son of Nabhaga named Nâbhâga lived for a long time at the place of his spiritual master. Therefore, his brothers thought that he was not going to become a grihastha and would not return. Consequently, without providing a share for him, they divided the property of their father among themselves. When Nâbhâga returned from the place of his spiritual master, they gave him their father as his share. (Vedabase)

Text 2

'O, my brothers' [he said] 'what have you reserved for me as my share?'

'We allot you our father as yours' [they answered].

[To his father he then said:] 'O father, my elder brothers have not given me my share!'

[The father thereupon replied:] 'My son, take no heed of that!

Nâbhâga 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 Nâbhâga 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." (Vedabase)

Text 3

All these so very intelligent descendants of Angirâ [see 6.6: 19] are today performing a sacrifice but every sixth day after having such a day, o learned one, will they fall in ignorance because of their karma.

Nâbhâga's father said: "All the descendants of Angirâ 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." (Vedabase)

Text 4-5:

You yourself, recite for those great souls, two vedic hymns relating to the God of the Universe so that they, after resuming their own course, will deliver you the wealth of what remains of the sacrifice of their own property; therefore go to them.' He then did what his father had told him to and so gave they him the remnants of the yajña before they returned to their own heavenly places.

Nâbhâga's father continued: "Go to those great souls and describe two Vedic hymns pertaining to Vais'vadeva. 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 Nâbhâga acted exactly according to the advice of his father, and the great sages of the Angirâ dynasty gave him all their wealth and then went to the heavenly planets. (Vedabase)

Text 6

As he was accepting in the riches said some black-looking person who had arrived from the north to him: 'All these riches remaining from the sacrifice are mine!'

Thereafter, while Nâbhâga 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." (Vedabase)

Text 7

[He replied:] 'They're all mine, the sages have handed them over to me!'

[The black man said:] 'Let us to this head for the son of Manu, your father and ask him', and so inquired he with his father as was proposed.

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

Text 8

[Father Nabhaga said:] 'Everything that belongs to the sacrificial arena, and what remains sometimes is by the sages set apart as a share for Lord S'iva; he is the demigod deserving it all.'

The father of Nâbhâga said: "Whatever the great sages sacrificed in the arena of the Daksha-yajña, they offered to Lord S'iva as his share. Therefore, everything in the sacrificial arena certainly belongs to Lord S'iva." (Vedabase)

Text 9

Nâbhâga offered him [S'iva] his obeisances and said: 'As my father said: it's yours, o Lord, and so is for sure all that belongs to the sacrificial arena, o you of Brahmâ [see: 3.12: 6-14], let me bow my head before you, I beg your pardon.'

Thereupon, after offering obeisances to Lord S'iva, Nâbhâga 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." (Vedabase)

Text 10

[Lord S'iva said:] 'All that your father said is true and also is what you are saying the truth; let me, the knower of the mantras, grant you the spiritual knowledge that is transcendental and eternal.

Lord S'iva 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." (Vedabase)

Text 11

Please take all the riches; I give you all that has been offered to me', and having spoken thus, vanished Rudra, the great lord and guardian of the dharma.

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

Text 12

Anyone who in the morning and in the evening with great attention remembers this becomes learned: like a self-realized soul will he be a knower of the mantras and the destination.

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. (Vedabase)

Text 13

From Nâbhâga was the most exalted and highly celebrated devotee Ambarîsha born; a curse of a brahmin against him failed: it could never ever touch him.'

From Nâbhâga, Mahârâja Ambarîsha took birth. Mahârâja Ambarîsha was an exalted devotee, celebrated for his great merits. Although he was cursed by an infallible brâhmana, the curse could not touch him. (Vedabase)

Text 14

The king said: 'O lordship, I would like to hear about him, that king who was such a sober personality that the so insurmountable power of a brahmin's measure had no effect on him.

King Parîkshit inquired: O great personality, Mahârâja Ambarîsha was certainly most exalted and meritorious in character. I wish to hear about him. How surprising it is that the curse of a brâhmana, which is insurmountable, could not act upon him. (Vedabase)

Text 15-16:

S'rî S'uka said: 'Ambarîsha, the man of great fortune, meant that, after achieving on this earth consisting of the seven continents an unlimited opulence, that all that is so rarely obtained by many a ruler is as the riches imagined in a dream: coming to one's senses it is all gone; it is the reason because of which a man lands in ignorance.

S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: Mahârâja Ambarîsha, 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, Mahârâja Ambarîsha 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. (Vedabase)

Text 17

Unto Vâsudeva, the Supreme Personality, unto the devotees as also unto the saints was he as someone who has achieved the reverence and devotion in the transcendental because of which one takes the entirety of this universe for something as insignificant as a piece of stone.

Mahârâja Ambarîsha was a great devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vâsudeva, 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. (Vedabase)

Text 18-20:

He was sure to fix his mind upon the lotus feet of Krishna, his words upon the description of the qualities of Vaikunthha, his hands to things like cleaning the Lord His temple and to engage his ears in the Infallible. Hearing the transcendental talks, using his eyes to see the deities, the temples and buildings of Mukunda, being physically in touch with the bodies of the devotees, smelling the fragrance of the tulsî leaves at the lotusflower of His feet, to have on his tongue the food offered to Him, to walk his legs to the Lord's holy places, to bow his head to the feet of Hrishîkes'a, to set his desires more to being a servant than to sense gratification, was he as that one man [Prahlâda] who seeks his refuge with the Lord Glorified in the Scriptures.

Mahârâja Ambarîsha always engaged his mind in meditating upon the lotus feet of Krishna, 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 Krishna or about Krishna. He engaged his eyes in seeing the Deity of Krishna, Krishna's temples and Krishna's places like Mathurâ and Vrindâvana, 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 tulasî offered to the Lord, and he engaged his tongue in tasting the Lord's prasâda. 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, Mahârâja Ambarîsha 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. (Vedabase)

Text 21:

Thus in his prescribed duties always of sacrifice unto the Transcendence, the Original One of the Sacrifice, the Supreme Lordship and Him Beyond the Senses, exercised he all the different forms of love for the True One of the Soul and ruled he, directed by the Lord His faithful ones of learning, this planet earth in the past [see also 5.18: 12 and B.G. 5: 29].

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

Text 22:

In horse sacrifices executed by brahmins like Vasishthha, Asita and Gautama, worshiped he, everywhere the Sarasvatî river flowed through the desert countries, the Lord of Sacrifice, the Supreme Controller, with great opulence and all the prescribed paraphernalia and remuneration.

In desert countries where there flowed the River Sarasvatî, Mahârâja Ambarîsha performed great sacrifices like the as'vamedha-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 dakshinâ to the brâhmanas, who were supervised by great personalities like Vasishthha, Asita and Gautama, representing the king, the performer of the sacrifices. (Vedabase)

Text 23:

The loyals of penance and experts who as the participants in the sacrifice were the priests to perform for him the offerings, were, dressed up the finest, seen as the unblinking demigods.

In the sacrifice arranged by Mahârâja Ambarîsha, the members of the assembly and the priests [especially hotâ, udgâtâ, brahmâ and adhvaryu] were gorgeously dressed, and they all looked exactly like demigods. They eagerly saw to the proper performance of the yajña. (Vedabase)

Text 24:

The heavenly existence so dear to even the demigods, was not a thing desired by his citizens who were accustomed to hear and chant the glories of Uttamas'loka, the Lord hailed in the Verses.

The citizens of the state of Mahârâja Ambarîsha 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. (Vedabase)

Text 25:

Because such aspirations are not conducive to the happiness of those who are happy in their constitutional position of rendering service, are the persons who are used to having Mukunda thus in their hearts, rarely after the perfections of the great [see siddhis].

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 Krishna within the core of his heart. (Vedabase)

Text 26-27:

He, the king, of bhakti-yoga and at the same time of austerity, in his constitutional activities unto the Lord satisfying all sorts of desires, this way gradually gave it up to have his mind fixed upon the untrue that one finds in one's home, the wife, in children, in friends and relatives, a good elephant, a nice chariot, fine horses and in durable goods like jewels, ornaments, an outfit and such and a never empty treasury.

The king of this planet, Mahârâja Ambarîsha, 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. Mahârâja Ambarîsha 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. (Vedabase)

Text 28:

Pleased with his unalloyed devotional service gave the Lord him for the protection of the devotees His cakra that is so intimidating to the ones opposed [see also 7.9: 43 and B.G. 9: 31].

Being very pleased by the unalloyed devotion of Mahârâja Ambarîsha, 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. (Vedabase)

Text 29:

Aspiring to worship Krishna together with his equally qualified queen, accepted the king the vow of dvâdas'î [fasting on certain lunar days] for a whole year.

To worship Lord Krishna, Mahârâja Ambarîsha, along with his queen, who was equally qualified, observed the vow of ekâdas'î and dvâdas'î for one year. (Vedabase)

Text 30:

Once at the Yamunâ, at the end of his vow, observed he in the month Kârtika [Oct. - Nov.] for three nights a full fast after which he took a bath and worshiped the Lord in Madhuvana [a part of the Vrindâvana area].

In the month of Kârtika, after observing that vow for one year, after observing a fast for three nights and after bathing in the Yamunâ, Mahârâja Ambarîsha worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, in Madhuvana. (Vedabase)

Text 31-32:

According the rules of bathing the deity bathing it [mahâbhisheka] with all paraphernalia for the honoring - nice clothing and ornaments, fragrant flower garlands and other means of worship - performed he the puja with a mind filled with divine love in bhakti unto the greatly fortunate of Kes'ava and the brahmins, to the peace of whom he equally became peaceful.

Following the regulative principles of mahâbhisheka, Mahârâja Ambarîsha performed the bathing ceremony for the Deity of Lord Krishna 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 Krishna and all the greatly fortunate brâhmanas who were free from material desires. (Vedabase)

Text 33-35:

The brahmins, the learned who had arrived at his place fed he, whith the twice-born first, sumptuously with the most heavenly, delicious food after having donated sixty crores nicely decorated, young and beautiful cows with gold covered horns and silver plated hooves, full udders and extra calves next to them. When he to the full of their satisfaction and with their permission was about to observe the concluding ceremony were they all of a sudden confronted with a unexpected visit of the mighty sage Durvâsâ.

Thereafter, Mahârâja Ambarîsha satisfied all the guests who arrived at his house, especially the brâhmanas. 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 brâhmanas, and when they were fully satisfied, he was about to observe the end of ekâdas'î, with their permission, by breaking the fast. Exactly at that time, however, Durvâsâ Muni, the great and powerful mystic, appeared on the scene as an uninvited guest. (Vedabase)

Text 36:

Even though he came there uninvited showed the king him his respect by standing up and offering him a seat, and asked he him with all regards fallen at his feet whether he would like to eat something.

After standing up to receive Durvâsâ Muni, King Ambarîsha offered him a seat and paraphernalia of worship. Then, sitting at his feet, the King requested the great sage to eat. (Vedabase)

Text 37:

He gladly accepted that request and next went, in order to perform the necessary rituals, to the Yamunâ to dip into the auspicious water and meditate on the Supreme Brahman.

Durvâsâ Muni gladly accepted the request of Mahârâja Ambarîsha, but to perform the regulative ritualistic ceremonies he went to the River Yamunâ. There he dipped into the water of the auspicious Yamunâ and meditated upon the impersonal Brahman. (Vedabase)

Text 38:

That, with less than an hour left before the ending of the dvâdas'î fast that was observed, made the king together with the twice-born wonder what now would be the appropriate notion of dharma in the precarious situation he had ran into:

In the meantime, only a muhurta of the dvâdas'î 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 brâhmanas. (Vedabase)

Text 39-40:

'Failing to respect the brahmin sage is an offense as well as not to break with the fast of dvâdas'î at the right time; what now is the best thing to do, what would be irreligious and what not? So let me touch water only so that I correctly may conclude the vow, because, o learned ones, the act of drinking water is considered to be indeed as well eating as not eating.'

The King said: "To transgress the laws of respectful behavior toward the brâhmanas is certainly a great offense. On the other hand, if one does not observe the breaking of the fast within the time of dvâdas'î, there is a flaw in one's observance of the vow. Therefore, O brâhmanas, 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 brâhmanas, the King reached this decision, for according to brahminical opinion, drinking water may be accepted as eating and also as not eating. (Vedabase)

Text 41:

The great king, after thus drinking water, awaited the return of the brahmin mystic with his mind put to the Infallible One, o best of the Kurus.

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

Text 42:

When Durvâsâ had finished the rituals at the bank of the Yamunâ and returned, was he well received by the king but from his insight he managed to figure out what had taken place.

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

Text 43:

Incensed trembling all over, with his face tightened and frowning, addressed he hungry for action the perpetrator standing there with folded hands.

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

Text 44:

'Alas, this one here, this 'love of all', has mad of his opulence, for everyone to see, transgressed the dharma; not a devotee of Vishnu at all, he thinks he is the Controller Himself!

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

Text 45:

This man has towards me, unexpectantly arriving here, after welcoming me as his guest, taken food without sharing it with me: I'll show you here and now what the repercussion is.'

Mahârâja Ambarîsha, 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. (Vedabase)

Text 46:

Speaking thus pulled he, red of anger, a bunch of hair out of his head and created he from it a demon that appeared like the fire at the end of time.

As Durvâsâ 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 Mahârâja Ambarîsha. (Vedabase)

Text 47:

As the demon came at him with a trident blazing with fire in his hand and a footstep that made the earth tremble, did the king, seeing him clearly, not move an inch from the spot [compare 6.17: 28].

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

Text 48:

The way it by the Original Person of the Supersoul was arranged for the protection of His devotees burned the cakra [that Ambarîsha had received, see verse 28] like fire that angry serpent of a created demon to ashes [see also B.G. 18: 66].

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 Sudars'ana cakra, immediately burnt to ashes the created demon to protect the Lord's devotee. (Vedabase)

Text 49:

Seeing how the disc moved at him and how his own attempt had failed, began Durvâsâ to run in great fear wherever he could go to save his life.

Upon seeing that his own attempt had failed and that the Sudars'ana cakra was moving toward him, Durvâsâ Muni became very frightened and began to run in all directions to save his life. (Vedabase)

Text 50:

As a snake pursued by a forest fire blazing high with flames ran the muni, seeing how the disc, that wheel from the Lord His chariot, burned his back, quickly to mount Meru to enter a cave there.

As the blazing flames of a forest fire pursue a snake, the disc of the Supreme Personality of Godhead began following Durvâsâ Muni. Durvâsâ Muni saw that the disc was almost touching his back, and thus he ran very swiftly, desiring to enter a cave of Sumeru Mountain. (Vedabase)

Text 51:

But, fleeing in each direction, in the sky, on the earth's surface, in caves, in the seas, in all places hiding with all rulers of the three worlds - wheresoever he went, saw Durvâsâ the acute of His presence [Sudars'ana cakra] that was so frightening.

Just to protect himself, Durvâsâ Muni fled everywhere, in all directions--in the sky, on the surface of the earth, in caves, in the ocean, on different planets of the rulers of the three worlds, and even on the heavenly planets--but wherever he went he immediately saw following him the unbearable fire of the Sudars'ana cakra. (Vedabase)

Text 52:

Without the shelter of a protector was he everywhere, with a constant fear in his heart, looking for someone who could give him protection. At last he approached Lord Brahmâ: 'O my Lord, o Selfborn One, save me from the fire released at me by the Invincible One.'

With a fearful heart, Durvâsâ Muni went here and there seeking shelter, but when he could find no shelter, he finally approached Lord Brahmâ and said, "O my lord, O Lord Brahmâ, kindly protect me from the blazing Sudars'ana cakra sent by the Supreme Personality of Godhead." (Vedabase)

Text 53-54:

Lord Brahmâ said: 'With a flick of His eyebrows will the place where I am, my residence, along with this entire universe at the end of the Supreme Lord His pastimes, upon the desire of Him in the form of time to burn it at the end of one day of my life [a dvi-parârdha, see 3.11: 33], be vanquished indeed. I, Lord S'iva, Daksha, Bhrigu and others under their lead, the rulers of man, the living beings and the demigods - we and all lead by us, who are bowing our heads for the good of all living beings surrendered to the principles regulating our lives, do carry out His orders.'

Lord Brahmâ said: At the end of the dvi-parârdha, when the pastimes of the Lord come to an end, Lord Vishnu, by a flick of His eyebrows, vanquishes the entire universe, including our places of residence. Such personalities as me and Lord S'iva, as well as Daksha, Bhrigu and similar great saints of which they are the head, and also the rulers of the living entities, the rulers of human society and the rulers of the demigods--all of us surrender to that Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Vishnu, bowing our heads, to carry out His orders for the benefit of all living entities. (Veda b ase)

Text 55:

Turned down by Lord Brahmâ went Durvâsâ, scorched by the cakra, for his shelter to him who always resides on Kailâsa [Lord S'iva].

When Durvâsâ, who was greatly afflicted by the blazing fire of the Sudars'ana cakra, was thus refused by Lord Brahmâ, he tried to take shelter of Lord S'iva, who always resides on his planet, known as Kailâsa. (Vedabase)

Text 56:

S'rî S'ankara said: 'We in relation to the Supreme One lack in power, my dear - with us rotating in Him, the Transcendence, can [I and] the other living beings up to the Unborn One, Lord Brahmâ and not even the universes, arrive at such a power; indeed can we nor any of the thousands and millions of our worlds evolve to that degree.

Past, present and future are known to me [Lord S'iva], Sanat-kumâra, Nârada, the most revered Lord Brahmâ, Kapila [the son of Devahûti], Apântaratama [Lord Vyâsadeva], Devala, Yamarâja, Âsuri, Marïci and many saintly persons headed by him, as well as many others who have achieved perfection. Nonetheless, because we are covered by the illusory energy of the Lord, we cannot understand how expansive that illusory energy is. You should simply approach that Supreme Personality of Godhead to get relief, for this Sudars'ana cakra is intolerable even to us. Go to Lord Vishnu. He will certainly be kind enough to bestow all good fortune upon you. (Vedabase)

Text 57-59:

I, Sanat and the other Kumâras, Nârada, the great Lord Unborn, Kapila, Vyâsadeva, Devala [the great sage], Yamarâja, Âsuri [the saint] and Marîci, and the others all-perfect in knowledge headed by them, have met the limits of all there is to know, but none of us can fully comprehend His illusory energy and that which is covered by it. The Controller of the Universe His weapon [the cakra] is indeed even for us difficult to handle and therefore should you seek your refuge with the Lord who will not fail you in His auspiciousness.

Lord S'iva said: My dear son, I, Lord Brahmâ and the other demigods, who rotate within this universe under the misconception of our greatness, cannot exhibit any power to compete with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for innumerable universes and their inhabitants come into existence and are annihilated by the simple direction of the Lord. (Vedabase)

Text 60:

Disappointed went Durvâsâ thereafter to the Supreme Lord His place known as Vaikunthha where He as S'rînivâsa , the Master of the Abode, perpetually resides with the goddess of fortune.'

Thereafter, being disappointed even in taking shelter of Lord S'iva, Durvâsâ Muni went to Vaikunthha-dhâma , where the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nârâyana, resides with His consort, the goddess of fortune. (Vedabase)

Text 61:

Scorched by the fire of the invincible weapon fell he down at His lotus feet trembling all over and said he: 'O Infallible and Unlimited One, o Desire of the Saintly, o Master give me, this great offender, protection, o Well-wisher of the Entire Universe!

Durvâsâ Muni, the great mystic, scorched by the heat of the Sudars'ana cakra, fell at the lotus feet of Nârâyana. His body trembling, he spoke as follows: O infallible, unlimited Lord, protector of the entire universe, You are the only desirable objective for all devotees. I am a great offender, my Lord. Please give me protection. (Vedabase)

Text 62:

Not knowing of Your inconceivable prowess have I committed a great offense at the feet of the ones dear to Your Lordship; please be so kind to do whatever is needed to counteract an offense like this o Vidhâta, Lord of Regulation, by whose name, when awakened, even a person destined for hell can be delivered.'

O my Lord, O supreme controller, without knowledge of Your unlimited prowess I have offended Your most dear devotee. Very kindly save me from the reaction of this offense. You can do everything, for even if a person is fit for going to hell, You can deliver him simply by awakening within his heart the holy name of Your Lordship. (Vedabase)

Text 63:

The Supreme Lord said: 'Precisely o twice-born one, I am not self-willed, I indeed am fully committed to My bhaktas; it is because they are devotees that My heart is controlled by the saintly and by those who hold those bhaktas dear.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said to the brâhmana: I am completely under the control of My devotees. Indeed, I am not at all independent. Because My devotees are completely devoid of material desires, I sit only within the cores of their hearts. What to speak of My devotee, even those who are devotees of My devotee are very dear to Me. (Vedabase)

Text 64:

I as their ultimate destination am, without My saintly devotees, not for the blissful essence or the Supreme of My opulences [see om pûrnam].

O best of the brâhmanas, without saintly persons for whom I am the only destination, I do not desire to enjoy My transcendental bliss and My supreme opulences. (Vedabase)

Text 65:

Their wife, house, children, relatives, their very lives and wealth - if they unto Me for the Transcendence gave up on all these in their taking shelter, then how can I be after those things and let them down?

Since pure devotees give up their homes, wives, children, relatives, riches and even their lives simply to serve Me, without any desire for material improvement in this life or in the next, how can I give up such devotees at any time? (Vedabase)

Text 66:

The way a chaste woman controls a gentle husband, do the saintly, pure and equalminded [see also 7.9: 43], in their hearts firmly attached to Me, in settling for their devotional service, have Me under control.

As chaste women bring their gentle husbands under control by service, the pure devotees, who are equal to everyone and completely attached to Me in the core of the heart, bring Me under their full control. (Vedabase)

Text 67:

In My service do they automatically achieve the four types of liberation and hanker they, simply being of service, not for the complete [the pûrnam] so that there is no question of other things: in the course of time have they been overcome.

My devotees, who are always satisfied to be engaged in My loving service, are not interested even in the four principles of liberation [sâlokya, sârûpya, sâmîpya and sârshthi], although these are automatically achieved by their service. What then is to be said of such perishable happiness as elevation to the higher planetary systems? (Vedabase)

Text 68:

The saintly are always in My heart and I am verily always in theirs; they know nothing apart from Me and I do not have the least interest apart from them [see also B.G 9: 29].

The pure devotee is always within the core of My heart, and I am always in the heart of the pure devotee. My devotees do not know anything else but Me, and I do not know anyone else but them. (Vedabase)

Text 69:

Let Me tell you how to protect yourself with this, o learned one, just listen to what I say: with this action of yours have you become your own enemy; now waste no time and forthwith go to him [Ambarîsha] because of whom this happened - you see: the power applied against the devotee is harmful to the one who employs it.

O brâhmana, let Me now advise you for your own protection. Please hear from Me. By offending Mahârâja Ambarîsha, you have acted with self-envy. Therefore you should go to him immediately, without a moment's delay. One's so-called prowess, when employed against the devotee, certainly harms he who employs it. Thus it is the subject, not the object, who is harmed. (Vedabase)

Text 70:

Penance and knowledge are the two causes for the upliftment of the learned ones, but practiced by an obstinate person lead they to the exact opposite.

For a brâhmana, austerity and learning are certainly auspicious, but when acquired by a person who is not gentle, such austerity and learning are most dangerous. (Vedabase)

Text 71:

O brahmin, go therefore to the king, the son of Nâbhâga, to satisfy him, that great personality - then will there be peace.'

O best of the brâhmanas, you should therefore go immediately to King Ambarîsha, the son of Mahârâja Nabhaga. I wish you all good fortune. If you can satisfy Mahârâja Ambarîsha, then there will be peace for you. (Vedabase)