rule


 

Canto 6

Jaya Râdhâ Mâdhava 1

 




Chapter 9: Appearance of the Demon Vritrâsura

(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Vis'varűpa [see previous chapter], oh son of Bharata, had three heads. One for drinking soma [performing sacrifices], one for drinking wine [spiritual matters] and one for eating food [the material purpose], so I have heard. (2) He, oh ruler, offered the gods, who were there as his fathers, their proper share by publicly chanting the mantras aloud with sacrifices in the fire. (3) Even though he with his sacrifices offered the gods their share he, led by the affection for his mother [Racanâ], behind their back [also] made offerings to the Asuras. (4) The king of the gods [Indra] seeing how he by that offense to the divinity betrayed the dharma, afraid [that the demons would gain strength] angrily quickly cut off Vis'varűpa's heads. (5) The head he used for drinking soma became a kapińjala [a francolin partridge], the head for drinking the wine turned into a kalavinka [a sparrow] and the one used for taking food turned into a tittiri [a common partridge]. (6) However powerful he was, because of the reaction for killing a brahmin, Indra with folded hands for the time of a year had to face the consequences. In order to be purified from the sin towards other living beings he then divided the burden over the four departments of the earth, the waters, the trees and the women. (7) With the benediction [by Indra] of having her hollows filled with water, the earth took one fourth of the burden of killing a brahmin by accepting on her surface the deserts as the visible sign [of the sin]. (8) With the blessing that their branches and twigs would grow back when trimmed, the trees accepted a quarter of the burden of killing the brahmin through the sap flowing from them as the visible consequence. (9) The [youthful] women being blessed with a constant sexual appetite accepted as their quarter of the burden of sin the monthly period as the visible reaction. (10) Water blessed with the ability to increase the volume of the material it soaks, accepted one fourth of the sin with the reaction of visible bubbling and foaming. One therefore has to throw [contaminated] water away [when it bubbles] upon collecting. (11) After having lost his son, Tvashthâ [see 5.15: 14-15] performed a sacrifice to create an enemy for Indra with the words: 'Oh enemy of Indra, increase in size so that you forthwith can kill your opponent.'

(12) Thereupon from the anvâhârya fire [the fire to the south] a most frightening character appeared who looked like the destroyer of all the worlds at the end of the yuga. (13-17) Day after day expanding to a distance of an arrow's reach, he resembled a burned mountain or clouds amassing in the evening with the sun shining from behind. Next to his hair, beard and mustache that were as red as molten copper, he had eyes blazing like the sun at noon. Dancing and shouting loudly he kicked up the dirt as he moved around with the firmament seemingly held high on his blazing trident. With his mouth deep as a cave swallowing the three worlds, he drank the sky and licked up the stars. Over and over yawning with his massive, fierce teeth, the people who saw him fearfully fled in all the ten directions. (18) He, that most fearful personification of sin, was in truth the form that the son of Tvashthâ had assumed. Now, by [dint of the power of] his previous austerity, he covered all the worlds and was thus called Vritra ['the encloser']. (19) All the defenders of wisdom together attacked him with their soldiers to strike him with each his own divine weapon, but Vritra swallowed the different weapons all at once. (20) Faced with that fact they were all struck with wonder and gathered disheartened, having lost their courage, to pray to the Original Person.

(21) The gods said: 'We, with Lord Brahmâ first and [all the inhabitants of] the three worlds that are composed of air, fire, ether, water and earth, all trembling with fear, pay tribute to the destroyer [death, time]. But since he himself is afraid of Him [the eternal Original Personality], we should acknowledge the Lord as our refuge. (22) One is a fool when one wants to cross an ocean holding on to a dog's tail, one is a fool when one wants to approach anyone else but Him, He who is never astonished, whose desires are fully satisfied by His own potency, who is equipoised and of perfect peace. (23) Just like Manu [here: king Satyavrata] who for surviving the flood bound his boat, our world, to the sturdy horn of Matsya, the Lord in the form of a fish, we who seek our refuge, are sure to be delivered [by Him] from our abysmal fear for the son of Tvashthâ. (24) Formerly the Independent One [Svayambhű or Lord Brahmâ], alone on the lotus, was very afraid and by His grace narrowly escaped from a fall in the so very high waves of the waters of the flood blown up by the roaring wind [see 3.8]. May that deliverance be there also for us. (25) He, the one controller who by His transcendental potency created us and by whose mercy we also may create a world of matter [a culture], can, although He stands in front of us as the actor, not in His form be recognized by us, who consider themselves separate controllers. (26-27) When we are heavily tormented by our opponents, He who exists eternally comes to our rescue age after age with His material potency in different avatâra forms among the sages, the human beings and the animals, in order to protect each and everyone near and dear to Him. He, the Godhead and True Self of us all and of every other living being, is the transcendental, original cause, the primary principle of nature [pradhâna], the Supreme Enjoyer whose energy is known in de form of the universe, from which He Himself stands apart. He is the refuge we can all surrender to. He, that Great Soul, will bless us, His devotees, with all good fortune.'

Vishnu(28) S'rî S'uka said: 'Because of that prayer of the enlightened souls, oh King, He, with them turning inward, became visible with His conch shell, disc and club. (29-30) He was surrounded by sixteen servants with eyes blooming like lotuses in autumn, who looked just like Him, except for the Kaustubha jewel and the S'rîvatsa mark. Seeing Him, oh King, they all threw themselves at His feet, overwhelmed with happiness because of seeing Him directly. Thereafter they slowly stood up and offered their prayers. (31) The godly souls said: 'You, oh Lord awarding the results of sacrifice, we offer our obeisances. You, using the cakra [the disc, the cyclic order of time] as a weapon, are the one to set the limits. All our respect for You who are known by so many transcendental names. (32) They who appeared after You in creation, after You, the controller of the three destinations [of going to hell, to heaven or the purgatory], cannot understand Your supreme abode [Vaikunthha]. (33) Oh Lord, let there be our obeisances unto You, oh Bhagavân Nârâyana, oh Vâsudeva, oh Original Person, oh Highest Personality, oh Supreme Giver of Insight, oh Most Auspicious One, oh Transcendental Benediction, oh Greatness of Mercy, oh Changeless Support of the Universe, Only Proprietor of all Worlds, Ruler over All and Husband of Lakshmî Devî. The best of those completely detached [the sannyâsîs] wandering all around the world,  fully purified by their transcendental absorption in devotional yoga [bhakti], push, by [the strength of] their dutiful respect of being paramahamsas ['swans of the Supreme'], open the door of this illusory existence that gives access to a consciousness in the spiritual world that is free from contaminations. Thus personally experiencing the continuity of Your Lordship, one finds happiness. (34) It is rather difficult to understand how You, in pastimes relating to the unification of consciousness, without taking shelter of anyone or anything, without having a physical body, without awaiting our cooperation, without being transformed Yourself by the basic qualities of nature, in transcendence above those modes can be of creation, annihilation and maintenance. (35) Therefore we do not really know whether Your Lordship is there like an ordinary human being bound to actions in the material world, like someone who under the influence of the modes thus depends on time, space, activities and nature - and thereby is forced to accept the good and bad results of his own actions, or whether You are there as a completely self-satisfied [âtmârâma] and self-controlled person who never fails in his spiritual potency and is always a neutral witness. (36) Those two positions certainly do not form a contradiction in You, the Fortunate One. For what would be impossible to You whose attributes are unlimited, You who are the Supreme Lord of unfathomable glories? You are by the present-day thinkers doubted with opinions and arguments laid down in scriptures containing judgments based upon halfhearted investigations and fallacious logic. But You are out of the range of the agitated minds of the obstinate theorists resorting to controversies. You, withdrawn from all of them, are hidden from view behind Your bewildering illusory energy, the incomparable and inscrutable potency [by which you make and break]. You after all, are not divided in two natures. (37) Perceiving a piece of rope, one does or does not see a snake. Similarly one concludes, [really] being intelligent, to following [the person of You and the âcârya] or else not. (38)  You, on closer scrutiny, are the essence of authenticity, the controller of all and everything spiritual and material. You are there as the cause of all causes of the entire universe who with all qualities are present within all, up to the minutest atom. You are [with the temporality] of all manifestations the only one who remains. (39) For that reason these exalted devotees, who relating to You but once tasted a drop of the nectar of Your glories and with the continuous flow of bliss within their minds forgot about the vague and limited reflection of the sights and sounds of material happiness, have faith in You alone as the Supreme Personality, the only and dearest friend of all living entities. How can those devotees, whose minds are of a complete and continuous absorption, oh Killer of Madhu, or who, as said, are hands-on experts in having accepted You as the dear most lover and friend, then ever give it up to serve Your lotus feet that never again allow a return to this material ocean? (40) Oh loving Soul and shelter, oh power and opulence, oh maintainer and seer and most attractive beauty of the three worlds, because of Your expansions in the material energy we are sure that, with Your manifestations in different forms as the Lord of the enlightened souls [Vâmana], of the human beings [Râmacandra and Krishna], of the animals [Varâha], of a mixture of them [Nrisimhadeva] and of the aquatics [Matsya and Kűrma], all the sons of Diti and Danu and such for their conspiring are awarded the proper punishment depending the offense, oh Supreme Chastiser. May You, if You deem it necessary, likewise kill this [terrible] son of Tvashthâ. (41) In our full surrender totally relying on You, oh Father of Fathers, oh Lord Hari, our hearts are chained in love by the meditation on Your two feet that are like two blue lotuses. By the manifestation of Your own form, by Your compassionate smile that is pure, pacifying and pleasing, with the drops of nectar of the very sweet words that emanate from Your mouth, the worries melt away of the souls You accepted as Your own. You, oh Purest One, we consider the one eligible to take away our deep pain. (42) Therefore, oh Supreme Lord, what can we, as sparks of the original fire [the 'golden seed' that You are], tell You, You who personally are amused to be engaged in creation, destruction and maintenance with Your divine energy, You, who as the Supersoul and spirit of the absolute Brahman resides in the hearts of all the different living beings and externally are present according to time, place and the physical constitution, You, whom one realizes as the cause of that what constitutes the [existence and consciousness of the] living being, You, as the witness of all that is going on, as the witnessing itself and the embodiment of the eternal memory of the entire universe [the âkâs'a record]? (43) Because You are our Supreme Lord and Master of Transcendence, please arrange for us a position in the shadow of the thousand-petaled lotus flowers that are Your feet, so that we may be relieved of the pain resulting from the dangers and desires of this conditioned existence that made us approach You. (44) Please, oh Controller, put an end now to this son of Tvashthâ who is devouring the three worlds and has exhausted, oh Krishna, oh bliss of eternal existence [*, see B.G. 4: 4-6], all our strength, arrows and other means of defense. (45) You, the swanlike Lord who has His abode in the kernel of the heart where You supervise the actions of the individual soul, You, that manifestation of Krishna whose reputation as a redeemer is so bright, You, who are without a beginning and who are solely understood by the pure devotee, You, the path in this world, the friend and refuge, You, the ultimate goal of that elder brother to perform sacrifices for, we offer our obeisances.'

(46) S'rî S'uka said: 'After by the servants of the three worlds this way with due respect having been worshiped, oh King, the Lord, pleased to hear their praises, replied. (47) The Supreme Lord said: 'I am very happy with you, oh best of the demigods. By your knowledgeable prayers unto Me man can remember Me and be of devotion unto Me as the Original Self of the opulences. (48) When I am satisfied one can achieve anything that is difficult to realize. Still, oh best of the intelligent ones, he who knows the truth, having fixed his attention exclusively on Me, does not desire for anything else but Me. (49) A miserable person [kripana] looking for the material quality of things has no knowledge of the ultimate end of the soul and he who awards what is desired by them is not a whit better. (50) Someone who knows the supreme goal of life will not tell an ignorant person to build up karma, just like an experienced physician would not give a patient the wrong food, not even when he would ask for it. (51) Oh patron of sacrifice [Maghavan; Indra], good fortune to all of you, go and without delay ask Dadhyańca [Dadhîci], the most exalted of all saints, for his body that is firm because of his knowledge, vows and austerity. (52) Dadhyańca is someone who has assimilated the spiritual knowledge of purity that is called 'the head of the horse' [As'vas'ira]. He delivered that knowledge to the As'vins who then became receptive to immortality [they became jivan-mukhas, liberated souls even in this life **]. (53) Dadhyańca, the son of Atharvâ, delivered his invincible armor [of mantras] controlled by Me to Tvashthâ who gave it to Vis'varűpa. He in his turn delivered this [Nârâyana-kavaca protection in prayers] to you. (54) [Dadhyańca] the knower of dharma will for your sake give the As'vins his limbs when they ask for them. With them Vis'vakarmâ will create the most powerful of all weapons [the thunderbolt] by means of which, because it is invested with My power, the head of Vritrâsura can be severed. (55) When he is killed you will all regain your wealth, power, arrows and other means of defense. All good fortune will be yours, because you, My devotees, will not be hurt.'

 

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Third revised edition, loaded October 4, 2018.

 

 

Previous Aadhar edition and Vedabase links:

Text 1

S'rî S'uka said: 'Vis'varűpa [see previous chapter], oh son of Bharata, had three heads. One for drinking soma [performing sacrifices], one for drinking wine [spiritual matters] and one for eating food [the material purpose], so I have heard.
S'rî S'uka said: 'Of Vis'varűpa [see previous Chapter], o son of Bharata, there are three heads for drinking the soma [doing sacrifice], drinking the wine [taking the seat of enlightenment], and eating the food [the material purpose]. (Vedabase)

 

Text 2

He, oh ruler, offered the gods, who were there as his fathers, their proper share by publicly chanting the mantras aloud with sacrifices in the fire.

He, o ruler, factually offered the gods, to whom he was related by his fathers side, their proper share in publicly chanting aloud the mantras. (Vedabase)

 

Text 3

Even though he with his sacrifices offered the gods their share he, led by the affection for his mother [Racanâ], behind their back [also] made offerings to the Asuras.

Compelled by the affection for his mother though did he, sacrificing for the godly, without their knowledge offer a share in sacrifice to the unenlightened too. (Vedabase)

 

Text 4

The king of the gods [Indra] seeing how he by that offense to the divinity betrayed the dharma, afraid [that the demons would gain strength] angrily quickly cut off Vis'varűpa's heads.

The king of the enlightened [Indra] seeing how by that offense to the godly he betrayed the dharma, in fear, greatly angered, quickly cut Vis'varűpa's heads off. (Vedabase)

 

Text 5

The head he used for drinking soma became a kapińjala [a francolin partridge], the head for drinking the wine turned into a kalavinka [a sparrow] and the one used for taking food turned into a tittiri [a common partridge].

The head of him used for drinking the soma became a kapińjala [a francolin partridge], the head for drinking the wine turned into a kalavinka [a sparrow] and the one used for taking food turned into a tittiri [common partridge]. (Vedabase)

 

Text 6

However powerful he was, because of the reaction for killing a brahmin, Indra with folded hands for the time of a year had to face the consequences. In order to be purified from the sin towards other living beings he then divided the burden over the four departments of the earth, the waters, the trees and the women.

However powerful he was, to the reaction of killing a brahmin had Indra with folded hands for one year to assume the responsibility and distributed he therefore the burden over the four divisions of the earth, the waters, the trees and the women, in order to purify from that sin to these elements. (Vedabase)

 

Text 7

With the benediction [by Indra] of having her hollows filled with water the earth took one fourth of the burden of killing a brahmin by accepting on her surface the deserts as the visible sign [of the sin].

The earth taking one fourth of the burden of killing a brahmin, had, because of the benediction of having its holes filled with water, indeed the deserts as the visible sign of it on her surface. (Vedabase)

 

Text 8

With the blessing that their branches and twigs would grow back when trimmed, the trees accepted a quarter of the burden of killing the brahmin through the sap flowing from them as the visible consequence.

The trees accepting one fourth of the burden of killing the brahmin had, with their benediction of having their branches and twigs growing back when cut, the visible consequence of sap flowing from them. (Vedabase)

 

Text 9

The [youthful] women being blessed with a constant sexual appetite accepted as their quarter of the burden of sin the monthly period as the visible reaction.

With the women accepting one fourth of the burden of sin, could from their benediction of an ever sexual appetite, as a reaction the form of the monthly period be seen. (Vedabase)

 

Text 10

Water blessed with the ability to increase the volume of the material it soaks, accepted one fourth of the sin with the reaction of visible bubbling and foaming. One therefore has to throw [contaminated] water away [when it bubbles] upon collecting.

Water took one fourth of the sin and had from its benediction to increase the volume of the material it soaks, the visible reaction of bubbling and foaming, a result that must be discarded when one collects water. (Vedabase)


Text 11

After having lost his son, Tvashthâ [see 5.15: 14-15] performed a sacrifice to create an enemy for Indra with the words: 'Oh enemy of Indra, increase in size so that you forthwith can kill your opponent.'

Tvashthâ [see 5.15: 14-15], having lost his son, thereafter performed a sacrifice for creating an enemy with the words: 'O enemy of Indra, flourish so that after not too long a time you can kill your adversary.' (Vedabase)

   

Text 12

Thereupon from the anvâhârya fire [the fire to the south] a most frightening character appeared who looked like the destroyer of all the worlds at the end of the yuga.

Thereupon appeared from the anvâhârya fire [the fire to the south] a most frightening character that looked like the destroyer of all the worlds at the end of the yuga. (Vedabase)

 

Text 13-17

Day after day expanding to a distance of an arrow's reach, he resembled a burned mountain or clouds amassing in the evening with the sun shining from behind. Next to his hair, beard and mustache that were as red as molten copper, he had eyes blazing like the sun at noon. Dancing and shouting loudly he kicked up the dirt as he moved around with the firmament seemingly held high on his blazing trident. With his mouth deep as a cave swallowing the three worlds, he drank the sky and licked up the stars. Over and over yawning with his massive, fierce teeth, the people who saw him fearfully fled in all the ten directions.

Each day growing bigger he resembled a burnt mountain or clouds amassing in the evening with the sun shining from behind like arrows to all sides. To his hair, beard and mustache, that were as red as molten copper, had he eyes blazing like the sun at noon. He kicked up the dirt moving around dancing and shouting loudly with his blazing trident held high. With his mouth deep as a cave swallowing the three worlds, drank he the sky and licked he up the stars. Yawning over and over with his massive fierce teeth, fled the people who saw him in fear in all the ten directions. (Vedabase)

 

Text 18

He, that most fearful personification of sin, was in truth the form that the son of Tvashthâ had assumed. Now, by [dint of the power of] his previous austerity, he covered all the worlds and was thus called Vritra ['the encloser'].

He, that most fearful personification of sin, was in truth the form the son of Tvashthâ had taken. Now, by dint of his previous austerity, covered he all the worlds and was he thus called Vritra ['the encloser']. (Vedabase)
 
Text 19

All the defenders of wisdom together attacked him with their soldiers to strike him with each his own divine weapon, but Vritra swallowed the different weapons all at once.

Indra, together with the soldiers of all the defenders of wisdom, attacked him with the help of the complete of the divinity of their specific array of weapons, bows and arrows, but Vritra swallowed them all together. (Vedabase)

 

Text 20

Faced with that fact they were all struck with wonder and gathered disheartened, having lost their courage, to pray to the Original Person.

Facing that, were they all struck with wonder and gathered they, having lost their courage, disheartened to pray to the Supersoul, the Original Person of God. (Vedabase)

 

Text 21   

The gods said: 'We, with Lord Brahmâ first and [all the inhabitants of] the three worlds that are composed of air, fire, ether, water and earth, all trembling with fear, pay tribute to the destroyer [death, time]. But since he himself is afraid of Him [the eternal Original Personality], we should acknowledge the Lord as our refuge.

The godly said: 'We, together with the gods, who from the beginning with Lord Brahmâ created the three worlds that are composed of air, fire, ether, water and earth, do all, trembling with fear, pay tribute to the lord of death; but since he himself fears Him [the Original Personality], should we acknowledge Him as our refuge. (Vedabase)

 

Text 22

One is a fool when one wants to cross an ocean holding on to a dog's tail, one is a fool when one wants to approach anyone else but Him, He who is never astonished, whose desires are fully satisfied by His own potency, who is equipoised and of perfect peace.

One is a fool, when one wants to cross a sea holding on to a dog's tail; a fool if one wants to approach anyone else but Him who is never astound, always satisfied by His own achievements indeed, equipoised and very steady, and defies any material description.  (Vedabase)

 

Text 23

Just like Manu [here: king Satyavrata] who for surviving the flood bound his boat, our world, to the sturdy horn of Matsya, the Lord in the form of a fish, we who seek our refuge, are sure to be delivered [by Him] from our abysmal fear for the son of Tvashthâ.

Just like Manu [here: king Satyavrata] who bound his boat to the sturdy horn of Matsya [the fish-avatâra] to survive the flood, are we, dependents, sure to be delivered from the unending fear for the son of Tvashthâ, even though He in fact is there only in the form of a fish. (Vedabase)

 

Text 24

Formerly the Independent One [Svayambhű or Lord Brahmâ], alone on the lotus, was very afraid and by His grace narrowly escaped from a fall in the so very high waves of the waters of the flood blown up by the roaring wind [see 3.8]. May that deliverance be there also for us.

Formerly was the Independent One [Svayambhű or Lord Brahmâ], alone on the lotus, very afraid, by His grace narrowly escaping from a fall in the so very high waves of the waters of the flood blown up by the roaring wind [see 3.8]; let that deliverance there also be for us. (Vedabase)

 

Text 25

He, the one controller who by His transcendental potency created us and by whose mercy we also may create a world of matter [a culture], can, although He stands in front of us as the actor, not in His form be recognized by us, who consider themselves separate controllers.

He, the one controller who by His transcendental potency created us and by whose mercy we also may create a world of matter, can, although He is in front of us as the actor, not in His form be recognized by us, who consider themselves separate controllers. (Vedabase)

 

Text 26-27

When we are heavily tormented by our opponents, He who exists eternally comes to our rescue age after age with His material potency in different avatâra forms among the sages, the human beings and the animals, in order to protect each and everyone near and dear to Him. He, the Godhead and True Self of us all and of every other living being, is the transcendental, original cause, the primary principle of nature [pradhâna], the Supreme Enjoyer whose energy is known in de form of the universe, from which He Himself stands apart. He is the refuge we can all surrender to. He, that Great Soul, will bless us, His devotees, with all good fortune.'

He who among us, who are always pestered by our enemies, and among the godly, the animals and men always is certain by His own internal potency to appear as an incarnation in different forms, protects in each millennium anyone dear and near to Him. Him indeed, the God and Lord of all of us and every other living being, is the transcendental original primary principle of nature, the Supreme Enjoyer whose energy is known in the form of the universe from which He Himself stands apart; He is the shelter that by all of us is approached; may He, the greatest of the Soul, bless with all good fortune us, His devotees who themselves serve as a shelter.' (Vedabase)


Text 28

Srî S'uka said: 'Because of that prayer of the enlightened souls, oh King, He, with them turning inward, became visible with His conch shell, disc and club. 

S'rî S'uka said: 'Because of that prayer of the enlightened souls, o King, became He, directing the vision inside, visible with His conchshell, disc and club. (Vedabase)

 

Text 29-30

He was surrounded by sixteen servants with eyes blooming like lotuses in autumn, who looked just like Him, except for the Kaustubha jewel and the S'rîvatsa mark. Seeing Him, oh King, they all threw themselves at His feet, overwhelmed with happiness because of seeing Him directly. Thereafter they slowly stood up and offered their prayers.

On all sides was He, with eyes blooming like lotuses in autumn, attended by sixteen servants that were alike Him except for the Kaustubha jewel and the S'rîvatsa mark. Seeing Him, o King, they all fell prostrating to the ground, overwhelmed with happiness of seeing Him directly. Then they slowly stood up and offered prayers. (Vedabase)

 

Text 31

The godly souls said: 'You, oh Lord awarding the results of sacrifice, we offer our obeisances. You, using the cakra [the disc, the cyclic order of time] as a weapon, are the one to set the limits. All our respect for You who are known by so many transcendental names.

The godly said: 'Unto You, o Lord of the Sacrifice, do we, although You are the one to put an end to it all, bring our obeisances, because You are indeed the one using the cakra [the disc, the cyclic, the order of time] as a weapon; all our respect for You who is known by so many transcendental names. (Vedabase)

 

Text 32

They who appeared after You in creation, after You, the controller of the three destinations [of going to hell, to heaven or the purgatory], cannot understand Your supreme abode [Vaikunthha].

Of You as the controller of the three destinations [of going to hell, to heaven or the purgatory] there is the supreme abode [of Vaikunthha]; having appeared after You in the creation, o controller, is one not able to understand. (Vedabase)

 

Text 33

Oh Lord, let there be our obeisances unto You, oh Bhagavân Nârâyana, oh Vâsudeva, oh Original Person, oh Highest Personality, oh Supreme Giver of Insight, oh Most Auspicious One, oh Transcendental Benediction, oh Greatness of Mercy, oh Changeless Support of the Universe, Only Proprietor of all Worlds, Ruler over All and Husband of Lakshmî Devî. The best of those completely detached [the sannyâsîs] wandering all around the world, fully purified by their transcendental absorption in devotional yoga [bhakti], push, by [the strength of] their dutiful respect of being paramahamsas ['swans of the Supreme'], open the door of this illusory existence that gives access to a consciousness in the spiritual world that is free from contaminations. Thus personally experiencing the continuity of Your Lordship, one finds happiness.

O Lord, let there be our obeisances unto You, o Bhagavân Nârâyana, o Vâsudeva, o Original Person, o Highest Personality, o Supreme One of Opulence, o Most Auspicious One, o Transcendental Benediction, o Greatness of Mercy, o Changeless Support of the Universe and Only Proprietor of all Worlds, Ruler over All and Husband of Lakshmî Devî; by the transcendental absorption in devotional yoga are the best of the completely detached who wander all around, fully purified and do they by their dutiful respect of being paramahamsas ['swans of the supreme'] push open the door of the illusory existence that gives access to the consciousness that is free from contaminations in the spiritual world; personally experiencing Your Lordship does each of them thus find Your bliss. (Vedabase)

 

Text 34

It is rather difficult to understand how You, in pastimes relating to the unification of consciousness, without taking shelter of anyone or anything, without having a physical body, without awaiting our cooperation, without being transformed Yourself by the basic qualities of nature, in transcendence above those modes can be of creation, annihilation and maintenance. 

This engagement of Yours in pastimes about the union in which You, not depending on anything else, not on this or that embodiment, never wait for us to cooperate, is rather difficult to understand; although You are transcendental to the modes of matter are You, by Your own self always being without transformations, nevertheless of creation, annihilation and maintenance. (Vedabase)

 

Text 35

Therefore we do not really know whether Your Lordship is there like an ordinary human being bound to actions in the material world, like someone who under the influence of the modes thus depends on time, space, activities and nature - and thereby is forced to accept the good and bad results of his own actions - or whether You are there as a completely self-satisfied [âtmârâma] and self-controlled person who never fails in his spiritual potency and is always a neutral witness.

In that respect therefore we wonder whether your Lordship is like an ordinary human being, bound to action in the material world, that has fallen under the influence of the modes in a dependence on time, space, activities and nature and therewith is forced to accept the good and bad results of what he does oneself; or whether You, completely self-satisfied and self-controlled of nature, are the unfailing spiritually potent and ever neutral witness. Here we are sure not to understand You. (Vedabase)


Text 36

Those two positions certainly do not form a contradiction in You, the Fortunate One. For what would be impossible to You whose attributes are unlimited, You who are the Supreme Lord of unfathomable glories? You are by the present-day thinkers doubted with opinions and arguments laid down in scriptures containing judgments based upon halfhearted investigations and fallacious logic. But You are out of the range of the agitated minds of the obstinate theorists resorting to controversies. You, withdrawn from all of them, are hidden from view behind Your bewildering illusory energy, the incomparable and inscrutable potency [by which you make and break]. You after all, are not divided in two natures.

Surely there is with You no contradiction in one's both being of the supreme, unlimited and Highest controller possessing all qualities that is of an unfathomable ability and glory, and one's being of an actually equivocal, opposing, judgmental, premature, argumentative, by scriptures agitated mind whose shelter is enjoyed by wicked obstinates and controversial philosophers out of line. With You withdrawn from all the illusory of matter, with the unparalleled of You, do You with soul and world form the inconceivable go-between of which indeed it is impossible to grasp the extend due to the absence of the nature of duplicity in You. (Vedabase)


Text 37

Perceiving a piece of rope, one does or does not see a snake. Similarly one concludes, [really] being intelligent, to following [the person of You and the âcârya] or else not.

The way one perceiving a piece of rope sees a snake or not, does one the same way, when one is intelligent, conclude to the person of You, or else not. (Vedabase)

 

Text 38

You, on closer scrutiny, are the essence of authenticity, the controller of all and everything spiritual and material. You are there as the cause of all causes of the entire universe who with all qualities are present within all, up to the minutest atom. You are [with the temporality] of all manifestations the only one who remains.

With You, on closer scrutiny, being the substance, the controller of all in everything spiritual and material, who is there as the cause of all causes of the entire universe and who, up to the minutest atom, is present everywhere with all the quality, are You, of all the manifestations, indeed the only one to remain. (Vedabase)


Text 39

For that reason these exalted devotees, who relating to You but once tasted a drop of the nectar of Your glories and with the continuous flow of bliss within their minds forgot about the vague and limited reflection of the sights and sounds of material happiness, have faith in You alone as the Supreme Personality, the only and dearest friend of all living entities. How can those devotees, whose minds are of a complete and continuous absorption, oh Killer of Madhu, or who, as said, are hands-on experts in having accepted You as the dear most lover and friend, then ever give it up to serve Your lotus feet that never again allow a return to this material ocean?

Therefore indeed are those, who relating to You but once have tasted a drop of the nectar of Your glories, in their minds of the incessant flow of bliss and are they, having forgotten the vague and limited portion of the sights and sounds of material happiness, as exalted devotees, solely of faith in You as the Supreme Personality, the only friend and dearmost one of all living entities. How can those devotees, whose minds are of a complete and continuous happiness, o Killer of Madhu, or those who are, as said, true experts in the matters of life in having accepted You as the dearmost lover and friend in their servicing Your lotus feet, then ever give up this life wherein there is never again the repetition of birth and death? (Vedabase)

 

Text 40

Oh loving Soul and shelter, oh power and opulence, oh maintainer and seer and most attractive beauty of the three worlds, because of Your expansions in the material energy we are sure that, with Your manifestations in different forms as the Lord of the enlightened souls [Vâmana], of the human beings [Râmacandra and Krishna], of the animals [Varâha], of a mixture of them [Nrisimhadeva] and of the aquatics [Matsya and Kűrma], all the sons of Diti and Danu and such for their conspiring are awarded the proper punishment depending the offense, oh Supreme Chastiser. May You, if You deem it necessary, likewise kill this [terrible] son of Tvashthâ.

O loving Soul and shelter of the three worlds, o power and opulence of the three worlds, o maintainer and seer of the three worlds, o most beautiful one of attraction in the three worlds, because of Your expansions in the material energy are we sure that by Your own Self manifested in the different forms of the enlightened [Vâmana], the humans [Râmacandra and Krishna], the animals [Varâha], a mixture of them [Nrisimhadeva] and of the aquatics [Matsya and Kűrma], at the time of their collusion all the sons of Diti and Danu and such are awarded the right punishment according each his offense, o Supreme Chastiser; and may You likewise also kill this one, the son of Tvashthâ, if You deem it necessary. (Vedabase)

 

Text 41

In our full surrender totally relying on You, oh Father of Fathers, oh Lord Hari, our hearts are chained in love by the meditation on Your two feet that are like two blue lotuses. By the manifestation of Your own form, by Your compassionate smile that is pure, pacifying and pleasing, with the drops of nectar of the very sweet words that emanate from Your mouth, the worries melt away of the souls You accepted as Your own. You, oh Purest One, we consider the one eligible to take away our deep pain.

With us in full surrender totally relying on You, o Father of Fathers, o Lord Hari, are our hearts chained in love by meditation on the two of Your feet that are alike two blue lotuses; by the manifestation of Your own form, by Your compassionate smile, colorful brightness and highest pleasing, by Your cool, do those You accepted as Your own, melt in compassion with the drops of nectar of the very sweet words emanating from Your mouth, and consider we You the one eligible to curb the great pain deep within us, o Purest One. (Vedabase)


Text 42

Therefore, oh Supreme Lord, what can we, as sparks of the original fire [the 'golden seed' that You are], tell You, You who personally are amused to be engaged in creation, destruction and maintenance with Your divine energy, You, who as the Supersoul and spirit of the absolute Brahman resides in the hearts of all the different living beings and externally are present according to time, place and the physical constitution, You, whom one realizes as the cause of that what constitutes the [existence and consciousness of the] living being, You, as the witness of all that is going on, as the witnessing itself and the embodiment of the eternal memory of the entire universe [the âkâs'a record]?

Therefore o Supreme Lord, what would for us, who are like sparks to the original fire, be the purport or special necessity of the fact that You, who are directly the Supreme Absolute Truth, are informed by us? You being the cause of all creation, maintenance, and destruction of the material world, are, in Your entertaining Yourself with the spiritual energy, as well present in the core of the hearts of all the hordes of living entities as outside of them, as well as of the Supersoul beyond them. By the external elements of Your forms and the particulars according the circumstance, time, sort of body and material position is there thanks to You, as the exhibitor of all material causes, as the witness of all that is going on, as the witnessing itself, the eternal memory of the whole universe [the âkâshic record]. (Vedabase)


Text 43

Because You are our Supreme Lord and Master of Transcendence, please arrange for us a position in the shadow of the thousand-petaled lotus flowers that are Your feet, so that we may be relieved of the pain resulting from the dangers and desires of this conditioned existence that made us approach You.

For that reason of being our Supreme Lord and Master of Transcendence, please arrange by the thousand-petaled lotus flowers that are Your feet, a position in their shadow in order to alleviate the pain resulting from the dangers and desires of this conditioned life which have led us to approach You. (Vedabase)

 

Text 44

Please, oh Controller, put an end now to this son of Tvashthâ who is devouring the three worlds and has exhausted, oh Krishna, oh bliss of eternal existence [*, see B.G. 4: 4-6], all our strength, arrows and other means of defense.

Hence o Controller, put an end to this son of Tvashthâ, who is devouring the three worlds and has consumed, o Krishna [see: B.G. 4: 4-6], all our strength and power, arrows and other means of defense. (Vedabase)

 

Text 45

You, the swanlike Lord who has His abode in the kernel of the heart where You supervise the actions of the individual soul, You, that manifestation of Krishna whose reputation as a redeemer is so bright, You, who are without a beginning and who are solely understood by the pure devotee, You, the path in this world, the friend and refuge, You, the ultimate goal of that elder brother to perform sacrifices for, we offer our obeisances.'

Unto You as the Purest One who has His abode in the kernel of the heart, where You supervise the individual its actions, unto that manifestation of Krishna whose reputation as a redeemer is so bright, unto Him without a beginning who is solely understood by the pure devotee, unto that ultimate end of finding a safe harbor within this material world, unto the ultimate goal and supreme success of life, unto that Lordship, we offer our obeisances.' (Vedabase)

 

Text 46

S'rî S'uka said: 'After by the servants of the three worlds this way with due respect having been worshiped, oh King, the Lord, pleased to hear their praises, replied.

S'rî S'uka said: 'After by all the servants of the three worlds this way with due respect having been worshiped o King, replied the Lord, pleased as he was to hear their glorifying. (Vedabase)

 

Text 47

The Supreme Lord said: 'I am very happy with you, oh best of the demigods. By your knowledgeable prayers unto Me man can remember Me and be of devotion unto Me as the Original Self of the opulences.

The Supreme Lord said: 'I'm very pleased with you o best of the godly, by your knowledgeable prayers unto Me as the Original Self and ruler over the remembrance of man, have You done Me a great service in Your devotion. (Vedabase)

 

Text 48

When I am satisfied one can achieve anything that is difficult to realize. Still, oh best of the intelligent ones, he who knows the truth, having fixed his attention exclusively on Me, does not desire for anything else but Me.

When I am satisfied can one have whatever that is difficult to obtain; still o best of the intelligent, does he who knows the truth, having fixed his attention exclusively on Me, not desire for anything but Me. (Vedabase)

 

Text 49

A miserable person [kripana] looking for the material quality of things has no knowledge of the ultimate end of the soul and he who awards what is desired by them is not a whit better.

A miser [kripana] does, under the attraction of the formative of nature, not know the ultimate end of the soul, and the one who awards the desire for such things is no better. (Vedabase)

 

Text 50

Someone who knows the supreme goal of life will not tell an ignorant person to build up karma, just like an experienced physician would not give a patient the wrong food, not even when he would ask for it.

One who personally knows of the supreme goal of life will not teach an ignorant one to build up karma exactly like a physician of experience wouldn't prescribe a patient the wrong foodstuffs, not even if the patient would desire them. (Vedabase)

 

Text 51

Oh patron of sacrifice [Maghavan; Indra], good fortune to all of you, go and without delay ask Dadhyańca [Dadhîci], the most exalted of all saints, for his body that is firm because of his knowledge, vows and austerity.

O patron of sacrifice [Maghavan; Indra], good fortune to all of you, go and without delay ask with Dadhyańca [Dadhîci], the most exalted of saints in education, penance and the essence, for the physical means. (Vedabase)

 

Text 52

Dadhyańca is someone who has assimilated the spiritual knowledge of purity that is called 'the head of the horse' [As'vas'ira]. He delivered that knowledge to the As'vins who then became receptive to immortality [they became jivan-mukhas, liberated souls even in this life **].

Dadhyańca is no doubt he who, having assimilated the purely spiritual, delivered it to the As'vins; by the teaching that is called 'the head of the horse' [As'vas'ira] is there of them the award of immortality [*]. (Vedabase)

 

Text 53

Dadhyańca, the son of Atharvâ, delivered his invincible armor [of mantras] controlled by Me to Tvashthâ who gave it to Vis'varűpa. He in his turn delivered this [Nârâyana-kavaca protection in prayers] to you.

Dadhyańca, the son of Atharvâ, his invincible protection [in mantras] consisting of Myself [see previous Chapter] was given to Tvashthâ, who gave it to Vis'varűpa and that which Tvashthâ delivered have you again received from him. (Vedabase)

 

Text 54

[Dadhyańca] the knower of dharma will for your sake give the As'vins his limbs when they ask for them. With them Vis'vakarmâ will create the most powerful of all weapons [the thunderbolt] by means of which, because it is invested with My power, the head of Vritrâsura can be severed.

The limbs of that knower of the dharma [Dhadyańca], that for all of you have been asked for by the As'vins, will be given to you. From them will by Vis'vakarmâ be manufactured the most powerful of all weapons. With the help of that weapon invested with my power, can the head of Vritrâsura be taken. (Vedabase)


Text 55

When he is killed you will all regain your wealth, power, arrows and other means of defense. All good fortune will be yours, because you, My devotees, will not be hurt.'

When he is killed will all of you regain your wealth, power, arrows and other means of defense; all good fortune will be yours, because you, being My devotees, will not be hurt. (Vedabase)

 

*: The anachronistic use of the name of Krishna in this context is etymologically explained as the combination of the syllables krish and na, implying respectively 'absolute existence' and 'beatitude' as the characteristics of the Supreme Reality.

**: In this context the âcâryas tell the following story: 'The great saint Dadhîci had perfect knowledge of how to perform fruitive activities, and he had advanced spiritual knowledge as well. Knowing this, the As'vinî-kumâras once approached him and begged him to instruct them in spiritual science (brahma-vidyâ). Dadhîci Muni replied, "I am now engaged in arranging sacrifices for fruitive activities. Come back some time later." When the As'vinî-kumâras left, Indra, the king of heaven, approached Dadhîci and said, "My dear muni, the As'vinî-kumâras are only physicians. Please do not instruct them in spiritual science. If you impart the spiritual science to them despite my warning, I shall punish you by cutting off your head." After warning Dadhîci in this way, Indra returned to heaven. The As'vinî-kumâras, who understood Indra's desires, returned and begged Dadhîci for brahma-vidyâ. When the great saint Dadhîci informed them of Indra's threat, the As'vinî-kumâras replied, "Let us first cut off your head and replace it with the head of a horse. You can instruct brahma-vidyâ through the horse's head, and when Indra returns and cuts off that head, we shall reward you and restore your original head." Since Dadhîci had promised to impart brahma-vidyâ to the As'vinî-kumâras, he agreed to their proposal. Therefore, because Dadhîci imparted brahma-vidyâ through the mouth of a horse, this brahma-vidyâ is also known as As'vas'ira.'

 

 

 

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The painting of Vishnu is of B.K. Mitra.
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