S'RÎMAD BHÂGAVATAM

"The story of the fortunate one"

CANTO 6:

Prescribed Duties for Mankind

Chapter 1 Dharma and Adharma: the Life of Ajâmila

Chapter 2 Ajâmila Delivered by the Vishnudûtas: the motivation for the Holy Name

Chapter 3 Yamarâja Instructs His Messengers

Chapter 4 The Hamsa-guhya Prayers Offered to the Lord by Prajâpati Daksha

Chapter 5 Nârada Muni Cursed by Prajâpati Daksha

Chapter 6 The Progeny of the Daughters of Daksha

Chapter 7 Indra Offends His Spiritual Master, Brihaspati

Chapter 8 The Armor of Mantra's that Protected Indra

Chapter 9 Appearance of the Demon Vritrâsura

Chapter 10 The Battle Between the Demigods and Vritrâsura

Chapter 11 The Transcendental Qualities of Vritrâsura

Chapter 12 Vritrâsura's Glorious Death

Chapter 13 King Indra Afflicted by Sinful Reaction

Chapter 14 King Citraketu's Lamentation

Chapter 15 The Saints Nârada and Angirâ Instruct King Citraketu

Chapter 16 King Citraketu Meets the Supreme Lord

Chapter 17 Mother Pârvatî Curses Citraketu

Chapter 18 Diti Vows to Kill King Indra

Chapter 19 Performing the Pumsavana Ritualistic Ceremony 

 Chapter 1

Dharma and Adharma: the Life of Ajâmila

(1) S'rî Parîkchit said: 'By following the path of liberation described in the beginning by your Holiness is duly to order, by means of the process of yoga and by Lord Brahmâ, learnt how not to start for another life. (2) Marked by fate and indeed directed at the three modes, is one time and again caught in the material world, where there is a constant renewal of forms, o sage. (3) The hells typical for the different sorts of impiety you described as also the period of Manu, the manvantara wherein we find the original Svâyambhuva son of Brahmâ. (4-5) Of Priyavrata and of Uttânapâda you described the character and the dynasties and also did you describe the different realms, regions, oceans, mountains, rivers, gardens and trees of the earthly sphere and its situation in the sense of the divisions, characteristics and measurements of all the higher and lower worlds that the Almighty created. (6) Please explain to me right now what human beings must do out here so that they may not have to undergo all the sorts of terrible conditions of veritable suffering in hell.'

(7) S'rî S'uka said: 'If within this life not the necessary counteraction, the proper atonement, after doing the wrong things in the mind, in one's words and in one's sensuality have been performed, will undoubtedly that person indeed after death end in the different types of hell of terrible suffering, which I've already described to you. (8) Therefore, before one's death and before one's body is too old and decrepit, should one out here quickly indeed endeavor to nullify one's sins with a proper estimate of its gravity, just like a physician good at diagnosing would do treating a disease.

(9) The king said: 'Since one despite from hearing and seeing about it and from knowing how harmful to the self one acts in committing sins, is not able to control falling in repetition, of what value then is atonement? (10) Sometimes ceasing with the sin, sometimes engaging in it again, I consider the process of atonement quite useless; like with an elephant covering itself with dust after coming out of the water.'

(11) The son of Vyâsa said: 'By undoing karma is indeed, from being without knowledge, not its end realized; for real atonement one really has to be through with all that. (12) Those who eat the right food are truly not overcome by all sorts of disease indeed, similarly is the one acting in orderly observance o King, more and more likely to be well. (13-14) This is done by vow and regulation [yama and niyama]; voluntary penance, celibacy, mindcontrol [in dhyana and japa e.g.] and restraint of the sensual as also by donating to good causes, truthfulness and internal and external cleanliness. By the body, the voice and by the intelligence do the sober ones in full knowledge of the actual duty of dharma with faith destroy all kinds of sin, however great and abominable, like fire does with dry leaves. (15) Some manage, in relying on nothing but unalloyed devotion [*] towards Vâsudeva, to destroy all their badness beyond revival like the sun does with fog. (16) A man full of sin, o King is for certain not as much purified by penance and such as the devotee who surrendered his life to Krishna is in dedicated service unto the original person of God [or the âcârya]. (17) In this world is the path that is really appropriate the one that is followed by the well-behaved, fearless and auspicious, saintly people in surrender of Nârâyana. (18) Most of the atonement well performed by a nondevotee will not purify, o King, like all the rivers can't with the washing of a liquor jar. (19) Once the mind is of full surrender to the two lotusfeet of Lord Krishna, will one hankering after His qualities out here never encounter Yamarâja and his superintendents, or even in one's dreams meet his servants carrying the ropes to bind, as one indeed is then of the right atonement [compare B.G. 18:66]. (20) To this is also the example given of the very old story of the discussion between the order-carriers of Vishnu and Yamarâja. Please take notice of this from me.

(21) In the city of Kânyakubja there was some brahmin with the name of Ajâmila who as the husband of a low class woman was contaminated by the association with her services and had lost all his truthful conduct. (22) By having resorted to reprehensible exploits as arresting without need, cheating in gambling and theft, he maintained his family a most sinful way, causing trouble to others. (23) Living on this way, keeping up his family consisting of many sons, o King, passed the great amount of time of eighty-eight years of his life. (24) He, as an old man, had ten sons and the youngest of them was a small child that by the father and the mother was held very dear and addressed by the name of Nârâyana. (25) He kept the little one close at heart; to see its child-talk and its playing enjoyed the old man very much. (26) As he ate, drank and chewed did he in great affection for the child feed it and give it something to drink too, but being foolish did he not understand that his end had come. (27) Thus, living as an ignoramus, did he, when his time to die had arrived, fix his mind on the child son who carried the name of Nârâyana. (28-29) At a short distance he saw that three characters, with ropes in their hands and fearful features, twisted faces and their hairs erect on their bodies, had arrived, ready to take him away. Terrified and with tears in his eyes he loudly called for his nearby playing child with the name of Nârâyana thus. (30) Hearing the chant of the name of the Lord their master from the mouth of the dying man, o King, arrived His attendants immediately. (31) As the messengers of Yâma were snatching the husband of the maid away from within the heart, did the Vishnudûtas with resounding voices forbade it. (32) They being forbidden replied to them: 'Who are you all, to oppose the jurisdiction of the King of Dharma? (33) To whom or where do you belong, why have you come here and why are you forbidding us to proceed? Who would you be, the best of the perfect, gods or some godlike? (34-36) You all, with your lotuslike eyes, yellow garments, helmets, glittering earrings and lotusflower garlands; you all, looking so young and all beautiful with four arms, bow, quiver of arrows and the decoration of a sword, club, conch, disc and lotusflower, in all directions you dissipate the darkness by the effulgence of the light emanating from you; what is the purpose of your denying us, the servants of the Maintainer of Dharma?'

(37) S'uka said: 'Thus being addressed by the Yamadûtas did they, always ready to serve Vâsudeva, reply them smilingly the following, with voices resounding like rumbling clouds. (38) The honorable Vishnudûtas said: 'If the lot of you are indeed the order-carriers of the King of Dharma, then you tell us the truth of dharma as also how adharma should be recognized. (39) In what way should punishment be administered or what would be the suitable place to do so, and are all or only some of the humans out for their advantage punishable?'

(40) The Yamadûtas said: 'In the Veda's indeed is the dharma prescribed, adharma is the opposite of that; the Veda's are to be seen as born from Himself, from Nârâyana, so we've heard. (41) By Him, from His own position, are under the rule of the modes of passion, goodness and slowness all these manifestations created and have they their appropriate differences in qualities, names, activities and forms. (42) The divinity of the sun, the fire, the sky, the air, the gods, the moon, the evening, the day and the night, the directions, the water and the land; all these are Dharma personified verily thus bearing witness to the embodied living entity. (43) By all these is the deviation in adharma known and are the proper places of punishment all acknowledged with regard to the karma in question of the sinners deserving the chastisement. (44) With the karmîs who contaminated by the modes took up a material form, are there indeed auspicious pious acts as well as actions opposite to that, o sinless ones, as there verily is not a single one who does his work completely free from material motives. (45) The extent to which someone in this life performs a certain adharma or dharma, assures him of enjoying or suffering a particular result in accord with it in his next life [compare B.G. 14: 18]. (46) The way in this life among the living, o best of the divine, from the different effects of the natural modes, the three kinds of attributes are achieved [of being peaceful, restless and foolish; of being happy, unhappy or in-between; or of being religious, irreligious and semi-religious], similarly may one expect it to be reaching elsewhere [in an afterlife]. (47) Just as the present time is evidence of the past and an indication for the future, is even so this birth indicative of the dharma and adharma of one's past and future births. (48) In his abode does the godhead [of Yamarâja] in his mind's eye observe the previous form taken and considers he its possible future; to the mind is he a great Lord as good as Brahmâ. (49) The way someone in his sleep is engaged in acting to a particular form, is one similarly unaware of the past and of what's next, of birth having lost the remembrance. (50) By the seventeen of the five working senses, the five senses of perception and their five objects, he performs, knows and has its interests, but with these fifteen elements and the mind to it, is he himself the one [soul] that is the seventeenth element enjoying the threefold. (51) Since that sixteen part subtle body is the effect of the three forces of the greater of nature, is the living entity subjected to a [difficult to overcome] perpetual transmigration [samsrti] that gives it jubilation, lamentation, fear and misery. (52) The embodied one missing the awareness not being in control with the senses and the mind is against his will caused to perform actions for his own material benefit; like a silkworm he thus weaves himself into his own karma, getting bewildered. (53) There is verily no one who but for a moment can remain without doing anything; indeed is one by the three modes automatically forced to perform fruitive activities that are the result of one's own natural tendencies. (54) By the so very powerful inborn nature comes no doubt as a copy to the mothers flesh and the fathers seed into being the gross and the subtle of the body driven by the, for the person invisible, cause [see also: B.G. 8:6]. (55) The position of a living entity has because of this association with the material of nature come to be an awkward one of forgetfulness, but if one has not too long been away from the association of the Controller, is that overcome.

(56-57) This one [Ajâmila] indeed was always good with the Veda, of good character, good conduct and a reservoir of good qualities; conscientiously he followed the injunctions, was mild, controlled, truthful, knew his mantra's, was neat and clean, of the greatest esteem in service of the guru, the fire-god, his guests and members of the household and free from false pride, friendly to all, faultless, non-envious and of the best words. (58-60) Once did this brahmin, following the orders of his father, go to the forest to collect from there fruits and flowers and samit and kus'a [types of grass]. Returning, he saw some s'ûdra very lusty together with a public woman that drunken of maireya nectar [a drink made from the somaflower] rolled her eyes to and fro of the intoxication. Under the influence had her dress slackened and unashamed having fallen from proper behavior was he close by singing and laughing, having a good time with her. (61) Seeing her with his lusty, with turmeric decorated, arm around her, was he thus all of a sudden sure, of his pursuing heart, to fall victim of perplexity. (62) From within trying to get himself under control, reminding himself what was taught, did he not manage to restrain his mind, agitated as it was by Cupid. (63) Caused by the sight, in his minds deception, was he a planet in eclipse forgetting his real position and did he, sure of keeping his mind contemplating her, completely forsake his dharma. (64) Her he ventured to please, as far as the money he had from his father would permit it, offering her material certainty in catering to her desires, so that she thus would be satisfied. (65) His youthful wife, a brahmins daughter from a respectable family whom he was married to, he in sin gave up the moment his mind got caught by the looks of the public woman. (66) By all means and at all times did he, this person, bereft of all intelligence, by either properly or improperly getting the money for it, take care of her and the many children making up her family. (67) Because this one broke with all the rules of the sâstra acting irresponsibly, is his life of passing such a long time in sinful activities, because of the impurity very much condemned as being unclean. (68) Since he was of no atonement for his perpetual sinning, shall we therefore take him to the presence of the Lord of Punishment where being chastised he will find purification.'

•: In this regard comments S'rîla Jîva Gosvâmî that bhakti may be divided into two divisions: (1) santata, devotional service that continues incessantly with faith and love, and (2) kâdâ-citkî, devotional service that does not continue incessantly but is sometimes awakened. Incessantly flowing devotional service (santata) may also be divided into two categories: (1) service performed with slight attachment and (2) spontaneous devotional service. Intermittent devotional service (kâdâcitkî) may be divided into three categories: (1) râgâbhâsamayî, devotional service in which one is almost attached, (2) râgâbhâsa-sûnya-svarûpa-bhûtâ, devotional service in which there is no spontaneous love but one likes the constitutional position of serving, and (3) âbhâsa-rûpâ, a slight glimpse of devotional service.  

Chapter 2  

Ajâmila Delivered by the Vishnudûtas: the motivation for the Holy Name

(1) The son of Vyâsadeva said: 'O King, the servants of the Supreme Lord having heard what the Yamadûtas said then replied them, good as they were in argument and logic, in proper terms. (2) The Vishnudûtas said: 'Alas, how painful it is to see how irreligion affects the dharmic community; how from those being allotted the task, sinless people have to undergo punishment unnecessarily. (3) To whom must the citizens go for shelter if there is wrongdoing among those, who as the protectors of the citizens, endowed with all good qualities and equal to all, are to give instruction? (4) Whatever the better man puts in practice is done by the rest as whatever he does is, by the general public that is of following, accepted as the right thing [see also B.G. 3:21] (5-6) In whose lap the mass of people just like pets have laid their head to sleep in peace, indeed not knowing what would exactly be dharma or adharma; how can such a person with a soft heart enjoying the trust of the living beings, give pain to the unawares who surrendered themselves in good faith and friendship? (7) This one here has indeed already atoned for the sins of millions of births because he, being helpless, chanted the holy name of the Lord, that is the means for liberation. (8) This way, when he said 'O Nârâyana, please come', there is for sure for the mischief performed by this sinner the complete of atonement realized, as he thus chanted the four syllables [nâ-râ-ya-na]. (9-10) A thief, an alcoholic, a spiteful one, he who killed a brahmin, he who lusted for his guru's wife and he who murdered a woman, a king, cows or his father, all those and many others of sin; although they might have committed many sins, will Lord Vishnu attend to anyone who is of that concern for Him, considering the chanting of the holy name the perfection of atonement. (*) (11) A sinful man is not to that extend purified by the atonement in obedience of vows prescribed by the brahminical as he is by uttering the syllables of the Lord His name which remind one of the qualities of the One hailed by the scriptures [compare: 6.1:16]. (12) Although one was of atonement, will the mind run out again on the path of the untrue, because the heart was not fully cleansed; therefore do those who are seriously interested in putting an end to their karma [see B.G. 4: 16], indeed actually purify their existence by setting their mouths to the glories of the Lord [compare: 1.2: 17]. (13) Therefore do not try to take him with you; he has already found the infinite to the atonement for his sins because he chanted the name of the Supreme Lord as he was dying [see also B.G. 7.27 and 8.5]. (14) For other purposes, for fun, as entertainment or casually done has resounding the name [of the Lord] of Vaikunthha an unlimited capacity to neutralize sin, thus know the advanced. (15) If one has fallen, slipped, broken one's bones, has been bitten or is plagued with disease or injured, is a person thus having ended relating to the Lord sure not to be thrown into a hellish life [see also B.G. 8:6]. (16) By the great sages who are well versed has the heavy and light of atonement been prescribed to the heavy and light of sins. (17) But all the sinful that according them finds it end in austerity, charity, vows and such, does not dissolve the adharmic knot in the heart; that one reaches in the service of what belongs to the Controller. (18) Knowingly or unknowingly chanting the name of the One praised in the verses is that which, like fire does with dry grass, burns to ashes the sins of a person. (19) A mantra uttered manifests its potency just like a powerful medicine does that somehow or other by even an ignorant one was taken the right way.'

(20) S'rî S'uka said: 'They, perfectly making sure what dharma is in terms of service to the Lord, o King, thus rescued him from the noose of Yamarâja, releasing him from death. (21) O subduer of the enemies, the Yamadûtas thus having been answered went to the abode of Yamarâja to duly inform him in detail about everything that had happened. (22) The twice-born one being released from the noose, now free from fear came to his senses and offered his respects bowing his head unto the servants of Vishnu, pleased as he was to see them. (23) The servants of the Supreme Personality though understanding, o sinless one, that he wanted to say something, suddenly disappeared there from before his eyes. (24-25) Ajâmila who because of the talks about Lord Hari thus from the servants of Vishnu and Yamarâja came to know better of what the pure of dharma in relation to the Lord meant, how it is described in the three Veda's and how under the modes of nature in devotion unto the Supreme Lord the glorification of the name immediately purifies, greatly regretted all the bad that he remembered he had done: (26) 'Alas, because I lost the control over myself with this low class woman making babies, did I destroy all the brahminical in me and end up in utter misery. (27) Condemned by the honest is he who, abandoning his chaste young wife, fallen in sin has defamed the family; doomed I am, I, who had sex with an unchaste wino maid. (28) My father and mother, old, with no one else, no other friend to look after them, had to suffer badly from the moment they were given up by me, ungrateful as the lowest. (29) It may be clear that as such a truly miserable person, that all too lusty broke with the dharma, I should fall in hell to undergo there the pains of retribution. (30) Have I been dreaming or did I witness a miracle here? Where have all they now gone to who were dragging me away with ropes in their hands? (31) And where went those perfect four personalities of extreme beauty who released me when, direction hell, I was carried away arrested in ropes? (32) It was because of having seen these exalted devotees, of which the auspicious had to happen, that I, despite of my ill fortune, could see myself actually becoming happy! (33) Otherwise without, how can it be that a man heading for death, most unclean as a loyal to a prostitute, as such is able to have his tongue speak the word of the holy name of the Lord of Vaikunthha? (34) Where would I, such a cheater, sinner personified and shameless destroyer of his own culture, be; where would Nârâyana the all-auspicious of the holy name of the Supreme Lord then be? (35) As such a person of devotion I will endeavor in that way, so that controlling the senses, the mind and the breath, my soul will not again of ignorance be drawn into the darkness. (36-37) Released from this bondage in karmic actions of ignorance and lust will I be the self-realized, most kind, merciful and peaceful friend of all living entities. I will disentangle from the encasement of my soul, the being caught in mâyâ in the form of a woman, that for sure, so fallen, played with me like with a pet-animal. (38) Thus giving up on the I and mine of the body and the things related to it, I will engage, concentrating and behaving to the values, my mind with the pure of the Supreme Lord His name in song and everything thereto.'

(39) Thus did he give up the idea of a material life and did he go to Hardvar [from the Ganges 'the doorway to Hari'] being freed from all bondage by only for a moment associating with the holy. (40) There in a place of spiritual discipline [an ashram or temple] did he under the lead of yoga turn inward from his senses, [thus] fixing his mind on the true of the self. (41) To that absorbed within, detaching the mind from the direction of the modes, was he engaged with the Supersoul as the form of the Lord who's Self is step by step realized. (42) At the time he had fixed his mind and intelligence, did he get to see the persons before him he got to see previously; the twiceborn one then bowed his head in reverence. (43) At that holy place at the Ganges seeing them, he immediately gave up his vehicle of time, to assume his original spiritual form [svarûpa] fit for an associate of the Lord. (44) Going to heaven where the husband of the Goddess of Fortune [Vishnu] resides, did the one of learning along with the servants of the Lord board a celestial chariot [vimâna] made of gold. (45) This way did he who had forsaken all dharma, who had married a low class maid, had fallen into abominable activities and, having broken with all his vows, had landed in a hellish life, without delay find liberation in seizing the name of the Supreme Lord. (46) Therefore, in order not to become again attached to fruitive actions with a mind contaminated by passion and slowness, is there for persons desiring to escape from the material bondage no better means to cut with the karmic consequence than repeatedly singing the name of the Refuge of all Holy places. (47-48) Any person who with faith hears about or with great devotion recounts this confidential history that frees one from all sins, will indeed not, under the supervision of the servants of Yamarâja, go to hell, but will be welcomed in the spiritual world of Vishnu, whatever the mishap in his material life. (49) If at the time of his death Ajâmila by seizing the name of the Lord, even indicating his son, went to heaven, then what would it be if one holds on to the name with faith and love?

  *: It is this verse that âcârya's like S'rîla Visvanâtha Cakravartî Thâkura of the disciplic succession quote to give scriptural support to the argument that chanting the holy name will immediately cleanse oneself of all sins: it is how one calls for the Lord His protection. It is His dharma to do so and He will even incarnate for it if necessary as he explains in the Gîtâ (4.7). Also as Lord Caitanya He came down for this reason being prayed for by S'rî Advaita, and thus He reinstated the necessity of this Bhâgavatam for the religious reform of the people of our modern time to chant the holy name.

Chapter 3  

Yamarâja Instructs His Messengers

(1) The king said: 'What did the divinity, the King of Dharma whose order had been foiled, reply after he had heard what his servants, defeated by the order carriers of the Slayer of Mura [Krishna], who rules all people of the world, had to say? (2) O wise, this breaking of the order of a godhead like Yamarâja was a thing no one heard of before; o sage, to this I am convinced that there is verily no one better than you to remove the doubts of the people.'

(3) S'rî S'uka said: 'The servants of Death, o King, whose plans had been frustrated by the men of the Supreme Lord, informed their master Yamarâja, the ruler of the city of Samyamanî. (4) The Yamadûtas said: 'How many controllers are there factually in this material world, to the cause of fruitive activity performed under the influence of the manifestation that is known in three, o master? (5) If there are so many authorities in this world to chastise the sinner or not, how can there of them be any certainty of either misery or happiness? (6) Should there not, with the diversity of governors to the many karmîs in this world, be one head of administration like one has with the different heads of state departments? (7) As such would you be the one supreme master and ruler over all beings including the other controllers; you would be the master of punishment to tell right from wrong in human society. (8) None of it can one, with the punishment you ordained, find in existence in this world, now that your order has been surpassed by four of the most magnificent and perfect beings. (9) By force they cut the ropes releasing this sinner who by us on your order was taken to the places of requital. (10) About them who quickly arrived saying 'Do not fear' when 'Nârâyana' was uttered, we would like to hear from you, if you think us worthy.'

(11) The son of Vyâsadeva said: 'He, Lord Yamarâja the controller of all alive, thus being questioned, replied his servants, pleased to be reminded of the lotusfeet of the Lord. (12) Yamarâja said: 'Superior to me there is another one who is as the warp and woof of cloth to all the moving and unmoving; in Him the entire cosmos is found and of Him there are the partial manifestations of the maintenance [Vishnu], creation [Brahmâ] and destruction [S'iva] of this universe - of Him is the whole creation under control as by a rope through the nose. (13) By Him, who with different names in vedic language, like bulls by cords to a rope, binds the people who emanated from Him, are they all taxed, tied as they are by the obligations to their titles and karma that carry them fear. (14-15) That is so for even I myself the one of death, Indra of heaven, Nirriti of chaos, Varuna of water, Candra of the moon, Agni of fire, Lord S'iva of destruction, Pavana of the air, Brahmâ of creation, Sûrya of the sun, Vis'vâsu of beauty [see 4.18:17], the eight Vasu's of goodness, the Sâdhya's of the godly, the Maruts of the wind, the Rudra's of anger; the Siddha's of perfection, Marîci and the other ones settling order, immortal rulers like Brihaspati and sages like Bhrigu, if it is so with those who are not contaminated by passion and ignorance, who do not know themselves affected by mâyâ and who are predominantly of goodness, then what to say of others besides them? (16) He, the Supersoul present in the heart of all entities, can in fact by all that breathe, through the senses, the mind, the breath or by means of ideation and words not be seen or known, just like the different parts of the body cannot see the eyes supervising them [compare B.G.: 7:26]. (17) Of Him, who is the fully self-reliant Lord ruling everything, the Transcendence, the Master over the illusory energy of mâyâ, the Great of the Soul, are His order-carriers out here likewise in truth creating happiness with their appearance, to His nature with His qualities moving around in a body alike His. (18) The ones of Vishnu who are worshiped by the enlightened, have forms rarely seen that are most wonderful to behold; they protect the Lord His devotees against inimical ones like the normal mortals and those belonging to me and thus are they practically protected against everything. (19) The full of dharma that is established by directly the Supreme Lord only, is truly not known by the great rishi's, nor by the godly, nor by the best of perfection, nor by the ones of darkness, nor by the humans among whom one counts the ones founded in knowledge [the vidhyâdhara's] and the ones of music and song [the cârana's] and such. (20-21) Lord Brahmâ, Nârada, Lord S'iva, the four Kumâra's, Kapila, Manu, Prahlâda, Janaka, Bhîsma, Bali, the one of Vyâsa [like S'uka] and I myself; we, these twelve [mahâjana's], know of the dharma of surrender to the Lord, my dear servants, which is very confidential, of the purest and hard to grasp; he who understands it achieves eternal life [compare 3:32: 2 and B.G.: 18:66]. (22) So far is certain that for the people living in this material world the yoga of devotion unto the Supreme Lord starting with the singing of the holy name, is the recognised dharma of transcending. (23) Just see the exalted of pronouncing the holy name of the Lord my dear sons, see how it by itself assured the deliverance from the bondage to death. (24) This much suffices for removing the sins of man: the together chanting of the qualities and names to His actions, since this sinner at his death only innocently for his son crying out 'Nârâyana' thus achieved liberation. (25) Know that this of the mahâjana's, this of the divine, is practically always missed by indeed those whose minds got bewildered by mâyâ, whose intelligence was dulled to a great extend by the sweetness of the flowery language to the performances mentioned in the three Veda's and the weight of being preoccupied with fruitive activities [see also B.G. 2:42-43]. (26) Of this consideration take the sharp-witted indeed to the yoga of love unto the Supreme and Unlimited Lord; such persons do therefore not deserve my punishment and if there would be any falldown with them, then will that also be destroyed by the high praise they voice. (27) Never be after them, the godly and perfected to the pure narrations of which the devotees are singing who with an equal vision are of surrender to the Supreme Lord; because they are fully protected by the club of the Lord is it us, just as the time itself, not given to punish them. (28) Those who are unattached, those unbound swanlike of selfrealization [the paramahamsa's], continuously relish the honey of the lotusfeet; those who enjoy a household life in desires of bondage are on the path leading to hell. Bring those before me who are of the untrue and who turned against Mukunda, the Lord of Liberation [compare 2.1:4]. (29) All those who run from the truth, whose tongues never speak of the Supreme Lord His qualities and names, who do not know Him by heart, nor remember His lotusfeet, who do not even once bow their heads before what is of Krishna[see B.G. 4: 4-6] all those lacking in their duties towards Lord Vishnu, bring them before me. (30) I pray that He, the Supreme Lord, the original person, the oldest, Lord Nârâyana, will excuse me for my servants offense of impudence; we, me and my men, were of ignorance and with folded hands, in the glorious of respect unto the all-pervading Authentic Personality, we beg forgiveness.'

(31) (S'uka:) 'Therefore understand o descendant of Kuru, that the ultimate of atonement, the most auspicious in the world to cope with sin however great, is the together singing for Lord Vishnu. (32) Those who always hear and chant the heroic of the Lord that can wipe away all sin, may by devotional service very easily be purified, while that is not so easily brought about with the heart and soul set to the ceremonies and such. (33) The one who sticks to the honey of Krishna's lotusfeet does not fall in sin again because he already renounced the desire to enjoy the illusory to the modes of nature that brings distress; another one however, enchanted by the lust trying to do something to cleanse the passion out of his soul, is sure to find the passion reappear. (34) Being reminded of the power, the greatness of the Lord, explained to them by their master, were all the servants of Yamarâja struck with wonder; from then on, o King, they remembered to fear on sight the person who is never ever afraid in taking shelter of the Infallible One. (35) This very confidential history was explained to me by the most powerful sage, the son of Kumbha [Âgastya Muni] who residing in the Malaya hills worships the Lord.'

Chapter 4

The Hamsa-guhya Prayers Offered to the Lord by Prajâpati Daksha

(1-2) The king said: 'Although you in brief explained to me about the creation of the godly, the ones of darkness and the human beings; the serpentine, the beasts and the birds under the rule of Svâyambhuva Manu [see canto 3], I would like to hear a more detailed account about this from you, my Lord, as well as an account about the creation that thereafter rose from the potency of the Transcendental Supreme Lord'.

(3) S'rî Sûta said: "O best of the sages [assembled at Naimishâranya see canto 1.1], thus hearing the king his inquiry did the son of Vyâsa, the great yogî, praising him, reply. (4) S'rî S'uka said: 'When the Pracetâs, the ten sons of king Prâcinabarhi returned from [their meditations] near the ocean saw they that the entire planet was overgrown by trees [see 4.24-30-31]. (5) Incensed about the trees, having undergone austerities for so long, had they by their mouths blown up a fire with the intention to burn down the forests. (6) Seeing all the trees being burnt by the blazing fire, o son of Kuru, spoke the king of the forest, the great Soma, in order to pacify their anger, like this:

(7) 'Do not burn the poor trees to ashes, o fortunate souls, it is yours to strive for an increase of all living beings that know you as their protectors. (8) You may regret; the Supreme Personality of the Lord, the original, unchanging father and almighty protector, created all the trees, plants and herbs to serve as food. (9) Verily do the nonmoving provide the winged ones with food and do those without limbs [like grasses] serve as food for the ones with legs who have no hands or paws; the fourlegged on their turn are there for the animals with claws and the bipeds [to serve with respectively their flesh and milk]. (10) You are, on the order of your father and the God of Gods, o sinless ones, there also to generate the population; how then for the love of God can you burn the trees to ashes? (11) Like your father, grandfather and great-grandfather did, just follow the path of the saints and subdue the anger that has risen in you! (12) Be the way parents, like eyelids to their eyes, are as friends to their children, be the way the husband protects the wife and the way the householder cares for the ones in need of charity or be alike the learned that are the friends of the ignorant. (13) The Supersoul residing within the bodies of all living entities is the Lord and Controller of all; try to see them as His residence and may He thus be pleased with you. (14) Anyone who by inquiry of self-realization subdues the powerful anger that, as fallen from the sky, suddenly awoke, will transcend the modes of nature. (15) Enough with that burning the trees, let there be all fortune for the ones remaining and accept for true the daughter [called Mârishâ] that was raised by them, choosing her for your wife.'

(16) O King, after thus addressing them, did he, king Soma, deliver the apsara girl that had beautiful hips, to the ones who had returned and married they with her according the religion. (17) In her was from all of them generated Daksha, the Son of the Pracetâs, of whose procreative activity next the three worlds were said to fill with offspring. (18) Please attentively hear from me how Daksha, so affectionate with his daughters, by his semen as sure as also by his mind, brought about all that life. (19) By his mind indeed set the Prajâpati in the beginning the scene for those living beings that are of the godly and the godless and for those all resorting under them that live in the sky, on the land or in the water. (20) But upon seeing that his creation of beings did not increase in number, went Daksha to the feet of the Vindhya mountains where he performed the most difficult austerities. (21) There at the most suitable place for ending all reactions to sin, the holy place called Aghamarshana, satisfied he the Lord by austere and regularly performing the ceremonies. (22) I shall now explain you how with the hamsa-guhya ['the secret of the swan']-prayers he satisfied the Lord pleasing Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead beyond the senses. (23) Daksha said: 'My reverential homage I offer Him, from whom we may realize the right way of transcending the modes and the material energy to which all alive are bound; my offer for Him, the self-born Controller beyond measure and calculation, who in His abode is imperceptible to the materially directed intelligence. (24) The friend of whose friendship the person has no knowledge just like sense objects that have no knowledge of the sense-organ that oversees them; that friend one lives with in this body, unto Him I offer my obeisances. (25) This body with its life airs, its senses, its understanding, its elements and sense-objects, they to themselves, to each other and to everything outside of them are known by the living being; but knowing all those qualities, he does not know the unlimited one who knows all; Him I revere. (26) When the mind is put to a stop and all ideas and names of form of a material vision and remembrance have ceased, will due to that ending He be perceived in His own unique spiritual completeness; unto to that swanlike [swan of sifting the true from the untrue, the milk from the water], unto Him who is realized in the purest state, my respects. (27-28) Just like with fire that locked within wood is extracted singing the fifteen hymns [the sâmidhenî mantra's], do the great brahmins of sacrifice extract what with His powers by the modes of nature is situated within the heart of the celebrated elements and the rest of them [see e.g. 3.26:11]; He, who is realized by the bliss, the negation in liberation of the illusory of all the variety, He of all names, He, the gigantic form of the universe, may He, that inconceivable reservoir of all qualities have mercy upon me. (29) Whatever expressed by words or ascertained by contemplation, by sense perception or by the mind, may of something, as an expression of the three modes, not be the actual form indeed; the actual form in truth appears as that [Supreme Lord] which is the cause that puts an end to all that is of the modes in creation. (30) In whom, from whom and by whom and also to whom belongs and towards whom is directed; whether acting or causing to act, He is of both the material and spiritual of existence the Supreme Origin, well known to everyone that is the Brahman, the Cause of All Causes, the one without a second to which there is no other cause. (31) Of whose many energies the speakers of the different philosophies discussing the causes are of argument and accord, and of which they continuously, bewildered about the soul, create; unto Him, that unlimited all-pervading One of all transcendental attributes, my reverence. (32) Those professing the knowledge of the ultimate cause speaking about what would be [the absolute has form: sâkâra] and would not be [the absolute is formless, nirâkâra], deal with one and the same subject matter but demonstrate different and opposing characters as one may notice from that which is of mystic union and of analysis; indeed is that transcendental dwelling place, that ultimate cause, one and the same [compare 5.26:39]. (33) To be of causeless mercy to the devotees at the lotusfeet does He, the eternal, Supreme Personality who is not bound to any name or form, manifest with the forms and holy names He takes birth with and enacts; may He, the Transcendence be merciful unto me. (34) He who by the lower grade paths of worship to the desires of each living being manifests from within core of the heart, gains, just as the wind blowing over the earth, in color and aroma [taking the form of demigods thus]; may He, my Controller, attend to my bearings.'

(35-39) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus being praised by the prayers offered did He, the Supreme Lord, the caretaker of the devotees, appear there in Aghamarshana, o best among the Kuru's. With His feet on Garuda's shoulders held He with His long and mighty eight arms, the disc, the conchshell, the sword, the shield, the arrow, the bow, the rope and the club. His intense black-blue form was clad in yellow garments, His face and glance were very cheerful and His whole body was adorned from top to bottom; decorated with the shining kausthubha jewel, the s'rîvatsa mark, a large full circle helmet, glittering shark-earrings, a belt, finger-rings, bracelets around His wrists and upper-arms and with His ankle bells, captivated His appearance the three worlds. As the brilliance of the lower, the higher and the middle spheres was the Controller surrounded by Nârada, Nanda and other eternal associates as well as by the leaders of the godly and was He glorified by the perfect, the heavenly singers, and the venerable ones of the Veda, who sang for Him. (40) Seeing that greatly wonderful form he was at first frightened but then pleased in body mind and soul did the prajâpati prostrate flat on the ground. (41) By the great happiness that filled His senses like rivers flooded by mountain streams, was he unable to utter a word. (42) Seeing a great devotee like him, desirous of offspring, prostrate before Him, did He, Janârdhana who appeases all, knowing each his heart, speak as follows. (43) The Supreme Lord said: 'O son of the Pracetâs, you so greatly fortunate perfected by your austerities your good self in great faith and attained with Me as your object the supreme of love. (44) I am very pleased with you, o ruler of man; because of your penance the numbers of beings living here increased. May there of this desire be progress in all fields. (45) Brahmâ, S'iva, all you founding fathers, the Manu's and all rulers of power [like the divinities of the sun and the moon], all these are indeed expansions of My energy and are the cause of the welfare of all living beings. (46) Penance is My heart, o brahmin, the vedic knowledge is My body, the spiritual activities are My form, the rituals conducted by the book are My limbs, and the enlivening of the godly [the unseen good fortune of devotional activities] is the true of My mind and soul. (47) In the beginning, before the creation, was I certainly the only one existing, nothing else was found besides me; the external of a material consciousness was unmanifest like being immersed in sleep. (48) When in Me, from My unlimited potency, the unlimited of qualities in the form of the universe came into existence, was indeed therein born the first being, Lord Brahmâ, originating from no other but himself. (49-50) When he Svayambhû, the truly great God, in trying to bring about the creation thought himself as incapable being an extension of My power, was the god that he was at that time advised by Me to perform the severest austerity; thus were there from him in the beginning the nine great of creation from whom all of you came about [see 3.24:21 and also 3.8]. (51) O prajâpati, take this daughter named Asiknî of another prajâpaiti called Pañcajana as your wife, my dear son. (52) You, married to her, will in sexual union according the religion again [see 4.2] be the cause of the many of this who according the dharma in marriage will give birth to all alive [see also B.G. 7.11]. (53) All the ones alive who, because of My illusory energy, after you engage in sexual intercourse, will then also come to do their best offering to Me. '

(54) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus speaking before his eyes was the Supreme Lord, the creator of all the universe sure to disappear from there as if He, the Supreme Personality, was something found in a dream.

Chapter 5  

Nârada Muni Cursed by Prajâpati Daksha

(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Impelled by Lord Vishnu His external potency [mâyâ] begot he [Daksha] in his wife named Pâñcananî [Asiknî] a countless number of most powerful sons that were named the Haryas'vas. (2) Alike in character and conduct went all of the sons of Daksha, o King, by their father ordered to increase the population, in the western direction. (3) The water there named Nârâyana-saras, is a most great and sacred place where the Sindhu [the present Indus] flows into the ocean; it is frequented by the sages and the perfect. (4-5) Though to be in touch with that water was enough to completely purify them of their fixations on the untrue, felt they themselves in their minds highly attracted to the practices of the elevated souls and executed they with conviction the severest penances. Ready for the purpose of increasing the population as their father had ordered them to, was the Devarshi [Nârada] sure to visit them. (6-8) He spoke to them as follows: 'O Haryas'vas, although you are the princes to rule are you, alas, lacking in experience; as the lot of you have not seen the extreme of this earth, how then for true would you beget offspring? So is there one man whose kingdom consists of a hole in the ground from which there is no escape and a woman appearing in all kinds of forms to even turn her own husband into a slave of prostitution. It's a river flowing both ways in a house of twenty-five mirrors where a swan of nice stories at times cuts like a razor sharp disc. (9) How can you, ignorant, follow the orders of your well-acquainted father, not knowing what is good for you or for what creation to settle?'

(10) S'rî S'uka said: 'After the Haryas'vas had heard those enigmatic words of the Devarshi, pondered they over them with the full of their intelligence and awakened their power of discrimination. (11) The earth was the field of action, the designation of the living being, which, existing since time immemorial, is the cause of his bondage; what use of timebound labor would there be not seeing its finality? (12) With indeed one controller, one Supreme Lord present who cannot be seen, who is not created and who independent, as His own shelter in the beyond, is the fourth dimension, what benefit can there be of a man's temporary activities? (13) If indeed ignorant [in the hole] out here a man is gone for the lower regions with no way to return to the spiritual abode from which one returns either, of what use then can the impermanence of fruitive action be [compare B.G. 9.4 and 8.15]? (14) The different forms that the living being his intelligence assumes, being possessed by passion and so on, make him like a prostitute; if one cannot see the end of that in this world, then what would be the use of working for the falsehood? (15) In that context subject to the material way one loses one's status as an independent controller and moves the intelligence precisely like a sex-addicted person bereft of insight moves; what use in this world has all that love for being bound in karma ? (16) The illusory of matter gives rise to creation and dissolution, which is a river [thus streaming both ways] that for the maddened one flows [too] fast at its banks [to get out of it]; if one has no knowledge of that, what is the use of working for temporary profit? (17) For one who in this existence does not know of the twenty-five ways [the elements see: 3.26:11-15] to look at the reality of the original person, the wondrous mirror to the individual personality, what benefit is there in exhausting oneself for the falsehood of material results? (18) If one does not know to discriminate [like the swan] to the refuge, giving up on the Lord His literatures [the s'âstras] that inform about the ways of bondage and liberation, what then can be the use of wrestling in attachment to temporary results? (19) The so very sharp, revolving wheel of time drives all the world according its own rule; what use is it to endeavor in desiring profit in this world not knowing about this [this order of time]? (20) How can one entangled in the modes [see B.G. 18a 19-29], not understanding the instructions of the scriptures of the Father to follow to the book saying how to put an end to the material way of life, be of any exploit?'

(21) Thus being convinced, o King, were the Haryas'vas all of the same opinion; circumambulating him [Nârada] they left treading the path of no return [see also B.G. 8:16]. (22) In spiritual sound keeping the Lord of the Senses in mind, undivided engaging the consciousness at the lotus feet [see the bhajan Nârada Muni], traveled the muni all the worlds. (23) Hearing from Nârada about the loss of the sons that were the best of the best in conduct, had he, Daksha, to suffer lamenting; to see what had become of his fine sons hurt him deep. (24) Pacified by the Unborn One he again begot in Pâncajanî a thousand sons that were named the Savalâs'vas. (25) They then, by their father ordered to populate the universe, went, to accept the vows, to the perfect ones at Nârâyana-saras where their older brothers previously had gone to. (26) Bathing regularly there doing japa and reciting mantra's for the Transcendence they performed great austerities which indeed purified them of all the dirt within. (27-28) For month's drinking water and eating air only they practiced with this mantra worshiping the Master of all Mantra's: 'Our obeisances unto Lord Nârâyana, the Great Soul residing eternally in the purest of goodness, the great swanlike personality upon whom we meditate.' [om namo nârâyanâya purusâya mahâtmane visuddha-sattva-dhisnyâya mahâ-hamsâya dhîmahi']. (29) They too, meditating to populate the universe, were thus approached, o King, by sage Nârada who as before spoke in words that went deep: (30) 'O sons of Daksha, please listen attentively to my instruction: 'Follow the path of your brothers, you all who care so much about them. (31) A brother faithful to the path of an elder brother knowing the dharma [see 6.1] is a pious person who may enjoy with the Maruts [the gods of the wind].'

(32) Saying this much departed Nârada with his all-auspicious vision from there and so did they come to follow the path of their brothers before them, o worthy friend. (33) In full compliance putting themselves in that direction, taking to the transcendental path, have they, like the nights that have parted in the west, till today not returned. (34) At that very time observed the Prajâpati many inauspicious signs and heard he how as before from Nârada his sons had come to naught. (35) He in lamentation about his children became very angry with Nârada. When he saw the devarishi spoke he, almost fainting, furious with trembling lips. (36) S'rî Daksha said: 'You false preacher in the dress of a saint! What great profanity you've presented us; poor boys lacking in experience you've shown the path of beggars! (37) From the three debts [to the saints, the gods and the father by celibacy, ceremony and progeny] not freed at all, inconsiderate of their workload, you've ruined their path of good fortune to both heaven and earth, you sinner! (38) As such have you heartless spoilt the minds of those boys, you, traveling in the company of the Lord, have defamed Him, you dilettant! (39) Realize that the Lords His best are ever anxious to bless the fallen, but not you, you've really broken the bond and created opposition among people of harmony [compare B.G.: 18:68-69]. (40) By the illusions of your preaching you think renunciation is attained by cutting the bonds of affection, but this is not how renunciation works with people. (41) Not experiencing the hardship after the pleasure does a person not know; one naturally refrains in the end, not because of the brainwash by others. (42) With wife and children do those who are honest take the load of vedic duties; with the unbearable wrong you did to us I can [for once] forgive. (43) But, o weary man of division, for the bad you did to us for the second time may, therefore, o fool, there nowhere in the world be a place for you in your wandering around.'

(44) S'rî S'uka said: 'Nârada Muni, as appropriate for an accomplished saint [see also 3.25:21-27 and B.G. 12:13-20], said, verily tolerating, but: 'Accepted, so be it thus', although he was the man of control himself.

Chapter 6

The Progeny of the Daughters of Daksha

(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thereafter [after he had cursed Nârada] did the son of the Prâcetas, pacified by Lord Brahmâ, in his wife Asiknî beget sixty daughters who were all very fond of their father. (2) Ten of them he gave to king Dharma [Yamarâja], Kas'yapa he gave thirteen, twenty-seven were given to the moon-god and Bhûta, Angirâ and Krisâs'va he gave each two. The four remaining he gave also to Kas'yapa. (3) Please hear from me the different names of all of them who with their many children and descendants populated the three worlds and from whom you and I are stemming.

(4) The wives of Yamarâja were Bhânu, Lambâ, Kakud, Yâmi, Vis'vâ, Sâdhyâ, Marutvatî, Vasu, Muhûrtâ and Sankalpâ. Now hear of their sons. (5) From Bhânu was born Deva-rishabha and from him was born Indrasena, o King. Vidyota appeared from Lambâ and he made many clouds [of babies]. (6) From Kakud came Sankata and from him there was the son named Kîkatha from whom there were many protectors of the earth. Yâmi brought Svarga from whom was born Nandi. (7) The Vis'vadeva's came from Vis'vâ, but it is said that from them there was no progeny. The Sâdhya's that were born from Sâdhyâ, had one son: Arthasiddhi. (8) Marutvân and Jayanta took birth from Marutvatî. Jayanta was an expansion of Vâsudeva, who thus was known as Upendra. (9) The Mauhûrtika's were the godly born from Muhûrtâ and the lot of them indeed took birth to deliver the living beings the fruit of their own timebound actions. (10-11) From Sankalpâ came Sankalpa and from him was Kâma [lust] born. Vasu gave birth to the eight Vasu's and hear now the names of their sons: Drona, Prâna, Dhruva, Arka, Agni, Dosha, Vâstu and Vibhâvasu. From Drona's wife Abhimati there were sons as Harsha, S'oka, Bhaya and more. (12) Of the wife of Prâna, Ûrjasvatî there were Saha, Âyus and Purojava. The births from Dhruva's wife Dharani led to various cities and towns. (13) From the wife of Arka, Vâsanâ there were the memorable sons of Tarsha and so on and from Dhârâ the wife of the Vasu Agni there were the sons known as Dravinaka and so on. (14) From Skanda born from Krittikâ, another wife of Agni, were all [like Skanda and Kârttikeya] headed by Visâka born and from Dosha's wife S'arvarî came the son S'is'umâra, an expansion of the Lord of Time [see 5.23]. (15) Of Vâstu's wife Ângirasî was there the son Vis'vakarmâ [the great architect] the husband of Âkritî. From them was born the Manu named Câkshusha of whom the sons of Vis'vâ and Sâdhyâ were born [see 7]. (16) Ûsâ of Vibhâvasu gave birth to Vyushtha, Rocisha and Âtapa, the one of whom thereafter Pañcayâma ['the span of day'] was born who awakens the living beings to material activities. (17-18) Sarûpâ, the wife of Bhûta, gave birth to the millions of Rudra's and thus are there of the Rudra's, Raivata, Aja, Bhava, Bhîma, Vâma, Ugra, Vrishâkapi, Ajaikapât, Ahirbradhna, Bahurûpa, Mahân and others [or other wifes of Bhûta], the associates the ghastly ghosts and Vinâyaka's [a type of demons, hobgoblins]. (19) Prajâpati Angirâ his wife Svadhâ welcomed the Pitâ's as her sons whereafter as the son of his other wife Satî the son Atharvângirasa was received, who was the Veda's in person. (20) The wife of Krisâs'va, Arcis gave birth to Dhûmaketu who in Dhishanâ begot Vedas'irâ, Devala, Vayuna and Manu. (21-22) Kas'yapa [or Târkshya] had four wives: Vinatâ [Suparnâ], Kadrû, Patangî and Yâminî. From Patangî originated the different species of birds, from Yâminî came the locusts and after that brought Vinatâ Garuda about, the one regarded as the carrier of Yajña [Vishnu] and Anûru the chariot driver of the god of the sun Sûrya. From Kadrû there were the serpents in their variety. (23) The constellations headed by Krittikâ were of the wives of the moongod, but o son of Bharata, because of a curse of Daksha, had he, pestered by a degenerative disease, no children with them. (24-26) Again pacifying him had Soma to time managed to remove the decay [in the dark fortnight]. Now please take notice of all the names of the mothers, the wives of Kas'yapa from whose places thus set right, this whole universe was born: Aditi, Diti, Danu, Kâshthhâ, Arishthâ, Surasâ, Ilâ, Muni, Krodhavas'â, Tâmrâ, Surabhi, Saramâ and Timi. From Timi appeared the aquatics while the ferocious animals were the children of Saramâ. (27) From Surabhi the buffalo came the cows as well as others with cloven hooves, o King, from Tâmrâ came the eagles and vultures and so on and from Muni there were the groups of angels. (28) From the soul of Krodhavas'â were born the reptiles headed by the dandas'ûka snakes, from Ilâ came the creepers and trees and all the ones of evil were there from Surasâ. (29-31) From Arishthâ there were only Gandharva's and from Kâshthhâ there were the animals whose hooves are not split. From Danu there were sixty-one sons born; hear of the ones important: Dvimûrdhâ, S'ambara, Arishtha, Hayagrîva, Vibhâvasu, Ayomukha, S'ankus'irâ, Svarbhânu, Kapila, Aruna, Pulomâ and Vrishaparvâ as well as Ekacakra, Anutâpana, Dhûmrakes'a, Virûpâksha, Vipracitti and Durjaya. (32) Suprabhâ, the daughter of Svabhânu married Namuci so one says, but S'armishthhâ of Vrishaparvâ went to king Yajâti the powerful son of Nahusha. (33-36) There were four very beautiful daughters of Vais'vânara: Upadânavî, Hayas'irâ, Pulomâ and Kâlakâ. Hiranyâksha married Upadânavî and Kratu married Hayas'irâ, o King, but when on the plea Lord Brahmâ the two daughters Pulomâ and Kâlakâ of Vais'vânara married to the o so mighty prajâpati Kas'yapa, were of them born the Pauloma and Kâlakeya demons who were very fond of fighting. The sixty thousand of them who [headed by Nivâtakavaca] were a disturbance to the sacrifices in the heavenly places, were by your grandfather [Arjuna] killed, o King, just to please Indra. (37) From Vipracitti's wife Simhikâ were born a hundred and one sons who all obtained a planet of their own: Râhu was the eldest and the hundred others were the Ketu's. (38-39) Let it now be heard in chronological order how thereafter the dynasty came about from Aditi, wherein Nârâyana, the Lord, by His own plenary expansion descended as the Almighty: Vivasvân, Aryamâ, Pûshâ and Tvashthâ with next Savitâ, Bhaga, Dhâtâ, Vidhâtâ, Varuna, Mitra, S'atru and Urukrama. (40) Of Vivasvân gave the fortunate Samjñâ birth to the Manu called S'râddhadeva as well as to the demigod Yamarâja and his sister Yâmî [the river Yamunâ]. She also, having become a mare, gave birth on this earth to the As'vinî-kumâras. (41) Châyâ [another wife of the sungod] got the sons S'anais'cara [Saturn] and Sâvarni the Manu as well and a daughter from him named Tapatî who had Samvarana for her husband. (42) Of the union of Aryamâ with his wife Mâtrikâ were born many scholarly sons among whom Lord Brahmâ created a species of man that was indeed like them. (43) Pûshâ remained childless living on dough as he had his teeth broken because of formerly having shown his teeth laughing at the anger of Daksha [when he insulted Lord S'iva, see 4.5:21, 4.7:4]. (44) From the two of Tvashthâ, and the maiden named Racanâ, who was a Daitya daughter, were born the physically very powerful sons Sannives'a 

Chapter 7

Indra Offends His Spiritual Master, Brihaspati.

(1) The king said: 'Please, o great one, describe for what reason the god-conscious were rejected by their teacher of example [Brihaspati]; what was the offense of the disciples unto the spiritual master?'

(2-8) The son of Vyâsadeva said: 'King Indra enjoying the wealth of the three worlds due to pride had strayed from the path of truth. Surrounded, o King, by the Maruts [of the shining], the Vasu's [of excellence], the Rudra's [of anger], the Âditya's [of the untrue], the Rihbu's [of invention, see also 4.4:33], the Vis'vadeva's [of royal riches], the Sâdhya's [of refinement], the As'vinî-kumâras [of helping] and the Kumâra's [of the celibate] and being served by the Siddha's [of perfection], the Câranas [of the theater], Gandharva's [of song], the Muni's [of wisdom], the Brahmâvâdi's [of learning], the Vidyâdharas [of science], Apsara's [of heaven] and Kinnara's [of superpower], the Pataga's [of the birds] and the Uraga's [of the snakes], was king Indra with sweet song being offered prayers o son of Bharata [compare 2.3: 2-7]. In his assembly he was sitting on his throne enjoying the royal opulence of a white parasol as beautiful as the moon-disc and other regalia like yaktails to fan him and such amenities. Shining with his wife Sacî who shared the throne with him thought he the highest of himself and was the exalted teacher of example, the spiritual master of all the godly, having appeared in the assembly, not welcomed by him; he did not stand up from his throne, offer him a seat or greet the priest of the godly, the best of sages. who was respected by the enlightened and unenlightened alike. Although Indra saw him coming in did he not show him any respect.

(9) Brihaspati, the learned sage and master, thereupon immediately leaving, returned home in silence well known with the alienation of being puffed up in wealth. (10) Soon indeed came Indra to realize his disrespect for his own guru and did he in person in public criticize himself: (11) 'Alas, how disrespectful it was indeed what I have done; I must be out of my mind out of conceit about my wealth having mistreated the preceptor in the midst of this assembly. (12) What man of learning would be of opulence; although I am the king above all have I, the ruler to be of goodness, now by it been led into a demoniac mentality. (13) He who says that to sit on the royal throne means that one should not rise for anyone else, has no idea of the higher code of dharma [compare 4.2]. (14) Those leading on the false path fall themselves into the darkness indeed and anyone who places faith in their words will indeed go down sinking like a boat made of stone. (15) Therefore will I propitiate the spiritual leader of the immaculate twice-born whose knowledge is profound and touch without duplicity his lotusfeet with my head.'

(16) As he, Indra the most powerful of all, was ruminating thus, became Brihaspati invisible to him due to the potency of his highly elevated state. (17) Not finding a trace of his guru vigorously searching all around, could the mighty Indra relying on his own wisdom and with the help of all associated with him not find any peace of mind. (18) When the lot of the unenlightened keeping to the precepts of Sukrâcârya heard about it did they, not so intelligent, take up their weapons declaring war against the godly. (19) Their trunks, arms and legs being pierced by the sharp arrows they shot, took the godly together with Indra refuge with Lord Brahmâ bowing their heads before him. (20) Seeing their plight of being pestered by the assault did the god, the supreme unborn one that was Brahmâ, out of his causeless, infinite mercy speak assuaging them. (21) Lord Brahmâ said: 'Alas, what an unpleasant surprise, o supreme of the enlightened, you indeed did great injustice to a loyal of the Absolute Truth, a brahmin of full control; because of your opulences you failed to welcome him properly. (22) It was this impudence of you being so very much successful that made the others, the enemies you defeated yourselves, in spite of their apparent weakness defeat you, o loyals of God. (23) O you Maghavan, Honor of Wealth, just see how your enemies formerly so weak, because of respecting their preceptor now have regained their power in worshiping their sage with great devotion to such an extent that they even, as the godly to the son of Bhrigu (Sukrâcârya), might overtake my abode of truth! (24) In the decision to follow the instructions of disciples of Bhrigu [like Sukrâcârya] to care for the complete of all divinity, do nor they, nor the human rulers following this principle, nor anyone who is of care and respect for the cows, the brahmins and Govinda, by the oneness of the mantra's have to suffer any misfortune. (25) Therefore devote yourselves forthwith to the son of Tvashthâ, Vis'varûpa who is an independent ['unmarried'] soul of learning, austerity and penance; provided you tolerate his workload [of supporting the Daitya's] will he hearten your interests if you are of respect for him.'

(26) S'rî S'uka said: 'They all thus being advised by Lord Brahmâ, o King, relieved from their worries went to embrace the great rishi, the son of Tvashthâ, telling him the following. (27) The godly said: 'We, arriving as guests at your abode, wish you all good fortune and like to express the desire, o cherished one, to have, to the ancestral authority of us, to the present situation things set right. (28) The highest duty indeed of sons is to serve their parents as good as they can and even those of old who are without offspring, o brahmin, not to mention the celibates [the brahmacârî's]. (29-30) The teacher of example personifies the vedic knowledge, the father stands for the Original Father of God, the brother is the representative of the ruler over the godly and the mother is the direct embodiment of the earth. The sister personifies the mercy, the guest is there as the true self of dharma, the one invited is there as the representative of the sacrificial fire and all living beings are there to the mold of the Supreme one of the Soul. (31) Therefore to the troubled ancestral, the grief of being defeated by our enemies, take away with the power of austerity in you, o best one, our yearning submitted to your concern. (32) We choose you as our preceptor of perfection to the Supreme Brahman, as our brahmin and spiritual master, so that by the strength of your splendor we may easily defeat our rivals. (33) It is indeed not forbidden to take interest in offering respects at the feet of someone younger; next to being of praise, o brahmin, there is nothing smart in such a thing as being advanced in age [*].'

(34) The honorable rishi said: 'Thus on the request of the enlightened accepting the priesthood as the great one of austerity did he, Vis'varûpa, pleased with their sweet words address them. (35) Vis'varûpa said: 'Though it is condemned by the ones sworn to dharma as being detrimental to one's brahminical power can right now, o lords, o controllers of all, a person like me, who's real interest in this could be described as being your disciple, not decline such a request. (36) Persons withdrawing from the world may count on the wealth of grains left behind in the field or the marketplace [to live 'on the dole']; that way do the sâdhu's in this world accomplish, but how reproachable indeed is it for me, acting in piety then o rulers of the worlds, to be of the duty of the priesthood by which the less intelligent are pleased. (37) Nevertheless, I cannot turn the request of the lot of you, as persons as good as the guru, down; the desire for my own life and good being of little value, will I concede.'

(38) The son of Vyâsa said: 'Vis'varûpa, the great one of penance, thus promising them the priesthood executed in their midst with great attention the highest. (39) Although by the talents of Sukrâcârya the opulence of the enemies of the godly was protected, did the mighty sage by a prayer [called Nârâyana kavaca] unto Lord Vishnu collect and deliver the wealth unto the great Indra [compare B.G. 9.31]. (40) By this hymn that the broad-minded Vis'varûpa spoke to Mahendra ['the great Indra'] was he, the god with the thousand eyes, protected and was the military power of the ones of darkness that had grown into a great threat defeated.

*: S'rî Caitanya Mahâprabhu, the propagator of this Bhâgavatam, approved of this when He expressed this opinion before Ramananda Raya (Cc. Madhya 8.128): kiba vipra, kiba nyasi, s'ûdra kene naya yei krsna-tattva-vetta, sei `guru' haya': 'It does not matter whether one is a brâhmana, s'ûdra, grhastha or sannyâsî. These are all material designations. A spiritually advanced person has nothing to do with such designations. Therefore, if one is advanced in the science of Krishna consciousness, regardless of his position in human society, he may become a spiritual master. ' 

Chapter 8

The Armor of Mantra's that Protected Indra.

(1-2) The king said: 'What was the protection of the thousand eyed king [Indra] when he sported with the armed forces of the enemy and their carriers; conquering the three worlds he enjoyed the opulence, o sage - please explain to me in which way the defense of Lord Nârâyana's mercy was protecting him as he defeated in the fight those who tried to kill him. '

(3) The son of Vyâsadeva said: 'Now hear attentively about that what the son of Tvâsta, chosen as priest, being asked for it told the great Indra to be the protective defense in mantra's of Nârâyana. (4-6) Vis'varûpa said: 'Having washed one's hand and feet, sipping the water with the necessary mantra's [âcamana] should one, sitting in proper respect ['with Kusa'] facing the north, prepare oneself mentally designating mantra's [like om namo bhagavate vâsudevâya and om namo nârâyanâya] to the different parts of the body. In silence purified in dedication to the lordship of Nârâyana should one, in case of rising fear, adopt the defense [called nârâyana-kavaca] offering one's obeisances to Nârâyana by touching one's lower legs, the knees, the thighs, the abdomen, the heart, the chest, the mouth and the head one after another beginning with 'om' or even do this once more in reverse order [this is called utpatti-nyâsa and samhâra-nyâsa].(*) (7) Next one should assign the [12] syllables of the mantra beginning with om and ending with ya [: om na-mo bha-ga-va-te va-su-de-va-ya] to the fingers starting with the index finger and ending with the four joints of the thumbs. (8-10) The heart one should assign 'om', 'vi' next comes to the top of the head, 'sa' comes between the eyebrows, 'na' on the s'ikhâ [the tuft of hair on the back of the head with vaishnava monks], 've' comes between the eyes, the syllable 'na' should be assigned to all the joints of the body, and 'ma' should be thought of as a weapon in the form of a mantra. Thus should an intelligent person, saying the mantra of 'visarga' ending with 'phat' in all directions ['visarga mah astrâya phath' or: 'with this weapon I free myself from the world'], fix himself on 'Om Vishnave Namah' ['All glories to Lord Vishnu']. (11) One should recite the following mantra's that personify the Supreme Self worthy to meditate upon that is endowed with the six opulences of learning, power and austerity [as also wealth, beauty and fame]:

(12) 'I pray that the Lord, He of the eight perfections [see 3-15-45] whose feet rest on the back of Garuda holding the conchshell, disc, shield, sword, club, arrows, bow and ropes in his eight arms, will grant me His protection. (13) May Matsya [the fish-incarnation of Lord Vishnu] protect me in the water against the predators of Varuna, may He on land protect me by the ropes of Vâmana, the dwarf-incarnation of Trivikrama [Lord Vishnu as the conqueror of the three worlds] and may He in the sky protect me as Vis'varûpa [Him in the form of the universe]. (14) May the Supreme Master protect me in my toiling in the wilderness and at the front in battle; may Lord Nrsimhadev, of whose fearful laughter, resounding in all directions, the enemy of the leader of the demons and his offspring to be came to fall, release me. (15) May on the street there be the protection of that One Lordship respected in the rituals, Lord Varâha who on his own tusks raised the planet earth; may there for us be on the mountain peaks the protection of Lord [Parasu-]Râma and in foreign countries the protection of the elder brother [Lord Râmacandra] of Bharata, and His brother Lakshmana. (16) May Lord Nârâyana protect me from religious fanaticism and from acting to madness; may Nara keep me from being arrogant, may Dattâtreya keep me away from disloyal union [non-yoga] and may the master of all Yoga, the controller of all quality, Lord Kapila be my guarantee against the bondage of karma. (17) May Sanat-Kumâra [the perfect celibate] keep me out of the hands of Cupid, may Hayagrîva [the horse-incarnation] keep me on the path away from disrespecting the divinity, may the best of sages Devarshi Nârada keep me from offenses doing worship and may the Lord as Kûrma [the tortoise-incarnation] keep me out of the infinite hell. (18) May Bhagavân Dhanvantari [the physician-avatâra] protect me from things injurious to one's health, may Rshabhadeva, the full control over the mind and the self [see 5. 4-6], keep me from the duality and fear, may Yajña [Vishnu as the Lord of sacrifice] keep me from infamy and an akward social position, and may Lord Balarâma in the form of Ananta S'esha [the Lord of the ego, see 5.25] keep me away from the angry serpents. (19) May Bhagavân Dvaipâyana [Vyâsadeva] keep me from incompetence, may also Lord Buddha, who leads the ones who are illusioned, keep me away from the delusional and may Kalki, the Lord of this age of quarrel incarnating as the greatest in defense of the dharma [as the channa- or covert avatâra's], protect me against the impurities of the time [intoxication, promiscuity, gambling and meat-eating; see also 1.17:24]. (20) May Kes'ava with His club protect me in the morning, may Govinda holding His flute do so in the afternoon, may Nârâyana protect me in the late afternoon and may for the fourth part of the day Lord Vishnu, the ruler with the disc, be the controller of all forces [see also 5.21.10]. (21) May Lord Madhusûdana with the fearful bow Sârnga protect me in the early evening. May Mâdhava, the Lord of Brahmâ, Vishnu and S'iva, protect me in the late evening and may Lord Hrisikes'a protect me in the early night. May around midnight Lord Padmanâbha [the Lord from whose navel the universe sprang] be my only protector. (22) May the Lord with the S'rîvatsa-mark be the controller after midnight, may Janardhana, the Lord with the sword in His hand be the controller over the end of the night, may Lord Dâmodara protect me at dawn and may the Controller of the Universe, the Supreme Lord that is the personification of time rule over the early morning [**]. (23) Please let the sharp rimmed disc operated by the Lord [His order of time, the cyclic of natural time], that at the end of the age is as the fire of devastation, with its moving around the entirety of worlds, burn to ashes the enemy forces just like a blazing fire with its friend the wind would do instantly with dry grass. (24) May You, o club, so dear to the Invincible Lord, whose touch like thunderbolts sparks with fire, pound to pieces and pound to pieces, destroy and pulverize my enemies, the imps [Kushmânda's], the conjurers [Vainâyaka's], the evil spirits [Yaksha's], the demons [Râkshasa's], the ghosts [Bhûta's] and the poisoners [Graha's]. (25) O conchshell, may you with your frightening sound cause the hearts of the enemy torturers [Pramatha's], living dead [Preta's], bastards [Mâtâ's], madmen [Pis'âca's] and heretics [Vipra-graha's] with their evil looks, to tremble to the core. (26) You, o sharpest of swords, may you in the hands of the Lord cut to pieces, chop up, the enemy soldiers. O shield marked with a hundred shining moons, blind the eyes of the envious so full of evil and pluck their sinful eyeballs out. (27-28) May by the glory of Your name, form and attributes all the enmity, all the sin, all the envious, the snakes, the scorpions and predators, the earthly ghosts, as well as the fear arousing poisoners of our minds and bodies which hindered our well-being, be sent to their full destruction. (29) Garuda, the majesty of the Lord glorified in verses, the personification of the Veda; may that master protect us from endless suffering by all the names of Vis'vaksena Himself [the Lord who's powers are found throughout the universe]. (30) May the adornment of His retinue, of His holy name, form, carriers and weapons, protect and maintain our intelligence, mind and life-air from all kinds of dangers.

(31) As sure a fact that with the Supreme Lord there is no doubt of the ultimate over the manifest and unmanifest, are we sure that by this truth whatever that is all of disturbance to us will find its end. (32-33) With those thinking an absence of differences is the oneness known by the diversity. Following that course, is He Himself by His expanding spiritual energy with all His decorations, weapons, characteristics and having so many potencies and different names, truly understood as the omniscient Supreme Lord defeating the illusion; may He, the all-pervading One, with all His forms, protect us always and everywhere. (34) May the Supreme Lord In every nook and corner, in all directions, above and below, from all sides, from within and from without in the form of Nrsimhadev annihilate all worldly fears by His mighty roar [or song, see the Nrsimha Pranâma]; may He with His effulgence overshadow all other influences.

(35) O King Indra, under the protection of this mystic armor relating to Lord Nârâyana that I described, will you conquer very easily the leaders of the demoniac hordes. (36) Whatever the person who but sets his mind to it, whether he came to see it, found it at his feet or stumbled into it, will immediately be freed from all fears. (37) He who employs this mystic prayer has nothing to fear, not from the government, nor from rogues, not from the poisoners and such nor from diseases either at any time. (38) This prayer was before used by a man named Kaus'ika, a brahmin, a yoga-adept who gave up his body in the desert. (39) His dead body was spotted from above in his heavenly chariot by the King of the Ghandarva's, Citraratha when he once surrounded by many a beautiful woman went to where the twice-born one had died. (40) All of a sudden he inescapably, headfirst, fell down from the sky with his heavenly vehicle. Struck with wonder talking to the Vâlikhilya's [the sages of the sungod], he received instruction to collect all the bones and throw them in the eastward flowing Sarasvatî. After taking a bath in that river he could then return home.'

(41) S'rî S'uka said: 'Anyone who may hear this in times of trouble or anyone who employs this zealously, offering Him obeisances, is released from all the fearful of any creature in existence. (42) By this prayer received from Vis'varûpa enjoyed Indra as the vessel of enlightenment, the riches of all three worlds and conquered he in battle all the ones of darkness [see also B.G. 4.43].  

Chapter 9

Appearance of the Demon Vritrâsura.

(1) S'rî S'uka said: ' Of Vis'varûpa [see previous chapter], o son of Bharata, there are three heads for drinking the soma [doing sacrifice] and drinking the wine [taking the seat of enlightenment]. (2) He, o ruler, factually offered the gods, to whom he was related by his fathers side, their proper share in publicly chanting aloud the mantra's. (3) 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. (4) 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'varûpa's heads off. (5) The head of him used for drinking the soma became a kapiñjala [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]. (6) However powerful he was, to the reaction of killing a brahmin had he with folded hands for one year to assume the responsibility and so did Indra to purify from that sin to the elements distribute the burden over the four divisions of the earth, the waters, the trees and the women. (7) 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 its surface. (8) The trees accepting one fourth had of their benediction of having their branches and twigs growing back when cut, of killing the brahmin the visible consequence of sap flowing from them. (9) 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. (10) Water took one fourth and had from its benediction to increase the volume of the material it soaks, the visible reaction to the sin of bubbling and foaming, of which one collecting it one has to throw it away. (11) Tvashthâ [zie 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.'

(12) 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. (13-17) 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. With hair like molten copper, a mustache and beard had he eyes blazing like the midday sun. He kicked up the dirt moving around dancing and shouting the world with his blazing trident held high. His mouth deep as a cave drank in the sky licked up the stars with its tongue and swallowed the three worlds. Yawning over and over with his massive fierce teeth, fled the people who saw him in fear in all the ten directions. (18) He, who by dint of his austerity threw his shadow over all the worlds, was in truth the form that the son of Tvashthâ had taken and thus was called Vritra ['the encloser'], the most fearful personification of sin. (19) He [Indra] with the soldiers of all the defenders of wisdom charged him by all the divinity of their respective different weapons, bows and arrows, but Vritra swallowed them all together. (20) Upon that they were all of them struck with wonder and discouraged. Having lost their zeal they gathered to pray to the Supersoul, the Original Person of God.

(21) The godly said: 'The three worlds were starting with Lord Brahmâ composed of the elements of air, fire, ether, water and earth; we who are so very afraid make Him our offer and so seek our refuge with Him of whom the one making an end to it [the Destroyer, the Time] himself is afraid. (22) One is a fool, when one wants to cross a sea holding on to a dog's tail; a fool if one tries to creep up to someone else but Him who is never astound, always satisfied by His own achievements indeed and equipoised and very steady, free from material designations. (23) 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, though He is in fact but there in the form of a fish. (24) Formerly was the Independent One [Svayambhû or Lord Brahmâ], alone on the lotus, very afraid by Him narrowly escaping a fall in the so very high waves of the waters of the flood blown up by the roaring wind [see 3.8]; let there for us also be that deliverance. (25) 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 as the actor is in front of us, not in His form be recognized by us thinking of our selves as separate controllers. (26-27) 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 is apart; He is the shelter that by all of us is approached; may He, the greatest of the Soul, us, His devotees who themselves are suitable as shelter, bless with all good fortune.'

(28) S'rî S'uka said: 'Of that prayer of the enlightened souls, o King, became directed from within, He visible with His conchshell, disc and club. (29-30) 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. (31) The godly said: 'Unto You o Lord of the Sacrifice do we, although You are the one to round it all up, bring our obeisances as 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. (32) 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. (33) 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 Laxmî Devi; 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 paramahamsa's ['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. (34) 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. (35) 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 dependence on time, space, activities and nature and is forced to accept the good and bad results of what he does oneself; or whether You are completely self-satisfied, self-controlled of nature, never missing the spiritual potency and the ever neutral witness. Here we are sure not to understand You. (36) Surely there is with You no contradiction in both being the supreme, unlimited and Highest controller possessing all qualities that is of an unfathomable ability and glory and the being of an actual 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. (37) You as the conclusion follow rightly, or do not so follow, with those who are of intelligence, just like with those who perceive a piece of rope see it as a snake or not. (38) 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 of, up to the minutest atom, being present everywhere with all the quality, are You, in regard of the manifestations, indeed the only one to remain. (39) Therefore indeed are those who relating to You, but once having 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 for You the Supreme Personality, the only friend and dearmost one of all living entities. How can those devotees whose minds are of 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 service to Your lotusfeet, then ever give this life up wherein there is not again the repetition of birth and death? (40) 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, of Your expansions into the material energy are we sure that by Your own Self 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 Kûrma] the time of collusion of all the sons of Diti and Danu and such is awarded the right punishment according each his offense, o Supreme Chastiser; may You thus also kill this one, the son of Tvashthâ, if You deem it necessary. (41) Of us in full surrender totally relying on You, o Father of Fathers, o Lord Hari, by meditation on the two of Your feet that are alike two blue lotuses, are our hearts chained in love; by the manifestation of Your own form, by Your compassionate smile, colorful brightness and highest pleasing, by Your cool, do those that You accepted as Your own, melt with compassion to the drops of nectar of the very sweet words emanating from Your mouth and do we think that You are the one deserving to curb the great pain deep within us, o Purest One. (42) Therefore o Supreme Lord, being like sparks to the original fire, of what extent or special necessity would it be that You, who art directly the Supreme Absolute Truth, are informed by us? You being the cause of all creation, maintenance, and destruction of the material world, in Your amusement with the spiritual energy, are 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 through 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]. (43) 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. (44) 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. (45) 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.'

(46) S'rî S'uka said: 'After by all the servants of the three worlds this way with due respect having been worshiped o King, did the Lord, pleased to hear their glorifying Him, reply them. (47) 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 men have You done Me a great service in Your devotion. (48) 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 other than Me. (49) A miser [kripana] does, under the attraction of the formative of nature, not know the ultimate end of the soul and also is one of that kind if one awards the desire for such things. (50) 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. (51) O patron of sacrifice [Maghavan; Indra], good fortune to all of you, go and without delay ask with Dadhyañca [Dadhîci], the most exalted of saints in education, penance and the essence, for the physical means. (52) Dadhyañca is no doubt he who having assimilated the purely spiritual delivered it to the Asvins; by the teaching that is called 'the head of the horse' [Avasira] is there of them the award of immortality [*]. (53) Dadhyañca, the son of Atharvâ, his invincible protection [in mantra's] consisting of Myself [see previous chapter] was given to Tvashthâ, who gave it to Vis'varûpa and that which Tvashthâ delivered have you again received from him. (54) The limbs of [Dhadyanca] that knower of the dharma that for all of you have been asked for by the Asvins, will be given to you. After them will by Vis'vakarmâ be manufactured the most powerful of all weapons with the help of which, reinforced by my strength, the head of Vritrâsura can be taken. (55) When he is killed will all of you regain your wealth, power, arrows and other means of defense; all good fortune will be yours as, also being My devotees, You will not be hurt.

* To this is by the âcârya's the next story told: '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 Dadhici imparted brahma-vidyâ through the mouth of a horse, this brahma-vidyâ is also known as Asvasira. '  

Chapter 10

The Battle Between the Demigods and Vritrâsura

(1) The son of Vyâsa said: 'After thus having instructed Indra did the Supreme Lord Hari, the Original Cause of the cosmic manifestation, then en there indeed disappear from before the eyes of the devoted. (2) When the son of Atharvâ [Dadhîci], the saint, as was told was beseeched by the godly, did the great personality slightly amused with a smile say the following, o son of Bharata. (3) 'All of you, don't you know, o godly ones, that all embodied beings when they die have to suffer an unbearable agony that takes away the consciousness? (4) All souls struggle to remain alive holding the bodies they desired in this world very dear; who would be willing to deliver that body, even if it were demanded by Lord Vishnu?'

(5) The godly said: 'What would there be so difficult to give up, o brahmin, for persons as great, hailed by all and merciful towards all as your holiness? (6) People in need surely wouldn't ask from others if they knew them to be in trouble, nor would people capable to give deny the ones in need if they would know of their difficulties.'

(7) The great saint said: 'By my desire to hear from you what in the contrary of your retort would be the dharma, do I for you have to give up this dear body that sooner or later would leave me anyway. (8) Anyone who by the impermanence of the body o Lords, would not be of dharma endeavoring in mercy for all, is an infamous person, a person pitiable even to the creatures immobile! [see also the S'rî S'rî Sadgosvâmi-astaka]. (9) By the meritorious that are celebrated is this much recognized as the imperishable dharma: dharmic is the soul that laments over the distress of other living beings and feels happy upon their happiness. (10) Away with the misery, away with the tribulation; because a physical body can perish any moment and be eaten by the jackals it wouldn't help, it is not there for myself - to what is his own and to the ones he knows is a mortal with his body there to die [see also S.B.: 10-22: 35]. '

(11) The son of Vyâsa said: 'Thus decided on the right course of action did Dadhîci, the son of Atharvâ give up his body offering himself to the Supreme, the supreme Brahman, the Supreme Personality [compare: 1.13:55]. (12) With the senses, life-air, mind and intelligence controlled as one who knows the reality was he absorbed in trance liberated from bondage and situated in the Supreme left he from there no longer taking notice of his material body [see also B.G. 8.5]. (13-14) Thereafter did King Indra take up the thunderbolt that Vis'vakarmâ manufactured by the power of the great sage [Dadhîci] and suffused with the spiritual vigor of the Supreme Lord and harnessed with all the other gods rode he out shining on the back of Gajendra [his elephant] being offered prayers by the muni's to the apparent pleasure of all the three worlds. (15) Vritrâsura surrounded by the asura chiefs and commanders were with great force attacked as the enemy, o King, like an angry Rudra did with Antaka [Yamarâja]. (16) What followed was a great and utterly rough battle between the sura, the divine, and the asura, the demoniac hordes that took place at the bank of the [celestial] Narmadâ river at the onset of the first millennium [the Vaivasvata manvantara] of Tretâ-yuga. (17-18) O King, when all the demoniac headed by Vritrâsura were confronted with the shining opulence of Indra the Heavenly King with the thunderbolt, the Rudra's, the Vasu's, the Âditya's, the Asvins, the Pitâ's, the Vahni's, the Maruts, the Ribhu's, the Sâdhya's and the Visva-deva's, couldn't they bear the sight. (19-22) Namuci, S'ambara, Anarvâ, Dvimûrdhâ, Rishabha, Asura, Hayagrîva, S'ankus'irâ, Vipracitti, Ayomukha, Pulomâ, Vrishaparvâ, Praheti, Heti and Utkala and the hundreds and thousands of other Daitya's, Danava's,Yaksha's, Râkshasa's and others headed by Sumâli and Mâli were all dressed up with golden ornaments and drove back the front of Indra's army that even for death itself was difficult to approach. Fearlessly they furiously roaring like lions harassed then with clubs, iron studded bludgeons, arrows, barbed missiles, mallets and lances. (23) With their array of spears, axes, swords, sataghnîs [catapults] and bhus'undi's [winged missiles] drove they with their arrows apart all the chiefs of the divine forces. (24) Like stars in the sky covered by clouds, could they not be discerned, completely covered as they were by the downpour of arrows that from all sides in waves fell upon them. (25) The showers of arrows and other weapons didn't reach the armies of the enlightened though as the demigods quickly cut them midair into thousands of pieces. (26) Thereupon running out of arrows and weapons showered they a multitude of mountain peaks, trees and stones that as before were fragmented by the sura forces. (27) Upon seeing that they were hale and hearty under the mass of weapons and mantra's and that they were injured by the trees, the stones or the several mountainpeaks either, grew the troops led by Vritrâsura very afraid of the soldiers of Indra. (28) All their endeavors, of time and again waging against the demigods enjoying the favor of Krishna, ran futile just as the rugged words are that little men use swearing at the great. (29) They, of no devotion unto the Lord, seeing their endeavors fruitless were defeated in their pride as fighters and left the battlefield abandoning from the beginning of the battle the commander inspiring them all whose prowess was nullified.

(30) Vritra seeing how his followers the demons were fleeing and how his army was broken and scared off, spoke as a broad-minded hero with a big grin the following. (31) Befitting the time and circumstances pronounced the hero of heroes words of appeal to the greatest minds: 'O Vipracitti! O Namuci! O Pulomâ! O Maya, Anarvâ and S'ambara! Please listen to me. (32) All that are born have inevitably to face death wherever they might exist in the universe; there is no way to counter that in this world which is devised to reach a better world and be glorious. Considering this indeed to be the case, who wouldn't accept a suitable way to die? (33) There are two approved ways to die with honor in this world, and both are very rare. One is to be allowed to leave the body engaged in yoga concentrating on Brahman in controlling the mind and senses and the other is to take the lead on the battlefield never turning one's back.'

*10.22: 35 It is the duty of every living being to perform welfare activities for the benefit of others with his life, wealth, intelligence and words.

Chapter 11

The Transcendental Qualities of Vritrâsura

(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Afraid and intent upon fleeing with their minds divided, o King, did they [the commanders of Vritrâsura] not take heed of the words of their master who was thus stressing the dharma. (2-3) When the best of the asura's saw that the asura army, chased by the demigods who took the opportunity, was being shattered as if there was no one to protect them, was he, the enemy of Indra, pained and angry and did he, unable to bear that, rebuke them blocking them with great force, o King, sure in saying this: (4) 'Of what interest are these fleeing shitty sons to you killing them from the back; there is for certain no glory in killing someone afraid nor does that lead those, who think themselves thus to be heroes, to a better world. (5) If you believe in your battle, have patience in your hearts and are free from desiring sensual pleasure, o small ones, then just stand still in front of me for a minute.'

(6) Thus being very angry were the demigods, his enemies, terrified by the roaring presence of that big mouth that scared the wits out of everyone. (7) Of that tumult of Vritra swooned indeed all the godly so that they fell to the ground as if they were struck by a thunderbolt. (8) The sura army in fear having closed the eyes was trampled asunder as he arrogantly, just like a mad elephant running over a forest of hollow bamboo's, stepped around the field with all his force shaking the earth holding his trident high. (9) Seeing him in such a rage against his own ran the carrier of the thunderbolt [Indra] at his enemy and threw he the mightiest club at him, but the demon caught the difficult to withstand weapon flying towards him very easily with his left hand. (10) That incensed Vritrâsura even more and with the club he, roaring loudly in the fight, struck Indra's elephant so famous for its strength on the head. That feat was lauded by all the soldiers on the field, o ruler of man. (11) Airâvata, struck by the club in Vritra's hand shook like a mountain hit by a thunderbolt and was, in great pain and spitting blood with a broken mouth, together with Indra thrown back a fourteen yards.

(12) The great soul though refrained from using the club again when Indra, thus wasted and innerly shaken about what had happened to his carrier, relieved the animal by the touch of his nectarean hand from all pains and injuries and next stood up before him. (13) Seeing him he remembered that he, his enemy desiring to fight him with the thunderbolt made of Dadhîci, o King Parîkchit, once had killed his brother and in bewilderment of the lamentation about that great and cruel sin, he sarcastically laughing addressed him. (14) S'rî Vritra said: 'I have the good fortune that I may encounter your lordship as my enemy, you as the murderer of a brahmin, the killer of his own guru and the slayer of my own brother; how lucky I am today to be relieved from my debt to my brother, o total of falsehood, with me soon piercing my trident right through your heart of stone! (15) Like he was an animal did you, desirous after heaven, merciless sever with your sword the three heads from him, our elder brother, who was a fully qualified and selfrealized brahmin and your spiritual teacher free from all sin entrusted the lead of the sacrifices. (16) You, bereft of all shame, mercy, beauty and glory are by your actions condemnable for even the infra-human; you will have to die slowly by my trident piercing your body which will not be burnt but be eaten by the vultures.

(17) If you in this so cruel together with the others, who have no idea who they're dealing with, attack me with raised swords, shall I, with their severed heads on my pointy trident, make them an offering to the leader of the ghosts and his hordes. (18) At the other hand, o Lordship of mine, if you with your thunderbolt, o hero, in this battle manage to cut my head off and destroy my army will I, in that case relieved of all debts, fall prey to the scavengers and achieve the dust of the feet of the great sages. (19) O master of the godly, why don't you hurl your thunderbolt at me, your enemy standing in front of you; don't doubt its infallibility, unlike the club that just like a request for money with a miser had no effect, may the bolt succeed. (20) Certainly will by this thunderbolt of yours o Indra, empowered by as well the prowess of Vishnu as the penance of Dadhîci, without fail your enemy be killed; whatever ordained by Lord Vishnu will bring the Lord His victory wherever and right there will all His opulences and qualities be found. (21) I, firmly fixing the mind shall, just as was said by our Lord Sankarshana His lotusfeet [see 5.25], by the force of your thunderbolt see the rope of material attachment cut and achieve the destination of the muni's having given up on this material world. (22) Upon persons advanced in the spiritual that He recognizes as His own will He not bestow the opulences found in the divine, the earthly or the hellish spheres as from those there are the envy, anxiety, agitation, pride, quarrel, distress and belligerence. (23) O Indra the endeavors of a selfrealizing person for the three goals of life [religion, economy, satisfaction] are beaten back by our Lord and from that can the special mercy of the Fortunate One be inferred that, being so close for the devoted, is so very difficult to obtain by others. (24) Will I, o my Lord, whose only shelter is to be at Your lotus feet, become the servant of Your servant again; may my mind remember the transcendental attributes of You, o Lord of my life, may my words be of the chanting and may my body be engaged in working for You? (25) Not the heavenly planets nor the Supreme Abode, not the rule over the world nor to dictate the lower worlds is what I want; I do not desire the perfections [the siddhi's] of yoga or to be freed from rebirth, o source of all opportunity, all I want is not to be separated from You! (26) Like smalls birds unable to fly looking for their mother, just like a young calf distressed of being hungry for the udder, just like a lover morose of the beloved that has departed, just as eager is my mind to see You, o lotus-eyed One. (27) As one who knows You as the one hailed by the scriptures, as one wandering around in this repetition of birth and death, I seek your friendship; may there be, o Lord, an end to me as one whose mind by Your external manifestation is bound to his own fruitive labor, body, children and home.' 

Chapter 12

Vritrâsura's Glorious Death

(1) The honorable rishi said: 'Thus eager to give up the body, o ruler of man, considering death in battle better than a victory in thought, took he [Vritrâsura] up his trident and attacked he Indra the King of the Enlightened just as the Supreme Person was attacked by Kaitabha at the time of the inundation. (2) Like the fire at the end of the yuga hurled the King of the Demons with great force the sharp pointed trident twirling at the great Indra roaring as the hero loudly at him in great anger: 'Dead you are thou sinner!'

(3) The rotating trident flying towards him like a star falling from the sky did, although the sight was difficult to bear, not scare the empowered Indra who with his thunderbolt cut it, as well as the arm of Vritra that resembled the body of the serpent king, in a hundred pieces. (4) With one arm missing he angrily aimed with a mace of iron taking it up against the thunderbolt and stroke he Indra as well as his elephant on the jaw so that the thunderbolt slipped from the hand of the generous one. (5) That very great accomplishment of Vritra was lauded by sura and asura and glorified by the heavenly singers and the association of the perfect, but seeing the danger Indra was in they sincerely lamented 'Alas, alas' over it. (6) Unto Indra his enemy in front of him ashamed of the thunderbolt that had slipped from his hands said Vritrâsura: 'O lord take up your thunderbolt and kill your enemy, this is no time for regrets. (7) Except for the One of creation, annihilation and maintenance, the Controller who knows everything, the Original and Eternal Person are the belligerent, who are themselves subordinate souls, being armed with weapons not always assured a victory on the spot. (8) The worlds with all their rulers of whom all those who live in dependence are under control, are just like birds caught in a net bound to the timefactor [the Lord] that is the cause in this. (9) Without knowing Him, the strength of our senses, mind, body, life force, immortality and surely also our mortality, does a man consider his indifferent body to be the cause. (1o) O sir, please understand that all things thus, o generous one, just like a wooden doll or a stuffed animal, depend on the Strong One [isa, the Controller, the Lord of Time]. (11) The person of generation [the purusha], the material energy, the principles of creation, the ego, the elements, the senses [of knowledge and perception] and what belongs to them [the mind, intelligence and consciousness] are without the mercy of Him not capable of anything in the creation of this universe. (12) An ignoramus thus considers himself, although he is fully dependent, to be the one in control, but it is He who creates beings by other living beings and it is He who devours them Himself through others. (13) Longevity, opulence, fame, power and the benedictions of a living being are sure to arise when the time is ripe indeed, just as do the reverse conditions without having an inclination for them. (14) Therefore should one in fame or infamy, victory or defeat be equal and even with the distress and happiness of dying or living as well. (15) Goodness, passion and slowness are found by the material of nature, they are not the qualities of the spiritual soul that is the observer to the reality of them; anyone who knows it as such is a person free from bondage [compare B.G. 18:54]. (16) Look at me, with my weapon and arm cut off I'm already defeated, o enemy, and still I'm trying the best I can to give you battle with the desire to take your life. (17) Life is the stake at this battle, the arrows are the dice, our carriers are the game-board and in this game it is not known whose is the victory and whose is the defeat.'

(18) S'rî S'uka said: 'King Indra hearing the straightforward, reverent words of Vritra took up the thunderbolt and, giving up further wondering about them, addressed he him smilingly. (19) Indra said: 'How astonishing o Dânava, now you are as perfect in your consciousness as this, such a devotee and all soul to the Supersoul, the greatest friend, the Ruler of the Universe [see B.G. 6:20-23]. (20) Your good self indeed has surmounted the illusory energy of Lord Vishnu which deludes the common man. Since you gave up the asura mentality, you have obtained the position of the exalted devotee [see 2.4.18]. (21) This is truly a great miracle: of you, whose nature it is to be driven by passion, being in Vâsudeva the Lord Supreme of pure goodness, there is now a strong consciousness! [see Vritra's Prayer 6.11:25] (22) What is the use of water in small ditches to one swimming in an ocean of nectar in being devoted to the Supreme Lord Hari who is the Controller of life's perfection?'

(23) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus conversing about the ins and outs of dharma, o King fought they, the great commanders Indra and Vritra being equally powerful, with one another. (24) Whirling dangerously threw Vritra, able to defeat him, with his left hand the club of iron at Indra, o best of kings. (25) But with the s'ataparvanâ [hundredfold hooked] thunderbolt cut he, the demigod, simultaneously the club and the hand as strong as an elephant's trunk to pieces. (26) Struck by the carrier of the bolt fell he, profusely bleeding with the wings of his arms cut from the root, like a mountain from the sky. (27-29) Of his great life-force and uncommon prowess and being alike the biggest snake and elephant, put the demon his lower jaw on the ground and his upper jaw in the sky so that his mouth became huge. With a tongue and teeth like that of a fearful snake did he as if he were time itself devour the three worlds with his preposterous body. As if they were the Himalaya's moved he his feet pounding and shaking the earth and swallowed he upon reaching him, Thunderbolt Indra, together with his elephant. (30) Him seeing swallowed by Vritra lamented all the demigods with the founding fathers and the great sages: 'Alas, what a tribulation', thus being very morose.

(31) Though he was swallowed by the king of the demons did he not die in his belly, because getting there he was protected by the Supreme Personality as well as by his own power of yoga over the illusion [see S.B. 6.8]. (32) With his thunderbolt pierced the slayer of Bala, the powerful one, the abdomen and got he out to cut with great force off the head of the enemy that was like a mountain peak. (33) But, although it was very speedily cutting his neck revolving all around to make it fall, took it as many days as it takes the luminaries to move over both sides of the equator to settle for his time. (34) At that very time could in the sky the sound of kettledrums of the indwellers of heaven and the perfected be noticed who with the gathering of the saintly celebrated the prowess of the victor, in glee praising him with various mantra's and a shower of flowers. (35) From Vritrâsura's body came forth the light of his soul, o subduer of the enemies, and with all the gods watching did it achieve the supreme abode.

Chapter 13  

King Indra Afflicted by Sinful Reaction

(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'With Vritra killed became, except for Indra himself, the leaders and everyone else in the three worlds, o charitable one, very soon free from all fears and physical agitation. (2) Thereafter did the godly, Brahmâ, S'iva and the ones belonging to Indra as well as all other followers of the divine, on their own accord with the saints, the forefathers and the other living beings and the demoniac return to their homes.'

(3) The king asked: 'O my Lord, great sage, I'd like to hear about the reason of Indra's being troubled; from where came his gloom while all the godly of Indra were so very happy?

(4) S'rî S'uka said: 'By the powerplay of Vritrâsura were all the godly and the sages beset in fear, but afraid of killing a brahmin had Indra declined their request to kill him. (5) Indra said: 'By the women, the earth, the trees and the water showing their favor was the reaction to the sin of killing Vis'varûpa divided [see 6.9:6-10], but how shall I rid my self of killing Vritra?'

(6) S'uka continued: 'The sages hearing that said this to the great Indra: 'We will perform a great as'vamedha sacrifice [horse-sacrifice] for your good fortune, do not fear. (7) The as'vamedha sacrifice of worship for the Original Person, the Supersoul, the Controller that is Lord Nârâyana our God, will liberate you from even the sin of killing the whole world! (8-9) One who has killed a brahmin, his father, a cow, his mother or his spiritual master, such a sinner or outcast dog-eater even may be purified when he sings His holy name. If with us, with faith conducting the as'vamedha sacrifice, the topmost of all sacrifices, you are not even contaminated by killing all creatures of Brahmâ including the ones of respect for him, then what for having killed a harassing demon?'

(10) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus encouraged by the learned killed Indra his enemy, and was the reaction to killing a brahmin with Vritrâsura approaching Vrishâkapi, the myth that is Indra, also killed. (11) By the reaction suffered Indra at first in misery with him not finding happiness but shame and ill-fame in missing the qualities, although he had pleased others. (12-13) He saw it chasing him in the form of an outcast woman old and trembling in her limbs whose clothes were covered in blood of having tuberculosis. With her disheveled gray hair she called 'Wait, wait', spreading with her breath a bad fishy smell that polluted the entire street. (14) The thousand eyed Indra, went everywhere in all directions of the sky and then hurried in the northeastern direction to enter, o King, the Mânasa-sarovara lake. (15) He lived there bereft of all sustenance, invisible for a thousand years to the servant of the sacrificial fire, in the subtle network of the fibers of a lotus stem, while he in his heart always thought on how he could find liberation from having killed a brahmin. (16) For the time of his absence were the heavens ruled by Nahusha who equipped with education, austerity, yoga and strength turned mad of all the excess of opulence; his intelligence fell victim to the fate of a snake going after Indra's wife. (17) After being gone was he, whose sins by the divinity of Rudra in meditating on the Maintainer of truth were nullified, by mouth of the brahmins then invited back. He with all his prowess diminished could not be overcome being protected by the wife of Vishnu, the Goddess of Fortune. (18) He was by the wise of Brahmâ welcomed back and properly to the rules initiated into the as'vamedha sacrifice, o son of Bharata, to indeed please the Supreme Lord Hari. (19-20) From it, that as'vamedha sacrifice administered by the expert brahmins, being in worship for the Original Person, the Supersoul and Maintainer of all divinity, could indeed the mass of sin of regrettably killing the son of Tvâsta, o King, be brought to nothing like it was fog before sunshine. (21) He, the worshipable Indra, was, favored by the as'vamedha sacrifice that as prescribed was performed by the priests headed by Marîci, in the worship of the Original Personality and Lord of Sacrifice completely cleansed of the misstep.

(22-23) This great historical incident describing the glorification of the Lord of the Holy Places, the growing in devotion and the victory and liberation of Indra the King of heaven, cleanses one of innumerable sins. This narration always should be read as well as continuously be heard by the intelligent and be reiterated on the occasion of great festivals; it sharpens one's senses, brings wealth and fame and releases from all misconduct; it brings victory over one's enemies and good fortune to all as well as longevity.'

Chapter 14  

King Citraketu's Lamentation

(1) S'rî Parîkchit said: 'How could Vritrâsura with a nature of passion and ignorance, o brahmin, and being that sinful minded be of such a strong consciousness in Nârâyana, the Supreme Person? (2) The great saints who have minds to the good and truthful of the gods and who have unblemished souls, hardly ever develop devotion unto the lotusfeet of Mukunda, the Lord of Liberation. (3) There are as many living entities as there are atoms in this material world; of them there are indeed some human and alike and out of them there are only a few acting to do good. (4) O best of the twice-born, one always sees that of those loyal to liberation there are only some that desire liberation and that of the thousands of them there are only few that are really liberated, really perfect. (5) Among those who found liberation and perfection, o great Sage, is out of the millions and trillions very rarely one found who concluded to Nârâyana and who has a mind that is completely peaceful [compare B.G. 7:3 &26]. (6) How, with the truth of this, could Vritra then, being so sinful and the cause to such a suffering in all the world, in the middle of the fire of battle have an intelligence that fixed on Krishna? (7) To this I am in great doubt and very eager to hear, o master, about how he managed to please the Thousand eyed One in battle with his bravery and strength '." 

(8) S'rî Sûta said: "The all powerful son of Vyâsa thus hearing the perfect question of his faithful Parîkchit expressed his compliments and explained it to him. (9) S'rî S'uka said: 'Please listen carefully, o King, to this the way I heard it from the mouths of Vyâsa, Nârada Muni and Devala Rshi. (10) Once there was a king, an emperor to all, living in S'ûrasena, who in truth o King, was Citraketu ['the light of excellence'] and thus celebrated was there of him of the earth everything one desired. (11) Of the tens of thousands and thousands of wives he had did the king, although they were very well capable of giving birth, not from a single one of them get a son. (12) With all his beauty, magnanimity, youth, good birth, education, opulence and welfare and endowed with all good qualities was he all anxiety being the spouse to that many incapable wives. (13) Nor his great opulence, nor all his queens with their beautiful eyes, nor all the lands of the empire either could please him. (14) But one day did Angirâ, the very powerful sage who traveled all around through all his countries, suddenly come to the palace. (15) Paying him his respects according the customs he stood up from his throne and offered him worship. After having been hospitable in offering him a comfortable seat near him sat he well composed with him. (16) The great rishi made him who sat nearby in all humility bowing to the ground his compliments, o Mahârâja, and addressed him saying the following.

(17) Angirâ said: 'Is everything all right with your health, the blessing of your counsel, treasury and court, your body, mind and soul, and the alike being protected by the seven [the totality, the ego and the five objects of the senses] of material of nature of you as a king and your subjects ? (18) The king that has placed himself directly under these elements of royalty may befall all good and so will all and everything depending on him that offers wealth and service, o God of Men. (19) And your wives, citizens, secretaries, servants and merchants as well as your ministers, your intimates, governors, landholders and offspring, are they all under control? (20) If one has his mind under control may it be so that all his subjects are under control and that all the world with their governors defying sloth will offer their contributions. (21) From the anxiety of your pale face I can tell that you're not quite happy of mind for some or another reason or that you in fact are frustrated in your plans.' 

(22) By the philosopher, despite of his great learning, was he thus questioned o King, upon which he, desiring offspring, to the sage bend low in great humility to reply him. (23) King Citraketu said: 'O great one, what, through your austerity, spiritual knowledge, and absorption and your association with other great yogî's free from sins, is it that is not understood of the things external and internal to the ones who are embodied? (24) Still, o brahmin, although you know everything, you ask me about my anxious mind. In response to your order allow me now to tell you about it. (25) With a great empire even desirable for the demigods does all the wealth and the upkeep not give me any pleasure because I have no son; to me it is all like trying to satisfy one's hunger and thirst with everything else but food and drink. (26) For this reason save me and my forefathers from perdition in darkness o great wise, making it so that we get a son so that we can overcome that what is so difficult to overcome.' 

(27) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus being beseeched did he, that most powerful and merciful son of Brahmâ, make him cook a preparation of sweet rice for Tvâsta [the demigod father of Vis'varûpa, see 6.8], which then was offered by him in worship of Tvâsta. (28) The first and most perfect queen of all the queens of the king, o best of the Bhârata's, listening to the name of Kritadyuti was offered the remnants of the sacrifice delivered by the sage. (29) Thereafter said he to the king: 'O King, there will be one son who will be the cause of jubilation and lamentation for you', whereupon the son of Brahmâ left. (30) Kritadyuti proved to be pregnant of Citraketu after having eating the food of the offering so that she got a son like the goddess Krittikâ got one [Skanda] from Âgni. (31) Her fetus grew day after day developing step by step from the semen of the king of S'ûrasena like the moon does in the bright fortnight of the month. (32) Then after the needed time took the son birth creating the highest delight with the inhabitants of S'ûrasena as they heard about it. (33) The king very happy with his newly born son, had him cleansed and bathed and decorated with ornaments and with words of benediction spoken by the brahmins had he the birth ceremony performed. (34) The brahmins he gave in charity gold, silver, garments, ornaments as also villages, horses, elephants and sixty crores of cows. (35) Like a raincloud showered the beneficent king all that one could desire for in order to increase the opulence, the reputation and longevity of his newborn. (36) Just like a poor man that with great difficulty has gained riches has an increasing feel for it, had the pious king as a father a day by day growing affection for the son that with so much difficulty was gained. (37) Also the mother had an excessive affection for the son, which, with all the co-wives of Kritadyuti, out of their ignorance led to a feverish desire to have sons also. (38) Just as with the constant care for the son arose with king Citraketu an excessive attraction to the wife who gave him the son and not so much to the others. (39) Of having no sons and being unhappy of being neglected by the king, they then lamented condemning themselves out of envy. (40) A woman being without a son is by the husband and the co-wives who have sons not honored at home finding all condemnation and is consigned the burden of sin; she, ill respected, is then just like a maid-servant. (41) And what indeed is there for maidservants to lament who find honor in being constantly of service to their husbands - but being like a maidservant to the maidservants one is most unfortunate. (42) Thus was there of the queens out of favor, who burnt in lamentation with the king enjoying the wealth of a son from the co-wife Kritadyuti, a very strong growing envy. (43) Having lost their intelligence of the envy and unable to tolerate the king his ways became the women extremely hardhearted and administered they poison to the boy. (44) Kritadyuti walking around the house was not aware of the sin committed by the co-wives and thought looking at her son that he was fast asleep. (45) With the son lying down for a long time gave she, as a lady of intelligence, thus the nurse the order: 'Please o friend, bring me my son'. (46) Looking after him she saw him lying down with his eyes turned upwards and his life force, mind and senses abandoned and falling down to the ground she cried 'I'm doomed!'. (47) At that time hearing her voice loudly in regretful agitation with the striking of her breast with both her hands, did also the queen hastily enter and saw she getting near her son that her child suddenly had deceased. (48) She swooned unconscious to the ground overcome by grief with her hair and dress in disarray. (49) Thereafter o ruler of man, came all the inhabitants of the palace and all people, men and women that had heard the loud crying and all equally aggrieved they greatly lamenting just as did pretentiously the ones who had committed the crime. (50-51) Hearing that his son was dead for reasons unknown could the king not see properly anymore and fell he constantly slipping on his way followed by his ministers and surrounded by the twice-born. Because of his affection and his rising wail of lamentation he fell unconscious down at the feet of the dead boy with disheveled hair and dress and breathing heavily [coming to] was he of his crying with tears not able to speak with his voice choked up. (52) The queen seeing her husband at the time heavily lamenting in pain over the death of the child, the only son of the family, lamented in all forms thus adding to the pain in the heart of all gathered there including the officers and ministers. (53) Her two with kumkum powdered breasts got wet of the falling tear drops mixed with the make up that decorated her eyes while from her scattered hair the flowers fell down with her lamenting the son in all sounds resembling the sweet cries of a kurarî bird: 

(54) 'Alas, o Providence, how short You fall in wisdom being someone who indeed performs just to the opposite of Your creation; while the father is yet alive do You contradict with the death of the one that came later and in that case You are a constant enemy. (55) Not being the regular order out here of the death and birth of the embodied, You allow it to be that by the result of one's karma that which is the bond of affection, that which is personally made by You to Your greater glory, is cut away. That is what You do. (56) And you my dear son, should not give up on me who is so poor without you as my protector and look after your father grieving so much; by you we may easily cross that realm of darkness which is so difficult to cross without a son; please don't leave us in your abiding by the merciless of the Lord of Death. (57) My dear son, get up, all children, your playmates are calling for you to play with them, o prince of mine; you've slept for so long, you must be really hungry by now, please take my breast and drink just to dissipate the grief of your relatives. (58) How unfortunate I am not to see any longer the charming smiles of you, born from my flesh now you've closed the eyes of your lotusface; have you really left me for the place of no return, for the other world; have you really been taken away by the cruel Lord of Death? No longer I can hear your sweet prattle...' 

(59) S'rî S'uka said: 'With the woman bewailing her dead son this way in several lamentations was Citraketu very much aggrieved and cried he loudly along. (60) With the two of them lamenting cried all the followers equally aloud with the king and his wife and so were all men and women of the kingdom out of their wits of sadness. (61) The saint that was Angirâ, knowing that from the misery that fell upon them they had lost their senses and were helpless, then came there with Nârada Muni.

Chapter 15  

The Saints Nârada and Angirâ Instruct King Citraketu

(1)  S'rî S'uka said: 'They [the sages Nârada and Angirâ] spoke to the King, who for dead at the side of the dead body was so very much aggrieved, to instruct him on the factual that had to be stated. (2)  O Best of Kings, who is this to you your Lordship, whom you are lamenting over and who was this before in being born to you, who is it at present and who in the future? (3)  Just as grains of sand come together and move apart by the force of the waves, are they, the embodied, similarly united and separated by time [compare B.G. 2.13]. (4)  Just as from seeds sown sometimes grains do grow and sometimes not grow, so do likewise the living entities result in other living beings impelled by the potency of the Supreme Controller. (5)  We and you too o King, and also others who move about or those who are fixed, are, at the same time being of birth and death, as it were thus not really there before nor afterwards, although one is there at present. (6)  By some living entities does the Controller of All create other living entities and does He maintain and kill them also; they are not independent from Him although they were created by Him indifferently as if He were a boy [compare B.G. 3.27]. (7)  By the body of the one embodied is from one body another body created; just as indeed from one seed another seed is born is the one embodied, like the constituent elements of matter, eternal [see B.G. 8: 17-22]. (8)  This division between the body and its indweller is there from not understanding that one is there made from time immemorial, just as a division of class and having a separate existence to the original object is something imagined.'

(9)  S'rî S'uka said: 'King Citraketu, thus supported by what the twice-born had told him, wiped his shriveled face with his hand and spoke intelligently. (10)  The honorable king said: 'The two of you who have arrived here disguised in the dress of total forsakers, are to the full of your knowledge the greatest of the greatest. (11)  As desired indeed do you brahmins dear to the Lord and dressed like madmen wander the surface of the earth for the awakening of people like me with a familial intelligence. (12-15)  Sanat-kumâra, Nârada, Ribhu, Angirâ, Devala, Asita, Apântaratamâ [an early name of Vyâsadeva], Mârkandeya and Gautama; Vasishthha, Bhagavân Paras'urâma, Kapila, S'ukadeva, Durvâsâ, Yâjnavalkya and Jâtukarna as well as Aruni, Romas'a, Cyavana, Dattâtreya, Âsuri, Patañjali, the sage and Dhaumya head of the Veda's and the wise Pañcas'ikha, Hiranyanâbha, Kaus'alya, S'rutadeva and Ritadhvaja; all these and other masters of perfection are the wandering spiritual educators. (16)  Therefore let from you the torchlight of spiritual knowledge be ignited o masters, as I am but a village dog with a foolish vision that is blind in the midst of darkness [*].

(17)  S'rî Angirâ said: 'I am the one Angirâ who granted you the son that you desired o King and this one son of Brahmâ is directly the great Nârada. (18-19)  This way of being merged in a difficult to overcome darkness out of grieving over your son does not befit you in remembering the Supreme Personality. Just for your sake have the learned by the two of us arrived here at this place o King and to you as someone anchored in Brahman and devoted to the Lord we have to say that you do you not deserve it to come down like this. (20)  Before when I came to your home, I would have given you the spiritual knowledge of transcendence, but as you were absorbed in something else I only gave you a son. (21-23)  At present you indeed experience the tribulation of someone with children who as such has a nice wife, a home, riches and various assets and luxuries. All these sensual objects of meaning to you like a kingdom, opulence, land and royalty, strength and a treasury with servants, ministers and allies, are all temporary. Indeed is this all o Ruler of S'ûrasena, a lamentable illusion giving rise to fears and distress; these illusions are concoctions of the mind, preoccupations like castles in the sky. (24)  What you are looking after is without any substance, they are figments born of fruitive action that you meditate upon; it is from the mind that all sorts of karma finds its way. (25)  No doubt does this body of the living entity consist of material elements and senses of action and perception. These are declared to be the cause of the various sufferings and pains of the living entity [see also B.G 15: 7-11]. (26)  Therefore take care mindfully and consider your real position, give up your belief in the duality as a permanent object; take to the peaceful condition.'

(27)  S'rî Nârada said: 'Listen good and accept this mantra of philosophy from me, which, concentrating on it for seven nights, will give you the vision of the all-pervading Lord Sankarsan ['the one with the plough' see 5.25]. (28)  From finding shelter at His lotusfeet o King did formerly all the godly giving up this illusion of duality immediately achieve His unequaled and unsurpassed glories and also you will after not too long a time obtain the Transcendence.

* Before lecturing do Vaishnava's pray in defining the guru:

'om ajnâna-timirândhasya
jnânânjanasalâkayâ
cakshur unmîlitam yena
tasmai s´rî-gurave namah'

"I was born in the darkest ignorance, and my spiritual master opened my eyes with the torch of knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisances unto him."  

Chapter 16  

King Citraketu Meets the Supreme Lord

(1) The son of Vyâsa said: 'Then brought the Devarshi, o King, the deceased son of the king [who was called Harshasoka, or 'jubilation and lamentation'] into the vision of the lamenting relatives there and spoke he. (2) S'rî Nârada said: 'O living soul, all good to you, behold your mother, father, friends and relatives who because of you are greatly distressed of lamentation. (3) To complete your life you may reenter your body and in the midst of your kin enjoy all pleasures, accepting from your father the award of the royal throne.'

(4) The individual soul said: 'In which of all those births, wherein I from my karma have been wandering among the godly, the animals and the humans, were these my fathers and mothers? (5) Over time do all indeed of all become each others friends, family members, enemies, neutrals, well-wishers, indifferent or envious ones [compare B.G. 3.27]. (6) Just as means of exchange like gold pass from one to the other person, passes the same way the living entity by different fathers through different species of life [see also B.G. 2.22]. (7) Of the eternal position there is thus seen the temporary of relationships in human society for as long as one in a relationship belongs to someone else for a certain time. (8) Thus being from a certain birth is the living entity eternal, as long as he does not identify himself with the body in which he may reside for so long and from the reality of which he has a sense of self. (9) It is eternal, imperishable and of the subtle; it is the selfaware of the different embodiments obtained by the different modes of the divine of nature, appearing as its own master in this material world. (10) To the living entity there is really no one dear or not dear, nor is there anything his own or of someone else; in other words he is the one witness to the different sorts of intelligence and performers of good and bad deeds [see also B.G. 9.29]. (11) To the soul is happiness nor distress acceptable nor the fruit of labor; like the perfect neutral he resides within as the controller overseeing cause and effect [B.G. 2.47].'

(12) The son of Vyâsa continued: 'Speaking this way went the living entity away to the acute astonishment of his relatives, who gave up their lamentation by their breaking the shackles of the bond of affection. (13) When the family of the son removed the body gave they up, performing the proper rites, the lingering affection, lamentation and illusion causing the fear and distress. (14) Those who had killed the child being very ashamed of having murdered the boy did, bereft of their bodily luster, as was prescribed by the brahmins perform at the river the Yamunâ the atonement for having killed the baby, o Parîkchit, remembering what the twice born had stated. (15) Citraketu, fully aware of the spiritual purport of the sayings of the twice-born, came thus out of the dark well of the attachment to his family like an elephant coming out of a muddy pool. (16) Taking a bath in the Yamunâ as was prescribed and piously performing oblations of water with gravity controlling his mind and senses, offered he the two sons of Brahmâ his obeisances.

(17) Following disclosed Bhagavân Nârada who was very pleased with him being such a surrendered devotee in control with himself, this knowledge [this mantra, this prayer] as promised. (18-19) 'O my Lord my obeisances unto You, the Supreme Lord Vâsudeva. Let me meditate upon Pradyumna [the Lord of intelligence], Aniruddha [the Lord of the mind] and Sankarshana [the Lord of the Ego, see also S.B. 4.24:35-37]. All my respects unto the full manifestation of wisdom, the embodiment of supreme bliss Who is the self-effulgent True of the Self of peace with His vision turned away from the duality. (20) By the realization of Your personal bliss are the waves of the material ocean overcome. My reverences unto that Controller of the Senses so Supreme; my respects for You whose expansions are unlimited. (21) When words cease to serve is He, the One without a second, with the mind of no denomination or form and totally spiritual; may He, the one above truth and untruth, mercifully protect us. (22) In Whom this all and from Whom this all stands, dissolves and is born like things of clay that are made from earth; unto Him, the Supreme Cause, my reverential homage. (23) Whom the mind, the intelligence, the senses and the life airs cannot touch, nor know outside and inside; He who has expanded as vast as the sky, unto Him I am bowed. (24) The body, the senses, the life air, the mind and intelligence are all shouldered by the Ruling Principle; they, just like iron that not heated by fire does not burn, do not move in different activities unless in the condition of having achieved the Name in question. (25) My obeisances unto You my Lord, o Supreme Personality, most Perfect Supersoul and Master of all Mystic power Whose feet are served by the multitude of lotus bud hands of the all the best devotees; unto You, situated in the highest abode, my respects.'

(26) S'rî S'uka said: 'Nârada unto this devotee of full surrender imparting the knowledge then left with Angirâ for the abode belonging to Brahmâ, o Lordship. (27) Citraketu consequently, only drinking water, with great concentration put himself uninterrupted for one week to the knowledge as was communicated by Nârada. (28) Not deviating from the instructions achieved he, by these prayers carefully practiced, at the end of seven days and nights the mastery of the vidyâdhara's ['the ones founded in knowledge'] o ruler of man. (29) After that by the spiritual knowing within a few days having found the enlightenment for his way of thinking, went he to the shelter of the lotus feet of the God of all gods, Lord S'esha [Anantadeva or Sankarshana, see 5.25]. (30) He saw Him, his Master and Controller, with His smiling lotusface and reddish eyes, as white as a lotusleaf, wearing blue silk, a glittering helmet, armlets, a belt and bangles situated in the midst of His most perfect devotees. (31) The sight of Him destroyed all his sins so that he healthy and pure at heart like a saint could face Him in a devotional mood with tears in his eyes and his hairs standing on end and offer the Original Person of God his obeisances. (32) He at the lotusfeet of the Lord of the Verses, wetted with his tear drops that resting place over and over and choked up out of love was he for a long time indeed unable to utter a single letter of the alphabet to offer Him prayers. (33) Next recovering his speech in controlling his mind with intelligence spoke this one king to the personification of devotional service and the scriptures, to the teacher of all regulating the wanderings of all the senses to the external.

(34) Citraketu said: 'O Unconquerable One who art conquered by people of recollection; to those devotees who with their surrendered souls were won by You and always sing Your glories with minds free from desire, You give Yourself in utter compassion. (35) To Your opulences that for true, o Supreme One, are of the creation, maintenance and dissolution of this cosmic manifestation, are the creators of this creation parts of parts of You who in that in vain rival with one another from false conceptions of separateness. (36) From the smallest atom to the biggest of manifestation do You exist from the beginning to the end and in between; yet You are being without these three without a beginning or an end and are You of all permanence of existence in between certainly also [latent] there as its absence. (37) This material world, this eggshaped universe consisting of the seven coverings [of the five elements earth, water, fire air and ether, the total energy and false ego] of which each is the tenfold of the preceding one, sinks into nothing with the millions of such universes and for this reason You are Unlimited. (38) Eager to enjoy like animals worships man only parts [demigods] but not the Supreme of You, o Controller; the benedictions of them are finished at their end just as it is with politicians [B.G. 7.2o-23 S.B. 2.3.10]. (39) They who desire gratification do, just as fried seeds, not flourish in You o Supreme One; but in the full of Your spiritual knowledge is a person not affected by the network of the modes and the duality of their material qualities [compare: B.G. 4.9]. (40) They were conquered by Your Lordship, O unconquerable One, when You addressed them about the dharma of being devoted to You. The faultless who do not crave for material happiness, they who are great sages happy within, are the ones of worship on the path of liberation [see also 1.2:6]. (41) Unequal does one lack in consciousness and does one among the people thus have the 'I and Mine' and the 'Me and You'; in other approaches is by the unequal vision resulting the conduct indeed impure, temporary and full of unrighteousness [compare B.G. 18.66]. (42) In what sense is it beneficial for oneself and others or what purpose would it serve to be of envy with the Supreme and with others with a religious system? That practice of biting on oneself raises Your wrath and gives pain to others and disloyal to the scriptures it is too [see B.G. 16:17 and S.B. 1.2:8]. (43) Your outlook in relation to the dharma of Your instructions and activities is declared to be infallible; following that making no distinctions between the nonmoving and moving living beings is one certainly of the civilized [the Aryans]. (44) Hasn't it, o my Lord, come to be so that by the sight of You all the sins of all human beings are annihilated and that by the hearing of your Name at once even the lowest of man is delivered from the entanglement of material existence ? (45) Thus o Supreme Lord, have at present seeing You before my eyes the contaminations been wiped out, how otherwise could it be as was spoken by the great rishi of enlightenment [Nârada], Your devotee? (46) Well known, o Unlimited one, are You, as the Supersoul of all the world, with everything that is done by all who live here. What can one realize by the fireflies if one has a sun as the teacher of transcendence like You? (47) All obeisances unto You, o Lordship of the existence, ending and creation of the universe; Your position is beyond the scrutiny of the ones unified in matter by false concepts of having an independent existence unto the pure of transcendence. (48) It is after Your endeavoring that indeed the directors of the creation also endeavor; it is after your perceiving that all of the acknowledging senses perceive; it is of You keeping it on Your hood that the huge universe becomes like a mustard seed; may all the respect be there for You, the Supreme Lord with the Thousands of Hoods.'

(49) S'rî S'ukadeva said: 'O best of the Kuru's, the Supreme Lord Ananta Deva, being worshiped this way then answered him, Citraketu, being very pleased with the King of the vidyâdhara's. (50) The Supreme Lord said: 'From directly seeing Me and from the worship with the prayer that Nârada and Angirâ have told to you about, have you now been perfected, o King. (51) I as the Supersoul of all, as the cause of the manifestation, indeed expanded in different forms and exist in both the eternal forms of spiritual sound vibrations and the Supreme Brahman [compare B.G. 7:4-5]. (52) The living entity expanded into the world as also did the world spread within the living entity and both are they, being created, pervaded by Me and are the two of them also present in Me. (53-54) Like a person asleep who dreaming sees the whole world within himself, but on awaking sees himself lying down somewhere, are likewise the living entities their different states of consciousness and conditions of life exhibitions of the illusory potency of the Self, knowing which one should always remember the Supreme Creator and Witness to them [see bhajan Radha Krishna Bol Bol]. (55) Just know Me as Him, the pervader, the Supreme Spirit apart from the material condition by whom a sleeping man knows what is of the dream and what would be his happiness then. (56) By the person remembering both states of consciousness of dreaming and sleeping may be reached, extending through from the beyond, that spiritual knowledge of Brahman that is transcendental. (57) The living entity having forgotten this spiritual of My position, leads from that a materially conditioned life in separation from the Supersoul of which it wanders from one body to the next, from one death to another death. (58) Achieving here a human birth has one of spiritual knowledge and wisdom the chance for selfrealization, but anyone who does not pick that up can never ever find any success in life. (59) From remembering what a trouble it is to toil out here with achieving the opposite of what was desired and also in remembering the freedom from fear indeed when one is free from the desire after material things should one, knowing better, desist. (60) For the sake of happiness and to be free from misery do man and wife perform activities which on themself are unsuccessful in finding cessation as they are the source of as well happiness as of distress. (61-62) Men who think themselves so smart but this way realize the opposite, find it extremely difficult to understand what it means to be of progress with the soul and to stand apart from the three states [of unconsciousness, sleep and waking]. Directly seen or understood from hearing about it, being freed from materialism by one's own power of judgment in spiritual knowledge and wisdom should a person, having found the full of satisfaction, become My devotee. (63) For people of intelligence and ability is indeed, concerning the understanding of the oneness, the transcendental and the soul, by all means this much of yoga as the ultimate goal of life to be known. (64) If with faith you accept these words of Mine, o King, without taking to other conclusions, will you in the full of spiritual knowledge and wisdom soon find your perfection.'

(65) S'rî S'uka said: 'The Supreme Lord, the Teacher of the Universe, assured thus Citraketu after which He, Lord Hari, the Soul of All, disappeared from before his eyes.'  

 Chapter 17  

Mother Pârvatî Curses Citraketu

(1)  S'rî S'uka said: 'After making his obeisances in the direction to which Lord Ananta had disappeared started Citraketu, the King of the vidyâdhara's traveling, moving about in the wide world. (2-3) He unhindered visited hundreds of thousands of people in thousands of places and was in his strength and sensecontrol praised as a great yogî by the sages, the perfected and the monks. With his heart in between the hights of Kulâcalendra [Mount Meru] where one exercises for perfection, he took pleasure with the wives of the vidyâdhara's to incite the praise of Lord Hari, the Controller. (4-5) Once going about in his brightly shining heavenly vehicle that he had gotten from Lord Vishnu, saw he Lord S'iva in the midst of all the saintly, surrounded by the perfected and the singers of heaven, embracing with his arm the goddess sitting on his lap, and laughing loudly he there spoke in the presence of the mother for her clearly to hear. (6) Citraketu said: 'This spiritual master of all the world, who to all the embodied is the direct representative of the dharma, as the chief for true sits in an assembly embracing his wife! (7) With his hair matted, exalted of penance, strict to the spiritual and presiding the assembly he is hugging a woman and sits there unashamed just like a material person. (8) Normally do even conditioned souls though embrace women in private... and this one master of vow and austerity enjoys his woman in an assembly!'

(9) S'rî S'uka said: 'The great Lord of fathomless intelligence who also heard that o King, just smiled and remained silent and everyone in the assembly did so after him. (10) When he thus unaware of the might spoke against all etiquette, spoke the goddess angered to the audacious one who thought himself so well-controlled. (11) S'rî Pârvatî said: 'And now is this one supposed to be the Supreme Controller, the one to chastise and the master of restraint to people like us, the criminal and the shameless? (12) It must be the one from the Lotus that has no idea of dharma, nor do Brahmâ's sons, Brghu or Nârada, nor indeed did the four Kumâra's, Lord Kapila and Manu himself have the sense to stop our S'iva who broke the rules! (13) Of all is he, who by this lowest among the kshatriya's overriding the demigods is impudently chastised, the one who with his lotus feet is the teacher of the world and the auspicious of auspiciousness himself and the one to be meditated upon. Therefore should this man here be punished indeed. (14) This impertinent haughty fellow is not the one to deserve the approach of the shelter of the lotusfeet of Vaikunthha worshipped by all the saints [compare: the Siksâstaka]. (15) Therefore o greatest of sinners go to be born from the demons, o fool, so that this world again belongs to the great and that you, my son, will no longer commit any offense.'

(16) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus being cursed came Citraketu down from his heavenly chariot to be to the best of his grace with Pârvatî bending his head low, o son of Bharata. (17) Citraketu said: 'Folding my hands before you o Mother I accept your curse; that which is prescribed to a mortal by the godly has been set by his deeds in the past indeed. (18) In the vicious circle of this material life is the living entity bewildered by ignorance and wanders he, always experiencing happiness and distress, everywhere. (19) A person not aware considers in this himself and for sure also others the doer but nor can indeed the individual soul nor someone else either be the doer giving happiness and distress. (20) What would, in this current of the modes of matter, be a curse or what indeed a favor, what a promotion to heaven or what a fall down in hell or what would be happiness and distress therein? (21) He is the One Supreme Lord, who by His potencies creates the conditioned life of all the beings as well as the life of liberation; the happiness and distress at the one hand and the position above time at the other. (22) To Him no one is dear or not dear, nor a kinsmen or a friend or is one of others or of His own either; He is equal, omnipresent, unaffected by the world and unattached in that happiness from which there is [to normal people] factually the anger. (23) Still is there of His forces to the embodied the creation of in repeat being destined to be of happiness and distress, profit and loss, bondage and liberation and death and birth. (24) Therefore I am not begging you to be released from your curse o angry one, but just to have you accept my excuses for all that you, o chaste one, verily considered improperly said by me.'

(25) S'rî S'uka said: 'After thus satisfying the elevated ones, o ever conqueror of the enemies, went Citraketu away by his own means through heaven from where the two were watching over and smiling at him. (26) Thereafter then said the great Lord to His wife the following while Nârada, the daitya's and the siddha's and his personal associates were all listening. (27) S'rî Rudra said: 'Have you seen, my beauty, how magnanimous the servants of the servants are, the great souls in forsaking the sensual unto the Supreme Personality, Whose works are so wondrous? (28) The pure of Nârâyana are all in no instance afraid, whether it concerns heaven, liberation or to be in hell; in their eyes it is all of equal value. (29) The embodied are because of being in touch with the physical no doubt of the dual of the Lord His pastimes, of happiness and distress, death and birth and curse and favor. (30) Without discrimination indeed making distinctions, are there like that of the person within himself the qualities and faults of imagination made with the difference of for instance being sure of having a garland. (31) People who carry in their hearts love and faith unto the Supreme Lord Vâsudeva are of real knowledge and detachment, they do not take to any physical potency for their shelter [see also 1.2:7]. (32) Nor I, nor Lord Brahmâ, nor the As'vinî-Kumâra's, nor Nârada, the sons of Brahmâ, the saints nor all the great demigods know the true nature of Him of whom they who think of themselves as separate rulers, are all parts of parts. (33) There is indeed no one particularly loved by Him nor disliked nor does anyone even belong to Him or to someone else; as the soul of the soul of all beings is the Lord the most dear to all alive. (34-35) This greatly fortunate king Citraketu is of Him an obedient servant beloved everywhere who sees equally and is of peace indeed and who, just as I, is the love of the Infallible one. Be therefore not surprised about the ways of those persons who are great souls and great personalities of devotion in peace and equality towards all.'

(36) S'rî S'uka said: Thus hearing what the great Lord S'iva had to tell her found Pârvatî her peace of mind back o King and was the goddess released of her astonishment. (37) When he, who as a great devotee in all respects was able to formulate a counter-curse against the goddess, accepted the condemnation loaded on his head, marked this him out as a true devotee. (38) Born from the brahmin called Tvâsta turned he at the daksina firesacrifice to the department of the demoniac species of life and thus became he with all his knowledge and wisdom celebrated as Vritrâsura [see 6.9 and compare with 1.5:19]. (39) This was all that I had to explain unto you asking me about Vritrâsura, the one of exalted intelligence who was born in the darkness. (40) This history of the pious Citraketu who was such a great soul, contains all the glory and he who hears it from the devotees of Vishnu is freed from bondage. (41) Anyone who rising early in the morning and with faith controlling the words reads out this story, that person remembering the Lord, will reach the supreme destination.'

Chapter 18  

Diti Vows to Kill King Indra

(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'From Prisni then, the wife of Savitâ [the fifth of the twelve sons of Aditi] there were [the three daughters] Sâvitrî, Vyâhritii and Trayî and [from them were born the sons] Agnihotra, Pas'u, Soma, Câturmâsya and the five Mahâyajñas. (2) Siddhi the wife of Bhaga [the sixth son of the twelve sons of Aditi], my dear King, bore [the sons] Mahimâ, Vibhu and Prabhu and Âsi, a very beautiful and virtuous daughter, (3-4) Of Dhâtâ [the seventh son of Aditi] his wives Kuhû, Sinîvâlî, Râkâ and Anumati came [the sons] Sâyam, Dars'a, Prâtah and Pûrnamâsa respectively. The firegods called the Purîshyas were begotten by the next son [of Aditi: Vidhâtâ] in Kriyâ and Carshanî of Varuna [the ninth son of Aditi] was the one of whom Bhrigu took birth again. (5) Vâlmîki, the great yogî [from the semen of Varuna] was born from an anthill [hence his name] and indeed were the two sages Âgastya and Vasishthha [as their common sons] also there from Mitra [the tenth son] and Varuna. (6) Of being in the presence of Urvas'î was [by Mitra and Varuna] semen discharged in an earthen pot [and from that semen were the two sages born as common sons]. In Revatî begot Mitra [the three sons] Utsarga, Arishtha and Pippala. (7) In Paulomî [or S'acîdevî] so we heard my best, begot Indra three sons Jayanta, Rishabha and Midhusa prabhu as the third. (8) Of [the twelfth son] Urukrama [or Vâmana], the Lord who in the form of a dwarf had appeared from His inner potency, was of His wife Kîrti born the son Brihats'loka from whom there were many others headed by Saubhaga. (9) The activities, qualities and power of this great soul and how He indeed was certain to descend of Kas'yapa from Aditi, I will describe later on.

(10) Now I will tell you about how from the [demoniac] sons to Diti of Kas'yapa [see 3.14] there were as well the great and glorious devotee Prahlâda as certainly also Bali [who was defeated by Vâmana]. (11) The two sons from Diti that were sure to be worshiped by the daitya's and dânava's were known under the names of Hiranyakas'ipu and Hiranyâksha. (12-13) The wife of Hiranyakas'ipu named Kayâdhu, was a daughter born from Jambha and a descendant of Danu. She indeed gave birth to four sons with Samhlâda as the first after which came Anuhlâda, Hlâda and Prahlâda and a sister called Simhikâ who from Vipracit received Râhu. (14) His [Râhu's] head was severed by Lord Hari with His disc as he [with the demigods] was drinking from the nectar. Kriti, the wife of Samhlâda, gave from him birth to [the son] Pañcajana. (15) Dhamani, the wife of Hlâda, gave birth to [the sons] Vâtâpi and Ilvala. The latter one was [in the form of a ram] by Vâtâpi cooked when Aghastya came as her guest. (16) Of Anuhlâda's wife Sûryâ there were [the two sons] Bâshkala and Mahisha. Virocana was sure to be [the son] of Prahlâda and from his devi there was Bali. (17) With Bâna as his eldest begot he [Bali] from As'anâ a hundred sons; I'll make sure to describe the laudable of his character later on. (18) Bâna of worship unto Lord S'iva obtained from him promotion to the platform of the chief associates next to him and because of that does the great Lord till today protect his capital city. (19) The fourty nine Maruts, also sons of Diti, had no sons themselves and were by Indra all elevated to the position of demigods.'

(20) The king said: 'Why o guru, did they give up the atheistic mentality they were born with; did they perform that holy that they therefore by Indra were turned into demigods? (21) O brahmin, these sages together with me here are eager to find out about that o great one, please explain it therefore to us'."

(22) S'rî Sûta said: "Hearing those words of the servant of Vishnu did he, the son of Vyâsa so acutely present to all, very pleased with that meaningfulness praise him briefly and gave he a reply, o S'aunaka. (23) S'rî S'uka said: 'Diti, whose sons were killed by Lord Vishnu helping out Indra, burnt with anger and thought clouded by the grief: (24) 'When will I, with the hard-hearted cruel sinful killer of these pleasure seeking brothers who caused [Vishnu] to end their lives, find satisfaction? (25) He whose body, although destined to be a king, will become a notion of worms, stool and ashes and who despite of that harms others in the pursuit of his own interest, is he of real knowledge? Him waits the punishment of hell! (26) He, thinking that this is of the eternal, is out of his mind; can I count on a son of mine that will fight this madness of Indra?' (27-28) She then, charged with that intention, was constantly of all kinds of pleasing actions with love and humility, selfrestraint and great devotion, o King, of service unto her husband whose mind she, very well known with his nature, with charming sweet words, smiles and furtive glances brought under her control. (29) Although a highly expert learned scholar was he thus enchanted by the woman and acceded he, being under her control, therefore to her wishes; a thing not at all surprising in relating to a woman. (30) Seeing the living beings detached in the beginning of creation, has God the Father created the woman as the other half of his body and by her is the mind of men carried away. (31) Thus being served, o my best, was the mighty Kas'yapa very pleased with the smiling woman upon which he approvingly spoke to Diti.

(32) Kas'yapa said: 'Ask any benediction o my beauty, as I, o irreproachable lady, am very pleased with you; what would there for a woman of desire be diffucult to obtain when her husband is well pleased? (33-34) The husband for sure is considered the certain god supreme of the woman because, situated in the heart of all, there is the husband of the Goddess of Fortune that is Vâsudeva. He sure is, conceived by the forms and names of the different divinities, worshiped by men as the Supreme Lord as also by women in the form of the husband [see also B.G. 9:23]. (35) Therefore are women of respect to their husbands and consciencious, o slim one; of worship and devotion is the husband the representative controller of the Supersoul. (36) I, worshiped by you with such devotion my love, shall as such a person fullfill the desires that for the untruthful are not feasible.'

(37) Diti said: 'If you are to me the giver of benedictions o brahmin, then do I, with my two sons dead, ask for an immortal son capable of killing Indra, as he is the one who caused the two to be killed.'

(38) Hearing her words was the brahmin aggrieved and lamented he to himself: 'Alas what great impiety has befallen me today! (39) Regrettably, I've grown too attached to sensual pleasures in the form of the woman present before me; from my wretched mind captivated by mâyâ I will land in hell for sure. (40) What an offense it is to follow the nature of women out here; because I'm thus out of control with my senses, I'll be damned alas in not knowing what is good for me. (41) Her face is like a blossoming lotus flower in autumn and her words are pleasing to the ear, but the schemes of a woman cut like a razor through the heart of him who knows. (42) Not to hold anyone so dear is with her most beloved husband, son and brother the actual interest of the woman; she just as well kills them or has them killed if that would be in her interest. (43) What was promised I shall give and that statement will not be false but the killing of Indra in that connection cannot be the proper course of action, to this I have to think of something suitable.'

(44) The powerful Muni thinking thus o descendant of Kuru, got slightly angry with himself in condemnation and then spoke. (45) S'rî Kas'yapa said: 'Your son will as a friend of the godless be after Indra o gentle one, if for the duration of a year you properly keep to a vow in this.'

(46) Diti said: ' I will accept that vow my dear brahmin, please tell me what I have to do and what is forbidden and also what I must do not to break the pledge.'

(47) S'rî Kas'yapa said: 'Harm no living entity, do not curse or speak a lie, nor cut your nails and hair and do not touch things impure. (48) Do not enter water for a bath, do not get angry nor speak with wicked people and do not wear dirty clothes or ever wear a flower garland already worn. (49) Do not eat food left over, nor food containing flesh sacrificed to Kâlî, nor must you eat food brought by a s'ûdra or food looked after by a woman in her menses and do not drink water cupping your hands. (50) Do in the evening, after having eaten, not go out without having washed yourself, with your hair loose, without ornaments, without being grave or without being covered. (51) Do not lie down without having your dirty feet washed nor with your feet wet, with your head northward nor westward and do not lie down with other women, naked or during sunset or sunrise. (52) In clean clothes, always being washed and adorned with all auspicious things you should worship before breakfast the cows and brahmins, the Goddess of Fortune and the Infallible One. (53) Women with husband and son you must worship with presentations of garlands, sandelwood pulp and ornaments, in worship of your husband you should offer prayers and meditate and with him in you [with intercourse or pregnancy] you should do so also. (54) Keeping without violations to this vow of pumsavana ['of the forest person'] for a year will there be for you a son to kill Indra. '

(55) Affirming in acceptance obtained Diti thus , o King, jubilant the semen from Kas'yapa and followed she strictly to the vow. (56) O dear King of respect for all, Indra who understood the intention of his mother's sister, then in heartening his own interests, attended upon Diti to serve her while she was residing in an âsrama. (57) Daily he brought her from the forest flowers, fruits, roots and wood for the sacrificial fire as also leaves, kus'a grass, sprouts, earth and water at the right time. (58) Thus, o Ruler of Man, was Indra, who with her faithful discharge of duties desired to find a fault in her allegeance to the vow, serving her in deceit like a hunter posing for a deer. (59) But he couldn't find a single misser of excecution and intent upon that, o master of the world, he in great anxiety wondered: 'How can there be my well-being in this world?' (60) Once though did she, at dusk, just after eating and weak of the vow, not touch water not washing her feet and went she bewildered by fate to sleep. (61) Thereupon finding fault with her entered Indra as a master of yoga in control with the mystical power the womb of Diti who unconscious lay asleep. (62) He cut the embryo that had a golden appearance in seven pieces with his thunderbolt and cut each crying piece into seven more telling them not to cry. (63) To him they all being pained with folded hands said: 'O ruler, why do you want to kill us, o Indra, we are your brothers!'

(64) To his devoted followers the Maruts he thus said: 'You should not be afraid about this my brothers.'

(65) By the mercy of S'rinivâsa [Vishnu as the refuge of Laxmi] did the embryo of Diti being cut in many pieces by the thunderbolt not die, just as you didn't from the weapon of Aswatthâmâ [see 1.8] (66-67) Once a person has worshiped the Original Person attains he to His selfsame nature and so did Diti for almost a year having worshiped the Lord [see 5.18:12]. With Indra became they the Maruts to take away the faults of their mother and were they by the Lord turned into soma-drinkers [priests]. (68) Diti waking up saw children as bright as the god of fire and the goddess purified was thus pleased with Indra. (69) She thereupon said to Indra: 'O dear one, I afraid of the aditya's executed, desiring a son, this vow that is so difficult to follow. (70) Only one son I prayed for but it became fourty nine of them; how could that be, speak to me if you know my dear son, and do not tell me lies.'

(71) Indra said: 'O mother, having understood what your vow was did I, having gotten close to you, find a fault upon which I, out of my selfinterest having lost sight of the dharma, cut up the embryo. (72) The embry was cut in seven pieces by me and they became seven babies; and although I each of them also cut in seven did none of them die. (73) Seeing that great wonder I then decided that that was some side-effect of your worshipping the Supreme Personality. (74) Those who without being covetous take interest in the worship of the Supreme Lord and verily not even desire the transcendental position are considered the experts of selfinterest [compare 2.3.10 and B.G. 9:22]. (75) What kind of material satisfaction that is even available in hell would an intelligent person prefer after the worshiping from which He, the lord of the Universe and the Godhead most intimate, gives Himself? [see also the siksâstaka] (76) O best of women, please excuse me for being such a fool with this evil deed of mine; o mother, by your good fortune became the child I killed within you alive again.'

(77) S'rî S'uka said: 'Indra with her permission and her being satisfied about his good manners then went away to the worlds of the Lord after having offered his respects to the Maruts and to her. (78) Thus I narrated you all that you asked me for concerning the auspicious of the birth of the Maruts, what should I tell you further?

Chapter 19

Performing the Pumsavana Ritualistic Ceremony

(1) The king said: 'I want to know about the vow called pumsavana that you spoke of o brahmin and by which Lord Vishnu is pleased.

(2-3) S'rî S'uka said: From the first day during the bright fortnight of Agrahâyana (November-December), should a woman with the permission of her husband begin with this vow which fulfills all desires. Before breakfast hearing about the birth of the Maruts and taking instruction from the brahmins, she should bathe and have her teeth cleaned white, put on ornaments and garments and worship the Supreme Lord who is with the Goddess of Fortune as follows: (4) 'May there be all the obeisances unto You o Lord indifferent, whose will is always done; unto the husband of Lakshmî Devi, the Master of all Perfection, my respects. (5) You as the One endowed with mercy, opulence, prowess, glory and strength o my Lord therefore art of all the divine qualities the One Supreme Master. (6) O Lakshmî espoused to Lord Vishnu, you are His energy and have all the qualities of the Supreme Personality, I beg you be pleased with me o Goddess of Fortune, o Mother of the World, may there be all reverential homage unto you. (7) My obeisances unto the Supreme Lord and Personality of all Power, the husband of that Greatness of Wealth with His associates; unto Him I offer my presentations'.

By the invocation of Lord Vishnu thus with this mantra every day must she then offer attentively presentations of gifts, lamps, incense flowers, scents, ornaments, garments, a sacred thread, bathing water and water for the hands, feet and mouth. (8) Next should the remnants of the sacrifice be offered in the fire with twelve oblations hailing Him thus: 'O My Lord all my respects for You as the One Supreme, the Greatest Enjoyer that is the husband of the Goddess of Fortune'.

(9) Lord Vishnu and the Goddess are the bestowers of all benedictions and together the source of all blessings; if one desires all the opulences one should with devotion daily be of worship. (10) Stretched out straight on the ground [danda-vat] one in devotion should be of sacrifice in a humble state of mind uttering this mantra ten times and then chant the next prayer: (11) 'The both of You are indeed the proprietors of the universe, the Supreme Cause. This external world of Yours is certainly difficult to fathom and the internal potency is difficult to surpass. (12) You as the Supreme Personality, You are her direct Master, the one of all sacrifices; this Goddess ruling all that I do and this Enjoyer of the Fruits that You are I worship. (13) To this Devi as the reservoir of all qualities are You indeed the Manifester and Enjoyer, the Supersoul of all embodied; You are the support and the cause of the manifestation of the name, form, body, senses and mind of her as Lakshmî, the Goddess of Fortune. (14) May, since the both of You are the benedictors and supreme rulers of the three worlds, therefore, o Uttamas'loka, o Lord Praised in the Verses, my great ambitions be fulfilled.'

(15) Thus one should pray to Vishnu who with Lakshmî is the abode of the Goddess and the bestower of benedictions. Next one should remove the things of worship and wash one's hands and mouth after the offering and homage. (16) Then should one appreciate with devotion and a humble mind, the remnants of the sacrifice smelling them and again be of worship for Lord Vishnu. (17) By those offerings should the wife, with love for the husband who himself then also executes all the menial and elevated duties, with devotion accept the dear husband as if he were the Supreme Personality himself. (18) When the wife is unable to do so should the husband execute this attentively, as even when one of them performs are still both the wife and the husband enjoying the result. (19-20) One should not break with the execution of this vow to Lord Vishnu for any reason; daily should one in a regulated manner grant the brahmins and the women with their husbands and children, the offerings with garlands, sandalwood, food and ornament to the Godhead. As a consequence of placing it before Him does one having put the Godhead to rest, eating of what was offered and as should dividing it among others, find purification of one's soul and the fulfillment of all desires. (21) With this regulated puja must after the time of twelve months, a year, the wife then fast on the last day [the full moon] of Kârttika. (22) The next morning contacting water should in worship of Lord Krishna according the injunctions of cooking for a sacrifice [as stated in the Grhya sûtra's] as before sweet rice with ghee boiled in milk be offered, with the husband twelve times doing oblations in the fire. (23) With the permission of the brahmins, whose blessings he accepted on his head after pleasing them expressing his obeisances, should he then in devotion eat. (24) With friends and relatives controlling the speech, should he first of all properly welcome the teacher of example and next should he give the wife the remnant of the offering. That will ensure him progeny and good fortune. (25) Performing this vow to the instructions gets a man in this life all things desired from the Almighty and is a woman performing this able to get all fortune, opulence, progeny, a long living husband and a good reputation and home. (26-28) Unmarried she can [to this vrata] get a husband with all good qualities and free from faults with no husband or son she reaches the divine abode; with a child dead she may have one living long, unfortunate will she get fortune and be well-faring and ugly she finds beauty and excellence. A diseased man is freed from his disease and will be an able man again; reciting this in ceremony to the forefathers and the gods will please the both them as well as the Lord who is the enjoyer of all sacrifice very much so that satisfied they upon the completion of the ceremony will fulfill all one's desires. O King, thus I extensively explained to you about the great birth of the Maruts and the piety of Diti taking to the vow.  

Thus ends the sixth Canto of the S'rîmad Bhâgavatam named: 'Prescribed Duties For Mankind'.

Translation: Anand Aadhar Prabhu, http://srimadbhâgavatam.org/c/8/AnandAadhar.html

Production: the Filognostic Association of The Order of Time, with special thanks to Sakhya Devi Dasi for proofreading and correcting the manuscript. http://theorderoftime.com/info/guests-friends.html

The sourcetexts, illustrations and music to this translation one can find following the links from: http://srimadbhâgavatam.org/ 

For this original translation next to the Sanskrit dictionary a one-volume printed copy has been used with an extensive commentary by A.C. Bhaktivedânta Swami Prabhupâda. ISBN: o-91277-27-7 . See the S'rîmad Bhâgavatam treasury: http://srimadbhâgavatam.org/treasury/links.html for links to other sites concerning the subject.