Bhagavatapurana 10.24: atha caturviṃśo'dhyāyaḥ

10.24.1

/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
bhagavān api tatraiva baladevena saṃyutaḥ /
apaśyan nivasan gopān indra-yāga-kṛtodyamān //

1. Sri Suka said:— Continuing to dwell in the same place, the glorious Krishna in company with Balarama seemed as if He did not notice Nanda and others who were preparing for the worship of Indra.

10.24.2

tad-abhijño 'pi bhagavān sarvātmā sarva-darśanaḥ /
praśrayāvanato 'pṛcchad vṛddhān nanda-purogamān //

2. The indweller and the omniscient Lord, though quite aware of it, submissively enquired of Nandagopa and other elderly people what the matter was.

10.24.3

kathyatāṃ me pitaḥ ko 'yaṃ sambhramo va upāgataḥ /
kiṃ phalaṃ kasya voddeśaḥ kena vā sādhyate makhaḥ //

3. "Tell me, O father! What is this occasion for your great activity or festivity? What is the object, to whom is it intended? By whom and how is the sacrifice to be performed?

10.24.4

etad brūhi mahān kāmo mahyaṃ śuśrūṣave pitaḥ /
na hi gopyaṃ hi sadhūnāṃ kṛtyaṃ sarvātmanām iha //

4. "Tell me this; (great is my curiosity (desire) to hear and learn, O father; the righteous, who understand that Ātman is present everywhere, should have no duty here to be kept secret.

10.24.5

asty asva-para-dṛṣṭīnām amitrodāsta-vidviṣām /
udāsīno 'ri-vad varjya ātma-vat suhṛd ucyate //

5. "Therefore for the righteous who do not regard things as their own or as belonging to others, who have no friends or indifferent people or enemies, there is nothing to be kept secret; still there is some one who, if indifferent, should be abandoned as an enemy, and some one who, being a well-wisher, should be regarded as one's own self.

10.24.6

jñatvājñātvā ca karmāṇi jano 'yam anutiṣṭhati /
viduṣaḥ karma-siddhiḥ syād yathā nāviduṣo bhavet //

6. "Men perform many acts with or without the knowledge of what they do; the full fruit of the act is reaped by him who understands it; but that is not possible for the ignorant.

10.24.7

tatra tāvat kriyā-yogo bhavatāṃ kiṃ vicāritaḥ /
atha vā laukikas tan me pṛcchataḥ sādhu bhaṇyatām //

7. "Now then, have you properly enquired into, and understood, the course of performance or is it only the (blind) way of the world? Let it be fully explained to me''.

10.24.8

/0 śrī-nanda uvāca
parjanyo bhagavān indro meghās tasyātma-mūrtayaḥ /
te 'bhivarṣanti bhūtānāṃ prīṇanaṃ jīvanaṃ payaḥ //

8. Nanda said:— Parjanya, the worshipful Indra and clouds are all His various forms and they shower on beings water, their delight and life.

10.24.9

taṃ tāta vayam anye ca vārmucāṃ patim īśvaram /
dravyais tad-retasā siddhair yajante kratubhir narāḥ //

9. My child, we and other men worship by means of sacrifices that Indra, who is the Lord of clouds and the controller of the world, with substances produced with the water (which is his Retas or power) sent down as showers.

10.24.10

tac-cheṣeṇopajīvanti tri-varga-phala-hetave /
puṃsāṃ puruṣa-kārāṇāṃ parjanyaḥ phala-bhāvanaḥ //

10. Men subsist on what is left of substances after using them for offerings in sacrifices in order that they may attain the three purposes, Dharma, Artha and Kama; Indra is the lord that bestows fruits on men that exert themselves.

10.24.11

ya enaṃ visṛjed dharmaṃ paramparyāgataṃ naraḥ /
kāmād dveṣād bhayāl lobhāt sa vai nāpnoti śobhanam //

11. Whosoever fails to observe the righteous course, traditional and customary, either through passion or miserliness or fear or hatred does not indeed attain to prosperity.

10.24.12

/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
vaco niśamya nandasya tathānyeṣāṃ vrajaukasām /
indrāya manyuṃ janayan pitaraṃ prāha keśavaḥ //

12. Sri Suka said:— Having heard the reply (explanation) of Nanda as well as other residents of Vraja, Kesava (Krishna) said to His father so as to rouse the anger of Indra.

10.24.13

/0 śrī-bhagavān uvāca
karmaṇā jāyate jantuḥ karmaṇaiva pralīyate /
sukhaṃ duḥkhaṃ bhayaṃ kṣemaṃ karmaṇaivābhipadyate //

13. The Lord said:— By the force of Karma (by its action) a creature is born and by the force of Karma indeed it passes away; happiness and misery, fear and safety, everything is reaped only as the effect of Karma.

10.24.14

asti ced īśvaraḥ kaścit phala-rūpy anya-karmaṇām /
kartāraṃ bhajate so 'pi na hy akartuḥ prabhur hi saḥ //

14. If there be a Supreme Ruler who bestows the fruit (is the source of fruit) of the deeds of another and if to do so he goes to the doer, he could not indeed (then) be called the lord or ruler of one that does nothing.

10.24.15

kim indreṇeha bhūtānāṃ sva-sva-karmānuvartinām /
anīśenānyathā kartuṃ svabhāva-vihitaṃ nṛṇām //

15. What has Indra to do with creatures here who simply

follow the course of their Karma? For he is not able to change what is fixed for men by Nature.

10.24.16

svabhāva-tantro hi janaḥ svabhāvam anuvartate /
svabhāva-stham idaṃ sarvaṃ sa-devāsura-mānuṣam //

16. Every creature is in the power of Nature and indeed every one follows Nature; all this Universe of the gods, Asuras and men stands on (has its existence in) Nature.

10.24.17

dehān uccāvacāñ jantuḥ prāpyotsṛjati karmaṇā /
śatrur mitram udāsīnaḥ karmaiva gurur īśvaraḥ //

17. It is by the force of Karma that a creature attains to several corporeal existences, high or low, and also loses them. And it is Karma again that takes the form of an enemy, a friend, an indifferent man, a preceptor or the supreme Ruler.

10.24.18

tasmāt sampūjayet karma svabhāva-sthaḥ sva-karma-kṛt /
anjasā yena varteta tad evāsya hi daivatam //

18. Continuing to be in his own nature every one ought to worship Karma and do his own duty; for only that (Karma) is his duty by which he can be well off (successful in life).

10.24.19

ājīvyaikataraṃ bhāvaṃ yas tv anyam upajīvati /
na tasmād vindate kṣemaṃ jārān nāry asatī yathā //

19. He who having resorted first to one thing tries again to live by (runs after) another, cannot attain to good results or happiness like an unchaste woman resorting to a paramour.

10.24.20

varteta brahmaṇā vipro rājanyo rakṣayā bhuvaḥ /
vaiśyas tu vārtayā jīvec chūdras tu dvija-sevayā //

20. A brahmin ought to live on by studying the Vedas, a Kshatriya by protecting the earth, a Vaisya by agriculture and a Sudra by rendering service to the twice-born.

10.24.21

kṛṣi-vāṇijya-go-rakṣā kusīdaṃ tūryam ucyate /
vārtā catur-vidhā tatra vayaṃ go-vṛttayo 'niśam //

21. Agriculture, the sphere of the Vaisya's work, is four-fold, viz., cultivation of the land, commerce, tending cattle and usury the fourth; and here we have always been living by tending cattle.

10.24.22

sattvaṃ rajas tama iti sthity-utpatty-anta-hetavaḥ /
rajasotpadyate viśvam anyonyaṃ vividhaṃ jagat //

22. Satva, Rajas and Tamas are respectively the cause of existence, origin and destruction; through Rajas is produced the mutually-related universe of various kinds of things.

10.24.23

rajasā coditā meghā varṣanty ambūni sarvataḥ /
prajās tair eva sidhyanti mahendraḥ kiṃ kariṣyati //

23. Impelled by Rajas, clouds shower waters everywhere; by means of those waters people achieve success in their pursuits. Then what has Mahendra to do?

10.24.24

na naḥ purojanapadā na grāmā na gṛhā vayam /
vanaukasas tāta nityaṃ vana-śaila-nivāsinaḥ //

24. We have no cities, no territories, no villages, no houses, to own, O father! We are always dwelling in forests, on mountains and in fact our home is the forest.

10.24.25

tasmād gavāṃ brāhmaṇānām adreś cārabhyatāṃ makhaḥ /
ya indra-yāga-sambhārās tair ayaṃ sādhyatāṃ makhaḥ //

25. Therefore let your sacrifice be made (in propitiation) of cows, brahmins and the mountain; let this sacrifice be accomplished with the (very) supplies which are procured for the worship of Indra.

10.24.26

pacyantāṃ vividhāḥ pākāḥ sūpāntāḥ pāyasādayaḥ /
saṃyāvāpūpa-śaṣkulyaḥ sarva-dohaś ca gṛhyatām //

26. Let various preparations from Payasa to Supa, various puddings and cakes be made; and let the milk drawn from all the cows be used.

10.24.27

hūyantām agnayaḥ samyag brāhmaṇair brahma-vādibhiḥ /
annaṃ bahu-guṇaṃ tebhyo deyaṃ vo dhenu-dakṣiṇāḥ //

27. Let fires be properly fed with offerings by brahmins who sing the Vedas; do you offer them various preparations of food and cows as Dakshinas.

10.24.28

anyebhyaś cāśva-cāṇḍāla- patitebhyo yathārhataḥ /
yavasaṃ ca gavāṃ dattvā giraye dīyatāṃ baliḥ //

28. To others also, down to out-castes and fallen people, let fitting attention be shown; supply grass to cows; let your worship be offered to the mountain.

10.24.29

sv-alaṅkṛtā bhuktavantaḥ sv-anuliptāḥ su-vāsasaḥ /
pradakṣiṇāṃ ca kuruta go-viprānala-parvatān //

29. Well adorned after hearty meals, perfumed with sandal and the like and putting on good clothes, do you go round cows, wise brahmins, the sacred fires and the mountain.

10.24.30

etan mama mataṃ tāta kriyatāṃ yadi rocate /
ayaṃ go-brāhmaṇādrīṇāṃ mahyaṃ ca dayito makhaḥ //

30. This is my view and faith, O father! Let it be adopted if you like it; this worship or sacrifice is particularly gratifying to

the cows, brahmins and the hill and especially to myself.

10.24.31

/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
kālātmanā bhagavatā śakra-darpa-jighāṃsayā /
proktaṃ niśamya nandādyāḥ sādhv agṛhṇanta tad-vacaḥ //

31. Sri Suka said:— Nanda and others listened to what was said by the Lord who is Time and was about to put down the pride of Indra; and they received His words with approbation.

10.24.32

tathā ca vyadadhuḥ sarvaṃ yathāha madhusūdanaḥ /
vācayitvā svasty-ayanaṃ tad-dravyeṇa giri-dvijān //

32. Accordingly they did everything as Madhusudana asked them to do. They got the brahmins to do the initial ceremony of auspiciousness and with those things they propitiated the mountain and brahmins.

10.24.33

upahṛtya balīn samyag ādṛtā yavasaṃ gavām /
go-dhanāni puraskṛtya giriṃ cakruḥ pradakṣiṇam //

33. In deep earnestness they placed all the offerings and fodder before cows; and then with their numerous cattle in front of them, they went round the hill from right to left (with the hill on their right).

10.24.34

anāṃsy anaḍud-yuktāni te cāruhya sv-alaṅkṛtāḥ /
gopyaś ca kṛṣṇa-vīryāṇi gāyantyaḥ sa-dvijāśiṣaḥ //

34. Well adorned they drove in cars drawn by oxen; Gopa women singing the exploits of Krishna, the brahmins pronouncing their benedictions.

10.24.35

kṛṣṇas tv anyatamaṃ rūpaṃ gopa-viśrambhaṇaṃ gataḥ /
śailo 'smīti bruvan bhūri balim ādad bṛhad-vapuḥ //

35. Krishna too assumed another form for the sake of Gopas' confidence and, telling them that He was Himself the mountain, and that with a huge personality, He consumed the abundant mass of offerings.

10.24.36

tasmai namo vraja-janaiḥ saha cakra ātmanātmane /
aho paśyata śailo 'sau rūpī no 'nugrahaṃ vyadhāt //

36. To Himself in that form Krishna along with the people of Vraja made His salutation and said, Lo! This mountain has in a personal form shown His grace unto us.

10.24.37

eṣo 'vajānato martyān kāma-rūpī vanaukasaḥ /
hanti hy asmai namasyāmaḥ śarmaṇe ātmano gavām //

37. This mountain able to take any form at will kills those that, dwelling in the forests, neglect Him. Therefore let us worship Him for the welfare of ourselves and our cows.

10.24.38

ity adri-go-dvija-makhaṃ vāsudeva-pracoditāḥ /
yathā vidhāya te gopā saha-kṛṣṇā vrajaṃ yayuḥ //

38. Under the direction of Vasudeva those Gopas thus duly performed the worship of the mountain, cows and brahmins and together with Krishna returned to Vraja.