Bhagavatapurana 10.81: athaikāśītitamo'dhyāyaḥ

10.81.1

/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
sa itthaṃ dvija-mukhyena saha saṅkathayan hariḥ /
sarva-bhūta-mano-'bhijñaḥ smayamāna uvāca tam //

Śrī Śuka said:
Hari, conversing in this manner with the eminent twice-born,
knowing the hearts of all living beings, smiled and addressed him.

1. Sri Suka said:— Thus conversing with the great brahmins Hari, who knows the mind of all beings, smilingly, said to him.

10.81.2

brahmaṇyo brāhmaṇaṃ kṛṣṇo bhagavān prahasan priyam /
premṇā nirīkṣaṇenaiva prekṣan khalu satāṃ gatiḥ //

Kind to brāhmaṇas, the Lord Kṛṣṇa, laughing, spoke to his beloved brāhmaṇa friend,
looking upon him with an affectionate glance, He who is indeed the shelter of the virtuous devotees.

2. Krishna, the Almighty Lord, kind to brahmins, laughed at, joked with, his beloved brahmin and looked with eyes brimming with affection;—the Lord (who is the one goal for the righteous) said:-

10.81.3

/0 śrī-bhagavān uvāca
kim upāyanam ānītaṃ brahman me bhavatā gṛhāt /
aṇv apy upāhṛtaṃ bhaktaiḥ premṇā bhury eva me bhavet /
bhūry apy abhaktopahṛtaṃ na me toṣāya kalpate //

The Lord said:
"What present have you brought for Me from home, O brāhmaṇa?
Even a minute thing offered by devotees with love becomes immense to Me,
whereas even an abundant gift presented by a non-devotee does not serve for My satisfaction.

3. The Lord said:— "What present hast thou, O brahmin, brought from thy house? Even the little offered by the devoted with real love is indeed a great deal to Me; even the great deal offered by one destitute of devotion, does not gain My pleasure.

10.81.4

patraṃ puṣpaṃ phalaṃ toyaṃ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati /
tad ahaṃ bhakty-upahṛtam aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ //

Whoever offers Me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water—
that offering brought with devotion by the self-disciplined person, I accept and enjoy."

4. "I accept whatever is devoutly offered, whether leaves, flowers, fruit or water, by that man of pure mind who cherishes devotion to Me."

10.81.5

ity ukto 'pi dviyas tasmai vrīḍitaḥ pataye śriyaḥ /
pṛthuka-prasṛtiṃ rājan na prāyacchad avāṅ-mukhaḥ //

Though addressed in this way, O King, the twice-born, embarrassed, kept his head down,
and did not give the handful of flattened rice to the Lord of Fortune.

5. Though he was told, the brahmin was ashamed to give the Lord of Sri the handful of Prithuka (fried rice) and only looked down-faced.

10.81.6

sarva-bhūtātma-dṛk sākṣāt tasyāgamana-kāraṇam /
vijṅāyācintayan nāyaṃ śrī-kāmo mābhajat purā //

Directly seeing the inner self of all beings, and understanding the reason for his coming,
He thought: "In the past, he never worshipped Me desiring fortune.

6. The Lord, who directly sees the mind of all beings, knew the cause of his visit and thought thus, "never before he resorted to Me, desirous of fortune.

10.81.7

patnyāḥ pati-vratāyās tu sakhā priya-cikīrṣayā /
prāpto mām asya dāsyāmi sampado 'martya-durlabhāḥ //

Yet out of a desire to please his devoted wife, my friend has come to Me.
I shall give him wealth difficult to attain even by mortals."

7. "My friend has come to Me for the sake of pleasing his chaste and devoted wife, so I shall bestow on him a fortune which celestials may hardly command."

10.81.8

itthaṃ vicintya vasanāc cīra-baddhān dvi-janmanaḥ /
svayaṃ jahāra kim idam iti pṛthuka-taṇḍulān //

Thinking thus, from the garment of the twice-born tied in a rag,
He Himself snatched the flat-rice grains, saying, "What is this?"

8. Having thus considered, Krishna Himself took from under the clothes of the brahmin the Prithuka tied up in a rag, saying, "what is this.?

10.81.9

nanv etad upanītaṃ me parama-prīṇanaṃ sakhe /
tarpayanty aṅga māṃ viśvam ete pṛthuka-taṇḍulāḥ //

"Indeed, this brought for Me gives the supreme delight, O friend!
My dear fellow, these grains of flattened rice satisfy Me, the embodiment of the universe."

9. "Here thou hast brought what is most liked by Me, O friend; these grains of Prithuka, O dear one, please Me wholly"

10.81.10

iti muṣṭiṃ sakṛj jagdhvā dvitīyāṃ jagdhum ādade /
tāvac chrīr jagṛhe hastaṃ tat-parā parameṣṭhinaḥ //

Having said this, after eating one fistful, He took a second to eat,
whereupon the Goddess of Fortune, devoted to Him, seized the hand of the Supreme Lord.

10. Speaking thus, He ate one handful and took another to eat; meanwhile Lakshmi (Rukmini) (quickly) took hold of the Lord's hand, claiming it for herself.

10.81.11

etāvatālaṃ viśvātman sarva-sampat-samṛddhaye /
asmin loke 'tha vāmuṣmin puṃsas tvat-toṣa-kāraṇam //

"This much is enough, O Soul of the universe, to bring about the abundance of all fortunes
in this world or in the next for a mortal whose action is the cause of Your satisfaction."

11. This is enough, O Lord of all, for a man to attain all prosperity, either in this or in the other world, and this is sufficient to please Thee.

10.81.12

brāhmaṇas tāṃ tu rajanīm uṣitvācyuta-mandire /
bhuktvā pītvā sukhaṃ mene ātmānaṃ svar-gataṃ yathā //

Having stayed that night in the house of Acyuta,
eating and drinking happily, the brāhmaṇa felt as if he had arrived in heaven.

12. And that brahmin spent that night in Achyuta's palace, ate and drank (happily slept) and felt himself as happy as if he were (Indra) in the celestial region.

10.81.13

śvo-bhūte viśva-bhāvena sva-sukhenābhivanditaḥ /
jagāma svālayaṃ tāta pathy anavrajya nanditaḥ //

When morning came, honored by the Universal Form who finds joy in Himself,
he departed for his home, my dear, walking along the road full of delight.

13. On the next morning, saluted by the Creator, (his friend) perfect in his essential blissfulness, the brahmin returned home, O child, extremely pleased, Krishna following him to some distance.

10.81.14

sa cālabdhvā dhanaṃ kṛṣṇān na tu yācitavān svayam /
sva-gṛhān vrīḍito 'gacchan mahad-darśana-nirvṛtaḥ //

And though he obtained no wealth from Kṛṣṇa, having not asked for it himself,
he went to his home feeling modest, yet overjoyed by the vision of the exalted devotee.

14. He did not get any help from Krishna, but he did not make a request, he went back abashed to his house: however he felt himself happy for having seen the glorious Lord.

10.81.15

aho brahmaṇya-devasya dṛṣṭā brahmaṇyatā mayā /
yad daridratamo lakṣmīm āśliṣṭo bibhratorasi //

"Ah, I have seen the devotion to brāhmaṇas shown by the deity of brāhmaṇas!
For I, the most destitute, was embraced by Him who bears Lakṣmī upon His chest.

15. “How blessed is the Lord! His kindness to brahmins I have seen today of the Lord known for it, for the most poverty-stricken soul, my humble self, is embraced by the Lord who bears Lakshmi on His chest.

10.81.16

kvāhaṃ daridraḥ pāpīyān kva kṛṣṇaḥ śrī-niketanaḥ /
brahma-bandhur iti smāhaṃ bāhubhyāṃ parirambhitaḥ //

Where am I, a poor, sinful wretch, and where is Kṛṣṇa, the abode of fortune?
Yet I, a mere unworthy brāhmaṇa, was embraced with both His arms!

16. “What am I, a poor and sinful creature and what is Krishna, the abode of Lakshmi. Only for the reason that I am born of a brahmin, I am embraced with both His arms.

10.81.17

nivāsitaḥ priyā-juṣṭe paryaṅke bhrātaro yathā /
mahiṣyā vījitaḥ śrānto bāla-vyajana-hastayā //

I was seated on the couch enjoyed by His beloved, just like a brother,
and fanned in my weariness by His queen holding a whisk in her hand.

17. “I was, like His brothers, made to sit on His bed shared by His queen and I was fanned, as one fatigued, by the queen herself with a chamari in her hand.

10.81.18

śuśrūṣayā paramayā pāda-saṃvāhanādibhiḥ /
pūjito deva-devena vipra-devena deva-vat //

With supreme service, by the massaging of feet and other attentions,
I was worshiped like a god by the God of gods, who honors brāhmaṇas as divine.

18. “With great attentions such as shampooing the feet I was treated with respect like a celestial, by the Lord who is the god of gods and especially of wise brahmins.

10.81.19

svargāpavargayoḥ puṃsāṃ rasāyāṃ bhuvi sampadām /
sarvāsām api siddhīnāṃ mūlaṃ tac-caraṇārcanam //

For men, the attainment of heaven and liberation, wealth in the underworld and on earth,
and all yogic perfections have their root in the worship of His feet.

19. “For men who would attain Swarga or Moksha, whether in the Rasatala or on the earth and all kinds of fortune and all powers, the prime resort is the worship of His feet.

10.81.20

adhano 'yaṃ dhanaṃ prāpya mādyann uccair na māṃ smaret /
iti kāruṇiko nūnaṃ dhanaṃ me 'bhūri nādadāt //

'Becoming wealthy, this poor man, intensely intoxicated, may not remember Me'—
thus thinking, out of compassion, He surely did not give me even a small amount of wealth."

20. “This poor man, if he should get wealth, may go wrong and may not properly remember Me”—, so thinking, I am sure, the merciful Lord did not bestow on me any wealth.”

10.81.21

iti tac cintayann antaḥ prāpto niya-gṛhāntikam /
sūryānalendu-saṅkāśair vimānaiḥ sarvato vṛtam //

Pondering this within his heart, he arrived near his own home,
which was surrounded on all sides by celestial palaces resembling the sun, fire, and moon,

21. So musing (on his way), he neared his house; it was now on all sides a palace of storeys bright unto the sun, fire and the moon.

10.81.22

vicitropavanodyānaiḥ kūjad-dvija-kulākulaiḥ /
protphulla-kamudāmbhoja- kahlārotpala-vāribhiḥ //

with wondrous pleasure-groves and gardens filled with flocks of singing birds,
and waters with blossoming night-lilies, lotuses, white water-lilies, and blue lotuses,

22. It was surrounded with beautiful gardens and parks abounding in humming birds of all descriptions, with pools and wells in which lilies, lotuses, Kalharas and Utpalas were in blossom.

10.81.23

juṣṭaṃ sv-alaṅkṛtaiḥ pumbhiḥ strībhiś ca hariṇākṣibhiḥ /
kim idaṃ kasya vā sthānaṃ kathaṃ tad idam ity abhūt //

frequented by splendidly adorned men and doe-eyed women.
"What is this? Whose place is this? How has this come to be?" he wondered.

23. It was attended by well-adorned men and women of eyes like those of the deer: he could not make out what it was, whose it was and how it came out to be.

10.81.24

evaṃ mīmāṃsamānaṃ taṃ narā nāryo 'mara-prabhāḥ /
pratyagṛhṇan mahā-bhāgaṃ gīta-vādyena bhūyasā //

As he was contemplating thus, men and women of immortal radiance
welcomed that very fortunate man with exuberant singing and musical instruments.

24. The blessed brahmin who was thus puzzled, men and women, like unto celestials, advanced to receive with grand arrangements of music, oral and instrumental.

10.81.25

patim āgatam ākarṇya patny uddharṣāti-sambhramā /
niścakrāma gṛhāt tūrṇaṃ rūpiṇī śrīr ivālayāt //

Hearing that her husband had arrived, the wife, overcome with great delight and agitation,
speedily stepped out of the house, like the embodied Goddess of Fortune from her abode.

25. On hearing of the return of her lord, the (affectionate) wife was rejoicing and in joyous impatience, at once issued out of the house, like the visible Lakshmi from her temple.

10.81.26

pati-vratā patiṃ dṛṣṭvā premotkaṇṭhāśru-locanā /
mīlitākṣy anamad buddhyā manasā pariṣasvaje //

The devoted wife, seeing her husband, with eyes brimming with tears of love and longing,
closed her eyes, bowed in mind, and embraced him in heart.

26. The chaste wife saw her lord with her eyes full of affectionate tears and eagerness, bowed to him with closed eyes and mentally embraced him.

10.81.27

patnīṃ vīkṣya visphurantīṃ devīṃ vaimānikīm iva /
dāsīnāṃ niṣka-kaṇṭhīnāṃ madhye bhāntīṃ sa vismitaḥ //

Beholding his wife radiant like a goddess in a celestial car,
shining in the midst of maidservants with gold coins around their necks, he was astonished.

27. He was astonished to see his wife brilliant like a celestial damsel and shining in the midst of servants-maid adorned with gold.

10.81.28

prītaḥ svayaṃ tayā yuktaḥ praviṣṭo nija-mandiram /
maṇi-stambha-śatopetaṃ mahendra-bhavanaṃ yathā //

Pleased, joined by her, he entered his own residence,
which was endowed with hundreds of jeweled pillars, like the mansion of Mahendra,

28. Followed by her, he entered in delight his house that was now built with hundred columns of precious stones like the mansion of Indra.

10.81.29

payaḥ-phena-nibhāḥ śayyā dāntā rukma-paricchadāḥ /
paryaṅkā hema-daṇḍāni cāmara-vyajanāni ca //

with beds resembling the foam of milk, ivory couches with gold coverings,
and whisk-fans with handles of gold,

29. Where the beds were like the foam of milk and made of ivory, with golden bedsheets; many were the cots furnished with golden stands and fans of Chamara.

10.81.30

āsanāni ca haimāni mṛdūpastaraṇāni ca /
muktādāma-vilambīni vitānāni dyumanti ca //

golden seats with soft cushions,
and luminous canopies hanging with pearl necklaces,

30. All the seats were of gold, provided with soft cushons; (flowers, bedsheets and decorations D.) wreaths of pearls hung from brilliant canopies.

10.81.31

svaccha-sphaṭika-kuḍyeṣu mahā-mārakateṣu ca /
ratna-dīpān bhrājamānān lalanā ratna-saṃyutāḥ //

with jeweled lamps shining against walls of clear crystal and great emeralds,
and lovely women adorned with jewels.

31. In the walls of clear crystals and of great emeralds he saw reflected dazzling lights of jewels, and excellent women.

10.81.32

vilokya brāhmaṇas tatra samṛddhīḥ sarva-sampadām /
tarkayām āsa nirvyagraḥ sva-samṛddhim ahaitukīm //

Observing there the opulence of all fortunes,
the brāhmaṇa, free from agitation, reflected on his causeless prosperity:

32. There the brahmin saw all kinds of wealth and prosperity collected together and thought with a calm mind that his prosperity was without a cause.

10.81.33

nūnaṃ bataitan mama durbhagasya śaśvad daridrasya samṛddhi-hetuḥ /
mahā-vibhūter avalokato 'nyo naivopapadyeta yadūttamasya //

"Surely, indeed, the cause of this prosperity for me, an unfortunate and perpetually destitute man,
could not arise from anything other than the glance of the best of the Yadus, the Lord of supreme glory.

33. Certainly the cause of this wonderful fortune for one so unlucky and so confirmed in poverty as I am, cannot possibly be any other than the visit paid to the foremost Lord of Yadus of infinite fortune.

10.81.34

nanv abruvāṇo diśate samakṣaṃ yāciṣṇave bhūry api bhūri-bhojaḥ /
parjanya-vat tat svayam īkṣamāṇo dāśārhakāṇām ṛṣabhaḥ sakhā me //

Indeed, without uttering a word, He bestows abundantly in one's very presence upon the beggar, He who enjoys in abundance,
just like a raincloud seeing the need itself—He, the bull among the Dāśārhas, my friend.

34. Certainly the Lord, perfect in every blessing, bestows in abundance, (infinite happiness) like the god of rain on the suppliant (us) what He does not directly promise. The one direct witness of everything and the foremost one among the Dasarhas is really my friend.

10.81.34.p1

kiñcit karoty urv api yat sva-dattaṃ $ suhṛt-kṛtaṃ phalgv api bhūri-kārī &

Whatever He gives Himself, though vast, He regards as insignificant; / but what is done by a friend, even if trifling, He magnifies.

35. He thinks that He has given a little though He has given abundantly and He makes much of even the little that His friend offers Him: with great delight the noble-minded Lord accepted the handful of the Prithuka intended for Him.

10.81.35

mayopaṇītaṃ pṛthukaika-muṣṭiṃ % pratyagrahīt prīti-yuto mahātmā //

The single fistful of flattened rice offered by me / was accepted with delight by that great-souled one.

10.81.36

tasyaiva me sauhṛda-sakhya-maitrī- dāsyaṃ punar janmani janmani syāt /
mahānubhāvena guṇālayena viṣajjatas tat-puruṣa-prasaṅgaḥ //

May I have affectionate fellowship, companionship, friendship, and servitude toward Him / in birth after birth,
as well as attachment to the association of His devotees, / cleaving unto that noble Lord, the abode of virtues!"

36. May I be blessed from birth to birth, again and again, only with His good will, companionship and friendship and service and also association with His devotees, and may I cherish devotion to that Lord of glorious powers and the one abode of excellent qualities!

10.81.37

bhaktāya citrā bhagavān hi sampado rājyaṃ vibhūtīr na samarthayaty ajaḥ /
adīrgha-bodhāya vicakṣaṇaḥ svayaṃ paśyan nipātaṃ dhanināṃ madodbhavam //

For the unborn Lord does not usually grant splendid riches, kingship, or worldly powers to his devotee, / since he himself is discerning and sees that the downfall of the wealthy arises from pride for one of limited understanding.

37. Seeing that the rich fall through pride the Unborn Omniscient Lord of Almighty power does not like to bestow on His true devotee of limited vision, various successes, royal fortune and other worldly glories.

10.81.38

itthaṃ vyavasito buddhyā bhakto 'tīva janārdane /
viṣayān jāyayā tyakṣyan bubhuje nāti-lampaṭaḥ //

Thus resolved in his intellect, devoted exceedingly to Janārdana, / intending to abandon sense pleasures, he enjoyed them with his wife without excessive attachment.

38. Having by force of reason thus conclusively understood the truth, Kuchela, intensively devoted to Krishna and inclined to renounce them, enjoyed the objects along with his wife with no deep longing for them.

10.81.39

tasya vai deva-devasya harer yajña-pateḥ prabhoḥ /
brāhmaṇāḥ prabhavo daivaṃ na tebhyo vidyate param //

To that God of gods, Hari, the Lord of sacrifice, the master, / the brāhmaṇas are his sovereigns and his deity; there is none higher than they.

39. In the view of that God of gods, Hari, the Lord of sacrifice and the Omnipotent one, brahmins are indeed the lords, and they are the deity and nothing is higher than they.

10.81.40

evaṃ sa vipro bhagavat-suhṛt tadā dṛṣṭvā sva-bhṛtyair ajitaṃ parājitam /
tad-dhyāna-vegodgrathitātma-bandhanas tad-dhāma lebhe 'cirataḥ satāṃ gatim //

Thus that brāhmaṇa, the friend of the Lord, seeing then the unconquered one conquered by his own servants, / with the knots of the self untied by the surge of meditating upon him, soon attained his abode, the goal of the virtuous devotees.

40. Then, that brahmin, (a foremost) friend of the Lord, thus clearly saw how the Lord, unconquered by any, is influenced by His own devotees and he had all his mortal ties cut off by the force of his contemplation and long before he attained to His region, the goal of the righteous.

10.81.41

etad brahmaṇya-devasya śrutvā brahmaṇyatāṃ naraḥ /
labdha-bhāvo bhagavati karma-bandhād vimucyate //

A person who hears this devotion to brāhmaṇas shown by the God friendly to brāhmaṇas, / having obtained devotional emotion toward the Lord, is freed from the bondage of karma.

41. The man who (thus) listens to this account that illustrates the kindness to brahmins of Hari, their favourite God, attains devotion to Him and release from the mundane bondage.