Bhagavatapurana 11.4: atha caturtho'dhyāyaḥ

11.4.1

/0 śrī-rājovāca
yāni yānīha karmāṇi yair yaiḥ svacchanda-janmabhiḥ /
cakre karoti kartā vā haris tāni bruvantu naḥ //

The king said: / Whatever deeds Hari has done, is doing, or will do / in His various freely chosen incarnations here, tell us of them.

1. The king said:— O sages, may you be pleased to tell me of those various deeds which, in His several avataras at His own will, Hari did, is doing and will do.

11.4.2

/0 śrī-drumila uvāca
yo vā anantasya gunān anantān anukramiṣyan sa tu bāla-buddhiḥ /
rajāṃsi bhūmer gaṇayet kathañcit kālena naivākhila-śakti-dhāmnaḥ //

Śrī Drumila said: / He who attempts to enumerate the endless qualities of the Infinite is childish in intellect; / one might somehow count the particles of dust on earth in time, but never the qualities of the abode of all powers.

2. Drumila said:— Whoever would reckon the infinite Lord's excellent qualities of infinite number is a man of childish understanding; he might perhaps through process of time reckon the particles of dust on earth, but never the excellent attributes of the omnipotent Lord.

11.4.2.p1

bhūtair yadā pañcabhir ātma-sṛṣṭaiḥ $ puraṃ virājaṃ viracayya tasmin &

When, by the five elements created by Himself, He fashioned the cosmic body / and entered into it

3. When with the five Bhutas created by Himself He created the egg of the Universe called Virat like unto a body and entered into it by an aṁsa, (then) the first and foremost God, Narayana, was called Purusha.

11.4.3

svāṃśena viṣṭaḥ puruṣābhidhānam % avāpa nārāyaṇa ādi-devaḥ //

by a portion of Himself, Nārāyaṇa, the primal deity, / received the name of Puruṣa.

11.4.3.p2

yat-kāya eṣa bhuvana-traya-sanniveśo $ yasyendriyais tanu-bhṛtām ubhayendriyāṇi &

In whose body this arrangement of the three worlds rests, / by whose senses the two sets of senses of embodied beings are empowered,

4. On His personality are moulded and placed the three worlds and on His Indriyas depends the origin of both the physical and intellectual Indriyas of creatures; and by Himself He is consciousness; His breath is the source of the strength and activity of the world: through Satva and other qualities He is the first author of creation, subsistence and destruction of the Universe.

11.4.3.p3

yat-kāya eṣa bhuvana-traya-sanniveśo $ yasyendriyais tanu-bhṛtām ubhayendriyāṇi &

In whose body this arrangement of the three worlds rests, / by whose senses the two sets of senses of embodied beings are empowered,

11.4.4

jñānaṃ svataḥ śvasanato balam oja īhā % sattvādibhiḥ sthiti-layodbhava ādi-kartā //

from whom arises knowledge by nature, strength, vitality, and effort through His breath, / who, through purity and the other qualities, is the primal creator of preservation, dissolution, and creation.

11.4.4.p2

ādāv abhūc chata-dhṛtī rajasāsya sarge $ viṣṇuḥ sthitau kratu-patir dvija-dharma-setuḥ &

In the beginning, through passion, He became the hundred-sacrificed Brahmā for creation; / in preservation, Viṣṇu, the Lord of sacrifice, the bridge of the twice-born dharma;

5. In the beginning that First and Perfect Person became Brahma in association with Rajas for the creation of this Universe; for its maintenance He became Vishnu in association with Satva,

11.4.4.p3

ādāv abhūc chata-dhṛtī rajasāsya sarge $ viṣṇuḥ sthitau kratu-patir dvija-dharma-setuḥ &

In the beginning, through passion, He became the hundred-sacrificed Brahmā for creation; / in preservation, Viṣṇu, the Lord of sacrifice, the bridge of the twice-born dharma;

being the Lord of sacrifices and the one protection of the righteous courses of the twice-born; and in association with Tamas He became Rudra for the purpose of its dissolution and this is the eternal course of origin, subsistence and destruction of creatures.

11.4.5

rudro 'pyayāya tamasā puruṣaḥ sa ādya % ity udbhava-sthiti-layāḥ satataṃ prajāsu //

and Rudra for dissolution through darkness; He is that primal Puruṣa; / thus creation, preservation, and dissolution continually occur among creatures.

11.4.5.p2

dharmasya dakṣa-duhitary ajaniṣṭa mūrtyāṃ $ nārāyaṇo nara ṛṣi-pravaraḥ praśāntaḥ &

From Dharma, through Dakṣa’s daughter Mūrti, was born / Nārāyaṇa and Nara, the best of sages, deeply serene,

6. He was born of Dharma by Murti, the daughter of Daksha and is known as Narayana, the foremost of Rishis in human form (in two forms as Narayana and as Nara, the foremost among Rishis) possessed of perfect tranquility, and expounded the nature of Atman, by which knowledge Karma is removed; and He practised *tapas* in the best form and is even to-day seen worshipped by the greatest of Rishis.

11.4.5.p3

dharmasya dakṣa-duhitary ajaniṣṭa mūrtyāṃ $ nārāyaṇo nara ṛṣi-pravaraḥ praśāntaḥ &

From Dharma, through Dakṣa’s daughter Mūrti, was born / Nārāyaṇa and Nara, the best of sages, deeply serene,

11.4.6

naiṣkarmya-lakṣaṇam uvāca cacāra karma % yo 'dyāpi cāsta ṛṣi-varya-niṣevitāṅghriḥ //

who taught and practiced action characterized by freedom from karmic reaction, / and whose feet even today are served by the foremost of sages.

11.4.6.p2

indro viśaṅkya mama dhāma jighṛkṣatīti $ kāmaṃ nyayuṅkta sa-gaṇaṃ sa badary-upākhyam &

Indra, fearing, “He desires to seize my domain,” / dispatched Kāma along with his retinue to the place called Badarī;

7. Suspecting that He (Narayana in the form of a Rishi) was aiming at his exalted position, Indra ordered Manmatha with his troops to disturb His tapas; and Manmatha went without knowing His greatness, to the place known as Badari attended by the company of Apsaras women, Vasanta and gentle breezes and hit him with the shafts of women's glances.

11.4.6.p3

indro viśaṅkya mama dhāma jighṛkṣatīti $ kāmaṃ nyayuṅkta sa-gaṇaṃ sa badary-upākhyam &

Indra, fearing, “He desires to seize my domain,” / dispatched Kāma along with his retinue to the place called Badarī;

11.4.7

gatvāpsaro-gaṇa-vasanta-sumanda-vātaiḥ % strī-prekṣaṇeṣubhir avidhyad atan-mahi-jñaḥ //

going there, unaware of His greatness, he struck Him with the glances of women as arrows, / accompanied by the troops of apsarases, spring, and gentle breezes.

11.4.7.p2

vijñāya śakra-kṛtam akramam ādi-devaḥ $ prāha prahasya gata-vismaya ejamānān &

Understanding the transgression committed by Indra, the primal deity, / laughing, free from perturbation, spoke to them as they trembled:

8. The Almighty Lord knew that to be the violation committed by Indra, laughed without any feeling of surprise and said to the trembling visitors, ‘O powerful Manmatha, O Vayu, O celestial damsels, do not be afraid, accept our hospitality and make our hermitage worthy of its existence.’

11.4.7.p3

vijñāya śakra-kṛtam akramam ādi-devaḥ $ prāha prahasya gata-vismaya ejamānān &

Understanding the transgression committed by Indra, the primal deity, / laughing, free from perturbation, spoke to them as they trembled:

11.4.8

mā bhair vibho madana māruta deva-vadhvo % gṛhṇīta no balim aśūnyam imaṃ kurudhvam //

“Do not fear, mighty Madana, wind-god, and wives of the gods! / Accept our offering of hospitality and make this hermitage not empty of guests.”

11.4.8.p2

itthaṃ bruvaty abhaya-de nara-deva devāḥ $ sa-vrīḍa-namra-śirasaḥ sa-ghṛṇaṃ tam ūcuḥ &

As the giver of fearlessness spoke thus, O king, the gods, / their heads bowed with shame, spoke compassionately to Him:

9. O king (Nimi), when the Lord who promises protection from all fear spoke thus, the gods with their heads cast down pitifully said to Him, ‘O Lord, this is nothing wonderful in Thy

11.4.8.p3

itthaṃ bruvaty abhaya-de nara-deva devāḥ $ sa-vrīḍa-namra-śirasaḥ sa-ghṛṇaṃ tam ūcuḥ &

As the giver of fearlessness spoke thus, O king, the gods, / their heads bowed with shame, spoke compassionately to Him:

11.4.9

naitad vibho tvayi pare 'vikṛte vicitraṃ % svārāma-dhīra-nikarānata-pāda-padme //

"This is not surprising in You, O all-pervading Lord, the Supreme, the changeless, / whose lotus feet are bowed to by multitudes of self-realised sages.

Supreme Self subject to no change and whose lotus-like feet are bowed to by hosts of wise men that revel in self-realisation.

11.4.9.p2

tvāṃ sevatāṃ sura-kṛtā bahavo 'ntarāyāḥ $ svauko vilaṅghya paramaṃ vrajatāṃ padaṃ te &

Many obstacles are created by the gods for those who serve You, / who transcend their realms and journey to Your supreme abode;

10. The gods said:— "To those that worship Thee many are the obstructions caused by the gods; for they are intent upon going beyond the celestial regions to reach Thy Supreme abode; but the gods do not put those obstructions in the way of others who pour into the fire the offerings which are their shares; however, when Thou choosest to protect Thy votaries, Thou settest Thy foot on those obstructions.

11.4.9.p3

tvāṃ sevatāṃ sura-kṛtā bahavo 'ntarāyāḥ $ svauko vilaṅghya paramaṃ vrajatāṃ padaṃ te &

Many obstacles are created by the gods for those who serve You, / who transcend their realms and journey to Your supreme abode;

11.4.10

nānyasya barhiṣi balīn dadataḥ sva-bhāgān % dhatte padaṃ tvam avitā yadi vighna-mūrdhni //

not so for another who offers their shares of oblations upon the sacred grass; / but if You protect him, he sets his foot upon the head of the obstacle.

11.4.10.p2

kṣut-tṛṭ-tri-kāla-guṇa-māruta-jaihva-śaiṣṇān $ asmān apāra-jaladhīn atitīrya kecit &

Having crossed beyond hunger, thirst, the qualities of the three seasons, wind, and urges of the tongue and genitals— / these fathomless oceans—some [yogins]

11. "Some (i.e.,) ourselves, who have crossed the immeasurable oceans, who are slaves of hunger, thirst, the past, present and future, the gunas, breaths, the cravings of tongue and touch, fall under the sway of anger and thereby they may be said to drown themselves in the hollow caused by the hoofs of a cow and to no purpose they throw away the merit of their very hard tapas."

11.4.10.p3

kṣut-tṛṭ-tri-kāla-guṇa-māruta-jaihva-śaiṣṇān $ asmān apāra-jaladhīn atitīrya kecit &

Having crossed beyond hunger, thirst, the qualities of the three seasons, wind, and urges of the tongue and genitals— / these fathomless oceans—some [yogins]

11.4.11

krodhasya yānti viphalasya vaśaṃ pade gor % majjanti duścara-tapaś ca vṛthotsṛjanti //

fall under the sway of futile anger and drown in a cow's footprint; / they throw away their arduous austerities in vain."

11.4.12

iti pragṛṇatāṃ teṣāṃ striyo 'ty-adbhuta-darśanāḥ /
darśayām āsa śuśrūṣāṃ sv-arcitāḥ kurvatīr vibhuḥ //

As they were thus praising Him, the all-pervading Lord displayed / exquisitely beautiful women serving Him, adorned and worshipped.

12. While they were thus describing and praising His qualities, women of wonderful beauty produced by the Lord displayed their skill in paying attention to the guests.

11.4.13

te devānucarā dṛṣṭvā striyaḥ śrīr iva rūpiṇīḥ /
gandhena mumuhus tāsāṃ rūpaudārya-hata-śriyaḥ //

Seeing those women, like Śrī herself embodied, / the followers of the gods were bewildered by their fragrance, their own splendour eclipsed by such beauty and grace.

13. Those celestial attendants saw those women, beautiful like Lakshmi and, deprived of their pride by their incalculable beauty, were beside themselves by their fragrance.

11.4.14

tān āha deva-deveśaḥ praṇatān prahasann iva /
āsām ekatamāṃ vṛṅdhvaṃ sa-varṇāṃ svarga-bhūṣaṇām //

The Lord of the lords of gods, smiling gently, said to those who were bowed down: / "Choose any one of these women, equal in quality to you, to be an ornament of heaven."

14. And the Almighty Lord laughingly said to them who were prostrate before Him, "Choose as an ornament to Swarga one of those like unto you in beauty."

11.4.15

om ity ādeśam ādāya natvā taṃ sura-vandinaḥ /
urvaśīm apsaraḥ-śreṣṭhāṃ puraskṛtya divaṃ yayuḥ //

Saying 'So be it,' receiving the command, and bowing to Him, the praisers of the gods / placed Urvaśī, the foremost of the Apsarases, at their head and went to heaven.

15. Receiving His command with an affirmative and having bowed the celestial attendants chose Urvasi, foremost among the Apsaras and with her returned to Swarga.

11.4.16

indrāyānamya sadasi śṛṇvatāṃ tri-divaukasām /
ūcur nārāyaṇa-balaṃ śakras tatrāsa vismitaḥ //

Bowing to Indra in the assembly, with the dwellers of the threefold heaven listening, / they related the power of Nārāyaṇa; Indra was astonished and terrified.

16. They bowed to Indra seated in court and described the superior power of Narayana, all the celestials listening to it; and Indra shuddered in astonishment (to hear of it).

11.4.16.p1

haṃsa-svarūpy avadad acyuta ātma-yogaṃ $ dattaḥ kumāra ṛṣabho bhagavān pitā naḥ &

Assuming the form of the Swan, Acyuta taught the yoga of the self; / He was Datta, the Kumāras, Ṛṣabha, and the Lord, our father;

17. In His avatara as Hamsa Achyuta taught Gnanayoga to

Sanaka and others: as Datta to Yadu, Prahlada and others: as Kumara to Narada: as the glorious Rishabha our father to us: again Vishnu made another Avatara as Hayagreeva by an amsa for the good of the world: by Him Madhu Daitya was killed and Srutis were recovered.

11.4.17

viṣṇuḥ śivāya jagatāṃ kalayāvatirṇas % tenāhṛtā madhu-bhidā śrutayo hayāsye //

Viṣṇu descended with His plenary portion for the welfare of the worlds; / as the horse-headed one [Hayagrīva], the slayer of Madhu, He brought back the Vedic scriptures.

11.4.17.p2

gupto 'pyaye manur ilauṣadhayaś ca mātsye $ krauḍe hato diti-ja uddharatāmbhasaḥ kṣmām &

In the Fish incarnation, Manu, the earth, and the medicinal herbs were protected at the dissolution; / in the Boar, the son of Diti [Hiraṇyākṣa] was slain while He lifted the earth from the waters.

18. Manu, the earth and herbs were saved in His avatara as Matsya; by Him as Varaha, the great daitya Hiranyaksha was vanquished and from the bottom of the sea the earth was lifted; as Kurma or Tortoise the hill was supported on His back when the sea was churned for nectar and as Hari He rescued the afflicted king of elephants from the jaws of the crocodile.

11.4.17.p3

gupto 'pyaye manur ilauṣadhayaś ca mātsye $ krauḍe hato diti-ja uddharatāmbhasaḥ kṣmām &

In the Fish incarnation, Manu, the earth, and the medicinal herbs were protected at the dissolution; / in the Boar, the son of Diti [Hiraṇyākṣa] was slain while He lifted the earth from the waters.

11.4.18

kaurme dhṛto 'drir amṛtonmathane sva-pṛṣṭhe % grāhāt prapannam ibha-rājam amuñcad ārtam //

In the Tortoise incarnation, He bore the mountain on His back at the churning for nectar; / and He rescued the distressed king of elephants who had surrendered to Him from the crocodile.

11.4.18.p2

saṃstunvato nipatitān śramaṇān ṛṣīṃś ca $ śakraṃ ca vṛtra-vadhatas tamasi praviṣṭam &

[He delivered] the praise-singing Vālikhilya sages who had fallen into [a cow's hoof-print], / and Śakra who had entered into darkness after the slaying of Vṛtra;

19. The Lord rescued from difficulty Valakhilyas, Rishis of great tapas, who had fallen into the sea and been praising Him and also Indra from the sin of killing a brahmin in having slain Vritra: and also the celestial damsels who had been helplessly shut up in the Asura's house: and to end the fear of the righteous He as Narasimha put an end to that great asura.

11.4.18.p3

saṃstunvato nipatitān śramaṇān ṛṣīṃś ca $ śakraṃ ca vṛtra-vadhatas tamasi praviṣṭam &

[He delivered] the praise-singing Vālikhilya sages who had fallen into [a cow's hoof-print], / and Śakra who had entered into darkness after the slaying of Vṛtra;

11.4.19

deva-striyo 'sura-gṛhe pihitā anāthā % jaghne 'surendram abhayāya satāṃ nṛsiṃhe //

and the wives of the gods locked away and helpless in the demon's abode; / as the Man-Lion, He slew the king of the asuras to bring fearlessness to the virtuous devotees.

11.4.19.p2

devāsure yudhi ca daitya-patīn surārthe $ hatvāntareṣu bhuvanāny adadhāt kalābhiḥ &

In the war between gods and asuras, having slain the Daitya chiefs for the sake of the gods, / He upheld the worlds through His portions in each Manvantara;

20. For the sake of the gods the Lord killed the great daityas in the war between them; during manvantaras He protected the worlds by His Avataras; and having appeared as Vamana and under the pretext of asking for alms He took this earth from Bali and gave it to the sons of Aditi.

11.4.19.p3

devāsure yudhi ca daitya-patīn surārthe $ hatvāntareṣu bhuvanāny adadhāt kalābhiḥ &

In the war between gods and asuras, having slain the Daitya chiefs for the sake of the gods, / He upheld the worlds through His portions in each Manvantara;

11.4.20

bhūtvātha vāmana imām aharad baleḥ kṣmāṃ % yācñā-cchalena samadād aditeḥ sutebhyaḥ //

then, having become the Dwarf [Vāmana], on the pretext of begging, He took this earth from Bali / and gave it entirely to the sons of Aditi.

11.4.20.p2

niḥkṣatriyām akṛta gāṃ ca triḥ-sapta-kṛtvo $ rāmas tu haihaya-kulāpyaya-bhārgavāgniḥ &

Rāma, indeed, the fire of the Bhṛgus for the destruction of the Haihaya clan, / rid the earth of kṣatriyas twenty-one times;

21. As Parasurama, the fire that, born of Bhrigu race burnt up the Haihayas, the Lord thrice seven times swept the kshatriyas off the earth's surface: and as Rama, the Lord of Sita constructed a dam across the sea, destroyed the ten-headed Ravana as well as Lanka and shines foremost in His glory that absolves the world from sin.

11.4.20.p3

niḥkṣatriyām akṛta gāṃ ca triḥ-sapta-kṛtvo $ rāmas tu haihaya-kulāpyaya-bhārgavāgniḥ &

Rāma, indeed, the fire of the Bhṛgus for the destruction of the Haihaya clan, / rid the earth of kṣatriyas twenty-one times;

11.4.21

so 'bdhiṃ babandha daśa-vaktram ahan sa-laṅkaṃ % sītā-patir jayati loka-mala-ghna-kīṛtiḥ //

and He who bridged the ocean and slew the ten-headed [Rāvaṇa] along with Laṅkā, / the husband of Sītā whose renown destroys the taint of the world, reigns victorious.

11.4.21.p2

bhūmer bharāvataraṇāya yaduṣv ajanmā $ jātaḥ kariṣyati surair api duṣkarāṇi &

To relieve the burden of the earth, the unborn Lord, / born among the Yadus, will perform deeds difficult even for the gods;

22. To reduce the burden of the earth the unborn Lord will appear among Yadus and will do many deeds which even the gods cannot: and by His disputations the Lord deludes those who, being unworthy of it (ineligible), perform sacrificial duties and, in the age

11.4.21.p3

bhūmer bharāvataraṇāya yaduṣv ajanmā $ jātaḥ kariṣyati surair api duṣkarāṇi &

To relieve the burden of the earth, the unborn Lord, / born among the Yadus, will perform deeds difficult even for the gods;

11.4.22

vādair vimohayati yajña-kṛto 'tad-arhān % śūdrān kalau kṣiti-bhujo nyahaniṣyad ante //

with arguments He will bewilder those who perform sacrifices without qualification, / and at the end of the Kali age He will strike down the kings who are śūdras.

of Kali towards the end, He would put an end to the Sudra rulers of the earth.

11.4.23

evaṃ-vidhāni janmāni karmāṇi ca jagat-pateḥ /
bhūrīṇi bhūri-yaśaso varṇitāni mahā-bhuja //

Such births and deeds of the Lord of the universe, / abundant and of immense renown, have been described, O mighty-armed one.

23. O great warrior, many are the similar deeds and avataras that are described of the Lord of perfect glory.