Bhagavatapurana 12.10: atha daśamo'dhyāyaḥ

12.10.1

/0 sūta uvāca
sa evam anubhūyedaṃ nārāyaṇa-vinirmitam /
vaibhavaṃ yoga-māyāyās tam eva śaraṇaṃ yayau //

Sūta said: / Having thus experienced this majesty of the yoga-māyā / fashioned by Nārāyaṇa, he took refuge in him alone.

1. Suta said:—Having thus realised this greatness of Yoga-Maya displayed by Sri Narayana, the sage sought the same Almighty Lord as his protector.

12.10.2

/0 śrī-mārkaṇḍeya uvāca
prapanno 'smy aṅghri-mūlaṃ te prapannābhaya-daṃ hare /
yan-māyayāpi vibudhā muhyanti jñāna-kāśayā //

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:
I take refuge at the base of your feet, O Hari, which grant fearlessness to those who take refuge—
by whose creative power, appearing like knowledge, even the gods are bewildered.

2. Markandeya said:—O Hari, I have fallen at Thy feet that promise fearlessness to those that take refuge under them and through Thy Maya that shines like gnana (light), even the learned stand deluded.

12.10.3

/0 sūta uvāca
tam evaṃ nibhṛtātmānaṃ vṛṣeṇa divi paryaṭan /
rudrāṇyā bhagavān rudro dadarśa sva-gaṇair vṛtaḥ //

Sūta said:
As he was roaming the sky upon his bull, accompanied by Rudrāṇī and surrounded by his own attendants,
the Lord Rudra saw him whose mind was thus restrained.

3. Suta said:—In his passage through the skies, on his bull, with his consort and his train of Ganas, the worshipful Rudra observed the sage sitting still in contemplation (of the Almighty Lord.)

12.10.4

athomā tam ṛṣiṃ vīkṣya giriśaṃ samabhāṣata /
paśyemaṃ bhagavan vipraṃ nibhṛtātmendriyāśayam //

Then Umā, beholding that sage, spoke to Giriśa:
“Look, O Lord, upon this brahmin whose mind, senses, and heart are restrained,

4. & 5. Then Parvati noticed the sage and observed to her Lord Siva, "May you be pleased to look at this Brahmin who keeps his body, senses and mind thoroughly unperturbed, like unto a sea not tossed by winds with all its waters and fish in a motionless state.

12.10.5

nibhṛtoda-jhaṣa-vrāto vātāpāye yathārṇavaḥ /
kurv asya tapasaḥ sākṣāt saṃsiddhiṃ siddhi-do bhavān //

like an ocean whose multitude of waters and fish are stilled when the wind ceases.
Grant directly the complete perfection of his asceticism, for you are the granter of perfection.”

May you be pleased to favour him with the fullest realisation of the attainment due to his tapas! For you are the Lord that grants, (devoties) their (desired) attainments.”

12.10.6

/0 śrī-bhagavān uvāca
naivecchaty āśiṣaḥ kvāpi brahmarṣir mokṣam apy uta /
bhaktiṃ parāṃ bhagavati labdhavān puruṣe 'vyaye //

The Lord said:
“This brahmin sage does not desire any blessings anywhere, not even liberation;
he has obtained supreme devotion to the Lord, the imperishable person.

6. The worshipful Siva said:—“This Brahmin sage does not at all seek after any blessing, not even Moksha: for he has developed to the highest degree devotion to the Almighty Lord, the Imperishable and Perfect Person.

12.10.7

athāpi saṃvadiṣyāmo bhavāny etena sādhunā /
ayaṃ hi paramo lābho nṛṇāṃ sādhu-samāgamaḥ //

Even so, O Bhavānī, we shall converse with this virtuous devotee;
for this is the supreme gain for mortals: association with virtuous devotees.”

7. However let us, O my Beloved one, have a conversation with this righteous man: for it is the greatest of gains to meet the righteous among men.

12.10.8

/0 sūta uvāca
ity uktvā tam upeyāya bhagavān sa satāṃ gatiḥ /
īśānaḥ sarva-vidyānām īśvaraḥ sarva-dehinām //

Sūta said:
Having said this, the Lord, the refuge of the virtuous devotees,
the ruler of all sciences and the lord of all embodied beings, approached him.

8. Suta said:—Having thus observed to Parvati, the worshipful Siva, friend of the good, went near the sage: for He (Siva) is the master of all branches of knowledge and the ruler of all creatures.

12.10.9

tayor āgamanaṃ sākṣād īśayor jagad-ātmanoḥ /
na veda ruddha-dhī-vṛttir ātmānaṃ viśvam eva ca //

He did not perceive the arrival of those two masters, the soul of the universe, directly present;
with the operations of his mind suspended, he perceived neither himself nor the universe.

9. But the sage, who had suspended all mental activity, did not perceive the approach of those great Rulers and the Lords of the world as well as himself and the Universe (about him.)

12.10.10

bhagavāṃs tad abhijñāya giriśo yoga-māyayā /
āviśat tad-guhākāśaṃ vāyuś chidram iveśvaraḥ //

Understanding that, the Lord Giriśa, through his power of yoga,
entered the space of his heart's cave, as the wind enters an opening, being the ruler.

10. The glorious Lord Siva understood his state, and entered, like the air, through pores, the sky of the sage’s heart (mind) by virtue of his yoga power.

12.10.11

ātmany api śivaṃ prāptaṃ taḍit-piṅga-jaṭā-dharam /
try-akṣaṃ daśa-bhujaṃ prāṃśum udyantam iva bhāskaram //

Perceiving Śiva arrived within his own self as well, bearing matted locks tawny as lightning,
three-eyed, ten-armed, tall like the rising sun,

11.—13. The sage saw within his self, in his heart (mental plane), the three-eyed god Siva come in, with his matted locks of golden hair like streaks of lightning, and ten arms, of high stature, brilliant like the rising Sun, wearing the skin of a tiger, armed with the Sula, Khatwanga and a shield, holding in his hand string of beeds: a drum, a skull, a sword and a bow: on seeing him suddenly appear in his heart, the sage was astounded and in a state of enquiry as to what it was and why or whence, he woke up from his trance.

12.10.12

vyāghra-carmāmbaraṃ śūla- dhanur-iṣv-asi-carmabhiḥ /
akṣa-mālā-ḍamaruka- kapālaṃ paraśuṃ saha //

clad in a tiger skin, holding a trident, bow, arrows, sword, and shield,
together with a rosary, a small drum, a skull-cup, and an axe,

12.10.13

bibhrāṇaṃ sahasā bhātaṃ vicakṣya hṛdi vismitaḥ /
kim idaṃ kuta eveti samādher virato muniḥ //

beholding him suddenly manifested in his heart, the sage was astonished:
“What is this, and from where?” and he ceased from his meditative absorption.

12.10.14

netre unmīlya dadṛśe sa-gaṇaṃ somayāgatam /
rudraṃ tri-lokaika-guruṃ nanāma śirasā muniḥ //

Opening his eyes, the sage saw Rudra, the sole preceptor of the three worlds,
arrived with Umā and attended by his retinue, and bowed with his head.

14. The sage opened his eyes to see Rudra, with Parvati and his attendants, the great father of the three worlds, and bowed his head and worshipped him.

12.10.15

tasmai saparyāṃ vyadadhāt sa-gaṇāya sahomayā /
svāgatāsana-pādyārghya- gandha-srag-dhūpa-dīpakaiḥ //

He offered worship to him, along with his retinue and accompanied by Umā,
with welcoming, a seat, water for the feet, respectful offering, scents, garlands, incense, and lamps.

15. To the god Siva with Uma and also to his attendants the sage gave a respectful treat by welcoming them, by offering seats, water to wash feet with and to sip, pigments of sandal, garlands of flowers and by burning the customary lights and frank-in-cense.

12.10.16

āha tv ātmānubhāvena pūrṇa-kāmasya te vibho /
karavāma kim īśāna yenedaṃ nirvṛtaṃ jagat //

He said: “What may we do for you, O all-pervading lord, whose desires are fulfilled by your own majesty,
O ruler, by whom this universe is gratified?

16. And he said, “O Lord, to Thee that enjoyest perfect blessings by virtue of Thy own glory and power, what could I do, O great Ruler, by whose support this world becomes happy?

12.10.17

namaḥ śivāya śāntāya sattvāya pramṛḍāya ca /
rajo-juṣe 'tha ghorāya namas tubhyaṃ tamo-juṣe //

Obeisance to Śiva, the peaceful, the essence of purity, and the giver of delight;
and obeisance to you who resort to passion, who are terrifying, and who resort to darkness!”

17. “I bow to Siva, who is blessed and tranquil (destitute of attributes), the source of strength and wisdom and happiness, not formidable though acting through Rajas. I bow to Thee that actest through Tamas also”.

12.10.18

/0 sūta uvāca
evaṃ stutaḥ sa bhagavān ādi-devaḥ satāṃ gatiḥ /
parituṣṭaḥ prasannātmā prahasaṃs tam abhāṣata //

Sūta said:
Thus praised, that Lord, the primal god and refuge of the virtuous devotees,
being greatly satisfied and pleased in mind, smiled and addressed him.

18. Suta said:—Thus praised, the foremost and glorious god Siva, the resort of all the righteous, was very much pleased and with a gracious heart he laughed and spoke to the sage as follows.

12.10.19

/0 śrī-bhagavān uvāca
varaṃ vṛṇīṣva naḥ kāmaṃ vara-deśā vayaṃ trayaḥ /
amoghaṃ darśanaṃ yeṣāṃ martyo yad vindate 'mṛtam //

The Lord said:
“Choose a boon at will from us, for we three are the lords who grant boons,
whose sight is never in vain, upon seeing whom a mortal attains immortality.

19. The worshipful Siva said:—“Ask for a boon of us as thou listest, for we are the three Rulers of those that confer boons; it cannot be fruitless to see us: for, from us the mortal man obtains the immortal state.

12.10.20

brāhmaṇāḥ sādhavaḥ śāntā niḥsaṅgā bhūta-vatsalāḥ /
ekānta-bhaktā asmāsu nirvairāḥ sama-darśinaḥ //

Brahmins who are virtuous devotees, peaceful, unattached, compassionate to all beings,
singly devoted to us, free from enmity, and seeing with equanimity—

20. “The righteous Brahmins possessed of a tranquil heart, destitute of attachments, kind to every being, constant in their intense devotion to the one Lord Vishnu and free from the feelings of envy and hatred, hold the same view towards us.

12.10.21

sa-lokā loka-pālās tān vandanty arcanty upāsate /
ahaṃ ca bhagavān brahmā svayaṃ ca harir īśvaraḥ //

the guardians of the worlds together with their realms salute, worship, and serve them,
as do I, the Lord Brahmā, and Hari himself, the Sovereign Lord.

21. “All the creatures of the world and their protectors praise, worship and contemplate them: the three are the worshipful Brahma, the Supreme Ruler Hari and myself.

12.10.22

na te mayy acyute 'je ca bhidām aṇv api cakṣate /
nātmanaś ca janasyāpi tad yuṣmān vayam īmahi //

They do not see even the slightest difference between me, Acyuta, and the unborn [Brahmā],
nor between themselves and other people; therefore we honor you.

22. "They do not see the least difference between myself Achyuta and Brahma: nor between themselves and others; therefore we go to you and favour you.

12.10.23

na hy am-mayāni tīrthāni na devāś cetanojjhitāḥ /
te punanty uru-kālena yūyaṃ darśana-mātrataḥ //

For sacred waters consisting merely of water, and deities devoid of consciousness,
purify only after a long time, whereas you purify by mere sight.

23. "The Tirthas in the form of waters and the gods devoid of the intelligent spirit are not really the holy waters and the gods; for they purify a man through a long process of time: but you purify them at very sight.

12.10.24

brāhmaṇebhyo namasyāmo ye 'smad-rūpaṃ trayī-mayam /
bibhraty ātma-samādhāna- tapaḥ-svādhyāya-saṃyamaiḥ //

We bow to the brahmins who bear our form composed of the triple Veda
by means of self-collectedness, asceticism, Vedic recitation, and restraint.

24. "We show respect to those Brahmins who bear our representation in the form of the three Vedas by observing the courses of concentration, meditation, Vedic study and self-discipline such as silence.

12.10.25

śravaṇād darśanād vāpi mahā-pātakino 'pi vaḥ /
śudhyerann antya-jāś cāpi kim u sambhāṣaṇādibhiḥ //

Even great sinners, and even the lowest-born, would be purified
merely by hearing or seeing you, what to speak of conversing with you and the like.”

25. "On hearing or seeing you, even the highly sinful people would become purified: so too even the outcasts. What need is there to say that those who converse with you or associate with you in several ways become purified?"

12.10.26

/0 sūta uvāca
iti candra-lalāmasya dharma-gahyopabṛṃhitam /
vaco 'mṛtāyanam ṛṣir nātṛpyat karṇayoḥ piban //

Sūta said:
Drinking with his ears these nectar-like words of the moon-crested god,
enriched with the secret of dharma, the sage was not satiated.

26. Suta said:—The Rishi was not satiated to hear with his ears such speech of Siva whose crown the moon adorns—the speech that was full of secret Dharma and nectarine sweetness.

12.10.27

sa ciraṃ māyayā viṣṇor bhrāmitaḥ karśito bhṛśam /
śiva-vāg-amṛta-dhvasta- kleśa-puñjas tam abravīt //

He, who had been made to wander long by the creative power of Viṣṇu and was severely exhausted,
with the mass of his afflictions destroyed by the nectar of Śiva's words, addressed him.

27. The sage, who was long perplexed at Vishnu's Maya and subjected to severe trial, felt himself free from all his afflictions by virtue of the nectar of Siva's words and said to him as follows.

12.10.28

/0 śrī-mārkaṇḍeya uvāca
aho īśvara-līleyaṃ durvibhāvyā śarīriṇām /
yan namantīśitavyāni stuvanti jagad-īśvarāḥ //

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:
“Ah, this divine play of the Lord is inconceivable to embodied beings,
in that the lords of the universe bow down to and praise their subjects!

28. The Rishi said:—Most wonderful and inconceivable for creatures is this sport of the Supreme Ruler, through which Leela the rulers of the worlds bow to, and praise, the creatures under their own control.

12.10.29

dharmaṃ grāhayituṃ prāyaḥ pravaktāraś ca dehinām /
ācaranty anumodante kriyamāṇaṃ stuvanti ca //

Usually, to instruct embodied beings in dharma, its proclaimers
practice it, approve of it when practiced, and praise it.

29. Teachers as they are, they perform the righteous duty for making creatures learn it: they express their approbation and praise the duty that is performed.

12.10.30

naitāvatā bhagavataḥ sva-māyā-maya-vṛttibhiḥ /
na duṣyetānubhāvas tair māyinaḥ kuhakaṃ yathā //

The majesty of the Lord is not tainted by these activities consisting of his own creative power,
any more than a magician is by his magical tricks.

30. But by this course of acts which are but the display of Thine own Maya (out of grace to Thy devotees), Thy greatness is not affected in any manner, even as the creations of a magician do not affect (him).

12.10.31

sṛṣṭvedaṃ manasā viśvam ātmanānupraviśya yaḥ /
guṇaiḥ kurvadbhir ābhāti karteva svapna-dṛg yathā //

Having created this universe with his mind and entered it himself,
he appears like an agent through the strands of material nature that act, just as a dreamer does.

31. Having created this Universe by virtue of His thought and having of His own accord entered into it, the Lord, like one in a state of dream, seems to be an agent through the qualities that are alone really active.

12.10.32

tasmai namo bhagavate tri-guṇāya guṇātmane /
kevalāyādvitīyāya gurave brahma-mūrtaye //

Obeisance to that Lord, endowed with the three strands, whose self is the strands,
who is solitary, without a second, the preceptor, the embodiment of Brahman!

32. I bow to that glorious and Almighty Lord who is the three qualities as well as their ruler, who is absolutely pure, one without a second, the preceptor and the Omnipresent Being.

12.10.33

kaṃ vṛṇe nu paraṃ bhūman varaṃ tvad vara-darśanāt /
yad-darśanāt pūrṇa-kāmaḥ satya-kāmaḥ pumān bhavet //

What further boon indeed should I choose, O Infinite One, beyond the sight of you who grant boons,
upon seeing whom a mortal's desires are fulfilled and whose desires become truth?

33. O Perfect one, what greater boon could I ask of Thee than Thy sight which itself is a boon and by seeing whom a person attains all blessings and has every wish of his realised.

12.10.34

varam ekaṃ vṛṇe 'thāpi pūrṇāt kāmābhivarṣaṇāt /
bhagavaty acyutāṃ bhaktiṃ tat-pareṣu tathā tvayi //

Nevertheless, I choose one boon from you who shower the fulfillment of desires:
unfailing devotion to the Lord, to those dedicated to him, and likewise to you.”

D. (Since every enquiry shows that there is no equal unto Thee), whom should I resort to and choose other than Thyself? To know Thee is the highest thing to be desired and is the source of every blessing and the way to beatitude for men. 34. Still I ask of Thee but one boon,—of thee that art perfect and canst shower all blessings, that I may always have unswerving devotion to the Supreme Lord, to His devotees as well as to thee.

12.10.35

/0 sūta uvāca
ity arcito 'bhiṣṭutaś ca muninā sūktayā girā /
tam āha bhagavāñ charvaḥ śarvayā cābhinanditaḥ //

Sūta said:
Thus honored and praised by the sage with well-spoken words,
the Lord Śarva, congratulated by Śarvī, spoke to him:

35. Suta said:—Thus worshipped and praised by the sage in worthy words, the glorious Siva with the approbation of his consort says to him thus.

12.10.36

kāmo maharṣe sarvo 'yaṃ bhaktimāṃs tvam adhokṣaje /
ā-kalpāntād yaśaḥ puṇyam ajarāmaratā tathā //

“All this desire of yours, O great sage, [is granted]: you shall be devoted to Adhokṣaja,
and there shall be sacred renown until the end of the cosmic age, as well as freedom from old age and death.

36. & 37. Since thou art devoted to Adhokshaja, O great sage, all this wish of thine will be realised: further thou shalt to the end of Kalpa, enjoy celebrity and (hallowed reputation) and be free from old age and death, have knowledge of things relating to the three divisions of time, age, as well as wisdom with renunciation and also be the author of a Purana—all these and many more will be thy lot, on account of thy Brahma Varchas (spiritual glory).

12.10.37

jñānaṃ trai-kālikaṃ brahman vijñānaṃ ca viraktimat /
brahma-varcasvino bhūyāt purāṇācāryatāstu te //

May you have knowledge of the three times, O brahmin, and realization accompanied by dispassion;
and endowed with spiritual luster, may you be an authority on the Purāṇas.”

12.10.38

/0 sūta uvāca
evaṃ varān sa munaye dattvāgāt try-akṣa īśvaraḥ /
devyai tat-karma kathayann anubhūtaṃ purāmunā //

Sūta said:
Having thus granted boons to the sage, the three-eyed lord departed,
narrating to the goddess that deed experienced of old by this sage.

38. Suta said:—Having thus conferred boons on the sage, the Lord of three eyes went on his way, telling his consort of the sage's tapas and other meritorious work and of what he (the sage) had formerly experienced through the Maya of Vishnu.

12.10.39

so 'py avāpta-mahā-yoga- mahimā bhārgavottamaḥ /
vicaraty adhunāpy addhā harāv ekāntatāṃ gataḥ //

He too, that best of the Bhṛgus, having attained the greatness of supreme yoga
and reached exclusive devotion to Hari, wanders even today truly.

39. That most worthy son of Bhrugu race, too, thus attained glorious powers of great yoga and goes about the world indeed even now, being attached by absolute devotion to Hari.

12.10.40

anuvarṇitam etat te mārkaṇḍeyasya dhīmataḥ /
anubhūtaṃ bhagavato māyā-vaibhavam adbhutam //

This wonderful majesty of the Lord's creative power, experienced
by the wise Mārkaṇḍeya, has been recounted to you.

40. Thou art thus given a description of the wise Markandeya's experience of the most wonderful grandeur of the Almighty Lord's Maya.

12.10.41

etat kecid avidvāṃso māyā-saṃsṛtir ātmanaḥ /
anādy-āvartitaṃ nṝṇāṃ kādācitkaṃ pracakṣate //

Some unlearned persons declare this transmigration caused by creative power,
which has been rolling on beginninglessly for mortals, to have been a unique, occasional event of the self.

41. Some destitute of learning say that this samsara or mundane life of the Jiva is only Maya and it repeats itself from eternity without a beginning, so they call it only temporary in the case of men.

12.10.42

ya evam etad bhṛgu-varya varṇitaṃ rathāṅga-pāṇer anubhāva-bhāvitam /
saṃśrāvayet saṃśṛṇuyād u tāv ubhau tayor na karmāśaya-saṃsṛtir bhavet //

Whoever thus causes this narrative to be heard, or whoever hears it, O best of the Bhṛgus,
inspired by the majesty of the discus-wielder—both of them will not undergo transmigration arising from the reservoir of karmic impressions.

42. He who listens, O great preceptor, to what has been now described, an account glorious as relating to the greatness of Hari, or tells the same to others,—both of them will not be subject to Samsara produced by the reminiscences of previous Karma.