Bhagavatapurana 3.33

3.33.1

/0 maitreya uvāca
evaṃ niśamya kapilasya vaco janitrīsā kardamasya dayitā kila devahūtiḥ /
visrasta-moha-paṭalā tam abhipraṇamyatuṣṭāva tattva-viṣayāṅkita-siddhi-bhūmim //

1. Having thus listened to the discourse of Kapila, with the screen of her misapprehension (unworthy attachments) torn open, His mother Devahuti, the beloved wife of Kardama, made her obeisance and offered her praises to Him who was the land of perfect Sankhya knowledge which is specially characterised by the subject (topic), treats of the Tattvas.

3.33.2

/0 devahūtir uvāca
athāpy ajo 'ntaḥ-salile śayānaṃ bhūtendriyārthātma-mayaṃ vapus te /
guṇa-pravāhaṃ sad-aśeṣa-bījaṃ dadhyau svayaṃ yaj-jaṭharābja-jātaḥ //

2. Devahuti said:—Indeed, even Aja (Brahma) himself born of the lotus of Thy stomach contemplated only Thy

Verse 2. भूत...मयम् V. takes this to mean all the intelligent and the unintelligent things abiding in the bowels of the Lord. गुणप्रवाहम् V. The Lord who is the cause of the activity associated wit the three gunas of Prakriti abiding in Him. अप्ययान्ते D. Towards the end of Pralaya आत्म V. The jiva (as a class) D. The mind. D. notes that Lakshmi and other presiding deities are to be taken here, so that the Lord may be realised as superior to them all. गुणप्रवाहं D. (The Lord) who makes the gunas body which being manifest lay on the waters, composed of the Bhutas, (five elements), the Indriyas (or the senses and organs) their objects, and the mind in which the stream of the gunas has its origin, and which is the cause or source of all (matter in the form of cause and effect) ;

3.33.3

sa eva viśvasya bhavān vidhatte guṇa-pravāheṇa vibhakta-vīryaḥ /
sargādy anīho 'vitathābhisandhir ātmeśvaro 'tarkya-sahasra-śaktiḥ //

3. It is Thou of the aforesaid nature that, though actionless, bringest about (the creation, preservation, and destruction) of the universe, with Thy power varied by the course of Thy gunas ; for Thy will never proves futile ; Thou art the Lord of Jivas, and the Supreme Being of incomprehensible and boundless powers.

3.33.4

sa tvaṃ bhṛto me jaṭhareṇa nātha kathaṃ nu yasyodara etad āsīt /
viśvaṃ yugānte vaṭa-patra ekaḥ śete sma māyā-śiśur aṅghri-pānaḥ //

4. O Lord, how could it be that Thou of such might and force camest to be borne by me in my womb,—Thou in whose stomach this universe lay and who at the end of ages (during Pralaya), lay alone on a banyan leaf in the form of a child sucking the toe.

3.33.5

tvaṃ deha-tantraḥ praśamāya pāpmanāṃ nideśa-bhājāṃ ca vibho vibhūtaye /
yathāvatārās tava sūkarādayas tathāyam apy ātma-pathopalabdhaye //

5. O Lord, Thine assumption of a body is intended for the suppression of the wicked and for the exaltation (prosperity and protection) of those that abide by Thy commandments ; just as Thy Varāha and other Avatāras were for various purposes, so also is this Avatāra for imparting to the world the knowledge of the path leading to (the realisation of) Atman.

3.33.6

yan-nāmadheya-śravaṇānukīrtanād yat-prahvaṇād yat-smaraṇād api kvacit /
śvādo 'pi sadyaḥ savanāya kalpate kutaḥ punas te bhagavan nu darśanāt //

6. By virtue of but once hearing or uttering Thy name, or of bowing to Thee or of remembering Thee, even a chandala (literally one who eats dog's flesh) becomes at once fit for Soma Yaga. What should then be the virtue of directly seeing Thee, O Glorious Lord].

3.33.7

aho bata śva-paco 'to garīyān yaj-jihvāgre vartate nāma tubhyam /
tepus tapas te juhuvuḥ sasnur āryā brahmānūcur nāma gṛṇanti ye te //

7. Wonderful is Thy power. Even the chandala becomes highly venerable if his tongue is ever uttering Thy name and for this (that) reason; and those persons who sing Thy name have performed Tapas, sacrifice, and ablutions and studied the Vedas (i.e., They acquire all that merit or they must have done all that in a previous life; else they could not utter Thy name with such intense devotion).

3.33.8

taṃ tvām ahaṃ brahma paraṃ pumāṃsaṃ pratyak-srotasy ātmani saṃvibhāvyam /
sva-tejasā dhvasta-guṇa-pravāhaṃ vande viṣṇuṃ kapilaṃ veda-garbham //

8. I bow to Thee who art so great, who art the perfect Brahman and Supreme Person, who could only be contemplated (perceived) in the mind withdrawn from external objects, who by Thine own essential force remained above the influence of the stream of gunas, who art Vishnu and Kapila and the repository of the Vedas.

3.33.9

/0 maitreya uvāca
īḍito bhagavān evaṃ kapilākhyaḥ paraḥ pumān /
vācāviklavayety āha mātaraṃ mātṛ-vatsalaḥ //

9. Maitreya said:—Being thus praised, the glorious Lord and supreme Person called Kapila, with filial love, said to His mother as follows, in words of deep signification.

3.33.10

/0 kapila uvāca
mārgeṇānena mātas te susevyenoditena me /
āsthitena parāṃ kāṣṭhām acirād avarotsyasi //

10. Kapila said:—By following this path described by Me easy to pursue, Thou wilt before long attain the highest blessing (to the state of being a jivanmukta.)

3.33.11

śraddhatsvaitan mataṃ mahyaṃ juṣṭaṃ yad brahma-vādibhiḥ /
yena mām abhayaṃ yāyā mṛtyum ṛcchanty atad-vidaḥ //

11. Have faith in this religion of mine, which has been followed by those who know the Vedas; and by which thou wilt reach Me who am (far) above Samsara; for, those who do not know it go to destruction.

3.33.12

/0 maitreya uvāca
iti pradarśya bhagavān satīṃ tām ātmano gatim /
sva-mātrā brahma-vādinyā kapilo 'numato yayau //

Verse 11. ब्रह्मवादिभिः V. Those that can give precepts in the Vedas or about Brahman. जुष्टं V. Frequently examined and ascertained. ब्रह्म etc D. notes this epithet shows that the knowledge now taught is not based upon the Tantra but upon the Vedas. 12. Maitreya said:—Having thus shown the way to Himself (having bestowed on her the knowledge of self) to His virtuous mother and being permitted by her who knew the Vedas and their meaning, Kapila departed from (the hermitage of Kardama).

3.33.13

sā cāpi tanayoktena yogādeśena yoga-yuk /
tasminn āśrama āpīḍe sarasvatyāḥ samāhitā //

13. In the hermitage which is like an ornament of the river Sarasvati (like a wreath of flowers on the head of Sarasvati) she too practised Yoga (the course of meditation) as expounded by her son and attained serenity of mind.

3.33.14

abhīkṣṇāvagāha-kapiśān jaṭilān kuṭilālakān /
ātmānaṃ cogra-tapasā bibhratī cīriṇaṃ kṛśam //

14. On account of frequent baths (thrice a day), her curly locks became matted and brown and on account of her rigid austerities her body became emaciated; and she was clad in bark.

3.33.15

prajāpateḥ kardamasya tapo-yoga-vijṛmbhitam /
sva-gārhasthyam anaupamyaṃ prārthyaṃ vaimānikair api //

15. The household life which had been made rich and grand by the Prajapati Kardama's Tapas and Yoga was incomparable and such as might be coveted even by celestials.

3.33.16

payaḥ-phena-nibhāḥ śayyā dāntā rukma-paricchadāḥ /
āsanāni ca haimāni susparśāstaraṇāni ca //

16. The beds (of the house) were (white and soft) like the form of Milk, the bedsteads were of ivory and chased with gold; the seats were made of gold furnished with covers (cushions) soft to the touch.

3.33.17

svaccha-sphaṭika-kuḍyeṣu mahā-mārakateṣu ca /
ratna-pradīpā ābhānti lalanā ratna-saṃyutāḥ //

17. In the walls of transparent crystals and brilliant emeralds shone rubies like lights, mingled with the jewels of beautiful damsels.

3.33.18

gṛhodyānaṃ kusumitai ramyaṃ bahv-amara-drumaiḥ /
kūjad-vihaṅga-mithunaṃ gāyan-matta-madhuvratam //

18. The garden adjoining the house was charming with numerous celestial trees in blossom with warbling pairs of birds and singing honey-gatherers steeped in joy; where when she entered (descended) into the well perfumed with the fragrance of Utpalas (lilies) Gandharvas and other attendants of celestials sang in praise of her so affectionately looked after by Kardama.

3.33.19

yatra praviṣṭam ātmānaṃ vibudhānucarā jaguḥ /
vāpyām utpala-gandhinyāṃ kardamenopalālitam //

18. The garden adjoining the house was charming with numerous celestial trees in blossom with warbling pairs of birds and singing honey-gatherers steeped in joy; where when she entered (descended) into the well perfumed with the fragrance of Utpalas (lilies) Gandharvas and other attendants of celestials sang in praise of her so affectionately looked after by Kardama.

3.33.20

hitvā tad īpsitatamam apy ākhaṇḍala-yoṣitām /
kiñcic cakāra vadanaṃ putra-viśleṣaṇāturā //

20. Having renounced that home which might be most ardently coveted even by the Queens of Indra; she wore an indescribable expression of anxiety in her face when her son went away from her.

3.33.21

vanaṃ pravrajite patyāv apatya-virahāturā /
jñāta-tattvāpy abhūn naṣṭe vatse gaur iva vatsalā //

21. As her Lord had (already renounced the world and) retired to the forest, Devahuti was, inspite of her realisation of the truth, oppressed by the separation from her son, like a fond cow on the loss of her calf.

3.33.22

tam eva dhyāyatī devam apatyaṃ kapilaṃ harim /
babhūvācirato vatsa niḥspṛhā tādṛśe gṛhe //

22. O my child (Vidura), she contemplated the same Lord Hari who had come as her son Kapila, and soon lost (all) attachments (longings) for her home (such as it was.)

3.33.23

dhyāyatī bhagavad-rūpaṃ yad āha dhyāna-gocaram /
sutaḥ prasanna-vadanaṃ samasta-vyasta-cintayā //

23. She continued to contemplate that form of the Lord of smiling and gracious face, which her son had described as possible to be realised during meditation by the method of contemplating the form as a whole and part by part ;

3.33.24

bhakti-pravāha-yogena vairāgyeṇa balīyasā /
yuktānuṣṭhāna-jātena jñānena brahma-hetunā //

24. By means of overflowing love and devotion, powerful—(unshakable) renunciation, and of the knowledge which was produced by the proper observances (as laid down in the Gita) and which leads to the state of being Brahman ;

3.33.25

viśuddhena tadātmānam ātmanā viśvato-mukham /
svānubhūtyā tirobhūta- māyā-guṇa-viśeṣaṇam //

25. And by the mind set in peace by those means, she then contemplated the Omnipresent (perfect) Atman from whom limitations the gunas of Maya stand apart owing to His own essential brilliant nature.

3.33.26

brahmaṇy avasthita-matir bhagavaty ātma-saṃśraye /
nivṛtta-jīvāpattitvāt kṣīṇa-kleśāpta-nirvṛtiḥ //

26. (Now) Her mind became firmly settled in Brahman, the glorious Lord the source of all the Jivas.

26. (Latter half) As she had triumphed over the state of a Jiva, she became entirely free from misery and quite blessed.

3.33.27

nityārūḍha-samādhitvāt parāvṛtta-guṇa-bhramā /
na sasmāra tadātmānaṃ svapne dṛṣṭam ivotthitaḥ //

27. She was always immersed in perfect meditation (Her power of concentration was firmly established) and so the delusion due to the gunas completely left her; and she did not remember the body (and other external environments) as a person who has risen from sleep does not remember what is seen in a dream.

3.33.28

tad-dehaḥ parataḥ poṣo 'py akṛśaś cādhy-asambhavāt /
babhau malair avacchannaḥ sadhūma iva pāvakaḥ //

28. And that body of hers once nursed by others (by Vidyādhara damsels created by Kardama) did not grow lean, as there was no pain in her heart (anxiety); and so she shone through the dust covering her, like the fire surrounded by smoke.

3.33.29

svāṅgaṃ tapo-yogamayaṃ mukta-keśaṃ gatāmbaram /
daiva-guptaṃ na bubudhe vāsudeva-praviṣṭa-dhīḥ //

29. Her mind was so thoroughly absorbed in the Lord Vasudeva that she did not perceive her own body (she ceased to be conscious of her body) being wholly given to Tapas and Yoga (transformed into Tapas and Yoga) when her hair fell in disorder or her clothes fell off and the body was protected (maintained) by the Daiva (Prārabdha Karma.)

3.33.30

evaṃ sā kapiloktena mārgeṇācirataḥ param /
ātmānaṃ brahma-nirvāṇaṃ bhagavantam avāpa ha //

30. Thus by means of the course taught by Kapila she before long attained into Paramatman, the eternally blessed and the glorious Brahman.

3.33.31

tad vīrāsīt puṇyatamaṃ kṣetraṃ trailokya-viśrutam /
nāmnā siddha-padaṃ yatra sā saṃsiddhim upeyuṣī //

31. O warrior (Vidura), the hallowed spot where she attained the highest purpose became a sacred place famous in the three worlds and known as the Siddhapada.

3.33.32

tasyās tad yoga-vidhuta- mārtyaṃ martyam abhūt sarit /
srotasāṃ pravarā saumya siddhidā siddha-sevitā //

32. And her mortal body of which the mortal dross had been burnt up by her Yoga became transformed into a river; and that river superior to many others, O gentle Vidura, is resorted to by the Siddhas and confers Siddhi or the light of wisdom (upon those that bathe in it.)

3.33.33

kapilo 'pi mahā-yogī bhagavān pitur āśramāt /
mātaraṃ samanujñāpya prāg-udīcīṃ diśaṃ yayau //

33. The venerable Kapila, the foremost Yogin, went towards the north from His father's hermitage, after taking leave of his mother.

3.33.34

siddha-cāraṇa-gandharvair munibhiś cāpsaro-gaṇaiḥ /
stūyamānaḥ samudreṇa dattārhaṇa-niketanaḥ //

34. Being sung by the Siddha's, Chāranas Gandharvas, Rishis and the celestial damsels called Apsaras and presented by

Samudra with Arghya and furnished with a dwelling, Kapila remains there practising yoga, and extolled by the Sankhya preceptors he remains in a state of perfect concentration and meditation for the purpose of keeping all the three worlds in peace.

3.33.35

āste yogaṃ samāsthāya sāṅkhyācāryair abhiṣṭutaḥ /
trayāṇām api lokānām upaśāntyai samāhitaḥ //

Samudra with Arghya and furnished with a dwelling, Kapila remains there practising yoga, and extolled by the Sankhya preceptors he remains in a state of perfect concentration and meditation for the purpose of keeping all the three worlds in peace.

3.33.36

etan nigaditaṃ tāta yat pṛṣṭo 'haṃ tavānagha /
kapilasya ca saṃvādo devahūtyāś ca pāvanaḥ //

36. O son, as desired by you, O sinless Vidura, I have fully narrated this sacred discourse between Kapila and Devahuti.

3.33.37

ya idam anuśṛṇoti yo 'bhidhatte kapila-muner matam ātma-yoga-guhyam /
bhagavati kṛta-dhīḥ suparṇa-ketāv upalabhate bhagavat-padāravindam //

37. He who listens to or repeats this teaching of the sage Kapila containing the secret course of knowledge regarding the Atman,—he is able to fix his mind upon the glorious Lord who has Garuda for his banner and (gradually) attains to the lotus-like feet of that venerable Lord.