Bhagavatapurana 4.11

4.11.1

* //
/0 maitreya uvāca
niśamya gadatām evam ṛṣīṇāṃ dhanuṣi dhruvaḥ /
sandadhe 'stram upaspṛśya yan nārāyaṇa-nirmitam //

1. Maitreya said.—Hearing the sages who spoke thus, Dhruva made Āchamana and set the Nārāyana missile on his bow (the missile produced by Narayana).

4.11.2

sandhīyamāna etasmin māyā guhyaka-nirmitāḥ /
kṣipraṃ vineśur vidura kleśā jñānodaye yathā //

2. When this missile was being fixed in the bow, the magical appearances set up by the Guhyakas soon vanished, O Vidura, like passions at the rise of wisdom.

4.11.3

tasyārṣāstraṃ dhanuṣi prayuñjataḥ suvarṇa-puṅkhāḥ kalahaṃsa-vāsasaḥ /
viniḥsṛtā āviviśur dviṣad-balaṃ yathā vanaṃ bhīma-ravāḥ śikhaṇḍinaḥ //

3. When he fixed on his bow the missile of the sage Nārāyana, there flew from it shafts with their heads plated in gold and furnished with feathers like those of the swan; and they entered the enemy's army just as peacocks enter the forest in terrific cires.

4.11.4

tais tigma-dhāraiḥ pradhane śilī-mukhair itas tataḥ puṇya-janā upadrutāḥ /
tam abhyadhāvan kupitā udāyudhāḥ suparṇam unnaddha-phaṇā ivāhayaḥ //

4. The yakshas who were on all sides in the battle assailed (pursued) with the keen-edged shafts became enraged and like serpents against Garuda with uplifted hoods, ran towards him with uplifted weapons.

4.11.5

sa tān pṛṣatkair abhidhāvato mṛdhe nikṛtta-bāhūru-śirodharodarān /
nināya lokaṃ param arka-maṇḍalaṃ vrajanti nirbhidya yam ūrdhva-retasaḥ //

5. With his arrows he cut the arms, thighs, heads, necks and stomachs of those who assailed him in battle and sent them to the other region to which the sages of celibate life attain after making their passage through the sphere of the sun.

4.11.6

tān hanyamānān abhivīkṣya guhyakān anāgasaś citra-rathena bhūriśaḥ /
auttānapādiṃ kṛpayā pitāmaho manur jagādopagataḥ saharṣibhiḥ //

6. Observing the innocent Guhyakas thus cut down in large numbers by Dhruva of wonderful chariot, his grandfather Manu, under force of compassion, came up along with the sages and spoke thus to him, the son of Uttānapāda

4.11.7

/0 manur uvāca
alaṃ vatsātiroṣeṇa tamo-dvāreṇa pāpmanā /
yena puṇya-janān etān avadhīs tvam anāgasaḥ //

7. Manu said.—Child, control thy sinful wrath which is a way to hell (Tamas)—the wrath under the influence of which thou hast slain the innocent Yakshas.

4.11.8

nāsmat-kulocitaṃ tāta karmaitat sad-vigarhitam /
vadho yad upadevānām ārabdhas te 'kṛtainasām //

8. O child! this deed of horrible destruction of the lesser gods who are faultless does not become our race and it is codemned by the righteous.

4.11.9

nanv ekasyāparādhena prasaṅgād bahavo hatāḥ /
bhrātur vadhābhitaptena tvayāṅga bhrātṛ-vatsala //

9. My child! for the fault of the one many have been involved in it and killed by thee who fondly attached to thy brother becamest enraged at his destruction.

4.11.10

nāyaṃ mārgo hi sādhūnāṃ hṛṣīkeśānuvartinām /
yad ātmānaṃ parāg gṛhya paśuvad bhūta-vaiśasam //

10. Indeed, this is not the course to be followed by the righteous who are devoted to Hari, the ruler of the senses—that the creatures are slain like beasts, falsely regarding the gross worthless body as Atman.

4.11.11

sarva-bhūtātma-bhāvena bhūtāvāsaṃ hariṃ bhavān /
ārādhyāpa durārādhyaṃ viṣṇos tat paramaṃ padam //

11. Having meditated on Hari, the abode of all creatures as the one soul or Atman of them all and having propitiated Him who is hard to be pleased, thou hast secured to thyself that highest place which belongs to Vishnu.

4.11.12

sa tvaṃ harer anudhyātas tat-puṃsām api sammataḥ /
kathaṃ tv avadyaṃ kṛtavān anuśikṣan satāṃ vratam //

12. Thou art always in the heart of Hari (remembered by Hari) and most agreeable to His votaries; and being one who would set an example of righteous conduct to the righteous how didst thou come to do such a sinful thing?

4.11.13

titikṣayā karuṇayā maitryā cākhila-jantuṣu /
samatvena ca sarvātmā bhagavān samprasīdati //

13. The Almighty Lord who is the Atman of all is pleased with His votaries for their spirit of endurance, mercifulness, love and impartiality towards all His creatures.

4.11.14

samprasanne bhagavati puruṣaḥ prākṛtair guṇaiḥ /
vimukto jīva-nirmukto brahma nirvāṇam ṛcchati //

14. When the glorious Lord is perfectly pleased, the person becomes freed from the qualities of Prakriti and then getting rid of the Jiva or Lingasarira attains to the state of Brahman who is not beset with a body.

4.11.15

bhūtaiḥ pañcabhir ārabdhair yoṣit puruṣa eva hi /
tayor vyavāyāt sambhūtir yoṣit-puruṣayor iha //

15. Both the male and the female are the products of the five Bhutas, and they in their turn by their intermingling become the cause of the male and the female (beings) here (in the world).

4.11.16

evaṃ pravartate sargaḥ sthitiḥ saṃyama eva ca /
guṇa-vyatikarād rājan māyayā paramātmanaḥ //

16. Thus proceeds the creation, or the preservation or the destruction (of the world) from the combination of the gunas under the force of Paramatman’s Māyā, O king.

4.11.17

nimitta-mātraṃ tatrāsīn nirguṇaḥ puruṣarṣabhaḥ /
vyaktāvyaktam idaṃ viśvaṃ yatra bhramati lohavat //

17. (The presence of) the Foremost Person destitute of all qualities was only a circumstance favourable to it (creation, preservation or destruction); all this universe of manifest and unmanifest things is in a state of motion or activity on account of His presence, just as a piece of iron is thrown into a state of activity in the presence of the loadstone.

4.11.18

sa khalv idaṃ bhagavān kāla-śaktyā guṇa-pravāheṇa vibhakta-vīryaḥ /
karoty akartaiva nihanty ahantā ceṣṭā vibhūmnaḥ khalu durvibhāvyā //

18. Indeed the glorious Lord has His energy divided as the gunas are one after another brought into play under the

force of Time, and He creates this universe, Himself being no actor, destroys it Himself, not being the destroyer; the work of the perfect Being is indeed beyond our comprehension.

4.11.19

so 'nanto 'nta-karaḥ kālo 'nādir ādi-kṛd avyayaḥ /
janaṃ janena janayan mārayan mṛtyunāntakam //

19. He has no end, but He is the Time that brings about the end of all. He has no beginning and He confers a beginning, (on all other things), Himself subject to no diminution or change, producing every creature through a father and destroying the destroyer (thieves and the like) by means of death.

4.11.20

na vai sva-pakṣo 'sya vipakṣa eva vā parasya mṛtyor viśataḥ samaṃ prajāḥ /
taṃ dhāvamānam anudhāvanty anīśā yathā rajāṃsy anilaṃ bhūta-saṅghāḥ //

20. He has none as His own, nor has he any as His enemy, (He neither loves nor hates any one), for the Supreme Lord equally enters all creatures as their death; and all creatures powerlessly run after Him as He runs, just as particles of dust follow the wind.

4.11.21

āyuṣo 'pacayaṃ jantos tathaivopacayaṃ vibhuḥ /
ubhābhyāṃ rahitaḥ sva-stho duḥsthasya vidadhāty asau //

21. The Almighty Lord cuts short or prolongs the life of an animate creature subject to the force of Karma (_lit._ in a bad condition), while He is (absolutely) free from both (the changes) and ever remains in His own unchangeable essential nature.

4.11.22

kecit karma vadanty enaṃ svabhāvam apare nṛpa /
eke kālaṃ pare daivaṃ puṃsaḥ kāmam utāpare //

22. O king, some call Him Karma; some Nature; some Time; some the Daiva or Destiny; and some Desire (the mind-born.)

4.11.23

avyaktasyāprameyasya nānā-śakty-udayasya ca /
na vai cikīrṣitaṃ tāta ko vedātha sva-sambhavam //

23. O son, who can divine what is intended to be done by (i. e., the purpose of) the Unmanifest Immeasurable Being, the source of various powers? Or who can think of His source or origin? None at all.

4.11.24

na caite putraka bhrātur hantāro dhanadānugāḥ /
visargādānayos tāta puṃso daivaṃ hi kāraṇam //

24. O child, it is not these attendants of Kubera that killed thy brother; for, O son, it is only Daiva (Destiny or Deity) that brings about the creation or destruction of man.

4.11.25

sa eva viśvaṃ sṛjati sa evāvati hanti ca /
athāpi hy anahaṅkārān nājyate guṇa-karmabhiḥ //

25. He by Himself creates the universe; it is He that preserves it as well as destroys it; still He is not assailed by the Guṇas or Karma, since He has no Ahaṃkāra (the notion or thought that He is the doer).

4.11.26

eṣa bhūtāni bhūtātmā bhūteśo bhūta-bhāvanaḥ /
sva-śaktyā māyayā yuktaḥ sṛjaty atti ca pāti ca //

26. He is all the creatures, their soul, their ruler, their creator and protector; (for) associated with Māyā which is His own power, He creates, protects and devours it.

4.11.27

tam eva mṛtyum amṛtaṃ tāta daivaṃ sarvātmanopehi jagat-parāyaṇam /
yasmai baliṃ viśva-sṛjo haranti gāvo yathā vai nasi dāma-yantritāḥ //

27. O child, with thy heart perfectly resigned to Him for ever, do thou resort to that Deity which is death (to the unrighteous) and immortality (heaven) [to the righteous]—the Deity which is the highest asylum for the world and to which the Prajāpatis offer their worship and pour their offerings, just as the bulls governed by a rope passed through their nostrils carry burden for their master.

4.11.28

yaḥ pañca-varṣo jananīṃ tvaṃ vihāya mātuḥ sapatnyā vacasā bhinna-marmā /
vanaṃ gatas tapasā pratyag-akṣam ārādhya lebhe mūrdhni padaṃ tri-lokyāḥ //

28. Even as a boy of five years of age, touched to the quick at the words of thy step-mother, thou leftest thy mother, and wentest to the forest; and having propitiated the Lord who transcends the senses, thou hast obtained a place over the head of three worlds.

4.11.29

tam enam aṅgātmani mukta-vigrahe vyapāśritaṃ nirguṇam ekam akṣaram /
ātmānam anviccha vimuktam ātma-dṛg yasminn idaṃ bhedam asat pratīyate //

Verse 28. प्रत्यगक्षं *D.* is an epithet to the Supreme Being meaning *one whose eyes are turned to every creature.* 29. O beloved child, turn thy mind upon thyself and do thou seek for that Atman who abides in the heart which is free from the war of passions, who is destitute of gunas, who is but one, imperishable and eternally blessed and in whom this unreal world of perceptible difference seems to exist.

4.11.30

tvaṃ pratyag-ātmani tadā bhagavaty ananta ānanda-mātra upapanna-samasta-śaktau /
bhaktiṃ vidhāya paramāṃ śanakair avidyā- granthiṃ vibhetsyasi mamāham iti prarūḍham //

30. Develop intense devotion to Paramatman who abides in thyself and who is the glorious omnipotent Ananta, pure and absolute bliss, and who is possessed of all powers; and thou wilt (thereby) cut asunder the knot of nescience which has grown up very strong (nursed) by the notions of ‘I, My and Mine’ by the power of extensive study (knowledge.)

4.11.31

saṃyaccha roṣaṃ bhadraṃ te pratīpaṃ śreyasāṃ param /
śrutena bhūyasā rājann agadena yathāmayam //

31. Arrest thy anger like a disease with medicine, (blessed be thou)—anger which is the greatest impediment to the attainment of every good.

4.11.32

yenopasṛṣṭāt puruṣāl loka udvijate bhṛśam /
na budhas tad-vaśaṃ gacched icchann abhayam ātmanaḥ //

32. No wise person seeking to be in the fearless state ought to allow himself to be overpowered by that passion: for the world is terribly afraid of him who is possessed with it.

4.11.33

helanaṃ giriśa-bhrātur dhanadasya tvayā kṛtam /
yaj jaghnivān puṇya-janān bhrātṛ-ghnān ity amarṣitaḥ //

33. In having thus under the force of passion slaughtered the yakshas, thinking that they killed thy brother, thou hast really shown disregard to Kubera, the brother of Rudra, the mountain lord.

4.11.34

taṃ prasādaya vatsāśu sannatyā praśrayoktibhiḥ /
na yāvan mahatāṃ tejaḥ kulaṃ no 'bhibhaviṣyati //

Verse 33. D. Note. Any offence given to Kubera will be considered an offence by God Siva and Narayana too and as a consequence divine wisdom will be obstructed. In order to imply this idea the plural महतां is used. 34. Child before the fire of (the anger of, the great should injure our race, do thou at once beg for his pardon and grace by prostrating thyself and humbly apologising thyself.

4.11.35

evaṃ svāyambhuvaḥ pautram anuśāsya manur dhruvam /
tenābhivanditaḥ sākam ṛṣibhiḥ sva-puraṃ yayau //

35. Maitreya said.—Having thus admonished Dhruva, his grandson who bowed to him, Svāyambhuva Manu set out for his city along with the sages.