Bhagavatapurana 4.20: atha viṃśo'dhyāyaḥ

4.20.1

/0 maitreya uvāca
bhagavān api vaikuṇṭhaḥ sākaṃ maghavatā vibhuḥ /
yajñair yajña-patis tuṣṭo yajña-bhuk tam abhāṣata //

Maitreya said:
The Lord of Vaikuṇṭha, the all-pervading Master and Enjoyer of sacrifices, / pleased with the sacrifices, along with Indra, spoke to him:

1. Maitreya said.—The glorious and omnipresent Lord Nārāyana also was along with Indra pleased with the sacrifices and then the Lord who accepts all the sacrificial worship spoke thus.

4.20.2

/0 śrī-bhagavān uvāca
eṣa te 'kārṣīd bhaṅgaṃ haya-medha-śatasya ha /
kṣamāpayata ātmānam amuṣya kṣantum arhasi //

The Lord said:
This [Indra] caused an interruption to your hundredth horse-sacrifice; / since he begs for pardon, you ought to forgive him.

2. The Lord said.—This Indra caused obstruction to thy hundred sacrifices. Thou wilt do well to excuse him who is making an apology to thee.

4.20.3

sudhiyaḥ sādhavo loke naradeva narottamāḥ /
nābhidruhyanti bhūtebhyo yarhi nātmā kalevaram //

The wise, virtuous, and foremost among men in the world, O king of men, / do not bear malice toward living beings, seeing that the self is not the body.

3. In the world, O king, great men who are wise and righteous do nothing harmful to creatures; for the body is not Atman: (for Atman is not the inanimate body).

4.20.4

puruṣā yadi muhyanti tvādṛśā deva-māyayā /
śrama eva paraṃ jāto dīrghayā vṛddha-sevayā //

If men such as you are bewildered by the divine creative power, / then the long-standing service to elders has resulted merely in weariness!

4. If men like thee are deluded by God's Maya, (it must be said that) nothing but mere labour has come out of the prolonged worship of the elderly (saintly) people.

4.20.5

ataḥ kāyam imaṃ vidvān avidyā-kāma-karmabhiḥ /
ārabdha iti naivāsmin pratibuddho 'nuṣajjate //

Therefore, knowing that this body is produced
by ignorance, desire, and action, the awakened man does not become attached to it.

5. Therefore, he who knows that this body is the product of Avidya, Kama, and Karma (Nescience, desire and previous actions leading to merit or demerit) and who has risen to self-realisation, feels no attachment to it.

4.20.6

asaṃsaktaḥ śarīre 'sminn amunotpādite gṛhe /
apatye draviṇe vāpi kaḥ kuryān mamatāṃ budhaḥ //

Detached from this body, what wise man
would claim ownership over the house, children, or wealth produced by it?

6. Who, being wise and having no attachment to this body, would consider as belonging to him the house, offspring, or wealth, (all) produced by it (body)? (i. e., the wise man losing attachment to his body naturally ceases to have it in respect of the belongings of the body).

4.20.7

ekaḥ śuddhaḥ svayaṃ-jyotir nirguṇo 'sau guṇāśrayaḥ /
sarva-go 'nāvṛtaḥ sākṣī nirātmātmātmanaḥ paraḥ //

The self is one, pure, self-luminous, devoid of qualities, yet the refuge of the qualities,
all-pervading, unveiled, the witness, free from [another] self, the self [of all], and beyond the self [of body and mind].

7. That one is absolutely pure, self-luminous, destitute of gunas, omnipresent, not concealed by anything, the witness, the one that has no Atman higher to it, is the Atman, distinct from the Atman (body); [on the other hand the body changes with the states of childhood, youth, manhood etc., is filthy, dull and unintelligent, composed of

gunas, and depend upon the gunas that form its cause and being limited in space and time, lies covered over with the environments of the house and other things, it is an object of perception with a soul for it.]

4.20.8

ya evaṃ santam ātmānam ātma-sthaṃ veda pūruṣaḥ /
nājyate prakṛti-stho 'pi tad-guṇaiḥ sa mayi sthitaḥ //

The person who knows this self existing thus within himself,
though abiding in material nature, is not tainted by its qualities, being situated in Me.

8. He who thus knows Atman abiding in his own self is not touched (affected) by the gunas of Prakriti, though he abides in it; and he really abides in Me.

VERSE 8. To translate the first half. He who is firmly contemplating Me as the Pratyag-Atman and as Antaryamin possessed of all the attributes already indicated is not assailed by the gunas of Prakriti though He may abide in Prakriti.

D. He who knows and contemplates the Lord Atman present as Antaryamin in himself attains the calmness of mind and remains unaffected by the qualities of the body like hunger and thirst.

4.20.9

yaḥ sva-dharmeṇa māṃ nityaṃ nirāśīḥ śraddhayānvitaḥ /
bhajate śanakais tasya mano rājan prasīdati //

He who continually worships Me through his own dharma,
free from desires and endowed with faith—gradually, O king, his mind becomes serene.

4.20.10

parityakta-guṇaḥ samyag darśano viśadāśayaḥ /
śāntiṃ me samavasthānaṃ brahma kaivalyam aśnute //

Having abandoned the qualities, with perfect vision and a pure heart,
he attains My peace, steadfast composure, Brahman, and absolute liberation.

VERSE V. Santam, Free from the conditions of hunger, thirst and the like, which are six in number. Samavasthanam changeless state. D. Santi Mukti-

4.20.11

udāsīnam ivādhyakṣaṃ dravya-jñāna-kriyātmanām /
kūṭa-stham imam ātmānaṃ yo vedāpnoti śobhanam //

He who knows this self as indifferent, as it were, the overseer
of matter, knowledge, and action, and unchanging—he attains what is auspicious.

VERSE 11. V. Adhyaksha The Lord who owns substance, gnana etc., Dravyamayam Atma is Pratyag Atman D. Dravya etc., Adhyaksham The Lord of the things or the objects which are severally Tamasas, Vaikarikas and Taijasas. Udasinamiva. One that does everything without the least feeling of labour or exertion. He who knows that Brahman has such attributes attains to good. 12. In the case of a wordly person, the state of Samsara (embodied life) is a stream of the gunas of Prakriti, which Samsara is made up of the body, action, the senses and the reflection of Atman, and has its source in the Linga (the subtle body subject to differentiation; (but) the wise that have centred their love on Me do not become affected by the experience of prosperous or adverse conditions.

4.20.12

bhinnasya liṅgasya guṇa-pravāho dravya-kriyā-kāraka-cetanātmanaḥ /
dṛṣṭāsu sampatsu vipatsu sūrayo na vikriyante mayi baddha-sauhṛdāḥ //

The flow of qualities belongs to the distinct subtle body, which consists of matter, action, agents, and consciousness.
Wise men whose friendship is fixed in Me are not disturbed when prosperity or adversity is seen.

4.20.13

samaḥ samānottama-madhyamādhamaḥ sukhe ca duḥkhe ca jitendriyāśayaḥ /
mayopakḷptākhila-loka-saṃyuto vidhatsva vīrākhila-loka-rakṣaṇam //

Equanimous toward equals, superiors, middling persons, and inferiors, in pleasure and in pain, with senses and mind conquered,
accompanied by all the people provided by Me, O hero, carry out the protection of all the worlds.

13. Being equally unagitated in prosperity and in adversity, regarding equally the superior and inferior and the middling creatures and having controlled the senses and the mind and helped by all the people, (ministers and others) who are properly appointed by Myself, do thou, O valiant Prince, do thy duty of protecting the world.

4.20.14

śreyaḥ prajā-pālanam eva rājño yat sāmparāye sukṛtāt ṣaṣṭham aṃśam /
hartānyathā hṛta-puṇyaḥ prajānām arakṣitā kara-hāro 'gham atti //

For a king, protecting the subjects is the highest good, since in the next world he takes a sixth part of their merit;
otherwise, a collector of taxes who fails to protect is deprived of his subjects' merit and eats their sin.

14. To protect his subjects is the most profitable duty of a king; for, in the heavenly world he has thereby a claim for a sixth part of their merit; otherwise, if he levies only the tax without protecting them, he loses his own merit, and eats their sin (the consequence of their sinful deeds;)

4.20.15

evaṃ dvijāgryānumatānuvṛtta- dharma-pradhāno 'nyatamo 'vitāsyāḥ /
hrasvena kālena gṛhopayātān draṣṭāsi siddhān anurakta-lokaḥ //

Living thus, devoted foremost to dharma practiced with the approval of foremost brāhmaṇas, as the protector of this [earth],
in a short time you will see perfected beings come to your home, and your people will be devoted to you.

15. Being solely devoted to the Dharma approved of, and from age to age handed down, by the foremost Brahmins and distinguished as a rare personage free from attachment to Dharma, Artha, and Kama, and being beloved of the world, thou mayest be the ruler (protector) of the earth; and, in a short time, thou wilt meet the great sages (Sanaka and others) who will pay a visit to thy house.

4.20.16

varaṃ ca mat kañcana mānavendra vṛṇīṣva te 'haṃ guṇa-śīla-yantritaḥ /
nāhaṃ makhair vai sulabhas tapobhir yogena vā yat sama-citta-vartī //

And choose from Me whatever boon you wish, O king of men; I am bound by your virtues and character.
I am not easily attained by sacrifices, austerities, or yoga, for I dwell in the heart that is equanimous."

16. O Lord of men, ask of Me for a boon. I am bound to thee on account of thy qualities and piety (such as tranquillity, control of passions, etc..); indeed, I am not easily pleased and prevailed upon by

means of sacrifices or austerity; for, I am disposed by nature to be with those whose mind is serene and always the same (towards all things).

4.20.17

/0 maitreya uvāca
sa itthaṃ loka-guruṇā viṣvaksenena viśva-jit /
anuśāsita ādeśaṃ śirasā jagṛhe hareḥ //

Maitreya said:
Having thus been instructed by Viṣvaksena, the teacher of the world, he who conquered the universe
received Hari’s command upon his head.

17. Maitreya said:— Thus directed and counselled by Vishvaksena (Vishnu), father of the universe, (Prithu) the conqueror of the world received Hari's command most willingly (lit, with his head).

4.20.18

spṛśantaṃ pādayoḥ premṇā vrīḍitaṃ svena karmaṇā /
śata-kratuṃ pariṣvajya vidveṣaṃ visasarja ha //

Touching Indra's feet with love, Indra being ashamed of his own deed,
[Pṛthu] embraced him of a hundred sacrifices and indeed cast away all enmity.

18. He showed (felt) no enmity and embraced Indra of hundred sacrifices, who touched his feet with deep love and was ashamed of his own act.

4.20.19

bhagavān atha viśvātmā pṛthunopahṛtārhaṇaḥ /
samujjihānayā bhaktyā gṛhīta-caraṇāmbujaḥ //

Then the Lord, the self of the universe, having received worship from Pṛthu,
his lotus feet held with overflowing devotion,

19 & 20. Then the glorious Lord, the one Atman of all, worshipped by Prithu who with proper presents and overflowing devotion touched His feet (praying for pardon), was inclined to depart but lingered (awhile); being gracious unto him and looking at him the friend of the righteous, the Lord of lotus-like eyes did not leave him (at once).

4.20.20

prasthānābhimukho 'py enam anugraha-vilambitaḥ /
paśyan padma-palāśākṣo na pratasthe suhṛt satām //

though about to depart, held back by grace as He looked upon him,
the lotus-petal-eyed friend of virtuous devotees did not depart.

4.20.21

sa ādi-rājo racitāñjalir hariṃ vilokituṃ nāśakad aśru-locanaḥ /
na kiñcanovāca sa bāṣpa-viklavo hṛdopaguhyāmum adhād avasthitaḥ //

The first king, with folded hands and tear-filled eyes, was unable to look upon Hari;
choking with tears, he said nothing, but embracing Him in his heart, he stood still.

21. That first king of the world folded his hands in reverence; and, tears brimming in his eyes, he could not see Hari; nor could he speak anything, being overpowered with tears of joy; and he embraced Hari with his heart and stood contemplating Him.

4.20.22

athāvamṛjyāśru-kalā vilokayann atṛpta-dṛg-gocaram āha pūruṣam /
padā spṛśantaṃ kṣitim aṃsa unnate vinyasta-hastāgram uraṅga-vidviṣaḥ //

Then, wiping away his tears, gazing at the Person before his insatiable sight,
who was touching the earth with His foot and resting His fingertips on the high shoulder of Garuda, the enemy of snakes, he spoke.

22. Then (after a while) wiping his tears and looking at Him standing before his eyes which can never become satiated with seeing Him, the Perfect Person who (but) touched the earth with His feet and placed His hand on the prominent shoulders of Garuda (serpents' enemy), Prithu spoke as follows:—

4.20.23

/0 pṛthur uvāca
varān vibho tvad varadeśvarād budhaḥ kathaṃ vṛṇīte guṇa-vikriyātmanām /
ye nārakāṇām api santi dehināṃ tān īśa kaivalya-pate vṛṇe na ca //

Pṛthu said:
"O all-pervading Lord, master of bestowers of boons, how could a wise man choose boons from You that consist of the transformations of the qualities,
which belong even to embodied beings in hell? Nor do I choose them, O ruler, master of absolute liberation!

23. Prithu said:— O Lord, How could a wise man seek after boons from Thee who art the Supreme Ruler of those that can confer boons on the world, those boons which men beset with Ahamkara, the product of the three Gunas, and even the dwellers in hell may have? And I would not seek after them, O Lord.

4.20.24

na kāmaye nātha tad apy ahaṃ kvacin na yatra yuṣmac-caraṇāmbujāsavaḥ /
mahattamāntar-hṛdayān mukha-cyuto vidhatsva karṇāyutam eṣa me varaḥ //

I do not desire, O Lord, even that place where the nectar of Your lotus feet
does not fall from the mouths [of devotees] from the inner hearts of the greatest devotees. Bestow on me ten thousand ears—this is my boon.

24. I do not at all desire that too, on attaining which there is no occasion for (enjoying) the nectar of Thy lotus-like feet, which, from the heart of the great, flows out through their mouth; on the other hand, Prithee, let me have a ten thousand ears to hear Thy nectar-like stories and this is the boon I seek after.

4.20.25

sa uttamaśloka mahan-mukha-cyuto bhavat-padāmbhoja-sudhā kaṇānilaḥ /
smṛtiṃ punar vismṛta-tattva-vartmanāṃ kuyogināṃ no vitaraty alaṃ varaiḥ //

That wind carrying drops of nectar of Your lotus feet, falling from the mouths of the great, O He of highest renown,
restores memory to bad yogins who have forgotten the path of truth—to us, such boons are enough.

25. The breeze laden with a drop of the nectar of Thy lotus-like feet and issuing through the mouth of the great of most hallowed name, restores the memory of Truth even to those bad yogins who have forgotten its course; therefore the passions of like and dislike find no place in Thy votaries and in us these is no longing for boons other than (Thy grace).

4.20.26

yaśaḥ śivaṃ suśrava ārya-saṅgame yadṛcchayā copaśṛṇoti te sakṛt /
kathaṃ guṇa-jño viramed vinā paśuṃ śrīr yat pravavre guṇa-saṅgrahecchayā //

Who that knows what is good, O Lord of fair renown, hearing Your auspicious fame even once by chance in the company of the noble,
would ever turn away, unless he were a beast? For Śrī, desiring to accumulate virtues, chose [You].

26. O One of the most auspicious name, if in the assembly of the great and pious, any one should, by chance and but once, hear Thy auspicious glory sung, and if he happens to be one capable of appreciating Thy excellent qualities, and if other than a brute, how could he cease to listen to Thy glory which Lakshmi sought after with the purpose of making herself one centre of all the objects (to be attained by Purushas or jivas).

4.20.27

athābhaje tvākhila-pūruṣottamaṃ guṇālayaṃ padma-kareva lālasaḥ /
apy āvayor eka-pati-spṛdhoḥ kalir na syāt kṛta-tvac-caraṇaika-tānayoḥ //

Therefore, yearning, I worship You, the supreme Person of all, the abode of virtues, just as [Lakṣmī] who holds a lotus in her hand;
yet may there be no quarrel between the two of us who rival for one husband, both having fixed our minds solely on Your feet.

27. Therefore I would, like Lashmi, eagerly worship and contemplate Thee, the Supreme Person, the one abode of all excellent attributes. And between us (Lakshmi and myself) solely devoted to Thy feet, there would be no jealousy on account of our absolute love to Thy feet.

4.20.28

jagaj-jananyāṃ jagad-īśa vaiśasaṃ syād eva yat-karmaṇi naḥ samīhitam /
karoṣi phalgv apy uru dīna-vatsalaḥ sva eva dhiṣṇye 'bhiratasya kiṃ tayā //

There may indeed be rivalry with the mother of the universe, O Lord of the universe, in whatever service is our desire;
yet compassionate to the wretched, You make even the meager into something great; what need has She of You, who delight in Your own realm?

28. Supposing, O Lord of the Universe, there arises jealousy on the part of Lakshmi, the mother of the Universe, when our wish is to do what She does (in worshipping Thee), Thou being tender to poor

creatures makest our little service a great thing (valuest it); what purpose hast Thou, most blessed in Thy own nature, to gain by Her?

4.20.29

bhajanty atha tvām ata eva sādhavo vyudasta-māyā-guṇa-vibhramodayam /
bhavat-padānusmaraṇād ṛte satāṃ nimittam anyad bhagavan na vidmahe //

Therefore, virtuous devotees worship You, from whom the arising of the bewilderment of the qualities of creative power has been cast off;
apart from remembering Your feet, O Lord, we know of no other cause for virtuous devotees [to worship].

29. And therefore (i. e., because Thou art so tender to the pitiable creatures), even after the attainment of wisdom the pious worship and contemplate Thee on whom the work of the gunas of Maya never rises (prevails), (and) we do not know that in worshipping Thee the righteous have any other motive than remembering and contemplating Thy own feet.

4.20.30

manye giraṃ te jagatāṃ vimohinīṃ varaṃ vṛṇīṣveti bhajantam āttha yat /
vācā nu tantyā yadi te jano 'sitaḥ kathaṃ punaḥ karma karoti mohitaḥ //

I consider Your words, 'Choose a boon,' addressed to one who worships You, to be bewildering to the worlds;
for if man were not bound by the cord of Your word, how would he, bewildered, perform actions again and again?

30. I think that Thy words in asking me, Thy worshipper, to choose a boon are intended to delude the world (wordly creatures). If people are not bound by the cords of Thy speech, who could be so deluded as to do karmas (various actions)?

4.20.31

tvan-māyayāddhā jana īśa khaṇḍito yad anyad āśāsta ṛtātmano 'budhaḥ /
yathā cared bāla-hitaṃ pitā svayaṃ tathā tvam evārhasi naḥ samīhitum //

Indeed, O Lord, a person is misled by Your creative power when, foolish, he prays for anything other than the true self;
just as a father would himself act for the welfare of his child, so You alone ought to act according to what is good for us."

31. O Supreme Ruler, by Thy Maya indeed, creatures are separate and rendered finite (limited in understanding) and though wise, they entertain desires for things from Thee whose essence is truth and wisdom; just as a father works for the good of his child, so be Thou pleased of Thine own accord to do what is good to us.

4.20.32

/0 maitreya uvāca
ity ādi-rājena nutaḥ sa viśva-dṛk tam āha rājan mayi bhaktir astu te /
diṣṭyedṛśī dhīr mayi te kṛtā yayā māyāṃ madīyāṃ tarati sma dustyajām //

Maitreya said:
Praised thus by the first king, the all-seeing Lord said to him: 'O King, may you have devotion to Me.
By good fortune such an intellect has been formed by you toward Me, by which one crosses beyond My creative power, which is difficult to abandon.

32. Maitreya said:—Thus pressed by the first king of the world the Omniscient Lord said to him, "O king, let thy devotion to Me be

(intense and constant). Fortunately, thou hast such a mind towards Me, whereby a person surely gets over My Maya.

4.20.33

tat tvaṃ kuru mayādiṣṭam apramattaḥ prajāpate /
mad-ādeśa-karo lokaḥ sarvatrāpnoti śobhanam //

Therefore, do what has been commanded by Me, vigilant, O lord of subjects;
a person who carries out My order attains what is auspicious everywhere.'

33. "Therefore, O lord of men, do thou carefully perform what I command thee to do; and he who does My command will reap auspiciousness everywhere."

4.20.34

/0 maitreya uvāca
iti vainyasya rājarṣeḥ pratinandyārthavad vacaḥ /
pūjito 'nugṛhītvainaṃ gantuṃ cakre 'cyuto matim //

Maitreya said:
Having thus commended the meaningful words of the royal sage, son of Vena,
and having been worshipped, Acyuta bestowed His grace upon him and resolved to depart.

34. Maitreya said:--Having been thus pleased with the thoughtful words of the saintly king Prithu and worshipped by him and having bestowed His grace upon him, Achyuta (the imperishable Lord) thought of retiring (from his view).

4.20.35

devarṣi-pitṛ-gandharva- siddha-cāraṇa-pannagāḥ /
kinnarāpsaraso martyāḥ khagā bhūtāny anekaśaḥ //

The celestial sages, ancestors, Gandharvas, Siddhas, Cāraṇas, and Pannagas,
Kinnaras, Apsarases, mortals, birds, and many living beings,

35 & 36. Then all the gods, Rishis, Pitris, Ghandarvas, Siddhas, Nagas, Kinnaras, Apsaras, men, birds and numerous creatures as well as the attendants of Hari, went away pleased with the king whose mind was concentrated on Hari, the Lord of sacrifices (the omnipresent Lord), as they were honoured by his speech, wealth, love, folded hands (and devotion.)

4.20.36

yajñeśvara-dhiyā rājñā vāg-vittāñjali-bhaktitaḥ /
sabhājitā yayuḥ sarve vaikuṇṭhānugatās tataḥ //

having been honored by the king with words, wealth, folded hands, and devotion, with the thought that they were the Lord of sacrifice,
then all departed, following Vaikuṇṭha.

4.20.37

bhagavān api rājarṣeḥ sopādhyāyasya cācyutaḥ /
harann iva mano 'muṣya sva-dhāma pratyapadyata //

The Lord, Acyuta, captivator, as it were, of the mind of the royal sage
and his priests, returned to His own abode.

37. Also the glorious Lord Achyuta returned to His heavenly abode, with the mind as it were of this great king, while he and his preceptor stood gazing.

4.20.38

adṛṣṭāya namaskṛtya nṛpaḥ sandarśitātmane /
avyaktāya ca devānāṃ devāya sva-puraṃ yayau //

Bowing to the unmanifest Lord of gods, / who is invisible yet had revealed his own form, the king went to his city.

38. Having made his supplications to the Lord, God of gods, who is by nature unmanifest and beyond the range of human sight and who out of grace revealed Himself to his view, the king retired to his city.