Bhagavatapurana 4.3: atha tṛtīyo'dhyāyaḥ

4.3.1

/0 maitreya uvāca
sadā vidviṣator evaṃ kālo vai dhriyamāṇayoḥ /
jāmātuḥ śvaśurasyāpi sumahān aticakrame //

1. Maitreya said:—While the son-in-law and the father-in-law continued to hate each other, a very long time passed away.

4.3.2

yadābhiṣikto dakṣas tu brahmaṇā parameṣṭhinā /
prajāpatīnāṃ sarveṣām ādhipatye smayo 'bhavat //

2. Indeed, when Daksha was installed as the Lord of all the Prajāpatis by Brahma, the highest among the gods, he became puffed up (lit pride sprang in him).

4.3.3

iṣṭvā sa vājapeyena brahmiṣṭhān abhibhūya ca /
bṛhaspati-savaṃ nāma samārebhe kratūttamam //

3. Having performed the sacrifice called the Vājapeya and having disregarded (Isvara as well as) those who are devoted to Brahman, he began to perform the best of sacrifices called the Brihaspati-sava.

4.3.4

tasmin brahmarṣayaḥ sarve devarṣi-pitṛ-devatāḥ /
āsan kṛta-svastyayanās tat-patnyaś ca sa-bhartṛkāḥ //

4. During that sacrifice all the Brahma Rishis were assembled, as also the divine sages; the Pitris and the deities, their wives along with their husbands were welcomed with honour and given an auspicious reception.

4.3.5

tad upaśrutya nabhasi khe-carāṇāṃ prajalpatām /
satī dākṣāyaṇī devī pitṛ-yajña-mahotsavam //

5. When the celestials passing through the sky were talking about it, the Goddess Sati, the daughter of Daksha, heard of her father's grand sacrifice.

4.3.6

vrajantīḥ sarvato digbhya upadeva-vara-striyaḥ /
vimāna-yānāḥ sa-preṣṭhā niṣka-kaṇṭhīḥ suvāsasaḥ //

6. He saw the beautiful Ghandarva women going along with their lords from all directions in their aerial vehicles, with their necks brightened by Padakas and dressed in festive costume.

4.3.7

dṛṣṭvā sva-nilayābhyāśe lolākṣīr mṛṣṭa-kuṇḍalāḥ /
patiṃ bhūta-patiṃ devam autsukyād abhyabhāṣata //

7. She saw women of charming eyes wearing earrings of excellent workmanship go past her palace and in her eagerness he spoke to her Lord, the God Bhūtapati (protector of all the Bhūtas).

4.3.8

/0 saty uvāca
prajāpates te śvaśurasya sāmprataṃ niryāpito yajña-mahotsavaḥ kila /
vayaṃ ca tatrābhisarāma vāma te yady arthitāmī vibudhā vrajanti hi //

8. Satī said :—Now the great sacrificial festivity of the Prajāpati (your father-in-law) has commenced ; O my Lord let us also go thither, if it please you ; for (even now) the gods are going thither.

4.3.9

tasmin bhaginyo mama bhartṛbhiḥ svakair dhruvaṃ gamiṣyanti suhṛd-didṛkṣavaḥ /
ahaṃ ca tasmin bhavatābhikāmaye sahopanītaṃ paribarham arhitum //

9. During that sacrifice my sisters will certainly be there along with their husbands desirous of seeing their friends ; I also long to go with you and receive the presents that will be given (by my parents.)

4.3.10

tatra svasṝr me nanu bhartṛ-sammitā mātṛ-ṣvasṝḥ klinna-dhiyaṃ ca mātaram /
drakṣye cirotkaṇṭha-manā maharṣibhir unnīyamānaṃ ca mṛḍādhvara-dhvajam //

10. I have been long anxious and there indeed I shall see my sisters who are so worthy of their husbands; as also my aunts and my anxious mother ; and, O Mṛḍa, also the greatest sacrifice conducted by the great Rishis (the high standard or the sacrificial post when carried by the great Rishis).

4.3.11

tvayy etad āścaryam ajātma-māyayā vinirmitaṃ bhāti guṇa-trayātmakam /
tathāpy ahaṃ yoṣid atattva-vic ca te dīnā didṛkṣe bhava me bhava-kṣitim //

11. O Aja, this wonderful world of three guṇas is created by your own Māyā (and so this sacrifice is no wonder to you) ; still I am a woman ; I do not perceive the hidden truth ; I am one of poor understanding ; I wish to visit the place of my birth.

4.3.12

paśya prayāntīr abhavānya-yoṣito 'py alaṅkṛtāḥ kānta-sakhā varūthaśaḥ /
yāsāṃ vrajadbhiḥ śiti-kaṇṭha maṇḍitaṃ nabho vimānaiḥ kala-haṃsa-pāṇḍubhiḥ //

12. O Abhava, be pleased to see that other women (not even related to my father) go well-adorned with their husbands and in large crowds ; O Śitikaṇṭha, as they go, the sky is adorned with their aerial cars which are white as swans.

4.3.13

kathaṃ sutāyāḥ pitṛ-geha-kautukaṃ niśamya dehaḥ sura-varya neṅgate /
anāhutā apy abhiyanti sauhṛdaṃ bhartur guror deha-kṛtaś ca ketanam //

13. O God of gods, how could the body of a daughter remain unagitated on hearing of the Soma festivity in her parents’ house ; even uninvited, they (people) go to the house of their friends, their husbands, their preceptors or their parents.

4.3.14

tan me prasīdedam amartya vāñchitaṃ kartuṃ bhavān kāruṇiko batārhati /
tvayātmano 'rdhe 'ham adabhra-cakṣuṣā nirūpitā mānugṛhāṇa yācitaḥ //

14. So may you be gracious unto Me to grant my wish, O immortal God ; you are full of mercy ; by you of perfect wisdom I have been made a half of your body ; so do me this favour, I entreat (you).

4.3.15

/0 ṛṣir uvāca
evaṃ giritraḥ priyayābhibhāṣitaḥ pratyabhyadhatta prahasan suhṛt-priyaḥ /
saṃsmārito marma-bhidaḥ kuvāg-iṣūn yān āha ko viśva-sṛjāṃ samakṣataḥ //

Verse 11. अजात्ममायया *V.* By the will of Paramatman who has no birth under the force of Karma. *D.* Takes अज separately as an address to Rudra. *Note :*—‘‘The universe is ever evident to thy view. etc. 15. The Rishi said:—Thus spoken to and importuned by his beloved, the god Śiva affectionate to his friends, laughed and said, as he was reminded of the arrows of bad words cutting to the quick which Daksha had uttered in the presence of the Prajāpatis.

4.3.16

/0 śrī-bhagavān uvāca
tvayoditaṃ śobhanam eva śobhane anāhutā apy abhiyanti bandhuṣu /
te yady anutpādita-doṣa-dṛṣṭayo balīyasānātmya-madena manyunā //

16. The glorious Śiva said:—What you have said is true indeed, O brilliant one, that people go to their relations even uninvited, but only when their eyes are not spoiled by powerful pride on account of Ahaṅkāra *i.e.* attachment to their body and its belongings as well as by the passion of anger.

4.3.17

vidyā-tapo-vitta-vapur-vayaḥ-kulaiḥ satāṃ guṇaiḥ ṣaḍbhir asattametaraiḥ /
smṛtau hatāyāṃ bhṛta-māna-durdṛśaḥ stabdhā na paśyanti hi dhāma bhūyasām //

17. By means of learning, Tapas, wealth, beautiful personality, age (youthful age) and (high) pedigree, which are all good influences in the case of the good and bad influences in the case of the worst of men, the proper understanding or discretion being killed, the haughty whose vision is spoiled by their pride cannot see the glory of the great.

4.3.18

naitādṛśānāṃ sva-jana-vyapekṣayā gṛhān pratīyād anavasthitātmanām /
ye 'bhyāgatān vakra-dhiyābhicakṣate āropita-bhrūbhir amarṣaṇākṣibhiḥ //

18. One ought not to go to the house of these (such persons) considering them to be relations—these whose mind is not steadied with wisdom and who look at visitors with a crooked heart (who regard their visitors with no friendly feelings) and with knit brows and angry eyes.

4.3.19

tathāribhir na vyathate śilīmukhaiḥ śete 'rditāṅgo hṛdayena dūyatā /
svānāṃ yathā vakra-dhiyāṃ duruktibhir divā-niśaṃ tapyati marma-tāḍitaḥ //

19. One whose body lies shattered with the arrows of enemies does not suffer the same anguish as one who is cut to the quick by the bad words of crooked kinsmen feels with a painful heart both day and night.

4.3.20

vyaktaṃ tvam utkṛṣṭa-gateḥ prajāpateḥ priyātmajānām asi subhru me matā /
tathāpi mānaṃ na pituḥ prapatsyase mad-āśrayāt kaḥ paritapyate yataḥ //

20. O one of beautiful brows, you are evidently the most beloved among the daughters of the eminent Prajāpati Daksha; still you will not (now) receive the attention worthy of you; for Daksha is very much pained at your relationship with me.

4.3.21

pāpacyamānena hṛdāturendriyaḥ samṛddhibhiḥ pūruṣa-buddhi-sākṣiṇām /
akalpa eṣām adhiroḍhum añjasā paraṃ padaṃ dveṣṭi yathāsurā harim //

21. His heart boiling with envy and his senses impatient for gratification, (afflicted) at the sight of the supreme glories of the great (Gods) who directly read the mind of the jīva and

not being able properly to attain to their rank, he hates another even as the Asuras hate Hari.

4.3.22

pratyudgama-praśrayaṇābhivādanaṃ vidhīyate sādhu mithaḥ sumadhyame /
prājñaiḥ parasmai puruṣāya cetasā guhā-śayāyaiva na deha-mānine //

22. O (my beloved) one of slender waist, the rule of going forth to meet, behaving modestly or making salutations is properly observed towards one another by wise men; for they do all that with their heart (directed) only towards the Perfect Person Vāsudeva who abides in every heart, but not to the jīva who is fondly attached to the body.

4.3.23

sattvaṃ viśuddhaṃ vasudeva-śabditaṃ yad īyate tatra pumān apāvṛtaḥ /
sattve ca tasmin bhagavān vāsudevo hy adhokṣajo me namasā vidhīyate //

23. The absolutely pure Sattva (Antaḥ-Karaṇa or the Sattvaguna) is called Vāsudeva, for through it the Perfect Person distinctly makes His appearance with nothing to screen Him off; so the glorious Vāsudeva who shows Himself unto those that have subdued the senses, is (always) worshipped by me through that Sattva.

4.3.24

tat te nirīkṣyo na pitāpi deha-kṛd dakṣo mama dviṭ tad-anuvratāś ca ye /
yo viśvasṛg-yajña-gataṃ varoru mām anāgasaṃ durvacasākarot tiraḥ //

24. Therefore you should not see him (Daksha), though he is your father, one who has given birth to your body; for Daksha hates me and his followers also (hate me); and, when I went to attend the sacrifice of the Prajāpatis, O fair One, he disgraced me with vile words, though I was at no fault.

4.3.25

yadi vrajiṣyasy atihāya mad-vaco bhadraṃ bhavatyā na tato bhaviṣyati /
sambhāvitasya sva-janāt parābhavo yadā sa sadyo maraṇāya kalpate //

25. If you neglect my words and go, nothing happy will betide you; (and) when a person of established honour suffers disgrace from his kinsmen, it at once leads to his death (he is at once fit to die.)