Bhagavatapurana 5.19: athaikonaviṃśo'dhyāyaḥ

5.19.1

/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
kimpuruṣe varṣe bhagavantam ādi-puruṣaṃ lakṣmaṇāgrajaṃ sītābhirāmaṃ rāmaṃ tac-caraṇa-sannikarṣābhirataḥ parama-bhāgavato hanumān saha kimpuruṣair avirata-bhaktir upāste //

1. Sri Suka said— In the continent of Kimpurusha Hanuman, the foremost devotee who ever finds delight at His feet, contemplates, along with the peoples of the continent, in uninterrupted devotion, the Lord, Sri Rama, most beloved of Sita, elder brother to Lakshmana and the glorious Supreme Being.

5.19.2

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ārṣṭiṣeṇena saha gandharvair anugīyamānāṃ parama-kalyāṇīṃ bhartṛ-bhagavat-kathāṃ samupaśṛṇoti svayaṃ cedaṃ gāyati //

2. He listens to the most auspicious stories of the glorious Lord Hari (Rama) sweetly sung by the Gandharvas together with Arshtishena (a great Gandharva or a Royal sage of that name); and he also sings the following:

5.19.3

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oṃ namo bhagavate uttamaślokāya nama ārya-lakṣaṇa-śīla-vratāya nama upaśikṣitātmana upāsita-lokāya namaḥ sādhu-vāda-nikaṣaṇāya namo brahmaṇya-devāya mahā-puruṣāya mahā-rājāya nama iti //

3. "I bow to the glorious Lord of the most holy name; I bow to Thee who art the embodiment of the noblest character, nature and principles; I bow to Him who is the master of His mind, who imitates the world, who is the touch-stone (standard) of renown for goodness; I bow to the Lord who is very kind unto Brahmins, who is the Supreme Person and King of kings; I bow to Him.

5.19.4

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yat tad viśuddhānubhava-mātram ekaṃ sva-tejasā dhvasta-guṇa-vyavastham /
pratyak praśāntaṃ sudhiyopalambhanaṃ hy anāma-rūpaṃ nirahaṃ prapadye //

4. "I seek shelter with that (Lord) which is one and nothing but absolute wisdom, which by its innate power transcends all the states caused by the three gunas and which is quite different (from the perceptible Universe) and consequently unperturbed, without name or form and untouched by Ahankara and yet realised by the wise full of real faith.

5.19.5

martyāvatāras tv iha martya-śikṣaṇaṃ rakṣo-vadhāyaiva na kevalaṃ vibhoḥ /
kuto 'nyathā syād ramataḥ sva ātmanaḥ sītā-kṛtāni vyasanānīśvarasya //

5. "But the Omnipresent Lord appears in this world as a mortal

not only for destroying the Rakshasa, (but) for teaching mortals (their ways); how could it otherwise be that the Almighty Ruler, who is by His essential nature absolute bliss, seemed to experience anxieties about Sita?

5.19.6

na vai sa ātmātmavatāṃ suhṛttamaḥ saktas tri-lokyāṃ bhagavān vāsudevaḥ /
na strī-kṛtaṃ kaśmalam aśnuvīta na lakṣmaṇaṃ cāpi vihātum arhati //

6. "He is indeed the Almighty Vasudeva the Lord and best-friend of those who have subdued their mind and heart; He is not attached to anything in the three worlds. He could not therefore be supposed to experience grief for the sake of a woman; nor could it be that He abandoned Lakshmana.

5.19.7

na janma nūnaṃ mahato na saubhagaṃ na vāṅ na buddhir nākṛtis toṣa-hetuḥ /
tair yad visṛṣṭān api no vanaukasaś cakāra sakhye bata lakṣmaṇāgrajaḥ //

7. "Indeed neither birth (in a noble family), nor personal beauty, or skill in speech, nor a bright intellect, nor a fine form pleased the great Rama, the elder brother of Lakshmana; for He admitted to his friendship us who are wild creatures (monkeys), destitute of all those qualifications.

5.19.8

suro 'suro vāpy atha vānaro naraḥ sarvātmanā yaḥ sukṛtajñam uttamam /
bhajeta rāmaṃ manujākṛtiṃ hariṃ ya uttarān anayat kosalān divam iti //

8. "Therefore a Sura or an Asura or a man or even a monkey,—anybody, whosoever he be, ought to worship Sri Rama who is Hari in human form and who led with Him all the people (creatures) of Kosala country to the Celestial world.

5.19.9

bhārate 'pi varṣe bhagavān nara-nārāyaṇākhya ākalpāntam upacita-dharma-jñāna-vairāgyaiśvaryopaśamoparamātmopalambhanam anugrahāyātmavatām anukampayā tapo 'vyakta-gatiś carati //

9. So also in the continent of Bharata the glorious Lord under the name of NaraNarayana exhibits in Himself ever growing righteousness, wisdom, renunciation, supreme powers and perfect control of senses and passion and realisation of Atman; and without manifesting the secret of His ways, He performs such tapas only out of His compassion for the righteous and for the purpose of bestowing His grace upon them".

5.19.10

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taṃ bhagavān nārado varṇāśramavatībhir bhāratībhiḥ prajābhir bhagavat-proktābhyāṃ sāṅkhya-yogābhyāṃ bhagavad-anubhāvopavarṇanaṃ sāvarṇer upadekṣyamāṇaḥ parama-bhakti-bhāvenopasarati idaṃ cābhigṛṇāti //

10. The worshipful Narada together with the peoples of all Varnas and Asramas in the Bharata continent worships the Lord in great devotion by following the course of _Sankhya_ and _Yoga_ and while intending to initiate the Manu called Savarni (into the study of Pancharatra) wherein the Lord's glories are extensively described; and he also sings the following in Lord's praise.

5.19.11

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oṃ namo bhagavate upaśama-śīlāyoparatānātmyāya namo 'kiñcana-vittāya ṛṣi-ṛṣabhāya nara-nārāyaṇāya paramahaṃsa-parama-gurave ātmārāmādhipataye namo nama iti //

11. "I bow to the glorious Lord, serene and tranquil in essence, unassailed by Ahankara; I bow to Him who is the wealth of the sin-

less needy and the foremost among Rishis (Sages), who is also in two forms as Nara and Narayana, the supreme Father and Preceptor of Paramahamsas (ascetics of the first order) the Lord of those that find their delight in Atman (Self); again and again I bow to Him”.

5.19.12

_*
/0 gāyati cedam
kartāsya sargādiṣu yo na badhyate na hanyate deha-gato 'pi daihikaiḥ /
draṣṭur na dṛg yasya guṇair vidūṣyate tasmai namo 'sakta-vivikta-sākṣiṇe //

12. Narada sings also thus:—“I bow to Him who is the Maker of this Universe—who is the author of creation and all the other states of this Universe—who is not overpowered by Ahankara (is not conscious of His being the Maker); who, though present in the body, is not limited by the condition of the body; whose vision, witness as he is, is not interrupted by the gunas, Satva, Rajas and Tamas and who is at once unattached to everything and distinct from every thing else and also a witness of all.

5.19.13

idaṃ hi yogeśvara yoga-naipuṇaṃ hiraṇyagarbho bhagavāñ jagāda yat /
yad anta-kāle tvayi nirguṇe mano bhaktyā dadhītojjhita-duṣkalevaraḥ //

13. “O Lord of Yogas! this is the highest skill in yoga of which the worshipful Brahma has spoken, *Viz*; that at the time of departing a person having eschewed the sinful body, should in intense devotion set his mind on Thee that art untouched by the gunas (Prakriti).

5.19.14

yathaihikāmuṣmika-kāma-lampaṭaḥ suteṣu dāreṣu dhaneṣu cintayan /
śaṅketa vidvān kukalevarātyayād yas tasya yatnaḥ śrama eva kevalam //

14. “If, like a person who is addicted to pleasures of this or that world and is anxious about his children, wife and wealth, a learned person should be anxious of about losing his contemptible mortal body, all his endeavours in studying Sastras would be only painful labour.

5.19.15

tan naḥ prabho tvaṃ kukalevarārpitāṃ tvan-māyayāhaṃ-mamatām adhokṣaja /
bhindyāma yenāśu vayaṃ sudurbhidāṃ vidhehi yogaṃ tvayi naḥ svabhāvam iti //

15. “Therefore, O Lord, that art gracious unto those who subdue their senses and mind, be pleased to confer on us that yoga, Thy essential attribute, by which we could soon break asunder the bonds of Samsara holding us fast bound to our worthless mortal mould and very difficult to be rent by any other means”.

5.19.16

bhārate 'py asmin varṣe saric-chailāḥ santi bahavo malayo maṅgala-prastho mainākas trikūṭa ṛṣabhaḥ kūṭakaḥ kollakaḥ sahyo devagirir ṛṣyamūkaḥ śrī-śailo veṅkaṭo mahendro vāridhāro vindhyaḥ śuktimān ṛkṣagiriḥ pāriyātro droṇaś citrakūṭo govardhano raivatakaḥ kakubho nīlo gokāmukha indrakīlaḥ kāmagirir iti cānye ca śata-sahasraśaḥ śailās teṣāṃ nitamba-prabhavā nadā nadyaś ca santy asaṅkhyātāḥ //

16. Further, in the continent of Bharata there are numerous

mountains and rivers; to wit, Malaya, Mangala Prastha, Mainaka, Trikuta, Rishabha, Kutaka, Kollaka, Sahya, Devagiri, Rishyamuka, SriSaila, Venkata, Mahendra, Vaidhara, Vindhya, Suktiman, Rikshagiri, Pariyatra, Dronah, Chitrakuta, Govardhana, Raivata, Kakubha, Neela, Gomukha, Indrakila, Kamagiri and other mountains in hundreds and thousands; from the heights of these descend innumerable rivers flowing towards east and west.

5.19.17

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etāsām apo bhāratyaḥ prajā nāmabhir eva punantīnām ātmanā copaspṛśanti //

17. The peoples of Bharata continent make a personal use of the waters of these rivers which, even by pronouncing their very names, purify them.

5.19.18

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candravasā tāmraparṇī avaṭodā kṛtamālā vaihāyasī kāverī veṇī payasvinī śarkarāvartā tuṅgabhadrā kṛṣṇāveṇyā bhīmarathī godāvarī nirvindhyā payoṣṇī tāpī revā surasā narmadā carmaṇvatī sindhur andhaḥ śoṇaś ca nadau mahānadī vedasmṛtir ṛṣikulyā trisāmā kauśikī mandākinī yamunā sarasvatī dṛṣadvatī gomatī sarayū rodhasvatī saptavatī suṣomā śatadrūś candrabhāgā marudvṛdhā vitastā asiknī viśveti mahā-nadyaḥ //

18. Chandravasa, Tamraparni, Avatoda, Kritamala, Vaihayasi, Kaveri, Veni, Payasvini, Sarkaravarta, Tungabhadra, Krishna, Venya, Bheemarati, Godavari, Nirvindhya, Payoshni, Tapti, Revi, Surasa, Narmada, Charmanvati, Sindhu, Andha and Sona, flowing towards the west; Mahanadi, Vedasmriti, Rishikulya, Trisama, Kausiki, Mandagiri, Yamuna, Sarasvati, Drishadvati, Saptavati, Sushoma, Satadruh, Chandrabhaga, Marudvridha, Vitastha, Asikni, Visva and other great rivers.

5.19.19

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asminn eva varṣe puruṣair labdha-janmabhiḥ śukla-lohita-kṛṣṇa-varṇena svārabdhena karmaṇā divya-mānuṣa-nāraka-gatayo bahvya ātmana ānupūrvyeṇa sarvā hy eva sarveṣāṃ vidhīyante yathā-varṇa-vidhānam apavargaś cāpi bhavati //

19. It is in this continent Jivas coming into mortal existence and by means of their several Karma, white, red, or dark as it may be, are said to attain to their several goals, divine, human, or hellish, in numerous forms, all to be reached by each in a regular course and order; and according to the duties laid down for the several Varnas and Ashramas they attain to Moksha also.

5.19.20

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yo 'sau bhagavati sarva-bhūtātmany anātmye 'nirukte 'nilayane paramātmani vāsudeve 'nanya-nimitta-bhakti-yoga-lakṣaṇo nānā-gati-nimittāvidyā-granthi-randhana-dvāreṇa yadā hi mahā-puruṣa-puruṣa-prasaṅgaḥ //

20. And this Moksha is attainable only when, by means of cutting away the knot of illusion leading to various courses, intimate association is gained with the devotees of the Supreme Person (Hari) which is really the course of intense devotion without any ulterior

object towards the glorious Vasudeva, the Supreme Being, the one source and ruler of all beings, untouched by passions and other attributes of the gross body, beyond the range of words and not resting on any other support.

5.19.21

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/0 etad eva hi devā gāyanti
aho amīṣāṃ kim akāri śobhanaṃ prasanna eṣāṃ svid uta svayaṃ hariḥ /
yair janma labdhaṃ nṛṣu bhāratājire mukunda-sevaupayikaṃ spṛhā hi naḥ //

21. To the same effect the gods also sing (as follows):—O what great and good work has been done by these! Or, it might be the Lord Hari is of His own accord pleased with them (for nothing)! by these who have fallen upon human life which is useful in worshipping Mukunda, in the spacious Bharata land, for which our heart yearns!

5.19.22

kiṃ duṣkarair naḥ kratubhis tapo-vratair dānādibhir vā dyujayena phalgunā /
na yatra nārāyaṇa-pāda-paṅkaja- smṛtiḥ pramuṣṭātiśayendriyotsavāt //

22. Of what avail are the laborious performance of sacrifices, Tapas and austerities, charitable gifts and other things or even the trifling attainment of Swarga where the remembrance of the lotus-like feet of Sri Narayana is lost in the inordinate feasting of the senses.

5.19.23

kalpāyuṣāṃ sthānajayāt punar-bhavāt kṣaṇāyuṣāṃ bhārata-bhūjayo varam /
kṣaṇena martyena kṛtaṃ manasvinaḥ sannyasya saṃyānty abhayaṃ padaṃ hareḥ //

23. Preferable to attainment of Swarga, the abode of those that live for a whole age (kalpa), and from which return to birth (Samsara) is inevitable, is the attainment to the land of Bharata with the shortest span of life; for here the thoughtful can in a moment get rid of the Karma done with the mortal body and permanently attain to the feet of Hari.

5.19.24

na yatra vaikuṇṭha-kathā-sudhāpagā na sādhavo bhāgavatās tadāśrayāḥ /
na yatra yajñeśa-makhā mahotsavāḥ sureśa-loko 'pi na vai sa sevyatām //

24. That region where do not flow the nectarine floods of discourses on Hari, where His devotees depending only on Him are not found, where the great festivities are not the sacrifices in worship of Hari the Lord of sacrifices,—that world even if it belong to the foremost god Brahma is not fit to be resorted to.

5.19.25

prāptā nṛ-jātiṃ tv iha ye ca jantavo jñāna-kriyā-dravya-kalāpa-sambhṛtām /
na vai yaterann apunar-bhavāya te bhūyo vanaukā iva yānti bandhanam //

25. But those jivas who having been born here of the human race which is fully endowed with understanding, courses of action, and necessary substance in abundance would not endeavour after the Moksha from which there is no returning to the mortal existence; they again and again come to be caught (in the meshes of Samsara) like the birds of a forest.

5.19.26

yaiḥ śraddhayā barhiṣi bhāgaśo havir niruptam iṣṭaṃ vidhi-mantra-vastutaḥ /
ekaḥ pṛthaṅ-nāmabhir āhuto mudā gṛhṇāti pūrṇaḥ svayam āśiṣāṃ prabhuḥ //

26. (Infinitely blessed are the sons of Bharata land), for when with faith and piety, and in due shares and in the proper manner they pour offerings (into Agni) and offer them up to the gods with Mantras and according to rules, He is the One perfect Lord of all blessings, who, invoked under different names, delightfully accepts them all.

5.19.27

satyaṃ diśaty arthitam arthito nṛṇāṃ naivārthado yat punar arthitā yataḥ /
svayaṃ vidhatte bhajatām anicchatām icchāpidhānaṃ nija-pāda-pallavam //

27. Certainly when prayed to He confers on men what they pray for, but He does not confer on them the Supreme blessing; therefore they are again under the necessity to pray for other things. But to those who worship Him without any desire He of His own accord extends His tender feet which encompasses (brings) all that may be wished for.

5.19.28

yady atra naḥ svarga-sukhāvaśeṣitaṃ sviṣṭasya sūktasya kṛtasya śobhanam /
tenājanābhe smṛtimaj janma naḥ syād varṣe harir yad-bhajatāṃ śaṃ tanoti //

28. If after what is exhausted by enjoying pleasures in Swarga there be to our credit any small portion of the merit earned by means of righteous acts of sacrifice, teaching the sacred Vedas and other duties, we pray that by its virtue we may be born in the continent of Ajanabha and endowed with memory (of the past)—for Hari blesses them who worship Him there.

5.19.29

/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
jambūdvīpasya ca rājann upadvīpān aṣṭau haika upadiśanti sagarātmajair aśvānveṣaṇa imāṃ mahīṃ parito nikhanadbhir upakalpitān //

29. Sri Suka said:— O king, others describe eight extra continents attached to Jambudwipa, which are said to have been brought into existence by the sons of Sagara who dug up the earth on all sides, going in search of the sacrificial horse.

5.19.30

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tad yathā svarṇaprasthaś candraśukla āvartano ramaṇako mandarahariṇaḥ pāñcajanyaḥ siṃhalo laṅketi //

30. Their names are:— Swarna Prastha, Chandrasukla, Avartana, Ramanaka, Mandaraharina, Panchajanya, Simhala, and Lanka.

5.19.31

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evaṃ tava bhāratottama jambūdvīpa-varṣa-vibhāgo yathopadeśam upavarṇita iti //

31 In this manner the divisions of Jambudwipa into continents have been described to thee, O best of Bharatas, exactly as they were taught to me.