Bhagavatapurana 5.25

5.25.1

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/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
tasya mūla-deśe triṃśad-yojana-sahasrāntara āste yā vai kalā bhagavatas tāmasī samākhyātānanta iti sātvatīyā draṣṭṛ-dṛśyayoḥ saṅkarṣaṇam aham ity abhimāna-lakṣaṇaṃ yaṃ saṅkarṣaṇam ity ācakṣate //

1. Sree Suka said:—At the bottom of it (Patala), at a distance of 30 thousand yojanas, there is that Amsa of the Lord called Tamasa Amsa, also known as Ananta (Sesha). Followers of the Satvata Tantra denote Him by the term ‘Sankarshana’ or Aham, implying Abhimana or attachment, because he irresistibly draws together that which sees and that which is seen.

5.25.2

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yasyedaṃ kṣiti-maṇḍalaṃ bhagavato 'nanta-mūrteḥ sahasra-śirasa ekasminn eva śīrṣaṇi dhriyamāṇaṃ siddhārtha iva lakṣyate //

2. Supported on only one of the thousand heads of the glorious Ananta, the whole globe of the earth looks like a mustard seed.

5.25.3

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yasya ha vā idaṃ kālenopasañjihīrṣato 'marṣa-viracita-rucira-bhramad-bhruvor antareṇa sāṅkarṣaṇo nāma rudra ekādaśa-vyūhas try-akṣas tri-śikhaṃ śūlam uttambhayann udatiṣṭhat //

3. From between the agitated brows, charming though knit in anger, of the Lord who intends in time to destroy this (world), rose Rudra called Sankarshana, who exhibits himself in eleven forms, with three eyes, holding up a trident (Soola).

5.25.4

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yasyāṅghri-kamala-yugalāruṇa-viśada-nakha-maṇi-ṣaṇḍa-maṇḍaleṣv ahi-patayaḥ saha sātvatarṣabhair ekānta-bhakti-yogenāvanamantaḥ sva-vadanāni parisphurat-kuṇḍala-prabhā-maṇḍita-gaṇḍa-sthalāny ati-manoharāṇi pramudita-manasaḥ khalu vilokayanti //

4. In the transparent sphere of the nails shining like rubies on His lotus-like feet, lordly serpents together with the great gods bent with intense devotion and with their heart full of joy see, as in a mirror, their own beautiful faces with cheeks rendered brilliant by the radiant ear-rings.

5.25.5

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yasyaiva hi nāga-rāja-kumārya āśiṣa āśāsānāś cārv-aṅga-valaya-vilasita-viśada-vipula-dhavala-subhaga-rucira-bhuja-rajata-stambheṣv aguru-candana-kuṅkuma-paṅkānulepenāvalimpamānās tad-abhimarśanonmathita-hṛdaya-makara-dhvajāveśa-rucira-lalita-smitās tad-anurāgamada-mudita-mada-vighūrṇitāruṇa-karuṇāvaloka-nayana-vadanāravindaṃ savrīḍaṃ kila vilokayanti //

5. Looking forward to the self-same Lord for blessings, the Naga princesses besmear with the pigment of aguru, chandana and

kuṅkuma His arms, like unto poles of silver, strikingly set by the side of beautiful members, transparent, long, snow-white, soft and charming, put on winning smiles induced by the entry of Love in their hearts agitated by their contact with Him, and bashfully look at His lotus-like face as His eyes glow with passion and grace and swim in excessive joy.

5.25.6

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sa eva bhagavān ananto 'nanta-guṇārṇava ādi-deva upasaṃhṛtāmarṣa-roṣa-vego lokānāṃ svastaya āste //

6. The same powerful Ananta, the sea of unlimited excellent attributes, the Almighty Deity remains there having, for the peace of the world, restrained the force of His tremendous anger.

5.25.7

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dhyāyamānaḥ surāsuroraga-siddha-gandharva-vidyādhara-muni-gaṇair anavarata-mada-mudita-vikṛta-vihvala-locanaḥ sulalita-mukharikāmṛtenāpyāyamānaḥ sva-pārṣada-vibudha-yūtha-patīn aparimlāna-rāga-nava-tulasikāmoda-madhv-āsavena mādyan madhukara-vrāta-madhura-gīta-śriyaṃ vaijayantīṃ svāṃ vanamālāṃ nīla-vāsā eka-kuṇḍalo hala-kakudi kṛta-subhaga-sundara-bhujo bhagavān mahendro vāraṇendra iva kāñcanīṃ kakṣām udāra-līlo bibharti //

7. He is being contemplated by Suras and others; his eyes swim in joyous bewilderment; with his very soft and winning nectar-like utterances, he is ever comforting the leaders of the several lines of his attendant gods; he wears a garland called Vaijayanti, splendid with the sweet music of humming swarms of blithesome bees attracted by the sweet juice and scent of Tulasi (Thyme) fresh and of unfading freshness; he wears blue clothes and one ear-ring, resting one of his beautiful and soft arms on the top of the plough just as the great Indra rests his arm on his excellent elephant *Iravata*, and he also wears a belt of gold and (ever) shines in his highly sportful mood.

5.25.8

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ya eṣa evam anuśruto dhyāyamāno mumukṣūṇām anādi-kāla-karma-vāsanā-grathitam avidyāmayaṃ hṛdaya-granthiṃ sattva-rajas-tamomayam antar-hṛdayaṃ gata āśu nirbhinatti tasyānubhāvān bhagavān svāyambhuvo nāradaḥ saha tumburuṇā sabhāyāṃ brahmaṇaḥ saṃślokayām āsa //

8. This Supreme Ananta when contemplated as described above enters the heart of His devotees that seek after salvation and soon cuts the knot at (the) heart of Satva, Rajas and Tamas and of Avidya, formed by the beginning-less Karma and its rooted tendencies; and His glories, the worshipful Narada, son of Swayambhu, together with Tumburu (once) sang (sings) in the court of Brahma.

5.25.9

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utpatti-sthiti-laya-hetavo 'sya kalpāḥ $ sattvādyāḥ prakṛti-guṇā yad-īkṣayāsan &
utpatti-sthiti-laya-hetavo 'sya kalpāḥ $ sattvādyāḥ prakṛti-guṇā yad-īkṣayāsan &
yad-rūpaṃ dhruvam akṛtaṃ yad ekam ātman % nānādhāt katham u ha veda tasya vartma //

9. Who knows or how could one know the ways of that Lord whose glance conferred on Satva and other gunas of Prakriti the power to create, sustain and destroy this universe, whose nature is unlimited and eternal, and who, as it is one, makes it many in Himself?

5.25.10

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mūrtiṃ naḥ puru-kṛpayā babhāra sattvaṃ $ saṃśuddhaṃ sad-asad idaṃ vibhāti tatra &
mūrtiṃ naḥ puru-kṛpayā babhāra sattvaṃ $ saṃśuddhaṃ sad-asad idaṃ vibhāti tatra &
yal-līlāṃ mṛga-patir ādade 'navadyām % ādātuṃ svajana-manāṃsy udāra-vīryaḥ //

10. Through over-flowing grace towards us and to attract to Himself the mind of His devotees, the Lord of unlimited energy has exhibited this absolutely pure form of Satva, on which this universe of Sat and Asat depends and whose sportful course the king of beasts (lion) has adopted (for his).

5.25.11

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yan-nāma śrutam anukīrtayed akasmād $ ārto vā yadi patitaḥ pralambhanād vā &
yan-nāma śrutam anukīrtayed akasmād $ ārto vā yadi patitaḥ pralambhanād vā &
hanty aṃhaḥ sapadi nṛṇām aśeṣam anyaṃ % kaṃ śeṣād bhagavata āśrayen mumukṣuḥ //

11. If any one, in distress or fallen from his path or prompted by a spirit of ridicule, should by chance utter His name as heard (from another), that name (the utterance of it) at once removes all the sin of men; so, whom other than glorious Sesha should a person seeking after salvation resort to?

5.25.12

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mūrdhany arpitam aṇuvat sahasra-mūrdhno $ bhū-golaṃ sagiri-sarit-samudra-sattvam &
mūrdhany arpitam aṇuvat sahasra-mūrdhno $ bhū-golaṃ sagiri-sarit-samudra-sattvam &
ānantyād animita-vikramasya bhūmnaḥ % ko vīryāṇy adhi gaṇayet sahasra-jihvaḥ //

12. The (whole) sphere of the Earth with all its mountains, rivers, seas, and the living beings, rests but like an atom on some one head of the Lord of thousand heads; there being no limit to the immeasurable prowess, who could, even if endowed with a thousand tongues, hope to recount all His wonderful deeds?

5.25.13

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evam-prabhāvo bhagavān ananto $ duranta-vīryoru-guṇānubhāvaḥ &
evam-prabhāvo bhagavān ananto $ duranta-vīryoru-guṇānubhāvaḥ &
mūle rasāyāḥ sthita ātma-tantro % yo līlayā kṣmāṃ sthitaye bibharti //

13. The glorious Ananta of such power as already described, of unlimited energy, excellent attributes and glorious powers, is Himself unsupported at the bottom of the Earth, and without any effort bears it only for the sake of its welfare.

5.25.14

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etā hy eveha nṛbhir upagantavyā gatayo yathā-karma-vinirmitā yathopadeśam anuvarṇitāḥ kāmān kāmayamānaiḥ //

14. These indeed are the courses to be known here by men who are in quest of desires; and the courses are appointed to accord with Karmas (of all severally) and they have been described as handed down by precept.

5.25.15

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etāvatīr hi rājan puṃsaḥ pravṛtti-lakṣaṇasya dharmasya vipāka-gataya uccāvacā visadṛśā yathā-praśnaṃ vyācakhye kim anyat kathayāma iti //

15. O king, indeed of this extent are the regions which are open to man as the result of Karma leading to Samsara, high and low and of great variety; and I have explained them in the order of thy questions. Then on what other subject have I to discourse?