Bhagavatapurana 5.3

5.3.1

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/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
nābhir apatya-kāmo 'prajayā merudevyā bhagavantaṃ yajña-puruṣam avahitātmāyajata //

1. Sri Suka said:— Eager to be blessed with an issue Nabhi with his wife Merudevi who was barren, worshipped the glorious Lord of sacrifices with a concentrated mind (and by means of sacrifices).

5.3.2

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tasya ha vāva śraddhayā viśuddha-bhāvena yajataḥ pravargyeṣu pracaratsu dravya-deśa-kāla-mantrartvig-dakṣiṇā-vidhāna-yogopapattyā duradhigamo 'pi bhagavān bhāgavata-vātsalyatayā supratīka ātmānam aparājitaṃ nija-janābhipretārtha-vidhitsayā gṛhīta-hṛdayo hṛdayaṅgamaṃ mano-nayanānandanāvayavābhirāmam āviścakāra //

2. When in good faith and with a pious heart he was performing sacrifices, the rites called Pravargyas being observed with due attention to substance, time, place, Vedic texts, priests, Dakshina (money to be given away in charity) and the rules and methods of performances, the Supreme Lord of beautiful personality who, though inaccessible yet disposed to grant boons to His devotees through His love for them, revealed to their mind and eyes His absolute self in a most attractive form, which was charming in every limb.

5.3.3

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atha ha tam āviṣkṛta-bhuja-yugala-dvayaṃ hiraṇmayaṃ puruṣa-viśeṣaṃ kapiśa-kauśeyāmbara-dharam urasi vilasac-chrīvatsa-lalāmaṃ daravara-vanaruha-vana-mālācchūry-amṛta-maṇi-gadādibhir upalakṣitaṃ sphuṭa-kiraṇa-pravara-mukuṭa-kuṇḍala-kaṭaka-kaṭi-sūtra-hāra-keyūra-nūpurādy-aṅga-bhūṣaṇa-vibhūṣitam ṛtvik-sadasya-gṛha-patayo 'dhanā ivottama-dhanam upalabhya sabahu-mānam arhaṇenāvanata-śīrṣāṇa upatasthuḥ //

3. The Supreme Lord who appeared unto him with four arms in His luminous personality, who is the highest Person, distinct from all others, clad in silk of golden hue, with the splendid Sri Vatsa mark on his chest, and with his weapons, the great conch, lotus, Vanamala,

chakra, the immortal jewel of Kaustubha, Gada, and others; adorned with ornaments of the body, namely, the crown of radiant jewels, ear-rings, bangles, zones, wreaths of pearls, Kaiyura and Nupura and the like— the preists, the directors, and the sacrificer waited very respectfully on Him with *arghya* and with their heads bent down just as penniless people would do at the sight of a treasure-trove revealed unto them.

5.3.4

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/0 ṛtvija ūcuḥ
arhasi muhur arhattamārhaṇam asmākam anupathānāṃ namo nama ity etāvat sad-upaśikṣitaṃ ko 'rhati pumān prakṛti-guṇa-vyatikara-matir anīśa īśvarasya parasya prakṛti-puruṣayor arvāktanābhir nāma-rūpākṛtibhī rūpa-nirūpaṇam sakala-jana-nikāya-vṛjina-nirasana-śivatama-pravara-guṇa-gaṇaika-deśa-kathanād ṛte //

4&5. Ritviks said:— Mayest thou be pleased, O most worshipful one, to accept the worship which we, thy attendants can afford! we are but taught only this *Namo Namah*, (bow to thee, bow to thee); which mortal man, whose mind is occupied by the world of Prakriti and gunas and who is incapable, could hope to fully explain the nature of the Supreme Ruler of Prakriti and Purusha by means of name, colour or form belonging to the later and grosser creations; except talking about a few of His innumerable excellent attributes, which remove all the sin of all people?

5.3.5

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parijanānurāga-viracita-śabala-saṃśabda-salila-sita-kisalaya-tulasikā-dūrvāṅkurair api sambhṛtayā saparyayā kila parama parituṣyasi //

6. O Supreme One, Thou art delighted by the simple worship of Thy followers—which consists of only prayers uttered in faltering accents, water, pure and tender shoots, Tulasi, tender durva grass which they offer Thee in true love.

5.3.6

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athānayāpi na bhavata ijyayoru-bhāra-bharayā samucitam artham ihopalabhāmahe //

7. On the other hand we do not see that Thou hast anything to gain, by the sacrifice made heavy with numerous component parts, however richly it may be provided for.

5.3.7

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ātmana evānusavanam añjasāvyatirekeṇa bobhūyamānāśeṣa-puruṣārtha-svarūpasya kintu nāthāśiṣa āśāsānānām etad abhisaṃrādhana-mātraṃ bhavitum arhati //

8. This worship is nothing to Thyself Whose essense consists of all the highest blessings which are uninterruptedly eternally found in Thee to the unlimited extent; but all this worship we do is significant in respect of us, O Lord, who seek after blessings.

5.3.8

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tad yathā bāliśānāṃ svayam ātmanaḥ śreyaḥ param aviduṣāṃ parama-parama-puruṣa prakarṣa-karuṇayā sva-mahimānaṃ cāpavargākhyam upakalpayiṣyan svayaṃ nāpacita evetaravad ihopalakṣitaḥ //

9. To explain it. Like an ordinary being Thou showest Thyself to those of poor understanding and ignorant of their own great purpose (in life), O Perfect Person, superior to all, intent upon very graciously affording them a view of Thy glory as well as salvation, even though Thou art not worshipped.

5.3.9

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athāyam eva varo hy arhattama yarhi barhiṣi rājarṣer varadarṣabho bhavān nija-puruṣekṣaṇa-viṣaya āsīt //

10. And, O most worshipful one, foremost among those that confer blessings, now this itself is the great boon that in this sacrifice of the saintly king, Thou hast revealed Thyself to the vision of Thy votaries.

5.3.10

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asaṅga-niśita-jñānānala-vidhūtāśeṣa-malānāṃ bhavat-svabhāvānām ātmārāmāṇāṃ munīnām anavarata-pariguṇita-guṇa-gaṇa parama-maṅgalāyana-guṇa-gaṇa-kathano 'si //

11. O Lord, Thou art perfect in Thy infinite excellent attributes which are repeatedly and constantly sung by sages who find delight in Atman, who are of Thy nature, being rid of all impurities (sin) by the fire of their forceful wisdom produced through renunciation; even talking about Thy excellent attributes is the source of the highest and auspicious success.

5.3.11

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atha kathañcit skhalana-kṣut-patana-jṛmbhaṇa-duravasthānādiṣu vivaśānāṃ naḥ smaraṇāya jvara-maraṇa-daśāyām api sakala-kaśmala-nirasanāni tava guṇa-kṛta-nāmadheyāni vacana-gocarāṇi bhavantu //

12. However, we pray that Thou mayest be pleased to ordain that Thy names descriptive of Thy excellent qualities be ever on our tongue—Thy names which remove all sin,—when we are unable to remember Thee in falling, in hunger, in tumbling down, in yawning and other wretched conditions, and even at the moment of death or high fever.

5.3.12

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kiñcāyaṃ rājarṣir apatya-kāmaḥ prajāṃ bhavādṛśīm āśāsāna īśvaram āśiṣāṃ svargāpavargayor api bhavantam upadhāvati prajāyām artha-pratyayo dhanadam ivādhanaḥ phalīkaraṇam //

13. Further this great king, desirous of children and especially of a son like Thyself, has sought Thee, the Lord of all blessings here, as well as the celestial abode and salvation; for he regards an offspring as the real purpose to be gained; (and therein) he is like unto a poor man who goes to Kubera for (mere) husk.

5.3.13

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ko vā iha te 'parājito 'parājitayā māyayānavasita-padavyānāvṛta-matir viṣaya-viṣa-rayānāvṛta-prakṛtir anupāsita-mahac-caraṇaḥ //

14. Who is there in this world that is not overcome by Thy Maya (deluding power) unconquered and highly inscrutable in her ways? (1) Who is there that has not his understanding clouded by her? Who is it that has not his nature completely obscured by the rapid currents of the senses, if he has not worshipped the feet (sat at the feet) of the great and pious.

5.3.14

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yad u ha vāva tava punar adabhra-kartar iha samāhūtas tatrārtha-dhiyāṃ mandānāṃ nas tad yad deva-helanaṃ deva-devārhasi sāmyena sarvān prativoḍhum aviduṣām //

15. Again, O Lord of unlimited work and activity, Thou hast indeed been invited here (for a poor purpose); and that act of us, who

being dull-witted regard it as a great purpose, is really an insult to the Divine Beings, O God of gods; be pleased to pardon that fault of the ignorant as Thou art equally kind to all.

5.3.15

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/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
iti nigadenābhiṣṭūyamāno bhagavān animiṣarṣabho varṣa-dharābhivāditābhivandita-caraṇaḥ sadayam idam āha //

16. Sri Suka said:— Thus praised in prose style, and being bowed to by the priests who were in their turn worshipped by the king of the continent, the glorious Lord of the gods graciously spoke thus:

5.3.16

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/0 śrī-bhagavān uvāca
aho batāham ṛṣayo bhavadbhir avitatha-gīrbhir varam asulabham abhiyācito yad amuṣyātmajo mayā sadṛśo bhūyād iti mamāham evābhirūpaḥ kaivalyād athāpi brahma-vādo na mṛṣā bhavitum arhati mamaiva hi mukhaṃ yad dvija-deva-kulam //

17. It is a great pity, O sages, that you have asked Me for a great boon impossible to secure, with prayers that cannot prove barren, that his son may be like unto Me; (but) I am like myself, since I am without a second; still the words of Brahmanas ought not to prove false; for the race of Brahmanas who are like the gods among the twice-born is indeed my mouth (myself).

5.3.17

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tata āgnīdhrīye 'ṃśa-kalayāvatariṣyāmy ātma-tulyam anupalabhamānaḥ //

18. Therefore through Nabhi, the son of Agnīdhra, I shall appear in the world exhibiting but a ray of My own, since I do not find another like unto Me.

5.3.18

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/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
iti niśāmayantyā merudevyāḥ patim abhidhāyāntardadhe bhagavān //

19. Sri Suka said:— In the hearing of Merudevi, the Lord spoke thus to her husband and vanished from their view.