Bhagavatapurana 5.5

5.5.1

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/0 ṛṣabha uvāca
nāyaṃ deho deha-bhājāṃ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṃ ye /
tapo divyaṃ putrakā yena sattvaṃ śuddhyed yasmād brahma-saukhyaṃ tv anantam //

1. [In the human world this body of human beings] is not fit to be given to the miserable pleasures which even beasts and birds enjoy; the divine duty of Tapas on the other hand, O sons, is fit for them, by which the mind becomes pure; and from the purity of mind arises the everlasting happiness.

5.5.2

mahat-sevāṃ dvāram āhur vimuktes tamo-dvāraṃ yoṣitāṃ saṅgi-saṅgam /
mahāntas te sama-cittāḥ praśāntā vimanyavaḥ suhṛdaḥ sādhavo ye //

2 & 3. The wise say, to wait upon the great is the way to salvation, whereas the way to samsara (hell) is to be in association with those who are attached to women. They are the great who are possessed of equanimity (a state of mind regarding equally everything, serenity of mind, freedom from anger, a good heart to all and righteousness and piety; who regard love to me the Lord as their only purpose and who have no love to people that are given to objects calculated to nourish the body and to house-hold life consisting of wife, children, friends and wealth and who while in the world are content with what is sufficient for bare existence.

5.5.3

ye vā mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthā janeṣu dehambhara-vārtikeṣu /
gṛheṣu jāyātmaja-rātimatsu na prīti-yuktā yāvad-arthāś ca loke //

2 & 3. The wise say, to wait upon the great is the way to salvation, whereas the way to samsara (hell) is to be in association with those who are attached to women. They are the great who are possessed of equanimity (a state of mind regarding equally everything, serenity of mind, freedom from anger, a good heart to all and righteousness and piety; who regard love to me the Lord as their only purpose and who have no love to people that are given to objects calculated to nourish the body and to house-hold life consisting of wife, children, friends and wealth and who while in the world are content with what is sufficient for bare existence.

5.5.4

nūnaṃ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti /
na sādhu manye yata ātmano 'yam asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ //

4. Certainly (necessarily) a person carelessly commits sin when he is busy gratifying his senses; I do not think it right to do again that which having been wrought in a previous life has become the cause of this miserable, though unreal, body enveloping the Self.

5.5.5

parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam /
yāvat kriyās tāvad idaṃ mano vai karmātmakaṃ yena śarīra-bandhaḥ //

5. This loss of self-realisation due to ignorance lasts only so long as man does not think of enquiring into the truth of self; as long as there is activity (karma) the mind remains disposed to karma and by this mind the bondage of mortal (gross body) is brought about.

5.5.6

evaṃ manaḥ karma-vaśaṃ prayuṅkte avidyayātmany upadhīyamāne /
prītir na yāvan mayi vāsudeve na mucyate deha-yogena tāvat //

6. So long as Karma thus sways the mind, and the Self is enveloped in Avidya (Nescience), and so long as devotion to Me (Vasudeva) does not arise, one is not released from one's relation to body.

5.5.7

yadā na paśyaty ayathā guṇehāṃ svārthe pramattaḥ sahasā vipaścit /
gata-smṛtir vindati tatra tāpān āsādya maithunyam agāram ajñaḥ //

7. So long as he does not realise that the activity (functions) of the senses is unreal, and, though endowed with the power of discrimination, he does not bestow care upon his own interest for want of thoughtfulness (being inconsiderate), he soon loses his memory and, having got into the house of sexual relations, he reaps in that condition only afflictions.

5.5.8

puṃsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etaṃ tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ /
ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya moho 'yam ahaṃ mameti //

8. The mutual relation of man to woman is said to form a knot in the heart to each of them reciprocally; hence in respect of the house, fields, children, relations, and wealth, this delusion of 'I', "This is mine" exists (enhanced) on the part of the world (on every being that is born with a body).

5.5.9

yadā mano-hṛdaya-granthir asya karmānubaddho dṛḍha āślatheta /
tadā janaḥ samparivartate 'smād muktaḥ paraṃ yāty atihāya hetum //

9. When this strong (hard) knot of the heart, namely, this thought, brought about by Karma becomes loosened, it is then that

man gets out of this delusion in the form of attachment between man and woman; and then only he eschews the cause (Ahankara), becomes free and attains to the highest goal.

5.5.10

haṃse gurau mayi bhaktyānuvṛtyā vitṛṣṇayā dvandva-titikṣayā ca /
sarvatra jantor vyasanāvagatyā jijñāsayā tapasehā-nivṛttyā //

10. Through devotion to Me, the pure self and Preceptor and unswerving attention to Me, through absence of desires, through endurance of the relative states of pleasure and pain, the clear understanding that beings are liable to misery everywhere, the enquiring spirit, tapas, and abandoning the efforts (Karma) towards the attainment of desires;

5.5.11

mat-karmabhir mat-kathayā ca nityaṃ mad-deva-saṅgād guṇa-kīrtanān me /
nirvaira-sāmyopaśamena putrā jihāsayā deha-gehātma-buddheḥ //

11. By righteous duties in relation to Me, by recounting My glories and by always associating with those who are devoted to Me as the Supreme Deity, by singing My excellent attributes, by being free from feelings of animosity, by behaving equally towards all, by withdrawing the heart and mind from all objects and keeping them calm, O sons, and by trying to shake off the wrong notion that the body or the house is Atman;

5.5.12

adhyātma-yogena vivikta-sevayā prāṇendriyātmābhijayena sadhryak /
sac-chraddhayā brahmacaryeṇa śaśvad asampramādena yamena vācām //

12. By studying the science of Atman, by living in seclusion, by subduing the breaths, the senses and the mind thoroughly; by absolute faith in the right, by strict celibacy, by being ever alert to do duties and by controlling speech (the tongue);

5.5.13

sarvatra mad-bhāva-vicakṣaṇena jñānena vijñāna-virājitena /
yogena dhṛty-udyama-sattva-yukto liṅgaṃ vyapohet kuśalo 'ham-ākhyam //

13. And by means of wisdom sufficiently mature to secure meditation on Me as well as realisation, and by means of concentration, he, who is possessed of courage, energy and sense of discrimination,

should endeavour to get rid of the subtle body or the besetting condition called "Ahankara".

5.5.14

karmāśayaṃ hṛdaya-granthi-bandham avidyayāsāditam apramattaḥ /
anena yogena yathopadeśaṃ samyag vyapohyoparameta yogāt //

14. Being ever on the alert he should, by this means as afforded by the Preceptor, completely shake off the bondage, called the knot of the heart in which all karma abides, and which has been caused by Avidya and then he should remain quiet without adopting the means again.

5.5.15

putrāṃś ca śiṣyāṃś ca nṛpo gurur vā mal-loka-kāmo mad-anugrahārthaḥ /
itthaṃ vimanyur anuśiṣyād ataj-jñān na yojayet karmasu karma-mūḍhān /
kaṃ yojayan manujo 'rthaṃ labheta nipātayan naṣṭa-dṛśaṃ hi garte //

15. The King or the Preceptor who would attain to My world or My grace should get free from passions and direct thus his sons or pupils. He ought not to put into the ways of Karma them who are ignorant of Truth and who are already bewildered in the path of Karma; what purpose would a man, like one who pushes the blind into a pit, gain by directing those people into the path of karma?

5.5.16

lokaḥ svayaṃ śreyasi naṣṭa-dṛṣṭir yo 'rthān samīheta nikāma-kāmaḥ /
anyonya-vairaḥ sukha-leśa-hetor ananta-duḥkhaṃ ca na veda mūḍhaḥ //

16. The world (people) is by nature blind to what is good; it is full of desires and only works towards worldly objects. Ignorant men hating one another for a tittle of pleasure do not see the source of endless misery.

5.5.17

kas taṃ svayaṃ tad-abhijño vipaścid avidyāyām antare vartamānam /
dṛṣṭvā punas taṃ saghṛṇaḥ kubuddhiṃ prayojayed utpathagaṃ yathāndham //

17. Which wise and compassionate man knowing the truth and full of wisdom would lead astray the man who is already immersed in Avidya (ignorance or Karma marga); for it would be like

leading astray the blind who had already missed the way.

5.5.18

gurur na sa syāt sva-jano na sa syāt pitā na sa syāj jananī na sā syāt /
daivaṃ na tat syān na patiś ca sa syān na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum //

18. He who would not, or, cannot show the way to salvation to the Jiva that has fallen into Saṃsara (mortal life), cannot be his preceptor or a relation or a father or a mother or the deity or the Lord.

5.5.19

idaṃ śarīraṃ mama durvibhāvyaṃ sattvaṃ hi me hṛdayaṃ yatra dharmaḥ /
pṛṣṭhe kṛto me yad adharma ārād ato hi mām ṛṣabhaṃ prāhur āryāḥ //

19. This visible body of Mine cannot be understood in its true-character (it is not like the body of mortals) (since I have chosen to be such); My mind is pure Satva wherein abides Dharma; since I have turned My back on adharma and I am far from it, the venerable call Me Rishabha.

5.5.20

tasmād bhavanto hṛdayena jātāḥ sarve mahīyāṃsam amuṃ sanābham /
akliṣṭa-buddhyā bharataṃ bhajadhvaṃ śuśrūṣaṇaṃ tad bharaṇaṃ prajānām //

20. You are all born of My heart (which is Satva); therefore do you all dutifully serve this worthy Bharata your eldest brother in sincerity and that will be service to Me and that will constitute your duty of protecting the subjects.

5.5.21

bhūteṣu vīrudbhya uduttamā ye sarīsṛpās teṣu sabodha-niṣṭhāḥ /
tato manuṣyāḥ pramathās tato 'pi gandharva-siddhā vibudhānugā ye //

21. Among all those that are created, plants which grow by themselves occupy a very high place; higher than these are reptiles, worms and the like that move from place to place; still higher are those that are endowed with intelligence; higher still are human beings; higher than men are Pramathas (spirits and the like). Gandharvas and Siddhas and other attendants of the celestials are superior to Pramathas.

5.5.22

devāsurebhyo maghavat-pradhānā dakṣādayo brahma-sutās tu teṣām /
bhavaḥ paraḥ so 'tha viriñca-vīryaḥ sa mat-paro 'haṃ dvija-deva-devaḥ //

22. Indra and the gods under him are superior to Asuras. Daksha and other sons of Brahma are higher than the gods. God Siva is superior to these and he is born of Virincha, the four-faced

Brahma and I am superior to Brahma and I look upon the great Brahmans as My supreme Deity.

5.5.23

na brāhmaṇais tulaye bhūtam anyat paśyāmi viprāḥ kim ataḥ paraṃ tu /
yasmin nṛbhiḥ prahutaṃ śraddhayāham aśnāmi kāmaṃ na tathāgni-hotre //

23. I do not think that any other being is equal to Brahmans; O Brahmans: whom should I then consider superior to them? What is offered by men to Brahmans with faith, I eat (accept) with satisfaction; but not so what is offered into the fire in a sacrifice.

5.5.24

dhṛtā tanūr uśatī me purāṇī yeneha sattvaṃ paramaṃ pavitram /
śamo damaḥ satyam anugrahaś ca tapas titikṣānubhavaś ca yatra //

24. (I could not think anything to be superior to that Brahmin) by whom My glorious and eternal body (the Vedas) finds support here, in this world and in whom are found the most sanctifying Satva, serenity of mind, control of the senses; truthfulness, gracious disposition, tapas, the spirit of endurance and realisation of self.

5.5.25

matto 'py anantāt parataḥ parasmāt svargāpavargādhipater na kiñcit /
yeṣāṃ kim u syād itareṇa teṣām akiñcanānāṃ mayi bhakti-bhājām //

25. What have they to seek from any other,—those who find nothing to seek even from Me, the Absolute, higher than the highest, the Lord of Swarga and Moksha, and those who are devoted only to Me and therefore have nothing to seek after?

5.5.26

sarvāṇi mad-dhiṣṇyatayā bhavadbhiś carāṇi bhūtāni sutā dhruvāṇi /
sambhāvitavyāni pade pade vo vivikta-dṛgbhis tad u hārhaṇaṃ me //

26. O sons, all beings moving and stationary ought to be at every moment treated by you with respect as being my abode, with a pure vision (with a mind free from envy and other passions); and that is My true worship.

5.5.27

mano-vaco-dṛk-karaṇehitasya sākṣāt-kṛtaṃ me paribarhaṇaṃ hi /
vinā pumān yena mahā-vimohāt kṛtānta-pāśān na vimoktum īśet //

27. The highest fruit (to be sought after) is to resign to the Lord whatever is done by the mind, the tongue, the eye or other sense and this constitutes My worship; failing to do this, man cannot hope of release from the snare of time, the cause of insuperable bewilderment (delusion).

5.5.28

/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
evam anuśāsyātmajān svayam anuśiṣṭān api lokānuśāsanārthaṃ mahānubhāvaḥ parama-suhṛd bhagavān ṛṣabhāpadeśa upaśama-śīlānām uparata-karmaṇāṃ mahā-munīnāṃ bhakti-jñāna-vairāgya-lakṣaṇaṃ pāramahaṃsya-dharmam upaśikṣamāṇaḥ sva-tanaya-śata-jyeṣṭhaṃ parama-bhāgavataṃ bhagavaj-jana-parāyaṇaṃ bharataṃ dharaṇi-pālanāyābhiṣicya svayaṃ bhavana evorvarita-śarīra-mātra-parigraha unmatta iva gagana-paridhānaḥ prakīrṇa-keśa ātmany āropitāhavanīyo brahmāvartāt pravavrāja //

28. Sri Suka said:— The glorious Lord bearing the name Rishabha, thus commanded and instructed His sons, though they

were themselves well disciplined, for the guidance of the world; being the supreme Lord of unlimited power and also the best friend of all, He intended to exemplify in His life the duties of the Paramahaṃsa order, *viz.*, devotion, acquisition of wisdom and renunciation, which should characterise great sages and contemplatists who have formed habits of tranquility and given up the course of (gross) karma. He crowned Bharata, the eldest of his hundred sons, most devoted to God and the best asylum to the Lord's devotees and commanded him to protect the kingdom; and He himself with no other property in the house than His mere body, behaved like a mad man, was sky-clad, with dishevelled hair, and having enshrined the sacrificial fire (the deity Agni) in Himself He went out of Brahmāvarta as an ascetic.

5.5.29

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jaḍāndha-mūka-badhira-piśāconmādakavad-avadhūta-veṣo 'bhibhāṣyamāṇo 'pi janānāṃ gṛhīta-mauna-vratas tūṣṇīṃ babhūva //

29. Like a dunce, blind, dumb, deaf man, like a ghost, like a mad man, he put on the appearance of one who has lost all sense of the body; though spoken to by people, he observed the vow of perfect silence: he remained quiet.

5.5.30

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tatra tatra pura-grāmākara-kheṭa-vāṭa-kharvaṭa-śibira-vraja-ghoṣa-sārtha-giri-vanāśramādiṣv anupatham avanicarāpasadaiḥ paribhūyamāno makṣikābhir iva vana-gajas tarjana-tāḍanāvamehana-ṣṭhīvana-grāva-śakṛd-rajaḥ-prakṣepa-pūti-vāta-duruktais tad avigaṇayann evāsat-saṃsthāna etasmin dehopalakṣaṇe sad-apadeśa ubhayānubhava-svarūpeṇa sva-mahimāvasthānenāsamāropitāhaṃ-mamābhimānatvād avikhaṇḍita-manāḥ pṛthivīm eka-caraḥ paribabhrāma //

30. At different places, in cities, at villages, (1) (hill-forts) quarries, hamlets, avenues, habitations at (2) the foot of hills, in camps, in stables, in the enclosures of herdsmen, in the crowds of pilgrims, in hermitages, on mountains, and the like, on every road, ill-treated by the worst creatures moving on the earth, just like an elephant harassed by mosquitoes, being threatened and struck, insulted with nuisance, spit at, pelted with stones, and showered with dung and dust, treated with nasty breaths and upbraiding;—neglecting all this, while in this bad home known as the body often described and considered as something real, yet realising in his essential nature (3) both being and non-being and remaining unperturbed in his glorious essence and destitute of the unreal attachment to self and its belongings and consequently having his thought uninterrupted, he all alone roamed through the world.

5.5.31

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ati-sukumāra-kara-caraṇoraḥ-sthala-vipula-bāhv-aṃsa-gala-vadanādy-avayava-vinyāsaḥ prakṛti-sundara-svabhāva-hāsa-sumukho nava-nalina-dalāyamāna-śiśira-tārāruṇāyata-nayana-ruciraḥ sadṛśa-subhaga-kapola-karṇa-kaṇṭha-nāso vigūḍha-smita-vadana-mahotsavena pura-vanitānāṃ manasi kusuma-śarāsanam upadadhānaḥ parāg-avalambamāna-kuṭila-jaṭila-kapiśa-keśa-bhūri-bhāro 'vadhūta-malina-nija-śarīreṇa graha-gṛhīta ivādṛśyata //

31. Very delicately shaped were his hands and feet and chest; large and proud were his arms, shoulders, neck, face and other mem-

bers of the body beautifully fitted up; by nature he was charming; a natural smile brightened his well-formed face; he looked delightful with his red and broad and refreshing eyes which were like unto petals of a fresh blown lotus; symmetrical and captivating were his cheeks, ears, the neck and nose; by the great feast which his face promised with suppressed smiles he ushered the god of love (the flower-arrowed) into the heart of the women of the city; his face was adorned with profuse ringlets of matted and golden (brownish) locks overhanging it and with his body neglected and covered with dust, he looked like one that was possessed.

5.5.32

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yarhi vāva sa bhagavān lokam imaṃ yogasyāddhā pratīpam ivācakṣāṇas tat-pratikriyā-karma bībhatsitam iti vratam ājagaram-āsthitaḥ śayāna evāśnāti pibati khādaty avamehati hadati sma ceṣṭamāna uccarita ādigdhoddeśaḥ //

32. When the glorious Rishabha found this world opposed to his Yoga practice and also saw that it was awkward to make any effort to fight against such opposition, he adopted the vow of Ajagara life and accordingly lying down he eats, drinks, chews, passes water, eases himself (laughs) and rolls in the nuisance with which the parts of the body gets covered.

5.5.33

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tasya ha yaḥ purīṣa-surabhi-saugandhya-vāyus taṃ deśaṃ daśa-yojanaṃ samantāt surabhiṃ cakāra //

33. The wind charged with the fragrance of what is cast off from his body perfumes the country to an extent ten yojanas all round.

5.5.34

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evaṃ go-mṛga-kāka-caryayā vrajaṃs tiṣṭhann āsīnaḥ śayānaḥ kāka-mṛga-go-caritaḥ pibati khādaty avamehati sma //

34. Similarly, adopting the courses of the bull, the deer, the crow, whether going or staying or sitting or lying down he behaves like the bull, the deer, and crow and he drinks, eats, and chews and passes water.

5.5.35

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iti nānā-yoga-caryācaraṇo bhagavān kaivalya-patir ṛṣabho 'virata-parama-mahānandānubhava ātmani sarveṣāṃ bhūtānām ātma-bhūte bhagavati vāsudeva ātmano 'vyavadhānānanta-rodara-bhāvena siddha-samastārtha-paripūrṇo yogaiśvaryāṇi vaihāyasa-mano-javāntardhāna-parakāya-praveśa-dūra-grahaṇādīni yadṛcchayopagatāni nāñjasā nṛpa hṛdayenābhyanandat //

35. Thus Rishabha, the glorious Lord of salvation exhibited by the various Yoga practices and with no environment like a physical body to interrupt His mind (His power of direct cognition) always realised His supreme and perfect blissfulness in the All-pervading Atman who is the Lord Vasudeva and the inner ruler of all beings; he was perfect as naturally possessed of everything (that others may seek after) and displayed the extraordinary powers of Yoga according to the will of the Lord, such as being swift in passing through the air, quickness of thought, withdrawing oneself from the vision of others, entering into another's body, seeing things distanced by Time and Place, but did not, O king, welcome them at His heart.