Bhagavatapurana 5.9

5.9.1

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/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
atha kasyacid dvija-varasyāṅgiraḥ-pravarasya śama-dama-tapaḥ-svādhyāyādhyayana-tyāga-santoṣa-titikṣā-praśraya-vidyānasūyātma-jñānānanda-yuktasyātma-sadṛśa-śruta-śīlācāra-rūpaudārya-guṇā nava sodaryā aṅgajā babhūvur mithunaṃ ca yavīyasyāṃ bhāryāyām //

1. Sri Suka said:—Then (in the next stage the history of Bharata is as follows). There was a very holy Brahmin foremost of the Angiras Race, distinguished for his tranquility, control of the senses, Tapas, study of the Vedas, charitable gifts, contentment, spirit of endurance, modesty, the knowledge of Vedic rites, freedom from envy and jealousy, self-realisation and the felicity (arising from his great righteous disposition); he had nine sons by one wife who were all like himself in learning, character, conduct, beauty, generosity and other qualities and by the younger wife he had twins, a son and a daughter.

5.9.2

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yas tu tatra pumāṃs taṃ parama-bhāgavataṃ rājarṣi-pravaraṃ bharatam utsṛṣṭa-mṛga-śarīraṃ carama-śarīreṇa vipratvaṃ gatam āhuḥ //

2. The male of this twin-born children was, they say, the great devotee of Hari, the great saintly king Bharata who had cast off his body of the deer and who had now come to be born a Brahmin with the last (physical) body before salvation.

5.9.3

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tatrāpi svajana-saṅgāc ca bhṛśam udvijamāno bhagavataḥ karma-bandha-vidhvaṃsana-śravaṇa-smaraṇa-guṇa-vivaraṇa-caraṇāravinda-yugalaṃ manasā vidadhad ātmanaḥ pratighātam āśaṅkamāno bhagavad-anugraheṇānusmṛta-sva-pūrva-janmāvalir ātmānam unmatta-jaḍāndha-badhira-svarūpeṇa darśayām āsa lokasya //

3. In this birth also, badly afraid of attachment to his kith and kin, ever remembering at heart the two lotus-like feet of the Lord who breaks off the bondage (of Karma) of those that listen to His accounts, that always contemplate Him and glorify His attributes, being in dread of fall again and remembering through Lord's grace the series of his previous lives, showed himself to the world as a mad, stupid, blind and deaf person.

5.9.4

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tasyāpi ha vā ātmajasya vipraḥ putra-snehānubaddha-manā āsamāvartanāt saṃskārān yathopadeśaṃ vidadhāna upanītasya ca punaḥ śaucācamanādīn karma-niyamān anabhipretān api samaśikṣayad anuśiṣṭena hi bhāvyaṃ pituḥ putreṇeti //

4. With a heart deeply attached to his son through fatherly love, the Brahmin performed for him (such as he was) all the ceremonies up to Samavartana (the ceremony by which one gets discharged from pupilage in the Vedic school or Vedic study and from the estate of a bachelor) and, having performed his Upanayana

according to the rules, taught him how to keep himself clean, how to perform Achamana and other necessary courses of duties though they were not relished by the son; for (he thought) the son ought to be properly trained by the father.

5.9.5

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sa cāpi tad u ha pitṛ-sannidhāv evāsadhrīcīnam iva sma karoti chandāṃsy adhyāpayiṣyan saha vyāhṛtibhiḥ sapraṇava-śiras tripadīṃ sāvitrīṃ graiṣma-vāsantikān māsān adhīyānam apy asamaveta-rūpaṃ grāhayām āsa //

5. But in the presence of his father the son (Bharata) made the teaching appear as thrown away on him; for the father intending to teach him the Vedas taught him first the Vyahritis and Gayatri (the three-footed) with the sacred syllable. Though he studied for four months from Chaitra (spring and summer), the father was able to make him learn only a few disconnected syllables.

5.9.6

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evaṃ sva-tanuja ātmany anurāgāveśita-cittaḥ śaucādhyayana-vrata-niyama-gurv-anala-śuśrūṣaṇādy-aupakurvāṇaka-karmāṇy anabhiyuktāny api samanuśiṣṭena bhāvyam ity asad-āgrahaḥ putram anuśāsya svayaṃ tāvad anadhigata-manorathaḥ kālenāpramattena svayaṃ gṛha eva pramatta upasaṃhṛtaḥ //

6. Thus, with a heart full of intense love to his son who was no other than his own self and with the wrong notion and strong desire that his son should become learned, the father taught his son, though neglected by the latter, all the duties of a bachelor, viz, cleanliness, study of the Vedas, regulated life, worship of preceptor and fire, service and the like; but not having realised his wishes, overtaken by the ever vigilant Time, the father, who had lost sight of everything else in his attachment to domestic life, was withdrawn from the scene.

5.9.7

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atha yavīyasī dvija-satī sva-garbha-jātaṃ mithunaṃ sapatnyā upanyasya svayam anusaṃsthayā patilokam agāt //

7. Thereupon the younger wife of the Brahmin entrusted her twin-born children to the care of her co-wife and dying with her husband, attained to the same world as he reached.

5.9.8

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pitary uparate bhrātara enam atat-prabhāva-vidas trayyāṃ vidyāyām eva paryavasita-matayo na para-vidyāyāṃ jaḍa-matir iti bhrātur anuśāsana-nirbandhān nyavṛtsanta //

8. On the death of their father, his brothers, ignorant of his greatness and with the absolute belief that there is nothing more to be done than to study the Vedas, and to observe the gross duties enjoined therein, and destitute of any idea of the higher knowledge leading to self-realisation, thought him to be a dunce and wished to spare themselves from the trouble and decided upon giving up the irksome duty of teaching their brother.

5.9.9

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sa ca prākṛtair dvipada-paśubhir unmatta-jaḍa-badhira-mūkety abhibhāṣyamāṇo yadā tad-anurūpāṇi prabhāṣate karmāṇi ca kāryamāṇaḥ parecchayā karoti viṣṭito vetanato vā yācñyā yadṛcchayā vopasāditam alpaṃ bahu mṛṣṭaṃ kadannaṃ vābhyavaharati paraṃ nendriya-prīti-nimittam nitya-nivṛtta-nimitta-sva-siddha-viśuddhānubhavānanda-svātma-lābhādhigamaḥ sukha-duḥkhayor dvandva-nimittayor asambhāvita-dehābhimānaḥ //

9. On the other hand when he was called a mad, dull or deaf man by the common people, the by-footed animals, he talked to them in the same strain; when he was made to do work as desired by another (according to God's will) he did it either as a forced labour-

er or on wages; and what little or plentiful food, good or bad, he got by way of alms or by chance, he ate; but he did not eat for the gratification of his senses, for the cause of such appetite had left him for ever and he had attained that knowledge of self which is essentially bliss, pure intelligence and existing by itself, and he had no attachment whatever to his body, for pleasure or pain, which is the result of the opposite states (such as, respect or disrespect).

5.9.10

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śītoṣṇa-vāta-varṣeṣu vṛṣa ivānāvṛtāṅgaḥ pīnaḥ saṃhananāṅgaḥ sthaṇḍila-saṃveśanānunmardanāmajjana-rajasā mahāmaṇir ivānabhivyakta-brahma-varcasaḥ kupaṭāvṛta-kaṭir upavītenoru-maṣiṇā dvijātir iti brahma-bandhur iti saṃjñayātaj-jñajanāvamato vicacāra //

10. In cold and hot winds and showers of rain, he ranged like a bull with nothing to cover his body, yet stout and strong-limbed and with the dust on his body as he lay on bare earth; did not bathe and wash it off; he was, like unto a very precious jewel, full of concealed divine glory; and, clothed in rags, with his sacred thread as dark as possible and derided by the ignorant with the word "he was born of Brahmins," "he is a Brahmin relation," or, "a fallen Brahmin" he wandered about.

5.9.11

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yadā tu parata āhāraṃ karma-vetanata īhamānaḥ sva-bhrātṛbhir api kedāra-karmaṇi nirūpitas tad api karoti kintu na samaṃ viṣamaṃ nyūnam adhikam iti veda kaṇa-piṇyāka-phalī-karaṇa-kulmāṣa-sthālīpurīṣādīny apy amṛtavad abhyavaharati //

11. When he did work for wages to live by, he was asked even by his brothers to work in the fields and he did it; but he knew not whether it was level or uneven, whether he did more or less;[11.] he swallowed, as it were ambrosia, whatever was given him, whether it was broken rice or other grain, oil-cakes, husk, the worm-eaten grain, the charred rice at the bottom of the pot, or anything like it.

5.9.12

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atha kadācit kaścid vṛṣala-patir bhadra-kālyai puruṣa-paśum ālabhatāpatya-kāmaḥ //

12. Next on one occasion a certain chieftain of the Sudras (thieves) desirous of an issue, (and on having had it, in order to have his vow discharged) proceeded to offer a human sacrifice to Bhadrakali.

5.9.13

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tasya ha daiva-muktasya paśoḥ padavīṃ tad-anucarāḥ paridhāvanto niśi niśītha-samaye tamasāvṛtāyām anadhigata-paśava ākasmikena vidhinā kedārān vīrāsanena mṛga-varāhādibhyaḥ saṃrakṣamāṇam aṅgiraḥ-pravara-sutam apaśyan //

13. The man, who had been so brought and tied up as the animal of sacrifice, having by chance escaped; the servants, trying to track him, ran about in the dark night, even at dead of night, and owing to the dense darkness, not finding the animal, found, by force of chance, the venerable son of Angiras who in the Veerasana posture was watching the field from deer, hogs and other beasts.

5.9.14

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atha ta enam anavadya-lakṣaṇam avamṛśya bhartṛ-karma-niṣpattiṃ manyamānā baddhvā raśanayā caṇḍikā-gṛham upaninyur mudā vikasit a-vadanāḥ //

14. Then perceiving him to be perfect in his limbs and strength (free from every defect), and considering that their master's purpose

would be very well accomplished, they bound him with ropes and carried him to the temple of Chandika, their face blooming with joy.

5.9.15

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atha paṇayas taṃ sva-vidhinābhiṣicyāhatena vāsasācchādya bhūṣaṇālepa-srak-tilakādibhir upaskṛtaṃ bhuktavantaṃ dhūpa-dīpa-mālya-lāja-kisalayāṅkura-phalopahāropetayā vaiśasa-saṃsthayā mahatā gīta-stuti-mṛdaṅga-paṇava-ghoṣeṇa ca puruṣa-paśuṃ bhadra-kālyāḥ purata upaveśayām āsuḥ //

15. Thereafter the robber priests gave him a bath according to their rule, clothed him with a new piece of cloth, decorated his person with ornaments pigments, wreaths of flowers, made him eat sumptuous meals, led him with music, praises, with drums, and panava sounding and, according to the custom observed at the sacrifice of a human being (or animal sacrifice), with the burning of frankincense, with lights (torches), garlands of flowers, fried rice, tender shoots and sprouts and the offering of fruits, they brought him before Bhadrakali.

5.9.16

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atha vṛṣala-rāja-paṇiḥ puruṣa-paśor asṛg-āsavena devīṃ bhadra-kālīṃ yakṣyamāṇas tad-abhimantritam asim ati-karāla-niśitam upādade //

16. Then the chief of the Sudra highwaymen wishing to propitiate Bhadrakali with the drink of the blood of a human victim, raised the dreadfully sharp sword on which the mantra of the goddess had been pronounced.

5.9.17

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iti teṣāṃ vṛṣalānāṃ rajas-tamaḥ-prakṛtīnāṃ dhana-mada-raja-utsikta-manasāṃ bhagavat-kalā-vīra-kulaṃ kadarthī-kṛtyotpathena svairaṃ viharatāṃ hiṃsā-vihārāṇāṃ karmāti-dāruṇaṃ yad brahma-bhūtasya sākṣād brahmarṣi-sutasya nirvairasya sarva-bhūta-suhṛdaḥ sūnāyām apy ananumatam ālambhanaṃ tad upalabhya brahma-tejasāti-durviṣaheṇa dandahyamānena vapuṣā sahasoccacāṭa saiva devī bhadra-kālī //

17. For the Sudras who were constituted of the qualities of Rajas and Tamas, and whose mind was full of insolence on account of the Rajas (passion) and was intoxicated with riches and drink, who always put to suffering the race of brave brahmins full of divine presence, who always proceeded by the crooked path and who found amusement in doing violence to other lives, their action in sacrificing the Brahmin was most horrible and cruel—the Brahmin who was the sage and Brahman himself, the son of a Brahmin sage and who was quite harmless, nay, the friend to all creatures, the killing of whom could not be permitted even in any great crisis. Noticing this act of theirs the goddess made her appearance (issuing from her image in the temple), with her body burning as it were owing to the unbearable force of the Brahmin’s virtue.

5.9.18

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bhṛśam amarṣa-roṣāveśa-rabhasa-vilasita-bhru-kuṭi-viṭapa-kuṭila-daṃṣṭrāruṇekṣaṇāṭopāti-bhayānaka-vadanā hantu-kāmevedaṃ mahāṭṭa-hāsam ati-saṃrambheṇa vimuñcantī tata utpatya pāpīyasāṃ duṣṭānāṃ tenaivāsinā vivṛkṇa-śīrṣṇāṃ galāt sravantam asṛg-āsavam atyuṣṇaṃ saha gaṇena nipīyāti-pāna-mada-vihvaloccaistarāṃ sva-pārṣadaiḥ saha jagau nanarta ca vijahāra ca śiraḥ-kanduka-līlayā //

18. In boundless rage and indignation, impetuously throwing up in agitation her eye-brows like curved branches, formidable jaws and incissors, her fiery eyes breathing violence; her face thus threatening the world as if she were impatient to destroy it, uttering thundering roars in great rage, she sprang upon those sinful, wicked creatures and cut off their heads with the same sword; then along with her attendants, drank the hot wine of blood streaming forth from their necks, and in over-flowing spirits, intoxicated with the excessive drink, the goddess with her attendants sang, danced, and played balls with their heads.

5.9.19

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evam eva khalu mahad-abhicārāti-kramaḥ kārtsnyenātmane phalati //

19. Exactly in the same manner does the wrong of oppressing the great produce its effect wholly on the wrong-doer himself.

5.9.20

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na vā etad viṣṇudatta mahad-adbhutaṃ yad asambhramaḥ sva-śiraś-chedana āpatite 'pi vimukta-dehādy-ātma-bhāva-sudṛḍha-hṛdaya-granthīnāṃ sarva-sattva-suhṛd-ātmanāṃ nirvairāṇāṃ sākṣād bhagavatānimiṣāri-varāyudhenāpramattena tais tair bhāvaiḥ parirakṣyamāṇānāṃ tat-pāda-mūlam akutaścid-bhayam upasṛtānāṃ bhāgavata-paramahaṃsānām //

20. O Parikshit, thou art thyself indebted to Sri Krishna for thy life. It is no great wonder that, even when their head is chopped off, no perturbation is seen on the part of Paramahamsas devoted to the supreme Lord Hari, who have ceased to mistake the body for Atman and have cut off the strong knot of the heart (attachment) and who have taken shelter at the Lord's feet, the resort of absolute security, who by nature are friends of all beings and hate none, and who are protected (directly) by the Lord who is in various forms, ever on the alert with His foremost weapon, namely, the Chakra of Time.