Bhagavatapurana 6.7: atha saptamo'dhyāyaḥ

6.7.1

/0 śrīrājovāca
kasya hetoḥ parityaktā ācāryeṇātmanaḥ surāḥ /
etadācakṣva bhagavañ chiṣyāṇāmakramaṃ gurau //

The king said: / For what reason were the gods abandoned by their own teacher? / Relate this, O lord: the improper conduct of the disciples toward their guru.

1. The king said:— For what reason were the gods abandoned by their own preceptor? O worshipful one, be pleased to tell me of that bad conduct of the disciples towards their preceptor.

6.7.2

/0 śrībādarāyaṇiruvāca
indrastribhuvanaiśvarya madollaṅghitasatpathaḥ /
marudbhirvasubhī rudrairādityairṛbhubhirnṛpa //

The son of Bādarāyaṇa said: / Indra, his path of virtue crossed through intoxication with sovereignty over the three worlds, O king, / was surrounded by the Maruts, Vasus, Rudras, Ādityas, Ṛbhus,

2.3. & 4. Sri Suka said:— O heir of Bharata race, Indra, proud of his lordship over the three worlds, strayed from the path of virtue. For he was waited upon, praised by Maruts, Vasus, Rudras, Adityas and Ribhus, (Rishis), O king, by Visvedevas, Sadhyas, and Aswins; by Siddhas, Charanas, Gandharvas, Sages versed in Vedas; by Vidyadharas, by Apsaras women, by Kinnaras, birds and serpents.

6.7.3

viśvedevaiśca sādhyaiśca nāsatyābhyāṃ pariśritaḥ /
siddhacāraṇagandharvairmunibhirbrahmavādibhiḥ //

Viśvedevas, Sādhyas, and the two Nāsatyas, / by the Siddhas, Cāraṇas, Gandharvas, and sages who expound Brahman,

6.7.4

vidyādharāpsarobhiśca kinnaraiḥ patagoragaiḥ /
niṣevyamāṇo maghavān stūyamānaśca bhārata //

by the Vidyādharas, Apsarases, Kinnaras, birds, and serpents. / Being attended upon and praised, O descendant of Bharata,

6.7.5

upagīyamāno lalitamāsthānādhyāsanāśritaḥ /
pāṇḍureṇātapatreṇa candramaṇḍalacāruṇā //

and sung to delightfully as he occupied the royal assembly seat, / shaded by a white umbrella as charming as the orb of the moon,

5. & 6. Sweetly panegyrized he was sitting on his throne in the court; a white umbrella beautiful like the disc of the moon was held over him; with other insignia of supreme royalty, viz., Chamaras, fans and the like and with his queen Sachi occuping half the throne, he shone foremost.

6.7.6

yuktaścānyaiḥ pārameṣṭhyaiścāmaravyajanādibhiḥ /
virājamānaḥ paulamyā sahārdhāsanayā bhṛśam //

provided with other royal insignia such as yak-tail whisks and fans, / and shining exceedingly alongside Paulomī, who shared half his throne—

6.7.7

sa yadā paramācāryaṃ devānāmātmanaśca ha /
nābhyanandata samprāptaṃ pratyutthānāsanādibhiḥ //

when he did not welcome the supreme preceptor of the gods and of himself / upon his arrival, by standing up, offering a seat, and so forth;

7. When Indra, in the enjoyment of supreme grandeur, neglected to welcome the great preceptor of the gods and himself, as he came in, by rising from his seat and going forth to meet him with other similar marks of attention;

6.7.8

vācaspatiṃ munivaraṃ surāsuranamaskṛtam /
noccacālāsanādindraḥ paśyannapi sabhāgatam //

Indra did not stir from his seat, even seeing that Vācaspati, the best of sages / bowed down to by gods and asuras, had entered the assembly.

8. The preceptor was no other than Brihaspati, the master of all lore and the foremost sage revered by Suras and Asuras; when, even on seeing him actually in the court, Indra did not move in his seat;

6.7.9

tato nirgatya sahasā kavirāṅgirasaḥ prabhuḥ /
āyayau svagṛhaṃ tūṣṇīṃ vidvān śrīmadavikriyām //

Then the wise son of Aṅgiras, the sage and lord, went out at once, / and returned home in silence, knowing this mutation caused by pride in power.

9. The wise and powerful Angirasa went out of the court and quietly returned home, fully observing the change due to the pride of wealth and power.

6.7.10

tarhy eva pratibudhyendro guruhelanamātmanaḥ /
garhayāmāsa sadasi svayamātmānamātmanā //

Just then, Indra became aware of his disrespect toward his guru / and censured himself in the assembly by himself:

10. Only then Indra opened his eyes to his misbehaviour towards the preceptor in the court and censured himself publicly.

6.7.11

aho bata mayāsādhu kṛtaṃ vai dabhrabuddhinā /
yan mayaiśvaryamattena guruḥ sadasi kātkṛtaḥ //

“Alas, what an evil deed was done by me of small intellect! / Since, intoxicated with power, I showed contempt for my guru in the assembly!

11. “Ah! Shame! What unrighteous act has been committed by me, a creature of very poor sense, in that in the midst of the court the preceptor is treated with contempt by me intoxicated with the pride of wealth and power.

6.7.12

ko gṛdhyet paṇḍito lakṣmīṃ tripiṣṭapapaterapi /
yayāhamāsuraṃ bhāvaṃ nīto 'dya vibudheśvaraḥ //

What wise man would covet fortune, even that of the lord of heaven, / by which I, the ruler of the gods, have today been reduced to a demonic state?

12. Which wise man would long for that Fortune, even of the Lord of the celestial world, by which I, the ruler of *the Gods*, have been to-day cast into the Asura mood?

6.7.13

yaḥ pārameṣṭhyaṃ dhiṣaṇamadhitiṣṭhan na kañcana /
pratyuttiṣṭhediti brūyurdharmaṃ te na paraṃ viduḥ //

Those who say that one occupying the highest throne should rise for no one
do not know the supreme dharma.

13. Those who might say that the person occupying the high throne of a king ought not to rise and go forth to meet any body, do not know the highest rule of righteousness.

6.7.14

teṣāṃ kupathadeṣṭṝṇāṃ patatāṃ tamasi hy adhaḥ /
ye śraddadhyurvacaste vai majjanty aśmaplavā iva //

Those who place faith in the words of such bad guides falling down into darkness,
sink indeed like rafts made of stone.

14. Those that could put faith in the words of those that show the wrong course and pave their way downwards to the dark hell, sink down like rafts of granite rock.

6.7.15

athāhamamarācāryamagādhadhiṣaṇaṃ dvijam /
prasādayiṣye niśaṭhaḥ śīrṣṇā taccaraṇaṃ spṛśan //

Now, sincere and touching his feet with my head,
I shall propitiate the spiritual master of the immortals, the twice-born of fathomless intellect.”

15. Therefore I shall, (now) rid of all crooked notion, touch his feet with my head and conciliate the brahmin of boundless intelligence, the priest and preceptor of the gods.

6.7.16

evaṃ cintayatastasya maghono bhagavān gṛhāt /
bṛhaspatirgato 'dṛṣṭāṃ gatimadhyātmamāyayā //

As Maghavan was thinking thus, the Lord Bṛhaspati
departed from his dwelling to an unseen realm by his spiritual power.

16. While Indra was thus thinking over, the worshipful Brihaspati went out of his mansion and remained invisible by his supreme Maya (powers).

6.7.17

gurornādhigataḥ saṃjñāṃ parīkṣan bhagavān svarāṭ /
dhyāyan dhiyā surairyuktaḥ śarma nālabhatātmanaḥ //

Searching for his guru and finding no trace, the independent lord,
meditating with his intellect along with the gods, found no peace of mind.

17. Though he looked for him all round, the glorious ruler of the celestial world could not see how to discover the whereabouts of the preceptor; so along with the gods he deliberated and taxed all his powers of reason and felt no peace of mind.

6.7.18

tac chrutvaivāsurāḥ sarva āśrityauśanasaṃ matam /
devān pratyudyamaṃ cakrurdurmadā ātatāyinaḥ //

Hearing of that very event, all the Asuras, relying on the counsel of Uśanas,
wickedly arrogant aggressors, undertook an assault against the gods.

18. As soon as they heard of this, all the haughty Asuras, all ruffians, obtained the approval of Usanas and made preparations to fight the gods.

6.7.19

tairvisṛṣṭeṣubhistīkṣṇairnirbhinnāṅgorubāhavaḥ /
brahmāṇaṃ śaraṇaṃ jagmuḥ sahendrā natakandharāḥ //

With their limbs, thighs, and arms pierced by the sharp arrows discharged by them,
the gods with Indra, their necks bowed, went to Brahmā for refuge.

19. With their heads, thighs and arms rent with the sharp arrows darted by them (Asuras), the gods led by Indra, with drooping heads, sought Brahma as their protector (for protection).

6.7.20

tāṃstathābhyarditān vīkṣya bhagavān ātmabhūrajaḥ /
kṛpayā parayā deva uvāca parisāntvayan //

Seeing them thus afflicted, the unborn Lord, self-born,
comforted the gods, speaking out of supreme compassion.

20. On seeing them so severely beaten the worshipful Brahma (son of Vishnu), consoled them in deep compassion and spoke thus.

6.7.21

/0 śrībrahmovāca
aho bata suraśreṣṭhā hy abhadraṃ vaḥ kṛtaṃ mahat /
brahmiṣṭhaṃ brāhmaṇaṃ dāntamaiśvaryān nābhyanandata //

The venerable Brahmā said:
“Alas, O best of gods, indeed a great misdeed has been done by you,
in that, out of arrogance born of sovereignty, you did not welcome the restrained brāhmaṇa, steadfast in Brahman.

21. Brahma said:—Alas! O great gods, great is the fault you have done, in that, proud of wealth and power, you did not respectfully receive the brahmin who is possessed of self-control and imbued with the spirit of the Supreme Being.

6.7.22

tasyāyamanayasyāsīt parebhyo vaḥ parābhavaḥ /
prakṣīṇebhyaḥ svavairibhyaḥ samṛddhānāṃ ca yat surāḥ //

This defeat of yours at the hands of enemies has arisen from that transgression,
in that you, though prosperous, O gods, [have been defeated] by your weakened foes.

22. The fruit of that unrighteous conduct is that you have, powerful and prosperous as you are, suffered defeat at the hands of your own enemies who had grown weaker, O gods.

6.7.23

maghavan dviṣataḥ paśya prakṣīṇān gurvatikramāt /
sampraty upacitān bhūyaḥ kāvyamārādhya bhaktitaḥ /
ādadīran nilayanaṃ mamāpi bhṛgudevatāḥ //

O Maghavan, behold your enemies, once diminished by transgression against their guru,
now replenished once again by devotionally worshipping Kāvya;
these devotees of Bhṛgu might even seize my abode!

23. O Indra, observe your enemies who had once, from violating their preceptor, grown very weak, have now again grown strong by propitiating Sukra (their preceptor) with (great) devotion; those who regard Sukra as their deity might even take possession of my place (Brahmaloka).

6.7.24

tripiṣṭapaṃ kiṃ gaṇayanty abhedya mantrā bhṛgūṇāmanuśikṣitārthāḥ /
na vipragovindagavīśvarāṇāṃ bhavanty abhadrāṇi nareśvarāṇām //

Why should they reckon the celestial realm, their counsel indivisible, trained in their goals by the Bhṛgus?
No misfortunes befall rulers of men who are devoted to brāhmaṇas, Govinda, and the cows.

24. For Swargaloka what regard have they whose design is never betrayed (divulged) and who are well instructed in every thing by the teachers of the Brighu race? (However) evils do not befall those kings and men of whom brahmins (sages), Sri Govinda and cows are the rulers and protectors.

6.7.25

tadviśvarūpaṃ bhajatāśu vipraṃ tapasvinaṃ tvāṣṭramathātmavantam /
sabhājito 'rthān sa vidhāsyate vo yadi kṣamiṣyadhvamutāsya karma //

Therefore, quickly take refuge in the brāhmaṇa Viśvarūpa, son of Tvaṣṭṛ, ascetic and self-possessed;
honored, he will accomplish your purposes, provided you tolerate his deeds.”

25. Therefore do you soon and immediately worship the brahmin sage Viswarupa, son of Twashta, engaged in tapas, and possessed of self-control and the grace of the Lord. If you only bear

with what he does, he will, worshipped by you, obtain you what you seek after (grant your prayer).

6.7.26

/0 śrīśuka uvāca
ta evamuditā rājan brahmaṇā vigatajvarāḥ /
ṛṣiṃ tvāṣṭramupavrajya pariṣvajyedamabruvan //

Śrī Śuka said:
Addressed thus by Brahmā, O king, relieved of their feverish anxiety,
they approached the sage, son of Tvaṣṭṛ, embraced him, and said this:

26. Sri Suka said:— Thus counselled by Brahma, O king, the gods felt relieved of their anxiety, went up to the sage Viswarupa, embraced him and said to him as follows:—

6.7.27

/0 śrīdevā ūcuḥ
vayaṃ te 'tithayaḥ prāptā āśramaṃ bhadramastu te /
kāmaḥ sampādyatāṃ tāta pitṝṇāṃ samayocitaḥ //

The gods said:
“We have arrived as guests at your hermitage; let good fortune be yours!
O dear one, let our desire, fitting for this time of our fathers, be fulfilled.

27. The gods said:— We have come to thy hermitage as thy guests; may thou be blessed! O! let the opportune request of thy fathers be accomplished (by thee)!.

6.7.28

putrāṇāṃ hi paro dharmaḥ pitṛśuśrūṣaṇaṃ satām /
api putravatāṃ brahman kimuta brahmacāriṇām //

For service to fathers is the supreme dharma of virtuous sons,
even of those who have sons of their own, O brāhmaṇa, what then of celibates?

28. The highest duty of good sons is indeed to be at their parent's service; this is true even in the case of those who are themselves fathers in their turn; then what need be said that it is (an inviolable) duty on the part of brahmacharins?

6.7.29

ācāryo brahmaṇo mūrtiḥ pitā mūrtiḥ prajāpateḥ /
bhrātā marutpatermūrtirmātā sākṣāt kṣitestanuḥ //

The ācārya is the embodiment of Brahman; the father is the embodiment of Prajāpati;
the brother is the embodiment of the lord of the Maruts; the mother is the manifest form of the earth;

29. The Acharya (who initiates one into the Vedas) is the personification of the Veda; the father is the embodiment of Brahma the progenitor; the elder brother is the embodiment of the chief of Maruts; and the mother is verily the embodiment of the Earth.

6.7.30

dayāyā bhaginī mūrtirdharmasyātmātithiḥ svayam /
agnerabhyāgato mūrtiḥ sarvabhūtāni cātmanaḥ //

the sister is the embodiment of compassion; the guest is dharma himself;
the newcomer is the embodiment of fire, and all beings are of one’s own self.

30. The sister is the concrete form of kindness; the guest of the hour is veritably Dharma in a personal form; the guest who has been staying at home is Agni himself in a human form; and all beings are representatives of the Supreme Being.

6.7.31

tasmāt pitṝṇāmārtānāmārtiṃ paraparābhavam /
tapasāpanayaṃstāta sandeśaṃ kartumarhasi //

Therefore, O dear one, dispelling by your ascetic power the affliction of your afflicted fathers,
their defeat by others, you ought to carry out our request.

31. & 32. Therefore, O child, it is fit for thee to do their request in removing by virtue of thy tapas the grief of thy afflicted fathers consequent on their defeat at the hands of enemies; we desire thee, as one imbued with the Lord's spirit and being a brahmin fit for veneration, to be our priest, so that through thy power we may completely overcome our enemies.

6.7.32

vṛṇīmahe tvopādhyāyaṃ brahmiṣṭhaṃ brāhmaṇaṃ gurum /
yathāñjasā vijeṣyāmaḥ sapatnāṃstava tejasā //

We choose you as our teacher, a brāhmaṇa steadfast in Brahman, our guru,
so that through your radiance we shall easily conquer our rivals.

6.7.33

na garhayanti hy artheṣu yaviṣṭhāṅghryabhivādanam /
chandobhyo 'nyatra na brahman vayo jyaiṣṭhyasya kāraṇam //

For in matters of utility, they do not condemn prostrating at the feet of a younger person;
except in sacred verses, O brāhmaṇa, age is not the cause of seniority.”

33. In fact when there are high purposes to be served the wise do not object to (condemn) bowing to the feet of the younger; O brahmin, age is the cause of superiority in matters other than the Vedas (Vedic relations).

6.7.34

/0 śrīṛṣiruvāca
abhyarthitaḥ suragaṇaiḥ paurahitye mahātapāḥ /
sa viśvarūpastān āha prasannaḥ ślakṣṇayā girā //

The sage said:
Entreated thus for the office of household priest by the hosts of gods, the great ascetic,
that Viśvarūpa, pleased, spoke to them with gentle speech.

34. The Rishi Sri Suka said:— Entreated by the hosts of the gods to be their priest, Viswarupa of great tapas was pleased with them and spoke in soft words thus.

6.7.35

/0 śrīviśvarūpa uvāca
vigarhitaṃ dharmaśīlairbrahmavarcaupavyayam /
kathaṃ nu madvidho nāthā lokeśairabhiyācitam /
pratyākhyāsyati tacchiṣyaḥ sa eva svārtha ucyate //

Śrī Viśvarūpa said:
“The office of priest is censured by those devoted to dharma, as it wastes brāhmaṇical splendor;
yet how, O lords, could one like me refuse what is requested by the rulers of the world,
being their disciple? That itself is called one's true interest.

35. Viswarupa said:— Priesthood, as leading to loss of spiritual power, is condemned by the righteous. (But) how could one like myself being their disciple, O masters, refuse the request of the Rulers of the world? Their purpose is, it is said, his own (this disciple's) purpose.

6.7.36

akiñcanānāṃ hi dhanaṃ śiloñchanaṃ teneha nirvartitasādhusatkriyaḥ /
kathaṃ vigarhyaṃ nu karomy adhīśvarāḥ paurodhasaṃ hṛṣyati yena durmatiḥ //

For the gleaning of grains is the wealth of those possessed of nothing, and by that the rites of the virtuous are performed in this world;
how then, O sovereign lords, can I undertake the contemptible office of priest, with which only a fool is delighted?

36. Indeed the wealth of the poor is to glean the scattered grains of corn; with that means one may here (in the household life) well perform his righteous duties. How could I, O great Rulers, take up the reproachful priesthood at which a man of wretched understanding is rejoiced?

6.7.37

tathāpi na pratibrūyāṃ gurubhiḥ prārthitaṃ kiyat /
bhavatāṃ prārthitaṃ sarvaṃ prāṇairarthaiśca sādhaye //

Nevertheless, I would not decline any request made by elders;
I shall accomplish everything requested by you, with my life-breaths and my wealth.”

37. Still I would not refuse it; after all what is requested by the great is of very little account and I will do all your request at the sacrefice of my life and means.

6.7.38

/0 śrībādarāyaṇiruvāca
tebhya evaṃ pratiśrutya viśvarūpo mahātapāḥ /
paurahityaṃ vṛtaścakre parameṇa samādhinā //

The son of Bādarāyaṇa said:
Having thus promised them, Viśvarūpa, the great ascetic,
chosen by them, conducted the priesthood with supreme concentration.

38. Sri Suka said:— Having thus made his promise to them, Viswarupa of great tapas did as requested the priestly work with perfect attention (in great earnest).

6.7.39

suradviṣāṃ śriyaṃ guptāmauśanasyāpi vidyayā /
ācchidyādān mahendrāya vaiṣṇavyā vidyayā vibhuḥ //

Tearing away the fortune of the enemies of the gods, though guarded by the knowledge of Uśanas,
by means of the Vaiṣṇava lore, the capable one gave it to Mahendra.

39. By means of the Vidya gained from Vishnu (relating to Vishnu), the able Viswarupa snatched the fortune from the hands of the gods' enemies though protected by the Vidya taught by Sukracharya and gave it over to the great Indra.

6.7.40

yayā guptaḥ sahasrākṣo jigye 'suracamūrvibhuḥ /
tāṃ prāha sa mahendrāya viśvarūpa udāradhīḥ //

Protected by which the thousand-eyed lord conquered the armies of the Asuras,
that very lore the noble-minded Viśvarūpa imparted to Mahendra.

40. The noble-minded Viswarupa taught Mahendra that Vidya by which the Lordly Indra of thousand eyes protected himself and also conquered the hosts of Asuras.