Bhagavatapurana 9.4: atha caturtho'dhyāyaḥ

9.4.1

/0 śrīśuka uvāca
nābhāgo nabhagāpatyaṃ yaṃ tataṃ bhrātaraḥ kavim /
yaviṣṭhaṃ vyabhajan dāyaṃ brahmacāriṇamāgatam //

Śrī Śuka said: / Nābhāga was the son of Nabhaga; his elder brothers divided the inheritance / while he, the youngest and wise, was away living as a celibate student.

1. Sri Suka said:—Naabhaaga was the son of Nabhaga; when, he, the youngest and most learned of the brothers, returned, having spent as a Brahmacharin a long time in the preceptors' houses, his brothers gave him their father for his share in the property (for they had then divided it amongst themselves).

9.4.2

bhrātaro 'bhāṅkta kiṃ mahyaṃ bhajāma pitaraṃ tava /
tvāṃ mamāryāstatābhāṅkṣurmā putraka tadādṛthāḥ //

"Brothers, what have you allotted to me?" "We allot your father to you." / "My brothers have allotted you to me, father." "Do not take that seriously, my son.

2. "O brothers, have you set apart a share for me?", said Naabhaaga "We give thee our father", said they. [Accordingly Naabhaaga the father went over and said to his son who was a Brahmacharin]. "O father, elder brothers have given thee to me as my share" said Naabhaaga; the father said, "O son, do not put faith in their words".

9.4.3

ime aṅgirasaḥ satramāsate 'dya sumedhasaḥ /
ṣaṣṭhaṃ ṣaṣṭhamupetyāhaḥ kave muhyanti karmaṇi //

These highly intelligent descendants of Aṅgiras are performing a sacrificial session today. / Reaching every sixth day, O wise one, they become bewildered in the ritual.

3. Now these highly intelligent descendants of Angiras family are now engaged in a great sacrifice; but on every sixth day they get confounded as to the ritualistic process, O learned son.

9.4.4

tāṃstvaṃ śaṃsaya sūkte dve vaiśvadeve mahātmanaḥ /
te svaryanto dhanaṃ satra pariśeṣitamātmanaḥ //

Make those great souls recite the two hymns to the Viśvedevas. / When going to heaven, they will give their wealth that remains from the sacrificial session

4. & 5. Do thou instruct those well-meaning people in the two Suktas celebrating Visvedevas. When (on completion of the sacrifice) they go to heaven, they will give thee whatever wealth is left unspent in the sacrifice; therefore do thou go. Accordingly he did and they gave him what remained in the sacrifice and passed on to Swarga.

9.4.5

dāsyanti te 'tha tān arccha tathā sa kṛtavān yathā /
tasmai dattvā yayuḥ svargaṃ te satrapariśeṣaṇam //

to you. Go to them at once." He did so in that very way. / Having given him the remainder of the sacrificial session, they departed for heaven.

9.4.6

taṃ kaścit svīkariṣyantaṃ puruṣaḥ kṛṣṇadarśanaḥ /
uvācottarato 'bhyetya mamedaṃ vāstukaṃ vasu //

As he was about to take possession of it, a man of dark appearance / approached from the north and said, "This wealth belonging to the sacrificial ground is mine."

6. As he was taking the wealth a person of dark complexion came up from the north and told him, 'all this property in the house is mine'.

9.4.7

mamedamṛṣibhirdattamiti tarhi sma mānavaḥ /
syān nau te pitari praśnaḥ pṛṣṭavān pitaraṃ yathā //

"This was given to me by the sages," said the descendant of Manu then. / "Let the inquiry between us be put to your father." Just as [suggested], he questioned his father.

7. Thereupon the son of Manu said, "This is mine, given me by the Rishis". The other said, "Let this question of us two be referred to thy father". Accordingly he put the question to his father who replied thus.

9.4.8

yajñavāstugataṃ sarvamucchiṣṭamṛṣayaḥ kvacit /
cakrurhi bhāgaṃ rudrāya sa devaḥ sarvamarhati //

"Indeed, whatever remnant is left on the sacrificial site, the sages / have assigned as the share for Rudra. That god is entitled to everything."

8. Nabhaga (the father) said, "all the remnant left in the sacrificial hall was, on a certain occasion, offered to Rudra as his share and so that god has a claim on it".

9.4.9

nābhāgastaṃ praṇamyāha taveśa kila vāstukam /
ityāha me pitā brahmañ chirasā tvāṃ prasādaye //

Nābhāga bowed to him and said: "O Lord, this belonging to the ground is indeed yours; / so said my father, O divine one. I appease you with my head."

9. Nabhaga bows to him and says, "O god, all (the wealth) in the house is thine, thus said my father; O Brahmin, I bow to thee and apologise (and solicit thy grace)".

9.4.10

yat te pitāvadaddharmaṃ tvaṃ ca satyaṃ prabhāṣase /
dadāmi te mantradṛśo jñānaṃ brahma sanātanam //

"Because your father spoke the dharma and you speak the truth, / I grant to you, a seer of mantras, the knowledge of the eternal Brahman.

10. The dark-complexioned person (Rudra) said:—"Since thy father explains the Dharma and thou speakest the truth, I give thee, a seer of the Vedas, the eternal knowledge of Brahman.

9.4.11

gṛhāṇa draviṇaṃ dattaṃ matsatrapariśeṣitam /
ityuktvāntarhito rudro bhagavān dharmavatsalaḥ //

Accept this wealth that has been offered, the remainder of my sacrificial session." / Having spoken thus, the Lord Rudra, who loves dharma, disappeared.

11. "Therefore take the wealth left unused in my sacrifice which was given thee", said the glorious Rudra, kind to the truthful, and vanished out of sight.

9.4.12

ya etat saṃsmaret prātaḥ sāyaṃ ca susamāhitaḥ /
kavirbhavati mantrajño gatiṃ caiva tathātmanaḥ //

Whoever remembers this morning and evening with a fully composed mind / becomes a wise seer knowing the mantras and attains his own true goal.

12. He who, morning and evening, with a calm mind remembers this (story), becomes a learned man, versed in Mantras and attains to his goal.

9.4.13

nābhāgādambarīṣo 'bhūn mahābhāgavataḥ kṛtī /
nāspṛśadbrahmaśāpo 'pi yaṃ na pratihataḥ kvacit //

From Nābhāga was born Ambarīṣa, an exalted devotee and accomplished sage, / whom even a brāhmaṇa's curse, which is never thwarted anywhere, could not touch.

13. Ambarisha was born of Naabhaaga: he was a great votary of Vishnu and full of wisdom and, being highly virtuous, was not touched by a sage's curse which never (before) proved futile.

9.4.14

/0 śrīrājovāca
bhagavan chrotumicchāmi rājarṣestasya dhīmataḥ /
na prābhūdyatra nirmukto brahmadaṇḍo duratyayaḥ //

The King said: / O Lord, I wish to hear of that wise royal sage, / against whom the staff of a brāhmaṇa, unleashed and difficult to overcome, had no power.

14. The king said:—O worshipful sage, I wish to hear of that wise and saintly king against whom the insuperable punishment of a brahmana, though inflicted, proved ineffectual (powerless).

9.4.15

/0 śrīśuka uvāca
ambarīṣo mahābhāgaḥ saptadvīpavatīṃ mahīm /
avyayāṃ ca śriyaṃ labdhvā vibhavaṃ cātulaṃ bhuvi //

Śrī Śuka said: / The fortunate Ambarīṣa, having obtained the earth with its seven continents, / imperishable sovereignty, and peerless wealth in this world,

15. & 16. Sri Suka said:—The blessed (Emperor) Ambareesha who had gained the whole world of seven continents, and an undecaying fortune and unequalled power—all that may not be easily got by men, considered it (only) as good as a dream; for he knew that all wealth is perishable and that thereby a person only enters the darkness (which is destitute of all splendour).

9.4.16

mene 'tidurlabhaṃ puṃsāṃ sarvaṃ tat svapnasaṃstutam /
vidvān vibhavanirvāṇaṃ tamo viśati yat pumān //

considered all that—though exceedingly difficult for mortals to attain—like a dream, / knowing that the end of power is darkness into which a man enters.

9.4.17

vāsudeve bhagavati tadbhakteṣu ca sādhuṣu /
prāpto bhāvaṃ paraṃ viśvaṃ yenedaṃ loṣṭravat smṛtam //

He attained supreme devotional emotion toward the Lord Vāsudeva and toward His virtuous devotees, / by which this entire universe was regarded by him like a clod of earth.

17. For he had attained to that intense devotion to the glorious Vasudeva and also to His righteous devotees, so that all this Universe

was regarded as a broken piece of earthenware (a clod of earth).

9.4.18

sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇapadāravindayor vacāṃsi vaikuṇṭhaguṇānuvarṇane /
karau harermandiramārjanādiṣu śrutiṃ cakārācyutasatkathodaye //

He fixed his mind upon Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, his words upon praising the qualities of Vaikuṇṭha, / his two hands upon sweeping the temple of Hari and other tasks, and his ears upon listening to the exalted stories of Acyuta;

18. He indeed devoted his *mind* to the contemplation of the lotus-like feet of Krishna, his *words* to the glorification (narration) of the excellent attributes of Sri Narayana, his *hands* to cleansing and other duties in the shrines of Hari and his *sense of hearing* to listening to the holy stories of Achyuta.

9.4.19

mukundaliṅgālayadarśane dṛśau tadbhṛtyagātrasparśe 'ṅgasaṅgamam /
ghrāṇaṃ ca tatpādasarojasaurabhe śrīmattulasyā rasanāṃ tadarpite //

his two eyes upon gazing at the images and temples of Mukunda, his body in touching the limbs of His servants, / his sense of smell upon the fragrance of the auspicious tulasī at His lotus feet, and his tongue upon what is offered to Him;

19. His *eyes* he gave to seeing the forms of Mukunda and his shrines; his *embraces* to the touch of Lord's devotees' bodies, his *sense of smell* to the fragrance of Sri Tulasi on the feet of Mukunda and *his tongue* (sense of taste) to what is offered to the Lord.

9.4.20

pādau hareḥ kṣetrapadānusarpaṇe śiro hṛṣīkeśapadābhivandane /
kāmaṃ ca dāsye na tu kāmakāmyayā yathottamaślokajanāśrayā ratiḥ //

his two feet upon walking to the pilgrimage places of Hari, his head upon bowing to Hṛṣīkeśa's feet, / and his desire upon servitude, never for the sake of selfish desires—in order that loving attachment directed to the followers of He of highest renown might grow.

20. His *feet* he employed in walking to the holy places of Hari and his *head* in bowing down at the feet of Hrisheekesa; he cherished his *desires* only to the service of the Almighty Lord—but not to the attainment of any wordly objects, so that his delight in associating with the Lord's men may grow.

9.4.21

evaṃ sadā karmakalāpamātmanaḥ pare 'dhiyajñe bhagavatyadhokṣaje /
sarvātmabhāvaṃ vidadhan mahīmimāṃ tanniṣṭhaviprābhihitaḥ śaśāsa ha //

Thus offering the entire host of his actions constantly to the Supreme, the Lord of sacrifice, Adhokṣaja, / and cultivating devotion of his whole being, he ruled this earth guided by brāhmaṇas devoted to Him.

21. Thus always resigning his rounds of duties to the glorious Lord, Adhokshaja, the highest Deity worshipped in sacrifices, and holding that Atman is present everywhere, he governed this earth as instructed by wise brahmins who were devoted to the Lord.

9.4.22

īje 'śvamedhairadhiyajñamīśvaraṃ mahāvibhūtyopacitāṅgadakṣiṇaiḥ /
tatairvasiṣṭhāsitagautamādibhir dhanvanyabhisrotamasau sarasvatīm //

He worshipped the Lord, the master of sacrifice, with horse sacrifices where abundant gifts were given, / conducted by Vasiṣṭha, Asita, Gautama, and others along the Sarasvatī flowing through the desert.

22. He worshipped the Lord of sacrifices, the Supreme Ruler, by means of extensive Aswamedha sacrifices in which the rites were well conducted and dakshinas given on a very large and splendid scale worthy of his wealth and, under the direction of Vasishta, Gautama and others, he performed them in a desert place so well as to make the river Saraswati flow (backwards) towards it.

9.4.23

yasya kratuṣu gīrvāṇaiḥ sadasyā ṛtvijo janāḥ /
tulyarūpāścānimiṣā vyadṛśyanta suvāsasaḥ //

At his sacrifices, the members of the assembly and the priests appeared in form / like gods—unblinking and splendidly dressed.

23. In the course of his sacrifices the members of the sacrificial assembly and the priests who wore rich and fine clothes and did their duties or looked on in wonder with unwinking eyes were seen to vie with the gods in form and dress.

9.4.24

svargo na prārthito yasya manujairamarapriyaḥ /
śṛṇvadbhirupagāyadbhiruttamaślokaceṣṭitam //

Heaven, dear even to the immortals, was not desired by his people, / who were listening to and singing of the deeds of He of highest renown.

24. His subjects listened to, and sang, the deeds of the most glorious Hari, so that they did not wish for the celestial region beloved of the gods.

9.4.25

saṃvardhayanti yat kāmāḥ svārājyaparibhāvitāḥ /
durlabhā nāpi siddhānāṃ mukundaṃ hṛdi paśyataḥ //

For what desires, nourished by sovereign dominion, / could be hard to attain for one who sees Mukunda in his heart, even among perfected beings?

25. The objects of desire not accessible even to Siddhas do not

delight (attract) his subjects who see Mukunda in their heart, since they are far surpassed by the essential blissfulness (they realised in their devotion to him).

9.4.26

sa itthaṃ bhaktiyogena tapoyuktena pārthivaḥ /
svadharmeṇa hariṃ prīṇan sarvān kāmān śanairjahau //

In this way, by the yoga of devotion joined with austerity, / pleasing Hari through his own dharma, the king gradually renounced all desires.

26. Thus with the course of devotion joined to Tapas, that king delighted Hari by doing duties assigned to him and gradually got rid of all attachments.

9.4.27

gṛheṣu dāreṣu suteṣu bandhuṣu dvipottamasyandanavājivastuṣu /
akṣayyaratnābharaṇāmbarādiṣv anantakośeṣv akarodasanmatim //

Regarding his home, wife, sons, and relatives, fine elephants, chariots, and horses, / imperishable jewel ornaments, garments, and boundless treasuries, he considered them worthless.

27. In respect of the house, wives, sons, relations, excellent elephants, chariots, horses, and foot-soldiers, inexhaustible jewels, ornaments, weapons and all things and also of his unlimited treasures he cherished the sense that they are all worthless.

9.4.28

tasmā adāddhariścakraṃ pratyanīkabhayāvaham /
ekāntabhaktibhāvena prīto bhaktābhirakṣaṇam //

To him Hari gave His discus, which strikes terror into adversaries / and protects His devotees, being pleased with his unalloyed devotional emotion.

28. Being pleased with him for his unswerving devotion, Hari gave him His Chakra, which was a terror to his opponents and a protection to his servants.

9.4.29

ārirādhayiṣuḥ kṛṣṇaṃ mahiṣyā tulyaśīlayā /
yuktaḥ sāṃvatsaraṃ vīro dadhāra dvādaśīvratam //

Desiring to worship Kṛṣṇa, the heroic king, accompanied by his queen / of equal disposition, observed the vow of Dvādaśī for one year.

29. In order to propitiate Krishna, the heroic king with his queen of equally godly disposition, undertook to observe for a year the vow of Dwadasee.

9.4.30

vratānte kārtike māsi trirātraṃ samupoṣitaḥ /
snātaḥ kadācit kālindyāṃ hariṃ madhuvane 'rcayat //

At the conclusion of the vow in the month of Kārtika, having fasted for three nights / and bathed in the Kālindī, he once worshipped Hari in Madhuvana.

30. At the close of his observance, in the month of Kartheeka, he had fasted three nights, and on a certain Dwadasi day bathed in the Yamuna and worshipped Hari in a place called Madhuvana.

9.4.31

mahābhiṣekavidhinā sarvopaskarasampadā /
abhiṣicyāmbarākalpairgandhamālyārhaṇādibhiḥ //

Bathing Him according to the ritual of the great ablution with all abundant ingredients, / adorning Him with garments, ornaments, fragrances, garlands, and offerings of reverence,

31. & 32. Having performed Abhisheka according to the rules of Mahabhisheka with abundant accessory things and with ornaments, sandal pigments, flowers, offerings and other things and with his mind completely given to Him, the king worshipped Hari and also the most worthy brahmins who were accomplished of their purpose.

9.4.32

tadgatāntarabhāvena pūjayāmāsa keśavam /
brāhmaṇāṃśca mahābhāgān siddhārthān api bhaktitaḥ //

he worshipped Keśava with his heart absorbed in Him, / and also, with devotion, the fortunate brāhmaṇas who had attained all their desires.

9.4.33

gavāṃ rukmaviṣāṇīnāṃ rūpyāṅghrīṇāṃ suvāsasām /
payaḥśīlavayorūpa vatsopaskarasampadām //

Having cows with gold-plated horns, silver hooves, and fine coverings, / rich in milk, gentle temper, youth, beauty, and adorned with their calves,

33. & 34. He sent to the houses of great brahmins six Nyarbudas of cows whose horns were adorned with gold and feet with silver, which were covered with good clothes, which yielded abundant milk and were of good disposition and proper age and form, along with their calves and with other necessary things.

9.4.34

prāhiṇot sādhuviprebhyo gṛheṣu nyarbudāni ṣaṭ /
bhojayitvā dvijān agre svādv annaṃ guṇavattamam //

he sent sixty billion of them to the houses of virtuous brāhmaṇas, / after first feeding the twice-born with delicious, most excellent food.

34. & 35. With great attention, first he fed brahmins with very sweet and wholesome preparations, (then) permitted by them

9.4.35

labdhakāmairanujñātaḥ pāraṇāyopacakrame /
tasya tarhyatithiḥ sākṣāddurvāsā bhagavān abhūt //

Given leave by [the brāhmaṇas] whose desires were fulfilled, he was about to break his fast, / when just then the divine lord Durvāsā arrived as his guest.

(those brahmins who were quite satisfied), he was about to break his fast; just at that moment there came to him a great guest who was no other than the worshipful sage Durvasas.

9.4.36

tamānarcātithiṃ bhūpaḥ pratyutthānāsanārhaṇaiḥ /
yayāce 'bhyavahārāya pādamūlamupāgataḥ //

The king honored the guest with rising to greet him, offering a seat, and gifts of hospitality; / having approached his feet, he requested him to take his meal.

36. King Ambarisha honoured that guest, by rising from his seat and offering him a seat and other articles of worship, and bowing down at his feet, he requested him to partake of his meals.

9.4.37

pratinandya sa tāṃ yācñāṃ kartumāvaśyakaṃ gataḥ /
nimamajja bṛhaddhyāyan kālindīsalile śubhe //

Welcoming that request, he went to perform his obligatory duties; / he plunged into the auspicious waters of the Yamunā, meditating on the Supreme [Brahman].

37. Having gladly accepted his invitation the sage went out to observe his daily duties, and plunged into the holy waters of the Yamuna, contemplating Parabrahman.

9.4.38

muhūrtārdhāvaśiṣṭāyāṃ dvādaśyāṃ pāraṇaṃ prati /
cintayāmāsa dharmajño dvijaistaddharmasaṅkaṭe //

With only half a muhūrta remaining of the Dvādaśī for breaking the fast, / he who knew dharma deliberated with the brāhmaṇas over that conflict of duties:

38. As only half a *muhurta* of Dwadasi yet remained for breaking the fast, the king, who was attentive to *dharma*, conferred with brahmins in that critical condition (as to the righteous course to be adopted).

9.4.39

brāhmaṇātikrame doṣo dvādaśyāṃ yadapāraṇe /
yat kṛtvā sādhu me bhūyādadharmo vā na māṃ spṛśet //

“There is fault in transgressing against a brāhmaṇa, and fault if the Dvādaśī is not broken. / What may I do that would be good for me, or that adharma would not touch me?

39. "It is a fault to neglect the brahmin; it is also a fault not to break the fast within the *Dvadasi* hour. What course should I now take, so that good may come out of it and unrighteousness may not touch me?

9.4.40

ambhasā kevalenātha kariṣye vratapāraṇam /
āhurabbhakṣaṇaṃ viprā hyaśitaṃ nāśitaṃ ca tat //

Therefore, I shall break the vow with water alone. / For brāhmaṇas say that drinking water is both eaten and not eaten.”

40. "Now I shall break my fast with pure water; for wise men say that to drink water is equivalent to breaking fast and at the same time it is no eating."

9.4.41

ityapaḥ prāśya rājarṣiścintayan manasācyutam /
pratyacaṣṭa kuruśreṣṭha dvijāgamanameva saḥ //

Having thus sipped water, the royal sage, meditating in his mind on Acyuta, / waited, O best of Kurus, for the arrival of the brāhmaṇa alone.

41. Having thus considered, the saintly king took in a little water and remained contemplating Achyuta and expecting the arrival of the brahmin (sage), O best of Kurus.

9.4.42

durvāsā yamunākūlāt kṛtāvaśyaka āgataḥ /
rājñābhinanditastasya bubudhe ceṣṭitaṃ dhiyā //

Having performed his obligatory duties, Durvāsā returned from the bank of the Yamunā. / Welcomed by the king, he understood his act by his intellect.

42. Having finished his daily duties Durvasas returned from the banks of the Yamuna and was gladly received by the king; but the sage understood his action by virtue of his mental vision.

9.4.43

manyunā pracaladgātro bhrukuṭīkuṭilānanaḥ /
bubhukṣitaśca sutarāṃ kṛtāñjalimabhāṣata //

With his limbs trembling in anger and his face contorted with knitted brows, / being exceedingly hungry, he spoke to him who stood with folded hands:

43. With his body agitated in anger, and his brows fearfully knit together, the sage, who was also very hungry, said to the king who stood with joined hands.

9.4.44

aho asya nṛśaṃsasya śriyonmattasya paśyata /
dharmavyatikramaṃ viṣṇorabhaktasyeśamāninaḥ //

“Ah, look at the transgression of dharma by this cruel man, intoxicated by wealth, / no devotee of Viṣṇu, imagining himself to be the lord!

44. Lo! the violation of duty on the part of this wicked man, proud of his wealth and lordly power (but) destitute of devotion to Vishnu!

9.4.45

yo māmatithimāyātamātithyena nimantrya ca /
adattvā bhuktavāṃstasya sadyaste darśaye phalam //

Having invited me, a guest who arrived, with hospitality, / he has eaten without giving to me; I shall immediately show you the fruit of that!”

45. Having invited me, a guest that had come to thee to partake of thy hospitality and not having served me, thou hast eaten; this moment I shall make thee see the fruit thereof.

9.4.46

evaṃ bruvāṇa utkṛtya jaṭāṃ roṣapradīpitaḥ /
tayā sa nirmame tasmai kṛtyāṃ kālānalopamām //

Speaking thus, blazing with rage, he tore out a matted lock of hair; / with it he created against him a female demon resembling the fire of cosmic dissolution.

46. So saying and glowing with anger he pulled out his matted hair and through that he created a spirit flaming forth like the fire of Pralaya to attack him.

9.4.47

tāmāpatantīṃ jvalatīmasihastāṃ padā bhuvam /
vepayantīṃ samudvīkṣya na cacāla padān nṛpaḥ //

Seeing her rushing forward blazing, sword in hand, / making the earth tremble with her footsteps, the king did not budge an inch.

47. The king saw that, the spirit rushed towards him emitting flames, with a sword in hand and making the earth tremble under its foot; (but) he did not at all move from the spot.

9.4.48

prāg diṣṭaṃ bhṛtyarakṣāyāṃ puruṣeṇa mahātmanā /
dadāha kṛtyāṃ tāṃ cakraṃ kruddhāhimiva pāvakaḥ //

Commissioned previously by the supreme Puruṣa to protect His servant, / the discus burned that demoness as fire burns an enraged snake.

48. The Chakra which had been formerly given him by the glorious Lord for the protection of His servants, burnt it even as fire does an angry serpent.

9.4.49

tadabhidravadudvīkṣya svaprayāsaṃ ca niṣphalam /
durvāsā dudruve bhīto dikṣu prāṇaparīpsayā //

Seeing it rushing toward him and his own effort frustrated, / Durvāsā fled in terror in all directions, desiring to save his life.

49. Durvasas saw the Chakra turning on him and his own effort useless; and in fear and great anxiety to save his life, ran he in different directions.

9.4.50

tamanvadhāvadbhagavadrathāṅgaṃ dāvāgniruddhūtaśikho yathāhim /
tathānuṣaktaṃ munirīkṣamāṇo guhāṃ vivikṣuḥ prasasāra meroḥ //

The Lord’s discus pursued him, like a forest fire with billowing flames chasing a snake; / seeing it clinging so close, the sage, seeking to enter a cave, fled toward Mount Meru.

50. The Chakra of the glorious Lord pursued him like a forest fire in conflagration raging on at the back of a serpent; and finding himself so closely pursued by the Chakra, the sage, eager to get into a cave, ran towards the mountain Meru.

9.4.51

diśo nabhaḥ kṣmāṃ vivarān samudrān lokān sapālāṃstridivaṃ gataḥ saḥ /
yato yato dhāvati tatra tatra sudarśanaṃ duṣprasahaṃ dadarśa //

He went to the directions, the sky, the earth, subterranean chasms, the oceans, / the worlds with their guardians, and heaven; wherever he fled, he saw the unbearable Sudarśana.

51. He betook himself to (all) the cardinal points, to the sky, to the earth and to all caves and seas and worlds and their protectors and Svargaloka; (but) wherever he went he saw at his back Sudarsana that could not be faced.

9.4.52

alabdhanāthaḥ sa sadā kutaścit santrastacitto 'raṇameṣamāṇaḥ /
devaṃ viriñcaṃ samagādvidhātas trāhyātmayone 'jitatejaso mām //

Finding no protector anywhere, his heart thoroughly terrified, seeking shelter, / he approached god Brahmā: “O Creator, O Self-born, save me from the splendor of the Invincible!”

52. Not finding a protector anywhere, with a shuddering heart and running for an asylum, he went to god Brahma and prayed, “O Maker, born of Atman, save me from the power of Ajita.”

9.4.53

/0 śrībrahmovāca
sthānaṃ madīyaṃ sahaviśvametat krīḍāvasāne dviparārdhasaṃjñe /
bhrūbhaṅgamātreṇa hi sandidhakṣoḥ kālātmano yasya tirobhaviṣyati //

Śrī Brahmā said:
“My abode, along with this universe, at the end of the divine play called two parārdhas, / will surely disappear by the mere knitting of His brows, when He, the embodiment of Time, desires to burn it up.

53. Brahma said:—(It is the power of Vishnu) by (at) a motion of whose brows, when He, in the form of Time, intends to burn it, my region as well as all this Universe will, at the end of His sport, *i.e.*, at the close of *Dwiparardha*, vanish out of sight.

9.4.54

ahaṃ bhavo dakṣabhṛgupradhānāḥ prajeśabhūteśasureśamukhyāḥ /
sarve vayaṃ yanniyamaṃ prapannā mūrdhnyārpitaṃ lokahitaṃ vahāmaḥ //

I, Śiva, Dakṣa, Bhṛgu and other leaders, the lords of creatures, of spirits, and of gods— / all of us, having surrendered to His command, carry on our heads [His bidding] for the welfare of the world.”

54. And subject to His ordainment, myself, Siva, Daksha, Brighu and others and (other) great progenitors, the Rulers of Bhutas and the great gods—we all bear on our head His command for the good of the world.

9.4.55

pratyākhyāto viriñcena viṣṇucakropatāpitaḥ /
durvāsāḥ śaraṇaṃ yātaḥ śarvaṃ kailāsavāsinam //

Turned away by Brahmā, tormented by Viṣṇu’s discus, / Durvāsā went for refuge to Śarva, who dwells on Kailāsa.

55. Thus refused by Brahma and being scorched and afflicted

by Vishnu's Chakra Durvasas sought the protection of Siva on Mount Kailasa.

9.4.56

/0 śrīśaṅkara uvāca
vayaṃ na tāta prabhavāma bhūmni yasmin pare 'nye 'pyajajīvakośāḥ /
bhavanti kāle na bhavanti hīdṛśāḥ sahasraśo yatra vayaṃ bhramāmaḥ //

Śrī Śaṅkara said:
“My dear, we have no power over the Infinite, the Supreme, in whom these and other cosmic eggs / appear and disappear in time by the thousands, and in which we wander.

56. Sri Rudra said:— O child, [over the Perfect Vishnu] we have no power nor have other Jivas as great as the four-faced Brahma with all the Brahmandas forming their body; many like these are born and destroyed in thousands from time to time and in those creations we are (also) being tossed about.

9.4.57

ahaṃ sanatkumāraśca nārado bhagavān ajaḥ /
kapilo 'pāntaratamo devalo dharma āsuriḥ //

I, Sanatkumāra, Nārada, the divine unborn Brahmā, / Kapila, Apāntaratamas, Devala, Dharma, Āsuri,

57. & 58. Myself, Sanatkumara, Narada, the venerable Brahma, Kapila, Apantaratama, Devala, Dharma, Asuri, Marichi and others and other great Siddhas perfect in wisdom—we are all enveloped in His Maya and cannot comprehend it.

9.4.58

marīcipramukhāścānye siddheśāḥ pāradarśanāḥ /
vidāma na vayaṃ sarve yanmāyāṃ māyayāvṛtāḥ //

Marīci and the other chief masters of spiritual perfections, who see beyond— / veiled by His creative power, none of us knows His creative power.

9.4.59

tasya viśveśvarasyedaṃ śastraṃ durviṣahaṃ hi naḥ /
tamevaṃ śaraṇaṃ yāhi hariste śaṃ vidhāsyati //

This weapon belongs to that Lord of the universe, and is indeed unbearable to us. / Go to Him alone for refuge; Hari will bestow peace upon you.”

59. This is the weapon of that Supreme Ruler of the Universe, that cannot indeed be faced by us. Go to Him alone as thy protector. And Hari will do thee good.

9.4.60

tato nirāśo durvāsāḥ padaṃ bhagavato yayau /
vaikuṇṭhākhyaṃ yadadhyāste śrīnivāsaḥ śriyā saha //

Then, bereft of hope, Durvāsā went to the realm of the Lord / named Vaikuṇṭha, where Śrīnivāsa dwells along with Śrī.

60. Thereupon he, Durvasas, became hopeless of quarter elsewhere and resorted to the abode of the Almighty Lord, known as Vaikunta wherein abides Srinivasa with Lakhmi.

9.4.61

sandahyamāno 'jitaśastravahninā tatpādamūle patitaḥ savepathuḥ /
āhācyutānanta sadīpsita prabho kṛtāgasaṃ māvahi viśvabhāvana //

Being scorched by the fire of the Invincible’s weapon, he fell trembling at His feet, / crying: “O Acyuta! O Infinite One! O Object of the virtuous devotees’ desire! O Lord! Protect me, a wrongdoer, O Creator of the universe!

61. Being schorched by the fiery rage of Sri Vishnu's weapon, he trembled and fell on the feet of the Lord and said, "O Achyuta, O Ananta, O desired Goal of the righteous, O Almighty Lord, O Father and Protector of the Universe. May Thou be gracious to protect me, an offender!"

9.4.62

ajānatā te paramānubhāvaṃ kṛtaṃ mayāghaṃ bhavataḥ priyāṇām /
vidhehi tasyāpacitiṃ vidhātar mucyeta yannāmnyudite nārako 'pi //

Not knowing Your supreme majesty, an offense was committed by me against Your dear devotees. / Grant pardon for it, O Ordainer, upon the utterance of whose name even a denizen of hell is freed.”

62. "Not knowing Thy supreme and glorious power, I have done wrong to those who are beloved of Thee. O great Maker, be pleased to grant me absolution (from that sin), for, by uttering Thy name, even a sufferer in hell may obtain release".

9.4.63

/0 śrībhagavān uvāca
ahaṃ bhaktaparādhīno hyasvatantra iva dvija /
sādhubhirgrastahṛdayo bhaktairbhaktajanapriyaḥ //

The Lord said:
“I am dependent on My devotees, as if not free, O twice-born one; / My heart is captured by the virtuous devotees, and, dear to the devotees, I am [devoted] to My devotees.

63. The Lord said:—"I am completely in the hands of My devotees. Indeed I am like one that is not independent, O brahmin. My heart is in the possession of righteous and devout men and I am beloved of them.

9.4.64

nāhamātmānamāśāse madbhaktaiḥ sādhubhirvinā /
śriyaṃ cātyantikīṃ brahman yeṣāṃ gatirahaṃ parā //

I do not desire My own self without My virtuous devotees, / nor supreme fortune, O brāhmaṇa, for those to whom I am the supreme goal.

64. "As separate from My righteous votaries I have no liking to Myself or even to Sri Lakhmi (or the highest grandeur), O sage, for, I am their Supreme Goal.

9.4.65

ye dārāgāraputrāpta prāṇān vittamimaṃ param /
hitvā māṃ śaraṇaṃ yātāḥ kathaṃ tāṃstyaktumutsahe //

How can I bear to abandon those who, having renounced wife, home, children, kinsmen, / life-breath, and wealth, in this world and the next, have taken refuge in Me?

65. "How could I bring Myself to neglect those who have given up their wives, houses, children and relations, their own life, wealth, this and that world and have only sought Me as their protector?

9.4.66

mayi nirbaddhahṛdayāḥ sādhavaḥ samadarśanāḥ /
vaśe kurvanti māṃ bhaktyā satstriyaḥ satpatiṃ yathā //

Virtuous devotees of equal vision, whose hearts are bound to Me, / bring Me under their control by devotion, just as chaste wives do a good husband.

66. "Those righteous people who have completely resigned their heart unto Me and who look upon everything as equal, do keep Me under their power just as good women do by their devotion to their good lord.

9.4.67

matsevayā pratītaṃ te sālokyādicatuṣṭayam /
necchanti sevayā pūrṇāḥ kuto 'nyat kālaviplutam //

Content through My service, they do not even desire the fourfold liberation beginning with sālokya / that is attained through service to Me; how then anything else that is ravaged by Time?

67. "Wholly satisfied with My worship they do not seek after the four kinds of moksha, Salokya, Saroopya, etc, (though) they may be obtained by worshipping Me: (then) what other things that are open to the attacks of Time would they seek after?---

9.4.68

sādhavo hṛdayaṃ mahyaṃ sādhūnāṃ hṛdayaṃ tv aham /
madanyat te na jānanti nāhaṃ tebhyo manāg api //

The virtuous devotees are My heart, and I alone am the heart of virtuous devotees; / they know none other than Me, nor do I know anything apart from them in the least.

68. "The righteous are My heart (beloved of Me) and I am their heart (beloved of them): they do not know any thing other than Myself, nor, do I know any thing at all other than them.

9.4.69

upāyaṃ kathayiṣyāmi tava vipra śṛṇuṣva tat /
ayaṃ hyātmābhicāraste yatastaṃ yāhi mā ciram /
sādhuṣu prahitaṃ tejaḥ prahartuḥ kurute 'śivam //

I will tell you the remedy, O brāhmaṇa; listen to it: / for this was an act of harm against yourself; go without delay to him from whom it arose. / Splendor directed against the virtuous devotees brings misfortune to the attacker.

69. "I shall tell thee of the way, O brahmin, listen to it; this is indeed a wrong thou hast done to thyself; therefore go to him alone; the power used against the righteous brings evil to its own author.

9.4.70

tapo vidyā ca viprāṇāṃ niḥśreyasakare ubhe /
te eva durvinītasya kalpete karturanyathā //

Austerity and learning are both conducive to the highest good for brāhmaṇas; / but in an ill-behaved person, they turn out otherwise for their possessor.

70. Tapas and knowledge are the two causes of welfare for brahmins; but those two evils become the source of evil in the case of one who has no training.

9.4.71

brahmaṃstadgaccha bhadraṃ te nābhāgatanayaṃ nṛpam /
kṣamāpaya mahābhāgaṃ tataḥ śāntirbhaviṣyati //

Therefore go, O brāhmaṇa—blessing be upon you—to the king, the son of Nābhāga; / beg the forgiveness of that fortunate soul, and then there will be peace.”

71. "Therefore, O brahmin,[71.] go to the king, son of Nabhaga. Be thou happy; apologise to the king of great virtue; and thereby thou wilt have relief".