Bhagavatapurana 9.5: atha pañcamo'dhyāyaḥ

9.5.1

/0 śrīśuka uvāca
evaṃ bhagavatādiṣṭo durvāsāścakratāpitaḥ /
ambarīṣamupāvṛtya tatpādau duḥkhito 'grahīt //

Śrī Śuka said:
Thus instructed by the Lord, Durvāsā, tormented by the discus, / turned back to Ambarīṣa and, in distress, seized his feet.

1. Sri Suka said:--- Thus directed by Sri Hari Durvasas afflicted by the Chakra came back to Ambarisha and in his distress touched his (the king's) feet.

9.5.2

tasya sodyamamāvīkṣya pādasparśavilajjitaḥ /
astāvīt taddharerastraṃ kṛpayā pīḍito bhṛśam //

Seeing his effort and embarrassed by the touch of his feet, / deeply pained by compassion, he praised that weapon of Hari:

2. Perceiving his efforts to praise him and abashed at the sage's touching his feet, Ambarisha too, full of pity, prayed to Hari's weapon (Chakra).

9.5.3

/0 ambarīṣa uvāca
tvamagnirbhagavān sūryastvaṃ somo jyotiṣāṃ patiḥ /
tvamāpastvaṃ kṣitirvyoma vāyurmātrendriyāṇi ca //

Ambarīṣa said:
“You are fire, the divine sun, and Soma, the lord of luminaries; / you are water, earth, space, wind, the subtle elements, and the senses.

3. Ambarīsha said:—Thou art the worshipful god Agni, Surya, and Soma, the Lord of luminaries: thou art water, thou the earth, the air, the objects and the senses.

9.5.4

sudarśana namastubhyaṃ sahasrārācyutapriya /
sarvāstraghātin viprāya svasti bhūyā iḍaspate //

O Sudarśana, thousand-spoked one, dear to Acyuta, salutations to you! / O destroyer of all weapons, bringer of blessings, be auspicious to the brāhmaṇa, O lord of the earth!

4. O Sudarsana, I bow to thee of a thousand spokes and beloved of Hari; O thou lord of mantras, capable of nullifying all other weapons, mayst thou make the brahmin happy!

9.5.5

tvaṃ dharmastvamṛtaṃ satyaṃ tvaṃ yajño 'khilayajñabhuk /
tvaṃ lokapālaḥ sarvātmā tvaṃ tejaḥ pauruṣaṃ param //

You are dharma, you are truth and cosmic order, you are the sacrifice and the enjoyer of all sacrifices; / you are the guardian of the worlds, the self of all, you are the supreme splendor of the Puruṣa.

5. Thou art Dharma and thou art Rita and Satya: thou art the sacrifice and thou art He who accepts the offerings and is worshipped in all sacrifices; thou art the protector of the world, Atman of all and thou art the highest energy of the Supreme Person.

9.5.6

namaḥ sunābhākhiladharmasetave hyadharmaśīlāsuradhūmaketave /
trailokyagopāya viśuddhavarcase manojavāyādbhutakarmaṇe gṛṇe //

Homage to you of beautiful navel, bridge of all dharma, comet of destruction to unrighteous demons, / protector of the three worlds, of pure radiance, swift as thought, of wondrous deeds—I praise you!”

6. I bow to thee, O one of beautiful centre (navel), who art the defence of all righteousness, the comet to the Asuras unrighteous by nature, to thee that art the protector of the three worlds, of unspotted splendour, quick like thought and of wonderful deeds; I sing thee.

9.5.7

tvattejasā dharmamayena saṃhṛtaṃ tamaḥ prakāśaśca dṛśo mahātmanām /
duratyayaste mahimā girāṃ pate tvadrūpametat sadasat parāvaram //

By your splendor full of dharma, darkness is dispelled and light is given to the eyes of exalted devotees. / Unfathomable is your majesty, O lord of speech; your form is this being and non-being, higher and lower.

7. By thy splendour, the embodiment of Dharma, darkness has been dispelled and light ensured to those who are great and high-souled; thy glory is unsurpassed, O Ruler of speech: this Universe of things, subtle and gross, great and small, (everything) is thy own representation.

9.5.8

yadā visṛṣṭastvamanañjanena vai balaṃ praviṣṭo 'jita daityadānavam /
bāhūdarorvaṅghriśirodharāṇi vṛścannajasraṃ pradhane virājase //

When released indeed by the spotless Lord, O unconquerable one, you enter the army of the Daityas and Dānavas; / lopping off their arms, bellies, thighs, feet, and necks, you shine ceaselessly in battle.

8. When sent forth by the Lord destitute of defect, thou shinest in battle entering the army of the Daityas and Danavas, O Invincible one, and incessantly cutting off their arms, bowels, thighs, feet, and necks.

9.5.9

sa tvaṃ jagattrāṇa khalaprahāṇaye nirūpitaḥ sarvasaho gadābhṛtā /
viprasya cāsmatkuladaivahetave vidhehi bhadraṃ tadanugraho hi naḥ //

As such, O protector of the world, all-enduring one, appointed by the wielder of the mace for the destruction of villains, / do good unto this brāhmaṇa, the cause of our family's divine favor; for his grace is indeed ours.

9. O Protector of the world, thou, of that tremendous power capable of resisting everything, hast been appointed by Hari (Gadabhrit) only for the destruction of the wicked; therefore to promote the welfare of our house, do thou grant the brahmin safety and it is indeed grace done to us.

9.5.10

yadyasti dattamiṣṭaṃ vā svadharmo vā svanuṣṭhitaḥ /
kulaṃ no vipradaivaṃ ceddvijo bhavatu vijvaraḥ //

If charity has been given, or sacrifice offered, or one's own dharma properly performed, / or if our family regards the brāhmaṇa as its deity, may the twice-born be free from fever!

10. If any thing had been given in charity, or done by way of sacrifice or if the prescribed duty had been properly done and if our house is truly known to regard the Brahmin as its deity, let this brahmin get free from fear and pain.

9.5.11

yadi no bhagavān prīta ekaḥ sarvaguṇāśrayaḥ /
sarvabhūtātmabhāvena dvijo bhavatu vijvaraḥ //

If the Lord, one and without a second, the shelter of all virtues, is pleased with us, / recognizing his presence in all beings as their self, may the twice-born be free from fever!

11. If thy glorious self, one abode of all excellent qualities, is gracious unto us, (D. me.) may this brahmin be free from anxiety and suffering [for the reason that every being is Atman]!

9.5.12

/0 śrīśuka uvāca
iti saṃstuvato rājño viṣṇucakraṃ sudarśanam /
aśāmyat sarvato vipraṃ pradahadrājayācñayā //

Śrī Śuka said: / As the king was thus praising it, the Sudarśana disc of Viṣṇu, / which was burning the brāhmaṇa on all sides, subsided at the king's prayer.

12. Sri Suka said:—As the king was thus praising Vishnu's Chakra of glorious effulgence, it subsided at the request of the king towards the brahmin whom it had been scorching on all sides.

9.5.13

sa mukto 'strāgnitāpena durvāsāḥ svastimāṃstataḥ /
praśaśaṃsa tamurvīśaṃ yuñjānaḥ paramāśiṣaḥ //

Durvāsas, released from the burning heat of the missile's fire and restored to well-being, / praised the lord of the earth, bestowing supreme blessings upon him.

13. (When) free from the fire of that weapon Durvasas grew easy (began to feel himself at ease), praised that king of the earth and pronounced his great blessings on him.

9.5.14

/0 durvāsā uvāca
aho anantadāsānāṃ mahattvaṃ dṛṣṭamadya me /
kṛtāgaso 'pi yadrājan maṅgalāni samīhase //

Durvāsas said: / Ah, today the greatness of the servants of the Infinite Lord has been witnessed by me, / in that, O king, you seek the welfare even of one who wronged you!

14. Durvasas said:— Very happy feel I to day to realise the greatness of the votaries of Ananta; for thou art, O king, thinking only of good even to those who have offended thee.

9.5.15

duṣkaraḥ ko nu sādhūnāṃ dustyajo vā mahātmanām /
yaiḥ saṅgṛhīto bhagavān sātvatāmṛṣabho hariḥ //

What indeed is difficult for the virtuous, or what is hard to abandon for exalted devotees, / by whom the Lord Hari, the foremost of the Sātvatas, has been captured?

15. What is it that is difficult for the righteous or what is it that is impossible for the noble-minded to sacrifice (to give up), by whom Hari the glorious Lord of the gods is gained over?

9.5.16

yannāmaśrutimātreṇa pumān bhavati nirmalaḥ /
tasya tīrthapadaḥ kiṃ vā dāsānāmavaśiṣyate //

By the mere hearing of whose name a person becomes pure, / what is left unattained for the servants of that Lord whose feet are purifying holy sites?

16. Could there be anything wanting on the part of the votaries of that Lord of hallowed feet by barely hearing whose name man becomes rid of all impurity and sin?

9.5.17

rājannanugṛhīto 'haṃ tvayātikaruṇātmanā /
madaghaṃ pṛṣṭhataḥ kṛtvā prāṇā yan me 'bhirakṣitāḥ //

O king, I have been favored by you, whose nature is exceedingly compassionate, / since my life was preserved by you, putting my offense behind your back.

17. O king, I have been very kindly treated by thee of a merciful disposition; for thou hast overlooked my offence and saved my life.

9.5.18

rājā tamakṛtāhāraḥ pratyāgamanakāṅkṣayā /
caraṇāv upasaṅgṛhya prasādya samabhojayat //

The king, who had not eaten food out of longing for his return, / clasped his feet, appeased him, and fed him lavishly.

18. The king who, expecting the sage's return, had not taken his meals, bowed down at the sage's feet and conciliated him to accept his hospitality.

9.5.19

so 'śitvādṛtamānītamātithyaṃ sārvakāmikam /
tṛptātmā nṛpatiṃ prāha bhujyatāmiti sādaram //

Having eaten the hospitality respectfully offered, which fulfilled every desire, / with his mind satisfied, [the sage] said to the king with respect, "Please eat."

19. Having eaten of the hospitable meals of every taste brought to him with great attention and kindness, the sage became satisfied and sincerely requested the king to take his meals.

9.5.20

prīto 'smyanugṛhīto 'smi tava bhāgavatasya vai /
darśanasparśanālāpairātithyenātmamedhasā //

"I am pleased, I am favored indeed by you, a Bhāgavata, / by your seeing, touching, conversation, hospitality, and innate wisdom.

20. I am pleased, I feel favoured, for having seen, touched and conversed with a votary of the Lord (like thee) and for accepting thy hospitality offered with full devotion (D. realisation of) to the Lord.

9.5.21

karmāvadātametat te gāyanti svaḥstriyo muhuḥ /
kīrtiṃ paramapuṇyāṃ ca kīrtayiṣyati bhūriyam //

Celestial women will repeatedly sing this spotless deed of yours, / and this earth will celebrate your supreme, purifying fame."

21. This unblemished conduct of thine, celestial damsels often sing, and thy holy name this earth will celebrate.

9.5.22

/0 śrīśuka uvāca
evaṃ saṅkīrtya rājānaṃ durvāsāḥ paritoṣitaḥ /
yayau vihāyasāmantrya brahmalokamahaitukam //

Śrī Śuka said: / Having thus extolled the king, Durvāsas, completely satisfied, / bade farewell and departed through the sky to the world of Brahmā, which is free of selfish causes.

22. Sri Suka said:—Having thus lauded the king, the delighted Durvasas took leave of him and went away through the sky to Brahmaloka [far beyond the range of Atheists].

9.5.23

saṃvatsaro 'tyagāt tāvadyāvatā nāgato gataḥ /
munistaddarśanākāṅkṣo rājābbhakṣo babhūva ha //

A year passed during the time the sage departed until he returned; / longing to see him, the king lived on water alone.

23. One complete year had elapsed by the time the sage returned to him and the king longing to see him back all the time had subsisted only on water.

9.5.24

gate 'tha durvāsasi so 'mbarīṣo dvijopayogātipavitramāharat /
ṛṣervimokṣaṃ vyasanaṃ ca vīkṣya mene svavīryaṃ ca parānubhāvam //

When Durvāsas had departed, Ambarīṣa took food exceedingly purified by the twice-born's use; / seeing the sage's deliverance and distress, he considered [the feat] to be the power of the Supreme, not his own prowess.

24. When Durvasas departed, that Ambarisha ate the holy remnant of food after its use by the brahmin; considering the affliction and release of the sage, the king thought that his virtue was only the power of that Perfect Lord.

9.5.25

evaṃ vidhānekaguṇaḥ sa rājā parātmani brahmaṇi vāsudeve /
kriyākalāpaiḥ samuvāha bhaktiṃ yayāviriñcyān nirayāṃścakāra //

Possessing many such virtues, that king directed devotion through sets of ritual actions / toward Vāsudeva, the Supreme Self and Brahman, by which he regarded realms up to that of Viriñca as hells.

25. Possessed of many similar excellent qualities the king, through all his multifarious duties, cherished, for Vasudeva, the Perfect and Supreme Brahman, his devotion so truly and intensely that he deemed all positions including that of the four-faced Brahma to be like hell.

9.5.26

/0 śrīśuka uvāca
athāmbarīṣastanayeṣu rājyaṃ samānaśīleṣu visṛjya dhīraḥ /
vanaṃ viveśātmani vāsudeve mano dadhaddhvastaguṇapravāhaḥ //

Śrī Śuka said: / Then Ambarīṣa, the steadfast, having handed over the kingdom to his sons of equal character, / entered the forest, fixing his mind on Vāsudeva within himself, with the flow of the material qualities destroyed.

26. Later on, the wise and heroic Ambarisha entrusted the kingdom to his sons who were of the same nature and disposition as he himself, and having set at naught the current of gunas, retired to the forest and concentrated his mind on Vasudeva, Atman of all.

9.5.27

ityetat puṇyamākhyānamambarīṣasya bhūpate /
saṅkīrtayannanudhyāyan bhakto bhagavato bhavet //

Reciting and meditating upon this sacred narrative of King Ambarīṣa, / one becomes a devotee of the Lord.

27. He who faithfully relates this sacred story of king Ambarisha and remembers it, may become a votary of Hari.

9.5.28

ambarīṣasya caritaṃ ye śṛṇvanti mahātmanaḥ /
muktiṃ prayānti te sarve bhaktyā viṣṇoḥ prasādataḥ //

Those who hear the conduct of the exalted Ambarīṣa, / all of them attain liberation through devotion by the grace of Viṣṇu.