Devibhagavatapurana 4.2: dvitīyo'dhyāyaḥ | karmaṇo janmādikāraṇatvanirūpaṇam

4.2.1

sūta uvāca |
evaṃ pṛṣṭaḥ purāṇajño vyāsaḥ satyavatīsutaḥ |
parīkṣitasutaṃ śāntaṃ tato vai janamejayam ||

Sûta said:-- The learned Vyâsa, the son of Satyavatî, and the knower of the Purânas, when thus asked by Janamejaya, the son of Parîksit, whose heart had become calm, replied in the following words, capable to remove all his doubts. Vyâsa said:--

4.2.2

uvāca saṃśayacchettṛ vākyaṃ vākyaviśāradaḥ |
vyāsa uvāca |
rājan kimetadvaktavyaṃ karmaṇāṃ gahanā gatiḥ ||

O king! You would better know, that in this Universe the course of Karma is not easily comprehensible; even the Devas are not capable to comprehend the wonderful effects of actions; what to speak of men!

4.2.3

durjñeyā kila devānāṃ mānavānāṃ ca kā kathā |
yadā samutthitaṃ caitadbrahmāṇḍaṃ triguṇātmakam ||

When this Universe composed of the three Gunas arose, it was through Karma, that everything had its origin.

4.2.4

karmaṇaiva samutpattiḥ sarveṣāṃ nātra saṃśayaḥ |
anādinidhanā jīvāḥ karmabījasamudbhavāḥ ||

It was the seed of Karma whence the Jîvas (the individual embodied souls) arose with neither any beginning nor any end. Those Jîvas go often and often incarnating in numberless varieties of wombs and then go to dissolution. When this Karma ceases, the Jîvas then are never to have any more connection with any other body.

4.2.5

nānāyoniṣu jāyante mriyante ca punaḥ punaḥ |
karmaṇā rahito dehasaṃyogo na kadācana ||

4.2.6

śubhāśubhaistathā miśraiḥ karmabhirveṣṭitaṃ tvidam |
trividhāni hi tānyāhurbudhāstattvavidaśca ye ||

The Karmas done by Jîvas are of three kinds:-- auspicious, inauspicious and mixed (partly auspicious and partly inauspicious); of which the auspicious is the Sattvik Karma, the inauspicious is the Tamasik Karma and the mixed, is the Râjasic Karma. Thus have been said by the Sages.

4.2.7

sañcitāni bhaviṣyanti prārabdhāni tathā punaḥ |
vartamānāni dehe'smiṃstraividhyaṃ karmaṇāṃ kila ||

These three again are subdivided into three. They are Sanchita (accumulated), Bhavisya (impending in future) and Prârabdha (commenced). All these Karmas are in dwelling always with the body.

4.2.8

brahmādīnāṃ ca sarveṣāṃ tadvaśatvaṃ narādhipa |
sukhaṃ duḥkhaṃ jarāmṛtyuharṣaśokādayastathā ||

O king! Everybody, even Brahmâ, Visnu and Mahes'a all under the influence of this Karma! And they experience pleasure, pain, old age, disease and death, joy and sorrow, lust, anger, greed and other bodily qualities, out of the effects of this Karma, which we call ordinarily Fate.

4.2.9

kāmakrodhau ca lobhaśca sarve dehagatā guṇāḥ |
daivādhīnāśca sarveṣāṃ prabhavanti narādhipa ||

4.2.10

rāgadveṣādayo bhāvāḥ svarge'pi prabhavanti hi |
devānāṃ mānavānāñca tiraścāṃ ca tathā punaḥ ||

Therefore love, hatred and other bodily qualities all predominate equally in all bodies. Anger, jealousy, hatred, and other similar qualities arise in the Devas, men, and birds owing to some sort of dislikes on previous occasions; and love, compassion, pity, etc., arise out of some sort of likings, existing already.

4.2.11

vikārāḥ sarva evaite dehena saha saṅgatāḥ |
pūrvavairānuyogena snehayogena vai punaḥ ||

4.2.12

utpattiḥ sarvajantūnāṃ vinā karma na vidyate |
karmaṇā bhramate sūryaḥ śaśāṅkaḥ kṣayarogavān ||

O king! No individual can arise without some sort of action or other. It is through Karma that the Sun traverses in the sky; it is through Karma that the Moon was attacked with consumption disease; and it is through Karma that the Rudra holds the disc of skull bone. This Karma, therefore, has no beginning nor end (till Moksa); now that this Karma is the sole cause in the production of this Universe.

4.2.13

kapālī ca tathā rudraḥ karmaṇaiva na saṃśayaḥ |
anādinidhanaṃ caitatkāraṇaṃ karma vidyate ||

4.2.14

teneha śāśvataṃ sarvaṃ jagatsthāvarajaṅgamam |
nityānityavicāre'tra nimagnā munayaḥ sadā ||

For this reason, this whole Universe, moveable and immoveable, is real; but Munis are deeply absorbed in meditation to ascertain about its reality or unreality. They cannot definitely know it for certain whether this world is real or unreal; for where Mâyâ is prevalent, the universe is there. Where there is the cause fully existing in all respects, there is no effect, how can we say? The Mâyâ is eternal and always acts as the Prime Cause of all.

4.2.15

na jānanti kimetadvai nityaṃ vānityameva ca |
māyāyāṃ vidyamānāyāṃ jagannityaṃ pratīyate ||

4.2.16

kāryābhāvaḥ kathaṃ vācyaḥ kāraṇe sati sarvathā |
māyā nityā kāraṇañca sarveṣāṃ sarvadā kila ||

4.2.17

karmabījaṃ tato'nityaṃ cintanīyaṃ sadā budhaiḥ |
bhramatyeva jagatsarvaṃ rājankarmaniyantritam ||

Therefore, O king! the sages declare that the seed of Karma is eternal. This whole universe changes incessantly, being controlled by this karma.

4.2.18

nānāyoniṣu rājendra nānādharmamayeṣu ca |
icchayā ca bhaveñcanma viṣṇoramitatejasaḥ ||

O king of kings! They say, it is through the will of Visnu, of unbounded energy and splendour, that all this universe enters, again and again, into all sorts of wombs, whether good or evil.

4.2.19

yuge yugeṣvanekāsu nīcayoniṣu tatkatham |
tyaktvā vaikuṇṭhasaṃvāsaṃ sukhabhogānanekaśaḥ ||

Now, if the birth of Visnu, of infinite prowess, takes place according to His will, then why is it that He travels through many impious births? Why is it that Bhagavân Visnu goes, in different Yugas, to take His births in low, vile origins?
Where is that self dependent man, who, leaving his abode Vaikuntha and all sorts of pleasures and happiness, desires to live in this mortal temple, filled with urine, faeces and other filthy matters.

4.2.20

viṇmūtramandire vāsaṃ santrastaḥ ko'bhivāñchati |
puṣpāvacayalīlāṃ ca jalakeliṃ sukhāsanam ||

No intelligent man will leave comfortable resting places and amorous sports and gathering flowers for the sake of dwelling in this uterus in the womb?

4.2.21

tyaktvā garbhagṛhe vāsaṃ ko'bhivācchati buddhimān |
tūlikāṃ mṛdusaṃyuktāṃ divyāṃ śayyāṃ vinirmitām ||

Who likes to live with his face downwards in the womb, when he can enjoy fine heavenly soft downs, puffed up with cotton or silk.

4.2.22

tyaktvādhomukhavāsaṃ ca ko'bhivāñchati paṇḍitaḥ |
gītaṃ nṛtyañca vādyañca nānābhāvasamanvitam ||

Who will abandon singing, dancing and music, where all sorts of love feelings are being manifested, and think of coming down to this veritable Hell?

4.2.23

muktvā ko narake vāsaṃ manasāpi vicintayet |
sindhujādbhutabhāvānāṃ rasaṃ tyaktvā sudustvajam ||

Who will abandon the wonderful ambrosial nectar and prosperity given by Laksmî, that cannot be easily renounced, and then like to taste this urine and faeces.

4.2.24

viṇmūtrarasapānañja ka icchenmatimānnaraḥ |
garbhavāsātparo nāsti narako bhuvanatraye ||

There is no hell more aggravating in the three worlds than this existence in the wombs. The Munis, afraid of these, perform difficult asceticisms in this wondrous world.

4.2.25

tadbhītāśca prakurvanti munayo dustaraṃ tapaḥ |
hitvā bhogañca rājyañca vane yānti manasvinaḥ ||

Wise, intelligent persons renounce their kingdoms and enjoyments and resort to forests. Who is there so stupid as to enter willingly in the various wombs?

4.2.26

yadbhītāstu vimūḍhātmā kastaṃ sevitumicchati |
garbhe tudanti kṛmayo jaṭharāgnistapatyadhaḥ ||

Worms and insects torment the Jîvas in the womb; the digestive fire of the stomach heats it from below, whereas it is always fearfully tied down on all sides by the flesh, enclosing its fat or marrow. O King; Not a trace of happiness is visible there.

4.2.27

vapāsaṃveṣṭanaṃ kūraṃ kiṃ sukhaṃ tatra bhūpate |
varaṃ kārāgṛhe vāso bandhanaṃ nigaḍairvaram ||

It is far better to live in a prison house, fettered by hard iron chains. Whereas it is not desirable to live for a moment in the womb.

4.2.28

alpamātraṃ kṣaṇaṃ naiva garbhavāsaḥ kvacicchubhaḥ |
garbhavāse mahadduḥkhaṃ daśamāsanivāsanam ||

It is very hard and painful to be in the womb for ten months. To come out of the hard and terrible womb is extremely troublesome.

4.2.29

tathā niḥsaraṇe duḥkhaṃ yoniyantre'tidāruṇe |
bālabhāve tadā duḥkhaṃ mūkājñabhāvasaṃyutam ||

Jîvas get trouble in their childhood; they cannot speak, and they do not know what to say, when they are hungry or thirsty; they depend entirely on others and they are grieved.

4.2.30

kṣutṛṣṇāvedanāśaktaḥ paratantro'tikātaraḥ |
kṣudhite rudite bāle mātā cintāturā tadā ||

When the child becomes hungry and cries, the mother becomes anxious. When the child is afflicted with diseases and cries, the mother then knows and administers medicines.

4.2.31

bheṣajaṃ pātumicchantī jñātvā vyādhivyathāṃ dṛḍhām |
nānāvidhāni duḥkhāni bālabhāve bhavanti vai ||

Thus many troubles arise in childhood. Sages do not therefore find any happiness and do not desire, of their own accord, to come here.

4.2.32

kiṃ sukhaṃ vibudhā dṛṣṭvā janma vāñchanti cecchayā |
saṅgrāmamamaraiḥ sārdhaṃ sukhaṃ tyaktvā nirantaram ||

O king, no sane man, would forego incessant heavenly pleasures and prefer before the Devas to this toilsome and painful state of being born in the womb.

4.2.33

kartumicchecca ko mūḍhaḥ śramadaṃ sukhanāśanam |
sarvathaiva nṛpaśreṣṭha sarve brahmādayaḥ surāḥ ||

O king of kings! All the Devas, Brahmâ and others have to enjoy full the effects of their Karmas done, whether they are pleasant or painful.

4.2.34

kṛtakarmavipākena prāpnuvanti sukhāsukhe |
avaśyameva bhoktavyaṃ kṛtaṃ karma śubhāśubham |
dehavadbhirnṛbhirdevaistiryagbhiśca nṛpottama ||

O best of kings! The fruits of karma must have to be experienced, whether auspicious or inauspicious, be he a Deva, or human being or an animal; any one who has embodied himself in fine or gross bodies!

4.2.35

tapasā dānayajñaiśca mānavaścendratāṃ vrajet |
kṣīṇe puṇye'tha śakro'pi patatyeva na saṃśayaḥ ||

Human beings, by dint of their practise of penance, religious austerities alms givings and sacrifices, rise to Indrahood. Indra, in his turn, when the effects of his good actions cease, comes down to inferior births! there is no doubt of it.

4.2.36

rāmāvatārayogena devā vānaratāṃ gatāḥ |
tathā kṛṣṇasahāyārthaṃ devā yādavatāṃ gatāḥ ||

In the Rama Incarnation, the Devas had to incarnate themselves a Monkeys; and in the Krisna incarnation, the Devas had to incarnate themselves as human beings, Cow-herds (Gopas) and Yâdavas.

4.2.37

evaṃ yuge yuge viṣṇuravatārānanekaśaḥ |
karoti dharmarakṣārthaṃ brahmaṇā prerito bhṛśam ||

Thus being urged on by Brahmâ, Visnu Bhagavân incarnates Himself many times, yugas after yugas, to preserve the religion.

4.2.38

punaḥ punarharerevaṃ nānāyoniṣu pārthiva |
avatārā bhavantyanye rathacakravadadbhutāḥ ||

O king of mortals! Thus, like a carwheel, Bhagavàn Hari incarnated Himself in various wombs successively in a wonderful manner.

4.2.39

daityānāṃ hananaṃ karma kartavyaṃ hariṇā svayam |
aṃśāṃśena pṛthivyāṃ vai kṛtvā janma mahātmanā ||

The destruction the of Daityas was done by Hari in His many secondary incarnations.

4.2.40

tadahaṃ sampravakṣyāmi kṛṣṇajanmakathāṃ śubhām |
sa eva bhagavānviṣṇuravatīrṇo yadoḥ kule ||

Now I will narrate to you the auspicious facts of the birth of Krisna, Who incarnated Himself in the family of Yadu (Yadu Kula).

4.2.41

kaśyapasya muneraṃśo vasudevaḥ pratāpavān |
govṛttirabhavadrājan pūrvaśāpānubhāvataḥ ||

O king! The illustrious Vâsudeva, born of the part of the Muni Kas'yapa, had to take his birth again as a human being due to his previous curse and had to maintain his livelihood by tending cows.

4.2.42

kaśyapasya ca dve patnyau śāpādatra mahīpate |
aditiḥ surasā caivamāsatuḥ pṛthivīpate ||

O best of kings! And the two wives Kas'yapa, Aditi and Surasâ had to take their births as the two sisters, Devaki and Rohinî, on account of the curses cast on them. O Descendant of Bharata! We have thus heard that they were greatly cursed at one time by Varuna, the water deity, who got very much angry. The king said.

4.2.43

devakī rohiṇī cobhe bhaginyau bharatarṣabha |
varuṇena mahāñchāpo dattaḥ kopāditi śrutam ||

What fault was committed by Kas'yapa that he had to take his birth along with his wife as cowherds. And why was it that the Everlasting uninterrupted Atman Visnu Nârâyana had to take his birth in Gokula. He whose abode is Vaikuntha, who is the Lord of Rama! who is Bhagavân and the Supreme amongst the gods, who is the upholder of the universe and the yugas! Under Whose order can such a being abandon his abode and take his birth in the world like an ordinary mortal? There is this grave doubt, then, of mine on this point.

4.2.44

rājovāca |
kiṃ kṛtaṃ kaśyapenāgo yena śapto mahānṛṣiḥ |
sabhāryaḥ sa kathaṃ jātastadvadasva mahāmate ||

4.2.45

kathañca bhagavānviṣṇustatra jāto'sti gokule |
vāsī vaikuṇṭhanilaye ramāpatirakhaṇḍitaḥ ||

4.2.46

nideśātkasya bhagavānvartate prabhuravyayaḥ |
nārāyaṇaḥ suraśreṣṭho yugādiḥ sarvadhārakaḥ ||

4.2.47

sa kathaṃ sadanaṃ tyaktvā karmavāniva mānuṣe |
karoti jananaṃ kasmādatra me saṃśayo mahān ||

4.2.48

prāpya mānuṣadehaṃ tu karoti ca viḍambanam |
bhāvānnānāvidhāṃstatra mānuṣe duṣṭajanmani ||

Obtaining this depraved human coil, one is always perplexed with various thoughts, sometimes with lust, anger, jealousy, intoleration, sorrow, enmity sometimes with pleasurable feelings, happiness, fear, sufferings, penury, sometimes with straight-forwardness, good or bad deeds, faithfulness, treachery, unsteadiness, supporting others; sometimes with remorse, hesitation, bragging, greed, vain boasting, delusion, or hypocrisy and sometimes with remorse; these different feelings exist in men.

4.2.49

kāmaḥ krodho'marṣaśokau vairaṃ prītiśca karhicit |
sukhaṃ duḥkhaṃ bhayaṃ nṝṇāṃ dainyamārjavameva ca ||

4.2.50

duṣkṛtaṃ sukṛtaṃ caiva vacanaṃ hananaṃ tathā |
poṣaṇaṃ calanaṃ tāpo vimarśaśca vikatthanam ||

4.2.51

lobho dambhastathā mohaḥ kapaṭaḥ śocanaṃ tathā |
ete cānye tathā bhāvā mānuṣye sambhavanti hi ||

4.2.52

sa kathaṃ bhagavānviṣṇustvaktyā sukhamanaśvaram |
karoti mānuṣaṃ janma bhāvaistaistairabhidrutam ||

How then can Visnu Bhagavân abandon His eternal pleasures and have recourse to this human birth, full of many perplexing thoughts.

4.2.53

kiṃ sukhaṃ mānuṣaṃ prāpya bhuvi janma munīśvara |
kiṃ nimittaṃ hariḥ sākṣādgarbhavāsaṃ karoti vai ||

O best of Munis! What peculiar happiness is there in the pleasures of human births, that S’rî Bhagavân Hari has to undertake the burden of dwelling thus in the human wombs?

4.2.54

garbhaduḥkhaṃ janmaduḥkhaṃ bālabhāve tathā punaḥ |
yauvane kāmajaṃ duḥkhaṃ gārhastye'timahattaram ||

O Munîndra! The sufferings that are experienced, while in the womb, the pain during the time of delivery, the misfortunes in the early childhood, the troubles of passionate lust in youth, the greater sorrows and difficulties in the householder's life, all these are existent there; how then Bhagavân Visnu incarnate Himself often in these various human births.

4.2.55

duḥkhānyetānyavāpnoti mānuṣe dvijasattama |
kathaṃ sa bhagavānviṣṇuravatārānpunaḥ punaḥ ||

4.2.56

prāpya rāmāvatāraṃ hi hariṇā brahmayoninā |
duḥkhaṃ mahattaraṃ prāptaṃ vanavāse'tidāruṇe ||

What an amount of enormous difficulties had Brahmâ-born Hari to undertake in His Râma incarnation! That high souled One had to suffer for his exile in forest, for the stealing away of his wife Sîtâ, for the frequent wars, for the final separation from his wife Sîtâ.

4.2.57

sītāvirahajaṃ duḥkhaṃ saṅgrāmaśca punaḥ punaḥ |
kāntātyāgo'pyanenaivamanubhūto mahātmanā ||

4.2.58

tathā kṛṣṇāvatāre'pi janma rakṣāgṛhe punaḥ |
gokule gamanaṃ caiva gavāṃ cāraṇamityuta ||

Likewise in the Krisna Avatâra, the birth in a prison, the departure to Gokul, tending cows, the killing of Kamsa, departure to Dwârkâ with great difficulty and all sorts of household difficulties were there. Why had He to suffer all these?

4.2.59

kaṃsasya hananaṃ kaṣṭād dvārakāgamanaṃ punaḥ |
nānāsaṃsāraduḥkhāni bhuktavānbhagavān katham ||

4.2.60

svecchayā kaḥ pratīkṣeta mukto duḥkhāni jñānavān |
saṃśayaṃ chindhi sarvajña mama cittapraśāntaye ||

Who amongst the wise and the emancipated, of his own accord condescends to take on his shoulders so many hard sufferings? This is the grave doubt in my mind; be graciously pleased to remove my this grave doubt and make my mind tranquil.
Here ends the Second Chapter in the Fourth Book of S’rî Mad Devî Bhagâvatam of the Mahâ Purânam of 18000 verses by Maharsî Veda Vyâsa.

4.2.60.c1

iti śrīmaddevībhāgavate mahāpurāṇe'ṣṭādaśasāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ caturthaskandhe karmaṇo janmādikāraṇatvanirūpaṇaṃ nāma dvitīyo'dhyāyaḥ ||