Mudgalapurana 4.41: śukropadeśavarṇanaṃ nāmaikacatvāriṃśo'dhyāyaḥ

4.41.p1

śrīgaṇeśāya namaḥ ||

Obeisance to glorious Gaṇeśa.

4.41.1

mudgala uvāca |
dūtaṃ gajānanastatra preṣayāmāsa śaṅkaram |
sa gatvā daityapaṃ dakṣa jagāda śṛṇu tadvacaḥ ||

Mudgala said: / Gajānana sent Śaṅkara there as a messenger. / Having gone, O Dakṣa, he spoke to the lord of Daityas. Hear his words.

4.41.2

śiva uvāca |
śṛṇu lobhāsura tvaṃ me vacanaṃ hitakārakam |
kariṣyasi yadā sāmnā bhaviṣyasi tadā sukhī ||

Śiva said: / "Listen to my beneficial words, O Lobhāsura! / When you act peacefully, then you will be happy.

4.41.3

gajānanaḥ svayaṃ sākṣādbrahmaṇāṃ nāyakaḥ smṛtaḥ |
sa āgataḥ suraiḥ sarvairdevendrairmunibhirvṛtaḥ ||

Gajānana himself is directly proclaimed to be the leader of the Brahmans. / He has arrived, surrounded by all the gods, the rulers of the gods, and the sages.

4.41.4

nagaraprāntabhāge te daśayojanadūrataḥ |
saṃsthitena ca daityeśa preṣito'haṃ viśeṣataḥ ||

Stationed on the outskirts of your city, at a distance of ten yojanas, / O lord of Daityas, he has specifically dispatched me.

4.41.5

madīyavaradānena nirbhayo'si hi mānada |
atastvadīyarakṣārthaṃ preṣayāmāsa māṃ prabhuḥ ||

By the bestowal of my boon you are indeed fearless, O honor-giver; / therefore, the Lord has sent me for your protection.

4.41.6

brahmāṇḍaṃ vaśamānīya tvaṃ sarveśo'si sāmpratam |
devān paśusamānāṃśca kṛtvā daityairnirantaram ||

Having brought the universe under control, you are now the lord of all, / having continually reduced the gods to the level of beasts by means of the Daityas.

4.41.7

adhunā vairamutsṛjya snehaṃ kuru mahāmate |
devāḥ svapadagāḥ santu brāhmaṇāḥ karmakāriṇaḥ ||

Now abandon hostility and show affection, O noble-minded one! / Let the gods return to their own stations, and let the brāhmaṇas perform their rites.

4.41.8

gajānanasya vartasva mitrabhāvena dānava |
bhuṅkṣva bhogān mahābhāga nocettvāṃ sa haniṣyati ||

Act with friendship toward Gajānana, O Dānava! / Enjoy your pleasures, O fortunate one; otherwise he will slay you."

4.41.9

khaṃ. 4 a. 41 pāna 105) śivasya vacanaṃ śrutvā krodhayukto mahāsuraḥ |
jagāda taṃ tiraskṛtya mahādevaṃ madānvitaḥ ||

Hearing Śiva's words, the great asura was filled with rage; / full of arrogance, he reviled Mahādeva and spoke to him:

4.41.10

lobhāsura uvāca |
ko'sau gajānanaḥ śambho tvaṃ bhedakara eva ca |
mohayasyadhunā māṃ kiṃ devānāṃ pakṣagaḥ puraḥ ||

Lobhāsura said: / "Who is this Gajānana, O Śambhu? You are merely a divider! / Siding with the gods, why do you try to bewilder me now face to face?

4.41.11

adhunā tvāṃ mahādeva hanmi krodhasamanvitaḥ |
kiṃ karomi ca dūtastvaṃ gaccha devaṃ gajānanam ||

Right now, Mahādeva, filled with anger, I would kill you! / But what can I do? You are an envoy. Go to the god Gajānana!

4.41.12

vada vākyaṃ madīyaṃ tvaṃ haniṣyāmi sadevakam |
gajānanaṃ na sandehaḥ paśya me pauruṣaṃ mahat ||

Speak these words of mine: 'I will slay Gajānana along with the gods, / without a doubt. Behold my great prowess!'"

4.41.13

evaṃ nirbhartsitaḥ śambhuḥ krodhāruṇavilocanaḥ |
jagāda taṃ mahādaityaṃ viśeṣajñaḥ sudurmatim ||

Thus rebuked, Śambhu, his eyes red with anger, / who knows what is right, spoke to that wicked-minded great Daitya:

4.41.14

śiva uvāca |
mṛtyuyogena pāpiṣṭha tvaṃ yuto'si na saṃśayaḥ |
gajānanaṃ tena lobha nindasi brahmanāyakam ||

Śiva said: / "O most sinful one, you are joined with the conjunction of death, there is no doubt! / Therefore, O Lobha, you revile Gajānana, the leader of Brahman."

4.41.15

śivaḥ punaḥ sudurbuddhimevamuktvā yayau prabhum |
gajānanaṃ praṇamyādau vṛttāntaṃ sañjagau punaḥ ||

Having spoken thus again to the evil-minded one, Śiva went to the Lord. / Having first bowed to Gajānana, he recounted the news again.

4.41.16

tadākarṇya vacaḥ krūraṃ gajānanaḥ pratāpavān |
krodhasaṃraktacakṣuḥ san paraśuṃ tvakṣipattataḥ ||

Hearing those cruel words, the glorious Gajānana, / with eyes red with fury, cast his battle-axe.

4.41.17

anantādityasaṅkāśaḥ paraśuḥ kālabhītidaḥ |
āyayau daityapuryāṃ vai jvālāmālābhirāvṛtaḥ ||

Resembling endless suns, terrifying even to Death, / enveloped in circles of flames, the battle-axe arrived in the Daitya city.

4.41.18

tejomayaṃ mahāstraṃ tad dṛṣṭvā daityagaṇāḥ param |
bhayabhītā yayustaṃ te hāhākāraravākulāḥ ||

Beholding that great fiery weapon, the hosts of Daityas, utterly terrified / and distressed with cries of woe, rushed to him [Lobha].

4.41.19

dānavendraiḥ sabhāsaṃsthaṃ lobhaṃ dṛṣṭvā sukhaṃ vacaḥ |
jagurdāruṇarūpaṃ yat sarvebhyo bhayadāyakam ||

Seeing Lobha seated in the assembly, the leaders of the Dānavas / spoke words devoid of happiness, of a dreadful nature, bringing fear to everyone.

4.41.20

nāgarā ūcuḥ |
kiṃ sthito'si mahādaitya lobha jvālāsamākulam |
astraṃ samāgataṃ krūraṃ dāhayāmāsa dānavān ||

The citizens said: / "Why do you just sit here, O great Daitya Lobha? Filled with blazing flames, / a cruel weapon has arrived and burned up the Dānavas!"

4.41.21

teṣāṃ tadvacanaṃ śrutvā bhayaharṣasamanvitaḥ |
jagāda dānavādhīśān mahākopayuto'suraḥ ||

Hearing their words, filled with fear and agitation, / the asura, possessed by great anger, spoke to the lords of the Dānavas:

4.41.22

lobhāsura uvāca |
gajānano'maraiḥ sārdhaṃ samāyāto na saṃśayaḥ |
samartho dṛśyate nūnaṃ yasyāstrabalamīdṛśam ||

Lobhāsura said: / "Gajānana has arrived together with the immortals, there is no doubt. / He certainly appears powerful, since the power of his weapon is such!"

4.41.23

tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā dānavendrā mahābalāḥ |
ūcuḥ prāñjalayaḥ sarve mā bhayaṃ kuru sattama ||

Hearing his words, the mighty leaders of the Dānavas, / all with folded hands, said: "Do not fear, O best of beings!

4.41.24

gajānanaṃ haniṣyāmaḥ paśyati tvayi mānada |
evamuktvā yayuḥ sarve daṃśitā yoddhumādṛtāḥ ||

We shall slay Gajānana while you look on, O proud one!" / Having spoken thus, all of them, clad in armor, eagerly advanced to fight.

4.41.25

tatastairyamasaṅkāśairdṛṣṭaṃ tejomayaṃ mahat |
astraṃ brahmapate krūraṃ pralayasya prakāśakam ||

Then, those [Dānavas] resembling Yama beheld the great fiery weapon / of the Lord of Brahman, cruel and manifesting dissolution.

4.41.26

dadāha dānavāṃstatra sarvatastīkṣṇatejasā |
hāhākāraravāḥ sarve papalurbhayavihvalāḥ ||

It burned the Dānavas there on all sides with its sharp splendor; / uttering cries of woe, all of them fled, bewildered by fear.

4.41.27

dānavendraistato dakṣa meghāstraṃ mocitaṃ mahat |
jalaughaiḥ sarvato meghā vavṛṣurdāruṇaṃ param ||

Then, O Dakṣa, a great cloud-weapon was discharged by the leaders of the Dānavas; / with torrents of water on all sides, the clouds poured down exceedingly dreadful [rain].

4.41.28

jalaṃ sarvaṃ mahāstraṃ tacchoṣayāmāsa tatkṣaṇāt |
meghasthaṃ te tato meghā nistejaskā babhūvire ||

That great weapon instantly dried up all the water / present in the clouds, and then those clouds became devoid of luster.

4.41.29

daityendrān daityamukhyāṃśca jvālayā paraśustadā |
dadāha ca tato bhītā papaluryatra tatra te ||

Then the battle-axe with its flame burned the Daitya lords / and Daitya chiefs; then, terrified, they fled here and there.

4.41.30

tad dṛṣṭvā paramāścaryaṃ sa lobhāsura āyayau |
rathārūḍho mahātejāstannivṛttyarthamādṛtaḥ ||

Seeing that supreme wonder, that Lobhāsura came forth, / mounted upon a chariot, of great splendor, eagerly intent on turning it back.

4.41.31

paśyato daityarājasya jvālā'kasmāt samāgatā |
rathaṃ sāśvaṃ dadāhā'pi tataḥ śastrāṇi sarvataḥ ||

As the king of Daityas looked on, the flame arrived suddenly / and burned the chariot along with the horses, and then the weapons on all sides.

4.41.32

tataḥ papāla daityendraḥ kaviṃ lobhāsuro yayau |
taṃ praṇamya mahābhāgaṃ papraccha vinayānvitaḥ ||

Then the lord of Daityas fled; Lobhāsura went to Kavi [Śukra]. / Having bowed down to that illustrious one, he asked with humility:

4.41.32.p1

lobhāsura uvāca |
svāmin gajānano deva āgataḥ sa mahābalaḥ |
(

Lobhāsura said: / "O master, the god Gajānana, possessed of great strength, has arrived.

4.41.33

khaṃ. 4 a. 41 pāna 106) dāhayāmāsa śastreṇā'nivāryeṇa rathaṃ sa me ||

With an irresistible weapon, he has burned my chariot.

4.41.34

tannivṛttyarthamevāhaṃ na paśyāmīha kiñcana |
ataste śaraṇaṃ nātha prāpto'haṃ rakṣa māṃ mune ||

I see nothing here to ward it off; / therefore, O lord, I have taken refuge with you. Protect me, O sage!

4.41.35

manovāṇīmayaṃ sarvaṃ tasmān mṛtyurna me bhavet |
nāmarūpadharaḥ so'pi kathaṃ māṃ dhakṣyati prabho ||

All is composed of mind and speech; therefore death should not come to me. / Even if he bears name and form, how will he burn me, O lord?

4.41.36

yadi me maraṇaṃ prāptamevaṃ tarhyastu sāmpratam |
devānāṃ śaraṇaṃ nātha na gamiṣyāmi karhicit ||

If my death has arrived, then let it be so now; / but I will never go to the gods for refuge, O lord!

4.41.37

ato vada mahābhāga upāyaṃ hitadāyakam |
tvadādhāraṃ ca yogīndra jīvanaṃ me pravartate ||

Therefore, O noble one, tell me a beneficial remedy; / my very life depends on you, O lord of yogins!"

4.41.38

iti tasya vacaḥ śrutvā śukraḥ sarvajñamukhyakaḥ |
lobhāsuraṃ bhayodvignaṃ taṃ jagāda praharṣayan ||

4.41.39

śukra uvāca |
mā kuruṣva bhayaṃ vatsa śṛṇu me vacanaṃ hitam |
tat samācāra daityendra tataḥ kṣemaṃ bhaviṣyati ||

Śukra said: / "Do not fear, my child! Listen to my beneficial words. / Act accordingly, O lord of Daityas; then welfare will ensue.

4.41.40

gajānanaḥ prasannātmā yadicchati mahāsura |
tadeva satyarūpaṃ vai bhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ ||

Whatever Gajānana, whose nature is gracious, desires, O great asura, / that very thing will certainly come true; there is no doubt.

4.41.41

brahmaṇāṃ nāyakaḥ prokto gaccha taṃ vinayānvitaḥ |
nā'yaṃ devādhipo daitya surāsuramayaḥ prabhuḥ ||

"He is spoken of as the leader of the Brahmans. Go to him with humility.
He is not [merely] the lord of gods, O Daitya; the Lord comprises gods and asuras."

4.41.42

evaṃ tasya vacaḥ śrutvā lobhastaṃ punarabravīt |
niḥśvasya devapaiḥ sārdhaṃ kathaṃ yoddhuṃ samāyayau ||

Hearing his word thus, Lobha sighed
and spoke to him again: "Why did he come to fight alongside the rulers of the gods?

4.41.43

madhyasthaścen mahābhāgaṃ taṃ gacchāmi śaraṇyakam |
na lajjā tena me svāmin saṃśayaṃ chindhi hṛtsthitam ||

If he is impartial, I will go to him, the illustrious refuge.
In that case I have no shame, O master; cut away the doubt residing in my heart."

4.41.44

śukra uvāca |
deharūpaṃ mahadbrahma dehyātmā vedabhāṣitam |
tayoryoge mahādaitya bodho'si padavācakaḥ ||

Śukra said:
"Great Brahman is the bodily form, and the embodied soul is proclaimed by the Veda.
From their union, O great Daitya, you are the consciousness denoted by the word.

4.41.45

bodhanāśe videhākhyaṃ brahma saukhyaṃ prakīrtitam |
susiddhidaṃ tadeva tvaṃ vijānīhi gajānanam ||

When consciousness is destroyed, it is proclaimed as Brahman, the bodiless bliss.
Know that Gajānana himself is that bestower of excellent perfections.

4.41.46

sarveṣāṃ bījarūpaṃ yattasya bījaṃ na vidyate |
tadeva gajaśabdākhyaṃ brahma vede prakīrtitam ||

That which is the seed of all, yet has no seed of its own,
is indeed proclaimed in the Veda as Brahman denoted by the word 'elephant' (gaja).

4.41.47

gajacihnena gacchanti yogino hi gajānanam |
tena nāmnā samākhyāto munibhistattvadarśibhiḥ ||

Yogins attain Gajānana by means of the mark of the elephant;
therefore he is named by the sages who perceive reality.

4.41.48

yathā mukhasya cihnena jñāyate mānavādibhiḥ |
gajacihnena tadbrahma jñāyate yogibhiḥ sadā ||

Just as a person is known by human beings and others through the mark of the face,
so that Brahman is ever known by yogins through the mark of the elephant.

4.41.49

tenaiva sthāpitaṃ viśvaṃ bodharūpaṃ mahāmate |
svasvadharmayutaṃ pūrṇaṃ tatrā'yaṃ saṃsthito'bhavat ||

By him alone the universe, consisting of consciousness, was established, O highly intelligent one,
complete and endowed with each one's own dharma; therein he remained established.

4.41.50

pātāle dānavānāṃ ca rājyaṃ svarge divaukasām |
pṛthivyāṃ mānavānāṃ vai trividhaṃ racitaṃ purā ||

In ancient times the kingdom of the Dānavas was established in the netherworld, of the gods in heaven,
and of human beings on earth—a threefold [order].

4.41.51

yadā devā mahābhāga lobhayuktā madānvitāḥ |
pātālasthān daityagaṇāñjaghnurmūlavināśakāḥ ||

When the gods, O illustrious one, filled with greed and filled with pride,
destroyed their roots and slew the hordes of Daityas dwelling in the netherworld,

4.41.52

tadā'yaṃ dehadhārī ca daityebhyo varado'bhavat |
devānāṃ vighnasandātā gaṇeśaḥ sarvabhāvavit ||

then he assumed a body and became the giver of boons to the Daityas;
Gaṇeśa, the knower of every state of being, became the bringer of obstacles to the gods.

4.41.53

tato daityagaṇāḥ sarve balayuktā surendrakān |
jaghnurvīraśriyā rājan vighnahīnaprabhāvataḥ ||

Then all the hordes of Daityas, endowed with strength, O king,
slew the chiefs of the gods with heroic glory through the power of being freed from obstacles.

4.41.54

yadā daityā mahālobha lobhayuktā viśeṣataḥ |
devānāṃ jīvanāśārthamabhavan karmakhaṇḍanāt ||

When the Daityas, O great Lobha, were especially seized with greed
and aimed to destroy the life of the gods by halting [sacrificial] rites,

4.41.55

tadā vighneśvaraḥ sākṣāddehaṃ dhṛtvā ca dānavān |
hatvā svasthānagān devānakaroddharmapālakaḥ ||

then Vighneśvara, having assumed a body visibly, slew the Dānavas
and established the gods who preserve dharma in their own places.

4.41.56

surā'surādayaḥ sarve svasvadharmaratā yadā |
tadā'yaṃ brahmarūpaḥ saṃścitte cintāmaṇirbabhau ||

When gods, asuras, and all others are devoted to their respective dharmas,
then he, being of the nature of Brahman, shines as the wish-fulfilling jewel in the heart.

4.41.57

cittarūpā svayaṃ buddhirbhrāntirūpā mahāmate |
siddhistābhyāṃ gaṇādhīśaḥ khelati brahmanāyakaḥ ||

Intellect itself is of the nature of mind, and perfection is of the nature of delusion, O highly intelligent one;
with these two Gaṇādhīśa, the leader of the Brahmans, plays.

4.41.57.p1

svasaṃvedyāt manastasya darśanaṃ jāyate yataḥ |
(

Since the vision of him arises from the self-cognised mind,

4.41.58

khaṃ. 4 a. 42 pāna 107) tenā'yaṃ gaṇapaḥ svānandavāsī kathyate budhaiḥ ||

Section 4, Chapter 42, Page 107) therefore this lord of gaṇas is called by the wise the dweller in Svānanda.

4.41.59

atastasyaiva daityendra śaraṇaṃ sukhadaṃ bhavet |
anyathā sakalaṃ hatvā mariṣyasi na saṃśayaḥ ||

Therefore, O lord of Daityas, refuge in him alone will bring happiness;
otherwise, having killed everything, you will die, no doubt.

4.41.60

gajānanasya daityeśa śastraṃ brahmamayaṃ hyataḥ |
tasmai kuru namo bhaktyā śāntarūpaṃ bhaviṣyati ||

O lord of Daityas, the weapon of Gajānana is indeed composed of Brahman;
therefore offer homage to it with devotion, and it will become peaceful in nature."

4.41.60.c1

oṃ tatsaditi śrīmadāntye purāṇopaniṣadi śrīmanmaudgale mahāpurāṇe caturthe khaṇḍe gajānanacarite śukropadeśavarṇanaṃ nāmaikacatvāriṃśo'dhyāyaḥ ||

Om tat sat. Thus ends the forty-first chapter, entitled 'Description of the Instruction of Śukra', in the Gajānana narrative, in the fourth section of the glorious and final Purāṇa-Upaniṣad, the glorious Mahāpurāṇa composed by Mudgala.