Description of Vaikuntha planets:
TEXT 17
vaimānikāḥ sa-lalanāś caritāni śaśvad
gāyanti yatra śamala-kṣapaṇāni bhartuḥ
antar-jale
’nuvikasan-madhu-mādhavīnāṁ
gandhena khaṇḍita-dhiyo ’py anilaṁ kṣipantaḥ
vaimānikāḥ—flying in their airplanes; sa-lalanāḥ—along with their wives; caritāni—activities; śaśvat—eternally; gāyanti—sing; yatra—in those Vaikuṇṭha planets; śamala—all inauspicious qualities; kṣapaṇāni—devoid of; bhartuḥ—of the Supreme Lord; antaḥ-jale—in the midst of the water; anuvikasat—blossoming; madhu—fragrant, laden with honey; mādhavīnām—of the mādhavī flowers; gandhena—by the fragrance; khaṇḍita—disturbed; dhiyaḥ—minds; api—even though; anilam—breeze; kṣipantaḥ—deriding.
In the Vaikuṇṭha planets the inhabitants fly in their airplanes,
accompanied by their wives and consorts, and eternally sing of the character
and activities of the Lord, which are always devoid of all inauspicious
qualities. While singing the glories of the Lord, they deride even the presence
of the blossoming mādhavī flowers, which are fragrant and laden with honey.
pārāvatānyabhṛta-sārasa-cakravāka-
dātyūha-haṁsa-śuka-tittiri-barhiṇāṁ yaḥ
kolāhalo viramate
’cira-mātram uccair
bhṛṅgādhipe hari-kathām iva gāyamāne
pārāvata—pigeons; anyabhṛta—cuckoo; sārasa—crane; cakravāka—cakravāka; dātyūha—gallinule; haṁsa—swan; śuka—parrot; tittiri—partridge; barhiṇām—of the peacock; yaḥ—which; kolāhalaḥ—tumult; viramate—stops; acira-mātram—temporarily; uccaiḥ—loudly; bhṛṅga-adhipe—king of the bumblebees; hari-kathām—the glories of the Lord; iva—as; gāyamāne—while singing.
When the king of bees hums in a high
pitch, singing the glories of the Lord, there is a temporary lull in the noise
of the pigeon, the cuckoo, the crane, the cakravāka, the swan, the parrot, the partridge and the peacock. Such
transcendental birds stop their own singing simply to hear the glories of the
Lord.
mandāra-kunda-kurabotpala-campakārṇa-
punnāga-nāga-bakulāmbuja-pārijātāḥ
gandhe ’rcite
tulasikābharaṇena tasyā
yasmiṁs tapaḥ sumanaso bahu mānayanti
mandāra—mandāra; kunda—kunda; kuraba—kuraba; utpala—utpala; campaka—campaka; arṇa—arṇa flower; punnāga—punnāga; nāga—nāgakeśara; bakula—bakula; ambuja—lily; pārijātāḥ—pārijāta; gandhe—fragrance; arcite—being worshiped; tulasikā—tulasi; ābharaṇena—with a garland; tasyāḥ—of her; yasmin—in which Vaikuṇṭha; tapaḥ—austerity; su-manasaḥ—good minded, Vaikuṇṭha minded; bahu—very much; mānayanti—glorify.
Although flowering plants like
the mandāra, kunda, kurabaka, utpala, campaka, arṇa, punnāga, nāgakeśara, bakula, lily and pārijāta are full of transcendental fragrance,
they are still conscious of the austerities performed by tulasī, for tulasī is given special preference by the Lord, who garlands
Himself with tulasī leaves.
yat saṅkulaṁ hari-padānati-mātra-dṛṣṭair
vaidūrya-mārakata-hema-mayair vimānaiḥ
yeṣāṁ bṛhat-kaṭi-taṭāḥ smita-śobhi-mukhyaḥ
kṛṣṇātmanāṁ na raja ādadhur utsmayādyaiḥ
yat—that Vaikuṇṭha abode; saṅkulam—is pervaded; hari-pada—at the two lotus feet of Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ānati—by obeisances; mātra—simply; dṛṣṭaiḥ—are obtained; vaidūrya—lapis lazuli; mārakata—emeralds; hema—gold; mayaiḥ—made of; vimānaiḥ—with airplanes; yeṣām—of those passengers; bṛhat—large; kaṭi-taṭāḥ—hips; smita—smiling; śobhi—beautiful; mukhyaḥ—faces; kṛṣṇa—in Kṛṣṇa; ātmanām—whose minds are absorbed; na—not; rajaḥ—sex desire; ādadhuḥ—stimulate; utsmaya-ādyaiḥ—by intimate friendly dealings,
laughing and joking.
The inhabitants of Vaikuṇṭha travel in their airplanes made of lapis lazuli, emerald
and gold. Although crowded by their consorts, who have large hips and beautiful
smiling faces, they cannot be stimulated to passion by their mirth and
beautiful charms.
śrī rūpiṇī kvaṇayatī caraṇāravindaṁ
līlāmbujena
hari-sadmani mukta-doṣā
saṁlakṣyate sphaṭika-kuḍya upeta-hemni
sammārjatīva yad-anugrahaṇe ’nya-yatnaḥ
śrī—Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune; rūpiṇī—assuming a beautiful form; kvaṇayatī—tinkling; caraṇa-aravindam—lotus feet; līlā-ambujena—playing with a lotus flower; hari-sadmani—the house of the Supreme
Personality; mukta-doṣā—freed from all faults; saṁlakṣyate—becomes visible; sphaṭika—crystal; kuḍye—walls; upeta—mixed; hemni—gold; sammārjatī iva—appearing like a sweeper; yat-anugrahaṇe—to receive her favor; anya—others’; yatnaḥ—very much careful.
The ladies in the Vaikuṇṭha planets are as beautiful as the goddess of fortune
herself. Such transcendentally beautiful ladies, their hands playing with
lotuses and their leg bangles tinkling, are sometimes seen sweeping the marble
walls, which are bedecked at intervals with golden borders, in order to receive
the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
vāpīṣu vidruma-taṭāsv amalāmṛtāpsu
preṣyānvitā nija-vane tulasībhir īśam
abhyarcatī svalakam unnasam īkṣya vaktram
uccheṣitaṁ bhagavatety amatāṅga yac-chrīḥ
vāpīṣu—in the ponds; vidruma—made of coral; taṭāsu—banks; amala—transparent; amṛta—nectarean; apsu—water; preṣyā-anvitā—surrounded by maidservants; nija-vane—in her own garden; tulasībhiḥ—with tulasī; īśam—the Supreme Lord; abhyarcatī—worship; su-alakam—with her face decorated with tilaka; unnasam—raised nose; īkṣya—by seeing; vaktram—face; uccheṣitam—being kissed; bhagavatā—by the Supreme Lord; iti—thus; amata—thought; aṅga—O demigods; yat-śrīḥ—whose beauty.
The goddesses of fortune worship the
Lord in their own gardens by offering tulasī leaves on the coral-paved banks of transcendental
reservoirs of water. While offering worship to the Lord, they can see on the
water the reflection of their beautiful faces with raised noses, and it appears
that they have become more beautiful because of the Lord’s kissing their faces.
Prahalada maharaj
TEXTS 7.4.31–32
brahmaṇyaḥ śīla-sampannaḥ / satya-sandho jitendriyaḥ
ātmavat
sarva-bhūtānām / eka-priya-suhṛttamaḥ
dāsavat
sannatāryāṅghriḥ / pitṛvad dīna-vatsalaḥ
bhrātṛvat sadṛśe snigdho / guruṣv
īśvara-bhāvanaḥ
vidyārtha-rūpa-janmāḍhyo / māna-stambha-vivarjitaḥ
brahmaṇyaḥ—cultured as a good brāhmaṇa; śīla-sampannaḥ—possessing all good qualities; satya-sandhaḥ—determined to understand the
Absolute Truth; jita-indriyaḥ—fully controlling the senses and
mind; ātma-vat—like the Supersoul; sarva-bhūtānām—of all living entities; eka-priya—the one beloved; suhṛt-tamaḥ—the best friend; dāsa-vat—like a menial servant; sannata—always obedient; ārya-aṅghriḥ—at the lotus feet of great
persons; pitṛ-vat—exactly like a father; dīna-vatsalaḥ—kind to the poor; bhrātṛ-vat—exactly like a brother; sadṛśe—to his equals; snigdhaḥ—very affectionate; guruṣu—unto the spiritual masters; īśvara-bhāvanaḥ—who considered exactly like the
Supreme Personality of Godhead; vidyā—education; artha—riches; rūpa—beauty; janma—aristocracy or nobility; āḍhyaḥ—endowed with; māna—pride; stambha—impudence; vivarjitaḥ—completely free from.
[The qualities of Mahārāja Prahlāda, the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu, are described herewith.] He
was completely cultured as a qualified brāhmaṇa, having very good character and being determined to
understand the Absolute Truth. He had full control of his senses and mind. Like
the Supersoul, he was kind to every living entity and was the best friend of
everyone. To respectable persons he acted exactly like a menial servant, to the
poor he was like a father, to his equals he was attached like a sympathetic
brother, and he considered his teachers, spiritual masters and older
Godbrothers to be as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He was completely
free from unnatural pride that might have arisen from his good education,
riches, beauty, aristocracy and so on.
śrī-prahlāda uvāca
tat sādhu manye ’sura-varya dehināṁ
sadā
samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt
hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpaṁ
vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta
śrī-prahlādaḥ uvāca—Prahlāda Mahārāja replied; tat—that; sādhu—very good, or the best part of life; manye—I think; asura-varya—O King of the asuras; dehinām—of persons who have accepted the material body; sadā—always; samudvigna—full of anxieties; dhiyām—whose intelligence; asat-grahāt—because of accepting the temporary
body or bodily relations as real (thinking “I am this body, and everything
belonging to this body is mine”); hitvā—giving up; ātma-pātam—the place where spiritual culture or self-realization is stopped; gṛham—the bodily concept of life, or household life; andha-kūpam—which is nothing but a blind well
(where there is no water but one nonetheless searches for water); vanam—to the forest; gataḥ—going; yat—which; harim—the Supreme Personality of
Godhead; āśrayeta—may take shelter of.
Prahlāda Mahārāja replied: O best of the asuras, King of the demons, as
far as I have learned from my spiritual master, any person who has accepted a
temporary body and temporary household life is certainly embarrassed by anxiety
because of having fallen in a dark well where there is no water but only
suffering. One should give up this position and go to the forest [vana]. More clearly, one should go to Vṛndāvana, where only Kṛṣṇa consciousness is prevalent, and
should thus take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
śrī-prahrāda uvāca
śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ / smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam
arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ / sakhyam ātma-nivedanam
iti puṁsārpitā viṣṇau / bhaktiś cen
nava-lakṣaṇā
kriyeta bhagavaty addhā / tan manye ’dhītam
uttamam
śrī-prahrādaḥ uvāca—Prahlāda Mahārāja said; śravaṇam—hearing; kīrtanam—chanting; viṣṇoḥ—of Lord Viṣṇu (not
anyone else); smaraṇam—remembering; pāda-sevanam—serving the feet; arcanam—offering worship (with ṣoḍaśopacāra, the sixteen kinds of
paraphernalia); vandanam—offering prayers; dāsyam—becoming the servant; sakhyam—becoming the best friend; ātma-nivedanam—surrendering everything, whatever
one has; iti—thus; puṁsā arpitā—offered by the devotee; viṣṇau—unto Lord Viṣṇu (not
to anyone else); bhaktiḥ—devotional service; cet—if; nava-lakṣaṇā—possessing nine different processes; kriyeta—one should perform; bhagavati—unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; addhā—directly or completely; tat—that; manye—I consider; adhītam—learning; uttamam—topmost.
Prahlāda Mahārāja said: Hearing and chanting about the transcendental
holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Viṣṇu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord,
offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia,
offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one’s
best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him
with the body, mind and words)—these nine processes are accepted as pure
devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Kṛṣṇa through these nine methods
should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired
complete knowledge.
śrī-prahrāda uvāca
matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā / mitho
’bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām
adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ / punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām
śrī-prahrādaḥ uvāca—Prahlāda Mahārāja said; matiḥ—inclination; na—never; kṛṣṇe—unto Lord Kṛṣṇa; parataḥ—from the instructions of others; svataḥ—from their own understanding; vā—either; mithaḥ—from combined effort; abhipadyeta—is developed; gṛha-vratānām—of persons too addicted to the
materialistic, bodily conception of life; adānta—uncontrolled; gobhiḥ—by the senses; viśatām—entering; tamisram—hellish life; punaḥ—again; punaḥ—again; carvita—things already chewed; carvaṇānām—who are chewing.
Prahlāda Mahārāja replied: Because of their uncontrolled senses, persons
too addicted to materialistic life make progress toward hellish conditions and
repeatedly chew that which has already been chewed. Their inclinations
toward Kṛṣṇa are never aroused, either by
the instructions of others, by their own efforts, or by a combination of both.
na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ
durāśayā ye
bahir-artha-māninaḥ
andhā yathāndhair
upanīyamānās
te ’pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ
na—not; te—they; viduḥ—know; sva-artha-gatim—the ultimate goal of life, or their own real interest; hi—indeed; viṣṇum—Lord Viṣṇu and
His abode; durāśayāḥ—being ambitious to enjoy this
material world; ye—who; bahiḥ—external sense objects; artha-māninaḥ—considering as valuable; andhāḥ—persons who are blind; yathā—just as; andhaiḥ—by other blind men; upanīyamānāḥ—being led; te—they; api—although; īśa-tantryām—to the ropes (laws) of material
nature; uru—having very strong; dāmni—cords; baddhāḥ—bound.
Persons who are strongly entrapped by
the consciousness of enjoying material life, and who have therefore accepted as
their leader or guru a similar blind man attached to
external sense objects, cannot understand that the goal of life is to return
home, back to Godhead, and engage in the service of Lord Viṣṇu. As blind men guided by another blind man miss the right
path and fall into a ditch, materially attached men led by another materially
attached man are bound by the ropes of fruitive labor, which are made of very
strong cords, and they continue again and again in materialistic life,
suffering the threefold miseries.
naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghriṁ
spṛśaty anarthāpagamo yad-arthaḥ
mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo-’bhiṣekaṁ
niṣkiñcanānāṁ na vṛṇīta yāvat
na—not; eṣām—of these; matiḥ—the consciousness; tāvat—that long; urukrama-aṅghrim—the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is
famous for performing uncommon activities; spṛśati—does touch; anartha—of unwanted things; apagamaḥ—the disappearance; yat—of which; arthaḥ—the purpose; mahīyasām—of the great souls (the mahātmās, or
devotees); pāda-rajaḥ—by the dust of the lotus feet; abhiṣekam—consecration; niṣkiñcanānām—of devotees who have nothing to do with this material
world; na—not; vṛṇīta—may accept; yāvat—as long as.
Unless they smear upon their bodies
the dust of the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava completely freed from material contamination, persons
very much inclined toward materialistic life cannot be attached to the lotus
feet of the Lord, who is glorified for His uncommon activities. Only by
becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious and taking shelter at
the lotus feet of the Lord in this way can one be freed from material
contamination.
śrī-prahrāda uvāca
kaumāra ācaret prajño / dharmān bhāgavatān iha
durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma / tad apy
adhruvam arthadam
śrī-prahrādaḥ uvāca—Prahlāda Mahārāja said; kaumāraḥ—in the tender age of
childhood; ācaret—should practice; prājñaḥ—one who is intelligent; dharmān—occupational duties; bhāgavatān—which are devotional service to the Supreme Personality of
Godhead; iha—in this life; durlabham—very rarely obtained; mānuṣam—human; janma—birth; tat—that; api—even; adhruvam—impermanent, temporary; artha-dam—full of meaning.
Prahlāda Mahārāja said: One who is sufficiently intelligent should use
the human form of body from the very beginning of life—in other words, from the
tender age of childhood—to practice the activities of devotional service,
giving up all other engagements. The human body is most rarely achieved, and
although temporary like other bodies, it is meaningful because in human life
one can perform devotional service. Even a slight amount of sincere devotional
service can give one complete perfection.
yathā hi puruṣasyeha / viṣṇoḥ pādopasarpaṇam
yad eṣa sarva-bhūtānāṁ / priya
ātmeśvaraḥ suhṛt
yathā—in order that; hi—indeed; puruṣasya—of a living entity; iha—here; viṣṇoḥ—of Lord Viṣṇu,
the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pāda-upasarpaṇam—approaching the lotus feet; yat—because; eṣaḥ—this; sarva-bhūtānām—of all living entities; priyaḥ—the dear one; ātma-īśvaraḥ—the master of the soul, the
Supersoul; suhṛt—the best well-wisher and friend.
The human form of life affords one a
chance to return home, back to Godhead. Therefore every living entity,
especially in the human form of life, must engage in devotional service to the
lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu. This devotional service is natural
because Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
is the most beloved, the master of the soul, and the well-wisher of all other
living beings.
sukham aindriyakaṁ daityā / deha-yogena
dehinām
sarvatra labhyate daivād / yathā duḥkham ayatnataḥ
sukham—happiness; aindriyakam—with reference to the material senses; daityāḥ—O my dear friends born in demoniac families; deha-yogena—because of possessing a particular
type of material body; dehinām—of all embodied living entities; sarvatra—everywhere (in any form of life); labhyate—is obtainable; daivāt—by a superior arrangement; yathā—just as; duḥkham—unhappiness; ayatnataḥ—without endeavor.
Prahlāda Mahārāja continued: My dear friends born of demoniac families,
the happiness perceived with reference to the sense objects by contact with the
body can be obtained in any form of life, according to one’s past fruitive
activities. Such happiness is automatically obtained without endeavor, just as
we obtain distress.
tat-prayāso na kartavyo / yata āyur-vyayaḥ param
na tathā vindate kṣemaṁ / mukunda-caraṇāmbujam
tat—for that (sense gratification and
economic development); prayāsaḥ—endeavor; na—not; kartavyaḥ—to be done; yataḥ—from which; āyuḥ-vyayaḥ—waste of the duration of life; param—only or ultimately; na—nor; tathā—in that way; vindate—enjoys; kṣemam—the ultimate goal of life; mukunda—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who can deliver one
from the material clutches; caraṇa-ambujam—the lotus feet.
Endeavors merely for sense
gratification or material happiness through economic development are not to be
performed, for they result only in a loss of time and energy, with no actual
profit. If one’s endeavors are directed toward Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one can surely
attain the spiritual platform of self-realization. There is no such benefit
from engaging oneself in economic development.
TEXT SB
7.9.8
śrī-prahrāda
uvāca
brahmādayaḥ sura-gaṇā munayo ’tha siddhāḥ
sattvaikatāna-gatayo vacasāṁ pravāhaiḥ
nārādhituṁ puru-guṇair adhunāpi pipruḥ
kiṁ toṣṭum arhati sa me harir ugra-jāteḥ
śrī-prahrādaḥ uvāca — Prahlāda Mahārāja
prayed; brahma-ādayaḥ — headed by Lord
Brahmā; sura-gaṇāḥ — the inhabitants of the
upper planetary systems; munayaḥ — the great saintly
persons; atha — as well (like the four
Kumāras and others); siddhāḥ — who have attained
perfection or full knowledge; sattva — to spiritual
existence; ekatāna-gatayaḥ — who have taken without
diversion to any material activities; vacasām — of descriptions or
words; pravāhaiḥ — by streams; na — not; ārādhitum — to satisfy; puru-guṇaiḥ — although fully
qualified; adhunā — until now; api — even; pipruḥ — were able; kim — whether; toṣṭum — to become pleased; arhati — is able; saḥ — He (the Lord); me — my; hariḥ — the Supreme Personality
of Godhead; ugra-jāteḥ — who am born in an asuric
family.
Prahlāda
Mahārāja prayed: How is it possible for me, who have been born in a family of
asuras, to offer suitable prayers to satisfy the Supreme Personality of
Godhead? Even until now, all the demigods, headed by Lord Brahmā, and all the
saintly persons, could not satisfy the Lord by streams of excellent words,
although such persons are very qualified, being in the mode of goodness. Then
what is to be said of me? I am not at all qualified.
TEXT 9
manye dhanābhijana-rūpa-tapaḥ-śrutaujas-
tejaḥ-prabhāva-bala-pauruṣa-buddhi-yogāḥ
nārādhanāya hi bhavanti
parasya puṁso
bhaktyā tutoṣa bhagavān gaja-yūtha-pāya
manye—I consider; dhana—riches; abhijana—aristocratic family; rūpa—personal beauty; tapaḥ—austerity; śruta—knowledge from studying the Vedas; ojaḥ—sensory prowess; tejaḥ—bodily effulgence; prabhāva—influence; bala—bodily strength; pauruṣa—diligence; buddhi—intelligence; yogāḥ—mystic power; na—not; ārādhanāya—for satisfying; hi—indeed; bhavanti—are; parasya—of the transcendent; puṁsaḥ—Supreme Personality of
Godhead; bhaktyā—simply by devotional service; tutoṣa—was satisfied; bhagavān—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; gaja-yūtha-pāya—unto the King of elephants (Gajendra).
Prahlāda Mahārāja continued: One may possess wealth, an aristocratic
family, beauty, austerity, education, sensory expertise, luster, influence,
physical strength, diligence, intelligence and mystic yogic power, but I think
that even by all these qualifications one cannot satisfy the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. However, one can satisfy the Lord simply by devotional
service. Gajendra did this, and thus the Lord was
satisfied with him.
viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād aravinda-nābha-
pādāravinda-vimukhāt śvapacaṁ variṣṭham
manye tad-arpita-mano-vacanehitārtha-
prāṇaṁ punāti sa kulaṁ na tu bhūrimānaḥ
viprāt—than a brāhmaṇa; dvi-ṣaṭ-guṇa-yutāt—qualified with twelve brahminical
qualities; aravinda-nābha—Lord Viṣṇu, who has a lotus growing from His navel; pāda-aravinda—to the lotus feet of the Lord; vimukhāt—not interested in devotional service; śva-pacam—one born in a low family, or a
dog-eater; variṣṭham—more glorious; manye— I consider; tat-arpita—surrendered unto the lotus feet of the Lord; manaḥ—his mind; vacana—words; īhita—every endeavor; artha—wealth; prāṇam—and life; punāti—purifies; saḥ—he (the devotee); kulam—his family; na—not; tu—but; bhūrimānaḥ—one who falsely thinks himself to be
in a prestigious position.
If a brāhmaṇa has all twelve of the brahminical qualifications [as
they are stated in the book called Sanat-sujāta] but is not a devotee and is averse
to the lotus feet of the Lord, he is certainly lower than a devotee who is a
dog-eater but who has dedicated everything—mind, words, activities, wealth and
life—to the Supreme Lord. Such a devotee is better than such a brāhmaṇa because the devotee can purify his whole family,
whereas the so-called brāhmaṇa in a position of false prestige cannot purify even
himself.
naivātmanaḥ prabhur ayaṁ nija-lābha-pūrṇo
mānaṁ janād aviduṣaḥ karuṇo vṛṇīte
yad yaj jano bhagavate vidadhīta mānaṁ
tac cātmane
prati-mukhasya yathā mukha-śrīḥ
na—nor; eva—certainly; ātmanaḥ—for His personal benefit; prabhuḥ—Lord; ayam—this; nija-lābha-pūrṇaḥ—is always satisfied in Himself (He
does not need to be satisfied by the service of others); mānam—respect; janāt—from a person; aviduṣaḥ—who does not know that the aim of
life is to please the Supreme Lord; karuṇaḥ—(the Supreme Personality of
Godhead), who is so kind to this foolish, ignorant person; vṛṇīte—accepts; yat yat—whatever; janaḥ—a person; bhagavate—unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vidadhīta—may offer; mānam—worship; tat—that; ca—indeed; ātmane—for his own benefit; prati-mukhasya—of the reflection of the face in the
mirror; yathā—just as; mukha-śrīḥ—the decoration of the face.
The Supreme Lord, the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, is always fully satisfied in Himself. Therefore when something is
offered to Him, the offering, by the Lord’s mercy, is for the benefit of the
devotee, for the Lord does not need service from anyone. To give an example, if
one’s face is decorated, the reflection of one’s face in a mirror is also seen
to be decorated.
Text 12
tasmād
ahaṁ vigata-viklava īśvarasya
sarvātmanā mahi gṛṇāmi yathā manīṣam
nīco ’jayā guṇa-visargam anupraviṣṭaḥ
pūyeta yena hi pumān anuvarṇitena
tasmāt — therefore; aham — I; vigata-viklavaḥ — having given up
contemplation of being unfit; īśvarasya — of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead; sarva-ātmanā — in full surrender; mahi — glory; gṛṇāmi — I shall chant or
describe; yathā manīṣam — according to my
intelligence; nīcaḥ — although lowborn (my
father being a great demon, devoid of all good qualities); ajayā — because of
ignorance; guṇa-visargam — the material world
(wherein the living entity takes birth according to the contamination of the
modes of nature); anupraviṣṭaḥ — entered into; pūyeta — may be purified; yena — by which (the glory of
the Lord); hi — indeed; pumān — a person; anuvarṇitena — being chanted or
recited.
Therefore,
although I was born in a demoniac family, I may without a doubt offer prayers
to the Lord with full endeavor, as far as my intelligence allows. Anyone who
has been forced by ignorance to enter the material world may be purified of
material life if he offers prayers to the Lord and hears the Lord’s glories.
Text 13:
sarve hy
amī vidhi-karās tava sattva-dhāmno
brahmādayo vayam iveśa na codvijantaḥ
kṣemāya bhūtaya utātma-sukhāya cāsya
vikrīḍitaṁ bhagavato rucirāvatāraiḥ
sarve — all; hi — certainly; amī — these; vidhi-karāḥ — executors of
orders; tava — Your; sattva-dhāmnaḥ — being always situated in
the transcendental world; brahma-ādayaḥ — the demigods, headed by
Lord Brahmā; vayam — we; iva — like; īśa — O my Lord; na — not; ca — and; udvijantaḥ — who are afraid (of Your
fearful appearance); kṣemāya — for the
protection; bhūtaye — for the increase; uta — it is said; ātma-sukhāya — for personal
satisfaction by such pastimes; ca — also; asya — of this (material
world); vikrīḍitam — manifested; bhagavataḥ — of Your Lordship; rucira — very pleasing; avatāraiḥ — by Your incarnations.
O my
Lord, all the demigods, headed by Lord Brahmā, are sincere servants of Your
Lordship, who are situated in a transcendental position. Therefore they are not
like us [Prahlāda and his father, the demon Hiraṇyakaśipu]. Your appearance in this
fearsome form is Your pastime for Your own pleasure. Such an incarnation is
always meant for the protection and improvement of the universe.
Text 14
tad
yaccha manyum asuraś ca hatas tvayādya
modeta sādhur api vṛścika-sarpa-hatyā
lokāś ca nirvṛtim itāḥ pratiyanti sarve
rūpaṁ nṛsiṁha vibhayāya janāḥ smaranti
tat — therefore; yaccha — kindly give up; manyum — Your anger; asuraḥ — my father, Hiraṇyakaśipu, the great demon; ca — also; hataḥ — killed; tvayā — by You; adya — today; modeta — take pleasure; sādhuḥ api — even a saintly
person; vṛścika-sarpa-hatyā — by killing a snake or a
scorpion; lokāḥ — all the planets; ca — indeed; nirvṛtim — pleasure; itāḥ — have achieved; pratiyanti — are waiting (for
pacification of Your anger); sarve — all of them; rūpam — this form; nṛsiṁha — O Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva; vibhayāya — for mitigating their
fear; janāḥ — all the people of the
universe; smaranti — will remember.
My Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, please, therefore, cease Your
anger now that my father, the great demon Hiraṇyakaśipu, has been killed. Since even
saintly persons take pleasure in the killing of a scorpion or a snake, all the
worlds have achieved great satisfaction because of the death of this demon. Now
they are confident of their happiness, and they will always remember Your
auspicious incarnation in order to be free from fear.
Text 15
nāhaṁ bibhemy ajita te ’tibhayānakāsya-
jihvārka-netra-bhrukuṭī-rabhasogra-daṁṣṭrāt
āntra-srajaḥ-kṣataja-keśara-śaṅku-karṇān
nirhrāda-bhīta-digibhād ari-bhin-nakhāgrāt
na — not;
aham — I; bibhemi — am afraid; ajita — O supreme victorious person, who are
never conquered by anyone; te — Your; ati — very much; bhayānaka — fearful;
āsya — mouth; jihvā — tongue; arka-netra — eyes shining like the sun; bhrukuṭī — frowning brows; rabhasa — strong;
ugra-daṁṣṭrāt — ferocious teeth; āntra-srajaḥ — garlanded by intestines; kṣataja —
bloody; keśara — manes; śaṅku-karṇāt — wedgelike ears; nirhrāda — by a roaring sound (caused by
You); bhīta — frightened; digibhāt — from which even the great elephants;
ari-bhit — piercing the enemy; nakha-agrāt — the tips of whose nails.
My Lord, who
are never conquered by anyone, I am certainly not afraid of Your ferocious
mouth and tongue, Your eyes bright like the sun or Your frowning eyebrows. I do
not fear Your sharp, pinching teeth, Your garland of intestines, Your mane
soaked with blood, or Your high, wedgelike ears. Nor do I fear Your tumultuous
roaring, which makes elephants flee to distant places, or Your nails, which are
meant to kill Your enemies.
trasto ’smy
ahaṁ kṛpaṇa-vatsala duḥsahogra-
saṁsāra-cakra-kadanād grasatāṁ praṇītaḥ
baddhaḥ sva-karmabhir uśattama te ’ṅghri-mūlaṁ
prīto ’pavarga-śaraṇaṁ hvayase kadā nu
trastaḥ — frightened; asmi — am; aham — I; kṛpaṇa-vatsala — O my Lord, who are so
kind to the fallen souls (who have no spiritual knowledge); duḥsaha — intolerable; ugra — ferocious; saṁsāra-cakra — of the cycle of birth
and death; kadanāt — from such a miserable
condition; grasatām — among other conditioned
souls, who devour one another; praṇītaḥ — being thrown; baddhaḥ — bound; sva-karmabhiḥ — the course by the
reactions of my own activities; uśattama — O great
insurmountable; te — Your; aṅghri-mūlam — to the soles of the
lotus feet; prītaḥ — being pleased (with
me); apavarga-śaraṇam — which are the shelter meant for
liberation from this horrible condition of material existence; hvayase — You will call
(me); kadā — when; nu — indeed.
O most
powerful, insurmountable Lord, who are kind to the fallen souls, I have been
put into the association of demons as a result of my activities, and therefore
I am very much afraid of my condition of life within this material world. When
will that moment come when You will call me to the shelter of Your lotus feet,
which are the ultimate goal for liberation from conditional life?
TEXT 17
yasmāt priyāpriya-viyoga-saṁyoga-janma-
śokāgninā sakala-yoniṣu dahyamānaḥ
duḥkhauṣadhaṁ tad api duḥkham atad-dhiyāhaṁ
bhūman bhramāmi
vada me tava dāsya-yogam
yasmāt—because of which (because of
existing in the material world); priya—pleasing; apriya—not pleasing; viyoga—by separation; saṁyoga—and combination; janma—whose birth; śoka-agninā—by the fire of lamentation; sakala-yoniṣu—in any type of body; dahyamānaḥ—being burned; duḥkha-auṣadham—remedial measures for miserable
life; tat—that; api—also; duḥkham—suffering; a-tat-dhiyā—by accepting the body as the
self; aham—I; bhūman—O great one; bhramāmi—am wandering (within the cycle of birth and death); vada—kindly instruct; me—unto me; tava—Your; dāsya-yogam—activities of service.
O great one, O Supreme Lord, because
of combination with pleasing and displeasing circumstances and because of
separation from them, one is placed in a most regrettable position, within
heavenly or hellish planets, as if burning in a fire of lamentation. Although
there are many remedies by which to get out of miserable life, any such
remedies in the material world are more miserable than the miseries themselves.
Therefore I think that the only remedy is to engage in Your service. Kindly
instruct me in such service.
so ’haṁ priyasya suhṛdaḥ paradevatāyā
līlā-kathās tava nṛsiṁha viriñca-gītāḥ
añjas titarmy
anugṛṇan guṇa-vipramukto
durgāṇi te pada-yugālaya-haṁsa-saṅgaḥ
saḥ—that; aham—I (Prahlāda Mahārāja); priyasya—of the dearmost; suhṛdaḥ—well-wisher; paradevatāyāḥ—of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead; līlā-kathāḥ—narrations of the pastimes; tava—Your; nṛsiṁha—O my Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva; viriñca-gītāḥ—given by Lord Brahmā by the disciplic succession; añjaḥ—easily; titarmi—I shall cross; anugṛṇan—constantly describing; guṇa—by the modes of material nature; vipramuktaḥ—specifically being
uncontaminated; durgāṇi—all miserable conditions of
life; te—of You; pada-yuga-ālaya—fully absorbed in meditation on the lotus feet; haṁsa-saṅgaḥ—having the association of the haṁsas, or liberated persons (who have
no connection with material activities).
O my Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, by engaging in Your
transcendental loving service in the association of devotees who are liberated
souls [haṁsas], I shall become completely uncontaminated by the
association of the three modes of material nature and be able to chant the
glories of Your Lordship, who are so dear to me. I shall chant Your glories,
following exactly in the footsteps of Lord Brahmā and his disciplic succession. In this way I shall
undoubtedly be able to cross the ocean of nescience.
bālasya neha śaraṇaṁ pitarau nṛsiṁha
nārtasya cāgadam udanvati majjato nauḥ
taptasya
tat-pratividhir ya ihāñjaseṣṭas
tāvad vibho tanu-bhṛtāṁ tvad-upekṣitānām
bālasya—of a little child; na—not; iha—in this world; śaraṇam—shelter (protection); pitarau—the father and mother; nṛsiṁha—O my Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva; na—neither; ārtasya—of a person suffering from some
disease; ca—also; agadam—medicine; udanvati—in the water of the ocean; majjataḥ—of a person who is drowning; nauḥ—the boat; taptasya—of a person suffering from a condition of material
misery; tat-pratividhiḥ—the counteraction (invented for
stopping the suffering of material existence); yaḥ—that which; iha—in this material world; añjasā—very easily; iṣṭaḥ—accepted (as a remedy); tāvat—similarly; vibho—O my Lord, O Supreme; tanu-bhṛtām—of the living entities who have
accepted material bodies; tvat-upekṣitānām—who are neglected by You and not accepted by You.
My Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, O Supreme, because of a
bodily conception of life, embodied souls neglected and not cared for by You
cannot do anything for their betterment. Whatever remedies they accept,
although perhaps temporarily beneficial, are certainly impermanent. For
example, a father and mother cannot protect their child, a physician and
medicine cannot relieve a suffering patient, and a boat on the ocean cannot
protect a drowning man.
yasmin
yato yarhi yena ca yasya yasmād
yasmai yathā yad uta yas tv aparaḥ paro vā
bhāvaḥ karoti vikaroti pṛthak svabhāvaḥ
sañcoditas tad akhilaṁ bhavataḥ svarūpam
yasmin — in any condition of
life; yataḥ — because of
anything; yarhi — at any time (past,
present or future); yena — by something; ca — also; yasya — in relationship with
anyone; yasmāt — from any causal
representative; yasmai — unto anyone (without
discrimination in regard to place, person or time); yathā — in any manner; yat — whatever it may
be; uta — certainly; yaḥ — anyone who; tu — but; aparaḥ — the other; paraḥ — the supreme; vā — or; bhāvaḥ — being; karoti — does; vikaroti — changes; pṛthak — separate; svabhāvaḥ — nature (under the
influence of different modes of material nature); sañcoditaḥ — being influenced; tat — that; akhilam — all; bhavataḥ — of Your Lordship; svarūpam — emanated from Your
different energies.
My dear
Lord, everyone in this material world is under the modes of material nature,
being influenced by goodness, passion and ignorance. Everyone — from the
greatest personality, Lord Brahmā, down to the small ant — works under the
influence of these modes. Therefore everyone in this material world is
influenced by Your energy. The cause for which they work, the place where they
work, the time when they work, the matter due to which they work, the goal of
life they have considered final, and the process for obtaining this goal — all
are nothing but manifestations of Your energy. Indeed, since the energy and
energetic are identical, all of them are but manifestations of You.
Text 21
māyā manaḥ sṛjati karmamayaṁ balīyaḥ
kālena codita-guṇānumatena puṁsaḥ
chandomayaṁ yad ajayārpita-ṣoḍaśāraṁ
saṁsāra-cakram aja ko ’titaret tvad-anyaḥ
māyā — the external energy of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead; manaḥ — the mind*; sṛjati — creates; karma-mayam — producing hundreds and
thousands of desires and acting accordingly; balīyaḥ — extremely powerful,
insurmountable; kālena — by time; codita-guṇa — whose three modes of
material nature are agitated; anumatena — permitted by the mercy
of the glance (time); puṁsaḥ — of the plenary portion,
Lord Viṣṇu, the expansion of Lord Kṛṣṇa; chandaḥ-mayam — chiefly influenced by
the directions in the Vedas; yat — which; ajayā — because of dark
ignorance; arpita — offered; ṣoḍaśa — sixteen; aram — the spokes; saṁsāra-cakram — the wheel of repeated
birth and death in different species of life; aja — O unborn Lord; kaḥ — who (is there); atitaret — able to get out; tvat-anyaḥ — without taking shelter
at Your lotus feet.
O Lord, O
supreme eternal, by expanding Your plenary portion You have created the subtle
bodies of the living entities through the agency of Your external energy, which
is agitated by time. Thus the mind entraps the living entity in unlimited
varieties of desires to be fulfilled by the Vedic directions of karma-kāṇḍa [fruitive activity] and the sixteen
elements. Who can get free from this entanglement unless he takes shelter at
Your lotus feet?
Text 22
sa tvaṁ hi nitya-vijitātma-guṇaḥ sva-dhāmnā
kālo vaśī-kṛta-visṛjya-visarga-śaktiḥ
cakre visṛṣṭam ajayeśvara ṣoḍaśāre
niṣpīḍyamānam upakarṣa vibho prapannam
saḥ — that one (the supreme
independent person who, through His external energy, has created the material
mind, which is the cause of all suffering in this material world); tvam — You (are); hi — indeed; nitya — eternally; vijita-ātma — conquered; guṇaḥ — whose property of the
intelligence; sva-dhāmnā — by Your personal
spiritual energy; kālaḥ — the time element (which
creates and annihilates); vaśī-kṛta — brought under Your
control; visṛjya — by which all
effects; visarga — and causes; śaktiḥ — the energy; cakre — in the wheel of time
(the repetition of birth and death); visṛṣṭam — being thrown; ajayā — by Your external energy,
the mode of ignorance; īśvara — O supreme
controller; ṣoḍaśa-are — with sixteen spokes (the
five material elements, the ten senses, and the leader of the senses, namely
the mind); niṣpīḍyamānam — being crushed (under
that wheel); upakarṣa — kindly take me (to the
shelter of Your lotus feet); vibho — O supreme great; prapannam — who am fully surrendered
unto You.
My dear
Lord, O supreme great, You have created this material world of sixteen
constituents, but You are transcendental to their material qualities. In other
words, these material qualities are under Your full control, and You are never
conquered by them. Therefore the time element is Your representation. My Lord,
O Supreme, no one can conquer You. As for me, however, I am being crushed by
the wheel of time, and therefore I surrender fully unto You. Now kindly take me
under the protection of Your lotus feet.
Text 23
dṛṣṭā mayā divi vibho ’khila-dhiṣṇya-pānām
āyuḥ śriyo vibhava icchati yāñ jano ’yam
ye ’smat pituḥ kupita-hāsa-vijṛmbhita-bhrū-
visphūrjitena lulitāḥ sa tu te nirastaḥ
dṛṣṭāḥ — have been seen
practically; mayā — by me; divi — in the higher planetary
systems; vibho — O my Lord; akhila — all; dhiṣṇya-pānām — of the chiefs of
different states or planets; āyuḥ — the duration of
life; śriyaḥ — the opulences; vibhavaḥ — glories,
influence; icchati — desire; yān — all of which; janaḥ ayam — these people in
general; ye — all of which (duration
of life, opulence, etc.); asmat pituḥ — of our father, Hiraṇyakaśipu; kupita-hāsa — by his critical laughing
when angry; vijṛmbhita — being expanded; bhrū — of the eyebrows; visphūrjitena — simply by the
feature; lulitāḥ — pulled down or
finished; saḥ — he (my father); tu — but; te — by You; nirastaḥ — completely vanquished.
My dear
Lord, people in general want to be elevated to the higher planetary systems for
a long duration of life, opulence and enjoyment, but I have seen all of these
through the activities of my father. When my father was angry and he laughed
sarcastically at the demigods, they were immediately vanquished simply by
seeing the movements of his eyebrows. Yet my father, who was so powerful, has
now been vanquished by You within a moment.
Text 24
tasmād
amūs tanu-bhṛtām aham āśiṣo ’jña
āyuḥ śriyaṁ vibhavam aindriyam āviriñcyāt
necchāmi te vilulitān uruvikrameṇa
kālātmanopanaya māṁ nija-bhṛtya-pārśvam
tasmāt — therefore; amūḥ — all those
(opulences); tanu-bhṛtām — with reference to living
entities possessing material bodies; aham — I; āśiṣaḥ ajñaḥ — knowing well the results
of such benedictions; āyuḥ — a long duration of
life; śriyam — material
opulences; vibhavam — influence and
glories; aindriyam — all meant for sense
gratification; āviriñcyāt — beginning from Lord
Brahmā (down to the small ant); na — not; icchāmi — I want; te — by You; vilulitān — subject to be
finished; uru-vikrameṇa — who are extremely
powerful; kāla-ātmanā — as the master of the
time factor; upanaya — kindly take to; mām — me; nija-bhṛtya-pārśvam — the association of Your
faithful servant, Your devotee.
My dear
Lord, now I have complete experience concerning the worldly opulence, mystic
power, longevity and other material pleasures enjoyed by all living entities,
from Lord Brahmā down to the ant. As powerful time, You destroy them all.
Therefore, because of my experience, I do not wish to possess them. My dear
Lord, I request You to place me in touch with Your pure devotee and let me
serve him as a sincere servant.
TEXT 25
kutrāśiṣaḥ śruti-sukhā mṛgatṛṣṇi-rūpāḥ
kvedaṁ kalevaram aśeṣa-rujāṁ virohaḥ
nirvidyate na tu
jano yad apīti vidvān
kāmānalaṁ madhu-lavaiḥ śamayan durāpaiḥ
kutra—where; āśiṣaḥ—benedictions; śruti-sukhāḥ—simply pleasing to hear of; mṛgatṛṣṇi-rūpāḥ—exactly like a mirage in the desert; kva—where; idam—this; kalevaram—body; aśeṣa—unlimited; rujām—of diseases; virohaḥ—the place for generating; nirvidyate—become satiated; na—not; tu—but; janaḥ—people in general; yat api—although; iti—thus; vidvān—so-called learned philosophers,
scientists and politicians; kāma-analam—the blazing fire of lusty
desires; madhu-lavaiḥ—with drops of honey (happiness); śamayan—controlling; durāpaiḥ—very difficult to obtain.
In this material world, every living
entity desires some future happiness, which is exactly like a mirage in the
desert. Where is water in the desert, or, in other words, where is happiness in
this material world? As for this body, what is its value? It is merely a source
of various diseases. The so-called philosophers, scientists and politicians
know this very well, but nonetheless they aspire for temporary happiness.
Happiness is very difficult to obtain, but because they are unable to control
their senses, they run after the so-called happiness of the material world and
never come to the right conclusion.
kvāhaṁ rajaḥ-prabhava īśa tamo ’dhike ’smin
jātaḥ suretara-kule kva tavānukampā
na brahmaṇo na tu bhavasya na vai ramāyā
yan me ’rpitaḥ śirasi padma-karaḥ prasādaḥ
kva—where; aham—I (am); rajaḥ-prabhavaḥ—being born in a body full of
passion; īśa—O my Lord; tamaḥ—the mode of ignorance; adhike—surpassing in; asmin—in this; jātaḥ—born; sura-itara-kule—in a family of atheists or demons (who are subordinate to the
devotees); kva—where; tava—Your; anukampā—causeless mercy; na—not; brahmaṇaḥ—of Lord Brahmā; na—not; tu—but; bhavasya—of Lord Śiva; na—nor; vai—even; ramāyāḥ—of the goddess of fortune; yat—which; me—of me; arpitaḥ—offered; śirasi—on the head; padma-karaḥ—lotus hand; prasādaḥ—the symbol of mercy.
O my Lord, O Supreme, because I was
born in a family full of the hellish material qualities of passion and
ignorance, what is my position? And what is to be said of Your causeless mercy,
which was never offered even to Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva or the goddess of fortune, Lakṣmī? You never put Your lotus hand upon their heads, but You
have put it upon mine.
naiṣā parāvara-matir bhavato nanu syāj
jantor yathātma-suhṛdo jagatas tathāpi
saṁsevayā surataror iva te prasādaḥ
sevānurūpam udayo
na parāvaratvam
na—not; eṣā—this; para-avara—of higher or lower; matiḥ—such discrimination; bhavataḥ—of Your Lordship; nanu—indeed; syāt—there can be; jantoḥ—of ordinary living entities; yathā—as; ātma-suhṛdaḥ—of one who is the friend; jagataḥ—of the whole material world; tathāpi—but still (there is such a demonstration of intimacy or
difference); saṁsevayā—according to the degree of service
rendered by the devotee; surataroḥ iva—like that of the desire tree in Vaikuṇṭhaloka (which offers fruits according
to the desire of the devotee); te—Your; prasādaḥ—benediction or blessing; sevā-anurūpam—according to the category of service
one renders to the Lord; udayaḥ—manifestation; na—not; para-avaratvam—discrimination due to higher or lower levels.
Unlike an ordinary living entity, my
Lord, You do not discriminate between friends and enemies, the favorable and
the unfavorable, because for You there is no conception of higher and lower.
Nonetheless, You offer Your benedictions according to the level of one’s
service, exactly as a desire tree delivers fruits according to one’s desires
and makes no distinction between the lower and the higher.
evaṁ janaṁ nipatitaṁ prabhavāhi-kūpe
kāmābhikāmam anu yaḥ prapatan prasaṅgāt
kṛtvātmasāt surarṣiṇā bhagavan gṛhītaḥ
so ’haṁ kathaṁ nu visṛje tava bhṛtya-sevām
evam—thus; janam—people in general; nipatitam—fallen; prabhava—of material existence; ahi-kūpe—in a blind well full of
snakes; kāma-abhikāmam—desiring the sense objects; anu—following; yaḥ—the person who; prapatan—falling down (in this condition); prasaṅgāt—because of bad association or increased association with
material desires; kṛtvā ātmasāt—causing me (to acquire spiritual qualities like himself,
Śrī Nārada); sura-ṛṣiṇā—by the great saintly person (Nārada); bhagavan—O my Lord; gṛhītaḥ—accepted; saḥ—that person; aham—I; katham—how; nu—indeed; visṛje—can give up; tava—Your; bhṛtya-sevām—the service of Your pure devotee.
My dear Lord, O Supreme Personality
of Godhead, because of my association with material desires, one after another,
I was gradually falling into a blind well full of snakes, following the general
populace. But Your servant Nārada Muni kindly accepted me as his
disciple and instructed me how to achieve this transcendental position.
Therefore, my first duty is to serve him. How could I leave his service?
Text 29:
mat-prāṇa-rakṣaṇam ananta pitur vadhaś ca
manye sva-bhṛtya-ṛṣi-vākyam ṛtaṁ vidhātum
khaḍgaṁ pragṛhya yad avocad asad-vidhitsus
tvām īśvaro mad-aparo ’vatu kaṁ harāmi
mat-prāṇa-rakṣaṇam — saving my life; ananta — O unlimited one,
reservoir of unlimited transcendental qualities; pituḥ — of my father; vadhaḥ ca — and killing; manye — I consider; sva-bhṛtya — of Your unalloyed
servants; ṛṣi-vākyam — and the words of the
great saint Nārada; ṛtam — true; vidhātum — to prove; khaḍgam — sword; pragṛhya — taking in hand; yat — since; avocat — my father said; asat-vidhitsuḥ — desiring to act very
impiously; tvām — You; īśvaraḥ — any supreme
controller; mat-aparaḥ — other than me; avatu — let him save; kam — your head; harāmi — I shall now separate.
My Lord,
O unlimited reservoir of transcendental qualities, You have killed my father,
Hiraṇyakaśipu, and saved me from his sword. He had said very angrily, “If
there is any supreme controller other than me, let Him save you. I shall now
sever your head from your body.” Therefore I think that both in saving me and
in killing him, You have acted just to prove true the words of Your devotee.
There is no other cause.
30) ekas
tvam eva jagad etam amuṣya yat tvam
ādy-antayoḥ pṛthag avasyasi madhyataś ca
sṛṣṭvā guṇa-vyatikaraṁ nija-māyayedaṁ
nāneva tair avasitas tad anupraviṣṭaḥ
ekaḥ — one; tvam — You; eva — only; jagat — the cosmic
manifestation; etam — this; amuṣya — of that (the whole
universe); yat — since; tvam — You; ādi — in the beginning; antayoḥ — at the end; pṛthak — separately; avasyasi — exist (as the
cause); madhyataḥ ca — also in the middle (the
duration between the beginning and end); sṛṣṭvā — creating; guṇa-vyatikaram — the transformation of
the three modes of material nature; nija-māyayā — by Your own external
energy; idam — this; nānā iva — like many
varieties; taiḥ — by them (the
modes); avasitaḥ — experienced; tat — that; anupraviṣṭaḥ — entering into.
My dear
Lord, You alone manifest Yourself as the entire cosmic manifestation, for You
existed before the creation, You exist after the annihilation, and You are the
maintainer between the beginning and the end. All this is done by Your external
energy through actions and reactions of the three modes of material nature.
Therefore whatever exists — externally and internally — is You alone.
31) tvaṁ vā idaṁ sadasad īśa bhavāṁs tato ’nyo
māyā yad ātma-para-buddhir iyaṁ hy apārthā
yad yasya janma nidhanaṁ sthitir īkṣaṇaṁ ca
tad vaitad eva vasukālavad aṣṭi-tarvoḥ
tvam — You; vā — either; idam — the whole
universe; sat-asat — consisting of cause and
effect (You are the cause, and Your energy is the effect); īśa — O my Lord, the supreme
controller; bhavān — Yourself; tataḥ — from the universe; anyaḥ — separately situated (the
creation is made by the Lord, yet He remains separate from the creation); māyā — the energy that appears
as a separate creation; yat — of which; ātma-para-buddhiḥ — the conception of one’s
own and another’s; iyam — this; hi — indeed; apārthā — has no meaning
(everything is Your Lordship, and therefore there is no hope for understanding
“my” and “your”); yat — the substance from
which; yasya — of which; janma — creation; nidhanam — annihilation; sthitiḥ — maintenance; īkṣaṇam — manifestation; ca — and; tat — that; vā — or; etat — this; eva — certainly; vasukāla-vat — like the quality of
being the earth and, beyond that, the subtle element of the earth
(smell); aṣṭi-tarvoḥ — the seed (the cause) and
the tree (the effect of the cause).
My dear
Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, the entire cosmic creation is caused by
You, and the cosmic manifestation is an effect of Your energy. Although the
entire cosmos is but You alone, You keep Yourself aloof from it. The conception
of “mine and yours,” is certainly a type of illusion [māyā] because everything
is an emanation from You and is therefore not different from You. Indeed, the
cosmic manifestation is nondifferent from You, and the annihilation is also
caused by You. This relationship between Your Lordship and the cosmos is
illustrated by the example of the seed and the tree, or the subtle cause and
the gross manifestation.
32) nyasyedam
ātmani jagad vilayāmbu-madhye
śeṣetmanā nija-sukhānubhavo nirīhaḥ
yogena mīlita-dṛg-ātma-nipīta-nidras
turye sthito na tu tamo na guṇāṁś ca yuṅkṣe
nyasya — throwing; idam — this; ātmani — in Your own self; jagat — cosmic manifestation
created by You; vilaya-ambu-madhye — in the Causal Ocean, in
which everything is preserved in a state of reserved energy; śeṣe — You act as if
sleeping; ātmanā — by Yourself; nija — Your own personal; sukha-anubhavaḥ — experiencing the state
of spiritual bliss; nirīhaḥ — appearing to be doing
nothing; yogena — by the mystic
power; mīlita-dṛk — the eyes appearing
closed; ātma — by a manifestation of
Yourself; nipīta — prevented; nidraḥ — whose sleeping; turye — in the transcendental
stage; sthitaḥ — keeping
(Yourself); na — not; tu — but; tamaḥ — the material condition
of sleeping; na — nor; guṇān — the material
modes; ca — and; yuṅkṣe — do You engage Yourself
in.
O my
Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, after the annihilation the creative
energy is kept in You, who appear to sleep with half-closed eyes. Actually,
however, You do not sleep like an ordinary human being, for You are always in a
transcendental stage, beyond the creation of the material world, and You always
feel transcendental bliss. As Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, You thus remain in Your transcendental
status, not touching material objects. Although You appear to sleep, this
sleeping is distinct from sleeping in ignorance.
33) tasyaiva
te vapur idaṁ
nija-kāla-śaktyā
sañcodita-prakṛti-dharmaṇa ātma-gūḍham
ambhasy ananta-śayanād viramat-samādher
nābher abhūt sva-kaṇikā-vaṭavan-mahābjam
tasya — of that Supreme
Personality of Godhead; eva — certainly; te — of You; vapuḥ — the cosmic body; idam — this (universe); nija-kāla-śaktyā — by the potent time
factor; sañcodita — agitated; prakṛti-dharmaṇaḥ — of Him, by whom the
three guṇas, or
qualities of material nature; ātma-gūḍham — dormant in Yourself; ambhasi — in the water known as
the Causal Ocean; ananta-śayanāt — from the bed known as
Ananta (another feature of Yourself); viramat-samādheḥ — having awakened from
the samādhi (yogic trance); nābheḥ — from the navel; abhūt — appeared; sva-kaṇikā — from the seed; vaṭa-vat — like the great banyan tree; mahā-abjam — the great lotus of the
worlds (has similarly grown).
This
cosmic manifestation, the material world, is also Your body. This total lump of
matter is agitated by Your potent energy known as kāla-śakti, and thus the
three modes of material nature are manifested. You awaken from the bed of Śeṣa,
Ananta, and from Your navel a small transcendental seed is generated. It is
from this seed that the lotus flower of the gigantic universe is manifested,
exactly as a banyan tree grows from a small seed.
34) tat-sambhavaḥ kavir ato ’nyad apaśyamānas
tvāṁ bījam ātmani tataṁ sa bahir vicintya
nāvindad abda-śatam apsu nimajjamāno
jāte ’ṅkure katham uhopalabheta bījam
tat-sambhavaḥ — who was generated from
that lotus flower; kaviḥ — he who can understand
the subtle cause of creation (Lord Brahmā); ataḥ — from that (lotus); anyat — anything else; apaśyamānaḥ — not able to see; tvām — Your Lordship; bījam — the cause of the
lotus; ātmani — in himself; tatam — expanded; saḥ — he (Lord Brahmā); bahiḥ vicintya — considering to be
external; na — not; avindat — understood (You); abda-śatam — for a hundred years
according to the demigods*; apsu — in the water; nimajjamānaḥ — diving; jāte aṅkure — when the seed fructifies
and is manifested as a creeper; katham — how; uha — O my Lord; upalabheta — one can perceive; bījam — the seed that has
already fructified.
From that
great lotus flower, Brahmā was generated, but Brahmā certainly could see
nothing but the lotus. Therefore, thinking You to be outside, Lord Brahmā dove
into the water and attempted to find the source of the lotus for one hundred
years. He could find no trace of You, however, for when a seed fructifies, the
original seed cannot be seen.
35) sa tv
ātma-yonir ativismita āśrito ’bjaṁ
kālena tīvra-tapasā pariśuddha-bhāvaḥ
tvām ātmanīśa bhuvi gandham ivātisūkṣmaṁ
bhūtendriyāśayamaye vitataṁ dadarśa
saḥ — he (Lord Brahmā); tu — but; ātma-yoniḥ — who is born without a
mother (directly begotten by the father, Lord Viṣṇu); ati-vismitaḥ — very much surprised (not
finding the source of his birth); āśritaḥ — situated on; abjam — the lotus; kālena — in due course of
time; tīvra-tapasā — by severe
austerities; pariśuddha-bhāvaḥ — being completely
purified; tvām — You; ātmani — in his body and
existence; īśa — O my Lord; bhuvi — within the earth; gandham — aroma; iva — like; ati-sūkṣmam — very subtle; bhūta-indriya — composed of elements and
senses; āśaya-maye — and that filled with
desires (the mind); vitatam — spread out; dadarśa — found.
Lord
Brahmā, who is celebrated as ātma-yoni, having been born without a mother, was
struck with wonder. Thus he took shelter of the lotus flower, and when he had
been purified after undergoing severe austerities for many hundreds of years,
he could see that the cause of all causes, the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
was spread throughout his own body and senses, just as aroma, although very
subtle, is perceived in the earth.
36) evaṁ sahasra-vadanāṅghri-śiraḥ-karoru-
nāsādya-karṇa-nayanābharaṇāyudhāḍhyam
māyāmayaṁ sad-upalakṣita-sanniveśaṁ
dṛṣṭvā mahā-puruṣam āpa mudaṁ viriñcaḥ
evam — in this way; sahasra — thousands and
thousands; vadana — faces; aṅghri — feet; śiraḥ — heads; kara — hands; uru — thighs; nāsa-ādya — noses, etc.; karṇa — ears; nayana — eyes; ābharaṇa — varieties of
ornaments; āyudha — varieties of
weapons; āḍhyam — endowed with; māyā-mayam — all demonstrated by
unlimited potency; sat-upalakṣita — appearing in different
symptoms; sanniveśam — combined together; dṛṣṭvā — seeing; mahā-puruṣam — the Supreme Personality
of Godhead; āpa — achieved; mudam — transcendental
bliss; viriñcaḥ — Lord Brahmā.
Lord
Brahmā could then see You possessing thousands and thousands of faces, feet,
heads, hands, thighs, noses, ears and eyes. You were very nicely dressed, being
decorated and bedecked with varieties of ornaments and weapons. Seeing You in
the form of Lord Viṣṇu, Your symptoms and form being transcendental, Your
legs extending from the lower planets, Lord Brahmā achieved transcendental
bliss.
37) tasmai
bhavān haya-śiras tanuvaṁ hi bibhrad
veda-druhāv atibalau madhu-kaiṭabhākhyau
hatvānayac chruti-gaṇāṁś ca rajas tamaś ca
sattvaṁ tava priyatamāṁ tanum āmananti
tasmai — unto Lord Brahmā; bhavān — Your Lordship; haya-śiraḥ — having the head and neck
of a horse; tanuvam — the incarnation; hi — indeed; bibhrat — accepting; veda-druhau — two demons who were
against the Vedic principles; ati-balau — extremely
powerful; madhu-kaiṭabha-ākhyau — known as Madhu and Kaiṭabha; hatvā — killing; anayat — delivered; śruti-gaṇān — all the different Vedas (Sāma,
Yajur, Ṛg and Atharva); ca — and; rajaḥ tamaḥ ca — by representing the
modes of passion and ignorance; sattvam — pure transcendental
goodness; tava — Your; priya-tamām — most dear; tanum — form (as
Hayagrīva); āmananti — they honor.
My dear
Lord, when You appeared as Hayagrīva, with the head of a horse, You killed two
demons known as Madhu and Kaiṭabha, who were full of the modes of passion and ignorance.
Then You delivered the Vedic knowledge to Lord Brahmā. For this reason, all the
great saints accept Your forms as transcendental, untinged by material
qualities.
38) itthaṁ nṛ-tiryag-ṛṣi-deva-jhaṣāvatārair
lokān vibhāvayasi haṁsi jagat pratīpān
dharmaṁ mahā-puruṣa pāsi yugānuvṛttaṁ
channaḥ kalau yad abhavas tri-yugo ’tha sa tvam
ittham — in this way; nṛ — like a human being (such
as Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Rāmacandra); tiryak — like animals (such as
the boar); ṛṣi — as a great saint
(Paraśurāma); deva — as demigods; jhaṣa — as an aquatic (such as
the fish and tortoise); avatāraiḥ — by such different
incarnations; lokān — all the different
planetary systems; vibhāvayasi — You protect; haṁsi — You (sometimes)
kill; jagat pratīpān — persons who have simply
created trouble in this world; dharmam — the principles of
religion; mahā-puruṣa — O great
personality; pāsi — You protect; yuga-anuvṛttam — according to the
different millenniums; channaḥ — covered; kalau — in the Age of
Kali; yat — since; abhavaḥ — have been (and will be
in the future); tri-yugaḥ — named Triyuga; atha — therefore; saḥ — the same
personality; tvam — You.
In this
way, my Lord, You appear in various incarnations as a human being, an animal, a
great saint, a demigod, a fish or a tortoise, thus maintaining the entire
creation in different planetary systems and killing the demoniac principles.
According to the age, O my Lord, You protect the principles of religion. In the
Age of Kali, however, You do not assert Yourself as the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, and therefore You are known as Triyuga, or the Lord who appears in
three yugas.
naitan manas tava kathāsu vikuṇṭha-nātha
samprīyate durita-duṣṭam asādhu tīvram
kāmāturaṁ harṣa-śoka-bhayaiṣaṇārtaṁ
tasmin kathaṁ tava gatiṁ vimṛśāmi dīnaḥ
na—certainly not; etat—this; manaḥ—mind; tava—Your; kathāsu—in transcendental topics; vikuṇṭha-nātha—O Lord of Vaikuṇṭha,
where there is no anxiety; samprīyate—is pacified or interested in; durita—by sinful activities; duṣṭam—polluted; asādhu—dishonest; tīvram—very difficult to control; kāma-āturam—always full of different desires and
lusty propensities; harṣa-śoka—sometimes by jubilation and sometimes by distress; bhaya—and sometimes by fear; eṣaṇā—and by desiring; ārtam—distressed; tasmin—in that mental status; katham—how; tava—Your; gatim—transcendental activities; vimṛśāmi—I shall consider and try to understand; dīnaḥ—who am most fallen and poor.
My dear Lord of the Vaikuṇṭha planets, where there is no anxiety, my mind is
extremely sinful and lusty, being sometimes so-called happy and sometimes
so-called distressed. My mind is full of lamentation and fear, and it always
seeks more and more money. Thus it has become most polluted and is never
satisfied in topics concerning You. I am therefore most fallen and poor. In
such a status of life, how shall I be able to discuss Your activities?
jihvaikato ’cyuta vikarṣati māvitṛptā
śiśno ’nyatas tvag-udaraṁ śravaṇaṁ kutaścit
ghrāṇo ’nyataś capala-dṛk kva ca karma-śaktir
bahvyaḥ sapatnya iva geha-patiṁ lunanti
jihvā—the tongue; ekataḥ—to one side; acyuta—O my infallible Lord; vikarṣati—attracts; mā—me; avitṛptā—not being satisfied; śiśnaḥ—the genitals; anyataḥ—to another side; tvak—the skin (for touching a soft thing); udaram—the belly (for various types of food); śravaṇam—the ear (for hearing some sweet music); kutaścit—to some other side; ghrāṇaḥ—the nose (for smelling); anyataḥ—to still another side; capala-dṛk—the restless eyesight; kva ca—somewhere; karma-śaktiḥ—the active senses; bahvyaḥ—many; sa-patnyaḥ—co-wives; iva—like; geha-patim—a householder; lunanti—annihilate.
My dear Lord, O infallible one, my
position is like that of a person who has many wives, all trying to attract him
in their own way. For example, the tongue is attracted to palatable dishes, the
genitals to sex with an attractive woman, and the sense of touch to contact
with soft things. The belly, although filled, still wants to eat more, and the
ear, not attempting to hear about You, is generally attracted to cinema songs.
The sense of smell is attracted to yet another side, the restless eyes are attracted
to scenes of sense gratification, and the active senses are attracted
elsewhere. In this way I am certainly embarrassed.
evaṁ sva-karma-patitaṁ bhava-vaitaraṇyām
anyonya-janma-maraṇāśana-bhīta-bhītam
paśyañ janaṁ sva-para-vigraha-vaira-maitraṁ
hanteti pāracara
pīpṛhi mūḍham adya
evam—in this way; sva-karma-patitam—fallen because of the reactions of one’s own material
activities; bhava—compared to the world of nescience
(birth, death, old age and disease); vaitaraṇyām—in the river known as Vaitaraṇī (which
lies in front of the doorway of Yamarāja, the superintendent of death); anyaḥ anya—one after another; janma—birth; maraṇa—death; āśana—different types of eating; bhīta-bhītam—being exceedingly afraid; paśyan—seeing; janam—the living entity; sva—one’s own; para—of others; vigraha—in the body; vaira-maitram—considering friendship and
enmity; hanta—alas; iti—in this way; pāracara—O You, who are on the other side of
the river of death; pīpṛhi—kindly save us all (from this
dangerous condition); mūḍham—we are all foolish, bereft of
spiritual knowledge; adya—today (because You are personally
present here).
My dear Lord, You are always
transcendentally situated on the other side of the river of death, but because
of the reactions of our own activities, we are suffering on this side. Indeed,
we have fallen into this river and are repeatedly suffering the pains of birth
and death and eating horrible things. Now kindly look upon us—not only upon me
but also upon all others who are suffering—and by Your causeless mercy and
compassion, deliver us and maintain us.
ko nv atra te ’khila-guro bhagavan prayāsa
uttāraṇe ’sya bhava-sambhava-lopa-hetoḥ
mūḍheṣu vai mahad-anugraha ārta-bandho
kiṁ tena te priya-janān anusevatāṁ naḥ
kaḥ—what is that; nu—indeed; atra—in this matter; te—of Your Lordship; akhila-guro—O supreme spiritual master of the
entire creation; bhagavan—O Supreme Lord, O Personality of
Godhead; prayāsaḥ—endeavor; uttāraṇe—for the deliverance of these fallen souls; asya—of this; bhava-sambhava—of creation and maintenance; lopa—and of annihilation; hetoḥ—of the cause; mūḍheṣu—unto the foolish persons rotting in this material
world; vai—indeed; mahat-anugrahaḥ—compassion by the Supreme; ārta-bandho—O friend of the suffering living
entities; kim—what is the difficulty; tena—with that; te—of Your Lordship; priya-janān—the dear persons (devotees); anusevatām—of those always engaged in serving; naḥ—like us (who are so engaged).
O my Lord, O Supreme Personality of
Godhead, original spiritual master of the entire world, what is the difficulty
for You, who manage the affairs of the universe, in delivering the fallen souls
engaged in Your devotional service? You are the friend of all suffering
humanity, and for great personalities it is necessary to show mercy to the
foolish. Therefore I think that You will show Your causeless mercy to persons
like us, who engage in Your service.
naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitaraṇyās
tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna-cittaḥ
śoce tato
vimukha-cetasa indriyārtha-
māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān
na—not; eva—certainly; udvije—I am disturbed or afraid; para—O Supreme; duratyaya—insurmountable or very difficult to
cross; vaitaraṇyāḥ—of the Vaitaraṇī,
the river of the material world; tvat-vīrya—of Your Lordship’s glories and
activities; gāyana—from chanting or distributing; mahā-amṛta—in the great ocean of nectarean
spiritual bliss; magna-cittaḥ—whose consciousness is absorbed; śoce—I am simply lamenting; tataḥ—from that; vimukha-cetasaḥ—the fools and rascals who are bereft
of Kṛṣṇa consciousness; indriya-artha—in sense gratification; māyā-sukhāya—for temporary, illusory
happiness; bharam—the false burden or responsibility
(of maintaining one’s family, society and nation and elaborate arrangements for
that purpose); udvahataḥ—who are lifting (by making grand
plans for this arrangement); vimūḍhān—although all of them are nothing but fools and rascals (I am
thinking of them also).
O best of the great personalities, I
am not at all afraid of material existence, for wherever I stay I am fully
absorbed in thoughts of Your glories and activities. My concern is only for the
fools and rascals who are making elaborate plans for material happiness and
maintaining their families, societies and countries. I am simply concerned with
love for them.
TEXT 44
prāyeṇa deva munayaḥ sva-vimukti-kāmā
maunaṁ caranti vijane na parārtha-niṣṭhāḥ
naitān vihāya kṛpaṇān vimumukṣa eko
nānyaṁ tvad asya śaraṇaṁ bhramato ’nupaśye
prāyeṇa—generally, in almost all cases; deva—O my Lord; munayaḥ—the great saintly persons; sva—personal, own; vimukti-kāmāḥ—ambitious for liberation from this
material world; maunam—silently; caranti—they wander (in places like the Himalayan forests, where
they have no touch with the activities of the materialists); vijane—in solitary places; na—not; para-artha-niṣṭhāḥ—interested in working for others by
giving them the benefit of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness
movement, by enlightening them with Kṛṣṇa consciousness; na—not; etān—these; vihāya—leaving aside; kṛpaṇān—fools and rascals (engaged in
materialistic activity who do not know the benefit of the human form of
life); vimumukṣe—I desire to be liberated and to
return home, back to Godhead; ekaḥ—alone; na—not; anyam—other; tvat—but for You; asya—of this; śaraṇam—shelter; bhramataḥ—of the living entity rotating and
wandering throughout the material universes; anupaśye—do I see.
My dear Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, I see that there are many
saintly persons indeed, but they are interested only in their own deliverance.
Not caring for the big cities and towns, they go to the Himalayas or the forest
to meditate with vows of silence [mauna-vrata]. They are not interested in
delivering others. As for me, however, I do not wish to be liberated alone,
leaving aside all these poor fools and rascals. I know that without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, without taking
shelter of Your lotus feet, one cannot be happy. Therefore I wish to bring them
back to shelter at Your lotus feet.
yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tucchaṁ
kaṇḍūyanena karayor iva duḥkha-duḥkham
tṛpyanti neha kṛpaṇā bahu-duḥkha-bhājaḥ
kaṇḍūtivan manasijaṁ viṣaheta dhīraḥ
yat—that which (is meant for material
sense gratification); maithuna-ādi—represented by talking of sex,
reading sexual literature or enjoying sex life (at home or outside, as in a
club); gṛhamedhi-sukham—all types of material happiness based on attachment to
family, society, friendship, etc.; hi—indeed; tuccham—insignificant; kaṇḍūyanena—with the itching; karayoḥ—of the two hands (to relieve the itching); iva—like; duḥkha-duḥkham—different types of unhappiness (into which one is put after
such itching sense gratification); tṛpyanti—become satisfied; na—never; iha—in material sense
gratification; kṛpaṇāḥ—the foolish persons; bahu-duḥkha-bhājaḥ—subjected to various types of material
unhappiness; kaṇḍūti-vat—if one can learn from such itching; manasi-jam—which is simply a mental concoction
(actually there is no happiness); viṣaheta—and tolerates (such itching); dhīraḥ—(he can become) a most perfect, sober person.
Sex life is compared to the rubbing
of two hands to relieve an itch. Gṛhamedhis, so-called gṛhasthas who have no spiritual
knowledge, think that this itching is the greatest platform of happiness,
although actually it is a source of distress. The kṛpaṇas, the fools who are just the
opposite of brāhmaṇas, are not satisfied by repeated sensuous enjoyment. Those
who are dhīra, however, who are sober and who
tolerate this itching, are not subjected to the sufferings of fools and
rascals.
mauna-vrata-śruta-tapo-’dhyayana-sva-dharma-
vyākhyā-raho-japa-samādhaya āpavargyāḥ
prāyaḥ paraṁ puruṣa te tv ajitendriyāṇāṁ
vārtā bhavanty
uta na vātra tu dāmbhikānām
mauna—silence; vrata—vows; śruta—Vedic knowledge; tapaḥ—austerity; adhyayana—study of scripture; sva-dharma—executing varṇāśrama-dharma; vyākhyā—explaining the śāstras; rahaḥ—living in a solitary place; japa—chanting or reciting mantras; samādhayaḥ—remaining in trance; āpavargyāḥ—these are ten types of activities
for advancing on the path of liberation; prāyaḥ—generally; param—the only means; puruṣa—O my Lord; te—all of them; tu—but; ajita-indriyāṇām—of persons who cannot control the
senses; vārtāḥ—means of living; bhavanti—are; uta—so it is said; na—not; vā—or; atra—in this connection; tu—but; dāmbhikānām—of persons who are falsely proud.
O Supreme Personality of Godhead,
there are ten prescribed methods on the path to liberation—to remain silent,
not to speak to anyone, to observe vows, to amass all kinds of Vedic knowledge,
to undergo austerities, to study the Vedas and other Vedic literatures, to
execute the duties of varṇāśrama-dharma, to explain the śāstras, to stay in
a solitary place, to chant mantras silently, and to be absorbed in trance.
These different methods for liberation are generally only a professional
practice and means of livelihood for those who have not conquered their senses.
Because such persons are falsely proud, these procedures may not be successful.
47) rūpe
ime sad-asatī tava veda-sṛṣṭe
bījāṅkurāv iva na cānyad arūpakasya
yuktāḥ samakṣam ubhayatra vicakṣante tvāṁ
yogena vahnim iva dāruṣu nānyataḥ syāt
rūpe — in the forms; ime — these two; sat-asatī — the cause and the
effect; tava — Your; veda-sṛṣṭe — explained in the Vedas; bīja-aṅkurau — the seed and the
sprout; iva — like; na — never; ca — also; anyat — any other; arūpakasya — of You, who possess no
material form; yuktāḥ — those engaged in Your
devotional service; samakṣam — before the very
eyes; ubhayatra — in both ways
(spiritually and materially); vicakṣante — can actually see; tvām — You; yogena — simply by the method of
devotional service; vahnim — fire; iva — like; dāruṣu — in wood; na — not; anyataḥ — from any other
means; syāt — it is possible.
By
authorized Vedic knowledge one can see that the forms of cause and effect in
the cosmic manifestation belong to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for the
cosmic manifestation is His energy. Both cause and effect are nothing but
energies of the Lord. Therefore, O my Lord, just as a wise man, by considering
cause and effect, can see how fire pervades wood, those engaged in devotional
service understand how You are both the cause and effect.
48) tvaṁ vāyur agnir avanir viyad ambu mātrāḥ
prāṇendriyāṇi hṛdayaṁ cid anugrahaś ca
sarvaṁ tvam eva saguṇo viguṇaś ca bhūman
nānyat tvad asty api mano-vacasā niruktam
tvam — You (are); vāyuḥ — air; agniḥ — fire; avaniḥ — earth; viyat — sky; ambu — water; mātrāḥ — the sense objects; prāṇa — the life airs; indriyāṇi — the senses; hṛdayam — the mind; cit — consciousness; anugrahaḥ ca — and false ego or the
demigods; sarvam — everything; tvam — You; eva — only; sa-guṇaḥ — material nature with its
three modes; viguṇaḥ — the spiritual spark and
Supersoul, which are beyond material nature; ca — and; bhūman — O my great Lord; na — not; anyat — other; tvat — than You; asti — is; api — although; manaḥ-vacasā — by mind and words; niruktam — everything manifested.
O Supreme
Lord, You are actually the air, the earth, fire, sky and water. You are the
objects of sense perception, the life airs, the five senses, the mind,
consciousness and false ego. Indeed, You are everything, subtle and gross. The
material elements and anything expressed, either by the words or by the mind,
are nothing but You.
49) naite
guṇā na guṇino mahad-ādayo ye
sarve manaḥ prabhṛtayaḥ sahadeva-martyāḥ
ādy-antavanta urugāya vidanti hi tvām
evaṁ vimṛśya sudhiyo viramanti śabdāt
na — neither; ete — all these; guṇāḥ — three qualities of
material nature; na — nor; guṇinaḥ — the predominating
deities of the three modes of material nature (namely Lord Brahmā, the
predominating deity of passion, and Lord Śiva, the predominating deity of
ignorance); mahat-ādayaḥ — the five elements, the
senses and the sense objects; ye — those which; sarve — all; manaḥ — the mind; prabhṛtayaḥ — and so on; saha-deva-martyāḥ — with the demigods and
the mortal human beings; ādi-anta-vantaḥ — who all have a beginning
and end; urugāya — O Supreme Lord, who are
glorified by all saintly persons; vidanti — understand; hi — indeed; tvām — Your Lordship; evam — thus; vimṛśya — considering; sudhiyaḥ — all wise men; viramanti — cease; śabdāt — from studying or
understanding the Vedas..
Neither
the three modes of material nature [sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa], nor the predominating deities
controlling these three modes, nor the five gross elements, nor the mind, nor
the demigods nor the human beings can understand Your Lordship, for they are
all subjected to birth and annihilation. Considering this, the spiritually advanced
have taken to devotional service. Such wise men hardly bother with Vedic study.
Instead, they engage themselves in practical devotional service.
50) tat
te ’rhattama namaḥ stuti-karma-pūjāḥ
karma smṛtiś caraṇayoḥ śravaṇaṁ kathāyām
saṁsevayā tvayi vineti ṣaḍ-aṅgayā kiṁ
bhaktiṁ janaḥ paramahaṁsa-gatau labheta
tat — therefore; te — unto You; arhat-tama — O supreme of all
worshipable persons; namaḥ — respectful
obeisances; stuti-karma-pūjāḥ — worshiping Your Lordship
by offering prayers and other devotional activities; karma — activities being
dedicated to You; smṛtiḥ — constant
remembrance; caraṇayoḥ — of Your lotus
feet; śravaṇam — always hearing; kathāyām — in topics (about
You); saṁsevayā — such devotional
service; tvayi — unto You; vinā — without; iti — thus; ṣaṭ-aṅgayā — having six different
parts; kim — how; bhaktim — devotional
service; janaḥ — a person; paramahaṁsa-gatau — obtainable by the paramahaṁsa; labheta — may attain.
Therefore,
O Supreme Personality of Godhead, the best of all persons to whom prayers are
offered, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You because without rendering
six kinds of devotional service unto You — offering prayers, dedicating all the
results of activities, worshiping You, working on Your behalf, always
remembering Your lotus feet and hearing about Your glories — who can achieve
that which is meant for the paramahaṁsas?
Gajendra
TEXT 2
śrī-gajendra uvāca
oṁ namo bhagavate tasmai
/ yata etac cid-ātmakam
puruṣāyādi-bījāya / pareśāyābhidhīmahi
śrī-gajendraḥ uvāca—Gajendra, the King of elephants, said; oṁ—O my Lord; namaḥ—I offer my respectful obeisances unto You; bhagavate—unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tasmai—unto Him; yataḥ—from whom; etat—this body and the material manifestation; cit-ātmakam—is moving due to consciousness (the
spirit soul); puruṣāya—unto the Supreme Person; ādi-bījāya—who is the origin or root cause of
everything; para-īśāya—who is supreme, transcendental and worshipable for such exalted persons
as Brahmā and Śiva; abhidhīmahi—let me meditate upon Him.
The King of the elephants, Gajendra, said: I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme
Person, Vāsudeva [oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya]. Because of Him this material body acts due to the presence
of spirit, and He is therefore the root cause of everyone. He is worshipable
for such exalted persons as Brahmā and Śiva, and He has entered the heart of every living
being. Let me meditate upon Him.
yasminn idaṁ yataś cedaṁ / yenedaṁ ya idaṁ svayam
yo ’smāt parasmāc ca paras / taṁ prapadye svayambhuvam
yasmin—the basic platform on which; idam—the universe rests; yataḥ—the ingredients from which; ca—and; idam—the cosmic manifestation is
produced; yena—by whom; idam—this cosmic manifestation is created and maintained; yaḥ—He who; idam—this material world; svayam—is Himself; yaḥ—He who; asmāt—from the effect (this material world); parasmāt—from the cause; ca—and; paraḥ—transcendental or different; tam—unto Him; prapadye—I surrender; svayambhuvam—unto the supreme self-sufficient.
The Supreme Godhead is the supreme
platform on which everything rests, the ingredient by which everything has been
produced, and the person who has created and is the only cause of this cosmic
manifestation. Nonetheless, He is different from the cause and the result. I
surrender unto Him, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is self-sufficient
in everything.
yaḥ svātmanīdaṁ nija-māyayārpitaṁ
kvacid vibhātaṁ kva ca tat tirohitam
aviddha-dṛk sākṣy ubhayaṁ tad īkṣate
sa ātma-mūlo ’vatu māṁ parāt-paraḥ
yaḥ—the Supreme Personality of Godhead
who; sva-ātmani—in Him; idam—this cosmic manifestation; nija-māyayā—by His own potency; arpitam—invested; kvacit—sometimes, at the beginning of a kalpa; vibhātam—it is manifested; kva ca—sometimes, during dissolution; tat—that (manifestation); tirohitam—not visible; aviddha-dṛk—He sees everything (in all these
circumstances); sākṣī—the witness; ubhayam—both (manifestation and annihilation); tat īkṣate—sees everything, without loss of sight; saḥ—that Supreme Personality of Godhead; ātma-mūlaḥ—self-sufficient, having no other
cause; avatu—please give protection; mām—unto me; parāt-paraḥ—He is transcendental to transcendental, or above all
transcendence.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead,
by expanding His own energy, keeps this cosmic manifestation visible and again
sometimes renders it invisible. He is both the supreme cause and the supreme
result, the observer and the witness, in all circumstances. Thus He is
transcendental to everything. May that Supreme Personality of Godhead give me
protection.
kālena pañcatvam iteṣu kṛtsnaśo / lokeṣu
pāleṣu ca sarva-hetuṣu
tamas tadāsīd gahanaṁ gabhīraṁ / yas tasya
pāre ’bhivirājate vibhuḥ
kālena—in due course of time (after
millions and millions of years); pañcatvam—when everything illusory is annihilated; iteṣu—all transformations; kṛtsnaśaḥ—with everything within this cosmic
manifestation; lokeṣu—all the planets, or everything that
exists; pāleṣu—maintainers like Lord Brahmā; ca—also; sarva-hetuṣu—all causative existences; tamaḥ—great darkness; tadā—then; āsīt—was; gahanam—very dense; gabhīram—very deep; yaḥ—the Supreme Personality of Godhead who; tasya—this dark situation; pāre—over and above; abhivirājate—exists or shines; vibhuḥ—the Supreme.
In due course of time, when all the
causative and effective manifestations of the universe, including the planets
and their directors and maintainers, are annihilated, there is a situation of
dense darkness. Above this darkness, however, is the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. I take shelter of His lotus feet.
na yasya devā ṛṣayaḥ padaṁ vidur /jantuḥ punaḥ ko ’rhati gantum īritum
yathā naṭasyākṛtibhir viceṣṭato / duratyayānukramaṇaḥ sa māvatu
na—neither; yasya—He of whom; devāḥ—the demigods; ṛṣayaḥ—great sages; padam—position; viduḥ—can understand; jantuḥ—unintelligent living beings like animals; punaḥ—again; kaḥ—who; arhati—is able; gantum—to enter into the knowledge; īritum—or to express by words; yathā—as; naṭasya—of the artist; ākṛtibhiḥ—by bodily features; viceṣṭataḥ—dancing in different ways; duratyaya—very difficult; anukramaṇaḥ—His movements; saḥ—that Supreme Personality of Godhead; mā—unto me; avatu—may give His protection.
An artist onstage, being covered by
attractive dresses and dancing with different movements, is not understood by
his audience; similarly, the activities and features of the supreme artist
cannot be understood even by the demigods or great sages, and certainly not by
those who are unintelligent like animals. Neither the demigods and sages nor
the unintelligent can understand the features of the Lord, nor can they express
in words His actual position. May that Supreme Personality of Godhead give me
protection.
didṛkṣavo yasya padaṁ sumaṅgalaṁ/vimukta-saṅgā munayaḥ susādhavaḥ
caranty
aloka-vratam avraṇaṁ vane
bhūtātma-bhūtāḥ suhṛdaḥ sa me gatiḥ
didṛkṣavaḥ—those who desire to see (the Supreme
Personality of Godhead); yasya—of Him; padam—the lotus feet; su-maṅgalam—all-auspicious; vimukta-saṅgāḥ—persons who are completely
disinfected of material conditions; munayaḥ—great sages; su-sādhavaḥ—those who are highly elevated in
spiritual consciousness; caranti—practice; aloka-vratam—vows of brahmacarya,
vānaprastha or sannyāsa; avraṇam—without any fault; vane—in the forest; bhūta-ātma-bhūtāḥ—those who are equal to all living
entities; suhṛdaḥ—those who are friends to
everyone; saḥ—that same Supreme Personality of
Godhead; me—my; gatiḥ—destination.
Renunciants and great sages who see
all living beings equally, who are friendly to everyone and who flawlessly
practice in the forest the vows of brahmacarya, vānaprastha and sannyāsa desire to see the all-auspicious lotus feet of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. May that same Supreme Personality of Godhead be
my destination.
na vidyate yasya ca janma karma vā
na nāma-rūpe guṇa-doṣa eva vā
tathāpi lokāpyaya-sambhavāya yaḥ
sva-māyayā tāny
anukālam ṛcchati
tasmai namaḥ pareśāya / brahmaṇe ’nanta-śaktaye
arūpāyoru-rūpāya / nama āścarya-karmaṇe
na—not; vidyate—there is; yasya—of whom (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); ca—also; janma—birth; karma—activities; vā—or; na—nor; nāma-rūpe—any material name or material form; guṇa—qualities; doṣaḥ—fault; eva—certainly; vā—either; tathāpi—still; loka—of this cosmic manifestation; apyaya—who is the destruction; sambhavāya—and creation; yaḥ—He who; sva-māyayā—by His own potency; tāni—activities; anukālam—eternally; ṛcchati—accepts; tasmai—unto Him; namaḥ—I offer my obeisances; para—transcendental; īśāya—who is the supreme controller; brahmaṇe—who is the Supreme Brahman (Parabrahman); ananta-śaktaye—with unlimited potency; arūpāya—possessing no material form; uru-rūpāya—possessing various forms as
incarnations; namaḥ—I offer my obeisances; āścarya-karmaṇe—whose activities are wonderful.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead
has no material birth, activities, name, form, qualities or faults. To fulfill
the purpose for which this material world is created and destroyed, He comes in
the form of a human being like Lord Rāma or Lord Kṛṣṇa by His original internal
potency. He has immense potency, and in various forms, all free from material
contamination, He acts wonderfully. He is therefore the Supreme Brahman. I offer my respects to Him.
nama ātma-pradīpāya / sākṣiṇe paramātmane
namo girāṁ vidūrāya / manasaś cetasām api
namaḥ—I offer my respectful
obeisances; ātma-pradīpāya—unto He who is self-effulgent or who gives enlightenment to
the living entities; sākṣiṇe—who is situated in everyone’s heart
as a witness; parama-ātmane—unto the Supreme Soul, the Supersoul; namaḥ—I offer my respectful obeisances; girām—by words; vidūrāya—who is impossible to reach; manasaḥ—by the mind; cetasām—or by consciousness; api—even.
I offer my respectful obeisances unto
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the self-effulgent Supersoul, who is the
witness in everyone’s heart, who enlightens the individual soul and who cannot
be reached by exercises of the mind, words or consciousness.
sattvena pratilabhyāya / naiṣkarmyeṇa vipaścitā
namaḥ kaivalya-nāthāya / nirvāṇa-sukha-saṁvide
sattvena—by pure devotional service; prati-labhyāya—unto the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, who is achieved by such devotional activities; naiṣkarmyeṇa—by transcendental activities; vipaścitā—by persons who are sufficiently learned; namaḥ—I offer my respectful obeisances; kaivalya-nāthāya—unto the master of the
transcendental world; nirvāṇa—for one completely freed from material activities; sukha—of happiness; saṁvide—who is the bestower.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is
realized by pure devotees who act in the transcendental existence of bhakti-yoga. He is the bestower of
uncontaminated happiness and is the master of the transcendental world.
Therefore I offer my respect unto Him.
namaḥ śāntāya ghorāya / mūḍhāya guṇa-dharmiṇe
nirviśeṣāya sāmyāya / namo jñāna-ghanāya ca
namaḥ—all obeisances; śāntāya—unto He who is above all material qualities and completely
peaceful, or unto Vāsudeva, the Supersoul in every living
entity; ghorāya—unto the fierce forms of the Lord
like Jāmadagnya and Nṛsiṁhadeva; mūḍhāya—the form of the Lord as an animal, such as the boar; guṇa-dharmiṇe—who accepts different qualities
within the material world; nirviśeṣāya—who is without material qualities, being fully
spiritual; sāmyāya—Lord Buddha, the form of nirvāṇa, wherein the material qualities stop; namaḥ—I offer my respectful obeisances; jñāna-ghanāya—who is knowledge or the
impersonal Brahman; ca—also.
I offer my respectful obeisances to
Lord Vāsudeva, who is all-pervading, to the Lord’s
fierce form as Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, to the Lord’s form as an
animal [Lord Varāhadeva], to Lord Dattātreya, who preached impersonalism, to
Lord Buddha, and to all the other incarnations.
I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Lord, who has no material qualities
but who accepts the three qualities goodness, passion and ignorance within this
material world. I also offer my respectful obeisances unto the impersonal Brahman effulgence.
TEXT 13
kṣetra-jñāya namas tubhyaṁ / sarvādhyakṣāya
sākṣiṇe
puruṣāyātma-mūlāya / mūla-prakṛtaye namaḥ
kṣetra-jñāya—unto the one who knows everything of the external body; namaḥ—I offer my respectful obeisances; tubhyam—unto You; sarva—everything; adhyakṣāya—who are superintending, managing; sākṣiṇe—who are the witness, Paramātmā, or antaryāmī; puruṣāya—the Supreme Person; ātma-mūlāya—who are the original source of
everything; mūla-prakṛtaye—unto the puruṣa-avatāra, the origin of prakṛti and pradhāna; namaḥ—I offer my respectful obeisances.
I beg to offer my respectful
obeisances unto You, who are the Supersoul, the superintendent of everything,
and the witness of all that occurs. You are the Supreme Person, the origin of
material nature and of the total material energy. You are also the owner of the
material body. Therefore, You are the supreme complete. I offer my respectful
obeisances unto You.
sarvendriya-guṇa-draṣṭre / sarva-pratyaya-hetave
asatā cchāyayoktāya / sad-ābhāsāya te namaḥ
sarva-indriya-guṇa-draṣṭre—unto the seer of all objectives pursued by the senses; sarva-pratyaya-hetave—who is the solution to all doubts (and without whose help
one cannot solve all doubts and inabilities); asatā—with the manifestation of unreality or illusion; chāyayā—because of the resemblance; uktāya—called; sat—of reality; ābhāsāya—unto the reflection; te—unto You; namaḥ—I offer my respectful obeisances.
My Lord, You are the observer of all
the objectives of the senses. Without Your mercy, there is no possibility of
solving the problem of doubts. The material world is just like a shadow
resembling You. Indeed, one accepts this material world as real because it
gives a glimpse of Your existence.
TEXT 15
namo namas te ’khila-kāraṇāya / niṣkāraṇāyādbhuta-kāraṇāya
sarvāgamāmnāya-mahārṇavāya / namo ’pavargāya parāyaṇāya
namaḥ—I offer my respectful
obeisances; namaḥ—again I offer my respectful
obeisances; te—unto You; akhila-kāraṇāya—unto the supreme cause of
everything; niṣkāraṇāya—unto You who are causeless; adbhuta-kāraṇāya—the wonderful cause of
everything; sarva—all; āgama-āmnāya—unto the source of the paramparā system of all Vedic knowledge; mahā-arṇavāya—the great ocean of knowledge, or the
great ocean wherein all the rivers of knowledge merge; namaḥ—I offer my obeisances; apavargāya—unto You who can give deliverance or liberation; para-ayaṇāya—the shelter of all
transcendentalists.
My Lord, You are the cause of all
causes, but You Yourself have no cause. Therefore You are the wonderful cause
of everything. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, who are the shelter
of the Vedic knowledge contained in the śāstras like the Pañcarātras and Vedānta-sūtra, which are Your representations, and
who are the source of the paramparā system. Because it is You who can give liberation, You
are the only shelter for all transcendentalists. Let me offer my respectful
obeisances unto You.
guṇāraṇi-cchanna-cid-uṣmapāya
tat-kṣobha-visphūrjita-mānasāya
naiṣkarmya-bhāvena vivarjitāgama-
svayaṁ-prakāśāya namas karomi
guṇa—by the three guṇas, the modes of material nature (sattva, rajas and tamas); araṇi—by araṇi wood; channa—covered; cit—of knowledge; uṣmapāya—unto He whose fire; tat-kṣobha—of the agitation of the modes of
material nature; visphūrjita—outside; mānasāya—unto He whose mind; naiṣkarmya-bhāvena—because of the stage of spiritual
understanding; vivarjita—in those who give up; āgama—Vedic principles; svayam—personally; prakāśāya—unto He who is manifest; namaḥ karomi—I offer my respectful obeisances.
My Lord, as the fire in araṇi wood is covered, You and Your unlimited knowledge are
covered by the material modes of nature. Your mind, however, is not attentive
to the activities of the modes of nature. Those who are advanced in spiritual
knowledge are not subject to the regulative principles directed in the Vedic
literatures. Because such advanced souls are transcendental, You personally
appear in their pure minds. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto
You.
mādṛk prapanna-paśu-pāśa-vimokṣaṇāya
muktāya bhūri-karuṇāya namo ’layāya
svāṁśena sarva-tanu-bhṛn-manasi pratīta-
pratyag-dṛśe bhagavate bṛhate namas te
mādṛk—like me; prapanna—surrendered; paśu—an animal; pāśa—from entanglement; vimokṣaṇāya—unto He who releases; muktāya—unto the Supreme, who is untouched by the contamination of
material nature; bhūri-karuṇāya—who are unlimitedly merciful; namaḥ—I offer my respectful obeisances; alayāya—who are never inattentive or idle (for the purpose of my
deliverance); sva-aṁśena—by Your partial feature as Paramātmā; sarva—of all; tanu-bhṛt—the living entities embodied in
material nature; manasi—in the mind; pratīta—who are acknowledged; pratyak-dṛśe—as the direct observer (of all
activities); bhagavate—unto the Supreme Personality of
Godhead; bṛhate—who are unlimited; namaḥ—I offer my respectful obeisances; te—unto You.
Since an animal such as I has
surrendered unto You, who are supremely liberated, certainly You will release
me from this dangerous position. Indeed, being extremely merciful, You
incessantly try to deliver me. By your partial feature as Paramātmā, You are situated in the hearts of all embodied beings. You
are celebrated as direct transcendental knowledge, and You are unlimited. I
offer my respectful obeisances unto You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
ātmātma-jāpta-gṛha-vitta-janeṣu saktair
duṣprāpaṇāya guṇa-saṅga-vivarjitāya
muktātmabhiḥ sva-hṛdaye paribhāvitāya
jñānātmane bhagavate nama īśvarāya
ātma—the mind and body; ātma-ja—sons and daughters; āpta—friends and relatives; gṛha—home, community, society and nation; vitta—wealth; janeṣu—to various servants and
assistants; saktaiḥ—by those who are too attached; duṣprāpaṇāya—unto You, who are very difficult to
achieve; guṇa-saṅga—by the three modes of material nature; vivarjitāya—who are not contaminated; mukta-ātmabhiḥ—by persons who are already
liberated; sva-hṛdaye—within the core of the heart; paribhāvitāya—unto You, who are always meditated upon; jñāna-ātmane—the reservoir of all
enlightenment; bhagavate—unto the Supreme Personality of
Godhead; namaḥ—I offer my respectful
obeisances; īśvarāya—unto the supreme controller.
My Lord, those who are completely
freed from material contamination always meditate upon You within the cores of
their hearts. You are extremely difficult to attain for those like me who are
too attached to mental concoction, home, relatives, friends, money, servants
and assistants. You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, uncontaminated by
the modes of nature. You are the reservoir of all enlightenment, the supreme
controller. I therefore offer my respectful obeisances unto You.
yaṁ dharma-kāmārtha-vimukti-kāmā
bhajanta iṣṭāṁ gatim āpnuvanti
kiṁ cāśiṣo rāty api deham avyayaṁ
karotu me
’dabhra-dayo vimokṣaṇam
yam—the Supreme Personality of Godhead
who; dharma-kāma-artha-vimukti-kāmāḥ—persons who desire the four
principles of religion, economic development, sense gratification and
salvation; bhajantaḥ—by worshiping; iṣṭām—the objective; gatim—destination; āpnuvanti—can achieve; kim—what to speak of; ca—also; āśiṣaḥ—other benedictions; rāti—He bestows; api—even; deham—a body; avyayam—spiritual; karotu—may He bestow benediction; me—unto me; adabhra-dayaḥ—the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
who is unlimitedly merciful; vimokṣaṇam—liberation from the present danger
and from the material world.
After worshiping the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, those who are interested in the four principles of
religion, economic development, sense gratification and liberation obtain from
Him what they desire. What then is to be said of other benedictions? Indeed,
sometimes the Lord gives a spiritual body to such ambitious worshipers. May
that Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is unlimitedly merciful, bestow upon
me the benediction of liberation from this present danger and from the
materialistic way of life.
ekāntino yasya na kañcanārthaṁ / vāñchanti
ye vai bhagavat-prapannāḥ
aty-adbhutaṁ tac-caritaṁ sumaṅgalaṁ
gāyanta
ānanda-samudra-magnāḥ
tam akṣaraṁ brahma paraṁ pareśam
avyaktam ādhyātmika-yoga-gamyam
atīndriyaṁ sūkṣmam ivātidūram / anantam ādyaṁ paripūrṇam īḍe
ekāntinaḥ—unalloyed devotees (who have no desire other than Kṛṣṇa consciousness); yasya—the Lord, of whom; na—not; kañcana—some; artham—benediction; vāñchanti—desire; ye—those devotees who; vai—indeed; bhagavat-prapannāḥ—fully surrendered unto the lotus
feet of the Lord; ati-adbhutam—which are wonderful; tat-caritam—the activities of the Lord; su-maṅgalam—and very auspicious (to hear); gāyantaḥ—by chanting and hearing; ānanda—of transcendental bliss; samudra—in the ocean; magnāḥ—who are immersed; tam—unto Him; akṣaram—eternally existing; brahma—the Supreme; param—transcendental; para-īśam—the Lord of the supreme personalities; avyaktam—invisible or not able to be realized by the mind and
senses; ādhyātmika—transcendental; yoga—by bhakti-yoga, devotional
service; gamyam—obtainable (bhaktyā mām abhijānāti); ati-indriyam—beyond the perception of material senses; sūkṣmam—minute; iva—like; ati-dūram—very far away; anantam—unlimited; ādyam—the original cause of everything; paripūrṇam—completely full; īḍe—I offer my obeisances.
Unalloyed devotees, who have no
desire other than to serve the Lord, worship Him in full surrender and always
hear and chant about His activities, which are most wonderful and auspicious.
Thus they always merge in an ocean of transcendental bliss. Such devotees never
ask the Lord for any benediction. I, however, am in danger. Thus I pray to that
Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is eternally existing, who is invisible,
who is the Lord of all great personalities, such as Brahmā, and who is available only by transcendental bhakti-yoga. Being extremely subtle, He is
beyond the reach of my senses and transcendental to all external realization.
He is unlimited, He is the original cause, and He is completely full in
everything. I offer my obeisances unto Him.
yasya brahmādayo devā / vedā lokāś carācarāḥ
nāma-rūpa-vibhedena / phalgvyā ca kalayā kṛtāḥ
yathārciṣo ’gneḥ savitur gabhastayo
/ niryānti saṁyānty asakṛt sva-rociṣaḥ
tathā
yato ’yaṁ guṇa-sampravāho / buddhir manaḥ khāni śarīra-sargāḥ
sa
vai na devāsura-martya-tiryaṅ
na strī na ṣaṇḍho na pumān na jantuḥ
nāyaṁ guṇaḥ karma na san na cāsan
niṣedha-śeṣo jayatād aśeṣaḥ
yasya—of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead who; brahma-ādayaḥ—the great demigods, headed by Lord Brahmā; devāḥ—and other demigods; vedāḥ—the Vedic knowledge; lokāḥ—different personalities; cara-acarāḥ—the moving and the nonmoving (like
trees and plants); nāma-rūpa—of different names and different forms; vibhedena—by such divisions; phalgvyā—who are less important; ca—also; kalayā—by the parts; kṛtāḥ—created; yathā—as; arciṣaḥ—the sparks; agneḥ—of fire; savituḥ—from the sun; gabhastayaḥ—the shining particles; niryānti—emanate from; saṁyānti—and enter into; asakṛt—again and again; sva-rociṣaḥ—as parts and parcels; tathā—similarly; yataḥ—the Personality of Godhead from
whom; ayam—this; guṇa-sampravāhaḥ—continuous manifestation of the
different modes of nature; buddhiḥ manaḥ—the intelligence and mind; khāni—the senses; śarīra—of the body (gross and
subtle); sargāḥ—the divisions; saḥ—that Supreme Personality of Godhead; vai—indeed; na—is not; deva—demigod; asura—demon; martya—human being; tiryak—bird or beast; na—neither; strī—woman; na—nor; ṣaṇḍhaḥ—neuter; na—neither; pumān—man; na—nor; jantuḥ—living being or animal; na ayam—nor is He; guṇaḥ—material quality; karma—fruitive activity; na—is not; sat—manifestation; na—nor; ca—also; asat—nonmanifestation; niṣedha—of the discrimination of neti neti (“not
this, not this”); śeṣaḥ—He is the end; jayatāt—all glories unto Him; aśeṣaḥ—who is unlimited.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead
creates His minor parts and parcels, the jīva-tattva, beginning with Lord Brahmā, the demigods and the expansions of Vedic knowledge [Sāma, Ṛg, Yajur and Atharva] and including all other living entities, moving and
nonmoving, with their different names and characteristics. As the sparks of a
fire or the shining rays of the sun emanate from their source and merge into it
again and again, the mind, the intelligence, the senses, the gross and subtle
material bodies, and the continuous transformations of the different modes of
nature all emanate from the Lord and again merge into Him. He is neither
demigod nor demon, neither human nor bird or beast. He is not woman, man, or
neuter, nor is He an animal. He is not a material quality, a fruitive activity,
a manifestation or nonmanifestation. He is the last word in the discrimination
of “not this, not this,” and He is unlimited. All glories to the Supreme
Personality of Godhead!
jijīviṣe nāham ihāmuyā kim / antar bahiś
cāvṛtayebha-yonyā
icchāmi kālena na yasya viplavas/ tasyātma-lokāvaraṇasya mokṣam
jijīviṣe—wish to live long; na—not; aham—I; iha—in this life; amuyā—or in the next life (I do not wish
to live upon being saved from this dangerous position); kim—what is the value; antaḥ—internally; bahiḥ—externally; ca—and; āvṛtayā—covered by ignorance; ibha-yonyā—in this birth as an elephant; icchāmi—I desire; kālena—because of the influence of time; na—there is not; yasya—of which; viplavaḥ—annihilation; tasya—that; ātma-loka-āvaraṇasya—from the covering of
self-realization; mokṣam—liberation.
I do not wish to live anymore after I
am released from the attack of the crocodile. What is the use of an elephant’s
body covered externally and internally by ignorance? I simply desire eternal
liberation from the covering of ignorance. That covering is not destroyed by
the influence of time.
so ’haṁ viśva-sṛjaṁ viśvam
aviśvaṁ viśva-vedasam
viśvātmānam ajaṁ brahma
praṇato ’smi paraṁ padam
saḥ—that; aham—I (the person desiring release from material life); viśva-sṛjam—unto He who has created this cosmic
manifestation; viśvam—who is Himself the whole cosmic
presentation; aviśvam—although He is transcendental to the
cosmic manifestation; viśva-vedasam—who is the knower or ingredient of this universal
manifestation; viśva-ātmānam—the soul of the universe; ajam—who is never born, eternally existing; brahma—the Supreme; praṇataḥ asmi—I offer my respectful obeisances; param—who is transcendental; padam—the shelter.
Now, fully desiring release from
material life, I offer my respectful obeisances unto that Supreme Person who is
the creator of the universe, who is Himself the form of the universe and who is
nonetheless transcendental to this cosmic manifestation. He is the supreme
knower of everything in this world, the Supersoul of the universe. He is the
unborn, supremely situated Lord. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Him.
yoga-randhita-karmāṇo / hṛdi yoga-vibhāvite
yogino yaṁ prapaśyanti / yogeśaṁ taṁ nato ’smy aham
yoga-randhita-karmāṇaḥ—persons whose reactions to fruitive
activities have been burnt up by bhakti-yoga; hṛdi—within the core of the heart; yoga-vibhāvite—completely purified and clean; yoginaḥ—mystics who are competent; yam—unto the Personality of Godhead who; prapaśyanti—directly see; yoga-īśam—unto that Supreme Personality of
Godhead, the master of all mystic yoga; tam—unto Him; nataḥ asmi—offering obeisances; aham—I.
I offer my respectful obeisances unto
the Supreme, the Supersoul, the master of all mystic yoga, who is seen in the core of the heart by perfect mystics when they are
completely purified and freed from the reactions of fruitive activity by
practicing bhakti-yoga.
namo namas tubhyam asahya-vega-
śakti-trayāyākhila-dhī-guṇāya
prapanna-pālāya duranta-śaktaye
kad-indriyāṇām anavāpya-vartmane
namaḥ—I offer my respectful
obeisances; namaḥ—again I offer my respectful
obeisances; tubhyam—unto You; asahya—formidable; vega—forces; śakti-trayāya—unto the Supreme Person, who has threefold potencies; akhila—of the universe; dhī—for the intelligence; guṇāya—who appears as the sense objects; prapanna-pālāya—unto the Supreme, who gives shelter
to the surrendered; duranta-śaktaye—who possesses energies very difficult to overcome; kat-indriyāṇām—by persons unable to control their
senses; anavāpya—who is unattainable; vartmane—on the path.
My Lord, You are the controller of
formidable strength in three kinds of energy. You appear as the reservoir of
all sense pleasure and the protector of the surrendered souls. You possess
unlimited energy, but You are unapproachable by those who are unable to control
their senses. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You again and again.
nāyaṁ veda svam ātmānaṁ / yac-chaktyāhaṁ-dhiyā hatam
taṁ duratyaya-māhātmyaṁ / bhagavantam
ito ’smy aham
na—not; ayam—people in general; veda—know; svam—own; ātmānam—identity; yat-śaktyā—by whose influence; aham—I am independent; dhiyā—by this intelligence; hatam—defeated or covered; tam—unto Him; duratyaya—difficult to understand; māhātmyam—whose glories; bhagavantam—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; itaḥ—taking shelter; asmi aham—I am.
I offer my respectful obeisances unto
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by whose illusory energy the jīva, who is part and parcel of God, forgets his real identity
because of the bodily concept of life. I take shelter of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, whose glories are difficult to understand.