Excerpts from Srimad Bhagavatam

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Liberation from ignorance

The Lord Kapila said:
'Even though abides in a material body, the Soul is not affected by the basic qualities of matter because he does not claim doership and thus is not subject to change, just like the sun is not affected by being reflected in water. But when this very Soul is affected with the modes of material nature it becomes bewildered by the ego sense and thinks: 'I am the doer'. Dealing with material nature in such a way,the wrong actions are the result,and he in discontent, helplessly undergoes the repeated birth and death,in births from different wombs or species depending on the good or bad life he led or a combination of these. Like having landed in a nightmare wherein the things happening do not really exist, there is for the Soul, who only thinks and sees  what occurs to his senses, no end to his materially conditioned existence and illusion. Therefore the mind of attachment to material pleasure must, free from attachment, gradually be brought under control with the bhakti. Beginning with yama [meaning the great vow of yoga of nonviolence, truth, non-stealing, celibacy and non-possessiveness in the discipline of detachment], one should practice the different forms of yoga and develop, endowed with faith, unalloyed devotion unto Me by listening my stories,reading and reflecting on the teachings of the Truth. Therein one must be without enmity and regard all living beings as equal, not entertain intimate relations and be celibate , be free from chatter and offer the results of one's labor. One should be satisfied with whatever comes of its own, eat little and live thoughtfully in a secluded place and be peaceful, kind, compassionate and self-realized. In relating to others and to one's body one should not follow the physical concept of life but rather, from the spiritual perspective attend to the factual truth of both the material and the personal aspect. One should transcend the stages of consciousness [of waking, dreaming and deep sleep] and stay away from other conceptions of life. Thus, with a purified intellect, the true Self, the Soul within, should be seen as clear as the sun before one's eyes. A liberated soul realizes the Truth, which is beyond and which is manifest as a reflection in the false ego. He is the support of the material cause and He enters into everything. He is Absolute, one without a second, and He is the eye of the illusory energy. It is like with the sun that can be seen as a reflection on water or on a wall, but factually is situated in the sky. The Truth is reflected  in the threefold nature of the materially identified ego that consists of body, senses and mind. Someone who in this material world wrongly identifies with the material elements, the objects of enjoyment, the material senses, the mind, intelligence and so on, is actually in deep sleep, but once he is awakened he is freed from false ego and illusion. Even though not being lost, still the Soul unjustly considers himself lost. But through the path of yoga,established in Jnana,he sees himself as a witness,not affected with material nature,and with it, he sees also unreality of the ego. Coming to understand this,he realizes his true Self,Atma, his original individuality [svarupa].'

Devahuti said: 'Dear brahmin, is it not so that material nature never releases the soul because the two are eternally attracted to each other, oh Best One? Just as aroma and earth have no separate existence and taste does not exist apart from water, intelligence cannot exist independent of consciousness.  Then how can a soul be free from material nature? Is the soul, being a passive observer, not forced to act because of the basic qualities of matter? The great fear, one may avoid by contemplating the fundamental principles, will not cease because every time its cause appears again.'

The Bhagavan said:
'One will realize the freedom, when one, with a pure mind serious unto Me and faithfully contemplates on the Truth with devotion, manages to perform one's duties without desiring the fruits thereof. By means of Jnana, with the vision of the Absolute Truth, by penance,with renunciation, detached and firmly fixed in that same Truth, one becomes absorbed in the Self. Bound to material nature he is day after day consumed, like firewood by fire, disappearing gradually. But experiencing his dependency, understanding the futility of the desire to always enjoy, he, thus forsaking sensual pleasures, firmly stands in his own glory. The many inauspicious matters a person may dream of in his sleep, will not in the least daunt him when he has awakened. Someone, who has fixed his mind upon Me, the knower of the Absolute Truth within, thus has nothing to fear from material nature. When someone wise thus for many years and many births is engaged in self-realization, he will develop a distaste for enjoying whatever, even the heaven of the creator. Someone devoted to Me who under My protection for the sake of awakening his intelligence, by My unlimited mercy goes for the ultimate goal of his existence that is called kaivalya [enlightenment, emancipation, beatitude], will in this life soon attain a steady self-awareness and be free from doubt. The yogi who departed for that heavenly abode will, after leaving behind both the subtle and the gross body, never return.  When the attention of the perfected yogi is not drawn towards yogic powers to control the material illusion, my dear mother, then, having no other purpose in his life, his progress towards Me will be unbounded, because the power of death is lost therein.'

Book 3,Chapter 27

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Explanation of Bhakti Yoga by Lord Kapila

Devah?ti said: "Please elaborate now at length on the path of bhakti yoga that one calls the ultimate purpose."

Maitreya said: 'Appreciating the words of His mother, oh best of the Kurus, the great and gentle sage, contented and being moved by compassion, said the following. The Bhagavan said:

'O noble lady, there are many paths and ways of bhakti yoga,depending on natural disposition and temperaments of seekers. What one does out of love for Me in a spirit of violence, pride and envy or out of anger with a fractional view,is considered to be in the mode of darkness(tamas). He who worships Me with idols and aims at material things, fame and opulence, is in the mode of passion (rajas). Someone who worships Me with offering the results of his actions or when he for the sake of transcendence desires to be free from karma [profit-minded action],that bhakti is said to be in the mode of goodness (sattva).  In case of an uninterrupted thinking of Me who is present in everyone's heart - just like the water of the Ganges that continuously flows towards the ocean - and when one wishes to hear about My qualities only, having no ulterior motives, one may speak of pure devotion, of bhakti unto the Supreme One. Pure devotees will not accept it - not even when being offered these - to be equal with Me, to have the same opulence, to be a personal associate, to have the same bodily features or to be joined in oneness,but only to be in My service. When one by means of this bhakti yoga - which one calls the highest aim - succeeds in dealing with the three modes of nature the way I explained it, one attains My transcendental nature. When one performs one's duties without attachment to the results one is stronger, and when one without unnecessary violence regularly and with dedication practice this yoga, one will find happiness. The same as someone worships My statue,by seeing it, offering respect to it,by offering obeisances, praise and worship,he should ,in the spirit of detachment and in the mode of goodness, think of Me and see Me being present in all living beings. By means of sense control and proper regulation [yama and niyama], being of the greatest respect for the great souls, being compassionate with the poor and by being friendly in association with like-minded souls; by hearing about spiritual matters, chanting My holy names, being straightforward, by association with civilized people and not entertaining false ego, the consciousness of a person who with these qualities is dutiful towards Me is completely purified. No doubt he by simply hearing about My excellence will directly reach Me. The way the sense of smell catches the aroma that is carried from its source by means of the air, similarly consciousness by means of yoga catches the Supreme Soul who is free from change.

When one who worships  the deity but has no respect for Me who, in the form of the All pervading Soul, is always situated in every living being,this is nothing but a hypocrisy. Someone who in worship of the deity has no regard for Me as the Supreme Ruler present in all beings, is in his ignorance only offering oblations into the ashes. He who offers Me his respects but is envious, lives in his campaigning against others and in enmity, will never find peace of mind. Oh sinless one, I am certainly not pleased when they who manage to worship Me in My deity form, are not of respect for other living beings. Performing his prescribed duties, one should worship the Deity of the Ishvara until one realizes My presence in his own heart and in the hearts of other living beings as well. For those who discriminate with regard to the body of themselves and that of others ,for those who make distinction between them and others,as the blazing fire of death, I will cause great fear. One should  therefore, with charity, respect and in friendship regarding everyone as an equal, propitiate Me, the One True Self abiding in all.

Living entities are better developed than inanimate objects, better than entities with life symptoms, oh blessed one, are entities with a developed consciousness and better than those are they who developed sense perception. Among them, those who developed taste are better than those who only developed a sense of touch and better than they are those who developed a sense of smell. Even better are those creatures who developed the faculty to hear. Better than those are the ones distinguishing differences of form and those who have teeth in both their jaws are better than these. Those who have many legs are superior to them. Of them the four-legged creatures are the ones better developed,while the two-legged ones are even better.  Among human beings a society with four classes is the better one and of those classes the brahmins are the best. Among the brahmins the better one is who knows the Vedas ,but best of those are the Brahmins who know its purpose.

The one who puts an end to all doubts is better than he who knows what the purpose of the Vedas is and the brahmin among them who performs his duty is better than him. He who is free from worldly attachment is still better and the one who performs his righteous duty not for himself alone is the best developed of them all.

Therefore I know of no greater being than a person who with a dedicated mind has offered all of his actions, wealth and life without any reservation to Me and with persistence is of service without any other interest or motive,but only from the deep love.  Such a one who regards the Supreme Lord, the Controller of the individual soul, as having entered all the living beings in the form of the Paramatma, is therefore mindfully of respect for his fellow creatures. Oh daughter of Manu, someone can attain the Original Person by following either of these two paths of bhakti and mystic yoga separately that I have described. This Bhagavan is the eternal form of the Brahman. He is Purusha,ethereal personality of the primal reality,He is transcendental,and all His activities are spiritual.

Time, known as the divine cause of the different manifestations of the living entities, constitutes the reason why all living beings who consider themselves as existing in separation, from the greatest on, live in fear. He who from within first enters all the living entities, is the support of everyone and annihilates them again by  means of  other living beings, is named Vishnu, the enjoyer of all sacrifices. He is that time factor, the Master of all masters. There is no one specially favored by Him, nobody is his friend or enemy. He approaches those who are attentive and of those who are inattentive He is the destroyer.

 He for whom the wind out of fear blows and this sun is shining, for whom out of fear Indra sends his rains and the heavenly bodies are shining; He because of whom out of fear the trees, creepers and herbs each in their own time bear flowers and produce their fruits; He afraid of whom the rivers flow and the oceans do not overflow, because of whom fire burns and the earth with her mountains does not submerge; He because of whom the sky provides air to those who breathe and under the control of whom the universe expands its body of the complete reality [mahat-tattva] with its seven layers, He for whom out of fear the gods of creation and more, in charge of the basic qualities of nature, within this world carry out their functions according to the yugas, He of whom afraid all the animate and inanimate beings find their control; that Infinite, final operator of beginningless Time is the Unchangeable Creator who creates people out of people and by means of death destroys even the Lord of death himself.'

Book 3,Chapter 29

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Lord Kapila Describes the Adverse Consequences of Karma

Lord Kapila said:
'Just like a mass of clouds has no knowledge of the power of the wind,in the same way a person has no knowledge of the great power of the Time, even though he is being conditioned by it. Whatever the goods one with difficulty acquired for one's happiness, they are destroyed by the Bhagavan, and for this reason he laments. In his ignorance he foolishly thinks that having a home, land and wealth for the sake of his body, would be something permanent. The living being will irrespective of the birth he acquired,in any species he finds himself,find satisfaction in this worldly existence. Even being in hell a person, who in fact is deluded by the divine Maya, does not wish to give up his hellish pleasures. With his body, spouse, children, home, animals, wealth and friendships deeply rooted in his heart, he considers himself a great success. Burning with anxiety about maintaining all the members of his dear family, he is always uncomfortable and sinful,acting like a fool. With his heart and senses charmed by the woman and by the display of the sweet words of his children, he is in the grip of the illusion,considering that which is non-permanent to be eternal. Engaged in the supposed duties of his family life - which cause him all kinds of trouble, he is busy countering these miseries while thinking that that will make him happy as a householder. Only enjoying little of it, he maintains his family by unjust means and the wealth that he with violence secured, but following that course he ultimately goes against himself. When he, despite his repeated efforts, fails in securing what he wished, he will, ruled by greed,desire the wealth enjoyed by others and thus get into trouble. No longer capable of maintaining his family the unfortunate wretch,being old and bereft of wealth and beauty, then with a bewildered intelligence full of grief laments over everything he tried in vain.

Thus finding himself incapable of supporting his wife and children, he is not respected as he was before, the way an old ox is not respected by its farmer. Despite getting deformed of old age,and being maintained by the ones he once maintained, no aversion against a family life rises in him while he, at home awaits his death. Remaining there he, like a pet dog, eats what indifferently is placed before him, falls sick with indigestion and eats and does only little. In that diseased condition, one?s eyes bulge due to the pressure of air from within, and his glands become congested with mucus. He has difficulty breathing, and upon exhaling and inhaling he produces strange  sound, a rattling within the throat. Lying down surrounded by his lamenting friends and relatives he, with the noose of time around his neck, cannot respond to the things said to him. He, who was engrossed in maintaining his family and had no control over his senses, thus passes away in great pain, with his relatives in tears. Witnessing the arrival of the servants of death with their terrible eyes full of wrath, he, because of the fear in his heart, passes stool and urine. Like the king's soldiers they immobilize his body by binding him in ropes for his punishment, whereupon they drag him like a criminal forcefully by the neck over a long distance.  Innerly broken by their threatening presence he, overtaken, trembles on the road and is bitten by dogs in the distress of remembering his sins. Afflicted by hunger, thirst and the heat of scorching forest fires and winds on hot and sandy roads, he feels how he painfully is beaten on his back with a whip, while he, unable to move, can find no refuge or water. Now and then he falls, gets tired and loses consciousness, and then again he reawakens on the road of his misery where he quickly is led before the eternal ruler of death Yamaraja. He sees his entire life passing by in a few moments and then receives the punishment he deserves. With his limbs covered by firewood he is cremated or sometimes he sees himself eating his own flesh. Vividly he then witnesses how dogs pull out his entrails at his last resting place where serpents, scorpions, gnats and so on pester him to his abhorrence. One by one his limbs are separated from his body by big and small animals who tear him apart, throw him from heights or drag him under water or into caves.  Because of the unregulated sexual association one has,one must, whether one is a man or a woman,undergo the reaction in hellish states of anger,self-destruction and bewilderment.

Actually, heaven and hell exist also in this world, oh mother, so they sometimes become visible and experienced here.  He who thus in greed, attachment and infidelity maintained his family or lived for his stomach only, will upon leaving this world in his afterlife have to face the consequences for himself and his family. After quitting his body he will enter the darkness all alone and pay the price for the harm that he out of self-interest did to others in his envy of their fortune. By divine arrangement a man who sustained his family has to undergo the hellish reaction of his foul play and suffer like someone who lost all his wealth. When a person in his eagerness to care for his family is simply godless and unscrupulous in his actions, he heads for the darkest region of self-destruction .  After he, beginning from the lowest position of an animal existence prior to a human birth, in due order has undergone all the reactions and so on, he, thus being purified, may again return here.'

Book 3,Chapter 30

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Lord Nrisimha Slays the King of the Demons

Narada Muni said to Yudhishthhira: 'Having heard explanations of the Truth from the Great Prahlada,all the attending Daitya sons (Prahlada's schoolmates) accepted his words because of their profundity and rejected what their teachers had taught them. When the two sons of the guru [S'ukracarya's sons Shanda and Amarka] realized how the intelligence of the boys had gotten fixed on this one subject matter, they fearfully contacted the king to submit to him what was going on.

(- the king was Prahlada's father,the great Asura Hiranyakas'ipu. )

All over his body trembling with anger and with a mind determined to kill his son he rebuked Prahlada. With the harshest words he furiously with an angry face and crooked, wicked eyes approached him who did not deserve such a treatment at all. He from his side gentle and restrained, with his hands folded just stood there before his father who was hissing like a vicious snake trampled upon.

Hiranyakas'ipu said: 'Oh you impudent fool, you intriguer of the family, you outcaste, you obstinate one going against my rule, I will today send you to the abode of Yamaraja! When I am angry all inhabitants of the three worlds and their leaders tremble for me. By what power do you so fearlessly overstep my rule, you rascal?'.

Prahlada said: 'He is not only my strength but also yours, oh King and the strength of all other exalted and lower living beings. All who move around and do not move around, beginning with Lord Brahma, fall under His control. He, the supreme controller, the time factor, is Urukrama, the Lord of the Wide Steps [Vamana] who is that one strength of one's mind and life, the steadiness of one's physical power and senses. He, the True Self, is the Supreme Master of the three modes who by His different natural forces creates, maintains and withdraws again the entire universe. Please give up the Asura way. Be peaceful  and create no enemies. Destroy only the true enemy that is an uncontrolled mind. That approach is the best method to worship the unlimited Lord. In the past there were plunderers who not in control with the six enemies [the mind and the five senses] stole away everything. Others saw themselves as conquerors of the ten directions. But where are with a saint who managed to defeat his senses and is of an equal regard for all living beings, those enemies to be found who are a product of one's own imagination?'

Sri Hiranyakas'ipu said: 'You apparently, with your unlimited pretenses, seek your own demise. You prove that people about to die talk gibberish, you pityful idiot. You unlucky soul, you talk of someone other than me who would be the controller of the universe, but where is He to be found? If He is omnipresent, then why do I not see Him in this pillar right in front of me? Let that Lord you wished yourself as your protector protect you, now that I am going to sever your head from your trunk, now that I am going to put an end to someone talking such nonsense like you.'

Thus with a stream of abuses enraged chastising his son, that great devotee, Hiranyakas'ipu, rising from his throne and taking up his sword, with his fist struck hard against a column.  At that very time from within the column a most fearful sound could be heard as if the covering of the universe cracked open. That sound dear King, reached as far as the place of the godly ones of Lord Brahma and made them believe that the destruction of their abodes was at hand. He who in his display of power wanted to kill his son, also heard the tumultuous sound one had never heard before and stood together with the assembly present amazed about the fact that one could not determine its origin. Thus all these men of power were caught in fear. To be true to the words that were spoken in defense of His omnipresence, of His pervading each and everything, one could see a most wonderful form of Him taking shape in a pillar in the middle of the assembly hall. It was neither an animal nor a man. The king, studying the phenomenon from all sides, saw how a living being emerged from the middle of the pillar. But not being able to ascertain whether it was an animal or a human being he said amazed: 'What kind of  form is this? It is half man and half lion!'

As he was contemplating the miracle that took place in front of him, the extraordinary, most frightening form of Nrisimhadeva appeared. He had eyes glowing like molten gold and deadly teeth in a face extending into manes. Looking around with a dreadful frown He waved His tongue like a razor sharp sword. His ears stood motionless straight up and His nostrils and mouth were opened wide like mountain caves. His huge body was short and fat with a broad neck and a broad chest over a small waist. His body was covered with whitish hairs resembling the rays of the moon and hundreds of arms stretched in all directions were equipped with hard to challenge fatal nails who served as weapons next to His other personal weapons. Faced with that excellence the Daityas and Danavas fled away. 'I guess this is what the Lord so full of mystical potency is trying to do in order to get me killed, but what's the use?' so Hiranyakas'ipu murmured to himself and taking up his mace the Daitya threw himself forward like an elephant to attack the loudly roaring Lord Nrisimha.  As invisible as an insect that has fallen into a fire, the Asura disappeared into the effulgence of Nrisimha. That was something not that astonishing at all that moment considering the fact that He with the effulgence of His goodness formerly had swallowed the darkness of the entire creation. The greatest of the demons reaching Lord Nrisimha thereupon furiously with great force exercising his prowess struck Him with his club, but the Lord, the Wielder of the Club, seized him just like the son of Garuda would capture a great snake.Oh son of Bharata, when He in order to play a game allowed the Asura to slip from His hands exactly the way Garuda sometimes deals with a snake, the godly ones of the different worlds who were driven from their positions, from behind the clouds considered that to be a bad turn of events. The demon thinking that He had let him go out of fear for his masculine display, after regaining his strength took up his sword and shield and with great force attacked Nrisimhadeva for the second time. When he with his moon spotted shield and sword fast as a hawk was maneuvering up and down so as not to offer any opportunity, the Lord made a very shrill, loud sound of laughter that was so frightening that he, with his eyes shortly closed, was captured by the Greatest of all Speed. In protest he wrestling with his limbs tried to escape, but the Lord placed him whose skin could not even be cut by Indra's thunderbolt, at the entrance of the palace on His lap like he was a snake or mouse and pierced him with His nails as easy as Garuda pierces a poisonous viper.  He with His most fearful eyes full of anger was difficult to behold. With His mouth wide open licking the edges with His tongue and with His mane and face smeared red with traces of blood, He wore the intestines like a garland around His neck and looked like a lion that just has killed an elephant. The heart He with His pointed nails had ripped out completely and thrown aside and the thousands of followers who with their raised weapons attended to their leader He all killed using His nails and the other weapons in His countless hands. Shaking His manes He scattered the clouds and with His glaring glance He outshone the luminaries. The waters and oceans struck by His breathing swirled in perturbation and afraid of His roar the elephants guarding the quarters of the universe cried. With Him tossing His hair the celestial chariots crowding in the sky slipped from their places, the earth shook under the heavy weight of His feet, His intolerable force moved the mountains and hills and His effulgence outshone everything else in all directions of the sky.

*Hiranyakas'ipu and his brother Hiranyaksha (killed by the Boar Avatar),were actually two doorkeepers of Vaikunta. They were cursed by the great brahmin Sages four Kumaras to become demons,because they would not let them enter the Vaikunta. Hiranyakas'ipu by the power of great dedication and severe penances got the boon from the Lord not die because of any of the living being created by Lord,Neither at home nor outside, neither during the day nor at night, neither from any known weapon nor by any other thing, neither on the ground or in the sky nor by any human being or animal,Neither lifeless things nor living entities, neither demigod or demon nor the great serpents,to have the supremacy in battle and the rule over all embodied souls including the deities of all planets). In the past,Hiranyakas'ipu many times tried to kill his son Prahlada,because of his great devotion,but did not succeed.

-When two door-keepers and great Devotees Jaya and Vijaya,who later became two great Asuras,were cursed by the Sages,the Lord said:
'These two will soon elsewhere take birth from a godless womb. With their focus of mind intensified by anger, they will remain firmly united with Me and before long return to My presence. Know that your curse was ordained by Me alone, oh learned ones.')

cont...
book 7,chapter 8

[Jewell]

cont...
Thereafter sitting in the assembly hall on the highest seat of man with a most fearsome, terrible countenance, there was no one to challenge Him nor anyone to worship Him.  But upon hearing how he, the Daitya who was the headache of the three worlds, in the battle had been killed by the Lord, there were exclamations of joy, blossoming faces and endless showers of flowers from the wives of the demigods.  At that time there was an overcast formed by all the celestial chariots of the demigods desirous to attend. Drums and kettle drums were sounded and the greatest singers and angels of heaven sang and danced. All the godly ones, Brahma, Indra and Shiva, the sages, the ancestors, the perfected ones, the scientific experts and the great serpents assembled there. The founding fathers, the leaders of mankind, the residents of heaven and the best of the angels arrived there too, as did the venerable ones, the keepers of the wealth and the monkey-like, oh my best one. Also the goblins came, the ones of superpower and they who were Vishnu's personal associates like Sunanda and Kumuda. With their hands folded before their heads to offer their obeisance each of them approached Him who had appeared as half a man, half a lion and now sat there on the throne displaying His effulgence.

Lord Brahma said: 'I bow down before You, oh Inscrutable One of unlimited powers. You with all Your might and prowess and the purity of Your actions stand for the creation, maintenance and destruction of the universe. While You in Your divine game play with the modes, You never change Yourself,and stand above this creation.'

Lord Shiva said: 'The end of the yuga is the time suitable for You to kill in anger this insignificant demon; just protect his son, this bhakta of surrender next to You, oh caretaker of the devotees.'

Sri Indra said: 'Our share of the sacrifices was secured by Your Lordship protecting us, oh Supreme One. We have no words to describe how afflicted our lotus-like hearts were by the Daitya, our hearts that are really Your residence. Alas, oh Lord, how insignificant is our world in the grip of Time, but for the sake of the devoted ones in Your service You have shed Your light so that they may find liberation from their bondage. What else but considering the visible world as unimportant would constitute their way oh Nrisimha?'

The Rishis said: 'You are the shining example who taught us our austerity. By this power of Yours this world, oh Original Lord, is created, maintained and reabsorbed. That penance was stolen by this unwise soul but is now, oh Shelter of the Needy, restored by the protection of Your embodiment.'

The ancestors [the Pitris] said: 'The demon who engaging with force enjoyed our s'raddha sacrifices that were offered by our sons and grandsons, he who even at the holy bathing places drank from our offerings of sesame water, by piercing the intestines of his belly with the nails of Your hand these offerings have reached their proper destination. He, the maintainer of the universal principles of religion who appeared as a man-lion, Him we offer our obeisances.

The ones of perfection [the Siddhas] said: 'This most uncivilized and dishonest person who stole away the joy of our perfection in yoga and with the power of his mysticism and penance was so proud of his wealth, has been torn apart by Your nails. We bow down before You, oh Nrisimha.'

The scientific experts [the Vidyadharas] said: 'Our forms of knowledge that each are attained by a different way of concentrating, were pushed aside by this fool puffed up about his strength and prowess. He who in battle killed him like he was an animal, to Him who appeared as Nrisimha, we surrendered souls are ever obliged.'

The snake people [the Nagas] said: 'By piercing the chest of that greatest of all sinners who seized our jewels and beautiful women, You have done our wives a great favor. Let us offer You our obeisances.'
 
The original fathers [the Manus] said: 'We, the Manus are Your authorities but were disrespected by this son of Diti who broke with the moral ties for the establishment, oh Lord. With You having killed this villain, oh Master, please tell us what we, Your eternal servants, can do for You.'

The founding fathers [the Prajapatis] said: 'We, the creators of the generations owe our lives to You, oh Supreme Controller and not to him who denied the living beings that we have put on this world a life.  And now, by assuming the form of an incarnation of Your pure goodness, You for the well-being of the world have split open the chest of him who lies slain.'

The musicians of heaven [the Gandharvas] said: 'We, oh Lord are Your dancers and singers, Your performers, who were brought under the control of the power and strength of the one here who You reduced to this condition. Can anyone on the path of evil find happiness?'

The venerable souls [the Caranas] said: 'Oh Lord, Your lotus feet liberate from the need to start a new life. We duly seek shelter there because You have put an end to this Asura, this snake in the heart of all virtuous people.'

The keepers of the wealth [the Yakshas] said: 'We, serving You to Your pleasure belong to Your best followers. This son of Diti forced us to carry his palanquin but caused the sorrow of each and everyone.  Thus we acknowledge You oh Lord Nrisimha, for You are the one who put him to death, oh twenty-fifth principle.'

The monkey-like beings [the Kimpurushas] said: 'We are questionable humans, Kimpurushas but You are the Supreme Lord. And this bad person has been slain by You after having been condemned by the saintly ones.'

The king's bards [the Vaitalikas] said: 'We in great gatherings and arenas of sacrifice singing the glories of Your spotless reputation have achieved the greatest position of respect. This crooked character who subdued us oh Supreme Lord, has to our great fortune been killed by You, like he was a disease.'

The lower gods [the Kinnaras, those with a human head and an animal body, singers of heaven] said: 'Oh Lord, we the Kinnaras are Your faithful servants. Because of that son of Diti we had to perform in forced labor, but the sinner was by You destroyed, oh Nrisimhadeva, oh Master. Please be there as our happiness and welfare.'

The associates of Lord Vishnu said: 'Today we have seen You in a wondrous human-like form. You are our shelter and the happiness of all the worlds. This servant of the state, oh Lord, was cursed by the scholars and has therefore been killed. We consider that to be Your special grace.'

Narada Muni said [to Yudhishthhira]: 'None  could step forward ,not even Lord Brahma or Lord Shiva, because He, boiling with anger, was most difficult to approach. The Goddess of Fortune personally by the demigods being urged to do so could, after seeing Him so huge and wonderful as no one had ever seen or heard before, not move in His direction because she was very afraid. Then Lord Brahma prompted Prahlada who stood close by: 'My dear son, can you please approach the Lord and propitiate Him? He is very angry because of what your father did.'

'Surely' he said and even though he was only a small boy oh King, the great devotee slowly, step by step, approached Him and prostrated himself with folded hands offering prayers. The godhead was by him, such a little boy fallen at His lotus feet, greatly moved and filled with mercy He raised His lotus hand, placed it on his head and dispelled the fear for the snake of time from all minds present there. Because of that touch he was cleansed from all evil. And immediately in this association with the Supreme Soul, with His lotus feet, his heart melted being captured in bliss. With Him in his heart tears welled in his eyes and symptoms of ecstasy manifested all over his body.'

Book 7,Chapter 8

[Jewell]

The purpose of Srimad Bhagavatam and many Avatars of the Lord Krishna

Suta said: "In the beginning the Supreme Lord assumed, for the creation of the worlds, the form of the Original Person[Purusha],the cosmic intelligence and such,and created the sixteen primary principles [of the ten knowing and working senses, the mind and the five elements]. Resting in His meditative slumber in that water, out of the lotus that spread from the lake of His navel, Brahma was manifested, the master of the progenitors in the universe. One supposes the different worlds to be an expansions and the part of the form of the Fortunate One that constitutes the excellence of the purest existence. In a perfect spiritual vision His form is seen as having numerous legs, thighs, arms and faces, with wonderful heads, ears, eyes and noses, all glowing with countless garlands, earrings and dresses. This source of the numerous incarnations is the imperishable seed from which the plenary portions originate as also the portions thereof, such as the gods, the human beings and the animals."

"The first Divinity created were the sons of Brahma,the Kumaras, who performed the most difficult discipline of continuous celibacy so they could realize the Absolute (Brahman). The Supreme Enjoyer secondly assumed the form of a Boar for the welfare of the earth that had sunken to the lowest regions and lifted her up from the ocean. Thirdly He accepted His presence among the seers in the form of Narada Muni for the sake of evolving the Vedic knowledge of Bhakti Yoga free from material motives. Fourth born as the twin sons of Murti, the wife of king Dharma, in the form of Nara-Narayaṇa subjected Himself to severe penances to attain control over the senses. Fifth He, carrying the name of Kapila, gave an exposition to the brahmin Asuri on the nature of metaphysics and the elements of creation, because in the course of time that knowledge had been lost. Sixth as the son of Atri,named Dattatreya, being born from Anasusa who prayed for Him, He lectured to Alarka, Prahlada and others about transcendence. Seventh being born from Akuti as Yajna, the son of Prajapati Ruci, He together with His son Yama and other demigods, ruled during the period of Svayambhuva Manu. Eighth, from the wife of King Nabhi, Merudev?, the Almighty Lord took birth as King Rishabha and showed the path of perfection respected by people of all stages of life. His ninth incarnation He accepted in response to the prayers of the sages, whereupon He as Prithu ruled the earth for the sake of collecting her produces, which made her most attractive. Assuming the form of a fish Matsya, He after the period of Cakshusha Manu protected Vaivasvata Manu, keeping him in a boat afloat the waters when the world was deeply inundated. Eleventh the mighty Lord in the form of a tortoise Kurma  sustained the Mandaracala Hill of the theists and atheists that served as a pivot in the ocean. Twelfth He appeared as Dhanvantari,Lord of medicine, and thirteenth He appeared before the atheists as an alluring beautiful woman Mohini and gave nectar to the demigods. In His fourteenth incarnation He, half as a lion, appeared as Nrisimha, who with His nails on His lap tore apart the king of the atheists like a carpenter splitting cane. Fifteenth He assumed the form of Vamana who went to the arena of sacrifice of Maharaja Bali to beg for only three steps of land, concealing His wish to regain the three worlds. In His sixteenth incarnation He as Bhrigupati or Paras'urama saw that the ruling class was hostile towards the brahmins and acted twenty-one times against them. Seeing that the common people were less intelligent He, seventeenth, incarnated as Vyasa taking birth from Satyavati with Paras'ara Muni as His father, for the purpose of dividing the Vedas into several branches. Next He performed in a superhuman way having assumed the form of a divine human being Rama, by controlling the Indian Ocean and such, so that He could act for the sake of the godly souls. Nineteenth as also twentieth Bhagavan took birth in the Vrishni family as Balarama and Krishna and thus removed the burden from the world. Thereafter at the beginning of the Age of Kali He shall appear as the son of mother Anjana with the name Buddha for the purpose of deluding the ones envious of the theists. Next, at the conjunction of two yugas, when there is hardly a ruler to be found who is not a plunderer, the Lord of the Creation carrying the name of Kalki will take birth from the ones(or place) famous by(with) Vishnu "

"Dear brahmins, the incarnations of the Lord who appeared from the ocean of goodness are as innumerable as the thousands of streams we have from inexhaustible sources of water. All the powerful sages, the godly souls, the Manus and their progeny as also the Prajapatis [the founding fathers] are aspects of the Lord. They are all part of Krishna, the Bhagavan in person who offers protection during all ages and in all worlds against disturbances because of the enemies of the king of heaven.

Anyone who in the morning and the evening carefully recites these mysterious births of the Lord, will find relief from all miseries of life. All these forms of the Lord that by the qualities of the material energy were created with the cosmic intelligence and other elements, originated from His Self-awareness that is without a form. The less intelligent observer perceives them the way one sees clouds in the sky or dust in the air. This unmanifested Self is the beyond,cannot be seen or heard and has no form,but the jiva(individual soul) affected by the modes of nature takes birth repeatedly. As soon as one by self-knowledge arrives at the rejection of all these gross and subtle forms that impose themselves on the soul because of ignorance, one arrives at the realization of the Absolute Truth. With the illusory energy subsided and mindfulness one is endowed with the full knowledge of enlightenment and becomes  situated in one's own glory. This is how the learned describe activities and the births of the actually Unborn and non-engaged Lord of the Heart; this is the hidden meaning of the Vedas. Residing within every living being He is the omnipotent master and witness of the six qualities and opulences, whose play is spotless, who is independent and not affected by creation, destruction and maintenance. Because of His expert manipulations His activities, names and forms cannot be understood by the speculations and speeches of those with a poor fund of knowledge, just like fools cannot understand an actor's performance. Only he who renders unconditional, uninterrupted, favorable service to His fragrant lotus feet may know the transcendental glories of the all-powerful Creator with the wheel of the chariot in His hand. When one in this world becomes aware of the Vasudeva who embraces all His universes as their Lord and goes into ecstasy because of it, one will never again have to experience there the dreadful repetition of births."

"This book called the Bhagavatam about the activities of the One Hailed in the Verses,that as a supplement to the Vedas [a Purana] was compiled by the seer of God Vyasadeva, is there for the ultimate good of bringing success, happiness and perfection to all people. This story, that as the cream from all the Vedic literatures and histories was extracted by Vyasa, he delivered to his son who is the most respectable one among the self-realized souls. He [S'uka] in his turn told it to emperor Parikchit* who, surrounded by the greatest sages, sat down at the Ganges to fast until his death. Now that Krishna has left for His abode and with Him also proper conduct and spiritual insight have vanished, this Purana bright as the sun has appeared at the horizon for the sake of everyone who in the Age of Quarrel has lost his vision. Oh brahmins, when the story was recited there by that powerful great sage, I, being perfectly attentive by his mercy, also managed to understand it, so that I will now relate it to you also, exactly as I learned it free from deviations by my own mind."

*Parikchit was the grandson of Arjuna. Son of Abhimanyu and Uttara. The emperor who as a child in the womb was protected by Krishna for the continuation of the Yadu dynasty. The first vedic sovereign who laid out the norms for Kali yuga and was cursed by the son of a brahmana to die in seven days. Because of curse,and so He can be able to attain perfection in seven days,was recited the Srimad Bhagavata by Suka, the son of Vyasa, the original author of the book about the Lord and His devotees.

Book 1,Chapter 3

[Jewell]

The Birth of Emperor Parikchit

S'aunaka said: "The embryo in the womb of Uttara, that was tormented by the enormous heat of the invincible weapon released by As'vatthama, was by the Lord again awarded a life. How did the birth take place of Emperor Parikchit who was so highly intelligent and what where the activities of this great soul? How exactly did his demise take place and what destination did he achieve? If you think you can tell us this that we, so very faithful, all want to hear, please speak to us then about the transcendental knowledge that was delivered by S'uka."

Suta said: "King Yudhishthhira brought prosperity to everyone during his reign, the way his father did, by continuous service of Krishna's feet without any ulterior motive for material gain or sensual pleasure. The fame of his wealth, sacrifices, what he stood for, his queens, his brothers and his sovereignty over the planet earth where we are living, even spread to the heavenly worlds. But, just as only food may satisfy a hungry man and nothing else, he, in his hunger as someone aware of the Redeemer, Mukunda, oh brahmins, was not moved by all those earthly desirables that are aspired by even the God-fearing souls.

At the time Parikchit,the great fighter, as a child in his mother's womb, was suffering from the heat of the brahmastra weapon, oh son of Bhrigu, he could observe the Purusha in a shining appearance. In the blaze he saw at the size of not more than a thumb the transcendental, infallible Lord beautiful with a dark skin, a golden helmet and lightening clothes. With the riches of His four arms, earrings of the purest gold, bloodshot eyes and a club in His hands, He was moving about, constantly whirling the club around like it was a torch. As He was vanquishing the radiation of the brahmastra like the sun evaporating dew drops, He was observed by the child who wondered who He was. He saw how the all-pervading Supersoul, the Supreme Lord and protector of righteousness, took away the glare. Next the Lord who stretches in all directions all of a sudden disappeared from his sight. Thereupon, when the good signs of a favorable position of the stars gradually evolved, he took birth ,who would prove himself to be of a prowess equal to that of Pandu. King Yudhishthhira being fully satisfied had priests like Dhaumya and Kripa perform the birth ritual with the recitation of auspicious hymns. Knowing where, when and how, he in charity rewarded to the occasion of that birth the brahmins with good food and gifts of gold, cows, land, housing, elephants and horses. The brahmins happily addressed the king, the chief of the Purus, communicating that they felt most obliged to the line of the descendants of their ancestor King Puru.

They said: 'This son has been given to you by the all-pervasive and all-powerful Lord to show you His mercy in countering his destruction by the irresistible, supernatural weapon.  Therefore he shall be known all over the world as Vishnu-rata, 'Given by Vishnu'. He will no doubt be a most fortunate, supreme devotee endowed with all good qualities.'

The good king said: 'Oh best of the truthful, will he follow in the footsteps of all the great souls of this family of saintly kings? Will he be just as meritorious and glorious in his achievements?'
 
The brahmins answered: 'Oh son of Pritha [Kunti], he will be the maintainer of all living entities, exactly like King Ikshvaku, the son of Manu, and he will be faithful to his promises and be of respect for the brahmins, just like Rama, the son of Das'aratha. He will be as charitable as King S'ibi of Us'inara and protect the ones of surrender, and will, just like Bharata, the son of Dushyanta who performed many sacrifices, spread the name and fame of his family. Among the archers he will be as good as the two Arjunas [his grandfather and the king of Haihaya], he will be as irresistible as fire and as unsurpassable as the ocean. As powerful as a lion and as worthy for taking shelter as the Himalayas, he will be as forbearing as the earth and as tolerant as his parents.  With a spirit as good as that of the original father Brahma, he will be as generous and equanimous as Lord Shiva and be the refuge of all living beings as good as the Supreme Lord who is the refuge of the Goddess of fortune.  Following in the footsteps of Krishna he will be the majesty of all divine virtues, he will have the greatness of King Rantideva and be as pious as Yayati. Being as patient as Bali Maharaja this child will be as devoted as Prahlada was unto Krishna, he will perform many As'vamedha sacrifices and be faithful to the elderly and experienced souls. He will father a line of saintly kings, will chastise the upstarts and, as a source of righteousness in the world, crush the quarrelsome. After being informed about his personal death, as caused by a snakebird that was sent by the son of a brahmin, he will free himself from his attachments and take to the shelter in the Lord.  Having inquired about the proper self-knowledge from the son of sage Vyasa , oh King, he will abandon his material life on the bank of the river Ganges and attain the state of fearlessness. Constantly keeping Lord in mind whom he had seen before his birth, He would acquire fame in this world by constant investigation. Just like the waxing moon day by day soon becomes full, the royal prince under the care of his protective parents day by day grew to become soon the one he would be.'

The brahmins learned in matters of astrology and birth ceremonies, thus having informed the king, were generously rewarded and then all returned to their homes.

King Yudhishthhira, desiring to perform a horse sacrifice to be freed from the burden of having fought his kinsmen, thought about acquiring funds because all he received stemmed from collecting taxes and fines. In respect of his mindful wishes, his brothers on the advise of the Lord Krishna went north to collect sufficient riches. With the result of those collected riches Yudhishthhira, the anxious, pious king, managed to conduct three sacrifices, by means of which he worshiped Lord Hari perfectly. The Supreme Lord being invited by the king, had the brahmins perform the sacrifices for him and then stayed a few months longer to satisfy the desires of His friends. Then, dear brahmins,Lord Krishna, with the permission of the king, Draupadi and His relatives,went back to Dvaraka, accompanied by Arjuna and other members of the Yadu dynasty."

Book 1,Chapter 12

[Jewell]

Prithu Maharaja's Meeting with the Four Kumaras

Maitreya said:
'While the citizens were thus praying to the high and mighty King Prithu, four sages arrived there as bright as the sun. The king and his associates could recognize the masters of yogic perfection,the four Kumaras,by the glaring effulgence of their all-embracing sinlessness, who descended from the ethereal realm. Seeing the so very desired life of peace before them, King Prithu and his followers jumped to their feet as if they were souls whose senses are ruled by the modes of nature. After they had accepted that reverence and had taken their seats, he humbly,being aware of their full glory, bowed before them and was of worship the way it is prescribed, with  everything belonging to it. The water of washing their feet he sprinkled on the tuft of his hair and thus he behaved like men of respect are supposed to behave. Seated on the golden throne the older brothers of Bhava looked like the fire on an altar. Pleased with them, the king respectfully and with restraint addressed them. Prithu said: 'To what do we owe the grace of your audience, of you who are fortune personified? It is an encounter difficult to achieve for even the greatest yogis.  He with whom the learned are pleased, can achieve whatever is difficult to achieve in this world or in the hereafter, including the favor of the all-auspicious Lord S'iva and Lord Vishnu . Even though you travel around in all the worlds, the people cannot see you, just as they  cannot see the All-knowing witness present within everyone. A person who is not very rich and is attached to family life becomes highly glorified when saintly persons are present in his home. The master and servants who are engaged in offering the exalted visitors water, a sitting place and great reception are glorified, and that very home itself is also glorified. But, those houses that, abundant with all wealth, are not blessed with the water that washed the feet of the great saints, are no doubt like a tree with venomous serpents.  I welcome you, oh best of the twice-born souls, you who move around like children and, controlled by vows, with great faith are motivated for liberation. Oh masters, can persons who, having fallen into this material existence, are stricken with the illness of living to the command of their senses, all by themselves find any good fortune? There is no need to ask you about your well-being, for you, supreme souls, are not at all concerned with matters of  good or bad fortune. I am therefore certain that you for us, who suffer the pains of a material existence, are the friends to ask how one in this world soon may find salvation.  Manifesting as the supreme goal in life of the seekers after Truth, the Supreme Lord, the Unborn One, in the form of perfected souls like you, moves about on this earth in order to show His devotees His mercy.'

Maitreya said: 'Hearing that most substantial, appropriate and sweet conclusion of Prithu, the Kumara satisfied with a smile replied as follows.  Sanat-kumara said:

'What a good question for you to ask, my dear King, oh you who desires the good of all living beings. Learned as you are, you nevertheless pose this question. This speaks for you as someone of wisdom of the saint. An association of devotees in which there is discussion, questioning and answering, is appreciated by both the parties [of speakers and listeners], and real happiness for all will expand from it. Oh King, you are evidently attached to the praises of the Lord's lotus feet. Difficult as it is, that, given a steady practice, will free the indwelling soul from the dirt of lusty feelings. In the scriptures is defended that only the absence of attachment to other matters than the soul, in combination with an intense attachment to the True Self transcendental to the modes of nature, constitutes the perfect conviction for the salvation of man. That is realized when one as a dutiful devotee with faith and devotion, by means of discussion, inquiry,and determination,with respect for the Lord of Yoga regularly attends and listens to the stories of the God-fearing souls. Reluctant to associate with the company of those who hanker after money, sense gratification and the acquiring of goods,one should mold his life in such a way that he cannot live in peace without drinking the nectar of the glorification of Hari. With nonviolence, following the footsteps of the Guru, by remembering the Lord of Liberation, by testifying of His activities, by the following yoga principles without a material motive and by practicing in line with the precepts one, thus being without offenses, should live a simple life tolerating worldly dualities. When someone always listens about transcendental qualities of the Lord, it may be so that one's devotion and Truth consciousness grows,and he easily becomes attached to the Brahman. When the person in respect of the Guru, by the force of detachment and jnana,completely surrenders to the Supreme, the covering within the heart that consists of the five elements will be burned like fuel being burned by fire. After one  is freed from inner weakness and dominance of the material qualities, there is no longer a difference, as there was in the past, between the inner and the outer,and this difference being a dream is finished. For such a soul that difference has ended, just like a dream ends when one wakes up. The one becomes aware how desire bounds the Soul, but there is no more division and separation,and he sees himself beyond,as the Witness. Because the ruminating mind is agitated by the senses that are drawn towards the sense objects, the pure consciousness is easily lost, just like a lake easily can be overgrown by plants. Wise ones state that when remembrance is lost, all knowledge acquired is based on a false foundation. The constant mindfulness of one's consciousness is destroyed and real knowledge is lost. There is no stronger obstruction to one's self-interest than thinking other matters to be more pleasing than one's self-realization. When one constantly thinks of riches and sensual pleasures, all the virtues of human society are destroyed. For that reason bereft of knowledge and devotion, one then lapses into the inertia [the ignorance]. They who want to cross over that ocean of ignorance quickly, should never cling to the slowness of matter(tamas), for that is the great stumbling block,as even the virtues of religiousness, economic development and sense gratification [dharma, artha, kama]. In this respect liberation is likely to be the most important virtue, because being engaged in the interest of the other three paths, one regularly finds oneself caught in the grip of death and in fear. Following these three notions of a higher or lower form of life, one will never find any security, since they, depending on the interaction of the material modes, are all destroyed by the ordinance of the Lord [in the form of Time]. Oh best of kings, be therefore, just as I am, convinced of Him, the Supreme Lord who from within the heart everywhere manifests as the Master of the Field. Therein radiating into every hair follicle, He is there for the  self-realization, for all the moving and not moving living beings covered by a body endowed with senses and a life-breath. Surrender to Him, the root cause manifesting as the truth within the untruth. By this deliberate consideration one is freed from the illusions and from the mistake taking the rope as a snake. One is then situated in the pure truth, the truth of the original nature transcendental to all the impurities of one's karmic activities. Be devoted to Vasudeva. For the devotees who find Him by devotion , the One whose lotus toes bring joy, the hard knot of karmic desire is uprooted, but that is never so with people missing that respect, however hard they try to stop the waves of sense enjoyment. Great is the hardship of the ones immersed in material life,which is like an ocean filled with the sharks of the six senses. Being unhappy it is very difficult to cross that ocean full of misfortune, that danger of separate existence, and therefore you should make the worshipable lotus feet of the Supreme Lord your boat.'

cont...

Book 4,Chapter 22

[Jewell]

cont...

Maitreya said: 'Thus in full being informed about the ins and outs of spiritual advancement by the son of Brahma - the Kumara who was so well versed in spiritual knowledge - the king praised him and then spoke. The king said:

'You all, oh brahmins, oh powerful souls, have arrived here in order to confirm what was promised by Him, the Lord who from His causeless mercy is so compassionate with the distressed. It is my duty, therefore, to offer you something, but all I have now are but remnants of food taken by great saintly persons. What shall I give except my heart and soul? My life, wife and children, oh brahmins, my home with everything belonging to it, my kingdom, power, land and treasury, I therefore offer all to you. The post of the commander in chief and ruler of the state, the first to chastise or the proprietor of the whole planet, are no doubt only reserved for those who know the Vedic scriptures. A brahmin enjoys his own food, wears his own  clothes and gives what he has in charity. It is by his mercy that the kshatriyas [the rulers] and the other parts of society eat their food. How can such persons, who have done unlimited mercy by explaining the path of self-realization, and whose explanations are given for our enlightenment with complete conviction and Vedic evidence, be repaid except by folded palms containing water for their satisfaction?'

Maitreya said: 'After the masters of self-realization had been worshiped by the original king, they praised his character and then, for all people to see, disappeared in the sky. The son of Vena, the first among the great personalities, who according to the teachings  had arrived at self-realization, considered himself as someone fully satisfied. For the sake of the Absolute Truth he performed as good as possible,and as far as his means would allow, according to the time, the circumstances and his capacity all his actions . Fully dedicated to the  Supreme Spirit he, free from attachments being of renunciation, always thought of the Lord, the  Supersoul beyond this material nature.  Even though he lived at home, he never felt attracted to all the opulence of his mighty kingdom, nor did he indulge in sensual pleasures, just like the sun never responds to what it illuminates. Always engaging spiritually, he thus begot five sons in his wife Arci who fully met his expectations. Their names were Vijitas'va, Dhumrakes'a, Haryaksha, Dravina and Vrika. In his personal surrender to the Infallible One he, for the protection of the created universe, pleased the citizens during his time with his kind-hearted words and actions. The king thus was known as the King of the Moon, while he, on the other hand, was like the Sun god in his distributing, exacting and ruling over the wealth of the world. In his exercise of power he was as unconquerable as fire, he was as insuperable as the King of Heaven, as tolerant as the earth itself and alike heaven in fulfilling all desires of human society. Just as rainfall satisfies everyone's desires, Maharaja Pṛthu used to satisfy everyone. He was like the sea in that no one could understand his depths, and he was like Meru, the king of hills, in the fixity of his purpose. He was like the King of Righteousness [Yamaraja] in his education, he was alike the Himalayas in his opulence , he was like Kuvera in keeping the wealth and alike Varuna [the ruler of the waters] in his secrecy. He was as all-pervading as the air [the wind] concerning his physical strength, courage and power, and he was as inexorable as the most powerful  Rudra . He was as beautiful as Cupid, he was as attentive as the lion, the king of the animals, in his affection he was alike Svayambhuva Manu and in matters of controlling the people he resembled the Unborn Lord, Brahma. He understood spiritual matters alike Brihaspati, in his personal self-control he was alike the Supreme Lord, in his devotion to the cows, the spiritual master and the brahmins he was as great devotees, in his shyness he was the most gentle one and in matters of philanthropy he was [as good] as he was for himself. All over the three worlds the general public loudly declared - and surely all the lovers of truth and the women from everywhere came to hear about it - that his name and fame was as great as the glory of Rama.'

Book 4,Chapter 22

[Jewell]

Maharaja Priyavrata

The King Parikchit said: 'Why, oh sage, was Priyavrata, the great devotee who takes pleasure in self-realization, so happy to stay at home, the place that is the root cause of bondage  and which is against the main purpose of human life(self realisation)?  Surely such a thing as indulgence in family affairs, oh wisest of the twice-born, cannot be desirable for that kind of people who are threading this path?  It suffers no doubt that all the great souls find their satisfaction in the shade of the feet of the Lord praised in the verses, and not so much in the mind of attachment to kith and kin. This is my great doubt, oh brahmin: how can someone attached to his wife, home, children and so on, find perfection and an unfailing determination to realise Krishna?'

Suka said: 'You are perfectly right in what you said about the hearts of liberated persons and devotees that are absorbed in the nectarean honey of the talks at the lotus-like feet of their beloved Lord praised in the scriptures. Despite the setbacks they sometimes encounter, they practically never give up their most exalted position. It is a well-known fact, oh King, that prince Priyavrata indeed was a supreme devotee who, in his service at Narada's feet, very quickly became aware of the complete truth concerning the spiritual purpose that he constantly discussed in dedicated enthusiasm. Even though his father asked him to rule over the surface of the earth because he incorporated so many of the best qualities, he could not be happy with it. He did not want to be distracted from yoga,but wished to be absorbed in the Supreme Lord of the Soul of the Universe. Therefore, although the order of his father could not be rejected, the Prince did not welcome it. Thus he very conscientiously raised the question of whether he might be diverted from devotional service by accepting the responsibility of ruling over the world. And so it happened that the first among the demigods Lord Brahma,surrounded by all his personal associates and the Vedas, descended from his abode. It is He who is always thinking of the welfare of the complete of this universal creation consisting of the three modes. He knows its ultimate purpose, the Supreme Soul, from which He originated Himself. Just like the full moon surrounded by illuminating stars, He on his way here and there by the leaders of the demigods was worshiped from their heavenly carriers. And the same was done by groups of perfected ones, inhabitants of heaven, refined ones, singers and  sages [respectively the Siddhas, the Gandharvas, the Caranas, the Sadhyas and the Munis] when he thus as the shining jewel reached the vicinity of the Gandhamadana mountains where Priyavrata was meditating. Recognizing the swan-carrier of his almighty father Lord Hiranyagarbha the devarishi Narada, Priyavrata and his father Svayambhuva Manu present there immediately rose to their feet with their hands folded in order to worship the Lord. Oh son of Bharata, the Lord, the original person of the universe, who thus out of gratitude for the glory of his descent, according to the customs, was confronted with the articles of worship and the praise of his qualities in lofty language, then addressed Priyavrata, while he looked at him with a compassionate smile.

The great Lord said: 'My son, pay attention to the truth I am telling you. You should not be jealous of the Godhead who is beyond our ken. We, Lord Shiva, your father and this great Rishi Narada all carry out His order and cannot deviate. No living entity that accepted a material body can escape from what was decided by Him; not by austerity nor by education, not by yoga nor by one's strength or intelligence, nor can one ever defy His will by one's opulence, by the virtue of one's duty, with the help of someone else or by any personal endeavor.  Oh my dear, under the direction of the One Unseen, all living entities accept it to be connected to a material body for performing actions according to their karma and are thus always bound to birth and death, sadness and illusion, fear, happiness and distress. My dear boy, all of us are bound by the Vedic injunctions to the divisions of varṇasrama according to our qualities and work. These divisions are difficult to avoid. We must therefore carry out our duties of varṇasrama-dharma, like bulls obliged to move according to the direction of a driver pulling on ropes knotted to their noses.  My dear Priyavrata, according to our association with different modes of material nature, the Supreme gives us our specific bodies and the happiness and distress we achieve. One must therefore remain situated as he is and be conducted by the Supreme Lord, exactly as a blind man is led by a person who has eyes. Even if one is liberated, he nevertheless accepts the body he has received according to his past karma. Without misconceptions, however, he regards his enjoyment and suffering due to that karma the way an awakened person regards a dream he had while sleeping. He thus remains steadfast and never works to achieve another material body under the influence of the three modes of material nature. Someone not paying attention to this and someone not willing to control his senses has, even when he resides in the forest, to fear of the six co-wives [of the five senses and the mind]. But on the other hand what harm can a householder's existence do to a self-satisfied, learned man who has conquered his senses?  Having entered a household existence, anyone who wants to conquer those six adversaries must first try to master them from within that stronghold. For only when the unregulated desires have lost their strength one, thus having ripened with experience, can move about freely.  My dear Priyavrata, seek shelter at the lotus of the feet of the Lord, whose navel is also like a beautiful lotus. Thus conquer the six sense organs. Accept material enjoyment because the Lord, extraordinarily, has ordered you to do this. You will thus always be liberated from material association and be able to carry out the Lord's orders. After one has been trained thus and his lusty desires have decreased, he can move anywhere without danger.'

[Jewell]

Lord Rishabha's Activities

The king said: 'Oh Supreme One, self-satisfied souls of whom the seed of fruitive action has been burned by the spiritual knowledge acquired by the practice of yoga, automatically achieve mystical powers; how can those siddhis become a hindrance?'

The sage said: 'You are quite right, but in this world one should not put faith in the mind because it is unsteady and always runs off. The mind is by nature very restless, and one should not make friends with it. If we place full confidence in the mind, it may cheat us at any moment. Even the greatest souls having practiced austerities for a long time got disturbed putting faith in it . Just as a husband with an adulterous wife must guard against competitors, also a yogi must guard himself,since the mind always offers opportunity to lust, greed and anger. Which man of wisdom would confide in the mind that is the breeding ground for the lust, anger, pride, greed, lamentation, illusion and fear that together constitute the bondage to one's karma?  Even though He ,Rishabha,was the head of all kings and rulers of this universe, He,assuming the dress and language of an avadhuta,acted as if dull and materially bound. Consequently no one could observe His divine opulence. He adopted this behavior just to teach yogīs how to give up the body. Nonetheless, He maintained His original position of transcendence and remaining always in that state, He gave up His pastimes as Lord Rishabha within the material world. If, following  the footsteps of Lord Rishabha, one can give up his subtle body, there is no chance that one will accept a material body again. With Him, the Bhagavan Rishabha, free from identification with His material form, we thus witnessed the apparent physical presence, the engagement of His body in this illusory world. He all alone traveled the lands of South India: Konka, Venka and Kuthaka in the province of Karnatha, and reached a forest nearby Kuthakacala. There He, with a handful of stones in His mouth, wandered around naked with scattered hair, like He was a madman. In a fierce forest fire blazing all around - that was caused by the friction of bamboo stalks tossed about by the force of the wind - His body then burned to ashes.

Hearing about His pastimes of being free from all ritual and custom, the king of Konka, Venka and Kuthaka who carried the name Arhat took to an imitation of Lord Rishabha. Bewildered by an increase of irreligious life that forebode the arrival of the Kali-yuga Age of Quarrel, he gave up the safe path of religion that wards off all fear and adopted a non-conformistic, wrong, heretical view by introducing most foolishly a concoction of his own. The lowest of mankind in this age of Kali who, lacking in character, cleanliness and dutifulness in respect of the rules and regulations, are bewildered by the illusory energy of God, will, because of this in neglect of the divine, self-willed and with wrong principles, follow strange rules, like not bathing, not cleaning the mouth, being dirty and plucking out the hair. With their consciousness spoiled by an abundance of modern time adharma they will fall into blaspheming the Vedas, the brahmins, rituals,the Supreme and the devotees. They who, encouraged by blind predecessors, with a deviating practice have built their own little cult, will, themselves being blinded, land in darkness.  This avatara of the Lord was there for the purpose of instructing the people who are overwhelmed by passion,how to attain eternal happiness and liberation. In line with these teachings the people sing the following verses about Him: 'Oh, of all the lands on the continents of this world with its seven seas, this land is the most meritorious, for their people sing about the all-auspicious activities of Murari in His many incarnations [Krishna as the enemy of the foolish one, Mura].'  'Oh, what shall I say of the dynasty of Priyavrata, which is pure and very much celebrated. In that dynasty, the Supreme Lord, the Original One, descended as an incarnation to show us by His teachings and His own example how to attain liberation.'

I have thus expounded on the pure activities of the Lord named Rishabha, who is the supreme master of all Vedic knowledge, of the common man, the God-conscious souls, the brahmins and the cows. He who with a growing faith and devotion attentively listens to, speaks to others about or personally attends to this refuge of His great and supreme auspiciousness, that puts an end to all the sins of every living being, will unto Him, the Supreme Lord Vasudeva, be favorably disposed with an unflinching devotion in both the positions of listening and speaking. Incessantly bathing themselves in that devotion in order to be free from suffering the various troublesome conditions of material existence, those who developed spiritual wisdom enjoy the highest bliss. But despite having achieved that liberation they do not strive for that supreme goal of all human beings. Having  love and devotion for the Bhagavan they, after all, attained all their goals.  Dear King, He undoubtedly was the maintainer and teacher, the worshipable deity, friend and master of your Yadu line and sometimes He even acted as a servant. Thus, my best one, He indeed was Mukunda, the Supreme Lord of Liberation [mukti] of those engaged in devotion. Those engaged in getting the Lord's favor attain liberation from the Lord, but pure love(bhakti) He does not give so easily.

 All glories to Him, the Supreme Lord Rishabha! He was constantly aware of His true identity, complete within Himself and without desires. Gracefully, for the true welfare of man, He gave instruction about the true Self free from fear to those whose intelligence slept for a long time and who are mistaking the body for the Self.'

Book 5,Chapter 6

[Jewell]

Krishna Rescues His Teacher's Son

S'uka said: 'Knowing that His parents were thinking that He would be the Supreme Personality, He said to Himself: 'This should not be so'. And thus He expanded His personal illusory potency His yogamaya that bewilders the people. Approaching them together with His elder brother, the Greatest Devotee of All, with humility bowed down to His parents in order to satisfy them and respectfully said: 'Dear father and mother!  Oh father, because of Us you were always afraid and have never seen anything of the toddler age, the boyhood and youth of your two sons. As ordained by fate We, being deprived of living in your presence, could not experience the joy of the happiness of children who live at home with their parents. A mortal person may never, not even for a lifespan of a hundred years, be able to repay the debt to his parents. He took his birth from them and by them he is maintained. They are the source of the body that is suitable for all goals of life. A son who, even though capable, with his resources and wealth does not provide for their sustenance, will after his death be forced to eat his own flesh. When one is capable of, but not maintains one's mother and father, the elderly, one's chaste wife, one's very young child, one's spiritual master, a brahmin or anyone seeking one's protection, one is a person who is dead even though he breathes. Because of Kamsa who always disturbed our minds, we could not honor you and have spent our days of youth without having been of any use to you. Please oh father and mother, forgive us the fact that, falling under the control of others, we from our part could not serve you so that the hardhearted one Kamsa could give you such a great pain.'

S'uka said: 'Thus bewildered by the words of Him, the Lord and Soul of the Universe who through His maya appeared as a human being, they raised Them upon their laps to experience the joy of closeness with their sons. Bound by the rope of affection crying a river they, with their throats full of tears ,overwhelmed could not say a word oh King. The Supreme Lord, the son of Devaki, who thus comforted His parents, then made His maternal grandfather Ugrasena, King over the Yadus. He told him: 'Please, oh great King, with Us as your subjects, take command, for because of the curse of Yayati  one being born as a Yadu should not sit on the throne.  When I am there as a servant to attend to you, the demigods and such will bow down before you to offer you tribute. Then what to speak of the other rulers of men?'

All His close relatives and other relations, the Yadus, Vrishnis, Andhakas, Madhus, Das'arhas, Kukuras and other clans, who disturbed in their fear of Kamsa had fled in all directions, were honored and consoled, for living in foreign regions had made them weary. He, the Maker of the Universe, brought them back to their homes and satisfied them with valuable gifts. Protected by the arms of Krishna and Sankarshana they in their homes enjoyed the complete fulfillment of their desires because, now that they day after day saw the loving, always cheerful, beautiful lotus face and merciful, smiling glances of Mukunda, with Krishna and Balar?ma the fever of a material existence had ended.Even the eldest ones were youthful and full of strength and vitality, now that they there time and again through their eyes could imbibe the nectar of Mukunda's lotus face. Thereupon the Supreme Lord, the son of Devaki, and Sankarshana approached Nanda oh great King. They, embracing him, said:  'Oh father, with the great affection and the fondling of the two of you, you have cared for us in a great way. The love the parents have for their children is truly greater than even the love they have for each other.  Those persons are father and mother who nourish, like they were their own sons, the children who were abandoned by relatives unable to maintain and protect them. Now you should all return to Vraja, dear Father. We shall come to see you, our dear relatives who suffer in separation from Us, as soon as we have given some happiness to your well-wishing friends. The Supreme Lord, the Infallible One thus appeasing Nanda and the people from Vraja, thereupon respectfully honored them with clothing, jewelry and pots and such.

Thus being addressed by the two of Them, Nanda engulfed by affection, embraced Them with tears filling his eyes and went together with the gopas to Vraja. The son of S'urasena [Vasudeva], oh King, then arranged for a priest and brahmins to properly perform the second-birth initiation of his sons.  For their remuneration he donated in worship fully decorated cows with golden chains and ornaments, complete with calves and linen wreaths.  Magnanimously he gave them in charity the cows that were stolen away by Kamsa, the same cows he previously had donated within his mind the very day that Krishna and Rama were born.  After having been initiated into the twice-born status, They, of proper vows, took the vow of celibacy from Garga, the preceptor of the Yadus. The Lords of the Universe who are the source of any form of knowledge, concealed in Their human activities the perfection of Their omniscience that is not founded on any knowledge from the outside. They nevertheless then desired to reside in the school of the guru and approached a native of Benares called Sandipani, who dwelt in the city of Avanti. Thus obtaining the company of these self-controlled souls, he was by Them respected as if he was the Lord Himself. Doing this They in Their devotion formed an irreproachable example of service to the teacher. That best of the twice-born souls as Their guru, taught Them, contented as he was with Their pure love and submissive acts, all the Vedas with their corollary literatures and philosophical treatises [Upanishads], the Dhanur-veda [military science, archery] along with all its secrets [the mantras], the dharma [the codes of human conduct, the laws] and the nyaya [the methods of logic] as also the anvikshikim [the knowledge of philosophical debate or tarka] and the six aspects of political sciencei.  As the best of all first class persons and as the promulgators of all knowledge They, oh ruler of man, fixed in concentration, fully assimilated with simply having heard it only once, the complete of the sixty-four arts in as many days and nights and satisfied Their preceptor, oh King, by offering him compensation [gurudakshina]. Oh King, the bramin in consideration of the amazing greatness of Their superhuman intelligence, after consulting with his wife, arrived at the wish to see his child again that had perished in the ocean at Prabhasa.'So be it' the two great warlords of unlimited prowess said and next mounted a chariot to head for Prabhasa. Having arrived there, they walked up to the shore and sat down for a moment. The god of the ocean recognized Them and offered Them tribute. The Supreme Lord said to him: 'Present Us at once the son of Our guru, a young boy you have seized here with a mighty wave.'

The god of the ocean said: 'It was not I who took him away, oh Lord, it was a powerful Daitya named Pa?cajana, oh Krishna, a demon who moves through the water in the form of a conch. He who lives here indeed has kidnapped him.' Hearing that the Master quickly entered the water and killed him, but He could not find the boy in his belly. Taking the conch shell that had grown as a part of the demon, He returned to the chariot and went to the beloved city of Yamaraja [the lord of death] known as Samyamani. Arriving there, Janardana together with the Lord who has a plow for His weapon [Balarama] blew loudly on His conch shell so that Yamaraja, he who restrains the living beings, could hear the sound. Overflowing with devotion Yamaraja worshiped Them elaborately and humbly bowing down said to Krishna who dwells in each his heart: 'What can I do for the two of You, oh Vishnu who, for Your pastime, has appeared in the form of human beings?'

The Supreme Lord said: 'Please bring Me the son of My guru who was brought here because of his karmic bondage, oh great King. It is My command that should be given priority.'

'So be it' he said and brought forward the preceptor's son. The Best of the Yadus gave him back to Their guru whom They then said: 'Please make another wish.'

The honorable guru said: 'My dear Boys, I am completely fulfilled by the remuneration for the guru the two of You have offered. What else would there be left for the spiritual master to desire from someone like You? O heroes, now please return home. May Your fame sanctify the world, and may the Vedic hymns be ever fresh in Your minds, both in this life and the next.'

Thus by Their guru permitted to leave, They, on Their chariot as fast as the wind and thundering like a cloud, reached Their city. The citizens who had not seen Balarama and Janardana for many days, all rejoiced to see Them again, like having regained a lost treasure.'

Book 10,Chapter 45

[Jewell]

Yamaraja Instructs His Messengers

Yamaraja said: 'Superior to me there is another one, another Lord, who is as the warp and woof of cloth to all the mobile and immobile living beings. In Him the entire cosmos is found and of Him there are the partial manifestations of the maintenance , creation and destruction of this universe. The entire creation is controlled by Him like a bull is by a rope through his nose. Just like one ties oxen to a rope He ties the people with different basic denominations and duties to His word , according to which they scrupulously carry their offerings to Him. I myself, the Lord of death, Indra the king of heaven, Nirriti of chaos, Varuna of water, Candra of the moon, Agni of fire, S'iva of destruction, Pavana of the air, Brahma of creation, Surya of the sun, Vis'vasu of beauty , the eight Vasus of goodness, the Sadhyas of cultivation, the Maruts of the wind, the Rudras of anger, the Siddhas of perfection and the other ones creating order in the universe, as also immortal rulers like Brihaspati and sages like Bhrigu,  despite being ruled by goodness and being free from passion and ignorance, under the influence of His maya have no knowledge of His motives. And how much more wouldn't that be true for others besides them?  He, the Soul present in the heart of all living beings, can factually not be seen or known through the senses, the mind, the breath or by means of ideation and words  just like the different parts of the body cannot see the eyes watching over them. The attractive servants of  the independent, transcendental Lord ruling everything, the Master of Maya, the Great Soul, generally move around in this world with His physical qualities and nature. The ones of Vishnu who are worshiped by the enlightened, have forms rarely seen that are most wonderful to behold. They protect the mortals devoted to the Lord from enemies and from my men, so that they are protected from practically every side. The great rishis, the gods, the best ones of perfection and also the demons, the humans including the ones founded in knowledge  and the celestial singers [the Caranas] and such, have no knowledge of the dharma that is established by the Supreme Lord in person. Lord Brahma, Narada, Shambu, the four Kumaras, Kapila, Manu, Prahlada, Janaka, Bhishma, Bali, the son of Vyasa [S'uka] and I myself [Yamaraja]; we, these twelve [mahajanas], have knowledge of the bhagavata-dharma [of surrender to the Supreme Lord] my dear servants, that is most confidential, transcendental and hard to grasp. He who understands it achieves eternal life. We all recognize that for the people living in this material world the yoga of devotion unto the Supreme Lord beginning with the singing of the holy name, constitutes the supreme dharma. Just consider how by pronouncing the holy name of the Lord my dear sons, even Ajamila was delivered from the noose of death. Even this sinner Ajamila attained liberation when he, at the moment of his death, innocently with 'Narayana' called for his son. Singing of the qualities of His names and deeds is more than enough to remove the sins of man.  Understand that this truth of the mahajanas is practically always missed by those whose minds were bewildered by maya, the illusory energy of the Goddess, by those whose intelligence to a great extend was dulled with activities and motives to gain wealth and name and fame,led by the wrong understanding of the flowery statements in the Vedas. With this in mind the sharp-witted ones with all their heart and soul love the Supreme and Unlimited Lord. Such persons do therefore not deserve my punishment. And if there would be any fall down with them, that also will be destroyed by the singing of Hari's names. They, the devotees who with an equal vision are of surrender to the Supreme Lord and whose sacred histories are proclaimed by the demigods and perfected ones, you should never approach, for they are fully protected by the mace of the Lord. It is not given to us to punish them, just as it isn't given to time itself .  Communities of transcendental swanlike souls who free from material attachment are of self-realization, continuously relish the honey of His lotus feet. But they who are full of desires and attachments are on the path that leads to hell. Bring those before me who in their falsehood turned against Mukunda, the Lord of Liberation. They who run from the truth and fail in their duties unto Lord Vishnu, whose tongues never express the names and qualities of the Supreme Lord, who do not carry Him in their heart or remember His lotus feet and not even once bowed their heads to Krishna, bring them all before me.  I pray that He, the Supreme Lord, the original and oldest Lord Narayana, will excuse me for the impudence of my servants. My men and we, acted in ignorance and therefore we with folded hands beg the most venerable, all-pervading Lord for forgiveness.'

S'uka said: 'Therefore, oh descendant of Kuru, understand that the glorification of Lord Vishnu is the ultimate form of atonement, the best one can do in the world to deal with one's sins, however great they are.The hearts of those who always listen to and sing about the heroism of the Lord that wipes away all sin, are by their bhakti, very easily purified, while such a thing is not as easily brought about when one is bent upon religious customs and such. He who holds on to the honey of Krishna's lotus feet will not fall in sin again because he renounced the desire to enjoy the illusory quality of maya which brings distress. Anyone else however, who enchanted by lust tries to do something to cleanse the passion out of his soul, will surely find the passion reappear.

After hearing from the mouth of their master about the extraordinary glories of the Lord and His name, fame and attributes, the Yamadutas were struck with wonder. Since then, as soon as they see a devotee, they fear him and dare not look at him again.

Book 6,chapter 3

[Jewell]

Lord Shiva Drinks the Poison Churned with the Mountain Mandara

S'uka said: 'The Suras invited the king of the snakes Vasuki, promised him a share of the result and wound him around the mountain to serve as a churning rope. Thereupon they commenced in great delight to churn the ocean in order to produce the nectar oh best of the Kurus. Lord Hari was the first to take him by the head and then the demigods followed. The Daitya leaders did not like the initiative of the Supreme Lord and said: 'We are not going to take the snake by its tail, that is its inferior part, that is not in accord with our education and the fame of our birth and activities.' Seeing how consequently the Daityas let it pass, the Lord smiled. He gave up the front portion and grasped together with the demigods the rear end.Thus having settled on the positions to hold the snake, the sons of Kas'yapa [the godly and the demoniac ones] with great zeal churned to get the nectar from the ocean of milk. As they were churning the ocean with the mountain it had no support so that it, despite the fact that it was held by the strong men, because of its weight sank down in the water, oh son of Pandu. Confronted with the fact that their manliness was defeated by the stronger will of providence, their faces, heavily disappointed, darkened. The infallible Lord, He whose ways and powers are inscrutable, saw the hindrance as arranged by providence and then expanded Himself into the wondrous body of a giant tortoise Kurma.

He entered the water and lifted up the mountain. When the Suras and Asuras saw it rising they decided to churn again with the mountain Mandara that like a continent extended a hundred thousand yojanas wide on His back. The rotating of the mountain that was moved by the strong arms of the Sura and Asura leaders my best one, was by the primal tortoise who carried it on His back, considered an infinitely pleasant scratching. Thereafter, to encourage them and increase their strength and energy, Lord Vishnu entered the Asuras in the form of passion, the Godly ones in the form of goodness and the king of the serpents Vasuki in the form of ignorance. Like another mountain holding on to the king of all mountains with one hand, He exhibited thousands of hands while from the sky Lord Brahma, Lord S'iva and King Indra, the head of the gods, offered prayers to Him who was showered with flowers. With the Lord, the Supreme One, present on top and below the mountain as also within themselves and within the snake, the ocean that with great strength was churned vehemently with the great mountain, got seriously agitated. The serpent king spitted, hissing violently in all directions, fire and smoke from his thousands of heads. For that reason the Asuras headed by Pauloma, Kaleya, Bali and Ilvala, being troubled by the heat of his radiation, all began to look like sarala trees scorched in a forest fire.  Also the luster of the Gods was affected by his fiery breath that smoked their dresses, fine garlands, armament and faces. Ordained by the Supreme Lord it then profusely began to rain while breezes were blowing clouds of vapor originating from the waves of the ocean. When the ocean by the best of the Godly ones and the Asuras was duly churned but no nectar appeared, the Invincible One Himself began to churn.  He as dark as a cloud, in yellow silks, with lightning earrings on His ears, with the gleaming hair on His head disheveled, with His garland, reddish eyes and victorious arms securing the universe, grabbed the snake to churn with the churning rod for which the mountain was used and assumed for that purpose a size as big as a mountain Himself. From the churning of the ocean that agitated all kinds of fish, sharks, snakes, tortoises, whales, water elephants, crocodiles and timingilas, there came first of all a very strong poison called Halahala. The terribly strong, unbearable poison, that unstoppably spread itself in all directions upwards and downwards, scared all the people so that they, missing the protection of their Lord and Master oh my best, sought the shelter of Lord S'iva.  When they saw Him who for the welfare of the three worlds together with His wife sits on His mountain, He, the best of all served by saints who in austerity walk the path of liberation, they offered him their obeisances.

The lords of the created beings [the Prajapatis] said: 'Oh Lord of Lords, oh Mahadeva, oh soul of each, oh love of all, deliver us, who took shelter at your lotus feet, from this poison burning the three worlds. You are the one Lord and Master over bondage and liberation in the entire universe. You whom we worship are the spiritual master able to carry the burden of the surrendered followers.  Oh mighty one, oh Greatness, by your material potency, you are operating with the three modes of nature, in acceptance of  the creation, maintenance and destruction of this material world, manifest yourself as Brahma, Vishnu or S'iva. You are the Supreme Brahman, the secret of the cause and effect of all the life forms of creation. You are with all the potencies that you manifest the Controller and Supersoul of the universe. You are the source of the Vedic sound, the origin of the universe, the soul, the life breath, the senses and the elements. You are the modes of nature and the natural disposition, the eternal time, the sacrifice and the dharma of truth and truthfulness. It is unto you that one utters the original syllable consisting of the three letters [A-U-M].Oh soul of all the godly ones, fire constitutes your mouth;, oh Lord of all the worlds the surface of the globe is known as your lotus feet;, oh self of the gods, time constitutes your movement, the directions are your ears and the controller of the waters Varuna is your taste. With the ether for your navel, the air for your breath, the sun globe for your eyes, the water for your semen, the moon for your mind and the higher worlds, oh Lord, for your head, your self constitutes the shelter of all living beings high and low. The oceans are your belly, the mountains are your bones, all the plants, creepers and herbs are your hairs, the  seven types of mantras are your seven layers [koshas] and all the religions , oh you three Vedas [Rig, Yajur and Sama] in person, constitute the core of your heart. The five secret texts of the Vedic philosophy constitute your faces with the collection of the thirty-eight important mantras  that describe the reality of the Soul, of you, oh Lord, who in your position of enlightenment are celebrated as S'iva.  O lord, your shadow is seen in irreligion, which brings about varieties of irreligious creations. The three modes of nature - goodness, passion and ignorance - are your three eyes. All the Vedic literatures, which are full of verses, are emanations from you because their compilers wrote the various scriptures after receiving your glance. None of the directors of the world, oh Ruler on the Mountain, neither Brahma, nor Vishnu, nor the king of the Suras [Indra], can fathom your transcendental effulgence, the impersonal spirit wherein the modes of passion, ignorance and goodness are not found. In this world that has originated from you and at the time of her destruction is burned to ashes by you with the sparks of the fire emanating from your eyes, you have out of your mercy for the living beings annihilated Tripura as also put an end to the sacrifices out of desire, the poison of time and many other forms of misery. But these matters are not part of your praises, since you ban this world from your mind. People not knowing your help and kindness shamelessly criticize you for being a savage person whom one always finds at the burial place smeared with ashes and for moving with your consort Uma despite your highly advanced austerity and the fact that your lotus feet are remembered by the realised Gurus. Because you are transcendentally situated above the moving and the not moving living beings, you are difficult to understand. And when it is not possible for even Brahma and the ones belonging to him to properly understand your real nature oh great one, how can we?  Since no one can understand you in truth, how can one offer you prayers? It is impossible. As far as we are concerned, we are creatures of Lord Brahma's creation. Under the circumstances, therefore, we cannot offer you adequate prayers, but as far as our ability allows, we have expressed our feelings. We see the Supreme form that you manifested to bless the world, but not your transcendence, oh great Lord whose ways are inscrutable.'

S'uka said: 'Seeing their pernicious predicament he, Mahadeva, the friend of all living beings out of his compassion for the great distress spoke to his beloved Sati. Lord S'iva said: 'Dear Bhavani, just see how pitiable this situation is of all the living beings that are threatened by the poison resulting from churning the ocean. Feeling responsible for all their lives, I must do something for their safety; is it my duty as the master to protect against distress.  Devotees at the cost of their own lives protect other living beings who, time bound and bewildered by the external energy, are of enmity with one another. The Soul of All, the Lord, is pleased when one takes pity on others, oh gentle one. When the Lord is pleased also I and all other moving and not moving entities are happy. May there be the well-being of all creatures, with me drinking this poison.'

S'uka said: 'After Lord S'iva, the well-wisher of the universe thus had addressed Bhavani she gave her permission, very well knowing his capabilities, whereupon he proceeded to drink the poison. Mahadeva out of compassion for the welfare of all living beings consequently took the widespread Halahala poison in his hand and drank it.  That poison from the water exhibited its potency to him by turning his neck dark-blue, a feature considered an ornament by the virtuous ones, the saints and the sages. Good and honest people practically always take to heart the sufferings of their fellow men. This is considered the highest form of worshiping the Lord. Hearing about that act of S'iva, the god of gods, the graceful one, he was highly praised by the daughter of Daksha, by Brahma, by the Lord of Vaikunthha and by all the people. Scorpions, cobras and other poisonous animals and plants are the beings who took care of the little bit that was scattered here and there as he drank from his palm.'

Book 8,Chapter 7

[Jewell]

More Appears from the Churning: Mother Lakshmi,Dhanvantari and Mohini

S'uka said: 'When the poison had been drunk by Lord S'iva, the immortals and Danavas gladly resumed the churning of the ocean quickly whereupon the cow of plenty appeared [the surabhi, the source of the ghee].  The sages conversant with the injunctions for the yajnas took care of her, oh King, for she was useful for the divine sacrifices because of her clarified butter.

Next a horse as white as the moon manifested named Uccaihs'rava that Maharaja Bali liked to have, while Indra desisted from claiming it on the advise of the Lord .

Thereafter the elephant Airavata appeared who with his four tusks defied the glories of the white mountain  of the First Devotee [Lord S'iva]. Airavana was the first of eight elephants manifesting for each direction of the sky and also a group of eight she-elephants was generated that was headed by one named Abhramu, oh King.

Then a valuable lotus-hued gem known as the Kaustubha jewel was generated from the wide expanse of milk. Lord Hari who desired to possess it decorates His chest with it.  Thereupon the parijata tree was generated that adorns the heavenly places and, just as you who likes to fulfill each his wishes, fulfills every wish on this planet by providing whatever that is wanted oh King.

 Next the Apsarascame, the extremely beautiful and attractive inhabitants of heaven who, exquisitely dressed and decorated with gold, smoothly moved around.

After that had happened the Goddess of Splendor [Rama or Lakshmi] manifested in person. With her lightening luster she as bright as Saudamani mountain illumined along with the Lord all the directions.  Each Sura, Asura and human being desired her, for the magnificent beauty of her features, youth, complexion and glories had caught their minds. The great Indra brought a glorious, wonderful seat for her and the most sacred rivers and reservoirs assumed a personal form by filling golden water pots with pure water. The land offered all the herbs needed for installing the deity. The cows contributed with their five pure products and springtime delivered fresh flowers and fruits. The sages performed the bathing ceremony as prescribed, the Gandharvas sang the all-auspicious mantras and their wives danced and sang along. The clouds vibrated two-sided drums, kettledrums, murajas  and that created, combined with the sounds of bugles, conch shells, flutes and vinas, a great tumult. And while the twice-born ones, the Brahmins, were singing hymns the elephants next poured jugs full of sacred water over the chaste Goddess so beautiful with the lotus in her hand . The ocean presented yellow silks for her to dress from top to toe and Varuna offered a large garland swarming with bumblebees intoxicated by its sweetness. From Prajapati Vis'vakarma there was a choice of ornaments, Sarasvati supplied a necklace, Lord Brahma provided a lotus flower and the Nagas [the excellent ones] gave earrings. Thereupon being worshiped in an all-auspicious ceremony she, radiating a natural beauty with the decoration of the earrings to her cheeks and a coy smile on her face, went around the sacrificial arena with the lotus garland in her hand. With her beautiful breasts, her thin waist in harmony and smeared with sandalwood pulp and kunkuma, she, moving here and there with the sweet tinkling of her ankle bells, appeared exactly like a golden creeper. In that position looking for the eternal qualities she could not find a single soul among the indwellers of heaven, the perfected ones, the unenlightened ones, the keepers of the wealth, the venerable ones and the rest of all the demigods, who was complete in every respect.

She contemplated: 'Someone who has undergone great austerity has not yet conquered anger. Someone possesses knowledge, but he has not conquered material desires. Someone is a very great personality, but he cannot conquer lusty desires. Even a great personality depends on something else. How, then, can he be the supreme controller?  Someone might be of dharma but is he friendly towards other living beings? Someone can be of renunciation but he might miss the cause of liberation. A person may have power over people, but he is still not released from the great force of material nature. Someone else may have renounced attachment to the material world, yet he cannot compare to the Lord. Therefore, no one is completely freed from the influence of the material modes of nature. Someone may live a long time but still not know how to behave and be happy, someone may master the art of living but still not know how to get old. And when someone knows the both of them, such a person still might be unlucky in another respect. And even if others are well qualified in all respects, they are not devotees of the Supreme!'

With these considerations in mind the Goddess of Wealth and Splendor turned to Mukunda, the reservoir of Transcendence who was so desirable and qualified in every way as the husband of her choice - even though He had no desire for it. He, after all, did not depend on others and had the extraordinary, supreme qualities perfect in every respect. After placing on His shoulders a ravishing, fresh garland of lotuses vibrating with humming, maddened bumblebees, she remained, with a shy smile and glittering eyes, at His side with His bosom as her true resort. He, the father of the universe, made His bosom the residence of the Mother, the Goddess, the supreme opulence. The goddess of fortune, by her favorable and merciful glance, can increase the opulence of the three worlds, along with their inhabitants and their directors, the demigods.  The servants of the gods and their women , all became engaged in singing and dancing accompanied by the loud sound of musical instruments like conch shells, bugles and drums. Brahma, S'iva and all the directors of the world headed by Angira honored the Supreme Lord by showering flowers and chanting mantras that described His true nature.  With the merciful glance of the Goddess resting upon the godly ones, the fathers of mankind and their generations, they were all blessed with good conduct and good qualities and thus achieved the ultimate satisfaction.

But when the Daityas and Danavas, oh King, were neglected by Lakshmi they, being depressed in their aching greed, got disheartened and lost all sense of shame. Thereupon Varuni, a young lotus-eyed girl who, with the permission of the Lord, was accepted by the Asuras.

 With the sons of Kas'yapa thereupon zealously churning the ocean for the nectar, there finally appeared a most wonderful man, oh great King.  He was tall, youthful, had stout and strong arms, a neck like a conch, a dark skin, reddish eyes, a garland and was adorned with all kinds of ornaments.  Being clad in yellow, with a broad chest, with well polished, jeweled earrings, with gleaming curly locks of hair and decorated with bangles he, as strong as a lion, came forward with a jar that was filled to the rim with nectar.He was a partial appearance of a part of Lord Vishnu Himself known by the name of Dhanvantari who, seeing to medical science, was one of the demigods entitled to a share in the offerings.

All the Asuras who saw him with the container full of nectar, greedy after the contents, immediately snatched the pot away. When the pot of nectar was carried away by the Asuras, the demigods were desolate and turned to the Lord for their protection. When He saw their sadness the Supreme Lord who always acts according to the desires of His servants said: 'Do not grieve, I will personally see to it that the nectar will be there for all of you.' Oh master of man, there was a quarrel among them [the Asuras] about the nectar in which they with a thirsting heart said: 'Me first, me first, not you, not you!'  Others roared: 'The gods were of a likewise effort in the duty of sacrifice and deserve an equal share. This is a matter of traditional duties [sanatana dharma]!' The Daityas violently trying to appropriate the jug thus being envious and weak constantly denied each other the right oh King. After this had passed Lord Vishnu, the Supreme Controller who has a solution for any problem, assumed the form of a supremely beautiful, wonderful woman who mystified them all. Pleasing to behold she was as dark as a newly grown lotus. She was of the greatest beauty and harmony in all her limbs, she had a straight nose, fine cheeks and ornamented ears. She had fresh, firm, young but weighty breasts to her thin waist and a blissful expression on her face. She looked a bit anxious because of the humming bumblebees around her. With the mass of her beautiful, waving hair and the mallika flower garland about her attractive neck, with the beauty of her arms that were ornamented with the finest jewelry and bangles, with the fair sari spread over her breast that was an island of beauty and with the belt that covered her waist, she moved about gracefully with her ankle bells. Coyly casting her glances while moving with her eyebrows, she gave rise to a constant lusty desire in the core of the hearts of the Daitya leaders.'

Book 8,Chapter 8