23 verses
King Nimi said: You should tell us about the activities which the Lord has performed, is performing now and will perform in the future by his various births, chosen by his free will, in this world.
Drumila said: Any fool wanting to enumerate fully the unlimited qualities of the unlimited Supreme Lord may be able after some time to count the particles of dust on the earth, but can never count the qualities of the Lord who is the abode of all powers.
Since the Lords avatāras, qualities and pastimes are beyond counting, I will recount them to the best of my ability. One who desires to count successively the unlimited qualities of the Lord is foolish.
When the primeval Nārāyaṇa accepted the form of the puruṣa, he created the universe from the five elements produced from himself and then entered within the universe by his own portion.
First he describes the puruṣāvatāras in two verses. When Bhagavān accepts the form of the puruṣa as the creator of mahat-tattva, then, producing the universe by the elements, he entered into it with his expansion.
Within the body of Mahāviṣṇu reside clusters of millions of universes composed of three planetary systems. By his senses, the action and knowledge senses of the jīvas arise. From his expansion antaryāmī, the knowledge of the jīvas arises. From his prāṇa the physical and sensual strength and action of the jīvas arise. He is the final cause of creation, maintenance and destruction through the three guṇas.
This verse describes the qualities and activities of the puruṣa. In the body of Mahāviṣṇu (yat kaye), in each of his pores, an assembly of millions and millions of universes with upper, lower and middle planets reside. By his senses, the knowledge and actions senses of the collective and individual jīvas arise. From antaryāmī, his expansion, the knowledge of the jīvas arises. From his prāṇa, the bodily strength (balam), sensual strength (ojaḥ) and activities of the jīvas arises. He is the real cause of the activities of creation, maintenance and destruction through the three guṇas.
In the beginning, the puruṣa appeared as Brahmā through rajoguṇa for creation, as Viṣṇu, the lord of sacrifice, and protector of dharma of the brāhmaṇas, for maintenance, and as Śiva through tamo-guṇa for destruction. In this way creation, maintenance and destruction of the living entities takes place at all times.
The guṇāvatāras are described. The puruṣa appeared as Brahmā (śata-dhṛtiḥ) for activities of creation by rajoguṇa, as Viṣṇu, the protector of the dharma of the brāhmaṇas, for maintenance and as Śiva for destruction. Iti means in this way.
Nara-Nārāyaṇa, the best of sages, fully in control of their senses, were born to Dharma in the womb of Mūrti, the daughter of Dakṣa, They taught and performed actions with complete detachment and, worshipped by the best of sages, remain alive even today.
The best of sages known as Nara and Nārāyaṇa were born of Dharma in the daughter of Dakṣa named Mūrti. They spoke and performed actions without material desire.
Indra became fearful, thinking that Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi would seize his heavenly kingdom. Thus Indra sent Cupid, who, with his associates, went to the Lords residence in Badarikāśrama. Cupid, not knowing the power of the Lord, released arrows of glances from beautiful women, along with the charming breezes of spring.
Cupid (saḥ), not knowing the Lords greatness, going to Badarikāśrama with Apsarās, released arrows of womens glances.
The primeval Lord, understanding the offense committed by Indra and without pride, spoke laughingly as follows to Cupid and his followers, who were trembling before him: Do not fear, O mighty Cupid, O wind-god and wives of the devatās!. Please accept this gift I am offering you, and kindly sanctify my hermitage by your presence.
Akramam means offense. He was without pride, not thinking Oh! I am fully in control of my senses. Cupid was trembling in fear of being cursed. O capable Cupid! O women of the devatās! Do not fear. Please accept as our welcome to guests the articles of worship and vegetable meals made of leaves. But we have everything we need. Without your accepting our hospitality, this hermitage is empty.
My dear King Nimi, when Nara-Nārāyaṇa thus spoke, eradicating the fear of the devatās, the devatās bowed their heads with shame and addressed the Lord as follows, to invoke his compassion: O Lord! Nothing is surprising for you, the supreme, unchanging person, at whose lotus feet a multitude of sages who enjoy within themselves and have control of their senses bow down.
O King! When Nārāyaṇa, giver of fearlessness, spoke in this way, Cupid and the others spoke. Nothing is surprising for you, the supreme person without change. Svārāmāḥ means ātmārāmas.
The devatās place many obstacles on the path of those who worship you, who surpass Svarga and attain Vaikuṇṭha, but those who offer the devatās their assigned shares in sacrificial performances encounter no such obstacles. But because you are the protector of your devotee, he is able to step over the head of whatever obstacle the devatās place before him.
What to speak of you, even your devotees do not care for us, by your mercy. We have created many obstacles of them. Why do the devatās create obstacles? The devotees surpass Svarga and attain Vaikuṇṭha. This means the devatās are envious of the devotees. Others, the performers of karma, do not have obstacles. Why? They have given the proper share of sacrifice to Indra and others, like farmers giving to the king. Will my devotees fall because of your obstacles? No. Certainly (yadi), because you are the Lord of the devatās and the protector of the devotee, the devotee puts his foot on the head of the obstacles. So there is no worry that you fear any obstacle.
Some men practice severe penances to cross beyond our influence, which is like an immeasurable ocean with hunger, thirst, heat, cold rain brought about by the passing of time, sensuous wind and the urges of the tongue and sex organs. Nevertheless such persons fall under the control of useless anger, and drown in the water of a cows hoof print. Thus they destroy the benefit of their difficult austerities and can neither enjoy nor attain liberation.
Those how perform austerities but do not worship you have two destinations. They become controlled by us, or by anger. Under our control, they pursue enjoyment of their desires. That is stated in this verse. Some persons surpass us, who are like a limitless ocean, bestowing hunger, thirst, heat, cold and rain arising from the qualities of past, present and future, and as well the wind of Malaya Hills which gives pleasure to the skin, and bestowing pleasure of the tongue and genital. But they drown in the water of a cows hoof print. Just as a person who is drowning and out of control gives up a treasure he has placed on his head, they destroy their difficult austerities by cursing in anger, and thus that austerity becomes useless for liberation or enjoyment.
While the devatās were thus praising the Supreme Lord, the all-powerful Lord suddenly manifested before their eyes many women, who were astonishingly gorgeous, decorated with fine clothes and ornaments, and all faithfully engaging in the Lords service.
Not impressed by their praises, he showed the forms of women, produced by his yoga, who was serving him. He showed them this to curb their pride in their own beauty.
When the followers of the devatās gazed upon the beauty of the women they became bewildered by their fragrance. The wealth of their splendid beauty was defeated.
The Lord of lords then smiled slightly and told the representatives of heavens, who were bowing down before him, Please choose one of these women, whomever you find suitable for you. She will become the ornament of the heavenly planets.
The Lord, smiling on seeing their defeat, concealed his smile out of great seriousness. Vṛṇdhavam should be vṛṇidhvam. But we are so fallen. What use are they? She is equal to you in nature. She will be an ornament in Svarga.
Following the Lords order, the servants of the devatās selected Urvaśī, the best of the Apsarās. Placing her in front of them out of respect, they returned to the heavenly planets.
Accepting the order, the servants of the devatās chose Urvaśī.
The servants of the devatās, bowing to Indra in the assembly, described the power of Nārāyaṇa while the residents listened. Indra became astonished by this.
Indra became afraid, thinking, I have committed and offense.
The infallible Supreme Lord has descended into this world by his various partial incarnations such as Haṁsa, Dattātreya, the four Kumāras and our own father, the mighty Ṛṣabhadeva to teach about ātmā for the benefit of the universe. As Hayagrīva he killed the demon Madhu and thus rescued the Vedas.
He has appeared as Haṁsa, Dattātreya, the Kumāras and Ṛṣabha. Viṣṇu, appearing in his portions, spoke ātma-yoga. As Hayagrīva, he killed Madhu and recovered the Vedas.
As a fish, the Lord protected Satyavrata Manu, the earth and her valuable herbs during the period of destruction. As a boar, the Lord killed Hiraṇyākṣa, the son of Diti, while delivering the earth from the universal waters. And as a tortoise, he lifted Mandara Mountain on his back while nectar was churned from the ocean. The Lord saved the surrendered king of the elephants, Gajendra, who was suffering from the crocodile.
Apyaye means during the destructive flood. Manuḥ means Satyavrata. He protected Manu, the earth and the plants. Krauòe means as Varāha. He delivered Gajendra.
The Lord also delivered the tiny ascetic sages called the Vālakhilyas when they fell into the water in a cows hoof print and Indra was laughing at them. The Lord then saved Indra when Indra was covered by darkness due to killing Vṛtrāsura. When the wives of the devatās were trapped in the palace of the demons without any shelter, the Lord saved them. In his incarnation as Nṛsiṁha, the Lord killed Hiraṇyakaśipu, the king of demons, to free the saintly devotees from fear.
The Lord rescued the Vālakhilya sages who were praising him, and who had fallen in the water of a cows hoof print, while Indra laughed. He rescued Indra who was covered with darkness from killing a brāhmaṇa. He rescued the wives of the devatās who were imprisoned. These acts were performed in various avatāra forms.
The Supreme Lord, in the wars between the demons and devatās, killed the leaders of the demons to favor the devatās. He protected the universe through his Manvantara avatāra forms during the reigns of each Manu. The Lord appeared as Vāmana and took the earth away from Bali Mahārāja on the plea of begging three steps of land. The Lord then returned the entire world to the sons of Aditi.
The Lord protected the worlds during all the Manvantaras by his Manvantara avatāra forms.
Paraśurāma appeared in the family of Bhṛgu as a fire that burned to ashes the dynasty of Haihaya and rid the earth of all kṣatriyas twenty-one times. The same Lord appeared as Rāmacandra, the husband of Sītādevī, subdued the ocean and killed the ten-headed Rāvaṇa, along with all the soldiers of Laḍkā. May that Rāma, whose glories destroy the contamination of the world, be always victorious!
Salaḍkam means with all the warriors residing in Laḍkā. Since Rāma has already passed while Nārada spoke, the present tense is used with jayati to indicate special respect.
To diminish the burden of the earth, the unborn Lord will be born in the Yadu dynasty and perform feats impossible even for the devatās. Propounding speculative philosophy, the Lord, as Buddha, will bewilder the unworthy performers of Vedic sacrifices. And as Kalki, the Lord will kill all the low-class men posing as rulers at the end of the age of Kali.
Buddha will bewilder the performers of sacrifice by his philosophy. Kalki will kill the śūdras acting as kings.
O mighty-armed King! There are innumerable appearances and activities of the Lord of the universe similar to those I have already mentioned. The glories of the Supreme Lord are unlimited.
Thus ends the commentary on Fourth Chapter of the Eleventh Canto of the Bhāgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous ācāryas.
In the Fourth Chapter, Drumila describes Nārāyaṇa, his avatāras, qualities and pastimes. In the last chapter (SB 11.3.48) it was said that the devotee should worship the Supreme Lord in the particular personal form of the Lord the devotee finds most attractive. What are the various forms of the Lord? This is a question about the avatāra forms. It was also said that one should honor the deity with prayers. (SB 11.3.53) Which qualities and activities should be praised? This is a question about the activities of the Lord. Thus he asks this question. Kartā means will perform.