46 verses
Śukadeva said: Vidura, strong in his vows, after hearing the story of the Lord as Varāha described by Maitreya, again inquired from Maitreya with folded hands, not being fully satisfied.
Vidura said: O best of the sages! We have heard that Hiranyāksa, the original demon, was killed by Varāha, the form of sacrifice.
It should be understood that in Svāyambhuva-manvantara Varāha lifted the earth, and in Cākṣuṣa-manvantara Varāha killed Hiraṇyakṣa.
O brāhmaṇa! What was the reason for a battle between the king of the demons and Varāha, who easily lifted the earth using his tusks?
Mṛdhaḥ means a battle.
O sage! Please speak to this faithful devotee the details of the Lords birth as Varāha. My mind, being very inquisitive, is not satisfied.
Maitreya said: O warrior! You have inquired well about the story of the appearance of the Lord. What you ask is the cause of freedom from the rope of death for all human beings.
Asking with a desire to hear about the pastime of the Lords fighting is very good, because through that question you are asking about Varāha and Nṛsiṁha. In explaining about these avatāras while describing the Lords fighting, you make others successful through remembering the avatāras.
By hearing Nārada recite this story of the Lord when he was young, Dhruva, the son of Uttānapada, placing his foot upon deaths head, ascended to the abode of the Lord.
Proof is given that topics of the Lord deliver the world. At the approach of Dhruvas death, when death was near, when Sunanda and other servants of Viṣṇu came to put him on the airplane, Dhruva, looking for steps to the vehicle, saw death standing there, and thinking that it was a good opportunity, he put his head on deaths head to mount the airplane, without giving up his body. He then went to the abode of Viṣṇu.
Long ago I heard Brahmā, the head of the devatās, describe this story when the devatās asked him.
Me means by me. Brahmā described the story when the devatās asked.
iṣṭvāgni-jihvaṁ payasā puruṣaṁ yajuṣāṁ patim nimlocaty arka āsīnam agny-agāre samāhitam
O Vidura! Diti, the daughter of Dakṣa, with a desire for a child and afflicted with lust, approached her husband Kaśyapa, son of Marīci, while he was seated in the sacrificial arena, , as the sun was setting in the evening, while he was in trance, after having worshipped the supreme lord of sacrifice whose tongue is the fire by offering rice cooked in milk.
To introduce the question of the devatās, first a related topic, the birth of Hiraṇyākṣa and Hiraṇyakaśipu are described. This story continues until the end of the chapter. Kaśyapa was the son of Marīci. Hṛc-chayārdhitā means afflicted with lust. She approached not only in the twilight, but in the sacrificial arena, and while he was in samādhi, as the sun was setting. He had worshipped the master of sacrifices (yajuṣām), Viṣṇu, who has fire as his tongue.
Diti said: O learned sage! This lust stands directly before me, with arrows ready to shoot. It is now attacking me, afflicting my wretched self, just as an elephant attacks a banana tree. You are responsible.
Attempts with body and eyes were useless since her husband had his eyes closed. In using words, even hints though the sound and meaning were not enough to distract Kaśyapa, who was engaged in meditating on the Supreme Lord. Though it was not the nature of the best among women to pray for relations with a man, Diti, crazed by lust, suppressed her shame and fear, and spoke loudly to break his trance. This lust (eṣaḥ kāmaḥ) can be directly seen. If I am left alone, what will lust do to me? In this way she blames her husband for her lust. It has been done by you (tvat-kṛte). Why do you, the husband, not protect me, when lust is afflicting me with suffering (dīnam dunoti). Why have you suddenly given up shyness? I am like a banana tree attacked by an elephant. If the life airs are destroyed, what is the use of shyness?
O husband! I am burning because of the prosperity of my co-wives who have children. Auspiciousness to you! Let mercy be shown to me!
I am not just afflicted with lust for enjoyment, but strongly desire a son. Let favor be completely shown to me (āyuḍktām).
The fame of women who are greatly respected by their husbands, and in whom husbands of your quality are again born as sons, spreads throughout the world.
By your mercy I will be famous with a son. The fame of women who are greatly respected by their husbands, in whom husbands like you are born again in the form of sons, spreads throughout the world. Śruti says taj jāyā jāyā bhavati yad asyāṁ jāyate punaḥ: who is born from the wife is the wife born again. (Aitareya-brāhmaṇa 7.13.10) Another meaning is "A husband like you is born in a woman because of procreation. How then can I not be without a son?
Long ago, our father, powerful Dakṣa, affectionate to his daughters, asked each of us individually whom we would select as our husbands.
Since even before marriage I was attracted to you, I could not refuse. Our father asked us.
Understanding the desires of his daughters, thinking of the welfare of his offspring, among his daughters he gave thirteen daughters to you. We are similar in nature to you.
Out of shyness we did not utter your name but by suggestions and through other persons he immediately understood (naha bhāvam viditvā). Among his daughters (tāsām), he gave thirteen to you. Why should I alone remain without a son? Such irregularity is not proper.
O lotus eyed husband! Therefore, fulfill my auspicious desire. O great lord! A great person should not neglect one who approaches in distress.
How can you say that you are equal in character to me when you are attempting to break my trance in the evening for your own pleasure? Because I am distressed, I approach you (ārtopasarpanām). What should I do when I am presently in such distress? You who are most merciful know the scripture which says There should be no delay for a person suffering.
O bold Vidura! Kaśypa, speaking with conciliatory words, replied to his suffering wife who had spoken excessively, and whose lust continued to increase.
Addressing Vidura as vira indicates that Vidura was strong in dharma whereas Kaśyapa was not. Pacifying her, he spoke. He did not glance at her in anger and scold her. If he were to show artificial anger, her affliction of lust would have disappeared in fear. Being disturbed by lust she could not tolerate any conciliatory words. Her lust simply increased.
O fearful woman! I will fulfill your request that you hold dear. Who would not fulfill the desires of a woman who allows artha, dharma and kāma to be attained?
Kaśyapa spoke for a long time so that the twilight would pass.
The person possessing a wife, supporting the other āśramas, surpasses the dangerous ocean of material life by being situated in that household life, just as a person crosses the ocean by a boat.
The householder relives the difficulties of the other āśramas by giving food and other items, and in this way also surpasses all difficulties.
Dear wife! The wife is called half of the husband who desires auspiciousness. To her the husband imparts all his present and future karmas, and thus moves about without worry.
They call the wife (yām) half of the body (ātmanaḥ) of the husband. Śruti says ardho vā eśa yat patnī: the wife is half of the husband. To her the husband entrusts all his present and future karmas (svaduram).
Just as a commander easily defeats thieves, , we easily conquer of the senses, our enemies, by taking shelter of the wife, whereas the other āśramas find the senses difficult to conquer.
If the thieves occupy the fort, they plunder the citizens. But how can they conquer the commander of the fort? The fort is material enjoyment, which destroys fallen brahmacaris and others, but not the householders. The householders do not create severe karmas since they regulate their enjoyment by rules of scripture.
O queen of the house! We cannot repay you in gratitude, even with our whole life, or even with our next life. Those who have acquired good qualities also cannot repay you.
Taking shelter of his wife the householder enjoys happily in the world and does not fall to hell. But he also does not become detached. We men can properly respond with gratitude to the women. Even by ones whole life and even with next life (vā), repayment cannot be made. Guests who have good qualities also cannot repay you. By using the singular for women and the plural for men he seems to be joking with her.
I will fully satisfy your desire for a child. Please wait for the proper time so that others will not criticize me.
Though I cannot act like you, I should adequately fulfill you desire for producing a child. Quickly enter the bedroom, since I am suffering from this delay through lengthy conversation. He replies. Wait for the proper time, so that others will not criticize me.
This is the most horrible time among all horrible things, where one can see all types of ghosts. At this time the ghost attendants of Śiva wander about.
He frightens her with the censure about things of which she is unaware, by describing Śiva in seven verses. This is most horrible time (ghoratamā vela) among all horrible things (ghorānām) in which one can see horrible creatures like bhūtas and pretas (ghora-darśanā). The horrible creatures are then described as moving about.
|| 3.124 ||
etasyāṁ sādhvi sandhyāyāṁ
bhagavān bhūta-bhāvanaḥ
parīto bhūta-parṣadbhir
vṛṣeṇāṭati bhūtarāṭ
Dear wife! During the twilight Lord Śiva, emperor of the ghosts, well-wisher of the living beings, travels about on his bull, surrounded by his ghost attendants.
Since she is unaware of the ghosts, he describes them.
Śiva has shining matted locks scattered by whirlwinds full of dust and smoke from the crematorium. He has a spotless, golden body covered with ashes. He sees with three eyes. He is your brother-in-law.
Śiva has shining locks of matted hair scattered by whirlwinds of dust and smoke from the crematorium. His body shines like gold but is covered with ashes. He sees with three eyesthe moon, the sun and fire. Because of this, he immediately bestows the results of offense. But he is without relation to me, unknown. No, he is your brother in law. My brother-in-law should be treated as my brother. Thus he is my brother, and your brother-in-law. Should you not be shy in front of him?
He has no relative nor does he reject anyone. He does not worship or condemn anyone. Performing vows to fulfill our desires, we aspire for his food remnants, filled with his power, which are rejected by his feet.
I have said farewell to shyness and fear since I am suffering. Even you should not be afraid. Śiva should forgive you for everything, since you are his relative and respected for greatness. He replies with this verse.
He considers no one his relative, since he shows equality to all, being the lord. He describes his greatness. We pray for his enjoyed mahāprasāda remnants, filled with his power (ajām), which are rejected like an old garland by his feet. Having desires to fulfill by vows, let us be enjoyers of his remnants.
The intelligent, desiring to destroy piles of ignorance, worship Śiva, who has spotless character and who has no equal. But though he is the goal of the saints, he acts like a ghost.
Unintelligence people will say that he is constantly engaged in sexual relationships with naked women and smears his body with ashes from the crematorium. However, hear the truth from me. The intelligent respect his character which is spotless. They become liberated from the material world by worshiping him. He is the goal of the elevated souls. He has no equal since he is one with the lord. Or he is completely renounced, seeing everything equally (nirastasāmyātiśayaḥ).
Those who are unfortunate and do not know the intention of Śiva,laugh at him, though he is meditating on Kṛṣṇa. They pamper their bodies, fit to be eaten by dogs, with cloth, garlands, ornaments and cosmetics, thinking those bodies to be the self.
Those who criticize him become bound up in the world. The unfortunate, those who get no mercy, who are without knowledge of the intention of Śiva who is meditating on Kṛṣṇa (svātman), laugh at him. Śiva thinks, All scents, flowers, cloth and ornaments are meant for worship of the Supreme Lord, my master. I should not enjoy what should be offered to him. The unfortunate take the body, fit to be eaten by dogs, to be the self, and thus pamper it with cloth, garlands, ornaments and cosmetics.
Even Brahmā and others observe the rules created by him. He is the cause of this universe, and māyā is dependent on him, following his order. His conduct as a ghost is surprising. This great lord is only appearing to be like a ghost.
We are nothing in comparison to Śiva. Brahmā and others observe the rules made by him, about associating with women during the twilight (yat-kṛta-setu-pālā), about eating, sleeping or passing nature at that time. He is the cause of the universe and māyā is dependent on him. His conduct as a ghost is surprising. It is an imitation performed by this great lord
Maitreya said: Though hearing this from her husband, Diti, her senses afflicted with lust, without shame, like a prostitute, grabbed the cloth of her husband.
Even though she was thus informed by her husband, she acted like a prostitute. Or because only her husband informed her, she acted like a prostitute. Lust devours discrimination which is shown by self respect. The proof of this is Brahmā among men and Diti among women.
Understanding the obstinacy of his wife for this sinful act, bowing to his fate, he enjoyed with her in a private place.
Diṣṭāya means unto fate. Upaviveśa means he enjoyed with her.
After this, bathing and performing ācamana, controlling his breath and speech, and meditating, he chanted the pure, eternal gāyatrī mantra full of knowledge.
After that, bathing and performing ācamana, he chanted oṁ or gāyatrī (brahma).
O Bhārata! Shamed by her faulty action, Diti approached the brāhmaṇa sage and spoke with lowered head.
Karmāvadyena means by faulty action.
Diti said: May the great lord of living entities Rudra, lord of the ghosts, who I have offended, not kill the child in my womb.
Na avadhīt means may he not kill.
I offer respects to Rudra, who will make me weep but who removes of sorrow, who is a great lord, but fierce, who is compassionate, auspicious, and avoids punishing the sinful, but who is capable of punishing when full of anger.
She gives proof for her repentance. He will make me weep, but he will also remove my sorrow (two meanings of rudra). Since he is a great lord (mahate devāya) he will forgive my offense. But since he is fierce (ugrāya), he will destroy my child. Yet he is liberal (mīòhuṣe), so he will sprinkle the creeper of my desire with mercy, since he is auspicious, devoid of giving punishment. But still he will punish me (dhṛta-daṇòāya) since he is the personification of anger (manyave).
May powerful Śiva, my brother-in-law, merciful even to the hunters, the master of women who are objects of compassion, the husband of Satī, be pleased with me!
Full of worry, she praised Śiva, showing her humility. Then she prayed for removal of her fear. Śiva is the husband of her sister, and full of mercy even to those with no mercy (vyādhasya). He is the husband of Satī, and thus knows the nature of women. Or this also suggests that by the intervention of Satī, Śiva will not punish me, his sister-in-law. Or Satī will pardon my offense.
Maitreya said: Kaśyapa, whose evening vows had been interrupted, then spoke to his trembling wife, worthy of compassion by the world, who was praying for blessing for her offspring.
Svasargasya means of her own offspring. Lokyām means worthy of the worlds mercy.
bhaviṣyatas tavābhadrāv abhadre jāṭharādhamau lokān sa-pālāṁs trīṁś caṇòi muhur ākrandayiṣyataḥ
Kaśyapa said: O unfortunate woman! Because of the impurity of your mind, the fault of the time, disregard for my instructions, and disregard for Śiva, two inauspicious, low sons will be born to you. O passionate woman! They will constantly afflict the three worlds and the devatāṣ in charge.
Because of the impurity of your mind (ātmanaḥ), you will have two sons of cruel mind. Because of the fault of choosing a terrible time at twilight, you will have two terribly ferocious sons, since the twilight hour lasts for two ghaṭikas. Because of ignoring my instructions, you will have two sons who do not respect the laws of dharma. Because of ignoring the forms of Śiva (devānām), those sons will be haters of the Supreme Lord. O unfortunate woman (abhadre)! The inauspicious actions of your sons will spread everywhere. These two low sons will be born from your womb. Because of their individual and collective faults, they will afflict the worlds. O passionate woman (caṇòi)! Because of expressing passion in spite of my words of dharma, you will receive this result. You are a reservoir of lust and anger. Kaśyapa also shows his anger towards his wife.
tadā viśveśvaraḥ kruddho bhagavāl loka-bhāvanaḥ haniṣyaty avatīryāsau yathādrīn śataparva-dhṛk
When the sinless, powerless living entities are killed by these sons, when women are imprisoned by them, and when the great souls become angry, the Supreme Lord of the universe, promoting the worlds welfare, will appear in this world and kill him just as Indra strikes a mountain with his thunderbolt.
How long will they live? Please listen. The words of the verse 40 should all be put in the locative case. Śataparva-dhṛk means holder of the thunderbolt, Indra.
Diti said: O Lord! I desire the death of my sons by the Lord whose excellent arm holds the cakra. I do not desire that they die from the curse of a brāhmaṇa.
My sons will see the Lord with upraised beautiful arm, holding the cakra. They will be fortunate. Though unavoidably killed by the Lord, they will be liberated from all sins by being killed by his hand. I also desire liberation. As the mother of such sons, though I have not seen the Lord yet, I will see him by my relationship to those sons. I do not desire death by the anger of a brāhmaṇa. I was worried that my sons would be killed by the curse of a brāhmaṇa since you said that the great souls would be angry. Hearing now that they would be killed by the hand of the Lord, I am satisfied in heart.
The inhabitants of hell, and those around him when he takes another birth, do not show favor to the person who has been punished by the curse of a brāhmaṇa, who have given fear to other living beings.
The accusative case can be substituted for the genitive case. Those in hell and those situated where he takes birth again do not show him favor.
putrasyaiva ca putrāṇāṁ bhavitaikaḥ satāṁ mataḥ gāsyanti yad-yaśaḥ śuddhaṁ bhagavad-yaśasā samam
Kaśyapa said: Because you have lament for your offense, because you regret it, because you greatly respect the Lord, and because you respect Śiva and me, one of the sons of your son will be considered among the saintly. The devotees will glorify his pure fame which will be equal to that of the Lord.
Because of lamentation and then repentance for committing offense, and the other three reasons, among the sons of Hiraṇyakaśipu, one will be considered saintly. The saintly persons will glorify his pure fame, similar to or equal that of the Lord.
Just as inferior gold is purified by heating, the devotees will purify themselves by showing lack of animosity to attain qualities like Prahlāda.
Just as inferior gold is purified by heating and other processes, devotees will purify themselves by processes such as freedom from animosity to attain (anuvartitum) his nature.
Because of the mercy of the soul of the universe towards Prahlāda, the whole universe is pleased with him. The Lord, who sees only his devotees with affection, is satisfied with the devotee whose intelligence is directed only to the Lord.
By the Lords mercy to Prahlāda, the universe will be pleased with Prahlāda. How is this? Since the Lord as the Paramātmā inspires the world, the enemies of his father such as Indra will be pleased with Prahlāda. The Lord sees his devotees with affection (sva-dṛk) He is satisfied by the devotees exclusive concentration on him (ananyayā dṛśā). The devotees intelligence does not wander to anything else.
Being a great devotee, with great determination, the best among those on the level of prema, he will enter Vaikuṇṭha with a mind full of realization by intense bhakti, and give up this material world.
He will be a great devotee, with great determination or intelligence (mahātmā), great among those with symptoms of prema (mahatām). The cause of his being considered great is given. Entering into a condition of the spiritual world, or actually entering Vaikuṇṭha, with a mind which has achieved realization through intense bhakti (mahānubhāvaḥ), he will give up this material world.
He will be without greed, of good nature, the source of all good qualities. He will be joyful on seeing others prosperity and will suffer on seeing their suffering. He will have no enemy, and will deliver the universe from sorrow, just as the moon gives relief from summer heat.
I have described his devotion, and the great qualities arising from his bhakti. Now hear of other qualities in his nature favorable for bhakti. His qualities cannot be fully listed. He is the source of all qualities (guṇākaraḥ). He will be joyful on seeing the prosperity of others and pained on seeing the suffering of others. Just as the moon gives relief from the summer sun, he will give relief to the world full of lamentation.
Internally and externally, Prahlāda will see the pure Lord with lotus eyes, who accepts a form according to the desire of his devotee, whose face is decorated with dazzling earrings, and whose beautiful form is possessed by Laksṁī.
The grandson Prahlāda will see (draṣṭā) internally by meditation and externally with his eyes the beautiful form (lalāmam) of the Lord possessed by Lakṣmī, his lover (lalanā).
Maitreya said: Hearing about her grandson devotee, Diti became greatly pleased. She was satisfied, knowing that her sons would be killed by the Lord.
She became joyful. My sinful acts will produce such a rare result, the summation of all pious actions. She became joyful at her good fortune. She was pleased (mahā-manāḥ) since her sons would attain a glorious fame and fortunate end.
Thus ends the commentary on Fourteenth Chapter of the Third Canto of the Bhāgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous ācāryas
The Fourteenth Chapter describes how Diti approached her husband who was not inclined in the evening. She then repented. Evil sons and a pious grandchild were born. The word ca means certainly.