26 verses
Maitreya said: O Vidura! Hearing the words of Varuṇa, the arrogant and foolish Hiraṇyākṣa, ignored the warnings of Varuṇa, and learning from Nārada where he would find the Lord, he quickly entered the Garbhodaka Ocean.
He saw the Lord, holder of the earth, lifting high the earth on the tips of his tusks, diminishing Hiraṇyākṣas splendor with his reddish eyes. Hiraṇyākṣa laughed, O! You are a beast that lives in the water!
In the previous discussion of Varāha the pastime of the battle was not described in detail. Here it is described. Abhijitam means he who conquers all around. Or it can mean he who is the presiding deity of Abhijit constellation. Varāha was lifting up the earth high. He diminished Hiraṇyākṣas splendor (svarucaḥ) by his radiance. Vanagocaraḥ means a being living in the water as well as a beast living in the forest. The demons abuse is also praise for the Lord. Vanagocaraḥ can mean Nārāyaṇa, who sleeps on the water. This vanagocara is sought (mrgaḥ) by the sages. Or vanagocaraḥ can mean one who should be seen in an isolated place, not the village.
He said to the Lord, O fool! Release the earth. It has been given by Brahmā to me for the inhabitants of the Garbhodaka Ocean. You will not leave in good health if you take the earth without my permission. O lowest of the devatās, who have taken the form of a boar!
Another meaning:
O omniscient Lord! You have been given the earth by Brahmā. Do not give up the earth. You will obtain our kingdoms along with the earth by being merciful to me. O supreme among the devatā, who have appeared as a boar for your devotees!
The earth has been given by Brahmā to the inhabitants of the Garbhodaka Ocean. So no one can lift it from the lower regions. Without my permission (mama īkṣataḥ) you will not leave carrying the earth. There is another meaning to the verse. O omniscient Lord (ajña), one beyond whom there is no knowledge! The word no can be a negative particle. Thus the sentence can mean Do not give up the earth. Brahmā has presented the earth to you. You will obtain not only the earth, but along with it, you will obtain our wealth and kingdoms (svasti). Why do you give the earth to me? It is because your mercy on me (īkṣataḥ). O best of the devatās (sura-adhama)! This form of a boar is given to your devotees for service. The word no can be interpreted as naḥ, or as a negative, indicating harm to Varāha. Thus two meaning can be given to the verse.
Were you, who kill the demons by deception by remaining invisible, protected by the devatās in order to kill me? I will wipe away the tears of grief of my friends after destroying you, a coward with strength produced by yoga-māyā
Have you, who kill by deception, by remaining invisible, been protected by the devatās, my enemy, for destroying me? You do not kill them directly. After killing you who do not have physical strength, only yoga-māyā, I shall wipe away the tears of lamentation of my friends. There is another meaning to his words.
Have the devatās taken shelter of you, who kill asuras by your mercy (māyayā) in order to award me liberation? By killing the demons you give them a spiritual destination. You remain victorious though you are invisible. Your invisibility is your greater mercy. The devatās show themselves after a little sādhana but you do not reveal yourself even after plenty of sādhana. After fixing my mind on you who have inconceivable powers (yoga-māyā-balam) and who make Mahāviṣṇu insignificant (alpa-pauruṣam), I will completely destroy (pramṛje) the suffering of material existence (śucaḥ) of my friends, since you liberate even the friends of those who remember you. O Lord, you show satisfaction with the fools by giving them your bhakti (mūòha)!
When you are killed by the club released from my hand, those who offer you homage, the sages and devatās, will all be without foundation.
When you are killed, the devatās will also die. The other meaning is as follows. When your skull is not cracked by a club released from my hand, the recent devotees who offer you homage at this time, and as well the ancient devatās, devotees and sages, will spontaneously (svayam) no longer be unsteady (amūlāḥ).
Though assailed by the lances of the enemys abusive words, the Lord, seeing the frightened earth perched on the ends of his tusks, bore the insults, and emerged from the water, like an elephant attacked by a crocodile.
The Lord was assailed by the abusive, lance-like words of the enemy. He bore the pain of the enemys abusive words. He was like an elephant attacked by a crocodile. The other meaning is The Lord was pained by compassion, seeing the pain in Brahmā and others who heard those words. He was victorious by the happiness gained through the praise uttered by the enemy. He was like an elephant emerging from the water, uninjured by a crocodile.
Hiraṇyākṣa, with golden hair and fierce teeth, chasing the Lord as he rose from the water, just like a crocodile pursuing an elephant, then spoke with the sound of thunder. What censure is there for those without shame and bravery?
Chasing the Lord, he said, Is there criticism for those who without shame and are cowardly? There is not. But still, it is not unsuitable to criticize opponents who flee. The other meaning is as follows. Can there be criticism of those who are merciful and modest. Those who, being merciful, flee for the purpose of protecting the earth who has taken shelter of your tusks should not be criticized. Or another meaning is as follows. Thinking that it was not proper to pursue the Lord who was lifting the earth for helping the populace, the demon criticizes himself. Is there censure for me, a demon, dedicated to my own pleasure, devoid of shame? No, there is not. How unfortunate I am!
Placing the earth on the water within his sight, the Lord invested her with his energy so that she did not sink in the water, while Brahmā uttered praise, the Prajāpatis showered flowers over him, and the enemy watched.
Since the earth is frightened it is not good that I fight with the demon. Thus the Lord placed the earth upon the water within his sight and endowed her with his own energy (sva-sattvam), so that the earth would not sink in the water. He was praised by Brahmā. He was showered completely with flowers by the Prajāpatis (vibudhaiḥ), while the enemy watched. This indicates that the demon was not respected.
The Lord replied to Hiraṇyākṣa, ornamented with gold, wearing golden armor, carrying a huge club, who was following him. In great anger, he assailed the demon to the heart with sharp words and laughed.
The Lord spoke to the demon ornamented with gold, wearing gold armor, who following him, and assailed him with abusive words, not with praise. He was angry because of the hearing the abusive words of the demon, and laughed on hearing the other meaning of the words, which were praise. One would expect a fitting answer to the words of Hiraṇyākṣa. Thus the reply of the Lord has two meanings as well.
The Lord said: It is true! I am a beast of the forest and am searching for dogs such as you. O sinful demon! Heroes such as I do not react to arrogant words of persons such as you who are bound by the ropes of death.
I am searching for dogs like you. Heroes like me do not take notice of arrogant words of you who are bound by the ropes of death. The other meaning is as follows. We are seen by the devotees who have given up material enjoyment (vana-gocarāḥ). Mercifully, I search out those who are most prominently attached to material enjoyment (grāma-siṁhān) to offer them a place with me. But why do you give mercy to proud, sinful persons? Heroes like me are generous, and do not feel the faults in your boasting words. What is your position? You become completely freed from the ropes of death, since one who receives my mercy is not subject to death. O person from whom no inauspiciousness arises (abhadra)!
Taking the inhabitants of the lower planets who were entrusted to you, and fleeing shamelessly from your club, I remain here. I must remain here to fight since, having created enmity with you where can I go?
Speaking with lamenting voice, the Lord joked with the demon. I have stolen things entrusted to you and fled away, but that is impossible. Have you fled far enough because of the suffering inflicted on you? I must remain here, since I have nowhere to go.
There is another meaning. I am the receiver of the offerings (nyāsa-harā) made with devotion even by the demons (rasaukasām). I am not ashamed of doing this (gata-hriyaḥ), because I am affectionate to my devotees. This is because you have melted (drāvitāḥ) my heart with your words of praise (gadayā). Gadā (which becomes gadayā) can come from the verb gad, meaning to speak, in the manner of words such as bhid. Thus I will remain with you even during battle, to show you my extraordinary powers. Ātmanepada form (tiṣṭhāmahe) is used to indicate that he is showing something. O cause of existence! Going to Vaikuṇṭha, you will remain there happily. Why would you want to endure suffering by fighting? I must remain (stheyam) engaged in battle with you in order to derive bliss from fighting because of the enmity in you caused by the curse of the Kumāras. Where else should I go?
As the commander of leaders of soldiers, you should act in order to quickly bring about my defeat without considering the matter further. After killing me, wipe away the tears of your relatives. One who does not fulfill his promise is unfit to sit in the assembly.
You, the commander of leaders of the foot soldiers, should immediately act to bring about my defeat (asvastaye), without thinking twice (anūhaḥ). He who does not fulfill his promise is not fit to sit in the assembly. There is another meaning. Filled with prema, you have accepted the mood of a demon as a promise to give me happiness by fighting with me. He who does not keep that promise is unfit to sit in the assembly. Therefore, as commander of the troops, act now to make me happy by fighting, in order to give up your life (asvastaye), after having fixed me in your heart. Wipe away your tears of bliss.
. || 3.18.13||
maitreya uvāca
so dhikṣipto bhagavatā
pralabdhaś ca ruṣā bhṛśam
ājahārolbaṇaṁ krodhaṁ
krīòyamāno hi-rāò iva
Maitreya said: Hiraṇyākṣa, being insulted by the Lord, made an object of the Lords joking which was made in great anger, became intensely angry, like a snake who was being teased.
The demon, having been insulted in verse 10, became angry, since he was the object of a joke (pralabdhaḥ). He became like a large snake which was being teased by the words of verses 11 and 12. The other meaning is as follows. Having fallen from his position as an associate of the Lord (adhikṣiptaḥ), he became overcome with great anger. Though śuddha-sattva by nature, because of the curse of the Kumāras arising from the will of the Lord, he became full of ignorance. At the time of fighting he accepted great anger, though it was not real anger.
Letting out his breath, the angry demon, whose senses were agitated with wrath, quickly approached the Lord and struck him with his club.
Moving sideways, the Lord avoided the blow of the club released by his enemy, which was aimed at his chest, just as an accomplished yogī avoids death.
Antakam means death.
The angry Lord pursued the demon, who bit his lip in rage and, taking up his club again, whirled it about repeatedly.
O Vidura! The Lord struck the enemy on his right brow with his club. The demon, expert in fighting, struck the club of the Lord which did not reach him.
The demon struck the club of the Lord which did not touch him.
In this way Hiraṇyākṣa and the Lord, both enraged, struck at each other with a desire to win, using their huge clubs.
Haryakṣaḥ means Hiraṇyākṣa.
When the two rival combatants, their bodies struck with the sharp clubs, increased their anger with the smell of flowing blood and made various movements with a desire to win, they appeared like two bulls fighting over a cow.
When the two combatants full of rivalry (spṛdhoḥ) increased in anger by the smell of blood flowing from their wounds, it appeared spectacular (vyabhāt), like the fighting of two enraged bulls for a cow (ilāyām). In this way the Lord and Hiraṇyākṣa fought over the earth. According to Amara-koṣa the word ilā means the earth, a cow, words or oblation.
O Vidura! Brahmā, surrounded by many sages, came to see the struggle between the combatants fighting for the earthbetween the Lord with the form of a boar, whose body is sacrifice and who had accepted his energy as his consort, and the demon.
The Lord had assumed the form of a boar with his consort who accepted him as her husband (māyā-gṛhīta). Jīva Gosvāmī explains the phrase as accepting this form by his mercy. Svarāt means Brahmā.
Seeing the fearful demon who had attained great power, opposing the Lord with insurmountable prowess, Brahmā, leader of a thousand sages, addressed the Lord with the form of the original boar.
The demon has assumed great power or intoxication (śauṇòīram). Brahmā was the leader thousands of sages (sahasra-nīḥ).
āgas-kṛd bhaya-kṛd duṣkṛd asmad-rāddha-varo suraḥ anveṣann apratiratho lokān aṭati kaṇṭakaḥ
Brahmā said: This demon is an offender to the devatās, to the devotees surrendered to your feet, to the brāhmaṇas, to the cows and to all sinless living beings. He causes fear and then attacks them. Having attained a boon from me, without a proper opponent, searching everywhere, he wanders the universe, giving trouble to all.
Without purpose he commits violence (āgas-kṛt). He gives fear (bhaya-kṛt) to those who try to prevent his sinful acts. Seeing that they are afraid, he kills them or takes their property (duskṛt).
O Lord! Do not play like a child with this demon, expert at magic, proud, uncontrollable, and wicked, just as Garuòa plays with a snake raising his hoods in anger.
Do not play with him like an ignorant person (bāla-vat). You are actually the crown jewel of knowledge. You are just like (yat) Garuòa playing with an enraged snake. Or do not play with him, since I consider him an enraged snake.
O infallible Lord! Before his demonic hour arrives and his cruel power increases, you, fixed in your own energy, should kill this sinful person.
Before his favorable time (svām velām) arrives, when his power increases, and you, though the Supreme Lord, cannot kill him, you should kill him. Though Brahmā is full of power and knowledge, out of prema he becomes unsteady with apprehension. Similarly, though Vasudeva and Devakī are full of power and knowledge they say samudvije bhavaddhetoḥ kaṁsād aham adhīḥ: I am trembling in fear from Kaṁśa for your safety. (SB 10.3.29)
The frightening twilight, the destroyer of all planets, is approaching. O Lord! Soul of all beings! Be victorious for the devatās.
Chambat-karī means destroyer.
The auspicious time of noon has almost passed. Quickly kill this demon for us, your friends, while a portion of this time remains.
Abhijit means noon time. The auspicious moment (mauhūrtikaḥ) has almost passed. While a portion of this time remains, quickly kill this evil person.
This demon has attained death as prescribed by you. After displaying prowess and killing him in the battlefield, bestow auspiciousness to the worlds.
The demon has attained death as ordained by you, who created this scene at the time of accepting the curse made by the Kumāras.
Thus ends the commentary on Eighteenth Chapter of the Third Canto of the Bhāgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous ācāryas
The Eighteenth Chapter describes a conversation between the demon and Varāha, Brahmās fear, and a battle using clubs. Hearing of a worthy opponent, and not considering Varuṇas words that he would lie down on the battlefield and that the Lord killed such demons as himself, since he thought that it was impossible he could be obstructed, proud and eager Hiraṇyākṣa searched for the Lord. Where can I find him? By chance he saw Nārada in the city and questioned him. From Nārada he learned where to go, and entered the Garbhodaka Ocean (rasātalam).