Lord Krishna, His Lilas and Teachings (Part III)
By
Sri Swami Sivananda
Om
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Contents
“ANANDA KUTIR”
RISHIKESH
!
10th April 1943
Sweet Self,Lord Krishna was the Purna Avatara with 16 Kalas. Every word of His teachings and every act of His was full of sublime object lessons of momentous import to humanity.
Study His teachings to Uddhava. Drink the nectar of Srimad Bhagavata. Sing His glories. Repeat His grand mantra OM Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya. Do total self-surrender unto Him. You will soon attain union with Him.
Sivananda
Ekasloki Bhagavatam
Part III
The Bhagavata Dharma
The Bhagavata Path
On a certain occasion the divine sage Narada visited Vasudeva, father of Sri Krishna. Vasudeva worshipped Narada and said, “O sage, please tell me of those Dharmas or righteous courses (Bhagavata Dharma) which please the Lord, and listening to which with faith and practising it sincerely a person can be freed from the never-ending, terrific wheel of births and deaths and attain everlasting bliss.”
Narada said: “O best among men, this resolve of yours to know Bhagavata Dharma (righteous action and knowledge) which purifies the whole universe is indeed highly to be praised. This Bhagavata Dharma, whether heard, studied, contemplated, followed or approved or appreciated would at once purify even those who have done the worst crimes. By Thee, the most auspicious and almighty Narayana, whose name heard or sung brings merit, is today called to my memory.
“I will try to give you an old story of a conversation between the great King of Videhas, Nimi and the nine sages, sons of Rishabha, in answer to your question.
“Svayambhuva Manu had a son Priyavrita. His son was Agnidhra, father of Nabhi. Nabhi’s son was Rishabha who was an Amsa of Narayana. He appeared on earth in order to teach the Dharmas leading to Moksha. He had a hundred sons who were all thoroughly versed in the Vedas and Brahma Vidya. The eldest of them was Bharata, a great devotee of the Lord, in honour of whom this land has been named Bharata Varsha. He reigned over the Bharata Khanda for some time and renounced the kingdom. He did Tapas and worshipped Hari and attained His region at the end of three lives.
“Nine of them became sages skilled in the practice of Brahma Vidya. Their names were Kavi, Hari, Antariksha, Prabuddha, Pippalayana, Avirhotra, Drumila, Chamasa and Karabhajana.
“They realised the universe, both subtle and gross, to be the Lord Himself and to be nothing different from their Self. Possessing the power of going uninterruptedly anywhere at any time, they travelled, desiring nothing, through the various worlds of the Devas, sages, Siddhas, Gandharvas, Kinnaras, Nagas, Charanas, Vidyadharas, etc.
“In the course of such travel, they came to the place where the glorious Nimi was performing a great sacrifice in the continent of Bharata.
“King Nimi duly worshipped them and offered them seats and said, ‘This human body is not easily attained by men. It would break down in a minute. It is difficult to meet those who are the devotees of Lord Hari. In this Samsara, association with the righteous and the sages even for half a minute is a great treasure to human beings. It therefore behoves me to take advantage of this opportunity and request you to teach me the secret that leads to everlasting good or the final beatitude. If you consider me fit to hear the same, teach me the ways and knowledge of righteousness (Bhagavata Dharma) by which the Lord of the universe would get easily propitiated and even grant Himself to His disciples.’“
Kavi Instructs
Kavi said: “The worship of the feet of Achyuta leads to everlasting good. The continuous contemplation and service to the lotus-like feet of Achyuta free a man, who is deluded by mistaking the worthless body for the pure Atman, from all fears. It teaches you to feel the consciousness of His Presence everywhere and in all things and attain bliss and freedom. Know perfectly those duties which please the Lord and lead to His realisation, which were taught by the Lord Himself for the realisation of Atman even to men of no learning. In following the path of Bhagavata Dharma one is not overcome by obstacles as in the path of Yoga. He may run along this path even with closed eyes without fear of losing his steps, without knowing where he goes and what he does. He will not fall again into the dark abyss of Samsara. A devotee who has attained the grace of the Lord never comes to grief.
“Whatever a man does by his physical organs, tongue, mind and other senses, by intellect or himself, by the instincts of Nature or Prakriti, he should resign everything as service to the Supreme Narayana. The secret of Bhagavata Dharma is thoroughly to renounce egoism, do everything as the servant of the Lord and trust oneself to His grace entirely. He should renounce the benefit or responsibility of all Karmas to the Lord only. Sincerity and faith in the Lord will enable you to realise His immanence.
“The consciousness of duality or sense of separation is the cause of all fear. The sense of duality makes the Jiva identify himself with the body and other unreal objects, strengthens the feeling of egoism or separation from the Lord, and makes one recede from the Lord and creates a forgetfulness or unconsciousness of one’s true Self. This is caused by the Maya of the Lord. The wise man therefore should become a true devotee of the Lord and trust himself entirely to the Lord’s grace and recognise the Lord as his friend, preceptor and the Lord. He who is removed from Isvara forgets the Lord. Then there is the wrong notion, ‘I am the body’. This is caused by the Maya of the Lord. Fear arises from devotion to the second. Therefore a wise man should worship the Lord only with unfailing or undying devotion, knowing his Guru to be one with the Lord and Atman. He should have sincere devotion to his Guru and the Lord.
“Though the world of differences does not really exist it appears to exist like dreams through the mind of man who thinks of it. Therefore, the wise man should control the mind which by its thoughts gives rise to the existence of the world and the difference of things. Constantly hearing the various acts of grace (Lilas) done by the Lord in His Avataras, singing aloud His praise and His gracious names, heedless of ridicule or censure, the devotee should live in this world without attachments.
“The devotee who serves the Lord constantly, and develops love to Him by singing the names of his beloved Hari, with his heart completely melting in devotion, laughs, weeps, sings and dances. His mind loses itself in ecstasy and becomes entirely oblivious of all external objects. He walks alone with the Lord and forgets the outside world.
“In the five Bhutas: sky, air, fire, water and earth, in the stars, planets, living animals, cardinal points, the trees, rivers, lakes or seas, and everywhere he sees the body of the Lord Hari and bows to it.
“He who worships the Lord in this way and who has resigned himself to Him, gets devotion, realisation of the Lord (Anubhava) and dispassion at one and the same time, just as by eating, one gets satisfaction (Tushti), Nutrition (Pushti), and relief from hunger, all at one and the same time. The Bhagavata ultimately attains supreme peace or Moksha, the highest state of bliss. He does not bear any ill-will to any creature. He is friendly to all. His mind is ever fixed at the lotus-like feet of the Lord. He is ever pure. He purifies the world with the dust of his feet like the rising sun.”
Hari Instructs
Nimi then asked: “What are the characteristics of a Bhagavata or devotee? What are the signs by which he is known? How does he behave towards others? How does he talk? What does he talk? How does he act? What are all the other characteristics by which he can be distinctly recognized in this world?”
Hari replied: “He is the highest devotee who sees his relation to all beings as being Brahman and all beings in his Self which is essentially Brahman. He who sees the Lord’s presence and image in every created object, animate or inanimate and who sees all created objects as portions of the Lord and himself is the perfect Bhagavata or the foremost one among the votaries of the Lord. He who beholds in all beings the Lord as in his own Self and beholds all beings in the Lord within himself, is the highest devotee.
“He who bears love and respect towards the Lord, friendship towards his dependents and other devotees, kindness towards the ignorant, and indifference towards his enemies and those who abuse the Lord is a middle class devotee.
“He who worships Hari as present only in the image and not in His devotees or other creatures is only a beginner. He who worships the Lord only in the temple but is not tolerant of the devotees of other forms and is not able to recognise the Lord’s presence everywhere is an elementary devotee.
“The highest devotee perceives the objects with his senses but does not feel either aversion or pleasure. He perceives this universe as the Maya of Vishnu.
“He is the highest devotee of the Lord who by the strength of his meditation on Hari is not affected by the changes of life viz., birth, death, hunger, thirst, fear, difficulties that affect the body, the organs, the breath, the mind and intellect. The perfect devotee knows that birth and death pertain to the body which is created by Karma, that hunger and thirst pertain to the Prana, that the mind creates a sense of separateness and egoism thereby causing fear and making the Jiva lose touch with the Lord in himself, that the intellect creates desire, avarice etc., that the senses create feelings of pleasure and pain. The perfect devotee dissociates himself from the above and always remains immersed in the memory of the Lord and recognises his unity with Him.
“He is the highest devotee in whose heart the seeds of desire and Karma are not found and to whom Vasudeva alone is the sole refuge. As he does the action as a servant of the Lord without egoism, as his mind ever abides in the Lord, his actions create no Karma and he is liberated from births and deaths.
“He is the favourite of Hari who has no attachment to the body, and claims no superiority by birth and deed, by caste, or order, or race.
“The highest devotion does not know ‘mine’ and ‘thine’ either in wealth or in body. He looks upon all beings with equal eyes. His mind is always tranquil.
“He is the highest devotee who will not forget the Lord even for the sake of the wealth of the three worlds and who will not forget even for half a minute or half a second the lotus-like feet of the Lord which are sought after by the gods and others who have not conquered their mind.
“How could any affliction arise in the heart of a devotee from which it is all removed by the moon-light of the gem-like finger-nails of the feet of the Lord which measured the universe in three steps? How could there be the heat of the sun when the moon has risen? Just as one never remembers the heat of the sun after the moon has risen and flooded the world with its cool rays, so the devotee who meditates on the lotus-like feet of the Lord, never again remembers the pains of Samsara, his desires having vanished never again to return.
“He is the greatest of all devotees whose heart is tied to the lotus-like feet of Hari by the cords of love and devotion. He is never left by Hari Himself who destroys all his sins even though He is unconsciously remembered by name.
“The name of the Lord, if uttered even unconsciously in pain or distress, by force of habit even, removes all sins. If such is the case, it can easily be understood that he is the highest devotee in whose heart the Lord ever dwells, rooted there by the cord of affection.”
Antariksha Instructs
(Power of Maya and worship of the Lord is described)
The king Nimi asked, “What is then this Maya of the Supreme Lord which deludes even the most intelligent and those who have gained the light of knowledge? Your words full of the wisdom of the Lord have a soothing and beneficent effect on me, who is scorched up in the fire of Samsara. I can never get tired of hearing the same. I am not satiated by drinking the nectar of your words which describe the glories of Hari, the medicine for that unbearable heat and suffering of this mundane existence.”
Antariksha said: “Maya of the Lord is that which causes the creation, preservation and dissolution of this universe. It is through Maya only that the Lord becomes many. It is the cause of Jiva’s erroneous idea that the pure Brahman which transcends the three Gunas is endowed with a body and subject to the sway of the Gunas.
“The first and Supreme Person, the Cause of all creation created out of these great Bhutas, all things great and small, so that the Jiva may realise himself to be none but Brahman.
“He then entered the Jivas and made them enjoy the Gunas. He is enthroned behind the mind and acts as the powerhouse from which the Jiva is able to function through the mind and the ten senses. The Lord Himself appears as the mind and the senses.
“The Jiva enjoys the sense objects through the senses illumined by the Antaryamin or Inner Ruler. He becomes attached to the body and objects. He thinks that this body is his own Self and identifies himself with the body. On account of egoism, he gets entangled in the never-ending whirl of births and deaths.
“He does many acts with the object of reaping the reward by means of the Karma Indriyas (organs of action) which have their roots in the acts of previous lives enjoys the fruits of the several Karmas by experiencing pleasure and pain.
“He gets immersed in the tide of Karma and passes through many bodies or lives in consequence of Karma and undergoes many countless miseries. He is subject to birth and death as long as creation lasts.
“When it is time for the dissolution of the universe, Time which is beginningless and endless withdraws the manifested world of substance and qualities into its cause Maya, or Moola Prakriti, or Avyaktam.
“There will be no rain for a hundred years. The sun with its fierce rays will burn the three worlds. The fire emanating from the mouth of Sankarsana from Patala or the lower region will with the help of the wind, burn everything in all directions.
“Then the clouds will pour down a torrent of rain for over a hundred years, each drop being as big as the trunk of an elephant and the universe will be drowned in water.
“Brahma will merge into the Avyakta Mula Prakriti like the fire when all fuel is consumed.
“Smell which is the property of earth is taken by the air and the earth melts into the water. Liquidity, which is the property of water, is taken away by the air, and water gets absorbed in the fire. Fire is deprived of its colour and it merges into the air. Air is deprived of its property of touch and it merges into the ether. After deprival of its property ether in turn merges in Prakriti. The senses, the mind and intellect with their presiding deities merge into the principle of Ahamkara which in its turn merges in Mahat Tattva.
“This Maya of the Lord is thus the cause of creation, preservation and destruction of the Universe. It consists of three Gunas. I have thus described to you the Maya of the Lord. What more would you like to hear, O king?”
Prabuddha Instructs How to Cross Maya
King Nimi asked, “O great sage! Please tell me, how can one whose mind is not controlled, and who is of dull understanding, easily cross over this Maya?”
The sage replied: “If you want to free yourself from misery and attain happiness, see that the man who leads a sensual life fails to escape from misery and to attain the desired good. One cannot get real lasting happiness from wealth. There is great difficulty in its acquisition. It brings always troubles, afflictions and miseries. There is no happiness in the possession of houses, children, friends and relatives and cattle which are all transient.
“Every man in this world devotes his energies for obtaining pleasure and avoiding pain. But in his endeavour, he always finds pain and toil while the much longed for pleasure is evanescent or illusory. He struggles hard to possess objects for himself, his wife and children; with the objects, his toils and responsibilities increase while the pleasure is only temporary or evanescent.
“The region obtained through Karma is also transient. It is subject to change and destruction. The pleasures of heaven acquired by good deeds in this world, are also similarly temporary and evanescent. The pleasures of heaven are not also unalloyed. Just as kings are afraid or become jealous of other kings more powerful than themselves, so also the Jiva while enjoying the pleasures of his Karma in heaven, becomes jealous of others enjoying equal or greater bliss than himself. He sees others expelled from Heaven at the end of their tenure which creates fear that his stay also might come to a similar end.
“Therefore the wise man who desires supreme bliss of Atman should approach a preceptor who has perfect calmness of mind, who is deeply versed in the Vedas and who has realised Para Brahman.
“He should serve the Guru obediently, attentively, and with sincerity and learn Bhagavata Dharma or duties of a devotee of the Lord from him. He should serve the Guru as his God, which is a sure way of pleasing the Lord of the universe and becoming fit for His grace.
“He should practise non-attachment and keep company with righteous and the wise. He must be kind and compassionate to his inferiors, friendly to his equals and respectful to his superiors.
“He should keep his mind and body pure and regulate his life by fixed rules. He must perform his own duties. He must have forgiveness and should not talk idly. He must study the sacred Vedas. He must observe straightforwardness, celibacy, innocence and equanimity under the opposite conditions of pain and pleasure, gain and loss etc. He must not do any harm to any being.
“Behold Atman and Isvara everywhere. Perceive the immanence of God in all objects. Free yourself from all connections. Do not bind yourself to your house. Have that which is easily got for your clothing. Have any food that is got by chance. Be content with anything and everything.
“Have faith in the Bhagavata Sastra, but do not blame or condemn any other Sastra. Control your mind, speech and actions. Speak the truth. Be calm. Discipline the senses.
“Hear, recite, sing and meditate on the deeds, qualities and Avataras of Hari. Let all your exertions be for Him only. Offer to the Supreme Lord your sacrificial activities, gifts, Tapas, Japa, virtuous deeds, even your wife, children, house and your very life also.
“Cherish friendly feelings towards the devotees who absolutely depend upon Sri Krishna as their Lord. Worship the Lord as present both in the moving and unmoving objects, in righteous and great men who have attained God-realisation.
“In the company of Bhagavatas, learn how to sing, interchange devotion and love, remind each other and speak to each other of the glory of the Lord, till your hairs stand on end, and sing and dance till you lose yourself in devout contemplation.
“The devotees who have abandoned the world sometimes weep, sometimes laugh, while contemplating on Hari. They talk about Him, sing of Him. Having realised Hari they remain silent and enjoy the bliss of the Lord.
“He who thus trains himself in the duties of Bhagavata Dharma and practises the duties with faith and devotion, develops devotion and becomes absolutely devoted to the Lord. He easily conquers the Lord’s Maya which is otherwise unconquerable.”
Pippalayana Instructs on the Nature of the Lord
Raja Nimi said: “Please explain to me the true nature and character of Paramatman, the Perfect Being called Narayana.”
Pippalayana said: “Narayana is the cause of creation, preservation and destruction of this universe. He is Himself without a cause. He exists in the three states of wakefulness, dream and deep sleep and also in other states as Narayana or Brahman the Eternal, or the Highest Truth. He is the power-house from which the body, senses, mind, intellect and Prana derive the force for their activities, and animated by Him alone, the body, the senses, the mind and the Prana exist and do their functions. Know Him, O king!
“Neither the mind nor speech, nor the eye nor intellect, nor Prana nor the senses comprehend It, just as the flying sparks from a glowing fire, or the flames cannot understand the fire from which they spring. Even the Vedas which spring from Brahman cannot define Brahman fully and directly. They only teach you to realise Brahman by negative epithets. Though the words are the means of knowing Brahman, though they explain His meaning, they cannot manifest Him at all. They present Him as an inference. This Atman must be admitted as Real Existence, because negative description even is impossible in the absence of real existence.
“Brahman shines as both the subtle cause and gross effect and also as that which is different from them and their cause, because it has diverse powers. Action and cause are manifest as Brahman, because Brahman of great and many powers is the cause of action and cause. The Prakriti or Maya which was one in the beginning before the creation, divided into the three qualities viz., Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. It became Sutra or the thread by the energy of action. It became Mahat by the energy of understanding. Then it became the Jivatman through Ahamkara. Brahman also shines as deities, the senses, the functions, the objects, pleasure or pain, and others.
“This Brahman never was born and never dies. He neither grows nor decays, because He is the Witness of the various states of all objects which are subject to birth and destruction. He is the Witness and Knower of the different states that affect the bodies, such as birth, growth, modification or change, decay, death etc. He is the one and the same conscious factor in the stages of childhood, youth, old age etc. He is an unchanging, undecaying, ever constant, self-luminous, pure consciousness. He exists always and everywhere as the mere indestructible consciousness or knowledge; yet like Prana the one real consciousness is perceived as many under the influence of the senses.
“Life pursues the Jiva through his various relations of wakefulness and dreams, whether in eggs or in the wombs or in the trees or in the drops of sweat. But when the action of the senses and egoism disappear, the Jiva attains his essential Satchidananda state which is free from any change, because his subtle body, the basis for attachment, affections, likes and dislikes does not exist. The only evidence of the existence of Brahman or Atman is the recollection or memory of bliss which you enjoyed in deep sleep when you have risen from sleep.
“When the senses and egoism vanish, the Jiva rests peacefully in the Kutastha Brahman in deep sleep. It is often said that this deep sleep is a vacant state or vacuum or a negative state. This is a mistake. The man who rises from deep sleep invariably says, “I enjoyed sound sleep.” This goes to prove that in sound sleep also, there was a factor, Sakshi or silent witness in him, which enjoyed bliss and was ignorant of the cause of such bliss. From this experience of sleep you can understand clearly that the real nature of the Jiva is bliss and that he is unable to realise it, because his mind and senses lead him astray outwardly in a wild-goose chase.
“Every feeling of pain is caused by sense of egoism or separateness from the Lord. This feeling of separateness is an illusion. You should try to conquer this illusion or idea of separateness. When once the feeling of egoism is lost, you will realise the bliss-of your essential divine nature.
“When a man destroys the impurities of his mind such as desire, attachment, egoism etc., caused by qualities and actions (Guna and Karma), by great devotion due to the desire of obtaining the feet of Lord Hari, the true nature of Atman is directly revealed to the clear eyes.”
Avirhotra Instructs on Karma Yoga
The King Nimi said: “Please explain to me Karma Yoga by which, being purified, a man can soon free himself from Karma and attain the supreme knowledge of the Self, which is possible only when he withdraws himself from the association from all objects and the course of active duties. Formerly, before my father Ikshvaku, I put this question to Brahma’s son Sanaka and others, but they did not answer it. Please tell me the cause of their silence.”
Thereupon Avirhotra said: “There are three distinctions in Karma (l) Karma, the performance of necessary acts or duties, (2) Akarma, inaction and (3) Vikarma, wrong action. This division is according to the words of the Vedas. It is not a mere worldly talk. As the Vedas emanate from the Lord, they are mandates that should be implicitly obeyed. They are not like worldly affairs subject to discussion or argument. Even learned men are perplexed with regard to the duties enjoined by the Vedas.
“As Karma is a great secret and a philosophy in itself the sons of Brahma did not give a reply to your question as you were very young and as you could not understand the philosophy of Karma and its secrets.
“The Vedas contain a code of directions for the young. The Vedas mean something different from what the words superficially denote. Just as a father offers his boy some reward in the shape of sweetmeat to induce him to take a doze of bitter mixture, so also the Vedas offer reward of heaven in order to induce the Jiva towards virtuous action. The various courses of duties are like medicines enjoined upon man for his freedom from the consequences of action.
“That ignorant man who fails to control his senses and neglects to do his prescribed duties which are laid down in the Vedas is led to do evil actions and he repeatedly becomes subject to birth and death on account of impiety for the non-performance of prescribed duties.
“He who actually performs his proscribed duties, which are enjoined upon him by the Vedas without attachment and egoism, and offers his works and fruits to the Supreme Lord, attains to that state or Moksha, in which actions and its effects do not affect him. The promise of fruits in the Vedas is intended to create interest in the actions and to urge man to do actions.
“He who wishes to cut soon the knot of the heart (Hridaya Granthi), which consists of ignorance, egoism, desire and Karma may also, by the aid of Tantric rites, worship the Lord in the ordained methods.
“He should first obtain the grace of his preceptor and follow the mode of worship pointed out by him. Then he should worship the supreme Purusha through any image which he heartily likes and which is most congenial to his mind.
“He should observe the rules of cleanliness and sit facing the idol or the object of worship. He should purify the body by the control of breath and other practices. Thereafter he should adore Sri Hari.
“He should purify the flowers and other articles, the ground, the image and his own Self. He should sprinkle the seat with water and should worship with whichever articles he could get for this purpose.
“He should arrange vessels for keeping water to wash feet and other things. He should perform the preliminary rites of washing the feet, giving water for Achamana. He should meditate on the Lord in the heart with the principal Mantra. Thereafter he should invoke Him on the image, whom he adored in his mind with concentration.
“He should worship the Lord offering Padya, Arghya, Achamana, ablution, clothes and ornaments. He should offer sandal, flowers, Akshatas, garlands, incense, lights, edibles etc. He should sing His praises and prostrate himself before Hari.
“He should meditate himself to be one with the Lord and worship the form of Hari. He should take the remnants of the offerings and wear the flowers etc., on his head. He should keep the image in the proper place and finish the worship. In the end, he should contemplate that the Lord is taking rest in His own place.
“He who thus worships Hari, the Paramatman as present in fire, the sun, water and the like, in the guest and in his own heart, soon attains the final liberation and eternal bliss.”
Drumila, the Son of Jayanti Describes the Lord’s Avataras
King Nimi said: “O sage! Please describe to me the various past, present and future incarnations (Avataras) of Lord Hari. Please tell me also of those various deeds which in His several Avataras at His own will, Hari did, is doing and will do.”
Drumila said: “Whoever wishes to count, the endless qualities of the Lord is not prudent. He is a man of childish understanding. Rather it is possible to count in a very long time the particles of dust of the earth, but it is impossible to reckon the excellent attributes of the Omnipotent Lord, the source of endless energies and His deeds.
“The foremost God, Narayana created the egg of the universe called Virat with the five elements created by Himself, and entered it by an Amsa or portion. Then He was called Purusha.
“The three worlds constitute His body. The organs of action and knowledge originate from His organs. He is the sustaining force that enables the Jnana and Karma Indriyas of all the Jivas to function. He is consciousness by Himself. He is the source of all energy and force. His breath or Prana is the source of the strength and activity of the world. He is the first author of creation, sustenance and destruction of the universe through Sattva, Rajas and Tamas.
“In the beginning that first and perfect Purusha became Brahman in association with Rajas for the creation of this universe. He became Vishnu in association with Sattva for its maintenance. Vishnu is the Lord of sacrifice. He is the mainstay of the twice-born and virtue. He became Rudra in association with Tamas for the dissolution of the universe. This is the eternal course of origin, subsistence, and destruction of creatures.
“The Lord incarnated as Nara and Narayana, foremost among sages, having tranquillity of mind. They were born in the womb of Murti, daughter of Daksha and wife of Dharma. The object of the incarnation was to teach by precept and example the performance of duty without desire for reward and to expound the nature of Atman and the knowledge of the Self by which the fetters of Karma are removed. They are still doing penance and are worshipped by the sages of the three worlds.
“Indra was very much afraid when he came to know that Narayana was doing severe austerities at Badrikashrama. He thought that Narayana was aiming to get his exalted position. Indra was not aware of the greatness of the sage Narayana. He sent Cupid with his followers, spring, cool breeze and Apsaras to disturb His penance. The darts of Cupid, the attraction and glances of the celestial women fell on the sage.
“The sage Narayana knew that this was the work of Indra. He smiled and said to Cupid, Vayu and the Apsaras who were trembling with fear, ‘There is no cause for any fear here. You are rare guests. You have certainly graced our lonely hermitage. Therefore please accept our hospitality. Make our hermitage worthy of its existence.’
“O King Nimi! When the Lord promised safety and spoke thus, the gods with their heads bent down in shame said to Narayana, ‘O Lord! This grace towards us is nothing unusual in Thee, O Lord! Thou art subject to no change. Thy lotus-like feet are worshipped by hosts of sages who take delight in Self-realisation.’
“The gods said: ‘Those who worship Thee meet with many obstacles produced by the gods, because they are intent upon going beyond the celestial regions to attain Thy supreme abode.
“‘But the gods do not put any obstacle on those who pour into the fire the offerings which are their shares. When thou chosest to protect Thy devotees, Thou removest all obstacles. Thy devotees are protected by Thy grace and they overcome the various obstacles caused by the Devas.
“‘Some persons who get over the bondage of the ocean like hunger, thirst, heat, cold, the cravings of tongue, touch and the enjoyment of senses, come under the sway of useless anger and are drowned in a pit made by a cow’s hoof. They uselessly forsake the merit of their very hard Tapas.’
“While they were thus praising His qualities, the Lord Narayana, created various beautiful, radiant and fully adorned ladies for attending to the comforts of the guests. He wanted to humiliate their pride also.
“The Apsaras, whose beauty has dimmed by contrast to these new creations who were shining like Lakshmi, were lost in bewilderment at their lustre and fragrance. Then the Almighty Lord smilingly said to the humbled deities, ‘Choose as an ornament to Svarga one of these who is beautiful like you.’
“The Devas accepted the command, bowed their heads in silence and worshipped the Lord. They chose Urvasi, foremost among the Apsaras and returned to Svarga with her.
“They bowed to Indra and described the superior power of Narayana. All the Devas listened to it. Indra trembled in amazement when he heard this.
“The Lord appeared as a swan and taught Jnana Yoga to Sanaka and others. He incarnated as Datta and gave instructions to Yadu. Then again He incarnated as Kumara and taught Atma Jnana to Narada. He was born as our father, the glorious Rishaba. He again took an Avatara as Hayagreeva (horse) for the good of the world. He destroyed the demon Madhu Daitya who had stolen the Vedas and recovered them.
“In His incarnation as fish (Matsyavatara) he protected Manu, Ila, the earth and all herbs from danger. In His incarnation as a boar (Varaha Avatar) He killed Hiranyaksha while he was rising up the earth from the water. In His incarnation as a tortoise (Kurma Avatara), He bore the mountain on His back, when the Devas and Asuras churned the ocean for taking nectar. He released the distressed elephant chief (Gajendra) from the mouth of a crocodile.
“He saved the Rishis (Valakhilyas) when they were in danger of being drowned in the sea. He saved Indra from the sin caused by slaying Vritra, a Brahmin. He released the celestial damsels who had been helplessly shut up in the Asura’s house. He again incarnated as the man-lion (Narasimha-Avatara) to kill Hiranyakasipu and release the Devas from captivity.
“For the sake of the gods the Lord killed the great Daityas in the war between them. He protected the worlds by His Avataras during Manvantaras. He assumed the form of a dwarf (Vamana Avatara) and under the pretext of begging, took away this earth from the Daitya King Bali and gave it to the sons of Aditi.
“He incarnated as Parasurama, the fire of the Bhargava race for the destruction of the Haihayas. He extirpated the Kshatriyas twenty-one times. He incarnated as Rama, the Lord of Sita, constructed a dam across the sea and killed the ten-headed Rakshasa king of Lanka named Ravana. The mention of his name is enough to cleanse the world of sin.
“Thereafter He will be born in the race of Yadus for relieving the earth of her burden. He will perform many deeds which even the gods cannot do. He will by his arguments delude those who, being unworthy of it, perform sacrificial rites. Then in the Kaliyuga, He will slay the Sudra kings.
“O great king of Mighty arms! Countless births and actions of the highly illustrious Narayana have been described.”
Chamasa Instructs
The king said: “O sages, the foremost among those who have realised Paramatman! What will be the condition of those who do not worship Lord Hari, whose desires are endless and who have no control over their mind and senses?”
Chamasa replied: “The four castes and Ashramas originated from the four parts of the Lord viz., face, arms, thigh, and leg with, their appropriate qualities. They are distinctly divided into Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas and Sudras according as they are characterised Sattva, Rajas, Tamas or their combinations, by the serenity of mind and other qualities.
“Of these, those who do not through ignorance adore the Lord, the very source of their own creation, or disregard Him, fall from their place and go down to hell.
“Those persons who are far away from hearing the descriptions of Hari and singing His excellent attributes, such as women, Sudras and others are fit to be pitied by sages like yourself. They should be provided with the necessary instructions by kings like you. They also will attain Moksha.
“Although the Brahmins, the Kshatriyas and the Vaishyas are entitled to approach Hari’s feet through birth and the ceremony of wearing sacred thread and study of Vedas, they are deluded by the disquisitions of the Vedas or the promise in the Vedas various fruits of an evanescent nature.
“They have no real knowledge of the course of Karma laid down in the Vedas. They fancy that they are scholars and become conceited. In reality they are thoroughly ignorant. They indulge in vain, silly talks and obstinate discussions over trifles and ceremonials. They are attracted by the honeyed words of Karma Kanda which describes the fruits that are only transient.
“Those who are under the sway of Rajas are cruel. They are passionate and addicted to sensual pleasures. They are revengeful like serpents. They are characterised by hypocrisy and pride. They ridicule the pious who are devoted to Hari.
“They indulge in sexual life. They worship women in their houses. They are attached to women. They speak to one another of their respective well-being. They perform sacrifices without giving food or Guru Dakshina and without following the prescribed rules. They perform sacrifices without understanding their real nature. They kill animals to satisfy their palate and appetite without knowing the consequences thereof.
“Those wicked men are puffed up with the pride of wealth, power, noble birth and false learning, gifts, beauty, strength and ability for action. Being blinded by their pride they despise the Lord and His devotees.
“Those ignorant persons do not pay any attention to the Vedas which bespeak about the glory of the Supreme Lord, who is the Inner Ruler of all beings, and who is like ether present everywhere. They fail to grasp the true spirit of the Vedas and distort the texts to suit their own ends, wishes and fancies and interpret them in their own way in order to serve their purpose.
“To associate with females, to take meat and drink liquor are natural to men. No rule enjoins them to do so. Some check is provided by the Sastras over these tendencies by marriage and sacrifices. To go to a woman in marriage, to slay animals in sacrifice and to drink in the Suragriha ceremony, are sanctioned by scriptures, but to turn them away from these completely which is the real intention of the Sastras. As it is difficult to wean the mind from these all on a sudden, the Sastras say, ‘Take flesh in a sacrifice. Drink in the Suragriha ceremony etc.’
“People do not perceive that the sole, proper use of wealth is to acquire righteousness, and by righteousness, knowledge and tranquillity. They waste their wealth in selfish and sensual desires and do not see that they are at any time within the grasp of death which hovers all around them.
“In particular actions, the smell of wine is sanctioned. The sacrifice of an animal for the adoration of the deities is sanctioned, but not for satisfying the tongue. There is no sanction in the Sastras to take meat. To visit one’s wife at the Ritu time for the sake of an issue is sanctioned, but not for pleasure; but people do not understand this pure course of their righteous duties.
“The animals which an ignorant, wicked, haughty, proud and impious man slays for satisfying his palate, devour him in hell.
“They hate Lord Hari who is their own Antaryamin or Inner Ruler and Atman in the other bodies. They are attached to their own bodies and the bodies of their children, and others. Therefore they fall into deepest hell.
“Those who have not attained knowledge of the Self and have full faith in Dharma-Artha-Kama only, who believe that the body and its belongings are permanent, annihilate their own Self.
“They indulge in sensual pleasures. Their desires never get appeased. They kill their own self and consider ignorance as wisdom. In time they get disappointed in their desires. Their objects get frustrated and they become miserable when they become unsuccessful.
“Those people who disregard Vaasudeva are snatched away by death in the midst of their desires all of a sudden from their family. They are forced to give up their houses, children, friends and wealth which they accumulated with great pain and trouble. They are reluctantly thrown into the hell of darkness.”
Karabhajana Instructs
The king Nimi said: “By what name and form and with what rites is the Lord worshipped in the different Yugas? Please tell me of the same.”
Karabhajana said: “O king, in the four ages of Satya (Krita), Treta, Dvapara and Kali, Narayana is worshipped in diverse ways as having personalities of different hues, names, forms and orders.
“In Satya Yuga the Lord is of white complexion. He has four arms, wears matted locks, bark and deer skin, and the sacred thread and holds Rudraksha, staff and Kamandalu.
“In that age men are tranquil in mind, have no feeling of enmity or hatred. All are friends and equals. They propitiate the Lord by their penance, meditation and control of mind and the senses.
“In this age the Lord is styled as Swan (Hamsa), Suparna, Vaikunta, Dharma, Yogesvara, Amala (pure), Isvara, Purusha, Avyakta (unmanifest) and Paramatman.
“In the Treta age He is blood-red, four armed, has three lines on his forehead and golden locks. The Lord, who is the one purport of the Vedas is an embodiment of the sacrificed. He is worshipped as the Lord of sacrifices. Sruk (chaplet) and Sruva (ladle) are His special marks.
“In that age men adore the Lord Hari who is in the form of all the gods with the help of the Vedas. They observe rigidly the course of righteousness, read and expound the Vedas. They propitiate Him by sacrifices, imagining Him in all Devas. In this age, the Lord Hari is styled as Vishnu, Yajna, Prisnigarbha (the son of Prisni), Sarvadeva Uru Krama, Vrishakapi, Jayanta and Urugaya.
“In the age of Dvapara the Lord is dark-blue, is clad in yellow silk and is marked with His own weapons and distinguished with special marks such as Srivatsa. O king! In that age, being desirous of realising Para Brahman the mortals worship Him as the great king according to the rules of the Vedas and Tantra.
“Salutations unto Thee, the Vasudeva; salutations unto Sankarshana; salutations unto Thee who are the Divine Pradyumna and Aniruddha. Salutations unto Narayana, the Almighty One, the Rishi, the Perfect Purusha, the All-pervading great Atman, the Ruler of the universe, the Perfect One; salutations to the Antaryamin of all beings, the soul of all creatures, the Lord of the universe. In this manner O king! In the Dvapara, the mortals praise the Lord of the universe.
“Hear how in Kali they worship Him by various ways laid down in Tantras. The wise sing His glories adore Him who is black, yet brilliant, perfect in every limb, adorned with ornaments, equipped with His weapons and waited on by His attendants.
“O most exalted Purusha, O protector of those who bow to Thee, I bow to Thy lotus-feet which are ever worthy of being meditated upon, which remove all difficulties, which yield all that is wished for, which are the abode of all piety, which are eulogised by Siva and Brahma, which are fit to be sought for refuge, which destroy the afflictions of Thy devoted servants and which form the raft in the sea of Samsara.
“O most exalted Purusha! I bow to Thy lotus feet. Thou art highly pious, because abandoning at the mere words of Thy father the prosperous kingdom which it is hard to renounce and which is coveted even by the gods, thou didst enter the forest and there didst thou pursue the illusory deer at the request of Thy beloved one.
“Thus, O king Nimi! The Lord, the source of all good, is worshipped by his devotees in the different Yugas in the manner appropriate to each Yuga as above mentioned.
“The wise who can discern the good in each of the various Yugas hold the Kali Yuga in high reverence, for in this age mortals attain Self-realisation by merely uttering the names of the Lord and by mere singing His glories.
“To mortals, wading through a never-ending journey of births and deaths, there is no greater gain than their Self-realisation, which gives tranquillity of mind or eternal rest and freedom from the fetters of the world.
“The people of the Krita Yuga desire rebirth in the Kali Yuga, because they can attain Moksha by merely singing the names of Lord Hari. Therefore in the age of Kali many who are devoted to Narayana will be born.
“O king, a great many people of Dravida where flows the rivers Tamraparni, Kritamala, Payasvini, Kaveri, Pratichi and Mahanadi, who drink the water of these rivers, generally become devoted to the Lord.
“O king Nimi! That devotee, who has absolutely abandoned all other duties, who has sought refuge with body, mind, and soul at the feet of Mukunda, the protector of His devotees, who is worthy of being sought after, is neither a slave nor a debtor to the deities, Rishis or other beings, relations or men or Pitris.
“If a beloved devotee resorts to the feet of the Lord without attraction for anything else and resigns all desires, if he commits sins by force of circumstances, error of discretion or otherwise, or if he does prescribed actions by mistake, Lord Hari who is present in the heart of His beloved devotee, redeems him from all sins that he might have acquired by chance.”
Narada said, “O Vasudeva! King Nimi having heard Bhagavata Dharma from the nine Yogis, worshipped the sages with the priests and others who had assembled at the sacrifice.
“The sages then disappeared while they were all looking on. The king followed their instructions and attained the highest goal or supreme bliss.
“If you will also sincerely follow the above Bhagavata Dharma with faith and lead your life free from all attachment you will also attain the highest goal.
“Both of you, Vasudeva and Devaki have indeed attained everlasting fame, as Lord Hari was born as your son.
“Having cherished the love of a son towards Sri Krishna, you have purified yourselves by means of sight, embraces, conversations, sleeping together, sitting and feeding and other services.
“When Sisupala, Poundraka, Salva and other kings attain union with Lord Krishna by thinking Him only with feelings of hatred while lying down, sitting up, eating or in any other state, what to speak of them who are always devoted unto Him?
“Do not consider Krishna, the Antaryamin or the Inner Ruler, the Supreme Lord of six sorts of wealth, who is subject to no decay, whose supreme divine nature is hidden behind the mortal form He has assumed at His will, the Lord of the universe, as your son.
“He has incarnated on this earth to destroy the demoniac kings who were a burden on this earth and to protect the righteous. He is playing like a mortal hiding his supreme powers. His fame for the liberation of men, is spreading all over.”
“He who reads the above instructions of the nine sages as described by Narada to Vasudeva with sincerity and devotion, he who commits the sacred story to memory will shake off his sin here, will have his mind purified and attain everlasting bliss. He will be released from the illusion of the world and attain to final liberation. He shall attain the state of Brahman.”
Om Santi Santi Santi
Hari Om Tat Sat.
Appendix
Sri Krishnacarnamritam
l:s:dÏb:haüp:iRö
l:el:t:l:el:t:sm:ðrv:dn:ö
B:Òm:t#iRap:aög:ö )N:t:j:n:t:aen:v:àüet:p:dm:Î .
n:v:aöB::ðdSy:am:ö en:j:m:D:Øerm:aB::ðg:B:ert:ö
p:rö dðv:ö v:ndð p:erem:el:t:kóS::ðrkrs:m:Î .. 1..
lasadbarhàpãóaü
lalitalalitasmeravadanaü
bhramatkrãóàpàügaü praõatajanatànirvçtipadam |
navàübhoda÷yàmaü nijamadhurimàbhogabharitaü
paraü devaü vande parimilitakai÷orakarasam || 1 ||
1. I adore that Supreme Lord Krishna who has adorned Himself with the crown bedecked with the feathers of the peacock, whose face is full of smiles of love, whose eyes pour down a shower of merciful looks, whose body has the colour of the thick clouds (of the rainy day), who is with the sweet innocent beauty of adolescence, who is full of Madhurya Rasa (divine love or Prema) and who bestows immortality and frees from Samsara those who prostrate at His lotus-feet.
m:n:es: m:m: s:eÀD:¶:aö
m:D:Ørm:ØK:a m:nT:rap:aög:a .
krkel:t:l:el:t:v:öS:a kaep: ekS::ðrkáp:al:hri .. 2..
manasi mama
sannidhattàü madhuramukhà mantharàpàügà |
karakalitalalitavaü÷à kàpi ki÷orakçpàlaharã || 2 ||
2. May that glowing face of the Lord full of grace, whose beauty is indescribable, that young boy (Krishna) with His beautiful flute in hand, ever shine in my heart.
s:aD:ü
s:m:à¹òrm:àt:ay:m:an:òraDm:ay:m:an:òm:Øürl:ien:n:adòH .
m:ÜD:aüeB:e\:Vt:ö m:D:Ørakát:in:aö b:al:ö kda n:am: ev:l::ðkey:\y:ð
.. 3..
sàrdha
samçddhairamçtàyamànairàdhmàyamànairmuralãninàdaiþ |
mårdhàbhiùiktaü madhuràkçtãnàü bàlaü kadà nàma vilokayiùye || 3
||
3. When shall I be able to behold that young boy who is an embodiment of beauty, who plays very skilfully on His flute and produces scientific and melodious tunes from it, which is pleasing to the ears and which bestows immortality?
Kunti’s Prayer
(Bhagavata: Skandha 1, Ch. 8)
n:m:sy:ð p:Ø,\:ö
tv:a||½m:iÃ:rö )kát:ðH p:rm:Î .
Al:xy:ö m:v:üB:Üt:an:am:nt:b:üehrv:esT:t:m:Î .. 1..
namasye puruùaü
tvà.a.adyamã÷varaü prakçteþ param |
alakùyaü marvabhåtànàmantarbahiravasthitam || 1 ||
1. I adore Thee, the perfect Primeval Being, the Lord of all, who is above Prakriti, the unperceived, seated within and without every creature.
m:ay:aj:v:en:kacCÀm:waD::ðx:j:m:vy:y:m:Î
.
n: l:xy:s:ð m:ÜZdáS:a n:X:ð n:a®D:r:ð y:T:a .. 2..
màyàjavanikàcchannamaj¤àdhokùajamavyayam
|
na lakùyase måóhadç÷à naño nàñyadharo yathà || 2 ||
2. How can I, an ignorant woman, worship Thee, the Imperishable Being, who art hidden behind the veil of Maya! Just as an actor does not identify himself with the act he plays, even so the ignorant worldly-minded does not perceive Thee.
t:T:a p:rm:hös:an:aö
m:Øn:in:am:m:l:atm:n:am:Î .
B:eVt:y::ðg:ev:D:an:aT:üö kT:ö p:Sy:ðm: es*:y:H .. 3..
tathà
paramahaüsànàü munãnàmamalàtmanàm |
bhaktiyogavidhànàrthaü kathaü pa÷yema striyaþ || 3 ||
3. Thou art hardly seen even by the pure-minded Paramahamsas (sages). How could then we, women, follow Thy path of devotion and behold Thee?
ká\N:ay: v:as:Ødðv:ay:
dðv:kin:ndn:ay: c: .
n:ndg::ðp:kÙm:aray: g::ðev:nday: n:m::ð n:m:H .. 4..
kçùõàya
vàsudevàya devakãnandanàya ca |
nandagopakumàràya govindàya namo namaþ || 4 ||
4. I bow again and again unto Sri Krishna, Vasudeva, the joy of Devaki, the beloved darling of Nandagopa and unto Govinda (the protector of cows).
n:m:H p:¢j:n:aB:ay: n:m:H
p:¢j:m:ael:n:ð .
n:m:H p:¢j:n:ð*:ay: n:m:st:ð p:¢j:a{ÏG:Òy:ð .. 5..
namaþ
païkajanàbhàya namaþ païkajamàline |
namaþ païkajanetràya namaste païkajàïghraye || 5 ||
5. Prostrations unto Thee who hast the lotus in Thy navel, prostrations unto Thee who weareth a garland of lotus flowers, salutations unto Thee with lotus-like eyes and whose feet resemble the beautiful lotuses.
ev:p:dH s:nt:Ø n:H S:Ã:¶:*:
t:*: j:g:dÏg:Ør:ð .
B:v:t::ð dS:ün:ö y:tsy:adp:Øn:B:üv:dS:ün:m:Î .. 6..
vipadaþ santu
naþ ÷a÷vattatra tatra jagadguro |
bhavato dar÷anaü yatsyàdapunarbhavadar÷anam || 6 ||
6. May calamities befall us, now and then, O Teacher of the world, whereby we shall be blessed with a sight of Thee which causes immortality.
j:nm:òÃ:y:üÂ:Øt:Â:ieB:rðD:m:an:m:dH
p:Øm:an:Î .
n:òv:ahüty:eB:D:at:Øö v:ò tv:am:ekWc:n:g::ðc:rm:Î .. 7..
janmai÷varya÷ruta÷rãbhiredhamànamadaþ
pumàn |
naivàrhatyabhidhàtuü vai tvàmaki¤canagocaram || 7 ||
7. The man whose vision is clouded by the pride of birth, wealth, learning and good fortune is not fit even to praise Thee who art easily attainable by the poor and the sinless.
n:m::ð|ekWc:n:ev:¶:ay:
en:v:à¶:g:ØN:v:à¶:y:ð .
A:tm:aram:ay: S:ant:ay: kóv:ly:p:t:y:ð n:m:H .. 8..
namo.aki¤canavittàya
nivçttaguõavçttaye |
àtmàràmàya ÷àntàya kaivalyapataye namaþ || 8 ||
8. I bow to Thee, the wealth of the poor, who art not affected by the three qualities of Maya. I worship Thee, who delight always in Thy own Self, who is peace and the Lord of Moksha.
m:ny:ð tv:aö
kal:m:iS:an:m:n:aeden:D:n:ö ev:B:Øm:Î .
s:m:ö c:rnt:ö s:v:ü*: B:Üt:an:aö y:enm:T:H kel:H .. 9..
manye tvàü
kàlamã÷ànamanàdinidhanaü vibhum |
samaü carantaü sarvatra bhåtànàü yanmithaþ kaliþ || 9 ||
9. Thou art the Kaala, the Ruler of all, the one without beginning or end, moving everywhere equally. Unrest is only in the elements. (There is none in Thee).
n: v:ðd
keÁ:»g:v:öeÁ:kie\:üt:ö
t:v:ðhm:an:sy: n:àN:aö ev:Rmb:n:m:Î .
n: y:sy: keÁ:¸ey:t::ð|est: kehüec:dÏ
¾ð\y:Á: y:esm:n:Î ev:\:m:a m:et:n:àüN:am:Î .. 10..
na veda
ka÷cidbhagavaü÷cikãrùitaü
tavehamànasya nçõàü vióambanam |
na yasya ka÷ciddayito.asti karhicid
dveùya÷ca yasmin viùamà matirnçõàm || 10 ||
10. No one knows, O Lord, what Thou art about to do, Thou who behavest like an ordinary man. For Thee there is none too dear nor hateful. Different men think differently of Thee.
Prahlada’s Prayer
(Bhagavata: Skandha VII, Ch. 9)
b:ÒÉady:H s:Ørg:N:a
m:Øn:y::ð|T: es:¹aH .
s:¶v:òkt:an:m:t:y::ð v:c:s:aö )v:ahòH .
n:araeD:t:Øö p:Ø,g:ØN:òrD:Øn:aep: ep:)ØH
ekö t::ðÄÙm:hüet: s: m:ð her,g:Òj:at:ðH .. 1..
brahmàdayaþ
suragaõà munayo.atha siddhàþ |
sattvaikatànamatayo vacasàü pravàhaiþ |
nàràdhituü puruguõairadhunàpi pipruþ
kiü toùñumarhati sa me harirugrajàteþ || 1 ||
1. How is it possible for me, born of a cruel race, to praise that Hari whom Brahma and other gods including sages and Siddhas with their mind full of Sattva are unable even now to propitiate with their streams of prayers, engaged in the praise of His excellent qualities?
m:ny:ð
D:n:aeB:j:n:-p:t:p:HÂ:Øt::òj:-
st:ðj:H )B:av:b:l:p::ò,\:b:Øe¹y::ðg:aH .
n:araD:n:ay: eh B:v:ent: p:rsy: p:Øös::ð
B:Vty:a t:Øt::ð\: B:g:v:an:Î g:j:y:ÜT:p:ay: .. 2..
manye
dhanàbhijanaråpatapaþ÷rutauja-
stejaþ prabhàvabalapauruùabuddhiyogàþ |
nàràdhanàya hi bhavanti parasya puüso
bhaktyà tutoùa bhagavàn gajayåthapàya || 2 ||
2. I consider that wealth, high birth, personal beauty, austerities, learning, energy, wisdom and even Yoga practices are incapable of winning the grace of the Lord Hari who was pleased with the great elephant for his mere devotion.
ev:)adÏe¾\:RÏg:ØN:y:Øt:adrev:ndn:aB:-
p:adarev:ndev:m:ØK:at:ÎÃ:p:c:ö v:erÅm:Î .
m:ny:ð t:dep:üt:m:n::ðv:c:n:ðeht:aT:ü-
)aN:ö p:Øn:aet: s: kÙl:ö n: t:Ø B:Üerm:an:H
.. 3..
vipràddviùaóguõayutàdaravindanàbha-
pàdàravindavimukhàt÷vapacaü variùñham |
manye tadarpitamanovacanehitàrtha-
pràõaü punàti sa kulaü na tu bhårimànaþ || 3 ||
3. A Chandala who has resigned his body, speech and action, wealth and life to the Lord is far better than a Brahmin with the twelve favourable conditions and yet averse to the contemplation of the lotus-like feet of Lord Hari. The former purifies the whole of his race but not the Brahmin full of pride.
n:òv:atm:n:H )B:Øry:ö
en:j:l:aB:p:ÜN::ðü
m:an:ö j:n:adev:dÙ\:H k,N::ð v:àN:it:ð .
y:½jj:n::ð B:g:v:t:ð ev:dD:it: m:an:ö
t:cc:atm:n:ð )et:m:ØK:sy: y:T:a m:ØK:Â:iH .. 4..
naivàtmanaþ
prabhurayaü nijalàbhapårõo
mànaü janàdaviduùaþ karuõo vçõãte |
yadyajjano bhagavate vidadhãta mànaü
taccàtmane pratimukhasya yathà mukha÷rãþ || 4 ||
4. The Lord who is ever contented in His own Self does not crave for the worship offered by little creatures of small intellect. But out of mercy and compassion He accepts whatever is offered unto Him which turns to his own benefit, just as the decoration or grace added to one’s own face is seen reflected in the image on the mirror.
n:ahö ev:B:ðmy:ej:t:
t:ð|et:B:y:an:kasy:-
ej:Íakýn:ð*:B:ÒØkÙXirB:s::ðg:Òdö\XÕat:Î
.
A:n*:+j:H x:t:j:kñs:rS:¢ÛkN:aü-
eÀËaüdB:it:edeg:B:adereB:ÀK:ag:Òat:Î .. 5..
nàhaü
vibhemyajita te.atibhayànakàsya-
jihvàrkanetrabhrukuñãrabhasogradaüùñràt |
àntrasrajaþ kùatajakesara÷aïkukarõà-
nnirhràdabhãtadigibhàdaribhinnakhàgràt || 5 ||
5. O Absolute Lord, I am not afraid of Thy terrific form with formidable mouth, tongue, eyes shining like the sun, fierce brows, fearful tusks, with a garland of intestines, mane drenched in blood, with ears erect like sticks, the roar that threatens the protectors of the world, with claws capable of tearing off the hearts of enemies.
*:st::ð|smy:hö káp:N:v:ts:l:
dÙHs:h:ðg:Ò-
s:ös:arc:#kdn:adÏg:Òs:t:aö )N:it:H .
b:¹H sv:km:üeB:,S:¶:m: t:ð|{ÏeG:Òm:Ül:ö
)it::ð|p:v:g:üS:rN:ö Íy:s:ð kda n:Ø .. 6..
trasto.asmyahaü
kçpaõavatsala duþsahogra-
saüsàracakrakadanàdgrasatàü praõãtaþ |
baddhaþ svakarmabhiru÷attama te.aïghrimålaü
prãto.apavarga÷araõaü hvayase kadà nu || 6 ||
6. But I am afraid, O friend of the distressed, of the terrible wheel of Samsara, in the midst of which I am placed bound by my own Karma. O most adorable Lord, when wilt Thou be gracious enough to call me to Thy presence, the abode of immortality?
y:sm:at:Îe)y:ae)y:ev:y::ðg:s:öy::ðg:j:nm:-
S::ðkaegn:n:a s:kl:y::ðen:\:Ø dÊm:an:H .
dÙHK::ò\:D:ö t:dep: dÙHK:m:t:e¹y:ahö
B:Üm:n:Î B:Òm:aep: v:d m:ð t:v: dasy:y::ðg:m:Î .. 7..
yasmàtpriyàpriyaviyogasaüyogajanma-
÷okàgninà sakalayoniùu dahyamànaþ |
duþkhauùadhaü tadapi duþkhamataddhiyàhaü
bhåman bhramàpi vada me tava dàsyayogam || 7 ||
7. I am afflicted in the terrible fire of sorrows of incarnating in various species of beings, through the separation from what is beloved and attainment of what is painful and by falling between the pairs of likes and dislikes, where any remedy for grief is only grief; still ignorant of it, O Perfect Being, I wander about in this Samsara. Be Thou pleased to accept my service and lift me up from this dire Samsara.
m:ay:a m:n:H s:àj:et: km:üm:y:ö
b:l:iy:H
kal:ðn: c::ðedt:g:ØN:an:Øm:t:ðn: p:Øös:H .
Cnd:ðm:y:ö y:dj:y:aep:üt:\::ðRS:arö
s:ös:arc:#m:j: k:ð|et:t:rð¶v:dny:H .. 8..
màyà manaþ
sçjati karmamayaü balãyaþ
kàlena coditaguõànumatena puüsaþ |
chandomayaü yadajayàrpitaùoóa÷àraü
saüsàracakramaja ko.atitarettvadanyaþ || 8 ||
8. Prakriti creates, by Her inscrutable power of Karma (activity) with the help of Time under Thy gracious direction, the mind of unmanageable strength inclined to the performance of Vedic Karmas, which is the wheel of Samsara consisting of the sixteen spokes. O the unborn Lord! How can one without Thy grace try to attain freedom from it?
t:sm:adm:Üst:n:ØB:àt:am:hm:aeS:\::ð
w
A:y:ØHeÂ:y:ö ev:B:v:m:òendÓy:m:aev:erWc:at:Î .
n:ðcCaem: t:ð ev:l:Øel:t:an:Ø,ev:#m:ðN:
kal:atm:n::ðp:n:y: m:aö en:j:B:àty:p:aÃ:üm:Î .. 9..
tasmàdamåstanubhçtàmahamà÷iùo
j¤a
àyuþ÷riyaü vibhavamaindriyamàviri¤càt |
necchàmi te vilulitànuruvikrameõa
kàlàtmanopanaya màü nijabhçtyapàr÷vam || 9 ||
9. Therefore knowing their nature I do not crave for these pleasures which the ignorant seek after, viz., long life, wealth, fame, high positions of Indra upto Brahma even, nor do I wish possession of powers like Anima, etc., which will be snatched away by Thee, O Lord, disguised as Time, I pray, keep me always in the vicinity of Thy servants.
kÙ*:aeS:\:H Â:Øet:s:ØK:a
m:àg:t:àe\N:-p:aH
Vv:ðdö kl:ðv:rm:S:ð\:,j:aö ev:r:ðhH .
en:ev:ü½t:ð n: t:Ø j:n::ð y:dp:iet: ev:¾an:Î-
kam:an:l:ö m:D:Øl:v:òH S:m:y:ndÙrap:òH ..
10..
kutrà÷iùaþ
÷rutisukhà mçgatçùõiråpàþ
kvedaü kalevarama÷eùarujàü virohaþ |
nirvidyate na tu jano yadapãti vidvàn-
kàmànalaü madhulavaiþ ÷amayanduràpaiþ || 10 ||
10. Of what use are the pleasures which are pleasing only to the ears but are unreal like the water in a desert? Of what use is this physical body, the abode of all diseases? Knowing this well, the world never becomes disgusted with it. They try to put out the fire of desires with drops of sensual pleasures which are very difficult to be obtained.
HARI OM TAT SAT