आयुर्देवी स्तोत्रम्

ध्यायेत् हेमांबुजारूढां वरदाभयपाणिकाम्।

आयुष्यदेवतां नित्यां आश्रिताभीष्टसिद्धिदाम्॥१॥

आयुर्देवि महाप्राज्ञे सूतिकागृहवासिनि

पूजिता परया भक्त्या दीर्घमायुः प्रयच्छ मे॥२॥

सिंहस्कन्धगतां देवीं चतुर्हस्तां त्रिलोचनाम्।

शक्तिशूलगदापद्मधारिणीं चन्द्रमौलिकाम् ॥३॥

विचित्रवस्त्रसंयुक्तां स्वर्णाभरणभूषिताम्।

सिंहस्कन्धगतां देवीं चतुर्हस्तां त्रिलोचनाम् ॥४॥

सिंहस्कन्धगते देवि सुरासुरसुपूजिते।

प्रभवात्यब्दके संघे आयुर्देवि नमोऽस्तु ते॥५॥

आयुर्देवि नमस्तुभ्यं वर्षदेवि नमोऽस्तु ते।

आयुर्देहि बलं देहि सर्वारिष्टं व्यपोहय॥६॥

आयुष्मदात्मिकां देवीं करालवदनोज्ज्वलाम्।

घोररूपां सदा ध्यायेत् आयुष्यं याचयाम्यहम्॥७॥

शुभं भवतु कल्याणि आयुरारोग्यसंपदाम्।

सर्वशत्रुविनाशाय आयुर्देवि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥८॥

षष्ठांशां प्रकृतैर्सिद्धां प्रतिष्ठाप्य च सुप्रभाम्।

सुप्रदां चापि शुभदां दयारूपां जगत्प्रसूम्॥९॥

देवीं षोडशवर्षां तां शाश्वतस्थिरयौवनाम्।

बिम्बोष्ठीं सुदतीं शुद्धां शरच्चन्द्रनिभाननाम् ॥१०॥

नमो देव्यै महादेव्यै सिद्ध्यै शान्त्यै नमो नमः।

शुभायै देवसेनायै आयुर्देव्यै नमो नमः ॥११॥

वरदायै पुत्रदायै धनदायै नमो नमः

सृष्ट्यै षष्ठांशरूपायै सिद्धायै च नमो नमः॥१२॥

मायायै सिद्धयोगिन्यै आयुर्देव्यै नमो नमः।

सारायै शारदायै च परादेव्यै नमो नमः ॥१३॥

बालारिष्टहरे
देवि आयुर्देव्यै नमो नमः।

कल्याणदायै कल्याण्यै फलदायै च कर्मणाम् ॥१४॥

प्रत्यक्षायै स्वभक्तानां आयुर्देव्यै नमो नमः।

देवरक्षणकारिण्यै आयुर्देव्यै नमो नमः॥१५॥

शुद्धसत्त्वस्वरूपायै वन्दितायै नृणां सदा।

वर्जितक्रोधहिंसायै आयुर्देव्यै नमो नमः।॥१६॥

                

          कपिलदेवहूतिसंवादे भक्तियोगरहस्यम्

         (श्रीमद्भागवतम्, स्क्न्धः ३, अध्यायः २९)

 [The
English translation is largely based on that of  the disciples of His
Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada as given in the “Srimad
Bhagavatam” published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust]

देवहूतिरुवाच–

लक्षणं महदादीनां प्रकृतेः पुरुषस्य च ।

स्वरूपं लक्ष्यतेऽमीषां येन तत्पारमार्थिकम् ॥१॥

यथा सांख्येषु कथितं यन्मूलं तत्प्रचक्षते।

भक्तियोगस्य मे मार्गं ब्रूहि विस्तरशः प्रभो॥२॥

Devahuti enquired: My dear Lord, You
have already very scientifically described the symptoms of the total material
nature and the characteristics of the spirit according to the Sankhya system of
philosophy.  Now I shall request You to
explain the path of devotional service, which is the ultimate end of all philosophical
systems.

विरागो येन पुरुषो भगवन् सर्वतो भवेत्।

आचक्ष्व जीवलोकस्य विविधा मम संसृतीः॥३॥

Devahuti continued: My dear Lord, please
also describe in detail, both for me and for people in general, the continual
process of birth and death, for by hearing such calamities we may become
detached from the activities of this material world.

कालस्येश्वररूपस्य परेषां च परस्य ते।

स्वरूपं बत कुर्वन्ति यद्धेतोः कुशलं जनाः ॥४॥

Please also describe eternal time, which
is a representative of Your form and by whose influence people in general
engage in the performance of pious activities.

लोकस्य मिथ्याभिमतेरचक्षुष–

  श्चिरं प्रसुप्तस्य तमस्यनाश्रये ।

श्रान्तस्य कर्मस्वनुविद्धया धिया

   त्वमाविरासीः किल योगभास्करः ॥५॥

My dear Lord, You are just like the sun,
for You illuminate the darkness of the conditional life of the living entities.  Because their eyes of knowledge are not open,
they are sleeping eternally in that darkness without Your shelter, and
therefore they are falsely engaged by the actions and reactions of their
material activities, and they appear to be very fatigued.

मैत्रेय उवाच–

इति मातुर्वचः श्लक्ष्णं प्रतिनन्द्य महामुनिः।

आबभाषे कुरुश्रेष्ठ प्रीतस्तां करुणार्दितः ॥६॥

Sri Maitreya said:  O best amongst the Kurus, the great sage
Kapila, moved by great compassion and pleased by the gentle words of His glorious
mother, spoke as follows

श्रीभगवानुवाच –

भक्तियोगो बहुविधो मार्गैर्भामिनि भाव्यते।

स्वभावगुणमार्गेण पुंसां भावो विभिद्यते ॥७॥

Lord kapila, the personality of Godhead,
replied: O noble lady, there are multifarious paths of devotional service in
terms of the different qualities of the executor.  

अभिसन्धाय यो हिंसां दम्भं मात्सर्यमेव वा।

संरंभी भिन्नदृग्भावं मयि कुर्यात्स तामसः ॥८॥

Devotional service  executed by a person who is envious, proud,
violent and angry, and who is a separatist, is considered to be in the mode of
darkness (tamasic)

विषयानभिसन्धाय यश ऐश्वर्यमेव वा।

अर्चादावर्चयेद्यो मां पृथग्भावः स राजसः॥९॥

The worship of Deities in the temple by
a separatist, with a motive for material enjoyment, fame and opulence, is
devotion in the mode of passion (rajasic) 

कर्मनिर्हारमुद्दिश्य परस्मिन् वा तदर्पणम्।

यजेद्यष्टव्यमिति वा पृथग्भावः स सात्त्विकः ॥१०॥

When a devotee worships the Supreme
Personality of Godhead and offers the results of his activities in order to
free himself from the inebrieties of fruitive activities, his devotion is in
the mode of goodness(sattwic).  

मद्गुणश्रुतिमात्रेण मयि सर्वगुहाशये ।

मनोगतिरविच्छिन्ना यथा गङ्गाम्भसोऽम्बुधौ॥११॥

लक्षणं भक्तियोगस्य निर्गुणस्य ह्युदाहृतम्।

अहैतुक्यव्यवहिता या भक्तिः पुरुषोत्तमे॥१२॥

The manifestation of unadulterated
devotional service is exhibited when one’s mind is at once attracted to hearing
the transcendental name and qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
who is residing in everyone’s heart. 
Just as the water of the Ganges flows naturally down towards the ocean,
such devotional ecstasy, uninterrupted by any material condition, flows towards
the Supreme Lord.  

सालोक्यसार्ष्टिसामीप्यसारूप्यैकत्वमप्युत ।

दीयमानं न गृह्णन्ति विना मत्सेवनं जनाः॥१३॥

A pure devotee does not accept any kind
of liberation – salokya, sarshti, samipya, sarupyaor ekatva – even though they
are offered by the Supreme Personality of Todhead.

स एव भक्तियोगाख्य आत्यन्तिक उदाहृतः।

येनातिव्रज्य त्रिगुणं मद्भावायोपपद्यते॥१४॥

By attaining the highest platform of
devotional service, as I have explained, one can overcome the influence of the
three modes of material nature and be situated in the transcendental stage, as
is the Lord.

निषेवितेनानिमित्तेन स्वधर्मेण महीयसा।

क्रियायोगेन शस्तेन नातिहिंस्रेण नित्यशः॥१५॥

A devotee must execute his prescribed
duties, which are glorious, without material profit.  Without excessive violence, one should
regularly peform one’s devotional duties.

मद्धिष्ण्यदर्शनस्पर्शपूजास्तुत्यभिवन्दनैः।

भूतेषु मद्भावनया सत्त्वेनासङ्गमेन च ॥१६॥

The devotee should regularly see My
idols in the temple, touch My lotus feet and offer worshipable paraphernalia
and prayer.  He should see in the spirit
of renunciation, from the mode of goodness, and see Me in every livinng entity.
 

महतां बहुमानेन दीनानामनुकम्पया।

मैत्र्या चैवात्मतुल्येषु यमेन नियमेन च ॥१७॥

The pure devotee should execute
devotional service by giving the greatest respect to the spiritual master and
the Acharya.  He should be compassionate
to the poor and make friendship with persons who are his equals, but all his
activities should be executed under regulation and with control of the senses.

आध्यात्मिकानुश्रवणान्नामसङ्कीर्तनाच्च मे ।

आर्जवेनार्यसङ्गेन निरहङ्क्रियया तथा ॥१८॥

A devotee should always try to hear
about spiritual matters and should always utilize his time in chanting the holy
name of the Lord.  His behaviour should
always be straightforward and simple, and although he is not envious but
friendly to everyone, he should avoid the company of persons who are not
spiritually advanced.

मद्धर्मणो गुणैरेतैः परिसंशुद्ध आशयः।

पुरुषस्याञ्जसाभ्येति श्रुतमात्रगुणं हि माम् ॥१९॥

      
When one is fully qualified with all these transcendental attributes and
his consciousness is thus completely purified, he is immediately attracted simply
by hearing My name or hearing of My transcendental qualities.

यथा वातरथो घ्राणमावृङ्क्ते गन्ध आशयात्।

एवं योगरतं चेत आत्मानमविकारि यत् ॥२०॥

 As  the chariot of air carries an aroma from its
source and immediately catches the sense of smell, similarly, one who
constantly engages in devotional service, in Krishna consciousness, can catch
the Supreme Soul,  who is equally present
everywhere.

अहं सर्वेषु भूतेषु भूतात्मावस्थितः सदा।

तमवज्ञाय मां मर्त्यः कुरुतेऽर्चाविडम्बनम्॥२१॥

I am present in every living entity as
the Super soul.  If someone neglects or
disregards that Super soul everywhere and engages himself in the worship of the
Deity (idol) in the temple, that is simply a farce, imitation.

यो मां सर्वेषु भूतेषु सन्तमात्मानमीश्वरम्।

हित्वार्चां भजते मौढ्याद्भस्मन्येव जुहोति सः ॥२२॥

One who worships the Deity of Godhead in
the temples but does not know that the Supreme Lord, as Paramatma, is situated
in every living entity’s heart, must be in ignorance and is compared to one who
offers oblations into ashes.

द्विषतः परकाये मां मानिनो भिन्नदर्शिनः।

भूतेषु बद्धवैरस्य न मनः शान्तिमृच्छति॥२३॥

One who offers me respect but envies me
in the bodies of others and is therefore a separatist never attains peace of
mind, because of his inimical behaviour towards other living entities.

अहमुच्चावचैर्द्रव्यैः क्रिययोत्पन्नयाऽनघे।

नैव तुष्येऽर्चितोऽर्चायां भूतग्रामावमानिनः
॥२४॥

My dear mother, even if he worships with
proper rituals and paraphernalia, a person who  ignores My presence in all living entities
never pleases Me by the worship of My Deities in the temple.   

आर्चादावर्चयेत्तावदीश्वरं मां स्वकर्मकृत्।

यावन्न वेद स्वहृदि सर्वभूतेष्ववस्थितम् ॥२५॥

Performing  his prescribed duties, one should worship the
Deity of the Supreme Personality of Godhead  only so long as one has not realised My
presence in one’s own heart and in the hearts of other living entities as well.

आत्मनशच परस्यापि यः करोत्यन्तरोदरम्।

तस्य भिन्नदृशो मृत्युर्विदधे भयमुल्बणम्॥२६॥

             

As the blazing fire of death, I cause
great fear in whoever makes the least discrimination between himself and other
living entities because of a differential outlook.

अथ मां सर्वभूतेषु भूतात्मानं कृतालयम्।

अर्हयेद्दानमानाभ्यां मैत्र्याऽभिन्नेन चक्षुषा ॥२७॥

Therefore by charitable gifts and
attention, as well as by friendly behaviour and by viewing all to be alike, one
should propitiate Me, who abide in all creatures as their very Self.   

जीवाः श्रेष्ठा ह्यजीवानां ततः प्राणभृतः शुभे।

ततः सचित्ताः प्रवरास्ततश्चेन्द्रियवृत्तयः ॥२८॥

Living entities are superior to
inanimate objects, O blessed mother, and among them, living entities which display
life symptoms are better. Animals with developed consciousness are better than
them, and better still are those who have developed sense perception. 

तत्रापि स्पर्शवेदिभ्यः प्रवरा रसवेदिनः।

तेभ्यो गन्धविदः श्रेष्ठास्ततः शब्दविदो पराः ॥२९॥

Among the living entities who have
developed sense perception, those who have developed the sense of taste are
better than those who have developed only the sense of touch. Better than them
are those who have developed the sense of smell, and better still are those who
have developed the sense of hearing.

रूपभेदविदस्तत्र ततश्चोभयतोदतः।

तेषां बहुपदाः श्रेष्ठाश्चतुष्पादस्ततो द्विपात्॥३०॥

Better than those living entities who
can perceive sound are those who can distinguish between one form and
another.  Better than them are those who
have developed upper and lower sets of teeth, and better still are those who have
many legs. Better than them are the quadrupeds, and better still are the human
beings.

ततो वर्णाश्च चत्वारस्तेषां ब्राह्मण उत्तमः    

ब्राह्मणेष्वपि वेदज्ञो ह्यर्थज्ञोऽभ्यधिकस्ततः ॥३१॥

Among human beings, those coming under
the four varnas (based on quality and work) are better.  The best among them are brahmanas and among
them those who are intelligent and have studied the Vedas are better.  Better still are those who know the purport
of the Vedas.    

अर्थज्ञात्संशयच्छेत्ता ततः श्रेयान् स्वकर्मकृत्।

मुक्तसङ्गस्ततो भूयानदोग्धा धर्ममात्मनः ॥३२॥

Better than the brahmana who knows the
purpose of the Vedas is he who can dissipate all doubts, and better than him is
one who strictly follows the brahminical principles.  Better than him is one who is liberated from
all material contamination, and better than him is a pure devotee, who executes
devotional service without expectation of reward.

तस्मान्मय्यर्पिताशेषक्रियार्थात्मा निरन्तरः।

मय्यर्पितात्मनः पुंसो मयि संन्यस्तकर्मणः।

न पश्यामि परं भूतमकर्तुः समदर्शनात् ॥३३॥

Therefore I do not find a greater person
than he who has no interest outside of Mine and who therefore engages and
dedicates all his activities and all his life – everything – unto Me without  cessation.

मनसैतानि भूतानि प्रणमेद्बहुमानयन्।

ईश्वरो जीवकलया प्रविष्टो भगवानिति॥३४॥

Such a perfect devotee offers respects
to every living entity because he is under the firm conviction that the Supreme
Personality of Godhead has entered the body of every living entity as the Supersoul,
or controller.

भक्तियोगश्च योगश्च मया मानव्युदीरितः।

ययोरेकतरेणैव पुरुषः पुरुषं व्रजेत् ॥३५॥

My dear mother, O daughter of Manu, a
devotee who applies the science of devotional service and mystic yoga in this
way can achieve the abode of the Supreme Person simply by that devotional
service.  

एतद्भगवतो रूपं ब्रह्मणो परमात्मनः।

परं प्रधानं पुरुषं दैवं कर्मविचेष्टितम् ॥३६॥

This purusha  whom the individual soul must approach is the
eternal form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is known as Brahman and
Paramatma.  He is the transcendental
chief personality, and His activities are all spiritual.  

रूपभेदास्पदं दिव्यं काल इत्यभिधीयते।

भूतानां महदादीनां यतो भिन्नदृशां भयम् ॥३७॥

The time factor, who causes the
transformation of the various material manifestations, is another feature of
the Supreme Personality of godhead. 
Anyone who does not know that time is the same Supreme Personality is
afraid of the time factor.

योऽन्तः प्रविश्य भूतानि भूतैरत्त्यखिलाश्रयः ।

स विष्ण्वाख्योऽधियज्ञोऽसौ कालः कलयतां प्रभुः ॥३८॥

Lord Vishnu, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, who is the enjoyer of all sacrifices, is the time factor and the
master of all masters.  He enters
everyone’s heart, He is the support of every one, and He causes every being to
be annihilated by another.  

न चास्य कश्चिद्दयितो न द्वेष्यो न च बान्धवः।

आविशत्यप्रमत्तोऽसौ प्रमत्तं जनमन्तकृत् ॥३९॥

No one is dear to the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, nor is anyone His enemy or friend.  But He gives inspiration to those who have
not forgotten Him and destroys those who have.   

यद्भयाद्वाति वातोऽयं सूर्यस्तपति यद्भयात्।

यद्भयाद्वर्षते देवो भगणो भाति यद्भयात् ॥४०॥

Out of fear of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead the wind blows, out of fear of Him the sun shines, out of fear of
Him the rain pours forth showers, and out of fear of Him the host of heavenly
bodies shed their light.

यद्वनस्पतयो भीता लताश्चौषधिभिस्सह ।

स्वे स्वे कालेऽभिगृह्णन्ति पुष्पाणि च फलानि च ॥४१॥

Out of fear of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead the trees, creepers, herbs and seasonal plants and flowers blossom
and bear fruit, each in its own season.   

स्रवन्ति सरितो भीता नोत्सर्पत्युदधिर्यतः।

अग्निरिन्धे सगिरिभिर्भूर्न मज्जति यद्भयात् ॥४२॥

Out of fear of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead the rivers flow, and the ocean never overflows.  Out of fear of Him only does fire burn and
does the earth, with its mountains, not sink in the water of the universe.

नभो ददाति श्वसतां पदं यन्नियमाददः ।

लोकं स्वदेहं तनुते महान् सप्तभिरावृतम् ॥४३॥

Subject to the control of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, the sky allows outer space to accommodate all the
various planets, which hold innumerable living entities.  The total universal body expands with its
seven coverings under His supreme control.

गुणाभिमानिनो देवाः सर्गादिष्वस्य यद्भयात्।

वर्ततेऽनुयुगं येषां वश एतच्चराचरम् ॥४४॥

Out of fear of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead,  the directing demigods in
charge of the modes of material nature carry out the functions of creation,
maintenance and destruction; everything animate and inanimate within this
material world is under their control.  

सोऽनन्तोऽन्तकरः कालोऽनादिरादिकृदव्ययः ।

जनं जनेन जनयन्मारयन्मृत्युनान्तकम् ॥४५॥

The eternal time factor has no beginning
and no end.  It is the representative of
the

Supreme Personality of Godhead, the
maker of the criminal world.  It brings
about the end of the phenomenal world, it carries on the work of creation by
bringing one individual into existence from another, and likewise it dissolves
the universe by destroying even the lord of death, Yamaraja.

॥इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां तृतीयस्कन्धे

         कापिलेयोपाख्याने एकोनत्रिंशोऽध्यायः॥           

 

KAPILA-
DEVAHUTI SAMVADA ON BHAKTIYOGA-1 (BHAGAVATAM, CANTO- 3, CHAPTER-25)

                

          कपिलदेवहूतिसंवादे
भक्तियोगनिरूपणम्

         (श्रीमद्भागवतम्, स्क्न्धः
३, अध्यायः २५)

शौनक उवाच–

कपिलस्तत्त्वसंख्याता भगवानात्ममायया।

जातः स्वयमजः साक्षादात्मप्रज्ञप्तये नृणाम् ॥१॥

Sri Saunaka said:  although He is unborn, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead  took birth as
Kapila Muni by His internal potency.  He
descended  to disseminate transcendental
knowledge for the benefit of he whole human race.

न ह्यस्य वर्ष्मणः  पुंसां वरिम्णः सर्वयोगिनाम्।

विश्रुतौ श्रुतदेवस्य भूरि तृप्यन्ति मेऽसवः ॥२॥

Sri Saunaka continued:  There is no one who knows more than the Lord
Himself.  No one is more worshipable or
more mature a yogi then He.  He is
therefore the master of the Vedas, and to hear about Him always is the actual
pleasure of the senses.

यद्यद्विधत्ते भगवान् स्वच्छन्दात्माऽऽत्ममायया।

तानि मे श्रद्दधानस्य कीर्तन्यान्यनुकीर्तय ॥३॥

Therefore please precisely describe  to me, who is listening intently, all the
activities and pastimes of the Personality of Godhead, who is full of
self-desire and who assumes all these activities by His internal potency.

सूत उवाच
–

द्वैपायनसखस्त्वेवं मैत्रेयो भगवांस्तथा।

प्राहेदं विदुरं प्रीत आन्वीक्षिक्यां प्रचोदितः ॥४॥

Sri  Suta Goswami said: The most powerful sage
Maitreya was a friend of Vyasadeva. 
Being encouraged and pleased by Vidura’s inquiry about transcendental
knowledge, Maitreya spoke as follows.  

मैत्रेय उवाच–

पितरि प्रस्थितेऽरण्यं मातुः प्रियचिकीर्षया।

तस्मिन् बिन्दुसरेऽवात्सीद्भगवान् कपिलः किल॥५॥

Maitreya said: When Kardama left for the forest, Lord
kapila stayed on the strand of the Bindu-sarovara to please His mother,
Devahuti.

तमासीनमकर्माणं तत्त्वमार्गप्रदर्शनम्।

स्वसुतं देवहूत्याह धातुः संस्मरती वचः॥६॥

When Kapila, who could
show her the ultimate goal of the Absolute Truth, was sitting leisurely before
her, Devahuti remembered the words Brahma had spoken to her, and she therefore
began to question Kapila as follows.

देवहूतिरुवाच–

निर्विण्णा नितरां भूमन्नसदिन्द्रियतर्षणात्।

येन सम्भाव्यमानेन प्रपन्नान्धं तमः प्रभो ॥७॥

Devahuti said: I am very
sick of the disturbance caused by my material senses, for because of this sense
disturbance, my Lord, I have fallen into the abyss of ignorance.

तस्य त्वं तमसोऽन्धस्य  दुष्पारस्याद्य पारगम्।

सच्चक्षुर्जन्मनामन्ते लब्धं मे त्वदनुग्रहात् ॥८॥

Your Lordship is my only
means of getting out of this darkest region of ignorance because You are my
transcendental eye, which, by Your mercy only, I have attained after many, many
births.

य आद्यो भगवान् पुंसामीश्वरो वै भवान्
किल।

लोकस्य तमसान्धस्य चक्षुः सूर्य इवोदितः ॥९॥

You are the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, the origin and Supreme Lord of all living
entities.  You have arisen to disseminate
the rays of the sun in order to dissipate the darkness of the ignorance of the
universe.

अथ मे देव सम्मोहमपाक्रष्टुं त्वमर्हसि।

योऽवग्रहोऽहंममेतित्येतस्मिन् योजितस्त्वया॥१०॥

Now be pleased, my Lord,
to dispel my great delusion.  Due to my
feeling of false ego, I have been engaged by Your maya and have identified
myself with the body and consequent bodily relations.

तं त्वा गताहं शरणं शरण्यं

   स्वभृत्यसंसारतरोः कुठारम्।

जिज्ञासयाहं प्रकृतेः पूरुषस्य

    नमामि सद्धर्मविदां वरिष्ठम् ॥११॥

Devahuti continued: I
have taken shelter of Your lotus feet because You are the only person of whom
to take shelter.  You are the exe which
can cut the tree of material existence. 
I therefore offer my obeisances unto You, who are the greatest of all
transcendentalists, and I inquire from You as to the relationship between man
and woman and between spirit and matter.  

मैत्रेय उवाच–

इति स्वमातुर्निरवद्यमीप्सितं

    निशम्य पुंसामपवर्गवर्धनम्।

धियाभिनन्द्यात्मवतां सतां गति–

     र्बभाष ईषत्स्मितशोभिताननः ॥१२॥

Maitreya said:  After hearing of His mother’s uncontaminated
desire for transcendental realization, the Lord thanked her within Himself for
her questions, and thus, His face smiling, He explained the path of the
transcendentalists, who are interested in self-realization.

श्रीभगवानुवाच–

योग आध्यात्मिकः पुंसां मतो निःश्रेयसाय मे।

अत्यन्तोपरतिर्यत्र दुःखस्य च सुखस्य च ॥१३॥

The Supreme Personality
of Godhead answered : The  yoga system
which relates to the Lord and the individual soul, which is meant for the
ultimate benefit of the living entity, and which causes detachment from all happiness
and distress in the material world, is the highest yoga system.

तमिमं ते प्रवक्ष्यामि यमवोचं पुरानघे।

ऋषीणां श्रोतुकामानां योगं सर्वाङ्गनैपुणम्॥१४॥

O most pious mother, I
shall now explain unto you the ancient yoga system, which I explained formerly
to the great sages who were eager to hear it. 
It is serviceable and practical in every way.

चेतः खल्वस्य बन्धाय मुक्तये चात्मनो मतम्।

गुणेषु सक्तं बन्धाय रतं वा पुंसि मुक्तये ॥१५॥

The stage in which the
consciousness of the living entity is attracted by the three modes of material
nature is called conditional life. But when that same consciousness is attached
to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one is situated in the consciousness of
liberation.

अहंममाभिमानोत्थैः कामलोभादिभिर्मलैः।

वीतं यदा मनः शुद्धमदुःखमसुखं समम्॥१६॥

तदा पुरुष आत्मानं केवलं प्रकृतेः परम्।

निरन्तरं स्वयंज्योतिरणिमानमखण्डितम्॥१७॥

ज्ञानवैराग्ययुक्तेन भक्तियुक्तेन चात्मना।

परिपश्यत्युदासीनं प्रकृतिं च हतौजसम् ॥१८॥

When one is completely
cleansed of the impurities of lust and greed produced from the false
identification of the body as “I” and bodily possessions as “mine”, one’s mind
becomes purified.  In that pure state he
transcends the stage of so-called material happiness and distress.  At that time the soul can see himself to be
transcendental to material existence and always self-effulgent, never
fragmented, although very minute in size. In that position of self-realization,
by practice of knowledge and renunciation in devotional service, one sees
everything in the right perspective; he becomes indifferent to material existence,
and the material influence acts less powerfully upon him.    

न युज्यमानया भक्त्या भगवत्यखिलात्मनि।

सदृशोऽस्ति शिवः पन्था योगिनां ब्रह्मसिद्धये ॥१९॥

Perfection in self-realization cannot be attained by
any kind of yogi unless he engages in devotional service to the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, for that is the only auspicious path.

प्रसङ्गमजरं पाशमात्मनः कवयो विदुः।

स एव साधुषु कृतो मोक्षद्वारमपावृतम् ॥२०॥

Every learned man knows very well that attachment for
the material is the greatest entanglement of the spirit soul.  But that same attachment , when applied to
the self-realized devotees, opens the door of liberation.   

तितिक्षवः कारुणिकाः सुहृदः सर्वदेहिनां।

अजातशत्रवः शान्ताः साधवः साधुभूषणाः ॥२१॥

The symptoms of a sadhu
are that he is tolerant, merciful and friendly to all living entities.  He has no enemies,  he is peaceful,  he abides by the scriptures, and all his
characteristics are sublime.  

मय्यनन्येन भावेन भक्तिं कुर्वन्ति ये दृढाम्।

मत्कृते त्यक्तकर्माणस्त्यक्तस्वजनबान्धवाः॥२२॥

मदाश्रयाः कथा मृष्टाः शृण्वन्ति कथयन्ति च।

तपन्ति विविधास्तापा नैतान्मद्गतचेतसः ॥२३॥

Such  a sadhu engages in staunch devotional service
to Me without deviation. For My sake  he
renounces all other connections, such as family relationships and friendly acquaintances
within the world.  Engaged constantly in
chanting and hearing about Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the sadhus
do not suffer from material miseries because they are always filled with
thoughts of My pastimes and activities. 

स एते साधवः साध्वि सर्वसङ्गविवर्जिताः।

सङ्गस्तेष्वथते प्रार्थ्यः सङ्गदोषहरा हि ते ॥२४॥

O mother,  O virtuous lady, these are the qualities of
great devotees who are free from all attachment.  You must seek attachment to such holy men,
for this counteracts the pernicious effects of material attachment.

सतां प्रसङ्गान्मम वीर्यसंविदो

  भवन्ति हृत्कर्णरसायनाः कथाः।

तज्जोषणादाश्वपवर्गवर्त्मनि

  श्रद्धा रतिर्भक्तिरनुक्रमिष्यति ॥२५॥

In the association of
pure devotees, discussion of the pastimes and activities of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead is very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and the
heart.  By cultivating such knowledge one
gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation, and thereafter he is
freed, and his attraction becomes fixed. 
The real devotion and devotional service begin.

भक्त्या पुमाञ्जातविराग ऐन्द्रियाद्

    दृष्टश्रुतान्मद्रचनानुचिन्तया ।

चित्तस्य यत्तो ग्रहणे योगयुक्तो

   यतिष्यते ऋजुभिर्योगमार्गैः ॥२६॥

Thus consciously engaged
in devotional service in the association of devotees, a person gains distaste
for sense gratification, both in this world and in the next, by constantly
thinking about the activities of the Lord. 
This process of Krishna consciousness is the easiest process of mystic
power; when one is actually situated on that path of devotional service, he is
able to control the mind.

असेवयायं प्रकृतेर्गुणानां 

   ज्ञानेन वैराग्यविजृम्भितेन।

योगेन मय्यर्पितया च भक्त्या

   मां प्रत्यगात्मानमिहावरुन्धे ॥२७॥

Thus by not engaging in
the service of the modes of material nature but by developing Krishna
consciousness, knowledge in renunciation, and by practicing yoga, in which the
mind is always fixed in devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, one achieves My association in this very life, for I am the Supreme
Personality, the Absolute Truth.

देवहूतिरुवाच-

काचित्त्वय्युचिता भक्तिः कीदृशी मम गोचरा।

यया पदं ते निर्वाणमञ्जसान्वाश्नवा अहम्॥२८॥

On hearing the statement
of the Lord, Devahuti inquired: What kind of devotional service is worth developing
and practicing to help me easily and immediately attain the service of Your
lotus feet?

यो योगो भगवद्बाणो निर्वाणात्मंस्त्वयोदितः।

कीदृशः कति चाङ्गानि यतस्तत्त्वावबोधनम् ॥२९॥

The mystic yoga system,
as You have explained, aims at the Supreme Personality of Godhead  and is 
meant for completely ending material existence.  Please let me know the nature of that yoga
system.  How many ways are there by which
one can understand in truth that sublime yoga?  

तदेतन्मे विजानाहि यथाहं मन्दधीर्हरे।

सुखं बुध्येय दुर्भोधं योषा भवदनुग्रहात् ॥३०॥

My dear son, Kapila,
after all, I am a woman,  It is very
difficult for me to understand the Absolute Truth because my intelligence is
not very great.  But if You will kindly
explain it to me, even though I am not very intelligent, I can understand it
and thereby feel transcendental 
happiness.  

मैत्रेय उवाच-

विदित्वार्थं कपिलो मातुरित्थं

   जातस्नेहो यत्र
तन्वाभिजातः।

तत्त्वाम्नायं यत्प्रवदन्ति सांख्यं

   प्रोवाच  वै भक्तिवितानयोगम्॥३१॥

Sri Maitreya said:  After hearing the statement of His mother,
Kapila could understand her purpose, and He became compassionate towards her
because of being born of her body.  He
described the Sankhya system of philosophy, which is a combination of
devotional service and mystic realization, as received by disciplic succession.

श्रीभगवानुवाच-

देवानां गुणलिङ्गानामानुश्रविककर्मणाम्।

सत्त्व एवैकमनसो वृत्तिः स्वाभाविकी तु या॥३२॥

अनिमित्ता  भागवती
भक्तिः सिद्धेर्गरीयसी ।

जरयत्याशु या कोशं निगीर्णमनलो यथा ॥३३॥

Lord Kapila said:  The senses are symbolic representations of
the demigods, and their natural inclination is to work under the direction of
the Vedic injunctions As the senses are the representatives of the demigods, so
the mind is the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.  The mind’s natural duty is to serve.  When 
that service spirit is engaged in devotional service to the Personality
of Godhead, without any motive, that is far better even than salvation.   Bhakti, devotional service, dissolves the
subtle body of the living entity without separate effort,  just as fire in the stomach digests all that
we eat.   

नैकात्मतां मे स्पृहयन्ति केचि-

  न्मत्पादसेवाभिरता
मदीहाः।

येऽन्योन्यतो भागवताः प्रसज्य

  सभाजयन्ते मम पौरुषाणि
॥३४॥

A pure devotee, who is
attached to the activities of devotional service and who always engages in the
service of My lotus feet, never desires to become one with Me.  Such a devotee, who is unflinchingly engaged,
in association with similar devotees, always glorifies My pastimes and activities.

पश्यन्ति ते मे रुचिराण्यम्ब सन्तः

    प्रसन्नवक्त्रारुणलोचनानि।

 रूपाणि दिव्यानि
वरप्रदानि

    साकं वाचं स्पृहणीयां
वदन्ति ॥३५॥

O My mother,  My devotees always see the smiling face of My
form, with eyes like the rising morning sun. 
They like to see My various transcendental forms, which are all
benevolent, and they also talk favourably with Me.  

तैर्दर्शनीयावयवैरुदार-

   विलासहासेक्षितवामसूक्तैः।

हृतात्मनो हृतप्राणांश्च भक्ति-

    रनिच्छतो मे गतिमण्वीं
प्रयुङ्क्ते॥३६॥

Upon seeing the charming
forms of the Lord, smiling and attractive, and hearing His very pleasing words,
the pure devotee almost loses all other consciousness.  His senses are freed from all other
engagements, and he becomes absorbed in devotional service.  Thus in spite of his unwillingness, he
attains liberation without separate endeavour.

अथो विभूतिं मम मायाविनस्ता-

    मैश्वर्यमष्टाङ्गमनुप्रवृत्तम्।

श्रियं भागवतीं वाऽस्पृहयन्ति भद्रां

   परस्य मे तेऽश्नुवते
तु लोके ॥३७॥

Thus because he is
completely absorbed in thought of Me, the devotee does not desire even the
highest benediction obtainable in the upper planetary systems, including
Satyaloka.  He does not desire the eight
material perfections obtained from mystic yoga, nor does he desire to be
elevated to the kingdom of God.  Yet even
without desiring them, the devotee enjoys,  even in this life, all the offered
benedictions.  

न कर्हिचिन्मत्पराः शान्तरूपे

  नङ्क्ष्यन्ति नो
मेऽनिमिषो लेढि हेतिः।

येषामहं प्रिय आत्मा सुतश्च

  सखा गुरुः सुहृदो
दैवमिष्टम् ॥३८॥

The Lord continued: My
dear mother, devotees who receive such transcendental opulences are never
bereft of them; neither weapons nor the change of time can destroy such
opulences. Because the devotees accept me as their friend, their relative,
their son, preceptor, benefactor and Supreme Deity, they cannot be deprived of
their possessions at any time

इमं लोकं तथैवामुमात्मानमुभयायिनम्।

आत्मानमनु ये चेह् ये रायः पशवो गृहाः॥३९॥

विसृज्य सर्वानन्यांश्च मामेवं विश्वतोमुखम्।

भजन्त्यनन्यया भक्त्या तान्मृत्योरतिपारये ॥४०॥

Thus the devotee who
worships Me, the all-pervading Lord of the universe, in unflinching devotional
service, gives up all aspirations to be promoted to heavenly planets or to
become happy in this world with wealth, children, cattle, home or anything in
relationship with the body.  I take him
to the other side of birth and death.

नान्यत्र मद्भगवतः प्रधानपुरुषेश्वरात्।

आत्मनः सर्वभूतानां भयं तीव्रं निवर्तते ॥४१॥

The terrible fear of
birth and death can never be forsaken by anyone who resorts to any shelter
other than Myself, for I am the almighty Lord, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, the original source of all creation, and also the Supreme Soul of all
souls.

मद्भयाद्वाति वातोऽयं सूर्यस्तपति मद्भयात्।

वर्षतीन्द्रो दहत्यग्निर्मृत्युश्चरति मद्भयात् ॥४२॥

It is because of My
supremacy that the wind blows, out of fear of Me; the sun shines out of fear of
Me, and the lord of the clouds, Indra, sends forth showers out of fear of
Me.  Fire burns out of fear of Me, and
death goes about taking its toll out of fear of Me.

ज्ञानवैराग्ययुक्तेन भक्तियोगेन योगिनः।

क्षेमाय पादमूलं मे प्रविशन्त्यकुतोभयम्॥४३॥

The Yogis, equipped with transcendental
knowledge and renunciation and engaged in devotional service for their eternal
benefit, take shelter of My lotus feet, and since I am the Lord, they are thus
eligible to enter into the kingdom of Godhead without fear.  

एतावानेव लोकेऽस्मिन् पुंसां निःश्रेयसोदयः।

तीव्रेण भक्तियोगेन मनो मय्यर्पितं स्थिरम् ॥४४॥

Therefore persons whose
minds are fixed on the Lord engage in the intensive practice of devotional
service.  That is the only means for
attainment of the final perfection of life.

॥इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां तृतीयस्कन्धे

         कापिलेयोपाख्याने
पञ्चविंशोऽध्यायः॥           

 अम्बरीषचरितम् – २ (श्रीमद्भागवतम्, स्कन्धः ९, अध्यायः ५)

 [The
English translation is largely based on that of  the disciples of His
Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada as given in the “Srimad
Bhagavatam” published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust]

श्रीशुक उवाच-

एवं
भगवतादिष्टो दुर्वासाश्चक्रतापितः।

अम्बरीषमुपावृत्य
तत्पादौ दुःखितोऽग्रहीत्॥१॥

Sukadeva Goswami said: When thus advised
by Lord Vishnu, Durvasa Muni, who was very much harassed by the Sudarsana
chakra, immediately approached Maharaja Ambarisha.  Being very much aggrieved, the muni fell down
and clasped the King’s lotus feet.

तस्य
सोद्यममावीक्ष्य पादस्पर्शविलज्जितः।

अस्तावीत्
तद्धरेरस्त्रं कृपया पीडितो भृशम्॥२॥

When Durvasa touched his lotus feet,
Maharaja Ambarisha was very much ashamed, and when he saw Durvasa attempting to
offer prayers, because of mercy he was aggrieved even more.  Thus he immediately began offering prayers to
the great weapon of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.  

अम्बरीष
उवाच-

त्वमग्निर्भगवान्
सूर्यस्त्वं सोमो ज्योतिषां पतिः।

त्वमापस्त्वं
क्षितिर्व्योम वायुर्मात्रेन्द्रियाणि च ॥३॥

Maharaja Ambarisha said: O Sudarsana
chakra, you are fire, you are the most powerful sun, and you are the moon,  the master of all luminaries. You are water,
earth and sky, you are the air, you are the five sense objects [sound, touch,
form, taste and smell], and you are the senses also.  

सुदर्शन
नमस्तुभ्यं सहस्राराच्युतप्रिय।

सर्वास्त्रघातिन्
विप्राय स्वस्ति भूया इडस्पते॥४॥

O most favourite of Achyuta, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, you have thousands of spokes. O master of the material
world, destroyer of all weapons, original vision of the Personality of Godhead,
I offer my respectful obeisances unto you. 
Kindly give shelter and be auspicious to this brahmana 

त्वं
धर्मस्त्वमृतं सत्यं त्वं यज्ञोऽखिलयज्ञभुक्।

त्वं
लोकपालः सर्वात्मा त्वं तेजः पौरुषं परम्॥५॥

O Sudarsana chakra, you are dharma,
 you are the Truth,  you are sacrifice and you are the enjoyer of
the fruits of sacrifice.  You are the
maintainer of the entire universe, and you are the Supreme transcendental
prowess in the hands of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.  You are the original vision of the Lord, and
therefore you are known as Sudarsana. 
Everything has been created by your activities, and therefore you are
all-pervading.

  

नमः
सुनाभाखिलधर्मसेतवे

  ह्यधर्मशीलासुरधूमकेतवे।

त्रैलोक्यगोपाय
विशुद्धवर्चसे

  मनोजवायाद्भुतकर्मणे गृणे ॥६॥

O Sudarsana, You have a very auspicious
hub, and therefore you are the upholder of all religion (dharma).  You are just like an inauspicious comet for
the irreligious demons.  Indeed, you are
the maintainer of the three worlds, you are full of transcendental effulgence,
you are as quick as the mind, and you are able to work wonders.  I can simply utter the word “namah”, offering
all obeisances unto you.

त्वत्तेजसा
धर्ममयेन संहृतं

  तमः प्रकाशश्च दृशो महात्मनाम्।

दुरत्ययस्ते
महिमा गिरां पते

   त्वद्रूपमेतत् सदसत् परावरम् ॥७॥

O master of speech, by your effulgence,
full of religious principles(dharma) ,the darkness of the world is dissipated,
and the knowledge of learned persons or great souls is manifested.  Indeed, no one can surpass your effulgence,
for all things, manifested and unmanifested, gross and subtle, superior and
inferior, are but various forms of you that are manifested by your effulgence.  

यदा
विसृष्टस्त्वमनञ्जनेन वै

  बलं प्रविष्टोऽजित दैत्यदानवम्।

बाहूदरोर्वङ्घ्रिशिरोधराणि

  वृश्चन्नजस्रं प्रधने विराजसे ॥८॥

you are immortality,O indefatigable one,
when you are sent by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to enter among the
soldiers of the Daityas and the Danavas, you stay on the battlefield and
unendingly separate their arms, bellies, thighs, legs and heads.

स त्वं
जगत्‍त्राण खलप्रहाणये

   निरूपितः सर्वसहो गदाभृता।

विप्रस्य
चास्मत्कुलदैवहेतवे

   विधेहि भद्रं तदनुग्रहो हि नः ॥९॥

O protector of the universe, you are
engaged by the Supreme Personality of Godhead as His all-powerful weapon in
killing the envious enemies.  For the
benefit of our entire dynasty, kindly favour this poor brahmana.  This will certainly be a favour for all of
us.

यद्यस्ति
दत्तमिष्टं वा स्वधर्मो वा स्वनुष्ठितः।

कुलं
नो विप्रदैवं चेद् द्विजो भवतु विज्वरः ॥१०॥

If our 
family has given charity to the proper persons, if we have performed
ritualistic ceremonies and sacrifices, if we have properly carried out our
occupational duties, and if we have been guided by learned brahmins, I wish, in
exchange, that this brahmana be freed from the burning caused by the Sudarsana
Chakra.

यदि
नो भगवान् प्रीतः एकः सर्वगुणाश्रयः।

सर्वभूतात्मभावेन
द्विजो भवतु विज्वरः ॥११॥

If the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
who is one without a second, who is the reservoir of all transcendental
qualities, and who is the life and soul of all living entities, is pleased with
us, we wish that this brahmana, Durvasa Muni, be freed from the pain of being burned.
 

इति
संस्तुवतो राज्ञो विष्णु चक्रं सुदर्शनम्।

अशाम्यत्
सर्वतो विप्रं प्रदहद् राजयाच्ञया ॥१२॥

Sukadeva Goswami continued:  When the King offered prayers to the
Sudarsana chakra and Lord Vishnu, because of his prayers the Sudarsana chakra
became peaceful and stopped burning the brahmana known as Durvasa Muni.

स मुक्तोऽस्त्राग्नितापेन
दुर्वासाः स्वस्तिमांस्ततः।

प्रशशंस
तमुर्वीशं युञ्जानः परमाशिषः ॥१३॥

Durvasa Muni, the greatly powerful
mystic, was indeed satisfied when freed from the fire of the Sudarsana
chakra.  Thus he praised the qualities of
Maharaja Ambarisha and offered him the highest benedictions.  

दुर्वासा
उवाच-

अहो
अनन्तदासानां मह्त्त्वं दृष्टमद्य मे।

कृतागसोऽपि
यद् राजन् मङ्गलानि समीहसे ॥१४॥

Durvasa Muni said: My dear King, today I
have experienced the greatness of devotees of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, for although I have committed an offense, you have prayed for my good
fortune.  

दुष्करः
को नु साधूनां दुस्त्यजो वा महात्मनाम्।

यैः
संगृहीतो भगवान् सात्त्वतामृषभो हरिः॥१५॥

For those who have achieved the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, the master of the pure devotees, what is impossible to
do, and what is impossible to give up?

यन्नामश्रुतिमात्रेण
पुमान् भवति निर्मलः।

तस्य
तीर्थपदः किं वा दासानामवशिष्यते ॥१६॥

What is impossible for the servants of
the Lord?  By the very hearing of His
holy name one is purified.

राजन्ननुगृहीतोऽहं
त्वयातिकरुणात्मना।

मदघं
पृष्ठतः कृत्वा प्राणा यन्मेऽभिरक्षिताः ॥१७॥

O King, overlooking my offenses, you
have saved my life.  Thus I am very much
obliged to you because you are so merciful.  

राजातमकृताहारः
प्रत्यागमनकाङ्क्षया।

चरणावुपसंगृह्य
प्रसाद्य समभोजयत् ॥१८॥

Expecting the return of Durvasa Muni,
the King had not taken his food. 
Therefore, when the sage returned, the King fell  at his lotus feet, pleasing him in all
respects, and fed him sumptuously.

सोऽशित्वादृतमानीतमातिथ्यं
सार्वकामिकम् ।

तृप्तात्मा
नृपतिं प्राह भुज्यतामिति सादरम् ॥१९॥

Thus the King respectfully received
Durvasa Muni, who after eating varieties of palatable food was so satisfied
that with great affection he requested the King to eat also, saying, “Please
take your meal.””

प्रीतोऽस्म्यनुगृहीतोऽस्मि
तव भागवतस्य वै।

दर्शनस्पर्शनालापैरातिथ्येनात्ममेधसा
॥२०॥

Durvasi Muni said: I am very pleased
with you, my dear King. At first I thought of you as an ordinary human being
and accepted your hospitality, but later I could understand, by my own
intelligence, that you are the most exalted devotee of the Lord.  Therefore, simply by seeing you, touching
your feet and talking with you, I have been pleased and have become obliged to
you.

कर्मावदातमेतत्
ते गायन्ति स्वःस्त्रियो मुहुः।

कीर्तिं
परमपुण्यां च कीर्तयिष्यति भूरियम् ॥२१॥

.All the blessed women in the heavenly
planets will continuously chant about your spotless character at every moment,
and the people of this world will also chant your glories continuously.

श्रीशुक
उवाच-

एवं
संकीर्त्य राजानं दुर्वासाः परितोषितः।

ययौ
विहायसामन्त्र्य ब्रह्मलोकमहैतुकम् ॥२२॥

Sri Sukadeva Goswami continued: Thus
being satisfied in all respects, the great mystic yogi Durvasa took permission
and left, continuously glorifying the King. 
Through the skyways, he went to Brahmaloka, which is devoid of agnostics
and dry philosophical speculators.

संवत्सरोऽत्यगात्
तावद् यावता नागतो गतः।

मुनिस्तद्दर्शनाकाङ्क्षो
राजाब्भक्षो  बभूव ह ॥२३॥

Durvasa Muni had left the place of
Maharaja Ambarisha, and as long as he had not returned – for one complete year –
the King had fasted, maintaining himself simply by drinking water.

गतेऽथ
दुर्वाससि सोऽम्बरीषो

   द्विजोपयोगातिपवित्रमाहरत्।

ऋषेर्विमोक्षं
व्यसनं च वीक्ष्य

   मेने स्ववीर्यं च परानुभावम् ॥२४॥

After one year, when Durvasa Muni had
returned, King Ambarisha sumptuously fed him all varieties of pure food, and
then he himself also ate.  When the King
saw that the brahmana Durvasa had been released from the great danger of being
burned, he could understand that by the grace of the Lord he himself was also
powerful, but he did not take any credit, 
for everything had been done by the Lord.   

एवं
विधानेकगुणः स राजा

   परात्मनि ब्रह्मणि वासुदेवे ।

क्रियाकलापैः
समुवाहभक्तिं

   यया विरिञ्च्यान् निरयांश्चकार ॥२५॥

In this way, because of devotional
service, Maharaja Ambarisha, who was endowed with varieties of transcendental
qualities, was completely aware of Brahman, Paramatma and the Supreme
Personality of Godhead,, and thus  he
executed devotional service perfectly. Because of his devotion, he thought even
the topmost planet of this material world no better than the hellish planets.   

अथाम्बरीषस्तनयेषु
राज्यं

  समानशीलेषु विसृज्य धीरः।

वनं
विवेशात्मनि वासुदेवे

  मनो दधत् ध्वस्तगुणप्रवाहः ॥२६॥

Srila Sukadeva Goswami continued:
Thereafter, because of his advanced position in devotional life, Maharaja
Ambarisha, who no longer desired to live with material things, retired from
active family life.  He divided his
property among his sons, who were equally as qualified, and he himself took the
order of vanaprastha and went to the forest to concentrate his mind fully upon
Lord Vasudeva.

इत्येतत्
पुण्यमाख्यानमम्बरीषस्य भूपतेः।

संकीर्तयन्ननुध्यायन्
भक्तो भगवतो भवेत् ॥२७॥

Any one  who chants this narration or even thinks of
this narration about the activities of Maharaja Ambarisha certainly becomes a
pure devotee of the Lord.

अम्बरीषस्य
चरितं ये शृण्वन्ति महात्मनः।

मुक्तिं
प्रयान्ति ते सर्वे भक्त्या विष्णोः प्रसादतः ॥२८॥

By the grace of the Lord , those who
hear about the activities of Maharaja Ambarisha, the great devotee , certainly
become liberated or become devotees without delay.  

॥इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां नवमस्कन्धे

         अम्बरीषचरिते पंचमोऽध्यायः॥           

अम्बरीषचरितम् – १ (श्रीमद्भागवतम्, स्कन्धः ९, अध्यायः ४)

 [The
English translation is largely based on that of  the disciples of His
Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada as given in the “Srimad
Bhagavatam” published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust]

नाभागो नभगापत्यं यं ततं भ्रातरः कविम्।

यविष्ठं व्यभजन् दायं ब्रह्मचारिणमागतम्॥ १॥

Sukadeva Goswami said : The son of Nabhaga
named Naabhaaga lived for a long time at the place of his spiritual
master.  Therefore, his brothers thought
that he was not going to become a grihasta and would not return.  Consequently, without providing a share for
him, they divided the property of their father 
among themselves.  When Naabhaaga
returned from the place of his spiritual master, they gave him their father as
his share.

भ्रातरोऽभाङ्क्त किं मह्यं भजाम पितरं तव।

त्वां ममार्यास्तताभाङ्क्षुर्मा पुत्रक तदादृथाः॥२॥

Naabhaaga enquired, “ My dear brothers,
what  have you given to me as my share of
our father’s property?”  His brothers
answered, “We have kept our father as your share.”  But when Naabhaaga went to his father and
said, “My dear father, my elder brothers have given you as my share of
property,” the father replied, “My dear son, do not rely upon their cheating
words, I am not your property.”

इमे अङ्गिरसः सत्रमासतेऽद्य सुमेधसः।

षष्ठं षष्ठमुपेत्याहः कवे मुह्यन्ति कर्मणि ॥३॥

Naabhaaga’s father said:  All the
descendants of Angiras are now going to perform a great sacrifice , but
although they are very intelligent, on every sixth day they will be bewildered
in performing sacrifice and will make mistakes in their daily duties.

तांस्त्वं शंसय सूक्ते द्वे वैश्वदेवे महात्मनः।

ते स्वर्यन्तो धनं सत्रपरिशेषणमात्मनः॥४॥

दास्यन्ति तेऽथ तानर्छ तथा स कृतवान् यथा।

तस्मै दत्त्वा ययुः स्वर्गं ते सत्रपरिशेषणम् ॥५॥

Naabhaaga’s father continued: “ go to those great souls and describe two
Vedic hymns pertaining to Vaisvadeva. 
When the great sages have completed the sacrifice and are going to the
heavenly planets, they will give you the remnants of the money they have
received from the sacrifice.  Therefore,
go there immediately.”  Thus Naabhaaga
acted exactly according to the advice of his father, and the great sages of the
Angira dynasty gave him all their wealth and then went to the heavenly planets/

तं कश्चित् स्वीकरिष्यन्तं पुरुषः कृष्णदर्शनः।

उवाचोत्तरतोऽभ्येत्य  ममेदं वास्तुकं वसु ॥६॥

Thereafter,  while Naabhaaga was
accepting the riches, a black-looking person from the North came to him and
said, “All the wealth from this sacrificial arena belongs to me.”

ममेदमृषिभिर्दत्तमिति तर्हि स्म मानवः।

स्यान्नौ ते पितरि प्रश्नः पृष्टवान् पितरं यथा ॥७॥

Naabhaaga then said, “These riches belong
to me.  The great saintly persons have
delivered them to me.” When Naabhaaga said this, the black-looking person
replied, “Let us go to your father and ask him to settle our
disagreement.”  In accordance with this,
Naabhaaga inquired from his father. 

यज्ञवास्तुगतं सर्वमुच्छिष्टमृषयः क्वचित्।

चक्रुर्हि भागं रुद्राय स देवः सर्वमर्हति ॥८॥

The father of Naabhaaga said: Whatever the
great sages sacrificed in the arena of the Daksha-Yajna, they offered to Lord
Siva as his share.  Therefore ,
everything in the sacrificial arena certainly belongs to Lord Siva.  

नाभागस्तं प्रणम्याह तवेश किल वास्तुकम्।

इत्याह मे पिता ब्रह्मञ्छिरसा त्वां प्रसादये ॥९॥

Thereupon, after offering obeisances to
Lord Siva, Naabhaaga said: O worshipable lord, everything in this arena of
sacrifice is yours.  This is the
assertion of my father.  Now, with great
respect, I bow my head before you, begging your mercy. 

यद् ते पितावदद् धर्मं त्वं च सत्यं प्रभाषसे।

ददामि ते मन्त्रदृशो ज्ञानं ब्रह्म सनातनम् ॥१०॥

Lord Siva said: Whatever your father has
said is the truth, and you also are speaking the same truth.  Therefore, I, who know the Vedic mantras,
shall explain transcendental knowledge to you. 

गृहाण द्रविणं दत्तं मत्सत्रपरिशेषितम्।

इत्युक्त्वान्तर्हितो रुद्रो भगवान् धर्मवत्सलः ॥११॥

Lord Siva said, “Now you may take all the
wealth remaining from the sacrifice, for I give it to you.”  After saying this, Lord Siva, who is most
adherent to the religious principles, disappeared from that place.

य एतत् संस्मरेत् प्रातः सायं च सुसमाहितः।

कविर्भवति मन्त्रज्ञो गतिं चैव तथात्मनः ॥१२॥

If one hears and chants or remembers this narration in the morning and
evening with great attention, he certainly becomes learned, experienced in
understanding the Vedic hymns, and expert in self-realization.

नाभागादम्बरीषोऽभून्महाभागवतः कृती।

नास्पृशद्  ब्रह्मशापोऽपि यं न प्रतिहतः क्वचित् ॥१३॥

From Naabhaaga, Maharaja  Ambarisha took birth.  Maharaja Ambarisha was an exalted devotee,
celebrated for his great merits. 
Although he was cursed by an infallible brahmana, the curse could not
touch him.

श्री राजोवाच –

भगवञ्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि राजर्षेस्तस्य धीमतः।

न प्राभूद् यत्र निर्मुक्तो ब्रह्मदण्डो दुरत्ययः ॥१४॥

King Parikshit enquired: O great
Personality, Maharaja Ambarisha was certainly most exalted and meritorious in
character. I wish to hear about him.  How
surprising it is that the curse of a brahmana, which is insurmountable, could
not act upon him.

श्रीशुक उवाच–

अम्बरीषो महाभागः सप्तद्वीपवतीं महीम्।

अव्ययां च श्रियं लब्ध्वा विभवं चातुलं भुवि॥१५॥

मेनेऽतिदुर्लभं पुंसां सर्वं तत् स्वप्नसंस्तुतम्।

विद्वान् विभवनिर्वाणं तमो विशति यत् पुमान् ॥१६॥

Sukadeva Goswami said:  Maharja Ambarisha, the most fortunate
personality, achieved the rule of the entire world, consisting of seven
islands, and achieved inexhaustible, unlimited opulence and prosperity on
earth.  Although such a position is
rarely obtained, Maharaja Ambarisha did not care for it at all, for he
knew  very well that all such opulence is
material. Like that which is imagined in a dream, such opulence will ultimately
be destroy.  The King knew that any
nondevotee who attains such opulence merges increasingly into material nature’s
mode of darkness.

वासुदेवे भगवति तद्भक्तेषु च साधुषु।

प्राप्तो भावं परं विश्वं येनेदं लोष्टवत् स्मृतम् ॥१७॥

Maharaja Ambarisha was a great devotee of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva, and of the saintly persons who
are the Lord’s devotees.  Because of this
devotion, he thought of the entire universe as being as insignificant as a lump
of clay.

स वै मनः कृष्णपदारविन्दयो–

  र्वचांसि वैकुण्ठगुणानुवर्णने।

करौ हरेर्मन्दिरमार्जानादिषु

  श्रुतिं चकाराच्युतसत्कथोदये ॥१८॥

मुकुन्दलिङ्गालयदर्शने दृशौ

  तद्भृत्यगात्रस्पर्शेऽङ्गसङ्गम्।

घ्राणं च तत्पादसरोजसौरभे।

  श्रीमत्तुलस्या रसनां तदर्पिते ॥१९॥

  पादौ हरेः क्षेत्रपदानुसर्पणे

    शिरो हृषीकेशपदाभिवन्दने।

  कामं च दास्ये न तु कामकाम्यया

    यथोत्तमश्लोकजनाश्रया रतिः ॥२०॥

 

Maharaja Ambarisha always engaged his mind
in meditating upon the lotus feet of Krishna, his words in describing the
glories of the Lord, his hands in cleansing the Lord’s temple, and his ears in
hearing the words spoken by Krishna or about Krishna.  He engaged his eyes in seeing the Deity of
Krishna, Krishna’s temples and Krishna’s places like Mathura and Vrindavanam he
engaged is sense of touch in touching the bodies of the Lord’s devotees, he
engaged his sense of smell in smelling the fragrance if tulasi offered to the
Lord and he engaged his tongue in tasting the Lord’s prasada.  He engaged legs in walking to the holy places
and temples of the Lord, his head in bowing down before the Lord, and all his
desires in serving the Lord, twenty-four hours a day.  Indeed, Maharaja Ambarisha never desired
anything for his own sense gratification. 
He engaged all his senses in devotional service, in various engagements
related to the Lord.  This is the way to
increase attachment for the Lord and be completely free from all material
desires.

 

एवं सदा कर्मकलापमात्मनः

    परेऽधियज्ञे भगवत्यधोक्षजे।

  सर्वात्मभावं विदधन्महीमिमां

     तन्निष्ठविप्राभिहितः शशास ह ॥२१॥

In performing his prescribed duties as
king, Maharaja Ambarisha always offered the results of his royal activities to
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, who is the enjoyer of everything
and is beyond the perception of material senses.  He certainly took advice from brahmanas who
were faithful devotees of the Lord, and thus he ruled the planet earth without
difficulty.

   ईजेऽश्वमेधैरधियज्ञमीश्वरं

      महाविभूत्योपचिताङ्गदक्षिणैः।

   ततैर्वसिष्ठासितगौतमादिभि–

      र्धन्वन्यभिस्रोतमसौ सरस्वतीम्॥२२॥

In desert countries where there flowed the
River Sarasvati, Maharaja Ambarisha performed great sacrifices like the
Aswamedha Yajna and thus satisfied the master of all yajnas, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead.  Such sacrifices
were performed with great opulence and suitable paraphernalia and with
contributions of dakshina to the brahmanas, who were supervised by great
personalities like Vasishtha, Asita and Gautama, representing the king, the
performer of the sacrifices.

यस्य क्रतुषु गिर्वाणैः सदस्या ऋत्विजो जनाः।

तुल्यरूपाश्चानिमिषा व्यदृश्यन्त सुवाससः ॥२३॥

In the sacrifices arranged by Maharaja
Ambarisha, the members of the assembly and the priests [especially hota,
udgata, brahma and adhvaryu ] were gorgeously dressed, and they all looked
exactly like demigods.  They eagerly saw
to the proper performance of the yajna.

स्वर्गो न प्रार्थितो यस्य मनुजैरमरप्रियः।

शृण्वद्भिरुपगायद्भिरुत्तमश्लोकचेष्टितम् ॥२४॥

The citizens of the state of Maharaja Ambarisha were accustomed to
chanting and hearing about the glorious activities of the Personality of
Godhead.  Thus they never aspired to be
elevated to the heavenly planets, which are extremely dear even to the
demigods.

संवर्धयन्ति यत् कामाः स्वाराज्यपरिभाविताः।

दुर्लभा नापि सिद्धानां मुकुन्दं हृदि पश्यतः ॥२५॥

Those who are  saturated with the transcendental happiness
of rendering service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead are uninterested even
in the achievements of great mystics, for such achievements do not enhance the
transcendental bliss felt by a devotee who always thinks of Krishna within the
core of his heart.

स इत्थं भक्तियोगेन तपोयुक्तेन पार्थिवः।

स्वधर्मेण हरिं प्रीणन् सर्वान् कामान्शनैर्जहौ ॥२६॥

The king of this planet, Maharaja
Ambarisha, thus performed devotional service to the Lord and in his endeavour
practiced severe austerity.  Always
satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead by his constitutional activities
, he gradually gave up all material desires. 

गृहेषु दारेषु सुतेषु बन्धुषु

  द्विपोत्तमस्यन्दनवाजिवस्तुषु।

अक्षय्यरत्नाभरणाम्बरादि–

   ष्वनन्तकोशेष्वकरोदसन्मतिम्॥२७॥

Maharaja Ambarisha gave up all attachments
to household affairs, wives, children, friends and relatives, to the best of
powerful elephants, to beautiful chariots, carts, horses and inexhaustible
jewels, and to ornaments, garments and an inexhaustible treasury.  He gave up attachment to all of them,
regarding them as temporary and material.

तस्मा अदाद्धरिश्चक्रं प्रत्यनीकभयावहम्।

एकान्तभक्तिभावेन प्रीतो भक्ताभिरक्षणम् ॥२८॥

Being very pleased by the unalloyed
devotion of Maharaja  Ambarisha,  the Supreme Personality of Godhead gave the
King His disc, which is fearful to enemies and which always protects the
devotee from enemies and adversities.

आरिराधयिषुः  कृष्णं महिष्या तुल्यशीलया।

युक्तः सांवत्सरं वीरो दधार द्वादशीव्रतम् ॥२९॥

To worship Lord Krishna, Maharaja
Ambarisha, along with his queen, who was equally qualified, observed the vow of
Ekadasi and Dvadasi for one year.

व्रतान्ते कार्तिके मासि त्रिरात्रं समुपोषितः।

स्नातः कदाचित् कालिन्द्यां हरिं मधुवनेऽर्चयत्॥३०॥

In the month of Kartika, after observing
that vow for one year, after observing a fast for three nights and after
bathing in the Yamuna, Maharaja Ambarisha worshiped the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Hari, in Madhuvana.

महाभिषेकविधिना सर्वोपस्करसम्पदा।

अभिषिच्याम्बराकल्पैर्गन्धमाल्यार्हणादिभिः॥३१॥

तद्गतान्तरभावेन पूजयामास केशवम्।

ब्राह्मणांश्च महाभागान् सिद्धार्थानपि भक्तित् ॥३२॥

Following the regulative principles of
mahabhisheka, Maharaja Ambarisha performed the bathing ceremony for the Deity
of Lord Krishna with all paraphernalia, and then dressed the Deity with fine
clothing, ornaments, fragrant flower garlands and other paraphernalia for
worship  of the Lord.  With attention and devotion, he worshiped
Kishna and all the greatly fortunate brahmanas who were free from material
desires.

गवां रुक्मविषाणीनां रूप्याङ्घ्रीणां सुवाससाम्।

पयः शीलवयोरूपवत्सोपस्करसम्पदाम्॥३३॥

प्राहीणोत् साधुविप्रेभ्यो गृहेषु न्यर्बुदानिषट्।

भोजयित्वा द्विजानग्रे स्वाद्वन्नं गुणवत्तमम् ॥३४॥

लब्धकामैरनुज्ञातः पारणायोपचक्रमे।

तस्य तर्ह्यतिथिः साक्षाद् दुर्वासा भगवानभूत् ॥३५॥

Thereafter, 
Maharaja Ambarisha satisfied  all
the guests who arrived at his house, especially the brahmanas.  He gave in charity sixty crores of cows whose
horns were covered with gold plate and whose hooves were covered with silver
plate.  All the cows were well decorated
with garments and had full  milk bags.
They were mild—natured, young and beautiful and were accompanied by their
calves.  After giving these cows, the
King first sumptuously fed all the brahmanas, and when they were fully
satisfied , he was about to observe the end of Ekadasi, with their permission,
by breaking the fast.  Exactly at that
time, however,  Durvasa Muni, the great
and powerful mystic, appeared on the scene as an uninvited guest. 

तमानर्चातिथिं भूपः प्रत्युत्थानासनार्हणैः।

ययाचेऽभ्यवहाराय पादमूलमुपागतः ॥३६॥

After standing up to receive Durvasa Muni,
King Ambarisha offered him a seat and paraphernalia of worship.  Then, sitting at his feet, the King requested
the great sage to eat.

प्रतिनन्द्य स तां याच्ञां कर्तुमावश्यकं गतः।

निममज्ज बृहद् ध्यायन् कालिन्दीसलिले शुभे ॥३७।

Durvasa Muni gladly accepted the request of
Maharaja Ambarisha,  but to perform the
regulative ritualistic ceremonies he went to the River Yamuna.  There he dipped into the water of the
auspicious Yamuna and meditated upon the impersonal Brahman.

मुहूर्तार्धावशिष्टायां द्वादश्यां पारणं प्रति।

चिन्तयामास धर्मज्ञो द्विजैस्तद्धर्मसङ्कटे ॥३८॥    

In the meantime, only a muhurta of the
Dvadasi day was left on which to break the fast.  Consequently, it was imperative that the fast
be broken immediately.  In this critical situation,
the King consulted learned brahmanas.

ब्राह्मणातिक्रमे दोषो द्वाद्श्यां यदपारणे।

यत् कृत्वा साधु मे भूयादधर्मो वा न मां स्पृशेत्॥३९॥

अम्भसा केवलेनाथ करिष्ये व्रतपारणम्।

आहुरब्भक्षणं विप्रा ह्यशितं नाशितं च तत् ॥४०॥

The King said: “To transgress the laws of
respectful behaviour toward the brahmanas is certainly a great offense.  On the other hand, if one does not observe
the breaking of the fast within the time of Dvadasi, there is a flaw in one’s
observance of the vow.  Therefore, O
Brahmanas, if you think that it will be auspicious and not irreligious, I shall
break the fast by drinking water.”  In
this way, after consulting with the brahmanas, the King reached this decision,
for according to brahminical opinion, drinking water may be accepted as eating
and also as not eating. 

इत्यपः प्राश्य राजर्षिश्चिन्तयन् मनसाच्युतम्।

प्रत्याचष्ट कुरुश्रेष्ठ  द्विजागमनमेव सः ॥४१॥

O best of the Kuru dynasty , after he drank
some water, King  Ambarisha, meditating
upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead within his heart, waited for the return
of the great mystic Durvasa Muni. 

दुर्वासा यमुनाकूलात् कृतावश्यक आगतः।

राज्ञाभिनन्दितस्तस्य बुबुधे चेष्टितं धिया ॥४२॥

After executing the ritualistic ceremonies
to be performed at noon, Durvasa returned from the bank of the Yamuna.  The King received him well, offering all
respects, but Durvasa Muni, by his mystic power, could understand that King
Ambarisha had drunk water without his permission.

मन्युना प्रचलद्गात्रो भ्रुकुटीकुटिलाननः।

बुभुक्षितश्च सुतरां कृताञ्जलिमभाषत॥४३॥

Still hungry, Durvasa Muni,  his body trembling, his face curved and his
eyebrows crooked in a frown, angrily spoke as follows to King Ambarisha, who
stood before him with folded hands.

अहो अस्य नृशंसस्य श्रियोन्मत्तस्य पश्यत।

धर्मव्यतिक्रमं  विष्णोरभक्तस्येशमानिनः॥४४॥

Alas,  just see the behaviour of
this cruel man! He is not a devotee of Lord Vishnu.  Being proud of his material opulence and his
position, he considers himself God. . 
Just see how he has transgressed the laws of religion (dharma).

यो मामतिथिमायातमातिथ्येन निमन्त्र्य च।

अदत्त्वा भुक्तवांस्तस्य सद्यस्ते दर्शये फलम् ॥४५॥

Maharaja Ambarisha, You have invited me to
eat as a guest, but instead of feeding me, you yourself have eaten first.  Because of your misbehaviour , I shall show
you something to punish you.

एवं ब्रुवाण उत्कृत्य जटां रोषप्रदीपितः।

तया स निर्ममे तस्मै कृत्यां कालानलोपमाम्॥४६॥

As Durvasa Muni said this, his face became
red with anger. Uprooting a bunch of hair from his head, he created a demon
resembling the blazing fire of devastation to punish Maharaja Ambarisha.

तामापतन्तीं ज्वलतीमसिहस्तां पदा भुवम्।

वेपयन्तीं समुद्वीक्ष्य न चचाल पदान्नृपः ॥४७॥

Taking a trident  in his hand and making the surface of the earth
tremble with his footsteps, that blazing creature came before Maharaja
Ambarisha.   But the King, upon seeing
him, was not at all disturbed and did not move even slightly from his position.

प्राग्दिष्टं भृत्यरक्षायां पुरुषेण महात्मना।

ददाह कृत्यां तां चक्रं क्रुद्धाहिमिव पावकः ॥४८॥

As fire in the forest immediately burns to ashes an angry snake, so, by
the previous order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, His disc, the
Sudarsana chakra, immediately burnt to ashes the created demon to protect the
Lord’s devotee.

तदभिद्रवदुद्वीक्ष्य स्वप्रयासं च निष्फलम्।

दुर्वासा दुद्रुवे भीतो दिक्षु प्राणपरीप्सया ॥४९॥

Upon seeing that his own attempt had failed
and that the Sudarsana chakra was moving toward him, Durvasa Muni became very
frightened and began to run in all directions to save his life.

तमन्वधावद् भगवद्रथाङ्गं

   दावाग्निरुद्धूतशिखो यथाहिम्।

तथानुषक्तं मुनिरीक्षमाणो

   गुहां विविक्षुः प्रससार मेरोः ॥५०॥

As the blazing flames of a forest fire
pursue a snake, the disc of the Supreme Personality of Godhead began following
Durvasa Muni.  Durvasa Muni saw that the
disc was almost touching his back, and thus he ran very swiftly, desiring to
enter a cave of Sumeru Mountain.

दिशो नभः क्ष्मां विवरान् समुद्रान्

  लोकान् सपालांस्त्रिदिवं गतः सः।

यतो यतो धावति तत्र तत्र

  सुदर्शनं दुष्प्रसहं ददर्श ॥५१॥

Just to protect himself, Durvasa Muni fled everywhere,
in all directions- in the sky, on the surface of the earth, in caves, in the
ocean, on different planets of the rulers of the three worlds, and even on the
heavenly planets – but wherever he went he immediately saw following him the
unbearable fire of the Sudarsana chakra.

अलब्धनाथः स सदा कुतश्चित्

  संत्रस्तचित्तोऽरणमीक्षमाणः।

देवं विरिञ्चं समगाद् विधात–

  स्त्राह्यात्मयोनेऽजिततेजसो माम् ॥५२॥

With a fearful heart, Durvasa Muni went
here and there seeking shelter, but when he could  find no shelter,  he finally approached Lord Brahma and said “O
my Lord,  O Lord Brahma, kindly protect
me from the blazing Sudarsana chakra sent by the supreme Personality of
Godhood.

स्थानं मदीयं सहविश्वमेतत्

  क्रीडावसाने द्विपरार्धसंज्ञे।

भ्रूभङ्गमात्रेण हि संदिधक्षोः

  कालात्मनो यस्य तिरोभविष्यति॥५३॥

अहं भवो दक्षभृगुप्रधानाः

 प्रजेशभूतेशसुरेशमुख्याः।

सर्वे वयं यन्नियमं प्रपन्ना

  मूर्ध्न्यार्पितं लोकहितं वहामः ॥५४॥

Lord Brahma said: At the end of the
dwi-parardha, when the pastimes of the Lord come to an end, Lord Vishnu, by a
flick of His eyebrows , vanquishes the entire universe, including our places of
residence.  Such personalities as me and
Lord Siva, as well as Daksha, Bhrigu and similar great saints of whom they are
the head, and also the rulers of the living entities, the rulers of human
society and the rulers of the  demigods –
all of us surrender to that Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Vishnu, bowing
our heads, to carry out His orders for the benefit of all living entities.  

प्रत्याख्यातो विरिञ्चेन विष्णुचक्रोपतापितः।

दुर्वासाः शरणं यातः शर्वं कैलासवासिनम् ॥५५॥

When Durvasa, who was greatly afflicted by the
blazing fire of the Sudarsana chakra, was thus refused  by Lord Brahma, he tried to take shelter of
Lord Siva, who always resides on his planet, known as Kailasa .

श्रीशङ्कर उवाच–

वयं न तात प्रभवाम भूम्नि

  यस्मिन् परेऽन्येऽप्यजजीवकोशाः।

भवन्ति काले न भवन्ति हीदृशाः

  सहस्रशो यत्र वयं भ्रमामः ॥५६॥

Lord Siva said: My dear son, I, Lord Brahma
and the other demigods, who rotate within this universe under the misconception
of our greatness, cannot exhibit any power to compete with the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, for innumerable universes and their inhabitants come into existence
and are annihilated by the simple direction of the Lord.  

अहं सनत्कुमारश्च नारदो भगवानजः

कपिलोऽपान्तरतमो देवलो घर्म आसुरिः॥५७॥

मरीचिप्रमुखाश्चान्ये सिद्धेशाः पारदर्शनाः।

विदाम न वयं सर्वे यन्मायां माययावृताः॥५८॥

तस्य विश्वेश्वरस्येदं शस्त्रं दुर्विषहं हि नः।

तमेव शरणं याहि हरिस्ते शं विधास्याति ॥५९॥

Past, present and future are known to me
{Lord Siva], Sanatkumara, Narada, the most revered Lord Brahma, Kapila [the son
of Devahuti], Apantaratma [Lord Vyasadeva], Devala, Yamaraja, Asuri, Marichi,
and many saintly persons headed by him, as well as many others who have achieved
perfection. Nonetheless, because we are covered by the illusory energy of the
Lord, we cannot understand how expansive that illusory energy is.  You should simply approach that Supreme
Personality of Godhood to get relief, of this Sudarsana chakra is
intolerable  even to us.  Go to Lord Vishnu.  He will certainly be kind enough to bestow
all good fortune upon you.   

ततो निराशो दुर्वासाः पदं भगवतो ययौ।

वैकुण्ठाख्यं यदध्यास्ते श्रीनिवासः श्रिया सह ॥६०॥

Thereafter, being disappointed even in
taking shelter of Lord siva , Durvasa Muni went to Vaikuntha Dhama,  where the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Narayana resides with His consort, the goddess of fortune.  

संदह्यमानोऽजितशस्त्रवह्निना

  तत्पादमूले पतितः सवेपथुः।

आहाच्युतानन्त सदीप्सित प्रभो

  कृतागसं मावहि विश्वभावन ॥६१॥

Durvasa Muni, the great mystic, scorched by
the heat of the Sudarsana chakra, fell at the lotus feet of Narayana.  His body trembling, he spoke as follows: O
infallible, unlimited Lord, protector of the entire Universe, You are the only
desirable objective for all devotees.  I
am a great offender, my Lord.  Please
give me protection.

अजानता ते परमानुभावं

   कृतं मयाघं भवतः प्रियाणाम्।

विधेहि तस्यापचितिं विधात–

  र्मुच्येत यन्नाम्न्युदिते नारकोऽपि॥६२॥

O my Lord, O Supreme controller, without knowledge of Your unlimited
prowess I have offended Your most dear devotee. 
Very kindly save me from he reaction of this offense.  You can do everything, for even if a person
is fit for going to hell, You can deliver him simply by awakening within his
heart the holy name of Your Lordship

श्रीभगवानुवाच–

अहं भक्तपराधीनो ह्यस्वतन्त्र इव द्विज

साधुभिर्ग्रस्तहृदयो भक्तैर्भक्तजनप्रियः ॥६३॥

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said to
the Brahmana: I am completely under the control of My devotees.  Indeed, I am not at all independent.  Because my devotees are completely devoid of
material desires, I sit only within the cores of their hearts. What to speak of
My devotee, even those who are devotees of My devotee are very dear to Me.   

नाहमात्मानमाशासे मद्भक्तैः साधुभिर्विना।

श्रियं चात्यन्तिकीं ब्रह्मन् येषां गतिरहं परा ॥६४॥

O best of the brahmanas, without saintly persons for whom I am the only
detination, I do not desire to enjoy My transcendental bliss and My supreme
opulences.

ये दारागारपुत्राप्तप्राणान् वित्तमिमं परम्।

हित्वा मां शरणं याताः कथं तांस्त्यक्तुमुत्सहे॥६५॥

Since pure devotees give up their homes, wives, children, relatives,
riches and even their lives simply to serve Me, without any desire for material
improvement in this life or in the next, how can I give up such devotees at any
time?

मयि निर्बद्धहृदयाः साधवः समदर्शनाः।

वशे कुर्वन्ति मां भक्त्या सत्स्त्रियः सत्पतिं यथा॥६६॥

As chaste women bring their gentle husbands
under control by service, the pure devotees, who are equal to everyone and
completely attached to Me in the core of the heart, bring Me under their full
control.

मत्सेवया प्रतीतं ते सालोक्यादिचतुष्टयम्।

नेच्छन्ति सेवया पूर्णाः कुतोऽन्यत् कालविप्लुतम् ॥६७॥

My devotees, who are always satisfied to be
engaged in My loving service, are not interested even in the four principles of
liberation [salokya, sarupya, samipya and sarshti], although these are automatically
achieved by their service.  What then is
to be said of such perishable happiness as elevation to the higher planetary systems?

साधवो हृदयं मह्यं साधूनां हृदयं त्वहम्।

मदन्यत् ते न जानन्ति नाहं तेभ्यो मनागपि॥६८॥

The pure devotee is always within the core
of My heart, and I am always in the heart of the pure devotee.  My devotees do not know anything else but Me,
and I do not know anyone else but them.

उपायं कथयिष्यामि तव विप्र शृणुष्व तत्।

अयं ह्यात्माभिचारस्ते यतस्तं याहि मा चिरम्।

साधुषु प्रहितं तेजः प्रहर्तुः कुरुतेऽशिवम् ॥६९॥

O brahmana, let Me now advise you for your
own protection.  Please hear from
Me.  By offending Maharaja Ambarisha, you
have acted with self-envy. Therefore you should go to him immediately, without
a moment’s delay.  One’s so-called
prowess, when employed against the devotee, certainly harms he who employs it.
Thus it is the subject, not object, who is harmed.   

तपो विद्या च विप्राणां निःश्रेयसकरे उभे।

ते एव दुर्विनीतस्य कल्पते कर्तुरन्यथा ॥७०॥

For a brahmana, austerity and learning are certainly auspicious, but
when acquired by a person who is not gentle, such austerity and learning are
most dangerous.  

ब्रह्मंस्तद् गच्छ भद्रं ते नाभागतनयं नृपम्।

क्षमापय महाभागं ततः शन्तिर्भविष्यति ॥७१॥

O best of brahmanas, you should therefore
go immediately to King Ambarisha, the son of Maharaja Naabhaaga.  I wish you all good fortune.  If you can satisfy Maharaja Ambarisha, then there
will be peace for you.

      ॥इति
श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां नवमस्कन्धे

                 अम्बरीषचरिते चतुर्थोऽध्यायः॥           

  

    श्रीरामचरितम् -२ (श्रीमद्भागवतम्
नवमस्कन्धः अध्याय:११)

श्रीशुक उवाच-

भगवानात्मनाऽऽत्मानं
राम उत्तमकल्पकैः।

सर्वदेवमयं देवमीज आचार्यवान् मखैः ॥१॥

Sukadeva Goswami said:
Thereafter, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Ramachandra, accepted an acharya
and performed sacrifices [yajnas] with the best of paraphernalia.  Thus He Himself worshiped Himself, for He is
the Supreme Lord of all demigods.

होत्रेऽददाद्  दिशं प्राचीं ब्रह्मणे दक्षिणां
प्रभुः।

अध्वर्यवे प्रतीचीं च उदीचीं सामगाय सः ॥२॥

Lord Ramachndra gave the
entire East to the hota priest, the entire South to the brahma
priest, the West to the adhvaryu priest and the North to the udgata
priest, the reciter of the Sama Veda.  In
this way, He donated his entire kingdom.

आचार्याय ददौ शेषां यावती भूस्तदन्तरा।

मन्यमान इदं कृत्स्नं ब्राह्मणोऽर्हति निःस्पृहः ॥३॥

Thereafter, thinking that because the brahmanas have no
material desires they should possess the entire world, Lord Ramachandra
delivered the land between the east, west, north and south to the acharaya.

इत्ययं तदलङ्कारवासोभ्यामवशेषितः।

तथा राज्ञ्यपि वैदेही सौमङ्गल्यावशेषिता ॥४॥

After thus giving
everything in charity to the brahmanas, Lord Ramachandra retained only His
personal garments and ornaments, and similarly the Queen, mother Sita, was left
with only those things which mark a sumangali (a woman with her husband
alive) like the nose ring etc, and nothing else.

ते तु ब्रह्मण्यदेवस्य वात्सल्यं वीक्ष्य संस्तुतम्।

प्रीताः क्लिन्नधियस्तस्मै प्रत्यर्प्येदं बभाषिरे ॥५॥

All the brahmanas who
were engaged in the various activities of the sacrifice were very pleased with
Lord Ramachandra, who was greatly affectionate and favourable to the
brahmanas.  Thus with melted hearts they
returned all the property received from Him and spoke as follows:  

अप्रत्तं नस्त्वया किं नु भगवन् भुवनेश्वर।

यन्नोऽन्तर्हृदयं विश्य तमो हंसि स्वरोचिषा ॥६॥

O Lord You are the master
of the entire universe.  What have You
not give to us?  You have entered the
core of our hearts and dissipated the darkness of our ignorance by Your
effulgence.  This is the supreme
gift.  We do not need a material
donation.

नमो ब्रह्मण्यदेवाय रामायाकुण्ठमेधसे।

उत्तमश्लोकधुर्याय न्यस्तदण्डार्पिताङ्घ्रये॥७॥

O Lord, You are the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, who have accepted the brahmanas as Your
worshipable deity.  Your knowledge and
memory are never disturbed by anxiety. 
You are the chief of all famous persons within this world, and Your
lotus feet are worshiped by sages who are beyond the jurisdiction of punishment.
O Lord Ramachandra, let us offer our respectful obeisances unto You

कदाचिल्लोकजिज्ञासुर्गूढो रात्र्यामलक्षितः।

चरन् वाचोऽशृणोद् रामो भार्यामुद्दिश्य कस्यचित् ॥८॥

Sukadeva Goswami
continued: Once while Lord Ramachandra was walking in the night incognito,
hiding himself by a disguise to find out the people’s opinion of Himself, He
heard a man casting aspersions on His wife, Sitadevi.

नाहं बिभर्मि त्वां दुष्टामसतीं  परवेश्मगाम्।

स्त्रीलोभी बिभृयात् सीतां रामो नाहं भजे पुनः ॥९॥

[Speaking to his unchaste
wife, the man said] You go to another man’s house and stay there.  You are therefore unchaste and polluted.  I shall not maintain you any more.  A person overly- attached to woman like Lord
Rama may accept a wife like Sita, who went and stayed in another man’s house,
but I am not  like Him and therefore I
shall not accept you again.  

इति लोकात् बहुमुखाद् दुराराध्यादसंविदः।

पत्या भीतेन सा त्यक्ता प्राप्ता प्राचेतसाश्रमम्॥१०॥

Sukadeva Goswami said:
Men with a poor fund of knowledge and a heinous character speak
nonsensically.  Fearing such rascals,
Lord Ramachandra abandoned His wife, Sitadevi (although she was pregnant). Then
Sitadevi sought and was given shelter in the hermitage of Valmiki Muni.

अन्तर्वत्न्यागते काले यमौ सा सुषुवे सती।

कुशो लव इति ख्यातौ तयोश्चक्रे क्रिया मुनिः॥११॥

When the time came, the
pregnant mother Sitadevi gave birth to twin sons, later celebrated as Lava and
Kusa.  The ritualistic ceremonies for
their birth were performed by Valmiki Muni.

अङ्गदश्चित्रकेतुश्च लक्ष्मणस्यात्मजौ स्मृतौ।

तक्षः पुष्कल इत्यास्तां भरतस्य महीपते॥१२॥

O Maharaja Parikshit,
Lord Lakshmana had two sons, named Angada and Chitraketu, and Lord Bharata had
two sons, named Taksha and Pushkala.

सुबाहुः श्रुतसेनश्च शत्रुघ्नस्य बभूवतुः।

गन्धर्वान् कोटिशो जघ्ने भरतो विजये दिशाम्॥१३॥

तदीयं धनमानीय सर्वं राज्ञे न्यवेदयत्।

शत्रुघ्नश्च मधोः पुत्रं लवणं नाम राक्षसम्।

हत्वा मधुवने चक्रे  मथुरां नाम वै पुरीम् ॥१४॥

Satrughna had two sons
named Subahu and Srutasena. When Lord Bharata went to conquer all directions,
He had to kill many millions of Gandharvas, who were generally pretenders.  Taking all their wealth, He offered it to Lord
Ramachadra. Satrughna also killed a Rakshasa named Lavana, who was the son of
Madhu Rakshasa.  Thus he established in
the great forest known as Madhuvana the town known as Mathura.

मुनौ निक्षिप्य तनयौ सीता भर्त्रा विवासिता।

ध्यायन्ती रामचरणौ विवरं प्रविवेश ह ॥१५॥

Being forsaken by her
husband, Sitadevi entrusted her two sons to the care of Valmiki Muni.  Then, meditating upon the lotus feet of Lord
Ramachandra, she entered into the earth (from where she had emerged as a
child).

तच्छ्रुत्वा भगवान् रामो रुन्धन्नपि धिया शुचः।

स्मरंस्तस्या गुणांस्तांस्तान्नाशक्नोद् रोद्धुमीश्वर॥१६॥

After hearing the news of
mother Sita’s entering the earth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead was certainly
aggrieved.  Although He is the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, upon remembering the exalted qualities of mother Sita,
He could not check his grief in transcendental love.

स्त्रीपुंप्रसङ्ग एतादृक् सर्वत्र त्रासमावहः।

अपीश्वराणां किमुत ग्राम्यस्य गृहचेतसः ॥१७॥

The attraction between
man and woman, or male and female, always exists everywhere, and is the cause
of fear and grief.  Such feelings are
present even among the controllers like Brahma and Lord Siva and is the cause
of fear or grief for them.

तत ऊर्ध्वं ब्रह्मचर्यं धारयन्नजुहोत् प्रभुः।

त्रयोदशाब्दसाहस्रमग्निहोत्रमखण्डितम् ॥१८॥

After mother Sita entered
the earth, Lord Ramachandra observed complete celibacy and performed an
uninterrupted Agnihotra-yajna for thirteen thousand years.

स्मरताम् हृदि विन्यस्य विद्धं दण्डककण्टकैः।

स्वपादपल्लवं राम आत्मज्योतिरगात् ततः ॥१९॥

After completing the
sacrifice, Lord Ramachandra, whose lotus feet were sometimes pierced by thorns
when He lived in Dandakaranya, placed those lotus feet in the hearts of those
who always think of Him.  Then He entered
His own abode, the Vaikuntha planet beyond the Brahmajyoti

नेदं यशो रघुपतेः सुरयाच्ञयाऽऽत्त-

  लीलातनोरधिकसाम्यविमुक्तधाम्नः।

रक्षोवधो जलधिबन्धनमस्त्रपूगैः

  किं तस्य शत्रुहनने
कपयः सहायाः ॥२०॥

Lord Ramachandra’s
reputation for having killed Ravana with showers of arrows at the request of
the demigods and for having built a bridge over the ocean does not constitute
the factual glory of the Supreme Personality Godhead Lord Ramachandra whose
spiritual body is always engaged in various pastimes.  Lord Ramachandra has no equal or superior,
and therefore He had no need to take help from the monkeys to kill his enemies.

यसामलं नृपसदस्सु यशोऽधुनापि

    गायन्यघघ्नमृषयोदिगिभेन्द्रपट्टम्।

तं नाकपालवसुपालकिरीटजुष्ट-

     पादाम्बुजं रघुपतिं शरणं प्रपद्ये ॥२१॥

Lord Ramachandra’s
spotless name and fame, which vanquish all sinful reactions, are celebrated in
all directions, like the ornamental cloth of the victorious elephant that
conquers all directions. Great saintly persons like Markandeya Rishi still
glorify His characteristics in the assemblies of great emperors like Maharaja
Yudhishthira. Similarly, all the saintly kings and all the demigods, including
Lord Siva and Lord Brahma, worship Him by bowing down with their helmets.  Let me offer my obeisances unto His lotus feet.

स यैः स्पृष्टोऽभिदृष्टो वा संविष्टोऽनुगतोऽपि वा।

कोसलास्ते ययुः स्थानं यत्र गच्छन्ति योगिनः ॥२२॥

Lord Ramachandra returned
to His abode, to which bhakti-yogis are promoted.  This is the place to which all the
inhabitants of Ayodhya went after they served the Lord in His manifest pastimes
by offering him obeisances, touching His lotus feet, fully observing Him as a fatherlike
King, sitting or lying down with him like equals, or even just accompanying
him.

पुरुषो रामचरितं श्रवणैरुपधारयन्।

आनृशंस्यपरो राजन् कर्मबन्धैर्विमुच्यते ॥२३॥

O King Parikshit, anyone
who aurally receives the narrations concerning the characteristis of Lord
Ramachandra’s pastimes will ultimately be freed from the disease of envy and
thus be liberated from the bondage of fruitive activities.   

इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां नवमस्कन्धे

         रामचरिते एकादशाध्याये श्लोकाः १-२३॥           

    

          वामनावतारः-
८

 (श्रीमद्भागवतम् अष्टमस्कंधः, अध्यायः२३)

 [The English
translation is largely based on that of  the disciples of His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada as given in the “Srimad Bhagavatam”
published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust]

श्रीशुक उवाच-

इत्युक्तवन्तं पुरुषं पुरातनं

   महानुभावोऽखिलसाधुसम्मतः।

बद्धाञ्जलिर्बाष्पकलाकुलेक्षणो

    भक्त्युत्कलो गद्गदया गिराब्रवीत्॥१॥

Sukadeva Goswami said:
When the supreme, ancient, eternal Personality of Godhead had thus spoken to
Bali Maharaja, who is universally accepted as a pure devotee of the Lord and
therefore a great soul, Bali Maharaja, his eyes filled with tears, hands folded
and his voice faltering in devotional ecstasy, responded as follows.

बलिरुवाच-

अहो प्रणामाय कृतः समुद्यमः

   प्रपन्नभक्तार्थविधौ समाहितः।

यल्लोकपालैस्त्वदनुग्रहोऽमरै-

    रलब्धपूर्वोऽपसदेऽसुरेऽर्पितः॥२॥

Bali Maharaja said: What
a wonderful effect there is in even attempting to offer respectful obeisances
to You! I merely endeavoured to offer You obeisances, but nonetheless the
attempt was as successful as those of pure devotees.  The causeless mercy You have shown to me, a
fallen demon, was never achieved even by the demigods or the leaders of the
various planets.

श्रीशुक उवाच-

इत्युक्त्वा हरिमानम्य ब्रह्माणं सभवं ततः।

विवेश सुतलं प्रितो बलिर्मुक्तः सहासुरैः ॥३॥

Sukadeva Goswami
continued: After speaking in this way, Bali Maharaja offered his obeisances
first to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, and then to Lord Brahma and
Lord Siva.  Thus he was released from the
bondage of the  ropes of Varuna, and in
full satisfaction he entered the planet known as Sutala.

एवमिन्द्राय भगवान् प्रत्यानीय त्रिविष्टपम्।

पूरयित्वादितेः काममशासत् सकलं जगत् ॥४॥

Thus having delivered the
proprietorship of the heavenly planets to Indra and having fulfilled the desire
of Aditi, mother of the demigods, the Supreme Personality of Godhead ruled the
affairs of the universe.

लब्धप्रसादं निर्मुक्तं पौत्रं वंशधरं बलिम्।

निशाम्य भक्तिप्रवणः प्रह्लाद इदमब्रवीत् ॥५॥

When Prahlada Maharaja
heard how Bali Maharaja, his grandson and descendant, had been released from
bondage and had achieved the benediction of the Lord, he spoke as follows in a
tone of greatly ecstatic devotion.

प्रह्लाद उवाच
–

 नेमं विरिञ्चो लभते प्रसादं

    न श्रीर्न शर्वः किमुतापरे ते।

यन्नोऽसुराणामपि दुर्गपालो

    विश्वाभिवन्द्यैरपि वन्दिताङ्घ्रिः ॥६॥

Prahlada Maharaja said: O
Supreme Personality of Godhead, You are universally worshiped; even Lord Brahma
and Lord Siva worship Your lotus feet. 
Yet although You are such a great personality, You have kindly promised
to protect us, the demons.  I think that
such kindness has never been achieved even by Lord Brahma, Lord Siva or the
goddess of fortune, Lakshmi, what to speak of other demigods or common people.

यत्पादपद्ममकरन्दनिषेवणेन

   ब्रह्मादयः शरणदाश्नुवते विभूतीः।

कस्माद् वयं कुसृतयः खलयोनयस्ते

   दाक्षिण्यदृष्टिपदवीं भवतः प्रणीताः ॥७॥

O supreme shelter of
everyone, great personalities like Brahma enjoy their perfection simply by
tasting the honey of rendering service at Your lotus feet.  But as for us, who are all rogues and
debauchees born of a envious family of demons, how have we received Your mercy?
It has been possible only because Your mercy is causeless.

  चित्रं तवेहितमहोऽमितयोगमाया-

    लीलाविसृष्टभुवनस्य विशारदस्य।

  सर्वात्मनः समदृशः विषमः स्वभावो

    भक्तप्रियो यदसि कल्पतरुस्वभावः ॥८॥

O my Lord, Your pastimes
are all wonderfully performed by Your inconceivable spiritual energy; and by
her perverted reflection, the material energy. 
You have created all the universes. 
As the Supersoul of all living entities, You are aware of everything,
and therefore You are certainly equal toward everyone, Nonetheless, You favour
Your devotees.  This is not partiality,
however, for Your characteristic is just like that of a desire tree, which
yields everything according to one’s desire.

श्रीभगवानुवाच-

वत्स प्रह्लाद भद्रं ते प्रयाहि सुतलालयम्।

मोदमानः स्वपौत्रेण ज्ञातीनां सुखमावह ॥९॥

The Supreme Personality
of Godhead said: My dear son Prahlada, all good fortune unto you.  For the time being, please go to the place
known as Sutala and there enjoy happiness with your grandson and your other
relatives and friends.

नित्यं द्रष्टासि मां तत्र गदापाणिमवस्थितम्।

मद्दर्शनमहाह्लादध्वस्तकर्मनिबन्धनः ॥१०॥

The Supreme Personality of Godhead assured
Prahlada Maharaja: You will be able to see Me there in My usual feature with
conch shell, disc, club and lotus in My hand. 
Because of your transcendental bliss due to always personally seeing Me,
you have no further bondage to fruitive activities.

श्रीशुक उवाच-

आज्ञां भगवतो राजन् प्रह्लादो बलिना सह।

बाढमित्यमलप्रज्ञो मूर्ध्न्याधाय क्रुताञ्जलिः॥११॥

परिक्रम्यादिपुरुषं सर्वासुरचमूपतिः।

प्रणतस्तदनुज्ञातः प्रविवेश महाबिलम्॥१२॥

Sri Sukadeva Goswami said: Accompanied by
Bali Maharaja, my dear King Parikshit, Prahlada Maharaja, the master of all
chiefs of the demons, took the Supreme Lord’s order on his head with folded
hands.  After saying yes to the Lord,
circumambulating Him and offering Him respectful obeisances, he entered the
lower planetary system known as Sutala.

अथाहोशनसं राजन् हरिर्नारायणोऽन्तिके।

आसीनमृत्विजां मध्ये सदसि ब्रह्मवादिनाम्॥१३॥

Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana,
thereafter addressed Sukracharya, who was sitting nearby in the midst of the
assembly with the priests [brahma, hota, udgata and adhvaryu]. O
Maharaja Parikshit , these priests were all brahma-vadis, followers of the
Vedic principles for performing sacrifices.

ब्रह्मन् संतनु शिष्यस्य कर्मच्छिद्रं वितन्वतः।

यत् तत् कर्मसु वैषम्यं ब्रह्मदृष्टं समं भवेत्॥१४॥

O best of brahmanas, Sukracharya, please describe the
fault or discrepancy in your disciple Bali Maharaja, who engaged in performing
sacrifices.  This fault will be nullified
when judged in the presence of qualified brahmanas.

शुक्र उवाच-

कुतस्तत्कर्मवैषम्यं यस्य कर्मेश्वरो भवान्।

यज्ञेशो यज्ञपुरुषः सर्वभावेन पूजितः॥१५॥

Sukracharya said: My Lord, You are the
enjoyer and lawgiver in all performances of sacrifice, and You are the yajna-purusha,
the person to whom all sacrifices are offered.  If one has fully satisfied You, where is the
chance of discrepancies or faults in his performances of sacrifice?

मन्त्रतस्तन्त्रतश्छिद्रं  देशकालार्हवस्तुतः

सर्वं करोति निश्छिद्रं नामसङ्कीर्तनं तव ॥१६॥

There may be discrepancies in pronouncing
the mantras and observing the regulative principles, and, moreover, there may
be discrepancies in regard to time, place, person and paraphernalia.  But when your Lordship’s holy name is
chanted, everything becomes faultless.

तथापि वदतो भूमन् करिष्यामनुशासनम्।

एतच्छ्रेयः परं पुंसां यत् तवाज्ञानुपालनम् ॥१७॥

Lord Vishnu, I must nonetheless act in
obedience to Your order because obeying Your order is most auspicious and is
the first duty.

श्रीशुक उवाच_

अभिनन्द्य हरेराज्ञामुशना भगवानिति।

यज्ञच्छिद्रं समाधत्त बलेर्विप्रर्षिभिः सह॥१८॥

Sukadeva Goswami continued: In this way, the most
powerful Sukracharya accepted the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
with full respect.  Along with the best
brahmanas, he began to compensate for the discrepancies in the sacrifices
performed by Bali Maharaja.

एवं बलेर्महीं राजन् भिक्षित्वा वामनो हरिः।

ददौ भ्रात्रे महेन्द्राय त्रिदिवं यत् परैर्हृतम् ॥१९॥

O King Parikshit, thus having taken all the land of
Bali Maharaja by begging, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Vamadeva,
delivered to His brother Indra all the land taken away by Indra’s enemy.

प्रजापतिपतिर्ब्रह्मा देवर्षिपितृभूमिपैः।

दक्षभृग्वङ्गिरोमुख्यैः कुमारेण भवेन च ॥२०॥

कश्यपस्यादितेः प्रीत्यै सर्वभूतभवाय च।

लोकानां लोकपालानामकरोद्वामनं पतिम्॥२१॥

Lord Brahma [the master of King Daksha and
all other Prajapatis], accompanied by all the demigods, the great saintly
persons, the inhabitants of the Pitrloka, the Manus, the munis, and such leader
as Daksha, Bhrgu, Angira as well as Karthikeya and Lord Siva, accepted Lord
Vamadeva as the protector of everyone. He did this to please Kashyapa Muni and
his wife Aditi and for the welfare of all the inhabitants of the universe,
including their various leaders.

वेदानां सर्वदेवानां धर्मस्य यशसः श्रियः।

मङ्गलानां व्रतानां च कल्पं स्वर्गापवर्गयोः॥२२॥

उपेन्द्रं कल्पयाञ्चक्रे पतिं सर्वविभूतये।

तदा सर्वाणि भूतानि भृशं मुमुदिरे नृप ॥२३॥

O King Parikshit, Indra was considered the King of all the universe, but
the demigods, headed by Lord Brahma, wanted Upendra, Lord Vamanadeva, as the
protector of the Vedas, the principles of religion (dharma), fame, opulence,
auspiciousness, vows, elevation to the higher planetary system, and
liberation.  Thus they accepted Upendra,
Lord Vamanadeva, as the supreme master of everything.  This decision made all living entities
extremely happy.

ततस्त्विन्द्रः पुरस्कृत्य देवयानेन वामनम्।

लोकपालैर्दिवं निन्ये ब्रह्मणा चानुमोदितः ॥२४॥

Thereafter, along with all the leaders of the heavenly
planets, Indra, the King of heaven, placed Lord Vamanadeva before him and, with
the approval of Lord Brahma, brought Him to the heavenly planet in a celestial
airplane.   

प्राप्य त्रिभुवनं चेन्द्र उपेन्द्रभुजपालितः।

श्रिया परमया जुष्टो मुमुदे गतसाध्वसः ॥२५॥

Indra, King of heaven, being protected by
the arms of Vamanadeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, thus regained his
rule of the three worlds and was reinstated in his own position, supremely
opulent, fearless and fully satisfied.

ब्रह्मा शर्वः कुमारश्च भृग्वाद्या मुनयो नृप।

पितरः सर्वभूतानि सिद्धा वैमानिकाश्च ये ॥२६॥

सुमहत् कर्म तद् विष्णोर्गायन्तः परमाद्भुतम्।

धिष्ण्यानि स्वानि ते जग्मुरदितिं च शशंसिरे॥२७॥

Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, Lord Karthikeya, the great
sage Bhrgu, other saintly persons, the inhabitants of
Pitrloka and all other living entities present, including the inhabitants of
siddhaloka and living entities who travel in outer
space by airplane, all glorified the uncommon activities of Lord
Vamanadeva.  O King, while chanting about
and glorifying the Lord, they returned to their respective heavenly
planets.   They also praised the position
of Aditi.

सर्वमेतन्मयाख्यातं भवतःकुलनन्दन।

उरुक्रमस्य चरितं श्रोतॄणामघमोचनम्॥२८॥

O Maharaja Parikshit, pleasure of your dynasty, I have
now described to you everything about the wonderful activities of the Supreme
Paesonality of Godhead Vamanadeva.  Those
who hear about this are certainly freed from all the results of sinful
activities.

पारं महिम्न उरु विक्रमतो गृणानो

   यः पार्थिवानि विममे स रजांसि मर्त्यः।

किं जायमान उत जात उपैति मर्त्य

    इत्याह मन्त्रदृगृषिः पुरुषस्य यस्य ॥२९॥

One who is subject to death cannot measure the glories
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Trivikrama, Lord Vishnu, any more than
he can count the number of atoms on the entire planet earth.  No one, whether born already or destined to
take birth, is able to do this.  This has
been sung by the great sage Vasishtha.

य इदं देवदेवस्य हरेरद्भुतकर्मणः।

अवतारानुचरितं शृण्वन् याति परां गतिम्॥३०॥

If one hears about the uncommon activities
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His various incarnations, he is
certainly elevated to the higher planetary system or even
brought back home, back to Godhead.

क्रियमाणे कर्मणीदं दैवे पित्र्येऽथ मानुषे।

यत्र यत्रानुकीर्त्येत तत् तेषां सुकृतं विदुः ॥३१॥

Whenever the activities of Vamanadeva are described in
the course of a ritualistic ceremony, whether the ceremony be performed to
please the demigods, to please one’s forefathers in Pitrloka, or to celebrate a
social event like a marriage, that ceremony should be understood to be
extremely auspicious.

 ॥इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायामष्टमस्कन्धे

         वामनावतारचरिते त्रयोविंशोऽध्यायः॥