The Bhagavata Purana 2

by Bibek Debroy

  Shri-Shuka said, ‘O king! They thus truly explained the nature of dharma towards the illustrious one. They freed the brahmana from Yama’s noose and saved him from death. O destroyer of enemies! When Yama’s messengers had thus been repulsed, they went to Yama’s presence and told Yamaraja everything that had happened. When he had been freed from the noose, the brahmana lost his fear and regained his old nature. Delighted at the sight of Vishnu’s servants, he bowed his head down and worshipped them. The servants of the great being saw that he wished to speak. O unblemished one! Therefore, while he looked on, they instantly vanished from the spot. Ajamila had heard the conversation between the messengers of Yama and Krishna, about the pure nature of dharma in the three Vedas, based on the illustrious one, the store of qualities. Having heard about Hari’s greatness, he instantly became devoted to the illustrious one. Remembering the wicked deeds he had committed, he felt great repentance. “Alas! I could not conquer myself and suffered this great hardship. By having sons through a vrishala lady, I have destroyed my status as a brahmana. Shame on me. I will be condemned by virtuous people. I have committed evil deeds. I am a taint on my family. Abandoning my young and chaste wife, I went to a wicked woman who was a drunkard. My parents were old and without a protector. They were without relatives and ascetics. Alas! Like an ungrateful and inferior person, I have deserted them. It is evident that I will fall down into an extremely terrible hell. There, lascivious people who destroy dharma suffer hardships from Yama. I witnessed a great wonder. Was it a dream or was it real? With nooses in their hands, there were those who sought to drag me away. Where have they gone now? There were four handsome ones who released me when I was bound with nooses and was being taken down to the nether regions. Where have they gone? Despite my misfortune, those learned ones must have seen something auspicious in me. Why else have they shown me their favours? I was the impure husband of a vrishala lady and was about to die. Why else did I deserve to chant Vaikuntha’s name through my tongue? I was a gambler, wicked, shameless and the slayer of brahmanas. How could I have uttered the illustrious Narayana’s auspicious name? I will now endeavour to control my mind, senses and the breath of life, so that I no longer submerge myself into blinding darkness. I will free myself from all the bonds of ignorance and desire and desire for acts. I will be a well-wisher towards all beings, friendly, compassionate and in control of my atman. I will free myself from the demon in the form of a woman, which was nothing but the illustrious one’s maya. I was evil and it played with me, like with a domesticated deer. I will give up physical notions of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ and the false pursuit of material objects. Hearing and chanting about the illustrious one, I will use my intelligence to focus my mind on him.” In this way, through a brief association with virtuous people, he lost all sense of attachment. He freed himself from all bonds and went to Gangadvara. 432 In that abode of the divinity, he seated himself in yoga. He withdrew all the aggregate of the senses and immersed his mind in the atman. Having detached himself from the gunas, he immersed himself in meditation. He submerged his atman in the refuge that is the illustrious one, who is thought of as the brahman. When his intelligence was thus fixed, before him, he saw the beings whom he had seen earlier. The brahmana recognized them as the ones he had met earlier. He bowed his head down and worshipped them. Once he had seen them, he gave up his body in that tirtha on the Ganga. He immediately assumed a form that was appropriate for someone who was the illustrious one’s attendant. Along with the servants of the great being, the brahmana ascended a golden vimana and travelled to the spot where Shri’s consort was. He had given up all kinds of dharma. He had become the husband of a servant-maid. He had fallen down and been engaged in reprehensible deeds. With his vows destroyed, he was going to be hurled into hell. However, having chanted the illustrious one’s name, he was instantly liberated. For those desiring liberation, there is no better way to sever the bondage of deeds, than chanting about the one whose feet are a tirtha. Thereby, the mind does not get attached to deeds again. There is no contamination through rajas, tamas, or anything else. This is an extremely secret ancient account that destroys sins, for all those who listen to it with faith, or chant it with devotion. Such a person does not go to hell and Yama’s servants do not look at him. However inauspicious he may have been in the mortal world, he obtains greatness in Vishnu’s world. While he was dying, addressing his son, Ajamila chanted Hari’s name and went to that abode, not to speak of those who chant it with devotion.’

  Chapter 6(3)

  The king asked, ‘The god Dharmaraja heard what his own servants described. Everyone is under his subjugation. What did he say to them in reply? His commands were defied by Murari’s servants. O rishi! The violation of the god Yama’s punishment has never been heard of earlier. How can this happen? O sage! This will remain a doubt among people. It is my firm view that no one other than you can clear this up.’

  Shri-Shuka replied, ‘O king! The efforts of Yama’s servants were countered by those of the illustrious one. They went and informed Yama, the lord of Samyamini.

  ‘Yama’s messengers said, “O lord! In the world of the living, how many controllers are there, who apportion out fruits, depending on the threefold 433 nature of deeds? In the world, if there are many controllers who exert the rod, who is the one who will determine death and who is the one who will determine immortality? There are indeed many people who perform deeds. However, if there are many controllers, that will be like a circle of controllers engaged in acting. 434 Therefore, you alone are the lord of creatures and the lord over everyone. You are the controller, the one who exercises the rod of punishment. You are the one who decides on good and bad deeds committed by men. However, the punishment ordained by you is no longer being observed in the world now. It has been countered by four extraordinary masters of siddhi. Following your command, we were conveying a sinner to a chamber meant for hardships. But they forcibly severed the nooses and freed him. If you think we are worthy, we wish to know about this. When ‘Narayana’ was uttered, they quickly arrived, exclaiming, ‘Do not be afraid.’”’

  Shri-Shuka continued, ‘Yama, the god who controls subjects, was thus asked by his own messengers and was delighted. He remembered Hari’s lotus feet and replied.

  ‘Yama said, “The lord of mobile and immobile objects is different from me. Like the warp and woof of a piece of cloth, the universe is woven into him. 435 Creation, preservation and destruction takes place from his portions. As if with a rope through the noose, the worlds are under his control. The people who are addressed by different names have emanated from him. They are bound to him with cords, like bulls with ropes. They are bound and scared. With different names and deeds, they bear the burden and offer sacrifices to him. I, the great Indra, Nirriti, Prachetas, 436 Soma, Agni, Isha, Pavana, Virinchi, the Adityas, the Vishvadevas, the Vasus, the Sadhyas, the large number of Maruts, the large number of Rudras, the Siddhas, all the other creators of the universe, 437 the lords of the immortals and Bhrigu and the others who are not touched by rajas and tamas—are touched by his maya and do not understand his activities. Nor do those who are full of sattva. What can one say of others? Those who possess the breath of life cannot comprehend him through the senses, the mind, the breath of life, the heart or words, though he is the atman who exists in their atmans, in the inner recesses of the heart. This is like the forms of the body not being able to see the eye, which is beyond them. Hari is the lord who controls himself. The great-souled one is supreme and is the lord of maya. With agreeable forms, qualities and natures, like him, his messengers generally wander around. These creatures of Vishnu are worshipped by the gods. They are extremely wonderful and their manifestations can rarely be seen. They protect mortal devotees of the illustrious one from others, from me and from everyone else. Dharma has been enunciated by the illustrious one himself and is not known by the rishis, the gods, the best among the Siddhas, asuras and men, not to speak of vidyadharas and charanas. O servants! Svayambhu, Narada, Sha
mbhu, Kumara, 438 Kapila, Manu, Prahlada, Janaka, Bhishma, Bali, Vyasa’s son 439 and I—the twelve of us know about the illustrious one’s dharma. It is pure and mysterious, difficult to comprehend. A person who knows it, obtains immortality. In this world, there exists a supreme dharma for men. Beginning with chanting, it consists of bhakti yoga towards the illustrious one. O sons! Behold the greatness that results from chanting Hari’s name. Even someone like Ajamila has been freed from the noose of death. This is sufficient for destroying all the sins of men—chanting the illustrious one’s qualities, deeds and names. While he was dying, the sinner Ajamila addressed his son by the name ‘Narayana’ and achieved liberation. Even great beings do not generally know this. The divinity is the abode of maya and their intelligence is confounded because of this. Their intelligence has been numbed by the sweet and flowery pronouncements of the three. 440 Therefore, they engage themselves in the great rites mentioned in the sacred texts. Indeed, having considered this, those with excellent intelligence resort to devoted yoga towards the illustrious Ananta, with all their souls. Therefore, such people do not deserve to be punished. Even if they sin, those are destroyed through such chanting. Those who chant his sacred account are divinities and Siddhas. Having sought refuge with the illustrious one, those virtuous ones are impartial in their outlook. They are protected by Hari’s club and one should not approach them. We and our rod of punishment have no influence over them. Bring before me wicked ones who have turned away from Mukunda and from the sweet fragrance of his lotus feet. This is incessantly tasted by paramahamsas who are attached to nothing else. Bind and bring those who are thirsty for household objects and follow a path that leads to hell. Bring before me those whose tongues do not chant the illustrious one’s qualities and names and those whose minds do not remember his lotus feet, those who never bow their heads down before Krishna and those wicked ones who do not render service to Vishnu. May the illustrious and ancient being, Narayana, pardon me for the offence that I and my servants have caused. My servants did not know. We join our hands in salutation. We bow down before the great being and lord and beg forgiveness.”’

  Shri-Shuka continued, ‘The chanting of Vishnu’s name is therefore beneficial for the world. O Kouravya! Know that it is the ultimate atonement and destroys the greatest of sins. If one repeatedly hears and chants about Hari’s valour, great devotion results and the mind is purified, much more than through vows and other things. A person who has tasted the honey of Krishna’s lotus feet renounces the qualities of maya and no longer finds delight in other objects that lead to hardships. It is others who are struck by desire and, because they are tainted by this dirt, seek to cleanse it through beneficial rites. However, the dirt touches them again. This glory of the illustrious one was explained to Yama’s servants by their own master. Remembering this, their minds were astounded. O king! They are scared of a person who seeks refuge with Achyuta. Therefore, since that day, they are terrified of even looking at such people. The illustrious one who was born from a pot 441 recited this secret history to me, while he was seated on Malaya, worshipping Hari.’

  Chapter 6(4)

  The king said, ‘You have briefly described the gods, asuras, men, nagas, animals and birds created during Svayambhuva manvantara. O illustrious one! I wish to know about this in detail, about the subsequent creations that the supreme and illustrious one brought about and about their powers.’

  Suta 442 said, ‘Badarayana’s son heard this excellent question asked by the royal sage. Welcoming this, the great yogi, supreme among sages, replied.’

  Shri-Shuka said, ‘The ten Prachetas were the sons of Prachinabarhi. Emerging from inside the ocean, they saw that the earth was covered with trees. Kindled by their austerities, their anger and intolerance at the trees flared up. Desiring to burn those down, they created wind and fire from their mouths. O extender of the Kuru lineage! On seeing that these were being burnt down, the great king, Soma, tried to pacify their anger. “O immensely fortunate ones! You should not burn down these miserable trees. You are known as the protectors of subjects and should ensure their increase. The illustrious Hari, without decay, is the lord of Prajapatis. The lord created trees and herbs as food. Immobile objects are food for those that move, those without feet are food for those who possess feet. Those without hands are food for those without hands, those with four feet are food for bipeds. O unblemished ones! Your father, and the god of the gods, instructed you to create subjects. How can you burn down the trees? Resort to the path of the virtuous and control the rage that has been ignited. This was the path followed by your father, grandfather and great grandfather. Parents are friends for children, the eyelashes for the eyes, the husband for a woman, the king for subjects, householders for mendicants and the learned are well-wishers for the ignorant. The lord Hari, the atman, dwells inside the bodies of beings. Everything is his abode. If you consider this, he will be satisfied. If a person desires to know about the atman, he should control the sudden eruption of powerful rage within the space in the heart. He will then be able to transcend the gunas. Enough of this burning down of the miserable trees. Let the remaining ones be safe. There is this excellent maiden 443 who has been reared by the trees. Accept her as your wife.” O king! This extremely beautiful maiden was the daughter of an apsara. King Soma bestowed her on them and returned. Following dharma, they married her.

  ‘Daksha, the son of the Prachetas, was born through her. The three worlds are populated with the offspring that he created. Daksha was devoted to his daughters. Listen attentively to how he created creatures through his semen and through his mind. In the beginning, this Prajapati created subjects through his mind—gods, asuras, men and others who reside in the sky, on earth and in water. Prajapati saw that this creation of subjects was not increasing. He went to the foothills of the Vindhyas and performed extremely difficult austerities. There was a supreme tirtha named Aghamarshana there and it destroyed sins. He bathed thrice a day and satisfied Hari with his austerities. He satisfied the illustrious Adhokshaja with hamsa-guhya. 444 I will now explain to you how Hari was satisfied.

  ‘Prajapati said, “I bow down before the supreme one whose powers are real. He is the controller of living beings, manifested in the three gunas. His abode cannot be perceived by those whose intelligence seeks truth in the gunas. I worship the self-created one who is beyond everything. He is the friend of a being, but the being does not know this friend, just as an object of the senses doesn’t perceive the sense organ. With the being, this friend resides in the same city. 445 He is a witness to everything that is manifest. I bow down before that great lord. This body, the breath of life, the senses, the mind, the elements and the tanmatras 446 do not know themselves, or anything that exists beyond them. All living beings only know about the gunas, but do not know the omniscient and infinite one. I worship him. When there is a cessation of the mind and names and forms no longer exist because the senses and memory are destroyed, his transcendental form is alone perceived. I bow down to the pure one. His abode is the pure heart. Learned ones perceive him located in the inner cores of their hearts, even though, enveloped by the three gunas and his nine powers. 447 Just as the fire latent in wood is drawn out, learned people draw out the fifteenth. 448 His maya is infinite and varied and comes in the way of realizing emancipation and experiencing bliss. All the names are his and the universe is his form. I do not possess the capacity to describe this. Let him show me his favours. Anything spoken in words, anything determined by the intelligence, the senses or the mind is not the way he is. That is not his true form. He is the cause of gunas and forms. He is behind the creation, appearance and destruction of the gunas. Everything rests in him. Everything results from him. Everything belongs to him. Everything is rendered to him. Everything executed is for him. Every action is done by him. He is the supreme cause behind cause and effect. He is the original and famous one. He is the brahman. He alone, and no one else, is the cause behind everything. Those who speak talk about his potencies and in
dulge in disputes and agreements. They repeatedly delude themselves. I bow down before the lord who is infinite in his qualities. He exists. He does not exist. He is the single one. Professing faith in what they know, people follow different and contrary kinds of dharma. Some perceive him through samkhya, or yoga. He is the identical being, supreme and great. May he be favourable towards me. May he show favours towards those who worship at his feet. The illustrious one is infinite and is beyond names and forms. He manifests himself through names, forms, births and deeds. May he be supremely favourable towards me. There are ordinary people who follow different paths of knowledge. According to their wishes, he manifests himself in different embodied forms. This is like the wind bearing the qualities of the earth. 449 Let the lord fulfil my desires.”’