The Bhagavata Purana 1

by Bibek Debroy

  ‘“Happy, the king made him and his brother climb on to a she-elephant and entered the city. Here and there, dazzling arches that were in the shape of makaras had been constructed. There were pillars made out of plantain trees and young areca nut trees, with branches laden with fruit. Every door had pots filled with water, with burning lamps on them. There were decorations of mango leaves, garments, garlands and strings of pearls that hung downwards. The ramparts, gates and houses were decorated with molten gold. Everything was ornamented and the tops of the mansions were as radiant as vimanas. The quadrangles, highways, seats and roads were cleaned with sandalwood water. Everywhere, fried, unhusked grain, flowers, fruits, rice and offerings were strewn around. Here and there, as Dhruva passed along the road, the women of the city showered white mustard, unhusked grain, curds, water, durva grass, flowers and fruits on him. Out of their affection, those virtuous ones pronounced benedictions over him. Listening to melodious songs, he entered his father’s residence. That supreme of residences was decorated with collections of extremely expensive jewels. Always nurtured by his father, he lived there, like a god in heaven. The couches were made out of ivory and had the complexion of the froth of milk. They were covered with golden spreads. There were extremely expensive seats and the cushions were decorated with gold. The walls were made out of crystal and extremely expensive emeralds. There were dazzling lamps made out of jewels, held by statuettes of women, also made out of jewels. The beautiful gardens were full of colourful and celestial trees. Pairs of birds sang there and intoxicated bees buzzed. The steps leading down into the lakes were made of lapis lazuli and the lakes were full of blue lotuses and lilies. They were inhabited by flocks of swans, karandavas, chakravakas and cranes. Uttanapada, the royal sage, heard about, and also saw, his son’s wonderful powers and was greatly surprised. He saw that he had come of age. With the approval of the ordinary people, who loved Dhruva, the king made him the lord of the earth. The lord of the earth saw that he himself was old. He perceived the progress of the atman and devoid of attachment, left for the forest.”’

  Chapter 4(10)

  ‘Maitreya said, “Dhruva married the daughter of Prajapati Shishumara. Her name was Bhrami and her sons were Kalpa and Vatsara. He had another wife named Ila, Vayu’s daughter. Through her, the extremely strong one had a son named Utkala, whom women loved like a jewel. 1334 Uttama did not marry. While out on a hunt on a mountain, he was killed by an auspicious person who was stronger. 1335 His mother followed the path her son took. Hearing about his brother’s death, he was filled with rage, intolerance and grief. He ascended his victorious chariot and went to the abode of those auspicious people. The king went to the northern direction, frequented by Rudra’s companions. In a valley in the Himalayas, he saw the city, inhabited by guhyakas. The large-armed one blew on his conch shell and this echoed in the sky and in the directions.

  ‘“O Kshatta! Hearing this sound, the minor goddesses 1336 were anxious and extremely scared. The minor gods, powerful and great warriors, emerged. They were unable to tolerate that sound. Raising their weapons, they attacked him. When they descended, the brave maharatha, fierce in wielding the bow, simultaneously struck each of them with three arrows. Those arrows were stuck to each of their foreheads. Though they thought that they would be repulsed, they praised this action of his. They were also angry, like snakes struck with the foot. They sought to hit back by simultaneously striking him with double the number of arrows. 1337 There were one lakh and thirty thousand of them and they wished to retaliate. They angrily showered down clubs, swords, spears, javelins, battle-axes, spikes, broad swords, bhushundis 1338 and colourfully tufted arrows on him, his chariot and his charioteer. Enveloped by that copious shower of weapons, Uttanapada’s son could not be seen, like a mountain during the rains. The Siddhas were watching from the sky and cries of lamentation arose among them. ‘Alas! Like a submerged sun, Manu’s son has been destroyed in this ocean of auspicious people.’ The yatudhanas roared, proclaiming that they had been victorious in the battle. However, the chariot emerged, like the sun from behind a cover of mist. Causing distress in the minds of the enemy, he twanged his divine bow. Like the wind dispelling an army of clouds, he shattered the torrents of their weapons with a flood of arrows. Released from his bow, they pierced the armour of the rakshasas. The sharp arrows penetrated their bodies, like the vajra shattering mountains. The broad-headed arrows severed heads beautiful with earrings, thighs that were like golden palm trees, arms ornamented with bracelets and bodies with necklaces, armlets, crowns and extremely expensive headdresses. This resplendence in the field of battle delighted the minds of the brave. There were some from the horde of rakshasas who were not killed by the arrows of the noble kshatriya in that field of battle. Like herds with whom a king of animals 1339 has played, the bodies of most of them were mangled and they fled. In the great field of battle, Manu’s supreme descendant did not see any more assassins. Though he wished to see the city of the enemy, he did not enter. ‘One does not know what those skilled in maya intend.’ The one with the colourful chariot spoke in this way to his charioteer, remaining vigilant about what the enemy might do. At this time, he saw a great storm of dust cover the directions and the sky and heard a sound like the roaring of the ocean. In an instant, in every direction, the sky was shrouded by an army of clouds. There were flashes of lightning and the clap of thunder, terrifying all the directions. O unblemished one! Floods of blood, mucus, pus, excrement, urine and fat showered down from the sky in front of him, along with headless torsos. From every direction, clubs, maces, swords, bludgeons and stones showered down. A mountain appeared in the sky. Snakes with lightning in their breath, vomiting fire and with angry eyes, rushed at him. So did herds of mad elephants, lions and tigers. An ocean with terrible waves flooded the entire earth. It emitted a loud roar and was terrible, like at the end of a kalpa. There were many such things that would have caused terror to those less spirited. The asuras used the fierce maya of asuras to generate these. The sages heard that the asuras had used maya, extremely difficult to withstand, against Dhruva. They assembled, desiring his welfare. The sages said, ‘O son of Uttanapada! The illustrious god, the wielder of the Sharnga bow, destroys the enemies of those who are devoted to him and removes their afflictions. On uttering his name, or hearing it, people completely overcome death, which is so very difficult to vanquish. He will do it to you too.’”’ 1340

  Chapter 4(11)

  ‘Maitreya said, “Hearing the words of the rishis, Dhruva touched water and affixed the weapon fashioned by Narayana to his bow. O Vidura! Just as hardships are dispelled by the onset of knowledge, as soon at it was affixed, all the maya devised by the guhyakas was destroyed. The rishi’s 1341 weapon was affixed to the bow, with golden shafts and tufts made out of the feathers of swans. Like peacocks call in terrible tones and enter a forest, it emerged and penetrated the army of the enemy. Here and there in the field of battle, the auspicious people were afflicted by sharp arrows sharpened on stone. Enraged, like serpents raising their angry hoods against Suparna, they raised their weapons and attacked him. As they attacked him in the field of battle, he severed their arms, thighs, necks and stomachs with those arrows. Piercing through the solar circle, he dispatched them to the supreme world that is frequented by those who hold up their seed. In large numbers, the innocent guhyakas were slaughtered by the one with the colourful chariot. Dhruva’s grandfather 1342 was overcome by pity. With the rishis, Manu approached.

  ‘“Manu said, ‘O child! Enough of this excessive rage. This is the wicked gate to darkness. Overwhelmed by this, you have killed the auspicious people who are innocent. O son! This is not proper for our lineage. This is a deed condemned by the virtuous. You have started this act of killing the minor gods who are innocent. O dear one! O one who is devoted to one’s brother! You are tormented at your brother’s death. But because of the crime of a single person, many are being killed because of association. This is not a path for virtuous ones who follow Hrishike
sha. Though they are like your own self, you are seizing others and slaughtering them like animals. You have worshipped Hari with the sentiment that his abode is in all beings and that all creatures are like your own self. You have obtained Vishnu’s supreme state, which is so very difficult to obtain. Hari remembers you and men revere you because of that. How have you acted in this way? Instead, you should teach others about virtuous vows. The illustrious one is pleased through tolerance, compassion, friendliness towards all creatures and equality, because he is in all atmans. When the illustrious being is pleased, one is freed from the gunas of Prakriti. Freed from the jivatman, 1343 one obtains nirvana in the brahman. The bodies of men and women are formed out of the five elements. In this world, further creation occurs from association between men and women. O king! In this way, through the maya of the paramatman and the interaction of the gunas, creation, preservation and destruction take place. The supreme being is nirguna and is only an apparent instrument. This manifest and unmanifest universe whirls around, like a lump of iron. 1344 Indeed, the illustrious one’s powers are in time, the flow of the gunas and the various kinds of energy. He is the agent, but is also not the agent. He is the destroyer, but is also not the destroyer. Indeed, the lord’s actions are impossible to comprehend. He is infinite. He is the annihilator. He is time. He is without beginning. He is the beginning of everything. He is without change. He uses people to create other people. As an annihilator, he uses death to destroy. There is no one who is his ally. There is no one who is his adversary. As death, the supreme one equally enters all beings. Just as dust particles follow the wind, the large number of creatures move and follow the lord. The lord enhances, or diminishes, the lifespans of living entities. He confers good fortune and misfortune, but is himself beyond these two states. O king! Some speak of this as karma. Others say that this is nature. Some say this is time. Others say that this is destiny. Still others say that this is because of men being prone to desire. The immutable and immeasurable one gives rise to many kinds of powers. O son! Who is capable of knowing the intentions of the one who creates himself? O son! These followers of Dhanada are not your brother’s slayers. O son! It is indeed destiny which is the reason behind the birth and death of men. He is the one who creates the universe. He is the one who destroys it. Despite this, he is not touched by ahamkara, or gunas and actions. He is in the atmans of all beings who have been created. He is the lord of creatures. He is the creator of creatures. United with the maya of his powers, he creates, preserves and destroys. O son! He is death. He is immortality. He is destiny. Surrender to the one who is in all atmans. He is the refuge of the universe. He is the one to whom the creators of the universe 1345 render offerings, like a bull controlled by its master through a rope around the nose. When you were five years old, your heart was shattered by the words of your stepmother and you left for the forest, abandoning your mother. You performed austerities and worshipped the one who cannot be realized through the senses. You obtained a state that is above the three worlds. O dear one! Free yourself from this enmity. Base your atman on the nirguna and immutable one, who is without a second. Search your atman and look towards your atman. Free yourself from this sense of differentiation, which is non-existent, but appears to exist. In your atman, realize the illustrious and infinite one. He is bliss alone and possesses all the powers. Through devotion to the supreme one, you will slowly sever the bond of ignorance, the strong sense of “I” and “mine”. O fortunate one! Control your rage, which is an impediment to supreme welfare. O king! Constantly resort to learning, just as one uses medication to treat a disease. If a man is overwhelmed by this, 1346 people are greatly terrified of him. A learned person who desires fearlessness for himself does not succumb to it. Since you were intolerant towards those who killed your brother, you have shown disrespect towards Girisha 1347 and Dhanada, by killing the auspicious people. O child! Quickly pacify the great one 1348 through respectful and reverential words, so that he does not use his energy to destroy our lineage.’”

  ‘Maitreya concluded, “In this way, Svayambhuva Manu instructed his grandson Dhruva and was worshipped by him. With the rishis, he 1349 returned to his own city.”’

  Chapter 4(12)

  ‘Maitreya said, “Having learnt that Dhruva’s rage had subsided and that he had refrained from killing, the illustrious lord of riches arrived there, praised by charanas, yakshas and kinnaras.

  ‘“Dhanada joined his hand in salutation and said, ‘O heir of a kshatriya! O unblemished one! I am satisfied with you, since you have listened to the instructions of your grandfather and have abandoned enmity, which is extremely difficult to cast aside. You did not kill the yakshas. Nor did the yakshas kill your brother. Time is the lord over the creation and destruction of living beings. Misconceptions of “I” and “you” persistently exist because of a man’s ignorance. Because one thinks about it, 1350 one is bound to hardships and they appear like dreams to a person who is asleep. O Dhruva! O fortunate one! Therefore, go to the illustrious Adhokshaja. Think that he is in the atmans of all creatures. He is embodied in the atmans of all creatures. For deliverance and your severing the cycle of existence, worship the one whose feet deserve to be worshipped. Through the power of his own maya, he attaches himself to the gunas, but remains detached. O king! O Uttanapada’s son! Without any hesitation, ask me for a boon, for whatever desire exists in your heart. Since you are constantly devoted to his lotus feet, you deserve to be granted a boon. O dear one! That is what we have heard about you.’”

  ‘Maitreya continued, “The immensely fortunate and immensely intelligent Dhruva was urged by Rajaraja 1351 to accept a boon. He asked that Hari’s memory should always be with him and that he might easily cross the darkness, 1352 which is so very difficult to cross. With a cheerful mind, Aidavida 1353 granted him the boon and vanished, while he looked on. Then he 1354 also returned to his own city. There, he performed sacrifices to the lord of sacrifices, with copious quantities of dakshina. He also performed sacrifices with objects for the gods 1355 and rites meant to lead to the fruits of these rites. His entire soul was on Achyuta and there were strong flows of devotion towards him. He saw himself in all creatures and saw the lord also established there. The subjects thought that he possessed good conduct. He was devoted to brahmanas and to the distressed. He protected the ordinances of dharma. They thought he was like their father. He ruled the globe of the earth for thirty-six thousand years. He enjoyed until his store of good deeds was exhausted. He refrained from enjoyment, so that his store of bad deeds was also exhausted. In this way, the great-souled one was not disturbed by his senses for a period that lasted for many years. After spending this time in the pursuit of the three objectives, 1356 he handed over the royal throne to his son. He then thought that this universe was fashioned by the maya of the atman. 1357 It was fashioned out of ignorance, like a city of the gandharvas. 1358 He thought that he himself, his wife, his children, his well-wishers, his forces, his prosperous treasury, his inner quarters, the beautiful pleasure gardens to roam around in and the surface of the earth, girdled by the ocean, were temporary and were the creatures of time. He left for Vishala. 1359 He purified himself there, bathing in the auspicious waters. He steadied himself in an asana and controlled his breath of life, using his mind to control his senses. He incessantly meditated on the illustrious one’s gross form, thus entering a state of samadhi. Because he was constantly devoted to the illustrious Hari, he was overwhelmed and tears of joy repeatedly flowed from his eyes. His heart seemed to melt and his body hair stood up. He no longer remembered who he was and was freed from his linga sharira.

  ‘“Dhruva then saw a vimana from the sky descend in front of him. It illuminated the ten directions, as if the lord of the stars had arisen. He saw two gods there. They possessed four arms and were dark and young. Their eyes were red, like lotus flowers. They stood there, leaning on their maces and attired in excellent garments. They were adorned in diadems, necklaces, armlets and beautiful earrings. He understoo
d that they were the servants of the famous one. 1360 He stood up. But because he was bewildered, he forgot how to receive and worship them in the proper way. He only chanted the names of Madhu’s enemy. 1361 He respectfully joined his hands in saluation to those two foremost attendants. His mind was focused on Krishna’s feet. He joined his hands in salutation and humbly bowed down his head. Smiling, Sunanda and Nanda, revered by the one with the lotus in his navel, approached and said, ‘O king! O extremely fortunate one! Listen attentively to our words. When you were five years old, you satisfied the divinity with your austerities. We are the attendants of the god who wields the Sharnga bow. He is the creator of the entire universe. We have come here to take you to the illustrious one’s world. You have conquered Vishnu’s region for yourself, something that is extremely difficult to obtain. It is beyond what the gods 1362 can reach and they can only look at it. Ascend to the place that the moon, the sun, the planets, the nakshatras and the stars circle around, keeping it to their right. O dear one! This is a place that none of your forefathers has been able to reach. Ascend to Vishnu’s supreme state, worshipped by the universe. This excellent vimana belongs to Uttamashloka, the foremost one. O long-lived one! It has presented itself and you are worthy of climbing on to it.’ The one loved by Urukrama heard the sweet words, which were like drops of honey, spoken by the two foremost attendants of Vaikuntha. He performed his ablutions and performed the daily auspicious rites. He bowed down to the sages and received their benedictions. He circumambulated that excellent vehicle and worshipped it. He greeted the two attendants. Assuming a dazzling and golden form, he tried to climb on.