On S’ukrâ’s going to Mahâdeva to get the Mantra [ p. 286 ] 1. Vyâsa said :— When the Devas retired from the battlefield, S’ukrâchârya addressed the Demons thus :— O best of the Demons! Please hear, what had been told to me by Brahmâ in days of yore.
2-3. Janârdan Visnu is coming here to slay all the Demons, He killed before Hiranyâksa, the king of the Asuras, in His Boar incarnation. He killed Hiranyakasipu by assuming His Man-Lion appearance; now too, he will kill all the Daityas, no doubt, with great enthusiasm.
4-5. Now my mantra force will not be of any avail before S’rî Hari. And without my help you will not be able to conquer the Devas. Therefore, O Demons, wait for some time for me; I will start today to the presence of S’iva Mahâdeva to obtain from him the Mantra S’akti. [ p. 287 ] 6. I will return, as early as possible, getting the Mantra from S’rî Mahâdeva; and with the help of the power of those great Mantras I will be able to protect you thoroughly.
7. The Daityas said :— O best of the Munis! We are now defeated and our forces are well nigh exhausted; how will we be able to stay on this earth and expect your return for so long a time?
8. Those who were of great strength amongst us, they all are slain; now we are left very few in number. In this crisis it is not advisable and auspicious for us to remain here in this battlefield.
9. S’ukrâchârya said :— Better you all stay here until I return, getting the requisite Mantra; remain peaceful and engaged in asceticism.
10. The heroes apply one or other of the following four measures :— conciliation, alliance, gifts and bribery, partitions and sowing dissensions and punishment or open attack according to the conditions of time, place strength and circumstances.
11. Intelligent and well wishing persons do serve their enemies even in time of distress; but no sooner they find that their strength and army have increased, than they try at once to kill all their enemies.
12. Now, therefore, pretend your meekness and allegiance and adopt peace and remain in your own place until my arrival.
13. O Demons! I will come back with the Mantra from Mahâdeva. I will fight again with the Devas, by that veritable mantra power.
14. O king! Thus firmly making up his mind to have the Mantra, S’ukrâchârya went to Mahâdeva.
15. The Dânavas sent Prahlâda to the Devas for conciliation. The Devas regarded Prahlâda truthful and they all trusted on him.
16. Prahlâda with Asuras addressed thus the Devas with gentleness and humility.
17. O Immortals! We all have abandoned our weapons and armour. Now we desire to wear barks of trees and practise asceticism.
18. The Devâs took Prahlâda’s words to be true and deserted from further fight; were freed of anxiety and felt all delighted.
19. On the Daitya’s leaving their weapons, the Gods desisted from battle, went to their respective places and freely gave themselves up to pleasure and amusements.
20. The Daityas controlled themselves and practised asceticism in the Kas’yapa’s hermitage, expecting the return of S’ukrâchârya.
21. S’ukrâchârya went to Kailâsa and made respectful obeisance to the God Mahâdeva. Mahâdeva enquired of the cause of his coming. [ p. 288 ] 22. S’ukrâchârya said :— I ask for Mantras, O Deva! from you that are not possessed by Brihaspatî, for the defeat of the Devas, and the victory of the Asuras.
23. Vyâsa said :— On hearing his words, the all-knowing S’ankara S’iva began to think what He would do in this matter.
24. Certainly, this is with the revengeful object of attacking the Devas, for their defeat and for the victory of the Asuras that this Muni has come.
25. The Devas ought to be protected by me; thus thinking, S’ankara Mahes’vara advised him an entirely difficult tapasyâ to practise.
26. Full one thousand years he would practise tapasyâ with feet upwards and head downwards, he will have to inhale the smoke of burnt husk. Then he will get the Mantra and his desires will be fulfilled.
27. That would be done; thus saying to S’ankara, S’ukrâchârya practised that excellent vow, peaceful and inhaling the smoke of husk to get that Mantra.
28-29. The Devas came to know that S’ukrâchârya is practising his vow and the Daityas have become arrogant. They then counselled.
30. And came to the conclusion, took up weapons and arms and went to the Daityas, ready to fight.
31. The Daityas, seeing the Devas dressed in armour and holding weapons and coming from all sides, became very much afraid and anxious.
32. The Daityas, seeing this all on a sudden, were attacked with fear and began to address the Devas, proud with their army, in words, full of good meanings and morals.
33. O Devas! We have abandoned our arms; we are now armless; our spiritual guide is in his tapasyâ, you gave us words of fearlessness; why then you have come now dressed in full armour and with armies to kill us.
34. O Devas! Where is your truth. And where is your religion acccording to S’ruti? It is stated in S’ruti never to kill the weaponless, the fear stricken, and the refugees.
35. The Devas said :— You sent your good S’ukrâchârya, out of pretence to acquire the Mantras; your asceticism is veiled under a deceitful object. Therefore we will fight with you certainly.
36. Be ready now and dress yourself with your arms and ammunitions, “Lo! Whenever you get any loop hole in your enemies, catch hold of it and kill your enemy.” This is the eternal religion. [ p. 289 ] 37. Vyâsa said :— On thus hearing the reply from the Devas, the Daityas after consideration quitted that place and fled away with terror.
38. And they took refuge under the S’ukrâchârya’s mother. She saw the Daityas very much fearstricken and at once guaranteed to them protection from fear.
39. The mother of Kâvya S’ukrâchârya said :— Don’t fear; don’t fear; cast away fear. O Dânavas! In my presence, no fear can overtake you.
40. The Asuras on hearing her words were free from anxiety and pain and remained in that hermitage, in no way now bewildered or agitated, though they had no arms.
41-42. Here the Devas, seeing the Daityas flying away, pursued them and entering the hermitage were ready to kill the Daityas, not taking into account what strength they gained there. The mother of S’ukrâ warned the Devas not to kill; but, inspite of her hindrance, they began to slay the Daityas.
43. Seeing the Daityas thus attacked, the mother was furiously irritated and told them she would make all of them overpowered by sleep by her tapas strength, clarified intellectual force.
Note :—Is it by the asphyxiating gas? Or, by poisonous vapours or liquids?
44. So saying she sent the Goddess of sleep who at once overpowered the Gods and made them all lie down on the grounds senseless. Indra with the other Devas lay there dumb, and miserable.
45. On seeing Indra thus stupefied by sleep, the Bhagavân Visnu told Indra to enter into His body. He would then carry him to another place and he will be better.
46-47. Indra entered into the Visnu’s body; and, under His protection, he became free from sleep and fear. On seeing Indra thus sheltered by Visnu and fearless, the mother of Kâvya spoke.
48. O Indra! I will devour you with Visnu today by my Tapas force. All the Devas will presently see all this and my extraordinary power.
N.B.: Is it by making the earth go down, causing a fissure, thus engulfing the whole army? Or by blowing them up? Or by showering jets of poisonous gas or hot water or vapour from all sides.
49. Vyâsa said :— O king! No sooner the mother spoke thus, than both Indra and Visnu were both stupefied under her magical spell, superior thought power, and a thorough learning of the art of warfare.
50. The Devas, seeing them very much overpowered and bewildered, were greatly struck with wonder; they became desperate and began to cry aloud. [ p. 290 ] 51. Indra, on hearing the Devas cry aloud, told Visnu, O Madhusûdana! I am more bewildered in particular than yourself.
52. O Mâdhava! No need of any further consideration. Before this wretch, inflated with pride by her tapasyâ, burns us, better cause her death as early as possible.
53. When thus requested by Indra who was very much perplexed, Bhagavân Visnu quickly remembered his Sudars’ana disc, casting aside the thought that it is hateful to kill a woman.
54-55. The disc, the ever obedient weapon of Visnu appeared instantly at his remembrance; and Visnu, becoming angry as prompted by Indra held the disc in His hand, and, hurling it off on the S’ukrâ’s mother, severed off her head quickly. The god Indra became very glad at this.
56. The Devas became free from sorrow, got very much pleased and heartily exclaimed victory to Hari and worshipped Him and began to chant His praises.
57. Indra and Visnu then became free from all troubles; but they began to fear that Bhrigu (S’ukrâ’s father) would curse them terribly and without fail.
Here ends the Eleventh Chapter in the Fourth Book of S’rî mad Devî Bhâgavatam, the Mahâ Purânam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa, on S’ukrâ’s going to Mahâdeva to get the Mantra.
On Bhrigu’s curse and the dialogue between S’ukrâchârya and the Daityas [ p. 290 ] 1. Vyâsa said :— O king! On seeing Visnu killing his wife, and thus committing a dreadful atrocious act, the Bhagavân Bhrigu was very sorry and began to tremble with anger and addressed Madhusûdana thus.
2. Bhrigu said :— O Visnu! You have done an extremely sinful act. O intelligent one! Knowing it, you have done so; what a great wonder! Nobody dreams of the murder of this Brâhman’s daughter; and you have committed it in deed, black and white.
3. O Deva! The Mahârsis declare you to be Sâttvic, engaged in preservation; Brahmâ to be Râjasic (creator) and S’ambhu S’iva to be Tâmasic (destroyer). Why then is the contrary thing visible in this case?
4. Why have you become Tâmasic? Why have you done this heinous crime? O Visnu! The females are never to be killed; this is a known fact; then why have you killed this woman without any fault. [ p. 291 ] 5-6. You have done a very execrable act. What shall I do to you? It is mete that I would curse you. O Great Sinner! You have pained me very much and made me very weary. I will not curse Indra. You always assume a deceitful appearance and behave like a black cruel serpent; your mind is all full of wickedness; I will curse you.
7. O Janârdana. Those Munis who call you Sâttvic are fools; I have seen today that your ways are exceptionally vicious and Tâmasic.
8. O Visnu! I curse you now to take frequent births, suffer very frequently in different wombs, in the earth and thus suffer the pains of remaining in the wombs.
9. O king! Therefore whenever religion subsides in the world, Bhagavân Visnu incarnates frequently in this human world, due to the curse of Bhrigu.
10. The king said :— O best of the Munis! Did that Mahâtmâ Bhrigu again marry and lead a householder’s life when his wife was thus killed by the lustrous disc Sudars’ana.
11. Vyâsa said :— O king! The sacrificer Bhrigu angrily cursed Hari and next took that severed head and quickly placed it over the body as before and said :—
12-14. O Devî! Visnu has slain you today; I will make you regain your life just now. If I am acquainted with all the Dharmas and if I have practised these in my life and if I have spoken truth always, then dost thou regain your life by my religious merit. Let all the Devas witness my power and strength. If I know the True, if I have studied all the Vedas and if I have realised the Knowledge of the Vedas, then I, sprinkling your body with this cold water, charged with my mantras, will revive you.
15. Vyâsa said :— O king! Sprinkled by the water by Bhrigu, his wife regained her life and rose up at once and felt herself glad and smiled.
16. All the persons and living creatures seeing her stand, as if awoken from her sleep, at once exclaimed from all sides “well done, well done!” thanked Bhrigu and his wife very much and highly praised them.
17. Thus seeing the fair complexioned wife regain her life through Bhrigu, Indra and all the Devas were very much struck with wonder.
NOTE :— Thought power and inhalation of some medicines might have revived her.
18. Indra then adressed the Devas :— Now the mother of S’ukra has regained her life through Bhrigu; but when S’ukrâchârya will receive the mantra after his severe tapasyâ, we do not know what terrible harm; he would do to us!
19. Vyâsa said :— O king! Though the deep sleep that overtook Indra had now left him, yet he became very unhappy, remembering the severe asceticism of S’ukra’s tapasyâ and his receiving mantras. [ p. 292 ] 20. Thinking over deeply in his mind, Indra called his daughter Jayantî and spoke to her with affection.
21-22. Go! Daughter! I have given thee over to the ascetic Kâvya. Do this service for me, go to Kâvya and help him in his asceticism and bring him under your control. By whatever acts the Muni be pleased, dost thou do at once and please him in every way and thus remove my fear.
23. The large-eyed beautiful Jayantî, hearing her father’s words, went to the hermitage and there saw the Risi inhaling or drinking the smoke.
24. On seeing the body of the ascetic, and remembering her father’s words she brought the leaves of the plantain trees and began to fan him.
25. The intelligent Jayantî with no excitement used to bring the pure, clear, cool, and well scented water and place it, with great devotion, before the sage for his drinking.
NOTE: Here Indra bribed by giving away his daughter.
26. When the sun was over his head, she used to prepare some protection, with her clothes, from the sun and thus made the shade for him. Thus, in various ways, did she begin to serve the Muni, herself remaining steady in her religion.
27. She brought sweet and ripe fruits proper according to the S’âstras and used to place them before him for his repast.
28. In the performance of his daily duties, she used to collect the Kus’a grass of the span of thumb and fore finger, and flowers, white and yellow and placed them before him.
29. For the Muni’s bedding to lie down and sleep, she used to gather soft, green leaves and with them she used to keep his bed ready; and when the Muni laid himself down, she used to fan him gently.
30. Never did she exhibit for fear of curse, any gesture or posture calculated to disturb his mind.
31. The sweet-tongued, thin lady used to praise S’ukrâchârya in pleasing and favourable terms.
32. When the Muni awoke, she placed water before him to wash his face and hands. Thus serving the Muni, did she stay in the hermitage.
33. The fear stricken Indra used to send messengers to fathom the mind of that self controlled Muni.
34. Thus did Jayantî serve for good many years the Muni, being void of anger and observing duly her celibacy.
35. In this way one thousand years passed duly, the God Mahâdeva was very pleased and addressed S’ukrâchârya that He had come to give him boons that he desire. [ p. 293 ] 36-37. The God Mahâdeva said :— Whatever there exists in this universe, whatever you see with your eyes and whatever cannot be described in words, you will be the lord of all these and the conqueror of all. There is no doubt in this. You cannot be killed by any creature; you will be the ruler of all beings and will be reckoned as the best of the Brâhmanas.
38-39. Vyâsa said :— The God Mahâdeva disappeared then and there, after granting him the boons. Then S’ukrâchârya saw Jayantî and said to her :— O lady of beautiful hips! Who and whose daughter art thou? What is the desire in your mind? What for you have come here? O one of beautiful thighs! what is your duty?
40. O beautiful eyed! I am very pleased with all that you have done for me. What do you want? O one of good vows! Ask boons from me; I will grant them even if they be difficult.
41. On hearing this, Jayantî’s face became bright with joy; she said :— whatever I desire, you know that already by force of your Tapasyâ.
42. The Kâvya said :— Your mental desires I know; still mention them yourself particularly; I will do good to you in any way you like; I am pleased with your services.
43-44. Jayantî said :— O Brâhmin! I am the daughter of Indra and I am the younger of my brother Jayanta. Father has given me over to you; I now like to live with you. Kindly fulfil my desires now. O blessed one! You better take me and enjoy me according to Dharma. This is my desire.
45. S’ukrâchârya said :— O thou of large and handsome hips! Better enjoy with me for ten years, according to your liking, without being visible to anybody.
46-48. Vyâsa said :— Thus saying, S’ukrâchârya went to his home and, according to religious observances, married Jayantî and lived with her for ten years under the shade of Mâyâ and unobserved by anybody. On the other hand, the Daityas, hearing that S’ukrâchârya returned home successful getting his desired Mantra, were very glad and went to his house to pay their respects to him. But S’ukra was then living with Jayantî; hence the Asuras could not see him.
49. Then they got very much dejected, sorry and were drooped in spirits; they searched for him again and again.
50. Not being able to see S’ukra under the shade of Mâyâ, the Daityas were very sorry and got afraid and then returned to their own residences.
51. On the other hand, the Devas, knowing that S’ukra was holding intercourses with Jayantî, Indra, the God of Devas, spoke to the Deva Guru [ p. 294 ] Brihaspatî. O Guru! Advise us what to do under the present circumstances and relieve us from the impending difficulties.
52. O Brâhmana. Better go today to the Dânavas and do that by which our honour may be maintained. You better put the Dânavas under some charm by your magical spell and think and do good to us.
53. On hearing Indra’s words and knowing that S’ukra is now enjoying with Jayantî, Brihaspatî went to the Dânavas, putting on the appearance of S’ukrâchârya.
54. Going to the Demons, he called on them very politely and sweetly. The Asuras said that S’ukrâchârya had come in presence of them.
55. The Demons were very glad and bowed down before S’ukrâchârya and could not make out that he was the false S’ukrâchârya, under the mâyic charm of Brihaspatî.
56. Then the false S’ukrâchârya asked the welfare of the Daityas and said :— I went so long for your good; I performed severe tapasyâ and satisfied the God S’ambhu and acquired from him the Mantra, the sacred knowledge, and that I will frankly explain to you.
57. On hearing this, the Demons were very pleased and, knowing that the Guru had been successful, were filled with joy.
58. They saluted him with joy and began to live quietly and freely and without pains, having got rid of fear from the Devas.
Here ends the twelfth Chapter in the Fourth Book of S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, the Mahâpurânam of 18,000 verses by Mahârsi Veda Vyâsa on Bhrigu’s curse and the dialogue between S’ukrâchârya and the Daityas.
On cheating the Daityas [ p. 294 ] 1. The king said :— What did the intelligent Brihaspatî do after he had assumed falsely the appearance of S’ukrâchârya, and lived there as the spiritual guide of the Demons.
2. O Muni! Brihaspatî is the Guru of the Devas; he also devotes his time in studying the Vedas; and is the ocean of all knowledge; he is the son of the Maharsi Angirâ and he is himself a Muni. Endorsed with all these good qualifications, how could he deceive the Demons.
3-4. In all the religious S’âstras, Truth is declared to be the essence of Dharma; and the Supreme Self is attained through Truth, so the wise sages say. How can we expect an ordinary householder to be true when such a man as Brihaspatî takes recourse to falsehood with the Demons.
5. If one acquires, as one’s wealth, the whole Universe, still one does not require anything more than what is required in feeding one’s belly; how [ p. 295 ] is it that Brihaspatî could speak falsehood merely for the sake of his belly?
6. O Muni! The words sung by the ancient virtuous and respectable sages were true and had their corresponding objects denoted by those words; now they employed the term S’ista meaning that there were virtuous, respectable persons as denoted by them. When Brihaspatî can even commit such condemnable deceitful acts and speak falsehood, we can expect no virtuous respectable persons in the world. Where then do you find the S’ista persons, denoted by the word S’ista, sung by the ancient sages? The word S’ista is now meaningless!
7. The Devas are sprung from the Sâttvic qualities, men from Râjasic qualities and birds, etc. from the Tâmasic qualities.
8. When the Guru of the Immortals, the incarnate of Sâttvic qualities, can become a liar, how can one expect those who are Râjasic or Tâmasic to follow rigorously the truth?
9. Oh! This Trilokî is all pierced with falsehood! Where is the Religion! And what will be the ultimate goal of all these creatures!
10. When Bhagavân Harî, Brahmâ, Indra and the best of the Devas when all can betake to pretext, fraud and trickery and show cleverness in them; what to speak of men!
11-12. O Giver of honour! When all the Devas, Vas’istha, Vâmadeva, Vis’vamitrâ, Brihaspatî and other ascetic Munis get themselves overpowered by lust and anger, when their intelligence gets destroyed by covetousness and avarice, when they are addicted to vices and are expert in fraud, pre-text and trickery, then what fate, alas! can you expect of Dharma and what help is there of any religious persons!
13. Alas! lndra, Agni, Moon, and Brahmâ when these get overpowered by the strong influence of lust, are in illicit love with others’ wives, where is the goodness and virtuous behaviour in this Trilokî?
14. O Sinless One! To whom, then, can we look upon as our spiritual guide and our advice and law givers when all the Devas and Munis are corrupt with avarice?
15. Vyâsa said :— O king! Be he Indra, Brihaspatî, Brahmâ, Visnu or Mahes’a, whoever is embodied or will put on bodies, he will have to be in touch with the previously mentioned Ahamkâra, and covetousness and other vices due to name and form.
16. O king! Brahmâ, Visnu and Mahes’a are all attached to sensual objects; and what improper and sinful actions there can be that cannot be committed by persons devoted to sensual objects! [ p. 296 ] 17. It is through cleverness and fraud that any one devoted to sensual objects can easily make oneself as cleverly free from Mâyâ; but when difficulty comes, then his trickery gets discovered and the respective qualities hidden in him are brought to bear their respective results. Know, then, the three qualities to be conjointly the cause of all these actions; as without any cause, no action gets visible.
18. These discrepancies in the case of Brahmâ and others are caused by the three qualities; their bodies are all created from Pradhân Mahat and the other 25 Tattvas (essences).
19-20. O king! Brahmâ and others are subject to death; then how can you doubt on other things? In advising others, everybody gives, as it were, good and virtuous advices; but the burden falls upon their own heads; they fall off from their advices and act according to their hidden natures; then they yield to lust, anger, envy, egoism and fascination.
21. No one who is embodied can get rid of passions, born of the 3 qualities. O king! Thus the Trilokî goes, is the saying of the Maharsis.
22-29. This Trilokî, auspicious, inauspicious, mixed, never gets any serious change; its nature remains always uniform. See Bhagavân Visnu sometimes practises severe asceticism; Indra, the lord of the Devas sometimes follows the practices of religious sacrifices. Again you find Visnu Bhagavân, full of youth, fond of the Leela, enjoying the company of Ramâ in Vaikuntha; sometimes He is the ocean of mercy, is fighting dreadful battles with the Demons and being severely afflicted with their clusters of arrows; sometimes he gains victories, sometimes he gets defeat through the irony of Fate; thus he gets undoubtedly pleasures and pains. O king! some time Nârâyana draws all the worlds into his belly and takes his yogic sleep on the thousand headed serpent S’es’a and again he gets himself awakened by Prakriti. O king! Brahmâ, Visnu, Mahes’a, Indra, the Devas, and Munis all of them, live up to the limit of their ordained time and when the time of Pralaya, the Universal dissolution, ends, this whole Universe, moving and nonmoving, again comes into existence as before; there is no doubt in this. O king, at the expiry of the ordained time, Brahmâ and all others will die , no doubt.
30-31. Again, in due course, Brahmâ, Visnu, and Mahes’a and the other Devas come out and assume bodies and get all the passions, lust, etc., as ordained. O King! You need not be astonished; this Trilokî always goes on accompanied by lust, anger, etc.
32-34. Persons free from lust, anger and other passions are very rare in this world. He who is afraid of this world does not marry, and thus being free from the attachments to any worldly object, becomes free and [ p. 297 ] roams fearless. The Moon stole away the wife of Brihaspatî, and Brihaspatî himself stole away the wife of his younger brother. Thus in this wheel of Samsâra, all the creatures are ever passioned with attachment, avarice, etc.
35. The householder can never expect to obtain freedom. Therefore those who want to be free, should carefully relinquish the idea of the stability of the world and worship the Eternal Mother Full and Sat, Chit and Ânandam.
36. This world, moving and unmoving, O Mahes’ânî, rolls in madness, overpowered by Her Mâyâ.
37. Intelligent persons worshipping Her, trample down the three qualities and become free. O king! No other Path exists for Freedom.
38-39. Until one gets the Grace from the Mahes’ânî, one never gets happiness. True mercy is not found anywhere else but from Her. Then one should worship the All merciful, being of pure heart. For Her worship leads to freedom, even in this body-hood.
40. He who getting a human frame fails to worship Mahes’ânî, gets down from the highest rung of the ladder. This is my opinion.
41-42. This Universe, composed of the three qualities, is encompassed with Ahamkâra and fastened to untruth; therefore freedom can never be expected without the worship of That Potent Goddess, O Muni! O king! Renounce every worldly object and serve the Goddess Bhuvanes’varî; this is the highest duty of all.
43. The king said :— What did, then, the Devaguru do in the disguise of S’ukrâchârya? And when did the real S’ukrâchârya come there? O respected Muni! Speak on these points.
44. Vyâsa said :— Please hear what the disguised Brihaspatî in the shape of S’ukrâchârya did afterwards.
45. The demons were made to understand clearly by Brihaspatî; and then they took him for S’ukrâchârya and placed implicit faith on him and began to think of him and him alone.
46. The Daityas, enchanted and deceived by the magic of Brihaspatî, took now his refuge for acquiring the knowledge from him, since they mistook him for S’ukrâchârya. Who is there that is not enchanted by the idea of gaining something?
47. On the other hand, when the term of ten years was over, S’ukrâchârya, the real Guru of the Daityas, ceased enjoying Jayantî and began to remember his disciples, the Daityas. [ p. 298 ] 48. He now began to think that “My disciples, the Daityas, are expecting every instant my return; and I would now go and see them, bewildered with fear.
49-51. They are my devotees and I ought to do such that they might not be afraid of the Devas.” And then he exclaimed to Jayantî, “O beautiful one! Let my sons take the shelter of the Gods; your term of ten years is today over; I now go therefore, to see my disciples; soon I will again come to you.”
52. “Be it so”, replied Jayantî, the best of those who know religion, “you can go where you like; I am not to destroy your Dharma.”
53-54. Hearing these words, S’ukrâchârya went hurriedly to the Demons and saw the Devaguru Brihaspatî sitting before them in the guise of S’ukrâchârya. He was explaining to them the Jaina doctrines, compiled by himself and finding fault with the act of envy, taking revenge and killing and cursing the sacrifices, etc.
55. He was telling them “O Enemies of Gods! Truly, I am telling you words that will, no doubt, prove good to you. Non-killing is the highest virtue; even the enemies ought never to be killed.
56. It is the Brâhmanas, addicted to enjoyments and pleasures of the senses, who want to satisfy their tastes and pleasures that are found in the Veda’s injunctions to kill animals; but there is no virtue higher than non-killing animals.”
57-58. O king! S’ukrâchârya was perfectly astonished to hear Brihaspatî, the Guru of the Devas, speaking against the Vedas and began to think that Brihaspatî is certainly my enemy. My disciples have been duped by this cheat; there is no doubt in this.
59. Fie to Avarice! It is the seed of sin; very strong and the veritable gate to hell; Brihaspatî, even, the Guru of the Devas, is speaking lies, bound under the influence of this heinous avarice!
60. Oh! What wonder is this that the Guru of the Devas, who is the promulgator of all the religious S’âstras and whose word is accepted as the final decision, is now expounding the doctrines of atheists.
61. When Brihaspatî can become the expounder of atheistic doctrines, impelled by covetousness what to speak of those whose minds are not pure and whose intelligence is not sharp?
62. This Deva Guru, though a Brâhmin, is acting today like a rogue, wanting to take away all and is deceiving my disciples the Daityas, who have been confounded by his magic.
[ p. 299 ]
Here ends the Thirteenth Chapter in the Fourth Book of S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, the Mahâpurânam of 18,000 verses on cheating the Daityas by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
On the Daityas getting back their S’ukrâchârya [ p. 299 ] 1. Vyâsa said :— Thus arguing in his mind, S’ukrâchârya smilingly said to the Daityas :— O Daityas! what for have you all been cheated by Brihaspatî, the Guru of the Devas, in my guise.
2. I am S’ukrâchârya; you are my disciples; this man is Brihaspatî, wanting to serve the Gods. He has cheated you, there is no doubt in this.
3. This vain villainous person has assumed my form; do not put the least faith in his words. O Daityas! You are my disciples, follow unto me; leave this Brihaspatî, vain and arrogant.
4. The Daityas, on hearing his words were struck with wonder at the resemblance of the two personages and came to the conclusion that “the person just come is the real S’ukrâchârya.”
5. Then Brihaspatî, the false S’ukrâchârya explained to the Daityas in plain and enchanting words that “the second man just come is the Deva Guru Brihaspatî; he has come here in my guise. His object is to cheat you.
6. He has come here to cheat you and serve the purpose of the Devas; do not believe in his words.
7. What knowledge I have acquired from the God S’âmbhu, I am teaching it to you; I will make you, no doubt, victorious in the battle with the Devas.”
8. Thus the Daityas, hearing the words of the false S’ukrâchârya, thought the false one to be real and placed implicit reliance in his words.
9. The real S’ukrâchârya, then explained them as much as he could; but the Daityas, owing to the magic of the false S’ukrâchârya and to the wonderful effect of time, did not hear his words.
10. The Daityas thus convinced said to the real S’ukrâchârya, “this man before us is our Guru for our welfare and enlightenment, he is the foremost religious S’ukrâchârya; for ten years continuously he is giving us advices. You are not our Guru; you appear fictitious and false; you better leave this place and go away.”
11. The dull brained Daityas repeatedly told to S’ukrâchârya the reproachful words and bowed down to the false S’ukrâchârya, and, saluting, him, gladly welcomed him as their Guru. [ p. 300 ] 12-14. The real S’ukrâchârya, seeing the Daityas exceedingly attached to Brihaspatî, the Guru of the Devas, and deceived by his words, cursed them out of anger and said :—“As you have not taken my words though I have explained everything to you, you would lose your knowledge and get defeat.
15. As you have shown disrespect towards me, you will get the fruits of it at an early date and will then understand the deceitful behaviours of that Deva Guru.”
16. Vyâsa said :— Thus saying S’ukrâchârya hurriedly went away, infuriated with anger. Brihaspatî was glad and remained there with his mind calm.
17-19. Brihaspatî then knowing the Daityas cursed by S’ukrâchârya, assumed his real appearance, left that place, and hurriedly returned to Indra. He began to say “I have undoubtedly succeeded in my undertaking; the Daityas have been cursed and left by me too. They are now helpless; so, O Good Suras! I have made them cursed, you would better now try to fight with them.”
20-21. Indra heard their Guru and became very glad; all the other Devas were glad and worshipped him. They held another cabinet, secret council, how to fight with the Daityas; and, then, all uniting together marched out in battle against the Asuras.
22. Seeing that the powerful Devas are marching towards them ready to fight and knowing their false Guru had fled, the Daityas became very anxious.
23. They told each other :— Alas! We were enchanted by the Devaguru; the highsouled S’ukrâchârya angrily left us; now it is our incumbent duty to satisfy him.
24. That vicious, dirty inside and pure outside, hypocrite Pundit Deva Guru, who used to go to his brother’s wife, has really cheated and has quitted us.
25. What are we to do now? where to go? How to satiate now the anger of S’ukrâ so that he might be glad and help us.
26. Thus pondering over they all unitedly, shuddering with fear, again went to S’ukrâchârya, keeping Prahlâda in front of them.
27. They all bowed down at the feet of their Guru; S’ukrâ remained silent; then, bursting with anger and with eyes red, told them.
28. You were all warned by me that you were being cheated by the Mâyâ of Brihaspatî; you did not take my word, as worth hearing, though unselfish, pure and leading to your welfare. [ p. 301 ] 29. Rather you were influenced by him and infatuated with vanity, you insulted me; now you will have to bear undoubtedly the effects of that Karma.
30. You are now vitiated from the path of your welfare; go now where that disguised cheat resides for the welfare of the Gods; know me not to be a cheat like him.
31. Vyâsa said :— O king! When S’ukrâ finished saying his uncertain words, Prahlâda clasped his feet and began to say thus :—
32. Prahlâda said :— O our Guru Bhârgava! Today we have come to you in a very distressed condition! O Omniscient! we are your disciples; we are your good sons; you ought not to quit us.
33. On your departure to get the Mantra, that hypocrite, vicious Brihaspatî getting the opportunity, assumed your false appearance and cheated us.
34. Peaceful persons do not take any offence committed with ignorance; you know everything; you know very well that our hearts are devoted to thee and to thee alone. There is no need of telling anything further to you.
35. O Highly Intelligent One! By your Tapas, you know our inner minds and relinquish your anger. The sages say that the anger of the saints is not lasting.
36. O Muni! Water is naturally cool; when in contact with fire it gets hot; but, when the heat is removed, it gets cold shortly after.
37. O observer of good vows! Anger is like chandâla; sages therefore quit it. Our prayer to you is that you leave your anger and be pleased with us.
38. If you do not quit your anger and if you make us overpowered with grief and sorrow, O blessed one! We, being abandoned by you, will go down to the Pâtâla.
39. Vyâsa said :— Bhârgava heard Prahlâda’s words and, with his intuitioned eye, came to see the proper state of affairs and was pleased and lovingly said.
40. You will not have to fear nor to enter into the Pâtâla. You are my Yajamânas; I will certainly protect you all by my never failing Mantra power.
41. O knower of religion! What Brahmâ of yore told me, I am now telling you accordingly. Hear my truthful words, leading to your welfare.
42. Whatever is inevitable, doomed to pass, must come to pass, be it auspicious or inauspicious. No one is able in this world to go against the current of Fate. [ p. 302 ] 43. Under the influence of Time you are now deprived of strength, therefore you will have to suffer defeat at the hands of the Devas and you will have to go once to the Pâtâla.
44-45. Brahmâ said :— When your time to enjoy the sovereignty of the Trilokî had come, you enjoyed the kingdoms of the Trilokî with all its wealth and power. You attacked the Devas and, helped by Time, had been able to trample them under your feet and held your sovereignty for full ten yugas and enjoyed the pleasures without any hitch.
46. You will regain this kingdom in the Sâvarnik manvantara. Then Bali will come in your family as the grandson of Prahlâda and will conquer the Trilokî and will get name and fame throughout his kingdom.
47-48. When the Lord of Vaikuntha had incarnated as Vâmana and stolen away the kingdom of Vali, then the Janârdan Visnu told Bali, the king of the Demons that “I have taken away your kingdom by pretext to serve the purpose of the Gods; you will become Indra, no doubt, in the coming Sâvarnika manvantara.”
49. Bhârgava said :— According to the sayings of S’rî Bhagavân Hari, your grandson Bali is now invisible to all creatures and is now passing away his time, very much terror stricken.
50-51. Being afraid of Indra, he is now staying in a lonely house as an ass. One day Indra on seeing him enquired of him, in various ways, the cause of his assuming that ass-body.
52. O Lord of the Daityas! You have always enjoyed pleasures of all the world; you are the ruler of the Daityas; you ruled over all the worlds; do you not feel shame now in thus assuming this ass body. The Lord of the Daityas, hearing him, spoke thus.
53-54. O Indra, there is nothing to be sorry in these matters. When the most powerful Visnu can assume fish and tortoise incarnations, then what wonder is there that I by virtue of the force of Time, am now staying as an ass? When you had murdered a Brâhman, you, too had hid yourself in the Mânasa lake in the lotuses; similarly today distressed, I am staying here in this ass body.
55. O Indra! What sorrow or happiness can be to a person who is under the control of Fate. To him everything is alike; for whatever the Time wishes, It can act accordingly.
56. Bhârgava said to Prahlâda! Both persons Bali and Indra got enlightenment at the mutual conversations; and they went away to their places at their own will. [ p. 303 ] 57. O Lord of the Asuras! I have narrated to you this story indicating how powerful is the Time. Know that the Devas and Daityas and all the human beings and this whole universe is under that Great Fate.
Here ends the Fourteenth Chapter in the Fourth Book of S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, the Mahâ Purânam of 18,000 verses on the Daityas getting back their S’ukrâchârya, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
On the truce between the Daityas and the Devas [ p. 303 ] 1. Vyâsa said :— O king Janamejaya! Prahlâda was glad to hear the above words of the high souled Bhârgava.
2. Knowing Fate to be the strongest, he addressed the Daityas :— Never, in this battle will victory be ours.
3-5. Then the victorious Demons, infatuated with pride, told Prahlâda :— What is Fate? We do not recognise it. We ought to fight. O Lord of us :— Fate reigns over those that are idle, not energetic. Has Fate any shape? Who has created it? Has anybody seen Fate? However let us gather strength and fight. You are very intelligent and all knowing; It is proper that you should take our lead in the fight.
6. O king! When the Daityas spoke thus, Prahlâda, the great Destroyer of enemies, became the general and challenged the Devas to fight.
7. On seeing the Asuras in the battle field, the Devas, dressed with arms and weapons, began to fight with them.
8. For full one hundred years the dreadful battle was fought between Indra and Prahlâda; on seeing this, the Munis were astonished.
9. O king! In this fearful battle, the Daityas with their general Prahlâda, the followers of S’ukrâchârya, got the victory.
10. Then Indra, advised by their Guru Brihaspatî, began to remember the Goddess of the Universe, the Most High, the Giver of welfare, the Destroyer of all sorrows and calamities, and the Bestower of freedom, worship Her, and sing hymns to Her with great devotion.
11-12. Indra said :— Victory be to the name of the Goddess Mahâmâyâ, the Eternal Mother, the Holder of the trident! Holder of conchshell, disc, club, and lotus, the Giver of “no fear.” Salutation to Thee, the Goddess of the Universe; Thou art the Supreme Heroine in everything that relates to force, that is described in the S’akti Dars’ana S’âstras. Thou art the Ten Tattvas, Thou art the Mother, Thou art the Mahâvidyâ (the Supreme Knowledge). [ p. 304 ] 13. There are many Tattvas; here the ten tattvas are according to the S’akti Dars’ana. There are many Dharma S’âstras. Here S’akti S’âstra is meant.
The Tattvas are those ultimate substances into which these gross manifestations resolve. The tattvas are Mahâvindu, Nâda S’akti, Mis’ra Vindu, etc.
O World Mother! Thou art the Mahâ Kundalinî (the great Serpent Fire); thou art the Everlasting Existence, Intelligence and Bliss; Thou art the Deity of the vital Fire (Prâna); Thou art the Deity of the Agnihotra (maintenance of the Sacred Fire and an oblation to It); Thou art the Holy Flame, burning always in the ethereal space in the Heart; Salutation to Thee!
14. Thou dwellest within the five Sheaths (the Annamâyâ, the Prânamâyâ, the Manomâyâ, the Vijñânamâyâ and the Ânandamâyâ sheaths are the five sheaths here referred to). Thou art the Indweller of the Ânanda mâyâ kosa, Thou art of the nature of Puchchha Brahmâ, the end of Brahmâ. Thou art the Deity of all, the Ânanda (bliss) unblown, O Mother! Thou art the Deity of all the Upanisadas.
15. O Mother! Be pleased unto us; we have become powerless; protect us, O Mother! we are defeated by the Daityas; O Goddess! Thou art endowed with all the powers, Thou art our Sole Refuge in this Universe, in times of distress, and Thou art the Only One, strong and capable to remove all our dangers.
16. O Goddess! Those who incessantly meditate on Thee are really happy and those that do not meditate Thee, their fear, and sorrows are never removed; those that want ultimate freedom from bondage and who meditate on Thee always; those pure souls, being free from Ahamkâra, and free from attachment go, no doubt, beyond this ocean of world.
17. O World Mother! Thy prowess is ever manifested whenever protection is demanded; You always come forward and relieve the distressed; You are the great destroyer! Thou art the Time Incarnate of all these worlds; O Mother! We are fools; how can we appreciate your qualities.
18. Brahmâ, Visnu, Mahes’a, I myself, Sun, Yama, Varuna, Fire, Air, the high minded munis, Âgama, Nigama, the Tantras and the Vedas, are quite unable to realise Your unequalled prowess; Salutation to Thy Feet.
19. Those are blessed that are devoted to Thee; They are the great souls; they always dive in the Ocean of Bliss, being always free from the fangs of this Samsâra. Those that are not Your devotees, cannot cross this Ocean of Samsâra, where the Birth and Death are the billows.
20. O Goddess! Those that are always fanned by the white châmaras and those that travel always in cars, they in their previous births worshipped Thee with various things; therefore they have acquired the effects of their meritorious deeds; this is my opinion. [ p. 305 ] 21. Those that are always worshipped amongst the human beings, those that go on nice elephants, those that are surrounded by pleasures and enjoy the lovely companions of beautiful coquettish women, those that go surrounded by soldiers, O Goddess! I consider they worshipped Thee in their previous births, and they are now enjoying fruits of their past deeds.
22-23. Vyâsa said :— Thus praised by Indra, the Goddess of the Universe with four arms hurriedly appeared there mounted on a lion. Conchshell, disc, club, and lotuses were held by the beautiful eyed Goddess in Her four hands respectively, wearing a red apparel and ornamented with divine garlands.
24. The Goddess being pleased addressed the Devas with sweet words, “Cast off your fear. O Devas! I will see presently all about your welfare.”
25. Addressing the Devas thus, the Divine Mother mounted on a lion, went hurriedly to the place where the demons were waiting, infatuated with pride.
26. All the Daityas with their general Prahlâda saw the Goddess before them and were terrified and began to address each other “What are we to do now?”
27-28. This Chandikâ Goddess has come here to protect the Devas. She destroyed Mahisâsura and Chanda Munda; it was She that killed, in days of yore, Madhukaitava with evil look.
29-30. Seeing the demons thus full of sorrowful thoughts, Prahlâda addressed the Daityas :— “It is better not to fight but let us fly away all together.” Then the Daitya Namuchi told the Daityas ready to fly away “If you fly away, this World Mother will instantly kill you all with weapons in Her hands.
31. Do that by which we can protect us. Let us worship the Goddess of the Universe, and, getting Her permission, we will go this very day to the Pâtâla.”
32. Prahlâda said “I will worship the Goddess Mahâmâyâ, the Creatrix, Preservrix and Destructrix of the Universe, the World Mother, and the Assurer of safety to Her devotees.”
33. Vyâsa said :— Thus saying, the knower of the highest knowledge, Prahlâda, the devotee of Visnu, began to sing hymns with folded hands in praise of the Goddess, the Upholdress of the Universe.
34. I bow down to Thee, the incarnate of the mantra “Hrîm” the Refuge of all, and within Whom this whole Universe, moving and unmoving, is appearing untruly as a snake is mistaken for a garland of flowers. [ p. 306 ] 35. O Goddess! All these Universes, moving and unmoving, have sprung from Thee; Brahmâ, Visnu and others are Creators, Preservers in name only; Thou hast created them all.
36. O Mahâmâyâ! You are the Divine Mother of all! When You have created the Asuras and the Suras, how can you then see any difference between the Devas and the Daityas?
37. As a Mother makes no distinction between her good sons and bad sons, so You are not to make any difference between us and the Devas; this is our prayer to you.
38. O Goddess! You have been sung in all the Purânas as the World Mother; therefore, O Mother! We are your sons just as the Devas are.
39. O Mother! As they have got their interests, so we too have got our interests; therefore there is no difference between he Daityas and the Devas. Therefore if anyone makes any difference, it is due to the subtle error.
40. O Goddess! As we are attached to wealth, wives, and other pleasures of the senses, so the gods are; O Goddess! How then can any difference exist between them and us.
41. O Mother! They are the sons of Maharsi Kas’yapa; we also are his sons; Therefore you cannot have partiality for them before us.
42. O World Mother! In You no such difference is visible anywhere. Therefore do You here preserve equality amongst us both.
43. The Suras and Asuras all have sprung from the permutations and combinations of the 3 qualities! Then how the Devas being embodied can possess more qualities than us.
44. Every embodied soul possesses always cupidity, anger, covetousness; how then can one expect to remain without any quarrels with others.
45. We think that it is all sport with You to see our opinions different, rather contradictory, and it is You who got us involved in quarrels with each other and it is Your pleasure to witness how we fight against each other.
46. Sinless one! O Châmunde! Were You not so fond to see our fight, how then, we being brothers are at war against each other. Certainly it is Your Divine Sport.
47. O Goddess! I know what is religion, I know who is Indra. It is the very idea to enjoy these sensual pleasures that is the only cause of our incessant quarrels. [ p. 307 ] 48. O Mother! You are the Sole Ruler of this Samsâra; no sensible man can carry out the words of a man who yearns for something. (i.e., O Mother, You are the only one that is desireless; so we can obey your words).
49. O Mother! Once the Devas and the Asuras conjointly churned the ocean. At that time Visnu, on the plea of distributing the jewel, and the ambrosial nectar, incurred quarrels amongst them.
50. O Mother! You have made him the Preserver and Controller of the Universe and the Spiritual Guide of the world. And it was He who took away the Goddess Laksmî, the beautiful lady amongst the Deva women.
51. Indra, the Lord of the Gods, took the elephant named Airâvat, the flower Pârijât, the Heavenly Cow yielding all desires, and the horse Uchchais’ravâ. Thus, through the desires and devices of Visnu, they got the excellent things.
52. O! What a wonder is this that the Devas were considered holy persons, after they had committed such unholy acts; no doubt the Devas had done a very heinous crime. O Goddess! You can judge Yourself what is the just and unjust thing in this case.
53. What is Religion? And where is Religion? And what are the acts done by a religious man? What is uprightness, justice, and purity? You better examine which party has observed virtue? Who has shown uprightness, justice and parity? To whom victory and defeat are due? You are the only one capable to judge all these things.
54-55. Alas! Whom to tell all the conclusions arrived at in the Mimâmsakas. If any one considers, one will find the world is the field of dissensions and quarrels; the argumentators look to the logical reasoning only; followers of the Vedas look to the rules and regulations only; these so called men of gross ideas they acknowledge that this world is created and preserved by the One only, and yet they quarrel amongst each other.
56-57. If there be One and only One Lord of this wide infinite Samsâra, then why would there be differences and quarrels amongst each other? Why is there not seen any agreement in opinion and why do the S’âstras differ and why are there so many differences in the opinions held by the knowers of the Vedas.
58. O Goddess! This whole Universe, moving and unmoving is selfish; hence arise so many differences between several opinions. There was no one unselfish in this world and there would be no unselfish persons born hereafter. [ p. 308 ] 59-64. Look! The Moon stole away perforce knowingly the wife of Brihaspatî; Indra, knowing what is religion stole away the wife of Gautama; Brihaspatî enjoyed forcibly the wife of his younger; and also he outraged his elder brother’s wife in her pregnant state and cursed the boy in the womb and
made him blind. What more to say than Visnu, all full of Sâttvic qualities, severed perforce the head of Râhu. O Mother! Look to the case of my grandson Bali who used to pay due respects to all, who was the foremost amongst the virtuous, observer of rigorous truth, performer of sacrifices, liberal, peaceful, all-knowing. The pretender Hari, taking the form of a dwarf in his Vâmana incarnation, deceived Bali and took away all his kingdoms. Alas! Still the intelligent good persons reckon the Deva Visnu as the preserver of Religion. What a wonder! Those who are flatterers become victorious in this world; and defeat come to those that speak of Dharma.
65. O Goddess! You are the Mother of all the worlds; do whatever You like. But You should know that the Demons are all under Your protection; kill or save them as You like.
66. The Devî said :— O Demons! Leave you all the anger arising from this warfare and go without any fear to Pâtâla and live there at your ease and happiness.
67. Better now wait on Time; whether you will get auspicious or inauspicious fruits for your deeds. Know whoever is desireless and unattached, to him happiness is always and everywhere.
68. Whose mind is avaricious, He does not get peace and happiness, even if he acquires the Trilokî. Even, in the golden age, avaricious persons did not get happiness, though they acquired the fruits of their actions.
69. Therefore you get yourselves freed of your sins and obey My order and leave the earth and go down to the Pâtâla.
70. Vyâsa said :— On hearing the Devî’s words, the Demons obeyed and bowing at Her feet and preserved by Her, went to Pâtâla.
71. Then the Devî disappeared; and the Devas went away to their own homes. Thus the Devas and the Daityas, abandoning their feelings of enmity towards each other, lived in peace.
O King! He who hears this fact, gets himself freed from all sorts of calamities and reaches the Highest Peace.
Here ends the Fifteenth Chapter in the Fourth Book of S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, the Mahâ Purânam of 18,000 verses, on the truce between the Daityas and Devas and on their departures with peace, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
On the Birth of the several Avatâras of Visnu and their deeds [ p. 309 ] 1-2. Janamejaya spoke :— O best of Munis! How did Visnu, of wonderful deeds, get his incarnation owing to the curse, cast on Him by Bhrigu? what were His different incarnations in different Manvantaras respectively? O Thou, well versed in religion! O Brâhmana! Kindly narrate those sin-destroying deeds of Hari in His several incarnations, that are the source of happiness, peace and welfare to all humanity.
3. Vyâsa said :— O king! Hear, I am narrating to you the incarnations of S’rî Bhagavân Hari which He had in the several Manvantaras and in the several Yugas respectively.
4. I will tell you now, in brief, what forms He took and what deeds He did in the various incarnations.
5. In the Châksusa Manvantara, the Bhagavân Hari took the incarnation of Dharma; and the two sons of Dharma, Nara Nârâyana, were widely celebrated in this world.
6. Then, in the present Vaîvasvata Manvantara, under the reign of Vaîvasvata Manu in the second Yuga, Bhagavân Hari incarnated as Dattâtreya, in the shape of the son of Atrî Risi.
7. Anasûyâ the wife of Atrî, was desirous to have, as her sons, the three Devas Brahmâ, Visnu and Rudra; and in fulfilment of her desires, the Devas took their births in her womb.
8. Anasûyâ, was foremost amongst the chaste and virtuous women and on her praying, Brahmâ, Visnu and Rudra the Trinity at once agreed to become her sons.
9. Brahmâ was born as Soma, Hari was born as Dattâtreya and Rudra was born as Durvâsâ.
10. In the fourth Yuga, the Bhagavân assumed the beautiful double form in one, the upper part resembling a lion and the lower part a human being to accomplish the noble purpose of the Devas.
11. It was to kill Hiranyakas’ipu that the Bhagavân Hari assumed this appearance, wonderful even to the Devas.
12. In the Tretâ Yuga, the superior and the best of all the Yugas, the Bhagavân incarnated as Vâmana ( the Dwarf), the son of Maharsi Kas’yapa, to curb the power of Bali.
13. The Dwarf Hari took away by pretext, the kingdom of Bali, while he was performing a sacrifice and sent him down into the Pâtâla (the lower regions). [ p. 310 ] 14. Afterwards, in the nineteenth Yuga, known as the Tretâ Yuga, S’rî Bhagavân Hari incarnated as Paras’urâma, very powerful and the son of Jamadagnî Risi.
15. He was very beautiful and graceful in his body, truthful and the conqueror of his senses. He extirpated the Ksattriya race and gave the whole world over to the high minded Risi Kas’yapa.
16. O king! He is the Paras’urâma, the sin-destroyer, the incarnation of Hari, and the doer of wonderful deeds.
17-20. After that the Bhagavân Hari incarnated as Râma, the son of Das’aratha. Next in the twenty-eighth Dvâpara Yuga, He incarnated as the very powerful Arjuna and S’rî Krisna, the Ams’as of Nara Nârâyana. To remove the load of the earth, these two were born; and they fought deadly battles in the battlefield of Kuruksettra. O king! Thus the several incarnations of Hari arose, according to the requirements of Prakriti. O King! These three worlds are under the control of Prakriti.
21. Whatever the Prakriti wishes at any time, She can fashion the world in that way. And She does this incessantly in accordance with the Word Divine, the Highest S’akti, to please the Purusa, without any cessation.
22-23. In days of yore, the most ancient Bhagavân, the Highest, above all the qualities of Mâyâ, formless, all pervading, difficult to be conceived, without any decay, self-supporting, without any want, created these worlds, moving and unmoving and He manifested Himself as the Trinity, Brahmâ, Visnu, Mahes’a in the shape of the three qualities Sâttva, Râjas and Tâmas, and which is called the Highest Prakriti.
24. This all auspicious Prakriti shines differently according to the differences in time and circumstances. This threefold Prakriti, the Great Enchantress of the world is creating, preserving the worlds and is destroying them at the end of the Kalpas.
25. O King! Whenever there takes place the union with this Prakriti, Brahmâ creates, Visnu preserves, and the all-auspicious God S’ankara destroys the worlds.
26. It was She That gave birth to Kâkutstha, the best of the kings; and to conquer the Dânavas, She placed him at a certain place.
27. O king! Thus all men controlled by the Great Law in this world, enjoy sometimes the pleasures, enjoy sometimes pains and thus exist in the world.
Here ends the Sixteenth Chapter in the Fourth Book of S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, the Mahâpurânam of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa, on the Birth of the several Avatâras of Visnu and their deeds.
On the questions asked by Janamejaya [ p. 311 ] 1. Janamejaya said :— O Muni! You told before that the heavenly prostitutes sent by Indra in the hermitage of Nara Nârâyana became lustful and desired to live with Nârâyana only, whose heart was calm and quiet.
2. At that moment when Nârâyana was about to curse them, his brother Nara desisted him from taking that step.
3-4. Now I ask you what did that triumphant Nârâyana Muni do, in the critical juncture, when he was repeatedly asked by those prostitutes, sent by lndra, to satisfy their lust?
5. O Grand Sire! I am very eager to know the deeds of Nârâyana, leading to one’s freedom. Kindly describe in detail and fulfill my wishes.
6. Vyâsa said :— Hear, O king! I am describing to you in detail, what that high souled son of Dharma did.
7. When Nârâyana Hari was ready to curse them, the Risi Nara, seeing this, consoled him and desisted him.
8. Then the great sage, the ascetic son of Dharma, Nârâyana, leaving aside his anger, began to address them in sweet words with countenance smiling.
9-10. O Fair women! We have determined to practise asceticism in this life; it does not therefore behove us to accept any wife; therefore shew your kindness unto us and go back to your Heaven. You would better think that those who know what is religion, they never desire to break the vow of another.
11. O beautiful eyed ones! In the sexual pleasure, it is the delightful feeling of passionate joy that is requisite; and we are wanting in those feelings; then how can we effect that union?
12. No action can come out of no cause; this is all clear. The poets say that the sexual power and pleasure, is the feeling, the mental attitude that corresponds; and that is the only thing, that lasts. And we have no desire for that.
13. However my limbs are all very graceful, I am very fortunate and blessed in this world, otherwise how can I be the object of your sincere love towards me.
14. You all are very fortunate; therefore do now show this mercy unto me “do not break my vow.” I pray now that, in a subsequent birth, I may become your husband.
15-16. O large eyed fair women! In the twenty-eighth Dvâpara Yuga, I will certainly incarnate on earth to effect the purpose of the Devas; then you all also would respectively incarnate as the daughters of kings and would also become my wives. [ p. 312 ] 17. Nârâyana thus consented to marry them in some other next birth; and consoling them, made them go back to their Heavens. They also abandoned their mental disquietude and, on reaching back to Heavens, they explained everything to Indra.
18-19. Indra heard (from these heavenly women) what the two two Risis did and saw before him Urvas’î and other women created by Nârâyana from his thighs, etc., and began to extol the merits of the high souled Nârâyana.
20. Indra said :— O! How wonderful is the patience of the Muni? What is the wonderful influence of his Tapas! Oh! He has created, by the sheer force of his Tapas, Urvas’î and these fair women, unrivalled for their beauties, from his thighs.
21. The Lord of the Devas thus extolled his merits and became freed from his anxieties. The virtuous Nârâyana, too, devoted himself to the practice of his Tapasyâ.
23. O king! Thus I have described to you, in detail, all the wonderful accounts regarding Nara Nârâyana.
O Superior in the descendants of Bharata! These two Nara and Nârâyana afterwards incarnated themselves, due to Bhrigu’s curse as the two great heroes Arjuna and Krisna, to relieve the burden of the earth.
24. The king said :— O respect giving Muni! Now describe in detail the life of the Avatar Krisna and dispel my mental doubt.
25-26. O best of the Munis! Why were Vâsudeva and Devakî, who were chosen by the very powerful Hari and Ananta as their parents, doomed to so many miseries and afflictions. Why had these parents to remain for good many years in the prison of Kamsa, who pleased directly by their Tapasyâ that Bhagavân Janârdana.
27. Why did Krisna taking his birth at Mathurâ, go to Gokula? Also what was his object to go to Dvârkâ, situated in the ocean, when he killed the enemy Kamsa?
28. Also why did his father, mother and relatives, leave their old holy places of residences and go abroad to live in a wretched old country?
29-31. Why was the Yadu race destroyed by the curse from a Brâhmana! How did S’rî Krisna Vâsudeva leave finally His body after He had relieved the burden of the earth and was about to enter into His Heaven? The evildoers of the earth were slain by Krisna and Arjuna, of unequalled prowess; but how was it, that those who plundered the wives of S’rî Hari, were not at all punished by Him? [ p. 313 ] 32-33. The great personages Bhîsma, Drona, Karna, the king Vâlhîka, Virâta, Vikarna, Dhristadyumna, the king Somadatta were destroyed for relieving the burden of the earth; and the plunderers were acquitted! Kindly explain the cause of this.
34. How was it that those chaste and virtuous wives of S’rî Krisna go into troubles at the latter end of their lives? There has arisen a doubt in my mind on this point.
35. Why did the virtuous Vâsudeva leave his mortal coil owing to the death of his sons and why did he die an unusual death?
36. O best of Munis! The Pândavas were devoted to Krisna and they were religious; they had to suffer so many troubles!
37. Why was Draupadî so very unfortunate and she had to suffer so much miseries, and pains, who was born of Laksmî from amidst the sacrificial place and from the altar.
38-39. Why did Duhs’âsan drag Her by Her hairs while She was in Her menstruation period, in the hall of audience and why was it that Sindhu Râj Jayadratha, the king of Sindhu, gave Her exceedingly mental troubles?
40. Why was it that Her five sons residing in Her house were killed by As’vaththâmâ? What was the cause that the son of Subhadrâ had to die in the battlefield?
41. Why did the king Kamsa kill the six sons of Devakî; and why was it that S’rî Hari who was capable of averting the Fate did not at all prevent that?
42. What a wonder is this that in the matters of Brâhmana’s curse toward the Jâdavas, their being killed in the Prabhâsa, the total extermination the Jadu race and the plundering of His wives, why did He allow Fate to do these great momentous things?
43. If He was the all-powerful God and He Himself Nârâyana, that why did He incessantly act like a slave towards Ugrasena.
N.B. — Ugrasena was the king of Mathurâ and father of Kamsa. He was deposed by his son; but Krisna after having slain Kamsa restored him to the throne.
44-45. All these bring doubt in our minds regarding Nârâyana Muni that His deeds are always like those of ordinary persons; why did his pleasures and pains resemble those of ordinary human beings? Were he God, why his actions were not Godly? (i.e., superhuman)
46. Therefore dost Thou describe in detail all the Divine Leelas (playful sports) done by Hari of superhuman powers in this world.
47. O Best of Munis! When one’s longevity expires, one dies; then I cannot understand what glory was manifested by Hari in killing the Daityas? For Fate Killed them; not Hari. [ p. 314 ] 48. Was not the doing of Hari like a thief when he stole away the Lady Rukminî and fled quickly to his own place.
49. What did it mean when he fled to Dvârkâ city, and quitted his own highly prosperous town Mathurâ simply out of the fear of Jarâsandha?
50. Did not anybody at that time recognise that he was S’rî Bhagavân Hari? O Respected One! Were he Bhagavân, why did He hide himself in Vraja? Please explain the cause to me.
51. O Muni! These and many other doubts always exist in my mind; you are the best of the Dvijas and blessed; I pray, dost thou remove these doubts.
52-53. O best of Munis! Another doubt exists and is not dispelled and that is secret. Was not the taking of the five husbands by Pânchâlî for herself shameful and despised by the society? The good manners and doings are always considered by the learned as the proofs of virtue. Why did those Pândavas, then, capable in every respect, do this thing like brutes?
54. And what did Bhîsma do living like a Deva in this world? May I ask, was his act of producing two sons by a widow and thus preserving his line of ancestors worthy of his name?
55. The religious sanction advocated by the Munis “Procreate sons in any way whatsoever” is simply shameful. Fie to this religious sanction.
Here ends the 17th Chapter in the 4th Book of S’rî mad Devî Bhagavatam of 18000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa on the questions asked by Janamejaya.
On the Devî Earth’s going to the Heavens [ p. 314 ] 1. Vyâsa said :— O king! Hear in detail the complete life and the deeds in the incarnation of S’rî Krisna and also the various wonderful achievements by the Goddess of this universe.
2. Once on a time, the Earth was very much overburdened by the load of wicked kings and She was therefore very much afraid.
3. She then assumed the appearance of a cow and went to the Devaloka crying and very much dejected.
Indra, the lord of the Devas, asked her, O Vasundhare! What is the cause of your fear now? Who has troubled you? What afflictions are you merged in? Please tell me all these.
4. On hearing Indra’s words, the Earth exclaimed :— O Respect giver! When You have asked me, I am explaining to you the cause of all my afflictions and sorrows; at present I am overburdened with too much load. [ p. 315 ] 5-8. Now is reigning in the earth Jârâsandha, the king of Magadha, a very very vicious person. Thus the other S’is’upâl, the lord of the Chedis, the uncontrollable Kâs’irâj, Rukmî, the powerful Kamsa, the strong Naraka, the Sauvapati S’âlva, the wicked Kes’î, Dhenuka, and Batsaka all these are now in royal positions. O Lord of the Devas! These kings are all devoid of the least trace of virtue, quarrelsome against each other, infatuated with vanity, and addicted to vicious deeds. These have become kings as if they were personified Yamas, the Lords of Death, and are constantly troubling me. I am now unable to carry their loads; where shall I go now? This great thought is constantly ailing me.
9-11. O Vasava! What to tell! The Bhagavân in His Boar Incarnation is the cause of all these my afflictions; O Indra! These present troubles I am fallen into only through Him; for when the cruel Daitya Hirânyâksa; the son of Ka’syapa stole me away and drowned me in the great ocean, then it was Visnu in his Boar incarnation that killed him and rescued me from the ocean and then kept me in this my stable position.
12. Had he not then lifted me up, I would have rested safe in the depths of Rasâtala; O Lord of the Devas! Now I am quite unable to bear the load of these vicious persons.
13. O Surendra! The vicious twenty eight Kali is coming quickly in front. Thinking of His influence, it seems to me that I will be very troubled then and will have to go down to Rasâtala.
14. Therefore, O Lord of the Devas! I am bowing down before Your feet, kindly relieve me of my burden and save me from these endless troubles.
15. Indra said :— O Earth! I cannot do anything for you. You better go and take refuge of Brahmâ. I am also going to Him. He will remove all your troubles.
16. Hearing Indra’s words the Earth hurriedly went to the realm of Brahmâ and Indra and all the other Devas followed Her; and all reached the Brahmaloka.
17-18. O King! The Grand Father Brahmâ saw the Earth coming to him and through the power of meditation, found out the cause of Her coming and said :— O Auspicious One! why are You crying? What troubles You have now? What wicked person has given You troubles.
19. The Earth said :— O Lord of the Earth! The vicious Kali is coming before; under Its influence the subjects will be horribly vicious; therefore I am very much afraid of this Kali. [ p. 316 ] 20. In the beginning of this Kali Yuga, the ancient enemies, the Asuras have now incarnated on this earth as kings. They will be extremely wicked, quarreling against each other, and will be clever in stealing others’ things. There is no doubt in these.
21. O Grand Father! Now kill these vicious kings and relieve my burden. O Lord! I am very much troubled by the armies of these kings.
22. Brahmâ said :— O Goddess! I, too, am unable like Indra to remove your load. Let us go to that Visnu, the Holder of the disc.
23. That Janârdana will remove your burden. I thought of this well before and settled what to do.
24-25. Vyâsa said :— Thus saying, the four faced Brahmâ, the Author of the Vedas, rode on His Hamsa Vehicle taking in front the Goddess Earth; and the Devas went to Visnu and began to praise Visnu Janârdana, the Deva of the Devas, with the words of the Vedas with full devotion.
26. Brahmâ said :— Thou hast thousand heads, thousand faces, thousand feet. Thou art the Purusa of the Vedas, Thou art the Deva of the Devas, and Thou art Eternal.
27. O Omnipresent! Thou art the Past, Present, and Future! O Lord of Laksmî! Thou hast awarded immortality unto us.
28. Thou art the Creator of universe, the Preserver and the Destroyer; Thou art the One and the Only goal and thou art the God. Everybody knows that all these glories belong to Thee.
29. Vyâsa said :— O king! When Brahmâ praised thus, Visnu whose sign was Garuda, was highly pleased and appeared before Brahmâ and the other Devas.
30. The Bhagavân asked them about their welfare and enquired in detail into the cause of their arrival there.
31. Brahmâ them bowed down to Him and, remembering the cause of the sorrows of the Goddess Earth, said :— O Lord! Thou art now to relieve the burden of the Earth.
32. O Thou, Ocean of mercy! When the end of the Dvâpara yuga will come Thou art to incarnate in the world and kill the wicked kings and thus to relieve the burden of the Earth.
33-34. Visnu said :— I am not independent in these matters; why I? Brahmâ Mahes’a, Indra, Agni, Yama, Visvakarmâ, the Sun and Varuna and other Devas, nobody is independent. This whole universe, moving and [ p. 317 ] unmoving is existing under the control of the Yoga Mâyâ; and from Brahmâ up to the clot of grass, all are strung into the thread of Her Three qualities.
35. O One of good vows! Whatever that Yoga Mâyâ, the Supreme Goddess, Who is All will, Whose mouth is inward, Who does good at all times, what She wills She does that at any time. You should all know that we are entirely under Her control.
36-41. You better think that were I independent, what for would I have stayed in the great ocean, incarnating in the Fish and Tortoise Bodies! O Brâhmin! What name or pleasure is there in enjoyment in the body of lower animals! What holy merit or any other reward may I expect from being born in the wombs of lower animals? What is the reason that I assume the body of a Boar? or of a Man-Lion? or of a Dwarf? Why was I born as the son of Jamadagni. Especially why did I, being born of that highsouled Brâhman Jamadagni, and being the best of the Brâhmins, do the most atrocious act like that of a heartless brute and fill up the lakes with their blood. Alas! I killed the Ksatriyas mercilessly; to say nothing more than that I killed the sons that were then in the wombs. Were I independent, what for I would have done these horrible and cruel deeds! O Lord of the Devas! See again. In my Râma incarnation I roamed on foot, helpless and without any provision, in the fearful Dandaka forest unfrequented by anybody, wearing clotted hair, bark, rags, like a man who feels no shame, and behaved like a hunter and killed many animals.
42-44. Being under the delusion of Mâyâ, I could not make out the real nature of the golden deer; consequently leaving Janakî in the thatched cottage, I went out pursuing the deer. Though repeatedly warned by me not to leave the place, Laksmana was moved by the qualities of Prakriti, forsook her and went out on my search.
45. Then the hypocrite Râvana, the king of the Râksasas, under the garb of a beggar; stole away by force the daughter of Janaka, who had become very lean on account of sorrows.
46. I was very much distressed owing to the separation from my dear wife and roamed about weeping sorely in forest and formed friendship with Sugrîva, under the influence of the circumstances.
47. It was an act of gross injustice on my part to kill Bâlî, the king of the monkeys. I freed him from his curse; afterwards, aided by the monkeys, I had to go to Lankâ.
48. When my younger Laksmana and myself were both enchained under the chain of the serpents, Nâgapâs’a, and were senseless, the monkeys all were astonished. [ p. 318 ] 49. Then Garuda came and freed us the two brothers, from those Nâgapâs’as! I considered then what adverse inauspicious circumstances Fate sometimes ordains on our lot.
50. I lost my kingdom, lived in the forest, my father died, Janakî was stolen and I had to suffer extreme troubles in very deadly battles; I could not know what worse fate still awaited for us?
51. O Suras! What more calamity can you expect to befall any person than that I was from the very first deprived of my kingdoms and wealth, and had to go to the forest with the princess Sîtâ dwelling in and taking shelter in a dense forest!
52. At the time of my going to the forest my father did not give a single penny; penniless and helpless I had to get out of Ayodhyâ on foot.
53. I was compelled to leave my Ksattriya Dharma and take up the avocation of a hunter and thus to spend fourteen years in forest.
54. After that, under the benign influence of Fate, I was able to kill that Asura Râvana and got the victory in the battle and was able to bring back dear Sîtâ to Ayodhyâ.
55. There I succeeded in becoming the ruler of the kingdom Kos’ala with its subjects and got the full kingdom and enjoyed for a few years the pleasures of the world.
56-57. The stealing away of Sîtâ took place at the first outset; next I got my kingdom; then the subjects began to circulate the bad name regarding Janakî; and I being afraid of that, deported her into exile in the forest. At that time I had to suffer again extreme pain and agony due to the separation from my wife. Then the daughter of the Goddess Earth penetrated into the Earth and got down to the Pâtâla.
58. O Devas! When I had to depend on Fate and to suffer so many troubles incessantly, where else can you dare to say that an independent man exists.
59. Afterwards under the influence of Time, I had to go to Heaven with my brothers. Let all this point to what it may, the intelligent learned people can say what an amount of mishaps takes place to one who is dependent!
60. O One born from the Lotus! You hear my word; I am in every way dependent; why I? Rudra, You and all those Suras are fully dependent.
Here ends the Eighteenth Chapter of the Fourth Book of the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa on the Devî Earth’s going to the Heavens.
On chanting the hymns to the Devî [ p. 319 ] 1. Vyâsa said :— The Bhagavân Visnu spoke again unto Prajâpati :— Brâhman! All these beings fascinated by Mâyâ, cannot know the Real Essence, the Highest Truth.
2. We, too, are fascinated by that Mâyâ; and hence we also, being blinded by that, do not at all remember That Highest Eternal Purusa, calm and quiet, the World Teacher, the Highest Self, of the nature of Pure Existence, Intelligence and Bliss.
3. O Brahmâ! I am Visnu, I am Brahmâ, I am Rudra, thus our I-ness ahamkâra has blinded our eyesight; and we are made unable to recognise That Eternal Highest Self.
4. As the wooden dolls dance according to the will of the player, the magician, I also am similarly fascinated by the Mâyâ and am thus incessantly rolling about like a dependent man.
5-6. O Brahmâ :— In the beginning of the Kalpa, Mahes’vara, You and I saw the wonderful unspeakable form and glory of that Highest Self at the time of Râsamandala in the Mâni Dvîpa where there was the Mandâra Tree and the Devas assembled. Then I also saw that wonderful thing a second time in the Sudhârnava ocean of nectar, and the most wonderful of it is this, that until we were able to See that Form, we did not hear anything of Her before!
7. Therefore, O Devas! Today do you all remember that Prime Force, the Highest Self, that all beneficent Force that yields all good and auspicious things; That Very Force will fulfill now all your desires.
8. Vyâsa said :— O king! No sooner the Bhagavân Hari addressed thus, Brahmâ and the other Devas at once mentally began to meditate on that Eternal Yoga Mâyâ, the Goddess of the Universe.
9. Being thus meditated, at once appeared before their eyesight the Devî, the Goddess of the Universe, whose colours were like the blood red Javâ flower, holding in two of Her hands noose, hook, or goad, while the third hand indicated favour and the fourth hand bade all discard every sort of fear.
10. As the web comes out of a spider and sparks come out of fire, so this whole Universe comes out of that Goddess. We all bow down before Her with our humble hearts, full of devotion.
11. We all salute to that Goddess of the Universe, Bhuvanes’varî, under Whose Mâyic force this whole Universe, moving and unmoving, is created; Who is All-Intelligence and the Ocean of Mercy. [ p. 320 ] 12. This world appears real to him who is unable to realise Her Real Essence; and the world drops off as unreal no sooner he realises Her Presence. We all meditate on that All Intelligent Goddess and we all pray to Her that She may grant unto us more strength to meditate Her and Her alone so.
13. We all want to know Mahâ Laksmî, we all meditate on the Omnipotent; May the Goddess grant unto us strength to meditate on Her so.
14. O Thou, the Remover of the world’s afflictions! Best Thou pleased unto us; O Thou, kind hearted! Do this work for us and promote our good. O Thou, Lord of the Earth! Dost Thou relieve the burden of the earth by killing these Asuras and bring on our welfare.
15. O Thou, Lotus-Eyed! If Thou dost not show Thy mercy towards the gods, they will never be able to strike their enemies with their weapons in the battlefield. O Goddess! Thou didst verify the truth of this before, when Thou didst assume the appearance of a Yaksa and utter the following sentences “O Fire! You burn this blade of grass,” etc. (in the Kena Talavakâra Upanîsada.)
16. O Mother! Kamsa, Bhauma, Kâlayavana, Kes’î, Jarâsandha, the son of Brihadratha, Vaka, Pûtanâ, Khara, S’âlva and other vicious kings respectively are dwelling on the earth. Dost Thou better kill them and relieve the burden of the Earth.
17. O Lotus-Eyed! Thou hadst killed those Asuras without any effort that were not slain by Visnu or Mahes’vara and they ended their lives, while they were beholding Thy pleasing countenance.
18. O Goddess! Holding Moon on Her forehead! These Hari, Hara, Brahmâ and the other gods are unable to move a step without the help of Force; nothing to speak any further, the thousand headed King of Serpents is unable to hold this earth even for a moment, were he not provided with the S’akti of upholding this world.
19. Indra said :— O Bhagavatî! Would Brahmâ be ever able to create this world without the aid of Sarasvatî! Would Visnu, the Deva of the Devas, be ever able to preserve it without the aid of Laksmî or would Mahes’vara be ever able, to destroy this world without the help of His Umâ; no, never! These Devas, the Trinity, are able to take their respective parts in the keeping up of the world simply because they are united with the forces, incarnate in Sarasvatî, etc., who are again parts of Thee. [ p. 321 ] 20. Visnu said :— O Vimale! Were we deprived of Thy Force, the Creator would never have been able to create the world, I would never have been able to preserve it and Mahes’vara would never have been able to destroy. Therefore O Devî! Thou alone art reigning as the Supreme Goddess amidst all the glories in the creation, preservation, and destruction of this Universe.
21-22. Vyâsa said :— O king! Thus praised by the Gods, the Goddess then addressed them :— O Devas! Let all anxieties leave you all; I will do what the Devas have desired, even if it be very difficult to do in this world; now explain what is troubling the Goddess Earth.
23. The Devas replied :— The wicked kings are troubling very much this Earth. She cannot any longer bear their burden; therefore She came crying unto us.
24. O Bhuvanes’varî! Now it is Your duty to remove this load of earth. O Auspicious One! Know this, the desire of the gods.
25-28. O Mother! In days of yore, You have killed the most powerful Dânava named Mahisa, attended by lakhs and lakhs of Dânavas and Daityas; What to speak! You have slain S’umbha, Nis’umbha, Raktavîja, the very powerful Chanda Munda, Dhumralochana, Durmukha, Duhsana, the strong Karâla and many other cruel Dânavas.
Now, similarly kill the wicked kings, the enemies of the Gods and save the Earth from their heavy loads.
29. Vyâsa said :— Thus addressed by the Devas, the Most Auspicious One, the Devî, whose colour was black and who looked askance, said smiling in a tone, grave and deep, like that of the rumbling of a raincloud.
30. O Suras! I have already thought over how the burden of those wicked kings, the parts incarnate of Asuras, can be removed.
31. I will, by My own power, rob them of their powers, of that highly prosperous and affluent Jârasandha, the king of Magadha, and others, the parts incarnate of the wicked Asuras, that are now shining on the Earth.
32. O Devas! You would all better go down and incarnate yourselves as part incarnations, impregnated with My power, and help thus in the removal of the load of this earth.
33. The Deva Prajâpati Maharsi Kas’yapa would first of all go with his his wife and incarnate as Ânaka Dundubhi Vasudeva, in the race of Yadu. [ p. 322 ] 34. The Imperishable Bhagavân Visnu will also incarnate as part, owing to the curse of Bhrigu, as the son of Vasudeva.
35. O Devas! I will be born, then, in the womb of Yas’odâ, in Gokula and will accomplish all the ends of the Gods.
36. I will send Visnu from the prison to the Gokula; also I will transfer Anântâ Deva from the womb of Devakî to the womb of Rohinî.
37. They two will grow, day by day, by My Force and at the end of the Dvâpara Yuga, will no doubt kill the wicked kings.
38-39. Arjuna too, the part incarnate of Indra, will destroy the armies of those kings. Yudhisthira, the part incarnate of Dharma, Bhîmsena, that of of Vâyu, Nakula and Sahadeva the incarnate of the two A’svins, and Bhîsma, the incarnate of Vasu as the son of the Gangâ, will take their respective births and exhaust their armies.
40. O Devas! Now be calm and quiet and go. Let the Earth be also calm and quiet; be confident that I will certainly remove the load of this earth.
41. I will make the above mentioned Gods as my instruments merely and I will destroy, by My own force, the Ksatriyas in the battlefield of Kuruksettra.
42. Malice, jealousy, foul intention, desire, attachment, vanity, covetousness, desire for victory, lust, and fascination are the vices that will destroy the Yâdavas.
43. The race of Yadu will end owing to the curse of a Brâhmana. The Bhagavân also will leave His mortal coil due to a curse.
44. Now go and incarnate in your respective parts, with your wives, in Gokula and Mathurâ, and be helpers in the work of the Lord.
45-46. Vyâsa said :— Saying thus, the Devî the Goddess of the Universe, the Mâyâ Incarnate of the Highest Self disappeared. The Devas and the Earth went to their respective places. O king Janamejaya! the Goddess Earth was pleased with the Devî’s words, and being quiet, remained surrounded with various medicinal plants and creepers.
47. Then the subjects felt peace and pleasure, the Brâhmans also grew stronger in happiness and prosperity, and the Munis became glad and began to perform their religious acts with fresh zeal and alacrity.
Here ends the Nineteenth Chapter in the Fourth Book of S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses, the Mahâ Purânam, on chanting the hymns to the Devî by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
On Devakî’s marriage [ p. 323 ] 1-2. Vyâsa said :— O Bharata! I now narrate to you about the relief of the burden of the Earth, the destruction by the Yoga Mâyâ of the armies Kuruksettra and Prabhâsa, the two sacred places, and about the birth, due to the curse of Bhrigu, of the Bhagavân Hari, of unparalleled prowess, under the influence of Mahâmâyâ, in the race of Yadu. Now hear.
3. Visnu’s taking birth in the world was effected under the circumstances caused by Yoga Mâyâ, to relieve the burden of the Earth; this is my opinion.
N. B. :— Prabhâsa is a well-known place of pilgrimage near Dvârkâ, in Gujerat.
4. O king! When the Goddess Mahâmâyâ, the Incarnate of the three qualities can make Brahmâ, Visnu and the other Devas dance incessantly as their Internal Controller, then what wonder, that She would appear charming to the other Jîvas and make them dance incessantly, as wooden dolls.
5. All the troubles incurred in remaining in the womb, amidst the urine, excreta and tissues, She had brought to bear finally on Visnu by Her ever famous Leelâ (Divine Sport).
6. In days of yore, in Râma incarnation, She, That Supreme Goddess made the Gods become monkeys and you know very well already, what amount of trouble Bhagavân Visnu had to undergo by the hard iron chain of bondage, “This is mine, this is I,” etc., imposed by Mâyâ.
7. The Yogis who want final liberation and who have abandoned all their attachments and who want devotion, they worship the Supreme Goddess of the Universe, the Incarnate of Auspiciousness.
8. O king! Who will not serve Her? A trace of devotion towards Whom effects at once the salvation of the Jîvas.
9. If any human being utters simply the name “Bhuvanes’varî” (the Goddess of Universe) She gives him the three worlds; and if any one cries and utters for help “Save me,” then the Goddess of the Universe, being unable to find anything that She can repay him as a fit recompense for his utterance, becomes Herself indebted to that man.
10. O King! Know Vidyâ (knowledge) and Avidyâ (non-knowledge, spiritual ignorance, lower knowledge) Her two forms; Vidyâ gives liberation; Avidyâ causes bondage.
11. Brahmâ, Visnu, Rudra, all these and their Avatâras are Her instruments and are under Her subjection, as if they are all fastened by a cord.
12-14. The Bhagavân Hari sometimes resides in Vaikuntha, sometimes resides in the sea of milk and enjoys pleasures, sometimes fights the powerful Dânavas, sometimes performs extensive sacrificial ceremonies [ p. 324 ] sometimes performs severe asceticism and sometimes takes to deep sleep under the guidance of Yoga Mâyâ. Thus He never becomes free and independent.
15-16. O King! And like Visnu, Brahmâ, Rudra, the other Gods Indra, Varuna, Yama, Kuvera, Agni, the Sun, Moon and other celestial gods, the Sanaka and other Munis, Vas’istha and other Risis, all are incessantly controlled by the Supreme Goddess, as if they are the dolls in the hands of a playing magician.
17. All the Devas are controlled by the noose of Time, just as oxen are brought under control by men, by strings passed within their noses.
18. O King! Pleasure, pain, sleep, lassitude, idleness, and other passions and feelings are always found inherent in every embodied being.
19-23. The Devas are written down by authors in their books as not subject to death or decay; this statement is merely nominal and not real; for whoever is always subject to birth, growth, decay and death how can we call him immortal or beyond old age and death? Why do the Devas get into sorrows, and troubles? How can they be called gods? How can one enjoy when one is involved in a trouble? In this world, it is seen mosquitoes and other insects born from water die after a very short time; so, like these, the Devas at the expiry of their ordained life-period, die too. Then why not the Devas be treated like those insects? Why not shall we term them, “Mortal”?
24-25. Some human beings live one year; some others live upto one hundred years, the Devas live longer than men; the life of the Prâjâpatî Brahmâ exceeds those of the Devas; Rudra lives longer than Brahmâ; and Visnu lives longer than Rudra. All these are thus subject by turns to birth, growth, and decay.
26. Those who are born, they die; those that die are again born. Thus O King! In this world all the Jîvas, no doubt, move round and round like a wheel.
27. The Jîvas are deluded by the network of Moha (charms) and thus deluded. They can never gain final release. So long as Mâyâ exists in them, their delusion is not destroyed.
28. O King! At the time of creation Brahmâ and all other things came into existence, in due order, and these will duly dissolve at the time of the Great Dissolution (the Pralaya)? [ p. 325 ] 29. Whatever is the cause of destruction to anybody here, that destroys the body in question. According to the Will Power of the Supreme Goddess, whatever is created by Brahmâ, no none can undo that. Know this as perfectly certain.
30. Know this the predestined law that the birth, death, old age, diseases, pain or pleasure overtake all the Jîvas according to the prescribed order of Nature; never these laws fail to operate in their actions.
31. See! The Devas that we see with our physical eyes, the Sun and Moon yield pleasure to all; still they suffer always troubles at the hands of their enemies (i.e., Râhu and Ketu, i.e., there always take place regularly solar and lunar eclipses, when they are in the ascending and descending modes.) This suffering is never removed.
32. The son of the Sun (Saturn) is always injurious to people; hence it is termed “Manda” (bad); the Moon was attacked with consumption and bears stain on his body (spots in the Moon disc). What to speak of ordinary men? The great men even are subject to the prescribed laws of Fate and Nature.
33. The Creator of the world, the four faced Brahmâ is the author of the Vedas and awarder of Intelligence. He, too, on seeing Sarasvatî, his own daughter, was afflicted with passion.
34. When Sati, the wife of S’iva, left off Her mortal coil, Mahâdeva, though He could remove the sorrows of all, was very much moved with passion and greatly afflicted.
35. Then, being burnt very much as it were by the fire of passion, he threw himself down into the water of the river Kâlindî; and the water of that river became black-coloured, as if burnt by the burning fire of the sorrows of S’iva.
36-37. O King! When Mahâdeva, being infatuated with Kâma, went into the forest of Bhrigu and becoming naked, began to copulate, the ascetic Bhrigu, seeing him in that state, exclaimed “O You are very shameless” and cursed Him thus :— Let your penis drop off just now. Mahâdeva, then to satisfy his thirst for passion, began to drink the water of the lake Amrita Vapî, dug by the Dânavas.
38-39. Indra, too, the Lord of the Devas, turned into a bull and carried Visnu on his back on the face of the earth. What to speak where the omniscience and omnipotence disappeared of Bhagavân Visnu, Who is the First of all created beings and possessed of reason, and discrimination? Oh! What a great wonder, that He could not know about the golden deer?
40-41. Judge, O King! for yourself, the great power of Mâyâ, that even Râma Chandra was deluded by passion, and very much grieved for the [ p. 326 ] separation from his dear wife Sîtâ, and wept much for Her. Greatly deluded, he began to cry aloud and ask the trees “Where has gone My Sîtâ, the daughter of Janaka? Is she devoured by the rapacious animals? or whether is she stolen by some mischievous person?
42-44. O Brother Laksmana! I am being consumed by the fire of separation from my beloved; I will commit suicide now; and you too will die due to the separation from me; our mother, too, would die when they will hear of our deaths; Satrughna, too, will be very much afflicted at our death and will not hold his life. The mother Sumitrâ, too, will destroy her life, being afflicted with her son’s demise; and then Bharata’s and his mother’s desires will certainly be fulfilled.
45. O Sîtâ! I am very much moved by your separation; where have you gone, leaving me here! O deer-eyed, O one of thin waist! come; give life unto me!
46. What shall I do? Where shall I go? My life is entirely dependent on you, O daughter of Janaka! I am your darling! Now I am very much depressed owing to your separation. Please come and speak to me words of hope and courage.
47. Though Râma, of unequalled prowess, roamed about weeping from forest to forest, yet he could not find out Sîtâ.
48-49. He, who is the Refuge of all the worlds, the lotus-eyed Râma, got entangled into the delusion of Mâyâ and had to take refuge Himself under the monkeys, and with their help, constructed the bridge across the ocean, crossed the ocean and was thus able to kill the valiant warriors Kumbhakarna and Râvana.
50. Then Râma got back His Sîtâ before him but suspecting, since she had been stolen by the vicious Râvana, made her take an oath, though it is to, be remembered that Râma was all-knowing.
51. O King! The power of Yoga Mâyâ is very great; what shall I speak of Her great power? This whole cosmos is always urged into activity by Her and thus goes rolling on and on incessantly.
52. Thus, in various incarnations, Bhagavân Visnu was always under the influence of previous curse and also under the control of Destiny and had to do various functions incessantly.
53. O King! Now I will speak to you about the birth of S’rî Krisna in the world for serving the purposes of gods, and will narrate His Leelâ. [ p. 327 ] 54. In days of yore, on the delightful banks of the river Kâlindî, there was a place, called Madhuban, where lived a powerful Daitya named Lavana, the son of Madhu.
55-56. That wicked Demon was exceedingly arrogant, on getting a boon, and he used to give an enormous amount of trouble to the Dvijas. Satrughna the younger of Laksman, killed that uncontrollable Daitya and built a very beautiful city there and named it Mathurâ.
57. The intelligent Satrughna, the destroyer of enemies, installed his two lotus-eyed sons in that kingdom and, when his end came, went to Heaven.
58. Afterwards on the decline of the Solar race, the Yâdavas, born of the race of Yayâti, occupied that Mathurâ city, giving salvation to all.
59. O King! There reigned in Mathurâ city one Yâdava king, valiant warrior, named S’ûrasena; and he enjoyed all the pleasures Mathurâ.
60. Under the curse of Varuna, Vâsudeva took his birth as the son of the renowned S’ûrasena, as the part incarnate of Kas’yapa.
61. He took up the profession of a Vais’ya and engaged himself in agriculture. And on the death of his father, the prosperous and wealthy Ugrasena became the King of Mathurâ. The powerful Kamsa was the son Ugrasena.
62. On the other hand, the King Devaka had a daughter born to him named Devakî, the part incarnate of Aditi. She under the curse of Varuna, followed Kas’yapa.
63. The high souled King Devaka performed the marriage ceremony of his daughter Devakî with Vâsudeva.
64. When this marriage ceremony was over, a voice was heard from Heaven, saying :— O fortunate Kamsa! The eighth son of this Devakî will take away your life.
65. The powerful Kamsa, hearing that voice from Heaven, was surprised and took it to be true and became very anxious.
66-67. Kamsa began to argue in his mind. Once he thought “I would today destroy her; then my death won’t take place; for I can’t see any other way of escape from this difficulty,” again he thought, “She is my sister, daughter of my paternal uncle and therefore fit to be worshipped; how can I kill her!”
68. Lastly, he came to the final conclusion, thus “She is the cause of my death, though she is my sister, fit to be worshipped; to kill her will not [ p. 328 ] lead me to sin; for it is enjoined by the wise :— Do even a sin to avert one’s own death.”
69. The sins can be remedied always by penances. Therefore to save one’s life, by committing even a sinful act, ought to be done by the wise.
70-71. The vicious Kamsa thus arguing, holding the scabbard in his hand, drew from it the sword and dragged and caught hold of the newly married handsome woman by her hair to kill her before the presence of the public.
72. A cry of universal consternation and distress arose on all sides, seeing Kamsa thus ready to kill Devakî; then the warriors, under Vâsudeva, at once raised their bows and arrows, ready to fight.
73. These wonderfully valorous warriors loudly exclaimed to Kamsa, “Leave Devakî at once” “Leave Devakî at once” and then they were finally able out of their mercy to release the Devamâtâ Devakî, from the hold of the vicious Kamsa.
74. Deadly battles ensued then between the powerful Kamsa and those valorous warriors on Vâsudeva’s side.
75-76. Seeing the exceedingly terrible battle, the old Yâdavas asked Kamsa to desist from such a battle and advised him thus. This Devakî is your sister; you ought to pay her respects. Did you not consider even for a moment that she is as yet a girl. O Hero! You ought not to kill her at the time of this joyous marriage ceremony.
77. O Valiant Warrior! The murder of a woman is intolerable! Destroyer of fame, and most heinous crime! You should also consider that learned persons ought not to commit such dastardly acts as the murdering of females, depending simply on a voice from heaven, a very ordinary thing!
78. It may be that some of your Vâsudeva’s enemy has uttered that harmful word, hiding himself from your sight. No reason can be shewn contrary to this.
79. We are of opinion that to ruin your name and to destroy the house of Vâsudeva, some magician, expert in black magic, your enemy has framed this voice from Heaven.
80. O king! You are a hero; why do you fear the words of a devil. We firmly believe, there is no doubt, that this is done by your malicious enemy to ruin your name.
81. O king! What is destined to take place, will take place; no one can stand against it otherwise. Therefore, at this marriage festivity, you ought never to kill this your respected sister. [ p. 329 ] 82-83. O King Janamejaya! Though made to understand thus by the old wise Yâdavas, the king Kamsa did not desist from his purpose; S’rî Vâsudeva, versed in morals, told him “Kamsa! These three worlds are established on Truth. I say on Truth that I will hand over to you all my sons, born of the womb of Devakî, no sooner they are born.
84. And if I do not deliver to you all those sons, no sooner they are born then all my forefathers will fall down into the hell called Kumbîhpâka.”
85-86. The descendants of Puru, that were present there, hearing his truthful words, praised him repeatedly and told Kamsa “Vâsudeva is a high minded personage; he is surely not to tell a lie. Therefore, O Thou, blessed one! Now leave Devakî and be free from committing the murder of woman.”
87. O king! Thus made to understand by the aged high minded Yâdavas the king Kamsa accepted the truthful words of Vâsudeva and abandoned his anger.
88. Then the Dunduvis and other sounding instruments were sounded; and their sounds filled the place; and all repeatedly uttered jai, jai.
89. Then the famous Vâsudeva, the son of S’ûrasena, thus pleased the king Kamsa and freed Devakî; and, surrounded by his relatives, he went quickly without any fear to his own house, accompanied by Devakî.
Here ends the 20th chapter in the 4th Adhyâya of S’rîmad Devî Bhâgavatam, the Mahâ Purânam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa, on Devakî’s marriage.