Srimad Bhagavatam · Canto 10 · Chapter 89
श्रीशुक उवाच सरस्वत्यास्तटे राजन्नृषय: सत्रमासत । वितर्क: समभूत्तेषां त्रिष्वधीशेषु को महान् ॥ १ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca sarasvatyās taṭe rājann ṛṣayaḥ satram āsata vitarkaḥ samabhūt teṣāṁ triṣv adhīśeṣu ko mahān
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Once, O King, as a group of sages were performing a Vedic sacrifice on the banks of the Sarasvatī River, a controversy arose among them as to which of the three chief deities is supreme.
तस्य जिज्ञासया ते वै भृगुं ब्रह्मसुतं नृप । तज्ज्ञप्त्यै प्रेषयामासु: सोऽभ्यगाद् ब्रह्मण: सभाम् ॥ २ ॥
tasya jijñāsayā te vai bhṛguṁ brahma-sutaṁ nṛpa taj-jñaptyai preṣayām āsuḥ so ’bhjagād brahmaṇaḥ sabhām
Eager to resolve this question, O King, the sages sent Lord Brahmā’s son Bhṛgu to find the answer. First he went to his father’s court.
न तस्मै प्रह्वणं स्तोत्रं चक्रे सत्त्वपरीक्षया । तस्मै चुक्रोध भगवान् प्रज्वलन् स्वेन तेजसा ॥ ३ ॥
na tasmai prahvaṇaṁ stotraṁ cakre sattva-parīkṣayā tasmai cukrodha bhagavān prajvalan svena tejasā
To test how well Lord Brahmā was situated in the mode of goodness, Bhṛgu failed to bow down to him or glorify him with prayers. The lord became angry at him, inflamed into fury by his own passion.
स आत्मन्युत्थितं मन्युमात्मजायात्मना प्रभु: । अशीशमद् यथा वह्निं स्वयोन्या वारिणात्मभू: ॥ ४ ॥
sa ātmany utthitam manyum ātmajāyātmanā prabhuḥ aśīśamad yathā vahniṁ sva-yonyā vāriṇātma-bhūḥ
Though anger toward his son was now rising within his heart, Lord Brahmā was able to subdue it by applying his intelligence, in the same way that fire is extinguished by its own product, water.
तत: कैलासमगमत् स तं देवो महेश्वर: । परिरब्धुं समारेभ उत्थाय भ्रातरं मुदा ॥ ५ ॥
tataḥ kailāsam agamat sa taṁ devo maheśvaraḥ parirabdhuṁ samārebha utthāya bhrātaraṁ mudā
Bhṛgu then went to Mount Kailāsa. There Lord Śiva stood up and happily came forward to embrace his brother.
नैच्छत्त्वमस्युत्पथग इति देवश्चुकोप ह । शूलमुद्यम्य तं हन्तुमारेभे तिग्मलोचन: ॥ ६ ॥ पतित्वा पादयोर्देवी सान्त्वयामास तं गिरा । अथो जगाम वैकुण्ठं यत्र देवो जनार्दन: ॥ ७ ॥
naicchat tvam asy utpatha-ga iti devaś cukopa ha śūlam udyamya taṁ hantum ārebhe tigma-locanaḥ patitvā pādayor devī sāntvayām āsa taṁ girā atho jagāma vaikuṇṭhaṁ yatra devo janārdanaḥ
But Bhṛgu refused his embrace, telling him, “You are a deviant heretic.” At this Lord Śiva became angry, and his eyes burned ferociously. He raised his trident and was about to kill Bhṛgu when Goddess Devī fell at his feet and spoke some words to pacify him. Bhṛgu then left that place and went to Vaikuṇṭha, where Lord Janārdana resides.
शयानं श्रिय उत्सङ्गे पदा वक्षस्यताडयत् । तत उत्थाय भगवान् सह लक्ष्म्या सतां गति: ॥ ८ ॥ स्वतल्पादवरुह्याथ ननाम शिरसा मुनिम् । आह ते स्वागतं ब्रह्मन् निषीदात्रासने क्षणम् । अजानतामागतान् व: क्षन्तुमर्हथ न: प्रभो ॥ ९ ॥
śayānaṁ śriya utsaṅge padā vakṣasy atāḍayat tata utthāya bhagavān saha lakṣmyā satāṁ gatiḥ sva-talpād avaruhyātha nanāma śirasā munim āha te svāgataṁ brahman niṣīdātrāsane kṣaṇam ajānatām āgatān vaḥ kṣantum arhatha naḥ prabho
There he went up to the Supreme Lord, who was lying with His head on the lap of His consort, Śrī, and kicked Him on the chest. The Lord then rose, along with Goddess Lakṣmī, as a sign of respect. Coming down from His bedstead, that supreme goal of all pure devotees bowed His head to the floor before the sage and told him, ‘Welcome, brāhmaṇa. Please sit in this chair and rest awhile. Kindly forgive us, dear master, for not noticing your arrival.’
पुनीहि सहलोकं मां लोकपालांश्च मद्गतान् । पादोदकेन भवतस्तीर्थानां तीर्थकारिणा ॥ १० ॥ अद्याहं भगवँल्लक्ष्म्या आसमेकान्तभाजनम् । वत्स्यत्युरसि मे भूतिर्भवत्पादहतांहस: ॥ ११ ॥
punīhi saha-lokaṁ māṁ loka-pālāṁś ca mad-gatān pādodakena bhavatas tīrthānāṁ tīrtha-kāriṇā adyāhaṁ bhagavaḻ lakṣmyā āsam ekānta-bhājanam vatsyaty urasi me bhūtir bhavat-pāda-hatāṁhasaḥ
“Please purify Me, My realm and the realms of the universal rulers devoted to Me by giving us the water that has washed your feet. This holy water is indeed what makes all places of pilgrimage sacred. Today, my lord, I have become the exclusive shelter of the goddess of fortune, Lakṣmī; she will consent to reside on My chest because your foot has rid it of sins.”
श्रीशुक उवाच एवं ब्रुवाणे वैकुण्ठे भृगुस्तन्मन्द्रया गिरा । निर्वृतस्तर्पितस्तूष्णीं भक्त्युत्कण्ठोऽश्रुलोचन: ॥ १२ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca evaṁ bruvāṇe vaikuṇṭhe bhṛgus tan-mandrayā girā nirvṛtas tarpitas tūṣṇīṁ bhakty-utkaṇṭho ’śru-locanaḥ
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Bhṛgu felt satisfied and delighted to hear the solemn words spoken by Lord Vaikuṇṭha. Overwhelmed with devotional ecstasy, he remained silent, his eyes brimming with tears.
पुनश्च सत्रमाव्रज्य मुनीनां ब्रह्मवादिनाम् । स्वानुभूतमशेषेण राजन् भृगुरवर्णयत् ॥ १३ ॥
punaś ca satram āvrajya munīnāṁ brahma-vādinām svānubhūtam aśeṣeṇa rājan bhṛgur avarṇayat
O King, Bhṛgu then returned to the sacrificial arena of the wise Vedic authorities and described his entire experience to them.
तन्निशम्याथ मुनयो विस्मिता मुक्तसंशया: । भूयांसं श्रद्दधुर्विष्णुं यत: शान्तिर्यतोऽभयम् ॥ १४ ॥ धर्म: साक्षाद् यतो ज्ञानं वैराग्यं च तदन्वितम् । ऐश्वर्यं चाष्टधा यस्माद् यशश्चात्ममलापहम् ॥ १५ ॥ मुनीनां न्यस्तदण्डानां शान्तानां समचेतसाम् । अकिञ्चनानां साधूनां यमाहु: परमां गतिम् ॥ १६ ॥ सत्त्वं यस्य प्रिया मूर्तिर्ब्राह्मणास्त्विष्टदेवता: । भजन्त्यनाशिष: शान्ता यं वा निपुणबुद्धय: ॥ १७ ॥
tan niśamyātha munayo vismitā mukta-saṁśayāḥ bhūyāṁsaṁ śraddadhur viṣṇuṁ yataḥ śāntir yato ’bhayam dharmaḥ sākṣād yato jñānaṁ vairāgyaṁ ca tad-anvitam aiśvaryaṁ cāṣṭadhā yasmād yaśaś cātma-malāpaham munīnāṁ nyasta-daṇḍānāṁ śāntānāṁ sama-cetasām akiñcanānāṁ sādhūnāṁ yam āhuḥ paramāṁ gatim sattvaṁ yasya priyā mūrtir brāhmaṇās tv iṣṭa-devatāḥ bhajanty anāśiṣaḥ śāntā yaṁ vā nipuṇa-buddhayaḥ
Amazed upon hearing Bhṛgu’s account, the sages were freed from all doubts and became convinced that Viṣṇu is the greatest Lord. From Him come peace; fearlessness; the essential principles of religion; detachment with knowledge; the eightfold powers of mystic yoga; and His glorification, which cleanses the mind of all impurities. He is known as the supreme destination for those who are peaceful and equipoised — the selfless, wise saints who have given up all violence. His most dear form is that of pure goodness, and the brāhmaṇas are His worshipable deities. Persons of keen intellect who have attained spiritual peace worship Him without selfish motives.
त्रिविधाकृतयस्तस्य राक्षसा असुरा: सुरा: । गुणिन्या मायया सृष्टा: सत्त्वं तत्तीर्थसाधनम् ॥ १८ ॥
tri-vidhākṛtayas tasya rākṣasā asurāḥ surāḥ guṇinyā māyayā sṛṣṭāḥ sattvaṁ tat tīrtha-sādhanam
The Lord expands into three kinds of manifest beings — the Rākṣasas, the demons and the demigods — all of whom are created by the Lord’s material energy and conditioned by her modes. But among these three modes, it is the mode of goodness which is the means of attaining life’s final success.
श्रीशुक उवाच इत्थं सारस्वता विप्रा नृणां संशयनुत्तये । पुरुषस्य पदाम्भोजसेवया तद्गतिं गता: ॥ १९ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca itthaṁ sārasvatā viprā nṛṇām saṁśaya-nuttaye puruṣasya padāmbhoja- sevayā tad-gatiṁ gatāḥ
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: The learned brāhmaṇas living along the river Sarasvatī came to this conclusion in order to dispel the doubts of all people. Thereafter they rendered devotional service to the Supreme Lord’s lotus feet and attained His abode.
श्रीसूत उवाच इत्येतन्मुनितनयास्यपद्मगन्ध- पीयूषं भवभयभित् परस्य पुंस: । सुश्लोकं श्रवणपुटै: पिबत्यभीक्ष्णं पान्थोऽध्वभ्रमणपरिश्रमं जहाति ॥ २० ॥
śrī-sūta uvāca ity etan muni-tanayāsya-padma-gandha pīyūṣaṁ bhava-bhaya-bhit parasya puṁsaḥ su-ślokaṁ śravaṇa-puṭaiḥ pibaty abhīkṣṇam pāntho ’dhva-bhramaṇa-pariśramaṁ jahāti
Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī said: Thus did this fragrant nectar flow from the lotus mouth of Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the son of the sage Vyāsadeva. This wonderful glorification of the Supreme Person destroys all fear of material existence. A traveler who constantly drinks this nectar through his ear-holes will forget the fatigue brought on by wandering along the paths of worldly life.
श्रीशुक उवाच एकदा द्वारवत्यां तु विप्रपत्न्या: कुमारक: । जातमात्रो भुवं स्पृष्ट्वा ममार किल भारत ॥ २१ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca ekadā dvāravatyāṁ tu vipra-patnyāḥ kumārakaḥ jāta-mātro bhuvaṁ spṛṣṭvā mamāra kila bhārata
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Once, in Dvārakā, a brāhmaṇa’s wife gave birth to a son, but the newborn infant died as soon as he touched the ground, O Bhārata.
विप्रो गृहीत्वा मृतकं राजद्वार्युपधाय स: । इदं प्रोवाच विलपन्नातुरो दीनमानस: ॥ २२ ॥
vipro gṛhītvā mṛtakaṁ rāja-dvāry upadhāya saḥ idaṁ provāca vilapann āturo dīna-mānasaḥ
The brāhmaṇa took the corpse and placed it at the door of King Ugrasena’s court. Then, agitated and lamenting miserably, he spoke the following.
ब्रह्मद्विष: शठधियो लुब्धस्य विषयात्मन: । क्षत्रबन्धो: कर्मदोषात् पञ्चत्वं मे गतोऽर्भक: ॥ २३ ॥
brahma-dviṣaḥ śaṭha-dhiyo lubdhasya viṣayātmanaḥ kṣatra-bandhoḥ karma-doṣāt pañcatvaṁ me gato ’rbhakaḥ
[The brāhmaṇa said:] This duplicitous, greedy enemy of brāhmaṇas, this unqualified ruler addicted to sense pleasure, has caused my son’s death by some discrepancies in the execution of his duties.
हिंसाविहारं नृपतिं दु:शीलमजितेन्द्रियम् । प्रजा भजन्त्य: सीदन्ति दरिद्रा नित्यदु:खिता: ॥ २४ ॥
hiṁsā-vihāraṁ nṛpatiṁ duḥśīlam ajitendriyam prajā bhajantyaḥ sīdanti daridrā nitya-duḥkhitāḥ
Citizens serving such a wicked king, who takes pleasure in violence and cannot control his senses, are doomed to suffer poverty and constant misery.
एवं द्वितीयं विप्रर्षिस्तृतीयं त्वेवमेव च । विसृज्य स नृपद्वारि तां गाथां समगायत ॥ २५ ॥
evaṁ dvitīyaṁ viprarṣis tṛtīyaṁ tv evam eva ca visṛjya sa nṛpa-dvāri tāṁ gāthāṁ samagāyata
The wise brāhmaṇa suffered the same tragedy with his second and third child. Each time, he left the body of his dead son at the King’s door and sang the same song of lamentation.
तामर्जुन उपश्रुत्य कर्हिचित् केशवान्तिके । परेते नवमे बाले ब्राह्मणं समभाषत ॥ २६ ॥ किंस्विद् ब्रह्मंस्त्वन्निवासे इह नास्ति धनुर्धर: । राजन्यबन्धुरेते वै ब्राह्मणा: सत्रमासते ॥ २७ ॥
tām arjuna upaśrutya karhicit keśavāntike parete navame bāle brāhmaṇaṁ samabhāṣata kiṁ svid brahmaṁs tvan-nivāse iha nāsti dhanur-dharaḥ rājanya-bandhur ete vai brāhmaṇāḥ satram āsate
When the ninth child died, Arjuna, who was near Lord Keśava, happened to overhear the brāhmaṇa lamenting. Thus Arjuna addressed the brāhmaṇa: “What is the matter, my dear brāhmaṇa? Isn’t there some lowly member of the royal order here who can at least stand before your house with a bow in his hand? These kṣatriyas are behaving as if they were brāhmaṇas idly engaged in fire sacrifices.
धनदारात्मजापृक्ता यत्र शोचन्ति ब्राह्मणा: । ते वै राजन्यवेषेण नटा जीवन्त्यसुम्भरा: ॥ २८ ॥
dhana-dārātmajāpṛktā yatra śocanti brāhmaṇāḥ te vai rājanya-veṣeṇa naṭā jīvanty asum-bharāḥ
“The rulers of a kingdom in which brāhmaṇas lament over lost wealth, wives and children are merely imposters playing the role of kings just to earn their livelihood.
अहं प्रजा: वां भगवन् रक्षिष्ये दीनयोरिह । अनिस्तीर्णप्रतिज्ञोऽग्निं प्रवेक्ष्ये हतकल्मष: ॥ २९ ॥
ahaṁ prajāḥ vāṁ bhagavan rakṣiṣye dīnayor iha anistīrṇa-pratijño ’gniṁ pravekṣye hata-kalmaṣaḥ
“My lord, I will protect the progeny of you and your wife, who are in such distress. And if I fail to keep this promise, I will enter fire to atone for my sin.”
श्रीब्राह्मण उवाच सङ्कर्षणो वासुदेव: प्रद्युम्नो धन्विनां वर: । अनिरुद्धोऽप्रतिरथो न त्रातुं शक्नुवन्ति यत् ॥ ३० ॥ तत् कथं नु भवान् कर्म दुष्करं जगदीश्वरै: । त्वं चिकीर्षसि बालिश्यात् तन्न श्रद्दध्महे वयम् ॥ ३१ ॥
śrī-brāhmaṇa uvāca saṅkarṣaṇo vāsudevaḥ pradyumno dhanvināṁ varaḥ aniruddho ’prati-ratho na trātuṁ śaknuvanti yat tat kathaṁ nu bhavān karma duṣkaraṁ jagad-īśvaraiḥ tvaṁ cikīrṣasi bāliśyāt tan na śraddadhmahe vayam
The brāhmaṇa said: Neither Saṅkarṣaṇa; Vāsudeva; Pradyumna, the best of bowmen; nor the unequaled warrior Aniruddha could save my sons. Then why do you naively attempt a feat that the almighty Lords of the universe could not perform? We cannot take you seriously.
श्रीअर्जुन उवाच नाहं सङ्कर्षणो ब्रह्मन् न कृष्ण: कार्ष्णिरेव च । अहं वा अर्जुनो नाम गाण्डीवं यस्य वै धनु: ॥ ३२ ॥
śrī-arjuna uvāca nāhaṁ saṅkarṣaṇo brahman na kṛṣṇaḥ kārṣṇir eva ca ahaṁ vā arjuno nāma gāṇḍīvaṁ yasya vai dhanuḥ
Śrī Arjuna said: I am neither Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa, O brāhmaṇa, nor Lord Kṛṣṇa, nor even Kṛṣṇa’s son. Rather, I am Arjuna, wielder of the Gāṇḍīva bow.
मावमंस्था मम ब्रह्मन् वीर्यं त्र्यम्बकतोषणम् । मृत्युं विजित्य प्रधने आनेष्ये ते प्रजा: प्रभो ॥ ३३ ॥
māvamaṁsthā mama brahman vīryaṁ tryambaka-toṣaṇam mṛtyuṁ vijitya pradhane āneṣye te prajāḥ prabho
Do not minimize my ability, which was good enough to satisfy Lord Śiva, O brāhmaṇa. I will bring back your sons, dear master, even if I have to defeat Death himself in battle.
एवं विश्रम्भितो विप्र: फाल्गुनेन परन्तप । जगाम स्वगृहं प्रीत: पार्थवीर्यं निशामयन् ॥ ३४ ॥
evaṁ viśrambhito vipraḥ phālgunena parantapa jagāma sva-gṛhaṁ prītaḥ pārtha-vīryaṁ niśāmayan
Thus convinced by Arjuna, O tormentor of enemies, the brāhmaṇa went home, satisfied by having heard Arjuna’s declaration of his prowess.
प्रसूतिकाल आसन्ने भार्याया द्विजसत्तम: । पाहि पाहि प्रजां मृत्योरित्याहार्जुनमातुर: ॥ ३५ ॥
prasūti-kāla āsanne bhāryāyā dvija-sattamaḥ pāhi pāhi prajāṁ mṛtyor ity āhārjunam āturaḥ
When the wife of the elevated brāhmaṇa was again about to give birth, he went to Arjuna in great anxiety and begged him, “Please, please protect my child from death!”
स उपस्पृश्य शुच्यम्भो नमस्कृत्य महेश्वरम् । दिव्यान्यस्त्राणि संस्मृत्य सज्यं गाण्डीवमाददे ॥ ३६ ॥
sa upaspṛśya śucy ambho namaskṛtya maheśvaram divyāny astrāṇi saṁsmṛtya sajyaṁ gāṇḍīvam ādade
After touching pure water, offering obeisances to Lord Maheśvara and recollecting the mantras for his celestial weapons, Arjuna strung his bow Gāṇḍīva.
न्यरुणत् सूतिकागारं शरैर्नानास्त्रयोजितै: । तिर्यगूर्ध्वमध: पार्थश्चकार शरपञ्जरम् ॥ ३७ ॥
nyaruṇat sūtikāgāraṁ śarair nānāstra-yojitaiḥ tiryag ūrdhvam adhaḥ pārthaś cakāra śara-pañjaram
Arjuna fenced in the house where the birth was taking place by shooting arrows attached to various missiles. Thus the son of Pṛthā constructed a protective cage of arrows, covering the house upwards, downwards and sideways.
तत: कुमार: सञ्जातो विप्रपत्न्या रुदन्मुहु: । सद्योऽदर्शनमापेदे सशरीरो विहायसा ॥ ३८ ॥
tataḥ kumāraḥ sañjāto vipra-patnyā rudan muhuḥ sadyo ’darśanam āpede sa-śarīro vihāyasā
The brāhmaṇa’s wife then gave birth, but after the newborn infant had been crying for a short time, he suddenly vanished into the sky in his selfsame body.
तदाह विप्रो विजयं विनिन्दन् कृष्णसन्निधौ । मौढ्यं पश्यत मे योऽहं श्रद्दधे क्लीबकत्थनम् ॥ ३९ ॥
tadāha vipro vijayaṁ vinindan kṛṣṇa-sannidhau mauḍhyaṁ paśyata me yo ’haṁ śraddadhe klība-katthanam
The brāhmaṇa then derided Arjuna in front of Lord Kṛṣṇa: “Just see how foolish I was to put my faith in the bragging of a eunuch!
न प्रद्युम्नो नानिरुद्धो न रामो न च केशव: । यस्य शेकु: परित्रातुं कोऽन्यस्तदवितेश्वर: ॥ ४० ॥
na pradyumno nāniruddho na rāmo na ca keśavaḥ yasya śekuḥ paritrātuṁ ko ’nyas tad-aviteśvaraḥ
“When neither Pradyumna, Aniruddha, Rāma nor Keśava can save a person, who else can possibly protect him?
धिगर्जुनं मृषावादं धिगात्मश्लाघिनो धनु: । दैवोपसृष्टं यो मौढ्यादानिनीषति दुर्मति: ॥ ४१ ॥
dhig arjunaṁ mṛṣā-vādaṁ dhig ātma-ślāghino dhanuḥ daivopasṛṣṭaṁ yo mauḍhyād āninīṣati durmatiḥ
“To hell with that liar Arjuna! To hell with that braggart’s bow! He is so foolish that he has deluded himself into thinking he can bring back a person whom destiny has taken away.”
एवं शपति विप्रर्षौ विद्यामास्थाय फाल्गुन: । ययौ संयमनीमाशु यत्रास्ते भगवान् यम: ॥ ४२ ॥
evaṁ śapati viprarṣau vidyām āsthāya phālgunaḥ yayau saṁyamanīm āśu yatrāste bhagavān yamaḥ
While the wise brāhmaṇa continued to heap insults upon him, Arjuna employed a mystic incantation to go at once to Saṁyamanī, the city of heaven where Lord Yamarāja resides.
विप्रापत्यमचक्षाणस्तत ऐन्द्रीमगात् पुरीम् । आग्नेयीं नैऋर्तीं सौम्यां वायव्यां वारुणीमथ । रसातलं नाकपृष्ठं धिष्ण्यान्यन्यान्युदायुध: ॥ ४३ ॥ ततोऽलब्धद्विजसुतो ह्यनिस्तीर्णप्रतिश्रुत: । अग्निं विविक्षु: कृष्णेन प्रत्युक्त: प्रतिषेधता ॥ ४४ ॥
viprāpatyam acakṣāṇas tata aindrīm agāt purīm āgneyīṁ nairṛtīṁ saumyāṁ vāyavyāṁ vāruṇīm atha rasātalaṁ nāka-pṛṣṭhaṁ dhiṣṇyāny anyāny udāyudhaḥ tato ’labdha-dvija-suto hy anistīrṇa-pratiśrutaḥ agniṁ vivikṣuḥ kṛṣṇena pratyuktaḥ pratiṣedhatā
Not seeing the brāhmaṇa’s child there, Arjuna went to the cities of Indra, Agni, Nirṛti, Soma, Vāyu and Varuṇa. With weapons at the ready he searched through all the domains of the universe, from the bottom of the subterranean region to the roof of heaven. Finally, not having found the brāhmaṇa’s son anywhere, Arjuna decided to enter the sacred fire, having failed to keep his promise. But just as he was about to do so, Lord Kṛṣṇa stopped him and spoke the following words.
दर्शये द्विजसूनूंस्ते मावज्ञात्मानमात्मना । ये ते न: कीर्तिं विमलां मनुष्या: स्थापयिष्यन्ति ॥ ४५ ॥
darśaye dvija-sūnūṁs te māvajñātmānam ātmanā ye te naḥ kīrtiṁ vimalāṁ manuṣyāḥ sthāpayiṣyanti
[Lord Kṛṣṇa said:] I will show you the brāhmaṇa’s sons, so please don’t despise yourself like this. These same men who now criticize us will soon establish our spotless fame.
इति सम्भाष्य भगवानर्जुनेन सहेश्वर: । दिव्यं स्वरथमास्थाय प्रतीचीं दिशमाविशत् ॥ ४६ ॥
iti sambhāṣya bhagavān arjunena saheśvaraḥ divyaṁ sva-ratham āsthāya pratīcīṁ diśam āviśat
Having thus advised Arjuna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead had Arjuna join Him on His divine chariot, and together they set off toward the west.
सप्त द्वीपान् ससिन्धूंश्च सप्तसप्तगिरीनथ । लोकालोकं तथातीत्य विवेश सुमहत्तम: ॥ ४७ ॥
sapta dvīpān sa-sindhūṁś ca sapta sapta girīn atha lokālokaṁ tathātītya viveśa su-mahat tamaḥ
The Lord’s chariot passed over the seven islands of the middle universe, each with its ocean and its seven principal mountains. Then it crossed the Lokāloka boundary and entered the vast region of total darkness.
तत्राश्वा: शैब्यसुग्रीवमेघपुष्पबलाहका: । तमसि भ्रष्टगतयो बभूवुर्भरतर्षभ ॥ ४८ ॥ तान् दृष्ट्वा भगवान् कृष्णो महायोगेश्वरेश्वर: । सहस्रादित्यसङ्काशं स्वचक्रं प्राहिणोत् पुर: ॥ ४९ ॥
tatrāśvāḥ śaibya-sugrīva- meghapuṣpa-balāhakāḥ tamasi bhraṣṭa-gatayo babhūvur bharatarṣabha tān dṛṣṭvā bhagavān kṛṣṇo mahā-yogeśvareśvaraḥ sahasrāditya-saṅkāśaṁ sva-cakraṁ prāhiṇot puraḥ
In that darkness the chariot’s horses — Śaibya, Sugrīva, Meghapuṣpa and Balāhaka — lost their way. Seeing them in this condition, O best of the Bhāratas, Lord Kṛṣṇa, the supreme master of all masters of yoga, sent His Sudarśana disc before the chariot. That disc shone like thousands of suns.
तम: सुघोरं गहनं कृतं महद् विदारयद् भूरितरेण रोचिषा । मनोजवं निर्विविशे सुदर्शनं गुणच्युतो रामशरो यथा चमू: ॥ ५० ॥
tamaḥ su-ghoraṁ gahanaṁ kṛtaṁ mahad vidārayad bhūri-tareṇa rociṣā mano-javaṁ nirviviśe sudarśanaṁ guṇa-cyuto rāma-śaro yathā camūḥ
The Lord’s Sudarśana disc penetrated the darkness with its blazing effulgence. Racing forward with the speed of the mind, it cut through the fearsome, dense oblivion expanded from primeval matter, as an arrow shot from Lord Rāma’s bow cuts through His enemy’s army.
द्वारेण चक्रानुपथेन तत्तम: परं परं ज्योतिरनन्तपारम् । समश्नुवानं प्रसमीक्ष्य फाल्गुन: प्रताडिताक्षो पिदधेऽक्षिणी उभे ॥ ५१ ॥
dvāreṇa cakrānupathena tat tamaḥ paraṁ paraṁ jyotir ananta-pāram samaśnuvānaṁ prasamīkṣya phālgunaḥ pratāḍitākṣo pidadhe ’kṣiṇī ubhe
Following the Sudarśana disc, the chariot went beyond the darkness and reached the endless spiritual light of the all pervasive brahmajyoti. As Arjuna beheld this glaring effulgence, his eyes hurt, and so he shut them.
तत: प्रविष्ट: सलिलं नभस्वता बलीयसैजद् बृहदूर्मिभूषणम् । तत्राद्भुतं वै भवनं द्युमत्तमं भ्राजन्मणिस्तम्भसहस्रशोभितम् ॥ ५२ ॥
tataḥ praviṣṭaḥ salilaṁ nabhasvatā balīyasaijad-bṛhad-ūrmi-bhūṣaṇam tatrādbhutaṁ vai bhavanaṁ dyumat-tamaṁ bhrājan-maṇi-stambha-sahasra-śobhitam
From that region they entered a body of water resplendent with huge waves being churned by a mighty wind. Within that ocean Arjuna saw an amazing palace more radiant than anything he had ever seen before. Its beauty was enhanced by thousands of ornamental pillars bedecked with brilliant gems.
तस्मिन् महाभोगमनन्तमद्भुतं सहस्रमूर्धन्यफणामणिद्युभि: । विभ्राजमानं द्विगुणेक्षणोल्बणं सिताचलाभं शितिकण्ठजिह्वम् ॥ ५३ ॥
tasmin mahā-bhogam anantam adbhutaṁ sahasra-mūrdhanya-phaṇā-maṇi-dyubhiḥ vibhrājamānaṁ dvi-guṇekṣaṇolbaṇaṁ sitācalābhaṁ śiti-kaṇṭha-jihvam
In that palace was the huge, awe-inspiring serpent Ananta Śeṣa. He shone brilliantly with the radiance emanating from the gems on His thousands of hoods and reflecting from twice as many fearsome eyes. He resembled white Mount Kailāsa, and His necks and tongues were dark blue.
ददर्श तद्भोगसुखासनं विभुं महानुभावं पुरुषोत्तमोत्तमम् । सान्द्राम्बुदाभं सुपिशङ्गवाससं प्रसन्नवक्त्रं रुचिरायतेक्षणम् ॥ ५४ ॥ महामणिव्रातकिरीटकुण्डल- प्रभापरिक्षिप्तसहस्रकुन्तलम् । प्रलम्बचार्वष्टभुजं सकौस्तुभं श्रीवत्सलक्ष्मं वनमालया वृतम् ॥ ५५ ॥ सुनन्दनन्दप्रमुखै: स्वपार्षदै- श्चक्रादिभिर्मूर्तिधरैर्निजायुधै: । पुष्ट्या श्रिया कीर्त्यजयाखिलर्धिभि- र्निषेव्यमानं परमेष्ठिनां पतिम् ॥ ५६ ॥
dadarśa tad-bhoga-sukhāsanaṁ vibhuṁ mahānubhāvaṁ puruṣottamottamam sāndrāmbudābhaṁ su-piśaṅga-vāsasaṁ prasanna-vaktraṁ rucirāyatekṣaṇam mahā-maṇi-vrāta-kirīṭa-kuṇḍala prabhā-parikṣipta-sahasra-kuntalam pralamba-cārv-aṣṭa-bhujaṁ sa-kaustubhaṁ śrīvatsa-lakṣmaṁ vana-mālayāvṛtam sunanda-nanda-pramukhaiḥ sva-pārṣadaiś cakrādibhir mūrti-dharair nijāyudhaiḥ puṣṭyā śrīyā kīrty-ajayākhilardhibhir niṣevyamānaṁ parameṣṭhināṁ patim
Arjuna then saw the omnipresent and omnipotent Supreme Personality of Godhead, Mahā-Viṣṇu, sitting at ease on the serpent bed. His bluish complexion was the color of a dense rain cloud, He wore a beautiful yellow garment, His face looked charming, His broad eyes were most attractive, and He had eight long, handsome arms. His profuse locks of hair were bathed on all sides in the brilliance reflected from the clusters of precious jewels decorating His crown and earrings. He wore the Kaustubha gem, the mark of Śrīvatsa and a garland of forest flowers. Serving that topmost of all Lords were His personal attendants, headed by Sunanda and Nanda; His cakra and other weapons in their personified forms; His consort potencies Puṣṭi, Śrī, Kīrti and Ajā; and all His various mystic powers.
ववन्द आत्मानमनन्तमच्युतो जिष्णुश्च तद्दर्शनजातसाध्वस: । तावाह भूमा परमेष्ठिनां प्रभु- र्बद्धाञ्जली सस्मितमूर्जया गिरा ॥ ५७ ॥
vavanda ātmānam anantam acyuto jiṣṇuś ca tad-darśana-jāta-sādhvasaḥ tāv āha bhūmā parameṣṭhināṁ prabhur beddhāñjalī sa-smitam ūrjayā girā
Lord Kṛṣṇa offered homage to Himself in this boundless form, and Arjuna, astonished at the sight of Lord Mahā-Viṣṇu, bowed down as well. Then, as the two of them stood before Him with joined palms, the almighty Mahā-Viṣṇu, supreme master of all rulers of the universe, smiled and spoke to them in a voice full of solemn authority.
द्विजात्मजा मे युवयोर्दिदृक्षुणा मयोपनीता भुवि धर्मगुप्तये । कलावतीर्णाववनेर्भरासुरान् हत्वेह भूयस्त्वरयेतमन्ति मे ॥ ५८ ॥
dvijātmajā me yuvayor didṛkṣuṇā mayopanītā bhuvi dharma-guptaye kalāvatīrṇāv avaner bharāsurān hatveha bhūyas tvarayetam anti me
[Lord Mahā-Viṣṇu said:] I brought the brāhmaṇa’s sons here because I wanted to see the two of you, My expansions, who have descended to the earth to save the principles of religion. As soon as you finish killing the demons who burden the earth, quickly come back here to Me.
पूर्णकामावपि युवां नरनारायणावृषी । धर्ममाचरतां स्थित्यै ऋषभौ लोकसङ्ग्रहम् ॥ ५९ ॥
pūrṇa-kāmāv api yuvāṁ nara-nārāyaṇāv ṛṣī dharmam ācaratāṁ sthityai ṛṣabhau loka-saṅgraham
Although all your desires are completely fulfilled, O best of exalted personalities, for the benefit of the people in general you should continue to exemplify religious behavior as the sages Nara and Nārāyaṇa.
इत्यादिष्टौ भगवता तौ कृष्णौ परमेष्ठिना । ॐ इत्यानम्य भूमानमादाय द्विजदारकान् ॥ ६० ॥ न्यवर्तेतां स्वकं धाम सम्प्रहृष्टौ यथागतम् । विप्राय ददतु: पुत्रान् यथारूपं यथावय: ॥ ६१ ॥
ity ādiṣṭau bhagavatā tau kṛṣṇau parame-ṣṭhinā om ity ānamya bhūmānam ādāya dvija-dārakān nyavartetāṁ svakaṁ dhāma samprahṛṣṭau yathā-gatam viprāya dadatuḥ putrān yathā-rūpaṁ yathā-vayaḥ
Thus instructed by the Supreme Lord of the topmost planet, Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna assented by chanting om, and then they bowed down to almighty Lord Mahā-Viṣṇu. Taking the brāhmaṇa’s sons with them, they returned with great delight to Dvārakā by the same path along which they had come. There they presented the brāhmaṇa with his sons, who were in the same infant bodies in which they had been lost.
निशाम्य वैष्णवं धाम पार्थ: परमविस्मित: । यत्किञ्चित् पौरुषं पुंसां मेने कृष्णानुकम्पितम् ॥ ६२ ॥
niśāmya vaiṣṇavaṁ dhāma pārthaḥ parama-vismitaḥ yat kiñcit pauruṣaṁ puṁsāṁ mene kṛṣṇānukampitam
Having seen the domain of Lord Viṣṇu, Arjuna was totally amazed. He concluded that whatever extraordinary power a person exhibits can only be a manifestation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s mercy.
इतीदृशान्यनेकानि वीर्याणीह प्रदर्शयन् । बुभुजे विषयान् ग्राम्यानीजे चात्युर्जितैर्मखै: ॥ ६३ ॥
itīdṛśāny anekāni vīryāṇīha pradarśayan bubhuje viṣayān grāmyān īje cāty-urjitair makhaiḥ
Lord Kṛṣṇa exhibited many other, similar heroic pastimes in this world. He apparently enjoyed the pleasures of ordinary human life, and He performed greatly potent fire sacrifices.
प्रववर्षाखिलान् कामान् प्रजासु ब्राह्मणादिषु । यथाकालं यथैवेन्द्रो भगवान् श्रैष्ठ्यमास्थित: ॥ ६४ ॥
pravavarṣākhilān kāmān prajāsu brāhmaṇādiṣu yathā-kālaṁ yathaivendro bhagavān śraiṣṭhyam āsthitaḥ
The Lord having demonstrated His supremacy, at suitable times He showered down all desirable things upon the brāhmaṇas and His other subjects, just as Indra pours down his rain.
हत्वा नृपानधर्मिष्ठान् घातयित्वार्जुनादिभि: । अञ्जसा वर्तयामास धर्मं धर्मसुतादिभि: ॥ ६५ ॥
hatvā nṛpān adharmiṣṭhān ghāṭayitvārjunādibhiḥ añjasā vartayām āsa dharmaṁ dharma-sutādibhiḥ
Now that He had killed many wicked kings and engaged devotees such as Arjuna in killing others, the Lord could easily assure the execution of religious principles through the agency of such pious rulers as Yudhiṣṭhira.
