Srimad Bhagavatam · Canto 5 · Chapter 3

Ṛṣabhadeva’s Appearance in the Womb of Merudevī, the Wife of King Nābhi

5.3.1

श्रीशुक उवाच नाभिरपत्यकामोऽप्रजया मेरुदेव्या भगवन्तं यज्ञपुरुषमवहितात्मायजत ॥ १ ॥

sri-suka uvaca nabhir apatya-kamo ’prajaya merudevya bhagavantam yajna-purusam avahitatmayajata.

Sukadeva Gosvami continued to speak: Maharaja Nabhi, the son of Agnidhra, wished to have sons, and therefore he attentively began to offer prayers and worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Visnu, the master and enjoyer of all sacrifices. Maharaja Nabhi’s wife, Merudevi, who had not given birth to any children at that time, also worshiped Lord Visnu along with her husband.

5.3.2

तस्य ह वाव श्रद्धया विशुद्धभावेन यजत: प्रवर्ग्येषु प्रचरत्सु द्रव्यदेशकालमन्त्रर्त्विग्दक्षिणाविधानयोगोपपत्त्या दुरधिगमोऽपि भगवान् भागवतवात्सल्यतया सुप्रतीक आत्मानमपराजितं निजजनाभिप्रेतार्थविधित्सया गृहीतहृदयो हृदयङ्गमं मनोनयनानन्दनावयवाभिराममाविश्चकार ॥ २ ॥

tasya ha vava sraddhaya visuddha-bhavena yajatah pravargyesu pracaratsu dravya-desa-kala-mantrartvig-daksina-vidhana-yogopapattya duradhigamo ’pi bhagavan bhagavata-vatsalyataya supratika atmanam aparajitam nija-janabhipretartha-vidhitsaya grhita-hrdayo hrdayangamam mano-nayananandanavayavabhiramam aviscakara.

In the performance of a sacrifice, there are seven transcendental means to obtain the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead: (1) by sacrificing valuable things or eatables, (2) by acting in terms of place, (3) by acting in terms of time, (4) by offering hymns, (5) by going through the priest, (6) by offering gifts to the priests and (7) by observing the regulative principles. However, one cannot always obtain the Supreme Lord through this paraphernalia. Nonetheless, the Lord is affectionate to His devotee; therefore when Maharaja Nabhi, who was a devotee, worshiped and offered prayers to the Lord with great faith and devotion and with a pure uncontaminated mind, superficially performing some yajna in the line of pravargya, the kind Supreme Personality of Godhead, due to His affection for His devotees, appeared before King Nabhi in His unconquerable and captivating form with four hands. In this way, to fulfill the desire of His devotee, the Supreme Personality of Godhead manifested Himself in His beautiful body before His devotee. This body pleases the mind and eyes of the devotees.

5.3.3

अथ ह तमाविष्कृतभुजयुगलद्वयं हिरण्मयं पुरुषविशेषं कपिशकौशेयाम्बरधरमुरसि विलसच्छ्रीवत्सललामं दरवरवनरुहवनमालाच्छूर्यमृतमणिगदादिभिरुपलक्षितं स्फुटकिरणप्रवरमुकुटकुण्डलकटककटिसूत्रहारकेयूरनूपुराद्यङ्गभूषणविभूषितमृत्विक् सदस्यगृहपतयोऽधना इवोत्तमधनमुपलभ्य सबहुमानमर्हणेनावनतशीर्षाण उपतस्थु: ॥ ३ ॥

atha ha tam aviskrta-bhuja-yugala-dvayam hiranmayam purusa-visesam kapisa-kauseyambara-dharam urasi vilasac-chrivatsa-lalamam daravara-vanaruha-vana-malacchury-amrta-mani-gadadibhir upalaksitam sphuta-kirana-pravara-mukuta-kundala-kataka-kati-sutra-hara-keyura-nupurady-anga-bhusana-vibhusitam rtvik-sadasya-grha-patayo ’dhana ivottama-dhanam upalabhya sabahu-manam arhanenavanata-sirsana upatasthuh.

Lord Visnu appeared before King Nabhi with four arms. He was very bright, and He appeared to be the best of all personalities. Around the lower portion of His body, He wore a yellow silken garment. On His chest was the mark of Srivatsa, which always displays beauty. He carried a conchshell, lotus flower, disc and club, and He wore a garland of forest flowers and the Kaustubha gem. He was beautifully decorated with a helmet, earrings, bangles, belt, pearl necklace, armlets, ankle bells and other bodily ornaments bedecked with radiant jewels. Seeing the Lord present before them, King Nabhi and his priests and associates felt just like poor people who have suddenly attained great riches. They received the Lord and respectfully bent their heads and offered Him things in worship.

5.3.4-5

ऋत्विज ऊचु: अर्हसि मुहुरर्हत्तमार्हणमस्माकमनुपथानां नमो नम इत्येतावत्सदुपशिक्षितं कोऽर्हति पुमान् प्रकृतिगुणव्यतिकरमतिरनीश ईश्वरस्य परस्य प्रकृतिपुरुषयोरर्वाक्तनाभिर्नामरूपाकृतिभी रूपनिरूपणम् ॥ ४ ॥ सकलजननिकायवृजिननिरसनशिवतमप्रवरगुणगणैकदेशकथनाद‍ृते ॥ ५ ॥

rtvija ucuh arhasi muhur arhattamarhanam asmakam anupathanam namo nama ity etavat sad-upasiksitam ko ’rhati puman prakrti-guna-vyatikara-matir anisa isvarasya parasya prakrti-purusayor arvaktanabhir nama-rupakrtibhi rupa-nirupanam; sakala-jana-nikaya-vrjina-nirasana-sivatama-pravara-guna-ganaika-desa-kathanad rte.

The priests began to offer prayers to the Lord, saying: O most worshipable one, we are simply Your servants. Although You are full in Yourself, please, out of Your causeless mercy, accept a little service from us, Your eternal servants. We are not actually aware of Your transcendental form, but we can simply offer our respectful obeisances again and again, as instructed by the Vedic literatures and authorized acaryas. Materialistic living entities are very much attracted to the modes of material nature, and therefore they are never perfect, but You are above the jurisdiction of all material conceptions. Your name, form and qualities are all transcendental and beyond the conception of experimental knowledge. Indeed, who can conceive of You? In the material world we can perceive only material names and qualities. We have no other power than to offer our respectful obeisances and prayers unto You, the transcendental person. The chanting of Your auspicious transcendental qualities will wipe out the sins of all mankind. That is the most auspicious activity for us, and we can thus partially understand Your supernatural position.

5.3.6

परिजनानुरागविरचितशबलसंशब्दसलिलसितकिसलयतुलसिकादूर्वाङ्कुरैरपि सम्भृतया सपर्यया किल परम परितुष्यसि ॥ ६ ॥

parijananuraga-viracita-sabala-samsabda-salila-sita-kisalaya-tulasika-durvankurair api sambhrtaya saparyaya kila parama paritusyasi.

O Supreme Lord, You are full in every respect. You are certainly very satisfied when Your devotees offer You prayers with faltering voices and in ecstasy bring You tulasi leaves, water, twigs bearing new leaves, and newly grown grass. This surely makes You satisfied.

5.3.7

अथानयापि न भवत इज्ययोरुभारभरया समुचितमर्थमिहोपलभामहे ॥ ७ ॥

athanayapi na bhavata ijyayoru-bhara-bharaya samucitam artham ihopalabhamahe.

We have engaged in Your worship with many things and have offered sacrifices unto You, but we think that there is no need for so many arrangements to please Your Lordship.

5.3.8

आत्मन एवानुसवनमञ्जसाव्यतिरेकेण बोभूयमानाशेषपुरुषार्थस्वरूपस्य किन्तु नाथाशिष आशासानानामेतदभिसंराधनमात्रं भवितुमर्हति ॥ ८ ॥

atmana evanusavanam anjasavyatirekena bobhuyamanasesa-purusartha-svarupasya kintu nathasisa asasananam etad abhisamradhana-matram bhavitum arhati.

All of life’s goals and opulences are directly, self-sufficiently, unceasingly and unlimitedly increasing in You at every moment. Indeed, You are unlimited enjoyment and blissful existence itself. As far as we are concerned, O Lord, we are always after material enjoyment. You do not need all these sacrificial arrangements, but they are meant for us so that we may be benedicted by Your Lordship. All these sacrifices are performed for our fruitive results, and they are not actually needed by You.

5.3.9

श्लोक ५.३.९ तद्यथा बालिशानां स्वयमात्मन: श्रेय: परमविदुषां परमपरमपुरुष प्रकर्षकरुणया स्वमहिमानं चापवर्गाख्यमुपकल्पयिष्यन् स्वयं नापचित एवेतरवदिहोपलक्षित: ॥ ९ ॥

tad yatha balisanam svayam atmanah sreyah param avidusam parama-parama-purusa prakarsa-karunaya sva-mahimanam capavargakhyam upakalpayisyan svayam napacita evetaravad ihopalaksitah.

O Lord of lords, we are completely ignorant of the execution of dharma, artha, kama and moksa, the process of liberation, because we do not actually know the goal of life. You have appeared personally before us like a person soliciting worship, but actually You are present here just so we can see You. You have come out of Your abundant and causeless mercy in order to serve our purpose, our interest, and give us the benefit of Your personal glory called apavarga, liberation. You have come, although You are not properly worshiped by us due to our ignorance.

5.3.10

अथायमेव वरो ह्यर्हत्तम यर्हि बर्हिषि राजर्षेर्वरदर्षभो भवान्निजपुरुषेक्षणविषय आसीत् ॥ १० ॥

athayam eva varo hy arhattama yarhi barhisi rajarser varadarsabho bhavan nija-puruseksana-visaya asit.

O most worshipable of all, You are the best of all benefactors, and Your appearance at saintly King Nabhi’s sacrificial arena is meant for our benediction. Because You have been seen by us, You have bestowed upon us the most valuable benediction.

5.3.11

असङ्गनिशितज्ञानानलविधूताशेषमलानां भवत्स्वभावानामात्मारामाणां मुनीनामनवरतपरिगुणितगुणगण परममङ्गलायनगुणगणकथनोऽसि ॥ ११ ॥

asanga-nisita-jnananala-vidhutasesa-malanam bhavat-svabhavanam atmaramanam muninam anavarata-parigunita-guna-gana parama-mangalayana-guna-gana-kathano ’si.

Dear Lord, all the great sages who are thoughtful and saintly persons incessantly recount Your spiritual qualities. These sages have already burned up all the unlimited dirty things and, by the fire of knowledge, strengthened their detachment from the material world. Thus they have attained Your qualities and are self-satisfied. Yet even for those who feel spiritual bliss in chanting Your attributes, Your personal presence is very rare.

5.3.12

अथ कथञ्चित्स्खलनक्षुत्पतनजृम्भणदुरवस्थानादिषु विवशानां न: स्मरणाय ज्वरमरणदशायामपि सकलकश्मलनिरसनानि तव गुणकृतनामधेयानि वचनगोचराणि भवन्तु ॥ १२ ॥

atha kathancit skhalana-ksut-patana-jrmbhana-duravasthanadisu vivasanam nah smaranaya jvara-marana-dasayam api sakala-kasmala-nirasanani tava guna-krta-namadheyani vacana-gocarani bhavantu.

Dear Lord, we may not be able to remember Your name, form and qualities due to stumbling, hunger, falling down, yawning or being in a miserable diseased condition at the time of death when there is a high fever. We therefore pray unto You, O Lord, for You are very affectionate to Your devotees. Please help us remember You and utter Your holy names, attributes and activities, which can dispel all the reactions of our sinful lives.

5.3.13

किञ्चायं राजर्षिरपत्यकाम: प्रजां भवाद‍ृशीमाशासान ईश्वरमाशिषां स्वर्गापवर्गयोरपि भवन्तमुपधावति प्रजायामर्थप्रत्ययो धनदमिवाधन: फलीकरणम् ॥ १३ ॥

kincayam rajarsir apatya-kamah prajam bhavadrsim asasana isvaram asisam svargapavargayor api bhavantam upadhavati prajayam artha-pratyayo dhanadam ivadhanah phalikaranam.

Dear Lord, here is the great King Nabhi, whose ultimate goal in life is to have a son like You. Your Lordship, his position is like that of a person approaching a very rich man and begging for a little grain. Maharaja Nabhi is so desirous of having a son that he is worshiping You for a son, although You can offer him any exalted position, including elevation to the heavenly planes or liberation back to Godhead.

5.3.14

को वा इह तेऽपराजितोऽपराजितया माययानवसितपदव्यानावृतमतिर्विषयविषरयानावृतप्रकृतिरनुपासितमहच्चरण: ॥ १४ ॥

ko va iha te ’parajito ’parajitaya mayayanavasita-padavyanavrta-matir visaya-visa-rayanavrta-prakrtir anupasita-mahac-caranah.

Dear Lord, unless one worships the lotus feet of great devotees, one will be conquered by the illusory energy, and his intelligence will be bewildered. Indeed, who has not been carried away by the waves of material enjoyment, which are like poison? Your illusory energy is unconquerable. No one can see the path of this material energy or tell how it is working.

5.3.15

यदु ह वाव तव पुनरदभ्रकर्तरिह समाहूतस्तत्रार्थधियां मन्दानां नस्तद्यद्देवहेलनं देवदेवार्हसि साम्येन सर्वान् प्रतिवोढुमविदुषाम् ॥ १५ ॥

yad u ha vava tava punar adabhra-kartar iha samahutas tatrartha-dhiyam mandanam nas tad yad deva-helanam deva-devarhasi samyena sarvan prativodhum avidusam.

O Lord, You perform many wonderful activities. Our only aim was to acquire a son by performing this great sacrifice; therefore our intelligence is not very sharp. We are not experienced in ascertaining life’s goal. By inviting You to this negligible sacrifice for some material motive, we have certainly committed a great offense at Your lotus feet. Therefore, O Lord of lords, please excuse our offense because of Your causeless mercy and equal mind.

5.3.16

श्रीशुक उवाच इति निगदेनाभिष्टूयमानो भगवाननिमिषर्षभो वर्षधराभिवादिताभिवन्दितचरण: सदयमिदमाह ॥ १६ ॥

sri-suka uvaca iti nigadenabhistuyamano bhagavan animisarsabho varsa-dharabhivaditabhivandita-caranah sadayam idam aha.

Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said: The priests, who were even worshiped by King Nabhi, the Emperor of Bharata-varsa, offered prayers in prose (generally they were in poetry) and bowed down at the Lord’s lotus feet. The Lord of lords, the ruler of the demigods, was very pleased with them, and He began to speak as follows.

5.3.17

श्रीभगवानुवाच अहो बताहमृषयो भवद्भ‍िरवितथगीर्भिर्वरमसुलभमभियाचितो यदमुष्यात्मजो मया सद‍ृशो भूयादिति ममाहमेवाभिरूप: कैवल्यादथापि ब्रह्मवादो न मृषा भवितुमर्हति ममैव हि मुखं यद् द्विजदेवकुलम् ॥ १७ ॥

sri-bhagavan uvaca aho bataham rsayo bhavadbhir avitatha-girbhir varam asulabham abhiyacito yad amusyatmajo maya sadrso bhuyad iti mamaham evabhirupah kaivalyad athapi brahma-vado na mrsa bhavitum arhati mamaiva hi mukham yad dvija-deva-kulam.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead replied: O great sages, I am certainly very pleased with your prayers. You are all truthful. You have prayed for the benediction of a son like Me for King Nabhi, but this is very difficult to obtain. Since I am the Supreme Person without a second and since no one is equal to Me, another personality like Me is not possible to find. In any case, because you are all qualified brahmanas, your vibrations should not prove untrue. I consider the brahmanas who are well qualified with brahminical qualities to be as good as My own mouth.

5.3.18

तत आग्नीध्रीयेंऽशकलयावतरिष्याम्यात्मतुल्यमनुपलभमान: ॥ १८ ॥

tata agnidhriye ’msa-kalayavatarisyamy atma-tulyam anupalabhamanah.

Since I cannot find anyone equal to Me, I shall personally expand Myself into a plenary portion and thus advent Myself in the womb of Merudevi, the wife of Maharaja Nabhi, the son of Agnidhra.

5.3.19

श्रीशुक उवाच इति निशामयन्त्या मेरुदेव्या: पतिमभिधायान्तर्दधे भगवान् ॥ १९ ॥

sri-suka uvaca iti nisamayantya merudevyah patim abhidhayantardadhe bhagavan.

Sukadeva Gosvami continued: After saying this, the Lord disappeared. The wife of King Nabhi, Queen Merudevi, was sitting by the side of her husband, and consequently she could hear everything the Supreme Lord had spoken.

5.3.20

बर्हिषि तस्मिन्नेव विष्णुदत्त भगवान् परमर्षिभि: प्रसादितो नाभे: प्रियचिकीर्षया तदवरोधायने मेरुदेव्यां धर्मान्दर्शयितुकामो वातरशनानां श्रमणानामृषीणामूर्ध्वमन्थिनां शुक्लया तनुवावततार ॥ २० ॥

barhisi tasminn eva visnudatta bhagavan paramarsibhih prasadito nabheh priya-cikirsaya tad-avarodhayane merudevyam dharman darsayitu-kamo vata-rasananam sramananam rsinam urdhva-manthinam suklaya tanuvavatatara.

O Visnudatta, Pariksit Maharaja, the Supreme Personality of Godhead was pleased by the great sages at that sacrifice. Consequently the Lord decided to personally exhibit the method of executing religious principles (as observed by brahmacaris, sannyasis, vanaprasthas and grhasthas engaged in rituals) and also satisfy Maharaja Nabhi’s desire. Consequently He appeared as the son of Merudevi in His original spiritual form, which is above the modes of material nature.