Srimad Bhagavatam · Canto 6 · Chapter 16
श्रीबादरायणिरुवाच अथ देवऋषी राजन् सम्परेतं नृपात्मजम् । दर्शयित्वेति होवाच ज्ञातीनामनुशोचताम् ॥ १ ॥
sri-badarayanir uvaca atha deva-rsi rajan samparetam nrpatmajam darsayitveti hovaca jnatinam anusocatam
Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said: My dear King Pariksit, by his mystic power the great sage Narada brought the dead son into the vision of all the lamenting relatives and then spoke as follows.
श्रीनारद उवाच जीवात्मन् पश्य भद्रं ते मातरं पितरं च ते । सुहृदो बान्धवास्तप्ता: शुचा त्वत्कृतया भृशम् ॥ २ ॥
sri-narada uvaca jivatman pasya bhadram te mataram pitaram ca te suhrdo bandhavas taptah suca tvat-krtaya bhrsam
Sri Narada Muni said: O living entity, all good fortune unto you. Just see your father and mother. All your friends and relatives are overwhelmed with grief because of your passing away.
कलेवरं स्वमाविश्य शेषमायु: सुहृद्वृत: । भुङ्क्ष्व भोगान् पितृप्रत्तानधितिष्ठ नृपासनम् ॥ ३ ॥
kalevaram svam avisya sesam ayuh suhrd-vrtah bhunksva bhogan pitr-prattan adhitistha nrpasanam
Because you died untimely, the balance of your lifetime still remains. Therefore you may reenter your body and enjoy the remainder of your life, surrounded by your friends and relatives. Accept the royal throne and all the opulences given by your father.
जीव उवाच कस्मिञ्जन्मन्यमी मह्यं पितरो मातरोऽभवन् । कर्मभिर्भ्राम्यमाणस्य देवतिर्यङ्नृयोनिषु ॥ ४ ॥
jiva uvaca kasmin janmany ami mahyam pitaro mataro ’bhavan karmabhir bhramyamanasya deva-tiryan-nr-yonisu
By the mystic power of Narada Muni, the living entity reentered his dead body for a short time and spoke in reply to Narada Muni’s request. He said: According to the results of my fruitive activities, I, the living being, transmigrate from one body to another, sometimes going to the species of the demigods, sometimes to the species of lower animals, sometimes among the vegetables, and sometimes to the human species. Therefore, in which birth were these my mother and father? No one is actually my mother and father. How can I accept these two people as my parents?
बन्धुज्ञात्यरिमध्यस्थमित्रोदासीनविद्विष: । सर्व एव हि सर्वेषां भवन्ति क्रमशो मिथ: ॥ ५ ॥
bandhu-jnaty-ari-madhyastha- mitrodasina-vidvisah sarva eva hi sarvesam bhavanti kramaso mithah
In this material world, which advances like a river that carries away the living entity, all people become friends, relatives and enemies in due course of time. They also act neutrally, they mediate, they despise one another, and they act in many other relationships. Nonetheless, despite these various transactions, no one is permanently related.
यथा वस्तूनि पण्यानि हेमादीनि ततस्तत: । पर्यटन्ति नरेष्वेवं जीवो योनिषु कर्तृषु ॥ ६ ॥
yatha vastuni panyani hemadini tatas tatah paryatanti naresv evam jivo yonisu kartrsu
Just as gold and other commodities are continually transferred from one place to another in due course of purchase and sale, so the living entity, as a result of his fruitive activities, wanders throughout the entire universe, being injected into various bodies in different species of life by one kind of father after another.
नित्यस्यार्थस्य सम्बन्धो ह्यनित्यो दृश्यते नृषु । यावद्यस्य हि सम्बन्धो ममत्वं तावदेव हि ॥ ७ ॥
nityasyarthasya sambandho hy anityo drsyate nrsu yavad yasya hi sambandho mamatvam tavad eva hi
A few living entities are born in the human species, and others are born as animals. Although both are living entities, their relationships are impermanent. An animal may remain in the custody of a human being for some time, and then the same animal may be transferred to the possession of other human beings. As soon as the animal goes away, the former proprietor no longer has a sense of ownership. As long as the animal is in his possession he certainly has an affinity for it, but as soon as the animal is sold, the affinity is lost.
एवं योनिगतो जीव: स नित्यो निरहङ्कृत: । यावद्यत्रोपलभ्येत तावत्स्वत्वं हि तस्य तत् ॥ ८ ॥
evam yoni-gato jivah sa nityo nirahankrtah yavad yatropalabhyeta tavat svatvam hi tasya tat
Even though one living entity becomes connected with another because of a relationship based on bodies that are perishable, the living entity is eternal. Actually it is the body that is born or lost, not the living entity. One should not accept that the living entity takes birth or dies. The living being actually has no relationship with so-called fathers and mothers. As long as he appears as the son of a certain father and mother as a result of his past fruitive activities, he has a connection with the body given by that father and mother. Thus he falsely accepts himself as their son and acts affectionately. After he dies, however, the relationship is finished. Under these circumstances, one should not be falsely involved with jubilation and lamentation.
एष नित्योऽव्यय: सूक्ष्म एष सर्वाश्रय: स्वदृक् । आत्ममायागुणैर्विश्वमात्मानं सृजते प्रभु: ॥ ९ ॥
esa nityo ’vyayah suksma esa sarvasrayah svadrk atmamaya-gunair visvam atmanam srjate prabhuh
The living entity is eternal and imperishable because he actually has no beginning and no end. He never takes birth or dies. He is the basic principle of all types of bodies, yet he does not belong to the bodily category. The living being is so sublime that he is equal in quality to the Supreme Lord. Nonetheless, because he is extremely small, he is prone to be illusioned by the external energy, and thus he creates various bodies for himself according to his different desires.
न ह्यस्यास्ति प्रिय: कश्चिन्नाप्रिय: स्व: परोऽपि वा । एक: सर्वधियां द्रष्टा कर्तृणां गुणदोषयो: ॥ १० ॥
na hy asyasti priyah kascin napriyah svah paro ’pi va ekah sarva-dhiyam drasta kartrnam guna-dosayoh
For this living entity, no one is dear, nor is anyone unfavorable. He makes no distinction between that which is his own and that which belongs to anyone else. He is one without a second; in other words, he is not affected by friends and enemies, well-wishers or mischief-mongers. He is only an observer, a witness, of the different qualities of men.
नादत्त आत्मा हि गुणं न दोषं न क्रियाफलम् । उदासीनवदासीन: परावरदृगीश्वर: ॥ ११ ॥
nadatta atma hi gunam na dosam na kriya-phalam udasinavad asinah paravara-drg isvarah
The Supreme Lord (atma), the creator of cause and effect, does not accept the happiness and distress that result from fruitive actions. He is completely independent of having to accept a material body, and because He has no material body, He is always neutral. The living entities, being part and parcel of the Lord, possess His qualities in a minute quantity. Therefore one should not be affected by lamentation.
श्रीबादरायणिरुवाच इत्युदीर्य गतो जीवो ज्ञातयस्तस्य ते तदा । विस्मिता मुमुचु: शोकं छित्त्वात्मस्नेहशृङ्खलाम् ॥ १२ ॥
sri-badarayanir uvaca ity udirya gato jivo jnatayas tasya te tada vismita mumucuh sokam chittvatma-sneha-srnkhalam
Sri Sukadeva Gosvami continued: When the conditioned soul (jiva) in the form of Maharaja Citraketu’s son had spoken in this way and then left, Citraketu and the other relatives of the dead son were all astonished. Thus they cut off the shackles of their affection, which was due to their relationship with him, and gave up their lamentation.
निर्हृत्य ज्ञातयो ज्ञातेर्देहं कृत्वोचिता: क्रिया: । तत्यजुर्दुस्त्यजं स्नेहं शोकमोहभयार्तिदम् ॥ १३ ॥
nirhrtya jnatayo jnater deham krtvocitah kriyah tatyajur dustyajam sneham soka-moha-bhayartidam
After the relatives had discharged their duties by performing the proper funeral ceremonies and burning the dead child’s body, they gave up the affection that leads to illusion, lamentation, fear and pain. Such affection is undoubtedly difficult to give up, but they gave it up very easily.
बालघ्न्यो व्रीडितास्तत्र बालहत्याहतप्रभा: । बालहत्याव्रतं चेरुर्ब्राह्मणैर्यन्निरूपितम् । यमुनायां महाराज स्मरन्त्यो द्विजभाषितम् ॥ १४ ॥
bala-ghnyo vriditas tatra bala-hatya-hata-prabhah bala-hatya-vratam cerur brahmanair yan nirupitam yamunayam maharaja smarantyo dvija-bhasitam
Queen Krtyadyuti’s co-wives, who had poisoned the child, were very much ashamed, and they lost all their bodily luster. While lamenting, O King, they remembered the instructions of Angira and gave up their ambition to bear children. Following the directions of the brahmanas, they went to the bank of the Yamuna, where they bathed and atoned for their sinful activities.
स इत्थं प्रतिबुद्धात्मा चित्रकेतुर्द्विजोक्तिभि: । गृहान्धकूपान्निष्क्रान्त: सर:पङ्कादिव द्विप: ॥ १५ ॥
sa ittham pratibuddhatma citraketur dvijoktibhih grhandha-kupan niskrantah sarah-pankad iva dvipah
Thus enlightened by the instructions of the brahmanas Angira and Narada, King Citraketu became fully aware of spiritual knowledge. As an elephant becomes free from a muddy reservoir of water, King Citraketu came out of the dark well of family life.
कालिन्द्यां विधिवत् स्नात्वा कृतपुण्यजलक्रिय: । मौनेन संयतप्राणो ब्रह्मपुत्राववन्दत ॥ १६ ॥
kalindyam vidhivat snatva krta-punya-jala-kriyah maunena samyata-prano brahma-putrav avandata
The King bathed in the water of the Yamuna, and according to prescribed duties, he offered oblations of water to the forefathers and demigods. Very gravely controlling his senses and mind, he then offered his respects and obeisances to the sons of Lord Brahma (Angira and Narada).
अथ तस्मै प्रपन्नाय भक्ताय प्रयतात्मने । भगवान्नारद: प्रीतो विद्यामेतामुवाच ह ॥ १७ ॥
atha tasmai prapannaya bhaktaya prayatatmane bhagavan naradah prito vidyam etam uvaca ha
Thereafter, being very much pleased with Citraketu, who was a self-controlled devotee and surrendered soul, Narada, the most powerful sage, spoke to him the following transcendental instructions.
ॐ नमस्तुभ्यं भगवते वासुदेवाय धीमहि । प्रद्युम्नायानिरुद्धाय नम: सङ्कर्षणाय च ॥ १८ ॥ नमो विज्ञानमात्राय परमानन्दमूर्तये । आत्मारामाय शान्ताय निवृत्तद्वैतदृष्टये ॥ १९ ॥
om namas tubhyam bhagavate vasudevaya dhimahi pradyumnayaniruddhaya namah sankarsanaya ca namo vijnana-matraya paramananda-murtaye atmaramaya santaya nivrtta-dvaita-drstaye
[Narada gave Citraketu the following mantra.] O Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, who are addressed by the omkara [pranava], I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. O Lord Vasudeva, I meditate upon You. O Lord Pradyumna, Lord Aniruddha and Lord Sankarsana, I offer You my respectful obeisances. O reservoir of spiritual potency, O supreme bliss, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, who are self-sufficient and most peaceful. O ultimate truth, one without a second, You are realized as Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan and are therefore the reservoir of all knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.
आत्मानन्दानुभूत्यैव न्यस्तशक्त्यूर्मये नम: । हृषीकेशाय महते नमस्तेऽनन्तमूर्तये ॥ २० ॥
atmanandanubhutyaiva nyasta-sakty-urmaye namah hrsikesaya mahate namas te ’nanta-murtaye
Perceiving Your personal bliss, You are always transcendental to the waves of material nature. Therefore, my Lord, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. You are the supreme controller of the senses, and Your expansions of form are unlimited. You are the greatest, and therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.
वचस्युपरतेऽप्राप्य य एको मनसा सह । अनामरूपश्चिन्मात्र: सोऽव्यान्न: सदसत्पर: ॥ २१ ॥
vacasy uparate ’prapya ya eko manasa saha anama-rupas cin-matrah so ’vyan nah sad-asat-parah
The words and mind of the conditioned soul cannot approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for material names and forms are not applicable to the Lord, who is entirely spiritual, beyond the conception of gross and subtle forms. The impersonal Brahman is another of His forms. May He, by His pleasure, protect us.
यस्मिन्निदं यतश्चेदं तिष्ठत्यप्येति जायते । मृण्मयेष्विव मृज्जातिस्तस्मै ते ब्रह्मणे नम: ॥ २२ ॥
yasminn idam yatas cedam tisthaty apyeti jayate mrnmayesv iva mrj-jatis tasmai te brahmane namah
As pots made completely of earth are situated on earth after being created and are transformed into earth again when broken, this cosmic manifestation is caused by the Supreme Brahman, situated in the Supreme Brahman, and annihilated in the same Supreme Brahman. Therefore, since the Supreme Lord is the cause of Brahman, let us offer Him our respectful obeisances.
यन्न स्पृशन्ति न विदुर्मनोबुद्धीन्द्रियासव: । अन्तर्बहिश्च विततं व्योमवत्तन्नतोऽस्म्यहम् ॥ २३ ॥
yan na sprsanti na vidur mano-buddhindriyasavah antar bahis ca vitatam vyomavat tan nato ’smy aham
The Supreme Brahman emanates from the Supreme Personality of Godhead and expands like the sky. Although untouched by anything material, it exists within and without. Nonetheless, the mind, intelligence, senses and living force can neither touch Him nor know Him. I offer unto Him my respectful obeisances.
देहेन्द्रियप्राणमनोधियोऽमी यदंशविद्धा: प्रचरन्ति कर्मसु । नैवान्यदा लौहमिवाप्रतप्तं स्थानेषु तद् द्रष्ट्रपदेशमेति ॥ २४ ॥
dehendriya-prana-mano-dhiyo ’mi yad-amsa-viddhah pracaranti karmasu naivanyada lauham ivaprataptam sthanesu tad drastrapadesam eti
As iron has the power to burn when made red-hot in the association of fire, so the body, senses, living force, mind and intelligence, although merely lumps of matter, can function in their activities when infused with a particle of consciousness by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As iron cannot burn unless heated by fire, the bodily senses cannot act unless favored by the Supreme Brahman.
ॐ नमो भगवते महापुरुषाय महानुभावाय महाविभूतिपतये सकलसात्वतपरिवृढनिकर करकमलकुड्मलोपलालितचरणारविन्दयुगल परमपरमेष्ठिन्नमस्ते ॥ २५ ॥
om namo bhagavate maha-purusaya mahanubhavaya maha-vibhuti-pataye sakala-satvata-parivrdha-nikara-kara-kamala-kudmalopalalita-caranaravinda-yugala parama-paramesthin namas te.
O transcendental Lord, who are situated in the topmost plane of the spiritual world, Your two lotus feet are always massaged by a multitude of the best devotees with their lotus-bud hands. You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, complete in six opulences. You are the supreme person mentioned in the Purusa-sukta prayers. You are the most perfect, self-realized master of all mystic power. Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto You.
श्रीशुक उवाच भक्तायैतां प्रपन्नाय विद्यामादिश्य नारद: । ययावङ्गिरसा साकं धाम स्वायम्भुवं प्रभो ॥ २६ ॥
sri-suka uvaca bhaktayaitam prapannaya vidyam adisya naradah yayav angirasa sakam dhama svayambhuvam prabho
Sri Sukadeva Gosvami continued: Narada, having become the spiritual master of Citraketu, instructed him fully in this prayer because Citraketu was fully surrendered. O King Pariksit, Narada then left with the great sage Angira for the topmost plane, known as Brahmaloka.
चित्रकेतुस्तु तां विद्यां यथा नारदभाषिताम् । धारयामास सप्ताहमब्भक्ष: सुसमाहित: ॥ २७ ॥
citraketus tu tam vidyam yatha narada-bhasitam dharayam asa saptaham ab-bhaksah susamahitah
Fasting and drinking only water, Citraketu for one week continuously chanted with great care and attention the mantra given by Narada Muni.
तत: स सप्तरात्रान्ते विद्यया धार्यमाणया । विद्याधराधिपत्यं च लेभेऽप्रतिहतं नृप ॥ २८ ॥
tatah sa sapta-ratrante vidyaya dharyamanaya vidyadharadhipatyam ca lebhe ’pratihatam nrpa
O King Pariksit, after only one week of repeatedly practicing the mantra received from the spiritual master, Citraketu achieved the rule of the plane of the Vidyadharas as an intermediate product of his spiritual advancement in knowledge.
तत: कतिपयाहोभिर्विद्ययेद्धमनोगति: । जगाम देवदेवस्य शेषस्य चरणान्तिकम् ॥ २९ ॥
tatah katipayahobhir vidyayeddha-mano-gatih jagama deva-devasya sesasya caranantikam
Thereafter, within a very few days, by the influence of the mantra that Citraketu had practiced, his mind became increasingly enlightened in spiritual progress, and he attained shelter at the lotus feet of Anantadeva.
मृणालगौरं शितिवाससं स्फुरत्- किरीटकेयूरकटित्रकङ्कणम् । प्रसन्नवक्त्रारुणलोचनं वृतं ददर्श सिद्धेश्वरमण्डलै: प्रभुम् ॥ ३० ॥
mrnala-gauram siti-vasasam sphurat- kirita-keyura-katitra-kankanam prasanna-vaktraruna-locanam vrtam dadarsa siddhesvara-mandalaih prabhum
Upon reaching the shelter of Lord Sesa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Citraketu saw that He was as white as the white fibers of a lotus flower. He was dressed in bluish garments and adorned with a brilliantly glittering helmet, armlets, belt and bangles. His face was smiling, and His eyes were reddish. He was surrounded by such exalted liberated persons as Sanat-kumara.
तद्दर्शनध्वस्तसमस्तकिल्बिष: स्वस्थामलान्त:करणोऽभ्ययान्मुनि: । प्रवृद्धभक्त्या प्रणयाश्रुलोचन: प्रहृष्टरोमानमदादिपुरुषम् ॥ ३१ ॥
tad-darsana-dhvasta-samasta-kilbisah svasthamalantahkarano ’bhyayan munih pravrddha-bhaktya pranayasru-locanah prahrsta-romanamad adi-purusam
As soon as Maharaja Citraketu saw the Supreme Lord, he was cleansed of all material contamination and situated in his original Krsna consciousness, being completely purified. He became silent and grave, and because of love for the Lord, tears fell from his eyes, and his hairs stood on end. With great devotion and love, he offered his respectful obeisances unto the original Personality of Godhead.
स उत्तमश्लोकपदाब्जविष्टरं प्रेमाश्रुलेशैरुपमेहयन्मुहु: । प्रेमोपरुद्धाखिलवर्णनिर्गमो नैवाशकत्तं प्रसमीडितुं चिरम् ॥ ३२ ॥
sa uttamasloka-padabja-vistaram premasru-lesair upamehayan muhuh premoparuddhakhila-varna-nirgamo naivasakat tam prasamiditum ciram
With tears of love and affection, Citraketu repeatedly moistened the resting place of the Supreme Lord’s lotus feet. Because his voice was choked in ecstasy, for a considerable time he was unable to utter any of the letters of the alphabet to offer the Lord suitable prayers.
तत: समाधाय मनो मनीषया बभाष एतत्प्रतिलब्धवागसौ । नियम्य सर्वेन्द्रियबाह्यवर्तनं जगद्गुरुं सात्वतशास्त्रविग्रहम् ॥ ३३ ॥
tatah samadhaya mano manisaya babhasa etat pratilabdha-vag asau niyamya sarvendriya-bahya-vartanam jagad-gurum satvata-sastra-vigraham
Thereafter, by controlling his mind with his intelligence and thus restricting his senses from external engagements, he recovered suitable words with which to express his feelings. Thus he began offering prayers to the Lord, who is the personification of the holy scriptures (the satvata-samhitas like the Brahma-samhita and the Narada-pancaratra) and who is the spiritual master of all. He offered his prayers as follows.
चित्रकेतुरुवाच अजित जित: सममतिभि: साधुभिर्भवान् जितात्मभिर्भवता । विजितास्तेऽपि च भजता- मकामात्मनां य आत्मदोऽतिकरुण: ॥ ३४ ॥
citraketur uvaca ajita jitah sama-matibhih sadhubhir bhavan jitatmabhir bhavata vijitas te ’pi ca bhajatam akamatmanam ya atmado ’ti-karunah
Citraketu said: O unconquerable Lord, although You cannot be conquered by anyone, You are certainly conquered by devotees who have control of the mind and senses. They can keep You under their control because You are causelessly merciful to devotees who desire no material profit from You. Indeed, You give Yourself to them, and because of this You also have full control over Your devotees.
तव विभव: खलु भगवन् जगदुदयस्थितिलयादीनि । विश्वसृजस्तेꣷशांशा स्तत्र मृषा स्पर्धन्ति पृथगभिमत्या ॥ ३५ ॥
tava vibhavah khalu bhagavan jagad-udaya-sthiti-layadini visva-srjas te ’msamsas tatra mrsa spardhanti prthag abhimatya
My dear Lord, this cosmic manifestation and its creation, maintenance and annihilation are all but Your opulences. Since Lord Brahma and the other creators are nothing but small portions of a portion of You, their partial power to create does not make them God (isvara). Their consciousness of themselves as separate Lords is therefore merely false prestige. It is not valid.
परमाणुपरममहतो- स्त्वमाद्यन्तान्तरवर्ती त्रयविधुर: । आदावन्तेऽपि च सत्त्वानां यद् ध्रुवं तदेवान्तरालेऽपि ॥ ३६ ॥
paramanu-parama-mahatos tvam ady-antantara-varti traya-vidhurah adav ante ’pi ca sattvanam yad dhruvam tad evantarale ’pi
You exist in the beginning, middle and end of everything, from the most minute particle of the cosmic manifestation—the atom—to the gigantic universes and total material energy. Nonetheless, You are eternal, having no beginning, end or middle. You are perceived to exist in these three phases, and thus You are permanent. When the cosmic manifestation does not exist, You exist as the original potency.
क्षित्यादिभिरेष किलावृत: सप्तभिर्दशगुणोत्तरैरण्डकोश: । यत्र पतत्यणुकल्प: सहाण्डकोटिकोटिभिस्तदनन्त: ॥ ३७ ॥
ksity-adibhir esa kilavrtah saptabhir dasa-gunottarair anda-kosah yatra pataty anu-kalpah sahanda-koti-kotibhis tad anantah
Every universe is covered by seven layers—earth, water, fire, air, sky, the total energy and false ego—each ten times greater than the previous one. There are innumerable universes besides this one, and although they are unlimitedly large, they move about like atoms in You. Therefore You are called unlimited (ananta).
विषयतृषो नरपशवो य उपासते विभूतीर्न परं त्वाम् । तेषामाशिष ईश तदनु विनश्यन्ति यथा राजकुलम् ॥ ३८ ॥
visaya-trso nara-pasavo ya upasate vibhutir na param tvam tesam asisa isa tad anu vinasyanti yatha raja-kulam
O Lord, O Supreme, unintelligent persons who thirst for sense enjoyment and who worship various demigods are no better than animals in the human form of life. Because of their animalistic propensities, they fail to worship Your Lordship, and instead they worship the insignificant demigods, who are but small sparks of Your glory. With the destruction of the entire universe, including the demigods, the benedictions received from the demigods also vanish, just like the nobility when a king is no longer in power.
कामधियस्त्वयि रचिता न परम रोहन्ति यथा करम्भबीजानि । ज्ञानात्मन्यगुणमये गुणगणतोऽस्य द्वन्द्वजालानि ॥ ३९ ॥
kama-dhiyas tvayi racita na parama rohanti yatha karambha-bijani jnanatmany agunamaye guna-ganato ’sya dvandva-jalani
O Supreme Lord, if persons obsessed with material desires for sense gratification through material opulence worship You, who are the source of all knowledge and are transcendental to material qualities, they are not subject to material rebirth, just as sterilized or fried seeds do not produce plants. Living entities are subjected to the repetition of birth and death because they are conditioned by material nature, but since You are transcendental, one who is inclined to associate with You in transcendence escapes the conditions of material nature.
जितमजित तदा भवता यदाह भागवतं धर्ममनवद्यम् । निष्किञ्चना ये मुनय आत्मारामा यमुपासतेऽपवर्गाय ॥ ४० ॥
jitam ajita tada bhavata yadaha bhagavatam dharmam anavadyam niskincana ye munaya atmarama yam upasate ’pavargaya
O unconquerable one, when You spoke about bhagavata-dharma, which is the uncontaminated religious system for achieving the shelter of Your lotus feet, that was Your victory. Persons who have no material desires, like the Kumaras, who are self-satisfied sages, worship You to be liberated from material contamination. In other words, they accept the process of bhagavata-dharma to achieve shelter at Your lotus feet.
विषममतिर्न यत्र नृणां त्वमहमिति मम तवेति च यदन्यत्र । विषमधिया रचितो य: स ह्यविशुद्ध: क्षयिष्णुरधर्मबहुल: ॥ ४१ ॥
visama-matir na yatra nrnam tvam aham iti mama taveti ca yad anyatra visama-dhiya racito yah sa hy avisuddhah ksayisnur adharma-bahulah
Being full of contradictions, all forms of religion but bhagavata-dharma work under conceptions of fruitive results and distinctions of "you" and "I" and "yours" and "mine". The followers of Srimad-Bhagavatam have no such consciousness. They are all Krsna conscious, thinking that they are Krsna’s and Krsna is theirs. There are other, low-class religious systems, which are contemplated for the killing of enemies or the gain of mystic power, but such religious systems, being full of passion and envy, are impure and temporary. Because they are full of envy, they are full of irreligion.
क: क्षेमो निजपरयो: कियान्वार्थ: स्वपरद्रुहा धर्मेण । स्वद्रोहात्तव कोप: परसम्पीडया च तथाधर्म: ॥ ४२ ॥
kah ksemo nija-parayoh kiyan varthah sva-para-druha dharmena sva-drohat tava kopah para-sampidaya ca tathadharmah
How can a religious system that produces envy of one’s self and of others be beneficial for oneself and for them? What is auspicious about following such a system? What is actually to be gained? By causing pain to one’s own self due to self-envy and by causing pain to others, one arouses Your anger and practices irreligion.
न व्यभिचरति तवेक्षा यया ह्यभिहितो भागवतो धर्म: । स्थिरचरसत्त्वकदम्बे- ष्वपृथग्धियो यमुपासते त्वार्या: ॥ ४३ ॥
na vyabhicarati taveksa yaya hy abhihito bhagavato dharmah sthira-cara-sattva-kadambesv aprthag-dhiyo yam upasate tv aryah
My dear Lord, one’s occupational duty is instructed in Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita according to Your point of view, which never deviates from the highest goal of life. Those who follow their occupational duties under Your supervision, being equal to all living entities, moving and nonmoving, and not considering high and low, are called Aryans. Such Aryans worship You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
न हि भगवन्नघटितमिदं त्वद्दर्शनान्नृणामखिलपापक्षय: । यन्नाम सकृच्छ्रवणात् पुक्कशोऽपि विमुच्यते संसारात् ॥ ४४ ॥
na hi bhagavann aghatitam idam tvad-darsanan nrnam akhila-papa-ksayah yan-nama sakrc chravanat pukkaso ’pi vimucyate samsarat
My Lord, it is not impossible for one to be immediately freed from all material contamination by seeing You. Not to speak of seeing You personally, merely by hearing the holy name of Your Lordship only once, even candalas, men of the lowest class, are freed from all material contamination. Under the circumstances, who will not be freed from material contamination simply by seeing You?
अथ भगवन् वयमधुना त्वदवलोकपरिमृष्टाशयमला: । सुरऋषिणा यत्कथितं तावकेन कथमन्यथा भवति ॥ ४५ ॥
atha bhagavan vayam adhuna tvad-avaloka-parimrstasaya-malah sura-rsina yat kathitam tavakena katham anyatha bhavati
Therefore, my dear Lord, simply seeing You has now wiped away all the contamination of sinful activities and their results of material attachment and lusty desires, which always filled my mind and the core of my heart. Whatever is predicted by the great sage Narada Muni cannot be otherwise. In other words, I have obtained Your audience as a result of being trained by Narada Muni.
विदितमनन्त समस्तं तव जगदात्मनो जनैरिहाचरितम् । विज्ञाप्यं परमगुरो: कियदिव सवितुरिव खद्योतै: ॥ ४६ ॥
viditam ananta samastam tava jagad-atmano janair ihacaritam vijnapyam parama-guroh kiyad iva savitur iva khadyotaih
O unlimited Supreme Personality of Godhead, whatever a living entity does in this material world is well known to You because You are the Supersoul. In the presence of the sun there is nothing to be revealed by the light of a glowworm. Similarly, because You know everything, in Your presence there is nothing for me to make known.
नमस्तुभ्यं भगवते सकलजगत्स्थितिलयोदयेशाय । दुरवसितात्मगतये कुयोगिनां भिदा परमहंसाय ॥ ४७ ॥
namas tubhyam bhagavate sakala-jagat-sthiti-layodayesaya duravasitatma-gataye kuyoginam bhida paramahamsaya
My dear Lord, You are the creator, maintainer and annihilator of this cosmic manifestation, but persons who are too materialistic and who always see separateness do not have eyes with which to see You. They cannot understand Your real position, and therefore they conclude that the cosmic manifestation is independent of Your opulence. My Lord, You are the supreme pure, and You are full in all six opulences. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.
यं वै श्वसन्तमनु विश्वसृज: श्वसन्ति यं चेकितानमनु चित्तय उच्चकन्ति । भूमण्डलं सर्षपायति यस्य मूर्ध्नि तस्मै नमो भगवतेऽस्तु सहस्रमूर्ध्ने ॥ ४८ ॥
yam vai svasantam anu visva-srjah svasanti yam cekitanam anu cittaya uccakanti bhu-mandalam sarsapayati yasya murdhni tasmai namo bhagavate ’stu sahasra-murdhne
My dear Lord, it is after You endeavor that Lord Brahma, Indra and the other directors of the cosmic manifestation become occupied with their activities. It is after You perceive the material energy, My Lord, that the senses begin to perceive. The Supreme Personality of Godhead holds all the universes on His heads like seeds of mustard. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, that Supreme Personality, who has thousands of hoods.
श्रीशुक उवाच संस्तुतो भगवानेवमनन्तस्तमभाषत । विद्याधरपतिं प्रीतश्चित्रकेतुं कुरूद्वह ॥ ४९ ॥
sri-suka uvaca samstuto bhagavan evam anantas tam abhasata vidyadhara-patim pritas citraketum kurudvaha
Sukadeva Gosvami continued: The Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Anantadeva, being very much pleased with the prayers offered by Citraketu, the King of the Vidyadharas, replied to him as follows, O best of the Kuru dynasty, Maharaja Pariksit.
श्रीभगवानुवाच यन्नारदाङ्गिरोभ्यां ते व्याहृतं मेऽनुशासनम् । संसिद्धोऽसि तया राजन् विद्यया दर्शनाच्च मे ॥ ५० ॥
sri-bhagavan uvaca yan naradangirobhyam te vyahrtam me ’nusasanam samsiddho ’si taya rajan vidyaya darsanac ca me
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Anantadeva, replied as follows: O King, as a result of your having accepted the instructions spoken about Me by the great sages Narada and Angira, you have become completely aware of transcendental knowledge. Because you are now educated in the spiritual science, you have seen Me face to face. Therefore you are now completely perfect.
अहं वै सर्वभूतानि भूतात्मा भूतभावन: । शब्दब्रह्म परं ब्रह्म ममोभे शाश्वती तनू ॥ ५१ ॥
aham vai sarva-bhutani bhutatma bhuta-bhavanah sabda-brahma param brahma mamobhe sasvati tanu
All living entities, moving and nonmoving, are My expansions and are separate from Me. I am the Supersoul of all living beings, who exist because I manifest them. I am the form of the transcendental vibrations like omkara and Hare Krsna Hare Rama, and I am the Supreme Absolute Truth. These two forms of Mine—namely, the transcendental sound and the eternally blissful spiritual form of the Deity, are My eternal forms; they are not material.
लोके विततमात्मानं लोकं चात्मनि सन्ततम् । उभयं च मया व्याप्तं मयि चैवोभयं कृतम् ॥ ५२ ॥
loke vitatam atmanam lokam catmani santatam ubhayam ca maya vyaptam mayi caivobhayam krtam
In this world of matter, which the conditioned soul accepts as consisting of enjoyable resources, the conditioned soul expands, thinking that he is the enjoyer of the material world. Similarly, the material world expands in the living entity as a source of enjoyment. In this way they both expand, but because they are My energies, they are both pervaded by Me. As the Supreme Lord, I am the cause of these effects, and one should know that both of them rest in Me.
यथा सुषुप्त: पुरुषो विश्वं पश्यति चात्मनि । आत्मानमेकदेशस्थं मन्यते स्वप्न उत्थित: ॥ ५३ ॥ एवं जागरणादीनि जीवस्थानानि चात्मन: । मायामात्राणि विज्ञाय तद् द्रष्टारं परं स्मरेत् ॥ ५४ ॥
yatha susuptah puruso visvam pasyati catmani atmanam eka-desa-stham manyate svapna utthitah evam jagaranadini jiva-sthanani catmanah maya-matrani vijnaya tad-drastaram param smaret
When a person is in deep sleep, he dreams and sees in himself many other objects, such as great mountains and rivers or perhaps even the entire universe, although they are far away. Sometimes when one awakens from a dream he sees that he is in a human form, lying in his bed in one place. Then he sees himself, in terms of various conditions, as belonging to a particular nationality, family and so on. All the conditions of deep sleep, dreaming and wakefulness are but energies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One should always remember the original creator of these conditions, the Supreme Lord, who is unaffected by them.
येन प्रसुप्त: पुरुष: स्वापं वेदात्मनस्तदा । सुखं च निर्गुणं ब्रह्म तमात्मानमवेहि माम् ॥ ५५ ॥
yena prasuptah purusah svapam vedatmanas tada sukham ca nirgunam brahma tam atmanam avehi mam
Know Me to be the Supreme Brahman, the all-pervading Supersoul through whom the sleeping living entity can understand his dreaming condition and his happiness beyond the activities of the material senses. That is to say, I am the cause of the activities of the sleeping living being.
उभयं स्मरत: पुंस: प्रस्वापप्रतिबोधयो: । अन्वेति व्यतिरिच्येत तज्ज्ञानं ब्रह्म तत्परम् ॥ ५६ ॥
ubhayam smaratah pumsah prasvapa-pratibodhayoh anveti vyatiricyeta taj jnanam brahma tat param
If one’s dreams during sleep are merely subject matters witnessed by the Supersoul, how can the living entity, who is different from the Supersoul, remember the activities of dreams? The experiences of one person cannot be understood by another. Therefore the knower of the facts, the living entity who inquires into the incidents manifested in dreams and wakefulness, is different from the circumstantial activities. That knowing factor is Brahman. In other words, the quality of knowing belongs to the living entities and to the Supreme Soul. Thus the living entity can also experience the activities of dreams and wakefulness. In both stages the knower is unchanged, but is qualitatively one with the Supreme Brahman.
यदेतद्विस्मृतं पुंसो मद्भावं भिन्नमात्मन: । तत: संसार एतस्य देहाद्देहो मृतेर्मृति: ॥ ५७ ॥
yad etad vismrtam pumso mad-bhavam bhinnam atmanah tatah samsara etasya dehad deho mrter mrtih
When a living entity, thinking himself different from Me, forgets his spiritual identity of qualitative oneness with Me in eternity, knowledge and bliss, his material, conditional life begins. In other words, instead of identifying his interest with Mine, he becomes interested in his bodily expansions like his wife, children and material possessions. In this way, by the influence of his actions, one body comes from another, and after one death, another death takes place.
लब्ध्वेह मानुषीं योनिं ज्ञानविज्ञानसम्भवाम् । आत्मानं यो न बुद्ध्येत न क्वचित्क्षेममाप्नुयात् ॥ ५८ ॥
labdhveha manusim yonim jnana-vijnana-sambhavam atmanam yo na buddhyeta na kvacit ksemam apnuyat
A human being can attain perfection in life by self-realization through the Vedic literature and its practical application. This is possible especially for a human being born in India, the land of piety. A man who obtains birth in such a convenient position but does not understand his self is unable to achieve the highest perfection, even if he is exalted to life in the higher planeary systems.
स्मृत्वेहायां परिक्लेशं तत: फलविपर्ययम् । अभयं चाप्यनीहायां सङ्कल्पाद्विरमेत्कवि: ॥ ५९ ॥
smrtvehayam pariklesam tatah phala-viparyayam abhayam capy anihayam sankalpad viramet kavih
Remembering the great trouble found in the field of activities performed for fruitive results, and remembering how one receives the reverse of the results one desires—whether from material actions or from the fruitive activities recommended in the Vedic literatures—an intelligent man should cease from the desire for fruitive actions, for by such endeavors one cannot achieve the ultimate goal of life. On the other hand, if one acts without desires for fruitive results—in other words, if one engages in devotional activities—he can achieve the highest goal of life with freedom from miserable conditions. Considering this, one should cease from material desires.
सुखाय दु:खमोक्षाय कुर्वाते दम्पती क्रिया: । ततोऽनिवृत्तिरप्राप्तिर्दु:खस्य च सुखस्य च ॥ ६० ॥
sukhaya duhkha-moksaya kurvate dampati kriyah tato ’nivrttir apraptir duhkhasya ca sukhasya ca
As husband and wife, a man and woman plan together to attain happiness and decrease unhappiness, working jointly in many ways, but because their activities are full of desires, these activities are never a source of happiness, and they never diminish distress. On the contrary, they are a cause of great unhappiness.
एवं विपर्ययं बुद्ध्वा नृणां विज्ञाभिमानिनाम् । आत्मनश्च गतिं सूक्ष्मां स्थानत्रयविलक्षणाम् ॥ ६१ ॥ दृष्टश्रुताभिर्मात्राभिर्निर्मुक्त: स्वेन तेजसा । ज्ञानविज्ञानसन्तृप्तो मद्भक्त: पुरुषो भवेत् ॥ ६२ ॥
evam viparyayam buddhva nrnam vijnabhimaninam atmanas ca gatim suksmam sthana-traya-vilaksanam drsta-srutabhir matrabhir nirmuktah svena tejasa jnana-vijnana-santrpto mad-bhaktah puruso bhavet
One should understand that the activities of persons who are proud of their material experience bring only results contradictory to those such persons conceive while awake, sleeping and deeply sleeping. One should further understand that the spirit soul, although very difficult for the materialist to perceive, is above all these conditions, and by the strength of one’s discrimination, one should give up the desire for fruitive results in the present life and in the next. Thus becoming experienced in transcendental knowledge, one should become My devotee.
एतावानेव मनुजैर्योगनैपुण्यबुद्धिभि: । स्वार्थ: सर्वात्मना ज्ञेयो यत्परात्मैकदर्शनम् ॥ ६३ ॥
etavan eva manujair yoga-naipunya-buddhibhih svarthah sarvatmana jneyo yat paratmaika-darsanam
Persons who try to reach the ultimate goal of life must expertly observe the Supreme Absolute Person and the living entity, who are one in quality in their relationship as part and whole. This is the ultimate understanding of life. There is no better truth than this.
त्वमेतच्छ्रद्धया राजन्नप्रमत्तो वचो मम । ज्ञानविज्ञानसम्पन्नो धारयन्नाशु सिध्यसि ॥ ६४ ॥
tvam etac chraddhaya rajann apramatto vaco mama jnana-vijnana-sampanno dharayann asu sidhyasi
O King, if you accept this conclusion of Mine, being unattached to material enjoyment, adhering to Me with great faith and thus becoming proficient and fully aware of knowledge and its practical application in life, you will achieve the highest perfection by attaining Me.
श्रीशुक उवाच आश्वास्य भगवानित्थं चित्रकेतुं जगद्गुरु: । पश्यतस्तस्य विश्वात्मा ततश्चान्तर्दधे हरि: ॥ ६५ ॥
sri-suka uvaca asvasya bhagavan ittham citraketum jagad-guruh pasyatas tasya visvatma tatas cantardadhe harih
Sri Sukadeva Gosvami continued: After thus instructing Citraketu and assuring him of perfection in this way, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the supreme spiritual master, the supreme soul, Sankarsana, disappeared from that place as Citraketu looked on.
