Srimad Bhagavatam · Canto 8 · Chapter 1
श्रीराजोवाच स्वायम्भुवस्येह गुरो वंशोऽयं विस्तराच्छ्रुत: । यत्र विश्वसृजां सर्गो मनूनन्यान्वदस्व न: ॥ १ ॥
sri-rajovaca svayambhuvasyeha guro vamso ’yam vistarac chrutah yatra visva-srjam sargo manun anyan vadasva nah
King Pariksit said: O my lord, my spiritual master, now I have fully heard from Your Grace about the dynasty of Svayambhuva Manu. But there are also other Manus, and I want to hear about their dynasties. Kindly describe them to us.
मन्वन्तरे हरेर्जन्म कर्माणि च महीयस: । गृणन्ति कवयो ब्रह्मंस्तानि नो वद शृण्वताम् ॥ २ ॥
manvantare harer janma karmani ca mahiyasah grnanti kavayo brahmams tani no vada srnvatam
O learned brahmana, Sukadeva Gosvami, the great learned persons who are completely intelligent describe the activities and appearance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead during the various manvantaras. We are very eager to hear about these narrations. Kindly describe them.
यद्यस्मिन्नन्तरे ब्रह्मन्भगवान्विश्वभावन: । कृतवान्कुरुते कर्ता ह्यतीतेऽनागतेऽद्य वा ॥ ३ ॥
yad yasminn antare brahman bhagavan visva-bhavanah krtavan kurute karta hy atite ’nagate ’dya va
O learned brahmana, kindly describe to us whatever activities the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who created this cosmic manifestation, has performed in the past manvantaras, is performing at present, and will perform in the future manvantaras.
श्रीऋषिरुवाच मनवोऽस्मिन्व्यतीता: षट् कल्पे स्वायम्भुवादय: । आद्यस्ते कथितो यत्र देवादीनां च सम्भव: ॥ ४ ॥
sri-rsir uvaca manavo ’smin vyatitah sat kalpe svayambhuvadayah adyas te kathito yatra devadinam ca sambhavah
Sukadeva Gosvami said: In the present kalpa there have already been six Manus. I have described to you Svayambhuva Manu and the appearance of many demigods. In this kalpa of Brahma, Svayambhuva is the first Manu.
आकूत्यां देवहूत्यां च दुहित्रोस्तस्य वै मनो: । धर्मज्ञानोपदेशार्थं भगवान्पुत्रतां गत: ॥ ५ ॥
akutyam devahutyam ca duhitros tasya vai manoh dharma-jnanopadesartham bhagavan putratam gatah
Svayambhuva Manu had two daughters, named Akuti and Devahuti. From their wombs, the Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared as two sons named Yajnamurti and Kapila respectively. These sons were entrusted with preaching about religion and knowledge.
कृतं पुरा भगवत: कपिलस्यानुवर्णितम् । आख्यास्ये भगवान्यज्ञो यच्चकार कुरूद्वह ॥ ६ ॥
krtam pura bhagavatah kapilasyanuvarnitam akhyasye bhagavan yajno yac cakara kurudvaha
O best of the Kurus, I have already described (in the Third Canto) the activities of Kapila, the son of Devahuti. Now I shall describe the activities of Yajnapati, the son of Akuti.
विरक्त: कामभोगेषु शतरूपापति: प्रभु: । विसृज्य राज्यं तपसे सभार्यो वनमाविशत् ॥ ७ ॥
viraktah kama-bhogesu satarupa-patih prabhuh visrjya rajyam tapase sabharyo vanam avisat
Svayambhuva Manu, the husband of Satarupa, was by nature not at all attached to enjoyment of the senses. Thus he gave up his kingdom of sense enjoyment and entered the forest with his wife to practice austerities.
सुनन्दायां वर्षशतं पदैकेन भुवं स्पृशन् । तप्यमानस्तपो घोरमिदमन्वाह भारत ॥ ८ ॥
sunandayam varsa-satam padaikena bhuvam sprsan tapyamanas tapo ghoram idam anvaha bharata
O scion of Bharata, after Svayambhuva Manu had thus entered the forest with his wife, he stood on one leg on the bank of the River Sunanda, and in this way, with only one leg touching the earth, he performed great austerities for one hundred years. While performing these austerities, he spoke as follows.
मनुरुवाच येन चेतयते विश्वं विश्वं चेतयते न यम् । यो जागर्ति शयानेऽस्मिन्नायं तं वेद वेद स: ॥ ९ ॥
sri-manur uvaca yena cetayate visvam visvam cetayate na yam yo jagarti sayane ’smin nayam tam veda veda sah
Lord Manu said: The supreme living being has created this material world of animation; it is not that He was created by this material world. When everything is silent, the Supreme Being stays awake as a witness. The living entity does not know Him, but He knows everything.
आत्मावास्यमिदं विश्वं यत् किञ्चिज्जगत्यां जगत् । तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृध: कस्यस्विद्धनम् ॥ १० ॥
atmavasyam idam visvam yat kincij jagatyam jagat tena tyaktena bhunjitha ma grdhah kasya svid dhanam
Within this universe, the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His Supersoul feature is present everywhere, wherever there are animate or inanimate beings. Therefore, one should accept only that which is allotted to him; one should not desire to infringe upon the property of others.
यं पश्यति न पश्यन्तं चक्षुर्यस्य न रिष्यति । तं भूतनिलयं देवं सुपर्णमुपधावत ॥ ११ ॥
yam pasyati na pasyantam caksur yasya na risyati tam bhuta-nilayam devam suparnam upadhavata
Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead constantly watches the activities of the world, no one sees Him. However, one should not think that because no one sees Him, He does not see, for His power to see is never diminished. Therefore, everyone should worship the Supersoul, who always stays with the individual soul as a friend.
न यस्याद्यन्तौ मध्यं च स्व: परो नान्तरं बहि: । विश्वस्यामूनि यद् यस्माद् विश्वं च तदृतं महत् ॥ १२ ॥
na yasyady-antau madhyam ca svah paro nantaram bahih visvasyamuni yad yasmad visvam ca tad rtam mahat
The Supreme Personality of Godhead has no beginning, no end and no middle. Nor does He belong to a particular person or nation. He has no inside or outside. The dualities found within this material world, such as beginning and end, mine and theirs, are all absent from the personality of the Supreme Lord. The universe, which emanates from Him, is another feature of the Lord. Therefore the Supreme Lord is the ultimate truth, and He is complete in greatness.
स विश्वकाय: पुरुहूत ईश: सत्य: स्वयंज्योतिरज: पुराण: । धत्तेऽस्य जन्माद्यजयात्मशक्त्या तां विद्ययोदस्य निरीह आस्ते ॥ १३ ॥
sa visva-kayah puru-huta-isah satyah svayam-jyotir ajah puranah dhatte ’sya janmady-ajayatma-saktya tam vidyayodasya niriha aste
The entire cosmic manifestation is the body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, who has millions of names and unlimited potencies. He is self-effulgent, unborn and changeless. He is the beginning of everything, but He has no beginning. Because He has created this cosmic manifestation by His external energy, the universe appears to be created, maintained and annihilated by Him. Nonetheless, He remains inactive in His spiritual energy and is untouched by the activities of the material energy.
अथाग्रे ऋषय: कर्माणीहन्तेऽकर्महेतवे । ईहमानो हि पुरुष: प्रायोऽनीहां प्रपद्यते ॥ १४ ॥
athagre rsayah karman- ihante ’karma-hetave ihamano hi purusah prayo ’niham prapadyate
Therefore, to enable people to reach the stage of activities that are not tinged by fruitive results, great saints first engage people in fruitive activities, for unless one begins by performing activities as recommended in the sastras, one cannot reach the stage of liberation, or activities that produce no reactions.
ईहते भगवानीशो न हि तत्र विसज्जते । आत्मलाभेन पूर्णार्थो नावसीदन्ति येऽनु तम् ॥ १५ ॥
ihate bhagavan iso na hi tatra visajjate atma-labhena purnartho navasidanti ye ’nu tam
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is full in opulence by His own gain, yet He acts as the creator, maintainer and annihilator of this material world. In spite of acting in that way, He is never entangled. Hence devotees who follow in His footsteps are also never entangled.
तमीहमानं निरहङ्कृतं बुधं निराशिषं पूर्णमनन्यचोदितम् । नृञ् शिक्षयन्तं निजवर्त्मसंस्थितं प्रभुं प्रपद्येऽखिलधर्मभावनम् ॥ १६ ॥
tam ihamanam nirahankrtam budham nirasisam purnam ananya-coditam nrn siksayantam nija-vartma-samsthitam prabhum prapadye ’khila-dharma-bhavanam
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, works just like an ordinary human being, yet He does not desire to enjoy the fruits of work. He is full in knowledge, free from material desires and diversions, and completely independent. As the supreme teacher of human society, He teaches His own way of activities, and thus He inaugurates the real path of religion. I request everyone to follow Him.
श्रीशुक उवाच इति मन्त्रोपनिषदं व्याहरन्तं समाहितम् । दृष्ट्वासुरा यातुधाना जग्धुमभ्यद्रवन् क्षुधा ॥ १७ ॥
sri-suka uvaca iti mantropanisadam vyaharantam samahitam drstvasura yatudhana jagdhum abhyadravan ksudha
Sukadeva Gosvami continued: Svayambhuva Manu was thus in a trance, chanting the mantras of Vedic instruction known as the Upanisads. Upon seeing him, the Raksasas and asuras, being very hungry, wanted to devour him. Therefore they ran after him with great speed.
तांस्तथावसितान् वीक्ष्य यज्ञ: सर्वगतो हरि: । यामै: परिवृतो देवैर्हत्वाशासत् त्रिविष्टपम् ॥ १८ ॥
tams tathavasitan viksya yajnah sarva-gato harih yamaih parivrto devair hatvasasat tri-vistapam
The Supreme Lord, Visnu, who sits in everyone’s heart, appearing as Yajnapati, observed that the Raksasas and demons were going to devour Svayambhuva Manu. Thus the Lord, accompanied by His sons named the Yamas and by all the other demigods, killed the demons and Raksasas. He then took the post of Indra and began to rule the heavenly kingdom.
स्वारोचिषो द्वितीयस्तु मनुरग्ने: सुतोऽभवत् । द्युमत्सुषेणरोचिष्मत्प्रमुखास्तस्य चात्मजा: ॥ १९ ॥
svarociso dvitiyas tu manur agneh suto ’bhavat dyumat-susena-rocismat pramukhas tasya catmajah
The son of Agni named Svarocisa became the second Manu. His several sons were headed by Dyumat, Susena and Rocismat.
तत्रेन्द्रो रोचनस्त्वासीद् देवाश्च तुषितादय: । ऊर्जस्तम्भादय: सप्त ऋषयो ब्रह्मवादिन: ॥ २० ॥
tatrendro rocanas tv asid devas ca tusitadayah urja-stambhadayah sapta rsayo brahma-vadinah
During the reign of Svarocisa, the post of Indra was assumed by Rocana, the son of Yajna. Tusita and others became the principal demigods, and Urja, Stambha and others became the seven saints. All of them were faithful devotees of the Lord.
ऋषेस्तु वेदशिरसस्तुषिता नाम पत्न्यभूत् । तस्यां जज्ञे ततो देवो विभुरित्यभिविश्रुत: ॥ २१ ॥
rses tu vedasirasas tusita nama patny abhut tasyam jajne tato devo vibhur ity abhivisrutah
Vedasira was a very celebrated rsi. From the womb of his wife, whose name was Tusita, came the avatara named Vibhu.
अष्टाशीतिसहस्राणि मुनयो ये धृतव्रता: । अन्वशिक्षन्व्रतं तस्य कौमारब्रह्मचारिण: ॥ २२ ॥
astasiti-sahasrani munayo ye dhrta-vratah anvasiksan vratam tasya kaumara-brahmacarinah
Vibhu remained a brahmacari and never married throughout his life. From him, eighty-eight thousand other saintly persons took lessons on self-control, austerity and similar behavior.
तृतीय उत्तमो नाम प्रियव्रतसुतो मनु: । पवन: सृञ्जयो यज्ञहोत्राद्यास्तत्सुता नृप ॥ २३ ॥
trtiya uttamo nama priyavrata-suto manuh pavanah srnjayo yajna- hotradyas tat-suta nrpa
O King, the third Manu, Uttama, was the son of King Priyavrata. Among the sons of this Manu were Pavana, Srnjaya and Yajnahotra.
वसिष्ठतनया: सप्त ऋषय: प्रमदादय: । सत्या वेदश्रुता भद्रा देवा इन्द्रस्तु सत्यजित् ॥ २४ ॥
vasistha-tanayah sapta rsayah pramadadayah satya vedasruta bhadra deva indras tu satyajit
During the reign of the third Manu, Pramada and other sons of Vasistha became the seven sages. The Satyas, Vedasrutas and Bhadras became demigods, and Satyajit was selected to be Indra, the King of heaven.
धर्मस्य सूनृतायां तु भगवान्पुरुषोत्तम: । सत्यसेन इति ख्यातो जात: सत्यव्रतै: सह ॥ २५ ॥
dharmasya sunrtayam tu bhagavan purusottamah satyasena iti khyato jatah satyavrataih saha
In this manvantara, the Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared from the womb of Sunrta, who was the wife of Dharma, the demigod in charge of religion. The Lord was celebrated as Satyasena, and He appeared with other demigods, known as the Satyavratas.
सोऽनृतव्रतदु:शीलानसतो यक्षराक्षसान् । भूतद्रुहो भूतगणांश्चावधीत् सत्यजित्सख: ॥ २६ ॥
so ’nrta-vrata-duhsilan asato yaksa-raksasan bhuta-druho bhuta-ganams cavadhit satyajit-sakhah
Satyasena, along with His friend Satyajit, who was the King of heaven, Indra, killed all the untruthful, impious and misbehaved Yaksas, Raksasas and ghostly living entities, who gave pains to other living beings.
चतुर्थ उत्तमभ्राता मनुर्नाम्ना च तामस: । पृथु: ख्यातिर्नर: केतुरित्याद्या दश तत्सुता: ॥ २७ ॥
caturtha uttama-bhrata manur namna ca tamasah prthuh khyatir narah ketur ity adya dasa tat-sutah
The brother of the third Manu, Uttama, was celebrated by the name Tamasa, and he became the fourth Manu. Tamasa had ten sons, headed by Prthu, Khyati, Nara and Ketu.
सत्यका हरयो वीरा देवास्त्रिशिख ईश्वर: । ज्योतिर्धामादय: सप्त ऋषयस्तामसेऽन्तरे ॥ २८ ॥
satyaka harayo vira devas trisikha isvarah jyotirdhamadayah sapta rsayas tamase ’ntare
During the reign of Tamasa Manu, among the demigods were the Satyakas, Haris and Viras. The heavenly King, Indra, was Trisikha. The sages in saptarsi-dhama were headed by Jyotirdhama.
देवा वैधृतयो नाम विधृतेस्तनया नृप । नष्टा: कालेन यैर्वेदा विधृता: स्वेन तेजसा ॥ २९ ॥
deva vaidhrtayo nama vidhrtes tanaya nrpa nastah kalena yair veda vidhrtah svena tejasa
O King, in the Tamasa manvantara the sons of Vidhrti, who were known as the Vaidhrtis, also became demigods. Since in course of time the Vedic authority was lost, these demigods, by their own powers, protected the Vedic authority.
तत्रापि जज्ञे भगवान्हरिण्यां हरिमेधस: । हरिरित्याहृतो येन गजेन्द्रो मोचितो ग्रहात् ॥ ३० ॥
tatrapi jajne bhagavan harinyam harimedhasah harir ity ahrto yena gajendro mocito grahat
Also in this manvantara, the Supreme Lord, Visnu, took birth from the womb of Harini, the wife of Harimedha, and He was known as Hari. Hari saved His devotee Gajendra, the King of the elephants, from the mouth of a crocodile.
श्रीराजोवाच बादरायण एतत् ते श्रोतुमिच्छामहे वयम् । हरिर्यथा गजपतिं ग्राहग्रस्तममूमुचत् ॥ ३१ ॥
sri-rajovaca badarayana etat te srotum icchamahe vayam harir yatha gaja-patim graha-grastam amumucat
King Pariksit said: My lord, Badarayani, we wish to hear from you in detail how the King of the elephants, when attacked by a crocodile, was delivered by Hari.
तत्कथासु महत् पुण्यं धन्यं स्वस्त्ययनं शुभम् । यत्र यत्रोत्तमश्लोको भगवान्गीयते हरि: ॥ ३२ ॥
tat-kathasu mahat punyam dhanyam svastyayanam subham yatra yatrottamasloko bhagavan giyate harih
Any literature or narration in which the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Uttamasloka, is described and glorified is certainly great, pure, glorious, auspicious and all good.
श्रीसूत उवाच परीक्षितैवं स तु बादरायणि: प्रायोपविष्टेन कथासु चोदित: । उवाच विप्रा: प्रतिनन्द्य पार्थिवं मुदा मुनीनां सदसि स्म शृण्वताम् ॥ ३३ ॥
sri-suta uvaca pariksitaivam sa tu badarayanih prayopavistena kathasu coditah uvaca viprah pratinandya parthivam muda muninam sadasi sma srnvatam
Sri Suta Gosvami said: O brahmanas, when Pariksit Maharaja, who was awaiting impending death, thus requested Sukadeva Gosvami to speak, Sukadeva Gosvami, encouraged by the King’s words, offered respect to the King and spoke with great pleasure in the assembly of sages, who desired to hear him.
