Śrīmad Bhāgavatam |Canto 3 Chapter 13

The Appearance of Lord Varāha

VERSE 3.13.1

śrī-śuka uvāca

niśamya vācaṁ vadato
muneḥ puṇyatamāṁ nṛpa
bhūyaḥ papraccha kauravyo
vāsudeva-kathādṛtaḥ

SYNONYMS

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; niśamya — after hearing; vācam — talks; vadataḥ — while speaking; muneḥ — of Maitreya Muni; puṇya-tamām — the most virtuous; nṛpa — O King; bhūyaḥ — then again; papraccha — inquired; kauravyaḥ — the best amongst the Kurus (Vidura); vāsudeva-kathā — topics on the subject of the Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva; ādṛtaḥ — one who so adores.

TRANSLATION

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King, after hearing all these most virtuous topics from the sage Maitreya, Vidura inquired further on the topics of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which he adored to hear.

VERSE 3.13.2

vidura uvāca

sa vai svāyambhuvaḥ samrāṭ
priyaḥ putraḥ svayambhuvaḥ
pratilabhya priyāṁ patnīṁ
kiṁ cakāra tato mune

SYNONYMS

viduraḥ uvāca — Vidura said; saḥ — he; vai — easily; svāyambhuvaḥ — Svāyambhuva Manu; samrāṭ — the king of all kings; priyaḥ — dear; putraḥ — son; svayambhuvaḥ — of Brahmā; pratilabhya — after obtaining; priyām — most loving; patnīm — wife; kim — what; cakāra — did; tataḥ — thereafter; mune — O great sage.

TRANSLATION

Vidura said: O great sage, what did Svāyambhuva, the dear son of Brahmā, do after obtaining his very loving wife?

VERSE 3.13.3

caritaṁ tasya rājarṣer
ādi-rājasya sattama
brūhi me śraddadhānāya
viṣvaksenāśrayo hy asau

SYNONYMS

caritam — character; tasya — his; rājarṣeḥ — of the saintly king; ādi-rājasya — of the original king; sattama — O most pious one; brūhi — kindly speak; me — unto me; śraddadhānāya — unto one eager to receive; viṣvaksena — of the Personality of Godhead; āśrayaḥ — one who has taken shelter; hi — certainly; asau — that king.

TRANSLATION

O best of the virtuous, the original king of kings [Manu] was a great devotee of the Personality of Godhead Hari, and thus it is worth hearing of his sublime character and activities. Please describe them. I am very eager to hear.

VERSE 3.13.4

śrutasya puṁsāṁ sucira-śramasya
nanv añjasā sūribhir īḍito ’rthaḥ
tat-tad-guṇānuśravaṇaṁ mukunda-
pādāravindaṁ hṛdayeṣu yeṣām

SYNONYMS

śrutasya — of persons who are in the process of hearing; puṁsām — of such persons; sucira — for a long time; śramasya — laboring very hard; nanu — certainly; añjasā — elaborately; sūribhiḥ — by pure devotees; īḍitaḥ — explained by; arthaḥ — statements; tat — that; tat — that; guṇa — transcendental qualities; anuśravaṇam — thinking; mukunda — the Personality of Godhead, who awards liberation; pāda-aravindam — the lotus feet; hṛdayeṣu — within the heart; yeṣām — of them.

TRANSLATION

Persons who hear from a spiritual master with great labor and for a long time must hear from the mouths of pure devotees about the character and activities of pure devotees. Pure devotees always think within their hearts of the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead, who awards His devotees liberation.

VERSE 3.13.5

śrī-śuka uvāca

iti bruvāṇaṁ viduraṁ vinītaṁ
sahasra-śīrṣṇaś caraṇopadhānam
prahṛṣṭa-romā bhagavat-kathāyāṁ
praṇīyamāno munir abhyacaṣṭa

SYNONYMS

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; iti — thus; bruvāṇam — speaking; viduram — unto Vidura; vinītam — very gentle; sahasra-śīrṣṇaḥ — the Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa; caraṇa — lotus feet; upadhānam — pillow; prahṛṣṭa-romā — hairs standing in ecstasy; bhagavat — in relationship with the Personality of Godhead; kathāyām — in the words; praṇīyamānaḥ — being influenced by such spirit; muniḥ — the sage; abhyacaṣṭa — attempted to speak.

TRANSLATION

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: The Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, was pleased to place His lotus feet on the lap of Vidura because Vidura was very meek and gentle. The sage Maitreya was very pleased with Vidura’s words, and, being influenced by his spirit, he attempted to speak.

VERSE 3.13.6

maitreya uvāca

yadā sva-bhāryayā sārdhaṁ
jātaḥ svāyambhuvo manuḥ
prāñjaliḥ praṇataś cedaṁ
veda-garbham abhāṣata

SYNONYMS

maitreyaḥ uvāca — Maitreya said; yadā — when; sva-bhāryayā — along with his wife; sārdham — accompanied by; jātaḥ — appeared; svāyambhuvaḥ — Svāyambhuva Manu; manuḥ — the father of mankind; prāñjaliḥ — with folded hands; praṇataḥ — in obeisances; ca — also; idam — this; veda-garbham — unto the reservoir of Vedic wisdom; abhāṣata — addressed.

TRANSLATION

The sage Maitreya said to Vidura: After his appearance, Manu, the father of mankind, along with his wife, thus addressed the reservoir of Vedic wisdom, Brahmā, with obeisances and folded hands.

VERSE 3.13.7

tvam ekaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
janma-kṛd vṛttidaḥ pitā
tathāpi naḥ prajānāṁ te
śuśrūṣā kena vā bhavet

SYNONYMS

tvam — you; ekaḥ — one; sarva — all; bhūtānām — living entities; janma-kṛt — progenitor; vṛtti-daḥ — source of subsistence; pitā — the father; tathā api — yet; naḥ — ourselves; prajānām — of all who are born; te — of you; śuśrūṣā — service; kena — how; — either; bhavet — may be possible.

TRANSLATION

You are the father of all living entities and the source of their subsistence because they are all born of you. Please order us how we may be able to render service unto you.

VERSE 3.13.8

tad vidhehi namas tubhyaṁ
karmasv īḍyātma-śaktiṣu
yat kṛtveha yaśo viṣvag
amutra ca bhaved gatiḥ

SYNONYMS

tat — that; vidhehi — give direction; namaḥ — my obeisances; tubhyam — unto you; karmasu — in duties; īḍya — O worshipful one; ātma-śaktiṣu — within our working capacity; yat — which; kṛtvā — doing; iha — in this world; yaśaḥ — fame; viṣvak — everywhere; amutra — in the next world; ca — and; bhavet — it should be; gatiḥ — progress.

TRANSLATION

O worshipful one, please give us your direction for the execution of duty within our working capacity so that we can follow it for fame in this life and progress in the next.

VERSE 3.13.9

brahmovāca

prītas tubhyam ahaṁ tāta
svasti stād vāṁ kṣitīśvara
yan nirvyalīkena hṛdā
śādhi mety ātmanārpitam

SYNONYMS

brahmā uvāca — Brahmā said; prītaḥ — pleased; tubhyam — unto you; aham — I; tāta — my dear son; svasti — all blessings; stāt — let there be; vām — unto you both; kṣiti-īśvara — O lord of the world; yat — because; nirvyalīkena — without reservation; hṛdā — by the heart; śādhi — give instruction; — unto me; iti — thus; ātmanā — by self; arpitam — surrendered.

TRANSLATION

Lord Brahmā said: My dear son, O lord of the world, I am very pleased with you, and I desire all blessings for both you and your wife. You have without reservation surrendered yourself unto me with your heart for my instructions.

VERSE 3.13.10

etāvaty ātmajair vīra
kāryā hy apacitir gurau
śaktyāpramattair gṛhyeta
sādaraṁ gata-matsaraiḥ

SYNONYMS

etāvatī — just exactly like this; ātmajaiḥ — by the offspring; vīra — O hero; kāryā — should be performed; hi — certainly; apacitiḥ — worship; gurau — unto the superior; śaktyā — with full capacity; apramattaiḥ — by the sane; gṛhyeta — should be accepted; sa-ādaram — with great delight; gata-matsaraiḥ — by those who are beyond the limit of envy.

TRANSLATION

O hero, your example is quite befitting a son in relationship with his father. This sort of adoration for the superior is required. One who is beyond the limit of envy and who is sane accepts the order of his father with great delight and executes it to his full capacity.

VERSE 3.13.11

sa tvam asyām apatyāni
sadṛśāny ātmano guṇaiḥ
utpādya śāsa dharmeṇa
gāṁ yajñaiḥ puruṣaṁ yaja

SYNONYMS

saḥ — therefore that obedient son; tvam — as you are; asyām — in her; apatyāni — children; sadṛśāni — equally qualified; ātmanaḥ — of yourself; guṇaiḥ — with the characteristics; utpādya — having begotten; śāsa — rule; dharmeṇa — on the principles of devotional service; gām — the world; yajñaiḥ — by sacrifices; puruṣam — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; yaja — worship.

TRANSLATION

Since you are my very obedient son, I ask you to beget children qualified like yourself in the womb of your wife. Rule the world in pursuance of the principles of devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and thus worship the Lord by performances of yajña.

VERSE 3.13.12

paraṁ śuśrūṣaṇaṁ mahyaṁ
syāt prajā-rakṣayā nṛpa
bhagavāṁs te prajā-bhartur
hṛṣīkeśo ’nutuṣyati

SYNONYMS

param — the greatest; śuśrūṣaṇam — devotional service; mahyam — unto me; syāt — should be; prajā — the living entities born in the material world; rakṣayā — by saving them from being spoiled; nṛpa — O King; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; te — with you; prajā-bhartuḥ — with the protector of the living beings; hṛṣīkeśaḥ — the Lord of the senses; anutuṣyati — is satisfied.

TRANSLATION

O King, if you can give proper protection to the living beings in the material world, that will be the best service for me. When the Supreme Lord sees you to be a good protector of the conditioned souls, certainly the master of the senses will be very pleased with you.

VERSE 3.13.13

yeṣāṁ na tuṣṭo bhagavān
yajña-liṅgo janārdanaḥ
teṣāṁ śramo hy apārthāya
yad ātmā nādṛtaḥ svayam

SYNONYMS

yeṣām — of those with whom; na — never; tuṣṭaḥ — satisfied; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; yajña-liṅgaḥ — the form of sacrifice; janārdanaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa, or the viṣṇu-tattva; teṣām — of them; śramaḥ — labor; hi — certainly; apārthāya — without profit; yat — because; ātmā — the Supreme Soul; na — not; ādṛtaḥ — respected; svayam — his own self.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Janārdana [Lord Kṛṣṇa], is the form to accept all the results of sacrifice. If He is not satisfied, then one’s labor for advancement is futile. He is the ultimate Self, and therefore one who does not satisfy Him certainly neglects his own interests.

VERSE 3.13.14

manur uvāca

ādeśe ’haṁ bhagavato
varteyāmīva-sūdana
sthānaṁ tv ihānujānīhi
prajānāṁ mama ca prabho

SYNONYMS

manuḥ uvāca — Śrī Manu said; ādeśe — under the order; aham — I; bhagavataḥ — of your powerful self; varteya — shall stay; amīva-sūdana — O killer of all sins; sthānam — the place; tu — but; iha — in this world; anujānīhi — please let me know; prajānām — of the living entities born from me; mama — my; ca — also; prabho — O lord.

TRANSLATION

Śrī Manu said: O all-powerful lord, O killer of all sins, I shall abide by your order. Now please let me know my place and that of the living entities born of me.

VERSE 3.13.15

yad okaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
mahī magnā mahāmbhasi
asyā uddharaṇe yatno
deva devyā vidhīyatām

SYNONYMS

yat — because; okaḥ — the dwelling place; sarva — for all; bhūtānām — living entities; mahī — the earth; magnā — merged; mahā-ambhasi — in the great water; asyāḥ — of this; uddharaṇe — in the lifting; yatnaḥ — attempt; deva — O master of the demigods; devyāḥ — of this earth; vidhīyatām — let it be done.

TRANSLATION

O master of the demigods, please attempt to lift the earth, which is merged in the great water, because it is the dwelling place for all the living entities. It can be done by your endeavor and by the mercy of the Lord.

VERSE 3.13.16

maitreya uvāca

parameṣṭhī tv apāṁ madhye
tathā sannām avekṣya gām
katham enāṁ samunneṣya
iti dadhyau dhiyā ciram

SYNONYMS

maitreyaḥ uvāca — Śrī Maitreya Muni said; parameṣṭhī — Brahmā; tu — also; apām — the water; madhye — within; tathā — thus; sannām — situated; avekṣya — seeing; gām — the earth; katham — how; enām — this; samunneṣye — I shall lift; iti — thus; dadhyau — gave attention; dhiyā — by intelligence; ciram — for a long time.

TRANSLATION

Śrī Maitreya said: Thus, seeing the earth merged in the water, Brahmā gave his attention for a long time to how it could be lifted.

VERSE 3.13.17

sṛjato me kṣitir vārbhiḥ
plāvyamānā rasāṁ gatā
athātra kim anuṣṭheyam
asmābhiḥ sarga-yojitaiḥ
yasyāhaṁ hṛdayād āsaṁ
sa īśo vidadhātu me

SYNONYMS

sṛjataḥ — while engaged in creation; me — of me; kṣitiḥ — the earth; vārbhiḥ — by the water; plāvyamānā — being inundated; rasām — depth of water; gatā — gone down; atha — therefore; atra — in this matter; kim — what; anuṣṭheyam — is right to be attempted; asmābhiḥ — by us; sarga — creation; yojitaiḥ — engaged in; yasya — the one from whose; aham — I; hṛdayāt — from the heart; āsam — born; saḥ — He; īśaḥ — the Lord; vidadhātu — may direct; me — unto me.

TRANSLATION

Brahmā thought: While I have been engaged in the process of creation, the earth has been inundated by a deluge and has gone down into the depths of the ocean. What can we do who are engaged in this matter of creation? It is best to let the Almighty Lord direct us.

VERSE 3.13.18

ity abhidhyāyato nāsā-
vivarāt sahasānagha
varāha-toko niragād
aṅguṣṭha-parimāṇakaḥ

SYNONYMS

iti — thus; abhidhyāyataḥ — while thinking; nāsā-vivarāt — from the nostrils; sahasā — all of a sudden; anagha — O sinless one; varāha-tokaḥ — a minute form of Varāha (a boar); niragāt — came out; aṅguṣṭha — the upper portion of the thumb; parimāṇakaḥ — of the measurement.

TRANSLATION

O sinless Vidura, all of a sudden, while Brahmā was engaged in thinking, a small form of a boar came out of his nostril. The measurement of the creature was not more than the upper portion of a thumb.

VERSE 3.13.19

tasyābhipaśyataḥ kha-sthaḥ
kṣaṇena kila bhārata
gaja-mātraḥ pravavṛdhe
tad adbhutam abhūn mahat

SYNONYMS

tasya — his; abhipaśyataḥ — while thus observing; kha-sthaḥ — situated in the sky; kṣaṇena — suddenly; kila — verily; bhārata — O descendant of Bharata; gaja-mātraḥ — just like an elephant; pravavṛdhe — thoroughly expanded; tat — that; adbhutam — extraordinary; abhūt — transformed; mahat — into a gigantic body.

TRANSLATION

O descendant of Bharata, while Brahmā was observing Him, that boar became situated in the sky in a wonderful manifestation as gigantic as a great elephant.

VERSE 3.13.20

marīci-pramukhair vipraiḥ
kumārair manunā saha
dṛṣṭvā tat saukaraṁ rūpaṁ
tarkayām āsa citradhā

SYNONYMS

marīci — the great sage Marīci; pramukhaiḥ — headed by; vipraiḥ — all brāhmaṇas; kumāraiḥ — with the four Kumāras; manunā — and with Manu; saha — with; dṛṣṭvā — seeing; tat — that; saukaram — appearance like a boar; rūpam — form; tarkayām āsa — argued among themselves; citradhā — in various ways.

TRANSLATION

Struck with wonder at observing the wonderful boarlike form in the sky, Brahmā, with great brāhmaṇas like Marīci, as well as the Kumāras and Manu, began to argue in various ways.

VERSE 3.13.21

kim etat sūkara-vyājaṁ
sattvaṁ divyam avasthitam
aho batāścaryam idaṁ
nāsāyā me viniḥsṛtam

SYNONYMS

kim — what; etat — this; sūkara — boar; vyājam — pretension; sattvam — entity; divyam — extraordinary; avasthitam — situated; aho bata — oh, it is; āścaryam — very wonderful; idam — this; nāsāyāḥ — from the nose; me — my; viniḥsṛtam — came out.

TRANSLATION

Is this some extraordinary entity come in the pretense of a boar? It is very wonderful that He has come from my nose.

VERSE 3.13.22

dṛṣṭo ’ṅguṣṭha-śiro-mātraḥ
kṣaṇād gaṇḍa-śilā-samaḥ
api svid bhagavān eṣa
yajño me khedayan manaḥ

SYNONYMS

dṛṣṭaḥ — just seen; aṅguṣṭha — thumb; śiraḥ — tip; mātraḥ — only; kṣaṇāt — immediately; gaṇḍa-śilā — large stone; samaḥ — like; api svit — whether; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; eṣaḥ — this; yajñaḥ — Viṣṇu; me — my; khedayan — perturbing; manaḥ — mind.

TRANSLATION

First of all this boar was seen no bigger than the tip of a thumb, and within a moment He was as large as a stone. My mind is perturbed. Is He the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu?

VERSE 3.13.23

iti mīmāṁsatas tasya
brahmaṇaḥ saha sūnubhiḥ
bhagavān yajña-puruṣo
jagarjāgendra-sannibhaḥ

SYNONYMS

iti — thus; mīmāṁsataḥ — while deliberating; tasya — his; brahmaṇaḥ — of Brahmā; saha — along with; sūnubhiḥ — his sons; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; yajña — Lord Viṣṇu; puruṣaḥ — the Supreme Person; jagarja — resounded; aga-indra — great mountain; sannibhaḥ — like.

TRANSLATION

While Brahmā was deliberating with his sons, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, roared tumultuously like a great mountain.

VERSE 3.13.24

brahmāṇaṁ harṣayām āsa
haris tāṁś ca dvijottamān
sva-garjitena kakubhaḥ
pratisvanayatā vibhuḥ

SYNONYMS

brahmāṇam — unto Brahmā; harṣayām āsa — enlivened; hariḥ — the Personality of Godhead; tān — all of them; ca — also; dvija-uttamān — highly elevated brāhmaṇas; sva-garjitena — by His uncommon voice; kakubhaḥ — all directions; pratisvanayatā — which echoed; vibhuḥ — the omnipotent.

TRANSLATION

The omnipotent Supreme Personality of Godhead enlivened Brahmā and the other highly elevated brāhmaṇas by again roaring with His uncommon voice, which echoed in all directions.

VERSE 3.13.25

niśamya te ghargharitaṁ sva-kheda-
kṣayiṣṇu māyāmaya-sūkarasya
janas-tapaḥ-satya-nivāsinas te
tribhiḥ pavitrair munayo ’gṛṇan sma

SYNONYMS

niśamya — just after hearing; te — those; ghargharitam — the tumultuous sound; sva-kheda — personal lamentation; kṣayiṣṇu — destroying; māyā-maya — all-merciful; sūkarasya — of Lord Boar; janaḥ — the Janaloka planet; tapaḥ — the Tapoloka planet; satya — the Satyaloka planet; nivāsinaḥ — residents; te — all of them; tribhiḥ — from the three Vedas; pavitraiḥ — by the all-auspicious mantras; munayaḥ — great thinkers and sages; agṛṇan sma — chanted.

TRANSLATION

When the great sages and thinkers who are residents of Janaloka, Tapoloka and Satyaloka heard the tumultuous voice of Lord Boar, which was the all-auspicious sound of the all-merciful Lord, they chanted auspicious chants from the three Vedas.

VERSE 3.13.26

teṣāṁ satāṁ veda-vitāna-mūrtir
brahmāvadhāryātma-guṇānuvādam
vinadya bhūyo vibudhodayāya
gajendra-līlo jalam āviveśa

SYNONYMS

teṣām — of them; satām — of the great devotees; veda — all knowledge; vitāna-mūrtiḥ — the form of expansion; brahma — Vedic sound; avadhārya — knowing it well; ātma — of Himself; guṇa-anuvādam — transcendental glorification; vinadya — resounding; bhūyaḥ — again; vibudha — of the transcendentally learned; udayāya — for the elevation or benefit; gajendra-līlaḥ — playing like an elephant; jalam — the water; āviveśa — entered.

TRANSLATION

Playing like an elephant, He entered into the water after roaring again in reply to the Vedic prayers by the great devotees. The Lord is the object of the Vedic prayers, and thus He understood that the devotees’ prayers were meant for Him.

VERSE 3.13.27

utkṣipta-vālaḥ kha-caraḥ kaṭhoraḥ
saṭā vidhunvan khara-romaśa-tvak
khurāhatābhraḥ sita-daṁṣṭra īkṣā-
jyotir babhāse bhagavān mahīdhraḥ

SYNONYMS

utkṣipta-vālaḥ — slashing with the tail; kha-caraḥ — in the sky; kaṭhoraḥ — very hard; saṭāḥ — hairs on the shoulder; vidhunvan — quivering; khara — sharp; romaśa-tvak — skin full of hairs; khura-āhata — struck by the hooves; abhraḥ — the clouds; sita-daṁṣṭraḥ — white tusks; īkṣā — glance; jyotiḥ — luminous; babhāse — began to emit an effulgence; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; mahī-dhraḥ — the supporter of the world.

TRANSLATION

Before entering the water to rescue the earth, Lord Boar flew in the sky, slashing His tail, His hard hairs quivering. His very glance was luminous, and He scattered the clouds in the sky with His hooves and His glittering white tusks.

VERSE 3.13.28

ghrāṇena pṛthvyāḥ padavīṁ vijighran
kroḍāpadeśaḥ svayam adhvarāṅgaḥ
karāla-daṁṣṭro ’py akarāla-dṛgbhyām
udvīkṣya viprān gṛṇato ’viśat kam

SYNONYMS

ghrāṇena — by smelling; pṛthvyāḥ — of the earth; padavīm — situation; vijighran — searching after the earth; kroḍa-apadeśaḥ — assuming the body of a hog; svayam — personally; adhvara — transcendental; aṅgaḥ — body; karāla — fearful; daṁṣṭraḥ — teeth (tusks); api — in spite of; akarāla — not fearful; dṛgbhyām — by His glance; udvīkṣya — glancing over; viprān — all the brāhmaṇa devotees; gṛṇataḥ — who were engaged in prayers; aviśat — entered; kam — the water.

TRANSLATION

He was personally the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu and was therefore transcendental, yet because He had the body of a hog, He searched after the earth by smell. His tusks were fearful, and He glanced over the devotee-brāhmaṇas engaged in offering prayers. Thus He entered the water.

VERSE 3.13.29

sa vajra-kūṭāṅga-nipāta-vega-
viśīrṇa-kukṣiḥ stanayann udanvān
utsṛṣṭa-dīrghormi-bhujair ivārtaś
cukrośa yajñeśvara pāhi meti

SYNONYMS

saḥ — that; vajra-kūṭa-aṅga — body like a great mountain; nipāta-vega — the force of diving; viśīrṇa — bifurcating; kukṣiḥ — the middle portion; stanayan — resounding like; udanvān — the ocean; utsṛṣṭa — creating; dīrgha — high; ūrmi — waves; bhujaiḥ — by the arms; iva ārtaḥ — like a distressed person; cukrośa — prayed loudly; yajña-īśvara — O master of all sacrifices; pāhi — please protect; — unto me; iti — thus.

TRANSLATION

Diving into the water like a giant mountain, Lord Boar divided the middle of the ocean, and two high waves appeared as the arms of the ocean, which cried loudly as if praying to the Lord, “O Lord of all sacrifices, please do not cut me in two! Kindly give me protection!”

VERSE 3.13.30

khuraiḥ kṣuraprair darayaṁs tad āpa
utpāra-pāraṁ tri-parū rasāyām
dadarśa gāṁ tatra suṣupsur agre
yāṁ jīva-dhānīṁ svayam abhyadhatta

SYNONYMS

khuraiḥ — by the hooves; kṣurapraiḥ — compared to a sharp weapon; darayan — penetrating; tat — that; āpaḥ — water; utpāra-pāram — found the limitation of the unlimited; tri-paruḥ — the master of all sacrifices; rasāyām — within the water; dadarśa — found; gām — the earth; tatra — there; suṣupsuḥ — lying; agre — in the beginning; yām — whom; jīva-dhānīm — the resting place for all living entities; svayam — personally; abhyadhatta — uplifted.

TRANSLATION

Lord Boar penetrated the water with His hooves, which were like sharp arrows, and found the limits of the ocean, although it was unlimited. He saw the earth, the resting place for all living beings, lying as it was in the beginning of creation, and He personally lifted it.

VERSE 3.13.31

sva-daṁṣṭrayoddhṛtya mahīṁ nimagnāṁ
sa utthitaḥ saṁruruce rasāyāḥ
tatrāpi daityaṁ gadayāpatantaṁ
sunābha-sandīpita-tīvra-manyuḥ

SYNONYMS

sva-daṁṣṭrayā — by His own tusks; uddhṛtya — raising; mahīm — the earth; nimagnām — submerged; saḥ — He; utthitaḥ — getting up; saṁruruce — appeared very splendid; rasāyāḥ — from the water; tatra — there; api — also; daityam — unto the demon; gadayā — with the club; āpatantam — rushing towards Him; sunābha — the wheel of Kṛṣṇa; sandīpita — glowing; tīvra — fierce; manyuḥ — anger.

TRANSLATION

Lord Boar very easily took the earth on His tusks and got it out of the water. Thus He appeared very splendid. Then, His anger glowing like the Sudarśana wheel, He immediately killed the demon [Hiraṇyākṣa], although he tried to fight with the Lord.

VERSE 3.13.32

jaghāna rundhānam asahya-vikramaṁ
sa līlayebhaṁ mṛgarāḍ ivāmbhasi
tad-rakta-paṅkāṅkita-gaṇḍa-tuṇḍo
yathā gajendro jagatīṁ vibhindan

SYNONYMS

jaghāna — killed; rundhānam — the obstructive enemy; asahya — unbearable; vikramam — prowess; saḥ — He; līlayā — easily; ibham — the elephant; mṛga-rāṭ — the lion; iva — like; ambhasi — in the water; tat-rakta — of his blood; paṅka-aṅkita — smeared by the pool; gaṇḍa — cheeks; tuṇḍaḥ — tongue; yathā — as if; gajendraḥ — the elephant; jagatīm — earth; vibhindan — digging.

TRANSLATION

Thereupon Lord Boar killed the demon within the water, just as a lion kills an elephant. The cheeks and tongue of the Lord became smeared with the blood of the demon, just as an elephant becomes reddish from digging in the purple earth.

VERSE 3.13.33

tamāla-nīlaṁ sita-danta-koṭyā
kṣmām utkṣipantaṁ gaja-līlayāṅga
prajñāya baddhāñjalayo ’nuvākair
viriñci-mukhyā upatasthur īśam

SYNONYMS

tamāla — a blue tree named the tamāla; nīlam — bluish; sita — white; danta — tusks; koṭyā — with the curved edge; kṣmām — the earth; utkṣipantam — while suspending; gaja-līlayā — playing like an elephant; aṅga — O Vidura; prajñāya — after knowing it well; baddha — folded; añjalayaḥ — hands; anuvākaiḥ — by Vedic hymns; viriñci — Brahmā; mukhyāḥ — headed by; upatasthuḥ — offered prayers; īśam — unto the Supreme Lord.

TRANSLATION

Then the Lord, playing like an elephant, suspended the earth on the edge of His curved white tusks. He assumed a bluish complexion like that of a tamāla tree, and thus the sages, headed by Brahmā, could understand Him to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead and offered respectful obeisances unto the Lord.

VERSE 3.13.34

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ

jitaṁ jitaṁ te ’jita yajña-bhāvana
trayīṁ tanuṁ svāṁ paridhunvate namaḥ
yad-roma-garteṣu nililyur addhayas
tasmai namaḥ kāraṇa-sūkarāya te

SYNONYMS

ṛṣayaḥ ūcuḥ — the glorified sages uttered; jitam — all glories; jitam — all victories; te — unto You; ajita — O unconquerable one; yajña-bhāvana — one who is understood by performances of sacrifice; trayīm — personified Vedas; tanum — such a body; svām — own; paridhunvate — shaking; namaḥ — all obeisances; yat — whose; roma — hairs; garteṣu — in the holes; nililyuḥ — submerged; addhayaḥ — the oceans; tasmai — unto Him; namaḥ — offering obeisances; kāraṇa-sūkarāya — unto the hog form assumed for reasons; te — unto You.

TRANSLATION

All the sages uttered with great respect: O unconquerable enjoyer of all sacrifices, all glories and all victories unto You! You are moving in Your form of the personified Vedas, and in the hair holes of Your body the oceans are submerged. For certain reasons [to uplift the earth] You have now assumed the form of a boar.

VERSE 3.13.35

rūpaṁ tavaitan nanu duṣkṛtātmanāṁ
durdarśanaṁ deva yad adhvarātmakam
chandāṁsi yasya tvaci barhi-romasv
ājyaṁ dṛśi tv aṅghriṣu cātur-hotram

SYNONYMS

rūpam — form; tava — Your; etat — this; nanu — but; duṣkṛta-ātmanām — of souls who are simply miscreants; durdarśanam — very difficult to see; deva — O Lord; yat — that; adhvara-ātmakam — worshipable by performances of sacrifice; chandāṁsi — the Gāyatrī mantra and others; yasya — whose; tvaci — touch of the skin; barhiḥ — sacred grass called kuśa; romasu — hairs on the body; ājyam — clarified butter; dṛśi — in the eyes; tu — also; aṅghriṣu — on the four legs; cātuḥ-hotram — four kinds of fruitive activities.

TRANSLATION

O Lord, Your form is worshipable by performances of sacrifice, but souls who are simply miscreants are unable to see it. All the Vedic hymns, Gāyatrī and others, are in the touch of Your skin. In Your bodily hairs is the kuśa grass, in Your eyes is the clarified butter, and in Your four legs are the four kinds of fruitive activities.

VERSE 3.13.36

srak tuṇḍa āsīt sruva īśa nāsayor
iḍodare camasāḥ karṇa-randhre
prāśitram āsye grasane grahās tu te
yac carvaṇaṁ te bhagavann agni-hotram

SYNONYMS

srak — the plate for sacrifice; tuṇḍe — on the tongue; āsīt — there is; sruvaḥ — another plate for sacrifice; īśa — O Lord; nāsayoḥ — of the nostrils; iḍā — the plate for eating; udare — in the belly; camasāḥ — another plate for sacrifices; karṇa-randhre — in the holes of the ears; prāśitram — the plate called the Brahmā plate; āsye — in the mouth; grasane — in the throat; grahāḥ — the plates known as soma plates; tu — but; te — Your; yat — that which; carvaṇam — chewing; te — Your; bhagavan — O my Lord; agni-hotram — is Your eating through Your sacrificial fire.

TRANSLATION

O Lord, Your tongue is a plate of sacrifice, Your nostril is another plate of sacrifice, in Your belly is the eating plate of sacrifice, and another plate of sacrifice is the holes of Your ears. In Your mouth is the Brahmā plate of sacrifice, Your throat is the plate of sacrifice known as soma, and whatever You chew is known as agni-hotra.

VERSE 3.13.37

dīkṣānujanmopasadaḥ śirodharaṁ
tvaṁ prāyaṇīyodayanīya-daṁṣṭraḥ
jihvā pravargyas tava śīrṣakaṁ kratoḥ
satyāvasathyaṁ citayo ’savo hi te

SYNONYMS

dīkṣā — initiation; anujanma — spiritual birth, or repeated incarnations; upasadaḥ — three kinds of desires (relationship, activities and ultimate goal); śiraḥ-dharam — the neck; tvam — You; prāyaṇīya — after the result of initiation; udayanīya — the last rites of desires; daṁṣṭraḥ — the tusks; jihvā — the tongue; pravargyaḥ — prior activities; tava — Your; śīrṣakam — head; kratoḥ — of the sacrifice; satya — fire without sacrifice; āvasathyam — fire of worship; citayaḥ — aggregate of all desires; asavaḥ — life breath; hi — certainly; te — Your.

TRANSLATION

Moreover, O Lord, the repetition of Your appearance is the desire for all kinds of initiation. Your neck is the place for three desires, and Your tusks are the result of initiation and the end of all desires. Your tongue is the prior activities of initiation, Your head is the fire without sacrifice as well as the fire of worship, and Your living forces are the aggregate of all desires.

VERSE 3.13.38

somas tu retaḥ savanāny avasthitiḥ
saṁsthā-vibhedās tava deva dhātavaḥ
satrāṇi sarvāṇi śarīra-sandhis
tvaṁ sarva-yajña-kratur iṣṭi-bandhanaḥ

SYNONYMS

somaḥ tu retaḥ — Your semen is the sacrifice called soma; savanāni — ritualistic performances of the morning; avasthitiḥ — different statuses of bodily growth; saṁsthā-vibhedāḥ — seven varieties of sacrifices; tava — Your; deva — O Lord; dhātavaḥ — ingredients of the body such as skin and flesh; satrāṇi — sacrifices performed over twelve days; sarvāṇi — all of them; śarīra — the bodily; sandhiḥ — joints; tvam — Your Lordship; sarva — all; yajña — asoma sacrifices; kratuḥ — soma sacrifices; iṣṭi — the ultimate desire; bandhanaḥ — attachment.

TRANSLATION

O Lord, Your semen is the sacrifice called soma-yajña. Your growth is the ritualistic performances of the morning. Your skin and touch sensations are the seven elements of the agniṣṭoma sacrifice. Your bodily joints are symbols of various other sacrifices performed in twelve days. Therefore You are the object of all sacrifices called soma and asoma, and You are bound by yajñas only.

VERSE 3.13.39

namo namas te ’khila-mantra-devatā-
dravyāya sarva-kratave kriyātmane
vairāgya-bhaktyātmajayānubhāvita-
jñānāya vidyā-gurave namo namaḥ

SYNONYMS

namaḥ namaḥ — obeisances unto You; te — unto You, who are worshipable; akhila — all-inclusive; mantra — hymns; devatā — the Supreme Lord; dravyāya — unto all ingredients for performing sacrifices; sarva-kratave — unto all kinds of sacrifices; kriyā-ātmane — unto You, the supreme form of all sacrifices; vairāgya — renunciation; bhaktyā — by devotional service; ātma-jaya-anubhāvita — perceivable by conquering the mind; jñānāya — such knowledge; vidyā-gurave — the supreme spiritual master of all knowledge; namaḥ namaḥ — again I offer my respectful obeisances.

TRANSLATION

O Lord, You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead and are worshipable by universal prayers, Vedic hymns and sacrificial ingredients. We offer our obeisances unto You. You can be realized by the pure mind freed from all visible and invisible material contamination. We offer our respectful obeisances to You as the supreme spiritual master of knowledge in devotional service.

VERSE 3.13.40

daṁṣṭrāgra-koṭyā bhagavaṁs tvayā dhṛtā
virājate bhūdhara bhūḥ sa-bhūdharā
yathā vanān niḥsarato datā dhṛtā
mataṅ-gajendrasya sa-patra-padminī

SYNONYMS

daṁṣṭra-agra — the tips of the tusks; koṭyā — by the edges; bhagavan — O Personality of Godhead; tvayā — by You; dhṛtā — sustained; virājate — is so beautifully situated; bhū-dhara — O lifter of the earth; bhūḥ — the earth; sa-bhūdharā — with mountains; yathā — as much as; vanāt — from the water; niḥsarataḥ — coming out; datā — by the tusk; dhṛtā — captured; matam-gajendrasya — infuriated elephant; sa-patra — with leaves; padminī — the lotus flower.

TRANSLATION

O lifter of the earth, the earth with its mountains, which You have lifted with Your tusks, is situated as beautifully as a lotus flower with leaves sustained by an infuriated elephant just coming out of the water.

VERSE 3.13.41

trayīmayaṁ rūpam idaṁ ca saukaraṁ
bhū-maṇḍalenātha datā dhṛtena te
cakāsti śṛṅgoḍha-ghanena bhūyasā
kulācalendrasya yathaiva vibhramaḥ

SYNONYMS

trayī-mayam — Vedas personified; rūpam — form; idam — this; ca — also; saukaram — the boar; bhū-maṇḍalena — by the earth planet; atha — now; datā — by the tusk; dhṛtena — sustained by; te — Your; cakāsti — is glowing; śṛṅga-ūḍha — sustained by the peaks; ghanena — by the clouds; bhūyasā — more glorified; kula-acala-indrasya — of the great mountains; yathā — as much as; eva — certainly; vibhramaḥ — decoration.

TRANSLATION

O Lord, as the peaks of great mountains become beautiful when decorated with clouds, Your transcendental body has become beautiful because of Your lifting the earth on the edge of Your tusks.

VERSE 3.13.42

saṁsthāpayaināṁ jagatāṁ sa-tasthuṣāṁ
lokāya patnīm asi mātaraṁ pitā
vidhema cāsyai namasā saha tvayā
yasyāṁ sva-tejo ’gnim ivāraṇāv adhāḥ

SYNONYMS

saṁsthāpaya enām — raise this earth; jagatām — both the moving and; sa-tasthuṣām — nonmoving; lokāya — for their residence; patnīm — wife; asi — You are; mātaram — the mother; pitā — the father; vidhema — do we offer; ca — also; asyai — unto the mother; namasā — with all obeisances; saha — along with; tvayā — with You; yasyām — in whom; sva-tejaḥ — by Your own potency; agnim — fire; iva — likened; araṇau — in the araṇi wood; adhāḥ — invested.

TRANSLATION

O Lord, for the residential purposes of all inhabitants, both moving and nonmoving, this earth is Your wife, and You are the supreme father. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You, along with mother earth, in whom You have invested Your own potency, just as an expert sacrificer puts fire in the araṇi wood.

VERSE 3.13.43

kaḥ śraddadhītānyatamas tava prabho
rasāṁ gatāyā bhuva udvibarhaṇam
na vismayo ’sau tvayi viśva-vismaye
yo māyayedaṁ sasṛje ’tivismayam

SYNONYMS

kaḥ — who else; śraddadhīta — can endeavor; anyatamaḥ — anyone besides Yourself; tava — Your; prabho — O Lord; rasām — in the water; gatāyāḥ — while lying in; bhuvaḥ — of the earth; udvibarhaṇam — deliverance; na — never; vismayaḥ — wonderful; asau — such an act; tvayi — unto You; viśva — universal; vismaye — full of wonders; yaḥ — one who; māyayā — by potencies; idam — this; sasṛje — created; ativismayam — surpassing all wonders.

TRANSLATION

Who else but You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, could deliver the earth from within the water? It is not very wonderful for You, however, because You acted most wonderfully in the creation of the universe. By Your energy You have created this wonderful cosmic manifestation.

VERSE 3.13.44

vidhunvatā vedamayaṁ nijaṁ vapur
janas-tapaḥ-satya-nivāsino vayam
saṭā-śikhoddhūta-śivāmbu-bindubhir
vimṛjyamānā bhṛśam īśa pāvitāḥ

SYNONYMS

vidhunvatā — while shaking; veda-mayam — personified Vedas; nijam — own; vapuḥ — body; janaḥ — the Janaloka planetary system; tapaḥ — the Tapoloka planetary system; satya — the Satyaloka planetary system; nivāsinaḥ — the inhabitants; vayam — we; saṭā — hairs on the shoulder; śikha-uddhūta — sustained by the tip of the hair; śiva — auspicious; ambu — water; bindubhiḥ — by the particles; vimṛjyamānāḥ — we are thus sprinkled by; bhṛśam — highly; īśa — O Supreme Lord; pāvitāḥ — purified.

TRANSLATION

O Supreme Lord, undoubtedly we are inhabitants of the most pious planets — the Jana, Tapas and Satya lokas — but still we have been purified by the drops of water sprinkled from Your shoulder hairs by the shaking of Your body.

VERSE 3.13.45

sa vai bata bhraṣṭa-matis tavaiṣate
yaḥ karmaṇāṁ pāram apāra-karmaṇaḥ
yad-yoga-māyā-guṇa-yoga-mohitaṁ
viśvaṁ samastaṁ bhagavan vidhehi śam

SYNONYMS

saḥ — he; vai — certainly; bata — alas; bhraṣṭa-matiḥ — nonsense; tava — Your; eṣate — desires; yaḥ — one who; karmaṇām — of activities; pāram — limit; apāra-karmaṇaḥ — of one who has unlimited activities; yat — by whom; yoga — mystic power; māyā — potency; guṇa — modes of material nature; yoga — mystic power; mohitam — bewildered; viśvam — the universe; samastam — in total; bhagavan — O Supreme Personality of Godhead; vidhehi — just be pleased to bestow; śam — good fortune.

TRANSLATION

O Lord, there is no limit to Your wonderful activities. Anyone who desires to know the limit of Your activities is certainly nonsensical. Everyone in this world is conditioned by the powerful mystic potencies. Please bestow Your causeless mercy upon these conditioned souls.

VERSE 3.13.46

maitreya uvāca

ity upasthīyamāno ’sau
munibhir brahma-vādibhiḥ
salile sva-khurākrānta
upādhattāvitāvanim

SYNONYMS

maitreyaḥ uvāca — the sage Maitreya said; iti — thus; upasthīyamānaḥ — being praised by; asau — Lord Boar; munibhiḥ — by the great sages; brahma-vādibhiḥ — by the transcendentalists; salile — on the water; sva-khura-ākrānte — touched by His own hooves; upādhatta — placed; avitā — the maintainer; avanim — the earth.

TRANSLATION

The sage Maitreya said: The Lord, being thus worshiped by all the great sages and transcendentalists, touched the earth with His hooves and placed it on the water.

VERSE 3.13.47

sa itthaṁ bhagavān urvīṁ
viṣvaksenaḥ prajāpatiḥ
rasāyā līlayonnītām
apsu nyasya yayau hariḥ

SYNONYMS

saḥ — He; ittham — in this manner; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; urvīm — the earth; viṣvaksenaḥ — another name of Viṣṇu; prajā-patiḥ — the Lord of the living entities; rasāyāḥ — from within the water; līlayā — very easily; unnītām — raised; apsu — on the water; nyasya — placing; yayau — returned to His own abode; hariḥ — the Personality of Godhead.

TRANSLATION

In this manner the Personality of Godhead, Lord Viṣṇu, the maintainer of all living entities, raised the earth from within the water, and having placed it afloat on the water, He returned to His own abode.

VERSE 3.13.48

ya evam etāṁ hari-medhaso hareḥ
kathāṁ subhadrāṁ kathanīya-māyinaḥ
śṛṇvīta bhaktyā śravayeta vośatīṁ
janārdano ’syāśu hṛdi prasīdati

SYNONYMS

yaḥ — one who; evam — thus; etām — this; hari-medhasaḥ — who destroys the material existence of the devotee; hareḥ — of the Personality of Godhead; kathām — narration; su-bhadrām — auspicious; kathanīya — worthy to narrate; māyinaḥ — of the merciful by His internal potency; śṛṇvīta — hears; bhaktyā — in devotion; śravayeta — also allows others to hear; — either; uśatīm — very pleasing; janārdanaḥ — the Lord; asya — his; āśu — very soon; hṛdi — within the heart; prasīdati — becomes very pleased.

TRANSLATION

If one hears and describes in a devotional service attitude this auspicious narration of Lord Boar, which is worthy of description, the Lord, who is within the heart of everyone, is very pleased.

VERSE 3.13.49

tasmin prasanne sakalāśiṣāṁ prabhau
kiṁ durlabhaṁ tābhir alaṁ lavātmabhiḥ
ananya-dṛṣṭyā bhajatāṁ guhāśayaḥ
svayaṁ vidhatte sva-gatiṁ paraḥ parām

SYNONYMS

tasmin — unto Him; prasanne — being pleased; sakala-āśiṣām — of all benediction; prabhau — unto the Lord; kim — what is that; durlabham — very difficult to obtain; tābhiḥ — with them; alam — away; lava-ātmabhiḥ — with insignificant gains; ananya-dṛṣṭyā — by nothing but devotional service; bhajatām — of those who are engaged in devotional service; guhā-āśayaḥ — residing within the heart; svayam — personally; vidhatte — executes; sva-gatim — in His own abode; paraḥ — the supreme; parām — transcendental.

TRANSLATION

Nothing remains unachieved when the Supreme Personality of Godhead is pleased with someone. By transcendental achievement one understands everything else to be insignificant. One who engages in transcendental loving service is elevated to the highest perfectional stage by the Lord Himself, who is seated in everyone’s heart.

VERSE 3.13.50

ko nāma loke puruṣārtha-sāravit
purā-kathānāṁ bhagavat-kathā-sudhām
āpīya karṇāñjalibhir bhavāpahām
aho virajyeta vinā naretaram

SYNONYMS

kaḥ — who; nāma — indeed; loke — in the world; puruṣa-artha — goal of life; sāra-vit — one who knows the essence of; purā-kathānām — of all past histories; bhagavat — regarding the Personality of Godhead; kathā-sudhām — the nectar of the narrations about the Personality of Godhead; āpīya — by drinking; karṇa-añjalibhiḥ — by aural reception; bhava-apahām — that which kills all material pangs; aho — alas; virajyeta — could refuse; vinā — except; nara-itaram — other than the human being.

TRANSLATION

Who, other than one who is not a human being, can exist in this world and not be interested in the ultimate goal of life? Who can refuse the nectar of narrations about the Personality of Godhead’s activities, which by itself can deliver one from all material pangs?