Śrīmad Bhāgavatam |Canto 4 Chapter 7

The Sacrifice Performed by Dakṣa

VERSE 4.7.1

maitreya uvāca

ity ajenānunītena
bhavena parituṣyatā
abhyadhāyi mahā-bāho
prahasya śrūyatām iti

SYNONYMS

maitreyaḥ — Maitreya; uvāca — said; iti — thus; ajena — by Lord Brahmā; anunītena — pacified; bhavena — by Lord Śiva; parituṣyatā — fully satisfied; abhyadhāyi — said; mahā-bāho — O Vidura; prahasya — smiling; śrūyatām — listen; iti — thus.

TRANSLATION

The sage Maitreya said: O mighty-armed Vidura, Lord Śiva, being thus pacified by the words of Lord Brahmā, spoke as follows in answer to Lord Brahmā’s request.

VERSE 4.7.2

mahādeva uvāca

nāghaṁ prajeśa bālānāṁ
varṇaye nānucintaye
deva-māyābhibhūtānāṁ
daṇḍas tatra dhṛto mayā

SYNONYMS

mahādevaḥ — Lord Śiva; uvāca — said; na — not; agham — offense; prajā-īśa — O lord of created beings; bālānām — of the children; varṇaye — I regard; na — not; anucintaye — I consider; deva-māyā — the external energy of the Lord; abhibhūtānām — of those deluded by; daṇḍaḥ — rod; tatra — there; dhṛtaḥ — used; mayā — by me.

TRANSLATION

Lord Śiva said: My dear father, Brahmā, I do not mind the offenses created by the demigods. Because these demigods are childish and less intelligent, I do not take a serious view of their offenses, and I have punished them only in order to right them.

VERSE 4.7.3

prajāpater dagdha-śīrṣṇo
bhavatv aja-mukhaṁ śiraḥ
mitrasya cakṣuṣekṣeta
bhāgaṁ svaṁ barhiṣo bhagaḥ

SYNONYMS

prajāpateḥ — of Prajāpati Dakṣa; dagdha-śīrṣṇaḥ — whose head has been burned to ashes; bhavatu — let there be; aja-mukham — with the face of a goat; śiraḥ — a head; mitrasya — of Mitra; cakṣuṣā — through the eyes; īkṣeta — may see; bhāgam — share; svam — his own; barhiṣaḥ — of the sacrifice; bhagaḥ — Bhaga.

TRANSLATION

Lord Śiva continued: Since the head of Dakṣa has already been burned to ashes, he will have the head of a goat. The demigod known as Bhaga will be able to see his share of sacrifice through the eyes of Mitra.

VERSE 4.7.4

pūṣā tu yajamānasya
dadbhir jakṣatu piṣṭa-bhuk
devāḥ prakṛta-sarvāṅgā
ye ma uccheṣaṇaṁ daduḥ

SYNONYMS

pūṣā — Pūṣā; tu — but; yajamānasya — of the performer of the sacrifice; dadbhiḥ — with the teeth; jakṣatu — chew; piṣṭa-bhuk — eating flour; devāḥ — the demigods; prakṛta — made; sarva-aṅgāḥ — complete; ye — who; me — unto me; uccheṣaṇam — a share of the sacrifice; daduḥ — gave.

TRANSLATION

The demigod Pūṣā will be able to chew only through the teeth of his disciples, and if alone, he will have to satisfy himself by eating dough made from chickpea flour. But the demigods who have agreed to give me my share of the sacrifice will recover from all their injuries.

VERSE 4.7.5

bāhubhyām aśvinoḥ pūṣṇo
hastābhyāṁ kṛta-bāhavaḥ
bhavantv adhvaryavaś cānye
basta-śmaśrur bhṛgur bhavet

SYNONYMS

bāhubhyām — with two arms; aśvinoḥ — of Aśvinī-kumāra; pūṣṇaḥ — of Pūṣā; hastābhyām — with two hands; kṛta-bāhavaḥ — those in need of arms; bhavantu — they will have to; adhvaryavaḥ — the priests; ca — and; anye — others; basta-śmaśruḥ — the beard of the goat; bhṛguḥ — Bhṛgu; bhavet — he may have.

TRANSLATION

Those who have had their arms cut off will have to work with the arms of Aśvinī-kumāra, and those whose hands were cut off will have to do their work with the hands of Pūṣā. The priests will also have to act in that manner. As for Bhṛgu, he will have the beard from the goat’s head.

VERSE 4.7.6

maitreya uvāca

tadā sarvāṇi bhūtāni
śrutvā mīḍhuṣṭamoditam
parituṣṭātmabhis tāta
sādhu sādhv ity athābruvan

SYNONYMS

maitreyaḥ — the sage Maitreya; uvāca — said; tadā — at that time; sarvāṇi — all; bhūtāni — personalities; śrutvā — after hearing; mīḍhuṣtama — the best of the benedictors (Lord Śiva); uditam — spoken by; parituṣṭa — being satisfied; ātmabhiḥ — by heart and soul; tāta — my dear Vidura; sādhu sādhu — well done, well done; iti — thus; atha abruvan — as we have said.

TRANSLATION

The great sage Maitreya said: My dear Vidura, all the personalities present were very much satisfied in heart and soul upon hearing the words of Lord Śiva, who is the best among the benedictors.

VERSE 4.7.7

tato mīḍhvāṁsam āmantrya
śunāsīrāḥ saharṣibhiḥ
bhūyas tad deva-yajanaṁ
sa-mīḍhvad-vedhaso yayuḥ

SYNONYMS

tataḥ — thereafter; mīḍhvāṁsam — Lord Śiva; āmantrya — inviting; śunāsīrāḥ — the demigods headed by King Indra; saha ṛṣibhiḥ — with all the great sages, headed by Bhṛgu; bhūyaḥ — again; tat — that; deva-yajanam — place where the demigods are worshiped; sa-mīḍhvat — with Lord Śiva; vedhasaḥ — with Lord Brahmā; yayuḥ — went.

TRANSLATION

Thereafter, Bhṛgu, the chief of the great sages, invited Lord Śiva to come to the sacrificial arena. Thus the demigods, accompanied by the sages, Lord Śiva, and Lord Brahmā, all went to the place where the great sacrifice was being performed.

VERSE 4.7.8

vidhāya kārtsnyena ca tad
yad āha bhagavān bhavaḥ
sandadhuḥ kasya kāyena
savanīya-paśoḥ śiraḥ

SYNONYMS

vidhāya — executing; kārtsnyena — all in all; ca — also; tat — that; yat — which; āha — was said; bhagavān — the Lord; bhavaḥ — Śiva; sandadhuḥ — executed; kasya — of the living (Dakṣa); kāyena — with the body; savanīya — meant for sacrifice; paśoḥ — of the animal; śiraḥ — head.

TRANSLATION

After everything was executed exactly as directed by Lord Śiva, Dakṣa’s body was joined to the head of the animal meant to be killed in the sacrifice.

VERSE 4.7.9

sandhīyamāne śirasi
dakṣo rudrābhivīkṣitaḥ
sadyaḥ supta ivottasthau
dadṛśe cāgrato mṛḍam

SYNONYMS

sandhīyamāne — being executed; śirasi — by the head; dakṣaḥ — King Dakṣa; rudra-abhivīkṣitaḥ — having been seen by Rudra (Lord Śiva); sadyaḥ — immediately; supte — sleeping; iva — like; uttasthau — awakened; dadṛśe — saw; ca — also; agrataḥ — in front; mṛḍam — Lord Śiva.

TRANSLATION

When the animal’s head was fixed on the body of King Dakṣa, Dakṣa was immediately brought to consciousness, and as he awakened from sleep, the King saw Lord Śiva standing before him.

VERSE 4.7.10

tadā vṛṣadhvaja-dveṣa-
kalilātmā prajāpatiḥ
śivāvalokād abhavac
charad-dhrada ivāmalaḥ

SYNONYMS

tadā — at that time; vṛṣa-dhvaja — Lord Śiva, who rides on a bull; dveṣa — envy; kalila-ātmā — polluted heart; prajāpatiḥ — King Dakṣa; śiva — Lord Śiva; avalokāt — by seeing him; abhavat — became; śarat — in the autumn; hradaḥ — lake; iva — like; amalaḥ — cleansed.

TRANSLATION

At that time, when Dakṣa saw Lord Śiva, who rides upon a bull, his heart, which was polluted by envy of Lord Śiva, was immediately cleansed, just as the water in a lake is cleansed by autumn rains.

VERSE 4.7.11

bhava-stavāya kṛta-dhīr
nāśaknod anurāgataḥ
autkaṇṭhyād bāṣpa-kalayā
samparetāṁ sutāṁ smaran

SYNONYMS

bhava-stavāya — for praying to Lord Śiva; kṛta-dhīḥ — although decided; na — never; aśaknot — was able; anurāgataḥ — by feeling; autkaṇṭhyāt — because of eagerness; bāṣpa-kalayā — with tears in the eyes; samparetām — dead; sutām — daughter; smaran — remembering.

TRANSLATION

King Dakṣa wanted to offer prayers to Lord Śiva, but as he remembered the ill-fated death of his daughter Satī, his eyes filled with tears, and in bereavement his voice choked up and he could not say anything.

VERSE 4.7.12

kṛcchrāt saṁstabhya ca manaḥ
prema-vihvalitaḥ sudhīḥ
śaśaṁsa nirvyalīkena
bhāveneśaṁ prajāpatiḥ

SYNONYMS

kṛcchrāt — with great endeavor; saṁstabhya — pacifying; ca — also; manaḥ — mind; prema-vihvalitaḥ — bewildered by love and affection; su-dhīḥ — one who has come to his real senses; śaśaṁsa — praised; nirvyalīkena — without duplicity, or with great love; bhāvena — in feeling; īśam — to Lord Śiva; prajāpatiḥ — King Dakṣa.

TRANSLATION

At this time, King Dakṣa, afflicted by love and affection, was very much awakened to his real senses. With great endeavor, he pacified his mind, checked his feelings, and with pure consciousness began to offer prayers to Lord Śiva.

VERSE 4.7.13

dakṣa uvāca

bhūyān anugraha aho bhavatā kṛto me
daṇḍas tvayā mayi bhṛto yad api pralabdhaḥ
na brahma-bandhuṣu ca vāṁ bhagavann avajñā
tubhyaṁ hareś ca kuta eva dhṛta-vrateṣu

SYNONYMS

dakṣaḥ — King Dakṣa; uvāca — said; bhūyān — very great; anugrahaḥ — favor; aho — alas; bhavatā — by you; kṛtaḥ — done; me — upon me; daṇḍaḥ — punishment; tvayā — by you; mayi — unto me; bhṛtaḥ — done; yat api — although; pralabdhaḥ — defeated; na — neither; brahma-bandhuṣu — unto an unqualified brāhmaṇa; ca — also; vām — both of you; bhagavan — my lord; avajñā — negligence; tubhyam — of you; hareḥ ca — of Lord Viṣṇu; kutaḥ — where; eva — certainly; dhṛta-vrateṣu — one who is engaged in the performance of sacrifice.

TRANSLATION

King Dakṣa said: My dear Lord Śiva, I committed a great offense against you, but you are so kind that instead of withdrawing your mercy, you have done me a great favor by punishing me. You and Lord Viṣṇu never neglect even useless, unqualified brāhmaṇas. Why, then, should you neglect me, who am engaged in performing sacrifices?

VERSE 4.7.14

vidyā-tapo-vrata-dharān mukhataḥ sma viprān
brahmātma-tattvam avituṁ prathamaṁ tvam asrāk
tad brāhmaṇān parama sarva-vipatsu pāsi
pālaḥ paśūn iva vibho pragṛhīta-daṇḍaḥ

SYNONYMS

vidyā — learning; tapaḥ — austerities; vrata — vows; dharān — the followers; mukhataḥ — from the mouth; sma — was; viprān — the brāhmaṇas; brahmā — Lord Brahmā; ātma-tattvam — self-realization; avitum — to disseminate; prathamam — first; tvam — you; asrāk — created; tat — therefore; brāhmaṇān — the brāhmaṇas; parama — O great one; sarva — all; vipatsu — in dangers; pāsi — you protect; pālaḥ — like the protector; paśūn — the animals; iva — like; vibho — O great one; pragṛhīta — taking in hand; daṇḍaḥ — a stick.

TRANSLATION

My dear great and powerful Lord Śiva, you were created first from the mouth of Lord Brahmā in order to protect the brāhmaṇas in pursuing education, austerities, vows and self-realization. As protector of the brāhmaṇas, you always protect the regulative principles they follow, just as a cowherd boy keeps a stick in his hand to give protection to the cows.

VERSE 4.7.15

yo ’sau mayāvidita-tattva-dṛśā sabhāyāṁ
kṣipto durukti-viśikhair vigaṇayya tan mām
arvāk patantam arhattama-nindayāpād
dṛṣṭyārdrayā sa bhagavān sva-kṛtena tuṣyet

SYNONYMS

yaḥ — who; asau — that; mayā — by me; avidita-tattva — without knowing the actual fact; dṛśā — by experience; sabhāyām — in the assembly; kṣiptaḥ — was abused; durukti — unkind words; viśikhaiḥ — by the arrows of; vigaṇayya — taking no notice of; tat — that; mām — me; arvāk — downwards; patantam — gliding down to hell; arhat-tama — the most respectable; nindayā — by defamation; apāt — saved; dṛṣṭyā — seeing; ārdrayā — out of compassion; saḥ — that; bhagavān — Your Lordship; sva-kṛtena — by your own mercy; tuṣyet — be satisfied.

TRANSLATION

I did not know your full glories. For this reason, I threw arrows of sharp words at you in the open assembly, although you did not take them into account. I was going down to hell because of my disobedience to you, who are the most respectable personality, but you took compassion upon me and saved me by awarding punishment. I request that you be pleased by your own mercy, since I cannot satisfy you by my words.

VERSE 4.7.16

maitreya uvāca

kṣamāpyaivaṁ sa mīḍhvāṁsaṁ
brahmaṇā cānumantritaḥ
karma santānayām āsa
sopādhyāyartvig-ādibhiḥ

SYNONYMS

maitreyaḥ — the sage Maitreya; uvāca — said; kṣamā — forgiveness; āpya — receiving; evam — thus; saḥ — King Dakṣa; mīḍhvāṁsam — unto Lord Śiva; brahmaṇā — along with Lord Brahmā; ca — also; anumantritaḥ — being permitted; karma — the sacrifice; santānayām āsa — began again; sa — along with; upādhyāya — learned sages; ṛtvik — the priests; ādibhiḥ — and others.

TRANSLATION

The great sage Maitreya said: Thus being pardoned by Lord Śiva, King Dakṣa, with the permission of Lord Brahmā, again began the performance of the yajña, along with the great learned sages, the priests and others.

VERSE 4.7.17

vaiṣṇavaṁ yajña-santatyai
tri-kapālaṁ dvijottamāḥ
puroḍāśaṁ niravapan
vīra-saṁsarga-śuddhaye

SYNONYMS

vaiṣṇavam — meant for Lord Viṣṇu or His devotees; yajña — sacrifice; santatyai — for performances; tri-kapālam — three kinds of offerings; dvija-uttamāḥ — the best of the brāhmaṇas; puroḍāśam — the oblation called puroḍāśa; niravapan — offered; vīra — Vīrabhadra and other followers of Lord Śiva; saṁsarga — contamination (doṣa) due to his touching; śuddhaye — for purification.

TRANSLATION

Thereafter, in order to resume the activities of sacrifice, the brāhmaṇas first arranged to purify the sacrificial arena of the contamination caused by the touch of Vīrabhadra and the other ghostly followers of Lord Śiva. Then they arranged to offer into the fire the oblations known as puroḍāśa.

VERSE 4.7.18

adhvaryuṇātta-haviṣā
yajamāno viśāmpate
dhiyā viśuddhayā dadhyau
tathā prādurabhūd dhariḥ

SYNONYMS

adhvaryuṇā — with the Yajur Veda; ātta — taking; haviṣā — with clarified butter; yajamānaḥ — King Dakṣa; viśām-pate — O Vidura; dhiyā — in meditation; viśuddhayā — sanctified; dadhyau — offered; tathā — immediately; prāduḥ — manifest; abhūt — became; hariḥ — Hari, the Lord.

TRANSLATION

The great sage Maitreya said to Vidura: My dear Vidura, as soon as King Dakṣa offered the clarified butter with Yajur Veda mantras in sanctified meditation, Lord Viṣṇu appeared there in His original form as Nārāyaṇa.

VERSE 4.7.19

tadā sva-prabhayā teṣāṁ
dyotayantyā diśo daśa
muṣṇaṁs teja upānītas
tārkṣyeṇa stotra-vājinā

SYNONYMS

tadā — at that time; sva-prabhayā — by His own effulgence; teṣām — all of them; dyotayantyā — by brightness; diśaḥ — directions; daśa — ten; muṣṇan — diminishing; tejaḥ — effulgence; upānītaḥ — brought; tārkṣyeṇa — by Garuḍa; stotra-vājinā — whose wings are called Bṛhat and Rathantara.

TRANSLATION

Lord Nārāyaṇa was seated on the shoulder of Stotra, or Garuḍa, who had big wings. As soon as the Lord appeared, all directions were illuminated, diminishing the luster of Brahmā and the others present.

VERSE 4.7.20

śyāmo hiraṇya-raśano ’rka-kirīṭa-juṣṭo
nīlālaka-bhramara-maṇḍita-kuṇḍalāsyaḥ
śaṅkhābja-cakra-śara-cāpa-gadāsi-carma-
vyagrair hiraṇmaya-bhujair iva karṇikāraḥ

SYNONYMS

śyāmaḥ — blackish; hiraṇya-raśanaḥ — a garment like gold; arka-kirīṭa-juṣṭaḥ — with a helmet as dazzling as the sun; nīla-alaka — bluish curls; bhramara — big black bees; maṇḍita-kuṇḍala-āsyaḥ — having a face decorated with earrings; śaṅkha — conchshell; abja — lotus flower; cakra — wheel; śara — arrows; cāpa — bow; gadā — club; asi — sword; carma — shield; vyagraiḥ — filled with; hiraṇmaya — golden (bracelets and bangles); bhujaiḥ — with hands; iva — as; karṇikāraḥ — flower tree.

TRANSLATION

His complexion was blackish, His garment yellow like gold, and His helmet as dazzling as the sun. His hair was bluish, the color of black bees, and His face was decorated with earrings. His eight hands held a conchshell, wheel, club, lotus flower, arrow, bow, shield and sword, and they were decorated with golden ornaments such as bangles and bracelets. His whole body resembled a blossoming tree beautifully decorated with various kinds of flowers.

VERSE 4.7.21

vakṣasy adhiśrita-vadhūr vana-māly udāra-
hāsāvaloka-kalayā ramayaṁś ca viśvam
pārśva-bhramad-vyajana-cāmara-rāja-haṁsaḥ
śvetātapatra-śaśinopari rajyamānaḥ

SYNONYMS

vakṣasi — on the chest; adhiśrita — situated; vadhūḥ — a woman (the goddess of fortune, Lakṣmī); vana-mālī — garlanded with forest flowers; udāra — beautiful; hāsa — smiling; avaloka — glance; kalayā — with a small part; ramayan — pleasing; ca — and; viśvam — the whole world; pārśva — side; bhramat — moving back and forth; vyajana-cāmara — white yak-tail hair for fanning; rāja-haṁsaḥ — swan; śveta-ātapatra-śaśinā — with a white canopy like the moon; upari — above; rajyamānaḥ — looking beautiful.

TRANSLATION

Lord Viṣṇu looked extraordinarily beautiful because the goddess of fortune and a garland were situated on His chest. His face was beautifully decorated with a smiling attitude which can captivate the entire world, especially the devotees. Fans of white hair appeared on both sides of the Lord like white swans, and the white canopy overhead looked like the moon.

VERSE 4.7.22

tam upāgatam ālakṣya
sarve sura-gaṇādayaḥ
praṇemuḥ sahasotthāya
brahmendra-tryakṣa-nāyakāḥ

SYNONYMS

tam — Him; upāgatam — arrived; ālakṣya — after seeing; sarve — all; sura-gaṇa-ādayaḥ — the demigods and others; praṇemuḥ — obeisances; sahasā — immediately; utthāya — after standing up; brahma — Lord Brahmā; indra — Lord Indra; tri-akṣa — Lord Śiva (who has three eyes); nāyakāḥ — led by.

TRANSLATION

As soon as Lord Viṣṇu was visible, all the demigods — Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva, the Gandharvas and all present there — immediately offered their respectful obeisances by falling down straight before Him.

VERSE 4.7.23

tat-tejasā hata-rucaḥ
sanna-jihvāḥ sa-sādhvasāḥ
mūrdhnā dhṛtāñjali-puṭā
upatasthur adhokṣajam

SYNONYMS

tat-tejasā — by the glaring effulgence of His body; hata-rucaḥ — having faded lusters; sanna-jihvāḥ — having silent tongues; sa-sādhvasāḥ — having fear of Him; mūrdhnā — with the head; dhṛta-añjali-puṭāḥ — with hands touched to the head; upatasthuḥ — prayed; adhokṣajam — to Adhokṣaja, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

TRANSLATION

In the presence of the glaring effulgence of the bodily luster of Nārāyaṇa, everyone else’s luster faded away, and everyone stopped speaking. Fearful with awe and veneration, all present touched their hands to their heads and prepared to offer their prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Adhokṣaja.

VERSE 4.7.24

apy arvāg-vṛttayo yasya
mahi tv ātmabhuv-ādayaḥ
yathā-mati gṛṇanti sma
kṛtānugraha-vigraham

SYNONYMS

api — still; arvāk-vṛttayaḥ — beyond the mental activities; yasya — whose; mahi — glory; tu — but; ātmabhū-ādayaḥ — Brahmā, etc; yathā-mati — according to their different capacities; gṛṇanti sma — offered prayers; kṛta-anugraha — manifested by His grace; vigraham — transcendental form.

TRANSLATION

Although the mental scope of even demigods like Brahmā was unable to comprehend the unlimited glories of the Supreme Lord, they were all able to perceive the transcendental form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by His grace. Only by such grace could they offer their respectful prayers according to their different capacities.

VERSE 4.7.25

dakṣo gṛhītārhaṇa-sādanottamaṁ
yajñeśvaraṁ viśva-sṛjāṁ paraṁ gurum
sunanda-nandādy-anugair vṛtaṁ mudā
gṛṇan prapede prayataḥ kṛtāñjaliḥ

SYNONYMS

dakṣaḥ — Dakṣa; gṛhīta — accepted; arhaṇa — rightful; sādana-uttamam — sacrificial vessel; yajña-īśvaram — unto the master of all sacrifices; viśva-sṛjām — of all the Prajāpatis; param — the supreme; gurum — preceptor; sunanda-nanda-ādi-anugaiḥ — by associates like Sunanda and Nanda; vṛtam — surrounded; mudā — with great pleasure; gṛṇan — offering respectful prayers; prapede — took shelter; prayataḥ — having a subdued mind; kṛta-añjaliḥ — with folded hands.

TRANSLATION

When Lord Viṣṇu accepted the oblations offered in the sacrifice, Dakṣa, the Prajāpati, began with great pleasure to offer respectful prayers unto Him. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is actually the master of all sacrifices and preceptor of all the Prajāpatis, and He is served even by such personalities as Nanda and Sunanda.

VERSE 4.7.26

dakṣa uvāca

śuddhaṁ sva-dhāmny uparatākhila-buddhy-avasthaṁ
cin-mātram ekam abhayaṁ pratiṣidhya māyām
tiṣṭhaṁs tayaiva puruṣatvam upetya tasyām
āste bhavān apariśuddha ivātma-tantraḥ

SYNONYMS

dakṣaḥ — Dakṣa; uvāca — said; śuddham — pure; sva-dhāmni — in Your own abode; uparata-akhila — completely turned back; buddhi-avastham — position of mental speculation; cit-mātram — completely spiritual; ekam — one without a second; abhayam — fearless; pratiṣidhya — controlling; māyām — material energy; tiṣṭhan — being situated; tayā — with her (Māyā); eva — certainly; puruṣatvam — overseer; upetya — entering into; tasyām — in her; āste — is present; bhavān — Your Lordship; apariśuddhaḥ — impure; iva — as if; ātma-tantraḥ — self-sufficient.

TRANSLATION

Dakṣa addressed the Supreme Personality of Godhead: My dear Lord, You are transcendental to all speculative positions. You are completely spiritual, devoid of all fear, and You are always in control of the material energy. Even though You appear in the material energy, You are situated transcendentally. You are always free from material contamination because You are completely self-sufficient.

VERSE 4.7.27

ṛtvija ūcuḥ

tattvaṁ na te vayam anañjana rudra-śāpāt
karmaṇy avagraha-dhiyo bhagavan vidāmaḥ
dharmopalakṣaṇam idaṁ trivṛd adhvarākhyaṁ
jñātaṁ yad-artham adhidaivam ado vyavasthāḥ

SYNONYMS

ṛtvijaḥ — the priests; ūcuḥ — began to say; tattvam — truth; na — not; te — of Your Lordship; vayam — all of us; anañjana — without material contamination; rudra — Lord Śiva; śāpāt — by his curse; karmaṇi — in fruitive activities; avagraha — being too much attached; dhiyaḥ — of such intelligence; bhagavan — O Lord; vidāmaḥ — know; dharma — religion; upalakṣaṇam — symbolized; idam — this; tri-vṛt — the three departments of knowledge of the Vedas; adhvara — sacrifice; ākhyam — of the name; jñātam — known to us; yat — that; artham — for the matter of; adhidaivam — for worshiping the demigods; adaḥ — this; vyavasthāḥ — arrangement.

TRANSLATION

The priests addressed the Lord, saying: O Lord, transcendental to material contamination, by the curse offered by Lord Śiva’s men we have become attached to fruitive activities, and thus we are now fallen and therefore do not know anything about You. On the contrary, we are now involved in the injunctions of the three departments of the Vedic knowledge under the plea of executing rituals in the name of yajña. We know that You have made arrangements for distributing the respective shares of the demigods.

VERSE 4.7.28

sadasyā ūcuḥ

utpatty-adhvany aśaraṇa uru-kleśa-durge ’ntakogra-
vyālānviṣṭe viṣaya-mṛga-tṛṣy ātma-gehoru-bhāraḥ
dvandva-śvabhre khala-mṛga-bhaye śoka-dāve ’jña-sārthaḥ
pādaukas te śaraṇada kadā yāti kāmopasṛṣṭaḥ

SYNONYMS

sadasyāḥ — the members of the assembly; ūcuḥ — said; utpatti — repeated birth and death; adhvani — on the path of; aśaraṇe — not having a place to take shelter; uru — great; kleśa — troublesome; durge — in the formidable fort; antaka — termination; ugra — ferocious; vyāla — snakes; anviṣṭe — being infested with; viṣaya — material happiness; mṛga-tṛṣi — mirage; ātma — body; geha — home; uru — heavy; bhāraḥ — burden; dvandva — dual; śvabhre — holes, ditches of so-called happiness and distress; khala — ferocious; mṛga — animals; bhaye — being afraid of; śoka-dāve — the forest fire of lamentation; ajña-sa-arthaḥ — for the interest of the rascals; pāda-okaḥ — shelter of Your lotus feet; te — unto You; śaraṇa-da — giving shelter; kadā — when; yāti — went; kāma-upasṛṣṭaḥ — being afflicted by all sorts of desires.

TRANSLATION

The members of the assembly addressed the Lord: O exclusive shelter for all who are situated in troubled life, in this formidable fort of conditional existence the time element, like a snake, is always looking for an opportunity to strike. This world is full of ditches of so-called distress and happiness, and there are many ferocious animals always ready to attack. The fire of lamentation is always blazing, and the mirage of false happiness is always alluring, but one has no shelter from them. Thus foolish persons live in the cycle of birth and death, always overburdened in discharging their so-called duties, and we do not know when they will accept the shelter of Your lotus feet.

VERSE 4.7.29

rudra uvāca

tava varada varāṅghrāv āśiṣehākhilārthe
hy api munibhir asaktair ādareṇārhaṇīye
yadi racita-dhiyaṁ māvidya-loko ’paviddhaṁ
japati na gaṇaye tat tvat-parānugraheṇa

SYNONYMS

rudraḥ uvāca — Lord Śiva said; tava — Your; vara-da — O supreme benefactor; vara-aṅghrau — precious lotus feet; āśiṣā — by desire; iha — in the material world; akhila-arthe — for fulfillment; hi api — certainly; munibhiḥ — by the sages; asaktaiḥ — liberated; ādareṇa — with care; arhaṇīye — worshipable; yadi — if; racita-dhiyam — mind fixed; — me; avidya-lokaḥ — the ignorant persons; apaviddham — unpurified activity; japati — utters; na gaṇaye — do not value; tat — it; tvat-para-anugraheṇa — by compassion like Yours.

TRANSLATION

Lord Śiva said: My dear Lord, my mind and consciousness are always fixed on Your lotus feet, which, as the source of all benediction and the fulfillment of all desires, are worshiped by all liberated great sages because Your lotus feet are worthy of worship. With my mind fixed on Your lotus feet, I am no longer disturbed by persons who blaspheme me, claiming that my activities are not purified. I do not mind their accusations, and I excuse them out of compassion, just as You exhibit compassion toward all living entities.

VERSE 4.7.30

bhṛgur uvāca

yan māyayā gahanayāpahṛtātma-bodhā
brahmādayas tanu-bhṛtas tamasi svapantaḥ
nātman-śritaṁ tava vidanty adhunāpi tattvaṁ
so ’yaṁ prasīdatu bhavān praṇatātma-bandhuḥ

SYNONYMS

bhṛguḥ uvāca — Śrī Bhṛgu said; yat — who; māyayā — by illusory energy; gahanayā — insurmountable; apahṛta — stolen; ātma-bodhāḥ — knowledge of the constitutional position; brahma-ādayaḥ — Lord Brahmā, etc; tanu-bhṛtaḥ — embodied living entities; tamasi — in the darkness of illusion; svapantaḥ — lying down; na — not; ātman — in the living entity; śritam — situated in; tava — Your; vidanti — understand; adhunā — now; api — certainly; tattvam — absolute position; saḥ — You; ayam — this; prasīdatu — be kind; bhavān — Your Lordship; praṇata-ātma — surrendered soul; bandhuḥ — friend.

TRANSLATION

Śrī Bhṛgu said: My dear Lord, all living entities, beginning from the highest, namely Lord Brahmā, down to the ordinary ant, are under the influence of the insurmountable spell of illusory energy, and thus they are ignorant of their constitutional position. Everyone believes in the concept of the body, and all are thus submerged in the darkness of illusion. They are actually unable to understand how You live in every living entity as the Supersoul, nor can they understand Your absolute position. But You are the eternal friend and protector of all surrendered souls. Therefore, please be kind toward us and forgive all our offenses.

VERSE 4.7.31

brahmovāca

naitat svarūpaṁ bhavato ’sau padārtha-
bheda-grahaiḥ puruṣo yāvad īkṣet
jñānasya cārthasya guṇasya cāśrayo
māyāmayād vyatirikto matas tvam

SYNONYMS

brahmā uvāca — Lord Brahmā said; na — not; etat — this; svarūpam — eternal form; bhavataḥ — Your; asau — that other; pada-artha — knowledge; bheda — different; grahaiḥ — by the acquiring; puruṣaḥ — person; yāvat — as long as; īkṣet — wants to see; jñānasya — of knowledge; ca — also; arthasya — of the objective; guṇasya — of the instruments of knowledge; ca — also; āśrayaḥ — the basis; māyā-mayāt — from being made of material energy; vyatiriktaḥ — distinct; mataḥ — regarded; tvam — You.

TRANSLATION

Lord Brahmā said: My dear Lord, Your personality and eternal form cannot be understood by any person who is trying to know You through the different processes of acquiring knowledge. Your position is always transcendental to the material creation, whereas the empiric attempt to understand You is material, as are its objectives and instruments.

VERSE 4.7.32

indra uvāca

idam apy acyuta viśva-bhāvanaṁ
vapur ānanda-karaṁ mano-dṛśām
sura-vidviṭ-kṣapaṇair udāyudhair
bhuja-daṇḍair upapannam aṣṭabhiḥ

SYNONYMS

indraḥ uvāca — King Indra said; idam — this; api — certainly; acyuta — O infallible one; viśva-bhāvanam — for the welfare of the universe; vapuḥ — transcendental form; ānanda-karam — a cause of pleasure; manaḥ-dṛśām — to the mind and the eye; sura-vidviṭ — envious of Your devotees; kṣapaṇaiḥ — by punishment; ud-āyudhaiḥ — with uplifted weapons; bhuja-daṇḍaiḥ — with arms; upapannam — possessed of; aṣṭabhiḥ — with eight.

TRANSLATION

King Indra said: My dear Lord, Your transcendental form with eight hands and weapons in each of them appears for the welfare of the entire universe, and it is very pleasing to the mind and eyes. In such a form, Your Lordship is always prepared to punish the demons, who are envious of Your devotees.

VERSE 4.7.33

patnya ūcuḥ

yajño ’yaṁ tava yajanāya kena sṛṣṭo
vidhvastaḥ paśupatinādya dakṣa-kopāt
taṁ nas tvaṁ śava-śayanābha-śānta-medhaṁ
yajñātman nalina-rucā dṛśā punīhi

SYNONYMS

patnyaḥ ūcuḥ — the wives of the executors of the sacrifice said; yajñaḥ — the sacrifice; ayam — this; tava — Your; yajanāya — worshiping; kena — by Brahmā; sṛṣṭaḥ — arranged; vidhvastaḥ — devastated; paśupatinā — by Lord Śiva; adya — today; dakṣa-kopāt — from anger at Dakṣa; tam — it; naḥ — our; tvam — You; śava-śayana — dead bodies; ābha — like; śānta-medham — the still sacrificial animals; yajña-ātman — O Lord of sacrifice; nalina — lotus; rucā — beautiful; dṛśā — by the vision of Your eyes; punīhi — sanctify.

TRANSLATION

The wives of the performers of the sacrifice said: My dear Lord, this sacrifice was arranged under the instruction of Brahmā, but unfortunately Lord Śiva, being angry at Dakṣa, devastated the entire scene, and because of his anger the animals meant for sacrifice are lying dead. Therefore the preparations of the yajña have been lost. Now, by the glance of Your lotus eyes, the sanctity of this sacrificial arena may be again invoked.

VERSE 4.7.34

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ

ananvitaṁ te bhagavan viceṣṭitaṁ
yad ātmanā carasi hi karma nājyase
vibhūtaye yata upasedur īśvarīṁ
na manyate svayam anuvartatīṁ bhavān

SYNONYMS

ṛṣayaḥ — the sages; ūcuḥ — prayed; ananvitam — wonderful; te — Your; bhagavan — O possessor of all opulences; viceṣṭitam — activities; yat — which; ātmanā — by Your potencies; carasi — You execute; hi — certainly; karma — to such activities; na ajyase — You are not attached; vibhūtaye — for her mercy; yataḥ — from whom; upaseduḥ — worshiped; īśvarīm — Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune; na manyate — are not attached; svayam — Yourself; anuvartatīm — to Your obedient servant (Lakṣmī); bhavān — Your Lordship.

TRANSLATION

The sages prayed: Dear Lord, Your activities are most wonderful, and although You do everything by Your different potencies, You are not at all attached to such activities. You are not even attached to the goddess of fortune, who is worshiped by the great demigods like Brahmā, who pray to achieve her mercy.

VERSE 4.7.35

siddhā ūcuḥ

ayaṁ tvat-kathā-mṛṣṭa-pīyūṣa-nadyāṁ
mano-vāraṇaḥ kleśa-dāvāgni-dagdhaḥ
tṛṣārto ’vagāḍho na sasmāra dāvaṁ
na niṣkrāmati brahma-sampannavan naḥ

SYNONYMS

siddhāḥ — the Siddhas; ūcuḥ — prayed; ayam — this; tvat-kathā — Your pastimes; mṛṣṭa — pure; pīyūṣa — of nectar; nadyām — in the river; manaḥ — of the mind; vāraṇaḥ — the elephant; kleśa — sufferings; dāva-agni — by the forest fire; dagdhaḥ — burned; tṛṣā — thirst; ārtaḥ — afflicted; avagāḍhaḥ — being immersed; na sasmāra — does not remember; dāvam — the forest fire or the miseries; na niṣkrāmati — not come out; brahma — the Absolute; sampanna-vat — like having merged; naḥ — our.

TRANSLATION

The Siddhas prayed: Like an elephant that has suffered in a forest fire but can forget all its troubles by entering a river, our minds, O Lord, always merge in the nectarean river of Your transcendental pastimes, and they desire never to leave such transcendental bliss, which is as good as the pleasure of merging in the Absolute.

VERSE 4.7.36

yajamāny uvāca

svāgataṁ te prasīdeśa tubhyaṁ namaḥ
śrīnivāsa śriyā kāntayā trāhi naḥ
tvām ṛte ’dhīśa nāṅgair makhaḥ śobhate
śīrṣa-hīnaḥ ka-bandho yathā puruṣaḥ

SYNONYMS

yajamānī — the wife of Dakṣa; uvāca — prayed; su-āgatam — auspicious appearance; te — Your; prasīda — become pleased; īśa — my dear Lord; tubhyam — unto You; namaḥ — respectful obeisances; śrīnivāsa — O abode of the goddess of fortune; śriyā — with Lakṣmī; kāntayā — Your wife; trāhi — protect; naḥ — us; tvām — You; ṛte — without; adhīśa — O supreme controller; na — not; aṅgaiḥ — with bodily limbs; makhaḥ — the sacrificial arena; śobhate — is beautiful; śīrṣa-hīnaḥ — without the head; ka-bandhaḥ — possessed of only a body; yathā — as; puruṣaḥ — a person.

TRANSLATION

The wife of Dakṣa prayed as follows: My dear Lord, it is very fortunate that You have appeared in this arena of sacrifice. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, and I request that You be pleased on this occasion. The sacrificial arena is not beautiful without You, just as a body is not beautiful without the head.

VERSE 4.7.37

lokapālā ūcuḥ

dṛṣṭaḥ kiṁ no dṛgbhir asad-grahais tvaṁ
pratyag-draṣṭā dṛśyate yena viśvam
māyā hy eṣā bhavadīyā hi bhūman
yas tvaṁ ṣaṣṭhaḥ pañcabhir bhāsi bhūtaiḥ

SYNONYMS

loka-pālāḥ — the governors of the different planets; ūcuḥ — said; dṛṣṭaḥ — seen; kim — whether; naḥ — by us; dṛgbhiḥ — by the material senses; asat-grahaiḥ — revealing the cosmic manifestation; tvam — You; pratyak-draṣṭā — inner witness; dṛśyate — is seen; yena — by whom; viśvam — the universe; māyā — material world; hi — because; eṣā — this; bhavadīyā — Your; hi — certainly; bhūman — O possessor of the universe; yaḥ — because; tvam — You; ṣaṣṭhaḥ — the sixth; pañcabhiḥ — with the five; bhāsi — appear; bhūtaiḥ — with the elements.

TRANSLATION

The governors of various planets spoke as follows: Dear Lord, we believe only in our direct perception, and therefore we see You as a creation of the material world. But under the circumstances we do not know whether we have actually seen You with our material senses. By our material senses we can simply perceive the cosmic manifestation, but You are beyond the five elements. You are the sixth.

VERSE 4.7.38

yogeśvarā ūcuḥ

preyān na te ’nyo ’sty amutas tvayi prabho
viśvātmanīkṣen na pṛthag ya ātmanaḥ
athāpi bhaktyeśa tayopadhāvatām
ananya-vṛttyānugṛhāṇa vatsala

SYNONYMS

yoga-īśvarāḥ — the great mystics; ūcuḥ — said; preyān — very dear; na — not; te — of You; anyaḥ — another; asti — there is; amutaḥ — from that; tvayi — in You; prabho — dear Lord; viśva-ātmani — in the Supersoul of all living entities; īkṣet — see; na — not; pṛthak — different; yaḥ — who; ātmanaḥ — the living entities; atha api — so much more; bhaktyā — with devotion; īśa — O Lord; tayā — with it; upadhāvatām — of those who worship; ananya-vṛttyā — unfailing; anugṛhāṇa — favor; vatsala — O favorable Lord.

TRANSLATION

The great mystics said: Dear Lord, persons who see You as nondifferent from themselves, knowing that You are the Supersoul of all living entities, are certainly very, very dear to You. You are very favorable toward those who engage in devotional service, accepting You as the Lord and themselves as the servants. By Your mercy, You are always inclined in their favor.

VERSE 4.7.39

jagad-udbhava-sthiti-layeṣu daivato
bahu-bhidyamāna-guṇayātma-māyayā
racitātma-bheda-mataye sva-saṁsthayā
vinivartita-bhrama-guṇātmane namaḥ

SYNONYMS

jagat — the material world; udbhava — creation; sthiti — maintenance; layeṣu — in annihilation; daivataḥ — destiny; bahu — many; bhidyamāna — being variegated; guṇayā — by material qualities; ātma-māyayā — by His material energy; racita — produced; ātma — in the living entities; bheda-mataye — who produced different inclinations; sva-saṁsthayā — by His internal potency; vinivartita — caused to stop; bhrama — interaction; guṇa — of material modes; ātmane — unto Him in His personal form; namaḥ — obeisances.

TRANSLATION

We offer our respectful obeisances unto the Supreme, who has created varieties of manifestations and put them under the spell of the three qualities of the material world in order to create, maintain and annihilate them. He Himself is not under the control of the external energy: in His personal feature He is completely devoid of the variegated manifestation of material qualities, and He is under no illusion of false identification.

VERSE 4.7.40

brahmovāca

namas te śrita-sattvāya
dharmādīnāṁ ca sūtaye
nirguṇāya ca yat-kāṣṭhāṁ
nāhaṁ vedāpare ’pi ca

SYNONYMS

brahma — the personified Vedas; uvāca — said; namaḥ — respectful obeisances; te — unto You; śrita-sattvāya — the shelter of the quality of goodness; dharma-ādīnām — of all religion, austerity and penance; ca — and; sūtaye — the source; nirguṇāya — transcendental to material qualities; ca — and; yat — of whom (of the Supreme Lord); kāṣṭhām — the situation; na — not; aham — I; veda — know; apare — others; api — certainly; ca — and.

TRANSLATION

The personified Vedas said: We offer our respectful obeisances unto You, the Lord, the shelter of the quality of goodness and therefore the source of all religion, austerity and penance, for You are transcendental to all material qualities and no one knows You or Your actual situation.

VERSE 4.7.41

agnir uvāca

yat-tejasāhaṁ susamiddha-tejā
havyaṁ vahe svadhvara ājya-siktam
taṁ yajñiyaṁ pañca-vidhaṁ ca pañcabhiḥ
sviṣṭaṁ yajurbhiḥ praṇato ’smi yajñam

SYNONYMS

agniḥ — the fire-god; uvāca — said; yat-tejasā — by whose effulgence; aham — I; su-samiddha-tejāḥ — as luminous as blazing fire; havyam — offerings; vahe — I am accepting; su-adhvare — in the sacrifice; ājya-siktam — mixed with butter; tam — that; yajñiyam — the protector of the sacrifice; pañca-vidham — five; ca — and; pañcabhiḥ — by five; su-iṣṭam — worshiped; yajurbhiḥ — Vedic hymns; praṇataḥ — offer respectful obeisances; asmi — I; yajñam — to Yajña (Viṣṇu).

TRANSLATION

The fire-god said: My dear Lord, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You because by Your favor I am as luminous as blazing fire and I accept the offerings mixed with butter and offered in sacrifice. The five kinds of offerings according to the Yajur Veda are all Your different energies, and You are worshiped by five kinds of Vedic hymns. Sacrifice means You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

VERSE 4.7.42

devā ūcuḥ

purā kalpāpāye sva-kṛtam udarī-kṛtya vikṛtaṁ
tvam evādyas tasmin salila uragendrādhiśayane
pumān śeṣe siddhair hṛdi vimṛśitādhyātma-padaviḥ
sa evādyākṣṇor yaḥ pathi carasi bhṛtyān avasi naḥ

SYNONYMS

devāḥ — the demigods; ūcuḥ — said; purā — formerly; kalpa-apāye — at the devastation of the kalpa; sva-kṛtam — self-produced; udarī-kṛtya — having drawn within Your abdomen; vikṛtam — effect; tvam — You; eva — certainly; ādyaḥ — original; tasmin — in that; salile — water; uraga-indra — on Śeṣa; adhiśayane — on the bed; pumān — personality; śeṣe — taking rest; siddhaiḥ — by the liberated souls (like Sanaka, etc); hṛdi — in the heart; vimṛśita — meditated on; adhyātma-padaviḥ — the path of philosophical speculation; saḥ — He; eva — certainly; adya — now; akṣṇoḥ — of both eyes; yaḥ — who; pathi — on the path; carasi — You move; bhṛtyān — servants; avasi — protect; naḥ — us.

TRANSLATION

The demigods said: Dear Lord, formerly, when there was a devastation, You conserved all the different energies of material manifestation. At that time, all the inhabitants of the higher planets, represented by such liberated souls as Sanaka, were meditating on You by philosophical speculation. You are therefore the original person, and You rest in the water of devastation on the bed of the Śeṣa snake. Now, today, You are visible to us, who are all Your servants. Please give us protection.

VERSE 4.7.43

gandharvā ūcuḥ

aṁśāṁśās te deva marīcy-ādaya ete
brahmendrādyā deva-gaṇā rudra-purogāḥ
krīḍā-bhāṇḍaṁ viśvam idaṁ yasya vibhūman
tasmai nityaṁ nātha namas te karavāma

SYNONYMS

gandharvāḥ — the Gandharvas; ūcuḥ — said; aṁśa-aṁśāḥ — parts and parcels of Your body; te — Your; deva — dear Lord; marīci-ādayaḥ — Marīci and the other great sages; ete — these; brahma-indra-ādyāḥ — headed by Brahmā and Indra; deva-gaṇāḥ — the demigods; rudra-purogāḥ — having Lord Śiva as the chief; krīḍā-bhāṇḍam — a plaything; viśvam — the whole creation; idam — this; yasya — of whom; vibhūman — the Supreme Almighty Great; tasmai — unto Him; nityam — always; nātha — O Lord; namaḥ — respectful obeisances; te — unto You; karavāma — we offer.

TRANSLATION

The Gandharvas said: Dear Lord, all the demigods, including Lord Śiva, Lord Brahmā and Indra, along with Marīci and the other great sages, are all only differentiated parts and parcels of Your body. You are the Supreme Almighty Great; the whole creation is just like a plaything for You. We always accept You as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and we offer our respectful obeisances unto You.

VERSE 4.7.44

vidyādharā ūcuḥ

tvan-māyayārtham abhipadya kalevare ’smin
kṛtvā mamāham iti durmatir utpathaiḥ svaiḥ
kṣipto ’py asad-viṣaya-lālasa ātma-mohaṁ
yuṣmat-kathāmṛta-niṣevaka udvyudasyet

SYNONYMS

vidyādharāḥ — the Vidyādharas; ūcuḥ — said; tvat-māyayā — by Your external potency; artham — the human body; abhipadya — after obtaining; kalevare — in the body; asmin — in this; kṛtvā — having misidentified; mama — mine; aham — I; iti — thus; durmatiḥ — the ignorant person; utpathaiḥ — by wrong roads; svaiḥ — by one’s own belongings; kṣiptaḥ — distracted; api — even; asat — temporary; viṣaya-lālasaḥ — having his happiness in sense objects; ātma-moham — the illusion of the body as the self; yuṣmat — Your; kathā — topics; amṛta — nectar; niṣevakaḥ — relishing; ut — from a long distance; vyudasyet — can be delivered.

TRANSLATION

The Vidyādharas said: Dear Lord, this human form of body is meant for attaining the highest perfectional objective, but, impelled by Your external energy, the living entity misidentifies himself with his body and with the material energy, and therefore, influenced by māyā, he wants to become happy by material enjoyment. He is misled and always attracted by temporary, illusory happiness. But Your transcendental activities are so powerful that if one engages in hearing and chanting such topics, he can be delivered from illusion.

VERSE 4.7.45

brāhmaṇā ūcuḥ

tvaṁ kratus tvaṁ havis tvaṁ hutāśaḥ svayaṁ
tvaṁ hi mantraḥ samid-darbha-pātrāṇi ca
tvaṁ sadasyartvijo dampatī devatā
agnihotraṁ svadhā soma ājyaṁ paśuḥ

SYNONYMS

brāhmaṇāḥ — the brāhmaṇas; ūcuḥ — said; tvam — You; kratuḥ — sacrifice; tvam — You; haviḥ — offering of clarified butter; tvam — You; huta-āśaḥ — fire; svayam — personified; tvam — You; hi — for; mantraḥ — the Vedic hymns; samit-darbha-pātrāṇi — the fuel, the kuśa grass and the sacrificial pots; ca — and; tvam — You; sadasya — the members of the assembly; ṛtvijaḥ — the priests; dampatī — the chief person of the sacrifice and his wife; devatā — demigods; agni-hotram — the sacred fire ceremony; svadhā — the offering to the forefathers; somaḥ — the soma plant; ājyam — the clarified butter; paśuḥ — the sacrificial animal.

TRANSLATION

The brāhmaṇas said: Dear Lord, You are sacrifice personified. You are the offering of clarified butter, You are the fire, You are the chanting of Vedic hymns by which the sacrifice is conducted, You are the fuel, You are the flame, You are the kuśa grass, and You are the sacrificial pots. You are the priests who perform the yajña, You are the demigods headed by Indra, and You are the sacrificial animal. Everything that is sacrificed is You or Your energy.

VERSE 4.7.46

tvaṁ purā gāṁ rasāyā mahā-sūkaro
daṁṣṭrayā padminīṁ vāraṇendro yathā
stūyamāno nadal līlayā yogibhir
vyujjahartha trayī-gātra yajña-kratuḥ

SYNONYMS

tvam — You; purā — in the past; gām — the earth; rasāyāḥ — from within the water; mahā-sūkaraḥ — the great boar incarnation; daṁṣṭrayā — with Your tusk; padminīm — a lotus; vāraṇa-indraḥ — an elephant; yathā — as; stūyamānaḥ — being offered prayers; nadan — vibrating; līlayā — very easily; yogibhiḥ — by great sages like Sanaka, etc; vyujjahartha — picked up; trayī-gātra — O personified Vedic knowledge; yajña-kratuḥ — having the form of sacrifice.

TRANSLATION

Dear Lord, O personified Vedic knowledge, in the past millennium, long, long ago, when You appeared as the great boar incarnation, You picked up the world from the water, as an elephant picks up a lotus flower from a lake. When You vibrated transcendental sound in that gigantic form of a boar, the sound was accepted as a sacrificial hymn, and great sages like Sanaka meditated upon it and offered prayers for Your glorification.

VERSE 4.7.47

sa prasīda tvam asmākam ākāṅkṣatāṁ
darśanaṁ te paribhraṣṭa-sat-karmaṇām
kīrtyamāne nṛbhir nāmni yajñeśa te
yajña-vighnāḥ kṣayaṁ yānti tasmai namaḥ

SYNONYMS

saḥ — that same person; prasīda — be pleased; tvam — You; asmākam — upon us; ākāṅkṣatām — awaiting; darśanam — audience; te — Your; paribhraṣṭa — fallen down; sat-karmaṇām — of whom the performance of sacrifice; kīrtyamāne — being chanted; nṛbhiḥ — by persons; nāmni — Your holy name; yajña-īśa — O Lord of sacrifice; te — Your; yajña-vighnāḥ — obstacles; kṣayam — destruction; yānti — attain; tasmai — unto You; namaḥ — respectful obeisances.

TRANSLATION

Dear Lord, we were awaiting Your audience because we have been unable to perform the yajñas according to the Vedic rituals. We pray unto You, therefore, to be pleased with us. Simply by chanting Your holy name, one can surpass all obstacles. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You in Your presence.

VERSE 4.7.48

maitreya uvāca

iti dakṣaḥ kavir yajñaṁ
bhadra rudrābhimarśitam
kīrtyamāne hṛṣīkeśe
sanninye yajña-bhāvane

SYNONYMS

maitreyaḥ — Maitreya; uvāca — said; iti — thus; dakṣaḥ — Dakṣa; kaviḥ — being purified in consciousness; yajñam — the sacrifice; bhadra — O Vidura; rudra-abhimarśitam — devastated by Vīrabhadra; kīrtya-māne — being glorified; hṛṣīkeśe — Hṛṣīkeśa (Lord Viṣṇu); sanninye — arranged for restarting; yajña-bhāvane — the protector of sacrifice.

TRANSLATION

Śrī Maitreya said: After Lord Viṣṇu was glorified by all present, Dakṣa, his consciousness purified, arranged to begin again the yajña which had been devastated by the followers of Lord Śiva.

VERSE 4.7.49

bhagavān svena bhāgena
sarvātmā sarva-bhāga-bhuk
dakṣaṁ babhāṣa ābhāṣya
prīyamāṇa ivānagha

SYNONYMS

bhagavān — Lord Viṣṇu; svena — with His own; bhāgena — with the share; sarva-ātmā — the Supersoul of all living entities; sarva-bhāga-bhuk — the enjoyer of the results of all sacrifices; dakṣam — Dakṣa; babhāṣe — said; ābhāṣya — addressing; prīyamāṇaḥ — being satisfied; iva — as; anagha — O sinless Vidura.

TRANSLATION

Maitreya continued: My dear sinless Vidura, Lord Viṣṇu is actually the enjoyer of the results of all sacrifices, yet because of His being the Supersoul of all living entities, He was satisfied simply with His share of the sacrificial offerings. He therefore addressed Dakṣa in a pleasing attitude.

VERSE 4.7.50

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

ahaṁ brahmā ca śarvaś ca
jagataḥ kāraṇaṁ param
ātmeśvara upadraṣṭā
svayan-dṛg aviśeṣaṇaḥ

SYNONYMS

śrī-bhagavān — Lord Viṣṇu; uvāca — said; aham — I; brahmā — Brahmā; ca — and; śarvaḥ — Lord Śiva; ca — and; jagataḥ — of the material manifestation; kāraṇam — cause; param — supreme; ātma-īśvaraḥ — the Supersoul; upadraṣṭā — the witness; svayam-dṛk — self-sufficient; aviśeṣaṇaḥ — there is no difference.

TRANSLATION

Lord Viṣṇu replied: Brahmā, Lord Śiva and I are the supreme cause of the material manifestation. I am the Supersoul, the self-sufficient witness. But impersonally there is no difference between Brahmā, Lord Śiva and Me.

VERSE 4.7.51

ātma-māyāṁ samāviśya
so ’haṁ guṇamayīṁ dvija
sṛjan rakṣan haran viśvaṁ
dadhre saṁjñāṁ kriyocitām

SYNONYMS

ātma-māyām — My energy; samāviśya — having entered; saḥ — Myself; aham — I; guṇa-mayīm — composed of the modes of material nature; dvi-ja — O twice-born Dakṣa; sṛjan — creating; rakṣan — maintaining; haran — annihilating; viśvam — the cosmic manifestation; dadhre — I cause to be born; saṁjñām — a name; kriyā-ucitām — according to the activity.

TRANSLATION

The Lord continued: My dear Dakṣa Dvija, I am the original Personality of Godhead, but in order to create, maintain and annihilate this cosmic manifestation, I act through My material energy, and according to the different grades of activity, My representations are differently named.

VERSE 4.7.52

tasmin brahmaṇy advitīye
kevale paramātmani
brahma-rudrau ca bhūtāni
bhedenājño ’nupaśyati

SYNONYMS

tasmin — Him; brahmaṇi — the Supreme Brahman; advitīye — without a second; kevale — being one; parama-ātmani — the Supersoul; brahma-rudrau — both Brahmā and Śiva; ca — and; bhūtāni — the living entities; bhedena — with separation; ajñaḥ — one who is not properly conversant; anupaśyati — thinks.

TRANSLATION

The Lord continued: One who is not in proper knowledge thinks that demigods like Brahmā and Śiva are independent, or he even thinks that the living entities are independent.

VERSE 4.7.53

yathā pumān na svāṅgeṣu
śiraḥ-pāṇy-ādiṣu kvacit
pārakya-buddhiṁ kurute
evaṁ bhūteṣu mat-paraḥ

SYNONYMS

yathā — as; pumān — a person; na — not; sva-aṅgeṣu — in his own body; śiraḥ-pāṇi-ādiṣu — between the head and the hands and other parts of the body; kvacit — sometimes; pārakya-buddhim — differentiation; kurute — make; evam — thus; bhūteṣu — among living entities; mat-paraḥ — My devotee.

TRANSLATION

A person with average intelligence does not think the head and other parts of the body to be separate. Similarly, My devotee does not differentiate Viṣṇu, the all-pervading Personality of Godhead, from any thing or any living entity.

VERSE 4.7.54

trayāṇām eka-bhāvānāṁ
yo na paśyati vai bhidām
sarva-bhūtātmanāṁ brahman
sa śāntim adhigacchati

SYNONYMS

trayāṇām — of the three; eka-bhāvānām — having one nature; yaḥ — who; na paśyati — does not see; vai — certainly; bhidām — separateness; sarva-bhūta-ātmanām — of the Supersoul of all living entities; brahman — O Dakṣa; saḥ — he; śāntim — peace; adhigacchati — realizes.

TRANSLATION

The Lord continued: One who does not consider Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva or the living entities in general to be separate from the Supreme, and who knows Brahman, actually realizes peace; others do not.

VERSE 4.7.55

maitreya uvāca

evaṁ bhagavatādiṣṭaḥ
prajāpati-patir harim
arcitvā kratunā svena
devān ubhayato ’yajat

SYNONYMS

maitreyaḥ — Maitreya; uvāca — said; evam — thus; bhagavatā — by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ādiṣṭaḥ — having been instructed; prajāpati-patiḥ — the head of all the Prajāpatis; harim — Hari; arcitvā — after worshiping; kratunā — with the sacrificial ceremonies; svena — his own; devān — the demigods; ubhayataḥ — separately; ayajat — worshiped.

TRANSLATION

The sage Maitreya said: Thus Dakṣa, the head of all Prajāpatis, having been nicely instructed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, worshiped Lord Viṣṇu. After worshiping Him by performing the prescribed sacrificial ceremonies, Dakṣa separately worshiped Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva.

VERSE 4.7.56

rudraṁ ca svena bhāgena
hy upādhāvat samāhitaḥ
karmaṇodavasānena
somapān itarān api
udavasya sahartvigbhiḥ
sasnāv avabhṛthaṁ tataḥ

SYNONYMS

rudram — Lord Śiva; ca — and; svena — with his own; bhāgena — share; hi — since; upādhāvat — he worshiped; samāhitaḥ — with concentrated mind; karmaṇā — by the performance; udavasānena — by the act of finishing; soma-pān — demigods; itarān — other; api — even; udavasya — after finishing; saha — along with; ṛtvigbhiḥ — with the priests; sasnau — bathed; avabhṛtham — the avabhṛtha bath; tataḥ — then.

TRANSLATION

With all respect, Dakṣa worshiped Lord Śiva with his share of the remnants of the yajña. After finishing the ritualistic sacrificial activities, he satisfied all the other demigods and the other people assembled there. Then, after finishing all these duties with the priests, he took a bath and was fully satisfied.

VERSE 4.7.57

tasmā apy anubhāvena
svenaivāvāpta-rādhase
dharma eva matiṁ dattvā
tridaśās te divaṁ yayuḥ

SYNONYMS

tasmai — unto him (Dakṣa); api — even; anubhāvena — by worshiping the Supreme Lord; svena — by his own; eva — certainly; avāpta-rādhase — having attained perfection; dharme — in religion; eva — certainly; matim — intelligence; dattvā — having given; tridaśāḥ — demigods; te — those; divam — to the heavenly planets; yayuḥ — went.

TRANSLATION

Thus worshiping the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu by the ritualistic performance of sacrifice, Dakṣa was completely situated on the religious path. Moreover, all the demigods who had assembled at the sacrifice blessed him that he might increase his piety, and then they left.

VERSE 4.7.58

evaṁ dākṣāyaṇī hitvā
satī pūrva-kalevaram
jajñe himavataḥ kṣetre
menāyām iti śuśruma

SYNONYMS

evam — thus; dākṣāyaṇī — the daughter of Dakṣa; hitvā — after giving up; satī — Satī; pūrva-kalevaram — her former body; jajñe — was born; himavataḥ — of the Himālayas; kṣetre — in the wife; menāyām — in Menā; iti — thus; śuśruma — I have heard.

TRANSLATION

Maitreya said: I have heard that after giving up the body she had received from Dakṣa, Dākṣāyaṇī (his daughter) took her birth in the kingdom of the Himālayas. She was born as the daughter of Menā. I heard this from authoritative sources.

VERSE 4.7.59

tam eva dayitaṁ bhūya
āvṛṅkte patim ambikā
ananya-bhāvaika-gatiṁ
śaktiḥ supteva pūruṣam

SYNONYMS

tam — him (Lord Śiva); eva — certainly; dayitam — beloved; bhūyaḥ — again; āvṛṅkte — accepted; patim — as her husband; ambikā — Ambikā, or Satī; ananya-bhāvā — without attachment for others; eka-gatim — the one goal; śaktiḥ — the feminine (marginal and external) energies; suptā — lying dormant; iva — as; pūruṣam — the masculine (Lord Śiva, as representative of the Supreme Lord).

TRANSLATION

Ambikā [goddess Durgā], who was known as Dākṣāyiṇī [Satī], again accepted Lord Śiva as her husband, just as different energies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead act during the course of a new creation.

VERSE 4.7.60

etad bhagavataḥ śambhoḥ
karma dakṣādhvara-druhaḥ
śrutaṁ bhāgavatāc chiṣyād
uddhavān me bṛhaspateḥ

SYNONYMS

etat — this; bhagavataḥ — of the possessor of all opulences; śambhoḥ — of Śambhu (Lord Śiva); karma — story; dakṣa-adhvara-druhaḥ — who devastated the sacrifice of Dakṣa; śrutam — was heard; bhāgavatāt — from a great devotee; śiṣyāt — from the disciple; uddhavāt — from Uddhava; me — by me; bṛhaspateḥ — of Bṛhaspati.

TRANSLATION

Maitreya said: My dear Vidura, I heard this story of the Dakṣa yajña, which was devastated by Lord Śiva, from Uddhava, a great devotee and a disciple of Bṛhaspati.

VERSE 4.7.61

idaṁ pavitraṁ param īśa-ceṣṭitaṁ
yaśasyam āyuṣyam aghaugha-marṣaṇam
yo nityadākarṇya naro ’nukīrtayed
dhunoty aghaṁ kaurava bhakti-bhāvataḥ

SYNONYMS

idam — this; pavitram — pure; param — supreme; īśa-ceṣṭitam — pastime of the Supreme Lord; yaśasyam — fame; āyuṣyam — long duration of life; agha-ogha-marṣaṇam — destroying sins; yaḥ — who; nityadā — always; ākarṇya — after hearing; naraḥ — a person; anukīrtayet — should narrate; dhunoti — clears off; agham — material contamination; kaurava — O descendant of Kuru; bhakti-bhāvataḥ — with faith and devotion.

TRANSLATION

The great sage Maitreya concluded: If one hears and again narrates, with faith and devotion, this story of the Dakṣa yajña as it was conducted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, then certainly one is cleared of all contamination of material existence, O son of Kuru.