Śrīmad Bhāgavatam |Canto 7 Chapter 3

Hiraṇyakaśipu’s Plan to Become Immortal

VERSE 7.3.1

śrī-nārada uvāca

hiraṇyakaśipū rājann
ajeyam ajarāmaram
ātmānam apratidvandvam
eka-rājaṁ vyadhitsata

SYNONYMS

śrī-nāradaḥ uvāca — Nārada Muni said; hiraṇyakaśipuḥ — the demoniac king Hiraṇyakaśipu; rājan — O King Yudhiṣṭhira; ajeyam — unconquerable by any enemy; ajara — without old age or disease; amaram — immortal; ātmānam — himself; apratidvandvam — without any rival or opponent; eka-rājam — the one king of the universe; vyadhitsata — desired to become.

TRANSLATION

Nārada Muni said to Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira: The demoniac king Hiraṇyakaśipu wanted to be unconquerable and free from old age and dwindling of the body. He wanted to gain all the yogic perfections like aṇimā and laghimā, to be deathless, and to be the only king of the entire universe, including Brahmaloka.

VERSE 7.3.2

sa tepe mandara-droṇyāṁ
tapaḥ parama-dāruṇam
ūrdhva-bāhur nabho-dṛṣṭiḥ
pādāṅguṣṭhāśritāvaniḥ

SYNONYMS

saḥ — he (Hiraṇyakaśipu); tepe — performed; mandara-droṇyām — in a valley of Mandara Hill; tapaḥ — austerity; parama — most; dāruṇam — difficult; ūrdhva — raising; bāhuḥ — arms; nabhaḥ — toward the sky; dṛṣṭiḥ — his vision; pāda-aṅguṣṭha — with the big toes of his feet; āśrita — resting on; avaniḥ — the ground.

TRANSLATION

In the valley of Mandara Hill, Hiraṇyakaśipu began performing his austerities by standing with his toes on the ground, keeping his arms upward and looking toward the sky. This position was extremely difficult, but he accepted it as a means to attain perfection.

VERSE 7.3.3

jaṭā-dīdhitibhī reje
saṁvartārka ivāṁśubhiḥ
tasmiṁs tapas tapyamāne
devāḥ sthānāni bhejire

SYNONYMS

jaṭā-dīdhitibhiḥ — by the effulgence of the hair on his head; reje — was shining; saṁvarta-arkaḥ — the sun at the time of destruction; iva — like; aṁśubhiḥ — by the beams; tasmin — when he (Hiraṇyakaśipu); tapaḥ — austerities; tapyamāne — was engaged in; devāḥ — all the demigods who were wandering throughout the universe to see Hiraṇyakaśipu’s demoniac activities; sthānāni — to their own places; bhejire — returned.

TRANSLATION

From the hair on Hiraṇyakaśipu’s head there emanated an effulgent light as brilliant and intolerable as the rays of the sun at the time of dissolution. Seeing the performance of such austere penances, the demigods, who had been wandering throughout the planets, now returned to their respective homes.

VERSE 7.3.4

tasya mūrdhnaḥ samudbhūtaḥ
sadhūmo ’gnis tapomayaḥ
tīryag ūrdhvam adho lokān
prātapad viṣvag īritaḥ

SYNONYMS

tasya — his; mūrdhnaḥ — from the head; samudbhūtaḥ — generated; sa-dhūmaḥ — with smoke; agniḥ — fire; tapaḥ-mayaḥ — because of severe austerities; tīryak — sideways; ūrdhvam — upward; adhaḥ — downward; lokān — all the planets; prātapat — heated; viṣvak — all around; īritaḥ — spreading.

TRANSLATION

Because of Hiraṇyakaśipu’s severe austerities, fire came from his head, and this fire and its smoke spread throughout the sky, encompassing the upper and lower planets, which all became extremely hot.

VERSE 7.3.5

cukṣubhur nady-udanvantaḥ
sadvīpādriś cacāla bhūḥ
nipetuḥ sagrahās tārā
jajvaluś ca diśo daśa

SYNONYMS

cukṣubhuḥ — became agitated; nadī-udanvantaḥ — the rivers and oceans; sa-dvīpa — with the islands; adriḥ — and mountains; cacāla — trembled; bhūḥ — the surface of the globe; nipetuḥ — fell; sa-grahāḥ — with the planets; tārāḥ — the stars; jajvaluḥ — blazed; ca — also; diśaḥ daśa — the ten directions.

TRANSLATION

Because of the power of his severe austerities, all the rivers and oceans were agitated, the surface of the globe, with its mountains and islands, began trembling, and the stars and planets fell. All directions were ablaze.

VERSE 7.3.6

tena taptā divaṁ tyaktvā
brahmalokaṁ yayuḥ surāḥ
dhātre vijñāpayām āsur
deva-deva jagat-pate
daityendra-tapasā taptā
divi sthātuṁ na śaknumaḥ

SYNONYMS

tena — by that (fire of austerity); taptāḥ — burned; divam — their residential quarters in the upper planets; tyaktvā — giving up; brahma-lokam — to the planet where Lord Brahmā lives; yayuḥ — went; surāḥ — the demigods; dhātre — unto the chief of this universe, Lord Brahmā; vijñāpayām āsuḥ — submitted; deva-deva — O chief of the demigods; jagat-pate — O master of the universe; daitya-indra-tapasā — by the severe austerity performed by the King of the Daityas, Hiraṇyakaśipu; taptāḥ — roasted; divi — on the heavenly planets; sthātum — to stay; na — not; śaknumaḥ — we are able.

TRANSLATION

Scorched and extremely disturbed because of Hiraṇyakaśipu’s severe penances, all the demigods left the planets where they reside and went to the planet of Lord Brahmā, where they informed the creator as follows: O lord of the demigods, O master of the universe, because of the fire emanating from Hiraṇyakaśipu’s head as a result of his severe austerities, we have become so disturbed that we could not stay in our planets but have come to you.

VERSE 7.3.7

tasya copaśamaṁ bhūman
vidhehi yadi manyase
lokā na yāvan naṅkṣyanti
bali-hārās tavābhibhūḥ

SYNONYMS

tasya — of this; ca — indeed; upaśamam — the cessation; bhūman — O great personality; vidhehi — please execute; yadi — if; manyase — you think it right; lokāḥ — all the inhabitants of the various planets; na — not; yāvat — as long as; naṅkṣyanti — will be lost; bali-hārāḥ — who are obedient to the worship; tava — of you; abhibhūḥ — O chief of all the universe.

TRANSLATION

O great person, chief of the universe, if you think it proper, kindly stop these disturbances, meant to destroy everything, before all your obedient subjects are annihilated.

VERSE 7.3.8

tasyāyaṁ kila saṅkalpaś
carato duścaraṁ tapaḥ
śrūyatāṁ kiṁ na viditas
tavāthāpi niveditam

SYNONYMS

tasya — his; ayam — this; kila — indeed; saṅkalpaḥ — determination; carataḥ — who is executing; duścaram — very difficult; tapaḥ — austerity; śrūyatām — let it be heard; kim — what; na — not; viditaḥ — known; tava — of you; athāpi — still; niveditam — submitted.

TRANSLATION

Hiraṇyakaśipu has undertaken a most severe type of austerity. Although his plan is not unknown to you, kindly listen as we submit his intentions.

VERSE 7.3.9-10

sṛṣṭvā carācaram idaṁ
tapo-yoga-samādhinā
adhyāste sarva-dhiṣṇyebhyaḥ
parameṣṭhī nijāsanam

tad ahaṁ vardhamānena
tapo-yoga-samādhinā
kālātmanoś ca nityatvāt
sādhayiṣye tathātmanaḥ

SYNONYMS

sṛṣṭvā — creating; cara — moving; acaram — and not moving; idam — this; tapaḥ — of austerity; yoga — and mystic power; samādhinā — by practicing the trance; adhyāste — is situated in; sarva-dhiṣṇyebhyaḥ — than all the planets, including the heavenly planets; parameṣṭhī — Lord Brahmā; nija-āsanam — his own throne; tat — therefore; aham — I; vardhamānena — by dint of increasing; tapaḥ — austerity; yoga — mystic powers; samādhinā — and trance; kāla — of time; ātmanoḥ — and of the soul; ca — and; nityatvāt — from the eternality; sādhayiṣye — shall achieve; tathā — so much; ātmanaḥ — for my personal self.

TRANSLATION

“The supreme person within this universe, Lord Brahmā, has gotten his exalted post by dint of severe austerities, mystic power and trance. Consequently, after creating the universe, he has become the most worshipable demigod within it. Since I am eternal and time is eternal, I shall endeavor for such austerity, mystic power and trance for many, many births, and thus I shall occupy the same post occupied by Lord Brahmā.

VERSE 7.3.11

anyathedaṁ vidhāsye ’ham
ayathā pūrvam ojasā
kim anyaiḥ kāla-nirdhūtaiḥ
kalpānte vaiṣṇavādibhiḥ

SYNONYMS

anyathā — just the opposite; idam — this universe; vidhāsye — shall make; aham — I; ayathā — inappropriate; pūrvam — as it was before; ojasā — by dint of the power of my austerity; kim — what use; anyaiḥ — with other; kāla-nirdhūtaiḥ — vanquished in due course of time; kalpa-ante — at the end of the millennium; vaiṣṇava-ādibhiḥ — with planets like Dhruvaloka or Vaikuṇṭhaloka.

TRANSLATION

“By dint of my severe austerities, I shall reverse the results of pious and impious activities. I shall overturn all the established practices within this world. Even Dhruvaloka will be vanquished at the end of the millennium. Therefore, what is the use of it? I shall prefer to remain in the position of Brahmā.”

VERSE 7.3.12

iti śuśruma nirbandhaṁ
tapaḥ paramam āsthitaḥ
vidhatsvānantaraṁ yuktaṁ
svayaṁ tri-bhuvaneśvara

SYNONYMS

iti — in this way; śuśruma — we have heard; nirbandham — strong determination; tapaḥ — austerity; paramam — very severe; āsthitaḥ — is situated in; vidhatsva — please take steps; anantaram — as soon as possible; yuktam — befitting; svayam — yourself; tri-bhuvana-īśvara — O master of the three worlds.

TRANSLATION

O lord, we have heard from reliable sources that in order to obtain your post, Hiraṇyakaśipu is now engaged in severe austerity. You are the master of the three worlds. Please, without delay, take whatever steps you deem appropriate.

VERSE 7.3.13

tavāsanaṁ dvija-gavāṁ
pārameṣṭhyaṁ jagat-pate
bhavāya śreyase bhūtyai
kṣemāya vijayāya ca

SYNONYMS

tava — your; āsanam — position on the throne; dvija — of the brahminical culture or the brāhmaṇas; gavām — of the cows; pārameṣṭhyam — supreme; jagat-pate — O master of the whole universe; bhavāya — for improvement; śreyase — for the ultimate happiness; bhūtyai — for increasing the opulence; kṣemāya — for the maintenance and good fortune; vijayāya — for the victory and increasing prestige; ca — and.

TRANSLATION

O Lord Brahmā, your position within this universe is certainly most auspicious for everyone, especially the cows and brāhmaṇas. Brahminical culture and the protection of cows can be increasingly glorified, and thus all kinds of material happiness, opulence and good fortune will automatically increase. But unfortunately, if Hiraṇyakaśipu occupies your seat, everything will be lost.

VERSE 7.3.14

iti vijñāpito devair
bhagavān ātmabhūr nṛpa
parito bhṛgu-dakṣādyair
yayau daityeśvarāśramam

SYNONYMS

iti — thus; vijñāpitaḥ — informed; devaiḥ — by all the demigods; bhagavān — the most powerful; ātma-bhūḥ — Lord Brahmā, who was born from the lotus flower; nṛpa — O King; paritaḥ — being surrounded; bhṛgu — by Bhṛgu; dakṣa — Dakṣa; ādyaiḥ — and others; yayau — went; daitya-īśvara — of Hiraṇyakaśipu, the King of the Daityas; āśramam — to the place of austerity.

TRANSLATION

O King, being thus informed by the demigods, the most powerful Lord Brahmā, accompanied by Bhṛgu, Dakṣa and other great sages, immediately started for the place where Hiraṇyakaśipu was performing his penances and austerities.

VERSE 7.3.15-16

na dadarśa praticchannaṁ
valmīka-tṛṇa-kīcakaiḥ
pipīlikābhir ācīrṇaṁ
medas-tvaṅ-māṁsa-śoṇitam

tapantaṁ tapasā lokān
yathābhrāpihitaṁ ravim
vilakṣya vismitaḥ prāha
hasaṁs taṁ haṁsa-vāhanaḥ

SYNONYMS

na — not; dadarśa — saw; praticchannam — covered; valmīka — by an anthill; tṛṇa — grass; kīcakaiḥ — and bamboo sticks; pipīlikābhiḥ — by the ants; ācīrṇam — eaten all around; medaḥ — whose fat; tvak — skin; māṁsa — the flesh; śoṇitam — and blood; tapantam — heating; tapasā — by a severe type of penance; lokān — all the three worlds; yathā — just as; abhra — by clouds; apihitam — covered; ravim — the sun; vilakṣya — seeing; vismitaḥ — struck with wonder; prāha — said; hasan — smiling; tam — to him; haṁsa-vāhanaḥ — Lord Brahmā, who rides a swan airplane.

TRANSLATION

Lord Brahmā, who is carried by a swan airplane, at first could not see where Hiraṇyakaśipu was, for Hiraṇyakaśipu’s body was covered by an anthill and by grass and bamboo sticks. Because Hiraṇyakaśipu had been there for a long time, the ants had devoured his skin, fat, flesh and blood. Then Lord Brahmā and the demigods spotted him, resembling a cloud-covered sun, heating all the world by his austerity. Struck with wonder, Lord Brahmā began to smile and then addressed him as follows.

VERSE 7.3.17

śrī-brahmovāca

uttiṣṭhottiṣṭha bhadraṁ te
tapaḥ-siddho ’si kāśyapa
varado ’ham anuprāpto
vriyatām īpsito varaḥ

SYNONYMS

śrī-brahmā uvāca — Lord Brahmā said; uttiṣṭha — please get up; uttiṣṭha — get up; bhadram — good fortune; te — unto you; tapaḥ-siddhaḥ — perfect in executing austerities; asi — you are; kāśyapa — O son of Kaśyapa; vara-daḥ — the giver of benediction; aham — I; anuprāptaḥ — arrived; vriyatām — let it be submitted; īpsitaḥ — desired; varaḥ — benediction.

TRANSLATION

Lord Brahmā said: O son of Kaśyapa Muni, please get up, please get up. All good fortune unto you. You are now perfect in the performance of your austerities, and therefore I may give you a benediction. You may now ask from me whatever you desire, and I shall try to fulfill your wish.

VERSE 7.3.18

adrākṣam aham etaṁ te
hṛt-sāraṁ mahad-adbhutam
daṁśa-bhakṣita-dehasya
prāṇā hy asthiṣu śerate

SYNONYMS

adrākṣam — have personally seen; aham — I; etam — this; te — your; hṛt-sāram — power of endurance; mahat — very great; adbhutam — wonderful; daṁśa-bhakṣita — eaten by worms and ants; dehasya — whose body; prāṇāḥ — the life air; hi — indeed; asthiṣu — in the bones; śerate — is taking shelter.

TRANSLATION

I have been very much astonished to see your endurance. In spite of being eaten and bitten by all kinds of worms and ants, you are keeping your life air circulating within your bones. Certainly this is wonderful.

VERSE 7.3.19

naitat pūrvarṣayaś cakrur
na kariṣyanti cāpare
nirambur dhārayet prāṇān
ko vai divya-samāḥ śatam

SYNONYMS

na — not; etat — this; pūrva-ṛṣayaḥ — the sages before you, such as Bhṛgu; cakruḥ — executed; na — nor; kariṣyanti — will execute; ca — also; apare — others; nirambuḥ — without drinking water; dhārayet — can sustain; prāṇān — the life air; kaḥ — who; vai — indeed; divya-samāḥ — celestial years; śatam — one hundred.

TRANSLATION

Even saintly persons like Bhṛgu, born previously, could not perform such severe austerities, nor will anyone in the future be able to do so. Who within these three worlds can sustain his life without even drinking water for one hundred celestial years?

VERSE 7.3.20

vyavasāyena te ’nena
duṣkareṇa manasvinām
tapo-niṣṭhena bhavatā
jito ’haṁ diti-nandana

SYNONYMS

vyavasāyena — by determination; te — your; anena — this; duṣkareṇa — difficult to perform; manasvinām — even for great sages and saintly persons; tapaḥ-niṣṭhena — aimed at executing austerity; bhavatā — by you; jitaḥ — conquered; aham — I; diti-nandana — O son of Diti.

TRANSLATION

My dear son of Diti, with your great determination and austerity you have done what was impossible even for great saintly persons, and thus I have certainly been conquered by you.

VERSE 7.3.21

tatas ta āśiṣaḥ sarvā
dadāmy asura-puṅgava
martasya te hy amartasya
darśanaṁ nāphalaṁ mama

SYNONYMS

tataḥ — because of this; te — unto you; āśiṣaḥ — benedictions; sarvāḥ — all; dadāmi — I shall give; asura-puṅgava — O best of the asuras; martasya — of one who is destined to die; te — such as you; hi — indeed; amartasya — of one who does not die; darśanam — the audience; na — not; aphalam — without results; mama — my.

TRANSLATION

O best of the asuras, for this reason I am now prepared to give you all benedictions, according to your desire. I belong to the celestial world of demigods, who do not die like human beings. Therefore, although you are subject to death, your audience with me will not go in vain.

VERSE 7.3.22

śrī-nārada uvāca

ity uktvādi-bhavo devo
bhakṣitāṅgaṁ pipīlikaiḥ
kamaṇḍalu-jalenaukṣad
divyenāmogha-rādhasā

SYNONYMS

śrī-nāradaḥ uvāca — Śrī Nārada Muni said; iti — thus; uktvā — saying; ādi-bhavaḥ — Lord Brahmā, the original living creature within this universe; devaḥ — the principal demigod; bhakṣita-aṅgam — Hiraṇyakaśipu’s body, which had been almost completely eaten; pipīlikaiḥ — by the ants; kamaṇḍalu — from the special waterpot in the hands of Lord Brahmā; jalena — by water; aukṣat — sprinkled; divyena — which was spiritual, not ordinary; amogha — without fail; rādhasā — whose power.

TRANSLATION

Śrī Nārada Muni continued: After speaking these words to Hiraṇyakaśipu, Lord Brahmā, the original being of this universe, who is extremely powerful, sprinkled transcendental, infallible, spiritual water from his kamaṇḍalu upon Hiraṇyakaśipu’s body, which had been eaten away by ants and moths. Thus he enlivened Hiraṇyakaśipu.

VERSE 7.3.23

sa tat kīcaka-valmīkāt
saha-ojo-balānvitaḥ
sarvāvayava-sampanno
vajra-saṁhanano yuvā
utthitas tapta-hemābho
vibhāvasur ivaidhasaḥ

SYNONYMS

saḥ — Hiraṇyakaśipu; tat — that; kīcaka-valmīkāt — from the anthill and bamboo grove; sahaḥ — mental strength; ojaḥ — strength of the senses; bala — and sufficient bodily strength; anvitaḥ — endowed with; sarva — all; avayava — the limbs of the body; sampannaḥ — fully restored; vajra-saṁhananaḥ — having a body as strong as a thunderbolt; yuvā — young; utthitaḥ — arisen; tapta-hema-ābhaḥ — whose bodily luster became like molten gold; vibhāvasuḥ — fire; iva — like; edhasaḥ — from fuel wood.

TRANSLATION

As soon as he was sprinkled with the water from Lord Brahmā’s waterpot, Hiraṇyakaśipu arose, endowed with a full body with limbs so strong that they could bear the striking of a thunderbolt. With physical strength and a bodily luster resembling molten gold, he emerged from the anthill a completely young man, just as fire springs from fuel wood.

VERSE 7.3.24

sa nirīkṣyāmbare devaṁ
haṁsa-vāham upasthitam
nanāma śirasā bhūmau
tad-darśana-mahotsavaḥ

SYNONYMS

saḥ — he (Hiraṇyakaśipu); nirīkṣya — seeing; ambare — in the sky; devam — the supreme demigod; haṁsa-vāham — who rides a swan airplane; upasthitam — situated before him; nanāma — offered obeisances; śirasā — with his head; bhūmau — on the ground; tat-darśana — by seeing Lord Brahmā; mahā-utsavaḥ — very much pleased.

TRANSLATION

Seeing Lord Brahmā present before him in the sky, carried by his swan airplane, Hiraṇyakaśipu was extremely pleased. He immediately fell flat with his head on the ground and began to express his obligation to the lord.

VERSE 7.3.25

utthāya prāñjaliḥ prahva
īkṣamāṇo dṛśā vibhum
harṣāśru-pulakodbhedo
girā gadgadayāgṛṇāt

SYNONYMS

utthāya — getting up; prāñjaliḥ — with folded hands; prahvaḥ — in a humble manner; īkṣamāṇaḥ — seeing; dṛśā — with his eyes; vibhum — the supreme person within this universe; harṣa — of jubilation; aśru — with tears; pulaka — with hairs standing on the body; udbhedaḥ — enlivened; girā — by words; gadgadayā — faltering; agṛṇāt — prayed.

TRANSLATION

Then, getting up from the ground and seeing Lord Brahmā before him, the head of the Daityas was overwhelmed by jubilation. With tears in his eyes, his whole body shivering, he began praying in a humble mood, with folded hands and a faltering voice, to satisfy Lord Brahmā.

VERSE 7.3.26-27

śrī-hiraṇyakaśipur uvāca

kalpānte kāla-sṛṣṭena
yo ’ndhena tamasāvṛtam
abhivyanag jagad idaṁ
svayañjyotiḥ sva-rociṣā

ātmanā tri-vṛtā cedaṁ
sṛjaty avati lumpati
rajaḥ-sattva-tamo-dhāmne
parāya mahate namaḥ

SYNONYMS

śrī-hiraṇyakaśipuḥ uvāca — Hiraṇyakaśipu said; kalpa-ante — at the end of every day of Lord Brahmā; kāla-sṛṣṭena — created by the time factor; yaḥ — he who; andhena — by dense darkness; tamasā — by ignorance; āvṛtam — covered; abhivyanak — manifested; jagat — cosmic manifestation; idam — this; svayam-jyotiḥ — self-effulgent; sva-rociṣā — by his bodily rays; ātmanā — by himself; tri-vṛtā — conducted by the three modes of material nature; ca — also; idam — this material world; sṛjati — creates; avati — maintains; lumpati — annihilates; rajaḥ — of the mode of passion; sattva — the mode of goodness; tamaḥ — and the mode of ignorance; dhāmne — unto the supreme lord; parāya — unto the supreme; mahate — unto the great; namaḥ — my respectful obeisances.

TRANSLATION

Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the supreme lord within this universe. At the end of each day of his life, the universe is fully covered with dense darkness by the influence of time, and then again, during his next day, that self-effulgent lord, by his own effulgence, manifests, maintains and destroys the entire cosmic manifestation through the material energy, which is invested with the three modes of material nature. He, Lord Brahmā, is the shelter of those modes of nature — sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa.

VERSE 7.3.28

nama ādyāya bījāya
jñāna-vijñāna-mūrtaye
prāṇendriya-mano-buddhi-
vikārair vyaktim īyuṣe

SYNONYMS

namaḥ — I offer my respectful obeisances; ādyāya — unto the original living creature; bījāya — the seed of the cosmic manifestation; jñāna — of knowledge; vijñāna — and of practical application; mūrtaye — unto the deity or form; prāṇa — of the life air; indriya — of the senses; manaḥ — of the mind; buddhi — of the intelligence; vikāraiḥ — by transformations; vyaktim — manifestation; īyuṣe — who has obtained.

TRANSLATION

I offer my obeisances to the original personality within this universe, Lord Brahmā, who is cognizant and who can apply his mind and realized intelligence in creating this cosmic manifestation. It is because of his activities that everything within the universe is visible. He is therefore the cause of all manifestations.

VERSE 7.3.29

tvam īśiṣe jagatas tasthuṣaś ca
prāṇena mukhyena patiḥ prajānām
cittasya cittair mana-indriyāṇāṁ
patir mahān bhūta-guṇāśayeśaḥ

SYNONYMS

tvam — you; īśiṣe — actually control; jagataḥ — of the moving being; tasthuṣaḥ — of the being that is dull or stationed in one place; ca — and; prāṇena — by the living force; mukhyena — the origin of all activities; patiḥ — master; prajānām — of all living entities; cittasya — of the mind; cittaiḥ — by the consciousness; manaḥ — of the mind; indriyāṇām — and of the two kinds of senses (acting and knowledge-gathering); patiḥ — the master; mahān — great; bhūta — of the material elements; guṇa — and the qualities of the material elements; āśaya — of desires; īśaḥ — the supreme master.

TRANSLATION

Your Lordship, being the origin of the life of this material world, is the master and controller of the living entities, both moving and stationary, and you inspire their consciousness. You maintain the mind and the acting and knowledge-acquiring senses, and therefore you are the great controller of all the material elements and their qualities, and you are the controller of all desires.

VERSE 7.3.30

tvaṁ sapta-tantūn vitanoṣi tanvā
trayyā catur-hotraka-vidyayā ca
tvam eka ātmātmavatām anādir
ananta-pāraḥ kavir antarātmā

SYNONYMS

tvam — you; sapta-tantūn — the seven kinds of Vedic ritualistic ceremonies, beginning from the agniṣṭoma-yajña; vitanoṣi — spread; tanvā — by your body; trayyā — the three Vedas; catuḥ-hotraka — of the four kinds of Vedic priests, known as hotā, adhvaryu, brahma and udgātā; vidyayā — by the necessary knowledge; ca — also; tvam — you; ekaḥ — one; ātmā — the Supersoul; ātma-vatām — of all living entities; anādiḥ — without beginning; ananta-pāraḥ — without end; kaviḥ — the supreme inspirer; antaḥ-ātmā — the Supersoul within the core of the heart.

TRANSLATION

My dear lord, by your form as the Vedas personified and through knowledge relating to the activities of all the yajñic brāhmaṇas, you spread the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies of the seven kinds of sacrifices, headed by agniṣṭoma. Indeed, you inspire the yajñic brāhmaṇas to perform the rituals mentioned in the three Vedas. Being the Supreme Soul, the Supersoul of all living entities, you are beginningless, endless and omniscient, beyond the limits of time and space.

VERSE 7.3.31

tvam eva kālo ’nimiṣo janānām
āyur lavādy-avayavaiḥ kṣiṇoṣi
kūṭa-stha ātmā parameṣṭhy ajo mahāṁs
tvaṁ jīva-lokasya ca jīva ātmā

SYNONYMS

tvam — you; eva — indeed; kālaḥ — unlimited time; animiṣaḥ — unblinking; janānām — of all living entities; āyuḥ — the duration of life; lava-ādi — consisting of seconds, moments, minutes and hours; avayavaiḥ — by different parts; kṣiṇoṣi — reduce; kūṭa-sthaḥ — without being affected by anything; ātmā — the Supersoul; parameṣṭhī — the Supreme Lord; ajaḥ — the unborn; mahān — the great; tvam — you; jīva-lokasya — of this material world; ca — also; jīvaḥ — the cause of life; ātmā — the Supersoul.

TRANSLATION

O my lord, Your Lordship is eternally awake, seeing everything that happens. As eternal time, you reduce the duration of life for all living entities through your different parts, such as moments, seconds, minutes and hours. Nonetheless, you are unchanged, resting in one place as the Supersoul, witness and Supreme Lord, the birthless, all-pervading controller who is the cause of life for all living entities.

VERSE 7.3.32

tvattaḥ paraṁ nāparam apy anejad
ejac ca kiñcid vyatiriktam asti
vidyāḥ kalās te tanavaś ca sarvā
hiraṇyagarbho ’si bṛhat tri-pṛṣṭhaḥ

SYNONYMS

tvattaḥ — from you; param — higher; na — not; aparam — lower; api — even; anejat — not moving; ejat — moving; ca — and; kiñcit — anything; vyatiriktam — separate; asti — there is; vidyāḥ — knowledge; kalāḥ — its parts; te — of you; tanavaḥ — features of the body; ca — and; sarvāḥ — all; hiraṇya-garbhaḥ — the one who keeps the universe within his abdomen; asi — you are; bṛhat — greater than the greatest; tri-pṛṣṭhaḥ — transcendental to the three modes of material nature.

TRANSLATION

There is nothing separate from you, whether it be better or lower, stationary or moving. The knowledge derived from the Vedic literatures like the Upaniṣads, and from all the sub-limbs of the original Vedic knowledge, form your external body. You are Hiraṇyagarbha, the reservoir of the universe, but nonetheless, being situated as the supreme controller, you are transcendental to the material world, which consists of the three modes of material nature.

VERSE 7.3.33

vyaktaṁ vibho sthūlam idaṁ śarīraṁ
yenendriya-prāṇa-mano-guṇāṁs tvam
bhuṅkṣe sthito dhāmani pārameṣṭhye
avyakta ātmā puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ

SYNONYMS

vyaktam — manifested; vibho — O my lord; sthūlam — cosmic manifestation; idam — this; śarīram — external body; yena — by which; indriya — the senses; prāṇa — the life air; manaḥ — the mind; guṇān — transcendental qualities; tvam — you; bhuṅkṣe — enjoy; sthitaḥ — situated; dhāmani — in your own abode; pārameṣṭhye — the supreme; avyaktaḥ — not manifested through ordinary knowledge; ātmā — the soul; puruṣaḥ — the supreme person; purāṇaḥ — the oldest.

TRANSLATION

O my lord, being changelessly situated in your own abode, you expand your universal form within this cosmic manifestation, thus appearing to taste the material world. You are Brahman, the Supersoul, the oldest, the Personality of Godhead.

VERSE 7.3.34

anantāvyakta-rūpeṇa
yenedam akhilaṁ tatam
cid-acic-chakti-yuktāya
tasmai bhagavate namaḥ

SYNONYMS

ananta-avyakta-rūpeṇa — by the unlimited, unmanifested form; yena — by which; idam — this; akhilam — total aggregate; tatam — expanded; cit — with spiritual; acit — and material; śakti — potency; yuktāya — unto he who is endowed; tasmai — unto him; bhagavate — unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; namaḥ — I offer my respectful obeisances.

TRANSLATION

Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme, who in his unlimited, unmanifested form has expanded the cosmic manifestation, the form of the totality of the universe. He possesses external and internal energies and the mixed energy called the marginal potency, which consists of all the living entities.

VERSE 7.3.35

yadi dāsyasy abhimatān
varān me varadottama
bhūtebhyas tvad-visṛṣṭebhyo
mṛtyur mā bhūn mama prabho

SYNONYMS

yadi — if; dāsyasi — you will give; abhimatān — the desired; varān — benedictions; me — unto me; varada-uttama — O best of all benedictors; bhūtebhyaḥ — from living entities; tvat — by you; visṛṣṭebhyaḥ — who are created; mṛtyuḥ — death; — not; bhūt — let there be; mama — my; prabho — O my lord.

TRANSLATION

O my lord, O best of the givers of benediction, if you will kindly grant me the benediction I desire, please let me not meet death from any of the living entities created by you.

VERSE 7.3.36

nāntar bahir divā naktam
anyasmād api cāyudhaiḥ
na bhūmau nāmbare mṛtyur
na narair na mṛgair api

SYNONYMS

na — not; antaḥ — inside (the palace or home); bahiḥ — outside the home; divā — during the daytime; naktam — during the night; anyasmāt — from any others beyond Lord Brahmā; api — even; ca — also; ayudhaiḥ — by any weapons used within this material world; na — nor; bhūmau — on the ground; na — not; ambare — in the sky; mṛtyuḥ — death; na — not; naraiḥ — by any men; na — nor; mṛgaiḥ — by any animal; api — also.

TRANSLATION

Grant me that I not die within any residence or outside any residence, during the daytime or at night, nor on the ground or in the sky. Grant me that my death not be brought by any being other than those created by you, nor by any weapon, nor by any human being or animal.

VERSE 7.3.37-38

vyasubhir vāsumadbhir vā
surāsura-mahoragaiḥ
apratidvandvatāṁ yuddhe
aika-patyaṁ ca dehinām

sarveṣāṁ loka-pālānāṁ
mahimānaṁ yathātmanaḥ
tapo-yoga-prabhāvāṇāṁ
yan na riṣyati karhicit

SYNONYMS

vyasubhiḥ — by things that have no life; — or; asumadbhiḥ — by entities that have life; — or; sura — by the demigods; asura — the demons; mahā-uragaiḥ — by the great serpents who live on the lower planets; apratidvandvatām — without a rival; yuddhe — in battle; aika-patyam — supremacy; ca — and; dehinām — over those who have material bodies; sarveṣām — of all; loka-pālānām — the predominating deities of all planets; mahimānam — the glory; yathā — just as; ātmanaḥ — of yourself; tapaḥ-yoga-prabhāvāṇām — of those whose power is obtained by austerities and the practice of mystic yoga; yat — which; na — never; riṣyati — is destroyed; karhicit — at any time.

TRANSLATION

Grant me that I not meet death from any entity, living or nonliving. Grant me, further, that I not be killed by any demigod or demon or by any great snake from the lower planets. Since no one can kill you in the battlefield, you have no competitor. Therefore, grant me the benediction that I too may have no rival. Give me sole lordship over all the living entities and presiding deities, and give me all the glories obtained by that position. Furthermore, give me all the mystic powers attained by long austerities and the practice of yoga, for these cannot be lost at any time.