Drumila Explains the Incarnations of Godhead to King Nimi
VERSE 11.4.1
śrī-rājovāca
yāni yānīha karmāṇi
yair yaiḥ svacchanda-janmabhiḥ
cakre karoti kartā vā
haris tāni bruvantu naḥ
SYNONYMS
śrī-rājā uvāca — the King said; yāni yāni — each; iha — in this world; karmāṇi — of the activities; yaiḥ yaiḥ — by each; svacchanda — assumed independently; janmabhiḥ — of the appearances; cakre — He performed; karoti — is performing; kartā — will perform; vā — or; hariḥ — the Supreme Lord, Hari; tāni — these; bruvantu — please tell; naḥ — us.
TRANSLATION
King Nimi said: The Supreme Personality of Godhead descends into the material world by His internal potency and according to His own desire. Therefore, please tell us about the various pastimes Lord Hari has performed in the past, is performing now and will perform in this world in the future in His various incarnations.
VERSE 11.4.2
śrī-drumila uvāca
yo vā anantasya guṇān anantān
anukramiṣyan sa tu bāla-buddhiḥ
rajāṁsi bhūmer gaṇayet kathañcit
kālena naivākhila-śakti-dhāmnaḥ
SYNONYMS
śrī-drumilaḥ uvāca — Śrī Drumila said; yaḥ — who; vai — indeed; anantasya — of the unlimited Lord; guṇān — the transcendental qualities; anantān — which are unlimited; anukramiṣyan — trying to enumerate; saḥ — he; tu — certainly; bāla-buddhiḥ — is a person of childish intelligence; rajāṁsi — the particles of dust; bhūmeḥ — on the earth; gaṇayet — one may count; kathañcit — somehow; kālena — in time; na eva — but not; akhila-śakti-dhāmnaḥ — (the qualities) of the reservoir of all potencies.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Drumila said: Anyone trying to enumerate or describe fully the unlimited qualities of the unlimited Supreme Lord has the intelligence of a foolish child. Even if a great genius could somehow or other, after a time-consuming endeavor, count all the particles of dust on the surface of the earth, such a genius could never count the attractive qualities of the Personality of Godhead, who is the reservoir of all potencies.
VERSE 11.4.3
bhūtair yadā pañcabhir ātma-sṛṣṭaiḥ
puraṁ virājaṁ viracayya tasmin
svāṁśena viṣṭaḥ puruṣābhidhānam
avāpa nārāyaṇa ādi-devaḥ
SYNONYMS
bhūtaiḥ — by the material elements; yadā — when; pañcabhiḥ — five (earth, water, fire, air and ether); ātma-sṛṣṭaiḥ — created by Himself; puram — the body; virājam — of the universe in its subtle form; viracayya — having constructed; tasmin — within that; sva-aṁśena — in the manifestation of His own plenary expansion; viṣṭaḥ — entering; puruṣa-abhidhānam — the name Puruṣa; avāpa — assumed; nārāyaṇaḥ — Lord Nārāyaṇa; ādi-devaḥ — the original Personality of Godhead.
TRANSLATION
When the primeval Lord Nārāyaṇa created His universal body out of the five elements produced from Himself and then entered within that universal body by His own plenary portion, He thus became known as the Puruṣa.
VERSE 11.4.4
yat-kāya eṣa bhuvana-traya-sanniveśo
yasyendriyais tanu-bhṛtām ubhayendriyāṇi
jñānaṁ svataḥ śvasanato balam oja īhā
sattvādibhiḥ sthiti-layodbhava ādi-kartā
SYNONYMS
yat-kāye — within whose body; eṣaḥ — this; bhuvana-traya — of the three planetary systems making up the universe; sanniveśaḥ — the elaborate arrangement; yasya — of whom; indriyaiḥ — by the senses; tanu-bhṛtām — of the embodied living beings; ubhaya-indriyāṇi — both kinds of senses (knowledge-acquiring and active); jñānam — knowledge; svataḥ — directly from Him; śvasanataḥ — from His breathing; balam — strength of the body; ojaḥ — strength of the senses; īhā — activities; sattva-ādibhiḥ — by nature’s modes of goodness, passion and ignorance; sthiti — in maintenance; laya — destruction; udbhave — and creation; ādi-kartā — the original doer.
TRANSLATION
Within His body are elaborately arranged the three planetary systems of this universe. His transcendental senses generate the knowledge-acquiring and active senses of all embodied beings. His consciousness generates conditioned knowledge, and His powerful breathing produces the bodily strength, sensory power and conditioned activities of the embodied souls. He is the prime mover, through the agency of the material modes of goodness, passion and ignorance. And thus the universe is created, maintained and annihilated.
VERSE 11.4.5
ādāv abhūc chata-dhṛtī rajasāsya sarge
viṣṇuḥ sthitau kratu-patir dvija-dharma-setuḥ
rudro ’pyayāya tamasā puruṣaḥ sa ādya
ity udbhava-sthiti-layāḥ satataṁ prajāsu
SYNONYMS
ādau — in the beginning; abhūt — He became; śata-dhṛtiḥ — Lord Brahmā; rajasā — by the material mode of passion; asya — of this universe; sarge — in the creation; viṣṇuḥ — Lord Viṣṇu; sthitau — in maintenance; kratu-patiḥ — the Lord of sacrifice; dvija — of the twice-born brāhmaṇas; dharma — of the religious duties; setuḥ — the protector; rudraḥ — Lord Śiva; apyayāya — for annihilation; tamasā — by the mode of ignorance; puruṣaḥ — the Supreme Person; saḥ — He; ādyaḥ — original; iti — thus; udbhava-sthiti-layāḥ — creation, maintenance and destruction; satatam — always; prajāsu — among created beings.
TRANSLATION
In the beginning, the original Supreme Personality manifested the form of Brahmā through the material mode of passion in order to create this universe. The Lord manifested His form as Viṣṇu, the Lord of sacrifice and protector of the twice-born brāhmaṇas and their religious duties, to maintain the universe. And when the universe is to be annihilated the same Supreme Lord employs the material mode of ignorance and manifests the form of Rudra. The created living beings are thus always subject to the forces of creation, maintenance and destruction.
VERSE 11.4.6
dharmasya dakṣa-duhitary ajaniṣṭa mūrtyāṁ
nārāyaṇo nara ṛṣi-pravaraḥ praśāntaḥ
naiṣkarmya-lakṣaṇam uvāca cacāra karma
yo ’dyāpi cāsta ṛṣi-varya-niṣevitāṅghriḥ
SYNONYMS
dharmasya — (the wife) of Dharma; dakṣa-duhitari — by the daughter of Dakṣa; ajaniṣṭa — was born; mūrtyām — by Mūrti; nārāyaṇaḥ naraḥ — Nara-Nārāyaṇa; ṛṣi-pravaraḥ — the best of sages; praśāntaḥ — perfectly peaceful; naiṣkarmya-lakṣaṇam — characterized by the cessation of all material work; uvāca — He spoke; cacāra — and performed; karma — the duties; yaḥ — who; adya api — even today; ca — also; āste — is living; ṛṣi-varya — by the greatest sages; niṣevita — being served; aṅghriḥ — His feet.
TRANSLATION
Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi, who is perfectly peaceful and is the best of sages, was born as the son of Dharma and his wife Mūrti, the daughter of Dakṣa. Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi taught the devotional service of the Lord, by which material work ceases, and He Himself perfectly practiced this knowledge. He is living even today, His lotus feet served by the greatest of saintly persons.
VERSE 11.4.7
indro viśaṅkya mama dhāma jighṛkṣatīti
kāmaṁ nyayuṅkta sa-gaṇaṁ sa badary-upākhyam
gatvāpsaro-gaṇa-vasanta-sumanda-vātaiḥ
strī-prekṣaṇeṣubhir avidhyad atan-mahi-jñaḥ
SYNONYMS
indraḥ — Lord Indra; viśaṅkya — fearing; mama — my; dhāma — kingdom; jighṛkṣati — He wants to devour; iti — thinking thus; kāmam — Cupid; nyayuṅkta — he engaged; sa-gaṇam — with his associates; saḥ — he (Cupid); badarī-upākhyam — to the āśrama named Badarikā; gatvā — going; apsaraḥ-gaṇa — with the heavenly society girls; vasanta — the spring season; su-manda-vātaiḥ — and the gentle breezes; strī-prekṣaṇa — (consisting of) the glances of women; iṣubhiḥ — with his arrows; avidhyat — attempted to pierce; atat-mahi-jñaḥ — not knowing His greatness.
TRANSLATION
King Indra became fearful, thinking that Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi would become very powerful by His severe penances and seize Indra’s heavenly kingdom. Thus Indra, not knowing the transcendental glories of the incarnation of the Lord, sent Cupid and his associates to the Lord’s residence in Badarikāśrama. As the charming breezes of spring created a most sensuous atmosphere, Cupid himself attacked the Lord with arrows in the form of the irresistible glances of beautiful women.
VERSE 11.4.8
vijñāya śakra-kṛtam akramam ādi-devaḥ
prāha prahasya gata-vismaya ejamānān
mā bhair vibho madana māruta deva-vadhvo
gṛhṇīta no balim aśūnyam imaṁ kurudhvam
SYNONYMS
vijñāya — understanding perfectly; śakra — by Indra; kṛtam — committed; akramam — the offense; ādi-devaḥ — the original Personality of Godhead; prāha — He spoke; prahasya — laughing; gata-vismayaḥ — free from pride; ejamānān — to those who were trembling; mā bhaiḥ — please have no fear; vibho — O mighty one; madana — Cupid; māruta — O god of the wind; deva-vadhvaḥ — O wives of the demigods; gṛhṇīta — please accept; naḥ — from Us; balim — these gifts; aśūnyam — not empty; imam — this (āśrama); kurudhvam — please make.
TRANSLATION
The primeval Lord, understanding the offense committed by Indra, did not become proud. Instead He spoke laughingly as follows to Cupid and his followers, who were trembling before Him: “Do not fear, O mighty Madana, O wind-god and wives of the demigods. Rather, please accept these gifts I am offering you and kindly sanctify My āśrama by your presence.”
VERSE 11.4.9
itthaṁ bruvaty abhaya-de nara-deva devāḥ
sa-vrīḍa-namra-śirasaḥ sa-ghṛṇaṁ tam ūcuḥ
naitad vibho tvayi pare ’vikṛte vicitraṁ
svārāma-dhīra-nikarānata-pāda-padme
SYNONYMS
ittham — in this way; bruvati — when He had spoken; abhaya-de — the giver of fearlessness; nara-deva — O King (Nimi); devāḥ — the demigods (Cupid and his associates); sa-vrīḍa — out of shame; namra — bowed; śirasaḥ — with their heads; sa-ghṛṇam — begging for compassion; tam — to Him; ūcuḥ — they said; na — is not; etat — this; vibho — O almighty Lord; tvayi — for You; pare — the Supreme; avikṛte — unchanging; vicitram — anything surprising; sva-ārāma — of those who are self-satisfied; dhīra — and those who are sober-minded; nikara — by great numbers; ānata — bowed down to; pāda-padme — whose lotus feet.
TRANSLATION
My dear King Nimi, when Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi thus spoke, eradicating the fear of the demigods, they bowed their heads with shame and addressed the Lord as follows, to invoke His compassion: Our dear Lord, You are always transcendental, beyond the reach of illusion, and therefore You are forever changeless. Your causeless compassion toward us, despite our great offense, is not at all unusual in You, since innumerable great sages who are self-satisfied and free from anger and false pride bow down humbly at Your lotus feet.
VERSE 11.4.10
tvāṁ sevatāṁ sura-kṛtā bahavo ’ntarāyāḥ
svauko vilaṅghya paramaṁ vrajatāṁ padaṁ te
nānyasya barhiṣi balīn dadataḥ sva-bhāgān
dhatte padaṁ tvam avitā yadi vighna-mūrdhni
SYNONYMS
tvām — You; sevatām — for those who are serving; sura-kṛtāḥ — made by the demigods; bahavaḥ — many; antarāyāḥ — disturbances; sva-okaḥ — their own abode (the planets of the demigods); vilaṅghya — crossing beyond; paramam — the supreme; vrajatām — who are going; padam — to the abode; te — Your; na — there are not such; anyasya — for another; barhiṣi — in ritual sacrifices; balīn — offerings; dadataḥ — for one who is giving; sva-bhāgān — the own shares (of the demigods); dhatte — (the devotee) places; padam — his foot; tvam — You; avitā — the protector; yadi — because; vighna — of the disturbance; mūrdhni — upon the head.
TRANSLATION
The demigods place many obstacles on the path of those who worship You to transcend the temporary abodes of the demigods and reach Your supreme abode. Those who offer the demigods their assigned shares in sacrificial performances encounter no such obstacles. But because You are the direct protector of Your devotee, he is able to step over the head of whatever obstacle the demigods place before him.
VERSE 11.4.11
kṣut-tṛṭ-tri-kāla-guṇa-māruta-jaihva-śaiṣṇān
asmān apāra-jaladhīn atitīrya kecit
krodhasya yānti viphalasya vaśaṁ pade gor
majjanti duścara-tapaś ca vṛthotsṛjanti
SYNONYMS
kṣut — hunger; tṛṭ — thirst; tri-kāla-guṇa — the manifestations of the three phases of time (such as heat and cold, rain and so on); māruta — wind; jaihva — enjoyment of the tongue; śaiṣṇān — and of the genitals; asmān — ourselves (in all these forms); apāra — limitless; jala-dhīn — oceans; atitīrya — having crossed over; kecit — some persons; krodhasya — of anger; yānti — they come; viphalasya — which is fruitless; vaśam — under the sway; pade — in the foot(print); goḥ — of a cow; majjanti — they drown; duścara — difficult to execute; tapaḥ — their austerities; ca — and; vṛthā — without any good purpose; utsṛjanti — they throw away.
TRANSLATION
Some men practice severe penances to cross beyond our influence, which is like an immeasurable ocean with endless waves of hunger, thirst, heat, cold and the other conditions brought about by the passing of time, such as the sensuous wind and the urges of the tongue and sex organs. Nevertheless, although crossing this ocean of sense gratification through severe penances, such persons foolishly drown in a cow’s hoofprint when conquered by useless anger. Thus they exhaust the benefit of their difficult austerities in vain.
VERSE 11.4.12
iti pragṛṇatāṁ teṣāṁ
striyo ’ty-adbhuta-darśanāḥ
darśayām āsa śuśrūṣāṁ
sv-arcitāḥ kurvatīr vibhuḥ
SYNONYMS
iti — thus; pragṛṇatām — who were offering praise; teṣām — in their presence; striyaḥ — women; ati-adbhuta — very wonderful; darśanāḥ — in appearance; darśayām āsa — He showed; śuśrūṣām — reverential service; su-arcitāḥ — nicely decorated; kurvatīḥ — performing; vibhuḥ — the almighty Lord.
TRANSLATION
While the demigods were thus praising the Supreme Lord, the all-powerful Lord suddenly manifested before their eyes many women, who were astonishingly gorgeous, decorated with fine clothes and ornaments, and all faithfully engaging in the Lord’s service.
VERSE 11.4.13
te devānucarā dṛṣṭvā
striyaḥ śrīr iva rūpiṇīḥ
gandhena mumuhus tāsāṁ
rūpaudārya-hata-śriyaḥ
SYNONYMS
te — they; deva-anucarāḥ — the followers of the demigods; dṛṣṭvā — seeing; striyaḥ — these women; śrīḥ — the goddess of fortune; iva — as if; rūpiṇīḥ — in person; gandhena — by the fragrance; mumuhuḥ — they became bewildered; tāsām — of the women; rūpa — of the beauty; audārya — by the magnificence; hata — ruined; śriyaḥ — their opulence.
TRANSLATION
When the followers of the demigods gazed upon the fascinating mystic beauty of the women created by Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi and smelled the fragrance of their bodies, the minds of these followers became bewildered. Indeed, upon seeing the beauty and magnificence of such women, the representatives of the demigods were completely diminished in their own opulence.
VERSE 11.4.14
tān āha deva-deveśaḥ
praṇatān prahasann iva
āsām ekatamāṁ vṛṅdhvaṁ
sa-varṇāṁ svarga-bhūṣaṇām
SYNONYMS
tān — to them; āha — said; deva-deva-īśaḥ — the Supreme Lord of all lords; praṇatān — who had bowed down to Him; prahasan iva — almost smiling; āsām — of these women; ekatamām — one; vṛṅdhvam — please choose; sa-varṇām — suitable; svarga — of heaven; bhūṣaṇām — the ornament.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Lord of lords then smiled slightly and told the representatives of heaven, who were bowing down before Him, “Please choose one of these women, whomever you find suitable for you. She will become the ornament of the heavenly planets.”
VERSE 11.4.15
om ity ādeśam ādāya
natvā taṁ sura-vandinaḥ
urvaśīm apsaraḥ-śreṣṭhāṁ
puraskṛtya divaṁ yayuḥ
SYNONYMS
om iti — chanting om to signify agreement; ādeśam — His order; ādāya — taking; natvā — offering obeisances; tam — to Him; sura — of the demigods; vandinaḥ — those servants; urvaśīm — Urvaśī; apsaraḥ-śreṣṭhām — the best of the Apsarās; puraḥ-kṛtya — placing in front (out of respect); divam — to heaven; yayuḥ — they returned.
TRANSLATION
Vibrating the sacred syllable om, the servants of the demigods selected Urvaśī, the best of the Apsarās. Placing her in front of them out of respect, they returned to the heavenly planets.
VERSE 11.4.16
indrāyānamya sadasi
śṛṇvatāṁ tri-divaukasām
ūcur nārāyaṇa-balaṁ
śakras tatrāsa vismitaḥ
SYNONYMS
indrāya — to Lord Indra; ānamya — bowing down; sadasi — in his assembly; śṛṇvatām — while they were listening; tri-diva — the three heavens; okasām — whose residents; ūcuḥ — they told; nārāyaṇa-balam — about the strength of Lord Nārāyaṇa; śakraḥ — Indra; tatra — at that; āsa — became; vismitaḥ — surprised.
TRANSLATION
The servants of the demigods reached the assembly of Indra, and thus, while all the residents of the three heavens listened, they explained to Indra the supreme power of Nārāyaṇa. When Indra heard of Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi and became aware of his offense, he was both frightened and astonished.
VERSE 11.4.17
haṁsa-svarūpy avadad acyuta ātma-yogaṁ
dattaḥ kumāra ṛṣabho bhagavān pitā naḥ
viṣṇuḥ śivāya jagatāṁ kalayāvatīrṇas
tenāhṛtā madhu-bhidā śrutayo hayāsye
SYNONYMS
haṁsa-svarūpī — assuming His eternal form of the swan incarnation; avadat — He spoke; acyutaḥ — the infallible Supreme Personality of Godhead; ātma-yogam — self-realization; dattaḥ — Dattātreya; kumāraḥ — the Kumāra brothers, headed by Sanaka; ṛṣabhaḥ — Ṛṣabhadeva; bhagavān — the Lord; pitā — father; naḥ — our; viṣṇuḥ — Lord Viṣṇu; śivāya — for the welfare; jagatām — of all the world; kalayā — by His secondary personal expansions; avatīrṇaḥ — descending to this world; tena — by Him; āhṛtāḥ — were brought back (from the depths of Pātālaloka); madhu-bhidā — by the killer of the demon Madhu; śrutayaḥ — the original texts of the Vedas; haya-āsye — in the horse-headed incarnation.
TRANSLATION
The infallible Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, has descended into this world by His various partial incarnations such as Lord Haṁsa [the swan], Dattātreya, the four Kumāras and our own father, the mighty Ṛṣabhadeva. By such incarnations, the Lord teaches the science of self-realization for the benefit of the whole universe. In His appearance as Hayagrīva He killed the demon Madhu and thus brought the Vedas back from the hellish planet Pātālaloka.
VERSE 11.4.18
gupto ’pyaye manur ilauṣadhayaś ca mātsye
krauḍe hato diti-ja uddharatāmbhasaḥ kṣmām
kaurme dhṛto ’drir amṛtonmathane sva-pṛṣṭhe
grāhāt prapannam ibha-rājam amuñcad ārtam
SYNONYMS
guptaḥ — was protected; apyaye — during the annihilation; manuḥ — Vaivasvata Manu; ilā — the earth planet; oṣadhayaḥ — the herbs; ca — and; mātsye — in His incarnation as a fish; krauḍe — in His incarnation as a boar; hataḥ — was killed; diti-jaḥ — the demoniac son of Diti, Hiraṇyākṣa; uddharatā — by Him who was delivering; ambhasaḥ — from the waters; kṣmām — the earth; kaurme — as a tortoise; dhṛtaḥ — was held; adriḥ — the mountain (Mandara); amṛta-unmathane — when the nectar was being churned (by the demons and demigods together); sva-pṛṣṭhe — upon His own back; grāhāt — from the crocodile; prapannam — surrendered; ibha-rājam — the king of the elephants; amuñcat — He freed; ārtam — distressed.
TRANSLATION
In His appearance as a fish, the Lord protected Satyavrata Manu, the earth and her valuable herbs. He protected them from the waters of annihilation. As a boar, the Lord killed Hiraṇyākṣa, the son of Diti, while delivering the earth from the universal waters. And as a tortoise, He lifted Mandara Mountain on His back so that nectar could be churned from the ocean. The Lord saved the surrendered king of the elephants, Gajendra, who was suffering terrible distress from the grips of a crocodile.
VERSE 11.4.19
saṁstunvato nipatitān śramaṇān ṛṣīṁś ca
śakraṁ ca vṛtra-vadhatas tamasi praviṣṭam
deva-striyo ’sura-gṛhe pihitā anāthā
jaghne ’surendram abhayāya satāṁ nṛsiṁhe
SYNONYMS
saṁstunvataḥ — who were offering prayers; nipatitān — fallen (into the water in a cow’s hoofprint); śramaṇān — the ascetics; ṛṣīn — sages (the Vālakhilyas); ca — and; śakram — Indra; ca — and; vṛtra-vadhataḥ — from killing Vṛtrāsura; tamasi — in darkness; praviṣṭam — absorbed; deva-striyaḥ — the wives of the demigods; asura-gṛhe — in the palace of the demons; pihitāḥ — imprisoned; anāthāḥ — helpless; jaghne — He killed; asura-indram — the king of the demons, Hiraṇyakaśipu; abhayāya — for the sake of giving fearlessness; satām — to the saintly devotees; nṛsiṁhe — in the incarnation of Nṛsiṁha.
TRANSLATION
The Lord also delivered the tiny ascetic sages called the Vālakhilyas when they fell into the water in a cow’s hoofprint and Indra was laughing at them. The Lord then saved Indra when Indra was covered by darkness due to the sinful reaction for killing Vṛtrāsura. When the wives of the demigods were trapped in the palace of the demons without any shelter, the Lord saved them. In His incarnation as Nṛsiṁha, the Lord killed Hiraṇyakaśipu, the king of demons, to free the saintly devotees from fear.
VERSE 11.4.20
devāsure yudhi ca daitya-patīn surārthe
hatvāntareṣu bhuvanāny adadhāt kalābhiḥ
bhūtvātha vāmana imām aharad baleḥ kṣmāṁ
yācñā-cchalena samadād aditeḥ sutebhyaḥ
SYNONYMS
deva-asure — of the demigods and demons; yudhi — in the battle; ca — and; daitya-patīn — the leaders of the demons; sura-arthe — for the sake of the demigods; hatvā — by killing; antareṣu — during the reign of each Manu; bhuvanāni — all the worlds; adadhāt — protected; kalābhiḥ — by His various appearances; bhūtvā — becoming; atha — moreover; vāmanaḥ — the incarnation as a dwarf brāhmaṇa boy; imām — this; aharat — took away; baleḥ — from Bali Mahārāja; kṣmām — earth; yācñā-chalena — on the excuse of begging for charity; samadāt — gave; aditeḥ — of Aditi; sutebhyaḥ — to the sons (the demigods).
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Lord regularly takes advantage of the wars between the demons and demigods to kill the leaders of the demons. The Lord thus encourages the demigods by protecting the universe through His various incarnations during the reigns of each Manu. The Lord also appeared as Vāmana and took the earth away from Bali Mahārāja on the plea of begging three steps of land. The Lord then returned the entire world to the sons of Aditi.
VERSE 11.4.21
niḥkṣatriyām akṛta gāṁ ca triḥ-sapta-kṛtvo
rāmas tu haihaya-kulāpyaya-bhārgavāgniḥ
so ’bdhiṁ babandha daśa-vaktram ahan sa-laṅkaṁ
sītā-patir jayati loka-mala-ghna-kīṛtiḥ
SYNONYMS
niḥkṣatriyām — devoid of members of the warrior class; akṛta — He made; gām — the earth; ca — and; triḥ-sapta-kṛtvaḥ — three times seven (twenty-one) times; rāmaḥ — Lord Paraśurāma; tu — indeed; haihaya-kula — of the dynasty of Haihaya; apyaya — the destruction; bhārgava — descending from Bhṛgu Muni; agniḥ — the fire; saḥ — He; abdhim — the ocean; babandha — brought under subjection; daśa-vaktram — the ten-headed Rāvaṇa; ahan — killed; sa-laṅkam — along with all the soldiers of his kingdom, Laṅkā; sītā-patiḥ — Lord Rāmacandra, the husband of Sītā; jayati — is always victorious; loka — of the entire world; mala — the contamination; ghna — which destroys; kīrtiḥ — the recounting of whose glories.
TRANSLATION
Lord Paraśurāma appeared in the family of Bhṛgu as a fire that burned to ashes the dynasty of Haihaya. Thus Lord Paraśurāma rid the earth of all kṣatriyas twenty-one times. The same Lord appeared as Rāmacandra, the husband of Sītādevī, and thus He killed the ten-headed Rāvaṇa, along with all the soldiers of Laṅkā. May that Śrī Rāma, whose glories destroy the contamination of the world, be always victorious.
VERSE 11.4.22
bhūmer bharāvataraṇāya yaduṣv ajanmā
jātaḥ kariṣyati surair api duṣkarāṇi
vādair vimohayati yajña-kṛto ’tad-arhān
śūdrān kalau kṣiti-bhujo nyahaniṣyad ante
SYNONYMS
bhūmeḥ — of the earth; bhara — the burden; avataraṇāya — to diminish; yaduṣu — in the Yadu dynasty; ajanmā — the unborn Lord; jātaḥ — taking birth; kariṣyati — He will perform; suraiḥ — by the demigods; api — even; duṣkarāṇi — difficult deeds; vādaiḥ — by speculative arguments; vimohayati — He will bewilder; yajña-kṛtaḥ — the performers of Vedic sacrifices; atat-arhān — who are unfit to be so engaged; śūdrān — the low-class men; kalau — in the degraded Age of Kali; kṣiti-bhujaḥ — rulers; nyahaniṣyat — He will kill; ante — at the end.
TRANSLATION
To diminish the burden of the earth, the unborn Lord will take birth in the Yadu dynasty and perform feats impossible even for the demigods. Propounding speculative philosophy, the Lord, as Buddha, will bewilder the unworthy performers of Vedic sacrifices. And as Kalki the Lord will kill all the low-class men posing as rulers at the end of the Age of Kali.
VERSE 11.4.23
evaṁ-vidhāni janmāni
karmāṇi ca jagat-pateḥ
bhūrīṇi bhūri-yaśaso
varṇitāni mahā-bhuja
SYNONYMS
evam-vidhāni — just like these; janmāni — appearances; karmāṇi — activities; ca — and; jagat-pateḥ — of the Lord of the universe; bhūrīṇi — innumerable; bhūri-yaśasaḥ — very glorious; varṇitāni — described; mahā-bhuja — O mighty-armed King Nimi.
TRANSLATION
O mighty-armed King, there are innumerable appearances and activities of the Supreme Lord of the universe similar to those I have already mentioned. In fact, the glories of the Supreme Lord are unlimited.