The Supreme Lord Is Equal to Everyone
VERSE 7.1.1
śrī-rājovāca
samaḥ priyaḥ suhṛd brahman
bhūtānāṁ bhagavān svayam
indrasyārthe kathaṁ daityān
avadhīd viṣamo yathā
SYNONYMS
śrī-rājā uvāca — Mahārāja Parīkṣit said; samaḥ — equal; priyaḥ — beloved; suhṛt — friend; brahman — O brāhmaṇa (Śukadeva); bhūtānām — toward all living entities; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu; svayam — Himself; indrasya — of Indra; arthe — for the benefit; katham — how; daityān — the demons; avadhīt — killed; viṣamaḥ — partial; yathā — as if.
TRANSLATION
King Parīkṣit inquired: My dear brāhmaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, being everyone’s well-wisher, is equal and extremely dear to everyone. How, then, did He become partial like a common man for the sake of Indra and thus kill Indra’s enemies? How can a person equal to everyone be partial to some and inimical toward others?
VERSE 7.1.2
na hy asyārthaḥ sura-gaṇaiḥ
sākṣān niḥśreyasātmanaḥ
naivāsurebhyo vidveṣo
nodvegaś cāguṇasya hi
SYNONYMS
na — not; hi — certainly; asya — His; arthaḥ — benefit, interest; sura-gaṇaiḥ — with the demigods; sākṣāt — personally; niḥśreyasa — of the highest bliss; ātmanaḥ — whose nature; na — not; eva — certainly; asurebhyaḥ — for the demons; vidveṣaḥ — envy; na — not; udvegaḥ — fear; ca — and; aguṇasya — who possesses no material qualities; hi — certainly.
TRANSLATION
Lord Viṣṇu Himself, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the reservoir of all pleasure. Therefore, what benefit would He derive from siding with the demigods? What interest would He fulfill in this way? Since the Lord is transcendental, why should He fear the asuras, and how could He be envious of them?
VERSE 7.1.3
iti naḥ sumahā-bhāga
nārāyaṇa-guṇān prati
saṁśayaḥ sumahāñ jātas
tad bhavāṁś chettum arhati
SYNONYMS
iti — thus; naḥ — our; su-mahā-bhāga — O glorious one; nārāyaṇa-guṇān — the qualities of Nārāyaṇa; prati — toward; saṁśayaḥ — doubt; su-mahān — very great; jātaḥ — born; tat — that; bhavān — Your Lordship; chettum arhati — please dispel.
TRANSLATION
O greatly fortunate and learned brāhmaṇa, whether Nārāyaṇa is partial or impartial has become a subject of great doubt. Kindly dispel my doubt with positive evidence that Nārāyaṇa is always neutral and equal to everyone.
VERSE 7.1.4-5
śrī-ṛṣir uvāca
sādhu pṛṣṭaṁ mahārāja
hareś caritam adbhutam
yad bhāgavata-māhātmyaṁ
bhagavad-bhakti-vardhanam
gīyate paramaṁ puṇyam
ṛṣibhir nāradādibhiḥ
natvā kṛṣṇāya munaye
kathayiṣye hareḥ kathām
SYNONYMS
śrī-ṛṣiḥ uvāca — the sage Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; sādhu — excellent; pṛṣṭam — inquiry; mahā-rāja — O great King; hareḥ — of the Supreme Lord, Hari; caritam — activities; adbhutam — wonderful; yat — from which; bhāgavata — of the Lord’s devotee (Prahlāda); māhātmyam — the glories; bhagavat-bhakti — devotion to the Lord; vardhanam — increasing; gīyate — is sung; paramam — foremost; puṇyam — pious; ṛṣibhiḥ — by the sages; nārada-ādibhiḥ — headed by Śrī Nārada Muni; natvā — after offering obeisances; kṛṣṇāya — to Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa; munaye — the great sage; kathayiṣye — I shall narrate; hareḥ — of Hari; kathām — the topics.
TRANSLATION
The great sage Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: My dear King, you have put before me an excellent question. Discourses concerning the activities of the Lord, in which the glories of His devotees are also found, are extremely pleasing to devotees. Such wonderful topics always counteract the miseries of the materialistic way of life. Therefore great sages like Nārada always speak upon Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam because it gives one the facility to hear and chant about the wonderful activities of the Lord. Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrīla Vyāsadeva and then begin describing topics concerning the activities of Lord Hari.
VERSE 7.1.6
nirguṇo ’pi hy ajo ’vyakto
bhagavān prakṛteḥ paraḥ
sva-māyā-guṇam āviśya
bādhya-bādhakatāṁ gataḥ
SYNONYMS
nirguṇaḥ — without material qualities; api — although; hi — certainly; ajaḥ — unborn; avyaktaḥ — unmanifest; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; prakṛteḥ — to material nature; paraḥ — transcendental; sva-māyā — of His own energy; guṇam — material qualities; āviśya — entering; bādhya — obligation; bādhakatām — the condition of being obliged; gataḥ — accepts.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, is always transcendental to material qualities, and therefore He is called nirguṇa, or without qualities. Because He is unborn, He does not have a material body to be subjected to attachment and hatred. Although the Lord is always above material existence, through His spiritual potency He appeared and acted like an ordinary human being, accepting duties and obligations, apparently like a conditioned soul.
VERSE 7.1.7
sattvaṁ rajas tama iti
prakṛter nātmano guṇāḥ
na teṣāṁ yugapad rājan
hrāsa ullāsa eva vā
SYNONYMS
sattvam — the mode of goodness; rajaḥ — the mode of passion; tamaḥ — the mode of ignorance; iti — thus; prakṛteḥ — of material nature; na — not; ātmanaḥ — of the spirit soul; guṇāḥ — qualities; na — not; teṣām — of them; yugapat — simultaneously; rājan — O King; hrāsaḥ — diminution; ullāsaḥ — prominence; eva — certainly; vā — or.
TRANSLATION
My dear King Parīkṣit, the material qualities — sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa — all belong to the material world and do not even touch the Supreme Personality of Godhead. These three guṇas cannot act by increasing or decreasing simultaneously.
VERSE 7.1.8
jaya-kāle tu sattvasya
devarṣīn rajaso ’surān
tamaso yakṣa-rakṣāṁsi
tat-kālānuguṇo ’bhajat
SYNONYMS
jaya-kāle — in the time of prominence; tu — indeed; sattvasya — of goodness; deva — the demigods; ṛṣīn — and the sages; rajasaḥ — of passion; asurān — the demons; tamasaḥ — of ignorance; yakṣa-rakṣāṁsi — the Yakṣas and Rākṣasas; tat-kāla-anuguṇaḥ — according to the particular time; abhajat — fostered.
TRANSLATION
When the quality of goodness is prominent, the sages and demigods flourish with the help of that quality, with which they are infused and surcharged by the Supreme Lord. Similarly, when the mode of passion is prominent the demons flourish, and when ignorance is prominent the Yakṣas and Rākṣasas flourish. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is present in everyone’s heart, fostering the reactions of sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa.
VERSE 7.1.9
jyotir-ādir ivābhāti
saṅghātān na vivicyate
vidanty ātmānam ātma-sthaṁ
mathitvā kavayo ’ntataḥ
SYNONYMS
jyotiḥ — fire; ādiḥ — and other elements; iva — just as; ābhāti — appear; saṅghātāt — from the bodies of demigods and others; na — not; vivicyate — are distinguished; vidanti — perceive; ātmānam — the Supersoul; ātma-stham — situated in the heart; mathitvā — by discerning; kavayaḥ — expert thinkers; antataḥ — within.
TRANSLATION
The all-pervading Personality of Godhead exists within the heart of every living being, and an expert thinker can perceive how He is present there to a large or small extent. Just as one can understand the supply of fire in wood, the water in a waterpot, or the sky within a pot, one can understand whether a living entity is a demon or a demigod by understanding that living entity’s devotional performances. A thoughtful man can understand how much a person is favored by the Supreme Lord by seeing his actions.
VERSE 7.1.10
yadā sisṛkṣuḥ pura ātmanaḥ paro
rajaḥ sṛjaty eṣa pṛthak sva-māyayā
sattvaṁ vicitrāsu riraṁsur īśvaraḥ
śayiṣyamāṇas tama īrayaty asau
SYNONYMS
yadā — when; sisṛkṣuḥ — desiring to create; puraḥ — material bodies; ātmanaḥ — for the living entities; paraḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; rajaḥ — the mode of passion; sṛjati — manifests; eṣaḥ — He; pṛthak — separately, predominantly; sva-māyayā — by His own creative energy; sattvam — the mode of goodness; vicitrāsu — in various types of bodies; riraṁsuḥ — desiring to act; īśvaraḥ — the Personality of Godhead; śayiṣyamāṇaḥ — being about to conclude; tamaḥ — the mode of ignorance; īrayati — causes to rise; asau — that Supreme.
TRANSLATION
When the Supreme Personality of Godhead creates different types of bodies, offering a particular body to each living entity according to his character and fruitive actions, the Lord revives all the qualities of material nature — sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa. Then, as the Supersoul, He enters each body and influences the qualities of creation, maintenance and annihilation, using sattva-guṇa for maintenance, rajo-guṇa for creation and tamo-guṇa for annihilation.
VERSE 7.1.11
kālaṁ carantaṁ sṛjatīśa āśrayaṁ
pradhāna-pumbhyāṁ nara-deva satya-kṛt
SYNONYMS
kālam — time; carantam — moving; sṛjati — creates; īśaḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; āśrayam — shelter; pradhāna — for the material energy; pumbhyām — and the living entity; nara-deva — O ruler of men; satya — true; kṛt — creator.
TRANSLATION
O great King, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the controller of the material and spiritual energies, who is certainly the creator of the entire cosmos, creates the time factor to allow the material energy and the living entity to act within the limits of time. Thus the Supreme Personality is never under the time factor nor under the material energy.
VERSE 7.1.12
ya eṣa rājann api kāla īśitā
sattvaṁ surānīkam ivaidhayaty ataḥ
tat-pratyanīkān asurān sura-priyo
rajas-tamaskān pramiṇoty uruśravāḥ
SYNONYMS
yaḥ — which; eṣaḥ — this; rājan — O King; api — even; kālaḥ — time; īśitā — the Supreme Lord; sattvam — the mode of goodness; sura-anīkam — numbers of demigods; iva — certainly; edhayati — causes to increase; ataḥ — hence; tat-pratyanīkān — inimical to them; asurān — the demons; sura-priyaḥ — being the friend of the demigods; rajaḥ-tamaskān — covered by passion and ignorance; pramiṇoti — destroys; uru-śravāḥ — whose glories are widespread.
TRANSLATION
O King, this time factor enhances the sattva-guṇa. Thus although the Supreme Lord is the controller, He favors the demigods, who are mostly situated in sattva-guṇa. Then the demons, who are influenced by tamo-guṇa, are annihilated. The Supreme Lord induces the time factor to act in different ways, but He is never partial. Rather, His activities are glorious, and therefore He is called Uruśravā.
VERSE 7.1.13
atraivodāhṛtaḥ pūrvam
itihāsaḥ surarṣiṇā
prītyā mahā-kratau rājan
pṛcchate ’jāta-śatrave
SYNONYMS
atra — in this connection; eva — certainly; udāhṛtaḥ — was recited; pūrvam — previously; itihāsaḥ — an old story; sura-ṛṣiṇā — by the great sage Nārada; prītyā — with joy; mahā-kratau — at the great Rājasūya sacrifice; rājan — O King; pṛcchate — to the inquiring; ajāta-śatrave — Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, who had no enemy.
TRANSLATION
Formerly, O King, when Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was performing the Rājasūya sacrifice, the great sage Nārada, responding to his inquiry, recited historical facts showing how the Supreme Personality of Godhead is always impartial, even when killing demons. In this regard he gave a vivid example.
VERSE 7.1.14-15
dṛṣṭvā mahādbhutaṁ rājā
rājasūye mahā-kratau
vāsudeve bhagavati
sāyujyaṁ cedibhū-bhujaḥ
tatrāsīnaṁ sura-ṛṣiṁ
rājā pāṇḍu-sutaḥ kratau
papraccha vismita-manā
munīnāṁ śṛṇvatām idam
SYNONYMS
dṛṣṭvā — after seeing; mahā-adbhutam — greatly wonderful; rājā — the King; rājasūye — called Rājasūya; mahā-kratau — at the great sacrifice; vāsudeve — into Vāsudeva; bhagavati — the Personality of Godhead; sāyujyam — merging; cedibhū-bhujaḥ — of Śiśupāla, the King of Cedi; tatra — there; āsīnam — seated; sura-ṛṣim — Nārada Muni; rājā — the King; pāṇḍu-sutaḥ — Yudhiṣṭhira, the son of Pāṇḍu; kratau — at the sacrifice; papraccha — asked; vismita-manāḥ — being struck with wonder; munīnām — in the presence of the sages; śṛṇvatām — listening; idam — this.
TRANSLATION
O King, at the Rājasūya sacrifice, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, the son of Mahārāja Pāṇḍu, personally saw Śiśupāla merge into the body of the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, struck with wonder, he inquired about the reason for this from the great sage Nārada, who was seated there. While he inquired, all the sages present also heard him ask his question.
VERSE 7.1.16
śrī-yudhiṣṭhira uvāca
aho aty-adbhutaṁ hy etad
durlabhaikāntinām api
vāsudeve pare tattve
prāptiś caidyasya vidviṣaḥ
SYNONYMS
śrī-yudhiṣṭhiraḥ uvāca — Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira said; aho — oh; ati-adbhutam — very wonderful; hi — certainly; etat — this; durlabha — difficult to attain; ekāntinām — for the transcendentalists; api — even; vāsudeve — in Vāsudeva; pare — the supreme; tattve — Absolute Truth; prāptiḥ — the attainment; caidyasya — of Śiśupāla; vidviṣaḥ — envious.
TRANSLATION
Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira inquired: It is very wonderful that the demon Śiśupāla merged into the body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead even though extremely envious. This sāyujya-mukti is impossible to attain even for great transcendentalists. How then did the enemy of the Lord attain it?
VERSE 7.1.17
etad veditum icchāmaḥ
sarva eva vayaṁ mune
bhagavan-nindayā veno
dvijais tamasi pātitaḥ
SYNONYMS
etat — this; veditum — to know; icchāmaḥ — desire; sarve — all; eva — certainly; vayam — we; mune — O great sage; bhagavat-nindayā — because of blaspheming the Lord; venaḥ — Vena, the father of Pṛthu Mahārāja; dvijaiḥ — by the brāhmaṇas; tamasi — into hell; pātitaḥ — was thrown.
TRANSLATION
O great sage, we are all eager to know the cause for this mercy of the Lord. I have heard that formerly a king named Vena blasphemed the Supreme Personality of Godhead and that all the brāhmaṇas consequently obliged him to go to hell. Śiśupāla should also have been sent to hell. How then did he merge into the Lord’s existence?
VERSE 7.1.18
damaghoṣa-sutaḥ pāpa
ārabhya kala-bhāṣaṇāt
sampraty amarṣī govinde
dantavakraś ca durmatiḥ
SYNONYMS
damaghoṣa-sutaḥ — Śiśupāla, the son of Damaghoṣa; pāpaḥ — sinful; ārabhya — beginning; kala-bhāṣaṇāt — from the unclear speech of a child; samprati — even until now; amarṣī — envious; govinde — toward Śrī Kṛṣṇa; dantavakraḥ — Dantavakra; ca — also; durmatiḥ — evil-minded.
TRANSLATION
From the very beginning of his childhood, when he could not even speak properly, Śiśupāla, the most sinful son of Damaghoṣa, began blaspheming the Lord, and he continued to be envious of Śrī Kṛṣṇa until death. Similarly, his brother Dantavakra continued the same habits.
VERSE 7.1.19
śapator asakṛd viṣṇuṁ
yad brahma param avyayam
śvitro na jāto jihvāyāṁ
nāndhaṁ viviśatus tamaḥ
SYNONYMS
śapatoḥ — of both Śiśupāla and Dantavakra, who were blaspheming; asakṛt — repeatedly; viṣṇum — Lord Kṛṣṇa; yat — which; brahma param — the Supreme Brahman; avyayam — without diminution; śvitraḥ — white leprosy; na — not; jātaḥ — appeared; jihvāyām — on the tongue; na — not; andham — dark; viviśatuḥ — they did enter; tamaḥ — hell.
TRANSLATION
Although these two men — Śiśupāla and Dantavakra — repeatedly blasphemed the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Viṣṇu [Kṛṣṇa], the Supreme Brahman, they were quite healthy. Indeed, their tongues were not attacked by white leprosy, nor did they enter the darkest region of hellish life. We are certainly most surprised by this.
VERSE 7.1.20
kathaṁ tasmin bhagavati
duravagrāhya-dhāmani
paśyatāṁ sarva-lokānāṁ
layam īyatur añjasā
SYNONYMS
katham — how; tasmin — that; bhagavati — in the Supreme Personality of Godhead; duravagrāhya — difficult to attain; dhāmani — whose nature; paśyatām — looked on; sarva-lokānām — while all the people; layam īyatuḥ — became absorbed; añjasā — easily.
TRANSLATION
How was it possible for Śiśupāla and Dantavakra, in the presence of many exalted persons, to enter very easily into the body of Kṛṣṇa, whose nature is difficult to attain?
VERSE 7.1.21
etad bhrāmyati me buddhir
dīpārcir iva vāyunā
brūhy etad adbhutatamaṁ
bhagavān hy atra kāraṇam
SYNONYMS
etat — concerning this; bhrāmyati — is flickering; me — my; buddhiḥ — intelligence; dīpa-arciḥ — the flame of a candle; iva — like; vāyunā — by the wind; brūhi — please tell; etat — this; adbhutatamam — most wonderful; bhagavān — possessing all knowledge; hi — indeed; atra — here; kāraṇam — the cause.
TRANSLATION
This matter is undoubtedly very wonderful. Indeed, my intelligence has become disturbed, just as the flame of a candle is disturbed by a blowing wind. O Nārada Muni, you know everything. Kindly let me know the cause of this wonderful event.
VERSE 7.1.22
śrī-bādarāyaṇir uvāca
rājñas tad vaca ākarṇya
nārado bhagavān ṛṣiḥ
tuṣṭaḥ prāha tam ābhāṣya
śṛṇvatyās tat-sadaḥ kathāḥ
SYNONYMS
śrī-bādarāyaṇiḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; rājñaḥ — of the King (Yudhiṣṭhira); tat — those; vacaḥ — words; ākarṇya — after hearing; nāradaḥ — Nārada Muni; bhagavān — powerful; ṛṣiḥ — sage; tuṣṭaḥ — being satisfied; prāha — spoke; tam — him; ābhāṣya — after addressing; śṛṇvatyāḥ tat-sadaḥ — in the presence of the assembly members; kathāḥ — the topics.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: After hearing the request of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, Nārada Muni, the most powerful spiritual master, who knew everything, was very pleased. Thus he replied in the presence of everyone taking part in the yajña.
VERSE 7.1.23
śrī-nārada uvāca
nindana-stava-satkāra-
nyakkārārthaṁ kalevaram
pradhāna-parayo rājann
avivekena kalpitam
SYNONYMS
śrī-nāradaḥ uvāca — Śrī Nārada Muni said; nindana — blasphemy; stava — praise; satkāra — honor; nyakkāra — dishonor; artham — for the purpose of; kalevaram — body; pradhāna-parayoḥ — of nature and the Supreme Personality of Godhead; rājan — O King; avivekena — without discrimination; kalpitam — created.
TRANSLATION
The great sage Śrī Nāradajī said: O King, blasphemy and praise, chastisement and respect, are experienced because of ignorance. The body of the conditioned soul is planned by the Lord for suffering in the material world through the agency of the external energy.
VERSE 7.1.24
hiṁsā tad-abhimānena
daṇḍa-pāruṣyayor yathā
vaiṣamyam iha bhūtānāṁ
mamāham iti pārthiva
SYNONYMS
hiṁsā — suffering; tat — of this; abhimānena — by the false conception; daṇḍa-pāruṣyayoḥ — when there is punishment and chastisement; yathā — just as; vaiṣamyam — misconception; iha — here (in this body); bhūtānām — of the living entities; mama-aham — mine and I; iti — thus; pārthiva — O lord of the earth.
TRANSLATION
My dear King, the conditioned soul, being in the bodily conception of life, considers his body to be his self and considers everything in relationship with the body to be his. Because he has this wrong conception of life, he is subjected to dualities like praise and chastisement.
VERSE 7.1.25
yan-nibaddho ’bhimāno ’yaṁ
tad-vadhāt prāṇināṁ vadhaḥ
tathā na yasya kaivalyād
abhimāno ’khilātmanaḥ
parasya dama-kartur hi
hiṁsā kenāsya kalpyate
SYNONYMS
yat — in which; nibaddhaḥ — bound; abhimānaḥ — false conception; ayam — this; tat — of that (body); vadhāt — from the annihilation; prāṇinām — of the living beings; vadhaḥ — annihilation; tathā — similarly; na — not; yasya — of whom; kaivalyāt — because of being absolute, one without a second; abhimānaḥ — false conception; akhila-ātmanaḥ — of the Supersoul of all living entities; parasya — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; dama-kartuḥ — the supreme controller; hi — certainly; hiṁsā — harm; kena — how; asya — His; kalpyate — is performed.
TRANSLATION
Because of the bodily conception of life, the conditioned soul thinks that when the body is annihilated the living being is annihilated. Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the supreme controller, the Supersoul of all living entities. Because He has no material body, He has no false conception of “I and mine.” It is therefore incorrect to think that He feels pleasure or pain when blasphemed or offered prayers. This is impossible for Him. Thus He has no enemy and no friend. When He chastises the demons it is for their good, and when He accepts the prayers of the devotees it is for their good. He is affected neither by prayers nor by blasphemy.
VERSE 7.1.26
tasmād vairānubandhena
nirvaireṇa bhayena vā
snehāt kāmena vā yuñjyāt
kathañcin nekṣate pṛthak
SYNONYMS
tasmāt — therefore; vaira-anubandhena — by constant enmity; nirvaireṇa — by devotion; bhayena — by fear; vā — or; snehāt — from affection; kāmena — by lusty desires; vā — or; yuñjyāt — one should concentrate; kathañcit — somehow or other; na — not; īkṣate — sees; pṛthak — something else.
TRANSLATION
Therefore by enmity or by devotional service, by fear, by affection or by lusty desire — by all of these or any one of them — if a conditioned soul somehow or other concentrates his mind upon the Lord, the result is the same, for the Lord, because of His blissful position, is never affected by enmity or friendship.
VERSE 7.1.27
yathā vairānubandhena
martyas tan-mayatām iyāt
na tathā bhakti-yogena
iti me niścitā matiḥ
SYNONYMS
yathā — as; vaira-anubandhena — by constant enmity; martyaḥ — a person; tat-mayatām — absorption in Him; iyāt — may attain; na — not; tathā — in a like manner; bhakti-yogena — by devotional service; iti — thus; me — my; niścitā — definite; matiḥ — opinion.
TRANSLATION
Nārada Muni continued: By devotional service one cannot achieve such intense absorption in thought of the Supreme Personality of Godhead as one can through enmity toward Him. That is my opinion.
VERSE 7.1.28-29
kīṭaḥ peśaskṛtā ruddhaḥ
kuḍyāyāṁ tam anusmaran
saṁrambha-bhaya-yogena
vindate tat-svarūpatām
evaṁ kṛṣṇe bhagavati
māyā-manuja īśvare
vaireṇa pūta-pāpmānas
tam āpur anucintayā
SYNONYMS
kīṭaḥ — the grassworm; peśaskṛtā — by a bee; ruddhaḥ — confined; kuḍyāyām — in a hole in a wall; tam — that (bee); anusmaran — thinking of; saṁrambha-bhaya-yogena — through intense fear and enmity; vindate — attains; tat — of that bee; sva-rūpatām — the same form; evam — thus; kṛṣṇe — in Kṛṣṇa; bhagavati — the Personality of Godhead; māyā-manuje — who appeared by His own energy in His eternal humanlike form; īśvare — the Supreme; vaireṇa — by enmity; pūta-pāpmānaḥ — those purified of sins; tam — Him; āpuḥ — attained; anucintayā — by thinking of.
TRANSLATION
A grassworm confined in a hole of a wall by a bee always thinks of the bee in fear and enmity and later becomes a bee simply because of such remembrance. Similarly, if the conditioned souls somehow or other think of Kṛṣṇa, who is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha, they will become free from their sins. Whether thinking of Him as their worshipable Lord or an enemy, because of constantly thinking of Him they will regain their spiritual bodies.
VERSE 7.1.30
kāmād dveṣād bhayāt snehād
yathā bhaktyeśvare manaḥ
āveśya tad-aghaṁ hitvā
bahavas tad-gatiṁ gatāḥ
SYNONYMS
kāmāt — from lust; dveṣāt — from hatred; bhayāt — from fear; snehāt — from affection; yathā — as well as; bhaktyā — by devotion; īśvare — in the Supreme; manaḥ — the mind; āveśya — absorbing; tat — of that; agham — sin; hitvā — giving up; bahavaḥ — many; tat — of that; gatim — path of liberation; gatāḥ — attained.
TRANSLATION
Many, many persons have attained liberation simply by thinking of Kṛṣṇa with great attention and giving up sinful activities. This great attention may be due to lusty desires, inimical feelings, fear, affection or devotional service. I shall now explain how one receives Kṛṣṇa’s mercy simply by concentrating one’s mind upon Him.
VERSE 7.1.31
gopyaḥ kāmād bhayāt kaṁso
dveṣāc caidyādayo nṛpāḥ
sambandhād vṛṣṇayaḥ snehād
yūyaṁ bhaktyā vayaṁ vibho
SYNONYMS
gopyaḥ — the gopīs; kāmāt — out of lusty desires; bhayāt — out of fear; kaṁsaḥ — King Kaṁsa; dveṣāt — out of envy; caidya-ādayaḥ — Śiśupāla and others; nṛpāḥ — kings; sambandhāt — out of kinship; vṛṣṇayaḥ — the Vṛṣṇis or the Yādavas; snehāt — out of affection; yūyam — you (the Pāṇḍavas); bhaktyā — by devotional service; vayam — we; vibho — O great King.
TRANSLATION
My dear King Yudhiṣṭhira, the gopīs by their lusty desires, Kaṁsa by his fear, Śiśupāla and other kings by envy, the Yadus by their familial relationship with Kṛṣṇa, you Pāṇḍavas by your great affection for Kṛṣṇa, and we, the general devotees, by our devotional service, have obtained the mercy of Kṛṣṇa.
VERSE 7.1.32
katamo ’pi na venaḥ syāt
pañcānāṁ puruṣaṁ prati
tasmāt kenāpy upāyena
manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet
SYNONYMS
katamaḥ api — anyone; na — not; venaḥ — the atheistic King Vena; syāt — would adopt; pañcānām — of the five (previously mentioned); puruṣam — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; prati — in regard to; tasmāt — therefore; kenāpi — by any; upāyena — means; manaḥ — the mind; kṛṣṇe — in Kṛṣṇa; niveśayet — one should fix.
TRANSLATION
Somehow or other, one must consider the form of Kṛṣṇa very seriously. Then, by one of the five different processes mentioned above, one can return home, back to Godhead. Atheists like King Vena, however, being unable to think of Kṛṣṇa’s form in any of these five ways, cannot attain salvation. Therefore, one must somehow think of Kṛṣṇa, whether in a friendly way or inimically.
VERSE 7.1.33
mātṛ-ṣvasreyo vaś caidyo
dantavakraś ca pāṇḍava
pārṣada-pravarau viṣṇor
vipra-śāpāt pada-cyutau
SYNONYMS
mātṛ-svasreyaḥ — the son of the mother’s sister (Śiśupāla); vaḥ — your; caidyaḥ — King Śiśupāla; dantavakraḥ — Dantavakra; ca — and; pāṇḍava — O Pāṇḍava; pārṣada-pravarau — two exalted attendants; viṣṇoḥ — of Viṣṇu; vipra — by brāhmaṇas; śāpāt — because of a curse; pada — from their position in Vaikuṇṭha; cyutau — fallen.
TRANSLATION
Nārada Muni continued: O best of the Pāṇḍavas, your two cousins Śiśupāla and Dantavakra, the sons of your maternal aunt, were formerly associates of Lord Viṣṇu, but because they were cursed by brāhmaṇas, they fell from Vaikuṇṭha to this material world.
VERSE 7.1.34
śrī-yudhiṣṭhira uvāca
kīdṛśaḥ kasya vā śāpo
hari-dāsābhimarśanaḥ
aśraddheya ivābhāti
harer ekāntināṁ bhavaḥ
SYNONYMS
śrī-yudhiṣṭhiraḥ uvāca — Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira said; kīdṛśaḥ — what kind of; kasya — whose; vā — or; śāpaḥ — curse; hari-dāsa — the servant of Hari; abhimarśanaḥ — overcoming; aśraddheyaḥ — incredible; iva — as if; ābhāti — appears; hareḥ — of Hari; ekāntinām — of those exclusively devoted as exalted attendants; bhavaḥ — birth.
TRANSLATION
Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira inquired: What kind of great curse could affect even liberated viṣṇu-bhaktas, and what sort of person could curse even the Lord’s associates? For unflinching devotees of the Lord to fall again to this material world is impossible. I cannot believe this.
VERSE 7.1.35
dehendriyāsu-hīnānāṁ
vaikuṇṭha-pura-vāsinām
deha-sambandha-sambaddham
etad ākhyātum arhasi
SYNONYMS
deha — of a material body; indriya — material senses; asu — life breath; hīnānām — of those devoid; vaikuṇṭha-pura — of Vaikuṇṭha; vāsinām — of the residents; deha-sambandha — in a material body; sambaddham — bondage; etat — this; ākhyātum arhasi — please describe.
TRANSLATION
The bodies of the inhabitants of Vaikuṇṭha are completely spiritual, having nothing to do with the material body, senses or life air. Therefore, kindly explain how associates of the Personality of Godhead were cursed to descend in material bodies like ordinary persons.
VERSE 7.1.36
śrī-nārada uvāca
ekadā brahmaṇaḥ putrā
viṣṇu-lokaṁ yadṛcchayā
sanandanādayo jagmuś
caranto bhuvana-trayam
SYNONYMS
śrī-nāradaḥ uvāca — Śrī Nārada Muni said; ekadā — once upon a time; brahmaṇaḥ — of Lord Brahmā; putrāḥ — the sons; viṣṇu — of Lord Viṣṇu; lokam — the planet; yadṛcchayā — by chance; sanandana-ādayaḥ — Sanandana and the others; jagmuḥ — went; carantaḥ — traveling about; bhuvana-trayam — the three worlds.
TRANSLATION
The great saint Nārada said: Once upon a time when the four sons of Lord Brahmā named Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanātana and Sanat-kumāra were wandering throughout the three worlds, they came by chance to Viṣṇuloka.
VERSE 7.1.37
pañca-ṣaḍḍhāyanārbhābhāḥ
pūrveṣām api pūrvajāḥ
dig-vāsasaḥ śiśūn matvā
dvāḥ-sthau tān pratyaṣedhatām
SYNONYMS
pañca-ṣaṭ-dhā — five or six years; āyana — approaching; arbha-ābhāḥ — like boys; pūrveṣām — the ancients of the universe (Marīci and the rest); api — even though; pūrva-jāḥ — born before; dik-vāsasaḥ — being naked; śiśūn — children; matvā — thinking; dvāḥ-sthau — the two gate guards, Jaya and Vijaya; tān — them; pratyaṣedhatām — forbade.
TRANSLATION
Although these four great sages were older than Brahmā’s other sons like Marīci, they appeared like small naked children only five or six years old. When Jaya and Vijaya saw them trying to enter Vaikuṇṭhaloka, these two gatekeepers, thinking them ordinary children, forbade them to enter.
VERSE 7.1.38
aśapan kupitā evaṁ
yuvāṁ vāsaṁ na cārhathaḥ
rajas-tamobhyāṁ rahite
pāda-mūle madhudviṣaḥ
pāpiṣṭhām āsurīṁ yoniṁ
bāliśau yātam āśv ataḥ
SYNONYMS
aśapan — cursed; kupitāḥ — being full of anger; evam — thus; yuvām — you two; vāsam — residence; na — not; ca — and; arhathaḥ — deserve; rajaḥ-tamobhyām — from passion and ignorance; rahite — free; pāda-mūle — at the lotus feet; madhu-dviṣaḥ — of Viṣṇu, the slayer of the Madhu demon; pāpiṣṭhām — most sinful; āsurīm — demoniac; yonim — to a womb; bāliśau — O you two fools; yātam — go; āśu — quickly hereafter; ataḥ — therefore.
TRANSLATION
Thus checked by the doorkeepers Jaya and Vijaya, Sanandana and the other great sages very angrily cursed them. “You two foolish doorkeepers,” they said. “Being agitated by the material qualities of passion and ignorance, you are unfit to live at the shelter of Madhudviṣa’s lotus feet, which are free from such modes. It would be better for you to go immediately to the material world and take your birth in a family of most sinful asuras.”
VERSE 7.1.39
evaṁ śaptau sva-bhavanāt
patantau tau kṛpālubhiḥ
proktau punar janmabhir vāṁ
tribhir lokāya kalpatām
SYNONYMS
evam — thus; śaptau — being cursed; sva-bhavanāt — from their abode, Vaikuṇṭha; patantau — falling down; tau — those two (Jaya and Vijaya); kṛpālubhiḥ — by the merciful sages (Sanandana, etc); proktau — addressed; punaḥ — again; janmabhiḥ — with births; vām — your; tribhiḥ — three; lokāya — for the position; kalpatām — let it be possible.
TRANSLATION
While Jaya and Vijaya, thus cursed by the sages, were falling to the material world, they were addressed as follows by the same sages, who were very kind to them. “O doorkeepers, after three births you will be able to return to your positions in Vaikuṇṭha, for then the duration of the curse will have ended.”
VERSE 7.1.40
jajñāte tau diteḥ putrau
daitya-dānava-vanditau
hiraṇyakaśipur jyeṣṭho
hiraṇyākṣo ’nujas tataḥ
SYNONYMS
jajñāte — were born; tau — the two; diteḥ — of Diti; putrau — the sons; daitya-dānava — by all the demons; vanditau — being worshiped; hiraṇyakaśipuḥ — Hiraṇyakaśipu; jyeṣṭhaḥ — the elder; hiraṇyākṣaḥ — Hiraṇyākṣa; anujaḥ — the younger; tataḥ — thereafter.
TRANSLATION
These two associates of the Lord — Jaya and Vijaya — later descended to the material world, taking birth as the two sons of Diti, Hiraṇyakaśipu being the elder and Hiraṇyākṣa the younger. They were very much respected by the Daityas and Dānavas [demoniac species].
VERSE 7.1.41
hato hiraṇyakaśipur
hariṇā siṁha-rūpiṇā
hiraṇyākṣo dharoddhāre
bibhratā śaukaraṁ vapuḥ
SYNONYMS
hataḥ — killed; hiraṇyakaśipuḥ — Hiraṇyakaśipu; hariṇā — by Hari, Viṣṇu; siṁha-rūpiṇā — in the form of a lion (Lord Narasiṁha); hiraṇyākṣaḥ — Hiraṇyākṣa; dharā-uddhāre — to lift the earth; bibhratā — assuming; śaukaram — the boarlike; vapuḥ — form.
TRANSLATION
Appearing as Nṛsiṁhadeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Hari, killed Hiraṇyakaśipu. When the Lord delivered the planet earth, which had fallen in the Garbhodaka Ocean, Hiraṇyākṣa tried to hinder Him, and then the Lord, as Varāha, killed Hiraṇyākṣa.
VERSE 7.1.42
hiraṇyakaśipuḥ putraṁ
prahlādaṁ keśava-priyam
jighāṁsur akaron nānā
yātanā mṛtyu-hetave
SYNONYMS
hiraṇyakaśipuḥ — Hiraṇyakaśipu; putram — son; prahlādam — Prahlāda Mahārāja; keśava-priyam — the beloved devotee of Keśava; jighāṁsuḥ — desirous of killing; akarot — enacted; nānā — various; yātanāḥ — tortures; mṛtyu — death; hetave — to cause.
TRANSLATION
Desiring to kill his son Prahlāda, who was a great devotee of Lord Viṣṇu, Hiraṇyakaśipu tortured him in many ways.
VERSE 7.1.43
taṁ sarva-bhūtātma-bhūtaṁ
praśāntaṁ sama-darśanam
bhagavat-tejasā spṛṣṭaṁ
nāśaknod dhantum udyamaiḥ
SYNONYMS
tam — Him; sarva-bhūta-ātma-bhūtam — the soul in all entities; praśāntam — peaceful and without hatred, etc; sama-darśanam — equal to everyone; bhagavat-tejasā — with the power of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; spṛṣṭam — protected; na — not; aśaknot — was able; hantum — to kill; udyamaiḥ — by great attempts and various weapons.
TRANSLATION
The Lord, the Supersoul of all living entities, is sober, peaceful and equal to everyone. Since the great devotee Prahlāda was protected by the Lord’s potency, Hiraṇyakaśipu was unable to kill him, in spite of endeavoring to do so in various ways.
VERSE 7.1.44
tatas tau rākṣasau jātau
keśinyāṁ viśravaḥ-sutau
rāvaṇaḥ kumbhakarṇaś ca
sarva-lokopatāpanau
SYNONYMS
tataḥ — thereafter; tau — the two doorkeepers (Jaya and Vijaya); rākṣasau — demons; jātau — born; keśinyām — in the womb of Keśinī; viśravaḥ-sutau — the sons of Viśravā; rāvaṇaḥ — Rāvaṇa; kumbhakarṇaḥ — Kumbhakarṇa; ca — and; sarva-loka — to all people; upatāpanau — giving misery.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter the same Jaya and Vijaya, the two doorkeepers of Lord Viṣṇu, took birth as Rāvaṇa and Kumbhakarṇa, begotten by Viśravā in the womb of Keśinī. They were extremely troublesome to all the people of the universe.
VERSE 7.1.45
tatrāpi rāghavo bhūtvā
nyahanac chāpa-muktaye
rāma-vīryaṁ śroṣyasi tvaṁ
mārkaṇḍeya-mukhāt prabho
SYNONYMS
tatra api — thereupon; rāghavaḥ — as Lord Rāmacandra; bhūtvā — manifesting; nyahanat — killed; śāpa-muktaye — for freedom from the curse; rāma-vīryam — the prowess of Lord Rāma; śroṣyasi — will hear; tvam — you; mārkaṇḍeya-mukhāt — from the lips of the sage Mārkaṇḍeya; prabho — O lord.
TRANSLATION
Nārada Muni continued: My dear King, just to relieve Jaya and Vijaya of the brāhmaṇas’ curse, Lord Rāmacandra appeared in order to kill Rāvaṇa and Kumbhakarṇa. It will be better for you to hear narrations about Lord Rāmacandra’s activities from Mārkaṇḍeya.
VERSE 7.1.46
tāv atra kṣatriyau jātau
mātṛ-ṣvasrātmajau tava
adhunā śāpa-nirmuktau
kṛṣṇa-cakra-hatāṁhasau
SYNONYMS
tau — the two; atra — here, in the third birth; kṣatriyau — kṣatriyas or kings; jātau — born; mātṛ-svasṛ-ātma-jau — the sons of the mother’s sister; tava — your; adhunā — now; śāpa-nirmuktau — freed from the curse; kṛṣṇa-cakra — by the disc weapon of Kṛṣṇa; hata — destroyed; aṁhasau — whose sins.
TRANSLATION
In their third birth, the same Jaya and Vijaya appeared in a family of kṣatriyas as your cousins, the sons of your aunt. Because Lord Kṛṣṇa has struck them with His disc, all their sinful reactions have been destroyed, and now they are free from the curse.
VERSE 7.1.47
vairānubandha-tīvreṇa
dhyānenācyuta-sātmatām
nītau punar hareḥ pārśvaṁ
jagmatur viṣṇu-pārṣadau
SYNONYMS
vaira-anubandha — bond of hatred; tīvreṇa — consisting of acute; dhyānena — by meditation; acyuta-sātmatām — to the effulgence of the infallible Lord; nītau — attained; punaḥ — again; hareḥ — of Hari; pārśvam — the proximity; jagmatuḥ — they reached; viṣṇu-pārṣadau — the gatekeeper associates of Viṣṇu.
TRANSLATION
These two associates of Lord Viṣṇu — Jaya and Vijaya — maintained a feeling of enmity for a very long time. Because of always thinking of Kṛṣṇa in this way, they regained the shelter of the Lord, having returned home, back to Godhead.
VERSE 7.1.48
śrī-yudhiṣṭhira uvāca
vidveṣo dayite putre
katham āsīn mahātmani
brūhi me bhagavan yena
prahlādasyācyutātmatā
SYNONYMS
śrī-yudhiṣṭhiraḥ uvāca — Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira said; vidveṣaḥ — hatred; dayite — for his own beloved; putre — son; katham — how; āsīt — there was; mahā-ātmani — the great soul, Prahlāda; brūhi — please tell; me — unto me; bhagavan — O exalted sage; yena — by which; prahlādasya — of Prahlāda Mahārāja; acyuta — to Acyuta; ātmatā — great attachment.
TRANSLATION
Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira inquired: O my lord, Nārada Muni, why was there such enmity between Hiraṇyakaśipu and his beloved son Prahlāda Mahārāja? How did Prahlāda Mahārāja become such a great devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa? Kindly explain this to me.