Devi Bhagavatam (Devi Puranam)

THE FOURTH BOOK

Chapter I

On the questions put by Janamejaya regarding Krisna’s incarnation

1. Janamejaya said :-- O Vâsaveya! the Chief amongst the Munis, the Ocean of all knowledge, O the Sinless One! the Lord and Well Wisher of our families, I come to you with a mind to ask you certain questions.

* Vâsavî is the name of the mother of Vyâsa.

2-3. I heard of yore, but I do not know why was that illustrious son of Sûrasena, that powerful Ânakadundubhi (1), the pious and illustrious Vasudeva, the father of S’rî Krisna, the incarnation of the God Hari Himself, and who was worshipped even by the Gods, thrown into prison by Kamsa?

Note :-- (1) Ânakadundubhi is the epithet of Vasudeva, father of S’rî Krisna, since at Vasudeva's birth, drums called Ânakas and Dundubhis were resounded in the sky.

4-5. What faults had he and his wife Devakî committed? Why that Kamsa the descendant of Yayâti, killed the six infant sons of Devakî? And for what reason did the God S’rî Hari incarnate Himself as the son of Vasudeva in the prison house of Kamsa?

6-11. How was that Lord of the Universe, S’rî Bhagavân, and the Ruler of the Yâdava clan, taken to Gokula? Why was He, born of a Ksattriya family, generally recognised as of the Gopâla (cow-herd) clan? Why were His father Vasudeva and mother Devakî thrown into prison? And why did not S’rî Krisna, of indomitable prowess, and capable to create and preserve the worlds, could release instantly, father and mother from their imprisoned state? I cannot conceive that the so-called Fate could have any influence on such high souled persons, the father and mother of the Supreme Being, S’rî Krisna; who were those sons of Vasudeva that were killed by Kamsa? And who was that girl child who when struck by Kamsa on a slab of stone instantly rose up above the sky, assuming the form of Astabhujâ, the eight armed Goddess? O Sinless One! Kindly explain unto me how did S’rî Hari manage to perform the house-holder's duties, when he had married the several wives? and what were those glorious deeds that he did in His this incarnation and how did he finally pass away from his mortal physical coil? My mind sinks into an ocean of confusion, when I hear of the several things done by S’rî Hari; some times I find the deeds, not capable of being done by any other than the Supreme Being Himself and sometimes I hear of deeds that can be done by an ordinary man. And, therefore I cannot decide whether Vasudeva was the Incarnation of God or an ordinary being. Be pleased to remove these doubts from my mind and describe the life of Vâsudeva in its true light.

12-14. In days of yore, the two sons of Dharma were the two best amongst the Risis, and were the Devas Nara and Nârâyana. They were very high souled persons and they performed severe austerities for long extending years. They were born as part incarnations of Visnu; and, for the good of the world, did they, in the Vadarikâ'srama, perform penances, controlling their six passions, and free from desires.

15. The all-knowing sages Nârada and others say that the well known Arjuna and S’rî Krisna of indomitable prowess were the two part incarnations of those two ancient Munis Nara and Nârâyana.

16. How came those two Devas Nara and Nârâyana to be born in the two bodies of Krisna and Arjuna, though they did not relinquish their previous bodies!

17. And also when those two Munis had attained liberation, their goal in their Yogas, by performing severe penances, how could they again be born in other bodies!

18-19. If any S'ûdra dies performing his own religion, he takes up a Vais’ya body in his next incarnation; if any Vais'ya died so, he takes up a Ksattriya body and a Ksattriya when adhering to his own rites and ceremonies, dying takes up a Brâhman body in his next incarnation. And if a Brâhmin be free from desires and resorts to the path of peace, when he dies, he becomes free from incarnations and is saved from this disease of getting into the world.

20-21. Now the reverse seems to take place in the case of Nara and Nârâyana. In spite of withering up their bodies by hard penances, they took up Ksattriya bodies. Under what influence of Karma, did they take up up birth when they were Yogis? Or might they, the Brâhmins, become Ksattriyas owing to some curse? Whatever it may be, kindly remove my doubts, explaining to me their causes.

22. It is heard that the Yâdava clan suffered destruction through the curse of a Brâhman and in spite of S’rî Krisna being the incarnation of the Supreme Being, his family died of the effect of curse from Gândhârî.

23. How was it that Pradyumna was stolen away by S'ambara, the lord of the Asuras; and for what purpose when Vasudeva, the Deva of the Devas was present, how was it that his son was stolen away from the lying-in room? This seems impossible.

24. Why did not Vasudeva see, with His inner vision, the stealing away of his son from the impregnable walls of His fortress-like mansion in Dwârkâ? (And could thus have prevented this!)

25-39. O Muni! After Vâsudeva had gone to Heaven, his wives were plundered by the dacoits on the way. I am very much in doubt on this point. Also I cannot understand why did this event take place just after His translation to Heaven? Again how was S’rî Krisna, who was Visnu's Full incarnation, born into this world to take off the vicious load of this earth, and to destroy the evil-doers, terrified and He fled through the fear of Jarâsandha, evacuated His kingdom of Mathurâ and went with His armies and friends to Dwârkâ? Vâsudeva came here to destroy the evil miscreants and to conserve the religion; how then did He not, as He was all knowing, previously kill those dacoits, who afterward stole and plundered His wives? Was it, that He, being Omniscient did not know those dacoits? He protected the Pândavas, no doubt, who were high souled, righteous and virtuous; but I cannot understand how did He consider the high souled virtuous persons like Bhîsma, Drona and others as loads of earth and slay them. The devotees of S’rî Krisna, observing good customs, conducts and practices, Yudhisthira and his brothers performed the Râjasuya sacrifice, according to rules, giving various offerings to the Brâhmins and depended entirely on Vâsudeva; still, O Muni! they suffered terrible hardships; whither were their virtuous deeds by this time? what horrible sins did they commit that they had to suffer pains and troubles in the assembly. The highly merited Draupadî arose from the midst of sacrificial fire and is born of the part of Laksmî, pure and devoted to S’rî Krisna. How did such a glorious woman meet with incomparable terrible pains often and often; how could she be caught hold of by her hair on her head by Duh'sâsan; and carried to the royal assembly, when she was in her menses and extremely terrified and harassed? How did she come to be a slave of Matsya Râj in his kingdom Virât, and though actually crying aloud like a female osprey (eagle) she was highly insulted by Kîchaka! Alas! how could Draupadî be stolen away by Jayadratha, though latterly released by the Pândavas? What evil deeds did the Pândavas commit in their previous births, that they had to befall under so many telling difficulties?

40. O high minded Muni! My ancestors performed the Râjasûya sacrifice and still they fell under so many serious difficulties. Kindly explain the causes of these to me.

41-42. If it be urged, that they suffered so many serious calamities, due to their actions in their former lives, that seems impossible. Because they are born of the Devas; thus arises my doubt; be pleased to explain to me.

Again how the Pândavas, the sons of Kunti, of good conduct, and knowing the illusory nature of the world, why did they, out of pretence kill Bhîsma, Drona and others?

43. This appears a riddle to me that these Pândavas were led to the extermination of their race, being inspired by Hari Vâsudeva, to this horrible act.

44. Rather to live on begging alms and to live on rice, growing wild or without cultivation, or to live as an artisan or artist than to kill the valiant warriors unlawfully in a battle, simply out of voluptuous greed.

45. O Best of the Munis! You have preserved this extirpated race by producing the Goloka sons (i. e. sons born by other persons of women after their husbands are dead) of indomitable prowess.

46. And why did my honoured father, born of Uttara in this respected family , encircle a snake round the neck of a Brâhmin ascetic?

No body, born of a Ksattriya family, shows signs of hatred and jealousy towards a Brâhmin. Is it that my father showed such feeling to that ascetic, who took the vow of silence!

O Best of the Munis -- These things and lots of others are troubling my mind with many grave doubts. O merciful saint! You know every thing; be kind enough to quell this the disturbed state of my mind.

Thus ends the First Adhyâya in the Fourth Book of S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavata Purâna of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.

Chapter II

On the supremacy of the effects of Karma

1. Sûta said :-- The learned Vyâsa, the son of Satyavatî, and the knower of the Purânas, when thus asked by Janamejaya, the son of Parîksit, whose heart had become calm, replied in the following words, capable to remove all his doubts. Vyâsa said :--

2. O king! You would better know, that in this Universe the course of Karma is not easily comprehensible; even the Devas are not capable to comprehend the wonderful effects of actions; what to speak of men!

3. When this Universe composed of the three Gunas arose, it was through Karma, that everything had its origin.

4-5. It was the seed of Karma whence the Jîvas (the individual embodied souls) arose with neither any beginning nor any end. Those Jîvas go often and often incarnating in numberless varieties of wombs and then go to dissolution. When this Karma ceases, the Jîvas then are never to have any more connection with any other body.

6. The Karmas done by Jîvas are of three kinds :-- auspicious, inauspicious and mixed (partly auspicious and partly inauspicious); of which the auspicious is the Sattvik Karma, the inauspicious is the Tamasik Karma and the mixed, is the Râjasic Karma. Thus have been said by the Sages.

7. These three again are subdivided into three. They are Sanchita (accumulated), Bhavisya (impending in future) and Prârabdha (commenced). All these Karmas are in dwelling always with the body.

8-9. O king! Everybody, even Brahmâ, Visnu and Mahes'a all under the influence of this Karma! And they experience pleasure, pain, old age, disease and death, joy and sorrow, lust, anger, greed and other bodily qualities, out of the effects of this Karma, which we call ordinarily Fate.

10-11. Therefore love, hatred and other bodily qualities all predominate equally in all bodies. Anger, jealousy, hatred, and other similar qualities arise in the Devas, men, and birds owing to some sort of dislikes on previous occasions; and love, compassion, pity, etc., arise out of some sort of likings, existing already.

12-13. O king! No individual can arise without some sort of action or other. It is through Karma that the Sun traverses in the sky; it is through Karma that the Moon was attacked with consumption disease; and it is through Karma that the Rudra holds the disc of skull bone. This Karma, therefore, has no beginning nor end (till Moksa); now that this Karma is the sole cause in the production of this Universe.

14-16. For this reason, this whole Universe, moveable and immoveable, is real; but Munis are deeply absorbed in meditation to ascertain about its reality or unreality. They cannot definitely know it for certain whether this world is real or unreal; for where Mâyâ is prevalent, the universe is there. Where there is the cause fully existing in all respects, there is no effect, how can we say? The Mâyâ is eternal and always acts as the Prime Cause of all.

17. Therefore, O king! the sages declare that the seed of Karma is eternal. This whole universe changes incessantly, being controlled by this karma.

18. O king of kings! They say, it is through the will of Visnu, of unbounded energy and splendour, that all this universe enters, again and again, into all sorts of wombs, whether good or evil.

19. Now, if the birth of Visnu, of infinite prowess, takes place according to His will, then why is it that He travels through many impious births? Why is it that Bhagavân Visnu goes, in different Yugas, to take His births in low, vile origins?

Where is that self dependent man, who, leaving his abode Vaikuntha and all sorts of pleasures and happiness, desires to live in this mortal temple, filled with urine, faeces and other filthy matters.

20. No intelligent man will leave comfortable resting places and amorous sports and gathering flowers for the sake of dwelling in this uterus in the womb?

21. Who likes to live with his face downwards in the womb, when he can enjoy fine heavenly soft downs, puffed up with cotton or silk.

22. Who will abandon singing, dancing and music, where all sorts of love feelings are being manifested, and think of coming down to this veritable Hell?

23. Who will abandon the wonderful ambrosial nectar and prosperity given by Laksmî, that cannot be easily renounced, and then like to taste this urine and faeces.

24. There is no hell more aggravating in the three worlds than this existence in the wombs. The Munis, afraid of these, perform difficult asceticisms in this wondrous world.

25. Wise, intelligent persons renounce their kingdoms and enjoyments and resort to forests. Who is there so stupid as to enter willingly in the various wombs?

26. Worms and insects torment the Jîvas in the womb; the digestive fire of the stomach heats it from below, whereas it is always fearfully tied down on all sides by the flesh, enclosing its fat or marrow. O King; Not a trace of happiness is visible there.

27. It is far better to live in a prison house, fettered by hard iron chains. Whereas it is not desirable to live for a moment in the womb.

28. It is very hard and painful to be in the womb for ten months. To come out of the hard and terrible womb is extremely troublesome.

29. Jîvas get trouble in their childhood; they cannot speak, and they do not know what to say, when they are hungry or thirsty; they depend entirely on others and they are grieved.

30. When the child becomes hungry and cries, the mother becomes anxious. When the child is afflicted with diseases and cries, the mother then knows and administers medicines.

31. Thus many troubles arise in childhood. Sages do not therefore find any happiness and do not desire, of their own accord, to come here.

32. O king, no sane man, would forego incessant heavenly pleasures and prefer before the Devas to this toilsome and painful state of being born in the womb.

33. O king of kings! All the Devas, Brahmâ and others have to enjoy full the effects of their Karmas done, whether they are pleasant or painful.

34. O best of kings! The fruits of karma must have to be experienced, whether auspicious or inauspicious, be he a Deva, or human being or an animal; any one who has embodied himself in fine or gross bodies!

35. Human beings, by dint of their practise of penance, religious austerities alms givings and sacrifices, rise to Indrahood. Indra, in his turn, when the effects of his good actions cease, comes down to inferior births! there is no doubt of it.

36. In the Rama Incarnation, the Devas had to incarnate themselves a Monkeys; and in the Krisna incarnation, the Devas had to incarnate themselves as human beings, Cow-herds (Gopas) and Yâdavas.

37. Thus being urged on by Brahmâ, Visnu Bhagavân incarnates Himself many times, yugas after yugas, to preserve the religion.

38. O king of mortals! Thus, like a carwheel, Bhagavàn Hari incarnated Himself in various wombs successively in a wonderful manner.

39. The destruction the of Daityas was done by Hari in His many secondary incarnations.

40. Now I will narrate to you the auspicious facts of the birth of Krisna, Who incarnated Himself in the family of Yadu (Yadu Kula).

41. O king! The illustrious Vâsudeva, born of the part of the Muni Kas'yapa, had to take his birth again as a human being due to his previous curse and had to maintain his livelihood by tending cows.

42. O best of kings! And the two wives Kas'yapa, Aditi and Surasâ had to take their births as the two sisters, Devaki and Rohinî, on account of the curses cast on them. O Descendant of Bharata! We have thus heard that they were greatly cursed at one time by Varuna, the water deity, who got very much angry. The king said.

43-47. What fault was committed by Kas'yapa that he had to take his birth along with his wife as cowherds. And why was it that the Everlasting uninterrupted Atman Visnu Nârâyana had to take his birth in Gokula. He whose abode is Vaikuntha, who is the Lord of Rama! who is Bhagavân and the Supreme amongst the gods, who is the upholder of the universe and the yugas! Under Whose order can such a being abandon his abode and take his birth in the world like an ordinary mortal? There is this grave doubt, then, of mine on this point.

48-51. Obtaining this depraved human coil, one is always perplexed with various thoughts, sometimes with lust, anger, jealousy, intoleration, sorrow, enmity sometimes with pleasurable feelings, happiness, fear, sufferings, penury, sometimes with straight-forwardness, good or bad deeds, faithfulness, treachery, unsteadiness, supporting others; sometimes with remorse, hesitation, bragging, greed, vain boasting, delusion, or hypocrisy and sometimes with remorse; these different feelings exist in men.

52. How then can Visnu Bhagavân abandon His eternal pleasures and have recourse to this human birth, full of many perplexing thoughts.

53. O best of Munis! What peculiar happiness is there in the pleasures of human births, that S’rî Bhagavân Hari has to undertake the burden of dwelling thus in the human wombs?

54-55. O Munîndra! The sufferings that are experienced, while in the womb, the pain during the time of delivery, the misfortunes in the early childhood, the troubles of passionate lust in youth, the greater sorrows and difficulties in the householder's life, all these are existent there; how then Bhagavân Visnu incarnate Himself often in these various human births.

56-57. What an amount of enormous difficulties had Brahmâ-born Hari to undertake in His Râma incarnation! That high souled One had to suffer for his exile in forest, for the stealing away of his wife Sîtâ, for the frequent wars, for the final separation from his wife Sîtâ.

58-59. Likewise in the Krisna Avatâra, the birth in a prison, the departure to Gokul, tending cows, the killing of Kamsa, departure to Dwârkâ with great difficulty and all sorts of household difficulties were there. Why had He to suffer all these?

60. Who amongst the wise and the emancipated, of his own accord condescends to take on his shoulders so many hard sufferings? This is the grave doubt in my mind; be graciously pleased to remove my this grave doubt and make my mind tranquil.

Here ends the Second Chapter in the Fourth Book of S’rî Mad Devî Bhagâvatam of the Mahâ Purânam of 18000 verses by Maharsî Veda Vyâsa.

Chapter III

On the former curse of Vasudeva and Devakî

1. Vyâsa said :-- O king; The incarnation of Hari and the incarnation of the Amsa Avatâras of all the other Devas are accountable to many causes. The chief cause being Karma; the minor causes being many.

2. Hear, now, the cause of the incarnations of Vasudeva (Krisna's father), Devakî and Rohinî in detail.

3. Once, on an occasion, S’rîmân Kas'yapa stole away the Kâmadhenu (the heavenly Cow, yielding all desires) of the Deva Varuna for his sacrificial purpose; and though he was entreated by Varuna often and often to return the cow, Kas'yapa did not return to him that, the best of all the cows.

4. Varuna became very sorry; he went to Brahmâ, the Lord of the creation and told him humbly all that had happened and about his sorrows.

5-6. “O Glorious One! Maharsi Kas'yapa is now almost infatuated with his sacrifice; and though I have tried all my means, he is not returning me my cow. I could not hear the pitiful cries and wailings of the calves or bereavement from their mother; and I cursed Kas'yapa saying ‘You would go down and take birth in the human world as a cow-herd; and your two wives also are to go there as human mortals, suffering under the greatest difficulties and dangers.’”

7. O Brâhmana! On seeing the distressed condition of the calves I cursed Aditi a second time that she would be put to prison, her children would be still born, and she would suffer lots of troubles.

8. O Janamejaya! Hearing this, the Lotus-born Brahmâ called Kas'yapa before him and asked.

9. O Fortunate One! Why have you stolen away all the cows of the Varuna Deva, the Guardian of a quarter of the world? And why have you committed an offence in not returning the cows to Him?

10. Bhagavân! You are intelligent, you know everything fully; knowing that it is a sin to steal other's property, why have you committed the unlawful act of stealing away the cows.

11. Oh! What is the wonderful influence of covetousness! Even those that are great are not free from the clutches of greed. Covetousness is the source of all sins, is unapproved by the Sages and leads to hell.

12. Lo! Maharsi Kas'yapa is not able to leave this vicious habit even now; what shall I do? I will hence count greed as more powerful than even Fate, the Ruler of all destinies.

13. Blessed are those saints that have devoted themselves wholly to the attainment of peace, who are tranquil-hearted, lead a hermit life and don't ask themselves of any thing from any body. Verily those are blessed.

14. This covetousness is a powerful enemy; it is always unholy and odious. See! Its influence has overpowered the Maharsi Kas'yapa and has tied him down to an ordinary affection and has urged him to commit a sinful act.

15-16. Then the Prajâpati Brahmâ, to preserve and keep the prestige in the name of Justice and Religion, cursed his own very dear grandson Kas'yapa, the best of the Munis, and said :-- Go to the earth in your Ams'a, and take your birth in the Yadu clan, be united with your wives and work as a Cowherd.

17. Vyâsa said :-- O king! Thus was cursed the Maharsi Kas'yapa by Brahmâ and Varuna to come down to the earth as Amsâ Vatâra to relieve the earth of her burden.

18. Diti, too, becoming grieved much with sorrows, cursed Aditi that seven of her sons would be killed consecutively after their births.

19. Janamejaya said :-- O best of Munis! Why was it that Diti so cruelly cursed his sister Aditi, the mother of Indra? Kindly explain to me the cause of this and oblige. I am sorry to hear of this curse.

20. Sûta said :-- Thus asked by the son of Pariksit, Vyâsa, the son of Satyabatî, himself replied to the king about their causes in the following words :--

21. Vyâsa said :-- Daksa Prajâpati had two daughters, Diti and Aditi; these two, of high rank, were married to Kas'yapa; and they were his favourites.

22. Aditi gave birth to the very powerful Indra, the king of the Devas. Diti, too, asked for a son of the same strength, prowess, and splendour as those of Indra.

23. Diti, of beautiful dark blue eyes, entreated to her husband and said, “Give me a son, O giver of due respects to every body! who shall be a hero as strong as Indra, religious and of indomitable energy.”

24. The Muni said to her :-- O Dear! Be peaceful; I advise you to take a vow, practise a rite, and when the period of your practice will be over, you will get a son like Indra.

25. Diti promised to act according to his word and took an oath; and when she practised the vow, Maharsi Kas'yapa impregnated the seed in her womb. Diti also bore the seed in her womb according to the usual rite.

26. The excellent fair complexioned Diti remained sacred, observed all the rules and, deeply intent on her vow, subsisted only on milk and slept or the ground.

27-28. Thus when the foetus was fully developed, Diti began to look white and full of splendour. On seeing her thus, Aditi became anxious and thought if there be born of Diti a son like the powerful Indra, then my son will no doubt be deprived of his brilliancy and splendour.

29. The proud Aditi, thinking thus, said to Indra :-- O Son! There, in the womb of Diti, is your powerful enemy.

30. O Beautiful One! Even now think out how you can kill your enemy. Before the child is born of the womb, try to destroy it.

31. Since the time I have looked, on my co-wife Diti, of beautiful eyes and proud, this is the one and only thought that troubles the peace in the innermost of my hearts.

32. The enemy, if he firmly gets hold like a fully developed consumption, cannot be killed; therefore the intelligent persons should destroy the enemies, when they are in their buds.

33. O S’atakratu! My heart is being pierced wholly by an iron spoke when I see the womb of Diti; kill it by any means you can!

34. O High minded One! If you like my welfare, then destroy the foetus, in the womb of Diti, by any of the existent means, Sâma, Dâna or strength and thus remove the cause of grief in my heart.

35. Vyâsa said :-- On hearing his mother, Indra, the King of the Immortals, thought over all the means and went then to his step-mother Diti.

36. That evil minded Indra bowed down at the foot of Diti with humility and addressed her with words, sweet but full of poison.

37. O mother! You have become very weak, lean and thin in the practise your vow. I have come to serve you; order me now what I can do for you.

38. O chaste one to your husband! I want to shampoo your feet. To serve one's Guru means to earn righteousness and immortality.

39. O mother! I swear, on oath, I don't make any difference between you and my mother Aditi. Saying thus, he touched her feet and began to shampoo her legs.

40. The beautiful eyed Diti, tired of the vow, lean and thin, thus being shampooed and having full faith in Indra's words, fell to deep sleep.

41-42. Seeing her asleep, Indra, with thunderbolt in his hand, took subtle form and by the influence of his yogic power, entered carefully into her womb quickly and cut asunder the foetus in the womb into seven parts.

43-44. The child in the womb, struck by the thunder bolt, cried out. Indra spoke to the child gently :-- “Do not cry,” and in the mean while cut each of the seven parts into seven parts again. Thus, O king! The forty-nine Maruts were born.

45. When the good natured Diti awoke, she came to know that Indra has treacherously cut the foetus in her womb and became very sorry and angry.

46-47. Knowing that all these treacherous acts are really done under the advice of her sister, the truthful Diti; who was under the vow, cursed Aditi, and Indra, saying that as her son Indra has treacherously cut the foetus in her womb, Indra's kingdom over the three worlds would be destroyed.

48-49. And as the sinful Aditi has secretly caused the destruction of my son, her sons, too, would also die after their birth consecutively and she would dwell in the prison house in much trouble and anxiety and would also bear still born sons in her next birth.

50. Vyâsa said :-- O king! Maharsi Kas'yapa, the son of Marîchi, hearing the curse, allayed her anger with loving words.

51. O Blessed One! Do not be angry. Your sons would all become very powerful and would be called Maruts. They would be companions and friends to Indra.

52. O Dear! Your curse won't be fruitless; in the 28th Manvantara, at the end of the Dvâpara Yuga, your curse will bear fruit. Then Aditi, sinful for her jealousy and anger, will go down on earth to take the human birth through her Amsa (part) and suffer according to your curse.

53. Varuna, too, had become very grieved and cursed her. And, due to both these curses, this Aditi will be born as a woman.

54. O King! The fair complexioned Diti, thus consoled by her husband, became glad and did not utter any more unpleasant words.

55. O king! Thus I have narrated to you the cause of the previous curse. O best of kings! Thus Aditi was born as Devakî out of her Ams'a.

Here ends the third Chapter of the Fourth Book of the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses on the former curse of Vasudeva and Devakî by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.

Chapter IV

On Adharma

1. The King spoke :-- O highly honoured and intelligent one! I have heard the anecdote just related to me by you. I am very much bewildered. This Samsâra (world) is vice incarnate. I wonder how the Jîvas, entangled in its meshes, can again be freed!

2. When the son of Kas'yapa, whose kingdom is the three worlds, can commit such an heinous act, what wonder, then, that any other ordinary person would do more blameable things!

3. On the pretence of serving and on a solemn oath, when a man, can enter into his step-mother's womb and take away the life of the son, what more heinous and dreadful can take place than this!

4. When the preserver and controller of religion, the ruler of the three worlds can do such acts, you cannot expect that any other person would desert from committing heinous, contemptible acts.

5. O World Teacher! Indeed my grandfather did unjustifiable horrible mean acts in the battle field of Kuruksettra. It is really wonderful!

6-7. Bhîsma, Drona, Kripa, Karna, even Yudhisthira, who is the part incarnate of Dharma all these were urged by Vâsudeva into this contrary religious act. These personages are all born of Devâmsas, devoted to religion, and intelligent. These know the transitory nature of this world; how can these commit such mean blameable things!

8. O Glory of the Brâhmins! What faith or regard can we have for a religion, when such high souled persons commit such irreligious acts! Indeed, there is doubt whether religion exists at all or not! O Best of the Munis! My heart is agitated very much on hearing these incidents.

9. If it be said that the word of the Âptas (seers) is a sufficient guarantee for the entity of religion, it may then be questioned where there is such an Âpta, holding such a pure religious body? All those persons who are attached to worldliness are bent on all worldly objects with their whole head and heart; these, therefore, cannot be Âptas.

10. When self interest is obstructed, jealousy and anger arise; and to secure one's self interest, out of jealousy, arise untruthful words.

11. Even the pure, excellent, virtuous S’rî Krisna, with full consciousness, had to assume under pretence a Brâhmin form for killing Jarâsandha.

12. Just as the holy S'rî Hari assumed a false appearance to kill Jarâsandha, similarly Arjuna, too, did a false sacrifice to accomplish his ends. Where is, then, one who can claim to be an Âpta? And what proof is there of the existence of such an Âpta?

13. What sort of sacrifice was this? Did it lead to heaven in the next world or did it lead to glory or did it serve the cause of any good will? Why was it deprived of that peace and rest? (It was performed with a view to kill S'isupâla and others).

14-15. The Pundits, of yore, declare that truth is the first Pâda, cleanliness, the second; compassion, the third; and charity is the fourth Pâda (foot) of Dharma (Religion). Thus, devoid of these, how can Religion stand with due regards from all?

16. How can an act bear good fruits, which has no trace of virtue in it? It seems no one had any trace of faith and steadiness in one's religion. (The Pândavas did sacrifice out of arrogance; how can they be Âptas?)

17-20. Visnu, the Lord of the Universe, assumed His Dwarf (Vâmana) Incarnation with the express object to cheat Vali, the king of the Daityas. Now, O Muni! The king Bali, performed one hundred sacrifices; he was the protector of the Vedas, virtuous, charitable, truthful and self controlled; why was such a man dislodged from his position by Visnu, the Powerful. Who was victorious in this affair? Was he the Vali, who was cheated? Or was it Vâmana Deva, the expert in making nice pretence? Who was the better of the two? I have got grave doubts on this point. O the best of the twiceborn! You are the composer of the Purânas, virtuous, and liberal hearted. Speak what is true (and thus tranquil my heart).

21-23. Vyâsa said :-- O king! The victory was certainly Bali's, in as much as he fulfilled his promise and gave over his kingdom of earth to Visnu. And in as much as Visnu in his 5th or dwarf Incarnation deceived Bali, he had to become a dwarf (i. e. a small mean person indicated even by the shortness of his body). O king! There is nothing superior in religion to truth. See! S’rî Hari even had to become, for his falsehood, a gate keeper of Vali. O king! It is hardly possible for a human being to observe in every way the injunctions of truth.

24. Powerful, indeed, is Mâyâ, composed of the three qualities and of various forms. By Her is created this Universe, made manifold by the admixture of the three qualities (Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas).

25. How can you expect therefore, truth to be observed wholly, without the least violation, by a deceiver. This world is made up of the mixture of Rajas; O king! Know this as the every day routine of things in nature.

26-27. It is only the Munis and Hermits that can observe pure truth; and that is why they are without any attachment; they do not accept any thing from any other body; they are desireless; and they all have no rough wear and tear of the world. They exist as perfect examples; their case is quite separate. All the others are caught under the meshes of the three Mâyic Gunas.

28. O Best of kings! The Dharma S’âstras, Purânas and the Angas the Vedas are full of diverse opinions on any one point under consideration for their composers were under the influence of the different Gunas.

29. The Saguna persons (i. e. persons under Mâyâ) do Saguna works (works composed of qualities) and the Nirguna persons (i. e. persons above Mâyâ) do not do any Saguna work. And when the Gunas are mixed with one another, they cannot remain pure (i. e. they exhibit qualities of those Gunas with which they are mixed).

30. O king! One is influenced by Mâyâ no sooner one takes one's birth in this world; so that no body can remain steady in this pure, steady maxim of truth, untainted by any falsehood or deceit.

31. The sense organs, Indriyas, confound the Buddhi (reason) and make one follow the path of enjoying sensual things. Mind is attached to senses and follows diverse ways, urged on furiously by the three Gunas.

32. O king! All the beings, Brâhmâ down to the moving and non-moving things, fall under the delusion of Mâyâ; She plays with them.

33. This Mâyâ is always imposing on all; and She is incessantly making formations and transformations in this Universe; O king of kings! The man under the influence of action takes recourse to this untruth (i.e., actions arise first from this untruth) from the very moment of his birth.

34. Persons when they do not get their desired objects after they have pondered how to secure the sensual objects, take recourse to pretext, and, from that pretext do many sinful acts.

35. Lust, anger, and avarice; these three are very powerful enemies. The Jîvas under their influence cannot distinguish the right from the wrong.

36. When wealth, might and rank come to a person, he gets deep-rooted Ahamkâra, and becomes very egoistic; from Ahamkâra, delusion comes and, from delusion, insensibility and death ensue.

37-38. Here men argue mentally many plans; and thence jealousy, intolerance and enmity spring in the heart; next arise, out of delusion, hope, thirst, misery, low-spiritedness, arrogance and irreligiousness.

39. It is through Ahamkâra that people are led to perform sacrifices, charities, visit places of pilgrimages, practise vows and rules for religious rites and ceremonies.

40. Hence these sacrificial acts, etc., proceeding from Ahamkâra, are unable to remove the clouds of impurity from the mind, as observance of purity and cleanliness does. Especially when any action is done through greed or undue affection, as its motive, it cannot be pure in every respect.

41. Therefore, at the commencement of any sacrifice, the wise persons look at the purity of sacrificial things; (Dravya Suddhi); those articles that are collected without injuring others, are the best in religious acts.

42. O best of Kings! If the things, acquired by injuring others, be utilised in any auspicious act, they yield contrary results at the time of fruition.

43. It is he only, whose mind is very pure and undefiled, who gets the results wholly auspicious from any sacrificial act. Minds defiled do not acquire their proper desired objects.

44-45. When the preceptor and the priests ordained are sincere and pure; moreover, when the place, moment, act, sacrificial things, the mantras, and the sacrificer are all holy, then and there only, the full results accrue in their entirety to the sacrificer.

46. If the sacrifice be intended for the destruction of one's enemy or for a personal motive and one's gain, it converts auspicious results into those that are inauspicious and lead to ruin in the end.

47. Selfish persons are unable to ascertain, which actions are auspicious and which are not; they depend on the circumstances what they call Daiva, and the people do acts sinful instead of virtuous.

48-49. The Devas and demons all are created by Brâhmâ, the Prajâpati, the Creator; they all are selfish; hence they are at war and war with each other. The Devas are born from the Sattva Guna; the human beings are sprung from the Rajas and the birds are sprung from the Tamas.

50. O King! When the Devas, born of the Sattva Guna are always engaged in inimical actions, what wonder, then, is there, that the lower ones would be at war with one another!

51-52. O King! When the Devas are always discontented, filled with jealousy and envy, at war amongst each other, and obstructors of the ascetics and the austere persons, then know that this Universe has sprung from Ahamkâra (egoism). How can you expect them to be free from feelings of anger, jealousy; etc.!

Here ends the Fourth Chapter of the Fourth Book, the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses on Adharma by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.

Chapter V

On the dialogues of Nara Nârâyana

1. Vyâsa said :-- O best of kings! There is no need of dwelling at length on this point; suffice to say, that in this world, are found persons very rare that are religious, and free from egoism, jealousy, anger, etc.

2. O king of kings! Even in the Satya Yuga, the Golden age, this world, moving and unmoving, was covered with feelings of jealousy and anger. What to say in this Kali Yuga (Dark Age)! (There is no wonder that this world would be full of these vicious things.)

3. O best of kings! When the Devas are deceitful, jealous, and filled with feelings of anger, what is to be said with human beings and other lower creations!

4. O Lord of the Earth! It is natural, that injury be inflicted on those persons that commit injury; but when peaceful persons, void of any enmity, are injured, that is certainly an act wicked and mischievous.

5. Whenever, any devout ascetic, calm and quiet, is engaged in prayer and meditation, and silent muttering of one's mantrams, the king of the Immortals throws hindrance in his asceticism. (This is certainly a mischievous act.)

6. (Holy, unholy and mixed persons exist in all the yugas). To those that are holy, all the yugas are the Satya yuga; to the unholy ones always it is the Kali yuga (Dark age); and to the mixed ones, always it is Tretâ and Dvâpara.

7. You will very seldom find a few persons, following really the True Religion; otherwise, you would have found all the persons in the different yugas religious, appropriate to those yugas.

8. O king! In all cases where the conservation of religions and religious affairs are concerned, know that the original wish and desire is the cause. If this desire be impure and sullied, religion becomes also sullied for, verily, this impurity in one's desire is one's cause of ruin in every respect. (Therefore the impure desires are never to be cherished and indulged.)

9. A son, named Dharma, was born of the heart of Brahmâ; he was devoted to Brahmâjnâna (the knowledge of Brahmâ), truthful, and always engaged in rites and ceremonies and in accordance with the Vedic religion.

10. This high souled Muni Dharma was a householder and married duly, according to the proper procedure, to the ten daughters of Daksa Prajâpati.

11. This Dharma, the foremost amongst the followers of truth, impregnated them and had four sons, named respectively Hari, Krisna, Nara, and Nârâyana.

12. Hari and Krisna, amongst the four, used to remain always in the practising of the yoga.

13. Nara and Nârâyana came over to the Himâlayân mountains and, in the hermitage of Badarikâ, commenced the difficult religious asceticism and penance.

14. The foremost of the ascetics, those two ancient Munis, began to recite that highest mantra of Para Brahmâ, the Gâyatrî, on the wide spacious bank of the Ganges.

15. The two Risis named Nara and Nârâyana, born of Hari's Ams'a, practised excellent tapasyâ for full one thousand years.

16. The whole Universe, moving and unmoving, became hot through the Fire of their Tapas. Indra became also perplexed.

17-18. The thousand-eyed Indra became anxious, thought and within himself thus :-- What is to be done now? These two sons of Dharma are practising Tapas and are in meditation. If they succeed, they can occupy my excellent seat in Heaven; how can I break their Tapasyâ and what steps shall I take to hinder them.

19-20. Lust, anger, and insurmountable avarice Indra brought into existence and, intent on hindering their tapasyâ, mounted on the elephant Airâvata, went quickly to the hill Gandhamâdan, and approaching the holy hermitage, saw the two ancient Risis.

21. Their bodies were incandescent by Tapasyâ, as if they were the two rising Suns. Were they Brahmâ, Visnu manifested there or were they the two shining sources of light? These two Risis were the sons of Dharma. What would they do with their Tapasyâ?

22-23. Thinking thus, the lord of S'achî seeing them addressed thus :-- O highly fortunate ones! O two Risis the sons of Dharma! Please tell me what are your objects? I have come here to give thee excellent boons; I am very pleased with your Tapasyâ; therefore ask boons from me; and even if they be not worth giving, I will give them to you.

24-25. Vyâsa said :-- The Risis were deeply immersed in meditation and seemed very firm and resolute; they, therefore, did not reply anything, though Indra, standing before them, repeatedly urged them to ask boons from him. Seeing this, the king of the Immortals began to terrify them with his supernatural enchanting fearful mâyic powers.

26. He created lions, tigers, wolves and other murderous animals and began to terrify the two Risis with them; Indra also produced rains, hurricanes and fires very frequently so that they might yield.

27. In spite of Indra's attempt to terrify them by his wonderful Mâyâ, the two Munis, Nara Nârâyana, the two sons of Dharma, could not be brought under his control. And Indra returned to his own place.

28-31. And he became very sorry and thought thus :-- These two Munis could not be tempted away with boons, nor did they fly away from their place of worship, though terrified with fire, wind, wolves, tigers and lions. No one, I think, would be able to break their meditation. When fear and temptations have not distracted their meditation, they are certainly meditating on the Eternal Mahâ Vidyâ S'rî Bhuvanes'warî, the Prime Force of Nature, the Source of all Mâyâs, and the Goddess the Creatrix of all the worlds, the wonderful highest Prakriti; what other expert in emitting Mâyâ there can be? Who can break their meditation!

32. Indeed! how can this whole host of Mâyâs that are created by Gods and Asuras overpower those purged of all their sins, who are meditating their Creator, the Supreme Mâyâ, that Illusion by which one considers the unreal Universe as really existent and as distinct from the Supreme Spirit, whence the Gods and Asuras have derived all their supernatural powers.

33. He in whose heart reign the seed mantras of Vâk, Kâma and Mâyâ, called Vâgvîjam, Kâmavijam, Mâyâvîjam, no one is able to stand against and overpower him.

34-35. O king! Indra, enchanted by Mâyâ, did not desist from tempting the two Risis, but he went on thinking other means by which their asceticism could be baffled and asked Kâma and Vasanta (the god of Lust and the season spring) to come before him and addressed them, thus :-- O Kâma! You now be united with your wife Rati and Vasanta (the God of spring) and go to the hill Gandhamâdan, accompanied by all the Apsarâs (celestial damsels) and with all the Rasas (love sentiments).

NOTE :-- The Gandhamâdan is the mountain like unsurpassable intoxicating happiness of the senses.

36-37. There you will find the two ancient excellent Risis Nara and Nârâyana practising asceticism in solitude, in the hermitage of Badarikâ. O Manamatha! You better go before them, and with the influence of your arrows, do now my work and make their hearts extremely lustful.

38. O Fortunate One! Charm over them by means of your arrows, make them leave their asceticism by magical spells.

39. Who is there in this world of Devas, Daityas, human beings, that, being whipped by your arrows, do not come under your control?

40. When Brahmâ, I, Mahâdeva, Moon and Fire are all fascinated by your arrows, then is there any doubt that these two Risis would not be fascinated by them!

41. I am sending these public women as your assistants. Rambhâ and other beautiful celestial nymphs would all follow you.

42. You alone, or Rambhâ or Tilottamâ alone can do this work. Will there be any doubt if you all unite in this?

43. O Good One! Do this work for me; I will confer on you your desired objects.

44. O Manmatha! I tempted them with boons but these two ascetics, of controlled minds, could not be displaced from their seats. My efforts were rendered useless.

45. I frightened them very much with all the Mâyic powers; yet they could not be dislocated from their deep thoughts. It seems that they are quite heedless in the preservation of their bodies.

46. Vyâsa said :-- Kâmadeva, on hearing the king of the Devas, addressed him thus :-- O Indra! Today I will fulfill all your desires.

47. But there is one word. If these two ascetics be meditating Visnu, S’iva or Brahmâ or the Sun, then I will be able to bring them under my control.

48. And if they be meditating on the Great Seed Mantra, the root of all Mâyâ, and the great Kâmavîjam, the king of the Kâma, I will never be able to subdue such a devotee of the Highest Devî.

49. If these two ascetics have devotedly taken refuge of the Great Power Mahâ Devî, then they will not come under the sight of my arrows.

50. Indra said :-- O Blessed One! Go now with your assistants, ready to do your work. No body but you, I find, that can fulfill my this beneficial, though very difficult work.

Vyâsa said :-- Thus ordered by Indra, they all departed to where the Dharma's sons Nara, and Nârâyana were performing their hard Tapasyâs.

Here ends the Fifth Chapter in the Fourth Book of S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, the Mahâ Purânam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
 

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