Chapter Seven

                   The Sacrifice Performed by Daksa

 

                                TEXT 1

 

                                 TEXT

 

                            maitreya uvaca

                          ity ajenanunitena

                         bhavena paritusyata

                         abhyadhayi maha-baho

                        prahasya sruyatam iti

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   maitreyah--Maitreya; uvaca--said; iti--thus; ajena--by Lord Brahma; anunitena--pacified; bhavena--by Lord Siva; paritusyata--fully satisfied; abhyadhayi--said; maha-baho--O Vidura; prahasya--smiling; sruyatam--listen; iti--thus.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                                TEXT 2

 

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                            mahadeva uvaca

                        nagham prajesa balanam

                         varnaye nanucintaye

                         deva-mayabhibhutanam

                       dandas tatra dhrto maya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   mahadevah--Lord Siva; uvaca--said; na--not; agham--offense; praja-isa--O lord of created beings; balanam--of the children; varnaye--I regard; na--not; anucintaye--I consider; deva-maya--the external energy of the Lord; abhibhutanam--of those deluded by; dandah--rod; tatra--there; dhrtah--used; maya--by me.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   There are two types of punishment. One is that which a conqueror imposes on an enemy, and the other is like that a father imposes on his son. There is a gulf of difference between these two kinds of punishment. Lord Siva is by nature a Vaisnava, a great devotee, and his name in this connection is Asutosa. He is always satisfied, and therefore he did not become angry as if he were an enemy. He is not inimical to any living entity; rather, he always wishes the welfare of all. Whenever he chastises a person, it is just like a father's punishment of his son. Lord Siva is like a father because he never takes seriously any offense by any living entities, especially the demigods.

 

                                TEXT 3

 

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                       prajapater dagdha-sirsno

                       bhavatv aja-mukham sirah

                        mitrasya caksusekseta

                      bhagam svam barhiso bhagah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prajapateh--of Prajapati Daksa; dagdha-sirsnah--whose head has been burned to ashes; bhavatu--let there be; aja-mukham--with the face of a goat; sirah--a head; mitrasya--of Mitra; caksusa--through the eyes; ikseta--may see; bhagam--share; svam--his own; barhisah--of the sacrifice; bhagah--Bhaga.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                                TEXT 4

 

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                         pusa tu yajamanasya

                      dadbhir jaksatu pista-bhuk

                        devah prakrta-sarvanga

                        ye ma ucchesanam daduh

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   pusa--Pusa; tu--but; yajamanasya--of the performer of the sacrifice; dadbhih--with the teeth; jaksatu--chew; pista-bhuk--eating flour; devah--the demigods; prakrta--made; sarva-angah--complete; ye--who; me--unto me; ucchesanam--a share of the sacrifice; daduh--gave.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The demigod Pusa became dependent on his disciples for chewing. Otherwise he was allowed to swallow only dough made of chickpea flour. Thus his punishment continued. He could not use his teeth for eating, since he had laughed at Lord Siva, deriding him by showing his teeth. In other words, it was not appropriate for him to have teeth, for he had used them against Lord Siva.

 

                                TEXT 5

 

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                       bahubhyam asvinoh pusno

                       hastabhyam krta-bahavah

                      bhavantv adhvaryavas canye

                     basta-smasrur bhrgur bhavet

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   bahubhyam--with two arms; asvinoh--of Asvini-kumara; pusnah--of Pusa; hastabhyam--with two hands; krta-bahavah--those in need of arms; bhavantu--they will have to; adhvaryavah--the priests; ca--and; anye--others; basta-smasruh--the beard of the goat; bhrguh--Bhrgu; bhavet--he may have.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Those who have had their arms cut off will have to work with the arms of Asvini-kumara, and those whose hands were cut off will have to do their work with the hands of Pusa. The priests will also have to act in that manner. As for Bhrgu, he will have the beard from the goat's head.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Bhrgu Muni, a great supporter of Daksa, was awarded the beard of the goat's head which was substituted for the head of Daksa. It appears from the exchange of Daksa's head that the modern scientific theory that the brain substance is the cause of all intelligent work is not valid. The brain substance of Daksa and that of a goat are different, but Daksa still acted like himself, even though his head was replaced by that of a goat. The conclusion is that it is the particular consciousness of an individual soul which acts. The brain substance is only an instrument which has nothing to do with real intelligence. The real intelligence, mind and consciousness are part of the particular individual soul. It will be found in the verses ahead that after Daksa's head was replaced by the goat's head, he was as intelligent as he had previously been. He prayed very nicely to satisfy Lord Siva and Lord Visnu, which is not possible for a goat to do. Therefore it is definitely concluded that the brain substance is not the center of intelligence; it is the consciousness of a particular soul that works intelligently. The whole movement of Krsna consciousness is to purify the consciousness. It doesn't matter what kind of brain one has because if he simply transfers his consciousness from matter to Krsna, his life becomes successful. It is confirmed by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gita that anyone who takes up Krsna consciousness achieves the highest perfection of life, regardless of whatever abominable condition of life he may have fallen into. Specifically, anyone in Krsna consciousness goes back to Godhead, back to home, on leaving his present material body.

 

                                TEXT 6

 

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                            maitreya uvaca

                         tada sarvani bhutani

                        srutva midhustamoditam

                        paritustatmabhis tata

                      sadhu sadhv ity athabruvan

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   maitreyah--the sage Maitreya; uvaca--said; tada--at that time; sarvani--all; bhutani--personalities; srutva--after hearing; midhuh-tama--the best of the benedictors (Lord Siva); uditam--spoken by; paritusta--being satisfied; atmabhih--by heart and soul; tata--my dear Vidura; sadhu sadhu--well done, well done; iti--thus; atha abruvan--as we have said.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In this verse Lord Siva is described as midhustama, the best of the benedictors. He is also known as Asutosa, which indicates that he is very quickly satisfied and very quickly angered. It is said in Bhagavad-gita that less intelligent persons go to the demigods for material benedictions. In this connection, people generally go to Lord Siva, and because he is always quickly satisfied and gives benedictions to his devotees without consideration, he is called midhustama, or the best of the benedictors. Materialistic persons are always anxious to get material profit, but they are not serious about spiritual profit.

   Sometimes, of course, it so happens that Lord Siva becomes the best benedictor in spiritual life. It is said that once a poor brahmana worshiped Lord Siva for a benediction, and Lord Siva advised the devotee to go to see Sanatana Gosvami. The devotee went to Sanatana Gosvami and informed him that Lord Siva had advised him to seek out the best benediction from him (Sanatana). Sanatana had a touchstone with him, which he kept with the garbage. On the request of the poor brahmana, Sanatana Gosvami gave him the touchstone, and the brahmana was very happy to have it. He now could get as much gold as he desired simply by touching the touchstone to iron. But after he left Sanatana, he thought, "If a touchstone is the best benediction, why has Sanatana Gosvami kept it with the garbage?" He therefore returned and asked Sanatana Gosvami, "Sir, if this is the best benediction, why did you keep it with the garbage?" Sanatana Gosvami then informed him, "Actually, this is not the best benediction. But are you prepared to take the best benediction from me?" The brahmana said, "Yes, sir. Lord Siva has sent me to you for the best benediction." Then Sanatana Gosvami asked him to throw the touchstone in the water nearby and then come back. The poor brahmana did so, and when he returned, Sanatana Gosvami initiated him with the Hare Krsna mantra. Thus by the benediction of Lord Siva the brahmana got the association of the best devotee of Lord Krsna and was thus initiated in the maha-mantra, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

 

                                TEXT 7

 

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                       tato midhvamsam amantrya

                        sunasirah saharsibhih

                       bhuyas tad deva-yajanam

                       sa-midhvad-vedhaso yayuh

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tatah--thereafter; midhvamsam--Lord Siva; amantrya--inviting; sunasirah--the demigods headed by King Indra; saha rsibhih--with all the great sages, headed by Bhrgu; bhuyah--again; tat--that; deva-yajanam--place where the demigods are worshiped; sa-midhvat--with Lord Siva; vedhasah--with Lord Brahma; yayuh--went.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The whole sacrifice arranged by King Daksa had been disturbed by Lord Siva. Therefore all the demigods present there, along with Lord Brahma and the great sages, specifically requested Lord Siva to come and revive the sacrificial fire. There is a common phrase, siva-hina-yajna: "Any sacrifice without the presence of Lord Siva is baffled." Lord Visnu is Yajnesvara, the Supreme Personality in the matter of sacrifice, yet in each yajna it is necessary for all the demigods, headed by Lord Brahma and Lord Siva, to be present.

 

                                TEXT 8

 

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                      vidhaya kartsnyena ca tad

                       yad aha bhagavan bhavah

                        sandadhuh kasya kayena

                         savaniya-pasoh sirah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   vidhaya--executing; kartsnyena--all in all; ca--also; tat--that; yat--which; aha--was said; bhagavan--the Lord; bhavah--Siva; sandadhuh--executed; kasya--of the living (Daksa); kayena--with the body; savaniya--meant for sacrifice; pasoh--of the animal; sirah--head.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This time, all the demigods and great sages were very careful not to irritate Lord Siva. Therefore whatever he asked was done. It is specifically said here that Daksa's body was joined to the head of an animal (a goat).

 

                                TEXT 9

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         sandhiyamane sirasi

                        dakso rudrabhiviksitah

                       sadyah supta ivottasthau

                         dadrse cagrato mrdam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sandhiyamane--being executed; sirasi--by the head; daksah--King Daksa; rudra-abhiviksitah--having been seen by Rudra (Lord Siva); sadyah--immediately; supte--sleeping; iva--like; uttasthau--awakened; dadrse--saw; ca--also; agratah--in front; mrdam--Lord Siva.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The example given here is that Daksa got up as if he were awakened from deep sleep. In Sanskrit this is called supta ivottasthau. The meaning is that after a man awakens from sleep, he immediately remembers all the duties which he must execute. Daksa was killed, and his head was taken away and burned to ashes. His body was lying dead, but by the grace of Lord Siva, as soon as the head of a goat was joined to the body, Daksa came back to consciousness again. This indicates that consciousness is also individual. Daksa actually took another body when he took on the head of a goat, but because consciousness is individual, his consciousness remained the same although his bodily condition changed. Thus bodily construction has nothing to do with the development of consciousness. Consciousness is carried with the transmigration of the soul. There are many instances of this in Vedic history, such as the case of Maharaja Bharata. After quitting his body as a king, Maharaja Bharata was transferred to the body of a deer, but he retained the same consciousness. He knew that although formerly he was King Bharata, he had been transferred to the body of a deer because of his absorption in thinking of a deer at the time of his death. In spite of his having the body of a deer, however, his consciousness was as good as it was in the body of King Bharata. The arrangement by the Lord is so nice that if a person's consciousness is turned into Krsna consciousness, there is no doubt that in his next life he will be a great devotee of Krsna, even if he is offered a different type of body.

 

                               TEXT 10

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        tada vrsadhvaja-dvesa-

                         kalilatma prajapatih

                         sivavalokad abhavac

                        charad-dhrada ivamalah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tada--at that time; vrsa-dhvaja--Lord Siva, who rides on a bull; dvesa--envy; kalila-atma--polluted heart; prajapatih--King Daksa; siva--Lord Siva; avalokat--by seeing him; abhavat--became; sarat--in the autumn; hradah--lake; iva--like; amalah--cleansed.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Here is an example of why Lord Siva is called auspicious. lf anyone sees Lord Siva with devotion and reverence, his heart is immediately cleansed. King Daksa was polluted by envy of Lord Siva, and yet by seeing him with a little love and devotion, his heart immediately became cleansed. In the rainy season, the reservoirs of water become dirty and muddy, but as soon as the autumn rain comes, all the water immediately becomes clear and transparent. Similarly, although Daksa's heart was impure because of his having slandered Lord Siva, for which he was severely punished, Daksa now came to consciousness, and just by seeing Lord Siva with veneration and respect, he became immediately purified.

 

                               TEXT 11

 

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                       bhava-stavaya krta-dhir

                         nasaknod anuragatah

                       autkanthyad baspa-kalaya

                       samparetam sutam smaran

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   bhava-stavaya--for praying to Lord Siva; krta-dhih--although decided; na--never; asaknot--was able; anuragatah--by feeling; autkanthyat--because of eagerness; baspa-kalaya--with tears in the eyes; samparetam--dead; sutam--daughter; smaran--remembering.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               TEXT 12

 

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                     krcchrat samstabhya ca manah

                       prema-vihvalitah sudhih

                         sasamsa nirvyalikena

                        bhavenesam prajapatih

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   krcchrat--with great endeavor; samstabhya--pacifying; ca--also; manah--mind; prema-vihvalitah--bewildered by love and affection; su-dhih--one who has come to his real senses; sasamsa--praised; nirvyalikena--without duplicity, or with great love; bhavena--in feeling; isam--to Lord Siva; prajapatih--King Daksa.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               TEXT 13

 

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                             daksa uvaca

                 bhuyan anugraha aho bhavata krto me

              dandas tvaya mayi bhrto yad api pralabdhah

              na brahma-bandhusu ca vam bhagavann avajna

               tubhyam hares ca kuta eva dhrta-vratesu

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   daksah--King Daksa; uvaca--said; bhuyan--very great; anugrahah--favor; aho--alas; bhavata--by you; krtah--done; me--upon me; dandah--punishment; tvaya--by you; mayi--unto me; bhrtah--done; yat api--although; pralabdhah--defeated; na--neither; brahma-bandhusu--unto an unqualified brahmana; ca--also; vam--both of you; bhagavan--my lord; avajna--negligence; tubhyam--of you; hareh ca--of Lord Visnu; kutah--where; eva--certainly; dhrta-vratesu--one who is engaged in the performance of sacrifice.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Although Daksa felt defeated, he knew that his punishment was simply the great mercy of Lord Siva. He remembered that Lord Siva and Lord Visnu are never neglectful of the brahmanas, even though the brahmanas are sometimes unqualified. According to Vedic civilization, a descendant of a brahmana family should never be heavily punished. This was exemplified in Arjuna's treatment of Asvatthama. Asvatthama was the son of a great brahmana, Dronacarya, and in spite of his having committed the great offense of killing all the sleeping sons of the Pandavas, for which he was condemned even by Lord Krsna, Arjuna excused him by not killing him because he happened to be the son of a brahmana. The word brahma-bandhusu used here is significant. Brahma-bandhu means a person who is born of a brahmana father but whose activities are not up to the standard of the brahmanas. Such a person is not a brahmana but a brahma-bandhu. Daksa proved himself to be a brahma-bandhu. He was born of a great brahmana father, Lord Brahma, but his treatment of Lord Siva was not exactly brahminical; therefore he admitted that he was not a perfect brahmana. Lord Siva and Lord Visnu, however, are affectionate even to an imperfect brahmana. Lord Siva punished Daksa not as one does his enemy; rather, he punished Daksa just to bring him to his senses, so that he would know that he had done wrong. Daksa could understand this, and he acknowledged the great mercy of Lord Krsna and Lord Siva towards the fallen brahmanas, including even himself. Although he was fallen, his vow was to execute the sacrifice, as is the duty of brahmanas, and thus he began his prayers to Lord Siva.

 

                               TEXT 14

 

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             vidya-tapo-vrata-dharan mukhatah sma vipran

            brahmatma-tattvam avitum prathamam tvam asrak

               tad brahmanan parama sarva-vipatsu pasi

                palah pasun iva vibho pragrhita-dandah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   vidya--learning; tapah--austerities; vrata--vows; dharan--the followers; mukhatah--from the mouth; sma--was; vipran--the brahmanas; brahma--Lord Brahma; atma-tattvam--self-realization; avitum--to disseminate; prathamam--first; tvam--you; asrak--created; tat--therefore; brahmanan--the brahmanas; parama--O great one; sarva--all; vipatsu--in dangers; pasi--you protect; palah--like the protector; pasun--the animals; iva--like; vibho--O great one; pragrhita--taking in hand; dandah--a stick.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The specific function of a human being in society, irrespective of his social status, is to practice control of the mind and senses by observing the regulative principles enjoined in the Vedic sastras. Lord Siva is called pasupati because he protects the living entities in their developed consciousness so that they may follow the Vedic system of varna and asrama. The word pasu refers to the animal as well as to the human entity. It is stated here that Lord Siva is always interested in protecting the animals and the animalistic living entities, who are not very advanced in the spiritual sense. It is also stated that the brahmanas are produced from the mouth of the Supreme Lord. We should always remember that Lord Siva is being addressed as the representative of the Supreme Lord, Visnu. ln the Vedic literature it is described that the brahmanas are born from the mouth of the universal form of Visnu, the ksatriyas are born from His arms, the vaisyas from His abdomen or waist, and the sudras from His legs. In the formation of a body, the head is the principal factor. The brahmanas are born from the mouth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in order to accept charity for worship of Visnu and to spread Vedic knowledge. Lord Siva is known as pasupati, the protector of the brahmanas and other living entities. He protects them from the attacks of non-brahmanas, or uncultured persons who are against the self-realization process.

   Another feature of this word is that persons who are simply attached to the ritualistic portion of the Vedas and do not understand the situation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are not any more advanced than animals. In the beginning of Srimad-Bhagavatam it is confirmed that even though one performs the rituals of the Vedas, if he does not develop a sense of Krsna consciousness, then all his labor in performing Vedic rituals is considered to be simply a waste of time. Lord Siva's aim in destroying the Daksa yajna was to punish Daksa because by neglecting him (Lord Siva), Daksa was committing a great offense. Lord Siva's punishment was just like that of a cowherd boy, who keeps a stick to frighten his animals. It is commonly said that to give protection to animals, a stick is needed because animals cannot reason and argue. Their reasoning and argument is argumentum ad baculum; unless there is a rod, they do not obey. Force is required for the animalistic class of men, whereas those who are advanced are convinced by reasons, arguments and scriptural authority. Persons who are simply attached to Vedic rituals, without further advancement of devotional service, or Krsna consciousness, are almost like animals, and Lord Siva is in charge of giving them protection and sometimes punishing them, as he punished Daksa.

 

                               TEXT 15

 

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               yo 'sau mayavidita-tattva-drsa sabhayam

              ksipto durukti-visikhair viganayya tan mam

                 arvak patantam arhattama-nindayapad

              drstyardraya sa bhagavan sva-krtena tusyet

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yah--who; asau--that; maya--by me; avidita-tattva--without knowing the actual fact; drsa--by experience; sabhayam--in the assembly; ksiptah--was abused; durukti--unkind words; visikhaih--by the arrows of; viganayya--taking no notice of; tat--that; mam--me; arvak--downwards; patantam--gliding down to hell; arhat-tama--the most respectable; nindaya--by defamation; apat--saved; drstya--seeing; ardraya--out of compassion; sah--that; bhagavan--Your Lordship; sva-krtena--by your own mercy; tusyet--be satisfied.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   As usual, a devotee in an adverse condition of life accepts such a condition to be the mercy of the Lord. Factually, the insulting words used by Daksa against Lord Siva were enough to have him thrown perpetually into a hellish life. But Lord Siva, being kind toward him, awarded him punishment to neutralize the offense. King Daksa realized this and, feeling obliged for Lord Siva's magnanimous behavior, wanted to show his gratitude. Sometimes a father punishes his child, and when the child is grown up and comes to his senses, he understands that the father's punishment was not actually punishment but mercy. Similarly, Daksa appreciated that the punishment offered to him by Lord Siva was a manifestation of Lord Siva's mercy. That is the symptom of a person making progress on the path of Krsna consciousness. It is said that a devotee in Krsna consciousness never takes any miserable condition of life to be condemnation by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He accepts the miserable condition to be the grace of the Lord. He thinks, "I would have been punished or put into a more dangerous condition of life due to my past misdeeds, but the Lord has protected me. Thus I have received only a little punishment as token execution of the law of karma." Thinking of His grace in that way, a devotee always surrenders to the Supreme Personality of Godhead more and more seriously and is not disturbed by such so-called punishment.

 

                               TEXT 16

 

                                 TEXT

 

                            maitreya uvaca

                      ksamapyaivam sa midhvamsam

                        brahmana canumantritah

                         karma santanayam asa

                       sopadhyayartvig-adibhih

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   maitreyah--the sage Maitreya; uvaca--said; ksama--forgiveness; apya--receiving; evam--thus; sah--King Daksa; midhvamsam--unto Lord Siva; brahmana--along with Lord Brahma; ca--also; anumantritah--being permitted; karma--the sacrifice; santanayam asa--began again; sa--along with; upadhyaya--learned sages; rtvik--the priests; adibhih--and others.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The great sage Maitreya said: Thus being pardoned by Lord Siva, King Daksa, with the permission of Lord Brahma, again began the performance of the yajna, along with the great learned sages, the priests and others.

 

                               TEXT 17

 

                                 TEXT

 

                      vaisnavam yajna-santatyai

                       tri-kapalam dvijottamah

                         purodasam niravapan

                        vira-samsarga-suddhaye

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   vaisnavam--meant for Lord Visnu or His devotees; yajna--sacrifice; santatyai--for performances; tri-kapalam--three kinds of offerings; dvija-uttamah--the best of the brahmanas; purodasam--the oblation called purodasa; niravapan--offered; vira--Virabhadra and other followers of Lord Siva; samsarga--contamination (dosa) due to his touching; suddhaye--for purification.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Lord Siva's followers and devotees, headed by Virabhadra, are known as viras, and they are ghostly demons. Not only did they pollute the entire sacrificial arena by their very presence, but they disturbed the whole situation by passing stool and urine. Therefore, the infection they had created was to be first purified by the method of offering purodasa oblations. A visnu-yajna, or an offering to Lord Visnu, cannot be performed uncleanly. To offer anything in an unclean state is called a sevaparadha. The worship of the Visnu Deity in the temple is also visnu-yajna. In all Visnu temples, therefore, the priest who takes care of the arcana-vidhi must be very clean. Everything should be always kept neat and clean, and the foodstuffs should be prepared in a neat and clean manner. All these regulative principles are described in The Nectar of Devotion. There are thirty-two kinds of offenses in discharging arcana service. It is required, therefore, that one be extremely careful not to be unclean. Generally, whenever any ritualistic ceremony is begun, the holy name of Lord Visnu is first chanted in order to purify the situation. Whether one is in a pure or impure condition, internally or externally, if one chants or even remembers the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Visnu, one immediately becomes purified. The yajna arena was desecrated by the presence of Lord Siva's followers, headed by Virabhadra, and therefore the entire arena had to be sanctified. Although Lord Siva was present and he is all-auspicious, it was still necessary to sanctify the place because his followers had broken into the arena and committed so many obnoxious acts. That sanctification was possible only by chanting the holy name of Visnu, Trikapala, which can sanctify the three worlds. In other words, it is admitted herein that the followers of Lord Siva are generally unclean. They are not even very hygienic; they do not take baths regularly, they wear long hair, and they smoke ganja. Persons of such irregular habits are counted amongst the ghosts. Since they were present in the sacrificial arena, the atmosphere became polluted, and it had to be sanctified by trikapala oblations, which indicated the invocation of Visnu's favor.

 

                               TEXT 18

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         adhvaryunatta-havisa

                          yajamano visampate

                       dhiya visuddhaya dadhyau

                       tatha pradurabhud dharih

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   adhvaryuna--with the Yajur Veda; atta--taking; havisa--with clarified butter; yajamanah--King Daksa; visam-pate--O Vidura; dhiya--in meditation; visuddhaya--sanctified; dadhyau--offered; tatha--immediately; praduh--manifest; abhut--became; harih--Hari, the Lord.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Lord Visnu is all-pervading. Any devotee who, in sanctified meditation, following the regulative principles, chants the required mantras in service and in a devotional mood can see Visnu. It is said in the Brahma-samhita that a devotee whose eyes are anointed with the ointment of love of Godhead can see the Supreme Personality of Godhead always within his heart. Lord Syamasundara is so kind to His devotee.

 

                               TEXT 19

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       tada sva-prabhaya tesam

                        dyotayantya diso dasa

                        musnams teja upanitas

                       tarksyena stotra-vajina

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tada--at that time; sva-prabhaya--by His own effulgence; tesam--all of them; dyotayantya--by brightness; disah--directions; dasa--ten; musnan--diminishing; tejah--effulgence; upanitah--brought; tarksyena--by Garuda; stotra-vajina--whose wings are called Brhat and Rathantara.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   A description of Narayana is given in the following two slokas.

 

                               TEXT 20

 

                                 TEXT

 

                syamo hiranya-rasano 'rka-kirita-justo

                nilalaka-bhramara-mandita-kundalasyah

               sankhabja-cakra-sara-capa-gadasi-carma-

              vyagrair hiranmaya-bhujair iva karnikarah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   syamah--blackish; hiranya-rasanah--a garment like gold; arka-kirita-justah--with a helmet as dazzling as the sun; nila-alaka--bluish curls; bhramara--big black bees; mandita-kundala-asyah--having a face decorated with earrings; sankha--conchshell; abja--lotus flower; cakra--wheel; sara--arrows; capa--bow; gada--club; asi--sword; carma--shield; vyagraih--filled with; hiranmaya--golden (bracelets and bangles); bhujaih--with hands; iva--as; karnikarah--flower tree.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The face of Lord Visnu as described in this verse appears like a lotus flower with bees humming over it. All of the ornaments on the body of Lord Visnu resemble molten gold of the reddish-gold color of the morning sunrise. The Lord appears, just as the morning sun rises, to protect the whole universal creation. His arms display different weapons, and His eight hands are compared to the eight petals of a lotus flower. All the weapons mentioned are for the protection of His devotees.

   Generally in the four hands of Visnu there are a wheel, club, conchshell and lotus flower. These four symbols are seen in the four hands of Visnu in different arrangements. The club and the wheel are the Lord's symbols of punishment for the demons and miscreants, and the lotus flower and conchshell are used to bless the devotees. There are always two classes of men, the devotees and the demons. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (paritranaya sadhunam), the Lord is always ready for the protection of the devotees and annihilation of the demons. There are demons and devotees in this material world, but in the spiritual world there is no such distinction. In other words, Lord Visnu is the proprietor of both the material and spiritual worlds. In the material world almost everyone is of the demoniac nature, but there are also devotees, who appear to be in the material world although they are always situated in the spiritual world. A devotee's position is always transcendental, and he is always protected by Lord Visnu.

 

                               TEXT 21

 

                                 TEXT

 

              vaksasy adhisrita-vadhur vana-maly udara-

                 hasavaloka-kalaya ramayams ca visvam

              parsva-bhramad-vyajana-camara-raja-hamsah

                  svetatapatra-sasinopari rajyamanah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   vaksasi--on the chest; adhisrita--situated; vadhuh--a woman (the goddess of fortune, Laksmi); vana-mali--garlanded with forest flowers; udara--beautiful; hasa--smiling; avaloka--glance; kalaya--with a small part; ramayan--pleasing; ca--and; visvam--the whole world; parsva--side; bhramat--moving back and forth; vyajana-camara--white yak-tail hair for fanning; raja-hamsah--swan; sveta-atapatra-sasina--with a white canopy like the moon; upari--above; rajyamanah--looking beautiful.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The smiling face of Lord Visnu is pleasing to the whole world. Not only devotees but even nondevotees are attracted by such a smile. This verse nicely describes how the sun, moon, eight-petaled lotus flower and humming black bees were represented by the fans of hair, the overhead canopy, the moving earrings on both sides of His face, and His blackish hair. All together, accompanied by the conchshell, wheel, club, lotus flower, bow, arrows, shield and sword in His hands, these presented a grand and beautiful audience for Lord Visnu which captivated all the demigods there, including Daksa and Lord Brahma.

 

                               TEXT 22

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         tam upagatam alaksya

                         sarve sura-ganadayah

                        pranemuh sahasotthaya

                      brahmendra-tryaksa-nayakah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tam--Him; upagatam--arrived; alaksya--after seeing; sarve--all; sura-gana-adayah--the demigods and others; pranemuh--obeisances; sahasa--immediately; utthaya--after standing up; brahma--Lord Brahma; indra--Lord Indra; tri-aksa--Lord Siva (who has three eyes); nayakah--led by.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   As soon as Lord Visnu was visible, all the demigods--Lord Brahma and Lord Siva, the Gandharvas and all present there--immediately offered their respectful obeisances by falling down straight before Him.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   It appears that Lord Visnu is the Supreme Lord even of Lord Siva and Lord Brahma, what to speak of the demigods, Gandharvas and ordinary living entities. It is stated in a prayer, yam brahma varunendra-rudra-marutah: all the demigods worship Lord Visnu. Similarly, dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yoginah: yogis concentrate their minds on the form of Lord Visnu. Thus Lord Visnu is worshipable by all demigods, all Gandharvas and even Lord Siva and Lord Brahma. Tad visnoh paramam padam sada pasyanti surayah: Visnu is therefore the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Even though Lord Siva was previously referred to in prayers by Lord Brahma as the Supreme, when Lord Visnu appeared, Siva also fell prostrated before Him to offer respectful obeisances.

 

                               TEXT 23

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        tat-tejasa hata-rucah

                      sanna-jihvah sa-sadhvasah

                       murdhna dhrtanjali-puta

                        upatasthur adhoksajam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tat-tejasa--by the glaring effulgence of His body; hata-rucah--having faded lusters; sanna-jihvah--having silent tongues; sa-sadhvasah--having fear of Him; murdhna--with the head; dhrta-anjali-putah--with hands touched to the head; upatasthuh--prayed; adhoksajam--to Adhoksaja, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               TEXT 24

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       apy arvag-vrttayo yasya

                       mahi tv atmabhuv-adayah

                        yatha-mati grnanti sma

                         krtanugraha-vigraham

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   api--still; arvak-vrttayah--beyond the mental activities; yasya--whose; mahi--glory; tu--but; atmabhu-adayah--Brahma, etc.; yatha-mati--according to their different capacities; grnanti sma--offered prayers; krta-anugraha--manifested by His grace; vigraham--transcendental form.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, is always unlimited, and His glories cannot be completely enumerated by anyone, even by a personality like Lord Brahma. It is said that Ananta, a direct incarnation of the Lord, has unlimited mouths, and with each mouth He has been trying to describe the glories of the Lord for an unlimited span of time, yet the glories of the Lord remain unlimited, and He therefore never finishes. It is not possible for any ordinary living entity to understand or to glorify the unlimited Personality of Godhead, but one can offer prayers or service to the Lord according to one's particular capacity. This capacity is increased by the service spirit. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau means that the service of the Lord begins with the tongue. This refers to chanting. By chanting Hare Krsna, one begins the service of the Lord. Another function of the tongue is to taste and accept the Lord's prasada. We have to begin our service to the Unlimited with the tongue and become perfect in chanting, and accepting the Lord's prasada. To accept the Lord's prasada means to control the entire set of senses. The tongue is considered to be the most uncontrollable sense because it hankers for so many unwholesome eatables, thereby forcing the living entity into the dungeon of material conditional life. As the living entity transmigrates from one form of life to another, he has to eat so many abominable foodstuffs that finally there is no limit. The tongue should be engaged in chanting and in eating the Lord's prasada so that the other senses will be controlled. Chanting is the medicine, and prasada is the diet. With these processes one can begin his service, and as the service increases, the Lord reveals more and more to the devotee. But there is no limit to His glories, and there is no limit to engaging oneself in the service of the Lord.

 

                               TEXT 25

 

                                 TEXT

 

                    dakso grhitarhana-sadanottamam

                 yajnesvaram visva-srjam param gurum

                  sunanda-nandady-anugair vrtam muda

                  grnan prapede prayatah krtanjalih

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   daksah--Daksa; grhita--accepted; arhana--rightful; sadana-uttamam--sacrificial vessel; yajna-isvaram--unto the master of all sacrifices; visva-srjam--of all the Prajapatis; param--the supreme; gurum--preceptor; sunanda-nanda-adi-anugaih--by associates like Sunanda and Nanda; vrtam--surrounded; muda--with great pleasure; grnan--offering respectful prayers; prapede--took shelter; prayatah--having a subdued mind; krta-anjalih--with folded hands.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               TEXT 26

 

                                 TEXT

 

                             daksa uvaca

           suddham sva-dhamny uparatakhila-buddhy-avastham

              cin-matram ekam abhayam pratisidhya mayam

              tisthams tayaiva purusatvam upetya tasyam

                aste bhavan aparisuddha ivatma-tantrah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   daksah--Daksa; uvaca--said; suddham--pure; sva-dhamni--in Your own abode; uparata-akhila--completely turned back; buddhi-avastham--position of mental speculation; cit-matram--completely spiritual; ekam--one without a second; abhayam--fearless; pratisidhya--controlling; mayam--material energy; tisthan--being situated; taya--with her (Maya); eva--certainly; purusatvam--overseer; upetya--entering into; tasyam--in her; aste--is present; bhavan--Your Lordship; aparisuddhah--impure; iva--as if; atma-tantrah--self-sufficient.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               TEXT 27

 

                                 TEXT

 

                             rtvija ucuh

               tattvam na te vayam ananjana rudra-sapat

               karmany avagraha-dhiyo bhagavan vidamah

              dharmopalaksanam idam trivrd adhvarakhyam

             jnatam yad-artham adhidaivam ado vyavasthah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   rtvijah--the priests; ucuh--began to say; tattvam--truth; na--not; te--of Your Lordship; vayam--all of us; ananjana--without material contamination; rudra--Lord Siva; sapat--by his curse; karmani--in fruitive activities; avagraha--being too much attached; dhiyah--of such intelligence; bhagavan--O Lord; vidamah--know; dharma--religion; upalaksanam--symbolized; idam--this; tri-vrt--the three departments of knowledge of the Vedas; adhvara--sacrifice; akhyam--of the name; jnatam--known to us; yat--that; artham--for the matter of; adhidaivam--for worshiping the demigods; adah--this; vyavasthah--arrangement.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The Vedas are known as traigunya-visaya vedah (Bg. 2.45). Those who are serious students of the Vedas are very much attached to the ritualistic ceremonies mentioned in the Vedas, and therefore these veda-vadis cannot understand that the ultimate goal of the Vedas is to understand Lord Krsna, or Visnu. Those who have transcended the qualitative Vedic attractions, however, can understand Krsna, who is never contaminated by the material qualities. Therefore Lord Visnu is addressed here as ananjana (free from material contamination). In Bhagavad-gita (2.42) the crude Vedic scholars have been deprecated by Krsna as follows:

 

                       yam imam puspitam vacam

                        pravadanty avipascitah

                        veda-vada-ratah partha

                        nanyad astiti vadinah

 

   "Men of small knowledge are very much attached to the flowery words of the Vedas, and they say that there is nothing more than this."

 

                               TEXT 28

 

                                 TEXT

 

                             sadasya ucuh

          utpatty-adhvany asarana uru-klesa-durge 'ntakogra-

           vyalanviste visaya-mrga-trsy atma-gehoru-bharah

       dvandva-svabhre khala-mrga-bhaye soka-dave 'jna-sarthah

             padaukas te saranada kada yati kamopasrstah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sadasyah--the members of the assembly; ucuh--said; utpatti--repeated birth and death; adhvani--on the path of; asarane--not having a place to take shelter; uru--great; klesa--troublesome; durge--in the formidable fort; antaka--termination; ugra--ferocious; vyala--snakes; anviste--being infested with; visaya--material happiness; mrga-trsi--mirage; atma--body; geha--home; uru--heavy; bharah--burden; dvandva--dual; svabhre--holes, ditches of so-called happiness and distress; khala--ferocious; mrga--animals; bhaye--being afraid of; soka-dave--the forest fire of lamentation; ajna-sa-arthah--for the interest of the rascals; pada-okah--shelter of Your lotus feet; te--unto You; sarana-da--giving shelter; kada--when; yati--went; kama-upasrstah--being afflicted by all sorts of desires.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Persons who are not in Krsna consciousness are living a very precarious life, as described in this verse, but all these circumstantial conditions are due to forgetfulness of Krsna. The Krsna consciousness movement is meant to give relief to all these bewildered and distressed persons; therefore it is the greatest relief work for all human society, and the workers thereof are the greatest well-wishers, for they follow in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya, who is the greatest friend to all living entities.

 

                               TEXT 29

 

                                 TEXT

 

                             rudra uvaca

               tava varada varanghrav asisehakhilarthe

               hy api munibhir asaktair adarenarhaniye

              yadi racita-dhiyam mavidya-loko 'paviddham

               japati na ganaye tat tvat-paranugrahena

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   rudrah uvaca--Lord Siva said; tava--Your; vara-da--O supreme benefactor; vara-anghrau--precious lotus feet; asisa--by desire; iha--in the material world; akhila-arthe--for fulfillment; hi api--certainly; munibhih--by the sages; asaktaih--liberated; adarena--with care; arhaniye--worshipable; yadi--if; racita-dhiyam--mind fixed; ma--me; avidya-lokah--the ignorant persons; apaviddham--unpurified activity; japati--utters; na ganaye--do not value; tat--it; tvat-para-anugrahena--by compassion like Yours.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Lord Siva expresses herein his regret at having been angry and having disturbed the sacrificial activities of Daksa. King Daksa had insulted him in many ways, and thus he had become angry and had frustrated the entire sacrificial ceremony. Later, when he was pleased, the yajna performances were reinstituted, and therefore he regretted his activities. Now he says that because his mind is fixed on the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, Visnu, he is no longer disturbed by the ordinary critics of his way of life. From this statement by Lord Siva it is understood that as long as one is on the material platform one is affected by the three modes of material nature. As soon as one is in Krsna consciousness, however, one is no longer affected by such material activities. One should therefore always be fixed in Krsna consciousness, busy in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. It is guaranteed that such a devotee will never be affected by the actions and reactions of the three modes of material nature. This fact is also corroborated in Bhagavad-gita: anyone who is fixed in the transcendental service of the Lord has surpassed all the material qualities and is situated in the status of Brahman realization, in which one is not afflicted by hankering for material objects. The recommendation of the Srimad-Bhagavatam is that one should always be Krsna conscious and should never forget his transcendental relationship with the Lord. This program has to be followed strictly by everyone. From the statement of Lord Siva it is understood that he was always in Krsna consciousness, and thus he remained free from material affliction. The only remedy, therefore, is to continue Krsna consciousness rigidly, in order to get out of the contamination of the material modes.

 

                               TEXT 30

 

                                 TEXT

 

                             bhrgur uvaca

                  yan mayaya gahanayapahrtatma-bodha

               brahmadayas tanu-bhrtas tamasi svapantah

             natman-sritam tava vidanty adhunapi tattvam

             so 'yam prasidatu bhavan pranatatma-bandhuh

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   bhrguh uvaca--Sri Bhrgu said; yat--who; mayaya--by illusory energy; gahanaya--insurmountable; apahrta--stolen; atma-bodhah--knowledge of the constitutional position; brahma-adayah--Lord Brahma, etc.; tanu-bhrtah--embodied living entities; tamasi--in the darkness of illusion; svapantah--lying down; na--not; atman--in the living entity; sritam--situated in; tava--Your; vidanti--understand; adhuna--now; api--certainly; tattvam--absolute position; sah--You; ayam--this; prasidatu--be kind; bhavan--Your Lordship; pranata-atma--surrendered soul; bandhuh--friend.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Bhrgu Muni was conscious of the scandalous behavior exhibited by each and every one of them, including Brahma and Lord Siva, in the sacrificial ceremony of Daksa. By mentioning Brahma, the chief of all living entities within this material world, he wanted to state that everyone, including also Brahma and Lord Siva, is under the concept of the body and under the spell of material energy--all but Visnu. That is the version of Bhrgu. As long as one is under the concept of the body as self, it is very difficult to understand the Supersoul or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Conscious that he was not greater than Brahma-, Bhrgu included himself in the list of offenders. Ignorant personalities, or conditioned souls, have no choice but to accept their precarious condition under material nature. The only remedy is to surrender to Visnu and always pray to be excused. One should depend only on the causeless mercy of the Lord for deliverance and not even slightly on one's own strength. That is the perfect position of a Krsna conscious person. The Lord is everyone's friend, but He is especially friendly to the surrendered soul. The simple process, therefore, is that a conditioned soul should remain surrendered to the Lord, and the Lord will give him all protection to keep him out of the clutches of material contamination.

 

                               TEXT 31

 

                                 TEXT

 

                              brahmovaca

                naitat svarupam bhavato 'sau padartha-

                   bheda-grahaih puruso yavad ikset

                  jnanasya carthasya gunasya casrayo

                   mayamayad vyatirikto matas tvam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   brahma uvaca--Lord Brahma said; na--not; etat--this; svarupam--eternal form; bhavatah--Your; asau--that other; pada-artha--knowledge; bheda--different; grahaih--by the acquiring; purusah--person; yavat--as long as; ikset--wants to see; jnanasya--of knowledge; ca--also; arthasya--of the objective; gunasya--of the instruments of knowledge; ca--also; asrayah--the basis; maya-mayat--from being made of material energy; vyatiriktah--distinct; matah--regarded; tvam--You.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   It is said that the transcendental name, qualities, activities, paraphernalia, etc., of the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot be understood with our material senses. The attempt of the empiric philosophers to understand the Absolute Truth by speculation is always futile because their process of understanding, their objective and the instruments by which they try to understand the Absolute Truth are all material. The Lord is aprakrta, beyond the creation of the material world. This fact is also accepted by the great impersonalist Sankaracarya: narayanah paro 'vyaktad andam avyakta-sambhavam. Avyakta, or the original material cause, is beyond this material manifestation and is the cause of the material world. Because Narayana, the Supreme personality of Godhead, is beyond the material world, one cannot speculate upon Him by any material method. One has to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead simply by the transcendental method of Krsna consciousness. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (18.55). Bhaktya mam abhijanati: only by devotional service can one understand the transcendental form of the Lord. The difference between the impersonalists and the personalists is that the impersonalists, limited by their speculative processes, cannot even approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whereas the devotees please the Supreme personality of Godhead through His transcendental loving service. Sevonmukhe hi: due to the service attitude of the devotee, the Lord is revealed to him. The Supreme Lord cannot be understood by materialistic persons even though He is present before them. In Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krsna therefore condemns such materialists as mudhas. Mudha means "rascal." It is said in the Gita, "Only rascals think of Lord Krsna as an ordinary person. They do not know what Lord Krsna's position is or what His transcendental potencies are." Unaware of His transcendental potencies, the impersonalists deride the person of Lord Krsna, whereas the devotees, by dint of their service attitude, can understand Him as the Personality of Godhead. In the Tenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, Arjuna also confirmed that it is very difficult to understand the personality of the Lord.

 

                               TEXT 32

 

                                 TEXT

 

                             indra uvaca

                    idam apy acyuta visva-bhavanam

                    vapur ananda-karam mano-drsam

                   sura-vidvit-ksapanair udayudhair

                   bhuja-dandair upapannam astabhih

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   indrah uvaca--King Indra said; idam--this; api--certainly; acyuta--O infallible one; visva-bhavanam--for the welfare of the universe; vapuh--transcendental form; ananda-karam--a cause of pleasure; manah-drsam--to the mind and the eye; sura-vidvit--envious of Your devotees; ksapanaih--by punishment; ud-ayudhaih--with uplifted weapons; bhuja-dandaih--with arms; upapannam--possessed of; astabhih--with eight.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   It is generally understood from revealed scriptures that Lord Visnu appears with four hands, but in this particular sacrificial arena Lord Visnu arrived with eight hands. King Indra said, "Even though we are accustomed to see Your four-handed Visnu form, this appearance with eight hands is as real as the four-handed form." As Lord Brahma had said, to realize the transcendental form of the Lord is beyond the power of the senses. In reply to that statement by Brahma, King Indra said that even though the transcendental form of the Lord is not perceivable by the material senses, His activities and His transcendental form can be understood. The Lord's uncommon features, uncommon activities and uncommon beauty can be perceived even by an ordinary man. For example, when Lord Krsna appeared just like a six- or seven-year-old boy in Vrndavana, He was approached by the residents there. There were torrents of rain, and the Lord saved the residents of Vrndavana by lifting Govardhana Hill and resting it on the little finger of His left hand for seven days. This uncommon feature of the Lord should convince even materialistic persons who want to speculate to the limit of their material senses. The activities of the Lord are pleasing to experimental vision also, but impersonalists will not believe in His identity because they study the personality of the Lord by comparing their personality to His. Because men in this material world cannot lift a hill, they do not believe that the Lord can lift one. They accept the statements of Srimad-Bhagavatam to be allegorical, and they try to interpret them in their own way. But factually the Lord lifted the hill in the presence of all the inhabitants of Vrndavana, as corroborated by great acaryas and authors like Vyasadeva and Narada. Everything about the Lord--His activities, pastimes and uncommon features--should be accepted as is, and in this way, even in our present condition, we can understand the Lord. ln the instance herein, King Indra confirmed: "Your presence with eight hands is as good as Your presence with four hands." There is no doubt about it.

 

                               TEXT 33

 

                                 TEXT

 

                             patnya ucuh

                 yajno 'yam tava yajanaya kena srsto

                 vidhvastah pasupatinadya daksa-kopat

               tam nas tvam sava-sayanabha-santa-medham

                  yajnatman nalina-ruca drsa punihi

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   patnyah ucuh--the wives of the executors of the sacrifice said; yajnah--the sacrifice; ayam--this; tava--Your; yajanaya--worshiping; kena--by Brahma; srstah--arranged; vidhvastah--devastated; pasupatina--by Lord Siva; adya--today; daksa-kopat--from anger at Daksa; tam--it; nah--our; tvam--You; sava-sayana--dead bodies; abha--like; santa-medham--the still sacrificial animals; yajna-atman--O Lord of sacrifice; nalina--lotus; ruca--beautiful; drsa--by the vision of Your eyes; punihi--sanctify.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Animals were offered in sacrifice in order to give them renewed life; that was the purpose of having animals there. Offering an animal in sacrifice and giving him renewed life was the evidence of the strength of chanting mantras. Unfortunately, when Daksa's sacrifice was devastated by Lord Siva, some of the animals were killed. (One was killed just to replace the head of Daksa.) Their bodies were lying about, and the sacrificial arena was turned into a crematorium. Thus the real purpose of yajna was lost.

   Lord Visnu, being the ultimate objective of such sacrificial ceremonies, was requested by the wives of the priests to glance over the yajna arena with His causeless mercy so that the routine work of the yajna might be continued. The purport here is that animals should not be unnecessarily killed. They were used to prove the strength of the mantras and were to have been rejuvenated by the use of the mantras. They should not have been killed, as they were by Lord Siva to replace the head of Daksa with an animal's head. It was pleasing to see an animal sacrificed and rejuvenated, and that pleasing atmosphere had been lost. The wives of the priests requested that the animals be brought back to life by the glance of Lord Visnu to make a pleasing yajna.

 

                               TEXT 34

 

                                 TEXT

 

                              rsaya ucuh

                   ananvitam te bhagavan vicestitam

                  yad atmana carasi hi karma najyase

                   vibhutaye yata upasedur isvarim

                 na manyate svayam anuvartatim bhavan

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   rsayah--the sages; ucuh--prayed; ananvitam--wonderful; te--Your; bhagavan--O possessor of all opulences; vicestitam--activities; yat--which; atmana--by Your potencies; carasi--You execute; hi--certainly; karma--to such activities; na ajyase--You are not attached; vibhutaye--for her mercy; yatah--from whom; upaseduh--worshiped; isvarim--Laksmi, the goddess of fortune; na manyate--are not attached; svayam--Yourself; anuvartatim--to Your obedient servant (Laksmi); bhavan--Your Lordship.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In Bhagavad-gita it is said that the Lord has no desire to achieve any result from His wonderful activities, nor has He any need to perform them. But still, in order to give an example to people in general, He sometimes acts, and those activities are very wonderful. He is not attached to anything. Na mam karmani limpanti: although He acts very wonderfully, He is not at all attached to anything (Bg. 4.14). He is self-sufficient. The example is given here that the goddess of fortune, Laksmi, is always engaged in the service of the Lord, but still He is not attached to her. Even great demigods like Brahma worship the goddess of fortune in order to win her favor, but although the Lord is worshiped by many hundreds and thousands of goddesses of fortune, He is not at all attached to any one of them. This distinction concerning the exalted transcendental position of the Lord is specifically mentioned by the great sages; He is not like the ordinary living entity, who is attached to the results of pious activities.

 

                               TEXT 35

 

                                 TEXT

 

                             siddha ucuh

                 ayam tvat-katha-mrsta-piyusa-nadyam

                  mano-varanah klesa-davagni-dagdhah

                  trsarto 'vagadho na sasmara davam

                 na niskramati brahma-sampannavan nah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   siddhah--the Siddhas; ucuh--prayed; ayam--this; tvat-katha--Your pastimes; mrsta--pure; piyusa--of nectar; nadyam--in the river; manah--of the mind; varanah--the elephant; klesa--sufferings; dava-agni--by the forest fire; dagdhah--burned; trsa--thirst; artah--afflicted; avagadhah--being immersed; na sasmara--does not remember; davam--the forest fire or the miseries; na niskramati--not come out; brahma--the Absolute; sampanna-vat--like having merged; nah--our.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This statement is from the Siddhas, the inhabitants of Siddhaloka, where the eight kinds of material perfection are complete. The residents of Siddhaloka have full control in the eight kinds of yogic perfection, but from their statement it appears that they are pure devotees. They always merge in the nectarean river of hearing of the pastimes of the Lord. Hearing of the pastimes of the Lord is called krsna-katha. Similarly, there is a statement by Prahlada Maharaja that those who are always merged in the ocean of the nectar of describing the Lord's pastimes are liberated and have no fear of the material condition of life. The Siddhas say that the mind of an ordinary person is full of anxieties. The example is given of the elephant who has suffered in a forest fire and who enters into a river for relief. If persons who are suffering in the forest fire of this material existence will only enter into the nectarean river of the description of the pastimes of the Lord, they will forget all the troubles of the miserable material existence. The Siddhas do not care for fruitive activities, such as performing sacrifices and achieving the good results. They simply merge in the transcendental discussions of the pastimes of the Lord. That makes them completely happy, without care for pious or impious activities. For those who are always in Krsna consciousness there is no need to perform any kind of pious or impious sacrifices or activities. Krsna consciousness is itself complete, for it includes all the processes praised in the Vedic scriptures.

 

                               TEXT 36

 

                                 TEXT

 

                            yajamany uvaca

                 svagatam te prasidesa tubhyam namah

                  srinivasa sriya kantaya trahi nah

                tvam rte 'dhisa nangair makhah sobhate

                 sirsa-hinah ka-bandho yatha purusah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yajamani--the wife of Daksa; uvaca--prayed; su-agatam--auspicious appearance; te--Your; prasida--become pleased; isa--my dear Lord; tubhyam--unto You; namah--respectful obeisances; srinivasa--O abode of the goddess of fortune; sriya--with Laksmi; kantaya--Your wife; trahi--protect; nah--us; tvam--You; rte--without; adhisa--O supreme controller; na--not; angaih--with bodily limbs; makhah--the sacrificial arena; sobhate--is beautiful; sirsa-hinah--without the head; ka-bandhah--possessed of only a body; yatha--as; purusah--a person.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Another name of Lord Visnu is Yajnesvara. In Bhagavad-gita it is said that all activities should be performed as Visnu-yajna, for the pleasure of Lord Visnu. Unless we please Him, whatever we do is the cause of our bondage in the material world. This is confirmed herein by the wife of Daksa: "Without Your presence, the grandeur of this sacrificial ceremony is useless, just as a body without the head, however decorated it may be, is useless." The comparison is equally applicable to the social body. Material civilization is very proud of being advanced, but it is actually the useless trunk of a body without a head. Without Krsna consciousness, without an understanding of Visnu, the Supreme personality of Godhead, any advancement in a civilization, no matter how sophisticated, is of no value. There is a statement in the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya (3.11):

 

                       bhagavad-bhakti-hinasya

                      jatih sastram japas tapah

                         apranasyaiva dehasya

                        mandanam loka-ranjanam

 

   The purport is that sometimes when a friend or relative dies, especially among lower class men, the dead body is decorated. Dressed and ornamented, the body is taken in procession. That sort of decoration of the dead body has no actual value because the life force is already gone. Similarly, any aristocracy, any social prestige or any advancement of material civilization without Krsna consciousness is as good as the decoration of a dead body. The name of the wife of Daksa was Prasuti, and she was the daughter of Svayambhuva Manu. Her sister, Devahuti, was married to Kardama Muni, and Kapiladeva, the Personality of Godhead, became her son. Prasuti, then, was the aunt of Lord Visnu. She was asking the favor of Lord Visnu in an affectionate mode; since she was His aunt, she sought some special favor. Also significant in this verse is that the Lord is praised with the goddess of fortune. Wherever Lord Visnu is worshiped, naturally there is the favor of the goddess of fortune. Lord Visnu is addressed as amrta, transcendental. The demigods, including Brahma and Lord Siva, were produced after the creation, but Lord Visnu existed before the creation. He is addressed, therefore, as amrta. Lord Visnu is worshiped with His internal energy by the Vaisnavas. Prasuti, the wife of Daksa, implored the Lord to turn the priests into Vaisnavas instead of simply fruitive workers performing sacrifices for some material benefits.

 

                               TEXT 37

 

                                 TEXT

 

                            lokapala ucuh

               drstah kim no drgbhir asad-grahais tvam

                  pratyag-drasta drsyate yena visvam

                   maya hy esa bhavadiya hi bhuman

               yas tvam sasthah pancabhir bhasi bhutaih

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   loka-palah--the governors of the different planets; ucuh--said; drstah--seen; kim--whether; nah--by us; drgbhih--by the material senses; asat-grahaih--revealing the cosmic manifestation; tvam--You; pratyak-drasta--inner witness; drsyate--is seen; yena--by whom; visvam--the universe; maya--material world; hi--because; esa--this; bhavadiya--Your; hi--certainly; bhuman--O possessor of the universe; yah--because; tvam--You; sasthah--the sixth; pancabhih--with the five; bhasi--appear; bhutaih--with the elements.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The governors of the various planets are certainly materially opulent and very puffed up. Such persons are unable to understand the transcendental, eternal form of the Lord. In the Brahma-samhita it is stated that only persons who have anointed their eyes with love of Godhead can see the Personality of Godhead in every step of their activities. Also, in the prayers of Kunti (Bhag. 1.8.26) it is stated that only those who are akincana-gocaram, who are not materially puffed up, can see the Supreme Personality of Godhead; others are bewildered and cannot even think of the Absolute Truth.

 

                               TEXT 38

 

                                 TEXT

 

                            yogesvara ucuh

              preyan na te 'nyo 'sty amutas tvayi prabho

                 visvatmaniksen na prthag ya atmanah

                   athapi bhaktyesa tayopadhavatam

                    ananya-vrttyanugrhana vatsala

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yoga-isvarah--the great mystics; ucuh--said; preyan--very dear; na--not; te--of You; anyah--another; asti--there is; amutah--from that; tvayi--in You; prabho--dear Lord; visva-atmani--in the Supersoul of all living entities; ikset--see; na--not; prthak--different; yah--who; atmanah--the living entities; atha api--so much more; bhaktya--with devotion; isa--O Lord; taya--with it; upadhavatam--of those who worship; ananya-vrttya--unfailing; anugrhana--favor; vatsala--O favorable Lord.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   It is indicated in this verse that the monists and the great mystics know the Supreme Personality of Godhead as one. This oneness is not the misunderstanding that a living entity is equal in every respect to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This monism is based on pure knowledge as described and confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (7.17): priyo hi jnanino 'tyartham aham sa ca mama priyah. The Lord says that those who are advanced in transcendental knowledge and know the science of Krsna consciousness are very dear to Him, and He also is very dear to them. Those who are actually in perfect knowledge of the science of God know that the living entities are superior energy of the Supreme Lord. This is stated in Bhagavad-gita, Seventh Chapter: the material energy is inferior, and the living entities are superior energy. Energy and the energetic are nondifferent; therefore, energies possess the same quality as the energetic. Persons who are in full knowledge of the Personality of Godhead, analyzing His different energies and knowing their own constitutional position, are certainly very, very dear to the Lord. Persons, however, who may not even be conversant with knowledge of the Supreme Personality but who always think of the Lord with love and faith, feeling that He is great and that they are His parts and parcels, ever His servitors, are even more favored by Him. The particular significance of this verse is that the Lord is addressed as vatsala. Vatsala means "always favorably disposed." The Lord's name is bhakta-vatsala. The Lord is famous as bhakta-vatsala, which means that He is always favorably inclined to the devotees, whereas He is never addressed anywhere in the Vedic literature as jnani-vatsala.

 

                               TEXT 39

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 jagad-udbhava-sthiti-layesu daivato

                   bahu-bhidyamana-gunayatma-mayaya

                 racitatma-bheda-mataye sva-samsthaya

                  vinivartita-bhrama-gunatmane namah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   jagat--the material world; udbhava--creation; sthiti--maintenance; layesu--in annihilation; daivatah--destiny; bahu--many; bhidyamana--being variegated; gunaya--by material qualities; atma-mayaya--by His material energy; racita--produced; atma--in the living entities; bheda-mataye--who produced different inclinations; sva-samsthaya--by His internal potency; vinivartita--caused to stop; bhrama--interaction; guna--of material modes; atmane--unto Him in His personal form; namah--obeisances.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Two situations are described in this verse. One is the creation, maintenance and annihilation of the material world, and the other is the Lord's own establishment. There is also quality in the Lord's own establishment, the kingdom of God. lt is stated here that Goloka is His personal situation. There is also quality in Goloka, but that quality is not divided into creation, maintenance and annihilation. In the external energy, the interaction of the three qualities makes it possible for things to be created, maintained and annihilated. But in the spiritual world, or the kingdom of God, there is no such exhibition, since everything is eternal, sentient and blissful. There is a class of philosophers who misunderstand the appearance of the Personality of Godhead within this material world. They are under the impression that when the Supreme Personality of Godhead appears, He is under the spell of the three qualities, like all the other living entities who appear within this material world. That is their misunderstanding; as it is clearly stated here (sva-samsthaya), by His internal potency He is transcendental to all these material qualities. Similarly, in Bhagavad-gita the Lord says, "I appear by My internal potency." Both the internal and external potencies are under the control of the Supreme, so He does not come under the control of either of these potencies. Rather, everything is under His control. In order to manifest His transcendental name, form, quality, pastimes and paraphernalia, He brings into action His internal energy. On account of the variegatedness of the external potency, there are manifestations of many qualitative demigods, beginning with Brahma and Lord Siva, and people are attracted to these demigods according to their own material quality. But when one is transcendental or surpasses the material qualities, he is simply fixed in the worship of the Supreme Personality. This fact is explained in Bhagavad-gita: anyone engaged in the service of the Lord is already transcendental to the variegatedness and interaction of the three material qualities. The summary is that the conditioned souls are being pulled by the action and reaction of the material qualities, which create a differentiation of energies. But in the spiritual world the worshipable one is the Supreme Lord and no one else.

 

                               TEXT 40

 

                                 TEXT

 

                              brahmovaca

                       namas te srita-sattvaya

                        dharmadinam ca sutaye

                       nirgunaya ca yat-kastham

                        naham vedapare 'pi ca

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   brahma--the personified Vedas; uvaca--said; namah--respectful obeisances; te--unto You; srita-sattvaya--the shelter of the quality of goodness; dharma-adinam--of all religion, austerity and penance; ca--and; sutaye--the source; nirgunaya--transcendental to material qualities; ca--and; yat--of whom (of the Supreme Lord); kastham--the situation; na--not; aham--I; veda--know; apare--others; api--certainly; ca--and.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In the material world there is the trinity of the three material qualities. Lord Visnu has accepted the superintendence of the quality of goodness, which is the source of religion, knowledge, austerity, renunciation, opulence, etc. Because of this, actual peace, prosperity, knowledge and religion can be attained when the living entities are under the control of the quality of goodness in the material world. As soon as they are subjected to the control of the other two qualities, namely passion and ignorance, their precarious conditional life becomes intolerable. But Lord Visnu, in His original position, is always nirguna, which means transcendental to these material qualities. Guna means "quality," and nir means "negation." This does not indicate, however, that He has no qualities; He has transcendental qualities by which He appears and manifests His pastimes. The positive transcendental qualitative manifestation is unknown to the students of the Vedas as well as to the great stalwart demigods like Brahma and Siva. Actually, the transcendental qualities are manifested only to the devotees. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita, simply by discharging devotional service one can understand the transcendental position of the Supreme Lord. Those who are in the mode of goodness can partially enter into the transcendental understanding, but it is advised in Bhagavad-gita that one has to surpass this. The Vedic principles are based on the three qualities of the material modes. One has to transcend the three qualities, and then one can be situated in pure and simple spiritual life.

 

                               TEXT 41

 

                                 TEXT

 

                             agnir uvaca

                    yat-tejasaham susamiddha-teja

                  havyam vahe svadhvara ajya-siktam

                tam yajniyam panca-vidham ca pancabhih

                svistam yajurbhih pranato 'smi yajnam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   agnih--the fire-god; uvaca--said; yat-tejasa--by whose effulgence; aham--I; su-samiddha-tejah--as luminous as blazing fire; havyam--offerings; vahe--I am accepting; su-adhvare--in the sacrifice; ajya-siktam--mixed with butter; tam--that; yajniyam--the protector of the sacrifice; panca-vidham--five; ca--and; pancabhih--by five; su-istam--worshiped; yajurbhih--Vedic hymns; pranatah--offer respectful obeisances; asmi--I; yajnam--to Yajna (Visnu).

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In Bhagavad-gita it is clearly said that yajna should be performed for Lord Visnu. Lord Visnu has one thousand popular, transcendental names, out of which one name is Yajna. lt is clearly said that everything should be done for the satisfaction of Yajna, or Visnu. All other actions a person may take are only causes for his bondage. Everyone has to perform yajna according to the Vedic hymns. As stated in the Upanisads, fire, the altar, the auspicious full moon, the period of four months called caturmasya, the sacrificial animal, and the beverage called soma are necessary requisites, as are the specific hymns mentioned in the Vedas and composed of four letters. One hymn is as follows: asravayeti catur-aksaram astu srausad iti catur-aksaram yajeti dvabhyam ye yajamahah. These mantras, chanted according to the sruti and smrti literatures, are only to please Lord Visnu. For the deliverance of those who are materially conditioned and attached to material enjoyment, performing yajna and following the rules and regulations of the four divisions of society and of spiritual life are recommended. It is said in the Visnu Purana that by offering sacrifice to Visnu one can gradually be liberated. The whole target of life, therefore, is to please Lord Visnu. That is yajna. Any person who is in Krsna consciousness has dedicated his life for the satisfaction of Krsna, the origin of all Visnu forms, and by offering worship and prasada daily, he becomes the best performer of yajna. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is clearly stated that in this age of Kali the only successful performance of yajna, or sacrifice, is yajnaih sankirtana-prayaih: the best type of sacrifice is simply to chant Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. This yajna is offered before the form of Lord Caitanya, as other yajnas are offered before the form of Lord Visnu. These recommendations are found in the Eleventh Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Moreover, this yajna performance confirms that Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Visnu Himself. As Lord Visnu appeared at the Daksa yajna long, long ago, Lord Caitanya has appeared in this age to accept our sankirtana-yajna.

 

                               TEXT 42

 

                                 TEXT

 

                              deva ucuh

             pura kalpapaye sva-krtam udari-krtya vikrtam

            tvam evadyas tasmin salila uragendradhisayane

           puman sese siddhair hrdi vimrsitadhyatma-padavih

          sa evadyaksnor yah pathi carasi bhrtyan avasi nah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   devah--the demigods; ucuh--said; pura--formerly; kalpa-apaye--at the devastation of the kalpa; sva-krtam--self-produced; udari-krtya--having drawn within Your abdomen; vikrtam--effect; tvam--You; eva--certainly; adyah--original; tasmin--in that; salile--water; uraga-indra--on Sesa; adhisayane--on the bed; puman--personality; sese--taking rest; siddhaih--by the liberated souls (like Sanaka, etc.); hrdi--in the heart; vimrsita--meditated on; adhyatma-padavih--the path of philosophical speculation; sah--He; eva--certainly; adya--now; aksnoh--of both eyes; yah--who; pathi--on the path; carasi--You move; bhrtyan--servants; avasi--protect; nah--us.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The devastation indicated in this verse is the partial devastation of the lower planets within the universe when Lord Brahma goes to sleep. The higher planetary systems, beginning with Maharloka, Janaloka and Tapoloka, are not inundated at the time of this devastation. The Lord is the creator, as indicated in this verse, because the energies of creation are manifested through His body, and after annihilation, He conserves all the energy within His abdomen.

   Another significant point in this verse is that the demigods said, "We are all Your servants (bhrtyan). Give us Your protection." The demigods depend on the protection of Visnu; they are not independent. Bhagavad-gita, therefore, condemns the worship of demigods because there is no need of it and clearly states that only those who have lost their sense go asking favors of the demigods. Generally, if anyone has material desires to be fulfilled, he can ask Visnu instead of going to the demigods. Those who worship demigods are not very intelligent. Besides that, the demigods say, "We are Your eternal servants." So those who are servants, or devotees of the Lord, are not very much concerned with fruitive activities, the performance of the prescribed yajnas, or mental speculation. They simply serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead sincerely, with love and faith, performing everything with that loving service, and the Lord gives such devotees direct protection. In Bhagavad-gita Lord Krsna says, "Simply surrender unto Me, and I will give you protection from all the reactions of sinful activities." This material world is so created that one has to act sinfully, knowingly or unknowingly, and unless his life is dedicated to Visnu, he has to suffer all the reactions of sinful activities. But one who surrenders and dedicates his life for the service of the Lord has direct protection from the Lord. He has no fear of suffering from sinful activities, nor does he desire, willingly or unwillingly, to do anything which is sinful.

 

                               TEXT 43

 

                                 TEXT

 

                            gandharva ucuh

                  amsamsas te deva maricy-adaya ete

                brahmendradya deva-gana rudra-purogah

               krida-bhandam visvam idam yasya vibhuman

                tasmai nityam natha namas te karavama

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   gandharvah--the Gandharvas; ucuh--said; amsa-amsah--parts and parcels of Your body; te--Your; deva--dear Lord; marici-adayah--Marici and the great sages; ete--these; brahma-indra-adyah--headed by Brahma and Indra; deva-ganah--the demigods; rudra-purogah--having Lord Siva as the chief; krida-bhandam--a plaything; visvam--the whole creation; idam--this; yasya--of whom; vibhuman--the Supreme Almighty Great; tasmai--unto Him; nityam--always; natha--O Lord; namah--respectful obeisances; te--unto You; karavama--we offer.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In the Brahma-samhita it is said that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There may be many gods, from Brahma, Lord Siva, Indra and Candra down to the rulers of the lower planetary systems, the presidents, ministers, chairmen and kings. In fact, anyone can think that he is God. That is the false, puffed-up conviction of material life. Actually Visnu is the Supreme Lord, but there is even one above Visnu, for Visnu is also the plenary portion of a part of Krsna. In this verse this is referred to by the word amsamsah, which refers to part and parcel of a part and parcel. There are similar verses in the Caitanya-caritamrta which indicate that the Supreme Lord's parts and parcels again expand into other parts and parcels. As described in Srimad-Bhagavatam, there are many manifestations of Visnu and many manifestations of living entities. Visnu manifestations are called svamsa, partial manifestations, and the living entities are called vibhinnamsa. The demigods like Brahma and Indra have been promoted to such exalted positions by pious activities and austerities, but actually Visnu, or Krsna, is the master of everyone. ln the Caitanya-caritamrta it is said, ekale isvara krsna, ara saba bhrtya. This means that Krsna alone is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and all others, even the visnu-tattva and certainly the living entities, are His servitors. Baladeva is the immediate expansion of Krsna. He also engages in the service of Krsna, and certainly the ordinary living entities are serving. Everyone is created, constitutionally, for serving Krsna. Here the Gandharvas acknowledge that although the demigods may represent themselves as the Supreme, actually they are not supreme. Real supremacy belongs to Krsna. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam is the statement of Srimad-Bhagavatam: "Krsna is the only Supreme Lord." Worship of Krsna alone, therefore, includes worship of all the parts and parcels, just as watering the root of a tree also waters all the branches, twigs, leaves and flowers.

 

                               TEXT 44

 

                                 TEXT

 

                           vidyadhara ucuh

              tvan-mayayartham abhipadya kalevare 'smin

              krtva mamaham iti durmatir utpathaih svaih

               ksipto 'py asad-visaya-lalasa atma-moham

                yusmat-kathamrta-nisevaka udvyudasyet

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   vidyadharah--the Vidyadharas; ucuh--said; tvat-mayaya--by Your external potency; artham--the human body; abhipadya--after obtaining; kalevare--in the body; asmin--in this; krtva--having misidentified; mama--mine; aham--I; iti--thus; durmatih--the ignorant person; utpathaih--by wrong roads; svaih--by one's own belongings; ksiptah--distracted; api--even; asat--temporary; visaya-lalasah--having his happiness in sense objects; atma-moham--the illusion of the body as the self; yusmat--Your; katha--topics; amrta--nectar; nisevakah--relishing; ut--from a long distance; vyudasyet--can be delivered.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The human form of life is called arthada because the body can very nicely help the embodied soul to achieve the highest perfection. Prahlada Maharaja said that even though temporary, the body can give us the highest perfectional achievement. In the process of evolution from the lower to the higher grade of living, the human form of life is a great boon. But maya is so strong that in spite of achieving this great boon of the human form of life, we are influenced by temporary material happiness, and we forget our goal of life. We are attracted by things which will cease to exist. The beginning of such attraction is the temporary body. In this horrible condition of life there is only one way of liberation--to engage in the activities of transcendental chanting and hearing of the holy name of the Supreme Lord: Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. The words yusmat-kathamrta-nisevakah mean "those who engage in relishing the nectar of the topics of Your Lordship." There are two narrative books which especially concern the words and activities of Krsna. Bhagavad-gita is the instruction given by Krsna, and Srimad-Bhagavatam is the book containing topics exclusively about Krsna and His devotees. These two books are the special nectar of the words of Krsna. For those who engage in the preaching of these two Vedic literatures it is very easy to get out of the illusory conditional life imposed upon us by maya. The illusion is that the conditioned soul does not try to understand his spiritual identity. He is more interested in his external body, which is only a flash and which will be finished as soon as the time is designated. The whole atmosphere will change when the living entity has to transmigrate from one body to another. Under the spell of maya, he will again be satisfied in a different atmosphere. This spell of maya is called avaranatmika sakti because it is so strong that the living entity is satisfied in any abominable condition. Even if he is born as a worm living within the intestine or abdomen in the midst of urine and stool, still he is satisfied. This is the covering influence of maya. But the human form of life is a chance to understand, and if one misses this opportunity, he is most unfortunate. The way to get out of illusory maya is to engage in the topics of Krsna. Lord Caitanya advocated a process whereby everyone may remain in his present position without change but simply hear from the proper authoritative sources about Krsna. Lord Caitanya advised everyone to spread the word of Krsna. He advised, "All of you become spiritual masters. Your duty is simply to talk to whomever you meet of Krsna or of the instructions given by Krsna." The International Society for Krishna Consciousness is operating for this purpose. We do not ask anyone to first change his position and then come to us. Instead, we invite everyone to come with us and simply chant Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, because we know that if one simply chants and hears the topics of Krsna, one's life will change; he will see a new light, and his life will be successful.

 

                               TEXT 45

 

                                 TEXT

 

                            brahmana ucuh

              tvam kratus tvam havis tvam hutasah svayam

               tvam hi mantrah samid-darbha-patrani ca

                  tvam sadasyartvijo dampati devata

                  agnihotram svadha soma ajyam pasuh

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   brahmanah--the brahmanas; ucuh--said; tvam--You; kratuh--sacrifice; tvam--You; havih--offering of clarified butter; tvam--You; huta-asah--fire; svayam--personified; tvam--You; hi--for; mantrah--the Vedic hymns; samit-darbha-patrani--the fuel, the kusa grass and the sacrificial pots; ca--and; tvam--You; sadasya--the members of the assembly; rtvijah--the priests; dampati--the chief person of the sacrifice and his wife; devata--demigods; agni-hotram--the sacred fire ceremony; svadha--the offering to the forefathers; somah--the soma plant; ajyam--the clarified butter; pasuh--the sacrificial animal.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In this statement Lord Visnu's all-pervasiveness is partially explained. It is said in the Visnu purana that as a fire situated in one place emanates its heat and illumination everywhere, so whatever we see within the material or spiritual worlds is nothing but a manifestation of different energies emanating from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The brahmanas' statement is that Lord Visnu is everything--the fire, the offering, the clarified butter, the utensils, the place of sacrifice and the kusa. He is everything. It is confirmed herein that the performance of sankirtana-yajna in this age is as good as all other yajnas in all other ages. If one performs sankirtana-yajna by chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, there is no need to arrange elaborate paraphernalia for the prescribed sacrificial ceremonies recommended in the Vedas. In the chant of the holy names, Hare and Krsna, Hare means the energy of Krsna, and Krsna is the visnu-tattva. Combined together they are everything. In this age, persons are harassed by the influence of Kali-yuga and cannot arrange for all the requisite paraphernalia for performing sacrifice as recommended in the Vedas. But if one simply chants Hare Krsna, it is to be understood that he is performing all kinds of yajna because there is nothing within our vision except Hare (the energy of Krsna) and Krsna. There is no difference between Krsna and His energies. Thus since everything is a manifestation of His energy, it is to be understood that everything is Krsna. One simply has to accept everything in Krsna consciousness, and he is a liberated person. One should not misunderstand that because everything is Krsna, Krsna has no personal identity. Krsna is so full that in spite of keeping Himself separate from everything by His energy, He is everything. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita, Ninth Chapter. He is spread throughout the creation as everything, but still He is not everything. The philosophy recommended by Lord Caitanya is that He is simultaneously one and different.

 

                               TEXT 46

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   tvam pura gam rasaya maha-sukaro

                 damstraya padminim varanendro yatha

                   stuyamano nadal lilaya yogibhir

                vyujjahartha trayi-gatra yajna-kratuh

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tvam--You; pura--in the past; gam--the earth; rasayah--from within the water; maha-sukarah--the great boar incarnation; damstraya--with Your tusk; padminim--a lotus; varana-indrah--an elephant; yatha--as; stuyamanah--being offered prayers; nadan--vibrating; lilaya--very easily; yogibhih--by great sages like Sanaka, etc.; vyujjahartha--picked up; trayi-gatra--O personified Vedic knowledge; yajna-kratuh--having the form of sacrifice.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   A significant word used in this verse is trayi-gatra, which means that the transcendental form of the Lord is the Vedas. Anyone who engages in the worship of the Deity, or the form of the Lord in the temple, is understood to be studying all the Vedas twenty-four hours a day. Simply by decorating the Deities of the Lord, Radha and Krsna, in the temple, one very minutely studies the injunctions of the Vedas. Even a neophyte devotee who simply engages in the worship of the Deity is understood to be in direct touch with the purport of Vedic knowledge. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (15.15), vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah: the purport of the Vedas is to understand Him, Krsna. One who worships and serves Krsna directly has understood the truths of the Vedas.

 

                               TEXT 47

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  sa prasida tvam asmakam akanksatam

                 darsanam te paribhrasta-sat-karmanam

                  kirtyamane nrbhir namni yajnesa te

               yajna-vighnah ksayam yanti tasmai namah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sah--that same person; prasida--be pleased; tvam--You; asmakam--upon us; akanksatam--awaiting; darsanam--audience; te--Your; paribhrasta--fallen down; sat-karmanam--of whom the performance of sacrifice; kirtyamane--being chanted; nrbhih--by persons; namni--Your holy name; yajna-isa--O Lord of sacrifice; te--Your; yajna-vighnah--obstacles; ksayam--destruction; yanti--attain; tasmai--unto You; namah--respectful obeisances.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The brahmana priests were very hopeful that their sacrifice would be carried out without obstacles now that Lord Visnu was present. It is significant in this verse that the brahmanas say, "Simply by chanting Your holy name we can surpass the obstacles, but now You are personally present." The performance of yajna by Daksa was obstructed by the disciples and followers of Lord Siva. The brahmanas indirectly criticized the followers of Lord Siva, but because the brahmanas were always protected by Lord Visnu, Siva's followers could not do any harm to their prosecution of the sacrificial process. There is a saying that when Krsna protects someone, no one can do him harm, and when Krsna wants to kill someone, no one can protect him. The vivid example was Ravana. Ravana was a great devotee of Lord Siva, but when Lord Ramacandra wanted to kill him, Lord Siva could not protect him. If some demigod, even Lord Siva or Lord Brahma, wants to do harm to a devotee, Krsna protects the devotee. But when Krsna wants to kill someone, such as Ravana or Hiranyakasipu, no demigod can protect him.

 

                               TEXT 48

 

                                 TEXT

 

                            maitreya uvaca

                       iti daksah kavir yajnam

                       bhadra rudrabhimarsitam

                         kirtyamane hrsikese

                        sanninye yajna-bhavane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   maitreyah--Maitreya; uvaca--said; iti--thus; daksah--Daksa; kavih--being purified in consciousness; yajnam--the sacrifice; bhadra--O Vidura; rudra-abhimarsitam--devastated by Virabhadra; kirtya-mane--being glorified; hrsikese--Hrsikesa (Lord Visnu); sanninye--arranged for restarting; yajna-bhavane--the protector of sacrifice.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Maitreya said: After Lord Visnu was glorified by all present, Daksa, his consciousness purified, arranged to begin again the yajna which had been devastated by the followers of Lord Siva.

 

                               TEXT 49

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        bhagavan svena bhagena

                      sarvatma sarva-bhaga-bhuk

                        daksam babhasa abhasya

                          priyamana ivanagha

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   bhagavan--Lord Visnu; svena--with His own; bhagena--with the share; sarva-atma--the Supersoul of all living entities; sarva-bhaga-bhuk--the enjoyer of the results of all sacrifices; daksam--Daksa; babhase--said; abhasya--addressing; priyamanah--being satisfied; iva--as; anagha--O sinless Vidura.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In Bhagavad-gita (5.29) it is said, bhoktaram yajna-tapasam: Lord Visnu, or Krsna, is the supreme enjoyer of all the results of sacrifices, austerities and penances; in whatever one may engage, the ultimate goal is Visnu. If a person does not know that, he is misled. As the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu has nothing to demand from anyone. He is self-satisfied, self-sufficient, but He accepts the offerings of yajna because of His friendly attitude toward all living entities. When His share of the sacrificial results was offered to Him, He appeared very pleased. It is said in Bhagavad-gita (9.26), patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati: if any devotee offers Him even a small leaf, or a flower or water, if it is offered with love and affection, the Lord accepts it and is pleased. Although He is self-sufficient and does not need anything from anyone, He accepts such offerings because, as Supersoul, He has such a friendly attitude toward all living entities. Another point here is that He does not encroach upon another's share. ln the yajna there is a share for the demigods, Lord Siva, and Lord Brahma, and a share for Lord Visnu. He is satisfied with His own share and does not encroach upon others'. Indirectly, He indicated that He was not satisfied with Daksa's trying to deny Lord Siva his share. Maitreya addressed Vidura as sinless because Vidura was a pure Vaisnava and never committed any offense to any demigod. Although Vaisnavas accept Lord Visnu as the Supreme, they are not prone to offend demigods. They give the demigods proper respect. Vaisnavas accept Lord Siva as the best Vaisnava. For a Vaisnava there is no possibility of offending any demigods, and the demigods are also pleased with the Vaisnava because they are faultless devotees of Lord Visnu.

 

                               TEXT 50

 

                                 TEXT

 

                          sri-bhagavan uvaca

                       aham brahma ca sarvas ca

                        jagatah karanam param

                         atmesvara upadrasta

                        svayan-drg avisesanah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sri-bhagavan--Lord Visnu; uvaca--said; aham--I; brahma--Brahma; ca--and; sarvah--Lord Siva; ca--and; jagatah--of the material manifestation; karanam--cause; param--supreme; atma-isvarah--the Supersoul; upadrasta--the witness; svayam-drk--self-sufficient; avisesanah--there is no difference.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Lord Visnu replied: Brahma, Lord Siva and I are the supreme cause of the material manifestation. I am the Supersoul, the self sufficient witness. But impersonally there is no difference between Brahma, Lord Siva and Me.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Lord Brahma was born out of the transcendental body of Lord Visnu, and Lord Siva was born out of the body of Brahma. Lord Visnu, therefore, is the supreme cause. In the Vedas also it is stated that in the beginning there was only Visnu, Narayana; there was no Brahma or Siva. Similarly, Sankaracarya confirmed this: narayanah parah. Narayana, or Lord Visnu, is the origin, and Brahma and Siva are manifested after creation. Lord Visnu is also atmesvara, the Supersoul in everyone. Under His direction, everything is prompted from within. For example, in the beginning of the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is stated, tene brahma hrda: He first educated Lord Brahma from within.

   In Bhagavad-gita (10.2) Lord Krsna states, aham adir hi devanam: Lord Visnu, or Krsna, is the origin of all demigods, including Lord Brahma and Lord Siva. In another place in Bhagavad-gita (10.8) Krsna states, aham sarvasya prabhavah: "Everything is generated from Me." This includes all the demigods. Similarly, in the Vedanta-sutra: janmady asya yatah. And in the Upanisads is the statement yato va imani bhutani jayante. Everything is generated from Lord Visnu, everything is maintained by Him, and everything is annihilated by His energy. Therefore, by their actions and reactions, the energies which come from Him create the cosmic manifestations and also dissolve the whole creation. Thus the Lord is the cause and also the effect. Whatever effect we see is the interaction of His energy, and because the energy is generated from Him, He is both cause and effect. Simultaneously, everything is different and the same. It is said that everything is Brahman: sarvam khalv idam brahma. In the highest vision, nothing is beyond Brahman, and therefore Lord Brahma and Lord Siva are certainly nondifferent from Him.

 

                               TEXT 51

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         atma-mayam samavisya

                       so 'ham gunamayim dvija

                      srjan raksan haran visvam

                      dadhre samjnam kriyocitam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   atma-mayam--My energy; samavisya--having entered; sah--Myself; aham--I; guna-mayim--composed of the modes of material nature; dvi-ja--O twice-born Daksa; srjan--creating; raksan--maintaining; haran--annihilating; visvam--the cosmic manifestation; dadhre--I cause to be born; samjnam--a name; kriya-ucitam--according to the activity.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   As explained in Bhagavad-gita (7.5), jiva-bhutam maha-baho: the whole world is energy released from the supreme source, the Personality of Godhead, who, it is further stated in Bhagavad-gita, acts in superior energies and inferior energies. The superior energy is the living entity, who is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. As parts and parcels, the living entities are not different from the Supreme Lord; the energy emanated from Him is not different from Him. But in the actual activity of this material world, the living entity is under the different qualities of material energy and in different forms. There are 8,400,000 life forms. The same living entity acts under the influence of the different qualities of material nature. The entities have different bodies, but originally, in the beginning of creation, Lord Visnu is alone. For the purpose of creation, Brahma is manifested, and for annihilation there is Lord Siva. As far as the spiritual entrance into the material world is concerned, all beings are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, but under the covering of different material qualities they have different names. Lord Brahma and Lord Siva are qualitative incarnations of Visnu, as guna-avataras, and Visnu with them accepts control of the quality of goodness; therefore He is also a qualitative incarnation like Lord Siva and Lord Brahma. Actually the different names exist for different directions, otherwise the origin is one only.

 

                               TEXT 52

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       tasmin brahmany advitiye

                          kevale paramatmani

                       brahma-rudrau ca bhutani

                        bhedenajno 'nupasyati

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tasmin--Him; brahmani--the Supreme Brahman; advitiye--without a second; kevale--being one; parama-atmani--the Supersoul; brahma-rudrau--both Brahma and Siva; ca--and; bhutani--the living entities; bhedena--with separation; ajnah--one who is not properly conversant; anupasyati--thinks.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The living entities, including Brahma, are not independently separated, but are counted within the marginal potency of the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord, being the Supersoul in every living entity, including Lord Brahma and Lord Siva, is directing everyone in the activities of the material modes of nature. No one can act independently of the sanction of the Lord, and therefore, indirectly, no one is different from the Supreme Person--certainly not Brahma and Rudra, who are incarnations of the material nature's modes of passion and ignorance.

 

                               TEXT 53

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       yatha puman na svangesu

                       sirah-pany-adisu kvacit

                        parakya-buddhim kurute

                        evam bhutesu mat-parah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yatha--as; puman--a person; na--not; sva-angesu--in his own body; sirah-pani-adisu--between the head and the hands and other parts of the body; kvacit--sometimes; parakya-buddhim--differentiation; kurute--make; evam--thus; bhutesu--among living entities; mat-parah--My devotee.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Whenever there is disease in any part of the body, the whole body takes care of the ailing part. Similarly, a devotee's oneness is manifested in His compassion for all conditioned souls. Bhagavad-gita (5.18) says, panditah sama-darsinah: those who are learned see everyone's conditional life equally. Devotees are compassionate to every conditioned soul, and therefore they are known as aparakya-buddhi. Because devotees are learned and know that every living entity is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, they preach Krsna consciousness to everyone so that everyone may be happy. If a particular part of the body is diseased, the whole attention of the body goes to that part. Similarly, devotees care for any person who is forgetful of Krsna and therefore in material consciousness. The equal vision of the devotee is that he works to get all living entities back home, back to Godhead.

 

                               TEXT 54

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        trayanam eka-bhavanam

                       yo na pasyati vai bhidam

                      sarva-bhutatmanam brahman

                        sa santim adhigacchati

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   trayanam--of the three; eka-bhavanam--having one nature; yah--who; na pasyati--does not see; vai--certainly; bhidam--separateness; sarva-bhuta-atmanam--of the Supersoul of all living entities; brahman--O Daksa; sah--he; santim--peace; adhigacchati--realizes.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Two words are very significant in this verse. Trayanam indicates "three," namely Lord Brahma, Lord Siva and Lord Visnu. Bhidam means "different." They are three, and therefore they are separate, but at the same time they are one. This is the philosophy of simultaneous oneness and difference, which is called acintya-bhedabheda-tattva. The example given in the Brahma-samhita is that milk and yogurt are simultaneously one and different; both are milk, but the yogurt has become changed. In order to achieve real peace, one should see everything and every living entity, including Lord Brahma and Lord Siva, as nondifferent from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. No one is independent. Every one of us is an expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This accounts for unity in diversity. There are diverse manifestations, but, at the same time, they are one in Visnu. Everything is an expansion of Visnu's energy.

 

                               TEXT 55

 

                                 TEXT

 

                            maitreya uvaca

                         evam bhagavatadistah

                        prajapati-patir harim

                        arcitva kratuna svena

                        devan ubhayato 'yajat

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   maitreyah--Maitreya; uvaca--said; evam--thus; bhagavata--by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; adistah--having been instructed; prajapati-patih--the head of all the Prajapatis; harim--Hari; arcitva--after worshiping; kratuna--with the sacrificial ceremonies; svena--his own; devan--the demigods; ubhayatah--separately; ayajat--worshiped.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The sage Maitreya said: Thus Daksa, the head of all Prajapatis, having been nicely instructed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, worshiped Lord Visnu. After worshiping Him by performing the prescribed sacrificial ceremonies, Daksa separately worshiped Lord Brahma and Lord Siva.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Lord Visnu should be offered everything, and His prasada should be distributed to all the demigods. This practice is still followed in the temple of Jagannatha at Puri. There are many temples of demigods around the main temple of Jagannatha, and the prasada which is offered first to Jagannatha is distributed to all the demigods. The deity of Bhagalin is worshiped with the prasada of Visnu, and also, in the famous Lord Siva temple of Bhuvanesvara, the prasada of Lord Visnu or Lord Jagannatha is offered to the deity of Lord Siva. This is the Vaisnava principle. The Vaisnava does not deride even ordinary living entities, including the small ant; everyone is offered proper respect according to his position. The offering, however, is in relation to the center, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, or Visnu. The devotee who is highly elevated sees the relationship to Krsna in everything; he does not see anything as being independent of Krsna. That is his vision of oneness.

 

                               TEXT 56

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       rudram ca svena bhagena

                        hy upadhavat samahitah

                          karmanodavasanena

                          somapan itaran api

                        udavasya sahartvigbhih

                       sasnav avabhrtham tatah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   rudram--Lord Siva; ca--and; svena--with his own; bhagena--share; hi--since; upadhavat--he worshiped; samahitah--with concentrated mind; karmana--by the performance; udavasanena--by the act of finishing; soma-pan--demigods; itaran--other; api--even; udavasya--after finishing; saha--along with; rtvigbhih--with the priests; sasnau--bathed; avabhrtham--the avabhrtha bath; tatah--then.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Lord Rudra, Siva, was properly worshiped with his share of the remnants of the yajna. Yajna is Visnu, and whatever prasada is offered to Visnu is offered to everyone, even to Lord Siva. Sridhara Svami also comments in this connection, svena bhagena: the remnants of the yajna are offered to all the demigods and others.

 

                               TEXT 57

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         tasma apy anubhavena

                        svenaivavapta-radhase

                       dharma eva matim dattva

                       tridasas te divam yayuh

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tasmai--unto him (Daksa); api--even; anubhavena--by worshiping the Supreme Lord; svena--by his own; eva--certainly; avapta-radhase--having attained perfection; dharme--in religion; eva--certainly; matim--intelligence; dattva--having given; tridasah--demigods; te--those; divam--to the heavenly planets; yayuh--went.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Although Daksa was considerably advanced in religious principles, he awaited the blessings of the demigods. Thus the great sacrifice conducted by Daksa ended in harmony and peace.

 

                               TEXT 58

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         evam daksayani hitva

                         sati purva-kalevaram

                        jajne himavatah ksetre

                         menayam iti susruma

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   evam--thus; daksayani--the daughter of Daksa; hitva--after giving up; sati--Sati; purva-kalevaram--her former body; jajne--was born; himavatah--of the Himalayas; ksetre--in the wife; menayam--in Mena; iti--thus; susruma--I have heard.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Mena is also known as Menaka and is the wife of the king of the Himalayas.

 

                               TEXT 59

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        tam eva dayitam bhuya

                         avrnkte patim ambika

                        ananya-bhavaika-gatim

                        saktih supteva purusam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tam--him (Lord Siva); eva--certainly; dayitam--beloved; bhuyah--again; avrnkte--accepted; patim--as her husband; ambika--Ambika, or Sati; ananya-bhava--without attachment for others; eka-gatim--the one goal; saktih--the feminine (marginal and external) energies; supta--lying dormant; iva--as; purusam--the masculine (Lord Siva, as representative of the Supreme Lord).

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Ambika [goddess Durga], who was known as Daksayini [Sati], again accepted Lord Siva as her husband, just as different energies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead act during the course of a new creation.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   According to a verse of the Vedic mantras, parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate: the Supreme Personality of Godhead has different varieties of energies. Sakti is feminine, and the Lord is purusa, masculine. It is the duty of the female to serve under the supreme purusa. As stated in Bhagavad-gita, all living entities are marginal energies of the Supreme Lord. Therefore it is the duty of all living entities to serve this Supreme Person. Durga is the representation in the material world of both the marginal and external energies, and Lord Siva is the representation of the Supreme Person. The connection of Lord Siva and Ambika, or Durga, is eternal. Sati could not accept any husband but Lord Siva. How Lord Siva remarried Durga as Himavati, the daughter of the Himalayas, and how Karttikeya was born, is a great story in itself.

 

                               TEXT 60

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       etad bhagavatah sambhoh

                       karma daksadhvara-druhah

                      srutam bhagavatac chisyad

                        uddhavan me brhaspateh

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   etat--this; bhagavatah--of the possessor of all opulences; sambhoh--of Sambhu (Lord Siva); karma--story; daksa-adhvara-druhah--who devastated the sacrifice of Daksa; srutam--was heard; bhagavatat--from a great devotee; sisyat--from the disciple; uddhavat--from Uddhava; me--by me; brhaspateh--of Brhaspati.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Maitreya said: My dear Vidura, I heard this story of the Daksa yajna, which was devastated by Lord Siva, from Uddhava, a great devotee and a disciple of Brhaspati.

 

                               TEXT 61

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   idam pavitram param isa-cestitam

                  yasasyam ayusyam aghaugha-marsanam

                  yo nityadakarnya naro 'nukirtayed

                dhunoty agham kaurava bhakti-bhavatah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   idam--this; pavitram--pure; param--supreme; isa-cestitam--pastime of the Supreme Lord; yasasyam--fame; ayusyam--long duration of life; agha-ogha-marsanam--destroying sins; yah--who; nityada--always; akarnya--after hearing; narah--a person; anukirtayet--should narrate; dhunoti--clears off; agham--material contamination; kaurava--O descendant of Kuru; bhakti-bhavatah--with faith and devotion.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

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

 

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Fourth Canto, Seventh Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled "The Sacrifice performed by Daksa."


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