Chapter 24: The Renunciation of Kardama Muni

(1) Maitreya said: 'The merciful sage who thus from his renunciation spoke to the praiseworthy daughter of Manu, replied what he remembered of what was said by Lord Vishnu. (2) The sage said: 'Don't blame yourself like this princess! O irreproachable lady, the infallible Supreme Lord will very soon appear in your womb. (3) May God bless you for taking up the sacred vows of sense control, religious observance, austerities and giving money in charity by which you worship the Supreme Controller with great faith. (4) He, by you being worshiped, will spread my fame. He as your son will cut the knot in your heart by teaching the knowledge of Brahman [the Absolute Truth].'

(5) Maitreya said: 'Devahûti in her great respect for the lead of this father of mankind, had full faith in him and thus worshiped the most worshipable one, the Original Personality of God who is situated in everyone's heart. (6) After many, many years the Supreme Lord, the killer of Madhu, entered the semen of Kardama and appeared the way fire does in firewood. (7) At that time musical instruments resounded from the rainclouds in the sky, the Gandharvas sang for Him and the Apsaras were dancing in joyful ecstasy. (8) The gods moving through the sky showered flowers and all directions, all the waters and each his mind became happy. (9) The self-born one [Brahmâ] then came  together with Marîci and the other sages to that place of Kardama where the Sarasvatî river flows. (10) O killer of the enemy [Vidura], the independent unborn one [Lord Brahmâ] knew that the Supreme Lord, the highest authority of Brahman, out of pure goodness as a plenary portion had appeared to teach the philosophy of analytical yoga [Sânkhya yoga]. (11) After with a pure heart having worshiped [the personality of] Vishnu, the unborn one glad in all his senses about His action, said the following to Kardama and Devahûti.

(12) Brahmâ said: 'Kardama, fully accepting my instructions o son, you have honored me and succeeded in worshiping me without duplicity. (13) This is the exact way for sons to render service to their father. With due respect saying 'Yes sir', the son should obey the commands of his spiritual teacher [or father]. (14) These thin-waisted chaste daughters of yours dear son, will with their offspring in different ways contribute to this creation. (15) Please give therefore today your daughters away to the foremost sages according to the temperament and taste of the girls, and thus spread your fame over the universe. (16) I know that the original enjoyer, the bestower of all that is desired by the living entities, descended by dint of His internal potency and has assumed the body of Kapila Muni o sage. (17) By spiritual knowledge and the science of the yogic uniting of consciousness He who is known by His golden hair, His lotus-eyes and lotus-marked feet, will uproot the foundation of profit-minded labor. (18) Know o Devahûti that the killer of the demon Kaithabha has entered your womb and with cutting the knot of ignorance and doubt will travel all over the world. (19) This personality will be the leader of the perfected ones, His Vedic analysis will carry the approval of the teachers of example [the âcâryas] and to your greater fame, He will be celebrated in the world as Kapila.'

(20) Maitreya said: 'Having assured the couple this way Hamsa [another name for Brahmâ as flying the transcendental swan], the creator of the universe, together with the Kumâras [his sons] and Nârada [his spokesman] returned to his supreme position over the three worlds. (21) After the departure of Brahmâ o Vidura, Kardama according to the instruction handed his daughters over to the sages who then were responsible for generating the world population. (22-23) Kalâ he handed over to Marîci, Anasûyâ he gave to Atri, S'raddhâ he gave to Angirâ and Havirbhû was given to Pulastya. Gati he gave to Pulaha and the virtuous Kriyâ he found suitable for Kratu. He gave Khyâti to Bhrigu and Arundhatî was given away to sage Vasishthha. (24) Atharvâ he gave to S'ânti by whom the sacrificial ceremonies are performed. Thus the foremost brahmins married to their wives. They were supported by Kardama. (25) Thus being married o Vidura, the sages took leave of Kardama to return to their hermitages. They departed filled with joy about what they had obtained.

(26) Kardama knowing that He had descended who appears in the three yugas [Vishnu, only seen as a covered 'channa' - avatâra in the last, fourth yuga] as the supreme intelligence of all the wise, then approached Him in seclusion. He offered his obeisances and spoke to Him as follows: (27) 'Oh, finally after such a long time the gods are of mercy for those who have to suffer being entangled in their own misdeeds in this world. (28) After many births, mature yogis perfect by their absorption in yoga endeavor in seclusion to see His feet. (29) That very same Supreme Lordship, He who is there to support His devotees, has today appeared in our homes, despite of the negligence of us ordinary householders high and low. (30) To be true to Your words You have descended in my house with the wish to disseminate the spiritual knowledge of the Fortunate One who is there to the greater honor and glory of the devotees. (31) While You Yourself are without a material form, You please the ones following Your path with whichever of those truly apt forms that You assume. (32) The seat of Your feet is always worth the worshipful respect of all men of learning who desire to understand the Absolute Truth. I surrender myself to You who are full of riches, renunciation, fame, knowledge, strength and beauty [the so-called six opulences of the Lord]. (33) I surrender myself to You Lord Kapila, who are the supreme, transcendental personality, the origin of the world, the full awareness of time and the three modes of nature, the Maintainer of All the Worlds and the sovereign power who by His own potency absorbs the manifestations after their dissolution. (34) Today I ask You the following, o father of all created beings. Since You relieved me of my debts and fulfilled my desires, I ask You to accept me as someone on the path of an itinerant mendicant so that I may wander about with You in my heart and keep myself far from lamentation.'

(35) The Supreme Lord said: 'That what I have to say of the scriptures or from My own mind concerns in fact the [spiritual] authority for the people. I as promised took My birth with you for the sake of that authority, o sage. (36) This birth of Mine in the world is there to explain to the ones who seek liberation from the troubles of a material existence, the truths [of Sânkhya yoga] so highly celebrated in self-realization. (37) Please know that because this path is so difficult to comprehend and has been lost in the course of time, this body was assumed by Me to introduce it again. (38) Go now to operate with My approval, as you wish, in accord with the renounced order. In order to conquer insurmountable death, for the sake of eternal life please engage in My devotional service. (39) With your intellect always fixed upon Me, the supreme, self-effulgent soul present in the heart of every living being, you will see Me in your own heart and achieve freedom from fear and lamentation. (40) I will give this knowledge of the soul that leads to a spiritual life and puts an end to all fruitive activity, also to My mother so that she also will conquer the fear.'

(41) Maitreya said: 'The progenitor of human society thus addressed by Kapila, circumambulated Him and, verily pacified, then left for the forest. (42) The sage accepted the vow of silence and traveled, taking shelter of the soul only, unaccompanied the earth without having a dwelling place or making fire. (43) He fixed his mind upon the Parabrahman [the spirit of the Absolute in the Beyond, the essence of the Supreme Lord], who free from the modes of nature manifests as the three modes and can only be realized through devotion. (44) By not identifying with the body and taking no interest in the material affair and the duality, he saw, with an equal vision having turned inward, himself perfectly composed with a sober and undisturbed mind like an ocean with its waves pacified. (45) Established within with his transcendental devotional service to Vâsudeva, the Personality of Godhead, the omniscient Supersoul within everyone, he was liberated from material bondage. (46) He saw the Supreme Personality of God as the soul situated in all living beings and also that all living beings have their existence in the Supreme soul. (47) Free from all like and dislike he, with a mind equal to everyone, liberated in the connectedness of his devotional service to the Supreme Lord, attained the ultimate goal of the devotee.'