Site menu |
|
Login form |
|
Search |
|
Our poll |
|
Statistics |
Total online: 1 Guests: 1 Users: 0 |
|
Welcome, Guest · RSS |
2024-03-29, 3:54 PM |
|
Chapter 24: The
Song
Sung
by
Lord
S'iva
(1) Maitreya said: 'The son of Prithu who because of his great actions became known as Vijitâs'va [see 4.19:
18], became emperor and gave his younger brothers he cared a lot about, the rule over the different directions of the
world. (2) The master offered
Haryaksha the eastern part, the south he offered to Dhûmrakes'a,
the western side was for the brother with the name Vrika and the
northern
direction he gave to Dravina. (3) He who from
[what
he
did
in
relation
to]
Indra
[also]
was
honored
with
the
name
Antardhâna
['invisibly
present'], begot in his wife S'ikhandinî three children who carried
the approval of everyone. (4) They were named Pâvaka,
Pavamâna and S'uci. They in the past had been the gods
of fire but
now,
because of a curse of sage Vasishthha, had taken
birth again in order to regain that status by the progress of yoga. (5) Antardhâna
who
didn't
kill Indra
despite of the fact that he knew that he had stolen the horse, begot in his wife named Nabhasvatî a
son called
Havirdhâna ['the offering won']. (6) The
taxes, punishments and fines and such that make up the
livelihood of kings, he considered to be something very severe and
therefore he abolished them in favor of sacrifices that in the past had
been
given up. (7) Despite
of
being
committed
to
the
job
of
ending
the
distress
[of
others],
he
as
a
realized
soul always keeping to
his ecstasy, by the worship of
the Original Person easily
attained His abode, the Supreme of the Soul. (8)
Havirdhânî the wife
of Havirdhâna oh Vidura, gave birth to six sons named Barhishat, Gaya, S'ukla,
Krishna, Satya and Jitavrata. (9) He
who by
Havirdhâna was named Barhishat was that fortunate in his
ritualistic actions and yoga realization, that he was considered the
Prajâpati [the founding father] oh best of the Kurus. (10)
With this
practice of the world all over continually pleasing the
gods with sacrifices, he kept the kus'a grass [of the
ceremonial sitting
places] facing the east. (11) On the advise
of the god of gods [Brahmâ] he married the daughter of the
ocean
named S'atadruti. The
moment
the
fire
god
Agni
saw
her,
youthful
and
charming
in
all
her
limbs,
circumambulating
[his
fire]
during the marriage
ceremony, he felt himself as much attracted as he [formerly] was to S'ukî. (12) The ones of learning, the ones of desire,
the ones of
heaven, the sages and the perfect ones, the ones of the earth and those
of
the snakes, were all captivated by the tinkling alone of the new bride
her ankle bells that could be heard everywhere. (13) From
[Prâcîna]Barhi ten sons
appeared in the womb of
S'atadruti who all deeply vowed to the dharma together were called
the Pracetâs [from prâcîna: being turned
eastward]. (14) They
by their
father ordered to beget children fled from home and settled for the
sake of their austerity for a
ten thousand
years near a large lake
in order to worship the Master of All Penance [S'rî Hari] by their tapas. (15) Following
that
path
they
encountered
Lord
S'iva
who
very
pleased
with
the
great
command
of
their
meditation,
mantra
practice
and worship, spoke to them.'
(16) Vidura asked: 'Oh brahmin please clarify what
happened when the Pracetâs met Lord S'iva on their
path as also what the Lordship
who was so pleased with
them has said. (17) Oh best among
the learned, in this world being caught in a physical body it
rarely happens that one finds
association with Lord S'iva. Even
sages who with him as their
object of desire fully detached are engaged in meditation [fail in this].
(18) Although
he
is
satisfied
within
himself,
the great Lord S'iva when he manifests in this world for
the fulfillment of her wishes engages with the terror of the forces
controlling
her [like those of
Kâlî, Durgâ or Vîrabhadra, see 4.5].'
(19) Maitreya said: 'The sons of father
Prâcînabarhi all [in full surrender] accepting the words of their father piously
on their heads had, serious in
their hearts about doing
austerities, left in the
western direction. (20) They reached a very large
expanse of water as vast
as the
nearby ocean with water that, as clear as the mind of a great
soul, was a pleasure to its inhabitants. (21) In
that water a multitude of red and blue, kahlâra and
indîvara [during the day and the evening
blossoming] lotuses was found and swans,
cranes, ducks [cakravâkas] and other birds [like kârandavas] vibrated their sounds there. (22) Mad
bumblebees joyfully
hummed there loudly with
their little hairy bodies. It was a festival of creepers, trees and
lotuses the pollen of which by
the wind was spread in all directions. (23) All the princes were amazed
about the beautiful
heavenly
music accompanied by drums and kettle drums that could be heard there continually.
(24-25) That
very moment they witnessed how the
chief of the demigods [Lord S'iva], came out of the water accompanied
by an
association of great souls who glorified him. Seeing his golden hue,
his bodily features, his blue throat, three eyes and merciful
beautiful face, they all aroused
in their
amazement offered their
obeisances. (26) He who dispels all dangers, the Great Lord
and caretaker of the religion then talked to them, pleased as he was
with their observance of the principles in the past and their
gentle behavior and good manners. (27) Rudra said:
'Oh all of you
sons of King Prâcînabarhi, knowing your actions and desires I
wish you all the best and to prove you my mercy, I therefore grant you
my audience. (28) Any
living being, any individual soul so one says, who surrenders directly
to
Vâsudeva, the Supreme Lord and transcendental controller of the
three modes, is very dear to me. (29) When
someone
for
the
time
of
a
hundred
lives
is
fixed
on
his duty he acquires the
position of Brahmâ
[Brahmaloka] and when he as well does not fail to [serve] the Supreme
Lord he thereafter will attain me [S'ivaloka]. Devotees of Lord
Vishnu at the end of time attain a position [Vaikunthhaloka] like the
one of me and the other
demigods. (30) That
is why all of you
devotees are just as dear to me as the Supreme Lord Himself and for
that reason there is also never anybody else among the devotees who is loved as much as I am. (31) In particular this what I am going to tell
you now is what you always should attend to and repeat for yourselves,
for it is very
pure, auspicious, transcendental and beneficial.'
(32) Maitreya said: 'With a heart full of
compassion the Lord spoke the following words to the princes who with
folded hands stood before Lord S'iva, the greatest devotee of
Nârâyana. (33) S'rî Rudra said [in worship of Vâsudeva]:
'All glories unto You, the best of all self-realized souls who brings
happiness to the auspicious ones. Let there be my obeisances unto You, for You are the all-perfect and
worshipable soul of all, the Supersoul. (34) All my
respects unto You Vâsudeva,
from whose navel the lotus sprouted. You are the source of the senses
and the sense objects and the immutable self-illumined state that is of
an eternal peace. (35) I offer my obeisances also to [You in the
form of] Sankarshana [the Lord of ego and
integration] who as the origin of the
subtle non-manifest matter is the unsurpassable master of
disintegration [at the end of time], and to the master of all
development, the soul in the beyond Pradyumna
[the master of intelligence]. (36) All glories to You, I offer my respects
again unto
You as Aniruddha [Lord of the mind, of whom the sun god is an
expansion,
see also 3.1: 34], the master and director of the senses. My
obeisances unto
the Supreme One of perfect purity and completeness who stands apart
from
this material creation*. (37) Unto
You as the heavenly
abode, the
path of liberation, the gateway of the eternal and the purest of the
pure
my obeisances. All my respects I offer unto You, the golden semen,
who are the continuity of the Vedic sacrifices [câtur-hotra]. (38) Be
praised
oh
You
who invigorate
the ancestors
and the gods, o master of the three Vedas and the
sacrifices. You are the leading deity of the moon who pleases everyone.
All my respects unto You, the Supersoul pervading all living beings. (39)
The strength and power of all
that exists, the body and Transcendental Self of the diversity of the
material world
[the virâth rûpa] and the maintainer of the three
worlds,
I offer my obeisances. (40) All glories to You who as the ether
reveal the meaning, You the within and without of the self, the supreme
effulgence. My obeisances unto You as the beyond of death and the
purpose of
all pious activities. (41) Unto
the inclining as well as disinclining God of the forefathers, unto You
as the
final outcome of all fruitive action and as death itself, You the
cause of all sorts of misery resulting from irreligion, I offer my
respects. (42) Because
You
are
the
topmost
bestower
of
benedictions,
the
mastermind
[of
all
mantras],
the
causal
self,
I offer You my respects. All glory to You as the greatest of
all religiosity, unto You Krishna who are the perfection of
intelligence. You are the oldest of the old, the Original Personality
and master of yogic analysis [sânkya-yoga]. (43)
The reservoir of the three energies [of
the doer, the sense-activities and the resultant workload see B.G. 18a:
18], the reason of the
material identification of the soul [the egotism] named Rudra and the
embodiment of knowledge, intention and the voice of all powers, I offer
my
obeisances. (44) Please
show
us
who desire Your presence, the form that to the satisfaction of all the
senses
of the devotees is worshiped by
them as the dear most. (45-46) As
glistening as the rain from
the dense clouds during the rainy season You are the summit of all
beauty. Beautiful are the features of Your four-handed form, of the
greatest is Your pleasant face, Your eyes are as beautiful as the
petals in the whorl of a lotus flower, beautiful are Your eyebrows,
straight nose, shining teeth, high forehead and the full decoration of
Your face and equally beautiful perfect ears. (47-48) The
beauty
of Your merciful smile and
sidelong glances, Your curly hair and clothing in the saffron color
of the lotus, is supported by the glittering earrings and shiny helmet,
the bangles, necklace, ankle bells, belt, conch shell, disc, club, and
lotus flower, garland and the best of pearls that make You look still
more beautiful. (49) The shoulders
under Your coils of hair that are like those of a lion and Your neck,
fortunate of bearing the jewel glittering on Your chest [named
Kaustubha], give You a never decreasing beauty that exceeds [the beauty
of the streaks of gold on] every norm [or touchstone]. (50)
Your inhaling and exhaling stirs beautifully
the folds in Your belly that looks like a banana leaf, and the whirling
depression of Your navel is alike the spiraling of the galaxy. (51) The
dark color of the skin
below Your waist is extra attractive with the beauty of Your
dress and symmetrical golden belt as well as with, lower, the great
beauty of Your lotus feet,
calves and thighs. (52) By the so
very pleasing lotus feet that are like the petals of a lotus flower in
autumn, by the effulgence of Your nails, You drive away all the trouble
agitating us. Show us the path of Your lotus feet [also
understood as the first two cantos of this Bhâgavatam] that
reduce the fear of material
existence oh teacher, oh
spiritual
master
of all who suffer the darkness.
(53) They
who performing their [occupational] duties wish to purify themselves
and
live without fear, must
meditate upon this form [of Yours] in a devotional practice of yoga [bhakti-yoga]. (54) Your
grace is easily obtained by the devotee but for all other
embodied souls You are difficult
to reach, even for the
ones belonging to the king of heaven Indra or for the self-realized
souls whose ultimate goal it is to attain oneness [with You]. (55) What
else would one desire but Your lotus feet, once one by pure devotional
service has
been of the worship that even for the most virtuous ones is
difficult to attain! (56) To a
soul of complete surrender the
invincible time by which You in
Your prowess and
majesty with simply raising Your eyebrows vanquish the entire
universe, constitutes no
threat. (57) The advantage for someone associating even for the shortest while in the company of devotees of the Supreme
Lord is unequaled. What interest would such a person have in demigod
blessings, in merging with the Supreme or being a materially
conditioned soul? (58) Let
there for us who, in order to
wash away the ruminations of sin,
dip in and
[purified] step out of the Ganges, therefore be the
mercy and grace of this association for the glorification of Your feet
of Victory over all Misfortune that blesses the normal living beings
with the
fullest
goodness. (59) He
whose heart was purified by the
blessing derived from
entering that [association of] bhakti-yoga, will be very happy to find therein the wisdom
of Your way and never bewildered end up in the dark pit of worldly influences. (60) You
are the Absolute Spirit [brahma], the
transcendental light spread [everywhere] like the ether, in
whom this universe of the
cosmic manifestation has appeared.
(61) You
are the one who
by His energy has created,
maintains and again annihilates this variegated manifestation. That
eternal, unchanging intelligence of differentiation I understand is
likely to give trouble to the individual soul in relation to You as the
essential [independent] self, oh Supreme Lord. (62) Experts
in
the
field
of the Vedas and their corollaries are those
transcendentalists who for
their perfection with faith and conviction duly, by a wide range of
organized actions, glorify You who are identified by that what is
created, by the
senses and by the heart. (63) You are the
One Original Person from whose dormant energy the diversity of the totality of the material energy that is ruled by [the natural modes of] passion, goodness and
ignorance has
originated: the ego, the sky, the
air,
fire, water and earth, the virtuous souls, the sages and all the living
beings. (64) That what You created from Your own potency,
You afterwards enter in the form of the four kinds of bodies [as born
from embryos, eggs, perspiration and seeds, see also 2.10: 40]
and then
You, by Your own parts and parcels, know the person as an enjoyer of
the senses, as someone who relishes the sweet honey. (65) One
may guess about [the authority
and order of] Your reality [of Time]. [All] we see is how You, just
like the wind scattering the clouds, with Your so very great force [of
Time] in the long run destroy all the planetary systems and how all
living beings find their end therewith because of others. (66) The
madmen [of this world] cry out loudly what all should be done, and by
that desire their greed for sensual matters is rampant. But all of a
sudden You vigilantly as the Destroyer seize them just like a mouse
is seized by the greedy tongue of a hungry snake. (67) What
man of study who knows that by
not worshiping You one only sees the [useless] decay of one's body, would deride Your lotus
feet, the feet that by our
spiritual teacher [Brahmâ] and the fourteen Manus [after
him, see Canto 2: 3: 9, 6: 30, 10: 4] were
worshiped without hesitation or further arguing? (68) You therefore are for us, the ones who have
learned, the Supreme Brahman, the Soul of the soul, the Supersoul,
the
destination were there is no fear at all for the
Destroyer Rudra who is feared by the entire universe.'
(69) 'If you pray like this and [faithfully] perform your duty, there
will be happiness for all of you oh purified sons of the king who have
turned your minds to the Supreme
Lord. (70) Be of worship and always sing for and
meditate full of praise upon Him who as the Supreme Soul is situated in
your hearts as well as in the hearts of all other living beings. (71) All
of
you, time and again read this [Yogâdes'a] instruction of yoga and
close it in your heart. Take to the vow of the sages of
always with intelligence being [silently] absorbed within and practice
this with the
greatest respect. (72) This
was first taught by the
great Lord [Brahmâ], the master of the creators of the universe,
of the great sages headed by Bhrigu who as his sons in charge of the
world were eager to create [compare 4.1:
12-15]. (73) We
who as the controllers of the people
were enjoined by him to procreate were by this [instruction] freed from
all ignorance and thus could bring about the different kinds of people. (74) The person who thus regularly repeats this
to himself
with great attention, will being absorbed in this without delay
achieve the auspiciousness of being devoted to Vâsudeva [Krishna
as the Lord of Consciousness]. (75)
Of all benedictions in this world spiritual knowledge is the supreme
transcendental benefit of happiness for every person, for it is the
boat
of higher knowledge with which one crosses over the insurmountable
ocean of
danger. (76) Anyone who devotedly attached
and with faith regularly studies this song of mine, this prayer offered
to the Supreme Lord, the Supreme Personality who is so difficult to
respect, will be able to worship Him. (77) The
person fixed on the song as sung
by me can by dint of the Lord of the Beyond attain whatever he desires.
The Lord pleased by it constitutes the dear most of all benedictions. (78) The mortal human who rising early in the morning with
faith
and devotion folding his hands is absorbed in this prayer and thus
personally listens and makes others listen, will be liberated from all
karmic bondage. (79) Oh
sons of the king ['the god of man'], by the
intelligence of perfectly attentive praying and chanting this song I
sang of
the Supreme Person who is the Supersoul within every one, you will ultimately achieve the results you desired, for
that practice equals the greatest austerities.'
|
|