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2024-03-28, 6:47 PM |
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Chapter
8: More
Appears from the Churning: Mother Lakshmî and Dhanvantari
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'When the poison had
been drunk by him who rides the bull [Lord S'iva], the immortals and
Dânavas gladly resumed the churning of the ocean quickly whereupon
the cow of plenty appeared [the surabhi, the source of the ghee]. (2) The sages conversant with the injunctions for the yajñas
took care of her oh King, for she was useful for the divine sacrifices
because of her clarified butter.
(3) Next a horse as white as the moon manifested
named Uccaihs'ravâ that Mahârâja Bali liked to
have, while Indra desisted from
claiming it on the advise
of the Lord [see B.G. 10:
27 and compare 4.19: 23].
(4)
Thereafter the king of
resistance, the elephant Airâvata appeared who with his four
tusks defied the glories of the white mountain [Kailâsa, the
abode] of the First Devotee [Lord S'iva, see 6.11: 11 and again B.G. 10:
27]. (5)
Airâvana was the first of eight elephants manifesting for each direction of the sky and also a group of
eight she-elephants was
generated that was headed by one
named Abhramu, oh King.
(6) Then a valuable
lotus-hued gem known as the Kaustubha jewel was generated from the wide expanse of milk. Lord Hari who desired to
possess it decorates His chest
with it. Thereupon the
pârijâta tree was
generated that adorns
the heavenly places and, just as you who likes to fulfill each his
wishes, fulfills every wish on this planet by providing whatever that
is wanted oh King.
(7) Next the
Apsaras
were
generated, the extremely
beautiful and attractive inhabitants of heaven who, exquisitely dressed and decorated with
gold, smoothly moving around divert each his heart.
(8) After
that
had
happened the Goddess of
Splendor [Ramâ or Lakshmî] manifested
in person. With her lightening luster she as
[bright as] Saudâmanî [mountain] illumined along with the Lord all
the
directions
[to
deal with that splendor see the 'peace formula' of B.G. 5:
29]. (9)
Each Sura, Asura and human being desired her, for
the magnificent beauty of her features, youth, complexion
and
glories had caught their minds. (10)
The
great Indra brought a glorious, wonderful seat for her and the most
sacred rivers and reservoirs assumed a personal form by filling
golden water pots with pure water.
(11) The land offered all the herbs needed for
installing the deity. The cows contributed
with their five pure products [milk, yogurt, ghee, dung and
urine] and springtime delivered fresh flowers and fruits. (12) The
sages
performed the bathing ceremony as prescribed, the Gandharvas sang the
all-auspicious mantras and their wives danced and sang along. (13)
The clouds
vibrated two-sided drums, kettledrums, murajas and ânakas
[two other types of drums] and that created, combined with the sounds
of bugles, conch shells,
flutes and vînâs, a great tumult. (14) And while the
twice-born ones, the brahmins, were singing hymns the elephants next
poured jugs full of sacred water over the chaste goddess so beautiful
with the lotus in her hand [see
also a classic picture of Lakshmî]. (15)
The ocean presented yellow silks for her to dress from top to toe and
Varuna offered a large garland swarming with
bumblebees intoxicated by its sweetness. (16)
From
Prajâpati Vis'vakarmâ there was a choice of ornaments,
Sarasvatî [the goddess of learning] supplied a necklace, Lord
Brahmâ provided a lotus flower and the Nâgas [the
excellent ones] gave earrings. (17)
Thereupon being worshiped in an all-auspicious ceremony she,
radiating a
natural beauty with the
decoration of the earrings to her cheeks and
a coy smile on her face, went around [the sacrificial arena] with the lotus garland in her hand and the
bees
about it. (18) With
her two
symmetrical breasts, her thin waist in harmony and smeared with
sandalwood pulp and kunkuma, she, moving here and there with
the sweet tinkling of her ankle bells, appeared exactly like a golden
creeper. (19) In
that position looking for the eternal
qualities she could not find a
single soul
among the indwellers of heaven, the perfected ones, the
unenlightened ones, the keepers of the wealth, the venerable ones and
the rest of all the demigods, who was complete in every respect.
(20) [She
contemplated:] 'Certain
of one's austerity one has not conquered anger, to have spiritual
knowledge does not mean that one is not contaminated by one's
association with others and a
great personality might
not have conquered material desires. How can a person controlled by
something or someone else like this, be his own master [a master of his
senses]? (21)
Someone might be of dharma but is he
friendly towards other living beings? Someone can be of renunciation
but he might miss the cause of liberation. A person may have power over
people, but he is still not released from the great force of material
nature [from the power of time]. Someone may be free from the influence
of the modes of nature but never be a second one [another Lord of Control and Yoga, see also 1.2:
8]. (22) Someone
may
live
a
long
time
but
still
not
know
how
to
behave
and be happy, someone may
master the art
of living but still not know how to get old. And when someone knows the
both of them, such a person still might be unlucky in another respect.
Nor is of someone excelling
in all walks of life said that he wishes Me [in my position of devotion
for Vishnu]!'
(23) With
these considerations in mind the
Goddess of Wealth and Splendor turned to Him Mukunda, the reservoir of
Transcendence who was so
desirable and qualified in every way as the husband of her choice -
even though He had no desire for it. He, after all, did
not depend on others and had the extraordinary, supreme qualities
perfect in every respect. (24) After
placing on His shoulders a ravishing,
fresh garland of lotuses vibrating with humming, maddened bumblebees,
she remained, with a shy smile and glittering eyes, at His side with
His bosom as her true resort. (25) He,
the father of the three departments of the universe, made His bosom the
residence of the
mother, the goddess, the supreme [representative of all] opulence. She
installed there mercifully
overseeing the three worlds
increases the
fortune of His servants and leaders. (26)
The servants of the gods and
their women [the dancers and
singers of heaven], all became engaged in singing and dancing
accompanied by the loud sound of musical instruments like conch shells, bugles and drums. (27)
Brahmâ, S'iva and all the directors of
the world headed by Angirâ honored the Supreme Personality by showering flowers and chanting mantras that described His true nature. (28) With the merciful glance of the Goddess
resting upon the godly ones, the fathers of mankind and their
generations, they were all blessed with good conduct and good
qualities and thus achieved the
ultimate satisfaction.
(29) But when the
Daityas
and Dânavas oh King, were neglected by Lakshmî they, being depressed in their
aching greed, got
disheartened
and
lost
all
sense
of
shame. (30)
Thereupon Vârunî, the goddess of the drunkards appeared, a young lotus-eyed girl who, with the permission of the
Lord, was accepted by the Asuras.
(31) With the sons of Kas'yapa thereupon
[again] zealously churning the ocean for the nectar, there [finally] appeared
a most wonderful man oh great King. (32)
He was tall,
youthful, had stout and strong arms, a neck like a conch, a dark skin,
reddish eyes, a garland and was adorned with all kinds of ornaments. (33) Being
clad
in
yellow,
with
a
broad
chest,
with
well
polished, jeweled earrings,
with gleaming curly locks of
hair and decorated with
bangles he, as strong as a lion,
came forward with a jar that was filled to the rim with
nectar. (34)
He was a partial
appearance of a part of Lord Vishnu Himself known by the name
of Dhanvantari who, seeing to medical science,
was one of the demigods entitled to a share in the offerings. (35)
All the Asuras who saw him
with the container full of nectar, greedy after the contents, immediately snatched the pot away. (36)
When the pot of nectar was carried away by the
Asuras, the demigods were desolate and turned to
the Lord for their protection. (37)
When He saw their sadness the
Supreme Lord who always acts according to the desires of His servants
said: 'Do not grieve, I will personally see to it that the nectar
will be there for all of you.' (38) Oh
master of man, there was a quarrel among them [the Asuras] about the
nectar in which they with
a thirsting heart said: 'Me first, me first, not you, not you!' (39-40) Others roared: 'The
gods were of a likewise effort
in
the duty of sacrifice and deserve
an
equal
share.
This
is
a
matter
of
traditional
duties [sanâtana dharma]!' The Daityas violently trying to appropriate the jug thus being envious and weak constantly denied each other the right oh King. (41-46) After
this
had passed Lord Vishnu, the Supreme Controller who has a
solution for any problem, assumed the form of a supremely beautiful,
wonderful woman who mystified them all. Pleasing to behold she was as
dark as a newly grown lotus. She was of
the
greatest beauty and harmony in
all her limbs, she had a straight
nose, fine cheeks and ornamented ears. She had fresh, firm,
young but weighty
breasts to her thin waist and a blissful expression on her face. She looked a bit anxious because of the humming bumblebees around her. With the
mass of her beautiful, waving hair and the mallikâ flower
garland about her attractive
neck, with the beauty of her arms that were ornamented with the finest jewelry and bangles, with the
fair sari spread over her
breast that was an island of beauty and with the belt that covered her
waist, she moved about gracefully with her ankle bells. Coyly casting
her
glances while moving with her eyebrows, she gave rise to a
constant lusty desire in the
core of the hearts of
the Daitya leaders.'
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