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2024-04-19, 6:19 AM |
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Chapter
4: Ambarîsha Mahârâja Offended by
Durvâsâ Muni
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Nâbhâga,
the learned youngest son of Nabhaga [see 9.1: 11-12, not the uncle also called Nriga nor the
Nâbhâga of Dishtha, see 9.2: 23]
returning from a celibate life received [as his share of the kingdom,
the care for] his father because his elder brothers [already] had
divided the property [among themselves].
(2) 'Oh, my
brothers' [he said] 'What is the share you have reserved for me?'
'We allot you our father as your share.' [they answered].
[He then said to
his
father:] 'Oh father, my elder brothers have not given me my share!'
[The father thereupon replied:] 'My son, do not take heed
of
that! (3) The so highly intelligent descendants of
Angirâ [see 6.6: 19] are today performing a sacrifice, but on
every sixth day they do this oh learned one, they will fall in illusion
with their fruitive actions. (4-5) You better
recite for those great souls two Vedic hymns relating to the God of the
Universe [Vais'vadeva, the Supreme Lord] so that they, after resuming their own course, will hand the wealth over
to you that they received from their sacrifice. Therefore go and see
them.'
Doing what his father had told him they gave him
the
proceeds of the yajña before they returned to their heavenly places. (6) As he was collecting his riches, some person
with a black countenance who had arrived from the north said to him:
'All these riches remaining from the sacrifice belong to me!'
(7) [He replied:] 'They are all mine, the sages
have handed them over to me!'
[The black man said:] 'Let us concerning this
matter head
for
the son of Manu, your father and ask him', and thus he inquired with
his father as was proposed.
(8)
[Father
Nabhaga said:] 'Everything that
remains from the sacrifice is by the
sages considered a share for
Lord S'iva, so they have once
decided [during the sacrifice of Daksha]. He is the demigod who
deserves it
all.'
(9) Nâbhâga offered him [S'iva] his
obeisances and said: 'As my father said: everything from the
sacrificial arena belongs to you oh Lord [see 3.12: 6-14].
Oh
saintly
one,
let
me
bow
my
head
for
you,
I
beg
your
pardon.'
(10)
[Lord S'iva
said:] 'All that your father said is true and also is what you are
saying the truth. Let me, the knower of the mantras, grant you the
spiritual knowledge that is transcendental and eternal. (11) Please take all the riches. I give you all
that has been offered to me', and having spoken thus Rudra, the great lord and guardian of the dharma vanished.
(12) Anyone who in the morning and in the evening
with great attention remembers this becomes a scholar: he will become a
knower of the mantras and the supreme destination and thus be a
self-realized soul. (13) From
Nâbhâga the most exalted and highly celebrated devotee
Ambarîsha was born. A curse of a brahmin against him failed: it
could never touch him.'
(14) The king said: 'Oh lordship, I would like to
hear about him, that king who was so intelligent that the most
insurmountable power of a brahmin's measure could not affect him.'
(15-16) S'rî S'uka said:
'Ambarîsha, the man of great fortune, after achieving an unlimited opulence on this earth consisting of
the seven continents, meant that all that is so rarely obtained by many a ruler is as
the
riches one imagines in a dream: coming to one's senses it is all gone.
It is the reason because of which a man falls in ignorance. (17) Unto
Vâsudeva,
the
Supreme
Personality,
unto the devotees as also unto
the saints he had achieved the reverence and devotion in the
transcendence of which one takes this entire universe for something as
insignificant as a piece of stone.
(18-20) He was sure to fix his mind upon the lotus
feet of Krishna, to use his words to describe the qualities of [the
Lord of]
Vaikunthha, to use his hands for matters as cleaning the Lord's temple
and to engage his ears in listening to the transcendental talks about the Infallible One. He used his eyes to look at the deities, the
temples and buildings of Mukunda, he used his body to be in touch with
the bodies of the devotees, he used his nose to smell the fragrance of
the tulsî leaves on the lotus flower formed by His feet and used
his tongue to relish the food that is offered to Him. By using his legs
to walk to the Lord's holy places, by using his head to bow down to the
feet of Hrishîkes'a and by engaging his senses more in being a
servant of Him than a servant of his lusty desires, he was alike the
ones who seek their refuge in being attached to the Lord Glorified in
the Scriptures [like
Prahlâda e.g.]. (21) Thus
in his prescribed duties always being of sacrifice unto the
Transcendence,
the Original Enjoyer of the Sacrifice, the Supreme Lord Beyond
the Senses, he exercised all the different forms of devotional service
and ruled, under the guidance of His faithful scholars, this planet
earth [see also 5.18: 12 and B.G. 5: 29]. (22) With
horse
sacrifices
executed
by brahmins
like Vasishthha, Asita and Gautama, he worshiped, in all places where
the
Sarasvatî river flowed through the desert countries, the Lord of
Sacrifice, the Supreme Controller, with great opulence and all the
prescribed paraphernalia and remuneration. (23) During
the
sacrificial
ceremonies
before
the
deities,
the
finely
dressed
members
of
the
assembly,
the
priests and the other functionaries could be recognized as the ever
vigilant demigods. (24) A
heavenly existence as cherished by the demigods, was not a thing
desired by his citizens who were accustomed to hearing and chanting the
glories of Uttamas'loka, the Lord hailed in the Verses. (25) Persons
accustomed
to
having
Mukunda
in their hearts rarely desire
the perfections of the great
ones because such aspirations go
at the cost of the happiness of being in one's constitutional
position of rendering service
[see siddhis]. (26-27) He, the king who in
bhakti-yoga being engaged in austerities, in his constitutional
activities unto the Lord satisfied all sorts of desires, thus step by
step gave it up to fix his mind upon temporal matters as having a home,
a wife,
children, friends and relatives, a good
elephant, a nice chariot and fine horses and durable goods like having
jewels,
ornaments, a nice outfit and such and a never empty treasury. (28) Pleased
with
his
unalloyed
devotional
service the Lord gave him
His cakra [disc weapon] that protects the devotees
but is so fearful to
the ones opposing Him [see also 7.9: 43 and B.G. 9: 31]. (29) Aspiring to worship Krishna together with
his equally qualified queen, the king observed the vow of dvâdas'î
[fasting on certain lunar days] for a whole year. (30) At
the end of that vow he in the
month
Kârtika [Oct. - Nov.] for three nights observed a complete fast
[with one meal during the day] whereupon
he,
after
taking
a
bath
in
the
Yamunâ,
worshiped Lord Krishna in
Madhuvana [a part of the
Vrindâvana area]. (31-32) He with all paraphernalia for doing puja, according to the rules bathed the deity and dressed it with nice clothing and ornaments, fragrant
flower garlands and
other means of service in his [mahâbhisheka] worship of the greatly fortunate Lord
Kes'ava and the brahmins that he performed with
a mind filled with divine love and devotion. (33-35) After having
donated
to the
brahmin sages, the scholars who had arrived at his place, sixty crores of nicely decorated, young and
beautiful
cows equiped with gold covered horns and silver plated hooves, full
udders and with calves at their side, he firstly sumptuously fed them with the most heavenly,
delicious food. When he to the full of their satisfaction
and with their permission next ended his own fasting and was about to
observe the concluding ceremony,
they all of a sudden were
confronted with an unexpected visit from the
mighty sage Durvâsâ. (36) Despite
of
having
appeared
there
uninvited,
the
king showed his
respect by standing up and offering him a seat. Thereupon he
asked him, with all regards having fallen at his feet, whether he would
like
to eat something. (37) He
gladly
accepted that request and went, in order to perform the necessary
rituals, to the Yamunâ to dip into the auspicious water and
meditate on the Supreme Brahman. (38) That,
with half a muhûrta [24 minutes] left before the end of
the dvâdas'î fast that was observed, made
the king together with the brahmins wonder what would be the
appropriate notion of dharma for the precarious situation he had ran
into: (39-40) 'Both
failing to
respect the brahmin sage and not to break with the
fast of dvâdas'î
at the right time is an offense. What now is the
best thing to do? What would be irreligious and what not? So let me
touch water only so that I correctly may conclude the vow, because oh
scholars, the act of drinking water is considered to be indeed both
eating and not eating.'
(41) The great king thus drank water and awaited, with his mind turned to the
Infallible One, the return of the
brahmin mystic oh best of the
Kurus. (42) After
Durvâsâ had finished the
rituals at the bank of the Yamunâ and returned, he was well
received by the king, but he
discovered by his insight what
had taken place. (43) Trembling with anger he with a
tightened face frowning and also hungry, addressed the perpetrator who
stood there with folded hands. (44) 'Alas,
this one here, this 'love of the people', has in his madness about his
opulence, for
everyone to see, violated the dharma! Not being a devotee of Vishnu at
all, he thinks that he is the Lord Himself! (45) I,
unexpectedly
arriving here,
was invited by this
man to be his guest, but now he has taken food without sharing it with
me. I'll show you directly what the consequence is!'
(46) Speaking thus he, red with anger,
pulled a bunch of hair out of
his head and created a demon for
him resembling the fire at the
end of time. (47) As
the demon came towards him with a trident
blazing with fire in his hand and a footstep that made the earth
tremble, the king, seeing him clearly, did not move an inch from the
spot [compare 6.17: 28]. (48) As it
was arranged by the Original Person of the
Supersoul for the protection of His devotees, the cakra [that Ambarîsha had
received, see verse 28] burned like
a
fire
that
angry serpent of a created demon
to ashes [see also B.G. 18: 66]. (49) Seeing that
his
attempt
had
failed
and
that the
disc was coming after him, Durvâsâ started to run in great
fear
wherever he could go in order to save his life. (50) When the muni saw
the
disc, that chariot wheel of the Lord, closely behind his back, he like a snake
pursued by the flames of a highly blazing forest fire, quickly ran to
mount Meru to enter a cave there.
(51) But in whatever direction Durvâsâ fled - of
the sky, the earth's surface, in
caves, in seas or to all the worlds up to heaven -, he saw the unbearable Sudars'ana cakra ['His immediate fearful presence']. (52) Without
the
shelter
of
a
protector
he
was
everywhere
with
a
constant
fear in his
heart, looking for someone who could offer him protection. At last he
approached Lord Brahmâ [and prayed]: 'Oh my Lord, oh Selfborn
One, save me from
the invincible fire that was released at me.'
(53-54) Lord Brahmâ
said: 'At the end of my lifetime [a
dvi-parârdha, see 3.11: 33] when
His pastimes have ended, the Lord of the End Time [Vishnu], the Self of
Time, with a single movement of His eyebrows will destroy this universe
including my heavenly abode.
I, Lord S'iva, Daksha,
Bhrigu
and the other sages, as also the rulers of man, the rulers of the
living beings and the rulers of
the demigods, all carry out His orders and together bow, for the
salvation of all living beings, our heads in surrender to the principle
regulating our
lives.'
(55) Durvâsâ who,
scorched
by Vishnu's cakra, was turned down by Lord Brahmâ, went for his
shelter to
him who always resides on Kailâsa [Lord S'iva]. (56) S'rî
S'ankara
[S'iva]
said:
'My
dear one, we have no power over
the Supreme One, the Transcendence in Person with whom I, the other living beings and even Lord
Brahmâ wander around within the countless universes that together with us at times arise and are destroyed again. (57-59) I,
Sanat and the other Kumâras,
Nârada, the great Unborn Lord, Kapila, Vyâsadeva, Devala
[the great sage], Yamarâja, Âsuri [the saint], Marîci
and other masters of perfect knowledge headed by him,
have learned to know the limits of all there is to know, but none of us
can fully
comprehend His illusory energy [of mâyâ] and that
what is covered by it. The
weapon of the Controller of the Universe [the cakra] is
even for us difficult to handle and you should therefore seek
your refuge with the Lord who will certainly bestow upon you His
happiness and fortune.'
(60) Durvâsâ
thereafter went disappointed to the abode of the Supreme Lord known as
Vaikunthha where He
as S'rînivâsa, the Master of the Abode, lives together with
the goddess of fortune. (61) Scorched by the fire of the invincible
weapon he fell down at His lotus feet trembling all over and said:
'Oh Infallible and Unlimited One, oh Desire of the Saintly Ones, oh
Master, offer
me, this great offender, protection, oh Well-wisher of the Entire
Universe! (62) Not
knowing about Your inconceivable prowess I have committed a great
offense
at the feet of someone dear to Your Lordship. Please be so kind to do
whatever is needed to counteract an offense like this oh Vidhâta,
Lord of Regulation, by the pronunciation of whose name a person can
even be delivered from hell.'
(63) The Supreme Lord said: 'Precisely oh brahmin,
I am not self-willed, I am fully committed to My bhaktas. My heart is
controlled by devotees free from material desires. Even a devotee
of My devotee is dear to Me. (64) I, their ultimate destination, take without
My
saintly
devotees
no
interest
in
the
blissful
essence
or the elevation
of My
opulences [see om
pûrnam]. (65) How
could I give up on those who taking
shelter
with Me gave up their wife,
house, children, relatives, their lives, wealth and promotion to a
superior position? (66) The
way a chaste woman is of service to a gentle
husband, I act as a servant to pure and equal minded pious souls [see
also 7.9: 43] who
in their hearts firmly being attached to Me engage in devotional
service. (67) Devoted
to
Me
they
do not hanker for the
completeness [the pûrnam] of the four
types of liberation they automatically achieve by simply
being
of
service. Why would they
care about other matters that are all lost over time? (68) Pure
devotees are
always in My heart and I am always in their hearts. They know nothing
outside of Me and I do not have the least interest outside of them [see also B.G. 9: 29]. (69) Let
Me now tell
you how you can protect
yourself in this matter. Oh scholar, listen attentively to what I
have
to tell you. With this action of
yours you have violated yourself. Waste no time any longer and go
forthwith
to him [Ambarîsha] because of whom all this took place. As
you can
see,
the power applied against a devotee turns against the one doing so. (70) Penance
and
knowledge
bring
the
learned
ones
the
greatest
welfare,
but
practiced by an obstinate person they result in the opposite. (71) Oh
brahmin, I wish you all the happiness of the world, go therefore to the
king, the son
of Nâbhâga, to satisfy that great personality. Then
there will be peace.'
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