mahāśano mahā-pāpmā viddhy enam iha vairiṇam

31 страница

 

Or please do something so that any other result than your lotus feet does not exist. “I fear competition with the gopīs.” O chastiser of enemies! You will destroy all enemies, such as enmity with the gopīs. Or you defeat enemies like Kāṁsa, but you should not discipline devotees. Do not let us die by rejecting us.

 

Or we will die (patitānām) in front of your lotus feet. Please arrange so that there is no other destination. “Lust should be controlled.” O chastiser of enemies! You can control the enemy lust. We cannot do it since we are bewildered by love for you.

 

Text 31

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

patayo nābhyasūyeran pitṛ-bhrātṛ-sutādayaḥ

lokāś ca vo mayopetā devā apy anumanvate

 

The Lord replied: Rest assured that your husbands will not find fault with you, nor will your fathers, brothers, sons, other relatives or the general populace, though you have closely associated with me. Even the devatās present in the sacrifice will recognize me as the Lord.

 

They will not find fault with you (na abhyasūyeran). Rather they will accept you. The others will not find fault in you, by my influence of bhakti. Your actions are permitted by me as antaryāmī, directly arranged by me. The devatās who are my devotees in sattva-guṇa will not find fault in you. Rather they will praise your devotion to me. That is also directed by me.

 

Or what can be said about husbands and others? Even the devatās with pious bodies, depending on piety by enjoying the results of sacrifice will not find fault I you for giving up the sacrifices performed by your husbands. The husbands and others will definitely not find fault. Rather they will approve of your conduct and give you special respect. Or since you associated with me (mayā upetāḥ) the devotās will respect you, what to speak of the husbands.

 

Text 32

na prītaye ‘nurāgāya hy aṅga-saṅgo nṛṇām iha

tan mano mayi yuñjānā acirān mām avāpsyatha

Translation

For you to serve me directly in this life would certainly not please people in this world, what to speak of being attractive to them. Therefore, you should fix your minds on me, and very soon you will achieve me.

 

Because (hi) to associate with me conjugally or to live with me always (aṅga-saṅga) will not bring about prīti or anurāga in people with bodies which will wither and die (nṛṇām), in this world of karma, Bhārata varṣa, since life is short and subject to karma, fix your minds on me. Your desire will be fulfilled in Vaikuṇṭha-loka because there you will have a body of eternity, knowledge and bliss. This was spoken to fool the women. It was not the truth for by associating with Kṛṣṇa, they had become successful.

 

Or here in Gokula (iha), you who are from outside Gokula (nṛṇām) cannot develop prema for me (anurāgāya), within which one has the experience of bliss (prītaye). I am attracted to cowherds and cowherd women, not outsiders.

 

Or my association with you in bodies of brāhmaṇa’s wives (iha) will not produce happiness (pritaye) among the cowherd men and women (nṛṇām) or anurāga in me or you. This is also a statement to fool the wives.

 

Therefore associate with me in your minds. You will attain me after giving up the present body. Speaking unclearly would produce suffering in the women. Therefore he says it will happen soon to pacify them, though actually it would take a long time, after giving up the present body.

 

In order to attain special mercy, with bodies and bhāvas like the gopīs, they returned home. He treated them in this way, not because they were brāhmaṇas’ wives, but because the attainment depended on gopī bodies and bhāvas. Since they had surrendered in prema, which does not depend on material dharma, it would not be suitable to ignore them, with excuses concerning material dharma.

 

Text 33

śravaṇād darśanād dhyānān mayi bhāvo ‘nukīrtanāt

na tathā sannikarṣeṇa pratiyāta tato gṛhān

 

             Translation

 

It is by hearing about me, seeing my deity form, meditating upon me and chanting my names and glories that love for me develops, not by physical proximity. Therefore please go back to your homes.[14]

 

Text 34

śrī-śuka uvāca

ity uktā dvija-patnyas tā yajña-vāṭaṁ punar gatāḥ

te cānasūyavas tābhiḥ strībhiḥ satram apārayan

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Thus instructed, the wives of the brāhmaṇas returned to the place of sacrifice. The brāhmaṇas did not find any fault with their wives, and together with them they finished the sacrifice.

 

The brāhmaṇas completed the sacrifice with their wives, who had received the mercy of the Lord. The fault in the sacrifice was removed and became endowed with all good qualities. Instead of tābhiḥ sometimes svābhiḥ is found. The brāhmaṇas with each of their wives individually completed the sacrifice. Without their wives the sacrifice could not be completed. By the mercy of the Lord’s words or by the influence of their returning with the Lord’s mercy, they did not find fault with them.

 

Text 35

tatraikā vidhṛtā bhartrā bhagavantaṁ yathā-śrutam

hṛḍopaguhya vijahau dehaṁ karmānubandhanam

Translation

One of the ladies had been forcibly kept back by her husband. When she heard the others describe Kṛṣṇa, she embraced him within her heart and gave up her material body, the basis of bondage to material activity, and attained her spiritual body.

 

Seeing the excellent devotion in those wives even before meeting Kṛṣṇa, the husbands developed respect for their wives. Now one among the wives (and there were more) is described as a typical example to show her excellent bhakti. Or considering the Lord’s statement that soon they would attain him, it should not be considered mere consolation. One of them immediately attained this result. At the place of sacrifice, or among the wives (tatra), one of them was restrained forcibly (vi — dhṛtā), by grabbing her hands and tying her feet. She gave up her body so that she had no more birth (vi — jahau). Why? That body was bound by karma. One cannot attain the Lord with a body dependent on karma. She attained a body of eternity, knowledge and bliss at that moment in Gokula. Srīdhara Svāmī comments that she gave up the body related to her husband and attained the Lord with a spiritual body. In this way the special bhakti of the wives is illustrated.

 

Text 36

bhagavān api govindas tenaivānnena gopakān

catur-vidhenāśayitvā svayaṁ ca bubhuje prabhuḥ

Translation

Though he was the Supreme Lord, the cowherd Kṛṣṇa fed the cowherd boys with that food of four varieties and then personally partook of the preparations, showing mercy to the wives because he was capable of unlimited mercy.

 

The Lord’s special mercy to the wives is described in this verse. Though he manifested all powers completely (bhagavān), he had been without food, and he and the boys became afflicted with hunger. He fed the boys with the food brought by the wives (tena). This shows the intensity of the hunger. The suffix ka on gopakān indicates deep affection for them. He served them personally and then he ate because he was the best of cowherd (govindaḥ), having affection for them. Ca indicates that Balarāma served and ate with Kṛṣṇa. He would not eat before Kṛṣṇa ate out of regard for him.
 

 

 

Or he ate with the cowherd boys before Kṛṣṇa ate, just as he ate with the boys in a circle with Kṛṣṇa in the center previously. Then ca means api (even). Though he was complete in himself (prabhuḥ) Krṣṇa also ate to show mercy to the wives by accepting their food.

 

Or how could one person feed everyone at once quickly? He was full of all powers (prabhuḥ). And he ate a lot, to show the wives great mercy.

 

Text 37

evaṁ līlā-nara-vapur nr-lokam anuśīlayan

reme go-gopa-gopīnāṁ ramayan rūpa-vāk-kṛtaiḥ

Translation

Thus, appearing like a human being to perform his pastimes, he taught devotion to himself to the human world. He enjoyed by pleasing his cows, cowherd boyfriends and cowherd girlfriends with his beauty, words and actions.

Commentary

Śukadeva summarizes all Kṛṣṇa’s actions, his mercy to the wives of the brāhmaṇas and his beauty, which gave joy to the people of Vraja. The word evam suggests that there were many more pastimes of this sort. Performing pastimes in a human form, he taught the humans bhakti to himself. Or, performing pastimes in a human form, he acted properly according to human behavior (nṛ-lokam).

 

Text 38

athānusmṛtya viprās te anvatapyan kṛtāgasaḥ

yad viśveśvarayor yācñām ahanma nṛ-viḍambayoḥ

Translation

The brāhmaṇas then came to their senses and began to feel great remorse. They thought, “We have sinned, for we have denied the request of the two Lords of the universe, who are engaged in spreading human pastimes.”

 

By the power of association with their wives who attained the mercy of Lord, their husbands came to their senses. This verse and the rest of the chapter glorify their wives. After this incident (atha) they repented, because the husbands’ crooked attitude was destroyed. Of after the sacrifice was concluded (ata) with accepting the Lord’s remnants, the spiritual effect manifested and they became purified.

 

Or after the Lord had eaten (ataḥ), by his accepting the food they manifested bhakti. Or after the wives came to the sacrifice, by the potency of seeing their wives’, they repented. Examining closely (anusmṛtya) that they had been afflicted with pride, they began to lament (anvatapyan). We have refused the request of not only the avatāra of the Lord but of the avatarī, Kṛṣṇa, (viśveśayoḥ). If they are lords of the universe why did they request food? They spread pastimes which are human-like.

 

Or, they laughed at men like us who have no devotion. The brāhmaṇas’ use of aham (We have ignored their request for food) shows that a trace of false identity remained, or it shows their shame. Or giving up identity as brāhmaṇaṣ they saw themselves as ordinary humans.

 

Text 39

dṛṣṭvā strīṇāṁ bhagavati kṛṣṇe bhaktim alaukikīm

ātmānaṁ ca tayā hīnam anutaptā vyagarhayan

Translation

Taking note of their wives’ pure, unworldly devotion for Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, and seeing their own lack of devotion, the brāhmaṇas felt most sorrowful and began to condemn themselves.

 

The husbands saw their wives bhakti of the supreme lord (bhagavati) who was moreover the attractor of all hearts, by revealing all his unlimited powers (kṛṣne). They condemned themselves with rejection of their pride (vi — garhayan). Or not only did they lament (last verse), they criticized themselves.

 

The wives’ bhakti was extraordinary because it rejected this world and Svarga and because by it they could give up their bodies and immediately attain Kṛṣṇa. Or they developed extraordinary symptoms of prema such as laughing and crying illustrated in verses like SB 11.2.40:

evaṁ-vrataḥ sva-priya-nāma-kīrtyā

jātānurāgo druta-citta uccaiḥ

hasaty atho roditi rauti gāyaty

unmāda-van nṛtyati loka-bāhyaḥ

 

Regulated with such devotion, chanting the name of his dear Kṛṣṇa, he develops prema. His heart melts and he laughs loudly, weeps, wails and sings. He dances like a madman without regard for the public.

 

Text 40

dhig janma nas tri-vṛd yat tad

dhig vrataṁ dhig bahu-jñatām

dhik kulaṁ dhik kriyā-dākṣyaṁ

vimukhā ye tv adhokṣaje

Translation

[The brāhmaṇas said:] To hell with our threefold birth, our vow of celibacy and our extensive learning! To hell with our aristocratic background and our expertise in the rituals of sacrifice! These are all condemned because we were inimical to the Lord who has appeared many times.

 

They condemned their accomplishments in order of increasing excellence. Birth is purity of birth by pure parents. The second birth is upanāyanam with the gāyatrī mantra. The third birth is dīkṣa: dīkṣā for performing sacrifices. Adhokṣaja indicates he who gives bliss to Yaśodā. The derivation was previously explained.

 

Text 41

nūnaṁ bhagavato māyā yoginām api mohinī

yad vayaṁ guravo nṛṇāṁ svārthe muhyāma he dvijāḥ

Translation

The illusory potency of the Supreme Lord certainly bewilders even the great mystics, what to speak of us. As brāhmaṇas we are supposed to be the spiritual masters of all classes of men, yet we have been bewildered about our own real interest.

Commentary

What misfortune! We have all been bewildered by māyā. Certainly (nūnam) the māyā of the Lord bewildered us. We practiced jñāna-yoga as an aṅga of karma (yoginām). They identify themselves as yogīs. Or, māyā bewilders yogīs what to speak of us, engaged in karma. We are superior (guravaḥ) to all men inquisitive about the three types of yoga. Śukadeva has already described them as having no intelligence but thinking themselves intelligent (verse 9). Or, we are the instructors of all men since it is said that brāhmaṇas are the gurus of all varṇas. We have been bewildered (muhyāma), O brāhmaṇas (he dvijāḥ). Or we brāhmaṇas have been bewildered (muhyāmahe). Ātmanepada form of the verb is poetic license.

 

Text 42

aho paśyata nārīṇām api kṛṣṇe jagad-gurau

duranta-bhāvaṁ yo ‘vidhyan mṛtyu-pāśān gṛhābhidhān

Translation

Just see the unlimited love these women have developed for Kṛṣṇa, the spiritual master of the entire universe! This love has broken their bondage to death — their attachment to family life.

Commentary

We are much inferior to these women. In this way they lament in three verses. Aho indicates astonishment. “It is wrong for women to be attracted to other men.” But they have love for the guru of the universe, who is far superior to their husbands. Their prema (bhāvam) has cut off the bondage of death. This means that they surpassed attraction to family life immediately.

Texts 43–44

nāsāṁ dvijāti-saṁskāro na nivāso gurāv api

na tapo nātma-mīmāṁsā na śaucaṁ na kriyāḥ śubhāḥ

tathāpi hy uttamaḥ-śloke kṛṣṇe yogeśvareśvare

bhaktir dṛḍhā na cāsmākaṁ saṁskārādimatām api

Translation

These women have never undergone the purificatory rites of the twice-born classes, nor have they lived as brahmacārīs in the āśrama of a spiritual master, nor have they executed austerities as vānaprasthas, or speculated on the nature of the self as sannyāsīs, followed the formalities of cleanliness or engaged in pious rituals. Nevertheless, they have firm devotion for Kṛṣṇa, whose glories are chanted by all and who is the supreme master of all devotes. We, on the other hand, have no such devotion for the Lord, although we have executed all these processes.

 

The astonishment is explained in two verses. They never had the saṁskāra of the twice born such as receiving the sacred thread (upanāyana) by which they enter into dharma. Nor did they perform the rites of cleanliness, which is general dharma. Nor did they live with the guru (brahmacārī stage), or then go through the other āśṛamas such as vānaprastha (tapas), sannyāsa (ātma-mīmāṁsā), and gṛhastha (kriyāḥ śubhāḥ). Because of their lamentation the brāhmaṇas did not mention the items in order. Or household āśrama is mentioned last because of greatest respect for that āśrama. Therefore they call this āśrama auspicious (śubhāḥ).

 

Or saṁskāra refers to the special saṁskāra of viṣnu-dīkṣā. Tapaḥ refers to remembering Viṣṇu. It is said tat tapo yad dari-smṛtiḥ: austerity means remembering Viṣṇu. Śauca means purity of heart. Kriyāḥ śubhāḥ means worship of Visṇu in the sacrifice or worship of the Lord in the fire pit. Ātma-mīmāṁsā means reflecting on the Lord (ātmā).

 

In spite of this lack, they attained strong devotion to Kṛṣṇa. They then describe Kṛṣṇa with glorification in order to produce understanding of the glories of bhakti. They developed firm bhakti to he who is glorified with the best verses (uttama-śloke) because he has appeared in this world and manifested his unlimited qualities as Bhagavān. Or it means “he who is famous and from whom the ignorance of the world arises.” He is famous because he is Kṛṣṇa. Or he who is uttama-śloka is Kṛṣṇa. He is the lord of yogīs like Sanaka, and thus our lord, the person to be served. Hi indicates certainty, proved by scripture. The wives have fixed bhakti and we do not even have fickle bhakti.

 

Text 45

nanu svārtha-vimūḍhānāṁ pramattānāṁ gṛhehayā

aho naḥ smārayām āsa gopa-vākyaiḥ satāṁ gatiḥ

Translation

Indeed, infatuated as we are with our household affairs, we have deviated completely from the real aim of our life. But the Lord, the shelter of the devotees, through the words of these simple cowherd boys, has made us remember him.

 

“Why did he ask us for rice?” Nanu (perhaps) indicates questioning. Or the verse shows how Kṛṣṇa is uttama-śloka. Certainly (nanu) we were ignorant of our real interest, bhakti, since we were absorbed in household activities, inattentive to the Lord. Or we were completely insane with household actions and completely proud. He made us remember him because he is the goal of persons following dharma. We were absorbed in sacrifices, thinking we were following dharma. Or He is the goal of the devotees. How astonishing (aho)! Though he is understood to be most worthy of praise, we did not realize this, because of our stupidity.

 

Text 46

anyathā pūrṇa-kāmasya kaivalyādy-aśiṣāṁ pateḥ

īśitavyaiḥ kim asmābhir īśasyaitad viḍambanam

Translation

What else could be his purpose? Since he is complete in his desires and fully capable of awarding all blessings including liberation and prema, what other purpose would he have in approaching us, since we are incapable of doing anything? This was a ploy of the Lord to give us mercy.

Commentary

“He just asked us for food through the boys, and did not make us remember him.” If he did not make us remember (anyathā), then what else was his purpose? “Well, since he is complete in himself, let us admit he had no purpose in asking for food. But he did it because the cowherd boys were hunger.” Yes, he is complete (pūrṇa-kamasya) but he is capable of giving anything, being the master of all things such as liberation or prema (kaivalya) as well as other blessings. Prema can be called kaivalya (exclusive) since it excludes all other results by being pure love. Since he is complete and since he can give anything, he has no purpose in approaching us, who are incapable of doing anything (īśitavyaiḥ). It is the ploy (vidāmbanam) of the Lord to give us mercy.

 

Text 47

hitvānyān bhajate yaṁ śrīḥ pāda-sparśāśayāsakṛt

svātma-doṣāpavargeṇa tad-yācñā jana-mohinī

Translation

Hoping for the touch of his lotus feet, Lakṣmī perpetually serves only him, leaving aside all others without being touched by the faults of material Lakṣmī. In that condition, his begging for food makes us think he is not the Lord.

 

“By his will he can deliver anyone from saṁsāra. Why did he beg food, unbecoming of the Lord?” That question is raised in this verse. With a desire to touch his lotus feet once, or to touch even one foot once (sakṛt), Lakṣmī serves him. Or with a desire to touch his feet she serves continually (asakrt). In that condition (always with Lakṣmī or wealtlh) how could he beg? Thus begging is bewildering for all jīvas. Who can understand his actions? Or he does this to bewilder the non-devotees (jana-mohinī or ajana-mohinī) and nourish the bhakti of the devotees. The non-devotees are bewildered but the devotees are not. On the contrary their bhakti increases. By his human pastimes the supreme Lord stimulates intense bhakti. Or such actions enchant the devotees’ hearts. Uddhava says to Vidura:

māṁ khedayaty etad ajasya janma-

viḍambanaṁ yad vasudeva-gehe

vraje ca vāso ’ri-bhayād iva svayaṁ

purād vyavātsīd yad-ananta-vīryaḥ

 

Kṛṣṇa’s appearance in the prison house of Kaṁsa in miserable circumstances, his stay in Vraja out of fear of enemies, and his leaving Mathurā though he has infinite power used to give me great suffering. SB 3.2.16

 

His birth in the prison room of Vasudeva, his stay in Vraja out of fear of Kaṁsa, fleeing from Mathurā though he is full of unlimited power, causes me pain. By such human pastimes, increasing bhakti, I feel pain in my heart. By showing his powers as Narasiṁha he does not produce suffering in me since special bhakti does not appear.

dunoti cetaḥ smarato mamaitad

yad āha pādāv abhivandya pitroḥ

tātāmba kaṁsād uru-śaṅkitānāṁ

prasīdataṁ no ’kṛta-niṣkṛtīnām

 

Remembering his conduct, my heart fills with pain. Bowing at the feet of his parents, he said, “O father! O mother! Forgive us because, being greatly fearful of Kaṁsa, we could not serve you.” SB 3.2.17

tat tasya kaiṅkaryam alaṁ bhṛtān no

viglāpayaty aṅga yad ugrasenam

tiṣṭhan niṣaṇṇaṁ parameṣṭhi-dhiṣṇye

nyabodhayad deva nidhārayeti

 

O Vidura! Kṛṣṇa’s acting as a servant of Ugrasena gives us servants great pain. Standing in from of Ugrasena sitting on the king’s throne he informed him, “O king of kings! Please establish me in your service.” SB 3.2.22

Texts 48–49

deśaḥ kālaḥ pṛthag dravyaṁ mantra-tantrartvijo ‘gnayaḥ

devatā yajamānaś ca kratur dharmaś ca yan-mayaḥ

sa eva bhagavān sākṣād viṣṇur yogeśvareśvaraḥ

jāto yaduṣv ity āśṛṇma hy api mūḍhā na vidmahe

Translation

The place, time, particular paraphernalia, mantras, rituals, priests, fires, devatās, performer, offering and the as yet unseen beneficial results — are all simply his byproducts. Yet even though we had heard that he had appeared directly in the Yadu dynasty, showing all powers, spreading them everywhere to please his devotees, we were ignorant of the scriptural conclusion and did not recognize him.

Commentary

They show how the mistake takes place. He is directly Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa. Everything is part of his body because he pervades everything (viṣṇuḥ). He is to be worshipped by all: he is the lord of liberated souls (yogeśvareśvaraḥ). Thus he is to be worshipped by our sacrifices. Or, he has directly manifested (sa eva). Therefore he is full of all powers (bhagavān). He spreads everywhere with the manifestation of unlimited powers as Viṣṇu. Thus he should be worshipped by all (yogeśvareśvaraḥ). Or, for what purpose did he appear? He appeared to give joy to his devotees (yogeśvareṣvaraḥ — lord of the devotees). The word hi indicates that this conclusion is supported by scripture. That is famous with statements like mad bhaktānāṁ vinodārtham: I perform various pastimes to please my devotees. (Padma Purāṇa). We were ignorant of the meaning of the scriptures. They now concluded what Śukadeva stated in verses 10-11.

 

Text 50

tasmai namo bhagavate kṛṣṇāyākuṇṭha-medhase

yan-māyā-mohita-dhiyo bhramāmaḥ karma-vartmasu

Translation

Let us offer our obeisances unto Kṛṣṇa endowed with all powers, and possessing unfailing intelligence. Confused by his power of illusion, we repeatedly become absorbed in the path of karma.

 

Showing their foolishness they were amazed by the power of māyā to bewilder them and offered respects to the omniscient Lord with devotion to remove that illusion. We offer respects to the Lord full of inconceivable powers (bhagavate). It is difficult for us to know him. Or we offer respects to the Lord who manifests himself as Bhagavān with unlimited qualities, because he is Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise he would not herd cows. Or otherwise, in some other form, he would not give us mercy by begging food. Or as Kṛṣṇa, he attracted the hearts of our wives. From him arises proper memory (akuṇṭḥa-medhase). He gives our wives’ memory to do their household duties. Or he has continuous knowledge. Others like us are thus fools. He thus knows about us, who are manifested from his power of māyā and he knows his great qualities such as mercy. We wander about, again and again absorbed in the path of karma, as if in a whirlpool, and cannot get out. Or we wander about unable to surrender to him, since we cannot determine his existence with faith.