mahāśano mahā-pāpmā viddhy enam iha vairiṇam

32 страница

 

Text 51

sa vai na ādyaḥ puruṣaḥ sva-māyā-mohitātmanām

avijñatānubhāvānāṁ kṣantum arhaty atikramam

Translation

Kṛṣṇa, who is also the first puruṣa, should forgive us brāhmaṇas who were ignorant of his glory since we were bewildered by his māyā.

Commentary

Filled with great humility they ask Kṛṣṇa for forgiveness. Kṛṣṇa (saḥ) should forgive our offense because we did not know his glory (anubhāvānām), since we were bewildered by his māyā. If we have made offense, then he should forgive that offense like a father of the brāhmaṇas, since they arise from his head when he is the form of the first puruṣaḥ (ādyaḥ puruṣaḥ) with a thousand heads. Or, he is the best (ādyaḥ) person. Therefore he should forgive the offense of these most fallen brāhmaṇas. Moreover he is the antaryāmī (resting in the heart — puruṣaḥ). Thus he has made us act in this way. Or, he is the supreme person (ādyaḥ puruṣaḥ). Therefore he should forgive us since he is affectionate to brāhmaṇas and fallen souls as his natural quality.

 

Text 52

iti svāgham anusmṛtya kṛṣṇe te kṛta-helanāḥ

didṛkṣavo vrajam atha kaṁsād bhītā na cācalan

Translation

Thus reflecting on the sin they had committed by neglecting Kṛṣṇa, they became very eager to see him. But being afraid of Kaṁsa, they did not take one step towards Vraja.

 

They remembered their extraordinary offense. They had disrespected Kṛṣṇa or thought him to be an ordinary human. Or Kṛṣṇa did not ignore them (akṛta-helanaḥ) since he sent their wives back on the pretext of completing the sacrifice. Though (atha) they wanted to see him they did not go to Vraja because they were afraid of Kaṁsa. They feared for their own safety since firm faith had not arisen in them.

 

Chapter Twenty-four

Text 1

śrī-śuka uvāca

bhagavān api tatraiva baladevena saṁyutaḥ

apaśyan nivasan gopān indra-yāga-kṛtodyamān

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: while staying near Govardhana with Baladeva, Kṛṣṇa watched the cowherd men busily arranging for a sacrifice to Indra.

 

The pastimes during the sixth and seventh years beginning with herding cows have been described. Now four chapters describe the principle pastimes at the beginning of the eighth year. Having great attachment, Kṛṣṇa lived in Vraja. Absorbed in pastimes there the people were most fortunate. That was described. The word api means “acting in the way previously described.” Or the brāhmaṇas did not go to Vraja, and the Lord also (bhagavān api) did not go to them, but stayed in Vraja. He was with Balarāma. He did not send Balarāma to appease them. Since he had appeared in order to benefit this world by manifesting qualities like mercy, even the brāhmaṇas would get benefit.

 

Or api indicates certainty. Kṛṣṇa definitely stayed with Balarāma in Vraja because he was Bhagavān. If he went elsewhere with Balarāma he could not reveal his unlimited powers to the same extent of excellence. To show this a new story begins.

 

Kṛṣṇa saw the cowherds engaged in gathering ingredients for worship of Indra, by raising a flag for Indira etc. at the place called Indra-dvaya-kuṇḍa, east of Govardhana. Though they did these activities every year with worship of Indra, and Kṛṣṇa saw it, now he saw it in a special way. Previously he was indifferent but now when the time was proper, he saw it as the opportunity for stopping Indra’s sacrifice and lifting Govardhana. This pastime took place during the monsoon in the autumn season.

 

Taṁ śarat kusumāpiḍāḥ parivārya pradakṣiṇam

 

Gāvo girivaraṁ sarvās tato yāntu punar vrajam

 

Prāptā kileyaṁ hi gavāṁ svādutoṣa-tṛṇair guṇaiḥ

 

Śarat pramuditā ramyā gatamegha-jalāśayā

 

Decorated with autumn flowers the cows should go around Govardhana and then return to Vraja. When autumn comes the place is filled good qualities and abundant, tasty grass for the cows. It is pleasant, with no clouds or flooding. Viṣṇu Purāṇa 16.12-13

 

Later it is said:

apartv aty-ulbaṇaṁ varṣam ati-vātaṁ śilā-mayam

sva-yāge vihate ‘smābhir indro nāśāya varṣati

 

[Kṛṣṇa said to Himself:] Because we have stopped his sacrifice, Indra has caused this unusually fierce, unseasonable rain, together with terrible winds and hail. SB 10.25.15

 

Text 2

tad-abhijño ‘pi bhagavān sarvātmā sarva-darśanaḥ

praśrayāvanato ‘pṛcchad vṛddhān nanda-purogamān

Translation

Being the omniscient Supersoul, Kṛṣṇa, full of all good qualities, with his own purpose of teaching everyone, humbly inquired from the elders, headed by his father, Nanda Mahārāja.

 

Though knowing about this effort, he asked. By their answer he would prescribe an appropriate

 

measure. He knew because he was pervading everywhere (sarvātmā). Or he was the giver of consciousness to all ātmās. Thus he sees everything (sarva-darśaṇaḥ). This was because he was bhagavān, full of all powers.

 

Or because he was sarvātmā and sarvadarśaṇaḥ he engaged them in these acts. He asked because he was full of amazing pastimes (bhagavān).

 

Or he asked because inspires all ātmās (sarvātmā) in order to stop Indra worship and begin Govardhana worship. Why? He saw service to Govardhana, the best servant (sarva-darśaṇaḥ). Why? Because he was bhagavān, endowed with all qualities like affection for his devotees.

 

Or he asked in order to show his intelligence, with skill in questioning about the worship in order to achieve his goal. He asked the elders because they knew. In enlightening them, all would gain the knowledge. Nanda was the chief person. If he understood, all others would.

 

The deep meaning is this. “Nanda is straightforward, most affectionate to me, overcome with love and will never go against my wish. All others are dependent on him. Thus I will ask him primarily.”

 

Text 3

kathyatāṁ me pitaḥ ko ‘yaṁ sambhramo va upāgataḥ

kiṁ phalaṁ kasya voddeśaḥ kena vā sādhyate makhaḥ

Translation

[Lord Kṛṣṇa said:] My dear father, kindly explain to me your flurry of activity which is being done so close at hand. What is it meant to accomplish? How is it for? How and by whom will it be executed?

 

Please tell me. Everyone else knows but I do not know. Tell only me. He showed inexperience in order to please his father. His father would thus listen to him. Or if Nanda told others, he would remain ignorant of the truth and this would serve no purpose. Thus you should tell me. It is also a show of pride, to defeat the sacrifice to Indra. Or he addresses his father with affection so that Nanda will speak truthfully.

 

Why have all of you (vaḥ), not just some, become so busy or agitated? The other meaning of sambhramaḥ is “completely bewildered.” Though it is proper that this flurry of activity should take place far away, it is very close, almost on top of us (upa). Please tell me (verb in next verse) by whom and how the sacrifice will be accomplished?

 

Text 4-5

etad brūhi mahān kāmo mahyaṁ śuśrūṣave pitaḥ

na hi gopyaṁ hi sadhūnāṁ kṛtyaṁ sarvātmanām iha

asty asva-para-dṛṣṭīnām amitrodāsta-vidviṣām

udāsīno ‘ri-vad varjya ātma-vat suhṛd ucyate

Translation

Please tell me about it, O father. I have a great desire to know. Certainly, no secrets are to be kept by saintly personalities, who see Paramātmā everywhere in the universe, who have no conception of “mine” or “another’s” and who do not consider who is a friend, who is an enemy and who is neutral. One who is neutral may be avoided like an enemy, but a friend should be considered like one’s own self.

Commentary

He requests Nanda to tell him twice, to show his desire to hear. “Understand that this will please me.” Or “What is the use of telling you, since you are only a child?” I have a desire to hear. You should fulfill the desires of your son. Or, according to the rule that dharma should be taught to those desiring to hear, you must tell me since I have that desire. By calling his father again, he shows his strong affection. He knew about this sacrifice from previous years but asked out of sarcasm and to show disrespect for Indra. Being uncertain what to say, since Garga had said Kṛṣṇa was equal to Nārāyaṇa and he had killed many powerful demons, Nanda was silent. Kṛṣṇa again spoke to him.

 

Since the devotees do not commit sin, they have no secret activities. The devotees are described by three adjectival phrases. They see Paramātmā everywhere (sarvaṭmanām) in the universe (iha). (They have no conception of “mine” or “another’s” and who do not consider who is a friend, who is an enemy and who is neutral.) Since you have all these qualities you should not hide your activities from me. “If we are engaged in worshipping Indra for our own benefit, how can we see Paramātmā everywhere?” Perhaps you even see with conceptions of “mine and theirs.” But still you should not hide your actions from me. You should exclude those who are indifferent, since the effect of the mantras will be absent. But I am most intimate among all friends as your son and should not be excluded from the secret.

 

Text 6

jñatvājñātvā ca karmāṇi jano ‘yam anutiṣṭhati

viduṣaḥ karma-siddhiḥ syād yathā nāviduṣo bhavet

Translation

When people in this world perform activities like sacrifice or agriculture, sometimes they understand present and future results and sometimes they do not. Those who know achieve success in their work, and accordingly, ignorant people do not.

 

“You are certainly a friend, more than my life, but you are a child and are not qualified for mantras.” This verse answers (I should have knowledge.) People perform activities of agriculture or sacrifice which produce present and future results, with knowledge, or only seeing present results (ajñātvā). Those who know rightly get results (yathā). Or those who know get results and similarly those who do not know do not get results. But in either case the result is small. And the effort is useless in performing pious acts when there is no result at all. Vaktṛ-viśeṣa-niṣpṛhā guṇa-gṛhyā vacane vipaṣcitaḥ: when a speaker is without desire, he is endowed with all good qualities and is wise in speaking. Thus it is proper to perform your actions after consulting with me.

 

Text 7

tatra tāvat kriyā-yogo bhavatāṁ kiṁ vicāritaḥ

atha vā laukikas tan me pṛcchataḥ sādhu bhaṇyatām

Translation

In these actions, have you considered the future results with scriptural proofs or is it merely a local custom? You should clearly explain this to me, since I am asking.

 

“Our ancestors have done this sacrifice. What is the use of deliberating at this time?” Yes, how did this worship start? Having you considered these actions in terms of getting results (tatra). Or have you considered these actions according to knowledge or ignorance of scripture? If it is based on scripture, it can be given up according to scripture and if it is local custom, it can be given up according to local rules. This shows Kṛṣṇa’s wisdom so that they would accept his statements. Please explain this with good logic (sādhu).

 

Text 8

śrī-nanda uvāca

parjanyo bhagavān indro meghās tasyātma-mūrtayaḥ

te ‘bhivarṣanti bhūtānāṁ prīṇanaṁ jīvanaṁ payaḥ

Translation

Nanda Mahārāja replied: Indra is the controller of the rain. The clouds are his personal representatives, and they directly provide rainwater, which gives happiness and sustenance to all creatures.

Commentary

Indra is the controller (bhagavān) by showering rain. The clouds shower water which gives life to grass which is almost dead and which gives satisfaction (prīṇanam).

 

Text 9

taṁ tāta vayam anye ca vārmucāṁ patim īśvaram

dravyais tad-retasā siddhair yajante kratubhir narāḥ

Translation

Not only we, my dear son, but also many other men worship him, the lord and master of the rain-giving clouds. We offer him grain and other paraphernalia of worship produced through his rain.

Commentary

He addresses Kṛṣṇa as tāta out of affection, in order that Kṛṣṇa have faith in his words and understand the meaning. Not only we cowherds worship Indra for cow herding, but all men worship him. ”But the sun is famous for drawing up water by its rays and then releasing water.” Indra is the lord of the clouds and the sun’s rays. Viṣṇu Purāṇa says:

 

bhaumam etat payo dugdhaṁ gobhiḥ sūryasya varidaiḥ

 

parjanyaḥ sarvalokasya bhavāya bhuvi varṣati

 

Indra showers on earth water sucked from the earth by the rays of the sun for the benefit of all beings through clouds.

 

He is the lord of the devatās (īśvaraḥ). If we do not worship him he will create fear. Or, “Being the highest devotees, it is not proper for you to worship devatās.” He is the lord (īśvaram). He has the vision of antaryāmī. It is proper that we worship him first for the good produced by him, without claiming ownership ourselves. Otherwise we will have the fault of ingratitude. The third person is used for the verb as poetic license as in the next verse. Or the third person is used to indicate predominance of worship by all people in order to indicate that he has no fault, since he fears avoiding this worship.

 

Text 10

tac-cheṣeṇopajīvanti tri-varga-phala-hetave

puṁsāṁ puruṣa-kārāṇāṁ parjanyaḥ phala-bhāvanaḥ

Translation

By accepting the remnants of sacrifices performed to Indra, people sustain their lives and accomplish the threefold aims of religiosity, economic development and sense gratification. Thus Indra is the agent responsible for the success of industrious people.

 

“How do we benefit by those offerings?” We sustain our lives by the remnants for attaining artha, dharma and kāma. The worship produces results now and in future lives by taking the remnants. Liberation and bhakti are not mentioned. Or we take the remnants for sustaining life in order to achieve bhakti (phala), otherwise sustaining life is useless. Liberation is not mentioned because they were devotees. Devotees give no respect to liberation since it is an obstacle to bhakti. Results at present in the future are indicated.

 

“We live by agriculture. Why do we need Indra?” Indra produces results for men. Or, “We will achieve all results by human endeavor.” Indra gives the result for man. Results like dharma are achieved by the mercy of the devatās. Without their mercy human efforts are useless and full of obstacles. Without rain, we cannot obtain articles. Without that we cannot have a livelihood. Without that, we have no strength. Without strength, we cannot perform acts of dharma. Thus we should worship Indra.

 

Text 11

ya enaṁ visṛjed dharma paramparyāgataṁ naraḥ

kāmād dveṣād bhayāl lobhāt sa vai nāpnoti śobhanam

Translation

Anyone who rejects this religious principle which is based on sound tradition out of lust, enmity, fear or greed will certainly fail to achieve good fortune.

 

“You are considering things from the point of view of obtaining present results, not from scripture, for Indra is not independent and cannot give results.”

 

Or “Just by herding cows we follow dharma. We are happy grazing the cows on grass in Vṛndāvana. Why do we need Indra?”

 

Or Nanda now explains, “Those who have firm faith in the Lord do not depend on anything else but still it is not proper to give up customs handed down.”

 

One should not reject dharma out of desire for wealth (kāmāt), or out of a desire for other results through other actions, or out of disrespect for Indra if he does not give rain, or out of hatred of devotees, out of fear that one breaks Vaiṣṇava dharma by worshipping devatās, or out of fear of losing wealth or out of fear breaking a promise to a dear one. One should not reject dharma out of greed for position or wealth. The word vā (or) should be added. By giving up dharma one is not forgiven in this life or the next because this path has been enacted at all times (pāramparyāgatam). Vai indicates that it is well known or certain, indicating the speakers certainty.

 

Text 12

śrī-śuka uvāca

vaco niśamya nandasya tathānyeṣāṁ vrajaukasām

indrāya manyuṁ janayan pitaraṁ prāha keśavaḥ

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: When Keśava heard the statements of his father, Nanda, and other senior residents of Vraja, he addressed his father as follows, to arouse anger in Indra.

 

Tathā means “and others.” Others accepted or agreed with him. Or Nanda had the others also hear the answers to the questions in order to that all inhabitants of Vraja understand his conclusion.

 

Or Kṛṣṇa with his the assistants had gone off the forest since they always followed him. In the afternoon, the Lord returned to Vraja and saw the activity and asked.

 

Vimalāmbara-nakṣatre kale cābhyāgato vrajam

 

Dadarśendra-mahārambhāyodyatāṁs tān vrajaukasaḥ

 

He returned to Vraja during an auspicious constellation and saw the people of Vraja arranging for worship of Indra. Viṣṇu Purāṇa

 

Vrajam ājagmatus tau tu vraje śuśruvatus tadā

 

Prāptaṁ śakra-mahaṁ vīrau gopāṁś cotsava-lālasān

 

Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma returned to Vraja and learned that the cowherds were eager to worship of Indra. Hari-vāṁśa

 

Kṛṣṇa spoke to make Indra angry, by speaking karma-vāda, making devaṭās useless, or by stopping the sacrifice. He spoke to his father since he had asked him. Or it was proper to give benefit to him. He spoke excellently, showing many strong points of logic.

 

Keśava means he who gives life (vāti) to Brahmā and Ṣiva or he who predominates over (covers) Brahmā and Śiva (vayate) by his glory or he for whom Brahmā and Śiva stand (vah) as servants. Since unlimited devatās depend on Kṛṣṇa, his making them useless is only an act of his play.

 

Or he broke the pride of Indra by stopping his sacrifice in order to please Brahmā and Śiva.

 

Or Keśava is the presiding deity of Mathurā. He performed this pastime to spread the glory of Mathurā and Govardhana.

 

Text 13

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

karmaṇā jāyate jantuḥ karmaṇaiva pramīyate

sukhaṁ duḥkhaṁ bhayaṁ kṣemaṁ karmaṇaivābhipadyate

Translation

Kṛṣṇa said: It is by the force of karma that a living entity takes birth, and it is by karma alone that he meets his destruction. His happiness, distress, fear and sense of security all arise as the effects of karma.

 

He refutes his father’s words first by taking shelter of karma-vāda, since it is famous everywhere. Beings are born by karma, since by prārabdha karma one receives results in this life. All jivas die (pramiyate) by karma. Another version has vilīyate with the same meaning. While living and in the next life, by karma one experiences happiness etc. and fearlessness (kṣemam). Karma is the cause, but the word is repeated for emphasis.

 

Text 14

asti ced īśvaraḥ kaścit phala-rūpy anya-karmaṇām

kartāraṁ bhajate so ‘pi na hy akartuḥ prabhur hi saḥ

Translation

Even if there is some supreme controller who awards all others the results of their activities, he must also depend upon a performer’s engaging in activity since it is not possible to give results without the performer.

Commentary

If a Lord who gives results (phala-rūpī) exists, he follows after the performer of action since he gives results according to the performer’s actions. This is emphasized by stating it in the opposite way. This is because (hi) it is not possible to give results without the performer.

 

Text 15

kim indreṇeha bhūtānāṁ sva-sva-karmānuvartinām

anīśenānyathā kartuṁ svabhāva-vihitaṁ nṛṇām

Translation

Living beings in this world are forced to experience the consequences of their own particular actions. What can useless Indra do to change the natures of humans?

 

Nābhuktaṁ kṣīyate karma: without experiencing it, karma cannot be destroyed. Because one must experience one’s prārabdha karmas, everyone follows karma. Though men can overcome their natures by discriminating knowledge, still they cannot change their karma. What to speak of others.

 

Text 16

svabhāva-tantro hi janaḥ svabhāvam anuvartate

svabhāva-stham idaṁ sarvaṁ sa-devāsura-mānuṣam

.

Translation

Every individual is under the control of his own conditioned nature, and thus he must follow that nature. This entire universe, with all its devatās, demons and human beings, is based on the conditioned nature of the living entities.

Commentary

The devatās are mentioned specifically to show that, in spite of having the ability to discriminate, even they are subject to their natures and cannot surpass them.

 

Text 17

dehān uccāvacāñ jantuḥ prāpyotsṛjati karmaṇā

śatrur mitram udāsīnaḥ karmaiva gurur īśvaraḥ

Translation

Because it is action that causes the conditioned living entity to accept and then give up different high-and low-grade material bodies, action is his enemy, friend and neutral witness, his teacher and controlling lord.

Commentary

Living entities accept and give up bodies by previous actions. One’s action sometimes shows itself to be the enemy, sometimes becomes the friend and sometimes is neutral. “Since there is no inclination to action without knowledge, one will need a teacher to obtain knowledge.” Action is the teacher since without good karma one cannot attain a teacher and since without good karma results cannot be accomplished, even having attained instructions. “Since action is without consciousness, the giver of results must be the Lord.” Actions is the Lord since even the Lord follows after action, that being the power of action.

 

Text 18

tasmāt sampūjayet karma svabhāva-sthaḥ sva-karma-kṛt

anjasā yena varteta tad evāsya hi daivatam

Translation

Because action is the teacher and controller, situated in one’s nature one spontaneously acts. Therefore one should worship work itself, since that by which one can live comfortably is one’s deity.

 

Since action is the teacher and the controller (tasmāt), by impressions in one’s nature, action is produced spontaneously (sva). This firmly rejects the inspiration of antaryāmī. Or one becomes absorbed in action in order to accomplish.

 

Or absorb yourself in action in order to create the impressions or nature. “Karma should be worshipped according to previous impressions (svabhāva). Why should there be a rule to worship karma?” Thinking that everything is caused by action, one should perform one’s action (sva-karma-kṛt) (and that will situate a person in his svabhāva). By absorption in something else results cannot be achieved, because the action is incomplete. Action is necessary. (That is the worship).

 

Or doing one’s actions according to one’s nature according to guṇas, one should simply worship action, not devatās controlling one’s nature. Or by rejecting going beyond one’s nature and attempting to learn someone else’s duties (svabhāva-sthaḥ) worship of work is shown to be superior to worship of devatās. Being situated in one’s nature and performing one’s duty is real worship.

 

Or one should worship work because one is dependent on impressions (saṁskāras) and saṁskāras arise from actions or duties. Then one can enjoy the results of action (sva-karma-kṛt). That worship which allows one to live is proper. Therefore it is then said that one should perform action because (hi) that which allows one to live comfortably is one’s (asya) deity.

 

Text 19

ājīvyaikataraṁ bhāvaṁ yas tv anyam upajīvati

na tasmād vindate kṣemaṁ jārān nāry asatī yathā

Translation

If one thing is actually sustaining our life but we take shelter of something else, how can we achieve any real benefit? We would be like an unfaithful woman, who can never achieve any actual benefit by consorting with her paramour.

 

If we sustain our life by one means, but try to subsist by another means for enjoyment, because of that or from that other method (tasmāt), we gain no happiness or auspiciousness. Therefore we should worship the cows because they support our lives and we should worship Govardhana because it supports the cows. Thus worshipping Indra is rejected (verse 8). After that it was said that the clouds give rain. That conclusion is also rejected since it is related to worship of Indra.

 

Text 20

varteta brahmaṇā vipro rājanyo rakṣayā bhuvaḥ