rule


 

Canto 1

Pańca Tattva

 

Chapter 3: Krishna is the Source of All Incarnations

(1) Sūta said: "In the beginning the Supreme Lord, for the creation of the worlds, assumed the form of the Original Person[: the integrity of the material realm] composed of the sixteen elements [of the ten knowing and working senses, the mind and the five elements] and the cosmic intelligence and such. (2) Resting in His meditative slumber in that water, out of the lotus that spread from the lake of His navel, Brahmā manifested, the master of the progenitors in the universe. (3) One supposes the different worlds [as expansions] to be part of the form of the Fortunate One that constitutes the excellence of the purest existence. (4) In a perfect [spiritual] vision His form is seen as having numerous legs, thighs, arms and faces, with wonderful heads, ears, eyes and noses, all glowing with countless garlands, earrings and dresses. (5) This source of the multifarious incarnations is the imperishable seed from which the plenary portions originate, as also the portions thereof, such as the gods, the human beings and the animals."

(6) "
The first position the godhead [Nārāyaa] created, was that 0f the sons of Brahmā [the Kumāras] who performed the most difficult discipline of continuous celibacy. (7) The Supreme Enjoyer secondly assumed the form of a boar, for the welfare of the earth which had sunken to the lowest regions, and lifted her up [from the ocean]. (8) Thirdly He accepted His presence among the seers [in the form of Nārada Muni] for the sake of evolving the Vedic knowledge concerning the performance of devotional service free from material motives. (9) Fourth, born as the twin sons of [Mūrti] the wife of king Dharma, He in the form of Nara-Nārāyana subjected Himself to severe penances to attain control over the senses. (10) Fifth He, carrying the name of Kapila, gave an exposition to the brahmin Āsuri on the nature of metaphysics and the elements of creation, because in the course of time that knowledge had been lost. (11) Sixth as the son of Atri [named Dattātreya] being born from Anasūyā who prayed for Him, He lectured to Alarka, Prahlāda and others about transcendence. (12) Seventh being born from Ākūti as Yajńa, the son of Prajāpati Ruci, He together with His son Yama and other demigods, ruled during the period of Svāyambhuva Manu [and became the Indra]. (13) Eighth, from the wife of King Nābhi, Merudevī, the Almighty Lord took birth as King Rishabha and showed the path of perfection respected by people of all stages of life. (14) His ninth incarnation He accepted in response to the prayers of the sages, whereupon He [as Prithu] ruled the earth for the sake of collecting ['milking'] her produces, which made her most attractive. (15) Assuming the form of a fish [Mātsya], He after the period of Cākshusha Manu protected Vaivasvata Manu, keeping him in a boat afloat the waters when the world was deeply inundated. (16) Eleventh the mighty Lord in the form of a tortoise [Kurma]  sustained the Mandarācala Hill of the theists and atheists that served as a pivot in the ocean. (17) Twelfth He appeared as Dhanvantari [Lord of medicine] and thirteenth He appeared before the atheists as an alluring beautiful woman and gave nectar to the demigods. (18) In His fourteenth incarnation He, half as a lion, appeared as Nrisimha, who with His nails on His lap tore apart the king of the atheists like a carpenter splitting cane. (19) Fifteenth He assumed the form of Vāmana [the dwarf brāhmana] who went to the arena of sacrifice of Mahārāja Bali to beg for only three steps of land, concealing His wish to regain the three worlds. (20) In His sixteenth incarnation He [as Bhrigupati or Paras'urāma] saw that the ruling class was hostile towards the brahmins and acted twenty-one times against them. (21) Seeing that the common people were less intelligent He, seventeenth, incarnated as Vyāsadeva, taking birth from Satyavatī with Parās'ara Muni as His father, for the purpose of dividing the desire tree of the Veda into several branches. (22) Next He performed in a superhuman way having assumed the form of a divine human being [Rāma], by controlling the Indian Ocean and such, so that He could act for the sake of the godly souls. (23) Nineteenth as also twentieth Bhagavān took birth in the Vrishni family as Balarāma and Krishna and thus removed the burden from the world. (24) Thereafter, at the beginning of the Age of Kali, He will appear in Gayā [Bihar] as the son of [mother] Ańjanā with the name Buddha, for the purpose of deluding the ones envious of the theists [*]. (25) Next, at the conjunction of two yugas [this one and the next], when there is hardly a ruler to be found who is not a plunderer, the Lord of the Creation, carrying the name of Kalki, will take birth as the son of Vishnu Yas'ā." [**]
 
(26)
"Dear brahmins, the incarnations of the Lord, who appeared from the ocean of goodness, are as innumerable as the thousands of streams we have from inexhaustible sources of water. (27) All the powerful sages, the godly souls, the Manus and their progeny as also the Prajāpatis [the founding fathers] are aspects of the Lord. (28) They are all part of  - or plenary portions of - Krishna, the Supreme Lord [Bhagavān] in person, who offers protection during all ages and in all worlds against disturbances because of the enemies of the king of heaven [Indra]. (29) Anyone who in the morning and the evening carefully recites these mysterious births of the Lord, will find relief from all miseries of life. (30) All these forms of the Lord that by the qualities of the material energy were created with the ingredients of the cosmic intelligence and other elements, originated from His Self-awareness that is without a form. (31) They are there for the less intelligent observer to be perceived the way one sees clouds in the sky or dust in the air. (32) This unmanifested Self in the beyond that cannot be seen or heard and has no form that is affected by the modes of nature, constitutes the reality of the subtle self [of the individual soul] who takes birth repeatedly. (33) As soon as one by self-knowledge arrives at the rejection of all these gross and subtle forms that impose themselves on the soul because of ignorance, one arrives at the realization of the Absolute Truth. (34) With the illusory energy subsided one is endowed with the full knowledge of enlightenment, so that one thus being mindful will be situated in one's own glory. (35) This is how the scholars arrived at the description of the birth and activities of the actually unborn and non-engaged Lord of the Heart; it is the hidden meaning of the Vedas. (36) Residing within every living being He is the omnipotent master and witness of the six qualities [the six objects of the senses and the mind] and opulences [bhaga], whose play is spotless, who is independent and not affected by creation, destruction and maintenance. (37) Because of His expert manipulations His activities, names and forms cannot be understood by the speculations and speeches of those with a poor fund of knowledge, just like fools cannot understand an actor's performance. (38) Only he who renders unconditional, uninterrupted, favorable service to His fragrant lotus feet, may know the transcendental glories of the all-powerful Creator with the wheel of the chariot in His hand. (39) When one in this world succeeds in thus being cognizant with the Personality of Godhead, who embraces all His universes as their Lord and who inspires for the complete of the spirit of ecstasy, one will never again have to experience there the dreadful repetition [of births]."

(40) "
This book, called the Bhāgavatam, about the activities of the One Hailed in the Verses [the Fortunate One, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krishna and His devotees] that as a supplement to the Vedas [a Purāna] was compiled by the seer of God [Vyāsadeva], is there for the ultimate good of bringing success, happiness and perfection to all people. (41) This story, which as the cream from all the Vedic literatures and histories was extracted by S'rīla Vyāsadeva, he delivered to his son who is the most respectable one among the self-realized souls. (42) He [S'uka] in his turn told it to emperor Parīkchit who, surrounded by the greatest sages, sat down at the Ganges to fast until his death. (43) Now that Krishna has left for His abode and with Him also proper conduct and spiritual insight have vanished, this Purāna bright as the sun has appeared at the horizon for the sake of everyone who in the Age of Quarrel [Kali-yuga] has lost his vision. (44) Oh brahmins, when the story was recited there by that powerful great sage, I, being perfectly attentive by his mercy, also managed to understand it, so that I will now relate it to you also, exactly as I learned it free from deviations by my own mind."

 

Read the inspiration to this chapter by Anand Aadhar.

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 Third revised edition, loaded january 3, 2023. 

 

 

 

Previous Aadhar edition and Vedabase links:


Text 1

Sūta said: "In the beginning the Supreme Lord, for the creation of the worlds, assumed the form of the Original Person[: the integrity of the material realm] composed of the sixteen elements [of the ten knowing and working senses, the mind and the five elements] and the cosmic intelligence and such.

Sūta said: "In the beginning assumed the Supreme Lord, for the creation of the worlds, the form of the Original Person[: the integrity of the material realm] composed of the sixteen elements [of the ten knowing and working senses, the mind and the five elements] and the cosmic intelligence and such. (Vedabase)

 

Text 2

Resting in His meditative slumber in that water, out of the lotus that spread from the lake of His navel, Brahmā manifested, the master of the progenitors in the universe.

Resting in His meditative slumber was in that water, out of the lotus that spread from the lake of His navel, Brahmā manifested, the master of the progenitors in the universe. (Vedabase)

 

Text 3

One supposes the different worlds [as expansions] to be part of the form of the Fortunate One that constitutes the excellence of the purest existence.

One believes the different worlds [as expansions] to be part of the form of the Fortunate One, that truly is the excellence of the purest existence. (Vedabase)
 
Text 4

In a perfect [spiritual] vision His form is seen as having numerous legs, thighs, arms and faces, with wonderful heads, ears, eyes and noses, all glowing with countless garlands, earrings and dresses.

His form seen perfectly thus has numerous legs, thighs, arms and faces, with wonderful heads, ears, eyes and noses, all glowing with garlands and dresses. (Vedabase)

 

Text 5

This source of the multifarious incarnations is the imperishable seed from which the plenary portions originate as also the portions thereof, such as the gods, the human beings and the animals."

This multifarious source of the incarnations is the imperishable seed from which the plenary portions and portions thereof again, the gods, the human beings and the animals, originate. (Vedabase)

 

Text 6

"The first position the godhead [Nārāyaa] created, was that 0f the sons of Brahmā [the Kumāras] who performed the most difficult discipline of continuous celibacy.

First were the sons of Brahmā [the Kumāras] disciplined in austerity for the realization of continuation. (Vedabase)

 

Text 7

The Supreme Enjoyer secondly assumed the form of a boar, for the welfare of the earth which had sunken to the lowest regions, and lifted her up [from the ocean].

Incarnated next for the sake of its welfare, He, like a boar, lifted the world from the lower regions.  (Vedabase) 

 

Text 8

Thirdly He accepted His presence among the seers [in the form of Nārada Muni] for the sake of evolving the Vedic knowledge concerning the performance of devotional service free from material motives.

Thirdly He accepted His presence among the learned [rishis as Nārada Muni] for the sake of evolving vedic knowledge for service in devotion without further material motives. (Vedabase)

 

Text 9

Fourth born as the twin sons of [Mūrti] the wife of king Dharma He in the form of Nara-Nārāyaṇa subjected Himself to severe penances to attain control over the senses.

Fourth born as the twin sons of king Dharma in the form of Nara-Nārāyana He underwent severe penances to attain control over the senses. (Vedabase)

 

Text 10

Fifth He, carrying the name of Kapila, gave an exposition to the brahmin Āsuri on the nature of metaphysics and the elements of creation, because in the course of time that knowledge had been lost.

Fifth with the name of Kapila He gave an exposition to the brahmin Āsuri on the nature of metaphysics and the elements of creation because in the course of time the knowledge was lost. (Vedabase)

 

Text 11

Sixth as the son of Atri [named Dattātreya] being born from Anasūyā who prayed for Him, He lectured to Alarka, Prahlāda and others about transcendence.

Sixth, born as the son of Atri from Anasūyā who prayed for Him, He lectured to Alarka, Prahlāda and others about the transcendental. (Vedabase)

 

Text 12

Seventh being born from Ākūti as Yajńa, the son of Prajāpati Ruci, He together with His son Yama and other demigods, ruled during the period of Svāyambhuva Manu [and became the Indra].

Seventh born from Ākūti as Yajń'a, the son of Prajāpati Ruci He, assisted by the godly, ruled over the change of the period of Svāyambhuva Manu together with His son Yama and others. (Vedabase)

 

Text 13

Eighth, from the wife of King Nābhi, Merudevī, the Almighty Lord took birth as King Rishabha and showed the path of perfection respected by people of all stages of life.

Eighth, from the wife of King Nābhi, Merudevī, He took birth as King Rishabha and showed the path of perfection respected by people of all stages of life. (Vedabase)

 

Text 14

His ninth incarnation He accepted in response to the prayers of the sages, whereupon He [as Prithu] ruled the earth for the sake of collecting ['milking'] her produces, which made her most attractive.

Accepting His ninth incarnation from prayers by the sages, He ruled [as Prithu] the earth for the sake of its cultivation and produces, which made it beautifully attractive. (Vedabase)


Text 15

Assuming the form of a fish [Mātsya], He after the period of Cākshusha Manu protected Vaivasvata Manu, keeping him in a boat afloat the waters when the world was deeply inundated.

Like a fish [Mātsya] in the water He kept Vaivasvata Manu after the period of Cākshusha Manu on a boat of protection afloat the waters when the world was deeply inundated. (Vedabase

 

Text 16

Eleventh the mighty Lord in the form of a tortoise [Kurma] sustained the Mandarācala Hill of the theists and atheists that served as a pivot in the ocean.

Eleventh as a tortoise [Kurma] He sustained the Mandarācala Hill of the theists and atheists which served as a pivot in the ocean. (Vedabase)

 

Text 17

Twelfth He appeared as Dhanvantari [Lord of medicine] and thirteenth He appeared before the atheists as an alluring beautiful woman and gave nectar to the demigods.

Twelfth was Dhanvantari [Lord of medicine] and thirteenth He appeared as an alluring beautiful woman to the atheists while giving nectar to the godly. (Vedabase)

 

Text 18

In His fourteenth incarnation He, half as a lion, appeared as Nrisimha, who with His nails  on His lap tore apart the king of the atheists like a carpenter splitting cane.

His fourteenth incarnation He appeared as Nrisimha, who with His nails half as a Lion on His lap tore apart the king of the atheists like a carpenter does cane.  (Vedabase)

 

Text 19

Fifteenth He assumed the form of Vāmana [the dwarf brāhmana] who went to the arena of sacrifice of Mahārāja Bali to beg for only three steps of land, concealing His wish to regain the three worlds.

Fifteenth He assumed the form of Vāmana [the dwarf-brāhmana] who, from the arena of sacrifice of Mahārāja Bali, begged only for three steps of land, while at heart willing to return to the kingdom of the three worlds. (Vedabase)

 

Text 20

In His sixteenth incarnation He [as Bhrigupati or Paras'urāma] saw that the ruling class was hostile towards the brahmins and acted twenty-one times against them.

In His sixteenth incarnation [as Bhrigupati or Paras'urāma] He acted twenty-one times against the ruling class that negated the intelligentsia. (Vedabase)

 

Text 21

Seeing that the common people were less intelligent He, seventeenth, incarnated as Vyāsadeva taking birth from Satyavatī with Parās'ara Muni as His father, for the purpose of dividing the desire tree of the Veda into several branches.

Seeing the common people as being less intelligent He seventeenth incarnated as Vyāsadeva from Satyavatī by Parās'ara Muni, to divide the desire tree of the Veda into several branches. (Vedabase)

 

Text 22

Next He performed in a superhuman way having assumed the form of a divine human being [Rāma], by controlling the Indian Ocean and such, so that He could act for the sake of the godly souls.

Next He performed superhuman in controlling the Indian Ocean having assumed the form of a divine human being [Rāma] in order to act for the sake of the godly. (Vedabase)


Text 23

Nineteenth as also twentieth Bhagavān took birth in the Vrishni family as Balarāma and Krishna and thus removed the burden from the world.

Nineteenth as well as twentieth He appeared as Balarāma and Krishna from the Vrishni-family and thus Bhagavān removed the burden from the world. (Vedabase)

 

Text 24

Thereafter, at the beginning of the Age of Kali, He will appear in Gayā [Bihar] as the son of [mother] Ańjanā with the name Buddha, for the purpose of deluding the ones envious of the theists [*].

Thereafter in the Age of Kali His birth as Lord Buddha from Ańjanā in Gayā will take place in order to delude the ones envious with the theists. (Vedabase)

 

Text 25

Next, at the conjunction of two yugas [this one and the next], when there is hardly a ruler to be found who is not a plunderer, the Lord of the Creation carrying the name of Kalki will take birth as the son of Vishnu Yas'ā." [**]

Following that at the conjunction of two Yugas when there is hardly a ruler found that is not a plunderer, the Lord of Creation will take birth with the name of Kalki as the son of Vishnu Yas'ā.  (Vedabase)

 

Text 26

"Dear brahmins, the incarnations of the Lord, who appeared from the ocean of goodness, are as innumerable as the thousands of streams we have from inexhaustible sources of water.

O twice-born, from the ocean of goodness are the incarnations of the Lord as innumerable as the thousands of streams found from the lakes. (Vedabase)

 

Text 27

All the powerful sages, the godly souls, the Manus and their progeny as also the Prajāpatis [the founding fathers] are aspects of the Lord.

All the powerful sages, the godly, the Manus and their progeny, as well as the Prajāpatis [founding fathers] are aspects of the Lord. (Vedabase)

 

Text 28

They are all part of - or plenary portions of - Krishna, the Supreme Lord [Bhagavān] in person, who offers protection during all ages and in all worlds against disturbances because of the enemies of the king of heaven [Indra].

All these are part of Lord Krishna, the Supreme Lord [Bhagavān] in person who gives protection in all ages and worlds against the enemies of the king of heaven [Indra]. (Vedabase)

 

Text 29

Anyone who in the morning and the evening carefully recites these mysterious births of the Lord, will find relief from all miseries of life.

Those who in the morning and the evening carefully recite these mysterious births of the Lord, will find relief from all miseries of life. (Vedabase)

 

Text 30

All these forms of the Lord that by the qualities of the material energy were created with the ingredients of the cosmic intelligence and other elements, originated from His Self-awareness that is without a form.

All these forms of the Lord are certainly of the one without a form that is transcendental; they came about in the self from the modes of the material energy with its elements. (Vedabase)

 

Text 31

They are there for the less intelligent observer to be perceived the way one sees clouds in the sky or dust in the air.

To the less intelligent seer they are as clouds in the sky and dust in the air in order to perceive.(Vedabase)

 

Text 32

This unmanifested Self in the beyond that cannot be seen or heard and has no form that is affected by the modes of nature, constitutes the reality of the subtle self [of the individual soul] who takes birth repeatedly.

This unmanifested beyond, which is without a form that is affected by the modes of nature and is alike that what is unseen and unheard - thąt is the living being that takes birth repeatedly. (Vedabase)

 

Text 33

As soon as one by self-knowledge arrives at the rejection of all these gross and subtle forms that impose themselves on the soul because of ignorance, one arrives at the realization of the Absolute Truth.

Whenever one realizes that all these gross and subtle forms originate from the ignorance in the self, at that time is one in association with the divine. (Vedabase)


Text 34

With the illusory energy subsided one is endowed with the full knowledge of enlightenment, so that one thus being mindful will be situated in one's own glory.

With the illusory energy subsided there is enrichment with the full knowledge of enlightenment and knowing in the glories of the self. (Vedabase)

 

Text 35

This is how the scholars arrived at the description of the birth and activities of the actually unborn and non-engaged Lord of the Heart; it is the hidden meaning of the Vedas.

Thus the inactive unborn Lord of the Heart with His births and activities has been described by the learned as being undetectable even in the Vedas. (Vedabase)


Text 36

Residing within every living being He is the omnipotent master and witness of the six qualities [the  six objects of the senses and the mind] and opulences [bhaga], whose play is spotless, who is independent and not affected by creation, destruction and maintenance.

Being within every living being He, the omnipotent master of the senses whose play is spotless, is independent and unaffected by creation, destruction and maintenance. (Vedabase)

 

Text 37

Because of His expert manipulations His activities, names and forms cannot be understood by the speculations and speeches of those with a poor fund of knowledge, just like fools cannot understand an actor's performance.

Acting like an actor in a drama, can by His manipulations the ones with little knowledge not know Him in His activities, names and forms by means of speculation and oration. (Vedabase)

 

Text 38

Only he who renders unconditional, uninterrupted, favorable service to His fragrant lotus feet, may know the transcendental glories of the all-powerful Creator with the wheel of the chariot in His hand.

Only he can know of the transcendental glories of the Creator all-powerful with the wheel of the chariot in His hand, who renders unconditional, uninterrupted, favorable service to His fragrant lotus feet. (Vedabase)

 

Text 39

When one in this world succeeds in thus being cognizant with the Personality of Godhead, who embraces all His universes as their Lord and who inspires for the complete of the spirit of ecstasy, one will never again have to experience there the dreadful repetition [of births]."

In this world one can be successful if one knows in full about the Personality of Godhead who embraces all of His universes and inspires for the complete of the spirit of ecstasy in which one will never find the dreaded repetitions of the worldly interest." (Vedabase)


Text 40

"This book, called the Bhāgavatam, about the activities of the One Hailed in the Verses [the Fortunate One, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krishna and His devotees] that as a supplement to the Vedas [a Purāna] was compiled by the seer of God [Vyāsadeva], is there for the ultimate good of bringing success, happiness and perfection to all people.

This book about the story of the Personality of Godhead and His devotees compiled by the wise man of God is, as a supplement to the Vedas, there for the ultimate good of all people, bringing success, happiness and perfection. (Vedabase)

 

Text 41

This story, which as the cream from all the Vedic literatures and histories was extracted by S'rīla Vyāsadeva, he delivered to his son who is the most respectable one among the self-realized souls.

S'rīla Vyāsadeva delivered it, as the cream extracted from all the Vedic literatures and histories, to his son, the most respectable among the self-realized. (Vedabase)


Text 42

He [S'uka] in his turn told it to emperor Parīkchit who, surrounded by the greatest sages, sat down at the Ganges to fast until his death.

He on his turn spoke it to emperor Parīkchit who sat at the Ganges surrounded by the wise in penance until his death. (Vedabase)

 

Text 43

Now that Krishna has left for His abode and with Him also proper conduct and spiritual insight have vanished, this Purāna bright as the sun has appeared at the horizon for the sake of everyone who in the Age of Quarrel [Kali-yuga] has lost his vision.

With Krishna having left for His abode along with the proper conduct and its spiritual insight, has now this purāna bright as the sun risen for all the persons who in the Age of Quarrel [Kali-yuga] have lost their vision. (Vedabase)

 

Text 44

Oh brahmins, when the story was recited there by that powerful great sage, I, being perfectly attentive by his mercy, also managed to understand it, so that I will now relate it to you also, exactly as I learned it free from deviations by my mind."

When I heard the story from that powerful great sage, I as well managed to understand it, being perfectly attentive by his mercy, so that I can also tell it to you from my own realization." (Vedabase)

 
*: The paramparā adds here that even though Lord Buddha rejected Vedic knowledge and the Supreme Lord, that was just an act of camouflage He engaged in because of those who were envious of the devotees. "Both Lord Buddha and Ācārya S'ankara paved the path of theism, and Vaishnava ācāryas, specifically Lord S'rī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, led the people on the path towards a realization of going back to Godhead."

**: In canto 2 chapter 7 there is also a discussion of the avatāras of the Supreme Personality. In this abbreviated list in this chapter Vyāsadeva is mentioned as the seventeenth incarnation before the one of Rāma, while he is mentioned in 2.7 after the appearance of Krishna. The chronological order of the position of Vyāsa seems to be odd here, for, as a contemporary of Krishna, his incarnation would have taken place after the one of Rāma. But sometimes great incarnations are presented as eternal personalities appearing in different times and ages with the same name.



 

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