SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM: CANTO 2

S'rî S'ukadeva said: "For the intelligent among men, I have given you all the answers in response to the inquiring of your good self about the human being on the threshold of death.

S'rî S'ukadeva said: 'For the intelligent among men, I have given you all the answers in response to the inquiring of your good self about the human being on the threshold of death. (Vedabase)

Text 2-7

They who desire the luster of the Absolute worship the master of the Vedas [Brihaspati]; Indra, the king of heaven is there for the ones desiring the strength of the senses [sex] and the Prajâpatis [the strong progenitors] are there for those who desire offspring. The goddess [Durgâ] is there for those who desire the beauty of the material world, the fire god is there for the ones desiring power, for wealth there are the Vasus [a type of demigod] and the incarnations of Rudra [Lord S'iva] are there for those who wish strength and heroism. For a good harvest the mother of the demigods Aditi is worshiped, desiring heaven one worships her sons, for those desiring royal riches there are the Vis'vadeva demigods and to be of commercial success there are the Sâdhya gods. The As'vinîs [two demigod brothers] are there for the ones desiring longevity, for a strong body mother earth is worshiped and those who want to maintain their position and be renown respect the goddesses of the earth and the heavens. Aspiring beauty there are the heavenly Gandharvas, those who want a good wife seek the girls of the heavenly society [the Apsaras and Urvas'îs] and anyone who wants to dominate others is bound to the worship of Brahmâ, the head of the Universe. Yajña, the Lord of Sacrifice is worshiped for tangible fame and for a good bank balance Varuna, the treasurer, is sought. But those who desire to learn, worship S'iva himself while for a good marriage his chaste wife Umâ is honored.

The ones who desire for the luster of the absolute worship the master of the Vedas; Indra, the King of Heaven is for the ones desiring strength of the senses [sex] and the Prajâpatis [the strong progenitors] are for those who desire offspring. The goddess [Durgâ] is for those desiring after the beauty of the material world, the firegod for the ones desiring power, for wealth there are the Vasus [a type of demigod] and the incarnations of Rudra [Lord S'iva] are for those wishing for strength and heroism. For a good harvest the mother of the demigods Aditi is worshiped, desiring heaven one worships her sons, for those desiring royal riches there are the Vis'vadeva demigods and for a commercial success there are the Sâdhya gods. The As'vinî's [two brother demigods] are for the desire for longevity, for a strong body the earth is worshiped and those who want to maintain their position and be renown respect their environment up to the horizon. Aspiring beauty there are the heavenly Gandharva's, those who want a good wife seek the girls of the heavenly society [the Apsaras and Urvasîs] and everybody who wants to dominate over others is bound to the worship of Brahmâ, the head of the Universe. Yajna, the Lord of Sacrifice is worshiped for tangible fame and for a good bank balance Varuna the treasurer is sought. But those who desire to learn worship S'iva himself while for a good marriage his chaste wife Umâ is honored. (Vedabase)

Text 8

For spiritual progress the supreme truth [Lord Vishnu and His devotees] is worshiped, for offspring and their care one seeks the ancestral [the residents of Pitriloka], pious persons are sought by those who seek protection, while the demigods in general are there for the less common desires.

Thus for spiritual progress the supreme truth [Lord Vishnu and His devotees] is worshiped, for offspring and their protection one seeks the ancestral [the residents of Pitriloka], pious persons are sought by those seeking protection while the demigods in general are for the less common desires. (Vedabase)

Text 9

The godly Manus [the fathers of mankind] are there for those desiring a kingdom, but the demons are sought for defeating enemies. The ones desiring sense gratification are bound to the moon [Candra], while those who are free from desire worship the Supreme Personality in the beyond.

The godly Manu's [the fathers of mankind] are for those desiring a kingdom, but the demons are sought for defeating enemies. The ones desiring sense gratification are bound to the moon [Candra], while those who are free from desire worship the Supreme Personality beyond. (Vedabase)

Text 10

Whether he is free from desire, is full of it or else desires liberation, someone who has a broader outlook with all his heart should worship in devotional service [bhakti-yoga] the Original Personality of God, the Supreme One.

Whether free from desire, full of it or desiring liberation, the person with a broader intelligence should with all his heart worship in devotional service [bhakti-yoga] the Original Personality of God, the Supreme Whole. (Vedabase)

Text 11

All these types of worshipers for sure develop, in their worship of the highest benediction in this life, through association with His pure devotees unflinching, spontaneous attraction to the Supreme Lord.

All these types of worshipers surely develop, worshiping the highest benediction in this life, unflinching spontaneous attraction to the Supreme Lord through the association with His pure devotees. (Vedabase)

Text 12

The knowledge leading to the limit of the complete withdrawal from the whirlpool of the material modes, gives the satisfaction of the soul, which in the transcendence of being detached from these modes, carries the blessings of the path of bhakti yoga. Who, absorbed in the narrations about the Lord would not act upon this attraction?"

The knowledge leading to the limit of the complete withdrawal from the whirlpool of the material modes gives the satisfaction of the soul, which to the transcendence in detachment of these modes, carries the blessings of the path of bhakti yoga. Who, absorbed in the narrations about the Lord would not act on this attraction?" (Vedabase)

Text 13

S'aunaka said: "What is it that the king, the ruler of Bharata, after hearing all of this, wanted to know more from the son of Vyâsadeva, the poetic wise?

S'aunaka said: "What did the king, the ruler of Bharata, after hearing all this, want to know more from the son of Vyâsadeva, the poetic wise? (Vedabase)

Text 14

Oh learned Sûta, explain those topics to us who are eager to hear about it, for in an assembly of devotees those talks are welcome that lead to the narrations about the Lord.

O learned Sûta, explain to us, who are eager to hear about it, these topics that lead to the narrations about the Lord that certainly are welcome in the assembly of the devotees. (Vedabase)

Text 15

He, the king, that grandson of the Pândavas, was no doubt a great devotee, a great fighter who playing with dolls as a child enacted the activities of Lord Krishna.

He, the king, was surely a great devotee, that grandson of the Pândava's; a great fighter who playing with dolls as a child enacted in acceptance the activities of Lord Krishna. (Vedabase)

Text 16

And thus it must also have been so - there in the presence of all those devotees - with the son of Vyâsadeva who, in his attachment to the Supreme Lord Vâsudeva who is glorified by so many souls, had all the great qualities for it.

And also the son of Vyâsadeva, must have been there, in the presence of the devotees, because of his great qualities in his attachment to the Supreme Lord Vâsudeva who is glorified by the philosophers. (Vedabase)

Text 17

Except for the one who spends his time on the topics about the One who is discussed in the supreme scriptural truth, the rising and setting sun is but decreasing the lives of the people.

Except for with the one who spends his time on the topics about the One of the Supreme scriptural truth, decreases the duration of life of the people certainly by the rising and setting of the sun. (Vedabase)

Text 18

Aren't the trees also living, are the blacksmith's bellows not breathing as well and are the beasts all around us not also eating and procreating?

Aren't the trees alive, do the blacksmith's bellows not breathe and do the beasts all around not eat and procreate? (Vedabase)

Text 19

A person whose ear never reached the holy name of the One who delivers us from all evil is just as praiseworthy as a dog, a hog, an ass or a camel.

A person is perfectly praised as being animalistic like a dog, a hog, an ass or a camel if the holy name of the deliverer of all evils never reached his ear. (Vedabase)

Text 20

The ears of a man who never heard of Vishnu, the One of giant progress, are like those of snakes and also the tongues of those who never sang aloud the songs of worth are as useless as those of frogs.

The ears of a man who never heard of Vishnu, the One of giant progress, are like those of snakes and the tongues also of those who never sung aloud the songs of worth are just as useless as those of frogs. (Vedabase)

Text 21

Even carrying a heavy silk turban, the upper part of the body is just a burden, when that body never bows down to Mukunda [Krishna granting liberation]; just like hands not engaged in the worship of the Lord are alike those of a dead body, even though they are decorated with glittering golden bangles.

Dressed with a heavy silk turban, even the upper part of the body is just a burden never bowing down to Mukunda [Krishna granting liberation] just like hands that are not engaged in the worship of the Lord are as those of a dead body, even though decorated with glittering golden bangles. (Vedabase)

Text 22

Like the eyes on the plumes of a peacock the eyes of those men are who do not look upon the forms of Vishnu and like the roots of trees the feet of those human beings are who never went for the holy places of the Lord.

Like the eyes on the plumes of a peacock are the eyes of those men who do not look upon the forms of Vishnu and their legs are of the wood of trees if they never went for the holy places of the Lord. (Vedabase)

Text 23

Dead while being alive the mortals are who never personally received the dust of the feet of pure devotees and a descendant of Manu [a man] is but a dead breathing body when he has never experienced the wealth of the aroma of tulsî leaves of Lord Vishnu's lotus feet.

Dead alive are the mortals who never in particular received the dust of the feet of pure devotees and while breathing a descendant of Manu [a man] is still a dead body when he has never experienced the wealth of the aroma of tulsi-leaves of Lord Vishnu's lotus feet. (Vedabase)

Text 24

Certainly that heart is steel-framed which, in spite of being absorbed in chanting the name of the Lord, is not transformed by the emotions of therewith having tears in one's eyes and hairs standing on end.

Certainly the heart is steelframed which, in spite of chanting the name of the Lord in concentration, does not change while experiencing the reaction of tears in the eyes and hairs standing on end. (Vedabase)

Text 25

Oh Sûta Gosvâmî, you express yourself in favorable terms, so please explain what transcendental knowledge the expertly leading S'ukadeva Gosvâmî upon being questioned conveyed to the king who sought the truth."

Therefore please explain, 0 Sûta Gosvâmî, as you are speaking words favorable to the pure devotee, what transcendental knowledge the expertly leading S'ukadeva Gosvâmî being asked conveyed to the truth seeking king." (Vedabase)