Canto
3
Chapter 21: The Conversation Between Manu and Kardama
(1) Vidura said: 'O supreme one, be so good to describe the most esteemed dynasty of Svâyambhuva Manu, of which sexual intercourse the progeny multiplied. (2) Priyavata and Uttânapâda, the two sons of Svâyambhuva Manu, verily ruled the world consisting of the seven continents, according the principles of religion. (3) Of that Manu was thus known Devahûti, o brahmin, as the wife of the father of man you spoke of [see 3.12: 27] as Kardama Muni, o sinless one. (4) Can you tell me, eager as I am, the story about how the many offspring of Kardama Muni, who was in fact a great mystic yogi endowed with the eight perfections [see 3.15: 45], was conceived from her? (5) And how did the worshipful Ruci, o brahmin, and Daksha, the son of Brahmâ, generate offspring after securing as their wives the two other daughters of Svâyambhuva Manu?'(6) Maitreya said: 'Lord Brahmâ commissioned the supreme Muni Kardama to beget children after a penance he had practiced for ten thousand years on the bank of the river the Sarasvatî. (7) Absorbed in that connectedness was Kardama through his yoga of service in devotion unto Him, the Lord who bestows all mercy upon the surrendered souls. (8) Pleased did the Supreme lotus-eyed Lord then show him through the culture of precepts and rituals, o Vidura, His transcendental form. (9) That of Him he saw as effulgent and pure as the sun with a garland of white water lilies and lotuses and an abundance of slick blackish-blue locks of hair, a lotus-like face and wearing spotless clothing. (10) Adorned with a crown and wearing earrings He, captivating the heart with His smiling glances, held a conch, a disc and a mace, while playing with a white lily. (11) He was seen in the air standing with His lotus feet on the shoulders of Garuda with on His chest the famous Kaustubha jewel hanging from His neck. (12) Jubilant he fell down with his head to the ground having achieved his desire with his prayers and satisfied with a heart that had always been filled with love, he folded his hands.
(13) The sage said: 'Oh, now we have attained the complete success of having before our eyes You, the Reservoir of All Goodness; to the sight of You, o worshipable Lord, are yogis, aspiring the perfection of yoga, through many births gradually elevated. (14) Even of those who by Your deluding energy have lost their intelligence and who for obtaining the trivial pleasures - which are also found in hell - worship Your lotus feet that are the boat for crossing over the ocean of mundane existence, You fulfill, o Lord, every possible desire. (15) Desiring to marry a girl of a likewise disposition which in married life is as a cow of plenty, did I also with lusty intentions approach You, the root and source of everything and desire tree that fulfills all wishes. (16) Under the direction of You as the father of all living beings, o my Lord are all these who are victim of their desire bound by the rope of their conditions and do I, conditioned like them, offer You my oblations, o Embodiment of Religion operating as the eternal of time. (17) But those who gave up on the pursuance of their animalistic earthly interests and took shelter under the umbrella of Your lotus feet by discussing Your qualities with one another, do extinguish by that intoxicating nectar the single servicing of their physical bodies. (18) The wheel of the universe that with a tremendous speed spins around the axle of the imperishable of You [Brahman] with three naves [sun, moon and stars], [twelve to] thirteen spokes [as lunar months] three hundred and sixty joints [as days in a demigod year], six rims [as seasons], and innumerable leaves [moments], does not at all diminish the lives of the devotees. (19) You Yourself being the universe are the one without a second desirous to bring about, from the self, controlling by Your deluding oneness in matter, the universes You create, maintain and again wind up like a spider does, o Supreme Lord, of its own force. (20) This material world with its gross and subtle elements, which You manifest before us, is indeed not Your desire; let her be there for bestowing Your grace upon us when You, through Your causeless mercy, are perceived as the Supreme Lord splendid with tulsî [or worship]. (21) In order to realize detachment in the enjoying of the fruits, You brought about, by Your own energies, the material worlds; continuously I offer My obeisances to the worshipable lotus feet that shower benedictions on the insignificant ones.'
(22) The sage [Maitreya] said: 'Thus having been praised sincerely did Lord Vishnu reply Kardama Muni with words as sweet as nectar, while He, standing shining of affection on the shoulders of Garuda, smilingly looked from below His expressive eyebrows. (23) The Supreme Lord said: 'Knowing your state of mind, have I already arranged for that for which you exercised yourself with Me as the one and only to be worshiped. (24) It is verily never useless to be of that certainty, o leader of the living entities, as the minds of persons that like you are worshiping Me, are entirely fixed. (25) The son of the father of man, the emperor Svâyambhuva Manu, whose righteous actions are well known, has his place in Brahmâvarta [the world as part of Brahmâ's lotus] and rules the seven oceans and the earth. (26) He, the saintly king, o learned one, will come here along with his queen the day after tomorrow, wishing to see you as an expert in religious activities. (27) He has a grown-up daughter with black eyes and a character full of good qualities and is searching for a husband; he will give her to you, o master, for you are a suitable candidate. (28) She is the one your heart was after all these years; she is your princess, o brahmin, and will soon serve you as you desired. (29) She will, from the seed sown in her by you, bear nine daughters, and from those daughters will the wise beget their number of children. (30) When you will have carried out My command properly and are completely purified unto Me in the resignation of the fruits of action, you will finally attain Me. (31) And when you have shown compassion and have given assurance to all souls, you will be self-realized and perceive yourself and the universe as being in Me, as well as Me being in you. (32) By your semen I will, as My own plenary portion, o great sage, from your wife Devahûti, instruct the doctrine of the ultimate reality.'
(33) Maitreya said: 'Thus having spoken to him went the Supreme Lord who is directly perceived by the senses, away from lake Bindu-sarovar through which the river Sarasvatî flows. (34) While He who is praised by all liberated souls left with him looking on, heard he the hymns of the path of perfection that form the Sâma-veda being vibrated by the wings of the carrier of the Lord [Garuda]. (35) Then, after His departure, did Kardama, the greatly powerful sage, stay on the bank of lake Bindu, awaiting his time.
(36) Svâyambhuva Manu who mounted a gold-plated chariot, had placed his own daughter on it along with his wife and traveled all the globe. (37) On that chariot, o great bowman, he reached as the Lord had foretold, the hermitage of the sage on the day that he completed his vows of austerity. (38-39) That holy auspicious water flooded by the Sarasvatî river was the nectar that had served hosts of great sages. It was verily a lake of tears, called so after the teardrops that fell down from the Lord His eyes overwhelmed by His extreme compassion for this surrendered soul. (40) The place was holy with clusters of trees and creepers with pleasant cries of animals and birds and, adorned by the beauty of groves of trees, rich with fruits and flowers in all seasons. (41) It overflowed of the joy of flocks of birds, intoxicated bees madly buzzing around, peacocks dancing in pride and merry cuckoos calling one another. (42-43) Kadamba, campaka, as'oka, karañja and bakula flowers; âsana, kunda, mandâra, kuthaja trees and young mango trees adorned the lake in which kârandava ducks, plavas, swans, ospreys, waterfowls, and cranes were seen while the cakravâka and cakora birds were vibrating their happy sounds. (44) Likewise there were also masses of deer, boar, porcupines, gavayas [wild cows], elephants, baboons, lions, monkeys, mongooses, and musk deer.
(45-47) As the first monarch with his daughter entered that eminent place, they saw the sage sitting in his hermitage, offering oblations in the sacred fire. His body shone brilliantly of his prolonged, terrible penance of yoga and was not very emaciated, as the Lord had cast sidelong His affectionate glance upon him and had made him listen to His moonlike nectarean words. He was tall with eyes as the petals of a lotus, had matted locks of hair, ragged clothes and approaching him he appeared to be soiled like an unpolished gem. (48) Seeing that the monarch had approached the cottage, he bowed down before him receiving him in honor welcoming him as befitted a King. (49) After receiving his honoring, he then remained silent as he sat down and was delighted to hear what the sage, who remembered what the Lord had told him, then in a sweet voice said:
(50) 'Surely your touring, o divine personality, is there for the protection of the virtuous and the frustration of the ones of untruth, since you are the person of the Lord His protecting energy. (51) When necessary you assume of the sun, the moon; of the fire [Agni] and the Lord of heaven [Indra]; the wind [Vâyu], the chastising [Yama], the religion [Dharma] and of the waters [Varuna], the different forms; unto Him, the Lord Vishnu that is you, my obeisances. (52-54) If You wouldn't have mounted the chariot of victory bedecked with its mass of jewels and have twanged your bow so frighteningly threatening all the culprits with your presence; if your leading a huge army of footsoldiers trampling, wouldn't have shaken the earth in roaming the globe like the brilliant sun, then surely all moral codes and obligations of the vocations [varna] and agegroups [âs'rama] set by the Lord, o King, would regrettingly have been broken by rogues. (55) When you would rest, then unrighteousness would flourish with the lacking control over men that are simply after the money; this world would then be taken by the miscreants and perish [see also B.G.: 3.23]. (56) In spite of all this I ask You, o heroic one, what You want in coming here; that we shall, without reservation carry out with heart and soul.'
Second Edition, loaded July 9, 2006.
Source texts:
Conversation Between Manu and Kardama
Vidura said: " O supreme one, be so good to describe the most esteemed dynasty of Svâyambhuva Manu, of which sexual intercourse the progeny multiplied.Vidura said: The line of Svâyambhuva Manu was most esteemed. O worshipful sage, I beg you: give me an account of this race, whose progeny multiplied through sexual intercourse. (Vedabase)
Priyavata and Uttânapâda, the two sons of Svâyambhuva Manu, verily ruled the world consisting of the seven continents, according the principles of religion.
The two great sons of Svâyambhuva Manu: Priyavrata and Uttânapâda: ruled the world, consisting of seven islands, just according to religious principles. (Vedabase)
Of that Manu was thus known Devahûti, o brahmin, as the wife of the father of man you spoke of [see 3.12: 27] as Kardama Muni, o sinless one.
O holy brahmana, O sinless one, you have spoken of his daughter, known by the name Devahûti, as the wife of the sage Kardama, the lord of created beings. (Vedabase)
Can you tell me, eager as I am, the story about how the many offspring of Kardama Muni, who was in fact a great mystic yogi endowed with the eight perfections [see 3.15: 45], was conceived from her?
How many offspring did that great yogi beget through the princess, who was endowed with eightfold perfection in the yoga principles? Oh, pray tell me this, for I am eager to hear it. (Vedabase)
And how did the worshipful Ruci, o brahmin, and Daksha, the son of Brahmâ, generate offspring after securing as their wives the two other daughters of Svâyambhuva Manu?'
O holy sage, tell me how the worshipful Ruci and Daksha, the son of Brahmâ, generated children after securing as their wives the other two daughters of Svâyambhuva Manu. (Vedabase)
Maitreya said: 'Lord Brahmâ commissioned the supreme Muni Kardama to beget children after a penance he had practiced for ten thousand years on the bank of the river the Sarasvatî.
The great sage Maitreya replied: Commanded by Lord Brahmâ to beget children in the worlds, the worshipful Kardama Muni practiced penance on the bank of the River Sarasvatî for a period of ten thousand years. (Vedabase)
Absorbed in that connectedness was Kardama through his yoga of service in devotion unto Him, the Lord who bestows all mercy upon the surrendered souls.
During that period of penance, the sage Kardama, by worship through devotional service in trance, propitiated the Personality of Godhead, who is the quick bestower of all blessings upon those who flee to Him for protection. (Vedabase)
Pleased did the Supreme lotus-eyed Lord then show him through the culture of precepts and rituals, o Vidura, His transcendental form.
Then, in the Satya-yuga, the lotus-eyed Supreme Personality of Godhead, being pleased, showed Himself to that Kardama Muni and displayed His transcendental form, which can be understood only through the Vedas. (Vedabase)
That of Him he saw as effulgent and pure as the sun with a garland of white water lilies and lotuses and an abundance of slick blackish-blue locks of hair, a lotus-like face and wearing spotless clothing.
Kardama Muni saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is free from material contamination, in His eternal form, effulgent like the sun, wearing a garland of white lotuses and water lilies. The Lord was clad in spotless yellow silk, and His lotus face was fringed with slick dark locks of curly hair. (Vedabase)
Adorned with a crown and wearing earrings He, captivating the heart with His smiling glances, held a conch, a disc and a mace, while playing with a white lily.
Adorned with a crown and earrings, He held His characteristic conch, disc and mace in three of His hands and a white lily in the fourth. He glanced about in a happy, smiling mood whose sight captivates the hearts of all devotees. (Vedabase)
He was seen in the air standing with His lotus feet on the shoulders of Garuda with on His chest the famous Kaustubha jewel hanging from His neck.
A golden streak on His chest, the famous Kaustubha gem suspended from His neck, He stood in the air with His lotus feet placed on the shoulders of Garuda. (Vedabase)
Jubilant he fell down with his head to the ground having achieved his desire with his prayers and satisfied with a heart that had always been filled with love, he folded his hands.
When Kardama Muni actually realized the Supreme Personality of Godhead in person, he was greatly satisfied because his transcendental desire was fulfilled. He fell on the ground with his head bowed to offer obeisances unto the lotus feet of the Lord. His heart naturally full of love of God, with folded hands he satisfied the Lord with prayers. (Vedabase)
The sage said: 'Oh, now we have attained the complete success of having before our eyes You, the Reservoir of All Goodness; to the sight of You, o worshipable Lord, are yogis, aspiring the perfection of yoga, through many births gradually elevated.
The great sage Kardama said: O supreme worshipful Lord, my power of sight is now fulfilled, having attained the greatest perfection of the sight of You, who are the reservoir of all existences. Through many successive births of deep meditation, advanced yogis aspire to see Your transcendental form. (Vedabase)
Even of those who by Your deluding energy have lost their intelligence and who for obtaining the trivial pleasures - which are also found in hell - worship Your lotus feet that are the boat for crossing over the ocean of mundane existence, You fulfill, o Lord, every possible desire.
Your lotus feet are the true vessel to take one across the ocean of mundane nescience. Only persons deprived of their intelligence by the spell of the deluding energy will worship those feet with a view to attain the trivial and momentary pleasures of the senses, which even persons rotting in hell can attain. However, O my Lord, You are so kind that You bestow mercy even upon them. (Vedabase)
Desiring to marry a girl of a likewise disposition which in married life is as a cow of plenty, did I also with lusty intentions approach You, the root and source of everything and desire tree that fulfills all wishes.
Therefore, desiring to marry a girl of like disposition who may prove to be a veritable cow of plenty in my married life, to satisfy my lustful desire I too have sought the shelter of Your lotus feet, which are the source of everything, for You are like a desire tree. (Vedabase)
Under the direction of You as the father of all living beings, o my Lord are all these who are victim of their desire bound by the rope of their conditions and do I, conditioned like them, offer You my oblations, o Embodiment of Religion operating as the eternal of time.
O my Lord, You are the master and leader of all living entities. Under Your direction, all conditioned souls, as if bound by rope, are constantly engaged in satisfying their desires. Following them, O embodiment of religion, I also bear oblations for You, who are eternal time. (Vedabase)
But those who gave up on the pursuance of their animalistic earthly interests and took shelter under the umbrella of Your lotus feet by discussing Your qualities with one another, do extinguish by the intoxicating nectar the single servicing of their physical bodies.
However, persons who have given up stereotyped worldly affairs and the beastly followers of these affairs, and who have taken shelter of the umbrella of Your lotus feet by drinking the intoxicating nectar of Your qualities and activities in discussions with one another, can be freed from the primary necessities of the material body. (Vedabase)
The wheel of the universe that with a tremendous speed spins around the axle of the imperishable of You [Brahman] with three naves [sun, moon and stars], [twelve to] thirteen spokes [as lunar months] three hundred and sixty joints [as days in a demigod year], six rims [as seasons], and innumerable leaves [moments], does not at all diminish the lives of the devotees.
Your wheel, which has three naves, rotates around the axis of the imperishable Brahmân. It has thirteen spokes, 360 joints, six rims and numberless leaves carved upon it. Though its revolution cuts short the life-span of the entire creation, this wheel of tremendous velocity cannot touch the life-span of the devotees of the Lord. (Vedabase)
You Yourself being the universe are the one without a second desirous to bring about, from the self, controlling by Your deluding oneness in matter, the universes You create, maintain and again wind up like a spider does, o Supreme Lord, of its own force.
My dear Lord, You alone create the universes. O Personality of Godhead, desiring to create these universes, You create them, maintain them and again wind them up by Your own energies, which are under the control of Your second energy, called yogamâyâ, just as a spider creates a cobweb by its own energy and again winds it up. (Vedabase)
This material world with its gross and subtle elements, which You manifest before us, is indeed not Your desire; let her be there for bestowing Your grace upon us when You, through Your causeless mercy, are perceived as the Supreme Lord splendid with tulsî [or worship].
My dear Lord, although it is not Your desire, You manifest this creation of gross and subtle elements just for our sensual satisfaction. Let Your causeless mercy be upon us, for You have appeared before us in Your eternal form, adorned with a splendid wreath of tulasî leaves. (Vedabase)
In order to realize detachment in the enjoying of the fruits, You brought about, by Your own energies, the material worlds; continuously I offer My obeisances to the worshipable lotus feet that shower benedictions on the insignificant ones.'
I continuously offer my respectful obeisances unto Your lotus feet, of which it is worthy to take shelter, because You shower all benedictions on the insignificant. To give all living entities detachment from fruitive activity by realizing You, You have expanded these material worlds by Your own energy. (Vedabase)
The sage [Maitreya] said: 'Thus having been praised sincerely did Lord Vishnu reply Kardama Muni with words as sweet as nectar, while He, standing shining of affection on the shoulders of Garuda, smilingly looked from below His expressive eyebrows.
Maitreya resumed: Sincerely extolled in these words, Lord Vishnu, shining very beautifully on the shoulders of Garuda, replied with words as sweet as nectar. His eyebrows moved gracefully as He looked at the sage with a smile full of affection. (Vedabase)
The Supreme Lord said: 'Knowing your state of mind, have I already arranged for that for which you exercised yourself with Me as the one and only to be worshiped.
The Supreme Lord said: Having come to know what was in your mind, I have already arranged for that for which you have worshiped Me well through your mental and sensory discipline. (Vedabase)
It is verily never useless to be of that certainty, o leader of the living entities, as the minds of persons that like you are worshiping Me, are entirely fixed.
The Lord continued: My dear rishi, O leader of the living entities, for those who serve Me in devotion by worshiping Me, especially persons like you who have given up everything unto Me, there is never any question of frustration. (Vedabase)
Text 25:
The son of the father of man, the emperor Svâyambhuva Manu, whose righteous actions are well known, has his place in Brahmâvarta [the world as part of Brahmâ's lotus] and rules the seven oceans and the earth.
The Emperor Svâyambhuva Manu, the son of Lord Brahmâ, who is well known for his righteous acts, has his seat in Brahmâvarta and rules over the earth with its seven oceans. (Vedabase)
He, the saintly king, o learned one, will come here along with his queen the day after tomorrow, wishing to see you as an expert in religious activities.
The day after tomorrow, O brâhmana, that celebrated emperor, who is expert in religious activities, will come here with his queen, S'atarûpâ, wishing to see you. (Vedabase)
He has a grown-up daughter with black eyes and a character full of good qualities and is searching for a husband; he will give her to you, o master, for you are a suitable candidate.
He has a grown-up daughter whose eyes are black. She is ready for marriage, and she has good character and all good qualities. She is also searching for a good husband. My dear sir, her parents will come to see you, who are exactly suitable for her, just to deliver their daughter as your wife. (Vedabase)
She is the one your heart was after all these years; she is your princess, o brahmin, and will soon serve you as you desired.
That princess, O holy sage, will be just the type you have been thinking of in your heart for all these long years. She will soon be yours and will serve you to your heart's content. (Vedabase)
She will, from the seed sown in her by you, bear nine daughters, and from those daughters will the wise beget their number of children.
She will bring forth nine daughters from the seed sown in her by you, and through the daughters you beget, the sages will duly beget children. (Vedabase)
When you will have carried out My command properly and are completely purified unto Me in the resignation of the fruits of action, you will finally attain Me.
With your heart cleansed by properly carrying out My command, resigning to Me the fruits of all your acts, you will finally attain to Me. (Vedabase)
And when you have shown compassion and have given assurance to all souls, you will be self-realized and perceive yourself and the universe as being in Me, as well as Me being in you.
Showing compassion to all living entities, you will attain self-realization. Giving assurance of safety to all, you will perceive your own self as well as all the universes in Me, and Myself in you. (Vedabase)
By your semen I will, as My own plenary portion, o great sage, from your wife Devahûti, instruct the doctrine of the ultimate reality.'
O great sage, I shall manifest My own plenary portion through your wife, Devahûti, along with your nine daughters, and I shall instruct her in the system of philosophy that deals with the ultimate principles or categories. (Vedabase)
Maitreya said: 'Thus having spoken to him went the Supreme Lord who is directly perceived by the senses, away from lake Bindu-sarovar around which the river Sarasvatî flows.
Maitreya went on: Thus having spoken to Kardama Muni, the Lord, who reveals Himself only when the senses are in Krishna consciousness, departed from that lake called Bindu-sarovara, which was encircled by the River Sarasvatî. (Vedabase)
While He who is praised by all liberated souls left with him looking on, heard he the hymns of the path of perfection that form the Sâma-veda being vibrated by the wings of the carrier of the Lord [Garuda].
While the sage stood looking on, the Lord left by the pathway leading to Vaikunthha, a path extolled by all great liberated souls. The sage stood listening as the hymns forming the basis of the Sâma Veda were vibrated by the flapping wings of the Lord's carrier, Garuda. (Vedabase)
Then, after His departure, did Kardama, the greatly powerful sage, stay on the bank of lake Bindu, awaiting his time.
Then, after the departure of the Lord, the worshipful sage Kardama stayed on the bank of Bindu-sarovara, awaiting the time of which the Lord had spoken. (Vedabase)
Svâyambhuva Manu who mounted a gold-plated chariot, had placed his own daughter on it along with his wife and traveled all the globe.
Svâyambhuva Manu, with his wife, mounted his chariot, which was decorated with golden ornaments. Placing his daughter on it with them, he began traveling all over the earth. (Vedabase)
On that chariot, o great bowman, he reached as the Lord had foretold, the hermitage of the sage on the day that he completed his vows of austerity.
O Vidura, they reached the hermitage of the sage, who had just completed his vows of austerity on the very day foretold by the Lord. (Vedabase)
That holy auspicious water flooded by the Sarasvatî river was the nectar that had served hosts of great sages. It was verily a lake of tears, called so after the teardrops that fell down from the Lord His eyes overwhelmed by His extreme compassion for this surrendered soul.
The holy Lake Bindu-sarovara, flooded by the waters of the River Sarasvatî, was resorted to by hosts of eminent sages. Its holy water was not only auspicious but as sweet as nectar. It was called Bindu-sarovara because drops of tears had fallen there from the eyes of the Lord, who was overwhelmed by extreme compassion for the sage who had sought His protection. (Vedabase)
The place was holy with clusters of trees and creepers with pleasant cries of animals and birds and, adorned by the beauty of groves of trees, rich with fruits and flowers in all seasons.
The shore of the lake was surrounded by clusters of pious trees and creepers, rich in fruits and flowers of all seasons, that afforded shelter to pious animals and birds, which uttered various cries. It was adorned by the beauty of groves of forest trees. (Vedabase)
It overflowed of the joy of flocks of birds, intoxicated bees madly buzzing around, peacocks dancing in pride and merry cuckoos calling one another.
The area resounded with the notes of overjoyed birds. Intoxicated bees wandered there, intoxicated peacocks proudly danced, and merry cuckoos called one another. (Vedabase)
Kadamba, campaka, as'oka, karañja and bakula flowers; âsana, kunda, mandâra, kuthaja trees and young mango trees adorned the lake in which kârandava ducks, plavas, swans, ospreys, waterfowls, and cranes were seen while the cakravâka and cakora birds were vibrating their happy sounds.
Lake Bindu-sarovara was adorned by flowering trees such as kadamba, campaka, as'oka, karañja, bakula, âsana, kunda, mandâra, kuthaja and young mango trees. The air was filled with the pleasing notes of kârandava ducks, plavas, swans, ospreys, waterfowl, cranes, cakravâkas and cakoras. (Vedabase)
Likewise there were also masses of deer, boar, porcupines, gavayas [wild cows], elephants, baboons, lions, monkeys, mongooses, and musk deer.
Its shores abounded with deer, boars, porcupines, gavayas, elephants, baboons, lions, monkeys, mongooses and musk deer. (Vedabase)
As the first monarch with his daughter entered that eminent place, they saw the sage sitting in his hermitage, offering oblations in the sacred fire. His body shone brilliantly of his prolonged, terrible penance of yoga and was not very emaciated, as the Lord had sidelong cast His affectionate glance upon him and had made him listen to His moonlike nectarean words. He was tall with eyes as the petals of a lotus, had matted locks of hair, ragged clothes and approaching him he appeared to be soiled like an unpolished gem
Entering that most sacred spot with his daughter and going near the sage, the first monarch, Svâyambhuva Manu, saw the sage sitting in his hermitage, having just propitiated the sacred fire by pouring oblations into it. His body shone most brilliantly; though he had engaged in austere penance for a long time, he was not emaciated, for the Lord had cast His affectionate sidelong glance upon him and he had also heard the nectar flowing from the moonlike words of the Lord. The sage was tall, his eyes were large, like the petals of a lotus, and he had matted locks on his head. He was clad in rags. Svâyambhuva Manu approached and saw him to be somewhat soiled, like an unpolished gem. (Vedabase)
Seeing that the monarch had approached the cottage, he bowed down before him receiving him in honor and welcoming him as befitted a king.
Seeing that the monarch had come to his hermitage and was bowing before him, the sage greeted him with benediction and received him with due honor. (Vedabase)
After receiving his honoring, he then remained silent as he sat down and was delighted to hear what the sage, who remembered what the Lord had told him, then in a sweet voice said:
After receiving the sage's attention, the King sat down and was silent. Recalling the instructions of the Lord, Kardama then spoke to the King as follows, delighting him with his sweet accents. (Vedabase)
'Surely your touring, o divine personality, is there for the protection of the virtuous and the frustration of the ones of untruth, since you are the person of the Lord His protecting energy.
The tour you have undertaken, O lord, is surely intended to protect the virtuous and kill the demons, since you embody the protecting energy of S'rî Hari. (Vedabase)
When necessary you assume of the sun, the moon; of the fire [Agni] and the Lord of heaven [Indra]; the wind [Vâyu], the chastising [Yama], the religion [Dharma] and of the waters [Varuna], the different forms; unto Him, the Lord Vishnu that is you, my obeisances.
You assume, when necessary, the part of the sun-god; the moon-god; Agni, the god of fire; Indra, the lord of paradise; Vâyu, the wind-god; Yama, the god of punishment; Dharma, the god of piety; and Varuna, the god presiding over the waters. All obeisances to you, who are none other than Lord Vishnu. (Vedabase)!
If you wouldn't have mounted the chariot of victory bedecked with its mass of jewels and have twanged your bow so frighteningly threatening all the culprits with your presence; if your leading a huge army of footsoldiers trampling, wouldn't have shaken the earth in roaming the globe like the brilliant sun, then surely all moral codes and obligations of the vocations [varna] and agegroups [âs'rama] set by the Lord, o King, would regrettingly have been broken by rogues.
If you did not mount your victorious jeweled chariot, whose mere presence threatens culprits, if you did not produce fierce sounds by the twanging of your bow, and if you did not roam about the world like the brilliant sun, leading a huge army whose trampling feet cause the globe of the earth to tremble, then all the moral laws governing the varnas and âs'ramas created by the Lord Himself would be broken by the rogues and rascals. (Vedabase)
When you would rest, then unrighteousness would flourish with the lacking control over men that are simply after the money; this world would then be taken by the miscreants and perish [see also B.G.: 3.23].
If you gave up all thought of the world's situation, unrighteousness would flourish, for men who hanker only after money would be unopposed. Such miscreants would attack, and the world would perish. (Vedabase)
In spite of all this I ask You, o heroic one, what You want in coming here; that we shall, without reservation carry out with heart and soul.
In spite of all this, I ask you, O valiant King, the purpose for which you have come here. Whatever it may be, we shall carry it out without reservation. (Vedabase)
For
this original translation a one-volume printed copy
has been used with an extensive commentary.
ISBN: o-91277-27-7
See the
S'rîmad Bhâgavatam
links-page
for this and more books of Prabhupâda.
The image of Kardama Muni sees the Supreme Personality of Godhead on
this page is by Muralidhara
dasa
Production: Filognostic
Association
of The
Order of Time
Feed-back | Links | Downloads | Music | Pictures | What's New | Search | Donations
