Canto
6
Chapter 4: The Hamsa-guhya Prayers Offered to the Lord by Prajâpati Daksha
(1-2) The king said: 'Although you in brief explained to me about the creation of the godly, the ones of darkness and the human beings; the serpentine, the beasts and the birds under the rule of Svâyambhuva Manu [see canto 3], I would like to hear a more detailed account about this from you, my Lord, as well as an account about the creation that thereafter rose from the potency of the Transcendental Supreme Lord'.
(3) S'rî Sûta said: "O best of the sages [assembled at Naimishâranya see canto 1.1], thus hearing the king his inquiry did the son of Vyâsa, the great yogi, praising him, reply. (4) S'rî S'uka said: 'When the Pracetâs, the ten sons of King Prâcînabarhi returned from [their meditations] near the ocean, saw they that the entire planet was overgrown by trees [see 4.24, 4.30, 4.31]. (5) Incensed about the trees, having undergone austerities for so long, had they by their mouths blown up a fire with the intention to burn down the forests. (6) Seeing all the trees being burnt by the blazing fire, o son of Kuru, spoke the king of the forest, the great Soma, in order to pacify their anger, like this:
(7) 'Do not burn the poor trees to ashes, o fortunate souls, it is yours to strive for an increase of all living beings who know you as their protectors. (8) You may regret; the Supreme Personality of the Lord, the original, unchanging father and almighty protector, created all the trees, plants and herbs to serve as food. (9) It is arranged that the ones nonmoving serve the winged ones as food and that those without limbs [like grasses] serve as food for the ones with legs who have no hands or paws; the fourlegged on their turn are there for the animals with claws and the bipeds [to serve with respectively their flesh and milk]. (10) You are, on the order of your father and the God of Gods, o sinless ones, there also to generate the population; how then, for the love of God, can you burn the trees to ashes? (11) Like your father, grandfather and great-grandfather did, just follow the path of the saints and subdue the anger that has risen in you! (12) Be the way parents, like eyelids to their eyes, are as friends to their children; be the way the husband protects the wife and the way the householder cares for the ones in need of charity, or be alike the learned who are as friends to the ignorant. (13) The Supersoul residing within the bodies of all living entities is the Lord and Controller of all; try to see them as His residence and may He thus be pleased with you. (14) Anyone who by inquiry of self-realization subdues the powerful anger that, as fallen from the sky, suddenly awoke, will transcend the modes of nature. (15) Enough with that burning the trees, let there be all fortune for the ones remaining and accept the daughter [called Mârishâ], that was raised by them, as your wife.'
(16) O King, after thus addressing them, delivered he, King Soma, the Apsara girl who had beautiful hips, to the ones who had returned and married they with her according the religion. (17) In her was from all of them generated Daksha, the son of the Pracetâs, of whose procreative activity thereafter the three worlds were said to fill with offspring. (18) Please attentively hear from me how Daksha, so affectionate with his daughters, by his semen as sure as also by his mind, brought about all that life. (19) By his mind indeed set the prajâpati in the beginning the scene for those living beings that are of the godly and the godless, including all those resorting under them that live in the sky, on the land or in the water. (20) But upon seeing that his creation of beings did not increase in number, went Daksha to the feet of the Vindhya mountains where he performed the most difficult austerities. (21) There at the most suitable place for ending all reactions to sin, the holy place called Aghamarshana, satisfied he the Lord by austere and regularly performing the ceremonies. (22) I shall now explain to you how with the Hamsa-guhya ['the secret of the swan']-prayers he satisfied the Lord, pleasing Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead beyond the senses. (23) Daksha said: 'My reverential homage I offer Him, from whom we may realize the right way of transcending the modes and the material energy to which all alive are bound; my offer is for Him, the self-born Controller beyond measure and calculation, who in His abode is imperceptible to the materially directed intelligence.(24) The friend of whose friendship the person has no knowledge, just like sense objects that have no knowledge of the sense-organ that oversees them; that friend one lives with in this body, unto Him I offer my obeisances. (25) This body with its life airs, its senses, its understanding, its elements and sense-objects, they to themselves, to each other and to everything outside of them are known by the living being; but knowing all those qualities, he does not know the Unlimited One who knows all; Him I revere. (26) When the mind is put to a stop and all ideas and names of form of a material vision and remembrance have ceased, will due to that ending He be perceived in His own unique spiritual completeness; unto that swanlike one [called swan because of sifting the true from the untrue, the milk from the water], unto Him who is realized in the purest state, my respects. (27-28) Just like with fire that locked within wood is extracted singing the fifteen hymns [the Sâmidhenî mantras], do the great brahmins of sacrifice extract what with His powers by the modes of nature is situated within the heart of the celebrated elements and the rest of them [see e.g. 3.26: 11]; He, who is realized by the bliss, the negation in liberation of the illusory of all the variety, He of all names, He, the gigantic form of the universe, may He, that inconceivable reservoir of all qualities have mercy with me. (29) Whatever expressed by words or ascertained by contemplation, by sense perception or by the mind, may of something, as an expression of the three modes, not be the actual form indeed; the actual form in truth appears as that [form of the Supreme Lord] which is the cause that puts an end to all that is of the modes in creation. (30) In whom, from whom and by whom and also to whom belongs and towards whom is directed; He, whether acting or causing to act, is of both the material and spiritual of existence the Supreme Origin well known to everyone that is the Brahman, the Cause of All Causes, the One without a second to which there is no other cause. (31) Of whose many energies the speakers of the different philosophies discussing the causes are of argument and accord, and of which they continuously, bewildered about the soul, create; unto Him, that unlimited, all-pervading One of all transcendental attributes, my reverence. (32) Those professing the knowledge of the ultimate cause speaking about what would be [the absolute has form: sâkâra] and would not be [the absolute is formless, nirâkâra], deal with one and the same subject matter but demonstrate different and opposing characters, as one may notice from that which is of mystic union and of analysis; indeed is that transcendental dwelling place, that ultimate cause, one and the same [compare 5.26: 39]. (33) In order to be of causeless mercy with the devotees at His lotus feet does He, the eternal, Supreme Personality who is not bound to any name or form, manifest with the forms and holy names He takes birth with and enacts; may He, the Transcendence, be merciful with me. (34) He who by the lower grade paths of worship to the desires of each living being manifests from within the core of the heart, gains, just as the wind blowing over the earth, in color and aroma [taking the form of demigods thus]; may He, my Controller, attend to my bearings.'
(35-39) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus being praised by the prayers offered did He, the Supreme Lord, the caretaker of the devotees, appear there in Aghamarshana, o best of the Kurus. With His feet on Garuda's shoulders held He with His long and mighty eight arms, the disc, the conchshell, the sword, the shield, the arrow, the bow, the rope and the club. His intense black-blue form was clad in yellow garments, His face and glance were very cheerful and His whole body was adorned from top to bottom; decorated with the shining Kaustubha jewel, the S'rîvatsa mark, a large full circle helmet, glittering shark-earrings, a belt, finger-rings, bracelets around His wrists and upper-arms and with His ankle bells, captivated His appearance the three worlds. As the brilliance of the lower, the higher and the middle spheres was the Controller surrounded by Nârada, Nanda and other eternal associates as well as by the leaders of the godly, and was He glorified by the perfect, the heavenly singers, and the venerable ones of the Veda, who sang for Him. (40) Seeing that greatly wonderful form he was at first frightened but then pleased in body mind and soul did the prajâpati prostrate flat on the ground. (41) By the great happiness that filled His senses like rivers flooded by mountain streams, was he unable to utter a word. (42) Seeing a great devotee like him, desirous of offspring, prostrated before Him, did He, Janârdana who appeases all, knowing each his heart, speak as follows. (43) The Supreme Lord said: 'O son of the Pracetâs, you so greatly fortunate perfected, by your austerities, your good self in great faith and attained with Me as your object the supreme of love. (44) I am very pleased with you, o ruler of man; because of your penance the numbers of beings living here increased. May there of this desire be progress in all fields. (45) Brahmâ, S'iva, all you founding fathers, the Manus and all rulers of power [like the divinities of the sun and the moon], all these are indeed expansions of My energy and are the cause of the welfare of all living beings. (46) Penance is My heart, o brahmin, the vedic knowledge is My body, the spiritual activities are My form, the rituals conducted by the book are My limbs, and the enlivening of the godly [the unseen good fortune of devotional activities] is the true of My mind and soul. (47) In the beginning, before the creation, was I certainly the only one existing, nothing else was found besides me; the external of a material consciousness was unmanifest like it is with being immersed in sleep. (48) When in Me, from My unlimited potency, the unlimited of qualities in the form of the universe came into existence, was indeed therein born the first being, Lord Brahmâ, originating from no other but himself. (49-50) When he Svayambhû, the truly great God, in trying to bring about the creation, thought himself incapable in being an extension of My power, was the god he was at the time advised by Me to perform the severest austerity; thus were there from him in the beginning the nine great personalities of creation from whom all of you originated [see 3.24: 21 and also 3.8]. (51) O Prajâpati, take this daughter named Asiknî of another prajâpati called Pañcajana as your wife, my dear son. (52) You, married to her, will in sexual union according the religion again [see 4.2] be the cause of the many of this who according the dharma in marriage will give birth to all alive [see also B.G. 7: 11]. (53) All the ones alive who, because of My illusory energy, after you engage in sexual intercourse, will then also arrive at doing their best in making offerings to Me. '
(54) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus speaking before his eyes disappeared the Supreme Lord, the creator of all the universe, from there as if He, the Supreme Personality, had been a dream image.
Second edition, loaded April 5, 2007.
Source texts:
The Hamsa-guhya Prayers
The king said: 'Although you in brief explained to me about the creation of the godly, the ones of darkness and the human beings; the serpentine, the beasts and the birds under the rule of Svâyambhuva Manu [see canto 3], I would like to hear a more detailed account about this from you, my Lord, as well as an account about the creation that thereafter rose from the potency of the Transcendental Supreme Lord'.The blessed King said to S'ukadeva Gosvâmî: My dear lord, the demigods, demons, human beings, Nagas, beasts and birds were created during the reign of Svâyambhuva Manu. You have spoken about this creation briefly [in the Third Canto]. Now I wish to know about it elaborately. I also wish to know about the potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by which He brought about the secondary creation. (Vedabase)
S'rî Sûta said: "O best of the sages [assembled at Naimishâranya see canto 1.1], thus hearing the king his inquiry did the son of Vyâsa, the great yogi, praising him, reply.
Sûta Gosvâmî said: O great sages [assembled at Naimishâranya], after the great yogi S'ukadeva Gosvâmî heard King Parîkshit's inquiry, he praised it and thus replied. (Vedabase)
S'rî S'uka said: 'When the Pracetâs, the ten sons of King Prâcînabarhi returned from [their meditations] near the ocean, saw they that the entire planet was overgrown by trees [see 4.24, 4.30, 4.31]. '
S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: When the ten sons of Prâcînabarhi emerged from the waters, in which they were performing austerities, they saw that the entire surface of the world was covered by trees. (Vedabase)
Incensed about the trees, having undergone austerities for so long, had they by their mouths blown up a fire with the intention to burn down the forests.
Because of having undergone long austerities in the water, the Pracetâs were very angry at the trees. Desiring to burn them to ashes, they generated wind and fire from their mouths. (Vedabase)
Seeing all the trees being burnt by the blazing fire, o son of Kuru, spoke the king of the forest, the great Soma, in order to pacify their anger, like this:
My dear King Parîkshit, when Soma, the king of the trees and predominating deity of the moon, saw the fire and wind burning all the trees to ashes, he felt great sympathy because he is the maintainer of all herbs and trees. To appease the anger of the Pracetâs, Soma spoke as follows. (Vedabase)
'Do not burn the poor trees to ashes, o fortunate souls, it is yours to strive for an increase of all living beings who know you as their protectors.
O greatly fortunate ones, you should not kill these poor trees by burning them to ashes. Your duty is to wish the citizens [prajâs] all prosperity and to act as their protectors. (Vedabase)
You may regret; the Supreme Personality of the Lord, the original, unchanging father and almighty protector, created all the trees, plants and herbs to serve as food.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, S'rî Hari, is the master of all living entities, including all the prajâpatis, such as Lord Brahmâ. Because He is the all-pervading and indestructible master, He has created all these trees and vegetables as eatables for other living entities. (Vedabase)
It is arranged that the ones nonmoving serve the winged ones as food and that those without limbs [like grasses] serve as food for the ones with legs who have no hands or paws; the fourlegged on their turn are there for the animals with claws and the bipeds [to serve with respectively their flesh and milk].
By nature's arrangement, fruits and flowers are considered the food of insects and birds; grass and other legless living entities are meant to be the food of four-legged animals like cows and buffalo; animals that cannot use their front legs as hands are meant to be the food of animals like tigers, which have claws; and four-legged animals like deer and goats, as well as food grains, are meant to be the food of human beings. (Vedabase)
You are, on the order of your father and the God of Gods, o sinless ones, there also to generate the population; how then, for the love of God, can you burn the trees to ashes?
O pure-hearted ones, your father, Prâcînabarhi, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead have ordered you to generate population. Therefore how can you burn to ashes these trees and herbs, which are needed for the maintenance of your subjects and descendants? (Vedabase)
Like your father, grandfather and great-grandfather did, just follow the path of the saints and subdue the anger that has risen in you!
The path of goodness traversed by your father, grandfather and great-grandfathers is that of maintaining the subjects [prajâs], including the men, animals and trees. That is the path you should follow. Unnecessary anger is contrary to your duty. Therefore I request you to control your anger. (Vedabase)
Be the way parents, like eyelids to their eyes, are as friends to their children; be the way the husband protects the wife and the way the householder cares for the ones in need of charity, or be alike the learned who are as friends to the ignorant.
As the father and mother are the friends and maintainers of their children, as the eyelid is the protector of the eye, as the husband is the maintainer and protector of a woman, as the householder is the maintainer and protector of beggars, and as the learned is the friend of the ignorant, so the king is the protector and giver of life to all his subjects. The trees are also subjects of the king. Therefore they should be given protection. (Vedabase)
The Supersoul residing within the bodies of all living entities is the Lord and Controller of all; try to see them as His residence and may He thus be pleased with you.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is situated as the Supersoul within the cores of the hearts of all living entities, whether moving or nonmoving, including men, birds, animals, trees and, indeed, all living entities. Therefore you should consider every body a residence or temple of the Lord. By such vision you will satisfy the Lord. You should not angrily kill these living entities in the forms of trees. (Vedabase)
Anyone who by inquiry of self-realization subdues the powerful anger that, as fallen from the sky, suddenly awoke, will transcend the modes of nature.
One who inquires into self-realization and thus subdues his powerful anger--which awakens suddenly in the body as if falling from the sky--transcends the influence of the modes of material nature. (Vedabase)
Enough with that burning the trees, let there be all fortune for the ones remaining and accept the daughter [called Mârishâ], that was raised by them, as your wife.'
There is no need to burn these poor trees any longer. Let whatever trees still remain be happy. Indeed, you should also be happy. Now, here is a beautiful, well-qualified girl named Mârishâ, who was raised by the trees as their daughter. You may accept this beautiful girl as your wife. (Vedabase)
O King, after thus addressing them, delivered he, King Soma, the Apsara girl who had beautiful hips, to the ones who had returned and married they with her according the religion.
S'ukadeva Gosvâmî continued: My dear King, after thus pacifying the Pracetâs, Soma, the king of the moon, gave them the beautiful girl born of Pramlocâ Apsara. The Pracetâs all received Pramlocâ's daughter, who had high, very beautiful hips, and married her according to the religious system. (Vedabase)Text 17
In her was from all of them generated Daksha, the son of the Pracetâs, of whose procreative activity thereafter the three worlds were said to fill with offspring.
In the womb of that girl the Pracetâs all begot a son named Daksha, who filled the three worlds with living entities. (Vedabase)
Please attentively hear from me how Daksha, so affectionate with his daughters, by his semen as sure as also by his mind, brought about all that life.
S'ukadeva Gosvâmî continued: Please hear from me with great attention how Prajâpati Daksha, who was very affectionate to his daughters, created different types of living entities through his semen and through his mind. (Vedabase)
By his mind indeed set the prajâpati in the beginning the scene for those living beings that are of the godly and the godless, including all those resorting under them that live in the sky, on the land or in the water.
With his mind, Prajâpati Daksha first created all kinds of demigods, demons, human beings, birds, beasts, aquatics and so on. (Vedabase)
But upon seeing that his creation of beings did not increase in number, went Daksha to the feet of the Vindhya mountains where he performed the most difficult austerities.
But when Prajâpati Daksha saw that he was not properly generating all kinds of living entities, he approached a mountain near the Vindhya mountain range, and there he executed very difficult austerities. (Vedabase)
There at the most suitable place for ending all reactions to sin, the holy place called Aghamarshana, satisfied he the Lord by austere and regularly performing the ceremonies.
Near that mountain was a very holy place named Aghamarshana. There Prajâpati Daksha executed ritualistic ceremonies and satisfied the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, by engaging in great austerities to please Him. (Vedabase)
I shall now explain to you how with the Hamsa-guhya ['the secret of the swan']-prayers he satisfied the Lord, pleasing Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead beyond the senses.
My dear King, I shall fully explain to you the Hamsa-guhya prayers, which were offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead by Daksha, and I shall explain how the Lord was pleased with him for those prayers. (Vedabase)
Daksha said: 'My reverential homage I offer Him, from whom we may realize the right way of transcending the modes and the material energy to which all alive are bound; my offer is for Him, the self-born Controller beyond measure and calculation, who in His abode is imperceptible to the materially directed intelligence.
Prajâpati Daksha said: The Supreme Personality of Godhead is transcendental to the illusory energy and the physical categories it produces. He possesses the potency for unfailing knowledge and supreme willpower, and He is the controller of the living entities and the illusory energy. The conditioned souls who have accepted this material manifestation as everything cannot see Him, for He is above the evidence of experimental knowledge. Self-evident and self-sufficient, He is not caused by any superior cause. Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto Him. (Vedabase)
The friend of whose friendship the person has no knowledge, just like sense objects that have no knowledge of the sense-organ that oversees them; that friend one lives with in this body, unto Him I offer my obeisances.
As the sense objects [form, taste, touch, smell and sound] cannot understand how the senses perceive them, so the conditioned soul, although residing in his body along with the Supersoul, cannot understand how the supreme spiritual person, the master of the material creation, directs his senses. Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto that Supreme Person, who is the supreme controller. (Vedabase)
This body with its life airs, its senses, its understanding, its elements and sense-objects, they to themselves, to each other and to everything outside of them are known by the living being; but knowing all those qualities, he does not know the Unlimited One who knows all; Him I revere.
Because they are only matter, the body, the life airs, the external and internal senses, the five gross elements and the subtle sense objects [form, taste, smell, sound and touch] cannot know their own nature, the nature of the other senses or the nature of their controllers. But the living being, because of his spiritual nature, can know his body, the life airs, the senses, the elements and the sense objects, and he can also know the three qualities that form their roots. Nevertheless, although the living being is completely aware of them, he is unable to see the Supreme Being, who is omniscient and unlimited. I therefore offer my respectful obeisances unto Him. (Vedabase)
When the mind is put to a stop and all ideas and names of form of a material vision and remembrance have ceased, will due to that ending He be perceived in His own unique spiritual completeness; unto that swanlike one [called swan because of sifting the true from the untrue, the milk from the water], unto Him who is realized in the purest state, my respects.
When one's consciousness is completely purified of the contamination of material existence, gross and subtle, without being agitated as in the working and dreaming states, and when the mind is not dissolved as in susupti, deep sleep, one comes to the platform of trance. Then one's material vision and the memories of the mind, which manifests names and forms, are vanquished. Only in such a trance is the Supreme Personality of Godhead revealed. Thus let us offer our respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is seen in that uncontaminated, transcendental state. (Vedabase)
Just like with fire that locked within wood is extracted singing the fifteen hymns [the Sâmidhenî mantras], do the great brahmins of sacrifice extract what with His powers by the modes of nature is situated within the heart of the celebrated elements and the rest of them [see e.g. 3.26: 11]; He, who is realized by the bliss, the negation in liberation of the illusory of all the variety, He of all names, He, the gigantic form of the universe, may He, that inconceivable reservoir of all qualities have mercy with me.
Just as great learned brâhmanas who are expert in performing ritualistic ceremonies and sacrifices can extract the fire dormant within wooden fuel by chanting the fifteen Sâmidhenî mantras, thus proving the efficacy of the Vedic mantras, so those who are actually advanced in consciousness - in other words, those who are Krishna conscious - can find the Supersoul, who by His own spiritual potency is situated within the heart. The heart is covered by the three modes of material nature and the nine material elements [material nature, the total material energy, the ego, the mind and the five objects of sense gratification], and also by the five material elements and the ten senses. These twenty-seven elements constitute the external energy of the Lord. Great yogis meditate upon the Lord, who is situated as the Supersoul, Paramâtmâ, within the core of the heart. May that Supersoul be pleased with me. The Supersoul is realized when one is eager for liberation from the unlimited varieties of material life. One actually attains such liberation when he engages in the transcendental loving service of the Lord and realizes the Lord because of his attitude of service. The Lord may be addressed by various spiritual names, which are inconceivable to the material senses. When will that Supreme Personality of Godhead be pleased with me? (Vedabase)
Whatever expressed by words or ascertained by contemplation, by sense perception or by the mind, may of something, as an expression of the three modes, not be the actual form indeed; the actual form in truth appears as that [form of the Supreme Lord] which is the cause that puts an end to all that is of the modes in creation.
Anything expressed by material vibrations, anything ascertained by material intelligence and anything experienced by the material senses or concocted within the material mind is but an effect of the modes of material nature and therefore has nothing to do with the real nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Lord is beyond the creation of this material world, for He is the source of the material qualities and creation. As the cause of all causes, He exists before the creation and after the creation. I wish to offer my respectful obeisances unto Him. (Vedabase)
In whom, from whom and by whom and also to whom belongs and towards whom is directed; He, whether acting or causing to act, is of both the material and spiritual of existence the Supreme Origin well known to everyone that is the Brahman, the Cause of All Causes, the One without a second to which there is no other cause.
The Supreme Brahman, Krishna, is the ultimate resting place and source of everything. Everything is done by Him, everything belongs to Him, and everything is offered to Him. He is the ultimate objective, and whether acting or causing others to act, He is the ultimate doer. There are many causes, high and low, but since He is the cause of all causes, He is well known as the Supreme Brahman who existed before all activities. He is one without a second and has no other cause. I therefore offer my respects unto Him. (Vedabase)
Of whose many energies the speakers of the different philosophies discussing the causes are of argument and accord, and of which they continuously, bewildered about the soul, create; unto Him, that unlimited, all-pervading One of all transcendental attributes, my reverence.
Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the all-pervading Supreme Personality of Godhead, who possesses unlimited transcendental qualities. Acting from within the cores of the hearts of all philosophers, who propagate various views, He causes them to forget their own souls while sometimes agreeing and sometimes disagreeing among themselves. Thus He creates within this material world a situation in which they are unable to come to a conclusion. I offer my obeisances unto Him. (Vedabase)
Those professing the knowledge of the ultimate cause speaking about what would be [the absolute has form: sâkâra] and would not be [the absolute is formless, nirâkâra], deal with one and the same subject matter but demonstrate different and opposing characters, as one may notice from that which is of mystic union and of analysis; indeed is that transcendental dwelling place, that ultimate cause, one and the same [compare 5.26: 39].
There are two parties--namely, the theists and the atheists. The theist, who accepts the Supersoul, finds the spiritual cause through mystic yoga. The Sânkhyite, however, who merely analyzes the material elements, comes to a conclusion of impersonalism and does not accept a supreme cause--whether Bhagavân, Paramâtmâ or even Brahman. Instead, he is preoccupied with the superfluous, external activities of material nature. Ultimately, however, both parties demonstrate the Absolute Truth because although they offer opposing statements, their object is the same ultimate cause. They are both approaching the same Supreme Brahman, to whom I offer my respectful obeisances. (Vedabase)
In order to be of causeless mercy with the devotees at His lotus feet does He, the eternal, Supreme Personality who is not bound to any name or form, manifest with the forms and holy names He takes birth with and enacts; may He, the Transcendence, be merciful with me.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is inconceivably opulent, who is devoid of all material names, forms and pastimes, and who is all-pervading, is especially merciful to the devotees who worship His lotus feet. Thus He exhibits transcendental forms and names with His different pastimes. May that Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose form is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss, be merciful to me. (Vedabase)
He who by the lower grade paths of worship to the desires of each living being manifests from within the core of the heart, gains, just as the wind blowing over the earth, in color and aroma [taking the form of demigods thus]; may He, my Controller, attend to my bearings.'
As the air carries various characteristics of the physical elements, like the aroma of a flower or colors resulting from a mixture of dust in the air, the Lord appears through lower systems of worship according to one's desires, although He appears as the demigods and not in His original form. What is the use of these other forms? May the original Supreme Personality of Godhead please fulfill my desires. (Vedabase)
S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus being praised by the prayers offered did He, the Supreme Lord, the caretaker of the devotees, appear there in Aghamarshana, o best of the Kurus. With His feet on Garuda's shoulders held He with His long and mighty eight arms, the disc, the conchshell, the sword, the shield, the arrow, the bow, the rope and the club. His intense black-blue form was clad in yellow garments, His face and glance were very cheerful and His whole body was adorned from top to bottom; decorated with the shining Kaustubha jewel, the S'rîvatsa mark, a large full circle helmet, glittering shark-earrings, a belt, finger-rings, bracelets around His wrists and upper-arms and with His ankle bells, captivated His appearance the three worlds. As the brilliance of the lower, the higher and the middle spheres was the Controller surrounded by Nârada, Nanda and other eternal associates as well as by the leaders of the godly, and was He glorified by the perfect, the heavenly singers, and the venerable ones of the Veda, who sang for Him.
S'rî S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, who is extremely affectionate to His devotees, was very pleased by the prayers offered by Daksha, and thus He appeared at that holy place known as Aghamarshana. O Mahârâja Parîkshit, best of the Kuru dynasty, the Lord's lotus feet rested on the shoulders of His carrier, Garuda, and He appeared with eight long, mighty, very beautiful arms. In His hands He held a disc, conchshell, sword, shield, arrow, bow, rope and club--in each hand a different weapon, all brilliantly shining. His garments were yellow and His bodily hue deep bluish. His eyes and face were very cheerful, and from His neck to His feet hung a long garland of flowers. His chest was decorated with the Kaustubha jewel and the mark of S'rîvatsa. On His head was a gorgeous round helmet, and His ears were decorated with earrings resembling sharks. All these ornaments were uncommonly beautiful. The Lord wore a golden belt on His waist, bracelets on His arms, rings on His fingers, and ankle bells on His feet. Thus decorated by various ornaments, Lord Hari, who is attractive to all the living entities of the three worlds, is known as Purushottama, the best personality. He was accompanied by great devotees like Nârada, Nanda and all the principal demigods, led by the heavenly king, Indra, and the residents of various upper planetary systems such as Siddhaloka, Gandharvaloka and Câranaloka. Situated on both sides of the Lord and behind Him as well, these devotees offered Him prayers continuously. (Vedabase)
Seeing that greatly wonderful form he was at first frightened but then pleased in body mind and soul did the prajâpati prostrate flat on the ground.
Seeing that wonderful and effulgent form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Prajâpati Daksha was first somewhat afraid, but then he was very pleased to see the Lord, and he fell to the ground like a stick [dandavat] to offer his respects to the Lord. (Vedabase)
By the great happiness that filled His senses like rivers flooded by mountain streams, was he unable to utter a word.
As rivers are filled by water flowing from a mountain, all of Daksha's senses were filled with pleasure. Because of his highly elevated happiness, Daksha could not say anything, but simply remained flat on the ground. (Vedabase)
Seeing a great devotee like him, desirous of offspring, prostrated before Him, did He, Janârdana who appeases all, knowing each his heart, speak as follows.
Although Prajâpati Daksha could not say anything, when the Lord, who knows everyone's heart, saw His devotee prostrate in that manner and desiring to increase the population, He addressed him as follows. (Vedabase)
The Supreme Lord said: 'O son of the Pracetâs, you so greatly fortunate perfected, by your austerities, your good self in great faith and attained with Me as your object the supreme of love.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O most fortunate Prâcetasa, because of your great faith in Me, you have attained the supreme devotional ecstasy. Indeed, because of your austerities, combined with exalted devotion, your life is now successful. You have achieved complete perfection. (Vedabase)
I am very pleased with you, o ruler of man; because of your penance the numbers of beings living here increased. May there of this desire be progress in all fields.
My dear Prajâpati Daksha, you have performed extreme austerities for the welfare and growth of the world. My desire also is that everyone within this world be happy. I am therefore very pleased with you because you are endeavoring to fulfill My desire for the welfare of the entire world. (Vedabase)
Brahmâ, S'iva, all you founding fathers, the Manus and all rulers of power [like the divinities of the sun and the moon], all these are indeed expansions of My energy and are the cause of the welfare of all living beings.
Lord Brahmâ, Lord S'iva, the Manus, all the other demigods in the higher planetary systems, and you prajâpatis, who are increasing the population, are working for the benefit of all living entities. Thus you expansions of My marginal energy are incarnations of My various qualities. (Vedabase)
Penance is My heart, o brahmin, the vedic knowledge is My body, the spiritual activities are My form, the rituals conducted by the book are My limbs, and the enlivening of the godly [the unseen good fortune of devotional activities] is the true of My mind and soul.
My dear brâhmana, austerity in the form of meditation is My heart, Vedic knowledge in the form of hymns and mantras constitutes My body, and spiritual activities and ecstatic emotions are My actual form. The ritualistic ceremonies and sacrifices, when properly conducted, are the various limbs of My body, the unseen good fortune proceeding from pious or spiritual activities constitutes My mind, and the demigods who execute My orders in various departments are My life and soul. (Vedabase)
In the beginning, before the creation, was I certainly the only one existing, nothing else was found besides me; the external of a material consciousness was unmanifest like it is with being immersed in sleep.
Before the creation of this cosmic manifestation, I alone existed with My specific spiritual potencies. Consciousness was then unmanifested, just as one's consciousness is unmanifested during the time of sleep. (Vedabase)
When in Me, from My unlimited potency, the unlimited of qualities in the form of the universe came into existence, was indeed therein born the first being, Lord Brahmâ, originating from no other but himself.
I am the reservoir of unlimited potency, and therefore I am known as unlimited or all-pervading. From My material energy the cosmic manifestation appeared within Me, and in this universal manifestation appeared the chief being, Lord Brahmâ, who is your source and is not born of a material mother. (Vedabase)
When he Svayambhû, the truly great God, in trying to bring about the creation, thought himself incapable in being an extension of My power, was the god he was at the time advised by Me to perform the severest austerity; thus were there from him in the beginning the nine great personalities of creation from whom all of you originated [see 3.24: 21 and also 3.8].
When the chief lord of the universe, Lord Brahmâ [Svayambhû], having been inspired by My energy, was attempting to create, he thought himself incapable. Therefore I gave him advice, and in accordance with My instructions he underwent extremely difficult austerities. Because of these austerities, the great Lord Brahmâ was able to create nine personalities, including you, to help him in the functions of creation. (Vedabase)
O Prajâpati, take this daughter named Asiknî of another prajâpati called Pañcajana as your wife, my dear son.
O My dear son Daksha, Prajâpati Pañcajana has a daughter named Asiknî, whom I offer to you so that you may accept her as your wife. (Vedabase)
You, married to her, will in sexual union according the religion again [see 4.2] be the cause of the many of this who according the dharma in marriage will give birth to all alive [see also B.G. 7: 11].
Now unite in sexual life as man and woman, and in this way, by sexual intercourse, you will be able to beget hundreds of children in the womb of this girl to increase the population. (Vedabase)
All the ones alive who, because of My illusory energy, after you engage in sexual intercourse, will then also arrive at doing their best in making offerings to Me.
After you give birth to many hundreds and thousands of children, they will also be captivated by My illusory energy and will engage, like You, in sexual intercourse. But because of My mercy to you and them, they will also be able to give Me presentations in devotion. (Vedabase)
S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus speaking before his eyes disappeared the Supreme Lord, the creator of all the universe, from there as if He, the Supreme Personality, had been a dream image.
S'ukadeva Gosvâmî continued: After the creator of the entire universe, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, had spoken in this way in the presence of Prajâpati Daksha, He immediately disappeared as if He were an object experienced in a dream. (Vedabase)
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ISBN: o-91277-27-7
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