Chapter Nineteen

                 The Killing of the Demon Hiranyaksa

 

                                TEXT 1

 

                                 TEXT

 

                            maitreya uvaca

                         avadharya virincasya

                        nirvyalikamrtam vacah

                       prahasya prema-garbhena

                       tad apangena so 'grahit

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   maitreyah uvaca--Maitreya said; avadharya--after hearing; virincasya--of Lord Brahma; nirvyalika--free from all sinful purposes; amrtam--nectarean; vacah--words; prahasya--heartily laughing; prema-garbhena--laden with love; tat--those words; apangena--with a glance; sah--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; agrahit--accepted.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Maitreya said: After hearing the words of Brahma, the creator, which were free from all sinful purposes and as sweet as nectar, the Lord heartily laughed and accepted his prayer with a glance laden with love.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The word nirvyalika is very significant. The prayers of the demigods or devotees of the Lord are free from all sinful purposes, but the prayers of demons are always filled with sinful purposes. The demon Hiranyaksa became powerful by deriving a boon from Brahma, and after attaining that boon he created a disturbance because of his sinful intentions. The prayers of Brahma and other demigods are not to be compared to the prayers of the demons. Their purpose is to please the Supreme Lord; therefore the Lord smiled and accepted the prayer to kill the demon. Demons, who are never interested in praising the Supreme Personality of Godhead because they have no information of Him, go to the demigods, and in Bhagavad-gita this is condemned. Persons who go to the demigods and pray for advancement in sinful activities are considered to be bereft of all intelligence. Demons have lost all intelligence because they do not know what is actually their self-interest. Even if they have information of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they decline to approach Him; it is not possible for them to get their desired boons from the Supreme Lord because their purposes are always sinful. It is said that the dacoits in Bengal used to worship the goddess Kali for fulfillment of their sinful desires to plunder others' property, but they never went to a Visnu temple because they might have been unsuccessful in praying to Visnu. Therefore the prayers of the demigods or the devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are always untinged by sinful purposes.

 

                                TEXT 2

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       tatah sapatnam mukhatas

                        carantam akuto-bhayam

                         jaghanotpatya gadaya

                         hanav asuram aksajah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tatah--then; sapatnam--enemy; mukhatah--in front of Him; carantam--stalking; akutah-bhayam--fearlessly; jaghana--struck; utpatya--after springing up; gadaya--with His mace; hanau--at the chin; asuram--the demon; aksa-jah--the Lord, who was born from the nostril of Brahma.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The Lord, who had appeared from the nostril of Brahma, sprang and aimed His mace at the chin of His enemy, the Hiranyaksa demon, who was stalking fearlessly before Him.

 

                                TEXT 3

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         sa hata tena gadaya

                        vihata bhagavat-karat

                         vighurnitapatad reje

                        tad adbhutam ivabhavat

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sa--that mace; hata--struck; tena--by Hiranyaksa; gadaya--with his mace; vihata--slipped; bhagavat--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; karat--from the hand; vighurnita--whirling; apatat--fell down; reje--was shining; tat--that; adbhutam--miraculous; iva--indeed; abhavat--was.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Struck by the demon's mace, however, the Lord's mace slipped from His hand and looked splendid as it fell down whirling. This was miraculous, for the mace was blazing wonderfully.

 

                                TEXT 4

 

                                 TEXT

 

                      sa tada labdha-tirtho 'pi

                        na babadhe nirayudham

                       manayan sa mrdhe dharmam

                        visvaksenam prakopayan

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sah--that Hiranyaksa; tada--then; labdha-tirthah--having gained an excellent opportunity; api--although; na--not; babadhe--attacked; nirayudham--having no weapon; manayan--respecting; sah--Hiranyaksa; mrdhe--in battle; dharmam--the code of combat; visvaksenam--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; prakopayan--making angry.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Even though the demon had an excellent opportunity to strike his unarmed foe without obstruction, he respected the law of single combat, thereby kindling the fury of the Supreme Lord.

 

                                TEXT 5

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         gadayam apaviddhayam

                         haha-kare vinirgate

                       manayam asa tad-dharmam

                       sunabham casmarad vibhuh

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   gadayam--as His mace; apaviddhayam--fell; haha-kare--a cry of alarm; vinirgate--arose; manayam asa--acknowledged; tat--of Hiranyaksa; dharmam--righteousness; sunabham--the Sudarsana cakra; ca--and; asmarat--remembered; vibhuh--the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   As the Lord's mace fell to the ground and a cry of alarm arose from the witnessing crowd of gods and rsis, the Personality of Godhead acknowledged the demon's love of righteousness and therefore invoked His Sudarsana discus.

 

                                TEXT 6

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 tam vyagra-cakram diti-putradhamena

                  sva-parsada-mukhyena visajjamanam

                  citra vaco 'tad-vidam khe-caranam

                  tatra smasan svasti te 'mum jahiti

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tam--unto the Personality of Godhead; vyagra--revolving; cakram--whose discus; diti-putra--son of Diti; adhamena--vile; sva-parsada--of His associates; mukhyena--with the chief; visajjamanam--playing; citrah--various; vacah--expressions; a-tat-vidam--of those who did not know; khe-caranam--flying in the sky; tatra--there; sma asan--occurred; svasti--fortune; te--unto You; amum--him; jahi--please kill; iti--thus.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   As the discus began to revolve in the Lord's hands and the Lord contended at close quarters with the chief of His Vaikuntha attendants, who had been born as Hiranyaksa, a vile son of Diti, there issued from every direction strange expressions uttered by those who were witnessing from airplanes. They had no knowledge of the Lord's reality, and they cried, "May victory attend You! Pray dispatch him. Play no more with him."

 

                                TEXT 7

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  sa tam nisamyatta-rathangam agrato

                  vyavasthitam padma-palasa-locanam

                   vilokya camarsa-pariplutendriyo

                rusa sva-danta-cchadam adasac chvasan

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sah--that demon; tam--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; nisamya--after seeing; atta-rathangam--armed with the Sudarsana disc; agratah--before him; vyavasthitam--standing in position; padma--lotus flower; palasa--petals; locanam--eyes; vilokya--after seeing; ca--and; amarsa--by indignation; paripluta--overpowered; indriyah--his senses; rusa--with great resentment; sva-danta-chadam--his own lip; adasat--bit; svasan--hissing.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When the demon saw the Personality of Godhead, who had eyes just like lotus petals, standing in position before him, armed with His Sudarsana discus, his senses were overpowered by indignation. He began to hiss like a serpent, and he bit his lip in great resentment.

 

                                TEXT 8

 

                                 TEXT

 

                     karala-damstras caksurbhyam

                        sancaksano dahann iva

                        abhiplutya sva-gadaya

                       hato 'sity ahanad dharim

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   karala--fearful; damstrah--having tusks; caksurbhyam--with both eyes; sancaksanah--staring; dahan--burning; iva--as if; abhiplutya--attacking; sva-gadaya--with his own club; hatah--slain; asi--You are; iti--thus; ahanat--struck; harim--at Hari.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The demon, who had fearful tusks, stared at the Personality of Godhead as though to burn Him. Springing into the air, he aimed his mace at the Lord, exclaiming at the same time, "You are slain!"

 

                                TEXT 9

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        pada savyena tam sadho

                        bhagavan yajna-sukarah

                        lilaya misatah satroh

                        praharad vata-ramhasam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   pada--with His foot; savyena--left; tam--that mace; sadho--O Vidura; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; yajna-sukarah--in His boar form, the enjoyer of all sacrifices; lilaya--playfully; misatah--looking on; satroh--of His enemy (Hiranyaksa); praharat--knocked down; vata-ramhasam--having the force of a tempest.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O saintly Vidura, while His enemy looked on, the Lord in His boar form, the enjoyer of all sacrificial offerings, playfully knocked down the mace with His left foot, even as it came upon Him with the force of a tempest.

 

                               TEXT 10

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        aha cayudham adhatsva

                        ghatasva tvam jigisasi

                       ity uktah sa tada bhuyas

                       tadayan vyanadad bhrsam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   aha--He said; ca--and; ayudham--weapon; adhatsva--take up; ghatasva--try; tvam--you; jigisasi--are eager to conquer; iti--thus; uktah--challenged; sah--Hiranyaksa; tada--at that time; bhuyah--again; tadayan--striking at; vyanadat--roared; bhrsam--loudly.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The Lord then said: "Take up your weapon and try again, eager as you are to conquer Me." Challenged in these words, the demon aimed his mace at the Lord and once more loudly roared.

 

                               TEXT 11

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        tam sa apatatim viksya

                        bhagavan samavasthitah

                        jagraha lilaya praptam

                        garutman iva pannagim

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tam--that mace; sah--He; apatatim--flying toward; viksya--after seeing; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; samavasthitah--stood firmly; jagraha--caught; lilaya--easily; praptam--entered into His presence; garutman--Garuda; iva--as; pannagim--a serpent.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When the Lord saw the mace flying toward Him, He stood firmly where He was and caught it with the same ease as Garuda, the king of birds, would seize a serpent.

 

                               TEXT 12

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        sva-pauruse pratihate

                         hata-mano mahasurah

                       naicchad gadam diyamanam

                        harina vigata-prabhah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sva-pauruse--his valor; pratihate--frustrated; hata--destroyed; manah--pride; maha-asurah--the great demon; na aicchat--desired not (to take); gadam--the mace; diyamanam--being offered; harina--by Hari; vigata-prabhah--reduced in splendor.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   His valor thus frustrated, the great demon felt humiliated and was put out of countenance. He was reluctant to take back the mace when it was offered by the Personality of Godhead.

 

                               TEXT 13

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       jagraha tri-sikham sulam

                        jvalaj-jvalana-lolupam

                         yajnaya dhrta-rupaya

                        viprayabhicaran yatha

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   jagraha--took up; tri-sikham--three-pointed; sulam--trident; jvalat--flaming; jvalana--fire; lolupam--rapacious; yajnaya--at the enjoyer of all sacrifices; dhrta-rupaya--in the form of Varaha; vipraya--unto a brahmana; abhicaran--acting malevolently; yatha--as.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   He now took a trident which was as rapacious as a flaming fire and hurled it against the Lord, the enjoyer of all sacrifices, even as one would use penance for a malevolent purpose against a holy brahmana.

 

                               TEXT 14

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  tad ojasa daitya-maha-bhatarpitam

                   cakasad antah-kha udirna-didhiti

                    cakrena ciccheda nisata-nemina

                harir yatha tarksya-patatram ujjhitam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tat--that trident; ojasa--with all his strength; daitya--among the demons; maha-bhata--by the mighty fighter; arpitam--hurled; cakasat--shining; antah-khe--in the middle of the sky; udirna--increased; didhiti--illumination; cakrena--by the Sudarsana disc; ciccheda--He cut to pieces; nisata--sharpened; nemina--rim; harih--Indra; yatha--as; tarksya--of Garuda; patatram--the wing; ujjhitam--abandoned.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Hurled by the mighty demon with all his strength, the flying trident shone brightly in the sky. The Personality of Godhead, however, tore it to pieces with His discus Sudarsana, which had a sharp-edged rim, even as Indra cut off a wing of Garuda.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The context of the reference given herein regarding Garuda and Indra is this. Once upon a time, Garuda, the carrier of the Lord, snatched away a nectar pot from the hands of the demigods in heaven in order to liberate his mother, Vinata, from the clutches of his stepmother, Kadru, the mother of the serpents. On learning of this, Indra, the King of heaven, hurled his thunderbolt against Garuda. With a view to respect the infallibility of Indra's weapon, Garuda, though otherwise invincible, being the Lord's own mount, dropped one of his wings, which was shattered to pieces by the thunderbolt. The inhabitants of higher planets are so sensible that even in the process of fighting they observe the preliminary rules and regulations of gentleness. In this case, Garuda wanted to show respect for Indra; since he knew that Indra's weapon must destroy something, he offered his wing.

 

                               TEXT 15

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   vrkne sva-sule bahudharina hareh

                  pratyetya vistirnam uro vibhutimat

                  pravrddha-rosah sa kathora-mustina

                   nadan prahrtyantaradhiyatasurah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   vrkne--when cut; sva-sule--his trident; bahudha--to many pieces; arina--by the Sudarsana cakra; hareh--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pratyetya--after advancing toward; vistirnam--broad; urah--chest; vibhuti-mat--the abode of the goddess of fortune; pravrddha--having been increased; rosah--anger; sah--Hiranyaksa; kathora--hard; mustina--with his fist; nadan--roaring; prahrtya--after striking; antaradhiyata--disappeared; asurah--the demon.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The demon was enraged when his trident was cut to pieces by the discus of the Personality of Godhead. He therefore advanced toward the Lord and, roaring aloud, struck his hard fist against the Lord's broad chest, which bore the mark of Srivatsa. Then he went out of sight.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Srivatsa is a curl of white hair on the chest of the Lord which is a special sign of His being the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In Vaikunthaloka or in Goloka Vrndavana, the inhabitants are exactly of the same form as the Personality of Godhead, but by this Srivatsa mark on the chest of the Lord He is distinguished from all others.

 

                               TEXT 16

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       tenettham ahatah ksattar

                         bhagavan adi-sukarah

                        nakampata manak kvapi

                        sraja hata iva dvipah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tena--by Hiranyaksa; ittham--thus; ahatah--struck; ksattah--O Vidura; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; adi-sukarah--the first boar; na akampata--did not feel quaking; manak--even slightly; kva api--anywhere; sraja--by a garland of flowers; hatah--struck; iva--as; dvipah--an elephant.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Hit in this manner by the demon, O Vidura, the Lord, who had appeared as the first boar, did not feel the least quaking in any part of His body, any more than an elephant would when struck with a wreath of flowers.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   As previously explained, the demon was originally a servitor of the Lord in Vaikuntha, but somehow or other he fell as a demon. His fight with the Supreme Lord was meant for his liberation. The Lord enjoyed the striking on His transcendental body, just like a fully grown-up father fighting with his child. Sometimes a father takes pleasure in having a mock fight with his small child, and similarly the Lord felt Hiranyaksa's striking on His body to be like flowers offered for worship. In other words, the Lord desired to fight in order to enjoy His transcendental bliss; therefore He enjoyed the attack.

 

                               TEXT 17

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         athorudhasrjan mayam

                         yoga-mayesvare harau

                      yam vilokya prajas trasta

                        menire 'syopasamyamam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   atha--then; urudha--in many ways; asrjat--he cast; mayam--conjuring tricks; yoga-maya-isvare--the Lord of yogamaya; harau--at Hari; yam--which; vilokya--after seeing; prajah--the people; trastah--fearful; menire--thought; asya--of this universe; upasamyamam--the dissolution.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The demon, however, employed many conjuring tricks against the Personality of Godhead, who is the Lord of yogamaya. At the sight of this the people were filled with alarm and thought that the dissolution of the universe was near.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The fighting enjoyment of the Supreme Lord with His devotee, who had been converted into a demon, appeared severe enough to bring about the dissolution of the universe. This is the greatness of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; even the wavering of His little finger appears to be a great and very dangerous movement in the eyes of the inhabitants of the universe.

 

                               TEXT 18

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       pravavur vayavas candas

                        tamah pamsavam airayan

                       digbhyo nipetur gravanah

                        ksepanaih prahita iva

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   pravavuh--were blowing; vayavah--winds; candah--fierce; tamah--darkness; pamsavam--caused by dust; airayan--were spreading; digbhyah--from every direction; nipetuh--came down; gravanah--stones; ksepanaih--by machine guns; prahitah--thrown; iva--as if.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Fierce winds began to blow from all directions, spreading darkness occasioned by dust and hail storms; stones came in volleys from every corner, as if thrown by machine guns.

 

                               TEXT 19

 

                                 TEXT

 

                    dyaur nasta-bhaganabhraughaih

                       sa-vidyut-stanayitnubhih

                       varsadbhih puya-kesasrg-

                       vin-mutrasthini casakrt

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   dyauh--the sky; nasta--having disappeared; bha-gana--luminaries; abhra--of clouds; oghaih--by masses; sa--accompanied by; vidyut--lightning; stanayitnubhih--and thunder; varsadbhih--raining; puya--pus; kesa--hair; asrk--blood; vit--stool; mutra--urine; asthini--bones; ca--and; asakrt--again and again.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The luminaries in outer space disappeared due to the sky's being overcast with masses of clouds, which were accompanied by lightning and thunder. The sky rained pus, hair, blood, stool, urine and bones.

 

                               TEXT 20

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        girayah pratyadrsyanta

                        nanayudha-muco 'nagha

                        dig-vasaso yatudhanyah

                       sulinyo mukta-murdhajah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   girayah--mountains; pratyadrsyanta--appeared; nana--various; ayudha--weapons; mucah--discharging; anagha--O sinless Vidura; dik-vasasah--naked; yatudhanyah--demonesses; sulinyah--armed with tridents; mukta--hanging loose; murdhajah--hair.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O sinless Vidura, mountains discharged weapons of various kinds, and naked demonesses armed with tridents appeared with their hair hanging loose.

 

                               TEXT 21

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       bahubhir yaksa-raksobhih

                      patty-asva-ratha-kunjaraih

                         atatayibhir utsrsta

                       himsra vaco 'tivaisasah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   bahubhih--by many; yaksa-raksobhih--Yaksas and Raksasas; patti--marching on foot; asva--on horses; ratha--on chariots; kunjaraih--or on elephants; atatayibhih--ruffians; utsrstah--were uttered; himsrah--cruel; vacah--words; ati-vaisasah--murderous.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Cruel and savage slogans were uttered by hosts of ruffian Yaksas and Raksasas, who all either marched on foot or rode on horses, elephants or chariots.

 

                               TEXT 22

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        praduskrtanam mayanam

                          asurinam vinasayat

                       sudarsanastram bhagavan

                      prayunkta dayitam tri-pat

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   praduskrtanam--displayed; mayanam--the magical forces; asurinam--displayed by the demon; vinasayat--desiring to destroy; sudarsana-astram--the Sudarsana weapon; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; prayunkta--threw; dayitam--beloved; tri-pat--the enjoyer of all sacrifices.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The Lord, the personal enjoyer of all sacrifices, now discharged His beloved Sudarsana, which was capable of dispersing the magical forces displayed by the demon.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Even famous yogis and demons can sometimes enact very magical feats by their mystic power, but in the presence of the Sudarsana cakra, when it is let loose by the Lord, all such magical jugglery is dispersed. The instance of the quarrel between Durvasa Muni and Maharaja Ambarisa is a practical example in this matter. Durvasa Muni wanted to display many magical wonders, but when the Sudarsana cakra appeared, Durvasa himself was afraid and fled to various planets for his personal protection. The Lord is described here as tri-pat, which means that He is the enjoyer of three kinds of sacrifices. In Bhagavad-gita the Lord confirms that He is the beneficiary and enjoyer of all sacrifices, penances and austerities. The Lord is the enjoyer of three kinds of yajna. As further described in Bhagavad-gita, there are sacrifices of goods, sacrifices of meditation and sacrifices of philosophical speculation. Those on the paths of jnana, yoga and karma all have to come in the end to the Supreme Lord because vasudevah sarvam iti--the Supreme Lord is the ultimate enjoyer of everything. That is the perfection of all sacrifice.

 

                               TEXT 23

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        tada diteh samabhavat

                         sahasa hrdi vepathuh

                       smarantya bhartur adesam

                       stanac casrk prasusruve

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tada--at that moment; diteh--of Diti; samabhavat--occurred; sahasa--suddenly; hrdi--in the heart; vepathuh--a shudder; smarantyah--recalling; bhartuh--of her husband, Kasyapa; adesam--the words; stanat--from her breast; ca--and; asrk--blood; prasusruve--flowed.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   At that very moment, a shudder suddenly ran through the heart of Diti, the mother of Hiranyaksa. She recalled the words of her husband, Kasyapa, and blood flowed from her breasts.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   At Hiranyaksa's last moment, his mother, Diti, remembered what her husband had said. Although her sons would be demons, they would have the advantage of being killed by the Personality of Godhead Himself. She remembered this incident by the grace of the Lord, and her breasts flowed blood instead of milk. In many instances we find that when a mother is moved by affection for her sons, milk flows from her breasts. In the case of the demon's mother, the blood could not transform into milk, but it flowed down her breasts as it was. Blood transforms into milk. To drink milk is auspicious, but to drink blood is inauspicious, although they are one and the same thing. This formula is applicable in the case of cow's milk also.

 

                               TEXT 24

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         vinastasu sva-mayasu

                       bhuyas cavrajya kesavam

                         rusopaguhamano 'mum

                       dadrse 'vasthitam bahih

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   vinastasu--when dispelled; sva-mayasu--his magic forces; bhuyah--again; ca--and; avrajya--after coming into the presence; kesavam--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; rusa--full of rage; upaguhamanah--embracing; amum--the Lord; dadrse--saw; avasthitam--standing; bahih--outside.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When the demon saw his magic forces dispelled, he once again came into the presence of the Personality of Godhead, Kesava, and, full of rage, tried to embrace Him within his arms to crush Him. But to his great amazement he found the Lord standing outside the circle of his arms.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In this verse the Lord is addressed as Kesava because He killed the demon Kesi in the beginning of creation. Kesava is also a name of Krsna. Krsna is the origin of all incarnations, and it is confirmed in Brahma-samhita that Govinda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes, exists simultaneously in His different incarnations and expansions. The demon's attempt to measure the Supreme Personality of Godhead is significant. The demon wanted to embrace Him with his arms, thinking that with his limited arms he could capture the Absolute by material power. He did not know that God is the greatest of the great and the smallest of the small. No one can capture the Supreme Lord or bring Him under his control. But the demoniac person always attempts to measure the length and breadth of the Supreme Lord. By His inconceivable potency the Lord can become the universal form, as explained in Bhagavad-gita, and at the same time He can remain within the box of His devotees as their worshipable Deity. There are many devotees who keep a statue of the Lord in a small box and carry it with them everywhere; every morning they worship the Lord in the box. The Supreme Lord, Kesava, or the Personality of Godhead, Krsna, is not bound by any measurement of our calculation. He can remain with His devotee in any suitable form, yet He is unapproachable by any amount of demoniac activities.

 

                               TEXT 25

 

                                 TEXT

 

                      tam mustibhir vinighnantam

                       vajra-sarair adhoksajah

                        karena karna-mule 'han

                      yatha tvastram marut-patih

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tam--Hiranyaksa; mustibhih--with his fists; vinighnantam--striking; vajra-saraih--as hard as a thunderbolt; adhoksajah--Lord Adhoksaja; karena--with the hand; karna-mule--at the root of the ear; ahan--struck; yatha--as; tvastram--the demon Vrtra (son of Tvasta); marut-patih--Indra (lord of the Maruts).

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The demon now began to strike the Lord with his hard fists, but Lord Adhoksaja slapped him in the root of the ear, even as Indra, the lord of the Maruts, hit the demon Vrtra.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The Lord is explained here to be adhoksaja, beyond the reach of all material calculation. Aksaja means "the measurement of our senses," and adhoksaja means "that which is beyond the measurement of our senses."

 

                               TEXT 26

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   sa ahato visva-jita hy avajnaya

                   paribhramad-gatra udasta-locanah

                 visirna-bahv-anghri-siroruho 'patad

                   yatha nagendro lulito nabhasvata

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sah--he; ahatah--having been struck; visva-jita--by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; hi--though; avajnaya--indifferently; paribhramat--wheeling; gatrah--body; udasta--bulged out; locanah--eyes; visirna--broken; bahu--arms; anghri--legs; sirah-ruhah--hair; apatat--fell down; yatha--like; naga-indrah--a gigantic tree; lulitah--uprooted; nabhasvata--by the wind.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Though struck indifferently by the Lord, the conqueror of all, the demon's body began to wheel. His eyeballs bulged out of their sockets. His arms and legs broken and the hair on his head scattered, he fell down dead, like a gigantic tree uprooted by the wind.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   It does not take even a moment for the Lord to kill any powerful demon, including Hiranyaksa. The Lord could have killed him long before, but He allowed the demon to display the full extent of his magical feats. One may know that by magical feats, by scientific advancement of knowledge or by material power one cannot become the equal of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. His one signal is sufficient to destroy all our attempts. His inconceivable power, as displayed here, is so strong that the demon, despite all his demoniac maneuvers, was killed by the Lord when the Lord desired, simply by one slap.

 

                               TEXT 27

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 ksitau sayanam tam akuntha-varcasam

                 karala-damstram paridasta-dacchadam

                    ajadayo viksya sasamsur agata

                  aho imam ko nu labheta samsthitim

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ksitau--on the ground; sayanam--lying; tam--Hiranyaksa; akuntha--unfaded; varcasam--glow; karala--fearful; damstram--teeth; paridasta--bitten; dat-chadam--lip; aja-adayah--Brahma and others; viksya--having seen; sasamsuh--admiringly said; agatah--arrived; aho--oh; imam--this; kah--who; nu--indeed; labheta--could meet; samsthitim--death.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Aja [Brahma] and others arrived on the spot to see the fearfully tusked demon lying on the ground, biting his lip. The glow of his face was yet unfaded, and Brahma admiringly said: Oh, who could meet such blessed death?

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Although the demon was dead, his bodily luster was unfaded. This is very peculiar because when a man or animal is dead, the body immediately becomes pale, the luster gradually fades, and decomposition takes place. But here, although Hiranyaksa lay dead, his bodily luster was unfaded because the Lord, the Supreme Spirit, was touching his body. One's bodily luster remains fresh only as long as the spirit soul is present. Although the demon's soul had departed his body, the Supreme Spirit touched the body, and therefore his bodily luster did not fade. The individual soul is different from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One who sees the Supreme Personality of Godhead when he quits his body is certainly very fortunate, and therefore personalities like Brahma and the other demigods eulogized the death of the demon.

 

                               TEXT 28

 

                                 TEXT

 

                    yam yogino yoga-samadhina raho

                   dhyayanti lingad asato mumuksaya

                   tasyaisa daitya-rsabhah padahato

                 mukham prapasyams tanum utsasarja ha

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yam--whom; yoginah--the yogis; yoga-samadhina--in mystic trance; rahah--in seclusion; dhyayanti--meditate upon; lingat--from the body; asatah--unreal; mumuksaya--seeking freedom; tasya--of Him; esah--this; daitya--son of Diti; rsabhah--the crest jewel; pada--by a foot; ahatah--struck; mukham--countenance; prapasyan--while gazing on; tanum--the body; utsasarja--he cast off; ha--indeed.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Brahma continued: He was struck by a forefoot of the Lord, whom yogis, seeking freedom from their unreal material bodies, meditate upon in seclusion in mystic trance. While gazing on His countenance, this crest jewel of Diti's sons has cast off his mortal coil.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The process of yoga is very clearly described in this verse of Srimad-Bhagavatam. It is said here that the ultimate end of the yogis and mystics who perform meditation is to get rid of this material body. Therefore they meditate in secluded places to attain yogic trance. Yoga has to be performed in a secluded place, not in public or in a demonstration on stage, as nowadays practiced by many so-called yogis. Real yoga aims at ridding one of the material body. Yoga practice is not intended to keep the body fit and young. Such advertisements of so-called yoga are not approved by any standard method. Particularly mentioned in this verse is the word yam, or "unto whom," indicating that meditation should be targeted on the Personality of Godhead. Even if one concentrates his mind on the boar form of the Lord, that is also yoga. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita, one who concentrates his mind constantly in meditation upon the Personality of Godhead in one of His many varieties of forms is the first-class yogi, and he can very easily attain trance simply by meditating upon the form of the Lord. If one is able to continue such meditation on the Lord's form at the time of one's death, one is liberated from this mortal body and is transferred to the kingdom of God. This opportunity was given to the demon by the Lord, and therefore Brahma and other demigods were astonished. In other words, the perfection of yoga practice can be attained by a demon also if he is simply kicked by the Lord.

 

                               TEXT 29

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        etau tau parsadav asya

                        sapad yatav asad-gatim

                       punah katipayaih sthanam

                       prapatsyete ha janmabhih

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   etau--these two; tau--both; parsadau--personal assistants; asya--of the Personality of Godhead; sapat--because of being cursed; yatau--have gone; asat-gatim--to take birth in a demoniac family; punah--again; katipayaih--a few; sthanam--own place; prapatsyete--will get back; ha--indeed; janmabhih--after births.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   These two personal assistants of the Supreme Lord, having been cursed, have been destined to take birth in demoniac families. After a few such births, they will return to their own positions.

 

                               TEXT 30

 

                                 TEXT

 

                              deva ucuh

                  namo namas te 'khila-yajna-tantave

                  sthitau grhitamala-sattva-murtaye

                  distya hato 'yam jagatam aruntudas

                 tvat-pada-bhaktya vayam isa nirvrtah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   devah--the demigods; ucuh--said; namah--obeisances; namah--obeisances; te--unto You; akhila-yajna-tantave--the enjoyer of all sacrifices; sthitau--for the purpose of maintaining; grhita--assumed; amala--pure; sattva--goodness; murtaye--form; distya--fortunately; hatah--slain; ayam--this; jagatam--to the worlds; aruntudah--causing torment; tvat-pada--to Your feet; bhaktya--with devotion; vayam--we; isa--O Lord; nirvrtah--have attained happiness.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The demigods addressed the Lord: All obeisances unto You! You are the enjoyer of all sacrifices, and You have assumed the form of a boar, in pure goodness, for the purpose of maintaining the world. Fortunately for us, this demon, who was a torment to the worlds, has been slain by You, and we too, O Lord, are now at ease, in devotion to Your lotus feet.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The material world consists of three modes--goodness, passion and ignorance--but the spiritual world is pure goodness. It is said here that the form of the Lord is pure goodness, which means that it is not material. In the material world there is no pure goodness. In the Bhagavatam the stage of pure goodness is called sattvam visuddham. Visuddham means "pure." In pure goodness there is no contamination by the two inferior qualities, namely passion and ignorance. The form of the boar, therefore, in which the Lord appeared, is nothing of the material world. There are many other forms of the Lord, but none of them belong to the material qualities. Such forms are nondifferent from the Visnu form, and Visnu is the enjoyer of all sacrifices.

   The sacrifices which are recommended in the Vedas are meant to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In ignorance only, people try to satisfy many other agents, but the real purpose of life is to satisfy the Supreme Lord, Visnu. All sacrifices are meant to please the Supreme Lord. The living entities who know this perfectly well are called demigods, godly or almost God. Since the living entity is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, it is his duty to serve the Lord and please Him. The demigods are all attached to the Personality of Godhead, and for their pleasure the demon, who was a source of trouble to the world, was killed. Purified life is meant to please the Lord, and all sacrifices performed in purified life are called Krsna consciousness. This Krsna consciousness is developed by devotional service, as clearly mentioned here.

 

                               TEXT 31

 

                                 TEXT

 

                            maitreya uvaca

                   evam hiranyaksam asahya-vikramam

                    sa sadayitva harir adi-sukarah

                  jagama lokam svam akhanditotsavam

                   samiditah puskara-vistaradibhih

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   maitreyah uvaca--Sri Maitreya said; evam--thus; hiranyaksam--Hiranyaksa; asahya-vikramam--very powerful; sah--the Lord; sadayitva--after killing; harih--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; adi-sukarah--the origin of the boar species; jagama--returned; lokam--to His abode; svam--own; akhandita--uninterrupted; utsavam--festival; samiditah--being praised; puskara-vistara--lotus seat (by Lord Brahma, whose seat is a lotus); adibhih--and the others.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Maitreya continued: After thus killing the most formidable demon Hiranyaksa, the Supreme Lord Hari, the origin of the boar species, returned to His own abode, where there is always an uninterrupted festival. The Lord was praised by all the demigods, headed by Brahma.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The Lord is spoken of herewith as the origin of the boar species. As stated in the Vedanta-sutra (1.1.2), the Absolute Truth is the origin of everything. Therefore it is to be understood that all 8,400,000 species of bodily forms originate from the Lord, who is always adi, or the beginning. In Bhagavad-gita Arjuna addresses the Lord as adyam, or the original. Similarly, in the Brahma-samhita the Lord is addressed as adi-purusam, the original person. Indeed, in Bhagavad-gita (10.8) the Lord Himself declares, mattah sarvam pravartate: "From Me everything proceeds."

   In this situation the Lord assumed the shape of a boar to kill the demon Hiranyaksa and pick up the earth from the Garbha Ocean. Thus He became adi-sukara, the original boar. In the material world a boar or pig is considered most abominable, but the adi-sukara, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, was not treated as an ordinary boar. Even Lord Brahma and the other demigods praised the Lord's form as a boar.

   This verse confirms the statement in Bhagavad-gita that the Lord appears as He is from His transcendental abode for the sake of killing the miscreants and saving the devotees. By killing the demon Hiranyaksa He fulfilled His promise to kill the demons and always protect the demigods headed by Brahma. The statement that the Lord returned to His own abode indicates that He has His own particular transcendental residence. Since He is full of all energies, He is all-pervasive in spite of His residing in Goloka Vrndavana, just as the sun, although situated in a particular place within the universe, is present by its sunshine throughout the universe.

   Although the Lord has His particular abode in which to reside, He is all-pervasive. The impersonalists accept one aspect of the Lord's features, the all-pervasive aspect, but they cannot understand His localized situation in His transcendental abode, where He always engages in fully transcendental pastimes. Especially mentioned in this verse is the word akhanditotsavam. Utsava means "pleasure." Whenever some function takes place to express happiness, it is called utsava. Utsava, the expression of complete happiness, is always present in the Vaikunthalokas, the abode of the Lord, who is worshipable even by demigods like Brahma, to say nothing of other, less important entities such as human beings.

   The Lord descends from His abode to this world, and therefore He is called avatara, which means "one who descends." Sometimes avatara is understood to refer to an incarnation who assumes a material form of flesh and bone, but actually avatara refers to one who descends from higher regions. The Lord's abode is situated far above this material sky, and He descends from that higher position; thus He is called avatara.

 

                               TEXT 32

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   maya yathanuktam avadi te hareh

                    krtavatarasya sumitra cestitam

                    yatha hiranyaksa udara-vikramo

                   maha-mrdhe kridanavan nirakrtah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   maya--by me; yatha--as; anuktam--told; avadi--was explained; te--to you; hareh--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; krta-avatarasya--who assumed the incarnation; sumitra--O dear Vidura; cestitam--the activities; yatha--as; hiranyaksah--Hiranyaksa; udara--very extensive; vikramah--prowess; maha-mrdhe--in a great fight; kridana-vat--like a plaything; nirakrtah--was killed.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Maitreya continued: My dear Vidura, I have explained to you the Personality of Godhead's coming down as the first boar incarnation and killing in a great fight a demon of unprecedented prowess as if he were just a plaything. This has been narrated by me as I heard it from my predecessor spiritual master.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Here the sage Maitreya admits that he explained the incident of the killing of Hiranyaksa by the Supreme Personality of Godhead as a straight narration; he did not manufacture anything or add interpretation, but explained whatever he had heard from his spiritual master. Thus he accepted as bona fide the system of parampara, or receiving the transcendental message in disciplic succession. Unless received by this bona fide process of hearing from a spiritual master, the statement of an acarya or preceptor cannot be valid.

   It is also stated here that although the demon Hiranyaksa was unlimited in prowess, he was just like a doll for the Lord. A child breaks so many dolls without real endeavor. Similarly, although a demon may be very powerful and extraordinary in the eyes of an ordinary man in the material world, to the Lord, killing such a demon is no difficulty. He can kill millions of demons as simply as a child plays with dolls and breaks them.

 

                               TEXT 33

 

                                 TEXT

 

                              suta uvaca

                         iti kausaravakhyatam

                       asrutya bhagavat-katham

                       ksattanandam param lebhe

                         maha-bhagavato dvija

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sutah--Suta Gosvami; uvaca--said; iti--thus; kausarava--from Maitreya (son of Kusaru); akhyatam--told; asrutya--having heard; bhagavat-katham--the narration about the Lord; ksatta--Vidura; anandam--bliss; param--transcendental; lebhe--achieved; maha-bhagavatah--the great devotee; dvija--O brahmana (Saunaka).

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Suta Gosvami continued: My dear brahmana, Ksatta [Vidura] the great devotee of the Lord achieved transcendental bliss by hearing the narration of the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead from the authoritative source of the sage Kausarava [Maitreya], and he was very pleased.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   If anyone wants to derive transcendental pleasure by hearing the pastimes of the Lord, he must hear from the authoritative source, as explained here. Maitreya heard the narration from his bona fide spiritual master, and Vidura also heard from Maitreya. One becomes an authority simply by presenting whatever he has heard from his spiritual master, and one who does not accept a bona fide spiritual master cannot be an authority. This is clearly explained here. If one wants to have transcendental pleasure, he must find a person with authority. It is also stated in the Bhagavatam that simply by hearing from an authoritative source, with the ear and the heart, one can relish the pastimes of the Lord, otherwise it is not possible. Sanatana Gosvami, therefore, has especially warned that one should not hear anything about the personality of the Lord from the lips of a nondevotee. Nondevotees are considered to be like serpents; as milk is poisoned by a serpent's touch, so, although the narration of the pastimes of the Lord is as pure as milk, when administered by serpentlike nondevotees it becomes poisonous. Not only does it have no effect in transcendental pleasure, but it is dangerous also. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu has warned that no description of the pastimes of the Lord should be heard from the Mayavada, or impersonalist, school. He has clearly said, mayavadi-bhasya sunile haya sarva nasa: if anyone hears the Mayavadis' interpretation of the pastimes of the Lord, or their interpretation of Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam or any other Vedic literature, then he is doomed. Once one is associated with impersonalists, he can never understand the personal feature of the Lord and His transcendental pastimes.

   Suta Gosvami was speaking to the sages headed by Saunaka, and therefore he addressed them in this verse as dvija, twice-born. The sages assembled in Naimisaranya hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam from Suta Gosvami were all brahmanas, but to acquire the qualifications of a brahmana is not everything. Merely to be twice-born is not perfection. Perfection is attained when one hears the pastimes and activities of the Lord from a bona fide source.

 

                               TEXT 34

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        anyesam punya-slokanam

                         uddama-yasasam satam

                        upasrutya bhaven modah

                       srivatsankasya kim punah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   anyesam--of others; punya-slokanam--of pious reputation; uddama-yasasam--whose fame is spread everywhere; satam--of the devotees; upasrutya--by hearing; bhavet--may arise; modah--pleasure; srivatsa-ankasya--of the Lord, who bears the mark Srivatsa; kim punah--what to speak of.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   What to speak of hearing the pastimes of the Lord, whose chest is marked with Srivatsa, people may take transcendental pleasure even in hearing of the works and deeds of the devotees, whose fame is immortal.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Bhagavatam literally means the pastimes of the Lord and the Lord's devotees. For example, there are pastimes of Lord Krsna and narrations of devotees like Prahlada, Dhruva and Maharaja Ambarisa. Both pastimes pertain to the Supreme Personality of Godhead because the devotees' pastimes are in relation with Him. The Mahabharata, for example, the history of the Pandavas and their activities, is sacred because the Pandavas had a direct relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

                               TEXT 35

 

                                 TEXT

 

                      yo gajendram jhasa-grastam

                       dhyayantam caranambujam

                        krosantinam karenunam

                      krcchrato 'mocayad drutam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yah--He who; gaja-indram--the king of elephants; jhasa--an alligator; grastam--attacked by; dhyayantam--meditating upon; carana--feet; ambujam--lotus; krosantinam--while crying; karenunam--the female elephants; krcchratah--from danger; amocayat--delivered; drutam--quickly.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The Personality of Godhead delivered the king of the elephants, who was attacked by an alligator and who meditated upon the lotus feet of the Lord. At that time the female elephants who accompanied him were crying, and the Lord saved them from the impending danger.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The example of the elephant in danger who was saved by the Supreme Lord is especially cited here because even if one is an animal he can approach the Personality of Godhead in devotional service, whereas even a demigod cannot approach the Supreme Person unless he is a devotee.

 

                               TEXT 36

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       tam sukharadhyam rjubhir

                        ananya-saranair nrbhih

                        krtajnah ko na seveta

                        duraradhyam asadhubhih

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tam--unto Him; sukha--easily; aradhyam--worshiped; rjubhih--by the unpretentious; ananya--no other; saranaih--who take shelter; nrbhih--by men; krta-jnah--grateful soul; kah--what; na--not; seveta--would render service; duraradhyam--impossible to be worshiped; asadhubhih--by the nondevotees.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   What grateful soul is there who would not render his loving service to such a great master as the Personality of Godhead? The Lord can be easily pleased by spotless devotees who resort exclusively to Him for protection, though the unrighteous man finds it difficult to propitiate Him.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Every living entity, especially persons in the human race, must feel grateful for the benedictions offered by the grace of the Supreme Lord. Anyone, therefore, with a simple heart of gratefulness must be Krsna conscious and offer devotional service to the Lord. Those who are actually thieves and rogues do not recognize or acknowledge the benedictions offered to them by the Supreme Lord, and they cannot render Him devotional service. Ungrateful persons are those who do not understand how much benefit they are deriving by the arrangement of the Lord. They enjoy the sunshine and moonshine, and they get water free of charge, yet they do not feel grateful, but simply go on enjoying these gifts of the Lord. Therefore, they must be called thieves and rogues.

 

                               TEXT 37

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 yo vai hiranyaksa-vadham mahadbhutam

                    vikriditam karana-sukaratmanah

                    srnoti gayaty anumodate 'njasa

                  vimucyate brahma-vadhad api dvijah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yah--he who; vai--indeed; hiranyaksa-vadham--of the killing of Hiranyaksa; maha-adbhutam--most wonderful; vikriditam--pastime; karana--for reasons like raising the earth from the ocean; sukara--appearing in the form of a boar; atmanah--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; srnoti--hears; gayati--chants; anumodate--takes pleasure; anjasa--at once; vimucyate--becomes freed; brahma-vadhat--from the sin of killing a brahmana; api--even; dvijah--O brahmanas.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O brahmanas, anyone who hears, chants, or takes pleasure in the wonderful narration of the killing of the Hiranyaksa demon by the Lord, who appeared as the first boar in order to deliver the world, is at once relieved of the results of sinful activities, even the killing of a brahmana.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Since the Personality of Godhead is in the absolute position, there is no difference between His pastimes and His personality. Anyone who hears about the pastimes of the Lord associates with the Lord directly, and one who associates directly with the Lord is certainly freed from all sinful activities, even to the extent of the killing of a brahmana, which is considered the most sinful activity in the material world. One should be very eager to hear about the activities of the Lord from the bona fide source, the pure devotee. If one simply gives aural reception to the narration and accepts the glories of the Lord, then he is qualified. The impersonalist philosophers cannot understand the activities of the Lord. They think that all His activities are maya; therefore they are called Mayavadis. Since everything to them is maya, these narrations are not for them. Some impersonalists are reluctant to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam, although many of them are now taking an interest in it just for monetary gain. Actually, however, they have no faith. On the contrary, they describe it in their own way. We should not hear, therefore, from the Mayavadis. We have to hear from Suta Gosvami or Maitreya, who actually present the narrations as they are, and only then can we relish the pastimes of the Lord; otherwise the effects on the neophyte audience will be poisonous.

 

                               TEXT 38

 

                                 TEXT

 

                    etan maha-punyam alam pavitram

                  dhanyam yasasyam padam ayur-asisam

                pranendriyanam yudhi saurya-vardhanam

                  narayano 'nte gatir anga srnvatam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   etat--this narrative; maha-punyam--conferring great merit; alam--very; pavitram--sacred; dhanyam--conferring wealth; yasasyam--bearing fame; padam--the receptacle; ayuh--of longevity; asisam--of the objects of one's desire; prana--of the vital organs; indriyanam--of the organs of action; yudhi--on the field of battle; saurya--the strength; vardhanam--increasing; narayanah--Lord Narayana; ante--at the end of life; gatih--shelter; anga--O dear Saunaka; srnvatam--of those who listen.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   This most sacred narrative confers extraordinary merit, wealth, fame, longevity, and all the objects of one's desire. On the field of battle it promotes the strength of one's vital organs and organs of action. One who listens to it at the last moment of his life is transferred to the supreme abode of the Lord, O dear Saunaka.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Devotees are generally attracted by the narratives of the pastimes of the Lord, and even though they do not prosecute austerities or meditation, this very process of hearing attentively about the pastimes of the Lord will endow them with innumerable benefits, such as wealth, fame, longevity and other desirable aims of life. If one continues to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam, which is full of narratives of the pastimes of the Lord, at the end of this life, one is sure to be transferred to the eternal, transcendental abode of the Lord. Thus hearers are benefited both ultimately and for as long as they are in the material world. That is the supreme, sublime result of engaging in devotional service. The beginning of devotional service is to spare some time and listen to Srimad-Bhagavatam from the right source. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu also recommended five items of devotional service, namely to serve the devotees of the Lord, to chant Hare Krsna, to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam, to worship the Deity of the Lord and to live in a place of pilgrimage. Just performing these five activities can deliver one from the miserable condition of material life.

 

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Third Canto, Nineteenth Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled "The Killing of the Demon Hiranyaksa."


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