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Chapter Fourteen
Pregnancy of Diti in the Evening
TEXT 1
TEXT
sri-suka uvaca
nisamya kausaravinopavarnitam
hareh katham karana-sukaratmanah
punah sa papraccha tam udyatanjalir
na catitrpto viduro dhrta-vratah
SYNONYMS
sri-sukah uvaca--Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; nisamya--after hearing; kausaravina--by the sage Maitreya; upavarnitam--described; hareh--of the Personality of Godhead; katham--narrations; karana--for the reason of lifting the earth; sukara-atmanah--of the boar incarnation; punah--again; sah--he; papraccha--inquired; tam--from him (Maitreya); udyata-anjalih--with folded hands; na--never; ca--also; ati-trptah--very much satisfied; vidurah--Vidura; dhrta-vratah--taken to a vow.
TRANSLATION
Sukadeva Gosvami said: After hearing from the great sage Maitreya about the Lord's incarnation as Varaha, Vidura, who had taken a vow, begged him with folded hands to please narrate further transcendental activities of the Lord, since he [Vidura] did not yet feel satisfied.
TEXT 2
TEXT
vidura uvaca
tenaiva tu muni-srestha
harina yajna-murtina
adi-daityo hiranyakso
hata ity anususruma
SYNONYMS
vidurah uvaca--Sri Vidura said; tena--by Him; eva--certainly; tu--but; muni-srestha--O chief among the sages; harina--by the Personality of Godhead; yajna-murtina--the form of sacrifices; adi--original; daityah--demon; hiranyaksah--by the name Hiranyaksa; hatah--slain; iti--thus; anususruma--heard in succession.
TRANSLATION
Sri Vidura said: O chief amongst the great sages, I have heard by disciplic succession that Hiranyaksa, the original demon, was slain by the same form of sacrifices, the Personality of Godhead [Lord Boar].
PURPORT
As referred to previously, the boar incarnation was manifested in two millenniums--namely Svayambhuva and Caksusa. In both millenniums there was a boar incarnation of the Lord, but in the Svayambhuva millennium He lifted the earth from within the water of the universe, whereas in the Caksusa millennium He killed the first demon, Hiranyaksa. In the Svayambhuva millennium He assumed the color white, and in the Caksusa millennium He assumed the color red. Vidura had already heard about one of them, and he proposed to hear about the other. The two different boar incarnations described are the one Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 3
TEXT
tasya coddharatah ksaunim
sva-damstragrena lilaya
daitya-rajasya ca brahman
kasmad dhetor abhun mrdhah
SYNONYMS
tasya--His; ca--also; uddharatah--while lifting; ksaunim--the earth planet; sva-damstra-agrena--by the edge of His tusks; lilaya--in His pastimes; daitya-rajasya--of the king of demons; ca--and; brahman--O brahmana; kasmat--from what; hetoh--reason; abhut--there was; mrdhah--fight.
TRANSLATION
What was the reason, O brahmana, for the fight between the demon king and Lord Boar while the Lord was lifting the earth as His pastime?
TEXT 4
TEXT
sraddadhanaya bhaktaya
bruhi taj-janma-vistaram
rse na trpyati manah
param kautuhalam hi me
SYNONYMS
sraddadhanaya--unto a faithful person; bhaktaya--unto a devotee; bruhi--please narrate; tat--His; janma--appearance; vistaram--in detail; rse--O great sage; na--not; trpyati--become satisfied; manah--mind; param--very much; kautuhalam--inquisitive; hi--certainly; me--my.
TRANSLATION
My mind has become very inquisitive, and therefore I am not satisfied with hearing the narration of the Lord's appearance. Please, therefore, speak more and more to a devotee who is faithful.
PURPORT
One who is actually faithful and inquisitive is qualified to hear the transcendental pastimes of the appearance and disappearance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Vidura was a suitable candidate to receive such transcendental messages.
TEXT 5
TEXT
maitreya uvaca
sadhu vira tvaya prstam
avatara-katham hareh
yat tvam prcchasi martyanam
mrtyu-pasa-visatanim
SYNONYMS
maitreyah uvaca--Maitreya said; sadhu--devotee; vira--O warrior; tvaya--by you; prstam--inquired; avatara-katham--topics on the incarnation of the Lord; hareh--of the Personality of Godhead; yat--that which; tvam--your good self; prcchasi--asking me; martyanam--of those who are destined for death; mrtyu-pasa--the chain of birth and death; visatanim--source of liberation.
TRANSLATION
The great sage Maitreya said: O warrior, the inquiry made by you is just befitting a devotee because it concerns the incarnation of the Personality of Godhead. He is the source of liberation from the chain of birth and death for all those who are otherwise destined to die.
PURPORT
The great sage Maitreya addressed Vidura as a warrior not only because Vidura belonged to the Kuru family but because he was anxious to hear about the chivalrous activities of the Lord in His incarnations of Varaha and Nrsimha. Because the inquiries concerned the Lord, they were perfectly befitting a devotee. A devotee has no taste for hearing anything mundane. There are many topics of mundane warfare, but a devotee is not inclined to hear them. The topics of the warfare in which the Lord engages do not concern the war of death but the war against the chain of maya which obliges one to accept repeated birth and death. In other words, one who takes delight in hearing the war topics of the Lord is relieved from the chains of birth and death. Foolish people are suspicious of Krsna's taking part in the Battle of Kuruksetra, not knowing that His taking part insured liberation for all who were present on the battlefield. It is said by Bhismadeva that all who were present on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra attained their original spiritual existences after death. Therefore, hearing the war topics of the Lord is as good as any other devotional service.
TEXT 6
TEXT
yayottanapadah putro
munina gitayarbhakah
mrtyoh krtvaiva murdhny anghrim
aruroha hareh padam
SYNONYMS
yaya--by which; uttanapadah--of King Uttanapada; putrah--son; munina--by the sage; gitaya--being sung; arbhakah--a child; mrtyoh--of death; krtva--placing; eva--certainly; murdhni--on the head; anghrim--feet; aruroha--ascended; hareh--of the Personality of Godhead; padam--to the abode.
TRANSLATION
By hearing these topics from the sage [Narada], the son of King Uttanapada [Dhruva] was enlightened regarding the Personality of Godhead, and he ascended to the abode of the Lord, placing his feet over the head of death.
PURPORT
While quitting his body, Maharaja Dhruva, the son of King Uttanapada, was attended by personalities like Sunanda and others, who received him in the kingdom of God. He left this world at an early age, as a young boy, although he had attained the throne of his father and had several children of his own. Because he was due to quit this world, death was waiting for him. He did not care for death, however, and even with his present body he boarded a spiritual airplane and went directly to the planet of Visnu because of his association with the great sage Narada, who had spoken to him the narration of the pastimes of the Lord.
TEXT 7
TEXT
athatrapitihaso 'yam
sruto me varnitah pura
brahmana deva-devena
devanam anuprcchatam
SYNONYMS
atha--now; atra--in this matter; api--also; itihasah--history; ayam--this; srutah--heard; me--by me; varnitah--described; pura--years ago; brahmana--by Brahma; deva-devena--the foremost of the demigods; devanam--by the demigods; anuprcchatam--asking.
TRANSLATION
This history of the fight between the Lord as a boar and the demon Hiranyaksa was heard by me in a year long ago as it was described by the foremost of the demigods, Brahma, when he was questioned by the other demigods.
TEXT 8
TEXT
ditir daksayani ksattar
maricam kasyapam patim
apatya-kama cakame
sandhyayam hrc-chayardita
SYNONYMS
ditih--Diti; daksayani--the daughter of Daksa; ksattah--O Vidura; maricam--the son of Marici; kasyapam--Kasyapa; patim--her husband; apatya-kama--desirous of having a child; cakame--longed for; sandhyayam--in the evening; hrt-saya--by sex desires; ardita--distressed.
TRANSLATION
Diti, daughter of Daksa, being afflicted with sex desire, begged her husband, Kasyapa, the son of Marici, to have intercourse with her in the evening in order to beget a child.
TEXT 9
TEXT
istvagni-jihvam payasa
purusam yajusam patim
nimlocaty arka asinam
agny-agare samahitam
SYNONYMS
istva--after worshiping; agni--fire; jihvam--tongue; payasa--by oblation; purusam--unto the Supreme Person; yajusam--of all sacrifices; patim--master; nimlocati--while setting; arke--the sun; asinam--sitting; agni-agare--in the sacrificial hall; samahitam--completely in trance.
TRANSLATION
The sun was setting, and the sage was sitting in trance after offering oblations to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, whose tongue is the sacrificial fire.
PURPORT
Fire is considered to be the tongue of the Personality of Godhead Visnu, and oblations of grains and clarified butter offered to the fire are thus accepted by Him. That is the principle of all sacrifices, of which Lord Visnu is the master. In other words, the satisfaction of Lord Visnu includes the satisfaction of all demigods and other living beings.
TEXT 10
TEXT
ditir uvaca
esa mam tvat-krte vidvan
kama atta-sarasanah
dunoti dinam vikramya
rambham iva matangajah
SYNONYMS
ditih uvaca--beautiful Diti said; esah--all these; mam--unto me; tvat-krte--for you; vidvan--O learned one; kamah--Cupid; atta-sarasanah--taking his arrows; dunoti--distresses; dinam--poor me; vikramya--attacking; rambham--banana tree; iva--like; matam-gajah--mad elephant.
TRANSLATION
In that place the beautiful Diti expressed her desire: O learned one, Cupid is taking his arrows and distressing me forcibly, as a mad elephant troubles a banana tree.
PURPORT
Beautiful Diti, seeing her husband absorbed in trance, began to speak loudly, not attempting to attract him by bodily expressions. She frankly said that her whole body was distressed by sex desire because of her husband's presence, just as a banana tree is troubled by a mad elephant. It was not natural for her to agitate her husband when he was in trance, but she could not control her strong sexual appetite. Her sex desire was like a mad elephant, and therefore it was the prime duty of her husband to give her all protection by fulfilling her desire.
TEXT 11
TEXT
tad bhavan dahyamanayam
sa-patninam samrddhibhih
prajavatinam bhadram te
mayy ayunktam anugraham
SYNONYMS
tat--therefore; bhavan--your good self; dahyamanayam--being distressed; sa-patninam--of the co-wives; samrddhibhih--by the prosperity; praja-vatinam--of those who have children; bhadram--all prosperity; te--unto you; mayi--unto me; ayunktam--do unto me, in all respects; anugraham--favor.
TRANSLATION
Therefore you should be kind towards me by showing me complete mercy. I desire to have sons, and I am much distressed by seeing the opulence of my co-wives. By performing this act, you will become happy.
PURPORT
In Bhagavad-gita sexual intercourse for begetting children is accepted as righteous. A person sexually inclined for simple sense gratification, however, is unrighteous. In Diti's appeal to her husband for sex, it was not exactly that she was afflicted by sex desires, but she desired sons. Since she had no sons, she felt poorer than her co-wives. Therefore Kasyapa was supposed to satisfy his bona fide wife.
TEXT 12
TEXT
bhartary aptorumananam
lokan avisate yasah
patir bhavad-vidho yasam
prajaya nanu jayate
SYNONYMS
bhartari--by the husband; apta-urumananam--of those who are beloved; lokan--in the world; avisate--spreads; yasah--fame; patih--husband; bhavat-vidhah--like your good self; yasam--of those whose; prajaya--by children; nanu--certainly; jayate--expands.
TRANSLATION
A woman is honored in the world by the benediction of her husband, and a husband like you will become famous by having children because you are meant for the expansion of living entities.
PURPORT
According to Rsabhadeva, one should not become a father or mother unless one is confident that he can beget children whom he can deliver from the clutches of birth and death. Human life is the only opportunity to get out of the material scene, which is full of the miseries of birth, death, old age and diseases. Every human being should be given the opportunity to take advantage of his human form of life, and a father like Kasyapa is supposed to beget good children for the purpose of liberation.
TEXT 13
TEXT
pura pita no bhagavan
dakso duhitr-vatsalah
kam vrnita varam vatsa
ity aprcchata nah prthak
SYNONYMS
pura--in days long ago; pita--father; nah--our; bhagavan--the most opulent; daksah--Daksa; duhitr-vatsalah--affectionate to his daughters; kam--unto whom; vrnita--you want to accept; varam--your husband; vatsah--O my children; iti--thus; aprcchata--inquired; nah--us; prthak--separately.
TRANSLATION
In days long ago, our father, the most opulent Daksa, who was affectionate to his daughters, asked each of us separately whom we would prefer to select as our husband.
PURPORT
It appears from this verse that free selection of a husband was allowed by the father, but not by free association. The daughters were asked separately to submit their selection of a husband who was famous for his acts and personality. The ultimate selection depended on the choice of the father.
TEXT 14
TEXT
sa viditvatmajanam no
bhavam santana-bhavanah
trayodasadadat tasam
yas te silam anuvratah
SYNONYMS
sah--Daksa; viditva--understanding; atma-janam--of the daughters; nah--our; bhavam--indication; santana--children; bhavanah--well-wisher; trayodasa--thirteen; adadat--handed over; tasam--of all of them; yah--those who are; te--your; silam--behavior; anuvratah--all faithful.
TRANSLATION
Our well-wishing father, Daksa, after knowing our intentions, handed over thirteen of his daughters unto you, and since then we have all been faithful.
PURPORT
Generally the daughters were too shy to express their opinions before their father, but the father would accept the daughters' intentions through someone else, such as a grandmother to whom the grandchildren had free access. King Daksa collected the opinions of his daughters and thus handed over thirteen to Kasyapa. Every one of Diti's sisters was a mother of children. Therefore, since she was equally faithful to the same husband, why should she remain without children?
TEXT 15
TEXT
atha me kuru kalyanam
kamam kamala-locana
artopasarpanam bhumann
amogham hi mahiyasi
SYNONYMS
atha--therefore; me--unto me; kuru--kindly do; kalyanam--benediction; kamam--desire; kamala-locana--O lotus-eyed one; arta--of the distressed; upasarpanam--the approaching; bhuman--O great one; amogham--without failure; hi--certainly; mahiyasi--to a great person.
TRANSLATION
O lotus-eyed one, kindly bless me by fulfilling my desire. When someone in distress approaches a great person, his pleas should never go in vain.
PURPORT
Diti knew well that her request might be rejected because of the untimely situation, but she pleaded that when there is an emergency or a distressful condition, there is no consideration of time or situation.
TEXT 16
TEXT
iti tam vira maricah
krpanam bahu-bhasinim
pratyahanunayan vaca
pravrddhananga-kasmalam
SYNONYMS
iti--thus; tam--unto her; vira--O hero; maricah--the son of Marici (Kasyapa); krpanam--unto the poor; bahu-bhasinim--too talkative; pratyaha--replied; anunayan--pacifying; vaca--by words; pravrddha--highly agitated; ananga--lust; kasmalam--contaminated.
TRANSLATION
O hero [Vidura], Diti, being thus afflicted by the contamination of lust, and therefore poor and talkative, was pacified by the son of Marici in suitable words.
PURPORT
When a man or woman is afflicted by the lust of sex desire, it is to be understood as sinful contamination. Kasyapa was engaged in his spiritual activities, but he did not have sufficient strength to refuse his wife, who was thus afflicted. He could have refused her with strong words expressing impossibility, but he was not as spiritually strong as Vidura. Vidura is addressed here as a hero because no one is stronger in self-control than a devotee of the Lord. It appears that Kasyapa was already inclined to have sexual enjoyment with his wife, and because he was not a strong man he tried to dissuade her only with pacifying words.
TEXT 17
TEXT
esa te 'ham vidhasyami
priyam bhiru yad icchasi
tasyah kamam na kah kuryat
siddhis traivargiki yatah
SYNONYMS
esah--this; te--your request; aham--I; vidhasyami--shall execute; priyam--very dear; bhiru--O afflicted one; yat--what; icchasi--you are desiring; tasyah--her; kamam--desires; na--not; kah--who; kuryat--would perform; siddhih--perfection of liberation; traivargiki--three; yatah--from whom.
TRANSLATION
O afflicted one, I shall forthwith gratify whatever desire is dear to you, for who else but you is the source of the three perfections of liberation?
PURPORT
The three perfections of liberation are religiosity, economic development and sense gratification: For a conditioned soul, the wife is considered to be the source of liberation because she offers her service to the husband for his ultimate liberation. Conditional material existence is based on sense gratification, and if someone has the good fortune to get a good wife, he is helped by the wife in all respects. If one is disturbed in his conditional life, he becomes more and more entangled in material contamination. A faithful wife is supposed to cooperate with her husband in fulfilling all material desires so that he can then become comfortable and execute spiritual activities for the perfection of life. If, however, the husband is progressive in spiritual advancement, the wife undoubtedly shares in his activities, and thus both the wife and the husband profit in spiritual perfection. It is essential, therefore, that girls as well as boys be trained to discharge spiritual duties so that at the time of cooperation both will be benefited. The training of the boy is brahmacarya, and the training of the girl is chastity. A faithful wife and spiritually trained brahmacari are a good combination for advancement of the human mission.
TEXT 18
TEXT
sarvasraman upadaya
svasramena kalatravan
vyasanarnavam atyeti
jala-yanair yatharnavam
SYNONYMS
sarva--all; asraman--social orders; upadaya--completing; sva--own; asramena--by the social orders; kalatra-van--a person living with a wife; vyasana-arnavam--the dangerous ocean of material existence; atyeti--one can cross over; jala-yanaih--with seagoing vessels; yatha--as; arnavam--the ocean.
TRANSLATION
As one can cross over the ocean with seagoing vessels, one can cross the dangerous situation of the material ocean by living with a wife.
PURPORT
There are four social orders for cooperation in the endeavor for liberation from material existence. The orders of brahmacarya, or pious student life, household life with a wife, retired life and renounced life all depend for successful advancement on the householder who lives with a wife. This cooperation is essential for the proper functioning of the institution of the four social orders and the four spiritual orders of life. This Vedic varnasrama system is generally known as the caste system. The man who lives with a wife has a great responsibility in maintaining the members of the other social orders--the brahmacaris, vanaprasthas and sannyasis. Except for the grhasthas, or the householders, everyone is supposed to engage in the spiritual advancement of life, and therefore the brahmacari, the vanaprastha and the sannyasi have very little time to earn a livelihood. They therefore collect alms from the grhasthas, and thus they secure the bare necessities of life and cultivate spiritual understanding. By helping the other three sections of society cultivate spiritual values, the householder also makes advancement in spiritual life. Ultimately every member of society automatically becomes spiritually advanced and easily crosses the ocean of nescience.
TEXT 19
TEXT
yam ahur atmano hy ardham
sreyas-kamasya manini
yasyam sva-dhuram adhyasya
pumams carati vijvarah
SYNONYMS
yam--the wife who; ahuh--is said; atmanah--of the body; hi--thus; ardham--half; sreyah--welfare; kamasya--of all desires; manini--O respectful one; yasyam--in whom; sva-dhuram--all responsibilities; adhyasya--entrusting; puman--a man; carati--moves; vijvarah--without anxiety.
TRANSLATION
O respectful one, a wife is so helpful that she is called the better half of a man's body because of her sharing in all auspicious activities. A man can move without anxiety entrusting all responsibilities to his wife.
PURPORT
By the Vedic injunction, the wife is accepted as the better half of a man's body because she is supposed to be responsible for discharging half of the duties of the husband. A family man has a responsibility to perform five kinds of sacrifices, called panca-yajna, in order to get relief from all kinds of unavoidable sinful reaction incurred in the course of his affairs. When a man becomes qualitatively like the cats and dogs, he forgets his duties in cultivating spiritual values, and thus he accepts his wife as a sense gratificatory agency. When the wife is accepted as a sense gratificatory agency, personal beauty is the main consideration, and as soon as there is a break in personal sense gratification, there is disruption or divorce. But when husband and wife aim at spiritual advancement by mutual cooperation, there is no consideration of personal beauty or the disruption of so-called love. In the material world there is no question of love. Marriage is actually a duty performed in mutual cooperation as directed in the authoritative scriptures for spiritual advancement. Therefore marriage is essential in order to avoid the life of cats and dogs, who are not meant for spiritual enlightenment.
TEXT 20
TEXT
yam asrityendriyaratin
durjayan itarasramaih
vayam jayema helabhir
dasyun durga-patir yatha
SYNONYMS
yam--whom; asritya--taking shelter of; indriya--senses; aratin--enemies; durjayan--difficult to conquer; itara--other than the householders; asramaih--by orders of society; vayam--we; jayema--can conquer; helabhih--easily; dasyun--invading plunderers; durga-patih--a fort commander; yatha--as.
TRANSLATION
As a fort commander very easily conquers invading plunderers, by taking shelter of a wife one can conquer the senses, which are unconquerable in the other social orders.
PURPORT
Of the four orders of human society--the student, or brahmacari order, the householder, or grhastha order, the retired, or vanaprastha order, and the renounced, or sannyasi order--the householder is on the safe side. The bodily senses are considered plunderers of the fort of the body. The wife is supposed to be the commander of the fort, and therefore whenever there is an attack on the body by the senses, it is the wife who protects the body from being smashed. The sex demand is inevitable for everyone, but one who has a fixed wife is saved from the onslaught of the sense enemies. A man who possesses a good wife does not create a disturbance in society by corrupting virgin girls. Without a fixed wife, a man becomes a debauchee of the first order and is a nuisance in society--unless he is a trained brahmacari, vanaprastha or sannyasi. Unless there is rigid and systematic training of the brahmacari by the expert spiritual master, and unless the student is obedient, it is sure that the so-called brahmacari will fall prey to the attack of sex. There are so many instances of falldown, even for great yogis like Visvamitra. A grhastha is saved, however, because of his faithful wife. Sex life is the cause of material bondage, and therefore it is prohibited in three asramas and is allowed only in the grhastha-asrama. The grhastha is responsible for producing first-quality brahmacaris, vanaprasthas and sannyasis.
TEXT 21
TEXT
na vayam prabhavas tam tvam
anukartum grhesvari
apy ayusa va kartsnyena
ye canye guna-grdhnavah
SYNONYMS
na--never; vayam--we; prabhavah--are able; tam--that; tvam--unto you; anukartum--do the same; grha-isvari--O queen of the home; api--in spite of; ayusa--by duration of life; va--or (in the next life); kartsnyena--entire; ye--who; ca--also; anye--others; guna-grdhnavah--those who are able to appreciate qualities.
TRANSLATION
O queen of the home, we are not able to act like you, nor could we repay you for what you have done, even if we worked for our entire life or even after death. To repay you is not possible, even for those who are admirers of personal qualities.
PURPORT
So much glorification of a woman by her husband indicates that he is henpecked or is talking lightly in joke. Kasyapa meant that householders living with wives enjoy the heavenly blessings of sense enjoyment and at the same time have no fear of going down to hell. The man in the renounced order of life has no wife and may be driven by sex desire to seek another woman or another's wife and thus go to hell. In other words, the so-called man of the renounced order, who has left his house and wife, goes to hell if he again desires sexual pleasure, knowingly or unknowingly. In that way the householders are on the side of safety. Therefore husbands as a class cannot repay their debt to women either in this life or in the next. Even if they engage themselves in repaying the women throughout their whole lives, it is still not possible. Not all husbands are as able to appreciate the good qualities of their wives, but even though one is able to appreciate these qualities, it is still not possible to repay the debt to the wife. Such extraordinary praises by a husband for his wife are certainly in the mode of joking.
TEXT 22
TEXT
athapi kamam etam te
prajatyai karavany alam
yatha mam natirocanti
muhurtam pratipalaya
SYNONYMS
atha api--even though (it is not possible); kamam--this sex desire; etam--as it is; te--your; prajatyai--for the sake of children; karavani--let me do; alam--without delay; yatha--as; mam--unto me; na--may not; atirocanti--reproach; muhurtam--a few seconds; pratipalaya--wait for.
TRANSLATION
Even though it is not possible to repay you, I shall satisfy your sex desire immediately for the sake of begetting children. But you must wait for only a few seconds so that others may not reproach me.
PURPORT
The henpecked husband may not be able to repay his wife for all the benefits that he derives from her, but as for begetting children by fulfilling sexual desire, it is not at all difficult for any husband unless he is thoroughly impotent. This is a very easy task for a husband under normal conditions. In spite of Kasyapa's being very eager, he requested her to wait for a few seconds so that others might not reproach him. He explains his position as follows.
TEXT 23
TEXT
esa ghoratama vela
ghoranam ghora-darsana
caranti yasyam bhutani
bhutesanucarani ha
SYNONYMS
esa--this time; ghora-tama--most horrible; vela--period; ghoranam--of the horrible; ghora-darsana--horrible looking; caranti--move; yasyam--in which; bhutani--ghosts; bhuta-isa--the lord of the ghosts; anucarani--constant companions; ha--indeed.
TRANSLATION
This particular time is most inauspicious because at this time the horrible-looking ghosts and constant companions of the lord of the ghosts are visible.
PURPORT
Kasyapa has already told his wife Diti to wait for a while, and now he warns her that failure to consider the particular time will result in punishment from the ghosts and evil spirits who move during this time, along with their master, Lord Rudra.
TEXT 24
TEXT
etasyam sadhvi sandhyayam
bhagavan bhuta-bhavanah
parito bhuta-parsadbhir
vrsenatati bhutarat
SYNONYMS
etasyam--in this period; sadhvi--O chaste one; sandhyayam--at the junction of day and night (evening); bhagavan--the Personality of God; bhuta-bhavanah--the well-wisher of the ghostly characters; paritah--surrounded by; bhuta-parsadbhih--by ghostly companions; vrsena--on the back of the bull carrier; atati--travels; bhuta-rat--the king of the ghosts.
TRANSLATION
Lord Siva, the king of the ghosts, sitting on the back of his bull carrier, travels at this time, accompanied by ghosts who follow him for their welfare.
PURPORT
Lord Siva, or Rudra, is the king of the ghosts. Ghostly characters worship Lord Siva to be gradually guided toward a path of self-realization. Mayavadi philosophers are mostly worshipers of Lord Siva, and Sripada Sankaracarya is considered to be the incarnation of Lord Siva for preaching godlessness to the Mayavadi philosophers. Ghosts are bereft of a physical body because of their grievously sinful acts, such as suicide. The last resort of the ghostly characters in human society is to take shelter of suicide, either material or spiritual. Material suicide causes loss of the physical body, and spiritual suicide causes loss of the individual identity. Mayavadi philosophers desire to lose their individuality and merge into the impersonal spiritual brahmajyoti existence. Lord Siva, being very kind to the ghosts, sees that although they are condemned, they get physical bodies. He places them into the wombs of women who indulge in sexual intercourse regardless of the restrictions on time and circumstance. Kasyapa wanted to impress this fact upon Diti so that she might wait for a while.
TEXT 25
TEXT
smasana-cakranila-dhuli-dhumra-
vikirna-vidyota-jata-kalapah
bhasmavagunthamala-rukma-deho
devas tribhih pasyati devaras te
SYNONYMS
smasana--burning crematorium; cakra-anila--whirlwind; dhuli--dust; dhumra--smoky; vikirna-vidyota--thus smeared over beauty; jata-kalapah--bunches of matted hair; bhasma--ashes; avaguntha--covered by; amala--stainless; rukma--reddish; dehah--body; devah--the demigod; tribhih--with three eyes; pasyati--sees; devarah--younger brother of the husband; te--your.
TRANSLATION
Lord Siva's body is reddish, and he is unstained, but he is covered with ashes. His hair is dusty from the whirlwind dust of the burning crematorium. He is the younger brother of your husband, and he sees with his three eyes.
PURPORT
Lord Siva is not an ordinary living entity, nor is he in the category of Visnu, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is far more powerful than any living entity up to the standard of Brahma, yet he is not on an equal level with Visnu. Since he is almost like Lord Visnu, Siva can see past, present and future. One of his eyes is like the sun, another is like the moon, and his third eye, which is between his eyebrows, is like fire. He can generate fire from his middle eye, and he is able to vanquish any powerful living entity, including Brahma, yet he does not live pompously in a nice house, etc., nor does he possess any material properties, although he is master of the material world. He lives mostly in the crematorium, where dead bodies are burnt, and the whirlwind dust of the crematorium is his bodily dress. He is unstained by material contamination. Kasyapa took him as his younger brother because the youngest sister of Diti (Kasyapa's wife) was married to Lord Siva. The husband of one's sister is considered one's brother. By that social relationship, Lord Siva happened to be the younger brother of Kasyapa. Kasyapa warned his wife that because Lord Siva would see their sex indulgence, the time was not appropriate. Diti might argue that they would enjoy sex life in a private place, but Kasyapa reminded her that Lord Siva has three eyes, called the sun, moon and fire, and one cannot escape his vigilance any more than one can escape Visnu. Although seen by the police, a criminal is sometimes not immediately punished; the police wait for the proper time to apprehend him. The forbidden time for sexual intercourse would be noted by Lord Siva, and Diti would meet with proper punishment by giving birth to a child of ghostly character or a godless impersonalist. Kasyapa foresaw this, and thus he warned his wife Diti.
TEXT 26
TEXT
na yasya loke sva-janah paro va
natyadrto nota kascid vigarhyah
vayam vratair yac-caranapaviddham
asasmahe 'jam bata bhukta-bhogam
SYNONYMS
na--never; yasya--of whom; loke--in the world; sva-janah--kinsman; parah--unconnected; va--nor; na--neither; ati--greater; adrtah--favorable; na--not; uta--or; kascit--anyone; vigarhyah--criminal; vayam--we; vrataih--by vows; yat--whose; carana--feet; apaviddham--rejected; asasmahe--respectfully worship; ajam--maha-prasada; bata--certainly; bhukta-bhogam--remnants of foodstuff.
TRANSLATION
Lord Siva regards no one as his relative, yet there is no one who is not connected with him; he does not regard anyone as very favorable or abominable. We respectfully worship the remnants of his foodstuff, and we vow to accept what is rejected by him.
PURPORT
Kasyapa informed his wife that just because Lord Siva happened to be his brother-in-law, that should not encourage her in her offense towards him. Kasyapa warned her that actually Lord Siva is not connected with anyone, nor is anyone his enemy. Since he is one of the three controllers of the universal affairs, he is equal to everyone. His greatness is incomparable because he is a great devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is said that among all the devotees of the Personality of Godhead, Lord Siva is the greatest. Thus the remnants of foodstuff left by him are accepted by other devotees as maha-prasada, or great spiritual foodstuff. The remnants of foodstuff offered to Lord Krsna are called prasada, but when the same prasada is eaten by a great devotee like Lord Siva, it is called maha-prasada. Lord Siva is so great that he does not care for the material prosperity for which every one of us is so eager. Parvati, who is the powerful material nature personified, is under his full control as his wife, yet he does not use her even to build a residential house. He prefers to remain without shelter, and his great wife also agrees to live with him humbly. People in general worship goddess Durga, the wife of Lord Siva, for material prosperity, but Lord Siva engages her in his service without material desire. He simply advises his great wife that of all kinds of worship, the worship of Visnu is the highest, and greater than that is the worship of a great devotee or anything in relation with Visnu.
TEXT 27
TEXT
yasyanavadyacaritam manisino
grnanty avidya-patalam bibhitsavah
nirasta-samyatisayo 'pi yat svayam
pisaca-caryam acarad gatih satam
SYNONYMS
yasya--whose; anavadya--unimpeachable; acaritam--character; manisinah--great sages; grnanti--follow; avidya--nescience; patalam--mass; bibhitsavah--desiring to dismantle; nirasta--nullified; samya--equality; atisayah--greatness; api--in spite of; yat--as; svayam--personally; pisaca--devil; caryam--activities; acarat--performed; gatih--destination; satam--of the devotees of the Lord.
TRANSLATION
Although no one in the material world is equal to or greater than Lord Siva, and although his unimpeachable character is followed by great souls to dismantle the mass of nescience, he nevertheless remains as if a devil to give salvation to all devotees of the Lord.
PURPORT
Lord Siva's uncivilized, devilish characteristics are never abominable because he teaches the sincere devotees of the Lord how to practice detachment from material enjoyment. He is called Mahadeva, or the greatest of all demigods, and no one is equal to or greater than him in the material world. He is almost equal with Lord Visnu. Although he always associates with Maya, Durga, he is above the reactionary stage of the three modes of material nature, and although he is in charge of devilish characters in the mode of ignorance, he is not affected by such association.
TEXT 28
TEXT
hasanti yasyacaritam hi durbhagah
svatman-ratasyavidusah samihitam
yair vastra-malyabharananulepanaih
sva-bhojanam svatmatayopalalitam
SYNONYMS
hasanti--laugh at; yasya--whose; acaritam--activity; hi--certainly; durbhagah--the unfortunate; sva-atman--in the self; ratasya--of one engaged; avidusah--not knowing; samihitam--his purpose; yaih--by whom; vastra--clothing; malya--garlands; abharana--ornaments; anu--such luxurious; lepanaih--with ointments; sva-bhojanam--eatable by the dogs; sva-atmataya--as if the self; upalalitam--fondled.
TRANSLATION
Unfortunate, foolish persons, not knowing that he is engaged in his own self, laugh at him. Such foolish persons engage in maintaining the body--which is eatable by dogs--with dresses, ornaments, garlands and ointments.
PURPORT
Lord Siva never accepts any luxurious dress, garland, ornament or ointment. But those who are addicted to the decoration of the body, which is finally eatable by dogs, very luxuriously maintain it as the self. Such persons do not understand Lord Siva, but they approach him for luxurious material comforts. There are two kinds of devotees of Lord Siva. One class is the gross materialist seeking only bodily comforts from Lord Siva, and the other class desires to become one with him. They are mostly impersonalists and prefer to chant sivo'ham, "I am Siva," or "After liberation I shall become one with Lord Siva." In other words, the karmis and jnanis are generally devotees of Lord Siva, but they do not properly understand his real purpose in life. Sometimes so-called devotees of Lord Siva imitate him in using poisonous intoxicants. Lord Siva once swallowed an ocean of poison, and thus his throat became blue. The imitation Sivas try to follow him by indulging in poisons, and thus they are ruined. The real purpose of Lord Siva is to serve the Soul of the soul, Lord Krsna. He desires that all luxurious articles, such as nice garments, garlands, ornaments and cosmetics, be given to Lord Krsna only, because Krsna is the real enjoyer. He refuses to accept such luxurious items himself because they are only meant for Krsna. However, since they do not know this purpose of Lord Siva, foolish persons either laugh at him or profitlessly try to imitate him.
TEXT 29
TEXT
brahmadayo yat-krta-setu-pala
yat-karanam visvam idam ca maya
ajna-kari yasya pisaca-carya
aho vibhumnas caritam vidambanam
SYNONYMS
brahma-adayah--demigods like Brahma; yat--whose; krta--activities; setu--religious rites; palah--observers; yat--one who is; karanam--the origin of; visvam--the universe; idam--this; ca--also; maya--material energy; ajna-kari--order carrier; yasya--whose; pisaca--devilish; carya--activity; aho--O my lord; vibhumnah--of the great; caritam--character; vidambanam--simply imitation.
TRANSLATION
Demigods like Brahma also follow the religious rites observed by him. He is the controller of the material energy, which causes the creation of the material world. He is great, and therefore his devilish characteristics are simply imitation.
PURPORT
Lord Siva is the husband of Durga, the controller of the material energy. Durga is personified material energy, and Lord Siva, being her husband, is the controller of the material energy. He is also the incarnation of the mode of ignorance and one of the three deities representing the Supreme Lord. As His representative, Lord Siva is identical with the Supreme personality of Godhead. He is very great, and his renunciation of all material enjoyment is an ideal example of how one should be materially unattached. One should therefore follow in his footsteps and be unattached to matter, not imitate his uncommon acts like drinking poison.
TEXT 30
TEXT
maitreya uvaca
saivam samvidite bhartra
manmathonmathitendriya
jagraha vaso brahmarser
vrsaliva gata-trapa
SYNONYMS
maitreyah uvaca--Maitreya said; sa--she; evam--thus; samvidite--in spite of being informed; bhartra--by her husband; manmatha--by Cupid; unmathita--being pressed; indriya--senses; jagraha--caught hold of; vasah--clothing; brahma-rseh--of the great brahmana-sage; vrsali--public prostitute; iva--like; gata-trapa--without shame.
TRANSLATION
Maitreya said: Diti was thus informed by her husband, but she was pressed by Cupid for sexual satisfaction. She caught hold of the clothing of the great brahmana sage, just like a shameless public prostitute.
PURPORT
The difference between a married wife and a public prostitute is that one is restrained in sex life by the rules and regulations of the scriptures, whereas the other is unrestricted in sex life and is conducted solely by the strong sex urge. Although very enlightened, Kasyapa, the great sage, became a victim of his prostitute wife. Such is the strong force of material energy.
TEXT 31
TEXT
sa viditvatha bharyayas
tam nirbandham vikarmani
natva distaya rahasi
tayathopavivesa hi
SYNONYMS
sah--he; viditva--understanding; atha--thereupon; bharyayah--of the wife; tam--that; nirbandham--obstinacy; vikarmani--in the forbidden act; natva--offering obeisances; distaya--unto worshipable fate; rahasi--in a secluded place; taya--with her; atha--thus; upavivesa--lay; hi--certainly.
TRANSLATION
Understanding his wife's purpose, he was obliged to perform the forbidden act, and thus after offering his obeisances unto worshipable fate, he lay with her in a secluded place.
PURPORT
It appears from the talks of Kasyapa with his wife that he was a worshiper of Lord Siva, and although he knew that Lord Siva would not be pleased with him for such a forbidden act, he was obliged to act by his wife's desire, and thus he offered his obeisances unto fate. He knew that the child born of such untimely sexual intercourse would certainly not be a good child, but could not protect himself because he was too obligated to his wife. In a similar case, however, when Thakura Haridasa was tempted by a public prostitute at the dead of night, he avoided the allurement because of his perfection in Krsna consciousness. That is the difference between a Krsna conscious person and others. Kasyapa Muni was greatly learned and enlightened, and he knew all the rules and regulations of systematic life, yet he failed to protect himself from the attack of sex desire. Thakura Haridasa was not born of a brahmana family, nor was he himself brahmana, yet he could protect himself from such an attack due to his being Krsna conscious. Thakura Haridasa used to chant the holy name of the Lord three hundred thousand times daily.
TEXT 32
TEXT
athopasprsya salilam
pranan ayamya vag-yatah
dhyayan jajapa virajam
brahma jyotih sanatanam
SYNONYMS
atha--thereafter; upasprsya--touching or taking bath in water; salilam--water; pranan ayamya--practicing trance; vak-yatah--controlling speech; dhyayan--meditating; jajapa--chanted within the mouth; virajam--pure; brahma--Gayatri hymns; jyotih--effulgence; sanatanam--eternal.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter the brahmana took his bath in the water and controlled his speech by practicing trance, meditating on the eternal effulgence and chanting the holy Gayatri hymns within his mouth.
PURPORT
As one has to take bath after using the toilet, so one has to wash himself with water after sexual intercourse, especially when at a forbidden time. Kasyapa Muni meditated on the impersonal brahmajyoti by chanting the Gayatri mantra within his mouth. When a Vedic mantra is chanted within the mouth so that only the chanter can hear, the chanting is called japa. But when such mantras are chanted loudly, it is called kirtana. The Vedic hymn Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare can be chanted both softly to oneself or loudly; therefore it is called the maha-mantra, or the great hymn.
Kasyapa Muni appears to be an impersonalist. Comparing his character with that of Thakura Haridasa as referred to above, it is clear that the personalist is stronger in sense control than the impersonalist. This is explained in Bhagavad-gita as param drstva nivartate; i.e., one ceases to accept lower grade things when one is situated in a superior condition. One is supposed to be purified after taking bath and chanting Gayatri, but the maha-mantra is so powerful that one can chant loudly or softly, in any condition, and he is protected from all the evils of material existence.
TEXT 33
TEXT
ditis tu vridita tena
karmavadyena bharata
upasangamya viprarsim
adho-mukhy abhyabhasata
SYNONYMS
ditih--Diti, the wife of Kasyapa; tu--but; vridita--ashamed; tena--by that; karma--act; avadyena--faulty; bharata--O son of the Bharata family; upasangamya--going nearer to; vipra-rsim--the brahmana--sage; adhah-mukhi--with her face lowered; abhyabhasata--politely said.
TRANSLATION
O son of the Bharata family, Diti, after this, went nearer to her husband, her face lowered because of her faulty action. She spoke as follows.
PURPORT
When one is ashamed of an abominable action, one naturally becomes down-faced. Diti came to her senses after the abominable sexual intercourse with her husband. Such sexual intercourse is condemned as prostitution. In other words, sex life with one's wife is equal to prostitution if the regulations are not properly followed.
TEXT 34
TEXT
ditir uvaca
na me garbham imam brahman
bhutanam rsabho 'vadhit
rudrah patir hi bhutanam
yasyakaravam amhasam
SYNONYMS
ditih uvaca--the beautiful Diti said; na--not; me--my; garbham--pregnancy; imam--this; brahman--O brahmana; bhutanam--of all living entities; rsabhah--the noblest of all living entities; avadhit--let him kill; rudrah--Lord Siva; patih--master; hi--certainly; bhutanam--of all living entities; yasya--whose; akaravam--I have done; amhasam--offense.
TRANSLATION
The beautiful Diti said: My dear brahmana, kindly see that my embryo is not killed by Lord Siva, the lord of all living entities, because of the great offense I have committed against him.
PURPORT
Diti was conscious of her offense and was anxious to be excused by Lord Siva. Lord Siva has two popular names, Rudra and Asutosa. He is very prone to anger as well as quickly pacified. Diti knew that because of his being quickly angered he might spoil the pregnancy she had so unlawfully achieved. But because he was also Asutosa, she implored her brahmana husband to help her in pacifying Lord Siva, for her husband was a great devotee of Lord Siva. In other words, Lord Siva might have been angry with Diti because she obliged her husband to transgress the law, but he would not refuse her husband's prayer. Therefore the application for excuse was submitted through her husband. She prayed to Lord Siva as follows.
TEXT 35
TEXT
namo rudraya mahate
devayograya midhuse
sivaya nyasta-dandaya
dhrta-dandaya manyave
SYNONYMS
namah--all obeisances unto; rudraya--unto the angry Lord Siva; mahate--unto the great; devaya--unto the demigod; ugraya--unto the ferocious; midhuse--unto the fulfiller of all material desires; sivaya--unto the all-auspicious; nyasta-dandaya--unto the forgiving; dhrta-dandaya--unto the immediate chastiser; manyave--unto the angry.
TRANSLATION
Let me offer my obeisances unto the angry Lord Siva, who is simultaneously the very ferocious great demigod and the fulfiller of all material desires. He is all-auspicious and forgiving, but his anger can immediately move him to chastise.
PURPORT
Diti prayed for the mercy of Lord Siva very cleverly. She prayed: "The lord can cause me to cry, but if he likes he can also stop my crying because he is Asutosa. He is so great that if he likes he can immediately destroy my pregnancy, but by his mercy he can also fulfill my desire that my pregnancy not be spoiled. Because he is all-auspicious, it is not difficult for him to excuse me from being punished, although he is now ready to punish me because I have moved his great anger. He appears like a man, but he is the lord of all men."
TEXT 36
TEXT
sa nah prasidatam bhamo
bhagavan urv-anugrahah
vyadhasyapy anukampyanam
strinam devah sati-patih
SYNONYMS
sah--he; nah--with us; prasidatam--be pleased; bhamah--brother-in-law; bhagavan--the personality of all opulences; uru--very great; anugrahah--merciful; vyadhasya--of the hunter; api--also; anukampyanam--of the objects of mercy; strinam--of the women; devah--the worshipable lord; sati-patih--the husband of Sati (the chaste).
TRANSLATION
Let him be pleased with us, since he is my brother-in-law, the husband of my sister Sati. He is also the worshipable lord of all women. He is the personality of all opulences and can show mercy towards women, who are excused even by the uncivilized hunters.
PURPORT
Lord Siva is the husband of Sati, one of the sisters of Diti. Diti invoked the pleasure of her sister Sati so that Sati would request her husband to excuse her. Besides that, Lord Siva is the worshipable lord of all women. He is naturally very kind towards women, on whom even the uncivilized hunters also show their mercy. Since Lord Siva is himself associated with women, he knows very well their defective nature, and he might not take very seriously Diti's unavoidable offense, which occurred due to her faulty nature. Every virgin girl is supposed to be a devotee of Lord Siva. Diti remembered her childhood worship of Lord Siva and begged his mercy.
TEXT 37
TEXT
maitreya uvaca
sva-sargasyasisam lokyam
asasanam pravepatim
nivrtta-sandhya-niyamo
bharyam aha prajapatih
SYNONYMS
maitreyah uvaca--the great sage Maitreya said; sva-sargasya--of her own children; asisam--welfare; lokyam--in the world; asasanam--desiring; pravepatim--while trembling; nivrtta--averted from; sandhya-niyamah--the rules and regulations of evening; bharyam--unto the wife; aha--said; prajapatih--the progenitor.
TRANSLATION
Maitreya said: The great sage Kasyapa thus addressed his wife, who was trembling because of fear that her husband was offended. She understood that he had been dissuaded from his daily duties of offering evening prayers, yet she desired the welfare of her children in the world.
TEXT 38
TEXT
kasyapa uvaca
aprayatyad atmanas te
dosan mauhurtikad uta
man-nidesaticarena
devanam catihelanat
SYNONYMS
kasyapah uvaca--the learned brahmana Kasyapa said; aprayatyat--because of the pollution; atmanah--of the mind; te--your; dosat--because of defilement; mauhurtikat--in terms of the moment; uta--also; mat--my; nidesa--direction; aticarena--being too neglectful; devanam--of the demigods; ca--also; atihelanat--being too apathetic.
TRANSLATION
The learned Kasyapa said: Because of your mind's being polluted, because of defilement of the particular time, because of your negligence of my directions, and because of your being apathetic to the demigods, everything was inauspicious.
PURPORT
The conditions for having good progeny in society are that the husband should be disciplined in religious and regulative principles and the wife should be faithful to the husband. In Bhagavad-gita (7.11) it is said that sexual intercourse according to religious principles is a representation of Krsna consciousness. Before engaging in sexual intercourse, both the husband and the wife must consider their mental condition, the particular time, the husband's direction, and obedience to the demigods. According to Vedic society, there is a suitable auspicious time for sex life, which is called the time for garbhadhana. Diti neglected all the principles of scriptural injunction, and therefore, although she was very anxious for auspicious children, she was informed that her children would not be worthy to be the sons of a brahmana. There is a clear indication herein that a brahmana's son is not always a brahmana. Personalities like Ravana and Hiranyakasipu were actually born of brahmanas, but they were not accepted as brahmanas because their fathers did not follow the regulative principles for their birth. Such children are called demons, or Raksasas. There were only one or two Raksasas in the previous ages due to negligence of the disciplinary methods, but during the age of Kali there is no discipline in sex life. How, then, can one expect good children? Certainly unwanted children cannot be a source of happiness in society, but through the Krsna consciousness movement they can be raised to the human standard by chanting the holy name of God. That is the unique contribution of Lord Caitanya to human society.
TEXT 39
TEXT
bhavisyatas tavabhadrav
abhadre jatharadhamau
lokan sa-palams trims candi
muhur akrandayisyatah
SYNONYMS
bhavisyatah--will take birth; tava--your; abhadrau--two contemptuous sons; abhadre--O unlucky one; jathara-adhamau--born of a condemned womb; lokan--all planets; sa-palan--with their rulers; trin--three; candi--haughty one; muhuh--constantly; akran-dayisyatah--will cause lamentation.
TRANSLATION
O haughty one, you will have two contemptuous sons born of your condemned womb. Unlucky woman, they will cause constant lamentation to all the three worlds!
PURPORT
Contemptuous sons are born of the condemned womb of their mother. In Bhagavad-gita (1.40) it is said, "When there is deliberate negligence of the regulative principles of religious life, the women as a class become polluted, and as a result there are unwanted children." This is especially true for boys; if the mother is not good, there cannot be good sons. The learned Kasyapa could foresee the character of the sons who would be born of the condemned womb of Diti. The womb was condemned because of the mother's being too sexually inclined and thus transgressing all the laws and injunctions of the scriptures. In a society where such women are predominant, one should not expect good children.
TEXT 40
TEXT
praninam hanyamananam
dinanam akrtagasam
strinam nigrhyamananam
kopitesu mahatmasu
SYNONYMS
praninam--when the living entities; hanyamananam--being killed; dinanam--of the poor; akrta-agasam--of the faultless; strinam--of the women; nigrhyamananam--being tortured; kopitesu--being enraged; mahatmasu--when the great souls.
TRANSLATION
They will kill poor, faultless living entities, torture women and enrage the great souls.
PURPORT
Demoniac activities are predominant when innocent, faultless living entities are killed, women are tortured, and the great souls engaged in Krsna consciousness are enraged. In a demoniac society, innocent animals are killed to satisfy the tongue, and women are tortured by unnecessary sexual indulgence. Where there are women and meat, there must be liquor and sex indulgence. When these are prominent in society, by God's grace one can expect a change in the social order by the Lord Himself or by His bona fide representative.
TEXT 41
TEXT
tada visvesvarah kruddho
bhagaval loka-bhavanah
hanisyaty avatiryasau
yathadrin sataparva-dhrk
SYNONYMS
tada--at that time; visva-isvarah--the Lord of the universe; kruddhah--in great anger; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; loka-bhavanah--desiring the welfare of the people in general; hanisyati--will kill; avatirya--descending Himself; asau--He; yatha--as if; adrin--the mountains; sata-parva-dhrk--the controller of the thunderbolt (Indra).
TRANSLATION
At that time the Lord of the universe, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the well-wisher of all living entities, will descend and kill them, just as Indra smashes the mountains with his thunderbolts.
PURPORT
As stated in Bhagavad-gita (4.8), the Lord descends as an incarnation to deliver the devotees and kill the miscreants. The Lord of the universe and of everything would appear to kill the sons of Diti because of their offending the devotees of the Lord. There are many agents of the Lord, such as Indra, Candra, Varuna, goddess Durga, and Kali, who can chastise any formidable miscreants in the world. The example of mountains being smashed by a thunderbolt is very appropriate. The mountain is considered the most strongly built body within the universe, yet it can be easily smashed by the arrangement of the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Personality of Godhead does not need to descend in order to kill any strongly built body; He comes down just for the sake of His devotees. Everyone is subject to the miseries offered by material nature, but because the activities of miscreants, such as killing innocent people and animals or torturing women, are harmful to everyone and are therefore a source of pain for the devotees, the Lord comes down. He descends only to give relief to His ardent devotees. The killing of the miscreant by the Lord is also the mercy of the Lord towards the miscreant, although apparently the Lord takes the side of the devotee. Since the Lord is absolute, there is no difference between His activities of killing the miscreants and favoring the devotees.
TEXT 42
TEXT
ditir uvaca
vadham bhagavata saksat
sunabhodara-bahuna
asase putrayor mahyam
ma kruddhad brahmanad prabho
SYNONYMS
ditih uvaca--Diti said; vadham--the killing; bhagavata--by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; saksat--directly; sunabha--with His Sudarsana weapon; udara--very magnanimous; bahuna--by the arms; asase--I desire; putrayoh--of the sons; mahyam--of mine; ma--never be it so; kruddhat--by the rage; brahmanat--of the brahmanas; prabho--O my husband.
TRANSLATION
Diti said: It is very good that my sons will be magnanimously killed by the arms of the Personality of Godhead with His Sudarsana weapon. O my husband, may they never be killed by the wrath of the brahmana devotees.
PURPORT
When Diti heard from her husband that the great souls would be angered by the activities of her sons, she was very anxious. She thought that her sons might be killed by the wrath of the brahmanas. The Lord does not appear when the brahmanas become angry at someone, because the wrath of a brahmana is sufficient in itself. He certainly appears, however, when His devotee simply becomes sorry. A devotee of the Lord never prays to the Lord to appear for the sake of the troubles the miscreants cause for him, and he never bothers Him by asking for protection. Rather, the Lord is anxious to give protection to the devotees. Diti knew well that the killing of her sons by the Lord would also be His mercy, and therefore she says that the wheel and arms of the Lord are magnanimous. If someone is killed by the wheel of the Lord and is thus fortunate enough to see the arms of the Lord, that is sufficient for his liberation. Such good fortune is not achieved even by the great sages.
TEXT 43
TEXT
na brahma-danda-dagdhasya
na bhuta-bhayadasya ca
narakas canugrhnanti
yam yam yonim asau gatah
SYNONYMS
na--never; brahma-danda--punishment by a brahmana; dagdhasya--of one who is so punished; na--neither; bhuta-bhaya-dasya--of one who is always fearful to the living entities; ca--also; narakah--those condemned to hell; ca--also; anugrhnanti--do any favor; yam yam--whichever; yonim--species of life; asau--the offender; gatah--goes.
TRANSLATION
A person who is condemned by a brahmana or is always fearful to other living entities is not favored either by those who are already in hell or by those in the species in which he is born.
PURPORT
A practical example of a condemned species of life is the dog. Dogs are so condemned that they never show any sympathy to their contemporaries.
TEXTS 44-45
TEXT
kasyapa uvaca
krta-sokanutapena
sadyah pratyavamarsanat
bhagavaty uru-manac ca
bhave mayy api cadarat
putrasyaiva ca putranam
bhavitaikah satam matah
gasyanti yad-yasah suddham
bhagavad-yasasa samam
SYNONYMS
kasyapah uvaca--the learned Kasyapa said; krta-soka--having lamented; anutapena--by penitence; sadyah--immediately; pratyavamarsanat--by proper deliberation; bhagavati--unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; uru--great; manat--adoration; ca--and; bhave--unto Lord Siva; mayi api--unto me also; ca--and; adarat--by respect; putrasya--of the son; eva--certainly; ca--and; putranam--of the sons; bhavita--shall be born; ekah--one; satam--of the devotees; matah--approved; gasyanti--will broadcast; yat--of whom; yasah--recognition; suddham--transcendental; bhagavat--of the Personality of Godhead; yasasa--with recognition; samam--equally.
TRANSLATION
The learned Kasyapa said: Because of your lamentation, penitence and proper deliberation, and also because of your unflinching faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead and your adoration for Lord Siva and me, one of the sons [Prahlada] of your son [Hiranyakasipu] will be an approved devotee of the Lord, and his fame will be broadcast equally with that of the Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 46
TEXT
yogair hemeva durvarnam
bhavayisyanti sadhavah
nirvairadibhir atmanam
yac-chilam anuvartitum
SYNONYMS
yogaih--by the rectifying processes; hema--gold; iva--like; durvarnam--inferior quality; bhavayisyanti--will purify; sadhavah--saintly persons; nirvaira-adibhih--by practice of freedom from animosity, etc.; atmanam--the self; yat--whose; silam--character; anuvartitum--to follow in the footsteps.
TRANSLATION
In order to follow in his footsteps, saintly persons will try to emulate his character by practicing freedom from animosity, just as the purifying processes rectify gold of inferior quality.
PURPORT
Yoga practice, the process of purifying one's existential identity, is based mainly on self-control. Without self-control one cannot practice freedom from animosity. In the conditional state, every living being is envious of another living being, but in the liberated state there is an absence of animosity. Prahlada Maharaja was tortured by his father in so many ways, yet after the death of his father he prayed for his father's liberation by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He did not ask any benediction that he might have asked, but he prayed that his atheistic father might be liberated. He never cursed any of the persons who engaged in torturing him at the instigation of his father.
TEXT 47
TEXT
yat-prasadad idam visvam
prasidati yad-atmakam
sa sva-drg bhagavan yasya
tosyate 'nanyaya drsa
SYNONYMS
yat--by whose; prasadat--mercy of; idam--this; visvam--universe; prasidati--becomes happy; yat--whose; atmakam--because of His omnipotence; sah--He; sva-drk--taking special care for His devotees; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; yasya--whose; tosyate--becomes pleased; ananyaya--without deviation; drsa--by intelligence.
TRANSLATION
Everyone will be pleased with him because the Personality of Godhead, the supreme controller of the universe, is always satisfied with a devotee who does not wish for anything beyond Him.
PURPORT
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is situated everywhere as the Supersoul, and He can dictate to anyone and everyone as He likes. The would-be grandson of Diti, who was predicted to be a great devotee, would be liked by everyone, even by the enemies of his father, because he would have no other vision besides the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A pure devotee of the Lord sees the presence of his worshipable Lord everywhere. The Lord reciprocates in such a way that all living entities in whom the Lord is dwelling as the Supersoul also like a pure devotee because the Lord is present in their hearts and can dictate to them to be friendly to His devotee. There are many instances in history wherein even the most ferocious animal became friendly to a pure devotee of the Lord.
TEXT 48
TEXT
sa vai maha-bhagavato mahatma
mahanubhavo mahatam mahisthah
pravrddha-bhaktya hy anubhavitasaye
nivesya vaikuntham imam vihasyati
SYNONYMS
sah--he; vai--certainly; maha-bhagavatah--the topmost devotee; maha-atma--expanded intelligence; maha-anubhavah--expanded influence; mahatam--of the great souls; mahisthah--the greatest; pravrddha--well matured; bhaktya--by devotional service; hi--certainly; anubhavita--being situated in the anubhava stage of ecstasy; asaye--in the mind; nivesya--entering; vaikuntham--in the spiritual sky; imam--this (material world); vihasyati--will quit.
TRANSLATION
That topmost devotee of the Lord will have expanded intelligence and expanded influence and will be the greatest of the great souls. Due to matured devotional service, he will certainly be situated in transcendental ecstasy and will enter the spiritual sky after quitting this material world.
PURPORT
There are three stages of transcendental development in devotional service, which are technically called sthayi-bhava, anubhava and mahabhava. Continual perfect love of Godhead is called sthayi-bhava, and when it is performed in a particular type of transcendental relationship it is called anubhava. But the stage of mahabhava is visible amongst the personal pleasure potential energies of the Lord. It is understood that the grandson of Diti, namely Prahlada Maharaja, would constantly meditate on the Lord and reiterate His activities. Because he would constantly remain in meditation, he would easily transfer himself to the spiritual world after quitting his material body. Such meditation is still more conveniently performed by chanting and hearing the holy name of the Lord. This is especially recommended in this age of Kali.
TEXT 49
TEXT
alampatah sila-dharo gunakaro
hrstah pararddhya vyathito duhkhitesu
abhuta-satrur jagatah soka-harta
naidaghikam tapam ivodurajah
SYNONYMS
alampatah--virtuous; sila-dharah--qualified; guna-akarah--reservoir of all good qualities; hrstah--jolly; para-rddhya--by others' happiness; vyathitah--distressed; duhkhitesu--in others' unhappiness; abhuta-satruh--without enemies; jagatah--of all the universe; soka-harta--destroyer of lamentation; naidaghikam--due to the summer sun; tapam--distress; iva--likened; udu-rajah--the moon.
TRANSLATION
He will be a virtuously qualified reservoir of all good qualities; he will be jolly and happy in others' happiness, distressed in others' distress, and will have no enemies. He will be a destroyer of the lamentation of all the universes, like the pleasant moon after the summer sun.
PURPORT
Prahlada Maharaja, the exemplary devotee of the Lord, had all the good qualities humanly possible. Although he was the emperor of this world, he was not profligate. Beginning from his childhood he was the reservoir of all good qualities. Without enumerating those qualities, it is said here summarily that he was endowed with all good qualities. That is the sign of a pure devotee. The most important characteristic of a pure devotee is that he is not lampata, or licentious, and another quality is that he is always eager to mitigate the miseries of suffering humanity. The most obnoxious misery of a living entity is his forgetfulness of Krsna. A pure devotee, therefore, always tries to evoke everyone's Krsna consciousness. This is the panacea for all miseries.
TEXT 50
TEXT
antar bahis camalam abja-netram
sva-purusecchanugrhita-rupam
pautras tava sri-lalana-lalamam
drasta sphurat-kundala-manditananam
SYNONYMS
antah--within; bahih--without; ca--also; amalam--spotless; abja-netram--lotus eyes; sva-purusa--own devotee; iccha-anugrhita-rupam--accepting form according to desire; pautrah--grandchild; tava--your; sri-lalana--beautiful goddess of fortune; lalamam--decorated; drasta--will see; sphurat-kundala--with brilliant earrings; mandita--decorated; ananam--face.
TRANSLATION
Your grandson will be able to see, inside and outside, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose wife is the beautiful goddess of fortune. The Lord can assume the form desired by the devotee, and His face is always beautifully decorated with earrings.
PURPORT
It is predicted herewith that the grandson of Diti, Prahlada Maharaja, would not only see the Personality of Godhead within himself by meditation but would also be able to see Him personally with his eyes. This direct vision is possible only for one who is highly elevated in Krsna consciousness, for the Lord is not possible to see with material eyes. The Supreme Personality of Godhead has multifarious eternal forms such as Krsna, Baladeva, Sankarsana, Aniruddha, Pradyumna, Vasudeva, Narayana, Rama, Nrsimha, Varaha and Vamana, and the devotee of the Lord knows all those Visnu forms. A pure devotee becomes attached to one of the eternal forms of the Lord, and the Lord is pleased to appear before him in the form desired. A devotee does not imagine something whimsical about the form of the Lord, nor does he ever think that the Lord is impersonal and can assume a form desired by the nondevotee. The nondevotee has no idea of the form of the Lord, and thus he cannot think of any one of the above-mentioned forms. But whenever a devotee sees the Lord, he sees Him in a most beautifully decorated form, accompanied by His constant companion the goddess of fortune, who is eternally beautiful.
TEXT 51
TEXT
maitreya uvaca
srutva bhagavatam pautram
amodata ditir bhrsam
putrayos ca vadham krsnad
viditvasin maha-manah
SYNONYMS
maitreyah uvaca--the sage Maitreya said; srutva--by hearing; bhagavatam--to be a great devotee of the Lord; pautram--grandson; amodata--took pleasure; ditih--Diti; bhrsam--very greatly; putrayoh--of two sons; ca--also; vadham--the killing; krsnat--by Krsna; viditva--knowing this; asit--became; maha-manah--highly pleased in mind.
TRANSLATION
The sage Maitreya said: Hearing that her grandson would be a great devotee and that her sons would be killed by Krsna, Diti was highly pleased in mind.
PURPORT
Diti was very aggrieved to learn that because of her untimely pregnancy her sons would be demons and would fight with the Lord. But when she heard that her grandson would be a great devotee and that her two sons would be killed by the Lord, she was very satisfied. As the wife of a great sage and the daughter of a great Prajapati, Daksa, she knew that being killed by the Personality of Godhead is a great fortune. Since the Lord is absolute, His acts of violence and nonviolence are both on the absolute platform. There is no difference in such acts of the Lord. Mundane violence and nonviolence have nothing to do with the Lord's acts. A demon killed by Him attains the same result as one who attains liberation after many, many births of penance and austerity. The word bhrsam is significant herein because it indicates that Diti was pleased beyond her expectations.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Third Canto, Fourteenth Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled "Pregnancy of Diti in the Evening."