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Chapter Twelve
The Mohini-murti Incarnation Bewilders Lord Siva
This chapter describes how Lord Siva was bewildered upon seeing the beautiful Mohini-murti incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and how he later came to his senses. When Lord Siva heard about the pastimes performed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, in the form of an attractive woman, he mounted his bull and went to see the Lord. Accompanied by his wife, Uma, and his servants, the bhuta-gana, or ghosts, he approached the lotus feet of the Lord. Lord Siva offered obeisances to the Supreme Lord as the all-pervading Lord, the universal form, the supreme controller of creation, the Supersoul, the resting place for everyone, and the completely independent cause of all causes. Thus he offered prayers giving truthful descriptions of the Lord. Then he expressed his desire. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is very kind to His devotees. Therefore, to fulfill the desire of His devotee Lord Siva, He expanded His energy and manifested Himself in the form of a very beautiful and attractive woman. Upon seeing this form, even Lord Siva was captivated. Later, by the grace of the Lord, he controlled himself. This demonstrates that by the power of the Lord's external energy, everyone is captivated by the form of woman in this material world. Again, however, by the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one can overcome the influence of maya. This was evinced by Lord Siva, the topmost devotee of the Lord. First he was captivated, but later, by the grace of the Lord, he restrained himself. It is declared in this connection that only a pure devotee can restrain himself from the attractive feature of maya. Otherwise, once a living entity is trapped by the external feature of maya, he cannot overcome it. After Lord Siva was graced by the Supreme Lord, he circumambulated the Lord along with his wife, Bhavani, and his companions, the ghosts. Then he left for his own abode. Sukadeva Gosvami concludes this chapter by describing the transcendental qualities of Uttamasloka, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and by declaring that one can glorify the Lord by nine kinds of devotional service, beginning with sravanam kirtanam
TEXTS 1-2
TEXT
sri-badarayanir uvaca
vrsa-dhvajo nisamyedam
yosid-rupena danavan
mohayitva sura-ganan
harih somam apayayat
vrsam aruhya girisah
sarva-bhuta-ganair vrtah
saha devya yayau drastum
yatraste madhusudanah
SYNONYMS
sri-badarayanih uvaca--Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; vrsa-dhvajah--Lord Siva, who is carried by a bull; nisamya--hearing; idam--this (news); yosit-rupena--by assuming the form of a woman; danavan--the demons; mohayitva--enchanting; sura-ganan--unto the demigods; harih--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; somam--nectar; apayayat--caused to drink; vrsam--the bull; aruhya--mounting; girisah--Lord Siva; sarva--all; bhuta-ganaih--by the ghosts; vrtah--surrounded; saha devya--with Uma; yayau--went; drastum--to see; yatra--where; aste--stays; madhusudanah--Lord Visnu.
TRANSLATION
Sukadeva Gosvami said: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, in the form of a woman, captivated the demons and enabled the demigods to drink the nectar. After hearing of these pastimes, Lord Siva, who is carried by a bull, went to the place where Madhusudana, the Lord, resides. Accompanied by his wife, Uma, and surrounded by his companions, the ghosts, Lord Siva went there to see the Lord's form as a woman.
TEXT 3
TEXT
sabhajito bhagavata
sadaram somaya bhavah
supavista uvacedam
pratipujya smayan harim
SYNONYMS
sabhajitah--well received; bhagavata--by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu; sa-adaram--with great respect (as befitting Lord Siva); sa-umaya--with Uma; bhavah--Lord Sambhu (Lord Siva); su-upavistah--being comfortably situated; uvaca--said; idam--this; pratipujya--offering respect; smayan--smiling; harim--unto the Lord.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead welcomed Lord Siva and Uma with great respect, and after being seated comfortably, Lord Siva duly worshiped the Lord and smilingly spoke as follows.
TEXT 4
TEXT
sri-mahadeva uvaca
deva-deva jagad-vyapin
jagad-isa jagan-maya
sarvesam api bhavanam
tvam atma hetur isvarah
SYNONYMS
sri-mahadevah uvaca--Lord Siva (Mahadeva) said; deva-deva--O best demigod among the demigods; jagat-vyapin--O all-pervading Lord; jagat-isa--O master of the universe; jagat-maya--O my Lord, who are transformed by Your energy into this creation; sarvesam api--all kinds of; bhavanam--situations; tvam--You; atma--the moving force; hetuh--because of this; isvarah--the Supreme Lord, Paramesvara.
TRANSLATION
Lord Mahadeva said: O chief demigod among the demigods, O all-pervading Lord, master of the universe, by Your energy You are transformed into the creation. You are the root and efficient cause of everything. You are not material. Indeed, You are the Supersoul or supreme living force of everything. Therefore, You are Paramesvara, the supreme controller of all controllers.
PURPORT
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, resides within the material world as the sattva-guna-avatara. Lord Siva is the tamo-guna-avatara, and Lord Brahma is the rajo-guna-avatara, but although Lord Visnu is among them, He is not in the same category. Lord Visnu is deva-deva, the chief of all the demigods. Since Lord Siva is in this material world, the energy of the Supreme Lord, Visnu, includes Lord Siva. Lord Visnu is therefore called jagad-vyapi, "the all-pervading Lord." Lord Siva is sometimes called Mahesvara, and so people think that Lord Siva is everything. But here Lord Siva addresses Lord Visnu as Jagad-isa, "the master of the universe." Lord Siva is sometimes called Visvesvara, but here he addresses Lord Visnu as Jagan-maya, indicating that even Visvesvara is under Lord Visnu's control. Lord Visnu is the master of the spiritual world, yet He controls the material world also, as stated in Bhagavad-gita (mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sacaracaram). Lord Brahma and Lord Siva are also sometimes called isvara, but the supreme isvara is Lord Visnu, Lord Krsna. As stated in Brahma-samhita, isvarah paramah krsnah: the Supreme Lord is Krsna, Lord Visnu. Everything in existence works in proper order because of Lord Visnu. Andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham. Even paramanu, the small atoms, work because of Lord Visnu's presence within them.
TEXT 5
TEXT
ady-antav asya yan madhyam
idam anyad aham bahih
yato 'vyayasya naitani
tat satyam brahma cid bhavan
SYNONYMS
adi--the beginning; antau--and the end; asya--of this manifested cosmos or of anything material or visible; yat--that which; madhyam--between the beginning and the end, the sustenance; idam--this cosmic manifestation; anyat--anything other than You; aham--the wrong mental conception; bahih--outside of You; yatah--because of; avyayasya--the inexhaustible; na--not; etani--all these differences; tat--that; satyam--the Absolute Truth; brahma--the Supreme; cit--spiritual; bhavan--Your Lordship.
TRANSLATION
The manifest, the unmanifest, false ego and the beginning, maintenance and annihilation of this cosmic manifestation all come from You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But because You are the Absolute Truth, the supreme absolute spirit soul, the Supreme Brahman, such changes as birth, death and sustenance do not exist in You.
PURPORT
According to the Vedic mantras, yato va imani bhutani jayante: everything is an emanation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As stated by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gita (7.4):
bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh
kham mano buddhir eva ca
ahankara itiyam me
bhinna prakrtir astadha
"Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego--all together these eight comprise My separated material energies." In other words, the ingredients of the cosmic manifestation also consist of the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This does not mean, however, that because the ingredients come from Him, He is no longer complete. purnasya purnam adaya purnam evavasisyate: "Because He is the complete whole, even though so many complete units emanate from Him, He remains the complete balance." Thus the Lord is called avyaya, inexhaustible. Unless we accept the Absolute Truth as acintya-bhedabheda, simultaneously one and different, we cannot have a clear conception of the Absolute Truth. The Lord is the root of everything. Aham adir hi devanam: He is the original cause of all the devas, or demigods. Aham sarvasya prabhavah: everything emanates from Him. In all cases--nominative, objective, positive, negative and so on--whatever we may conceive of in this entire cosmic manifestation is in fact the Supreme Lord. For Him there are no such distinctions as "this is mine, and this belongs to someone else," because He is everything. He is therefore called avyaya--changeless and inexhaustible. Because the Supreme Lord is avyaya, He is the Absolute Truth, the fully spiritual Supreme Brahman.
TEXT 6
TEXT
tavaiva caranambhojam
sreyas-kama nirasisah
visrjyobhayatah sangam
munayah samupasate
SYNONYMS
tava--Your; eva--indeed; carana-ambhojam--lotus feet; sreyah-kamah--persons desiring the ultimate auspiciousness, the ultimate goal of life; nirasisah--without material desire; visrjya--giving up; ubhayatah--in this life and the next; sangam--attachment; munayah--great sages; samupasate--worship.
TRANSLATION
Pure devotees or great saintly persons who desire to achieve the highest goal in life and who are completely free from all material desires for sense gratification engage constantly in the transcendental service of Your lotus feet.
PURPORT
One is in the material world when he thinks, "I am this body, and everything with reference to my body is mine." Ato grha-ksetra-sutapta-vittair janasya moho 'yam aham mameti. This is the symptom of material life. In the materialistic conception of life, one thinks, "This is my house, this is my land, this is my family, this is my state," and so on. But those who are munayah, saintly persons following in the footsteps of Narada Muni, simply engage in the transcendental loving service of the Lord without any personal desire for sense gratification. Anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam. Either in this life or in the next, the only concern of such saintly devotees is to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus they are also absolute because they have no other desires. Being freed from the dualities of material desire, they are called sreyas-kamah. In other words, they are not concerned with dharma (religiosity), artha (economic development), or kama (sense gratification). The only concern of such devotees is moksa, liberation. This moksa does not refer to becoming one with the Supreme like the Mayavadi philosophers. Caitanya Mahaprabhu explained that real moksa means taking shelter of the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead. The Lord clearly explained this fact while instructing Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya. Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya wanted to correct the word mukti-pade in Srimad-Bhagavatam, but Caitanya Mahaprabhu informed him that there is no need to correct any word in Srimad-Bhagavatam. He explained that mukti-pade refers to the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, who offers mukti and is therefore called Mukunda. A pure devotee is not concerned with material things. He is not concerned with religiosity, economic development or sense gratification. He is interested only in serving the lotus feet of the Lord.
TEXT 7
TEXT
tvam brahma purnam amrtam vigunam visokam
ananda-matram avikaram ananyad anyat
visvasya hetur udaya-sthiti-samyamanam
atmesvaras ca tad-apeksatayanapeksah
SYNONYMS
tvam--Your Lordship; brahma--the all-pervading Absolute Truth; purnam--fully complete; amrtam--never to be vanquished; vigunam--spiritually situated, free from the material modes of nature; visokam--without lamentation; ananda-matram--always in transcendental bliss; avikaram--changeless; ananyat--separated from everything; anyat--yet You are everything; visvasya--of the cosmic manifestation; hetuh--the cause; udaya--of the beginning; sthiti--maintenance; samyamanam--and of all the directors controlling the various departments of the cosmic manifestation; atma-isvarah--the Supersoul giving direction to everyone; ca--also; tat-apeksataya--everyone depends upon You; anapeksah--always fully independent.
TRANSLATION
My Lord, You are the Supreme Brahman, complete in everything. Being completely spiritual, You are eternal, free from the material modes of nature, and full of transcendental bliss. Indeed, for You there is no question of lamentation. Since You are the supreme cause, the cause of all causes, nothing can exist without You. Yet we are different from You in a relationship of cause and effect, for in one sense the cause and effect are different. You are the original cause of creation, manifestation and annihilation, and You bestow benedictions upon all living entities. Everyone depends upon You for the results of his activities, but You are always independent.
PURPORT
The Supreme Personality of Godhead says in Bhagavad-gita (9.4):
maya tatam idam sarvam
jagad avyakta-murtina
mat-sthani sarva-bhutani
na caham tesv avasthitah
"By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them." This explains the philosophy of simultaneous oneness and difference, known as acintya-bhedabheda. Everything is the Supreme Brahman, the Personality of Godhead, yet the Supreme Person is differently situated from everything. Indeed, because the Lord is differently situated from everything material, He is the Supreme Brahman, the supreme cause, the supreme controller. Isvarah paramah krsnah sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah. The Lord is the supreme cause, and His form has nothing to do with the material modes of nature. The devotee prays: "As Your devotee is completely free from all desires, Your Lordship is also completely free from desires. You are fully independent. Although all living entities engage in Your service, You do not depend on the service of anyone. Although this material world is created complete by You, everything depends on Your sanction. As stated in Bhagavad-gita, mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca: remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness come from You. Nothing can be done independently, yet You act independently of the service rendered by Your servants. The living entities depend on Your mercy for liberation, but when You want to give them liberation, You do not depend on anyone else. Indeed, by Your causeless mercy, You can give liberation to anyone. Those who receive Your mercy are called krpa-siddha. To reach the platform of perfection takes many, many lives (bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate). Nonetheless, even without undergoing severe austerities, one can attain perfection by Your mercy. Devotional service should be unmotivated and free from impediments (ahaituky apratihata yayatma suprasidati). This is the position of nirasisah, or freedom from expectations for results. A pure devotee continuously offers transcendental loving service to You, but You may nonetheless offer mercy to anyone, without depending on his service."
TEXT 8
TEXT
ekas tvam eva sad asad dvayam advayam ca
svarnam krtakrtam iveha na vastu-bhedah
ajnanatas tvayi janair vihito vikalpo
yasmad guna-vyatikaro nirupadhikasya
SYNONYMS
ekah--the only one; tvam--Your Lordship; eva--indeed; sat--which is existing, as the effect; asat--which is nonexistent, as the cause; dvayam--both of them; advayam--without duality; ca--and; svarnam--gold; krta--manufactured into different forms; akrtam--the original source of gold (the gold mine); iva--like; iha--in this world; na--not; vastu-bhedah--difference in the substance; ajnanatah--only because of ignorance; tvayi--unto You; janaih--by the general mass of people; vihitah--it should be done; vikalpah--differentiation; yasmat--because of; guna-vyatikarah--free from the differences created by the material modes of nature; nirupadhikasya--without any material designation.
TRANSLATION
My dear Lord, Your Lordship alone is the cause and the effect. Therefore, although You appear to be two, You are the absolute one. As there is no difference between the gold of a golden ornament and the gold in a mine, there is no difference between cause and effect; both of them are the same. Only because of ignorance do people concoct differences and dualities. You are free from material contamination, and since the entire cosmos is caused by You and cannot exist without You, it is an effect of Your transcendental qualities. Thus the conception that Brahman is true and the world false cannot be maintained.
PURPORT
Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says that the living entities are representations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead's marginal potency whereas the various bodies accepted by the living entities are products of the material energy. Thus the body is considered material, and the soul is considered spiritual. The origin of them both, however, is the same Supreme Personality of Godhead. As the Lord explains in Bhagavad-gita (7.4-5):
bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh
kham mano buddhir eva ca
ahankara itiyam me
bhinna prakrtir astadha
apareyam itas tv anyam
prakrtim viddhi me param
jiva-bhutam maha-baho
yayedam dharyate jagat
"Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego--all together these eight comprise My separated material energies. But besides this inferior nature, O mighty-armed Arjuna, there is a superior energy of Mine, which consists of all living entities who are struggling with material nature and are sustaining the universe." Thus both matter and the living entities are manifestations of energy of the Supreme Lord. Since the energy and the energetic are not different and since the material and marginal energies are both energies of the supreme energetic, the Supreme Lord, ultimately the Supreme Personality of Godhead is everything. In this regard, the example may be given of gold that has not been molded and gold that has been molded into various ornaments. A gold earring and the gold in a mine are different only as cause and effect; otherwise they are the same. The Vedanta-sutra describes that Brahman is the cause of everything. Janmady asya yatah. Everything is born of the Supreme Brahman, from which everything emanates as different energies. None of these energies, therefore, should be considered false. The Mayavadis' differentiation between Brahman and maya is only due to ignorance.
Srimad Viraraghava Acarya, in his Bhagavata-candra-candrika, describes the Vaisnava philosophy as follows. The cosmic manifestation is described as sat and asat, as cit and acit. Matter is acit, and the living force is cit, but their origin is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in whom there is no difference between matter and spirit. According to this conception, the cosmic manifestation, consisting of both matter and spirit, is not different from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Idam hi visvam bhagavan ivetarah: "This cosmic manifestation is also the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although it appears different from Him." In Bhagavad-gita (9.4) the Lord says:
maya tatam idam sarvam
jagad avyakta-murtina
mat-sthani sarva-bhutani
na caham tesv avasthitah
"By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them." Thus although someone may say that the Supreme Person is different from the cosmic manifestation, actually He is not. The Lord says, maya tatam idam sarvam: "In My impersonal feature I am spread throughout the world." Therefore, this world is not different from Him. The difference is a difference in names. For example, whether we speak of gold earrings, gold bangles or gold necklaces, ultimately they are all gold. In a similar way, all the different manifestations of matter and spirit are ultimately one in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. ekam evadvitiyam brahma. This is the Vedic version (Chandogya Upanisad 6.2.1). There is oneness because everything emanates from the Supreme Brahman. The example already given is that there is no difference between a golden earring and the gold mine as it is. The Vaisesika philosophers, however, because of their Mayavada conception, create differences. They say, brahma satyam jagan mithya: "The Absolute Truth is real, and the cosmic manifestation is false." But why should the jagat be considered mithya? The jagat is an emanation from Brahman. Therefore the jagat is also truth.
Vaisnavas, therefore, do not consider the jagat to be mithya; rather, they regard everything as reality in connection with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
anasaktasya visayan
yatharham upayunjatah
nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe
yuktam vairagyam ucyate
prapancikataya buddhya
hari-sambandhi-vastunah
mumuksubhih parityago
vairagyam phalgu kathyate
"Things should be accepted for the Lord's service and not for one's personal sense gratification. If one accepts something without attachment and accepts it because it is related to Krsna, one's renunciation is called yuktam vairagyam. Whatever is favorable for the rendering of service to the Lord should be accepted and should not be rejected as a material thing." (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.255-256) The jagat should not be rejected as mithya. It is truth, and the truth is realized when everything is engaged in the service of the Lord. A flower accepted for one's sense gratification is material, but when the same flower is offered to the Supreme personality of Godhead by a devotee, it is spiritual. Food taken and cooked for oneself is material, but food cooked for the Supreme Lord is spiritual prasada. This is a question of realization. Actually, everything is given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore everything is spiritual, but those who are not advanced in proper knowledge make distinctions because of the interactions of the three modes of material nature. In this regard, Srila Jiva Gosvami says that although the sun is the only light, the sunshine, which is exhibited in seven colors, and darkness, which is the absence of sunshine, are not different from the sun, for without the existence of the sun such differentiations cannot exist. There may be varied nomenclature because of different conditions, but they are all the sun. The puranas therefore say:
eka-desa-sthitasyagner
jyotsna vistarini yatha
parasya brahmanah saktis
tathedam akhilam jagat
"Just as the illumination of a fire, which is situated in one place, is spread all over, the energies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Parabrahman, are spread all over this universe." (Visnu Purana 1.22.53) Materially, we can directly perceive the sunshine spreading itself according to different names and activities, but ultimately the sun is one. Similarly, sarvam khalv idam brahma: everything is an expansion of the Supreme Brahman. Therefore, the Supreme Lord is everything, and He is one without differentiation. There is no existence separate from the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 9
TEXT
tvam brahma kecid avayanty uta dharmam eke
eke param sad-asatoh purusam paresam
anye 'vayanti nava-sakti-yutam param tvam
kecin maha-purusam avyayam atma-tantram
SYNONYMS
tvam--You; brahma--the supreme truth, the Absolute Truth, Brahman; kecit--some people, namely the group of Mayavadis known as the Vedantists; avayanti--consider; uta--certainly; dharmam--religion; eke--some others; eke--some others; param--transcendental; sat-asatoh--to both cause and effect; purusam--the Supreme person; paresam--the supreme controller; anye--others; avayanti--describe; nava-sakti-yutam--endowed with nine potencies; param--transcendental; tvam--unto You; kecit--some; maha-purusam--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; avyayam--without loss of energy; atma-tantram--supremely independent.
TRANSLATION
Those who are known as the impersonalist Vedantists regard You as the impersonal Brahman. Others, known as the Mimamsaka philosophers, regard You as religion. The Sankhya philosophers regard You as the transcendental person who is beyond prakrti and purusa and who is the controller of even the demigods. The followers of the codes of devotional service known as the Pancaratras regard You as being endowed with nine different potencies. And the Patanjala philosophers, the followers of Patanjali Muni, regard You as the supreme independent Personality of Godhead, who has no equal or superior.
TEXT 10
TEXT
naham parayur rsayo na marici-mukhya
jananti yad-viracitam khalu sattva-sargah
yan-mayaya musita-cetasa isa daitya-
martyadayah kim uta sasvad-abhadra-vrttah
SYNONYMS
na--neither; aham--I; para-ayuh--that personality who lives for millions and millions of years (Lord Brahma); rsayah--the seven rsis of the seven planets; na--nor; marici-mukhyah--headed by Marici Rsi; jananti--know; yat--by whom (the Supreme Lord); viracitam--this universe, which has been created; khalu--indeed; sattva-sargah--although born in the mode of material goodness; yat-mayaya--by the influence of whose energy; musita-cetasah--their hearts are bewildered; isa--O my Lord; daitya--the demons; martya-adayah--the human beings and others; kim uta--what to speak of; sasvat--always; abhadra-vrttah--influenced by the base qualities of material nature.
TRANSLATION
O my Lord, I, who am considered to be the best of the demigods, and Lord Brahma and the great rsis, headed by Marici, are born of the mode of goodness. Nonetheless, we are bewildered by Your illusory energy and cannot understand what this creation is. Aside from us, what is to be said of others, like the demons and human beings, who are in the base modes of material nature [rajo-guna and tamo-guna]? How will they know You?
PURPORT
Factually speaking, even those who are situated in the material mode of goodness cannot understand the position of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. What then is to be said of those who are situated in rajo-guna and tamo-guna, the base qualities of material nature? How can we even imagine the Supreme Personality of Godhead? There are so many philosophers trying to understand the Absolute Truth, but since they are situated in the base qualities of material nature and are addicted to so many bad habits, like drinking, meat-eating, illicit sex and gambling, how can they conceive of the Supreme Personality of Godhead? For them it is impossible. For the present day, the pancaratriki-vidhi as enunciated by Narada Muni is the only hope. Srila Rupa Gosvami, therefore, has quoted the following verse from the Brahma-yamala:
sruti-smrti-puranadi-
pancaratra-vidhim vina
aikantiki harer bhaktir
utpatayaiva kalpate
"Devotional service of the Lord that ignores the authorized Vedic literatures like the Upanisads, puranas and Narada-pancaratra is simply an unnecessary disturbance in society." (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.101) Those who are very advanced in knowledge and are situated in the mode of goodness follow the Vedic instructions of the sruti and smrti and other religious scriptures, including the pancaratriki-vidhi. Without understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead in this way, one only creates a disturbance. In this age of Kali, so many gurus have sprung up, and because they do not refer to the sruti-smrti-puranadi-pancaratrika-vidhi, they are creating a great disturbance in the world in regard to understanding the Absolute Truth. However, those who follow the pancaratriki-vidhi under the guidance of a proper spiritual master can understand the Absolute Truth. It is said, pancaratrasya krtsnasya vakta tu bhagavan svayam: the pancaratra system is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, just like Bhagavad-gita. Vasudeva-sarana vidur anjasaiva: the truth can be understood only by one who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of Vasudeva.
bahunam janmanam ante
jnanavan mam prapadyate
vasudevah sarvam iti
sa mahatma sudurlabhah
"After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare." (Bg. 7.19) Only those who have surrendered to the lotus feet of Vasudeva can understand the Absolute Truth.
vasudeve bhagavati
bhakti-yogah prayojitah
janayaty asu vairagyam
jnanam ca yad ahaitukam
"By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from the world." (Bhag. 1.2.7) Therefore, Vasudeva, Bhagavan Sri Krsna, personally teaches in Bhagavad-gita:
sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
"Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me." (Bg. 18.66)
bhaktya mam abhijanati
yavan yas casmi tattvatah
"One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service." (Bg. 18.55) The Supreme Personality of Godhead is not properly understood even by Lord Siva or Lord Brahma, what to speak of others, but He can be understood by the process of bhakti-yoga.
mayy asakta-manah partha
yogam yunjan mad-asrayah
asamsayam samagram mam
yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu
(Bg. 7.1)
If one practices bhakti-yoga by taking shelter of Vasudeva, Krsna, simply by hearing Vasudeva speak about Himself, one can understand everything about Him. Indeed, one can understand Him completely (samagram).
TEXT 11
TEXT
sa tvam samihitam adah sthiti-janma-nasam
bhutehitam ca jagato bhava-bandha-moksau
vayur yatha visati kham ca caracarakhyam
sarvam tad-atmakatayavagamo 'varuntse
SYNONYMS
sah--Your Lordship; tvam--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; samihitam--which has been created (by You); adah--of this material cosmic manifestation; sthiti-janma-nasam--creation, maintenance and annihilation; bhuta--of the living entities; ihitam ca--and the different activities or endeavors; jagatah--of the whole world; bhava-bandha-moksau--in being implicated and being liberated from material complications; vayuh--the air; yatha--as; visati--enters; kham--in the vast sky; ca--and; cara-acara-akhyam--and everything, moving and nonmoving; sarvam--everything; tat--that; atmakataya--because of Your presence; avagamah--everything is known to You; avaruntse--You are all-pervading and therefore know everything.
TRANSLATION
My Lord, You are the supreme knowledge personified. You know everything about this creation and its beginning, maintenance and annihilation, and You know all the endeavors made by the living entities, by which they are either implicated in this material world or liberated from it. As the air enters the vast sky and also enters the bodies of all moving and nonmoving entities, You are present everywhere, and therefore You are the knower of all.
PURPORT
As stated in the Brahma-samhita:
eko 'py asau racayitum jagad-anda-kotim
yac-chaktir asti jagad-anda-caya yad-antah
andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
"I worship the Personality of Godhead, Govinda, who by one of His plenary portions enters the existence of every universe and every atomic particle and thus manifests His infinite energy unlimitedly throughout the material creation." (Brahma-samhita 5.35)
ananda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhavitabhis
tabhir ya eva nija-rupataya kalabhih
goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhuto
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
"I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who resides in His own realm, Goloka, with Radha, who resembles His own spiritual figure and who embodies the ecstatic potency [hladini]. Their companions are Her confidantes, who embody extensions of Her bodily form and who are imbued and permeated with ever-blissful spiritual rasa." (Brahma-samhita 5.37)
Although Govinda is always present in His abode (goloka eva nivasati), He is simultaneously present everywhere. Nothing is unknown to Him, and nothing can be hidden from Him. The example given here compares the Lord to the air, which is within the vast sky and within every body but still is different from everything.
TEXT 12
TEXT
avatara maya drsta
ramamanasya te gunaih
so 'ham tad drastum icchami
yat te yosid-vapur dhrtam
SYNONYMS
avatarah--incarnations; maya--by me; drstah--have been seen; ramamanasya--while You demonstrate Your various pastimes; te--of You; gunaih--by the manifestations of transcendental qualities; sah--Lord Siva; aham--I; tat--that incarnation; drastum icchami--wish to see; yat--which; te--of You; yosit-vapuh--the body of a woman; dhrtam--was accepted.
TRANSLATION
My Lord, I have seen all kinds of incarnations You have exhibited by Your transcendental qualities, and now that You have appeared as a beautiful young woman, I wish to see that form of Your Lordship.
PURPORT
When Lord Siva approached Lord Visnu, Lord Visnu inquired about the purpose for Lord Siva's coming there. Now Lord Siva discloses his desire. He wanted to see the recent incarnation of Mohini-murti, which Lord Visnu had assumed to distribute the nectar generated from the churning of the ocean of milk.
TEXT 13
TEXT
yena sammohita daityah
payitas camrtam surah
tad didrksava ayatah
param kautuhalam hi nah
SYNONYMS
yena--by such an incarnation; sammohitah--were captivated; daityah--the demons; payitah--were fed; ca--also; amrtam--nectar; surah--the demigods; tat--that form; didrksavah--desiring to see; ayatah--we have come here; param--very much; kautuhalam--great eagerness; hi--indeed; nah--of ourselves.
TRANSLATION
My Lord, we have come here desiring to see that form of Your Lordship which You showed to the demons to captivate them completely and in this way enable the demigods to drink nectar. I am very eager to see that form.
TEXT 14
TEXT
sri-suka uvaca
evam abhyarthito visnur
bhagavan sula-panina
prahasya bhava-gambhiram
girisam pratyabhasata
SYNONYMS
sri-sukah uvaca--Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; evam--in this way; abhyarthitah--being requested; visnuh bhagavan--Lord Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sula-panina--by Lord Siva, who carries a trident in his hand; prahasya--laughing; bhava-gambhiram--with serious gravity; girisam--unto Lord Siva; pratyabhasata--replied.
TRANSLATION
Sukadeva Gosvami said: When Lord Visnu was thus requested by Lord Siva, who carries a trident in his hand, He smiled with gravity and replied to Lord Siva as follows.
PURPORT
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, is known as Yogesvara. Yatra yogesvarah krsnah. Mystic yogis want to acquire some power by practicing the yoga system, but Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is known as the Supreme Lord of all mystic power. Lord Siva wanted to see the Mohini-murti, which was captivating the entire world, and Lord Visnu was gravely thinking of how to captivate Lord Siva also. Therefore the word bhava-gambhiram is used here. The illusory, material energy is represented by Durgadevi, who is the wife of Girisa, or Lord Siva. Durgadevi could not captivate Lord Siva's mind, but now that Lord Siva wanted to see Lord Visnu's feminine form, Lord Visnu, by His mystic power, would assume a form that would captivate even Lord Siva. Therefore Lord Visnu was grave and at the same time was smiling.
TEXT 15
TEXT
sri-bhagavan uvaca
kautuhalaya daityanam
yosid-veso maya dhrtah
pasyata sura-karyani
gate piyusa-bhajane
SYNONYMS
sri-bhagavan uvaca--the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; kautuhalaya--for the bewildering; daityanam--of the demons; yosit-vesah--the form of a beautiful woman; maya--by Me; dhrtah--assumed; pasyata--seeing that it is necessary for Me; sura-karyani--for executing the interests of the demigods; gate--having been taken away; piyusa-bhajane--the jug of nectar.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: When the demons took away the jug of nectar, I assumed the form of a beautiful woman to bewilder them by directly cheating them and thus to act in the interest of the demigods.
PURPORT
When the Supreme Personality of Godhead assumed the form of the beautiful woman Mohini-murti, the demons were certainly captivated, but the demigods present were not. In other words, those who maintain a demoniac mentality are bewildered by the beauty of a woman, but those who are advanced in Krsna consciousness, or even those on the platform of goodness, are not bewildered. The Supreme Personality of Godhead knew that because Lord Siva is not an ordinary person, he cannot be bewildered even by the most beautiful woman. Cupid himself tried to invoke Lord Siva's lusty desires in the presence of Parvati, but Lord Siva was never agitated. Rather, the blazing fire from Lord Siva's eyes turned Cupid to ashes. Therefore, Lord Visnu had to think twice about what kind of beautiful form would bewilder even Lord Siva. Consequently He was smiling gravely, as stated in the previous verse (prahasya bhava-gambhiram). A beautiful woman generally cannot induce Lord Siva to be lusty, but Lord Visnu was considering whether there was any form of woman who could enchant him.
TEXT 16
TEXT
tat te 'ham darsayisyami
didrksoh sura-sattama
kaminam bahu mantavyam
sankalpa-prabhavodayam
SYNONYMS
tat--that; te--unto you; aham--I; darsayisyami--shall show; didrksoh--desirous of seeing; sura-sattama--O best of the demigods; kaminam--of persons who are very lusty; bahu--very much; mantavyam--an object of adoration; sankalpa--lusty desires; prabhava-udayam--causing to be strongly aroused.
TRANSLATION
O best of the demigods, I shall now show you My form that is very much appreciated by those who are lusty. Since you want to see that form, I shall reveal it in your presence.
PURPORT
Lord Siva's desiring to see Lord Visnu reveal the most attractive and beautiful form of a woman was certainly a joking affair. Lord Siva knew that he could not be agitated by any so-called beautiful woman. "The Daityas may have been bewildered," he thought, "but since even the demigods could not be agitated, what to speak of me, who am the best of all the demigods?" However, because Lord Siva wanted to see Lord Visnu's form as a woman, Lord Visnu decided to impersonate a woman and show him a form that would immediately put him in an ocean of lusty desires. In effect, therefore, Lord Visnu told Lord Siva, "I will show you My form as a woman, and if you become agitated by lusty desires, do not blame Me." The attractive features of a woman are appreciated by those who are affected by lusty desires, but those who are above such desires, who are on the platform of Krsna consciousness, are very difficult to bewilder. Nonetheless, by the supreme desire of the Personality of Godhead, everything can be done. This was to be a test of whether Lord Siva could remain unagitated.
TEXT 17
TEXT
sri-suka uvaca
iti bruvano bhagavams
tatraivantaradhiyata
sarvatas carayams caksur
bhava aste sahomaya
SYNONYMS
sri-sukah uvaca--Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; iti--thus; bruvanah--while speaking; bhagavan--Lord Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tatra--there; eva--immediately; antaradhiyata--disappeared from the vision of Lord Siva and his associates; sarvatah--everywhere; carayan--moving; caksuh--the eyes; bhavah--Lord Siva; aste--remained; saha-umaya--with his wife, Uma.
TRANSLATION
Sukadeva Gosvami continued: After speaking in this way, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, immediately disappeared, and Lord Siva remained there with Uma, looking for Him all around with moving eyes.
TEXT 18
TEXT
tato dadarsopavane vara-striyam
vicitra-pusparuna-pallava-drume
vikridatim kanduka-lilaya lasad-
dukula-paryasta-nitamba-mekhalam
SYNONYMS
tatah--thereafter; dadarsa--Lord Siva saw; upavane--in a nice forest; vara-striyam--a very beautiful woman; vicitra--of many varieties; puspa--flowers; aruna--pink; pallava--leaves; drume--in the midst of the trees; vikridatim--engaged in playing; kanduka--with a ball; lilaya--by pastimes of playing; lasat--shining; dukula--by a sari; paryasta--covered; nitamba--on her hips; mekhalam--dressed with a belt.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter, in a nice forest nearby, full of trees with reddish-pink leaves and varieties of flowers, Lord Siva saw a beautiful woman playing with a ball. Her hips were covered with a shining sari and ornamented with a belt.
TEXT 19
TEXT
avartanodvartana-kampita-stana-
prakrsta-haroru-bharaih pade pade
prabhajyamanam iva madhyatas calat-
pada-pravalam nayatim tatas tatah
SYNONYMS
avartana--by the falling down; udvartana--and springing up; kampita--trembling; stana--of the two breasts; prakrsta--beautiful; hara--and of garlands; uru-bharaih--because of the heavy load; pade pade--at every step; prabhajyamanam iva--as if breaking; madhyatah--in the middle portion of the body; calat--moving like that; pada-pravalam--feet reddish like coral; nayatim--moving; tatah tatah--here and there.
TRANSLATION
Because the ball was falling down and bouncing up, as She played with it Her breasts trembled, and because of the weight of those breasts and Her heavy flower garlands, Her waist appeared to be all but breaking at every step, as Her two soft feet, which were reddish like coral, moved here and there.
TEXT 20
TEXT
diksu bhramat-kanduka-capalair bhrsam
prodvigna-tarayata-lola-locanam
sva-karna-vibhrajita-kundalollasat-
kapola-nilalaka-manditananam
SYNONYMS
diksu--in all directions; bhramat--moving; kanduka--of the ball; capalaih--restlessness; bhrsam--now and then; prodvigna--full of anxieties; tara--eyes; ayata--broad; lola--restless; locanam--with such eyes; sva-karna--on Her own two ears; vibhrajita--illuminating; kundala--earrings; ullasat--shining; kapola--cheeks; nila--bluish; alaka--with hair; mandita--was decorated; ananam--face.
TRANSLATION
The woman's face was decorated by broad, beautiful, restless eyes, which moved as the ball bounced here and there from Her hand. The two brilliant earrings on Her ears decorated Her shining cheeks like bluish reflections, and the hair scattered on Her face made Her even more beautiful to see.
TEXT 21
TEXT
slathad dukulam kabarim ca vicyutam
sannahyatim vama-karena valguna
vinighnatim anya-karena kandukam
vimohayantim jagad-atma-mayaya
SYNONYMS
slathat--slipping or slackening; dukulam--the sari; kabarim ca--and the hair on the head; vicyutam--being slackened and scattered; sannahyatim--trying to bind; vama-karena--with the left hand; valguna--very beautifully attractive; vinighnatim--striking; anya-karena--with the right hand; kandukam--the ball; vimohayantim--in this way captivating everyone; jagat--the whole world; atma-mayaya--by the spiritual potency, the internal energy.
TRANSLATION
As She played with the ball, the sari covering Her body became loose, and Her hair scattered. She tried to bind Her hair with Her beautiful left hand, and at the same time She played with the ball by striking it with Her right hand. This was so attractive that the Supreme Lord, by His internal potency, in this way captivated everyone.
PURPORT
In Bhagavad-gita (7.14) it is said, daivi hy esa guna-mayi mama maya duratyaya: the external potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is extremely strong. Indeed, everyone is fully captivated by her activities. Lord Sambhu (Siva) was not to be captivated by the external potency, but because Lord Visnu wanted to captivate Him also, He exhibited His internal potency to act the way that His external potency acts to captivate ordinary living entities. Lord Visnu can captivate anyone, even such a strong personality as Lord Sambhu.
TEXT 22
TEXT
tam viksya deva iti kanduka-lilayesad-
vridasphuta-smita-visrsta-kataksa-mustah
stri-preksana-pratisamiksana-vihvalatma
natmanam antika umam sva-ganams ca veda
SYNONYMS
tam--Her; viksya--after observing; devah--Lord Sambhu; iti--in this way; kanduka-lilaya--by playing with the ball; isat--slight; vrida--by bashfulness; asphuta--not very distinct; smita--with smiling; visrsta--sent; kataksa-mustah--defeated by the glances; stri-preksana--by glancing at that beautiful woman; pratisamiksana--and by constantly being watched by Her; vihvala-atma--whose mind was agitated; na--not; atmanam--himself; antike--(situated) nearby; umam--his wife, mother Uma; sva-ganan ca--and his associates; veda--Lord Siva could understand.
TRANSLATION
While Lord Siva observed the beautiful woman playing with the ball, She sometimes glanced at him and slightly smiled in bashfulness. As he looked at the beautiful woman and She watched him, he forgot both himself and Uma, his most beautiful wife, as well as his associates nearby.
PURPORT
The material bondage of this world is that a beautiful woman can captivate a handsome man and that a handsome man can captivate a beautiful woman. Such are the affairs that began when Lord Siva observed the beautiful girl playing with the ball. In such activities, the influence of Cupid is very prominent. As both parties move their eyebrows and glance at one another, their lusty desires increase more and more. Such reciprocations of lusty desire took place between Lord Siva and the beautiful woman, even though Uma and Lord Siva's associates were by Lord Siva's side. Such is the attraction between man and woman in the material world. Lord Siva was supposed to be above all this attraction, but he was victimized by the captivating power of Lord Visnu. Rsabhadeva thus explains the nature of lusty attraction:
pumsah striya mithuni-bhavam etam
tayor mitho hrdaya-granthim ahuh
ato grha-ksetra-sutapta-vittair
janasya moho 'yam aham mameti
"The attraction between male and female is the basic principle of material existence. On the basis of this misconception, which ties together the hearts of the male and female, one becomes attracted to his body, home, property, children, relatives and wealth. In this way one increases life's illusions and thinks in terms of 'I and mine.' " (Bhag. 5.5.8) When a man and woman exchange feelings of lust, both of them are victimized, and thus they are bound to this material world in various ways.
TEXT 23
TEXT
tasyah karagrat sa tu kanduko yada
gato viduram tam anuvrajat-striyah
vasah sasutram laghu maruto 'harad
bhavasya devasya kilanupasyatah
SYNONYMS
tasyah--of the beautiful woman; kara-agrat--from the hand; sah--that; tu--but; kandukah--the ball; yada--when; gatah--had gone; viduram--far off; tam--that ball; anuvrajat--began to follow; striyah--of that woman; vasah--the covering dress; sa-sutram--with the belt; laghu--because of being very fine; marutah--the breeze; aharat--blew away; bhavasya--while Lord Siva; devasya--the chief demigod; kila--indeed; anupasyatah--was always looking.
TRANSLATION
When the ball leaped from Her hand and fell at a distance, the woman began to follow it, but as Lord Siva observed these activities, a breeze suddenly blew away the fine dress and belt that covered her.
TEXT 24
TEXT
evam tam rucirapangim
darsaniyam manoramam
drstva tasyam manas cakre
visajjantyam bhavah kila
SYNONYMS
evam--in this way; tam--Her; rucira-apangim--possessing all attractive features; darsaniyam--pleasing to see; manoramam--beautifully formed; drstva--seeing; tasyam--upon Her; manah cakre--thought; visajjantyam--to be attracted by him; bhavah--Lord Siva; kila--indeed.
TRANSLATION
Thus Lord Siva saw the woman, every part of whose body was beautifully formed, and the beautiful woman also looked at him. Therefore, thinking that She was attracted to him, Lord Siva became very much attracted to Her.
PURPORT
Lord Siva was observing every part of the woman's body, and She was also glancing at him with restless eyes. Thus Siva thought that She was also attracted to him, and now he wanted to touch Her.
TEXT 25
TEXT
tayapahrta-vijnanas
tat-krta-smara-vihvalah
bhavanya api pasyantya
gata-hris tat-padam yayau
SYNONYMS
taya--by Her; apahrta--taken away; vijnanah--good sense; tat-krta--done by Her; smara--by the smiling; vihvalah--having become mad for Her; bhavanyah--while Bhavani, the wife of Lord Siva; api--although; pasyantyah--was seeing all these incidents; gata-hrih--bereft of all shame; tat-padam--to the place where She was situated; yayau--went.
TRANSLATION
Lord Siva, his good sense taken away by the woman because of lusty desires to enjoy with Her, became so mad for Her that even in the presence of Bhavani he did not hesitate to approach Her.
TEXT 26
TEXT
sa tam ayantam alokya
vivastra vridita bhrsam
niliyamana vrksesu
hasanti nanvatisthata
SYNONYMS
sa--that woman; tam--Lord Siva; ayantam--who was coming near; alokya--seeing; vivastra--She was naked; vridita--very bashful; bhrsam--so much; niliyamana--was hiding; vrksesu--among the trees; hasanti--smiling; na--not; anvatisthata--stood in one place.
TRANSLATION
The beautiful woman was already naked, and when She saw Lord Siva coming toward Her, She became extremely bashful. Thus She kept smiling, but She hid Herself among the trees and did not stand in one place.
TEXT 27
TEXT
tam anvagacchad bhagavan
bhavah pramusitendriyah
kamasya ca vasam nitah
karenum iva yuthapah
SYNONYMS
tam--Her; anvagacchat--followed; bhagavan--Lord Siva; bhavah--known as Bhava; pramusita-indriyah--whose senses were agitated; kamasya--of lusty desires; ca--and; vasam--victimized; nitah--having become; karenum--a female elephant; iva--just as; yuthapah--a male elephant.
TRANSLATION
His senses being agitated, Lord Siva, victimized by lusty desires, began to follow Her, just as a lusty elephant follows a she-elephant.
TEXT 28
TEXT
so 'nuvrajyativegena
grhitvanicchatim striyam
kesa-bandha upaniya
bahubhyam parisasvaje
SYNONYMS
sah--Lord Siva; anuvrajya--following Her; ati-vegena--with great speed; grhitva--catching; anicchatim--although She was not willing to be caught; striyam--the woman; kesa-bandhe--on the cluster of hair; upaniya--dragging Her near; bahubhyam--with his arms; parisasvaje--embraced Her.
TRANSLATION
After following Her with great speed, Lord Siva caught Her by the braid of Her hair and dragged Her near him. Although She was unwilling, he embraced Her with his arms.
TEXTS 29-30
TEXT
sopagudha bhagavata
karina karini yatha
itas tatah prasarpanti
viprakirna-siroruha
atmanam mocayitvanga
surarsabha-bhujantarat
pradravat sa prthu-sroni
maya deva-vinirmita
SYNONYMS
sa--the woman; upagudha--being captured and embraced; bhagavata--by Lord Siva; karina--by a male elephant; karini--a she-elephant; yatha--as; itah tatah--here and there; prasarpanti--swirling like a snake; viprakirna--scattered; siroruha--all the hair on Her head; atmanam--Herself; mocayitva--releasing; anga--O King; sura-rsabha--of the best of the demigods (Lord Siva); bhuja-antarat--from the entanglement in the midst of the arms; pradravat--began to run very fast; sa--She; prthu-sroni--bearing very large hips; maya--internal potency; deva-vinirmita--exhibited by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TRANSLATION
Being embraced by Lord Siva like a female elephant embraced by a male, the woman, whose hair was scattered, swirled like a snake. O King, this woman, who had large, high hips, was a woman of yogamaya presented by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. She released Herself somehow or other from the fond embrace of Lord Siva's arms and ran away.
TEXT 31
TEXT
tasyasau padavim rudro
visnor adbhuta-karmanah
pratyapadyata kamena
vairineva vinirjitah
SYNONYMS
tasya--of He who is the Supreme Lord; asau--Lord Siva; padavim--the place; rudrah--Lord Siva; visnoh--of Lord Visnu; adbhuta-karmanah--of He who acts very wonderfully; pratyapadyata--began to follow; kamena--by lusty desire; vairina iva--as if by an enemy; vinirjitah--being harassed.
TRANSLATION
As if harassed by an enemy in the form of lusty desires, Lord Siva followed the path of Lord Visnu, who acts very wonderfully and who had taken the form of Mohini.
PURPORT
Lord Siva cannot be victimized by maya. Therefore it is to be understood that Lord Siva was being thus harassed by Lord Visnu's internal potency. Lord Visnu can perform many wonderful activities through His various potencies.
parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate
svabhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca
(Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.8)
The Supreme Lord has various potencies, by which He can act very efficiently. To do anything expertly, He doesn't even need to contemplate. Since Lord Siva was being harassed by the woman, it is to be understood that this was being done not by a woman but by Lord Visnu Himself.
TEXT 32
TEXT
tasyanudhavato retas
caskandamogha-retasah
susmino yuthapasyeva
vasitam anudhavatah
SYNONYMS
tasya--of him (Lord Siva); anudhavatah--who was following; retah--the semen; caskanda--discharged; amogha-retasah--of that person whose discharge of semen never goes in vain; susminah--mad; yuthapasya--of a male elephant; iva--just like; vasitam--to a female elephant able to conceive pregnancy; anudhavatah--following.
TRANSLATION
Just as a maddened bull elephant follows a female elephant who is able to conceive pregnancy, Lord Siva followed the beautiful woman and discharged semen, even though his discharge of semen never goes in vain.
TEXT 33
TEXT
yatra yatrapatan mahyam
retas tasya mahatmanah
tani rupyasya hemnas ca
ksetrany asan mahi-pate
SYNONYMS
yatra--wherever; yatra--and wherever; apatat--fell; mahyam--on the surface of the world; retah--the semen; tasya--of him; maha-atmanah--of the great personality (Lord Siva); tani--all those places; rupyasya--of silver; hemnah--of gold; ca--and; ksetrani--mines; asan--became; mahi-pate--O King.
TRANSLATION
O King, wheresoever on the surface of the globe fell the semen of the great personality of Lord Siva, mines of gold and silver later appeared.
PURPORT
Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura comments that those who seek gold and silver can worship Lord Siva for material opulences. Lord Siva lives under a bael tree and does not even construct a house in which to dwell, but although he is apparently poverty-stricken, his devotees are sometimes opulently endowed with large quantities of silver and gold. Pariksit Maharaja later asks about this, and Sukadeva Gosvami replies.
TEXT 34
TEXT
sarit-sarahsu sailesu
vanesupavanesu ca
yatra kva casann rsayas
tatra sannihito harah
SYNONYMS
sarit--near the shores of the rivers; sarahsu--and near the lakes; sailesu--near the mountains; vanesu--in the forests; upavanesu--in the gardens or small forests; ca--also; yatra--wherever; kva--anywhere; ca--also; asan--were exiting; rsayah--great sages; tatra--there; sannihitah--was present; harah--Lord Siva.
TRANSLATION
Following Mohini, Lord Siva went everywhere--near the shores of the rivers and lakes, near the mountains, near the forests, near the gardens, and wherever there lived great sages.
PURPORT
Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura remarks that Mohini-murti dragged Lord Siva to so many places, especially to where the great sages lived, to instruct the sages that their Lord Siva had become mad for a beautiful woman. Thus although they were all great sages and saintly persons, they should not think themselves free, but should remain extremely cautious about beautiful women. No one should think himself liberated in the presence of a beautiful woman. The sastras enjoin:
matra svasra duhitra va
naviviktasano bhavet
balavan indriya-gramo
vidvamsam api karsati
"One should not stay in a solitary place with a woman, even if she be his mother, sister or daughter, for the senses are so uncontrollably powerful that in the presence of a woman one may become agitated, even if he is very learned and advanced." (Bhag. 9.19.17)
TEXT 35
TEXT
skanne retasi so 'pasyad
atmanam deva-mayaya
jadikrtam nrpa-srestha
sannyavartata kasmalat
SYNONYMS
skanne--when fully discharged; retasi--the semen; sah--Lord Siva; apasyat--saw; atmanam--his own self; deva-mayaya--by the maya of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; jadikrtam--had become victimized as a fool; nrpa-srestha--O best of kings (Maharaja Pariksit); sannyavartata--restrained himself further; kasmalat--from illusion.
TRANSLATION
O Maharaja Pariksit, best of kings, when Lord Siva had fully discharged semen, he could see how he himself had been victimized by the illusion created by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus he restrained himself from any further maya.
PURPORT
Once one is agitated by lusty desires upon seeing a woman, those desires increase more and more, but when semen is discharged in the act of sex, the lusty desires diminish. The same principle acted upon Lord Siva. He was allured by the beautiful woman Mohini-murti, but when his semen had been fully discharged, he came to his senses and realized how he had been victimized as soon as he saw the woman in the forest. If one is trained to protect his semen by observing celibacy, naturally he is not attracted by the beauty of a woman. If one can remain a brahmacari, he saves himself so much trouble in material existence. Material existence means enjoying the pleasure of sexual intercourse (yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham). If one is educated about sex life and is trained to protect his semen, he is saved from the danger of material existence.
TEXT 36
TEXT
athavagata-mahatmya
atmano jagad-atmanah
aparijneya-viryasya
na mene tad u hadbhutam
SYNONYMS
atha--thus; avagata--being fully convinced about; mahatmyah--the greatness; atmanah--of himself; jagat-atmanah--and of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; aparijneya-viryasya--who has unlimited potency; na--not; mene--did consider; tat--the miraculous activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in bewildering him; u ha--certainly; adbhutam--as wonderful.
TRANSLATION
Thus Lord Siva could understand his position and that of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has unlimited potencies. Having reached this understanding, he was not at all surprised by the wonderful way Lord Visnu had acted upon him.
PURPORT
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is known as all-powerful because no one can excel Him in any activity. In Bhagavad-gita (7.7) the Lord says, mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya: "O conqueror of wealth, there is no truth superior to Me." No one can equal the Lord or be greater than Him, for He is the master of everyone. As stated in Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi 5.142), ekale isvara krsna, ara saba bhrtya. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, is the only master of everyone, including even Lord Siva, what to speak of others. Lord Siva was already aware of the supreme power of Lord Visnu, but when he was actually put into bewilderment, he felt proud to have such an exalted master.
TEXT 37
TEXT
tam aviklavam avridam
alaksya madhusudanah
uvaca parama-prito
bibhrat svam paurusim tanum
SYNONYMS
tam--him (Lord Siva); aviklavam--without being agitated by the incident that had taken place; avridam--without being ashamed; alaksya--seeing; madhu-sudanah--the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is known as Madhusudana, the killer of the demon Madhu; uvaca--said; parama-pritah--being very pleased; bibhrat--assuming; svam--His own; paurusim--original; tanum--form.
TRANSLATION
Seeing Lord Siva unagitated and unashamed, Lord Visnu [Madhusudana] was very pleased. Thus He resumed His original form and spoke as follows.
PURPORT
Although Lord Siva was aghast at the potency of Lord Visnu, he did not feel ashamed. Rather, he was proud to be defeated by Lord Visnu. Nothing is hidden from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for He is in everyone's heart. Indeed, the Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (15.15), sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca: "I am seated in everyone's heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness." Whatever happened had taken place under the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore there was no cause to be sorry or ashamed. Although Lord Siva is never defeated by anyone, when defeated by Lord Visnu he felt proud that he had such an exalted and powerful master.
TEXT 38
TEXT
sri-bhagavan uvaca
distya tvam vibudha-srestha
svam nistham atmana sthitah
yan me stri-rupaya svairam
mohito 'py anga mayaya
SYNONYMS
sri-bhagavan uvaca--the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; distya--all auspiciousness; tvam--unto you; vibudha-srestha--O best of all the demigods; svam--in your own; nistham--fixed situation; atmana--of your own self; sthitah--you are situated; yat--as; me--Mine; stri-rupaya--appearance like a woman; svairam--sufficiently; mohitah--enchanted; api--in spite of; anga--O Lord Siva; mayaya--by My potency.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O best of the demigods, although you have been amply harassed because of My potency in assuming the form of a woman, you are established in your position. Therefore, may all good fortune be upon you.
PURPORT
Since Lord Siva is the best of the demigods, he is the best of all devotees (vaisnavanam yatha sambhuh). His exemplary character was therefore praised by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who gave His benediction by saying, "May all good fortune be upon you." When a devotee becomes a little proud, the Supreme Lord sometimes exhibits His supreme power to dissipate the devotee's misunderstanding. After being amply harassed by Lord Visnu's potency, Lord Siva resumed his normal, unagitated condition. This is the position of a devotee. A devotee should not be agitated under any circumstances, even in the worst reverses. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (6.22), yasmin sthito na duhkhena gurunapi vicalyate: because of his full faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, a devotee is never agitated, even in the greatest trials. This pridelessness is possible only for the first-class devotees, of whom Lord Sambhu is one.
TEXT 39
TEXT
ko nu me 'titaren mayam
visaktas tvad-rte puman
tams tan visrjatim bhavan
dustaram akrtatmabhih
SYNONYMS
kah--what; nu--indeed; me--My; atitaret--can surpass; mayam--illusory energy; visaktah--attached to material sense enjoyment; tvat-rte--except for you; puman--person; tan--such conditions; tan--unto the materially attached persons; visrjatim--in surpassing; bhavan--reactions of material activities; dustaram--very difficult to surmount; akrta-atmabhih--by persons unable to control their senses.
TRANSLATION
My dear Lord Sambhu, who within this material world but you can surpass My illusory energy? People are generally attached to sense enjoyment and conquered by its influence. Indeed, the influence of material nature is very difficult for them to surmount.
PURPORT
Of the three chief demigods--Brahma, Visnu and Mahesvara--all but Visnu are under the influence of maya. In Caitanya-caritamrta, they are described as mayi, which means "under maya's influence." But even though Lord Siva associates with maya, he is not influenced. The living entities are affected by maya, but although Lord Siva apparently associates with maya, he is not affected. In other words, all living entities within this material world except for Lord Siva are swayed by maya. Lord Siva is therefore neither visnu-tattva nor jiva-tattva. He is between the two.
TEXT 40
TEXT
seyam guna-mayi maya
na tvam abhibhavisyati
maya sameta kalena
kala-rupena bhagasah
SYNONYMS
sa--that insurmountable; iyam--this; guna-mayi--consisting of the three modes of material nature; maya--illusory energy; na--not; tvam--you; abhibhavisyati--will be able to bewilder in the future; maya--with Me; sameta--joined; kalena--eternal time; kala-rupena--in the form of time; bhagasah--with her different parts.
TRANSLATION
The material, external energy [maya], who cooperates with Me in creation and who is manifested in the three modes of nature, will not be able to bewilder you any longer.
PURPORT
When Lord Siva was present, his wife, Durga, was also there. Durga works in cooperation with the Supreme Personality of Godhead in creating the cosmic manifestation. The Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (9.10), mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sacaracaram: "The material energy [prakrti] works under My direction, O son of Kunti, and is producing all moving and unmoving beings." Prakrti is Durga.
srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana-saktir eka
chayeva yasya bhuvanani bibharti durga
The entire cosmos is created by Durga in cooperation with Lord Visnu in the form of kala, time. Sa iksata lokan nu srja. Sa imal lokan asrjata. This is the version of the Vedas (Aitareya Upanisad 1.1.1-2). Maya happens to be the wife of Lord Siva, and thus Lord Siva is in association with maya, but Lord Visnu here assures Lord Siva that this maya will no longer be able to captivate him.
TEXT 41
TEXT
sri-suka uvaca
evam bhagavata rajan
srivatsankena sat-krtah
amantrya tam parikramya
saganah svalayam yayau
SYNONYMS
sri-sukah uvaca--Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; evam--thus; bhagavata--by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; rajan--O King; srivatsa-ankena--who always carries the mark of Srivatsa on His breast; sat-krtah--being very much applauded; amantrya--taking permission from; tam--Him; parikramya--circumambulating; sa-ganah--with his associates; sva-alayam--to his own abode; yayau--went back.
TRANSLATION
Sukadeva Gosvami said: O King, having thus been praised by the Supreme Personality, who bears the mark of Srivatsa on His chest, Lord Siva circumambulated Him. Then, after taking permission from Him, Lord Siva returned to his abode, Kailasa, along with his associates.
PURPORT
Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura remarks that when Lord Siva was offering obeisances unto Lord Visnu, Lord Visnu arose and embraced him. Therefore the word srivatsankena is used here. The mark of Srivatsa adorns the chest of Lord Visnu, and therefore when Lord Visnu embraced Lord Siva while being circumambulated, the Srivatsa mark touched Lord Siva's bosom.
TEXT 42
TEXT
atmamsa-bhutam tam mayam
bhavanim bhagavan bhavah
sammatam rsi-mukhyanam
prityacastatha bharata
SYNONYMS
atma-amsa-bhutam--a potency of the Supreme Soul; tam--unto her; mayam--the illusory energy; bhavanim--who is the wife of Lord Siva; bhagavan--the powerful; bhavah--Lord Siva; sammatam--accepted; rsi-mukhyanam--by the great sages; pritya--in jubilation; acasta--began to address; atha--then; bharata--O Maharaja Pariksit, descendant of Bharata.
TRANSLATION
O descendant of Bharata Maharaja, Lord Siva, in jubilation, then addressed his wife, Bhavani, who is accepted by all authorities as the potency of Lord Visnu.
TEXT 43
TEXT
ayi vyapasyas tvam ajasya mayam
parasya pumsah para-devatayah
aham kalanam rsabho 'pi muhye
yayavaso 'nye kim utasvatantrah
SYNONYMS
ayi--oh; vyapasyah--have seen; tvam--you; ajasya--of the unborn; mayam--the illusory energy; parasya pumsah--of the Supreme Person; para-devatayah--the Absolute Truth; aham--myself; kalanam--of plenary portions; rsabhah--the chief; api--although; muhye--became bewildered; yaya--by her; avasah--imperceptibly; anye--others; kim uta--what to speak of; asvatantrah--fully dependent on maya.
TRANSLATION
Lord Siva said: O Goddess, you have now seen the illusory energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the unborn master of everyone. Although I am one of the principal expansions of His Lordship, even I was illusioned by His energy. What then is to be said of others, who are fully dependent on maya?
TEXT 44
TEXT
yam mam aprcchas tvam upetya yogat
sama-sahasranta uparatam vai
sa esa saksat purusah purano
na yatra kalo visate na vedah
SYNONYMS
yam--about whom; mam--from me; aprcchah--inquired; tvam--you; upetya--coming near me; yogat--from performing mystic yoga; sama--years; sahasra-ante--at the end of one thousand; uparatam--ceasing; vai--indeed; sah--He; esah--here is; saksat--directly; purusah--the Supreme Person; puranah--the original; na--not; yatra--where; kalah--eternal time; visate--can enter; na--nor; vedah--the Vedas.
TRANSLATION
When I finished performing mystic yoga for one thousand years, you asked me upon whom I was meditating. Now, here is that Supreme Person to whom time has no entrance and who the Vedas cannot understand.
PURPORT
Eternal time enters anywhere and everywhere, but it cannot enter the kingdom of god. Nor can the Vedas understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is an indication of the Lord's being omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient.
TEXT 45
TEXT
sri-suka uvaca
iti te 'bhihitas tata
vikramah sarnga-dhanvanah
sindhor nirmathane yena
dhrtah prsthe mahacalah
SYNONYMS
sri-sukah uvaca--Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; iti--thus; te--unto you; abhihitah--explained; tata--my dear King; vikramah--prowess; sarnga-dhanvanah--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who carries the Sarnga bow; sindhoh--of the ocean of milk; nirmathane--in the churning; yena--by whom; dhrtah--was held; prsthe--on the back; maha-acalah--the great mountain.
TRANSLATION
Sukadeva Gosvami said: My dear King, the person who bore the great mountain on His back for the churning of the ocean of milk is the same Supreme Personality of Godhead, known as Sarnga-dhanva. I have now described to you His prowess.
TEXT 46
TEXT
etan muhuh kirtayato 'nusrnvato
na risyate jatu samudyamah kvacit
yad uttamasloka-gunanuvarnanam
samasta-samsara-parisramapaham
SYNONYMS
etat--this narration; muhuh--constantly; kirtayatah--of one who chants; anusrnvatah--and also hears; na--not; risyate--annihilated; jatu--at any time; samudyamah--the endeavor; kvacit--at any time; yat--because; uttamasloka--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; guna-anuvarnanam--describing the transcendental qualities; samasta--all; samsara--of material existence; parisrama--misery; apaham--finishing.
TRANSLATION
The endeavor of one who constantly hears or describes this narration of the churning of the ocean of milk will never be fruitless. Indeed, chanting the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the only means to annihilate all sufferings in this material world.
TEXT 47
TEXT
asad-avisayam anghrim bhava-gamyam prapannan
amrtam amara-varyan asayat sindhu-mathyam
kapata-yuvati-veso mohayan yah surarims
tam aham upasrtanam kama-puram nato 'smi
SYNONYMS
asat-avisayam--not understood by the atheists; anghrim--unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhava-gamyam--understood by devotees; prapannan--fully surrendered; amrtam--the nectar; amara-varyan--only unto the demigods; asayat--gave to drink; sindhu-mathyam--produced from the ocean of milk; kapata-yuvati-vesah--appearing as a false young girl; mohayan--captivating; yah--He who; sura-arin--the enemies of the demigods; tam--unto Him; aham--I; upasrtanam--of the devotees; kama-puram--who fulfills all desires; natah asmi--I offer my respectful obeisances.
TRANSLATION
Assuming the form of a young woman and thus bewildering the demons, the Supreme Personality of Godhead distributed to His devotees, the demigods, the nectar produced from the churning of the ocean of milk. Unto that Supreme Personality of Godhead, who always fulfills the desires of His devotees, I offer my respectful obeisances.
PURPORT
The instruction of this narration concerning the churning of the milk ocean is clearly manifested by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although He is equal to everyone, because of natural affection He favors His devotees. The Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (9.29):
samo 'ham sarva-bhutesu
na me dvesyo 'sti na priyah
ye bhajanti tu mam bhaktya
mayi te tesu capy aham
"I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all. But whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is a friend, is in Me, and I am also a friend to him." This partiality of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is natural. A person cares for his children not because of partiality but in a reciprocation of love. The children depend on the father's affection, and the father affectionately maintains the children. Similarly, because devotees do not know anything but the lotus feet of the Lord, the Lord is always prepared to give protection to His devotees and fulfill their desires. He therefore says, kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati: "O son of Kunti, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes."
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Eighth Canto, Twelfth Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled "The Mohini-murti Incarnation Bewilders Lord Siva."