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Chapter Twenty-four
Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead
Vidarbha had three sons, named Kusa, Kratha and Romapada. Of these three, Romapada expanded his dynasty by the sons and grandsons named Babhru, Krti, Usika, Cedi and Caidya, all of whom later became kings. From the son of Vidarbha named Kratha came a son named Kunti, from whose dynasty came the descendants named Vrsni, Nirvrti, Dasarha, Vyoma, Jimuta, Vikrti, Bhimaratha, Navaratha, Dasaratha, Sakuni, Karambhi, Devarata, Devaksatra, Madhu, Kuruvasa, Anu, Puruhotra, Ayu and Satvata. Satvata had seven sons. One of them was Devavrdha, whose son was Babhru. Another son of Satvata was Mahabhoja, by whom the Bhoja dynasty was inaugurated. Another was Vrsni, who had a son named Yudhajit. From Yudhajit came Anamitra and Sini, and from Anamitra came Nighna and another Sini. The descendants in succession from Sini were Satyaka, Yuyudhana, Jaya, Kuni and Yugandhara. Another son of Anamitra was Vrsni. From Vrsni came Svaphalka, by whom Akrura and twelve other sons were generated. From Akrura came two sons, named Devavan and Upadeva. The son of Andhaka named Kukura was the origin of the descendants known as Vahni, Viloma, Kapotaroma, Anu, Andhaka, Dundubhi, Avidyota, Punarvasu and Ahuka. Ahuka had two sons, named Devaka and Ugrasena. The four sons of Devaka were known as Devavan, Upadeva, Sudeva and Devavardhana, and his seven daughters were Dhrtadeva, Santideva, Upadeva, Srideva, Devaraksita, Sahadeva and Devaki. Vasudeva married all seven daughters of Devaka. Ugrasena had nine sons named Kamsa, Sunama, Nyagrodha, Kanka, Sanku, Suhu, Rastrapala, Dhrsti and Tustiman, and he had five daughters named Kamsa, Kamsavati, Kanka, Surabhu and Rastrapalika. The younger brothers of Vasudeva married all the daughters of Ugrasena.
Viduratha, the son of Citraratha, had a son named Sura, who had ten other sons, of whom Vasudeva was the chief. Sura gave one of his five daughters, Prtha, to his friend Kunti, and therefore she was also named Kunti. In her maiden state she gave birth to a child named Karna, and later she married Maharaja Pandu.
Vrddhasarma married the daughter of Sura named Srutadeva, from whose womb Dantavakra was born. Dhrstaketu married Sura's daughter named Srutakirti, who had five sons. Jayasena married Sura's daughter named Rajadhidevi. The king of Cedi-desa, Damaghosa, married the daughter of Sura named Srutasrava, from whom Sisupala was born.
Devabhaga, through the womb of Kamsa, begot Citraketu and Brhadbala; and Devasrava, through the womb of Kamsavati, begot Suvira and Isuman. From Kanka, through the womb of Kanka, came Baka, Satyajit and Purujit, and from Srnjaya, through the womb of Rastrapalika, came Vrsa and Durmarsana. Syamaka, through the womb of Surabhumi, begot Harikesa and Hiranyaksa. Vatsaka, through the womb of Misrakesi, begot Vrka, who begot the sons named Taksa, Puskara and Sala. From Samika came Sumitra and Arjunapala, and from Anaka came Rtadhama and Jaya.
Vasudeva had many wives, of whom Devaki and Rohini were the most important. From the womb of Rohini, Baladeva was born, along with Gada, Sarana, Durmada, Vipula, Dhruva, Krta and others. Vasudeva had many other sons by his other wives, and the eighth son to appear from the womb of Devaki was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who delivered the entire world from the burden of demons. This chapter ends by glorifying the Supreme Personality of Godhead Vasudeva.
TEXT 1
TEXT
sri-suka uvaca
tasyam vidarbho 'janayat
putrau namna kusa-krathau
trtiyam romapadam ca
vidarbha-kula-nandanam
SYNONYMS
sri-sukah uvaca--Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; tasyam--in that girl; vidarbhah--the son born of Saibya named Vidarbha; ajanayat--gave birth; putrau--to two sons; namna--by the name; kusa-krathau--Kusa and Kratha; trtiyam--and a third son; romapadam ca--Romapada also; vidarbha-kula-nandanam--the favorite in the dynasty of Vidarbha.
TRANSLATION
Sukadeva Gosvami said: By the womb of the girl brought by his father, Vidarbha begot three sons, named Kusa, Kratha and Romapada. Romapada was the favorite in the dynasty of Vidarbha.
TEXT 2
TEXT
romapada-suto babhrur
babhroh krtir ajayata
usikas tat-sutas tasmac
cedis caidyadayo nrpah
SYNONYMS
romapada-sutah--the son of Romapada; babhruh--Babhru; babhroh--from Babhru; krtih--Krti; ajayata--was born; usikah--Usika; tat-sutah--the son of Krti; tasmat--from him (Usika); cedih--Cedi; caidya--Caidya (Damaghosa); adayah--and others; nrpah--kings.
TRANSLATION
The son of Romapada was Babhru, from whom there came a son named Krti. The son of Krti was Usika, and the son of Usika was Cedi. From Cedi was born the king known as Caidya and others.
TEXTS 3-4
TEXT
krathasya kuntih putro 'bhud
vrsnis tasyatha nirvrtih
tato dasarho namnabhut
tasya vyomah sutas tatah
jimuto vikrtis tasya
yasya bhimarathah sutah
tato navarathah putro
jato dasarathas tatah
SYNONYMS
krathasya--of Kratha; kuntih--Kunti; putrah--a son; abhut--was born; vrsnih--Vrsni; tasya--his; atha--then; nirvrtih--Nirvrti; tatah--from him; dasarhah--Dasarha; namna--by name; abhut--was born; tasya--of him; vyomah--Vyoma; sutah--a son; tatah--from him; jimutah--Jimuta; vikrtih--Vikrti; tasya--his (Jimuta's son); yasya--of whom (Vikrti); bhimarathah--Bhimaratha; sutah--a son; tatah--from him (Bhimaratha); navarathah--Navaratha; putrah--a son; jatah--was born; dasarathah--Dasaratha; tatah--from him.
TRANSLATION
The son of Kratha was Kunti; the son of Kunti, Vrsni; the son of Vrsni, Nirvrti; and the son of Nirvrti, Dasarha. From Dasarha came Vyoma; from Vyoma came Jimuta; from Jimuta, Vikrti; from Vikrti, Bhimaratha; from Bhimaratha, Navaratha; and from Navaratha, Dasaratha.
TEXT 5
TEXT
karambhih sakuneh putro
devaratas tad-atmajah
devaksatras tatas tasya
madhuh kuruvasad anuh
SYNONYMS
karambhih--Karambhi; sakuneh--from Sakuni; putrah--a son; devaratah--Devarata; tat-atmajah--the son of him (Karambhi); devaksatrah--Devaksatra; tatah--thereafter; tasya--from him (Devaksatra); madhuh--Madhu; kuruvasat--from Kuruvasa, the son of Madhu; anuh--Anu.
TRANSLATION
From Dasaratha came a son named Sakuni and from Sakuni a son named Karambhi. The son of Karambhi was Devarata, and his son was Devaksatra. The son of Devaksatra was Madhu, and his son was Kuruvasa, from whom there came a son named Anu.
TEXTS 6-8
TEXT
puruhotras tv anoh putras
tasyayuh satvatas tatah
bhajamano bhajir divyo
vrsnir devavrdho 'ndhakah
satvatasya sutah sapta
mahabhojas ca marisa
bhajamanasya nimlocih
kinkano dhrstir eva ca
ekasyam atmajah patnyam
anyasyam ca trayah sutah
satajic ca sahasrajid
ayutajid iti prabho
SYNONYMS
puruhotrah--Puruhotra; tu--indeed; anoh--of Anu; putrah--the son; tasya--of him (Puruhotra); ayuh--Ayu; satvatah--Satvata; tatah--from him (Ayu); bhajamanah--Bhajamana; bhajih--Bhaji; divyah--Divya; vrsnih--Vrsni; devavrdhah--Devavrdha; andhakah--Andhaka; satvatasya--of Satvata; sutah--son s; sapta--seven; mahabhojah ca--as well as Mahabhoja; marisa--O great King; bhajamanasya--of Bhajamana; nimlocih--Nimloci; kinkanah--Kinkana; dhrstih--Dhrsti; eva--indeed; ca--also; ekasyam--born from one wife; atmajah--sons; patnyam--by a wife; anyasyam--another; ca--also; trayah--three; sutah--sons; satajit--Satajit; ca--also; sahasrajit--Sahasrajit; ayutajit--Ayutajit; iti--thus; prabho--O King.
TRANSLATION
The son of Anu was Puruhotra, the son of Puruhotra was Ayu, and the son of Ayu was Satvata. O great Aryan King, Satvata had seven sons, named Bhajamana, Bhaji, Divya, Vrsni, Devavrdha, Andhaka and Mahabhoja. From Bhajamana by one wife came three sons--Nimloci, Kinkana and Dhrsti. And from his other wife came three other sons--Satajit, Sahasrajit and Ayutajit.
TEXT 9
TEXT
babhrur devavrdha-sutas
tayoh slokau pathanty amu
yathaiva srnumo durat
sampasyamas tathantikat
SYNONYMS
babhruh--Babhru; devavrdha--of Devavrdha; sutah--the son; tayoh--of them; slokau--two verses; pathanti--all the members of the old generation recite; amu--those; yatha--as; eva--indeed; srnumah--we have heard; durat--from a distance; sampasyamah--are actually seeing; tatha--similarly; antikat--presently also.
TRANSLATION
The son of Devavrdha was Babhru. Concerning Devavrdha and Babhru there are two famous songs of prayer, which were sung by our predecessors and which we have heard from a distance. Even now I hear the same prayers about their qualities [because that which was heard before is still sung continuously].
TEXTS 10-11
TEXT
babhruh srestho manusyanam
devair devavrdhah samah
purusah panca-sastis ca
sat-sahasrani casta ca
ye 'mrtatvam anuprapta
babhror devavrdhad api
mahabhojo 'tidharmatma
bhoja asams tad-anvaye
SYNONYMS
babhruh--King Babhru; sresthah--the best of all kings; manusyanam--of all human beings; devaih--with the demigods; devavrdhah--King Devavrdha; samah--equally situated; purusah--persons; panca-sastih--sixty-five; ca--also; sat-sahasrani--six thousand; ca--also; asta--eight thousand; ca--also; ye--all of them who; amrtatvam--liberation from material bondage; anupraptah--achieved; babhroh--because of association with Babhru; devavrdhat--and because of association with Devavrdha; api--indeed; mahabhojah--King Mahabhoja; ati-dharma-atma--exceedingly religious; bhojah--the kings known as Bhoja; asan--existed; tat-anvaye--in the dynasty of him (Mahabhoja).
TRANSLATION
"It has been decided that among human beings Babhru is the best and that Devavrdha is equal to the demigods. Because of the association of Babhru and Devavrdha, all of their descendants, numbering 14,065, achieved liberation." In the dynasty of King Mahabhoja, who was exceedingly religious, there appeared the Bhoja kings.
TEXT 12
TEXT
vrsneh sumitrah putro 'bhud
yudhajic ca parantapa
sinis tasyanamitras ca
nighno 'bhud anamitratah
SYNONYMS
vrsneh--of Vrsni, the son of Satvata; sumitrah--Sumitra; putrah--a son; abhut--appeared; yudhajit--Yudhajit; ca--also; param-tapa--O king who can suppress enemies; sinih--Sini; tasya--his; anamitrah--Anamitra; ca--and; nighnah--Nighna; abhut--appeared; anamitratah--from Anamitra.
TRANSLATION
O King, Maharaja Pariksit, who can suppress your enemies, the sons of Vrsni were Sumitra and Yudhajit. From Yudhajit came Sini and Anamitra, and from Anamitra came a son named Nighna.
TEXT 13
TEXT
satrajitah prasenas ca
nighnasyathasatuh sutau
anamitra-suto yo 'nyah
sinis tasya ca satyakah
SYNONYMS
satrajitah--Satrajita; prasenah ca--Prasena also; nighnasya--the sons of Nighna; atha--thus; asatuh--existed; sutau--two sons; anamitra-sutah--the son of Anamitra; yah--one who; anyah--another; sinih--Sini; tasya--his; ca--also; satyakah--the son named Satyaka.
TRANSLATION
The two sons of Nighna were Satrajita and Prasena. Another son of Anamitra was another Sini, and his son was Satyaka.
TEXT 14
TEXT
yuyudhanah satyakir vai
jayas tasya kunis tatah
yugandharo 'namitrasya
vrsnih putro 'paras tatah
SYNONYMS
yuyudhanah--Yuyudhana; satyakih--the son of Satyaka; vai--indeed; jayah--Jaya; tasya--of him (Yuyudhana); kunih--Kuni; tatah--from him (Jaya); yugandharah--Yugandhara; anamitrasya--a son of Anamitra; vrsnih--Vrsni; putrah--a son; aparah--other; tatah--from him.
TRANSLATION
The son of Satyaka was Yuyudhana, whose son was Jaya. From Jaya came a son named Kuni and from Kuni a son named Yugandhara. Another son of Anamitra was Vrsni.
TEXT 15
TEXT
svaphalkas citrarathas ca
gandinyam ca svaphalkatah
akrura-pramukha asan
putra dvadasa visrutah
SYNONYMS
svaphalkah--Svaphalka; citrarathah ca--and Citraratha; gandinyam--through the wife named Gandini; ca--and; svaphalkatah--from Svaphalka; akrura--Akrura; pramukhah--headed by; asan--there were; putrah--sons; dvadasa--twelve; visrutah--most celebrated.
TRANSLATION
From Vrsni came the sons named Svaphalka and Citraratha. From Svaphalka by his wife Gandini came Akrura. Akrura was the eldest, but there were twelve other sons, all of whom were most celebrated.
TEXTS 16-18
TEXT
asangah sarameyas ca
mrduro mrduvid girih
dharmavrddhah sukarma ca
ksetropekso 'rimardanah
satrughno gandhamadas ca
pratibahus ca dvadasa
tesam svasa sucarakhya
dvav akrura-sutav api
devavan upadevas ca
tatha citrarathatmajah
prthur vidurathadyas ca
bahavo vrsni-nandanah
SYNONYMS
asangah--Asanga; sarameyah--Sarameya; ca--also; mrdurah--Mrdura; mrduvit--Mrduvit; girih--Giri; dharmavrddhah--Dharmavrddha; sukarma--Sukarma; ca--also; ksetropeksah--Ksetropeksa; arimardanah--Arimardana; satrughnah--Satrughna; gandhamadah--Gandhamada; ca--and; pratibahuh--Pratibahu; ca--and; dvadasa--twelve; tesam--of them; svasa--sister; sucara--Sucara; akhya--well known; dvau--two; akrura--of Akrura; sutau--sons; api--also; devavan--Devavan; upadevah ca--and Upadeva; tatha--thereafter; citraratha-atmajah--the sons of Citraratha; prthuh viduratha--Prthu and Viduratha; adyah--beginning with; ca--also; bahavah--many; vrsni-nandanah--the sons of Vrsni.
TRANSLATION
The names of these twelve were Asanga, Sarameya, Mrdura, Mrduvit, Giri, Dharmavrddha, Sukarma, Ksetropeksa, Arimardana, Satrughna, Gandhamada and Pratibahu. These brothers also had a sister named Sucara. From Akrura came two sons, named Devavan and Upadeva. Citraratha had many sons, headed by Prthu and Viduratha, all of whom were known as belonging to the dynasty of Vrsni.
TEXT 19
TEXT
kukuro bhajamanas ca
sucih kambalabarhisah
kukurasya suto vahnir
viloma tanayas tatah
SYNONYMS
kukurah--Kukura; bhajamanah--Bhajamana; ca--also; sucih--Suci; kambalabarhisah--Kambalabarhisa; kukurasya--of Kukura; sutah--a son; vahnih--Vahni; viloma--Viloma; tanayah--son; tatah--from him (Vahni).
TRANSLATION
Kukura, Bhajamana, Suci and Kambalabarhisa were the four sons of Andhaka. The son of Kukura was Vahni, and his son was Viloma.
TEXT 20
TEXT
kapotaroma tasyanuh
sakha yasya ca tumburuh
andhakad dundubhis tasmad
avidyotah punarvasuh
SYNONYMS
kapotaroma--Kapotaroma; tasya--his (son); anuh--Anu; sakha--friend; yasya--whose; ca--also; tumburuh--Tumburu; andhakat--of Andhaka, the son of Anu; dundubhih--a son named Dundubhi; tasmat--from him (Dundubhi); avidyotah--a son named Avidyota; punarvasuh--a son named Punarvasu.
TRANSLATION
The son of Viloma was Kapotaroma, and his son was Anu, whose friend was Tumburu. From Anu came Andhaka; from Andhaka, Dundubhi; and from Dundubhi, Avidyota. From Avidyota came a son named Punarvasu.
TEXTS 21-23
TEXT
tasyahukas cahuki ca
kanya caivahukatmajau
devakas cograsenas ca
catvaro devakatmajah
devavan upadevas ca
sudevo devavardhanah
tesam svasarah saptasan
dhrtadevadayo nrpa
santidevopadeva ca
srideva devaraksita
sahadeva devaki ca
vasudeva uvaha tah
SYNONYMS
tasya--from him (Punarvasu); ahukah--Ahuka; ca--and; ahuki--Ahuki; ca--also; kanya--a daughter; ca--also; eva--indeed; ahuka--of Ahuka; atmajau--two sons; devakah--Devaka; ca--and; ugrasenah--Ugrasena; ca--also; catvarah--four; devaka-atmajah--sons of Devaka; devavan--Devavan; upadevah--Upadeva; ca--and; sudevah--Sudeva; devavardhanah--Devavardhana; tesam--of all of them; svasarah--sisters; sapta--seven; asan--existed; dhrtadeva-adayah--headed by Dhrtadeva; nrpa--O King (Maharaja Pariksit); santideva--Santideva; upadeva--Upadeva; ca--also; srideva--Srideva; devaraksita--Devaraksita; sahadeva--Sahadeva; devaki--Devaki; ca--and; vasudevah--Sri Vasudeva, the father of Krsna; uvaha--married; tah--them.
TRANSLATION
Punarvasu had a son and a daughter, named Ahuka and Ahuki respectively, and Ahuka had two sons, named Devaka and Ugrasena. Devaka had four sons, named Devavan, Upadeva, Sudeva and Devavardhana, and he also had seven daughters, named Santideva, Upadeva, Srideva, Devaraksita, Sahadeva, Devaki and Dhrtadeva. Dhrtadeva was the eldest. Vasudeva, the father of Krsna, married all these sisters.
TEXT 24
TEXT
kamsah sunama nyagrodhah
kankah sankuh suhus tatha
rastrapalo 'tha dhrstis ca
tustiman augrasenayah
SYNONYMS
kamsah--Kamsa; sunama--Sunama; nyagrodhah--Nyagrodha; kankah--Kanka; sankuh--Sanku; suhuh--Suhu; tatha--as well as; rastrapalah--Rastrapala; atha--thereafter; dhrstih--Dhrsti; ca--also; tustiman--Tustiman; augrasenayah--the sons of Ugrasena.
TRANSLATION
Kamsa, Sunama, Nyagrodha, Kanka, Sanku, Suhu, Rastrapala, Dhrsti and Tustiman were the sons of Ugrasena.
TEXT 25
TEXT
kamsa kamsavati kanka
surabhu rastrapalika
ugrasena-duhitaro
vasudevanuja-striyah
SYNONYMS
kamsa--Kamsa; kamsavati--Kamsavati; kanka--Kanka; surabhu--Surabhu; rastrapalika--Rastrapalika; ugrasena-duhitarah--the daughters of Ugrasena; vasudeva-anuja--of the younger brothers of Vasudeva; striyah--the wives.
TRANSLATION
Kamsa, Kamsavati, Kanka, Surabhu and Rastrapalika were the daughters of Ugrasena. They became the wives of Vasudeva's younger brothers.
TEXT 26
TEXT
suro vidurathad asid
bhajamanas tu tat-sutah
sinis tasmat svayam bhojo
hrdikas tat-suto matah
SYNONYMS
surah--Sura; vidurathat--from Viduratha, the son of Citraratha; asit--was born; bhajamanah--Bhajamana; tu--and; tat-sutah--the son of him (Sura); sinih--Sini; tasmat--from him; svayam--personally; bhojah--the famous King Bhoja; hrdikah--Hrdika; tat-sutah--the son of him (Bhoja); matah--is celebrated.
TRANSLATION
The son of Citraratha was Viduratha, the son of Viduratha was Sura, and his son was Bhajamana. The son of Bhajamana was Sini, the son of Sini was Bhoja, and the son of Bhoja was Hrdika.
TEXT 27
TEXT
devamidhah satadhanuh
krtavarmeti tat-sutah
devamidhasya surasya
marisa nama patny abhut
SYNONYMS
devamidhah--Devamidha; satadhanuh--Satadhanu; krtavarma--Krtavarma; iti--thus; tat-sutah--the sons of him (Hrdika); devamidhasya--of Devamidha; surasya--of Sura; marisa--Marisa; nama--named; patni--wife; abhut--there was.
TRANSLATION
The three sons of Hrdika were Devamidha, Satadhanu and Krtavarma. The son of Devamidha was Sura, whose wife was named Marisa.
TEXTS 28-31
TEXT
tasyam sa janayam asa
dasa putran akalmasan
vasudevam devabhagam
devasravasam anakam
srnjayam syamakam kankam
samikam vatsakam vrkam
deva-dundubhayo nedur
anaka yasya janmani
vasudevam hareh sthanam
vadanty anakadundubhim
prtha ca srutadeva ca
srutakirtih srutasravah
rajadhidevi caitesam
bhaginyah panca kanyakah
kunteh sakhyuh pita suro
hy aputrasya prtham adat
SYNONYMS
tasyam--in her (Marisa); sah--he (Sura); janayam asa--begot; dasa--ten; putran--sons; akalmasan--spotless; vasudevam--Vasudeva; devabhagam--Devabhaga; devasravasam--Devasrava; anakam--Anaka; srnjayam--Srnjaya; syamakam--Syamaka; kankam--Kanka; samikam--Samika; vatsakam--Vatsaka; vrkam--Vrka; deva-dundubhayah--kettledrums sounded by the demigods; neduh--were beaten; anakah--a kind of kettledrum; yasya--whose; janmani--at the time of birth; vasudevam--unto Vasudeva; hareh--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sthanam--that place; vadanti--they call; anakadundubhim--Anakadundubhi; prtha--Prtha; ca--and; srutadeva--Srutadeva; ca--also; srutakirtih--Srutakirti; srutasravah--Srutasrava; rajadhidevi--Rajadhidevi; ca--also; etesam--of all these; bhaginyah--sisters; panca--five; kanyakah--daughters (of Sura); kunteh--of Kunti; sakhyuh--a friend; pita--father; surah--Sura; hi--indeed; aputrasya--(of Kunti) who was sonless; prtham--Prtha; adat--delivered.
TRANSLATION
Through Marisa, King Sura begot Vasudeva, Devabhaga, Devasrava, Anaka, Srnjaya, Syamaka, Kanka, Samika, Vatsaka and Vrka. These ten sons were spotlessly pious personalities. When Vasudeva was born, the demigods from the heavenly kingdom sounded kettledrums. Therefore Vasudeva, who provided the proper place for the appearance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, was also known as Anakadundubhi. The five daughters of King Sura, named Prtha, Srutadeva, Srutakirti, Srutasrava and Rajadhidevi, were Vasudeva's sisters. Sura gave Prtha to his friend Kunti, who had no issue, and therefore another name of Prtha was Kunti.
TEXT 32
TEXT
sapa durvasaso vidyam
deva-hutim pratositat
tasya virya-pariksartham
ajuhava ravim sucih
SYNONYMS
sa--she (Kunti, or Prtha); apa--achieved; durvasasah--from the great sage Durvasa; vidyam--mystic power; deva-hutim--calling any demigod; pratositat--who was satisfied; tasyah--with that (particular mystic power); virya--potency; pariksa-artham--just to examine; ajuhava--called for; ravim--the sun-god; sucih--the pious (Prtha).
TRANSLATION
Once when Durvasa was a guest at the house of Prtha's father, Kunti, Prtha satisfied Durvasa by rendering service. Therefore she received a mystic power by which she could call any demigod. To examine the potency of this mystic power, the pious Kunti immediately called for the sun-god.
TEXT 33
TEXT
tadaivopagatam devam
viksya vismita-manasa
pratyayartham prayukta me
yahi deva ksamasva me
SYNONYMS
tada--at that time; eva--indeed; upagatam--appeared (before her); devam--the sun-god; viksya--seeing; vismita-manasa--very much surprised; pratyaya-artham--just to see the potency of the mystic power; prayukta--I have used it; me--me; yahi--please return; deva--O demigod; ksamasva--forgive; me--me.
TRANSLATION
As soon as Kunti called for the demigod of the sun, he immediately appeared before her, and she was very much surprised. She told the sun-god, "I was simply examining the effectiveness of this mystic power. I am sorry I have called you unnecessarily. Please return and excuse me."
TEXT 34
TEXT
amogham deva-sandarsam
adadhe tvayi catmajam
yonir yatha na dusyeta
kartaham te sumadhyame
SYNONYMS
amogham--without failure; deva-sandarsam--meeting with the demigods; adadhe--I shall give (my semen); tvayi--unto you; ca--also; atmajam--a son; yonih--the source of birth; yatha--as; na--not; dusyeta--becomes polluted; karta--shall arrange; aham--I; te--unto you; sumadhyame--O beautiful girl.
TRANSLATION
The sun-god said: O beautiful Prtha, your meeting with the demigods cannot be fruitless. Therefore, let me place my seed in your womb so that you may bear a son. I shall arrange to keep your virginity intact, since you are still an unmarried girl.
PURPORT
According to Vedic civilization, if a girl gives birth to a child before she is married, no one will marry her. Therefore although the sun-god, after appearing before Prtha, wanted to give her a child, Prtha hesitated because she was still unmarried. To keep her virginity undisturbed, the sun-god arranged to give her a child that came from her ear, and therefore the child was known as Karna. The custom is that a girl should be married aksata-yoni, that is, with her virginity undisturbed. A girl should never bear a child before her marriage.
TEXT 35
TEXT
iti tasyam sa adhaya
garbham suryo divam gatah
sadyah kumarah sanjajne
dvitiya iva bhaskarah
SYNONYMS
iti--in this way; tasyam--unto her (Prtha); sah--he (the sun-god); adhaya--discharging semen; garbham--pregnancy; suryah--the sun-god; divam--in the celestial planets; gatah--returned; sadyah--immediately; kumarah--a child; sanjajne--was born; dvitiyah--second; iva--like; bhaskarah--the sun-god.
TRANSLATION
After saying this, the sun-god discharged his semen into the womb of Prtha and then returned to the celestial kingdom. Immediately thereafter, from Kunti a child was born, who was like a second sun-god.
TEXT 36
TEXT
tam satyajan nadi-toye
krcchral lokasya bibhyati
prapitamahas tam uvaha
pandur vai satya-vikramah
SYNONYMS
tam--that child; sa--she (Kunti); atyajat--gave up; nadi-toye--in the water of the river; krcchrat--with great repentance; lokasya--of the people in general; bibhyati--fearing; prapitamahah--(your) great-grandfather; tam--her (Kunti); uvaha--married; panduh--the king known as Pandu; vai--indeed; satya-vikramah--very pious and chivalrous.
TRANSLATION
Because Kunti feared people's criticisms, with great difficulty she had to give up her affection for her child. Unwillingly, she packed the child in a basket and let it float down the waters of the river. O Maharaja Pariksit, your great-grandfather the pious and chivalrous King Pandu later married Kunti.
TEXT 37
TEXT
srutadevam tu karuso
vrddhasarma samagrahit
yasyam abhud dantavakra
rsi-sapto diteh sutah
SYNONYMS
srutadevam--unto Srutadeva, a sister of Kunti's; tu--but; karusah--the King of Karusa; vrddhasarma--Vrddhasarma; samagrahit--married; yasyam--through whom; abhut--was born; dantavakrah--Dantavakra; rsi-saptah--was formerly cursed by the sages Sanaka and Sanatana; diteh--of Diti; sutah--son.
TRANSLATION
Vrddhasarma, the King of Karusa, married Kunti's sister Srutadeva, and from her womb Dantavakra was born. Having been cursed by the sages headed by Sanaka, Dantavakra had formerly been born as the son of Diti named Hiranyaksa.
TEXT 38
TEXT
kaikeyo dhrstaketus ca
srutakirtim avindata
santardanadayas tasyam
pancasan kaikayah sutah
SYNONYMS
kaikeyah--the King of Kekaya; dhrstaketuh--Dhrstaketu; ca--also; srutakirtim--a sister of Kunti's named Srutakirti; avindata--married; santardana-adayah--headed by Santardana; tasyam--through her (Srutakirti); panca--five; asan--there were; kaikayah--the sons of the King of Kekaya; sutah--sons.
TRANSLATION
King Dhrstaketu, the King of Kekaya, married Srutakirti, another sister of Kunti's. Srutakirti had five sons, headed by Santardana.
TEXT 39
TEXT
rajadhidevyam avantyau
jayaseno 'janista ha
damaghosas cedi-rajah
srutasravasam agrahit
SYNONYMS
rajadhidevyam--through Rajadhidevi, another sister of Kunti's; avantyau--the sons (named Vinda and Anuvinda); jayasenah--King Jayasena; ajanista--gave birth to; ha--in the past; damaghosah--Damaghosa; cedi-rajah--the king of the state of Cedi; srutasravasam--Srutasrava, another sister; agrahit--married.
TRANSLATION
Through the womb of Rajadhidevi, another sister of Kunti's, Jayasena begot two sons, named Vinda and Anuvinda. Similarly, the king of the Cedi state married Srutasrava. This king's name was Damaghosa.
TEXT 40
TEXT
sisupalah sutas tasyah
kathitas tasya sambhavah
devabhagasya kamsayam
citraketu-brhadbalau
SYNONYMS
sisupalah--Sisupala; sutah--the son; tasyah--of her (Srutasrava); kathitah--already described (in the Seventh Canto); tasya--his; sambhavah--birth; devabhagasya--from Devabhaga, a brother of Vasudeva's; kamsayam--in the womb of Kamsa, his wife; citraketu--Citraketu; brhadbalau--and Brhadbala.
TRANSLATION
The son of Srutasrava was Sisupala, whose birth has already been described [in the Seventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam]. Vasudeva's brother named Devabhaga had two sons born of his wife, Kamsa. These two sons were Citraketu and Brhadbala.
TEXT 41
TEXT
kamsavatyam devasravasah
suvira isumams tatha
bakah kankat tu kankayam
satyajit purujit tatha
SYNONYMS
kamsavatyam--in the womb of Kamsavati; devasravasah--from Devasrava, a brother of Vasudeva's; suvirah--Suvira; isuman--Isuman; tatha--as well as; bakah--Baka; kankat--from Kanka; tu--indeed; kankayam--in his wife, named Kanka; satyajit--Satyajit; purujit--Purujit; tatha--as well as.
TRANSLATION
Vasudeva's brother named Devasrava married Kamsavati, by whom he begot two sons, named Suvira and Isuman. Kanka, by his wife Kanka, begot three sons, named Baka, Satyajit and Purujit.
TEXT 42
TEXT
srnjayo rastrapalyam ca
vrsa-durmarsanadikan
harikesa-hiranyaksau
surabhumyam ca syamakah
SYNONYMS
srnjayah--Srnjaya; rastrapalyam--through his wife, Rastrapalika; ca--and; vrsa-durmarsana-adikan--begot sons headed by Vrsa and Durmarsana; harikesa--Harikesa; hiranyaksau--and Hiranyaksa; surabhumyam--in the womb of Surabhumi; ca--and; syamakah--King Syamaka.
TRANSLATION
King Srnjaya, by his wife, Rastrapalika, begot sons headed by Vrsa and Durmarsana. King Syamaka, by his wife, Surabhumi, begot two sons, named Harikesa and Hiranyaksa.
TEXT 43
TEXT
misrakesyam apsarasi
vrkadin vatsakas tatha
taksa-puskara-saladin
durvaksyam vrka adadhe
SYNONYMS
misrakesyam--in the womb of Misrakesi; apsarasi--who belonged to the Apsara group; vrka-adin--Vrka and other sons; vatsakah--Vatsaka; tatha--as well; taksa-puskara-sala-adin--sons headed by Taksa, Puskara and Sala; durvaksyam--in the womb of his wife, Durvaksi; vrkah--Vrka; adadhe--begot.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter, King Vatsaka, by the womb of his wife, Misrakesi, who was an Apsara, begot sons headed by Vrka. Vrka, by his wife, Durvaksi, begot Taksa, Puskara, Sala and so on.
TEXT 44
TEXT
sumitrarjunapaladin
samikat tu sudamani
anakah karnikayam vai
rtadhama-jayav api
SYNONYMS
sumitra--Sumitra; arjunapala--Arjunapala; adin--headed by; samikat--from King Samika; tu--indeed; sudamani--in the womb of Sudamani, his wife; anakah--King Anaka; karnikayam--in the womb of his wife Karnika; vai--indeed; rtadhama--Rtadhama; jayau--and Jaya; api--indeed.
TRANSLATION
From Samika, by the womb of his wife, Sudamani, came Sumitra, Arjunapala and other sons. King Anaka, by his wife, Karnika, begot two sons, namely Rtadhama and Jaya.
TEXT 45
TEXT
pauravi rohini bhadra
madira rocana ila
devaki-pramukhas casan
patnya anakadundubheh
SYNONYMS
pauravi--Pauravi; rohini--Rohini; bhadra--Bhadra; madira--Madira; rocana--Rocana; ila--Ila; devaki--Devaki; pramukhah--headed by; ca--and; asan--existed; patnyah--wives; anakadundubheh--of Vasudeva, who was known as Anakadundubhi.
TRANSLATION
Devaki, Pauravi, Rohini, Bhadra, Madira, Rocana, Ila and others were all wives of Anakadundubhi [Vasudeva]. Among them all, Devaki was the chief.
TEXT 46
TEXT
balam gadam saranam ca
durmadam vipulam dhruvam
vasudevas tu rohinyam
krtadin udapadayat
SYNONYMS
balam--Bala; gadam--Gada; saranam--Sarana; ca--also; durmadam--Durmada; vipulam--Vipula; dhruvam--Dhruva; vasudevah--Vasudeva (the father of Krsna); tu--indeed; rohinyam--in the wife named Rohini; krta-adin--the sons headed by Krta; udapadayat--begot.
TRANSLATION
Vasudeva, by the womb of his wife Rohini, begot sons such as Bala, Gada, Sarana, Durmada, Vipula, Dhruva, Krta and others.
TEXTS 47-48
TEXT
subhadro bhadrabahus ca
durmado bhadra eva ca
pauravyas tanaya hy ete
bhutadya dvadasabhavan
nandopananda-krtaka-
suradya madiratmajah
kausalya kesinam tv ekam
asuta kula-nandanam
SYNONYMS
subhadrah--Subhadra; bhadrabahuh--Bhadrabahu; ca--and; durmadah--Durmada; bhadrah--Bhadra; eva--indeed; ca--also; pauravyah--of the wife named Pauravi; tanayah--sons; hi--indeed; ete--all of them; bhuta-adyah--headed by Bhuta; dvadasa--twelve; abhavan--were born; nanda-upananda-krtaka-sura-adyah--Nanda, Upananda, Krtaka, Sura and others; madira-atmajah--the sons of Madira; kausalya--Kausalya; kesinam--a son named Kesi; tu ekam--only one; asuta--gave birth to; kula-nandanam--a son.
TRANSLATION
From the womb of Pauravi came twelve sons, including Bhuta, Subhadra, Bhadrabahu, Durmada and Bhadra. Nanda, Upananda, Krtaka, Sura and others were born from the womb of Madira. Bhadra [Kausalya] gave birth to only one son, named Kesi.
TEXT 49
TEXT
rocanayam ato jata
hasta-hemangadadayah
ilayam uruvalkadin
yadu-mukhyan ajijanat
SYNONYMS
rocanayam--in another wife, whose name was Rocana; atah--thereafter; jatah--were born; hasta--Hasta; hemangada--Hemangada; adayah--and others; ilayam--in another wife, named Ila; uruvalka-adin--sons headed by Uruvalka; yadu-mukhyan--principal personalities in the Yadu dynasty; ajijanat--he begot.
TRANSLATION
Vasudeva, by another of his wives, whose name was Rocana, begot Hasta, Hemangada and other sons. And by his wife named Ila he begot sons headed by Uruvalka, all of whom were chief personalities in the dynasty of Yadu.
TEXT 50
TEXT
viprstho dhrtadevayam
eka anakadundubheh
santidevatmaja rajan
prasama-prasitadayah
SYNONYMS
viprsthah--Viprstha; dhrtadevayam--in the womb of the wife named Dhrtadeva; ekah--one son; anakadundubheh--of Anakadundubhi, Vasudeva; santideva-atmajah--the sons of another wife, named Santideva; rajan--O Maharaja Pariksit; prasama-prasita-adayah--Prasama, Prasita and other sons.
TRANSLATION
From the womb of Dhrtadeva, one of the wives of Anakadundubhi [Vasudeva], came a son named Viprstha. The sons of Santideva, another wife of Vasudeva, were Prasama, Prasita and others.
TEXT 51
TEXT
rajanya-kalpa-varsadya
upadeva-suta dasa
vasu-hamsa-suvamsadyah
sridevayas tu sat sutah
SYNONYMS
rajanya--Rajanya; kalpa--Kalpa; varsa-adyah--Varsa and others; upadeva-sutah--sons of Upadeva, another wife of Vasudeva's; dasa--ten; vasu--Vasu; hamsa--Hamsa; suvamsa--Suvamsa; adyah--and others; sridevayah--born of another wife, named Srideva; tu--but; sat--six; sutah--sons.
TRANSLATION
Vasudeva also had a wife named Upadeva, from whom came ten sons, headed by Rajanya, Kalpa and Varsa. From Srideva, another wife, came six sons, such as Vasu, Hamsa and Suvamsa.
TEXT 52
TEXT
devaraksitaya labdha
nava catra gadadayah
vasudevah sutan astav
adadhe sahadevaya
SYNONYMS
devaraksitaya--by the wife named Devaraksita; labdhah--achieved; nava--nine; ca--also; atra--here; gada-adayah--sons headed by Gada; vasudevah--Srila Vasudeva; sutan--sons; astau--eight; adadhe--begot; sahadevaya--in the wife named Sahadeva.
TRANSLATION
By the semen of Vasudeva in the womb of Devaraksita, nine sons were born, headed by Gada. Vasudeva, who was religion personified, also had a wife named Sahadeva, by whose womb he begot eight sons, headed by Sruta and Pravara.
TEXTS 53-55
TEXT
pravara-sruta-mukhyams ca
saksad dharmo vasun iva
vasudevas tu devakyam
asta putran ajijanat
kirtimantam susenam ca
bhadrasenam udara-dhih
rjum sammardanam bhadram
sankarsanam ahisvaram
astamas tu tayor asit
svayam eva harih kila
subhadra ca mahabhaga
tava rajan pitamahi
SYNONYMS
pravara--Pravara (in some readings, Pauvara); sruta--Sruta; mukhyan--headed by; ca--and; saksat--directly; dharmah--religion personified; vasun iva--exactly like the chief Vasus in the heavenly planets; vasudevah--Srila Vasudeva, the father of Krsna; tu--indeed; devakyam--in the womb of Devaki; asta--eight; putran--sons; ajijanat--begot; kirtimantam--Kirtiman; susenam ca--and Susena; bhadrasenam--Bhadrasena; udara-dhih--all fully qualified; rjum--Rju; sammardanam--Sammardana; bhadram--Bhadra; sankarsanam--Sankarsana; ahi-isvaram--the supreme controller and serpent incarnation; astamah--the eighth one; tu--but; tayoh--of both (Devaki and Vasudeva); asit--appeared; svayam eva--directly, personally; harih--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kila--what to speak of; subhadra--a sister, Subhadra; ca--and; mahabhaga--highly fortunate; tava--your; rajan--O Maharaja Pariksit; pitamahi--grandmother.
TRANSLATION
The eight sons born of Sahadeva such as Pravara and Sruta, were exact incarnations of the eight Vasus in the heavenly planets. Vasudeva also begot eight highly qualified sons through the womb of Devaki. These included Kirtiman, Susena, Bhadrasena, Rju, Sammardana, Bhadra and Sankarsana, the controller and serpent incarnation. The eighth son was the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself--Krsna. The highly fortunate Subhadra, the one daughter, was your grandmother.
PURPORT
The fifty-fifth verse says, svayam eva harih kila, indicating that Krsna, the eighth son of Devaki, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krsna is not an incarnation. Although there is no difference between the Supreme Personality of Godhead Hari and His incarnation, Krsna is the original Supreme Person, the complete Godhead. Incarnations exhibit only a certain percentage of the potencies of Godhead; the complete Godhead is Krsna Himself, who appeared as the eighth son of Devaki.
TEXT 56
TEXT
yada yada hi dharmasya
ksayo vrddhis ca papmanah
tada tu bhagavan isa
atmanam srjate harih
SYNONYMS
yada--whenever; yada--when ever; hi--indeed; dharmasya--of the principles of religion; ksayah--deterioration; vrddhih--increasing; ca--and; papmanah--of sinful activities; tada--at that time; tu--indeed; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; isah--the supreme controller; atmanam--personally; srjate--descends; harih--the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TRANSLATION
Whenever the principles of religion deteriorate and the principles of irreligion increase, the supreme controller, the Personality of Godhead Sri Hari, appears by His own will.
PURPORT
The principles by which an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead descends upon earth are explained in this verse. The same principles are also explained in Bhagavad-gita (4.7) by the Lord Himself:
yada yada hi dharmasya
glanir bhavati bharata
abhyutthanam adharmasya
tadatmanam srjamy aham
"Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion--at that time I descend Myself."
In the present age, the Supreme Personality of Godhead has appeared as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to inaugurate the Hare Krsna movement. At the present time, in Kali-yuga, people are extremely sinful and bad (manda). They have no idea of spiritual life and are misusing the benefits of the human form to live like cats and dogs. Under these circumstances Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has inaugurated the Hare Krsna movement, which is not different from Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If one associates with this movement, he directly associates with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. People should take advantage of the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra and thus gain relief from all the problems created in this age of Kali.
TEXT 57
TEXT
na hy asya janmano hetuh
karmano va mahipate
atma-mayam vinesasya
parasya drastur atmanah
SYNONYMS
na--not; hi--indeed; asya--of Him (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); janmanah--of the appearance, or taking birth; hetuh--there is any cause; karmanah--or for acting; va--either; mahipate--O King (Maharaja Pariksit); atma-mayam--His supreme compassion for the fallen souls; vina--without; isasya--of the supreme controller; parasya--of the Personality of Godhead, who is beyond the material world; drastuh--of the Supersoul, who witnesses everyone's activities; atmanah--of the Supersoul of everyone.
TRANSLATION
O King, Maharaja Pariksit, but for the Lord's personal desire, there is no cause for His appearance, disappearance or activities. As the Supersoul, He knows everything. Consequently there is no cause that affects Him, not even the results of fruitive activities.
PURPORT
This verse points out the difference between the Supreme Personality of Godhead and an ordinary living being. An ordinary living being receives a particular type of body according to his past activities (karmana daiva-netrena jantur dehopapattaye). A living being is never independent and can never appear independently. Rather, one is forced to accept a body imposed upon him by maya according to his past karma. As explained in Bhagavad-gita (18.61), yantrarudhani mayaya. The body is a kind of machine created and offered to the living entity by the material energy under the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore the living entity must accept a particular type of body awarded to him by maya, the material energy, according to his karma. One cannot independently say, "Give me a body like this" or "Give me a body like that." One must accept whatever body is offered by the material energy. This is the position of the ordinary living being.
When Krsna descends, however, He does so out of His merciful compassion for the fallen souls. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (4.8):
paritranaya sadhunam
vinasaya ca duskrtam
dharma-samsthapanarthaya
sambhavami yuge yuge
"To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium." The Supreme Lord is not forced to appear. Indeed, no one can subject Him to force, for He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Everyone is under His control, and He is not under the control of anyone else. Foolish people who because of a poor fund of knowledge think that one can equal Krsna or become Krsna are condemned in every way. No one can equal or surpass Krsna, who is therefore described as asamaurdhva. According to the Visva-kosa dictionary, the word maya is used in the sense of "false pride" and also in the sense of "compassion." For an ordinary living being, the body in which he appears is his punishment. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (7.14), daivi hy esa guna-mayi mama maya duratyaya: "This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome." But when Krsna comes the word maya refers to His compassion or mercy upon the devotees and fallen souls. By His potency, the Lord can deliver everyone, whether sinful or pious.
TEXT 58
TEXT
yan maya-cestitam pumsah
sthity-utpatty-apyayaya hi
anugrahas tan-nivrtter
atma-labhaya cesyate
SYNONYMS
yat--whatever; maya-cestitam--the laws of material nature enacted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pumsah--of the living entities; sthiti--duration of life; utpatti--birth; apyayaya--annihilation; hi--indeed; anugrahah--compassion; tat-nivrtteh--the creation and manifestation of cosmic energy to stop the repetition of birth and death; atma-labhaya--thus going home, back to Godhead; ca--indeed; isyate--for this purpose the creation is there.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead acts through His material energy in the creation, maintenance and annihilation of this cosmic manifestation just to deliver the living entity by His compassion and stop the living entity's birth, death and duration of materialistic life. Thus He enables the living being to return home, back to Godhead.
PURPORT
Materialistic men sometimes ask why God has created the material world for the suffering of the living entities. The material creation is certainly meant for the suffering of the conditioned souls, who are part of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as confirmed by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gita (15.7):
mamaivamso jiva-loke
jiva-bhutah sanatanah
manah sasthanindriyani
prakrti-sthani karsati
"The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal, fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind." All the living entities are part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and are as good as the Lord qualitatively, but quantitatively there is a great difference between them, for the Lord is unlimited whereas the living entities are limited. Thus the Lord possesses unlimited potency for pleasure, and the living entities have a limited pleasure potency. Anandamayo 'bhyasat (Vedanta-sutra 1.1.12). Both the Lord and the living entity, being qualitatively spirit soul, have the tendency for peaceful enjoyment, but when the part of the Supreme Personality of Godhead unfortunately wants to enjoy independently, without Krsna, he is put into the material world, where he begins his life as Brahma and is gradually degraded to the status of an ant or a worm in stool. This is called manah sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati. There is a great struggle for existence because the living entity conditioned by material nature is under nature's full control (prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah). Because of his limited knowledge, however, the living entity thinks he is enjoying in this material world. Manah sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati. He is actually under the full control of material nature, but still he thinks himself independent (ahankara-vimudhatma kartaham iti manyate). Even when he is elevated by speculative knowledge and tries to merge into the existence of Brahman, the same disease continues.
Aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah patanty adhah (Bhag. 10.2.32). Even having attained that param padam, having merged into the impersonal Brahman, he falls again to the material world.
In this way, the conditioned soul undergoes a great struggle for existence in this material world, and therefore the Lord, out of compassion for him, appears in this world and instructs him. Thus the Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (4.7):
yada yada hi dharmasya
glanir bhavati bharata
abhyutthanam adharmasya
tadatmanam srjamy aham
"Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion--at that time I descend Myself." The real dharma is to surrender unto Krsna, but the rebellious living entity, instead of surrendering to Krsna, engages in adharma, in a struggle for existence to become like Krsna. Therefore out of compassion Krsna creates this material world to give the living entity a chance to understand his real position. Bhagavad-gita and similar Vedic literatures are presented so that the living being may understand his relationship with Krsna. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah (Bg. 15.15). All these Vedic literatures are meant to enable the human being to understand what he is, what his actual position is, and what his relationship is with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is called brahma-jijnasa. Every conditioned soul is struggling, but human life provides the best chance for him to understand his position. Therefore this verse says, anugrahas tan-nivrtteh, indicating that the false life of repeated birth and death must be stopped and the conditioned soul should be educated. This is the purpose of the creation.
The creation does not arise whimsically, as atheistic men think.
asatyam apratistham te
jagad ahur anisvaram
aparaspara-sambhutam
kim anyat kama-haitukam
"They say that this world is unreal, that there is no foundation and that there is no God in control. It is produced of sex desire and has no cause other than lust." (Bg. 16.8) Atheistic rascals think that there is no God and that the creation has taken place by chance, just as a man and woman meet by chance and the woman becomes pregnant and gives birth to a child. Actually, however, this is not the fact. The fact is that there is a purpose for this creation: to give the conditioned soul a chance to return to his original consciousness, Krsna consciousness, and then return home, back to Godhead, and be completely happy in the spiritual world. In the material world the conditioned soul is given a chance to satisfy his senses, but at the same time he is informed by Vedic knowledge that this material world is not his actual place for happiness. Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-duhkha-dosanudarsanam (Bg. 13.9). One must stop the repetition of birth and death. Every human being, therefore, should take advantage of this creation by understanding Krsna and his relationship with Krsna and in this way return home, back to Godhead.
TEXT 59
TEXT
aksauhininam patibhir
asurair nrpa-lanchanaih
bhuva akramyamanaya
abharaya krtodyamah
SYNONYMS
aksauhininam--of kings possessing great military power; patibhih--by such kings or government; asuraih--actually demons (because they do not need such military power but create it unnecessarily); nrpa-lanchanaih--who are actually unfit to be kings (although they have somehow taken possession of the government); bhuvah--on the surface of the earth; akramyamanayah--aiming at attacking one another; abharaya--paving the way for diminishing the number of demons on the surface of the earth; krta-udyamah--enthusiastic (they spend all the revenue of the state to increase military power).
TRANSLATION
Although the demons who take possession of the government are dressed like men of government, they do not know the duty of the government. Consequently, by the arrangement of God, such demons, who possess great military strength, fight with one another, and thus the great burden of demons on the surface of the earth is reduced. The demons increase their military power by the will of the Supreme, so that their numbers will be diminished and the devotees will have a chance to advance in Krsna consciousness.
PURPORT
As stated in Bhagavad-gita (4.8), paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam. The sadhus, the devotees of the Lord, are always eager to advance the cause of Krsna consciousness so that the conditioned souls may be released from the bondage of birth and death. But the asuras, the demons, impede the advancement of the Krsna consciousness movement, and therefore Krsna arranges occasional fights between different asuras who are very much interested in increasing their military power. The duty of the government or king is not to increase military power unnecessarily; the real duty of the government is to see that the people of the state advance in Krsna consciousness. For this purpose, Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (4.13), catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah: "According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me." There should be an ideal class of men who are bona fide brahmanas, and they should be given all protection. Namo brahmanya-devaya go-brahmana-hitaya ca. Krsna is very fond of brahmanas and cows, The brahmanas promulgate the cause of advancement in Krsna consciousness, and the cows give enough milk to maintain the body in the mode of goodness. The ksatriyas and the government should be advised by the brahmanas. Next, the vaisyas should produce enough foodstuffs, and the sudras, who cannot do anything beneficial on their own, should serve the three higher classes (the brahmanas, ksatriyas and vaisyas). This is the arrangement of the Supreme Personality of Godhead so that the conditioned souls will be released from the material condition and return home, back to Godhead. This is the purpose of Krsna's descent on the surface of the earth (paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam).
Everyone must understand Krsna's activities (janma karma ca me divyam). If one understands the purpose of Krsna's coming to this earth and performing His activities, one is immediately liberated. This liberation is the purpose of the creation and Krsna's descent upon the surface of the earth. Demons are very much interested in advancing a plan by which people will labor hard like cats, dogs and hogs, but Krsna's devotees want to teach Krsna consciousness so that people will be satisfied with plain living and Krsna conscious advancement. Although demons have created many plans for industry and hard labor so that people will work day and night like animals, this is not the purpose of civilization. Such endeavors are jagato'hitah; that is, they are meant for the misfortune of the people in general. Ksayaya: such activities lead to annihilation. One who understands the purpose of Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, should seriously understand the importance of the Krsna consciousness movement and seriously take part in it. One should not endeavor for ugra-karma, or unnecessary work for sense gratification. Nunam pramattah kurute vikarma yad indriya-pritaya aprnoti (Bhag. 5.5.4). Simply for sense gratification, people make plans for material happiness. Maya-sukhaya bharam udvahato vimudhan (Bhag. 7.9.43). They do this because they are all vimudhas, rascals. For flickering happiness, people waste their human energy, not understanding the importance of the Krsna consciousness movement but instead accusing the simple devotees of brainwashing. Demons may falsely accuse the preachers of the Krsna consciousness movement, but Krsna will arrange a fight between the demons in which all their military power will be engaged and both parties of demons will be annihilated.
TEXT 60
TEXT
karmany aparimeyani
manasapi suresvaraih
saha-sankarsanas cakre
bhagavan madhusudanah
SYNONYMS
karmani--activities; aparimeyani--immeasurable, unlimited; manasa api--even by such plans perceived within the mind; sura-isvaraih--by the controllers of the universe like Brahma and Siva; saha-sankarsanah--along with Sankarsana (Baladeva); cakre--performed; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; madhu-sudanah--the killer of the Madhu demon.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, with the cooperation of Sankarsana, Balarama, performed activities beyond the mental comprehension of even such personalities as Lord Brahma and Lord Siva. [For instance, Krsna arranged the Battle of Kuruksetra to kill many demons for the relief of the entire world.]
TEXT 61
TEXT
kalau janisyamananam
duhkha-soka-tamo-nudam
anugrahaya bhaktanam
supunyam vyatanod yasah
SYNONYMS
kalau--in this age of Kali; janisyamananam--of the conditioned souls who will take birth in the future; duhkha-soka-tamah-nudam--to minimize their unlimited unhappiness and lamentation, which are caused by ignorance; anugrahaya--just to show mercy; bhaktanam--to the devotees; su-punyam--very pious, transcendental activities; vyatanot--expanded; yasah--His glories or reputation.
TRANSLATION
To show causeless mercy to the devotees who would take birth in the future in this age of Kali, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, acted in such a way that simply by remembering Him one will be freed from all the lamentation and unhappiness of material existence. [In other words, He acted so that all future devotees, by accepting the instructions of Krsna consciousness stated in Bhagavad-gita, could be relieved from the pangs of material existence.]
PURPORT
The Lord's activities of saving the devotees and killing the demons (paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam) take place side by side. Krsna actually appears for the deliverance of the sadhus, or bhaktas, but by killing the demons He shows them mercy also, for anyone killed by Krsna is liberated. Whether the Lord kills or gives protection, He is kind to both the demons and the devotees.
TEXT 62
TEXT
yasmin sat-karna-piyuse
yasas-tirtha-vare sakrt
srotranjalir upasprsya
dhunute karma-vasanam
SYNONYMS
yasmin--in the history of the transcendental activities of Krsna upon the surface of the earth; sat-karna-piyuse--who pleases the demands of the transcendental, purified ears; yasah-tirtha-vare--keeping oneself in the best of holy places by hearing the transcendental activities of the Lord; sakrt--once only, immediately; srotra-anjalih--in the form of hearing the transcendental message; upasprsya--touching (exactly like the water of the Ganges); dhunute--destroys; karma-vasanam--the strong desire for fruitive activities.
TRANSLATION
Simply by receiving the glories of the Lord through purified transcendental ears, the devotees of the Lord are immediately freed from strong material desires and engagement in fruitive activities.
PURPORT
When the devotees aurally receive the activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead as enacted in Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, they immediately achieve a transcendental vision in which they are no longer interested in materialistic activities. Thus they achieve freedom from the material world. For sense gratification practically everyone is engaged in materialistic activities, which prolong the process of janma-mrtyu jara-vyadhi--birth, death, old age and disease--but the devotee, simply by hearing the message of Bhagavad-gita and further relishing the narrations of Srimad-Bhagavatam, becomes so pure that he no longer takes interest in materialistic activities. At the moment, devotees in the Western countries are being attracted by Krsna consciousness and becoming uninterested in materialistic activities, and therefore people are trying to oppose this movement. But they cannot possibly check this movement or stop the activities of the devotees in Europe and America by their artificial impositions. Here the words srotranjalir upasprsya indicate that simply by hearing the transcendental activities of the Lord the devotees become so pure that they are immediately immune to the contamination of materialistic fruitive activities. Anyabhilasita-sunyam Materialistic activities are unnecessary for the soul, and therefore the devotees are freed from such activities. The devotees are situated in liberation (brahma-bhuyaya kalpate), and therefore they cannot be called back to their material homes and materialistic activities.
TEXTS 63-64
TEXT
bhoja-vrsny-andhaka-madhu-
surasena-dasarhakaih
slaghaniyehitah sasvat
kuru-srnjaya-pandubhih
snigdha-smiteksitodarair
vakyair vikrama-lilaya
nrlokam ramayam asa
murtya sarvanga-ramyaya
SYNONYMS
bhoja--assisted by the Bhoja dynasty; vrsni--and by the Vrsnis; andhaka--and by the Andhakas; madhu--and by the Madhus; surasena--and by the Surasenas; dasarhakaih--and by the Dasarhakas; slaghaniya--by the praiseworthy; ihitah--endeavoring; sasvat--always; kuru-srnjaya-pandubhih--assisted by the Pandavas, Kurus and Srnjayas; snigdha--affectionate; smita--smiling; iksita--being regarded as; udaraih--magnanimous; vakyaih--the instructions; vikrama-lilaya--the pastimes of heroism; nr-lokam--human society; ramayam asa--pleased; murtya--by His personal form; sarva-anga-ramyaya--the form that pleases everyone by all parts of the body.
TRANSLATION
Assisted by the descendants of Bhoja, Vrsni, Andhaka, Madhu, Surasena, Dasarha, Kuru, Srnjaya and Pandu, Lord Krsna performed various activities. By His pleasing smiles, His affectionate behavior, His instructions and His uncommon pastimes like raising Govardhana Hill, the Lord, appearing in His transcendental body, pleased all of human society.
PURPORT
The words nrlokam ramayam asa murtya sarvanga-ramyaya are significant. Krsna is the original form. Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is therefore described here by the word murtya. The word murti means "form." Krsna, or God, is never impersonal; the impersonal feature is but a manifestation of His transcendental body (yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-anda-koti). The Lord is narakrti, exactly resembling the form of a human being, but His form is different from ours. Therefore the word sarvanga-ramyaya informs us that every part of His body is pleasing for everyone to see. Apart from His smiling face, every part of His body--His hands, His legs, His chest--is pleasing to the devotees, who cannot at any time stop seeing the beautiful form of the Lord.
TEXT 65
TEXT
yasyananam makara-kundala-caru-karna-
bhrajat-kapola-subhagam savilasa-hasam
nityotsavam na tatrpur drsibhih pibantyo
naryo naras ca muditah kupita nimes ca
SYNONYMS
yasya--whose; ananam--face; makara-kundala-caru-karna--decorated by earrings resembling sharks and by beautiful ears; bhrajat--brilliantly decorated; kapola--forehead; subhagam--declaring all opulences; sa-vilasa-hasam--with smiles of enjoyment; nitya-utsavam--whenever one sees Him, one feels festive; na tatrpuh--they could not be satisfied; drsibhih--by seeing the form of the Lord; pibantyah--as if drinking through the eyes; naryah--all the women of Vrndavana; narah--all the male devotees; ca--also; muditah--fully satisfied; kupitah--angry; nimeh--the moment they are disturbed by the blinking of the eyes; ca--also.
TRANSLATION
Krsna's face is decorated with ornaments, such as earrings resembling sharks. His ears are beautiful, His cheeks brilliant, and His smiling attractive to everyone. Whoever sees Lord Krsna sees a festival. His face and body are fully satisfying for everyone to see, but the devotees are angry at the creator for the disturbance caused by the momentary blinking of their eyes.
PURPORT
As stated by the Lord Himself in the Bhagavad-gita (7.3):
manusyanam sahasresu
kascid yatati siddhaye
yatatam api siddhanam
kascin mam vetti tattvatah
"Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth." Unless one is qualified to understand Krsna, one cannot appreciate the presence of Krsna on earth. Among the Bhojas, Vrsnis, Andhakas, Pandavas and many other kings intimately related with Krsna, the intimate relationship between Krsna and the inhabitants of Vrndavana is especially to be noted. That relationship is described in this verse by the words nityotsavam na tatrpur drsibhih pibantyah. The inhabitants of Vrndavana especially, such as the cowherd boys, the cows, the calves, the gopis and Krsna's father and mother, were never fully satisfied, although they saw Krsna's beautiful features constantly. Seeing Krsna is described here as nitya-utsava, a daily festival. The inhabitants of Vrndavana saw Krsna almost every moment, but when Krsna left the village for the pasturing grounds, where He tended the cows and calves, the gopis were very much afflicted because they saw Krsna walking on the sand and thought that Krsna's lotus feet, which they dared not place on their breasts because they thought their breasts not soft enough, were being pierced by broken chips of stone. By even thinking of this, the gopis were affected, and they cried at home. These gopis, who were therefore the exalted friends of Krsna, saw Krsna constantly, but because their eyelids disturbed their vision of Krsna, the gopis condemned the creator, Lord Brahma. Therefore the beauty of Krsna, especially the beauty of His face, is described here. At the end of the Ninth Canto, in the Twenty-fourth Chapter, we find a hint of Krsna's beauty. Now we are proceeding to the Tenth Canto, which is considered Krsna's head. The entire Srimad-Bhagavata purana is the embodiment of Krsna's form, and the Tenth Canto is His face. This verse gives a hint of how beautiful His face is. Krsna's smiling face, with His cheeks, His lips, the ornaments in His ears, His chewing of betel nuts--all this was minutely observed by the gopis, who thus enjoyed transcendental bliss, so much so that they were never fully satisfied to see Krsna's face, but instead condemned the creator of the body for making eyelids that obstructed their vision. The beauty of Krsna's face was therefore much more appreciated by the gopis than by His friends the cowherd boys or even by Yasoda Mata, who was also interested in decorating the face of Krsna.
TEXT 66
TEXT
jato gatah pitr-grhad vrajam edhitartho
hatva ripun suta-satani krtorudarah
utpadya tesu purusah kratubhih samije
atmanam atma-nigamam prathayan janesu
SYNONYMS
jatah--after taking birth as the son of Vasudeva; gatah--went away; pitr-grhat--from the houses of His father; vrajam--to Vrndavana; edhita-arthah--to exalt the position (of Vrndavana); hatva--killing there; ripun--many demons; suta-satani--hundreds of sons; krta-urudarah--accepting many thousands of wives, the best of women; utpadya--begot; tesu--in them; purusah--the Supreme Person, who exactly resembles a human being; kratubhih--by many sacrifices; samije--worshiped; atmanam--Himself (because He is the person worshiped by all sacrifices); atma-nigamam--exactly according to the ritualistic ceremonies of the Vedas; prathayan--expanding the Vedic principles; janesu--among the people in general.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, known as lila-purusottama, appeared as the son of Vasudeva but immediately left His father's home and went to Vrndavana to expand His loving relationship with His confidential devotees. In Vrndavana the Lord killed many demons, and afterwards He returned to Dvaraka, where according to Vedic principles He married many wives who were the best of women, begot through them hundreds of sons, and performed sacrifices for His own worship to establish the principles of householder life.
PURPORT
As stated in Bhagavad-gita (15.15), vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah: by all the Vedas, it is Krsna who is to be known. Lord Sri Krsna, setting an example by His own behavior, performed many ritualistic ceremonies described in the Vedas and established the principles of grhastha life by marrying many wives and begetting many children just to show people in general how to be happy by living according to Vedic principles. The center of Vedic sacrifice is Krsna (vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah). To advance in human life, human society must follow the Vedic principles personally demonstrated by Lord Krsna in His householder life. The real purpose of Krsna's appearance, however, was to manifest how one can take part in loving affairs with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Reciprocations of loving affairs in ecstasy are possible only in Vrndavana. Therefore just after His appearance as the son of Vasudeva, the Lord immediately left for Vrndavana. In Vrndavana, the Lord not only took part in loving affairs with His father and mother, the gopis and the cowherd boys, but also gave liberation to many demons by killing them. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (4.8), paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam: the Lord appears in order to protect the devotees and kill the demons. This was fully exhibited by His personal behavior. In Bhagavad-gita the Lord is understood by Arjuna to be purusam sasvatam divyam--the eternal, transcendental Supreme Person. Here also we find the words utpadya tesu purusah. Therefore it is to be concluded that the Absolute Truth is purusa, a person. The impersonal feature is but one of the features of His personality. Ultimately, He is a person; He is not impersonal. And not only is He purusa, a person, but He is the lila-purusottama, the best of all persons.
TEXT 67
TEXT
prthvyah sa vai guru-bharam ksapayan kurunam
antah-samuttha-kalina yudhi bhupa-camvah
drstya vidhuya vijaye jayam udvighosya
procyoddhavaya ca param samagat sva-dhama
SYNONYMS
prthvyah--on the earth; sah--He (Lord Krsna); vai--indeed; guru-bharam--a great burden; ksapayan--completely finishing; kurunam--of the personalities born in the Kuru dynasty; antah-samuttha-kalina--by creating enmity between the brothers by disagreement; yudhi--in the Battle of Kuruksetra; bhupa-camvah--all the demoniac kings; drstya--by His glance; vidhuya--cleansing their sinful activities; vijaye--in victory; jayam--victory; udvighosya--declaring (the victory for Arjuna); procya--giving instructions; uddhavaya--unto Uddhava; ca--also; param--transcendental; samagat--returned; sva-dhama--to His own place.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter, Lord Sri Krsna created a misunderstanding between family members just to diminish the burden of the world. Simply by His glance, He annihilated all the demoniac kings on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra and declared victory for Arjuna. Finally, He instructed Uddhava about transcendental life and devotion and then returned to His abode in His original form.
PURPORT
paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam. The mission of Lord Krsna was performed on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra, for by the Lord's mercy Arjuna was victorious due to being a great devotee whereas the others were killed simply by the Lord's glance, which cleansed them of all sinful activities and enabled them to attain sarupya. Finally, Lord Krsna instructed Uddhava about the transcendental life of devotional service, and then, in due course of time, He returned to His abode. The Lord's instructions in the form of Bhagavad-gita are full of jnana and vairagya, knowledge and renunciation. In the human form of life, one must learn these two things--how to become detached from the material world and how to acquire full knowledge in spiritual life. This is the Lord's mission (paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam). After executing His complete mission, the Lord returned to His home, Goloka Vrndavana.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Ninth Canto, Twenty-fourth Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled "Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead"
END OF THE NINTH CANTO