sribhagavatam - skandah (canto) 3 - chapters 11 to 13

Vyasadev

Praneetha

The Mad Bhagavatam

Canto 3 (Skandah)

Chapter 11: Division of Time Expanding from the Atom

3.11.1

maitreya uvāca
caramaḥ sad-viśeṣāṇām
aneko 'saṁyutaḥ sadā
paramāṇuḥ sa vijñeyo
nṛṇām aikya-bhramo yataḥ

(1) Maitreya said: 'The ultimate truth of that what shows itself in the manifold as being indivisible, one should know to be the infinitesimal particle [paramânu] whose combination [into material forms] creates illusion in man.

3.11.2

sata eva padārthasya
svarūpāvasthitasya yat
kaivalyaṁ parama-mahān
aviśeṣo nirantaraḥ

 (2) The supreme oneness of that particle being present within material bodies keeps its original form till the end of time, it is of a continual, unrivaled uniformity.

3.11.3

evaṁ kālo 'py anumitaḥ
saukṣmye sthaulye ca sattama
saṁsthāna-bhuktyā bhagavān
avyakto vyakta-bhug vibhuḥ

 (3) And thus time, my best one, can be measured by the motion of the minutest and largest forms of combinations of particles, of which the Supreme, unmanifest Lord is the great force that controls all physical action.

3.11.4

sa kālaḥ paramāṇur vai
yo bhuṅkte paramāṇutām
sato 'viśeṣa-bhug yas tu
sa kālaḥ paramo mahān

(4) Atomic time is the time taken by an infinitesimal particle in occupying [or vibrating in] a certain atomic space. The greatest of time is the time taken by the existence of the complete of all atoms.

3.11.5

aṇur dvau paramāṇū syāt
trasareṇus trayaḥ smṛtaḥ
jālārka-raśmy-avagataḥ
kham evānupatann agāt

(5) Two infinitesimal particles constitute an atom [an anu] and three atoms make a trasarenu of which one is reminded by a beam of sunlight falling through a lattice window in which one sees something [a dust-particle] going up in the sky.

3.11.6

trasareṇu-trikaṁ bhuṅkte
yaḥ kālaḥ sa truṭiḥ smṛtaḥ
śata-bhāgas tu vedhaḥ syāt
tais tribhis tu lavaḥ smṛtaḥ

 (6) The time taken by the combination of three trasarenus is called a truthi [calculated as 1/16.875 of a second] of which one hundred are called a vedha. Three of them are called a single lava.

3.11.7

nimeṣas tri-lavo jñeya
āmnātas te trayaḥ kṣaṇaḥ
kṣaṇān pañca viduḥ kāṣṭhāṁ
laghu tā daśa pañca ca

 (7) The duration of three lavas equals one nimesha [± 0.53 second] and the time of three of them is called a kshana [± 1.6 seconds], five of those make a kâshthhâ [± 8 seconds] and a laghu consists of  fifteen of them [± 2 minutes].

3.11.8

laghūni vai samāmnātā
daśa pañca ca nāḍikā
te dve muhūrtaḥ praharaḥ
ṣaḍ yāmaḥ sapta vā nṛṇām

(8) The exact of fifteen of those laghus is called a nâdikâ [or danda, ± 30 minutes] and two of them make a muhûrta [about an hour] while six to seven of them form one yâma [a quarter of a light day or night] depending the human calculation [the season, the latitude].

3.11.9

dvādaśārdha-palonmānaṁ
caturbhiś catur-aṅgulaiḥ
svarṇa-māṣaiḥ kṛta-cchidraṁ
yāvat prastha-jala-plutam

(9) The measuring pot (water-clock) has the weight of six palas [14 ounces] and has a four mâsha [17 karats] golden probe four fingers long covering a hole through which it fills with water till next sunrise.

3.11.10

yāmāś catvāraś catvāro
martyānām ahanī ubhe
pakṣaḥ pañca-daśāhāni
śuklaḥ kṛṣṇaś ca mānada

(10) Four yâmas form the duration of both the day and the night of the human being and fifteen days [of eight yâmas each] make one pakshah [fortnight] which measured is known as being either black or white [depending on whether there is a full moon or new moon in it].

3.11.11

tayoḥ samuccayo māsaḥ
pitṝṇāṁ tad ahar-niśam
dvau tāv ṛtuḥ ṣaḍ ayanaṁ
dakṣiṇaṁ cottaraṁ divi

(11) The aggregate of such a 'day' and 'night' is called an ancestral [traditional and solar] month with two of them forming a season.  There are six of them [resp. 'cold' or hemanta, 'dew' or s'is'ira, 'spring' or vasanta, 'warm' or grîshma, 'rainy' or varshâs and 'autumn' or s'arad, counting from December 22] corresponding to the movement of the sun going through the southern and northern sky.

3.11.12

ayane cāhanī prāhur
vatsaro dvādaśa smṛtaḥ
saṁvatsara-śataṁ nṝṇāṁ
paramāyur nirūpitam

(12) This movement of the sun is said to form one day of the demigods and is called a vatsara [a tropical year] of twelve months. The duration of life of the human being is estimated to be of a great number [a hundred] of those years [see also the 'full calendar of order'].

3.11.13

graharkṣa-tārā-cakra-sthaḥ
paramāṇv-ādinā jagat
saṁvatsarāvasānena
paryety animiṣo vibhuḥ

(13) The infinitesimal particles and their combinations, the planets, the heavenly bodies [like the moon] and the stars, all rotate in the universe, to return in a year in the Almighty [cyclic order] of eternal of time.

3.11.14

saṁvatsaraḥ parivatsara
iḍā-vatsara eva ca
anuvatsaro vatsaraś ca
viduraivaṁ prabhāṣyate

 (14) We speak about an orbit of the sun, about an orbit of the other planets, the orbit of the stars [in our galaxy around Sagittarius A in the sky], the orbit of the moon o Vidura, and the orbit of the earth as being a single [but differently named] year [resp. a celestial year, a planetary year, a galactic year, a lunation and a tropical year].

The subject matters of physics, chemistry, mathematics, astronomy, time and space dealt with in the above verses of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam are certainly very interesting to students of the particular subject, but as far as we are concerned, we cannot explain them very thoroughly in terms of technical knowledge. The subject is summarized by the statement that above all the different branches of knowledge is the supreme control of kāla, the plenary representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Nothing exists without Him, and therefore everything, however wonderful it may appear to our meager knowledge, is but the work of the magical wand of the Supreme Lord. As far as time is concerned, we beg to subjoin herewith a table of timings in terms of the modern clock.

One truṭi-8/13,500second
One vedha-8/135second
One lava-8/45second
One nimeṣa-8/15second
One kṣaṇa-8/5second
One kāṣṭhā-8seconds
One laghu-2minutes
One daṇḍa-30minutes
One prahara-3hours
One day-12hours
One night-12hours
One pakṣa-15days

Two pakṣas comprise one month, and twelve months comprise one calendar year, or one full orbit of the sun. A human being is expected to live up to one hundred years. That is the way of the controlling measure of eternal time.

3.11.15

yaḥ sṛjya-śaktim urudhocchvasayan sva-śaktyā
puṁso 'bhramāya divi dhāvati bhūta-bhedaḥ
kālākhyayā guṇamayaṁ kratubhir vitanvaṁs
tasmai baliṁ harata vatsara-pañcakāya

(15) The One [Lord of Time] who differing from all that was created moves by the name of Eternal Time, who by means of His energy in different ways brings to life the seeds of creation and who during the day dissipates the darkness of the living entities, should be offered respect with attention for all His five different types of years, so that one thus with one's offerings brings about quality in one's material existence.'
3.11.16

vidura uvāca
pitṛ-deva-manuṣyāṇām
āyuḥ param idaṁ smṛtam
pareṣāṁ gatim ācakṣva
ye syuḥ kalpād bahir vidaḥ

(16) Vidura said: 'You pointed out the measure of time of the life periods of the elevated living beings of the ancestors, the gods and the human beings. Can you now, o great sage, give a description of the time periods that cover more than a millennium?

3.11.17

bhagavān veda kālasya
gatiṁ bhagavato nanu
viśvaṁ vicakṣate dhīrā
yoga-rāddhena cakṣuṣā

 (17) O mighty one of the Spirit, you know the movements of the Supreme Lord in the form of eternal time, for you in the control of your yogic command have the eyes of a self-realized soul to see the entire universe.'

3.11.18

maitreya uvāca
kṛtaṁ tretā dvāparaṁ ca
kaliś ceti catur-yugam
divyair dvādaśabhir varṣaiḥ
sāvadhānaṁ nirūpitam

(18) Maitreya said: 'The four yugas [ages or millennia] called Satya, Tretâ, Dvâpara and Kali together take approximately 12.000 years [or one mahâyuga] of the demigods [comprising 360 vatsaras each].

3.11.19

catvāri trīṇi dve caikaṁ
kṛtādiṣu yathā-kramam
saṅkhyātāni sahasrāṇi
dvi-guṇāni śatāni ca

 (19) The subsequent yugas starting with Satya-yuga are each respectively four, three, two and one time 1.200 demigod years long.

3.11.20

sandhyā-sandhyāṁśayor antar
yaḥ kālaḥ śata-saṅkhyayoḥ
tam evāhur yugaṁ taj-jñā
yatra dharmo vidhīyate

(20) Experts say that the transitional periods at the beginning and end of each yuga cover several hundreds of demigod years and that they are the millennia [like the millennium we live in now] wherein all kinds of religious activities take place.

3.11.21

dharmaś catuṣ-pān manujān
kṛte samanuvartate
sa evānyeṣv adharmeṇa
vyeti pādena vardhatā

(21) The complete sense of duty of mankind concerning its four principles of religion [of satya, dayâ, tapas, s'auca; truth, compassion, penance and purity] was during Satya-yuga properly maintained, but in the other yugas the principles gradually declined one by one [first penance, then compassion, then purity] with an increasing tolerance for irreligion.

3.11.22

tri-lokyā yuga-sāhasraṁ
bahir ābrahmaṇo dinam
tāvaty eva niśā tāta
yan nimīlati viśva-sṛk

(22) Next to the one thousand [mahâ-]yugas that, o dear one, together constitute one day of Brahmâ [of 4.32 billion years] of the external reality of the three worlds [the heavenly, svarga; earthly, martya and lower, pâtâla ones], there is also a night just as long wherein the Creator of the universe goes asleep.

3.11.23

niśāvasāna ārabdho
loka-kalpo 'nuvartate
yāvad dinaṁ bhagavato
manūn bhuñjaṁś catur-daśa

(23) Following the end of the night when another day of Lord Brahmâ begins, the creation of the three worlds that in its totality covers the lives of fourteen Manus, starts all over.

3.11.24

svaṁ svaṁ kālaṁ manur bhuṅkte
sādhikāṁ hy eka-saptatim

(24) Each Manu enjoys a time of living of a little more than seventy-one [mahâ-]yugas.

3.11.25

manvantareṣu manavas
tad-vaṁśyā ṛṣayaḥ surāḥ
bhavanti caiva yugapat
sureśāś cānu ye ca tān

(25) After the end of each Manu, the next one appears as also simultaneously his descendants, the seven sages, the God-conscious and the king of the demigods [Indra] together with all those who follow them.

3.11.26

eṣa dainan-dinaḥ sargo
brāhmas trailokya-vartanaḥ
tiryaṅ-nṛ-pitṛ-devānāṁ
sambhavo yatra karmabhiḥ

(26)  This is Lord Brahmâ's day to day creation wherein the lower animals, the human beings, the forefathers and the gods wander around in the three worlds because of their karma.

3.11.27

manvantareṣu bhagavān
bibhrat sattvaṁ sva-mūrtibhiḥ
manv-ādibhir idaṁ viśvam
avaty udita-pauruṣaḥ

(27) With the change of each Manu, the Supreme Lord manifests His goodness in His different incarnations, as the Manu Himself and as others, and thus unfolding His divine potencies He maintains this universe.

3.11.28

tamo-mātrām upādāya
pratisaṁruddha-vikramaḥ
kālenānugatāśeṣa
āste tūṣṇīṁ dinātyaye

(28) At the end of the day [of Brahmâ] the Almighty Time arrests its manifestation and remain, with the complete whole fallen in darkness, all living entities merged in silence.

3.11.29

tam evānv api dhīyante
lokā bhūr-ādayas trayaḥ
niśāyām anuvṛttāyāṁ
nirmukta-śaśi-bhāskaram

(29) The sun, the moon and all three worlds have disappeared from sight then, just as it happens during an ordinary night.

3.11.30

tri-lokyāṁ dahyamānāyāṁ
śaktyā saṅkarṣaṇāgninā
yānty ūṣmaṇā maharlokāj
janaṁ bhṛgv-ādayo 'rditāḥ

 (30) When the life-spheres of the three worlds are being set afire by the potency of the fire that emanates from the mouth of Lord Sankarshana [see 3.8: 3], then the sage Bhrigu and others who are agitated by the heat move from the world of the saints [Maharloka, the fourth world] to the world of men [Janaloka, the next world].

3.11.31

tāvat tri-bhuvanaṁ sadyaḥ
kalpāntaidhita-sindhavaḥ
plāvayanty utkaṭāṭopa-
caṇḍa-vāteritormayaḥ

(31) Immediately after the onset of the devastation of the three worlds all the seas will overflow with excessive, violent winds and hurricanes pushing up the waves.

3.11.32

antaḥ sa tasmin salila
āste 'nantāsano hariḥ
yoga-nidrā-nimīlākṣaḥ
stūyamāno janālayaiḥ

(32) Within the water the Lord, who in His mystical slumber with closed eyes lies down on the bed of Ananta, is glorified by the inhabitants of the worlds of the God-conscious people.

3.11.33

evaṁ-vidhair aho-rātraiḥ
kāla-gatyopalakṣitaiḥ
apakṣitam ivāsyāpi
paramāyur vayaḥ-śatam

(33) Thus there is decline in the course of time of these days and nights wherein his [Lord Brahmâ's] life comes to an end. [His life ends in a hundred years] just like it happens with our lives, even though [in his case] it are a hundred of his years [together forming two parârdhas or 2 times 155.5 trillion human years, see also 3.9: 18].

3.11.34

yad ardham āyuṣas tasya
parārdham abhidhīyate
pūrvaḥ parārdho 'pakrānto
hy aparo 'dya pravartate

(34) The first half of his lifetime called one parârdha has passed and now in this age we have begun with the second half.

3.11.35

pūrvasyādau parārdhasya
brāhmo nāma mahān abhūt
kalpo yatrābhavad brahmā
śabda-brahmeti yaṁ viduḥ

(35) The superior first half started with a grand kalpa called the Brâhma-kalpa in which Lord Brahmâ manifested whom one knows as the [source of the] Vedic sounds.

3.11.36

tasyaiva cānte kalpo 'bhūd
yaṁ pādmam abhicakṣate
yad dharer nābhi-sarasa
āsīl loka-saroruham

(36) Thereafter, at the end of the Brâhma-millennium, the period called the Pâdma-kalpa came into being in which the lotus of the universe sprouted from the Lord His navel.

3.11.37

ayaṁ tu kathitaḥ kalpo
dvitīyasyāpi bhārata
vārāha iti vikhyāto
yatrāsīc chūkaro hariḥ

(37) The present kalpa at the beginning of the second half, o descendant of Bharata, is celebrated as the one of Vârâha in which the Lord appeared in the form of a boar [see also 1.3: 7].

3.11.38

kālo 'yaṁ dvi-parārdhākhyo
nimeṣa upacaryate
avyākṛtasyānantasya
hy anāder jagad-ātmanaḥ

(38) The time measured by the two halves of Brahmâ's life takes but a second for the beginningless, unchanging and unlimited Soul of the universe.

3.11.39

kālo 'yaṁ paramāṇv-ādir
dvi-parārdhānta īśvaraḥ
naiveśituṁ prabhur bhūmna
īśvaro dhāma-māninām

(39) This eternal time, beginning from the atom up to the final duration of two parârdhas, is never capable of controlling the Supreme Lord, it is the controller of the ones identified with their body.

3.11.40

vikāraiḥ sahito yuktair
viśeṣādibhir āvṛtaḥ
āṇḍakośo bahir ayaṁ
pañcāśat-koṭi-vistṛtaḥ

(40) As a combination of the basic elements and  their transformations this manifest universe has expanded to a diameter of half a billion [yoyanas - a dynamic cosmic measure].

3.11.41

daśottarādhikair yatra
praviṣṭaḥ paramāṇuvat
lakṣyate 'ntar-gatāś cānye
koṭiśo hy aṇḍa-rāśayaḥ

(41) [The space occupied by the infinitesimal particles of the primal ether, pradhâna] expanded to the tenfold [of the dimensions of the therefrom condensating basic elements and their transformations] that appearing like atoms entered to cluster into many other lower universes [or galaxies].

3.11.42

tad āhur akṣaraṁ brahma
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
viṣṇor dhāma paraṁ sākṣāt
puruṣasya mahātmanaḥ

(42) That cause of all causes [containing all the universes] is said to be the imperishable Absolute Truth, the supreme abode of the direct, personal manifestation of the Supreme Soul: Lord Vishnu.'

See also the page: "S'rîmad Bhâgavatam & Bhagavad Gîtâ Time Quotes".

Chapter 12: Creation of the Kumâras and Others

3.12.1

maitreya uvāca

iti te varṇitaḥ kṣattaḥ

kālākhyaḥ paramātmanaḥ

mahimā veda-garbho 'tha

yathāsrākṣīn nibodha me

(1) Maitreya said: 'Thus far I have described to you, o Vidura, the glories of the Supersoul under the name of kâla, now try to understand from me how the repository of the Vedas [Brahmâ] created the things as they are.

3.12.2

sasarjāgre 'ndha-tāmisram

atha tāmisram ādi-kṛt

mahāmohaḿ ca mohaḿ ca

tamaś cājñāna-vṛttayaḥ

(2) First came about [as the five types of ignorance:] the idea that one would die [andha-tâmisra], then indignation [tâmisra], next all the craving of infatuation [mahâ-moha] and then there was the delusional of errors [like identifying oneself with the body etc., moha] as well as the darkness of the nescience about one's own engagements [tamas].

3.12.3

dṛṣṭvā pāpīyasīḿ sṛṣṭiḿ

nātmānaḿ bahv amanyata

bhagavad-dhyāna-pūtena

manasānyāḿ tato 'sṛjat

(3) Seeing what a troublesome creation it was he [Brahmâ] couldn't really appreciate what he had done and thus he, after being purified by meditating upon the Supreme Lord, found the mind for another one. 

3.12.4

sanakaḿ ca sanandaḿ ca

sanātanam athātmabhūḥ

sanat-kumāraḿ ca munīn

niṣkriyān ūrdhva-retasaḥ

(4) The great self-born one then created Sanaka, Sananda, Sanâtana and Sanat-kumâra [the four Kumâras] who are free from all fruitive action and lifelong celibates ['they whose seed goes upwards'].

3.12.5

tān babhāṣe svabhūḥ putrān

prajāḥ sṛjata putrakāḥ

tan naicchan mokṣa-dharmāṇo

vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ

(5) He from within told his sons: 'O my sons, do procreate', but they didn't want to, because they in their devotion for the Personality of Godhead were vowed to the principles of liberation.

3.12.6

so 'vadhyātaḥ sutair evaḿ

pratyākhyātānuśāsanaiḥ

krodhaḿ durviṣahaḿ jātaḿ

niyantum upacakrame

(6) Disrespected by the sons who refused to follow the order, he did his best to check the anger that rose in him.

3.12.7

dhiyā nigṛhyamāṇo 'pi

bhruvor madhyāt prajāpateḥ

sadyo 'jāyata tan-manyuḥ

kumāro nīla-lohitaḥ

(7) In spite of the original father his meditative control, out of his anger from between his eyebrows instantly a child was born that had a color composed of red [for passion] and blue [for ignorance].

3.12.8

sa vai ruroda devānāḿ

pūrvajo bhagavān bhavaḥ

nāmāni kuru me dhātaḥ

sthānāni ca jagad-guro

(8) The child cried loudly to the father of all the gods: 'O powerful one, o ruler of destiny, assign me my names and tell me what my places are o teacher of the universe'.

3.12.9

iti tasya vacaḥ pādmo

bhagavān paripālayan

abhyadhād bhadrayā vācā

mā rodīs tat karomi te

(9) He as the all-powerful one born from the lotus thus being asked, complied with the request and gently pacified the child with the words: 'Don't you cry, I'll do what you want.

3.12.10

yad arodīḥ sura-śreṣṭha

sodvega iva bālakaḥ

tatas tvām abhidhāsyanti

nāmnā rudra iti prajāḥ

(10)  Because you o chief of the demigods, as a boy were so anxiously crying loudly, the people will address you with the name Rudra.

3.12.11

hṛd indriyāṇy asur vyoma

vāyur agnir jalaḿ mahī

sūryaś candras tapaś caiva

sthānāny agre kṛtāni te

(11) The heart, the senses, the life air, the ether, the air, fire and water, earth and the sun, the moon as also austerity are the places reserved for you.

3.12.12

manyur manur mahinaso

mahāñ chiva ṛtadhvajaḥ

ugraretā bhavaḥ kālo

vāmadevo dhṛtavrataḥ

(12) Your names are: Manyu, Manu, Mahinasa, Mahân, S'iva, Ritadhvaja, Ugraretâ, Bhava, Kâla, Vâmadeva and Dhritavrata

3.12.13

dhīr dhṛti-rasalomā ca

niyut sarpir ilāmbikā

irāvatī svadhā dīkṣā

rudrāṇyo rudra te striyaḥ

. (13) Dhî, Dhriti, Rasalâ, Umâ, Niyut, Sarpi, Ilâ, Ambikâ, Irâvatî, Svadhâ and Dîkshâ are, o Rudra, your eleven wives [the Rudrânîs].

3.12.14

gṛhāṇaitāni nāmāni

sthānāni ca sa-yoṣaṇaḥ

ebhiḥ sṛja prajā bahvīḥ

prajānām asi yat patiḥ

(14) Accept these different names and places and the wives belonging to them and generate progeny with them on a large scale, for you are the master of the living beings.'

3.12.15

ity ādiṣṭaḥ sva-guruṇā

bhagavān nīla-lohitaḥ

sattvākṛti-svabhāvena

sasarjātma-samāḥ prajāḥ

 (15) The one of the mixture of blue and red, he the powerful one thus being instructed by his spiritual master, brought forth the generations who were of the same strength, features and furious nature as he was.

3.12.16

rudrāṇāḿ rudra-sṛṣṭānāḿ

samantād grasatāḿ jagat

niśāmyāsańkhyaśo yūthān

prajāpatir aśańkata

(16) But when he saw the activities of the sons generated by Rudra and how their endless numbers together devoured the entire universe, the father of the living beings got afraid.

3.12.17

alaḿ prajābhiḥ sṛṣṭābhir

īdṛśībhiḥ surottama

mayā saha dahantībhir

diśaś cakṣurbhir ulbaṇaiḥ

 (17) 'O best of the demigods, [he said,] you have sufficiently created this kind of living beings. They, with the fiery flames of their eyes, scorch every direction and me as well.

3.12.18

tapa ātiṣṭha bhadraḿ te

sarva-bhūta-sukhāvaham

tapasaiva yathā pūrvaḿ

sraṣṭā viśvam idaḿ bhavān

(18) Be situated in penance, that'll do you good and bring happiness to all living entities. Only by doing penance you will be able to bring about the universe the way it was before.

3.12.19

tapasaiva paraḿ jyotir

bhagavantam adhokṣajam

sarva-bhūta-guhāvāsam

añjasā vindate pumān

(19) Through penance alone a person knows the supreme light and can fully respect the Supreme Lord beyond the senses who resides in the heart of everyone.'

3.12.20

maitreya uvāca

evam ātmabhuvādiṣṭaḥ

parikramya girāḿ patim

bāḍham ity amum āmantrya

viveśa tapase vanam

(20) Maitreya said: 'Thus being instructed by the self-born one, he [Rudra] circumambulated the master of the Vedas saying 'So be it' and next entered the forest to do penance.

3.12.21

athābhidhyāyataḥ sargaḿ

daśa putrāḥ prajajñire

bhagavac-chakti-yuktasya

loka-santāna-hetavaḥ

 (21) Determined to create he [Brahmâ] who by the Venerable One was empowered with the potency, then begot ten sons in order to populate the world:

3.12.22

marīcir atry-ańgirasau

pulastyaḥ pulahaḥ kratuḥ

bhṛgur vasiṣṭho dakṣaś ca

daśamas tatra nāradaḥ

(22) Marîci, Atri, Angirâ, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Bhrigu, Vasishthha, Daksha and Nârada as number ten.

3.12.23

utsańgān nārado jajñe

dakṣo 'ńguṣṭhāt svayambhuvaḥ

prāṇād vasiṣṭhaḥ sañjāto

(23) Nârada sprouted from his lap, Daksha from the thumb, from his life-air Vasishthha saw the light, while Bhrigu came forth from his touch and sage Kratu from his hand.

3.12.24

pulaho nābhito jajñe

pulastyaḥ karṇayor ṛṣiḥ

ańgirā mukhato 'kṣṇo 'trir

marīcir manaso 'bhavat

(24) Pulaha generated from the navel, Pulastya from his ears, the great sage Angirâ from the mouth, from the eyes sage Atri came forth and sage Marîci appeared from the mind.

3.12.25

dharmaḥ stanād dakṣiṇato

yatra nārāyaṇaḥ svayam

adharmaḥ pṛṣṭhato yasmān

mṛtyur loka-bhayańkaraḥ

(25) From the right side of the breast, where Nârâyana resides, religion manifested while irreligion, because of which the world fears the horrors of death, appeared from his back.

3.12.26

hṛdi kāmo bhruvaḥ krodho

lobhaś cādhara-dacchadāt

āsyād vāk sindhavo meḍhrān

nirṛtiḥ pāyor aghāśrayaḥ

 (26) From the heart lust manifested, from the eyebrows anger, from between his lips greed, from the mouth  the urge to speak originated while from his penis the oceans appeared and from the anus, the reservoir of all vices, the lowest activities.

3.12.27

chāyāyāḥ kardamo jajñe

devahūtyāḥ patiḥ prabhuḥ

manaso dehataś cedaḿ

jajñe viśva-kṛto jagat

(27) From his shadow Kardama Muni, the husband of Devahûti, manifested. Thus the complete of this living universe of the creator evolved from as well the master his body as his mind.
3.12.28

vācaḿ duhitaraḿ tanvīḿ

svayambhūr haratīḿ manaḥ

akāmāḿ cakame kṣattaḥ

sa-kāma iti naḥ śrutam

(28) O Vidura, we have heard that the daughter Vâk who was born from his body distracted the mind of Brahmâ and made him desirous of her even though she wasn't sexually inclined.

3.12.29

tam adharme kṛta-matiḿ

vilokya pitaraḿ sutāḥ

marīci-mukhyā munayo

viśrambhāt pratyabodhayan

(29) The sons, the sages headed by Marîci, who thus saw that his mind was seized by immorality, with due respect submitted the following:

3.12.30

naitat pūrvaiḥ kṛtaḿ tvad ye

na kariṣyanti cāpare

yas tvaḿ duhitaraḿ gaccher

anigṛhyāńgajaḿ prabhuḥ

(30) 'That what you are doing now with your daughter without controlling your sexual desire you, nor anyone else, has been doing nor will be doing in the future o master.

3.12.31

tejīyasām api hy etan

na suślokyaḿ jagad-guro

yad-vṛttam anutiṣṭhan vai

lokaḥ kṣemāya kalpate

(31) Certainly such an attitude does not befit the most powerful one whose good behavior and character, o master of the universe, is an example that is followed by the world striving for prosperity.

3.12.32

tasmai namo bhagavate

ya idaḿ svena rociṣā

ātma-sthaḿ vyañjayām āsa

sa dharmaḿ pātum arhati

(32) Let us offer our obeisances to the Supreme Lord who from within the soul by the power of His own effulgence brought about this manifestation. May His sense of duty protect us all.'

3.12.33

sa itthaḿ gṛṇataḥ putrān

puro dṛṣṭvā prajāpatīn

prajāpati-patis tanvaḿ

tatyāja vrīḍitas tadā

tāḿ diśo jagṛhur ghorāḿ

nīhāraḿ yad vidus tamaḥ

(33) Seeing all his sons who thus addressed him standing before him, the father of all fathers of mankind ashamed quitted his body in accepting the blame for the fog everywhere that is known as the darkness.

3.12.34

kadācid dhyāyataḥ sraṣṭur

vedā āsaḿś catur-mukhāt

kathaḿ srakṣyāmy ahaḿ lokān

samavetān yathā purā

(34) When the creator of all worlds one day wondered how he should create the three worlds the way they were before, the Vedic literature manifested itself from his four mouths.

3.12.35

cātur-hotraḿ karma-tantram

upaveda-nayaiḥ saha

dharmasya pādāś catvāras

tathaivāśrama-vṛttayaḥ

 (35) Thus the four functions of [sacrificial] action [the offer, the performer, the fire and the offering] and the supplements of the Veda with their logical conclusions became manifest as well as the four principles of religion [truth, purity, austerity and compassion] and the spiritual departments [âs'ramas] and vocational divisions [varnas].'
3.12.36

vidura uvāca

sa vai viśva-sṛjām īśo

vedādīn mukhato 'sṛjat

yad yad yenāsṛjad devas

tan me brūhi tapo-dhana

(36) Vidura said: 'Please, o wealth of renunciation, can you tell by what mouth which Veda was produced by the god who is the controller of the creators of the universe?'

3.12.37

maitreya uvāca

ṛg-yajuḥ-sāmātharvākhyān

vedān pūrvādibhir mukhaiḥ

śāstram ijyāḿ stuti-stomaḿ

prāyaścittaḿ vyadhāt kramāt

(37) Maitreya said: 'The four Vedas called Rig, Yajur, Sâma and Atharva appeared, beginning with the front [east, south, west and north], each from one of the mouths and in the same order followed the scriptural discussions [the S'âstra for the Hotâ priest], the rituals [the Ijya for the Adhvaryu priest], the recitation material [the Stutistoma for the Udgâtâ priest] and the  transcendental service of atonement [the Prâyas'citta for the Brahmâ ritvik].

3.12.38

āyur-vedaḿ dhanur-vedaḿ

gāndharvaḿ vedam ātmanaḥ

sthāpatyaḿ cāsṛjad vedaḿ

kramāt pūrvādibhir mukhaiḥ

 (38) The same way beginning from the front mouth in the eastern direction the Vedic sciences of medicine [Âyurveda], archery [Dhanurveda],  music [Ghandarvaveda] and architecture [Sthâpatyaveda] were created [who together are called the Upavedas].

3.12.39

itihāsa-purāṇāni

pañcamaḿ vedam īśvaraḥ

sarvebhya eva vaktrebhyaḥ

sasṛje sarva-darśanaḥ

 (39) Also the Itihâsas - the separate histories - and the collections of classical stories, the Purânas, who together are known as the fifth Veda, manifested from the mouths of him who can see in all directions.

3.12.40

ṣoḍaśy-ukthau pūrva-vaktrāt

purīṣy-agniṣṭutāv atha

āptoryāmātirātrau ca

vājapeyaḿ sagosavam

 (40) From his eastern mouth as also from each of the other ones he sent out a pair of sacrifices: sodas'î, uktha [from the east], purîshi, agnishthoma [from the south], âptoryamâ, atirâtra [from the west] and vâjapeya and gosava [from the north].

3.12.41

vidyā dānaḿ tapaḥ satyaḿ

dharmasyeti padāni ca

āśramāḿś ca yathā-sańkhyam

asṛjat saha vṛttibhiḥ

(41) Education [vidyâ, also called purity through knowledge or s'auca], charity [dâna], penance [tapas] and truth [satya] are the four legs of religion that were created to the same number of orders of life [students, married people, withdrawn people and the renunciates] and vocations [the laborers, the traders, the rulers and the intellectuals].

3.12.42

sāvitraḿ prājāpatyaḿ ca

brāhmaḿ cātha bṛhat tathā

vārtā sañcaya-śālīna-

śiloñcha iti vai gṛhe

(42) Next appeared the vows [for regulating the brahmacârî, the celibate student] of Sâvitra [three days of celibacy after the ceremony of the holy thread], Prâjâpatya [celibacy for one year], Brâhma [celibacy during the study of the Veda] and Brihat [lifelong celibacy] as well as the vows [for regulating household life] of Vârtâ [vocations sanctioned by the scriptures], Sañcaya [officiating at ceremonies], S'âlîna [to subsist on everything that is acquired without asking] and S'îluñcha [to subsist on the remnants left behind in the fields and the market place].

3.12.43

vaikhānasā vālakhilyau-

dumbarāḥ phenapā vane

nyāse kuṭīcakaḥ pūrvaḿ

bahvodo haḿsa-niṣkriyau

 (43) [Also the directions for] the [vânaprashtas or the] retired ones [thus manifested:] the vaikhânasas [subsisting on produce from the wild], the vâlakhilyas [they who give up their stock upon receiving new foodgrains], the audumbaras [who subsist on the food they find on their way] and the phenapas [those subsisting on fruits that fell from the trees, as also the directions for] the renounced order [of the sannyâsîs] consisting of the kuthîcakas [recluses living in a fixed place], bahûdakas [or bahvodhas, they who prefer knowledge before activities], hamsas [those fully on the path of transcendental knowledge] and the nishkriyas or paramahamsas  [those who attained spiritual wisdom and refrain from action].

3.12.44

ānvīkṣikī trayī vārtā

daṇḍa-nītis tathaiva ca

evaḿ vyāhṛtayaś cāsan

praṇavo hy asya dahrataḥ

(44) In the same order [the four branches of knowledge] appeared: ânvîkshikî [spiritual knowledge of liberation], trayî [knowledge of rituals], vârtâ [technical knowledge] and dandanîti [political science]. Also the four vyâhritis [of the first line and three words of the Gâyatrî mantra] thus appeared together with the Pranava [the mantra Aum] flowing from his heart.

3.12.45

tasyoṣṇig āsīl lomabhyo

gāyatrī ca tvaco vibhoḥ

triṣṭum māḿsāt snuto 'nuṣṭub

jagaty asthnaḥ prajāpateḥ

(45) From the hair of his body ushnik [a meter of poetry] was generated, from the skin of the mighty one gâyatrî [the three-foot] originated, trishthup [another meter] came from his flesh,  anushthup appeared from the veins and from the bones of the father of the living beings jagati was generated [two other meters].

3.12.46

majjāyāḥ pańktir utpannā

bṛhatī prāṇato 'bhavat

(46) From the marrow of his bones pankti manifested itself while brihatî generated from the life breath [two types of verses].

3.12.47

sparśas tasyābhavaj jīvaḥ

svaro deha udāhṛta

ūṣmāṇam indriyāṇy āhur

antaḥ-sthā balam ātmanaḥ

svarāḥ sapta vihāreṇa

bhavanti sma prajāpateḥ

(47) His individual soul manifested as the spars'a letters [the hard consonants] of the Sanskrit alphabet [ka to ma] while his body expressed itself in the Sanskrit vowels [a, â, i, î, u, û, ri, rî, l, e, ai, o, au]. His senses are called the sibilants [s'a, sha sa and ha], his strength became the semi-vowels [ya, la, ra and va] and from the inner joy of the lord of the living beings the seven musical notes manifested [*].

3.12.48

śabda-brahmātmanas tasya

vyaktāvyaktātmanaḥ paraḥ

brahmāvabhāti vitato

nānā-śakty-upabṛḿhitaḥ

 (48) The transcendental sound of His Soul, the Supersoul, that moves beyond the notion of being manifest or unmanifest, is the source from which the Absolute [of the full manifestation of Brahmâ] that is invested with multifarious energies, manifested itself in full.

3.12.49

tato 'parām upādāya

sa sargāya mano dadhe

(49) Having accepted another body he [again] put his mind to the matter of creation.

3.12.50

ṛṣīṇāḿ bhūri-vīryāṇām

api sargam avistṛtam

jñātvā tad dhṛdaye bhūyaś

cintayām āsa kaurava

 (50) O son of the Kurus, knowing that in spite of the great, earthly power of the great sages the population was not growing, he again devoted his heart to the matter. He thought:

3.12.51

aho adbhutam etan me

vyāpṛtasyāpi nityadā

na hy edhante prajā nūnaḿ

daivam atra vighātakam

(51) 'Alas, how surprising to be this busy all the time but not succeed in motivating my progeny for procreation! There must be some kind of divine ordinance working against me in this.'

3.12.52

evaḿ yukta-kṛtas tasya

daivaḿ cāvekṣatas tadā

kasya rūpam abhūd dvedhā

yat kāyam abhicakṣate

 (52) While he thus observed and contemplated his situation a division in two manifested itself within his body of which one says that it is the human body created after his image [kâya - that what belongs to ka - Brahmâ].

3.12.53

tābhyāḿ rūpa-vibhāgābhyāḿ

mithunaḿ samapadyata

(53) His form with them being divided then perfectly engaged in a sexual relationship.

3.12.54

yas tu tatra pumān so 'bhūn

manuḥ svāyambhuvaḥ svarāṭ

strī yāsīc chatarūpākhyā

mahiṣy asya mahātmanaḥ

 (54) The one of them who was the male became the fully independent father of manhood [the Manu] called Svâyambhuva and the one who was the woman was known as S'atarûpâ; she was the queen to the great soul that he was.

3.12.55

tadā mithuna-dharmeṇa

prajā hy edhām babhūvire

(55) Because of the sex life according to the regulative principles [see verse 41] from that time on the generations increased.

3.12.56

sa cāpi śatarūpāyāḿ

pañcāpatyāny ajījanat

priyavratottānapādau

tisraḥ kanyāś ca bhārata

ākūtir devahūtiś ca

prasūtir iti sattama

(56) O best of all, in due course of time he begot in S'atarûpâ five children: Priyavrata, Uttânapâda and three daughters, o son of Bharata, Âkûti, Devahûti and Prasûti.

3.12.57

ākūtiḿ rucaye prādāt

kardamāya tu madhyamām

dakṣāyādāt prasūtiḿ ca

yata āpūritaḿ jagat

 (57) The one named Âkûti he handed over to sage Ruci, the middle one [Devahûti] he gave to sage Kardama and Prasûti was given to Daksha. Because of them the whole world became populated.'

*: The seven Vedic notes are: sa, ri, gâ, ma, pa, dha and ni [resp. c, d, e, f, g, a, bes] also called shadja, rishabha, gândhâra, madhyama, pañcama, dhaivata, and nishâda. 

Chapter 13: The Appearance of Lord Varâha

3.13.1

śrī-śuka uvāca

niśamya vācaḿ vadato

muneḥ puṇyatamāḿ nṛpa

bhūyaḥ papraccha kauravyo

vāsudeva-kathādṛtaḥ

(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'After listening to Maitreya Muni's most sacred words o King, the best of the Kurus full of adoration for the talks about Vâsudeva inquired further.

3.13.2

vidura uvāca

sa vai svāyambhuvaḥ samrāṭ

priyaḥ putraḥ svayambhuvaḥ

pratilabhya priyāḿ patnīḿ

kiḿ cakāra tato mune

(2) Vidura said: 'O great sage, what did Svâyambhuva Manu, the king of all kings and dear son of Brahmâ, do after he obtained his loving wife?

3.13.3

caritaḿ tasya rājarṣer

ādi-rājasya sattama

brūhi me śraddadhānāya

viṣvaksenāśrayo hy asau

(3) Be so good to tell me about the character of this saintly, original king o best of all. I'd very much like to hear about that king who took to the shelter of Vishvaksena [the omnipotent Lord Vishnu].

3.13.4

śrutasya puḿsāḿ sucira-śramasya

nanv añjasā sūribhir īḍito 'rthaḥ

tat-tad-guṇānuśravaṇaḿ mukunda-

pādāravindaḿ hṛdayeṣu yeṣām

(4) Persons of fortitude and great effort in listening to that what by pure devotees is elaborately explained, will by dint of the statements of those who installed the lotus feet of the Lord of Liberation in their hearts, find the transcendental quality of a faithful mind.'

3.13.5

śrī-śuka uvāca

iti bruvāṇaḿ viduraḿ vinītaḿ

sahasra-śīrṣṇaś caraṇopadhānam

prahṛṣṭa-romā bhagavat-kathāyāḿ

praṇīyamāno munir abhyacaṣṭa

(5) S'rî S'uka said: 'After the most gentle Vidura who, receiving the lotus feet of the One with the thousand heads on his lap, thus had spoken, the sage, whose hairs in the spirit of the words about the Supreme Lord stood on end in ecstasy, complimented him and gave a reply.

3.13.6

maitreya uvāca

yadā sva-bhāryayā sārdhaḿ

jātaḥ svāyambhuvo manuḥ

prāñjaliḥ praṇataś cedaḿ

veda-garbham abhāṣata

(6) Maitreya said: 'After Svâyambhuva Manu had appeared along with his wife, he as the father of mankind with folded hands and obeisances addressed the reservoir of Vedic wisdom [Brahmâ]:

3.13.7

tvam ekaḥ sarva-bhūtānāḿ

janma-kṛd vṛttidaḥ pitā

tathāpi naḥ prajānāḿ te

śuśrūṣā kena vā bhavet

(7) 'You are the one progenitor of all living entities, the father and source of subsistence, but we however who all were born from you, wonder how we can be of service to you.

3.13.8

tad vidhehi namas tubhyaḿ

karmasv īḍyātma-śaktiṣu

yat kṛtveha yaśo viṣvag

amutra ca bhaved gatiḥ

(8) Give us, with all respect o worshipful one, directions for that purpose. What are the duties within our reach to be performed for you? What must one do for fame [His fame] all around in this world and what must one do in order to progress to the next world?'

3.13.9

brahmovāca

prītas tubhyam ahaḿ tāta

svasti stād vāḿ kṣitīśvara

yan nirvyalīkena hṛdā

śādhi mety ātmanārpitam

(9) Brahmâ said: 'I am very pleased with you, my son, let there be all my blessings for the both of you o lord of the world, because you without any reservation in your heart have surrendered your self to me for my instructions.

3.13.10

etāvaty ātmajair vīra

kāryā hy apacitir gurau

śaktyāpramattair gṛhyeta

sādaraḿ gata-matsaraiḥ

 (10) This is the exact way, o hero, for offspring to honor the spiritual master. Those who have a sane mind and are beyond envy should to the full of their ability and most respectfully accept this instruction.

3.13.11

sa tvam asyām apatyāni

sadṛśāny ātmano guṇaiḥ

utpādya śāsa dharmeṇa

gāḿ yajñaiḥ puruṣaḿ yaja

(11) You therefore in that role take care to beget children by her with the same qualities as you have, so that they once they're born may rule over the world with the principles of religion, make their sacrifices and exercise respect for the Original Personality.

3.13.12

paraḿ śuśrūṣaṇaḿ mahyaḿ

syāt prajā-rakṣayā nṛpa

bhagavāḿs te prajā-bhartur

hṛṣīkeśo 'nutuṣyati

(12) Consider protecting the living entities the best way to serve me, o ruler of man. Hrishîkes'a, the Supreme Lord of the senses, will be pleased when you are the guardian of their lives.

3.13.13

yeṣāḿ na tuṣṭo bhagavān

yajña-lińgo janārdanaḥ

teṣāḿ śramo hy apārthāya

yad ātmā nādṛtaḥ svayam

(13) The work of those who never satisfied the Supreme Lord Janârdana ['the Lord of all living beings'], the object of all sacrifice, is certainly of no avail because they didn't respect their own self as being the Supreme Soul.'

3.13.14

manur uvāca

ādeśe 'haḿ bhagavato

varteyāmīva-sūdana

sthānaḿ tv ihānujānīhi

prajānāḿ mama ca prabho

(14) Manu said: 'I'll abide by what your powerful self has ordered o killer of all sin, please tell me what my place and the place of the ones born from me is in this world.

3.13.15

yad okaḥ sarva-bhūtānāḿ

mahī magnā mahāmbhasi

asyā uddharaṇe yatno

deva devyā vidhīyatām

 (15) O god of this planet, the earth, the dwelling place of all beings is immersed in the great waters [of the Garbhodhaka ocean of the created universe]. Could you please lift her up?'

3.13.16

maitreya uvāca

parameṣṭhī tv apāḿ madhye

tathā sannām avekṣya gām

katham enāḿ samunneṣya

iti dadhyau dhiyā ciram

(16) Maitreya said: 'The personality of transcendence [Brahmâ] who also saw that the earth was immersed in the waters thought: 'How shall I lift her up?' and spent a long time meditating as follows:

3.13.17

sṛjato me kṣitir vārbhiḥ

plāvyamānā rasāḿ gatā

athātra kim anuṣṭheyam

asmābhiḥ sarga-yojitaiḥ

yasyāhaḿ hṛdayād āsaḿ

sa īśo vidadhātu me

(17) 'While I was engaged in her creation, the earth was inundated by a flood and got deeply immersed. What now would be the right course of action for us being engaged in this matter of creation? May the Lord from whose heart I was born guide me in this!'

3.13.18

ity abhidhyāyato nāsā-

vivarāt sahasānagha

varāha-toko niragād

ańguṣṭha-parimāṇakaḥ

 (18) While he was thinking thus all of a sudden from his nostril o sinless one, a minute boar [Varâha] appeared not larger than the top of a thumb.

3.13.19

tasyābhipaśyataḥ kha-sthaḥ

kṣaṇena kila bhārata

gaja-mātraḥ pravavṛdhe

tad adbhutam abhūn mahat

 (19) When he saw that happening all of a sudden the form expanded, miraculously transforming into the size of a gigantic elephant, o son of Bharata.

3.13.20

marīci-pramukhair vipraiḥ

kumārair manunā saha

dṛṣṭvā tat saukaraḿ rūpaḿ

tarkayām āsa citradhā

(20) Seeing the form of that boarlike appearance, he with Manu, the brahmins headed by Marîci and the Kumâras began to word the matter in different ways:

3.13.21

kim etat sūkara-vyājaḿ

sattvaḿ divyam avasthitam

aho batāścaryam idaḿ

nāsāyā me viniḥsṛtam

(21) 'Who is this extraordinary being that pretends to be a boar? And how wondrous it is that he appeared from my nose!

3.13.22

dṛṣṭo 'ńguṣṭha-śiro-mātraḥ

kṣaṇād gaṇḍa-śilā-samaḥ

api svid bhagavān eṣa

yajño me khedayan manaḥ

(22) One moment He has just the size of the tip of a thumb and in no time He is as big as a megalith! Would this be the Supreme Lord of sacrifice Vishnu? I am baffled!'

3.13.23

iti mīmāḿsatas tasya

brahmaṇaḥ saha sūnubhiḥ

bhagavān yajña-puruṣo

jagarjāgendra-sannibhaḥ

(23) While Brahmâ thus was deliberating with his sons, the Supreme Lord of Sacrifice, the Original Person, produced a wild roar like He wanted to attack.

3.13.24

brahmāṇaḿ harṣayām āsa

haris tāḿś ca dvijottamān

sva-garjitena kakubhaḥ

pratisvanayatā vibhuḥ

(24) With the unprecedented voice that echoed in all directions the Lord created great joy in Brahmâ and the best of the brahmins.

3.13.25

niśamya te ghargharitaḿ sva-kheda-

kṣayiṣṇu māyāmaya-sūkarasya

janas-tapaḥ-satya-nivāsinas te

tribhiḥ pavitrair munayo 'gṛṇan sma

(25) Then the inhabitants of Tapoloka, Satyaloka and Janaloka [see 2.5: 39] hearing the sound of the loud roar of the all-merciful Lord who in the form of a boar ended all personal distress, all began to extoll Him with the holy mantras of the three Vedas.

3.13.26

teṣāḿ satāḿ veda-vitāna-mūrtir

brahmāvadhāryātma-guṇānuvādam

vinadya bhūyo vibudhodayāya

gajendra-līlo jalam āviveśa

(26) Knowing Himself very well as the form resulting from the spreading of the Vedic sound that originated from the knowledge of the authorities of the Truth, He roared once more in response to the transcendental glorifications of the wise and intelligent ones and playful as an elephant entered the water to their benefit.

3.13.27

utkṣipta-vālaḥ kha-caraḥ kaṭhoraḥ

saṭā vidhunvan khara-romaśa-tvak

khurāhatābhraḥ sita-daḿṣṭra īkṣā-

jyotir babhāse bhagavān mahīdhraḥ

(27) Slashing His tail in the sky and quivering with the sharp and hard hairs of His skin, He scattered the clouds with His hooves and radiated with His glittering white tusks His glory as the Supreme Lord and Maintainer of the world.

3.13.28

ghrāṇena pṛthvyāḥ padavīḿ vijighran

kroḍāpadeśaḥ svayam adhvarāńgaḥ

karāla-daḿṣṭro 'py akarāla-dṛgbhyām

udvīkṣya viprān gṛṇato 'viśat kam

(28) Sniffing out the earth He who had assumed the transcendental body of a boar searched all around showing His frightening tusks, but all the brahmins in spite of it unafraid engaged in prayer when they saw Him  glancing them over as He entered the water.

3.13.29

sa vajra-kūṭāńga-nipāta-vega-

viśīrṇa-kukṣiḥ stanayann udanvān

utsṛṣṭa-dīrghormi-bhujair ivārtaś

cukrośa yajñeśvara pāhi meti

 (29) The enormous mountain of His body drove by the force of the dive the ocean apart in two high waves because of which he like gifted with two arms in distress loudly prayed: 'O Master of all Sacrifices, please protect me!'

3.13.30

khuraiḥ kṣuraprair darayaḿs tad āpa

utpāra-pāraḿ tri-parū rasāyām

dadarśa gāḿ tatra suṣupsur agre

yāḿ jīva-dhānīḿ svayam abhyadhatta

 (30) He as the Master of all Sacrifice penetrating with His arrow-sharp hooves the water then, reaching the limits of the unlimited ocean, found her. He saw her, the wealth of the living beings, lying there as she was before and lifted her up personally.

3.13.31

sva-daḿṣṭrayoddhṛtya mahīḿ nimagnāḿ

sa utthitaḥ saḿruruce rasāyāḥ

tatrāpi daityaḿ gadayāpatantaḿ

sunābha-sandīpita-tīvra-manyuḥ

 (31) Rising to the surface He, with His tusks raising the submerged earth, appeared in His full splendor. But then He, glowing with a fierce anger, had to hold His cakra [His disc-weapon or wheel] against the demon [Hiranyâksha - 'the golden-eyed one'] who rushed towards Him with a club.

3.13.32

jaghāna rundhānam asahya-vikramaḿ

sa līlayebhaḿ mṛgarāḍ ivāmbhasi

tad-rakta-pańkāńkita-gaṇḍa-tuṇḍo

yathā gajendro jagatīḿ vibhindan

(32) He then in an inimitable way skillfully killed the obstructive enemy the way an elephant disposes of a lion and had in the process His cheeks and tongue smeared with blood like he was an elephant that has been digging in the [reddish] earth.

3.13.33

tamāla-nīlaḿ sita-danta-koṭyā

kṣmām utkṣipantaḿ gaja-līlayāńga

prajñāya baddhāñjalayo 'nuvākair

viriñci-mukhyā upatasthur īśam

 (33) Even as He bluish as a tamâla tree, like a playing elephant, upheld the earth on His curved tusks o Vidura, they who were lead by Brahmâ could recognize Him as the Supreme Lord. Thereupon they with folded hands offered Him prayers from the Vedic hymns.

3.13.34

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ

jitaḿ jitaḿ te 'jita yajña-bhāvana

trayīḿ tanuḿ svāḿ paridhunvate namaḥ

yad-roma-garteṣu nililyur addhayas

tasmai namaḥ kāraṇa-sūkarāya te

(34) The wise said: 'All glory and victory to You o Unconquerable One, You who are understood by the performance of sacrifices. All our obeisances are for Him who shakes His body consisting of the three Vedas and in whose pores of the hairs in His skin this [Vedic truth] lies hidden. Our respects for You who had the calling to assume the form of a boar!

3.13.35

rūpaḿ tavaitan nanu duṣkṛtātmanāḿ

durdarśanaḿ deva yad adhvarātmakam

chandāḿsi yasya tvaci barhi-romasv

ājyaḿ dṛśi tv ańghriṣu cātur-hotram

 (35) O Lord, the miscreants have difficulty perceiving this form of Yours  that can be worshiped by performing sacrifices: with the Gâyatrî and other mantras one honors Your skin; with the kus'a grass [on which one sits when one meditates] one honors the hairs on Your body; with the clarified butter [one uses in sacrifices] one honors Your eyes, and with the four functions of sacrifice one respects Your four legs [see 3.12: 35].

3.13.36

srak tuṇḍa āsīt sruva īśa nāsayor

iḍodare camasāḥ karṇa-randhre

prāśitram āsye grasane grahās tu te

yac carvaṇaḿ te bhagavann agni-hotram

(36) Your tongue is the offering plate and Your nostrils are another one o Lord. In Your belly we recognize the plate to eat from and the holes of Your ears also constitute such a plate. Your mouth is the [Brahmâ] plate for the spiritual aspect of performing sacrifices and Your throat is the plate for soma [a ritual drink], but that which is chewn by Your teeth o Supreme Lord, is what You consume by the sacrificial fire [agni-hotra].

3.13.37

dīkṣānujanmopasadaḥ śirodharaḿ

tvaḿ prāyaṇīyodayanīya-daḿṣṭraḥ

jihvā pravargyas tava śīrṣakaḿ kratoḥ

satyāvasathyaḿ citayo 'savo hi te

(37) The three [upasada ishthis or] consecrations together constitute Your neck: Your repeated incarnations are the introductory offerings of oblations in the fire [called the dîkshanîya ishthi] and Your tusks are the [prâyanîya ishthi] course of the consecration and the [udayanîya ishthi] end of the consecration. Your tongue constitutes the [pravargya] invocations [to the three upasadas]. Your head is respected with the fires without sacrifices [satya] and the fires with sacrifices [âvasatya] and Your life breath is constituted by the combination of all sacrifices.

3.13.38

somas tu retaḥ savanāny avasthitiḥ

saḿsthā-vibhedās tava deva dhātavaḥ

satrāṇi sarvāṇi śarīra-sandhis

tvaḿ sarva-yajña-kratur iṣṭi-bandhanaḥ

(38) Your semen is the soma sacrifice, Your stability is respected with the rituals in the morning, at noon and in the evening o Lord, the different layers of Your body are the seven types of sacrifice [see 3.12: 40] and the joints of Your body are the different sacrifices [called the satrânis] one performs in twelve days. You o Lord, who are bound by sacrifices only, are the object of all the soma and asoma sacrifices.

3.13.39

namo namas te 'khila-mantra-devatā-

dravyāya sarva-kratave kriyātmane

vairāgya-bhaktyātmajayānubhāvita-

jñānāya vidyā-gurave namo namaḥ

(39) We offer You our obeisances who as the Supreme Lord for all the ingredients and types of sacrifice can be worshiped by universal prayers. When one renounced and with devotion conquers the mind one can arrive at the realization of You as the essence of all sacrifices. You as the spiritual master of such knowledge, we again and again offer our obeisances.

3.13.40

daḿṣṭrāgra-koṭyā bhagavaḿs tvayā dhṛtā

virājate bhūdhara bhūḥ sa-bhūdharā

yathā vanān niḥsarato datā dhṛtā

matań-gajendrasya sa-patra-padminī

(40) O Supreme Lord, with the earth and its mountains so beautifully situated on the tips of Your protruding teeth o Lifter of the Earth, You came out of the water like a lordly elephant that with its tusk captured a lotus flower together with its leaves.

3.13.41

trayīmayaḿ rūpam idaḿ ca saukaraḿ

bhū-maṇḍalenātha datā dhṛtena te

cakāsti śṛńgoḍha-ghanena bhūyasā

kulācalendrasya yathaiva vibhramaḥ

(41) This form of Yours of the Veda personified that as a boar sustains the planet earth on its tusks, shines with the splendor of great mountain peaks that look even more beautiful because of the clouds surrounding them.

3.13.42

saḿsthāpayaināḿ jagatāḿ sa-tasthuṣāḿ

lokāya patnīm asi mātaraḿ pitā

vidhema cāsyai namasā saha tvayā

yasyāḿ sva-tejo 'gnim ivāraṇāv adhāḥ

(42) You as a father lift this mother earth up as Your wife for the moving as well as the nonmoving living beings to reside. Let us offer our obeisances to You as well as to her in whom You invested Your potency just as an expert setting arani wood ablaze.

3.13.43

kaḥ śraddadhītānyatamas tava prabho

rasāḿ gatāyā bhuva udvibarhaṇam

na vismayo 'sau tvayi viśva-vismaye

yo māyayedaḿ sasṛje 'tivismayam

(43) Who else but You, o master, could deliver the earth lying in the water? For You such deeds are not that wondrous, for the wonder of the miraculous universe that You by Your potencies created surpasses all others.

3.13.44

vidhunvatā vedamayaḿ nijaḿ vapur

janas-tapaḥ-satya-nivāsino vayam

saṭā-śikhoddhūta-śivāmbu-bindubhir

vimṛjyamānā bhṛśam īśa pāvitāḥ

 (44) When You as the Vedas personified were shaking Your body, we as the inhabitants of Janaloka, Tapoloka and Satyaloka were sprinkled by the drops of water that remained in the hairs of Your shoulders and were thus completely purified o Supreme Lord.

3.13.45

sa vai bata bhraṣṭa-matis tavaiṣate

yaḥ karmaṇāḿ pāram apāra-karmaṇaḥ

yad-yogamāyā-guṇa-yoga-mohitaḿ

viśvaḿ samastaḿ bhagavan vidhehi śam

 (45) He who wants to know the limit of Your countless activities is out of his mind. The entire universe controlled by the material qualities is bewildered by the oneness of Your inner potency [of yogamâyâ]. Please o Lord of the Opulences, grant us Your mercy!'

3.13.46

maitreya uvāca

ity upasthīyamāno 'sau

munibhir brahma-vādibhiḥ

salile sva-khurākrānta

upādhattāvitāvanim

(46) Maitreya said: 'Thus being praised by the great sages and transcendentalists Lord Boar, the Maintainer, placed the earth on the water which He heavily touched with His hooves.

3.13.47

sa itthaḿ bhagavān urvīḿ

viṣvaksenaḥ prajāpatiḥ

rasāyā līlayonnītām

apsu nyasya yayau hariḥ

(47) After the Almighty Personality of Godhead, Vishvaksena, the Master of All Living Entities, thus sportfully had lifted the earth on top of the water the Lord returned to His abode.

3.13.48

ya evam etāḿ hari-medhaso hareḥ

kathāḿ subhadrāḿ kathanīya-māyinaḥ

śṛṇvīta bhaktyā śravayeta vośatīḿ

janārdano 'syāśu hṛdi prasīdati

(48) With the one who in a devotional attitude listens to or recounts to others this auspicious and worthwhile story about Him who puts an end to the material motive, the Lord who is present in the heart [of everyone] very soon will be pleased.

3.13.49

tasmin prasanne sakalāśiṣāḿ prabhau

kiḿ durlabhaḿ tābhir alaḿ lavātmabhiḥ

ananya-dṛṣṭyā bhajatāḿ guhāśayaḥ

svayaḿ vidhatte sva-gatiḿ paraḥ parām

(49) What would be difficult to achieve for the one who enjoys the boundless mercy of His contentment? Anything removed from that mercy appears insignificant. Those devotees who wish nothing but His mercy He, personally residing in the heart, elevates to the supreme transcendence of His abode.

3.13.50

ko nāma loke puruṣārtha-sāravit

purā-kathānāḿ bhagavat-kathā-sudhām

āpīya karṇāñjalibhir bhavāpahām

aho virajyeta vinā naretaram

 (50) Indeed, can one be called a human being when one familiar with the true value of our human past resists the opportunity to drink in through one's ears the nectar of the stories about the Lord which puts an end to the pain of a material existence?'

(My humble salutations to the lotus feet of Swamyjis, Philosophic Scholars and knowledge seekers for the collection)