Vyasadev
Praneetha
The Mad Bhagavatam
Canto 8
Chapter 14
The System of Universal Management
This chapter describes the duties allotted to Manu by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. All the Manus, as well as their sons, the sages, the demigods and the Indras, act under the orders of various incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. At the end of every catur-yuga, consisting of Satya-yuga, Dvāpara-yuga, Tretā-yuga and Kali-yuga, the sages, acting under the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, distribute the Vedic knowledge and thus reinstate eternal religious principles. Manu's duty is to reestablish the system of religion. Manu's sons execute Manu's orders, and thus the entire universe is maintained by Manu and his descendants. The Indras are various rulers of the heavenly planets. Assisted by the demigods, they rule the three worlds. The Supreme Personality of Godhead also appears as incarnations in different yugas. He appears as Sanaka, Sanātana, Yājñavalkya, Dattātreya and others, and thus He gives instructions in spiritual knowledge, prescribed duties, principles of mystic yoga, and so on. As Marīci and others, He creates progeny; as the king, He punishes the miscreants; and in the form of time, He annihilates the creation. One may argue, "If the all-powerful Supreme Personality of Godhead can do anything simply by His will, why has He arranged for so many personalities to manage?" How and why He does this cannot be understood by those who are under the clutches of māyā.
8.14.1
śrī-rājovāca
(1) The king said: 'O great sage, could you please describe to me the respective duties in which all these Manus and the others, in each manvantara are engaged and who appoints them?
8.14.2
(2) The rishi said: 'The Manus and all their sons, the sages and, o King, the Indras and the godly no doubt all resort under the rule of the Original Person.
8.14.3
pauruṣyas tanavo nṛpa
nayanty ābhiḥ pracoditāḥ
(3) The Manus and others in charge of the universal affairs are, o King, inspired by the Lord of Sacrifice Yajña and the other incarnations of the Supreme Personality that I have already discussed.
8.14.4
yato dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ
(4) When at the end of each mahâyuga the saints by dint of their austerity witness how gradually misuse has risen with the loss of [the respect for] the vedic instruction, is there for that purpose the sanâtana dharma [the customary vedic duties to age and vocation, see also 1.17: 24-25].
In this verse, the words dharmaḥ and sanātanaḥ are very important. Sanātana means "eternal," and dharma means "occupational duties." From Satya-yuga to Kali-yuga, the principles of religion and occupational duty gradually deteriorate. In Satya-yuga, the religious principles are observed in full, without deviation. In Tretā-yuga, however, these principles are somewhat neglected, and only three fourths of the religious duties continue. In Dvāpara-yuga only half of the religious principles continue, and in Kali-yuga only one fourth of the religious principles, which gradually disappear. At the end of Kali-yuga, the principles of religion, or the occupational duties of humanity, are almost lost. Indeed, in this Kali-yuga we have passed through only five thousand years, yet the decline of sanātana-dharma is very prominent. The duty of saintly persons, therefore, is to take up seriously the cause of sanātana-dharma and try to reestablish it for the benefit of the entire human society. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has been started according to this principle. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (12.3.51):
kaler doṣa-nidhe rājan
kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya
The entire Kali-yuga is full of faults. It is like an unlimited ocean of faults. But the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very authorized. Therefore, following in the footsteps of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who five hundred years ago inaugurated the movement of sańkīrtana, kṛṣṇa-kīrtana, we are trying to introduce this movement, according to superior orders, all over the world. Now, if the inaugurators of this movement strictly follow the regulative principles and spread this movement for the benefit of all human society, they will certainly usher in a new way of life by reestablishing sanātana-dharma, the eternal occupational duties of humanity. The eternal occupational duty of the human being is to serve Kṛṣṇa. Jīvera 'svarūpa' haya — kṛṣṇera 'nitya-dāsa.' [Cc. Madhya 20.108]. This is the purport of sanātana-dharma. Sanātana means nitya, or "eternal," and kṛṣṇa-dāsa means "servant of Kṛṣṇa." The eternal occupational duty of the human being is to serve Kṛṣṇa. This is the sum and substance of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.8.14.5
tato dharmaḿ catuṣpādaḿ
manavo hariṇoditāḥ
(5) Therafter are the Manus in each of the four yugas to the instruction of the Lord engaged in directly reestablishing for the time of their existence in this world the dharma in the full sense of all its four regulative principles, o ruler of man [see also B.G. 4: 1].
Dharma, or occupational duty, can be established in its full four parts as explained in Bhagavad-gītā. In Bhagavad-gītā (4.1) the Lord says:
imaḿ vivasvate yogaḿ
manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt
"I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvān, and Vivasvān instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Ikṣvāku." This is the process of disciplic succession. Following the same process, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is teaching the principles of Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without deviation, all over the world. If the fortunate people of this time accept the instructions of Lord Kṛṣṇa, they will certainly be happy in Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted everyone, at least in India, to become a preacher of this mission. In other words, one should become a guru and preach the Lord's instructions all over the world for the peace and prosperity of humanity.8.14.6
yāvad antaḿ vibhāgaśaḥ
(6) The demigods and the other divisions of enjoyers of the results of sacrifice are also engaged in that business; by them do the rulers in the world execute what was ordained till the end of his [Manu's] reign [see also B.G. 4: 2].
"This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way." This paramparā system extends from Manu to Ikṣvāku and from Ikṣvāku to his sons and grandsons. The rulers of the world in the line of hierarchy execute the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the paramparā system. Anyone interested in peaceful life must participate in this paramparā system and perform yajñas. As Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas in the paramparā system of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, we must perform sańkīrtana-yajña all over the world (yajñaiḥ sańkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ [SB 11.5.32]). Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in this age of Kali, and He will be easily satisfied if the sańkīrtana movement is spread vigorously all over the world. This will also make people happy without a doubt.
8.14.7
bhuñjānaḥ pāti lokāḿs trīn
(7) Indra, the ruler of heaven, enjoys the great opulences of the three worlds given by the Supreme Lord and fathers all the places of them three by pouring out rain over the earth as much as is needed.
8.14.8
(8) According each yuga explains the Lord the transcendental knowledge assuming the forms of liberated persons [the perfected or siddhas], great saints [rishis] and great lords of yoga to teach the work of unification in the consciousness.
For the benefit of all human society, not only does the Lord assume the form of Manu as an incarnation to rule the universe properly, but He also assumes the forms of a teacher, yogī, jñānī and so on, for the benefit of human society. The duty of human society, therefore, is to accept the path of action enunciated by the Supreme Lord. In the present age, the sum and substance of all Vedic knowledge is to be found in Bhagavad-gītā, which is personally taught by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the same Supreme Godhead, assuming the form of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, expands the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā all over the world. In other words, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, is so kind and merciful to human society that He is always anxious to take the fallen souls back home, back to Godhead.
8.14.9
(9) As the founding fathers [the Prajâpatis] He creates offspring; to annihilate the miscreants He takes the form of kings and in the form of time is He there to put an end to everything that grew different to the modes of nature.
8.14.10
stūyamāno janair ebhir
vimohitātmabhir nānā-
(10) With all the people searching for Him, who under the influence of mâyâ are bewildered in different names and different forms, can He not been found by the illusion of [the controversial of] the differing points of view [compare B.G. 18: 66].
Whatever actions and reactions take place for the creation, maintenance and annihilation of this material world are actually brought about by the one Supreme Person. There are many varieties of philosophers trying to search for the ultimate cause under different names and forms, but they are unable to find the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, who explains in Bhagavad-gītā that He is the origin of everything and the cause of all causes (ahaḿ sarvasya prabhavaḥ). This inability is due to the illusory energy of the Supreme Lord. Devotees, therefore, accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead as He is and remain happy simply by chanting the glories of the Lord.
8.14.11
yatra manvantarāṇy āhuś
caturdaśa purāvidaḥ
(11) All these changes [vikalpas] I described as taking place in one day of Brahmâ [one kalpa] - to which the scholars speak of fourteen manvantaras - are evidence of this.'
Canto 8
Chapter 15
Bali Mahârâja Conquers the Heavenly Places
This chapter describes how Bali, after performing the Viśvajit-yajña, received the benediction of a chariot and various kinds of paraphernalia for war, with which he attacked the King of heaven. All the demigods, being afraid of him, left the heavenly planets and went away, following the instructions of their guru.
Mahārāja Parīkṣit wanted to understand how Lord Vāmanadeva, on the plea of taking three paces of land from Bali Mahārāja, took everything away from him and arrested him. Śukadeva Gosvāmī responded to this inquiry with the following explanation. In the fight between the demons and the demigods, as described in the Eleventh Chapter of this canto, Bali was defeated, and he died in the fight, but by the grace of Śukrācārya he regained his life. Thus he engaged himself in the service of Śukrācārya, his spiritual master. The descendants of Bhṛgu, being pleased with him, engaged him in the Viśvajit-yajña. When this yajña was performed, from the fire of yajña came a chariot, horses, a flag, a bow, armor and two quivers of arrows. Mahārāja Prahlāda, Bali Mahārāja's grandfather, gave Bali an eternal garland of flowers, and Śukrācārya gave him a conchshell. Bali Mahārāja, after offering obeisances to Prahlāda, the brāhmaṇas and his spiritual master, Śukrācārya, equipped himself to fight with Indra and went to Indrapurī with his soldiers. Blowing his conchshell, he attacked the outskirts of Indra's kingdom. When Indra saw Bali Mahārāja's prowess, he went to his own spiritual master, Bṛhaspati, told him about Bali's strength, and inquired about his duty. Bṛhaspati informed the demigods that because Bali had been endowed with extraordinary power by the brāhmaṇas, the demigods could not fight with him. Their only hope was to gain the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Indeed, there was no alternative. Under the circumstances, Bṛhaspati advised the demigods to leave the heavenly planets and keep themselves somewhere invisible. The demigods followed his orders, and Bali Mahārāja, along with his associates, gained the entire kingdom of Indra. The descendants of Bhṛgu Muni, being very affectionate to their disciple Bali Mahārāja, engaged him in performing one hundred aśvamedha-yajñas. In this way, Bali enjoyed the opulences of the heavenly planets.
8.15.1-2
śrī-rājovāca
kasmād dharir ayācata
bhūteśvaraḥ kṛpaṇa-val
etad veditum icchāmo
yācñeśvarasya pūrṇasya
bandhanaḿ cāpy anāgasaḥ
(1-2) The king said: 'Why did the Lord, the Controller of all living beings, like a poor man beg Bali for three steps of land and why did He fetter him despite of the donation? All this begging of the Controller so complete in Himself and the arrest of Bali though he was faultless, we very anxiously desire to understand.'
8.15.3
hīndreṇa rājan bhṛgubhiḥ sa jīvitaḥ
śiṣyo mahātmārtha-nivedanena
(3) S'rî S'uka said: 'Defeated by Indra, being deprived of his opulence and his life indeed [see 8.11], was Bali brought back to life by the descendants of Bhrigu [S'ukrâcârya and his followers]. To Bhrigu's following was he, as a great soul and disciple, of worship by giving them everything he had in full surrender.
8.15.4
taḿ brāhmaṇā bhṛgavaḥ prīyamāṇā
jigīṣamāṇaḿ vidhinābhiṣicya
mahābhiṣekeṇa mahānubhāvāḥ
(4) The brahmin followers of Bhrigu, very pleased with him, engaged him in a sacrifice called Vis'vajit so that he, after according the regulations being purified by the exalted souls in a great bathing ceremony [abhisheka], to his desire could conquer the heavenly worlds.
8.15.5
(5) From the blazing fire worshiped with oblations of ghee was there, drawn by horses with the color of those of Indra [yellow], a chariot covered with gold and silk that was adorned with a banner marked with a lion.
8.15.6
(6) There was a special gilded bow, two quivers with infallible arrows and a celestial armor. His grandfather [Prahlâda] donated a garland of never fading flowers and S'ukrâcârya gave him a conch shell.
8.15.7
(7) After thus, on the advice of the brahmins performing the ritual, in the form of the fighting gear having gained their grace, circumambulated he all the scholars offering his obeisances and bade he also with due respect Prahlâda Mahârâja farewell.
8.15.8-9
susrag-dharo 'tha sannahya
(8-9) Thereupon ascending the divine chariot donated by S'ukrâcârya, did the great charioteer, decorated with his garland, covered by his armor and equipped with his bow, take up his sword and quiver of arrows. With his golden bangles on his arms and his earrings glittering like sapphires shone he, positioned on his chariot, like a fire of worship on an altar.
8.15.10-11
sva-yūthair daitya-yūthapaiḥ
(10-11) Surrounded by his own men and the other daitya leaders who equaled him in opulence, strength and beauty, seemed they to drink in the sky and burn the directions with their looks. Gathering the greatest asura warriors went they to the supremely wealthy capital of Indra as shaking the entire earth.
8.15.12
ramyām upavanodyānaiḥ
śrīmadbhir nandanādibhiḥ
kūjad-vihańga-mithunair
(12) It was there very pleasant with orchards and gardens like the beautiful Nandana garden, chirping pairs of birds, madly humming bees and eternal trees with branches heavy of the great weight of its leaves with flowers and fruits.
8.15.13
kāraṇḍava-kulākulāḥ
(13) They were crowded with groups of swans, cranes, cakravâka birds, ducks, lotus flowers and beautiful sporting women protected by the godly.
8.15.14
prākāreṇāgni-varṇena
sāṭṭālenonnatena ca
(14) The ever worshipable goddess surrounded them with trenches of celestial Ganges water and parapeted ramparts in the color of fire.
8.15.15
(15) Constructed by Vis'vakarmâ, were the gates that gave access to the city made of marble, were the doors [of the houses] covered by golden plates and were the many public roads carefully laid out.
8.15.16
vimānair nyarbudair yutām
śṛńgāṭakair maṇimayair
(16) It was replete with assembly houses, courtyards, roads, and countless opulent palaces. The crossroads were made with pearls and had sitting places adorned with diamonds and coral.
8.15.17
bhrājante rūpavan-nāryo
(17) In that city one found, like with a fire with many flames, the most beautiful, glittering, ever-young women, who cool, warm and round-breasted [of 's'yâmâ'], well-decorated always wore impeccably clean clothes.
8.15.18
yatrāmodam upādāya
(18) The breezes blowing in the streets carried the fragrance of the fresh aromatic flowers fallen from the hair of the sura women.
8.15.19
hema-jālākṣa-nirgacchad-
dhūmenāguru-gandhinā
(19) On the streets passed the sura sweethearts through the white fragrant smoke of aguru incense burnt from behind windows with gold filigree.
8.15.20
(20) There were canopies strewn with pearls and gold, a variety of flags that adorned the domes of the palaces and peacocks, pigeons and bees that vibrated their sounds to which the women in their heavenly buildings sang in chorus the auspiciousness.
8.15.21
satāla-vīṇā-murajeṣṭa-veṇubhiḥ
(21) The city with all its brilliance so beautiful and pleasing with the singing loves of the gods, the solo instruments, the dancing and the sounds of flutes, vînâs, drums, conch shells and kettledrums all perfectly in tune, defeated the beauty of the deity of splendor.
8.15.22
yāḿ na vrajanty adharmiṣṭhāḥ
(22) No godless people roamed the streets, there was no one envious or of violence against other creatures, no one cheated and no one was of false prestige, lust or greed; all walking there were completely void of all that.
8.15.23
bahiḥ samantād rurudhe pṛtanyayā
(23) And it was that city of God which from the outside at all sides was attacked by him, the commander of the troops provided by S'ukrâcârya, who, resounding his conch shell loudly, created fear with all the ladies protected by Indra.
8.15.24
maghavāḿs tam abhipretya
(24) Indra facing the situation understood Bali's fervent zeal and addressed in the company of the godly the spiritual master [Brihaspati] with the following words:
8.15.25
bhagavann udyamo bhūyān
baler naḥ pūrva-vairiṇaḥ
kenāsīt tejasorjitaḥ
(25) 'O my Lord, who gave Bali, our enemy from the past, the great fervor and prowess I'm afraid we're unable to withstand?
8.15.26
pibann iva mukhenedaḿ
saḿvartāgnir ivotthitaḥ
(26) There is no one to be found who can counter this armed arrangement of his, it is as if he with his mouth wants to drink in and lick up the whole world and with his vision wants to set ablaze all directions, having risen like the fire at the end of time.
8.15.27
(27) Please tell us what the cause of the formidable prowess of our enemy is and from where all his energy, strength, influence and this endeavor came.'
8.15.28
śiṣyāyopabhṛtaḿ tejo
(28) Brihaspati said: 'I know the cause, o Indra, of the rise of your enemy, he got his power being a disciple of the mighty brahmins that are the followers of Bhrigu.
Bṛhaspati, the spiritual master of the demigods, informed Indra, "Ordinarily, Bali and his forces could not achieve such strength, but it appears that the brāhmaṇa descendants of Bhṛgu Muni, being pleased with Bali Mahārāja, endowed them with this spiritual power." In other words, Bṛhaspati informed Indra that Bali Mahārāja's prowess was not his own but that of his exalted guru, Śukrācārya. We sing in our daily prayers, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi **. By the pleasure of the spiritual master, one can get extraordinary power, especially in spiritual advancement. The blessings of the spiritual master are more powerful than one's personal endeavor for such advancement. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura therefore says:
guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete kariyā aikya,
Especially for spiritual advancement, one should carry out the bona fide order of the spiritual master. By the paramparā system, one can thus be endowed with the original spiritual power coming from the Supreme Personality of Godhead (evaḿ paramparā-prāptam imaḿ rājarṣayo viduḥ [Bg. 4.2]).
8.15.29
varjayitveśvaraḿ harim
vijeṣyati na ko 'py enaḿ
(29) Being that powerful can the strong one not be defeated by someone like you or anyone belonging to you; except for the Supreme Controller, the Lord, will no one be able to vanquish him now he is endowed with a superior spiritual strength; to oppose him is just as useless as to oppose the lord of death.
8.15.30
yataḥ śatror viparyayaḥ
(30) Therefore must you all leave, give up the heavenly kingdom and go elsewhere to await the time when your enemy has to face his reverse.
8.15.31
teṣām evāpamānena
sānubandho vinańkṣyati
(31) He who now so utterly mighty flourishes by the brahminical power invested in him, will by insulting the same power find his demise together with all his friends and helpers.'
Bali Mahārāja and Indra were enemies. Therefore, when Bṛhaspati, the spiritual master of the demigods, predicted that Bali Mahārāja would be vanquished when he insulted the brāhmaṇas by whose grace he had become so powerful, Bali Mahārāja's enemies were naturally anxious to know when that opportune moment would come. To pacify King Indra, Bṛhaspati assured him that the time would certainly come, for Bṛhaspati could see that in the future Bali Mahārāja would defy the orders of Śukrācārya in order to pacify Lord Viṣṇu, Vāmanadeva. Of course, to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one can take all risks. To please Vāmanadeva, Bali Mahārāja risked defying the orders of his spiritual master, Śukrācārya. Because of this, he would lose all his property, yet because of devotional service to the Lord, he would get more than he expected, and in the future, in the eighth manvantara, he would occupy the throne of Indra again.
8.15.32
guruṇārthānudarśinā
hitvā tri-viṣṭapaḿ jagmur
(32) Thus advised by their spiritual master on what they had to do gave they up their heavenly kingdom and departed they who were the gods who could assume any form they liked.
8.15.33
balir vairocanaḥ purīm
(33) When all the godly this way had left took Bali, the son of Virocana, hold of the city where the divine had their stay and brought he the heavenly worlds under his control.
8.15.34
śatena hayamedhānām
(34) Because he was their disciple instructed the followers of Bhrigu, very pleased with the conqueror of the universe, him to perform a hundred [as'vamedha] horse sacrifices.
We have seen in the dispute between Mahārāja Pṛthu and Indra that when Mahārāja Pṛthu wanted to perform one hundred aśvamedha-yajñas, Indra wanted to impede him, for it is because of such great sacrifices that Indra was made King of heaven. Here the brāhmaṇa descendants of Bhṛgu decided that although Mahārāja Bali was situated on the throne of Indra, he would not be able to stay there unless he performed such sacrifices. Therefore they advised Mahārāja Bali to perform at least as many aśvamedha-yajñas as Indra. The word ayājayan indicates that all the brāhmaṇas induced Bali Mahārāja to perform such sacrifices.
8.15.35
tatas tad-anubhāvena
(35) From performing those sacrifices spread his fame in all directions of the three worlds and shone he with a glory equal to the moon.
8.15.36
dvija-devopalambhitām
manyamāno mahāmanāḥ
(36) From winning the favor of the twiceborn deemed he, in enjoying the like of an opulence and prosperity of the demigods, himself most happy with all he had conceived and done so greatly.
The brāhmaṇas are called dvija-deva, and kṣatriyas are generally called nara-deva. The word deva actually refers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The brāhmaṇas guide human society in becoming happy by satisfying Lord Viṣṇu, and according to their advice, the kṣatriyas, who are called nara-deva, keep law and order so that other people, namely the vaiśyas and śūdras, may properly follow regulative principles.
(My humble salutations to the lotus feet of Swamyjis, Philosophers, Scholars and Knowledge Seekers for the collection)
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