Vyasadev
Praneetha
The Mad Bhagavatam
Chapter 23
The Dynasties of the Sons of Yayâti: the Appearance of Lord Krishna
In this Twenty-third Chapter the dynasties of Anu, Druhyu, Turvasu and Yadu, as well as the story of Jyāmagha, are described.
The sons of Yayāti's fourth son, Anu, were Sabhānara, Cakṣu and Pareṣṇu. Of these three, the sons and grandsons of Sabhānara were, in succession, Kālanara, Sṛñjaya, Janamejaya, Mahāśāla and Mahāmanā. The sons of Mahāmanā were Uśīnara and Titikṣu. Uśīnara had four sons, namely Śibi, Vara, Kṛmi and Dakṣa. Śibi also had four sons — Vṛṣādarbha, Sudhīra, Madra and Kekaya. The son of Titikṣu was Ruṣadratha, who begot a son named Homa. From Homa came Sutapā and from Sutapā, Bali. In this way the dynasty continued. Begotten by Dīrghatamā in the womb of the wife of Bali were Ańga, Vańga, Kalińga, Suhma, Puṇḍra and Oḍra, all of whom became kings.
From Ańga came Khalapāna, whose dynasty included Diviratha, Dharmaratha and Citraratha, also called Romapāda, one after another. Mahārāja Daśaratha gave in charity one of his daughters, by the name Śāntā, to his friend Romapāda because Romapāda had no sons. Romapāda accepted Śāntā as his daughter, and the great sage Ṛṣyaśṛńga married her. By the mercy of Ṛṣyaśṛńga, Romapāda had a son named Caturańga. The son of Caturańga was Pṛthulākṣa, who had three sons — Bṛhadratha, Bṛhatkarmā and Bṛhadbhānu. From Bṛhadratha came a son named Bṛhadmanā, whose sons and grandsons in succession were Jayadratha, Vijaya, Dhṛti, Dhṛtavrata, Satkarmā and Adhiratha. Adhiratha accepted the son rejected by Kuntī, namely Karṇa, and Karṇa's son was Vṛṣasena.
The son of Yayāti's third son, Druhyu, was Babhru, whose son and grandsons were Setu, Ārabdha, Gāndhāra, Dharma, Dhṛta, Durmada and Pracetā.
The son of Yayāti's second son, Turvasu, was Vahni, whose seminal dynasty included Bharga, Bhānumān, Tribhānu, Karandhama and Maruta. The childless Maruta accepted Duṣmanta, who belonged to the Pūru dynasty, as his adopted son. Mahārāja Duṣmanta was anxious to have his kingdom returned, and so he went back to the Pūru-vaḿśa.
Of the four sons of Yadu, Sahasrajit was the eldest. The son of Sahasrajit was named Śatajit. He had three sons, of whom one was Haihaya. The sons and grandsons in the dynasty of Haihaya were Dharma, Netra, Kunti, Sohañji, Mahiṣmān, Bhadrasenaka, Dhanaka, Kṛtavīrya, Arjuna, Jayadhvaja, Tālajańgha and Vītihotra.
The son of Vītihotra was Madhu, whose eldest son was Vṛṣṇi. Because of Yadu, Madhu and Vṛṣṇi, their dynasties are known as Yādava, Mādhava and Vṛṣṇi. Another son of Yadu was Kroṣṭā, and from him came Vṛjinavān, Svāhita, Viṣadgu, Citraratha, Śaśabindu, Pṛthuśravā, Dharma, Uśanā and Rucaka. Rucaka had five sons, one of whom was known as Jyāmagha. Jyāmagha was sonless, but by the mercy of the demigods his childless wife gave birth to a son named Vidarbha.
9.23.1
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Of Anu [the fourth son of Yayâti, see 9.17, 9.18 & 9.19] were there the three sons Sabhânara, Cakshu and Pareshnu. From Sabhânara was thereafter Kâlanara born and from him followed a son called Sriñjaya.
9.23.2
janamejayas tasya putro
mahāśālo mahāmanāḥ
uśīnaras titikṣuś ca
mahāmanasa ātmajau
(2) Of Janamejaya [after him] there was a son Mahâs'âla who had Mahâmanâ. Us'înara and Titikshu were the two sons of Mahâmanâ.
9.23.3-4
śibir varaḥ kṛmir dakṣaś
catvārośīnarātmajāḥ
vṛṣādarbhaḥ sudhīraś ca
śibeś catvāra evāsaḿs
titikṣoś ca ruṣadrathaḥ
tato homo 'tha sutapā
(3-4) S'ibi, Vara, Krimi and Daksha were the four born from Us'înara. Vrishâdarbha, Sudhîra, Madra and the self-realized Kekaya were four sons born from S'ibi. Of Titikshu there was one called Rushadratha from whom was born Homa who begot Sutapâ. Bali was Sutapâ's son.
9.23.5
suhma-puṇḍrauḍra-saḿjñitāḥ
jajñire dīrghatamaso
(5) Headed by Anga, Vanga and Kalinga were Suhma, Pundra and Odra known as being born from Dîrghatama's semen in the wife of the great conqueror Bali.
9.23.6
khalapāno 'ńgato jajñe
tasmād divirathas tataḥ
(6) It were their names that were given to the six states they created in the east [of India]. From Anga came Khalapâna into existence and from him appeared thereafter Diviratha.
9.23.7-10
suto dharmaratho yasya
vibhramālińganārhaṇaiḥ
nirūpyeṣṭiḿ marutvate
prajām adād daśaratho
caturańgo romapādāt
(7-10) From Dharmaratha, his son, was Citraratha born, celebrated as Romapâda. Romapâda had no children and thus delivered his friend Das'aratha, S'ântâ, his own daughter [to be adopted], who then married whith Rishyas'ringa [a hermit who lived in the forest, see also 8.13: 15-16]. But because the god [Indra] did not shower any rains was he, that son of a doe, drawn with the help of courtesans who dancing and singing with music bewildered him with embraces and worship. On behalf of the childless king established he [Rishyas'ringa] a marutvân [son-giving] sacrifice so that Das'aratha [as the father-in-law] was delivered a child [as well as the rain, see B.G. 3: 14]. And so did he [Romapâda], sonless, indeed achieve offspring; he got Caturanga who then had Prithulâksa for his son.
9.23.11
bṛhadratho bṛhatkarmā
ādyād bṛhanmanās tasmāj
jayadratha udāhṛtaḥ
(11) Brihadratha, Brihatkarmâ and Brihadbhânu were his sons. From the eldest [Brihadratha] was there Brihanmanâ and from him was there the one celebrated as Jayadratha.
9.23.12
vijayas tasya sambhūtyāḿ
tato dhṛtir ajāyata
tato dhṛtavratas tasya
satkarmādhirathas tataḥ
(12) Vijaya with him born from Sambhûti had thereafter Dhriti and from him took Dhritavrata his birth from whom Satkarmâ was born who had Adhiratha for his son.
9.23.13
mañjūṣāntargataḿ śiśum
kuntyāpaviddhaḿ kānīnam
anapatyo 'karot sutam
(13) He playing at the bank of the Ganges found in a basket the baby that was abandoned by Kuntî because it was born before she was married. Being sonless he adopted it as his son [Karna].
9.23.14
vṛṣasenaḥ sutas tasya
karṇasya jagatīpate
setus tasyātmajas tataḥ
(14) O master of the universe, Vrishasena was Karna's son. Of Druhyu [Yayâti's third son] there was a son Babhru who next begot Setu.
9.23.15
ārabdhas tasya gāndhāras
(15) Ârabdha born from him had Gândhâra and from him incarnated Dharma. He had Dhrita, and of Dhrita there was Durmada of whom the son Pracetâ had a hundred sons. 9.23.16
mlecchādhipatayo 'bhūvann
turvasoś ca suto vahnir
vahner bhargo 'tha bhānumān
(16) They as kings accepted the jurisdiction over the northern direction, the uncivilized areas of Mlecchades'a. Turvasu [Yayâti's second son] had the son Vahni and Vahni had next Bharga who begot Bhânumân.
9.23.17
tribhānus tat-suto 'syāpi
(17) Tribhânu, his son, had also one: the magnanimous Karandhama. His son was Maruta; he, sonless, adopted a Paurava [Dushmanta, see also 9.20: 7] as his son.
9.23.18-19
yador vaḿśaḿ nararṣabha
(18-19) Dushmanta desirous for the throne, turned back to his clan [the Pûrus]. Of Yayâti's first son Yadu there was a dynasty, o best of the humans, that I'll now describe. To hear about the Yadu dynasty is a thing highly pious that vanquishes all sinful reactions in human society. Anyone simply hearing it is freed from the aftermath of sin.
9.23.20-21
yatrāvatīrṇo bhagavān
paramātmā narākṛtiḥ
śatajit prathamātmajaḥ
mahāhayo reṇuhayo
(20-21) In this dynasty descended the Supreme Lord [Krishna], the Supersoul, looking just like a human being [see also S.B. 1.2: 11]. Of Yadu there were the four sons celebrated as Sahasrajit, Kroshthâ, Nala and Ripu, and from them had S'atajit, born from the first of them, as his sons then Mahâhaya, Renuhaya and Haihaya.
As confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.11):
vadanti tat tattva-vidas
brahmeti paramātmeti
"Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān." The majority of transcendentalists understand only the impersonal Brahman or localized Paramātmā, for the Personality of Godhead is very difficult to understand. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (7.3):manuṣyāṇāḿ sahasreṣu
kaścin māḿ vetti tattvataḥ
"Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth." The yogīs and jñānīs — that is, the mystic yogīs and the impersonalists — can understand the Absolute Truth as impersonal or localized, but although such realized souls are above ordinary human beings, they cannot understand how the Supreme Absolute Truth can be a person. Therefore it is said that out of many siddhas, the souls who have already realized the Absolute Truth, one may understand Kṛṣṇa, who exactly resembles a human being (narākṛti). This human form was explained by Kṛṣṇa Himself after He manifested the virāṭ-rūpa. The virāṭ-rūpa is not the original form of the Lord; the Lord's original form is Dvibhuja-śyāmasundara, Muralīdhara, the Lord with two hands, playing a flute (yaḿ śyāmasundaram acintya-guṇa-svarūpam). The Lord's forms are proof of His inconceivable qualities. Although the Lord maintains innumerable universes within the period of His breath, He is dressed with a form exactly like that of a human being. That does not mean, however, that He is a human being. This is His original form, but because He looks like a human being, those with a poor fund of knowledge consider Him an ordinary man. The Lord says:avajānanti māḿ mūḍhā
"Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do not know My transcendental nature and My supreme dominion over all that be." (Bg. 9.11) By the Lord's paraḿ bhāvam, or transcendental nature, He is the all-pervading Paramātmā living in the core of the hearts of all living entities, yet He looks like a human being. Māyāvāda philosophy says that the Lord is originally impersonal but assumes a human form and many other forms when He descends. Actually, however, He is originally like a human being, and the impersonal Brahman consists of the rays of His body (yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi [Bs. 5.40]).
9.23.22
sohañjir abhavat kunter
(22) Dharma then became Haihaya's son and his son Netra was the father of Kunti [not Kuntî]. Sohañji became the son of Kunti and he begot Mahishmân who had Bhadrasenaka.
9.23.23
durmado bhadrasenasya
dhanakaḥ kṛtavīryasūḥ
kṛtaujā dhanakātmajāḥ
(23) Durmada was born of Bhadrasena together with Dhanaka. Dhanaka fathered the sons Kritavîrya, Kritâgni, Kritavarmâ and Kritaujâ.
9.23.24
dattātreyād dharer aḿśāt
(24) Of Kritavîrya there was Arjuna [Kârtavîryârjuna] who became emperor over the seven continents and obtained all the great qualities [the eight siddhis] of yoga from Lord Dattâtreya, an [ams'a] incarnation of the Supreme Personality [see also 9.15, 10.73 & 12.3].
9.23.25
(25) There was indeed none to find on this earth who could equal Kâritavîrya in his qualities of sacrifice, charity, austerity, yogi c achievement, education, strength and mercy.
9.23.26
(26) For eighty-five thousand years was his strength without deterioration indeed to be factually inexhaustible and could the six forms of pleasure [to the senses and mind] be enjoyed in full remembrance and all opulence.
9.23.27
pañcaivorvaritā mṛdhe
jayadhvajaḥ śūraseno
vṛṣabho madhur ūrjitaḥ
(27) Of his thousand sons only five remained alive in the fight [with Paras'urâma]: Jayadhvaja, S'ûrasena, Vrishabha, Madhu and Ûrjita.
9.23.28
jayadhvajāt tālajańghas
aurva-tejopasaḿhṛtam
(28) Jayadhvaja had Tâlajangha of whom then a hundred sons were born. They made up a kshatriya clan known as the Tâlajanghas that was destroyed thanks to the power [that Sagara] received from sage Aurva [see 9.8: 3-7].
9.23.29
teṣāḿ jyeṣṭho vītihotro
vṛṣṇiḥ putro madhoḥ smṛtaḥ
(29) Of Tâlajangha's eldest son Vîtihotra, there was Madhu, who had a hundred sons of whom, the celebrated Vrishni was the eldest. From him there was the dynasty.
9.23.30-31
yādavāś ceti saḿjñitāḥ
putro vṛjinavāḿs tataḥ
svāhito 'to viṣadgur vai
caturdaśa-mahāratnaś
cakravarty aparājitaḥ
(30-31) O King, the Yâdava, Mâdhava and Vrishni dynasties [of Lord Krishna's ancestors] received their names from their leading personalities. Yadu's son Kroshthâ had a son with the name Vrijinavân. His son was Svâhita who next had Vishadgu of whom there was Citraratha from whom S'as'abindu took his birth, a great yogi who became a highly fortunate personality who, undefeated as an emperor, had all the fourteen kinds of great riches [*].
In the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa the fourteen kinds of great jewels are described as follows: (1) an elephant, (2) a horse, (3) a chariot, (4) a wife, (5) arrows, (6) a reservoir of wealth, (7) a garland, (8) valuable costumes, (9) trees, (10) a spear, (11) a noose, (12) jewels, (13) an umbrella, and (14) regulative principles. To be the emperor, one must possess all fourteen of these opulences. Śaśabindu possessed them all.
9.23.32
putrāṇāḿ tāsv ajījanat
(32) S'as'abindu had ten thousand wives, and in them he so greatly famous begot ten thousand lakhs [**] of sons [and grandsons].
9.23.33
teṣāḿ tu ṣaṭ pradhānānāḿ
pṛthuśravasa ātmajaḥ
dharmo nāmośanā tasya
(33) From them we but know six as the foremost. Prithusravâ [one of them] had a son with the name Dharma. Us'anâ, his son performed a hundred as'vamedha sacrifices.
9.23.34
(34) Of his son Rucaka there were five sons named Pûrujit, Rukma, Rukmeshu, Prithu and Jyâmagha. Please hear now about them.
9.23.35-36
jyāmaghas tv aprajo 'py anyāḿ
nāvindac chatru-bhavanād
(35-36) Jyâmagha was, despite of the fact that he had no sons, afraid to accept another wife than his wife S'aibyâ. He then brought with him a sensual girl from the camp of an enemy clan upon which S'aibyâ seeing the girl sitting on her seat in the chariot very angry said to her husband: 'Who is this you have allowed to sit upon my seat on the chariot, you cheater?' 'She's your daughter-in-law' he then informed her upon which she smilingly said to her husband:
9.23.37
tasyeyam upayujyate
(37) 'I am sterile, I have no co-wife, how then can she be my daughter-in-law? What son could you put on this earth?''My Queen', [he replied,] 'This girl will be very suitable for him!'
9.23.38
(38) With the demigods and ancestors [as propitiated by Jyâmagha] accepting that statement got S'aibyâ pregnant and gave she in due course of time birth to a son. That son was the auspicious, well known Vidharba who later married the chaste girl that was accepted as the daughter-in-law'.
* In the Mârkandeya Purâna the fourteen kinds of great jewels of an emperor are described as follows: (1) an elephant, (2) a horse, (3) a chariot, (4) a wife, (5) arrows, (6) a reservoir of wealth, (7) a garland, (8) valuable costumes, (9) trees, (10) a spear, (11) a noose, (12) jewels, (13) an umbrella, and (14) regulative principles.
**: One lakh is one hundred thousand.
Canto 9
Chapter 24
The Yadu and Vrishni Dynasties, Prithâ and the Glory of Lord Krishna
Vidarbha had three sons, named Kuśa, Kratha and Romapāda. Of these three, Romapāda expanded his dynasty by the sons and grandsons named Babhru, Kṛti, Uśika, 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 Vṛṣṇi, Nirvṛti, Daśārha, Vyoma, Jīmūta, Vikṛti, Bhīmaratha, Navaratha, Daśaratha, Śakuni, Karambhi, Devarāta, Devakṣatra, Madhu, Kuruvaśa, Anu, Puruhotra, Ayu and Sātvata. Sātvata had seven sons. One of them was Devāvṛdha, whose son was Babhru. Another son of Sātvata was Mahābhoja, by whom the Bhoja dynasty was inaugurated. Another was Vṛṣṇi, who had a son named Yudhājit. From Yudhājit came Anamitra and Śini, and from Anamitra came Nighna and another Śini. The descendants in succession from Śini were Satyaka, Yuyudhāna, Jaya, Kuṇi and Yugandhara. Another son of Anamitra was Vṛṣṇi. From Vṛṣṇi came Śvaphalka, by whom Akrūra and twelve other sons were generated. From Akrūra came two sons, named Devavān and Upadeva. The son of Andhaka named Kukura was the origin of the descendants known as Vahni, Vilomā, Kapotaromā, Anu, Andhaka, Dundubhi, Avidyota, Punarvasu and Āhuka. Āhuka had two sons, named Devaka and Ugrasena. The four sons of Devaka were known as Devavān, Upadeva, Sudeva and Devavardhana, and his seven daughters were Dhṛtadevā, Śāntidevā, Upadevā, Śrīdevā, Devarakṣitā, Sahadevā and Devakī. Vasudeva married all seven daughters of Devaka. Ugrasena had nine sons named Kaḿsa, Sunāmā, Nyagrodha, Kańka, Śańku, Suhū, Rāṣṭrapāla, Dhṛṣṭi and Tuṣṭimān, and he had five daughters named Kaḿsā, Kaḿsavatī, Kańkā, Śūrabhū and Rāṣṭrapālikā. The younger brothers of Vasudeva married all the daughters of Ugrasena.
Vidūratha, the son of Citraratha, had a son named Śūra, who had ten other sons, of whom Vasudeva was the chief. Śūra gave one of his five daughters, Pṛthā, to his friend Kunti, and therefore she was also named Kuntī. In her maiden state she gave birth to a child named Karṇa, and later she married Mahārāja Pāṇḍu.
Vṛddhaśarmā married the daughter of Śūra named Śrutadevā, from whose womb Dantavakra was born. Dhṛṣṭaketu married Śūra's daughter named Śrutakīrti, who had five sons. Jayasena married Śūra's daughter named Rājādhidevī. The king of Cedi-deśa, Damaghoṣa, married the daughter of Śūra named Śrutaśravā, from whom Śiśupāla was born.
Devabhāga, through the womb of Kaḿsā, begot Citraketu and Bṛhadbala; and Devaśravā, through the womb of Kaḿsavatī, begot Suvīra and Iṣumān. From Kańka, through the womb of Kańkā, came Baka, Satyajit and Purujit, and from Sṛñjaya, through the womb of Rāṣṭrapālikā, came Vṛṣa and Durmarṣaṇa. Śyāmaka, through the womb of Śūrabhūmi, begot Harikeśa and Hiraṇyākṣa. Vatsaka, through the womb of Miśrakeśī, begot Vṛka, who begot the sons named Takṣa, Puṣkara and Śāla. From Samīka came Sumitra and Arjunapāla, and from Ānaka came Ṛtadhāmā and Jaya.
Vasudeva had many wives, of whom Devakī and Rohiṇī were the most important. From the womb of Rohiṇī, Baladeva was born, along with Gada, Sāraṇa, Durmada, Vipula, Dhruva, Kṛta and others. Vasudeva had many other sons by his other wives, and the eighth son to appear from the womb of Devakī 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 Vāsudeva.
9.24.1
tasyāḿ vidarbho 'janayat
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'In her [see 9.23: 35-38] begot Vidarbha [the son of the Yadu Jyâmagha] the two sons Kus'a and Kratha and a third one called Romapâda [also, see 9.23: 7-10] who was the favorite of the Vidarbha dynasty.
9.24.2
romapāda-suto babhrur
uśikas tat-sutas tasmāc
cediś caidyādayo nṛpāḥ
(2) Romapâda's son was Babhru, from Babhru was Kriti born and from his son Us'ika there was Cedi [see also 9.22: 6] from whom Caidya [Damaghosha, 7.1: 18] and other protectors of man were born.
9.24.3-4
vṛṣṇis tasyātha nirvṛtiḥ
tato daśārho nāmnābhūt
jīmūto vikṛtis tasya
tato navarathaḥ putro
jāto daśarathas tataḥ
(3-4) Of Kratha there was a son called Kunti, of whom Vrishni was born, from whom then Nirvriti took birth of whom the one named Das'ârha was born. From him there was a son Vyoma who begot Jîmûta who had Vikriti for his son of whom Bhîmaratha was born whose son Navaratha had Das'aratha.
9.24.5
karambhiḥ śakuneḥ putro
devakṣatras tatas tasya
(5) Karambhi of S'akuni [Das'aratha's son] got a son Devarâta, his son was Devakshatra and after him there was Madhu who got Kuruvas'a who begot Anu.
9.24.6-8
puruhotras tv anoḥ putras
tasyāyuḥ sātvatas tataḥ
bhajamāno bhajir divyo
vṛṣṇir devāvṛdho 'ndhakaḥ
śatājic ca sahasrājid
(6-8) From Pûruhotra, known as the son of Anu, there was Ayu, Ayu had Sâtvata for his son and Bhajamâna, Bhaji, Divya, Vrishni, Devâvridha, Andhaka and Mahâbhoja were the seven sons of Sâtvata, o worthy friend. From Bhajamâna there were with one wife the sons Nimloci, Kinkana and Dhrishthi, and with another one alike were there also the three sons of S'atâjit, Sahasrâjit and Ayutâjit, o master.
9.24.9
babhrur devāvṛdha-sutas
yathaiva śṛṇumo dūrāt
sampaśyāmas tathāntikāt
(9) Of Devâvridha and his son Babhru there are, as we have heard from others and is still the same seen at present, two verses recited by the old generation:
9.24.10-11
babhruḥ śreṣṭho manuṣyāṇāḿ
devair devāvṛdhaḥ samaḥ
ṣaṭ-sahasrāṇi cāṣṭa ca
babhror devāvṛdhād api
mahābhojo 'tidharmātmā
(10-11) 'Babhru, the best of all the humans and Devâvridha, the best among the godly - of the accord of these two have all the fourteen thousand sixty-five persons [who followed after them] achieved the eternal abode.' and: 'In the dynasty of Mahâbhoja was there from the association of the Bhoja kings of Babhru and Devâvridha only the more and more complete of the dharma'.
9.24.12
vṛṣṇeḥ sumitraḥ putro 'bhūd
śinis tasyānamitraś ca
nighno 'bhūd anamitrataḥ
(12) Of Vrishni [born from Sâtvata] appeared the sons Sumitra and Yudhâjit, o subduer of the enemies. S'ini and Anamitra took birth from him [Yudhâjit] and from Anamitra appeared Nighna.
9.24.13
satrājitaḥ prasenaś ca
nighnasyāthāsatuḥ sutau
anamitra-suto yo 'nyaḥ
(13) From Nighna came into existence the sons Satrâjita and Prasena. Another son of him was also called S'ini and his son was Satyaka.
9.24.14
yuyudhānaḥ sātyakir vai
yugandharo 'namitrasya
vṛṣṇiḥ putro 'paras tataḥ
(14) Yuyudhâna there of Satyaka had Jaya and from him there was Kuni whose son was Yugandhara. Another son of Anamitra was Vrishni.
9.24.15
śvaphalkaś citrarathaś ca
(15) S'vaphalka and Citraratha were his sons. Begotten in Gândinî by S'vaphalka there was Akrûra, the eldest of twelve other most celebrated sons:
9.24.16-18
mṛduro mṛduvid giriḥ
kṣetropekṣo 'rimardanaḥ
śatrughno gandhamādaś ca
tathā citrarathātmajāḥ
pṛthur vidūrathādyāś ca
(16-18) Âsanga, Sârameya and Mridura; Mriduvit, Giri, Dharmavriddha, Sukarmâ, Kshetropeksha and Arimardana; S'atrughna, Gandhamâda and Pratibâhu. To the twelve of them there was a sister named Sucârâ. Of Akrûra there are two sons named Devavân and Upadeva. Citraratha had, beginning with Prithu and Vidûratha, many sons known as the sons of Vrishni.
9.24.19
kukuro bhajamānaś ca
kukurasya suto vahnir
(19) Among Kukura, Bhajamâna, S'uci and Kambalabarhisha [sons of Andhaka see 6-8] had Kukura a son called Vahni from whom was born Vilomâ.
9.24.20
kapotaromā tasyānuḥ
andhakād dundubhis tasmād
(20) His son Kapotaromâ had Anu and his friend was Tumburu. Of Andhaka [Anu's son] there was Dundubhi from whom there was Avidyota who had a son named Punarvasu.
9.24.21-23
tasyāhukaś cāhukī ca
kanyā caivāhukātmajau
devakaś cograsenaś ca
catvāro devakātmajāḥ
sudevo devavardhanaḥ
dhṛtadevādayo nṛpa
śāntidevopadevā ca
(21-23) From him there were Âhuka and Âhukî, a son and a daughter, and of Âhuka there were the sons Devaka and Ugrasena. Devaka had four sons: Devavân, Upadeva, Sudeva and Devavardhana. There existed also seven daughters, o protector of man: S'ântidevâ, Upadevâ, S'rîdevâ, Devarakshitâ, Sahadevâ, Devakî and Dhritadevâ who was the eldest. Vasudeva [Krishna's father] married with them.
9.24.24
rāṣṭrapālo 'tha dhṛṣṭiś ca
(24) Kamsa, Sunâmâ, Nyagrodha, Kanka, S'anku, Suhû as also Râshthrapâla and next Dhrishthi and Tushthimân were Ugrasena's sons.
9.24.25
ugrasena-duhitaro
vasudevānuja-striyaḥ
(25) Ugrasena's daughters Kamsâ, Kamsavatî, Kankâ, S'ûrabhû and Râshtrapâlikâ became the wives of the younger brothers of Vasudeva.
9.24.26
śūro vidūrathād āsīd
(26) From S'ûra who was born to Vidûratha [the son of Citraratha of Vrishni] took a son called Bhajamâna his birth and from him there was S'ini who fathered the famous king Bhoja whose son is the celebrated Hridika.
9.24.27
(27) Devamîdha, S'atadhanu and Kritavarmâ then were his sons. Of Devamîdha there was [another] S'ûra who had a wife named Mârishâ.
9.24.28-31
deva-dundubhayo nedur
vadanty ānakadundubhim
rājādhidevī caiteṣāḿ
(28-31) In her he begot ten sons: Vasudeva, Devabhâga, Devas'ravâ, Ânaka, Sriñjaya, S'yâmaka, Kanka, s'amîka, Vatsaka and Vrika. When Vasudeva took his birth was he by the godly welcomed with the sounds of kettledrums beaten. He is also called Ânakadundubhi for giving the Lord His place of birth. S'ûra's daughters Prithâ [the mother of Arjuna, Krishna's nephew and friend] and S'rutadevâ as also S'rutakîrti, S'rutas'ravâ and Râjâdhidevî were his five sisters. Father S'ûra delivered to a childless friend called Kunti, Prithâ who thus is also known as Kuntî.
9.24.32
(32) She received from Durvâsâ, whom she had pleased, the knowledge to call for any demigod. Just to examine that potency called she, the pious one, for the sun-god.
9.24.33
tadaivopāgataḿ devaḿ
pratyayārthaḿ prayuktā me
(33) When she saw that very instant the godhead appearing before her, was she very surprised and said she: 'Please forgive me o godhead, please return, I only engaged to check out what it would do!'
9.24.34
kartāhaḿ te sumadhyame
(34) [The sun-god answered:] 'Not to be fruitless in your meeting with a godhead shall I give you to that a son in your womb and I'll arrange it so for you, o my beauty, that you will not be defiled.'
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 Pṛthā, wanted to give her a child, Pṛthā 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 Karṇa. The custom is that a girl should be married akṣata-yoni, that is, with her virginity undisturbed. A girl should never bear a child before her marriage.
9.24.35
(35) Promising her this made the sun-god her pregnant and returned He to His heavenly abode.' Directly thereafter was a child born that was like a second sun-god.
9.24.36
(36) Afraid of what the people might think did she greatly sorry forsake that child [Karna: 'into the ear'] letting it go in the water of the river [in a basket, see also 9.23: 13]; it was indeed your pious and chivalrous great-grandfather Pându who married her.
9.24.37
śrutadevāḿ tu kārūṣo
yasyām abhūd dantavakra
(37) From the marriage of S'rutadevâ [Kuntî's sister] with Vriddhas'armâ, the king of Karûsha, was then Dantavakra born. Dantavakra was the one who, cursed by the seven sages [originally by the Kumâras, see Jaya and Vijaya], became a son of Diti.
9.24.38
kaikeyo dhṛṣṭaketuś ca
santardanādayas tasyāḿ
(38) Dhrishthaketu, the king of Kekaya, married S'rutakîrti with whom he had five sons headed by Santardana.
9.24.39
jayaseno 'janiṣṭa ha
(39) Râjâdhidevî gave with Jayasena birth to sons [named Vinda and Anuvinda]. Damaghosha, the king of Cedi, then married S'rutas'ravâ.
9.24.40
śiśupālaḥ sutas tasyāḥ
kathitas tasya sambhavaḥ
(40) S'is'upâla, whose birth I already described [7.1: 46; 7.10: 38], was her son. From Devabhâga [one of Vasudeva's brothers] were there with the wife Kamsâ, [the sons] Citraketu and Brihadbala.
9.24.41
suvīra iṣumāḿs tathā
(41) From Devas'ravâ gave Kamsavatî birth to Suvîra and Ishumân; and by Kanka were Baka, Satyajit and Pûrujit begotten in Kankâ.
9.24.42
sṛñjayo rāṣṭrapālyāḿ ca
vṛṣa-durmarṣaṇādikān
(42) Sriñjaya with Râshtrapâlikâ begot sons headed by Vrisha and Durmarshana. S'yâmaka in S'ûrabhûmi begot Harikes'a and Hiranyâksha.
9.24.43
vṛkādīn vatsakas tathā
(43) In Mis'rakes'î, a girl of heaven, were by Vatsaka begotten Vrika and other sons. Vrika gave his wife Durvâkshî sons with Taksha, Pushkara and S'âla as the first among them.
9.24.44
sumitrārjunapālādīn
(44) Sumitra and Arjunapâla as the eldest were then by s'amîka begotten in Sudâmanî. Ânaka with Karnikâ gave birth to Ritadhâmâ and Jaya as well.
9.24.45
devakī-pramukhāś cāsan
(45) Pauravî, Rohinî, Bhadrâ, Madirâ, Rocanâ and Ilâ headed by Devakî were the wives [see also 21-23] there for Ânakadundubhi [Vasudeva].
9.24.46
vasudevas tu rohiṇyāḿ
kṛtādīn udapādayat
(46) With Krita first were Bala, Gada, Sârana and Durmada, Vipula and Dhruva the sons that Vasudeva then begot in Rohinî.
9.24.47-48
subhadro bhadrabāhuś ca
bhūtādyā dvādaśābhavan
nandopananda-kṛtaka-
śūrādyā madirātmajāḥ
(47-48) Subhadrâ, Bhadrabâhu, Durmada and Bhadra were among the twelve sons headed by Bhûta who took birth from Pauravî. Nanda, Upananda, Kritaka, S'ûra and others were the sons of Madirâ, while Kaus'alyâ [Bhadrâ] gave birth to only one son named Kes'î.
9.24.49
hasta-hemāńgadādayaḥ
ilāyām uruvalkādīn
(49) From the one named Rocanâ were thereafter Hasta, Hemângada and others born. In Ilâ he begot the sons headed by Uruvalka who were the leading personalities of the Yadu dynasty.
9.24.50
vipṛṣṭho dhṛtadevāyām
śāntidevātmajā rājan
praśama-prasitādayaḥ
(50) Ânakadundubhi begot in Dhritadevâ one son: Viprishthha, while Pras'ama, Prasita and others were the sons of S'ântidevâ, o King.
9.24.51
(51) Râjanya, Kalpa and Varsha and others were the first of the ten sons with Upadevâ and Vasu, Hamsa and Suvams'a and others were the six sons [Vasudeva had] with S'rîdevâ.
9.24.52
nava cātra gadādayaḥ
vasudevaḥ sutān aṣṭāv
(52) In Devarakshitâ he also achieved nine of them to be there with Gadâ as the first. In Sahadevâ begot Vasudeva eight sons.9.24.53-55
sańkarṣaṇam ahīśvaram
(53-55) They, with S'ruta and Pravara [or Pauvara] leading, were directly the dharma personified of the Vasus. Vasudeva begot in Devakî then eight highly qualified sons: Kîrtimân, Sushena, Bhadrasena, Riju, Sammardana, Bhadra and Sankarshana, the serpent controller. The eighth one that appeared from the two of them was the Lord in person [Krishna]; and what of [His sister] Subhadrâ, your so greatly fortunate grandmother, o King?
The fifty-fifth verse says, svayam eva hariḥ kila, indicating that Kṛṣṇa, the eighth son of Devakī, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kṛṣṇa is not an incarnation. Although there is no difference between the Supreme Personality of Godhead Hari and His incarnation, Kṛṣṇa is the original Supreme Person, the complete Godhead. Incarnations exhibit only a certain percentage of the potencies of Godhead; the complete Godhead is Kṛṣṇa Himself, who appeared as the eighth son of Devakī.
9.24.56
(56) Whenever and wherever there is a decline in the dharma and an increase of sinful activities, then, at that time, descends the Supreme Lord, the Controller Hari personally [see B.G. 4: 7].
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-gītā (4.7) by the Lord Himself:
yadā yadā hi dharmasya
tadātmānaḿ sṛjāmy 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 Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to inaugurate the Hare Kṛṣṇa 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 Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has inaugurated the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, which is not different from Kṛṣṇa, 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 Kṛṣṇa mantra and thus gain relief from all the problems created in this age of Kali.
9.24.57
(57) Apart from the Controller His compassion with the fallen souls is there no reason at all for His taking birth or acting either, o great leader; He's the One in the Beyond, the Witness who is the Supreme Self [see also B.G. 8: 4].
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 (karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur dehopapattaye [SB 3.31.1]). A living being is never independent and can never appear independently. Rather, one is forced to accept a body imposed upon him by māyā according to his past karma. As explained in Bhagavad-gītā (18.61), yantrārūḍhāni māyayā. 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 māyā, 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 Kṛṣṇa descends, however, He does so out of His merciful compassion for the fallen souls. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (4.8):
paritrāṇāya sādhūnāḿ
dharma-saḿsthāpanārthāya
"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 Kṛṣṇa or become Kṛṣṇa are condemned in every way. No one can equal or surpass Kṛṣṇa, who is therefore described as asamaurdhva. According to the Viśva-kośa dictionary, the word māyā 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-gītā (7.14), daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā: "This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome." But when Kṛṣṇa comes the word māyā refers to His compassion or mercy upon the devotees and fallen souls. By His potency, the Lord can deliver everyone, whether sinful or pious.9.24.58
anugrahas tan-nivṛtter
(58) Whatever He enacts through the material energy He does out of compassion in order to stop the [materialistic] reality of the birth, the duration and annihilation of the living entities and lead them back home, back to Godhead ['to meet with the true self', see B.G. 15: 7 and 13: 20-24].
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-gītā (15.7):
mamaivāḿśo jīva-loke
manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi
"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. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 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 Kṛṣṇa, he is put into the material world, where he begins his life as Brahmā and is gradually degraded to the status of an ant or a worm in stool. This is called manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati [Bg. 15.7]. There is a great struggle for existence because the living entity conditioned by material nature is under nature's full control (prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ [Bg. 3.27]). Because of his limited knowledge, however, the living entity thinks he is enjoying in this material world. Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati [Bg. 15.7]. He is actually under the full control of material nature, but still he thinks himself independent (ahańkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate [Bg. 3.27]). Even when he is elevated by speculative knowledge and tries to merge into the existence of Brahman, the same disease continues.Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraḿ padaḿ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ (Bhāg. 10.2.32). Even having attained that paraḿ 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-gītā (4.7):
yadā yadā hi dharmasya
tadātmānaḿ sṛjāmy 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 Kṛṣṇa, but the rebellious living entity, instead of surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, engages in adharma, in a struggle for existence to become like Kṛṣṇa. Therefore out of compassion Kṛṣṇa creates this material world to give the living entity a chance to understand his real position. Bhagavad-gītā and similar Vedic literatures are presented so that the living being may understand his relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (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-jijñāsā. Every conditioned soul is struggling, but human life provides the best chance for him to understand his position. Therefore this verse says, anugrahas tan-nivṛtteḥ, 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 apratiṣṭhaḿ te
jagad āhur anīśvaram
"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, Kṛṣṇa 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-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (Bg. 13.9). One must stop the repetition of birth and death. Every human being, therefore, should take advantage of this creation by understanding Kṛṣṇa and his relationship with Kṛṣṇa and in this way return home, back to Godhead.9.24.59
akṣauhiṇīnāḿ patibhir
asurair nṛpa-lāñchanaiḥ
bhuva ākramyamāṇāyā
abhārāya kṛtodyamaḥ
(59) By the military power which at great expense by the, actually for leadership unfit, unenlightened rulers is set up in order to attack one another, He paves the way for diminishing their numbers [see also 1.11: 35, 3.3 and 7.9: 43].
As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (4.8), paritrāṇāya sādhūnāḿ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām. The sādhus, the devotees of the Lord, are always eager to advance the cause of Kṛṣṇa 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 Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and therefore Kṛṣṇa 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 Kṛṣṇa consciousness. For this purpose, Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā (4.13), cātur-varṇyaḿ mayā sṛṣṭaḿ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ: "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 brāhmaṇas, and they should be given all protection. Namo brahmaṇya-devāya go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca. Kṛṣṇa is very fond of brāhmaṇas and cows, The brāhmaṇas promulgate the cause of advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and the cows give enough milk to maintain the body in the mode of goodness. The kṣatriyas and the government should be advised by the brāhmaṇas. Next, the vaiśyas should produce enough foodstuffs, and the śūdras, who cannot do anything beneficial on their own, should serve the three higher classes (the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas and vaiśyas). 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 Kṛṣṇa's descent on the surface of the earth (paritrāṇāya sādhūnāḿ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām [Bg. 4.8]).
Everyone must understand Kṛṣṇa's activities (janma karma ca me divyam [Bg. 4.9]). If one understands the purpose of Kṛṣṇa's coming to this earth and performing His activities, one is immediately liberated. This liberation is the purpose of the creation and Kṛṣṇa'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 Kṛṣṇa's devotees want to teach Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that people will be satisfied with plain living and Kṛṣṇa 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'hitaḥ; that is, they are meant for the misfortune of the people in general. Kṣayāya: such activities lead to annihilation. One who understands the purpose of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, should seriously understand the importance of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and seriously take part in it. One should not endeavor for ugra-karma, or unnecessary work for sense gratification. Nūnaḿ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti (Bhāg. 5.5.4). Simply for sense gratification, people make plans for material happiness. Māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (Bhāg. 7.9.43). They do this because they are all vimūḍhas, rascals. For flickering happiness, people waste their human energy, not understanding the importance of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement but instead accusing the simple devotees of brainwashing. Demons may falsely accuse the preachers of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, but Kṛṣṇa will arrange a fight between the demons in which all their military power will be engaged and both parties of demons will be annihilated.
9.24.60
karmāṇy aparimeyāṇi
manasāpi sureśvaraiḥ
(60) Even to the minds of the controllers of enlightenment [Brahmâ and S'iva] are the activities that by the Supreme Lord, the killer of Madhu, were performed with Sankarshana [Balarâma], beyond measure.
9.24.61
supuṇyaḿ vyatanod yaśaḥ
(61) To dispell the darkness of the misery and lamentation of the ones to be born in this age of Kali, just to show the devotees His mercy, displayed He His pious activities.
The Lord's activities of saving the devotees and killing the demons (paritrāṇāya sādhūnāḿ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām [Bg. 4.8]) take place side by side. Kṛṣṇa actually appears for the deliverance of the sādhus, or bhaktas, but by killing the demons He shows them mercy also, for anyone killed by Kṛṣṇa is liberated. Whether the Lord kills or gives protection, He is kind to both the demons and the devotees.
9.24.62
śrotrāñjalir upaspṛśya
(62) In respect of this pleasing [the soul] with keeping one's ears to the truth and keeping oneself to the holy places is, with one's being in touch in hearing about the transcendental, the strong desire for fruitive activities destroyed forever.
When the devotees aurally receive the activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead as enacted in Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, 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-mṛtyu jarā-vyādhi — birth, death, old age and disease — but the devotee, simply by hearing the message of Bhagavad-gītā and further relishing the narrations of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, becomes so pure that he no longer takes interest in materialistic activities. At the moment, devotees in the Western countries are being attracted by Kṛṣṇa 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 śrotrāñjalir upaspṛśya 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. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11] Materialistic activities are unnecessary for the soul, and therefore the devotees are freed from such activities. The devotees are situated in liberation (brahma-bhūyāya kalpate), and therefore they cannot be called back to their material homes and materialistic activities.
9.24.63-64
ślāghanīyehitaḥ śaśvat
snigdha-smitekṣitodārair
(63-64) He always endeavoring assisted by the praiseworthy Kurus, Sriñjayas and Pândavas, He together with the ones of Bhoja, Vrishni, Andhaka, Madhu, S'ûrasena and Das'ârha, He with His affectionate smiles, His instructions and His as magnanimous to consider heroic pastimes, pleased the human society with His personal form which is so attractive in every respect.
The words nṛlokaḿ ramayām āsa mūrtyā sarvāńga-ramyayā are significant. Kṛṣṇa is the original form. Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is therefore described here by the word mūrtyā. The word mūrti means "form." Kṛṣṇa, or God, is never impersonal; the impersonal feature is but a manifestation of His transcendental body (yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi [Bs. 5.40]). The Lord is narākṛti, exactly resembling the form of a human being, but His form is different from ours. Therefore the word sarvāńga-ramyayā 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.
9.24.65
nityotsavaḿ na tatṛpur dṛśibhiḥ pibantyo
(65) All men and women [of Vrindâvana] who to their satisfaction imbibed the sight of His face and forehead, so brilliantly decorated with the shark-shaped earrings in His beautiful ears; all who imbibe His smiles of enjoyment that to the eye are a never ending festival, are all angry with their own eyes for their blinking! [see also B.G. 7: 3]
As stated by the Lord Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā (7.3):
manuṣyāṇāḿ sahasreṣu
kaścin māḿ vetti tattvataḥ
"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 Kṛṣṇa, one cannot appreciate the presence of Kṛṣṇa on earth. Among the Bhojas, Vṛṣṇis, Andhakas, Pāṇḍavas and many other kings intimately related with Kṛṣṇa, the intimate relationship between Kṛṣṇa and the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana is especially to be noted. That relationship is described in this verse by the words nityotsavaḿ na tatṛpur dṛśibhiḥ pibantyaḥ. The inhabitants of Vṛndāvana especially, such as the cowherd boys, the cows, the calves, the gopīs and Kṛṣṇa's father and mother, were never fully satisfied, although they saw Kṛṣṇa's beautiful features constantly. Seeing Kṛṣṇa is described here as nitya-utsava, a daily festival. The inhabitants of Vṛndāvana saw Kṛṣṇa almost every moment, but when Kṛṣṇa left the village for the pasturing grounds, where He tended the cows and calves, the gopīs were very much afflicted because they saw Kṛṣṇa walking on the sand and thought that Kṛṣṇa'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 gopīs were affected, and they cried at home. These gopīs, who were therefore the exalted friends of Kṛṣṇa, saw Kṛṣṇa constantly, but because their eyelids disturbed their vision of Kṛṣṇa, the gopīs condemned the creator, Lord Brahmā. Therefore the beauty of Kṛṣṇa, 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 Kṛṣṇa's beauty. Now we are proceeding to the Tenth Canto, which is considered Kṛṣṇa's head. The entire Śrīmad-Bhāgavata Purāṇa is the embodiment of Kṛṣṇa's form, and the Tenth Canto is His face. This verse gives a hint of how beautiful His face is. Kṛṣṇa'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 gopīs, who thus enjoyed transcendental bliss, so much so that they were never fully satisfied to see Kṛṣṇa's face, but instead condemned the creator of the body for making eyelids that obstructed their vision. The beauty of Kṛṣṇa's face was therefore much more appreciated by the gopīs than by His friends the cowherd boys or even by Yaśodā Mātā, who was also interested in decorating the face of Kṛṣṇa.9.24.66
(66) After taking His birth left He His father's house to improve the position of Vraja [and Vrindâvana] by killing there many demons; He begot hundreds of sons accepting thousands of fine women for His wives and as the Supreme Person worshiped by many sacrifices expanded He Himself with the [householder] people with respect for the vedic rituals [see also B.G. 4: 8].
As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (15.15), vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ: by all the Vedas, it is Kṛṣṇa who is to be known. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, setting an example by His own behavior, performed many ritualistic ceremonies described in the Vedas and established the principles of gṛhastha 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 Kṛṣṇa (vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ [Bg. 15.15]). To advance in human life, human society must follow the Vedic principles personally demonstrated by Lord Kṛṣṇa in His householder life. The real purpose of Kṛṣṇa'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 Vṛndāvana. Therefore just after His appearance as the son of Vasudeva, the Lord immediately left for Vṛndāvana. In Vṛndāvana, the Lord not only took part in loving affairs with His father and mother, the gopīs and the cowherd boys, but also gave liberation to many demons by killing them. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (4.8), paritrāṇāya sādhūnāḿ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām: the Lord appears in order to protect the devotees and kill the demons. This was fully exhibited by His personal behavior. In Bhagavad-gītā the Lord is understood by Arjuna to be puruṣaḿ śāśvataḿ divyam — the eternal, transcendental Supreme Person. Here also we find the words utpādya teṣu puruṣaḥ. Therefore it is to be concluded that the Absolute Truth is puruṣa, 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 puruṣa, a person, but He is the līlā-puruṣottama, the best of all persons.
9.24.67
(67) He in the battle [of Kurukshetra] put an end to the great burden on this earth of Kuru personalities by arranging a quarrel among them; under His supervision were all the profit-minded rulers vanquished to the occasion of which He [to Arjuna] declared what in life would be the victory [see Gîtâ] and finally, after giving transcendental instructions unto Uddhava [see 3.2, 3.4: 29, eleventh canto], returned He to His heavenly abode.'
paritrāṇāya sādhūnāḿ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām [Bg. 4.8]. The mission of Lord Kṛṣṇa was performed on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, 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 sārūpya. Finally, Lord Kṛṣṇa 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-gītā are full of jñāna and vairāgya, 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 (paritrāṇāya sādhūnāḿ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām [Bg. 4.8]). After executing His complete mission, the Lord returned to His home, Goloka Vṛndāvana.
Thus the ninth Canto of the S'rîmad Bhâgavatam ends named: 'Liberation'.
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