VedaVyasa
Praneetha
The Mad Bhagavatam
Canto 12
Chapter 6
Mahârâja Parîkchit Liberated and the Veda Handed Down in Four
(Mahārāja Parīkṣit Passes Away)
This chapter describes Mahārāja Parīkṣit's attainment of liberation, Mahārāja Janamejaya's performance of sacrifice for killing all snakes, the origin of the Vedas, and Śrīla Vedavyāsa's dividing of the Vedic literature.
After hearing the words of Śrī Śukadeva, Mahārāja Parīkṣit stated that by having listened to the Bhāgavatam, which is the compendium of the Purāṇas and which is full of the nectarean pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Uttamaḥśloka, Parīkṣit had attained the transcendental position of fearlessness and oneness with the Supreme. His ignorance had been dispelled, and by the mercy of Śrī Śukadeva he had gained sight of the supremely auspicious personal form of God, namely the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Hari. As a result, he had cast aside all fear of death. Śrī Parīkṣit Mahārāja then begged Śukadeva Gosvāmī to permit him to fix his heart upon the lotus feet of Lord Hari and give up his life. Granting this permission, Śrī Śukadeva rose and departed. Subsequently Mahārāja Parīkṣit, free of all doubts, sat down in yogic posture and merged himself in meditation upon the Supersoul. Then the snake-bird Takṣaka, arriving in the disguise of a brāhmaṇa, bit him, and the body of the saintly king immediately burned to ashes.
Janamejaya, the son of Parīkṣit, became very angry when he received news of his father's death, and he began a sacrificial performance for the purpose of destroying all the snakes. Even though Takṣaka received protection from Indra, he nevertheless became attracted by the mantras and was about to fall into the fire. Seeing this, Bṛhaspati, the son of Ańgirā Ṛṣi, came and advised Mahārāja Janamejaya that Takṣaka could not be killed because he had drunk the nectar of the demigods. Furthermore, Ańgirā said that all living entities must enjoy the fruits of their past activities. Therefore the king should give up this sacrifice. Janamejaya was thus convinced by the words of Bṛhaspati and stopped his sacrifice.
Thereafter Sūta Gosvāmī, in response to questions from Śrī Śaunaka, described the divisions of the Vedas. From the heart of the topmost demigod, Brahmā, came the subtle transcendental vibration, and from this subtle sound vibration arose the syllable oḿ, greatly potent and self-luminous. Using this oḿkāra, Lord Brahmā created the original Vedas and taught them to his sons, Marīci and others, who were all saintly leaders of the brāhmaṇa community. This body of Vedic knowledge was handed down through the disciplic succession of spiritual masters until the end of Dvāpara-yuga, when Lord Vyāsadeva divided it into four parts and instructed various schools of sages in these four saḿhitās. When the sage Yājñavalkya was rejected by his spiritual master, he had to give up all the Vedic mantras he had received from him. To obtain new mantras of the Yajur Veda, Yājñavalkya worshiped the Supreme Lord in the form of the sun-god. Śrī Sūryadeva subsequently fulfilled his prayer.
12.6.1
(1) S'rî Sûta said: "Mahârâja Parîkchit, the one protected by Vishnu, hearing what by the sage, the equalminded seer of the Supreme Soul, the son of Vyâsa, was said, approached his lotus feet, bowed his head down and said with his hands folded to him the following.
some of the sages present while Śukadeva was instructing King Parīkṣit were impersonalist philosophers. Thus the word samena indicates that in the previous chapter Śukadeva Gosvāmī had spoken the philosophy of self-realization in a way pleasing to such intellectual yogīs.
12.6.2
rājovāca
siddho 'smy anugṛhīto 'smi
bhavatā karuṇātmanā
śrāvito yac ca me sākṣād
(2) The king said: 'With the great mercy shown by your goodness I have attained perfection, because a compassionate soul like you has described directly to me the Lord Without a Beginning or and End.
12.6.3
mahatām acyutātmanām
(3) I do not consider it surprising for great souls absorbed in the Infallible One to be of mercy with the ignorant conditioned souls who are tormented by distress.
12.6.4
yasyāḿ khalūttamaḥ-śloko
bhagavān anavarṇyate
(4) We [thus] heard from you this collection of classical stories in which the Supreme Lord Uttamas'loka is fittingly described [*].
12.6.5
bhagavaḿs takṣakādibhyo
(5) My lord, I do not fear Takshaka or any other living being, nor do I fear repeated deaths; I have entered the Spirit of the Absolute you have revealed as standing apart from everything material and free from fear.
12.6.6
vācaḿ yacchāmy adhokṣaje
(6) Please allow me, o brahmin, to dedicate my speech [and other sensory functions] to Adhokshaja so that I, with an absorbed mind having given up all sensual desires, may give up my life air.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī asked King Parīkṣit, "What more do you wish to hear?" Now the King replies that he has perfectly understood the message of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and that he is ready, without further discussion, to go back home, back to Godhead.
12.6.7
(7) With the help of you showing the all-auspicious, supreme shelter of the Lord Almighty, I have become fixed in non-material knowledge and wisdom and my ignorance has been eradicated'."
12.6.8
(8) Sûta said: "Thus addressed the powerful saint, the son of Vyâsa, gave him the permission. Then, after being worshiped by that god among the people and the renounced sages, he went away.
12.6.9-10
parīkṣid api rājarṣir
niḥsańgaś chinna-saḿśayaḥ
(9-10) Parîkchit, the saintly king, putting his mind to his soul by the power of reason, meditated upon the Supreme and arrested his breath so that he became as motionless as a tree. Sitting upon darbha grass laid to the east on the bank of the Ganges the great yogi, facing the north, broke in perfect realization of God with all doubts.
Mahārāja Parīkṣit then sat down on the bank of the Ganges, upon a seat made of darbha grass with the tips of its stalks facing east, and turned himself toward the north. Having attained the perfection of yoga, he experienced full self-realization and was free of material attachment and doubt. The saintly King settled his mind within his spiritual self by pure intelligence and proceeded to meditate upon the Supreme Absolute Truth. His life air ceased to move, and he became as stationary as a tree.
12.6.11
takṣakaḥ prahito viprāḥ
(11) O learned ones, when Takshaka, triggered by the angered son of the twice-born one [Samika], went on his way to kill the king, he met Kas'yapa Muni [see 1.18].
12.6.12
taḿ tarpayitvā draviṇair
(12) Satisfying him, an expert in countering poison, with valuables, Takshaka persuaded him to return home. Thereupon he, who could assume any form he wished, disguised himself as a brahmin and bit the king.
Kaśyapa could counteract the poison of Takṣaka and demonstrated this power by bringing a palm tree back to life after Takṣaka had burned it to ashes by biting it with his fangs. According to the arrangement of destiny, Kaśyapa was diverted by Takṣaka, and the inevitable took place.
12.6.13
deho 'hi-garalāgninā
(13) While all embodied beings were looking on the body of the fully selfrealized saint among the kings that was consumed by the fire of the snake's poison turned immediately to ashes.
12.6.14
devāsura-narādayaḥ
(14) There was a great cry of lamentation from all directions of the earth and the sky expressing how verily all the demigods, demons, human beings and other creatures were stunned.
12.6.15
deva-dundubhayo nedur
gandharvāpsaraso jaguḥ
(15) The godly resounded kettledrums, the Gandharvas and Apsaras sang and rained down a shower of flowers and the wise spoke words of praise.
Although lamenting at first, all learned persons, including the demigods, soon realized that a great soul had gone back home, back to Godhead. This was certainly a cause for celebration.
12.6.16
yathājuhāva sankruddho
(16) Janamejaya hearing that his father was bitten by Takshaka, most enraged accordingly offered together with the twice-born the snakes [of all the world] as oblations in a great sacrifice.
12.6.17
dahyamānān mahoragān
dṛṣṭvendraḿ bhaya-saḿvignas
(17) Takshaka seeing the great serpents being burned in the blazing fire of the snake sacrifice, very disturbed with fear went to Indra for shelter.
12.6.18
apaśyaḿs takṣakaḿ tatra
uvāca takṣakaḥ kasmān
na dahyetoragādhamaḥ
(18) King Janamejaya not seeing Takshaka among them said to the brahmins: 'Why has Takshaka, the lowest of all serpents not been burned?'
12.6.19
tena saḿstambhitaḥ sarpas
tasmān nāgnau pataty asau
(19) [They answered:] 'O best of the kings, he has approached Indra for shelter and under his protection the snake therefore didn't end up in the fire.'
12.6.20
sahendras takṣako viprā
(20) The mighty intelligent son of Parîkchit hearing these words replied to the priests: 'O learned ones then why not throw Takshaka along with Indra into the fire?'
12.6.21
tac chrutvājuhuvur viprāḥ
sahendraḿ takṣakaḿ makhe
takṣakāśu patasveha
sahendreṇa marutvatā
(21) Hearing that the learned ones performed the ritual for offering Takshaka along with Indra: 'O Takshaka, may you quickly fall here into this fire together with Indra and his host of demigods'.
12.6.22
iti brahmoditākṣepaiḥ
sthānād indraḥ pracālitaḥ
(22) Indra who along with Takshaka and his vimâna saw his position undermined by the derogatory words of the brahmins was greatly disturbed about what he heard.
12.6.23
vilokyāńgirasaḥ prāha
(23) When Brihaspati spotted him with Takshaka in his vimâna falling from the sky, the son of Angirâ addressed the king:
12.6.24
naiṣa tvayā manuṣyendra
(24) 'This snake-bird doesn't deserve to be killed by you, o great ruler of men; by him, the king of the snakes, has the nectar of the gods been drunk and therefore he is unquestinably free from old age and practically immortal!
12.6.25
rājaḿs tato 'nyo nāsty asya
(25) The life and death of a living being and his destination in his next life o King, are only the result of his karma; for him there is apart from that no other agent giving happiness and distress.
Although King Parīkṣit apparently died by the bite of Takṣaka, it was Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself who brought the King back to the kingdom of God. Bṛhaspati wanted young King Janamejaya to see things from the spiritual point of view.
12.6.26
sarpa-caurāgni-vidyudbhyaḥ
(26) Someone born may die because of snakes, thieves, fire and lightening, hunger, thirst, disease and other agents o King, but in any of these cases he undergoes the reactions to what he did in the past.
King Parīkṣit obviously was not suffering the reaction of past karma. As a great devotee he was personally brought back home, back to Godhead, by the Lord.
12.6.27
saḿsthīyetābhicārikam
(27) For that reason o King, this sacrifice that is performed with the intent to harm the serpents should be stopped. When we burn the innocent for certain persons will have to suffer for that bid [see also the Mahâbhârata 1.43]."
Bṛhaspati here admits that although the snakes appeared to be innocent, by the Lord's arrangement they were also being punished for previous vicious activities.
12.6.28
(28) Sûta said: "Thus being addressed he with respect for the words of the great sage said: 'So be it!', and ceasing with the snake sacrifice he worshiped the master of eloquence [Brihaspati].
12.6.29
bādhyayālakṣaṇā yayā
muhyanty asyaivātma-bhūtā
(29) This very mahâmâyâ of Vishnu cannot be discerned or checked by those who, as part-and-parcel spiritual souls belonging to Him, get bewildered because of Him as a consequence of their normal bodily functioning according to the modes of nature.
The illusory energy of Lord Viṣṇu is so powerful that even the illustrious son of King Parīkṣit was temporarily misdirected. Because he was a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, however, his bewilderment was quickly rectified. On the other hand, an ordinary, materialistic person without the special protection of the Lord plummets to the depths of material ignorance. Factually, materialistic persons are not interested in the protection of Lord Viṣṇu. Therefore their complete ruination is inevitable.
12.6.30-31
(30-31) The visible illusory energy in which one missing the peace thinks 'that's a fraud' is not [prevailing] when one constantly watches what is going on in the soul. This because one in that about which the transcendentalists speak is not of the materialistic arguments that assume so many forms nor of the mind with its functions of decisions and doubts that is a consequence of that. In that [transcendental consciousness] the living entity is not of worldly concerns or of their causes and the benefits achieved by them, nor is he then of the I-awareness that is so strong when one is associating with the modes. That is all excluded then. Someone wise should take pleasure in warding off the waves of worldly conditioning as well as those who are entangled thus [see also e.g. 6.4: 31-32].
The illusory energy of the Lord, Māyā, can freely exert her influence over those who are hypocritical, deceitful and disobedient to the laws of God. Since the Personality of Godhead is free of all material qualities, Māyā herself becomes fearful in His presence. As stated by Lord Brahmā (vilajjamānayā yasya sthātum īkṣa-pate 'muyā): "Māyā herself is ashamed to stand face to face with the Supreme Lord."
In the supreme spiritual reality, useless academic wrangling is completely absent. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (6.4.31),
"Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the all-pervading Supreme Personality of Godhead, who possesses unlimited transcendental qualities. Acting from within the cores of the hearts of all philosophers, who propagate various views, He causes them to forget their own souls while sometimes agreeing and sometimes disagreeing among themselves. Thus He creates within this material world a situation in which they are unable to come to a conclusion. I offer my obeisances unto Him."
12.6.32
yan neti netīty atad-utsisṛkṣavaḥ
hṛdopaguhyāvasitaḿ samāhitaiḥ
(32) The supreme refuge of Lord Vishnu is by those who are desirous to forsake [the world] designated as that which is 'nor this, nor that' [see also neti neti]. And thus they, who direct their emotions nowhere else, reject the petty materialism and embrace thereto in their hearts the 'not-that' [of the Soul, of Him] that the ones who are of absorption hold on to.
The words yan neti netīty atad-utsisṛkṣavaḥ indicate the process of negative discrimination, by which one engaged in the search for essential and absolute truth systematically rejects all that is superfluous, superficial and relative. Throughout the world people have gradually rejected the ultimate validity of political, social and even religious truths, but because they lack Kṛṣṇa consciousness they remain bewildered and cynical. However, as clearly stated here, paraḿ padaḿ vaiṣṇavam āmananti tat. Those who actually desire perfect knowledge must not only reject the nonessential but must also ultimately understand the essential spiritual reality called paraḿ padaḿ vaiṣṇavam: the supreme destination, the abode of Lord Viṣṇu. Padam indicates both the status and the abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which can be understood only by those who give up petty materialism and adopt the position of ananya-sauhṛdam, exclusive love for the Lord. Such exclusive love is not narrow-minded or sectarian, because all living entities, being within the Lord, are automatically served when one directly serves the supreme entity. This process of rendering the highest service to the Lord and to all living entities constitutes the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which is taught throughout Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
12.6.33
ta etad adhigacchanti
ahaḿ mameti daurjanyaḿ
(33) They for whom there is not the corruption of the 'I' and 'mine' that is based upon having a home and a body, that way find out what the supreme refuge of Vishnu is.
12.6.34
ativādāḿs titikṣeta
nāvamanyeta kañcana
(34) Insulting words one should tolerate, one should never disrespect anyone, nor identify with this material body or hold a grudge against whomever.
12.6.35
kṛṣṇāyākuṇṭha-medhase
(35) I offer my obeisances to Him, the Supreme Personality of Godhead S'rî Krishna whose power is never impeded and upon whose lotus feet I meditating have assimilated this collection of wisdom [Samhitâ]'."
12.6.36
pailādibhir vyāsa-śiṣyair
vedācāryair mahātmabhiḥ
(36) S'rî S'aunaka said: "Please tell us this: in what way spoke Paila and the other greatly intelligent disciples of Vyâsa who constitute the vedic authority, about the Vedas and how divided they them?"
12.6.37
samāhitātmano brahman
hṛdy ākāśād abhūn nādo
vṛtti-rodhād vibhāvyate
(37) Sûta said: "O brahmin, Lord Brahmâ, the most elevated being, had his mind perfectly under control and heard in his heart the subtle transcendental sound [of ta-pa, 2.9: 6] which arose from the ether. One can hear that sound when one closes one's ears for sounds from the outside [see also s'abda].
Because Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the supreme Vedic literature, the sages headed by Śaunaka desired to trace out its source.
12.6.38
(38) By the worship of that sound, o brahmin, yogis cleanse away from the heart the contamination known as the substance, the activity and the doer [**], and thus achieve freedom from rebirth.
12.6.39
yo 'vyakta-prabhavaḥ sva-rāṭ
(39) From that activity the threefold omkâra came into being which, manifesting itself without that its power is seen, is the representation of the Supreme Lord [Bhagavân], the Absolute Truth [Brahman] and the Supersoul [Paramâtmâ, see also 1.2: 11, B.G. 7: 8].
12.6.40-41
sva-dhāmno brāhmaṇaḥ sākṣād
(40-41) He [the Supreme Self] perceives this unmanifest, subtle sound outside of the physical sense of hearing and power of vision. The complete of the vedic sound one employs is an elaboration thereof: an elaboration of the omkâra which appears from the soul in the ether. Of the self-originating Brahman and Paramâtmâ it is the direct expression. It is the eternal seed of the Vedas that is the secret of all mantras [see also 7.15: 31, 9.14: 48, 11.14: 34-35, 11.21: 36-40].
The senses of a sleeping person do not function until he has awakened. Therefore, when a sleeping person is awakened by a noise, one may ask, "Who heard the noise?" The words supta-śrotre in this verse indicate that the Supreme Lord within the heart hears the sound and awakens the sleeping living entities. The Lord's sensory activities always function on a superior level. Ultimately, all sounds vibrate within the sky, and in the internal region of the heart there is a type of sky meant for the vibration of Vedic sounds. The seed, or source, of all Vedic sounds is the oḿkāra. This is confirmed by the Vedic statement oḿ ity etad brahmaṇo nediṣṭham nāma. The full elaboration of the Vedic seed sound is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the greatest Vedic literature.
12.6.42
a-kārādyā bhṛgūdvaha
guṇa-nāmārtha-vṛttayaḥ
(42) O eminence of Bhrigu, the three sounds [A, U and M] of the alphabet beginning with A originated therefrom [from that sound]. They are fundamental to the threefold aspect of material existence, viz. the gunas, the names [of the three Vedas] the destinations [the three types of lokas] and states of consciousness [avasthâtraya].
sustain all the different threefold aspects of material existence, including the three modes of nature, the names of the Ṛg, Yajur and Sāma Vedas, the goals known as the Bhūr, Bhuvar and Svar planetary systems, and the three functional platforms called waking consciousness, sleep and deep sleep.
12.6.43
tato 'kṣara-samāmnāyam
hrasva-dīrghādi-lakṣaṇam
(43) The mighty unborn Lord [Brahmâ] created from it the different sounds of the total collection of vowels, sibilants, semivowels, and consonants as they are known by their short and long measures.
12.6.44
tenāsau caturo vedāḿś
caturbhir vadanair vibhuḥ
sa-vyāhṛtikān soḿkārāḿś
(44) The almighty one created with them from his four faces the four Vedas, along with his omkâra and his vyâhriti invocations [of the names of the seven lokas]. He did this because he desired to give instruction on the four sacrifices [see ritvik].
12.6.45
putrān adhyāpayat tāḿs tu
(45) He taught them to his sons who were the great rishis among the brahmins most expert in the art of vedic recitation, and they on their turn imparted them to their own sons as their teachers of the dharma [âcâryas].
12.6.46
te paramparayā prāptās
dvāparādau maharṣibhiḥ
(46) This way throughout the four yugas one after the other, generation after generation the disciples who were firm in their belief received them [these Vedas, through the paramparâ]. Then, at the end of Dvâpara-yuga they were divided by the prominent sages.
12.6.47
(47) Observing that under the influence of kâla [the people became] lesser intelligent and short-lived and that their strength was diminished, divided the chief sages, inspired by the Infallible Lord situated in their hearts, the Vedas [see also 1.4: 16-18].
12.6.48-49
brahmeśādyair loka-pālair
(48-49) O brahmin, in this period [of Manu], the rulers over the worlds - Brahmâ and S'iva and others - requested the Supreme Lord, the Protector of the Universe, to protect the principles of religion. The Lord [in the form of Krishna Dvaipâyana Vyâsa], begotten by Parâs'ara in the womb of Satyavatî, then decended as a partial expansion of His plenary portion [as a partial expansion of Sankarshana thus], with the purpose of dividing the Veda in four.
O brāhmaṇa, in the present age of Vaivasvata Manu, the leaders of the universe, led by Brahmā and Śiva, requested the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the protector of all the worlds, to save the principles of religion. O most fortunate Śaunaka, the almighty Lord, exhibiting a divine spark of a portion of His plenary portion, then appeared in the womb of Satyavatī as the son of Parāśara. In this form, named Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa, he divided the one Veda into four.
12.6.50
(50) Just like sorting out gems, he separated the collection of mantras, providing four specific categories of collections [Samhitâs]: the Rig, Atharva, Yajur and Sâma Veda [see Vedas]. (
When Lord Brahmā first spoke the four Vedas with his four mouths, the mantras were mixed together like an unsorted collection of various types of jewels. Śrīla Vyāsadeva sorted the Vedic mantras into four divisions (saḿhitās), which thus became the recognizable Ṛg, Atharva, Yajur and Sāma Vedas.
12.6.51
ekaikāḿ saḿhitāḿ brahmann
51) The greatly intelligent and powerful sage, one by one asked four of his disciples to approach him in order to give each of them one of the [four] collections, o brahmin.
12.6.52-53
nigadākhyaḿ yajur-gaṇam
atharvāńgirasīḿ nāma
(52-53) He taught Paila the first collection [the Rig Veda] naming it Bahvrica ['many verses'], to Vais'ampâyana he spoke the collection of Yajur mantras naming them Nigada ['the recited'], the Sâma mantras named Chandoga ['singer in metre'] he taught Jaimini and the mantras named Atharva and Angirâ he entrusted his dear disciple Sumantu [see also 4.21: 22].
12.6.54-56
bāṣkalāya ca so 'py āha
parāśarāyāgnimitra
indrapramitir ātmavān
tasya śiṣyo devamitraḥ
saubhary-ādibhya ūcivān
(54-56) Paila spoke his Samhitâ [divided in two] to Indrapramiti and Bâshkala. The latter one, dividing his collection in four o son of Bhrigu [S'aunaka], handed it down to his disciples Bodhya, Yâjñavalkya, Parâs'ara and Agnimitra. Indrapramiti, self-controlled, taught his collection to the learned seer [his son] Mândûkeya, and his disciple Devamitra taught it to Saubhari and others.
According to Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī, Māṇḍūkeya was the son of Indrapramiti, from whom he received Vedic knowledge.
12.6.57
(57) S'âkalya, his son, divided his collection in five parts he one by one gave to Vâtsya, Mudgala, S'âlîya, Gokhalya and S'is'ira.
12.6.58
jātūkarṇyaś ca tac-chiṣyaḥ
(58) Sage Jâtûkarnya, also a disciple of his added to the collection he received a glossary when he passed it down to Balâka, Paila, Jâbâla and Viraja.
12.6.59
bāṣkaliḥ prati-śākhābhyo
vālakhilyākhya-saḿhitām
(59) Bâshkali [the son of Bâshkala] assembled from all the different branches [of the Rig Veda] the collection called the Vâlakhilya-Samhitâ which next was received by [the daitya sons] Vâlâyani, Bhajya and Kâs'âra.
12.6.60
ebhir brahmarṣibhir dhṛtāḥ
śrutvaitac-chandasāḿ vyāsaḿ
(60) Thus were the collections of these many verses by these brahmin rishis maintained in [disciplic] resolve. The one who hears about the distribution of these sacred verses is freed from all sins.
12.6.61
carakādhvaryavo 'bhavan
yac cerur brahma-hatyāḿhaḥ
kṣapaṇaḿ sva-guror vratam
(61) The disciples of Vais'ampâyana, became authorities of the Atharva Veda and are known as the Carakas ['the ones vowed'] because they executed strict vows to atone for the sin of their guru who had killed a brahmin.
12.6.62
yājñavalkyaś ca tac-chiṣya
caritenālpa-sārāṇāḿ
(62) Yâjñavalkya, one of his disciples, in this respect had said: 'O master, what would be the value of the endeavors of these weak fellows? I'll perform a most difficult penance!'
12.6.63
ity ukto gurur apy āha
viprāvamantrā śiṣyeṇa
(63) Thus addressed his spiritual master got angry and said: 'Go away, enough of you insulting the learned; right now give everything up you learned from me!'
Śrī Vaiśampāyana was angry because one of his disciples, Yājñavalkya, was insulting the other disciples, who were, after all, qualified brāhmaṇas. Just as a father is disturbed when one son mistreats the father's other children, the spiritual master is very displeased if a proud disciple insults or mistreats the guru's other disciples.
12.6.64-65
tato gato 'tha munayo
tal-lolupatayādaduḥ
(64-65) The son of Devaratâ then regurgitated the collected Yajur mantras and left thereafter. The sages greedily looking at these Yajur mantras turned into partridges and picked them up. Thus these branches of the Yayur Veda became known as the most beautiful Taittirîya-Samhitâ ['the partridge collection']. Yājñavalkya, the son of Devarāta, then vomited the mantras of the Yajur Veda and went away from there. The assembled disciples, looking greedily upon these yajur hymns, assumed the form of partridges and picked them all up. These divisions of the Yajur Veda therefore became known as the most beautiful Taittirīya-saḿhitā, the hymns collected by partridges [tittirāḥ].
According to Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī, it is improper for a brāhmaṇa to collect what has been vomited, and so the powerful brāhmaṇa disciples of Vaiśampāyana assumed the form of tittiras, partridges, and collected the valuable mantras.
12.6.66
yājñavalkyas tato brahmaḿś
chandāḿsy adhi gaveṣayan
guror avidyamānāni
sūpatasthe 'rkam īśvaram
(66) O brahmin, Yâjñavalkya, who next sought for additional mantras his spiritual master not even knew, carefully offered prayers to the mighty controller that is the sun.
12.6.67
svarūpeṇa catur-vidha-bhūta-nikāyānāḿ brahmādi-stamba-paryantānām antar-hṛdayeṣu bahir api cākāśa ivopādhināvyavadhīyamāno bhavān eka
eva kṣaṇa-lava-nimeṣāvayavopacita-saḿvatsara-gaṇenāpām ādāna-
(67) S'rî Yâjñavalkya said: 'My obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead who, appearing as the sun, as the Supersoul in the form of Time is present [as the Controller] in the hearts of the four kinds of living entities beginning from Brahmâ down to the blades of grass [as born from wombs, eggs, moist and seed, see also 2.10: 37-40]. You who, the same way as the sky [by its clouds], can not be covered by material designations, all by Yourself, with the flow of years made up of the tiny fragments of kshanas, lavas and nimeshas [see 3.11: 7], carry out the maintenance of this universe by taking away and returning the water [as rain].
Just as the sky is present both inside and outside every living being, you exist both within the hearts of all as the Supersoul and externally in the form of time. Just as the sky cannot be covered by the clouds present within it, you are never covered by any false material designation. By the flow of years, which are made up of the tiny fragments of time called kṣaṇas, lavas and nimeṣas, you alone maintain this world, drying up the waters and giving them back as rain.
This prayer is not offered to the sun-god as an independent or autonomous entity but rather to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, represented by His powerful expansion the solar deity.
12.6.68
yad u ha vāva vibudharṣabha savitar adas tapaty anusavanam ahar
bījāvabharjana bhagavataḥ samabhidhīmahi tapana maṇḍalam
(68) O Lord of the Sun, o glowing one, o Best Among the Ones Awakened, by the rules of the sacred tradition I daily meditate at the [three] junctures of the day with full attention upon the glowing sphere of You, the mighty controller, who of all those who offer prayers burn all the sins, as also the resultant suffering and that what lead to it [see also 11.14: 35 and the Gâyatrî].
12.6.69
ya iha vāva sthira-cara-nikarāṇāḿ nija-niketanānāḿ mana-indriyāsu-
gaṇān anātmanaḥ svayam ātmāntar-yāmī pracodayati
(69) You, who in this world indeed are the Lord dwelling in the hearts of all the moving and nonmoving living beings who depend on Your shelter, animate the nonliving matter of the mind, the senses and the different vital airs [the vâyus].
12.6.70
gilitaḿ mṛtakam iva vicetanam avalokyānukampayā parama-kāruṇika īkṣayaivotthāpyāhar ahar anusavanaḿ śreyasi sva-dharmākhyātmāva-
(70) You alone, most magnanimous mercifully glancing over [the creation] awaken, with the gift of sight, the sleeping people of this world who, seized and swallowed by the horrible mouth of the python that is known as darkness, fell into unconsciousness like they were dead. At the beginning, half way and at the end of the day You so, day after day, for the sake of finding the soul engage the pious in the ultimate benefit that is known as their personal duty and nature of service [svadharma].
According to Vedic culture, the three higher classes of society (the intellectual, political and mercantile sections) are formally connected with the spiritual master by initiation and receive the Gāyatrī mantra. This purifying mantra is chanted three times daily — at sunrise, noon and sunset. Auspicious moments for the performance of spiritual duties are calculated according to the sun's path in the sky, and this systematic scheduling of spiritual duties is here attributed to the sun as the representative of God.
12.6.71
(71) Like an earthly king You travel around everywhere creating fear among the sinners while the controlling deities of the directions holding lotusflowers from different sides with folded palms offer their respects.
12.6.72
atha ha bhagavaḿs tava caraṇa-nalina-yugalaḿ tri-bhuvana-gurubhir abhivanditam aham ayāta-yāma-yajuṣ-kāma upasarāmīti
(72) Thus my Lord I, desirous for Yajur mantras that are not known to others, with prayer approach Your two lotus feet that are honored by the spiritual masters of the three worlds [lokas, and see 5.23: 8]'."
12.6.73
(73) Sûta said: "He, the Supreme Lord of the Sun being satisfied assumed the form of a horse and presented to the sage the Yajur mantras that were never learned by any other mortal being [see also 5.18: 6].
12.6.74
yajurbhir akaroc chākhā
jagṛhur vājasanyas tāḥ
kāṇva-mādhyandinādayaḥ
(74) With the hundreds of Yajur mantras the mighty sage contrived fifteen branches and accepted by the disciples Kânva and Mâdhyandina under the name Vâjaseneyi: 'produced from the manes of the horse'. From these countless hundreds of mantras of the Yajur Veda, the powerful sage compiled fifteen new branches of Vedic literature. These became known as the Vājasaneyi-saḿhitā because they were produced from the hairs of the horse's mane, and they were accepted in disciplic succession by the followers of Kāṇva, Mādhyandina and other ṛṣis.
12.6.75
sumantus tanayo muniḥ
(75) Of Jaimini Rishi, the reciter of the Sâma Veda, there was a son Sumantu as well as his grandson Sutvân; to each of them he spoke one of the two parts of the collection.
12.6.76-77
pauṣyañjiś ca sukarmaṇaḥ
śiṣyau jagṛhatuś cānya
(76-77) Sukarmâ, another disciple [of Jaimini] and great thinker, divided the tree of the Sâma Veda into a thousand collections of Sâma mantras after which, o brâhmin, the two disciples Hiranyanâbha - the son of Kus'ala - and Paushyañji, plus another one, Âvantya who was most advanced in spiritual realization, took charge of them.
12.6.78
pauṣyañjy-āvantyayoś cāpi
tāḿś ca prācyān pracakṣate
(78) There was a total of five hundred disciples of Paushyañji and Âvantya who are called the Sâma Veda singers of the north, but they are on the contrary [in later times, some of them] also known as the eastern singers.
12.6.79
(79) Other disciples of Paushyañji, namely Laugâkshi, Mângali, Kulya, Kus'îda and Kukshi, each took care of a hundred collections of mantras.
12.6.80
kṛto hiraṇyanābhasya
(80) Krita, the disciple of Hiranyanâbha, communicated twenty four Samhitâs to his disciples; the remaining ones were handed down by the self-realized sage Âvantya."
Thus end of the Twelfth Canto, Sixth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled "Mahārāja Parīkṣit Passes Away."
Footnote:
* The S'rîmad Bhâgavatam is also known by the name of 'Paramahamsa Samhitâ': the collection of stories about the Supreme Swanlike Lord.
** The substance, the activity and the doer as impurities are understood as manifestations of the ego-inspiring modes of the ignorance of inert matter, the passion of movement and the goodness of knowledge, also known as the adhibhautika hindrance of the body, the adhyâtmika hindrance of the organs of action and the adhidaivika hindrance of the senses of perception [see kles'a
(My humble salutations to the lotus feet of Swamyjis, Philosophers, Scholars and Knowledge Seekers for the collection)
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