Vyasadev
Praneetha
The Mad Bhagavatam
Canto 6
Chapter 11: The Transcendental Qualities of Vritrâsura
This chapter describes Vṛtrāsura's great qualities. When the prominent commanders of the demons fled, not hearing Vṛtrāsura's advice. Vṛtrāsura condemned them all as cowards. Speaking very bravely, he stood alone to face the demigods. When the demigods saw Vṛtrāsura's attitude, they were so afraid that they practically fainted, and Vṛtrāsura began trampling them down. Unable to tolerate this, Indra, the King of the demigods, threw his club at Vṛtrāsura, but Vṛtrāsura was such a great hero that he easily caught the club with his left hand and used it to beat Indra's elephant. Struck by the blow of Vṛtrāsura, the elephant was pushed back fourteen yards and fell, with Indra on its back.
King Indra had first accepted Viśvarūpa as his priest and thereafter killed him. Reminding Indra of his heinous activities, Vṛtrāsura said, "If one is a devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Viṣṇu, and depends on Lord Viṣṇu in every respect, then victory, opulence and peace of mind are all inevitably available. Such a person has nothing for which to aspire in the three worlds. The Supreme Lord is so kind that He especially favors such a devotee by not giving him opulence that will hamper his devotional service. Therefore I wish to give up everything for the service of the Lord. I wish always to chant the glories of the Lord and engage in His service. Let me become unattached to my worldly family and make friendships with the devotees of the Lord. I do not desire to be promoted to the higher planetary systems, even to Dhruvaloka or Brahmaloka, nor do I desire an unconquerable position within this material world. I have no need for such things."
6.11.1
naivāgṛhṇanta sambhrāntāḥ
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Afraid and disturbed as they were intent on fleeing, oh King, they [the commanders of Vritrâsura] didn't take heed of the words of their master who thus was stressing the dharma.
6.11.2-3
āsurīm asurarṣabhaḥ
kālānukūlais tridaśaiḥ
kālyamānām anāthavat
dṛṣṭvātapyata sańkruddha
indra-śatrur amarṣitaḥ
(2-3) When the best of the Asuras saw that the asura army, as if there was no one to protect them, was scattered and chased by the demigods now that the moment offered them the opportunity, the enemy of Indra was in great pain. Not able to tolerate this, he angry with great force stepped in their way to rebuke them with the following words:
O King Parīkṣit, the demigods, taking advantage of a favorable opportunity presented by time, attacked the army of the demons from the rear and began driving away the demoniac soldiers, scattering them here and there as if their army had no leader. Seeing the pitiable condition of his soldiers, Vṛtrāsura, the best of the asuras, who was called Indraśatru, the enemy of Indra, was very much aggrieved. Unable to tolerate such reverses, he stopped and forcefully rebuked the demigods, speaking the following words in an angry mood.
6.11.4
dhāvadbhiḥ pṛṣṭhato hataiḥ
(4) 'Of what interest are these shitty mummy's boys to you? There is certainly no glory to be found in attacking from behind and killing someone who flees in fear. Someone who thus thinks to be a hero, will not attain a better world.
Vṛtrāsura rebuked both the demigods and the demoniac soldiers because the demons were running in fear of their lives and the demigods were killing them from behind. The actions of both were abominable. When a fight takes place, the opposing parties must be prepared to fight like heroes. A hero never runs from the field of battle. He always fights face to face, determined to gain victory or lay down his life in the fight. That is heroic. Killing an enemy from behind is also inglorious. When an enemy turns his back and runs in fear of his life, he should not be killed. This is the etiquette of military science.
Vṛtrāsura insulted the demoniac soldiers by comparing them to the stool of their mothers. Both stool and a cowardly son come from the abdomen of the mother, and Vṛtrāsura said that there is no difference between them. A similar comparison was given by Tulasī dāsa, who commented that a son and urine both come from the same channel. In other words, semen and urine both come from the genitals, but semen produces a child whereas urine produces nothing. Therefore if a child is neither a hero nor a devotee, he is not a son but urine. Similarly, Cāṇakya Paṇḍita also says:
"What is the use of a son who is neither glorious nor devoted to the Lord? Such a son is like a blind eye, which simply gives pain but cannot help one see."
6.11.5
(5) If you believe in your battle, if you have patience in your hearts and if you're free from desiring worldly happiness oh insignificant souls, then just keep standing in front of me for a moment.'
6.11.6
vyanadat sumahā-prāṇo
(6) Thus with his extremely powerful, physical presence roaring full of anger he threatened the demigods, his enemies and scared everyone out of his wits.
6.11.7
yathaivāśaninā hatāḥ
(7) Because of that outburst of Vritra factually all the God-conscious ones fell unconscious to the ground as if they were struck by lightning.
6.11.8
(8) The entire sura army that in fear had closed its eyes was trampled asunder. Arrogantly, like a mad elephant running through a forest of hollow bamboos, he holding his trident high, that violently stepped around on the field that the earth shook beneath his feet.
6.11.9
(9) Seeing him in such a rage the carrier of the thunderbolt [Indra] indignantly ran towards his enemy and threw the mightiest of clubs at him. But the demon caught the difficult to withstand weapon in its flight very easily with his left hand.
6.11.10
(10) That incensed Vritrâsura even more. Roaring loudly he then with his club struck Indra's elephant that was so famous for its strength on the head. This feat commanded the respect of all the soldiers on the battlefield oh ruler of man.
6.11.11
airāvato vṛtra-gadābhimṛṣṭo
vighūrṇito 'driḥ kuliśāhato yathā
(11) Airâvata, struck by the club in Vritra's hand shook like a mountain hit by a thunderbolt and was, in great pain and spitting blood with a broken jaw, together with Indra thrown back a fourteen yards.
6.11.12
(12) The great soul [though] refrained from using the club again [when he saw how] Indra, innerly shaken about what had happened to his carrier that didn't die, by the touch of his nectarean hand relieved the animal from all pains and injuries so that he stood up before him.
TRANSLATION
When he saw Indra's carrier elephant thus fatigued and injured and when he saw Indra morose because his carrier had been harmed in that way, the great soul Vṛtrāsura, following religious principles, refrained from again striking Indra with the club. Taking this opportunity, Indra touched the elephant with his nectar-producing hand, thus relieving the animal's pain and curing its injuries. Then the elephant and Indra both stood silently.
6.11.13
(13) When he thus saw Indra who armed with a thunderbolt wanted to fight his enemy oh King Parîkchit, he again remembered that Indra in the past had killed his brother. Mad in his grief about that great and cruel sin, he sarcastically laughing addressed him.
6.11.14
mac-chūla-nirbhinna-dṛṣad-dhṛdācirāt
(14) S'rî Vritra said: 'What a fortune to encounter your lordship as my enemy, you the slayer of a brahmin who was your guru and my brother. How lucky I am today to be soon relieved from my debt to my brother by piercing my trident straight through your heart of stone, oh you total falsehood in person!
6.11.15
yo no 'grajasyātma-vido dvijāter
(15) You desiring heaven, mercilessly severed with your sword the three heads from the trunk of our innocent elder brother like he was an animal. He was a fully qualified and selfrealized brahmin. He was your spiritual teacher entrusted with the task of leading the sacrifices!
6.11.16
(16) You bereft of all shame, mercy, beauty and glory are by your actions condemnable even to creatures below the human level [like the Râkshasas]. You will have to die in great pain after my trident has pierced your body which as a corpse will not be burned but be eaten by the vultures.
6.11.17
(17) You who proved yourself so cruel, I will together with all the others who thoughtlessly following you attacked me with raised swords, with their severed heads on my pointy trident sacrifice to [Bhairava] the leader of the evil ghosts and his hordes.
6.11.18
(18) But in case you oh heroic lordship of mine, with your thunderbolt in this battle manage to cut off my head and destroy my army, I having falling prey to the scavengers, will on the other hand be relieved of all debts and achieve the dust of the feet of the great sages.
6.11.19
syān niṣphalaḥ kṛpaṇārtheva yācñā
(19) Oh master of the godly, why don't you hurl your thunderbolt at me, your enemy standing in front of you? Do not doubt its infallibility, the bolt may succeed unlike the club that is just as useless as a request for money with a miser.
When King Indra threw his club at Vṛtrāsura, Vṛtrāsura caught it in his left hand and retaliated by using it to strike the head of Indra's elephant. Thus Indra's attack was a disastrous failure. Indeed, Indra's elephant was injured and thrown back fourteen yards. Therefore even though Indra stood with the thunderbolt to hurl against Vṛtrāsura, he was doubtful, thinking that the thunderbolt might also fail. Vṛtrāsura, however, being a Vaiṣṇava, assured Indra that the thunderbolt would not fail, for Vṛtrāsura knew that it had been prepared in accordance with the instructions of Lord Viṣṇu. Although Indra had doubts because he could not understand that Lord Viṣṇu's order never fails, Vṛtrāsura understood Lord Viṣṇu's purpose. Vṛtrāsura was eager to be killed by the thunderbolt manufactured according to Lord Viṣṇu's instructions because he was sure that he would thus return home, back to Godhead. He was simply waiting for the opportunity of the thunderbolt's being released. In effect, therefore, Vṛtrāsura told Indra, "If you want to kill me, since I am your enemy, take this opportunity. Kill me. You will gain victory, and I shall go back to Godhead. Your deed will be equally beneficial for both of us. Do it immediately."
6.11.20
(20) This thunderbolt of yours oh Indra, that is empowered by the prowess of Vishnu and the penance of Dadhîci, for certain without fail will kill your enemy. Whatever that is established by Lord Vishnu will bring the Lord's victory and all His opulences and qualities.
Vṛtrāsura not only assured King Indra that the thunderbolt was invincible, but also encouraged Indra to use it against him as soon as possible. Vṛtrāsura was eager to die with the stroke of the thunderbolt sent by Lord Viṣṇu so that he could immediately return home, back to Godhead. By hurling the thunderbolt, Indra would gain victory and enjoy the heavenly planets, remaining in the material world for repeated birth and death. Indra wanted to gain victory over Vṛtrāsura and thereby become happy, but that would not at all be happiness. The heavenly planets are just below Brahmaloka, but as stated by the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna: [Bg. 8.16] even if one achieves Brahmaloka, he must still fall to the lower planetary systems again and again. However, if one goes back to Godhead, he never returns to this material world. By killing Vṛtrāsura, Indra would not actually gain; he would remain in the material world. Vṛtrāsura, however, would go to the spiritual world. Therefore victory was destined for Vṛtrāsura, not for Indra.
6.11.21
sańkarṣaṇas tac-caraṇāravinde
(21) By the force of your thunderbolt the rope of my material attachment will be cut. And when I give up this world then I, with my mind fixed on the lotus feet of Lord Sankarshana, will exactly as He has said [see 5.25: 8] reach the destination of the munis.
The words ahaḿ samādhāya manaḥ indicate that the most important duty at the time of death is to concentrate one's mind. If one can fix his mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu, Sańkarṣaṇa or any Viṣṇu mūrti, his life will be successful. To be killed while fixing his mind at the lotus feet of Sańkarṣaṇa, Vṛtrāsura asked Indra to release his vajra, or thunderbolt. He was destined to be killed by the thunderbolt given by Lord Viṣṇu; there was no question of its being baffled. Therefore Vṛtrāsura requested Indra to release the thunderbolt immediately, and he prepared himself by fixing his mind at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. A devotee is always ready to give up his material body, which is described herein as grāmya-pāśa, the rope of material attachment. The body is not at all good; it is simply a cause of bondage to the material world. Unfortunately, even though the body is destined for destruction, fools and rascals invest all their faith in the body and are never eager to return home, back to Godhead.
6.11.22
(22) Persons advanced in spiritual life He recognizes as His own. He will not bestow upon them the opulences found in the divine, earthly and hellish spheres because they lead to envy, anxiety, agitation, pride, quarrel, distress and belligerence.
"As devotees surrender unto Me, I reward them accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Pṛthā." Both Indra and Vṛtrāsura were certainly devotees of the Lord, although Indra took instructions from Viṣṇu to kill Vṛtrāsura. The Lord was actually more favorable to Vṛtrāsura because after being killed by Indra's thunderbolt, Vṛtrāsura would go back to Godhead, whereas the victorious Indra would rot in this material world. Because both of them were devotees, the Lord awarded them the respective benedictions they wanted. Vṛtrāsura never wanted material possessions, for he knew very well the nature of such possessions. To accumulate material possessions, one must labor very hard, and when he gets them he creates many enemies because this material world is always full of rivalry. If one becomes rich, his friends or relatives are envious. For ekānta-bhaktas, unalloyed devotees, Kṛṣṇa therefore never provides material possessions. A devotee sometimes needs some material possessions for preaching, but the possessions of a preacher are not like those of a karmī. A karmī's possessions are achieved as a result of karma, but those of a devotee are arranged by the Supreme Personality of Godhead just to facilitate his devotional activities. Because a devotee never uses material possessions for any purpose other than the service of the Lord, the possessions of a devotee are not to be compared to those of a karmī.
6.11.23
tato 'numeyo bhagavat-prasādo
yo durlabho 'kiñcana-gocaro 'nyaiḥ
(23) Oh Indra the endeavors of a person to attain the three goals of life [settled religion, economy and sense satisfaction] are obstructed by our Lord. This is to be recognized as the special mercy of the Fortunate One [leading to stability, happiness and consciousness] which is easy to reach for unalloyed devotees but so very difficult to attain by others [who always get entangled in the consequences of their actions].
There are four objectives in human life — namely, religiosity (dharma), economic development (artha), sense gratification (kāma), and liberation (mokṣa) from the bondage of material existence. People generally aspire for religiosity, economic development and sense gratification, but a devotee has no other desire than to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead both in this life and in the next. The special mercy for the unalloyed devotee is that the Lord saves him from hard labor to achieve the results of religion, economic development and sense gratification. Of course, if one wants such benefits, the Lord certainly awards them. Indra, for example, although a devotee, was not much interested in release from material bondage; instead, he desired sense gratification and a high standard of material happiness in the heavenly planets. Vṛtrāsura, however, being an unalloyed devotee, aspired only to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore the Lord arranged for him to go back to Godhead after his bodily bondage was destroyed by Indra. Vṛtrāsura requested Indra to release his thunderbolt against him as soon as possible so that both he and Indra would benefit according to their proportionate advancement in devotional service.
6.11.24
dāsānudāso bhavitāsmi bhūyaḥ
(24) [And therefore I pray:] 'Oh my Lord, shall I be reborn as a servant of Your servant whose only shelter is to be at Your lotus feet? May my mind remember the transcendental qualities of You oh Lord of my life, may my words be of praise and my body be engaged in working for You!
This verse gives the sum and substance of devotional life. One must first become a servant of the servant of the servant of the Lord (dāsānudāsa). Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised, and He also showed by His own example, that a living entity should always desire to be a servant of the servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa, the maintainer of the gopīs (gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ). This means that one must accept a spiritual master who comes in the disciplic succession and is a servant of the servant of the Lord. Under his direction, one must then engage one's three properties, namely his body, mind and words. The body should be engaged in physical activity under the order of the master, the mind should think of Kṛṣṇa incessantly, and one's words should be engaged in preaching the glories of the Lord. If one is thus engaged in the loving service of the Lord, one's life is successful.
6.11.25
(25) I do not desire a place in heaven or the topmost position [of Brahmâ], not the rule over the world nor to dictate the lower worlds. I do not desire the perfections [the siddhis] of yoga nor to be freed from rebirth oh source of all opportunity, all I want is not to be separated from You!
6.11.26
(26) Like small birds who unable to fly are looking for their mother, like a calf distressed with hunger looking for the udder, like a lover morose about the beloved who left, my mind the same way longs to see You oh lotus-eyed One.
6.11.27
tvan-māyayātmātmaja-dāra-geheṣv
(27) May there for me who because of his karma wanders around in this world of birth and death, be the friendship with Your people [Your devotees], oh Lord praised in the scriptures and not so much with those people whose minds by Your external manifestation are attached to their bodies, children, wife and home.'
O my Lord, my master, I am wandering throughout this material world as a result of my fruitive activities. Therefore I simply seek friendship in the association of Your pious and enlightened devotees. My attachment to my body, wife, children and home is continuing by the spell of Your external energy, but I wish to be attached to them no longer. Let my mind, my consciousness and everything I have be attached only to You.
Canto 6
Chapter 12: Vritrâsura's Glorious Death
This chapter describes how Indra, the King of heaven, killed Vṛtrāsura despite great reluctance.
After Vṛtrāsura finished speaking, he released his trident against King Indra with great anger, but Indra, using his thunderbolt, which was many times more powerful than the trident, broke the trident to pieces and cut off one of Vṛtrāsura's arms. Nevertheless, Vṛtrāsura used his remaining arm to strike Indra with an iron mace, making the thunderbolt fall from Indra's hand. Indra, being very ashamed of this, did not pick up the thunderbolt from the ground, but Vṛtrāsura encouraged King Indra to pick it up and fight. Vṛtrāsura then spoke to King Indra as follows, instructing him very well.
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead," he said, "is the cause of victory and defeat. Not knowing that the Supreme Lord is the cause of all causes, fools and rascals try to take credit for victory or defeat themselves, but everything is actually under the control of the Lord. No one but Him has any independence. The puruṣa (the enjoyer) and prakṛti (the enjoyed) are under the control of the Lord, for it is by His supervision that everything works systematically. Not seeing the hand of the Supreme in every action, a fool considers himself the ruler and controller of everything. When one understands, however, that the real controller is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is freed from the relativities of the world, such as distress, happiness, fear and impurity." Thus Indra and Vṛtrāsura not only fought, but also engaged in philosophical discourses. Then they began to fight again.
This time Indra was more powerful, and he severed Vṛtrāsura's remaining arm. Vṛtrāsura then assumed a gigantic form and swallowed King Indra, but Indra, being protected by the talisman known as Nārāyaṇa-kavaca, was able to protect himself even within Vṛtrāsura's body. Thus he emerged from Vṛtrāsura's abdomen and severed the demon's head from his body with his powerful thunderbolt. Severing the demon's head took one complete year to accomplish.
6.12.1
śūlaḿ pragṛhyābhyapatat surendraḿ
(1) The honorable rishi said: 'He [Vritrâsura] who thus eager to give up his body oh ruler of man, considered dying in battle better than a victory in thought, took up his trident and attacked Indra, the king of the demigods, the way Kaithabha attacked the Supreme Personality when the world was inundated.
6.12.2
(2) Like the fire at the end of the yuga the King of the Demons with great force hurled the sharp pointed trident twirling at the great Indra while he in great anger loudly roared: 'Dead you are thou sinner!'
6.12.3
(3) Even though the sight of the rotating trident flying towards him like a star falling from the sky was difficult to bear, it didn't scare Indra. He with his thunderbolt cut it, together with the arm of Vritra that resembled the body of the serpent king, in a hundred pieces.
6.12.4
hanau tatāḍendram athāmarebhaḿ
(4) With one arm missing he angrily took up his mace of iron against the thunderbolt and approaching Indra and his elephant with it struck him on the jaw so that the thunderbolt slipped from the hand of the generous one.
6.12.5
(5) That grand and wonderful accomplishment of Vritra was praised by the gods and the demons, the heavenly singers and the association of the perfected ones, but seeing that Indra was in danger, they sincerely lamented 'Alas, oh alas!'
6.12.6
(6) With Indra his enemy in front of him not taking up his thunderbolt being embarrassed that it had slipped from his hands, Vritrâsura said: 'Oh lord take up your thunderbolt and kill your enemy, this is no time for regrets.
6.12.7
yuyutsatāḿ kutracid ātatāyināḿ
(7) Except for the One of creation, annihilation and maintenance, the Lord who knows everything, the Original and Eternal Person, those who desiring to fight sometimes gather with their arms are not always assured of a victory.
6.12.8
lokāḥ sapālā yasyeme
(8) Like birds caught in a net, all worlds and their rulers sigh powerlessly under the time factor that is the cause out here.
The difference between the suras and the asuras is that the suras know that nothing can happen without the desire of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whereas the asuras cannot understand the supreme will of the Lord. In this fight, Vṛtrāsura is actually the sura, whereas Indra is the asura. No one can act independently; rather, everyone acts under the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore victory and defeat come according to the results of one's karma, and the judgment is given by the Supreme Lord (karmaṇā-daiva-netreṇa). Since we act under the control of the Supreme according to our karma, no one is independent, from Brahmā down to the insignificant ant. Whether we are defeated or victorious, the Supreme Lord is always victorious because everyone acts under His directions.
6.12.9
(9) People not aware of that [time factor, Him, the Lord of Time, the] strength of our senses, mind, body, life force, death ànd immortality, consider their indifferent body the cause.
6.12.10
(1o) Oh sir [dear Indra], please understand that all things thus oh generous one, just like a wooden doll [a 'woman made of wood'] or a cuddly animal [of 'straw and leaves'], depend on Îs'a [the Power, the Lord and master of Time constituting their life and coherence].
6.12.11
ātmā bhūtendriyāśayāḥ
śaknuvanty asya sargādau
(11) Without His mercy the person [the purusha], the material energy [prakriti], the manifest reality [mahat-tattva], the self [or false ego, âtmâ or ahankara], the elements [bhûtas], the senses [of action and perception the indryas] and what belongs to them [the mind - manas, intelligence - buddhi and consciousness - cit] are not capable of bringing about anything or do whatever [like maintenance and destruction].
6.12.12
(12) Not knowing [the Lord, the time factor] one considers oneself - despite of being fully dependent - to be the one in control, but it is He who creates beings by other living beings and it is He who devours them through others.
6.12.13
yathānicchor viparyayāḥ
(13) The blessings of longevity, opulence, fame and power arise when the time is ripe [His time], just as the opposite is found without having chosen for it.
It is not good to be falsely puffed up, saying that by one's own effort one has become opulent, learned, beautiful and so on. All such good fortune is achieved through the mercy of the Lord. From another point of view, no one wants to die, and no one wants to be poor or ugly. Therefore, why does the living entity, against his will, receive such unwanted troubles? It is due to the mercy or chastisement of the Supreme Personality of Godhead that one gains or loses everything material. No one is independent; everyone is dependent on the mercy or chastisement of the Supreme Lord. There is a common saying in Bengal that the Lord has ten hands. This means that He has control everywhere — in the eight directions and up and down. If He wants to take everything away from us with His ten hands, we cannot protect anything with our two hands. Similarly, if He wants to bestow benedictions upon us with His ten hands, we cannot factually receive them all with our two hands; in other words, the benedictions exceed our ambitions. The conclusion is that even though we do not wish to be separated from our possessions, sometimes the Lord forcibly takes them from us; and sometimes He showers such benedictions upon us that we are unable to receive them all. Therefore either in opulence or in distress we are not independent; everything is dependent on the sweet will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
6.12.14
tasmād akīrti-yaśasor
jayāpajayayor api
(14) Therefore one should be equal about fame and infamy, victory and defeat, misery and happiness and dying and living [see also B.G. 6: 7 & 12: 17].
6.12.15
prakṛter nātmano guṇāḥ
(15) [The modes of] goodness, passion and ignorance are found in material nature, they are not the qualities of the spiritual soul. He who knows the soul as the one in the position of the witness will be free from bondage [compare B.G. 18: 54].
6.12.16
(16) Look at me, defeated in battle with my weapon and arm cut off oh enemy, I'm still trying the best I can to take your life.
6.12.17
iṣv-akṣo vāhanāsanaḥ
jayo 'muṣya parājayaḥ
(17) In the game of this battle our lives are the stakes, the arrows are the dice, our carriers are the game board and it is not known who will win and who will lose.'
6.12.18
gatālīkam apūjayat
(18) S'rî S'uka said: 'King Indra hearing the straightforward, reverent words of Vritra, took up the thunderbolt and addressed him with a smile without further wondering [about what he had said].
6.12.19
bhaktaḥ sarvātmanātmānaḿ
(19) Indra said: 'Oh Dânava, with this kind of consciousness you've attained perfection. You're a devotee perfectly focussed on the Supersoul who is the greatest friend and the Ruler of the Universe [see B.G. 6: 20-23].
6.12.20
(20) You managed to surmount the mâyâ of Lord Vishnu which deludes the common man. In your giving up the asura mentality, you've obtained the position of an exalted devotee [see 2.4: 18].
Lord Viṣṇu is the mahā-puruṣa. Therefore one who becomes a Vaiṣṇava attains the position of a mahā-pauruṣya. This position was attained by Mahārāja Parīkṣit. It is said in the Padma Purāṇa that the distinction between a demigod and a demon is that a demigod is a devotee of Lord Viṣṇu whereas a demon is just the opposite: viṣṇu-bhaktaḥ smṛto daiva āsuras tad-viparyayaḥ. Vṛtrāsura was considered a demon, but actually he was more than qualified as a devotee, or mahā-pauruṣya. If one somehow becomes a devotee of the Supreme Lord, whatever his position, he can be brought to the position of a perfect person. This is possible if an unalloyed devotee tries to serve the Lord by delivering him in this way. Therefore Śukadeva Gosvāmī says in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.4.18):
"Kirātas, Hūṇas, Āndhras, Pulindas, Pulkaśas, Ābhīras, Śumbhas, Yavanas and members of the Khasa races, and even others addicted to sinful acts can be purified by taking shelter of the devotees of the Lord, for He is the supreme power. I beg to offer my respectful obeisances unto Him." Anyone can be purified if he takes shelter of a pure devotee and molds his character according to the pure devotee's direction. Then, even if one is a Kirāta, Āndhra, Pulinda or whatever, he can be purified and elevated to the position of a mahā-pauruṣya.
6.12.21
(21) It is truly a great miracle to see how you as someone driven by passion, now being in Vâsudeva, the Supreme Lord of pure goodness, have a strong consciousness! [see also Vritra's prayer 6.11: 25].
6.12.22
harau niḥśreyaseśvare
vikrīḍato 'mṛtāmbhodhau
kiḿ kṣudraiḥ khātakodakaiḥ
(22) Being devoted to the Supreme Lord Hari, the bestower of beatitude, you're swimming in an ocean of nectar. What's the use of small ditches of water [for someone like you]?'
Vṛtrāsura has formerly prayed (Bhāg. 6.11.25), na nāka-pṛṣṭhaḿ na ca pārameṣṭhyaḿ na sāma-bhaumaḿ na rasādhipatyam. "I do not want the facilities for happiness on Brahmaloka, Svargaloka or even Dhruvaloka, not to speak of this earth or the lower planets. I simply want to return home, back to Godhead." This is the determination of a pure devotee. A pure devotee is never attracted to any exalted position within this material world. He simply wants to associate with the Supreme Personality of Godhead like the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana — Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, the gopīs, Kṛṣṇa's father and mother (Nanda Mahārāja and Yaśodā), Kṛṣṇa's friends and Kṛṣṇa's servants. He wants to associate with Kṛṣṇa's atmosphere of Vṛndāvana's beauty. These are the highest ambitions of a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Devotees of Lord Viṣṇu may aspire for a position in Vaikuṇṭhaloka, but a devotee of Kṛṣṇa never aspires even for the facilities of Vaikuṇṭha; he wants to return to Goloka Vṛndāvana and associate with Lord Kṛṣṇa in His eternal pastimes. Any material happiness is like water in a ditch, whereas the spiritual happiness eternally enjoyed in the spiritual world is like an ocean of nectar in which a devotee wants to swim.
6.12.23
(23) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus having discussed the ins and outs of dharma oh King, the great commanders Indra and Vritra who were well matched, fought [again].
6.12.24
kārṣṇāyasam arindamaḥ
(24) Whirling dangerously with his iron club Vritra, [who saw a chance] to subdue his enemy, with his left hand hurled it at Indra, oh best of kings.
6.12.25
ciccheda yugapad devo
(25) But the demigod cut with the S'ataparvanâ [the 'hundred hooked'] thunderbolt simultaneously the club and the hand to pieces that was as strong as an elephant's trunk.
6.12.26
(26) Being struck by [Indra] the carrier of the bolt he, profusely bleeding with the wings of his arms cut off by the root [from his trunk], fell from the sky like a mountain.
6.12.27-29
leliholbaṇa-jihvayā
daḿṣṭrābhiḥ kāla-kalpābhir
(27-29) Because of his great life force and uncommon prowess the demon [was able to] put his lower jaw on the ground and his upper jaw in the sky so that his mouth became a huge opening. With his tongue and teeth he, resembling a fearful snake, seemed to devour, as if he were time itself, the three worlds with his preposterous body. Pounding and shaking the earth he then moved his feet as if they were the Himalayas, whereupon he having reached Indra like a python swallowed him together with his thunderbolt and elephant.
6.12.30
saprajāpatayaḥ surāḥ
cukruśuḥ samaharṣayaḥ
(30) Seeing him swallowed by Vritra all the demigods together with the founding fathers and the great sages in great grief lamented: 'Alas, what a misery!'
6.12.31
nigīrṇo 'py asurendreṇa
mahāpuruṣa-sannaddho
(31) Even though he was swallowed by the king of the demons he didn't die in his belly, because he arriving there was protected by the Supreme Personality as also by his own power of yoga to master the illusion [see S.B. 6.8].
6.12.32
(32) The slayer of Bala, the mighty one, got out by piercing the abdomen with his thunderbolt and then with great force cut off the head of the enemy that was as big as a mountain peak.
6.12.33
nyapātayat tāvad ahar-gaṇena
(33) But when the thunderbolt, in order to sever the head, in its entirety quickly revolved around the neck to cut it through, it took as many days as it takes the luminaries to move over both sides of the equator to reach the time that it fell.
6.12.34
mantrair mudā kusumair abhyavarṣan
(34) At that very moment in the sky the sound could be heard of the kettledrums of the denizens of heaven and the perfected ones. Together with the saintly ones who had gathered they celebrated the prowess of the victor [Indra] by joyously praising him with various mantras and a shower of flowers.
6.12.35
(35) From Vritrâsura's body the light of his soul rose up oh subduer of the enemies, that before the eyes of all the gods achieved the supreme abode.'
Canto 6
Chapter 13: King Indra Afflicted by Sinful Reaction
This chapter describes Indra's fear at having killed a brāhmaṇa (Vṛtrāsura), and it also describes how he fled and was saved by the grace of Lord Viṣṇu.
When all the demigods requested Indra to kill Vṛtrāsura, he refused because Vṛtrāsura was a brāhmaṇa. The demigods, however, encouraged Indra not to fear killing him because Indra was protected by the Nārāyaṇa-kavaca, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, Lord Nārāyaṇa. Even by a glimpse of the chanting of Nārāyaṇa's name, one becomes free from all the sinful reactions of killing a woman, a cow or a brāhmaṇa. The demigods advised Indra to perform an aśvamedha sacrifice, by which Nārāyaṇa would be pleased, for the performer of such a sacrifice is not implicated in sinful reactions even if he kills the entire universe.
Following this instruction from the demigods, King Indra fought Vṛtrāsura, but when Vṛtrāsura was killed, everyone was satisfied but King Indra, who knew Vṛtrāsura's position. This is the nature of a great personality. Even if a great personality acquires some opulence, he is always ashamed and regretful if he acquires it illegally. Indra could understand that he was certainly entangled by sinful reactions for killing a brāhmaṇa. Indeed, he could see sinful reaction personified following him, and thus he fled here and there in fear, thinking of how to rid himself of his sins. He went to Mānasa-sarovara, and there, under the protection of the goddess of fortune, he meditated for one thousand years. During this time, Nahuṣa reigned over the heavenly planets as the representative of Indra. Unfortunately, however, he was attracted by the beauty of Indra's wife, Śacīdevī, and because of his sinful desire he had to accept the body of a serpent in his next life. Indra later performed a great sacrifice with the help of exalted brāhmaṇas and saints. In this way he was released from the reactions of his sinful killing of a brāhmaṇa.
6.13.1
sapālā hy abhavan sadyo
vijvarā nirvṛtendriyāḥ
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'With Vritra killed the leaders and everyone else in the three worlds oh charitable one, were immediately freed from their worries and depressions, except for the mighty Indra [S'akra] himself.
6.13.2
brahmeśendrādayas tataḥ
(2) Without taking leave from Indra thereupon the demigods following Indra, Brahmâ, S'iva and the other God-conscious people, the saints, the forefathers, the rest of the living beings and the demons, all returned to their places.'
6.13.3
śrī-rājovāca
indrasyānirvṛter hetuḿ
yenāsan sukhino devā
(3) The king asked: 'Oh my Lord, oh sage, I'd like to know why Indra was not respected by the others. Why was he so gloomy while all his demigods were so very happy?'
This, of course, is a very intelligent question. When a demon is killed, certainly all the demigods are happy. In this case, however, when all the demigods were happy because of Vṛtrāsura's having been killed, Indra was unhappy. Why? It may be suggested that Indra was unhappy because he knew that he had killed a great devotee and brāhmaṇa. Vṛtrāsura outwardly appeared to be a demon, but inwardly he was a great devotee and therefore a great brāhmaṇa.
Herein it is clearly indicated that a person who is not at all demoniac, such as Prahlāda Mahārāja and Bali Mahārāja, may outwardly be a demon or be born in a family of demons. Therefore in terms of real culture one should not be considered a demigod or demon simply according to birth. In his dealings while fighting with Indra, Vṛtrāsura proved himself a great devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Furthermore, as soon as he finished fighting with Indra and was apparently killed, Vṛtrāsura was transferred to Vaikuṇṭhaloka to become an associate of Sańkarṣaṇa. Indra knew this, and therefore he was morose at having killed such a demon, who was actually a Vaiṣṇava or brāhmaṇa.
A Vaiṣṇava is already a brāhmaṇa, although a brāhmaṇa may not be a Vaiṣṇava. The Padma Purāṇa says:
ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro
avaiṣṇavo gurur na syād
One may be a brāhmaṇa in terms of his culture and family and may be expert in Vedic knowledge (mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ), but if he is not a Vaiṣṇava, he cannot be a guru. This means that an expert brāhmaṇa may not be a Vaiṣṇava, but a Vaiṣṇava is already a brāhmaṇa. A millionaire may very easily possess hundreds and thousands of dollars, but a person with hundreds and thousands of dollars is not necessarily a millionaire. Vṛtrāsura was a perfect Vaiṣṇava, and therefore he was also a brāhmaṇa.
6.13.4
naicchad bhīto bṛhad-vadhāt
(4) S'rî S'uka said: 'All the godly ones and the sages were terrified by Vritrâsura's display of power, but Indra had declined their request to put an end to him because he was afraid to kill a brahmin.
6.13.5
viśvarūpa-vadhodbhavam
vibhaktam anugṛhṇadbhir
(5) Indra had said: 'The burden of the sin of killing Vis'varûpa was as a favor to me carried by the women, the earth, the trees and the water [see 6.9: 6-10], but how will I be purified from killing Vritra?'
6.13.6
ṛṣayas tad upākarṇya
(6) S'uka continued: 'When the sages heard that, they said the following to the great Indra: 'We wish you all good fortune, don't be afraid, we will perform an as'vamedha, a horse sacrifice for you.
6.13.7
(7) The as'vamedha sacrifice of worshiping the Original Person, the Supersoul, the Controller who is Nârâyana our Lord, liberates one even from the sin of destroying the world!
6.13.8-9
mātṛ-hācārya-hāghavān
śvādaḥ pulkasako vāpi
śraddhānvito 'smābhir anuṣṭhitena
hatvāpi sabrahma-carācaraḿ tvaḿ
(8-9) Someone who killed a brahmin, his father, a cow, his mother or his spiritual master, such a sinner and even an outcast dog-eater may find purification by singing His holy name. If an as'vamedha sacrifice, the topmost of all sacrifices, by us conducted with faith keeps you from being contaminated by the killing of all creatures of Brahmâ including the brahmins, what then do you expect from killing a harassing demon?'
This means that by once chanting the holy name of the Lord, one can be freed from the reactions of more sins that he can even imagine performing. The holy name is so spiritually potent that simply by chanting the holy name one can be freed from the reactions to all sinful activities. What, then, is to be said of those who chant the holy name regularly or worship the Deity regularly? For such purified devotees, freedom from sinful reaction is certainly assured. This does not mean, however, that one should intentionally commit sinful acts and think himself free from the reactions because he is chanting the holy name. Such a mentality is a most abominable offense at the lotus feet of the holy name. Nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ: the Lord's holy name certainly has the potency to neutralize all sinful activities, but if one repeatedly and intentionally commits sins while chanting the holy name, he is most condemned.
These verses name the performers of various sinful deeds. In the Manu-saḿhitā the following names are given. A son begotten by a brāhmaṇa and born from the womb of a śūdra mother is called a pāraśava or niṣāda, a hunter accustomed to stealing. A son begotten by a niṣāda in the womb of a śūdra woman is called a pukkasa. A child begotten by a kṣatriya in the womb of the daughter of a śūdra is called an ugra. A child begotten by a śūdra in the womb of the daughter of a kṣatriya is called a kṣattā. A child begotten by a kṣatriya in the womb of a lower-class woman is called a śvāda, or dog-eater. All such offspring are considered extremely sinful, but the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is so strong that all of them can be purified simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.
The Hare Kṛṣṇa movement offers everyone a chance to be purified, regardless of birth or family. As confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.4.18):
"Kirātas, Hūṇas, Āndhras, Pulindas, Pulkaśas, Ābhīras, Śumbhas, Yavanas, members of the Khasa races, and even others addicted to sinful acts can be purified by taking shelter of devotees of the Lord, for He is the supreme power. I beg to offer my respectful obeisances unto Him." Even such sinful persons can certainly all be purified if they chant the holy name of the Lord under the direction of a pure devotee.
Herein the sages encourage King Indra to kill Vṛtrāsura even at the risk of brahma-hatyā, the killing of a brāhmaṇa, and they guarantee to release him from sinful reactions by performing an aśvamedha-yajña. Such purposefully devised atonement, however, cannot relieve the performer of sinful acts. This will be seen from the following verse.
6.13.10
evaḿ sañcodito viprair
(10) S'rî S'uka said: 'Indra thus being encouraged by the learned killed his enemy Vritrâsura when he approached him. He, Vrishâkapi, the mythical king of the gods, was then tormented by the reaction following that act of killing a brahmin.
After killing Vṛtrāsura, Indra could not surpass the brahma-hatyā, the sinful reactions for killing a brāhmaṇa. Formerly he had killed one brāhmaṇa, Viśvarūpa, out of circumstantial anger, but this time, following the advice of the sages, he killed another brāhmaṇa purposely. Therefore the sinful reaction was greater than before. Indra could not be relieved from the reaction simply by performing sacrifices for atonement. He had to undergo a severe series of sinful reactions, and when he was freed by such suffering, the brāhmaṇas allowed him to perform the horse sacrifice. The planned execution of sinful deeds on the strength of chanting the holy name of the Lord or undergoing prāyaścitta, atonement, cannot give relief to anyone, even to Indra or Nahuṣa. Nahuṣa was officiating for Indra while Indra, absent from heaven, was going here and there to gain release from his sinful reactions.
6.13.11
tayendraḥ smāsahat tāpaḿ
nirvṛtir nāmum āviśat
(11) Even though he had done others a favor with his deed, Indra because of that reaction suffered [the deepest] misery in which he found no happiness. Missing his qualities he felt but shame and guilt.
6.13.12-13
tāḿ dadarśānudhāvantīḿ
jarayā vepamānāńgīḿ
tiṣṭha tiṣṭheti bhāṣiṇīm
(12-13) It persecuted him in the form of an old, outcast woman trembling all over her body whose clothes were covered by blood because she suffered from consumption. She with her disheveled, gray hair yelled at him 'Wait, wait', and spread thereby with her breath a bad fishy smell that polluted the entire road.
6.13.14
sahasrākṣo viśāmpate
(14) The thousand eyed Indra, sought his refuge in heaven and in all directions of the sky after which he hurried in the northeastern direction to enter there oh King, the Mânasa-sarovara lake.
6.13.15
(15) Hidden from view he, bereft of all the sustenance [normally supplied] by the servant of the sacrificial fire, lived there for a thousand years in the subtle network of the fibers of a lotus stem. And all that time he in his heart pondered over the question how he could find liberation from [the sin of] having killed a brahmin.
6.13.16
(16) For the time of his absence the heavens were ruled by Nahusha who, equipped with education, austerity, yoga and strength, turned mad because his intelligence got bewildered by the power and excessive opulence. Chasing Indra's wife [S'acîdevî] he fell victim to the fate of a snake [after being cursed by sage Agastya for having kicked him].
6.13.17
tato gato brahma-giropahūta
ṛtambhara-dhyāna-nivāritāghaḥ
pāpas tu digdevatayā hataujās
(17) He whose offense through the divinity of Rudra was nullified because he meditated on the Maintainer of Truth [Vishnu], was after having recovered from [the karmic rebound] invited back through the brahmins. Now that he enjoyed the protection of the wife of Vishnu, the goddess of fortune, the sin had lost its grip on him.
6.13.18
yathāvad dīkṣayāḿ cakruḥ
puruṣārādhanena ha
(18) In order to please the Supreme Lord Hari, the brahminical sages [upon his return], then properly, according to the rules, stepped forward to consecrate him for the sake of an as'vamedha sacrifice oh son of Bharata.
6.13.19-20
athejyamāne puruṣe
sarva-devamayātmani
aśvamedhe mahendreṇa
nītas tenaiva śūnyāya
(19-20) Only when that as'vamedha sacrifice was performed by the expert brahmins and the great Indra thus was of worship for the Original Person, the Supersoul and Maintainer of all divinity, the matter could be considered done. Only then, despite of the seriousness of having killed the son of Tvashthâ, definitively that sin could [formally] be considered as being reduced to nothing, like fog before the sun oh King.
6.13.21
sa vājimedhena yathoditena
(21) After the as'vamedha sacrifice as prescribed was performed by the priests headed by Marîci and Indra had worshiped the Lord of Sacrifice, the Supreme Personality, he, being purified from sin, retrieved his greatness.
6.13.22-23
prakṣālanaḿ tīrthapadānukīrtanam
bhakty-ucchrayaḿ bhakta-janānuvarṇanaḿ
ripuñjayaḿ svasty-ayanaḿ tathāyuṣam
(22-23) This great history describing the glorification of the Lord of the Holy Places, the growth in devotion and the victory and liberation of Indra the King of Heaven, frees one from innumerable sins. This narration should therefore always be read and continuously be heard by those who cherish the intelligence and be reiterated on the occasion of great festivals. It sharpens one's senses, brings wealth and fame and releases from all misconduct; it brings victory over one's enemies and good fortune and longevity to all.'
In this very great narrative there is glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, there are statements about the exaltedness of devotional service, there are descriptions of devotees like Indra and Vṛtrāsura, and there are statements about King Indra's release from sinful life and about his victory in fighting the demons. By understanding this incident, one is relieved of all sinful reactions. Therefore the learned are always advised to read this narration. If one does so, one will become expert in the activities of the senses, his opulence will increase, and his reputation will become widespread. One will also be relieved of all sinful reactions, he will conquer all his enemies, and the duration of his life will increase. Because this narration is auspicious in all respects, learned scholars regularly hear and repeat it on every festival day.
(My humble salutations to the lotus feet of Swamyjis, Philosophers, Scholars and Knowledge Seekers for the collection)
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