Chapter Four
The Hamsa-guhya Prayers
After Maharaja Pariksit appealed to Sukadeva Gosvami to describe in further detail the creation of the living entities within this universe, Sukadeva Gosvami informed him that when the Pracetas, the ten sons of Pracinabarhi, entered the sea to execute austerities, the planet earth was neglected because of the absence of a king. Naturally many weeds and unnecessary trees grew, and no food grains were produced. Indeed, all the land became like a forest. When the ten Pracetas came out of the sea and saw the entire world full of trees, they were very angry with the trees and decided to destroy them all to rectify the situation. Thus the Pracetas created wind and fire to burn the trees to ashes. Soma, however, the king of the moon and the king of all vegetation, forbade the Pracetas to destroy the trees, since the trees are the source of fruit and flowers for all living beings. Just to satisfy the Pracetas, Soma gave them a beautiful girl born of Pramloca Apsara. By the semen of all the Pracetas, Daksa was born of that girl.
In the beginning, Daksa created all the demigods, demons and human beings, but when he found the population not increasing properly, he took sannyasa and went to Vindhya Mountain. where be underwent severe austerities and offered Lord Visnu a particular prayer known as Hamsa-guhya, by which Lord Visnu became very pleased with him. The contents of the prayer were as follows.
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supersoul, Lord Hari, is the controller of both the living entities and the material nature. He is self-sufficient and self-effulgent. As the subject matter of perception is not the cause of our perceiving senses, so the living entity, although within his body, does not cause his eternal friend the Supersoul, who is the cause of creation of all the senses. Because of the living entity's ignorance, his senses are engaged with material objects. Since the living entity is alive, he can understand the creation of this material world to some extent, but he cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is beyond the conception of the body, mind and intelligence. Nevertheless, great sages who are always in meditation can see the personal form of the Lord within their hearts.
"Since an ordinary living being is materially contaminated, his words and intelligence are also material. Therefore he cannot ascertain the Supreme Personality of Godhead by manipulating his material senses. The conception of God derived through the material senses is inaccurate because the Supreme Lord is beyond the material senses, but when one engages his senses in devotional service, the eternal Supreme Personality of Godhead is revealed on the platform of the soul. When that Supreme Godhead becomes the aim of one's life, one is said to have attained spiritual knowledge.
"The Supreme Brahman is the cause of all causes because He originally existed before the creation. He is the original cause of everything, both material and spiritual, and His existence is independent. However, the Lord has a potency called avidya, the illusory energy, which induces the false arguer to think himself perfect and which induces the illusory energy to bewilder the conditioned soul. That Supreme Brahman, the Supersoul, is very affectionate to His devotees. To bestow mercy upon them, He discloses His form, name, attributes and qualities to be worshiped within this material world.
"Unfortunately, however, those who are materially absorbed worship various demigods. As the air passes over a lotus flower and carries the scent of the flower with it, or as the air sometimes carries dust and therefore assumes colors, the Supreme Personality of Godhead appears as the various demigods according to the desires of His various foolish worshipers, but actually He is the supreme truth, Lord Visnu. To fulfill the desires of His devotees, He appears in various incarnations, and therefore there is no need to worship the demigods."
Being very satisfied by the prayers of Daksa, Lord Visnu appeared before Daksa with eight arms. The Lord was dressed in yellow garments and had a blackish complexion. Understanding that Daksa was very eager to follow the path of enjoyment, the Lord awarded him the potency to enjoy the illusory energy. The Lord offered him the daughter of Pancajana named Asikni, who was suitable for Maharaja Daksa to enjoy in sex. Indeed, Daksa received his name because he was very expert in sex life. After awarding this benediction, Lord Visnu disappeared.
TEXTS 1-2
TEXT
sri-rajovaca
devasura-nrnam sargo
naganam mrga-paksinam
samasikas tvaya prokto
yas tu svayambhuve 'ntare
tasyaiva vyasam icchami
jnatum te bhagavan yatha
anusargam yaya saktya
sasarja bhagavan parah
SYNONYMS
sri-raja uvaca--the King said; deva-asura-nrnam--of the demigods, the demons and the human beings; sargah--the creation; naganam--of the Nagas (serpentine living entities); mrga-paksinam--of the beasts and birds; samasikah--briefly; tvaya--by you; proktah--described; yah--which; tu--however; svayambhuve--of Svayambhuva Manu; antare--within the period; tasya--of this; eva--indeed; vyasam--the detailed account; icchami--I wish; jnatum--to know; te--from you; bhagavan--O my lord; yatha--as well as; anusargam--the subsequent creation; yaya--by which; saktya--potency; sasarja--created; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; parah--transcendental.
TRANSLATION
The blessed King said to Sukadeva Gosvami: My dear lord, the demigods, demons, human beings, Nagas, beasts and birds were created during the reign of Svayambhuva Manu. You have spoken about this creation briefly [in the Third Canto]. Now I wish to know about it elaborately. I also wish to know about the potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by which He brought about the secondary creation.
TEXT 3
TEXT
sri-suta uvaca
iti samprasnam akarnya
rajarser badarayanih
pratinandya maha-yogi
jagada muni-sattamah
SYNONYMS
sri-sutah uvaca--Suta Gosvami said; iti--thus; samprasnam--the inquiry; akarnya--hearing; rajarseh--of King Pariksit; badarayanih--Sukadeva Gosvami; pratinandya--praising; maha-yogi--the great yogi; jagada--replied; muni-sattamah--O best of the sages.
TRANSLATION
Suta Gosvami said: O great sages [assembled at Naimisaranya], after the great yogi Sukadeva Gosvami heard King Pariksit's inquiry, he praised it and thus replied.
TEXT 4
TEXT
sri-suka uvaca
yada pracetasah putra
dasa pracinabarhisah
antah-samudrad unmagna
dadrsur gam drumair vrtam
SYNONYMS
sri-sukah uvaca--Sukadeva Gosvami said; yada--when; pracetasah--the Pracetas; putrah--the sons; dasa--ten; pracinabarhisah--of King Pracinabarhi; antah-samudrat--from within the ocean; unmagnah--emerged; dadrsuh--they saw; gam--the entire planet; drumaih vrtam--covered with trees.
TRANSLATION
Sukadeva Gosvami said: When the ten sons of Pracinabarhi emerged from the waters, in which they were performing austerities, they saw that the entire surface of the world was covered by trees.
PURPORT
When King Pracinabarhi was performing Vedic rituals in which the killing of animals was recommended, Narada Muni, out of compassion, advised him to stop. Pracinabarhi understood Narada properly and then left the kingdom to perform austerities in the forest. His ten sons, however, were performing austerities within the water, and therefore there was no king to see to the management of the world. When the ten sons, the Pracetas, came out of the water, they saw that the earth was overrun with trees.
When the government neglects agriculture, which is necessary for the production of food, the land becomes covered with unnecessary trees. Of course, many trees are useful because they produce fruits and flowers, but many other trees are unnecessary. They could be used as fuel and the land cleared and used for agriculture. When the government is negligent, less grain is produced. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (18.44), krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam vaisya-karma svabhava jam: the proper engagements for vaisyas, according to their nature, are to farm and to protect cows. The duty of the government and the ksatriyas is to see that the members of the third class, the vaisyas, who are neither brahmanas nor ksatriyas, are thus properly engaged. Ksatriyas are meant to protect human beings, whereas vaisyas are meant to protect useful animals, especially cows.
TEXT 5
TEXT
drumebhyah krudhyamanas te
tapo-dipita-manyavah
mukhato vayum agnim ca
sasrjus tad-didhaksaya
SYNONYMS
drumebhyah--unto the trees; krudhyamanah--being very angry; te--they (the ten sons of Pracinabarhi); tapah-dipita-manyavah--whose anger was inflamed because of long austerities; mukhatah--from the mouth; vayum--wind; agnim--fire; ca--and; sasrjuh--they created; tat--those forests; didhaksaya--with the desire to burn.
TRANSLATION
Because of having undergone long austerities in the water, the Pracetas were very angry at the trees. Desiring to burn them to ashes, they generated wind and fire from their mouths.
PURPORT
Here the word tapo-dipita-manyavah indicates that persons who have undergone severe austerity (tapasya) are endowed with great mystic power, as evinced by the Pracetas, who created fire and wind from their mouths. Although devotees undergo severe tapasya, however, they are vimanyavah, sadhavah, which means that they are never angry. They are always decorated with good qualities. Bhagavatam (3.25.21) states:
titiksavah karunikah
suhrdah sarva-dehinam
ajata-satravah santah
sadhavah sadhu-bhusanah
A sadhu, a devotee, is never angry. Actually the real feature of devotees who undergo tapasya, austerity, is forgiveness. Although a Vaisnava has sufficient power in tapasya, he does not become angry when put into difficulty. If one undergoes tapasya but does not become a Vaisnava, however, one does not develop good qualities. For example, Hiranyakasipu and Ravana also performed great austerities, but they did so to demonstrate their demoniac tendencies. Vaisnavas must meet many opponents while preaching the glories of the Lord, but Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommends that they not become angry while preaching. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given this formula: trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna. amanina manadena kirtaniyah sada harih. "One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly." Those engaged in preaching the glories of the Lord should be humbler than grass and more tolerant than a tree; then they can preach the glories of the Lord without difficulty.
TEXT 6
TEXT
tabhyam nirdahyamanams tan
upalabhya kurudvaha
rajovaca mahan somo
manyum prasamayann iva
SYNONYMS
tabhyam--by the wind and fire; nirdahyamanan--being burned; tan--them (the trees); upalabhya--seeing; kurudvaha--O Maharaja Pariksit; raja--the king of the forest; uvaca--said; mahan--the great; somah--predominating deity of the moon, Somadeva; manyum--the anger; prasamayan--pacifying; iva--like.
TRANSLATION
My dear King Pariksit, when Soma, the king of the trees and predominating deity of the moon, saw the fire and wind burning all the trees to ashes, he felt great sympathy because he is the maintainer of all herbs and trees. To appease the anger of the Pracetas, Soma spoke as follows.
PURPORT
It is understood from this verse that the predominating deity of the moon is the maintainer of all the trees and plants throughout the universe. It is due to the moonshine that trees and plants grow very luxuriantly. Therefore how can we accept the so-called scientists whose moon expeditions have informed us that there are no trees or vegetation on the moon? Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says, somo vrksadhisthata sa eva vrksanam raja: Soma, the predominating deity of the moon, is the king of all vegetation. How can we believe that the maintainer of vegetation has no vegetation on his own planet?
TEXT 7
TEXT
na drumebhyo maha-bhaga
dinebhyo drogdhum arhatha
vivardhayisavo yuyam
prajanam patayah smrtah
SYNONYMS
na--not; drumebhyah--the trees; maha-bhagah--O greatly fortunate ones; dinebhyah--who are very poor; drogdhum--to burn to ashes; arhatha--you deserve; vivardhayisavah--desiring to bring about an increase; yuyam--you; prajanam--of all living entities who have taken shelter of you; patayah--the masters or protectors; smrtah--known as.
TRANSLATION
O greatly fortunate ones, you should not kill these poor trees by burning them to ashes. Your duty is to wish the citizens [prajas] all prosperity and to act as their protectors.
PURPORT
It is indicated herein that the government or king has the duty of protecting not only the human beings, but all other living entities, including animals, trees and plants. No living entity should be killed unnecessarily.
TEXT 8
TEXT
aho prajapati-patir
bhagavan harir avyayah
vanaspatin osadhis ca
sasarjorjam isam vibhuh
SYNONYMS
aho--alas; prajapati-patih--the Lord of all the lords of created beings; bhagavan harih--the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari; avyayah--indestructible; vanaspatin--the trees and plants; osadhih--the herbs; ca--and; sasarja--created; urjam--invigorating; isam--food; vibhuh--the Supreme Being.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Hari, is the master of all living entities, including all the prajapatis, such as Lord Brahma. Because He is the all-pervading and indestructible master, He has created all these trees and vegetables as eatables for other living entities.
PURPORT
Soma, the predominating deity of the moon, reminded the Pracetas that this vegetation had been created by the Lord of lords to provide food for everyone. If the Pracetas tried to kill them off, their own subjects would also suffer, for trees are also required for food.
TEXT 9
TEXT
annam caranam acara
hy apadah pada-carinam
ahasta hasta-yuktanam
dvi-padam ca catus-padah
SYNONYMS
annam--food; caranam--of those that move on wings; acarah--the nonmoving (fruits and flowers); hi--indeed; apadah--the living entities without legs, like the grass; pada-carinam--of the animals who move on legs, like the cows and buffalo; ahastah--animals without hands; hasta-yuktanam--of the animals with hands, like the tigers; dvi-padam--of human beings, who have two legs; ca--and; catuh-padah--the four-legged animals like the deer.
TRANSLATION
By nature's arrangement, fruits and flowers are considered the food of insects and birds; grass and other legless living entities are meant to be the food of four-legged animals like cows and buffalo; animals that cannot use their front legs as hands are meant to be the food of animals like tigers, which have claws; and four-legged animals like deer and goats, as well as food grains, are meant to be the food of human beings.
PURPORT
By nature's law, or the arrangement of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one kind of living entity is eatable by other living entities. As mentioned herein, dvi-padam ca catus-padah: the four-legged animals (catus-padah), as well as food grains, are eatables for human beings (dvi-padam). These four-legged animals are those such as deer and goats, not cows, which are meant to be protected. Generally the men of the higher classes of society--the brahmanas, ksatriyas and vaisyas--do not eat meat. Sometimes ksatriyas go to the forest to kill animals like deer because they have to learn the art of killing, and sometimes they eat the animals also. Sudras, too, eat animals such as goats. Cows, however, are never meant to be killed or eaten by human beings. In every sastra, cow killing is vehemently condemned. Indeed, one who kills a cow must suffer for as many years as there are hairs on the body of a cow. Manu-samhita says, pravrttir esa bhutanam nivrttis tu maha-phala: we have many tendencies in this material world, but in human life one is meant to learn how to curb those tendencies. Those who desire to eat meat may satisfy the demands of their tongues by eating lower animals, but they should never kill cows, who are actually accepted as the mothers of human society because they supply milk. The sastra especially recommends, krsi-go-raksya: the vaisya section of humanity should arrange for the food of the entire society through agricultural activities and should give full protection to the cows, which are the most useful animals because they supply milk to human society.
TEXT 10
TEXT
yuyam ca pitranvadista
deva-devena canaghah
praja-sargaya hi katham
vrksan nirdagdhum arhatha
SYNONYMS
yuyam--you; ca--also; pitra--by your father; anvadistah--ordered; deva-devena--by the Personality of Godhead, the master of the masters; ca--also; anaghah--O sinless ones; praja-sargaya--for generating the population; hi--indeed; katham--how; vrksan--the trees; nirdagdhum--to burn to ashes; arhatha--are able.
TRANSLATION
O pure-hearted ones, your father, Pracinabarhi, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead have ordered you to generate population. Therefore how can you burn to ashes these trees and herbs, which are needed for the maintenance of your subjects and descendants?
TEXT 11
TEXT
atisthata satam margam
kopam yacchata dipitam
pitra pitamahenapi
justam vah prapitamahaih
SYNONYMS
atisthata--just follow; satam margam--the path of the great saintly personalities; kopam--the anger; yacchata--subdue; dipitam--which is now awakened; pitra--by the father; pitamahena api--and by the grandfather; justam--executed; vah--your; prapitamahaih--by the great-grandfathers.
TRANSLATION
The path of goodness traversed by your father, grandfather and great-grandfathers is that of maintaining the subjects [prajas], including the men, animals and trees. That is the path you should follow. Unnecessary anger is contrary to your duty. Therefore I request you to control your anger.
PURPORT
Here the words pitra pitamahenapi justam vah prapitamahaih depict an honest royal family, consisting of the kings, their father, their grandfather and their great-grandfathers. Such a royal family has a prestigious position because it maintains the citizens, or prajas. The word praja refers to one who has taken birth within the jurisdiction of the government. The exalted royal families were conscious that all living beings, whether human, animal or lower than animal, should be given protection. The modern democratic system cannot be exalted in this way because the leaders elected strive only for power and have no sense of responsibility. In a monarchy, a king with a prestigious position follows the great deeds of his forefathers. Thus Soma, the king of the moon, here reminds the Pracetas about the glories of their father, grandfather and great-grandfathers.
TEXT 12
TEXT
tokanam pitarau bandhu
drsah paksma striyah patih
patih prajanam bhiksunam
grhy ajnanam budhah suhrt
SYNONYMS
tokanam--of children; pitarau--the two parents; bandhu--the friends; drsah--of the eye; paksma--the eyelid; striyah--of the woman; patih--the husband; patih--the protector; prajanam--of the subjects; bhiksunam--of the beggars; grhi--the householder; ajnanam--of the ignorant; budhah--the learned; su-hrt--the friend.
TRANSLATION
As the father and mother are the friends and maintainers of their children, as the eyelid is the protector of the eye, as the husband is the maintainer and protector of a woman, as the householder is the maintainer and protector of beggars, and as the learned is the friend of the ignorant, so the king is the protector and giver of life to all his subjects. The trees are also subjects of the king. Therefore they should be given protection.
PURPORT
By the supreme will of the Personality of Godhead, there are various protectors and maintainers for helpless living entities. The trees are also considered prajas, subjects of the king, and therefore the duty of the monarch is to protect even the trees, not to speak of others. The king is duty-bound to protect the living entities in his kingdom. Thus although the parents are directly responsible for the protection and maintenance of their children, the duty of the king is to see that all parents do their duty properly. Similarly, the king is also responsible for overseeing the other protectors mentioned in this verse. It may also be noted that the beggars who should be maintained by the householders are not professional beggars, but sannyasis and brahmanas, to whom the householders should supply food and clothing.
TEXT 13
TEXT
antar dehesu bhutanam
atmaste harir isvarah
sarvam tad-dhisnyam iksadhvam
evam vas tosito hy asau
SYNONYMS
antah dehesu--within the bodies (in the cores of the hearts); bhutanam--of all living entities; atma--the Supersoul; aste--resides; harih--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; isvarah--the Lord or director; sarvam--all; tat-dhisnyam--His place of residence; iksadhvam--try to see; evam--in this way; vah--with you; tositah--satisfied; hi--indeed; asau--that Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is situated as the Supersoul within the cores of the hearts of all living entities, whether moving or nonmoving, including men, birds, animals, trees and, indeed, all living entities. Therefore you should consider every body a residence or temple of the Lord. By such vision you will satisfy the Lord. You should not angrily kill these living entities in the forms of trees.
PURPORT
As stated in Bhagavad-gita and confirmed by all the Vedic scriptures, isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati: the Supersoul is situated within everyone's heart. Therefore, since everyone's body is the residence of the Supreme Lord, one should not destroy the body because of unnecessary envy. That will dissatisfy the Supersoul. Soma told the Pracetas that because they had tried to satisfy the Supersoul, now they should not displease Him.
TEXT 14
TEXT
yah samutpatitam deha
akasan manyum ulbanam
atma-jijnasaya yacchet
sa gunan ativartate
SYNONYMS
yah--anyone who; samutpatitam--suddenly awakened; dehe--in the body; akasat--from the sky; manyum--anger; ulbanam--powerful; atma-jijnasaya--by inquiry into spiritual realization or self-realization; yacchet--subdues; sah--that person; gunan--the modes of material nature; ativartate--transcends.
TRANSLATION
One who inquires into self-realization and thus subdues his powerful anger--which awakens suddenly in the body as if falling from the sky--transcends the influence of the modes of material nature.
PURPORT
When one becomes angry, he forgets himself and his situation, but if one is able to consider his situation by knowledge, one transcends the influence of the modes of material nature. One is always a servant of lusty desires, anger, greed, illusion, envy and so forth, but if one obtains sufficient strength in spiritual advancement, one can control them. One who obtains such control will always be transcendentally situated, untouched by the modes of material nature. This is only possible when one fully engages in the service of the Lord. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (14.26):
mam ca yo 'vyabhicarena
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa gunan samatityaitan
brahma-bhuyah
"One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in any circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the spiritual platform." By engaging one in devotional service, the Krsna consciousness movement keeps one always transcendental to anger, greed, lust, envy and so forth. One must perform devotional service because otherwise one will become victimized by the modes of material nature.
TEXT 15
TEXT
alam dagdhair drumair dinaih
khilanam sivam astu vah
varksi hy esa vara kanya
patnitve pratigrhyatam
SYNONYMS
alam--enough; dagdhaih--with burning; drumaih--the trees; dinaih--poor; khilanam--of the remainder of the trees; sivam--all good fortune; astu--let there be; vah--of you; varksi--raised by the trees; hi--indeed; esa--this; vara--choice; kanya--daughter; patnitve--into wifehood; pratigrhyatam--let her be accepted.
TRANSLATION
There is no need to burn these poor trees any longer. Let whatever trees still remain be happy. Indeed, you should also be happy. Now, here is a beautiful, well-qualified girl named Marisa, who was raised by the trees as their daughter. You may accept this beautiful girl as your wife.
TEXT 16
TEXT
ity amantrya vararoham
kanyam apsarasim nrpa
somo raja yayau dattva
te dharmenopayemire
SYNONYMS
iti--thus; amantrya--addressing; vara-aroham--possessing high, beautiful hips; kanyam--the girl; apsarasim--born of an Apsara; nrpa--O King; somah--Soma, the predominating deity of the moon; raja--the king; yayau--returned; dattva--delivering; te--they; dharmena--according to religious principles; upayemire--married.
TRANSLATION
Sukadeva Gosvami continued: My dear King, after thus pacifying the Pracetas, Soma, the king of the moon, gave them the beautiful girl born of Pramloca Apsara. The Pracetas all received Pramloca's daughter, who had high, very beautiful hips, and married her according to the religious system.
TEXT 17
TEXT
tebhyas tasyam samabhavad
daksah pracetasah kila
yasya praja-visargena
loka apuritas trayah
SYNONYMS
tebhyah--from all the Pracetas; tasyam--in her; samabhavat--was generated; daksah--Daksa, the expert in begetting children; pracetasah--the son of the Pracetas; kila--indeed; yasya--of whom; praja-visargena--by the generation of living entities; lokah--the worlds; apuritah--filled; trayah--three.
TRANSLATION
In the womb of that girl the Pracetas all begot a son named Daksa, who filled the three worlds with living entities.
PURPORT
Daksa was first born during the reign of Svayambhuva Manu, but because of offending Lord Siva he was punished by having the head of a goat substituted for his own head. Thus insulted, he had to give up that body, and in the sixth manvantara, called the Caksusa manvantara, he was born of the womb of Marisa as Daksa. In this connection Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura quotes this verse:
caksuse tv antare prapte
prak-sarge kala-vidrute
yah sasarja praja istah
sa dakso daiva-coditah
"His previous body had been destroyed, but he, the same Daksa, inspired by the supreme will, created all the desired living entities in the Caksusa manvantara." (Bhag. 4.30.49) Thus Daksa regained his previous opulence and again begot thousands and millions of children to fill the three worlds.
TEXT 18
TEXT
yatha sasarja bhutani
dakso duhitr-vatsalah
retasa manasa caiva
tan mamavahitah srnu
SYNONYMS
yatha--as; sasarja--created; bhutani--the living entities; daksah--Daksa; duhitr-vatsalah--who is very affectionate to his daughters; retasa--by semen; manasa--by the mind; ca--also; eva--indeed; tat--that; mama--from me; avahitah--being attentive; srnu--please hear.
TRANSLATION
Sukadeva Gosvami continued: Please hear from me with great attention how Prajapati Daksa, who was very affectionate to his daughters, created different types of living entities through his semen and through his mind.
PURPORT
The word duhitr-vatsalah indicates that all the prajas were born from Daksa's daughters. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says that apparently Daksa had no son.
TEXT 19
TEXT
manasaivasrjat purvam
prajapatir imah prajah
devasura-manusyadin
nabhah-sthala-jalaukasah
SYNONYMS
manasa--by the mind; eva--indeed; asrjat--created; purvam--in the beginning; prajapatih--the prajapati (Daksa); imah--these; prajah--living entities; deva--the demigods; asura--the demons; manusya-adin--and other living entities, headed by the human beings; nabhah--in the skies; sthala--on the land; jala--or within the water; okasah--who have their abodes.
TRANSLATION
With his mind, Prajapati Daksa first created all kinds of demigods, demons, human beings, birds, beasts, aquatics and so on.
TEXT 20
TEXT
tam abrmhitam alokya
praja-sargam prajapatih
vindhya-padan upavrajya
so 'carad duskaram tapah
SYNONYMS
tam--that; abrmhitam--not increasing; alokya--seeing; praja-sargam--the creation of the living entities; prajapatih--Daksa, the generator of living entities; vindhya-padan--the mountains near the Vindhya mountain range; upavrajya--going to; sah--he; acarat--executed; duskaram--very difficult; tapah--austerities.
TRANSLATION
But when Prajapati Daksa saw that he was not properly generating all kinds of living entities, he approached a mountain near the Vindhya mountain range, and there he executed very difficult austerities.
TEXT 21
TEXT
tatraghamarsanam nama
tirtham papa-haram param
upasprsyanusavanam
tapasatosayad dharim
SYNONYMS
tatra--there; aghamarsanam--Aghamarsana; nama--named; tirtham--the holy place; papa-haram--suitable for destroying all sinful reactions; param--best; upasprsya--performing acamana and bathing; anusavanam--regularly; tapasa--by austerity; atosayat--caused pleasure; harim--to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TRANSLATION
Near that mountain was a very holy place named Aghamarsana. There Prajapati Daksa executed ritualistic ceremonies and satisfied the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, by engaging in great austerities to please Him.
TEXT 22
TEXT
astausid dhamsa-guhyena
bhagavantam adhoksajam
tubhyam tad abhidhasyami
kasyatusyad yatha harih
SYNONYMS
astausit--satisfied; hamsa-guhyena--by the celebrated prayers known as Hamsa-guhya; bhagavantam--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; adhoksajam--who is beyond the reach of the senses; tubhyam--unto you; tat--that; abhidhasyami--I shall explain; kasya--with Daksa, the prajapati; atusyat--was satisfied; yatha--how; harih--the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TRANSLATION
My dear King, I shall fully explain to you the Hamsa-guhya prayers, which were offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead by Daksa, and I shall explain how the Lord was pleased with him for those prayers.
PURPORT
It is to be understood that the Hamsa-guhya prayers were not composed by Daksa, but were existing in the Vedic literature.
TEXT 23
TEXT
sri-prajapatir uvaca
namah parayavitathanubhutaye
guna-trayabhasa-nimitta-bandhave
adrsta-dhamne guna-tattva-buddhibhir
nivrtta-manaya dadhe svayambhuve
SYNONYMS
sri-prajapatih uvaca--the prajapati Daksa said; namah--all respectful obeisances; paraya--unto the Transcendence; avitatha--correct; anubhutaye--unto Him whose spiritual potency brings about realization of Him; guna-traya--of the three material modes of nature; abhasa--of the living entities who have the appearance; nimitta--and of the material energy; bandhave--unto the controller; adrsta-dhamne--who is not perceived in His abode; guna-tattva-buddhibhih--by the conditioned souls whose poor intelligence dictates that real truth is found in the manifestations of the three modes of material nature; nivrtta-manaya--who has surpassed all material measurements and calculations; dadhe--I offer; svayambhuve--unto the Supreme Lord, who is manifest with no cause.
TRANSLATION
Prajapati Daksa said: The Supreme Personality of Godhead is transcendental to the illusory energy and the physical categories it produces. He possesses the potency for unfailing knowledge and supreme willpower, and He is the controller of the living entities and the illusory energy. The conditioned souls who have accepted this material manifestation as everything cannot see Him, for He is above the evidence of experimental knowledge. Self-evident and self-sufficient, He is not caused by any superior cause. Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto Him.
PURPORT
The transcendental position of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is explained herewith. He is not perceivable by the conditioned souls, who are accustomed to material vision and cannot understand that the Supreme Personality of Godhead exists in His abode, which is beyond that vision. Even if a materialistic person could count all the atoms in the universe, he would still be unable to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As confirmed in Brahma-samhita (5.34):
panthas tu koti-sata-vatsara-sampragamyo
vayor athapi manaso muni-pungavanam
so 'py asti yat-prapada-simny avicintya-tattve
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
The conditioned souls may try to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead for many billions of years through their mental speculative processes, traveling at the speed of the mind or the wind, but still the Absolute Truth will remain inconceivable to them because a materialistic person cannot measure the length and breadth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead's unlimited existence. If the Absolute Truth is beyond measurement, one may ask, how can one realize Him? The answer is given here by the word svayambhuve: one may understand Him or not, but nevertheless He is existing in His own spiritual potency.
TEXT 24
TEXT
na yasya sakhyam puruso 'vaiti sakhyuh
sakha vasan samvasatah pure 'smin
guno yatha gunino vyakta-drstes
tasmai mahesaya namaskaromi
SYNONYMS
na--not; yasya--whose; sakhyam--fraternity; purusah--the living entity; avaiti--knows; sakhyuh--of the supreme friend; sakha--the friend; vasan--living; samvasatah--of the one living with; pure--in the body; asmin--this; gunah--the object of sense perception; yatha--just like; guninah--of its respective sense organ; vyakta-drsteh--who oversees the material manifestation; tasmai--unto Him; maha-isaya--unto the supreme controller; namaskaromi--I offer my obeisances.
TRANSLATION
As the sense objects [form, taste, touch, smell and sound] cannot understand how the senses perceive them, so the conditioned soul, although residing in his body along with the Supersoul, cannot understand how the supreme spiritual person, the master of the material creation, directs his senses. Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto that Supreme Person, who is the supreme controller.
PURPORT
The individual soul and the Supreme Soul live together within the body. This is confirmed in the Upanisads by the analogy that two friendly birds live in one tree--one bird eating the fruit of the tree and the other simply witnessing and directing. Although the individual living being, who is compared to the bird that is eating, is sitting with his friend the Supreme Soul, the individual living being cannot see Him. Actually the Supersoul is directing the workings of his senses in the enjoyment of sense objects, but as these sense objects cannot see the senses, the conditioned soul cannot see the directing soul. The conditioned soul has desires, and the Supreme Soul fulfills them, but the conditioned soul is unable to see the Supreme Soul. Thus Prajapati Daksa offers his obeisances to the Supreme Soul, the Supersoul, even though unable to see Him. Another example given is that although ordinary citizens work under the direction of the government, they cannot understand how they are being governed or what the government is. In this regard, Madhvacarya quotes the following verse from the Skanda Purana:
yatha rajnah priyatvam tu
bhrtya vedena catmanah
tatha jivo na yat-sakhyam
vetti tasmai namo 'stu te
"As the various servants in the different departments of big establishments cannot see the supreme managing director under whom they are working, the conditioned souls cannot see the supreme friend sitting within their bodies. Let us therefore offer our respectful obeisances unto the Supreme, who is invisible to our material eyes."
TEXT 25
TEXT
deho 'savo 'ksa manavo bhuta-matram
atmanam anyam ca viduh param yat
sarvam puman veda gunams ca taj-jno
na veda sarva-jnam anantam ide
SYNONYMS
dehah--this body; asavah--the life airs; aksah--the different senses; manavah--the mind, understanding, intellect and ego; bhuta-matram--the five gross material elements and the sense objects (form, taste, sound and so on); atmanam--themselves; anyam--any other; ca--and; viduh--know; param--beyond; yat--that which; sarvam--everything; puman--the living being; veda--knows; gunan--the qualities of the material nature; ca--and; tat-jnah--knowing those things; na--not; veda--knows; sarva-jnam--unto the omniscient; anantam--the unlimited; ide--I offer my respectful obeisances.
TRANSLATION
Because they are only matter, the body, the life airs, the external and internal senses, the five gross elements and the subtle sense objects [form, taste, smell, sound and touch] cannot know their own nature, the nature of the other senses or the nature of their controllers. But the living being, because of his spiritual nature, can know his body, the life airs, the senses, the elements and the sense objects, and he can also know the three qualities that form their roots. Nevertheless, although the living being is completely aware of them, he is unable to see the Supreme Being, who is omniscient and unlimited. I therefore offer my respectful obeisances unto Him.
PURPORT
Material scientists can make an analytical study of the physical elements, the body, the senses, the sense objects and even the air that controls the vital force, but still they cannot understand that above all these is the real spirit soul. In other words, the living entity, because of his being a spirit soul, can understand all the material objects, or, when self-realized, he can understand the Paramatma, upon whom yogis meditate. Nevertheless, the living being, even if advanced, cannot understand the Supreme Being, the Personality of Godhead, for He is ananta, unlimited, in all six opulences.
TEXT 26
TEXT
yadoparamo manaso nama-rupa-
rupasya drsta-smrti-sampramosat
ya iyate kevalaya sva-samsthaya
hamsaya tasmai suci-sadmane namah
SYNONYMS
yada--when in trance; uparamah--complete cessation; manasah--of the mind; nama-rupa--material names and forms; rupasya--of that by which they appear; drsta--of material vision; smrti--and of remembrance; sampramosat--due to the destruction; yah--who (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); iyate--is perceived; kevalaya--with spiritual; sva-samsthaya--His own original form; hamsaya--unto the supreme pure; tasmai--unto Him; suci-sadmane--who is realized only in the pure state of spiritual existence; namah--I offer my respectful obeisances.
TRANSLATION
When one's consciousness is completely purified of the contamination of material existence, gross and subtle, without being agitated as in the working and dreaming states, and when the mind is not dissolved as in susupti, deep sleep, one comes to the platform of trance. Then one's material vision and the memories of the mind, which manifests names and forms, are vanquished. Only in such a trance is the Supreme Personality of Godhead revealed. Thus let us offer our respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is seen in that uncontaminated, transcendental state.
PURPORT
There are two stages of God realization. One is called sujneyam, or very easily understood (generally by mental speculation), and the other is called durjneyam, understood only with difficulty. Paramatma realization and Brahman realization are considered sujneyam, but realization of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is durjneyam. As described here, one attains the ultimate realization of the Personality of Godhead when one gives up the activities of the mind--thinking, feeling and willing--or, in other words, when mental speculation stops. This transcendental realization is above susupti, deep sleep. In our gross conditional stage we perceive things through material experience and remembrance, and in the subtle stage we perceive the world in dreams. The process of vision also involves remembrance and also exists in a subtle form. Above gross experience and dreams is susupti, deep sleep, and when one comes to the completely spiritual platform, transcending deep sleep, he attains trance, visuddha-sattva, or vasudeva-sattva, in which the Personality of Godhead is revealed.
Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih: as long as one is situated in duality, on the sensual platform, gross or subtle, realization of the original Personality of Godhead is impossible. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah: but when one engages his senses in the service of the Lord--specifically, when one engages the tongue in chanting the Hare Krsna mantra and tasting only Krsna prasada with a spirit of service--the Supreme Personality of Godhead is revealed. This is indicated in this verse by the word suci-sadmane. Suci means purified. By the spirit of rendering service with one's senses, one's entire existence becomes suci-sadma, the platform of uncontaminated purity. Daksa therefore offers his respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is revealed on the platform of suci-sadma. In this regard Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura quotes the following prayer by Lord Brahma from the Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.14.6): tathapi bhuman mahimagunasya te viboddhum arhaty amalantar-atmabhih. "One whose heart has become completely purified, my Lord, can understand the transcendental qualities of Your Lordship and can understand the greatness of Your activities."
TEXTS 27-28
TEXT
manisino 'ntar-hrdi sannivesitam
sva-saktibhir navabhis ca trivrdbhih
vahnim yatha daruni pancadasyam
manisaya niskarsanti gudham
sa vai mamasesa-visesa-maya-
nisedha-nirvana-sukhanubhutih
sa sarva-nama sa ca visva-rupah
prasidatam aniruktatma-saktih
SYNONYMS
manisinah--great learned brahmanas performing ritualistic ceremonies and sacrifices; antah-hrdi--within the core of the heart; sannivesitam--being situated; sva-saktibhih--with His own spiritual potencies; navabhih--also with the nine different material potencies (the material nature, the total material energy, the ego, the mind and the five objects of the senses); ca--and (the five gross material elements and the ten acting and knowledge-gathering senses); trivrdbhih--by the three material modes of nature; vahnim--fire; yatha--just like; daruni--within wood; pancadasyam--produced by chanting the fifteen hymns known as Samidheni mantras; manisaya--by purified intelligence; niskarsanti--extract; gudham--although not manifesting; sah--that Supreme Personality of Godhead; vai--indeed; mama--toward me; asesa--all; visesa--varieties; maya--of the illusory energy; nisedha--by the process of negation; nirvana--of liberation; sukha-anubhutih--who is realized by transcendental bliss; sah--that Supreme Personality of Godhead; sarva-nama--who is the source of all names; sah--that Supreme Personality of Godhead; ca--also; visva-rupah--the gigantic form of the universe; prasidatam--may He be merciful; anirukta--inconceivable; atma-saktih--the reservoir of all spiritual potencies.
TRANSLATION
Just as great learned brahmanas who are expert in performing ritualistic ceremonies and sacrifices can extract the fire dormant within wooden fuel by chanting the fifteen Samidheni mantras, thus proving the efficacy of the Vedic mantras, so those who are actually advanced in consciousness--in other words, those who are Krsna conscious--can find the Supersoul, who by His own spiritual potency is situated within the heart. The heart is covered by the three modes of material nature and the nine material elements [material nature, the total material energy, the ego, the mind and the five objects of sense gratification], and also by the five material elements and the ten senses. These twenty-seven elements constitute the external energy of the Lord. Great yogis meditate upon the Lord, who is situated as the Supersoul, Paramatma, within the core of the heart. May that Supersoul be pleased with me. The Supersoul is realized when one is eager for liberation from the unlimited varieties of material life. One actually attains such liberation when he engages in the transcendental loving service of the Lord and realizes the Lord because of his attitude of service. The Lord may be addressed by various spiritual names, which are inconceivable to the material senses. When will that Supreme Personality of Godhead be pleased with me?
PURPORT
In his commentary to this verse, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura uses the word durvijneyam, which means "very difficult to realize." The pure stage of existence is described in Bhagavad-gita (7.28), wherein Krsna says:
yesam tv anta-gatam papam
jananam punya-karmanam
te dvandva-moha-nirmukta
bhajante mam drdha-vratah
"Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life, whose sinful actions are completely eradicated and who are freed from the duality of delusion, engage themselves in My service with determination."
Elsewhere in Bhagavad-gita (9.14) the Lord says:
satatam kirtayanto mam
yatantas ca drdha-vratah
namasyantas ca mam bhaktya
nitya-yukta upasate
"Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion."
One can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead after transcending all material impediments. Therefore Lord Krsna also says in the Gita (7.3):
manusyanam sahasresu
kascid yatati siddhaye
yatatam api siddhanam
kascin mam vetti tattvatah
"Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth."
To understand Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one must undergo severe penances and austerities, but since the path of devotional service is perfect, by following this process one can very easily come to the spiritual platform and understand the Lord. This, too, is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (18.55), wherein Krsna says:
bhaktya mam abhijanati
yavan yas casmi tattvatah
tato mam tattvato jnatva
visate tad-anantaram
"One can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead as He is only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God."
Thus although the subject matter is durvijneyam, extremely difficult to understand, it becomes easy if one follows the prescribed method. Coming in touch with the Supreme Personality of Godhead is possible through pure devotional service, which begins with sravanam kirtanam visnoh. In this regard, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura quotes a verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.8.5): pravistah karna-randhrena svanam bhava-saroruham. The process of hearing and chanting enters the core of the heart, and in this way one becomes a pure devotee. By continuing this process, one comes to the stage of transcendental love, and then he appreciates the transcendental name, form, qualities and pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In other words, a pure devotee, by devotional service, is able to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead despite many material impediments, which are all various energies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Easily making his way through these impediments, a devotee comes directly in contact with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. After all, the material impediments described in these verses are but various energies of the Lord. When a devotee is eager to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he prays to the Lord:
ayi nanda-tanuja kinkaram
patitam mam visame bhavambudhau
krpaya tava pada-pankaja-
sthita-dhuli-sadrsam vicintaya
"O son of Maharaja Nanda [Krsna], I am Your eternal servitor, yet somehow or other I have fallen into the ocean of birth and death. Please pick me up from this ocean of death and place me as one of the atoms at Your lotus feet." Being pleased with the devotee, the Lord turns all his material impediments into spiritual service. In this connection Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura quotes a verse from the Visnu Purana:
hladini sandhini samvit
tvayy eka sarva-samsthitau
hlada-tapa-kari misra
tvayi no guna-varjite
In the material world, the spiritual energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is manifested as tapa-kari, which means "causing miseries." Everyone hankers for happiness, but although happiness originally comes from the pleasure potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in the material world, because of material activities, the pleasure potency of the Lord becomes a source of miseries (hlada-tapa-kari). False happiness in the material world is the source of distress, but when one's endeavors for happiness are redirected toward the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, this tapa-kari element of misery is vanquished. An example given in this connection is that extracting fire from wood is certainly difficult, but when the fire comes out it burns the wood to ashes. In other words, experiencing the Supreme Personality of Godhead is extremely difficult for those devoid of devotional service, but everything becomes easier for a devotee, and thus he can very easily meet the Supreme Lord.
Here the prayers say that the form of the Lord is beyond the jurisdiction of material form and is therefore inconceivable. A devotee prays, however, "My dear Lord, be pleased with me so that I may very easily see Your transcendental form and potency." Nondevotees try to understand the Supreme Brahman by discussions of neti neti. Nisedha-nirvana-sukhanubhutih: a devotee, however, simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord, avoids such laborious speculations and realizes the existence of the Lord very easily.
TEXT 29
TEXT
yad yan niruktam vacasa nirupitam
dhiyaksabhir va manasota yasya
ma bhut svarupam guna-rupam hi tat tat
sa vai gunapaya-visarga-laksanah
SYNONYMS
yat yat--whatever; niruktam--expressed; vacasa--by words; nirupitam--ascertained; dhiya--by so-called meditation or intelligence; aksabhih--by the senses; va--or; manasa--by the mind; uta--certainly; yasya--of whom; ma bhut--may not be; sva-rupam--the actual form of the Lord; guna-rupam--consisting of the three qualities; hi--indeed; tat tat--that; sah--that Supreme Personality of Godhead; vai--indeed; guna-apaya--the cause of the annihilation of everything made of the material modes of nature; visarga--and the creation; laksanah--appearing as.
TRANSLATION
Anything expressed by material vibrations, anything ascertained by material intelligence and anything experienced by the material senses or concocted within the material mind is but an effect of the modes of material nature and therefore has nothing to do with the real nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Lord is beyond the creation of this material world, for He is the source of the material qualities and creation. As the cause of all causes, He exists before the creation and after the creation. I wish to offer my respectful obeisances unto Him.
PURPORT
One who manufactures names, forms, qualities or paraphernalia pertaining to the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot understand Him, since He is beyond creation. The Supreme Lord is the creator of everything, and this means that He existed when there was no creation. In other words, His name, form and qualities are not materially created entities; they are transcendental always. Therefore by our material concoctions, vibrations and thoughts we cannot ascertain the Supreme Lord. This is explained in the verse atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih.
Pracetasa, Daksa, herein offers prayers unto the Transcendence, not to anyone within the material creation. Only fools and rascals think God a material creation. This is confirmed by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gita (9.11):
avajananti mam mudha
manusim tanum asritam
param bhavam ajananto
mama bhuta-mahesvaram
"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." Therefore, one must receive knowledge from a person to whom the Lord has revealed Himself; there is no value in creating an imaginary name or form for the Lord. Sripada Sankaracarya was an impersonalist, but nevertheless he said, narayanah paro 'vyaktat: Narayana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is not a person of the material world. We cannot assign Narayana a material designation, as the foolish attempt to do when they speak of daridra-narayana (poor Narayana). Narayana is always transcendental, beyond this material creation. How can He become daridra-narayana? Poverty is found within this material world, but in the spiritual world, there is no such thing as poverty. Therefore the idea of daridra-narayana is merely a concoction.
Daksa very carefully points out that material designations cannot be names of the worshipable Lord: yad yan niruktam vacasa nirupitam. Nirukta refers to the Vedic dictionary. One cannot properly understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead merely by picking up expressions from a dictionary. In praying to the Lord, Daksa does not wish material names and forms to be the objects of his worship; rather, he wants to worship the Lord, who existed before the creation of material dictionaries and names. As confirmed in the Vedas, yato vaco nivartante. aprapya manasa saha: the name, form, attributes and paraphernalia of the Lord cannot be ascertained through a material dictionary. However, if one reaches the transcendental platform of understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he becomes well acquainted with everything, material and spiritual. This is confirmed in another Vedic mantra: tam eva viditvati mrtyum eti. If one can somehow or other, by the grace of the Lord, understand the transcendental position of the Lord, one becomes eternal. This is further confirmed by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gita (4.9):
janma karma ca me divyam
evam yo vetti tattvatah
tyaktva deham punar janma
naiti mam eti so 'rjuna
"One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna." Simply by understanding the Supreme Lord, one goes beyond birth, death, old age and disease. Srila Sukadeva Gosvami therefore advised Maharaja Pariksit in Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.1.5):