rule



 

 

Canto 12

S'rî S'rî S'ikshâshthaka

 


Chapter 8: Mârkandeya Resists All Temptation and Prays to Nara-Nârâyana Rishi

(1) S'rî S'aunaka said: "Oh Sűta, saintly soul, may you live long. Oh best of speakers, please talk to us, for you are, for a mankind wandering in endless darkness, the seer of the opposite [of the light]. (2-5) People say that the son of Mrikandu, a seer [called Mârkandeya], was blessed with an exceptionally long life span and that he was the only soul to remain at the end of the kalpa when this entire universe was engulfed. He, the foremost descendant of Bhrigu, this kalpa factually took birth in my own family. We as yet have not seen any great deluge of all creation taking place in our age. When he alone wandered this great ocean [of destruction] he spotted, so the story goes, a single wonderful personality, an infant boy, lying within the fold of a banyan leaf. About this, oh Sűta, we are in great doubt. Oh yogi by everyone regarded the greatest authority on the Purânas, please put for us, so eager to know about it, an end to that doubt."

(6) Sűta said: "Oh great sage, the effect of your question is that it will take away the confusion of the entire world, for it leads to the discussion of the story of Nârâyana that removes the dirt of Kali-yuga. (7-11) After Mârkandeya had received the second-birth initiation rituals from his father and orderly had studied the Vedic hymns and principles of religion, he was equipped with austerity and recitation. Keeping to the great vow [of lifelong celibacy, see yama] he was peaceful with matted hair and bark clothes, and carried a water pot, a mendicant's staff, a sacred thread and a celibate's belt. With the skin of a black deer and lotus-seed prayer beads he for the sake of his regulated practice [see niyama] worshiped at sunrise and sunset the Lord in the form of the fire, the sun, the guru, the scholars and the Supreme Soul. In the morning and the evening he brought what he had collected by begging to his spiritual master and, being invited by his guru, then joined in the eating in silence, or else, not being asked, he would fast [see also 7.12: 5 and 7.14: 17]. When he thus with penance and study had worshiped the Master of the Senses for countless [or millions of] years, he had conquered what is impossible to conquer: death. (12) Brahmâ, Bhrigu, S'iva, Daksha, the sons of Brahmâ and many others among the human beings, demigods, forefathers and ghostly spirits, all stood amazed about that [achievement]. (13) This way with his austerities, recitations and restraint maintaining the great vow of celibacy, the yogi, having turned his mind inwards, meditated on the Lord in the Beyond and rid himself of all hindrances. (14) As he was thus fixing his mind with the powerful practice of yoga, the enormous lapse of time passed consisting of six manvantaras [of 71 mahâyugas each]. (15) In the seventh period of Manu, Purandara [Indra] heard about the austerities, became afraid of them, oh brahmin, and decided to obstruct them. (16) He sent celestial singers and dancing girls to the sage, as also Cupid, the spring season, the [sandalwood scented] Malaya breeze, the child of passion [or greed] and the child of intoxication. (17) Oh mighty soul, they all went to his hermitage, on the northern side of the Himalaya mountains, where the river Pushpabhadrâ and the peak named Citrâ are situated. (18-20) The fine site of the âs'rama was crowded with twice-born souls, was marked with nice trees and creepers, and with reservoirs of pellucid water everywhere. Humming with maddened bees it was filled with families of birds - excitedly cooing cuckoos and busily dancing, proud peacocks. The winds blowing there transported the cooling drops of mist from the waterfalls and, being embraced by the charm of flowers, called for the god of love. (21) With the moon rising at night showing its face, springtime appeared there with series of new sprouts and blossoms from the multitude of creepers closely embracing the trees. (22) The god of love, the master of hoardes of heavenly women, showed himself there holding his bow and arrows, as he was followed by groups of singing Gandharvas playing musical instruments. (23) The servants of Indra found him sitting there in meditation after having offered his sacrificial oblations, with his eyes closed as invincible as fire personified. (24) The women danced in front of him and the celestial singers sang, making charming music with drums, cymbals and vînâs. (25) And while the servants of Indra, the child of greed and the child of spring tried to agitate the mind of the sage, Cupid fixed his five-pointed arrow [concerning one's sight, smell, sound, touch and taste] on his bow. (26-27) The wreath of flowers fell from the hair of Puńjikasthalî [an Apsara] who, with her waist greatly challenged by her heavy breasts, was playing with a number of balls. Running after the balls with her eyes wandering here and there, the belt of her thin garment loosened and the wind lifted up the fine fabric [see also 3.20: 35-36, 3.22: 17, 5.2: 14, 8.12: 17-24]. (28) Cupid, thinking he had conquered him, then shot his arrow, but all these actions directed at the sage proved to be as futile as the endeavors of a disbeliever. (29) Oh sage, this way trying to compromise the sage, they felt themselves being burned by his potency and thus desisted, just like children having aroused a snake. (30) Oh brahmin, even though the followers of Indra had violated the great muni, he did not yield to the sentiments of ego. For a great soul that is not so surprising at all.

(31) Seeing and hearing how, because of the strength of the brahmin seer, Kâmadeva along with his associates stood powerless, the mighty king of heaven was greatly amazed. (32) In order to show the sage His mercy who thus had fixed his mind in austerity, recitation and restraint, the Lord manifested Himself in the forms of Nara and Nârâyana. (33-34) One of Them was white and the other black. Their eyes were like blooming lotuses, They had four arms, had clothes of bark and black deerskin, They carried a water pot and a straight staff of bamboo in Their most purifying hands and had three-stranded sacred threads. With prayer beads of lotus seeds and with the Vedas that purify all living beings [in the form of bundles of darbha] They, being worshiped by the chief demigods and standing tall with an effulgent yellowish color, radiating like lightning were austerity personified. (35) Seeing the sages Nara and Nârâyana, the forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he stood up to offer his obeisances with the greatest respect and prostrated himself. (36) Because he, when he saw Them, experienced happiness all over his body, mind and senses, and the hairs on his body stood on end, he was unable, from the tears filling his eyes, to see Them clearly before him. (37) Standing humbly with folded hands, he addressed Them eagerly as if he wanted to embrace Them, and choking said to the two Lords the syllables 'na-ma-ha, na-ma-ha' (my obeisances, my obeisances). (38) He offered Them seats, bathed Their feet and worshiped Them with incense and flower garlands while anointing Them with sandal wood and other fragrant substances. (39) As They sat comfortably on Their places ready to bestow Their mercy upon the sage, he again bowed down at Their feet and spoke the following words to the supremely worshipable personalities.

(40) S'rî Mârkandeya said: 'Oh Almighty One, how can I describe You who moves the vital breath of all embodied living beings including Brahmâ, S'iva and myself, and who, following, stirs into action the power of speech, the mind and the senses. Nevertheless [despite this physical imposition] You become the loving friend of everyone worshipping You. (41) These personal forms of the Fortunate One, oh Supreme Lord, You manifest for the ultimate benefit of the cessation of material misery and the defeat of death. And while You, for the sake of protection, manifest various other forms, You - like a spider [with its web] - once having created this universe, again swallow it up completely. (42) Because of You being the Protector, the Supreme Controller of the moving and nonmoving living beings, the one situated at the soles of Your feet is never touched by the emotions of karma, guna and kâla; it is before You indeed that the sages, with the Veda in their heart, at every moment in praise bow down to worship and meditate to attain You. (43) We know of nothing else but the attainment of Your feet, the very form of liberation, oh Lord, that benefits the person who has to fear from all sides. Brahmâ whose time takes two parârdhas, is most afraid on account of this because You are the Time. And how much more would that not be true for the worldly entities created by him [see 10.13: 56]? (44) Let me therefore, with forsaking the covering of my soul, worship the foundation of Your feet, of You who are the intelligence of the real and the teacher of the soul who are the Absolute Truth. The material body with everything thereto is but temporal, one remembers it for only a moment and without its essence it has no meaning. One must attain You and thus see all desired purposes fulfilled. (45) Oh Lord, oh Friend of the Soul, even though all the products of Your illusory potency carrying the names sattva, rajas and tamas, exist as a form of  [Your] pastime for the sake of the maintenance, destruction and creation of this universe, it is the mode of goodness, sattva, that exists for our liberation and not any of the other two [basic qualities of passion and ignorance] that bring men danger, bewilderment and fear [see also guna-avatâras and 10.89: 18]. (46) Because fearlessness, the happiness of the soul and the spiritual world are attained by the mode of goodness, the Sâtvatas, Your devotees, are of that consideration and never of any other [mode or] form of the Original Person. For that reason the spiritual authorities in this world worship as most dear to them the transcendental personal form of You [Vishnu], as also the form of those who have only eyes for You [the Vaishnavas], oh Supreme Lord [see also 1.2: 26]. (47) The All-pervading, All-inclusive Manifestation and Master of the Universe, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, I offer my obeisances, for He is both the supremely worshipable deity Nârâyana, the sage of perfect purity, and Nara, the best of the humans and master of the Vedic scriptures in command of His speech [see hamsa]. (48) He who by the deceptive command of his eyes, becomes diverted in his intelligence and fails to recognize [Your presence] within his own senses, heart and even within the objects perceived, may, despite his understanding being covered by Your mâyâ nevertheless, succeed [and arrive at realization] when he directly obtains the Vedic knowledge from its source, from You, the Spiritual Master of All. (49) The vision of the Supreme Soul, the mystery revealed by the Vedic texts, is what the great scholars headed by the Unborn Lord [Brahmâ] become bewildered about when they try to adjust, with all sorts of philosophies, the subject matter of Your person to their way of life. You, the Supreme Personality who escapes the understanding of the [materially conditioned] spirit soul, I offer my respects [compare 1.3: 37, 4.31: 11, 4.18: 5, 5.6: 11, 5.14: 1, 7.15: 58, 11.19: 1, 11.20: 7 and B.G. 16: 23-24]."

 

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 Third revised edition, loaded November 3, 2022.

 

 

 

Previous Aadhar edition and Vedabase links:

Text 1

S'rî S'aunaka said: "Oh Sűta, saintly soul, may you live long. Oh best of speakers, please talk to us, for you are, for a mankind wandering in endless darkness, the seer of the opposite [of the light].
S'rî S'aunaka said: "O Sűta, may you live long, o saintly one; o best of speakers, please speak to us, because you are for a mankind wandering in the endless darkness the seer of the opposite. (Vedabase)

 

Text 2-5

People say that the son of Mrikandu, a seer [called Mârkandeya], was blessed with an exceptionally long life span and that he was the only soul to remain at the end of the kalpa when this entire universe was engulfed. He, the foremost descendant of Bhrigu, this kalpa factually took birth in my own family. We as yet have not seen any great deluge of all creation taking place in our age. When he alone wandered this great ocean [of destruction] he spotted, so the story goes, a single wonderful personality, an infant boy, lying within the fold of a banyan leaf. About this, oh Sűta, we are in great doubt. Oh yogi by everyone regarded the greatest authority on the Purânas, please put for us, so eager to know about it, an end to that doubt."

People say that the son of Mrikandu, a seer [called Mârkandeya] blessed with an exceptionally long life span, was the only one to remain at the end of the kalpa when this entire universe is engulfed. He, the foremost descendant of Bhrigu, was this kalpa factually born in my own family and we as yet haven't any great deluge of all creation seen taking place in our age. Alone wandering this great ocean he spotted, so the story goes, a single wonderful personality, an infant boy, lying within the fold of a banyan leaf. About this, o Sűta we are in great doubt; please o yogi who by everyone are regarded the greatest authority on the Purânas, put for us eager to know about it an end to that." (Vedabase)

   

Text 6

Sűta said: "Oh great sage, the effect of your question is that it will take away the confusion of the entire world, for it leads to the discussion of the story of Nârâyana that removes the dirt of Kali-yuga.

Sűta said: "O great sage this question of you takes away the giddiness of the entire world because it leads to the discussion of the story of Nârâyana which removes the dirt of kali-yuga. (Vedabase)

 

Text 7-11

After Mârkandeya had received the second-birth initiation rituals from his father and orderly had studied the Vedic hymns and principles of religion, he was equipped with austerity and recitation. Keeping to the great vow [of lifelong celibacy, see yama] he was peaceful with matted hair and bark clothes, and carried a water pot, a mendicant's staff, a sacred thread and a celibate's belt. With the skin of a black deer and lotus-seed prayer beads he for the sake of his regulated practice [see niyama] worshiped at sunrise and sunset the Lord in the form of the fire, the sun, the guru, the scholars and the Supreme Soul. In the morning and the evening he brought what he had collected by begging to his spiritual master and, being invited by his guru, then joined in the eating in silence, or else, not being asked, he would fast [see also 7.12: 5 and 7.14: 17]. When he thus with penance and study had worshiped the Master of the Senses for countless [or millions of] years, he had conquered what is impossible to conquer: death.

Mârkandeya having received the second-birth initiation rituals from his father, orderly studying the vedic hymns along with the religious duties, was complete in his austerities and studies. Keeping to the great vow [see yama] he was peaceful with matted hair and bark for clothes carrying a waterpot, a mendicant's staff, the sacred thread and the belt of the celibates. With the skin of a black deer and lotus-seed prayerbeads he for the good of his regulated practice [see niyama] worshiped at the junctures of the day the Lord in the form of the fire, the sun, the guru, the learned ones and the Supreme Soul. In the morning and the evening he with a controlled voice brought what he had collected begging to his spiritual master and once being invited by his guru joined in the eating or, not being asked, he would fast [see also 7.12; 5 and 7.14: 17]. This way of penance and study worshiping for countless [or millions of] years the Master of the Senses, he had conquered what is impossible to conquer: death. (Vedabase)

 

 Text 12

Brahmâ, Bhrigu, S'iva, Daksha, the sons of Brahmâ and many others among the human beings, demigods, forefathers and ghostly spirits, all stood amazed about that [achievement].

Brahmâ, Bhrigu, S'iva, Daksha, the sons of Brahmâ and the other human beings, the demigods, forefathers and ghostly spirits all were most astonished about that [achievement]. (Vedabase)

   

Text 13

This way with his austerities, recitations and restraint maintaining the great vow of celibacy, the yogi, having turned his mind inwards, meditated on the Lord in the Beyond and rid himself of all hindrances.

This way maintaining the great vow by his austerities, recitations and restraint, the yogi meditated upon the Lord in the Beyond and with his mind turned inwards he rid himself of all hindrances. (Vedabase)

 

Text 14

As he was thus fixing his mind with the powerful practice of yoga, the enormous lapse of time passed consisting of six manvantaras [of 71 mahâyugas each].

As he was fixing his mind thus by means of yoga, passed by the enormous lapse of time consisting of six manvantaras [of 71 mahâyugas each]. (Vedabase)

 

Text 15

In the seventh period of Manu, Purandara [Indra] heard about the austerities, became afraid of them, oh brahmin, and decided to obstruct them.

In the seventh period of Manu Purandara [Indra] learned of the austerities. He became fearful, o brahmin, and decided to obstruct them. (Vedabase)

 

Text 16

He sent celestial singers and dancing girls to the sage, as also Cupid, the spring season, the [sandalwood scented] Malaya breeze, the child of passion [or greed] and the child of intoxication.

He sent to the sage celestial singers and dancing girls, Cupid, the spring season, the [sandalwood scented] Malaya breeze, the child of passion and the child of intoxication. (Vedabase)

 

Text 17

Oh mighty soul, they all went to his hermitage, on the northern side of the Himalaya mountains, where the river Pushpabhadrâ and the peak named Citrâ are situated.

O mighty one, they all went to his hermitage on the northern side of the Himâlaya mountains where there is the river Pushpabhadrâ and the peak named Citrâ. (Vedabase)

 

Text 18-20

The fine site of the âs'rama was crowded with twice-born souls, was marked with nice trees and creepers, and with reservoirs of pellucid water everywhere. Humming with maddened bees it was filled with families of birds - excitedly cooing cuckoos and busily dancing, proud peacocks. The winds blowing there transported the cooling drops of mist from the waterfalls and, being embraced by the charm of flowers, called for the god of love.

The good site of the âs'rama where many twice-born souls had come to live was marked with fine trees and creepers and eservoirs of pellucid water everywhere. Humming with maddened bees it was filled with families of birds - excitedly cooing cuckoos and busily dancing, proud peacocks. The winds blowing there transported the cooling drops of mist from the waterfalls and called, being embraced by the charm of flowers, for the god of love. (Vedabase)

 

Text 21

With the moon rising at night showing its face, springtime appeared there with series of new sprouts and blossoms from the multitude of creepers closely embracing the trees.

With the moon rising at night showing its face, springtime appeared there with series of new sprouts and blossoms from the multitude of creepers closely embracing the trees. (Vedabase)

 

Text 22

The god of love, the master of hoardes of heavenly women, showed himself there holding his bow and arrows, as he was followed by groups of singing Gandharvas playing musical instruments.

Followed by groups of singing Gandharvas playing musical instruments the god of love, the master of hordes of heavenly women, was seen there holding his bow and arrows. (Vedabase)

 

Text 23

The servants of Indra found him sitting there in meditation after having offered his sacrificial oblations, with his eyes closed as invincible as fire personified.

The servants of Indra found him in that place. Having offered his oblations, he sat in meditation with his eyes closed, invincible as fire personified. (Vedabase)

 

Text 24

The women danced in front of him and the celestial singers sang, making charming music with drums, cymbals and vînâs.

The women danced in front of him and the celestial singers sang making charming music with drums, cymbals and vînâs. (Vedabase)

 

Text 25

And while the servants of Indra, the child of greed and the child of spring tried to agitate the mind of the sage, Cupid fixed his five-pointed arrow [concerning one's sight, smell, sound, touch and taste] on his bow.

And while the servants of Indra, the child of greed and the child of spring attempted to agitate the mind of the sage, five-headed Cupid (to the sight, smell, sound, touch and taste) fixed an arrow on his bow. (Vedabase)

 

Text 26-27

The wreath of flowers fell from the hair of Puńjikasthalî [an Apsara] who, with her waist greatly challenged by her heavy breasts, was playing with a number of balls. Running after the balls with her eyes wandering here and there, the belt of her thin garment loosened and the wind lifted up the fine fabric [see also 3.20: 35-36, 3.22: 17, 5.2: 14, 8.12: 17-24].

Flowers fell from the wreath of hair of Puńjikasthalî [an Apsara] who with her waist greatly challenged by her heavy breasts was playing with a number of balls. Running after the balls, with eyes glancing here and there, the belt of her thin garment loosened and the wind lifted up her fine garment [see also 3.20: 35-36, 3.22: 17, 5.2: 14, 8.12: 17-24]. (Vedabase)

 

Text 28

Cupid, thinking he had conquered him, then shot his arrow, but all these actions directed at the sage proved to be as futile as the endeavors of a disbeliever.

Cupid, thinking he had conquered him, then shot his arrow, but all these actions directed at the sage proved to be as futile as the endeavors of a disbeliever. (Vedabase)

 

Text 29

Oh sage, this way trying to compromise the sage, they felt themselves being burned by his potency and thus desisted, just like children having aroused a snake.

O sage, they this way trying to compromise the sage, felt themselves being burned by his potency and thus they desisted, just like children having aroused a snake. (Vedabase)

 

Text 30

Oh brahmin, even though the followers of Indra had violated the great muni, he did not yield to the sentiments of ego. For a great soul that is not so surprising at all.

O brahmin, even though the followers of Indra had violated the great muni, he didn't yield to the sentiments of ego. And that is something not that surprising at all for a great soul. (Vedabase)

 

Text 31

Seeing and hearing how, because of the strength of the brahmin seer, Kâmadeva along with his associates stood powerless, the mighty king of heaven was greatly amazed.

Seeing and hearing how, because of the strength of the brahmin seer, Kâmadeva along with his associates had proven powerless, the mighty king of heaven was greatly amazed. (Vedabase)

 

Text 32

In order to show the sage His mercy who thus had fixed his mind in austerity, recitation and restraint, the Lord manifested Himself in the forms of Nara and Nârâyana.

When Mârkandeya thus fixed his mind in austerity, recitation and restraint the Supreme Lord manifested Himself as Nara-Nârâyana to show His mercy. (Vedabase)


Text 33-34

One of Them was white and the other black. Their eyes were like blooming lotuses, They had four arms, had clothes of bark and black deerskin, They carried a water pot and a straight staff of bamboo in Their most purifying hands and had three-stranded sacred threads. With prayer beads of lotus seeds and with the Vedas that purify all living beings [in the form of bundles of darbha] They, being worshiped by the chief demigods and standing tall with an effulgent yellowish color, radiating like lightning were austerity personified.

Of the two of Them was one white and the other black; Their eyes were like blooming lotuses, Their arms were four, Their clothes black deerskin and bark, Their hands most purifying, carried a waterpot and a straight staff of bamboo, and Their sacred thread was three-stranded. With prayer beads of lotus seeds which purify all living beings and with the Vedas [in the form of bundles of darbha] they, worshiped by the chief demigods, of an effulgent yellowish color and standing tall, represented the austerity radiating with light. (Vedabase)

 

Text 35

Seeing the sages Nara and Nârâyana, the forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he stood up to offer his obeisances with the greatest respect and prostrated himself.

Seeing Them, Nara and Nârâyana, the direct personal manifestations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he stood up with great respect to offer his obeisances and prostrate himself. (Vedabase)

 

Text 36

Because he, when he saw Them, experienced happiness all over his body, mind and senses, and the hairs on his body stood on end, he was unable, from the tears filling his eyes, to see Them clearly before him.

Because he, when he saw Them, experienced happiness all over his body, mind and senses and the hairs on his body stood on end, he was unable, from the tears filling his eyes, to see Them clearly before him. (Vedabase)

 

Text 37

Standing humbly with folded hands, he addressed Them eagerly as if he wanted to embrace Them, and choking said to the two Lords the syllables 'na-ma-ha, na-ma-ha' (my obeisances, my obeisances).

Standing humbly with folded hands he addressed Them eagerly as if he wanted to embrace Them, and choking he managed to say to the two Lords the syllables 'na-ma-ha, na-ma-ha' (my obeisances, my obeisances). (Vedabase)

 

Text 38

He offered Them seats, bathed Their feet and worshiped Them with incense and flower garlands while anointing Them with sandal wood and other fragrant substances.

Offering Them sitting places, bathing Their feet and anointing Them with sandal wood and other fragrant substances, he was of worship with incense and flower garlands. (Vedabase)

 

Text 39

As They sat comfortably on Their places ready to bestow Their mercy upon the sage, he again bowed down at Their feet and spoke the following words to the supremely worshipable personalities.

Sitting comfortably on Their places ready to bestow Their mercy he, again bowing down at Their feet, spoke the following to the Ones Supremely Worshipable. (Vedabase)

 

Text 40

S'Mârkandeya said: 'Oh Almighty One, how can I describe You who moves the vital breath of all embodied living beings including Brahmâ, S'iva and myself, and who, following, stirs into action the power of speech, the mind and the senses. Nevertheless [despite this physical imposition] You become the loving friend of everyone worshipping You.

S'rî Mârkandeya said: 'O Almighty One, how can I describe You because of whom of all embodied living beings as well as of Brahmâ, S'iva as of myself the vital air, with in its wake the power of speech, the mind and the senses is stirred into action; nevertheless You [despite this physical imposition] become the loving friend of the ones who are of worship. (Vedabase)

 

Text 41

These personal forms of the Fortunate One, oh Supreme Lord, You manifest for the ultimate benefit of the cessation of material misery and the defeat of death. And while You, for the sake of protection, manifest various other forms, You - like a spider [with its web] - once having created this universe, again swallow it up completely.

These personal forms of the Fortunate One, o Supreme Lord, You manifest for the ultimate benefit of the cessation of the material misery and the defeat of death; and just as You, for the protection variously manifest other transcendental bodies, You, once having created this universe, again, just like a spider, swallow it up entirely. (Vedabase)

 

Text 42

Because of You being the Protector, the Supreme Controller of the moving and nonmoving living beings, the one situated at the soles of Your feet is never touched by the emotions of karma, guna and kâla; it is before You indeed that the sages, with the Veda in their heart, at every moment in praise bow down to worship and meditate to attain You.

Because of Him, the Protector, the Supreme Controller of the moving and nonmoving living beings, the one situated at the soles of His feet is never touched by the emotions of karma, guna and kâla; it is before You indeed that the sages with the Veda in their heart at every moment in praise bow down to worship and meditate to attain You. (Vedabase)

 

Text 43

We know of nothing else but the attainment of Your feet, the very form of liberation, oh Lord, that benefits the person who has to fear from all sides. Brahmâ whose time takes two parârdhas, is most afraid on account of this because You are the Time - and how much more would that not be true for the worldly entities created by him [see 10.13: 56]?

Nothing else but the attainment of Your feet, the very form of liberation, is what benefits the person who has to fear from all sides o Lord. We know that Brahmâ, whose time takes two parârdhas, is most afraid on account of this, he is afraid because of the Time that is You - and how much more wouldn't that be true for the worldly entities who are created by him [see 10.13: 56]? (Vedabase)

 

Text 44

Let me therefore, with forsaking the covering of my soul, worship the foundation of Your feet, of You who are the intelligence of the real and the teacher of the soul who are the Absolute Truth. The material body with everything thereto is but temporal, one remembers it for only a moment and without its essence it has no meaning. One must attain You and thus see all desired purposes fulfilled.

So let me therefore give up this covering of the self, the material body with everything to it that being temporal, being remembered for only a moment, insubstantial as it is, is so meaningless. Let me worship the soles of Your feet, of You, the Intelligence of what is real and the Master of the Soul who is the Supreme Truth from whom one obtains everything desirable. (Vedabase)

 

Text 45

Oh Lord, oh Friend of the Soul, even though all the products of Your illusory potency carrying the names sattva, rajas and tamas, exist as a form of  [Your] pastime for the sake of the maintenance, destruction and creation of this universe, it is the mode of goodness, sattva, that exists for our liberation and not any of the other two [basic qualities of passion and ignorance] that bring men danger, bewilderment and fear [see also guna-avatâras and 10.89: 18].

O Lord, o Friend of the Soul, even though the products of Your illusory potency known by the names of sattva, rajas and tamas, for the causes of the maintenance, destruction and creation of this universe exist as [Your] pastimes, it is the goodness [the sattvic] that [with You] continues for the liberation and not the other two which for men bring danger, bewilderment and fear [see also guna-avatâras and 10.89: 18]. (Vedabase)

 

Text 46

Because fearlessness, the happiness of the soul and the spiritual world are attained by the mode of goodness, the Sâtvatas, Your devotees, are of that consideration and never of any other [mode or] form of the Original Person. For that reason the spiritual authorities in this world worship as most dear to them the transcendental personal form of You [Vishnu], as also the form of those who have only eyes for You [the Vaishnavas], oh Supreme Lord [see also 1.2: 26].

Because fearlessness, the happiness of the soul and the spiritual world are attained through the mode of goodness the Sâtvatas are of that consideration and never of any other [mode or] form of the Original Person. For that reason the spiritual authorities in this world worship as most dear to them the transcendental personal form [Vishnu] of You as well as the form of the ones with only You in their eyes [the Vaishnavas], o Supreme Lord [see also 1.2: 26]. (Vedabase)


Text 47

The All-pervading, All-inclusive Manifestation and Master of the Universe, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, I offer my obeisances, for He is both the supremely worshipable deity Nârâyana, the sage of perfect purity, and Nara, the best of the humans and master of the Vedic scriptures in command of His speech [see hamsa].

Him, the All-pervading, All-inclusive Manifestation and Master of the Universe, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, I offer my obeisances, for He is the supremely worshipable deity, Nârâyana, the sage who is the best of the humans situated in perfect purity who, as the master of the vedic scriptures, has the command over His word [see hamsa]. (Vedabase)

 

Text 48

He who by the deceptive command of his eyes, becomes diverted in his intelligence and fails to recognize [Your presence] within his own senses, heart and even within the objects perceived, may, despite his understanding being covered by Your mâyâ, nevertheless succeed [and arrive at realization] when he directly obtains the Vedic knowledge from its source, from You, the Spiritual Master of All.

He who deceived by the deceptive veil over his eyes becomes diverted in his intelligence about Your presence within his own senses, heart and even within the objects perceived, can know You, the Spiritual master of All, when he obtains the vedic knowledge, even though his understanding was originally covered by Your mâyâ. (Vedabase)

 

Text 49

The vision of the Supreme Soul, the mystery revealed by the Vedic texts, is what the great scholars headed by the Unborn Lord [Brahmâ] become bewildered about when they try to adjust, with all sorts of philosophies, the subject matter of Your person to their way of life. You, the Supreme Personality who escapes the understanding of the [materially conditioned] spirit soul, I offer my respects [compare 1.3: 37, 4.31: 11, 4.18: 5, 5.6: 11, 5.14: 1, 7.15: 58, 11.19: 1, 11.20: 7 and B.G. 16: 23-24]."

The vision of the Supreme Soul, the mystery revealed by the vedic texts, is what the great scholars headed by the Unborn One [Brahmâ] become bewildered about when they try to adjust with all kinds of philosophies the subject matter of Him to their way of life. For He escapes the understanding of the [conditioned] spirit soul, He, the Supreme Personality whom I offer my respects [compare 1.3: 37, 4.31: 11, 4.18: 5, 5.6: 11, 5.14: 1, 7.15: 58, 11.19: 1, 11.20: 7 and B.G. 16: 23-24]." (Vedabase)

  

 

 

 

 

 

Creative
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The text and audio are offered under the conditions of the
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The image is a detail from a painting titled: 'Sage Markandeya's Ashram and the Milky Ocean', folio 5 from the Durga Charit.
Attributed to the "Durga Master", Jodhpur, ca. 1780-90; Source:
Meharangarh Museum Trust.
Production:
Filognostic Association of The Order of Time.


 

 

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