rule


 

Canto 3

Sāvarana S'rī Gaura

 

 

Chapter 33: The Renunciation of Devahūti

(1) Maitreya said: 'After the dear wife of Kardama, the mother named Devahūti, thus had listened to the words of Lord Kapila, she, being freed from the veil of ignorance, offered Him her obeisances and recited prayers to the author concerned with the fundamental [Sānkhya-yoga] truths that constitute the foundation of liberation. (2) Devahūti said: 'One says that the Unborn One [Brahmā] who originated from the lotus flower [sprouting] from Your abdomen, meditated on Your body lying in the water that is the source of the stream of the modes of nature and the seed pervading everything manifest of the material elements, the senses, the sense-objects and the mind. (3) As that single person of the universe who through the interaction of the modes divided the creation and all of that, You stand firm on the basis of Your heroism. You thereto with distinguishing Yourself as the infallible non-doer make the difference as the Lord of all living beings whose thousands of energies are inconceivable. (4) How can it be that You as that same person took birth from my abdomen, oh my Lord, You who with Your unimaginable powers carry the universe in Your belly, You who, at the end of the millennium all alone lying Yourself down on the leaf of a banyan tree, lick Your toe as a baby? (5) You have assumed this body to counter sinful activities, oh my Lord, and provide instructions for devotional service. Just as with incarnations of You like the boar incarnation and others, You, with this one, are there in order to reveal the path of self-realization. (6) With You even someone of the lowest birth is, by hearing the chanting of Your name, offering obeisances to You or even by simply remembering You, at any moment immediately enabled to perform the Vedic rituals. And then they have not even seen You face to face, oh Fortunate One! (7) Oh how blessed and hence worshipable is he who has Your holy name on his tongue, even when he is but cooking dog meat. For Your sake the souls of spiritual education [the Aryans] who studied the Vedas and accepted Your holy name, perform austerities, execute fire sacrifices and take a bath in the sacred rivers. (8) I offer You my obeisances, You the Highest Spirit, the Supreme Personality, Lord Vishnu carrying the name of Kapila, He who is the source of the Vedas, to whom I turned inwards to listen, whom I perceived in my mind, meditated on and by whose potency the influence of the modes vanished.'

(9) Maitreya said: 'The Supreme Lord carrying the name of Kapila, thus being praised, full of love for His mother replied with words of gravity. (10) Lord Kapila said: 'By following this easy to execute path I instructed to you, My dear mother, you very soon will attain the supreme goal. (11) You may rest assured that with this instruction of Mine that is followed by the transcendentalists, you will reach Me free from fear, while [the cycle of birth and] death is what is attained by those not conversant with this.'

(12) Maitreya said: 'After this instruction the venerable Supreme Lord of the path of self-realization, Kapila, the teacher of the Absolute Truth, took permission from His mother and left. (13) The way her son had told her in His yoga instruction, she in that abode [Kardama's palace], which with its wealth of flowers was the jewel of the Sarasvatī river, fixed her attention to be connected in the science of uniting consciousness. (14) Regularly taking a bath, her curly matted hair turned gray and her body, clad in old garments, became thin because of the severe austerities. (15) Kardama Muni, the progenitor of mankind, had by the austerity of his yoga developed his unequaled home with all its paraphernalia, that was even envied by the denizens of heaven. (16) The ivory beds white as the foam of milk had gold filigree covers and the chairs and benches were made of gold and had cushions soft to the touch. (17) The walls were of pure marble inlaid with valuable emeralds and lamps shone with the same jewels the women decorated themselves with. (18) The garden of the house was beautiful with its flowers and fruits, many trees with pairs of singing birds and the humming of intoxicated bees. (19) When she entered the pond fragrant with lotuses, the heavenly associates sang to her about the great care of Kardama.

(20) [But] leaving that most desirable garden that was even envied by the wives of Indra, she had a sorry look on her face because she was afflicted by her being separated from her son. (21) With her husband having left for the forest and her son separated from her she, despite the truth she knew, became as sad as a caring cow that lost her calf. (22) While thinking of Him, her divine son Lord Kapiladeva, she very soon, oh dear Vidura, became detached from her fine home. (23) According to the instruction of her son meditating on the form of the Supreme Lord as the object of her spiritual absorption, she kept in mind the complete and the parts of His smiling face. (24-25) Impelled by her knowledge of the Absolute Truth performing her duties the proper way, she was continuously engaged in devotional service and very strong in renunciation. Spiritually purified by the Great Soul whose face is seen everywhere, she then in her self-realization saw the symptoms of the modes of nature disappear. (26) With her mind situated in Brahman, in the Supreme Lord as also in the Supersoul residing in all living beings, the distress of the unfortunate condition of her soul disappeared and she attained transcendental bliss. (27) Elevated to the eternal state of full absorption she, being freed from the modes, no longer was reminded of her material body, just as one forgets one's dream after waking up. (28) Her body was maintained by others [by her heavenly maidens] but, because she suffered no fear, she did not lose any [more] weight; covered by impurities she shone like a fire covered by smoke. (29) With her body subdued in the austerity of yoga she, under the divine protection of being absorbed in thoughts about Vāsudeva, no longer was aware of her hair hanging loose or that her clothes were in disarray. (30) Thus following the path as instructed by Kapila, she soon, in the spirit of the Absolute Truth of the supreme soul, achieved the cessation of her material existence and the [abode of the] Supreme Lord.

(31) That most sacred place where she attained perfection, oh brave soul, was known in the three worlds under the name of Siddhapada ['the refuge of perfection']. (32) The material elements of her mortal body that was relinquished by the practice of yoga, became a river that is the foremost of all rivers, oh gentle one. For conferring that fulfillment that river is sought by all who desire perfection. (33) After Lord Kapila, the great yogi and Supreme Lord, had taken leave of His mother and left the hermitage of His father, He headed in the northeastern direction. (34) The ocean honored Him by offering Him a residence where He is extolled by the Siddhas, Cānaras, Gandharvas, munis and Apsaras.* (35) There being worshiped by the teachers of example who practice the Sānkhya-yoga system, He remains permanently in samādhi to ensure the deliverance of [all the souls in] the three worlds. (36) Dear sinless one, this what I, upon your request, told you about Kapila and His conversation with Devahūti, purifies [the one who listens to it]. (37) Whoever listens to or expounds on these confidential teachings of Kapila Muni about the union of the soul and thus has fixed his mind on the Fortunate One who carries the banner of Garuda, will attain the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord.'


Thus the third Canto of the S'rīmad Bhāgavatam ends named: The Status Quo.

  

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  Third revised edition, loaded March 12, 2024.  

 

 

 

 

Previous Aadhar edition and Vedabase links:

Text 1

Maitreya said: 'After the dear wife of Kardama, the mother named Devahūti, thus had listened to the words of Lord Kapila, she, being freed from the veil of ignorance, offered Him her obeisances and recited prayers to the author concerned with the fundamental [Sānkhya-yoga] truths that constitute the foundation of liberation.
Maitreya said: 'After the dear wife of Kardama, the mother named Devahūti, thus had heard of the words of Lord Kapila, did she, freed from the coverings of illusion and having offered Him her obeisances, recite prayers to the author in the matter of the basic principles that make up the background of liberation. (Vedabase)

 

Text 2

Devahūti said: 'One says that the Unborn One [Brahmā] who originated from the lotus flower [sprouting] from Your abdomen, meditated on Your body lying in the water that is the source of the stream of the modes of nature and the seed pervading everything manifest of the material elements, the senses, the sense-objects and the mind.

Devahūti said: 'It is said to be that the Unborn One [Brahmā] who was born from the lotus flower from Your abdomen, himself meditated upon Your body lying in the water, the source of the stream of the modes of nature, that is the seed of all that is manifest in pervading the material elements, the senses, the sense-objects and the mind. (Vedabase)

  

Text 3

As that single person of the universe who through the interaction of the modes divided the creation and all of that, You stand firm on the basis of Your heroism. You thereto with distinguishing Yourself as the infallible non-doer make the difference as the Lord of all living beings whose thousands of energies are inconceivable.

As indeed that very person of the universe You carry on with Your heroism to that what is divided by the interaction of the modes with the creation and everything, thereto as the non-doer making the difference of Your determination as the Lord of all living beings whose thousands of energies are inconceivable. (Vedabase)

 

Text 4

How can it be that You as that same person took birth from my abdomen, oh my Lord, You who with Your unimaginable powers carry the universe in Your belly, You who, at the end of the millennium all alone lying Yourself down on the leaf of a banyan tree, lick Your toe as a baby?

As that same person You took birth from my abdomen, o my Lord; You of inconceivable powers, of whom then this universe did rest in the belly, do, at the end of the millennium, lay Yourself down alone on the leaf of a banyan tree, as a baby licking Your toe. (Vedabase)

 

Text 5

You have assumed this body to counter sinful activities, oh my Lord, and provide instructions for devotional service. Just as with incarnations of You like the boar incarnation and others, You, with this one, are there in order to reveal the path of self-realization.

You have assumed this body to diminish the sinful activities and give instructions on the devotion; o my Lord, for the greater power of Your avatāras, the boar incarnation and others, You indeed came in order to reveal the path of selfrealization. (Vedabase)

 

Text 6

With You even someone of the lowest birth is, by hearing the chanting of Your name, offering obeisances to You or even by simply remembering You, at any moment immediately enabled to perform the Vedic rituals. And then they have not even seen You face to face, oh Fortunate One!

And what again to say of seeing You, o Fortunate One, face to face, of whose hearing the chanting of the name, the offering of obeisances and the remembering, at any time even the lowest born immediately becomes eligible for performing vedic rituals. (Vedabase)


Text 7

Oh how blessed and hence worshipable is he who has Your holy name on his tongue, even when he is but cooking dog meat. For Your sake the souls of spiritual education [the Aryans] who studied the Vedas and accepted Your holy name, perform austerities, execute fire sacrifices and take a bath in the sacred rivers.

O how glorious and hence worshipable is [even] the one cooking for himself only, who has the holy name on the tip of his tongue; unto You did the civilized, who studied the Vedas and have accepted Your holy name, practice austerities, did they execute fire sacrifices and bathe themselves in the sacred rivers. (Vedabase)

   

Text 8

I offer You my obeisances, You the Highest Spirit, the Supreme Personality, Lord Vishnu carrying the name of Kapila, He who is the source of the Vedas, to whom I turned inwards to listen, whom I perceived in my mind, meditated on and by whose potency the influence of the modes vanished.'

Unto Him, You, the Highest Spirit, the Supreme Personality, Lord Vishnu carrying the name of Kapila who is the repository of the Vedas, to whom I turned inwards to listen, whom I perceived in the mind and meditated upon and by whose potency the influence of the modes vanished, I offer my obeisances. (Vedabase)

 

Text 9

Maitreya said: 'The Supreme Lord carrying the name of Kapila, thus being praised, full of love for His mother replied with words of gravity.

Maitreya said: 'The Supreme Lord, the Supreme Personality named Kapila, thus praised, replied, full of affection for His mother, her with words of gravity.  (Vedabase)

 

Text 10

Lord Kapila said: 'By following this easy to execute path I instructed to you, My dear mother, you very soon will attain the supreme goal.

Lord Kapila said: 'To perform by the path of this what I instructed to you, My dear mother, is very easy; very soon you will attain the supreme goal. (Vedabase)

  

Text 11

You may rest assured that with this instruction of Mine that is followed by the transcendentalists, you will reach Me free from fear, while [the cycle of birth and] death is what is attained by those not conversant with this.

You may rest assured that concerning this instruction of Me followed by the transcendentalists, you shall reach freedom from fear while [the cycle of birth and] death is what is attained by the ones not conversant with this. (Vedabase)

  

Text 12

Maitreya said: 'After this instruction the venerable Supreme Lord of the path of self-realization, Kapila, the teacher of the Absolute Truth, took permission from His mother and left.

Maitreya said: 'After thus instructing did that venerable Supreme Lord of the path of selfrealization, the selfrealized Kapila, take permission from His mother and left. (Vedabase)

 

Text 13

The way her son had told her in His yoga instruction, she in that abode [Kardama's palace], which with its wealth of flowers was the jewel of the Sarasvatī river, fixed her attention to be connected in the science of uniting consciousness.

As her son told her instructing on yoga, she also fixed herself in samādhi to be connected in yoga in that abode, the flower crown of the Sarasvatī river [Kardama's palace]. (Vedabase)


Text 14

Regularly taking a bath, her curly matted hair turned gray and her body, clad in old garments, became thin because of the severe austerities.

Bathing regularly, turned her curly matted hair gray and did her body, clad in old clothes, grow thin of the severe austerities. (Vedabase)

 

Text 15

Kardama Muni, the progenitor of mankind, had by the austerity of his yoga developed his unequaled home with all its paraphernalia, that was even envied by the denizens of heaven.

By the austerity of yoga had Kardama Muni, a progenitor of mankind, developed the unequaled of his home with all its paraphernalia, which was even envied by the denizens of heaven. (Vedabase)

 

Text 16

The ivory beds white as the foam of milk had gold filigree covers and the chairs and benches were made of gold and had cushions soft to the touch.

 The ivory beds white as the foam of milk had gold filigree covers and the chairs and benches were made of gold and had cushions soft to the touch. (Vedabase)

  

Text 17

The walls were of pure marble inlaid with valuable emeralds and lamps shone with the same jewels the women decorated themselves with.

The walls were of pure marble inlaid with valuable emeralds and lamps shone with jewels with which also the women decorated themselves. (Vedabase)

 

Text 18

The garden of the house was beautiful with its flowers and fruits, many trees with pairs of singing birds and the humming of intoxicated bees.

The garden of the household was beautiful with flowers and fruits, many trees with pairs of singing birds and the humming of intoxicated bees. (Vedabase)

 

Text 19

When she entered the pond fragrant with lotuses, the heavenly associates sang to her about the great care of Kardama.

About the great care of Kardama, sang the heavenly associates there to her as she entered the pond fragrant with lotuses. (Vedabase)

 

Text 20

[But] leaving that most desirable garden that was even envied by the wives of Indra, she had a sorry look on her face because she was afflicted by her being separated from her son.

Giving up on that most desirable of all households that was even envied by the wives of Indra, she had a sorry look on her face, being afflicted by the separation from her son. (Vedabase)

 

Text 21

With her husband having left for the forest and her son separated from her she, despite the truth she knew, became as sad as a caring cow that lost her calf.

With her husband who had left for the forest and the distance from her son, she, despite of her knowing the truth, grew very sad, like an affectionate cow that lost her calf. (Vedabase)


Text 22

While thinking of Him, her divine son Lord Kapiladeva, she very soon, oh dear Vidura, became detached from her fine home.

That way meditating upon Him, her divine son Kapiladev, she very soon, o dear Vidura, became unattached to her fine home. (Vedabase)

 

Text 23

According to the instruction of her son meditating on the form of the Supreme Lord as the object of her spiritual absorption, she kept in mind the complete and the parts of His smiling face.

Meditating upon the form of the Supreme Lord to which He had instructed, she as her object kept the whole and the parts of the smiling face of her son in her mind. (Vedabase)

 

Text 24-25

Impelled by her knowledge of the Absolute Truth performing her duties the proper way, she was continuously engaged in devotional service and very strong in renunciation. Spiritually purified by the Great Soul whose face is seen everywhere, she then in her self-realization saw the symptoms of the modes of nature disappear.

Continuously engaged in devotional service and very strong by the proper performance of the duties in renunciation resulting from the knowledge of the Absolute Truth, she then by the purification of her mind to the Great Soul whose face is seen everywhere, saw by selfrealization the distinctions of the modes of nature disappear. (Vedabase)

 

Text 26

With her mind situated in Brahman, in the Supreme Lord as also in the Supersoul residing in all living beings, the distress of the unfortunate condition of her soul disappeared and she attained transcendental bliss.

With her mind situated in Brahman and freed in the Supreme Lord residing in all beings did the material pangs of the unfortunate condition of her individual soul disappear as she attained transcendental bliss. (Vedabase)

 

Text 27

Elevated to the eternal state of full absorption she, being freed from the modes, no longer was reminded of her material body, just as one forgets one's dream after waking up.

From her trance situated in the eternal and freed from the bewilderment by the modes of material nature she then forgot about her material body just as one who has risen forgets what is seen in a dream. (Vedabase)


Text 28

Her body was maintained by others [by her heavenly maidens] but, because she suffered no fear, she did not lose any [more] weight; covered by impurities she shone like a fire covered by smoke.

Her body although maintained by others did not emaciate though for anxiety did not occur to her; she shone like a fire covered by the thick of smoke. (Vedabase)

 

Text 29

With her body subdued in the austerity of yoga she, under the divine protection of being absorbed in thoughts about Vāsudeva, no longer was aware of her hair hanging loose or that her clothes were in disarray.

Absorbed in thoughts about Vāsudeva, was she, under divine protection, with her body in the full of the austerity of her yoga practice, not aware of her hair hanging loose or her garments being in disarray. (Vedabase)

 

Text 30

Thus following the path as instructed by Kapila, she soon,  in the spirit of the Absolute Truth of the supreme soul, achieved the cessation of her material existence and the [abode of the] Supreme Lord.

Thus did she, instructed by Kapila, by the path soon without fail achieve the beyond of the Supersoul finding the cessation of material existence in the Spirit of the Absolute Truth of the Supreme Lord. (Vedabase)

  

Text 31

That most sacred place where she attained perfection, oh brave soul, was known in the three worlds under the name of Siddhapada ['the refuge of perfection'].

That palace where she attained the perfection, o brave one, was a most sacred place which in the three worlds is known under the name of Siddhapada [the refuge of perfection].  (Vedabase)

 

Text 32

The material elements of her mortal body that was relinquished by the practice of yoga, became a river that is the foremost of all rivers, oh gentle one. For conferring that fulfillment that river is sought by all who desire perfection.

The material elements of her mortal body relinquished by the practice of yoga became a river that is the foremost of all rivers, o gentle one, to which all who desire perfection resort as it confers that perfection. (Vedabase)

 

Text 33

After Lord Kapila, the great yogi and Supreme Lord, had taken leave of His mother and left the hermitage of His father, He headed in the northeastern direction. 

Lord Kapila, the great yogi and Supreme Lord, himself going from that abode when he took leave of his mother, had headed in the northeastern direction. (Vedabase)

 

Text 34

The ocean honored Him by offering Him a residence where He is extolled by the Siddhas, Cānaras, Gandharvas, munis and Apsaras.*

Being extolled by the Siddhas, the Cānaras, the Gandharvas, munis and Apsaras, offered the ocean Him oblations and a place of residence [known and still worshiped today as Gangā-sāgara-tīrtha, the place where the Ganges meets the ocean]. (Vedabase)

 

Text 35

There being worshiped by the teachers of example who practice the Sānkhya-yoga system, He remains permanently in samādhi to ensure the deliverance of [all the souls in] the three worlds.

There He remains in samādhi, to ensure the deliverance of the three worlds, being worshiped by the teachers of example that practice the Sānkhya system of yoga. (Vedabase)

 

Text 36

Dear sinless one, this what I upon your request told you about Kapila and His conversation with Devahūti, purifies [the one who listens to it].

Dear sinless one, this what I upon your inquiries told you about Kapila and His conversation with Devahūti, is of the purest. (Vedabase)

 

Text 37

Whoever listens to or expounds on these confidential teachings of Kapila Muni about the union of the soul and thus has fixed his mind on the Fortunate One who carries the banner of Garuda, will attain the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord.'

Whoever hears of or whoever expounds on these confidential teachings of Kapila Muni on the union of the soul and has thus set his mind on the Fortunate One carrying the banner of Garuda, will attain the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord. (Vedabase)

*: Known and still worshiped today as Gangā-sāgara-tīrtha, the place where the Ganges joins the ocean.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The text and audio are offered under the conditions of the

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The picture of Devahūti fixing herself in the absence of her husband
is painted by
Raja Ravi Varma.
Production:
Filognostic Association of The Order of Time


  

 

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