Bhagavata Purana

The wondrous childhood deed of Lord Hari—the deliverance of his devotee—became a tale of awe among the boys of Vraja. Though they witnessed it in their youth, they spoke of it with astonishment, marveling at Krishna’s compassion and power. But what is truly remarkable about the Supreme Creator, who assumes human form to enact his divine pastimes? Even Agha, stained by wickedness, was purified by a mere touch of the Lord and attained a rare oneness with the Self—something unattainable for the unrighteous. Indeed, one who but once holds the Lord’s image in his mind is set upon the highest path of devotion. What, then, can be said of those who, freed from delusion, constantly taste the bliss of the eternal Self? Sūta continued: Thus, O twice-born sages, King Yudhishthira, his mind absorbed in the sacred narrative, heard the marvelous deeds of Krishna and, filled with wonder, turned again to Śuka for answers. The king asked, “O Brahman, how is it that the boys of Vraja, in their youth, sang of Hari’s childhood deed, when it occurred in a different time? O great yogi and revered teacher, please explain this supreme wonder. Surely, it is nothing but the work of Hari’s divine māyā—what other explanation could there be?” He went on, “We are truly the most fortunate in the world, O teacher, though we are kṣatriyas by name only, for we constantly drink the nectar of Krishna’s sacred stories from your lips.” Śrī Sūta said: Thus questioned, the son of Badarāyaṇa—Śuka, whose senses were immersed in the infinite—was drawn back to outward awareness. With effort, he regained his vision and slowly replied to Yudhishthira, that foremost devotee of the Bhāgavata. “O best of the twice-born,” he said, “as you have asked, I have recounted in full the playful incarnations and deeds of the Lord. Whoever, whether fallen, distressed, or helpless, loudly utters, ‘obeisance to Hari,’ is freed from all sin. When the infinite Lord is glorified, His power is realized through hearing—He enters the heart and cleanses all suffering, just as the sun and wind dispel darkness and clouds. “Empty words and false stories that do not speak of the transcendent Lord are not to be told. Only that is truth, auspicious, and holy, which brings forth the Lord’s virtues. Only those stories are delightful, ever-fresh, and a great festival for the mind—those that dry up the ocean of sorrow when the Lord’s glories are sung. “Ornate speech that does not proclaim Hari’s fame, which sanctifies the world, is like a crow’s bathing place, shunned by swans. Where Acyuta is present, there pure devotees gather. Even if imperfect in meter, any creation of speech containing the Lord’s names and glories washes away people’s sins; the virtuous listen to, sing, and recite it. “Even pure action and knowledge, without devotion to You, O Acyuta, do not shine; how much less then, do even the best works, if not offered to the Lord, bring lasting good? All effort for fame and prosperity—through duties, austerity, or study—is supreme only when it brings unfailing remembrance of Śrīdhara’s lotus feet, through hearing and praising the virtues of Hari with reverence. “Remembrance of Krishna’s lotus feet destroys all inauspiciousness and bestows well-being. It purifies the mind, brings supreme devotion to the indwelling Lord, and grants knowledge endowed with realization and detachment. “Truly, you foremost twice-born are greatly blessed, for you constantly worship Nārāyaṇa, the Lord of gods, the ruler, the soul of all beings, having fixed Him steadily in your hearts. I too have been reminded of the truth of the Self, which I once heard from the supreme sage when King Parīkṣit was observing his fast, in the presence of great sages. “O brāhmaṇas, I have thus told you the glorious deeds of the Lord of mighty acts, whose greatness destroys all misfortune. Whoever, with unwavering mind and faith, recites or attentively listens to this daily, even for a moment, purifies himself. Hearing this on the twelfth or eleventh day of the lunar fortnight grants long life; reciting it with self-control and fasting, one is freed from sin. One who, self-controlled, observes a fast and recites this collection in Puṣkara, Mathurā, or Dvārakā is freed from fear. “By the praise and hearing of whose glories the gods, sages, perfected beings, ancestors, Manus, and kings grant desires to those who sing or listen. A twice-born who studies the Ṛg, Yajur, and Sāma Vedas attains the fruits of honey, clarified butter, and milk streams. A devoted twice-born who studies this Purāṇa attains the supreme abode spoken of by the Lord. By studying, a brāhmaṇa attains wisdom, a kṣatriya the sovereignty of the ocean, a vaiśya lordship over wealth, and a śūdra is purified from sin. “Elsewhere, Hari, the Lord of all, who burns away the mass of Kali’s impurity, is not sung of constantly; but here, the Lord, whose form is all-encompassing, is thoroughly recited, verse by verse, in these narratives. “I bow to You, the unborn, infinite, true Self, whose power brings about the creation, maintenance, and dissolution of the universe, whose praise is difficult to grasp even for Brahmā, Indra, Śiva, and others—O infallible One. Homage to the eternal Supreme among the gods, whose own power forms the stable and moving worlds within Himself, and whose abode is realized only by the blessed. I bow to Vyāsa’s son, who, absorbed in his own bliss and free from all else, was drawn by the unconquered Lord’s charming play, and who, out of compassion, revealed this Purāṇa, the lamp of truth, destroyer of all sin.” Sūta continued the sacred tale: Vidura, having learned the path of the Self from Maitreya during his pilgrimage, returned to Hastināpura, his thirst for knowledge fully quenched. While Vidura questioned the sage Kauṣārava, his heart became ever more devoted to Govinda, and, fulfilled, he ceased his inquiries. When Vidura returned, his kinsmen—Dharmaputra (Yudhishthira) and his brothers, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Yuyutsu, Sūta, Kṛpa, and Pṛthā—along with Gāndhārī, Draupadī, Subhadrā, Uttara, Kṛpī, and other wives and sons of Pāṇḍu, as well as their female relatives, all rose with joy, as if life itself had been restored to their bodies. They approached Vidura with proper greetings, embracing and saluting him warmly. Overcome by longing from their time apart, they shed tears of love, and the king honored Vidura, offering him a seat and welcoming him with great respect. When Vidura had eaten, rested, and was comfortably seated, the king, bowing with humility, spoke before all who had gathered. Yudhishthira asked, “Do you remember us, who thrived under your shelter and were saved, along with our mother, from many dangers—such as poison and fire?