Bhagavata Purana

एतावतालं ननु सूचितेन गुणैरसाम्यानतिशायनस्य । हित्वेतरान् प्रार्थयतो विभूतिः यस्याङ्‌घ्रिरेणुं जुषतेऽनभीप्सोः

Indeed, what has already been indicated is sufficient to show the unequalled and unsurpassed qualities of the Lord, whose dust of the feet is sought even by those who have abandoned all else, though he himself does not desire such worship.

अथापि यत्पादनखावसृष्टं जगद्विरिञ्चोपहृतार्हणाम्भः । सेशं पुनात्यन्यतमो मुकुन्दात् को नाम लोके भगवत्पदार्थः

Moreover, the water offered for worship by Brahma, which was produced from the nails of his feet, purifies the world; who in this world, desiring the Lord's feet, would not be purified by Mukunda?

यत्रानुरक्ताः सहसैव धीरा व्यपोह्य देहादिषु सङ्गमूढम् । व्रजन्ति तत्पारमहंस्यमन्त्यं यस्मिन्नहिंसोपशमः स्वधर्मः

There, those who are devoted, wise ones, suddenly abandon their attachment to the body and its connections, and proceed to the highest state of the swan-like sages, in which nonviolence, tranquility, and one's own duty prevail.

अहं हि पृष्टोऽर्यमणो भवद्‌भिः आचक्ष आत्मावगमोऽत्र यावान् । नभः पतन्त्यात्मसमं पतत्त्रिणः तथा समं विष्णुगतिं विपश्चितः

I have been questioned by you, O Aryamanas, so I shall explain as far as I have realized. Just as birds fly in the sky according to their own capacity, so too the wise attain the path of Vishnu according to their own understanding.

एकदा धनुरुद्यम्य विचरन्मृगयां वने । मृगाननुगतः श्रान्तः क्षुधितस्तृषितो भृशम्

Once, while wandering in the forest for hunting, with his bow raised, he pursued a deer and became exhausted, greatly hungry and thirsty.

जलाशयमचक्षाणः प्रविवेश तमाश्रमम् । ददर्श मुनिमासीनं शान्तं मीलितलोचनम्

He entered a hermitage, searching for water, and saw a sage seated in tranquility, with eyes closed.

प्रतिरुद्धेन्द्रियप्राण मनोबुद्धिमुपारतम् । स्थानत्रयात्परं प्राप्तं ब्रह्मभूतमविक्रियम्

With senses, breath, mind, and intellect restrained, the sage had attained a state beyond the three realms, becoming one with Brahman, unchanging.

विप्रकीर्णजटाच्छन्नं रौरवेणाजिनेन च । विशुष्यत्तालुरुदकं तथाभूतमयाचत

Covered with matted hair and a deerskin, his throat parched for water, the king begged from him in that condition.

अलब्धतृणभूम्यादिः असम्प्राप्तार्घ्यसूनृतः । अवज्ञातं इवात्मानं मन्यमानश्चुकोप ह

Unable to obtain grass, earth, and other offerings, nor the customary water and kind words, feeling as if he had been disregarded, he became angry.

अभूतपूर्वः सहसा क्षुत्तृड्भ्यामर्दितात्मनः । ब्राह्मणं प्रत्यभूद्‍ब्रह्मन् मत्सरो मन्युरेव च

Never before had he been so afflicted by hunger and thirst; towards the Brahmin arose envy and anger.

स तु ब्रह्मऋषेरंसे गतासुमुरगं रुषा । विनिर्गच्छन् धनुष्कोट्या निधाय पुरमागत्

Then, in anger, he placed a lifeless snake upon the shoulder of the sage, and, leaving the hermitage, returned to his city.

एष किं निभृताशेष करणो मीलितेक्षणः । मृषा समाधिराहोस्वित् किं नु स्यात् क्षत्रबन्धुभिः

Is this one, with all his senses withdrawn and eyes closed, truly absorbed in meditation, or is it merely a pretense? What might be the case with those of the warrior class?

तस्य पुत्रोऽतितेजस्वी विहरन् बालकोऽर्भकैः । राज्ञाघं प्रापितं तातं श्रुत्वा तत्रेदमब्रवीत्

His son, endowed with extraordinary brilliance, was playing among the children; upon hearing that his father had been wronged by the king, he spoke thus at that very place.

अहो अधर्मः पालानां पीव्नां बलिभुजामिव । स्वामिन्यघं यद् दासानां द्वारपानां शुनामिव

Alas, what injustice by the rulers, like the gluttons who eat the offerings! The offense committed against the master by the servants is like that of gatekeepers, or even dogs, against their lord.

ब्राह्मणैः क्षत्रबन्धुर्हि गृहपालो निरूपितः । स कथं तद्‍गृहे द्वाःस्थः सभाण्डं भोक्तुमर्हति

Though a kṣatriya by birth, he has been appointed by the brāhmaṇas as the guardian of the house; how then should such a doorkeeper be entitled to partake of the household’s provisions?

कृष्णे गते भगवति शास्तर्युत्पथगामिनाम् । तद् भिन्नसेतूनद्याहं शास्मि पश्यत मे बलम्

With Kṛṣṇa, the Lord, departed—the guide for those who stray from the path—I now punish those who have broken the bridge of righteousness; behold my power.

इत्युक्त्वा रोषताम्राक्षो वयस्यान् ऋषिबालकः । कौशिक्याप उपस्पृश्य वाग्वज्रं विससर्ज ह

Having spoken thus, his eyes reddened with anger, the young sage among his friends, after purifying himself at the Kauśikī river, released a thunderbolt of words.

इति लङ्‌घितमर्यादं तक्षकः सप्तमेऽहनि । दङ्क्ष्यति स्म कुलाङ्गारं चोदितो मे ततद्रुहम्

Thus, having transgressed the boundary, Takṣaka, urged by me, will bite this destroyer of the dynasty on the seventh day.

ततोऽभ्येत्याश्रमं बालो गले सर्पकलेवरम् । पितरं वीक्ष्य दुःखार्तो मुक्तकण्ठो रुरोद ह

Then, the boy approached the hermitage and, seeing his father with a serpent’s body around his neck, was overcome with sorrow and cried out loudly.

स वा आङ्‌गिरसो ब्रह्मन् श्रुत्वा सुतविलापनम् । उन्मील्य शनकैर्नेत्रे दृष्ट्वा चांसे मृतोरगम्

O brāhmaṇa of the Āṅgirasa lineage, hearing his son’s lament, he slowly opened his eyes and, seeing the dead serpent on his shoulder—

विसृज्य तं च पप्रच्छ वत्स कस्माद्धि रोदिषि । केन वा तेऽपकृतं इत्युक्तः स न्यवेदयत्

He cast off the serpent and asked, 'Child, why are you crying? Who has wronged you?' Thus questioned, the boy explained everything.

निशम्य शप्तमतदर्हं नरेन्द्रं स ब्राह्मणो नात्मजमभ्यनन्दत् । अहो बतांहो महदद्य ते कृतं अल्पीयसि द्रोह उरुर्दमो धृतः

Hearing that the king had been cursed undeservedly, the brāhmaṇa did not rejoice at his son; alas, what a great calamity you have caused today, though your offense is small, the punishment is severe.

न वै नृभिर्नरदेवं पराख्यं सम्मातुमर्हस्यविपक्वबुद्धे । यत्तेजसा दुर्विषहेण गुप्ता विन्दन्ति भद्राण्यकुतोभयाः प्रजाः

You should not judge the king, O immature-minded one; by his invincible power, the people enjoy prosperity and safety from all sides.

अलक्ष्यमाणे नरदेवनाम्नि रथाङ्गपाणावयमङ्ग लोकः । तदा हि चौरप्रचुरो विनङ्क्ष्यति अरक्ष्यमाणोऽविव रूथवत् क्षणात्

When the king, named Naradeva, wielder of the chariot wheel, is disregarded, O dear one, the world will be overrun by thieves and, unprotected, will perish in an instant, like sheep without a shepherd.

तदद्य नः पापमुपैत्यनन्वयं यन्नष्टनाथस्य वसोर्विलुम्पकात् । परस्परं घ्नन्ति शपन्ति वृञ्जते पशून् स्त्रियोऽर्थाम् पुरुदस्यवो जनाः

Today, sin comes upon us without interruption, as people plunder the wealth of those who have lost their protector; they kill each other, curse, rob, and seize cattle, women, and property.

तदाऽऽर्यधर्मः प्रविलीयते नृणां वर्णाश्रमाचारयुतस्त्रयीमयः । ततोऽर्थकामाभिनिवेशितात्मनां शुनां कपीनामिव वर्णसङ्करः

Then, noble dharma dissolves among men, along with the practices of varṇa and āśrama, which are rooted in the three Vedas; thereafter, those absorbed in wealth and pleasure, like dogs and monkeys, cause the mixing of castes.

धर्मपालो नरपतिः स तु सम्राड् बृहच्छ्रवाः । साक्षान् महाभागवतो राजर्षिर्हयमेधयाट्

The king, guardian of dharma, is the great emperor Bṛhacchrava, a royal sage, a true devotee, who performed horse sacrifices.

अपापेषु स्वभृत्येषु बालेनापक्वबुद्धिना । पापं कृतं तद्‍भगवान् सर्वात्मा क्षन्तुमर्हति

A sin has been committed against the innocent king by a child of immature understanding; may the Lord, the soul of all, forgive this offense.

तिरस्कृता विप्रलब्धाः शप्ताः क्षिप्ता हता अपि । नास्य तत्प्रतिकुर्वन्ति तद्‍भक्ताः प्रभवोऽपि हि

Even when insulted, deceived, cursed, abused, or killed, the devotees of the Lord do not retaliate against him, even if they possess the power to do so.