Bhagavata Purana

इति श्रीमद्‍भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां दशमस्कन्धे उत्तरार्धे वेदस्तुति नाम सप्ताशीतितमोऽध्यायः

Thus ends the eighty-seventh chapter, entitled 'The Prayers of the Vedas,' in the second half of the Tenth Book of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa, the scripture for the paramahaṃsas.

श्रीराजोवाच। देवासुरमनुष्येसु ये भजन्त्यशिवं शिवम्। प्रायस्ते धनिनो भोजा न तु लक्ष्म्याः पतिं हरिम्

The king said: Among the gods, demons, and humans, those who worship the inauspicious as auspicious are mostly wealthy rulers, but not devotees of Hari, the Lord of Lakṣmī.

एतद्वेदितुमिच्छामः सन्देहोऽत्र महान्हि नः। विरुद्धशीलयोः प्रभ्वोर्विरुद्धा भजतां गतिः

We wish to understand this, for we have great doubt here: why do those who worship two lords of opposing natures attain opposite results?

श्रीशुक उवाच। शिवः शक्तियुतः शश्वत्त्रिलिङ्गो गुणसंवृतः। वैकारिकस्तैजसश्च तामसश्चेत्यहं त्रिधा

Śuka said: Śiva, always united with power, is threefold, enveloped by the guṇas—he is of the nature of sattva, rajas, and tamas; thus, I am threefold.

ततो विकारा अभवन्षोडशामीषु कञ्चन। उपधावन्विभूतीनां सर्वासामश्नुते गतिम्

From him arose various transformations, sixteen in number, and, assuming the forms of all manifestations, he attains the state of all.

हरिर्हि निर्गुणः साक्षात्पुरुषः प्रकृतेः परः। स सर्वदृगुपद्र ष्टा तं भजन्निर्गुणो भवेत्

Hari, however, is directly beyond the guṇas, the Supreme Person, transcendent to nature; he is the witness of all, the overseer—by worshipping him, one becomes free from the guṇas.

निवृत्तेष्वश्वमेधेषु राजा युष्मत्पितामहः। शृण्वन्भगवतो धर्मानपृच्छदिदमच्युतम्

When the aśvamedha sacrifices had ceased, your grandfather, the king, hearing of the Lord's dharmas, asked this of Acyuta.

स आह भगवांस्तस्मै प्रीतः शुश्रूषवे प्रभुः। नृणां निःश्रेयसार्थाय योऽवतीर्णो यदोः कुले

The Blessed Lord, pleased with his attentive service, spoke to him for the highest good of men—he who descended in the Yadu line.

श्रीभगवानुवाच। यस्याहमनुगृह्णामि हरिष्ये तद्धनं शनैः। ततोऽधनं त्यजन्त्यस्य स्वजना दुःखदुःखितम्

The Blessed Lord said: When I show special favor to someone, I gradually take away his wealth; then, his relatives abandon him, and he, afflicted by suffering, suffers further.

स यदा वितथोद्योगो निर्विण्णः स्याद्धनेहया। मत्परैः कृतमैत्रस्य करिष्ये मदनुग्रहम्

When, frustrated in his efforts and disillusioned with the pursuit of wealth, he befriends my devotees, I bestow my grace upon him.

तद्ब्रह्म परमं सूक्ष्मं चिन्मात्रं सदनन्तकम्। विज्ञायात्मतया धीरः संसारात्परिमुच्यते

That supreme, subtle Brahman, consisting only of consciousness, eternal and infinite—knowing it as the Self, the wise one is freed from saṃsāra.

अतो मां सुदुराराध्यं हित्वान्यान्भजते जनः। ततस्त आशुतोषेभ्यो लब्धराज्यश्रियोद्धताः। मत्ताः प्रमत्ता वरदान्विस्मयन्त्यवजानते

Therefore, people, finding me very difficult to worship, turn to others; then, intoxicated and arrogant from the quick boons they receive—kingdoms and prosperity—they become proud, reckless, and, seeking further boons, disregard me.

श्रीशुक उवाच। शापप्रसादयोरीशा ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवादयः। सद्यः शापप्रसादोऽङ्ग शिवो ब्रह्मा न चाच्युतः

Śuka said: The lords of blessing and curse—Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva, and others—O dear one, of these, Śiva quickly grants boons or curses, Brahmā does not, and Acyuta never does so immediately.

अत्र चोदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। वृकासुराय गिरिशो वरं दत्त्वाप सङ्कटम्

Here they recount an ancient tale: Having granted a boon to Vṛkāsura, the Lord of the Mountain (Śiva) fell into distress.

वृको नामासुरः पुत्रः शकुनेः पथि नारदम्। दृष्ट्वाशुतोषं पप्रच्छ देवेषु त्रिषु दुर्मतिः

There was an asura named Vṛka, son of Śakuni; on the path, he saw Nārada and, being of evil mind, asked him about the quick-to-be-pleased among the three gods.

स आह देवं गिरिशमुपाधावाशु सिद्ध्यसि। योऽल्पाभ्यां गुणदोषाभ्यामाशु तुष्यति कुप्यति

He quickly approached the god Girisha, for you will succeed; he is one who is easily pleased or angered by even the smallest virtue or fault.

दशास्यबाणयोस्तुष्टः स्तुवतोर्वन्दिनोरिव। ऐश्वर्यमतुलं दत्त्वा तत आप सुसङ्कटम्

Just as he was pleased by the praises of Ravana and Bana, and granted them incomparable power, but then they fell into great distress.

इत्यादिष्टस्तमसुर उपाधावत्स्वगात्रतः। केदार आत्मक्रव्येण जुह्वानो ग्निमुखं हरम्

Thus instructed, the demon hurried to him, offering his own flesh from his body as oblation into the mouth of Hara, who is fire.

देवोपलब्धिमप्राप्य निर्वेदात्सप्तमेऽहनि। शिरोऽवृश्चत्सुधितिना तत्तीर्थक्लिन्नमूर्धजम्

On the seventh day, failing to obtain the presence of the god, and out of despair, he cut off his own head with a sharp blade, his hair soaked at that holy place.

तदा महाकारुणिको स धूर्जटिर्यथा वयं चाग्निरिवोत्थितोऽनलात्। निगृह्य दोर्भ्यां भुजयोर्न्यवारयत्तत्स्पर्शनाद्भूय उपस्कृताकृतिः

Then, the great compassionate one, Dhurjati, just as we would, like fire springing from a flame, restrained him with his arms, preventing him from touching, and restored his form, now more splendid.

तमाह चाङ्गालमलं वृणीष्व मे यथाभिकामं वितरामि ते वरम्। प्रीयेय तोयेन नृणां प्रपद्यतामहो त्वयात्मा भृशमर्द्यते वृथा

He said to him: 'Enough, Angala! Choose a boon from me as you desire; I will grant it to you. I am pleased even by water offered by those who surrender, but you have tormented yourself excessively and in vain.'

देवं स वव्रे पापीयान्वरं भूतभयावहम्। यस्य यस्य करं शीर्ष्णि धास्ये स म्रियतामिति

That sinful one then asked the god for a boon that would bring terror to beings: 'Whosoever's head I touch with my hand, let him die.'

तच्छ्रुत्वा भगवान्रुद्रो दुर्मना इव भारत। ॐ इति प्रहसंस्तस्मै ददेऽहेरमृतं यथा

Hearing this, Lord Rudra, though displeased, laughed and granted him the boon, saying 'Om', just as nectar is given to a serpent.

स तद्वरपरीक्षार्थं शम्भोर्मूर्ध्नि किलासुरः। स्वहस्तं धातुमारेभे सोऽबिभ्यत्स्वकृताच्छिवः

Then, to test the boon, the demon tried to place his own hand on Shambhu's head, but Shiva, fearful of his own act, withdrew.

तेनोपसृष्टः सन्त्रस्तः पराधावन्सवेपथुः। यावदन्तं दिवो भूमेः कष्ठानामुदगादुदक्

Pursued by him, trembling with fear, Shiva fled, running as far as the ends of heaven and earth, to the boundaries of the quarters and into the waters.

अजानन्तः प्रतिविधिं तूष्णीमासन्सुरेश्वराः। ततो वैकुण्ठमगमद्भास्वरं तमसः परम्

The lords of the gods, not knowing any remedy, sat in silence; then he went to Vaikuntha, the radiant realm beyond darkness.

यत्र नारायणः साक्षान्न्यासिनां परमो गतिः। शान्तानां न्यस्तदण्डानां यतो नावर्तते गतः

There, Narayana himself abides, the supreme goal of renunciants, of the peaceful who have laid down their staff, from which none who have gone return.

तं तथा व्यसनं दृष्ट्वा भगवान्वृजिनार्दनः। दूरात्प्रत्युदियाद्भूत्वा बटुको योगमायया

Seeing him thus afflicted, the Lord, destroyer of evil, approached from afar, having assumed the form of a young Brahmachari by his yogic power.

मेखलाजिनदण्डाक्षैस्तेजसाग्निरिव ज्वलन्। अभिवादयामास च तं कुशपाणिर्विनीतवत्

Wearing a belt, deerskin, and staff, blazing like fire with his radiance, holding kusa grass in hand, he respectfully greeted him with humility.