Bhagavata Purana

यदि नः श्रवणायालं युष्मद्व्यवसितं विभो। भण्यतां प्रायशः पुम्भिर्धृतैः स्वार्थान्समीहते

If your purpose is not too secret for us to hear, O mighty one, please tell it; for generally, men seek to achieve their own aims through others.

श्रीशुक उवाच। एवं भगवता पृष्टो वचसामृतवर्षिणा। गतक्लमोऽब्रवीत्तस्मै यथापूर्वमनुष्ठितम्

Shri Shuka said: Thus questioned by the Lord, whose words rained nectar, his fatigue gone, he told him everything as it had happened before.

श्रीभगवानुवाच। एवं चेत्तर्हि तद्वाक्यं न वयं श्रद्दधीमहि। यो दक्षशापात्पैशाच्यं प्राप्तः प्रेतपिशाचराट्

The Blessed Lord said: 'If this is so, then we will not believe the words of one who, by Daksha's curse, has attained a demonic state and is lord of ghosts and spirits.'

यदि वस्तत्र विश्रम्भो दानवेन्द्र जगद्गुरौ। तर्ह्यङ्गाशु स्वशिरसि हस्तं न्यस्य प्रतीयताम्

If you truly have faith there, O lord of the Dānavas, in the Teacher of the Universe, then, dear one, quickly place your hand on your head and let it be proven.

यद्यसत्यं वचः शम्भोः कथञ्चिद्दानवर्षभ। तदैनं जह्यसद्वाचं न यद्वक्तानृतं पुनः

If the words of Śambhu are in any way untrue, O best of Dānavas, then abandon him as a speaker of falsehood, for one who speaks lies should not be followed again.

इत्थं भगवतश्चित्रैर्वचोभिः स सुपेशलैः। भिन्नधीर्विस्मृतः शीर्ष्णि स्वहस्तं कुमतिर्न्यधात्

Thus, by the Lord's clever and artful words, his mind was confused; forgetting himself, the foolish one placed his own hand on his head.

अथापतद्भिन्नशिराः व्रजाहत इव क्षणात्। जयशब्दो नमःशब्दः साधुशब्दोऽभवद्दिवि

Then, as his head split and he fell, struck down like a felled ox, in an instant, cries of 'Victory!', 'Homage!', and 'Well done!' arose in the heavens.

मुमुचुः पुष्पवर्षाणि हते पापे वृकासुरे। देवर्षिपितृगन्धर्वा मोचितः सङ्कटाच्छिवः

Showers of flowers were released as the wicked Vṛkāsura was slain; the gods, sages, ancestors, and gandharvas rejoiced, and Śiva was freed from distress.

मुक्तं गिरिशमभ्याह भगवान्पुरुषोत्तमः। अहो देव महादेव पापोऽयं स्वेन पाप्मना

The Supreme Person addressed the liberated Lord of the Mountain: 'O great god, O divine one, this wicked one has been destroyed by his own evil.'

हतः को नु महत्स्वीश जन्तुर्वै कृतकिल्बिषः। क्षेमी स्यात्किमु विश्वेशे कृतागस्को जगद्गुरौ

O Lord, who among the great beings, having committed sin, can survive? What to say, O Lord of the Universe, if one offends the Teacher of the World?

य एवमव्याकृतशक्त्युदन्वतः परस्य साक्षात्परमात्मनो हरेः। गिरित्रमोक्षं कथयेच्छृणोति वा विमुच्यते संसृतिभिस्तथारिभिः

Whoever recounts or hears this deliverance of the Lord of the Mountain, by the direct Supreme Self, Hari, whose power is unfathomable, is freed from the cycles of birth and death, as are their enemies.

अथैकोननवतितमोऽध्यायः श्रीशुक उवाच। सरस्वत्यास्तटे राजन्नृषयः सत्रमासत। वितर्कः समभूत्तेषां त्रिष्वधीशेषु को महान्

Chapter Eighty-Nine. Śuka said: On the bank of the Sarasvatī, O King, the sages were performing a sacrifice; among them arose a debate: 'Of the three Lords, who is the greatest?'

तस्य जिज्ञासया ते वै भृगुं ब्रह्मसुतं नृप। तज्ज्ञप्त्यै प्रेषयामासुः सोऽभ्यगाद्ब्रह्मणः सभाम्

Desiring to know this, O King, they sent Bhṛgu, the son of Brahmā, to ascertain the truth; he went to the assembly of Brahmā.

न तस्मै प्रह्वणं स्तोत्रं चक्रे सत्त्वपरीक्षया। तस्मै चुक्रोध भगवान्प्रज्वलन्स्वेन तेजसा

He did not offer obeisance or praise to him, as a test of his nature; the Lord became angry, blazing with his own brilliance.

स आत्मन्युत्थितम्मन्युमात्मजायात्मना प्रभुः। अशीशमद्यथा वह्निं स्वयोन्या वारिणात्मभूः

But the Lord, master of himself, restrained the anger that had arisen within, just as the progenitor holds back fire with water from his own source.

ततः कैलासमगमत्स तं देवो महेश्वरः। परिरब्धुं समारेभे उत्थाय भ्रातरं मुदा

Then he went to Mount Kailāsa, where the god Maheśvara, rising joyfully, embraced his brother.

नैच्छत्त्वमस्युत्पथग इति देवश्चुकोप ह। शूलमुद्यम्य तं हन्तुमारेभे तिग्मलोचनः

But he did not wish to return the embrace, thinking him disrespectful; the god, his eyes blazing, became angry and raised his trident to kill him.

पतित्वा पादयोर्देवी सान्त्वयामास तं गिरा। अथो जगाम वैकुण्ठं यत्र देवो जनार्दनः

Falling at his feet, the goddess soothed him with gentle words; then he went to Vaikuṇṭha, where the god Janārdana resides.

शयानं श्रिय उत्सङ्गे पदा वक्षस्यताडयत्। तत उत्थाय भगवान्सह लक्ष्म्या सतां गतिः

He struck the Lord, who was lying with Śrī on his chest, with his foot on the chest; then the Lord, the refuge of the virtuous, rose together with Lakṣmī.

स्वतल्पादवरुह्याथ ननाम शिरसा मुनिम्। आह ते स्वागतं ब्रह्मन्निषीदात्रासने क्षणम्। अजानतामागतान्वः क्षन्तुमर्हथ नः प्रभो

Descending from his own bed, he bowed his head to the sage and said: 'Welcome, O Brāhmaṇa, please be seated for a moment; O Lord, forgive us who did not know of your arrival.'

पुनीहि सहलोकं मां लोकपालांश्च मद्गतान्। पादोदकेन भवतस्तीर्थानां तीर्थकारिणा

Purify me, along with the world and the guardians of the world devoted to me, with the water that has washed your feet, O maker of holy places among the holy.

अद्याहं भगवंल्लक्ष्म्या आसमेकान्तभाजनम्। वत्स्यत्युरसि मे भूतिर्भवत्पादहतांहसः

Today, O Lord, I have become the exclusive recipient of Lakṣmī's favor; prosperity, freed from sin by the touch of Your feet, will dwell upon my chest.

श्रीशुक उवाच। एवं ब्रुवाणे वैकुण्ठे भृगुस्तन्मन्द्रया गिरा। निर्वृतस्तर्पितस्तूष्णीं भक्त्युत्कण्ठोऽश्रुलोचनः

Śuka said: While Bhṛgu was thus speaking in Vaikuṇṭha with gentle words, he became deeply satisfied, fulfilled, silent, overwhelmed with devotion, and tears filled his eyes.

पुनश्च सत्रमाव्रज्य मुनीनां ब्रह्मवादिनाम्। स्वानुभूतमशेषेण राजन्भृगुरवर्णयत्

Then, returning again to the assembly of the sages devoted to Brahman, O King, Bhṛgu described to them everything he had directly experienced.

तन्निशम्याथ मुनयो विस्मिता मुक्तसंशयाः। भूयांसं श्रद्दधुर्विष्णुं यतः शान्तिर्यतोऽभयम्

Hearing this, the sages, astonished and free from doubt, placed even greater faith in Viṣṇu, from whom peace and fearlessness arise.

धर्मः साक्षाद्यतो ज्ञानं वैराग्यं च तदन्वितम्। ऐश्वर्यं चाष्टधा यस्माद्यशश्चात्ममलापहम्

Because from Him arises dharma itself, along with knowledge and renunciation, and eightfold sovereignty, and fame that removes the impurities of the self.

मुनीनां न्यस्तदण्डानां शान्तानां समचेतसाम्। अकिञ्चनानां साधूनां यमाहुः परमां गतिम्

He is declared the supreme goal of the sages who have laid down their rods, who are peaceful, equal-minded, possessing nothing, and virtuous.

सत्त्वं यस्य प्रिया मूर्तिर्ब्राह्मणास्त्विष्टदेवताः। भजन्त्यनाशिषः शान्ता यं वा निपुणबुद्धयः

Whose beloved form is sattva, for whom the brāhmaṇas are the chosen deities; whom the peaceful, desireless, and wise worship without seeking reward.

त्रिविधाकृतयस्तस्य राक्षसा असुराः सुराः। गुणिन्या मायया सृष्टाः सत्त्वं तत्तीर्थसाधनम्

By His māyā, endowed with the guṇas, the threefold classes—rākṣasas, asuras, and suras—are created; and sattva is the means to attain that holy place.