Bhagavata Purana

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.

श्रीशुक उवाच। इत्थं सारस्वता विप्रा नृणाम्संशयनुत्तये। पुरुषस्य पदाम्भोज सेवया तद्गतिं गताः

Śuka said: Thus, the Sarasvata brāhmaṇas, for the removal of people's doubts, attained the supreme destination by serving the lotus feet of the Supreme Person.

श्रीसूत उवाच। इत्येतन्मुनितनयास्यपद्मगन्ध। पीयूषं भवभयभित्परस्य पुंसः। सुश्लोकं श्रवणपुटैः पिबत्यभीक्ष्णम्। पान्थोऽध्वभ्रमणपरिश्रमं जहाति

Sūta said: Whoever, with the ears as vessels, repeatedly drinks this nectar, fragrant with the lotus feet of the sage's son, which removes the fear of worldly existence and concerns the Supreme Person, that traveler abandons the fatigue of wandering the path.

श्रीशुक उवाच। एकदा द्वारवत्यां तु विप्रपत्न्याः कुमारकः। जातमात्रो भुवं स्पृष्ट्वा ममार किल भारत

Śuka said: Once, in Dvārakā, the newborn son of a brāhmaṇa's wife, having just touched the earth, died, O descendant of Bharata.

विप्रो गृहीत्वा मृतकं राजद्वार्युपधाय सः। इदं प्रोवाच विलपन्नातुरो दीनमानसः

The brāhmaṇa, taking the dead child, placed him at the king's gate and, lamenting in distress and with a sorrowful mind, spoke as follows.

ब्रह्मद्विषः शठधियो लुब्धस्य विषयात्मनः। क्षत्रबन्धोः कर्मदोषात्पञ्चत्वं मे गतोऽर्भकः

Because of the misdeeds of a king who hates the brāhmaṇas, is deceitful, greedy, and attached to sense objects, my child has died.

हिंसाविहारं नृपतिं दुःशीलमजितेन्द्रियम्। प्रजा भजन्त्यः सीदन्ति दरिद्रा नित्यदुःखिताः

When the king delights in violence, is wicked, and has uncontrolled senses, the people suffer, becoming poor and constantly afflicted.

एवं द्वितीयं विप्रर्षिस्तृतीयं त्वेवमेव च। विसृज्य स नृपद्वारि तां गाथां समगायत

In this way, when a second and then a third child died, the brāhmaṇa left them at the king's gate, reciting that lament.

तामर्जुन उपश्रुत्य कर्हिचित्केशवान्तिके। परेते नवमे बाले ब्राह्मणं समभाषत

Hearing this, Arjuna, at some point in Keśava's presence, spoke to the brāhmaṇa when his ninth child had passed away.

किं स्विद्ब्रह्मंस्त्वन्निवासे इह नास्ति धनुर्धरः। राजन्यबन्धुरेते वै ब्राह्मणाः सत्रमासते

O brāhmaṇa, what is lacking in your house here, O wielder of the bow? These brāhmaṇas are performing a sacrifice, attended by kṣatriya friends.

धनदारात्मजापृक्ता यत्र शोचन्ति ब्राह्मणाः। ते वै राजन्यवेषेण नटा जीवन्त्यसुम्भराः

Where brāhmaṇas, surrounded by wealth, wives, and sons, are lamenting, those who live in the guise of kṣatriyas are actually impostors, living in disgrace.