Bhagavata Purana

श्रीभगवानुवाच । ज्ञातं मम पुरैवैतद् ऋषिणा करुणात्मना । यत् श्रीमदान्धयोर्वाग्भिः विभ्रंशोऽनुग्रहः कृतः

The Blessed Lord said: This was already known to Me, revealed by the compassionate sage, that by the words of those blinded by wealth, you were deprived of your position and received My grace.

साधूनां समचित्तानां सुतरां मत्कृतात्मनाम् । दर्शनान्नो भवेद्‍बन्धः पुंसोऽक्ष्णोः सवितुर्यथा

For those who are virtuous, even-minded, and wholly devoted to Me, there is no bondage from seeing Me, just as the sun does not bind the eyes of men.

तद्‍गच्छतं मत्परमौ नलकूबर सादनम् । सञ्जातो मयि भावो वां ईप्सितः परमोऽभवः

Now go to your own abode, O Nalakūbara, for the supreme devotion you both desired for Me has arisen in your hearts.

श्रीशुक उवाच । इत्युक्तौ तौ परिक्रम्य प्रणम्य च पुनः पुनः । बद्धोलूखलमामन्त्र्य जग्मतुर्दिशमुत्तराम्

Śuka said: Thus addressed, the two circumambulated Him, bowed again and again, took leave of the bound mortar, and departed for the northern direction.

इत्थं भावेन कथितो भगवान् भगवत्तमः । न इत्थं भावेन हि परं द्रष्टुं अर्हन्ति सूरयः

In this way, the Supreme Lord was revealed through devotion; without such devotion, even the wise are not able to behold Him.

नास्य कर्मणि जन्मादौ परस्य अनुविधीयते । कर्तृत्वप्रतिषेधार्थं माययारोपितं हि तत्

His actions, birth, and so forth are not subject to the laws governing others; these are ascribed to Him by Māyā, only to refute the notion of agency.

अयं तु ब्रह्मणः कल्पः सविकल्प उदाहृतः । विधिः साधारणो यत्र सर्गाः प्राकृतवैकृताः

This is called the Brahmā's kalpa, which is described as having distinctions; in it, the general process of creation occurs, both primary and secondary.

परिमाणं च कालस्य कल्पलक्षण विग्रहम् । यथा पुरस्ताद् व्याख्यास्ये पाद्मं कल्पमथो श्रृणु

I will explain the measure of time, the form that marks a kalpa, and, as before, describe the Padma Kalpa—now listen.

शौनक उवाच । यदाह नो भवान् सूत क्षत्ता भागवतोत्तमः । चचार तीर्थानि भुवः त्यक्त्वा बंधून् सु-दुस्त्यजान्

Śaunaka said: O Sūta, you told us that Vidura, the foremost devotee, left behind his most difficult-to-abandon relatives and wandered to holy places on earth.

क्षत्तुः कौशारवेः तस्य संवादोऽध्यात्मसंश्रितः । यद्वा स भगवान् तस्मै पृष्टः तत्त्वं उवाच ह

The conversation between Vidura, son of Vyāsa, and the sage Kauśārava was based on spiritual inquiry; or, that great soul, when questioned, spoke the truth to him.

ब्रूहि नः तद् इदं सौम्य विदुरस्य विचेष्टितम् । बन्धुत्याग निमित्तं च यथैव आगतवान् पुनः

Please tell us, gentle one, what Vidura did, and for what reason he renounced his family and then returned again.

सूत उवाच । राज्ञा परीक्षिता पृष्टो यद् अवोचत् महामुनिः । तद्वोऽभिधास्ये श्रृणुत राज्ञः प्रश्नानुसारतः

Sūta said: What the great sage replied when King Parīkṣit asked him, I will now relate to you—listen, as it follows the king’s questions.

राजोवाच। कस्मिन्कर्मणि देवस्य मयोऽहन्जगदीशितुः। यथा चोपचिता कीर्तिः कृष्णेनानेन कथ्यताम्

The king said: In which action of the Lord, the maker of the universe and my own self, was his fame increased by Kṛṣṇa? Please describe this.

श्रीनारद उवाच। निर्जिता असुरा देवैर्युध्यनेनोपबृंहितैः। मायिनां परमाचार्यं मयं शरणमाययुः

Śrī Nārada said: When the demons were defeated in battle by the gods, who were strengthened by him, they approached Maya, the supreme master of illusion, for refuge.

स निर्माय पुरस्तिस्रो हैमीरौप्यायसीर्विभुः। दुर्लक्ष्यापायसंयोगा दुर्वितर्क्यपरिच्छदाः

He, the powerful one, constructed three cities—of gold, silver, and iron—difficult to perceive, joined by subtle means, and furnished with defenses beyond imagination.

ताभिस्तेऽसुरसेनान्यो लोकांस्त्रीन्सेश्वरान्नृप। स्मरन्तो नाशयां चक्रुः पूर्ववैरमलक्षिताः

With those cities, the armies of the demons, along with their lords, remembering their ancient enmity, began to destroy the three worlds, O king.

ततस्ते सेश्वरा लोका उपासाद्येश्वरं नताः। त्राहि नस्तावकान्देव विनष्टांस्त्रिपुरालयैः

Then, the rulers of the worlds, along with their lords, approached the Lord, bowed down, and said: 'Protect us, O God! We are being destroyed by the inhabitants of Tripura.'

अथानुगृह्य भगवान्मा भैष्टेति सुरान्विभुः। शरं धनुषि सन्धाय पुरेष्वस्त्रं व्यमुञ्चत

Then the Lord, showing them favor, said, 'Do not fear,' and, stringing an arrow to his bow, released a weapon upon the cities.

ततोऽग्निवर्णा इषव उत्पेतुः सूर्यमण्डलात्। यथा मयूखसन्दोहा नादृश्यन्त पुरो यतः

Then, arrows blazing like fire arose from the solar orb; just as rays of light, they were not seen as they approached the cities.

तैः स्पृष्टा व्यसवः सर्वे निपेतुः स्म पुरौकसः। तानानीय महायोगी मयः कूपरसेऽक्षिपत्

Struck by these, all the inhabitants of the cities lost their lives and fell; Maya, the great yogī, gathered them and cast them into a well of nectar.

सिद्धामृतरसस्पृष्टा वज्रसारा महौजसः। उत्तस्थुर्मेघदलना वैद्युता इव वह्नयः

Touched by the nectar of immortality, they, strong as thunderbolts and full of great energy, rose up, splitting the clouds like flashes of lightning.

विलोक्य भग्नसङ्कल्पं विमनस्कं वृषध्वजम्। तदायं भगवान्विष्णुस्तत्रोपायमकल्पयत्

Seeing his resolve broken, and Vṛṣadhvaja disheartened, the Lord Viṣṇu then devised another means at that place.

वत्सश्चासीत्तदा ब्रह्मा स्वयं विष्णुरयं हि गौः। प्रविश्य त्रिपुरं काले रसकूपामृतं पपौ

At that time, Brahmā became the calf, Viṣṇu himself became the cow, and, entering Tripura at the right moment, drank the nectar from the well.

तेऽसुरा ह्यपि पश्यन्तो न न्यषेधन्विमोहिताः। तद्विज्ञाय महायोगी रसपालानिदं जगौ

Though the demons saw this, they did not prevent it, being deluded; realizing this, the great yogī Maya spoke to the guardians of the nectar.

स्मयन्विशोकः शोकार्तान्स्मरन्दैवगतिं च ताम्। देवोऽसुरो नरोऽन्यो वा नेश्वरोऽस्तीह कश्चन

Smiling and free from sorrow, he remembered those afflicted by grief and the workings of destiny; for god, demon, human, or any other—none here is independent.

आत्मनोऽन्यस्य वा दिष्टं दैवेनापोहितुं द्वयोः। अथासौ शक्तिभिः स्वाभिः शम्भोः प्राधानिकं व्यधात्

What is ordained for oneself or another cannot be averted by either, for fate prevails; then, with his own powers, he performed the principal act of Shiva.

धर्मज्ञानविरक्त्यृद्धि तपोविद्याक्रियादिभिः। रथं सूतं ध्वजं वाहान्धनुर्वर्मशरादि यत्

Through righteousness, knowledge, detachment, prosperity, austerity, learning, and action, he manifested the chariot, charioteer, banner, horses, bow, armor, arrows, and all else.

सन्नद्धो रथमास्थाय शरं धनुरुपाददे। शरं धनुषि सन्धाय मुहूर्तेऽभिजितीश्वरः

Fully armed, mounting the chariot, he took up the bow and arrow; fitting the arrow to the bow, in a moment, the Lord of Victory prepared himself.

ददाह तेन दुर्भेद्या हरोऽथ त्रिपुरो नृप। दिवि दुन्दुभयो नेदुर्विमानशतसङ्कुलाः

With that arrow, O King, Hara burned the three impregnable cities; in the heavens, drums resounded, and the skies were crowded with hundreds of celestial vehicles.