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Post by madanmohandas on Mar 14, 2022 14:14:22 GMT -6
The opening passage to the description of Trikuta mountain, from SB.8.2.1-5
Sri Suka said; O king! the best of mounts, Trikuta hight, Was full ten thousand yojanas in height, With mighty lofty peaks in number three, Surrounded by the vast and milky sea. 1
As high as it was, it was also wide, With the main peaks spread out on either side; Each peak glistened with shiny precious ore, Reflecting on the milky oceans' shore; One of silver, one steel, and one of gold, Most pleasing and delightsome to behold. 2
The lesser peaks jew'ls and minerals showed, And thus with spangled sheen the mountain glowed. There trees and shrubs and creeping vines abound, And pure cascading water falls resound. 3
The mountains' feet were washed on very side, By lapping of the milky oceans' tide, Where all along the wide extensive strand Emeralds are pebbles, dark green the land. 4
The Siddhas and the Charanas resort To cool and shady grottoes there for sport. There Gandharvas raise dulcet melodies; There dance the beautiful Apsarasees; The Vidyadharas and Kinnaras gay, Delight them with music and sportive play; There also dwell the chiefs of serpent race; All take delight in that enchanting place. 5
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Post by madanmohandas on Jun 3, 2022 1:40:42 GMT -6
After the invocation and proposition of the argument, and Shaunaka Rishi had raised various topics of discussion, Suta in the second discourse of Srimad Bhagavatam, Book one, congratulates Shaunaka and begins to speak in words like these,
SB.1.2
Now Vedavyas, of holy ones the best, Continuing the theme, these words expressed.
The son of Romaharshan was inspired, Hearing of what the sages had inquired, His heart with excess joy quite over ran, And thus the sacred narrative began. 1
(Suta said) I bow down to the sage who left his home, Without a sacred thread alone to roam, And Dvaipayana, fraught with anxious care, Cried, 'Oh where art thou my son!' in despair; But the trees merely re-echoed his call, Since his son knew the one who dwells in all. 2
I bow to Vyasa's son of vast insight, Who bears of scriptures' essence the torch light, Who sublime knowledge of the self bestows, Whereby the soul can overcome all woes. For those in the transmigratory state, This text, compassionate, did iterate; The secret Purana that sanctifies, I bow to him, the teacher of the wise. 3
First having bowed to mighty Narayan, And Nara, best and foremost of all men, The glorious narrative is begun, Bow to the holy Goddess Eloquence, And bow to Vedavyas with reverence. 4
O pious sages! questions you have raised, Are certainly to be most highly praised, Since such themes as to Lord Krishna allude, Contribute to the souls' beatitude. 5
Indeed, the highest duty of mankind, Whereby the ultimate welfare they find, Is cultivation of pure sentiments, Sans motive and without impediments, For him who shines beyond illusion veiled, Adhoksaja, to senses not revealed. 6
The yoga of devotion when applied, To mighty Vasudev, eschewing pride, Engenders dispassion without delay, And doth the light of true wisdom display. 7
A man may of his pious duty boast, But all his efforts are but labour lost, He finds no great reward for all his pains, If in his heart no deep affection gains For narratives of Visvaksena's deeds, The one from whom the universe proceeds. 8
For truly pious duty to maintain, Is not undertaken merely for gain; Certes the highest duty is not meant, For worldly pleasure or emolument. 9
Life is not meant desires to increase, And senses with their objects vain to please; But gain should be for life's necessity, And to make of the truth inquiry. 10
The knowers of the truth such truth express, As pure indivisible consciousness; As Brahman and as Paramatma known, And Bhagavan, the illustrious one. 11
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Post by madanmohandas on Jun 5, 2022 2:18:59 GMT -6
The faithful and the wise and learned sage, With knowledge and with dispassion engage; And hearing with devotion love conceive, The self within the self they then perceive. 12 Therefore the prescribed duty for mankind, According to caste and status defined, O best of twice-born ones, ultimately, Is meant for the pleasure of Lord Hari. 13 Therefore, with single minded attention, One should hear and sing glorification, With contemplation he should be adored, Who is the Almighty Sattvatas' Lord. 14 Then with the sword of meditation fond, One may sever of actions' knot the bond. What wise man therefore would not lend his ear, And with delight such wondrous exploits hear! 15
From service rendered to great ones proceeds, A taste for Vasudeva's wondrous deeds; Who frequent sacred shrines with faith endued, O holy ones, attains beatitude. 16
His own accounts to Krishna are most dear, Which sanctify those who recount and hear; And in the hearts of those pious ones dwells, And as their well wisher all taint dispels. 17
Misfortune thus is attenuated, When the Srimad Bhagavatam is read, With service rendered to great devotees, The Lord who is praised in choice verse to please; Then by such hearing and service maintained, Steadfast love and devotion are attained. 18
Then diminished are desire and greed, Which from modes 'rajas' and 'tamas' proceed; The mind with peace of 'sattva' is endued, And stablished in sublime beatitude. 19
The mind established in beatitude, By yoga of devotion thus pursued; The verity of wisdom then attains Of the Almighty one; and freedom gains. 20
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Post by madanmohandas on Jun 5, 2022 8:21:23 GMT -6
SB. 1.1. 1-13 Let us on that Supreme Truth meditate, Who did from his power the world create; From whom the mighty elements evolve, On whom they rest, and into whom involve; Who is the self-dependent deity, The one possessed of omnipotency, Who did the primal poets' heart infuse, With sacred truths that still the wise confuse; In matters' flowing realm, the radiance Of truth is shrouded by the influence Of three-fold illusion; the want of light Is scattered hence by his radiance bright. 1 Abandoning all virtue that deceives, This only one from malice free receives; This text proclaims sublime reality, And grants all good fortune and sanctity; It uproots the great tree of triple pains, And the pure path of righteousness maintains. Having composed this text, the mighty seer, Hath made the Lord within the heart appear; Of any other text, what is the need? This holy Bhagavat persist to read. 2 Ripe fruit from scriptures' wish fulfilling tree, Distilled from Shuka's lips eloquently; Drink deep this Bhagavat, pure raptures' store, Ye wise aesthetes on earth forever more. 3 In Naimisha Araynas' sacred wood, Where always dwells the ever wakeful God, Shaunaka and a host of holy seers, Made sacrifice to last a thousand years; To gain access into the blest abodes, The shining mansions of immortal gods. 4 One day, having their matin duties sped, With pious care the holy fire was fed, The sages then addressed the worthy man, Suta, and thus with eloquence began. 5 O sinless one! in learning most profound, Who chronicles and histories expound; Whose insight into scripture doth excel; Well have you heard, and justly can you tell. 6 O worthy Suta! whatever was known To holy teachers, has to you been shown; Whatever Vyas and others have revealed, Hath not been from your holy self concealed. 7 All that you know, O gentle one, and more, Received from your good preceptor, therefore, Since you have served your divine master well, And graced by him, you are worthy to tell. 8 We wish you a long life, now therefore deign, And in all detail unto us explain, As you have ascertained and understood, How man may attain the ultimate good. 9 In this contentious age of woe and strife, How short is the duration of mans' life! Whom indolence and misfortune assail, Their undertakings always doomed to fail. 10 So vast and varied in its' diverse parts Is scripture and the lessons it imparts; Therefore, that holy text expound to us, Drawn from the store of your vast genius; Tell us who are with ardent faith endued, How all beings may gain beatitude. 11
O Suta, all blessings on you, pray tell The purpose of the Lord, for you know well; Why he was born of pious Devaki, In Vasudeva's noble dynasty. 12
To us, most eager, and who long to hear The tidings of the Lord who hath no peer, Recount his worthy deeds and wise intent, When, incarnate, he made on earth descent; Which full joy and ultimate welfare brings, In vast abundance to all living things. 13
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Post by madanmohandas on Jun 5, 2022 10:02:11 GMT -6
Even one who calls his name in distress, Or in a state of utter helplessness, Is certainly straightway from danger clear, For even Fear himself holds him in fear. 14 Those who, O worthy Suta, refuge take, At his feet and their safe asylum make, By their mere presence quickly purify, Whoever gains their close proximity, Yet even holy Ganga, thought to be The greatest sanctifying agency, The taint of sin can only wash away, By bathing in her current every day. 15 Who is there then that would not lend his ear, The hallowed virtues of the Lord to hear, If he would sanctify his mind and be Free from the foul pollution of Kali? 16 Therefore his mighty deeds to us rehearse, Which mystic bards and saints recount in verse, Relate to us, endued with fervent zeal, How he does his incarnations reveal. 17 Now tell us of Hari's sublime descent, O wise one! which all fortune doth augment; How he to his own power doth resort, And revels in divine and playful sport. 18
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Post by madanmohandas on Jun 5, 2022 12:52:15 GMT -6
We never tire hearing of his fame, Whose mighty deeds choicest verses acclaim; Those connoisseurs, with an attentive ear, At every step with fresh novelty hear. 19
The wondrous deeds of Keshava relate, When he with Rama deigned to incarnate, What super human deeds did he perform, Deceiving all in covert human form? 20
We now perceive that Kali has arrived, Thus in this sanctu'ry we have contrived A long and laborious rite to hold, And hear the fame of Hari thus extolled. 21
You have indeed been sent by destiny, An helmsman guiding us across the sea, Where Kali contentious now holds the sway, And takes mans' virtues and good sense away. 22
Moreover we would also learn from you; When Krishna, the upholder of virtue, The Lord of yogins, and of brahmans wise, Withdrew his person far beyond the skies, Where did virtue a stable refuge find, When Hari disappeared from humankind? 23
Thus ends Chapter One in Book One of the great and glorious Bhagavata Purana, the text beloved of swan-like saints, sung by the son of Vyasa. Om Tat Sat
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Post by madanmohandas on Jun 6, 2022 3:04:58 GMT -6
Continuing now from where I left off in Ch.2 of Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto One.
When the self in the Ruler is perceived, He is of doubts and misgivings relieved; The binding knot within the heart that dwells Is cut, and the store of action dispels. 21
Thus poets and devotees take delight The deeds of the Almighty to recite; Since worship of Vasudeva the Lord, To the self doth beatitude afford. 22
Sattva, Rajas, Tamas, the gunas three, Are assumed by the Supreme Deity, And thus the One into three parts divides, And each over each quality presides. Hari resorting to Sattva upholds, From Virinchi the creation unfolds, And when he the form of Hara assumes, With his power the universe consumes. Among these the form of Sattva sublime, Affords mankind beatitude divine. 23
When the earth to wood to smoke rarifies, The fire is used for three-fold sacrifice; Rajas, Tamas, are lower by degrees, Through Sattva one the Supreme Brahman sees. 24
The ancient sages have always adored Illustrious Adhoksaja, the Lord; Whose existence, immaculate and free, Is Sattva that transcends the gunas three; Thus those who seek the ultimate welfare In this world, should ensue their way with care. 25
The seekers of salvation shun the hosts Of Bhuta-pati's elemental ghosts; But worship the emanations sublime, Sans envy, of Narayana divine. 26
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Post by madanmohandas on Jun 6, 2022 4:40:55 GMT -6
Those to Rajas and to Tamas confined, Perform worship according to their kind; The manes and elementals adore; For lordship, wealth and offspring they implore. 27
Vasudeva in the Vedas is shown; Vasudeva as the pure rite is known; Vasudeva is the yoga supreme; Vasudeva as pure duty is seen; Vasudeva is high wisdoms' decrees; Vasudeva is strict austerities; Vasudeva is righteousness sublime; Vasudeva is final goal divine. 28/29
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Post by madanmohandas on Jun 8, 2022 3:10:29 GMT -6
Concluding passage from Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 1, Ch.2. 30-34
Although the Lord exists in his pure state, His inherent power doth generate; Which in forms of cause and effect subsist, Whence is projected all that doth exist. 30
Thus having projected the gunas three, Nature divides in function by degree; And entering the gunas he sustains, Yet in his transcendental state remains. 31
As fire latent within wood inheres, And yet to burn variously appears; The world-soul within all creatures doth dwell, Yet he is one and indivisible. 32
The soul thus by the gunas influence, Endued with subtle faculty of sense, Enters nature by the gunas produced, And to enjoy sense objects is induced. 33
For these the Lord the universe projects, And by his sattva potency protects; And deigns to manifest incarnations, Among gods and men and brute creations. 34
Thus ends Chapter Two in Canto One of the great and glorious Bhagavata Purana, the text beloved of swan-like saints, sung by the son of Vyasa.
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Post by madanmohandas on Jun 8, 2022 6:19:10 GMT -6
SB.1.3.1-6
(Suta said) In the beginning, the Almighty One, Assumes the Purusa for creation; Whence cosmic intellect with all the rest Of sixteen evolutes is manifest. 1
Thereafter, recumbent in mystic sleep, He lays him on the vast extensive deep; A lotus from his navel did emerge, Whereon appeared Brahma, the demiurge. 2
The whole wide world is thus conceived to be Resting on the form of the deity, But the illustrious always subsists, And in his supreme excellence exists. 3
The yogins see with their perfected eyes The being of a thousand feet and thighs; A thousand arms, a thousand faces bright, A thousand heads, a most wonderful sight; Thousands of ears and noses on each side, And thousands of bright eyes dilated wide. 4
This being is the perennial seed, Whence incarnations various proceed; Who by his emanated parts creates, And gods, men and animals generates. 5
In the first stage of the generation, The God brought into manifestation The juvenile sages of Brahma born, Who did strictest austerities perform; Observing pious rites with diligence, And the vow of unbroken continence. 6
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Post by madanmohandas on Jun 8, 2022 11:23:25 GMT -6
The second descent for the worlds' welfare, The earth sunk in the abyss did uprear; Thus he the form of the Wild Boar assumes, And offerings of sacrifice consumes. 7
Third, in the holy sage generation, Takes as the god-like sage incarnation; Who texts expounds treating divinity; Prescribing pious acts from motive free. 8
Fourth, from the wife of Dharma he appears, As Nara and Narayana, the seers; Who undertake arduous penances, Of self control and restraint of senses. 9
The incarnation fifth, well known to fame, Was Lord of Siddhas, Kapila by name; Who with brahman Asuri, in his speech, The lost doctrines of Sankhya deigned to teach. 10
He appeared in his sixth incarnation, From Anasuya as sage Atri's son; To Alarka and Prahlad did expound, The transcendental mystery profound. 11
During the Manu Svayambhuva's reign, Did in his seventh incarnation deign To be born of the womb of Akuti, Begot by the progenitor Ruchi; And ruled the gods as Yajna, known to fame, Whose gods attendant were Yamas by name. 12
The Supreme Lord of mighty strides revered, In the eighth from Merudevi appeared, And royal Nabhi; thence did demonstrate, The path honoured by each class and estate. 13
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Post by madanmohandas on Jun 9, 2022 2:24:59 GMT -6
Beseeched by holy sages of high worth, His ninth descent, as ruler of the earth, Milked out of earth of herbs her hidden hoard, And thus her lavish bounty was restored. 14
During the reign of Chaksusa the world Was in the flood of devastation hurled; Rescue of Vaivasvat to accomplish, He towed the arc in form of mighty Fish. 15
When gods and demons churned the milky main, They used as rod the Mandara mountain; In the eleventh did as Turtle sport, And on his shell the mountain did support. 16
The twelfth was Dhanvantari, the revered; Then in the thirteenth descent he appeared As Mohini and the demons deceived, And from her hands the gods nectar received. 17
The fourteenth descent was the Man-lion, Who boldly countered the mighty demon, And took him on his lap and with his nails Tore out his heart and scattered his entrails, With ease, as when a weaver with his reeds Tares into strips according to his needs. 18
The fifteenth was little Vamana hight, Who begged at Bali's sacrificial rite, And sought three steps according to his tread, But took all the three worlds from him instead. 19
Then in his sixteenth incarnation he, Enraged at royal arrogance to see; Three times seven the kings did devastate, And from the earth did princes extirpate. 20
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Post by madanmohandas on Jun 9, 2022 4:12:25 GMT -6
Then in his seventeenth incarnation, As Satyavati and Parasar's son, He drew into branches the Veda-tree, Observing mans' diminished faculty. 21
As a god-like king he assumed a form On the gods' behalf exploits to perform; Exhibiting heroic prowess he Had built a causeway spanning the great sea. 22
In the nineteenth and twentieth descent, Made in the Vrishni dynasty advent, As Rama and Krishna, the brothers twain, And lightened earth of her burden and pain. 23
Thereafter when Kali has just begun, In Kikatas realm as Anjana's son, Will be born as Buddha, those to delude, Who bear to gods a hateful attitude. 24
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Post by madanmohandas on Jun 9, 2022 5:39:09 GMT -6
The descents of Hari are beyond count, O twice-borns, sprung from perennial fount; The existential repository, Flows in a thousand streams perpetu'lly. 26
Sages, Gods, Manus, and Manu's great sons, The great and puissant and the mighty ones, The progenitors, great Prajapati, Are all the emanations of Hari. 27
All these divinities who incarnate, (Which I in catalogue expatiate), Are all the parts and portions and aspects, Of the Almighty who the world protects From Indra's foes, but Krishna is the Lord, From age to age incarnate and adored. 28
Whoever the mysterious birth reads, And the Illustrious ones' wondrous deeds; Attentively with love, both morn and eve, Relief from the heap of grief will receive. 29
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Post by madanmohandas on Jun 10, 2022 4:28:20 GMT -6
Continuing with SB.1.3.30-35. I hope I have not got it too wrong, being somewhat constrained by the demands of rhyme and meter. 🙂
All these forms of the Illustrious One, Uncircumscribed nor limited by form, Are on the conscious self superimposed, Of gunas and of evolutes composed. 30
As when clouds gather in the firmament, The sky is obscured to the ignorant; Even so on the pure soul they impute, Superimposition of attribute. 31
Beyond this manifestation revealed By gunas, is the existence concealed; The unseen and unheard reality, Whereby the soul is born repeatedly. 32
These gross and subtle forms imposed, forsooth, Are negated by knowledge of the truth; And when the soul from ignorance is free, The Supreme Absolute Brahman can see. 33
If and when the divine Maya subsides, The soul is graced with knowledge and abides In his inherent glory transcendent, And is endued with pure enlightenment. 34
Thus poets sing the births and deeds of worth, Of him who has no agency nor birth; And praise him who is the Lord of the heart; The mystery Vedas rarely impart. 35
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