From the Visnu P.

[madanmohandas]

This is a passage from Visnu Puran, Book 4, Ch.15

In response to Maitreya's question as to how Sisupal achieved a state rarely attained by the great, Parasara gives this interesting account.

When the divine author of creation, preservation and destruction of the universe accomplished the death of Hiranyakasipu, he assumed the body composed of the figures of a loin and a man, so that Hiranyakasipu was not aware that his destroyer was Visnu; although therefore the quality of purity, derived from exceeding merit, had been attained, yet his mind was perplexed by the predominance of the property of passion; and the consequence of that intermixture was that he reaped, as the result of his death by the hands of Visnu, only unlimited power and enjoyment on earth, as Dasanana (Ten-faced), the sovereign of the three spheres; he did not obtain absorption into the supreme spirit, that is without beginning or end, because his mind was not wholly dedicated to that sole object. So also Dasanana being entirely subject to the passion of love and engrossed completely by thoughts of Janaki, could not comprehend that the son of Dasaratha whom he beheld was in reality the divine Acyuta. At the momment of his death he was impressed with the notion that his adversary was a mortal and therefore the fruit he derived from being slain by Visnu was confined to his birth in the illustrious family of the kings of Cedi and the exercise of extensive dominion. In this situation many circumstances brought the names of Visnu to his notice and on all these occasions the emnity that had accumulated through succesive births influenced his mind; and in speaking constantly with disrespect of Acyuta, he was ever repeating his different appellations. Whether walking, eating, sitting or reposing, his animosity was never at rest and Krsna was ever present in his thoughts in his human semblance, having eyes beautiful as lotus petals, clad in bright yellow raiment, decorated with a garland, with bracelets on his arms and wrists and a diadem on his head; having four mighty arms, bearing the conch, disc, the mace and the lotus. Thus uttering his names, even though in malediction and dwelling upon his image, though in emnity, he beheld Krsna, when inflicting death, radiant with resplendant weapons, bright with ineffable splendour in his own essence as the supreme being and all his passion and hatred ceased and he was purified from every defect. Being killed by the discus of Visnu at the instant he meditated, all his sins were consumed by his divine adversary and he was absorbed in him by whose might he had been slain. I have thus replied to your inquiries.

Visnu Purana 4,15. H H Wilson

[Nitaidas]

Interesting stuff, madanmohanji. I wondered at first about loin and then realized what was meant. Kind of a funny slip, actually.

[madanmohandas]

Leoman the Lion-man took Hiranya on his loins and tore
His belly with sharp claws and his guts for garlands wore.

The episode regarding the Syamantaka gem has some interesting variations compared with the Bhagavat. It is also related in book 4 rather than 5 which deals with the Krsna lila. I will type some out and post here.

[madanmohandas]

Here is a fine exposition on the three-afflictions, adhyAtmik, adhibhautik and adhidaivik. This is from book 6, ch. 5. ParAsara speaking to Maitreya.

The wise man having investigated the three kinds of worldly pain, or mental and bodily affliction and the like, and having aquired true wisdom, and detatchment from human objects, obtains final dissolution. The first of the three pains, adhyAtmika, is of two kinds, bodily and mental. Bodily pain is of many kinds as you shall hear. Afflictions of the head, catarrh, fever, cholic, fistula, spleen, haemorrhiods, intumescence, sickness, ophthalmia, dysentry, leprosy, and many other diseases, constute bodily affliction. Mental sufferings are love, anger, fear, hate, covetousness, stupification, despair, sorrow, malice, disdain, jealously, envy, and many other passions which are engendered in the mind. These and various other afflictions, mental or corpereal, are comprised under the class of worldly sufferings which is called adhyAtmika. That pain to which, O excellent brahman, the term adhibhautika is applied, is every kind of evil that is inflicted ( from without) upon men by beasts, birds, men, goblins, snakes, fiends, or reptiles; and the pain that is termed adhidaivika is the work of cold, heat, wind, rain, lightning, and other phenomena. Affliction, Maitreya, is multiplied in thousands of shapes in the progress of conception, birth, decay, disease, death and hell.

[Nitaidas]

Thanks for this, madanmohanji. Keep them coming.

[madanmohandas]

Here are the first eight slokas from book 5, ch.13.

After Sakra ( Indra ) had departed, the cowherds said to Krisna, whom they had seen holding up mount Govardhan, " We have been preserved, together with our cattle, from great peril, by your supporting the mountain above us; but this is very astonishing child's play, unsuitable to the condition of a herdsman, and all thy actions are those of a god. Tell us what is the meaning of all this; Kaliya has been conquered in the lake; Pralamba has been killed; Govardhan has been lifted up; our minds are filled with amazement. Assuredly we repose at the feet of Hari, O you of unbounded might! for having witnessed thy power, we cannot believe you to be a man. Thy affection, Kesava, for our women and children, and for Vraja; the deeds thou hast wraught, which all the gods would have attempted in vain; thy boyhood, and thy prowess; thy humiliating birth amonst us; are contradictions that fill us with doubt, whenever we think of them. Yet reverence be to you whether you be a god, or a demon, or a gandharva, or whatever we may deem you; for you are our friend."

[madanmohandas]

The last verse in the original reads;

devo vA dAnavo vA tvaM yakSo gandharva eva vA/
kiM vAsmAkaM vicAreNa bAndhavo'si namo'stu te//

[madanmohandas]

Another interesting passage, not mentioned in the Bhagavat, is when Balaram admonishes Krsna and exhorts him to exhibit his inherant power by subdueing Kaliya.

V.p. 5.7.33-42

When the mighty son of Rohini heard these exclamations of the gopis, and with disdainful glance beheld the cowherds overcome with terror; Nanda gazing fixedly upon the countenance of his son and Yasoda unconscious, he spoke to Krsna in his own character; " What is this , O god of gods! The quality of mortal is sufficiently assumed; do you not know yourself eternal? You are the centre of creation, as the nave is to the spokes of a wheel. A portion of you I have also been born, as your senior. The gods, to partake of your pastimes as man, have all descended under a like disguise; and the goddesses have come down to Gokula to join in your sports. You, eternal, have last of all appeared below. Wherefore, Krsna, do you disregard these divinities, who, as cowherds, are your friends and kin? And these sorrowing females, who are also your relations? You have put on the character of man; you have exhibited the tricks of childhood; now let this fierce snake, though armed with venomed fangs, be subdued.

[Nitaidas]

Interesting stuff, madanmohanji. Are you doing your own translations or using the old Wilson translation? There is something sweet and thoughtful about the the VP version of the life of Sri Krsna. It has a somewhat different flavor. An interesting counterpoint to the Bhagavata account we are more familiar with.

[madanmohandas]

I'm reading Wilson's translation which also provides the Devanagari. As you will know, Nitai, the entire text is spoken to Maitreya by Parasara. I suspect that it may, in the Krsna Lila, be more like the Mahabharat or Hari Vamsa, but I have not read all the Bharat and have read none of the Hari Vamsa.

[malati]

Thanks for that Madanmohandasji. I'm also your customer. More please!

[madanmohandas]

Aho Malati, at last a customer

Here is a short chapter. Book 6, Ch.8

The demon Dhenuka destroyed by Ráma.

AGAIN, tending upon the herds, Kesava and Ráma wandered through the woods, and on one occasion came to a pleasing grove of palms, where dwelt the fierce demon Dhenuka, feeding upon the flesh of deer. Beholding the trees covered with fruit, and desirous of gathering it, the cowherds called out to the brothers, and said, "See, Ráma; see, Krishna; in this grove, belonging to the great Dhenuka, the trees are loaded with ripe fruit, the smell of which perfumes the air: we should like to eat some. Will you throw some down?" As soon as the boys had spoken, Sankarshana and Krishna shook the trees, and brought down the fruit on the ground. Hearing the noise of the falling fruit, the fierce and malignant demon Dhenuka, in the form of an ass, hastened to the spot in a great passion, and began to kick Ráma on the breast with his hinder heels. Ráma, however, seized him by both hind legs, and whirling him round until he expired, tossed his carcass to the top of a palm tree, from the branches of which it struck down abundance of fruit, like rain drops poured upon earth by the wind. The animals that were of kin to Dhenuka came running to his aid; but Krishna and Ráma treated them in the same manner, until the trees were laden with dead asses, and the ground was strewed with ripe fruit. Henceforward the cattle grazed unobstructed in the palm grove, and cropped the new pasturage, where they had never before ventured.

[madanmohandas]

From chapter 18

THUS meditating, the Yádava approached Govinda, and addressed him, and said, "I am Akrúra," and bowed his head down to the feet of Hari; but Krishna laid upon him his hand, which was marked with the flag, the thunderbolt, and the lotus, and drew him towards him, and affectionately embraced him. Then Keshava and Ráma entered into conversation with him, and, having heard from him all that had occurred, were much pleased, and led him to their habitation: there they resumed their discourse, and gave him food to eat, and treated him with proper hospitality. Akrúra told them how their father Ánakadundubhi, the princess Devakí, and even his own father, Ugrasena, had been insulted by the iniquitous demon Kansa: he also related to them the purpose for which he had been dispatched. When he had told them all these things, the destroyer of Keshin said to him, "I was aware of all that you have told me, lord of liberal gifts: Ráma and I will go tomorrow to Mathurá along with you. The elders of the cowherds shall accompany us, bearing ample offerings. Rest here to-night, and dismiss all anxiety. Within three nights I will slay Kansa and his adherents."

Having given orders accordingly to the cowherds, Akrúra, with Keshava and Ráma, retired to rest, and slept soundly in the dwelling of Nanda. The next morning was bright, and the youths prepared to depart for Mathurá with Akrúra. The Gopís, seeing them about to set forth, were much afflicted; they wept bitterly, their bracelets were loose upon their arms, and they thus communed together: "If Govinda depart for Mathurá, how will he return to Gokula? his ears will there be regaled with the melodious and polished conversation of the women of the city. Accustomed to the language of the graceful females of Mathurá, he will never again endure the rustic expressions of the Gopís. Hari, the pride of the station, is carried off, and a fatal blow is inflicted upon us by inexorable destiny, Expressive smiles, soft language, graceful airs, elegant gait, and significant glances, belong to the women of the city. Hari is of rustic breeding, and, captivated by their fascinations, what likelihood is there of his returning to the society of any one amongst us? Keshava, who has mounted the car to go to Mathurá, has been deceived by the cruel, vile, and desperate Akrúra. Does not the unfeeling traitor know the affection that we all here feel for our Hari, the joy of our eyes, that he is taking him away? Unkind that he is, Govinda is departing from us, along with Ráma: haste! let us stop him! Why talk of telling our seniors that we cannot bear his loss? What can they do for us, when we are consumed by the fires of separation? The Gopas, with Nanda at their head, are themselves preparing to depart; no one makes any attempt to detain Govinda. Bright is the morning that succeeds to this night for the women of Mathurá, for the bees of their eyes will feed upon the lotus face of Achyuta. Happy are they who may go hence without impediment, and behold, enraptured, Krishna on his journey. A great festival will give pleasure to-day to the eyes of the inhabitants of Mathurá, when they see the person of Govinda. What a blissful vision will be seen by the happy women of the city, whose brilliant eyes shall regard, unchecked, the countenance of Krishna! Alas! the eyes of the Gopís have been deprived of sight by the relentless Brahmá, after he had shewn them this great treasure. In proportion as the affection of Hari for us decays, so do our limbs wither, and the bracelets slip from our arms: and now the cruel Akrúra urges on the horses: all conspire to treat unhappy females with unkindness. Alas! alas! we see now only the dust of his chariot wheels! and now he is far away, for even that dust is no longer to be seen!" Thus lamented by the women, Keshava and Ráma quitted the district of Vraja

[madanmohandas]

www.sacred-texts.com/hin/vp/index.htm

You can find Wilson's Translation of The Vaisnava Purana via the above link. But I will continue to post passages that I find particularly good.

[madanmohandas]

Although the subject matter of the Visnu and Bhagavat are much the same, the treatment differs in many aspects. My reading of Sanskrt is limited, but even with that, a differance in style, diction and turn of phrace is easily discerned. The poetry in general seems more sophisticated in the Bhagavat with a much greater veriety of meters and complicated joined up words or sandhi, whereas the Visnu is mostly in the common meter anustubh, alternating into a longer meter for the stutis and such like hymns. And the sandhis are much simpler and shorter. Still the didactic portions are similar especially in the Bhagavat the Vidura-Maitreya dialogue echos the Visnu, which would make sense. Sarga and Visarga for the most part are very similar.
Certain details of the Krsna Lila are present in the Visnu but only alluded to in the Bhagavat and vice versa and The Visnu's narrative is generally much shorter.
In the Bhagavat when Indra opposes Krsna who wants to take the Parijata tree to Dvaraka on the instance of Satyabhama, Suka mocks a little at the folly of Indra. In the Visnu the circumstances are given in more detail.

Book 5,Ch. XXX.

Krishna restores her earrings to Adití, and is praised by her: he visits the gardens of Indra, and at the desire of Satyabhámá carries off the Párijáta tree. Sachí excites Indra to its rescue. Conflict between the gods and Krishna, who defeats them. Satyabhámá derides them. They praise Krishna.

GARUDA, laden with the umbrella of Varuna and the jewel mountain, and bearing Hrishikesha on his back to the court of Indra, went lightly, as if in sport, along. When they arrived at the portals of Swarga, Hari blew his shell; on which the gods advanced to meet him, bearing respectful offerings. Having received the homage of the divinities, Krishna went to the palace of the mother of the gods, whose turrets resembled white clouds; and on beholding Adití, paid his respects to her, along with Sakra; and, presenting to her her own earrings, informed her of the destruction of the demon Naraka. The mother of the world, well pleased, then fixed her whole thoughts upon Hari, the creator, and thus pronounced his praise: "Glory to thee, O god with the lotus eyes, who removest all fear from those that worship thee. Thou art the eternal, universal, and living soul; the origin of all beings; the instigator of the mental faculty, and faculties of sense; one with the three qualities; beyond the three qualities; exempt from contraries; pure; existing in the hearts of all; void of colour, extension, and every transient modification; unaffected by the vicissitudes of birth or death, sleep or waking. Thou art evening, night, and day; earth, sky, air, water, and fire; mind, intellect, and individuality. Thou art the agent of creation, duration, and dissolution; the master over the agent; in thy forms which are called Brahmá, Vishnu, and Shiva. Thou art gods, Yakshas, Daityas, Rákshasas, Siddhas, Punnagas, Kúshmándas, Piáchas, Gandharbas, men, animals, deer, elephants, reptiles, trees, shrubs, creepers, climbers, and grasses; all things, large, middling, small, immense, or minute: thou art all bodies whatsoever, composed of aggregated atoms. This thy illusion beguiles all who are ignorant of thy true nature, the fools who imagine soul to be in that which is not spirit. The notions that "I am--this is mine," which influence mankind, are but the delusions of the mother of the world, originating in thy active agency. Those men who, attentive to their duties, diligently worship thee, traverse all this illusion, and obtain spiritual freedom. Brahmá and all the gods, men and animals, are alike invested by the thick darkness of fascination, in the gulf of the illusions of Vishnu. That men, who having worshipped thee, should seek the gratification of their desires, and their own preservation, this, O lord, is also thy delusion. It is the sport of thy fascinations that induces men to glorify thee, to obtain thereby the continuance of their race, or the annihilation of their enemies, instead of eternal liberation. It is the fault of the impure acts of the unrighteous (to proffer such idle requests to one able to confer such more important benefits), like asking for a rag to cover one's nakedness from the tree that bestows whatever is solicited. Be propitious then, imperishable author of all the error that deceives the world; and dispel, O lord of all creatures, the conceit of knowledge, which proceeds from ignorance. Glory to thee, grasper of the discus, wielder of the bow, brandisher of the mace, holder of the shell; for such do I behold thee in thy perceptible form: nor do I know that form of thine, which is beyond perception! Have compassion on me, supreme god."

Vishnu, thus hymned by Adití, smiled, and said to the mother of the gods, "Mother goddess, do thou shew favour unto me, and grant me thy blessing." "So be it," replied Adití, "ever as thou wilt; and whilst thou dwellest amongst mortals, the first of men, thou shalt be invincible by gods or demons." Then Satyabhámá, accompanied by the queen of Indra, addressed Adití respectfully, and solicited her benedictions: and Adití in reply said to her, "Fair-browed dame, thou shalt never suffer decay, nor loss of beauty: thou shalt be the asylum of all loveliness, dame of faultless shape." With the assent of Adití, Indra then respectfully saluted Janárddana in all due form, and conducted him and Satyabhámá through Nandana and other pleasant gardens of the gods; where Keshava, the destroyer of Keshi, saw the Párijáta tree, the favourite of Sachí, which was produced when the ocean was churned for ambrosia: the bark was of gold, and it was embellished with young sprouting leaves of a copper colour, and fruit-stalks bearing numerous clusters of fragrant fruit. When Satyabhámá noticed this tree, she said to her beloved lord, Govinda, "Why should not this divine tree be transported to Dwáraka? If what you say is true, and I am really dear to you, then let this tree be taken away from hence, and planted in the gardens of my dwelling. You have often said to me, 'Neither Jámbavatí nor Rukminí is so dear to me, Satyá, as you are.' If you have spoken the truth, and not mere flattery, then let this Párijáta tree be the ornament of my mansion. I long to shine amidst my fellow queens, wearing the flowers of this tree in the braids of my hair."

Thus solicited by Satyabhámá, Hari smiled upon her, and taking the Párijáta plant, put it upon Garuda. The keepers of the garden remonstrated, and said, "This Párijáta tree belongs to Sachí, the queen of the sovereign of the gods: it is not proper, Govinda, for you to remove it. At the time when the ocean was churned for the beverage of immortality, this tree was produced, for the purpose of providing Sachí with flowery ornaments. You cannot be suffered to depart with it. It is through ignorance that this is sought for by any one, as it is the especial property of her on whose countenance the king of the gods delights to look; and who shall go away with impunity, who attempts to carry it off? Assuredly the king of the gods will punish this audacity; for his hand launches the thunderbolt, and the immortals attend upon his steps. Forbear then, Krishna, nor provoke the hostility of all the gods. The wise will not commence actions that can be productive only of unpleasant consequences." Satyabhámá, on hearing these words, was exceedingly offended, and said, "What right has Sachí--what has Indra--to the Párijáta tree? it was produced at the churning of the ocean as the common property of all worlds. Wherefore, gods, should Indra alone possess it? In the same manner, guardians of the grove, as nectar, as the moon, as the goddess Shrí herself, so the Párijáta tree is the common property of all the world: and since Sachí, confiding in the strength of her husband's arm, would keep it to herself, away with submission to her: Satya takes away the tree. Go quickly, and let Paulomí be told what I have said: repeat to her this contemptuous message from Satyabhámá; 'If you are the beloved wife of your lord, if your husband is obedient to your authority, let him prevent my husband from carrying off this tree. I know your husband Sakra; I know the sovereign of the divinities; and I, who am a mortal, take this Párijáta tree away from you.'"

Accordingly the warders of the garden went and reported to Sachí the message of Satyabhámá. Sachí appealed to her husband, and excited the king of the gods to resent this affront: and Indra accordingly, attended by the army of the celestials, marched to attack Hari, in defence of the Párijáta tree. The gods were armed with clubs, swords, maces, and darts; and Indra wielded the thunderbolt. As soon as Govinda saw the king of the gods advancing against him on his elephant, attended by the immortals, he blew his shell so that the sound filled all the regions, and he showered smilingly myriads of arrows upon his assailants. Beholding the air in all directions overspread with his darts, the celestials in return hurled innumerable missiles; but every one of these the destroyer of Madhu, and lord of all worlds, cut playfully into a thousand pieces with his shafts. The devourer of serpents, Garuda, laid hold of the noose of the sovereign of the waters, and tore it to fragments with his beak, as if it had been a little snake. The son of Devakí threw his mace at the club of Yama, and cast it broken upon the ground: he cut in bits the litter of the lord of wealth with his discus: a glance of his eye eclipsed the radiance of the sun: he severed Agni into a hundred parts with his arrows, and scattered the Vasus through the realms of space: with his discus he cut off the points of the tridents of the Rudras, and cast themselves upon the earth: and with the shafts shot from his bow he dispersed the Sádhyas, Vishwas, Maruts, and Gandharbas, like fleeces of cotton from the pods of the Simel tree, through the sky. Garuda also diligently plied his beak and wings and nails, and bit and bruised and scratched the deities who opposed his lord.

Then the king of the gods and the foe of Madhu encountered and overwhelmed each other with countless shafts, like rain-drops falling from two heavy clouds. Garuda in the conflict engaged with Airávata, and Janárddana was opposed to all the deities. When all the other weapons had been cut to pieces, Indra stood armed with his thunderbolt, and Krishna with the discus Sudarshana. Beholding them thus prepared for fight, all the people of the three spheres exclaimed, "Alas! alas!" Indra launched his bolt, but in vain, for Hari caught and arrested it: he forbore, however, to hurl his discus, and only called out to Indra to stay. Satyabhámá seeing Indra disarmed, and his elephant disabled by Garuda, and the deity himself about to retreat, said to him, "King of the triple sphere, it ill becomes the husband of Sachí to run away. Ornamented with Párijáta garlands, she will approach you. Of what use is the sovereignty of heaven, embellished with the Párijáta tree, no longer beholding Sachí meet you with affection as of yore? Nay, Sakra, fly not; you must not suffer shame: here, take the Párijáta tree; let the gods be no longer annoyed. Sachs, inflated with pride of her husband, has not welcomed me to her dwelling with respectful presents. As a woman, I am light of purpose, and am anxious for my husband's fame; therefore have I instigated, Sakra, this contest with you. But I do not want the Párijáta tree, nor do I wish to take that which is another's property. Sachí is proud of her beauty. What woman is not proud of her husband?" Thus spoken to by Satyabhámá, the king of the gods turned back, and said to her, "Desist, wrathful dame, from afflicting your friend by further reproaches. I am not ashamed of being vanquished by him who is the author of the creation, preservation, and destruction of the world; who is the substance of all things; in whom, without beginning or middle, the universe is comprised; and from whom, and by whom, identical with all things, it proceeds, and will cease to be. What disgrace is it, O goddess, to any one to be discomfited by him who is the cause of creation, continuance, and dissolution? His form is the parent of all worlds, though infinitely subtle, and known to those only by whom all that may be known is known. Who is able to overcome the unborn, unconstituted, eternal lord, who has willed to become a mortal for the good of the world ?"

H.H.Wilson