॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
॥ षष्ठोऽध्यायः ॥
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Discourse VI
Lord Ṛṣabha quits His body (Preamble)
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राजोवाच ।
न नूनं भगव आत्मारामाणां योगसमीरितज्ञानावभर्जित-
कर्मबीजानां ऐश्वर्याणि पुनः क्लेशदानि भवितुमर्हन्ति
यदृच्छयोपगतानि ॥ १॥
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King Parikṣit said : Surely to those who revel in the Self and have burnt up the seeds of (future) actions (in the shape of likes and dislikes and so on) through (the fire of) wisdom strengthened by the practice of Yoga. Yogic powers coming unsolicited cannot again prove to be a source of evils (such as likes and dislikes). (Why, then, did the Lord not accept them?) (1) (1)
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ऋषिरुवाच ।
सत्यमुक्तं किन्त्विह वा एके न मनसोऽद्धा विश्रम्भ-
मनवस्थानस्य शठकिरात इव सङ्गच्छन्ते ॥ २॥
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The sage (Śuka) replied : What you have observed is (quite) true; but there are some (discreet men) in this world who would never feel quite confident about their fickle mind any more than a clever hunter would about a deer (trapped by him). (2)
Similarly it is said:— (2)
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तथा चोक्तं -
न कुर्यात्कर्हिचित्सख्यं मनसि ह्यनवस्थिते ।
यद्विश्रम्भाच्चिराच्चीर्णं चस्कन्द तप ऐश्वरम् ॥ ३॥
नित्यं ददाति कामस्य च्छिद्रं तमनु येऽरयः ।
योगिनः कृतमैत्रस्य पत्युर्जायेव पुंश्चली ॥ ४॥
कामो मन्युर्मदो लोभः शोकमोहभयादयः ।
कर्मबन्धश्च यन्मूलः स्वीकुर्यात्को नु तद्बुधः ॥ ५॥
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"One should never make friends with (rely on the friendship of) the inconstant mind; for as a result of confidence placed in it the austere vow (of chastity)—maintained for a long period—even of Lord Śiva* (and other stalwarts like the celebrated sage Saubhari †) was broken. (3)
The mind of a Yogi (striving mystic) who has made friends with it is ever alert to fling the gates open to Lust and other enemies (such as Anger) that follow him—even as a faithless wife would allow her paramours to enter her husband's house and murder him. (4)
What wise man would admit (the trustworthiness of) the mind, which is the root of lust, anger, vanity, greed, sorrow, infatuation, fear and other evils and which binds a man to his actions ? (5) (3-5)
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अथैवमखिललोकपालललामोऽपि
विलक्षणैर्जडवदवधूतवेषभाषाचरितै-
रविलक्षितभगवत्प्रभावो योगिनां
साम्परायविधिमनुशिक्षयन् स्वकलेवरं
जिहासुरात्मन्यात्मानमसंव्यवहित-
मनर्थान्तरभावेनान्वीक्षमाण
उपरतानुवृत्तिरुपरराम ॥ ६॥
तस्य ह वा एवं मुक्तलिङ्गस्य भगवत
ऋषभस्य योगमायावासनया देह इमां
जगतीमभिमानाभासेन सङ्क्रममाणः
कोङ्कवेङ्ककुटकान् दक्षिणकर्णाटकान्
देशान् यदृच्छयोपगतः कुटकाचलोपवन
आस्यकृताश्मकवल उन्माद इव
मुक्तमूर्धजोऽसंवीत एव विचचार ॥ ७॥
अथ समीरवेगविधूतवेणुविकर्षणजातोग्र-
दावानलस्तद्वनमालेलिहानः सह तेन ददाह ॥ ८॥
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Lord Rṣabhadeva was the very ornament of the protectors of the world (Indra and the other gods); yet His divine glory could not be perceived on account of His behaving as aforesaid like a stupid fellow and because He had adopted the weird appearance, speech and conduct of one who has renounced all worldly attachments and connections. Now, in order to teach to the Yogis the process of giving up the ghost He thought of quitting (concealing) His body and, constantly viewing the Supreme Spirit—who was directly present in Him—as (absolutely) identical (with Himself), ceased to think of His body and gave up His identification (even) with the subtle body. (6)
When Lord Rṣabhadeva was thus rid of (His identification with) the subtle body, His visible form continued to wander over this globe due to seeming egotism induced by the vestiges of Yogamāyā (the divine will to carry on the sport of roaming about the earth as a wandering recluse) and, visiting as directed by Providence the territories of Koṅka, Veṅka, Kuṭaka and South Karnāṭaka, traversed the forest of the Kutaka mountain stark naked, like a madman, with dishevelled hair and with a piece of stone in His mouth. (7)
Meanwhile a fierce forest conflagration broke out due to the friction of bamboos tossed about by the force of wind and, enveloping the forest on all sides, consumed the body of Rṣabhadeva too along with the forest. (8) (6-8)
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यस्य किलानुचरितमुपाकर्ण्य कोङ्कवेङ्ककुटकानां
राजार्हन्नामोपशिक्ष्य कलावधर्म उत्कृष्यमाणे
भवितव्येन विमोहितः स्वधर्मपथमकुतोभयमपहाय
कुपथपाखण्डमसमञ्जसं निजमनीषया मन्दः
सम्प्रवर्तयिष्यते ॥ ९॥
येन ह वाव कलौ मनुजापसदा देवमायामोहिताः
स्वविधिनियोगशौचचारित्रविहीना देवहेलना-
न्यपव्रतानि निजनिजेच्छया गृह्णाना अस्नाना-
नाचमनाशौचकेशोल्लुञ्चनादीनि कलिनाधर्मबहुलेनो-
पहतधियो ब्रह्मब्राह्मणयज्ञपुरुषलोकविदूषकाः
प्रायेण भविष्यन्ति ॥ १०॥
ते च ह्यर्वाक्तनया निजलोकयात्रयान्धपरम्परया-
ऽऽश्वस्तास्तमस्यन्धे स्वयमेव प्रपतिष्यन्ति ॥ ११॥
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On hearing about His (queer) ways and imitating them, and deluded by what was destined to happen, a foolish ruler of the territories of Koṅka, Veṅka and Kutaka—Arhat by name—appearing in the Kali age, when unrighteousness will be on the rise, will actually abandon the course of his own duty, which is free from risk in every way, and duly propagate according to his own whims an absurd, wrong and heretical creed. (9)
Led by him an infatuated by the deluding potency of the Lord, many an accursed soul will fall from the standards of personal purity and good conduct enjoined upon them by scriptural ordinance and, adopting of their own free will impious vows constituting an offence against the gods—such as abstaining from bath and Ācamana (rinsing the mouth), neglecting personal cleanliness and pulling out the hair and so on—will more often than not condemn the Veda, the Brāhmanas, Lord Viṣṇu (the Deity presiding over the sacrifices) and His devotees, their judgment being warped by the Kali age, which is dominated by unrighteousness. (10)
And assured (of their salvation) by their own arbitrary mode of life—which is not supported by the Vedas and which has been indiscriminately followed (as one blind man follows another)—they will descend into the dark abyss of hell by their own choice. (11) (9-11)
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अयमवतारो रजसोपप्लुतकैवल्योपशिक्षणार्थः ॥ १२॥
तस्यानुगुणान् श्लोकान् गायन्ति -
अहो भुवः सप्तसमुद्रवत्या
द्वीपेषु वर्षेष्वधिपुण्यमेतत् ।
गायन्ति यत्रत्यजना मुरारेः
कर्माणि भद्राण्यवतारवन्ति ॥ १३॥
अहो नु वंशो यशसावदातः
प्रैयव्रतो यत्र पुमान् पुराणः ।
कृतावतारः पुरुषः स आद्य-
श्चचार धर्मं यदकर्महेतुम् ॥ १४॥
को न्वस्य काष्ठामपरोऽनुगच्छे-
न्मनोरथेनाप्यभवस्य योगी ।
यो योगमायाः स्पृहयत्युदस्ता
ह्यसत्तया येन कृतप्रयत्नाः ॥ १५॥
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This descent (manifestation) of the Lord was (specifically) intended to give a lesson in the art of liberating oneself to those who are steeped in the quality of Rajas. (12)
People recite the following verses conformable to the spirit of such teaching:—"Oh, of (all) the Dwijas (main divisions) and Varṣas (subdivisions) of the earth, girt with the seven oceans, this land (later known as Bhāratavarṣa) is exceptionally holy inasmuch as the people of this land celebrate the blessed deeds of Lord Viṣṇu (the Slayer of the demon Mura) associated with His (various) descents. (13)
Oh, the race of Priyavrata is resplendent with glory; for, descending in this line, Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa (the most ancient Person), the Inner Controller of all and the Cause of all causes, observed sacred vows leading to Liberation (which cannot be attained through religious rites). (14)
Indeed what Yogi—who hankers after the mystic powers of Yoga, spurned by Lord Rṣabhadeva because of their illusory nature, even though striving to serve Him—could even mentally follow in the footsteps of that birthless Lord?" (15) (12-15)
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इति ह स्म सकलवेदलोकदेवब्राह्मणगवां
परमगुरोर्भगवत ऋषभाख्यस्य विशुद्धाचरितमीरितं
पुंसां समस्तदुश्चरिताभिहरणं परममहामङ्गलायन-
मिदमनुश्रद्धयोपचितयानुशृणोत्याश्रावयति वावहितो
भगवति तस्मिन् वासुदेव एकान्ततो भक्तिरनयोरपि
समनुवर्तते ॥ १६॥
यस्यामेव कवय आत्मानमविरतं विविधवृजिनसंसार-
परितापोपतप्यमानमनुसवनं स्नापयन्तस्तयैव परया
निर्वृत्या ह्यपवर्गमात्यन्तिकं परमपुरुषार्थमपि
स्वयमासादितं नो एवाद्रियन्ते भगवदीयत्वेनैव
परिसमाप्तसर्वार्थाः ॥ १७॥
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In this way has been narrated (by me) the sacred story of the Lord bearing the name of Rṣabha, the supremely adored (even) of all the Vedas, the (various) spheres, the gods, the Brāhmaṇas and the cows—a story which wipes out all the sins of men (who hear or recite it), and is the abode of the highest blessings. Exclusive devotion to the aforesaid Lord Vāsudeva is developed in the heart of him who constantly listens to it as well as of him who regularly recites it (before others) with (ever) increasing reverence and with a concentrated mind. (16)
Daily and incessantly immersing their soul—(ever) burning with the agonies of mundane existence, full of manifold sufferings—in (the stream of) Devotion and deriving supreme solace from it, the wise (devotees) show no preference on any account for final beatitude, the highest and everlasting object of human pursuit, even if got without asking (offered by the Lord Himself), having fully realized their objects in their very devotion to the Lord. (17) (16-17)
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राजन् पतिर्गुरुरलं भवतां यदूनां
दैवं प्रियः कुलपतिः क्व च किङ्करो वः ।
अस्त्वेवमङ्ग भगवान् भजतां मुकुन्दो
मुक्तिं ददाति कर्हिचित्स्म न भक्तियोगम् ॥ १८॥
नित्यानुभूतनिजलाभनिवृत्ततृष्णः
श्रेयस्यतद्रचनया चिरसुप्तबुद्धेः ।
लोकस्य यः करुणयाभयमात्मलोक-
माख्यान्नमो भगवते ऋषभाय तस्मै ॥ १९॥
इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां
पञ्चमस्कन्धे ऋषभदेवानुचरिते षष्ठोऽध्यायः ॥ ६॥
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Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa (the Bestower of Liberation), dear Pariśiṣit, was surely the protector, preceptor, deity (the object of worship), beloved friend, and head of the family of your grandfathers as well as of the Yadus, and sometimes (when He represented you as your ambassador in the court of the Kauravas at Hastināpura) your servant too. He bestows now and then (even) final beatitude on those who worship Him; but He never (except in very rare cases) grants the boon of loving devotion (to His feet). (18)
Obeisance to the celebrated Lord Rṣabhadeva, who is (entirely) free from all cravings, rich as He is in the eternal realization of His own Self, and who in His (abounding) compassion revealed the true nature of the Self—which is immune from all fear—to men whose mind had long remained oblivious of their (genuine) welfare, being constantly engrossed in the thought of body etc., (which are other than the Self). (19)
Thus ends the sixth discourse forming part of the Narrative of Lord Rṣabhadeva, in Book Five of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Sarhhitā. (18-19)
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