॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
॥ द्वादशोऽध्यायः ॥
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Discourse XII
Bharata answers the query of Rahūgaṇa (Preamble)
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रहूगण उवाच ।
नमो नमः कारणविग्रहाय
स्वरूपतुच्छीकृतविग्रहाय ।
नमोऽवधूतद्विजबन्धुलिङ्ग-
निगूढनित्यानुभवाय तुभ्यम् ॥ १॥
ज्वरामयार्तस्य यथागदं स-
न्निदाघदग्धस्य यथा हिमाम्भः ।
कुदेहमानाहिविदष्टदृष्टे-
र्ब्रह्मन्वचस्तेऽमृतमौषधं मे ॥ २॥
तस्माद्भवन्तं मम संशयार्थं
प्रक्ष्यामि पश्चादधुना सुबोधम् ।
अध्यात्मयोगग्रथितं तवोक्त-
माख्याहि कौतूहलचेतसो मे ॥ ३॥
यदाह योगेश्वर दृश्यमानं
क्रियाफलं सद्व्यवहारमूलम् ।
न ह्यञ्जसा तत्त्वविमर्शनाय
भवानमुष्मिन् भ्रमते मनो मे ॥ ४॥
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Rahūgaṇa said : Hail, hail to you, who have taken this godlike form (for the protection of the world) and have ignored your body in (the supreme bliss of) Self-Realization! Hail to you, O master of Yoga, who have concealed your realization of Eternal Truth under the garb of an unworthy Brāhmaṇa (a Brāhmaṇa only in name). (1)
Like a palatable medicine to one suffering from the disease of fever, or like cold water to one scorched by the heat (of the sun), your word, O holy Brāhmaṇa, has proved a nectar-like remedy to me, whose vision (judgment) has been bitten (warped) by the serpent of self-identification with this worthless (perishable) body. (2)
I shall, therefore, refer my doubt to you later; (kindly) explain to me (just) at—present—inquisitive as I am—your teaching, which is pregnant with deep spiritual import, in such a way as to make it easily intelligible. (3)
My mind is bewildered by the statement, you have made, O master of Yoga, that actions (such as carrying a load and so on) and their visible effects (on the doer in the shape of fatigue etc.), though not illusory, are (only) relative and cannot easily stand a sifting enquiry into the Truth (are not fit to be recognized as the absolute truth). (4) (1-4)
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ब्राह्मण उवाच ।
अयं जनो नाम चलन् पृथिव्यां
यः पार्थिवः पार्थिव कस्य हेतोः ।
तस्यापि चाङ्घ्र्योरधिगुल्फजङ्घा-
जानूरुमध्योरशिरोधरांसाः ॥ ५॥
अंसेऽधि दार्वी शिबिका च यस्यां
सौवीरराजेत्यपदेश आस्ते ।
यस्मिन् भवान् रूढनिजाभिमानो
राजास्मि सिन्धुष्विति दुर्मदान्धः ॥ ६॥
शोच्यानिमांस्त्वमधिकष्टदीनान्
विष्ट्या निगृह्णन् निरनुग्रहोऽसि ।
जनस्य गोप्तास्मि विकत्थमानो
न शोभसे वृद्धसभासु धृष्टः ॥ ७॥
यदा क्षितावेव चराचरस्य
विदाम निष्ठां प्रभवं च नित्यम् ।
तन्नामतोऽन्यद्व्यवहारमूलं
निरूप्यतां सत्क्रिययानुमेयम् ॥ ८॥
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The Brāhmaṇa replied : That which is a modification of earth (itself), traversing its surface for some reason (or other), O king, comes to be known as this man (a palanquin-bearer). And above the feet of this (modification of earth) are located the two ankles, the two shanks, the two knees and the two thighs, the waist, the chest, the neck and the two shoulders. (5)
On one of the shoulders lies the wooden palanquin, in which is seated another modification of earth bearing the title of Sauvīrarāja (the king of Sauvīra). Having identified yourself with this, you account yourself as the ruler of the Sindhus (the people of the Sindhu territory), blinded by vain pride. (6)
Nay, constraining these people—who were already afflicted with great misery (due to poverty) and (therefore) deserved to be pitied (rather than oppressed)—to do work for you without any remuneration, you are (but) proving your heartlessness. (Yet) shamelessly bragging that you are a guardian of the people, you (indeed) cut a sorry figure in the assemblies of the wise. (7)
When we know that the (entire) mobile (animate) and immobile (inanimate) creation invariably springs up from earth and is reabsorbed into it, tell me if there is any ground for (our manifold worldly) activities—other than (the) names (of the various earthly objects that we have to deal with in the course of our activities)—that may be concluded to be real by virtue of the work that we take from it. (8) (5-8)
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एवं निरुक्तं क्षितिशब्दवृत्त-
मसन्निधानात्परमाणवो ये ।
अविद्यया मनसा कल्पितास्ते
येषां समूहेन कृतो विशेषः ॥ ९॥
एवं कृशं स्थूलमणुर्बृहद्य-
दसच्च सज्जीवमजीवमन्यत् ।
द्रव्यस्वभावाशयकालकर्म-
नाम्नाजयावेहि कृतं द्वितीयम् ॥ १०॥
ज्ञानं विशुद्धं परमार्थमेक-
मनन्तरं त्वबहिर्ब्रह्म सत्यम् ।
प्रत्यक्प्रशान्तं भगवच्छब्दसंज्ञं
यद्वासुदेवं कवयो वदन्ति ॥ ११॥
रहूगणैतत्तपसा न याति
न चेज्यया निर्वपणाद्गृहाद्वा ।
न छन्दसा नैव जलाग्निसूर्यै-
र्विना महत्पादरजोऽभिषेकम् ॥ १२॥
यत्रोत्तमश्लोकगुणानुवादः
प्रस्तूयते ग्राम्यकथाविघातः ।
निषेव्यमाणोऽनुदिनं मुमुक्षो-
र्मतिं सतीं यच्छति वासुदेवे ॥ १३॥
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What is denoted by the word 'earth' is (also) similarly explained because of its being (ultimately) resolved into the finest atoms (its constituent factors). As for the atoms, by whose concatenation the element known by the name of earth has been brought into existence, they have been postulated by force of reason through ignorance (because, as a matter of fact, all these phenomena are but a creation of the Lord's own Māyā or creative energy). (9)
Similarly whatever other objective (phenomenal) existence appears to us as lean or stout, small or big, of the nature of cause or effect, animate or inanimate, know it to be a creation of Māyā (the beginningless creative energy of the Lord) known by various names such as substance (the gross elements), nature (the mutability of all phenomena), predisposition, the Time-Spirit (that which disturbs the equilibrium of the three Guṇas or modes of Prakṛti) and Karma (good or evil destiny). (10)
Consciousness alone is true—Consciousness which is true—Consciousness which is towards the Self, immutable and (commonly) known by the appellation of Bhagavān (the almighty and all-glorious Lord), and that sages call Vāsudeva (the abode of all beings). (11)
O Rahūgaṇa, one does not attain this (consciousness) through asceticism nor through (Vedic) rituals, nor (again) by dealing out food and other necessaries (among the needy), nor by (duly) performing one's religious duties (pertaining to household life—such as entertaining an unexpected visitor, service of the afflicted and poor and so on), nor through a (proper) study of the Vedas nor through the worship of (the gods presiding over) water, fire and the sun, (nor by any other means) except by sprinkling one's body with the dust of feet of exalted souls. (12)
In their assemblies are held discourses on the excellences of the Lord, which shut out (all) talks of worldly pleasures and which, when listened to everyday, concentrate the pure mind of a seeker of liberation on Lord Vāsudeva. (13) (9-13)
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अहं पुरा भरतो नाम राजा
विमुक्तदृष्टश्रुतसङ्गबन्धः ।
आराधनं भगवत ईहमानो
मृगोऽभवं मृगसङ्गाद्धतार्थः ॥ १४॥
सा मां स्मृतिर्मृगदेहेऽपि वीर
कृष्णार्चनप्रभवा नो जहाति ।
अथो अहं जनसङ्गादसङ्गो
विशङ्कमानोऽविवृतश्चरामि ॥ १५॥
तस्मान्नरोऽसङ्गसुसङ्गजात-
ज्ञानासिनेहैव विवृक्णमोहः ।
हरिं तदीहाकथनश्रुताभ्यां
लब्धस्मृतिर्यात्यतिपारमध्वनः ॥ १६॥
इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां
पञ्चमस्कन्धे ब्राह्मणरहूगणसंवादे द्वादशोऽध्यायः ॥ १२॥
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I was formerly (in a previous birth) a king (like you), Bharata by name, and, having completely got rid of (all) bondage resulting from attachment to (all) that is seen (in this world) or heard of (as existing in heaven) endeavoured to propitiate the Lord, but was reborn as a deer through attachment to a deer, and (thus) lost my purpose (in the shape of God-Realization). (14)
The memory of past life, awakened in me by the worship of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, (however) did not leave me even in that bestial form, O valiant king. It is therefore that I move about incognito and unattached, afraid as I am of mixing with the people. (15)
Therefore, having completely severed (all) ties of infatuation with the sword of wisdom developed through the blessed company of exalted souls (who are free from attachment), and attained God-consciousness by (constantly) recounting and listening to the stories of Śrī Hari, a man reaches the highest goal of his journey, the Lord (Himself). (16)
Thus ends the twelfth discourse, forming part of the dialogue between the Brāhmaṇa and king Rahūgaṇa, in Book Five of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahārṣa-Sarhhitā. (14-16)
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