॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
॥ तृतीयोऽध्यायः - ३ ॥
|
Discourse III
A dialogue between Yama (the god of retribution) and his messengers (Preamble)
|
राजोवाच ।
निशम्य देवः स्वभटोपवर्णितं
प्रत्याह किं तान् प्रति धर्मराजः ।
एवं हताज्ञो विहतान् मुरारे-
र्नैदेशिकैर्यस्य वशे जनोऽयम् ॥ १॥
यमस्य देवस्य न दण्डभङ्गः
कुतश्चनर्षे श्रुतपूर्व आसीत् ।
एतन्मुने वृश्चति लोकसंशयं
न हि त्वदन्य इति मे विनिश्चितम् ॥ २॥
|
The king (Parikṣit) said : What did the god Yama (the deity presiding over righteousness), under whose sway all this (animate) creation is and whose authority was thus obstructed, say in reply to his servants—who had been foiled by the messengers of Lord Viṣṇu (the Slayer of the demon Mura)—on hearing their report ? (1)
(Such) supersession of the authority of the glorious Yama at the hands of another was never heard of before, O (holy) sage ! (And) none other than you can resolve the doubt which will arise in the popular mind on this point; that is my conviction. (2) (1-2)
|
श्रीशुक उवाच ।
भगवत्पुरुषै राजन् याम्याः प्रतिहतोद्यमाः ।
पतिं विज्ञापयामासुर्यमं संयमनीपतिम् ॥ ३॥
|
Śrī Śuka replied : The messengers of Yama, whose efforts (to execute the commands of their master) were interrupted by the servants of the Lord, O king, submitted to their master, Yama, the ruler of the (city of) Saṃyamanī (as follows). (3) (3)
|
यमदूता ऊचुः ।
कति सन्तीह शास्तारो जीवलोकस्य वै प्रभो ।
त्रैविध्यं कुर्वतः कर्म फलाभिव्यक्तिहेतवः ॥ ४॥
यदि स्युर्बहवो लोके शास्तारो दण्डधारिणः ।
कस्य स्यातां न वा कस्य मृत्युश्चामृतमेव वा ॥ ५॥
किन्तु शास्तृबहुत्वे स्याद्बहूनामिह कर्मिणाम् ।
शास्तृत्वमुपचारो हि यथा मण्डलवर्तिनाम् ॥ ६॥
अतस्त्वमेको भूतानां सेश्वराणामधीश्वरः ।
शास्ता दण्डधरो नॄणां शुभाशुभविवेचनः ॥ ७॥
तस्य ते विहतो दण्डो न लोके वर्ततेऽधुना ।
चतुर्भिरद्भुतैः सिद्धैराज्ञा ते विप्रलम्भिता ॥ ८॥
नीयमानं तवादेशादस्माभिर्यातनागृहान् ।
व्यमोचयन् पातकिनं छित्त्वा पाशान् प्रसह्य ते ॥ ९॥
तांस्ते वेदितुमिच्छामो यदि नो मन्यसे क्षमम् ।
नारायणेत्यभिहिते मा भैरित्याययुर्द्रुतम् ॥ १०॥
|
The messengers of Yama said : How many in this world are the rulers of human beings performing actions of three kinds (virtuous, sinful and of a mixed type)—rulers who are responsible for the manifestation (dispensation) of their fruit (in the shape of happiness, misery and a mixture of both)? (4)
If there be in the world many a ruler wielding the rod of punishment, who would suffer death (the tortures of hell) and who would enjoy immortality or heavenly bliss (in the event of a split, resulting in a complete deadlock); whereas (in the reverse case, i.e., in the event of harmonious relations, obtaining between them) who would not experience the tortures of hell as well as immortality too (for, while one ruler may ordain hellish tortures in the case of a particular man in view of a grievous sin committed by him, overlooking his meritorious acts, another may condone his faults and reward his virtuous deeds with immortality and the orders of both will be executed as carrying equal force). (5)
If there be a plurality of rulers in this world for (the control of) the vast number of men engaged in action, their authority will (no doubt) exist. Such authority (however) would be only secondary like that enjoyed by tributary chiefs (inasmuch as it would extend over a limited section of humanity and would not be absolute and primary, thus rendering it necessary to postulate another ruler exercising primary, and universal authority). (6)
Therefore (a plurality of rulers being out of the question), you are (to our mind) the one Supreme Lord and ruler of all living beings—including the guardian deities—capable of distinguishing the merit and sin of men (who alone enjoy freedom of action), and (actually) wielding the rod of punishment (for the evil-doers, and rewarding the virtuous). (7)
Such as you are, your authority stands superseded and no longer prevails in the world today, as is evidenced by the fact that your command was set at naught by four wonderful angelic persons ! (8)
They forcibly released a sinner who was being taken by us under your order to the infernal regions (the places of suffering), cutting the nooses (with which he had been fastened). (9)
We are keen to know them (their particulars) from you, if you deem it good for us (as otherwise by showing disrespect to them through ignorance we may bring harm even to you). The moment the word 'Nārāyaṇa' was uttered (by the sinner) they hastened in saying "Do not be afraid !" (10) (4-10)
|
श्रीशुक उवाच ।
इति देवः स आपृष्टः प्रजासंयमनो यमः ।
प्रीतः स्वदूतान् प्रत्याह स्मरन् पादाम्बुजं हरेः ॥ ११॥
|
Śrī Śuka continued : Thus interrogated the celebrated god Yama, the controller of living beings, was (greatly) delighted and replied to his messengers (as follows), contemplating on the lotus-feet of Śrī Hari. (11) (11)
|
यम उवाच ।
परो मदन्यो जगतस्तस्थुषश्च
ओतं प्रोतं पटवद्यत्र विश्वम् ।
यदंशतोऽस्य स्थितिजन्मनाशा
नस्योतवद्यस्य वशे च लोकः ॥ १२॥
यो नामभिर्वाचि जनान्निजायां
बध्नाति तन्त्र्यामिव दामभिर्गाः ।
यस्मै बलिं त इमे नामकर्म-
निबन्धबद्धाश्चकिता वहन्ति ॥ १३॥
अहं महेन्द्रो निरृतिः प्रचेताः
सोमोऽग्निरीशः पवनोऽर्को विरिञ्चः ।
आदित्यविश्वे वसवोऽथ साध्या
मरुद्गणा रुद्रगणाः ससिद्धाः ॥ १४॥
अन्ये च ये विश्वसृजोऽमरेशा
भृग्वादयोऽस्पृष्टरजस्तमस्काः ।
यस्येहितं न विदुः स्पृष्टमायाः
सत्त्वप्रधाना अपि किं ततोऽन्ये ॥ १५॥
यं वै न गोभिर्मनसासुभिर्वा
हृदा गिरा वासुभृतो विचक्षते ।
आत्मानमन्तर्हृदि सन्तमात्मनां
चक्षुर्यथैवाकृतयस्ततः परम् ॥ १६॥
तस्यात्मतन्त्रस्य हरेरधीशितुः
परस्य मायाधिपतेर्महात्मनः ।
प्रायेण दूता इह वै मनोहरा-
श्चरन्ति तद्रूपगुणस्वभावाः ॥ १७॥
भूतानि विष्णोः सुरपूजितानि
दुर्दर्शलिङ्गानि महाद्भुतानि ।
रक्षन्ति तद्भक्तिमतः परेभ्यो
मत्तश्च मर्त्यानथ सर्वतश्च ॥ १८॥
|
Yama said : The Supreme Lord of the mobile and immobile creation is other than me (and all other guardians of the spheres—Indra, Varuṇa and others). It is by Him that the whole universe stands pervaded on all sides as a piece of cloth by its warp and woof. (Nay,) it is from His part manifestations (Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva) that the evolution, maintenance and dissolution of this universe proceed and the (entire) creation is subject to His control even as a bullock tied with a string passed through its nostrils is controlled by the man holding the string. (12)
Just as a farmer ties (his) oxen with tethers to a big cord (to keep them together), He binds men with (different) denominations (Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya and so on) to His own Word (the Veda)—allots them different duties as enjoined by the Vedas; and, bound by (these) strong ties in the shape of class, names and obligations (attaching thereto), the aforesaid men meticulously bear offerings (do homage) to Him (through the scrupulous discharge of their duties). (13)
Myself (Yama, the guardian of the southern quarter), the mighty Indra (the guardian of the east), Nirṛti (the demon presiding over the south-west), Varuṇa (the god of water, presiding over the western quarter), the moon-god (the guardian of the north), the god of fire (the guardian of the south-east), Lord Śiva (the guardian of the north-east), the god of the air (the guardian of the north-west), the sun-god, Brahmā (the creator), the (twelve) sons of Aditi (presiding by turns month after month, over the sun), (the group of gods known as) the Viśwedevas, the (eight) Vasuṣ (another class of gods) and (the group of gods called) the Sādhyas, the (forty-nine) Maruts (wind-gods), the (eleven) Rudras (the gods presiding over destruction) along with the Siddhas (a class of demigods endowed with mystic powers from their very birth), the creators of the world like (the sage) Bhṛgu, the rulers (adored) of gods (such as the sage Bṛhaspati, the preceptor of the gods) and others too who are untainted with Rajas and Tamas and in whom Sattva predominates have no knowledge of His intention—dominated as they are by His Māyā (deluding potency)—much less those other than these. (14-15)
Even as colours (the objects of sight) cannot perceive the faculty of vision, which reveals them, the Jivas cannot grasp or reach with (their) senses of perception, mind or organs of action (which predominantly manifest the activity of the vital airs) nor with (their) intellect or speech Him who is the seer of all living beings, though dwelling in their very heart (as their Inner Controller). (16)
Charming messengers of the aforementioned Śrī Hari, the Supreme Person, the absolute and transcendent Lord, the Controller of Māyā (Prakṛti), generally go about in this world (for the good of the Jivas), endowed as they are with a form, virtues and disposition similar to those of their (divine) Master. (17)
Those most wonderful servants of Lord Viṣṇu, who are adored (even) by the gods and whose (transcendental) forms cannot be easily perceived (by earthly beings), protect mortals devoted to the Lord from enemies as well as from myself (Death), yea, from everyone else. (18) (12-18)
|
|
धर्मं तु साक्षाद्भगवत्प्रणीतं
न वै विदुरृषयो नापि देवाः ।
न सिद्धमुख्या असुरा मनुष्याः
कुतश्च विद्याधरचारणादयः ॥ १९॥
स्वयम्भूर्नारदः शम्भुः कुमारः कपिलो मनुः ।
प्रह्लादो जनको भीष्मो बलिर्वैयासकिर्वयम् ॥ २०॥
द्वादशैते विजानीमो धर्मं भागवतं भटाः ।
गुह्यं विशुद्धं दुर्बोधं यं ज्ञात्वामृतमश्नुते ॥ २१॥
एतावानेव लोकेऽस्मिन् पुंसां धर्मः परः स्मृतः ।
भक्तियोगो भगवति तन्नामग्रहणादिभिः ॥ २२॥
नामोच्चारणमाहात्म्यं हरेः पश्यत पुत्रकाः ।
अजामिलोऽपि येनैव मृत्युपाशादमुच्यत ॥ २३॥
एतावतालमघनिर्हरणाय पुंसां
सङ्कीर्तनं भगवतो गुणकर्मनाम्नाम् ।
विक्रुश्य पुत्रमघवान् यदजामिलोऽपि
नारायणेति म्रियमाण इयाय मुक्तिम् ॥ २४॥
प्रायेण वेद तदिदं न महाजनोऽयं
देव्या विमोहितमतिर्बत माययालम् ।
त्रय्यां जडीकृतमतिर्मधुपुष्पितायां
वैतानिके महति कर्मणि युज्यमानः ॥ २५॥
|
As a matter of fact, neither seers nor even gods nor the foremost of the Siddhas can precisely know (the secret of) virtue (as) expounded by the Lord Himself; how, then, can the demons, human beings, Vidyādharas (celestial artistes), Cāraṇas (heavenly bards) and others know it? (19)
Brahmā (the self-born), the sage Nārada, Lord Śiva (the fountain-head of blessedness), the sage Sanatkumāra, Lord Kapila, Swāyamabhuva Manu, Prahrāda, king Janaka, Bhīṣma, the demon king Bali, the sage Śuka (son of Vyāsa) and myself (Yama)—these twelve (alone) know (the essence of) Dharma (as) taught by the Lord—secret, pure and difficult to understand—by knowing which one enjoys immortality (in the shape of final beatitude). (20-21)
To develop loving attachment to the Lord through the utterance of His Name and so on—this alone has been declared to be the paramount duty of (all) men in this world. (22)
Realize, my boys, the glory of uttering the name of Śrī Hari, by which alone (pronounced unintentionally once only) even (a vile sinner like) Ajāmila was liberated from the noose of Death! (23)
To celebrate duty the virtues and exploits of the Lord and to chant His name—this much is not needed for (merely) wiping out the sins of men! For even the (most) sinful Ajāmila attained liberation by (simply) calling his son at the pitch of his voice (and not with proper intonation) as Nārāyaṇa (and that too) while on the verge of death (when neither his body nor his mind was in a sound condition). (24)
Alas! the average learned man (well-versed in the scriptures—whose judgement is completely bewildered by the all-powerful (divine) Māyā (deluding potency) and whose thought is focussed on (the teachings of) the three Vedas, full of sweet and attractive encomiums (on the efficacy or rituals as leading to heaven)—generally does not realize the aforesaid glory of the Divine Name, and remains engaged in grand sacrificial undertakings. (25) (19-25)
|
|
एवं विमृश्य सुधियो भगवत्यनन्ते
सर्वात्मना विदधते खलु भावयोगम् ।
ते मे न दण्डमर्हन्त्यथ यद्यमीषां
स्यात्पातकं तदपि हन्त्युरुगायवादः ॥ २६॥
ते देवसिद्धपरिगीतपवित्रगाथाः
ये साधवः समदृशो भगवत्प्रपन्नाः ।
तान् नोपसीदत हरेर्गदयाभिगुप्तान्
नैषां वयं न च वयः प्रभवाम दण्डे ॥ २७॥
तानानयध्वमसतो विमुखान् मुकुन्द-
पादारविन्दमकरन्दरसादजस्रम् ।
निष्किञ्चनैः परमहंसकुलै रसज्ञैः
जुष्टाद्गृहे निरयवर्त्मनि बद्धतृष्णान् ॥ २८॥
जिह्वा न वक्ति भगवद्गुणनामधेयं
चेतश्च न स्मरति तच्चरणारविन्दम् ।
कृष्णाय नो नमति यच्छिर एकदापि
तानानयध्वमसतोऽकृतविष्णुकृत्यान् ॥ २९॥
तत्क्षम्यतां स भगवान् पुरुषः पुराणो
नारायणः स्वपुरुषैर्यदसत्कृतं नः ।
स्वानामहो न विदुषां रचिताञ्जलीनां
क्षान्तिर्गरीयसि नमः पुरुषाय भूम्ने ॥ ३०॥
|
Pondering thus, the wise indeed resort with an undivided mind to the practices (the chanting of the Divine Name and so on) making for loving Devotion to the Lord possessing infinite virtues. They do not merit punishment at my hands (because ordinarily there can be no question of their committing sins). Even if a sin is ever committed by them (through inadvertence), the (very) utterance of the Name of Lord (who is widely sung) obliterates it. (26)
The sacred stories of those pious souls who regard all with the same eye and have taken refuge in the Lord are constantly sung even by the gods and Siddhas. Never approach such men, protected as they are by the mace of Śrī Hari. Neither we nor the Time-Spirit has the power to punish them. (27)
Bring those impious men (alone to me) who are averse to the joy inhering in the honey-like sweetness of the lotus-feet of Lord Viṣṇu (the Bestower of Liberation)—incessantly tasted by flocks of noblest swans in the form of ascetics of the highest order, who have nothing to call their own and who are connoisseurs of sweetness—and have given their heart to the delights of home life, which lead one to hell. (28)
(Further,) bring those wicked fellows (for punishment to me) whose tongue neither recounts the virtues nor utters the name of the Lord, whose mind never contemplates on His lotus-feet and whose head does not bow even once to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and who have never rendered (any) service to Lord Viṣṇu (in their whole life). (29)
Ah, may that most ancient Person, Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa, put up with the offence* committed, through the instrumentality of our messengers, by ourselves, His ignorant servants, who crave His forgiveness with joined palms; for forgiveness (alone) becomes the greatest of the great, Hail to the all-pervading Supreme Person ! (30) (26-30)
|
|
तस्मात्सङ्कीर्तनं विष्णोर्जगन्मङ्गलमंहसाम् ।
महतामपि कौरव्य विद्ध्यैकान्तिकनिष्कृतिम् ॥ ३१॥
शृण्वतां गृणतां वीर्याण्युद्दामानि हरेर्मुहुः ।
यथा सुजातया भक्त्या शुद्ध्येन्नात्मा व्रतादिभिः ॥ ३२॥
कृष्णाङ्घ्रिपद्ममधुलिण् न पुनर्विसृष्ट-
मायागुणेषु रमते वृजिनावहेषु ।
अन्यस्तु कामहत आत्मरजः प्रमार्ष्टु-
मीहेत कर्म यत एव रजः पुनः स्यात् ॥ ३३॥
|
Therefore, O Parikṣit ( a scion of Kuru); know the chanting of the names and praises of Lord Viṣṇu as a source of blessing to the (whole) world and the complete atonement for the greatest sins. (31)
The mind is not purified so well through fasting and other means as through Devotion easily engendered in the heart of those who repeatedly hear or narrate accounts of the extraordinary exploits of Śrī Hari. (32)
He who enjoys like a bee the sweetness of Śrī Kṛṣṇa's lotus-feet (by contemplating on them) delights no more in the enjoyments brought forth by Māyā (Prakṛti), once they have been given up by him as conducive to suffering. The other man (who does not enjoy the sweetness of those feet and) who is (consequently) buffeted by desires takes to action (alone in the shape of an expiatory process) in order to atone for his sin—action which leads only to sin again (inasmuch as it does not purify the mind and thus proves no better than the path of an elephant, which throws dust on its body as soon as it emerges from water after the bath). (33)
- The messengers of Yama argued with the servants of Lord Viṣṇu and insisted on taking away the soul of Ajāmila to the abode of Yama not with standing their remonstrances. This is evidently regarded by Yama as an offence against the Lord, for which he seeks His forgiveness here.
(31-33)
|
|
इत्थं स्वभर्तृगदितं भगवन्महित्वं
संस्मृत्य विस्मितधियो यमकिङ्करास्ते ।
नैवाच्युताश्रयजनं प्रतिशङ्कमाना
द्रष्टुं च बिभ्यति ततः प्रभृति स्म राजन् ॥ ३४॥
इतिहासमिमं गुह्यं भगवान् कुम्भसम्भवः ।
कथयामास मलये आसीनो हरिमर्चयन् ॥ ३५॥
इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां
षष्ठस्कन्धे यमपुरुषसंवादे तृतीयोऽध्यायः ॥ ३॥
|
The servants of Yama were not at all surprised to (hear and) realize as such the greatness of the Lord, depicted by their master (Yama). Afraid of men depending on the immortal Lord (Viṣṇu) they shuddered even to look at them from that moment, O king (Paṅkṣit) ! (34)
Dwelling on (the summit of) Mount Malaya and worshipping Śrī Hari, the glorious sage Agastya (who was born of a pitcher) narrated (to me) this secret legend. (35)
Thus ends the third discourse, forming part of the dialogue between Yama and his servants, in Book Six of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahārṣa-Sarhhitā. (34-35)
|