Canto 10 - Chapter 86: (Subhadra carried away by Arjuna;) the Lord's Grace on Srutadeva

Discourse LXXXVI

(Subhadrā carried away by Arjuna;) the Lord's Grace on Śrutadeva

The king (Parikṣit) submitted : O sage, we desire to know how (my grandfather) Arjuna married Subhadrā, the sister of Balarāma and Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who was my grandmother ? (1)

Śrī Śuka replied : (Parikṣit,) wandering over the earth in the course of his pilgrimage, the powerful Arjuna went to Prabhāsa and heard (there) of his maternal uncle's daughter (Subhadrā). (2)
He further learnt that Balarāma would give her away to Duryodhana, but not others. Eager to win her he went to Dvārakā disguised as a recluse bearing a triple staff (symbolic of renunciation). (3)
There Arjuna spent the four months of the monsoon intent upon accomplishing his object. He was every now and then honoured by the citizens as well as by Balarāma, who could not identify him. (4)

One day, so it is said, he was invited as a guest by Balarāma and brought to the palace, where he partook of the dishes offered with reverence. (5)
There Arjuna saw the youthful maiden (Subhadrā), who captivated the heart of (great) heroes. With his eyes blooming with joy (at her sight) he set on her his heart agitated with passion. (6)
Subhadrā too fell in love with him as soon as she saw him, ravishing as he did the heart of women. She cast her bashful glances at him and fixed her heart and eyes on him. (7)
Focussing his thought on her alone Arjuna looked for an opportunity (to run away with her). His mind being distracted by an overwhelming passion for her, he had no peace of mind. (8)

With the consent of her parents (Devaki and Vasudeva) as well as of Śrī Kṛṣṇa he took her away (one day) even as she drove out of the fort in a chariot to visit an important temple.(9)
Taking his seat in her chariot Arjuna took up his bow and put to flight all the gallant warriors who tried to intercept him. In the midst of Subhadra's own people screaming (in distress) Arjuna stole her away just as the king of beasts would carry away its prey. (10)
Hearing of this, Balarāma was agitated like the ocean on a full moon and got pacified (only) when Śrī Kṛṣṇa and other friends and relations clasped His feet (and tried to appease His anger).(11)
(Then) Balarāma joyously dispatched for the bride and the bridegroom presents in the form of abundant wealth and articles of household use and a number of elephants, chariots, horses and male and female servants. (12)

Śrī Śuka began again : (Parikṣit,) at Mithilā, the capital of the Videha territory there lived a jewel among Brāhmaṇas, known by the name of Śrutadeva, who had all his objects accomplished by virtue of his single-minded devotion to Śrī Kṛṣṇa and was tranquil (of mind), full of wisdom and destitute of attraction for sense-objects. Though (he lived the life of) a householder, he performed (all) his duties and lived on whatever subsistence came to him without (any) effort. (13-14)
Everyday he got by the will of Providence as much as was barely necessary for his sustenance, and not (a bit) more. (fully) contented with this, he discharged (all) his duties in the proper manner. (15)
Dear Parikṣit, the (then) ruler of Mithilā was similarly devoted to the Lord. He was known by the name of Bahulāśwa. He was (absolutely) free from egotism. Both (the king and the Brāhmaṇa) were beloved of Śrī Kṛṣṇa (the immortal Lord).(16)

Pleased with them (both), the almighty Lord (once) mounted the chariot brought by Dāruka and drove to the kingdom of Videha, accompanied by (a number of) seers. (17)
The (celestial sage) Nārada, Vāmadeva, Atri, (my father) Kṛṣṇadwaipāyana (Vedavyāsa), Paraśurāma, Asita, Aruṇi, myself (Śuka), Bṛhaspati, Kaṇwa, Maitreya, Cyavana and others formed the party. (18)
At every stage (in the course of the journey), O protector of men, the citizens and villagers waited upon Him with offerings in their hands, appearing as He did (with His followers) like the sun surrounded by planets. (19)
O king ! (during that journey of the Lord) the men and women of Ānarta, Dhanva, Kurujangala, Kāṅka, Matsya, Pāñcāla, Kunti Madhu, Kekaya, Kosala, Arṇa and those belonging to other territories drank with their eyes the nectarine beauty of His lotus-like countenance enlivened by His winsome smiles and loving glances. (20)
On those people, from whose eyes the scales of ignorance had completely fallen through His sight, Śrī Kṛṣṇa (the Teacher of the three worlds), conferred (by His very look) insight into the Truth as well as final beatitude (the fruit of such insight) and hearing (even as He advanced) His own glory, sung by gods and men, which illumined the quarters and drove away all evil. (In this way) the Lord slowly journeyed to Videha. (21)

Parikṣit I delighted to hear of the arrival of Śrī Kṛṣṇa (the immortal Lord), the people of the city of Mithilā and of the adjoining villages (all) came forth to receive Him with offerings in their hands. (22)
At the sight of the glorious Lord, their faces brightened and the buds of their hearts opened through ecstasy. With their heads bent low and with their palms joined on them they greeted the Lord and His companions) the sages, of whom they had (only) heard before. (23)
Realizing that Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Teacher of the world, had come to shower His grace on them, the king of Mithilā as well as Śrutadeva, fell at the feet of the Lord. (24)
With joined palms they both simultaneously invited Śrī Kṛṣṇa (a scion of Daśārha) alongwith the sages to partake of their hospitality. (25)
Accepting their invitation, and with intent to please them both, the Lord (simultaneously) entered the residence of both in two separate forms, unperceived by the other one. (26)
The king of Videha, Bahulāśwa, was a high-minded prince. Finding that Śrī Kṛṣṇa and others, whose very name could not reach the ears of the unrighteous, had called at his house (uninvited), brought (excellent) seats for them and seated them (all) comfortably on them. (27)
His heart leapt for joy through intense devotion, and his eyes were bedimmed with tears. Bowing to them, he washed their feet and sprinkled that all purifying water on his head and on his relatives and worshipped the Lord as well as the divine sages by offering them sandal-paste, flowers, textiles, ornaments, scented fumes, lights, oblations of water, cows and oxen. (28-29)
After they had been heartily fed, Bahulāśwa placed the feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa (who was no other than Lord Viṣṇu) on his lap and gently pressing them, and delighting Him with sweet words, joyously prayed (as follows). (30)

The king (Bahulāśwa) said : " O Lord, You are the soul of all created beings, the witness of all hearts and self-effulgent. You have presently revealed Yourself to us, who have been (constantly) contemplating on Your lotus-feet. (31)
(O Lord !) You have appeared before us just in order to vindicate that statement of Yours which You have (often) declared, viz., that neither Śrī Balarāma (who is Your second Self) nor (Your better half) Lakṣmī (the goddess of beauty and prosperity) nor (even Your child) Brahmā are dearer to You than one who is exclusively devoted to You. (32)
Is there any man on earth who would abandon Your lotus-feet even after he has come to know that You offer Your very self to those sages of serene mind who regard nothing as their own (not even their body). (33)
Appearing in the race of Yadu, You have extended Your glory—which is capable of wiping out the sins of (all) the three worlds—in order to put an end to the transmigration of men revolving on the whirligig of births and deaths. (34)
Hail to You, the almighty Śrī Kṛṣṇa of unrestricted wisdom, who have taken to austerities in their mildest form in the person of the (divine) sage Nārāyaṇa. (35)
(Be pleased to) stay in our house, O infinite Lord, for some days alongwith the sages, and purify this line of Nīmi with the dust of Your feet." (36)
(O Parikṣit !) entreated thus by the king, Śrī Kṛṣṇa (the almighty Lord), the Protector of the worlds, stayed on (at Mithilā) in order to confer blessings on the men and women of the place. (37)

(Dear Parikṣit !) like the king of Videha, (the Brāhmaṇa) Śrutadeva (too) was overjoyed to find Śrī Kṛṣṇa (the immortal Lord) and the sages arrived at his door and bowing to them (all), he began to dance waving his cloth: so the tradition goes. (38)
Bringing raised seats made of straw and mattresses of Kuśa grass (from inside his cottage or from his neighbours) he requested the guests to sit on them and, greeting them with words of welcome, he gladly washed their feet alongwith his wife. (39)
With that water the highly blessed Brāhmaṇa sprinkled himself as well as his house and his people, and felt that all his objects had been achieved. He was (literally) transported with joy. (40)
(Then) he propitiated (all) with whatever articles of worship could be (easily) procured, namely, fruits (offered by way of an auspicious present) and other offerings (such as sandal-paste, flowers, incense and lights), cool, scented and sweet water, scented earth (for being used at the time of bath or for washing one's hands and feet with), Tulasi leaves, Kuśa grass and lotuses as well as with food which promotes the quality of Sattva. (41)
He reflected: " (I wonder) how this meeting has been possible for me, condemned as I am to this hellish life of a householder, with Śrī Kṛṣṇa and (these) sages, who have enthroned Him in their hearts, nay, the very dust of whose feet brings sanctity to all holy places." (42)
When the guests had partaken of his hospitality and were comfortably seated, Śrutadeva alongwith his wife, children and other relations, waited on them, and, touching the feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa (his principal guest), addressed them (as follows). (43)

Śrutadeva submitted : (Lord !) You are the Supreme Person (beyond Prakṛti and the Jivas). It is not for the first time that You have come to our view today. For You have been with us (since the very beginning of creation), when, having created the universe with the help of your potencies, You entered it as its Soul (even) as a sleeping person creates with his mind itself a peculiar dream-world of his own through his ignorance and, entering that world himself, appears in various forms. (44-45)
You shine in the heart of those men who constantly hear and repeat Your stories, worship and bow to Your images and talk with one another about You and have their heart purified (thereby).(46)
Though present in their heart, You are remote from those whose mind is distracted by activities (of various kinds) and temporal duties. Though beyond the grasp of the various faculties of the mind, You are (on the other hand) proximate to those who have developed the excellent qualities of their heart (by singing and hearing of Your glories).(47)
(My) salutation be to You, who are the Supreme spirit in the eyes of those who know the Self; whereas before those who regard the body etc., (which are other than the Self) as their self, You come, as death allotted by Yourself. You are the ruler of all effects as well as of their cause. Your Mayā cannot screen Your vision, though it screens the vision of all others. (48)
O self-effulgent Lord !(pray,) instruct us, Your servants, what service we should render to You. The sufferings of men disappear as soon as You come to their view. (49)

Śrī Śuka continued : Hearing these words of Śrutadeva, the Lord, who dispels the agony of those who betake themselves to Him in all humility, took the Brāhmaṇa by hand, and smilingly said (as follows): so the tradition goes. (50)

The glorious Lord said : Śrutadeva ! know that these (great) sages have come here (only) to shower their grace on you. They move about with Me purifying the world with the dust of their feet. (51)
The (images of) gods, holy places and sacred waters purify one slowly by sight, touch and worship after a long time; the saints (however) do so at once. (Nay,) the gods etc., too derive their purificatory virtue through the very sight of exalted souls. (52)
(O Śrutadeva!) the Brāhmaṇa by his very birth is superior to all beings in this creation, the more so if he is endowed with austerity, learning, contentment and devotion to Me. (53)
(Even) this Personality of Mine, endowed as it is with four arms, is not dearer to Me than the Brāhmaṇa. Indeed the Brāhmaṇa is an embodiment of all the Vedas, while I am the embodiment of all gods. (54)
Men of crooked understanding, who do not know this truth, regard (only) idols as worthy of adoration and, full of jealousy, disregard the Brāhmaṇa, the preceptor of the world, who is the same as I and their (very) soul. (55)
By perceiving Me in all a Brāhmaṇa bears in his mind that this universe consisting of mobile and immobile creation and the (various) categories (such as the Mahat-tattva) that contribute to its existence are (but) My manifestations. (56)
Therefore, O Śrutadeva, worship these Brāhmaṇa sages with faith, regarding them as My own selves. If you do so, I shall have been directly worshipped, but not by any other means, (even) through enormous (expenditure of) wealth and show of splendour. (57)

Śrī Śukadeva said : Instructed as aforesaid by the Lord, Śrutadeva worshipped Him as well as the sages as one with their own self, and (through their grace) attained oneness with God (the goal of the pious). Bahulāśwa (the king of Mithila) too attained the same (exalted) state. (58)
Parikṣit ! (just as the devotee loves God), God (too) loves the devotee. He (therefore) stayed on with His two devotees and, having taught them the ways of the righteous, returned to Dwaraka. (59)

Thus ends the eighty-sixth discourse entitled "Śrī Kṛṣṇa's Grace on Śrutadeva", in the latter half of Book Ten of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Samhitā.