Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 7: “The Science of God”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter Ten
SB7.10.29
TEXT 29
etad vapus te bhagavan
dhyayatah paramatmanah
sarvato goptr santrasan
mrtyor api jighamsatah
SYNONYMS
etat—this; vapuh—body; te—Your; bhagavan—O Supreme Personality of Godhead; dhyayatah—those who meditate upon; parama-atmanah—of the Supreme Person; sarvatah—from everywhere; goptr—the protector; santrasat—from all kinds of fear; mrtyoh api—even from fear of death; jighamsatah—if one is envied by an enemy.
TRANSLATION
My dear Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, You are the Supreme Soul. If one meditates upon Your transcendental body, You naturally protect him from all sources of fear, even the imminent danger of death.
PURPORT
Everyone is sure to die, for no one is excused from the hands of death, which is but a feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (mrtyuh sarva-haras caham). When one becomes a devotee, however, he is not destined to die according to a limited duration of life. Everyone has a limited duration of life, but a devotee’s lifetime can be extended by the mercy of the Supreme Lord, who is able to nullify the results of one’s karma. Karmani nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhajam [Bs. 5.54]. This is the statement of Brahma-samhita (5.54). A devotee is not under the laws of karma. Therefore even a devotee’s scheduled death can be avoided by the causeless mercy of the Supreme Lord. God protects the devotee even from the extreme danger of death. SB7.10.30 TEXT 30 sri-bhagavan uvaca maivam vibho ’suranam te pradeyah padma-sambhava varah krura-nisarganam ahinam amrtam yatha SYNONYMS sri-bhagavan uvaca—the Supreme Personality of Godhead replied (to Brahma); ma—do not; evam—thus; vibho—O great person; asuranam—unto the demons; te—by you; pradeyah—bestow benedictions; padma-sambhava—O Lord Brahma, born from the lotus flower; varah—benediction; krura-nisarganam—persons who are by nature very cruel and jealous; ahinam—to snakes; amrtam—nectar or milk; yatha—just as. TRANSLATION The Personality of Godhead replied: My dear Lord Brahma, O great lord born from the lotus flower, just as it is dangerous to feed milk to a snake, so it is dangerous to give benedictions to demons, who are by nature ferocious and jealous. I warn you not to give such benedictions to any demon again. SB7.10.31 TEXT 31 sri-narada uvaca ity uktva bhagavan rajams tatas cantardadhe harih adrsyah sarva-bhutanam pujitah paramesthina SYNONYMS sri-naradah uvaca—Narada Muni said; iti uktva—saying this; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; rajan—O King Yudhisthira; tatah—from that place; ca—also; antardadhe—disappeared; harih—the Lord; adrsyah—without being visible; sarva-bhutanam—by all kinds of living entities; pujitah—being worshiped; paramesthina—by Lord Brahma. TRANSLATION Narada Muni continued: O King Yudhisthira, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is not visible to an ordinary human being, spoke in this way, instructing Lord Brahma. Then, being worshiped by Brahma, the Lord disappeared from that place. SB7.10.32 TEXT 32 tatah sampujya sirasa vavande paramesthinam bhavam prajapatin devan prahrado bhagavat-kalah SYNONYMS tatah—thereafter; sampujya—worshiping; sirasa—by bowing the head; vavande—offered prayers; paramesthinam—to Lord Brahma; bhavam—to Lord Siva; prajapatin—to the great demigods entrusted with increasing the population; devan—to all the great demigods; prahradah—Prahlada Maharaja; bhagavat-kalah—influential parts of the Lord. TRANSLATION Prahlada Maharaja then worshiped and offered prayers to all the demigods, such as Brahma, Siva and the Prajapatis, who are all parts of the Lord. SB7.10.33 TEXT 33 tatah kavyadibhih sardham munibhih kamalasanah daityanam danavanam ca prahradam akarot patim SYNONYMS tatah—thereafter; kavya-adibhih—with Sukracarya and others; sardham—and with; munibhih—great saintly persons; kamala-asanah—Lord Brahma; daityanam—of all the demons; danavanam—of all the giants; ca—and; prahradam—Prahlada Maharaja; akarot—created; patim—the master or king. TRANSLATION Thereafter, along with Sukracarya and other great saints, Lord Brahma, whose seat is on the lotus flower, made Prahlada the king of all the demons and giants in the universe. PURPORT By the grace of Lord Nrsimhadeva, Prahlada Maharaja became a greater king than his father, Hiranyakasipu. Prahlada’s inauguration was performed by Lord Brahma in the presence of other saintly persons and demigods. SB7.10.34 TEXT 34 pratinandya tato devah prayujya paramasisah sva-dhamani yayu rajan brahmadyah pratipujitah SYNONYMS pratinandya—congratulating; tatah—thereafter; devah—all the demigods; prayujya—having offered; parama-asisah—exalted benedictions; sva-dhamani—to their respective abodes; yayuh—returned; rajan—O King Yudhisthira; brahma-adyah—all the demigods, headed by Lord Brahma; pratipujitah—being thoroughly worshiped (by Prahlada Maharaja). TRANSLATION O King Yudhisthira, after all the demigods, headed by Lord Brahma, were properly worshiped by Prahlada Maharaja, they offered Prahlada their utmost benedictions and then returned to their respective abodes. SB7.10.35 TEXT 35 evam ca parsadau visnoh putratvam prapitau diteh hrdi sthitena harina vaira-bhavena tau hatau SYNONYMS evam—in this way; ca—also; parsadau—the two personal associates; visnoh—of Lord Visnu; putratvam—becoming the sons; prapitau—having gotten; diteh—of Diti; hrdi—within the core of the heart; sthitena—being situated; harina—by the Supreme Lord; vaira-bhavena—by conceiving as an enemy; tau—both of them; hatau—were killed. TRANSLATION Thus the two associates of Lord Visnu who had become Hiranyaksa and Hiranyakasipu, the sons of Diti, were both killed. By illusion they had thought that the Supreme Lord, who is situated in everyone’s heart, was their enemy. PURPORT The discourse concerning Lord Nrsimhadeva and Prahlada Maharaja began when Maharaja Yudhisthira asked Narada how Sisupala had merged into the body of Krsna. Sisupala and Dantavakra were the same Hiranyaksa and Hiranyakasipu. Here Narada Muni is relating how in three different births the associates of Lord Visnu were killed by Lord Visnu Himself. First they were the demons Hiranyaksa and Hiranyakasipu. SB7.10.36 TEXT 36 punas ca vipra-sapena raksasau tau babhuvatuh kumbhakarna-dasa-grivau hatau tau rama-vikramaih SYNONYMS punah—again; ca—also; vipra-sapena—being cursed by the brahmanas; raksasau—the two Raksasas; tau—both of them; babhuvatuh—incarnated as; kumbhakarna-dasa-grivau—known as Kumbhakarna and the ten-headed Ravana (in their next birth); hatau—they also were killed; tau—both of them; rama-vikramaih—by the extraordinary strength of Lord Ramacandra. TRANSLATION Being cursed by the brahmanas, the same two associates took birth again as Kumbhakarna and the ten-headed Ravana. These two Raksasas were killed by Lord Ramacandra’s extraordinary power. SB7.10.37 TEXT 37 sayanau yudhi nirbhinna- hrdayau rama-sayakaih tac-cittau jahatur deham yatha praktana-janmani SYNONYMS sayanau—being laid down; yudhi—on the battlefield; nirbhinna—being pierced; hrdayau—in the core of the heart; rama-sayakaih—by the arrows of Lord Ramacandra; tat-cittau—thinking or being conscious of Lord Ramacandra; jahatuh—gave up; deham—body; yatha—even as; praktana-janmani—in their previous births. TRANSLATION Pierced by the arrows of Lord Ramacandra, both Kumbhakarna and Ravana lay on the ground and left their bodies, fully absorbed in thought of the Lord, just as they had in their previous births as Hiranyaksa and Hiranyakasipu. SB7.10.38 TEXT 38 tav ihatha punar jatau sisupala-karusa-jau harau vairanubandhena pasyatas te samiyatuh SYNONYMS tau—both of them; iha—in this human society; atha—in this way; punah—again; jatau—took their births; sisupala—Sisupala; karusa-jau—Dantavakra; harau—unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vaira-anubandhena—by the bondage of considering the Lord an enemy; pasyatah—were looking on; te—while you; samiyatuh—merged or went into the lotus feet of the Lord. TRANSLATION They both took birth again in human society as Sisupala and Dantavakra and continued in the same enmity toward the Lord. It is they who merged into the body of the Lord in your presence. PURPORT Vairanubandhena. Acting like the Lord’s enemy is also beneficial for the living entity. Kamad dvesad bhayat snehad. Whether in lusty desire, anger, fear or envy of the Lord, somehow or other, as recommended by Srila Rupa Gosvami (tasmat kenapy upayena), one should become attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and ultimately achieve the goal of returning home, back to Godhead. What, then, is to be said of one who is related to the Supreme Personality of Godhead as a servant, friend, father, mother or conjugal lover? SB7.10.39 TEXT 39 enah purva-krtam yat tad rajanah krsna-vairinah jahus te ’nte tad-atmanah kitah pesaskrto yatha SYNONYMS enah—this sinful activity (of blaspheming the Supreme Lord); purva-krtam—executed in previous births; yat—which; tat—that; rajanah—kings; krsna-vairinah—always acting as enemies of Krsna; jahuh—gave up; te—all of them; ante—at the time of death; tat-atmanah—attaining the same spiritual body and form; kitah—a worm; pesaskrtah—(captured by) a black drone; yatha—just like. TRANSLATION Not only Sisupala and Dantavakra but also many, many other kings who acted as enemies of Krsna attained salvation at the time of death. Because they thought of the Lord, they received spiritual bodies and forms the same as His, just as worms captured by a black drone obtain the same type of body as the drone. PURPORT The mystery of yogic meditation is explained here. Real yogis always meditate on the form of Visnu within their hearts. Consequently, at the time of death they give up their bodies while thinking of the form of Visnu and thus attain Visnuloka, Vaikunthaloka, where they receive bodily features the same as those of the Lord. From the Sixth Canto we have already learned that when the Visnudutas came from Vaikuntha to deliver Ajamila, they looked exactly like Visnu, with four hands and the same features as Visnu. Therefore, we may conclude that if one practices thinking of Visnu and is fully absorbed in thinking of Him at the time of death, one returns home, back to Godhead. Even enemies of Krsna who thought of Krsna in fear (bhaya), such as King Kamsa, received bodies in a spiritual identity similar to that of the Lord. SB7.10.40 TEXT 40 yatha yatha bhagavato bhaktya paramayabhida nrpas caidyadayah satmyam hares tac-cintaya yayuh SYNONYMS yatha yatha—just as; bhagavatah—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhaktya—by devotional service; paramaya—supreme; abhida—incessantly thinking of such activities; nrpah—kings; caidya-adayah—Sisupala, Dantavakra and others; satmyam—the same form; hareh—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tat-cintaya—by constantly thinking of Him; yayuh—returned home, back to Godhead. TRANSLATION By devotional service, pure devotees who incessantly think of the Supreme Personality of Godhead receive bodies similar to His. This is known as sarupya-mukti. Although Sisupala, Dantavakra and other kings thought of Krsna as an enemy, they also achieved the same result. PURPORT In Caitanya-caritamrta, in connection with Lord Caitanya’s instructions to Sanatana Gosvami, it is explained that a devotee should externally execute his routine devotional service in a regular way but should always inwardly think of the particular mellow in which he is attracted to the service of the Lord. This constant thought of the Lord makes the devotee eligible to return home, back to Godhead. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (4.9), tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti: after giving up his body, a devotee does not again receive a material body, but goes back to Godhead and receives a spiritual body resembling those of the Lord’s eternal associates whose activities he followed. However the devotee likes to serve the Lord, he may constantly think of the Lord’s associates—the cowherd boys, the gopis, the Lord’s father and mother, His servants and the trees, land, animals, plants and water in the Lord’s abode. Because of constantly thinking of these features, one acquires a transcendental position. Kings like Sisupala, Dantavakra, Kamsa, Paundraka, Narakasura and Salva were all similarly delivered. This is confirmed by Madhvacarya: paundrake narake caiva Paundraka, Narakasura, Salva and Kamsa were all inimical toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but because all these kings constantly thought of Him, they achieved the same liberation—sarupya-mukti. The jnana-bhakta, the devotee who follows the path of jnana, also attains the same destination. If even the enemies of the Lord achieve salvation by constantly thinking about the Lord, what is to be said of pure devotees who always engage in the Lord’s service and who think of nothing but the Lord in every activity? SB7.10.41 TEXT 41 akhyatam sarvam etat te yan mam tvam pariprstavan damaghosa-sutadinam hareh satmyam api dvisam SYNONYMS akhyatam—described; sarvam—everything; etat—this; te—unto you; yat—whatever; mam—unto me; tvam—you; pariprstavan—inquired; damaghosa-suta-adinam—of the son of Damaghosa (Sisupala) and others; hareh—of the Lord; satmyam—equal bodily features; api—even; dvisam—although they were inimical. TRANSLATION Everything you asked me about how Sisupala and others attained salvation although they were inimical has now been explained to you by me. SB7.10.42 TEXT 42 esa brahmanya-devasya krsnasya ca mahatmanah avatara-katha punya vadho yatradi-daityayoh SYNONYMS esa—all this; brahmanya-devasya—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is worshiped by all brahmanas; krsnasya—of Krsna, the original Supreme Personality of Godhead; ca—also; maha-atmanah—the Supersoul; avatara-katha—narrations about His incarnations; punya—pious, purifying; vadhah—killing; yatra—wherein; adi—in the beginning of the millennium; daityayoh—of the demons (Hiranyaksa and Hiranyakasipu). TRANSLATION In this narration about Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, various expansions or incarnations of the Lord have been described, and the killing of the two demons Hiranyaksa and Hiranyakasipu has also been described. PURPORT Avataras, or incarnations, are expansions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead—Krsna, Govinda. advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam “I worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda, who is the original person—nondual, infallible, and without beginning. Although He expands into unlimited forms, He is still the original, and although He is the oldest person, He always appears as a fresh youth. Such eternal, blissful and all-knowing forms of the Lord cannot be understood by the academic wisdom of the Vedas, but they are always manifest to pure, unalloyed devotees.” (Brahma-samhita 5.33) The Brahma-samhita describes the avataras. Indeed, all the avataras are described in the authentic scriptures. No one can become an avatara, or incarnation, although this has become fashionable in the age of Kali. The avataras are described in the authentic scriptures (sastras), and therefore before one risks accepting a pretender as an avatara, one should refer to the sastras. The sastras say everywhere that Krsna is the original Personality of Godhead and that He has innumerable avataras, or incarnations. Elsewhere in the Brahma-samhita it is said, ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan: [Bs. 5.39] Rama, Nrsimha, Varaha and many others are consecutive expansions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. After Krsna comes Balarama, after Balarama is Sankarsana, then Aniruddha, Pradyumna, Narayana and then the purusa-avataras—Maha-Visnu, Garbhodakasayi Visnu and Ksirodakasayi Visnu. All of them are avataras. One must hear about the avataras. Narrations about such avataras are called avatara-katha, the narrations of Krsna’s expansions. Hearing and chanting these narrations is completely pious. Srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah [Bhag. 1.2.17]. One who hears and chants can become punya, purified of material contamination. Whenever there are references to the avataras, religious principles are established, and demons who are against Krsna are killed. The Krsna consciousness movement is spreading all over the world with two aims—to establish Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead and to kill all the pretenders who falsely present themselves as avataras. The preachers of the Krsna consciousness movement must carry this conviction very carefully within their hearts and kill the demons who in many tactful ways vilify the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. If we take shelter of Nrsimhadeva and Prahlada Maharaja, it will be easier to kill the demons who are against Krsna and to thus reestablish Krsna’s supremacy. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam: Krsna is the Supreme Lord, the original Lord. Prahlada Maharaja is our guru, and Krsna is our worshipable God. As advised by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija. If we can be successful in getting the mercy of Prahlada Maharaja and also that of Nrsimhadeva, then our Krsna consciousness movement will be extremely successful. The demon Hiranyakasipu had so many ways to try to become God himself, but although Prahlada Maharaja was chastised and threatened in many ways, he rigidly refused to accept his powerful demoniac father as God. Following in the footsteps of Prahlada Maharaja, we should reject all the rascals who pretend to be God. We must accept Krsna and His incarnations, and no one else. SB7.10.43-44 TEXTS 43–44 prahradasyanucaritam maha-bhagavatasya ca bhaktir jnanam viraktis ca yatharthyam casya vai hareh sarga-sthity-apyayesasya guna-karmanuvarnanam paravaresam sthananam kalena vyatyayo mahan SYNONYMS prahradasya—of Prahlada Maharaja; anucaritam—characteristics (understood by reading or describing his activities); maha-bhagavatasya—of the great and exalted devotee; ca—also; bhaktih—devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; jnanam—complete knowledge of the Transcendence (Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan); viraktih—renunciation of material existence; ca—also; yatharthyam—just to understand each of them perfectly; ca—and; asya—of this; vai—indeed; hareh—always in reference to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sarga—of creation; sthiti—maintenance; apyaya—and annihilation; isasya—of the master (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); guna—of the transcendental qualities and opulences; karma—and activities; anuvarnanam—description within the disciplic succession; para-avaresam—of different types of living entities known as demigods and demons; sthananam—of the various planets or places to live; kalena—in due course of time; vyatyayah—the annihilation of everything; mahan—although very great. TRANSLATION This narration describes the characteristics of the great and exalted devotee Prahlada Maharaja, his staunch devotional service, his perfect knowledge, and his perfect detachment from material contamination. It also describes the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the cause of creation, maintenance and annihilation. Prahlada Maharaja, in his prayers, has described the transcendental qualities of the Lord and has also described how the various abodes of the demigods and demons, regardless of how materially opulent, are destroyed by the mere direction of the Lord. PURPORT Srimad-Bhagavatam is filled with descriptions of the characteristics of various devotees, with reference to the service of the Lord. This Vedic literature is called Bhagavatam because it deals with the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His devotee. By studying Srimad-Bhagavatam under the direction of the bona fide spiritual master, one can perfectly understand the science of Krsna, the nature of the material and spiritual worlds, and the aim of life. Srimad-Bhagavatam amalam puranam. Srimad-Bhagavatam is the spotless Vedic literature, as we have discussed in the beginning of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Therefore, simply by understanding Srimad-Bhagavatam, one can understand the science of the activities of the devotees, the activities of the demons, the permanent abode and the temporary abode. Through Srimad-Bhagavatam, everything is perfectly known. SB7.10.45 TEXT 45 dharmo bhagavatanam ca bhagavan yena gamyate akhyane ’smin samamnatam adhyatmikam asesatah SYNONYMS dharmah—religious principles; bhagavatanam—of the devotees; ca—and; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; yena—by which; gamyate—one can understand; akhyane—in the narration; asmin—this; samamnatam—is perfectly described; adhyatmikam—transcendence; asesatah—without reservations. TRANSLATION The principles of religion by which one can actually understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead are called bhagavata-dharma. In this narration, therefore, which deals with these principles, actual transcendence is properly described. PURPORT Through the principles of religion, one can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Brahman (the impersonal feature of the Supreme Lord) and Paramatma (the localized aspect of the Lord). When one is well conversant with all these principles, he becomes a devotee and performs bhagavata-dharma. Prahlada Maharaja, the spiritual master in the line of disciplic succession, advised that this bhagavata-dharma be instructed to students from the very beginning of their education (kaumara acaret prajno dharman bhagavatan iha [SB 7.6.1]). To understand the science of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the real purpose of education. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh [SB 7.5.23]. One must simply hear about and describe Lord Visnu and His various incarnations. This narration concerning Prahlada Maharaja and Lord Nrsimhadeva, therefore, has properly described spiritual, transcendental subjects. SB7.10.46 TEXT 46 ya etat punyam akhyanam visnor viryopabrmhitam kirtayec chraddhaya srutva karma-pasair vimucyate SYNONYMS yah—anyone who; etat—this; punyam—pious; akhyanam—narration; visnoh—of Lord Visnu; virya—the supreme power; upabrmhitam—in which is described; kirtayet—chants or repeats; sraddhaya—with great faith; srutva—after properly hearing (from the right source); karma-pasaih—from the bondage of fruitive activities; vimucyate—becomes liberated. TRANSLATION One who hears and chants this narration about the omnipotence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, is certainly liberated from material bondage without fail. SB7.10.47 TEXT 47 etad ya adi-purusasya mrgendra-lilam daityendra-yutha-pa-vadham prayatah patheta daityatmajasya ca satam pravarasya punyam srutvanubhavam akuto-bhayam eti lokam SYNONYMS etat—this narration; yah—anyone who; adi-purusasya—of the original Personality of Godhead; mrga-indra-lilam—pastimes as a lion and human being combined; daitya-indra—of the King of the demons; yutha-pa—as strong as an elephant; vadham—the killing; prayatah—with great attention; patheta—reads; daitya-atma-jasya—of Prahlada Maharaja, the son of the demon; ca—also; satam—among elevated devotees; pravarasya—the best; punyam—pious; srutva—hearing; anubhavam—the activities; akutah-bhayam—where there is no fear anywhere or at any time; eti—reaches; lokam—the spiritual world. TRANSLATION Prahlada Maharaja was the best among exalted devotees. Anyone who with great attention hears this narration concerning the activities of Prahlada Maharaja, the killing of Hiranyakasipu, and the activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nrsimhadeva, surely reaches the spiritual world, where there is no anxiety.
salve kamse ca rukmini
avistas tu harer bhaktas
tad-bhaktya harim apire
adyam purana-purusam nava-yauvanam ca
vedesu durlabham adurlabham atma-bhaktau
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami