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satre—in the sacrificial ceremony; mama—of mine; asa—appeared; bhagavan—the Personality of Godhead; haya-sirasa—with His horselike head; atha—thus; saksat—directly; sah—He; yajna-purusah—the person who is pleased by performances of sacrifice; tapaniya—golden; varnah—hue; chandah-mayah—personified Vedic hymns; makha-mayah—personified sacrifices; akhila—all that be; devata-atma—the soul of the demigods; vacah—sounds; babhuvuh—become audible; usatih—very pleasing to hear; svasatah—while breathing; asya—His; nastah—through the nostrils.

The Lord appeared as the Hayagriva incarnation in a sacrifice performed by me [Brahma]. He is the personified sacrifices, and the hue of His body is golden. He is the personified Vedas as well, and the Supersoul of all demigods. When He breathed, all the sweet sounds of the Vedic hymns came out of His nostrils.

The Vedic hymns are generally meant for sacrifices performed by fruitive workers who also want to satisfy the demigods to achieve their fruitive result. But the Lord is the personified sacrifices and personified Vedic hymns. Therefore one who is directly a devotee of the Lord is a person who has automatically both served the purposes of sacrifices and pleased the demigods. The devotees of the Lord may not perform any sacrifice or may not please the demigods as per Vedic injunctions, and still the devotees are on a higher level than the fruitive workers or the worshipers of different demigods.

SB2.7.12

TEXT 12

matsyo yuganta-samaye manunopalabdhah

ksonimayo nikhila-jiva-nikaya-ketah

visramsitan uru-bhaye salile mukhan me

adaya tatra vijahara ha veda-margan

matsyah—incarnation of the fish; yuga-anta—at the end of the millennium; samaye—at the time of; manuna—the would-be Vaivasvata Manu; upalabdhah—seen; ksonimayah—up to the earthly planets; nikhila—all; jiva—living entities; nikaya-ketah—shelter for; visramsitan—emanating from; uru—great; bhaye—out of fear; salile—in the water; mukhat—from the mouth; me—mine; adaya—having taken to; tatra—there; vijahara—enjoyed; ha—certainly; veda-margan—all the Vedas.

At the end of the millennium, the would-be Vaivasvata Manu, of the name Satyavrata, would see that the Lord in the fish incarnation is the shelter of all kinds of living entities, up to those in the earthly planets. Because of my fear of the vast water at the end of the millennium, the Vedas come out of my [Brahma’s] mouth, and the Lord enjoys those vast waters and protects the Vedas.

During one day of Brahma there are fourteen Manus, and at the end of each Manu there is devastation up to the earthly planets, and the vast water is fearful even to Brahma. So in the beginning of the would-be Vaivasvata Manu, such devastation would be seen by him. There would be many other incidents also, such as the killing of the famous Sankhasura. This foretelling is by the past experience of Brahmaji, who knew that in that fearful devastating scene, the Vedas would come out of his mouth, but the Lord in His fish incarnation not only would save all living entities, namely the demigods, animals, men and great sages, but would also save the Vedas.

SB2.7.13

TEXT 13

ksirodadhav amara-danava-yuthapanam

unmathnatam amrta-labdhaya adi-devah

prsthena kacchapa-vapur vidadhara gotram

nidraksano ’dri-parivarta-kasana-kanduh

ksira—milk; udadhau—in the ocean of; amara—the demigods; danava—the demons; yutha-panam—of the leaders of both hosts; unmathnatam—while churning; amrta—nectar; labdhaya—for gaining; adi-devah—the primeval Lord; prsthena—by the backbone; kacchapa—tortoise; vapuh—body; vidadhara—assumed; gotram—the Mandara Hill; nidraksanah—while partly sleeping; adri-parivarta—rolling the hill; kasana—scratching; kanduh—itching.

The primeval Lord then assumed the tortoise incarnation in order to serve as a resting place [pivot] for the Mandara Mountain, which was acting as a churning rod. The demigods and demons were churning the ocean of milk with the Mandara Mountain in order to extract nectar. The mountain moved back and forth, scratching the back of Lord Tortoise, who, while partially sleeping, was experiencing an itching sensation.

Although it is not in our experience, there is a milk ocean within this universe. Even the modern scientist accepts that there are hundreds and hundreds of thousands of planets hovering over our heads, and each of them has different kinds of climatic conditions. Srimad-Bhagavatam gives much information which may not tally with our present experience. But as far as Indian sages are concerned, knowledge is received from the Vedic literatures, and the authorities accept without any hesitation that we should look through the pages of authentic books of knowledge (sastra-caksurvat). So we cannot deny the existence of the ocean of milk as stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam unless and until we have experimentally seen all the planets hovering in space. Since such an experiment is not possible, naturally we have to accept the statement of Srimad-Bhagavatam as it is because it is so accepted by spiritual leaders like Sridhara Svami, Jiva Gosvami, Visvanatha Cakravarti and others. The Vedic process is to follow in the footsteps of great authorities, and that is the only process for knowing that which is beyond our imagination.

The primeval Lord, being all-powerful, can do whatever He likes, and therefore His assuming the incarnation of a tortoise or a fish for serving a particular purpose is not at all astonishing. Therefore we should not have any hesitation whatsoever in accepting the statements of the authentic scriptures like Srimad-Bhagavatam.

The gigantic work of churning the milk ocean by the combined effort of the demigods and the demons required a gigantic resting ground or pivot for the gigantic Mandara Hill. Thus to help the attempt of the demigods the primeval Lord assumed the incarnation of a gigantic tortoise, swimming in the ocean of milk. At the same time, the mountain scratched His backbone as He was partially sleeping and thus relieved His itching sensation.

SB2.7.14

TEXT 14

trai-pistaporu-bhaya-ha sa nrsimha-rupam

krtva bhramad-bhrukuti-damstra-karala-vaktram

daityendram asu gadayabhipatantam arad

urau nipatya vidadara nakhaih sphurantam

trai-pistapa—the demigods; uru-bhaya-ha—one who vanquishes great fears; sah—He (the Personality of Godhead); nrsimha-rupam—assuming the incarnation Nrsimha; krtva—doing so; bhramat—by rolling; bhru-kuti—eyebrows; damstra—teeth; karala—greatly fearful; vaktram—mouth; daitya-indram—the king of the demons; asu—immediately; gadaya—with club in hand; abhipatantam—while falling down; arat—nearby; urau—on the thighs; nipatya—placing on; vidadara—pierced; nakhaih—by the nails; sphurantam—while challenging.

The Personality of Godhead assumed the incarnation of Nrsimhadeva in order to vanquish the great fears of the demigods. He killed the king of the demons [Hiranyakasipu], who challenged the Lord with a club in his hand, by placing the demon on His thighs and piercing him with His nails, rolling His eyebrows in anger and showing His fearful teeth and mouth.

The history of Hiranyakasipu and his great devotee-son Prahlada Maharaja is narrated in the Seventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Hiranyakasipu became very powerful by material achievements and thought himself to be immortal by the grace of Brahmaji. Brahmaji declined to award him the benediction of immortality because he himself is not an immortal being. But Hiranyakasipu derived Brahmaji’s benediction in a roundabout way, almost equal to becoming an immortal being. Hiranyakasipu was sure that he would not be killed by any man or demigod or by any kind of known weapon, nor would he die in day or night. The Lord, however, assumed the incarnation of half-man and half-lion, which was beyond the imagination of a materialistic demon like Hiranyakasipu, and thus, keeping pace with the benediction of Brahmaji, the Lord killed him. He killed him on His lap, so that he was killed neither on the land nor on the water nor in the sky. The demon was pierced by Nrsimha’s nails, which were beyond the human weapons imaginable by Hiranyakasipu. The literal meaning of Hiranyakasipu is one who is after gold and soft bedding, the ultimate aim of all materialistic men. Such demonic men, who have no relationship with God, gradually become puffed up by material acquisitions and begin to challenge the authority of the Supreme Lord and torture those who are devotees of the Lord. Prahlada Maharaja happened to be the son of Hiranyakasipu, and because the boy was a great devotee, his father tortured him to the best of his ability. In this extreme situation, the Lord assumed the incarnation of Nrsimhadeva, and just to finish the enemy of the demigods, the Lord killed Hiranyakasipu in a manner beyond the demon’s imagination. Materialistic plans of godless demons are always frustrated by the all-powerful Lord.

SB2.7.15

TEXT 15

antah-sarasy uru-balena pade grhito

grahena yutha-patir ambuja-hasta artah

ahedam adi-purusakhila-loka-natha

tirtha-sravah sravana-mangala-namadheya

antah-sarasi—within the river; uru-balena—by superior strength; pade—leg; grhitah—being taken up; grahena—by the crocodile; yutha-patih—of the leader of the elephants; ambuja-hastah—with a lotus flower in the hand; artah—greatly aggrieved; aha—addressed; idam—like this; adi-purusa—the original enjoyer; akhila-loka-natha—the Lord of the universe; tirtha-sravah—as famous as a place of pilgrimage; sravana-mangala—all good simply by hearing the name; nama-dheya—whose holy name is worth chanting.

The leader of the elephants, whose leg was attacked in a river by a crocodile of superior strength, was much aggrieved. Taking a lotus flower in his trunk, he addressed the Lord, saying, “O original enjoyer, Lord of the universe! O deliverer, as famous as a place of pilgrimage! All are purified simply by hearing Your holy name, which is worthy to be chanted.”

srutva haris tam aranarthinam aprameyas

The history of delivering the leader of the elephants, whose leg was attacked in the river by the superior strength of a crocodile, is described in the Eighth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Since the Lord is absolute knowledge, there is no difference between His holy name and the personality of Godhead. The leader of the elephants was much distressed when he was attacked by the crocodile. Although the elephant is always stronger than the crocodile, the latter is stronger than the elephant when it is in the water. And because the elephant was a great devotee of the Lord in his previous birth, he was able to chant the holy name of the Lord by dint of his past good deeds. Every living entity is always distressed in this material world because this place is such that at every step one has to meet with some kind of distress. But one who is supported by his past good deeds engages himself in the devotional service of the Lord, as confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (7.16). Those who are supported by impious acts cannot be engaged in the devotional service of the Lord, even though they are distressed. This is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (7.15). The personality of Godhead Hari appeared at once on the back of His eternal bearer, Garuda, and delivered the elephant.

The elephant was conscious of his relation with the Supreme Lord. He addressed the Lord as adi-purusa, or the original enjoyer. Both the Lord and the living beings are conscious and are therefore enjoyers, but the Lord is the original enjoyer because He is the creator of everything. In a family, both the father and his sons are undoubtedly enjoyers but the father is the original enjoyer, and the sons are subsequent enjoyers. A pure devotee knows well that everything in the universe is the property of the Lord and that a living entity can enjoy a thing as ordained by the Lord. A living being cannot even touch a thing which is not allotted to him. This idea of the original enjoyer is explained very nicely in the Isopanisad. One who knows this difference between the Lord and himself never accepts anything without first offering it to the Lord.

The elephant addressed the Lord as akhila-loka-natha, or the Lord of the universe, who is therefore the Lord of the elephant also. The elephant, being a pure devotee of the Lord, specifically deserved to be saved from the attack of the crocodile, and because it is a promise of the Lord that His devotee will never be vanquished, it was quite befitting that the elephant called upon the Lord to protect him, and the merciful Lord also at once responded. The Lord is the protector of everyone, but He is the first protector of one who acknowledges the superiority of the Lord instead of being so falsely proud as to deny the superiority of the Lord or to claim to be equal to Him. He is ever superior. A pure devotee of the Lord knows this difference between the Lord and himself. Therefore a pure devotee is given first preference because of his full dependence, whereas the person who denies the existence of the Lord and declares himself the Lord is called asura, and as such he is given protection by the strength of limited power subject to the sanction of the Lord. Since the Lord is superior to everyone, His perfection is also superior. No one can imagine it.

The elephant addressed the Lord as tirtha-sravah, or “as famous as a place of pilgrimage.” People go to places of pilgrimage in order to be delivered from the reactions of unknown sinful acts. But one can be freed from all sinful reactions simply by remembering His holy name. The Lord is therefore as good as the holy places of pilgrimage. One can be free from all sinful reactions after reaching a place of pilgrimage, but one can have the same benefit at home or at any place simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord. For a pure devotee, there is no need to go to the holy place of pilgrimage. He can be delivered from all sinful acts simply by remembering the Lord in earnestness. A pure devotee of the Lord never commits any sinful acts, but because the whole world is full of the sinful atmosphere, even a pure devotee may commit a sin unconsciously, as a matter of course. One who commits sinful acts consciously cannot be worthy of being a devotee of the Lord, but a pure devotee who unconsciously does something sinful is certainly delivered by the Lord because a pure devotee remembers the Lord always.

The Lord’s holy name is called sravana-mangala. This means that one receives everything auspicious simply by hearing the holy name. In another place in Srimad-Bhagavatam, His holy name is described as punya-sravana-kirtana. It is a pious act simply to chant and hear all about the Lord. The Lord descends on this earth and acts like others in connection with the activities of the world just to create subject matters for hearing about Him; otherwise the Lord has nothing to do in this world, nor has He any obligation to do anything. He comes out of His own causeless mercy and acts as He desires, the Vedas and puranas are full of descriptions of His different activities so that people in general may naturally be eager to hear and read something about His activities. Generally, however, the modern fictions and novels of the world occupy a greater part of people’s valuable time. Such literatures cannot do good to anyone; on the contrary, they agitate the young mind unnecessarily and increase the modes of passion and ignorance, leading to increasing bondage to the material conditions. The same aptitude for hearing and reading is better utilized in hearing and reading of the Lord’s activities. This will give one all-around benefit.

It is concluded, therefore, that the holy name of the Lord and topics in relation with Him are always worth hearing, and therefore He is called here in this verse nama-dheya, or one whose holy name is worth chanting.

SB2.7.16

TEXT 16

cakrayudhah patagaraja-bhujadhirudhah

cakrena nakra-vadanam vinipatya tasmad

dhaste pragrhya bhagavan krpayojjahara

srutva—by hearing; harih—the Personality of Godhead; tam—him; arana-arthinam—one who is in need of help; aprameyah—the unlimitedly powerful Lord; cakra—wheel; ayudhah—equipped with His weapon; pataga-raja—the king of the birds (Garuda); bhuja-adhirudhah—being seated on the wings of; cakrena—by the wheel; nakra-vadanam—the mouth of the crocodile; vinipatya—cutting in two; tasmat—from the mouth of the crocodile; haste—in the hands; pragrhya—taking hold of the trunk; bhagavan—the Personality of Godhead; krpaya—out of causeless mercy; ujjahara—delivered him.

The Personality of Godhead, after hearing the elephant’s plea, felt that the elephant needed His immediate help, for he was in great distress. Thus at once the Lord appeared there on the wings of the king of birds, Garuda, fully equipped with His weapon, the wheel [cakra]. With the wheel He cut to pieces the mouth of the crocodile to save the elephant, and He delivered the elephant by lifting him by his trunk.

The Lord resides in His Vaikuntha planet. No one can estimate how far away this planet is situated. It is said, however, that anyone trying to reach that planet by airships or by mindships, traveling for millions of years, will find it still unknown. Modern scientists have invented airships which are material, and the yogis make a still finer material attempt to travel by mindships. The yogis can reach any distant place very quickly with the help of mindships. But neither the airship nor the mindship has access to the kingdom of God in the Vaikunthaloka, situated far beyond the material sky. Since this is the situation, how was it possible for the prayers of the elephant to be heard from such an unlimitedly distant place, and how could the Lord at once appear on the spot? These things cannot be calculated by human imagination. All this was possible by the unlimited power of the Lord, and therefore the Lord is described here as aprameya, for not even the best human brain can estimate His powers and potencies by mathematical calculation. The Lord can hear from such a distant place, He can eat from there, and He can appear simultaneously in all places at a moment’s notice. Such is the omnipotency of the Lord.

SB2.7.17

TEXT 17

jyayan gunair avarajo ’py aditeh sutanam

lokan vicakrama iman yad athadhiyajnah

ksmam vamanena jagrhe tripada-cchalena

yacnam rte pathi caran prabhubhir na calyah

jyayan—the greatest; gunaih—by qualities; avarajah—transcendental; api—although He is so; aditeh—of Aditi; sutanam—of all the sons (known as Adityas); lokan—all the planets; vicakrame—surpassed; iman—in this universe; yat—one who; atha—therefore; adhiyajnah—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ksmam—all the lands; vamanena—in the incarnation of Vamana; jagrhe—accepted; tripada—three steps; chalena—by pretension; yacnam—begging; rte—without; pathi caran—passing over the right path; prabhubhih—by authorities; na—never to be; calyah—to be bereft of.

The Lord, although transcendental to all material modes, still surpassed all the qualities of the sons of Aditi, known as the Adityas. The Lord appeared as the youngest son of Aditi. And because He surpassed all the planets of the universe, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. On the pretense of asking for a measurement of three footsteps of land, He took away all the lands of Bali Maharaja. He asked simply because without begging, no authority can take one’s rightful possession.

The history of Bali Maharaja and his charity to Vamanadeva is described in the Eighth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Bali Maharaja conquered all the planets of the universe by rightful possession. A king can conquer other kings by strength, and such possession is considered to be rightful. So Bali Maharaja possessed all the lands of the universe, and he happened to be charitably disposed toward the brahmanas. The Lord therefore pretended to be a beggar brahmana, and He asked Bali Maharaja for a measurement of three footsteps of land. The Lord, as the proprietor of everything, could take from Bali Maharaja all the land he possessed, but he did not do so because Bali Maharaja possessed all those lands by king’s rights. When Bali Maharaja was asked by Lord Vamana for such small charity, Bali Maharaja’s spiritual master, namely Sukracarya, objected to this proposal because he knew that Vamanadeva was Visnu Himself, pretending to be a beggar. Bali Maharaja did not agree to abide by the order of his spiritual master when he understood that the beggar was Visnu Himself, and he at once agreed to give Him in charity the land requested. By this agreement Lord Vamana covered all the lands of the universe with His first two steps and then asked Bali Maharaja where to place the third step. Bali Maharaja was very glad to receive the Lord’s remaining step upon his head, and thus Bali Maharaja, instead of losing everything he possessed, was blessed by the Lord’s becoming his constant companion and doorman. So, by giving everything to the cause of the Lord, one does not lose anything, but he gains everything that he could never otherwise expect.

SB2.7.18

TEXT 18

nartho baler ayam urukrama-pada-saucam

apah sikha-dhrtavato vibudhadhipatyam

yo vai pratisrutam rte na cikirsad anyad

atmanam anga manasa haraye ’bhimene

na—never; arthah—of any value in comparison with; baleh—of strength; ayam—this; urukrama-pada-saucam—the water washed from the feet of the personality of Godhead; apah—water; sikha-dhrtavatah—of one who has kept it on his head; vibudha-adhipatyam—supremacy over the kingdom of the demigods; yah—one who; vai—certainly; pratisrutam—what was duly promised; rte na—besides that; cikirsat—tried for; anyat—anything else; atmanam—even his personal body; anga—O Narada; manasa—within his mind; haraye—unto the Supreme Lord; abhimene—dedicated.

Bali Maharaja, who put on his head the water washed from the lotus feet of the Lord, did not think of anything besides his promise, in spite of being forbidden by his spiritual master. The king dedicated his own personal body to fulfill the measurement of the Lord’s third step. For such a personality, even the kingdom of heaven, which he conquered by his strength, was of no value.