Causelessmercy - Ebook - Srimad-Bhagavatam - Canto 3 - 23.2

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 3: “The Status Quo”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Chapter Twenty-three

SB3.23.40

TEXT 40

vaisrambhake surasane

nandane puspabhadrake

manase caitrarathye ca

sa reme ramaya ratah

SYNONYMS

vaisrambhake—in the Vaisrambhaka garden; surasane—in Surasana; nandane—in Nandana; puspabhadrake—in Puspabhadraka; manase—by the Manasa-sarovara Lake; caitrarathye—in Caitrarathya; ca—and; sah—he; reme—enjoyed; ramaya—by his wife; ratah—satisfied.

TRANSLATION

Satisfied by his wife, he enjoyed in that aerial mansion not only on Mount Meru but in different gardens known as Vaisrambhaka, Surasana, Nandana, Puspabhadraka and Caitrarathya, and by the Manasa-sarovara Lake.

SB3.23.41

TEXT 41

bhrajisnuna vimanena

kama-gena mahiyasa

vaimanikan atyaseta

caral lokan yathanilah

SYNONYMS

bhrajisnuna—splendid; vimanena—with the airplane; kama-gena—which flew according to his desire; mahiyasa—very great; vaimanikan—the demigods in their airplanes; atyaseta—he surpassed; caran—traveling; lokan—through the planets; yatha—like; anilah—the air.

TRANSLATION

He traveled in that way through the various planets, as the air passes uncontrolled in every direction. Coursing through the air in that great and splendid aerial mansion, which could fly at his will, he surpassed even the demigods.

PURPORT

The planets occupied by the demigods are restricted to their own orbits, but Kardama Muni, by his yogic power, could travel all over the different directions of the universe without restriction. The living entities who are within the universe are called conditioned souls; that is, they are not free to move everywhere. We are inhabitants of this earthly globe; we cannot move freely to other planets. In the modern age, man is trying to go to other planets, but so far he has been unsuccessful. It is not possible to travel to any other planets because by the laws of nature even the demigods cannot move from one planet to another. But Kardama Muni, by his yogic power, could surpass the strength of the demigods and travel in space in all directions. The comparison here is very suitable. The words yatha anilah indicate that as the air is free to move anywhere without restriction, so Kardama Muni unrestrictedly traveled in all directions of the universe.

kim durapadanam tesam

pumsam uddama-cetasam

yair asritas tirtha-padas

carano vyasanatyayah

kim—what; durapadanam—difficult to achieve; tesam—for those; pumsam—men; uddama-cetasam—who are determined; yaih—by whom; asritah—taken refuge; tirtha-padah—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; caranah—feet; vyasana-atyayah—which vanquish dangers.

What is difficult to achieve for determined men who have taken refuge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s lotus feet? His feet are the source of sacred rivers like the Ganges, which put an end to the dangers of mundane life.

The words yair asritas tirtha-padas caranah are significant here. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is known as tirtha-pada. The Ganges is called a sacred river because it emanates from the toe of Visnu. The Ganges is meant to eradicate all the material distresses of the conditioned souls. For any living entity, therefore, who has taken shelter of the holy lotus feet of the Lord, nothing is impossible. Kardama Muni is special not because he was a great mystic, but because he was a great devotee. Therefore it is said here that for a great devotee like Kardama Muni, nothing is impossible. Although yogis can perform wonderful feats, as Kardama has already displayed, Kardama was more than a yogi because he was a great devotee of the Lord; therefore he was more glorious than an ordinary yogi. As it is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita, “Out of the many yogis, he who is a devotee of the Lord is first class.” For a person like Kardama Muni there is no question of being conditioned; he was already a liberated soul and better than the demigods, who are also conditioned. Although he was enjoying with his wife and many other women, he was above material, conditional life. Therefore the word vyasanatyayah is used to indicate that he was beyond the position of a conditioned soul. He was transcendental to all material limitations.

preksayitva bhuvo golam

patnyai yavan sva-samsthaya

bahv-ascaryam maha-yogi

svasramaya nyavartata

preksayitva—after showing; bhuvah—of the universe; golam—the globe; patnyai—to his wife; yavan—as much; sva-samsthaya—with its arrangements; bahu-ascaryam—full of many wonders; maha-yogi—the great yogi (Kardama); sva-asramaya—to his own hermitage; nyavartata—returned.

After showing his wife the globe of the universe and its different arrangements, full of many wonders, the great yogi Kardama Muni returned to his own hermitage.

All the planets are here described as gola, round. Every planet is round, and each planet is a different shelter, just like islands in the great ocean. Planets are sometimes called dvipa or varsa. This earth planet is called Bharata-varsa because it was ruled by King Bharata. Another significant word used in this verse is bahv-ascaryam, “many wonderful things.” This indicates that the different planets are distributed all over the universe in the eight directions, and each and every one of them is wonderful in itself. Each planet has its particular climatic influences and particular types of inhabitants and is completely equipped with everything, including the beauty of the seasons. In the Brahma-samhita (5.40) it is similarly stated, vibhuti-bhinnam: on each and every planet there are different opulences. It cannot be expected that one planet is exactly like another. By God’s grace, by nature’s law, each and every planet is made differently and has different wonderful features. All such wonders were personally experienced by Kardama Muni while he traveled with his wife, yet he could return again to his humble hermitage. He showed his princess-wife that although he was living in the hermitage, he had the power to go everywhere and do anything by mystic yoga. That is the perfection of yoga. One cannot become a perfect yogi simply by showing some sitting postures, nor by such sitting postures or so-called meditation can one become God, as is being advertised. Foolish persons are misled into believing that simply by some caricature of meditation and sitting postures one can become God within six months.

Here is the example of a perfect yogi; he could travel all over the universe. Similarly, there is a description of Durvasa Muni, who also traveled in space. Actually, the perfect yogi can do that. But even if one can travel all over the universe and show wonderful feats like Kardama Muni, he cannot be compared to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose power and inconceivable energy can never be attained by any conditioned or liberated soul. By the actions of Kardama Muni we can understand that in spite of his immense mystic power, he remained a devotee of the Lord. That is the real position of every living entity.

vibhajya navadhatmanam

manavim suratotsukam

ramam niramayan reme

varsa-pugan muhurtavat

vibhajya—having divided; nava-dha—into nine; atmanam—himself; manavim—the daughter of Manu (Devahuti); surata—for sex life; utsukam—who was eager; ramam—to his wife; niramayan—giving pleasure; reme—he enjoyed; varsa-pugan—for many years; muhurtavat—like a moment.

After coming back to his hermitage, he divided himself into nine personalities just to give pleasure to Devahuti, the daughter of Manu, who was eager for sex life. In that way he enjoyed with her for many, many years, which passed just like a moment.

Here the daughter of Svayambhuva Manu, Devahuti, is described as suratotsuka. After traveling with her husband all over the universe, in Mount Meru and the beautiful gardens of the heavenly kingdoms, she naturally became sexually stimulated, and in order to satisfy her sexual desire, Kardama Muni expanded himself into nine forms. Instead of one, he became nine, and nine persons had sexual intercourse with Devahuti for many, many years. It is understood that the sexual appetite of a woman is nine times greater than that of a man. That is clearly indicated here. Otherwise, Kardama Muni would have had no reason to expand himself into nine. Here is another example of yogic power. As the Supreme Personality of Godhead can expand Himself in millions of forms, a yogi can also expand up to nine forms, but not more than that. Another example is that of Saubhari Muni; he also expanded himself into eight forms. But however powerful a yogi may be, he cannot expand himself into more than eight or nine forms. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, however, can expand Himself into millions of forms, ananta-rupa—innumerable, countless forms—as stated in the Brahma-samhita. No one can compare to the Supreme Personality of Godhead by any conceivable energetic manifestation of power.

tasmin vimana utkrstam

sayyam rati-karim srita

na cabudhyata tam kalam

patyapicyena sangata

tasmin—in that; vimane—airplane; utkrstam—excellent; sayyam—a bed; rati-karim—increasing sexual desires; srita—situated on; na—not; ca—and; abudhyata—she noticed; tam—that; kalam—time; patya—with her husband; apicyena—most handsome; sangata—in company.

In that aerial mansion, Devahuti, in the company of her handsome husband, situated on an excellent bed that increased sexual desires, could not realize how much time was passing.

Sex indulgence is so enjoyable for materialistic people that when they engage in such activities they forget how time is passing. Saint Kardama and Devahuti, in their sex indulgence, also forgot how time was passing by.

evam yoganubhavena

dam-patyo ramamanayoh

satam vyatiyuh saradah

kama-lalasayor manak

evam—thus; yoga-anubhavena—by yogic powers; dam-patyoh—the couple; ramamanayoh—while enjoying themselves; satam—a hundred; vyatiyuh—passed; saradah—autumns; kama—sexual pleasure; lalasayoh—who were eagerly longing for; manak—like a short time.

While the couple, who eagerly longed for sexual pleasure, were thus enjoying themselves by virtue of mystic powers, a hundred autumns passed like a brief span of time.

SB3.23.47

TEXT 47

tasyam adhatta retas tam

bhavayann atmanatma-vit

nodha vidhaya rupam svam

sarva-sankalpa-vid vibhuh

SYNONYMS

tasyam—in her; adhatta—he deposited; retah—semen; tam—her; bhavayan—regarding; atmana—as half of himself; atma-vit—a knower of spirit soul; nodha—into nine; vidhaya—having divided; rupam—body; svam—his own; sarva-sankalpa-vit—the knower of all desires; vibhuh—the powerful Kardama.

TRANSLATION

The powerful Kardama Muni was the knower of everyone’s heart, and he could grant whatever one desired. Knowing the spiritual soul, he regarded her as half of his body. Dividing himself into nine forms, he impregnated Devahuti with nine discharges of semen.

PURPORT

Since Kardama Muni could understand that Devahuti wanted many children, at the first chance he begot nine children at one time. He is described here as vibhu, the most powerful master. By his yogic power he could at once produce nine daughters in the womb of Devahuti.

atah sa susuve sadyo

devahutih striyah prajah

sarvas tas caru-sarvangyo

lohitotpala-gandhayah

atah—then; sa—she; susuve—gave birth; sadyah—on the same day; devahutih—Devahuti; striyah—females; prajah—progeny; sarvah—all; tah—they; caru-sarva-angyah—charming in every limb; lohita—red; utpala—like the lotus; gandhayah—fragrant.

Immediately afterward, on the same day, Devahuti gave birth to nine female children, all charming in every limb and fragrant with the scent of the red lotus flower.

Devahuti was too sexually excited, and therefore she discharged more ova, and nine daughters were born. It is said in the smrti-sastra as well as in the Ayur-veda that when the discharge of the male is greater, male children are begotten, but when the discharge of the female is greater, female children are begotten. It appears from the circumstances that Devahuti was more sexually excited, and therefore she had nine daughters at once. All the daughters, however, were very beautiful, and their bodies were nicely formed; each resembled a lotus flower and was fragrant like a lotus.

patim sa pravrajisyantam

tadalaksyosati bahih

smayamana viklavena

hrdayena viduyata

patim—her husband; sa—she; pravrajisyantam—going to leave home; tada—then; alaksya—after seeing; usati—beautiful; bahih—outwardly; smayamana—smiling; viklavena—agitated; hrdayena—with a heart; viduyata—being distressed.

When she saw her husband about to leave home, she smiled externally, but at heart she was agitated and distressed.

Kardama Muni finished his household affairs quickly by his mystic power. The building of the castle in the air, traveling all over the universe with his wife in the company of beautiful girls, and begetting of children were finished, and now, according to his promise to leave home for his real concern of spiritual realization after impregnating his wife, he was about to go away. Seeing her husband about to leave, Devahuti was very disturbed, but to satisfy her husband she was smiling. The example of Kardama Muni should be understood very clearly; a person whose main concern is Krsna consciousness, even if he is entrapped in household life, should always be ready to leave household enticement as soon as possible.

likhanty adho-mukhi bhumim

pada nakha-mani-sriya

uvaca lalitam vacam

nirudhyasru-kalam sanaih

likhanti—scratching; adhah-mukhi—her head bent down; bhumim—the ground; pada—with her foot; nakha—nails; mani—gemlike; sriya—with radiant; uvaca—she spoke; lalitam—charming; vacam—accents; nirudhya—suppressing; asru-kalam—tears; sanaih—slowly.

She stood and scratched the ground with her foot, which was radiant with the luster of her gemlike nails. Her head bent down, she spoke in slow yet charming accents, suppressing her tears.

Devahuti was so beautiful that her toenails appeared just like pearls, and as she scratched the ground it appeared as if pearls had been thrown on the ground. When a woman scratches the ground with her foot, it is a sign that her mind is very disturbed. These signs were sometimes exhibited by the gopis before Krsna. When the gopis came in the dead of night and Krsna asked them to return to their homes, the gopis also scratched the ground like this because their minds were very disturbed.

devahutir uvaca

sarvam tad bhagavan mahyam

upovaha pratisrutam

athapi me prapannaya

abhayam datum arhasi

devahutih—Devahuti; uvaca—said; sarvam—all; tat—that; bhagavan—Your Lordship; mahyam—for me; upovaha—has been fulfilled; pratisrutam—promised; atha api—yet; me—unto me; prapannayai—unto one who has surrendered; abhayam—fearlessness; datum—to give; arhasi—you deserve.

Sri Devahuti said: My lord, you have fulfilled all the promises you gave me, yet because I am your surrendered soul, you should give me fearlessness too.

Devahuti requested her husband to grant her something without fear. As a wife, she was a fully surrendered soul to her husband, and it is the responsibility of the husband to give his wife fearlessness. How one awards fearlessness to his subordinate is mentioned in the Fifth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. One who cannot get free from the clutches of death is dependent, and he should not become a spiritual master, nor a husband, nor a kinsman, nor a father, nor a mother, etc. It is the duty of the superior to give fearlessness to the subordinate. To take charge of someone, therefore, either as father, mother, spiritual master, relative or husband, one must accept the responsibility to give his ward freedom from the fearful situation of material existence. Material existence is always fearful and full of anxiety. Devahuti is saying, “You have given me all sorts of material comforts by your yogic power, and since you are now prepared to go away, you must give me your last award so that I may get free from this material, conditional life.”

brahman duhitrbhis tubhyam

vimrgyah patayah samah

kascit syan me visokaya

tvayi pravrajite vanam

brahman—my dear brahmana; duhitrbhih—by the daughters themselves; tubhyam—for you; vimrgyah—to be found out; patayah—husbands; samah—suitable; kascit—someone; syat—there should be; me—my; visokaya—for solace; tvayi—when you; pravrajite—departed; vanam—to the forest.

My dear brahmana, as far as your daughters are concerned, they will find their own suitable husbands and go away to their respective homes. But who will give me solace after your departure as a sannyasi?

It is said that the father himself becomes the son in another form. The father and son are therefore considered to be nondifferent. A widow who has her son is actually not a widow, because she has the representative of her husband. Similarly, Devahuti is indirectly asking Kardama Muni to leave a representative so that in his absence she might be relieved of her anxieties by a suitable son. A householder is not expected to remain at home for all his days. After getting his sons and daughters married, a householder can retire from household life, leaving his wife in the charge of the grown-up sons. That is the social convention of the Vedic system. Devahuti is indirectly asking that in his absence from home there be at least one male child to give her relief from her anxieties. This relief means spiritual instruction. Relief does not mean material comforts. Material comforts will end with the end of the body, but spiritual instruction will not end; it will go on with the spirit soul. Instruction in spiritual advancement is necessary, but without having a worthy son, how could Devahuti advance in spiritual knowledge? It is the duty of the husband to liquidate his debt to his wife. The wife gives her sincere service to the husband, and he becomes indebted to her because one cannot accept service from his subordinate without giving him something in exchange. The spiritual master cannot accept service from a disciple without awarding him spiritual instruction. That is the reciprocation of love and duty. Thus Devahuti reminds her husband, Kardama Muni, that she has rendered him faithful service. Even considering the situation on the basis of liquidating his debt toward his wife, he must give a male child before he leaves. Indirectly, Devahuti requests her husband to remain at home a few days more, or at least until a male child is born.

etavatalam kalena

vyatikrantena me prabho

indriyartha-prasangena

parityakta-paratmanah

etavata—so much; alam—for nothing; kalena—time; vyatikrantena—passed by; me—my; prabho—O my lord; indriya-artha—sense gratification; prasangena—in the matter of indulging; parityakta—disregarding; para-atmanah—knowledge of the Supreme Lord.

Until now we have simply wasted so much of our time in sense gratification, neglecting to cultivate knowledge of the Supreme Lord.

Human life is not meant to be wasted, like that of the animals, in sense gratificatory activities. Animals always engage in sense gratification—eating, sleeping, fearing and mating—but that is not the engagement of the human being, although, because of the material body, there is need of sense gratification according to a regulative principle. So, in effect, Devahuti said to her husband: “So far we have these daughters, and we have enjoyed material life in the aerial mansion, traveling all over the universe. These boons have come by your grace, but they have all been for sense gratification. Now there must be something for my spiritual advancement.”

indriyarthesu sajjantya

prasangas tvayi me krtah

ajanantya param bhavam

tathapy astv abhayaya me

indriya-arthesu—to sense gratification; sajjantya—being attached; prasangah—affinity; tvayi—for you; me—by me; krtah—was done; ajanantya—not knowing; param bhavam—your transcendent situation; tatha api—nonetheless; astu—let it be; abhayaya—for fearlessness; me—my.

Not knowing your transcendental situation, I have loved you while remaining attached to the objects of the senses. Nonetheless, let the affinity I have developed for you rid me of all fear.

Devahuti is lamenting her position. As a woman, she had to love someone. Somehow or other, she came to love Kardama Muni, but without knowing of his spiritual advancement. Kardama Muni could understand Devahuti’s heart; generally all women desire material enjoyment. They are called less intelligent because they are mostly prone to material enjoyment. Devahuti laments because her husband had given her the best kind of material enjoyment, but she did not know that he was so advanced in spiritual realization. Her plea was that even though she did not know the glories of her great husband, because she had taken shelter of him she must be delivered from material entanglement. Association with a great personality is most important. In Caitanya-caritamrta Lord Caitanya says that sadhu-sanga, the association of a great saintly person, is very important, because even if one is not advanced in knowledge, simply by association with a great saintly person one can immediately make considerable advancement in spiritual life. As a woman, as an ordinary wife, Devahuti became attached to Kardama Muni in order to satisfy her sense enjoyment and other material necessities, but actually she associated with a great personality. Now she understood this, and she wanted to utilize the advantage of the association of her great husband.

sango yah samsrter hetur

asatsu vihito ’dhiya

sa eva sadhusu krto

nihsangatvaya kalpate

sangah—association; yah—which; samsrteh—of the cycle of birth and death; hetuh—the cause; asatsu—with those engaged in sense gratification; vihitah—done; adhiya—through ignorance; sah—the same thing; eva—certainly; sadhusu—with saintly persons; krtah—performed; nihsangatvaya—to liberation; kalpate—leads.

Association for sense gratification is certainly the path of bondage. But the same type of association, performed with a saintly person, leads to the path of liberation, even if performed without knowledge.

The association of a saintly person in any way bears the same result. For example, Lord Krsna met many kinds of living entities, and some treated Him as an enemy, and some treated Him as an agent for sense gratification. It is generally said that the gopis were attached to Krsna for sense attractions, and yet they became first-class devotees of the Lord. Kamsa, Sisupala, Dantavakra and other demons, however, were related to Krsna as enemies. But whether they associated with Krsna as enemies or for sense gratification, out of fear or as pure devotees, they all got liberation. That is the result of association with the Lord. Even if one does not understand who He is, the results have the same efficacy. Association with a great saintly person also results in liberation, just as whether one goes toward fire knowingly or unknowingly, the fire will make one warm. Devahuti expressed her gratefulness, for although she wanted to associate with Kardama Muni only for sense gratification, because he was spiritually great she was sure to be liberated by his benediction.

neha yat karma dharmaya

na viragaya kalpate

na tirtha-pada-sevayai

jivann api mrto hi sah

na—not; iha—here; yat—which; karma—work; dharmaya—for perfection of religious life; na—not; viragaya—for detachment; kalpate—leads; na—not; tirtha-pada—of the Lord’s lotus feet; sevayai—to devotional service; jivan—living; api—although; mrtah—dead; hi—indeed; sah—he.

Anyone whose work is not meant to elevate him to religious life, anyone whose religious ritualistic performances do not raise him to renunciation, and anyone situated in renunciation that does not lead him to devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, must be considered dead, although he is breathing.

Devahuti’s statement is that since she was attached to living with her husband for sense gratification, which does not lead to liberation from material entanglement, her life was simply a waste of time. Any work one performs that does not lead to the state of religious life is useless activity. Everyone is by nature inclined to some sort of work, and when that work leads one to religious life and religious life leads one to renunciation and renunciation leads one to devotional service, one attains the perfection of work. As stated in Bhagavad-gita, any work that does not lead ultimately to the standard of devotional service is a cause of bondage in the material world. Yajnarthat karmano ’nyatra loko ’yam karma-bandhanah [Bg. 3.9]). Unless one is gradually elevated to the position of devotional service, beginning from his natural activity, he is to be considered a dead body. Work which does not lead one to the understanding of Krsna consciousness is considered useless.

saham bhagavato nunam

vancita mayaya drdham

yat tvam vimuktidam prapya

na mumukseya bandhanat

sa—that very person; aham—I am; bhagavatah—of the Lord; nunam—surely; vancita—cheated; mayaya—by the illusory energy; drdham—solidly; yat—because; tvam—you; vimukti-dam—who gives liberation; prapya—having attained; na mumukseya—I have not sought liberation; bandhanat—from material bondage.

My lord, surely I have been solidly cheated by the insurmountable illusory energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for in spite of having obtained your association, which gives liberation from material bondage, I did not seek such liberation.

An intelligent man should utilize good opportunities. The first opportunity is the human form of life, and the second opportunity is to take birth in a suitable family where there is cultivation of spiritual knowledge; this is rarely obtained. The greatest opportunity is to have the association of a saintly person. Devahuti was conscious that she was born as the daughter of an emperor. She was sufficiently educated and cultured, and at last she got Kardama Muni, a saintly person and a great yogi, as her husband. Still, if she did not get liberation from the entanglement of material energy, then certainly she would be cheated by the insurmountable illusory energy. Actually, the illusory, material energy is cheating everyone. People do not know what they are doing when they worship the material energy in the form of goddess Kali or Durga for material boons. They ask, “Mother, give me great riches, give me a good wife, give me fame, give me victory.” But such devotees of the goddess Maya, or Durga, do not know that they are being cheated by that goddess. Material achievement is actually no achievement because as soon as one is illusioned by the material gifts, he becomes more and more entangled, and there is no question of liberation. One should be intelligent enough to know how to utilize material assets for the purpose of spiritual realization. That is called karma-yoga or jnana-yoga. Whatever we have we should use as service to the Supreme Person. It is advised in Bhagavad-gita sva-karmana tam abhyarcya: one should try to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead by one’s assets. There are many forms of service to the Supreme Lord, and anyone can render service unto Him according to the best of his ability.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Third Canto, Twenty-third Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled “Devahuti’s Lamentation.”

Next chapter (SB 3.24)