Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 8: “Withdrawal of the Cosmic Creations”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter Nine
The Lord Incarnates as Mohini-Murti
SB8.9Summary
This chapter describes how the demons, being enchanted by the beauty of the Mohini form, agreed to hand over the container of nectar to Mohinidevi, who tactfully delivered it to the demigods.
When the demons got possession of the container of nectar, an extraordinarily beautiful young woman appeared before them. All the demons became captivated by the young woman’s beauty and became attached to Her. Now, because the demons were fighting among themselves to possess the nectar, they selected this beautiful woman as a mediator to settle their quarrel. Taking advantage of their weakness in this regard, Mohini, the incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, got the demons to promise that whatever decision She might give, they would not refuse to accept it. When the demons made this promise, the beautiful woman, Mohini-murti, had the demigods and demons sit in different lines so that She could distribute the nectar. She knew that the demons were quite unfit to drink the nectar. Therefore, by cheating them She distributed all the nectar to the demigods. When the demons saw this cheating of Mohini-murti, they remained silent. But one demon, named Rahu, dressed himself like a demigod and sat down in the line of the demigods. He sat beside the sun and the moon. When the Supreme Personality of Godhead understood how Rahu was cheating, He immediately cut off the demon’s head. Rahu, however, had already tasted the nectar, and therefore although his head was severed, he remained alive. After the demigods finished drinking the nectar, the Supreme Personality of Godhead assumed His own form. Sukadeva Gosvami ends this chapter by describing how powerful is the chanting of the holy names, pastimes and paraphernalia of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. SB8.9.1 TEXT 1 sri-suka uvaca te ’nyonyato ’surah patram harantas tyakta-sauhrdah ksipanto dasyu-dharmana ayantim dadrsuh striyam SYNONYMS sri-sukah uvaca—Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; te—the demons; anyonyatah—among themselves; asurah—the demons; patram—the container of nectar; harantah—snatching from one another; tyakta-sauhrdah—became inimical toward one another; ksipantah—sometimes throwing; dasyu-dharmanah—sometimes snatching like robbers; ayantim—coming forward; dadrsuh—saw; striyam—a very beautiful and attractive woman. TRANSLATION Sukadeva Gosvami said: Thereafter, the demons became inimical toward one another. Throwing and snatching the container of nectar, they gave up their friendly relationship. Meanwhile, they saw a very beautiful young woman coming forward toward them. SB8.9.2 TEXT 2 aho rupam aho dhama aho asya navam vayah iti te tam abhidrutya papracchur jata-hrc-chayah SYNONYMS aho—how wonderful; rupam—Her beauty; aho—how wonderful; dhama—Her bodily luster; aho—how wonderful; asyah—of Her; navam—new; vayah—beautiful age; iti—in this way; te—those demons; tam—unto the beautiful woman; abhidrutya—going before Her hastily; papracchuh—inquired from Her; jata-hrt-sayah—their hearts being filled with lust to enjoy Her. TRANSLATION Upon seeing the beautiful woman, the demons said, “Alas, how wonderful is Her beauty, how wonderful the luster of Her body, and how wonderful the beauty of Her youthful age!” Speaking in this way, they quickly approached Her, full of lusty desires to enjoy Her, and began to inquire from Her in many ways. SB8.9.3 TEXT 3 ka tvam kanja-palasaksi kuto va kim cikirsasi kasyasi vada vamoru mathnativa manamsi nah SYNONYMS ka—who; tvam—are You; kanja-palasa-aksi—having eyes like the petals of a lotus; kutah—from where; va—either; kim cikirsasi—what is the purpose for which You have come here; kasya—of whom; asi—do You belong; vada—kindly tell us; vama-uru—O You whose thighs are extraordinarily beautiful; mathnati—agitating; iva—like; manamsi—within our minds; nah—our. TRANSLATION O wonderfully beautiful girl, You have such nice eyes, resembling the petals of a lotus flower. Who are You? Where do You come from? What is Your purpose in coming here, and to whom do You belong? O You whose thighs are extraordinarily beautiful, our minds are becoming agitated simply because of seeing You. PURPORT The demons inquired from the wonderfully beautiful girl, “To whom do You belong?” A woman is supposed to belong to her father before her marriage, to her husband after her marriage, and to her grown sons in her old age. In regard to this inquiry, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says that the question “To whom do You belong?” means “Whose daughter are You?” Since the demons could understand that the beautiful girl was still unmarried, every one of them desired to marry Her. Thus they inquired, “Whose daughter are You?” SB8.9.4 TEXT 4 na vayam tvamarair daityaih siddha-gandharva-caranaih nasprsta-purvam janimo lokesais ca kuto nrbhih SYNONYMS na—it is not; vayam—we; tva—unto You; amaraih—by the demigods; daityaih—by the demons; siddha—by the Siddhas; gandharva—by the Gandharvas; caranaih—and by the Caranas; na—not; asprsta-purvam—never enjoyed or touched by anyone; janimah—know exactly; loka-isaih—by the various directors of the universe; ca—also; kutah—what to speak of; nrbhih—by human society. TRANSLATION What to speak of human beings, even the demigods, demons, Siddhas, Gandharvas, Caranas and the various directors of the universe, the Prajapatis, have never touched You before. It is not that we are unable to understand Your identity. PURPORT Even the asuras observed the etiquette that no one should address a married woman with lust. The great analyst Canakya Pandita says, matrvat para-daresu: one should consider another’s wife to be one’s mother. The asuras, the demons, took it for granted that the beautiful young woman, Mohini-murti, who had arrived before them, was certainly not married. Therefore they assumed that no one in the world, including the demigods, the Gandharvas, the Caranas and the Siddhas, had ever touched Her. The demons knew that the young girl was unmarried, and therefore they dared to address Her. They supposed that the young girl, Mohini-murti, had come there to find a husband among all those present (the Daityas, the demigods, the Gandharvas and so on). SB8.9.5 TEXT 5 nunam tvam vidhina subhruh presitasi saririnam sarvendriya-manah-pritim vidhatum saghrnena kim SYNONYMS nunam—indeed; tvam—You; vidhina—by Providence; su-bhruh—O You with the beautiful eyebrows; presita—sent; asi—certainly You are so; saririnam—of all embodied living entities; sarva—all; indriya—of the senses; manah—and of the mind; pritim—what is pleasing; vidhatum—to administer; sa-ghrnena—by Your causeless mercy; kim—whether. TRANSLATION O beautiful girl with beautiful eyebrows, certainly Providence, by His causeless mercy, has sent You to please the senses and minds of all of us. Is this not a fact? SB8.9.6 TEXT 6 sa tvam nah spardhamananam eka-vastuni manini jnatinam baddha-vairanam sam vidhatsva sumadhyame SYNONYMS sa—as such You are; tvam—Your good self; nah—of all of us demons; spardhamananam—of those who are becoming increasingly inimical; eka-vastuni—in one subject matter (the container of nectar); manini—O You who are most beautiful in Your prestigious position; jnatinam—among our family members; baddha-vairanam—increasingly becoming enemies; sam—auspiciousness; vidhatsva—must execute; su-madhyame—O beautiful thin-waisted woman. TRANSLATION We are now all engaged in enmity among ourselves because of this one subject matter—the container of nectar. Although we have been born in the same family, we are becoming increasingly inimical. O thin-waisted woman, who are so beautiful in Your prestigious position, we therefore request You to favor us by settling our dispute. PURPORT The demons understood that the beautiful woman had attracted the attention of them all. Therefore they unanimously requested Her to become the arbiter to settle their dispute. SB8.9.7 TEXT 7 vayam kasyapa-dayada bhratarah krta-paurusah vibhajasva yatha-nyayam naiva bhedo yatha bhavet SYNONYMS vayam—all of us; kasyapa-dayadah—descendants of Kasyapa Muni; bhratarah—we are all brothers; krta-paurusah—who are all able and competent; vibhajasva—just divide; yatha-nyayam—according to law; na—not; eva—certainly; bhedah—partiality; yatha—as; bhavet—should so become. TRANSLATION All of us, both demons and demigods, have been born of the same father, Kasyapa, and thus we are related as brothers. But now we are exhibiting our personal prowess in dissension. Therefore we request You to settle our dispute and divide the nectar equally among us. SB8.9.8 TEXT 8 ity upamantrito daityair maya-yosid-vapur harih prahasya rucirapangair niriksann idam abravit SYNONYMS iti—thus; upamantritah—being fervently requested; daityaih—by the demons; maya-yosit—the illusory woman; vapuh harih—the incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; prahasya—smiling; rucira—beautiful; apangaih—by exhibiting attractive feminine features; niriksan—looking at them; idam—these words; abravit—said. TRANSLATION Having thus been requested by the demons, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who had assumed the form of a beautiful woman, began to smile. Looking at them with attractive feminine gestures, She spoke as follows. SB8.9.9 TEXT 9 sri-bhagavan uvaca katham kasyapa-dayadah pumscalyam mayi sangatah visvasam pandito jatu kaminisu na yati hi SYNONYMS sri-bhagavan uvaca—the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the form of Mohini-murti said; katham—how is it so; kasyapa-dayadah—you are all descendants of Kasyapa Muni; pumscalyam—unto a prostitute who agitates the minds of men; mayi—unto Me; sangatah—you come in My association; visvasam—faith; panditah—those who are learned; jatu—at any time; kaminisu—unto a woman; na—never; yati—takes place; hi—indeed. TRANSLATION The Supreme Personality of Godhead, in the form of Mohini, told the demons: O sons of Kasyapa Muni, I am only a prostitute. How is it that you have so much faith in Me? A learned person never puts his faith in a woman. PURPORT Canakya Pandita, the great politician and moral instructor, said, visvaso naiva kartavyah strisu raja-kulesu ca: “Never put your faith in a woman or a politician.” Thus the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who was pretending to be a woman, warned the demons against putting so much faith in Her, for She had appeared as an attractive woman ultimately to cheat them. Indirectly disclosing the purpose for which She had appeared before them, She said to the sons of Kasyapa, “How is this? You were all born of a great rsi, yet you are putting your faith in a woman who is loitering here and there like a prostitute, unprotected by father or husband. Women in general should not be trusted, and what to speak of a woman loitering like a prostitute?” The word kamini is significant in this connection. Women, especially beautiful young women, invoke the dormant lusty desires of a man. Therefore, according to Manu-samhita, every woman should be protected, either by her husband, by her father or by her grown sons. Without such protection, a woman will be exploited. Indeed, women like to be exploited by men. As soon as a woman is exploited by a man, she becomes a common prostitute. This is explained by Mohini-murti, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. SB8.9.10 TEXT 10 salavrkanam strinam ca svairininam sura-dvisah sakhyany ahur anityani nutnam nutnam vicinvatam SYNONYMS salavrkanam—of monkeys, jackals and dogs; strinam ca—and of women; svairininam—especially women who are independent; sura-dvisah—O demons; sakhyani—friendship; ahuh—it is said; anityani—temporary; nutnam—new friends; nutnam—new friends; vicinvatam—all of whom are thinking. TRANSLATION O demons, as monkeys, jackals and dogs are unsteady in their sexual relationships and want newer and newer friends every day, women who live independently seek new friends daily. Friendship with such a woman is never permanent. This is the opinion of learned scholars. SB8.9.11 TEXT 11 sri-suka uvaca iti te ksvelitais tasya asvasta-manaso ’surah jahasur bhava-gambhiram dadus camrta-bhajanam SYNONYMS sri-sukah uvaca—Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; iti—thus; te—those demons; ksvelitaih—by speaking as if jokingly; tasyah—of Mohini-murti; asvasta—grateful, with faith; manasah—their minds; asurah—all the demons; jahasuh—laughed; bhava-gambhiram—although Mohini-murti was full of gravity; daduh—delivered; ca—also; amrta-bhajanam—the container of nectar. TRANSLATION Sri Sukadeva Gosvami continued: After the demons heard the words of Mohini-murti, who had spoken as if jokingly, they were all very confident. They laughed with gravity, and ultimately they delivered the container of nectar into Her hands. PURPORT The Personality of Godhead in His form of Mohini was certainly not joking but talking seriously, with gravity. The demons, however, being captivated by Mohini-murti’s bodily features, took Her words as a joke and confidently delivered the container of nectar into Her hands. Thus Mohini-murti resembles Lord Buddha, who appeared sammohaya sura-dvisam [SB 1.3.24]—to cheat the asuras. The word sura-dvisam refers to those who are envious of the demigods or devotees. Sometimes an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead cheats the atheists. Thus we see here that although Mohini-murti was speaking factually to the asuras, the asuras took Her words to be facetious. Indeed, they were so confident of Mohini-murti’s honesty that they immediately delivered the container of nectar into Her hands, as if they would allow Her to do with the nectar whatever She liked, whether She distributed it, threw it away or drank it Herself without giving it to them. SB8.9.12 TEXT 12 tato grhitvamrta-bhajanam harir babhasa isat-smita-sobhaya gira yady abhyupetam kva ca sadhv asadhu va krtam maya vo vibhaje sudham imam SYNONYMS tatah—thereafter; grhitva—taking possession of; amrta-bhajanam—the pot containing the nectar; harih—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, in the form of Mohini; babhasa—spoke; isat—slightly; smita-sobhaya gira—with smiling beauty and by words; yadi—if; abhyupetam—promised to be accepted; kva ca—whatever it may be; sadhu asadhu va—whether honest or dishonest; krtam maya—is done by Me; vah—unto you; vibhaje—I shall give you the proper share; sudham—nectar; imam—this. TRANSLATION Thereafter, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, having taken possession of the container of nectar, smiled slightly and spoke in attractive words. She said: My dear demons, if you accept whatever I may do, whether honest or dishonest, then I can take responsibility for dividing the nectar among you. PURPORT The Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot abide by anyone’s dictation. Whatever He does is absolute. The demons, of course, were deluded by the illusory potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and thus Mohini-murti got them to promise that whatever She would do they would accept. SB8.9.13 TEXT 13 ity abhivyahrtam tasya akarnyasura-pungavah apramana-vidas tasyas tat tathety anvamamsata SYNONYMS iti—thus; abhivyahrtam—the words that were spoken; tasyah—Her; akarnya—after hearing; asura-pungavah—the chiefs of the demons; apramana-vidah—because they were all foolish; tasyah—of Her; tat—those words; tatha—let it be so; iti—thus; anvamamsata—agreed to accept. TRANSLATION The chiefs of the demons were not very expert in deciding things. Upon hearing the sweet words of Mohini-murti, they immediately assented. “Yes,” they answered. “What You have said is all right.” Thus the demons agreed to accept Her decision. SB8.9.14-15 TEXTS 14–15 athoposya krta-snana hutva ca havisanalam dattva go-vipra-bhutebhyah krta-svastyayana dvijaih yathopajosam vasamsi paridhayahatani te kusesu pravisan sarve prag-agresv abhibhusitah SYNONYMS atha—thereafter; uposya—observing a fast; krta-snanah—performing bathing; hutva—offering oblations; ca—also; havisa—with clarified butter; analam—into the fire; dattva—giving in charity; go-vipra-bhutebhyah—unto the cows, brahmanas and living beings in general; krta-svastyayanah—performing ritualistic ceremonies; dvijaih—as dictated by the brahmanas; yatha-upajosam—according to one’s taste; vasamsi—garments; paridhaya—putting on; ahatani—first-class and new; te—all of them; kusesu—on seats made of kusa grass; pravisan—sitting on them; sarve—all of them; prak-agresu—facing east; abhibhusitah—properly decorated with ornaments. TRANSLATION The demigods and demons then observed a fast. After bathing, they offered clarified butter and oblations into the fire and gave charity to the cows and to the brahmanas and members of the other orders of society, namely the ksatriyas, vaisyas and sudras, who were all rewarded as they deserved. Thereafter, the demigods and demons performed ritualistic ceremonies under the directions of the brahmanas. Then they dressed themselves with new garments according to their own choice, decorated their bodies with ornaments, and sat facing east on seats made of kusa grass. PURPORT The Vedas enjoin that for every ritualistic ceremony one must first become clean by bathing either in the water of the Ganges or Yamuna or in the sea. Then one may perform the ritualistic ceremony and offer clarified butter into the fire. In this verse the words paridhaya ahatani are especially significant. A sannyasi or a person about to perform a ritualistic ceremony should not dress himself in clothing sewn with a needle. SB8.9.16-17 TEXTS 16–17 pran-mukhesupavistesu suresu ditijesu ca dhupamodita-salayam justayam malya-dipakaih tasyam narendra karabhorur usad-dukula- sroni-tatalasa-gatir mada-vihvalaksi sa kujati kanaka-nupura-sinjitena kumbha-stani kalasa-panir athavivesa SYNONYMS prak-mukhesu—facing east; upavistesu—were sitting on their respective seats; suresu—all the demigods; diti-jesu—the demons; ca—also; dhupa-amodita-salayam—in the arena, which was full of the smoke of incense; justayam—fully decorated; malya-dipakaih—with flower garlands and lamps; tasyam—in that arena; nara-indra—O King; karabha-uruh—having thighs resembling the trunks of elephants; usat-dukula—dressed with a very beautiful sari; sroni-tata—because of big hips; alasa-gatih—stepping very slowly; mada-vihvala-aksi—whose eyes were restless because of youthful pride; sa—She; kujati—tinkling; kanaka-nupura—of golden ankle bells; sinjitena—with the sound; kumbha-stani—a woman whose breasts were like water jugs; kalasa-panih—holding a waterpot in Her hand; atha—thus; avivesa—entered the arena. TRANSLATION O King, as the demigods and demons sat facing east in an arena fully decorated with flower garlands and lamps and fragrant with the smoke of incense, that woman, dressed in a most beautiful sari, Her ankle bells tinkling, entered the arena, walking very slowly because of Her big, low hips. Her eyes were restless due to youthful pride, Her breasts were like water jugs, Her thighs resembled the trunks of elephants, and She carried a waterpot in Her hand. SB8.9.18 TEXT 18 tam sri-sakhim kanaka-kundala-caru-karna- nasa-kapola-vadanam para-devatakhyam samviksya sammumuhur utsmita-viksanena devasura vigalita-stana-pattikantam SYNONYMS tam—unto Her; sri-sakhim—appearing like a personal associate of the goddess of fortune; kanaka-kundala—with golden earrings; caru—very beautiful; karna—ears; nasa—nose; kapola—cheeks; vadanam—face; para-devata-akhyam—the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, appearing in that form; samviksya—looking at Her; sammumuhuh—all of them became enchanted; utsmita—slightly smiling; viksanena—glancing over them; deva-asurah—all the demigods and demons; vigalita-stana-pattika-antam—the border of the sari on the breasts moved slightly. TRANSLATION Her attractive nose and cheeks and Her ears, adorned with golden earrings, made Her face very beautiful. As She moved, Her sari’s border on Her breasts moved slightly aside. When the demigods and demons saw these beautiful features of Mohini-murti, who was glancing at them and slightly smiling, they were all completely enchanted. PURPORT Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura remarks here that Mohini-murti is the Supreme Personality of Godhead in a feminine form and that the goddess of fortune is Her associate. This form assumed by the Personality of Godhead challenged the goddess of fortune. The goddess of fortune is beautiful, but if the Lord accepts the form of a woman, He surpasses the goddess of fortune in beauty. It is not that the goddess of fortune, being female, is the most beautiful. The Lord is so beautiful that He can excel any beautiful goddess of fortune by assuming a female form. SB8.9.19 TEXT 19 asuranam sudha-danam sarpanam iva durnayam matva jati-nrsamsanam na tam vyabhajad acyutah SYNONYMS asuranam—of the demons; sudha-danam—giving of the nectar; sarpanam—of snakes; iva—like; durnayam—miscalculation; matva—thinking like that; jati-nrsamsanam—of those who are by nature very envious; na—not; tam—the nectar; vyabhajat—delivered the share; acyutah—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who never falls down. TRANSLATION Demons are by nature crooked like snakes. Therefore, to distribute a share of the nectar to them was not at all feasible, since this would be as dangerous as supplying milk to a snake. Considering this, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who never falls down, did not deliver a share of nectar to the demons. PURPORT It is said, sarpah krurah khalah krurah sarpat kruratarah khalah: “The snake is very crooked and envious, and so also is a person like a demon.” Mantrausadhi-vasah sarpah khalah kena nivaryate: “One can bring a snake under control with mantras, herbs and drugs, but an envious and crooked person cannot be brought under control by any means.” Considering this logic, the Supreme Personality of Godhead thought it unwise to distribute nectar to the demons.