Pictures from the Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 9 Part 1 Plate 2

TEXTS 33–35
gavāṁ rukma-viṣāṇīnāṁ
rūpyāṅghrīṇāṁ suvāsasām
payaḥśīla-vayo-rūpa-
vatsopaskara-sampadām
prāhiṇot sādhu-viprebhyo
gṛheṣu nyarbudāni ṣaṭ
bhojayitvā dvijān agre
svādv annaṁ guṇavattamam
labdha-kāmair anujñātaḥ
pāraṇāyopacakrame
tasya tarhy atithiḥ sākṣād
durvāsā bhagavān abhūt
SYNONYMS
gavām—cows; rukma-viṣāṇīnām—whose horns were covered with gold plate; rūpya-aṅghrīṇām—whose hooves were covered with silver plate; su-vāsasām—very nicely decorated with garments; payaḥ-śīla—with full milk bags; vayaḥ—young; rūpa—beautiful; vatsa-upaskara-sampadām—with nice calves; prāhiṇot—gave in charity; sādhu-viprebhyaḥ—unto the brāhmaṇas and saintly persons; gṛheṣu—(who arrived) in his house; nyarbudāni—ten crores (one hundred million); ṣaṭ—six times; bhojayitvā—feeding them; dvijān agre—first the brāhmaṇas; svādu annam—very tasteful eatables; guṇavat-tamam—highly delicious; labdha-kāmaiḥ—by those brāhmaṇas, being fully satisfied; anujñātaḥ—by their permission; pāraṇāya—for completing the Dvādaśī; upacakrame—was just about to observe the final ceremony; tasya—of him (Ambarīṣa); tarhi—immediately; atithiḥ—unwanted or uncalled-for guest; sākṣāt—directly; durvāsāḥ—the great mystic Durvāsā; bhagavān—very powerful; abhūt—appeared on the scene as a guest.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa satisfied all the guests who arrived at his house, especially the brāhmaṇas. He gave in charity sixty crores of cows whose horns were covered with gold plate and whose hooves were covered with silver plate. All the cows were well decorated with garments and had full milk bags. They were mild-natured, young and beautiful and were accompanied by their calves. After giving these cows, the King first sumptuously fed all the brāhmaṇas, and when they were fully satisfied, he was about to observe the end of Ekādaśī, with their permission, by breaking the fast. Exactly at that time, however, Durvāsā Muni, the great and powerful mystic, appeared on the scene as an uninvited guest.
TEXT 36
tam ānarcātithiṁ bhūpaḥ
pratyutthānāsanārhaṇaiḥ
yayāce ’bhyavahārāya
pāda-mūlam upāgataḥ
SYNONYMS
tam—unto him (Durvāsā); ānarca—worshiped; atithim—although an uninvited guest; bhūpaḥ—the King (Ambarīṣa); pratyutthāna—by standing up; āsana—by offering a seat; arhaṇaiḥ—and by paraphernalia for worship; yayāce—requested; abhyavahārāya—for eating; pāda-mūlam—at the root of his feet; upāgataḥ—fell down.
TRANSLATION
After standing up to receive Durvāsā Muni, King Ambarīṣa offered him a seat and paraphernalia of worship. Then, sitting at his feet, the King requested the great sage to eat.
TEXT 37
pratinandya sa tāṁ yācñāṁ
kartum āvaśyakaṁ gataḥ
nimamajja bṛhad dhyāyan
kālindī-salile śubhe
SYNONYMS
pratinandya—gladly accepting; saḥ—Durvāsā Muni; tām—that; yācñām—request; kartum—to perform; āvaśyakam—the necessary ritualistic ceremonies; gataḥ—went; nimamajja—dipped his body in the water; bṛhat—the Supreme Brahman; dhyāyan—meditating on; kālindī—of the Yamunā; salile—in the water; śubhe—very auspicious.
TRANSLATION
Durvāsā Muni gladly accepted the request of Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, but to perform the regulative ritualistic ceremonies he went to the River Yamunā. There he dipped into the water of the auspicious Yamunā and meditated upon the impersonal Brahman.
TEXT 38
muhūrtārdhāvaśiṣṭāyāṁ
dvādaśyāṁ pāraṇaṁ prati
cintayām āsa dharma-jño
dvijais tad-dharma-saṅkaṭe
SYNONYMS
muhūrta-ardha-avaśiṣṭāyām—was remaining only for half a moment; dvādaśyām—when the Dvādaśī day; pāraṇam—the breaking of the fast; prati—to observe; cintayām āsa—began to think about; dharma-jñaḥ—one who knows the principles of religion; dvijaiḥ—by the brāhmaṇas; tat-dharma—concerning that religious principle; saṅkaṭe—in such a dangerous condition.
TRANSLATION
In the meantime, only a muhūrta of the Dvādaśī day was left on which to break the fast. Consequently, it was imperative that the fast be broken immediately. In this dangerous situation, the King consulted learned brāhmaṇas.
TEXTS 39–40
brāhmaṇātikrame doṣo
dvādaśyāṁ yad apāraṇe
yat kṛtvā sādhu me bhūyād
adharmo vā na māṁ spṛśet
ambhasā kevalenātha
kariṣye vrata-pāraṇam
āhur ab-bhakṣaṇaṁ viprā
hy aśitaṁ nāśitaṁ ca tat
SYNONYMS
brāhmaṇa-atikrame—in surpassing the rules of respect to the brāhmaṇas; doṣaḥ—there is a fault; dvādaśyām—on the Dvādaśī day; yat—because; apāraṇe—in not breaking the fast in due time; yat kṛtvā—after doing which action; sādhu—what is auspicious; me—unto me; bhūyāt—may so become; adharmaḥ—what is irreligious; vā—either; na—not; mām—unto me; spṛśet—may touch; ambhasā—by water; kevalena—only; atha—therefore; kariṣye—I shall execute; vrata-pāraṇam—the completion of the vow; āhuḥ—said; ap-bhakṣaṇam—drinking water; viprāḥ—O brāhmaṇas; hi—indeed; aśitam—eating; na aśitam ca—as well as not eating; tat—such an action.
TRANSLATION
The King said: “To transgress the laws of respectful behavior toward the brāhmaṇas is certainly a great offense. On the other hand, if one does not observe the breaking of the fast within the time of Dvādaśī, there is a flaw in one’s observance of the vow. Therefore, O brāhmaṇas, if you think that it will be auspicious and not irreligious, I shall break the fast by drinking water.” In this way, after consulting with the brāhmaṇas, the King reached this decision, for according to brahminical opinion, drinking water may be accepted as eating and also as not eating.
PURPORT
When Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, in his dilemma, consulted the brāhmaṇas about whether he should break the fast or wait for Durvāsā Muni, apparently they could not give a definite answer about what to do. A Vaiṣṇava, however, is the most intelligent personality. Therefore Mahārāja Ambarīṣa himself decided, in the presence of the brāhmaṇas, that he would drink a little water, for this would confirm that the fast was broken but would not transgress the laws for receiving a brāhmaṇa. In the Vedas it is said, apo ’śnāti tan naivāśitaṁ naivānaśitam. This Vedic injunction declares that the drinking of water may be accepted as eating or as not eating. Sometimes in our practical experience we see that some political leader adhering to satyāgraha will not eat but will drink water. Considering that drinking water would not be eating, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa decided to act in this way.
TEXT 41
ity apaḥ prāśya rājarṣiś
cintayan manasācyutam
pratyacaṣṭa kuru-śreṣṭha
dvijāgamanam eva saḥ
SYNONYMS
iti—thus; apaḥ—water; prāśya—after drinking; rājarṣiḥ—the great King Ambarīṣa; cintayan—meditating upon; manasā—by the mind; acyutam—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pratyacaṣṭa—began to wait; kuru-śreṣṭha—O best of the Kuru kings; dvija-āgamanam—the return of Durvāsā Muni, the great mystic brāhmaṇa; eva—indeed; saḥ—the King.
TRANSLATION
O best of the Kuru dynasty, after he drank some water, King Ambarīṣa, meditating upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead within his heart, waited for the return of the great mystic Durvāsā Muni.
TEXT 42
durvāsā yamunā-kūlāt
kṛtāvaśyaka āgataḥ
rājñābhinanditas tasya
bubudhe ceṣṭitaṁ dhiyā
SYNONYMS
durvāsāḥ—the great sage; yamunā-kūlāt—from the bank of the River Yamunā; kṛta—had been performed; āvaśyakaḥ—he by whom the necessary ritualistic ceremonies; āgataḥ—returned; rājñā—by the King; abhinanditaḥ—being well received; tasya—his; bubudhe—could understand; ceṣṭitam—performance; dhiyā—by intelligence.
TRANSLATION
After executing the ritualistic ceremonies to be performed at noon, Durvāsā returned from the bank of the Yamunā. The King received him well, offering all respects, but Durvāsā Muni, by his mystic power, could understand that King Ambarīṣa had drunk water without his permission.
TEXT 43
manyunā pracalad-gātro
bhru-kuṭī-kuṭilānanaḥ
bubhukṣitaś ca sutarāṁ
kṛtāñjalim abhāṣata
SYNONYMS
manyunā—agitated by great anger; pracalat-gātraḥ—his body trembling; bhru-kuṭī—by the eyebrows; kuṭila—curved; ānanaḥ—face; bubhukṣitaḥ ca—and hungry at the same time; sutarām—very much; kṛta-añjalim—to Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, who stood there with folded hands; abhāṣata—he addressed.
TRANSLATION
Still hungry, Durvāsā Muni, his body trembling, his face curved and his eyebrows crooked in a frown, angrily spoke as follows to King Ambarīṣa, who stood before him with folded hands.
TEXT 44
aho asya nṛ-śaṁsasya
śriyonmattasya paśyata
dharma-vyatikramaṁ viṣṇor
abhaktasyeśa-māninaḥ
SYNONYMS
aho—alas; asya—of this man; nṛ-śaṁsasya—who is so cruel; śriyā unmattasya—puffed up because of great opulence; paśyata—everyone just see; dharma-vyatikramam—the transgression of the regulative principles of religion; viṣṇoḥ abhaktasya—who is not a devotee of Lord Viṣṇu; īśa-māninaḥ—considering himself the Supreme Lord, independent of everything.
TRANSLATION
Alas, just see the behavior of this cruel man! He is not a devotee of Lord Viṣṇu. Being proud of his material opulence and his position, he considers himself God. Just see how he has transgressed the laws of religion.
PURPORT
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has diverted the entire meaning of this verse as spoken by Durvāsā Muni. Durvāsā Muni used the word nṛ-śaṁsasya to indicate that the King was cruel, but Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura interprets it to mean that the King’s character was glorified by all the local people. He says that the word nṛ means “by all the local people” and that śaṁsasya means “of he (Ambarīṣa) whose character was glorified.” Similarly, one who is very rich becomes mad because of his wealth and is therefore called śriyā-unmattasya, but Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura interprets these words to mean that although Mahārāja Ambarīṣa was such an opulent king, he was not mad after money, for he had already surpassed the madness of material opulence. Similarly, the word īśa-māninaḥ is interpreted to mean that he was so respectful to the Supreme Personality of Godhead that he did not transgress the laws for observing Ekādaśī-pāraṇa, despite the thinking of Durvāsā Muni, for he only took water. In this way, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has supported Ambarīṣa Mahārāja and all his activities.
TEXT 45
yo mām atithim āyātam
ātithyena nimantrya ca
adattvā bhuktavāṁs tasya
sadyas te darśaye phalam
SYNONYMS
yaḥ—this man who; mām—unto me; atithim—who, being an uninvited guest; āyātam—had come here; ātithyena—with the reception of a guest; nimantrya—after inviting me; ca—also; adattvā—without giving (food); bhuktavān—has himself eaten; tasya—of him; sadyaḥ—immediately; te—of you; darśaye—I shall show; phalam—the result.
TRANSLATION
Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, you have invited me to eat as a guest, but instead of feeding me, you yourself have eaten first. Because of your misbehavior, I shall show you something to punish you.
PURPORT
A devotee cannot be defeated by a so-called mystic yogī. This will be proved by the failure of Durvāsā Muni’s endeavor to chastise Mahārāja Ambarīṣa. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ (Bhāg. 5.18.12). One who is not a pure devotee of the Supreme Lord has no good qualifications, however great a mystic, philosopher or fruitive worker he may be. Only a devotee emerges victorious in all circumstances, as will be shown in this incident involving the rivalry between Durvāsā and Mahārāja Ambarīṣa.
TEXT 46
evaṁ bruvāṇa utkṛtya
jaṭāṁ roṣa-pradīpitaḥ
tayā sa nirmame tasmai
kṛtyāṁ kālānalopamām
SYNONYMS
evam—thus; bruvāṇaḥ—speaking (Durvāsā Muni); utkṛtya—uprooting; jaṭām—a bunch of hair; roṣa-pradīpitaḥ—being reddish because he was very angry; tayā—by that bunch of hair from his head; saḥ—Durvāsā Muni; nirmame—created; tasmai—to punish Mahārāja Ambarīṣa; kṛtyām—a demon; kāla-anala-upamām—appearing just like the blazing fire of devastation.
TRANSLATION
As Durvāsā Muni said this, his face became red with anger. Uprooting a bunch of hair from his head, he created a demon resembling the blazing fire of devastation to punish Mahārāja Ambarīṣa.