Chapter Five
Durvāsā Muni’s Life Spared
TEXT 1
śrī-śuka uvāca
evaṁ bhagavatādiṣṭo
durvāsāś cakra-tāpitaḥ
ambarīṣam upāvṛtya
tat-pādau duḥkhito ’grahīt
SYNONYMS
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca—Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; evam—in this way; bhagavatā ādiṣṭaḥ—being ordered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; durvāsāḥ—the great mystic yogī named Durvāsā; cakra-tāpitaḥ—being very much harassed by the Sudarśana cakra; ambarīṣam—unto Mahārāja Ambarīṣa; upāvṛtya—approaching; tat-pādau—at his lotus feet; duḥkhitaḥ—being very much aggrieved; agrahīt—he caught.
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: When thus advised by Lord Viṣṇu, Durvāsā Muni, who was very much harassed by the Sudarśana cakra, immediately approached Mahārāja Ambarīṣa. Being very much aggrieved, the muni fell down and clasped the King’s lotus feet.
TEXT 2
tasya sodyamam āvīkṣya
pāda-sparśa-vilajjitaḥ
astāvīt tad dharer astraṁ
kṛpayā pīḍito bhṛśam
SYNONYMS
tasya—of Durvāsā; saḥ—he, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa; udyamam—the endeavor; āvīkṣya—after seeing; pāda-sparśa-vilajjitaḥ—being ashamed because Durvāsā was touching his lotus feet; astāvīt—offered prayers; tat—to that; hareḥ astram—weapon of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kṛpayā—with mercy; pīḍitaḥ—aggrieved; bhṛśam—very much.
TRANSLATION
When Durvāsā touched his lotus feet, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa was very much ashamed, and when he saw Durvāsā attempting to offer prayers, because of mercy he was aggrieved even more. Thus he immediately began offering prayers to the great weapon of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 3
ambarīṣa uvāca
tvam agnir bhagavān sūryas
tvaṁ somo jyotiṣāṁ patiḥ
tvam āpas tvaṁ kṣitir vyoma
vāyur mātrendriyāṇi ca
SYNONYMS
ambarīṣaḥ—Mahārāja Ambarīṣa; uvāca—said; tvam—you (are); agniḥ—the fire; bhagavān—the most powerful; sūryaḥ—the sun; tvam—you (are); somaḥ—the moon; jyotiṣām—of all the luminaries; patiḥ—the master; tvam—you (are); āpaḥ—water; tvam—you (are); kṣitiḥ—earth; vyoma—sky; vāyuḥ—the air; mātra—the objects of the senses; indriyāṇi—and the senses; ca—also.
TRANSLATION
Mahārāja Ambarīṣa said: O Sudarśana cakra, you are fire, you are the most powerful sun, and you are the moon, the master of all luminaries. You are water, earth and sky, you are the air, you are the five sense objects [sound, touch, form, taste and smell], and you are the senses also.
TEXT 4
sudarśana namas tubhyaṁ
sahasrārācyuta-priya
sarvāstra-ghātin viprāya
svasti bhūyā iḍaspate
SYNONYMS
sudarśana—O original vision of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; namaḥ—respectful obeisances; tubhyam—unto you; sahasra-ara—O you who have thousands of spokes; acyuta-priya—O most favorite of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Acyuta; sarva-astra-ghātin—O destroyer of all weapons; viprāya—unto this brāhmaṇa; svasti—very auspicious; bhūyāḥ—just become; iḍaspate—O master of the material world.
TRANSLATION
O most favorite of Acyuta, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, you have thousands of spokes. O master of the material world, destroyer of all weapons, original vision of the Personality of Godhead, I offer my respectful obeisances unto you. Kindly give shelter and be auspicious to this brāhmaṇa.
TEXT 5
tvaṁ dharmas tvam ṛtaṁ satyaṁ
tvaṁ yajño ’khila-yajña-bhuk
tvaṁ loka-pālaḥ sarvātmā
tvaṁ tejaḥ pauruṣaṁ param
SYNONYMS
tvam—you; dharmaḥ—religion; tvam—you; ṛtam—encouraging statements; satyam—the ultimate truth; tvam—you; yajñaḥ—sacrifice; akhila—universal; yajña-bhuk—the enjoyer of the fruits resulting from sacrifice; tvam—you; loka-pālaḥ—the maintainer of the various planets; sarva-ātmā—all-pervading; tvam—you; tejaḥ—prowess; pauruṣam—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; param—transcendental.
TRANSLATION
O Sudarśana wheel, you are religion, you are truth, you are encouraging statements, you are sacrifice, and you are the enjoyer of the fruits of sacrifice. You are the maintainer of the entire universe, and you are the supreme transcendental prowess in the hands of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You are the original vision of the Lord, and therefore you are known as Sudarśana. Everything has been created by your activities, and therefore you are all-pervading.
PURPORT
The word sudarśana means “auspicious vision.” From Vedic instructions we understand that this material world is created by the glance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (sa aikṣata, sa asṛjata). The Supreme Personality of Godhead glanced over the mahat-tattva, or the total material energy, and when it was agitated, everything came into existence. Western philosophers sometimes think that the original cause of creation was a chunk that exploded. If one thinks of this chunk as the total material energy, the mahat-tattva, one can understand that the chunk was agitated by the glance of the Lord, and thus the Lord’s glance is the original cause of material creation.
TEXT 6
namaḥ sunābhākhila-dharma-setave
hy adharma-śīlāsura-dhūma-ketave
trailokya-gopāya viśuddha-varcase
mano-javāyādbhuta-karmaṇe gṛṇe
SYNONYMS
namaḥ—all respectful obeisances unto you; su-nābha—O you who have an auspicious hub; akhila-dharma-setave—whose spokes are considered to be a breech of the entire universe; hi—indeed; adharma-śīla—who are irreligious; asura—for the demons; dhūma-ketave—unto you who are like fire or an inauspicious comet; trailokya—of the three material worlds; gopāya—the maintainer; viśuddha—transcendental; varcase—whose effulgence; manaḥ-javāya—as speedy as the mind; adbhuta—wonderful; karmaṇe—so active; gṛṇe—I simply utter.
TRANSLATION
O Sudarśana, you have a very auspicious hub, and therefore you are the upholder of all religion. You are just like an inauspicious comet for the irreligious demons. Indeed, you are the maintainer of the three worlds, you are full of transcendental effulgence, you are as quick as the mind, and you are able to work wonders. I can simply utter the word namaḥ, offering all obeisances unto you.
PURPORT
The disc of the Lord is called Sudarśana because he does not discriminate between high and low criminals or demons. Durvāsā Muni was certainly a powerful brāhmaṇa, but his acts against the pure devotee Mahārāja Ambarīṣa were no better than the activities of asuras. As stated in the śāstras, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam: [SB 6.3.19] the word dharma refers to the orders or laws given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: [Bg. 18.66] real dharma is surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore real dharma means bhakti, or devotional service to the Lord. The Sudarśana cakra is here addressed as dharma-setave, the protector of dharma. Mahārāja Ambarīṣa was a truly religious person, and consequently for his protection the Sudarśana cakra was ready to punish even such a strict brāhmaṇa as Durvāsā Muni because he had acted like a demon. There are demons even in the form of brāhmaṇas. Therefore the Sudarśana cakra does not discriminate between brāhmaṇa demons and śūdra demons. Anyone against the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His devotees is called a demon. In the śāstras we find many brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas who acted as demons and have been described as demons. According to the verdict of the śāstras, one has to be understood according to his symptoms. If one is born of a brāhmaṇa father but his symptoms are demoniac, he is regarded as a demon. The Sudarśana cakra is always concerned with annihilating the demons. Therefore he is described as adharma-śīlāsura-dhūma-ketave. Those who are not devotees are called adharma-śīla. The Sudarśana cakra is just like an inauspicious comet for all such demons.
TEXT 7
tvat-tejasā dharma-mayena saṁhṛtaṁ
tamaḥ prakāśaś ca dṛśo mahātmanām
duratyayas te mahimā girāṁ pate
tvad-rūpam etat sad-asat parāvaram
SYNONYMS
tvat-tejasā—by your effulgence; dharma-mayena—which is full of religious principles; saṁhṛtam—dissipated; tamaḥ—darkness; prakāśaḥ ca—illumination also; dṛśaḥ—of all directions; mahā-ātmanām—of great, learned personalities; duratyayaḥ—insurmountable; te—your; mahimā—glories; girām pate—O master of speech; tvat-rūpam—your manifestation; etat—this; sat-asat—manifested and unmanifested; para-avaram—superior and inferior.
TRANSLATION
O master of speech, by your effulgence, full of religious principles, the darkness of the world is dissipated, and the knowledge of learned persons or great souls is manifested. Indeed, no one can surpass your effulgence, for all things, manifested and unmanifested, gross and subtle, superior and inferior, are but various forms of you that are manifested by your effulgence.
PURPORT
Without illumination, nothing can be seen, especially in this material world. The illumination in this world emanates from the effulgence of Sudarśana, the original vision of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The illuminating principles of the sun, the moon and fire emanate from Sudarśana. Similarly, illumination by knowledge also comes from Sudarśana because with the illumination of Sudarśana one can distinguish one thing from another, the superior from the inferior. Generally people accept a powerful yogi like Durvāsā Muni as wonderfully superior, but if such a person is chased by the Sudarśana cakra, we can see his real identity and understand how inferior he is because of his dealings with devotees.
TEXT 8
yadā visṛṣṭas tvam anañjanena vai
balaṁ praviṣṭo ’jita daitya-dānavam
bāhūdarorv-aṅghri-śirodharāṇi
vṛścann ajasraṁ pradhane virājase
SYNONYMS
yadā—when; visṛṣṭaḥ—sent; tvam—your good self; anañjanena—by the transcendental Supreme Personality of Godhead; vai—indeed; balam—the soldiers; praviṣṭaḥ—entering among; ajita—O indefatigable and unconquerable one; daitya-dānavam—of the Daityas and Dānavas, the demons; bāhu—arms; udara—bellies; ūru—thighs; aṅghri—legs; śiraḥ-dharāṇi—necks; vṛścan—separating; ajasram—incessantly; pradhane—in the battlefield; virājase—you stay.
TRANSLATION
O indefatigable one, when you are sent by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to enter among the soldiers of the Daityas and the Dānavas, you stay on the battlefield and unendingly separate their arms, bellies, thighs, legs and heads.
TEXT 9
sa tvaṁ jagat-trāṇa khala-prahāṇaye
nirūpitaḥ sarva-saho gadā-bhṛtā
viprasya cāsmat-kula-daiva-hetave
vidhehi bhadraṁ tad anugraho hi naḥ
SYNONYMS
saḥ—that person; tvam—your good self; jagat-trāṇa—O protector of the whole universe; khala-prahāṇaye—in killing the envious enemies; nirūpitaḥ—are engaged; sarva-sahaḥ—all-powerful; gadā-bhṛtā—by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; viprasya—of this brāhmaṇa; ca—also; asmat—our; kula-daiva-hetave—for the good fortune of the dynasty; vidhehi—kindly do; bhadram—all-good; tat—that; anugrahaḥ—favor; hi—indeed; naḥ—our.
TRANSLATION
O protector of the universe, you are engaged by the Supreme Personality of Godhead as His all-powerful weapon in killing the envious enemies. For the benefit of our entire dynasty, kindly favor this poor brāhmaṇa. This will certainly be a favor for all of us.
TEXT 10
yady asti dattam iṣṭaṁ vā
sva-dharmo vā svanuṣṭhitaḥ
kulaṁ no vipra-daivaṁ ced
dvijo bhavatu vijvaraḥ
SYNONYMS
yadi—if; asti—there is; dattam—charity; iṣṭam—worshiping the Deity; vā—either; sva-dharmaḥ—occupational duty; vā—either; su-anuṣṭhitaḥ—perfectly performed; kulam—dynasty; naḥ—our; vipra-daivam—favored by the brāhmaṇas; cet—if so; dvijaḥ—this brāhmaṇa; bhavatu—may become; vijvaraḥ—without a burning (from the Sudarśana cakra).
TRANSLATION
If our family has given charity to the proper persons, if we have performed ritualistic ceremonies and sacrifices, if we have properly carried out our occupational duties, and if we have been guided by learned brāhmaṇas, I wish, in exchange, that this brāhmaṇa be freed from the burning caused by the Sudarśana cakra.
TEXT 11
yadi no bhagavān prīta
ekaḥ sarva-guṇāśrayaḥ
sarva-bhūtātma-bhāvena
dvijo bhavatu vijvaraḥ
SYNONYMS
yadi—if; naḥ—unto us; bhagavān—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; prītaḥ—is satisfied; ekaḥ—without any duplicate; sarva-guṇa-āśrayaḥ—the reservoir of all transcendental qualities; sarva-bhūta-ātma-bhāvena—by a merciful attitude toward all living entities; dvijaḥ—this brāhmaṇa; bhavatu—may become; vijvaraḥ—freed from all burning.
TRANSLATION
If the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is one without a second, who is the reservoir of all transcendental qualities, and who is the life and soul of all living entities, is pleased with us, we wish that this brāhmaṇa, Durvāsā Muni, be freed from the pain of being burned.
TEXT 12
śrī-śuka uvāca
iti saṁstuvato rājño
viṣṇu-cakraṁ sudarśanam
aśāmyat sarvato vipraṁ
pradahad rāja-yācñayā
SYNONYMS
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca—Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; iti—thus; saṁstuvataḥ—being prayed to; rājñaḥ—by the King; viṣṇu-cakram—the disc weapon of Lord Viṣṇu; sudarśanam—of the name Sudarśana cakra; aśāmyat—became no longer disturbing; sarvataḥ—in every respect; vipram—unto the brāhmaṇa; pradahat—causing to burn; rāja—of the King; yācñayā—by the begging.
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: When the King offered prayers to the Sudarśana cakra and Lord Viṣṇu, because of his prayers the Sudarśana cakra became peaceful and stopped burning the brāhmaṇa known as Durvāsā Muni.
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