Krishna Consciousness

Pictures from the Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 6 Part 1 Video and Chapters 1-5 Summaries

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter One
The History of the Life of Ajāmila
Throughout Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there are descriptions of ten subject matters, including creation, subsequent creation and the planetary systems. Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the speaker of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, has already described creation, subsequent creation and the planetary systems in the Third, Fourth and Fifth Cantos. Now, in this Sixth Canto, which consists of nineteen chapters, he will describe poṣaṇa, or protection by the Lord.
The first chapter relates the history of Ajāmila, who was considered a greatly sinful man, but was liberated when four order carriers of Viṣṇu came to rescue him from the hands of the order carriers of Yamarāja. A full description of how he was liberated, having been relieved of the reactions of his sinful life, is given in this chapter. Sinful activities are painful both in this life and in the next. We should know for certain that the cause of all painful life is sinful action. On the path of fruitive work one certainly commits sinful activities, and therefore according to the considerations of karma-kāṇḍa, different types of atonement are recommended. Such methods of atonement, however, do not free one from ignorance, which is the root of sinful life. Consequently one is prone to commit sinful activities even after atonement, which is therefore very inadequate for purification. On the path of speculative knowledge one becomes free from sinful life by understanding things as they are. Therefore the acquirement of speculative knowledge is also considered a method of atonement. While performing fruitive activities one can become free from the actions of sinful life through austerity, penance, celibacy, control of the mind and senses, truthfulness and the practice of mystic yoga. By awakening knowledge one may also neutralize sinful reactions. Neither of these methods, however, can free one from the tendency to commit sinful activities.
By bhakti-yoga one can completely avoid the tendency for sinful life; other methods are not very feasible. Therefore the Vedic literature concludes that devotional service is more important than the methods of karma-kāṇḍa and jñāna-kāṇḍa. Only the path of devotional service is auspicious for everyone. Fruitive activities and speculative knowledge cannot independently liberate anyone, but devotional service, independent of karma and jñāna, is so potent that one who has fixed his mind at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa is guaranteed not to meet the Yamadūtas, the order carriers of Yamarāja, even in dreams.
To prove the strength of devotional service, Śukadeva Gosvāmī described the history of Ajāmila. Ajāmila was a resident of Kānyakubja (the modern Kanauj). He was trained by his parents to become a perfect brāhmaṇa by studying the Vedas and following the regulative principles, but because of his past, this youthful brāhmaṇa was somehow attracted by a prostitute, and because of her association he became most fallen and abandoned all regulative principles. Ajāmila begot in the womb of the prostitute ten sons, the last of whom was called Nārāyaṇa. At the time of Ajāmila’s death, when the order carriers of Yamarāja came to take him, he loudly called the name Nārāyaṇa in fear because he was attached to his youngest son. Thus he remembered the original Nārāyaṇa, Lord Viṣṇu. Although he did not chant the holy name of Nārāyaṇa completely offenselessly, it acted nevertheless. As soon as he chanted the holy name of Nārāyaṇa, the order carriers of Lord Viṣṇu immediately appeared on the scene. A discussion ensued between the order carriers of Lord Viṣṇu and those of Yamarāja, and by hearing that discussion Ajāmila was liberated. He could then understand the bad effect of fruitive activities and could also understand how exalted is the process of devotional service.

Chapter Two
Ajāmila Delivered by the Viṣṇudūtas
In this chapter the messengers from Vaikuṇṭha explain to the Yamadūtas the glories of chanting the holy name of the Lord. The Viṣṇudūtas said, “Now impious acts are being performed even in an assembly of devotees, for a person who is not punishable is going to be punished in the assembly of Yamarāja. The mass of people are helpless and must depend upon the government for their safety and security, but if the government takes advantage of this to harm the citizens, where will they go? We see perfectly that Ajāmila should not be punished, although you are attempting to take him to Yamarāja for punishment.”
It was due to Ajāmila’s glorifying the holy name of the Supreme Lord that he was not punishable. The Viṣṇudūtas explained this as follows: “Simply by once chanting the holy name of Nārāyaṇa, this brāhmaṇa has become free from the reactions of sinful life. Indeed, he has been freed not only from the sins of this life, but from the sins of many, many thousands of other lives. He has already undergone true atonement for all his sinful actions. If one atones according to the directions of the śāstras, one does not actually become free from sinful reactions, but if one chants the holy name of the Lord, even a glimpse of such chanting can immediately free one from all sins. Chanting the glories of the Lord’s holy name awakens all good fortune. Therefore there is no doubt that Ajāmila, being completely free from all sinful reactions, should not be punished by Yamarāja.”
As they were saying this, the Viṣṇudūtas released Ajāmila from the ropes of the Yamadūtas and left for their own abode. The brāhmaṇa Ajāmila, however, offered his respectful obeisances to the Viṣṇudūtas. He could understand how fortunate he was to have chanted the holy name of Nārāyaṇa at the end of his life. Indeed, he could realize the full significance of this good fortune. Having thoroughly understood the discussion between the Yamadūtas and the Viṣṇudūtas, he became a pure devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He lamented very much for how very sinful he had been, and he condemned himself again and again.
Finally, because of his association with the Viṣṇudūtas, Ajāmila, his original consciousness aroused, gave up everything and went to Hardwar, where he engaged in devotional service without deviation, always thinking of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus the Viṣṇudūtas went there, seated him on a golden throne and took him away to Vaikuṇṭhaloka.
In summary, although the sinful Ajāmila meant to call his son, the holy name of Lord Nārāyaṇa, even though chanted in the preliminary stage, nāmābhāsa, was able to give him liberation. Therefore one who chants the holy name of the Lord with faith and devotion is certainly exalted. He is protected even in his material, conditional life.

Chapter Three
Yamarāja Instructs His Messengers
As related in this chapter, the Yamadūtas approached Yamarāja, who very exhaustively explained bhāgavata-dharma, the religious principle of devotional service. Yamarāja thus satisfied the Yamadūtas, who had been very disappointed. Yamarāja said, “Although Ajāmila was calling for his son, he chanted the holy name of the Lord, Nārāyaṇa, and simply by a glimpse of the chanting of the holy name, he immediately achieved the association of Lord Viṣṇu’s order carriers, who saved him from your attempt to arrest him. This is quite all right. It is a fact that even a chronically sinful person who chants the holy name of the Lord, although not completely without offenses, does not take another material birth.”
By chanting the holy name of the Lord, Ajāmila had met four order carriers of Lord Viṣṇu. They were very beautiful and had quickly come to rescue him. Yamarāja now described them. “The Viṣṇudūtas are all pure devotees of the Lord, the Supreme Person in regard to the creation, maintenance and annihilation of this cosmic manifestation. Neither King Indra, Varuṇa, Śiva, Brahmā, the seven ṛṣis nor I myself can understand the transcendental activities of the Supreme Lord, who is self-sufficient and beyond the reach of the material senses. With material senses, no one can attain enlightenment about Him. The Lord, the master of the illusory energy, possesses transcendental qualities for the good fortune of everyone, and His devotees are also qualified in that way. The devotees, concerned only with rescuing the fallen souls from this material world, apparently take birth in different places in the material world just to save the conditioned souls. If one is somewhat interested in spiritual life, the devotees of the Lord protect him in many ways.”
Yamarāja continued, “The essence of sanātana-dharma, or eternal religion, is extremely confidential. No one but the Lord Himself can deliver that confidential religious system to human society. It is by the mercy of the Lord that the transcendental system of religion can be understood by His pure devotees, and specifically by the twelve mahājanas—Lord Brahmā, Nārada Muni, Lord Śiva, the Kumāras, Kapila, Manu, Prahlāda, Janaka, Bhīṣma, Bali, Śukadeva Gosvāmī and me. Other learned scholars, headed by Jaimini, are almost always covered by the illusory energy, and therefore they are more or less attracted by the flowery language of the three Vedas, namely Ṛg, Yajur and Sāma, which are called trayī. Instead of becoming pure devotees, people captivated by the flowery words of these three Vedas are interested in the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies. They cannot understand the glories of chanting the holy name of the Lord. Intelligent persons, however, take to the devotional service of the Lord. When they chant the holy name of the Lord without offenses, they are no longer subject to my rulings. If by chance they commit some sinful act, they are protected by the holy name of the Lord because that is where their interest lies. The four weapons of the Lord, especially the club and the Sudarśana cakra, always protect the devotees. One who chants, hears or remembers the holy name of the Lord without duplicity, or who prays or offers obeisances to the Lord, becomes perfect, whereas even a learned person may be called to hell if he is bereft of devotional service.”
After Yamarāja thus described the glories of the Lord and His devotees, Śukadeva Gosvāmī further explained the potency of chanting the holy name and the futility of performing Vedic ritualistic ceremonies and pious activities for atonement.

Chapter Four
The Haṁsa-guhya Prayers
After Mahārāja Parīkṣit appealed to Śukadeva Gosvāmī to describe in further detail the creation of the living entities within this universe, Śukadeva Gosvāmī informed him that when the Pracetās, the ten sons of Prācīnabarhi, entered the sea to execute austerities, the planet earth was neglected because of the absence of a king. Naturally many weeds and unnecessary trees grew, and no food grains were produced. Indeed, all the land became like a forest. When the ten Pracetās came out of the sea and saw the entire world full of trees, they were very angry with the trees and decided to destroy them all to rectify the situation. Thus the Pracetās created wind and fire to burn the trees to ashes. Soma, however, the king of the moon and the king of all vegetation, forbade the Pracetās to destroy the trees, since the trees are the source of fruit and flowers for all living beings. Just to satisfy the Pracetās, Soma gave them a beautiful girl born of Pramlocā Apsarā. By the semen of all the Pracetās, Dakṣa was born of that girl.
In the beginning, Dakṣa created all the demigods, demons and human beings, but when he found the population not increasing properly, he took sannyāsa and went to Vindhya Mountain, where be underwent severe austerities and offered Lord Viṣṇu a particular prayer known as Haṁsa-guhya, by which Lord Viṣṇu became very pleased with him. The contents of the prayer were as follows.
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supersoul, Lord Hari, is the controller of both the living entities and the material nature. He is self-sufficient and self-effulgent. As the subject matter of perception is not the cause of our perceiving senses, so the living entity, although within his body, does not cause his eternal friend the Supersoul, who is the cause of creation of all the senses. Because of the living entity’s ignorance, his senses are engaged with material objects. Since the living entity is alive, he can understand the creation of this material world to some extent, but he cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is beyond the conception of the body, mind and intelligence. Nevertheless, great sages who are always in meditation can see the personal form of the Lord within their hearts.
“Since an ordinary living being is materially contaminated, his words and intelligence are also material. Therefore he cannot ascertain the Supreme Personality of Godhead by manipulating his material senses. The conception of God derived through the material senses is inaccurate because the Supreme Lord is beyond the material senses, but when one engages his senses in devotional service, the eternal Supreme Personality of Godhead is revealed on the platform of the soul. When that Supreme Godhead becomes the aim of one’s life, one is said to have attained spiritual knowledge.
“The Supreme Brahman is the cause of all causes because He originally existed before the creation. He is the original cause of everything, both material and spiritual, and His existence is independent. However, the Lord has a potency called avidyā, the illusory energy, which induces the false arguer to think himself perfect and which induces the illusory energy to bewilder the conditioned soul. That Supreme Brahman, the Supersoul, is very affectionate to His devotees. To bestow mercy upon them, He discloses His form, name, attributes and qualities to be worshiped within this material world.
“Unfortunately, however, those who are materially absorbed worship various demigods. As the air passes over a lotus flower and carries the scent of the flower with it, or as the air sometimes carries dust and therefore assumes colors, the Supreme Personality of Godhead appears as the various demigods according to the desires of His various foolish worshipers, but actually He is the supreme truth, Lord Viṣṇu. To fulfill the desires of His devotees, He appears in various incarnations, and therefore there is no need to worship the demigods.”
Being very satisfied by the prayers of Dakṣa, Lord Viṣṇu appeared before Dakṣa with eight arms. The Lord was dressed in yellow garments and had a blackish complexion. Understanding that Dakṣa was very eager to follow the path of enjoyment, the Lord awarded him the potency to enjoy the illusory energy. The Lord offered him the daughter of Pañcajana named Asiknī, who was suitable for Mahārāja Dakṣa to enjoy in sex. Indeed, Dakṣa received his name because he was very expert in sex life. After awarding this benediction, Lord Viṣṇu disappeared.

Chapter Five
Nārada Muni Cursed by Prajāpati Dakṣa
This chapter relates how all the sons of Dakṣa were delivered from the clutches of the material energy by following the advice of Nārada, who was therefore cursed by Dakṣa.
Influenced by the external energy of Lord Viṣṇu, Prajāpati Dakṣa begot ten thousand sons in the womb of his wife, Pāñcajanī. These sons, who were all of the same character and mentality, were known as the Haryaśvas. Ordered by their father to create more and more population, the Haryaśvas went west to the place where the River Sindhu (now the Indus) meets the Arabian Sea. In those days this was the site of a holy lake named Nārāyaṇa-saras, where there were many saintly persons. The Haryaśvas began practicing austerities, penances and meditation, which are the engagements of the highly exalted renounced order of life. However, when Śrīla Nārada Muni saw these boys engaged in such commendable austerities simply for material creation, he thought it better to release them from this tendency. Nārada Muni described to the boys their ultimate goal of life and advised them not to become ordinary karmīs to beget children. Thus all the sons of Dakṣa became enlightened and left, never to return.
Prajāpati Dakṣa, who was very sad at the loss of his sons, begot one thousand more sons in the womb of his wife, Pāñcajanī, and ordered them to increase progeny. These sons, who were named the Savalāśvas, also engaged in worshiping Lord Viṣṇu to beget children, but Nārada Muni convinced them to become mendicants and not beget children. Foiled twice in his attempts to increase population, Prajāpati Dakṣa became most angry at Nārada Muni and cursed him, saying that in the future he would not be able to stay anywhere. Since Nārada Muni, being fully qualified, was fixed in tolerance, he accepted Dakṣa’s curse.

Pictures from the Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 6 Part 1 Plate 1

Chapter One
The History of the Life of Ajāmila

TEXT 27
sa evaṁ vartamāno ’jño
mṛtyu-kāla upasthite
matiṁ cakāra tanaye
bāle nārāyaṇāhvaye
SYNONYMS
saḥ—that Ajāmila; evam—thus; vartamānaḥ—living; ajñaḥ—foolish; mṛtyu-kāle—when the time of death; upasthite—arrived; matim cakāra—concentrated his mind; tanaye—on his son; bāle—the child; nārāyaṇa-āhvaye—whose name was Nārāyaṇa.
TRANSLATION
When the time of death arrived for the foolish Ajāmila, he began thinking exclusively of his son Nārāyaṇa.
PURPORT
In the Second Canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.1.6) Śukadeva Gosvāmī says:
etāvān sāṅkhya-yogābhyāṁ
svadharma-pariniṣṭhayā
janma-lābhaḥ paraḥ puṁsām
ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ
“The highest perfection of human life, achieved either by complete knowledge of matter and spirit, by acquirement of mystic powers, or by perfect discharge of one’s occupational duty, is to remember the Personality of Godhead at the end of life.” Somehow or other, Ajāmila consciously or unconsciously chanted the name of Nārāyaṇa at the time of death (ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ), and therefore he became all-perfect simply by concentrating his mind on the name of Nārāyaṇa.
It may also be concluded that Ajāmila, who was the son of a brāhmaṇa, was accustomed to worshiping Nārāyaṇa in his youth because in every brāhmaṇa’s house there is worship of the nārāyaṇa-śilā. This system is still present in India; in a rigid brāhmaṇa’s house, there is nārāyaṇa-sevā, worship of Nārāyaṇa. Therefore, although the contaminated Ajāmila was calling for his son, by concentrating his mind on the holy name of Nārāyaṇa he remembered the Nārāyaṇa he had very faithfully worshiped in his youth.
In this regard Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī expressed his verdict as follows: etac ca tad-upalālanādi-śrī-nārāyaṇa-namoccāraṇa-māhātmyena tad-bhaktir evābhūd iti siddhāntopayogitvenāpi draṣṭavyam. “According to the bhakti-siddhānta, it is to be analyzed that because Ajāmila constantly chanted his son’s name, Nārāyaṇa, he was elevated to the platform of bhakti, although he did not know it.” Similarly, Śrīla Vīrarāghava Ācārya gives this opinion: evaṁ vartamānaḥ sa dvijaḥ mṛtyu-kāle upasthite satyajño nārāyaṇākhye putra eva matiṁ cakāra matim āsaktām akarod ity arthaḥ. “Although at the time of death he was chanting the name of his son, he nevertheless concentrated his mind upon the holy name of Nārāyaṇa.” Śrīla Vijayadhvaja Tīrtha gives a similar opinion:
mṛtyu-kāle deha-viyoga-lakṣaṇa-kāle mṛtyoḥ sarva-doṣa-pāpa-harasya harer anugrahāt kāle datta-jñāna-lakṣaṇe upasthite hṛdi prakāśite tanaye pūrṇa-jñāne bāle pañca-varṣa-kalpe prādeśa-mātre nārāyaṇāhvaye mūrti-viśeṣe matiṁ smaraṇa-samarthaṁ cittaṁ cakāra bhaktyāsmarad ity arthaḥ.
Directly or indirectly, Ajāmila factually remembered Nārāyaṇa at the time of death (ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ).
TEXTS 28–29
sa pāśa-hastāṁs trīn dṛṣṭvā
puruṣān ati-dāruṇān
vakra-tuṇḍān ūrdhva-romṇa
ātmānaṁ netum āgatān
dūre krīḍanakāsaktaṁ
putraṁ nārāyaṇāhvayam
plāvitena svareṇoccair
ājuhāvākulendriyaḥ
SYNONYMS
saḥ—that person (Ajāmila); pāśa-hastān—having ropes in their hands; trīn—three; dṛṣṭvā—seeing; puruṣān—persons; ati-dāruṇān—very fearful in their features; vakra-tuṇḍān—with twisted faces; ūrdhva-romṇaḥ—with hair standing on the body; ātmānam—the self; netum—to take away; āgatān—arrived; dūre—a short distance away; krīḍanaka-āsaktam—engaged in his play; putram—his child; nārāyaṇa-āhvayam—named Nārāyaṇa; plāvitena—with tearful eyes; svareṇa—with his voice; uccaiḥ—very loudly; ājuhāva—called; ākula-indriyaḥ—being full of anxiety.
TRANSLATION
Ajāmila then saw three awkward persons with deformed bodily features, fierce, twisted faces, and hair standing erect on their bodies. With ropes in their hands, they had come to take him away to the abode of Yamarāja. When he saw them he was extremely bewildered, and because of attachment to his child, who was playing a short distance away, Ajāmila began to call him loudly by his name. Thus with tears in his eyes he somehow or other chanted the holy name of Nārāyaṇa.
PURPORT
A person who performs sinful activities performs them with his body, mind and words. Therefore three order carriers from Yamarāja came to take Ajāmila to Yamarāja’s abode. Fortunately, even though he was referring to his son, Ajāmila chanted the four syllables of the hari-nāma Nārāyaṇa, and therefore the order carriers of Nārāyaṇa, the Viṣṇudūtas, also immediately arrived there. Because Ajāmila was extremely afraid of the ropes of Yamarāja, he chanted the Lord’s name with tearful eyes. Actually, however, he never meant to chant the holy name of Nārāyaṇa; he meant to call his son.
TEXT 30
niśamya mriyamāṇasya
mukhato hari-kīrtanam
bhartur nāma mahārāja
pārṣadāḥ sahasāpatan
SYNONYMS
niśamya—hearing; mriyamāṇasya—of the dying man; mukhataḥ—from the mouth; hari-kīrtanam—chanting of the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhartuḥ nāma—the holy name of their master; mahā-rāja—O King; pārṣadāḥ—the order carriers of Viṣṇu; sahasā—immediately; āpatan—arrived.
TRANSLATION
My dear King, the order carriers of Viṣṇu, the Viṣṇudūtas, immediately arrived when they heard the holy name of their master from the mouth of the dying Ajāmila, who had certainly chanted without offense because he had chanted in complete anxiety.
PURPORT
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura remarks, hari-kīrtanaṁ niśamyāpatan, katham-bhūtasya bhartur nāma bruvataḥ: the order carriers of Lord Viṣṇu came because Ajāmila had chanted the holy name of Nārāyaṇa. They did not consider why he was chanting. While chanting the name of Nārāyaṇa, Ajāmila was actually thinking of his son, but simply because they heard Ajāmila chanting the Lord’s name, the order carriers of Lord Viṣṇu, the Viṣṇudūtas, immediately came for Ajāmila’s protection. Hari-kīrtana is actually meant to glorify the holy name, form, pastimes and qualities of the Lord. Ajāmila, however, did not glorify the form, qualities or paraphernalia of the Lord; he simply chanted the holy name. Nevertheless, that chanting was sufficient to cleanse him of all sinful activities. As soon as the Viṣṇudūtas heard their master’s name being chanted, they immediately came. In this regard Śrīla Vijayadhvaja Tīrtha remarks: anena putra-sneham antareṇa prācīnādṛṣṭa-balād udbhūtayā bhaktyā bhagavan-nāma-saṅkīrtanaṁ kṛtam iti jñāyate. “Ajāmila chanted the name of Nārāyaṇa because of his excessive attachment to his son. Nevertheless, because of his past good fortune in having rendered devotional service to Nārāyaṇa, he apparently chanted the holy name in full devotional service and without offenses.”
TEXT 31
vikarṣato ’ntar hṛdayād
dāsī-patim ajāmilam
yama-preṣyān viṣṇudūtā
vārayām āsur ojasā
SYNONYMS
vikarṣataḥ—snatching; antaḥ hṛdayāt—from within the heart; dāsī-patim—the husband of the prostitute; ajāmilam—Ajāmila; yama-preṣyān—the messengers of Yamarāja; viṣṇu-dūtāḥ—the order carriers of Lord Viṣṇu; vārayām āsuḥ—forbade; ojasā—with resounding voices.
TRANSLATION
The order carriers of Yamarāja were snatching the soul from the core of the heart of Ajāmila, the husband of the prostitute, but with resounding voices the messengers of Lord Viṣṇu, the Viṣṇudūtas, forbade them to do so.
PURPORT
A Vaiṣṇava, one who has surrendered to the lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu, is always protected by Lord Viṣṇu’s order carriers. Because Ajāmila had chanted the holy name of Nārāyaṇa, the Viṣṇudūtas not only immediately arrived on the spot but also at once ordered the Yamadūtas not to touch him. By speaking with resounding voices, the Viṣṇudūtas threatened to punish the Yamadūtas if they continued trying to snatch Ajāmila’s soul from his heart. The order carriers of Yamarāja have jurisdiction over all sinful living entities, but the messengers of Lord Viṣṇu, the Viṣṇudūtas, are capable of punishing anyone, including Yamarāja, if he wrongs a Vaiṣṇava.
Materialistic scientists do not know where to find the soul within the body with their material instruments, but this verse clearly explains that the soul is within the core of the heart (hṛdaya); it is from the heart that the Yamadūtas were extracting the soul of Ajāmila. Similarly, we learn that the Supersoul, Lord Viṣṇu, is also situated within the heart (īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe ’rjuna tiṣṭhati [Bg. 18.61]). In the Upaniṣads it is said that the Supersoul and the individual soul are living in the same tree of the body as two friendly birds. The Supersoul is said to be friendly because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is so kind to the original soul that when the original soul transmigrates from one body to another, the Lord goes with him. Furthermore, according to the desire and karma of the individual soul, the Lord, through the agency of māyā, creates another body for him.
The heart of the body is a mechanical arrangement. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (18.61):
īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
hṛd-deśe ’rjuna tiṣṭhati
bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni
yantrārūḍhāni māyayā
“The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.” Yantra means a machine, such as an automobile. The driver of the machine of the body is the individual soul, who is also its director or proprietor, but the supreme proprietor is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One’s body is created through the agency of māyā (karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa), and according to one’s activities in this life, another vehicle is created, again under the supervision of daivī māyā (daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā). At the appropriate time, one’s next body is immediately chosen, and both the individual soul and the Supersoul transfer to that particular bodily machine. This is the process of transmigration. During transmigration from one body to the next, the soul is taken away by the order carriers of Yamarāja and put into a particular type of hellish life (naraka) in order to become accustomed to the condition in which he will live in his next body.

Pictures from the Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 6 Part 1 Plate 2

Chapter Two
Ajāmila Delivered by the Viṣṇudūtas

TEXT 39
iti jāta-sunirvedaḥ
kṣaṇa-saṅgena sādhuṣu
gaṅgā-dvāram upeyāya
mukta-sarvānubandhanaḥ
SYNONYMS
iti—thus; jāta-sunirvedaḥ—(Ajāmila) who had become detached from the material conception of life; kṣaṇa-saṅgena—by a moment’s association; sādhuṣu—with devotees; gaṅgā-dvāram—to Hardwar (hari-dvāra), the doorway to Hari (because the Ganges begins there, Hardwar is also called gaṅgā-dvāra); upeyāya—went; mukta—being freed from; sarva-anubandhanaḥ—all kinds of material bondage.
TRANSLATION
Because of a moment’s association with devotees [the Viṣṇudūtas], Ajāmila detached himself from the material conception of life with determination. Thus freed from all material attraction, he immediately started for Hardwar.
PURPORT
The word mukta-sarvānubandhanaḥ indicates that after this incident, Ajāmila, not caring for his wife and children, went straight to Hardwar for further advancement in his spiritual life. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement now has centers in Vṛndāvana and Navadvīpa so that those who want to live a retired life, whether they be devotees or not, can go there and with determination give up the bodily concept of life. One is welcome to live in those holy places for the rest of his life in order to achieve the highest success by the very simple method of chanting the holy name of the Lord and taking prasāda. Thus one may return home, back to Godhead. We do not have a center in Hardwar, but Vṛndāvana and Śrīdhāma Māyāpur are better for devotees than any other places. The Caitanya Candrodaya temple offers one a good opportunity to associate with devotees. Let us all take advantage of this opportunity.
TEXT 40
sa tasmin deva-sadana
āsīno yogam āsthitaḥ
pratyāhṛtendriya-grāmo
yuyoja mana ātmani
SYNONYMS
saḥ—he (Ajāmila); tasmin—at that place (Hardwar); deva-sadane—in one Viṣṇu temple; āsīnaḥ—being situated; yogam āsthitaḥ—performed bhakti-yoga; pratyāhṛta—withdrawn from all activities of sense gratification; indriya-grāmaḥ—his senses; yuyoja—he fixed; manaḥ—the mind; ātmani—on the self or the Supersoul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TRANSLATION
In Hardwar, Ajāmila took shelter at a Viṣṇu temple, where he executed the process of bhakti-yoga. He controlled his senses and fully applied his mind in the service of the Lord.
PURPORT
The devotees who have joined the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement may live comfortably in our many temples and engage in the devotional service of the Lord. Thus they can control the mind and senses and achieve the highest success in life. This is the process descending from time immemorial. Learning from the life of Ajāmila, we should vow with determination to do what is necessary to follow this path.
TEXT 41
tato guṇebhya ātmānaṁ
viyujyātma-samādhinā
yuyuje bhagavad-dhāmni
brahmaṇy anubhavātmani
SYNONYMS
tataḥ—thereafter; guṇebhyaḥ—from the modes of material nature; ātmānam—the mind; viyujya—detaching; ātma-samādhinā—by being fully engaged in devotional service; yuyuje—engaged; bhagavat-dhāmni—in the form of the Lord; brahmaṇi—which is Parabrahman (not idol worship); anubhava-ātmani—which is always thought of (beginning from the lotus feet and gradually progressing upward).
TRANSLATION
Ajāmila fully engaged in devotional service. Thus he detached his mind from the process of sense gratification and became fully absorbed in thinking of the form of the Lord.
PURPORT
If one worships the Deity in the temple, one’s mind will naturally be absorbed in thought of the Lord and His form. There is no distinction between the form of the Lord and the Lord Himself. Therefore bhakti-yoga is the most easy system of yoga. Yogīs try to concentrate their minds upon the form of the Supersoul, Viṣṇu, within the heart, but this same objective is easily achieved when one’s mind is absorbed in the Deity worshiped in the temple. In every temple there is a transcendental form of the Lord, and one may easily think of this form. By seeing the Lord during ārati, by offering bhoga and by constantly thinking of the form of the Deity, one becomes a first-class yogī. This is the best process of yoga, as confirmed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead in Bhagavad-gītā (6.47):
yoginām api sarveṣāṁ
mad-gatenāntarātmanā
śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ
sa me yuktatamo mataḥ
“Of all yogīs, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all.” The first-class yogī is he who controls his senses and detaches himself from material activities by always thinking of the form of the Lord.
TEXT 42
yarhy upārata-dhīs tasminn
adrākṣīt puruṣān puraḥ
upalabhyopalabdhān prāg
vavande śirasā dvijaḥ
SYNONYMS
yarhi—when; upārata-dhīḥ—his mind and intelligence were fixed; tasmin—at that time; adrākṣīt—had seen; puruṣān—the persons (the order carriers of Lord Viṣṇu); puraḥ—before him; upalabhya—getting; upalabdhān—who were gotten; prāk—previously; vavande—offered obeisances; śirasā—by the head; dvijaḥ—the brāhmaṇa.
TRANSLATION
When his intelligence and mind were fixed upon the form of the Lord, the brāhmaṇa Ajāmila once again saw before him four celestial persons. He could understand that they were those he had seen previously, and thus he offered them his obeisances by bowing down before them.
PURPORT
The Viṣṇudūtas who had rescued Ajāmila came before him again when his mind was firmly fixed upon the form of the Lord. The Viṣṇudūtas had gone away for some time to give Ajāmila a chance to become firmly fixed in meditation upon the Lord. Now that his devotion had matured, they returned to take him. Understanding that the same Viṣṇudūtas had returned, Ajāmila offered them his obeisances by bowing down before them.
TEXT 43
hitvā kalevaraṁ tīrthe
gaṅgāyāṁ darśanād anu
sadyaḥ svarūpaṁ jagṛhe
bhagavat-pārśva-vartinām
SYNONYMS
hitvā—giving up; kalevaram—the material body; tīrthe—in the holy place; gaṅgāyām—on the bank of the Ganges; darśanāt anu—after seeing; sadyaḥ—immediately; sva-rūpam—his original spiritual form; jagṛhe—he assumed; bhagavat-pārśva-vartinām—which is fit for an associate of the Lord.
TRANSLATION
Upon seeing the Viṣṇudūtas, Ajāmila gave up his material body at Hardwar on the bank of the Ganges. He regained his original spiritual body, which was a body appropriate for an associate of the Lord.
PURPORT
The Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (4.9):
janma karma ca me divyam
evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ
tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma
naiti mām eti so ’rjuna
“One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.”
The result of perfection in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is that after giving up one’s material body, one is immediately transferred to the spiritual world in one’s original spiritual body to become an associate of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Some devotees go to Vaikuṇṭhaloka, and others go to Goloka Vṛndāvana to become associates of Kṛṣṇa.
TEXT 44
sākaṁ vihāyasā vipro
mahāpuruṣa-kiṅkaraiḥ
haimaṁ vimānam āruhya
yayau yatra śriyaḥ patiḥ
SYNONYMS
sākam—along; vihāyasā—by the path in the sky, or the airways; vipraḥ—the brāhmaṇa (Ajāmila); mahāpuruṣa-kiṅkaraiḥ—with the order carriers of Lord Viṣṇu; haimam—made of gold; vimānam—an airplane; āruhya—boarding; yayau—went; yatra—where; śriyaḥ patiḥ—Lord Viṣṇu, the husband of the goddess of fortune.
TRANSLATION
Accompanied by the order carriers of Lord Viṣṇu, Ajāmila boarded an airplane made of gold. Passing through the airways, he went directly to the abode of Lord Viṣṇu, the husband of the goddess of fortune.
PURPORT
For many years, material scientists have tried to go to the moon, but they are still unable to go there. However, the spiritual airplanes from the spiritual planets can take one back home, back to Godhead, in a second. The speed of such a spiritual plane can only be imagined. Spirit is finer than the mind, and everyone has experience of how swiftly the mind travels from one place to another. Therefore one can imagine the swiftness of the spiritual form by comparing it to the speed of the mind. In less than even a moment, a perfect devotee can return home, back to Godhead, immediately after giving up his material body.

Pictures from the Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 6 Part 1 Plate 3

Chapter Three
Yamarāja Instructs His Messengers

TEXT 2
yamasya devasya na daṇḍa-bhaṅgaḥ
kutaścanarṣe śruta-pūrva āsīt
etan mune vṛścati loka-saṁśayaṁ
na hi tvad-anya iti me viniścitam
SYNONYMS
yamasya—of Yamarāja; devasya—the demigod in charge of judgment; na—not; daṇḍa-bhaṅgaḥ—the breaking of the order; kutaścana—from anywhere; ṛṣe—O great sage; śruta-pūrvaḥ—heard before; āsīt—was; etat—this; mune—O great sage; vṛścati—can eradicate; loka-saṁśayam—the doubt of people; na—not; hi—indeed; tvat-anyaḥ—anyone other than you; iti—thus; me—by me; viniścitam—concluded.
TRANSLATION
O great sage, never before has it been heard anywhere that an order from Yamarāja has been baffled. Therefore I think that people will have doubts about this that no one but you can eradicate. Since that is my firm conviction, kindly explain the reasons for these events.
TEXT 3
śrī-śuka uvāca
bhagavat-puruṣai rājan
yāmyāḥ pratihatodyamāḥ
patiṁ vijñāpayām āsur
yamaṁ saṁyamanī-patim
SYNONYMS
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca—Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; bhagavat-puruṣaiḥ—by the order carriers of the Lord, the Viṣṇudūtas; rājan—O King; yāmyāḥ—the order carriers of Yamarāja; pratihata-udyamāḥ—whose efforts were defeated; patim—their master; vijñāpayām āsuḥ—informed; yamam—Yamarāja; saṁyamanī-patim—the master of the city Saṁyamanī.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī replied: My dear King, when the order carriers of Yamarāja were baffled and defeated by the order carriers of Viṣṇu, they approached their master, the controller of Saṁyamanī-purī and master of sinful persons, to tell him of this incident.

Pictures from the Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 6 Part 1 Plate 4

Chapter Four
The Haṁsa-guhya Prayers

TEXT 4
śrī-śuka uvāca
yadā pracetasaḥ putrā
daśa prācīnabarhiṣaḥ
antaḥ-samudrād unmagnā
dadṛśur gāṁ drumair vṛtām
SYNONYMS
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca—Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; yadā—when; pracetasaḥ—the Pracetās; putrāḥ—the sons; daśa—ten; prācīnabarhiṣaḥ—of King Prācīnabarhi; antaḥ-samudrāt—from within the ocean; unmagnāḥ—emerged; dadṛśuḥ—they saw; gām—the entire planet; drumaiḥ vṛtām—covered with trees.
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: When the ten sons of Prācīnabarhi emerged from the waters, in which they were performing austerities, they saw that the entire surface of the world was covered by trees.
PURPORT
When King Prācīnabarhi was performing Vedic rituals in which the killing of animals was recommended, Nārada Muni, out of compassion, advised him to stop. Prācīnabarhi understood Nārada properly and then left the kingdom to perform austerities in the forest. His ten sons, however, were performing austerities within the water, and therefore there was no king to see to the management of the world. When the ten sons, the Pracetās, came out of the water, they saw that the earth was overrun with trees.
When the government neglects agriculture, which is necessary for the production of food, the land becomes covered with unnecessary trees. Of course, many trees are useful because they produce fruits and flowers, but many other trees are unnecessary. They could be used as fuel and the land cleared and used for agriculture. When the government is negligent, less grain is produced. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (18.44), kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva jam: the proper engagements for vaiśyas, according to their nature, are to farm and to protect cows. The duty of the government and the kṣatriyas is to see that the members of the third class, the vaiśyas, who are neither brāhmaṇas nor kṣatriyas, are thus properly engaged. Kṣatriyas are meant to protect human beings, whereas vaiśyas are meant to protect useful animals, especially cows.
TEXT 5
drumebhyaḥ krudhyamānās te
tapo-dīpita-manyavaḥ
mukhato vāyum agniṁ ca
sasṛjus tad-didhakṣayā
SYNONYMS
drumebhyaḥ—unto the trees; krudhyamānāḥ—being very angry; te—they (the ten sons of Prācīnabarhi); tapaḥ-dīpita-manyavaḥ—whose anger was inflamed because of long austerities; mukhataḥ—from the mouth; vāyum—wind; agnim—fire; ca—and; sasṛjuḥ—they created; tat—those forests; didhakṣayā—with the desire to burn.
TRANSLATION
Because of having undergone long austerities in the water, the Pracetās were very angry at the trees. Desiring to burn them to ashes, they generated wind and fire from their mouths.
PURPORT
Here the word tapo-dīpita-manyavaḥ indicates that persons who have undergone severe austerity (tapasya) are endowed with great mystic power, as evinced by the Pracetās, who created fire and wind from their mouths. Although devotees undergo severe tapasya, however, they are vimanyavaḥ, sādhavaḥ, which means that they are never angry. They are always decorated with good qualities. Bhāgavatam (3.25.21) states:
titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ
suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām
ajāta-śatravaḥ śāntāḥ
sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ
A sādhu, a devotee, is never angry. Actually the real feature of devotees who undergo tapasya, austerity, is forgiveness. Although a Vaiṣṇava has sufficient power in tapasya, he does not become angry when put into difficulty. If one undergoes tapasya but does not become a Vaiṣṇava, however, one does not develop good qualities. For example, Hiraṇyakaśipu and Rāvaṇa also performed great austerities, but they did so to demonstrate their demoniac tendencies. Vaiṣṇavas must meet many opponents while preaching the glories of the Lord, but Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommends that they not become angry while preaching. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given this formula: tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā/ amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ [Cc. adi 17.31]. “One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.” Those engaged in preaching the glories of the Lord should be humbler than grass and more tolerant than a tree; then they can preach the glories of the Lord without difficulty.
TEXT 6
tābhyāṁ nirdahyamānāṁs tān
upalabhya kurūdvaha
rājovāca mahān somo
manyuṁ praśamayann iva
SYNONYMS
tābhyām—by the wind and fire; nirdahyamānān—being burned; tān—them (the trees); upalabhya—seeing; kurūdvaha—O Mahārāja Parīkṣit; rājā—the king of the forest; uvāca—said; mahān—the great; somaḥ—predominating deity of the moon, Somadeva; manyum—the anger; praśamayan—pacifying; iva—like.
TRANSLATION
My dear King Parīkṣit, when Soma, the king of the trees and predominating deity of the moon, saw the fire and wind burning all the trees to ashes, he felt great sympathy because he is the maintainer of all herbs and trees. To appease the anger of the Pracetās, Soma spoke as follows.
PURPORT
It is understood from this verse that the predominating deity of the moon is the maintainer of all the trees and plants throughout the universe. It is due to the moonshine that trees and plants grow very luxuriantly. Therefore how can we accept the so-called scientists whose moon expeditions have informed us that there are no trees or vegetation on the moon? Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says, somo vṛkṣādhiṣṭhātā sa eva vṛkṣāṇāṁ rājā: Soma, the predominating deity of the moon, is the king of all vegetation. How can we believe that the maintainer of vegetation has no vegetation on his own planet?
TEXT 7
na drumebhyo mahā-bhāgā
dīnebhyo drogdhum arhatha
vivardhayiṣavo yūyaṁ
prajānāṁ patayaḥ smṛtāḥ
SYNONYMS
na—not; drumebhyaḥ—the trees; mahā-bhāgāḥ—O greatly fortunate ones; dīnebhyaḥ—who are very poor; drogdhum—to burn to ashes; arhatha—you deserve; vivardhayiṣavaḥ—desiring to bring about an increase; yūyam—you; prajānām—of all living entities who have taken shelter of you; patayaḥ—the masters or protectors; smṛtāḥ—known as.
TRANSLATION
O greatly fortunate ones, you should not kill these poor trees by burning them to ashes. Your duty is to wish the citizens [prajās] all prosperity and to act as their protectors.
PURPORT
It is indicated herein that the government or king has the duty of protecting not only the human beings, but all other living entities, including animals, trees and plants. No living entity should be killed unnecessarily.

Pictures from the Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 6 Part 1 Plate 5

Chapter Four
The Haṁsa-guhya Prayers

TEXT 29
yad yan niruktaṁ vacasā nirūpitaṁ
dhiyākṣabhir vā manasota yasya
mā bhūt svarūpaṁ guṇa-rūpaṁ hi tat tat
sa vai guṇāpāya-visarga-lakṣaṇaḥ
SYNONYMS
yat yat—whatever; niruktam—expressed; vacasā—by words; nirūpitam—ascertained; dhiyā—by so-called meditation or intelligence; akṣabhiḥ—by the senses; vā—or; manasā—by the mind; uta—certainly; yasya—of whom; mā bhūt—may not be; sva-rūpam—the actual form of the Lord; guṇa-rūpam—consisting of the three qualities; hi—indeed; tat tat—that; saḥ—that Supreme Personality of Godhead; vai—indeed; guṇa-apāya—the cause of the annihilation of everything made of the material modes of nature; visarga—and the creation; lakṣaṇaḥ—appearing as.
TRANSLATION
Anything expressed by material vibrations, anything ascertained by material intelligence and anything experienced by the material senses or concocted within the material mind is but an effect of the modes of material nature and therefore has nothing to do with the real nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Lord is beyond the creation of this material world, for He is the source of the material qualities and creation. As the cause of all causes, He exists before the creation and after the creation. I wish to offer my respectful obeisances unto Him.
PURPORT
One who manufactures names, forms, qualities or paraphernalia pertaining to the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot understand Him, since He is beyond creation. The Supreme Lord is the creator of everything, and this means that He existed when there was no creation. In other words, His name, form and qualities are not materially created entities; they are transcendental always. Therefore by our material concoctions, vibrations and thoughts we cannot ascertain the Supreme Lord. This is explained in the verse ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ [BRS.
ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi
na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ
sevonmukhe hi jihvādau
svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ
“No one can understand the transcendental nature of the name, form, quality and pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa through his materially contaminated senses. Only when one becomes spiritually saturated by transcendental service to the Lord are the transcendental name, form, quality and pastimes of the Lord revealed to him.” (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.234)1.2.234].
Prācetasa, Dakṣa, herein offers prayers unto the Transcendence, not to anyone within the material creation. Only fools and rascals think God a material creation. This is confirmed by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gītā (9.11):
avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā
mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam
paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto
mama bhūta-maheśvaram
“Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do not know My transcendental nature and My supreme dominion over all that be.” Therefore, one must receive knowledge from a person to whom the Lord has revealed Himself; there is no value in creating an imaginary name or form for the Lord. Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya was an impersonalist, but nevertheless he said, nārāyaṇaḥ paro ’vyaktāt: Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is not a person of the material world. We cannot assign Nārāyaṇa a material designation, as the foolish attempt to do when they speak of daridra-nārāyaṇa (poor Nārāyaṇa). Nārāyaṇa is always transcendental, beyond this material creation. How can He become daridra-nārāyaṇa? Poverty is found within this material world, but in the spiritual world, there is no such thing as poverty. Therefore the idea of daridra-nārāyaṇa is merely a concoction.
Dakṣa very carefully points out that material designations cannot be names of the worshipable Lord: yad yan niruktaṁ vacasā nirūpitam. Nirukta refers to the Vedic dictionary. One cannot properly understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead merely by picking up expressions from a dictionary. In praying to the Lord, Dakṣa does not wish material names and forms to be the objects of his worship; rather, he wants to worship the Lord, who existed before the creation of material dictionaries and names. As confirmed in the Vedas, yato vāco nivartante/ aprāpya manasā saha: the name, form, attributes and paraphernalia of the Lord cannot be ascertained through a material dictionary. However, if one reaches the transcendental platform of understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he becomes well acquainted with everything, material and spiritual. This is confirmed in another Vedic mantra: tam eva viditvāti mṛtyum eti. If one can somehow or other, by the grace of the Lord, understand the transcendental position of the Lord, one becomes eternal. This is further confirmed by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gītā (4.9):
janma karma ca me divyam
evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ
tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma
naiti mām eti so ’rjuna
“One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.” Simply by understanding the Supreme Lord, one goes beyond birth, death, old age and disease. Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī therefore advised Mahārāja Parīkṣit in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.1.5):
tasmād bhārata sarvātmā
bhagavān īśvaro hariḥ
śrotavyaḥ kīrtitavyaś ca
smartavyaś cecchatābhayam
“O descendant of King Bharata, one who desires to be free from all miseries must hear, glorify and also remember the Personality of Godhead. who is the Supersoul, the controller and the savior from all miseries.”

Pictures from the Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 6 Part 1 Plate 6

Chapter Four
The Haṁsa-guhya Prayers

TEXT 33
yo ’nugrahārthaṁ bhajatāṁ pāda-mūlam
anāma-rūpo bhagavān anantaḥ
nāmāni rūpāṇi ca janma-karmabhir
bheje sa mahyaṁ paramaḥ prasīdatu
SYNONYMS
yaḥ—who (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); anugraha-artham—to show His causeless mercy; bhajatām—to the devotees who always render devotional service; pāda-mūlam—to His transcendental lotus feet; anāma—with no material name; rūpaḥ—or material form; bhagavān—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; anantaḥ—unlimited, all-pervading and eternally existing; nāmāni—transcendental holy names; rūpāṇi—His transcendental forms; ca—also; janma-karmabhiḥ—with His transcendental birth and activities; bheje—manifests; saḥ—He; mahyam—unto me; paramaḥ—the Supreme; prasīdatu—may He be merciful.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is inconceivably opulent, who is devoid of all material names, forms and pastimes, and who is all-pervading, is especially merciful to the devotees who worship His lotus feet. Thus He exhibits transcendental forms and names with His different pastimes. May that Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose form is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss, be merciful to me.
PURPORT
In regard to the significant word anāma-rūpaḥ, Śrī Śrīdhara Svāmī says, prākṛta-nāma-rūpa-rahito ’pi. The word anāma, which means “having no name,” indicates that the Supreme Personality of Godhead has no material name. Simply by chanting the name of Nārāyaṇa to call his son, Ajāmila attained salvation. This means that Nārāyaṇa is not an ordinary mundane name; it is nonmaterial. The word anāma, therefore, indicates that the names of the Supreme Lord do not belong to this material world. The vibration of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra is not a material sound, and similarly the form of the Lord and His appearance and activities are all nonmaterial. To show His causeless mercy to the devotees, as well as to the nondevotees, Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, appears in this material world with names, forms and pastimes, all of which are transcendental. Unintelligent men who cannot understand this think that these names, forms and pastimes are material, and therefore they deny that He has a name or a form.
Considered with scrutiny, the conclusion of nondevotees, who say that God has no name, and that of devotees, who know that His name is not material, are practically the same. The Supreme Personality of Godhead has no material name, form, birth, appearance or disappearance, but nevertheless, He takes His birth (janma). As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (4.6):
ajo ’pi sann avyayātmā
bhūtānām īśvaro ’pi san
prakṛtiṁ svām adhiṣṭhāya
sambhavāmy ātma-māyayā
Although the Lord is unborn (aja) and His body never undergoes material changes, He nevertheless appears as an incarnation, maintaining Himself always in the transcendental stage (śuddha-sattva). Thus He exhibits His transcendental forms, names and activities. That is His special mercy toward His devotees. Others may continue merely arguing about whether the Absolute Truth has form or not, but when a devotee, by the grace of the Lord, sees the Lord personally, he becomes spiritually ecstatic.
Unintelligent persons say that the Lord does nothing. Actually He has nothing to do, but nevertheless He has to do everything, because without His sanction no one can do anything. The unintelligent, however, cannot see how He is working and how the entire material nature is working under His direction. His different potencies work perfectly.
na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate
na tat-samaś cābhyadhikaś ca dṛśyate
parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate
svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca
(Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.8)
He has nothing to do personally, for since His potencies are perfect, everything is immediately done by His will. Persons to whom the Supreme Personality of Godhead is not revealed cannot see how He is working, and therefore they think that even if there is God, He has nothing to do or has no particular name.
Actually the Lord’s name already exists because of His transcendental activities. The Lord is sometimes called guṇa-karma-nāma because He is named according to His transcendental activities. For example, Kṛṣṇa means “all-attractive.” This is the Lord’s name because His transcendental qualities make Him very attractive. As a small boy He lifted Govardhana Hill, and in His childhood He killed many demons. Such activities are very attractive, and therefore He is sometimes called Giridhārī, Madhusūdana, Agha-niṣūdana and so on. Because He acted as the son of Nanda Mahārāja, He is called Nanda-tanuja. These names already exist, but since nondevotees cannot understand the names of the Lord, He is sometimes called anāma, or nameless. This means that He has no material names. All His activities are spiritual, and therefore He has spiritual names.
Generally, less intelligent men are under the impression that the Lord has no form. Therefore He appears in His original form as Kṛṣṇa, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1], to carry out His mission of participating in the Battle of Kurukṣetra and pastimes to protect the devotees and vanquish the demons (paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām [Bg. 4.8]). This is His mercy. For those who think that He has no form and no work to do, Kṛṣṇa comes to show that indeed He works. He works so gloriously that no one else can perform such uncommon acts. Although He appeared as a human being, He married 16,108 wives, which is impossible for a human being to do. The Lord performs such activities to show people how great He is, how affectionate He is and how merciful He is. Although His original name is Kṛṣṇa (kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam), He acts in unlimited ways, and therefore according to His work He has many, many thousands of names.

Pictures from the Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 6 Part 1 Plate 7

Chapter Four
The Haṁsa-guhya Prayers

TEXTS 35–39
śrī-śuka uvāca
iti stutaḥ saṁstuvataḥ
sa tasminn aghamarṣaṇe
prādurāsīt kuru-śreṣṭha
bhagavān bhakta-vatsalaḥ
kṛta-pādaḥ suparṇāṁse
pralambāṣṭa-mahā-bhujaḥ
cakra-śaṅkhāsi-carmeṣu-
dhanuḥ-pāśa-gadā-dharaḥ
pīta-vāsā ghana-śyāmaḥ
prasanna-vadanekṣaṇaḥ
vana-mālā-nivītāṅgo
lasac-chrīvatsa-kaustubhaḥ
mahā-kirīṭa-kaṭakaḥ
sphuran-makara-kuṇḍalaḥ
kāñcy-aṅgulīya-valaya-
nūpurāṅgada-bhūṣitaḥ
trailokya-mohanaṁ rūpaṁ
bibhrat tribhuvaneśvaraḥ
vṛto nārada-nandādyaiḥ
pārṣadaiḥ sura-yūthapaiḥ
stūyamāno ’nugāyadbhiḥ
siddha-gandharva-cāraṇaiḥ
SYNONYMS
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca—Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; iti—thus; stutaḥ—being praised; saṁstuvataḥ—of Dakṣa, who was offering prayers; saḥ—that Supreme Personality of Godhead; tasmin—in that; aghamarṣaṇe—holy place celebrated as Aghamarṣaṇa; prādurāsīt—appeared; kuru-śreṣṭha—O best of the Kuru dynasty; bhagavān—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhakta-vatsalaḥ—who is very kind to His devotees; kṛta-pādaḥ—whose lotus feet were placed; suparṇa-aṁse—on the shoulders of His carrier, Garuḍa; pralamba—very long; aṣṭa-mahā-bhujaḥ—possessing eight mighty arms; cakra—disc; śaṅkha—conchshell; asi—sword; carma—shield; iṣu—arrow; dhanuḥ—bow; pāśa—rope; gadā—club; dharaḥ—holding; pīta-vāsāḥ—with yellow garments; ghana-śyāmaḥ—whose bodily hue was intense blue-black; prasanna—very cheerful; vadana—whose face; īkṣaṇaḥ—and glance; vana-mālā—by a garland of forest flowers; nivīta-aṅgaḥ—whose body was adorned from the neck down to the feet; lasat—shining; śrīvatsa-kaustubhaḥ—the jewel known as Kaustubha and the mark of Śrīvatsa; mahā-kirīṭa—of a very large and gorgeous helmet; kaṭakaḥ—a circle; sphurat—glittering; makara-kuṇḍalaḥ—earrings resembling sharks; kāñcī—with a belt; aṅgulīya—finger rings; valaya—bracelets; nūpura—ankle bells; aṅgada—upper-arm bracelets; bhūṣitaḥ—decorated; trai-lokya-mohanam—captivating the three worlds; rūpam—His bodily features; bibhrat—shining; tri-bhuvana—of the three worlds; īśvaraḥ—the Supreme Lord; vṛtaḥ—surrounded; nārada—by exalted devotees, headed by Nārada; nanda-ādyaiḥ—and others, like Nanda; pārṣadaiḥ—who are all eternal associates; sura-yūthapaiḥ—as well as by the heads of the demigods; stūyamānaḥ—being glorified; anugāyadbhiḥ—singing after Him; siddha-gandharva-cāraṇaiḥ—by the Siddhas, Gandharvas and Cāraṇas.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, who is extremely affectionate to His devotees, was very pleased by the prayers offered by Dakṣa, and thus He appeared at that holy place known as Aghamarṣaṇa. O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, best of the Kuru dynasty, the Lord’s lotus feet rested on the shoulders of His carrier, Garuḍa, and He appeared with eight long, mighty, very beautiful arms. In His hands He held a disc, conchshell, sword, shield, arrow, bow, rope and club—in each hand a different weapon, all brilliantly shining. His garments were yellow and His bodily hue deep bluish. His eyes and face were very cheerful, and from His neck to His feet hung a long garland of flowers. His chest was decorated with the Kaustubha jewel and the mark of Śrīvatsa. On His head was a gorgeous round helmet, and His ears were decorated with earrings resembling sharks. All these ornaments were uncommonly beautiful. The Lord wore a golden belt on His waist, bracelets on His arms, rings on His fingers, and ankle bells on His feet. Thus decorated by various ornaments, Lord Hari, who is attractive to all the living entities of the three worlds, is known as Puruṣottama, the best personality. He was accompanied by great devotees like Nārada, Nanda and all the principal demigods, led by the heavenly king, Indra, and the residents of various upper planetary systems such as Siddhaloka, Gandharvaloka and Cāraṇaloka. Situated on both sides of the Lord and behind Him as well, these devotees offered Him prayers continuously.
TEXT 40
rūpaṁ tan mahad-āścaryaṁ
vicakṣyāgata-sādhvasaḥ
nanāma daṇḍavad bhūmau
prahṛṣṭātmā prajāpatiḥ
SYNONYMS
rūpam—transcendental form; tat—that; mahat-āścaryam—greatly wonderful; vicakṣya—seeing; āgata-sādhvasaḥ—in the beginning becoming afraid; nanāma—offered obeisances; daṇḍa-vat—like a stick; bhūmau—on the ground; prahṛṣṭa-ātmā—being pleased in his body, mind and soul; prajāpatiḥ—the prajāpati known as Dakṣa.
TRANSLATION
Seeing that wonderful and effulgent form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Prajāpati Dakṣa was first somewhat afraid, but then he was very pleased to see the Lord, and he fell to the ground like a stick [daṇḍavat] to offer his respects to the Lord.

Pictures from the Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 6 Part 2 Video and Chapters 6-13 Summaries

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Six
The Progeny of the Daughters of Dakṣa
As described in this chapter, Prajāpati Dakṣa begot sixty daughters in the womb of his wife Asiknī. These daughters were given in charity to various persons to increase the population. Since these offspring of Dakṣa were women, Nārada Muni did not try to lead them toward the renounced order of life. Thus the daughters were saved from Nārada Muni. Ten of the daughters were given in marriage to Dharmarāja, thirteen to Kaśyapa Muni, and twenty-seven to the moon-god, Candra. In this way fifty daughters were distributed, and of the other ten daughters, four were given to Kaśyapa and two each to Bhūta, Aṅgirā and Kṛśāśva. One should know that it is because of the union of these sixty daughters with various exalted personalities that the entire universe was filled with various kinds of living entities, such as human beings, demigods, demons, beasts, birds and serpents.

Chapter Seven
Indra Offends His Spiritual Master, Bṛhaspati.
As related in this chapter, Indra, the King of heaven, committed an offense at the feet of his spiritual master, Bṛhaspati. Bṛhaspati therefore left the demigods, who then had no priest. However, at the request of the demigods, Viśvarūpa, the son of the brāhmaṇa Tvaṣṭā, became their priest.
Once upon a time, Indra, the King of the demigods, was sitting with his wife Śacīdevī and being praised by various demigods like the Siddhas, Cāraṇas and Gandharvas when Bṛhaspati, the spiritual master of the demigods, entered the assembly. Indra, being too absorbed in material opulence, forgot himself and did not respect Bṛhaspati, who thus became aware of Indra’s pride in his material opulence and immediately disappeared from the assembly to teach him a lesson. Indra became most repentant, understanding that because of his opulence he had forgotten to respect his spiritual master. He left the palace to beg pardon from his spiritual master, but could not find Bṛhaspati anywhere.
Because of his disrespectful behavior toward his spiritual master. Indra lost all his opulence and was conquered by the demons, who defeated the demigods in a great fight and occupied Indra’s throne. King Indra, along with the other demigods, later took shelter of Lord Brahmā. Understanding the situation, Lord Brahmā chastised the demigods for their offense to their spiritual master. Following Lord Brahmā’s orders, the demigods accepted Viśvarūpa, who was a brāhmaṇa and the son of Tvaṣṭā, as their priest. Then they performed yajñas under the priesthood of Viśvarūpa and were able to conquer the demons.

Chapter Eight
The Nārāyaṇa-kavaca Shield
This chapter describes how Indra, the King of heaven, was victorious over the soldiers of the demons, and it also describes the shield of the Viṣṇu mantra.
To take protection from this shield, one must first touch kuśa grass and wash one’s mouth with ācamana-mantras. One should observe silence and then place the eight-syllable Viṣṇu mantra on the parts of his body and place the twelve-syllable mantra on his hands. The eight-syllable mantra is oṁ namo nārāyaṇāya. This mantra should be distributed all over the front and back of the body. The twelve-syllable mantra, which begins with the praṇava, oṁkāra, is oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. One syllable should be placed on each of the fingers and should be preceded by the praṇava, oṁkāra. Thereafter, one must chant oṁ viṣṇave namaḥ, which is a six-syllable mantra. One must progressively place the syllables of the mantra on the heart, the head, between the two eyebrows, on the śikhā and between the eyes, and then one should chant maḥ astrāya phaṭ and with this mantra protect himself from all directions. Nādevo devam arcayet: one who has not risen to the level of a deva cannot chant this mantra. According to this direction of the śāstra, one must think himself qualitatively nondifferent from the Supreme.
After finishing this dedication, one must offer a prayer to the eight-armed Lord Viṣṇu, who sits on the shoulders of Garuḍadeva. One also has to think of the fish incarnation, Vāmana, Kūrma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha. Paraśurāma, Rāmacandra (the elder brother of Lakṣmaṇa). Nara-Nārāyaṇa, Dattātreya (an empowered incarnation), Kapila, Sanat-kumāra, Hayagrīva, Nāradadeva (the incarnation of a devotee). Dhanvantari, Ṛṣabhadeva, Yajña, Balarāma, Vyāsadeva, Buddhadeva and Keśava. One should also think of Govinda, the master of Vṛndāvana. and one should think of Nārāyaṇa, the master of the spiritual sky. One should think of Madhusūdana, Tridhāmā, Mādhava, Hṛṣīkeśa, Padmanābha, Janārdana, Dāmodara and Viśveśvara, as well as the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa Himself. After offering prayers to the Lord’s personal expansions known as the svāṁśa and śaktyāveśa-avatāras, one should pray to the weapons of Lord Nārāyaṇa, such as the Sudarśana, gadā, śaṅkha, khaḍga and bow.
After explaining this process, Śukadeva Gosvāmī told Mahārāja Parīkṣit how Viśvarūpa, the brother of Vṛtrāsura, described the glories of the Nārāyaṇa-kavaca to Indra.

Chapter Nine
Appearance of the Demon Vṛtrāsura
As described in this chapter, Indra, the King of heaven, killed Viśvarūpa, and therefore Viśvarūpa’s father performed a yajña to kill Indra. When Vṛtrāsura appeared from that yajña, the demigods, in fear, sought shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and glorified Him.
Because of affection for the demons, Viśvarūpa secretly supplied them the remnants of yajña. When Indra learned about this, he beheaded Viśvarūpa, but he later regretted killing Viśvarūpa because Viśvarūpa was a brāhmaṇa. Although competent to neutralize the sinful reactions for killing a brāhmaṇa, Indra did not do so. Instead he accepted the reactions. Later, he distributed these reactions among the land, water, trees and women in general. Since the land accepted one fourth of the sinful reactions, a portion of the land turned into desert. The trees were also given one fourth of the sinful reactions, and therefore they drip sap, which is prohibited for drinking. Because women accepted one fourth of the sinful reactions, they are untouchable during their menstrual period. Since water was also infested with sinful reactions, when bubbles appear in water it cannot be used for any purpose.
After Viśvarūpa was killed, his father, Tvaṣṭā, performed a sacrifice to kill King Indra. Unfortunately, if mantras are chanted irregularly, they yield an opposite result. This happened when Tvaṣṭā performed this yajña. While performing the sacrifice to kill Indra. Tvaṣṭā chanted a mantra to increase Indra’s enemies, but because he chanted the mantra wrong, the sacrifice produced an asura named Vṛtrāsura, of whom Indra was the enemy. When Vṛtrāsura was generated from the sacrifice, his fierce features made the whole world afraid, and his personal effulgence diminished even the power of the demigods. Finding no other means of protection, the demigods began to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the enjoyer of all the results of sacrifice, who is supreme throughout the entire universe. The demigods all worshiped Him because ultimately no one but Him can protect a living entity from fear and danger. Seeking shelter of a demigod instead of worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead is compared to trying to cross the ocean by grasping the tail of a dog. A dog can swim, but that does not mean that one can cross the ocean by grasping a dog’s tail.
Being pleased with the demigods, the Supreme Personality of Godhead advised them to approach Dadhīci to beg him for the bones of his own body. Dadhīci would comply with the request of the demigods, and with the help of his bones Vṛtrāsura could be killed.

Chapter Ten
The Battle Between the Demigods and Vṛtrāsura
As described in this chapter, after Indra obtained the body of Dadhīci, a thunderbolt was prepared from Dadhīci’s bones, and a fight took place between Vṛtrāsura and the demigods.
Following the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the demigods approached Dadhīci Muni and begged for his body. Dadhīci Muni, just to hear from the demigods about the principles of religion, jokingly refused to relinquish his body, but for higher purposes he thereafter agreed to give it up, for after death the body is usually eaten by low animals like dogs and jackals. Dadhīci Muni first merged his gross body made of five elements into the original stock of five elements and then engaged his soul at the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus he gave up his gross body. With the help of Viśvakarmā, the demigods then prepared a thunderbolt from Dadhīci’s bones. Armed with the thunderbolt weapon, they prepared themselves to fight and got up on the backs of elephants.
At the end of Satya-yuga and the beginning of Tretā-yuga. a great fight took place between the demigods and the asuras. Unable to tolerate the effulgence of the demigods, the asuras fled the battle. leaving Vṛtrāsura, their commander in chief, to fight for himself. Vṛtrāsura, however, seeing the demons fleeing, instructed them in the importance of fighting and dying in the battlefield. One who is victorious in battle gains material possessions, and one who dies in the battlefield attains a residence at once in the celestial heavens. In either way, the fighter benefits.

Chapter Eleven
The Transcendental Qualities of Vṛtrāsura
This chapter describes Vṛtrāsura’s great qualities. When the prominent commanders of the demons fled, not hearing Vṛtrāsura’s advice. Vṛtrāsura condemned them all as cowards. Speaking very bravely, he stood alone to face the demigods. When the demigods saw Vṛtrāsura’s attitude, they were so afraid that they practically fainted, and Vṛtrāsura began trampling them down. Unable to tolerate this, Indra, the King of the demigods, threw his club at Vṛtrāsura, but Vṛtrāsura was such a great hero that he easily caught the club with his left hand and used it to beat Indra’s elephant. Struck by the blow of Vṛtrāsura, the elephant was pushed back fourteen yards and fell, with Indra on its back.
King Indra had first accepted Viśvarūpa as his priest and thereafter killed him. Reminding Indra of his heinous activities, Vṛtrāsura said, “If one is a devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Viṣṇu, and depends on Lord Viṣṇu in every respect, then victory, opulence and peace of mind are all inevitably available. Such a person has nothing for which to aspire in the three worlds. The Supreme Lord is so kind that He especially favors such a devotee by not giving him opulence that will hamper his devotional service. Therefore I wish to give up everything for the service of the Lord. I wish always to chant the glories of the Lord and engage in His service. Let me become unattached to my worldly family and make friendships with the devotees of the Lord. I do not desire to be promoted to the higher planetary systems, even to Dhruvaloka or Brahmaloka, nor do I desire an unconquerable position within this material world. I have no need for such things.”

Chapter Twelve
Vṛtrāsura’s Glorious Death
This chapter describes how Indra, the King of heaven, killed Vṛtrāsura despite great reluctance.
After Vṛtrāsura finished speaking, he released his trident against King Indra with great anger, but Indra, using his thunderbolt, which was many times more powerful than the trident, broke the trident to pieces and cut off one of Vṛtrāsura’s arms. Nevertheless, Vṛtrāsura used his remaining arm to strike Indra with an iron mace, making the thunderbolt fall from Indra’s hand. Indra, being very ashamed of this, did not pick up the thunderbolt from the ground, but Vṛtrāsura encouraged King Indra to pick it up and fight. Vṛtrāsura then spoke to King Indra as follows, instructing him very well.
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead,” he said, “is the cause of victory and defeat. Not knowing that the Supreme Lord is the cause of all causes, fools and rascals try to take credit for victory or defeat themselves, but everything is actually under the control of the Lord. No one but Him has any independence. The puruṣa (the enjoyer) and prakṛti (the enjoyed) are under the control of the Lord, for it is by His supervision that everything works systematically. Not seeing the hand of the Supreme in every action, a fool considers himself the ruler and controller of everything. When one understands, however, that the real controller is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is freed from the relativities of the world, such as distress, happiness, fear and impurity.” Thus Indra and Vṛtrāsura not only fought, but also engaged in philosophical discourses. Then they began to fight again.
This time Indra was more powerful, and he severed Vṛtrāsura’s remaining arm. Vṛtrāsura then assumed a gigantic form and swallowed King Indra, but Indra, being protected by the talisman known as Nārāyaṇa-kavaca, was able to protect himself even within Vṛtrāsura’s body. Thus he emerged from Vṛtrāsura’s abdomen and severed the demon’s head from his body with his powerful thunderbolt. Severing the demon’s head took one complete year to accomplish.

Chapter Thirteen
King Indra Afflicted by Sinful Reaction
This chapter describes Indra’s fear at having killed a brāhmaṇa (Vṛtrāsura), and it also describes how he fled and was saved by the grace of Lord Viṣṇu.
When all the demigods requested Indra to kill Vṛtrāsura, he refused because Vṛtrāsura was a brāhmaṇa. The demigods, however, encouraged Indra not to fear killing him because Indra was protected by the Nārāyaṇa-kavaca, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, Lord Nārāyaṇa. Even by a glimpse of the chanting of Nārāyaṇa’s name, one becomes free from all the sinful reactions of killing a woman, a cow or a brāhmaṇa. The demigods advised Indra to perform an aśvamedha sacrifice, by which Nārāyaṇa would be pleased, for the performer of such a sacrifice is not implicated in sinful reactions even if he kills the entire universe.
Following this instruction from the demigods, King Indra fought Vṛtrāsura, but when Vṛtrāsura was killed, everyone was satisfied but King Indra, who knew Vṛtrāsura’s position. This is the nature of a great personality. Even if a great personality acquires some opulence, he is always ashamed and regretful if he acquires it illegally. Indra could understand that he was certainly entangled by sinful reactions for killing a brāhmaṇa. Indeed, he could see sinful reaction personified following him, and thus he fled here and there in fear, thinking of how to rid himself of his sins. He went to Mānasa-sarovara, and there, under the protection of the goddess of fortune, he meditated for one thousand years. During this time, Nahuṣa reigned over the heavenly planets as the representative of Indra. Unfortunately, however, he was attracted by the beauty of Indra’s wife, Śacīdevī, and because of his sinful desire he had to accept the body of a serpent in his next life. Indra later performed a great sacrifice with the help of exalted brāhmaṇas and saints. In this way he was released from the reactions of his sinful killing of a brāhmaṇa.

Pictures from the Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 6 Part 2 Genealogical Tables

Pictures from the Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 6 Part 2 Plate 1

Chapter Seven
Indra Offends His Spiritual Master, Bṛhaspati.

TEXT 17
guror nādhigataḥ saṁjñāṁ
parīkṣan bhagavān svarāṭ
dhyāyan dhiyā surair yuktaḥ
śarma nālabhatātmanaḥ
SYNONYMS
guroḥ—of his spiritual master; na—not; adhigataḥ—finding; saṁjñām—trace; parīkṣan—searching vigorously all around; bhagavān—the most powerful Indra; svarāṭ—independent; dhyāyan—meditating; dhiyā—by wisdom; suraiḥ—by the demigods; yuktaḥ—surrounded; śarma—peace; na—not; alabhata—obtained; ātmanaḥ—of the mind.
TRANSLATION
Although Indra searched vigorously with the assistance of the other demigods, he could not find Bṛhaspati. Then Indra thought, “Alas, my spiritual master has become dissatisfied with me, and now I have no means of achieving good fortune.” Although Indra was surrounded by demigods, he could not find peace of mind.
TEXT 18
tac chrutvaivāsurāḥ sarva
āśrityauśanasaṁ matam
devān pratyudyamaṁ cakrur
durmadā ātatāyinaḥ
SYNONYMS
tat śrutvā—hearing that news; eva—indeed; asurāḥ—the demons; sarve—all; āśritya—taking shelter of; auśanasam—of Śukrācārya; matam—the instruction; devān—the demigods; pratyudyamam—action against; cakruḥ—performed; durmadāḥ—not very intelligent; ātatāyinaḥ—equipped with arms for fighting.
TRANSLATION
Hearing of the pitiable condition of King Indra, the demons, following the instructions of their guru, Śukrācārya, equipped themselves with weapons and declared war against the demigods.
TEXT 19
tair visṛṣṭeṣubhis tīkṣṇair
nirbhinnāṅgoru-bāhavaḥ
brahmāṇaṁ śaraṇaṁ jagmuḥ
sahendrā nata-kandharāḥ
SYNONYMS
taiḥ—by them (the demons); visṛṣṭa—thrown; iṣubhiḥ—by the arrows; tīkṣṇaiḥ—very sharp; nirbhinna—pierced all over; aṅga—bodies; uru—thighs; bāhavaḥ—and arms; brahmāṇam—of Lord Brahmā; śaraṇam—the shelter; jagmuḥ—approached; saha-indrāḥ—with King Indra; nata-kandharāḥ—their heads bent downward.
TRANSLATION
The demigods’ heads, thighs and arms and the other parts of their bodies were injured by the sharp arrows of the demons. The demigods, headed by Indra, saw no other course than to immediately approach Lord Brahmā with bowed heads for shelter and proper instruction.
TEXT 20
tāṁs tathābhyarditān vīkṣya
bhagavān ātmabhūr ajaḥ
kṛpayā parayā deva
uvāca parisāntvayan
SYNONYMS
tān—them (the demigods); tathā—in that way; abhyarditān—afflicted by the weapons of the demons; vīkṣya—seeing; bhagavān—the most powerful; ātma-bhūḥ—Lord Brahmā; ajaḥ—who was not born like an ordinary human being; kṛpayā—out of causeless mercy; parayā—great; devaḥ—Lord Brahmā; uvāca—said; parisāntvayan—pacifying them.
TRANSLATION
When the most powerful Lord Brahmā saw the demigods coming toward him, their bodies gravely injured by the arrows of the demons, he pacified them by his great causeless mercy and spoke as follows.
TEXT 21
śrī-brahmovāca
aho bata sura-śreṣṭhā
hy abhadraṁ vaḥ kṛtaṁ mahat
brahmiṣṭhaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ dāntam
aiśvaryān nābhyanandata
SYNONYMS
śrī-brahmā uvāca—Lord Brahmā said; aho—alas; bata—it is very astonishing; sura-śreṣṭhāḥ—O best of the demigods; hi—indeed; abhadram—injustice; vaḥ—by you; kṛtam—done; mahat—great; brahmiṣṭham—a person fully obedient to the Supreme Brahman; brāhmaṇam—a brāhmaṇa; dāntam—who has fully controlled the mind and senses; aiśvaryāt—because of your material opulence; na—not; abhyanandata—welcomed properly.
TRANSLATION
Lord Brahmā said: O best of the demigods, unfortunately, because of madness resulting from your material opulence, you failed to receive Bṛhaspati properly when he came to your assembly. Because he is aware of the Supreme Brahman and fully in control of his senses, he is the best of the brāhmaṇas. Therefore it is very astonishing that you have acted impudently toward him.
PURPORT
Lord Brahmā recognized the brahminical qualifications of Bṛhaspati, who was the spiritual master of the demigods because of his awareness of the Supreme Brahman. Bṛhaspati was very much in control of his senses and mind, and therefore he was a most qualified brāhmaṇa. Lord Brahmā chastised the demigods for not properly respecting this brāhmaṇa, who was their guru. Lord Brahmā wanted to impress upon the demigods that one’s guru should not be disrespected under any circumstances. When Bṛhaspati entered the assembly of the demigods, they and their king, Indra, took him for granted. Since he came every day, they thought, they did not need to show him special respect. As it is said, familiarity breeds contempt. Being very much displeased, Bṛhaspati immediately left Indra’s palace. Thus all the demigods, headed by Indra, became offenders at the lotus feet of Bṛhaspati, and Lord Brahmā, being aware of this, condemned their neglect. In a song we sing every day, Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, cakṣu-dāna dila yei, janme janme prabhu sei: the guru gives spiritual insight to the disciple, and therefore the guru should be considered his master, life after life. Under no circumstances should the guru be disrespected, but the demigods, being puffed up by their material possessions, were disrespectful to their guru. Therefore Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.17.27) advises, ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān nāvamanyeta karhicit/ na martya-buddhyāsūyeta: the ācārya should always be offered respectful obeisances; one should never envy the ācārya, considering him an ordinary human being.

Pictures from the Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 6 Part 2 Plate 2

Chapter Eight
The Nārāyaṇa-kavaca Shield

TEXTS 1–2
śrī-rājovāca
yayā guptaḥ sahasrākṣaḥ
savāhān ripu-sainikān
krīḍann iva vinirjitya
tri-lokyā bubhuje śriyam
bhagavaṁs tan mamākhyāhi
varma nārāyaṇātmakam
yathātatāyinaḥ śatrūn
yena gupto ’jayan mṛdhe
SYNONYMS
śrī-rājā uvāca—King Parīkṣit said; yayā—by which (the spiritual armor); guptaḥ—protected; sahasra-akṣaḥ—the thousand-eyed King Indra; sa-vāhān—with their carriers; ripu-sainikān—the soldiers and commanders of the enemies; krīḍan iva—just like playing; vinirjitya—conquering; tri-lokyāḥ—of the three worlds (the higher, middle and lower planetary systems); bubhuje—enjoyed; śriyam—the opulence; bhagavan—O great sage; tat—that; mama—unto me; ākhyāhi—please explain; varma—defensive armor made of a mantra; nārāyaṇa-ātmakam—consisting of the mercy of Nārāyaṇa; yathā—in which way; ātatāyinaḥ—who were endeavoring to kill him; śatrūn—enemies; yena—by which; guptaḥ—being protected; ajayat—conquered; mṛdhe—in the fight.
TRANSLATION
King Parīkṣit inquired from Śukadeva Gosvāmī: My lord, kindly explain the Viṣṇu mantra armor that protected King Indra and enabled him to conquer his enemies, along with their carriers, and enjoy the opulence of the three worlds. Please explain to me that Nārāyaṇa armor, by which King Indra achieved success in battle, conquering the enemies who were endeavoring to kill him.
TEXT 3
śrī-bādarāyaṇir uvāca
vṛtaḥ purohitas tvāṣṭro
mahendrāyānupṛcchate
nārāyaṇākhyaṁ varmāha
tad ihaika-manāḥ śṛṇu
SYNONYMS
śrī-bādarāyaṇiḥ uvāca—Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; vṛtaḥ—the chosen; purohitaḥ—priest; tvāṣṭraḥ—the son of Tvaṣṭā; mahendrāya—unto King Indra; anupṛcchate—after he (Indra) inquired; nārāyaṇa-ākhyam—named Nārāyaṇa-kavaca; varma—defensive armor made of a mantra; āha—he said; tat—that; iha—this; eka-manāḥ—with great attention; śṛṇu—hear from me.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: King Indra, the leader of the demigods, inquired about the armor known as Nārāyaṇa-kavaca from Viśvarūpa, who was engaged by the demigods as their priest. Please hear Viśvarūpa’s reply with great attention.
TEXTS 4–6
śrī-viśvarūpa uvāca
dhautāṅghri-pāṇir ācamya
sapavitra udaṅ-mukhaḥ
kṛta-svāṅga-kara-nyāso
mantrābhyāṁ vāg-yataḥ śuciḥ
nārāyaṇa-paraṁ varma
sannahyed bhaya āgate
pādayor jānunor ūrvor
udare hṛdy athorasi
mukhe śirasy ānupūrvyād
oṁkārādīni vinyaset
oṁ namo nārāyaṇāyeti
viparyayam athāpi vā
SYNONYMS
śrī-viśvarūpaḥ uvāca—Śrī Viśvarūpa said; dhauta—having completely washed; aṅghri—feet; pāṇiḥ—hands; ācamya—performing ācamana (sipping a little water three times after chanting the prescribed mantra); sa-pavitraḥ—wearing rings made of kuśa grass (on the ring finger of each hand); udak-mukhaḥ—sitting facing the north; kṛta—making; sva-aṅga-kara-nyāsaḥ—mental assignment of the eight parts of the body and twelve parts of the hands; mantrābhyām—with the two mantras (oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya and oṁ namo nārāyaṇāya); vāk-yataḥ—keeping oneself silent; śuciḥ—being purified; nārāyaṇa-param—fully intent on Lord Nārāyaṇa; varma—armor; sannahyet— put on oneself; bhaye—when fear; āgate—has come; pādayoḥ—on the two legs; jānunoḥ—on the two knees; ūrvoḥ—on the two thighs; udare—on the abdomen; hṛdi—on the heart; atha—thus; urasi—on the chest; mukhe—on the mouth; śirasi—on the head; ānupūrvyāt—one after another; oṁkāra-ādīni—beginning with oṁkāra; vinyaset—one should place; oṁ—the praṇava; namaḥ—obeisances; nārāyaṇāya— unto Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; iti—thus; viparyayam—the reverse; atha api—moreover; vā—or.
TRANSLATION
Viśvarūpa said: If some form of fear arrives, one should first wash his hands and legs clean and then perform ācamana by chanting this mantra: oṁ apavitraḥ pavitro vā sarvāvasthāṁ gato ’pi vā/ yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ sa bahyābhyantaraḥ śuciḥ/ śrī-viṣṇu śrī-viṣṇu śrī-viṣṇu. Then one should touch kuśa grass and sit gravely and silently, facing north. When completely purified, one should touch the mantra composed of eight syllables to the eight parts of his body and touch the mantra composed of twelve syllables to his hands. Thus, in the following manner, he should bind himself with the Nārāyaṇa coat of armor. First, while chanting the mantra composed of eight syllables [oṁ namo nārāyaṇāya], beginning with the praṇava, the syllable oṁ, one should touch his hands to eight parts of his body, starting with the two feet and progressing systematically to the knees, thighs, abdomen, heart, chest, mouth and head. Then one should chant the mantra in reverse, beginning from the last syllable [ya], while touching the parts of his body in the reverse order. These two processes are known as utpatti-nyāsa and saṁhāra-nyāsa respectively.
TEXT 7
kara-nyāsaṁ tataḥ kuryād
dvādaśākṣara-vidyayā
praṇavādi-ya-kārāntam
aṅguly-aṅguṣṭha-parvasu
SYNONYMS
kara-nyāsam—the ritual known as kara-nyāsa, which assigns the syllables of the mantra to the fingers; tataḥ—thereafter; kuryāt—should execute; dvādaśa-akṣara—composed of twelve syllables; vidyayā—with the mantra; praṇava-ādi—beginning with the oṁkāra; ya-kāra-antam—ending with the syllable ya; aṅguli—on the fingers, beginning with the index finger; aṅguṣṭha-parvasu—to the joints of the thumbs.
TRANSLATION
Then one should chant the mantra composed of twelve syllables [oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya]. Preceding each syllable by the oṁkāra, one should place the syllables of the mantra on the tips of his fingers, beginning with the index finger of the right hand and concluding with the index finger of the left. The four remaining syllables should be placed on the joints of the thumbs.
TEXTS 8–10
nyased dhṛdaya oṁkāraṁ
vi-kāram anu mūrdhani
ṣa-kāraṁ tu bhruvor madhye
ṇa-kāraṁ śikhayā nyaset
ve-kāraṁ netrayor yuñjyān
na-kāraṁ sarva-sandhiṣu
ma-kāram astram uddiśya
mantra-mūrtir bhaved budhaḥ
savisargaṁ phaḍ-antaṁ tat
sarva-dikṣu vinirdiśet
oṁ viṣṇave nama iti
SYNONYMS
nyaset—should place; hṛdaye—on the heart; oṁkāram—the praṇava, oṁkāra; vi-kāram—the syllable vi of viṣṇave; anu—thereafter; mūrdhani—on the top of the head; ṣa-kāram—the syllable sa; tu—and; bhruvoḥ madhye—between the two eyebrows; ṇa-kāram—the syllable ṇa; śikhayā—on the śikhā on the head; nyaset—should place; vekāram—the syllable ve; netrayoḥ—between the two eyes; yuñjyāt—should be placed; na-kāram—the syllable na of the word namaḥ; sarva-sandhiṣu—on all the joints; ma-kāram—the syllable ma of the word namaḥ; astram—a weapon; uddiśya—thinking; mantra-mūrtiḥ—the form of the mantra; bhavet—should become; budhaḥ—an intelligent person; sa-visargam—with the visarga (ḥ); phaṭ-antam—ending with the sound phaṭ; tat—that; sarva-dikṣu—in all directions; vinirdiśet—should fix; oṁ—praṇava; viṣṇave—unto Lord Viṣṇu; namaḥ—obeisances; iti—thus.
TRANSLATION
One must then chant the mantra of six syllables [oṁ viṣṇave namaḥ]. One should place the syllable “oṁ” on his heart, the syllable “vi” on the top of his head, the syllable “ṣa” between his eyebrows, the syllable “ṇa” on his tuft of hair [śikhā], and the syllable “ve” between his eyes. The chanter of the mantra should then place the syllable “na” on all the joints of his body and meditate on the syllable “ma” as being a weapon. He should thus become the perfect personification of the mantra. Thereafter, adding visarga to the final syllable “ma,” he should chant the mantra “maḥ astrāya phaṭ” in all directions, beginning from the east. In this way, all directions will be bound by the protective armor of the mantra.
TEXT 11
ātmānaṁ paramaṁ dhyāyed
dhyeyaṁ ṣaṭ-śaktibhir yutam
vidyā-tejas-tapo-mūrtim
imaṁ mantram udāharet
SYNONYMS
ātmānam—the self; paramam—the supreme; dhyāyet—one should meditate on; dhyeyam—worthy to be meditated on; ṣaṭ-śaktibhiḥ—the six opulences; yutam—possessed of; vidyā—learning; tejaḥ—influence; tapaḥ—austerity; mūrtim—personified; imam—this; mantram—mantra; udāharet—should chant.
TRANSLATION
After finishing this chanting, one should think himself qualitatively one with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is full in six opulences and is worthy to be meditated upon. Then one should chant the following protective prayer to Lord Nārāyaṇa, the Nārāyaṇa-kavaca.
TEXT 12
oṁ harir vidadhyān mama sarva-rakṣāṁ
nyastāṅghri-padmaḥ patagendra-pṛṣṭhe
darāri-carmāsi-gadeṣu-cāpa-
pāśān dadhāno ’ṣṭa-guṇo ’ṣṭa-bāhuḥ
SYNONYMS
oṁ—O Lord; hariḥ—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vidadhyāt—may He bestow; mama—my; sarva-rakṣām—protection from all sides; nyasta—placed; aṅghri-padmaḥ—whose lotus feet; patagendra-pṛṣṭhe—on the back of Garuḍa, the king of all birds; dara—conchshell; ari—disc; carma—shield; asi—sword; gadā—club; iṣu—arrows; cāpa—bow; pāśān—ropes; dadhānaḥ—holding; aṣṭa—possessing eight; guṇaḥ—perfections; aṣṭa—eight; bāhuḥ—arms.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Lord, who sits on the back of the bird Garuḍa, touching him with His lotus feet, holds eight weapons—the conchshell, disc, shield, sword, club, arrows, bow and ropes. May that Supreme Personality of Godhead protect me at all times with His eight arms. He is all-powerful because He fully possesses the eight mystic powers [aṇimā, laghimā, etc.].
PURPORT
Thinking oneself one with the Supreme is called ahaṅgrahopāsanā. Through ahaṅgrahopāsanā one does not become God, but he thinks of himself as qualitatively one with the Supreme. Understanding that as a spirit soul he is equal in quality to the supreme soul the way the water of a river is of the same nature as the water of the sea, one should meditate upon the Supreme Lord, as described in this verse, and seek His protection. The living entities are always subordinate to the Supreme. Consequently their duty is to always seek the mercy of the Lord in order to be protected by Him in all circumstances.
TEXT 13
jaleṣu māṁ rakṣatu matsya-mūrtir
yādo-gaṇebhyo varuṇasya pāśāt
sthaleṣu māyāvaṭu-vāmano ’vyāt
trivikramaḥ khe ’vatu viśvarūpaḥ
SYNONYMS
jaleṣu—in the water; mām—me; rakṣatu—protect; matsya-mūrtiḥ—the Supreme Lord in the form of a great fish; yādaḥ-gaṇebhyaḥ—from fierce aquatic animals; varuṇasya—of the demigod known as Varuṇa; pāśāt—from the arresting rope; sthaleṣu—on the land; māyā-vaṭu—the merciful form of the Lord as a dwarf; vāmanaḥ—named Vāmanadeva; avyāt—may He protect; trivikramaḥ—Trivikrama, whose three gigantic steps took the three worlds from Bali; khe—in the sky; avatu—may the Lord protect; viśvarūpaḥ—the gigantic universal form.
TRANSLATION
May the Lord, who assumes the body of a great fish, protect me in the water from the fierce animals that are associates of the demigod Varuṇa. By expanding His illusory energy, the Lord assumed the form of the dwarf Vāmana. May Vāmana protect me on the land. Since the gigantic form of the Lord, Viśvarūpa, conquers the three worlds, may He protect me in the sky.
PURPORT
This mantra seeks the protection of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the water, land and sky in His incarnations as the fish, Vāmanadeva and the Viśvarūpa.
TEXT 14
durgeṣv aṭavy-āji-mukhādiṣu prabhuḥ
pāyān nṛsiṁho ’sura-yūthapāriḥ
vimuñcato yasya mahāṭṭa-hāsaṁ
diśo vinedur nyapataṁś ca garbhāḥ
SYNONYMS
durgeṣu—in places where travel is very difficult; aṭavi—in the dense forest; āji-mukha-ādiṣu—on the war front and so on; prabhuḥ—the Supreme Lord; pāyāt—may He protect; nṛsiṁhaḥ—Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva; asura-yūthapa—of Hiraṇyakaśipu, the leader of the demons; ariḥ—the enemy; vimuñcataḥ—releasing; yasya—of whom; mahā-aṭṭa-hāsam—great and fearful laughing; diśaḥ—all the directions; vineduḥ—resounded through; nyapatan—fell down; ca—and; garbhāḥ—the embryos of the wives of the demons.
TRANSLATION
May Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, who appeared as the enemy of Hiraṇyakaśipu, protect me in all directions. His loud laughing vibrated in all directions and caused the pregnant wives of the asuras to have miscarriages. May that Lord be kind enough to protect me in difficult places like the forest and battlefront.
TEXT 15
rakṣatv asau mādhvani yajña-kalpaḥ
sva-daṁṣṭrayonnīta-dharo varāhaḥ
rāmo ’dri-kūṭeṣv atha vipravāse
salakṣmaṇo ’vyād bharatāgrajo ’smān
SYNONYMS
rakṣatu—may the Lord protect; asau—that; mā—me; adhvani—on the street; yajña-kalpaḥ—who is ascertained by performance of ritualistic ceremonies; sva-daṁṣṭrayā—by His own tusk; unnīta—raising; dharaḥ—the planet earth; varāhaḥ—Lord Boar; rāmaḥ—Lord Rāma; adri-kūṭeṣu—on the summits of the mountains; atha—then; vipravāse—in foreign countries; sa-lakṣmaṇaḥ—with His brother Lakṣmaṇa; avyāt—may He protect; bharata-agrajaḥ—the elder brother of Mahārāja Bharata; asmān—us.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme indestructible Lord is ascertained through the performance of ritualistic sacrifices and is therefore known as Yajñeśvara. In His incarnation as Lord Boar, He raised the planet earth from the water at the bottom of the universe and kept it on His pointed tusks. May that Lord protect me from rogues on the street. May Paraśurāma protect me on the tops of mountains, and may the elder brother of Bharata, Lord Rāmacandra, along with His brother Lakṣmaṇa, protect me in foreign countries.
PURPORT
There are three Rāmas. One Rāma is Paraśurāma (Jāmadāgnya). another Rāma is Lord Rāmacandra, and a third Rāma is Lord Balarāma. In this verse the words rāmo’dri-kūṭeṣv atha indicate Lord Paraśurāma. The brother of Bharata Mahārāja and Lakṣmaṇa is Lord Rāmacandra.
TEXT 16
mām ugra-dharmād akhilāt pramādān
nārāyaṇaḥ pātu naraś ca hāsāt
dattas tv ayogād atha yoga-nāthaḥ
pāyād guṇeśaḥ kapilaḥ karma-bandhāt
SYNONYMS
mām—me; ugra-dharmāt—from unnecessary religious principles; akhilāt—from all kinds of activities; pramādāt—which are enacted in madness; nārāyaṇaḥ—Lord Nārāyaṇa; pātu—may He protect; naraḥ ca—and Nara; hāsāt—from unnecessary pride; dattaḥ—Dattātreya; tu—of course; ayogāt—from the path of false yoga; atha—indeed; yoga-nāthaḥ—the master of all mystic powers; pāyāt—may He protect; guṇa-īśaḥ—the master of all spiritual qualities; kapilaḥ—Lord Kapila; karma-bandhāt—from the bondage of fruitive activities.
TRANSLATION
May Lord Nārāyaṇa protect me from unnecessarily following false religious systems and falling from my duties due to madness. May the Lord in His appearance as Nara protect me from unnecessary pride. May Lord Dattātreya, the master of all mystic power, protect me from falling while performing bhakti-yoga, and may Lord Kapila, the master of all good qualities, protect me from the material bondage of fruitive activities.
TEXT 17
sanat-kumāro ’vatu kāmadevād
dhayaśīrṣā māṁ pathi deva-helanāt
devarṣi-varyaḥ puruṣārcanāntarāt
kūrmo harir māṁ nirayād aśeṣāt
SYNONYMS
sanat-kumāraḥ—the great brahmacārī named Sanat-kumāra; avatu—may he protect; kāma-devāt—from the hands of Cupid or lusty desire; haya-śīrṣā—Lord Hayagrīva, the incarnation of the Lord whose head is like that of a horse; mām—me; pathi—on the path; deva-helanāt—from neglecting to offer respectful obeisances to brāhmaṇas, Vaiṣṇavas and the Supreme Lord; devarṣi-varyaḥ—the best of the saintly sages, Nārada; puruṣa-arcana-antarāt—from the offenses in worshiping the Deity; kūrmaḥ—Lord Kūrma, the tortoise; hariḥ—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; mām—me; nirayāt—from hell; aśeṣāt—unlimited.
TRANSLATION
May Sanat-kumāra protect me from lusty desires. As I begin some auspicious activity, may Lord Hayagrīva protect me from being an offender by neglecting to offer respectful obeisances to the Supreme Lord. May Devarṣi Nārada protect me from committing offenses in worshiping the Deity, and may Lord Kūrma, the tortoise, protect me from falling to the unlimited hellish planets.
PURPORT
Lusty desires are very strong in everyone, and they are the greatest impediment to the discharge of devotional service. Therefore those who are very much influenced by lusty desires are advised to take shelter of Sanat-kumāra, the great brahmacārī devotee. Nārada Muni, who is the guide for arcana, is the author of the Nārada-pañcarātra, which prescribes the regulative principles for worshiping the Deity. Everyone engaged in Deity worship, whether at home or in the temple, should always seek the mercy of Devarṣi Nārada in order to avoid the thirty-two offenses while worshiping the Deity. These offenses in Deity worship are mentioned in The Nectar of Devotion.
TEXT 18
dhanvantarir bhagavān pātv apathyād
dvandvād bhayād ṛṣabho nirjitātmā
yajñaś ca lokād avatāj janāntād
balo gaṇāt krodha-vaśād ahīndraḥ
SYNONYMS
dhanvantariḥ—the incarnation Dhanvantari, the physician; bhagavān—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pātu—may He protect me; apathyāt—from things injurious to the health, such as meat and intoxicants; dvandvāt—from duality; bhayāt—from fear; ṛṣabhaḥ—Lord Ṛṣabhadeva; nirjita-ātmā—who fully controlled his mind and self; yajñaḥ—Yajña; ca—and; lokāt—from the defamation of the populace; avatāt—may He protect; jana-antāt—from dangerous positions created by other people; balaḥ—Lord Balarāma; gaṇāt—from the hordes of; krodha-vaśāt—the angry serpents; ahīndraḥ—Lord Balarāma in the form of the serpent Śeṣa Nāga.
TRANSLATION
May the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His incarnation as Dhanvantari relieve me from undesirable eatables and protect me from physical illness. May Lord Ṛṣabhadeva, who conquered His inner and outer senses, protect me from fear produced by the duality of heat and cold. May Yajña protect me from defamation and harm from the populace, and may Lord Balarāma as Śeṣa protect me from envious serpents.
PURPORT
To live within this material world, one must face many dangers, as described herein. For example, undesirable food poses a danger to health, and therefore one must give up such food. The Dhanvantari incarnation can protect us in this regard. Since Lord Viṣṇu is the Supersoul of all living entities, if He likes He can save us from adhibhautika disturbances, disturbances from other living entities. Lord Balarāma is the Śeṣa incarnation, and therefore He can save us from angry serpents or envious persons, who are always ready to attack.
TEXT 19
dvaipāyano bhagavān aprabodhād
buddhas tu pāṣaṇḍa-gaṇa-pramādāt
kalkiḥ kaleḥ kāla-malāt prapātu
dharmāvanāyoru-kṛtāvatāraḥ
SYNONYMS
dvaipāyanaḥ—Śrīla Vyāsadeva, the giver of all Vedic knowledge; bhagavān—the most powerful incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; aprabodhāt—from ignorance of the śāstra; buddhaḥ tu—also Lord Buddha; pāṣaṇḍa-gaṇa—of atheists creating disillusionment for innocent persons; pramādāt—from the madness; kalkiḥ—Lord Kalki, the incarnation of Keśava; kaleḥ—of this Kali-yuga; kāla-malāt—from the darkness of the age; prapātu—may He protect; dharma-avanāya—for the protection of religious principles; uru—very great; kṛta-avatāraḥ—who took an incarnation.
TRANSLATION
May the Personality of Godhead in His incarnation as Vyāsadeva protect me from all kinds of ignorance resulting from the absence of Vedic knowledge. May Lord Buddhadeva protect me from activities opposed to Vedic principles and from laziness that causes one to madly forget the Vedic principles of knowledge and ritualistic action. May Kalkideva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who appeared as an incarnation to protect religious principles, protect me from the dirt of the age of Kali.
PURPORT
This verse mentions various incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead who appear for various purposes. Śrīla Vyāsadeva, Mahāmuni, compiled the Vedic literature for the benefit of all human society. If one wants to be protected from the reactions of ignorance even in this age of Kali, one may consult the books left by Śrīla Vyāsadeva, Upaniṣads, Vedānta-sūtra (Brahma-sūtra), Mahābhārata, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Mahā-Purāṇa (Vyāsadeva’s commentary on the Brahma-sūtra) and the other seventeen Purāṇas. Only by the mercy of Śrīla Vyāsadeva do we have so many volumes of transcendental knowledge to save us from the clutches of ignorance.
As described by Śrīla Jayadeva Gosvāmī in his Daśāvatāra-stotra, Lord Buddha apparently decried the Vedic knowledge:
nindasi yajña-vidher ahaha śruti-jātaṁ
sadaya-hṛdaya-darśita-paśu-ghātam
keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra jaya jagad-īśa hare
The mission of Lord Buddha was to save people from the abominable activity of animal killing and to save the poor animals from being unnecessarily killed. When pāṣaṇḍīs were cheating by killing animals on the plea of sacrificing them in Vedic yajñas, the Lord said, “If the Vedic injunctions allow animal killing, I do not accept the Vedic principles.” Thus he actually saved people who acted according to Vedic principles. One should therefore surrender to Lord Buddha so that he can help one avoid misusing the injunctions of the Vedas.
The Kalki avatāra is the fierce incarnation who vanquishes the class of the atheists born in this age of Kali. Now, in the beginning of Kali-yuga, many irreligious principles are in effect, and as Kali-yuga advances, many pseudo religious principles will certainly be introduced, and people will forget the real religious principles enunciated by Lord Kṛṣṇa before the beginning of Kali-yuga, namely principles of surrender unto the lotus feet of the Lord. Unfortunately, because of Kali-yuga, foolish people do not surrender to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Even most people who claim to belong to the Vedic system of religion are actually opposed to the Vedic principles. Every day they manufacture a new type of dharma on the plea that whatever one manufactures is also a path of liberation. Atheistic men generally say, yata mata tata patha. According to this view, there are hundreds and thousands of different opinions in human society, and each opinion is a valid religious principle. This philosophy of rascals has killed the religious principles mentioned in the Vedas, and such philosophies will become increasingly influential as Kali-yuga progresses. In the last stage of Kali-yuga, Kalkideva, the fierce incarnation of Keśava, will descend to kill all the atheists and will save only the devotees of the Lord.
TEXT 20
māṁ keśavo gadayā prātar avyād
govinda āsaṅgavam ātta-veṇuḥ
nārāyaṇaḥ prāhṇa udātta-śaktir
madhyan-dine viṣṇur arīndra-pāṇiḥ
SYNONYMS
mām—me; keśavaḥ—Lord Keśava; gadayā—by His club; prātaḥ—in the morning hours; avyāt—may He protect; govindaḥ—Lord Govinda; āsaṅgavam—during the second part of the day; ātta-veṇuḥ—holding His flute; nārāyaṇaḥ—Lord Nārāyaṇa with four hands; prāhṇaḥ—during the third part of the day; udātta-śaktiḥ—controlling different types of potencies; madhyam-dine—during the fourth part of the day; viṣṇuḥ—Lord Viṣṇu; arīndra-pāṇiḥ—bearing the disc in His hand to kill the enemies.
TRANSLATION
May Lord Keśava protect me with His club in the first portion of the day, and may Govinda, who is always engaged in playing His flute, protect me in the second portion of the day. May Lord Nārāyaṇa, who is equipped with all potencies, protect me in the third part of the day, and may Lord Viṣṇu, who carries a disc to kill His enemies, protect me in the fourth part of the day.
PURPORT
According to Vedic astronomical calculations, day and night are each divided into thirty ghaṭikās (twenty-four minutes), instead of twelve hours. Generally, each day and each night is divided into six parts consisting of five ghaṭikās. In each of these six portions of the day and night, the Lord may be addressed for protection according to different names. Lord Keśava, the proprietor of the holy place of Mathurā, is the Lord of the first portion of the day, and Govinda, the Lord of Vṛndāvana. is the master of the second portion.
TEXT 21
devo ’parāhṇe madhu-hogradhanvā
sāyaṁ tri-dhāmāvatu mādhavo mām
doṣe hṛṣīkeśa utārdha-rātre
niśītha eko ’vatu padmanābhaḥ
SYNONYMS
devaḥ—the Lord; aparāhṇe—in the fifth part of the day; madhu-hā—named Madhusūdana; ugra-dhanvā—bearing the very fearful bow known as Śārṅga; sāyam—the sixth part of the day; tri-dhāmā—manifesting as the three deities Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara; avatu—may He protect; mādhavaḥ—named Mādhava; mām—me; doṣe—during the first portion of the night; hṛṣīkeśaḥ—Lord Hṛṣīkeśa; uta—also; ardha-rātre—during the second part of the night; niśīthe—during the third part of the night; ekaḥ—alone; avatu—may He protect; padmanābhaḥ—Lord Padmanābha.
TRANSLATION
May Lord Madhusūdana, who carries a bow very fearful for the demons, protect me during the fifth part of the day. In the evening, may Lord Mādhava, appearing as Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara, protect me, and in the beginning of night may Lord Hṛṣīkeśa protect me. At the dead of night [in the second and third parts of night] may Lord Padmanābha alone protect me.
TEXT 22
śrīvatsa-dhāmāpara-rātra īśaḥ
pratyūṣa īśo ’si-dharo janārdanaḥ
dāmodaro ’vyād anusandhyaṁ prabhāte
viśveśvaro bhagavān kāla-mūrtiḥ
SYNONYMS
śrīvatsa-dhāmā—the Lord, on whose chest the mark of Śrīvatsa is resting; apara-rātre—in the fourth part of the night; īśaḥ—the Supreme Lord; pratyūṣe—in the end of the night; īśaḥ—the Supreme Lord; asi-dharaḥ—carrying a sword in the hand; janārdanaḥ—Lord Janārdana; dāmodaraḥ—Lord Dāmodara; avyāt—may He protect; anusandhyam—during each junction or twilight; prabhāte—in the early morning (the sixth part of the night); viśva-īśvaraḥ—the Lord of the whole universe; bhagavān—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kāla-mūrtiḥ—the personification of time.
TRANSLATION
May the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who bears the Śrīvatsa on His chest, protect me after midnight until the sky becomes pinkish. May Lord Janārdana, who carries a sword in His hand, protect me at the end of night [during the last four ghaṭikās of night]. May Lord Dāmodara protect me in the early morning, and may Lord Viśveśvara protect me during the junctions of day and night.
TEXT 23
cakraṁ yugāntānala-tigma-nemi
bhramat samantād bhagavat-prayuktam
dandagdhi dandagdhy ari-sainyam āśu
kakṣaṁ yathā vāta-sakho hutāśaḥ
SYNONYMS
cakram—the disc of the Lord; yuga-anta—at the end of the millennium; anala—like the fire of devastation; tigma-nemi—with a sharp rim; bhramat—wandering; samantāt—on all sides; bhagavat-prayuktam—being engaged by the Lord; dandagdhi dandagdhi—please burn completely, please burn completely; ari-sainyam—the army of our enemies; āśu—immediately; kakṣam—dry grass; yathā—like; vāta-sakhaḥ—the friend of the wind; hutāśaḥ—blazing fire.
TRANSLATION
Set into motion by the Supreme Personality of Godhead and wandering in all the four directions, the disc of the Supreme Lord has sharp edges as destructive as the fire of devastation at the end of the millennium. As a blazing fire burns dry grass to ashes with the assistance of the breeze, may that Sudarśana cakra burn our enemies to ashes.
TEXT 24
gade ’śani-sparśana-visphuliṅge
niṣpiṇḍhi niṣpiṇḍhy ajita-priyāsi
kuṣmāṇḍa-vaināyaka-yakṣa-rakṣo-
bhūta-grahāṁś cūrṇaya cūrṇayārīn
SYNONYMS
gade—O club in the hands of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; aśani—like thunderbolts; sparśana—whose touch; visphuliṅge—giving off sparks of fire; niṣpiṇḍhi niṣpiṇḍhi—pound to pieces, pound to pieces; ajita-priyā—very dear to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; asi—you are; kuṣmāṇḍa—imps named Kuṣmāṇḍas; vaināyaka—ghosts named Vaināyakas; yakṣa—ghosts named Yakṣas; rakṣaḥ—ghosts named Rākṣasas; bhūta—ghosts named Bhūtas; grahān—and evil demons named Grahas; cūrṇaya—pulverize; cūrṇaya—pulverize; arīn—my enemies.
TRANSLATION
O club in the hand of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, you produce sparks of fire as powerful as thunderbolts, and you are extremely dear to the Lord. I am also His servant. Therefore kindly help me pound to pieces the evil living beings known as Kuṣmāṇḍas, Vaināyakas, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, Bhūtas and Grahas. Please pulverize them.
TEXT 25
tvaṁ yātudhāna-pramatha-preta-mātṛ-
piśāca-vipragraha-ghora-dṛṣṭīn
darendra vidrāvaya kṛṣṇa-pūrito
bhīma-svano ’rer hṛdayāni kampayan
SYNONYMS
tvam—you; yātudhāna—Rākṣasas; pramatha—Pramathas; preta—Pretas; mātṛ—Mātās; piśāca—Piśācas; vipra-graha—brāhmaṇa ghosts; ghora-dṛṣṭīn—who have very fearful eyes; darendra—O Pāñcajanya, the conchshell in the hands of the Lord; vidrāvaya—drive away; kṛṣṇa-pūritaḥ—being filled with air from the mouth of Kṛṣṇa; bhīma-svanaḥ—sounding extremely fearful; areḥ—of the enemy; hṛdayāni—the cores of the hearts; kampayan—causing to tremble.
TRANSLATION
O best of conchshells, O Pāñcajanya in the hands of the Lord, you are always filled with the breath of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Therefore you create a fearful sound vibration that causes trembling in the hearts of enemies like the Rākṣasas, pramatha ghosts, Pretas, Mātās, Piśācas and brāhmaṇa ghosts with fearful eyes.
TEXT 26
tvaṁ tigma-dhārāsi-varāri-sainyam
īśa-prayukto mama chindhi chindhi
cakṣūṁṣi carmañ chata-candra chādaya
dviṣām aghonāṁ hara pāpa-cakṣuṣām
SYNONYMS
tvam—you; tigma-dhāra-asi-vara—O best of swords possessing very sharp blades; ari-sainyam—the soldiers of the enemy; īśa-prayuktaḥ—being engaged by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; mama—my; chindhi chindhi—chop to pieces, chop to pieces; cakṣūṁṣi—the eyes; carman—O shield; śata-candra—possessing brilliant circles like a hundred moons; chādaya—please cover; dviṣām—of those who are envious of me; aghonām—who are completely sinful; hara—please take away; pāpa-cakṣuṣām—of those whose eyes are very sinful.
TRANSLATION
O king of sharp-edged swords, you are engaged by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Please cut the soldiers of my enemies to pieces. Please cut them to pieces! O shield marked with a hundred brilliant moonlike circles, please cover the eyes of the sinful enemies. Pluck out their sinful eyes.
TEXTS 27–28
yan no bhayaṁ grahebhyo ’bhūt
ketubhyo nṛbhya eva ca
sarīsṛpebhyo daṁṣṭribhyo
bhūtebhyo ’ṁhobhya eva ca
sarvāṇy etāni bhagavan-
nāma-rūpānukīrtanāt
prayāntu saṅkṣayaṁ sadyo
ye naḥ śreyaḥ-pratīpakāḥ
SYNONYMS
yat—which; naḥ—our; bhayam—fear; grahebhyaḥ—from the Graha demons; abhūt—was; ketubhyaḥ—from meteors, or falling stars; nṛbhyaḥ—from envious human beings; eva ca—also; sarīsṛpebhyaḥ—from snakes or scorpions; daṁṣṭribhyaḥ—from animals with fierce teeth like tigers, wolves and boars; bhūtebhyaḥ—from ghosts or the material elements (earth, water, fire, etc.); aṁhobhyaḥ—from sinful activities; eva ca—as well as; sarvāṇi etāni—all these; bhagavat-nāma-rūpa-anukīrtanāt—by glorifying the transcendental form, name, attributes and paraphernalia of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; prayāntu—let them go; saṅkṣayam—to complete destruction; sadyaḥ—immediately; ye—which; naḥ—our; śreyaḥ-pratīpakāḥ—hindrances to well-being.
TRANSLATION
May the glorification of the transcendental name, form, qualities and paraphernalia of the Supreme Personality of Godhead protect us from the influence of bad planets, meteors, envious human beings, serpents, scorpions, and animals like tigers and wolves. May it protect us from ghosts and the material elements like earth, water, fire and air, and may it also protect us from lightning and our past sins. We are always afraid of these hindrances to our auspicious life. Therefore, may they all be completely destroyed by the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.
TEXT 29
garuḍo bhagavān stotra-
stobhaś chandomayaḥ prabhuḥ
rakṣatv aśeṣa-kṛcchrebhyo
viṣvaksenaḥ sva-nāmabhiḥ
SYNONYMS
garuḍaḥ—His Holiness Garuḍa, the carrier of Lord Viṣṇu; bhagavān—as powerful as the Supreme Personality of Godhead; stotra-stobhaḥ—who is glorified by selected verses and songs; chandaḥ-mayaḥ—the personified Vedas; prabhuḥ—the lord; rakṣatu—may He protect; aśeṣa-kṛcchrebhyaḥ—from unlimited miseries; viṣvaksenaḥ—Lord Viṣvaksena; sva-nāmabhiḥ—by His holy names.
TRANSLATION
Lord Garuḍa, the carrier of Lord Viṣṇu, is the most worshipable lord, for he is as powerful as the Supreme Lord Himself. He is the personified Vedas and is worshiped by selected verses. May he protect us from all dangerous conditions, and may Lord Viṣvaksena, the Personality of Godhead, also protect us from all dangers by His holy names.
TEXT 30
sarvāpadbhyo harer nāma-
rūpa-yānāyudhāni naḥ
buddhīndriya-manaḥ-prāṇān
pāntu pārṣada-bhūṣaṇāḥ
SYNONYMS
sarva-āpadbhyaḥ—from all kinds of danger; hareḥ—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; nāma—the holy name; rūpa—the transcendental form; yāna—the carriers; āyudhāni—and all the weapons; naḥ—our; buddhi—intelligence; indriya—senses; manaḥ—mind; prāṇān—life air; pāntu—may they protect and maintain; pārṣada-bhūṣaṇāḥ—the decorations who are personal associates.
TRANSLATION
May the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s holy names, His transcendental forms, His carriers and all the weapons decorating Him as personal associates protect our intelligence, senses, mind and life air from all dangers.
PURPORT
There are various associates of the transcendental Personality of Godhead, and His weapons and carrier are among them. In the spiritual world, nothing is material. The sword, bow, club, disc and everything decorating the personal body of the Lord are spiritual living force. Therefore the Lord is called advaya jñāna, indicating that there is no difference between Him and His names, forms, qualities, weapons and so on. Anything pertaining to Him is in the same category of spiritual existence. They are all engaged in the service of the Lord in varieties of spiritual forms.
TEXT 31
yathā hi bhagavān eva
vastutaḥ sad asac ca yat
satyenānena naḥ sarve
yāntu nāśam upadravāḥ
SYNONYMS
yathā—just as; hi—indeed; bhagavān—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; eva—undoubtedly; vastutaḥ—at the ultimate issue; sat—manifested; asat—unmanifested; ca—and; yat—whatever; satyena—by the truth; anena—this; naḥ—our; sarve—all; yāntu—let them go; nāśam—to annihilation; upadravāḥ—disturbances.
TRANSLATION
The subtle and gross cosmic manifestation is material, but nevertheless it is nondifferent from the Supreme Personality of Godhead because He is ultimately the cause of all causes. Cause and effect are factually one because the cause is present in the effect. Therefore the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, can destroy all our dangers by any of His potent parts.
TEXTS 32–33
yathaikātmyānubhāvānāṁ
vikalpa-rahitaḥ svayam
bhūṣaṇāyudha-liṅgākhyā
dhatte śaktīḥ sva-māyayā
tenaiva satya-mānena
sarva-jño bhagavān hariḥ
pātu sarvaiḥ svarūpair naḥ
sadā sarvatra sarva-gaḥ
SYNONYMS
yathā—just as; aikātmya—in terms of oneness manifested in varieties; anubhāvānām—of those thinking; vikalpa-rahitaḥ—the absence of difference; svayam—Himself; bhūṣaṇa—decorations; āyudha—weapons; liṅga-ākhyāḥ—characteristics and different names; dhatte—possesses; śaktīḥ—potencies like wealth, influence, power, knowledge, beauty and renunciation; sva-māyayā—by expanding His spiritual energy; tena eva—by that; satya-mānena—true understanding; sarva-jñaḥ—omniscient; bhagavān—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; hariḥ—who can take away all the illusion of the living entities; pātu—may He protect; sarvaiḥ—with all; sva-rūpaiḥ—His forms; naḥ—us; sadā—always; sarvatra—everywhere; sarva-gaḥ—who is all-pervasive.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the living entities, the material energy, the spiritual energy and the entire creation are all individual substances. In the ultimate analysis, however, together they constitute the supreme one, the Personality of Godhead. Therefore those who are advanced in spiritual knowledge see unity in diversity. For such advanced persons, the Lord’s bodily decorations, His name, His fame, His attributes and forms and the weapons in His hand are manifestations of the strength of His potency. According to their elevated spiritual understanding, the omniscient Lord, who manifests various forms, is present everywhere. May He always protect us everywhere from all calamities.
PURPORT
A person highly elevated in spiritual knowledge knows that nothing exists but the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (9.4) where Lord Kṛṣṇa says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam, indicating that everything we see is an expansion of His energy. This is confirmed in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa (1.22.52):
ekadeśa-sthitasyāgner
jyotsnā vistāriṇī yathā
parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktis
tathedam akhilaṁ jagat
As a fire, although existing in one place, can expand its light and heat everywhere, so the omnipotent Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although situated in His spiritual abode, expands Himself everywhere, in both the material and spiritual worlds, by His various energies. Since both cause and effect are the Supreme Lord, there is no difference between cause and effect. Consequently the ornaments and weapons of the Lord, being expansions of His spiritual energy, are not different from Him. There is no difference between the Lord and His variously presented energies. This is also confirmed in the Padma Purāṇa:
nāma cintāmaṇiḥ kṛṣṇaś
caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ
pūrṇaḥ śuddho nitya-mukto
’bhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ
The holy name of the Lord is fully identical with the Lord, not partially. The word pūrṇa means “complete.” The Lord is omnipotent and omniscient, and similarly, His name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and everything pertaining to Him are complete, pure, eternal and free from material contamination. The prayer to the ornaments and carriers of the Lord is not false, for they are as good as the Lord. Since the Lord is all-pervasive, He exists in everything, and everything exists in Him. Therefore even worship of the Lord’s weapons or ornaments has the same potency as worship of the Lord. Māyāvādīs refuse to accept the form of the Lord, or they say that the form of the Lord is māyā, or false, but one should note very carefully that this is not acceptable. Although the Lord’s original form and His impersonal expansion are one, the Lord maintains His form, qualities and abode eternally. Therefore this prayer says, pātu sarvaiḥ svarūpair naḥ sadā sarvatra sama-gaḥ: “May the Lord, who is all-pervasive in His various forms, protect us everywhere.” The Lord is always present everywhere by His name, form, qualities, attributes and paraphernalia, and they all have equal power to protect the devotees. Śrīla Madhvācārya explains this as follows:
eka eva paro viṣṇur
bhūṣāheti dhvajeṣv ajaḥ
tat-tac-chakti-pradatvena
svayam eva vyavasthitaḥ
satyenānena māṁ devaḥ
pātu sarveśvaro hariḥ
TEXT 34
vidikṣu dikṣūrdhvam adhaḥ samantād
antar bahir bhagavān nārasiṁhaḥ
prahāpayaḹ loka-bhayaṁ svanena
sva-tejasā grasta-samasta-tejāḥ
SYNONYMS
vidikṣu—in all corners; dikṣu—in all directions (east, west, north and south); ūrdhvam—above; adhaḥ—below; samantāt—on all sides; antaḥ—internally; bahiḥ—externally; bhagavān—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; nārasiṁhaḥ—in the form of Nṛsiṁhadeva (half-lion and half-man); prahāpayan—completely destroying; loka-bhayam—fear created by animals, poison, weapons, water, air, fire and so on; svanena—by His roar or the vibration of His name by His devotee Prahlāda Mahārāja; sva-tejasā—by His personal effulgence; grasta—covered; samasta—all other; tejāḥ—influences.
TRANSLATION
Prahlāda Mahārāja loudly chanted the holy name of Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva. May Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, roaring for His devotee Prahlāda Mahārāja, protect us from all fear of dangers created by stalwart leaders in all directions through poison, weapons, water, fire, air and so on. May the Lord cover their influence by His own transcendental influence. May Nṛsiṁhadeva protect us in all directions and in all corners, above, below, within and without.
TEXT 35
maghavann idam ākhyātaṁ
varma nārāyaṇātmakam
vijeṣyase ’ñjasā yena
daṁśito ’sura-yūthapān
SYNONYMS
maghavan—O King Indra; idam—this; ākhyātam—described; varma—mystic armor; nārāyaṇa-ātmakam—related to Nārāyaṇa; vijeṣyase—you will conquer; añjasā—very easily; yena—by which; daṁśitaḥ—being protected; asura-yūthapān—the chief leaders of the demons.
TRANSLATION
Viśvarūpa continued: O Indra, this mystic armor related to Lord Nārāyaṇa has been described by me to you. By putting on this protective covering, you will certainly be able to conquer the leaders of the demons.
TEXT 36
etad dhārayamāṇas tu
yaṁ yaṁ paśyati cakṣuṣā
padā vā saṁspṛśet sadyaḥ
sādhvasāt sa vimucyate
SYNONYMS
etat—this; dhārayamāṇaḥ—a person employing; tu—but; yam yam—whomever; paśyati—he sees; cakṣuṣā—by his eyes; padā—by his feet; vā—or; saṁspṛśet—may touch; sadyaḥ—immediately; sādhvasāt—from all fear; saḥ—he; vimucyate—is freed.
TRANSLATION
If one employs this armor, whomever he sees with his eyes or touches with his feet is immediately freed from all the above-mentioned dangers.

Pictures from the Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 6 Part 2 Plate 3

Chapter Nine
Appearance of the Demon Vṛtrāsura

TEXT 11
hata-putras tatas tvaṣṭā
juhāvendrāya śatrave
indra-śatro vivardhasva
mā ciraṁ jahi vidviṣam
SYNONYMS
hata-putraḥ—who lost his son; tataḥ—thereafter; tvaṣṭā—Tvaṣṭā; juhāva—performed a sacrifice; indrāya—of Indra; śatrave—for creating an enemy; indra-śatro—O enemy of Indra; vivardhasva—increase; mā—not; ciram—after a long time; jahi—kill; vidviṣam—your enemy.
TRANSLATION
After Viśvarūpa was killed, his father, Tvaṣṭā, performed ritualistic ceremonies to kill Indra. He offered oblations in the sacrificial fire, saying, “O enemy of Indra, flourish to kill your enemy without delay.”
PURPORT
There was some defect in Tvaṣṭā’s chanting of the mantra because he chanted it long instead of short, and therefore the meaning changed. Tvaṣṭā intended to chant the word indra-śatro, meaning, “O enemy of Indra.” In this mantra, the word indra is in the possessive case (ṣaṣṭhī), and the word indra-śatro is called a tat-puruṣa compound (tatpuruṣa-samāsa). Unfortunately, instead of chanting the mantra short, Tvaṣṭā chanted it long, and its meaning changed from “the enemy of Indra” to “Indra, who is an enemy.” Consequently instead of an enemy of Indra’s, there emerged the body of Vṛtrāsura, of whom Indra was the enemy.
TEXT 12
athānvāhārya-pacanād
utthito ghora-darśanaḥ
kṛtānta iva lokānāṁ
yugānta-samaye yathā
SYNONYMS
atha—thereafter; anvāhārya-pacanāt—from the fire known as Anvāhārya; utthitaḥ—arisen; ghora-darśanaḥ—appearing very fearful; kṛtāntaḥ—personified annihilation; iva—like; lokānām—of all the planets; yuga-anta—of the end of the millennium; samaye—at the time; yathā—just as.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter, from the southern side of the sacrificial fire known as Anvāhārya came a fearful personality who looked like the destroyer of the entire creation at the end of the millennium.
TEXTS 13–17
viṣvag vivardhamānaṁ tam
iṣu-mātraṁ dine dine
dagdha-śaila-pratīkāśaṁ
sandhyābhrānīka-varcasam
tapta-tāmra-śikhā-śmaśruṁ
madhyāhnārkogra-locanam
dedīpyamāne tri-śikhe
śūla āropya rodasī
nṛtyantam unnadantaṁ ca
cālayantaṁ padā mahīm
darī-gambhīra-vaktreṇa
pibatā ca nabhastalam
lihatā jihvayarkṣāṇi
grasatā bhuvana-trayam
mahatā raudra-daṁṣṭreṇa
jṛmbhamāṇaṁ muhur muhuḥ
vitrastā dudruvur lokā
vīkṣya sarve diśo daśa
SYNONYMS
viṣvak—all around; vivardhamānam—increasing; tam—him; iṣu-mātram—an arrow’s flight; dine dine—day after day; dagdha—burnt; śaila—mountain; pratīkāśam—resembling; sandhyā—in the evening; abhra-anīka—like an array of clouds; varcasam—having an effulgence; tapta—melted; tāmra—like copper; śikhā—hair; śmaśrum—moustache and beard; madhyāhna—at midday; arka—like the sun; ugra-locanam—having powerful eyes; dedīpyamāne—blazing; tri-śikhe—three-pointed; śūle—on his spear; āropya—keeping; rodasī—heaven and earth; nṛtyantam—dancing; unnadantam—shouting loudly; ca—and; cālayantam—moving; padā—by his foot; mahīm—the earth; darī-gambhīra—as deep as a cave; vaktreṇa—by the mouth; pibatā—drinking; ca—also; nabhastalam—the sky; lihatā—licking up; jihvayā—by the tongue; ṛkṣāṇi—the stars; grasatā—swallowing; bhuvana-trayam—the three worlds; mahatā—very great; raudra-daṁṣṭreṇa—with fearful teeth; jṛmbhamāṇam—yawning; muhuḥ muhuḥ—again and again; vitrastāḥ—fearful; dudruvuḥ—ran; lokāḥ—people; vīkṣya—seeing; sarve—all; diśaḥ daśa—ten directions.
TRANSLATION
Like arrows released in the four directions, the demon’s body grew, day after day. Tall and blackish, he appeared like a burnt hill and was as lustrous as a bright array of clouds in the evening. The hair on the demon’s body and his beard and moustache were the color of melted copper, and his eyes were piercing like the midday sun. He appeared unconquerable, as if holding the three worlds on the points of his blazing trident. Dancing and shouting with a loud voice, he made the entire surface of the earth tremble as if from an earthquake. As he yawned again and again, he seemed to be trying to swallow the whole sky with his mouth, which was as deep as a cave. He seemed to be licking up all the stars in the sky with his tongue and eating the entire universe with his long, sharp teeth. Seeing this gigantic demon, everyone, in great fear, ran here and there in all directions.

Pictures from the Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 6 Part 2 Plate 4

Chapter Ten
The Battle Between the Demigods and Vṛtrāsura

TEXT 25
na te śastrāstra-varṣaughā
hy āseduḥ sura-sainikān
chinnāḥ siddha-pathe devair
laghu-hastaiḥ sahasradhā
SYNONYMS
na—not; te—those; śastra-astra-varṣa-oghāḥ—showers of arrows and other weapons; hi—indeed; āseduḥ—reached; sura-sainikān—the armies of the demigods; chinnāḥ—cut; siddha-pathe—in the sky; devaiḥ—by the demigods; laghu-hastaiḥ—quick-handed; sahasradhā—into thousands of pieces.
TRANSLATION
The showers of various weapons and arrows released to kill the soldiers of the demigods did not reach them because the demigods, acting quickly, cut the weapons into thousands of pieces in the sky.
TEXT 26
atha kṣīṇāstra-śastraughā
giri-śṛṅga-drumopalaiḥ
abhyavarṣan sura-balaṁ
cicchidus tāṁś ca pūrvavat
SYNONYMS
atha—thereupon; kṣīṇa—being reduced; astra—of the arrows released by mantras; śastra—and weapons; oghāḥ—the multitudes; giri—of mountains; śṛṅga—with the peaks; druma—with trees; upalaiḥ—and with stones; abhyavarṣan—showered; sura-balam—the soldiers of the demigods; cicchiduḥ—broke to pieces; tān—them; ca—and; pūrva-vat—as before.
TRANSLATION
As their weapons and mantras decreased, the demons began showering mountain peaks, trees and stones upon the demigod soldiers, but the demigods were so powerful and expert that they nullified all these weapons by breaking them to pieces in the sky as before.
TEXT 27
tān akṣatān svastimato niśāmya
śastrāstra-pūgair atha vṛtra-nāthāḥ
drumair dṛṣadbhir vividhādri-śṛṅgair
avikṣatāṁs tatrasur indra-sainikān
SYNONYMS
tān—them (the soldiers of the demigods); akṣatān—not injured; svasti-mataḥ—being very healthy; niśāmya—seeing; śastra-astra-pūgaiḥ—by the bunches of weapons and mantras; atha—thereupon; vṛtra-nāthāḥ—the soldiers led by Vṛtrāsura; drumaiḥ—by the trees; dṛṣadbhiḥ—by the stones; vividha—various; adri—of mountain s; śṛṅgaiḥ—by the peaks; avikṣatān—not injured; tatrasuḥ—became afraid; indra-sainikān—the soldiers of King Indra.
TRANSLATION
When the soldiers of the demons, commanded by Vṛtrāsura, saw that the soldiers of King Indra were quite well, having not been injured at all by their volleys of weapons, not even by the trees, stones and mountain peaks, the demons were very much afraid.
TEXT 28
sarve prayāsā abhavan vimoghāḥ
kṛtāḥ kṛtā deva-gaṇeṣu daityaiḥ
kṛṣṇānukūleṣu yathā mahatsu
kṣudraiḥ prayuktā ūṣatī rūkṣa-vācaḥ
SYNONYMS
sarve—all; prayāsāḥ—endeavors; abhavan—were; vimoghāḥ—futile; kṛtāḥ—performed; kṛtāḥ—again performed; deva-gaṇeṣu—unto the demigods; daityaiḥ—by the demons; kṛṣṇa-anukūleṣu—who were always protected by Kṛṣṇa; yathā—just as; mahatsu—unto the Vaiṣṇavas; kṣudraiḥ—by insignificant persons; prayuktāḥ—used; ūṣatīḥ—unfavorable; rūkṣa—rough; vācaḥ—words.
TRANSLATION
When insignificant persons use rough words to cast false, angry accusations against saintly persons, their fruitless words do not disturb the great personalities. Similarly, all the efforts of the demons against the demigods, who were favorably situated under the protection of Kṛṣṇa, were futile.
PURPORT
There is a Bengali saying that if a vulture curses a cow to die, the curse will not be effective. Similarly, accusations made by demoniac persons against devotees of Kṛṣṇa cannot have any effect. The demigods are devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and therefore the curses of the demons were futile.
TEXT 29
te sva-prayāsaṁ vitathaṁ nirīkṣya
harāv abhaktā hata-yuddha-darpāḥ
palāyanāyāji-mukhe visṛjya
patiṁ manas te dadhur ātta-sārāḥ
SYNONYMS
te—they (the demons); sva-prayāsam—their own endeavors; vitatham—fruitless; nirīkṣya—seeing; harau abhaktāḥ—the asuras, those who are not devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; hata—defeated; yuddha-darpāḥ—their pride in fighting; palāyanāya—for leaving the battlefield; āji-mukhe—in the very beginning of the battle; visṛjya—leaving aside; patim—their commander, Vṛtrāsura; manaḥ—their minds; te—all of them; dadhuḥ—gave; ātta-sārāḥ—whose prowess was taken away.
TRANSLATION
The asuras, who are never devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, lost their pride in fighting when they found all their endeavors futile. Leaving aside their leader even in the very beginning of the fight, they decided to flee because all their prowess had been taken away by the enemy.

Pictures from the Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 6 Part 2 Plate 5

Chapter Eleven
The Transcendental Qualities of Vṛtrāsura

TEXT 6
evaṁ sura-gaṇān kruddho
bhīṣayan vapuṣā ripūn
vyanadat sumahā-prāṇo
yena lokā vicetasaḥ
SYNONYMS
evam—thus; sura-gaṇān—the demigods; kruddhaḥ—being very angry; bhīṣayan—terrifying; vapuṣā—by his body; ripūn—his enemies; vyanadat—roared; su-mahā-prāṇaḥ—the most powerful Vṛtrāsura; yena—by which; lokāḥ—all people; vicetasaḥ—unconscious.
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Vṛtrāsura, the angry and most powerful hero, terrified the demigods with his stout and strongly built body. When he roared with a resounding voice, nearly all living entities fainted.
TEXT 7
tena deva-gaṇāḥ sarve
vṛtra-visphoṭanena vai
nipetur mūrcchitā bhūmau
yathaivāśaninā hatāḥ
SYNONYMS
tena—by that; deva-gaṇāḥ—the demigods; sarve—all; vṛtra-visphoṭanena—the tumultuous sound of Vṛtrāsura; vai—indeed; nipetuḥ—fell; mūrcchitāḥ—fainted; bhūmau—on the ground; yathā—just as if; eva—indeed; aśaninā—by a thunderbolt; hatāḥ—struck.
TRANSLATION
When all the demigods heard Vṛtrāsura’s tumultuous roar, which resembled that of a lion, they fainted and fell to the ground as if struck by thunderbolts.
TEXT 8
mamarda padbhyāṁ sura-sainyam āturaṁ
nimīlitākṣaṁ raṇa-raṅga-durmadaḥ
gāṁ kampayann udyata-śūla ojasā
nālaṁ vanaṁ yūtha-patir yathonmadaḥ
SYNONYMS
mamarda—trampled; padbhyām—by his feet; sura-sainyam—the army of the demigods; āturam—who were very afraid; nimīlita-akṣam—closing their eyes; raṇa-raṅga-durmadaḥ—arrogant on the battlefield; gām—the surface of the globe; kampayan—causing to tremble; udyata-śūlaḥ—taking up his trident; ojasā—with his strength; nālam—of hollow bamboo sticks; vanam—a forest; yūtha-patiḥ—an elephant; yathā—just as; unmadaḥ—maddened.
TRANSLATION
As the demigods closed their eyes in fear, Vṛtrāsura, taking up his trident and making the earth tremble with his great strength, trampled the demigods beneath his feet on the battlefield the way a mad elephant tramples hollow bamboos in the forest.
TEXT 9
vilokya taṁ vajra-dharo ’tyamarṣitaḥ
sva-śatrave ’bhidravate mahā-gadām
cikṣepa tām āpatatīṁ suduḥsahāṁ
jagrāha vāmena kareṇa līlayā
SYNONYMS
vilokya—seeing; tam—him (Vṛtrāsura); vajra-dharaḥ—the carrier of the thunderbolt (King Indra); ati—very much; amarṣitaḥ—intolerant; sva—his own; śatrave—toward the enemy; abhidravate—running; mahā-gadām—a very powerful club; cikṣepa—threw; tām—that (club); āpatatīm—flying toward him; su-duḥsahām—very difficult to counteract; jagrāha—caught; vāmena—with his left; kareṇa—hand; līlayā—very easily.
TRANSLATION
Seeing Vṛtrāsura’s disposition, Indra, the King of heaven, became intolerant and threw at him one of his great clubs, which are extremely difficult to counteract. However, as the club flew toward him, Vṛtrāsura easily caught it with his left hand.
TEXT 10
sa indra-śatruḥ kupito bhṛśaṁ tayā
mahendra-vāhaṁ gadayoru-vikramaḥ
jaghāna kumbha-sthala unnadan mṛdhe
tat karma sarve samapūjayan nṛpa
SYNONYMS
saḥ—that; indra-śatruḥ—Vṛtrāsura; kupitaḥ—being angry; bhṛśam—very much; tayā—with that; mahendra-vāham—the elephant who is the carrier of Indra; gadayā—by the club; uru-vikramaḥ—who is famous for his great strength; jaghāna—struck; kumbha-sthale—on the head; unnadan—roaring loudly; mṛdhe—in that fight; tat karma—that action (striking the head of Indra’s elephant with the club in his left hand); sarve—all the soldiers (on both sides); samapūjayan—glorified; nṛpa—O King Parīkṣit.
TRANSLATION
O King Parīkṣit, the powerful Vṛtrāsura, the enemy of King Indra, angrily struck the head of Indra’s elephant with that club, making a tumultuous sound on the battlefield. For this heroic deed, the soldiers on both sides glorified him.
TEXT 11
airāvato vṛtra-gadābhimṛṣṭo
vighūrṇito ’driḥ kuliśāhato yathā
apāsarad bhinna-mukhaḥ sahendro
muñcann asṛk sapta-dhanur bhṛśārtaḥ
SYNONYMS
airāvataḥ—Airāvata, the elephant of King Indra; vṛtra-gadā-abhimṛṣṭaḥ—struck by the club in Vṛtrāsura’s hand; vighūrṇitaḥ—shaken; adriḥ—a mountain; kuliśa—by a thunderbolt; āhataḥ—struck; yathā—just like; apāsarat—was pushed back; bhinna-mukhaḥ—having a broken mouth; saha-indraḥ—with King Indra; muñcan—spitting; asṛk—blood; sapta-dhanuḥ—a distance measured by seven bows (approximately fourteen yards); bhṛśa—very severely; ārtaḥ—aggrieved.
TRANSLATION
Struck with the club by Vṛtrāsura like a mountain struck by a thunderbolt, the elephant Airāvata, feeling great pain and spitting blood from its broken mouth, was pushed back fourteen yards. In great distress, the elephant fell, with Indra on its back.