Source
Texts:
The
Sages' Teachings at Kurukshetra
Text
1
S'rî
S'uka said: 'When Prithâ, the daughter of the king of
Subala
[Gândhârî] and Draupadî,
Subhadrâ and the wives of the kings as well as His
gopîs, heard of the loving attachment [of
the wives] to
Krishna, Lord Hari, the Soul of All, were they all greatly
amazed, with tears filling their eyes.
S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî said: Prithâ,
Gândhârî, Draupadî, Subhadrâ,
the wives of other kings and the Lord's cowherd girlfriends
were all amazed to hear of the queens' deep love for Lord
Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead and Soul of all
beings, and their eyes filled with tears.
Text
2-5:
As
the women were thus conversing with the women and the men with
the men, arrived, eager to see Krishna and Râma at that
place, the sages Dvaipâyana, Nârada, Cyavana,
Devala and Asita; Vis'vâmitra, S'atânanda,
Bharadvâja and Gautama; Lord Paras'urâma and his
disciples, Vasishthha, Gâlava, Bhrigu, Pulastya and
Kas'yapa; Atri, Mârkandeya and Brihaspati; Dvita, Trita,
Ekata and the sons of Brahmâ [the four
Kumâras] as also Angirâ, Âgastya,
Yâjñavalkya and others headed by
Vâmadeva.
As
the women thus talked among themselves and the men among
themselves, a number of great sages arrived there, all of
them eager to see Lord Krishna and Lord Balarâma. They
included Dvaipâyana, Nârada, Cyavana, Devala and
Asita, Vis'vâmitra, S'atânanda, Bharadvâja
and Gautama, Lord Paras'urâma and his disciples,
Vasishthha, Gâlava, Bhrigu, Pulastya and Kas'yapa,
Atri, Mârkandeya and Brihaspati, Dvita, Trita, Ekata
and the four Kumâras, and Angirâ, Âgastya,
Yâjñavalkya and Vâmadeva.
Text
6
Seeing
them stood the Pândavas, Krishna, Râma, the kings
and others who sat down, immediately up to bow down to those
honored throughout the universe.
As
soon as they saw the sages approaching, the kings and other
gentlemen who had been seated immediately stood up,
including the Pândava brothers and Krishna and
Balarâma. They all then bowed down to the sages, who
are honored throughout the universe.
Text
7
They
all, including Râma and Acyuta, properly worshiped them
with words of welcome, sitting places, water to wash their feet
and to drink, flower garlands, incense and sandalwood
paste.
Lord
Krishna, Lord Balarâma and the other kings and leaders
properly worshiped the sages by offering them words of
greeting, sitting places, water for washing their feet,
drinking water, flower garlands, incense and sandalwood
paste.
Text
8
The
Supreme Lord in the flesh defending the dharma, addressed in
the with rapt attention listening assembly the great souls who
werev comfortably seated.
After
the sages were comfortably seated, the Supreme Lord Krishna,
whose transcendental body protects religious principles,
addressed them in the midst of that great assembly. Everyone
listened silently with rapt attention.
Text
9
The
Supreme Lord said: 'We who gained this birth have now
altogether obtained its fruit: the audience of the masters of
yoga that is rarely won even by the demigods.
The
Supreme Lord said: Now our lives are indeed successful, for
we have obtained life's ultimate goal: the audience of great
yoga masters, which even demigods only rarely obtain.
Text
10
How
is it possible that human beings who not being very renounced
see God in the form of the temple deity, now may enjoy your
company and may touch you, ask you questions, bow down and be
of worship at your feet and such?
How
is it that people who are not very austere and who recognize
God only in His Deity form in the temple can now see you,
touch you, inquire from you, bow down to you, worship your
feet and serve you in other ways?
Text
11
By just seeing
you, the saints, is one instantly purified, while that is not
so with the holy places consisting of water or the deities made
of clay that only gradually make that happen
[1.13:
10].
Mere
bodies of water are not the real sacred places of
pilgrimage, nor are mere images of earth and stone the true
worshipable deities. These purify one only after a long
time, but saintly sages purify one immediately upon being
seen.
Text
12
Not the fire,
nor the sun, the moon nor the firmament, not the earth, the
water, the ether, the breath, the speech nor the mind take,
being worshiped, away the sins of the one caught in the
material opposites; but they are wiped out by only a few
moments of delivering service to the men of
[brahminical] learning.
Neither
the demigods controlling fire, the sun, the moon and the
stars nor those in charge of earth, water, ether, air,
speech and mind actually remove the sins of their
worshipers, who continue to see in terms of dualities. But
wise sages destroy one's sins when respectfully served for
even a few moments.
Text
13
He with the
idea of himself as being the body that can be so smelly with
its three elements [of mucus, bile and air], with the
notion of a wife and that all as being his property, with the
view of clay as being something worshipable, with the thought
of water as being a place of pilgrimage, is, [going for
appearances but] never moved by the wisdom in men, indeed
not much better than a cow or an ass.'
One
who identifies his self as the inert body composed of mucus,
bile and air, who assumes his wife and family are
permanently his own, who thinks an earthen image or the land
of his birth is worshipable, or who sees a place of
pilgrimage as merely the water there, but who never
identifies himself with, feels kinship with, worships or
even visits those who are wise in spiritual truth - such a
person is no better than a cow or an ass.
Text
14
S'rî
S'uka said: 'Hearing this being said by the Supreme Lord
Krishna Unlimited in His Wisdom, were the learned silent,
confounded by the words that were hard to
digest.
S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî said: Hearing such unfathomable words
from the unlimitedly wise Lord Krishna, the learned
brâhmanas remained silent, their minds
bewildered.
Text
15
The
sages for some time pondered over the Supreme Controller and
the subordinate position [He had assumed]. They arrived
at the conclusion that it was meant to enlighten the people and
thus addressed they Him, the Spiritual Master of the Universe,
with a smile on their faces.
For
some time the sages pondered the Supreme Lord's behavior,
which resembled that of a subordinate living being. They
concluded that He was acting this way to instruct the people
in general. Thus they smiled and spoke to Him, the spiritual
master of the universe.
Text
16
The
honorable sages said: 'Ah, we the best knowers of the truth and
chief creators of the universe, are bewildered by the power of
the material illusion created by the activities of the Supreme
Lord, who so amazingly covert in His operations pretends to be
the one controlled.
The
great sages said: Your power of illusion has totally
bewildered us, the most exalted knowers of the truth and
leaders among the universal creators. Ah, how amazing is the
behavior of the Supreme Lord! He covers Himself with His
humanlike activities and pretends to be subject to superior
control.
Text
17
Effortlessly
He creates, all by Himself, the variety of this universe and
maintains He and destroys He without getting entangled Himself.
He is in His actions just like the eath element with the many
names and forms of its transformations; ah, what an actor the
Almighty is in His activities [see also
8.6:
10]!
Indeed,
the humanlike pastimes of the Almighty are simply a
pretense! Effortlessly, He alone sends forth from His Self
this variegated creation, maintains it and then swallows it
up again, all without becoming entangled, just as the
element earth takes on many names and forms in its various
transformations.
Text
18
Nonetheless
does Your good Self, the Original Personality of the Soul, at
times, in order to protect Your people and to chastise the
wicked, assume the mode of goodness, the mode in which You by
means of Your pastimes maintain the eternal vedic path of the
varnâs'rama statusoriëntations [see also
sanâtana
dharma].
Nonetheless,
at suitable times You assume the pure mode of goodness to
protect Your devotees and punish the wicked. Thus You, the
Soul of the varnâs'rama social order, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, maintain the eternal path of the
Vedas by enjoying Your pleasure pastimes.
Text
19
The spiritual
[the 'brahma']
is Your pure heart in which by austerities, study and turning
inward in concentrated meditation [samyama] the
eternal manifest and unmanifest is realized as also the
transcendental to that [see also: B.G.
7: 5].
The
Vedas are Your spotless heart, and through them one can
perceive - by means of austerity, study and self-control -
the manifest, the unmanifest and the pure existence
transcendental to both.
Text
20
For
that reason do You, o Absolute of the Truth, prove Your respect
for the community of the brahmins, through the perfect of whom
the revealed scriptures are realized, and so are You the leader
of those in respect of the brahminical.
Therefore,
O Supreme Brahman, You honor the members of the brahminical
community, for they are the perfect agents by which one can
realize You through the evidence of the Vedas. For that very
reason You are the foremost worshiper of the
brâhmanas.
Text
21
Today
there is [indeed] the fruition of our birth, education,
austerities and vision; with You to obtain association is the
goal of the saintly since You are the Limit, the Ultimate of
all Welfare.
Today
our birth, education, austerity and vision have all become
perfect because we have been able to associate with You, the
goal of all saintly persons. Indeed, You Yourself are the
ultimate, supreme blessing.
Text
22
Our obeisances
to Him, the Supreme Lord ever fresh in His wisdom,
[You] Krishna, the Supersoul who by His
yoga-mâyâ covered His own greatness.
Let
us offer obeisances unto that Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Lord Krishna, the infinitely intelligent Supersoul,
who has disguised His greatness through His mystic
Yogamâyâ.
Text
23
None
of these kings enjoying with You, nor the Vrishnis know You,
cloaked by the curtain of mâyâ, as the Supreme
Soul, the Time and the Controller [B.G.
6: 26].
Neither
these kings nor even the Vrishnis, who enjoy Your intimate
association, know You as the Soul of all existence, the
force of time and the supreme controller. For them You are
covered by the curtain of Mâyâ.
Text
24-25
The
way a sleeping person envisioning himself an alternate reality
with names and forms with what he manifests through his mind
does not know of a separate reality beyond it, does one with
You similarly having names and forms, by the activity of the
senses of Your mâyâ getting bewildered in one's
consciousness, have no clue because of the discontinuity of
one's memory [compare B.G.
4.5
and 4.29:1b,
10.1:
41
and
7.7:
25].
A
sleeping person imagines an alternative reality for himself
and, seeing himself as having various names and forms,
forgets his waking identity, which is distinct from the
dream. Similarly, the senses of one whose consciousness is
bewildered by illusion perceive only the names and forms of
material objects. Thus such a person loses his memory and
cannot know You.
Text
26
That
of You, the feet, the source of the Ganges, washing away floods
of sins, have we seen today; [with them] well installed
in the heart is by those whose yoga practice matured and the
devotional service fully developed, the material mentality, the
covering of their individual souls, destroyed and the
destination of You attained - so please, show Your devotees
Your mercy.'
Today
we have directly seen Your feet, the source of the holy
Ganges, which washes away volumes of sins. Perfected
yogîs can at best meditate upon Your feet within their
hearts. But only those who render You wholehearted
devotional service and in this way vanquish the soul's
covering - the material mind - attain You as their final
destination. Therefore kindly show mercy to us, Your
devotees.
Text
27
S'uka
said: 'With this taking permission to leave
Dâs'ârha [Krishna], Dhritarâshthra
and Yudhishthhira, o sage among kings, contemplated the sages
their return to their hermitages.
S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî said: Having thus spoken, O wise king,
the sages then took leave of Lord Dâs'ârha,
Dhritarâshthra and Yudhishthhira and prepared to
depart for their âs'ramas.
Text
28
Seeing
this approached the greatly renown Vasudeva them and took he
bowing down hold of their feet expressing the following careful
choice of words.
Seeing
that they were about to leave, the renowned Vasudeva
approached the sages. After bowing down to them and touching
their feet, he spoke to them with carefully chosen
words.
Text
29
S'rî
Vasudeva said: 'My obeisances to you representing all the gods
[*],
o seers, please listen, tell us this: how can we be purged of
karma by doing work?'
S'rî
Vasudeva said: Obeisances to you, the residence of all the
demigods. Please hear me, O sages. Kindly tell us how the
reactions of one's work can be counteracted by further
work.
Text
30
S'rî
Nârada said: 'O learned ones, this with the desire to
learn asking of Vasudeva about the highest good for himself, is
not so surprising, given the fact that he thinks of Krishna as
being a child [of his, his son].
S'rî
Nârada Muni said: O brâhmanas, it is not so
amazing that in his eagerness to know, Vasudeva has asked us
about his ultimate benefit, for he considers Krishna a mere
boy.
Text
31
For mortals to
be close out here is a cause of disregard as e.g. with someone
living at the Ganges leaving to purify elsewhere.
In
this world familiarity breeds contempt. For example, one who
lives on the banks of the Ganges might travel to some other
body of water to be purified.
Text
32-33
[The
Lord] His
awareness is for no reason, nor on its own nor due to some
other agency, in its qualities ever disrupted by the
destructive and creative that is caused by the time of this
[universe, see B.G. 4.14
and 10.30];
He, the Controller without a Second, whose consciousness is
unaffected by hindrances, material activities and their
consequences and the modes and their flow of changes
[kles'a, karma and guna], is by someone else
[ignorantly] considered as being covered by His own
expansions of prâna and other elements, just like the sun
is being covered by clouds, snow or eclipses.'
The
Supreme Lord's awareness is never disturbed by time, by the
creation and destruction of the universe, by changes in its
own qualities, or by anything else, whether self-caused or
external. But although the consciousness of the Personality
of Godhead, who is the supreme one without a second, is
never affected by material distress, by the reactions of
material work or by the constant flow of nature's modes,
ordinary persons nonetheless think that the Lord is covered
by His own creations of prâna and other material
elements, just as one may think that the sun is covered by
clouds, snow or an eclipse.
Text
34
Then, o King,
said the sages, addressing Vasudeva with all the kings as also
Acyuta and Râma listening:
[S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî continued:l The sages then spoke again,
O King, addressing Vasudeva while all the kings, along with
Lord Acyuta and Lord Râma, listened.
Text
35
'As
correct has been ascertained that the karma is counteracted by
this work: that one with faith with sacrifices [sprightly,
as in a kirtan] worships Vishnu, the Lord of all
Sacrifices.
[The
sages said:] It has been definitely concluded that work
is counteracted by further work when one executes Vedic
sacrifices as a means of worshiping Vishnu, the Lord of all
sacrifices, with sincere faith.
Text
36
This
indeed is what the scholars through the eye of the
s'âstras demonstrated as the easiest way to pacify the
mind; it is the yoga-dharma which brings pleasure to the
heart.
Learned
authorities who see through the eye of scripture have
demonstrated that this is the easiest method of subduing the
agitated mind and attaining liberation, and that it is a
sacred duty which brings joy to the heart.
Text
37
The
one twice-born performing sacrifices at home should pure and
selfless with the entrusted possessions be of worship for the
Personality of Godhead; this is the path that brings success
[**].
This
is the most auspicious path for a religious householder of
the twice- born orders - to selflessly worship the
Personality of Godhead with wealth honestly obtained.
Text
38
One
who is intelligent should renounce the desire for wealth by
sacrifices and charity, the desire for a wife and kids by
engaging in household affairs and the desire for a world for
himself [or another life], o Vasudeva, by means of the
Time [in studying its effects, see also
9.5
and B.G. 3:
16];
all the ones sober renounced their desires for a household life
and went for penance into the forest [see also B.G.
2:
13].
An
intelligent person should learn to renounce his desire for
wealth by performing sacrifices and acts of charity. He
should learn to renounce his desire for wife and children by
experiencing family life. And he should learn to renounce
his desire for promotion to a higher planet in his next
life, O saintly Vasudeva, by studying the effects of time.
Self-controlled sages who have thus renounced their
attachment to household life go to the forest to perform
austerities.
Text
39
Prabhu,
someone twiceborn is born with three debts: the debt to the
gods, the sages and the forefathers; not liquidating them by
[respectively] sacrifice [celibacy e.g.],
studying the scriptures and with byproducts [children,
pupils or books see ***]
will he, leaving the body, fall down [again into the
material world].
Dear
Prabhu, a member of the twice-born classes is born with
three kinds of debts - those owed to the demigods, to the
sages and to his forefathers. If he leaves his body without
first liquidating these debts by performing sacrifice,
studying the scriptures and begetting children, he will fall
down into a hellish condition.
Text
40
But
with you verily freed from the two of them to the sages and the
forefathers, o magnanimous one, may you now, to be without
debt, relieve yourself by sacrificing to the gods and renounce
your homestead.
But
you, O magnanimous soul, are already free from two of your
debts - those to the sages and the forefathers. Now absolve
yourself of your debt to the demigods by executing Vedic
sacrifices, and in this way free yourself completely of debt
and renounce all material shelter.
Text
41
O
Vasudeva since He took the role of your son must your good self
[in a previous life] indeed with devotion thoroughly
have been of worship for the Supreme Lord and Controller of All
Worlds [see also 1o.3:
32-45
and 11.5:
41].'
O
Vasudeva, without doubt you must have previously worshiped
Lord Hari, the master of all worlds. Both you and your wife
must have perfectly worshiped Him with supreme devotion,
since He has accepted the role of your son.
Text
42
S'rî
S'uka said: 'Having heard their words thus spoken, chose
Vasudeva the sages as his priests, propitiating them by bowing
his head.
S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî said: After hearing these statements of
the sages, generous Vasudeva bowed his head to the ground
and, praising them, requested them to become his
priests.
Text
43
The rishis, o
King, being chosen by him so religiously to the principles with
that, engaged him in fire rituals at the holy field [of
Kurukshetra] with superfine ritual
arrangements.
Thus
requested by him, O King, the sages engaged the pious
Vasudeva in performing fire sacrifices at that holy place of
Kurukshetra according to strict religious principles and
with most excellent ritual arrangements.
Text
44-45
When the
initiation of him was about to begin, came joyfully the
Vrishnis, bathed and well-dressed, wearing garlands and being
elaborately ornamented, together with their queens with lockets
around their necks, in the finest clothes and smeared with
sandalwood paste to the sacrificial pavilion, o King, with
items of worship in their hands.
When
Mahârâja Vasudeva was about to be initiated for
the sacrifice, O King, the Vrishnis came to the initiation
pavilion after bathing and putting on fine clothes and
garlands of lotuses. The other kings also came, elaborately
ornamented, as well as all their joyful queens, who wore
jeweled lockets around their necks and were also clad in
fine garments. The royal wives were anointed with sandalwood
paste and carried auspicious items for the worship.
Text
46
Clay tom-toms
and tabors, kettle drums and drums, conchshells and other
musical instruments sounded, male and female dancers danced and
bards and panegyrists sang sweet voiced along with the female
singers of heaven and their husbands.
Mridangas,
pathahas, conchshells, bherîs, ânakas and other
instruments resounded, male and female dancers danced, and
sûtas and mâgadhas recited glorifications.
Sweet-voiced Gandharvîs sang, accompanied by their
husbands.
Text
47
According the
scriptures by the priests sprinkled with sacred water [for
his initiation], looked he with his eyes decorated black
and his body smeared with fresh butter, with his eighteen wives
[see 9.24:
21-23 &
45]
as if [he was the moon] surrounded by the
stars.
After
Vasudeva's eyes had been decorated with black cosmetic and
his body smeared with fresh butter, the priests initiated
him according to scriptural rules by sprinkling him and his
eighteen wives with sacred water. Encircled by his wives, he
resembled the regal moon encircled by stars.
Text
48
With them all
finely decorated wearing silk sârîs and bangles,
necklaces, ankle bells and earrings shone he, initiated being
wrapped in deerskin, brilliantly.
Vasudeva
received initiation along with his wives, who wore silk
sârîs and were adorned with bangles, necklaces,
ankle bells and earrings. With his body wrapped in a
deerskin, Vasudeva shone splendidly.
Text
49
O great King,
his supervisors and priests radiated with their jewels and
garments of silk as if they were standing in the sacrificial
arena of the killer of Vritra [Indra, see
6.11].
My
dear Mahârâja Parîkchit, Vasudeva's
priests and the officiating members of the assembly, dressed
in silk dhotîs and jeweled ornaments, looked so
effulgent that they seemed to be standing in the sacrificial
arena of Indra, the killer of Vritra.
Text
50
At that time
did also the two Lords Râma and Krishna appear as
splendid, each accompanied by Their own might of wives, sons
and family members as expansions of Themselves.
At
that time Balarâma and Krishna, the Lords of all
living entities, shone forth with great majesty in the
company of Their respective sons, wives and other family
members, who were expansions of Their opulences.
Text
51
He to the rules
worshiped with each kind of sacrifice characterized as primary
[to the s'ruti] and secondary [modified to other
sources, see *4],
with offerings in the fire and so on the Lord of the
Paraphernalia, the Mantras and the Rituals.
Performing
various kinds of Vedic sacrifice according to the proper
regulations, Vasudeva worshiped the Lord of all sacrificial
paraphernalia, mantras and rituals. He executed both primary
and secondary sacrifices, offering oblations to the sacred
fire and carrying out other aspects of sacrificial
worship.
Text
52
Next gave he,
at the designated time, to the priests already richly
decorated, gifts of gratitude decorating them even more, as
also marriageable girls, cows and land of great
value.
Then,
at the appropriate time and according to scripture, Vasudeva
remunerated the priests by decorating them with precious
ornaments, though they were already richly adorned, and
offering them valuable gifts of cows, land and marriageable
girls.
Text
53
Having executed
the ritual performed by the sponsor
[patni-samyâja] and the concluding ritual
[avabhrithya] bathed the great sages, placing the
learned and the sponsor of the yajna in front, in the lake of
Lord Paras'urâma [9.16:
18-19].
After
supervising the patnî-samyâja and avabhrithya
rituals, the great brâhmana sages bathed in Lord
Paras'urâma's lake with the sponsor of the sacrifice,
Vasudeva, who led them.
Text
54
Having bathed
gave he jewelry and clothing to the bards and the women and
honored he next in his finest apparel all the classes of people
and even the dogs with food.
His
sacred bath complete, Vasudeva joined with his wives in
giving the jewelry and clothes they had been wearing to the
professional reciters. Vasudeva then put on new garments,
after which he honored all classes of people by feeding
everyone, even the dogs.
Text
55-56
With the wealth
of gifts did his relatives and their wives and children, the
leaders of the Vidarbhas, Kos'alas, Kurus, Kâs'îs,
Kekayas and Sriñjayas; the supervisors, the priests, the
different types of enlightened souls, the ordinary humans, the
paranormal ['the ghostly'], the forefathers and the
venerable ones, all take leave from the Abode of S'rî to
depart filled with praise for the sacrifice
performed.
With
opulent gifts he honored his relatives, including all their
wives and children; the royalty of the Vidarbha, Kos'ala,
Kuru, Kâs'î, Kekaya and Sriñjaya
kingdoms; the officiating members of the assembly; and also
the priests, witnessing demigods, humans, spirits,
forefathers and Câranas. Then, taking permission from
Lord Krishna, the shelter of the goddess of fortune, the
various guests departed as they all chanted the glories of
Vasudeva's sacrifice.
Text
57-58
The
immediate family members Dhritarâshthra and his younger
brother [Vidura], Prithâ and her sons
[Arjuna, Bhîma and Yudhishthhira], Bhîshma,
Drona, the twins [Nakula and Sahadeva], Nârada,
and Bhagavân Vyâsadeva and other relatives
embracing their friends and relatives, the Yadus, then, with
hearts melting of affection on the separation, with difficulty
returned to their respective places as did also the rest of the
guests.
The
Yadus were all embraced by their friends, close family
members and other relatives, including Dhritarâshthra
and his younger brother, Vidura; Prithâ and her sons;
Bhîshma; Drona; the twins Nakula and Sahadeva;
Nârada; and Vedavyâsa, the Personality of
Godhead. Their hearts melting with affection, these and the
other guests left for their kingdoms, their progress slowed
by the pain of separation.
Text
59
Nanda together
with the cowherds out of affection for his relatives stayed and
was by Krishna, Râma, Ugrasena and the rest in worship
honored most generously.
Nanda
Mahârâja showed his affection for his relatives,
the Yadus, by remaining with them a little longer, together
with his cowherds. During his stay, Krishna, Balarâma,
Ugrasena and the others honored him with especially opulent
worship.
Text
60
Vasudeva with
ease having crossed over the ocean of his great ambition
[see also 10.3:
11-12],
felt most pleased and addressed, surrounded by his
well-wishers, Nanda, touching his hand as he
spoke.
Having
so easily crossed over the vast ocean of his ambition,
Vasudeva felt fully satisfied. In the company of his many
well-wishers, he took Nanda by the hand and addressed him as
follows.
Text
61
S'rî
Vasudeva said: 'The by God forged bond of men which is named
affection is, I think, for warriors as difficult to relinquish
as for yogîs.
S'rî
Vasudeva said: My dear brother, God Himself has tied the
knot called affection, which tightly binds human beings
together. It seems to me that even great heroes and mystics
find it very difficult to free themselves from it.
Text
62
Even though the
friendship offered by you so very saintly is not reciprocated
by us so forgetful of what you did, does it never cease as it
is beyond compare.
Indeed,
the Supreme Lord must have created the bonds of affection,
for such exalted saints as you have never stopped showing
matchless friendship toward us ingrates, although it has
never been properly reciprocated.
Text
63
Formerly
[sitting in Kamsa's prison] were we incapable to act on
your behalf and now well-to-do, o brother, do we with you right
in front of us fail to see you with our eyes blind intoxicated
of the opulence.
Previously,
dear brother, we did nothing to benefit you because we were
unable to, yet even now that you are present before us, our
eyes are so blinded by the intoxication of material good
fortune that we continue to ignore you.
Text
64
Let there for a
person after the real benefit of life never arise the fortune
of kings, o respectful one, as he with his vision clouded by
that doesn't even see his own kinsmen or friends [compare
10.10:
8].'
O
most respectful one, may a person who wants the highest
benefit in life never gain kingly opulence, for it leaves
him blind to the needs of his own family and friends.
Text
65
S'rî
S'uka said: 'Thus with tears filling his eyes remembering what
he all had done in friendship, had Ânakadundubhi, with
his heart softened by the intimacy, to weep.
S'rî
S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: His heart softened by
feelings of intimate sympathy, Vasudeva wept. His eyes
brimmed with tears as he remembered the friendship Nanda had
shown him.
Text
66
Nanda then to
his overtly affectionate friend, out of love for Govinda and
Râma thus saying 'I'll go later, I'll go tomorrow',
remained, honored by the Yadus, for three
months.
And
on his part, Nanda was also full of affection for his friend
Vasudeva. Thus during the following days Nanda would
repeatedly announce, "I will be leaving later today" and "I
will be leaving tomorrow." But out of love for Krishna and
Balarâma he remained there for three more months,
honored by all the Yadus.
Text
67-68
Satiated with
desirables like the most valuable ornaments, finest linen and
various priceless pieces of furniture, he thereafter, seen off
by the Yadus, departed together with the people of Vraja and
his family, taking with him the gifts given by Krishna, Uddhava
and others.
Then,
after Vasudeva, Ugrasena, Krishna, Uddhava, Balarâma
and others had fulfilled his desires and presented him with
precious ornaments, fine linen and varieties of priceless
household furnishings, Nanda Mahârâja accepted
all these gifts and took his leave. Seen off by all the
Yadus, he departed with his family members and the residents
of Vraja.
Text
69
Nanda, the
gopas and the gopîs being unable to put
Govinda's lotus feet out of their minds, accordingly [many
a time] looking back, returned to
Mathurâ.
Unable
to withdraw their minds from Lord Govinda's lotus feet,
where they had surrendered them, Nanda and the cowherd men
and women returned to Mathurâ.
Text
70
With their
relatives departed went the Vrishnis who had Krishna as their
Godhead, seeing that the rainy season was about to begin, back
to Dvârakâ.
Their
relatives having thus departed, and seeing that the rainy
season was approaching, the Vrishnis, whose only Lord was
Krishna, went back to Dvârakâ.
Text
71
To the people
[there] they gave an account of the great festivity and
all that of the lord of the Yadus [Vasudeva] had taken
place and of all the well-wishers they had seen during the
pilgrimage [see 10.82].
They
told the people of the city about the festive sacrifices
performed by Vasudeva, lord of the Yadus, and about
everything else that had happened during their pilgrimage,
especially how they had met with all their loved
ones.
*
This statement, reminds us the paramparâ, is confirmed in
the authoritative s'ruti-mantras, which declare
'yâvatîr vai devatâs tâh sarvâ
veda-vidi brâhmane vasanti': "Whatever demigods
exist, all reside in a brâhmana who knows the
Veda."
**
The paramparâ adds: 'Both S'rîdhara
Svâmî and S'rî Jîva Gosvâmî
here agree that the ritual karma of Vedic sacrifices is
particularly meant for attached householders. Those who are
already renounced in Krishna consciousness, like Vasudeva
himself, need only cultivate their faith in the Lord's
devotees, His Deity form, His name, the remnants of His food
and His teachings, as given in Bhagavad-Gîtâ and
S'rîmad-Bhâgavatam'.
***
The word putra used here usually refers to child, but also
means doll or any other artificial thing to care for like a
home, or works of art, a book or another byproduct as
Prabhupâda and his pupils called it as e.g. in
3.28:
38
and 11.20:
27-28.
It literally means 'preserving from the hell called Put', the
place where the ones childless reside.
*4
The paramparâ explains: 'The Brâhmana portion of
the Vedic s'ruti specifies the complete step-by-step procedure
of only a few prototype sacrifices, such as the Jyotishthoma
and Dars'a-pûrnamâsa. These are called the
prâkrita, or original, yajñas; the details of
other yajñas must be extrapolated from the patterns of
these prâkrita injunctions according to the strict rules
of the Mîmâmsâ-s'âstra. Since other
yajñas are thus known by derivation from the prototype
sacrifices, they are called vaikrita, or "changed".'
