Site menu |
|
Login form |
|
Search |
|
Our poll |
|
Statistics |
Total online: 1 Guests: 1 Users: 0 |
|
Welcome, Guest · RSS |
2024-03-29, 0:19 AM |
|
Chapter 88: Lord S'iva Saved from Vrikâsura
(1)
The honorable king [Parîkchit] said:
'The godly, the ones of darkness and the humans who worship the austere
Lord S'iva, are usually rich and enjoy the senses, but not so those of
Lakshmî and her Husband the Lord Hari. (2)
On our part indeed of great doubt in this, we wish to understand this
matter of the destinations of the worshipers of the two Lords so
opposite of character.'
(3) S'rî S'uka said: 'S'iva, always united
with his s'akti, is prayed to in his three manifest features of guna: the
emotion [his sattva], the authority [his rajas] and the
inertia [his tamas], and is thus the [embodiment of the]
threefold of ego. (4) From that have
the sixteen transformations [lingas] manifested of which
someone, pursuing any of these, enjoys the acquisition of material
assets [see under S'iva].
(5) Lord Hari however is, indeed absolutely
untouched by the modes, the Original Person transcendental to material
nature; He is the witness seeing everything, by worshiping Him one
becomes free from the gunas. (6) Your grandfather the king [Yudishthhira]
asked Acyuta this as he was hearing from Him about the dharma. (7) He, the Supreme Lord, his Master, who for
the sake of the ultimate benefit of all men had descended into the
Yadu-family, then spoke pleased to him who was eagerly listening. (8) The Supreme Lord said: 'From the one I favor
I gradually take away the wealth, after which then poor, suffering one
distress after another, that person will be abandoned by his own
[attached] people [see also 7.15: 15, 9.21: 12, 10.81:
14 & 20, 10.87: 40, B.G. 9: 22].
(9) When he futile in his attempts to serve the
capital gets frustrated and makes friends with those devoted to Me,
will I show My mercy. (10) Sober with
the wisdom understanding that the subtle, pure, eternal spirit of the
Supreme Brahman is one's true self, is one freed from samsâra.
(11) Leaving aside Me because I am most difficult
to worship, do people worship others from which they quickly find
satisfaction in receiving royal opulence. Having become arrogant, proud
and negligent do they, surprisingly, then insult those whom they owe
the benedictions [see also B.G. 2: 42-44; 4:
12; 7:
20-25; 17:
22, 18:
28].'
(12) S'rî S'uka said: 'Brahmâ, S'iva and
others are capable of cursing and showing favor. Brahmâ and S'iva
are quick with their condemnations and blessings, my dear King, but the
Infallible One [Vishnu] is not. (13)
In this connection is as an example the following ancient story told of
Giris'a running
into danger by offering a choice of benedictions to the demon
Vrikâsura. (14) An Asura
named Vrika, a son of S'akuni [see 9.24:
5], meeting Nârada on
the road, wickedly asked which of the three Lords was most quickly
pleased. (15) He said: 'For quick success you better
worship S'iva, he is as quickly satisfied by qualities as he is angered
by faults. (16) Satisfied with Ten-head [Râvana] and
with Bâna who
like minstrels sang his glories, got he in great trouble [though]
giving them unequaled power.'
(17) Thus informed worshiped the Asura him at
Kedâra [in the Himalayas] by offering oblations of flesh from his
own limbs into the fire that is S'iva's mouth. (18-19) Out of frustration to obtain the sight of
the Lord, was he the seventh day with his hair wetted in the waters of
that holy place, about to cut off his head with a hatchet. But then
supremely merciful rising from the fire looking like Agni stopped he
him seizing his arms and restored he his body on the touch, just like
we would. (20) He told him: 'Enough, enough, dear man,
please listen, choose a benediction from me, I'll bestow upon you
whatever boon you desire. Ah, your greatly tormenting your body is
useless, I am pleased by persons who with water approach me for shelter
[see also B.G. 17: 5-6]!'
(21) With that offer of the god chose the sinner a
boon that terrified all living beings as he said: 'May whomever die on
whose head I place my hand!'
(22) O son of Bharata, Rudra hearing this,
disgruntled vibrated om and granted it him with an ironic
smile; it was like giving milk to a snake [see also 10.16:
37]. (23) To put the favor to a test tried the demon
then to put his hand on the head of S'iva and made that way his flesh
creep about what he had caused. (24)
Pursued by him fled he trembling with fear from the north [of his
residence] to as far as the limits of the earth and the sky in all
directions. (25-26) Not
knowing what to do against it remained the chief demigods silent.
Thereupon he went to Vaikunthha, the place luminous beyond all darkness
where Nârâyana, the Supreme Goal is manifest. That place is
the destination from where the renunciates who in peace gave up the
violence do not return [see also S'vetadvîpa]. (27-28) The Supreme Lord, the Eradicator of Distress, who from a
distance saw the danger, came before him having turned Himself by the
power of His yogamâyâ into a young brahmin student. Complete with
a belt, deerskin, rod and prayer beads had He an effulgence that glowed
like fire. He respectfully greeted him humbly with kus'a grass in His
hands. (29) The Supreme Lord said: 'Dear son of S'akuni,
you seem to be tired, for what reason have you come from so far? Please
rest a while, shouldn't this personal body be the fulfillment of all
desires? (30) If suitable to Our ear, o mighty one, please
tell Us what you have in mind. One usually accomplishes one's purposes
with the help of others isn't it?'
(31) S'rî S'uka
said: 'Thus questioned by the Supreme Lord with words that rained like
nectar, vanished all his fatigue and told he Him what he had done. (32) The Supreme Lord said [then to Vrika]: 'That
being the case, We can't put faith in his statements. For he's the one
cursed by Daksha to become diabolical as the king of the ghosts and
devils [see 4.2: 9-16]. (33) If you put
faith in him as the 'spiritual master of the universe', then dear
friend, just see right now what happens if you place your hand on your
own head! (34) If S'ambhu's words this way - or another - prove to be
false, o best of the Dânavas, then please kill him who's been
fooling you, so that he never lies again.'
(35) He this manner bewildered by the o so clever
words of the Supreme Lord, thought no longer and foolishly placed his
hand on his own head. (36) Like being
hit by lightening was it instantly shattered. He fell down whereupon
from the sky could be heard the sounds of 'Victory!', 'Hail!' and
'Right so!' (37) With S'iva freed from the danger now the
sinful Asura Vrika was killed, released the celestial sages, the
ancestors and the singers of heaven a rain of flowers. (38-39) Bhagavân, the Supreme Personality,
then addressed the delivered Giris'a: 'Ah, dear Mahâdeva, see how
this sinner was killed by his own sinfulness! What fortune indeed o
master, can there be for a living being who was of offense with the
elevated saints, not to mention having been in offense with the Lord of
the Universe, the Spiritual Master of the Living Being [see also 1.18: 42, 7.4:
20 and B.G. 16:
23]. (40) Whoever hears of or recites this rescuing of
lord S'iva by the Lord of the Supersoul, the Inconceivable Personal
Manifestation of the Ocean of All Energies, is freed from as well
enemies as from the repetition of birth and death.
|
|