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2024-03-29, 8:09 PM |
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Chapter 14: The Impregnation of Diti in
the Evening
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'After hearing from sage Maitreya the
description of the story about the Supreme Personality who for the sake
of lifting up the world appeared as a boar, Vidura, vowed as he was,
requested him with folded hands for more, since he did not feel
completely satisfied. (2) Vidura
said:
'Oh first among the sages, I heard you say that the demon
Hiranyâksha was slain by the Lord, the original object of
all sacrifices. (3) For what
reason did He in His pastime of lifting
the planet earth up on His tusks oh brahmin, have a fight with the king
of the demons? (4) Please
tell
this faithful person, this devotee, in detail about
His
appearance oh
great sage, for I, with my so very curious mind, am not yet satisfied.'
(5) Maitreya
said: 'Dear devotee, oh great hero, that what you ask me about the
topics concerning the Supreme Personality, constitutes for those who are destined to
die the
source of liberation from birth and death. (6) The son of king Uttânapâda
[Dhruva] was as a
child enlightened
by
Nârada
about these subjects, and placed when he [at his
death] left to ascend for the abode of the Lord, his foot upon the head
of Mrityu [the
god of death, as
a footboard to enter the vimâna of Nanda and Sunanda, see
4.12: 30]. (7) Concerning
this
matter
[of
the
appearance of Lord Varâha] I heard from
Brahmâ, the god of gods, the
following story that was told by him a long time ago because of questions asked by the demigods.
(8) Oh Vidura, one
evening Diti, the
daughter of
Daksha, in distress because of sexual desire begged her husband
Kas'yapa, the son
of Marîci, to father a child. (9) After
worshiping the Original Personality of All Sacrifices with
oblations to His tongue which is the sacrificial fire, he sat fully
absorbed in
the temple room while the sun was setting.
(10) Diti said: 'Oh
learned one, Cupid has with eyes for you aimed all his arrows at
me and thus distresses my poor self like a mad
elephant attacking a
banana tree. (11) Be
so
good
to
me,
it
hurts
me
to
see
the
children
and well-being of your co-wives, please grant [also] me and
yourself
[therewith] in every respect that wellness. (12) The fame of a husband who loves his wife will spread
in the world because from the
children of a good husband like yourself, society surely will
expand. (13) Long ago our father, the most opulent Daksha,
affectionately
asked each of his daughters: 'Whom would you like for your husband, my
child?' (14) He, as the
well-wisher of his children, handed, with respect for their wishes, all
the thirteen of them over to you; they who are now all faithful to you.
(15) Therefore be so kind to
fulfill my desire oh lotus-eyed one;
the pleas of those who in distress approach a person of stature oh
great
one,
surely would not be in vain, would they?'
(16) Thus oh hero, the son of Marîci
replied with pacifying words for she,
poor
and
talkative,
was
highly
agitated
because
of
the
lust
that
took
possession
of
her.
(17)
'I'll answer your plea and do
what you want me to do my tormented sweetheart! Who would not grant the wishes of the one who stands
for
the realization of the three aims of life [of dharma, artha and
kâma: of regulating the religion, the economy and sense
gratification]? (18) Living with a companion a person
following his vocation and completing all stages of life, can cross
over the dangerous ocean of material existence like
one crosses over an ocean with seaworthy vessels. (19) With someone
who is the other half
of one's body all desires can be steered in the right direction and
with entrusting responsibilities to the other person one can
lead a
[relatively] carefree life.
(20) The senses are for orders of life other than
the householders
difficult to conquer enemies; we who thus take shelter can conquer
them easily
like a fort commander can with invading plunderers.
(21) Never will we be able to do for you what you
have done for us oh queen of the house, not in all our life nor in the
next one, nor will anyone else who appreciates your qualities. (22) With that being said, let me forthwith take care of
this sexual interest
of
yours to beget a child; but first wait a few seconds so that I am
beyond reproach. (23)
This very time is the time least favorable for it, it is the horrid
time at which the
ghastly spirits and their master are one's constant companion. (24) At
this time of
the day oh chaste one, at dusk, [S'iva] the Lord and well-wisher of
the ghostly ones who surround him, goes about as their king on the back
of the bull [Nandî]. (25) With
the beauty of the
spotless radiating body of the demigod smeared with the dust and smoke
that blew from the cremation of the dead, and with his matted hair
covered by ashes, your [sister's, viz. Satî's] husband looks
[upon all] with his triple vision [of sun, moon and fire]. (26)
He regards no one in this
world
as his relative nor is anyone in his vision standing apart from him; he
considers nobody greater nor does he regard anyone a criminal.
Faithfully we duly honor his feet and assure us of the remnants of that
what he has rejected of the
food that was sacrificed. (27)
Even
though in respect of his
irreproachable character, that is followed by the sages in their desire
to put an end to the nescience of the masses, there is no one who is as
great, he nevertheless, for the attainment of the devotees,
personally performs like an antagonist [walking naked and smeared with
ashes]. (28) The unfortunate ones who with what they do
factually laugh about him, not being aware of his purpose of engagement
in the
self, cherish with luxuries as
clothing, garlands and ointments their
body as if it would be their
true self, the body that ultimately serves as food for the dogs.
(29) Brahmâ
as
also
the
other
gods
keep
to
the
ritual
code
of
conduct
of
him,
the ruler over the material energy, the mâyâ
resorting under his authority. Oh, the unruly actions of this great
character are nothing but a diversion [in which he takes the karma
upon himself]!'
(30) Maitreya said: 'In spite of thus being
informed by her husband, she, with her senses pressured by Cupid,
grabbed the great brahmin sage by his clothes like she was a
shameless public woman. (31)
He then, with understanding for his wife's obstinacy to the forbidden
act,
offered providence his obeisances and lay with her in
seclusion. (32) Thereafter
he
took
a
bath
and
meditated,
in
prayer [with the
Gâyatrî] controlling his breath and voice, on the light of eternity with the help of the pure spirit of the
Absolute. (33)
Oh son of Bharata, Diti, ashamed of the
faulty act approached the learned sage with her face turned downwards
and spoke politely to him. (34)
Diti said: 'Let this pregnancy of mine oh brahmin, oh noblest of all,
not
be ended by Rudra, for I have committed an offense against the
master of the living beings. (35)
My obeisances to Rudra, the
ferocious, great demigod who fulfills all desires, the all-auspicious
and forgiving one who immediately angrily chastises. (36)
May he, the supreme, great
and merciful
person and brother-in-law married to Satî ['the chaste one', the
sister of Diti] be pleased with us, he who is a god to all women for
whom even the lowest have sympathy.'
(37) Maitreya said: 'The wife trembling [out of fear] because of having
avoided the rules and regulations of the evening wished the
welfare of her children in the world and was
[then] addressed by this father of mankind. (38) Kas'yapa said:
'Because of your polluted mind, your defiling the holiness of the
moment and also because you were too negligent about my directions, you
were insufficiently attentive towards the gods also. (39)
Oh unlucky one, from your condemned womb two mischievous sons will take
birth and they, oh passionate one, will cause constant lamentation
among the rulers of the three worlds. (40)
They will
kill poor and innocent living entities,
torment
women and enrage the great souls.
(41) When that happens the Supreme Personality
and Lord of the Universe who desires
the
welfare
of
the
common
people, will descend in person and kill the both of them in great anger as if He were
the mountain smasher with the thunderbolt himself [Indra].'
(42) Diti said:
'It is a great honor to be killed on
the spot by the discus in the hand of the Fortunate One, I am [only]
praying that my sons may never find their end as a
consequence of the rage of the
brahmins, oh my husband. (43) A person who by a brahmin is
chastised with a curse and he who creates fear among other living
beings, does not carry the approval of the ones living in hell, nor of
any of the other life forms an offender might take birth among.'
(44-45) Kas'yapa said: 'Because you immediately proved to be sorry with
a proper confession and have a great adoration for the Supreme
Personality, for Lord S'iva and also respect me, from one of the two
sons
[Hiranyakas'ipu] a son will be born [Prahlâda] who will carry the
approval of the devotees. His transcendental glory will be recognized
as being equal to the glory of
the Supreme Lord. (46) Like the way
gold of an inferior quality is rectified, saintly persons, who
seek purification in striving for freedom from animosity and such, will
follow in the
footsteps of this disposition and character. (47) He, the
Supreme Personality by whose grace the universe finds its happiness,
will in the special care for that character in His devotees, be very
pleased with someone with such a rock-solid belief. (48)
He will certainly be the topmost devotee,
the greatest soul with the greatest influence and be well matured by
devotional service [*]. With his
mind
in ecstatic love, he will no doubt reach Vaikunthha [the ultimate
reality, paradise, heaven] when he leaves this material world. (49) He
will be a virtuous and
qualified reservoir of all good qualities, he will rejoice in the
happiness of others and be distressed when others are unhappy. He will
have no enemies and put an end to all lamentation in the
world just like the pleasant moon does after the distress of the summer
sun. (50)
Your grandson will, inside and outside of himself,
behold the spotless form [of the Lord] with the lotus eyes, who assumes
any form His devotee desires and who with a face decorated with brilliant earrings is the eminence of the beautiful
Goddess of Fortune.'
(51) Maitreya said: 'Hearing that her
grandson would be a great devotee Diti
was
delighted
and found piece of
mind in knowing that Krishna would kill her two sons.'
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