> > Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 5
> > Sanskrit, word-for-word and original translation of Swami Prabhupâda
> > (for the purports one will have to consult the books under the copyright of the BBT)

> > **************

> > Chapter Twenty-five: The Glories of Lord Ananta

> > *******

> > TEXT 1

> > srî-suka uvâca

> > tasya mûla-dese trimsad-yojana-sahasrântara âste yâ vai kalâ

> > bhagavatas tâmasî samâkhyâtânanta iti sâtvatîyâ drastr-drsyayoh

> > sankarsanam aham ity abhimâna-laksanam yam sankarsanam ity

> > âcaksate.

> > srî-sukah uvâca--Srî Sukadeva Gosvâmî said; tasya--of the planet Pâtâla; mûla-dese--in the region beneath the base; trimsat--thirty; yojana--eight-mile units of measurement; sahasra-antare--at an interval of one thousand; âste--remains; yâ--which; vai--indeed; kalâ--an expansion of an expansion; bhagavatah--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tâmasî--related to darkness; samâkhyâta--called; anantah--Ananta; iti--thus; sâtvatîyâh--the devotees; drastr-drsyayoh--of matter and spirit; sankarsanam--the drawing together; aham--I; iti--thus; abhimâna--by self-conception; laksanam--symptomized; yam--whom; sankarsanam--Sankarsana; iti--thus; âcaksate--learned scholars describe.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said to Maharaja Pariksit: My dear King, approximately 240,000 miles beneath the planet Patala lives another incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is the expansion of Lord Visnu known as Lord Ananta or Lord Sankarsana. He is always in the transcendental position, but because He is worshiped by Lord Siva, the deity of tamo-guna or darkness, He is sometimes called tamasi. Lord Ananta is the predominating Deity of the material mode of ignorance as well as the false ego of all conditioned souls. When a conditioned living being thinks, "I am the enjoyer, and this world is meant to be enjoyed by me," this conception of life is dictated to him by Sankarsana. Thus the mundane conditioned soul thinks himself the Supreme Lord.

> > *******

> > TEXT 2

> > yasyedam ksiti-mandalam bhagavato 'nanta-mûrteh sahasra-sirasa

> > ekasminn eva sîrsani dhriyamânam siddhârtha iva laksyate.

> > yasya--of whom; idam--this; ksiti-mandalam--universe; bhagavatah--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ananta-mûrteh--in the form of Anantadeva; sahasra-sirasah--who has thousands of hoods; ekasmin--on one; eva--only; sîrsani--hood; dhriyamânam--is being sustained; siddhârthah iva--and like a white mustard seed; laksyate--is seen.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Sukadeva Gosvami continued: This great universe, situated on one of Lord Anantadeva's thousands of hoods, appears just like a white mustard seed. It is infinitesimal compared to the hood of Lord Ananta.

> > *******

> > TEXT 3

> > yasya ha vâ idam kâlenopasanjihîrsato 'marsa-viracita-rucira-

> > bhramad-bhruvor antarena sânkarsano nâma rudra ekâdasa-vyûhas

> > try-aksas tri-sikham sûlam uttambhayann udatisthat.

> > yasya--of whom; ha vâ--indeed; idam--this (material world); kâlena--in due course of time; upasanjihîrsatah--desiring to destroy; amarsa--by anger; viracita--formed; rucira--very beautiful; bhramat--moving; bhruvoh--the two eyebrows; antarena--from between; sânkarsanah nâma--named Sankarsana; rudrah--an incarnation of Lord Siva; ekâdasa-vyûhah--who has eleven expansions; tri-aksah--three eyes; tri-sikham--having three points; sûlam--a trident; uttambhayan--raising; udatisthat--arose.

> > TRANSLATION

> > At the time of devastation, when Lord Anantadeva desires to destroy the entire creation, He becomes slightly angry. Then from between His two eyebrows appears three-eyed Rudra, carrying a trident. This Rudra, who is known as Sankarsana, is the embodiment of the eleven Rudras, or incarnations of Lord Siva. He appears in order to devastate the entire creation.

> > *******

> > TEXT 4

> > yasyânghri-kamala-yugalâruna-visada-nakha-mani-sanda-mandalesv

> > ahi-patayah saha sâtvatarsabhair ekânta-bhakti-yogenâvanamantah

> > sva-vadanâni parisphurat-kundala-prabhâ-mandita-ganda-sthalâny

> > ati-manoharâni pramudita-manasah khalu vilokayanti.

> > yasya--of whom; anghri-kamala--of lotus feet; yugala--of the pair; aruna-visada--brilliant pink; nakha--of the nails; mani-sanda--like gems; mandalesu--on the round surfaces; ahi-patayah--the leaders of the snakes; saha--with; sâtvata-rsabhaih--the best devotees; ekânta-bhakti-yogena--with unalloyed devotional service; avanamantah--offering obeisances; sva-vadanâni--their own faces; parisphurat--glittering; kundala--of the earrings; prabhâ--by the effulgence; mandita--decorated; ganda-sthalâni--whose cheeks; ati-manoharâni--very beautiful; pramudita-manasah--their minds refreshed; khalu--indeed; vilokayanti--they see.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The pink, transparent toenails on the Lord's lotus feet are exactly like valuable gems polished to a mirror finish. When the unalloyed devotees and the leaders of the snakes offer their obeisances to Lord Sankarsana with great devotion, they become very joyful upon seeing their own beautiful faces reflected in His toenails. Their cheeks are decorated with glittering earrings, and the beauty of their faces is extremely pleasing to see.

> > *******

> > TEXT 5

> > yasyaiva hi nâga-râja-kumârya âsisa âsâsânâs cârv-anga-valaya-

> > vilasita-visada-vipula-dhava la-subhaga-rucira-bhuja-rajata-stambhesv

> > aguru-candana-kunkuma-pankânulepenâvalimpamânâs tad-

> > abhimarsanonmathita-hrdaya-makara-dhvajâvesa-rucira-lalita-smitâs

> > tad-anurâgamada-mudita-mada-vighûrnitâruna-karunâvaloka-

> > nayana-vadanâravindam savrîdam kila vilokayanti.

> > yasya--of whom; eva--certainly; hi--indeed; nâga-râja-kumâryah--the unmarried princesses of the serpent kings; âsisah--blessings; âsâsânâh--hoping for; câru--beautiful; anga-valaya--on the sphere of His body; vilasita--gleaming; visada--spotless; vipula--long; dhavala--white; subhaga--indicating good fortune; rucira--beautiful; bhuja--on His arms; rajata-stambhesu--like columns of silver; aguru--of aloe; candana--of sandalwood; kunkuma--of saffron; panka--from the pulp; anulepena--with an ointment; avalim-pamânâh--smearing; tat-abhimarsana--by contact with His limbs; unmathita--agitated; hrdaya--in their hearts; makara-dhvaja--of Cupid; âvesa--due to the entrance; rucira--very beautiful; lalita--delicate; smitâh--whose smiling; tat--of Him; anurâga--of attachment; mada--by the intoxication; mudita--delighted; mada--due to intoxication with kindness; vighûrnita--rolling; aruna--pink; karuna-avaloka--glancing with kindness; nayana--eyes; vadana--and face; aravindam--like lotus flowers; sa-vrîdam--with bashfulness; kila--indeed; vilokayanti--they see.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Lord Ananta's arms are attractively long, beautifully decorated with bangles and completely spiritual. They are white, and so they appear like silver columns. When the beautiful princesses of the serpent kings, hoping for the Lord's auspicious blessing, smear His arms with aguru pulp, sandalwood pulp and kunkuma, the touch of His limbs awakens lusty desires within them. Understanding their minds, the Lord looks at the princesses with a merciful smile, and they become bashful, realizing that He knows their desires. Then they smile beautifully and look upon the Lord's lotus face, which is beautified by reddish eyes rolling slightly from intoxication and delighted by love for His devotees.

> > *******

> > TEXT 6

> > sa eva bhagavân ananto 'nanta-gunârnava âdi-deva

> > upasamhrtâmarsa-rosa-vego lokânâm svastaya âste.

> > sah--that; eva--certainly; bhagavân--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; anantah--Anantadeva; ananta-guna-arnavah--the reservoir of unlimited transcendental qualities; âdi-devah--the original Lord, or nondifferent from the original Supreme Personality of Godhead; upasamhrta--who has restrained; amarsa--of His intolerance; rosa--and wrath; vegah--the force; lokânâm--of all people on all planets; svastaye--for the welfare; âste--remains.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Lord Sankarsana is the ocean of unlimited spiritual qualities, and thus He is known as Anantadeva. He is nondifferent from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. For the welfare of all living entities within this material world, He resides in His abode, restraining His anger and intolerance.

> > *******

> > TEXT 7

> > dhyâyamânah surâsuroraga-siddha-gandharva-vidyâdhara-muni-

> > ganair anavarata-mada-mudita-vikrta-vihvala-locanah sulalita-

> > mukharikâmrtenâpyâyamânah sva-pârsada-vibudha-yûtha-patîn

> > aparimlâna-râga-nava-tulasikâmoda-madhv-âsavena mâdyan

> > madhukara-vrâta-madhura-gîta-srîyam vaijayantîm svâm vanamâlâm

> > nîla-vâsâ eka-kundalo hala-kakudi krta-subhaga-sundara-bhujo

> > bhagavân mahendro vâranendra iva kâncanîm kaksâm udâra-lîlo

> > bibharti.

> > dhyâyamânah--being meditated upon; sura--of demigods; asura--demons; uraga--snakes; siddha--inhabitants of Siddhaloka; gandharva--inhabitants of Gandharvaloka; vidyâdhara--Vidyâdharas; muni--and of great sages; ganaih--by groups; anavarata--constantly; mada-mudita--delighted by intoxication; vikrta--moving to and fro; vihvala--rolling; locanah--whose eyes; su-lalita--excellently composed; mukharika--of speech; amrtena--by the nectar; âpyâyamânah--pleasing; sva-pârsada--His own associates; vibudha-yûtha-patîn--the heads of the different groups of demigods; aparimlâna--never faded; râga--whose luster; nava--ever fresh; tulasikâ--of the tulasî blossoms; âmoda--by the fragrance; madhu-âsavena--and the honey; mâdyan--being intoxicated; madhukara-vrâta--of the bees; madhura-gîta--by the sweet singing; srîyam--which is made more beautiful; vaijayantîm--the garland named vaijayantî; svâm--His own; vanamâlâm--garland; nîla-vâsâh--covered with blue garments; eka-kundalah--wearing only one earring; hala-kakudi--on the handle of a plow; krta--placed; subhaga--auspicious; sundara--beautiful; bhujah--hands; bhagavân--the Supreme personality of Godhead; mahâ-indrah--the King of heaven; vârana-indrah--the elephant; iva--like; kâncanîm--golden; kaksâm--belt; udâra-lîlah--engaged in transcendental pastimes; bibharti--wears.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Sukadeva Gosvami continued: The demigods, the demons, the Uragas [serpentine demigods], the Siddhas, the Gandharvas, the Vidyadharas and many highly elevated sages constantly offer prayers to the Lord. Because He is intoxicated, the Lord looks bewildered, and His eyes, appearing like flowers in full bloom, move to and fro. He pleases His personal associates, the heads of the demigods, by the sweet vibrations emanating from His mouth. Dressed in bluish garments and wearing a single earring, He holds a plow on His back with His two beautiful and well-constructed hands. Appearing as white as the heavenly King Indra, He wears a golden belt around His waist and a vaijayanti garland of ever-fresh tulasi blossoms around His neck. Bees intoxicated by the honeylike fragrance of the tulasi flowers hum very sweetly around the garland, which thus becomes more and more beautiful. In this way, the Lord enjoys His very magnanimous pastimes.

> > *******

> > TEXT 8

> > ya esa evam anusruto dhyâyamâno mumuksûnâm anâdi-kâla-karma-

> > vâsanâ-grathitam avidyâmayam hrdaya-granthim sattva-rajas-

> > tamomayam antar-hrdayam gata âsu nirbhinatti tasyânubhâvân

> > bhagavân svâyambhuvo nâradah saha tumburunâ sabhâyâm

> > brahmanah samslokayâm âsa.

> > yah--who; esah--this one; evam--thus; anusrutah--being heard from a bona fide spiritual master; dhyâyamânah--being meditated upon; mumuksûnâm--of persons desiring liberation from conditioned life; anâdi--from immemorial; kâla--time; karma-vâsanâ--by the desire for fruitive activities; grathitam--tied tightly; avidyâ-mayam--consisting of the illusory energy; hrdaya-granthim--the knot within the heart; sattva-rajah-tamah-mayam--made of the three modes of material nature; antah-hrdayam--in the core of the heart; gatah--situated; âsu--very soon; nirbhinatti--cuts; tasya--of Sankarsana; anubhâvân--the glories; bhagavân--the greatly powerful; svâyambhuvah--the son of Lord Brahmâ; nâradah--the sage Nârada; saha--along with; tumburunâ--the stringed instrument called a Tumburu; sabhâyâm--in the assembly; brahmanah--of Lord Brahmâ; samslokayâm âsa--described in verses.

> > TRANSLATION

> > If persons who are very serious about being liberated from material life hear the glories of Anantadeva from the mouth of a spiritual master in the chain of disciplic succession, and if they always meditate upon Sankarsana, the Lord enters the cores of their hearts, vanquishes all the dirty contamination of the material modes of nature, and cuts to pieces the hard knot within the heart, which has been tied tightly since time immemorial by the desire to dominate material nature through fruitive activities. Narada Muni, the son of Lord Brahma, always glorifies Anantadeva in his father's assembly. There he sings blissful verses of his own composition, accompanied by his stringed instrument [or a celestial singer] known as Tumburu.

> > *******

> > TEXT 9

> > utpatti-sthiti-laya-hetavo 'sya kalpâh

> > sattvâdyâh prakrti-gunâ-yad-îksayâsan

> > yad-rûpam dhruvam akrtam yad ekam âtman

> > nânâdhât katham u ha veda tasya vartma

> > utpatti--of creation; sthiti--maintenance; laya--and dissolution; hetavah--the original causes; asya--of this material world; kalpâh--capable of acting; sattva-âdyâh--headed by the sattva-guna; prakrti-gunâh--the modes of material nature; yat--of whom; îksayâ--by the glance; âsan--became; yat-rûpam--the form of whom; dhruvam--unlimited; akrtam--uncreated; yat--who; ekam--one; âtman--in Himself; nânâ--variously; adhât--has manifested; katham--how; u ha--certainly; veda--can understand; tasya--His; vartma--path.

> > TRANSLATION

> > By His glance, the Supreme Personality of Godhead enables the modes of material nature to act as the causes of universal creation, maintenance and destruction. The Supreme Soul is unlimited and beginningless, and although He is one, He has manifested Himself in many forms. How can human society understand the ways of the Supreme?

> > *******

> > TEXT 10

> > mûrtim nah puru-krpayâ babhâra sattvam

> > samsuddham sad-asad idam vibhâti tatra

> > yal-lîlâm mrga-patir âdade 'navadyâm

> > âdâtum svajana-manâmsy udâra-vîryah

> > mûrtim--different forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; nah--unto us; puru-krpayâ--because of great mercy; babhâra--exhibited; sattvam--existence; samsuddham--completely transcendental; sat-asat idam--this material manifestation of cause and effect; vibhâti--shines; tatra--in whom; yat-lîlâm--the pastimes of whom; mrga-patih--the master of all living beings, who is exactly like a lion (the master of all other animals); âdade--taught; anavadyâm--without material contamination; âdâtum--to conquer; sva jana-manâmsi--the minds of His devotees; udâra-vîryah--who is most liberal and powerful.

> > TRANSLATION

> > This manifestation of subtle and gross matter exists within the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Out of causeless mercy toward His devotees, He exhibits various forms, which are all transcendental. The Supreme Lord is most liberal, and He possesses all mystic power. To conquer the minds of His devotees and give pleasure to their hearts, He appears in different incarnations and manifests many pastimes.

> > *******

> > TEXT 11

> > yan-nâma srutam anukîrtayed akasmâd

> > ârto vâ yadi patitah pralambhanâd vâ

> > hanty amhah sapadi nrnâm asesam anyam

> > kam sesâd bhagavata âsrayen mumuksuh

> > yat--of whom; nâma--the holy name; srutam--heard; anukîrtayet--may chant or repeat; akasmât--by accident; ârtah--a distressed person; vâ--or; yadi--if; patitah--a fallen person; pralambhanât--out of joking; vâ--or; hanti--destroys; amhah--sinful; sapadi--that instant; nrnâm--of human society; asesam--unlimited; anyam--of other; kam--what; sesât--than Lord Sesa; bhagavatah--the Supreme personality of Godhead; âsrayet--should take shelter of; mumuksuh--anyone desiring liberation.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Even if he be distressed or degraded, any person who chants the holy name of the Lord, having heard it from a bona fide spiritual master, is immediately purified. Even if he chants the Lord's name jokingly or by chance, he and anyone who hears him are freed from all sins. Therefore how can anyone seeking disentanglement from the material clutches avoid chanting the name of Lord Sesa? Of whom else should one take shelter?

> > *******

> > TEXT 12

> > mûrdhany arpitam anuvat sahasra-mûrdhno

> > bhû-golam sagiri-sarit-samudra-sattvam

> > ânantyâd animita-vikramasya bhûmnah

> > ko vîryâny adhi ganayet sahasra jihvah

> > mûrdhani--on a hood or head; arpitam--fixed; anu-vat--just like an atom; sahasra-mûrdhnah--of Ananta, who has thousands of hoods; bhû-golam--this universe; sa-giri-sarit-samudra-sattvam--with many mountains, trees, oceans and living entities; ânantyât--due to being unlimited; animita-vikramasya--whose power is immeasurable; bhûmnah--the Supreme Lord; kah--who; vîryâni--potencies; adhi--indeed; ganayet--can count; sahasra jihvah--although having thousands of tongues.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Because the Lord is unlimited, no one can estimate His power. This entire universe, filled with its many great mountains, rivers, oceans, trees and living entities, is resting just like an atom on one of His many thousands of hoods. Is there anyone, even with thousands of tongues, who can describe His glories?

> > *******

> > TEXT 13

> > evam-prabhâvo bhagavân ananto

> > duranta-vîryoru-gunânubhâvah

> > mûle rasâyâh sthita âtma-tantro

> > yo lîlayâ ksmâm sthitaye bibharti

> > evam-prabhâvah--who is so powerful; bhagavân--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; anantah--Ananta; duranta-vîrya--insurmountable prowess; uru--great; guna-anubhâvah--possessing transcendental qualities and glories; mûle--at the base; rasâyâh--of the lower planetary systems; sthitah--existing; âtma-tantrah--completely self-sufficient; yah--who; lîlayâ--easily; ksmâm--the universe; sthitaye--for its maintenance; bibharti--sustains.

> > TRANSLATION

> > There is no end to the great and glorious qualities of that powerful Lord Anantadeva. Indeed, His prowess is unlimited. Though self-sufficient, He Himself is the support of everything. He resides beneath the lower planetary systems and easily sustains the entire universe.

> > *******

> > TEXT 14

> > etâ hy eveha nrbhir upagantavyâ gatayo yathâ-karma-vinirmitâ

> > yathopadesam anuvarnitâh kâmân kâmayamânaih.

> > etâh--all these; hi--indeed; eva--certainly; iha--in this universe; nrbhih--by all living entities; upagantavyâh--achievable; gatayah--destinations; yathâ-karma--according to one's past activities; vinirmitâh--created; yathâ-upadesam--as instructed; anuvarnitâh--described accordingly; kâmân--material enjoyment; kâmayamânaih--by those who are desiring.

> > TRANSLATION

> > My dear King, as I heard of it from my spiritual master, I have fully described to you the creation of this material world according to the fruitive activities and desires of the conditioned souls. Those conditioned souls, who are full of material desires, achieve various situations in different planetary systems, and in this way they live within this material creation.

> > *******

> > TEXT 15

> > etâvatîr hi râjan pumsah pravrtti-laksanasya dharmasya vipâka-gataya

> > uccâvacâ visadrsâ yathâ-prasnam vyâcakhye kim anyat kathayâma iti.

> > etâvatîh--of such a kind; hi--certainly; râjan--O King; pumsah--of the human being; pravrtti-laksanasya--symptomized by inclinations; dharmasya--of the execution of duties; vipâka-gatayah--the resultant destinations; ucca-avacâh--high and low; visadrsâh--different; yathâ-prasnam--as you inquired; vyâcakhye--I have described; kim anyat--what else; kathayâma--shall I speak; iti--thus.

> > TRANSLATION

> > My dear King, I have thus described how people generally act according to their different desires and, as a result, get different types of bodies in higher or lower planets. You inquired of these things from me, and I have explained to you whatever I have heard from authorities. What shall I speak of now?

> > Back to the running text