> Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 7
> 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)

> Canto 7: " The Science of God"

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

> Chapter One: The Supreme Lord Is Equal to Everyone

> *****

> TEXT 1

> srî-râjovâca

> samah priyah suhrd brahman

> bhûtânâm bhagavân svayam

> indrasyârthe katham daityân

> avadhid visamo yathâ

> srî-râjâ uvâca--Mahârâja Parîksit said; samah--equal; priyah--beloved; suhrt--friend; brahman--O brâhmana (Sukadeva); bhûtânâm--toward all living entities; bhagavân--the Supreme Lord, Visnu; svayam--Himself; indrasya--of Indra; arthe--for the benefit; katham--how; daityan--the demons; avadhit--killed; visamah--partial; yatha--as if.

> TRANSLATION

> King Pariksit inquired: My dear brahmana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, being everyone's well-wisher, is equal and extremely dear to everyone. How, then, did He become partial like a common man for the sake of Indra and thus kill Indra's enemies? How can a person equal to everyone be partial to some and inimical toward others?

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> TEXT 2

> na hy asyârthah sura-ganaih

> sâksân nihsreyasâtmanah

> naivâsurebhyo vidveso

> nodvegas câgunasya hi

> na--not; hi--certainly; asya--His; arthah--benefit, interest; sura-ganaih--with the demigods; sâksât--personally; nihsreyasa--of the highest bliss; âtmanah--whose nature; na--not; eva--certainly; asurebhyah--for the demons; vidvesah--envy; na--not; udvegah--fear; ca--and; agunasya--who possesses no material qualities; hi--certainly.

> TRANSLATION

> Lord Visnu Himself, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the reservoir of all pleasure. Therefore, what benefit would He derive from siding with the demigods? What interest would He fulfill in this way? Since the Lord is transcendental, why should He fear the asuras, and how could He be envious of them?

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> TEXT 3

> iti nah sumahâ-bhâga

> nârâyana-gunân prati

> samsayah sumahân jâtas

> tad bhavâms chettum arhati

> iti--thus; nah--our; su-mahâ-bhâga--O glorious one; nârâyana-gunân--the qualities of Nârâyana; prati--toward; samsayah--doubt; su-mahân--very great; jâtah--born; tat--that; bhavân--Your Lordship; chettum arhati--please dispel.

> TRANSLATION

> O greatly fortunate and learned brahmana, whether Narayana is partial or impartial has become a subject of great doubt. Kindly dispel my doubt with positive evidence that Narayana is always neutral and equal to everyone.

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> TEXTS 4-5

> srî-rsir uvâca

> sâdhu prstam mahârâja

> hares caritam adbhutam

> yad bhâgavata-mâhâtmyam

> bhagavad-bhakti-vardhanam

> gîyate paramam punyam

> rsibhir nâradâdibhih

> natvâ krsnâya munaye

> kathayisye hareh kathâm

> srî-rsih uvâca--the sage Srî Sukadeva Gosvâmî said; sâdhu--excellent; prstam--inquiry; mahâ-râja--O great King; hareh--of the Supreme Lord, Hari; caritam--activities; adbhutam--wonderful; yat--from which; bhâgavata--of the Lord's devotee (Prahlâda); mâhâtmyam--the glories; bhagavat-bhakti--devotion to the Lord;

> vardhanam--increasing; gîyate--is sung; paramam--foremost; punyam--pious; rsibhih--by the sages; nârada-âdibhih--headed by Srî Nârada Muni; natvâ--after offering obeisances; krsnâya--to Krsna Dvaipâyana Vyâsa; munaye--the great sage; kathayisye--I shall narrate; hareh--of Hari; kathâm--the topics.

> TRANSLATION

> The great sage Sukadeva Gosvami said: My dear King, you have put before me an excellent question. Discourses concerning the activities of the Lord, in which the glories of His devotees are also found, are extremely pleasing to devotees. Such wonderful topics always counteract the miseries of the materialistic way of life. Therefore great sages like Narada always speak upon Srimad-Bhagavatam because it gives one the facility to hear and chant about the wonderful activities of the Lord. Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto Srila Vyasadeva and then begin describing topics concerning the activities of Lord Hari.

> *****

> TEXT 6

> nirguno 'pi hy ajo 'vyakto

> bhagavân prakrteh parah

> sva-mâyâ-gunam âvisya

> bâdhya-bâdhakatâm gatah

> nirgunah--without material qualities; api--although; hi--certainly; ajah--unborn; avyaktah--unmanifest; bhagavân--the Supreme Lord; prakrteh--to material nature; parah--transcendental; sva-mâyâ--of His own energy; gunam--material qualities; âvisya--entering; bâdhya--obligation; bâdhakatâm--the condition of being obliged; gatah--accepts.

> TRANSLATION

> The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, is always transcendental to material qualities, and therefore He is called nirguna, or without qualities. Because He is unborn, He does not have a material body to be subjected to attachment and hatred. Although the Lord is always above material existence, through His spiritual potency He appeared and acted like an ordinary human being, accepting duties and obligations, apparently like a conditioned soul.

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> TEXT 7

> sattvam rajas tama iti

> prakrter nâtmano gunâh

> na tesâm yugapad râjan

> hrâsa ullâsa eva vâ

> sattvam--the mode of goodness; rajah--the mode of passion; tamah--the mode of ignorance; iti--thus; prakrteh--of material nature; na--not; âtmanah--of the spirit soul; gunâh--qualities; na--not; tesâm--of them; yugapat--simultaneously; râjan--O King; hrâsah--diminution; ullâsah--prominence; eva--certainly; vâ--or.

> TRANSLATION

> My dear King Pariksit, the material qualities--sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna--all belong to the material world and do not even touch the Supreme Personality of Godhead. These three gunas cannot act by increasing or decreasing simultaneously.

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> TEXT 8

> jaya-kâle tu sattvasya

> devarsîn rajaso 'surân

> tamaso yaksa-raksâmsi

> tat-kâlânuguno 'bhajat

> jaya-kâle--in the time of prominence; tu--indeed; sattvasya--of goodness; deva--the demigods; rsîn--and the sages; rajasah--of passion; asurân--the demons; tamasah--of ignorance; yaksa-raksâmsi--the Yaksas and Râksasas; tat-kâla-anugunah--according to the particular time; abhajat--fostered.

> TRANSLATION

> When the quality of goodness is prominent, the sages and demigods flourish with the help of that quality, with which they are infused and surcharged by the Supreme Lord. Similarly, when the mode of passion is prominent the demons flourish, and when ignorance is prominent the Yaksas and Raksasas flourish. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is present in everyone's heart, fostering the reactions of sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna.

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> TEXT 9

> jyotir-âdir ivâbhâti

> sanghâtân na vivicyate

> vidanty âtmânam âtma-stham

> mathitvâ kavayo 'ntatah

> jyotih--fire; âdih--and other elements; iva--just as; âbhâti--appear; sanghâtât--from the bodies of demigods and others; na--not; vivicyate--are distinguished; vidanti--perceive; âtmânam--the Supersoul; âtma-stham--situated in the heart; mathitvâ--by discerning; kavayah--expert thinkers; antatah--within.

> TRANSLATION

> The all-pervading Personality of Godhead exists within the heart of every living being, and an expert thinker can perceive how He is present there to a large or small extent. Just as one can understand the supply of fire in wood, the water in a waterpot, or the sky within a pot, one can understand whether a living entity is a demon or a demigod by understanding that living entity's devotional performances. A thoughtful man can understand how much a person is favored by the Supreme Lord by seeing his actions.

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> TEXT 10

> yadâ sisrksuh pura âtmanah paro

> rajah srjaty esa prthak sva-mâyayâ

> sattvam vicitrâsu riramsur îsvarah

> sayisyamânas tama îrayaty asau

> yadâ--when; sisrksuh--desiring to create; purah--material bodies; âtmanah--for the living entities; parah--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; rajah--the mode of passion; srjati--manifests; esah--He; prthak--separately, predominantly; sva-mâyayâ--by His own creative energy; sattvam--the mode of goodness; vicitrâsu--in various types of bodies; riramsuh--desiring to act; îsvarah--the Personality of Godhead; sayisyamânah--being about to conclude; tamah--the mode of ignorance; îrayati--causes to rise; asau--that Supreme.

> TRANSLATION

> When the Supreme Personality of Godhead creates different types of bodies, offering a particular body to each living entity according to his character and fruitive actions, the Lord revives all the qualities of material nature--sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna. Then, as the Supersoul, He enters each body and influences the qualities of creation, maintenance and annihilation, using sattva-guna for maintenance, rajo-guna for creation and tamo-guna for annihilation.

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> TEXT 11

> kâlam carantam srjatîsa âsrayam

> pradhâna-pumbhyâm nara-deva satya-krt

> kâlam--time; carantam--moving; srjati--creates; îsah--the Supreme personality of Godhead; âsrayam--shelter; pradhâna--for the material energy; pumbhyâm--and the living entity; nara-deva--O ruler of men; satya--true; krt--creator.

> TRANSLATION

> O great King, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the controller of the material and spiritual energies, who is certainly the creator of the entire cosmos, creates the time factor to allow the material energy and the living entity to act within the limits of time. Thus the Supreme Personality is never under the time factor nor under the material energy.

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> TEXT 12

> ya esa râjann api kâla îsitâ

> sattvam surânîkam ivaidhayaty atah

> tat-pratyanîkân asurân sura-priyo

> rajas-tamaskân praminoty urusravâh

> yah--which; esah--this; râjan--O King; api--even; kâlah--time; îsitâ--the Supreme Lord; sattvam--the mode of goodness; sura-anîkam--numbers of demigods; iva--certainly; edhayati--causes to increase; atah--hence; tat-pratyanîkân--inimical to them; asurân--the demons; sura-priyah--being the friend of the demigods; rajah-tamaskân--covered by passion and ignorance; praminoti--destroys; urusravâh--whose glories are widespread.

> TRANSLATION

> O King, this time factor enhances the sattva-guna. Thus although the Supreme Lord is the controller, He favors the demigods, who are mostly situated in sattva-guna. Then the demons, who are influenced by tamo-guna, are annihilated. The Supreme Lord induces the time factor to act in different ways, but He is never partial. Rather, His activities are glorious, therefore He is called Urusrava.

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> TEXT 13

> atraivodâhrtah pûrvam

> itihâsah surarsinâ

> prîtyâ mahâ-kratau râjan

> prcchate 'jâta-satrave

> atra--in this connection; eva--certainly; udâhrtah--was recited; pûrvam--previously; itihâsah--an old story; sura-rsinâ--by the great sage Nârada; prîtyâ--with joy; mahâ-kratau--at the great Râjasûya sacrifice; râjan--O King; prcchate--to the inquiring; ajâta-satrave--Mahârâja Yudhisthira, who had no enemy.

> TRANSLATION

> Formerly, O King, when Maharaja Yudhisthira was performing the Rajasuya sacrifice, the great sage Narada, responding to his inquiry, recited historical facts showing how the Supreme Personality of Godhead is always impartial, even when killing demons. In this regard he gave a vivid example.

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> TEXTS 14-15

> drstvâ mahâdbhutam râjâ

> râjasûye mahâ-kratau

> vâsudeve bhagavati

> sâyujyam cedibhû-bhujah

> tatrâsînam sura-rsim

> râjâ pându-sutah kratau

> papraccha vismita-manâ

> munînâm srnvatâm idam

> drstvâ--after seeing; mahâ-adbhutam--greatly wonderful; râjâ--the King; râjasûye--called Râjasûya; mahâ-kratau--at the great sacrifice; vâsudeve--into Vâsudeva; bhagavati--the Personality of Godhead; sâyujyam--merging; cedibhû-bhujah--of Sisupâla, the King of Cedi; tatra--there; âsînam--seated; sura-rsim--Nârada Muni; râjâ--the King; pându-sutah--Yudhisthira, the son of Pându; kratau--at the sacrifice; papraccha--asked; vismita-manâh--being struck with wonder; munînâm--in the presence of the sages; srnvatâm--listening; idam--this.

> TRANSLATION

> O King, at the Rajasuya sacrifice, Maharaja Yudhisthira, the son of Maharaja Pandu, personally saw Sisupala merge into the body of the Supreme Lord, Krsna. Therefore, struck with wonder, he inquired about the reason for this from the great sage Narada, who was seated there. While he inquired, all the sages present also heard him ask his question.

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> TEXT 16

> srî-yudhisthira uvâca

> aho aty-adbhutam hy etad

> durlabhaikântinâm api

> vâsudeve pare tattve

> prâptis caidyasya vidvisah

> srî-yudhisthirah uvâca--Mahârâja Yudhisthira said; aho--oh; ati-adbhutam--very wonderful; hi--certainly; etat--this; durlabha--difficult to attain; ekântinâm--for the transcendentalists; api--even; vâsudeve--in Vâsudeva; pare--the supreme; tattve--Absolute Truth; prâptih--the attainment; caidyasya--of Sisupâla; vidvisah--envious.

> TRANSLATION

> Maharaja Yudhisthira inquired: It is very wonderful that the demon Sisupala merged into the body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead even though extremely envious. This sayujya-mukti is impossible to attain even for great transcendentalists. How then did the enemy of the Lord attain it?

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> TEXT 17

> etad veditum icchâmah

> sarva eva vayam mune

> bhagavan-nindayâ veno

> dvijais tamasi pâtitah

> etat--this; veditum--to know; icchâmah--desire; sarve--all; eva--certainly; vayam--we; mune--O great sage; bhagavat-nindayâ--because of blaspheming the Lord; venah--Vena, the father of Prthu Mahârâja; dvijaih--by the brâhmanas; tamasi--into hell; pâtitah--was thrown.

> TRANSLATION

> O great sage, we are all eager to know the cause for this mercy of the Lord. I have heard that formerly a king named Vena blasphemed the Supreme Personality of Godhead and that all the brahmanas consequently obliged him to go to hell. Sisupala should also have been sent to hell. How then did he merge into the Lord's existence?

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> TEXT 18

> damaghosa-sutah pâpa

> ârabhya kala-bhâsanât

> sampraty amarsî govinde

> dantavakras ca durmatih

> damaghosa-sutah--Sisupâla, the son of Damaghosa; pâpah--sinful; ârabhya--beginning; kala-bhâsanât--from the unclear speech of a child; samprati--even until now; amarsî--envious; govinde--toward Srî Krsna; dantavakrah--Dantavakra; ca--also; durmatih--evil-minded.

> TRANSLATION

> From the very beginning of his childhood, when he could not even speak properly, Sisupala, the most sinful son of Damaghosa, began blaspheming the Lord, and he continued to be envious of Sri Krsna until death. Similarly, his brother Dantavakra continued the same habits.

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> TEXT 19

> sapator asakrd visnum

> yad brahma param avyayam

> svitro na jâto jihvâyâm

> nândham vivisatus tamah

> sapatoh--of both Sisupâla and Dantavakra, who were blaspheming; asakrt--repeatedly; visnum--Lord Krsna; yat--which; brahma param--the Supreme Brahman; avyayam--without diminution; svitrah--white leprosy; na--not; jâtah--appeared; jihvâyâm--on the tongue; na--not; andham--dark; vivisatuh--they did enter; tamah--hell.

> TRANSLATION

> Although these two men--Sisupala and Dantavakra--repeatedly blasphemed the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Visnu [Krsna], the Supreme Brahman, they were quite healthy. Indeed, their tongues were not attacked by white leprosy, nor did they enter the darkest region of hellish life. We are certainly most surprised by this.

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> TEXT 20

> katham tasmin bhagavati

> duravagrâhya-dhâmani

> pasyatâm sarva-lokânâm

> layam îyatur anjasâ

> katham--how; tasmin--that; bhagavati--in the Supreme Personality of Godhead; duravagrâhya--difficult to attain; dhâmani--whose nature; pasyatam--looked on; sarva-lokânâm--while all the people; layam îyatuh--became absorbed; anjasâ--easily.

> TRANSLATION

> How was it possible for Sisupala and Dantavakra in the presence of many exalted persons, to enter very easily into the body of Krsna, whose nature is difficult to attain?.

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> TEXT 21

> etad bhrâmyati me buddhir

> dîpârcir iva vâyunâ

> brûhy etad adbhutatamam

> bhagavân hy atra kâranam

> etat--concerning this; bhrâmyati--is flickering; me--my; buddhih--intelligence; dîpa-arcih--the flame of a candle; iva--like; vâyunâ--by the wind; brûhi--please tell; etat--this; adbhutatamam--most wonderful; bhagavân--possessing all knowledge; hi--indeed; atra--here; kâranam--the cause.

> TRANSLATION

> This matter is undoubtedly very wonderful. Indeed, my intelligence has become disturbed, just as the flame of a candle is disturbed by a blowing wind. O Narada Muni, you know everything. Kindly let me know the cause of this wonderful event.

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> TEXT 22

> srî-bâdarâyanir uvâca

> râjnas tad vaca âkarnya

> nârado bhagavân rsih

> tustah prâha tam âbhâsya

> srnvatyâs tat-sadah kathâh

> srî-bâdarâyanih uvâca--Srî Sukadeva Gosvâmî said; râjnah--of the King (Yudhisthira); tat--those; vacah--words; âkarnya--after hearing; nâradah--Nârada Muni; bhagavân--powerful; rsih--sage; tustah--being satisfied; prâha--spoke; tam--him; âbhâsya--after addressing; srnvatyâh tat-sadah--in the presence of the assembly members; kathâh--the topics.

> TRANSLATION

> Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said: After hearing the request of Maharaja Yudhisthira, Narada Muni, the most powerful spiritual master, who knew everything, was very pleased. Thus he replied in the presence of everyone taking part in the yajna.

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> TEXT 23

> srî-nârada uvâca

> nindana-stava-satkâra-

> nyakkârârtham kalevaram

> pradhâna-parayo râjann

> avivekena kalpitam

> srî-nâradah uvâca--Srî Nârada Muni said; nindana--blasphemy; stava--praise; satkâra--honor; nyakkâra--dishonor; artham--for the purpose of; kalevaram--body; pradhâna-parayoh--of nature and the Supreme Personality of Godhead; râjan--O King; avivekena--without discrimination; kalpitam--created.

> TRANSLATION

> The great sage Sri Naradaji said: O King, blasphemy and praise, chastisement and respect, are experienced because of ignorance. The body of the conditioned soul is planned by the Lord for suffering in the material world through the agency of the external energy.

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> TEXT 24

> himsâ tad-abhimânena

> danda-pârusyayor yathâ

> vaisamyam iha bhûtânâm

> mamâham iti pârthiva

> himsâ--suffering; tat--of this; abhimânena--by the false conception; danda-pârusyayoh--when there is punishment and chastisement; yathâ--just as; vaisamyam--misconception; iha--here (in this body); bhûtânâm--of the living entities; mama-aham--mine and I; iti--thus; pârthiva--O lord of the earth.

> TRANSLATION

> My dear King, the conditioned soul, being in the bodily conception of life, considers his body to be his self and considers everything in relationship with the body to be his. Because he has this wrong conception of life, he is subjected to dualities like praise and chastisement.

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> TEXT 25

> yan-nibaddho 'bhimâno 'yam

> tad-vadhât prâninâm vadhah

> tathâ na yasya kaivalyâd

> abhimâno 'khilâtmanah

> parasya dama-kartur hi

> himsâ kenâsya kalpyate

> yat--in which; nibaddhah--bound; abhimânah--false conception; ayam--this; tat--of that (body); vadhât--from the annihilation; prâninâm--of the living beings; vadhah--annihilation; tathâ--similarly; na--not; yasya--of whom; kaivalyât--because of being absolute, one without a second; abhimânah--false conception; akhila-âtmanah--of the Supersoul of all living entities; parasya--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; dama-kartuh--the supreme controller; hi--certainly; himsâ--harm; kena--how; asya--His; kalpyate--is performed.

> TRANSLATION

> Because of the bodily conception of life, the conditioned soul thinks that when the body is annihilated the living being is annihilated. Lord Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the supreme controller, the Supersoul of all living entities. Because He has no material body, He has no false conception of "I and mine." It is therefore incorrect to think that He feels pleasure or pain when blasphemed or offered prayers. This is impossible for Him. Thus He has no enemy and no friend. When He chastises the demons it is for their good, and when He accepts the prayers of the devotees it is for their good. He is affected neither by prayers nor by blasphemy.

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> TEXT 26

> tasmâd vairânubandhena

> nirvairena bhayena vâ

> snehât kâmena vâ yunjyât

> kathancin neksate prthak

> tasmât--therefore; vaira-anubandhena--by constant enmity; nirvairena--by devotion; bhayena--by fear; vâ--or; snehât--from affection; kâmena--by lusty desires; vâ--or; yunjyât--one should concentrate; kathancit--somehow or other; na--not; îksate--sees; prthak--something else.

> TRANSLATION

> Therefore by enmity or by devotional service, by fear, by affection or by lusty desire--by all of these or any one of them--if a conditioned soul somehow or other concentrates his mind upon the Lord, the result is the same, for the Lord, because of His blissful position, is never affected by enmity or friendship.

> *****

> TEXT 27

> yathâ vairânubandhena

> martyas tan-mayatâm iyât

> na tathâ bhakti-yogena

> iti me niscitâ matih

> yathâ--as; vaira-anubandhena--by constant enmity; martyah--a person; tat-mayatâm--absorption in Him; iyât--may attain; na--not; tathâ--in a like manner; bhakti-yogena--by devotional service; iti--thus; me--my; niscitâ--definite; matih--opinion.

> TRANSLATION

> Narada Muni continued: By devotional service one cannot achieve such intense absorption in thought of the Supreme Personality of Godhead as one can through enmity toward Him. That is my opinion.

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> TEXTS 28-29

> kîtah pesaskrtâ ruddhah

> kudyâyâm tam anusmaran

> samrambha-bhaya-yogena

> vindate tat-svarûpatâm

> evam krsne bhagavati

> mâyâ-manuja îsvare

> vairena pûta-pâpmânas

> tam âpur anucintayâ

> kîtah--the grassworm; pesaskrtâ--by a bee; ruddhah--confined; kudyâyâm--in a hole in a wall; tam--that (bee); anusmaran--thinking of; samrambha-bhaya-yogena--through intense fear and enmity; vindate--attains; tat--of that bee; sva-rûpatâm--the same form; evam--thus; krsne--in Krsna; bhagavati--the Personality of Godhead; mâyâ-manuje--who appeared by His own energy in His eternal humanlike form; îsvare--the Supreme; vairena--by enmity; pûta-pâpmânah--those purified of sins; tam--Him; âpuh--attained; anucintayâ--by thinking of.

> TRANSLATION

> A grassworm confined in a hole of a wall by a bee always thinks of the bee in fear and enmity and later becomes a bee simply because of such remembrance. Similarly, if the conditioned souls somehow or other think of Krsna, who is sac-cid-ananda-vigraha, they will become free from their sins. Whether thinking of Him as their worshipable Lord or an enemy, because of constantly thinking of Him they will regain their spiritual bodies.

> *****

> TEXT 30

> kâmâd dvesâd bhayât snehâd

> yathâ bhaktyesvare manah

> âvesya tad-agham hitvâ

> bahavas tad-gatim gatâh

> kâmât--from lust; dvesât--from hatred; bhayât--from fear; snehât--from affection; yathâ--as well as; bhaktyâ--by devotion; îsvare--in the Supreme; manah--the mind; âvesya--absorbing; tat--of that; agham--sin; hitvâ--giving up; bahavah--many; tat--of that; gatim--path of liberation; gatâh--attained.

> TRANSLATION

> Many, many persons have attained liberation simply by thinking of Krsna with great attention and giving up sinful activities. This great attention may be due to lusty desires, inimical feelings, fear, affection or devotional service. I shall now explain how one receives Krsna's mercy simply by concentrating one's mind upon Him.

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> TEXT 31

> gopyah kâmâd bhayât kamso

> dvesâc caidyâdayo nrpâh

> sambandhâd vrsnayah snehâd

> yûyam bhaktyâ vayam vibho

> gopyah--the gopîs; kâmât--out of lusty desires; bhayât--out of fear; kamsah--King Kamsa; dvesât--out of envy; caidya-âdayah--Sisupâla and others; nrpâh--kings; sambandhât--out of kinship; vrsnayah--the Vrsnis or the Yâdavas; snehât--out of affection; yûyam--you (the Pândavas); bhaktyâ--by devotional service; vayam--we; vibho--O great King.

> TRANSLATION

> My dear King Yudhisthira, the gopis by their lusty desires, Kamsa by his fear, Sisupala and other kings by envy, the Yadus by their familial relationship with Krsna, you Pandavas by your great affection for Krsna, and we, the general devotees, by our devotional service, have obtained the mercy of Krsna.

> *****

> TEXT 32

> katamo 'pi na venah syât

> pancânâm purusam prati

> tasmât kenâpy upâyena

> manah krsne nivesayet

> katamah api--anyone; na--not; venah--the atheistic King Vena; syât--would adopt; pancânâm--of the five (previously mentioned); purusam--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; prati--in regard to; tasmât--therefore; kenâpi--by any; upâyena--means; manah--the mind; krsne--in Krsna; nivesayet--one should fix.

> TRANSLATION

> Somehow or other, one must consider the form of Krsna very seriously. Then, by one of the five different processes mentioned above, one can return home, back to Godhead. Atheists like King Vena, however, being unable to think of Krsna's form in any of these five ways, cannot attain salvation. Therefore, one must somehow think of Krsna, whether in a friendly way or inimically.

> *****

> TEXT 33

> mâtr-svasreyo vas caidyo

> dantavakras ca pândava

> pârsada-pravarau visnor

> vipra-sâpât pada-cyutau

> mâtr-svasreyah--the son of the mother's sister (Sisupâla); vah--your; caidyah--King Sisupâla; dantavakrah--Dantavakra; ca--and; pâdava--O Pândava; pârsada-pravarau--two exalted attendants; visnoh--of Visnu; vipra--by brâhmanas; sâpât--because of a curse; pada--from their position in Vaikuntha; cyutau--fallen.

> TRANSLATION

> Narada Muni continued: O best of the Pandavas, your two cousins Sisupala and Dantavakra, the sons of your maternal aunt, were formerly associates of Lord Visnu, but because they were cursed by brahmanas, they fell from Vaikuntha to this material world.

> *****

> TEXT 34

> srî-yudhisthira uvâca

> kîdrsah kasya vâ sâpo

> hari-dâsâbhimarsanah

> asraddheya ivâbhâti

> harer ekântinâm bhavah

> srî-yudhisthirah uvâca--Mahârâja Yudhisthira said; kîdrsah--what kind of; kasya--whose; vâ--or; sâpah--curse; hari-dâsa--the servant of Hari; abhimarsanah--overcoming; asraddheyah--incredible; iva--as if; âbhâti--appears; hareh--of Hari; ekântinâm--of those exclusively devoted as exalted attendants; bhavah--birth.

> TRANSLATION

> Maharaja Yudhisthira inquired: What kind of great curse could affect even liberated visnu-bhaktas, and what sort of person could curse even the Lord's associates? For unflinching devotees of the Lord to fall again to this material world is impossible. I cannot believe this.

> *****

> TEXT 35

> dehendriyâsu-hînânâm

> vaikuntha-pura-vâsinâm

> deha-sambandha-sambaddham

> etad âkhyâtum arhasi

> deha--of a material body; indriya--material senses; asu--life breath; hînânâm--of those devoid; vaikuntha-pura--of Vaikuntha; vâsinâm--of the residents; deha-sambandha--in a material body; sambaddham--bondage; etat--this; âkhyâtum arhasi--please describe.

> TRANSLATION

> The bodies of the inhabitants of Vaikuntha are completely spiritual, having nothing to do with the material body, senses or life air. Therefore, kindly explain how associates of the Personality of Godhead were cursed to descend in material bodies like ordinary persons.

> *****

> TEXT 36

> srî-nârada uvâca

> ekadâ brahmanah putrâ

> visnu-lokam yadrcchayâ

> sanandanâdayo jagmus

> caranto bhuvana-trayam

> srî-nâradah uvâca--Srî Nârada Muni said; ekadâ--once upon a time; brahmanah--of Lord Brahmâ; putrâh--the sons; visnu--of Lord Visnu; lokam--the planet; yadrcchayâ--by chance; sanandana-âdayah--Sanandana and the others; jagmuh--went; carantah--traveling about; bhuvana-trayam--the three worlds.

> TRANSLATION

> The great saint Narada said: Once upon a time when the four sons of Lord Brahma named Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana and Sanat-kumara were wandering throughout the three worlds, they came by chance to Visnuloka.

> *****

> TEXT 37

> panca-saddhâyanârbhâbhâh

> pûrvesâm api pûrvajâh

> dig-vâsasah sisûn matvâ

> dvâh-sthau tân pratyasedhatâm

> panca-sat-dhâ--five or six years; âyana--approaching; arbha-âbhâh--like boys; pûrvesâm--the ancients of the universe (Marîci and the rest); api--even though; pûrva-jâh--born before; dik-vâsasah--being naked; sisûn--children; matvâ--thinking; dvâh-sthau--the two gate guards, Jaya and Vijaya; tân--them; pratyasedhatâm--forbade.

> TRANSLATION

> Although these four great sages were older than Brahma's other sons like Marici, they appeared like small naked children only five or six years old. When Jaya and Vijaya saw them trying to enter Vaikunthaloka, these two gatekeepers, thinking them ordinary children, forbade them to enter.

> *****

> TEXT 38

> asapan kupitâ evam

> yuvâm vâsam na cârhathah

> rajas-tamobhyâm rahite

> pâda-mûle madhudvisah

> pâpisthâm âsurîm yonim

> bâlisau yâtam âsv atah

> asapan--cursed; kupitâh--being full of anger; evam--thus; yuvâm--you two; vâsam--residence; na--not; ca--and; arhathah--deserve; rajah-tamobhyâm--from passion and ignorance; rahite--free; pâda-mûle--at the lotus feet; madhu-dvisah--of Visnu, the slayer of the Madhu demon; pâpisthâm--most sinful; âsurîm--demoniac; yonim--to a womb; bâlisau--O you two fools; yâtam--go; âsu--quickly hereafter; atah--therefore.

> TRANSLATION

> Thus checked by the doorkeepers Jaya and Vijaya, Sanandana and the other great sages very angrily cursed them. "You two foolish doorkeepers," they said. "Being agitated by the material qualities of passion and ignorance, you are unfit to live at the shelter of Madhudvisa's lotus feet, which are free from such modes. It would be better for you to go immediately to the material world and take your birth in a family of most sinful asuras."

> *****

> TEXT 39

> evam saptau sva-bhavanât

> patantau tau krpâlubhih

> proktau punar janmabhir vâm

> tribhir lokâya kalpatâm

> evam--thus; saptau--being cursed; sva-bhavanât--from their abode, Vaikuntha; patantau--falling down; tau--those two (Jaya and Vijaya); krpâlubhih--by the merciful sages (Sanandana, etc.); proktau--addressed; punah--again; janmabhih--with births; vâm--your; tribhih--three; lokâya--for the position; kalpatâm--let it be possible.

> TRANSLATION

> While Jaya and Vijaya, thus cursed by the sages, were falling to the material world, they were addressed as follows by the same sages, who were very kind to them. "O doorkeepers, after three births you will be able to return to your positions in Vaikuntha, for then the duration of the curse will have ended."

> *****

> TEXT 40

> jajnâte tau diteh putrau

> daitya-dânava-vanditau

> hiranyakasipur jyestho

> hiranyâkso 'nujas tatah

> jajnâte--were born; tau--the two; diteh--of Diti; putrau--the sons; daitya-dânava--by all the demons; vanditau--being worshiped; hiranyakasipuh--Hiranyakasipu; jyesthah--the elder; hiranyâksah--Hiranyâksa; anujah--the younger; tatah--thereafter.

> TRANSLATION

> These two associates of the Lord--Jaya and Vijaya--later descended to the material world, taking birth as the two sons of Diti, Hiranyakasipu being the elder and Hiranyaksa the younger. They were very much respected by the Daityas and Danavas [demoniac species].

> *****

> TEXT 41

> hato hiranyakasipur

> harinâ simha-rûpinâ

> hiranyâkso dharoddhâre

> bibhratâ saukaram vapuh

> hatah--killed; hiranyakasipuh--Hiranyakasipu; harinâ--by Hari, Visnu; simha-rûpinâ--in the form of a lion (Lord Narasimha); hiranyâksah--Hiranyâksa; dharâ-uddhâre--to lift the earth; bibhratâ--assuming; saukaram--the boarlike; vapuh--form.

> TRANSLATION

> Appearing as Nrsimhadeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Hari, killed Hiranyakasipu. When the Lord delivered the planet earth, which had fallen in the Garbhodaka Ocean, Hiranyaksa tried to hinder Him, and then the Lord, as Varaha, killed Hiranyaksa.

> *****

> TEXT 42

> hiranyakasipuh putram

> prahlâdam kesava-priyam

> jighâmsur akaron nânâ

> yâtanâ mrtyu-hetave

> hiranyakasipuh--Hiranyakasipu; putram--son; prahladam--Prahlâda Maharaja; kesava-priyam--the beloved devotee of Kesava; jighâmsuh--desirous of killing; akarot--enacted; nânâ--various; yâtanâh--tortures; mrtyu--death; hetave--to cause.

> TRANSLATION

> Desiring to kill his son Prahlada, who was a great devotee of Lord Visnu, Hiranyakasipu tortured him in many ways.

> *****

> TEXT 43

> tam sarva-bhûtâtma-bhûtam

> prasântam sama-darsanam

> bhagavat-tejasâ sprstam

> nâsaknod dhantum udyamaih

> tam--Him; sarva-bhûta-âtma-bhûtam--the soul in all entities; prasântam--peaceful and without hatred, etc.; sama-darsanam--equal to everyone; bhagavat-tejasâ--with the power of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sprstam--protected; na--not; asaknot--was able; hantum--to kill; udyamaih--by great attempts and various weapons.

> TRANSLATION

> The Lord, the Supersoul of all living entities, is sober, peaceful and equal to everyone. Since the great devotee Prahlada was protected by the Lord's potency, Hiranyakasipu was unable to kill him, in spite of endeavoring to do so in various ways.

> *****

> TEXT 44

> tatas tau râksasau jâtau

> kesinyâm visravah-sutau

> râvanah kumbhakarnas ca

> sarva-lokopatâpanau

> tatah--thereafter; tau--the two doorkeepers (Jaya and Vijaya); râksasau--demons; jâtau--born; kesinyâm--in the womb of Kesinî; visravah-sutau--the sons of Visravâ; râvanah--Râvana; kumbhakarnah--Kumbhakarna; ca--and; sarva-loka--to all people; upatâpanau--giving misery.

> TRANSLATION

> Thereafter the same Jaya and Vijaya, the two doorkeepers of Lord Visnu, took birth as Ravana and Kumbhakarna, begotten by Visrava in the womb of Kesini. They were extremely troublesome to all the people of the universe.

> *****

> TEXT 45

> tatrâpi râghavo bhûtvâ

> nyahanac châpa-muktaye

> râma-vîryam srosyasi tvam

> mârkandeya-mukhât prabho

> tatra api--thereupon; râghavah--as Lord Râmacandra; bhûtvâ--manifesting; nyahanat--killed; sâpa-muktaye--for freedom from the curse; râma-vîryam--the prowess of Lord Râma; srosyasi--will hear; tvam--you; mârkandeya-mukhât--from the lips of the sage Mârkandeya; prabho--O lord.

> TRANSLATION

> Narada Muni continued: My dear King, just to relieve Jaya and Vijaya of the brahmanas' curse, Lord Ramacandra appeared in order to kill Ravana and Kumbhakarna. It will be better for you to hear narrations about Lord Ramacandra's activities from Markandeya.

> *****

> TEXT 46

> tâv atra ksatriyau jâtau

> mâtr-svasrâtmajau tava

> adhunâ sâpa-nirmuktau

> krsna-cakra-hatâmhasau

> tau--the two; atra--here, in the third birth; ksatriyau--ksatriyas or kings; jâtau--born; mâtr-svasr-âtma-jau--the sons of the mother's sister; tava--your; adhunâ--now; sâpa-nirmuktau--freed from the curse; krsna-cakra--by the disc weapon of Krsna; hata--destroyed; amhasau--whose sins.

> TRANSLATION

> In their third birth, the same Jaya and Vijaya appeared in a family of ksatriyas as your cousins, the sons of your aunt. Because Lord Krsna has struck them with His disc, all their sinful reactions have been destroyed, and now they are free from the curse.

> *****

> TEXT 47

> vairânubandha-tîvrena

> dhyânenâcyuta-sâtmatâm

> nîtau punar hareh pârsvam

> jagmatur visnu-pârsadau

> vaira-anubandha--bond of hatred; tîvrena--consisting of acute; dhyânena--by meditation; acyuta-sâtmatâm--to the effulgence of the infallible Lord; nîtau--attained; punah--again; hareh--of Hari; pârsvam--the proximity; jagmatuh--they reached; visnu-pârsadau--the gatekeeper associates of Visnu.

> TRANSLATION

> These two associates of Lord Visnu--Jaya and Vijaya--maintained a feeling of enmity for a very long time. Because of always thinking of Krsna in this way, they regained the shelter of the Lord, having returned home, back to Godhead.

> *****

> TEXT 48

> srî-yudhisthira uvâca

> vidveso dayite putre

> katham âsîn mahâtmani

> brûhi me bhagavan yena

> prahlâdasyâcyutâtmatâ

> srî-yudhisthirah uvâca--Mahârâja Yudhisthira said; vidvesah--hatred; dayite--for his own beloved; putre--son; katham--how; âsit--there was; mahâ-âtmani--the great soul, Prahlâda; brûhi--please tell; me--unto me; bhagavan--O exalted sage; yena--by which; prahlâdasya--of Prahlâda Mahârâja; acyuta--to Acyuta; âtmatâ--great attachment.

> TRANSLATION

> Maharaja Yudhisthira inquired: O my lord, Narada Muni, why was there such enmity between Hiranyakasipu and his beloved son Prahlada Maharaja? How did Prahlada Maharaja become such a great devotee of Lord Krsna? Kindly explain this to me.

> PURPORT

> All the devotees of Lord Krsna are called acyutatma because they follow in the footsteps of Prahlada Maharaja. Acyuta refers to the infallible Lord Visnu, whose heart is always infallible. Because the devotees are attached to the infallible, they are called acyutatma.

> Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Seventh Canto, First Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled "The Supreme Lord Is Equal to Everyone."

> > Back to the running text