> > Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 4
> > 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 4 Part 1

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

> > Chapter Two: Daksa Curses Lord Siva

> > *******

> > TEXT 1

> > vidura uvaca

> > bhave silavatam sresthe

> > dakso duhitr-vatsalah

> > vidvesam akarot kasmad

> > anadrtyatmajam satim

> > vidurah uvaca--Vidura said; bhave--towards Lord Siva; silavatam--among the gentle; sresthe--the best; daksah--Daksa; duhitr-vatsalah--being affectionate towards his daughter; vidvesam--enmity; akarot--did exhibit; kasmat--why; anadrtya--neglecting; atmajam--his own daughter; satim--Sati.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Vidura inquired: Why was Daksa, who was so affectionate towards his daughter, envious of Lord Siva, who is the best among the gentle? Why did he neglect his daughter Sati?

> > *******

> > TEXT 2

> > kas tam caracara-gurum

> > nirvairam santa-vigraham

> > atmaramam katham dvesti

> > jagato daivatam mahat

> > kah--who (Daksa); tam--him (Lord Siva); cara-acara--of the whole world (both animate and inanimate); gurum--the spiritual master; nirvairam--without enmity; santa-vigraham--having a peaceful personality; atma-aramam--satisfied in himself; katham--how; dvesti--hates; jagatah--of the universe; daivatam--demigod; mahat--the great.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Lord Siva, the spiritual master of the entire world, is free from enmity, is a peaceful personality, and is always satisfied in himself. He is the greatest among the demigods. How is it possible that Daksa could be inimical towards such an auspicious personality?

> > *******

> > TEXT 3

> > etad akhyahi me brahman

> > jamatuh svasurasya ca

> > vidvesas tu yatah pranams

> > tatyaje dustyajan sati

> > etat--thus; akhyahi--please tell; me--to me; brahman--O brahmana; jamatuh--of the son-in-law (Lord Siva); svasurasya--of the father-in-law (Daksa); ca--and; vidvesah--quarrel; tu--as to; yatah--from what cause; pranan--her life; tatyaje--gave up; dustyajan--which is impossible to give up; sati--Sati.

> > TRANSLATION

> > My dear Maitreya, to part with one's life is very difficult. Would you kindly explain to me how such a son-in-law and father-in-law could quarrel so bitterly that the great goddess Sati could give up her life?

> > *******

> > TEXT 4

> > maitreya uvaca

> > pura vina-srjam satre

> > sametah paramarsayah

> > tathamara-ganah sarve

> > sanuga munayo 'gnayah

> > maitreyah uvaca--the sage Maitreya said; pura--formerly (at the time of Svayambhuva Manu); vina-srjam--of the creators of the universe; satre--at a sacrifice; sametah--were assembled; parama-rsayah--the great sages; tatha--and also; amara-ganah--the demigods; sarve--all; sa-anugah--along with their followers; munayah--the philosophers; agnayah--the fire-gods.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The sage Maitreya said: In a former time, the leaders of the universal creation performed a great sacrifice in which all the great sages, philosophers, demigods and fire-gods assembled with their followers.

> > *******

> > TEXT 5

> > tatra pravis tam rsayo

> > drstvarkam iva rocisa

> > bhrajamanam vitimiram

> > kurvantam tan mahat sadah

> > tatra--there; pravistam--having entered; rsayah--the sages; drstva--seeing; arkam--the sun; iva--just like; rocis a--with luster; bhrajamanam--shining; vitimiram--free from darkness; kurvantam--making; tat--that; mahat--great; sadah--assembly.

> > TRANSLATION

> > When Daksa, the leader of the Prajapatis, entered that assembly, his personal bodily luster as bright as the effulgence of the sun, the entire assembly was illuminated, and all the assembled personalities became insignificant in his presence.

> > *******

> > TEXT 6

> > udatisthan sadasyas te

> > sva-dhisnyebhyah sahagnayah

> > rte virincam sarvam ca

> > tad-bhasaksipta-cetasah

> > udatisthan--stood up; sadasyah--the members of the assembly; te--they; sva-dhis nyebhyah--from their own seats; saha-agnayah--along with the fire-gods; rte--except for; virincam--Brahma; sarvam--Siva; ca--and; tat--his (Daksa's); bhasa--by the luster; aksipta--are influenced; cetasah--those whose minds.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Influenced by his personal bodily luster, all the fire-gods and other participants in that great assembly, with the exceptions of Lord Brahma and Lord Siva, gave up their own sitting places and stood in respect for Daksa.

> > *******

> > TEXT 7

> > sadasas-patibhir dakso

> > bhagavan sadhu sat-krtah

> > ajam loka-gurum natva

> > nisasdda tad-ajnaya

> > sadasah--of the assembly; patibhih--by the leaders; daksah--Daksa; bhagavan--the possessor of all opulences; sadhu--properly; sat-krtah--was welcomed; ajam--to the unborn (Brahma); loka-gurum--to the teacher of the universe; natva--making obeisances; nis asada--sat down; tat-ajnaya--by his (Brahma's) order.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Daksa was adequately welcomed by the president of the great assembly, Lord Brahma. After offering Lord Brahma respect, Daksa, by the order of Brahma, properly took his seat.

> > *******

> > TEXT 8

> > pran-nis annam mrdam drstva

> > namrsyat tad-anadrtah

> > uvaca vamam caksurbhyam

> > abhiviksya dahann iva

> > prak--before; nisannam--being seated; mrdam--Lord Siva; drstva--seeing; na amrsyat--did not tolerate; tat--by him (Siva); anadrtah--not being respected; uvaca--said; vamam--dishonest; caksurbhyam--with both eyes; abhiviksya--looking at; dahan--burning; iva--as if.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Before taking his seat, however, Daksa was very much offended to see Lord Siva sitting and not showing him any respect. At that time, Daksa became greatly angry, and, his eyes glowing, he began to speak very strongly against Lord Siva.

> > *******

> > TEXT 9

> > sruyatam brahmarsayo me

> > saha-devah sahagnayah

> > sadhunam bruvato vrttam

> > najnanan na ca matsarat

> > sruyatam--hear; brahma-rsayah--O sages among the brahmanas; me--unto me; saha-devah--O demigods; saha-agnayah--O fire-gods; sadhunam--of the gentle; bruvatah--speaking; vrttam--the manners; na--not; ajnanat--from ignorance; na ca--and not; matsarat--from envy.

> > TRANSLATION

> > All sages, brahmanas and fire-gods present, please hear me with attention, for I speak about the manners of gentle persons. I do not speak out of ignorance or envy.

> > *******

> > TEXT 10

> > ayam tu loka-palanam

> > yaso-ghno nirapatrapah

> > sadbhir acaritah pantha-

> > yena stabdhena dusitah

> > ayam--he (Siva); tu--but; loka-palanam--of the governors of the universe; yasah-ghnah--spoiling the fame; nirapatrapah--shameless; sadbhih--by those of gentle manner; acaritah--followed; panthah--the path; yena--by whom (Siva); stabdhena--being devoid of proper actions; dusitah--is polluted.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Siva has spoiled the name and fame of the governors of the universe and has polluted the path of gentle manners. Because he is shameless, he does not know how to act.

> > *******

> > TEXT 11

> > esa me sisyatam prapto

> > yan me duhitur agrahit

> > panim vipragni-mukhatah

> > savitrya iva sadhuvat

> > esah--he (Siva); me--my; sisyatam--subordinate position; praptah--accepted; yat--because; me duhituh--of my daughter; agrahit--he took; panim--the hand; vipra-agni--of brahmanas and fire; mukhatah--in the presence; savitryah--Gayatri; iva--like; sadhuvat--like an honest person.

> > TRANSLATION

> > He has already accepted himself as my subordinate by marrying my daughter in the presence of fire and brahmanas. He has married my daughter, who is equal to Gayatri, and has pretended to be just like an honest person.

> > *******

> > TEXT 12

> > grhitva mrga-savaksyah

> > panim markata-locanah

> > pratyutthanabhivadarhe

> > vacapy akrta nocitam

> > grhitva--taking; mrga-sava--like a deer cub; aksyah--of her who has eyes; panim--the hand; markata--of a monkey; locanah--he who has the eyes; pratyutthana--of rising from one's seat; abhivada--the honor; arhe--to me, who deserves; vaca--with sweet words; api--even; akrta na--he did not do; ucitam--honor.

> > TRANSLATION

> > He has eyes like a monkey's, yet he has married my daughter, whose eyes are just like those of a deer cub. Nevertheless he did not stand up to receive me, nor did he think it fit to welcome me with sweet words.

> > *******

> > TEXT 13

> > lupta-kriyayasucaye

> > manine bhinna-setave

> > anicchann apy adam balam

> > sudrayevosatim giram

> > lupta-kriyaya--not observing rules and regulations; asucaye--impure; manine--proud; bhinna-setave--having broken all rules of civility; anicchan--not desiring; api--although; adam--handed over; balam--my daughter; sudraya--unto a sudra; iva--as; usatim giram--the message of the Vedas.

> > TRANSLATION

> > I had no desire to give my daughter to this person, who has broken all rules of civility. Because of not observing the required rules and regulations, he is impure, but I was obliged to hand over my daughter to him just as one teaches the messages of the Vedas to a sudra.

> > *******

> > TEXT 14-15

> > pretavasesu ghoresu

> > pretair bhuta-ganair vrtah

> > ataty unmattavan nagno

> > vyupta-keso hasan rudan

> > cita-bhasma-krta-snanah

> > preta-sran-nrasthi-bhusanah

> > sivapadeso hy asivo

> > matto matta jana-priyah

> > patih pramatha-nathanam

> > tamo-matratmakatmanam

> > preta-avasesu--at the burning places of dead bodies; ghoresu--horrible; pretaih--by the Pretas; bhuta-ganaih--by the Bhutas; vrtah--accompanied by; atati--he wanders; unmatta-vat--like a madman; nagnah--naked; vyupta-kesah--having scattered hair; hasan--laughing; rudan--crying; cita--of the funeral pyre; bhasma--with the ashes; krta-snanah--taking bath; preta--of the skulls of dead bodies; srak--having a garland; nr-asthi-bhusanah--ornamented with dead men's bones; siva-apadesah--who is siva, or auspicious, only in name; hi--for; asivah--inauspicious; mattah--crazy; matta jana-priyah--very dear to the crazy beings; patih--the leader; pramatha-nathanam--of the lords of the Pramathas; tamah-matra-atmaka-atmanam--of those grossly in the mode of ignorance.

> > TRANSLATION

> > He lives in filthy places like crematoriums, and his companions are the ghosts and demons. Naked like a madman, sometimes laughing and sometimes crying, he smears crematorium ashes all over his body. He does not bathe regularly, and he ornaments his body with a garland of skulls and bones. Therefore only in name is he Siva, or auspicious; actually, he is the most mad and inauspicious creature. Thus he is very dear to crazy beings in the gross mode of ignorance, and he is their leader.

> > *******

> > TEXT 16

> > tasma unmada-nathaya

> > nasta-saucaya durhrde

> > datta bata maya sadhvi

> > codite paramesthina

> > tasmai--to him; unmada-nathaya--to the lord of ghosts; nasta-saucaya--being devoid of all cleanliness; durhrde--heart filled with nasty things; datta--was given; bata--alas; maya--by me; sadhvi--Sati; codite--being requested; paramesthina--by the supreme teacher (Brahma).

> > TRANSLATION

> > On the request of Lord Brahma I handed over my chaste daughter to him, although he is devoid of all cleanliness and his heart is filled with nasty things.

> > *******

> > TEXT 17

> > maitreya uvaca

> > vinindyaivam sa giriam

> > apratipam avasthitam

> > dakso 'thapa upasprsya

> > kruddhah saptum pracakrame

> > maitreyah uvaca--Maitreya said; vinindya--abusing; evam--thus; sah--he (Daksa); giriam--Siva; apratipam--without any hostility; avasthitam--remaining; daksah--Daksa; atha--now; apah--water; upasprsya--washing hands and mouth; kruddhah--angry; saptum--to curse; pracakrame--began to.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The sage Maitreya continued: Thus Daksa, seeing Lord Siva sitting as if against him, washed his hands and mouth and cursed him in the following words.

> > *******

> > TEXT 18

> > ayam tu deva-yajana

> > indropendrddibhir bhavah

> > saha bhagam na labhatam

> > devair deva-ganadhamah

> > ayam--that; tu--but; deva-yajane--in the sacrifice of the demigods; indra-upendra-dibhih--with Indra, Upendra and the others; bhavah--Siva; saha--along with; bhagam--a portion; na--not; labhatam--should obtain; devaih--with the demigods; deva-gana-adhamah--the lowest of all the demigods.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The demigods are eligible to share in the oblations of sacrifice, but Lord Siva, who is the lowest of all the demigods, should not have a share.

> > *******

> > TEXT 19

> > nisidhyamanah sa sadasya-mukhyair

> > dakso giritraya visrjya sapam

> > tasmad vinis kramya vivrddha-manyur

> > jagama kauravya nijam niketanam

> > nisidhyamanah--being requested not to; sah--he (Daksa); sadasya-mukhyaih--by the members of the sacrifice; daksah--Daksa; giritraya--to Siva; visrjya--giving; sapam--a curse; tasmat--from that place; vinis kramya--going out; vivrddha-manyuh--being exceedingly angry; jagama--went; kauravya--O Vidura; nijam--to his own; niketanam--home.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Maitreya continued: My dear Vidura, in spite of the requests of all the members of the sacrificial assembly, Daksa, in great anger, cursed Lord Siva and then left the assembly and went back to his home.

> > *******

> > TEXT 20

> > vijnaya sapam girisanugagranir

> > nandinaro rosa-kasaya-dusitah

> > daksaya sapam visasarja darunam

> > ye canvamodams tad-avacyatam dvijah

> > vijnaya--understanding; sapam--the curse; giria--of Siva; anuga-agranih--one of the principal associates; nandinarah--Nandisvara; rosa--anger; kasaya--red; dusitah--blinded; daksaya--to Daksa; sapam--a curse; visasarja--gave; darunam--harsh; ye--who; ca--and; anvamodan--tolerated; tat-avacyatam--the cursing of Siva; dvijah--brahmanas.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Upon understanding that Lord Siva had been cursed, Nandisvara, one of Lord Siva's principal associates, became greatly angry. His eyes became red, and he prepared to curse Daksa and all the brahmanas present there who had tolerated Daksa's cursing Siva in harsh words.

> > *******

> > TEXT 21

> > ya etan martyam uddisya

> > bhagavaty apratidruhi

> > druhyaty ajnah prthag-drstis

> > tattvato vimukho bhavet

> > yah--who (Daksa); etat martyam--this body; uddisya--with reference to; bhagavati--to Siva; apratidruhi--who is not envious; druhyati--bears envy; ajnah--less intelligent persons; prthak-drstih--the vision of duality; tattvatah--from transcendental knowledge; vimukhah--bereft; bhavet--may become.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Anyone who has accepted Daksa as the most important personality and neglected Lord Siva because of envy is less intelligent and, because of visualizing in duality, will be bereft of transcendental knowledge.

> > *******

> > TEXT 22

> > grhesu kuta-dharmesu

> > sakto gramya-sukhecchaya

> > karma-tantram vitanute

> > veda-vada-vipanna-dhih

> > grhesu--in householder life; kuta-dharmesu--of pretentious religiosity; saktah--being attracted; gramya-sukha-icchaya--by desire for material happiness; kamaa-tantram--fruitive activities; vitanute--he performs; veda-vada--by the explanations of the Vedas; vipanna-dhih--intelligence being lost.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Pretentiously religious householder life, in which one is attracted to material happiness and thus also attracted to the superficial explanation of the Vedas, robs one of all intelligence and attaches one to fruitive activities as all in all.

> > *******

> > TEXT 23

> > buddhya parabhidhyayinya

> > vismrtatma-gatih pasuh

> > stri-kamah so 'stv atitaram

> > dakso basta-mukho 'cirat

> > buddhya--by intelligence; para-abhidhyayinya--by accepting the body as the self; vismrta-atma-gatih--having forgotten the knowledge of Visnu; pasuh--an animal; stri-kamah--attached to sex life; sah--he (Daksa); astu--let; atitaram--excessive; daksah--Daksa; basta-mukhah--the face of a goat; acirat--in a very short time.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Daksa has accepted the body as all in all. Therefore, since he has forgotten the visnu-pada, or visnu-gati, and is attached to sex life only, within a short time he will have the face of a goat.

> > *******

> > TEXT 24

> > vidya-buddhir avidyayam

> > karmamayyam asau jadah

> > samsarantv iha ye camum

> > anu sarvavamaninam

> > vidya-buddhih--materialistic education and intelligence; avidyayam--in nescience; karma-mayyam--formed of fruitive activities; asau--he (Daksa); jadah--dull; samsarantu--let them take birth again and again; iha--here in this world; ye--who; ca--and; amum--Daksa; anu--following; sarva--Siva; avamaninam--insulting.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Those who have become as dull as matter by cultivating materialistic education and intelligence are nesciently involved in fruitive activities. Such men have purposely insulted Lord Siva. May they continue in the cycle of repeated birth and death.

> > *******

> > TEXT 25

> > girah srutayah puspinya

> > madhu-gandhena bhurina

> > mathna conmathitatmanah

> > sammuhyantu hara-dvisah

> > girah--words; srutayah--of the Vedas; puspinyah--flowery; madhu-gandhena--with the scent of honey; bhurina--profuse; mathna--enchanting; ca--and; unmathita-atmanah--whose minds have become dull; sammuhyantu--let them remain attached; hara-dvisah--envious of Lord Siva.

> > TRANSLATION

> > May those who are envious of Lord Siva, being attracted by the flowery language of the enchanting Vedic promises, and who have thus become dull, always remain attached to fruitive activities.

> > *******

> > TEXT 26

> > sarva-bhaksa dvija vrttyai

> > dhrta-vidya-tapo-vratah

> > vitta-de hendriyarama

> > yacaka vicarantv iha

> > sarva-bhaksah--eating everything; dvijah--the brahmanas; vrttyai--for maintaining the body; dhrta-vidya--having taken to education; tapah--austerity; vratah--and vows; vitta--money; deha--the body; indriya--the senses; aramah--the satisfaction; yacakah--as beggars; vicarantu--let them wander; iha--here.

> > TRANSLATION

> > These brahmanas take to education, austerity and vows only for the purpose of maintaining the body. They shall be devoid of discrimination between what to eat and what not to eat. They will acquire money, begging from door to door, simply for the satisfaction of the body.

> > *******

> > TEXT 27

> > tasyaivam vadatah sapam

> > srutva dvija-kulaya vai

> > bhrguh pratyasrjac chapam

> > brahma-dandam duratyayam

> > tasya--his (Nandinara's); evam--thus; vadatah--words; sapam--the curse; srutva--hearing; dvija-kulaya--unto the brahmanas; vai--indeed; bhrguh--Bhrgu; pratyasrjat--made; sapam--a curse; brahma-dandam--the punishment of a brahmana; duratyayam--insurmountable.

> > TRANSLATION

> > When all the hereditary brahmanas were thus cursed by Nandisvara, the sage Bhrgu, as a reaction, condemned the followers of Lord Siva with this very strong brahminical curse.

> > *******

> > TEXT 28

> > bhava-vrata-dhara ye ca

> > ye ca tan samanuvratah

> > pasandinas te bhavantu

> > sac-chastra-paripanthinah

> > bhava-vrata-dharah--taking a vow to satisfy Lord Siva; ye--who; ca--and; ye--who; ca--and; tan--such principles; samanuvratah--following; pasandinah--atheists; te--they; bhavantu--let them become; sat-sastra-paripanthinah--diverted from transcendental scriptural injunctions.

> > TRANSLATION

> > One who takes a vow to satisfy Lord Siva or who follows such principles will certainly become an atheist and be diverted from transcendental scriptural injunctions.

> > *******

> > TEXT 29

> > nasta-sauca mudha-dhiyo

> > jata-bhasmasthi-dharinah

> > viantu siva-diksayam

> > yatra daivam surasavam

> > nasta-saucah--cleanliness being abandoned; mudha-dhiyah--foolish; jata-bhasma-asthi-dharinah--wearing long hair, ashes and bones; viantu--may enter; siva-diksayam--into initiation of worship of Siva; yatra--where; daivam--are spiritual; sura-asavam--wine and liquor.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Those who vow to worship Lord Siva are so foolish that they imitate him by keeping long hair on their heads. When initiated into worship of Lord Siva, they prefer to live on wine, flesh and other such things.

> > *******

> > TEXT 30

> > brahma ca brahmanams caiva

> > yad yuyam parinindatha

> > setum vidharanam pumsam

> > atah pasandam asritah

> > brahma--the Vedas; ca--and; brahmanan--the brahmanas; ca--and; eva--certainly; yat--because; yuyam--you; parinindatha--blaspheme; setum--Vedic principles; vidharanam--holding; pumsam--of mankind; atah--therefore; pasandam--atheism; asritah--have taken shelter.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Bhrgu Muni continued: Since you blaspheme the Vedas and the brahmanas, who are followers of the Vedic principles, it is understood that you have already taken shelter of the doctrine of atheism.

> > *******

> > TEXT 31

> > esa eva hi lokanam

> > sivah panthah sanatanah

> > yam purve canusantasthur

> > yat-pramanam janardanah

> > esah--the Vedas; eva--certainly; hi--for; lokanam--of all people; sivah--auspicious; panthah--path; sanatanah--eternal; yam--which (Vedic path); purve--in the past; ca--and; anusantasthuh--was rigidly followed; yat--in which; pramanam--the evidence; janardanah--Janardana.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The Vedas give the eternal regulative principles for auspicious advancement in human civilization which have been rigidly followed in the past. The strong evidence of this principle is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is called Janardana, the well-wisher of all living entities.

> > *******

> > TEXT 32

> > tad brahma paramam suddham

> > satam vartma sanatanam

> > vigarhya yata pasandam

> > daivam vo yatra bhuta-rat

> > tat--that; brahma--Veda; paramam--supreme; suddham--pure; satam--of the saintly persons; vartma--path; sanatanam--eternal; vigarhya--blaspheming; yata--should go; pasandam--to atheism; daivam--deity; vah--your; yatra--where; bhuta-rat--the lord of the bhutas.

> > TRANSLATION

> > By blaspheming the principles of the Vedas, which are the pure and supreme path of the saintly persons, certainly you followers of Bhutapati, Lord Siva, will descend to the standard of atheism without a doubt.

> > *******

> > TEXT 33

> > maitreya uvaca

> > tasyaivam vadatah sapam

> > bhrgoh sa bhagavan bhavah

> > niscakrama tatah kincid

> > vimana iva sanugah

> > maitreyah uvaca--Maitreya said; tasya--of him; evam--thus; vadatah--being spoken; sapam--curse; bhrgoh--of Bhrgu; sah--he; bhagavan--the possessor of all opulences; bhavah--Lord Siva; niscakrama--went; tatah--from there; kincit--somewhat; vimanah--morose; iva--as; sa-anugah--followed by his disciples.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The sage Maitreya said: When such cursing and countercursing was going on between Lord Siva's followers and the parties of Daksa and Bhrgu, Lord Siva became very morose. Not saying anything, he left the arena of the sacrifice, followed by his disciples.

> > *******

> > TEXT 34

> > te 'pi vina-srjah satram

> > sa hasra-parivatsaran

> > samvidhaya mahesvasa

> > yatrejya rsabho harih

> > te--those; api--even; vina-srjah--progenitors of the universal population; satram--the sacrifice; sahasra--one thousand; parivatsaran--years; samvidhaya--performing; mahesvasa--O Vidura; yatra--in which; ijyah--to be worshiped; rsabhah--the presiding Deity of all demigods; harih--Hari.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The sage Maitreya continued: O Vidura, all the progenitors of the universal population thus executed a sacrifice for thousands of years, for sacrifice is the best way to worship the Supreme Lord, Hari, the Personality of Godhead.

> > *******

> > TEXT 35

> > aplutyavabhrtham yatra

> > ganga yamunayanvita

> > virajenatmana sarve

> > svam svam dhama yayus tatah

> > aplutya--taking a bath; avabhrtham--the bath which is taken after performing sacrifices; yatra--where; ganga--the River Ganges; yamunaya--by the River Yamuna; anvita--mixed; virajena--without infection; atmana--by the mind; sarve--all; svam svam--their respective; dhama--abodes; yayuh--went; tatah--from there.

> > TRANSLATION

> > My dear Vidura, carrier of bows and arrows, all the demigods who were performing the sacrifice took their bath at the confluence of the Ganges and the Yamuna after completing the yajna performance. Such a bath is called avabhrtha-snana. After thus becoming purified in heart, they departed for their respective abodes.

> > Back to the running text