Srimad-Bhagavatam – Canto Seven” by His Divine Grace A.C
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
“Srimad-Bhagavatam – Canto Seven” by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Summary: Srimad-Bhagavatam is compared to the ripened fruit of Vedic knowledge. Also known as the Bhagavata Purana, this multi-volume work elaborates on the pastimes of Lord Krishna and His devotees, and includes detailed descriptions of, among other phenomena, the process of creation and annihilation of the universe. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada considered the translation of the Bhagavatam his life’s work. COPYRIGHT NOTICE: This is an evaluation copy of the printed version of this book, and is NOT FOR RESALE. This evaluation copy is intended for personal non-commercial use only, under the “fair use” guidelines established by international copyright laws. You may use this electronic file to evaluate the printed version of this book, for your own private use, or for short excerpts used in academic works, research, student papers, presentations, and the like. You can distribute this evaluation copy to others over the Internet, so long as you keep this copyright information intact. You may not reproduce more than ten percent (10%) of this book in any media without the express written permission from the copyright holders. Reference any excerpts in the following way: “Excerpted from “Srimad-Bhagavatam” by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, courtesy of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, www.Krishna.com.” This book and electronic file is Copyright 1976-2003 Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, 3764 Watseka Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90034, USA. All rights reserved. For any questions, comments, correspondence, or to evaluate dozens of other books in this collection, visit the website of the publishers, www.Krishna.com. Canto 7: " The Science of God" Seventh Canto Chapter One The Supreme Lord Is Equal to Everyone In this chapter, in response to a question by Maharaja Pariksit, Sukadeva Gosvami gives his conclusions concerning how the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although the Supersoul, friend and protector of everyone, killed the Daityas, the demons, for the sake of Indra, the King of heaven. In his statements, he totally refutes the arguments of people in general who accuse the Supreme Lord of partiality. Sukadeva Gosvami proves that because the body of the conditioned soul is infected by the three qualities of nature, dualities arise such as enmity and friendship, attachment and detachment. For the Supreme Personality of Godhead, however, there are no such dualities. Even eternal time cannot control the activities of the Lord. Eternal time is created by the Lord, and it acts under His control. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, therefore, is always transcendental to the influence of the modes of nature, maya, the Lord's external energy, which acts in creation and annihilation. Thus all the demons killed by the Supreme Lord attain salvation immediately. The second question raised by Pariksit Maharaja concerns how Sisupala, although inimical toward Krsna from his very childhood and always blaspheming Krsna, attained salvation in oneness when Krsna killed him. Sukadeva Gosvami explains that because of their offenses at the feet of devotees, two attendants of the Lord in Vaikuntha named Jaya and Vijaya became Hiranyakasipu and Hiranyaksa in Satya-yuga, Ravana and Kumbhakarna in the next yuga, Treta-yuga, and Sisupala and Dantavakra at the end of Dvapara-yuga. Because of their fruitive acts, Jaya and Vijaya agreed to become the Lord's enemies, and when killed in that mentality, they attained salvation in oneness. Thus even if one thinks of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in envy, he attains salvation. What then is to be said of devotees who always engage in the Lord's service with love and faith? TEXT 1 TEXT sri-rajovaca samah priyah suhrd brahman bhutanam bhagavan svayam indrasyarthe katham daityan avadhid visamo yatha SYNONYMS sri-raja uvaca--Maharaja Pariksit said; samah--equal; priyah--beloved; suhrt--friend; brahman--O brahmana (Sukadeva); bhutanam--toward all living entities; bhagavan--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? PURPORT In Bhagavad-gita (9.29) the Lord says, samo 'ham sarva-bhutesu na me dvesyo 'sti na priyah: "I am equal to everyone. No one is dear to Me, nor is anyone My enemy." In the previous canto, however, it has been observed that the Lord sided with Indra by killing the demons on his account (hata-putra ditih sakra-parsni-grahena visnuna). Therefore, the Lord was clearly partial to Indra, although He is the Supersoul in everyone's heart. The soul is extremely dear to everyone, and similarly the Supersoul is also dear to everyone. Thus there cannot be any faulty action on the part of the Supersoul. The Lord is always kind to all living entities, irrespective of form and situation, yet He took the side of Indra just like an ordinary friend. This was the subject of Pariksit Maharaja's inquiry. As a devotee of Lord Krsna, he knew very well that Krsna cannot be partial to anyone, but when he saw that Krsna acted as the enemy of the demons, he was somewhat doubtful. Therefore he posed this question to Sukadeva Gosvami for a clear answer. A devotee cannot accept that Lord Visnu has material qualifications. Maharaja Pariksit knew perfectly well that Lord Visnu, being transcendental, has nothing to do with material qualities, but to confirm his conviction he wanted to hear from the authority Sukadeva Gosvami. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says, samasya katham vaisamyam: since the Lord is equally disposed toward everyone, how can He be partial? Priyasya katham asuresu prity-abhavah. The Lord, being the Supersoul, is extremely dear to everyone. Why, then, should the Lord display unsympathetic behavior toward the asuras? How is this impartial? Suhrdas ca katham tesv asauhardam. Since the Lord says that He is suhrdam sarva- bhutanam, the well-wisher of all living entities, how could He act with partiality by killing demons? These questions arose in the heart of Pariksit Maharaja, and therefore he inquired from Sukadeva Gosvami. TEXT 2 TEXT na hy asyarthah sura-ganaih saksan nihsreyasatmanah naivasurebhyo vidveso nodvegas cagunasya hi SYNONYMS na--not; hi--certainly; asya--His; arthah--benefit, interest; sura- ganaih--with the demigods; saksat--personally; nihsreyasa--of the highest bliss; atmanah--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? PURPORT We should always remember the distinction between spiritual and material. That which is material is infected by material qualities, but these qualities cannot touch that which is spiritual, or transcendental. Krsna is absolute, whether He is in the material world or spiritual world. When we see partiality in Krsna, this vision is due to His external energy. Otherwise how could His enemies attain salvation after being killed by Him? Everyone who deals with the Supreme Personality of Godhead gradually acquires the qualities of the Lord. The more one advances in spiritual consciousness, the less he is affected by the duality of material qualities. The Supreme Lord, therefore, must certainly be freed from these qualities. His enmity and friendship are external features presented by the material energy. He is always transcendental. He is absolute, whether He kills or bestows His favor. Envy and friendship arise in one who is imperfect. We fear our enemies because in the material world we are always in need of help. The Lord, however, does not need anyone's help, for He is atmarama. The Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (9.26): patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati tad aham bhakty-upahrtam asnami prayatatmanah "If a devotee offers Me with devotion a little leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I shall accept it." Why does the Lord say this? Is He dependent on the offering of the devotee? He is not actually dependent, but He likes to be dependent upon His devotee. This is His mercy. Similarly, He does not fear the asuras. Thus there is no question of partiality in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. TEXT 3 TEXT iti nah sumaha-bhaga narayana-gunan prati samsayah sumahan jatas tad bhavams chettum arhati SYNONYMS iti--thus; nah--our; su-maha-bhaga--O glorious one; narayana-gunan-- the qualities of Narayana; prati--toward; samsayah--doubt; su-mahan--very great; jatah--born; tat--that; bhavan--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. PURPORT Since Lord Narayana is absolute, His transcendental qualities are described as one. Thus His punishments and His offerings of favor are both of the same value. Essentially, His inimical actions are not displays of enmity toward His so-called enemies, but in the material field one thinks that Krsna is favorable to devotees and unfavorable to nondevotees. When Krsna finally instructs in Bhagavad-gita, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja, this is meant not only for Arjuna but for every living entity within this universe.