Canto Ten - Chapter 64

Śrī Bādarāyaṇi said: O King, one day the Yadu princes, including Sāmba, Pradyumna, Cāru, Bhānu, and Gada, went to a garden to enjoy themselves.

After playing there for a long time, they became thirsty. While searching for water, they saw an extraordinary creature in a dry well.

Seeing a lizard as large as a mountain, they were astonished. Moved by compassion, they tried to lift it out.

The boys bound the fallen creature with leather and woven ropes, but they could not raise it. Eagerly they reported the matter to Kṛṣṇa.

The lotus-eyed Supreme Lord, creator of the universe, came there, looked into the well, and playfully lifted the creature out with His left hand.

Touched by the hand of the Lord praised in excellent verses, the creature immediately abandoned its lizard form and became a celestial being with a beautiful color like molten gold, adorned with wondrous ornaments, garments, and garlands.

Although Mukunda already knew the cause, He asked so that it might become known among the people: 'Who are you, greatly fortunate one of splendid form? Surely I count you among the foremost gods.

'Good sir, by what action were you brought to this condition, which you did not deserve? Tell us who you are, if you consider it proper to reveal the matter to those eager to know.'

Śrī Śuka said: Thus questioned by Kṛṣṇa, whose forms are infinite, the king bowed to Mādhava and replied, his crown brilliant as the sun.

Nṛga said: Lord, I am King Nṛga, a son of Ikṣvāku. If accounts of charitable men have ever touched Your ears, You may have heard my name.

Lord, what could be unknown to You, the witness within the Self of every being, whose vision time never obstructs? Nevertheless, I shall speak at Your command.

I gave away as many cows as there are grains of sand upon the earth, stars in the sky, and drops in a rain shower.

I gave young, milk-rich, tawny cows of gentle disposition, beauty, and excellent qualities, lawfully acquired, with golden horns and silver-plated hooves, each accompanied by her calf and adorned with fine cloth, garlands, and ornaments.

I gave them to eminent young brāhmaṇas who were finely adorned, virtuous and well behaved, whose families were in need, who kept truthful vows, practiced austerity, studied scripture, knew the Absolute, were generous, and were saintly.

I also gave cows, land, gold, houses, horses, elephants, maidens with attendants, sesame, silver, beds, garments, jewels, household goods, and chariots. I performed sacrifices and undertook works for public welfare.

A cow belonging to a certain eminent brāhmaṇa strayed into my herd. Unaware of this, I gave that cow to another brāhmaṇa.

As the cow was being led away, her owner saw her and said, 'She is mine.' The recipient replied, 'She is mine; Nṛga gave her to me.'

The two brāhmaṇas, disputing and intent on securing their own rights, came to me and said, 'You are both giver and thief.' Hearing this, I became bewildered.

Caught in a difficult question of dharma, I pleaded with both brāhmaṇas: 'I shall give one hundred thousand excellent cows. Please return this one.'

'Be gracious to your servant, who acted unknowingly. Rescue me from this danger as I fall toward an impure hell.'

The original owner said, 'O King, I will not accept anything in exchange,' and departed. The other said, 'I do not desire even ten thousand more cows,' and he too went away.

In time Yama's messengers took me to his abode. There, O God of gods and master of the universe, I was questioned by Yama.

Yama asked: 'O King, will you first experience the inauspicious result or the auspicious? I see no end to your charitable merit and the radiant world it has earned.'

I replied, 'O god, let me first experience the inauspicious result.' He said, 'Then fall.' At once, Lord, I saw myself falling in the form of a lizard.

Keśava, because I was devoted to brāhmaṇas, generous, and Your servant, my memory has not been destroyed even to this day, for I longed to behold You.

All-powerful Lord, how have You, the Supreme Self and master of yoga, become visible to me? Those who see through sacred revelation contemplate You within purified hearts. You are Adhokṣaja Himself, rarely seen by one whose intelligence has been blinded by terrible distress. Yet whoever beholds You here gains freedom from worldly existence.

God of gods, Lord of the universe, Govinda, Supreme Person, Nārāyaṇa, Hṛṣīkeśa, Lord of holy fame, Acyuta, imperishable one,

Kṛṣṇa, please permit me to depart for the realm of the gods. Wherever I may reside, Lord, may my mind always take shelter at Your feet.

Obeisance to You, the source of all being, the Absolute of infinite power. Obeisance to Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva, the master of all yoga.

Having spoken thus, Nṛga circumambulated the Lord and touched His feet with his crown. With the Lord's permission, he boarded an excellent celestial vehicle while everyone watched.

The Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa, son of Devakī, deity of the brāhmaṇas and embodiment of dharma, then instructed His royal relatives.

How indigestible is a brāhmaṇa's property when consumed, even in the smallest amount! It is fire even for the most powerful. What then of kings who imagine themselves sovereign?

I do not consider hālāhala true poison, for it has a remedy. A brāhmaṇa's property is called poison, and there is no antidote for it upon earth.

Ordinary poison kills only the one who consumes it, and fire can be extinguished with water. But the fire kindled by a brāhmaṇa's property burns an entire family down to its roots.

A brāhmaṇa's property enjoyed without full permission destroys three generations, while property forcibly seized destroys ten generations before and ten after.

Blinded by royal opulence, foolish kings do not foresee their own downfall. They regard the seizure of a brāhmaṇa's property as good, though it leads to hell.

For as many particles of dust as are moistened by the tears of generous householding brāhmaṇas whose livelihood has been stolen and whose families cry out,

for that many years the unrestrained kings and their royal descendants who steal a brāhmaṇa's inheritance are cooked in the Kumbhīpāka hells.

Whoever steals the means of a brāhmaṇa's livelihood, whether given by himself or by another, is born as a worm in excrement for sixty thousand years.

May I never obtain a brāhmaṇa's wealth. Men who covet it become short-lived, are defeated and deprived of their kingdoms, and turn into serpents that trouble others.

My dear ones, never act with hostility toward a brāhmaṇa, even if he has committed an offense. Even if he strikes you repeatedly or curses you, always bow to him.

Just as I bow attentively to brāhmaṇas at all times, you should bow to them as well. Whoever acts otherwise will be punished by Me.

Property taken from a brāhmaṇa drags the thief downward even when he acts unknowingly, just as the brāhmaṇa's cow brought down Nṛga.

Having thus instructed the residents of Dvārakā, the Supreme Lord Mukunda, purifier of all worlds, entered His own palace.