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Brahma-khaṇḍa · Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Unit 14 of 276Brahma-khaṇḍa · Chapter 14Brahma-khaṇḍa · Chapter 141 source entries

Brahma-khaṇḍa · Chapter 14

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सौतिरुवाच ।। तत्र स्थित्वा क्षणं देवा ब्रह्मेशानपुरोगमाः ।। ययुर्मालावतीमूलं परं मङ्गलदायकाः ।। १ ।। मालावती सुरान्दृष्ट्वा प्रणनाम प्रतिव्रता ।। रुरोद कान्तं संस्थाप्य देवानां सन्निधौ मुने ।। २ ।। एतस्मिन्नन्तरे तत्र कश्चिद्ब्राह्मणबालकः ।। आजगाम सुराणां च सभामतिमनोहरः ।। ३ ।। दण्डी छत्री शुक्लवासा बिभ्रत्तिलकमुज्ज्वलम् ।। दीर्घपुस्तकहस्तश्च सुप्रशान्तश्च सुस्मितः ।। ४ ।। चन्दनोक्षितसर्वाङ्गः प्रज्वलन्ब्रह्मतेजसा ।। सुरान्संभाष्य तत्रैव विस्मितान्विष्णुमायया ।।५।। तत्रोवास सभामध्ये तारामध्ये यथा शशी ।। उवाच देवान्सर्वांश्च मालतीं च विचक्षणः ।।६।। ब्राह्मण उवाच।। कथमत्र सुराः सर्वे ब्रह्मेशानपुरोगमाः ।। स्वयं विधाता जगतां स्रष्टा वै केन कर्मणा।।७।। सर्वब्रह्माण्डसंहर्त्ता शम्भुरत्र स्वयं विभुः।। अहो त्रिजगतां साक्षी धर्मो वै सर्वकर्मणाम्।।८।। कथं रविः कथं चन्द्रः कथमत्र हुताशनः ।। कथं कालो मृत्युकन्या कथं वाऽत्र यमादयः।। ।।९।। हे मालावति ते क्रोडे कोऽतिशुष्कश्शवोऽनघे ।। जीवितायाः कथं मूले योषितश्च पुमाञ्छवः ।। 1.14.१० ।। इत्युक्त्वा तांश्च तां विप्रो विरराम सभातले ।। मालावती तं प्रणम्य समुवाच विचक्षणम् ।। ११ ।। मालावत्युवाच ।। आनन्दपूर्वकं वन्दे विप्ररूपं जनार्दनम् ।। तुष्टा देवा हरिस्तुष्टो यस्य पुष्पजलेन च ।।१२।। अवधानं कुरु विभो शोकार्ताया निवेदने ।। समा कृपा सतां शश्वद्योग्या योग्ये कृपावताम् ।। १३ ।। उपबर्हणभार्य्याऽहं कन्या चित्ररथस्य च ।। सर्वे मालावतीं कृत्वा वदन्ते विप्रपुङ्गव ।। १४ ।। दिव्यं लक्षयुगं रम्ये स्थाने स्थाने मनोहरे ।। कृता स्वच्छन्दतः क्रीडा चानेन स्वामिना सह ।। १५ ।। प्रिये स्नेहो हि साध्वीनां यावान्विप्रेन्द्र योषिताम् ।। सर्व शास्त्रानुसारेण जानासि त्वं विचक्षण।। १६ ।। अकस्माद्ब्रह्मणः शापात्प्राणांस्तत्याज मत्पतिः।। देवानुद्दिश्य विलपे यथा जीवति मत्पतिः ।। १७ ।। स्वकार्य्यसाधने सर्वे व्यग्राश्च जगतीतले ।। भावाभावं न जानन्ति केवलं स्वार्थतत्पराः ।। ।। १८ ।। सुखं दुःखं भयं शोकं सन्तापः कर्मणां नृणाम् ।। ऐश्वर्य्यं परमानन्दो जन्म मृत्युश्च मोक्षणम् ।। १९ ।। देवाश्च सर्वज नका दातारः कर्मणां फलम्।। कर्त्तारः कर्मवृक्षाणां मूलच्छेदं च लीलया।।1.14.२०।। न हि देवात्परो बन्धुर्न हि देवात्परो बली।। दयावान्न हि देवाच्च न च दाता ततः परः ।। २१ ।। सर्वान्देवानहं याचे पतिदानं ममेप्सितम् ।। धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणां फलदांश्च सुरद्रुमान् ।। २२ ।। यदि दास्यन्ति देवा मे कान्तदानं यथेप्सितम् ।। भद्रं तदाऽन्यथा तेभ्यो दास्यामि स्त्रीवधं ध्रुवम् ।। २३ ।। शपिष्यामि च सर्वांश्च दारुणं दुर्निवारकम् ।। दुर्निवार्य्यः सतीशापस्तपसा केन वार्य्यते ।। २४ ।। इत्युक्त्वा मालती साध्वी शोकार्ता सुरसंसदि ।। विरराम द्विजश्रेष्ठस्तामुवाच च शौनक ।। २५ ।। ब्राह्मण उवाच ।। कर्मणां फलदातारो देवाः सत्यं च मालति ।। न सद्यः सुचिरेणैव धान्यं कृषकवन्नृणाम् ।। २६ ।। गृही च कृषकद्वारा क्षत्रे धान्यं वपेत्सति ।। तदङ्कुरो भवेत्काले काले वृक्षः फलत्यपि।। २७ ।। काले सुपक्वं भवति काले प्राप्नोति तद्गृही ।। एवं सर्वं समुन्नेयं चिरेण कर्मणः फलम् ।। २८ ।। अष्ठी वपति संसारे गृहस्थो विष्णुमायया ।। काले तदङ्कुरो वृक्षः काले प्राप्नोति तत्फलम् ।। २९ ।। पुण्यवान्पुण्यभूमौ च करोति सुचिरं तपः ।। तेषां च फलदातारो देवाः सत्यं न संशयः ।। 1.14.३० ।। ब्राह्मणानां मुखे क्षेत्रे श्रेष्ठेऽनूषर एव च ।। यो यज्जुहोति भक्त्या च स तत्प्राप्नोति निश्चितम् ।।३१।। न बलं न च सौन्दर्यं नैश्वर्यं न धनं सुतः ।। नैव स्त्री न च सत्कान्तः किं भवेत्तपसा विना ।।३२।। सेवते प्रकृतिं यो हि भक्त्या जन्मनि जन्मनि।। स लभेत्सुन्दरीं कान्तां विनीतां च गुणान्विताम् ।। ३३ ।। श्रियं च निश्चलां पुत्रं पौत्रं भूमिं धनं प्रजाम् ।। प्रकृतेश्च वरेणैव लभेद्भक्तोऽवलीलया ।। ३४ ।। शिवं शिवस्वरूपं च शिवदं शिवकारणम् ।। ज्ञानानन्दं महात्मानं परं मृत्युंजयं परम् ।।३५।। तमीशं सेवते यो हि भक्त्या जन्मनि जन्मनि ।। पुमान्प्राप्नोति सत्कान्तां कामिनी चापि सत्पतिम्।। ३६ ।। विद्यां ज्ञानं सुकवितां पुत्रं पौत्रं परां श्रियम् ।। बलं धनं विक्रमं च लभेद्धरवरेण सः ।। ३७ ।। ब्रह्माणं भजते यो हि लभेत्सोऽपि प्रजां श्रियम् ।। विद्यामैश्वर्य्यमानन्दं वरेण ब्रह्मणो नरः ।। ३८ ।। यो नरो भजते भक्त्या दीननाथं दिनेश्वरम् ।। विद्यामारोग्यमानन्दं धनं पुत्रं लभेद् धुवम् ।।३९।। गणेश्वरं यो भजते देवदेवं सनातनम् ।। सर्वाग्रपूज्यं सर्वेशं भक्त्या जन्मनि जन्मनि।। 1.14.४० ।। विघ्ननाशो भवेत्तस्य स्वप्ने जागरणेऽनिशम् ।। परमानन्दमैश्वर्य्यं पुत्रं पौत्रं धनं प्रजाः ।। ४१ ।। ज्ञानं विद्यां सुकवितां लभते तद्वरेण च ।। भजते यो हि विष्णुं च लक्ष्मीकान्तं सुरेश्वरम् ।।४२।। वरार्थी चेल्लभेत्सर्वं निर्वाणमन्यथा ध्रुवम् ।। शान्तं निषेव्य पातारं सत्यं सत्यं लभेन्नरः ।। ४३ ।। सर्वं तपः सर्वधर्मं यशः कीर्तिमनुत्तमाम् ।। विष्णुं निषेव्य सर्वेशं यो मूढो लभते वरम् ।। ४४ ।। विडम्बितो विधात्राऽसौ मोहितो विष्णुमायया ।। माया नारायणीशाना सर्वप्रकृतिरीश्वरी ।। ४५ ।। सा कृपां कुरुते यं च विष्णुमन्त्रं ददाति तम् ।। धर्मं यो भजते धर्मी सर्वधर्मं लभेद् ध्रुवम् ।।४६।। इह लोके सुखं भुक्त्वा याति विष्णोः परं पदम् ।। यो यं देवं भजेद्भक्त्या स चादौ लभते च तम् ।। ४७ ।। काले पश्चात्तेन सार्द्धं परं विष्णोः पदं लभेत् ।। श्रीकृष्णं भजते यो हि निर्गुणं प्रकृतेः परम् ।। ४८ ।। ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवादीनां सेव्यं बीजं परात्परम् ।। अक्षरं परमं ब्रह्म भगवन्तं सनातनम् ।। ४९ ।। साकारं च निराकारं ज्योतिः स्वेच्छामयं विभुम् ।। सर्वाधारं च सर्वेशं परमानन्दमीश्वरम् ।। 1.14.५० ।। निर्लिप्तसाक्षिरूपं च भक्तानुग्रहविग्रहम् ।। जीवन्मुक्तः स सत्यं हि न वरं लभते सुधीः।।५१।। स सर्वं मन्यते तुच्छं सालोक्यादिचतुष्टयम् ।। ब्रह्मत्वममरत्वं वा मोक्षं यत्तुच्छवत्सति ।।५२।। ऐश्वर्यं लोष्टतुल्यं च नश्वरं चैव मन्यते ।। इन्द्रत्वं च मनुत्वं च चिरजीवित्वमेव वा ।। ९३ ।। जल बुद्बुदवद् बुद्ध्या चातितुच्छं न गण्यते ।। स्वप्ने जागरणे वाऽपि शश्वत्सेवां च वाच्छति ।।५४।। दास्यं विना न याचेत श्रीकृष्णस्य पदं परम् ।। तत्पादाब्जे दृढां भक्तिं लब्ध्वा पूर्णो निरन्तरम् ।। ५९ ।। परिपूर्णतमं ब्रह्म निषेव्यं सुस्थिरः सदा ।। आत्मनः कुलकोटिं च शतं मातामहस्य च ।।५६।। श्वशुरस्य शतं पूर्वमुद्धृत्य चावलीलया ।। दासं दासीं प्रसूं भार्यां पुत्रादपि परं शतम्।। ।। ५७ ।। उद्धरेत्कृष्णभक्तश्च गोलोकं याति निश्चितम् ।। तावद्गर्भे वसेत्कामी तावती यमयातना ।। ५८ ।। तावद्गृही च भोगार्थी यावत्कृष्णं न सेवते ।। गुरुवक्त्राद्विष्णुमन्त्रो यस्य कर्णे प्रविश्यति ।। ५९ ।। यमस्तल्लिखनं दूरं करोति तत्क्षणं भिया ।। मधुपर्कादिकं ब्रह्मा पुरैव तन्नियोजयेत् ।।1.14.६०।। अहो विलङ्घ्य मल्लोकं मार्गेणानेन यास्यति।। तस्य वै निष्कृतिर्नास्ति कल्पकोटिशतैरपि।।६१।। दुरितानि च भीतानि कोटिजन्मकृतानि च ।। तं विहाय पलायन्ते वैनतेयं यथोरगाः ।। ६२ ।। पुरातनं कृतं कर्म यद्यत्तस्य शुभाशुभम् ।। छिनत्ति कृष्णश्चक्रेण तीक्ष्णधारेण सन्ततम् ।। ६३ ।। तं विहाय जरा मृत्युर्याति चक्रभिया सति ।। अन्यथा शतखण्डं तां कुरुते च सुदर्शनः।।६४।। निःशङ्को याति गोलोकं विहाय मानवीं तनुम् ।। गत्वा दिव्यां तनुं धृत्वा श्रीकृष्णं सेवते सदा।।६५।। यावत्कृष्णो हि गोलोके तावद्भक्तो वसेत्सदा ।। निमेषं मन्यते दासो नश्वरं ब्रह्मणो वयः ।। ६६ ।। इति श्रीब्रह्मवैवर्त्ते महापुराणे ब्रह्मखण्डे सौतिशौनकसंवादे विष्णुमालावतीसंवादो नाम चतुर्दशोऽध्यायः ।। १४ ।।

sautiruvāca || tatra sthitvā kṣaṇaṃ devā brahmeśānapurogamāḥ || yayurmālāvatīmūlaṃ paraṃ maṅgaladāyakāḥ || 1 || mālāvatī surāndṛṣṭvā praṇanāma prativratā || ruroda kāntaṃ saṃsthāpya devānāṃ sannidhau mune || 2 || etasminnantare tatra kaścidbrāhmaṇabālakaḥ || ājagāma surāṇāṃ ca sabhāmatimanoharaḥ || 3 || daṇḍī chatrī śuklavāsā bibhrattilakamujjvalam || dīrghapustakahastaśca supraśāntaśca susmitaḥ || 4 || candanokṣitasarvāṅgaḥ prajvalanbrahmatejasā || surānsaṃbhāṣya tatraiva vismitānviṣṇumāyayā ||5|| tatrovāsa sabhāmadhye tārāmadhye yathā śaśī || uvāca devānsarvāṃśca mālatīṃ ca vicakṣaṇaḥ ||6|| brāhmaṇa uvāca|| kathamatra surāḥ sarve brahmeśānapurogamāḥ || svayaṃ vidhātā jagatāṃ sraṣṭā vai kena karmaṇā||7|| sarvabrahmāṇḍasaṃharttā śambhuratra svayaṃ vibhuḥ|| aho trijagatāṃ sākṣī dharmo vai sarvakarmaṇām||8|| kathaṃ raviḥ kathaṃ candraḥ kathamatra hutāśanaḥ || kathaṃ kālo mṛtyukanyā kathaṃ vā'tra yamādayaḥ|| ||9|| he mālāvati te kroḍe ko'tiśuṣkaśśavo'naghe || jīvitāyāḥ kathaṃ mūle yoṣitaśca pumāñchavaḥ || 1.14.10 || ityuktvā tāṃśca tāṃ vipro virarāma sabhātale || mālāvatī taṃ praṇamya samuvāca vicakṣaṇam || 11 || mālāvatyuvāca || ānandapūrvakaṃ vande viprarūpaṃ janārdanam || tuṣṭā devā haristuṣṭo yasya puṣpajalena ca ||12|| avadhānaṃ kuru vibho śokārtāyā nivedane || samā kṛpā satāṃ śaśvadyogyā yogye kṛpāvatām || 13 || upabarhaṇabhāryyā'haṃ kanyā citrarathasya ca || sarve mālāvatīṃ kṛtvā vadante viprapuṅgava || 14 || divyaṃ lakṣayugaṃ ramye sthāne sthāne manohare || kṛtā svacchandataḥ krīḍā cānena svāminā saha || 15 || priye sneho hi sādhvīnāṃ yāvānviprendra yoṣitām || sarva śāstrānusāreṇa jānāsi tvaṃ vicakṣaṇa|| 16 || akasmādbrahmaṇaḥ śāpātprāṇāṃstatyāja matpatiḥ|| devānuddiśya vilape yathā jīvati matpatiḥ || 17 || svakāryyasādhane sarve vyagrāśca jagatītale || bhāvābhāvaṃ na jānanti kevalaṃ svārthatatparāḥ || || 18 || sukhaṃ duḥkhaṃ bhayaṃ śokaṃ santāpaḥ karmaṇāṃ nṛṇām || aiśvaryyaṃ paramānando janma mṛtyuśca mokṣaṇam || 19 || devāśca sarvaja nakā dātāraḥ karmaṇāṃ phalam|| karttāraḥ karmavṛkṣāṇāṃ mūlacchedaṃ ca līlayā||1.14.20|| na hi devātparo bandhurna hi devātparo balī|| dayāvānna hi devācca na ca dātā tataḥ paraḥ || 21 || sarvāndevānahaṃ yāce patidānaṃ mamepsitam || dharmārthakāmamokṣāṇāṃ phaladāṃśca suradrumān || 22 || yadi dāsyanti devā me kāntadānaṃ yathepsitam || bhadraṃ tadā'nyathā tebhyo dāsyāmi strīvadhaṃ dhruvam || 23 || śapiṣyāmi ca sarvāṃśca dāruṇaṃ durnivārakam || durnivāryyaḥ satīśāpastapasā kena vāryyate || 24 || ityuktvā mālatī sādhvī śokārtā surasaṃsadi || virarāma dvijaśreṣṭhastāmuvāca ca śaunaka || 25 || brāhmaṇa uvāca || karmaṇāṃ phaladātāro devāḥ satyaṃ ca mālati || na sadyaḥ sucireṇaiva dhānyaṃ kṛṣakavannṛṇām || 26 || gṛhī ca kṛṣakadvārā kṣatre dhānyaṃ vapetsati || tadaṅkuro bhavetkāle kāle vṛkṣaḥ phalatyapi|| 27 || kāle supakvaṃ bhavati kāle prāpnoti tadgṛhī || evaṃ sarvaṃ samunneyaṃ cireṇa karmaṇaḥ phalam || 28 || aṣṭhī vapati saṃsāre gṛhastho viṣṇumāyayā || kāle tadaṅkuro vṛkṣaḥ kāle prāpnoti tatphalam || 29 || puṇyavānpuṇyabhūmau ca karoti suciraṃ tapaḥ || teṣāṃ ca phaladātāro devāḥ satyaṃ na saṃśayaḥ || 1.14.30 || brāhmaṇānāṃ mukhe kṣetre śreṣṭhe'nūṣara eva ca || yo yajjuhoti bhaktyā ca sa tatprāpnoti niścitam ||31|| na balaṃ na ca saundaryaṃ naiśvaryaṃ na dhanaṃ sutaḥ || naiva strī na ca satkāntaḥ kiṃ bhavettapasā vinā ||32|| sevate prakṛtiṃ yo hi bhaktyā janmani janmani|| sa labhetsundarīṃ kāntāṃ vinītāṃ ca guṇānvitām || 33 || śriyaṃ ca niścalāṃ putraṃ pautraṃ bhūmiṃ dhanaṃ prajām || prakṛteśca vareṇaiva labhedbhakto'valīlayā || 34 || śivaṃ śivasvarūpaṃ ca śivadaṃ śivakāraṇam || jñānānandaṃ mahātmānaṃ paraṃ mṛtyuṃjayaṃ param ||35|| tamīśaṃ sevate yo hi bhaktyā janmani janmani || pumānprāpnoti satkāntāṃ kāminī cāpi satpatim|| 36 || vidyāṃ jñānaṃ sukavitāṃ putraṃ pautraṃ parāṃ śriyam || balaṃ dhanaṃ vikramaṃ ca labheddharavareṇa saḥ || 37 || brahmāṇaṃ bhajate yo hi labhetso'pi prajāṃ śriyam || vidyāmaiśvaryyamānandaṃ vareṇa brahmaṇo naraḥ || 38 || yo naro bhajate bhaktyā dīnanāthaṃ dineśvaram || vidyāmārogyamānandaṃ dhanaṃ putraṃ labhed dhuvam ||39|| gaṇeśvaraṃ yo bhajate devadevaṃ sanātanam || sarvāgrapūjyaṃ sarveśaṃ bhaktyā janmani janmani|| 1.14.40 || vighnanāśo bhavettasya svapne jāgaraṇe'niśam || paramānandamaiśvaryyaṃ putraṃ pautraṃ dhanaṃ prajāḥ || 41 || jñānaṃ vidyāṃ sukavitāṃ labhate tadvareṇa ca || bhajate yo hi viṣṇuṃ ca lakṣmīkāntaṃ sureśvaram ||42|| varārthī cellabhetsarvaṃ nirvāṇamanyathā dhruvam || śāntaṃ niṣevya pātāraṃ satyaṃ satyaṃ labhennaraḥ || 43 || sarvaṃ tapaḥ sarvadharmaṃ yaśaḥ kīrtimanuttamām || viṣṇuṃ niṣevya sarveśaṃ yo mūḍho labhate varam || 44 || viḍambito vidhātrā'sau mohito viṣṇumāyayā || māyā nārāyaṇīśānā sarvaprakṛtirīśvarī || 45 || sā kṛpāṃ kurute yaṃ ca viṣṇumantraṃ dadāti tam || dharmaṃ yo bhajate dharmī sarvadharmaṃ labhed dhruvam ||46|| iha loke sukhaṃ bhuktvā yāti viṣṇoḥ paraṃ padam || yo yaṃ devaṃ bhajedbhaktyā sa cādau labhate ca tam || 47 || kāle paścāttena sārddhaṃ paraṃ viṣṇoḥ padaṃ labhet || śrīkṛṣṇaṃ bhajate yo hi nirguṇaṃ prakṛteḥ param || 48 || brahmaviṣṇuśivādīnāṃ sevyaṃ bījaṃ parātparam || akṣaraṃ paramaṃ brahma bhagavantaṃ sanātanam || 49 || sākāraṃ ca nirākāraṃ jyotiḥ svecchāmayaṃ vibhum || sarvādhāraṃ ca sarveśaṃ paramānandamīśvaram || 1.14.50 || nirliptasākṣirūpaṃ ca bhaktānugrahavigraham || jīvanmuktaḥ sa satyaṃ hi na varaṃ labhate sudhīḥ||51|| sa sarvaṃ manyate tucchaṃ sālokyādicatuṣṭayam || brahmatvamamaratvaṃ vā mokṣaṃ yattucchavatsati ||52|| aiśvaryaṃ loṣṭatulyaṃ ca naśvaraṃ caiva manyate || indratvaṃ ca manutvaṃ ca cirajīvitvameva vā || 93 || jala budbudavad buddhyā cātitucchaṃ na gaṇyate || svapne jāgaraṇe vā'pi śaśvatsevāṃ ca vācchati ||54|| dāsyaṃ vinā na yāceta śrīkṛṣṇasya padaṃ param || tatpādābje dṛḍhāṃ bhaktiṃ labdhvā pūrṇo nirantaram || 59 || paripūrṇatamaṃ brahma niṣevyaṃ susthiraḥ sadā || ātmanaḥ kulakoṭiṃ ca śataṃ mātāmahasya ca ||56|| śvaśurasya śataṃ pūrvamuddhṛtya cāvalīlayā || dāsaṃ dāsīṃ prasūṃ bhāryāṃ putrādapi paraṃ śatam|| || 57 || uddharetkṛṣṇabhaktaśca golokaṃ yāti niścitam || tāvadgarbhe vasetkāmī tāvatī yamayātanā || 58 || tāvadgṛhī ca bhogārthī yāvatkṛṣṇaṃ na sevate || guruvaktrādviṣṇumantro yasya karṇe praviśyati || 59 || yamastallikhanaṃ dūraṃ karoti tatkṣaṇaṃ bhiyā || madhuparkādikaṃ brahmā puraiva tanniyojayet ||1.14.60|| aho vilaṅghya mallokaṃ mārgeṇānena yāsyati|| tasya vai niṣkṛtirnāsti kalpakoṭiśatairapi||61|| duritāni ca bhītāni koṭijanmakṛtāni ca || taṃ vihāya palāyante vainateyaṃ yathoragāḥ || 62 || purātanaṃ kṛtaṃ karma yadyattasya śubhāśubham || chinatti kṛṣṇaścakreṇa tīkṣṇadhāreṇa santatam || 63 || taṃ vihāya jarā mṛtyuryāti cakrabhiyā sati || anyathā śatakhaṇḍaṃ tāṃ kurute ca sudarśanaḥ||64|| niḥśaṅko yāti golokaṃ vihāya mānavīṃ tanum || gatvā divyāṃ tanuṃ dhṛtvā śrīkṛṣṇaṃ sevate sadā||65|| yāvatkṛṣṇo hi goloke tāvadbhakto vasetsadā || nimeṣaṃ manyate dāso naśvaraṃ brahmaṇo vayaḥ || 66 || iti śrībrahmavaivartte mahāpurāṇe brahmakhaṇḍe sautiśaunakasaṃvāde viṣṇumālāvatīsaṃvādo nāma caturdaśo'dhyāyaḥ || 14 ||

English translation

appears before Malavatl in the form of a Brahmana boy Sauti said- With Brahma and Siva made to lead the gods and bestow welfare to all, they reached the place of Malavatl in a moment.

O Saga, The chaste lady Malavatl bowed in reverence to the gods on meeting them and placing the body of her husband before them In the meantime, in the assembly of the gods, a beautiful Brahmana boy arrived, holding a staff and an umbrella in his hands, wearing white garments, with his forehead painted with sandal- paste, carrying a huge manuscript in his hand, wearing a peaceful appearance and a serene smile on the face. All his limbs were painted with the paste of sandalwood. The boy having the lustre of Brahmana started talking to the gods reaching there, who appeared to have been seated with the illusion of lord Visnu. In the assembly of the gods, the Brahmana boy looked like the moon among the stars. He then spoke to Brahmana said: “Why have the gods arrived with Brahma, the creator of the universe and Siva, at this place”?

Siva who is the destroyer of the entire universe is also present here and surprisingly Dharma too who stands witness to the deeds of all, it also present here. Why have the gods like Surya, the Moon, the fire, Yama, the god of death have arrived here? O Malavatl, O sinless one, whose dead body which is dried up, are you carrying in your lap? “How can a lady keep the dead body of a man like this?” After speaking to the gods and Malavatl he kept quiet. Thereafter Malavatl spoke offering her salutation to the Brahmana.

Malavatl said—“O Janardana, you have come in the fpnn of a Brahmana. I bow in reverence to you with a pleasing mind. The gods and lord Vis nu feel pleased with the flowers and water offered to him.

O lord, you kindly listen attentively to the prayer of a grief-stricken person like me, because the grace of the noble people benefits equally the competent and incompetent people.

O best of the Brahmanas I am the daughter of Citraratha and the wife of Upabarhana; I am known by the name of Malavatl.

I have roamed about in the company of this husband of mine at the attractive and beautiful places for a lakh of divine years. O best of the Brahmanas, O intelligent one, the chaste women are extremely attached to their husbands. This is well known in the scriptures as well as to you.

viihiriiiuiitgrtiM ■hgTfg:i My husband has met with his end because of the curse of Brahma. I am lamenting before the gods in order to bring back my husband to life.

Because all the people in the universe get devoted to the accomplishment of their tasks. No one is concerned about the profit or the loss but everyone is concerned with the meeting of his own selfish ends.

gigpc: griJniT g5^i The pleasures, the pain, the grief, the fear, lamenting, riches, bliss, birth, death and salvation are achieved by the people as a result of their own deeds. The gods are the creators of everyone and they also bestow the results of ones deeds.

Simultaneously with your own divine play, they can also uproot the tree of one's actions.

Because no one else is a better friend than the gods, no one possesses greater prowess than the gods, nor can there be anyone more compassionate than the gods. Besides there is no one else who could perform charities greater than the gods. Therefore I seek the indulgence of the gods who bestow Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksa. They are like wish-fulfilling trees and I urge them to bless my with my desire of getting a husband of me own liking.

O gods, if you grant me the desired boon, then it is alright; otherwise I shall make you responsible for the killing of a lady and pronounce a terrific curse on all the gods. The curse of a chaste woman can never be infructuous. No one can be relieved of the ill- effects of the curse pronounced by performing any amount of tapas"'.

O Saunaka, thus speaking the grieved Malavatl kept quiet in the assembly of gods.

Thereafter th'e best of the Brahmana spoke.

Brahmana said—O Malavat! this is true that the gods give the humans the result of their deeds, but they cannot do so at once in the same way as the seed sown by a farmer does not bear faiit at once and it takes time for it to grow.

The house-holders sow the seed in the field. It sprouts in due course of time. Further in due course of time, it bears fruit.

At the appropriate time the fruit ripens up and the house-holder will get it in due course of time.

Similarly it takes some time to reap the fruits of Infatuated with the illusion of lord Visnu a house-holder implants the seed which gets sprouted in time and further in due course of time it bears fruit which is consumed by the house¬ The noble people who perform tapas for a long time at the sacred places receive the fruit of the same through the gods only. There is no doubt about it.

In the mouth of Brahmana and the ploughed earth, if a person drops the food or the seed with devotion, he surely gets the fruits of it.

fsrg g ^ srt 3igTH;i felt w "ffsfeit 57 iftt tRT fen?;i When performing tapas, the prowess, beauty., the riches, the son, the wife and the beautiful husband cannot be had except by the one, who serves the goddess Durga for many lives. He gets the virtuous, humble and beautiful wife, with the blessings of the goddess; the devotee receives the riches, sons, grandsons, land, money and the people who with a devoted mind adore Siva, the granter of welfare, who is also the cause of welfare, blissful and the best of the souls, who has overcome the lord of death. Such a person gets the beautiful wife during all his births. The lady who adores Siva, achieves the best of the humans as her husband. With the boon of Siva, the people achieve learnings, knowledge, the best of poetry, sons, grandsons and great prowess.

Some people adore Brahma and with the boon granted by him, get riches, learnings, wealth and TTRt feoST Rent fe fe fe?n::IU?ll Those who adore lord Surya also, achieve learnings, a body free from ailments, bliss, wealth and sons. The one who adores with I reverence lord Ganesa who is chief of all the ganas and is adorable first of all, remover of obstacles while sleeping or awake, besides I achieves eternal bliss, riches, sons, grandsons, wealth, friends, learning, knowledge and beautiful poetry as a boon. Those who adore lord Visnu the spouse of LaksmI, achieve their I desired boon or othei^dse they achieve salvation by adoring the peaceful looking lord Visnu who is the protector as well bestower of Dharma, I glory and great reputation. A fool after serving lord Visnu desires in return for a boon and it appears that he is- cheated by the destiny of the illusion of lord Visnu. The illusion of Narayana

is competent enough to do anything besides being the cause of action and if the great goddess i is pleased with anyone, she bestows the Visnu mantra on him. Such of the religious people who follow the path of Dharma ultimately achieve all the Dharmas, ferant fesfe -fe^i After leading a life of pleasure in this world, they ultimately achieve the abode of lord Visnu.

Whosoever adores anyone of the gods with devotion he achieves initially the same god.

Thereafter, he proceeds to the ultimate abode of lord Visnu. Lord Krsna is beyond nature and is free from all the three gums. The gods like Brahma, Visnu and Siva are his initial cause, Paratpara indestructible, Parabrahma and eternal lords. He is visible as well as invisible, the form of flame, moves according to his own sweet will.

He is all-pervading and is above all, lord of all, blissful; he is un-involved and all-seeing god; he incarnates in human form in order to bestow his grace on his devotees. Those who adore him, achieve salvation in reality. A Vaisnava does not seek for any other boon.

He considers four types of salvation including Sdlokya to be of no consequence besides the Brahman-hood; becoming eternal and achieving of salvation are of little importance to him. He considers worldly riches as dust. Similarly the position of Indra, the highest position as a human and long life, are considered by him to be short¬ lived, like water bubbles. They serve lord krsna while sleeping or awake.

A Vaisnava does not aspire after the highest stage with,lord krsna except for becoming his slave. He feels that all his wishes are fulfilled by devoting his mind whole-healedly at the feet of lord krsna. The devotee of lord adores the eternal Brahman with great devotion. He redeems crores of the ancestor of his race and playfully redeems also his servants, slave girls, mothers, wives and sons. He ultimately achieves the Goloka. The one who indulges in passions, remains in the womb of his mother and bears all the pain to consume the fruit of his deeds, till such time as he does not adore the lord. Whenever a Mantra of Visnu recited by the teachers enters into the ears of a person, the veiy moment Yama, the god of death gets terrified and removes the writings of his destiny from his account. Thus Brahma always remains eager to welcome him with Madhuparka and other offerings. Such a fellow sill crosses my abode and travels onward to the

higher regions and dwells there for crores of As the serpents disappeared at the sight of Garuda, similarly all the sins accumulated for crores of births disappear at the sight of a devotee of Krsna.

All the good and bad deeds performed by him vanish by the grace of lord Krsna's disc.

Old age and death leave him for fear of the of Krsna otherwise the cakra of Krsna reduces them into pieces. The devotee of Krsna leaving his human body reaches the Goloka without any interruption and taking to a divine form serves lord Krsna there.

Till such time as lord Krsna resides in the Goloka his devotee also resides there. The devotee of lord Krsna cares the least for the age prescribed by Brahma.

Chapter-aligned complete witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource revision 400036 (2023-12-26T21:46:29Z); Shanti Lal Nagar English scan pages n75–n81: https://archive.org/details/brahma-vaivarta-purana-all-four-kandas-english-translation/page/n75/mode/1up. The historic English OCR transcription is lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.