Prakṛti-khaṇḍa · Chapter 13
Sourceनारद उवाच ।। नारायणप्रिया साध्वी कथं सा च बभूव ह।। तुलसी कुत्र सम्भूता का वा सा पूर्वजन्मनि ।।१।। कस्य वा सा कुले जाता कस्य कन्या तपस्विनी ।। केन वा तपसा सा च संप्राप प्रकृतेः परम् ।। २ ।। निर्विकल्पं निरीहं च सर्वसाक्षिस्वरूपकम् ।। नारायणं परं ब्रह्म परमात्मानमीश्वरम्।। ।।३।। सर्वाराध्यं च सर्वेशं सर्वज्ञं सर्वकारणम् ।। सर्वाधारं सर्वरूपं सर्वेषां परिपालनम् ।।४।। कथमेतादृशी देवी वृक्षत्वं समवाप ह।। कथं साऽप्यसुरग्रस्ता संबभूव तपस्विनी ।। ५ ।। सन्दिग्धं मे मनो लोलं प्रेरयेन्मां मुहुर्मुहुः ।। छेत्तुमर्हसि सन्देहं सर्वसन्देहभञ्जना। ।। ६ ।। नारायण उवाच ।। मनुश्च दक्षसावर्णिः पुण्यवान्वैष्णवः शुचिः ।। यशस्वी कीर्तिमांश्चैव विष्णोरंशसमुद्भवः ।। ७ ।। तत्पुत्रो धर्मसावर्णिर्धर्मिष्ठो वैष्णवः शुचिः ।। तत्पुत्रो विष्णुसावर्णिर्वैष्णवश्च जितेन्द्रियः ।। ८ ।। तत्पुत्रो देवसावर्णिर्विष्णुव्रतपरायणः ।। तत्पुत्रो राजसावर्णिर्महाविष्णुपरायणः ।। ९ ।। वृषध्वजश्च तत्पुत्रो वृषध्वजपरायणः ।। यस्याश्रमे स्वयं शम्भुरासीद्दैवयुगत्रयम् ।। 2.13.१० ।। पुत्रादपि परः स्नेहो नृपे तस्मिञ्छिवस्य च ।। न च नारायणं मेने न च लक्ष्मीं सरस्वतीम् ।। ११ ।। पूजां च सर्वदेवानां दूरीभूतां चकार सः ।। भाद्रे मासि महालक्ष्मीपूजां मत्तोऽत्यजन्नृपः ।। १२ ।। माघे सरस्वतीपूजां दूरीभूतां चकार सः ।। यज्ञं च विष्णुपूजां च निनिन्दे न चकार सः ।। १३ ।। न कोऽपि देवो भूपेन्द्रं शशाप शिवकारणात् ।। भ्रष्टश्रीर्भव भूपेति चाशपत्तं दिवाकरः ।। १४ ।। शूलं गृहीत्वा तं सूर्य्यं धृतवाच्छङ्करः स्वयम् ।। पित्रा सार्द्ध दिनेशश्च ब्रह्माणं शरणं ययौ ।। १५ ।। शिवस्त्रिशूलहस्तश्च ब्रह्मलोकं ययौ क्रुधा ।। ब्रह्मा सूर्य्यं पुरस्कृत्य वैकुण्ठं च ययौ भिया ।। १६ ।। शूलं गृहीत्वा तत्रापि धृतवाञ्छङ्करो रविम् ।। ब्रह्मकश्यपमार्त्तण्डाः संत्रस्ताः शुष्कतालुकाः ।। १७ ।। नारायणं च सर्वेशं ते ययुः शरणं भिया ।। मूर्ध्ना प्रणेमुस्ते गत्वा तुष्टुवुश्च पुनः पुनः ।। १८ ।। सर्वे निवेदनं चक्रुर्भियस्ते कारणं हरौ ।। १९ ।। नारायणश्च कृपयाऽभयं तेभ्यो ददौ मुने ।। स्थिरा भवत हे भीता भयं किं वो मयि स्थिते।।2.13.२०।। स्मरन्ति ये यत्र तत्र मां विपत्तौ भयान्विताः ।। तांस्तत्र गत्वा रक्षामि चक्र हस्तस्त्वरान्वितः ।। २१ ।। पाताऽहं जगतां देवः कर्त्ताऽहं सततं सदा ।। सृष्ट्वा च ब्रह्मरूपेण संहर्त्ता शिवरूपतः ।। २२ ।। शिवोऽहं त्वमहं चापि सूर्य्योऽहं त्रिगुणात्मकः ।। विधाय नानारूपं च कुर्यां सृष्ट्यादिकाः क्रियाः ।। २३ ।। यूयं गच्छत भद्रं वो भविष्यति भयं कुतः ।। अद्यप्रभृति वो नास्ति मद्वराच्छङ्कराद्भयम् ।। २४ ।। आशुतोषः स भगवाञ्छरण्यश्च सतां गतिः ।। भक्ताधीनश्च भक्तेशो भक्तात्मा भक्तवत्सलः ।।२५।। सुदर्शनं शिवश्चैव मम प्राणाधिकप्रियौ ।। ब्रह्माण्डेषु न तेजस्वी हे ब्रह्मन्ननयोः परः।। २६ ।। शक्तः स्रष्टुं महादेवः सूर्य्यकोटिं च लीलया ।। कोटिं च ब्रह्मणामेवं किमसाध्यं च शूलिनः ।। २७ ।। बाह्यज्ञानं तन्न किंचिद्ध्यायतो मां दिवानिशम् ।। मन्नाम मद्गणं भक्त्या पञ्चवक्त्रेण गीयते ।।२८।। अहमेव चिन्तयामि तत्कल्याणं दिवानिशम् ।। ये यथा मां प्रपद्यन्ते तांस्तथैव भजाम्यहम् ।। २९ ।। शिवस्वरूपो भगवाञ्छिवाधिष्ठातृदेवता ।। शिवो भवति यस्माच्च शिवं तेन विदुर्बुधाः ।। 2.13.३० ।। एतस्मिन्नन्तरे तत्र चागमच्छङ्करः स्वयम् ।। शूलहस्तो वृषारूढो रक्तपङ्कजलोचनः ।। ३१ ।। अवरुह्य वृषात्तूर्णं भक्तिनम्रात्मकन्धरः ।। ननाम भक्त्या तं शान्तं लक्ष्मीकान्तं परात्परम् ।। ३२ ।। रत्नसिंहासनस्थं च रत्नालङ्कारभूषितम् ।। किरीटिनं कुण्डलिनं चक्रिणं वनमालिनम् ।। ३३ ।। नवीननीरदश्यामं सुन्दरं च चतुर्भुजम् ।। चतुर्भुजैः सेवितं च श्वेतचामरवायुना ।। ३४ ।। चन्दनोक्षितसर्वांगं भूषितं पीतवाससा।। लक्ष्मीप्रदत्तताम्बूलं भुक्तवन्तं च नारद ।। ३५ ।। विद्याधरीनृत्यगीतं शृण्वन्तं सस्मितं मुदा ।। ईश्वरं परमात्मानं भक्तानुग्रहविग्रहम् ।। ३६ ।। तं ननाम महादेवो ब्रह्माणं च ननाम सः ।। ननाम सूर्य्यो भक्त्या च संत्रस्तश्चन्द्रशेखरम् ।। ३७ ।। कश्यपश्च महाभक्त्या तुष्टाव च ननाम च ।। शिवः संस्तूय सर्वेशं समुवास सुखासने ।। ।। ३८ ।। सुखासने सुखासीनं विश्रान्तं चन्द्रशेखरम् ।। श्वेतचामरवातेन सेवितं विष्णुपार्षदैः ।। ३९ ।। अक्रोधं सत्त्वसंसर्गात्प्रसन्नं सस्मितं मुदा ।। स्तूयमानं पञ्चवक्त्रैः परं नारायणं विभुम् ।। 2.13.४० ।। तमुवाच प्रसन्नात्मा प्रसन्नं सुरसंसदि ।। पीयूषतुल्यं मधुरं वचनं सुमनोहरम् ।। ४१ ।। श्रीभगवानुवाच ।। अत्यन्तमुपहास्यं च शिवप्रश्नं शिवे शिवम् ।। लौकिकं वैदिकं चैव त्वां पृच्छामि तथा ऽपि शम्।।४२।। तपसां फलदातारं दातारं सर्वसम्पदाम्।। सम्पत्प्रश्नं तपःप्रश्नमयोग्यं त्वां च साम्प्रतम्।।४३।। ज्ञानाधिदेवे सर्वज्ञे ज्ञानं पृच्छामि किं वृथा ।। निरापदि विपत्प्रश्नमलं मृत्युञ्जये हरे ।।४४।। त्वामेव वाग्धनं प्रश्नमलं स्वाश्रयमागमे ।। आगतोऽसि कथं वेगादित्युवाच रमापतिः ।। ४५ ।। श्रीमहादेव उवाच ।। वृषध्वजं च मद्भक्तं मम प्राणाधिकप्रियम् ।। सूर्य्यः शशाप इति मे हेतुरागमकोपयोः ।। ४६ ।। पुत्रवात्सल्यशोकेन सूर्य्यं हन्तुं समुद्यतः ।। स ब्रह्माणं प्रपन्नश्च स सूर्य्यश्च विधिस्त्वयि ।।४७।। त्वां ये शरणमापन्ना ध्यानेन वचसाऽपि वा ।। निरापदस्ते निश्शङ्का जरा मृत्युश्च तैर्जितः ।। ४८ ।। साक्षाद्ये शरणापन्नास्तत्फलं किं वदामि भोः ।। हरिस्मृतिश्चाभयदा सर्वमङ्गलदा सदा ।। ४९ ।। किं मे भक्तस्य भविता तन्मे ब्रूहि जगत्प्रभो ।। श्रीहतस्यास्य मूढस्य सूर्य्यशापेन हेतुना ।। 2.13.५० ।। श्रीभगवानुवाच ।। कालोऽतियातो दैवेन युगानामेकविंशतिः ।। वैकुण्ठे घटिकार्द्धेन शीघ्रं याहि नृपालयम्।। ।।५१।। वृषध्वजो मृतः कालाद्दुर्निवार्य्यात्सुदारुणात् ।। हंसध्वजश्च तत्पुत्रो मृतः सोऽपि श्रिया हतः ।।५२।। तत्पुत्रौ च महाभागौ धर्मध्वजकुशध्वजौ ।। हतश्रियौ सूर्य्यशापात्तौ वै परमवैष्णवौ ।। ५३ ।। राज्यभ्रष्टौ श्रिया भ्रष्टौ कमलातापसावुभौ ।। तयोश्च भार्य्ययोर्लक्ष्मीः कलया च जनिष्यति ।।५४।। सम्पद्युक्तौ तदा तौ च नृपश्रेष्ठौ भविष्यतः ।। मृतस्ते सेवकः शम्भो गच्छ यूयं च गच्छत।।५५।। इत्युक्त्वा च सलक्ष्मीकः सभातोऽभ्यन्तरं गतः ।। देवा जग्मुश्च संहृष्टाः स्वाश्रमं परमं मुदा।।५६।। शिवश्च तपसे शीघ्रं परिपूर्णतमो ययौ।।५७।। इति श्रीब्रह्मवैवर्त्ते महापुराणे द्वितीये प्रकृतिखण्डे नारदनारायणसंवादे तुलस्युपाख्याने त्रयोदशोऽध्यायः।।१३।।
nārada uvāca || nārāyaṇapriyā sādhvī kathaṃ sā ca babhūva ha|| tulasī kutra sambhūtā kā vā sā pūrvajanmani ||1|| kasya vā sā kule jātā kasya kanyā tapasvinī || kena vā tapasā sā ca saṃprāpa prakṛteḥ param || 2 || nirvikalpaṃ nirīhaṃ ca sarvasākṣisvarūpakam || nārāyaṇaṃ paraṃ brahma paramātmānamīśvaram|| ||3|| sarvārādhyaṃ ca sarveśaṃ sarvajñaṃ sarvakāraṇam || sarvādhāraṃ sarvarūpaṃ sarveṣāṃ paripālanam ||4|| kathametādṛśī devī vṛkṣatvaṃ samavāpa ha|| kathaṃ sā'pyasuragrastā saṃbabhūva tapasvinī || 5 || sandigdhaṃ me mano lolaṃ prerayenmāṃ muhurmuhuḥ || chettumarhasi sandehaṃ sarvasandehabhañjanā| || 6 || nārāyaṇa uvāca || manuśca dakṣasāvarṇiḥ puṇyavānvaiṣṇavaḥ śuciḥ || yaśasvī kīrtimāṃścaiva viṣṇoraṃśasamudbhavaḥ || 7 || tatputro dharmasāvarṇirdharmiṣṭho vaiṣṇavaḥ śuciḥ || tatputro viṣṇusāvarṇirvaiṣṇavaśca jitendriyaḥ || 8 || tatputro devasāvarṇirviṣṇuvrataparāyaṇaḥ || tatputro rājasāvarṇirmahāviṣṇuparāyaṇaḥ || 9 || vṛṣadhvajaśca tatputro vṛṣadhvajaparāyaṇaḥ || yasyāśrame svayaṃ śambhurāsīddaivayugatrayam || 2.13.10 || putrādapi paraḥ sneho nṛpe tasmiñchivasya ca || na ca nārāyaṇaṃ mene na ca lakṣmīṃ sarasvatīm || 11 || pūjāṃ ca sarvadevānāṃ dūrībhūtāṃ cakāra saḥ || bhādre māsi mahālakṣmīpūjāṃ matto'tyajannṛpaḥ || 12 || māghe sarasvatīpūjāṃ dūrībhūtāṃ cakāra saḥ || yajñaṃ ca viṣṇupūjāṃ ca nininde na cakāra saḥ || 13 || na ko'pi devo bhūpendraṃ śaśāpa śivakāraṇāt || bhraṣṭaśrīrbhava bhūpeti cāśapattaṃ divākaraḥ || 14 || śūlaṃ gṛhītvā taṃ sūryyaṃ dhṛtavācchaṅkaraḥ svayam || pitrā sārddha dineśaśca brahmāṇaṃ śaraṇaṃ yayau || 15 || śivastriśūlahastaśca brahmalokaṃ yayau krudhā || brahmā sūryyaṃ puraskṛtya vaikuṇṭhaṃ ca yayau bhiyā || 16 || śūlaṃ gṛhītvā tatrāpi dhṛtavāñchaṅkaro ravim || brahmakaśyapamārttaṇḍāḥ saṃtrastāḥ śuṣkatālukāḥ || 17 || nārāyaṇaṃ ca sarveśaṃ te yayuḥ śaraṇaṃ bhiyā || mūrdhnā praṇemuste gatvā tuṣṭuvuśca punaḥ punaḥ || 18 || sarve nivedanaṃ cakrurbhiyaste kāraṇaṃ harau || 19 || nārāyaṇaśca kṛpayā'bhayaṃ tebhyo dadau mune || sthirā bhavata he bhītā bhayaṃ kiṃ vo mayi sthite||2.13.20|| smaranti ye yatra tatra māṃ vipattau bhayānvitāḥ || tāṃstatra gatvā rakṣāmi cakra hastastvarānvitaḥ || 21 || pātā'haṃ jagatāṃ devaḥ karttā'haṃ satataṃ sadā || sṛṣṭvā ca brahmarūpeṇa saṃharttā śivarūpataḥ || 22 || śivo'haṃ tvamahaṃ cāpi sūryyo'haṃ triguṇātmakaḥ || vidhāya nānārūpaṃ ca kuryāṃ sṛṣṭyādikāḥ kriyāḥ || 23 || yūyaṃ gacchata bhadraṃ vo bhaviṣyati bhayaṃ kutaḥ || adyaprabhṛti vo nāsti madvarācchaṅkarādbhayam || 24 || āśutoṣaḥ sa bhagavāñcharaṇyaśca satāṃ gatiḥ || bhaktādhīnaśca bhakteśo bhaktātmā bhaktavatsalaḥ ||25|| sudarśanaṃ śivaścaiva mama prāṇādhikapriyau || brahmāṇḍeṣu na tejasvī he brahmannanayoḥ paraḥ|| 26 || śaktaḥ sraṣṭuṃ mahādevaḥ sūryyakoṭiṃ ca līlayā || koṭiṃ ca brahmaṇāmevaṃ kimasādhyaṃ ca śūlinaḥ || 27 || bāhyajñānaṃ tanna kiṃciddhyāyato māṃ divāniśam || mannāma madgaṇaṃ bhaktyā pañcavaktreṇa gīyate ||28|| ahameva cintayāmi tatkalyāṇaṃ divāniśam || ye yathā māṃ prapadyante tāṃstathaiva bhajāmyaham || 29 || śivasvarūpo bhagavāñchivādhiṣṭhātṛdevatā || śivo bhavati yasmācca śivaṃ tena vidurbudhāḥ || 2.13.30 || etasminnantare tatra cāgamacchaṅkaraḥ svayam || śūlahasto vṛṣārūḍho raktapaṅkajalocanaḥ || 31 || avaruhya vṛṣāttūrṇaṃ bhaktinamrātmakandharaḥ || nanāma bhaktyā taṃ śāntaṃ lakṣmīkāntaṃ parātparam || 32 || ratnasiṃhāsanasthaṃ ca ratnālaṅkārabhūṣitam || kirīṭinaṃ kuṇḍalinaṃ cakriṇaṃ vanamālinam || 33 || navīnanīradaśyāmaṃ sundaraṃ ca caturbhujam || caturbhujaiḥ sevitaṃ ca śvetacāmaravāyunā || 34 || candanokṣitasarvāṃgaṃ bhūṣitaṃ pītavāsasā|| lakṣmīpradattatāmbūlaṃ bhuktavantaṃ ca nārada || 35 || vidyādharīnṛtyagītaṃ śṛṇvantaṃ sasmitaṃ mudā || īśvaraṃ paramātmānaṃ bhaktānugrahavigraham || 36 || taṃ nanāma mahādevo brahmāṇaṃ ca nanāma saḥ || nanāma sūryyo bhaktyā ca saṃtrastaścandraśekharam || 37 || kaśyapaśca mahābhaktyā tuṣṭāva ca nanāma ca || śivaḥ saṃstūya sarveśaṃ samuvāsa sukhāsane || || 38 || sukhāsane sukhāsīnaṃ viśrāntaṃ candraśekharam || śvetacāmaravātena sevitaṃ viṣṇupārṣadaiḥ || 39 || akrodhaṃ sattvasaṃsargātprasannaṃ sasmitaṃ mudā || stūyamānaṃ pañcavaktraiḥ paraṃ nārāyaṇaṃ vibhum || 2.13.40 || tamuvāca prasannātmā prasannaṃ surasaṃsadi || pīyūṣatulyaṃ madhuraṃ vacanaṃ sumanoharam || 41 || śrībhagavānuvāca || atyantamupahāsyaṃ ca śivapraśnaṃ śive śivam || laukikaṃ vaidikaṃ caiva tvāṃ pṛcchāmi tathā 'pi śam||42|| tapasāṃ phaladātāraṃ dātāraṃ sarvasampadām|| sampatpraśnaṃ tapaḥpraśnamayogyaṃ tvāṃ ca sāmpratam||43|| jñānādhideve sarvajñe jñānaṃ pṛcchāmi kiṃ vṛthā || nirāpadi vipatpraśnamalaṃ mṛtyuñjaye hare ||44|| tvāmeva vāgdhanaṃ praśnamalaṃ svāśrayamāgame || āgato'si kathaṃ vegādityuvāca ramāpatiḥ || 45 || śrīmahādeva uvāca || vṛṣadhvajaṃ ca madbhaktaṃ mama prāṇādhikapriyam || sūryyaḥ śaśāpa iti me heturāgamakopayoḥ || 46 || putravātsalyaśokena sūryyaṃ hantuṃ samudyataḥ || sa brahmāṇaṃ prapannaśca sa sūryyaśca vidhistvayi ||47|| tvāṃ ye śaraṇamāpannā dhyānena vacasā'pi vā || nirāpadaste niśśaṅkā jarā mṛtyuśca tairjitaḥ || 48 || sākṣādye śaraṇāpannāstatphalaṃ kiṃ vadāmi bhoḥ || harismṛtiścābhayadā sarvamaṅgaladā sadā || 49 || kiṃ me bhaktasya bhavitā tanme brūhi jagatprabho || śrīhatasyāsya mūḍhasya sūryyaśāpena hetunā || 2.13.50 || śrībhagavānuvāca || kālo'tiyāto daivena yugānāmekaviṃśatiḥ || vaikuṇṭhe ghaṭikārddhena śīghraṃ yāhi nṛpālayam|| ||51|| vṛṣadhvajo mṛtaḥ kālāddurnivāryyātsudāruṇāt || haṃsadhvajaśca tatputro mṛtaḥ so'pi śriyā hataḥ ||52|| tatputrau ca mahābhāgau dharmadhvajakuśadhvajau || hataśriyau sūryyaśāpāttau vai paramavaiṣṇavau || 53 || rājyabhraṣṭau śriyā bhraṣṭau kamalātāpasāvubhau || tayośca bhāryyayorlakṣmīḥ kalayā ca janiṣyati ||54|| sampadyuktau tadā tau ca nṛpaśreṣṭhau bhaviṣyataḥ || mṛtaste sevakaḥ śambho gaccha yūyaṃ ca gacchata||55|| ityuktvā ca salakṣmīkaḥ sabhāto'bhyantaraṃ gataḥ || devā jagmuśca saṃhṛṣṭāḥ svāśramaṃ paramaṃ mudā||56|| śivaśca tapase śīghraṃ paripūrṇatamo yayau||57|| iti śrībrahmavaivartte mahāpurāṇe dvitīye prakṛtikhaṇḍe nāradanārāyaṇasaṃvāde tulasyupākhyāne trayodaśo'dhyāyaḥ||13||
English translation
He discarded the adoration of all other gods and always kept himself busy with the devotion of Siva. He discard the adoration of MahalaksmI in Bhadrapada and Sarasvat! during the month of Magha. Simultaneously he disowned the adoration of Visnii and started denouncing him.
No one could venture to pronounce a curse on the king because of the fear of Siva but once Surya cursed the king thus, “All your glory will vanish''. At this lord Siva got enraged at Surya and attacked him with his trident. Surya then in panic rushed to Brahma with his father Kasyapa.
Holding the trident in his hand, the enraged Siva reached the Brahmaloka. Brahma on his part was also terrified. Placing Surya before him, he went to Vaikuntha.
Reaching there lord Siva who had a trident in his hand caught hold of Surya. The scene terrified Brahma, Kasyapa and Surya who were very much in terror and their tongues dried up.
Terrified of Siva they took refuge under lord Naifiyana. Reaching before him they bowed in reverence and started offering prayers to him.
Thereafter all the three of them narrated the cause of their arrival to lord Visnii.
sage, lord Visnu assured protection to them saying, "O terrified ones, be stable. You need not be afraid in my presence".
Whenever anyone recites my name in terror I always reach the place to protect him holding a Cakra in my hand.
O gods, I have been creator and the preserver of this universe, I create the universe in the form of Brahma and destroy it in the form of Siva. I am myself Siva, Brahina and Surya, enshrining in me all the three giinas. Thus I take to many forms and conduct myself in the universe.
Therefore all the three of you should go back.
You v/ill meet with welfare and your fear shall be removed because of my boon. You will henceforth not be afraid of lord Siva.
W Tlfw: I Lord Siva gets pleased easily, is protector of the noble people, is under the command of the devotees, lord of the devotees, the soul of the devotees and is loved by his devotees.
O Brahman both the Stidrasana-cakra and Siva are dearer to me than my life even. There is no one else more glorious than them in the With his illusion lord ^iva can create crores of Suryas and also Brahmanas. Nothing is beyond the competence of lord Siva.
Since he is always engaged in meditation on me, he remains unconcerned with the outside world. He always recites my gloiy from all his five heads.
As such I always think of his welfare. Because whosoever meets me with any intention I serve him accordingly, Lord Siva is the lord of welfare. Because of his being the lord of welfare, he is known always by the people as the bestower of welfare.
In the meantime lord Siva himself arrived there. He was holding a trident in his hand with eyes getting red like a red lotus and mounted on the bull.
He at once descended from the back of the I bull. He bowed in reverence to lord Visnu. He then offered a salutation to the lord with great Lord Visnu at that point of time was seated comfortably on the gem-studded throne, adorned with all the ornaments, kirlta-miihita and kiinclalas. A long garland of flowers was also worn by him.
He had a dark complexion like the fresh cloud.
He was charming to look at, having four arms and served by attendants fanning him with the O Narada, his entire body was plastered with the sandal-paste and he was clad in a yellow garment. He was chewing the betel offered to him by LaksmI.
Thus smiling delightfully he was listening to the music of Vidya-dharls. Such a lord incarnates on earth for the welfare of his devotees.
Lord Siva offered his salutation to both Visnu and Brahma. Thereafter Surya also feeling panicky bowed in reverence to lord Siva.
Kasyapa also offered prayers to him with devotion. Thereafter lord Siva offering prayers to lord Visnu took his seat.
Finding lord Siva seated on Sukhdsana comfortably with traces of fatigue on his face, lord Visiiu directed his sveta edmara to serve lord Siva.
By coming in touch with the sattvaguna devoid of anger, getting pleased and smilingly lord Siva started offering prayers to Narayana from all his five heads. Thereafter in the assembly of gods, lord Visnu spoke nectar-like sweet words to Siva thus.
Lord VivSnu said—O lord Siva, though it would be a joke to enquire from you about your welfare, yet following the Vedas I enquire of you about your welfare.
Because you bestow the reward of tapas and bestow all the riches on all, therefore it would not be proper for me to ask you the question about the riches and tapas.
Similarly the one who is the store of knowledge, it would not be proper to question him about knowledge. The one who removes the misfortunes of all others it would not be proper for us to question him about misfortunes. Since you are self-supporting it would not be proper for me to question you about the reason for your arrival here. I only ask you this much as to why you have come rushing.
Mahadeva said—“My dear devotee Vrs adhvaja has been cursed by Stirya, which enraged me and I have reached here.
Because of my love for my son, I got ready even to kill Surya as a result of which he fled away and has arrived here taking refuge under you. Brahma has arrived here together with him.
Such of the people who take refuge in you mentally or by speaking are always relieved of their misfortune and are freed from death.
But the one who himself has arrived to take refuge under you, what could I speak about him?
Even the reciting of the name of Vispu relieves one of all the dangers and bestows welfare.
O lord of the universe, because of the curse of Stirya my devotee has lost all the grace and has become a fool. What shall happen to him you kindly tell me.
Lord Visnu said—A lot of time has passed since the moves of tlie destiny and twenty one years have already lapsed though in Vaikuntha the time is equivalent to half a ghadi (measure of time equivalent to twenty four minutes).
Therefore now you go back to the king. The terrific Yama has already swallowed Vrsadhvaja who happened to be your devotee; his son Hahsadhvaja also has died.
His two sons named Dharmadhvaja and Kiisadlwaja who were quite illustrious, have also died because of the curse of Siirya. Deprived of all the riches they have been devoid of their kingdom. Therefore when goddess Laksml incarnates in the form of their wives, both the princes would regain their lost grace. O Siva, your devotee has already met with his end.
Therefore you can leave this place. O gods, you can also revert to your respective places. Thus speaking lord Visnu left the assembly with Laks niT and reached the inner apartments. All the gods were delighted fully and reverted to their respective places. Thereafter lord Siva also left the place for performing tapas.
Chapter-aligned complete witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource revision 117444 (2017-08-08T13:46:09Z); Shanti Lal Nagar English scan pages n252–n256: https://archive.org/details/brahma-vaivarta-purana-all-four-kandas-english-translation/page/n252/mode/1up. The historic English OCR transcription is lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.