Fifth Skandha · Chapter 1
Sourceऋषय ऊचुः भवता कथितं सूत महदाख्यानमुत्तमम् । कृष्णस्य चरितं दिव्यं सर्वपातकनाशनम् ॥ १ ॥ सन्देहोऽत्र महाभाग वासुदेवकथानके । जायते नः प्रोच्यमाने विस्तरेण महामते ॥ २ ॥ वने गत्वा तपस्तप्तं वासुदेवेन दुष्करम् । विष्णोरंशावतारेण शिवस्याराधनं कृतम् ॥ ३ ॥ वरप्रदानं देव्या च पार्वत्या यत्कृतं पुनः । जगन्मातुश्च पूर्णायाः श्रीदेव्या अंशभूतया ॥ ४ ॥ ईश्वरेणापि कृष्णेन कुतस्तौ सम्प्रपूजितौ । न्यूनता वा किमस्त्वस्य तदेवं संशयो मम ॥ ५ ॥ सूत उवाच शृणुध्वं कारणं तत्र मया व्यासश्रुतञ्च यत् । प्रब्रवीमि महाभागाः कथां कृष्णगुणान्विताम् ॥ ६ ॥ वृत्तान्तं व्यासतः श्रुत्वा वैराटीसुतजस्तदा । पुनः पप्रच्छ मेधावी सन्देहं परमं गतः ॥ ७ ॥ जनमेजय उवाच सम्यक्सत्यवतीसूनो श्रुतं परमकारणम् । तथापि मनसो वृत्तिः संशयं न विमुञ्चति ॥ ८ ॥ कृष्णेनाराधितः शम्भुस्तपस्तप्त्वातिदारुणम् । विस्मयोऽयं महाभाग देवदेवेन विष्णुना ॥ ९ ॥ यः सर्वात्मापि सर्वेशः सर्वसिद्धिप्रदः प्रभुः । स कथं कृतवान्घोरं तपः प्राकृतवद्धरिः ॥ १० ॥ जगत्कर्तुं क्षमः कृष्णस्तथा पालयितुं क्षमः । संहर्तुमपि कस्मात्स दारुणं तप आचरत् ॥ ११ ॥ व्यास उवाच सत्यमुक्तं त्वया राजन् वासुदेवो जनार्दनः । क्षमः सर्वेषु कार्येषु देवानां दैत्यसूदनः ॥ १२ ॥ तथापि मानुषं देहमाश्रितः परमेश्वरः । कृतवान्मानुषान्भावान्वर्णाश्रमसमाश्रितान् ॥ १३ ॥ वृद्धानां पूजनं चैव गुरुपादाभिवन्दनम् । ब्राह्मणानां तथा सेवा देवताराधनं तथा ॥ १४ ॥ शोके शोकाभियोगश्च हर्षे हर्षसमुन्नतिः । दैन्यं नानापवादाश्च स्त्रीषु कामोपसेवनम् ॥ १५ ॥ कामः क्रोधस्तथा लोभः काले काले भवन्ति हि । तथा गुणमये देहे निर्गुणत्वं कथं भवेत् ॥ १६ ॥ सौबलीशापजाद्दोषात्तथा ब्राह्मणशापजात् । निधनं यादवानां तु कृष्णदेहस्य मोचनम् ॥ १७ ॥ हरणं लुण्ठनं तद्वत्तत्पत्नीनां नराधिप । अर्जुनस्यास्त्रमोक्षे च क्लीबत्वं तस्करेषु च ॥ १८ ॥ अज्ञत्वं हरणे गेहात्तत्प्रद्युम्नानिरुद्धयोः । एवं मानुषदेहेऽस्मिन्मानुषं खलु चेष्टितम् ॥ १९ ॥ विष्णोरंशावतारेऽस्मिन्नारायणमुनेस्तथा । अंशजे वासुदेवेऽत्र किं चित्रं शिवसेवने ॥ २० ॥ स हि सर्वेश्वरो देवो विष्णोरपि च कारणम् । सुषुप्तस्थाननाथः स विष्णुना च प्रपूजितः ॥ २१ ॥ तदंशभूताः कृष्णाद्यास्तैः कथं न स पूज्यते । अकारो भगवान्ब्रह्माप्युकारः स्याद्धरिः स्वयम् ॥ २२ ॥ मकारो भगवान् रुद्रोऽप्यर्धमात्रा महेश्वरी । उत्तरोत्तरभावेनाप्युत्तमत्वं स्मृतं बुधैः ॥ २३ ॥ अतः सर्वेषु शास्त्रेषु देवी सर्वोत्तमा स्मृता । अर्धमात्रास्थिता नित्या यानुच्चार्या विशेषतः ॥ २४ ॥ विष्णोरप्यथिको रुद्रो विष्णुस्तु ब्रह्मणोऽधिकः । तस्मान्न संशयः कार्यः कृष्णेन शिवपूजने ॥ २५ ॥ इच्छया ब्रह्मणो वक्त्राद्वरदानार्थमुद्बभौ । मूलरुद्रस्यांशभूतो रुद्रनामा द्वितीयकः ॥ २६ ॥ सोऽपि पूज्योऽस्ति सर्वेषां मूलरुद्रस्य का कथा । देवीतत्त्वस्य सान्निध्यादुत्तमत्वं स्मृतं शिवे ॥ २७ ॥ अवतारा हरेरेवं प्रभवन्ति युगे युगे । योगमायाप्रभावेण नात्र कार्या विचारणा ॥ २८ ॥ या नेत्रपक्ष्मपरिसञ्चलनेन सम्य- ग्विश्वं सृजत्यवति हन्ति निगूढभावा । सैषा करोति सततं द्रुहिणाच्युतेशान् नानावतारकलने परिभूयमानान् ॥ २९ ॥ सूतीगृहाद्व्रजनमप्यनया नियुक्तं संगोपितश्च भवने पशुपालराज्ञः । सम्प्रापितश्च मधुरां विनियोजितश्च श्रीद्वारकाप्रणयने ननु भीतचित्तः ॥ ३० ॥ निर्माय षोडशसहस्रशतार्धकास्ता नार्योऽष्टसम्मततराः स्वकलासमुत्थाः । तासां विलासवशगं तु विधाय कामं दासीकृतो हि भगवाननयाप्यनन्तः ॥ ३१ ॥ एकापि बन्धनविधौ युवती समर्था पुंसो यथा सुदृढलोहमयं तु दाम । किं नाम षोडशसहस्रशतार्धकाश्च तं स्वीकृतं शुकमिवातिनिबन्धयन्ति ॥ ३२ ॥ सात्राजितीवशगतेन मुदान्वितेन प्राप्तं सुरेन्द्रभवनं हरिणा तदानीम् । कृत्वा मृधं मघवता विहृतस्तरूणा- मीशः प्रियासदनभूषणतां य आप ॥ ३३ ॥ यो भीमजां हि हृतवाञ्छिशुपालकादी- ञ्जित्वा विधिं निखिलधर्मकृतो विधित्सुः । जग्राह तां निजबलेन च धर्मपत्नीं कोऽसौ विधिः परकलत्रहृतौ विजातः ॥ ३४ ॥ अहङ्कारवशः प्राणी करोति च शुभाशुभम् । विमूढो मोहजालेन तत्कृतेनातिपातिना ॥ ३५ ॥ अहङ्काराद्धि सञ्जातमिदं स्थावरजङ्गमम् । मूलाद्धरिहरादीनामुग्रात्प्रकृतिसम्भवात् ॥ ३६ ॥ अहङ्कारपरित्यक्तो यदा भवति पद्मजः । तदा विमुक्तो भवति नोचेत्संसारकर्मकृत् ॥ ३७ ॥ तन्मुक्तस्तु विमुक्तो हि बद्धस्तद्वशतां गतः । न नारी न धनं गेहं न पुत्रा न सहोदराः ॥ ३८ ॥ बन्धनं प्राणिनां राजन्नहङ्कारस्तु बन्धकः । अहं कर्ता मया चेदं कृतं कार्यं बलीयसा ॥ ३९ ॥ करिष्यामि करोम्येवं स्वयं बध्नाति प्राणभृत् । कारणेन विना कार्यं न सम्भवति कर्हिचित् ॥ ४० ॥ यथा न दृश्यते जातो मृत्पिण्डेन विना घटः । विष्णुः पालयिता विश्वस्याहङ्कारसमन्वितः ॥ ४१ ॥ अन्यथा सर्वदा चिन्ताम्बुधौ मग्नः कथं भवेत् । अहङ्कारविमुक्तस्तु यदा भवति मानवः ॥ ४२ ॥ अवतारप्रवाहेषु कथं मज्जेच्छुभाशयः । मोहमूलमहङ्कारः संसारस्तत्समुद्भवः ॥ ४३ ॥ अहङ्कारविहीनानां न मोहो न च संसृतिः । त्रिविधः पुरुषः प्रोक्तः सात्त्विको राजसस्तथा ॥ ४४ ॥ तामसस्तु महाराज ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवादिषु । त्रिविधस्त्रिषु राजेन्द्र काजेशादिषु सर्वदा ॥ ४५ ॥ अहङ्कारः सदा प्रोक्तो मुनिभिस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः । अहङ्कारेण तेनैव बद्धा एते न संशयः ॥ ४६ ॥ मायाविमोहिता मन्दाः प्रवदन्ति मनीषिणः । करोति स्वेच्छया विष्णुरवताराननेकशः ॥ ४७ ॥ मन्दोऽपि दुःखगहने गर्भवासेऽतिसङ्कटे । न करोति मतिं विद्वान्कथं कुर्यात्स चक्रभृत् ॥ ४८ ॥ कौसल्यादेवकीगर्भे विष्ठामलसमाकुले । स्वेच्छया प्रवदन्त्यद्धा गतो हि मधुसूदनः ॥ ४९ ॥ वैकुण्ठसदनं त्यक्त्वा गर्भवासे सुखं नु किम् । चिन्ताकोटिसमुत्थाने दुःखदे विषसम्मिते ॥ ५० ॥ तपस्तप्त्वा क्रतून्कृत्वा दत्त्वा दानान्यनेकशः । न वाञ्छन्ति यतो लोका गर्भवासं सुदुःखदम् ॥ ५१ ॥ स कथं भगवान्विष्णुः स्ववशश्चेज्जनार्दनः । गर्भवासरुचिर्भूयाद्भवेत्स्ववशता यदि ॥ ५२ ॥ जानीहि त्वं महाराज योगमायावशे जगत् । ब्रह्मादिस्तम्बपर्यन्तं देवमानुषतिर्यगम् ॥ ५३ ॥ मायातन्त्रीनिबद्धा ये ब्रह्मविष्णुहरादयः । भ्रमन्ति बन्धमायान्ति लीलया चोर्णनाभवत् ॥ ५४ ॥
ṛṣaya ūcuḥ bhavatā kathitaṃ sūta mahadākhyānamuttamam | kṛṣṇasya caritaṃ divyaṃ sarvapātakanāśanam || 1 || sandeho'tra mahābhāga vāsudevakathānake | jāyate naḥ procyamāne vistareṇa mahāmate || 2 || vane gatvā tapastaptaṃ vāsudevena duṣkaram | viṣṇoraṃśāvatāreṇa śivasyārādhanaṃ kṛtam || 3 || varapradānaṃ devyā ca pārvatyā yatkṛtaṃ punaḥ | jaganmātuśca pūrṇāyāḥ śrīdevyā aṃśabhūtayā || 4 || īśvareṇāpi kṛṣṇena kutastau samprapūjitau | nyūnatā vā kimastvasya tadevaṃ saṃśayo mama || 5 || sūta uvāca śṛṇudhvaṃ kāraṇaṃ tatra mayā vyāsaśrutañca yat | prabravīmi mahābhāgāḥ kathāṃ kṛṣṇaguṇānvitām || 6 || vṛttāntaṃ vyāsataḥ śrutvā vairāṭīsutajastadā | punaḥ papraccha medhāvī sandehaṃ paramaṃ gataḥ || 7 || janamejaya uvāca samyaksatyavatīsūno śrutaṃ paramakāraṇam | tathāpi manaso vṛttiḥ saṃśayaṃ na vimuñcati || 8 || kṛṣṇenārādhitaḥ śambhustapastaptvātidāruṇam | vismayo'yaṃ mahābhāga devadevena viṣṇunā || 9 || yaḥ sarvātmāpi sarveśaḥ sarvasiddhipradaḥ prabhuḥ | sa kathaṃ kṛtavānghoraṃ tapaḥ prākṛtavaddhariḥ || 10 || jagatkartuṃ kṣamaḥ kṛṣṇastathā pālayituṃ kṣamaḥ | saṃhartumapi kasmātsa dāruṇaṃ tapa ācarat || 11 || vyāsa uvāca satyamuktaṃ tvayā rājan vāsudevo janārdanaḥ | kṣamaḥ sarveṣu kāryeṣu devānāṃ daityasūdanaḥ || 12 || tathāpi mānuṣaṃ dehamāśritaḥ parameśvaraḥ | kṛtavānmānuṣānbhāvānvarṇāśramasamāśritān || 13 || vṛddhānāṃ pūjanaṃ caiva gurupādābhivandanam | brāhmaṇānāṃ tathā sevā devatārādhanaṃ tathā || 14 || śoke śokābhiyogaśca harṣe harṣasamunnatiḥ | dainyaṃ nānāpavādāśca strīṣu kāmopasevanam || 15 || kāmaḥ krodhastathā lobhaḥ kāle kāle bhavanti hi | tathā guṇamaye dehe nirguṇatvaṃ kathaṃ bhavet || 16 || saubalīśāpajāddoṣāttathā brāhmaṇaśāpajāt | nidhanaṃ yādavānāṃ tu kṛṣṇadehasya mocanam || 17 || haraṇaṃ luṇṭhanaṃ tadvattatpatnīnāṃ narādhipa | arjunasyāstramokṣe ca klībatvaṃ taskareṣu ca || 18 || ajñatvaṃ haraṇe gehāttatpradyumnāniruddhayoḥ | evaṃ mānuṣadehe'sminmānuṣaṃ khalu ceṣṭitam || 19 || viṣṇoraṃśāvatāre'sminnārāyaṇamunestathā | aṃśaje vāsudeve'tra kiṃ citraṃ śivasevane || 20 || sa hi sarveśvaro devo viṣṇorapi ca kāraṇam | suṣuptasthānanāthaḥ sa viṣṇunā ca prapūjitaḥ || 21 || tadaṃśabhūtāḥ kṛṣṇādyāstaiḥ kathaṃ na sa pūjyate | akāro bhagavānbrahmāpyukāraḥ syāddhariḥ svayam || 22 || makāro bhagavān rudro'pyardhamātrā maheśvarī | uttarottarabhāvenāpyuttamatvaṃ smṛtaṃ budhaiḥ || 23 || ataḥ sarveṣu śāstreṣu devī sarvottamā smṛtā | ardhamātrāsthitā nityā yānuccāryā viśeṣataḥ || 24 || viṣṇorapyathiko rudro viṣṇustu brahmaṇo'dhikaḥ | tasmānna saṃśayaḥ kāryaḥ kṛṣṇena śivapūjane || 25 || icchayā brahmaṇo vaktrādvaradānārthamudbabhau | mūlarudrasyāṃśabhūto rudranāmā dvitīyakaḥ || 26 || so'pi pūjyo'sti sarveṣāṃ mūlarudrasya kā kathā | devītattvasya sānnidhyāduttamatvaṃ smṛtaṃ śive || 27 || avatārā harerevaṃ prabhavanti yuge yuge | yogamāyāprabhāveṇa nātra kāryā vicāraṇā || 28 || yā netrapakṣmaparisañcalanena samya- gviśvaṃ sṛjatyavati hanti nigūḍhabhāvā | saiṣā karoti satataṃ druhiṇācyuteśān nānāvatārakalane paribhūyamānān || 29 || sūtīgṛhādvrajanamapyanayā niyuktaṃ saṃgopitaśca bhavane paśupālarājñaḥ | samprāpitaśca madhurāṃ viniyojitaśca śrīdvārakāpraṇayane nanu bhītacittaḥ || 30 || nirmāya ṣoḍaśasahasraśatārdhakāstā nāryo'ṣṭasammatatarāḥ svakalāsamutthāḥ | tāsāṃ vilāsavaśagaṃ tu vidhāya kāmaṃ dāsīkṛto hi bhagavānanayāpyanantaḥ || 31 || ekāpi bandhanavidhau yuvatī samarthā puṃso yathā sudṛḍhalohamayaṃ tu dāma | kiṃ nāma ṣoḍaśasahasraśatārdhakāśca taṃ svīkṛtaṃ śukamivātinibandhayanti || 32 || sātrājitīvaśagatena mudānvitena prāptaṃ surendrabhavanaṃ hariṇā tadānīm | kṛtvā mṛdhaṃ maghavatā vihṛtastarūṇā- mīśaḥ priyāsadanabhūṣaṇatāṃ ya āpa || 33 || yo bhīmajāṃ hi hṛtavāñchiśupālakādī- ñjitvā vidhiṃ nikhiladharmakṛto vidhitsuḥ | jagrāha tāṃ nijabalena ca dharmapatnīṃ ko'sau vidhiḥ parakalatrahṛtau vijātaḥ || 34 || ahaṅkāravaśaḥ prāṇī karoti ca śubhāśubham | vimūḍho mohajālena tatkṛtenātipātinā || 35 || ahaṅkārāddhi sañjātamidaṃ sthāvarajaṅgamam | mūlāddhariharādīnāmugrātprakṛtisambhavāt || 36 || ahaṅkāraparityakto yadā bhavati padmajaḥ | tadā vimukto bhavati nocetsaṃsārakarmakṛt || 37 || tanmuktastu vimukto hi baddhastadvaśatāṃ gataḥ | na nārī na dhanaṃ gehaṃ na putrā na sahodarāḥ || 38 || bandhanaṃ prāṇināṃ rājannahaṅkārastu bandhakaḥ | ahaṃ kartā mayā cedaṃ kṛtaṃ kāryaṃ balīyasā || 39 || kariṣyāmi karomyevaṃ svayaṃ badhnāti prāṇabhṛt | kāraṇena vinā kāryaṃ na sambhavati karhicit || 40 || yathā na dṛśyate jāto mṛtpiṇḍena vinā ghaṭaḥ | viṣṇuḥ pālayitā viśvasyāhaṅkārasamanvitaḥ || 41 || anyathā sarvadā cintāmbudhau magnaḥ kathaṃ bhavet | ahaṅkāravimuktastu yadā bhavati mānavaḥ || 42 || avatārapravāheṣu kathaṃ majjecchubhāśayaḥ | mohamūlamahaṅkāraḥ saṃsārastatsamudbhavaḥ || 43 || ahaṅkāravihīnānāṃ na moho na ca saṃsṛtiḥ | trividhaḥ puruṣaḥ proktaḥ sāttviko rājasastathā || 44 || tāmasastu mahārāja brahmaviṣṇuśivādiṣu | trividhastriṣu rājendra kājeśādiṣu sarvadā || 45 || ahaṅkāraḥ sadā prokto munibhistattvadarśibhiḥ | ahaṅkāreṇa tenaiva baddhā ete na saṃśayaḥ || 46 || māyāvimohitā mandāḥ pravadanti manīṣiṇaḥ | karoti svecchayā viṣṇuravatārānanekaśaḥ || 47 || mando'pi duḥkhagahane garbhavāse'tisaṅkaṭe | na karoti matiṃ vidvānkathaṃ kuryātsa cakrabhṛt || 48 || kausalyādevakīgarbhe viṣṭhāmalasamākule | svecchayā pravadantyaddhā gato hi madhusūdanaḥ || 49 || vaikuṇṭhasadanaṃ tyaktvā garbhavāse sukhaṃ nu kim | cintākoṭisamutthāne duḥkhade viṣasammite || 50 || tapastaptvā kratūnkṛtvā dattvā dānānyanekaśaḥ | na vāñchanti yato lokā garbhavāsaṃ suduḥkhadam || 51 || sa kathaṃ bhagavānviṣṇuḥ svavaśaścejjanārdanaḥ | garbhavāsarucirbhūyādbhavetsvavaśatā yadi || 52 || jānīhi tvaṃ mahārāja yogamāyāvaśe jagat | brahmādistambaparyantaṃ devamānuṣatiryagam || 53 || māyātantrīnibaddhā ye brahmaviṣṇuharādayaḥ | bhramanti bandhamāyānti līlayā corṇanābhavat || 54 ||
English translation
1-5. The Risis said “The great legendary story, the life of S’ri Krisna, supremely divine, destructive of all sins, has been narrated by you, O Suta! But, O Blessed One! You, though highly intelligent, have dwelt on it not at a great length; hence many doubts are cropping up in our minds. A very difficult tapasya was performed by Vasudeva the part incarnate of Visnu, who had to go to forest to worship S’iva. Next, it has been known that the Devi Parvati, the part incarnate of the Great Mother, the Mother of the universe, the Supreme, and Perfect offered boons to S’ri Krisna. How did it then come to pass that S’ri Krisna, being himself the God, had to worship Parvati and Mahadeva? Is it that S’ri Krisna was inferior to Mahadeva and Parvati? This is our doubt.”
6-7. Suta spoke “Hear then, the reasons, O noble Risis! that I heard from Vyasa; I will now sing before you those meritorious deeds S’ri Krisna.” The son of Pariksit, the intelligent Janamejaya had also the same doubts that you now have, when he heard the story before from Vyasa; and he asked the same questions that you now ask.”
8-11. Janamejaya said “O son of Bhagavati! I have heard from you much about the Supreme Goddess, the Highest Cause; still the doubts are not leaving me. O Fortunate One! Krisna the Deva of the Devas, the Visnu incarnate, worshipped Sambhu and had to perform dire penances; this is my great wonder! He is the soul of all the JTvas, the One Ruler and Lord of this world and He is able to confer all the Siddhis; how is it, then, that the Lord Hah had to perform very difficult asceticism like an ordinary mortal. He who is able to create
this universe, moving and non-moving, He who is able to preserve and destroy it, why did He practise such a terrible penance.”
12-54. Vyasa said “True it has been said by you that Vasudeva the Janardana, is the destroyer of the Daityas and He is able to create and preserve the Devas and do all other acts for them. But the Great Lord assumed a human body; therefore he had to perform his duties like a man and observe the Varna and As'rama Dharmas pertaining to human beings. Respecting the elderly persons, worshipping the spiritual teachers, doing service to the Brahmanas, adoring and propitiating the Devas, feeling sorrow at times of sorrow, feeling pleasure at times of happiness, feeling dejection or expressing censure or scandal, or having sexual intercourse with women, in other words, to feel lust, anger, greediness and other passions when their proper time arises. All these are natural to all human beings; how can, then, S’ri Krisna though intrinsically of pure qualities, become Nirguna (devoid of human qualities) when he assumed a human body which is Saguna, i.e., with qualities. O Ruler of men! The extinction of the Yadava race by the curse of Gandhari, the daughter of Subala, and the curse of a Brahmin, Krisna's leaving his human coil, the stealing away of his wives, the robbing of their wealth on the way by the dacoits of the Avira tribe, Arjuna's becoming powerless to hurl any weapons on those dacoits, Krisna's not knowing anything about the stealing away of Pradyumna and Aniruddha from his Dvarka palace, these all correspond verily to exertions and failings appropriate to human bodies. Again the Risi Narayana is the part incarnate of Visnu, and Vasudeva is the part incarnate of the Risi Narayana; hence what wonder is there, if Vasudeva be seen to adore and propitiate S’iva? S’iva is the God of gods; and He is the Lord of all the causal bodies that exist; in the state of Susupti (deep sleep). In this respect, S’iva is the creator of Visnu and Visnu worships Him in this light. Rama, Krisna and others are all part incarnations of Visnu; so there is no wonder if they worship S’iva. The letter A is Bhagvan Brahma; the letter “U” is
Bhagvan Hari; the letter “M” is Bhagvan Rudra and the half letter m is MahesVari, the Supreme Mother of the universe. The sages, therefore, consider Visnu superior to Brahma; they again consider Rudra superior to Visnu and MahesVari (Turiya State) again superior to Rudra. The speciality of the half letter is that it can never be uttered; it is the symbol of the Eternal Devi. In all the S'astras, therefore, the superiority of the Devi is established. Visnu is superior to Brahma; Rudra is superior to Visnu. Therefore no doubt can arise in Krisna's worshipping S’iva. It is through the will of S’iva that a second Rudra originated from the forehead of Brahma to offer boons to him (i. e., to Brahma). This second Rudra is venerable and entitled to all worship; what to speak of the First Rudra? O King! It is through the proximity of the Devi that the importance and superiority of S’iva is thus established. Thus the incarnations of Hari arise in yugas after yugas through the intervention of the Yoga Maya; so there is no need to discuss on this point. Why to Achyuta alone, to Brahma and S’iva also She gives troubles for getting involved into incarnations. She the Yoga Maya who is indirectly, with the twinklings of Her eyes, creating, preserving and destroying this universe. It is the Yoga Maya that caused Krisna to be transferred from his lying-in chamber to the village Vraja and then protected him in the house of the cowherd Nanda; afterwards took him to Mathura for the destruction of Kamsa, whence he was led again out of Jarasandha's fear to the city Dvarka. It is She that created from Her Ownself the eight Naikas (the leading mistresses) and also sixteen thousand and fifty women for the pleasure and enjoyment of Krisna Bhagwan, the incarnation of Ananta (Visnu Bhagavan); thus Krisna Bhagavan was made completely subservient to them just like a perfect slave. When a young woman, though she is alone, can bind a man down by the network of Maya, like strong iron chain, what wonder is there that the sixteen thousand and fifty women would make Krisna play in their hands like a S’uka bird and make him an instrument to serve any purpose that they liked. S’ri Krisna got himself so much under the control of Satyabhama that He went gladly under her commands to Indra's heavens to get the Parijata flowers. There he had to fight with Indra and subsequently stole away the Parijata tree and gave it to
Satyabhama as a very valuable ornament to be kept in her room. Behold! The same Krisna, by His own prowess, defeated S’is'upala and others for the preservation of religion and then stole away Rukmini, the daughter of Bhima and afterwards married her as his legal wife; where is the rule, then observed that it is a sin to take away another's wife? Thus all embodied beings get themselves subdued by Ahamkara and do acts, good or bad, confounded and deluded by the network of Moha that always drags one down below. From the Mula Prakrit! are born Brahma, Visnu, and Hara and from the Tamasic Ahamkara of Prakrit! is created this whole cosmos, moving and non-moving. The lotus-born Brahma becomes free when he is free from Ahamkara; otherwise He becomes engaged in this world affairs. When freed from this Ahamkara, all the Jivas become free; and their houses, wealth, wives, sons and brothers are quite powerless to tie them down; but when bound by Ahamkara, the Jivas come under their control. O king! This Ahamkara is the cause bondage to all the beings; “I am the doer, this work is done by my power; or this I will do myself” thinking thus, the embodied beings fall themselves under this bondage. An earthen pot cannot be made without earth; no effects can be visible without a cause; consequently Visnu is preserving this universe, because of this Ahamkara (imposed on him by Prakrit!). The human beings are always drowned in their cares and anxieties simply because they are bound by this Ahamkara; when they become free from this Ahamkara, their cares and anxieties at once vanish. Moha (delusion) comes out of Ahamkara; world and the enjoyments thereof come out of Moha; otherwise how can it be accounted for, that Hari and others, the mine of all good and auspiciousness, take their several incarnations in various wombs? Neither Moha nor this world comes to those that are bereft of Ahamkara. Men are of three kinds, Sattvic, Rajasic, and Tamasic; O king! Brahma, Visnu and S'iva are sprung respectively from the Rajasic, Sattvic, and Tamasic Ahamkaras. In these three, the three Ahamkaras are always to be found, so the Munis, that have realised the Real Essence, declare. They are all bound by this Ahamkara; there is no doubt in this. The Pundits of dull intellect, and deluded by Maya declare that Visnu takes various
incarnations out of his own free will; for when it is seen that men of even inferior intellects do not entertain any desire to enter into the wombs, painful and terrible; how will Visnu, then, the Holder of the discus, like to come into this womb! The slayer of Madhu, the Vaisnavas say, entered all at once into the wombs of Kaus'alya and Devaki, full of faeces and other dirty things, of His own free will. But you must think out what happiness can Madhusudana, quitting his Vaikuntha Heavens, attain in this womb, full of so many troubles, and where arise, like poisons, hundreds of cares and thoughts to torment an individual! Especially when it is seen that human beings perform asceticism, sacrifice Yajhas and do various charities, that they would avoid thus entering in wombs, which is very painful and terrible. How can Bhagavan Visnu be called independent? If so. He would never have yielded to enter into various wombs. Therefore, O king! Know this that this whole universe is under the control of Yoga Maya; the Devas, men, birds, what more everything from Brahma down to a blade of grass are all under the control of Yoga Maya. Brahma, Visnu and Hara all are bound by the rope of Her Maya. So they roam easily by Her Maya from womb to womb like a spider.
Here ends the First Chapter of the Fifth Book on the superiority of Rudra over Visnu in the Maha Puranam of S'rimad Devi Bhagavatam by Maharsi Veda Vyasa, consisting of eighteen thousand verses.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 24400, revision 74833 (2016-07-21T14:37:10Z). English is Swami Vijñanananda’s complete 1921–23 public-domain translation, controlled against the archival OCR and its chapter page at https://sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk05ch01.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.