First Skandha · Chapter 15
Sourceनाहं गृहं करिष्यामि दुःखदं सर्वदा पितः । वागुरासदृशं नित्यं बन्धनं सर्वदेहिनाम् ॥ १ ॥ धनचिन्तातुराणां हि क्व सुखं तात दृश्यते । स्वजनैः खलु पीड्यन्ते निर्धना लोलुपा जनाः ॥ २ ॥ इन्द्रोऽपि न सुखी तादृग्यादृशो भिक्षुनिःस्पृहः । कोऽन्यः स्यादिह संसारे त्रिलोकीविभवे सति ॥ ३ ॥ तपन्तं तापसं दृष्ट्वा मघवा दुःखितोऽभवत् । विघ्नान्बहुविधानस्य करोति च दिवस्पतिः ॥ ४ ॥ ब्रह्मापि न सुखी विष्णुर्लक्ष्मीं प्राप्य मनोरमाम् । खेदं प्राप्नोति सततं संग्रामैरसुरैः सह ॥ ५ ॥ करोति विपुलान्यत्नांस्तपश्चरति दुश्चरम् । रमापतिरपि श्रीमान्कस्यास्ति विपुलं सुखम् ॥ ६ ॥ शङ्करोऽपि सदा दुःखी भवत्येव च वेद्म्यहम् । तपश्चर्यां प्रकुर्वाणो दैत्ययुद्धकरः सदा ॥ ७ ॥ कदाचिन्न सुखी शेते धनवानपि लोलुपः । निर्धनस्तु कथं तात सुखं प्राप्नोति मानवः ॥ ८ ॥ जानन्नपि महाभाग पुत्रं वा वीर्यसम्भवम् । नियोक्ष्यसि महाघोरे संसारे दुःखदे सदा ॥ ९ ॥ जन्मदुःखं जरादुःखं दुःखं च मरणे तथा । गर्भवासे पुनर्दुःखं विष्ठामूत्रमये पितः ॥ १० ॥ तस्मादतिशयं दुःखं तृष्णालोभसमुद्भवम् । याञ्चायां परमं दुःखं मरणादपि मानद ॥ ११ ॥ प्रतिग्रहधना विप्रा न बुद्धिबलजीवनाः । पराशा परमं दुःखं मरणं च दिने दिने ॥ १२ ॥ पठित्वा सकलान् वेदाञ्छास्त्राणि च समन्ततः । गत्वा च धनिनां कार्या स्तुतिः सर्वात्मना बुधैः ॥ १३ ॥ एकोदरस्य का चिन्ता पत्रमूलफलादिभिः । येनकेनाप्युपायेन सन्तुष्ट्या च प्रपूर्यते ॥ १४ ॥ भार्या पुत्रास्तथा पौत्राः कुटुम्बे विपुले सति । पूरणार्थं महद्दुःखं क्व सुखं पितरद्भुतम् ॥ १५ ॥ योगशास्त्रं वद मम ज्ञानशास्त्रं सुखाकरम् । कर्मकाण्डेऽखिले तात न रमेऽहं कदाचन ॥ १६ ॥ वद कर्मक्षयोपायं प्रारब्धं सञ्चितं तथा । वर्तमानं यथा नश्येत् त्रिविधं कर्ममूलजम् ॥ १७ ॥ जलूकेव सदा नारी रुधिरं पिबतीति वै । मूर्खस्तु न विजानाति मोहितो भावचेष्टितैः ॥ १८ ॥ भोगैर्वीर्यं धनं पूर्णं मनः कुटिलभाषणैः । कान्ता हरति सर्वस्वं कः स्तेनस्तादृशोऽपरः ॥ १९ ॥ निद्रासुखविनाशार्थं मूर्खस्तु दारसंग्रहम् । करोति वञ्चितो धात्रा दुःखाय न सुखाय च ॥ २० ॥ सूत उवाच एवंविधानि वाक्यानि श्रुत्वा व्यासः शुकस्य च । सम्प्राप महतीं चिन्तां किं करोमीत्यसंशयम् ॥ २१ ॥ तस्य सुस्रुवुरश्रूणि लोचनादुःखजानि च । वेपथुश्च शरीरेऽभूद्ग्लानिं प्राप मनस्तथा ॥ २२ ॥ शोचन्तं पितरं दृष्ट्वा दीनं शोकपरिप्लुतम् । उवाच पितरं व्यासं विस्मयोत्फुल्ललोचनः ॥ २३ ॥ अहो मायाबलं चोग्रं यन्मोहयति पण्डितम् । वेदान्तस्य च कर्तारं सर्वज्ञं वेदसम्मितम् ॥ २४ ॥ न जाने का च सा माया किंस्वित्सातीव दुष्करा । या मोहयति विद्वांसं व्यासं सत्यवतीसुतम् ॥ २५ ॥ पुराणानां च वक्ता च निर्माता भारतस्य च । विभागकर्ता वेदानां सोऽपि मोहमुपागतः ॥ २६ ॥ तां यामि शरणं देवीं या मोहयति वै जगत् । ब्रह्मविष्णुहरादींश्च कथान्येषां च कीदृशी ॥ २७ ॥ कोऽप्यस्ति त्रिषु लोकेषु यो न मुह्यति मायया । यन्मोहं गमिताः पूर्वे ब्रह्मविष्णुहरादयः ॥ २८ ॥ अहो बलमहो वीर्यं देव्या खलु विनिर्मितम् । माययैव वशं नीतः सर्वज्ञ ईश्वरः प्रभुः ॥ २९ ॥ विष्ण्वंशसम्भवो व्यास इति पौराणिका जगुः । सोऽपि मोहार्णवे मग्नो भग्नपोतो वणिग्यथा ॥ ३० ॥ अश्रुपातं करोत्यद्य विवशः प्राकृतो यथा । अहो मायाबलं चैतद्दुस्त्यजं पण्डितैरपि ॥ ३१ ॥ कोऽयं कोऽहं कथं चेह कीदृशोऽयं भ्रमः किल । पञ्चभूतात्मके देहे पितापुत्रेति वासना ॥ ३२ ॥ बलिष्ठा खलु मायेयं मायिनामपि मोहिनी । ययाभिभूतः कृष्णोऽपि करोति रोदनं द्विजः ॥ ३३ ॥ सूत उवाच तां नत्वा मनसा देवीं सर्वकारणकारणाम् । जननीं सर्वदेवानां ब्रह्मादीनां तथेश्वरीम् ॥ ३४ ॥ पितरं प्राह दीनं तं शोकार्णवपरिप्लुतम् । अरणीसम्भवो व्यासं हेतुमद्वचनं शुभम् ॥ ३५ ॥ पाराशर्य महाभाग सर्वेषां बोधदः स्वयम् । किं शोकं कुरुषे स्वामिन्यथाज्ञः प्राकृतो नरः ॥ ३६ ॥ अद्याहं तव पुत्रोऽस्मि न जाने पूर्वजन्मनि । कोऽहं कस्त्वं महाभाग विभ्रमोऽयं महात्मनि ॥ ३७ ॥ कुरु धैर्यं प्रबुध्यस्व मा विषादे मनः कृथाः । मोहजालमिमं मत्वा मुञ्च शोकं महामते ॥ ३८ ॥ क्षुधानिवृत्तिर्भक्ष्येण न पुत्रदर्शनेन च । पिपासा जलपानेन याति नैवात्मजेक्षणात् ॥ ३९ ॥ घ्राणं सुखं सुगन्धेन कर्णजं श्रवणेन च । स्त्रीसुखं तु स्त्रिया नूनं पुत्रोऽहं किं करोमि ते ॥ ४० ॥ अजीगर्तेन पुत्रोऽपि हरिश्चन्द्राय भूभुजे । पशुकामाय यज्ञार्थे दत्तो मौल्येन सर्वथा ॥ ४१ ॥ सुखानां साधनं द्रव्यं धनात्सुखसमुच्चयः । धनमर्जय लोभश्चेत्पुत्रोऽहं किं करोम्यहम् ॥ ४२ ॥ मां प्रबोधय बुद्ध्या त्वं दैवज्ञोऽसि महामते । यथा मुच्येयमत्यन्तं गर्भवासभयान्मुने ॥ ४३ ॥ दुर्लभं मानुषं जन्म कर्मभूमाविहानघ । तत्रापि ब्राह्मणत्वं वै दुर्लभं चोत्तमे कुले ॥ ४४ ॥ बद्धोऽहमिति मे बुद्धिर्नापसर्पति चित्ततः । संसारवासनाजाले निविष्टा वृद्धिगामिनी ॥ ४५ ॥ सूत उवाच इत्युक्तस्तु तदा व्यासः पुत्रेणामितबुद्धिना । प्रत्युवाच शुकं शान्तं चतुर्थाश्रममानसम् ॥ ४६ ॥ व्यास उवाच पठ पुत्र महाभाग मया भागवतं कृतम् । शुभं न चातिविस्तीर्णं पुराणं ब्रह्मसम्मितम् ॥ ४७ ॥ स्कन्धा द्वादश तत्रैव पञ्चलक्षणसंयुतम् । सर्वेषां च पुराणानां भूषणं मम सम्मतम् ॥ ४८ ॥ सदसज्ज्ञानविज्ञानं श्रुतमात्रेण जायते । येन भागवतेनेह तत्पठ त्वं महामते ॥ ४९ ॥ वटपत्रशयानाय विष्णवे बालरूपिणे । केनास्मि बालभावेन निर्मितोऽहं चिदात्मना ॥ ५० ॥ किमर्थं केन द्रव्येण कथं जानामि चाखिलम् । इत्येवं चिन्त्यमानाय मुकुन्दाय महात्मने ॥ ५१ ॥ श्लोकार्धेन तया प्रोक्तं भगवत्याखिलार्थदम् । सर्वं खल्विदमेवाहं नान्यदस्ति सनातनम् ॥ ५२ ॥ तद्वचो विष्णुना पूर्वं संविज्ञातं मनस्यपि । केनोक्ता वागियं सत्या चिन्तयामास चेतसा ॥ ५३ ॥ कथं वेद्मि प्रवक्तारं स्त्रीपुंसौ वा नपुंसकम् । इति चिन्ताप्रपन्नेन धृतं भागवतं हृदि ॥ ५४ ॥ पुनः पुनः कृतोच्चारस्तस्मिनेवास्तचेतसा । वटपत्रे शयानः सन्नभूच्चिन्तासमन्वितः ॥ ५५ ॥ तदा शान्ता भगवती प्रादुरास चतुर्भुजा । शङ्खचक्रगदापद्मवरायुधधरा शिवा ॥ ५६ ॥ दिव्याम्बरधरा देवी दिव्यभूषणभूषिता । संयुता सदृशीभिश्च सखीभिः स्वविभूतिभिः ॥ ५७ ॥ प्रादुर्बभूव तस्याग्रे विष्णोरमिततेजसः । मन्दहास्यं प्रयुञ्जाना महालक्ष्मीः शुभानना ॥ ५८ ॥ सूत उवाच तां तथा संस्थितां दृष्ट्वा हृदये कमलेक्षणः । विस्मितः सलिले तस्मिन्निराधारा मनोरमाम् ॥ ५९ ॥ रतिर्भूतिस्तथा बुद्धिर्मतिः कीर्तिः स्मृतिर्धृतिः । श्रद्धा मेधा स्वधा स्वाहा क्षुधा निद्रा दया गतिः ॥ ६० ॥ तुष्टिः पुष्टिः क्षमा लज्जा जृम्भा तन्द्रा च शक्तयः । संस्थिताः सर्वतः पार्श्वे महादेव्याः पृथक्पृथक् ॥ ६१ ॥ वरायुधधराः सर्वा नानाभूषणभूषिताः । मन्दारमालाकुलिता मुक्ताहारविराजिताः ॥ ६२ ॥ तां दृष्ट्वा ताश्च संवीक्ष्य तस्मिन्नेकार्णवे जले । विस्मयाविष्टहृदयः सम्बभूव जनार्दनः ॥ ६३ ॥ चिन्तयामास सर्वात्मा दृष्टमायोऽतिविस्मितः । कुतो भूताः स्त्रियः सर्वाः कुतोऽहं वटतल्पगः ॥ ६४ ॥ अस्मिन्नेकार्णवे घोरे न्यग्रोधः कथमुत्थितः । केनाहं स्थापितोऽस्म्यत्र शिशुं कृत्वा शुभाकृतिम् ॥ ६५ ॥ ममेयं जननी नो वा माया वा कापि दुर्घटा । दर्शनं केनचित्त्वद्य दत्तं वा केन हेतुना ॥ ६६ ॥ किं मया चात्र वक्तव्यं गन्तव्यं वा न वा क्वचित् । मौनमास्थाय तिष्ठेयं बालभावादतन्द्रितः ॥ ६७ ॥
nāhaṃ gṛhaṃ kariṣyāmi duḥkhadaṃ sarvadā pitaḥ | vāgurāsadṛśaṃ nityaṃ bandhanaṃ sarvadehinām || 1 || dhanacintāturāṇāṃ hi kva sukhaṃ tāta dṛśyate | svajanaiḥ khalu pīḍyante nirdhanā lolupā janāḥ || 2 || indro'pi na sukhī tādṛgyādṛśo bhikṣuniḥspṛhaḥ | ko'nyaḥ syādiha saṃsāre trilokīvibhave sati || 3 || tapantaṃ tāpasaṃ dṛṣṭvā maghavā duḥkhito'bhavat | vighnānbahuvidhānasya karoti ca divaspatiḥ || 4 || brahmāpi na sukhī viṣṇurlakṣmīṃ prāpya manoramām | khedaṃ prāpnoti satataṃ saṃgrāmairasuraiḥ saha || 5 || karoti vipulānyatnāṃstapaścarati duścaram | ramāpatirapi śrīmānkasyāsti vipulaṃ sukham || 6 || śaṅkaro'pi sadā duḥkhī bhavatyeva ca vedmyaham | tapaścaryāṃ prakurvāṇo daityayuddhakaraḥ sadā || 7 || kadācinna sukhī śete dhanavānapi lolupaḥ | nirdhanastu kathaṃ tāta sukhaṃ prāpnoti mānavaḥ || 8 || jānannapi mahābhāga putraṃ vā vīryasambhavam | niyokṣyasi mahāghore saṃsāre duḥkhade sadā || 9 || janmaduḥkhaṃ jarāduḥkhaṃ duḥkhaṃ ca maraṇe tathā | garbhavāse punarduḥkhaṃ viṣṭhāmūtramaye pitaḥ || 10 || tasmādatiśayaṃ duḥkhaṃ tṛṣṇālobhasamudbhavam | yāñcāyāṃ paramaṃ duḥkhaṃ maraṇādapi mānada || 11 || pratigrahadhanā viprā na buddhibalajīvanāḥ | parāśā paramaṃ duḥkhaṃ maraṇaṃ ca dine dine || 12 || paṭhitvā sakalān vedāñchāstrāṇi ca samantataḥ | gatvā ca dhanināṃ kāryā stutiḥ sarvātmanā budhaiḥ || 13 || ekodarasya kā cintā patramūlaphalādibhiḥ | yenakenāpyupāyena santuṣṭyā ca prapūryate || 14 || bhāryā putrāstathā pautrāḥ kuṭumbe vipule sati | pūraṇārthaṃ mahadduḥkhaṃ kva sukhaṃ pitaradbhutam || 15 || yogaśāstraṃ vada mama jñānaśāstraṃ sukhākaram | karmakāṇḍe'khile tāta na rame'haṃ kadācana || 16 || vada karmakṣayopāyaṃ prārabdhaṃ sañcitaṃ tathā | vartamānaṃ yathā naśyet trividhaṃ karmamūlajam || 17 || jalūkeva sadā nārī rudhiraṃ pibatīti vai | mūrkhastu na vijānāti mohito bhāvaceṣṭitaiḥ || 18 || bhogairvīryaṃ dhanaṃ pūrṇaṃ manaḥ kuṭilabhāṣaṇaiḥ | kāntā harati sarvasvaṃ kaḥ stenastādṛśo'paraḥ || 19 || nidrāsukhavināśārthaṃ mūrkhastu dārasaṃgraham | karoti vañcito dhātrā duḥkhāya na sukhāya ca || 20 || sūta uvāca evaṃvidhāni vākyāni śrutvā vyāsaḥ śukasya ca | samprāpa mahatīṃ cintāṃ kiṃ karomītyasaṃśayam || 21 || tasya susruvuraśrūṇi locanāduḥkhajāni ca | vepathuśca śarīre'bhūdglāniṃ prāpa manastathā || 22 || śocantaṃ pitaraṃ dṛṣṭvā dīnaṃ śokapariplutam | uvāca pitaraṃ vyāsaṃ vismayotphullalocanaḥ || 23 || aho māyābalaṃ cograṃ yanmohayati paṇḍitam | vedāntasya ca kartāraṃ sarvajñaṃ vedasammitam || 24 || na jāne kā ca sā māyā kiṃsvitsātīva duṣkarā | yā mohayati vidvāṃsaṃ vyāsaṃ satyavatīsutam || 25 || purāṇānāṃ ca vaktā ca nirmātā bhāratasya ca | vibhāgakartā vedānāṃ so'pi mohamupāgataḥ || 26 || tāṃ yāmi śaraṇaṃ devīṃ yā mohayati vai jagat | brahmaviṣṇuharādīṃśca kathānyeṣāṃ ca kīdṛśī || 27 || ko'pyasti triṣu lokeṣu yo na muhyati māyayā | yanmohaṃ gamitāḥ pūrve brahmaviṣṇuharādayaḥ || 28 || aho balamaho vīryaṃ devyā khalu vinirmitam | māyayaiva vaśaṃ nītaḥ sarvajña īśvaraḥ prabhuḥ || 29 || viṣṇvaṃśasambhavo vyāsa iti paurāṇikā jaguḥ | so'pi mohārṇave magno bhagnapoto vaṇigyathā || 30 || aśrupātaṃ karotyadya vivaśaḥ prākṛto yathā | aho māyābalaṃ caitaddustyajaṃ paṇḍitairapi || 31 || ko'yaṃ ko'haṃ kathaṃ ceha kīdṛśo'yaṃ bhramaḥ kila | pañcabhūtātmake dehe pitāputreti vāsanā || 32 || baliṣṭhā khalu māyeyaṃ māyināmapi mohinī | yayābhibhūtaḥ kṛṣṇo'pi karoti rodanaṃ dvijaḥ || 33 || sūta uvāca tāṃ natvā manasā devīṃ sarvakāraṇakāraṇām | jananīṃ sarvadevānāṃ brahmādīnāṃ tatheśvarīm || 34 || pitaraṃ prāha dīnaṃ taṃ śokārṇavapariplutam | araṇīsambhavo vyāsaṃ hetumadvacanaṃ śubham || 35 || pārāśarya mahābhāga sarveṣāṃ bodhadaḥ svayam | kiṃ śokaṃ kuruṣe svāminyathājñaḥ prākṛto naraḥ || 36 || adyāhaṃ tava putro'smi na jāne pūrvajanmani | ko'haṃ kastvaṃ mahābhāga vibhramo'yaṃ mahātmani || 37 || kuru dhairyaṃ prabudhyasva mā viṣāde manaḥ kṛthāḥ | mohajālamimaṃ matvā muñca śokaṃ mahāmate || 38 || kṣudhānivṛttirbhakṣyeṇa na putradarśanena ca | pipāsā jalapānena yāti naivātmajekṣaṇāt || 39 || ghrāṇaṃ sukhaṃ sugandhena karṇajaṃ śravaṇena ca | strīsukhaṃ tu striyā nūnaṃ putro'haṃ kiṃ karomi te || 40 || ajīgartena putro'pi hariścandrāya bhūbhuje | paśukāmāya yajñārthe datto maulyena sarvathā || 41 || sukhānāṃ sādhanaṃ dravyaṃ dhanātsukhasamuccayaḥ | dhanamarjaya lobhaścetputro'haṃ kiṃ karomyaham || 42 || māṃ prabodhaya buddhyā tvaṃ daivajño'si mahāmate | yathā mucyeyamatyantaṃ garbhavāsabhayānmune || 43 || durlabhaṃ mānuṣaṃ janma karmabhūmāvihānagha | tatrāpi brāhmaṇatvaṃ vai durlabhaṃ cottame kule || 44 || baddho'hamiti me buddhirnāpasarpati cittataḥ | saṃsāravāsanājāle niviṣṭā vṛddhigāminī || 45 || sūta uvāca ityuktastu tadā vyāsaḥ putreṇāmitabuddhinā | pratyuvāca śukaṃ śāntaṃ caturthāśramamānasam || 46 || vyāsa uvāca paṭha putra mahābhāga mayā bhāgavataṃ kṛtam | śubhaṃ na cātivistīrṇaṃ purāṇaṃ brahmasammitam || 47 || skandhā dvādaśa tatraiva pañcalakṣaṇasaṃyutam | sarveṣāṃ ca purāṇānāṃ bhūṣaṇaṃ mama sammatam || 48 || sadasajjñānavijñānaṃ śrutamātreṇa jāyate | yena bhāgavateneha tatpaṭha tvaṃ mahāmate || 49 || vaṭapatraśayānāya viṣṇave bālarūpiṇe | kenāsmi bālabhāvena nirmito'haṃ cidātmanā || 50 || kimarthaṃ kena dravyeṇa kathaṃ jānāmi cākhilam | ityevaṃ cintyamānāya mukundāya mahātmane || 51 || ślokārdhena tayā proktaṃ bhagavatyākhilārthadam | sarvaṃ khalvidamevāhaṃ nānyadasti sanātanam || 52 || tadvaco viṣṇunā pūrvaṃ saṃvijñātaṃ manasyapi | kenoktā vāgiyaṃ satyā cintayāmāsa cetasā || 53 || kathaṃ vedmi pravaktāraṃ strīpuṃsau vā napuṃsakam | iti cintāprapannena dhṛtaṃ bhāgavataṃ hṛdi || 54 || punaḥ punaḥ kṛtoccārastasminevāstacetasā | vaṭapatre śayānaḥ sannabhūccintāsamanvitaḥ || 55 || tadā śāntā bhagavatī prādurāsa caturbhujā | śaṅkhacakragadāpadmavarāyudhadharā śivā || 56 || divyāmbaradharā devī divyabhūṣaṇabhūṣitā | saṃyutā sadṛśībhiśca sakhībhiḥ svavibhūtibhiḥ || 57 || prādurbabhūva tasyāgre viṣṇoramitatejasaḥ | mandahāsyaṃ prayuñjānā mahālakṣmīḥ śubhānanā || 58 || sūta uvāca tāṃ tathā saṃsthitāṃ dṛṣṭvā hṛdaye kamalekṣaṇaḥ | vismitaḥ salile tasminnirādhārā manoramām || 59 || ratirbhūtistathā buddhirmatiḥ kīrtiḥ smṛtirdhṛtiḥ | śraddhā medhā svadhā svāhā kṣudhā nidrā dayā gatiḥ || 60 || tuṣṭiḥ puṣṭiḥ kṣamā lajjā jṛmbhā tandrā ca śaktayaḥ | saṃsthitāḥ sarvataḥ pārśve mahādevyāḥ pṛthakpṛthak || 61 || varāyudhadharāḥ sarvā nānābhūṣaṇabhūṣitāḥ | mandāramālākulitā muktāhāravirājitāḥ || 62 || tāṃ dṛṣṭvā tāśca saṃvīkṣya tasminnekārṇave jale | vismayāviṣṭahṛdayaḥ sambabhūva janārdanaḥ || 63 || cintayāmāsa sarvātmā dṛṣṭamāyo'tivismitaḥ | kuto bhūtāḥ striyaḥ sarvāḥ kuto'haṃ vaṭatalpagaḥ || 64 || asminnekārṇave ghore nyagrodhaḥ kathamutthitaḥ | kenāhaṃ sthāpito'smyatra śiśuṃ kṛtvā śubhākṛtim || 65 || mameyaṃ jananī no vā māyā vā kāpi durghaṭā | darśanaṃ kenacittvadya dattaṃ vā kena hetunā || 66 || kiṃ mayā cātra vaktavyaṃ gantavyaṃ vā na vā kvacit | maunamāsthāya tiṣṭheyaṃ bālabhāvādatandritaḥ || 67 ||
English translation
1-67. Hearing these words of Vyasa Deva S’uka Deva said O Father! I do not like at all to take to a householder's life; as I see clearly that it fastens men, as a cord fastens animals, and is a source of incessant pain. O Father! Where can you expect happiness from a householder who is always loaded with anxiety how and whence to get wealth? Those, who have greed for wealth, oppress their poor relatives, even; and extort money. Even one who is the lord of the three worlds, who is their Indra, he also is not so happy as a beggar, that has no desires. See, then, who else can be happy in this world? Whenever an ascetic is seen to practise severe asceticism, Indra, the lord of the Devas becomes anxious and sorry, and raises various obstacles in his way. See also that Brahma is not happy with his big samsara (his creation which is his house). Bhagavan Visnu, though He has got His beautiful Kamala, the presiding Deity of all wealth and prosperity, is always suffering, since He is incessantly engaged in fighting with the Asuras; and though He is the husband of Laksmi and full of prosperity. He practises, almost, every now and then, terrible asceticism with great care and earnestness. So who else is there, who is possessed of constant happiness? I know also Bhagavan S'ankara, too, suffers incessant troubles and has to fight against the Daityas. So, then, O Father: how can a poor householder be happy when the rich householder cannot sleep happily, with his constant care for wealth. O highly fortunate one! Knowing full well this truth of the world, why are you plunging me, your son, in this terrible Samsara, full of pains and agonies.
O Father! What shall I say to you about the miseries of the world! There is pain in birth, pain in old age, pain in death, and pain in the life in the womb full of urines and faeces; but the pain, arising from desire and greed, is more terrible than all the pains mentioned
above; and then, the pains experienced while asking for them are greater than the pangs of death. Alas! There is no other way for the Brahmans to earn their livelihood than to accept gifts from others. Therefore the Brahmans have to suffer daily death-like pangs in having to wait in expectation from others; can there be anything more regrettable than this? The Brahmanas, studying all the Vedas and Dharma S'astras and acquiring wisdom, have got at last to go to the rich and praise them (in expectation of some money) carefully. O Father! if one does not become a householder, then what care is there to feed one's own belly? If there be contentment in the mind, any how the belly can be filled with leaves, roots and fruits; but if there be wife, sons and grandsons and many dependent relatives, then to feed them all, much trouble and anxiety are experienced. So how can you expect, O Father! perfect happiness in the world? So teach me, O Father! the S’astras on Yoga and eternal truth that will give perfect happiness; no advice in karma kanda (the series of actions) will bring me pleasure. Now advise me how the karmas can be exhausted; how the root of the three sorts of karmas, Sanchita, Prarabdha, and Vartamana, giving torments of birth, death, etc., the Avidya, the great ignorance, can be destroyed? The fools do not understand how the women suck the blood out of persons like leeches, for they get themselves deluded by their gestures and postures! The lady of the house, whom the people call kanta, the beautiful one, steal away the semen virile, the strength and energy in the way of giving them happiness as sexual intercourse, and their minds and wealth and everything by their crooked love conversations; so see what greater thief can there be than a woman? In my opinion, those that are ignorant are certainly deluded by the Creator; they accept wife to destroy their own pleasure of happiness. They can never understand that the women can never be the source of pleasure; they are the source of all miseries. Hearing these words of S’uka, Vyasa became merged in the deep sea of cares and anxieties, thinking what to do then. The incessant tears of pain flowed from his eyes; his whole body began to shiver and his mind became too much worried.
Seeing this distressed and sorrowful state of his father, S'ukdeva, with eyes full of wonder, said Oh! What a power has Maya got?
Oh! He, whose words are accepted by all, with great love and care as equivalent to the Vedas, who is the author of the Vedanta Dars'ana, and before whom nothing is veiled in ignorance. Oh! that greatest Pundit, the knower of all the Tattvas, is now deluded by Maya? Oh! what is that Maya who has been able to delude Vyasa Deva, the son of Satyavati, so skilled in the knowledge of Brahma Vidya; I also do not know how, with what great care, one is to practise Sadhana towards Her.
Alas! He who has composed eighteen Maha Puranas and the great Maha Bharata, who has divided the Vedas in four parts, the same Veda Vyas has today been deluded by the power of Maya! What to speak of other persons! Oh! Maya has deluded Brahma, Visnu, MahesVara and others and the whole universe; then who is there in the three worlds that is not fascinated by Her influence! I therefore, take refuge unto the Internal Governess, the Devi Maha Maya. Oh! what wonderful power She wields? By her own Mayic power. She has kept God even under Her control, who is omniscient and the Controller of all. The Pundits, who know the Puranas say, that Vyasa Deva is born of the part of Visnu; but, see the wonder, that he is today plunged in the sea of delusion like a merchant whose ship has been wrecked. Alas! How great is the wonderful power of Maya! The all-knowing Vyasa is today under the control of Maya and is weeping like an ordinary man! So I have come to the firm conclusion that the wise Pundits are incapable to surpass the strength of Maya. What a great error arises through the power of Maya! See! indeed!! who is he and who am I? What for we have come here? There is no certainty, nothing whatsoever, about that. And, see, also, how he has got the nice idea of “father” on his body and the idea of “his son” in my body, that are composed of five elements.
This is now quite evident to me that, when the Brahmin Maharsi Krisna Dvaipayan is weeping under the influence of Maya, She is the strongest of all; even those who are skilled in the great Maya fall under Her prey.
Then S’uka Deva bowed down mentally to the Devi, Maha Maya, who is the Creatrix of Brahma and the other Devas and who is the Controller of them all; and then began to speak the following auspicious words pregnant with reason, to his father Vyasa Deva, greatly distressed and plunged in the sea of sorrows “O Father! you are exceedingly fortunate, for you are the son of the high souled Paras'ara and you yourself are the instructor of real truth, the tattva jnana, to all persons; so, O Lord! why are you giving vent to sorrows, like an ordinary bewildered man? O Mahabhaga! why are you plunging yourself in this great error, though you are a high souled personage! See, it is quite true that now I am born as your son; but this I don't know what relation existed between you and me in my previous birth? So, O highly intelligent one! Open your eyes of wisdom, and be patient; do not throw yourself, in vain, in the sea of sorrows. All this universe is like a net of delusion; knowing this, abandon all your grief; why are you feeling yourself so much weak and distressed, for your attachment towards your son? Hunger is satisfied by eating something, and thirst is satisfied by the drinking of water; hunger is not satisfied by seeing the son. So the organ of scent is satisfied by smelling sweet scents; and the organ of hearing is satisfied by hearing sweet music; and when thirst arises to enjoy women, that is satisfied only by sexual intercourse; but what satisfaction can a son give? So what shall I do to you by remaining as your son? The son, in fact, is not the cause of any satisfaction to one's self. For this reason, in ancient days, the poor Brahmin Ajigarta gave his son to the king Harischandra, for necessary equivalent price in money, who wanted a man for his sacrifice where human beings are to be sacrificed as victims. In fact, those things that are urgently required as necessities give happiness; and all these articles can be obtained by wealth; so if you want to enjoy happiness, then earn money; of what use shall I be to you as your
son? O Muni! you can see subtle things and you are greatly intelligent; so I pray to you, to look upon me as your son and open my eyes of wisdom, that I can be free for ever from this womb of birth. O Sinless one! To get a human birth in this land of Karma (in India) is very difficult; again to get a Brahmin birth is extremely rare; so when I have got this so very rare birth, why shall I spend my time in vain? O Father! Though I have served many spiritual teachers, fraught with wisdom, for many years, yet the firm idea “I am, as it were, bound up in this net of Samsara” the notion covered with dark darkness of ignorance, caused by desires, this net of Samsara does not leave me.
When the son S’uka Deva of extraordinary power and intelligence spoke thus, Vyasa saw that his son was strongly inclined to take to the four As'ram, that of Sannyasa and spoke thus O Son! If your mind has become so, then read Bhagavat Purana, composed by me, highly auspicious, voluminous, and the second Vedas.
In this you have the chapters on Creation (Sarga) and secondary creation (upa sarga), etc., the five characteristics as in other Puranas and it is sub-divided into twelve Skandhas. Hearing of this Bhagavata brings up to the mind that Brahma alone is real and all the universe is unreal and knowledge both intuitive and indirect springs up. For this very reason, the Bhagavata treatise is considered as the ornament of the Puranas. Therefore, O highly intelligent one! you better study the Purana. O Child! In days of yore, at the end of a Kalpa, Bhagavan Hah was lying, as a small child on a floating leaf of a banyan tree, and was thinking thus “Who is the Intelligent One that has created me a small child? What is His object? Of what stuff am I made of? and how am I created? whence can I know all this?” At this moment the Devi Bhagavati Who is all chaitanya, seeing the high-souled Bhagavan Hah musing thus, spoke out in the form of a celestial voice in the following half-stanza:- - “All this that is seen is I Myself; there is existent nothing other that is eternal.” Bhagavan Visnu, then, began to think deeply the above celestial voice “Who has uttered this word, pregnant of truth, to
me? How shall I come to know the speaker, whether that is female, male or a hermaphrodite?” Pondering over this for a long time, when he could not come to a definite conclusion, he began to repeat (make japam) frequently that word of Bhagavati with a whole heart. When Hari, lying on a banyan tree leaf, became very anxious to know what the above words implied, then the all-auspicious Devi Bhagavati with a beautiful face, calm and quiet appearance, appeared before Bhagavan Visnu, of unrivalled splendour, in the form of Maha Laksmi, who is all of Sattva Guna, surrounded by Her Vibhutis, Her manifestations of attendents. Her smiling companions of the same age, decked with ornaments, and wearing divine clothings, and holding each in their four divine hands, conch shell, disc, club, and lotus.
The lotus eyed Visnu was very much surprised to see that beautiful Devi, standing without anything to rest on that water; He saw that on four sides of the Devi, were staying Rati, Bhuti, Buddhi, Mati, Kirti, Smriti, Dhriti, S'raddha, Medha, Svadha, Svaha, Kshudha, Nidra, Daya, Gati, Tusti, Pusti, Ksama, Lajja, Jrimbha Tandra and other personified forces, each possessing a clear distinct form, and endowed with a clear distinct feeling. In the hands of them all were divine weapons; on their necks, necklaces and garlands of Mandara flowers; and all the limbs of their bodies were decorated with divine ornaments. Seeing in that one mass of ocean the Devi Laksmi and Her S'aktis, Bhagavan Janardan, the soul of all, became greatly astonished and thought within Himself thus “What is this? Is this Maya that I am witnessing? Whence have appeared these women? and whence have I come here, lying on this banyan leaf? How has the banyan tree come to existence in this one mass of ocean? And who is it, that has placed me here in the form of a child? Is this my Mother? Or is this some Maya that can create impossible things?
Why has She made Herself manifest before me now? Or is there some hidden motive that She has appeared thus? What ought I to do now? Or shall I go to some other place? or shall I continue remaining here in this form of the child, silent and with vigilance.
Thus ends the fifteenth chapter of the 1st Skandha on the dispassion of S'uka and the instructions of Bhagavati to Hah in the Mahapurana S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 24712, revision 75558 (2016-08-03T06:18:35Z). 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/bk01ch15.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.