Fourth Skandha · Chapter 7
Sourceव्यास उवाच इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तासां धर्मपुत्रः प्रतापवान् । विमर्शमकरोच्चित्ते किं कर्तव्यं मयाधुना ॥ १ ॥ हास्योऽहं मुनिवृन्देषु भविष्याम्यद्य सङ्गमात् । अहंकारादिदं प्राप्तं दुःखं नात्र विचारणा । मूलं धर्मविनाशस्य प्रथमं यदहङ्कृतिः ॥ २ ॥ मूलं संसारवृक्षस्य यतः प्रोक्तो महात्मभिः । दृष्ट्वा मौनं समाधाय न स्थितोऽहं समागतम् ॥ ३ ॥ वाराङ्गनागणं जुष्टं तेनासं दुःखभाजनम् । उत्पादितास्तथा नार्यो मया धर्मव्ययेन वै ॥ ४ ॥ तास्तु मां बाधितुं वृत्ताः कामार्ताः प्रमदोत्तमाः । ऊर्णनाभिरिवाद्याहं जालेन स्वकृतेन वै ॥ ५ ॥ बद्धोऽस्मि सुदृढेनात्र किं कर्तव्यमतः परम् । यदि चिन्तां समुत्सृज्य सन्त्यजाम्यबला इमाः ॥ ६ ॥ शप्त्वा भ्रष्टा व्रजिष्यन्ति सर्वा भग्नमनोरथाः । मुक्तोऽहं सञ्चरिष्यामि विजने परमं तपः ॥ ७ ॥ तस्मात्क्रोधं समुत्पाद्य त्यक्ष्यामि सुन्दरीगणम् । व्यास उवाच इति सञ्चिन्त्य मनसा मुनिर्नारायणस्तदा ॥ ८ ॥ विमर्शमकरोच्चित्ते सुखोत्पादनसाधने । द्वितीयोऽयं महाशत्रुः क्रोधः सन्तापकारकः ॥ ९ ॥ कामादप्यधिको लोके लोभादपि च दारुणः । क्रोधाभिभूतः कुरुते हिंसां प्राणविघातिनीम् ॥ १० ॥ दुःखदां सर्वभूतानां नरकारामदीर्घिकाम् । यथाग्निर्घर्षणाज्जातः पादपं प्रदहेत्तथा ॥ ११ ॥ देहोत्पन्नस्तथा क्रोधो देहं दहति दारुणः । व्यास उवाच इति सञ्चिन्त्यमानं तं भ्रातरं दीनमानसम् ॥ १२ ॥ उवाच वचनं तथ्यं नरो धर्मसुतोऽनुजः । नर उवाच नारायण महाभाग कोपं यच्छ महामते ॥ १३ ॥ शान्तं भावं समाश्रित्य नाशयाहङ्कृतिं पराम् । पुराहङ्कारदोषेण तपो नष्टं किलावयोः ॥ १४ ॥ संग्रामश्चाभवत्ताभ्यां भावाभ्यामसुरेण ह । दिव्यवर्षसहस्रं तु प्रह्लादेन महाद्भुतम् ॥ १५ ॥ दुःखं बहुतरं प्राप्तं तत्रावाभ्यां सुरोत्तम । तस्मात्क्रोधं परित्यज्य शान्तो भव मुनीश्वर ॥ १६ ॥ ( शान्तत्वं तपसो मूलं मुनिभिः परिकीर्तितम् ।) ॥ व्यास उवाच इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा शान्तोऽभूद्धर्मनन्दनः । जनमेजय उवाच संशयोऽयं मुनिश्रेष्ठ प्रह्लादेन महात्मना ॥ १७ ॥ विष्णुभक्तेन शान्तेन कथं युद्धं कृतं पुरा । कृतवन्तौ कथं युद्धं नरनारायणावृषी ॥ १८ ॥ तापसौ धर्मपुत्रौ द्वौ सुशान्तमानसावुभौ । समागमः कथं जातस्तयोर्दैत्यसुतस्य च ॥ १९ ॥ संग्रामस्तु कथं ताभ्यां कृतस्तेन महात्मना । प्रह्लादोऽप्यतिधर्मात्मा ज्ञानवान्विष्णुतत्परः ॥ २० ॥ नरनारायणौ तद्वत्तापसौ सत्त्वसंस्थितौ । तेन ताभ्यां समुद्भूतं वैरं यदि परस्परम् ॥ २१ ॥ तदा तपसि धर्मे च श्रम एव हि केवलम् । क्व जपः क्व तपश्चर्या पुरा सत्ययुगेऽपि च ॥ २२ ॥ तादृशैर्न जितं चित्तं क्रोधाहङ्कारसंवृतम् । न क्रोधो न च मात्सर्यमहङ्कारांकुरं विना ॥ २३ ॥ अहङ्कारात्समुत्पन्नाः कामक्रोधादयः किल । वर्षकोटिसहस्रं तु तपः कृत्वातिदारुणम् ॥ २४ ॥ अहङ्कारांकुरे जाते व्यर्थं भवति सर्वथा । यथा सूर्योदये जाते तमोरूपं न तिष्ठति ॥ २५ ॥ अहङ्कारांकुरस्याग्रे तथा पुण्यं न तिष्ठति । प्रह्लादोऽपि महाभाग हरिणा समयुध्यत ॥ २६ ॥ तदा व्यर्थं कृतं सर्वं सुकृतं किल भूतले । नरनारायणौ शान्तौ विहाय परमं तपः ॥ २७ ॥ कृतवन्तौ यदा युद्धं क्व शमः सुकृतं पुनः । ईदृग्भ्यां सत्त्वयुक्ताभ्यामजेया यद्यहङ्कृतिः ॥ २८ ॥ मादृशानाञ्ज का वार्ता मुनेऽहङ्कारसंक्षये । अहङ्कारपरित्यक्तो न कोऽप्यस्ति जगत्त्रये ॥ २९ ॥ न भूतो भविता नैव यस्त्यक्तस्तेन सर्वथा । मुच्यते लोहनिगडैर्बद्धः काष्ठमयैस्तथा ॥ ३० ॥ अहङ्कारनिबद्धस्तु न कदाचिद्विमुच्यते । अहङ्कारावृतं सर्वं जगत्स्थावरजङ्गमम् ॥ ३१ ॥ भ्रमत्येव हि संसारे विष्ठामूत्रप्रदूषिते । ब्रह्मज्ञानं कुतस्तावत्संसारे मोहसंवृते ॥ ३२ ॥ मतं मीमांसकानां वै सम्मतं भाति सुव्रत । महान्तोऽपि सदा युक्ताः कामक्रोधादिभिर्मुने ॥ ३३ ॥ मादृशानां कलावस्मिन्का कथा मुनिसत्तम । व्यास उवाच कार्यं वै कारणाद्भिन्नं कथं भवति भारत ॥ ३४ ॥ कटकं कुण्डलञ्चैव सुवर्णसदृशं भवेत् । अहङ्कारोद्भवं सर्वं ब्रह्माण्डं सचराचरम् ॥ ३५ ॥ पटस्तन्तुवशः प्रोक्तस्तद्वियुक्तः कथं भवेत् । मायागुणैस्त्रिभिः सर्वं रचितं स्थिरजङ्गमम् ॥ ३६ ॥ सतृणस्तम्बपर्यन्तं का तत्र परिदेवना । ब्रह्मा विष्णुस्तथा रुद्रस्ते चाहङ्कारमोहिताः ॥ ३७ ॥ भ्रमन्त्यस्मिन्महागाधे संसारे नृपसत्तम । वसिष्ठनारदाद्याश्च मुनयो ज्ञानिनः परम् ॥ ३८ ॥ तेऽभिभूताः संसरन्ति संसारेऽस्मिन्पुनः पुनः । न कोऽप्यस्ति नृपश्रेष्ठ त्रिषु लोकेषु देहभृत् ॥ ३९ ॥ एभिर्मायागुणैर्मुक्तः शान्त आत्मसुखे स्थितः । कामक्रोधौ तथा लोभो मोहोऽहङ्कारसम्भवः ॥ ४० ॥ न मुञ्चन्ति नरं सर्वं देहवन्तं नृपोत्तम । अधीत्य वेदशास्त्राणि पुराणानि विचिन्त्य च ॥ ४१ ॥ कृत्वा तीर्थाटनं दानं ध्यानञ्चैव सुरार्चनम् । करोति विषयासक्तः सर्वं कर्म च चौरवत् ॥ ४२ ॥ विचारयति नो पूर्वं काममोहमदान्वितः । कृते युगेऽपि त्रेतायां द्वापरे कुरुनन्दन ॥ ४३ ॥ विद्धोऽत्रास्ति च धर्मोऽपि का कथाद्य कलौ पुनः । स्पर्धा सदैव सद्रोहा लोभामर्षौ च सर्वदा ॥ ४४ ॥ एवंविधोऽस्ति संसारो नात्र कार्या विचारणा । साधवो विरला लोके भवन्ति गतमत्सराः ॥ ४५ ॥ जितक्रोधा जितामर्षा दृष्टान्तार्थं व्यवस्थिताः । राजोवाच ते धन्याः कृतपुण्यास्ते मदमोहविवर्जिताः ॥ ४६ ॥ जितेन्द्रियाः सदाचारा जितं तैर्भुवनत्रयम् । दुनोमि पातकं स्मृत्वा पितुर्मम महात्मनः ॥ ४७ ॥ कृतस्तपस्विनः कण्ठे मृतसर्पो ह्यघं विना । अतस्तस्य मुनिश्रेष्ठ भविता किं ममाग्रतः ॥ ४८ ॥ न जाने बुद्धिसम्मोहात्किं वा कार्यं भविष्यति । मधु पश्यति मूढात्मा प्रपातं नैव पश्यति ॥ ४९ ॥ करोति निन्दितं कर्म नरकान्न बिभेति च । कथं युद्धं पुरा वृत्तं विस्तरात्तद्वदस्व मे ॥ ५० ॥ प्रह्लादेन यथा चोग्रं नरनारायणस्य वै । प्रह्लादस्तु कथं यातः पातालात्तद्वदस्व मे ॥ ५१ ॥ सारस्वते महातीर्थे पुण्ये बदरिकाश्रमे । नरनारायणौ शान्तौ तापसौ मुनिसत्तमौ ॥ ५२ ॥ कृतवन्तौ तथा युद्धं हेतुना केन मानद । वैरं भवति वित्तार्थं दारार्थं वा परस्परम् ॥ ५३ ॥ एषणारहितौ कस्माच्चक्रतुः प्रधनं महत् । प्रह्लादोऽपि च धर्मात्मा ज्ञात्वा देवौ सनातनौ ॥ ५४ ॥ कृतवान्स कथं युद्धं नरनारायणौ मुनी । एतद्विस्तरतो ब्रह्मञ्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि कारणम् ॥ ५५ ॥
vyāsa uvāca ityākarṇya vacastāsāṃ dharmaputraḥ pratāpavān | vimarśamakaroccitte kiṃ kartavyaṃ mayādhunā || 1 || hāsyo'haṃ munivṛndeṣu bhaviṣyāmyadya saṅgamāt | ahaṃkārādidaṃ prāptaṃ duḥkhaṃ nātra vicāraṇā | mūlaṃ dharmavināśasya prathamaṃ yadahaṅkṛtiḥ || 2 || mūlaṃ saṃsāravṛkṣasya yataḥ prokto mahātmabhiḥ | dṛṣṭvā maunaṃ samādhāya na sthito'haṃ samāgatam || 3 || vārāṅganāgaṇaṃ juṣṭaṃ tenāsaṃ duḥkhabhājanam | utpāditāstathā nāryo mayā dharmavyayena vai || 4 || tāstu māṃ bādhituṃ vṛttāḥ kāmārtāḥ pramadottamāḥ | ūrṇanābhirivādyāhaṃ jālena svakṛtena vai || 5 || baddho'smi sudṛḍhenātra kiṃ kartavyamataḥ param | yadi cintāṃ samutsṛjya santyajāmyabalā imāḥ || 6 || śaptvā bhraṣṭā vrajiṣyanti sarvā bhagnamanorathāḥ | mukto'haṃ sañcariṣyāmi vijane paramaṃ tapaḥ || 7 || tasmātkrodhaṃ samutpādya tyakṣyāmi sundarīgaṇam | vyāsa uvāca iti sañcintya manasā munirnārāyaṇastadā || 8 || vimarśamakaroccitte sukhotpādanasādhane | dvitīyo'yaṃ mahāśatruḥ krodhaḥ santāpakārakaḥ || 9 || kāmādapyadhiko loke lobhādapi ca dāruṇaḥ | krodhābhibhūtaḥ kurute hiṃsāṃ prāṇavighātinīm || 10 || duḥkhadāṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ narakārāmadīrghikām | yathāgnirgharṣaṇājjātaḥ pādapaṃ pradahettathā || 11 || dehotpannastathā krodho dehaṃ dahati dāruṇaḥ | vyāsa uvāca iti sañcintyamānaṃ taṃ bhrātaraṃ dīnamānasam || 12 || uvāca vacanaṃ tathyaṃ naro dharmasuto'nujaḥ | nara uvāca nārāyaṇa mahābhāga kopaṃ yaccha mahāmate || 13 || śāntaṃ bhāvaṃ samāśritya nāśayāhaṅkṛtiṃ parām | purāhaṅkāradoṣeṇa tapo naṣṭaṃ kilāvayoḥ || 14 || saṃgrāmaścābhavattābhyāṃ bhāvābhyāmasureṇa ha | divyavarṣasahasraṃ tu prahlādena mahādbhutam || 15 || duḥkhaṃ bahutaraṃ prāptaṃ tatrāvābhyāṃ surottama | tasmātkrodhaṃ parityajya śānto bhava munīśvara || 16 || ( śāntatvaṃ tapaso mūlaṃ munibhiḥ parikīrtitam |) || vyāsa uvāca iti tasya vacaḥ śrutvā śānto'bhūddharmanandanaḥ | janamejaya uvāca saṃśayo'yaṃ muniśreṣṭha prahlādena mahātmanā || 17 || viṣṇubhaktena śāntena kathaṃ yuddhaṃ kṛtaṃ purā | kṛtavantau kathaṃ yuddhaṃ naranārāyaṇāvṛṣī || 18 || tāpasau dharmaputrau dvau suśāntamānasāvubhau | samāgamaḥ kathaṃ jātastayordaityasutasya ca || 19 || saṃgrāmastu kathaṃ tābhyāṃ kṛtastena mahātmanā | prahlādo'pyatidharmātmā jñānavānviṣṇutatparaḥ || 20 || naranārāyaṇau tadvattāpasau sattvasaṃsthitau | tena tābhyāṃ samudbhūtaṃ vairaṃ yadi parasparam || 21 || tadā tapasi dharme ca śrama eva hi kevalam | kva japaḥ kva tapaścaryā purā satyayuge'pi ca || 22 || tādṛśairna jitaṃ cittaṃ krodhāhaṅkārasaṃvṛtam | na krodho na ca mātsaryamahaṅkārāṃkuraṃ vinā || 23 || ahaṅkārātsamutpannāḥ kāmakrodhādayaḥ kila | varṣakoṭisahasraṃ tu tapaḥ kṛtvātidāruṇam || 24 || ahaṅkārāṃkure jāte vyarthaṃ bhavati sarvathā | yathā sūryodaye jāte tamorūpaṃ na tiṣṭhati || 25 || ahaṅkārāṃkurasyāgre tathā puṇyaṃ na tiṣṭhati | prahlādo'pi mahābhāga hariṇā samayudhyata || 26 || tadā vyarthaṃ kṛtaṃ sarvaṃ sukṛtaṃ kila bhūtale | naranārāyaṇau śāntau vihāya paramaṃ tapaḥ || 27 || kṛtavantau yadā yuddhaṃ kva śamaḥ sukṛtaṃ punaḥ | īdṛgbhyāṃ sattvayuktābhyāmajeyā yadyahaṅkṛtiḥ || 28 || mādṛśānāñja kā vārtā mune'haṅkārasaṃkṣaye | ahaṅkāraparityakto na ko'pyasti jagattraye || 29 || na bhūto bhavitā naiva yastyaktastena sarvathā | mucyate lohanigaḍairbaddhaḥ kāṣṭhamayaistathā || 30 || ahaṅkāranibaddhastu na kadācidvimucyate | ahaṅkārāvṛtaṃ sarvaṃ jagatsthāvarajaṅgamam || 31 || bhramatyeva hi saṃsāre viṣṭhāmūtrapradūṣite | brahmajñānaṃ kutastāvatsaṃsāre mohasaṃvṛte || 32 || mataṃ mīmāṃsakānāṃ vai sammataṃ bhāti suvrata | mahānto'pi sadā yuktāḥ kāmakrodhādibhirmune || 33 || mādṛśānāṃ kalāvasminkā kathā munisattama | vyāsa uvāca kāryaṃ vai kāraṇādbhinnaṃ kathaṃ bhavati bhārata || 34 || kaṭakaṃ kuṇḍalañcaiva suvarṇasadṛśaṃ bhavet | ahaṅkārodbhavaṃ sarvaṃ brahmāṇḍaṃ sacarācaram || 35 || paṭastantuvaśaḥ proktastadviyuktaḥ kathaṃ bhavet | māyāguṇaistribhiḥ sarvaṃ racitaṃ sthirajaṅgamam || 36 || satṛṇastambaparyantaṃ kā tatra paridevanā | brahmā viṣṇustathā rudraste cāhaṅkāramohitāḥ || 37 || bhramantyasminmahāgādhe saṃsāre nṛpasattama | vasiṣṭhanāradādyāśca munayo jñāninaḥ param || 38 || te'bhibhūtāḥ saṃsaranti saṃsāre'sminpunaḥ punaḥ | na ko'pyasti nṛpaśreṣṭha triṣu lokeṣu dehabhṛt || 39 || ebhirmāyāguṇairmuktaḥ śānta ātmasukhe sthitaḥ | kāmakrodhau tathā lobho moho'haṅkārasambhavaḥ || 40 || na muñcanti naraṃ sarvaṃ dehavantaṃ nṛpottama | adhītya vedaśāstrāṇi purāṇāni vicintya ca || 41 || kṛtvā tīrthāṭanaṃ dānaṃ dhyānañcaiva surārcanam | karoti viṣayāsaktaḥ sarvaṃ karma ca cauravat || 42 || vicārayati no pūrvaṃ kāmamohamadānvitaḥ | kṛte yuge'pi tretāyāṃ dvāpare kurunandana || 43 || viddho'trāsti ca dharmo'pi kā kathādya kalau punaḥ | spardhā sadaiva sadrohā lobhāmarṣau ca sarvadā || 44 || evaṃvidho'sti saṃsāro nātra kāryā vicāraṇā | sādhavo viralā loke bhavanti gatamatsarāḥ || 45 || jitakrodhā jitāmarṣā dṛṣṭāntārthaṃ vyavasthitāḥ | rājovāca te dhanyāḥ kṛtapuṇyāste madamohavivarjitāḥ || 46 || jitendriyāḥ sadācārā jitaṃ tairbhuvanatrayam | dunomi pātakaṃ smṛtvā piturmama mahātmanaḥ || 47 || kṛtastapasvinaḥ kaṇṭhe mṛtasarpo hyaghaṃ vinā | atastasya muniśreṣṭha bhavitā kiṃ mamāgrataḥ || 48 || na jāne buddhisammohātkiṃ vā kāryaṃ bhaviṣyati | madhu paśyati mūḍhātmā prapātaṃ naiva paśyati || 49 || karoti ninditaṃ karma narakānna bibheti ca | kathaṃ yuddhaṃ purā vṛttaṃ vistarāttadvadasva me || 50 || prahlādena yathā cograṃ naranārāyaṇasya vai | prahlādastu kathaṃ yātaḥ pātālāttadvadasva me || 51 || sārasvate mahātīrthe puṇye badarikāśrame | naranārāyaṇau śāntau tāpasau munisattamau || 52 || kṛtavantau tathā yuddhaṃ hetunā kena mānada | vairaṃ bhavati vittārthaṃ dārārthaṃ vā parasparam || 53 || eṣaṇārahitau kasmāccakratuḥ pradhanaṃ mahat | prahlādo'pi ca dharmātmā jñātvā devau sanātanau || 54 || kṛtavānsa kathaṃ yuddhaṃ naranārāyaṇau munī | etadvistarato brahmañchrotumicchāmi kāraṇam || 55 ||
English translation
1. Vyasa said O king! The Dharma's son, of excellent prowess, hearing thus, the words of these damsels, thought within himself, thus what shall I do under the above circumstances.
2. If I indulge now in sexual pleasures, I will be an object of laughter amongst the Munis. This present trouble has, no doubt, arisen from my Ahamkara (egoism). This Ahamkara is the first and foremost in ruining one's Dharma.
3-5. The wise sages have declared this Ahamkara as the root of this tree of world. I did not observe the vow of silence on seeing those damsels come here; I have held much conversations with them; therefore I have got into this troublesome anxiety and sorrow. I have created these damsels at the expense of my Dharma and Tapasya. The beautiful and lovely damsels sent by Indra are now full of lust; and are bent on ruining my tapasaya. Now if through Ahamkara I had not created the damsels, I would not have fallen into this difficulty. Now I am caught firmly in the meshes of my own creation like a spider; what am I to do next!
6-7. If I abandon these damsels, thinking that there is no necessity to reconsider the matter, then these would be broken hearted; and they would go away cursing me?
Yet I would be free from this present danger at least and then be able to practise excellent tapasya in a lonely place. Therefore, now, I will get angry and tell these damsels go away from me.
8. Vyasa said O King! The Muni Narayana thought that he would become thus happy; but, at the next moment, he discussed in his mind thus
9. The second great enemy is anger; it is greater than causing hurt to others; and it is greater than lust and avarice.
10. Out of anger people commit murder; this murder is the source of hell and is giving pains to all.
11. As trees, rubbing against each other, generate fire; and are themselves burnt up in this fire, so fire arising from this body ultimately burns this body to death.
12. Vyasa said The younger brother Nara on seeing his elder brother anxious and low-spirited, spoke out what is right, as follows
13. O Narayana! You are very intelligent and very good; therefore reliquish this feeling of anger and betake to quietude and peace, and kill the dreadful anger.
14. Do you not remember that it is through this Ahamkara and anger that our tapasya was destroyed on a previous occasion; and we had to fight severely with Prahlada, the Lord of the Asuras for one full divine thousand years.
15-16. O Lord of the Devas! We were put to much difficulties then; therefore O Lord of the Munis! Get rid of this anger; be quiet! The sages declare the peace is the root cause and the only object of Tapasya.
17.Vyasa said On hearing these words of his younger brother Nara, the Dharma's son Narayana took to peace.
18. Janamejaya said O Lord of the Munis! The high souled Prahlada was a devotee of Visnu and of a peace loving heart: how it was that, in the ancient days, the battle took place between him and these Risis; how could the Risis fight? There is this great doubt in my mind.
19-20. These two Dharma's sons were ascetics and peace loving; how the fight could come to pass between these and the Daityasuras? How did these two Risis fight with the high souled Prahlada?
21-22. Prahlada was very religious, full of knowledge and very much devoted to Visnu. Nara Narayana were Sattvik and ascetics; therefore if there had occurred enmity between those, it appears that the religion and asceticism, Tapasya and Dharma were matters in name only; and the labour was spent in vain in the golden age even. What was the value of asceticism and meditation and muttering silently the mantras! No one can make out.
23. Oh! Persons like them could not conquer their hearts full of anger and egoism! Anger and jealousy cannot spring unless there be at the bottom a feeling of egoism (Ahamkara).
24. All the passions, lust, greed, anger, etc., come out of Ahamkara (egoism), there is no doubt of it; one hundred lakh years of severe asceticism are rendered quite useless by the cropping up afterwards of a bit of Ahamkara.
25. As darkness is dispelled entirely on sunrise, so no trace of religious merit can exist on the rising of a bit of Ahamkara.
26. When Prahlada could fight with S'ri Bhagavan Hah, then. Oh! all his merits in this world are rendered of no use whatsoever.
27. Where is the religious merit and where is peace when the quiet souled persons Nara Narayana, the two Risis began to fight, without paying any heed to their highest end, the Tapasya?
28. When Ahamkara became invincible by the two Risis, then what can be expected from the weak trivial persons like us in the matter of subjugating this Ahamkara?
29. Who can be free from Ahamkara in these three worlds, when the high souled persons like the above were not free from it? I am now quite confident that, in this Universe, no body was ever before free from Ahamkara nor will there be any such in the distant future.
30. One can be free if bound by an iron or a wooden chain; but when one is pierced by Ahamkara, one can never become free from it.
31. This whole Universe, moving and unmoving, is rolling in this Samsara (migration and transmigration) polluted by urine and faeces, being covered by Ahamkara.
32. Where is, then the Brahma Jhana? O Good One in vows! The Karma theory, according to the Mimamsakas, seems reasonable and true.
33. O Muni! What can you expect from the weak-minded persons like me in this Kali yuga, when the great persons are always overpowered with lust, anger, etc.
34-35. Vyasa said O Descendant of Bharata! How can the effect be different from its cause? Gold and golden ear-rings though different in form owing to upadhis, are both similar to their original cause, the metal gold.
Thread is the cause of cloth; therefore as cloth cannot be different from its thread, so this whole universe, moving and unmoving, is sprung from Ahamkara; then how can it be free from Ahamkara?
36. All this, moving and unmoving, including a blade of grass, are fashioned out of the three qualities of Maya; so if it be formed of those qualities, what repentance can come to those who are wise and know every phenomenon as unreal?
37. O Best of kings! Brahma, Visnu or Mahes'a, even these are all rolling in this vast ocean of Samsara, being bewildered and fascinated by Ahamkara.
38. The great sages like Vas'istha, Narada and the other Munis are frequently taking their births in this Samsara.
39. In this Triloki, there is not even one embodied soul, who is entirely free from this Maya and has become quiet and immersed in the high bliss of the Supreme Self.
40. O Best of kings! Lust, anger, avarice, and fascination, all, arise from Ahamkara. These do not leave any embodied person.
41-42. Studying all the Vedas and Puranas, going to all the sacred places pilgrimages, making charities, thinking on Paramatman and worshipping the gods, doing all these, the people still get attached to sensual objects and act like a thief.
43. O Son of Kuru! In the three yugas, the Satya, Treta, Dwapara, Dharma had been pierced and wounded very much; what to say of Dharma in this Kali Yuga!
44. You will find quarrels, avarice, anger raging always in this Kali yuga. Therefore there is no wonder that you will not find any one thinking and doing what is worth thinking, and doing what is not worth doing?
45. Free from envy, anger, and jealousy, such persons are rare now- a-days in this Kali yuga. Some peaceful persons exist here and there to keep up the ideal.
46. The king said O Muni! They are blessed and holy who are free from this fascination of Maya, self controlled, who have conquered their passions, and who follow good conduct. They have risen above the Triloki.
47. O Best of Munis! My high minded father put a dead serpent round the neck of an ascetic without any fault; I am very sorry to think of his act.
48. Therefore, O Muni! Kindly suggest any means by which I can now redress that act. O Bhagavan! I do not know what will be the result of this act, committed out of the bewildering of intellect.
49. Fools in search of honey see only honey before them but not the falls, whence they might tumble down and die. So the stupid men do disgraceful acts and do not get afraid of the tortures of hell.
50. Kindly describe, in detail, how the fight incurred between Prahlada and Narayana in ancient times.
51. How was it that Prahlada went out of Patala (the nether regions) and went to the great holy place, the hermitage of Badarikas'rama in the Sarasvata country, the great place for pilgrimage.
52. O Muni! What was it that led the best of the Munis, the two ascetics to fight with Prahlada?
53. The enmity springs where there is wealth, wife, or land. The two Maharsis were desireless, had nothing of these; how, then, without any cause, they fought such a battle!
54. Prahlada was also very religious and knew that those two Risis were the Devas; knowing this, why did he fight with them?
55. So describe in detail the cause of all these.
Here ends the Seventh Chapter in the 4th Book of S’rimad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses on Ahamkara by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 24762, revision 75628 (2016-08-03T23:57:35Z). 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/bk04ch07.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.