Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 7 Chapter 9:21-28

Book 7: Chapter 9

Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 7: Chapter 9: Verses 21-28 A Eulogy of the Lord (by Prahrada) Maya (Prakrti or primordial Matter) with her attributes (in the shape of Sativa, Rajas and Tamas) thrown into activity by Kala (the Time-Spirit), representing the creative witl of the Cosmic Being (a part manifestation of Yours), evolves the subtle body (chiefly consisting of the mind), which is a product of Karma (activity), is exceedingly powerful (hard to conquer) and full of (endless) latent desires, and constitutes the wheel of transmigration with sixteen spokes (in the shape of the mind, the ten lndriyas and the five subtle elements) provided by Nescience (which has no beginning). Who that is averse (not devoted) to You can cross over this wheel, O birthless One ? As such You, who have by Your own energy (in the shape of Consciousness) ever kept under full control the properties of intellect (e, g., joy and sorrow, attachment and greed and so on) nay, who as Kala (the Director of Maya) have exercised full sway over the powers of both the effects and the causes, may (kindly) draw me. 0 omnipotent Lord, close to You-me who have been thrown by Nescience into this Wheel of sixteen spokes and am being crushed thereby (as a sequel), and who have (now) sought Your protection. The (inordinately) long life, riches and glory in heaven of al the guardians of the (different) worlds-which these (earthly) people (generally) crave far. and which were swept away by a mere play of my father's eyebrows, knit in the course of anang been seen by me. But (even) he has been disposed of by You. Tom. I do not covet those blessings, sought for by embodied beings-long life, wealth, glory and sensuous pleasures, including those enjoyed by Brahma (the creator)-not even mystic powers, crushed by You in the form of the mighty Kala (Time-Spirit), knowing as I do their real worth. (Only be pleased to) place me by the side of Your servants. How unsubstantial are the enjoyments (of this world), which are (only) pleasant to hear of and are of the nature of a mirage (tantalizing in character); and on the other hand, how frail is this body, the hotbed of all (kinds of) diseases I (it is absurd to think of enjoying such pleasures through such a body.) Though knowing this, people do not feel disgusted with them, busy as they are quenching the fire of desire with drops of honey (in the shape of trivial and momentary pleasures), (so) difficult to procure. How undeserving of compassion, O Lord, am I, a creature of Rajas, born in this race of demons, characterized by an excess of Tamoguna; and how unsparing (on the other hand) is Your mercy, prompted by which You have placed on my head as a token of favour Your lotus hand, placed (heretofore) neither on Brahma's nor on Siva's nor again on Laksmi's head. Surely such a notion of superiority and inferiority as that found in a worldly creature could not exist in You, the (disinterested) friend, nay, the very Self of the (entire) universe. Yet Your grace, like that of a celestial (wish-yielding) tree, could be secured only through devoted service; and the fruit (enjoyed by Your devotees) varies according to (the measure of) the service rendered by them, superiority or inferiority (of the devotee) having nothing to do with it. Indeed how can I (afford to) give up the service of Your servants (devotees)-the self-same I, who was, O Lord, favoured by the celestial sage (Narada), after being accepted as his own, in this way (so as to ensure Your grace even during the period of my gestation) while I was about to fall headlong through excessive fondness into the (deep) well of metempsychosis inhabited by a (deadly) python (in the shape of Death), following the example of people hankering after the pleasures of sense (generally sought after) and (already) fallen into it (in quest of such pleasures).