Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 10 Chapter 2:34-42

Book 10: First Chapter (First Half)

Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 10: Chapter 2: Verses 34-42 For the continuance of the world You assume (reveal) a form-consisting of pure Sattva and dispensing the fruit of actions of embodied beings-through the medium of which people (belonging to the four Asramas or stages of life) offer worship to You (severally) through (a study of) the Vedas, the practice of rituals, asceticism and concentration of mind. Had this (divine) personality of Yours, consisting of Sattva (unmixed with Rajas and Tamas) not been manifest, 0 Maker of the universe, saving knowledge, which wipes out ignorance and the (resulting) notion of diversity (and which follows from the worship of Your personality) would not have been possible (at all). (If it is urged that the existence of Brahma would still be concluded from the light shed by the intellect and other faculties which, being material, possess only reflected light, our reply is that) You are only inferred (but not directly perceived), through the light shed by material organs, as one in relation to whom and presided over by whom the material organs shed their light. (Through Your worship however, the mind gets attuned with You and Your truth is realized by Your grace). O self-effulgent Lord, who are the witness of the mind etc., and the means of whose realization can (only) be guessed, Your names and forms, associated with Your excellences, births and deeds, can neither be conceived with the mind nor extolled in words. Nevertheless, as is well-known, those engaged in the act of Your worship do recite Your names and perceive Your forms. Hearing and reciting, contemplating on and helping others remember Your auspicious names and forms, he whose mind is fixed on Your lotus-feet (even) when he is engaged in activities (of various kinds) no longer deserves to be reborn. Happily, 0 Hari, the burden of this earth, which represents Your feet, has been removed by Your (very) descent. Luckily (enough), we shall perceive the earth and heaven adorned with Your lovely footprints bearing auspicious marks and (thus) favoured by You, its (supreme) Ruler. 0 Lord, that constitutes a haven free from (all) fear, we conceive no ground for Your descent other than love for sport, birthless as You are; for birth, life and death are attributed (even) to the (individual) soul through ignorance about You. 0 Lord, relieve the burden of the earth on this occasion (even) as You have protected us as well as (all) the three worlds (at other times), having descended in the form of a fish, a horse (Lord Hayagriva), tortoise, man-lion, boar, swan, Ksatriya prince (Sri Rama), a Brahmana (Lord Parasurama) and a god (the divine Dwarf), Hail to You, 0 Jewel among the Yadus! (Addressing Devaki, they said), fortunately, O mother, the almighty Lord, the Supreme Person has Himself entered your womb along with (all) His (divine) potencies (constituting so many parts of His being) for our welfare. Let there be no more fear of Kamsa (the chief of the Bhojas), who is courting his own death (by persecuting you and your husband); (for) your (prospective) son will prove to be the Protector of the Yadus." Sri Suka went on : Having thus glorified the Supreme Person, whose essence is, really speaking, other than (different from) this visible universe, and placing Brahma and Siva at their heads, the gods returned to heaven. Thus ends the second discourse entitled "Eulogy of Lord Visnu in Devaki's womb addressed by Brahma and other?, in Book Ten of the great and glorious Bhagavata-Purana, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Samhita.