Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 12 Chapter 12:17-35

Book 12: Chapter 12

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Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 12: Chapter 12: Verses 17-35

(Here ends the theme of Books Four and Five.) The descent of Daksa from the Pracetas; the progeny of his daughters, from whose womb appeared the gods, human beings and demons, animals, the immobile creation O Brahmana sagest e vegetable kingdom), birds and so on. Then follows an account,O the birth and fall of the demon Vrtra (son of Twasta, the architect of the gods) as well as of Hiranyakasipu and Hiranyaksa (the two sons of Diti) and the narrative of the high-souled Prahrada, the ruler of the Daityas. (This sums up the contents of Books Six and Seven.) A connected account of the (fourteen) Manvantaras (divisions of a Aalpa, each presided over by a separate Manu); the deliverance of the king of elephants; the descents of Lord Visnu, the Ruler of the universe, in the form of the divine Tortoise, Lord Dhanvantari, the divine Fish, the divine Dwarf, Hayagriva (who bore the head of a horse); and others, one in each Manvantara; the churning of the ocean of milk for the sake of nectar by the denizens of heaven (both gods and demons) is likewise told. the great war between the gods and the demons; a description of the genealogy of kings; the birth of King Ikswaku and his genealogy; the narrative of the high-minded Sudyumna. In this connection is told the story of (Sudyumna having been transformed into) Ha as well as the narrative of Tara (wife of the sage Brhaspati); an account of the solar dynasty; the story of kings such as Sasada and Nrga etc.; the narrative of Sukanya (daughter of Saryati) as well as the stories of kings Saryati and the wise Kakutstha as also of Khatwanga and Mandhata, the sage Saubhari and King Sagara. The narrative, which eradicates sin, of Lord Sri Rama, the Ruler of (the kingdom of) Kosala; how King Nimi cast off his body and the origin of the line of the Janakas. How Lord Parasurama, the foremost of the scions of Bhrgu, swept the Ksatriya race off the earth; the stories of King Pururava (the son of lla), the first of the lunar line, as well as of Yayati and (his father) Nahusa.. The stories of King Bharata, the son of Dusyanta, as well as of Santanu and his son (Bhisma) and then is delineated the posterity of Yadu, the eldest son of Yayati. (Here ends the theme of Books Eight and Nine.) It was in this line that the almighty Lord of the universe took His descent under the name of Sri Krsna. His appearance in the house of Vasudeva and then how He was brought up in Gokula. Here are recounted the (many) exploits of that Enemy of the Asuras--which are as a matter of fact) endless (in number as well as in extent)--how He (even) as a babe drank away the (very) life of the demoness Putana alongwith the milk of her breasts and upturned a cart (and destroyed the demon Utkaca who had entered the cart in a disembodied state). How (the demon) Trnavarta (who appeared in the form of a whirlwind) was crushed to death as well as the death of (the demons) Baka and Vatsa (who remained disguised as a heron and a calf respectively) and the destruction of Dhenuka (who had assumed the guise of a donkey) alongwith his kindred and that of Pralamba (who came disguised as a cowherd boy). Deliverance of the cowherds from a forest conflagration that came rushing from all sides; subjugation of the serpent Kaliya and the rescue of Nanda (the Lord's own father) from (the grip o) a boa-constrictor. How the maidens (of Vraja) observed a sacred vow (of bathing in the Yamuna in winter and worshipping Goddess Katyayani on its sandy bank for a month in order to scoure the Lord for their husband), in the course of which the immortal Lord was pleased with their observances (and conferred on them a boon); the Lord's grace on the wives of certain Brahmanas engaged in a sacrifice and the remorse of the Brahmanas (for their failure to recognize the Lord and pay their homage to Him). The uplifting of Mount Govardhana (in order to save Vraja from the fury of Indra, who sent devastating showers with intent to submerge the tract of Vraja) and how later on (on recognizing His divinity) Indra (the rain-god) and the cow of plenty worshipped the Lord and bathed Him (with milk); His pastimes with the damsels (of Vraja) through (many) nights. The destruction of the evil-minded (Yaksa) Sankhacuda (who carried away a number of damsels in the midst of their pastimes with the Lord), as well as of (the demons) Arista and Kesi (that had assumed the disguise of a bull and a horse respectively); Akrura's visit (to Vraja to take Sri Krsna and Balarama to Mathura under Kamsa's invitation) and the subsequent departure of Balarama and Sri Krsna (for Mathura). The wailing of the women of Vraja (over their separation from Sri Krsna) and then how the two (divine) Brothers saw Mathura and killed (at the bow-sacrifice) the elephant (Kvalayapida) as well as (the wrestlers) Mustika and Canura and (finally) Kamsa (the wicked king of Mathura himself) and others (his eight brothers). How He brought back the dead son of His teacher Sandipani and the good offices that were rendered to the Yadava clan by Sri Krsna while staying at Mathura accompanied by Uddhava and Balarama, 0 Brahmana sages !

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