Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 5 Chapter 18:1-10

Book 5: Chapter 18

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Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 5: Chapter 18: Verses 1-10
A description of (the various Varsas) of the terrestrial globe continued

Sri Suka went on : Even so in Bhadraswavarsa a son of Dharma (the deity presiding over righteousness), Bhadrasrava by name (the ruler of this Varsa ) as well as the chief men of his retinue adore the favourite manifestation of Lord Vasudeva Himself, known by the name of Hayagriva-who is piety personified-realizing His presence through supreme concentration of mind while muttering the following prayer. Bhadrasrava and his men pray : "Hail to the almighty Dharma-- denoted by the mystical syllable OM-who purifies the mind !" Oh, (how) marvellous are the doings of the Lord (Your Maya), deluded by which this Jiva fails to perceive Death (who kills all), though endowed with vision, when he desires to survive (even) after cremating his father and son (old and young), contemplating evil deeds in order to enjoy the carnal pleasures (which have no reality whatsoever) ! The learned have spoken of the world as perishable; while those wise men who have realized the Self even perceive it as such (through deep concentration of mind). Yet are people deluded by Your Maya, O birthless one ! Highly wonderful are Your ways and I (simply) bow to You, the birthless Lord. The functions of creation, preservation and dissolutions of the universe have been attributed (by the Vedas) to You, who are (really) a non-doer and unveiled (by Maya). This is (however) not (at all) surprising in Your case; for activity is (but) proper to You, who are everything (through Maya) and (therefore) the cause (the progenitor) of (all) effects; while, as a matter of fact, You are unconditioned (unveiled by Maya and therefore actionless). Appearing in the form of a man-horse (a man with the head of a horse), it is You who rescued from the bottom of the ocean and restored to the supplicating Brahma (the first seer) the Vedas, that had been stolen away by the demon Madhu (who was ignorance personified) at the time of universal dissolution. (Therefore,) hail to You of unfailing resolve !"

Again, in Harivarsa the Lord abides in the form of Narahari (a man-lion). The circumstances that led Him to assume that (queer) form I shall relate later on (while narrating the story of Prahrada in Book VII). The great devotee, Prahrada, who is an abode of all good qualities inhering in exalted souls and whose virtue and (ideal) conduct brought sanctity to the (entire) race of the Daityas and Danavas, adores this form, beloved of him, through a course of uninterrupted and undivided devotion, alongwith the (other) people inhabiting that Varsa, and repeats the following (prayer):- "Hail to Lord Narasimha, who is denoted by the mystical syllable OM ! Hail to the Light of all lights !! Fully reveal Yourself, O Lord with adamantine claws and adamantine teeth I!! Burn down, O burn down (our) latent desires (the seeds of future actions); swallow up, O swallow up (all) darkness (in the form of ignorance). We offer our worship to You, O Lord, O appear (in the horizon of) our mind in such a way as to make us fearless, to rid us of (all) fear Ksraum[1] !" "May all be well with the world; may the wicked become gentle. May (all) living beings contemplate good to one another with their intellect and may their mind resort only to that which is good; and may our thought as well as the thought of others be fixed on You (Lord Visnu) without any motive (whatsoever). If there be (any) attachment in our heart, let it be for the loving devotees of the Lord and on no account for (our) dwelling, wife, children, wealth and kinsmen. (For) he who is contented with the (bare) necessaries of life and self-possessed attains blessedness at no distant date, but not he who loves the objects of the senses.

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References

  1. A mystical syllable sacred to Lord Nrsimha.

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