Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 6 Chapter 12:1-13

Book 6: Chapter 12

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Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 6: Chapter 12: Verses 1-13
The demon Vrtra slain

The sage (Sri Suka) resumed : Thus desiring, O king (Parksit), to drop his body on the field of battle and accounting death preferable to victory, Vrtra seized his trident and rushed at Indra (the ruler of the gods) even as the demon Kaitabha attacked Lord Visnu (the Supreme Person) on (the) water (that flooded the entire universe during the final dissolution). Then whirling his trident, whose prongs were formidable like the flames of the fire that breaks out at the time of universal destruction, and hurling it with great force at the mighty Indra (the lord of paradise), the valiant Vrtra (the chief of the demons) roared and angrily exclaimed: " You are killed, 0 wicked one !" Not (at all) perturbed to see the trident-dazzling as a planet or a meteor-darting through the air with a whirling motion, Indra (the wielder of the thunderbolt) cut it down, as well as his arm, round and thick as the body of Vasuki (the king of serpents) with his thunderbolt, which had a hundred joints. With one of his arms (thus) lopped off, and full of rage, (the demon) Vrtra approached Indra, who still held his thunderbolt, and smote him as well as Airavata (the celestial elephant) in the jaws with his iron club and (lo !) the thunderbolt dropped down from Indra's hand. (Both) the gods and the demons as well as the hosts of Carapas (celestial bards) and Siddhas (a class of demigods endowed with mystical powers from their very birth) admired that most marvellous feat of Vrtra and (at the same time) cried again and again 'Alack 1 Alack I!' to see the critical plight of Indra (who is invoked by many). Much ashamed (at his discomfiture), Indra did not pick up again in the presence of his foe the thunderbolt slipped from his hand. To him Vrtra (now) said, "Taking up your thunderbolt (once more), O Indra, kill your enemy (in my person); this is not the time for despondency. Nowhere does victory invariably woo the bellicose armed with weapons, but only on particular occasions, since they are all subject to their destiny except the Lord (the eternal Person), the all-knowing Cause, the one Controller of creation, preservation and dissolution (of the universe).

That Lord alone (in the form of Time, the propeller of all) is responsible for (their) victory and defeat; for it is subject to His control that (all) these worlds along with their guardian deities (Brahma and others) helplessly carry on their activity like birds caught in a net. Not recognizing the Lord (Time) as the (real) Cause in the shape of the potency of the lndriyas (the senses of perception.as well as the organs of action), the power of the mind and bodily strength, life, immortality (final beatitude) and death as well, man looks upon the gross body as the cause (of victory etc.). Just as a wooden puppet or even as a mechanical toy-deer is subject to the control of the showman or the individual winding up the toy, likewise know (all) living beings, O Indra, as subject to the control of God. Without His help (inspiration) the Jiva (individual soul), Prakrti (primordial matter), Mahat-tattva (the principle of cosmic intelligence), the ego, the five elements, the (ten) lndriyas and the mind fail to create, maintain and dissolve the universe. He who is ignorant of this (fact) regards his own incapable (dependent) self as capable (of doing everything independently). (Really speaking, ) it is He who evolves beings through other beings (their parents) and devours them Himself through (carnivorous) beings (such as a tiger). Whatever blessings in the form of (long) life, affluence, fame and power are coveted by a man are obtained by him at the time appointed for the same as surely as their contraries (in the shape of death, poverty, infamy and so on), even though he may be unwilling to have them.

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