Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 6 Chapter 9:35-40

Book 6: Chapter 9

Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 6: Chapter 9: Verses 35-40 Indra slays Viswarupa; and routed by the demon Vrtra (the younger brother of Viswarupa), the gods call on the sage Dadhici at the instance of the Lord Moreover, we do not actually know whether, entering (the various) bodies (which are products of the three Gunas). You (as a Jiva) helplessly reap the good and evil consequences of Your own actions, just as a Devadatta builds a house on his earth and experiences joy and sorrow there, or whether, revelling in Your Self and given to self-control and with an unruffled consciousness You remain (only) a witness. Really speaking, the two alternatives are not incompatible in You, the almighty and absolute Lord, possessing countless varieties of excellences and unfathomable greatness, (nay,) transcending all phenomena (which are the products of Maya) and (therefore) beyond the range of controversies of theorists holding perverse views due to their mind being bewildered by (so-called) scriptures full of doubts, enquiries, hypotheses, specious arguments and sophisms not even touching the fringe of truth. In fact, what predicate is there which cannot be conveniently applied to You, who stand placing by Your side (as Your handmaid) Your own Maya (which is capable of bringing even the impossible into the region of possibility), while both (the aforesaid) alternatives are absent in Your (absolute) essence. Just as a piece of rope assumes the shape of a serpent and so on in the eye of those who are prepossessed by the idea of snake and the like, so You appear in Your true perspective (as Brahma, that is Truth, Consciousness and Bliss combined) to those endowed with a balanced (correct) judgment, and what You are not to those of a deluded understanding. Again, You are the only truth in all phenomena, the universal Lord, the cause of causes (viz., Mahat-tattva etc.), of the entire universe. Your presence is clearly indicated by the illuminating power of the intellect, senses and so on (which are products of matter and therefore unable to shed any light except when inspired by You), since You are the Inner Controller of all the Jivas; (nay,) You are the only entity left over (when everything else has been negated by the Sruti as 'not this', 'not this' and so on). Under such circumstances, then, O Slayer of Madhu, how can these saintly and supreme votaries of Yours-who are exclusively devoted to You and look upon You alone as their beloved friend, nay, who are adept in achieving their (highest) object-even think of actually giving up the constant service of your lotus-feet, on clinging to which further revolution in the whirlpool of transmigration ceases. For, due to the never-ceasing (stream of) joy flowing copiously into their mind from a (mere) drop of the sweet ocean of Your nectar-like glory, tasted (but) once, they are made to forget the small bits of seeming delights of sense, whether (actually) enjoyed or heard of (as enjoyed in heaven), their mind finding incessant and excessive delight in (You,) the almighty Lord, the Soul of the universe and (therefore) the beloved friend of all living beings. O Soul and Abode of (all) the three worlds, O Lord who wield Your power over the three worlds and whose glory captivates the mind of (the inhabitants of) the three worlds, O Guide of the three worlds ! (to say nothing of gods, Rsis and other beings,) even the Daityas (the sons of Diti) and Danavas (the sons of Danu) are Your own glorious manifestations. (Yet,) considering that this is not an (opportune) tlme for their (nefarious) activities (which are called for only at the time of universal destruction), you have (in the past), O Wielder of the rod of punishment, meted out punishment (to them) according to (the degree of gravity of) their offence, manifesting Yourself through Your own Maya (wlll-power) in the form of gods (e.g., that of Vamana), human being (such as Sri Rama and Balarama), beasts (such as the divine Boar), half men and half beasts (such as Nrsimha and Hayagriva) and aquatic creatures (such as the divine Fish and Tortoise). In the same way, O Lord ! (pray,) get rid of the yonder Vrtra (son of Twasta) too, if You deem fit.