Rsabhadeva’s Appearance in the Womb of Merudevi, the Wife of King Nabhi
Summary
5.3
In this chapter the spotless character of King Nabhi, the oldest son of Agnidhra, is described.
Wanting to have sons, Maharaja Nabhi underwent severe austerities and penances.
He performed many sacrifices along with his wife and worshiped Lord Visnu, master of all sacrifices.
Being very kind to His devotees, the Supreme Personality of Godhead was very pleased with the austerities of Maharaja Nabhi.
He personally appeared before the King in His four-handed feature, and the priests, who were performing the sacrifices, began to offer their prayers unto Him.
They prayed for a son like the Lord, and Lord Visnu agreed to take birth in the womb of Merudevi, the wife of King Nabhi, and incarnate as King Rsabhadeva.
5.3.1
sri-suka uvaca
nabhir apatya-kamo ’prajaya merudevya bhagavantam yajna-purusam avahitatmayajata.
SYNONYMS
sri-sukah uvaca—Sukadeva Gosvami said; nabhih—the son of Maharaja Agnidhra; apatya-kamah—desiring to have sons; aprajaya—who had not given birth to any children; merudevya—with Merudevi; bhagavantam—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; yajna-purusam—Lord Visnu, the master and enjoyer of all performances of sacrifice; avahita-atma—with great attention; ayajata—offered prayers and worshiped.
TRANSLATION
Sukadeva Gosvami continued to speak: Maharaja Nabhi, the son of Agnidhra, wished to have sons, and therefore he attentively began to offer prayers and worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Visnu, the master and enjoyer of all sacrifices.
Maharaja Nabhi’s wife, Merudevi, who had not given birth to any children at that time, also worshiped Lord Visnu along with her husband.
5.3.2
tasya ha vava sraddhaya visuddha-bhavena yajatah pravargyesu pracaratsu dravya-desa-kala-mantrartvig-daksina-vidhana-yogopapattya duradhigamo ’pi bhagavan bhagavata-vatsalyataya supratika atmanam aparajitam nija-janabhipretartha-vidhitsaya grhita-hrdayo hrdayangamam mano-nayananandanavayavabhiramam aviscakara.
SYNONYMS
tasya—when he (Nabhi); ha vava—certainly; sraddhaya—with great faith and devotion; visuddha-bhavena—with a pure, uncontaminated mind; yajatah—was worshiping; pravargyesu—while the fruitive activities called pravargya; pracaratsu—were being performed; dravya—the ingredients; desa—place; kala—time; mantra—hymns; rtvik—priests conducting the ceremony; daksina—gifts to the priests; vidhana—regulative principles; yoga—and of the means; upapattya—by the performance; duradhigamah—not obtainable; api—although; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhagavata-vatsalyataya—because of His being very affectionate to His devotee; su-pratikah—possessing a very beautiful form; atmanam—Himself; aparajitam—not to be conquered by anyone; nija-jana—of His devotee; abhipreta-artha—the desire; vidhitsaya—to fulfill; grhita-hrdayah—His heart being attracted; hrdayangamam—captivating; manah-nayana-anandana—pleasing to the mind and eyes; avayava—by the limbs; abhiramam—beautiful; aviscakara—manifested.
TRANSLATION
In the performance of a sacrifice, there are seven transcendental means to obtain the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead: (1) by sacrificing valuable things or eatables, (2) by acting in terms of place, (3) by acting in terms of time, (4) by offering hymns, (5) by going through the priest, (6) by offering gifts to the priests and (7) by observing the regulative principles.
However, one cannot always obtain the Supreme Lord through this paraphernalia.
Nonetheless, the Lord is affectionate to His devotee; therefore when Maharaja Nabhi, who was a devotee, worshiped and offered prayers to the Lord with great faith and devotion and with a pure uncontaminated mind, superficially performing some yajna in the line of pravargya, the kind Supreme Personality of Godhead, due to His affection for His devotees, appeared before King Nabhi in His unconquerable and captivating form with four hands.
In this way, to fulfill the desire of His devotee, the Supreme Personality of Godhead manifested Himself in His beautiful body before His devotee.
This body pleases the mind and eyes of the devotees.
PURPORT
In Bhagavad-gita it is clearly said:
bhaktya mam abhijanati
yavan yas casmi tattvatah
tato mam tattvato jnatva
visate tad-anantaram
One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service.
And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God (Bg.18.55) One can understand and see the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the process of devotional service, and not in any other way.
Although Maharaja Nabhi performed prescribed duties and sacrifices, it should still be considered that the Lord appeared before him not due to his sacrifices but because of his devotional service.
It was for this reason that the Lord agreed to appear before him in His beautiful bodily features.
Brahma-samhita (5.30), the Supreme Lord in His original nature is very beautiful.
Venum kvanantam aravinda-dalayataksam barhavatamsam asitambuda-sundarangam: the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although blackish, is very, very beautiful.
5.3.3
atha ha tam aviskrta-bhuja-yugala-dvayam hiranmayam purusa-visesam kapisa-kauseyambara-dharam urasi vilasac-chrivatsa-lalamam daravara-vanaruha-vana-malacchury-amrta-mani-gadadibhir upalaksitam sphuta-kirana-pravara-mukuta-kundala-kataka-kati-sutra-hara-keyura-nupurady-anga-bhusana-vibhusitam rtvik-sadasya-grha-patayo ’dhana ivottama-dhanam upalabhya sabahu-manam arhanenavanata-sirsana upatasthuh.
SYNONYMS
atha—thereafter; ha—certainly; tam—Him; aviskrta-bhuja-yugala-dvayam—who manifested Himself with four arms; hiranmayam—very bright; purusa-visesam—the topmost of all living beings, Purusottama; kapisa-kauseya-ambara-dharam—wearing a yellow silk garment; urasi—on the chest; vilasat—beautiful; srivatsa—called Srivatsa; lalamam—possessing the mark; dara-vara—by a conchshell; vana-ruha—lotus flower; vana-mala—garland of forest flowers; acchuri—disc; amrta-mani—the Kaustubha gem; gada-adibhih—and by a club and other symbols; upalaksitam—symptomized; sphuta-kirana—radiant; pravara—excellent; mukuta—helmet; kundala—earrings; kataka—bracelets; kati-sutra—girdle; hara—necklace; keyura—armlets; nupura—ankle bells; adi—and so on; anga—of the body; bhusana—with ornaments; vibhusitam—decorated; rtvik—the priests; sadasya—associates; grha-patayah—and King Nabhi; adhanah—poor persons; iva—like; uttama-dhanam—a great treasure; upalabhya—having achieved; sa-bahu-manam—with great regard; arhanena—with ingredients for worship; avanata—bent; sirsanah—their heads; upatasthuh—worshiped.
TRANSLATION
Lord Visnu appeared before King Nabhi with four arms.
He was very bright, and He appeared to be the best of all personalities.
Around the lower portion of His body, He wore a yellow silken garment.
On His chest was the mark of Srivatsa, which always displays beauty.
He carried a conchshell, lotus flower, disc and club, and He wore a garland of forest flowers and the Kaustubha gem.
He was beautifully decorated with a helmet, earrings, bangles, belt, pearl necklace, armlets, ankle bells and other bodily ornaments bedecked with radiant jewels.
Seeing the Lord present before them, King Nabhi and his priests and associates felt just like poor people who have suddenly attained great riches.
They received the Lord and respectfully bent their heads and offered Him things in worship.
PURPORT
It is distinctly mentioned here that the Supreme Personality of Godhead did not appear as an ordinary human being.
He appeared before King Nabhi and his associates as the best of all personalities (Purusottama).
As stated in the Vedas: Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is also a living being, but He is the supreme living being.
In Bhagavad-gita (7.7), Lord Krsna Himself says mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya: O conqueror of wealth (Arjuna), there is no truth superior to Me No one is more attractive or more authoritative than Lord Krsna.
That is one of the differences between God and an ordinary living being.
According to this description of the transcendental body of Lord Visnu, the Lord can easily be distinguished from all other living beings.
Consequently Maharaja Nabhi and his priests and associates all offered the Lord obeisances and began to worship Him with various things.
As stated in Bhagavad-gita (6.22), yam labdhva caparam labham manyate nadhikam tatah.
That is, Upon gaining this, one thinks that there is no greater gain When one realizes God and sees the Lord face to face, one certainly thinks that he has gained the best of all things.
Raso ’py asya param drstva nivartate: when one experiences a higher taste, his consciousness is fixed.
After seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one ceases to be attracted by anything material.
One then remains steady in his worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
5.3.4-5
rtvija ucuh
arhasi muhur arhattamarhanam asmakam anupathanam namo nama ity etavat sad-upasiksitam ko ’rhati puman prakrti-guna-vyatikara-matir anisa isvarasya parasya prakrti-purusayor arvaktanabhir nama-rupakrtibhi rupa-nirupanam; sakala-jana-nikaya-vrjina-nirasana-sivatama-pravara-guna-ganaika-desa-kathanad rte.
SYNONYMS
rtvijah ucuh—the priests said; arhasi—please (accept); muhuh—again and again; arhat-tama—O most exalted, worshipable person; arhanam—offering of worship; asmakam—of us; anupathanam—who are Your servants; namah—respectful obeisances; namah—respectful obeisances; iti—thus; etavat—so far; sat—by exalted personalities; upasiksitam—instructed; kah—what; arhati—is able (to make); puman—man; prakrti—of material nature; guna—of the modes; vyatikara—in the transformations; matih—whose mind (is absorbed); anisah—who is most incapable; isvarasya—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; parasya—beyond; prakrti-purusayoh—the jurisdiction of the three modes of material nature; arvaktanabhih—which do not reach up to, or which are of this material world; nama-rupa-akrtibhih—by names, forms and qualities; rupa—of Your nature or position; nirupanam—ascertainment, perception; sakala—all; jana-nikaya—of mankind; vrjina—sinful actions; nirasana—which wipe out; sivatama—most auspicious; pravara—excellent; guna-gana—of the transcendental qualities; eka-desa—one part; kathanat—by speaking; rte—except.
TRANSLATION
The priests began to offer prayers to the Lord, saying: O most worshipable one, we are simply Your servants.
Although You are full in Yourself, please, out of Your causeless mercy, accept a little service from us, Your eternal servants.
We are not actually aware of Your transcendental form, but we can simply offer our respectful obeisances again and again, as instructed by the Vedic literatures and authorized acaryas.
Materialistic living entities are very much attracted to the modes of material nature, and therefore they are never perfect, but You are above the jurisdiction of all material conceptions.
Your name, form and qualities are all transcendental and beyond the conception of experimental knowledge.
Indeed, who can conceive of You? In the material world we can perceive only material names and qualities.
We have no other power than to offer our respectful obeisances and prayers unto You, the transcendental person.
The chanting of Your auspicious transcendental qualities will wipe out the sins of all mankind.
That is the most auspicious activity for us, and we can thus partially understand Your supernatural position.
PURPORT
The Supreme Personality of Godhead has nothing to do with material perception.
Even the impersonalist Sankaracarya says narayanah paro ’vyaktat: Narayana the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is beyond the material conception We cannot concoct the form and attributes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
We must simply accept the description given in Vedic literatures about the Lord’s form and activities.
Brahma-samhita (5.29):
cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa-
laksavrtesu surabhir abhipalayantam
laksmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevyamanam
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, the first progenitor, who is tending the cows, yielding all desires, in abodes built with spiritual gems and surrounded by millions of purpose trees.
He is always served with great reverence and affection by hundreds and thousands of goddesses of fortune We can have some conception of the Absolute Truth, His form and His attributes simply by reading the descriptions given in Vedic literatures and authoritative statements given by exalted personalities like Brahma, Narada, Sukadeva Gosvami and others.
Srila Rupa Gosvami says, atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih: (BRS.1.2.234) We cannot conceive the name, form and qualities of Sri Krsna through our material senses Because of this, other names for the Lord are adhoksaja and aprakrta, which indicate that He is beyond any material senses.
Out of His causeless mercy upon His devotees, the Lord appeared before Maharaja Nabhi.
Similarly, when we are engaged in the Lord’s devotional service, the Lord reveals Himself to us.
Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah.
This is the only way to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita, bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah: (Bg.18.55) one can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead through devotional service.
There is no other way.
We have to hear from the authorities and from the sastras and consider the Supreme Lord in terms of their statements.
We cannot imagine or concoct forms and attributes of the Lord.
5.3.6
SYNONYMS
parijana—by Your servants; anuraga—in great ecstasy; viracita—executed; sabala—with a faltering voice; samsabda—with prayers; salila—water; sita-kisalaya—twigs bearing new leaves; tulasika—tulasi leaves; durva-ankuraih—and with newly grown grass; api—also; sambhrtaya—performed; saparyaya—by worship; kila—indeed; parama—O Supreme Lord; paritusyasi—You become satisfied.
TRANSLATION
O Supreme Lord, You are full in every respect.
You are certainly very satisfied when Your devotees offer You prayers with faltering voices and in ecstasy bring You tulasi leaves, water, twigs bearing new leaves, and newly grown grass.
This surely makes You satisfied.
PURPORT
One does not need great wealth, education or opulence to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
If one is fully absorbed in love and ecstasy, he need offer only a flower and a little water.
As stated in Bhagavad-gita, patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati: If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower fruit or water, I will accept it (Bg.9.26) The Supreme Lord can be pleased only by devotional service: therefore it is said here that the Lord is surely satisfied by devotion and nothing else.
Quoting from the Gautamiya-tantra, the Hari-bhakti-vilasa states:
tulasi-dala-matrena
jalasya culukena va
vikrinite svam atmanam
bhaktebhyo bhakta-vatsalah
Sri Krsna, who is very affectionate toward His devotees, sells Himself to a devotee who offers merely a tulasi leaf and a palmful of water The Supreme Lord is causelessly merciful upon His devotee, so much so that even the poorest of men can offer Him a little water and a flower in devotion and thus please Him.
This is due to His affectionate dealings with His devotees.
5.3.7
athanayapi na bhavata ijyayoru-bhara-bharaya samucitam artham ihopalabhamahe.
SYNONYMS
atha—otherwise; anaya—this; api—even; na—not; bhavatah—of Your exalted personality; ijyaya—by performance of sacrifice; urubhara-bharaya—encumbered by much paraphernalia; samucitam—required; artham—use; iha—here; upalabhamahe—we can see.
TRANSLATION
We have engaged in Your worship with many things and have offered sacrifices unto You, but we think that there is no need for so many arrangements to please Your Lordship.
PURPORT
Srila Rupa Gosvami says that if one is offered varied foods but has no appetite, the offering has no value.
In a big sacrificial ceremony there may be many things accumulated to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but if there is no devotion, attachment or love for the Lord, the arrangement is useless.
The Lord is complete in Himself, and He does not need anything from us.
However, if we offer Him a little water, a flower and a tulasi leaf, He will accept them.
Bhakti, devotional service, is the main way to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
It is not a question of arranging huge sacrifices.
The priests were regretful, thinking that they were not on the path of devotional service and that their sacrifice was not pleasing to the Lord.
5.3.8
atmana evanusavanam anjasavyatirekena bobhuyamanasesa-purusartha-svarupasya kintu nathasisa asasananam etad abhisamradhana-matram bhavitum arhati.
SYNONYMS
atmanah—self-sufficiently; eva—certainly; anusavanam—at every moment; anjasa—directly; avyatirekena—without stopping; bobhuyamana—increasing; asesa—unlimitedly; purusa-artha—the goals of life; sva-rupasya—Your actual identity; kintu—but; natha—O Lord; asisah—benedictions for material enjoyment; asasananam—of us, who are always desiring; etat—this; abhisamradhana—for getting Your mercy; matram—only; bhavitum arhati—can be.
TRANSLATION
All of life’s goals and opulences are directly, self-sufficiently, unceasingly and unlimitedly increasing in You at every moment.
Indeed, You are unlimited enjoyment and blissful existence itself.
As far as we are concerned, O Lord, we are always after material enjoyment.
You do not need all these sacrificial arrangements, but they are meant for us so that we may be benedicted by Your Lordship.
All these sacrifices are performed for our fruitive results, and they are not actually needed by You.
PURPORT
Being self-sufficient, the Supreme Lord does not need huge sacrifices.
Fruitive activity for a more opulent life is for those who desire such material opulence for their interest.
Yajnarthat karmano ’nyatra loko ’yam karma-bandhanah: (Bg.3.9)) if we do not act to satisfy the Supreme Lord we engage in maya’s activities.
We may construct a gorgeous temple and spend thousands of dollars, but such a temple is not required by the Lord.
The Lord has many millions of temples for His residence and He does not need our attempt.
He does not require opulent activity at all.
Such engagement is meant for our benefit.
If we engage our money in constructing a gorgeous temple, we are freed from the reactions of our endeavors.
This is for our benefit.
In addition, if we attempt to do something nice for the Supreme Lord, He is pleased with us and gives us His benediction.
In conclusion, the gorgeous arrangements are not for the Lord’s sake but for our own.
If we somehow or other receive blessings and benedictions from the Lord, our consciousness can be purified and we can become eligible to return home, back to Godhead.
5.3.9
tad yatha balisanam svayam atmanah sreyah param avidusam parama-parama-purusa prakarsa-karunaya sva-mahimanam capavargakhyam upakalpayisyan svayam napacita evetaravad ihopalaksitah.
SYNONYMS
tat—that; yatha—as; balisanam—of the fools; svayam—by Yourself; atmanah—own; sreyah—welfare; param—ultimate; avidusam—of persons who do not know; parama-parama-purusa—O Lord of lords; prakarsa-karunaya—by abundant causeless mercy; sva-mahimanam—Your personal glory; ca—and; apavarga-akhyam—called apavarga (liberation); upakalpayisyan—desiring to give; svayam—personally; na apacitah—not properly worshiped; eva—although; itara-vat—like an ordinary person; iha—here; upalaksitah—(You are) present and seen (by us).
TRANSLATION
O Lord of lords, we are completely ignorant of the execution of dharma, artha, kama and moksa, the process of liberation, because we do not actually know the goal of life.
You have appeared personally before us like a person soliciting worship, but actually You are present here just so we can see You.
You have come out of Your abundant and causeless mercy in order to serve our purpose, our interest, and give us the benefit of Your personal glory called apavarga, liberation.
You have come, although You are not properly worshiped by us due to our ignorance.
PURPORT
Lord Visnu was personally present at the sacrificial arena, but this does not mean that He had any interest in His own personal benefit.
Similarly, the arca-vigraha, the Deity in the temple, is present for the same purpose.
Out of His causeless mercy, the Supreme Personality of Godhead presents Himself before us so that we can see Him.
Since we have no transcendental vision, we cannot see the spiritual sac-cid-ananda-vigraha (Bs.5.1) of the Lord; therefore, out of His causeless mercy He comes in a form we can see.
We can only see material things like stone and wood, and therefore He accepts a form of stone and wood and thus accepts our service in the temple.
This is an exhibition of the Lord’s causeless mercy.
Although He has no interest in such things, in order to receive our loving service, He agrees to act as He does.
We cannot actually offer suitable paraphernalia for the Lord’s worship because we are completely ignorant.
It was out of His causeless mercy that the Lord appeared in the sacrificial arena of Maharaja Nabhi.
5.3.10
athayam eva varo hy arhattama yarhi barhisi rajarser varadarsabho bhavan nija-puruseksana-visaya asit.
SYNONYMS
atha—then; ayam—this; eva—certainly; varah—benediction; hi—indeed; arhat-tama—O most worshipable of the worshipable; yarhi—because; barhisi—in the sacrifice; raja-rseh—of King Nabhi; varada-rsabhah—the best of the benefactors; bhavan—Your Lordship; nija-purusa—of Your devotees; iksana-visayah—the object of the sight; asit—has become.
TRANSLATION
O most worshipable of all, You are the best of all benefactors, and Your appearance at saintly King Nabhi’s sacrificial arena is meant for our benediction.
Because You have been seen by us, You have bestowed upon us the most valuable benediction.
PURPORT
Nija-purusa-iksana-visaya.
In Bhagavad-gita (9.29) Krsna says, samo ’ham sarva-bhutesu: I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone.
I am equal to all.
But whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is a friend, is in Me, and I am also a friend to him The Supreme Personality of Godhead is equal to everyone.
In that sense, He has no enemies and no friends.
Everyone is enjoying the fruitive reactions of his own work, and the Lord, within everyone’s heart, is observing and giving everyone the desired result.
However, just as the devotees are always anxious to see the Supreme Lord satisfied in every way, similarly the Supreme Lord is very anxious to present Himself before His devotees.
Sri Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (4.8):
paritranaya sadhunam
vinasaya ca duskrtam
dharma-samsthapanarthaya
sambhavami yuge yuge
To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium Thus Krsna’s appearance is for the deliverance and satisfaction of His devotees.
Actually He does not advent Himself simply to kill the demons, for that can be done by His agents.
Lord Visnu’s appearance at the sacrificial arena of Maharaja Nabhi was just to please the King and his assistants.
Otherwise there was no reason for His being present there.
5.3.11
asanga-nisita-jnananala-vidhutasesa-malanam bhavat-svabhavanam atmaramanam muninam anavarata-parigunita-guna-gana parama-mangalayana-guna-gana-kathano ’si.
SYNONYMS
asanga—by detachment; nisita—strengthened; jnana—of knowledge; anala—by the fire; vidhuta—removed; asesa—unlimited; malanam—whose dirty things; bhavat-svabhavanam—who have attained Your qualities; atma-aramanam—who are self-satisfied; muninam—of great sages; anavarata—incessantly; parigunita—recounted; guna-gana—O Lord, whose spiritual qualities; parama-mangala—supreme bliss; ayana—produces; guna-gana-kathanah—He, the chanting of whose attributes; asi—You are.
TRANSLATION
Dear Lord, all the great sages who are thoughtful and saintly persons incessantly recount Your spiritual qualities.
These sages have already burned up all the unlimited dirty things and, by the fire of knowledge, strengthened their detachment from the material world.
Thus they have attained Your qualities and are self-satisfied.
Yet even for those who feel spiritual bliss in chanting Your attributes, Your personal presence is very rare.
PURPORT
The priests in Maharaja Nabhi’s sacrificial arena appreciated the personal presence of the Supreme Lord Visnu, and they considered themselves very much obliged.
The Lord’s appearance is rare even for great saintly persons who have become completely detached from this material world and whose hearts are clean due to constantly chanting the glories of the Lord.
Such people are satisfied by chanting the transcendental qualities of the Lord.
The Lord’s personal presence is not actually required.
The priests are pointing out that the Lord’s personal presence is very rare even for such elevated sages but that He was so kind to them that now He was personally present.
Therefore the priests were very much obliged.
5.3.12
atha kathancit skhalana-ksut-patana-jrmbhana-duravasthanadisu vivasanam nah smaranaya jvara-marana-dasayam api sakala-kasmala-nirasanani tava guna-krta-namadheyani vacana-gocarani bhavantu.
SYNONYMS
atha—still; kathancit—somehow or other; skhalana—stumbling; ksut—hunger; patana—falling down; jrmbhana—yawning; duravasthana—because of being placed in an undesirable position; adisu—and so on; vivasanam—unable; nah—of ourselves; smaranaya—to remember; jvara-marana-dasayam—in the case of having a high fever at the time of death; api—also; sakala—all; kasmala—sins; nirasanani—which can dispel; tava—Your; guna—attributes; krta—activities; namadheyani—names; vacana-gocarani—possible to be uttered; bhavantu—let them become.
TRANSLATION
Dear Lord, we may not be able to remember Your name, form and qualities due to stumbling, hunger, falling down, yawning or being in a miserable diseased condition at the time of death when there is a high fever.
We therefore pray unto You, O Lord, for You are very affectionate to Your devotees.
Please help us remember You and utter Your holy names, attributes and activities, which can dispel all the reactions of our sinful lives.
PURPORT
The real success in life is ante narayana-smrti—remembering the holy name, attributes, activities and form of the Lord at the time of death.
Although we may be engaged in the Lord’s devotional service in the temple, material conditions are so tough and inevitable that we may forget the Lord at the time of death due to a diseased condition or mental derangement.
Therefore we should pray to the Lord to be able to remember His lotus feet without fail at the time of death, when we are in such a precarious condition.
In this regard, one may also see Srimad-Bhagavatam (6.2.9–10 and 14–15).
5.3.13
kincayam rajarsir apatya-kamah prajam bhavadrsim asasana isvaram asisam svargapavargayor api bhavantam upadhavati prajayam artha-pratyayo dhanadam ivadhanah phalikaranam.
SYNONYMS
kinca—moreover; ayam—this; raja-rsih—pious King (Nabhi); apatya-kamah—desiring offspring; prajam—a son; bhavadrsim—exactly like You; asasanah—hoping for; isvaram—the supreme controller; asisam—of benedictions; svarga-apavargayoh—of the heavenly planes and liberation; api—although; bhavantam—You; upadhavati—worships; prajayam—children; artha-pratyayah—regarding as the ultimate goal of life; dhana-dam—unto a person who can give immense wealth as charity; iva—like; adhanah—a poor man; phalikaranam—a little husk.
TRANSLATION
Dear Lord, here is the great King Nabhi, whose ultimate goal in life is to have a son like You.
Your Lordship, his position is like that of a person approaching a very rich man and begging for a little grain.
Maharaja Nabhi is so desirous of having a son that he is worshiping You for a son, although You can offer him any exalted position, including elevation to the heavenly planes or liberation back to Godhead.
PURPORT
The priests were a little ashamed that King Nabhi was performing a great sacrifice just to ask the Lord’s benediction for a son.
The Lord could offer him promotion to the heavenly planes or the Vaikuntha planes.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has taught us how to approach the Supreme Lord and ask Him for the ultimate benediction.
He said: na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam va jagad-isa kamaye.
He did not want to ask the Supreme Lord for anything material.
Material opulence means riches, a nice family, a good wife and many followers, but an intelligent devotee doesn’t ask the Supreme Lord for anything material.
His only prayer is: mama janmani janmanisvare bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi.
He wants to be engaged perpetually in the loving service of the Lord.
He does not want promotion to the heavenly planes or mukti, liberation from material bondage.
If this were the case, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would not have said, mama janmani janmani.
It doesn’t matter to a devotee whether or not he takes birth life after life, as long as he remains a devotee.
Actually eternal liberty means returning home, back to Godhead.
A devotee is never concerned about anything material.
Although Nabhi Maharaja wanted a son like Visnu, wanting a son like God is also a form of sense gratification.
A pure devotee wants only to engage in the Lord’s loving service.
5.3.14
ko va iha te ’parajito ’parajitaya mayayanavasita-padavyanavrta-matir visaya-visa-rayanavrta-prakrtir anupasita-mahac-caranah.
SYNONYMS
kah va—who is that person; iha—within this material world; te—of Your Lordship; aparajitah—not conquered; aparajitaya—by the unconquerable; mayaya—illusory energy; anavasita-padavya—whose path cannot be ascertained; anavrta-matih—whose intelligence is not bewildered; visaya-visa—of material enjoyment, which is like poison; raya—by the course; anavrta—not covered; prakrtih—whose nature; anupasita—without worshiping; mahat-caranah—the lotus feet of great devotees.
TRANSLATION
Dear Lord, unless one worships the lotus feet of great devotees, one will be conquered by the illusory energy, and his intelligence will be bewildered.
Indeed, who has not been carried away by the waves of material enjoyment, which are like poison? Your illusory energy is unconquerable.
No one can see the path of this material energy or tell how it is working.
PURPORT
Maharaja Nabhi was inclined to performing great sacrifices for begetting a son.
The son might be as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but such a material desire—be it great or insignificant—is brought about by the influence of maya.
A devotee does not at all desire anything for sense gratification.
Devotion is therefore explained as devoid of material desires (anyabhilasita-sunya).
Everyone is subjected to the influence of maya and entangled in all kinds of material desire, and Maharaja Nabhi was no exception.
Freedom from maya’s influence is possible when one engages in the service of the great devotees (mahac-carana-seva).
Without worshiping the lotus feet of a great devotee, one cannot be freed from maya’s influence.
Srila Narottama dasa Thakura therefore says, chadiya vaisnava-seva nistara payeche keba: Who has been freed from maya’s clutches without serving the lotus feet of a Vaisnava Maya is aparajita, and her influence is also aparajita.
As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (7.14):
daivi hy esa guna-mayi
mama maya duratyaya
This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome Only a devotee can surpass maya’s great influence.
It was no fault on Maharaja Nabhi’s part that he wanted a son.
He wanted a son like the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the best of all sons.
By the association of the Lord’s devotee, one no longer desires material opulence.
This is confirmed in Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya22.54):
sadhu-sang, sadhu-sang sarva-sastre kaya
lava-matra sadhu-sange sarva-siddhi haya and
(Cc.Madhya 22.51)
:
mahat-krpa vina kona karme ‘bhakti’ naya
krsna-bhakti dure rahu, samsara nahe ksaya
If one is serious about escaping maya’s influence and returning home, back to Godhead, one must associate with a sadhu (devotee).
That is the verdict of all scriptures.
By the slight association of a devotee, one can be freed from the clutches of maya.
Without the mercy of the pure devotee, one cannot get freedom by any means.
Certainly a pure devotee’s association is necessary in order to obtain the loving service of the Lord.
One cannot be freed from maya’s clutches without sadhu-sanga, the benediction of a great devotee.
Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.5.32) Prahlada Maharaja says:
naisam matis tavad urukramanghrim
sprsaty anarthapagamo yad arthah
mahiyasam pada-rajo-’bhisekam
niskincananam na vrnita yavat
One cannot become the Lord’s pure devotee without taking the dust of a great devotee on his head (pada-rajo-’bhisekam).
A pure devotee is niskincana; he has no material desire to enjoy the material world.
One has to take shelter of such a pure devotee in order to attain his qualities.
The pure devotee is always free from the clutches of maya and her influence.
5.3.15
yad u ha vava tava punar adabhra-kartar iha samahutas tatrartha-dhiyam mandanam nas tad yad deva-helanam deva-devarhasi samyena sarvan prativodhum avidusam.
SYNONYMS
yat—because; u ha vava—indeed; tava—Your; punah—again; adabhra-kartah—O Lord, who performs many activities; iha—here, in this arena of sacrifice; samahutah—invited; tatra—therefore; artha-dhiyam—who aspire to fulfill material desires; mandanam—not very intelligent; nah—of us; tat—that; yat—which; deva-helanam—disrespect of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; deva-deva—Lord of lords; arhasi—please; samyena—because of Your equipoised position; sarvan—everything; prativodhum—tolerate; avidusam—of us, who are all ignorant.
TRANSLATION
O Lord, You perform many wonderful activities.
Our only aim was to acquire a son by performing this great sacrifice; therefore our intelligence is not very sharp.
We are not experienced in ascertaining life’s goal.
By inviting You to this negligible sacrifice for some material motive, we have certainly committed a great offense at Your lotus feet.
Therefore, O Lord of lords, please excuse our offense because of Your causeless mercy and equal mind.
PURPORT
The priests were certainly unhappy to have called the Supreme Lord from Vaikuntha for such an insignificant reason.
A pure devotee never wants to see the Lord unnecessarily.
The Lord is engaged in various activities, and the pure devotee does not want to see Him whimsically, for his own sense gratification.
The pure devotee simply depends on the Lord’s mercy, and when the Lord is pleased, he can see Him face to face.
The Lord is unseen even by demigods like Lord Brahma and Lord Siva.
By calling on the Supreme Lord, the priests of Nabhi Maharaja proved themselves unintelligent; nonetheless, the Lord came out of His causeless mercy.
All of them therefore wanted to be excused by the Lord.
Worship of the Supreme Lord for material gain is not approved by authorities.
As stated in Bhagavad-gita (7.16):
catur-vidha bhajante mam
janah sukrtino ’rjuna
arto jijnasur artharthi
jnani ca bharatarsabha
O best among the Bharatas (Arjuna), four kinds of pious men render devotional service unto Me—the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute Initiation into bhakti begins when one is in a distressed condition or in want of money, or when one is inquisitive to understand the Absolute Truth.
Nonetheless, people who approach the Supreme Lord in this way are not actually devotees.
They are accepted as pious (sukrtinah) due to their inquiring about the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Not knowing the various activities and engagements of the Lord, such people unnecessarily disturb the Lord for material gain.
However, the Lord is so kind that even though disturbed, He fulfills the desires of such beggars.
The pure devotee is anyabhilasita-sunya; he has no motive behind his worship.
He is not conducted by the influence of maya in the form of karma or jnana.
The pure devotee is always prepared to execute the order of the Lord without personal consideration.
The rtvijah, the priests at the sacrifice, knew very well the distinction between karma and bhakti, and because they considered themselves under the influence of karma, fruitive activity, they begged the Lord’s pardon.
They knew that the Lord had been invited to come for some paltry reason.
5.3.16
sri-suka uvaca
iti nigadenabhistuyamano bhagavan animisarsabho varsa-dharabhivaditabhivandita-caranah sadayam idam aha.
SYNONYMS
sri-sukah uvaca—Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; iti—thus; nigadena—by prayers in prose; abhistuyamanah—being worshiped; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; animisa-rsabhah—the chief of all the demigods; varsa-dhara—by King Nabhi, the Emperor of Bharata-varsa; abhivadita—worshiped; abhivandita—were bowed down to; caranah—whose feet; sadayam—kindly; idam—this; aha—said.
TRANSLATION
Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said: The priests, who were even worshiped by King Nabhi, the Emperor of Bharata-varsa, offered prayers in prose (generally they were in poetry) and bowed down at the Lord’s lotus feet.
The Lord of lords, the ruler of the demigods, was very pleased with them, and He began to speak as follows.
5.3.17
sri-bhagavan uvaca
aho bataham rsayo bhavadbhir avitatha-girbhir varam asulabham abhiyacito yad amusyatmajo maya sadrso bhuyad iti mamaham evabhirupah kaivalyad athapi brahma-vado na mrsa bhavitum arhati mamaiva hi mukham yad dvija-deva-kulam.
SYNONYMS
sri-bhagavan uvaca—the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; aho—alas; bata—certainly I am pleased; aham—I; rsayah—O great sages; bhavadbhih—by you; avitatha-girbhih—whose words are all true; varam—for a benediction; asulabham—very difficult to achieve; abhiyacitah—have been requested; yat—that; amusya—of King Nabhi; atma-jah—a son; maya sadrsah—like Me; bhuyat—there may be; iti—thus; mama—My; aham—I; eva—only; abhirupah—equal; kaivalyat—because of being without a second; athapi—nevertheless; brahma-vadah—the words spoken by exalted brahmanas; na—not; mrsa—false; bhavitum—to become; arhati—ought; mama—My; eva—certainly; hi—because; mukham—mouth; yat—that; dvija-deva-kulam—the class of pure brahmanas.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead replied: O great sages, I am certainly very pleased with your prayers.
You are all truthful.
You have prayed for the benediction of a son like Me for King Nabhi, but this is very difficult to obtain.
Since I am the Supreme Person without a second and since no one is equal to Me, another personality like Me is not possible to find.
In any case, because you are all qualified brahmanas, your vibrations should not prove untrue.
I consider the brahmanas who are well qualified with brahminical qualities to be as good as My own mouth.
PURPORT
The word avitatha-girbhih means they whose spoken vibrations cannot be nullified The brahmanas (dvija, the twice-born), are given a chance by the sastric regulations to become almost as powerful as the Supreme Lord.
Whatever a brahmana speaks cannot be nullified or changed in any circumstance.
According to the Vedic injunctions, a brahmana is the mouth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; therefore in all rituals a brahmana is offered food (brahmana-bhojana) because when a brahmana eats, it is considered that the Supreme Lord Himself eats.
Similarly, whatever a brahmana speaks cannot be changed.
It must act.
The learned sages who were priests at Maharaja Nabhi’s sacrifice were not only brahmanas but were so qualified that they were like devas, demigods, or God Himself.
If this were not the case, how could they invite Lord Visnu to come to the sacrificial arena? God is one, and God does not belong to this or that religion.
In Kali-yuga, different religious sects consider their God to be different from the God of others, but that is not possible.
God is one, and He is appreciated according to different angles of vision.
In this verse the word kaivalyat means that God has no competitor.
There is only one God.
Svetasvatara Upanisad (6.8) it is said, na tat-samas cabhyadhikas ca drsyate: No one is found to be equal to Him or greater than Him That is the definition of God.
5.3.18
tata agnidhriye ’msa-kalayavatarisyamy atma-tulyam anupalabhamanah.
SYNONYMS
tatah—therefore; agnidhriye—in the wife of Nabhi, the son of Agnidhra; amsa-kalaya—by an expansion of My personal form; avatarisyami—I shall advent Myself; atma-tulyam—My equal; anupalabhamanah—not finding.
TRANSLATION
Since I cannot find anyone equal to Me, I shall personally expand Myself into a plenary portion and thus advent Myself in the womb of Merudevi, the wife of Maharaja Nabhi, the son of Agnidhra.
PURPORT
This is an example of the omnipotence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Although He is one without a second, He expands Himself by svamsa, His personal expansion, and sometimes by vibhinnamsa, or His separated expansion.
Lord Visnu herein agrees to send His personal expansion as the son of Merudevi, the wife of Maharaja Nabhi, who is the son of Agnidhra.
The rtvijah, the priests, knew that God is one, yet they prayed for the Supreme Lord to become the son of Maharaja Nabhi to let the world know that the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is one without a second.
When He incarnates, He expands Himself in different potencies.
5.3.19
sri-suka uvaca
iti nisamayantya merudevyah patim abhidhayantardadhe bhagavan.
SYNONYMS
sri-sukah uvaca—Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; iti—thus; nisamayantyah—who was listening; merudevyah—in the presence of Merudevi; patim—unto her husband; abhidhaya—having spoken; antardadhe—disappeared; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TRANSLATION
Sukadeva Gosvami continued: After saying this, the Lord disappeared.
The wife of King Nabhi, Queen Merudevi, was sitting by the side of her husband, and consequently she could hear everything the Supreme Lord had spoken.
PURPORT
According to the Vedic injunctions, one should perform sacrifices in the company of one’s own wife.
Sapatniko dharmam acaret: religious rituals should be performed with one’s wife; therefore Maharaja Nabhi conducted his great sacrifice with his wife by his side.
5.3.20
barhisi tasminn eva visnudatta bhagavan paramarsibhih prasadito nabheh priya-cikirsaya tad-avarodhayane merudevyam dharman darsayitu-kamo vata-rasananam sramananam rsinam urdhva-manthinam suklaya tanuvavatatara.
SYNONYMS
barhisi—in the arena of sacrifice; tasmin—that; eva—in this way; visnu-datta—O Maharaja Pariksit; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; parama-rsibhih—by the great rsis; prasaditah—being pleased; nabheh priya-cikirsaya—to please King Nabhi; tat-avarodhayane—in his wife; merudevyam—Merudevi; dharman—the principles of religion; darsayitu-kamah—desiring to exhibit how to perform; vata-rasananam—of the sannyasis (who have almost no cloth); sramananam—of the vanaprasthas; rsinam—of the great sages; urdhva-manthinam—of the brahmacaris; suklaya tanuva—in His original spiritual form, which is above the modes of material nature; avatatara—appeared as an incarnation.
TRANSLATION
O Visnudatta, Pariksit Maharaja, the Supreme Personality of Godhead was pleased by the great sages at that sacrifice.
Consequently the Lord decided to personally exhibit the method of executing religious principles (as observed by brahmacaris, sannyasis, vanaprasthas and grhasthas engaged in rituals) and also satisfy Maharaja Nabhi’s desire.
Consequently He appeared as the son of Merudevi in His original spiritual form, which is above the modes of material nature.
PURPORT
When the Supreme Lord appears or descends as an incarnation within this material world, He does not accept a body made of the three modes of material nature (sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna).
Mayavadi philosophers say that the impersonal God appears in this material world by accepting a body in the sattva-guna.
Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti states that the word sukla means consisting of suddha-sattva Lord Visnu descends in His suddha-sattva form.
Suddha-sattva refers to the sattva-guna which is never contaminated.
In this material world, even the mode of goodness (sattva-guna) is contaminated by tinges of rajo-guna and tamo-guna.
When sattva-guna is never contaminated by rajo-guna and tamo-guna, it is called suddha-sattva.
Sattvam visuddham vasudeva-sabditam (Bhag.4.3.23).
That is the platform of vasudeva, whereby the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva, can be experienced.
In Bhagavad-gita (4.7) Sri Krsna Himself says:
yada yada hi dharmasya
glanir bhavati bharata
abhyutthanam adharmasya
tadatmanam srjamy aham
Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend Myself Unlike ordinary living entities, the Supreme Lord is not forced by the modes of material nature to appear.
He appears dharman darsayitu-kama—to show how to execute the functions of a human being.
The word dharma is meant for human beings and is never used in connection with beings inferior to human beings, such as animals.
Unfortunately, without being guided by the Supreme Lord, human beings sometimes manufacture a process of dharma by concoction.
Actually dharma cannot be made by man.
Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam (Bhag.6.3.19) Dharma is given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, just as the law is given by the state government.
Man-made dharma has no meaning.
Srimad-Bhagavatam refers to man-made dharma as kaitava-dharma, cheating religion.
The Supreme Lord sends an avatara (incarnation) to teach human society the proper way to execute religious principles.
Such religious principles are bhakti-marga.
As the Supreme Lord Himself says in Bhagavad-gita: sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja (Bg.18.66).
The son of Maharaja Nabhi, Rsabhadeva, appeared on this earth to preach the principles of religion.
That will be explained in the Fifth Chapter of this Fifth Canto.