Narayaneeyam: Dasakam: 19

Dashakam XIX

Shloka: 1

Pracheenabarhih naptaa prthoh-----------------------------Prachinabarhis, the great grandson of Prithu

Prithu-dharma-karmathah-------------------------------------extremely righteous like Prithu and exclusively devoted to performing innumerable religious rites

Ajeejanat yuvatau shatadrutau--------------------------------begot through young Satadruti

Sutaan naama prachetasah-------------------------------------ten sons by the name of the Prachetas

Suchetasah iva---------------------------------------------who were pure or noble minded and appeared as though

Tvat-karunaa-ankuraan------------------------------------they were the sprouts of “Your” compassion

Prachinabarhis, the great grandson of Prithu, who was righteous and always intent on performing yajnas, begot through his wife Satadruti, ten pure minded sons, jointly known by the name Prachetas, who all looked as if they were sprouts of “Your” compassion (mercy, kind, pity) itself.

The son of Prithu who because of his great actions became known as Vijitâs'va became emperor and gave his younger brothers he cared a lot about, the rule over the different directions of the world.

The master offered Haryaksha the eastern part,

The south he offered to Dhûmrakes'a,

The western side was for the brother with the name Vrika and the

Northern direction he gave to Dravina.

Vijitasva who from [what he did in relation to] Indra [also] was honored with the name Antardhâna ['invisibly present'], begot in his wife S'ikhandinî three children who carried the approval of everyone. They were named:

Pavaka

Pavamana

Suchi

They in the past had been the gods of fire but now, because of a curse of sage Vasishthha, had taken birth again in order to regain that status by the progress of yoga. 

Antardhâna who didn't kill Indra despite of the fact that he knew that he had stolen the horse, begot in his wife named Nabhasvatî a son called Havirdhâna ['the offering won'].

The taxes, punishments and fines and such that make up the livelihood of kings, he considered to be something very severe and therefore he abolished them in favour of sacrifices that in the past had been given up.

Despite of being committed to the job of ending the distress [of others], he as a realized soul always keeping to his ecstasy, by the worship of the Original Person easily attained His abode, the Supreme of the Soul.

Havirdhânî the wife of Havirdhâna gave birth to six sons named

Barhishat

Gaya

Shukla

Krishna

Satya

Jitavrata

Barhishat was that fortunate in his ritualistic actions and yoga realization, that he was considered the Prajâpati [the founding father].

 With this practice of the world all over continually pleasing the gods with sacrifices, he kept the kusa grass [of the ceremonial sitting places] facing the east. This earned Barhishad the name, Prachinabarhis (Prachina-turned towards east, Barhis—Darbha (he performed a large number of yajnas during which he spread darbha grass all over the earth in east-west direction).

Barhishat

Satadruti

On the advice of the god of gods [Brahma] he married the daughter of the ocean named S'atadruti. 

The moment the fire god Agni saw her, youthful and charming in all her limbs, circumambulating [his fire] during the marriage ceremony, he felt himself as much attracted as he [formerly] was to S'ukî.

The ones of learning, the ones of desire, the ones of heaven, the sages and the perfect ones, the ones of the earth and those of the snakes, were all captivated by the tinkling alone of the new bride her ankle bells that could be heard everywhere.

From [Prachina]Barhi ten sons appeared in the womb of Satadruti who all deeply vowed to the dharma together were called the Pracetâs [from prâcîna: being turned eastward].

(contd at the end)

Shloka: 2

Shaasanaat Pituh-----------------------------------At the command of their father

Sisrkshaa-niratasya--------------------------who was keenly interested in the task of creation

Dashaapi te-------------------------------------------all ten of them

Bhavat-tapasyaa-abhirattaah-----------------------who took delight in meditating on “You”

Etya Pashchim payonidhim----------------------------on reaching the western sea,

Sandadrshuh tattate--------------------------------------saw on it shores

Manoharam sarovaram--------------------------a beautiful lake

At the command of their father who wanted them to beget progeny (creation process) they went to the western sea for meditating on “You”, so that they may beget virtuous children. On the shore of that sea they saw a beautiful lake.

Shloka: 3

Tadaa bhavah bhaktatamah-----------------------------Thereafter, Lord Shiva, foremost among “Your” devotees

Samaagatah idam bhavatteertham------------------------who had come to this holy lake of “Yours”

Bhavatsevaka-darshana-aadrutah---------------------------eager to have a look at “Your” devotees

Prakaasham aasaadya------------------------------------------having manifested Himself

Purah prachetasaam--------------------------------------------before the Prachetas

Upaadishat stavam tava----------------------------------imparted a hymn (A song of praise or thanksgiving to God or a deity) in praise of “You” to them.

O Lord of Guruvayoor!

The lake seen by the Prachetas is not different from the divine pond situated on the northern side of “Your” great temple at Guruvayoor

Lord Shiva, being greatly devoted to “You”, was eager to see “Your” devotees and he did not differentiate between “You” and Himself, so “Your” devotes were His devotees too. Therefore, with great admiration, He manifested himself before the Prachetas and imparted to them a great hymn on “You”, by name “Rudra-geetam”—capable of conferring (to bestow or grant, exchange opinions) immediate benefits.

Shloka: 4

Amee aasevishata bhavantam-----------------------------------------they (Prachetas) worshipped “You”

Ayutam samaah japantah----------------------------------------------------for ten thousand years, chanting

Tam stvam jalaantare---------------------------------------------------------that hymn standing in the waters of that lake

Ameeshu iyaan kaalah bahoova ---------------------------------------------in their case, it took so much of time

Bhavat-sukha-aasvaada-rasaat--------------------------------------------because of the joy they experienced in contemplation on “You” in the state of Brahmic Bliss

Na sheeghrataa dhruvavat----------------------------------there was no hurry, as in the case of Dhruva

These Prachetas meditated on “You” in the water singing that hymn, for 10,000years.Because, they became immersed in the joy of meditating on “You” and remained content with it. It took such a long time for the fruition (realisation, fulfilment) of their penance. It did not come quickly as in the case of Dhruva. They wanted only to enjoy the happiness arising from meditation and so were not eager for its fruition

Sthalapuranam of Guruvayoor:

Long ago, when Dwaraka was submerged in the sea at the end of Lord Krishna’s ascent (going back in time or the act or process of rising or going upward) to His abode after the incarnation, Brihaspati, the Guru, preceptor- an instructor or a teacher of the Devas and the Wind God, Vayu were asked to install the Lord’s idol worshipped in Dwaraka by the Lord himself in a proper place.

Celestially (heavenly, divine) travelling with the idol in search of a suitable site, they came upon a beautiful lake near the shores of the western sea.

Lord Shiva appeared there immediately and told them to install this idol at his present place without any hesitation. It is the place where I have imparted hymns (Rudra-geetam) of mine to the prachetas. Lord Shiva vacated His residence at Guruvayoor voluntarily to the place called “Mammiyoor” along with Ambika, located in the east, which is about half a kilometre away and is a great Shiva temple even today. It is worshipped by all devotees who visit Guruvayoor.

This lake mentioned above was none other than “Rudra-thirtam, which is the present temple-tank at the Guruvayoor temple, where Lord Shiva imparted the hymn, Rudra-geetam to the Prachetas. According to the story, Guru and vayu constructed this great temple on the southern bank of the lake and installed the divine idol of Lord Vishnu as per vedic rites.

Mammiyoor temple or famously known as Mammiyur Mahadeva Kshetram is a Shiva temple situated in Guruvayoor, Thrissur district of Kerala in India. Every devotee who goes to Guruvayur temple is supposed to go to Mammiyoor also, as the ritual goes. Only Hindus are allowed inside the temple premises. The temple is a part of the 108 famous Shiva temples in Kerala and one among the five Shiva temples around Guruvayoor. The main deity is Shiva and he is facing east and is in rowdra bhava.

Shloka: 5

Yajnayahimsaaniratah api----------------------------- Though intent upon killing animals in sacrifices

Api teshaam pitaa----------------------------------------their father, Prachinabarhis also

Paavitah eshaam tapobhih-----------------------------who got purified of his sins by their penance

Atimaatravardhibhih----- -------------------------------which was growing in intensity

Grhya-yaata-naarada-pradarshitaatmaa-------------------and who gained knowledge of Atman from Sage Narada, who came to his residence

Sah yayau bhavataatmataam---------------------------------he attained a form identical to “Yours” (Sarupya-mukti)

There, with a one-pointed mind living soberly at the lotus feet of Govinda he, Prachinabarhis,continuously chanting, by his devotion managed to free himself from his attachments and attain sameness with the One Reality.

The above line from Bhagavatam says that he attained Sarupyam

By the strength of their penance which grew in intensity day by day, their father, Prachinabarhis, who had slain (killed) animals in sacrifices, become purified of those sins and getting knowledge about the aatma from the Sage Narada who visited his house, attained liberation in which he got Sarupya pathavi (merged in “You”)

Here the word Yajnyahimsaaniratah refers to Prachinabarhis by the poet not to Vena as interpreted by some writers. As Narada told him that the thousands of animals he had killed in yajnas were waiting to take revenge on him after his death.

IT IS QUOTED FROM BHAGAVATAM AS FOLLOWS:

Nârada said: 'Oh my dearest ruler of the citizens, oh King, may I remind you of all the thousands of animals that you without pity have killed in the sacrifices? Remembering the harm you did to them, they are all waiting for you boiling with anger to pierce you with horns of iron after you've died.

The advice of Narada to Prachinbarhis is given below in the form of a story of the king Puranjana:

Long ago there lived a king Prachinabarhi. He wanted to gain the pure wisdom through which he can be freed from the bonds of Karma. He approches Narada to gain the same.

Narada starts reciting the following story to Prachinabarhi

Once there lived two friends named Puranjanan and Avigyathan. Both of them were of the same age. They were brilliant, had freedom, were happy and were together always.

 Both of them were travelling around happily. While wandering puranjanan once saw a palace with nine gates. It was in the foothills of Himalayas. It was named Nawadwarapuri.

When he saw this palace he completely forgot about his friend and fell in love with it. He then saw a lady emerging from the fort. The lady had five headed snake as an umbrella, had 11 body guards and loads of soldiers accompanying her.

Puranjanan was totally impressed with her beauty and he approached her. He enquired about her. She told him that she was the queen of this palace and that she is going in search for a suitable groom for her to get married.

The queen introduced herself as puranjani. Puranjanan and Puranjani decide to get married. They get married and start living together in Nawadwarapuri. Puranjanan follows whatever Puranjani says. They were living happily.There was a female named durbagai. She was Kaalan’s daughter. Nobody liked her. She was searching for a person to get married to.

One day she met Narada Muni and asked him to marry her. Narad refused to and so she cursed him saying that he would have to keep on travelling throughout this life and he would not be able to stay put in one place. Narada tells her that there is a person named ChandaVegan whom she can marry.

She then approches chandavegan and asks him to marry her. He tells her, "You are already 85 yrs old. Why should you marry? I will always keep you with me". Chandavegan has a brother called Prajvaran and a most important soldier Bayan. All the four of them together with Durbagai’s father Kaalan decide to go and capture palaces. Whenever they capture a fort it becomes completely useless. While capturing different forts once they entered Nawadwarapuri. First Dubagai steps into the palace.

She kills the five headed snake. Prajvaran comes and burns the place. Bayan enters Puranjanan’s private space. Kaalan also entered. Puranjanan and Puranjani cried and then puranjanan was killed.He died thinking about puranjani.

As he died thinking about a lady,he takes birth as a lady. She is born as the daughter of Vidharbha Desa’s king. She gets married to a Pandiya Rajan called Malaiyathvajan .

 After a few years the king left his kingdom and went to the forest. She also followed her husband. In the forest Malaiyathvajan did Tapas and died one day.

She ignited his body and wants to follow him. Hence she was about to fall into the same when a scholarly Brahmin came there and stopped her. He explained to her that she was actually puranjanan who got separated from his friend avigyathan.

He says that you got married to puranjani and died thinking about her. So you were born as a princess. Now you will die thinking about your husband and you would again take birth as a guy. This cycle will keep on moving and you would never be able to attain salvation. She then remembers everything and asks the Brahmin where his friend Avigyathan?The Brahmin then takes The Brahmin then takes the form of avigyathan. Avigyathan tells puranjanan not to be carried away by any Nawadwarapuri now and both again start being together happily.

Hearing this story Prachinabarhi was perplexed and pleads Narada to explain the meaning. Then Narada says the essence of the story

Essence of the story:

Puranjanan is Jeevan, Avigyathan is Eashwaran (Who cannot be understood). Nawadwarapuri said in this story is the human body. When puranjanan wants to live in that body he forgets Eashwaran. The Queen of the fort puranjani is actually your Buddhi.

Body is attached to the Buddhi.The five headed snake which was said to be an umbrella is actually Panjapranan =>Pranan, Apanan, Vyanan, Udhanan and Samanan.. The 11 body guards where Jnanendriyangal -5 , karmendriyangal -5 manasu -1 --- 11 endriyam.Loads of Soldiers is the loads of thoughts our mind has. When Jeevan enters the body he is controlled by all this. Durbagai whom we described as a female of 85 yrs is actually Ageing.

When we said that Narad said he won’t marry her, it indirectly means that he will always be young. He won over Age. Narad being ‘Trilogasanchari’ is never in one place and that was only explained as a curse.Chandavegan is actually Ayul and Prajvaran is fever and Bayan is the frightening feeling that our life would come to an end.

The four start capturing bodies. When we say that Durbagai first stepped in it means that human beings become aged. When they become aged they become useless. The body becomes the place for all illness to stay. We get afraid about our end.

And at last our death (Kaalan) comes. When we die whatever we think , we are born as that in our next birth. The whole cycle repeats itself.To break this cycle and reach the lotus feet of God we need the help of a guru. When he gets a guru, he is attached to him.

When the guru reaches God he also wants to follow the Guru.At that time God himself comes as the guru and takes us to his lotus feet asking us not to get attracted to human bodies again.

Shloka: 6

Krpaabalena eva-----------------------------out of “Your” abounding (existing in larger amounts) grace alone

Prakaasham aagaah---------------------------“You” did manifest “Yourself”

Purah Prachetasaam--------------------------before the Prachetas

Patagendra-vaahanah-------------------------seated on “Your” mount, the king of birds,Garuda

Udanchita-dyutih----------------------------------with “Your” lustre spreading all around and

Ashtaabhih bhujaabhih---------------------------endowed with eight arms

Viraaji-chakraadi-varaayudha-amshubhih--------------------shining by the rays of the resplendent discus and divine weapons adorning (more beautiful, attractive) them

Out of sheer compassion, “You” did appear before Prachetas, seated on Garuda, having eight arms, holding the resplendent discus (chakra) and other weapons and spreading lustre all around.

The expression, “Prakaasham aagaah”, used by the poet implies that the,

‘Lord was already present in the prachetas hearts, but now made Himself visible to their external eyes’.

Shloka: 7

Taavat tvam kaarunyabharaat eva----------------------Then, “You” out of sheer compassion alone

Adaah varaan prachetasaam-------------------------------did confer boons on the Prachetas

Ayaachataam api-------------------------------------------though they were not seeking boons, thus

Bhavadvichintaa api-----------------------------------------may the remembrance of “You” itself

Bhavatu shivaaya dehinaam--------------------------------bestow well-being on people

Asau rudranutih cha-----------------------------------------May this hymn imparted by Rudra to “You” also

Bhavatu kaamadaa--------------------------------------------bring fulfilment of all desires

Then even without Prachetas asking, “You” did give them boons out of “Your” infinite compassion. May even the thought of “You” confer welfare on beings and may Rudra’s hymns be the fulfiller of all desires.

Shloka: 8

Avaapya tanayaam maheeruhaam kaantaam-------------------Attaining the daughter of the trees as wife,

Ramadhvam tayaa dashaa-laksha-vatsareem----------------------enjoy with her for ten lakhs of years

Astu nanu sutah dakshah-----------------------------------------------May you have a son by name Daksha

Tatkshanaat cha maam prayaasyatha------------------------------immediately afterwards, you will attain me

Iti nyagadah taan mudaa eva-----------------------------------------------thus, “You” did tell them joyfully

Though “You” did tell them with joy—--Getting the daughter of the trees as wife, enjoy with her for many years. You will have a son named Daksha. Immediately thereafter, you will ascend to “My” abode.

The story of Marisha, daughter of trees

Long ago, Indra sent a celestial nymph,(a beautiful young woman) Pramlocha to sage Kandu to break his penance. The sage was drawn towards her on account of her beauty and sported with her for long. In course of time, she became pregnant.

Suddenly oneday, the sage realised his mistake and ordered Pramlocha to go away. As the distressed Pramlocha was travelling celestially, she perspired (sweat) due to intense grief.

Her foetus (an unborn or unhatched vertebrate in the later stages of development showing the main recognizable features of the mature animal) flowed out of her body in the form of sweat.

She wiped of the sweat by the tender shoots (young branch) of the trees on the way. Thus her foetus was transferred to the trees and the wind God collected same and brought them togetherin one place.

As days passed, it grew in to a girl. Soma, the Moon God, king of herbs and annual plants fostered the child by putting his index finger dripping with nectar into its mouth. Thus fed, she grew to become a beautiful damsel (young unmarried woman).

In her earlier birth, she had obtained a boon from the Lord after intense penance to have ten husbands. It is this young maiden that the Lord wanted Prachetas to marry.

Shloka: 9

Tatah cha te kruddha dahantah --------------------Thereafter, they, who were angrily burning down

Taroon bhootala-rodhinah---------------------------trees which were covering the entire surface of the earth

Vaaritaah druhinena-----------------------------------and were restrained or stopped by Brahma

Avaapyaam taam tanayaam---------------------------having accepted that daughter

Dattaam drumah abhiremire--------------------------offered by the trees, sported

Sukinah tvaduktakaalam-------------------------------happily for the period ordained (order) by “You”

The prachetas were engaged in penance for a long  period of years and their father, Prachinabarhis, the King also left the kingdom for Badarika-ashrama, the hermitage of Kapila.

Therfore, there was no one to look after the kingdom. The entire earth got covered with dense forest.when the prachetas came out of ocean-like lake, they found the earth covered with all tall trees preventing all agricultural and other activities and causing obstruction to people.

Out of anger, they began to burn all the trees down by producing fire and wind from their mouths. It was stopped by Brahma from destroying all of them and pointed out the importance of trees for all life.

Then, marrying the daughter (Marisha) of the trees, who gave them out of gratitude, they lived happily for the period of years mentioned by “You”.

Shloka: 10

Avaapya sutam daksham cha-----------------After getting a san named Daksha

Prachetasah krta-adhvaraah--------------------the prachetas, having performed the Brahma-satra (an assembly of sages to expound knowledge of the supreme spirit, Brahman)

Dhiyaa naarada-labdhayaa-----------------------and with the knowledge gained from Sage Narada

Avaapuh aananda-padam-------------------------attained the state of supreme bliss

Vaataalayanaatha eesha-------------------------O Lord of Guruvayoor! All-powerful one!

Tvam tayaavidhah paahi maam--------------------May “You” of that nature, protect me

After begetting the son by name Daksha and when he grew up as a young man, the Prachetas left him in his mother’s care and abandoned or renounced or waived the world. They performed Brahmasatra and attained liberation by means of knowledge imparted to them by Narada. O Lord of Guruvayoor, who are thus merciful to “your” devotees, protect me.

 FROM BHAGAVATAM

The song sung by Lord Shiva

They (Prachina Barhi) by their father ordered to beget children fled from home and settled for the sake of their austerity for a ten thousand years near a large lake in order to worship the Master of All Penance [S'rî Hari] by their tapas.

Following that path they encountered Lord S'iva who very pleased with the great command of their meditation, mantra, practice and worship, spoke to them. When the Pracetâs met Lord S'iva on their path as also what the Lordship who was so pleased with them has said.

Oh best among the learned, in this world being caught in a physical body it rarely happens that one finds association with Lord S'iva.

Even sages who with him as their object of desire fully detached are engaged in meditation [fail in this].

Although he is satisfied within himself, the great Lord S'iva when he manifests in this world for the fulfilment of her wishes engages with the terror of the forces controlling her [like those of Kâlî, Durgâ or Virabhadra

The sons of father Prachinabarhi all [in full surrender] accepting the words of their father piously on their heads had, serious in their hearts about doing austerities, left in the western direction.

 They reached a very large expanse of water as vast as the nearby ocean with water that, as clear as the mind of a great soul, was a pleasure to its inhabitants.

In that water a multitude of red and blue, kahlara and indivara [during the day and the evening blossoming] lotuses was found and swans, cranes, ducks [chakravakas] and other birds [like karandavas] vibrated their sounds there.

Mad bumblebees joyfully hummed there loudly with their little hairy bodies. It was a festival of creepers, trees and lotuses the pollen of which by the wind was spread in all directions.

All the princes were amazed about the beautiful heavenly music accompanied by drums and kettle drums that could be heard there continually.

That very moment they witnessed how the chief of the demigods [Lord S'iva], came out of the water accompanied by an association of great souls who glorified him. Seeing his golden hue, his bodily features, his blue throat, three eyes and merciful beautiful face, they all aroused in their amazement offered their obeisances.

 He who dispels all dangers, the Great Lord and caretaker of the religion then talked to them, pleased as he was with their observance of the principles in the past and their gentle behaviour and good manners.

Rudra said: 'Oh all of you sons of King Prâcînabarhi, knowing your actions and desires I wish you all the best and to prove you my mercy, I therefore grant you my audience.

Any living being, any individual soul so one says, who surrenders directly to Vâsudeva, the Supreme Lord and transcendental controller of the three modes, is very dear to me.

 When someone for the time of a hundred lives is fixed on his duty he acquires the position of Brahmâ [Brahmaloka] and when he as well does not fail to [serve] the Supreme Lord he thereafter will attain me [S'ivaloka]. Devotees of Lord Vishnu at the end of time attain a position [Vaikunthhaloka] like the one of me and the other demigods.

That is why all of you devotees are just as dear to me as the Supreme Lord Himself and for that reason there is also never anybody else among the devotees who is loved as much as I am.

In particular this what I am going to tell you now is what you always should attend to and repeat for yourselves, for it is very pure, auspicious, transcendental and beneficial.

With a heart full of compassion the Lord spoke the following words to the princes who with folded hands stood before Lord S'iva, the greatest devotee of Nârâyana.

Rudrageetam

Srî Rudra said [in worship of Vâsudeva]: 'All glories unto You, the best of all self-realized souls who brings happiness to the auspicious ones. Let there be my obeisances unto You, for You are the all-perfect and worshipable soul of all, the Supersoul.

All my respects unto You Vâsudeva, from whose navel the lotus sprouted. You are the source of the senses and the sense objects and the immutable self-illumined state that is of an eternal peace. 

I offer my obeisances also to [You in the form of] Sankarshana [the Lord of ego and integration] who as the origin of the subtle non-manifest matter is the unsurpassable master of disintegration [at the end of time], and to the master of all development, the soul in the beyond Pradyumna [the master of intelligence].

All glories to You, I offer my respects again unto You as Aniruddha, Lord of the mind, of whom the sun god is an expansion, the master and director of the senses.

My obeisances unto the Supreme One of perfect purity and completeness who stands apart from this material creation.

 Unto You as the heavenly abode, the path of liberation, the gateway of the eternal and the purest of the pure my obeisances. All my respects I offer unto You, the golden semen, who are the continuity of the Vedic sacrifices [chatur-hotra].

Be praised oh You who invigorate (give strength or energy) the ancestors and the gods, o master of the three Vedas and the sacrifices. You are the leading deity of the moon who pleases everyone. All my respects unto You, the Supersoul pervading all living beings.

The strength and power of all that exists, the body and Transcendental Self of the diversity of the material world [the virâth rûpa] and the maintainer of the three worlds, I offer my obeisances.

 All glories to You who as the ether reveal the meaning, You the within and without of the self, the supreme effulgence. My obeisances unto You as the beyond of death and the purpose of all pious activities.

Unto the inclining as well as disinclining God of the forefathers, unto You as the final outcome of all fruitive action and as death itself, You the cause of all sorts of misery resulting from irreligion, I offer my respects.

Because You are the topmost bestower of benedictions, the mastermind [of all mantras], the causal self, I offer You my respects. All glory to You as the greatest of all religiosity, unto You Krishna who are the perfection of intelligence. You are the oldest of the old, the Original Personality and master of yogic analysis [sankya-yoga].

 The reservoir of the three energies of the doer, the sense-activities and the resultant workload the reason of the material identification of the soul [the egotism] named Rudra and the embodiment of knowledge, intention and the voice of all powers, I offer my obeisances.

Please show us who desire Your presence, the form that to the satisfaction of all the senses of the devotees is worshiped by them as the dear most.

As glistening as the rain from the dense clouds during the rainy season You are the summit of all beauty. Beautiful are the features of Your four-handed form, of the greatest is Your pleasant face, Your eyes are as beautiful as the petals in the whorl of a lotus flower, beautiful are Your eyebrows, straight nose, shining teeth, high forehead and the full decoration of Your face and equally beautiful perfect ears.

 The beauty of Your merciful smile and sidelong glances, Your curly hair and clothing in the saffron color of the lotus, is supported by the glittering earrings and shiny helmet, the bangles, necklace, ankle bells, belt, conch shell, disc, club, and lotus flower, garland and the best of pearls that make You look still more beautiful.

The shoulders under Your coils of hair that are like those of a lion and Your neck, fortunate of bearing the jewel glittering on Your chest [named Kaustubha], give You a never decreasing beauty that exceeds [the beauty of the streaks of gold on] every norm [or touchstone].

Your inhaling and exhaling stirs beautifully the folds in Your belly that looks like a banana leaf, and the whirling depression of Your navel is alike the spiraling of the galaxy.

The dark color of the skin below Your waist is extra attractive with the beauty of Your dress and symmetrical golden belt as well as with, lower, the great beauty of Your lotus feet, calves and thighs.

By the so very pleasing lotus feet that are like the petals of a lotus flower in autumn, by the effulgence of Your nails, You drive away all the trouble agitating us. Show us the path of Your lotus feet [also understood as the first two cantos of this Bhâgavatam] that reduce the fear of material existence oh teacher, oh spiritual master of all who suffer the darkness.

They who performing their [occupational] duties wish to purify themselves and live without fear, must meditate upon this form [of Yours] in a devotional practice of yoga [bhakti-yoga].

Your grace is easily obtained by the devotee but for all other embodied souls You are difficult to reach, even for the ones belonging to the king of heaven Indra or for the self-realized souls whose ultimate goal it is to attain oneness [with You].

What else would one desire but Your lotus feet, once one by pure devotional service has been of the worship that even for the most virtuous ones is difficult to attain!

To a soul of complete surrender the invincible time by which You in Your prowess and majesty with simply raising Your eyebrows vanquish the entire universe, constitutes no threat.

The advantage for someone associating even for the shortest while in the company of devotees of the Supreme Lord is unequalled.

What interest would such a person have in demigod blessings, in merging with the Supreme or being a materially conditioned soul?

Let there for us who, in order to wash away the ruminations of sin, dip in and [purified] step out of the Ganges, therefore be the mercy and grace of this association for the glorification of Your feet of Victory over all Misfortune that blesses the normal living beings with the fullest goodness.

He whose heart was purified by the blessing derived from entering that [association of] bhakti-yoga, will be very happy to find therein the wisdom of Your way and never bewildered end up in the dark pit of worldly influences.

You are the Absolute Spirit [brahma], the transcendental light spread [everywhere] like the ether, in whom this universe of the cosmic manifestation has appeared.

 You are the one who by His energy has created, maintains and again annihilates this variegated manifestation. That eternal, unchanging intelligence of differentiation I understand is likely to give trouble to the individual soul in relation to You as the essential [independent] self, oh Supreme Lord.

Experts in the field of the Vedas and their corollaries are those transcendentalists who for their perfection with faith and conviction duly, by a wide range of organized actions, glorify You who are identified by that what is created, by the senses and by the heart.

You are the One Original Person from whose dormant energy the diversity of the totality of the material energy that is ruled by [the natural modes of] passion, goodness and ignorance has originated: the ego, the sky, the air, fire, water and earth, the virtuous souls, the sages and all the living beings.

That what You created from Your own potency, You afterwards enter in the form of the four kinds of bodies [as born from embryos, eggs, perspiration and seeds,] and then You, by Your own parts and parcels, know the person as an enjoyer of the senses, as someone who relishes the sweet honey.

One may guess about [the authority and order of] Your reality [of Time]. [All] we see is how You, just like the wind scattering the clouds, with Your so very great force [of Time] in the long run destroy all the planetary systems and how all living beings find their end therewith because of others.

The madmen [of this world] cry out loudly what all should be done, and by that desire their greed for sensual matters is rampant. But all of a sudden You vigilantly as the Destroyer seize them just like a mouse is seized by the greedy tongue of a hungry snake.

What man of study who knows that by not worshiping You one only sees the [useless] decay of one's body, would deride Your lotus feet, the feet that by our spiritual teacher [Brahmâ] and the fourteen Manus were worshiped without hesitation or further arguing?

You therefore are for us, the ones who have learned, the Supreme Brahman, the Soul of the soul, the Supersoul, the destination were there is no fear at all for the Destroyer Rudra who is feared by the entire universe.

If you pray like this and [faithfully] perform your duty, there will be happiness for all of you oh purified sons of the king who have turned your minds to the Supreme Lord.

Be of worship and always sing for and meditate full of praise upon Him who as the Supreme Soul is situated in your hearts as well as in the hearts of all other living beings.

All of you, time and again read this [Yogâdes'a] instruction of yoga and close it in your heart. Take to the vow of the sages of always with intelligence being [silently] absorbed within and practice this with the greatest respect.

This was first taught by the great Lord [Brahmâ], the master of the creators of the universe, of the great sages headed by Bhrigu who as his sons in charge of the world were eager to create

 We who as the controllers of the people were enjoined by him to procreate were by this [instruction] freed from all ignorance and thus could bring about the different kinds of people.

The person who thus regularly repeats this to himself with great attention, will being absorbed in this without delay achieve the auspiciousness of being devoted to Vâsudeva [Krishna as the Lord of Consciousness].

 Of all benedictions in this world spiritual knowledge is the supreme transcendental benefit of happiness for every person, for it is the boat of higher knowledge with which one crosses over the insurmountable ocean of danger.

Anyone who devotedly attached and with faith regularly studies this song of mine, this prayer offered to the Supreme Lord, the Supreme Personality who is so difficult to respect, will be able to worship Him.

The person fixed on the song as sung by me can by dint of the Lord of the Beyond attain whatever he desires. The Lord pleased by it constitutes the dear most of all benedictions.

 The mortal human who rising early in the morning with faith and devotion folding his hands is absorbed in this prayer and thus personally listens and makes others listen, will be liberated from all karmic bondage.

 Oh sons of the king ['the god of man'], by the intelligence of perfectly attentive praying and chanting this song I sang of the Supreme Person who is the Supersoul within every one, you will ultimately achieve the results you desired, for that practice equals the greatest austerities.'