Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī 64 страница

Translation

This is the most auspicious path for a religious householder of the twice-born orders — to selflessly worship the Lord with wealth honestly obtained.

“The direct activities are bhakti with hearing as the main item. Why engage in sacrifices with many secondary parts? ” Two verses explain. The auspicious path for attaining bhakti without obstacles (svastyayanaḥ ) for the householders of the three upper varṇ as is this. One should worship the Lord by money earned by one’s profession in a correct manner. Wealthy persons who are not detached should first offer their wealth in sacrifices.

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The method is further described. This method is auspicious for the household ā ś rama, since it pleases the Lord by surrender in the form of offering wealth to the Lord and since the twice- born householder is not qualified for anything accept artha, dharma and kā ma. His wealth should be obtained according to his talents in a just manner. Viṣ ṇ u-dharma describes the pure occupation:

pratigraheṇ a yal labdhaṁ yā jyataḥ ś iṣ yatas tathā //

guṇ ā nvitebhyo viprasya ś uklaṁ tat trividhaṁ smrṭ am

yuddhopalabdhaṁ kā raś ca daṇ ḍ aś ca vyavahā rataḥ //

kṣ atriyasya dhanaṁ ś uklaṁ trividhaṁ parikī rtitam

kṛ ṣ i-vā ṇ ijya-gorakṣ ā ḥ kṛ tvā ś uklaṁ tathā viś aḥ

dvija-ś uś rū ṣ ayā labdhaṁ ś uklaṁ ś ū drasya kī rtitam

kramā gataṁ prī ti-dā yaṁ prā ptaṁ ca saha-bhā ryayā

aviś eṣ eṇ a sarveṣ ā m dhanaṁ ś ukle prakī rtitam

ś uklena vittena kṛ taṁ puṇ yaṁ bahu-phalaṁ bhavet

The brā hmaṇ a earns wealth purely from gifts, from performing sacrifice and from teaching, received from persons with good qualities. The kṣ atriya earns wealth purely by fighting, receiving taxes, punishment and administering justice. The vaiṣ ya earns purely by farming, selling and herding cows. The ś ū dra earns purely by serving the brā hmaṇ as, kṣ atriya and vaiś yas. Money obtained when getting married, given with affection, and at the proper time, is considered pure for all castes. Performing pious acts with pure wealth produces great results.

“If one worships the Lord, he should be worshipped by the main nine types of bhakti or by menial service to the deity and arcana. Is performing sacrifice (which householders perform) a secondary aṅ ga of bhakti? ” This method is for person attached to household life (gṛ ha-medhinaḥ ). This method is taught because the person lacks complete faith, or only to each the common people.

Text 38

vittaiṣ aṇ ā ṁ yajñ a-dā nair gṛ hair dā ra-sutaiṣ aṇ ā m

ā tma-lokaiṣ aṇ ā ṁ deva kā lena visṛ jed budhaḥ

grā me tyaktaiṣ aṇ ā ḥ sarve yayur dhī rā s tapo-vanam

Translation

An intelligent person should learn to renounce his desire for wealth by performing sacrifices and acts of charity. He should learn to renounce his desire for wife and children by experiencing family life. And he should learn to renounce his desire for promotion to a higher planet in his next life, O saintly Vasudeva, by studying the effects of time. Self-controlled sages who have thus renounced their attachment to household life go to the forest to perform austerities.

By this method the desire for wealth decreases. There is no other way. Examples are given of householders. The discriminating person should act in this way. Otherwise, the wealthy man, with an impure mind, cannot practice bhakti with hearing etc. He should give up his house with it wealth to perfect pure hearing. Thus giving up everything, the intelligent householed (dhī raḥ ) goes to the forest. This means that a person who has not become detached, and does not give his desire for wealth, should not renounce.

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By offering various objects to the Lord, by his mercy, one gives up desire for the objects. One gives up desire for wealth by performing sacrifices whose actions exhaust wealth for the purpose of worship of the Lord. One gives up desire for wife and sons by household life with wife and children meant as worship of the Lord. One should give up desire for selfish reasons or for enjoyment in this life and the next at all opportunities (kā lena), looking for opportunities to worship the Lord, using time for the Lord. O Lord (deva)! Or one should give up desires for enjoyment in this life and the next by spending time in worshipping the Lord (deva). The person with discrimination should give up these desires. This means the wealthy householder will not perfect hearing and other devotional process properly by having a disturbed mind. If the attached person suddenly gives up his house without destroying desires for the gṛ hasthā ś rama, he cannot perfect hearing and meditation on the Lord. He will later give them up.

Text 39

ṛ ṇ ais tribhir dvijo jā to devarṣ i-pitṝ ṇ ā ṁ prabho

yajñ ā dhyayana-putrais tā ny anistī rya tyajan patet

Translation

O Lord, a member of the twice-born classes is born with three kinds of debts — those owed to the devatā s, to the sages and to his forefathers. If he leaves his body without first liquidating these debts by performing sacrifice, studying the scriptures and begetting children, he will fall down into a hellish condition.

One must absolve debts to the devatā s by sacrifice, just as one absolves debts to sages and pitṛ s by study and sons respectively. O Lord, capable of relieving us of all debts (prabho)! The incapable person should not be found faulty. One version has pitṛ nā m. The short ṛ is poetic license. Without liquidating his debts to the devatā s (tā n or tā ni) he encounters great obstracles (patet) in this life and the next or enters into enjoyment of the house again.

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O Lord, capable of relieving us of all debts (prabho)! The incapable person should not be found faulty. One version has pitṛ nā m. The short ṛ is poetic license. Without liquidating his debts to the devatā s (tā n or tā ni) he encounters great obstracles (patet) in this life and the next. Therefore Manu says vrajati adhaḥ: one should leave the house after this is accomplished. Taking shelter of the Lord is not forbidden at this time. There is no fault in worshipping the Lord even if one has debts.

devarṣ i-bhū tā pta-nṛ ṇ ā ṁ pitṝ ṇ ā ṁ

na kiṅ karo nā yam ṛ ṇ ī ca rā jan

sarvā tmanā yaḥ ś araṇ aṁ ś araṇ yaṁ

gato mukundaṁ parihṛ tya kartam

O King! One who has given up all varṇ ā ś rama duties and has taken full shelter of the lotus feet of Mukunda, who offers shelter to all, is not a debtor to or servant of the devatā s, great sages, ordinary living beings, relatives or Pitṛ s. SB 11. 5. 41

Text 40

tvaṁ tv adya mukto dvā bhyā ṁ vai ṛ ṣ i-pitror mahā -mate

yajñ air devarṇ am unmucya nirṛ ṇ o ’ś araṇ o bhava

Translation

But you, O magnanimous soul, are already free from two of your debts — those to the sages and the forefathers. Now absolve yourself of your debt to the devatā s by executing Vedic sacrifices, and in this way free yourself completely of debt and take shelter of Viṣ ṇ u.

The word tu indicates Vasudeva in particular. You are certainly (vai) free from debts to Pitṛ s and sages. Become completely free (un — mucya) of the three debts and become houseless. Take shelter (ś araṇ aḥ ) of Viṣ ṇ u (a). Take shelter of the Lord through hearing etc.

Text 41

vasudeva bhavā n nū naṁ bhaktyā paramayā harim

jagatā m ī ś varaṁ prā rcaḥ sa yad vā ṁ putratā ṁ gataḥ

Translation

O Vasudeva, without doubt you must have previously worshiped the Lord, the master of all worlds. Both you and your wife must have perfectly worshiped him with supreme devotion, since he has accepted the role of your son.

Having described the process for persons who have not developed faith in bhakti, now they say that Vasudeva has been most successful from the beginning. O Vasudeva!

sattvaṁ viś uddhaṁ vasudeva-ś abditaṁ; the pure antaḥ -karaṇ a is called Vasudeva. (SB 4. 3. 23)

Thus Vasudeva has a pure heart, endowed with pure sattva. Or Vasudeva means “he who shines (deva) with a wealth (vasu) of bhakti. That is stated in the verse. Certainly you worshipped excellently (pra — arcaḥ ) the Lord — as your son, by which you brought him under control. The Lord takes away all suffering (harim), since he is the Lord of all devatā s and others (jagatā m ī ś varam). Therefore you have finished repaying all debts and are to be worshipped by all liberated souls and devotees.

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Having described the process for persons who have not developed faith in bhakti, now they say that Vasudeva has been most successful from the beginning. O Vasudeva! Vasudeva means he who performs pastimes (deva) with a wealth (vasu) of bhakti for the Lord. They then show how this is true. Certainly you worshipped excellently (pra — arcaḥ ) the Lord — as your son, by which you brought him under control. The Lord takes away all suffering (harim), since he is the Lord of all devatā s and others (jagatā m ī ś varam). Therefore you have finished repaying all debts and are to be worshipped by all liberated souls and devotees. With another intention you have also accomplished this. However, this relief from debt is stated according to his imitation of human pastimes, not according to his eternal position (in which he has no debts). This is indicated by the word Vasudeva itself. Vasudeva refers to the internal ś akti of the Lord called ś uddha-sattva. It is said in the Fourth Canto: sattvaṁ viś uddhaṁ vasudeva-ś abditaṁ: ś uddha-sattva is called vasudeva. (SB 4. 3. 23)

Text 42

ś rī -ś uka uvā ca

iti tad-vacanaṁ ś rutvā vasudevo mahā -manā ḥ

tā n ṛ ṣ ī n ṛ tvijo vavre mū rdhnā namya prasā dya ca

Translation

Ś ukadeva Gosvā mī said: After hearing these statements of the sages, generous Vasudeva bowed his head to the ground and, praising them, requested them to become his priests.

Hearing their words (from verse 35) he made them his priests. He had a desire to benefit all people by sacrifice, charity and showing the Lord (mahā manā ḥ ). Or hearing the words indicating his good fortune because of Kṛ ṣ ṇ a, he chose them as priests. He thought, “These sages request bhakti. That should be attained from persons like me. On the pretext of a sacrifice I will have them attain Kṛ ṣ ṇ a’s mercy. ” Thus it is later said in verse 49, “Vasudeva’s priests and the officiating members of the assembly, dressed in silk dhotī s and jeweled ornaments, looked effulgent. ” He bowed his head completely (ā -natvā ), touching the earth and praised them with verses. — — — — — — — — — — — — — — -

Hearing their words which included his hidden intentions, understanding those words (mahā -manā h) he offered respects.

Text 43

ta enam ṛ ṣ ayo rā jan vṛ tā dharmeṇ a dhā rmikam

tasminn ayā jayan kṣ etre makhair uttama-kalpakaiḥ

Translation

Thus requested by him, O King, the sages engaged the pious Vasudeva in performing fire sacrifices at that holy place of Kurukṣ etra according to strict religious principles and with most excellent ritual arrangements.

Commentary

The sages engaged Vasudeva correctly, according to the rules of scripture (dharmena), since the brā hmaṇ as should direct the kṣ atriyas in performance of sacrifice. Or, the brā hmaṇ as appointed for the purpose of dharma, engaged Vasudeva, dedicated to bhagavad-dharma (dharmikam), in sacrifice using the chief rules, since they possessed all ability.

Texts 44–45

tad-dī kṣ ā yā ṁ pravṛ ttā yā ṁ vṛ ṣ ṇ ayaḥ puṣ kara-srajaḥ

snā tā ḥ su-vā saso rā jan rā jā naḥ suṣ ṭ hv-alaṅ kṛ tā ḥ

tan-mahiṣ yaś ca muditā niṣ ka-kaṇ ṭ hyaḥ su-vā sasaḥ

dī kṣ ā -ś ā lā m upā jagmur ā liptā vastu-pā ṇ ayaḥ

Translation

When Mahā rā ja Vasudeva was about to be initiated for the sacrifice, O King, the Vṛ ṣ ṇ is came to the initiation pavilion after bathing and putting on fine clothes and garlands of lotuses. The other kings also came, elaborately ornamented, as well as all Vasudeva’s joyful queens, who wore jeweled lockets around their necks and were also clad in fine garments. The royal wives were anointed with sandalwood paste and carried auspicious items for the worship.

same

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The Vṛ ṣ ṇ is and other kings participated. O king! These kings had good fortune! Addressing the king also indicates Ś ukadeva’s great joy. Vasudeva’s wives (tad-mahiṣ yaḥ ) were joyful. The word ca indicates that the Vṛ ṣ ṇ is and others were similarly joyful. They came close (upa-ā jagmuḥ ) to the dī kṣ a arena.

Text 46

nedur mṛ daṅ ga-paṭ aha- ś aṅ kha-bhery-ā nakā dayaḥ

nanṛ tur naṭ a-nartakyas tuṣ ṭ uvuḥ sū ta-mā gadhā ḥ

jaguḥ su-kaṇ ṭ hyo gandharvyaḥ saṅ gī taṁ saha-bhartṛ kā ḥ

Translation

Mṛ daṅ gas, paṭ ahas, conchs, bherī s, ā nakas and other instruments resounded, male and female dancers danced, and sū tas and mā gadhas recited glorifications. Sweet-voiced Gandharvī s sang, accompanied by their husbands.

Commentary

Sū ṭ as, mā gadas and women who were singers of the Gandharva species sang.

Text 47

tam abhyaṣ iñ can vidhi-vad aktam abhyaktam ṛ tvijaḥ

patnī bhir aṣ ṭ ā -daś abhiḥ soma-rā jam ivoḍ ubhiḥ

Translation

After Vasudeva’s eyes had been decorated with black cosmetic and his body smeared with fresh butter, the priests initiated him according to scriptural rules by sprinkling him and his eighteen wives with sacred water. He resembled the regal moon encircled by stars.

The wives were the seven daughters of Devaka. There eleven others headed by Rohiṇ ī. With eighteen wives the scene was very beautiful. The king surrouned by the priests was like the moon surrounded by stars. The word “king” is used to indicate the glory of the sacrifice and its beauty.

Hari-vaṁ ś a describes his birth:

manuṣ ya-loke kṛ tsne 'pi rū pe nā sti samo bhuvi /

yasyā sī t puruṣ ā gryasya kā ntiś candramaso yathā //

One could not compare his beauty with that of any human beings on earth. The beauty of the best of men was like the moonlight.

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He was like the moon, king of soma. The word “king” is used in remembrance of his participation in the rā jasū ya sacrifice. The sacrifice was like that rā jasū ya sacrifice in grandeur. Though there are many somas (moons), among them, one will be the king. He is compared to the king among moons. The other kings are compared to stars. He had twenty-eight wives, but only eighteen participated because twenty-eight was too many. Hari-vaṁ ś a describes his birth:

manuṣ ya-loke kṛ tsne 'pi rū pe nā sti samo bhuvi /

yasyā sī t puruṣ ā gryasya kā ntiś candramaso yathā //

One could not compare his beauty with that of any human beings on earth. The beauty of the best of men was like the moonlight.

Here also he was incomparable.

Text 48

tā bhir dukū la-valayair hā ra-nū pura-kuṇ ḍ alaiḥ

sv-alaṅ kṛ tā bhir vibabhau dī kṣ ito ’jina-saṁ vṛ taḥ

Translation

Vasudeva received initiation along with his wives, who wore silk sā rī s and were adorned with bangles, necklaces, ankle bells and earrings. With his body wrapped in a deerskin, Vasudeva shone splendidly.

Vasudeva shone splendidly (vibabhau), more than before, because he was initiated. He was wrapped in deer skin.

Text 49

tasyartvijo mahā -rā ja ratna-kauś eya-vā sasaḥ

sa-sadasyā virejus te yathā vṛ tra-haṇ o ’dhvare

Translation

My dear Mahā rā ja Parī kṣ it, Vasudeva’s priests and the officiating members of the assembly, dressed in silk dhotī s and jeweled ornaments, looked so effulgent that they seemed to be standing in the sacrificial arena of Indra, the killer of Vṛ tra.

One version has pī ta-kauś eya-vā sasaḥ. They were dressed in cloth previously worn by the Lord. By the mercy of Vasudeva they attained perfection of bhakti as they desired. Thus they especially shone. O great king! Ś ukadeva calls in great joy.

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One version has pī ta-kauś eya-vā sasaḥ. They were dressed in new cloth similar to the Lord’s. The other version has ratna-kauś eya-vā sasaḥ : they were dressed in cloth with gems hanging at the edges. The simile is used to indicate that just on seeing this, one would become astonished.

Text 50

tadā rā maś ca kṛ ṣ ṇ aś ca svaiḥ svair bandhubhir anvitau

rejatuḥ sva-sutair dā rair jī veś au sva-vibhū tibhiḥ

Translation

At that time Balarā ma and Kṛ ṣ ṇ a, the Lords of all living entities, shone forth with great majesty in the company of their respective sons, wives and other family members, who were their expansions.

Kṛ ṣ ṇ a and Balarā ma, equally prominent (ca ca), were surrounded by their intimate friends the cowherds or by relavites, the Yadus and friends, Nanda and others. The wives (dā raiḥ ) were naturally theirs eternally. Thus the word sva is not necessary for them. Kṛ ṣ ṇ a and Balarā ma were the lords of the jī vas. They were accompanied by their vibhū tis. Or they had the Kaustubha, makara earrings, etc. (sva-vibhū tibhiḥ ). The list of persons accompanying the two brothers is in order of increasing proximity.

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The two lords of the living entities (jī vī ś au), like princes or controllers of the population, shone with their intimate expansions –with their cousins (sva-bandhubhiḥ ), with their wives, and with their sons who were non-different from them in form and qualities (sva-sutaiḥ ). They were part of themselves. Or, the two were, in their expansions as Paramā tmā, the antaryā mī s of all the jī vas. It is said in the Eleventh canto kā lo mā yā -maye jī ve jī va ā tmani mayy aje: time merges into Saṅ karṣ aṇ a, and he merges into me. (SB 11. 24. 27) The Lord is superior to antaryā mī. He is Svayam Bhagavā n.

Text 51

ī je ’nu-yajñ aṁ vidhinā agni-hotrā di-lakṣ aṇ aiḥ

prā kṛ tair vaikṛ tair yajñ air dravya-jñ ā na-kriyeś varam

Translation

Performing various kinds of Vedic sacrifice according to the proper regulations, Vasudeva worshiped the Lord of all sacrificial paraphernalia, mantras and rituals. He executed both primary and secondary sacrifices, offering oblations to the sacred fire and carrying out other aspects of sacrificial worship.

Commentary

He worshipped the Lord according to rules pertaining to sacrifice (anu-yajñ am). The rules are described. He worshipped the Lord of materials, mantras and ritual acts, Bhagavā n, since he alone should be worshipped.

Text 52

athartvigbhyo ’dadā t kale yathā mnā taṁ sa dakṣ iṇ ā ḥ

sv-alaṅ kṛ tebhyo ’laṅ kṛ tya go-bhū -kanyā mahā -dhanā ḥ

Translation

Then, at the appropriate time and according to scripture, Vasudeva remunerated the priests by decorating them with precious ornaments, though they were already richly adorned, and offering them valuable gifts of gems, cows, land and marriageable girls.

After the sacrifice (atha), according to the scriptures, he decorated the priests with ornaments, though they were already ornaments, and gave them donations consisting of great or valuable gems, and gold, land, cows and girls.

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Text 53

patnī -saṁ yā jā vabhṛ thyaiś caritvā te maharṣ ayaḥ

sasnū rā ma-hrade viprā yajamā na-puraḥ -sarā ḥ

Translation

After supervising the patnī -saṁ yā ja and avabhṛ thya rituals, the great brā hmaṇ a sages bathed in Paraś urā ma’s lake with the sponsor of the sacrifice, Vasudeva, who led them.

The sages and others performed the avabhṛ thya bath (sasnū ḥ ).

Text 54

snā to ’laṅ kā ra-vā sā ṁ si vandibhyo ’dā t tathā striyaḥ

tataḥ sv-alaṅ kṛ to varṇ ā n ā -ś vabhyo ’nnena pū jayat

Translation

His sacred bath complete, Vasudeva joined with his wives in giving the jewelry and clothes they had been wearing to the professional reciters. Vasudeva then put on new garments, after which he honored all classes of people by feeding everyone, even the dogs.

After bathing and decorating themselves they gave away their used ornaments. Women or the queens also gave. Vasudeva fed all four varṇ as of people.

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Vasudeva’s queens gave cloth and ornaments to the reciters. Instead of snataḥ alaṅ kara sometimes nā nā laṅ kara is seen. They worshipped the various castes and others down to the dogeaters, by offering food.

Texts 55–56

bandhū n sa-dā rā n sa-sutā n pā ribarheṇ a bhū yasā

vidarbha-koś ala-kurū n kā ś i-kekaya-sṛ ñ jayā n

sadasyartvik-sura-gaṇ ā n nṛ -bhū ta-pitṛ -cā raṇ ā n

ś rī -niketam anujñ ā pya ś aṁ santaḥ prayayuḥ kratum

Translation

With opulent gifts he honored his relatives, including all their wives and children; the royalty of the Vidarbha, Kosala, Kuru, Kā ś ī, Kekaya and Sṛ ñ jaya kingdoms; the officiating members of the assembly; and also the priests, witnessing demigods, humans, spirits, forefathers and Cā raṇ as. Then, taking permission from Kṛ ṣ ṇ a, the shelter of the goddess of fortune, the various guests departed as they all chanted the glories of Vasudeva’s sacrifice.

Commentary

He worshiped the Yadus (bandhū n) and the kings of various provinces. He also worshiped all men (nara), Pramathas (bhū ta), and devatā s. This indicates that all these persons also came to the sacrifice. All were satisfied with the sacrifice by its execution with all its parts and its beauty. Thus they took permission from the Lord and departed.

Texts 57–58

dhṛ tarā ṣ ṭ ro ’nujaḥ pā rthā bhī ṣ mo droṇ aḥ pṛ thā yamau

nā rado bhagavā n vyā saḥ suhṛ t-sambandhi-bā ndhavā ḥ

bandhū n pariṣ vajya yadū n sauhṛ dā klinna-cetasaḥ

yayur viraha-kṛ cchreṇ a sva-deś ā ṁ ś cā pare janā ḥ

Translation

The Yadus were all embraced by their friends, close family members and other relatives, including Dhṛ tarā ṣ ṭ ra and his younger brother, Vidura; Pṛ thā and her sons; Bhī ṣ ma; Droṇ a; the twins Nakula and Sahadeva; Nā rada; and Vedavyā sa. Their hearts melting with affection, these and the other guests left for their kingdoms, their progress slowed by the pain of separation.

Vyā sa is called bhagavā n because he is an avatā ra. Both Nā rada and Vyā sa were great gurus and elders. Their hearts melted with affection because they were their friends (bandhū n) and Yadus. Pained by the separation they departed. Others (Duryodhana etc. ) however were indifferent.

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Friends, relatives and others embraced the Yā davas. Pained by the separation they departed. Others (Duryodhana etc. ) however were indifferent.

Text 59

nandas tu saha gopā lair bṛ hatyā pū jayā rcitaḥ

kṛ ṣ ṇ a-rā mograsenā dyair nyavā tsī d bandhu-vatsalaḥ

Translation

Nanda Mahā rā ja showed his affection for his relatives, the Yadus, by remaining with them a little longer, together with his cowherds. During his stay, Kṛ ṣ ṇ a, Balarā ma, Ugrasena and the others honored him with especially profuse worship.

When all others had departed by the Lord’s arrangement, Kṛ ṣ ṇ a then stayed for a long time in Kurukṣ etra with the people of Vraja without any feeling of restriction. The word tu distinguishes Nanda from all the others at Kurukṣ etra. Therefore Nanda was worshiped with valuable articles of worship. So that he would remain there a long time, he was continually respected. Or though worshipped, as was proper for his departure, he stayed there firmly (ni- avā tsī t), because he had great affection for his friends, such as Kṛ ṣ ṇ a and Balarā ma. Or he had more affection for Kṛ ṣ ṇ a and Balarā ma than for Vasudeva and other relatives (bandhu). He was honored by Kṛ ṣ ṇ a, Balarā ma, Ugrasena and others — Vasudeva, Akrū ra and Uddhava (ā dyaiḥ ), and all the Yā davas. The list starts from the most excellent person Kṛ ṣ ṇ a. Vasudeva, Nanda’s dear friend is not directly mentioned, but later his affection for Nanda and his respect is described. Or there was not any purpose in such a great friend worshipping Nanda.