11

1

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 1: Sri Paraasharah - Priyavrato uttaanapaadou manoh svaayambhuvasya tu | Dvou putrou su mahaa veeryou dharmajnyou kathitou tava || *Sri Paraashara *- I had told you about two sons, who had great valour, who were always following the path of dharma, as two sons of *Svayambhuva *Manu, called Priyavrata and Uttaanapaada.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Manoh douhitroh vamsha uktah | Atha tat putra anvayam vaktum
anuvadati priyavrata iti | Manu’s daughter’s vamsha was told so far. Now Paraasharar tells about the vamsha of Manu’s sons.

2

***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 2: *** [[368]] Tayoh uttaanapaadasya suruchyaam uttamah sutah | Abheeshtaayaam abhoot brahman pituh atyanta vallabhah || Uttaanapaada had a son by name Uttama, who was very dear to him, through Suruchi, who was very dear to him.

Uttaanapaada had two wives Suniti and Suruchi.

3

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 3: Suneetih naama yaa raajnyah tasya aaseet mahishee dvija | Sa naati preetimaanstasyaam abhoot yasyaa dhruvah sutah || Suniti was the elder wife of the king, he was not liking her that much. From Suniti, he had a son by name Dhruva.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 4: Raajaasana sthitasya ankam pituh bhraataram aashritam | Drushtvaa uttamam dhruvah chakre tam aarodhum manoratham || One day, Dhruva comes to see his father sitting on the throne, and on his lap, he sees Uttama sitting. He also had a great desire to go and sit on his father’s lap.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 5: Pratyaksham bhoopatih tasyaah suruchyaa na abhyanandyata | Pranayena aagatam putram utsangaarohanotsukam || [[369]] Suruchi was also standing there. In front of her, the son who came with great love and wanted to sit on the lap of his father, Uttaanapaada never gave attention to him.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 6: Sa patnee tanayam drushvaa tam ankaarohanotsukam | Sva putram cha tathaa aaroodham suruchih vaakyam abraveet || Suruchi sees the elder wife’s son Dhruva come there wanting to sit on the lap of Uttaanapaada, and also saw his other son Uttama sitting on his lap, and told Dhruva thus.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 7: Kriyate kim vruthaa vatsa mahaan esha manorathah | Anya stree garbha jaatena hi asambhooya mamodare || O son Dhruva, why are you trying to do this great effort, and having such a desire to go and sit on the lap of your father. You are born to the other woman, and were never born to me.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 8: Uttamottamam apraapyam aviveko abhivaanchasi | Satyam sutah tvam api asya kim tu na tvam mayaa dhrutah || You are ignorant and do not have the proper knowledge, you are desiring something which is only attained by a great son, you are not one among them. It is true that you are also this king’s son only, but you are not born of me.

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[[370]] Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 9: Etat raajasaasanam sarva bhoobhrut samshrayaketanam | Yogyam mama eva putrasya kimaatmaa klishyate tvayaa || This throne is the resort of all the great kings. Only my son deserves such a throne. Why are you unnecessarily truing to put effort in futile things?

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Etat iti | Poorvoktam uttamatvam aaha sarva iti | Sarva bhoobhrut
aashraya ketanam iti paathah | Sarva bhoobhrutaam aashrayasha
saarvabhoumasya ketanam sthaanam |

10

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 10: Ucchaih manorathah te ayam mat putrasyeva kim vruthaa | Suneetyaam aatmano janma kim tvayaa na avagamyate || Your desire to attain this great throne, is wasted, as though it is like my son. Why are you simply desiring for such a great throne? Why don’t you remember that you are born of Suniti and not of me? How can you deserve such a throne when you are not born of me?

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Ucchaih iti | Ucchaih manorathah ucchaasanaabhilaashah |

Suruchi thus ridicules the young boy Dhruva and Uttaanapaada does not say anything.

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***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 11: *** [[371]] Sri Paraasharah - Utsrujya pitaram baalah tat shrutvaa maatru bhaashitam | Jagaama kupito maatuh nijaayaa dvija mandiram || Dhruva gets very angry, listening to what Suruchi said, and just leaves the place, and goes to his mother Suniti.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 12: Tam drushtvaa kupitam putram eeshat prasphuritaadharam | Suneetirankam aaropya maitreya idam abhaashata || He was very angry and his lips were quivering. Seeing this, Suniti makes him sit on her lap, and tells him thus.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 13: Vatsa kah kopa hetuh te kascha tvaam na abhinandati | Ko avajaanaati pitaram vatsa yah te aparaadhyati || O son, what is the cause of your anger? Who does not give respect to you? One who does wrong to you will be showing disrespect to the king himself. Who is showing disrespect to the king by doing wrong to you?

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 14: Sri Paraasharah - Ityuktah sakalam maatre kathayaamaasa tat yathaa | Suruchih praaha bhoopaala pratyaksham ati garvitaa || [[372]] When he was told like this by Suniti, Dhruva tells his mother whatever happened. About how Suruchi being extremely arrogant, what all she said in front of the king himself.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 15: Vinihshvasyeti kathite tasmin putrena durmanaah | Shvaasa kshaamekshanaa deenaa suneetih vaakyam abhraveet || She was exhausted, when he told her what all Suruchi told him in front of the king himself. She tries to console him at that time, and he is extremely angry.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Nishvasyete | Tasmin vruttaante kathite sati shvaasa kshaamekshanaa
shvaasena dukha janitena kusha drushtih | Her eyes were all wet with tears, because of the sorrow after listening to what Suruchi did to her son Dhruva. She feels very sad and eyes are all wet with tears.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 16: Suruchih satyam aahedam manda bhaagyo asi putraka | Na hi punyavataam vatsa sa patnyaih evam uchyate || O son, what Suruchi said is true only. You do not have good fate, you are unfortunate. If you had been fortunate enough, you would not have been told thus by my sapatni, who is Suruchi.

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***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 17: *** [[373]] Nodvegah taata kartavyah krutam yat bhavataa puraa | Tat kopa hartum shaknoti daatum kaschaakrutam tvayaa || O Dhruva, what Suruchi said is true, you are the unfortunate one. If you had been fortunate, you would not have been talked to like this. You do not have to get agitated like this. This is the result of your own deeds only, whatever you have done earlier. If you have done something wrong in your earlier janma, the result of that nobody can see. If you have not done something good, you cannot get good because of that. Whatever you have not done, someone cannot give you that. Whatever you have done, someone cannot take it away from you.

You will reap the benefits according to whatever you have done. If you had done something good, you would have got something good. If you had done something bad, you will face something bad only.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 18: Tat tvayaa na atra kartavyam dukham tat vaakya sambhavam || Because of this, you should not feel sad at all, because of what Suruchi said.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 19: Raajaasanam tathaa chatram varaashvaa vara vaaranaah | Yasya punyaani tasya ete matvaa etacchaamya putraka || The throne of the king, the white sovereign umbrella, all the elephants and horses, whoever has done a lot of punya, only such a person will get all these things. Understanding this, please give up your anger.

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***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 20: *** [[374]] Anya janma krutaih punyaih suruchyaam suruchih nrupah | Bhaaryaa iti prochyate cha anyaa madvidhaa punya varjitaa || Because Suruchi has done punya in previous janma, king is very dear to her, and always nice to her. Whereas the other one, who is me, who does not have any punya, will be simply called as a wife.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 21: Punya upachaya sampanna tasyaah putrah tathaa uttamah | Mama putrah tathaa jaatah svalpa punyo dhruvo bhavaan || His son Uttama also has done a lot of punya. You, who are having very less punya are born as my son.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 22: Tathaa api dukham na bhavaan kartum arhasi putraka | Yasya yaavat sa tena eva svena tushyati buddhimaan || Even then, you should not feel sad because of this. Whatever one deserves, one will get. Whatever one gets, he should be happy with that only. One who is intelligent will understand that whatever one gains is because of some punya, whatever one does not gain is because of some paapa. Understand this, and be happy with what you get.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 23: Yadi te dukham atyartham suruchyaa vachasaa abhavat | Tat punya upachaye yatnam kuru sarva phala prade || [[375]] By listening to Suruchi’s words, if you felt extremely sad, try to accumulate more punya, which will give you all kinds of benefits. Try to engage yourself in performing good deeds.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 24: Susheelo bhava dharmaatmaa maitrah praani hite ratah | Nimnam yathaa aapah pravanaah paatram aayaanti sampadam || Become one with good aachaara, good conduct, and follow the path of dharma. Be friendly with everyone, be good to all beings. Waters which flow down will only be respected by everyone.

Engage in these kinds of things, and accumulate punya. This is the advice Suniti gives to Dhruva. Dhruva does not listen to this, and goes and does penance, which is a well known story.

Recap: In the previous session, we just started to study the *Dhruva *upaakhyaana, the story of Dhruva. When Dhruva feels extremely sad when he could not sit on the lap of his father, while his stepmother Suruchi’s son Uttama sat on the lap, he gets extremely sad and comes to his mother crying, and Suniti gives him some wonderful advice, which is essentially the teachings of all shaastraas, the karma siddhaanta. She tells him ‘O my son, please do not get disturbed; if you did not enjoy something, it is because you did not do the right deeds in your previous births earlier. The result what you get today is the result of your own past deeds. If you had done something good, you will enjoy good things. If you had not done something good, you will not get it. You should not worry about it. Uttama had done some good deeds in his previous births, so he gets to enjoy the benefits of the kingdom, whereas you had not done such good deeds, and so you are not getting. Whatever little one gets, an intelligent person should feel happy about it. This is what you deserve, based on the deeds done earlier. If everything is based on past deeds, is there no other way? The answer is that it is not so. Shaastra tells that it is possible to correct what you do in future. From now onwards, it is in your hands. Till now, whatever you did knowingly or unknowingly is all gone. [[376]] From this point onwards, it is in your own hands to do the right things. If you do good deeds from now on, you will get to reap good benefits and enjoy good things in future. So, engage in good deeds from now on.’

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 24: Susheelo bhava dharmaatmaa maitrah praani hite ratah | Nimnam yathaa aapah pravanaah paatram aayaanti sampadam || Follow good conduct, sadaachaara, and follow the path of dharma. Be good to all the beings. If you start doing all these, you will definitely get good benefits in future. You have to be always caring for everyone, always follow the path of dharma, and not feel proud of yourself; waters when they flow down and form a pond, everyone wants to start using it, and respect that water.

So, she gives him wonderful advice. Dhruva is a Kshatriya child.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 25: Dhruva uvaacha - Amba yat tvam idam praattha prashamaaya vacho mama | Na etat durvachasaa bhinne hrudaye mama tishthati || Dhruva said - O mother, in order to dispel my grief, whatever you said; my heart is completely broken, with the bad words that I have heard from Suruchi. Your good words have no place in my heart.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 26: So aham tathaa yatishyaami yathaa sarvottamottamam | Sthaanam praapsyaami asheshaanaam jagataam abhipoojitam || I am going to definitely try for a place; I am going to attain a most supreme position; whatever has to be done to attain such a supreme position, I am going to engage in that. I am going to get that position which is respected by the entire world; I am going to try to attain such an exalted position.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 27: Suruchirdayitaa raajnyaa tasyaa jaato asmi na udaraat | Prabhaavam pashya me amba tvam vruddhasya api tava udare || Suruchi is beloved of the king. I am not born from her womb. I am not her son. Though I was nurtured in your womb, you are now going to see what is it that I can achieve. You will see my capabilities now.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 28: Uttamah sa mama bhraataa yo garbhena dhrutah tayaa | Sa raajnyaa aasanam aapnotu pitraa dattam tathaa astu tat || [[377]] My brother Uttama who was born of Suruchi, let him get the king’s throne, which is given by my father to him. Let it be so. I am going to attain the highest position which is respected by the entire world.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 29: Na anyadattam abheepsyaami sthaanam amba sva karmanaa | Icchaami tat aham sthaanam yat na praapa pitaa mama || I do not enjoy and accept what is given by others; out of my own efforts, I am going to obtain a place which even my father did not attain.

He is adamant on putting efforts to go an attain a supreme position which is respected by the entire world.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 30: Sri Paraasharah - Nirjagaama gruhaat maatuh iti uktvaa maataram dhruvah | Puraat cha nirgamya tatah tat baahya upavanam yayou || Sri Paraasharar said - He left the mother’s place and went out from his mother’s house, saying so. He also left the city, and went to a garden outside the city.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 31: Sa dadarsha muneenstatra sapta poorva aagataan dhruvah | Krishnaajina uttareeyeshu vishtareshu samaasthitaan | There, he sees seven rishis, who had already come there ahead of him. They had come there knowing what he is going to do, and to grace him with blessings, they were seated on krishnaajina, and uttareeya, and vistara means darbhaasana.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Sa iti | Poorva gataan poorvameva aatmano anugrahanaartham
aagataan, krishnaajina uttareeyaani eva vishtaraasteshu | Already seven rishis had come there in order to bless him, they were seated on the krishnaajina.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 32: Sa raaja putrah taan sarvaan pranipatya abhyabhaashata | Prashrayaavanatah samyak abhivaadana poorvakam || The prince Dhruva bowed down to them in reverence, and spoke thus. He did abhivaadana telling his name and gotra, and had great respect and reverence to the rishis, he bowed down and did namaskaara.

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[[378]] Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 33: Dhruva uvaacha - Utaanapaada tanayam maam nibodhata sattamaah | Jaatam suneetyaam nirvedaat ushmaakam praaptam antikam || Dhruva said - O holy sages, know me as Dhruva, son of Utaanapaada, I was born of Suniti, and am of extreme sorrow. Out of sorrow, I have come near you; I am approaching you with extreme sorrow.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 34: Rishayah oochuh - Chatuh panchaabdha sambhooto baalah tam nrupanandana | Nirveda kaaranam kinchit tava naadyaapi vartate || The rishis said - O prince, you are just four or five years old; you are just a small boy. What can there be which can cause you so much of grief, we do not see any cause for sorrow at all.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Chatur pancheti | Itah praak chaturthe panchame vaa abdhe
sambhootah | You were born four or five years ago.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 35: Na chintyam bhavatah kinchit dhriyate bhoopatih pitaa | Na cha eva ishta viyogaadi tava pashyaama baalaka || There is nothing to worry about for you. Your father, who is the king is still living. We do not see that you have lost any beloveds, or close relatives, dear ones, or something which you are liking.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Neti | Chintyam kutumba poshanaadi | Dhriyate jeevati | Nothing to worry about such as looking after a family, etc. Your father still lives.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 36: Shareere na cha te vyaadhih asmaabhih upalakshyate | Nirvedah kinnimittah te kathyataam yadi vidyate || You do not seem to have any diseases, you look quite healthy. In spite of all these, if you are still having some grief, do tell us the reason for which you are having sorrow.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 37: ***Sri Paraasharah - *** [[379]] Tatah sa kathayaamaasa suruchyaa yat udaahrutam | Tat nishamya tatah prochuh munayah te parasparam || Sri Paraasharar said - Then Dhruva starts to tell them what all Suruchi told him. He was also very angry. From his tone, the rishis speak to him thus.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 38: Aho kshaatram param tejo baalasyaapi yadakshamaa | Sapatnyaa maatuh uktam yat hrudayaat na apasarpati || Look at this boy’s great intolerance, which is the quality of Kshatriyaas, the kshaatra tejas. Whatever his stepmother told, he is not able to get rid of that thought at all. He is going on thinking about it. Feeling sad, he is not able to forget it.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 39: Bho bhoh kshatra yadaayaada nirvedaat yat tvayaa adhunaa | Kartum vyavasitam tat nah kathyataam yado rochate || O son of the king, Kshatriya’s son, because of your great sorrow, whatever you are about to do, whatever you will engage in, please do tell us.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 40: Yat cha kaaryam tava asmaabhih saahaayyam anmitadyute | Tat uchyataam vivakshuh tvam asmaabhih upalakshyase || O Tejasvi, do tell us what is that we can do to help you. Do tell us whatever we can do.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 41: Dhruva uvaacha - Na aham artham abheepsyaami na raajyam dvija sattamaah | Tat sthaanam ekam icchami bhuktam na anyena yat puraa || Dhruva said - O holy sages, I am not after money or after kingdom. I only want to attain that supreme position which nobody has enjoyed so far before.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 42: Etat me kriyataam samyak kathyataam praapyate yathaa | Sthaanam agryam samastebhyah sthaanebhyo munisattamaah || This is what I would seek your help for. Please, do tell me what is that I have to do, in order to attain a place which is superior to everything else.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Etat iti | Yathaa praapyate tathaa katthyataam | Etat kathanam eva
saahaayyam tat kriyataam | [[380]] I do not want you to get me the position itself, just tell me what is it that I have to do to get me this position. That itself is the help that I am seeking from you.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 43: Mareechih - Anaaraadhita govindaih naraih sthaanam nrupa aatmaja | Na hi sampraapyate sreshtham tasmaat aaraadhaya achyutam || Then each sage gives him an advice separately. Mareechi said - O son of the king, prince, those who have not worshipped Govinda, they cannot attain any excellent position. So, if you want to attain a supreme position, do worship Govinda.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Bhagavati bhakti atishayaat dhruve kaarunyaat cha sarve api
prativadanti pranandanti cha anaaraadhite ityaadi saptabhih | Why all the seven sages tell independently is because of the extreme devotion they had in Bhagavaan Govinda. And also out of great compassion to this small boy, Dhruva.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 44: Atrih - Parah paraanaam purusho yasya tushto janaardanah | Sa praapnoti akshayam sthaanam etat satyam mayaa uditam || Atri said - That Janaardana who is the most supreme person, superior to everyone else; with whom that Janaardana is pleased, such a person can only get a position which is permanent. This is the truth that I am telling you.

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***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 45: *** Angiraah - Yasya antah sarvam eva idam achyutasya avyaya aatmanah | Tam aaraadhaya govindam sthaanam agryam yadeecchasi || Angiras said - All these things are under whose control, controlled by Him, which are all His shareera, everything is inside Him, that Achyuta who is Supreme Being, immutable, Paramaatman, worship that Govinda if you desire to attain a foremost position.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 46: Pulastyah - Param brahma param dhaama yo asou brahma tathaa param | [[381]] Tamaaraadhya harim yaati muktim api ati durlabhaam || Pulastya said - This Supreme Being, who is the Supreme Brahman, who is the supreme place to be attained by everyone, by worshipping Him, one attains even liberation, which is most difficult to attain by anyone.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 47: Pulahah - Aindram indrah param sthaanam yam aaraadhya jagat patim | Praapa yajnyapatim vishnum tam aaraadhaya suvrata || Pulaha said - Indra, by worshipping that Supreme Lord of the entire world, the Master of the world, obtained that supreme position, Indra padavi, you also please worship that Vishnu who is yajnya pati, in order to attain such a position.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 48: Kratuh - Yo yajnya purusho yajnyo yajnyeshah paramah pumaan | Tasmin tushthe yat apraapyam kim tat asti janaardane || Kratu said - That yajnya purusha who Himself is yajnya, the one who is the aaraadhya devataa of all the yajnyaas, the lord of the yajnyaas, the Supreme Person, that Janaardana if He is pleased, what is there which cannot be attained? If He is pleased one can attain anything; there is nothing which cannot be attained if He is pleased.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 49: Vasishtah - Praapnoshi aaraadhite vishnou manasaa yat yat icchasi | Trailokya antargatam sthaanam kimu vatsa uttamottamam || Vasistha said - O son, if you worship Vishnu, whatever you desire in your mind, everything you can attain. Whatever place in all the three worlds, you can attain that. What to say about most excellent among all positions you want to attain?

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Praapnoshi iti | Manasaa iti | Itah poorvam aklruptam api dadaati kim
punah klruptam iti | Whatever did not exist earlier also that He can create and give you. What to say of the already existing supreme position?

50

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 50: Dhruva uvaacha - [[382]] Aaraadhyah kathito devo bhavadbhih pranatasya me | Mayaa tat paritoshaaya yat japtavyam tat uchyataam || Dhruva said - O holy sages, when I prostrated to you, you have now told me who is the God, deity to be worshipped. Now, in order to please that Vishnu, what is the japa that I have to chant? Please do tell me that.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Aaraadhya iti | Mayaa iti | Anupateetasya api aatmano yogyam
japyam prucchati japtavyam iti | Though he was not yet upaneeta, not yet done upanayana, he asked about the mantra which he is eligible to chant.

51

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 51: Yathaa cha aaraadhanam tasya mayaa kaaryam mahaatmanah | Prasaada sumukhaah tat me kathayantu maharshayah || How do I worship that Supreme Lord, Janaardana, O sages, who are being pleased towards me, please do tell me.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Yathaa iti japaanga prashnah |

52

Rishis now teach him how to worship the Supreme Brahman, and what are the mantraas to be chanted, to do the japa. Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 52: Rishayah oochuh - Raaja putra yathaa vishnoh aaraadhana paraih naraih | Kaaryam aaraadhanam tat no yathaavat shrotum arhasi || O prince, please do listen what we are going to say. Those who are desiring to worship Vishnu, how should they actually worship Vishnu, that we are going to say. As it is, we are going to tell you, please do listen to that.

53

With the next three shlokaas, they teach the process of worshipping the Supreme Brahman, Vishnu, and also the mantra which has to be chanted. Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 53: Baahyaarthaat akhilaat chittam tyaajayet prathamam narah | Tasmin eva jagat dhaamni tatah kurveeta nischalam || First, one has to withdraw the mind from all the external sense objects. Mind should be steady, should not wander around here and there. Focussing the mind on only that ultimate refuge or resort of this whole world, and meditating upon that Supreme Being.

[[383]] Here they are going to teach Ashtaanga Yoga, is what we can understand from the Commentary. Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Chitta ekaagrataa roopo yogo japasya angam iti sa yogam japyam
upadishanti baahya iti tribhih | Baahyaarthaat iti | Baahyaarthaat
chittam tyaajayet iti himsaa anruta aadi nishiddha tyaaga roopo
yamah, sarva vishaya tyaaga roopah pratyaahaarah cha uktah,
nischalam kurveeta iti aasana praanaayaamou, tat adheenatvaat chitta
sthairyasya tasmin eva iti shubha aashraye dhaaranaa | By these three shlokaas, rishis teach Dhruva the Ashtaanga Yoga, which is an accessory to the aaraadhana. The nature of that yoga is that it is required in order to attain concentration of mind. in order to do the japa, the accessory required is that one has to develop concentration of mind, and then do the japa, chanting of the mantra. Along with that *Ashtaanga *yoga, they teach him the mantra which is to be chanted. *Ashtaanga *Yoga has *yama, niyama, aasana, praanaayaama, pratyaahaara, dhaaranaa, *dhyaana, samaadhi. First, one has to give up all the external objects, giving up of telling lies, giving up doing himsaa, this is called yama; mind has to be controlled, one should desist from telling lies, and doing himsaa; himsaa by all the tri karanaas. Pratyaahaara is withdrawing the mind from all external sense objects. Achieving steadiness of the mind is possible through aasana and praanaayaama. Mind has to be steadily focussed on something. Aasana and praanaayaama are extremely essential. Focus the mind on the Supreme Brahman. Focus the mind on the *divya mangala *vigraha of Bhagavaan, this is the shubha aashraya.

First, withdrawing the mind from everything external, giving up telling lies ( anruta), giving up himsaa, withdrawing the mind from all external sense objects, achieving steadiness of the mind, thinking of the *divya mangala *vigraha of Paramaatman (dhaaranaa).

54

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 54: Evam ekaagra chittena tanmayena dhruta aatmanaa | Japtavyam yat nibodha etat tannah paarthiva nandana || Having achieved this kind of steady concentrated mind on the *divya mangala *vigraha of Paramaatman, what is the japa to be chanted - listen to us, we are going to tell you.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: [[384]] Evam iti | Dhrutaatmanaa iti | Yathaa arham shouchaadishu
krutanyeneti niyamah, ekaagra chittena iti dhyaanam, tanmayena iti
samaadhih, iti ashtaanga yogah uktah | The word evam indicates that as required for this kind of *ashtaanga yoga. *Shoucha means shaastreeya shuddhi, snaana and others. One should put effort to achieve the shaastreeya shuddhi, this is called niyama. Focussing the mind on only one object, the divya mangala vigraha of the Supreme Brahman. Tanmaya means getting completely merged in that object of meditation, this is samaadhi.

How can we say that rishis have taught Ashtaanga Yoga here? This is explained in the Commentary. After a few shlokaas, Paraasharar says in Shloka 8 of the next chapter that he is said to be a yogi. This indicates that Ashtaanga Yoga is what is taught by the rishis.

55

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 55: Hiranya garbha purusha pradhaana avyakta roopine | Om namo vaasudevaaya shuddha jnyaana svaroopine || This is the mantra told with pranava, Om Namo Vaasudevaaya. One whose essential nature is pure jnyaana, He is present in all these forms, *Hiranya *Garbha, Purusha, Pradhaana, Avyakta, means that He is antaryaami, everything is His shareera, being controlled by Him, being supported by Him. Such a Paramaatman who is Vaasudeva, I bow down and surrender unto Him. His essential nature is like that.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Hiranya iti | * Hiranyam asya garbho abhoot hiranyasya api garbhajah
| Tasmaat hiranya garbham tam puraanajnyaah prachakshire | Iti
bhaarate hiranya garbha shabda niruktyaa hiranmayam brahmaandam
garbhe yasya sah hiranya garbhah, sa cha atra purushaadi samabhih
vyaahaaraat kaalaatmaa jnyeyah | Hiranya garbhah vyashtih,
purushah samashtih iti kechit | Atra dvaadashaakshara mantro
vivakshitah, laingaadishu dhruvasya tanmaatra upadesha prasiddheh |
Sa tu rahasya upadeshyatvaat atra yathaa paathe na pathitah | The brahmaanda is said to be hiranmaya, and that brahmaanda is in His garbha, inside Him, so He is called Hiranyagarbha, His womb became Hiranya; that brahmaanda was born of Him, associated inseparably with Him, He willed. Viraat is brahmaanda, brahmaanda was created by Paramaatman, and then Chaturmukha Brahma was created. In Mahaabhaarata, the nirukti of the word Hiranyagarbha is told. He is one in whose womb the Hiranmaya Brahmaanda existed. It existed in a state [[385]] where there was no name and form differentiation, and then He did *naama *roopa vyaakarana and created all these beings, this is told in the *srushti *prakarana. Here, Hiranyagarbha is told along with the word Purusha, the meaning is to be taken as Paramaatman who is existing as the antaraatman of kaala; kaala is also an upaadaana kaarana for srushti, it is also a padaartha in our siddhaanta, everything is controlled by kaala in this prakruti mandala. He is one to whom kaala is also a shareera. Some people say that Hiranyagarbha is vyashti and Purusha is *samashti. *Samashti is before the name and form differentiation, *naama roopa *vyaakarana, before Chaturmukha Brahma is created; up to that point, Paramaatman directly does the creation, where *prakruti, mahat, *ahamkaara, pancha bhoota tattvaas are all created. After creating *pancha *bhootaas, Paramaatman does pancheekarana, and then the name and form differentiation happens, from that time, it is called vyashti srushti. Before vyashti srushti, Paramaatman was Himself existing in those forms, means that He was *antaryaami, mahat shareeraka Paramaatman, *ahamkaara shareeraka Paramaatman, etc. Here, the *Dvaadashaakshara *Mantra, Om Namo Vaasudevaaya is meant, but only eight letters are here, Pranava, Namaha and Vaasudevaaya, because, in Lainga Puraana, it is well known that Dvaadashaakshara is what saptarishis taught Dhruva. Because it has to be taught in secrecy, one on one from Aachaarya to the shishya, in privacy, this is why it is not told here.

56

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 56: Etat jajaapa bhagavaan japyam svaayambhuvo manuh | Pitaamahah tava puraa tasya tushto janaardanah || They also justify why this mantra can yield such great results. They give an example. They tell Dhruva that his grandfather, Svaayambhuva Manu, also did japa with this mantra, and Janaardana was extremely pleased with him.

57

This is continuation of the previous shloka. Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 11, Shloka 57: Dadou yathaa abhilaashitaam siddhim trailokya durlabhaam | Tathaa tvam api govindam toshaya etat sadaa japan || That which cannot be easily obtained in all the three worlds, that Janaardana gave to Svaayambhuva Manu, who did japa with this mantra; Svaayambhuva Manu being your grandfather, you also do the same thing. Chanting this mantra continuously, all the time, you also try to please Govinda. With His grace, you will also attain whatever you desire.

[[386]] Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Dadou iti | Tathaa tvam iti | Kula devataa mantro hi sheeghram
siddhyati | Because his grandfather had done this japa of Janaardana, He is *kula *devataa for you, you should also do it, and you will very soon attain whatever you are seeking.

This completes the Eleventh Chapter. Saptarishis have taught him the way in which he has to worship Govinda, the mantra which he has to chant, and how that can yield the desired fruits, because his own grandfather attained whatever he desired by chanting this mantra and worshipping *Govinda, *Janaardana was extremely pleased with him and granted him all that he desired; you also chant this mantra and worship Govinda, He will be very pleased and He is the only one who can give you what you are desiring.

|| Iti Sri Vishnu Puraane Prathame Amshe Ekaadasho Adhyaayah ||

|| Iti Sri Vishnu Puraana Vyaakhyaane Vishnu Chitteeye Prathame
Amshe Ekaadasho Adhyaayah ||

|| Atha Dvaadasho Adhyaayah ||