1
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 1:
Sri Paraasharah -
Tapascharatsu pruthiveem prachetassu maheeruhaah |
Arakshyamaanaamaavavruh babhoovaatha prajaakshayah || ***Sri Paraashara says - When they were deeply immersed in penance like this, the entire world was filled by trees, growing by great proportions. Mankind declined, and nobody could survive because the plants completely filled the world.
2
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 2:
Naashakanmaruto vaatum vruttam khamabhavat drumaih |
Dasha varsha sahasraani na shekuh cheshtitum prajaah || ***The trees went up to the sky, and air was not able to blow at all. People were not able to move around or do any functioning, for ten thousand years.
3
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 3:
Taan drushtvaa jala nishkraantaah sarve kruddhaah prachetasah |
Mukhebhyo vaayum agnim cha te asrujan jaata manyavah || ***Seeing such a sorry state in the world, the Prachetasaas got very angry, and becoming very angry, they blew air and fire through their mouth.
4
[[497]] ***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 4:
Unmoolaan atha taan vrukshaan krutvaa vaayuh ashoshayat |
Taan agnih adahatghorah tatra abhoot druma samkshayah || ***The air that they blew was so powerful that it uprooted all the trees, and the air dried everything. The fire which they blew burnt everything. Then, there was a severe lack of trees.
5
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 5:
Drumakshayam atho drushtvaa kinchit shishteshu shaakhishu |
Upagamya abraveet etaan raajaa somah prajaapateen || ***Soma, who is the king of all trees and plants, came and told the Prachetasaas, seeing all the destruction of the trees, and few branches being left over. ***
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Drumakshayam iti | Raajaa vrukshaadeenaam |
6
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 6:
Kopam yacchata raajaanah shrunudhvam cha vacho mama |
Sandhaanam vah karishyaami saha kshitiruhairaham ||*** O great kings, please do control your anger and listen to me. I will make sure that trees and plants are not going to cause more trouble to you. I will make sure that they live in peace with you.
7
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 7:
Ratnabhootaa cha kanyaa iyam vaarksheyee vara vaarinee |
Bhavishyat jaanataa poorvam mayaa gobhih vivardhitaa || ***I also have this wonderful woman, gem of a woman, one who is born of the trees. I am protecting this gem of a woman, excellent among women. Through my grace, I have nurtured her, knowing the future what is going to happen.
In future, what will happen is that this daughter of the trees will be your wife, and will give birth to Daksha Prajaapati.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: [[498]] ***Ratnabhootaa iti | Vaarksheyee vrukshajaa | Bhavishyat - dasha
prachetasaam patnee dakshasya maataa cha bhavishyati iti adhikam
jaanataa mayaa | Gobhih rashmibhih |
8
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 8:
Maarishaa naama naamna eshaa vrukshaanaam iti nirmitaa |
Bhaaryaa vo astu mahaabhaaga dhruvam vamsha vivardhinee || ***She was given birth to by the trees, and has the name Maarishaa. She is going to help you and is going to be the cause of expansion of your progeny. She will be the wife of you, the ten Prachetasaas. ***
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Maarishaa iti | Naama prasiddhaa maarishaa iti naamnaa prasiddhaa |
Vrukshanaam iti | Vrukshanaam sambandhinee vaarkshyeyaa iti
nirmitaa |
9
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 9:
Yushmaakam tejaso ardhena mama cha ardhena tejasah |
Asyaam utpatsyate vidvaan daksho naama prajaapatih ||*** With half of your tejas, and half of my tejas, in her, one Prajaapati is going to be born, by name Daksha.
The story of Daksha Prajaapati will come later. Before that, the story of Maarishaa will come, how she became the daughter of the trees. The story of Kandu Maharshi will also come.
10
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 10:
Mama cha amshena samyukto yushmat tejomayena vai |
Tejasaa agnisamo bhooyah prajaah samvardhayishyati || ***Daksha having my amsha, and also your tejas, both, Maarishaa and Prachetasaas, and Maarishaa was nurtured by Soma also, Daksha will have all qualities like fire, veerya, shourya, and will also have all pleasing qualities, which are Soma’s gunaas, and he will help in expanding the mankind.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: [[499]] ***Mama cha iti | Mama douhitratvaat mama amshena soumyena
shaantyaadi bahulena maatru gunena yushmat tejas sambhavena
aagneya amshena krourya shouryaadi pitru gunena cha yuktah prajaah
samvardhayishyati sargasya agnishomaatmakatvaat | ***
Now, he starts to tell about the birth of Maarishaa, and Kandu Maharshi.
Recap: In the previous session, we were studying how ten Prachetasaas did tapas for ten thousand years, under water and Mahaa Vishnu appeared in front of them, and gave them the boon that they want to continue mankind as per their father’s orders. Brahma had told their father that mankind has to be continued. Bhagavaan is very pleased with their tapas. After they come out of water, they see that the entire earth is filled with trees, which have grown too high, and even air is not able to blow, everything is blocked and choked, people are dying. They get very angry, and create Agni and Vaayu; Agni burns everything, and Vaayu dries up the trees, and everything starts getting destroyed. Soma who is the king of the trees comes in front of them, and says that there is a lady called Maarisha. Knowing the future that she is going to be your wife, I have protected her with my rays, and nurtured her. ***
7
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 7:
Ratnabhootaa cha kanyaa iyam vaarksheyee vara vaarinee |
Bhavishyat jaanataa poorvam mayaa gobhih vivardhitaa ||*** I also have this wonderful woman, gem of a woman, one who is born of the trees. I am protecting this gem of a woman, excellent among women. Through my rays, I have nurtured her, knowing the future what is going to happen.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Ratnabhootaa iti | Vaarksheyee vrukshajaa | Bhavishyat - dasha
prachetasaam patnee dakshasya maataa cha bhavishyati iti adhikam
jaanataa mayaa | Gobhih rashmibhih | ***
8
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 8:
Maarishaa naama naamna eshaa vrukshaanaam iti nirmitaa | [[500]] ***Bhaaryaa vo astu mahaabhaaga dhruvam vamsha vivardhinee || ***She is the daughter of the trees, vrukshaas, and is called as Maarishaa. She will become your wife and will continue the progeny, and help you in expanding the mankind.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Maarishaa iti | Naama prasiddhaa maarishaa iti naamnaa prasiddhaa |
Vrukshanaam iti | Vrukshanaam sambandhinee vaarkshyeyaa iti
nirmitaa | She is related to the vrukshaas.
9
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 9: Yushmaakam tejaso ardhena mama cha ardhena tejasah | Asyaam utpatsyate vidvaan daksho naama prajaapatih || With half of my tejas and half of your tejas, she will give birth to a very knowledgeable son, a Prajaapati, called Daksha.
10
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 10: Mama cha amshena samyukto yushmat tejomayena vai | **Tejasaa agnisamo bhooyah prajaah samvardhayishyati || He will increase the mankind, he will be having the tejas of Agni, having been endowed with half of your amsha, and half of my amsha, ***
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Mama cha iti | Mama douhitratvaat mama amshena soumyena
shaantyaadi bahulena maatru gunena yushmat tejas sambhavena
aagneya amshena krourya shouryaadi pitru gunena cha yuktah prajaah
11
samvardhayishyati sargasya agnishomaatmakatvaat |*** Srushti is said to be Agnishomaatmaka, with Agni and Soma, the devataas in the Agnishomiya Yajnya which is done. Daksha Prajaapati will have my amsha, he will have all the pleasing qualities, as well as the qualities of a mother, Maarishaa being the daughter of the trees. And Soma is the king of the trees. Prachetasaas are Agneya Amsha; so for the pitru gunaas, he will have krourya, shourya, he will be a very good king, and help in increasing the mankind.*** *** [[501]] Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 11:
Kanduh naama munih poorvam aaseet vedavidaam varah |
Suramye gomatee teere sa tepe paramam tapah || There was a rishi called Kandu, well versed in the Vedaas, on the pleasant banks of Gomati river, he was performing tapas. ***
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Kanyaayaa aabhijaatyajnyaanaaya tat janam aaha kandurityaadinaa |*** Now, in order to tell the Prachetasaas that Maarishaa is born in a good vamsha, he starts to tell about the story of Kandu Maharshi. ***
12
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 12:
Tat kshobhaaya surendrena pramlochaakhyaa varaapsaraah |
Prayuktaa kshobhayaamaasa tam rishim saa shuchismitaa ||*** In order to disturb his penance, Indra sends the apsaras Pramlochaa. She started to disturb his tapas. ***
13
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 13:
Kshobhitasya tayaa saarddham varshaanaam adhikam shatam |
Atishtat mandaradronyaam vishayaasakta maanasah ||*** He gets attracted to her, and tapas will be broken. He lives with her more than hundred years, in Mandaraachala, enjoying her company. ***
14
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 14:
Tam saa praaha mahaabhaaga gantum icchaami aham divam |
Prasaada sumukho brahman anujnyaam daatum arhasi ||*** After hundred plus years, she tells Kandu Maharshi, that ‘I desire to go back to Deva Loka, be pleased and do allow me to return to Deva Loka’. ***
15
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 15:
Tayaa evam uktah sa munih tasyaam aasakta maanasah |
Dinaani katichit bhadre stheeyataam iti abhaashata ||*** Being very much attached to her, he tells her to stay for some more time.
16
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 16:
Evam uktaa tatah tena saagram varsha shatam punah | [[502]] ***Bubhuje vishayaanstanvee tena saakam mahaatmanaa || ***Being told like that, she stays for another hundred plus years, with him, enjoying his company, with all kinds of pleasures.
17
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 17:
Anujyaam dehi bhagavan vrajaami tridashaalayam |
Uktah tathaa iti sa punah stheeyataam iti abhaashata || ***After hundred plus years, she again asks him to ‘Please give me permission to go back to Deva Loka’. He says ‘No, please stay for some more time’. ***
18
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 18:
Punargate varsha shate saadhike saa shubhaananaa |
Yaami iti aaha divam brahman pranayasmita shobhanam ||*** Again hundred plus years passed like that. Again she says ‘I want to go back to Deva Loka, please give me permission’. ***
19
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 19:
Uktah tayaa evam sa munih upaguhyaayatekshanaam |
Praahaasyataam kshanam subhru chirakaalam gamishyasi ||*** Being told like that, he embraced her and told her ‘Please stay for a little more while, because you are going to go away for a long time’.
20
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 20:
Saa kreedamaanaa sushronee saha tenarshinaa punah |
Shatadvayam kinchit oonam varshanaam anvatishthata || ***Enjoying his company, and giving him all kinds of pleasures, she stayed with him for little less than two hundred years.
21
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 21:
Gamanaaya mahaabhaaga devaraajaniketanam |
Proktah proktah tayaa tanvyaa stheeyataam iti abhaashata || ***Again and again, whenever she wanted to go back, he again keeps telling her to stay for some more time.
22
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 22:
Tasya shaapa bhayaat bheetaa daakshinyena cha dakshinaa | [[503]] ***Proktaa pranayabhangaarthi vedinee na jahou munim || ***She being very scared of his shaapa, that he may curse her if she goes against his wishes, and also knowing his suffering if his passion in her is broken, she does not leave him.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Tasya iti | * Yaa gouravam bhayam prema sadbhaavam poorvanaayake
| Na munchati anya chittaa api saa jnyeyaa dakshinaa budhaih ||
Dakshinaayaa bhaavo daakshinyam | Pranayo yaanchaa | ***This is one kind of naayaki in naatya, a naayaki who has respect, fear, love, and good feelings towards her earlier hero, even though she is interested in someone else, is called as Dakshinaa, in Naayta shaastra.
23
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 23:
Tayaa cha ramatah tasya paramarsheh aharnisham |
Navam navam abhoot prema manmathaavishtha chetasah || ***Staying with her, and enjoying her company, day by day, his interest in her, and passion goes on increasing.
24
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 24:
Ekadaa tvarayaa yukto nishchakraama utajaat munih |
Nishkraamantam cha kutreti gamyate praaha saa shubhaa || ***One day, he hurriedly started to leave the hermitage. She asked him ‘Where are you going?’.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Ekadaa iti | Utajah parnashaalaa |
25
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 25:
Iti uktah sa tayaa praaha parivruttamahah shubhe |
Sandhyopaasthim karishyaami kriyaa lopo anyathaa bhavet || ***Being asked by her, he said that the day has come to end, I am going to do Sandhyopaasanaa, otherwise I will be failing in my duties. ***
26
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 26:
Tatah prahasya sudatee tam saa praaha mahaamunim |*** [[504]] Kim adya sarva dharmajnya parivruttamahaastava || Smilingly she says ‘What, today your day has ended’. She makes fun of him.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Tata iti | Parivrutam parinatam | Sarva dharmajnya iti gata bahu abda
kruta vismarana upaalambhaah | ***That he has forgotten to perform his duties for so many days. This is meant in sarva dharmajnya. Hence she tells him like that - ‘After so many days, you are telling today that your day has ended’. ***
27
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 27:
Bahoonaam vipra varshaanaam parivruttamahah tava |
Gatam etat na kurute vismayam kasya katthyataam ||*** Many years have gone. When you are telling like this, who does not get surprised.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Bahoonaam iti | Tava bahoonaam varshaanaam gataanaam sataam
ahah parinaamam gatam iti etat kasya vismayam na kurute ? Idam
kathyataam |
28
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 28:
Munih uvaacha -
Praatah tvam aagataa bhadre nadee teeram idam shubham |
Mayaa drushtaasi tanvangi pravishtaasi mama aashramam || ***Kandu Maharishi says - You have come in the morning, on the banks of this river. I saw you and took you to my hermitage.
29
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 29:
Iyam cha vartate sandhyaa parinaama mahargatam |
Upahaasah kimartho ayam sadbhaavah kathyataam mama || ***Now, it is evening. So, one day has gone. Why are you making fun of me. Tell me the truth.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Iyam iti | Sadbhaavah satyam | [[505]] ***
30
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 30:
Pramlochaa uvaacha -
Pratyooshasyaagataa brahman satyam etat na tat mrushaa |
Tadvat gatasya kaalasya gataanyabdha shataani te || ***Pramlochaa says - It is true that I came in the morning. That is not a lie. In the same way, hundreds of days have already passed.
31
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 31:
Somah uvaacha -
Tatah sa saadhvaso viprah taam papracchaayatekshanaam |
Kathyataam bheeru kah kaalah tvayaa me ramatah saha || ***Soma says - Being very disturbed, he asks her - Tell me how long did I spend with you in your company.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Tata iti | Kah - kiyaan |
32
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 32:
Pramlochaa uvaacha -
Saptottaraanyateetaani nava varsha shataani te |
Maasaah cha shat tathaaeva anyat samateetam dina trayam || ***Pramlocha says - Nine hundred and seven years, six months and three days, have passed in my company.
33
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 33:
Rishih uvaacha -
Satyam bheeru vadasyetat parihaaso athavaa shubhe |
Dinamekam aham manye tvayaa saardhamihaasthitam || ***Rishi says - Are you telling the truth, or are you simply making fun of me? I feel as though I have just spent a day with you.
34
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 34:
Pramlochaa uvaacha -
Vadshyaami anrutam brahman katham atra tavaantike |
Visheshena adya bhavataa prushtaa maargaanuvartinaa || [[506]] Pramlochaa say - O great sage, how can I tell a lie to you when I am with you? Especially today, when you are wanting to perform your duties, and going on the path of dharma, how can I tell you a lie?
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Vadishyaami iti | Maargaanuvartinaa raaga krutam utpatham tyaktvaa
vivekaat svadharma anusandhitsayaa parihaasa anarhena |
35
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 35:
Somah uvaacha -
Nishamya tat vachah satyam sa munih nrupanandanaah |
Dhik dhik maam iti ateevettham ninindaatmaanam aatmanaa || ***Soma said - Seeing that what she is telling is true, the Muni says, feeling very bad that such a thing happened - ‘Shame on me’. ***
36
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 36:
Munih uvaacha -
Tapaamsi nashtaani hatam brahma brahmavidaam dhanam |
Hruto vivekah kenaapi yoshit mohaaya nirmitaa ||*** Kandu Maharshi says - All my tapas is destroyed. Brahman, the wealth of the *Brahmavits *- knowers of Brahman is lost for me. My viveka is destroyed. Someone has created woman only for delusion. ***
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Tapaamsi iti | Hatam brahma vismruto vedah | ***Brahma hatam – brahma is lost means Veda is forgotten. Means I forgot *Vedas *(being immersed in sense pleasures). ***
37
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 37:
Oormishakaatigam brahma jnyeyam aatma jayena me |
Matireshaa hrutaa yena dhik tam kaamam mahaagraham ||*** That Brahman who can be known by realizing the self, crossing over the oormi shatkaas. I wanted to cross over the oormi shatkaas and wanted to realize Brahman through realizing the self. That is destroyed. By kaama, that is destroyed. [[507]] ***
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Oormi iti | * Ashanaayaapipaase cha shoka mohou jaraamrutee |
Yugashah praanadhee deha dharmaah te hi shat oormayah || iti |
Aatmajayah mano niyamah | Atretikaranam drashtavyam | Eshaa
brahma vishayaa matih |*** Aatma jaya is told as controlling the mind. Urmi shatkas are hunger ( ashanaaya), thirst ( pipaasaa), grief ( shoka), delusion ( moha), old age ( jaraa) and death ( mrutyu). Of these each pair in order ( yugashah) are the attributes of prana, body ( deha) and mind ( dheeh). Hunger and thirst are related to prana, shoka and moha are related to mind and jaraa and *mrutyu *are related to body. Aatmajaya told here is controlling the mind and matireshaa hrutaa means the knowledge of Brahman was lost. Atra itikaranam drashtavyam – itikartavya means ordained duties attached to it. These are the necessary accessories to brahma vidya.
38
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 38:
Vrataani vedavedyaapti kaaranaani akhilaani cha |
Naraka graama maargena sangena apahrutaani me || ***The Brahman who is known from the Vedaas, to realize that Brahman, whatever vrataas have to be performed, all those things, I who am going on the path to hell, because of attachment, they are all destroyed. ***
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Vrataani iti | Veda vedyam brahma, tat aapti kaaranaani | ***Vrataani vedavedyaaptikaaranaani apahrutaani – means the *vratas *necessary to attain Brahman who is known from the Vedas is lost for me. ***
39
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 39:
Vinindyettham sa dharmajnyah svayam aatmaanam aatmanaa |
Taam apsarasam aaseenaam idam vachanam abraveet ||*** Despising himself thus, he told that apsaras thus. [[508]] ***
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Vinindyeti | Aatmanaa manasaa |
40
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 40:
Gaccha paape yathaa kaamam yat kaaryam tat krutam tvayaa |
Devaraajasya mat kshobham kurvantyaa bhaava cheshtitaih ||*** O bad woman, go away as you desire. Whatever Indra, Devaraaja had sent you to do, that you have done, you have done your duty. With all your charms, you have attracted me and destroyed my tapas. ***
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Gaccha iti | Bhaava cheshtitaih bhaavaakhyaih cheshtitaih
vilaasaadyaih | ***Bhava cheshtitaih means through your fascinations ***
41
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 41:
Na tvaam karomi aham bhasma krodha teevrena vanhinaa |
Sataam saptapadam maitram ushito aham tvayaa saha ||*** I am not going to burn you to ashes with the fire of my great anger. For sajjanaas, one following seven steps will become friend. I have lived with you for many hundreds of years. ***
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Na iti | Sapta padaani saha gacchataam sataam maitram, kim punah
chirakaalam tvayaa sahoshitasya me | ***When following a sajjana for mere seven steps is enough to cause friendship, what to say of spending a long time with you. ***
42
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 42:
Athavaa tava ko doshah kim vaa kupyaami aham tava |
Mamaiva dosho atitaraam yena aham ajitendriyah ||*** Or, what is your fault in this? Why should I get angry with you? It is all my fault only that I am not controlling my senses.
43
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 43: *** [[509]] ***Yayaa shakra priyaarthinyaa kruto me tapaso vyayah |
Tvayaa dhik tvaam mahaa moham manjushaam sujugupsitaam || ***In order to please Indra, you destroyed my tapas. You are like a box of great delusion. ***
44
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 44:
Soma uvaacha -
Yaavat ittham sa viprarshih taam braveeti sumadhyamaam |
Taavat galat svedajalaa saa babhoova ati vepathuh ||*** Soma said - As Kandu Maharshi started to show his anger, and was telling like this, she started shivering all over, and had drops of perspiration all over her body. ***
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Yayaa iti | Moha manjooshaam mohana panjaram | Moha bhaajana
bhootaam jugupsitaam tvaam dhik iti anvayah | ***Moha Manjooshaa means a cage or box of delusion. Fie upon you, disgusting being the cause of delusion. ***
45
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 45:
Pravepamaanaam sa tadaa khinna gaatra lataam sateem |
Gaccha gaccha iti sakrodham uvaacha munisattamah ||*** She was trembling with fear, and was perspiring all over. The rishi with great anger, said ‘Go away, go away’. ***
46
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 46:
Saa tu nirbhartsitaa tena vinishkramya tat aashramaat |
Aakaasha gaaminee svedam mamaarja taru pallavaih ||*** Being sent off like that, she went out of the hermitage. She started to go on her way to Deva Loka. She wiped her sweat with leaves of the plants. ***
47
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 47:
Vrukshaat vruksham yayou baalaa tat agra aruna pallavaih |
Nirmaarjamaanaa gaatraani galat svedajalaani vai ||*** She went from tree to tree, plant to plant, wiping all her sweat with the leaves of those plants. [[510]]
48
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 48:
Rishinaa yah tadaa garbhah tasyaa dehe samaahitah |
Nirjagaama sa romaanchah svedaroopee tat angatah || ***The child which was in her womb, from Kandu Maharshi, came out in the form of drops of sweat from her body. ***
49
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 49:
Tam vrukshaa jagruhuh garbham ekam chakre to maarutah |
Mayaa chaapyaayito gobhih sa tadaa vavrudhe shanaih ||*** All the trees got hold of her drops of perspiration, which was having her child, and wind brought everything together and made it one. I with my rays nurtured that child, and that child grew up slowly.
50
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 50:
Vrukshaagra garbha sambhootaa marishaakhyaa varaananaa |
Taam pradaasyanti vo vrukshaah kopa esha prashaamyataam || ***Born of the buds of the plants, and she is this excellent woman called Maarishaa, and that Maarishaa, the trees are going to give you, so please control your anger - Soma tells the Prachetasaas.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Vrukshaa iti | Vrukshaanaam agram pallavaani sa eva garbhah | ***Vrukshaagra means the tip of trees which is the sprouting leaves. ***
51
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 51:
Kandorapatyamevam saa vrukshebhyah cha samudgataa |
Mamaapatyam tathaa vaayoh pramlochaa tanayaa cha saa || ***She is the daughter of Kandu Maharshi, she was also grown by the trees. She is the daughter of Pramlochaa and also of me, and also Vaayu. ***
52
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 52:
Sa chaapi bhagavaan kanduh ksheene tapasi sattamah |
Purushottammaakhyaatam vishnoraayatanam yayou ||*** That Kandu, when all his tapas got destroyed, went to Vishnu’s abode called Purushottama. [[511]] ***
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Atha maarishaa janma anupayuktam api prasangaat sva dushkruta
praayaschittaadi roopam bhagavat stotraadikam kandu charita
shesham aakhyaati sa chaapi iti |*** Though what is going to come next is how Bhagavaan also appeared in front of Kandu, how he did tapas, and eulogized Bhagavaan, with the wonderful Vishnu Stotra, though not directly related to Maarishaa’s janma, as a form of prayischitta for all the dushkrutaas done, this is going to be told now. ***
53
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 53:
Tatra ekaagramatih bhootvaa chakaara aaraadhanam hareh |
Brahma paaramayam kurvan japam ekaagra maanasah |
Oordhva baahuh mahaa yogee sthitvaa asou bhoopa nandanaah ||*** He focussed on Paramaatman, did Vishnu’s aaraadhana there, doing japa on Parabrahman’s svaroopa, he, with concentrated mind on Paramaatman, did tapas. Having raised his arms, this great yogi, in standing posture, did tapas on Paramaatman, Vishnu.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Tatra iti | Brahma paaramyam brahma paara svaroopam | ***
54
Soma is telling this story of Kandu Maharshi to Prachetasaas. Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 54:
Prachetasa oochuh -
Brahmapaaram muneh shrotum icchaamah paramam svatam |
Japataa kandunaa devo yenaaraadhyata keshavah || Prachetasaas said - Prachetasaas request Soma to tell the story of how he did the tapas, and how he eulogized Paramaatman Keshava, that great stotra, doing the japa of which he worshipped Keshava.
55
Now, Soma tells about Kandu Maharshi’s Vishnu stotra. Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 55:
Somah uvaacha -
Paaram param vishnuh apaarapaarah parah parebhyah paramaartha [[512]] ***roopee |
Sa brahma paarah para paara bhootah parah paraanaam api
paarapaarah || ***Soma said - See below commentary.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Paaram param iti | Paaram param samsaaraadhvanah param paaram
antah * So adhvanah paaramaameti * yamadhvanah paaram ushanti
yoginah * iti shruti puraanaabhyaam | Yat vaa paramparayaa guru
sampradaayaa avicchedena upadeshyam rahasyam vastu; yathaa
cchaandogye * Tadvaitad brahmaa prajaapataya uvaacha prajaapatih
manave manuh prajaabhyah * iti; * Evam paramparaa praaptam imam
viduh * iti cha | Apaara paarah paara teera karma samaaptou iti
dhaatoh * yat vaktum naiva paaryata ityaadou shakyaarthe prayoga
darshanaat lakshanayaa paarah shaktih, apaara paarah ananta shaktih
ityarthah; * Paraasya shaktih vividhaiva shrooyate * ityaadi shruteh |
Yadvaa paaram yasya naasti so apaarapaarah; aparimita parimaana
itivat nirdeshah | * Na te vishno jaayamaano na jaato deva mahimnah
paramantamaapa * iti shruteh | Athavaa apaarasya asamaaptasya
apoornasya yajnyaadi karmanah paarah sva keertana smaranaadinaa
paarayitaa samaapakah poorako vaa | * Vishnurvai yajnyasya
durishtam paati ityaadi * viduh krushnam braahmanaah tattvato ye
teshaam raajan sarva yajnyaah samaaptaah * Sarvam karoti nischidram
naama sankeertanam tava * ityaadi vaa | Parah parebhyah kaaranatva
niratishaya aanandatva aadinaa parebhyah brahmaadibhyah parah |
Paramaartha roopee brahmaadivat na vinaashi vigrahah, api tu sarva
shakti aashraya paramaartha divya vigrahah, parama prayojana
aananda svaroopo vaa | Brahma paarah brahmanah pradhaanasya,
paarah avasaana bhoomih | Aarsho linga vyatyayah | Yat vaa sa
brahma paarah sa brahmanah sa vedaan vaidikaan paalayati iti sa
brahma paarah | Ralayoramedah | Para paara bhootah pradhaana
apekshayaa paarah samashti purushah, tasya paara bhootah, *
Pradhaana pumsoh ajayoh kaaranam * ubhou etou leeyete
paramaatmani iti cha darshanaat | Yat vaa pareshaam paraspara
bhinnaanaam vastoonaam paara bhootah asankarakrut maryaada
bhootah * Esha seturvidhaarana iti shruteh | Parah paraanaam [[513]] ***parebhyo nitya muktebhyah jagat yonitva sheshitvaadibhyah parah |
Paara paarah sarva paara bhootah kaalah tasya api paarah avasaana
bhoomih * Kaalam sa pachata iti | Yat vaa paaraanaam poorakaanaam
vyomaadi vibhu dravyaanaam, paarah poorayitaa | Pruupaalana
pooranayoh iti dhaatornijantaat pachaadyat cha | * Tena idam
poornam purushena sarvam iti | Athavaa paalaanaam paalah
ralayoramedah * Esha hi idam sarvam gopaayati iti * Na hi paalana
saamarthyamrute sarveshvaram harim * iti cha | ***Paaram param means the end of the path of samsaara. End of samsaara is Vishnu’s Parama Pada, one who does upaasanaa reaches that Parama Pada. Bhagavaan is in Parama Pada, and He is also said to be Parama Pada. One who is on the other end of samsaara, one who crosses over samsaara reaches Him. Bhagavan is also the means to cross over the samsara. In the unbroken tradition of Guru and Shishya, that secret upadesha is taught, this is told in Chaandogya, how it is passed on from aachaarya to shishya, in the unbroken tradition of *aachaarya shishya *paramparaa, that can also be taken as meaning of *Paaram param. Bhagavad *Geetha pramaana is also given here - where Krishna says to Arjuna that whatever yoga He is teaching him is taught in the *guru shishya paramparaa. *Apaara paara is explained as unending powers - Vishnu has got *ananta *shakti, that which cannot be told fully; this is told in Upanishads in many ways; His paraa shakti is manifold, it is natural to Him; He is *sarva shakta, *ananta shakta. There is no end to Him. He is of incomparable proportion. He is sarva vyaapta, vibhu. Nobody can know Your greatness, He is *vibhu *svaroopa, and He is *gunatah bruhatvam, svaroopatah *bruhatvam. Or, yajnya and other karmaas, when they are not yet completed, He makes it complete when one does His keertana, or smarana, this is also the meaning of apaara paarah. Those braahmanaas who realize Krishna as He is, all their yajynaas are as good as completed. Just Your naama sankeertana will make everything fulfilled. He is superior to Brahma and others in the aspects of He is the single cause of everything, He is upaadaana kaarana, nimitta kaarana, sarva kaarana, eka kaarana of the entire jagat, Chaturmukha Brahma and others are created by Him, they are all srujyaas, and He is srashta, His svaroopa is *niratishaya aananda. *Paramaartha roopee is told as He is not like Brahma and others, who also have a limited life span, Brahma’s life is a hundred years, and after that he [[514]] also gets merged into his kaarana, everything gets merged into Paramaatman in praakruta pralaya and again they are all created; though chetanaas are all nitya, eternal, they are born again and again as they are karma vashyaas. Up to Chaturmukha Brahma, everyone’s lifespan is limited. Paramaatman has divine auspicious divya mangala vigraha, which is eternal unlike Chaturmukha Brahma and others. This *divya mangala *vigraha is the abode of sarva shakti, all powers, it is real and auspicious and eternal. Those who attain Him, they enjoy the bliss of communion with Him, this is parama purushaartha for all. *Brahma paarah *- here, the meaning of word Brahma is prakruti, pradhaana, matter. The word brahma is used in many senses even in the Shrutis and Smrutis. He is the ultimate, the end of pradhaana, that is, that pradhaana also merges into Him during pralaya. Or it can also be taken as that the vaidikaas who have mastered the Vedaas, He nurtures, looks after, protects them. Meaning of para is the *samashti *purusha, the collectivity of all the sentients; during pralaya, all sentients are merged into *avyakta. Avyaktam akshare leeyate, aksharam tamasi *leeyate. In a form which cannot be differentiated as to what is pradhaana, what is chetana, they go and stay with Paramaatman, as though with *ekee *bhaava. How can be chetanaas be told as para, means with respect to avyakta, they can be told as para, they are superior to the avyakta. He is the cause of pradhaana and chetanaas; both of them go and merge into Paramaatman, they go and stay one with Him. Samashti purushaas also go and join unto Paramaatman. He is the One who is the abode of even that during pralaya, everything merges unto Him. Or, one more meaning can be told as all those objects which are mutually different, they don’t get mixed up, there are innumerable chetanaas, and every chetana when created will have its own body, whether it is *keeta, manushya, deva, gandharva, *yaksha, the individual karmaas are all maintained, and there is no mixing up of anybody’s karma with anybody else; this is called asaankarya. For mutually different objects, He maintains their svabhaava, svaroopa, separately without any two getting mixed up. He is also superior to nityaas and muktaas, because He is the cause of the entire world, and nityaas and muktaas cannot create, and cannot involve in srushti; in those aspects, Bhagavaan is superior to them, and also He is the master of all, and everything is shesha bhoota to Him. *Paara paarah *- first word paara means kaala, He is the resting place, or controller of kaala also; [[515]] everything is resting in Him, and He is ultimate, where all realities go and stay with Him, being supported by Him, and controlled by Him. Kaala is the controller of everything in this *prakruti *mandala. Kaala has no control in Parama Pada, where Paramaatman controls everything there. He is also the fulfiller of even vyoma and others, vyoma is said to be vibhu, aakaasha, He is antaryaami of aakaasha also; where aakaasha does not exist, He exists; He is vibhu. Everything is filled with Paramaatman only. He is also the protector of the protectors. But for Hari, who is all protector, nobody else can protect. Without His sankalpa, nobody can even protect anyone else.
In this one shloka, Kandu Maharshi eulogizes Paramaatman as superior to everything else, svetara samasta vilakshana, He is Parama Sheshi. Starting with everything, *avyakta, pradhaana, samashti purushaas, muktaas, *nityaas, kaala, aakaasha, everything is controlled by Him, and everything rests in Him. He is the sole creator of this entire world. He is superior to Chaturmukha Brahma and others.
Recap: In the previous session, we had studied about how Maitreyar asks two doubts to Paraasharar, when he started to talk about *Daksha. *Daksha was born to Prachetasaas, and earlier was also born to Brahma of his right thumb which was in a different manvantara the *Swaayambhuva *Manvantara; now it is *Chaakshusha Manvantara *- this is how Paraasharar clarified that doubt. Then Maarishaa the daughter of Soma, and Daksha is the grandson. It is told that Soma marries Daksha’s daughter. This seems like there are some inconsistencies here. All these are clarified by Paraasharar, as during those times, there was no concept of elder and younger for rishis and devaas, they were all very exalted and had lot of knowledge, they used to live for a long time; elder or younger was decided based on the knowledge they had and their superior powers. Daksha and others are born again and again, in every yuga and manvantara. Like this, all the doubts are clarified. Now, Maitreyar asks Paraasharar about *Daksha’s *srushti.
85
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 85:
Maitreyah - [[516]] ***Devaanaam daanavaanaam cha gandharva uraga rakshasaam |
Utpattim vistarena iha mama brahman prakeertaya || ***Maitreyar asks how Daksha created the *devaas, daanavaas, gandharvaas, *uragaas, raakshasaas, etc. Maitreyar is asking that he wants to know in detail. ***
86
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 86:
Sri Paraasharah -
Prajaa srujeti vyaadishtah poorvam dakshah svayambhuvaa |
Yathaa sasarja bhootaani tathaa shrunu mahaamune ||*** *Sri Paraasharar *- As per the order of Chaturmukha Brahma, he created people and expanded the mankind. How he created beings, listen to me, O great sage.
87
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 87:
Maanasaani eva bhootaani poorvam daksho asrujat tadaa |
Devaan rusheen sa gandharvaan asuraan pannagaan tathaa || ***First Daksha created the maanasa putraas, from his sankalpa itself - *devaas, *rishis, gandharvaas, asuraas, pannagaas, various classes. ***
88
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 88:
Yadaa sa srujamaanasya na vyavardhanta taah prajaah |
Tatah sanchintya sa punah srushti hetoh prajaapatih ||*** When he created, through sankalpa, these devaas, rishis, gandharvaas, etc., they did not further expand their kind. Again he wanted to create, so he started to think. ***
89
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 89:
Maithunena eva dharmena sisrukshuh vivhdhaah prajaah |
Asiknim upayeme atha veeranasya prajaapateh |
Sutaam sutapasaa yuktaam mahateem loka dhaarineem ||*** He wanted to create through union. Prajaapati Veerana’s daughter, *Asikni *- he married her. Asikni was endowed with great tapas, and was support of the whole world. ***
90
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 90: *** [[517]] Atha putra sahasraani vairunyaam pancha veeryavaan |
Asiknyaam janayaamaasa sarga hetoh prajaapatih || Daksha Prajaapati, in order to create and expand mankind, in *Asikni, *Veerana’s daughter, he had 5000 sons. ***
91
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 91:
Taan drushtvaa naarado vipra samvivardhayishoon prajaah |
Sangamya priya samvaado devarshih idam abraveet ||*** Now, Naarada sees these five thousand children, sons of Daksha Prajaapati; they were all interested in procreating more. He went to them and in kind words told them thus. ***
92
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 92:
He haryashvaa mahaaveeryaah prajaa yooyam karishyatha |
Eedrusho drushyate yatno bhavataam shrooyataam idam ||*** They were called Haryashvaas. He said - O Haryashvaas of great valour, you want to create more, I see that you are getting engaged in procreation, do listen to me now.
93
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 93:
Baalishaa bata yooyam ye naasyaa jaaneetha vai bhuvah |
Antah oordhvam adhah cha eva katham srakshyatha vai prajaah || ***You seem to very childish, because you don’t know what is there above or below, what is inside this earth; you don’t know anything about this earth, how do you create?
94
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 94:
Oordhvam tiryak adhah cha eva yadaa apratihataa gatih |
Tadaa kasmaat bhuvo na antam sarve drakshyatha baalishaah || ***When you can go, you are unstoppable, and you are capable of going above, below, everywhere, why are you not going to see the ends of the world? You seem to be now knowledgeable, you are childish.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Oordhvam iti | Yathaa pratihata gatih iti atra apratihata iti
padacchedah | [[518]] ***
95
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 95:
Te tu tat vachanam shrutvaa prayaataah sarvato disham |
Adyaapi no nivartante samudrebhya ivaapagaah || ***They listened to Naarada’s words, and thought that what Naarada is telling is right. We should go and see what is there above and below the earth, and find out and then only we should create. They went all around in all directions, and till now they have not returned, just like rivers which go and join the ocean, never come back. ***
96
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 96:
Haryashveshu atha nashteshu dakshah praachetasah punah |
Vairunyaam atha putraanaam sahasram asrujat prabhuh ||*** When the Haryashvaas were lost, Praachetasaas’ son Daksha, created another thousand children, in Vairuni. ***
97
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 97:
Vivardhayishavaste tu shabalaashvaah prajaah punah |
Poorvoktam vachanam brahman naaraadena eva noditaah ||*** They were called Shabalaashvaas. Again Naarada approaches them and tells them the same thing - without knowing the end of the world, why are you engaged in this creation? You seem to be very childish. You are not knowledgeable. ***
98
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 98:
Anyonyam oochuh te sarve samyak aaha mahaamunih |
Bhraatruunaam padavee cha eva gantavyaa na atra samshayah ||*** The Shabalaashvaas told each other that what Naarada is telling is correct, we should also follow our brothers, who went all around to know the ends of the earth. There is no doubt about this. ***
99
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 99:
Jnyaatvaa pramaanam pruthivyaah cha prajaah srakshyaamahe tatah |
Te api tena eva maargena prayaataa sarvatomukham |
Adyaapi na nivartante samudrebhya ivaapagaah ||*** Let us know the limits of the earth, and then let us create more people. [[519]] They also went just like their brothers, all around in all directions. They also have not returned till now, just as the rivers which go and join the oceans never come back.
100
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 100:
Tatah prabhruti vai bhraataa bhraatuh anveshane dvija |
Prayaato nashyati tathaa tat na kaaryam vijaanataa || ***Paraasharar is giving an advice here. From that time onwards, a person who goes searching after his lost brothers never returns. One who is knowledgeable should not go searching for a brother who is lost; he will also be lost.
101
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 101:
Taan cha api nashtaan vijnyaaya putraan dakshah prajaapatih |
Krodham chakre mahaabhaago naaradam tam shashapa cha || ***Knowing that even Shabalaashvaas were lost just like *Haryashvaas, Daksha *Prajaapati became very angry with Naarada, and cursed him.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Taan iti | Naarada shaape vaayuh * Shabalaashveshu nashteshu
dakshah kruddho ashapat dvijam | Naaradam naashameheeti garbha
vaasam vaseti cha | Tadaa dakshassutaam praadaat priyaam vai
parameshtine | Tasmaat sa naarado jajnye bhooya shaapa bhayaat
rishih * iti || ***Vaayu Puraana tells like this - Daksha Prajaapati on seeing that even Shabalaashvaas were also lost, he cursed Naarada that ‘Be born again in the womb, be born on this earth’. Then Daksha gave his daughter Priyaa to Parameshti, Naarada was born as the son of Parameshti and Priyaa, because of the curse. ***
102
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 102:
Sarga kaamah tato vidvaan sa maitreya prajaapatih |
103
Shashtim daksho asrujat kanyaah vairunyaamiti na shrutam ||*** Being interested in creation again, Daksha Prajaapati created 60 daughters, in Vairuni, is what I have heard, says Paraasharar.*** *** [[520]] Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 103:
Dadou sa dasha dharmaaya kaashyapaaya trayodasha |
Sapta vimshati somaaya chatasro arishtanemine || Out of these 60 daughters, he gave 10 daughters in marriage to Dharma, and 13 daughters to Kaashyapa. He gave 27 daughters in marriage to Soma, and 4 daughters to Arishtanemi.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Dadou iti | Daakshaayaneenaam samjynaa vamsho vistarena vaktum
dadou iti anuvaadah | Satavimshati iti supo luk | ***He will tell how they expanded. And also their names.
104
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 104:
Dve cha eva bahuputraaya dve cha eva aangeerase tatha |
Dve krushaashvaaya vidushe taasaam naamaani me shrunu || ***He gave 2 daughters in marriage to Bahuputra, 2 to Aangirasa, 2 he gave to Krushaashva. I will tell you their names, listen to me. ***
105
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 105:
Arundhatee vasurjaamee langhaa bhaanuh marudvatee |
Sankalpaa cha muhurtaa cha saadhyaa vishva cha taadrushee |
Dharma patnyo dasha tu etaah taasvapatyaani me shrunu ||*** Dharma’s wives names are being told here. He gave 10 daughters, *Arundathi, Vasu, Jamee, Langhaa, Bhaanu, Marudvati, *Sankalpaa, Muhoortaa, Saadhyaa and Vishvaa. The children which they had - listen to me.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Arundhatee iti | Etaa arundhatyaadyaah praachetasasya dakshasya
sutaah dasha dharmapatnayah, poorvoktaah shradhaadyaah
trayodasha tu svaayambhuvasya dakshasya iti avirodhah | ***Arundathi, Vasu, Jaamee, Langhaa, Bhaanu, Marudvati, etc. - are all told, are Dakshaa’s daughters given in marriage to Dharma. Earlier also it was told that Dakshaa’s 13 daughters were given in marriage to Dharma, that is in another Manvantara, the Svaayambhuva Manvantara; so there is no contradiction. [[521]] ***
106
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 106:
Vishve devaah tu vishvaayaah saadhyaah saadhyanajanaayata |
Marudvatyaam marudvanto vasoh cha vasavah smrutaah |
Muhoortaah tu muhoortaayaam jaataa bhaanoh tu bhaanavah ||*** Vishvaa’s sons were called as Vishve Devaas. Saadhyaa gave birth to *Saadhya *Devaas, called Saadhyaas. Marudvati g ave birth to Marudvaans. Vasu’s children were called *Vasus - ashta Vasus. *Muhoortaa gave birth to Muhoortaas. Bhaanu gave birth to *Bhaanus, *Aadityaas. ***
107
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 107:
Langhaayaah tu suto ghosho nagaveethee tu jaamijaa ||*** Langhaa’s son was Ghosha, Jaamee gave birth to Naagaveethi. ***
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Langhaayaa iti | Naagaveethih devayaana uttara veethih |*** Naagaveethi is also the name for the North Street, the Devayaana. ***
108
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 108:
Pruthivee vishayam sarvam arundhatyaam ajaayata |
Sankalpaayaah tu sarvaatmaa jajnye sankalpa eva hi ||*** Everything related to Pruthivi was born from Arundathi. From Sankalpaa was born the one who controls everything, the Sankalpa itself. ***
109
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 109:
Ye tu aneka vasupraanaa devaa jyotih purogamaah |
Vasavo ashtou samaakhyaataah teshaam vakshyaami vistaram ||*** They are all children of Dharma through his 10 wives. Those whose strength are the wealth, powerful rays, they are called as Vasus, I am going to tell you about them. ***
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Eteshaam dharma putraanaam madhye vasu putraah aapaadayo ashtou
trayah trimshat devaah antahpaatitvena prasiddhaah iti aaha - ye tu iti*** [[522]] | Aneka vasu praanaah anekam vasu dhanam rashmih vaa praano balam
yeshaam te | Jyotih purogamaah agni mukhyaah * Vasoonaam asmi
paavakah * iti smruteh | In Bhagavad Gita it is told - Among the Vasus, I am Paavaka, there is a Vasu called Paavaka. There are 8 Vasus. ***
110
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 110:
Aapo dhruvah cha somah cha dharmah cha eva anilo analah |
Pratyooshah cha prabhaasah cha vasavo naamabhih smrutaah ||*** Their names are *Aapa, Dhruva, Soma, Dharma, Anila, Anala, Pratyoosha, *Prabhaasa. ***
111
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 111:
Aapasya putro vai stabdhah shramah shaanto dhunih tathaa |
Dhruvasya putro bhagavaan kalo loka prakalaanah ||*** Aapa had 4 children, Stabdha, Shrama, Shaanta, Dhuni. Dhruva’s son was Kaala. ***
112
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 112:
Somasya bhagavaan varcho varchasvee yena jaayate ||*** Soma’s son was Varchas, and because of him one becomes a Varchasvi, one who has an aura around him.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Somasya iti | Yena varchasaa jano varchasvee jaayate sa varcho
adhidaivatam | ***He is adhi devataa for that Varchas; people who are knowledgeable have varchas around them.
In Upanishads, it is said that “Your face is radiating your knowledge of Brahma Vidyaa”. ***
113
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 113:
Dharmasya putro dravino hutahavyavah tathaa |
Manoharaayaam shishirah praano atha ramanah tathaa ||*** Dharma through his wife Manoharaa, had Dravina, Hutahavyava, Shishira, [[523]] Praana and Ramana. There is one more way of splitting -Huta and Havyavah. ***
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Dharmasya iti | Manoharaayaam dharmaat iti sheshah |
114
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 114:
Anilasya shivaa bhaaryaa tasyaah putro purojavah |
Avijnyaatagatih cha eva dvou putrou anilasya tu ||*** Anila’s wife was Shivaa, and her sons were Purojava and Avijnyaatagati.
115
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 115:
Agni putrah kumaarah tu sharastambe vyajaayata |
Tasya shaakhaa vishaakhascha naigameyah cha prushtajaah || **Agni Putra was Agni’s son earlier, he was born in Shatastambha. Shaakha, Vishaakha, Naigameya are the younger brothers of Kumaara. ***
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Agni putrah iti | Agni putrah poorvam agneh putrah | Yat vaa agni
putrah kumaarah tasya kumaarasya indraahata prushta deshaat jaato
naigameyah, shaakhaa vishaakhou skanda srushtou | Or also, Agni’s son is Kumaara, Naigameya was born of the back portion of Kumaara. ***
116
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 116:
Apatyam kruttikaanaam tu kaartikeya iti smrutah ||*** Kruttikaa’s son is known to be Kaartikeya.
117
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 117:
Pratyooshasya viduh putram rishim naamna atha devalam |
Dvou putrou devalasya api kshamaavantou maneeshinou || ***Pratyooshaa’s son is Devala Rishi. Devala has two children who had a lot of tolerance and were very knowledgeable.
118
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 118:
Bruhaspateh tu bhaginee varastree brahmachaarinee | [[524]] ***Yogasidhaa jagat krutsnam asaktaa vicharayuta |
Prabhaasasya tu saa bhaaryaa vasoonaam ashtamasya ha || ***Bruhaspati had a sister, called Varastree, a Brahmachaarini, she had a lot of yogic powers. She was going around in the world with a lot of virakti, being dispassionate with everything. The eighth Vasu is *Prabhaasa. *Varastree became the wife of Prabhaasa.
In another translation, the name is told as Yogasiddhaa. ***
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Bruhaspateh iti | Asaktaa viraktaa |
119
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 119:
Vishvakarmaa mahaabhaagah tasyaam jajnye prajaapatih |
Kartaa shilpa sahasraanaam tridashaanaam cha vardhakih ||*** In her ( Varastree), Vishvakarmaa was born. He had created thousands of sculptures, and was also the sculptor of all the gods. ***
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Vishva karma iti | Tasyaam vishva karmaa |
120
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 120:
Bhooshanaanaam cha sarveshaam kartaa shilpavataam varah |
Yah sarveshaam vimaanaani devaadeenaam chakaara ha |
Manushyaah cha upajeevanti yasya shilpam mahaatmanah ||*** He had also created all the ornaments of the gods, and excellent among the sculptors. He also created the vehicles for all the gods. And human beings make a living out of the art of sculpting, which is Vishvakarma’s art. ***
121
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 121:
Ajaikapaat ahirbudhnyah tvashtaa rudrah cha veeryavaan |
Tvashtuh cha api aatmajah putro vishvaroopo mahaatapaah ||*** Ajaikapaat, Ahirbudhnya, Tvashtaa, Rudra, were born through *Prabhaasa. *Tvashtu’s son was Vishvaroopa.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: [[525]] ***Ajaikapaat iti | Ajaikapaadaadi rudrah chatushkam cha tasyaam
prabhaasa bhaaryaayaam eva jajnye | Vishvaroopaanto atra vasu
santaanah | ***
Vishvaroopa being Tvashtru’s son is told in the Vedaas also. Tvashtru is the son of Vishvakarma.
The names comprising the lineage are told here. Now the *ekaadasha *Rudraas are being told here. ***
122
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 122:
Harah cha bahuroopah cha tryambakascha aparaajitah |
Vrushaakapih cha shambhuh cha kapardee raivatah tathaa ||
123
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 123:
Mruga vyaadhah cha sharvah cha kapaalee cha mahaa mune |
Ekaadasha ete kathitaa rudraah tribhuvaneshvaraah ||*** Hara, Bahuroopa, Tryambaka, Aparaajita, Vrushaakapi, Shambhu, Kapardee, Raivata, Mrugavyaadha, Sharva, Kapaalee, are the eleven Rudraas. ***
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Evam rudra prasangaat praak uktaan brahma putraan neela
lohitaamshaan rudraan hara aadi naamabhih nirdishati harah cha iti |
Athavaa prabhaasa bhaarya soona vastrayo rudraah, tvashta soonavo
ashtou tat anvaye parishishtaa rudraa iti |* One interpretation is: In Chapter Eight, we saw the Brahma started to create the Rudraas, starting with Neela Lohita. These Rudraas are the amsha of Neela Lohita only. Their names are given as *Hara, Bahuroopa, *Tryambaka, etc. Or, it can be told as: Through Prabhaasa, three Rudraas were born, Anekapaada, Ahirbudhnya and *Rudra. *Tvashtru’s eight sons were the remaining eight. ***
124
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 124:
Shatam tu ekam samaakhyaatam rudraanaam amita oujasaam |
Kaashyapasya tu bhaaryaa yaah taasaam naamaani me shrunu |*** [[526]] Aditih ditih danuscha eva arishtaa cha surasaa kashaa || These Rudraas had great ojas; they are told as hundred also, and one also. Now, listen to the names of the wives of Kaashyapa. Aditi, Diti, Danu, Arishtaa, Surasaa, Kashaa, … ***
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Shatam tu ekam iti | Shatam tu evam iti cha paathah | Evam
rudraanaam shatakam samaakhyaatam | Idam shatakam eeshvara
srushtam iti kechit | Atra shata shabdo ananta vachanah |* There is a paatha antara - shatam to evam. Whether Rudra is one or hundred is discussed in the Poorva Meemaamsa. For those karmaas where there is one Rudra, this is how it will be told. Where there are hundred Rudraas, this is how it will be told. Rudraas are innumerable, it is also told; out of this, eleven are prominent.
Aditih iti | Adityaadah kaashyapa striyah | Surasaa khasheti cha
paathah | ***
125
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 125:
Surabhih vanitaa cha eva taamraa krodhavashaa ilaa |
Kadruh munischa dharmajnya tat apatyaani me shrunu |*** … Surabhi, Vanitaa, Taamraa, Krodhavashaa, Ilaa, Kadru, Muni, the 13 wives of Kashyapa. Now, listen about their children. ***
126
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 126:
Poorva manvantare shreshtaa dvaadashaa san surottamaah |
Tushitaa naama te anyonyam oochuh vaivasvate antare ||*** In the earlier Manvantara, there were 12 gods, they were called Tushitaas, group of gods. In Vaivasvata Manvantara, they met and discussed like this.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Poorva iti | Poorva manvantare dviteeye svaarochisha manvantare ye
tushitaanaama devaa aasan, te vaivasvate saptame manvantare | ***In the second Manvantara called Svaarochisha Manvantara, Tushitaa was the name of the group of gods. The same gods, in the sixth Manvantara, are talking like this. [[527]] ***
127
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 127:
Upasthite ati yashasah chaakshushasya antare manoh |
Samavaayeekrutaa sarve samaagamya parasparam ||*** They came together in the Chaakshusha Manvantara, which is the 6th Manvantara, and spoke to each other like this. ***
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Upasthita iti | Upasthite aasanne chaakshusasya shashtasya
manvantare parasparam samaagamya samavaayeekrutaa anyonyam
oochuh iti poorvena anvayah |
128
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 128:
Aagacchata drutam devaah aditim sampravishya vai |
Manvantare prasooyaamah tannah shreyo bhavet iti ||*** They all mutually had a conversation that let us all get into the womb of Aditi, and be born in the Vaivasvata Manvantara, the seventh Manvantara, and it will do all good for us.
Tushitaa devaas, who were in the Svaarochisha Manvantara, met in the Chaakshusha Manvantara, and said that in the next Manvantara, the Vaivasvata Manvantara, let us get into Aditi’s womb and be born to here - it will be all good for us. ***
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Katham oochuh iti aaha aagacchata iti | Manvantare saptame aditim
sampravishya prasooyaamah tannah shreyah iti |
129
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 129:
Evam uktvaa to te sarve chaakshushasyaantare manoh |
Maareechaat kaashyapaat jaataa adityaa daksha kanyayaa ||*** Having spoken thus in Chaakshusha Manvantara, Kashyapa who is the son of Mareecha, and Kashyapa’s wife Aditi, who is daughter of Daksha, through her, they were born. ***
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:*** [[528]] ***Etan nigamayati evam uktvaa iti |
130
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 130:
Tatra vishnuh cha shukrah cha jajnyaate punareva hi |
Aryamaa cha eva dhaataa cha tvashtaa pooshaa tathaa eva cha ||*** Then, Vishnu and Indra were again born. In the same way, *Aryamaa, *Dhaataa, Tvashtru, Pooshaa, were also born. ***
131
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 131:
Vivasvaan savitaa cha eva mitro varuna eva cha |
Amshuh bhaga cha atitejaa aadityaa dvaadasha smrutaah ||*** Also Vivasvaan, Savitaa, Mitra, Varuna, were also born. Amshu, Bhaga, were all the 12 Aadityaas, who had great tejas. They were the *Dvaadasha *Aadityaas.
132
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 132:
Chaakshusya antare poorvam aasan ye tushitaah suraah |
Vaivasvate antare te vai aadityaa dvaadasha smrutaah || ***Those gods known as Tushitaas in Chaakshusha Manvantara, in the Vaivasvata Manvantara, they only came to be known as *Dvaadasha *Aadityaas. ***
133
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 133:
Yaa sapta vimshati proktaah soma patnyo atha suvrataah |
(Sarvaa nakshatra yoginya stannaamnah cha eva taam smrutaah |)
Taasaam apatyaani abhavan deeptaani amita tejasaam ||*** It was told that Daksha gave 27 daughters to Soma. And they were all associated with Nakshatraas, Ashvini, Bharani, etc. They also had a lot of children who had a lot of tejas.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Bhagavatah prati manvantaram prati yugam cha avataaram triteeye
amshe vakshyati | Aditi vamshaat anantara praaptam api diti aadi
vamsham prahlaada charita aadi vistara vivakshyaa ante vakshyan
madhye svalpatvaat shishta daksha kanyaa vamsham aaha yaa sapta
vimshati iti | [[529]] In the Third Amsha of Vishnu Puraana, Bhagavaan’s avataara which happens in every Manvantara is going to be told. about Soma’s wives and their children is going to be told here. Before Soma’s vamsha, Diti’s vamsha should have been told - after Aditi’s vamsha, in order. Diti vamsha was not told because Prahlaada charita comes, which is going to be told in great detail; in order to tell it in great detail, it will not be told here. Whatever little was left regarding remaining of Daksha kanyaas will be concluded and then Prahlaada charita will be told. ***
134
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 134:
Arishta nemi patneenaam apatyaani iha shodasha ||*** Now, Arishtanemi’s 16 children, through his wives, I am going to tell you that.
135
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 135:
Bahu putrasya vidushah chatasro vidyutah smrutaah || ***The knowledgeable Bahuputra, his four Vidyuts are known. Whether they are children or wives, different commentaries tell differently.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Bahu putrasya iti | Chatasro vidyutah kapilaatirakta peeta sita
varnaah | ****Kapilaa, Atirakta, Peeta, Sitavarna *- brown, dark red, yellow, white colours. Gita Press commentary tells them as wives, as Kapilaa is told as Daksha kanyaa.
136
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 136:
Pratyangirasajaa sreshtaah rucho brahmarshi satkrutaah || ***Now, born of Pratyangiras, the Rig mantraas, which are shreshta mantraas, well honoured, respected by Brahmarishis, are told.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Pratyangirasajaa iti | Pratyangirasah pratyangiraakhyaa ruchah *
yaam kalpayanti iti aadyaa trimshat mantraah | ***The Rk mantraas are called Pratyangira mantraas. There are thirty mantraas told. These are coming in Atharva Veda, in the [[530]] first sookta of the 10th Kaanda.
137
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 137:
(Bhru) Krushaashvasya tu devarsheh devapraharanaah smrutaah || ***From Krushaashva, the abhimaani devataas of the weapons of the devaas were born. ***
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
(Bhru) Krushaashva iti | Praharanaah shastra devataah |
138
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 138:
Ete yugasahasraante jaayante punareva hi |
Sarve devaganaah tatta trayah trimshat tu cchandajaah |
Teshaam api iha satatam nirodho utpattih uchyate ||*** At the end of the yuga, they are again born. All the deva ganaas told - 33 in number, *Dvaadashaadityaas, Ekaadasha Rudraas, Ashta Vasus, Ashvini *Devataas are told in one place, Indra and Prajaapati are told in another place; out of their own willing, they are born again and again, at the end of thousand yugaas, all the deva ganaas. Out of this, 33 are born of their own will. Their creation and destruction is also told - all the time it happens repeatedly. ***
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Ete iti | Svacchandajaah svecchayaa jaataah | Nirodhah cha utpattih
cha nirodhotpattih |
139
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 139:
Yathaa sooryasya maitreya udayaastamayaaviha |
Evam deva nikaayaah te sambhavanti yuge yuge ||*** Just like the rising and setting of the Sun happens everyday, in the same way, the host of devaas are also created again and again in every yuga. ***
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Yathaa iti | Yuge yuge prati yugam kalpa manvantaraadi |*** In every yuga, kalpa, manvantara.
140
[[531]] Now, Diti’s vamsha will be told briefly. In this there is a mention of Prahlaada’s story. Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 140:
Dityaah putradvayam jajnye kaashyapaat iti na shrutam |
Hiranyakashipuh cha eva hiranyaakshah cha durjayah || Paraasharar says - I have heard that Diti had two sons from Kaashyapa. They were Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaaksha whom nobody can win over in war. ***
141
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 141:
Simhikaa cha abhavat kanyaa viprachitteh parigrahah ||*** There was a daughter Simhika also, who married Viprachitti. ***
142
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 142:
Hiranyakashipoh putraah chatvaarah prathitoujasah |
Anuhlaadah cha hlaadah cha prahlaadah cha eva dharmavaan |
Samhlaadah cha mahaaveeryaa daitya vamsha vivardhanaah ||*** Hiranyakashipu had four children, Anuhlaada, Hlaada, Prahlaada who was following dharma and a personification of dharma, and Samhlaada. They were very valiant. They expanded the daitya vamsha. ***
143
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 143:
Teshaam madhye mahaabhaagah sarvatra samadruk vashee |
Prahlaadah paramaam bhaktim ya uvaaha janaardane ||*** Among them, Prahlaada had and displayed great bhakti towards Janaardana, and was a very great person. He had an equal disposition towards everything and everyone around him.
Briefly it is told here about Prahlaada, about Hiranyakashipu, his deeds, and how Prahlaada survived all that. We will see them in the next class.
So far in this section, we saw the Daksha kanya vamsha in detail, the daughters of Daksha, their names, their vamsha. Diti’s vamsha will be told now. Prahlaada charitra will be told in detail in future adhyaayaas.
Recap: In the previous session, we had just started to study about Diti’s [[532]] vamsha, which Sri Paraasharar is telling Maitreyar. ***
140
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 140:
Dityaah putradvayam jajnye kaashyapaat iti na shrutam |
Hiranyakashipuh cha eva hiranyaakshah cha durjayah ||*** Paraasharar says - Diti and Kashyapa had two sons, Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaaksha.
141
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 141:
Simhikaa cha abhavat kanyaa viprachitteh parigrahah || They also had a daughter called Simhikaa, who married Viprachitti. ***
142
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 142:
Hiranyakashipoh putraah chatvaarah prathitoujasah |
Anuhlaadah cha hlaadah cha prahlaadah cha eva dharmavaan |
Samhlaadah cha mahaaveeryaah daitya vamsha vivardhanaah ||*** Hiranyakashipu had four sons, who were very valiant, *Anuhlaada, Hlaada, *Prahlaada, Samhlaada. Out of them, Prahlaada was the embodiment of dharma. They were all very courageous, and were the ones who expanded the Daitya vamsha.
143
Now, Prahlaada’s story is going to be told in detail. This starts to talk about the greatness of Prahlaada, the kind of devotion he had. Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 143:
Teshaam madhye mahaabhaagah sarvatra samadruk vashee |
Prahlaadah paramaam bhaktim ya uvaaha janaardane || Among the, Prahlaada was a great person, he was equi-poised, treating everyone equally, had all his senses under control, he expressed *parama *bhakti, great devotion, towards Janaardana. ***
144
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 144:
Daityendra deepito vanhih sarvaanga upachito dvija |
Na dadaaha cha yam poorvam vaasudeve hrudi sthite ||*** Prahlaada was so much intent on meditation on Vaasudeva, his mind was completely filled with the thought of Vaasudeva. Even the king of the demons, Hiranyakashipu, though he had put him in fire, and the fire had [[533]] engulfed his entire body, it never burnt even a small part of his body.
145
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 145:
Mahaarnavaantah salile sthitasya chalito mahee |
Chachaala sakalaa yasya paashabaddhasya dheematah || ***Prahlaada was tied with ropes, and thrown into the great ocean, under the waters. When he was immersed like that, being tied with ropes, he moved a little bit, and the entire world was shaken.
146
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 146:
Na bhinnam vividhaih shastraih yasya daityendra paatitaih |
Shareeramadri kathinam sarvatra achyuta chetasah || ***Because of his deep devotion of Achyuta, his entire body and mind were filled with the thought of Achyuta, his body had become so hard, as a great mountain. Even though he was pierced with a lot of sharp weapons, they could not pierce his body, as it had become so hard, just like mountain. ***
147
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 147:
Visha analojjvala mukhaa yasya daitya prachoditaah |
Na antaaya sarpa patayo babhoovu rurutejasah ||*** All the kings of serpents, throwing fire-like venom, being commanded by Hiranyakashipu, they could never do anything to Prahlaada. ***
148
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 148:
Shailaih aakraanta dehaa api ya ssmaran purushottamam |
Tatyaaja naatmanah praanaan vishnu smarana damshitah ||*** He was hit with rocks, because he was thinking of Purushottama, being protected by the shield of the thought of Vishnu, he was still very much alive. ***
149
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 149:
Patanta mucchaat avanih yamupetya mahaamatim |
Dadhaara daitya patinaa kshiptam svarga nivaasinaa ||*** The king of demons, Hiranyakashipu, living in swarga, threw him from the top of the mountains, on to the earth. Though he was falling like that, the goddess Pruthivi Devi, held him and supported him; nothing happened to [[534]] him.
150
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 150:
Yasya samshoshako vaayuh dehe daityendra yojitah |
Avaapa samshayam sadhyah chittah te madhusoodhane || ***The winds which dry up anything, though commanded by Hiranyakashipu, could not do anything, and the Vaayu itself got dried up immediately, because Madhusoodana was in the thought of Prahlaada. ***
151
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 151:
Vishaana bhangamunmattaa mada haanim cha diggajaah |
Yasya vakshasthale praaptaa daityendra parinaamitaah ||*** The diggajaas were commanded to kill him with their huge and hard tusks, and they started to pierce his chest with their tusks. Their tusks themselves got broken, and all their energy got dried up. They could not do anything.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Vishaanaa iti | Parinaamitaah dantaih hantum preritaah |
152
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 152:
Yasya cha utpaaditaa krutyaa daitya raaja purohitaih |
Babhoova naantaaya puraa govindaasakta chetasah || ***The purohitaas were asked to do some aabhichaarika krutya, they could not do any harm to him, because of his deep thought on Govinda.
These krutyaas are told in Vedas and are used to destroy enemies etc. (Why should Vedas each such karmaas is discussed in *Vedartha Sangraha *commentary by Sri Sudarshana Suri). ***
153
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 153:
Shambarasya cha maayaanaam sahasra mati maayinah |
Yasmin prayuktam chakrena krishnasya vitatheekrutam ||*** He called Shambaraasura and asked him to use his maayaa shakti; he created thousands of wonderful illusions to hurt Prahlaada, but *Krishna’s *Sudarshana Chakra came and destroyed all the maayaas of Shambaraasura, [[535]] and they all became futile. Shambaraasura could not touch him with his maayaa.
154
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 154:
Daityendra soodopahrutam yasya haalaahalam visham |
Jaarayaamaasa matimaan avikaaram amatsari || ***He had no jealousy, and was the one endowed with great knowledge because of his deep meditation on Vishnu. The attendants of Hiranyakashipu gave him haalaahala poison, very powerful poison; Prahlaada digested all of them, without any vikaara. He had no reaction, and he simply digested the poison.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Daityendra iti | Haalaahalam visham | * Nadee halahalaa naama
tajjam haalaahalam visham * iti aayurvede || ***There is a river called Halahala, and what is born from there is called Haalaahala visha. ***
155
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 155:
Samachetaam jagati asmin yah sarveshu eva jantushu |
Yathaa aatmani tathaa anyeshaam param maitra gunaanvitah ||*** In respect of all beings, he was equally positioned, in this world. With respect to others, he was disposed as though towards himself. He was very friendly with respect to everyone.
156
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 15, Shloka 156:
Dharmaatmaa satya shouchaadi gunaanaam aakarah parah |
Upamaanam asheshaanaam saadhoonaam yah sadaa abhavat || ***He was a dharmaatmaa, always following the path of dharma. He was the abode of all excellent qualities, satya, shoucha. He was upamaana for all the saadhus, all the time. All the saadhus were compared only with Prahlaada.
Paraasharar talks about how Prahlaada was deeply immersed in the thought of Vishnu, and nothing could touch him or shake him. All the tricks that Hiranyakashipu tried on him failed. [[536]]
This concludes the Fifteenth Chapter.
***|| Iti Sri Vishnu Puraane Prathame Amshe Panchadasho Adhyaayah ||
|| Iti Sri Vishnu Puraana Vyaakhyaane Vishnu Chitteeye Prathame
Amshe Panchadasho Adhyaayah || ***
|| Atha Shodhasho Adhyaayah ||
Now, Maitreyar is curious to know about Prahlaada, and asks thus.*** ***