Before Verses
Devanagari
Verse Text
Synonyms
Translation
Purport
CHAPTER FORTY
The Prayers of Akrūra
This chapter relates Akrūra’s prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Akrūra prayed, “Brahmā, who created this visible world, emanated from the lotus navel of the Supreme Lord. The five elements of physical nature, the five corresponding objects of perception, the ten senses, the ego, the total nature, the primeval creator and the demigods all originate from His bodily limbs. He cannot be known by sensory knowledge, and thus even Brahmā and the other demigods are ignorant of His real identity.
“Different classes of people worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead in different ways. Fruitive workers worship Him by performing Vedic sacrifices, philosophers by renouncing material work and pursuing spiritual knowledge, yogīs by meditating, Śaivites by worshiping Lord Śiva, Vaiṣṇavas by following the injunctions of such scriptures as the Pañcarātra, and other saintly persons by worshiping Him as the original form of the self, of the material substance and of the controlling demigods. Just as rivers flow from various directions into the ocean, the worship of those who dedicate themselves to these various entities finds its ultimate purpose within the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu.
“The form of the total universe, the Virāṭ-rūpa, is imagined to be the form of Lord Viṣṇu. Like aquatics moving about in water or like tiny insects burrowing in an udumbara fruit, all living beings move about within the Lord. These living beings, bewildered by His Māyā, wander along the path of material work, falsely identifying with body, home and so forth. Under the sway of illusion, a foolish person may overlook a reservoir of water covered by grass and leaves and instead run after a mirage. Similarly, living beings caught in the grip of ignorance abandon Lord Viṣṇu and become attached to their bodies, homes and so on. Such faithful servants of their senses cannot take shelter of the Supreme Lord’s lotus feet. Only if, by His mercy, they get the association of saintly devotees will their material entanglement end. Only then can they develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness by serving the Lord’s pure devotees.”
Devanagari
श्रीअक्रूर उवाच
नतोऽस्म्यहं त्वाखिलहेतुहेतुं
नारायणं पूरुषमाद्यमव्ययम् ।
यन्नाभिजातादरविन्दकोषाद्
ब्रह्माविरासीद् यत एष लोक: ॥ १ ॥
नतोऽस्म्यहं त्वाखिलहेतुहेतुं
नारायणं पूरुषमाद्यमव्ययम् ।
यन्नाभिजातादरविन्दकोषाद्
ब्रह्माविरासीद् यत एष लोक: ॥ १ ॥
Verse text
śrī-akrūra uvāca
nato ’smy ahaṁ tvākhila-hetu-hetuṁ
nārāyaṇaṁ pūruṣam ādyam avyayam
yan-nābhi-jātād aravinda-koṣād
brahmāvirāsīd yata eṣa lokaḥ
nato ’smy ahaṁ tvākhila-hetu-hetuṁ
nārāyaṇaṁ pūruṣam ādyam avyayam
yan-nābhi-jātād aravinda-koṣād
brahmāvirāsīd yata eṣa lokaḥ
Synonyms
śrī-akrūraḥ uvāca — Śrī Akrūra said; nataḥ — bowed down; asmi — am; aham — I; tvā — to You; akhila — of all; hetu — causes; hetum — the cause; nārāyaṇam — Lord Nārāyaṇa; pūruṣam — the Supreme Person; ādyam — original; avyayam — inexhaustible; yat — from whose; nābhi — navel; jātāt — which was generated; aravinda — of a lotus plant; koṣāt — from the whorl; brahmā — Brahmā; avirāsīt — appeared; yataḥ — from whom; eṣaḥ — this; lokaḥ — world.
Translation
Śrī Akrūra said: I bow down to You, the cause of all causes, the original and inexhaustible Supreme Person, Nārāyaṇa. From the whorl of the lotus born from Your navel, Brahmā appeared, and by his agency this universe has come into being.
Devanagari
भूस्तोयमग्नि: पवनं खमादि-
र्महानजादिर्मन इन्द्रियाणि ।
सर्वेन्द्रियार्था विबुधाश्च सर्वे
ये हेतवस्ते जगतोऽङ्गभूता: ॥ २ ॥
र्महानजादिर्मन इन्द्रियाणि ।
सर्वेन्द्रियार्था विबुधाश्च सर्वे
ये हेतवस्ते जगतोऽङ्गभूता: ॥ २ ॥
Verse text
bhūs toyam agniḥ pavanaṁ kham ādir
mahān ajādir mana indriyāṇi
sarvendriyārthā vibudhāś ca sarve
ye hetavas te jagato ’ṅga-bhūtāḥ
mahān ajādir mana indriyāṇi
sarvendriyārthā vibudhāś ca sarve
ye hetavas te jagato ’ṅga-bhūtāḥ
Synonyms
bhūḥ — earth; toyam — water; agniḥ — fire; pavanam — air; kham — ether; ādiḥ — and its source, false ego; mahān — the mahat-tattva; ajā — the total material nature; ādiḥ — her source, the Supreme Lord; manaḥ — the mind; indriyāṇi — the senses; sarva-indriya — of all the senses; arthāḥ — the objects; vibudhāḥ — the demigods; ca — and; sarve — all; ye — which; hetavaḥ — causes; te — Your; jagataḥ — of the universe; aṅga — from the body; bhūtāḥ — generated.
Translation
Earth; water; fire; air; ether and its source, false ego; the mahat-tattva; the total material nature and her source, the Supreme Lord’s puruṣa expansion; the mind; the senses; the sense objects; and the senses’ presiding deities — all these causes of the cosmic manifestation are born from Your transcendental body.
Devanagari
नैते स्वरूपं विदुरात्मनस्ते
ह्यजादयोऽनात्मतया गृहीता: ।
अजोऽनुबद्ध: स गुणैरजाया
गुणात् परं वेद न ते स्वरूपम् ॥ ३ ॥
ह्यजादयोऽनात्मतया गृहीता: ।
अजोऽनुबद्ध: स गुणैरजाया
गुणात् परं वेद न ते स्वरूपम् ॥ ३ ॥
Verse text
naite svarūpaṁ vidur ātmanas te
hy ajādayo ’nātmatayā gṛhītaḥ
ajo ’nubaddhaḥ sa guṇair ajāyā
guṇāt paraṁ veda na te svarūpam
hy ajādayo ’nātmatayā gṛhītaḥ
ajo ’nubaddhaḥ sa guṇair ajāyā
guṇāt paraṁ veda na te svarūpam
Synonyms
na — do not; ete — these (elements of creation); svarūpam — the true identity; viduḥ — know; ātmanaḥ — of the Supreme Soul; te — You; hi — indeed; ajā-ādayaḥ — headed by the total material nature; anātmatayā — by the status of being nonliving matter; gṛhītāḥ — seized; ajaḥ — Lord Brahmā; anubaddhaḥ — bound up; saḥ — he; guṇaiḥ — by the modes; ajāyāḥ — of material nature; guṇāt — to these modes; param — transcendental; veda na — he does not know; te — Your; svarūpam — true form.
Translation
The total material nature and these other elements of creation certainly cannot know You as You are, for they are manifested in the realm of dull matter. Since You are beyond the modes of nature, even Lord Brahmā, who is bound up in these modes, does not know Your true identity.
Purport
God is transcendental to material nature. Unless we also transcend the limited consciousness of material existence, we cannot know Him. Even the greatest living entity in the universe, Brahmā, cannot understand the Supreme unless he comes to the platform of pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Devanagari
त्वां योगिनो यजन्त्यद्धा महापुरुषमीश्वरम् ।
साध्यात्मं साधिभूतं च साधिदैवं च साधव: ॥ ४ ॥
साध्यात्मं साधिभूतं च साधिदैवं च साधव: ॥ ४ ॥
Verse text
tvāṁ yogino yajanty addhā
mahā-puruṣam īśvaram
sādhyātmaṁ sādhibhūtaṁ ca
sādhidaivaṁ ca sādhavaḥ
mahā-puruṣam īśvaram
sādhyātmaṁ sādhibhūtaṁ ca
sādhidaivaṁ ca sādhavaḥ
Synonyms
tvam — for You; yoginaḥ — yogīs; yajanti — perform sacrifice; addhā — certainly; mahā-puruṣam — for the Supreme Personality; īśvaram — the Godhead; sa-adhyātmam — (the witness of) the living entities; sa-adhibhutam — of the material elements; ca — and; sa-adhidaivam — of the controlling demigods; ca — and; sādhavaḥ — purified persons.
Translation
Pure yogīs worship You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by conceiving of You in the threefold form comprising the living entities, the material elements that constitute the living entities’ bodies, and the controlling deities of those elements.
Devanagari
त्रय्या च विद्यया केचित्त्वां वै वैतानिका द्विजा: ।
यजन्ते विततैर्यज्ञैर्नाना रूपामराख्यया ॥ ५ ॥
यजन्ते विततैर्यज्ञैर्नाना रूपामराख्यया ॥ ५ ॥
Verse text
trayyā ca vidyayā kecit
tvāṁ vai vaitānikā dvijāḥ
yajante vitatair yajñair
nānā-rūpāmarākhyayā
tvāṁ vai vaitānikā dvijāḥ
yajante vitatair yajñair
nānā-rūpāmarākhyayā
Synonyms
trayyā — of the three Vedas; ca — and; vidyayā — by the mantras; kecit — some; tvām — You; vai — indeed; vaitānikāḥ — who respect the regulations of the three sacred fires; dvijāḥ — brāhmaṇas; yajante — worship; vitataiḥ — elaborate; yajñaiḥ — with ritual sacrifices; nānā — various; rūpa — having forms; amara — of demigods; ākhyayā — by the designations.
Translation
Brāhmaṇas who follow the regulations concerning the three sacred fires worship You by chanting mantras from the three Vedas and performing elaborate fire sacrifices for the various demigods, who have many forms and names.
Purport
Akrūra has now described how those who follow the paths of Sāṅkhya, yoga and the three Vedas worship the Supreme Lord in different ways. In the various places where the Vedas appear to recommend that one worship Indra, Varuṇa and other demigods, these demigods are stated to be supreme. But at the same time the Vedas state that there is one supreme controller, the Absolute Truth. That is Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, who expands His potency through material creation into the forms of the demigods. Thus worship of the demigods goes to Him through the indirect method of karma-kāṇḍa, or fruitive religious rituals. Ultimately, however, one who wants to achieve eternal perfection should worship the Lord directly, in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Devanagari
एके त्वाखिलकर्माणि सन्न्यस्योपशमं गता: ।
ज्ञानिनो ज्ञानयज्ञेन यजन्ति ज्ञानविग्रहम् ॥ ६ ॥
ज्ञानिनो ज्ञानयज्ञेन यजन्ति ज्ञानविग्रहम् ॥ ६ ॥
Verse text
eke tvākhila-karmāṇi
sannyasyopaśamaṁ gatāḥ
jñānino jñāna-yajñena
yajanti jñāna-vigraham
sannyasyopaśamaṁ gatāḥ
jñānino jñāna-yajñena
yajanti jñāna-vigraham
Synonyms
Translation
In pursuit of spiritual knowledge, some persons renounce all material activities and, having thus become peaceful, perform the sacrifice of philosophic investigation to worship You, the original form of all knowledge.
Purport
Modern philosophers pursue knowledge without bothering to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and thus they naturally end up with meager, if not trivial, results.
Devanagari
अन्ये च संस्कृतात्मानो विधिनाभिहितेन ते ।
यजन्ति त्वन्मयास्त्वां वै बहुमूर्त्येकमूर्तिकम् ॥ ७ ॥
यजन्ति त्वन्मयास्त्वां वै बहुमूर्त्येकमूर्तिकम् ॥ ७ ॥
Verse text
anye ca saṁskṛtātmāno
vidhinābhihitena te
yajanti tvan-mayās tvāṁ vai
bahu-mūrty-eka-mūrtikam
vidhinābhihitena te
yajanti tvan-mayās tvāṁ vai
bahu-mūrty-eka-mūrtikam
Synonyms
anye — others; ca — and; saṁskṛta — purified; ātmānaḥ — whose intelligence; vidhinā — by the injunctions (of such scriptures as the Pañcarātra); abhihitena — presented; te — by You; yajanti — worship; tvat-mayāḥ — filled with thought of You; tvām — You; vai — indeed; bahu-mūrti — having many forms; eka-mūrtikam — having one form.
Translation
And yet others — those whose intelligence is pure — follow the injunctions of Vaiṣṇava scriptures promulgated by You. Absorbing their minds in thought of You, they worship You as the one Supreme Lord manifesting in multiple forms.
Purport
The word saṁskṛtātmānaḥ, “they whose intelligence is pure,” is significant here. It implies that the worshipers mentioned before have not completely purified their intelligence of material contamination and thus worship the Lord indirectly. Those who are purified, however, directly worship the Lord, either as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa, or as one of His various plenary forms, such as Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna or Aniruddha, as indicated here.
Devanagari
त्वामेवान्ये शिवोक्तेन मार्गेण शिवरूपिणम् ।
बह्वाचार्यविभेदेन भगवन्तम् उपासते ॥ ८ ॥
बह्वाचार्यविभेदेन भगवन्तम् उपासते ॥ ८ ॥
Verse text
tvām evānye śivoktena
mārgeṇa śiva-rūpiṇam
bahv-ācārya-vibhedena
bhagavantam upāsate
mārgeṇa śiva-rūpiṇam
bahv-ācārya-vibhedena
bhagavantam upāsate
Synonyms
Translation
There are still others, who worship You, the Supreme Lord, in the form of Lord Śiva. They follow the path described by him and interpreted in various ways by many teachers.
Purport
The words tvām eva, “You also,” indicate that the path of worshiping Lord Śiva is indirect and therefore inferior. Akrūra himself is following the superior method by directly worshiping Kṛṣṇa, or Viṣṇu, with his prayers.
Devanagari
सर्व एव यजन्ति त्वां सर्वदेवमयेश्वरम् ।
येऽप्यन्यदेवताभक्ता यद्यप्यन्यधिय: प्रभो ॥ ९ ॥
येऽप्यन्यदेवताभक्ता यद्यप्यन्यधिय: प्रभो ॥ ९ ॥
Verse text
sarva eva yajanti tvāṁ
sarva-deva-mayeśvaram
ye ’py anya-devatā-bhaktā
yady apy anya-dhiyaḥ prabho
sarva-deva-mayeśvaram
ye ’py anya-devatā-bhaktā
yady apy anya-dhiyaḥ prabho
Synonyms
sarve — all; eva — indeed; yajanti — worship; tvam — You; sarva-deva — all the demigods; maya — O You who comprise; īśvaram — the Supreme Lord; ye — they; api — even; anya — of other; devatā — deities; bhaktāḥ — devotees; yadi api — although; anya — turned elsewhere; dhiyaḥ — their attention; prabho — O master.
Translation
But all these people, my Lord, even those who have turned their attention away from You and are worshiping other deities, are actually worshiping You alone, O embodiment of all the demigods.
Purport
The idea here is that even those who worship the demigods are indirectly worshiping the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu. The understanding of such worshipers, however, is imperfect.
Devanagari
यथाद्रिप्रभवा नद्य: पर्जन्यापूरिता: प्रभो ।
विशन्ति सर्वत: सिन्धुं तद्वत्त्वां गतयोऽन्तत: ॥ १० ॥
विशन्ति सर्वत: सिन्धुं तद्वत्त्वां गतयोऽन्तत: ॥ १० ॥
Verse text
yathādri-prabhavā nadyaḥ
parjanyāpūritāḥ prabho
viśanti sarvataḥ sindhuṁ
tadvat tvāṁ gatayo ’ntataḥ
parjanyāpūritāḥ prabho
viśanti sarvataḥ sindhuṁ
tadvat tvāṁ gatayo ’ntataḥ
Synonyms
Translation
As rivers born from the mountains and filled by the rain flow from all sides into the sea, so do all these paths in the end reach You, O master.
Purport
Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself speaks on this issue of worship in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.23-25):
ye ’py anya-devatā-bhaktā
yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ
te ’pi mām eva kaunteya
yayanty avidhi-pūrvakam
yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ
te ’pi mām eva kaunteya
yayanty avidhi-pūrvakam
ahaṁ hi sarva-yajñānāṁ
bhoktā ca prabhur eva ca
na tu mām abhijānanti
tattvenātaś cyavanti te
bhoktā ca prabhur eva ca
na tu mām abhijānanti
tattvenātaś cyavanti te
yānti deva-vratā devān
pitṝn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ
bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā
yānti mad-yājino ’pi mām
pitṝn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ
bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā
yānti mad-yājino ’pi mām
“Those who are devotees of other gods and who worship them with faith actually worship only Me, O son of Kuntī, but they do so in a wrong way. I am the only enjoyer and master of all sacrifices. Therefore, those who do not recognize My true transcendental nature fall down. Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods; those who worship the ancestors go to the ancestors; those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings; and those who worship Me will live with Me.”
Devanagari
सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति भवत: प्रकृतेर्गुणा: ।
तेषु हि प्राकृता: प्रोता आब्रह्मस्थावरादय: ॥ ११ ॥
तेषु हि प्राकृता: प्रोता आब्रह्मस्थावरादय: ॥ ११ ॥
Verse text
sattvaṁ rajas tama iti
bhavataḥ prakṛter guṇāḥ
teṣu hi prākṛtāḥ protā
ā-brahma-sthāvarādayaḥ
bhavataḥ prakṛter guṇāḥ
teṣu hi prākṛtāḥ protā
ā-brahma-sthāvarādayaḥ
Synonyms
sattvam — goodness; rajaḥ — passion; tamaḥ — ignorance; iti — thus known; bhavataḥ — Your; prakṛteḥ — of the material nature; guṇāḥ — the qualities; teṣu — to them; hi — certainly; prākṛtāḥ — the conditioned living entities; protāḥ — woven; ā-brahma — up to Lord Brahmā; sthāvara-ādayaḥ — starting with the nonmoving creatures.
Translation
Goodness, passion and ignorance, the qualities of Your material nature, entangle all conditioned living beings, from Brahmā down to the nonmoving creatures.
Devanagari
तुभ्यं नमस्ते त्वविषक्तदृष्टये
सर्वात्मने सर्वधियां च साक्षिणे ।
गुणप्रवाहोऽयमविद्यया कृत:
प्रवर्तते देवनृतिर्यगात्मसु ॥ १२ ॥
सर्वात्मने सर्वधियां च साक्षिणे ।
गुणप्रवाहोऽयमविद्यया कृत:
प्रवर्तते देवनृतिर्यगात्मसु ॥ १२ ॥
Verse text
tubhyaṁ namas te tv aviṣakta-dṛṣṭaye
sarvātmane sarva-dhiyāṁ ca sākṣiṇe
guṇa-pravāho ’yam avidyayā kṛtaḥ
pravartate deva-nṛ-tiryag-ātmasu
sarvātmane sarva-dhiyāṁ ca sākṣiṇe
guṇa-pravāho ’yam avidyayā kṛtaḥ
pravartate deva-nṛ-tiryag-ātmasu
Synonyms
tubhyam — to You; namaḥ — obeisances; te — Your; tu — and; aviṣakta — aloof; dṛṣṭaye — whose vision; sarva-ātmane — to the Soul of all; sarva — of everyone; dhiyām — of the consciousness; ca — and; sākṣiṇe — to the witness; guṇa — of the material modes; pravāhaḥ — the flow; ayam — this; avidyayā — by the force of ignorance; kṛtaḥ — created; pravartate — goes on; deva — as demigods; nṛ — humans; tiryak — and animals; ātmasu — among those who assume the identities.
Translation
I offer My obeisances to You, who as the Supreme Soul of all beings witness everyone’s consciousness with unbiased vision. The current of Your material modes, produced by the force of ignorance, flows strongly among the living beings who assume identities as demigods, humans and animals.
Devanagari
अग्निर्मुखं तेऽवनिरङ्घ्रिरीक्षणं
सूर्यो नभो नाभिरथो दिश: श्रुति: ।
द्यौ: कं सुरेन्द्रास्तव बाहवोऽर्णवा:
कुक्षिर्मरुत् प्राणबलं प्रकल्पितम् ॥ १३ ॥
रोमाणि वृक्षौषधय: शिरोरुहा
मेघा: परस्यास्थिनखानि तेऽद्रय: ।
निमेषणं रात्र्यहनी प्रजापति-
र्मेढ्रस्तु वृष्टिस्तव वीर्यमिष्यते ॥ १४ ॥
सूर्यो नभो नाभिरथो दिश: श्रुति: ।
द्यौ: कं सुरेन्द्रास्तव बाहवोऽर्णवा:
कुक्षिर्मरुत् प्राणबलं प्रकल्पितम् ॥ १३ ॥
रोमाणि वृक्षौषधय: शिरोरुहा
मेघा: परस्यास्थिनखानि तेऽद्रय: ।
निमेषणं रात्र्यहनी प्रजापति-
र्मेढ्रस्तु वृष्टिस्तव वीर्यमिष्यते ॥ १४ ॥
Verse text
agnir mukhaṁ te ’vanir aṅghrir īkṣaṇaṁ
sūryo nabho nābhir atho diśaḥ śrutiḥ
dyauḥ kaṁ surendrās tava bāhavo ’rṇavāḥ
kukṣir marut prāṇa-balaṁ prakalpitam
sūryo nabho nābhir atho diśaḥ śrutiḥ
dyauḥ kaṁ surendrās tava bāhavo ’rṇavāḥ
kukṣir marut prāṇa-balaṁ prakalpitam
romāṇi vṛkṣauṣadhayaḥ śiroruhā
meghāḥ parasyāsthi-nakhāni te ’drayaḥ
nimeṣaṇaṁ rātry-ahanī prajāpatir
meḍhras tu vṛṣṭis tava vīryam iṣyate
meghāḥ parasyāsthi-nakhāni te ’drayaḥ
nimeṣaṇaṁ rātry-ahanī prajāpatir
meḍhras tu vṛṣṭis tava vīryam iṣyate
Synonyms
agniḥ — fire; mukham — face; te — Your; avaniḥ — the earth; aṅghriḥ — feet; ikṣaṇam — eye; sūryaḥ — the sun; nabhaḥ — the sky; nābhiḥ — navel; atha u — and also; diśaḥ — the directions; śrutiḥ — sense of hearing; dyauḥ — heaven; kam — head; sura-indrāḥ — the chief demigods; tava — Your; bāhavaḥ — arms; arṇavāḥ — the oceans; kukṣiḥ — abdomen; marut — the wind; prāṇa — vital air; balam — and physical strength; prakalpitam — conceived; romāṇi — bodily hairs; vṛkṣa — the trees; oṣadhayaḥ — the plants; śiraḥ-ruhāḥ — the hair on Your head; meghāḥ — the clouds; parasya — of the Supreme; asthi — bones; nakhāni — and nails; te — of You; adrayaḥ — the mountains; nimeṣaṇam — the blinking of Your eyes; rātri-ahanī — day and night; prajāpatiḥ — the progenitor of mankind; meḍhraḥ — genitals; tu — and; vṛṣṭiḥ — the rain; tava — Your; vīryam — semen; iṣyate — is considered.
Translation
Fire is said to be Your face, the earth Your feet, the sun Your eye, and the sky Your navel. The directions are Your sense of hearing, the chief demigods Your arms, and the oceans Your abdomen. Heaven is thought to be Your head, and the wind Your vital air and physical strength. The trees and plants are the hairs on Your body, the clouds the hair on Your head, and the mountains the bones and nails of You, the Supreme. The passage of day and night is the blinking of Your eyes, the progenitor of mankind Your genitals, and the rain Your semen.
Devanagari
त्वय्यव्ययात्मन् पुरुषे प्रकल्पिता
लोका: सपाला बहुजीवसङ्कुला: ।
यथा जले सञ्जिहते जलौकसो-
ऽप्युदुम्बरे वा मशका मनोमये ॥ १५ ॥
लोका: सपाला बहुजीवसङ्कुला: ।
यथा जले सञ्जिहते जलौकसो-
ऽप्युदुम्बरे वा मशका मनोमये ॥ १५ ॥
Verse text
tvayy avyayātman puruṣe prakalpitā
lokāḥ sa-pālā bahu-jīva-saṅkulāḥ
yathā jale sañjihate jalaukaso
’py udumbare vā maśakā mano-maye
lokāḥ sa-pālā bahu-jīva-saṅkulāḥ
yathā jale sañjihate jalaukaso
’py udumbare vā maśakā mano-maye
Synonyms
tvayi — within You; avyaya-ātman — their inexhaustible one; puruṣe — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; prakalpitāḥ — created; lokāḥ — the worlds; sa-pālāḥ — together with their protecting demigods; bahu — with many; jīva — living beings; saṅkulāḥ — crowded; yathā — just as; jale — in water; sañjihate — move about; jala-okasaḥ — aquatic animals; api — indeed; udumbare — in an udumbara fruit (a kind of fig); vā — or; maśakāḥ — small biting insects; manaḥ — the mind (and other senses); maye — (in You) who comprise.
Translation
All the worlds, with their presiding demigods and teeming populations, originate in You, the inexhaustible Supreme Personality of Godhead. These worlds travel within You, the basis of the mind and senses, just as aquatics swim in the sea or tiny insects burrow within an udumbara fruit.
Devanagari
यानि यानीह रूपाणि क्रीडनार्थं बिभर्षि हि ।
तैरामृष्टशुचो लोका मुदा गायन्ति ते यश: ॥ १६ ॥
तैरामृष्टशुचो लोका मुदा गायन्ति ते यश: ॥ १६ ॥
Verse text
yāni yānīha rūpāṇi
krīḍanārthaṁ bibharṣi hi
tair āmṛṣṭa-śuco lokā
mudā gāyanti te yaśaḥ
krīḍanārthaṁ bibharṣi hi
tair āmṛṣṭa-śuco lokā
mudā gāyanti te yaśaḥ
Synonyms
Translation
To enjoy Your pastimes You manifest Yourself in various forms in this material world, and these incarnations cleanse away all the unhappiness of those who joyfully chant Your glories.
Devanagari
नम: कारणमत्स्याय प्रलयाब्धिचराय च ।
हयशीर्ष्णे नमस्तुभ्यं मधुकैटभमृत्यवे ॥ १७ ॥
अकूपाराय बृहते नमो मन्दरधारिणे ।
क्षित्युद्धारविहाराय नम: शूकरमूर्तये ॥ १८ ॥
हयशीर्ष्णे नमस्तुभ्यं मधुकैटभमृत्यवे ॥ १७ ॥
अकूपाराय बृहते नमो मन्दरधारिणे ।
क्षित्युद्धारविहाराय नम: शूकरमूर्तये ॥ १८ ॥
Verse text
namaḥ kāraṇa-matsyāya
pralayābdhi-carāya ca
hayaśīrṣṇe namas tubhyaṁ
madhu-kaiṭabha-mṛtyave
pralayābdhi-carāya ca
hayaśīrṣṇe namas tubhyaṁ
madhu-kaiṭabha-mṛtyave
akūpārāya bṛhate
namo mandara-dhāriṇe
kṣity-uddhāra-vihārāya
namaḥ śūkara-mūrtaye
namo mandara-dhāriṇe
kṣity-uddhāra-vihārāya
namaḥ śūkara-mūrtaye
Synonyms
namaḥ — obeisances; kāraṇa — who is the original cause of creation; matsyāya — to the Supreme Lord’s appearance as a fish; pralaya — of annihilation; abdhi — in the ocean; carāya — who moved about; ca — and; haya-śīrṣṇe — to the incarnation who appeared with the head of a horse; namaḥ — obeisances; tubhyam — to You; madhu-kaiṭabha — of the demons Madhu and Kaiṭabha; mṛtyave — to the killer; akūpārāya — to the tortoise; bṛhate — huge; namaḥ — obeisances; mandara — of Mandara Mountain; dhāriṇe — to the holder; kṣiti — of the earth; uddhāra — the lifting up; vihārāya — whose pleasure; namaḥ — obeisances; śūkara — of a boar; mūrtaye — to the form.
Translation
I offer my obeisances to You, the cause of the creation, Lord Matsya, who swam about in the ocean of dissolution, to Lord Hayagrīva, the killer of Madhu and Kaiṭabha, to the immense tortoise [Lord Kūrma], who supported Mandara Mountain, and to the boar incarnation [Lord Varāha], who enjoyed lifting the earth.
Purport
The Viśva-kośa dictionary states that the word akūpārāya indicates the king of tortoises.
Devanagari
नमस्तेऽद्भुतसिंहाय साधुलोकभयापह ।
वामनाय नमस्तुभ्यं क्रान्तत्रिभुवनाय च ॥ १९ ॥
वामनाय नमस्तुभ्यं क्रान्तत्रिभुवनाय च ॥ १९ ॥
Verse text
namas te ’dbhuta-siṁhāya
sādhu-loka-bhayāpaha
vāmanāya namas tubhyaṁ
krānta-tribhuvanāya ca
sādhu-loka-bhayāpaha
vāmanāya namas tubhyaṁ
krānta-tribhuvanāya ca
Synonyms
namaḥ — obeisances; te — to You; adbhuta — amazing; siṁhāya — to the lion; sadhu-loka — of all saintly devotees; bhaya — of the fear; apaha — O remover; vāmanāya — to the dwarf; namaḥ — obeisances; tubhyam — to You; krānta — who stepped over; tri-bhuvanāya — the three planetary systems of the universe; ca — and.
Translation
Obeisances to You, the amazing lion [Lord Nṛsiṁha], who remove Your saintly devotees’ fear, and to the dwarf Vāmana, who stepped over the three worlds.
Devanagari
नमो भृगुणां पतये दृप्तक्षत्रवनच्छिदे ।
नमस्ते रघुवर्याय रावणान्तकराय च ॥ २० ॥
नमस्ते रघुवर्याय रावणान्तकराय च ॥ २० ॥
Verse text
namo bhṛguṇāṁ pataye
dṛpta-kṣatra-vana-cchide
namas te raghu-varyāya
rāvaṇānta-karāya ca
dṛpta-kṣatra-vana-cchide
namas te raghu-varyāya
rāvaṇānta-karāya ca
Synonyms
namaḥ — obeisances; bhṛgūṇām — of the descendants of Bhṛgu; pataye — to the chief (Lord Paraśurāma); dṛpta — conceited; kṣatra — of the members of the royal order; vana — the forest; chide — who cut down; namaḥ — obeisances; te — to You; raghu-varyāya — the best of the descendants of Raghu; rāvaṇa — of Rāvaṇa; anta-karāya — who put an end; ca — and.
Translation
Obeisances to You, Lord of the Bhṛgus, who cut down the forest of the conceited royal order, and to Lord Rāma, the best of the Raghu dynasty, who put an end to the demon Rāvaṇa.
Devanagari
नमस्ते वासुदेवाय नम: सङ्कर्षणाय च ।
प्रद्युम्नायनिरुद्धाय सात्वतां पतये नम: ॥ २१ ॥
प्रद्युम्नायनिरुद्धाय सात्वतां पतये नम: ॥ २१ ॥
Verse text
namas te vāsudevāya
namaḥ saṅkarṣaṇāya ca
pradyumnāyaniruddhāya
sātvatāṁ pataye namaḥ
namaḥ saṅkarṣaṇāya ca
pradyumnāyaniruddhāya
sātvatāṁ pataye namaḥ
Synonyms
namaḥ — obeisances; te — unto You; vāsudevāya — Lord Śrī Vāsudeva; namaḥ — obeisances; saṅkarṣaṇāya — to Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa; ca — and; pradyumnāya — to Lord Pradyumna; aniruddhāya — and to Lord Aniruddha; sātvatām — of the Yādavas; pataye — to the chief; namaḥ — obeisances.
Translation
Obeisances to You, Lord of the Sātvatas, and to Your forms of Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha.
Devanagari
नमो बुद्धाय शुद्धाय दैत्यदानवमोहिने ।
म्लेच्छप्रायक्षत्रहन्त्रे नमस्ते कल्किरूपिणे ॥ २२ ॥
म्लेच्छप्रायक्षत्रहन्त्रे नमस्ते कल्किरूपिणे ॥ २२ ॥
Verse text
namo buddhāya śuddhāya
daitya-dānava-mohine
mleccha-prāya-kṣatra-hantre
namas te kalki-rūpiṇe
daitya-dānava-mohine
mleccha-prāya-kṣatra-hantre
namas te kalki-rūpiṇe
Synonyms
namaḥ — obeisances; buddhāya — to Lord Buddha; śuddhāya — the pure; daitya-dānava — of the demoniac descendants of Diti and Dānu; mohine — to the bewilderer; mleccha — of the outcaste meat-eaters; prāya — resembling; kṣatra — kings; hantre — to the killer; namaḥ — obeisances; te — to You; kalki-rūpiṇe — in the form of Kalki.
Translation
Obeisances to Your form as the faultless Lord Buddha, who will bewilder the Daityas and Dānavas, and to Lord Kalki, the annihilator of the meat-eaters posing as kings.
Devanagari
भगवन् जीवलोकोऽयं मोहितस्तव मायया ।
अहं ममेत्यसद्ग्राहो भ्राम्यते कर्मवर्त्मसु ॥ २३ ॥
अहं ममेत्यसद्ग्राहो भ्राम्यते कर्मवर्त्मसु ॥ २३ ॥
Verse text
bhagavan jīva-loko ’yaṁ
mohitas tava māyayā
ahaṁ mamety asad-grāho
bhrāmyate karma-vartmasu
mohitas tava māyayā
ahaṁ mamety asad-grāho
bhrāmyate karma-vartmasu
Synonyms
bhagavan — O Supreme Lord; jīva — of living entities; lokaḥ — the world; ayam — this; mohitaḥ — bewildered; tava — Your; māyayā — by the illusory energy; aham mama iti — based on the conceptions of “I” and “my”; asat — false; grāhaḥ — whose conception; bhrāmyate — is made to wander; karma — of fruitive work; vartmasu — along the paths.
Translation
O Supreme Lord, the living entities in this world are bewildered by Your illusory energy. Becoming involved in the false concepts of “I” and “my,” they are forced to wander along the paths of fruitive work.
Devanagari
अहं चात्मात्मजागारदारार्थस्वजनादिषु ।
भ्रमामि स्वप्नकल्पेषु मूढ: सत्यधिया विभो ॥ २४ ॥
भ्रमामि स्वप्नकल्पेषु मूढ: सत्यधिया विभो ॥ २४ ॥
Verse text
ahaṁ cātmātmajāgāra-
dārārtha-svajanādiṣu
bhramāmi svapna-kalpeṣu
mūḍhaḥ satya-dhiyā vibho
dārārtha-svajanādiṣu
bhramāmi svapna-kalpeṣu
mūḍhaḥ satya-dhiyā vibho
Synonyms
aham — I; ca — also; ātma — concerning my body; ātma-ja — children; agāra — home; dāra — wife; artha — wealth; sva-jana — followers; ādiṣu — and so on; bhramāmi — am deluded; svapna — a dream; kalpeṣu — who are just like; mūḍhaḥ — foolish; satya — that they are real; dhiyā — with the idea; vibho — O almighty Lord.
Translation
I too am deluded in this way, O almighty Lord, foolishly thinking my body, children, home, wife, money and followers to be real, though they are actually as unreal as a dream.
Devanagari
अनित्यानात्मदु:खेषु विपर्ययमतिर्ह्यहम् ।
द्वन्द्वारामस्तमोविष्टो न जाने त्वात्मन: प्रियम् ॥ २५ ॥
द्वन्द्वारामस्तमोविष्टो न जाने त्वात्मन: प्रियम् ॥ २५ ॥
Verse text
anityānātma-duḥkheṣu
viparyaya-matir hy aham
dvandvārāmas tamo-viṣṭo
na jāne tvātmanaḥ priyam
viparyaya-matir hy aham
dvandvārāmas tamo-viṣṭo
na jāne tvātmanaḥ priyam
Synonyms
anitya — not eternal; anātma — not the real self; duḥkheṣu — in the sources of misery; viparyaya — backwards; matiḥ — whose mentality; hi — indeed; aham — I; dvandva — in duality; ārāmaḥ — taking pleasure; tamaḥ — in ignorance; viṣṭaḥ — absorbed; na jāne — I fail to recognize; tvā — You; ātmanaḥ — of myself; priyam — the dearmost.
Translation
Thus mistaking the temporary for the eternal, my body for my self, and sources of misery for sources of happiness, I have tried to take pleasure in material dualities. Covered in this way by ignorance, I could not recognize You as the real object of my love.
Devanagari
यथाबुधो जलं हित्वा प्रतिच्छन्नं तदुद्भवै: ।
अभ्येति मृगतृष्णां वै तद्वत्त्वाहं पराङ्मुख: ॥ २६ ॥
अभ्येति मृगतृष्णां वै तद्वत्त्वाहं पराङ्मुख: ॥ २६ ॥
Verse text
yathābudho jalaṁ hitvā
praticchannaṁ tad-udbhavaiḥ
abhyeti mṛga-tṛṣṇāṁ vai
tadvat tvāhaṁ parāṅ-mukhaḥ
praticchannaṁ tad-udbhavaiḥ
abhyeti mṛga-tṛṣṇāṁ vai
tadvat tvāhaṁ parāṅ-mukhaḥ
Synonyms
Translation
Just as a fool overlooks a body of water covered by the vegetation growing in it and chases a mirage, so I have turned away from You.
Devanagari
नोत्सहेऽहं कृपणधी: कामकर्महतं मन: ।
रोद्धुं प्रमाथिभिश्चाक्षैर्ह्रियमाणमितस्तत: ॥ २७ ॥
रोद्धुं प्रमाथिभिश्चाक्षैर्ह्रियमाणमितस्तत: ॥ २७ ॥
Verse text
notsahe ’haṁ kṛpaṇa-dhīḥ
kāma-karma-hataṁ manaḥ
roddhuṁ pramāthibhiś cākṣair
hriyamāṇam itas tataḥ
kāma-karma-hataṁ manaḥ
roddhuṁ pramāthibhiś cākṣair
hriyamāṇam itas tataḥ
Synonyms
na utsahe — am not able to find the strength; aham — I; kṛpaṇa — crippled; dhīḥ — whose intelligence; kāma — by material desires; karma — and material activities; hatam — disturbed; manaḥ — my mind; roddhum — to keep in check; pramāthibhiḥ — which are very powerful and willful; ca — and; akṣaiḥ — by the senses; hriyamāṇam — being dragged; itaḥ tataḥ — here and there.
Translation
My intelligence is so crippled that I cannot find the strength to curb my mind, which is disturbed by material desires and activities and constantly dragged here and there by my obstinate senses.
Devanagari
सोऽहं तवाङ्घ्र्युपगतोऽस्म्यसतां दुरापं
तच्चाप्यहं भवदनुग्रह ईश मन्ये ।
पुंसो भवेद् यर्हि संसरणापवर्ग-
स्त्वय्यब्जनाभ सदुपासनया मति: स्यात् ॥ २८ ॥
तच्चाप्यहं भवदनुग्रह ईश मन्ये ।
पुंसो भवेद् यर्हि संसरणापवर्ग-
स्त्वय्यब्जनाभ सदुपासनया मति: स्यात् ॥ २८ ॥
Verse text
so ’haṁ tavāṅghry-upagato ’smy asatāṁ durāpaṁ
tac cāpy ahaṁ bhavad-anugraha īśa manye
puṁso bhaved yarhi saṁsaraṇāpavargas
tvayy abja-nābha sad-upāsanayā matiḥ syāt
tac cāpy ahaṁ bhavad-anugraha īśa manye
puṁso bhaved yarhi saṁsaraṇāpavargas
tvayy abja-nābha sad-upāsanayā matiḥ syāt
Synonyms
saḥ — being such; aham — I; tava — Your; aṅghri — feet; upagataḥ asmi — am approaching; asatām — for those who are impure; durāpam — impossible to attain; tat — that; ca — and; api — also; aham — I; bhavat — Your; anugrahaḥ — mercy; īśa — O Lord; manye — think; puṁsaḥ — of a person; bhavet — occurs; yarhi — when; saṁsaraṇa — of his rotation in the cycle of material existence; apavargaḥ — the cessation; tvayi — of You; abja — like a lotus; nābha — O You whose navel; sat — of pure devotees; upāsanayā — by worship; matiḥ — consciousness; syāt — develops.
Translation
Being thus fallen, I am approaching Your feet for shelter, O Lord, because although the impure can never attain Your feet, I think it is nevertheless possible by Your mercy. Only when one’s material life has ceased, O lotus-naveled Lord, can one develop consciousness of You by serving Your pure devotees.
Devanagari
नमो विज्ञानमात्राय सर्वप्रत्ययहेतवे ।
पुरुषेशप्रधानाय ब्रह्मणेऽनन्तशक्तये ॥ २९ ॥
पुरुषेशप्रधानाय ब्रह्मणेऽनन्तशक्तये ॥ २९ ॥
Verse text
namo vijñāna-mātrāya
sarva-pratyaya-hetave
puruṣeśa-pradhānāya
brahmaṇe ’nanta-śaktaye
sarva-pratyaya-hetave
puruṣeśa-pradhānāya
brahmaṇe ’nanta-śaktaye
Synonyms
namaḥ — obeisances; vijñāna — of pure knowledge; mātrāya — to the embodiment; sarva — of all; pratyaya — forms of knowledge; hetave — to the source; puruṣa — of a person; īśa — the controlling forces; pradhānāya — to Him who predominates; brahmaṇe — to the Supreme Absolute Truth; ananta — unlimited; śaktaye — whose potencies.
Translation
Obeisances to the Supreme Absolute Truth, the possessor of unlimited energies. He is the embodiment of pure, transcendental knowledge, the source of all kinds of awareness, and the predominator of the forces of nature that rule over the living being.
Devanagari
नमस्ते वासुदेवाय सर्वभूतक्षयाय च ।
हृषीकेश नमस्तुभ्यं प्रपन्नं पाहि मां प्रभो ॥ ३० ॥
हृषीकेश नमस्तुभ्यं प्रपन्नं पाहि मां प्रभो ॥ ३० ॥
Verse text
namas te vāsudevāya
sarva-bhūta-kṣayāya ca
hṛṣīkeśa namas tubhyaṁ
prapannaṁ pāhi māṁ prabho
sarva-bhūta-kṣayāya ca
hṛṣīkeśa namas tubhyaṁ
prapannaṁ pāhi māṁ prabho
Synonyms
namaḥ — obeisances; te — to You; vāsudevāya — the son of Vasudeva; sarva — of all; bhūta — living beings; kṣayāya — the residence; ca — and; hṛṣīka-īśa — O Lord of the mind and senses; namaḥ — obeisances; tubhyam — to You; prapannam — who am surrendered; pāhi — please protect; mām — me; prabho — O master.
Translation
O son of Vasudeva, obeisances to You, within whom all living beings reside. O Lord of the mind and senses, again I offer You my obeisances. O master, please protect me, who am surrendered unto You.
Purport
Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda to the Tenth Canto, Fortieth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “The Prayers of Akrūra.”