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buddhya—by intelligence; para-abhidhyayinya—by accepting the body as the self; vismrta-atma-gatih—having forgotten the knowledge of Visnu; pasuh—an animal; stri-kamah—attached to sex life; sah—he (Daksa); astu—let; atitaram—excessive; daksah—Daksa; basta-mukhah—the face of a goat; acirat—in a very short time.

Daksa has accepted the body as all in all. Therefore, since he has forgotten the visnu-pada, or visnu-gati, and is attached to sex life only, within a short time he will have the face of a goat.

SB4.2.24

TEXT 24

vidya-buddhir avidyayam

karmamayyam asau jadah

samsarantv iha ye camum

anu sarvavamaninam

SYNONYMS

vidya-buddhih—materialistic education and intelligence; avidyayam—in nescience; karma-mayyam—formed of fruitive activities; asau—he (Daksa); jadah—dull; samsarantu—let them take birth again and again; iha—here in this world; ye—who; ca—and; amum—Daksa; anu—following; sarva—Siva; avamaninam—insulting.

TRANSLATION

Those who have become as dull as matter by cultivating materialistic education and intelligence are nesciently involved in fruitive activities. Such men have purposely insulted Lord Siva. May they continue in the cycle of repeated birth and death.

PURPORT

The three curses mentioned above are sufficient to make one as dull as stone, void of spiritual knowledge and preoccupied with materialistic education, which is nescience. After uttering these curses, Nandisvara then cursed the brahmanas to continue in the cycle of birth and death because of their supporting Daksa in blaspheming Lord Siva.

SB4.2.25

TEXT 25

girah srutayah puspinya

madhu-gandhena bhurina

mathna conmathitatmanah

sammuhyantu hara-dvisah

girah—words; srutayah—of the Vedas; puspinyah—flowery; madhu-gandhena—with the scent of honey; bhurina—profuse; mathna—enchanting; ca—and; unmathita-atmanah—whose minds have become dull; sammuhyantu—let them remain attached; hara-dvisah—envious of Lord Siva.

May those who are envious of Lord Siva, being attracted by the flowery language of the enchanting Vedic promises, and who have thus become dull, always remain attached to fruitive activities.

The Vedic promises of elevation to higher planets for a better standard of materialistic life are compared to flowery language because in a flower there is certainly an aroma but that aroma does not last for a very long time. In a flower there is honey, but that honey is not eternal.

SB4.2.26

TEXT 26

sarva-bhaksa dvija vrttyai

dhrta-vidya-tapo-vratah

vitta-dehendriyarama

yacaka vicarantv iha

sarva-bhaksah—eating everything; dvijah—the brahmanas; vrttyai—for maintaining the body; dhrta-vidya—having taken to education; tapah—austerity; vratah—and vows; vitta—money; deha—the body; indriya—the senses; aramah—the satisfaction; yacakah—as beggars; vicarantu—let them wander; iha—here.

These brahmanas take to education, austerity and vows only for the purpose of maintaining the body. They shall be devoid of discrimination between what to eat and what not to eat. They will acquire money, begging from door to door, simply for the satisfaction of the body.

The third curse inflicted by Nandisvara on the brahmanas who supported Daksa is completely functioning in the age of Kali. The so-called brahmanas are no longer interested in understanding the nature of the Supreme Brahman, although a brahmana means one who has attained knowledge about Brahman. In the Vedanta-sutra also it is stated, athato brahma jijnasa: this human form of life is meant for realization of the Supreme Brahman, the Absolute Truth, or, in other words, human life is meant for one’s elevation to the post of a brahmana. Unfortunately the modern brahmanas, or so-called brahmanas who come in originally brahminical families, have left their own occupational duties, but they do not allow others to occupy the posts of brahmanas. The qualifications for brahmanas are described in the scriptures, in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita and all other Vedic literatures. Brahmana is not a hereditary title or position. If someone from a non-brahmana family (for example, one born in a family of sudras) tries to become a brahmana by being properly qualified under the instruction of a bona fide spiritual master, these so-called brahmanas will object. Such brahmanas, having been cursed by Nandisvara, are actually in a position where they have no discrimination between eatables and noneatables and simply live to maintain the perishable material body and its family. Such fallen conditioned souls are not worthy to be called brahmanas, but in Kali-yuga they claim to be brahmanas, and if a person actually tries to attain the brahminical qualifications, they try to hinder his progress. This is the situation in the present age. Caitanya Mahaprabhu condemned this principle very strongly. During His conversation with Ramananda Raya, He said that regardless of whether a person is born in a brahmana family or sudra family, regardless of whether he is a householder or a sannyasi, if he knows the science of Krsna he must be a spiritual master. Caitanya Mahaprabhu had many so-called sudra disciples like Haridasa Thakura and Ramananda Raya. Even the Gosvamis, who were principal students of Lord Caitanya, were also ostracized from brahmana society, but Caitanya Mahaprabhu, by His grace, made them first-class Vaisnavas.

SB4.2.27

TEXT 27

tasyaivam vadatah sapam

srutva dvija-kulaya vai

bhrguh pratyasrjac chapam

brahma-dandam duratyayam

tasya—his (Nandisvara’s); evam—thus; vadatah—words; sapam—the curse; srutva—hearing; dvija-kulaya—unto the brahmanas; vai—indeed; bhrguh—Bhrgu; pratyasrjat—made; sapam—a curse; brahma-dandam—the punishment of a brahmana; duratyayam—insurmountable.

When all the hereditary brahmanas were thus cursed by Nandisvara, the sage Bhrgu, as a reaction, condemned the followers of Lord Siva with this very strong brahminical curse.

sac-chastra-paripanthinah

The word duratyaya is particularly used in reference to a brahmadanda, or curse by a brahmana. A curse by a brahmana is very strong; therefore it is called duratyaya, or insurmountable. As the Lord states in Bhagavad-gita, the stringent laws of nature are insurmountable; similarly, if a curse is uttered by a brahmana, that curse is also insurmountable. But Bhagavad-gita also says that the curses or benedictions of the material world are, after all, material creations. The Caitanya-caritamrta confirms that that which is accepted in this material world to be a benediction and that which is taken to be a curse are both on the same platform because they are material. To get out of this material contamination, one should take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as recommended in Bhagavad-gita (7.14): mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te. The best path is to transcend all material curses and benedictions and take shelter of the Supreme Lord, Krsna, and remain in a transcendental position. Persons who have taken shelter of Krsna are always peaceful; they are never cursed by anyone, nor do they attempt to curse anyone. That is a transcendental position.

SB4.2.28

TEXT 28

bhava-vrata-dhara ye ca

ye ca tan samanuvratah

pasandinas te bhavantu

bhava-vrata-dharah—taking a vow to satisfy Lord Siva; ye—who; ca—and; ye—who; ca—and; tan—such principles; samanuvratah—following; pasandinah—atheists; te—they; bhavantu—let them become; sat-sastra-paripanthinah—diverted from transcendental scriptural injunctions.

One who takes a vow to satisfy Lord Siva or who follows such principles will certainly become an atheist and be diverted from transcendental scriptural injunctions.

It is sometimes seen that devotees of Lord Siva imitate the characteristics of Lord Siva. For example, Lord Siva drank an ocean of poison, so some of the followers of Lord Siva imitate him and try to take intoxicants like ganja (marijuana). Here the curse is that if someone follows such principles he must become an infidel and turn against the principles of Vedic regulation. It is said that such devotees of Lord Siva will be sacchastra-paripanthinah, which means “opposed to the conclusion of sastra, or scripture.” This is confirmed in the Padma Purana also. Lord Siva was ordered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to preach the impersonal, or Mayavada, philosophy for a particular purpose, just as Lord Buddha preached the philosophy of voidness for particular purposes mentioned in the sastras.

Sometimes it is necessary to preach a philosophical doctrine which is against the Vedic conclusion. ln the Siva Purana it is stated that Lord Siva said to Parvati that in the Kali-yuga, in the body of a brahmana, he would preach the Mayavada philosophy. Thus it is generally found that the worshipers of Lord Siva are Mayavadi followers. Lord Siva himself says, mayavadam asac-chastram. Asat-sastra, as explained here, means the doctrine of Mayavada impersonalism, or becoming one with the Supreme. Bhrgu Muni cursed that persons who worshiped Lord Siva would become followers of this Mayavada asat-sastra, which attempts to establish that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is impersonal. Besides that, among the worshipers of Lord Siva there is a section who live a devilish life. Srimad-Bhagavatam and Narada-pancaratra are authorized scriptures that are considered sat-sastra, or scriptures which lead one to the path of God realization. Asat-sastras are just the opposite.

SB4.2.29

TEXT 29

nasta-sauca mudha-dhiyo

jata-bhasmasthi-dharinah

visantu siva-diksayam

yatra daivam surasavam

nasta-saucah—cleanliness being abandoned; mudha-dhiyah—foolish; jata-bhasma-asthi-dharinah—wearing long hair, ashes and bones; visantu—may enter; siva-diksayam—into initiation of worship of Siva; yatra—where; daivam—are spiritual; sura-asavam—wine and liquor.

Those who vow to worship Lord Siva are so foolish that they imitate him by keeping long hair on their heads. When initiated into worship of Lord Siva, they prefer to live on wine, flesh and other such things.

Indulging in wine and meat, keeping long hair on one’s head, not bathing daily, and smoking ganja (marijuana) are some of the habits which are accepted by foolish creatures who do not have regulated lives. By such behavior one becomes devoid of transcendental knowledge. In the initiation into the Siva mantra there are mudrikastaka, in which it is sometimes recommended that one make his sitting place on the vagina and thus desire nirvana, or dissolution of existence. In that process of worship, wine is needed, or sometimes, in place of wine, palm tree juice which is converted into an intoxicant. This is also offered according to Siva-agama, a scripture on the method of worshiping Lord Siva.

SB4.2.30

TEXT 30

brahma ca brahmanams caiva

yad yuyam parinindatha

setum vidharanam pumsam

atah pasandam asritah

brahma—the Vedas; ca—and; brahmanan—the brahmanas; ca—and; eva—certainly; yat—because; yuyam—you; parinindatha—blaspheme; setum—Vedic principles; vidharanam—holding; pumsam—of mankind; atah—therefore; pasandam—atheism; asritah—have taken shelter.

Bhrgu Muni continued: Since you blaspheme the Vedas and the brahmanas, who are followers of the Vedic principles, it is understood that you have already taken shelter of the doctrine of atheism.

Bhrgu Muni, in cursing Nandisvara, said that not only would they be degraded as atheists because of this curse, but they had already fallen to the standard of atheism because they had blasphemed the Vedas, which are the source of human civilization. Human civilization is based on the qualitative divisions of social order, namely the intelligent class, the martial class, the productive class and the laborer class. The Vedas provide the right direction for advancing in spiritual cultivation and economic development and regulating the principle of sense gratification, so that ultimately one may be liberated from material contamination to his real state of spiritual identification (aham brahmasmi). As long as one is in the contamination of material existence, one changes bodies from the aquatics up to the position of Brahma, but the human form of life is the highest perfectional life in the material world. The Vedas give directions by which to elevate oneself in the next life. The Vedas are the mother for such instructions, and the brahmanas, or persons who are in knowledge of the Vedas, are the father. Thus if one blasphemes the Vedas and brahmanas, naturally one goes down to the status of atheism. The exact word used in Sanskrit is nastika, which refers to one who does not believe in the Vedas but manufactures some concocted system of religion. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said that the followers of the Buddhist system of religion are nastikas. ln order to establish his doctrine of nonviolence, Lord Buddha flatly refused to believe in the Vedas, and thus, later on, Sankaracarya stopped this system of religion in India and forced it to go outside India. Here it is stated, brahma ca brahmanan. Brahma means the Vedas. Aham brahmasmi means “I am in full knowledge.” The Vedic assertion is that one should think that he is Brahman, for actually he is Brahman. If brahma, or the Vedic spiritual science, is condemned, and the masters of the spiritual science, the brahmanas, are condemned, then where does human civilization stand? Bhrgu Muni said, “It is not due to my cursing that you shall become atheists; you are already situated in the principle of atheism. Therefore you are condemned.”

SB4.2.31

TEXT 31

esa eva hi lokanam

sivah panthah sanatanah

yam purve canusantasthur

yat-pramanam janardanah

esah—the Vedas; eva—certainly; hi—for; lokanam—of all people; sivah—auspicious; panthah—path; sanatanah—eternal; yam—which (Vedic path); purve—in the past; ca—and; anusantasthuh—was rigidly followed; yat—in which; pramanam—the evidence; janardanah—Janardana.

The Vedas give the eternal regulative principles for auspicious advancement in human civilization which have been rigidly followed in the past. The strong evidence of this principle is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is called Janardana, the well-wisher of all living entities.

tad brahma paramam suddham

In the Bhagavad-gita the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, has claimed that He is the father of all living entities, regardless of form. There are 8,400,000 different species of life forms, and Lord Krsna claims that He is the father of all. Because the living entities are parts and parcels of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they are all sons of the Lord, and for their benefit, because they are hovering under the impression that they can lord it over material nature, the Vedas are given to them for their guidance. Therefore the Vedas are called apauruseya, for they are not written by any man or demigod, including the first living creature, Brahma. Brahma is not the creator or author of the Vedas. He is also one of the living beings in this material world; therefore he does not have the power to write or speak the Vedas independently. Every living entity within this material world is subject to four deficiencies: he commits mistakes, he accepts one thing for another, he cheats, and he has imperfect senses. The Vedas, however, are not written by any living creature within this material world. Therefore they are said to be apauruseya. No one can trace out the history of the Vedas. Of course, modern human civilization has no chronological history of the world or the universe, and it cannot present actual historical facts older than three thousand years. But no one has traced out when the Vedas were written, because they were never written by any living being within this material world. All other systems of knowledge are defective because they have been written or spoken by men or demigods who are products of this material creation, but Bhagavad-gita is apauruseya, for it was not spoken by any human being or any demigod of this material creation; it was spoken by Lord Krsna, who is beyond the material creation. That is accepted by such stalwart scholars as Sankaracarya, not to speak of other acaryas such as Ramanujacarya and Madhvacarya. Sankaracarya has accepted that Narayana and Krsna are transcendental, and in Bhagavad-gita also Lord Krsna has established, aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate: [Bg. 10.8] “I am the origin of everything; everything emanates from Me.” This material creation, including Brahma and Siva and all the demigods, has been created by Him, for everything has emanated from Him. He also says that the purpose of all the Vedas is to understand Him (vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]). He is the original veda-vit, or knower of the Vedas, and vedanta-krt, or compiler of Vedanta. Brahma is not the compiler of the Vedas.

In the beginning of Srimad-Bhagavatam it is established, tene brahma hrda: the Supreme Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead, instructed Brahma in the Vedic knowledge through his heart. Therefore the evidence that Vedic knowledge is free from the defects of mistakes, illusions, cheating and imperfection is that it is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Janardana, and has thus been followed from time immemorial, beginning from Brahma. The Vedic religion or the principles of the Vedas have been followed by the highly cultured population of India since time immemorial; no one can trace out the history of Vedic religion. Therefore it is sanatana, and any blasphemy against the Vedas is calculated to be atheism. The Vedas are described as setu, which means “a bridge.” If one wants to attain his spiritual existence, one has to cross an ocean of nescience. The Vedas are the bridge by which to cross such a great ocean.

The Vedas describe how to divide the human race into four divisions according to quality and working capacity. This is a very scientific system, and it is also sanatana, for no one can trace out its history and it has no dissolution. No one can stop the system of varna and asrama, or the castes and divisions. For example, whether or not one accepts the name brahmana, there is a class in society which is known as the intelligent class and which is interested in spiritual understanding and philosophy. Similarly, there is a class of men who are interested in administration and in ruling others. In the Vedic system these martially spirited men are called ksatriyas. Similarly, everywhere there is a class of men who are interested in economic development, business, industry and money-making; they are called vaisyas. And there is another class who are neither intelligent nor martially spirited nor endowed with the capacity for economic development but who simply can serve others. They are called sudras, or the laborer class. This system is sanatana—it comes from time immemorial, and it will continue in the same way. There is no power in the world which can stop it. Therefore, since this sanatana-dharma system is eternal, one can elevate himself to the highest standard of spiritual life by following the Vedic principles.

It is stated that formerly the sages followed this system; therefore to follow the Vedic system is to follow the standard etiquette of society. But the followers of Lord Siva, who are drunkards, who are addicted to intoxicants and sex life, who do not bathe and who smoke ganja, are against all human etiquette. The conclusion is that persons who rebel against the Vedic principles are themselves the evidence that the Vedas are authoritative, because by not following the Vedic principles they become like animals. Such animalistic persons are themselves evidence of the supremacy of the Vedic regulations.

SB4.2.32

TEXT 32

satam vartma sanatanam

vigarhya yata pasandam

daivam vo yatra bhuta-rat

tat—that; brahma—Veda; paramam—supreme; suddham—pure; satam—of the saintly persons; vartma—path; sanatanam—eternal; vigarhya—blaspheming; yata—should go; pasandam—to atheism; daivam—deity; vah—your; yatra—where; bhuta-rat—the lord of the bhutas.

By blaspheming the principles of the Vedas, which are the pure and supreme path of the saintly persons, certainly you followers of Bhutapati, Lord Siva, will descend to the standard of atheism without a doubt.

Lord Siva is described here as bhuta-rat. The ghosts and those who are situated in the material mode of ignorance are called bhutas, so bhuta-rat refers to the leader of the creatures who are in the lowest standard of the material modes of nature. Another meaning of bhuta is anyone who has taken birth or anything which is produced, so in that sense Lord Siva may be accepted as the father of this material world. Here, of course, Bhrgu Muni takes Lord Siva as the leader of the lowest creatures. The characteristics of the lowest class of men have already been described—they do not bathe, they have long hair on their heads, and they are addicted to intoxicants. In comparison with the path followed by the followers of Bhutarat, the Vedic system is certainly excellent, for it promotes people to spiritual life as the highest eternal principle of human civilisation. If one decries or blasphemes the Vedic principles, then he falls to the standard of atheism.

SB4.2.33

TEXT 33

maitreya uvaca

tasyaivam vadatah sapam

bhrgoh sa bhagavan bhavah

niscakrama tatah kincid

vimana iva sanugah

maitreyah uvaca—Maitreya said; tasya—of him; evam—thus; vadatah—being spoken; sapam—curse; bhrgoh—of Bhrgu; sah—he; bhagavan—the possessor of all opulences; bhavah—Lord Siva; niscakrama—went; tatah—from there; kincit—somewhat; vimanah—morose; iva—as; sa-anugah—followed by his disciples.

The sage Maitreya said: When such cursing and countercursing was going on between Lord Siva’s followers and the parties of Daksa and Bhrgu, Lord Siva became very morose. Not saying anything, he left the arena of the sacrifice, followed by his disciples.

te ’pi visva-srjah satram

Here Lord Siva’s excellent character is described. In spite of the cursing and countercursing between the parties of Daksa and Siva, because he is the greatest Vaisnava he was so sober that he did not say anything. A Vaisnava is always tolerant, and Lord Siva is considered the topmost Vaisnava, so his character, as shown in this scene, is excellent. He became morose because he knew that these people, both his men and Daksa’s, were unnecessarily cursing and countercursing one another, without any interest in spiritual life. From his point of view, he did not see anyone as lower or higher, because he is a Vaisnava. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (5.18), panditah sama-darsinah: one who is perfectly learned does not see anyone as lesser or greater, because he sees everyone from the spiritual platform. Thus the only alternative left to Lord Siva was to leave in order to stop his follower, Nandisvara, as well as Bhrgu Muni, from cursing and countercursing in that way.

SB4.2.34

TEXT 34

sahasra-parivatsaran

samvidhaya mahesvasa

yatrejya rsabho harih

te—those; api—even; visva-srjah—progenitors of the universal population; satram—the sacrifice; sahasra—one thousand; parivatsaran—years; samvidhaya—performing; mahesvasa—O Vidura; yatra—in which; ijyah—to be worshiped; rsabhah—the presiding Deity of all demigods; harih—Hari.

The sage Maitreya continued: O Vidura, all the progenitors of the universal population thus executed a sacrifice for thousands of years, for sacrifice is the best way to worship the Supreme Lord, Hari, the Personality of Godhead.

svam svam dhama yayus tatah

It is clearly stated here that the stalwart personalities who generate the entire population of the world are interested in satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead by offering sacrifices. The Lord also says in Bhagavad-gita (5.29), bhoktaram yajna-tapasam. One may engage in performing sacrifices and severe austerities for perfection, but they are all meant to satisfy the Supreme Lord. lf such activities are performed for personal satisfaction, one is involved in pasanda, or atheism; but when they are performed for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord, one is following the Vedic principle. All the assembled sages performed sacrifices for one thousand years.

SB4.2.35

TEXT 35

aplutyavabhrtham yatra

ganga yamunayanvita

virajenatmana sarve

aplutya—taking a bath; avabhrtham—the bath which is taken after performing sacrifices; yatra—where; ganga—the River Ganges; yamunaya—by the River Yamuna; anvita—mixed; virajena—without infection; atmana—by the mind; sarve—all; svam svam—their respective; dhama—abodes; yayuh—went; tatah—from there.

My dear Vidura, carrier of bows and arrows, all the demigods who were performing the sacrifice took their bath at the confluence of the Ganges and the Yamuna after completing the yajna performance. Such a bath is called avabhrtha-snana. After thus becoming purified in heart, they departed for their respective abodes.