Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 6: “Prescribed Duties for Mankind”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter Ten
SB6.10.15
TEXT 15
vrtram abhyadravac chatrum
asuranika-yuthapaih
paryastam ojasa rajan
kruddho rudra ivantakam
SYNONYMS
vrtram—Vrtrasura; abhyadravat—attacked; satrum—the enemy; asura-anika-yuthapaih—by the commanders or captains of the soldiers of the asuras; paryastam—surrounded; ojasa—with great force; rajan—O King; kruddhah—being angry; rudrah—an incarnation of Lord Siva; iva—like; antakam—Antaka, or Yamaraja.
TRANSLATION
My dear King Pariksit, as Rudra, being very angry at Antaka [Yamaraja] had formerly run toward Antaka to kill him, Indra angrily and with great force attacked Vrtrasura, who was surrounded by the leaders of the demoniac armies.
SB6.10.16
TEXT 16
tatah suranam asurai
ranah parama-darunah
treta-mukhe narmadayam
abhavat prathame yuge
SYNONYMS
tatah—thereafter; suranam—of the demigods; asuraih—with the demons; ranah—a great battle; parama-darunah—very fearful; treta-mukhe—in the beginning of Treta-yuga; narmadayam—on the bank of the River Narmada; abhavat—took place; prathame—in the first; yuge—millennium.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter, at the end of Satya-yuga and the beginning of Treta-yuga, a fierce battle took place between the demigods and the demons on the bank of the Narmada.
PURPORT
Herein the Narmada does not mean the Narmada River in India. The five sacred rivers in India—Ganga, Yamuna, Narmada, Kaveri and Krsna—are all celestial. Like the Ganges River, the Narmada River also flows in the higher planetary systems. The battle between the demigods and the demons took place in the higher planets.
The words prathame yuge mean “in the beginning of the first millennium,” that is to say, in the beginning of the Vaivasvata manvantara. In one day of Brahma there are fourteen Manus, who each live for seventy-one millenniums. The four yugas—Satya, Treta, Dvapara and Kali—constitute one millennium. We are presently in the manvantara of Vaivasvata Manu, who is mentioned in Bhagavad-gita (imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam/ vivasvan manave praha [Bg. 4.1]). We are now in the twenty-eighth millennium of Vaivasvata Manu, but this fight took place in the beginning of Vaivasvata Manu’s first millennium. One can historically calculate how long ago the battle took place. Since each millennium consists of 4,300,000 years and we are now in the twenty-eighth millennium, some 120,400,000 years have passed since the battle took place on the bank of the River Narmada. SB6.10.17-18 TEXTS 17–18 rudrair vasubhir adityair asvibhyam pitr-vahnibhih marudbhir rbhubhih sadhyair visvedevair marut-patim drstva vajra-dharam sakram rocamanam svaya sriya namrsyann asura rajan mrdhe vrtra-purahsarah SYNONYMS rudraih—by the Rudras; vasubhih—by the Vasus; adityaih—by the Adityas; asvibhyam—by the Asvini-kumaras; pitr—by the Pitas; vahnibhih—and the Vahnis; marudbhih—by the Maruts; rbhubhih—by the Rbhus; sadhyaih—by the Sadhyas; visve-devaih—by the Visvadevas; marut-patim—Indra, the heavenly King; drstva—seeing; vajra-dharam—bearing the thunderbolt; sakram—another name of Indra; rocamanam—shining; svaya—by his own; sriya—opulence; na—not; amrsyan—tolerated; asurah—all the demons; rajan—O King; mrdhe—in the fight; vrtra-purahsarah—headed by Vrtrasura. TRANSLATION O King, when all the asuras came onto the battlefield, headed by Vrtrasura, they saw King Indra carrying the thunderbolt and surrounded by the Rudras, Vasus, Adityas, Asvini-kumaras, Pitas, Vahnis, Maruts, Rbhus, Sadhyas and Visvadevas. Surrounded by his company, Indra shone so brightly that his effulgence was intolerable to the demons. SB6.10.19-22 TEXTS 19–22 namucih sambaro ’narva dvimurdha rsabho ’surah hayagrivah sankusira vipracittir ayomukhah puloma vrsaparva ca prahetir hetir utkalah daiteya danava yaksa raksamsi ca sahasrasah sumali-mali-pramukhah kartasvara-paricchadah pratisidhyendra-senagram mrtyor api durasadam abhyardayann asambhrantah simha-nadena durmadah gadabhih parighair banaih prasa-mudgara-tomaraih SYNONYMS namucih—Namuci; sambarah—Sambara; anarva—Anarva; dvimurdha—Dvimurdha; rsabhah—Rsabha; asurah—Asura; hayagrivah—Hayagriva; sankusirah—Sankusira; vipracittih—Vipracitti; ayomukhah—Ayomukha; puloma—Puloma; vrsaparva—Vrsaparva; ca—also; prahetih—Praheti; hetih—Heti; utkalah—Utkala; daiteyah—the Daityas; danavah—the Danavas; yaksah—the Yaksas; raksamsi—the Raksasas; ca—and; sahasrasah—by the thousands; sumali-mali-pramukhah—others, headed by Sumali and Mali; kartasvara—of gold; paricchadah—dressed in ornaments; pratisidhya—keeping back; indra-sena-agram—the front of Indra’s army; mrtyoh—for death; api—even; durasadam—difficult to approach; abhyardayan—harassed; asambhrantah—without fear; simha-nadena—with a sound like a lion; durmadah—furious; gadabhih—with clubs; parighaih—with iron-studded bludgeons; banaih—with arrows; prasa-mudgara-tomaraih—with barbed missiles, mallets and lances. TRANSLATION Many hundreds and thousands of demons, demi-demons, Yaksas, Raksasas [man-eaters] and others, headed by Sumali and Mali, resisted the armies of King Indra, which even death personified cannot easily overcome. Among the demons were Namuci, Sambara, Anarva, Dvimurdha, Rsabha, Asura, Hayagriva, Sankusira, Vipracitti, Ayomukha, Puloma, Vrsaparva, Praheti, Heti and Utkala. Roaring tumultuously and fearlessly like lions, these invincible demons, all dressed in golden ornaments, gave pain to the demigods with weapons like clubs, bludgeons, arrows, barbed darts, mallets and lances. SB6.10.23 TEXT 23 sulaih parasvadhaih khadgaih sataghnibhir bhusundibhih sarvato ’vakiran sastrair astrais ca vibudharsabhan SYNONYMS sulaih—by spears; parasvadhaih—by axes; khadgaih—by swords; sataghnibhih—by sataghnis; bhusundibhih—by bhusundis; sarvatah—all around; avakiran—scattered; sastraih—with weapons; astraih—with arrows; ca—and; vibudha-rsabhan—the chiefs of the demigods. TRANSLATION Armed with lances, tridents, axes, swords and other weapons like sataghnis and bhusundis, the demons attacked from different directions and scattered all the chiefs of the demigod armies. SB6.10.24 TEXT 24 na te ’drsyanta sanchannah sara-jalaih samantatah punkhanupunkha-patitair jyotimsiva nabho-ghanaih SYNONYMS na—not; te—they (the demigods); adrsyanta—were seen; sanchannah—being completely covered; sara-jalaih—by networks of arrows; samantatah—all around; punkha-anupunkha—one arrow after another; patitaih—falling; jyotimsi iva—like the stars in the sky; nabhah-ghanaih—by the dense clouds. TRANSLATION As the stars in the sky cannot be seen when covered by dense clouds, the demigods, being completely covered by networks of arrows falling upon them one after another, could not be seen. SB6.10.25 TEXT 25 na te sastrastra-varsaugha hy aseduh sura-sainikan chinnah siddha-pathe devair laghu-hastaih sahasradha SYNONYMS na—not; te—those; sastra-astra-varsa-oghah—showers of arrows and other weapons; hi—indeed; aseduh—reached; sura-sainikan—the armies of the demigods; chinnah—cut; siddha-pathe—in the sky; devaih—by the demigods; laghu-hastaih—quick-handed; sahasradha—into thousands of pieces. TRANSLATION The showers of various weapons and arrows released to kill the soldiers of the demigods did not reach them because the demigods, acting quickly, cut the weapons into thousands of pieces in the sky. SB6.10.26 TEXT 26 atha ksinastra-sastraugha giri-srnga-drumopalaih abhyavarsan sura-balam cicchidus tams ca purvavat SYNONYMS atha—thereupon; ksina—being reduced; astra—of the arrows released by mantras; sastra—and weapons; oghah—the multitudes; giri—of mountains; srnga—with the peaks; druma—with trees; upalaih—and with stones; abhyavarsan—showered; sura-balam—the soldiers of the demigods; cicchiduh—broke to pieces; tan—them; ca—and; purva-vat—as before. TRANSLATION As their weapons and mantras decreased, the demons began showering mountain peaks, trees and stones upon the demigod soldiers, but the demigods were so powerful and expert that they nullified all these weapons by breaking them to pieces in the sky as before. SB6.10.27 TEXT 27 tan aksatan svastimato nisamya sastrastra-pugair atha vrtra-nathah drumair drsadbhir vividhadri-srngair aviksatams tatrasur indra-sainikan SYNONYMS tan—them (the soldiers of the demigods); aksatan—not injured; svasti-matah—being very healthy; nisamya—seeing; sastra-astra-pugaih—by the bunches of weapons and mantras; atha—thereupon; vrtra-nathah—the soldiers led by Vrtrasura; drumaih—by the trees; drsadbhih—by the stones; vividha—various; adri—of mountain s; srngaih—by the peaks; aviksatan—not injured; tatrasuh—became afraid; indra-sainikan—the soldiers of King Indra. TRANSLATION When the soldiers of the demons, commanded by Vrtrasura, saw that the soldiers of King Indra were quite well, having not been injured at all by their volleys of weapons, not even by the trees, stones and mountain peaks, the demons were very much afraid. SB6.10.28 TEXT 28 sarve prayasa abhavan vimoghah krtah krta deva-ganesu daityaih krsnanukulesu yatha mahatsu ksudraih prayukta usati ruksa-vacah SYNONYMS sarve—all; prayasah—endeavors; abhavan—were; vimoghah—futile; krtah—performed; krtah—again performed; deva-ganesu—unto the demigods; daityaih—by the demons; krsna-anukulesu—who were always protected by Krsna; yatha—just as; mahatsu—unto the Vaisnavas; ksudraih—by insignificant persons; prayuktah—used; usatih—unfavorable; ruksa—rough; vacah—words. TRANSLATION When insignificant persons use rough words to cast false, angry accusations against saintly persons, their fruitless words do not disturb the great personalities. Similarly, all the efforts of the demons against the demigods, who were favorably situated under the protection of Krsna, were futile. PURPORT There is a Bengali saying that if a vulture curses a cow to die, the curse will not be effective. Similarly, accusations made by demoniac persons against devotees of Krsna cannot have any effect. The demigods are devotees of Lord Krsna, and therefore the curses of the demons were futile. SB6.10.29 TEXT 29 te sva-prayasam vitatham niriksya harav abhakta hata-yuddha-darpah palayanayaji-mukhe visrjya patim manas te dadhur atta-sarah SYNONYMS te—they (the demons); sva-prayasam—their own endeavors; vitatham—fruitless; niriksya—seeing; harau abhaktah—the asuras, those who are not devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; hata—defeated; yuddha-darpah—their pride in fighting; palayanaya—for leaving the battlefield; aji-mukhe—in the very beginning of the battle; visrjya—leaving aside; patim—their commander, Vrtrasura; manah—their minds; te—all of them; dadhuh—gave; atta-sarah—whose prowess was taken away. TRANSLATION The asuras, who are never devotees of Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, lost their pride in fighting when they found all their endeavors futile. Leaving aside their leader even in the very beginning of the fight, they decided to flee because all their prowess had been taken away by the enemy. SB6.10.30 TEXT 30 vrtro ’surams tan anugan manasvi pradhavatah preksya babhasa etat palayitam preksya balam ca bhagnam bhayena tivrena vihasya virah SYNONYMS vrtrah—Vrtrasura, the commander of the demons; asuran—all the demons; tan—them; anugan—his followers; manasvi—the great-minded; pradhavatah—fleeing; preksya—observing; babhasa—spoke; etat—this; palayitam—fleeing; preksya—seeing; balam—army; ca—and; bhagnam—broken; bhayena—out of fear; tivrena—intense; vihasya—smiling; virah—the great hero. TRANSLATION Seeing his army broken and all the asuras, even those known as great heroes, fleeing the battlefield out of intense fear, Vrtrasura, who was truly a great-minded hero, smiled and spoke the following words. SB6.10.31 TEXT 31 kalopapannam ruciram manasvinam jagada vacam purusa-pravirah he vipracitte namuce puloman mayanarvan chambara me srnudhvam SYNONYMS kala-upapannam—suitable to the time and circumstances; ruciram—very beautiful; manasvinam—to the great, deep-minded personalities; jagada—spoke; vacam—words; purusa-pravirah—the hero among heroes, Vrtrasura; he—O; vipracitte—Vipracitti; namuce—O Namuci; puloman—O Puloma; maya—O Maya; anarvan—O Anarva; sambara—O Sambara; me—from me; srnudhvam—please hear. TRANSLATION According to his position and the time and circumstances, Vrtrasura, the hero among heroes, spoke words that were much to be appreciated by thoughtful men. He called to the heroes of the demons, “O Vipracitti! O Namuci! O Puloma! O Maya, Anarva and Sambara! Please hear me and do not flee.” SB6.10.32 TEXT 32 jatasya mrtyur dhruva eva sarvatah pratikriya yasya na ceha klpta loko yasas catha tato yadi hy amum ko nama mrtyum na vrnita yuktam SYNONYMS jatasya—of one who has taken birth (all living beings); mrtyuh—death; dhruvah—inevitable; eva—indeed; sarvatah—everywhere in the universe; pratikriya—counteraction; yasya—of which; na—not; ca—also; iha—in this material world; klpta—devised; lokah—promotion to higher planets; yasah—reputation and glory; ca—and; atha—then; tatah—from that; yadi—if; hi—indeed; amum—that; kah—who; nama—indeed; mrtyum—death; na—not; vrnita—would accept; yuktam—suitable. TRANSLATION Vrtrasura said: All living entities who have taken birth in this material world must die. Surely, no one in this world has found any means to be saved from death. Even providence has not provided a means to escape it. Under the circumstances, death being inevitable, if one can gain promotion to the higher planetary systems and be always celebrated here by dying a suitable death, what man will not accept such a glorious death? PURPORT If by dying one can be elevated to the higher planetary systems and be ever-famous after his death, who is so foolish that he will refuse such a glorious death? Similar advice was also given by Krsna to Arjuna. “My dear Arjuna,” the Lord said, “do not desist from fighting. If you gain victory in the fight, you will enjoy a kingdom, and even if you die you will be elevated to the heavenly planets.” Everyone should be ready to die while performing glorious deeds. A glorious person is not meant to meet death like cats and dogs. SB6.10.33 TEXT 33 dvau sammatav iha mrtyu durapau yad brahma-sandharanaya jitasuh kalevaram yoga-rato vijahyad yad agranir vira-saye ’nivrttah SYNONYMS dvau—two; sammatau—approved (by sastra and great personalities); iha—in this world; mrtyu—deaths; durapau—extremely rare; yat—which; brahma-sandharanaya—with concentration on Brahman, Paramatma or Parabrahma, Krsna; jita-asuh—controlling the mind and senses; kalevaram—the body; yoga-ratah—being engaged in the performance of yoga; vijahyat—one may leave; yat—which; agranih—taking the lead; vira-saye—on the battlefield; anivrttah—not turning back. TRANSLATION There are two ways to meet a glorious death, and both are very rare. One is to die after performing mystic yoga, especially bhakti-yoga, by which one can control the mind and living force and die absorbed in thought of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The second is to die on the battlefield, leading the army and never showing one’s back. These two kinds of death are recommended in the sastra as glorious. Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Sixth Canto, Tenth Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled “The Battle Between the Demigods and Vrtrasura.”