Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 9: “Liberation”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter Four
SB9.4.46
TEXT 46
evam bruvana utkrtya
jatam rosa-pradipitah
taya sa nirmame tasmai
krtyam kalanalopamam
SYNONYMS
evam—thus; bruvanah—speaking (Durvasa Muni); utkrtya—uprooting; jatam—a bunch of hair; rosa-pradipitah—being reddish because he was very angry; taya—by that bunch of hair from his head; sah—Durvasa Muni; nirmame—created; tasmai—to punish Maharaja Ambarisa; krtyam—a demon; kala-anala-upamam—appearing just like the blazing fire of devastation.
TRANSLATION
As Durvasa Muni said this, his face became red with anger. Uprooting a bunch of hair from his head, he created a demon resembling the blazing fire of devastation to punish Maharaja Ambarisa.
SB9.4.47
TEXT 47
tam apatantim jvalatim
asi-hastam pada bhuvam
vepayantim samudviksya
na cacala padan nrpah
SYNONYMS
tam—that (demon); apatantim—coming forward to attack him; jvalatim—blazing like fire; asi-hastam—with a trident in his hand; pada—with his footstep; bhuvam—the surface of the earth; vepayantim—causing to tremble; samudviksya—seeing him perfectly; na—not; cacala—moved; padat—from his place; nrpah—the King.
TRANSLATION
Taking a trident in his hand and making the surface of the earth tremble with his footsteps, that blazing creature came before Maharaja Ambarisa. But the King, upon seeing him, was not at all disturbed and did not move even slightly from his position.
PURPORT
Narayana-parah sarve na kutascana bibhyati (Bhag. 6.17.28). A pure devotee of Narayana is never afraid of any material danger. There are many examples of devotees such as Prahlada Maharaja, who was tortured by his father but was not at all afraid, although he was only a five-year-old boy. Therefore, following the examples of Ambarisa Maharaja and Prahlada Maharaja, a devotee should learn how to tolerate all such awkward positions in this world. Devotees are often tortured by nondevotees, yet the pure devotee, depending fully on the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is never disturbed by such inimical activities. SB9.4.48 TEXT 48 prag distam bhrtya-raksayam purusena mahatmana dadaha krtyam tam cakram kruddhahim iva pavakah SYNONYMS prak distam—as previously arranged; bhrtya-raksayam—for the protection of his servants; purusena—by the Supreme Person; maha-atmana—by the Supersoul; dadaha—burnt to ashes; krtyam—that created demon; tam—him; cakram—the disc; kruddha—angry; ahim—a serpent; iva—like; pavakah—fire. TRANSLATION As fire in the forest immediately burns to ashes an angry snake, so, by the previous order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, His disc, the Sudarsana cakra, immediately burnt to ashes the created demon to protect the Lord’s devotee. PURPORT As a pure devotee, Maharaja Ambarisa, although in such danger, did not move an inch from his position, nor did he request the Supreme Personality of Godhead to give him protection. He was fixed in understanding, and it was certain that he was simply thinking of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the core of his heart. A devotee is never fearful of his death, for he meditates on the Supreme Personality of Godhead always, not for any material profit, but as his duty. The Lord, however, knows how to protect His devotee. As indicated by the words prag distam, the Lord knew everything. Therefore, before anything happened, He had already arranged for His cakra to protect Maharaja Ambarisa. This protection is offered to a devotee even from the very beginning of his devotional service. Kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati (Bg. 9.31). If one simply begins devotional service, he is immediately protected by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (18.66): aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami. Protection begins immediately. The Lord is so kind and merciful that He gives the devotee proper guidance and all protection, and thus the devotee very peacefully makes solid progress in Krsna consciousness without outward disturbances. A serpent may be very angry and ready to bite, but the furious snake is helpless when faced by a blazing fire in the forest. Although an enemy of a devotee may be very strong, he is compared to an angry serpent before the fire of devotional service. SB9.4.49 TEXT 49 tad-abhidravad udviksya sva-prayasam ca nisphalam durvasa dudruve bhito diksu prana-paripsaya SYNONYMS tat—of that disc; abhidravat—moving toward him; udviksya—after seeing; sva-prayasam—his own attempt; ca—and; nisphalam—having failed; durvasah—Durvasa Muni; dudruve—began to run; bhitah—full of fear; diksu—in every direction; prana-paripsaya—with a desire to save his life. TRANSLATION Upon seeing that his own attempt had failed and that the Sudarsana cakra was moving toward him, Durvasa Muni became very frightened and began to run in all directions to save his life. SB9.4.50 TEXT 50 tam anvadhavad bhagavad-rathangam davagnir uddhuta-sikho yathahim tathanusaktam munir iksamano guham viviksuh prasasara meroh SYNONYMS tam—unto Durvasa; anvadhavat—began to follow; bhagavat-ratha-angam—the disc appearing from the wheel of the Lord’s chariot; dava-agnih—like a forest fire; uddhuta—blazing high; sikhah—having flames; yatha ahim—as it follows a snake; tatha—in the same way; anusaktam—as if touching Durvasa Muni’s back; munih—the sage; iksamanah—seeing like that; guham—a cave; viviksuh—wanted to enter; prasasara—began to move quickly; meroh—of Meru Mountain. TRANSLATION As the blazing flames of a forest fire pursue a snake, the disc of the Supreme Personality of Godhead began following Durvasa Muni. Durvasa Muni saw that the disc was almost touching his back, and thus he ran very swiftly, desiring to enter a cave of Sumeru Mountain. SB9.4.51 TEXT 51 diso nabhah ksmam vivaran samudran lokan sapalams tridivam gatah sah yato yato dhavati tatra tatra sudarsanam dusprasaham dadarsa SYNONYMS disah—all directions; nabhah—in the sky; ksmam—on the surface of the earth; vivaran—within the holes; samudran—within the seas; lokan—all places; sa-palan—as well as their rulers; tridivam—the heavenly planets; gatah—gone; sah—Durvasa Muni; yatah yatah—wheresoever; dhavati—he went; tatra tatra—there, everywhere; sudarsanam—the disc of the Lord; dusprasaham—extremely fearful; dadarsa—Durvasa Muni saw. TRANSLATION Just to protect himself, Durvasa Muni fled everywhere, in all directions—in the sky, on the surface of the earth, in caves, in the ocean, on different planets of the rulers of the three worlds, and even on the heavenly planets—but wherever he went he immediately saw following him the unbearable fire of the Sudarsana cakra. SB9.4.52 TEXT 52 alabdha-nathah sa sada kutascit santrasta-citto ’ranam esamanah devam virincam samagad vidhatas trahy atma-yone ’jita-tejaso mam SYNONYMS alabdha-nathah—without getting the shelter of a protector; sah—Durvasa Muni; sada—always; kutascit—somewhere; santrasta-cittah—with a fearful heart; aranam—a person who can give shelter; esamanah—seeking; devam—at last to the chief demigod; virincam—Lord Brahma; samagat—approached; vidhatah—O my lord; trahi—kindly protect; atma-yone—O Lord Brahma; ajita-tejasah—from the fire released by Ajita, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; mam—unto me. TRANSLATION With a fearful heart, Durvasa Muni went here and there seeking shelter, but when he could find no shelter, he finally approached Lord Brahma and said, “O my lord, O Lord Brahma, kindly protect me from the blazing Sudarsana cakra sent by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” SB9.4.53-54 TEXTS 53–54 sri-brahmovaca sthanam madiyam saha-visvam etat kridavasane dvi-parardha-samjne bhru-bhanga-matrena hi sandidhaksoh kalatmano yasya tirobhavisyati aham bhavo daksa-bhrgu-pradhanah prajesa-bhutesa-suresa-mukhyah sarve vayam yan-niyamam prapanna murdhnyarpitam loka-hitam vahamah SYNONYMS sri-brahma uvaca—Lord Brahma said; sthanam—the place where I am; madiyam—my residence, Brahmaloka; saha—with; visvam—the whole universe; etat—this; krida-avasane—at the end of the period for the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; dvi-parardha-samjne—the time known as the end of a dvi-parardha; bhru-bhanga-matrena—simply by the flicking of the eyebrows; hi—indeed; sandidhaksoh—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, when He desires to burn the whole universe; kala-atmanah—of the form of destruction; yasya—of whom; tirobhavisyati—will be vanquished; aham—I; bhavah—Lord Siva; daksa—Prajapati Daksa; bhrgu—the great saint Bhrgu; pradhanah—and others headed by them; praja-isa—the controllers of the prajas; bhuta-isa—the controllers of the living entities; sura-isa—the controllers of the demigods; mukhyah—headed by them; sarve—all of them; vayam—we also; yat-niyamam—whose regulative principle; prapannah—are surrendered; murdhnya arpitam—bowing our heads; loka-hitam—for the benefit of all living entities; vahamah—carry out the orders ruling over the living entities. TRANSLATION Lord Brahma said: At the end of the dvi-parardha, when the pastimes of the Lord come to an end, Lord Visnu, by a flick of His eyebrows, vanquishes the entire universe, including our places of residence. Such personalities as me and Lord Siva, as well as Daksa, Bhrgu and similar great saints of which they are the head, and also the rulers of the living entities, the rulers of human society and the rulers of the demigods—all of us surrender to that Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Visnu, bowing our heads, to carry out His orders for the benefit of all living entities. PURPORT In Bhagavad-gita (10.34) it is said, mrtyuh sama-haras caham: when the Supreme Personality of Godhead approaches as death, or the supreme controller of time, He takes everything away. In other words, all opulence, prestige and everything we possess is given by the Supreme Lord for some purpose. It is the duty of the surrendered soul to execute the orders of the Supreme. No one can disregard Him. Under the circumstances, Lord Brahma refused to give shelter to Durvasa Muni from the powerful Sudarsana cakra sent by the Lord. SB9.4.55 TEXT 55 pratyakhyato virincena visnu-cakropatapitah durvasah saranam yatah sarvam kailasa-vasinam SYNONYMS pratyakhyatah—being refused; virincena—by Lord Brahma; visnu-cakra-upatapitah—being scorched by the blazing fire of Lord Visnu’s disc; durvasah—the great mystic named Durvasa; saranam—f or shelter; yatah—went; sarvam—unto Lord Siva; kailasa-vasinam—the resident of the place known as Kailasa. TRANSLATION When Durvasa, who was greatly afflicted by the blazing fire of the Sudarsana cakra, was thus refused by Lord Brahma, he tried to take shelter of Lord Siva, who always resides on his planet, known as Kailasa. SB9.4.56 TEXT 56 sri-sankara uvaca vayam na tata prabhavama bhumni yasmin pare ’nye ’py aja-jiva-kosah bhavanti kale na bhavanti hidrsah sahasraso yatra vayam bhramamah SYNONYMS sri-sankarah uvaca—Lord Siva said; vayam—we; na—not; tata—O my dear son; prabhavamah—sufficiently able; bhumni—unto the great Supreme Personality of Godhead; yasmin—in whom; pare—in the Transcendence; anye—others; api—even; aja—Lord Brahma; jiva—living entities; kosah—the universes; bhavanti—can become; kale—in due course of time; na—not; bhavanti—can become; hi—indeed; idrsah—like this; sahasrasah—many thousands and millions; yatra—wherein; vayam—all of us; bhramamah—are rotating. TRANSLATION Lord Siva said: My dear son, I, Lord Brahma and the other demigods, who rotate within this universe under the misconception of our greatness, cannot exhibit any power to compete with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for innumerable universes and their inhabitants come into existence and are annihilated by the simple direction of the Lord. PURPORT There are innumerable universes in the material world, and there are innumerable Lord Brahmas, Lord Sivas and other demigods. All of them rotate within this material world under the supreme direction of the Personality of Godhead. Therefore no one is able to compete with the strength of the Lord. Lord Siva also refused to protect Durvasa, for Lord Siva also was under the rays of the Sudarsana cakra sent by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. SB9.4.57-59 TEXTS 57–59 aham sanat-kumaras ca narado bhagavan ajah kapilo ’pantaratamo devalo dharma asurih marici-pramukhas canye siddhesah para-darsanah vidama na vayam sarve yan-mayam mayayavrtah tasya visvesvarasyedam sastram durvisaham hi nah tam evam saranam yahi haris te sam vidhasyati SYNONYMS aham—I; sanat-kumarah ca—and the four Kumaras (Sanaka, Sanatana, Sanat-kumara and Sananda); naradah—the heavenly sage Narada; bhagavan ajah—the supreme creature of the universe, Lord Brahma; kapilah—the son of Devahuti; apantaratamah—Vyasadeva; devalah—the great sage Devala; dharmah—Yamaraja; asurih—the great saint Asuri; marici—the great saint Marici; pramukhah—headed by; ca—also; anye—others; siddha-isah—all of them perfect in their knowledge; para-darsanah—they have seen the end of all knowledge; vidamah—can understand; na—not; vayam—all of us; sarve—totally; yat-mayam—the illusory energy of whom; mayaya—by that illusory energy; avrtah—being covered; tasya—His; visva-isvarasya—of the Lord of the universe; idam—this; sastram—weapon (the disc); durvisaham—even intolerable; hi—indeed; nah—of us; tam—to Him; evam—therefore; saranam yahi—go to take shelter; harih—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; te—for you; sam—auspiciousness; vidhasyati—certainly will perform. TRANSLATION Past, present and future are known to me [Lord Siva], Sanat-kumara, Narada, the most revered Lord Brahma, Kapila [the son of Devahuti], Apantaratama [Lord Vyasadeva], Devala, Yamaraja, Asuri, Marici and many saintly persons headed by him, as well as many others who have achieved perfection. Nonetheless, because we are covered by the illusory energy of the Lord, we cannot understand how expansive that illusory energy is. You should simply approach that Supreme Personality of Godhead to get relief, for this Sudarsana cakra is intolerable even to us. Go to Lord Visnu. He will certainly be kind enough to bestow all good fortune upon you. SB9.4.60 TEXT 60 tato niraso durvasah padam bhagavato yayau vaikunthakhyam yad adhyaste srinivasah sriya saha SYNONYMS tatah—thereafter; nirasah—disappointed; durvasah—the great mystic Durvasa; padam—to the place; bhagavatah—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu; yayau—went; vaikuntha-akhyam—the place known as Vaikuntha; yat—wherein; adhyaste—lives perpetually; srinivasah—Lord Visnu; sriya—with the goddess of fortune; saha—with. TRANSLATION Thereafter, being disappointed even in taking shelter of Lord Siva, Durvasa Muni went to Vaikuntha-dhama, where the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana, resides with His consort, the goddess of fortune. SB9.4.61 TEXT 61 sandahyamano ’jita-sastra-vahnina tat-pada-mule patitah savepathuh ahacyutananta sad-ipsita prabho krtagasam mavahi visva-bhavana SYNONYMS sandahyamanah—being burned by the heat; ajita-sastra-vahnina—by the blazing fire of the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s weapon; tat-pada-mule—at His lotus feet; patitah—falling down; sa-vepathuh—with trembling of the body; aha—said; acyuta—O my Lord, O infallible one; ananta—O You of unlimited prowess; sat-ipsita—O Lord desired by saintly persons; prabho—O Supreme; krta-agasam—the greatest offender; ma—to me; avahi—give protection; visva-bhavana—O well-wisher of the whole universe. TRANSLATION Durvasa Muni, the great mystic, scorched by the heat of the Sudarsana cakra, fell at the lotus feet of Narayana. His body trembling, he spoke as follows: O infallible, unlimited Lord, protector of the entire universe, You are the only desirable objective for all devotees. I am a great offender, my Lord. Please give me protection. SB9.4.62 TEXT 62 ajanata te paramanubhavam krtam mayagham bhavatah priyanam vidhehi tasyapacitim vidhatar mucyeta yan-namny udite narako ’pi SYNONYMS ajanata—without knowledge; te—of Your Lordship; parama-anubhavam—the inconceivable prowess; krtam—has been committed; maya—by me; agham—a great offense; bhavatah—of Your Lordship; priyanam—at the feet of the devotees; vidhehi—now kindly do the needful; tasya—of such an offense; apacitim—counteraction; vidhatah—O supreme controller; mucyeta—can be delivered; yat—of whose; namni—when the name; udite—is awakened; narakah api—even a person fit for going to hell. TRANSLATION O my Lord, O supreme controller, without knowledge of Your unlimited prowess I have offended Your most dear devotee. Very kindly save me from the reaction of this offense. You can do everything, for even if a person is fit for going to hell, You can deliver him simply by awakening within his heart the holy name of Your Lordship. SB9.4.63 TEXT 63 sri-bhagavan uvaca aham bhakta-paradhino hy asvatantra iva dvija sadhubhir grasta-hrdayo bhaktair bhakta-jana-priyah SYNONYMS sri-bhagavan uvaca—the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; aham—I; bhakta-paradhinah—am dependent on the will of My devotees; hi—indeed; asvatantrah—am not independent; iva—exactly like that; dvija—O brahmana; sadhubhih—by pure devotees, completely free from all material desires; grasta-hrdayah—My heart is controlled; bhaktaih—because they are devotees; bhakta-jana-priyah—I am dependent not only on My devotee but also on My devotee’s devotee (the devotee’s devotee is extremely dear to Me). TRANSLATION The Supreme Personality of Godhead said to the brahmana: I am completely under the control of My devotees. Indeed, I am not at all independent. Because My devotees are completely devoid of material desires, I sit only within the cores of their hearts. What to speak of My devotee, even those who are devotees of My devotee are very dear to Me. PURPORT All the great stalwart personalities in the universe, including Lord Brahma and Lord Siva, are fully under the control of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but the Supreme Personality of Godhead is fully under the control of His devotee. Why is this? Because the devotee is anyabhilasita-sunya; in other words, he has no material desires in his heart. His only desire is to think always of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and how to serve Him best. Because of this transcendental qualification, the Supreme Lord is extremely favorable to the devotees—indeed, not only the devotees, but also the devotees of the devotees. Srila Narottama dasa Thakura says, chadiya vaisnava-seva nistara payeche keba: without being a devotee of a devotee, one cannot be released from material entanglement. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu identified Himself as gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasa-dasanudasah. Thus he instructed us to become not directly servants of Krsna but servants of the servant of Krsna. Devotees like Brahma, Narada, Vyasadeva and Sukadeva Gosvami are directly servants of Krsna, and one who becomes a servant of Narada, Vyasadeva and Sukadeva, like the six Gosvamis, is still more devoted. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura therefore says, yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah: ** if one very sincerely serves the spiritual master, Krsna certainly becomes favorable to such a devotee. Following the instructions of a devotee is more valuable than following the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly. SB9.4.64 TEXT 64 naham atmanam asase mad-bhaktaih sadhubhir vina sriyam catyantikim brahman yesam gatir aham para SYNONYMS na—not; aham—I; atmanam—transcendental bliss; asase—desire; mat-bhaktaih—with My devotees; sadhubhih—with the saintly persons; vina—without them; sriyam—all My six opulences; ca—also; atyantikim—the supreme; brahman—O brahmana; yesam—of whom; gatih—destination; aham—I am; para—the ultimate. TRANSLATION O best of the brahmanas, without saintly persons for whom I am the only destination, I do not desire to enjoy My transcendental bliss and My supreme opulences. PURPORT The Supreme Personality of Godhead is self-sufficient, but to enjoy His transcendental bliss He requires the cooperation of His devotees. In Vrndavana, for example, although Lord Krsna is full in Himself, He wants the cooperation of His devotees like the cowherd boys and the gopis to increase His transcendental bliss. Such pure devotees, who can increase the pleasure potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, are certainly most dear to Him. Not only does the Supreme Personality of Godhead enjoy the company of His devotees, but because He is unlimited He wants to increase His devotees unlimitedly. Thus, He descends to the material world to induce the nondevotees and rebellious living entities to return home, back to Godhead. He requests them to surrender unto Him because, unlimited as He is, He wants to increase His devotees unlimitedly. The Krsna consciousness movement is an attempt to increase the number of pure devotees of the Supreme Lord more and more. It is certain that a devotee who helps in this endeavor to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead becomes indirectly a controller of the Supreme Lord. Although the Supreme Lord is full in six opulences, He does not feel transcendental bliss without His devotees. An example that may be cited in this regard is that if a very rich man does not have sons in a family he does not feel happiness. Indeed, sometimes a rich man adopts a son to complete his happiness. The science of transcendental bliss is known to the pure devotee. Therefore the pure devotee is always engaged in increasing the transcendental happiness of the Lord. SB9.4.65 TEXT 65 ye daragara-putrapta- pranan vittam imam param hitva mam saranam yatah katham tams tyaktum utsahe SYNONYMS ye—those devotees of Mine who; dara—wife; agara—house; putra—children, sons; apta—relatives, society; pranan—even life; vittam—wealth; imam—all these; param—elevation to the heavenly planets or becoming one by merging into Brahman; hitva—giving up (all these ambitions and paraphernalia); mam—unto Me; saranam—shelter; yatah—having taken; katham—how; tan—such persons; tyaktum—to give them up; utsahe—I can be enthusiastic in that way (it is not possible). TRANSLATION Since pure devotees give up their homes, wives, children, relatives, riches and even their lives simply to serve Me, without any desire for material improvement in this life or in the next, how can I give up such devotees at any time? PURPORT The Supreme Personality of Godhead is worshiped by the words brahmanya-devaya go-brahmana-hitaya ca. Thus He is the well-wisher of the brahmanas. Durvasa Muni was certainly a very great brahmana, but because he was a nondevotee, he could not sacrifice everything in devotional service. Great mystic yogis are actually self-interested. The proof is that when Durvasa Muni created a demon to kill Maharaja Ambarisa, the King stayed fixed in his place, praying to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and depending solely and wholly on Him, whereas when Durvasa Muni was chased by the Sudarsana cakra by the supreme will of the Lord, he was so perturbed that he fled all over the world and tried to take shelter in every nook and corner of the universe. At last, in fear of his life, he approached Lord Brahma, Lord Siva and ultimately the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He was so interested in his own body that he wanted to kill the body of a Vaisnava. Therefore, he did not have very good intelligence, and how can an unintelligent person be delivered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead? The Lord certainly tries to give all protection to His devotees who have given up everything for the sake of serving Him. Another point in this verse is that attachment to daragara-putrapta—home, wife, children, friendship, society and love—is not the way to achieve the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One who is attached to hearth and home for material pleasure cannot become a pure devotee. Sometimes a pure devotee may have a habit or attraction for wife, children and home but at the same time want to serve the Supreme Lord to the best of his ability. For such a devotee, the Lord makes a special arrangement to take away the objects of his false attachment and thus free him from attachment to wife, home, children, friends and so on. This is special mercy bestowed upon the devotee to bring him back home, back to Godhead. SB9.4.66 TEXT 66 mayi nirbaddha-hrdayah sadhavah sama-darsanah vase kurvanti mam bhaktya sat-striyah sat-patim yatha SYNONYMS mayi—unto Me; nirbaddha-hrdayah—firmly attached in the core of the heart; sadhavah—the pure devotees; sama-darsanah—who are equal to everyone; vase—under control; kurvanti—they make; mam—unto Me; bhaktya—by devotional service; sat-striyah—chaste women; sat-patim—unto the gentle husband; yatha—as. TRANSLATION As chaste women bring their gentle husbands under control by service, the pure devotees, who are equal to everyone and completely attached to Me in the core of the heart, bring Me under their full control. PURPORT In this verse, the word sama-darsanah is significant. The pure devotee is actually equal toward everyone, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (18.54): brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati/ samah sarvesu bhutesu. Universal brotherhood is possible when one is a pure devotee (panditah sama-darsinah [Bg. 5.18]). A pure devotee is actually learned because he knows his constitutional position, he knows the position of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and he knows the relationship between the living entity and the Supreme Lord. Thus he has full spiritual knowledge and is automatically liberated (brahma-bhutah). He can therefore see everyone on the spiritual platform. He can comprehend the happiness and distress of all living entities. He understands that what is happiness to him is also happiness to others and that what is distress to him is distressing for others. Therefore he is sympathetic to everyone. As Prahlada Maharaja said: soce tato vimukha-cetasa indriyartha- People suffer from material distress because they are not attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A pure devotee’s chief concern, therefore, is to raise the ignorant mass of people to the sense of Krsna consciousness. SB9.4.67 TEXT 67 mat-sevaya pratitam te salokyadi-catustayam necchanti sevaya purnah kuto ’nyat kala-viplutam SYNONYMS mat-sevaya—by being engaged fully in My transcendental loving service; pratitam—automatically achieved; te—such pure devotees are fully satisfied; salokya-adi-catustayam—the four different types of liberation (salokya, sarupya, samipya and sarsti, what to speak of sayujya); na—not; icchanti—desire; sevaya—simply by devotional service; purnah—fully complete; kutah—where is the question; anyat—other things; kala-viplutam—which are finished in the course of time. TRANSLATION My devotees, who are always satisfied to be engaged in My loving service, are not interested even in the four principles of liberation [salokya, sarupya, samipya and sarsti], although these are automatically achieved by their service. What then is to be said of such perishable happiness as elevation to the higher planetary systems? PURPORT Srila Bilvamangala Thakura has estimated the value of liberation as follows: muktih svayam mukulitanjalih sevate ’sman Bilvamangala Thakura realized that if one develops his natural devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, mukti stands before him with folded hands to offer all kinds of service. In other words, the devotee is already liberated. There is no need for him to aspire for different types of liberation. The pure devotee automatically achieves liberation, even without desiring it. SB9.4.68 TEXT 68 sadhavo hrdayam mahyam sadhunam hrdayam tv aham mad-anyat te na jananti naham tebhyo manag api SYNONYMS sadhavah—the pure devotees; hrdayam—in the core of the heart; mahyam—of Me; sadhunam—of the pure devotees also; hrdayam—in the core of the heart; tu—indeed; aham—I am; mat-anyat—anything else but me; te—they; na—not; jananti—know; na—not; aham—I; tebhyah—than them; manak api—even by a little fraction. TRANSLATION The pure devotee is always within the core of My heart, and I am always in the heart of the pure devotee. My devotees do not know anything else but Me, and I do not know anyone else but them. PURPORT Since Durvasa Muni wanted to chastise Maharaja Ambarisa, it is to be understood that he wanted to give pain to the heart of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for the Lord says, sadhavo hrdayam mahyam: “The pure devotee is always within the core of My heart.” The Lord’s feelings are like those of a father, who feels pain when his child is in pain. Therefore, offenses at the lotus feet of a devotee are serious. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has very strongly recommended that one not commit any offense at the lotus feet of a devotee. Such offenses are compared to a mad elephant because when a mad elephant enters a garden it causes devastation. Therefore one should be extremely careful not to commit offenses at the lotus feet of a pure devotee. Actually Maharaja Ambarisa was not at all at fault; Durvasa Muni unnecessarily wanted to chastise him on flimsy grounds. Maharaja Ambarisa wanted to complete the Ekadasi-parana as part of devotional service to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore he drank a little water. But although Durvasa Muni was a great mystic brahmana, he did not know what is what. That is the difference between a pure devotee and a so-called learned scholar of Vedic knowledge. The devotees, being always situated in the core of the Lord’s heart, surely get all instructions directly from the Lord, as confirmed by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gita (10.11): tesam evanukampartham “Out of compassion for them, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.” The devotee does not do anything not sanctioned by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As it is said, vaisnavera kriya mudra vijneha na bujhaya. Even the most learned or experienced person cannot understand the movements of a Vaisnava, a pure devotee. No one, therefore, should criticize a pure Vaisnava. A Vaisnava knows his own business; whatever he does is precisely right because he is always guided by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. SB9.4.69 TEXT 69 upayam kathayisyami tava vipra srnusva tat ayam hy atmabhicaras te yatas tam yahi ma ciram sadhusu prahitam tejah prahartuh kurute ’sivam SYNONYMS upayam—the means of protection in this dangerous position; kathayisyami—I shall speak to you; tava—of your deliverance from this danger; vipra—O brahmana; srnusva—just hear from me; tat—what I say; ayam—this action taken by you; hi—indeed; atma-abhicarah—self-envy or envious of yourself (your mind has become your enemy); te—for you; yatah—because of whom; tam—to him (Maharaja Ambarisa); yahi—immediately go; ma ciram—do not wait even a moment; sadhusu—unto devotees; prahitam—applied; tejah—power; prahartuh—of the executor; kurute—does; asivam—inauspiciousness. TRANSLATION O brahmana, let Me now advise you for your own protection. Please hear from Me. By offending Maharaja Ambarisa, you have acted with self-envy. Therefore you should go to him immediately, without a moment’s delay. One’s so-called prowess, when employed against the devotee, certainly harms he who employs it. Thus it is the subject, not the object, who is harmed. PURPORT A Vaisnava is always an object of envy for nondevotees, even when the nondevotee happens to be his father. To give a practical example, Hiranyakasipu was envious of Prahlada Maharaja, but this envy of the devotee was harmful to Hiranyakasipu, not to Prahlada. Every action taken by Hiranyakasipu against his son Prahlada Maharaja was taken very seriously by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and thus when Hiranyakasipu was on the verge of killing Prahlada, the Lord personally appeared and killed Hiranyakasipu. Service to a Vaisnava gradually accumulates and becomes an asset for the devotee. Similarly, harmful activities directed against the devotee gradually become the ultimate cause of the performer’s falldown. Even such a great brahmana and mystic yogi as Durvasa was in a most dangerous situation because of his offense at the lotus feet of Maharaja Ambarisa, a pure devotee. SB9.4.70 TEXT 70 tapo vidya ca vipranam nihsreyasa-kare ubhe te eva durvinitasya kalpete kartur anyatha SYNONYMS tapah—austerities; vidya—knowledge; ca—also; vipranam—of the brahmanas; nihsreyasa—of what is certainly very auspicious for upliftment; kare—are causes; ubhe—both of them; te—such austerity and knowledge; eva—indeed; durvinitasya—when such a person is an upstart; kalpete—become; kartuh—of the performer; anyatha—just the opposite. TRANSLATION For a brahmana, austerity and learning are certainly auspicious, but when acquired by a person who is not gentle, such austerity and learning are most dangerous. PURPORT It is said that a jewel is very valuable, but when it is on the hood of a serpent, it is dangerous despite its value. Similarly, when a materialistic nondevotee achieves great success in learning and austerity, that success is dangerous for all of society. So-called learned scientists, for example, invented atomic weapons that are dangerous for all humanity. It is therefore said, manina bhusitah sarpah kim asau na bhayankarah. A serpent with a jewel on its hood is as dangerous as a serpent without such a jewel. Durvasa Muni was a very learned brahmana equipped with mystic power, but because he was not a gentleman, he did not know how to use his power. He was therefore extremely dangerous. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is never inclined toward a dangerous person who uses his mystic power for some personal design. By the laws of nature, therefore, such misuse of power is ultimately dangerous not for society but for the person who misuses it. SB9.4.71 TEXT 71 brahmams tad gaccha bhadram te nabhaga-tanayam nrpam ksamapaya maha-bhagam tatah santir bhavisyati SYNONYMS brahman—O brahmana; tat—therefore; gaccha—you go; bhadram—all auspiciousness; te—unto you; nabhaga-tanayam—to the son of Maharaja Nabhaga; nrpam—the King (Ambarisa); ksamapaya—just try to pacify him; maha-bhagam—a great personality, a pure devotee; tatah—thereafter; santih—peace; bhavisyati—there will be. TRANSLATION O best of the brahmanas, you should therefore go immediately to King Ambarisa, the son of Maharaja Nabhaga. I wish you all good fortune. If you can satisfy Maharaja Ambarisa, then there will be peace for you. PURPORT In this regard, Madhva Muni quotes from the Garuda Purana: brahmadi-bhakti-koty-amsad tatkalikopaceyatvat mohanaya ca daityanam manusesuttamatvac ca durvasas ca svayam rudras The lesson to be derived from this narration concerning Maharaja Ambarisa and Durvasa Muni is that all the demigods, including Lord Brahma and Lord Siva, are under the control of Lord Visnu. Therefore, when a Vaisnava is offended, the offender is punished by Visnu, the Supreme Lord. No one can protect such a person, even Lord Brahma or Lord Siva. Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Ninth Canto, Fourth Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled “Ambarisa Maharaja Offended by Durvasa Muni.”
maya-sukhaya bharam udvahato vimudhan
dharmartha-kama-gatayah samaya-pratiksah
aham ajnana-jam tamah
nasayamy atma-bhavastho
jnana-dipena bhasvata
amso naivambarisake
naivanyasya cakrasyapi
tathapi harir isvarah
tesam yasasa adirat
brahmadayas ca tat-kirtim
vyanjayam asur uttamam
brahmade nindanaya ca
anyartham ca svayam visnur
brahmadyas ca nirasisah
tesam bhaktyadibhir gunaih
brahmader visnv-adhinatva-
jnapanaya ca kevalam
tathapy anyayam uktavan
tasyapy anugraharthaya
darpa-nasartham eva ca