Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 9: “Liberation”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter Five
Durvasa Muni’s Life Spared
SB9.5Summary
In this chapter we find Maharaja Ambarisa offering prayers to the Sudarsana cakra and we find how the Sudarsana cakra became merciful to Durvasa Muni.
By the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, Durvasa Muni immediately went to Maharaja Ambarisa and fell at his lotus feet. Maharaja Ambarisa, being naturally very humble and meek, felt shy and ashamed because Durvasa Muni had fallen at his feet, and thus he began to offer prayers to the Sudarsana cakra just to save Durvasa. What is this Sudarsana cakra? The Sudarsana cakra is the glance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by which He creates the entire material world. Sa aiksata, sa asrjata. This is the Vedic version. The Sudarsana cakra, which is the origin of creation and is most dear to the Lord, has thousands of spokes. This Sudarsana cakra is the killer of the prowess of all other weapons, the killer of darkness, and the manifester of the prowess of devotional service; it is the means of establishing religious principles, and it is the killer of all irreligious activities. Without his mercy, the universe cannot be maintained, and therefore the Sudarsana cakra is employed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When Maharaja Ambarisa thus prayed that the Sudarsana cakra be merciful, the Sudarsana cakra, being appeased, refrained from killing Durvasa Muni, who thus achieved the Sudarsana cakra’s mercy. Durvasa Muni thus learned to give up the nasty idea of considering a Vaisnava an ordinary person (vaisnave jati-buddhi). Maharaja Ambarisa belonged to the ksatriya group, and therefore Durvasa Muni considered him lower than the brahmanas and wanted to exercise brahminical power against him. By this incident, everyone should learn how to stop mischievous ideas of neglecting Vaisnavas. After this incident, Maharaja Ambarisa gave Durvasa Muni sumptuous food to eat, and then the King, who had been standing in the same place for one year without eating anything, also took prasada. Maharaja Ambarisa later divided his property among his sons and went to the bank of the Manasa-sarovara to execute devotional meditation. SB9.5.1 TEXT 1 sri-suka uvaca evam bhagavatadisto durvasas cakra-tapitah ambarisam upavrtya tat-padau duhkhito ’grahit SYNONYMS sri-sukah uvaca—Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; evam—in this way; bhagavata adistah—being ordered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; durvasah—the great mystic yogi named Durvasa; cakra-tapitah—being very much harassed by the Sudarsana cakra; ambarisam—unto Maharaja Ambarisa; upavrtya—approaching; tat-padau—at his lotus feet; duhkhitah—being very much aggrieved; agrahit—he caught. TRANSLATION Sukadeva Gosvami said: When thus advised by Lord Visnu, Durvasa Muni, who was very much harassed by the Sudarsana cakra, immediately approached Maharaja Ambarisa. Being very much aggrieved, the muni fell down and clasped the King’s lotus feet. SB9.5.2 TEXT 2 tasya sodyamam aviksya pada-sparsa-vilajjitah astavit tad dharer astram krpaya pidito bhrsam SYNONYMS tasya—of Durvasa; sah—he, Maharaja Ambarisa; udyamam—the endeavor; aviksya—after seeing; pada-sparsa-vilajjitah—being ashamed because Durvasa was touching his lotus feet; astavit—offered prayers; tat—to that; hareh astram—weapon of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; krpaya—with mercy; piditah—aggrieved; bhrsam—very much. TRANSLATION When Durvasa touched his lotus feet, Maharaja Ambarisa was very much ashamed, and when he saw Durvasa attempting to offer prayers, because of mercy he was aggrieved even more. Thus he immediately began offering prayers to the great weapon of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. SB9.5.3 TEXT 3 ambarisa uvaca tvam agnir bhagavan suryas tvam somo jyotisam patih tvam apas tvam ksitir vyoma vayur matrendriyani ca SYNONYMS ambarisah—Maharaja Ambarisa; uvaca—said; tvam—you (are); agnih—the fire; bhagavan—the most powerful; suryah—the sun; tvam—you (are); somah—the moon; jyotisam—of all the luminaries; patih—the master; tvam—you (are); apah—water; tvam—you (are); ksitih—earth; vyoma—sky; vayuh—the air; matra—the objects of the senses; indriyani—and the senses; ca—also. TRANSLATION Maharaja Ambarisa said: O Sudarsana cakra, you are fire, you are the most powerful sun, and you are the moon, the master of all luminaries. You are water, earth and sky, you are the air, you are the five sense objects [sound, touch, form, taste and smell], and you are the senses also. SB9.5.4 TEXT 4 sudarsana namas tubhyam sahasraracyuta-priya sarvastra-ghatin vipraya svasti bhuya idaspate SYNONYMS sudarsana—O original vision of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; namah—respectful obeisances; tubhyam—unto you; sahasra-ara—O you who have thousands of spokes; acyuta-priya—O most favorite of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Acyuta; sarva-astra-ghatin—O destroyer of all weapons; vipraya—unto this brahmana; svasti—very auspicious; bhuyah—just become; idaspate—O master of the material world. TRANSLATION O most favorite of Acyuta, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, you have thousands of spokes. O master of the material world, destroyer of all weapons, original vision of the Personality of Godhead, I offer my respectful obeisances unto you. Kindly give shelter and be auspicious to this brahmana. SB9.5.5 TEXT 5 tvam dharmas tvam rtam satyam tvam yajno ’khila-yajna-bhuk tvam loka-palah sarvatma tvam tejah paurusam param SYNONYMS tvam—you; dharmah—religion; tvam—you; rtam—encouraging statements; satyam—the ultimate truth; tvam—you; yajnah—sacrifice; akhila—universal; yajna-bhuk—the enjoyer of the fruits resulting from sacrifice; tvam—you; loka-palah—the maintainer of the various planets; sarva-atma—all-pervading; tvam—you; tejah—prowess; paurusam—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; param—transcendental. TRANSLATION O Sudarsana wheel, you are religion, you are truth, you are encouraging statements, you are sacrifice, and you are the enjoyer of the fruits of sacrifice. You are the maintainer of the entire universe, and you are the supreme transcendental prowess in the hands of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You are the original vision of the Lord, and therefore you are known as Sudarsana. Everything has been created by your activities, and therefore you are all-pervading. PURPORT The word sudarsana means “auspicious vision.” From Vedic instructions we understand that this material world is created by the glance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (sa aiksata, sa asrjata). The Supreme Personality of Godhead glanced over the mahat-tattva, or the total material energy, and when it was agitated, everything came into existence. Western philosophers sometimes think that the original cause of creation was a chunk that exploded. If one thinks of this chunk as the total material energy, the mahat-tattva, one can understand that the chunk was agitated by the glance of the Lord, and thus the Lord’s glance is the original cause of material creation. SB9.5.6 TEXT 6 namah sunabhakhila-dharma-setave hy adharma-silasura-dhuma-ketave trailokya-gopaya visuddha-varcase mano-javayadbhuta-karmane grne SYNONYMS namah—all respectful obeisances unto you; su-nabha—O you who have an auspicious hub; akhila-dharma-setave—whose spokes are considered to be a breech of the entire universe; hi—indeed; adharma-sila—who are irreligious; asura—for the demons; dhuma-ketave—unto you who are like fire or an inauspicious comet; trailokya—of the three material worlds; gopaya—the maintainer; visuddha—transcendental; varcase—whose effulgence; manah-javaya—as speedy as the mind; adbhuta—wonderful; karmane—so active; grne—I simply utter. TRANSLATION O Sudarsana, you have a very auspicious hub, and therefore you are the upholder of all religion. You are just like an inauspicious comet for the irreligious demons. Indeed, you are the maintainer of the three worlds, you are full of transcendental effulgence, you are as quick as the mind, and you are able to work wonders. I can simply utter the word namah, offering all obeisances unto you. PURPORT The disc of the Lord is called Sudarsana because he does not discriminate between high and low criminals or demons. Durvasa Muni was certainly a powerful brahmana, but his acts against the pure devotee Maharaja Ambarisa were no better than the activities of asuras. As stated in the sastras, dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam: [SB 6.3.19] the word dharma refers to the orders or laws given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: [Bg. 18.66] real dharma is surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore real dharma means bhakti, or devotional service to the Lord. The Sudarsana cakra is here addressed as dharma-setave, the protector of dharma. Maharaja Ambarisa was a truly religious person, and consequently for his protection the Sudarsana cakra was ready to punish even such a strict brahmana as Durvasa Muni because he had acted like a demon. There are demons even in the form of brahmanas. Therefore the Sudarsana cakra does not discriminate between brahmana demons and sudra demons. Anyone against the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His devotees is called a demon. In the sastras we find many brahmanas and ksatriyas who acted as demons and have been described as demons. According to the verdict of the sastras, one has to be understood according to his symptoms. If one is born of a brahmana father but his symptoms are demoniac, he is regarded as a demon. The Sudarsana cakra is always concerned with annihilating the demons. Therefore he is described as adharma-silasura-dhuma-ketave. Those who are not devotees are called adharma-sila. The Sudarsana cakra is just like an inauspicious comet for all such demons. SB9.5.7 TEXT 7 tvat-tejasa dharma-mayena samhrtam tamah prakasas ca drso mahatmanam duratyayas te mahima giram pate tvad-rupam etat sad-asat paravaram SYNONYMS tvat-tejasa—by your effulgence; dharma-mayena—which is full of religious principles; samhrtam—dissipated; tamah—darkness; prakasah ca—illumination also; drsah—of all directions; maha-atmanam—of great, learned personalities; duratyayah—insurmountable; te—your; mahima—glories; giram pate—O master of speech; tvat-rupam—your manifestation; etat—this; sat-asat—manifested and unmanifested; para-avaram—superior and inferior. TRANSLATION O master of speech, by your effulgence, full of religious principles, the darkness of the world is dissipated, and the knowledge of learned persons or great souls is manifested. Indeed, no one can surpass your effulgence, for all things, manifested and unmanifested, gross and subtle, superior and inferior, are but various forms of you that are manifested by your effulgence. PURPORT Without illumination, nothing can be seen, especially in this material world. The illumination in this world emanates from the effulgence of Sudarsana, the original vision of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The illuminating principles of the sun, the moon and fire emanate from Sudarsana. Similarly, illumination by knowledge also comes from Sudarsana because with the illumination of Sudarsana one can distinguish one thing from another, the superior from the inferior. Generally people accept a powerful yogi like Durvasa Muni as wonderfully superior, but if such a person is chased by the Sudarsana cakra, we can see his real identity and understand how inferior he is because of his dealings with devotees. SB9.5.8 TEXT 8 yada visrstas tvam ananjanena vai balam pravisto ’jita daitya-danavam bahudarorv-anghri-sirodharani vrscann ajasram pradhane virajase SYNONYMS yada—when; visrstah—sent; tvam—your good self; ananjanena—by the transcendental Supreme Personality of Godhead; vai—indeed; balam—the soldiers; pravistah—entering among; ajita—O indefatigable and unconquerable one; daitya-danavam—of the Daityas and Danavas, the demons; bahu—arms; udara—bellies; uru—thighs; anghri—legs; sirah-dharani—necks; vrscan—separating; ajasram—incessantly; pradhane—in the battlefield; virajase—you stay. TRANSLATION O indefatigable one, when you are sent by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to enter among the soldiers of the Daityas and the Danavas, you stay on the battlefield and unendingly separate their arms, bellies, thighs, legs and heads. SB9.5.9 TEXT 9 sa tvam jagat-trana khala-prahanaye nirupitah sarva-saho gada-bhrta viprasya casmat-kula-daiva-hetave vidhehi bhadram tad anugraho hi nah SYNONYMS sah—that person; tvam—your good self; jagat-trana—O protector of the whole universe; khala-prahanaye—in killing the envious enemies; nirupitah—are engaged; sarva-sahah—all-powerful; gada-bhrta—by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; viprasya—of this brahmana; ca—also; asmat—our; kula-daiva-hetave—for the good fortune of the dynasty; vidhehi—kindly do; bhadram—all-good; tat—that; anugrahah—favor; hi—indeed; nah—our. TRANSLATION O protector of the universe, you are engaged by the Supreme Personality of Godhead as His all-powerful weapon in killing the envious enemies. For the benefit of our entire dynasty, kindly favor this poor brahmana. This will certainly be a favor for all of us. SB9.5.10 TEXT 10 yady asti dattam istam va sva-dharmo va svanusthitah kulam no vipra-daivam ced dvijo bhavatu vijvarah SYNONYMS yadi—if; asti—there is; dattam—charity; istam—worshiping the Deity; va—either; sva-dharmah—occupational duty; va—either; su-anusthitah—perfectly performed; kulam—dynasty; nah—our; vipra-daivam—favored by the brahmanas; cet—if so; dvijah—this brahmana; bhavatu—may become; vijvarah—without a burning (from the Sudarsana cakra). TRANSLATION If our family has given charity to the proper persons, if we have performed ritualistic ceremonies and sacrifices, if we have properly carried out our occupational duties, and if we have been guided by learned brahmanas, I wish, in exchange, that this brahmana be freed from the burning caused by the Sudarsana cakra. SB9.5.11 TEXT 11 yadi no bhagavan prita ekah sarva-gunasrayah sarva-bhutatma-bhavena dvijo bhavatu vijvarah SYNONYMS yadi—if; nah—unto us; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pritah—is satisfied; ekah—without any duplicate; sarva-guna-asrayah—the reservoir of all transcendental qualities; sarva-bhuta-atma-bhavena—by a merciful attitude toward all living entities; dvijah—this brahmana; bhavatu—may become; vijvarah—freed from all burning. TRANSLATION If the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is one without a second, who is the reservoir of all transcendental qualities, and who is the life and soul of all living entities, is pleased with us, we wish that this brahmana, Durvasa Muni, be freed from the pain of being burned. SB9.5.12 TEXT 12 sri-suka uvaca iti samstuvato rajno visnu-cakram sudarsanam asamyat sarvato vipram pradahad raja-yacnaya SYNONYMS sri-sukah uvaca—Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; iti—thus; samstuvatah—being prayed to; rajnah—by the King; visnu-cakram—the disc weapon of Lord Visnu; sudarsanam—of the name Sudarsana cakra; asamyat—became no longer disturbing; sarvatah—in every respect; vipram—unto the brahmana; pradahat—causing to burn; raja—of the King; yacnaya—by the begging. TRANSLATION Sukadeva Gosvami continued: When the King offered prayers to the Sudarsana cakra and Lord Visnu, because of his prayers the Sudarsana cakra became peaceful and stopped burning the brahmana known as Durvasa Muni. SB9.5.13 TEXT 13 sa mukto ’stragni-tapena durvasah svastimams tatah prasasamsa tam urvisam yunjanah paramasisah SYNONYMS sah—he, Durvasa Muni; muktah—being freed; astra-agni-tapena—from the heat of the fire of the Sudarsana cakra; durvasah—the great mystic Durvasa; svastiman—fully satisfied, relieved of the burning; tatah—then; prasasamsa—offered praise; tam—unto him; urvi-isam—the King; yunjanah—performing; parama-asisah—the highest benedictions. TRANSLATION Durvasa Muni, the greatly powerful mystic, was indeed satisfied when freed from the fire of the Sudarsana cakra. Thus he praised the qualities of Maharaja Ambarisa and offered him the highest benedictions. SB9.5.14 TEXT 14 durvasa uvaca aho ananta-dasanam mahattvam drstam adya me krtagaso ’pi yad rajan mangalani samihase SYNONYMS durvasah uvaca—Durvasa Muni said; aho—alas; ananta-dasanam—of the servants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; mahattvam—greatness; drstam—seen; adya—today; me—by me; krta-agasah api—although I was an offender; yat—still; rajan—O King; mangalani—good fortune; samihase—you are praying for. TRANSLATION Durvasa Muni said: My dear King, today I have experienced the greatness of devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for although I have committed an offense, you have prayed for my good fortune. SB9.5.15 TEXT 15 duskarah ko nu sadhunam dustyajo va mahatmanam yaih sangrhito bhagavan satvatam rsabho harih SYNONYMS duskarah—difficult to do; kah—what; nu—indeed; sadhunam—of the devotees; dustyajah—impossible to give up; va—either; maha-atmanam—of the great persons; yaih—by which persons; sangrhitah—achieved (by devotional service); bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; satvatam—of the pure devotees; rsabhah—the leader; harih—the Lord. TRANSLATION For those who have achieved the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of the pure devotees, what is impossible to do, and what is impossible to give up? SB9.5.16 TEXT 16 yan-nama-sruti-matrena puman bhavati nirmalah tasya tirtha-padah kim va dasanam avasisyate SYNONYMS yat-nama—the holy name of the Lord; sruti-matrena—simply by hearing; puman—a person; bhavati—becomes; nirmalah—purified; tasya—of Him; tirtha-padah—the Lord, at whose feet are the holy places; kim va—what; dasanam—by the servants; avasisyate—remains to be done. TRANSLATION What is impossible for the servants of the Lord? By the very hearing of His holy name one is purified. SB9.5.17 TEXT 17 rajann anugrhito ’ham tvayatikarunatmana mad-agham prsthatah krtva prana yan me ’bhiraksitah SYNONYMS rajan—O King; anugrhitah—very much favored; aham—I (am); tvaya—by you; ati-karuna-atmana—because of your being extremely merciful; mat-agham—my offenses; prsthatah—to the back; krtva—doing so; pranah—life; yat—that; me—my; abhiraksitah—saved. TRANSLATION O King, overlooking my offenses, you have saved my life. Thus I am very much obliged to you because you are so merciful. SB9.5.18 TEXT 18 raja tam akrtaharah pratyagamana-kanksaya caranav upasangrhya prasadya samabhojayat SYNONYMS raja—the King; tam—unto him, Durvasa Muni; akrta-aharah—who refrained from taking food; pratyagamana—returning; kanksaya—desiring; caranau—the feet; upasangrhya—approaching; prasadya—pleasing in all respects; samabhojayat—fed sumptuously. TRANSLATION Expecting the return of Durvasa Muni, the King had not taken his food. Therefore, when the sage returned, the King fell at his lotus feet, pleasing him in all respects, and fed him sumptuously. SB9.5.19 TEXT 19 so ’sitvadrtam anitam atithyam sarva-kamikam trptatma nrpatim praha bhujyatam iti sadaram SYNONYMS sah—he (Durvasa); asitva—after eating sumptuously; adrtam—with great respect; anitam—received; atithyam—offered different varieties of food; sarva-kamikam—fulfilling all kinds of tastes; trpta-atma—thus being fully satisfied; nrpatim—unto the King; praha—said; bhujyatam—my dear King, you eat also; iti—in this way; sa-adaram—with great respect. TRANSLATION Thus the King respectfully received Durvasa Muni, who after eating varieties of palatable food was so satisfied that with great affection he requested the King to eat also, saying, “Please take your meal.” SB9.5.20 TEXT 20 prito ’smy anugrhito ’smi tava bhagavatasya vai darsana-sparsanalapair atithyenatma-medhasa SYNONYMS pritah—very much satisfied; asmi—I am; anugrhitah—very much favored; asmi—I am; tava—your; bhagavatasya—because of your being a pure devotee; vai—indeed; darsana—by seeing you; sparsana—and touching your feet; alapaih—by talking with you; atithyena—by your hospitality; atma-medhasa—by my own intelligence. TRANSLATION Durvasa Muni said: I am very pleased with you, my dear King. At first I thought of you as an ordinary human being and accepted your hospitality, but later I could understand, by my own intelligence, that you are the most exalted devotee of the Lord. Therefore, simply by seeing you, touching your feet and talking with you, I have been pleased and have become obliged to you. PURPORT It is said, vaisnavera kriya mudra vijneha na bujhaya: even a very intelligent man cannot understand the activities of a pure Vaisnava. Therefore, because Durvasa Muni was a great mystic yogi, he first mistook Maharaja Ambarisa for an ordinary human being and wanted to punish him. Such is the mistaken observation of a Vaisnava. When Durvasa Muni was persecuted by the Sudarsana cakra, however, his intelligence developed. Therefore the word atma-medhasa is used to indicate that by his personal experience he would understand how great a Vaisnava the King was. When Durvasa Muni was chased by the Sudarsana cakra, he wanted to take shelter of Lord Brahma and Lord Siva, and he was even able to go to the spiritual world, meet the Personality of Godhead and talk with Him face to face, yet he was unable to be rescued from the attack of the Sudarsana cakra. Thus he could understand the influence of a Vaisnava by personal experience. Durvasa Muni was certainly a great yogi and a very learned brahmana, but despite his being a real yogi he was unable to understand the influence of a Vaisnava. Therefore it is said, vaisnavera kriya mudra vijneha na bujhaya: even the most learned person cannot understand the value of a Vaisnava. There is always a possibility for so-called jnanis and yogis to be mistaken when studying the character of a Vaisnava. A Vaisnava can be understood by how much he is favored by the Supreme Personality of Godhead in terms of his inconceivable activities.