Bhagavata Purana — Skandha 4 — Chapter 17
SB 4 17.1
मैत्रेय उवाच एवं स भगवान् वैन्यः ख्यापितो गुण-कर्मभिः छन्दयाम् आस तान् कामैः प्रतिपूज्याभिनन्द्य च
maitreya uvāca evaṃ sa bhagavān vainyaḥ khyāpito guṇa-karmabhiḥ chandayām āsa tān kāmaiḥ pratipūjyābhinandya ca
Maitreya said: Thus the lord, the son of Vena, being praised for his qualities and deeds, honoured and greeted them and gratified them with (gifts of) what they desired.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.2
ब्राह्मण-प्रमुखान् वर्णान् भृत्यामात्य-पुरोधसः पौरान् जान-पदान् श्रेणीः प्रकृतीः समपूजयत्
brāhmaṇa-pramukhān varṇān bhṛtyāmātya-purodhasaḥ paurān jāna-padān śreṇīḥ prakṛtīḥ samapūjayat
He honoured the classes headed by the brāhmaṇas, his servants, ministers and priests, the townsfolk, the country folk, the guilds, and his subjects.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.3
विदुर उवाच कस्माद् दधार गो-रूपं धरित्री बहु-रूपिणी यां दुदोह पृथुस् तत्र को वत्सो दोहनं च किम्
vidura uvāca kasmād dadhāra go-rūpaṃ dharitrī bahu-rūpiṇī yāṃ dudoha pṛthus tatra ko vatso dohanaṃ ca kim
Vidura said: Why did the earth, who has many forms, take on the form of a cow, which Pṛthu milked? And who there was the calf, and what the milking vessel?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.4
प्रकृत्या विषमा देवी कृता तेन समा कथम् तस्य मेध्यं हयं देवः कस्य हेतोर् अपाहरत्
prakṛtyā viṣamā devī kṛtā tena samā katham tasya medhyaṃ hayaṃ devaḥ kasya hetor apāharat
The goddess (earth) was uneven by nature; how was she made level by him? And for what reason did the god carry off his sacrificial horse?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.5
सनत्-कुमाराद् भगवतो ब्रह्मन् ब्रह्म-विद्-उत्तमात् लब्ध्वा ज्ञानं स-विज्ञानं राजर्षिः कां गतिं गतः
sanat-kumārād bhagavato brahman brahma-vid-uttamāt labdhvā jñānaṃ sa-vijñānaṃ rājarṣiḥ kāṃ gatiṃ gataḥ
Having obtained knowledge together with its realization from the lord Sanat-kumāra, O brāhmaṇa, best among the knowers of Brahman, what destination did that royal sage attain?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.6
यच् चान्यद् अपि कृष्णस्य भवान् भगवतः प्रभोः श्रवः सुश्रवसः पुण्यं पूर्व-देह-कथाश्रयम्
yac cānyad api kṛṣṇasya bhavān bhagavataḥ prabhoḥ śravaḥ suśravasaḥ puṇyaṃ pūrva-deha-kathāśrayam
And whatever else there is of the glory of Kṛṣṇa, the Lord, the master of good renown — holy glory that rests upon the accounts of his former body — (tell that too).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.7
भक्ताय मे ऽनुरक्ताय तव चाधोक्षजस्य च वक्तुम् अर्हसि यो ऽदुह्यद् वैन्य-रूपेण गाम् इमाम्
bhaktāya me 'nuraktāya tava cādhokṣajasya ca vaktum arhasi yo 'duhyad vainya-rūpeṇa gām imām
You ought to tell it to me, your devotee and devoted to Adhokṣaja — (about him) who in the form of Vainya milked this earth as a cow.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.8
सूत उवाच चोदितो विदुरेणैवं वासुदेव-कथां प्रति प्रशस्य तं प्रीत-मना मैत्रेयः प्रत्यभाषत
sūta uvāca codito vidureṇaivaṃ vāsudeva-kathāṃ prati praśasya taṃ prīta-manā maitreyaḥ pratyabhāṣata
Sūta said: Thus urged by Vidura toward the narrative of Vāsudeva, Maitreya, pleased in mind, praised him and replied.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.9
मैत्रेय उवाच यदाभिषिक्तः पृथुर् अङ्ग विप्रैर् आमन्त्रितो जनतायाश् च पालः प्रजा निरन्ने क्षिति-पृष्ठ एत्य क्षुत्-क्षाम-देहाः पतिम् अभ्यवोचन्
maitreya uvāca yadābhiṣiktaḥ pṛthur aṅga viprair āmantrito janatāyāś ca pālaḥ prajā niranne kṣiti-pṛṣṭha etya kṣut-kṣāma-dehāḥ patim abhyavocan
Maitreya said: When Pṛthu, my dear one, had been consecrated by the brāhmaṇas and appointed protector of the people, the subjects, their bodies wasted with hunger, came (to him), since the surface of the earth was without food, and spoke to their lord.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.10
वयं राजञ् जाठरेणाभितप्ता यथाग्निना कोटर-स्थेन वृक्षाः त्वाम् अद्य याताः शरणं शरण्यं यः साधितो वृत्ति-करः पतिर् नः
vayaṃ rājañ jāṭhareṇābhitaptā yathāgninā koṭara-sthena vṛkṣāḥ tvām adya yātāḥ śaraṇaṃ śaraṇyaṃ yaḥ sādhito vṛtti-karaḥ patir naḥ
O king, we are scorched by the fire of the belly, as trees are by a fire lodged in their hollow; today we have come to you for shelter, who are the giver of shelter — you who have been established as the provider of our livelihood, our lord.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.11
तन् नो भवान् ईहतु रातवे ऽन्नं क्षुधार्दितानां नरदेव-देव यावन् न नङ्क्ष्यामह उज्झितोर्जा वार्ता-पतिस् त्वं किल लोक-पालः
tan no bhavān īhatu rātave 'nnaṃ kṣudhārditānāṃ naradeva-deva yāvan na naṅkṣyāmaha ujjhitorjā vārtā-patis tvaṃ kila loka-pālaḥ
Therefore, O god of the kings of men, may you take steps to give food to us who are tormented by hunger, before we perish, our strength having left us; you are indeed the master of our sustenance, the guardian of the world.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.12
मैत्रेय उवाच पृथुः प्रजानां करुणं निशम्य परिदेवितम् दीर्घं दध्यौ कुरुश्रेष्ठ निमित्तं सो ऽन्वपद्यत
maitreya uvāca pṛthuḥ prajānāṃ karuṇaṃ niśamya paridevitam dīrghaṃ dadhyau kuruśreṣṭha nimittaṃ so 'nvapadyata
Maitreya said: Hearing the piteous lament of his subjects, Pṛthu pondered long, O best of the Kurus, and he discovered the cause.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.13
इति व्यवसितो बुद्ध्या प्रगृहीत-शरासनः सन्दधे विशिखं भूमेः क्रुद्धस् त्रिपुर-हा यथा
iti vyavasito buddhyā pragṛhīta-śarāsanaḥ sandadhe viśikhaṃ bhūmeḥ kruddhas tripura-hā yathā
Having thus resolved in his mind, he took up his bow and, angered, fitted an arrow (aimed) at the earth, like the destroyer of Tripura.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.14
प्रवेपमाना धरणी निशाम्योदायुधं च तम् गौः सत्य् अपाद्रवद् भीता मृगीव मृगयु-द्रुता
pravepamānā dharaṇī niśāmyodāyudhaṃ ca tam gauḥ saty apādravad bhītā mṛgīva mṛgayu-drutā
Seeing him with weapon upraised, the earth trembled, and taking the form of a cow she fled in fear, like a doe pursued by a hunter.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.15
ताम् अन्वधावत् तद् वैन्यः कुपितो ऽत्यरुणेक्षणः शरं धनुषि सन्धाय यत्र यत्र पलायते
tām anvadhāvat tad vainyaḥ kupito 'tyaruṇekṣaṇaḥ śaraṃ dhanuṣi sandhāya yatra yatra palāyate
The son of Vena, enraged, his eyes very red, ran after her, fitting an arrow to his bow, wherever she fled.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.16
सा दिशो विदिशो देवी रोदसी चान्तरं तयोः धावन्ती तत्र तत्रैनं ददर्शानूद्यतायुधम्
sā diśo vidiśo devī rodasī cāntaraṃ tayoḥ dhāvantī tatra tatrainaṃ dadarśānūdyatāyudham
That goddess, running to the (four) directions and the intermediate quarters, to heaven and earth and the space between the two, saw him there in every place behind her with weapon upraised.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.17
लोके नाविन्दत त्राणं वैन्यान् मृत्योर् इव प्रजाः त्रस्ता तदा निववृते हृदयेन विदूयता
loke nāvindata trāṇaṃ vainyān mṛtyor iva prajāḥ trastā tadā nivavṛte hṛdayena vidūyatā
She found no protection anywhere in the world from Vainya, as creatures find none from death; then, terrified, with her heart tormented, she turned back.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.18
उवाच च महा-भागं धर्म-ज्ञापन्न-वत्सल त्राहि माम् अपि भूतानां पालने ऽवस्थितो भवान्
uvāca ca mahā-bhāgaṃ dharma-jñāpanna-vatsala trāhi mām api bhūtānāṃ pālane 'vasthito bhavān
And she said: O greatly fortunate one, O knower of dharma, O affectionate to the distressed, protect me too, for you are appointed to the protection of beings.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.19
स त्वं जिघांससे कस्माद् दीनाम् अकृत-किल्बिषाम् अहनिष्यत् कथं योषां धर्म-ज्ञ इति यो मतः
sa tvaṃ jighāṃsase kasmād dīnām akṛta-kilbiṣām ahaniṣyat kathaṃ yoṣāṃ dharma-jña iti yo mataḥ
Why do you, being such, wish to kill me, who am wretched and have committed no offense? How would one who is held to be a knower of dharma slay a woman?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.20
प्रहरन्ति न वै स्त्रीषु कृतागःस्व् अपि जन्तवः किम् उत त्वद्-विधा राजन् करुणा दीन-वत्सलाः
praharanti na vai strīṣu kṛtāgaḥsv api jantavaḥ kim uta tvad-vidhā rājan karuṇā dīna-vatsalāḥ
Living beings do not indeed strike at women, even when they have done wrong; how much less those like you, O king, who are compassionate and tender toward the wretched.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.21
मां विपाट्याजरां नावं यत्र विश्वं प्रतिष्ठितम् आत्मानं च प्रजाश् चेमाः कथम् अम्भसि धास्यसि
māṃ vipāṭyājarāṃ nāvaṃ yatra viśvaṃ pratiṣṭhitam ātmānaṃ ca prajāś cemāḥ katham ambhasi dhāsyasi
If you split me apart — the ageless boat upon which the universe rests — how will you support yourself and these subjects on the waters?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.22
पृथुर् उवाच वसुधे त्वां वधिष्यामि मच्-छासन-पराङ्-मुखीम् भागं बर्हिषि या वृङ्क्ते न तनोति च नो वसु
pṛthur uvāca vasudhe tvāṃ vadhiṣyāmi mac-chāsana-parāṅ-mukhīm bhāgaṃ barhiṣi yā vṛṅkte na tanoti ca no vasu
Pṛthu said: O earth, I shall slay you, who turn your face away from my command — you who take a share at the sacrifice and yet do not spread out wealth for us.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.23
यवसं जग्ध्य् अनुदिनं नैव दोग्ध्य् औधसं पयः तस्याम् एवं हि दुष्टायां दण्डो नात्र न शस्यते
yavasaṃ jagdhy anudinaṃ naiva dogdhy audhasaṃ payaḥ tasyām evaṃ hi duṣṭāyāṃ daṇḍo nātra na śasyate
You eat grass day after day, yet do not yield the milk in your udder; when she is thus corrupt, punishment is certainly not unwarranted here.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.24
त्वं खल्व् ओषधि-बीजानि प्राक् सृष्टानि स्वयम्भुवा न मुञ्चस्य् आत्म-रुद्धानि माम् अवज्ञाय मन्द-धीः
tvaṃ khalv oṣadhi-bījāni prāk sṛṣṭāni svayambhuvā na muñcasy ātma-ruddhāni mām avajñāya manda-dhīḥ
Indeed, you do not release the seeds of herbs formerly created by the Self-born, holding them shut within yourself, disregarding me, you dull-witted one.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.25
अमूषां क्षुत्-परीतानाम् आर्तानां परिदेवितम् शमयिष्यामि मद्-बाणैर् भिन्नायास् तव मेदसा
amūṣāṃ kṣut-parītānām ārtānāṃ paridevitam śamayiṣyāmi mad-bāṇair bhinnāyās tava medasā
I shall quiet the lamenting of these afflicted (creatures) who are beset by hunger — with the fat of you, split open by my arrows.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.26
पुमान् योषिद् उत क्लीब आत्म-सम्भावनो ऽधमः भूतेषु निरनुक्रोशो नृपाणां तद्-वधो ऽवधः
pumān yoṣid uta klība ātma-sambhāvano 'dhamaḥ bhūteṣu niranukrośo nṛpāṇāṃ tad-vadho 'vadhaḥ
Whether man, woman, or eunuch, one who is self-conceited, base, and pitiless toward living beings — for kings the killing of such a one is no killing.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.27
त्वां स्तब्धां दुर्मदां नीत्वा माया-गां तिलशः शरैः आत्म-योग-बलेनेमा धारयिष्याम्य् अहं प्रजाः
tvāṃ stabdhāṃ durmadāṃ nītvā māyā-gāṃ tilaśaḥ śaraiḥ ātma-yoga-balenemā dhārayiṣyāmy ahaṃ prajāḥ
You who are stiff-necked and wickedly intoxicated, a cow (only) by illusion — having reduced you to sesame-sized bits with my arrows, I shall myself support these creatures by the power of my own yoga.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.28
एवं मन्युमयीं मूर्तिं कृतान्तम् इव बिभ्रतम् प्रणता प्राञ्जलिः प्राह मही सञ्जात-वेपथुः
evaṃ manyumayīṃ mūrtiṃ kṛtāntam iva bibhratam praṇatā prāñjaliḥ prāha mahī sañjāta-vepathuḥ
Thus, as (Pṛthu) bore a form made of wrath, like Death itself, the Earth, bowed down with palms joined and trembling all over, spoke.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.29
धरोवाच नमः परस्मै पुरुषाय मायया विन्यस्त-नाना-तनवे गुणात्मने नमः स्वरूपानुभवेन निर्धुत- द्रव्य-क्रिया-कारक-विभ्रमोर्मये
dharovāca namaḥ parasmai puruṣāya māyayā vinyasta-nānā-tanave guṇātmane namaḥ svarūpānubhavena nirdhuta- dravya-kriyā-kāraka-vibhramormaye
The Earth said: Obeisance to the supreme Person, who by māyā has assumed manifold bodies, whose nature is the guṇas; obeisance to him in whom, through the experience of his own true form, the waves of the confusion of substance, action, and agent have been shaken off.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.30
येनाहम् आत्मायतनं विनिर्मिता धात्रा यतो ऽयं गुण-सर्ग-सङ्ग्रहः स एव मां हन्तुम् उदायुधः स्वराड् उपस्थितो ऽन्यं शरणं कम् आश्रये
yenāham ātmāyatanaṃ vinirmitā dhātrā yato 'yaṃ guṇa-sarga-saṅgrahaḥ sa eva māṃ hantum udāyudhaḥ svarāḍ upasthito 'nyaṃ śaraṇaṃ kam āśraye
He, the Creator, by whom I was fashioned as the abode of beings, and from whom comes this aggregate of the creation of the guṇas — that very self-ruling one has come, with weapon raised, to kill me. What other shelter shall I resort to?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.31
य एतद् आदाव् असृजच् चराचरं स्व-माययात्माश्रययावितर्क्यया तयैव सो ऽयं किल गोप्तुम् उद्यतः कथं नु मां धर्म-परो जिघांसति
ya etad ādāv asṛjac carācaraṃ sva-māyayātmāśrayayāvitarkyayā tayaiva so 'yaṃ kila goptum udyataḥ kathaṃ nu māṃ dharma-paro jighāṃsati
He who in the beginning created this (world) of moving and unmoving things by his own inconceivable māyā, which rests upon himself, and who indeed by that same (māyā) is ready to protect it — how then, being devoted to dharma, does he wish to kill me?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.32
नूनं बतेशस्य समीहितं जनैस् तन्-मायया दुर्जययाकृतात्मभिः न लक्ष्यते यस् त्व् अकरोद् अकारयद् यो ऽनेक एकः परतश् च ईश्वरः
nūnaṃ bateśasya samīhitaṃ janais tan-māyayā durjayayākṛtātmabhiḥ na lakṣyate yas tv akarod akārayad yo 'neka ekaḥ parataś ca īśvaraḥ
Surely, alas, the purpose of the Lord is not discerned by people of unperfected selves, whose minds' paths are bewildered by his hard-to-conquer māyā — he who acted and caused (others) to act, who is many and (yet) one, and the Lord beyond (all).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.33
सर्गादि यो ऽस्यानुरुणद्धि शक्तिभिर् द्रव्य-क्रिया-कारक-चेतनात्मभिः तस्मै समुन्नद्ध-निरुद्ध-शक्तये नमः परस्मै पुरुषाय वेधसे
sargādi yo 'syānuruṇaddhi śaktibhir dravya-kriyā-kāraka-cetanātmabhiḥ tasmai samunnaddha-niruddha-śaktaye namaḥ parasmai puruṣāya vedhase
He who effects the creation and the rest of this (world) by his powers, which consist of substance, action, agent, and consciousness — to him whose power is (now) unfurled and (now) held back, to the supreme Person, the Disposer, obeisance.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.34
स वै भवान् आत्म-विनिर्मितं जगद् भूतेन्द्रियान्तः-करणात्मकं विभो संस्थापयिष्यन्न् अज मां रसातलाद् अभ्युज्जहाराम्भस आदि-सूकरः
sa vai bhavān ātma-vinirmitaṃ jagad bhūtendriyāntaḥ-karaṇātmakaṃ vibho saṃsthāpayiṣyann aja māṃ rasātalād abhyujjahārāmbhasa ādi-sūkaraḥ
You indeed, O all-pervading, O unborn one, wishing to establish firmly the world created by yourself, consisting of the elements, the senses, and the inner organ, lifted me up out of the water from Rasātala as the primeval Boar.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.35
अपाम् उपस्थे मयि नाव्य् अवस्थिताः प्रजा भवान् अद्य रिरक्षिषुः किल स वीर-मूर्तिः समभूद् धरा-धरो यो मां पयस्य् उग्र-शरो जिघांससि
apām upasthe mayi nāvy avasthitāḥ prajā bhavān adya rirakṣiṣuḥ kila sa vīra-mūrtiḥ samabhūd dharā-dharo yo māṃ payasy ugra-śaro jighāṃsasi
The creatures placed on me as on a boat upon the surface of the waters — those you wish today to protect, it seems. He who became the heroic form, the upholder of the earth, is (now) the one who with fierce arrows wishes to kill me in the water.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SB 4 17.36
नूनं जनैर् ईहितम् ईश्वराणाम् अस्मद्-विधैस् तद्-गुण-सर्ग-मायया न ज्ञायते मोहित-चित्त-वर्त्मभिस् तेभ्यो नमो वीर-यशस्-करेभ्यः
nūnaṃ janair īhitam īśvarāṇām asmad-vidhais tad-guṇa-sarga-māyayā na jñāyate mohita-citta-vartmabhis tebhyo namo vīra-yaśas-karebhyaḥ
Surely the striving of lords is not understood by people like us, whose minds' courses are deluded by the māyā of their creation of guṇas. Obeisance to them, the makers of heroic fame.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition