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IF
DATE: 07/20/2007 / MOOD: none
IF
If you tell me
I will forget,
If you teach me
I will remember,
If you involve me
I will learn.
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Heavy rains in Mumbai, transport networks hit
DATE: 06/30/2007 / MOOD: in love
Heavy rains in the city threw normal life out of gear
on Saturday with the rail and road network hit due to flooding in various parts.
The central line of the suburban rail network was stopped early on
Saturday morning due to flooding at many points on the line, a spokesperson for
the railways said. "The main suburban line is operational only upto
Byculla and the harbour line is operational only upto Kurla due to flooding in
areas near the CST terminus in south Mumbai," Chief Public Relations Officer for
Central Railways Shriniwas Mudgerikar said. Many outstation trains had
also been delayed due to the rains, he said. Western Railway authorities
said that there was a delay of about 25-30 minutes in schedules as a result of
the rains but trains were presently operational. Flooding was reported
in many parts across the city including areas vulnerable to them like the Milan
and Malad sub-ways in the Western suburbs, parts of central Mumbai and south
Mumbai. Incidents of flooding were also reported in many parts the
western and eastern suburbs due to the heavy rains which have continued since
Friday night. Authorities said a high tide of about four metres was
expected on Saturday afternoon, which could affect the drainage of the water if
the rains continued unabated. The meteorological department had predicted heavy
to very heavy rainfall till Sunday in parts of the city and has also warned
fishermen not to venture into the seas till Sunday. LC III flag has been
hoisted at ports from Dahanu to Marmagoa and of Maharashtra-Goa coast, the
weather office said. Air traffic from the city was largely unaffected
and no flight had to be cancelled due to the rains, a spokesperson for the
Mumbai International Airport Limited said, adding that most flights had been
delayed by about 30 minutes due to poor visibility. Rainfall recorded
for last 24 hours till 8.30 am on Saturday --at Colaba observatory in south
Mumbai was 146.8mm, while Santacruz observatory recorded 174.1 mm.
iPhone draws a blank on auction sites
DATE: 06/30/2007 / MOOD: none
Many people who lined up to be the first buyers of Apple Inc.'s iPhone made good on promises to try to flip the gadgets online at inflated prices, but a quick buck appeared out of reach for many.
Auction website eBay had more than 400 listings for iPhones just two hours after the combination mobile phone, Web browser and music and video player went on sale on the US East Coast.
But the vast majority of offers failed to attract even a single bid, and many of those that had were not yet above the list prices.
A handful of offers did draw enthusiastic bidding. One eBay auction had attracted 35 bids and a leading offer of $1,520. Another was up to $960 with 25 bids.
The iPhone is available at Apple and AT&T stores in two models costing $500 and $600 depending on whether it has 4 or 8 gigabytes of memory. It requires a service contract from AT&T Inc. that runs at least $1,400 over two years.
Online classifieds site Craigslist had 404 iPhone listings for New York City, with most seeking about $1,000 and one optimist wanting $10,000 from "collectors only".
View Entry
Heavy rains in Mumbai, transport networks hit
DATE: 06/30/2007 / MOOD: none
Heavy rains in the city threw normal life out of gear
on Saturday with the rail and road network hit due to flooding in various parts.
The central line of the suburban rail network was stopped early on
Saturday morning due to flooding at many points on the line, a spokesperson for
the railways said. "The main suburban line is operational only upto
Byculla and the harbour line is operational only upto Kurla due to flooding in
areas near the CST terminus in south Mumbai," Chief Public Relations Officer for
Central Railways Shriniwas Mudgerikar said. Many outstation trains had
also been delayed due to the rains, he said. Western Railway authorities
said that there was a delay of about 25-30 minutes in schedules as a result of
the rains but trains were presently operational. Flooding was reported
in many parts across the city including areas vulnerable to them like the Milan
and Malad sub-ways in the Western suburbs, parts of central Mumbai and south
Mumbai. Incidents of flooding were also reported in many parts the
western and eastern suburbs due to the heavy rains which have continued since
Friday night. Authorities said a high tide of about four metres was
expected on Saturday afternoon, which could affect the drainage of the water if
the rains continued unabated. The meteorological department had predicted heavy
to very heavy rainfall till Sunday in parts of the city and has also warned
fishermen not to venture into the seas till Sunday. LC III flag has been
hoisted at ports from Dahanu to Marmagoa and of Maharashtra-Goa coast, the
weather office said. Air traffic from the city was largely unaffected
and no flight had to be cancelled due to the rains, a spokesperson for the
Mumbai International Airport Limited said, adding that most flights had been
delayed by about 30 minutes due to poor visibility. Rainfall recorded
for last 24 hours till 8.30 am on Saturday --at Colaba observatory in south
Mumbai was 146.8mm, while Santacruz observatory recorded 174.1 mm.
GET PAID TO KEEP YOUR PC ON
DATE: 06/28/2007 / MOOD: none
CLICK HERE TO KNOW MORE
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Chapter 19 The Appearance of S'ukadeva Gosvâmî
DATE: 06/27/2007 / MOOD: none
Chapter
19
The
Appearance of S'ukadeva Gosvâmî
(1) Sûta said:
"While going home the king thought that the act of what he had
done was abominable and he was very depressed saying to
himself: 'Alas, it was uncivilized and evil what I did to the
faultless, grave and powerful brahmin. (2) For sure it is
because of going against the injunctions that very soon I will
meet with a very troublesome calamity. I certainly hope that
that will happen as soon as possible, so that I shall be
relieved of my sins and never do something like that again. (3)
May I, on this very day, burn with my kingdom, strength and
wealth of riches in the fire ignited by the brahmin community,
so that the inauspiciousness of sinning against the Lord, the
culture and the cows may not return to me.'(4) While he thought
like this he came to hear of the curse of death of the sage's
son, which he accepted as well and good to happen in the nearby
future as the fire of the snakebird caused by the indifference
of being too attached. (5) Thus giving up this and the next
world, thinking of all that happened before as being
insignificant, he sat down at the bank of the transcendental
river to fast in service of Krishna's feet, considering it the
greatest achievement. (6) That river, always floating mixed
with tulasî-leaves (a plant used in worship], carries
the auspicious water with the dust from the feet of Lord
Krishna that sanctifies both the worlds inside and outside as
well as the Lord of Destruction [Lord S'iva] - who else
but the one about to die any moment is to worship that river?
(7) Thus having decided he, the worthy decendant of the
Pândavas, sat down at the feet of Vishnu to fast until
the death of giving himself up to the mercy of Mukunda without
deviation from the spirit of the vows of sages in being freed
from all kinds of association."
(8) "There as good as
on the plea of pilgrimaging came together all the world's power
of grace of great minds and thinkers along with their disciples
that sanctify all places of pilgrimage by their presence:
(9-10) Atri, Cyavana, S'aradvân, Arishthanemi, Bhrigu,
Vasishthha, Parâs'ara, Vis'vâmitra, Angirâ,
Paras'urâma, Uthathya, Indrapramada, Idhmavâhu,
Medhâtithi, Devala, Ârshthisena,
Bhâradvâja, Gautama, Pippalâda, Maitreya,
Aurva, Kavasha, Kumbhayoni, Dvaipâyana and the great
personality Nârada. (11) The many other wise of God,
saintly brahmins, the best of the holy kings and
Arunâdayas [a special rank of them] and many
other heads of the dynasties of sages who assembled there in
worship, were welcomed by the emperor who bowed his head. (12)
With all sitting down in comfort and after again having offered
them his obeisances, he thereupon humbly with folded hands
present before them spoke, as one whose mind is detached from
worldly affairs, of his decision to fast. (13) The king said:
'We indeed are grateful to be the most fortunate of all the
kings trained to get favors from the great souls, as to the
feet of the brahmins the royal orders are but refuse to be kept
at a distance on account of condemnable activities. (14)
Because of my sins, the Controller of the transcendental and
mundane worlds was sure to curse me via that twice-born one
because of my attachment of always thinking about family
affairs - and taking that form will He inspiring with fear very
soon overtake my mundane attachment. (15) Therefore just accept
me, o brahmins, as one who in surrender has taken to the divine
mother Ganges with the Lord in his heart. Let the snakebird, or
whatever magical thing the twice-born called for, bite me
forthwith; please continue reciting the deeds of Lord Vishnu.
(16) And again let it be so that wherever that, unto the
Supreme Unlimited Lord and the association He attracts in the
material world, I may take my birth, I will find friendly
relations everywhere in obeisance to the
twice-born.'
(17) "Thus, as
persevering as in the past, the king sat himself on kus'a-grass
laid down to the east in selfcontrol facing the north from the
southern bank of the wife of the sea [the Ganges],
while having given the administration over to his son. (18) To
that, from the sky seeing that the king would fast until his
end, all the gods in praise scattered the earth with flowers,
continually beating celestial drums in pleasure. (19) All the
great sages that had assembled there thus praised him wise and
approvingly said, from the power of their goodness to the
living beings, that is in quality as beautifull as the divine
praised in the scriptures: (20)'It is not astonishing that this
saintly king, the chief of all of us who are strict in
following Krishna, seated on the throne decorated with the
helmets of kings, immediately gave up desiring to achieve
association with the Fortunate One. (21) All of us, will stay
as long at this place as it takes the king to give up his body
to attain to the world of the Supreme where this foremost
devotee returns to complete freedom from worldy concerns and
lamentation.'
(22) After hearing the
assembled sages speaking thus impartially, sweet to hear, grave
and perfectly true, Parîkchit complimented them all with
the appropriate presentation and, desiring to hear of the
activities of Vishnu, he said: (23)'You all have assembled here
as the representation of the one above the three worlds
[Brahmâ], with no other purpose in this world or
a world hereafter, but to act, to your innate nature, for the
good of others. (24) From this, I am begging you, as
trustworthy vedic learned ones, to tell me therefore what out
of all the different duties of all and especially of those who
are about to die, to your opinion would be the proper and
befitting conduct.''
(25) At that moment, as
if called for, the powerful son of Vyâsa, S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî, appeared who, satisfied in
self-realization, traveled around disinterested without any
concerns of identity, surrounded by children and dressed in
neglect of others [naked]. (26) Being only sixteen
years of age he had delicate legs, hands, thighs, arms,
shoulders, forehead and body. His eyes were beautifully wide
and with a high nose and similar ears he had a face with nice
brows and a neck as well formed as a conchshell. (27) With a
fleshy collarbone, a broad chest and a deep navel he had a
striped abdomen and was naked with curly scattered hair and
elongated hands with the hue of the best among the gods
[Krishna; a dark complexion]. (28) Even though he
covered his nakedness, the sages, who had a keen eye for
physiognomy, recognized the symptoms of the blackish skin, the
beauty of young age and the attraction for the fair sex with
his beautiful smiles - and they all stood up from their seats.
(29) To welcome the guest arriving, the one always protected by
Vishnu [Parîkchit], bowed before him offering his
obeisances, upon which his less intelligent following of boys
and women was sure to withdraw itself as he took his exalted
seat in reception of the respect. (30) S'ukadev, surrounded
there by the greatest of the great saints amongst the brahmins,
the kings and the godly ones, well deserved made a supreme and
able presence, that compared to the moon surrounded by planets,
heavenly bodies and stars. (31) Sitting down in calm and
self-assured of intelligence the sage was approached by the
great devotee, the king, who properly bowed down with folded
hands inquiring in sweet polite words.
(32) Parîkchit
said: 'O brahmin, today have we from the ruling class become
eligible to serve the devotee and to be alike friends by your
mercy - as in making your presence as a guest, your good self
brings about all the good qualities. (33) Thinking of your
person certainly instantly purifies all the places we inhabit,
not mentioning what it means to see you, touch you, wash your
feet and offer you a seat. (34) On account of your being
present, o great mystic, are our sins in spite of their
invulnerability immediately vanquished, just like the person
not so enlightened is in the presence of Vishnu. (35)
Definitely, the Supreme Lord granted us the pleasure of Krishna
so dear to the sons of Pându, accepting us as a friend in
relating to the father like cousins do to the satisfaction of
the descent. (36) Otherwise, how could you, specifically for me
in my last hours before death, out of your own free will appear
here to meet us, while normally you are invisible among the
common man, being all-perfect as you are? (37) Therefore I beg
you, as the supreme spiritual master of all ascetics, what for
a person in this life would be the perfection, the final
beatitude, and what all would be the duty of someone about to
die. (38) Please explain what the people in general, o master,
should hear and chant about, what they should do, what they
should remember and share, as also what would be against the
principle. (39) This because, o supreme devotee, in the house
of the householders one rarely sees you staying for longer than
the exact time of milking a cow'."
(40) Sûta said:
"Thus pleasantly being adressed and questioned by the king,
began the supreme son of Vyâsadeva so well versed in the
knowledge of the true duty, with his reply."
Thus ends the first Canto
of the S'rîmad Bhâgavatam, the story of the
Fortunate One.
View Entry
Chapter 18 Mahârâja Parîkchit Cursed by a Brâhmana Boy
DATE: 06/27/2007 / MOOD: none
Chapter
18
Mahârâja
Parîkchit Cursed by a Brâhmana Boy
(1) Sûta said:
"The one who was sure not to be burned by the weapon of the son
of Drona in the womb of his mother, met his death by the mercy
of the Supreme Lord S'rî Krishna who's acts are wondrous.
(2) Cursed by a brahmin to die by a snake-bird, he was never
overwhelmed with the great fear of death because he had
consciously surrendered himself to the Supreme Lord (3) After
leaving behind all the associates around him he understood the
actual position of the Invincible One, giving up his own
material body at the bank of the Ganges as a disciple of the
son of Vyâsa [S'ukadeva Gosvâmî]. (4)
Never will those who live on and are engaged in service to the
One Glorified in the Hymns suffer from misconceptions at the
end of their own time, if they then also remember His
lotusfeet. (5) Even though present everywhere, the personality
of Kali cannot flourish as long as the great powerful Lord, the
son of Abhimanyu, is the factual emperor. (6) The moment the
Supreme Lord left this earth aside, at that time he, Kali,
promoting irreligion, followed in this world. (7) Never being
envious with the personality of Kali, the emperor was a realist
going for the essence, like a bee does for the nectar, knowing
that auspicious things lead to immediate success, while for the
inauspicious one must perform attaining never. (8) What to the
weak ones might be a powerful Kali was, to the one who existed
like a tiger among men, a challenge of self-control facing the
fearful and a mission of taking care facing the careless. (9)
As you asked me what could be stated by me in connection with
the narrations about Vâsudeva concerning the pious
Parîkchit, I have now described almost everything to you
about this. (10) Those desiring their own welfare ought to
hear, of all the topics that I spoke of, whatever they are
about, as they concern the Supreme Lord His wonders,
transcendental qualities and uncommon deeds."
(11) The sages said: "O
Sûta, may you live a long, grave and particularly
eternally famous life, because speaking so nicely about Lord
Krishna you grant us mortals certainlYour nectar of eternity.
(12) In this performance of sacrifice with an uncertain
outcome, our bodies and minds are blackened by the smoke, but
the pleasing by your good self of Govinda's feet is like the
honey from a lotus flower. (13) Attaining higher words or the
liberation from matter, not mentioning the worldly benedictions
of those who are heading for their death, is of no compare to
the finding of one's balance but for a moment in the
association of a devotee of the Lord. (14) What man of good
taste would ever have enough of relishing the nectar of the
stories about the greatest and only refuge among the living
beings, of whom the end of the transcendental qualities never
could be established by even the greatest masters of mystic
union like Lord Brahmâ and Lord S'iva? (15) Therefore
describe to us who are eager to hear about it, His impartial
transcendental activities, as you from your goodness for
certain relate to the Supreme Lord as the greatest of the great
exclusively. (16) For certain Parîkchit, who was a
first-class devotee, had fixed his intelligence on liberation
by means of the knowledge that was spoken by the son of
Vyâsa after having taken to the feet that are the shelter
of the king of the birds, Garuda [the bird by which Vishnu
travels]. (17) For that reason tell us about the supreme
and purifying so wonderfully contained in bhakti
[devotion] and describe to us, of the Unlimited One,
the activities that are so particularly dear to the pure
devotees, the way it was spoken to Parîkchit."
(18) Sûta said:
"See how, being connected to the great ones in conversation,
we, although we are from a mixed background, clearly are
promoted in taking birth [in the Lord] today, so that
in service of the ones advanced in knowledge we most quickly
become purified from the sufferings of a disqualifying
birth.(19) And, again, what to speak about the ones taking
exclusively to the shelter of the great devotees chanting the
holy name of He who is called Ananta as He is unlimited in His
potency and unmeasurably great by His attributes. (20) It is
now ascertained that it needs no description that by the
immeasurability of His attributes there is no one equal to Him.
And that leaving aside others who ask for the favor of the
Goddess of Fortune who herself serves the dust of the feet of
He who does not demand for that service. (21) Who else would be
worth the position of carrying the name of Supreme Lord besides
Mukunda [Lord Krishna as the one granting liberation]
of whose toenails the water [of the Ganges] collected
by Brahmâjî emanated that via Lord S'iva purifies
the whole universe. (22) Those who are firmly attached to Him
certainly can all of a sudden leave the attachments of the
gross body and the subtle mind aside and go away to take
shelter of the highest stage of perfection
[sannyâsa] in the nature of which non-violence
and renunciation is found. (23) To you, who are as powerful as
the sun, I may, as you asked my humble self, describe the
knowledge of Vishnu from the learned - as far as permitted by
my knowledge herein the way similarly birds in the sky fly as
far as they can."
(24-25) "Once upon a
time when Parîkchit was hunting stags with bow and
arrows, he got very fatigued, hungry and thirsty. Looking for a
reservoir of water he entered the hermitage of the famous
rishi S'amîka where he saw the sage silently sitting
down with his eyes closed. (26) Having restrained his sense
organs, breath, mind and intelligence he had, in quality equal
with the Supreme Absolute, ceased all activity remaining
unaffected in transcendence over the three modes of
consciousness [wakefulness, dream and unconsciousness].
(27) He was covered with his long compressed hair as also by
the skin of a stag. The king, whose palate was dry of thirst,
asked for water. (28) Not being received with a place to sit,
water and nice words, he felt neglected and became angry that
way. (29) Although he was distressed of the circumstance of
being hungry and thirsty, his anger and envy against the
brahmin was unprecedented, o learned ones. (30) Having lost his
respect he picked up a lifeless snake with the tip of his bow
and placed it in anger on the shoulder of the sage as he left
to return to his palace. (31) There he wondered whether or not
the meditative state of withdrawing from the senses with closed
eyes by the sage was a false pretended trance to remain in
avoidance of seeing a lower ruler.
(32)"At the time the
sage's son, who was a very powerful personality, heard, as he
was playing with childish kids, of the distress the king had
occasioned his father, he had said this: (33)'Just see how the
irreligion of the rulers, with one who was brought up to behave
like a crow and watchdog to his master, has led to what is a
sin to servants. (34) To the learned the sons of the ruling
class are verily watchdogs - on what grounds can he who is
supposed to stay at the door think that he deserves to enter
the house of the master and eat from the same pot? (35)
Krishna, the Supreme Lord and ruler of those upstarts has
departed being our protector - today I shall punish them
myself, just witness my power.'(36) Thus speaking with red-hot
eyes to his playmates, the son of the rishi touched the
water of the Kaus'ika river and discharged the following
thunderbolt of words: (37)'Because of breaking the etiquette, a
snakebird, at the seventh day, will for certain bite the
wretched one of the dynasty who offended my father.'(38)
Thereafter when the boy had returned to the hermitage, he saw
the snake on his fathers shoulder and of that sorry plight he
cried out aloud."
(39) O S'aunaka, on
hearing his son crying in distress, the rishi who was
born in the family of Angirâ, gradually opened his eyes
and saw the dead snake on his shoulder also. (40) Throwing it
aside, he asked'My dear son, what are you crying about? Has
someone done something wrong?'Thus being asked, the boy told
him everything. (41) After hearing of the cursing of the king,
who should never have been condemned as he was the best among
man, he did not compliment his son, but in stead lamented:
'Alas! What a great sin you have committed yourself today
awarding such a heavy punishment for such an insignificant
offense. (42) In fact no one may ever place a transcendental
man of God on an equal footing with common man - your command
of intelligence is immature... by his unsurpassable prowess his
subjects enjoy prosperity being completely protected. (43) O my
boy, once this monarchical representative of the Lord who
carries the wheel of the chariot is abolished, this world will
be full of thieves instantly vanquishing the unprotected as if
they were lambs. (44) For this reason, from this day on, the
reaction upon this sin will overtake us causing great social
disruptions because of abolishing the monarch - the wealth will
be plundered by thieves and between one another there will be
killing and injuring and the stealing of animals and women.
(45) At that time the righteous civilization of human progress
in the vocations and stages of life to the respect of the vedic
injunctions, is systematically vanquished, whereafter economic
development for the sake of sense-gratification only will
result in an unwanted population on the level of dogs and
monkeys. (46) The protector of the religion, the king, is a
highly celebrated emperor; a direct devotee first class of the
Lord and a saint amongst the royal order; a great performer of
horse sacrifices - and when from hunger and thirst he is
stricken with fatigue he never deserves to be cursed by us like
this'.
(47) To pardon for the
great sin committed by the child immature of intelligence to a
sinless, deserving and subordinate one, he then turned himself
to the Supreme All-pervading Lord: (48)'Whether they are
defamed, cheated, cursed, disturbed of negligence, or even
being killed, for certain never for all of this will the
forbearing devotees of the Lord avenge themselves.'(49) Thus
the sage regretted the sin of his son while he personally did
not think of the king his insulting him as a sin. (50)
Generally are the saints in this world not distressed being
engaged by others in duality, nor do they take pleasure in it
because they are situated in the transcendence of the soul."
View Entry
Chapter 17 Punishment and Reward of Kali
DATE: 06/27/2007 / MOOD: none
Chapter
17
Punishment
and Reward of Kali
(1) Sûta said:
"It was there [at the Sarasvatî river] that the
king observed that a cow and bull were beaten with a club as if
they had no owner, by a s'ûdra [one of the lowest
class] dressed up as a king. (2) The bull, that was as
white as a lotus, was terrified of being beaten by the
s'ûdra and urinated and trembled out of fear, standing on
one leg only. (3) The cow also, on itself a religious example
but now rendered poor and distressed from the s'ûdra who
had beaten her legs, was without a calf and had tears in her
eyes being very weak hankering after some grass to eat. (4)
From his with gold embossed chariot Parîkchit, well
equipped with bow and arrows, with a thundering voice inquired:
(5)'Who are you, that under my protection, at this place, you
think you can violently kill the helpless! Although you appear
to be of strength having dressed up like a man of God as if
you're an actor, you behave like someone who never saw the
light of culture [to be twice born]. (6) Do you think
that because Lord Krishna and the carrier of the bow the
Gândîva [Arjuna] are out of sight, you can
secretly beat an innocent cow? Being a culprit that way you
deserve to be killed!'
(7)'And you', he said
turning to the bull,'are you just a bull that, as white as a
lotus moving on one leg, has lost three legs or are you some
demigod in the form of a bull causing us grief? (8) Never under
the protection of the arms of any of the kings of the Kuru
dynasty has there been grieving on this earth, except with for
you having tears in your eyes because of someone else. (9) O
son of Surabhi [the celestial cow], in my kingdom there
will be no lamentation, so do not fear the s'ûdra, and
mother cow, do not cry; as long as I am alive as the ruler and
subduer of the envious, everything will be good for you.
(10-11) O chaste one, he will lose his fame, longevity, fortune
and a good birth, in whose state the living beings are
terrified of miscreants. It is certainly the supreme duty of
the kings to subdue in order to end the misery of the ones who
suffer and therefore I shall kill this most wretched man so
violent against other living beings. (12) Who is he who could
cut off your legs, o son of Surabhi - as it happened with you
it has never happened before in the state of the kings that
live following Lord Krishna. (13) Just tell me, o bull, for you
are honest and without offenses, about him who mutilated you
and tarnished the reputation of the sons of Parthâ. (14)
Those who make the offenseless suffer may fear me wherever they
are, as I will curb the actions of the miscreants and restore
the good fortune of the honest ones. (15) The upstart who
offends innocent living beings, I shall forthwith defeat,
whether he's a demigod from heaven with armor and decorations
or not. (16) It is certainly the holy duty of the head of state
to always protect the ones who live in loyalty and rule safely
according to the scriptures over others who are in fact
straying,'
(17) The personality of
religion said: 'All you said speaking for the freedom from
anxiety of the sufferers just befits one of the Pândava
dynasty by whose qualities even Lord Krishna acted as a
servant. (18) O greatest among the human beings, from the
bewilderment of the person by all the differences of opinion,
we cannot tell what would be the cause of all human suffering.
(19) Some who deny all kinds of duality declare that it is from
one self that one suffers, others say that it is from the
superhuman, while still others say that it is all due to the
activities of material nature or of adopting outside
authorities. (20) Some also concluded that it defies
explication and comprehension; which of them herein is right, o
sage amongst the kings, you may judge by your own power of
intelligence'."
(21) Sûta said:
"Parîkchit, who attentively heard the personality of
religion thus speak, o best among the brahmins, mindfully
replied. (22) The king said: 'O knower of the duties, with you
in the form of a bull do you as the personality of religion
profess that [just like with a guru taking up the
karma] the position of the one acting against the religion
also becomes the position of the one identifying the problem.
(23) In other words: the Lord His ways with the material world
are inconceivable and to all it is clear that nor thinking nor
speaking is of avail. (24) Austerity, cleanliness, compassion
and thruthfullness [tapas, s'auca, dayâ,
sathya] are the legs that established the age of truth
[Sathya Yuga, the'old days'], but from irreligiosity
three of them broke in pride, too much association with women
and intoxication. (25) At present, o personality of religion,
you are hobbling along on the one leg of truthfulness while
quarrel personified [Kali], flourishing on deceit,
irreligiously tries to destroy that leg too. (26) A great
burden was taken from the face of the earth by the Supreme Lord
personally and others also - His all-auspicious footprints
brought good fortune everywhere. (27) Lamenting with tears in
her eyes, the unfortunate and chaste one [mother earth]
deserted by Him, is now enjoyed by the lower-class who, devoid
of the culture of learning, pose themself as rulers in my
place.'
(28) Thus the
personalities of religion and mother earth were pacified by the
great warrior, who took up his sharp sword in order to kill
Kali, the root cause of irreligion. (29) Knowing that the king
prepared to kill him, abandoned Kali, under the pressure of
fear, the royal dress and fully surrendered himself bowing his
head at the feet. (30) Out of compassion, he who is kind to the
poor and capable of handling worship, with a smile refrained
from killing the one fallen at the feet of the hero of whom it
is said that he is worthy of being sung. (31) The king said:
'Do not fear as you surrendered with folded hands; we certainly
inherited the fame of Arjuna, but there can be no question
either of being allowed to stay in my kingdom as you are the
friend of irreligion. (32) With you present in the body as a
god of men, everywhere all the irreligion of greed, falsehood,
robbery, incivility, treachery, misfortune, cheating, quarrel
and vanity will be abound in the masses. (33) Therefore, o
friend of irreligion, you do not deserve to remain with the
religion and truth in a place of sacrifice where one duly and
expertly is offering in service to the Lord of Sacrifices. (34)
In such sacrificial ceremonies the Supreme Personality of God,
the Lord, is being worshiped as the soul of all worshipable
deities, in the form of which He spreads welfare, for He is the
inviolable Supersoul to all desires being inside as well as
outside like the air is to all the moving and
unmoving.'
(35) Sûta said:
"That way being addressed by king Parîkchit, the
personality of Kali was trembling seeing him ready with a
raised sword speaking like Yamarâja, the Lord of Death.
(36) Kali said: 'Wherever that I may live under your order, o
Emperor, I will always see the reign of your bow and arrows as
well. (37) Therefore please, o chief of the protectors of the
religion, allot me a place where I for certain may find a
permanent residence under your rule'."
(38) Sûta said:
"Thus being petitioned, gave he Kali at that time the
permission to dwell in places where the four sinful activities
of gambling, drinking, prostitution and animal slaughter
[dyûtam, pânam, striyah,
sûnâ] were taking place. (39) Next to that
gave the master him, upon his insistent begging, the place
where there is gold as gold by passion is the fifth sin
bringing falsity, intoxication, lust and enmity. (40) Thus were
under the direction of the son of Uttarâ the five
dwelling places given to Kali where indeed irreligion is
encouraged. (41) For that reason should a person desiring his
well-being never resort to any of these places, especially not
those on the path of liberation, the royalty, the state
officials and the teachers. (42) By encouraging activities
restoring the three lost legs of austerity, cleanliness and
compassion of the bull, was [by King Parîkchit]
the earth perfectly improved. (43-44) Of him is the present
rule; the throne that was handed over by the grandfather king
[Yudhishthhira] who desired to withdraw in the forest.
From that rule, that sage among the kings and chief of the Kuru
dynasty, is now known in Hastinâpura as the most
fortunate and famous emperor. (45) Because of this experience
of the son of Abhimanyu, the king, may, thanks to his rule over
the earth, you all have the initiation of the performance of
sacrifices like this."
View Entry
Chapter 16 How Parîkchit Received the Age of Kali
DATE: 06/27/2007 / MOOD: none
Chapter
16
How
Parîkchit Received the Age of Kali
(1) Sûta said: "o
learned ones, thereafter Parîkchit, the great devotee,
ruled over the earth under the instructions of the twice-born,
with the qualities the astrologers, predicting the future at
the time of his birth, had thought he would have. (2) He
married Irâvatî, the daughter of King Uttara, and
begot four sons in her with Janamejaya as the first. (3)
At the Ganges he performed three horse sacrifices with proper
rewards for Kripâcârya, whom he selected for his
spiritual master, and the godly that came into view with
it. (4) Once on a chastising campaign he, the valiant
hero, by his prowess managed to punish the master of Kali-yuga
who, disguised as a king, lower than a s'ûdra was hurting
the legs of a cow and bull."
(5) S'aunaka inquired:
"Why did he only punish the master of Kali during his campaign
- he was dressed up like a king, but as the lowest of the
s'ûdras striking the legs of a cow. Please
describe, o fortunate one, all that to us as far as it relates
to the discourse about Krishna. (6) What would, for the
ones liberated who relish the honey at His lotusfeet, be the
use of wasting their life with endless illusory
discussions? (7) O Sûta, only short is the life of
the human beings who are sure to meet death. The eternal is of
those who desire herein to call for the representative of the
Lord, Yamarâja, the controller of death, to limit the
performances. (8) No one will die as long as the one who
causes death is present here, for the reason of which he as the
great lord has been invited by the sages - let the ones under
his grip drink of the nectar of the narrations about His
pastimes. (9) Those who are lazy, of trivial interest and
short-lived pass their days the way they sleep at night, in
activities without a purpose." (10) Sûta said:
"When Parîkchit, residing in the Kuru capital, heard that
the symptoms of Kali-yuga had entered the domain of his
jurisdiction, he thought the news not very palatable and took
he, devoted to military action, up his arrows and
bow. (11) Well decorated under the protection of the lion
in his flag and with black horses pulling his chariot, he left
the capital accompanied by charioteers, cavalry, elephants and
infantry troops for the purpose of conquering. (12)
Bhadrâs'va, Ketumâla, Bhârata, the northern
countries of Kuru and Kimpurusha behind the Himalayas were the
parts of the planet he conquered keeping strength exacting
tribute. (13-15) Everywhere he went he continuously heard
what great souls his forefathers were and he had also
indications of the glorious acts of Lord Krishna from the
people he saw. He as well heard of his own deliverance from the
powerful rays of the weapon of As'vatthâmâ and of
the devotion amongst the descendants of Vrishni and
Parthâ for Lord Kes'ava [Krishna as the killer of the
demon Kes'î, the mad horse]. Extremely pleased
rewarded he, with eyes open of joy, the people magnanimously
with clothes, necklaces and other riches. (16) Figuring as
a chariot driver, presiding in assemblies, acting as a servant,
being a friend and a messenger and keeping the watch at night
had the one of Vishnu, who was universally obeyed Himself
[Krishna], acted with prayers and obeisances relating
to the godfearing sons of Pându. This filled the king
with devotion unto His lotus feet." (17)" Now you may
know from me about how astonishingly he, day after day, kept
himself close in being absorbed in such thoughts about the good
of the forefathers. (18) The wandering personality of the
religion, that stood on one leg only [the so called'bull'of
dharma whose legs stand for the four fundamental human
values], met with the aggrieved cow [mother Earth]
who had tears in her eyes like a mother that has lost her
child. (19) He said: 'Madam, are you hale and hearty?
Looking aggrieved with a gloomy face you appear to be affected
by a disease or to be thinking of a friend far away, o
mother. (20) Are you lamenting about the diminishing of my
legs as I stand on one only, or is it because the offensive
meat-eaters are to exploit you? Or is it because the theists
are bereft of their share due to a lack of sacrifices or
because the living beings increasingly suffer from scarcity,
famine and drought? (21) Are you grieving about the
unhappy women and children on earth who are without the
protection of their men or are you sorry about the way one
speaks in the families of the learned against the principles of
the goddess [of knowledge]? Or do you lament about the
way most of them act against the culture of learning taking
shelter with the ruling class? (22) Is it because the
unworthy administrators are bewildered under the influence of
Kali-yuga and here and there have messed up the affairs of the
state? Or is it because of the way society is inclined to take
its food and drink and how one sleeps, bathes and has
intercourse? (23) Could it be, o mother Earth, that you
are thinking of the salvation brought by the activities of the
incarnation of the Lord who decreased your heavy load but is
now out of sight? (24) Please inform me, o reservoir of
all riches, about the reason of your tribulations that reduced
you to such weakness. Is it mother, that your good fortune that
was adored by even the godly, was forcibly taken away by the
very powerful influence of time?'
(25) Mother Earth
replied: 'O personality of religion ['Dharma'], I will
certainly, one after another, reply to all that you, from your
good self, have asked me, as by your four legs you exist in all
the worlds to bring happiness. (26-30) Truthfulness,
cleanliness, compassion, self-control, magnanimity,
contentment, straightforwardness, concentration, sense-control,
responS'ibility, equality, tolerance, equanimity and loyalty.
And certainly also knowledge, detachment, leadership, chivalry,
influence, power, dutifulness, independence, dexterity, beauty,
serenity and kindheartedness, as well as ingenuity, gentility,
mannerliness, determination, knowledgeability, propriety,
pleasantness, joyfulness, immovability, faithfulness, fame and
dignity - all these and many others are the everlasting
qualities of the Supreme Lord, the never diminishing higher
nature which can be attained by those worthy of that greatness.
By Him am I myself, just as the goddess of fortune, such a
reservoir of qualities, but in the absence of Him as the
resting place, is Kali, the store of all sins, seen in all the
worlds. (31) I am also lamenting for you as well as for
the best of the godly, the gods and the ancestors in heaven,
the sages and the devotees, as well as for all in their status
orientations in society. (32-33) Lakshmî [the
goddess of fortune] whose grace was sought by demigods like
Brahmâ who for many days were doing penance in surrender
to the Lord, has for the sake of worship forsaken her own abode
in the forest of lotus flowers out of attachment to the
all-blissful feet. From Him, having myself obtained the special
powers of the lotusflower, thunderbolt, flag and driving rod, I
could, being under the impression of the marks of the feet of
the Supreme Lord, the owner of all opulence, being decorated
that way beautifully supersede the three worlds - but at the
end when I was feeling so fortunate, He has left me. (34)
He who certainly relieved me of the burden of the hundreds of
military divisions of atheist kings, incarnated also for you in
the Yadu-family, as you lacking in strength had difficulty to
keep yourselves standing. (35) Who therefore can tolerate
it to be separated from the love, glances, smiles and hearty
appeal of the Supreme Original Person who conquered the
passionate wrath and gravity of women like
Satyabhâmâ and made my hair [grass] stand
on end out of pleasure under the imprint of His
feet.'
(36) While the earth
and the personality of religion were thus conversing, arrived
Parîkchit, who had the name to be the saint among the
kings, at the Sarasvatî river flowing to the
east."
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