Divinity and Divine Service

Verse 1 (bhagavata.1.2.1)

व्यास उवाच इति सम्प्रश्नसंहृष्टो विप्राणां रौमहर्षणिः । प्रतिपूज्य वचस्तेषां प्रवक्तुमुपचक्रमे ॥ 2.1 ॥

vyāsa uvāca iti sampraśna-saṁhṛṣṭo viprāṇāṁ raumaharṣaṇiḥ pratipūjya vacas teṣāṁ pravaktum upacakrame

Vyasa said: Delighted by this excellent question, the son of Romaharshana [Suta], having duly honored the words of the brahmanas, began to speak.

Verse 2 (bhagavata.1.2.2)

सूत उवाच यं प्रव्रजन्तमनुपेतमपेतकृत्यं द्वैपायनो विरहकातर आजुहाव । पुत्रेति तन्मयतया तरवोऽभिनेदु- स्तं सर्वभूतहृदयं मुनिमानतोऽस्मि ॥ 2.2 ॥

sūta uvāca yaṁ pravrajantam anupetam apeta-kṛtyaṁ dvaipāyano viraha-kātara ājuhāva putreti tan-mayatayā taravo ’bhinedus taṁ sarva-bhūta-hṛdayaṁ munim ānato ’smi

Suta said: I bow to that sage who dwells within the hearts of all beings — to him who departed for the renounced life without ever undergoing the rite of the sacred thread or performing the prescribed duties, so that Dvaipayana, tormented by separation, cried out, "O my son!" — and the very trees, moved by that same feeling, echoed the cry. To him, Shuka, I offer my obeisance.

Verse 3 (bhagavata.1.2.3)

यः स्वानुभावमखिलश्रुतिसारमेक- मध्यात्मदीपमतितितीर्षतां तमोऽन्धम् । संसारिणां करुणयाह पुराणगुह्यं तं व्याससूनुमुपयामि गुरुं मुनीनाम् ॥ 2.3 ॥

yaḥ svānubhāvam akhila-śruti-sāram ekam adhyātma-dīpam atititīrṣatāṁ tamo ’ndham saṁsāriṇāṁ karuṇayāha purāṇa-guhyaṁ taṁ vyāsa-sūnum upayāmi guruṁ munīnām

I take shelter of him, the son of Vyasa, teacher of the sages, who out of compassion for worldly souls struggling to cross the blinding darkness spoke, from his own direct realization, this confidential Purana — the single lamp of the self and the essence of all the Vedas.

Verse 4 (bhagavata.1.2.4)

नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम् । देवीं सरस्वतीं व्यासं ततो जयमुदीरयेत् ॥ 2.4 ॥

nārāyaṇaṁ namaskṛtya naraṁ caiva narottamam devīṁ sarasvatīṁ vyāsaṁ tato jayam udīrayet

Having bowed to Narayana, and to Nara, foremost among men, and to goddess Sarasvati, and to Vyasa, one should then begin the recitation of this work of victory.

Verse 5 (bhagavata.1.2.5)

मुनयः साधु पृष्टोऽहं भवद्भिर्लोकमङ्गलम् । यत्कृतः कृष्णसम्प्रश्नो येनात्मा सुप्रसीदति ॥ 2.5 ॥

munayaḥ sādhu pṛṣṭo ’haṁ bhavadbhir loka-maṅgalam yat kṛtaḥ kṛṣṇa-sampraśno yenātmā suprasīdati

O sages, you have questioned me well; this question of yours, concerning Krishna, is for the good of the world, for it is by such a question that the self attains true satisfaction.

Verse 6 (bhagavata.1.2.6)

स वै पुंसां परो धर्मो यतो भक्तिरधोक्षजे । अहैतुक्यप्रतिहता ययात्मा सुप्रसीदति ॥ 2.6 ॥

sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje ahaituky apratihatā yayātmā suprasīdati

That indeed is the supreme dharma for human beings, by which devotion arises toward the Transcendent Lord — unmotivated and unbroken — and by which the self becomes fully satisfied.

Verse 7 (bhagavata.1.2.7)

वासुदेवे भगवति भक्तियोगः प्रयोजितः । जनयत्याशु वैराग्यं ज्ञानं च यदहैतुकम् ॥ 2.7 ॥

vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam

Bhakti-yoga, when applied toward the Lord Vasudeva, swiftly gives rise to detachment and to knowledge that is free of any ulterior motive.

Verse 8 (bhagavata.1.2.8)

धर्मः स्वनुष्ठितः पुंसां विष्वक्सेनकथासु यः । नोत्पादयेद्यदि रतिं श्रम एव हि केवलम् ॥ 2.8 ॥

dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ notpādayed yadi ratiṁ śrama eva hi kevalam

If the dharma a person diligently performs does not give rise to a taste for the stories of the Lord, it is nothing but wasted labor.

Verse 9 (bhagavata.1.2.9)

धर्मस्य ह्यापवर्ग्यस्य नार्थोऽर्थायोपकल्पते । नार्थस्य धर्मैकान्तस्य कामो लाभाय हि स्मृतः ॥ 2.9 ॥

dharmasya hy āpavargyasya nārtho ’rthāyopakalpate nārthasya dharmaikāntasya kāmo lābhāya hi smṛtaḥ

Dharma, which leads to liberation, should never be undertaken for the sake of wealth; nor is wealth, gained purely through dharma, meant — as the wise have taught — for the satisfaction of desire.

Verse 10 (bhagavata.1.2.10)

कामस्य नेन्द्रियप्रीतिर्लाभो जीवेत यावता । जीवस्य तत्त्वजिज्ञासा नार्थो यश्चेह कर्मभिः ॥ 2.10 ॥

kāmasya nendriya-prītir lābho jīveta yāvatā jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā nārtho yaś ceha karmabhiḥ

The purpose of desire should not be the gratification of the senses, but only what is needed to sustain life; and the true aim of the living being's works is the inquiry into truth, not the gaining of wealth.

Verse 11 (bhagavata.1.2.11)

वदन्ति तत्तत्त्वविदस्तत्त्वं यज्ज्ञानमद्वयम् । ब्रह्मेति परमात्मेति भगवानिति शब्द्यते ॥ 2.11 ॥

vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate

The knowers of truth speak of that one, non-dual reality of knowledge, calling it by three names — Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan.

Verse 12 (bhagavata.1.2.12)

तच्छ्रद्दधाना मुनयो ज्ञानवैराग्ययुक्तया । पश्यन्त्यात्मनि चात्मानं भक्त्या श्रुतगृहीतया ॥ 2.12 ॥

tac chraddadhānā munayo jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā paśyanty ātmani cātmānaṁ bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā

Sages who place their faith in that truth, endowed with knowledge and detachment, behold the Self within themselves through the devotion gained by hearing the scriptures.

Verse 13 (bhagavata.1.2.13)

अतः पुम्भिर्द्विजश्रेष्ठा वर्णाश्रमविभागशः । स्वनुष्ठितस्य धर्मस्य संसिद्धिर्हरितोषणम् ॥ 2.13 ॥

ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam

Therefore, O best of the twice-born, the true perfection of the dharma that people perform according to their varna and ashrama is nothing other than the pleasing of Hari.

Verse 14 (bhagavata.1.2.14)

तस्मादेकेन मनसा भगवान् सात्वतां पतिः । श्रोतव्यः कीर्तितव्यश्च ध्येयः पूज्यश्च नित्यदा ॥ 2.14 ॥

tasmād ekena manasā bhagavān sātvatāṁ patiḥ śrotavyaḥ kīrtitavyaś ca dhyeyaḥ pūjyaś ca nityadā

Therefore, with a single-pointed mind, one should always hear of, glorify, meditate upon, and worship the Lord, protector of the Satvatas.

Verse 15 (bhagavata.1.2.15)

यदनुध्यासिना युक्ताः कर्मग्रन्थिनिबन्धनम् । छिन्दन्ति कोविदास्तस्य को न कुर्यात्कथारतिम् ॥ 2.15 ॥

yad-anudhyāsinā yuktāḥ karma-granthi-nibandhanam chindanti kovidās tasya ko na kuryāt kathā-ratim

Being absorbed in constant remembrance of Him, the wise sever the binding knot of karma — who, then, would not come to love hearing His story?

Verse 16 (bhagavata.1.2.16)

शुश्रूषोः श्रद्दधानस्य वासुदेवकथारुचिः । स्यान्महत्सेवया विप्राः पुण्यतीर्थनिषेवणात् ॥ 2.16 ॥

śuśrūṣoḥ śraddadhānasya vāsudeva-kathā-ruciḥ syān mahat-sevayā viprāḥ puṇya-tīrtha-niṣevaṇāt

O brahmanas, for the faithful listener eager to hear, a taste for the stories of Vasudeva arises through service to great souls — service that is itself like resorting to a sacred place of pilgrimage.

Verse 17 (bhagavata.1.2.17)

शृण्वतां स्वकथाः कृष्णः पुण्यश्रवणकीर्तनः । हृद्यन्तःस्थो ह्यभद्राणि विधुनोति सुहृत्सताम् ॥ 2.17 ॥

śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ hṛdy antaḥ stho hy abhadrāṇi vidhunoti suhṛt satām

For those who listen to His own stories, Krishna — whose hearing and chanting are themselves sacred, who dwells within the heart, the true friend of the virtuous — washes away all that is inauspicious.

Verse 18 (bhagavata.1.2.18)

नष्टप्रायेष्वभद्रेषु नित्यं भागवतसेवया । भगवत्युत्तमश्लोके भक्तिर्भवति नैष्ठिकी ॥ 2.18 ॥

naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā bhagavaty uttama-śloke bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī

When, through constant service to the Bhagavata, all that is inauspicious is nearly destroyed, unwavering devotion arises toward the Lord who is glorified in the finest hymns.

Verse 19 (bhagavata.1.2.19)

तदा रजस्तमोभावाः कामलोभादयश्च ये । चेत एतैरनाविद्धं स्थितं सत्त्वे प्रसीदति ॥ 2.19 ॥

tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye ceta etair anāviddhaṁ sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati

Then the states born of passion and ignorance — desire, greed and the like — can no longer pierce the heart, and the heart, established in goodness, grows serene.

Verse 20 (bhagavata.1.2.20)

एवं प्रसन्नमनसो भगवद्भक्तियोगतः । भगवत्तत्त्वविज्ञानं मुक्तसङ्गस्य जायते ॥ 2.20 ॥

evaṁ prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ bhagavat-tattva-vijñānaṁ mukta-saṅgasya jāyate

Thus, for one whose mind has become serene through the practice of devotion to the Lord, and who is free of all worldly attachment, true realization of the Lord's nature is born.

Verse 21 (bhagavata.1.2.21)

भिद्यते हृदयग्रन्थिश्छिद्यन्ते सर्वसंशयाः । क्षीयन्ते चास्य कर्माणि दृष्ट एवात्मनीश्वरे ॥ 2.21 ॥

bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ kṣīyante cāsya karmāṇi dṛṣṭa evātmanīśvare

The knot of the heart is broken, every doubt is severed, and his accumulated karma dissolves the very moment he beholds the Lord within his own self.

Verse 22 (bhagavata.1.2.22)

अतो वै कवयो नित्यं भक्तिं परमया मुदा । वासुदेवे भगवति कुर्वन्त्यात्मप्रसादनीम् ॥ 2.22 ॥

ato vai kavayo nityaṁ bhaktiṁ paramayā mudā vāsudeve bhagavati kurvanty ātma-prasādanīm

For this reason, the wise constantly perform, with supreme joy, that devotion to the Lord Vasudeva which alone brings true satisfaction to the self.

Verse 23 (bhagavata.1.2.23)

सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति प्रकृतेर्गुणास्तै- र्युक्तः परः पुरुष एक इहास्य धत्ते । स्थित्यादये हरिविरिञ्चिहरेति संज्ञाः श्रेयांसि तत्र खलु सत्त्वतनोर्नृणां स्युः ॥ 2.23 ॥

sattvaṁ rajas tama iti prakṛter guṇās tair yuktaḥ paraḥ puruṣa eka ihāsya dhatte sthity-ādaye hari-viriñci-hareti saṁjñāḥ śreyāṁsi tatra khalu sattva-tanor nṛṇāṁ syuḥ

Goodness, passion and ignorance are the three qualities of material nature; united with them, that one Supreme Person assumes, for this world's creation, maintenance and destruction, the names Virinchi, Hari and Hara — Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Of these, it is truly from the form of goodness alone that the ultimate good of humankind comes.

Verse 24 (bhagavata.1.2.24)

पार्थिवाद्दारुणो धूमस्तस्मादग्निस्त्रयीमयः । तमसस्तु रजस्तस्मात्सत्त्वं यद्ब्रह्मदर्शनम् ॥ 2.24 ॥

pārthivād dāruṇo dhūmas tasmād agnis trayīmayaḥ tamasas tu rajas tasmāt sattvaṁ yad brahma-darśanam

From earth comes wood, from wood comes smoke, and finer still than that is fire, the embodiment of the three Vedas; in the same way, passion is superior to ignorance, and goodness, superior to passion, is that by which the vision of Brahman is attained.

Verse 25 (bhagavata.1.2.25)

भेजिरे मुनयोऽथाग्रे भगवन्तमधोक्षजम् । सत्त्वं विशुद्धं क्षेमाय कल्पन्ते येऽनु तानिह ॥ 2.25 ॥

bhejire munayo ’thāgre bhagavantam adhokṣajam sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ kṣemāya kalpante ye ’nu tān iha

In ancient times the great sages worshiped the transcendent Lord in His form of pure goodness, for their own well-being; and those in this world who follow them likewise become fit for that same well-being.

Verse 26 (bhagavata.1.2.26)

मुमुक्षवो घोररूपान् हित्वा भूतपतीनथ । नारायणकलाः शान्ता भजन्ति ह्यनसूयवः ॥ 2.26 ॥

mumukṣavo ghora-rūpān hitvā bhūta-patīn atha nārāyaṇa-kalāḥ śāntā bhajanti hy anasūyavaḥ

Those who seek liberation, being free of envy, set aside the fearsome forms of the various lords of created beings and worship instead the peaceful, plenary portions of Narayana.

Verse 27 (bhagavata.1.2.27)

रजस्तमःप्रकृतयः समशीला भजन्ति वै । पितृभूतप्रजेशादीन्श्रियैश्वर्यप्रजेप्सवः ॥ 2.27 ॥

rajas-tamaḥ-prakṛtayaḥ sama-śīlā bhajanti vai pitṛ-bhūta-prajeśādīn śriyaiśvarya-prajepsavaḥ

Those whose nature is of passion and ignorance worship, in keeping with their own disposition, the ancestors, spirits, lords of progeny and the like, desiring wealth, power and offspring.

Verse 28 (bhagavata.1.2.28)

वासुदेवपरा वेदा वासुदेवपरा मखाः । वासुदेवपरा योगा वासुदेवपराः क्रियाः ॥ 2.28 ॥

vāsudeva-parā vedā vāsudeva-parā makhāḥ vāsudeva-parā yogā vāsudeva-parāḥ kriyāḥ

The Vedas find their culmination in Vasudeva, sacrifices find their culmination in Him, yoga finds its culmination in Him, and every rite finds its culmination in Him alone.

Verse 29 (bhagavata.1.2.29)

वासुदेवपरं ज्ञानं वासुदेवपरं तपः । वासुदेवपरो धर्मो वासुदेवपरा गतिः ॥ 2.29 ॥

vāsudeva-paraṁ jñānaṁ vāsudeva-paraṁ tapaḥ vāsudeva-paro dharmo vāsudeva-parā gatiḥ

Knowledge finds its culmination in Vasudeva, austerity finds its culmination in Him, dharma finds its culmination in Him, and He alone is the final goal.

Verse 30 (bhagavata.1.2.30)

स एवेदं ससर्जाग्रे भगवानात्ममायया । सदसद्रूपया चासौ गुणमयागुणो विभुः ॥ 2.30 ॥

sa evedaṁ sasarjāgre bhagavān ātma-māyayā sad-asad-rūpayā cāsau guṇamayāguṇo vibhuḥ

That all-pervading Lord, though Himself beyond the material qualities, first brought forth this creation through His own maya — which appears in both cause and effect, and which is composed of the three qualities.

Verse 31 (bhagavata.1.2.31)

तया विलसितेष्वेषु गुणेषु गुणवानिव । अन्तःप्रविष्ट आभाति विज्ञानेन विजृम्भितः ॥ 2.31 ॥

tayā vilasiteṣv eṣu guṇeṣu guṇavān iva antaḥ-praviṣṭa ābhāti vijñānena vijṛmbhitaḥ

Having entered into these qualities set in motion by that maya, He appears as though endowed with the qualities, but in truth He shines forth, expanded by His own perfect knowledge.

Verse 32 (bhagavata.1.2.32)

यथा ह्यवहितो वह्निर्दारुष्वेकः स्वयोनिषु । नानेव भाति विश्वात्मा भूतेषु च तथा पुमान् ॥ 2.32 ॥

yathā hy avahito vahnir dāruṣv ekaḥ sva-yoniṣu nāneva bhāti viśvātmā bhūteṣu ca tathā pumān

Just as a single fire, latent within the pieces of wood that are its own source, appears to be many, so too does that Person, the Self of the universe, appear as many within all created beings.

Verse 33 (bhagavata.1.2.33)

असौ गुणमयैर्भावैर्भूतसूक्ष्मेन्द्रियात्मभिः । स्वनिर्मितेषु निर्विष्टो भुङ्क्ते भूतेषु तद्गुणान् ॥ 2.33 ॥

asau guṇamayair bhāvair bhūta-sūkṣmendriyātmabhiḥ sva-nirmiteṣu nirviṣṭo bhuṅkte bhūteṣu tad-guṇān

Entering, by means of states composed of the material qualities — gross elements, subtle elements and the senses — into the beings He Himself has fashioned, He experiences within them the very qualities of those states.

Verse 34 (bhagavata.1.2.34)

भावयत्येष सत्त्वेन लोकान् वै लोकभावनः । लीलावतारानुरतो देवतिर्यङ्नरादिषु ॥ 2.34 ॥

bhāvayaty eṣa sattvena lokān vai loka-bhāvanaḥ līlāvatārānurato deva-tiryaṅ-narādiṣu

This sustainer of the worlds nourishes them through the quality of goodness, ever engaged in His playful incarnations among gods, animals, human beings and all the rest.