Janamejaya's Questions

Verse 1 (devibhagavatam.4.1.1)

जनमेजय उवाच । वासवेय मुनिश्रेष्ठ सर्वज्ञाननिधेऽनघ । प्रष्टुमिच्छाम्यहं स्वामिन्नस्माकं कुलवर्धन

janamejaya uvāca vāsaveya muniśreṣṭha sarvajñānanidhe'nagha praṣṭumicchāmyahaṁ svāminnasmākaṁ kulavardhana

Janamejaya said: O Vasaveya, best among sages, treasury of all knowledge, sinless one! O master, increaser of our lineage, I wish to ask you something.

Verse 2 (devibhagavatam.4.1.2)

शूरसेनसुतः श्रीमान्वसुदेवः प्रतापवान् । श्रुतं मया हरिर्यस्य पुत्रभावमवाप्तवान्

śūrasenasutaḥ śrīmānvasudevaḥ pratāpavān śrutaṁ mayā hariryasya putrabhāvamavāptavān

Vasudeva, glorious and mighty, was the son of Surasena — I have heard that Lord Hari took birth as his son.

Verse 3 (devibhagavatam.4.1.3)

देवानामपि पूज्योऽभून्नाम्ना चानकदुन्दुभिः । कारागारे कथं बद्धः कंसस्य धर्मतत्परः

devānāmapi pūjyo'bhūnnāmnā cānakadundubhiḥ kārāgāre kathaṁ baddhaḥ kaṁsasya dharmatatparaḥ

He, also called Anakadundubhi, worshipped even by the gods and devoted to dharma — how was such a man bound in Kamsa's prison?

Verse 4 (devibhagavatam.4.1.4)

देवक्या भार्यया सार्धं किमागः कृतवानसौ । देवक्या बालषट्कस्य विनाशश्च कृतः पुनः

devakyā bhāryayā sārdhaṁ kimāgaḥ kṛtavānasau devakyā bālaṣaṭkasya vināśaśca kṛtaḥ punaḥ

What wrong had he, together with his wife Devaki, committed — and why were Devaki's six infant sons destroyed as well?

Verse 5 (devibhagavatam.4.1.5)

तेन कंसेन कस्माद्वै ययातिकुलजेन च । कारागारे कथं जन्म वासुदेवस्य वै हरेः

tena kaṁsena kasmādvai yayātikulajena ca kārāgāre kathaṁ janma vāsudevasya vai hareḥ

Why did that Kamsa, though born in the very lineage of Yayati, act so — and why did Hari take birth to Vasudeva inside a prison at all?

Verse 6 (devibhagavatam.4.1.6)

गोकुले च कथं नीतो भगवान्सात्वतां पतिः । गतो जन्मान्तरं कस्मात्पितरौ निगडे स्थितौ

gokule ca kathaṁ nīto bhagavānsātvatāṁ patiḥ gato janmāntaraṁ kasmātpitarau nigaḍe sthitau

How was the Lord, master of the Satvatas, carried off to Gokula? Why was he taken elsewhere immediately at birth, while his parents remained bound in fetters?

Verse 7 (devibhagavatam.4.1.7)

देवकीवसुदेवौ च कृष्णस्यामिततेजसः । कथं न मोचितौ वृद्धौ पितरौ हरिणामुना

devakīvasudevau ca kṛṣṇasyāmitatejasaḥ kathaṁ na mocitau vṛddhau pitarau hariṇāmunā

Why did Krishna, of boundless splendor, not free his own aged parents, Devaki and Vasudeva, at that time?

Verse 8 (devibhagavatam.4.1.8)

जगत्कर्तुं समर्थेन स्थितेन जनकोदरे । प्राक्तनं किं तयोः कर्म दुर्विज्ञेयं महात्मभिः

jagatkartuṁ samarthena sthitena janakodare prāktanaṁ kiṁ tayoḥ karma durvijñeyaṁ mahātmabhiḥ

He who is capable of creating the entire universe chose to dwell within the womb — what was that past-life deed of theirs, so difficult even for great souls to fathom?

Verse 9 (devibhagavatam.4.1.9)

जन्म वै वासुदेवस्य यत्रासीत्परमात्मनः । के ते पुत्राश्च का बाला या कंसेन विपोथिता

janma vai vāsudevasya yatrāsītparamātmanaḥ ke te putrāśca kā bālā yā kaṁsena vipothitā

Where, in truth, did the birth of Vasudeva's son, the Supreme Soul, take place? Who were those sons, and who was that infant girl whom Kamsa dashed to the ground?

Verse 10 (devibhagavatam.4.1.10)

शिलायां निर्गता व्योम्नि जाता त्वष्टभुजा पुनः । गार्हस्थ्यञ्च हरेर्ब्रूहि बहुभार्यस्य चानघ

śilāyāṁ nirgatā vyomni jātā tvaṣṭabhujā punaḥ gārhasthyañca harerbrūhi bahubhāryasya cānagha

She who slipped away at the stone and rose into the sky, appearing there again as an eight-armed goddess — tell me of her, O sinless one, and also of Hari's household life, he who had many wives.

Verse 11 (devibhagavatam.4.1.11)

कार्याणि तत्र तान्येव देहत्यागं च तस्य वै । किंवदन्त्या श्रुतं यत्तन्मनो मोहयतीव मे

kāryāṇi tatra tānyeva dehatyāgaṁ ca tasya vai kiṁvadantyā śrutaṁ yattanmano mohayatīva me

Tell me too of his deeds there, and of how he gave up his body — for what I have heard only by rumor leaves my mind bewildered.

Verse 12 (devibhagavatam.4.1.12)

चरितं वासुदेवस्य त्वमाख्याहि यथातथम् । नरनारायणौ देवौ पुराणावृषिसत्तमौ

caritaṁ vāsudevasya tvamākhyāhi yathātatham naranārāyaṇau devau purāṇāvṛṣisattamau

Narrate to me the life of Vasudeva's son exactly as it truly was. And tell me too of the gods Nara and Narayana, those ancient and foremost among sages —

Verse 13 (devibhagavatam.4.1.13)

धर्मपुत्रौ महात्मानौ तपश्चेरतुरुत्तमम् । यौ मुनी बहुवर्षाणि पुण्ये बदरिकाश्रमे

dharmaputrau mahātmānau tapaśceraturuttamam yau munī bahuvarṣāṇi puṇye badarikāśrame

those two great-souled sons of Dharma, who performed the most exalted austerity, sages who dwelt for many years in the sacred hermitage of Badarika —

Verse 14 (devibhagavatam.4.1.14)

निराहारौ जितात्मानौ निःस्पृहौ जितषड्गुणौ । विष्णोरंशौ जगत्स्थेम्ने तपश्चेरतुरुत्तमम्

nirāhārau jitātmānau niḥspṛhau jitaṣaḍguṇau viṣṇoraṁśau jagatsthemne tapaśceraturuttamam

fasting, self-mastered, free of desire, having conquered the six passions, partial incarnations of Vishnu, who practiced the loftiest austerity for the sake of the world's stability —

Verse 15 (devibhagavatam.4.1.15)

तयोरंशावतारौ हि जिष्णुकृष्णौ महाबलौ । प्रसिद्धौ मुनिभिः प्रोक्तौ सर्वज्ञैर्नारदादिभिः

tayoraṁśāvatārau hi jiṣṇukṛṣṇau mahābalau prasiddhau munibhiḥ proktau sarvajñairnāradādibhiḥ

their own partial incarnations, it is said, were the mighty Jishnu (Arjuna) and Krishna — so declared, and well known, among sages headed by the omniscient Narada.

Verse 16 (devibhagavatam.4.1.16)

विद्यमानशरीरौ तौ कथं देहान्तरं गतौ । नरनारायणौ देवौ पुनः कृष्णार्जुनौ कथम्

vidyamānaśarīrau tau kathaṁ dehāntaraṁ gatau naranārāyaṇau devau punaḥ kṛṣṇārjunau katham

How did those two, while their own bodies still existed, pass into other bodies? How did the gods Nara and Narayana become, once more, Krishna and Arjuna?

Verse 17 (devibhagavatam.4.1.17)

यौ चक्रतुस्तपश्चोग्रं मुक्त्यर्थं मुनिसत्तमौ । तौ कथं प्रापतुर्देहौ प्राप्तयोगौ महातपौ

yau cakratustapaścograṁ muktyarthaṁ munisattamau tau kathaṁ prāpaturdehau prāptayogau mahātapau

Those two foremost sages who practiced fierce austerity for the sake of liberation — how did they, of great tapas, who had already attained yoga, come to take on new bodies?

Verse 18 (devibhagavatam.4.1.18)

शूद्रः स्वधर्मनिष्ठस्तु देहान्ते क्षत्रियस्तु सः । शुभाचारो मृतो यो वै स शूद्रो ब्राह्मणो भवेत्

śūdraḥ svadharmaniṣṭhastu dehānte kṣatriyastu saḥ śubhācāro mṛto yo vai sa śūdro brāhmaṇo bhavet

A shudra steadfast in his own duty becomes, at death, a kshatriya; and one of shudra birth who dies of pure conduct becomes a brahmin.

Verse 19 (devibhagavatam.4.1.19)

ब्राह्मणो निःस्पृहः शान्तो भवरोगाद्विमुच्यते । विपरीतमिदं भाति नरनारायणौ च तौ

brāhmaṇo niḥspṛhaḥ śānto bhavarogādvimucyate viparītamidaṁ bhāti naranārāyaṇau ca tau

A brahmin who is desireless and at peace is freed from the disease of worldly existence — yet the case of Nara and Narayana seems to run exactly opposite to this.

Verse 20 (devibhagavatam.4.1.20)

तपसा शोषितात्मानौ क्षत्रियौ तौ बभूवतुः । केन तौ कर्मणा शान्तौ जातौ शापेन वा पुनः

tapasā śoṣitātmānau kṣatriyau tau babhūvatuḥ kena tau karmaṇā śāntau jātau śāpena vā punaḥ

Those two, their bodies wasted by austerity, became kshatriyas once more — by what karma, or perhaps by what curse, did those peaceful sages take birth again as kshatriyas?

Verse 21 (devibhagavatam.4.1.21)

ब्राह्मणौ क्षत्रियौ जातौ कारणं तन्मुने वद । यादवानां विनाशश्च ब्रह्मशापादिति श्रुतः

brāhmaṇau kṣatriyau jātau kāraṇaṁ tanmune vada yādavānāṁ vināśaśca brahmaśāpāditi śrutaḥ

O sage, tell me the reason those brahmins became kshatriyas. And I have heard that the destruction of the Yadavas, too, came about through a brahmin's curse.

Verse 22 (devibhagavatam.4.1.22)

कृष्णस्यापि हि गान्धार्याः शापेनैव कुलक्षयः । प्रद्युम्नहरणं चैव शम्बरेण कथं कृतम्

kṛṣṇasyāpi hi gāndhāryāḥ śāpenaiva kulakṣayaḥ pradyumnaharaṇaṁ caiva śambareṇa kathaṁ kṛtam

Was the destruction of Krishna's own clan, too, caused solely by Gandhari's curse? And how did Shambara carry out the abduction of Pradyumna?

Verse 23 (devibhagavatam.4.1.23)

वर्तमाने वासुदेवे देवदेवे जनार्दने । पुत्रस्य सूतिकागेहाद्धरणं चातिदुर्घटम्

vartamāne vāsudeve devadeve janārdane putrasya sūtikāgehāddharaṇaṁ cātidurghaṭam

While Vasudeva, Janardana, god of gods, was himself present, how could such an exceedingly difficult thing occur — the stealing of his son right from the birthing-chamber?

Verse 24 (devibhagavatam.4.1.24)

द्वारकादुर्गमध्याद्वै हरिवेश्माद्दुरत्ययात् । न ज्ञातं वासुदेवेन तत्कथं दिव्यचक्षुषा

dvārakādurgamadhyādvai hariveśmādduratyayāt na jñātaṁ vāsudevena tatkathaṁ divyacakṣuṣā

How did Vasudeva, from within the impregnable fortress of Dvaraka, from Hari's own unassailable dwelling, fail to know of this even with his divine eye?

Verse 25 (devibhagavatam.4.1.25)

सन्देहोऽयं महान्ब्रह्मन्निसन्देहं कुरु प्रभो । यत्पत्न्यो वासुदेवस्य दस्युभिर्लुण्ठिता हृताः

sandeho'yaṁ mahānbrahmannisandehaṁ kuru prabho yatpatnyo vāsudevasya dasyubhirluṇṭhitā hṛtāḥ

This is a great doubt of mine, O brahmin — remove it fully, my lord — that Vasudeva's own wives were plundered and carried off by bandits.

Verse 26 (devibhagavatam.4.1.26)

स्वर्गते देवदेवे तु तत्कथं मुनिसत्तम । संशयो जायते ब्रह्मंश्चित्तान्दोलनकारकः

svargate devadeve tu tatkathaṁ munisattama saṁśayo jāyate brahmaṁścittāndolanakārakaḥ

O best of sages, how could this happen once the god of gods had departed to heaven? This doubt arises in me, O brahmin, and it troubles my mind greatly.

Verse 27 (devibhagavatam.4.1.27)

विष्णोरंशः समुद्भूतः शौरिर्भूभारहारकृत् । स कथं मथुराराज्यं भयात्त्यक्त्वा जनार्दनः

viṣṇoraṁśaḥ samudbhūtaḥ śaurirbhūbhārahārakṛt sa kathaṁ mathurārājyaṁ bhayāttyaktvā janārdanaḥ

Shauri, born of a portion of Vishnu, the remover of the earth's burden — how did that Janardana, out of fear, abandon the kingdom of Mathura,

Verse 28 (devibhagavatam.4.1.28)

द्वारवत्यां गतः साधो ससैन्यः ससुहृद्गणः । अवतारो हरेः प्रोक्तो भूभारहरणाय वै

dvāravatyāṁ gataḥ sādho sasainyaḥ sasuhṛdgaṇaḥ avatāro hareḥ prokto bhūbhāraharaṇāya vai

and go, with his army and his companions, to Dvaravati, O holy one? Hari's incarnation is declared to be precisely for removing the earth's burden —

Verse 29 (devibhagavatam.4.1.29)

पापात्मनां विनाशाय धर्मसंस्थापनाय च । तत्कथं वासुदेवेन चौरास्ते न निपातिताः

pāpātmanāṁ vināśāya dharmasaṁsthāpanāya ca tatkathaṁ vāsudevena caurāste na nipātitāḥ

for destroying the wicked and establishing dharma. Then why did Vasudeva not strike down those very thieves?

Verse 30 (devibhagavatam.4.1.30)

यैर्हृता वासुदेवस्य पत्न्यः संलुण्ठिताश्च ताः । स्तेनास्ते किं न विज्ञाताः सर्वज्ञेन सता पुनः

yairhṛtā vāsudevasya patnyaḥ saṁluṇṭhitāśca tāḥ stenāste kiṁ na vijñātāḥ sarvajñena satā punaḥ

Were those thieves who abducted and plundered Vasudeva's wives really not recognized by him, even though he is truly all-knowing?

Verse 31 (devibhagavatam.4.1.31)

भीष्मद्रोणवधः कामं भूभारहरणे मतः । अर्चिताश्च महात्मानः पाण्डवा धर्मतत्पराः

bhīṣmadroṇavadhaḥ kāmaṁ bhūbhāraharaṇe mataḥ arcitāśca mahātmānaḥ pāṇḍavā dharmatatparāḥ

Granted that the slaying of Bhishma and Drona was indeed meant for lightening the earth's burden, and the great-souled, dharma-devoted Pandavas were honored by him —

Verse 32 (devibhagavatam.4.1.32)

कृष्णभक्ताः सदाचारा युधिष्ठिरपुरोगमाः । ते कृत्वा राजसूयञ्च यज्ञराजं विधानतः

kṛṣṇabhaktāḥ sadācārā yudhiṣṭhirapurogamāḥ te kṛtvā rājasūyañca yajñarājaṁ vidhānataḥ

those devotees of Krishna, virtuous in conduct, led by Yudhishthira — having duly performed the Rajasuya, the king of sacrifices —

Verse 33 (devibhagavatam.4.1.33)

दक्षिणा विविधा दत्त्वा ब्राह्मणेभ्योऽतिभावतः । पाण्डुपुत्रास्तु देवांशा वासुदेवाश्रिता मुने

dakṣiṇā vividhā dattvā brāhmaṇebhyo'tibhāvataḥ pāṇḍuputrāstu devāṁśā vāsudevāśritā mune

and offered brahmins many kinds of gifts with deep devotion — those sons of Pandu, O sage, though themselves portions of the gods and sheltered by Vasudeva,

Verse 34 (devibhagavatam.4.1.34)

घोरं दुःखं कथं प्राप्ताः क्व गतं सुकृतञ्च तत् । किं तत्पापं महारौद्रं येन ते पीडिताः सदा

ghoraṁ duḥkhaṁ kathaṁ prāptāḥ kva gataṁ sukṛtañca tat kiṁ tatpāpaṁ mahāraudraṁ yena te pīḍitāḥ sadā

how did they come to suffer such terrible misery? Where did that merit of theirs go? What was that most dreadful sin, on account of which they were constantly afflicted?

Verse 35 (devibhagavatam.4.1.35)

द्रौपदी च महाभागा वेदीमध्यात्समुत्थिता । रमांशजा च साध्वी च कृष्णभक्तियुता तथा

draupadī ca mahābhāgā vedīmadhyātsamutthitā ramāṁśajā ca sādhvī ca kṛṣṇabhaktiyutā tathā

And Draupadi, most fortunate — who arose from the very midst of the sacrificial altar, born of a portion of Lakshmi, virtuous, and full of devotion to Krishna —

Verse 36 (devibhagavatam.4.1.36)

सा कथं दुःखमतुलं प्राप घोरं पुनः पुनः । दुःशासनेन सा केशे गृहीता पीडिता भृशम्

sā kathaṁ duḥkhamatulaṁ prāpa ghoraṁ punaḥ punaḥ duḥśāsanena sā keśe gṛhītā pīḍitā bhṛśam

how did she come to endure such matchless and terrible suffering again and again? Duhshasana seized her by the hair and tormented her cruelly;

Verse 37 (devibhagavatam.4.1.37)

रजस्वला सभायां तु नीता भीतैकवाससा । विराटनगरे दासी जाता मत्स्यस्य सा पुनः

rajasvalā sabhāyāṁ tu nītā bhītaikavāsasā virāṭanagare dāsī jātā matsyasya sā punaḥ

while in her courses, clad in a single garment and terrified, she was dragged into the assembly; and again, in the city of Virata, she became a servant-maid of King Matsya.

Verse 38 (devibhagavatam.4.1.38)

धर्षिता कीचकेनाथ रुदती कुररी यथा । हृता जयद्रथेनाथ क्रन्दमानातिदुःखिता

dharṣitā kīcakenātha rudatī kurarī yathā hṛtā jayadrathenātha krandamānātiduḥkhitā

Then she was assaulted by Kichaka, weeping like a female osprey; and then she was abducted by Jayadratha, crying out in the deepest anguish.

Verse 39 (devibhagavatam.4.1.39)

मोचिता पाण्डवैः पश्चाद्बलवद्भिर्महात्मभिः । पूर्वजन्मकृतं पापं किं तद्येन च पीडिताः

mocitā pāṇḍavaiḥ paścādbalavadbhirmahātmabhiḥ pūrvajanmakṛtaṁ pāpaṁ kiṁ tadyena ca pīḍitāḥ

Afterward she was freed by the mighty, great-souled Pandavas. What, then, was that sin committed in a former birth, on account of which they were so tormented?

Verse 40 (devibhagavatam.4.1.40)

दुःखान्यनेकान्याप्तास्ते कथयाद्य महामते । राजसूयं क्रतुवरं कृत्वा ते मम पूर्वजाः

duḥkhānyanekānyāptāste kathayādya mahāmate rājasūyaṁ kratuvaraṁ kṛtvā te mama pūrvajāḥ

Tell me now, O sage of great wisdom — they suffered so many sorrows, those ancestors of mine, even after performing the Rajasuya, the noblest of sacrifices —

Verse 41 (devibhagavatam.4.1.41)

दुःखं महत्तरं प्राप्ताः पूर्वजन्मकृतेन वै । देवांशानां कथं तेषां संशयोऽयं महान्हि मे

duḥkhaṁ mahattaraṁ prāptāḥ pūrvajanmakṛtena vai devāṁśānāṁ kathaṁ teṣāṁ saṁśayo'yaṁ mahānhi me

they met an even greater sorrow, and that too because of deeds done in a former birth. How could this happen to those who were themselves portions of the gods? This is indeed a great doubt for me.

Verse 42 (devibhagavatam.4.1.42)

सदाचारैस्तु कौन्तेयैर्भीष्मद्रोणादयो हताः । छलेन धनलाभार्थं जानानैर्नश्वरं जगत्

sadācāraistu kaunteyairbhīṣmadroṇādayo hatāḥ chalena dhanalābhārthaṁ jānānairnaśvaraṁ jagat

Bhishma, Drona, and the others were slain by the virtuous sons of Kunti through deceit, for the sake of gaining a kingdom — even though they knew this world to be perishable.

Verse 43 (devibhagavatam.4.1.43)

प्रेरिता वासुदेवेन पापे घोरे महात्मना । कुलं क्षयितवन्तस्ते हरिणा परमात्मना

preritā vāsudevena pāpe ghore mahātmanā kulaṁ kṣayitavantaste hariṇā paramātmanā

Incited into that dreadful sin by the great-souled Vasudeva, by Hari the Supreme Self himself, they brought about the destruction of their own lineage.

Verse 44 (devibhagavatam.4.1.44)

वरं भिक्षाटनं साधोर्नीवारैर्जीवनं वरम् । योधान्न हत्वा लोभेन शिल्पेन जीवनं वरम्

varaṁ bhikṣāṭanaṁ sādhornīvārairjīvanaṁ varam yodhānna hatvā lobhena śilpena jīvanaṁ varam

Better the alms-round of a holy man, better a life lived on wild grains; better to earn one's living by a craft than to slay warriors out of greed.

Verse 45 (devibhagavatam.4.1.45)

विच्छिन्नस्तु त्वया वंशो रक्षितो मुनिसत्तम । समुत्पाद्य सुतानाशु गोलकाच्छत्रुनाशनान्

vicchinnastu tvayā vaṁśo rakṣito munisattama samutpādya sutānāśu golakācchatrunāśanān

Yet you, O best of sages, saved that extinguished lineage — swiftly bringing forth from a stillborn womb sons who would destroy the enemy.

Verse 46 (devibhagavatam.4.1.46)

सोऽल्पेनैव तु कालेन विराटतनयासुतः । तापसस्य गले सर्पं न्यस्तवान्कथमद्भुतम्

so'lpenaiva tu kālena virāṭatanayāsutaḥ tāpasasya gale sarpaṁ nyastavānkathamadbhutam

That grandson born of Virata's daughter — how, in so short a time, did he come, astonishingly, to place a serpent on the neck of an ascetic?

Verse 47 (devibhagavatam.4.1.47)

नकोऽपि ब्राह्मणं द्वेष्टि क्षत्रियस्य कुलोद्भवः । तापसं मौनसंयुक्तं पित्रा किं तत्कृतं मुने

nako'pi brāhmaṇaṁ dveṣṭi kṣatriyasya kulodbhavaḥ tāpasaṁ maunasaṁyuktaṁ pitrā kiṁ tatkṛtaṁ mune

No one born of a kshatriya lineage bears hatred toward a brahmin — so, O sage, why did my father do this to that silent ascetic?

Verse 48 (devibhagavatam.4.1.48)

एतैरन्यैश्च सन्देहैर्विकलं मे मनोऽधुना । स्थिरं कुरु पितः साधो सर्वज्ञोऽसि दयानिधे

etairanyaiśca sandehairvikalaṁ me mano'dhunā sthiraṁ kuru pitaḥ sādho sarvajño'si dayānidhe

With these and other doubts my mind is now unsettled — steady it, O father-like holy one; you are all-knowing, an ocean of compassion.