The Deep Course of Karma

Verse 1 (devibhagavatam.6.10.1)

जनमेजय उवाच । कथितं चरितं ब्रह्मञ्छक्रस्याद्भुतकर्मणः । स्थानभ्रंशस्तथा दुःखप्राप्तिरुक्ता विशेषतः

janamejaya uvāca | kathitaṁ caritaṁ brahmañchakrasyādbhutakarmaṇaḥ | sthānabhraṁśastathā duḥkhaprāptiruktā viśeṣataḥ

Janamejaya said: 'O brahmin, you have related the wondrous deeds of Shakra, and have described in particular his fall from his position and the sorrow that befell him.'

Verse 2 (devibhagavatam.6.10.2)

यत्र देवाधिदेव्याश्च महिमातीव वर्णितः । सन्देहोऽत्र ममाप्यस्ति यच्छक्रोऽपि महातपाः

yatra devādhidevyāśca mahimātīva varṇitaḥ | sandeho'tra mamāpyasti yacchakro'pi mahātapāḥ

'In which the greatness of the supreme Goddess of the gods was also extensively told. I have a doubt here as well: that Shakra, great in austerity though he was —'

Verse 3 (devibhagavatam.6.10.3)

देवाधिपत्यमासाद्य दुःसहं दुःखमन्वभूत् । मखानां तु शतं कृत्वा प्राप्तं स्थानमनुत्तमम्

devādhipatyamāsādya duḥsahaṁ duḥkhamanvabhūt | makhānāṁ tu śataṁ kṛtvā prāptaṁ sthānamanuttamam

'— even after attaining lordship over the gods, endured unbearable sorrow. Having performed a hundred sacrifices, he had won his unsurpassed position —'

Verse 4 (devibhagavatam.6.10.4)

देवेशत्वं च सम्प्राप्य भ्रष्टः स्थानादसौ कथम् । एतत्सर्वं समाचक्ष्व कारणं करुणानिधे

deveśatvaṁ ca samprāpya bhraṣṭaḥ sthānādasau katham | etatsarvaṁ samācakṣva kāraṇaṁ karuṇānidhe

'— and having attained the very lordship of the gods, how then did he fall from that position? Tell me the whole reason for it, O treasury of compassion.'

Verse 5 (devibhagavatam.6.10.5)

सर्वज्ञोऽसि मुनिश्रेष्ठ पुराणानां प्रवर्तकः । नावाच्यं महतां किञ्चिच्छिष्ये च श्रद्धयान्विते

sarvajño'si muniśreṣṭha purāṇānāṁ pravartakaḥ | nāvācyaṁ mahatāṁ kiñcicchiṣye ca śraddhayānvite

'You are all-knowing, O finest of sages, the very originator of the Puranas; nothing at all should remain unspoken by the great toward a disciple filled with faith.'

Verse 6 (devibhagavatam.6.10.6)

तस्मात्कुरु महाभाग मत्सन्देहापनोदनम् । सूत उवाच । इति पृष्टः स राज्ञा वै तदा सत्यवतीसुतः

tasmātkuru mahābhāga matsandehāpanodanam | sūta uvāca | iti pṛṣṭaḥ sa rājñā vai tadā satyavatīsutaḥ

'Therefore, O greatly fortunate one, dispel this doubt of mine.' Suta said: Thus questioned by the king, the son of Satyavati then —

Verse 7 (devibhagavatam.6.10.7)

तमाहातिप्रसन्नात्मा यथानुक्रममुत्तरम् । व्यास उवाच । निबोध नृपतिश्रेष्ठ कारणं परमाद्भुतम्

tamāhātiprasannātmā yathānukramamuttaram | vyāsa uvāca | nibodha nṛpatiśreṣṭha kāraṇaṁ paramādbhutam

— replied to him, his mind well pleased, in due and proper order. Vyasa said: 'Understand, O finest of kings, this most wondrous cause.'

Verse 8 (devibhagavatam.6.10.8)

कर्मणस्तु त्रिधा प्रोक्ता गतिस्तत्त्वविदां वरैः । सञ्चितं वर्तमानं च प्रारब्धमिति भेदतः

karmaṇastu tridhā proktā gatistattvavidāṁ varaiḥ | sañcitaṁ vartamānaṁ ca prārabdhamiti bhedataḥ

'The course of karma has been declared threefold by the finest knowers of truth — distinguished as accumulated (sanchita), current (vartamana), and destined (prarabdha).'

Verse 9 (devibhagavatam.6.10.9)

अनेकजन्मसञ्जातं प्राक्तनं सञ्चितं स्मृतम् । सात्त्विकं राजसं कर्म तामसं त्रिविधं पुनः

anekajanmasañjātaṁ prāktanaṁ sañcitaṁ smṛtam | sāttvikaṁ rājasaṁ karma tāmasaṁ trividhaṁ punaḥ

'That which arises across many past births is remembered as "accumulated" karma; and karma is again of three kinds — sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic.'

Verse 10 (devibhagavatam.6.10.10)

शुभं वाप्यशुभं भूप सञ्चितं बहुकालिकम् । अवश्यमेव भोक्तव्यं सुकृतं दुष्कृतं तथा

śubhaṁ vāpyaśubhaṁ bhūpa sañcitaṁ bahukālikam | avaśyameva bhoktavyaṁ sukṛtaṁ duṣkṛtaṁ tathā

'Whether good or bad, O king, whatever has accumulated over a long span of time — good deeds and evil deeds alike — must without fail be experienced.'

Verse 11 (devibhagavatam.6.10.11)

जन्मजन्मनि जीवानां सञ्चितानां च कर्मणाम् । निःशेषस्तु क्षयो नाभूत्कल्पकोटिशतैरपि

janmajanmani jīvānāṁ sañcitānāṁ ca karmaṇām | niḥśeṣastu kṣayo nābhūtkalpakoṭiśatairapi

'The accumulated deeds of living beings, gathered life after life, are never exhausted in full, not even over hundreds of millions of kalpas.'

Verse 12 (devibhagavatam.6.10.12)

क्रियमाणं च यत्कर्म वर्तमानं तदुच्यते । देहं प्राप्य शुभं वापि ह्यशुभं वा समाचरेत्

kriyamāṇaṁ ca yatkarma vartamānaṁ taducyate | dehaṁ prāpya śubhaṁ vāpi hyaśubhaṁ vā samācaret

'That deed which is being enacted here and now is called "current" karma; having obtained a body, one performs either good or evil.'

Verse 13 (devibhagavatam.6.10.13)

सञ्चितानां पुनर्मध्यात्समाहृत्य कियान्किल । देहारम्भे च समये कालः प्रेरयतीव तत्

sañcitānāṁ punarmadhyātsamāhṛtya kiyānkila | dehārambhe ca samaye kālaḥ prerayatīva tat

'From among the store of accumulated deeds, a certain portion is drawn out; and at the very moment a new body is begun, time itself, as it were, sets that portion into motion.'

Verse 14 (devibhagavatam.6.10.14)

प्रारब्धं कर्म विज्ञेयं भोगात्तस्य क्षयः स्मृतः । प्राणिभिः खलु भोक्तव्यं प्रारब्धं नात्र संशयः

prārabdhaṁ karma vijñeyaṁ bhogāttasya kṣayaḥ smṛtaḥ | prāṇibhiḥ khalu bhoktavyaṁ prārabdhaṁ nātra saṁśayaḥ

'This is known as "prarabdha," or destined, karma; its exhaustion, it is said, comes only through experiencing it. Prarabdha must indeed be lived through by every being — of this there is no doubt.'

Verse 15 (devibhagavatam.6.10.15)

पुरा कृतानि राजेन्द्र ह्यशुभानि शुभानि च । अवश्यमेव कर्माणि भोक्तव्यानीति निश्चयः

purā kṛtāni rājendra hyaśubhāni śubhāni ca | avaśyameva karmāṇi bhoktavyānīti niścayaḥ

'Deeds performed in the past, O king of kings, whether evil or good, must certainly be experienced in their fruit — this is the fixed conclusion.'

Verse 16 (devibhagavatam.6.10.16)

देवैर्मनुष्यैरसुरैर्यक्षगन्धर्वकिन्नरैः । कर्मैव हि महाराज देहारम्भस्य कारणम्

devairmanuṣyairasurairyakṣagandharvakinnaraiḥ | karmaiva hi mahārāja dehārambhasya kāraṇam

'For gods, men, asuras, yakshas, gandharvas, and kinnaras alike — it is karma alone, O great king, that is the cause of every embodiment.'

Verse 17 (devibhagavatam.6.10.17)

कर्मक्षये जन्मनाशः प्राणिनां नात्र संशयः । ब्रह्मा विष्णुस्तथा रुद्र इन्द्राद्याश्च सुरास्तथा

karmakṣaye janmanāśaḥ prāṇināṁ nātra saṁśayaḥ | brahmā viṣṇustathā rudra indrādyāśca surāstathā

'When karma is exhausted, birth for living beings comes to an end — of this there is no doubt. Brahma, Vishnu, and likewise Rudra, Indra, and the other gods —'

Verse 18 (devibhagavatam.6.10.18)

दानवा यक्षगन्धर्वाः सर्वे कर्मवशा किल । अन्यथा देहसम्बन्धः कथं भवति भूपते

dānavā yakṣagandharvāḥ sarve karmavaśā kila | anyathā dehasambandhaḥ kathaṁ bhavati bhūpate

'— danavas, yakshas, gandharvas — all of them indeed remain subject to karma; otherwise, O king, how could any connection to a body come about at all?'

Verse 19 (devibhagavatam.6.10.19)

कारणं यस्तु भोगस्य देहिनः सुखदुःखयोः । तस्मादनेकजन्मोत्थसञ्चितानां च कर्मणाम्

kāraṇaṁ yastu bhogasya dehinaḥ sukhaduḥkhayoḥ | tasmādanekajanmotthasañcitānāṁ ca karmaṇām

'The cause of an embodied being's experience of joy and sorrow lies here: from among the accumulated deeds arisen across many births —'

Verse 20 (devibhagavatam.6.10.20)

मध्ये वेगः समायाति कस्यचित्कालपाकतः । तत्प्रारब्धवशात्पुण्यं करोति च यथा तथा

madhye vegaḥ samāyāti kasyacitkālapākataḥ | tatprārabdhavaśātpuṇyaṁ karoti ca yathā tathā

'— a certain force among them, ripened by the passage of time, comes forward; and under the sway of that destined portion, a person performs merit accordingly.'

Verse 21 (devibhagavatam.6.10.21)

पापं करोति मनुजस्तथा देवादयोऽपि च । तथा नारायणो राजन्नरश्च धर्मजावुभौ

pāpaṁ karoti manujastathā devādayo'pi ca | tathā nārāyaṇo rājannaraśca dharmajāvubhau

'Man commits sin as well, and so too do the gods and others; in the same way, O king, Narayana and Nara, both born of Dharma —'

Verse 22 (devibhagavatam.6.10.22)

जातौ कृष्णार्जुनौ काममंशौ नारायणस्य तौ । पुराणपीठिकेयं वै मुनिभिः परिकीर्तिता

jātau kṛṣṇārjunau kāmamaṁśau nārāyaṇasya tau | purāṇapīṭhikeyaṁ vai munibhiḥ parikīrtitā

'— were born as Krishna and Arjuna, both willing portions of Narayana himself; this is the foundational Puranic account, so declared by the sages.'

Verse 23 (devibhagavatam.6.10.23)

देवांशः स तु विज्ञेयो यो भवेद्विभवाधिकः । नानृषिः कुरुते काव्यं नारुद्रो रुद्रमर्चते

devāṁśaḥ sa tu vijñeyo yo bhavedvibhavādhikaḥ | nānṛṣiḥ kurute kāvyaṁ nārudro rudramarcate

'That one is to be recognized as a portion of a god who possesses splendor beyond the ordinary. No one but a true sage composes real poetry, and no one but Rudra himself truly worships Rudra.'

Verse 24 (devibhagavatam.6.10.24)

नादेवांशो ददात्यन्नं नाविष्णुः पृथिवीपतिः । इन्द्रादग्नेर्यमाद्विष्णोर्धनदादिति भूपते

nādevāṁśo dadātyannaṁ nāviṣṇuḥ pṛthivīpatiḥ | indrādagneryamādviṣṇordhanadāditi bhūpate

'No one but a portion of a god is a true giver of food, and no one but a portion of Vishnu is a true lord of the earth. From Indra, Agni, Yama, Vishnu, Kubera — thus, O king —'

Verse 25 (devibhagavatam.6.10.25)

प्रभुत्वं च प्रभावं च कोपं चैव पराक्रमम् । आदाय क्रियते नूनं शरीरमिति निश्चयः

prabhutvaṁ ca prabhāvaṁ ca kopaṁ caiva parākramam | ādāya kriyate nūnaṁ śarīramiti niścayaḥ

'— taking on their sovereignty, splendor, wrath, and valor, a body is thereby fashioned — this is the fixed conclusion.'

Verse 26 (devibhagavatam.6.10.26)

यः कश्चिद्बलवाँल्लोके भाग्यवानथ भोगवान् । विद्यावान्दानवान्वापि स देवांशः प्रपढ्यते

yaḥ kaścidbalavā~lloke bhāgyavānatha bhogavān | vidyāvāndānavānvāpi sa devāṁśaḥ prapaḍhyate

'Whoever in this world is powerful, fortunate, rich in enjoyment, learned, or generous is understood to be a portion of a god.'

Verse 27 (devibhagavatam.6.10.27)

तथैवैते मयाख्याता पाण्डवाः पृथिवीपते । देवांशो वासुदेवोऽपि नारायणसमद्युतिः

tathaivaite mayākhyātā pāṇḍavāḥ pṛthivīpate | devāṁśo vāsudevo'pi nārāyaṇasamadyutiḥ

'In just this way, O lord of the earth, I have described the Pandavas; and Vasudeva too is a portion of a god, radiant as Narayana himself.'

Verse 28 (devibhagavatam.6.10.28)

शरीरं प्राणिनां नूनं भाजनं सुखदुःखयोः । शरीरी प्राप्नुयात्कामं सुखं दुःखमनन्तरम्

śarīraṁ prāṇināṁ nūnaṁ bhājanaṁ sukhaduḥkhayoḥ | śarīrī prāpnuyātkāmaṁ sukhaṁ duḥkhamanantaram

'The body of every living being is indeed the vessel of both happiness and sorrow; the embodied soul obtains happiness as it wills, and sorrow follows close behind.'

Verse 29 (devibhagavatam.6.10.29)

देही नास्ति वशः कोऽपि दैवाधीनः सदैव हि । जननं मरणं दुःखं सुखं प्राप्नोति चावशः

dehī nāsti vaśaḥ ko'pi daivādhīnaḥ sadaiva hi | jananaṁ maraṇaṁ duḥkhaṁ sukhaṁ prāpnoti cāvaśaḥ

'The embodied soul has no independent power of its own; it is ever subject to fate. Birth, death, sorrow, and happiness — all these it obtains without any choice in the matter.'

Verse 30 (devibhagavatam.6.10.30)

पाण्डवास्ते वने जाताः प्राप्तास्तु स्वगृहं पुनः । स्वबाहुबलतः पश्चाद्राजसूयं क्रतूत्तमम्

pāṇḍavāste vane jātāḥ prāptāstu svagṛhaṁ punaḥ | svabāhubalataḥ paścādrājasūyaṁ kratūttamam

'The Pandavas, born in the forest, later returned to their own home, and afterward, by the strength of their own arms, performed the Rajasuya, that finest of sacrifices.'

Verse 31 (devibhagavatam.6.10.31)

वनवासं पुनः प्राप्ता बहुदुःखकरं परम् । अर्जुनेन तपस्तप्तं दुष्करं ह्यजितेन्द्रियैः

vanavāsaṁ punaḥ prāptā bahuduḥkhakaraṁ param | arjunena tapastaptaṁ duṣkaraṁ hyajitendriyaiḥ

'They then came once more to a forest exile, one of the greatest suffering; and Arjuna performed austerity so difficult that those who had not conquered their senses could never accomplish it.'

Verse 32 (devibhagavatam.6.10.32)

सन्तुष्टैस्तु सुरैर्दत्तं वरदानं पुनः शुभम् । नरदेहकृतं पुण्यं क्व गतं वनवासजम्

santuṣṭaistu surairdattaṁ varadānaṁ punaḥ śubham | naradehakṛtaṁ puṇyaṁ kva gataṁ vanavāsajam

'The gods, thus pleased, granted him once more an auspicious boon. Yet where did that merit go — the merit born of his austerity in a human body during that forest exile?'

Verse 33 (devibhagavatam.6.10.33)

नरदेहे तपस्तप्तं चोग्रं बदरिकाश्रमे । नार्जुनस्य शरीरे तत्फलदं सम्बभूव ह

naradehe tapastaptaṁ cograṁ badarikāśrame | nārjunasya śarīre tatphaladaṁ sambabhūva ha

'The fierce austerity performed in that human body at Badarikashrama did not become, within Arjuna's own body, the bearer of its own fruit.'

Verse 34 (devibhagavatam.6.10.34)

प्राणिनां देहसम्बन्धे गहना कर्मणो गतिः । दुर्ज्ञेया सर्वथा देवैर्मानवानां तु का कथा

prāṇināṁ dehasambandhe gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ | durjñeyā sarvathā devairmānavānāṁ tu kā kathā

'In the embodiment of living beings, the workings of karma run profoundly deep — utterly unfathomable even to the gods, let alone to men.'

Verse 35 (devibhagavatam.6.10.35)

वासुदेवोऽपि सञ्जातः कारागारेऽतिसङ्कटे । नीतोऽसौ वसुदेवेन नन्दगोपस्य गोकुलम्

vāsudevo'pi sañjātaḥ kārāgāre'tisaṅkaṭe | nīto'sau vasudevena nandagopasya gokulam

'Vasudeva (Krishna) too was born in a most cramped prison cell; he was carried by Vasudeva to the cow-settlement of Nanda the cowherd.'

Verse 36 (devibhagavatam.6.10.36)

एकादशैव वर्षाणि संस्थितस्तत्र भारत । पुनः स मथुरां गत्वा जघानोग्रसुतं बलात्

ekādaśaiva varṣāṇi saṁsthitastatra bhārata | punaḥ sa mathurāṁ gatvā jaghānograsutaṁ balāt

'For eleven full years he remained there, O descendant of Bharata; then, going to Mathura again, he slew Ugrasena's son, Kamsa, by force.'

Verse 37 (devibhagavatam.6.10.37)

मोचयामास पितरौ बन्धनाद्भृशदुःखितौ । उग्रसेनं च राजानञ्चकार मधुरापुरे

mocayāmāsa pitarau bandhanādbhṛśaduḥkhitau | ugrasenaṁ ca rājānañcakāra madhurāpure

'He freed his parents from their bondage, so grievously afflicted; and he made Ugrasena king in the city of Mathura.'

Verse 38 (devibhagavatam.6.10.38)

जगाम द्वारवत्यां स म्लेच्छराजभयात्पुनः । सर्वं भाविवशात्कृष्णः कृतवान्पौरुषं महत्

jagāma dvāravatyāṁ sa mleccharājabhayātpunaḥ | sarvaṁ bhāvivaśātkṛṣṇaḥ kṛtavānpauruṣaṁ mahat

'He then went to Dvaravati, once more out of fear of the barbarian king; Krishna, subject to the workings of destiny, performed all this great manly feat.'

Verse 39 (devibhagavatam.6.10.39)

कृत्वा कार्याण्यनेकानि द्वारवत्यां जनार्दनः । देहं त्यक्त्वा प्रभासे तु सकुटुम्बो दिवं गतः

kṛtvā kāryāṇyanekāni dvāravatyāṁ janārdanaḥ | dehaṁ tyaktvā prabhāse tu sakuṭumbo divaṁ gataḥ

'Having accomplished many deeds in Dvaravati, Janardana, at Prabhasa, cast off his body, and together with his family, ascended to heaven.'

Verse 40 (devibhagavatam.6.10.40)

पुत्राः पौत्राश्च सुहृदो भ्रातरो जामयस्तथा । प्रभासे यादवाः सर्वे विप्रशापात्क्षयं गताः

putrāḥ pautrāśca suhṛdo bhrātaro jāmayastathā | prabhāse yādavāḥ sarve vipraśāpātkṣayaṁ gatāḥ

'His sons, grandsons, friends, brothers, and kin — all the Yadavas at Prabhasa met their end through a brahmin's curse.'

Verse 41 (devibhagavatam.6.10.41)

एवं ते कथिता राजन् कर्मणो गहना गतिः । वासुदेवोऽपि व्याधस्य बाणेन निधनं गतः

evaṁ te kathitā rājan karmaṇo gahanā gatiḥ | vāsudevo'pi vyādhasya bāṇena nidhanaṁ gataḥ

'Thus, O king, has the profoundly mysterious course of karma been related to you; even Vasudeva himself met his death by the arrow of a hunter.'