|| 8

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

iva Drinks Poison

|| 8.7.1 ||r-uka uvca

te nga-rjam mantrya

phala-bhgena vsukim

parivya girau tasmin

netram abdhi mudnvit

rebhire sur yatt

amtrthe kurdvaha

ukadeva Gosvm said: O best of the Kurus! The devats and demons summoned Vsuki, king of the serpents, promising to give him a share of the nectar. They coiled Vsuki around Mandara Mountain as a churning rope, and with great pleasure and enthusiasm they began to churn the ocean.

The Seventh Chapter describes how the Lord appeared as Krma, as well describes the various items churned from the ocean, iva drinking poison, and glorification of iva. Vsuki is king of the snakes. Inviting Vsuki by promising him a share of nectar, they wrapped him around the mountain as a rope and began to churn the ocean.

|| 8.7.2 ||hari purastj jaghe

prva devs tato 'bhavan

Ajita first grasped the head portion of the snake and the devats followed.

In order to make the demons take the head portion with poison, the Lord first grasped this portion. The devats also grasped this portion. || 8.7.3 ||tan naicchan daitya-patayo

mah-purua-ceitam

na ghmo vaya puccham

aher agam amagalam

svdhyya-ruta-sampann

prakhyt janma-karmabhi

The leaders of the demons did not like this action of the Lord. We shall not accept the tail of the snake, which is an inauspicious limb, since we have studied the Vedas and are renowned by birth and activities.

|| 8.7.4 ||iti t sthitn daityn

vilokya puruottama

smayamno visjygra

puccha jagrha smara

Seeing the demons standing silent, the Supreme Lord smiled, and giving up the front portion, took the tail of the snake, along with devats. The Lord smiled. You will die because of the intense poison, since you have such pride.

|| 8.7.5 ||kta-sthna-vibhgs ta

eva kayapa-nandan

mamanthu parama yatt

amtrtha payo-nidhim

After thus adjusting how the snake was to be held, the sons of Kayapa, both devats and demons, began churning the ocean of milk with great enthusiasm, desiring to get nectar.|| 8.7.6 ||mathyamne 'rave so 'drir

andhro hy apo 'viat

dhriyamo 'pi balibhir

gauravt pu-nandana

O son of the Pu dynasty! While the ocean was being churned, Mandara Mountain, because it had no support, sank in the water, though held by the strong devats and demons, because of its weight.|| 8.7.7 ||te sunirvia-manasa

parimlna-mukha-riya

san sva-paurue nae

daiventibalyas

Having lost their valor by strong fate, the devats and demons were disappointed, and the beauty of their faces faded.|| 8.7.8 ||vilokya vighnea-vidhi tadevaro

duranta-vryo 'vitathbhisandhi

ktv vapu kacchapam adbhuta mahat

praviya toya girim ujjahra

Understanding the method at the time of an obstacle, the unlimitedly powerful Lord, whose determination is infallible, took the astonishing shape of a tortoise, entered the water, and lifted the great Mandara Mountain.Seeing the method possible when there is an obstacle (vighnea-vidhim), For this obstacle, there is this solution, the Lord took the form of a tortoise and lifted the mountain up. He thought, The form of the tortoise is suitable for lifting up the mountain in the water. Avitathbhisandhi means he whose desires are always fulfilled.|| 8.7.9 ||tam utthita vkya kulcala puna

samudyat nirmathitu sursur

dadhra phena sa laka-yojana-

prastri dvpa ivparo mahn

When the devats and demons saw that Mandara Mountain had been lifted, they were enlivened to churn again. The Lord supported the mountain on his back which extended for a hundred thousand yojanas. He resembled the great Jambudvpa situated in the water.

Krma supported the mountain on his back. He resembled the other great island, Jambudvpa.|| 8.7.10 ||sursurendrair bhuja-vrya-vepita

paribhramanta girim aga phata

bibhrat tad-vartanam di-kacchapo

mene 'ga-kayanam aprameya

O King! When the devats and demons, by the strength of their arms, rotated Mandara Mountain, the tortoise accepted the rolling of the mountain as a means of scratching his body.The rotating of the very heavy mountain on his back did not give Krma pain, but rather was pleasurable for him.

|| 8.7.11 ||tathsurn viad surea

rpea te bala-vryam rayan

uddpayan deva-ga ca viur

daivena ngendram abodha-rpa

Thereafter, Viu entered the demons as the quality of passion. He entered the devats as the quality of goodness, and entered Vsuki as the quality of ignorance to stimulate and increase their strength and courage.Seeing that they would not be able to continue after a few moments, and that Vsuki would die from the pain of his body rubbing against the mountain, the Lord mercifully took action. He entered the demons as the energy of rajas (asurena). rayan means stimulating. He entered the devats as the energy of sattva. He entered Vsuki as the energy of tamas (abodha). By illusion in ignorance, Vsuki would not be conscious of his pain. || 8.7.12 ||upary agendra giri-r ivnya

kramya hastena sahasra-bhu

tasthau divi brahma-bhavendra-mukhyair

abhiuvadbhi sumano-'bhiva

Situated in another form like another huge mountain with a thousand hands, the Lord caught Mandara Mountain with one hand and stood on top of it. From the sky, the associates of Viu showered flowers upon him.When he saw the mountain rising up, the Lord then took action. The phrase brahma-bhavendra-mukhyair (by the main persons among Brahm, iva and Indra) indicates the followers of Viu. Or it can mean the devats were at the milk ocean and their expansions remained in the sky to shower flowers.

|| 8.7.13 ||upary adha ctmani gotra-netrayo

parea te prviat samedhit

mamanthur abdhi taras madotka

mahdri kobhita-nakra-cakram

Strengthened by the Lord who entered the devats, demons, the mountain and the snake, and was also above and below the mountain, and eager for the nectar, they energetically churned the ocean, which caused disturbance to all the crocodiles.

The Lord was above as the thousand armed form, below as the turtle, in the devats as sattva, in the demons as rajas, in Vsuki as tamas and in the mountain as steadiness.|| 8.7.14 ||ahndra-shasra-kahora-d-mukha-

vsgni-dhmhata-varcaso 'sur

pauloma-kleya-ballvaldayo

davgni-dagdh saral ivbhavan

Their vitality destroyed by the smoke and fire emanating from the breathing of the thousand cruel mouths of Vsuki, the demons headed by Pauloma, Kleya, Bali and Ilvala became like pine trees burned by a forest fire.The demons completely lost (hata) their vitality. Sarala is a type of tree.

|| 8.7.15 ||dev ca tac-chvsa-ikh-hata-prabhn

dhmrmbara-srag-vara-kacuknann

samabhyavaran bhagavad-va ghan

vavu samudrormy-upagha-vyava

The devats also lost their strength by the blazing breath of Vsuki, and their garments, garlands, weapons and faces were blackened by smoke. Controlled by the Lord, clouds poured rain and breezes blew, carrying particles of water from the sea waves. Though the devats were distant, holding the tail, they were also affected by the fire from Vsukis mouths.

|| 8.7.16 ||mathyamnt tath sindhor

devsura-vartha-pai

yad sudh na jyeta

nirmamanthjita svayam

When nectar did not appear from the ocean of milk from churning by the best of the devats and demons, Ajita personally began to churn the ocean.The nectar did not come out because first the impure parts had to be taken out. Only then could the nectar appear.

|| 8.7.17 ||megha-yma kanaka-paridhi kara-vidyota-vidyun

mrdhni bhrjad-vilulita-kaca srag-dharo rakta-netra

jaitrair dorbhir jagad-abhaya-dair dandaka ghtv

mathnan mathn pratigirir ivobhattho dhtdri

The Lord, whose complexion was like a blackish cloud and had reddish eyes, wearing yellow garments and a garland, his earrings shining like lightning, his disheveled hair shining on his head, grabbed the snake with his victorious arms, which award fearlessness throughout the universe, and began churning the ocean, using Mandara Mountain as a churning rod. The Lord, taking that mountain, appeared like a sapphire mountain.He wore cloth of golden color and earrings shaped like makaras, flashing like lightning. He churned the ocean using the mountain as a rod (mathn). Prati giri means an opposite mountain. Since Mandara was gold, the opposite mountain would be a mountain made of blue sapphire (the color of Viu).

|| 8.7.18 ||nirmathyamnd udadher abhd via

maholbaa hlahalhvam agrata

sambhrnta-mnonmakarhi-kacchapt

timi-dvipa-grha-timigilkult

From the churning of the ocean, which disturbed the fish, sharks, tortoises and snakes and afflicted even the whales, water elephants, crocodiles and timigila fish, a fierce poison called hlahala first appeared.

Because the plants offered in the ocean had both poison and nectar in them, first the poison had to be drawn out. Dvirpa-koa says that the word can be written hlahala, hlhala or halhala. The fish became disturbed, wondering what disaster was occurring. Unmakara is a big makara. Timi and timigala are types of fish. || 8.7.19 ||tad ugra-vega dii diy upary adho

visarpad utsarpad asahyam aprati

bht praj dudruvur aga sevar

arakyam araa sadivam

O King! That most vicious poison spread in all directions as well as up and down. Seeing that intolerable poison with no cure, all the frightened devats and demons, along with the Lord himself, took shelter of Lord iva.The poison spread in all directions and up and down as well. It spread slowly; otherwise the whole creation would be destroyed. Praj here refers to the devats and demons. Normal persons could not quickly cross the ocean and go to Kailsa. Seeing this poison which had no remedy (aprati), they became afraid. Having no protection they went to iva. The Supreme Lord did not act in this situation because he wanted to give fame to his devotee iva, by giving him the half-moon as his head ornament. || 8.7.20 ||vilokya ta deva-vara tri-loky

bhavya devybhimata munnm

snam adrv apavarga-hetos

tapo jua stutibhi praemu

They saw iva, best of the devats, cherished by the sages who serve him by austerities for gaining liberation, seated on Kailsa with his wife for the benefit of the three worlds. They offered respects by reciting prayers.He was seated on Mount Kailsa for the prosperity of the three worlds. He is revered by sages who practice austerities for attaining liberation.

|| 8.7.21 ||r-prajpataya cu

deva-deva mah-deva

bhttman bhta-bhvana

trhi na arapanns

trailokya-dahand vit

The Prajpatis said: O greatest of all devats! Mahdeva! Soul of all living entities! Protector of all beings! Deliver us, who have come here in surrender, from the poison which is burning the three worlds.

O iva! Save us! iva does not save, but destroys, since he is the avatra of destruction. But you give consciousness to all beings (bhttman) and you protect all beings (bhta-bhvana).

|| 8.7.22 ||tvam eka sarva-jagata

varo bandha-mokayo

ta tvm arcanti kual

prapannrti-hara gurum

You alone are the controller of the whole universe and of bondage and liberation. Intelligent people worship you, the guru who takes away the distress of surrendered souls.

But Viu is the protector of all beings. Take shelter of him! You are the only lord. There are not many lords. You and Viu are one, the only difference being that you are touched by the guas and Viu is not. || 8.7.23 ||gua-mayy sva-aktysya

sarga-sthity-apyayn vibho

dhatse yad sva-dg bhman

brahma-viu-ivbhidhm

O self-manifesting, powerful lord! When you act in creation, maintenance and annihilation by your energy of my, you assume the names Brahm, Viu and Mahevara.They praise his form as the (third) purua. When you perform creation, you take on the names of Brahm, Viu and iva.

|| 8.7.24 ||tva brahma parama guhya

sad-asad-bhva-bhvanam

nn-aktibhir bhtas

tvam tm jagad-vara

You are the Supreme Brahman, difficult to comprehend, the cause of superior and inferior natures. You are Viu, the Lord of the universe, appearing with various energies.They praise the Lords impersonal form as Brahman. You create the living beings with superior and inferior natures such as devats and demons (sad-asad-bhva-bhvanam). They praise him as Viu: you appear with various energies.

|| 8.7.25 ||tva abda-yonir jagad-dir tm

prendriya-dravya-gua svabhva

kla kratu satyam ta ca dharmas

tvayy akara yat tri-vd-mananti

You are the collection of all syllables, the origin of the universe, ahakra, the pras, the senses the elements, the three guas, svabhva, time, determination, truth, pleasing words, and dharma. The wise determine that you are the syllable o.This verse praises the Lord as the ultimate expression of all words. You are collection of all syllables. You are the prna, senses, elements starting with earth and the three guas. The wise say that o is in you. They determine that o (trivd-akaram) represents you.

|| 8.7.26 ||agnir mukha te 'khila-devattm

kiti vidur loka-bhavghri-pakajam

kla gati te 'khila-devattmano

dia ca karau rasana jaleam

O source of all planets! The wise know that fire, the essence of all devats, is your mouth, the earth is your lotus feet, time is the movement of you who are the source of all the devats, all the directions are your ears, and Varua, master of the waters, is your tongue.

They praise the Lord as the total of everything in the universe in five verses. Fire is the soul of all the devats. ruti says agni sarv devat: Agni is all the devats. O cause of the planets (loka-bhava)!|| 8.7.27 ||nbhir nabhas te vasana nabhasvn

srya ca caki jala sma reta

parvartmrayaa tavtm

somo mano dyaur bhagavan iras te

O lord! The sky is your navel, the air is your breathing, the sun is your eyes, and the water is your semen. The shelter of all kinds of living entities, high and low is your ahakra. The god of the moon is your mind, and Svarga is your head.The shelter of all jvas superior and inferior is your ahakra (tm).|| 8.7.28 ||kuki samudr girayo 'sthi-sagh

romi sarvauadhi-vrudhas te

chandsi skt tava sapta dhtavas

tray-maytman hdaya sarva-dharma

O personification of the three Vedas! The seas are your abdomen, and the mountains are your bones. All herbs and planets are the hairs on your body, the Vedic meters are the seven dhtus of your body, and all dharma is your heart.

O form of the three Vedas (trayi-maytman)!

|| 8.7.29 ||mukhni pacopaniadas tavea

yais triad-aottara-mantra-varga

yat tac chivkhya paramtma-tattva

deva svaya-jyotir avasthitis te

O lord! The five Vedic mantras are your five mouths, from which the thirty-eight secondary mantras have arisen. He who is your Paramtm is called iva. Visu, self-manifesting, is your shelter.Your five mouths are the five mantras: tat-purua, aghora, sadyojta, vmadeva, and ana, by which mouths arise thirty-eighty secondary mantras, by dividing the verses. He who has the position of Paramtm for you is called iva. The self-revealed Viu is your shelter.

|| 8.7.30 ||chy tv adharmormiu yair visargo

netra-traya sattva-rajas-tamsi

skhytmana stra-ktas tavek

chandomayo deva i pura

O lord! Your shadow is seen in irreligion. The three modes of naturegoodness, passion and ignorance which brings about various creations, are your three eyes. All the ancient Vedic literatures, composed of verses, are your glance. You, the soul of all beings, are the creator of scriptures.

Your shadow exists in the waves of adharma such as pride. The three guas by which various creations arise are your three eyes. O lord (deva)! The Vedas composed of verses are your glance. Another version has skat manu. Manu also means the Vedas. || 8.7.31 ||na te giri-trkhila-loka-pla-

virica-vaikuha-surendra-gamyam

jyoti para yatra rajas tama ca

sattva na yad brahma nirasta-bhedam

O protector of mountains! Your supreme light known as Brahman which is devoid of rajas, tamas and sattva and devoid of distinctions is not known by the devats, Viu or Indra.

O protector of mountains! Your light which is para Brahman cannot be understood by the protectors of planets. Since the form of Viu (vaikuha) is the Supreme Brahman, it is not a fault if Viu does not know this impersonal Brahman belonging to him, since it is like knowledge of a flower in the sky. That does not destroy his omniscience. Or the words from giritra to surendra can all be taken as vocative case.

|| 8.7.32 ||kmdhvara-tripura-klagardy-aneka-

bhta-druha kapayata stutaye na tat te

yas tv anta-kla idam tma-kta sva-netra-

vahni-sphuliga-ikhay bhasita na veda

Destroying the poison is nothing for you, who have destroyed many places of violence, such as Dakas sacrifice, the city of Tripura, and the demons Kla and Gara. You are not even aware that the universe at the time of destruction turns to ashes by the sparks of fire emanating from your eye.

It is not difficult for you to destroy the poison that is now present. The action of destroying this poison is not to be praised, since you destroy all the places where there is violence to living beings, such as Dakas animal sacrifice. This is too insignificant. Kla and Gara were two demons that iva killed, but also this refers to the poison. It is mentioned in the past tense to express the fact that it is necessary to destroy it. You are not even aware that the universe is destroyed when you glance. Thus destroying this poison will be insignificant for you. || 8.7.33 ||ye tv tma-rma-gurubhir hdi cintitghri-

dvandva carantam umay tapasbhitaptam

katthanta ugra-parua nirata mane

te nnam tim avidas tava hta-lajj

Persons criticize you as a ferocious, violent person obsessed with the burning grounds and engaged in flirting with Um, though you are engaged in intense austerity and your feet are the object of meditation by the best of tmrmas. Devoid of shame, they do not know your pastimes

Your greatness cannot be understood by superficial materialists. Though you are engaged in flirting with Um, you are actually engaged in austerity. It is not a show of lust, for the best of the tmrmas meditate on your feet. Though this is so, people criticize you as a ferocious, violent person. You should be praised as the opposite. Those who criticize you do not know your activities. How unfortunate! They do not know your pastimes. Your pastimes involving misconduct involving display of lust and anger are mocked by people. Filled with lust and anger, do they have no shame in criticizing you, upon whose feet the best of tmrmas meditate? || 8.7.34 ||tat tasya te sad-asato parata parasya

nja svarpa-gamane prabhavanti bhmna

brahmdaya kim uta sastavane vaya tu

tat-sarga-sarga-viay api akti-mtram

Even Brahm cannot understand the real truth about you, who are great, superior to moving and non-moving beings and difficult to understand. What to speak of us trying to understand you! We, who have been created by Marci and others, who were created by Brahm, can only praise you according to our ability. What to speak of such persons understanding you! Even Brahm does not understand the truth about you. We, who have been created by Marci and others, who were created by Brahm (tat-sarga-sarga-viay), can only praise you according to our ability, and not accurately. || 8.7.35 ||etat para prapaymo

na para te mahevara

manya hi lokasya

vyaktis te 'vyakta-karmaa

O great lord! We do not understand your superior form. We only know that you, whose activities are hard to understand, make your appearance for the happiness of the people.

You appear in order to make people happy. You should make the people happy by destroying the poison.

|| 8.7.36 ||r-uka uvca

tad-vkya vyasana ts

kpay bha-pita

sarva-bhta-suhd deva

idam ha sat priym

ukadeva Gosvm said: Lord iva, the friend of all living entities, on seeing the danger to the devats, became afflicted out of compassion. He spoke to his eternal consort, Sat, as follows.|| 8.7.37 ||r-iva uvca

aho bata bhavny etat

prajn paya vaiasam

kroda-mathanodbhtt

klakd upasthitam

Lord iva said: O Bhavn! See how all these living entities have been placed in danger because of the poison produced from the churning of the ocean of milk.

|| 8.7.38 ||s pra-parpsn

vidheyam abhaya hi me

etvn hi prabhor artho

yad dna-pariplanam

It is my duty to give safety to all living entities struggling for existence, since it is the duty of the master to protect his suffering dependents.

|| 8.7.39 ||prai svai prina pnti

sdhava kaa-bhagurai

baddha-vaireu bhteu

mohitev tma-myay

Among people who are bewildered by the Lords my and who are always engaged in animosity toward one another, the devotees protect other living entities at the risk of their own temporary lives. But you, being an tmrma, should ignore these jvas subjected to mutual hatred in the material world. This verse answers.

|| 8.7.40 ||pusa kpayato bhadre

sarvtm pryate hari

prte harau bhagavati

prye 'ha sacarcara

tasmd ida gara bhuje

prajn svastir astu me

O gentle Bhavn! When one performs benevolent activities for others, the Supreme Lord is very pleased. And when the Lord is pleased, I am also pleased, along with all other living creatures. Therefore, let me drink this poison. May all the living entities have auspicious existence because of me!Me means because of me. Svasti means auspicious existence.

|| 8.7.41 ||r-uka uvca

evam mantrya bhagavn

bhavn viva-bhvana

tad via jagdhum rebhe

prabhva-jnvamodata

ukadeva Gosvm said: After informing Bhavn in this way, Lord iva, protector of the universe, was about to drink the poison, and Bhavn, knowing his ability, gave her permission.

|| 8.7.42 ||tata karatal-ktya

vypi hlhala viam

abhakayan mah-deva

kpay bhta-bhvana

Thereafter, Lord iva, protector of the living entities, compassionately took the whole quantity of poison into his palm and drank it.He took the poison spread everywhere, and reduced it into his palm.

|| 8.7.43||tasypi daraym sa

sva-vrya jala-kalmaa

yac cakra gale nla

tac ca sdhor vibhaam

The poison manifested its potency on iva. The blue line that the poison made on Lord iva's neck is now accepted as an ornament of iva.Jala-kalmaa means the poison. The poison showed its potency even on iva (tasypi).|| 8.7.44 ||tapyante loka-tpena

sdhava pryao jan

paramrdhana tad dhi

puruasykhiltmana

Generally well bred people suffer because of others suffering. This is most satisfying to the Supreme Lord, the soul of all beings.

|| 8.7.45 ||niamya karma tac chambhor

deva-devasya mhua

praj dkya brahm

vaikuha ca aasire

Upon seeing this act of generous iva, the lord of the devats, Bhavn, Lord Brahm, Lord Viu, and the people in general praised him.

|| 8.7.46 ||praskanna pibata per

yat kicij jaghu sma tat

vcikhi-viauadhyo

dandak ca ye 'pare

Scorpions, cobras, poisonous plants and other poisonous animals drank whatever little amount of poison splashed from ivas hand as he drank.

The scorpions, snakes, and others, such as dogs and jackals, drank what fell from the hand of iva when he drank. Thus ends the commentary on the Seventh Chapter of the Eighth Canto of the Bhgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous cryas.

Svabhva is the cause of transformation.