Aniruddhāya namah

Seeing the infant, Lord Brahma said, “Srihari, the primordial being and the Lord who fulfills all desires of every living being, has using His own illusory powers, taken on a body and has incarnated as your son Kapila.

O daughter of Manu! This Lord who possesses golden hair, lotus eyes, lotus feet, who has the imprints of lotus on his feet and who is the destroyer of demon Kaitabhasura, has entered your womb and incarnated as Kapila.

He will shred the subtle impressions of past actions (vasanas) in those living beings who are desirous of understanding Srihari through Self-knowledge and who, through the Yoga known as dedication towards the Self, aim at reaching Him. Vāsanas are the root for all fruitive actions. They are responsible for binding the living entity. Shredding spiritual ignorance and tearing the knot of doubts i.e. the hridaya granthi in those who are desirous of Self-realization, he will travel across the globe.

This boy will be the Lord of all accomplished beings (siddha gaṇā). Sānkhya Shastra proves and validates Supreme Knowledge. He will be highly revered by exponents of Sānkhya Shastra. He will be famous as Kapila and will enhance your fame”.

Having said this, Lord Brahma left for his abode seated on his Swan vehicle. Maharishis Narada, Sanaka and other eminent saints followed him.

Thereafter Kardama Prajāpati offered his daughters in marriage to other Prajāpatis in accordance with the directions of Lord Brahma.

His daughter Kala was married to Maharishi Marichi, Anasuya to Maharishi Atri, Shraddha to Maharishi Angirasa, Havirbhava to Maharishi Pulastya, Gati to Maharishi Pulaha, Kriya to Maharishi Kratu, Khyāti to Maharishi Bhrigu, Arundhati to Maharishi Vashishta and Shanti to Maharishi Atharva. It is because of Shanti that all Yagnas attain prosperity.

Kardama Maharishi gave plenty of gifts to the newlyweds and pleased them. The saints, who were satisfied, took permission from Maharishi Kardama and together with their wives went to their respective hermitages.

After all of them had left, in a secluded place Kardama Maharishi approached his son Kapila, who was none other than the Supreme Lord, who makes himself visible only in the three Yugas and who is replete with the six auspicious traits.

He offered his obeisance to the Lord and said, “How astonishing! After such a long period of time, in this hellish samsāra where living beings suffer tremendously, the Devatas have obtained happiness. This is undoubtedly true.

Due to relentless practice of the discipline called Yoga across many births, Yoga becomes firmly established in the aspirant. As a result, the mind of the aspirant becomes completely pure. He will then sit in meditation in an isolated place, trying to obtain a vision of Lord Srihari.

Sa eva bhagavān adya helanaṁ na gaṇayya naḥ

Gṛheṣu jāto grāmyāṇāṁ yaḥ svānāṁ pakṣa-poṣaṇaḥ 

The Supreme Lord is always by the side of his sincere devotees. He eternally strengthens them. For this reason, leaving the company of accomplished yogis and without even hesitating that He would lose his respect, He has today taken birth in the home of ignorant people like us.

O Lord! You enhance the glory of your devotees. In order to propagate Sānkhya Shastra in this world and in order to fulfill the promise that You had earlier given to me, You have incarnated in my home. O Lord, inherently You are devoid of any form. Nevertheless, all those forms that are dear to your devotees are also dear to You!

You are that Divine Lord whose lotus feet are eternally worshipped by learned scholars who seek to know the Absolute Truth. You are the Lord endowed completely with the six traits of prosperity, fame, knowledge, dispassion, strength and beauty. I surrender totally to You!

Paraṁ pradhānaṁ puruṣaṁ mahāntaṁ kālaṁ kaviṁ tri-vṛtaṁ loka-pālam

Ātmānubhūtyānugata-prapañcaṁ  svacchanda-śaktiṁ kapilaṁ prapadye

You are beyond Nature (Prakriti). You are the form of Nature which is the material cause (upadāna) for this entire creation. Mahat tattva i.e. cosmic intelligence; time that causes turbulence in this cosmic intelligence; egoism along with three attributes of goodness, passion and ignorance as well as Indra and all other Devatas are Your manifestations. You are omniscient. You are a witness for all the changes that take place in Nature. With Your own will You create the universe and then absorb it back into You. All the various energies reside within You. In You, O Bhagawan Kapila, I seek refuge.

You are the Lord of all living beings. O Lord, I seek your permission. As You are born as my son, I am freed from all types of indebtedness (ruṇam). With your blessings all my desires have been fulfilled. I am now going to take up sanyāsa ashrama. Focusing my mind wholly upon You, I will be peaceful and happy”.

Kapila Bhagawan was immensely pleased to hear these words. He said, “In all worldly as well as spiritual actions, My words are law. They are the authoritative dictates for all beings. Only to fulfill my promise to you, I was born as your son.

The subtle body binds the ignorant persons who have an impure mind. In order to free oneself from this bondage, it is imperative to have the discretionary wisdom of the Supreme Essence. Only through this, Self-realization can be attained. Only to impart the knowledge of this Supreme Essence (tattva) I have incarnated now.

Eṣa ātma-patho ’vyakto naṣṭaḥ kālena bhūyasā

Taṁ pravartayituṁ deham imaṁ viddhi mayā bhṛtam

This path of liberation known as Self-knowledge is the most secretive one. It is subtle. Due to the passage of time, it has simply vanished. Understand that I have taken on this body purely to re-establish it back in this world.

I am permitting you to take up sanyāsa. Leave fearlessly. Although it is difficult to conquer death and obtain liberation, it can be attained by offering all actions to Me. Along with this, worship Me.

Mām ātmānaṁ svayaṁ-jyotiḥ sarva-bhūta-guhāśayam

Ātmany evātmanā vīkṣya viśoko ’bhayam ṛcchasi 

I am Self-effulgent. I am the one who resides within the cave called the intellect (buddhi) of every being. Using your intellect see Me as the Self (atma) that resides within you. Your grief will be dispelled in totality. You will be blessed with the ultimate liberation.

I will impart the knowledge of the Self to mother. She too will cut through all these bondages and will be freed from this fear called cycle of re-births”.

Kardama Prajāpati took the permission of his son Kapila. In immense happiness he circumambulated around Lord Kapila and left for the forests.

Aniruddhāya Namah.

Janārdhanāya namah

Upon seeing Lord Sankarśana, the hearts of Sanatkumara and other sages overflowed with devotion so much so that they could not even speak. Singing His glories profusely again and again they prayed to Him. At that time, Lord Sankarśana preached the sacred Bhāgawatam to Sanatkumara who by then was diligently treading the path of liberation.

Subsequently, upon the request of the supremely dedicated Muni Sānkhyāyana, Maharishi Sanatkumara preached Bhāgawatam to him. Maharishi Sānkhyāyana was the crown jewel amongst Paramahamsas and was well-versed in this knowledge called Paramahamsa dharma.

With the desire that the glories of the Supreme Lord should be rendered even in the later periods of time, Maharishi Sānkhyāyana imparted the knowledge of this sacred Bhāgawatam to his dearest disciples Parāśara and Brihaspati,” said Maitreya Maharishi.

He further continued, “Maharishi Parāśara is our Guru. Upon the request of Maharishi Pulastya, Parāśara Maharishi taught me this sacred Bhāgawatam. My dear son! Your dedication is laudable. With absolute dedication you serve me. Therefore I will teach you Bhāgawatam as I have heard from my master Maharishi Parāśara.

In the earliest stages creation, Lord Nārāyaṇa was in Yoga Nidra (yogic sleep) and was sleeping on His snake-bed with His eyes closed. Having put the process of creation to rest, He was in his original blissful form. His illuminating power cannot deplete even when He is in yogic-sleep, isn’t it? At that time, this entire creation was submerged with water.

So ’ntaḥ śarīre ’rpita-bhūta-sūkṣmaḥ kālātmikāṁ śaktim udīrayāṇaḥ

Uvāsa tasmin salile pade sve yathānalo dāruṇi ruddha-vīryaḥ

Lord Nārāyaṇa did not bring forth the energy that was dormant within Him. Just as firewood traps fire within itself, He retained within him all the subtle elements and continued to reside in the waters of the ocean.

When creation has to commence, He activates His inner energy known as kāla (eternal time). Together with power of consciousness (cit śakti), He lay in those waters for a period of 1000 Mahā-yugas. Then His time-energy (kāla shakti) began its task of creation.

At that moment, He had to regulate the destiny of living beings, who had emerged through the process of creation, based on the results of their earlier fruitive actions. He then saw the varied universes and the hordes of living beings that were lying dormant within Him.

Slowly and gradually He shifted his attention towards the subtle principles. With this, the group of subtle principles was ready to manifest. Influence by time (kāla shakti) the traits of action (rajo guna) got disturbed. They caused these subtle principles of creation to become visible at His navel.

When the time for the fructification of the collective destiny of the living beings neared, the subtle principles of creation collectively manifested in the form of a lotus bud which emerged from the navel of the Supreme Lord. This lotus, which glowed radiantly like the Sun, illumined with its rays all the waters of the vast ocean.

This lotus was in the form of the three worlds. It illumines the objects that are due to be experienced by the living being. In the form of the Self, Śri Mahavishnu himself entered this lotus. From it Lord Brahma, who was an embodiment of Vedas, emerged.

Lord Brahma became famous as swayambhu or self-born. To this Lord Brahma, who was seated within the lotus, the universe was not visible even though He searched within the lotus. He moved his eyes once and looked out into space. As He was looking keenly in the four directions, He acquired four heads representing the four directions.

It was annihilation time. The winds of destruction generated huge devastating waves in the ocean. Lord Brahma was seated in the lotus that had emerged from these gigantic waves. To His surprise, He could not understand anything about himself or the creation or the lotus.

He became aware of his individual existence ‘I exist’. But then he thought, ‘Who am I sitting in this lotus? How come apart from this single lotus there is nothing else to be seen in these vast waters? If so, from where did this lotus emerge? As it cannot exist without support, it is sure that there is something beneath this lotus which supports it’.

Firmly concluding in this manner, through the medium of the lotus stem He entered into the waters of the ocean and began intensively searching for the support which was holding the lotus. In the process of searching He travelled through the lotus stem and finally reached the navel from where the lotus had emerged. However He could not decipher anything. The entire area was enveloped in total darkness. He kept searching through this darkness trying to know the cause behind his birth but it was of no avail.

A long time passed in this manner. In the hands of the Supreme Lord, time which manifests in its three forms of past, present and future, is merely a tool. In living beings who believe they own the body, this time generates intense fear and reduces their longevity.

Even after this long intense search Brahma could not fulfill his desire. He could not trace the support. He gave up his efforts and returned back to the lotus which was his residence. Gradually he conquered his breath and controlled his mind. He attained the state of absolute meditation. He spent a hundred years in this deep meditation. Then wisdom dawned in him.

He could now see the original cause, for whom he had been searching infinitely, shining radiantly on its own accord in his heart. To Him the 10,000 heads of serpent Adishesha were like umbrellas. The rays that emerged from the gems that glittered on their hoods were driving away the darkness that had enveloped the waters of the ocean during dissolution.

The lotus- like white body of this serpent Adishesha was the bed on which a Puruśa (the Supreme Lord) was sleeping. He was all alone. Brahma noticed that the body of this Supreme Lord was glowing luminously. He had bamboo sticks as His shoulders and trees as His feet. In front of His lustrous body even the splendorous coral mountain fades. That coral mountain, which glows due to being clothed superbly by the evening clouds, pales in front of the yellow golden clothing worn by this Supreme Lord.

If its many golden peaks appear like crowns that decorate it, the crown of the Supreme Lord outshone them all and mocked at them. To that mountain, gems, streams, medicinal herbs and flowers together form an exquisite garland (vanamāla), nevertheless the vanamāla garland worn by the Supreme Lord ridicules and defeats it.

In length and breadth this gigantic body of the Supreme Lord is incomparable with any other object. Within this colossal body, the three worlds are contained in the right proportions.

Upendrāya namah

Janārdhanāya namah

“Please describe the lineage of Manus (head of a time period), the history of the kings belonging to this lineage and the worlds which exist above and below the earth. O Maitreya Maharishi! Please explain the size and movements of these various worlds.

Please describe animals, humans, Devatas, worms and insects that are born from the womb; those living beings that are born from sweat; birds, snakes, reptiles and living beings that emerge from eggs and about plants that emerge directly from earth.

The primordial cause, Srinivasa, using three attributes of Nature (trigunas) as his carrier, incarnated as Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva to systematically create, sustain and annihilate the universe. Please explain to me in minute detail His transcendental activities.

Please explain the varna-ashrama (caste-stage of life) divisions within the society in accordance with appearance, way of life and characteristics. Please describe the birth of great sages and their activities. Kindly elaborate the divisions within Vedas.

In addition, please explain in minute detail the Yagna-karmas (sacrificial actions as specified in Vedas), the path of Yogic action (path of karma yoga) and the special knowledge that is attained due to giving up action in totality (sarva karma sanyasa).

Please explain the path that enlightens about Prakriti-Puruśa (Nature- Self), about Nārada pancarātra tantra and other tantras created by the Supreme Lord.

Please explain the havoc created in the society by those who traverse the paths that have been rejected by the Vedas.

Please explain the connections between different species of living beings and the way they undergo transformations.

The resultant fruits obtained by living beings vary based on their natures and actions. Please explain in detail the four goals of life of a human being i.e. adherence to righteousness (dharma), material earnings (artha), fulfillment of desires (kāma) and obtaining liberation (moksha). Please explain the different types of occupation prescribed and the rules pertaining to law and order in the society.

Please teach the method of studying the scriptures. Please explain the procedure for conducting the annual death ceremony for fore-fathers. Please explain how the abode of fore-fathers was created. Please explain the division of the planets and stars in the wheel of time along with their other particulars.

Please explain the frutitive results that are obtained from performing meritorious charitable deeds, from digging wells or ponds for public use as well as from conducting penance and Yagnas.

What are the rules to be adhered by a person when travelling to other lands? What are his duties at times of emergencies? How should he behave in such situations?

O sinless saint! Please teach that path by walking on which the Supreme Lord, who punishes the wicked, can be pleased. How can a person obtain His grace? Spiritual Gurus, who are compassionate towards the downtrodden, impart Spiritual Knowledge to disciples who serve them with utmost devotion and to other worthy devotees, even without the devotees asking for it. Please be kind to me.

How do Mahat and other principles disappear at the time of annihilation? At the time of dissolution what principles should be adhered to offer devotional service to the Lord? What principles exist in the Lord when He is in Yoga-nidra (yogic sleep)? What is the principle of human being? What is the true form of the Supreme Lord? Please explain these to me.

Kindly describe in minute detail the knowledge obtained from the Upanishads and the benefits of offering services to Guru. What are the tools specified by learned scholars to obtain Spiritual Knowledge? This is because without required spiritual efforts (sadhana) the human being cannot acquire devotion (bhakti), spiritual knowledge (jnana) and dispassion (vairagya).

O Mahatma! Due to the power of this unending illusion, my divine eye has closed. Nevertheless I seek to know about Srihari. Treating me as your friend, kindly answer my questions.

Sarve vedāś ca yajñāś ca tapo dānāni cānagha

Jīvābhaya-pradānasya na kurvīran kalām api 

O Mahatma! The meritorious act of preaching dharma to the living being and thus offering protection to him is far superior than all activities pertaining to Vedas, Yagnas, deeds of charity and penance.”

When Vidura humbly pleaded in this manner, Maharishi Maitreya, who was thus inspired to narrate the stories of the Supreme Lord, was totally filled with happiness. With a charming smile he addressed Vidura.

With this the seventh chapter of the third canto comes to an end.

Third Canto Chapter Eight

In this chapter the birth of Lord Brahma from the lotus-navel of Sri Mahavishnu; Brahma searching for the Lord in the waters and he thereafter pleasing the Lord through his intense austerities are covered.

Maharishi Maitreya addressing Vidura said, “How astonishing! Vidura, you are the foremost amongst all the devotees of that Supreme Lord! After all, you are born out of the fractional aspect of Yama, the Lord of death. Due to your birth in the Puru lineage it has become worthy of worship for even holy beings. In each and every word you are describing the glories of that Supreme Lord in newer and newer ways.

Human beings at all times strive to obtain worthless material comforts. In this process they suffer limitlessly. To dispel their sufferings, the Supreme Lord has inspired you to ask such pertinent questions. The Supreme Lord has directly imparted this knowledge to great saints. I will now teach you that supreme knowledge called Bhāgawata Purāṇā.

The Supreme Lord known as Bhagawān is totally replete with the six primary qualities of prosperity, fame, strength, knowledge, dispassion and beauty. He is the cause of all causes. He is the form of unending knowledge. He is indivisible. As Lord Sankarśaṇa He resides in the lower planetary system called Pātala located at the bottom of the universe.

Seeking to learn the essence of the Absolute Truth, Sanatkumara and other supreme sages approached Him who was seated in Pātala. At that moment Lord Sankarśana was meditating upon Lord Srihari, who was his support. Maharishis describe the Supreme Lord as Pure Consciousness. The eyes of Sankarśana which were closed due to meditation appeared like blossoming lotus buds. Desrious of blessing these saints, Lord Sankarśana stopped meditation and opened his eyes.

Sanat-kumara and other saints bathed in the pure waters of Ganga. With wet hair they approached Lord Sankarśana and bowed before His lotus feet. Desirous of obtaining suitable husbands the girls belonging to the serpent clan were worshipping these lotus feet and offering many gifts to them. The gems glittering from his heads that were adorned with golden crowns were illumining his thousand heads.

Sanat-kumara and other saints were aware of the transcendental glory of this Supreme Lord. Upon seeing Lord Sankarśana, their hearts overflowed with devotion so much so that they could not even speak. Singing His glories profusely again and again they prayed to Him.

Janārdhanāya namah