Why did Diti give birth to the Asuras?

[Ayodhya 0]

In the Shri Bhagavatam Purana, it states that Diti is condemned to bear two demons from which all the Asuras arise.

 

Why did Kashyapa have sex with Diti if he knew it would bear demons?

[Guruvani 0]

 

In the Shri Bhagavatam Purana, it states that Diti is condemned to bear two demons from which all the Asuras arise.

 

Why did Kashyapa have sex with Diti if he knew it would bear demons?

I don't have a patent bona-fide answer to that, but is is quite obvious that the material world is principly the abode of asuras and non-devotees and somebody has to give these demons birth and a chance to be reformed by the agents of the Lord.

 

Even devotees of Krishna who don't accept Mahaprabhu are said to be demons by Kaviraja Goswami, so sometimes asuras are actually pious souls with a lack of knowledge.

 

If Krishna did not intend to give bodies and births to demons, then there is no need for even creating the material worlds.

[Ayodhya 0]

What confuses me is why Sage Kashyapa praises the wife and the householder and then continues to condemn her once she is pregnant...

 

Normally, sex is not seen as evil as in the case of Vasudeva and Devaki because they were married. So are Kashyapa and Diti, so I am assuming that the act of sex is not why Diti is condemned so.

 

Did Krishna really want to torture Diti by having her bear demons?

 

I would appreciate it if you would ask your guru or someone else "bona-fide" for this answer.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Shakti-Fan 0]

 

 

Did Krishna really want to torture Diti by having her bear demons?

 

 

 

Were the gatekeepers of Vaikuntha really demons? Is anything in this material world really what it seems?

[Ayodhya 0]

This is where I am drawing my questions from:

<big>http://bhagavata.org/canto3/chapter14.html

Please read it and give me feedback.

Are we to say that Sage Kashyapa was wrong in his prediction, or just ambiguous in his meaning?

Or is this version wrong?

</big>

[Guruvani 0]

 

What confuses me is why Sage Kashyapa praises the wife and the householder and then continues to condemn her once she is pregnant...

 

Normally, sex is not seen as evil as in the case of Vasudeva and Devaki because they were married. So are Kashyapa and Diti, so I am assuming that the act of sex is not why Diti is condemned so.

 

Did Krishna really want to torture Diti by having her bear demons?

 

I would appreciate it if you would ask your guru or someone else "bona-fide" for this answer.

 

Thanks in advance.

Vasudeva did not impregnate Devaki through sexual intercourse.

Srila Prabhupada explains in Srimad Bahgavatam that Vasudeva impregnated Devaki through transmitting Krishna from his heart to her heart.

There was no sexual relations involved in that matter.

 

I think you will find that Diti had demon children because she conceived these children with lust in her heart.

 

Devaki neither had lust in her heart or even sexual intercourse to beget Krishna who was transferred to the womb of Devaki through Vasudeva's heart, not his semen.

Heart to heart is the way Srila Prabhupada explains it.

 

Diti was lusty and seduced her husband to have sex.

Devaki was not lusty and had no interest in her own sexual pleasure in conceiving Krishna as her child.

[Guruvani 0]

 

Were the gatekeepers of Vaikuntha really demons? Is anything in this material world really what it seems?

I think the offenses they committed against the Lord shows that they were.

It is also a good lesson of the fine line between devotional service and anti-Krishna mentality.

Krishna can turn a devotee into a demon if he wants to.

Sometimes he does that to create formidable foes to do battle with.

 

Krishna loves a good fight!

[Sridas 0]

I thought Jaya and Vijaya's real offence was against the Lords devotees not so much directly to the Lord. He can forgive offence to himself but doesn't forgive aparadhe towards His surrendered servitors and can't allow such an attitude anywhere near the atmosphere in the Kingdom He has created, even though He has his Asura mohan lila. So the bros took the rap to show the example of what gets up the Lords nose, so don't go there.

[Ayodhya 0]

Thanks for the explanation about Diti. You were probably joking, but I would rather not think that Krishna would create people simply to fight with.

 

 

Vasudeva did not impregnate Devaki through sexual intercourse.

 

 

Perhaps its the version I'm reading? I'm getting a different vibe from this version of the Bhagavatam.

 

http://bhagavata.org/canto10/chapter3.html

 

And I quote:

Krishna says:

"As a man and wife without a son did you, for the sensual life to achieve this so strongly attracted to My divine energy, never ask Me for liberation from this world [see also 4.9: 30-35]. (40) After My departure, having received the benediction, you engaged in enjoying sex and was by the both of you the desired result achieved of having a son like Me"

[Guruvani 0]

 

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.2.18

 

 

tato jagan-mańgalam acyutāḿśaḿ

samāhitaḿ śūra-sutena devī

dadhāra sarvātmakam ātma-bhūtaḿ

kāṣṭhā yathānanda-karaḿ manastaḥ

 

SYNONYMS

tataḥ — thereafter; jagat-mańgalam — auspiciousness for all living entities in all the universes of the creation; acyuta-aḿśam — the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is never bereft of the six opulences, all of which are present in all His plenary expansions; samāhitam — fully transferred; śūra-sutena — by Vasudeva, the son of Śūrasena; devī — Devakī-devī; dadhāra — carried; sarva-ātmakam — the Supreme Soul of everyone; ātma-bhūtam — the cause of all causes; kāṣṭhā — the east; yathā — just as; ānanda-karam — the blissful (moon); manastaḥ — being placed within the mind.

 

 

TRANSLATION

 

 

Thereafter, accompanied by plenary expansions, the fully opulent Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is all-auspicious for the entire universe, was transferred from the mind of Vasudeva to the mind of Devakī. Devakī, having thus been initiated by Vasudeva, became beautiful by carrying Lord Kṛṣṇa, the original consciousness for everyone, the cause of all causes, within the core of her heart, just as the east becomes beautiful by carrying the rising moon.

 

 

PURPORT

 

 

As indicated here by the word manastaḥ, the Supreme Personality of Godhead was transferred from the core of Vasudeva's mind or heart to the core of the heart of Devakī. We should note carefully that the Lord was transferred to Devakī not by the ordinary way for a human being, but by dīkṣā, initiation. Thus the importance of initiation is mentioned here. Unless one is initiated by the right person, who always carries within his heart the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one cannot acquire the power to carry the Supreme Godhead within the core of one's own heart.

The word acyutāḿśam is used because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is Ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa, full in the opulences of wealth, strength, fame, knowledge, beauty and renunciation. The Supreme Godhead is never separated from His personal opulences. As stated in the Brahma-saḿhitā (5.39), rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan: the Lord is always situated with all His plenary expansions, such as Rāma, Nṛsiḿha and Varāha. Therefore the word acyutāḿśam is specifically used here, signifying that the Lord is always present with His plenary expansions and opulences. There is no need to think of the Lord artificially as yogīs do. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaḿ yoginaḥ (Bhāg. 12.13.1). Yogīs meditate upon the Supreme person within the mind. For a devotee, however, the Lord is present, and His presence need only be awakened through initiation by a bona fide spiritual master. The Lord did not need to live within the womb of Devakī, for His presence within the core of her heart was sufficient to carry Him. One is here forbidden to think that Kṛṣṇa was begotten by Vasudeva within the womb of Devakī and that she carried the child within her womb.

When Vasudeva was sustaining the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead within his heart, he appeared just like the glowing sun, whose shining rays are always unbearable and scorching to the common man. The form of the Lord situated in the pure, unalloyed heart of Vasudeva is not different from the original form of Kṛṣṇa. The appearance of the form of Kṛṣṇa anywhere, and specifically within the heart, is called dhāma. Dhāma refers not only to Kṛṣṇa's form, but to His name, His form, His quality and His paraphernalia. Everything becomes manifest simultaneously.

Thus the eternal form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead with full potencies was transferred from the mind of Vasudeva to the mind of Devakī, exactly as the setting sun's rays are transferred to the full moon rising in the east.

Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, entered the body of Devakī from the body of Vasudeva. He was beyond the conditions of the ordinary living entity. When Kṛṣṇa is there, it is to be understood that all His plenary expansions, such as Nārāyaṇa, and incarnations like Lord Nṛsiḿha and Varāha, are with Him, and they are not subject to the conditions of material existence. In this way, Devakī became the residence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is one without a second and the cause of all creation. Devakī became the residence of the Absolute Truth, but because she was within the house of Kaḿsa, she looked just like a suppressed fire, or like misused education. When fire is covered by the walls of a pot or is kept in a jug, the illuminating rays of the fire cannot be very much appreciated. Similarly, misused knowledge, which does not benefit the people in general, is not very much appreciated. So Devakī was kept within the prison walls of Kaḿsa's palace, and no one could see her transcendental beauty, which resulted from her conceiving the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Commenting upon this verse, Śrī Vīrarāghava Ācārya writes, vasudeva-devakī jaṭharayor hṛdayayor bhagavataḥ sambandhaḥ. The Supreme Lord's entrance into the womb of Devakī from the heart of Vasudeva was a heart-to-heart relationship.

 

 

I would just like to add that the diksha referred to in this verse is spiritual diksha, not the official diksha that is many times passed off as diksha.

Vasudeva didn't perform any formal diksha ceremony here.

He simply transferred the knowledge of Krishna and the feelings of devotion from his heart to Devaki's heart.

 

It was nothing like the official diksha ceremonies conducted by career gurus in the pursuit of followers and support for their lifestyle of institutional over-dependence.

[Guest guest]

Lust in her heart? Typical nonsense reply. Asuras and suras are both intimately related, two sides of the same coin. The duality of the material world demands opposition, simple as that.

 

Scientists even concur that when matter came to being from the big bang, anti matter was also created. (No big bang discussion here, Krsna held the gun).

 

Immature devotees see demons, as one matures, all one sees is associates of the Supreme Lord. In fact, before one condemns the asura class, consider that two of the great authorities on devotional service, pure unalloyed mahabhagavatas, are descendents of Diti, in the asura class. Prahlada and Bali Maharaja are both asuras, butg because they were devotees of the lord, their material consideration was of no consequence, and only fools call them demons. But they were from the asura line. Demigods are no better, suras are just as condemned as the asura class, because they, too, must become unalloyed devotees of the Lord. Indra is sura, yet he gets angry and does not recognize Krsna, which Prahlada, an asura, never did.

 

Things are never what they seem, only one in pure consciousness sees accurately, kanistha adhikaris can not distinguish between devotee and demon, therefore, such nonsense about our progenitors.

 

Astrated on another topic, demons that we think of never come into contact with Krsna, never, even as enemy. Only purified souls have opportunity to engage in the rasa of chivalry with the Supreme Lord, only those descednding from the spiritual strata act as his direct enemies. Please read Nectar of Devotion, where Srila Prabhupadaq perfectly explains these adverse sub-rasas like chivalry, dread, etc.

 

Hare Krsna, ys, mahaksadasa

 

BTW, Jaya and Vijaya were given the choice to appear as devotees seven times or as demons three times. They wanted to return to their natural duties as doorkeepers of Lord Narayana ASAP, so they chose to be demons, thus, Krsnas great aqdversaries, Kamsa, Ravana, Hiranyaksa, Hiranyakasipu, Jagai, and Madhai, appeared to be slain by Krsna in respective incarnations.

[Guest guest]

Did you get my drift. Diti was not lusty, she is the mother of both Prahlada and Bali Maharaja.

 

Yes, please consult a bonafide spiritual master on this subject, and quit making such offense to the great favored mother of the asuras.

 

I suppose yall want to condemn Srimati Manohari, the chaste wife of Ravanasura. She is the most magnanamous personality. Ravanas offense was to her who was faultless. The story of how she returned to her father, the magician Maya, after the battle of Lanka of the Waves is the mopst touching story in the Ramayana. He innocence is proven to the same degree that Srimati Sitadevi's innocence is proven.

 

haribol, ys, mahak

 

Sorry Im a little hot under the collar, but I dont suffer mysogenistic drivel anymore, becauise the females are much more devoted to Krsna than any of the others, and all men can do is comment on their bodies. No, the female form is not lust, it is the mind of the male where lust develops.

[Guruvani 0]

 

Lust in her heart? Typical nonsense reply.

 

 

Srimad Bhagavatam 3.14.30

 

maitreya uvaca

saivam samvidite bhartra

manmathonmathitendriya

jagraha vaso brahmarsher

vrishaliva gata-trapa

 

SYNONYMS

 

 

maitreyah uvaca -- Maitreya said; sa -- she; evam -- thus; samvidite -- in spite of being informed; bhartra -- by her husband; manmatha -- by Cupid; unmathita -- being pressed; indriya -- senses; jagraha -- caught hold of; vasah -- clothing; brahma-risheh -- of the great brahmana-sage; vrishali -- public prostitute; iva -- like; gata-trapa -- without shame.

 

 

TRANSLATION

 

 

Maitreya said: Diti was thus informed by her husband, but she was pressed by Cupid for sexual satisfaction. She caught hold of the clothing of the great brahmana sage, just like a shameless public prostitute.

 

 

PURPORT

 

 

The difference between a married wife and a public prostitute is that one is restrained in sex life by the rules and regulations of the scriptures, whereas the other is unrestricted in sex life and is conducted solely by the strong sex urge. Although very enlightened, Kasyapa, the great sage, became a victim of his prostitute wife. Such is the strong force of material energy.

 

[Guruvani 0]

Chapter Fourteen Pregnancy of Diti in the Evening

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sri-suka uvaca

nisamya kausaravinopavarnitam

hareh katham karana-sukaratmanah

punah sa papraccha tam udyatanjalir

na catitrpto viduro dhrta-vratah

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SYNONYMS

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sri-sukah uvaca--Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; nisamya--after hearing; kausaravina--by the sage Maitreya; upavarnitam--described; hareh--of the Personality of Godhead; katham--narrations; karana--for the reason of lifting the earth; sukara-atmanah--of the boar incarnation; punah--again; sah--he; papraccha--inquired; tam--from him (Maitreya); udyata-anjalih--with folded hands; na--never; ca--also; ati-trptah--very much satisfied; vidurah--Vidura; dhrta-vratah--taken to a vow.

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TRANSLATION

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Sukadeva Gosvami said: After hearing from the great sage Maitreya about the Lord's incarnation as Varaha, Vidura, who had taken a vow, begged him with folded hands to please narrate further transcendental activities of the Lord, since he [Vidura] did not yet feel satisfied.

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vidura uvaca

tenaiva tu muni-srestha

harina yajna-murtina

adi-daityo hiranyakso

hata ity anususruma

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SYNONYMS

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vidurah uvaca--Sri Vidura said; tena--by Him; eva--certainly; tu--but; muni-srestha--O chief among the sages; harina--by the Personality of Godhead; yajna-murtina--the form of sacrifices; adi--original; daityah--demon; hiranyaksah--by the name Hiranyaksa; hatah--slain; iti--thus; anususruma--heard in succession.

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TRANSLATION

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Sri Vidura said: O chief amongst the great sages, I have heard by disciplic succession that Hiranyaksa, the original demon, was slain by the same form of sacrifices, the Personality of Godhead [Lord Boar].

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PURPORT

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As referred to previously, the boar incarnation was manifested in two millenniums--namely Svayambhuva and Caksusa. In both millenniums there was a boar incarnation of the Lord, but in the Svayambhuva millennium He lifted the earth from within the water of the universe, whereas in the Caksusa millennium He killed the first demon, Hiranyaksa. In the Svayambhuva millennium He assumed the color white, and in the Caksusa millennium He assumed the color red. Vidura had already heard about one of them, and he proposed to hear about the other. The two different boar incarnations described are the one Supreme Personality of Godhead.

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tasya coddharatah ksaunim

sva-damstragrena lilaya

daitya-rajasya ca brahman

kasmad dhetor abhun mrdhah

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SYNONYMS

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tasya--His; ca--also; uddharatah--while lifting; ksaunim--the earth planet; sva-damstra-agrena--by the edge of His tusks; lilaya--in His pastimes; daitya-rajasya--of the king of demons; ca--and; brahman--O brahmana; kasmat--from what; hetoh--reason; abhut--there was; mrdhah--fight.

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TRANSLATION

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What was the reason, O brahmana, for the fight between the demon king and Lord Boar while the Lord was lifting the earth as His pastime?

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sraddadhanaya bhaktaya

bruhi taj-janma-vistaram

rse na trpyati manah

param kautuhalam hi me

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SYNONYMS

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sraddadhanaya--unto a faithful person; bhaktaya--unto a devotee; bruhi--please narrate; tat--His; janma--appearance; vistaram--in detail; rse--O great sage; na--not; trpyati--become satisfied; manah--mind; param--very much; kautuhalam--inquisitive; hi--certainly; me--my.

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TRANSLATION

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My mind has become very inquisitive, and therefore I am not satisfied with hearing the narration of the Lord's appearance. Please, therefore, speak more and more to a devotee who is faithful.

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PURPORT

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One who is actually faithful and inquisitive is qualified to hear the transcendental pastimes of the appearance and disappearance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Vidura was a suitable candidate to receive such transcendental messages.

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maitreya uvaca

sadhu vira tvaya prstam

avatara-katham hareh

yat tvam prcchasi martyanam

mrtyu-pasa-visatanim

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SYNONYMS

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maitreyah uvaca--Maitreya said; sadhu--devotee; vira--O warrior; tvaya--by you; prstam--inquired; avatara-katham--topics on the incarnation of the Lord; hareh--of the Personality of Godhead; yat--that which; tvam--your good self; prcchasi--asking me; martyanam--of those who are destined for death; mrtyu-pasa--the chain of birth and death; visatanim--source of liberation.

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TRANSLATION

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The great sage Maitreya said: O warrior, the inquiry made by you is just befitting a devotee because it concerns the incarnation of the Personality of Godhead. He is the source of liberation from the chain of birth and death for all those who are otherwise destined to die.

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PURPORT

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The great sage Maitreya addressed Vidura as a warrior not only because Vidura belonged to the Kuru family but because he was anxious to hear about the chivalrous activities of the Lord in His incarnations of Varaha and Nrsimha. Because the inquiries concerned the Lord, they were perfectly befitting a devotee. A devotee has no taste for hearing anything mundane. There are many topics of mundane warfare, but a devotee is not inclined to hear them. The topics of the warfare in which the Lord engages do not concern the war of death but the war against the chain of maya which obliges one to accept repeated birth and death. In other words, one who takes delight in hearing the war topics of the Lord is relieved from the chains of birth and death. Foolish people are suspicious of Krsna's taking part in the Battle of Kuruksetra, not knowing that His taking part insured liberation for all who were present on the battlefield. It is said by Bhismadeva that all who were present on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra attained their original spiritual existences after death. Therefore, hearing the war topics of the Lord is as good as any other devotional service.

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yayottanapadah putro

munina gitayarbhakah

mrtyoh krtvaiva murdhny anghrim

aruroha hareh padam

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SYNONYMS

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yaya--by which; uttanapadah--of King Uttanapada; putrah--son; munina--by the sage; gitaya--being sung; arbhakah--a child; mrtyoh--of death; krtva--placing; eva--certainly; murdhni--on the head; anghrim--feet; aruroha--ascended; hareh--of the Personality of Godhead; padam--to the abode.

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TRANSLATION

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By hearing these topics from the sage [Narada], the son of King Uttanapada [Dhruva] was enlightened regarding the Personality of Godhead, and he ascended to the abode of the Lord, placing his feet over the head of death.

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PURPORT

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While quitting his body, Maharaja Dhruva, the son of King Uttanapada, was attended by personalities like Sunanda and others, who received him in the kingdom of God. He left this world at an early age, as a young boy, although he had attained the throne of his father and had several children of his own. Because he was due to quit this world, death was waiting for him. He did not care for death, however, and even with his present body he boarded a spiritual airplane and went directly to the planet of Visnu because of his association with the great sage Narada, who had spoken to him the narration of the pastimes of the Lord.

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athatrapitihaso 'yam

sruto me varnitah pura

brahmana deva-devena

devanam anuprcchatam

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SYNONYMS

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atha--now; atra--in this matter; api--also; itihasah--history; ayam--this; srutah--heard; me--by me; varnitah--described; pura--years ago; brahmana--by Brahma; deva-devena--the foremost of the demigods; devanam--by the demigods; anuprcchatam--asking.

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TRANSLATION

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This history of the fight between the Lord as a boar and the demon Hiranyaksa was heard by me in a year long ago as it was described by the foremost of the demigods, Brahma, when he was questioned by the other demigods.

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ditir daksayani ksattar

maricam kasyapam patim

apatya-kama cakame

sandhyayam hrc-chayardita

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SYNONYMS

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ditih--Diti; daksayani--the daughter of Daksa; ksattah--O Vidura; maricam--the son of Marici; kasyapam--Kasyapa; patim--her husband; apatya-kama--desirous of having a child; cakame--longed for; sandhyayam--in the evening; hrt-saya--by sex desires; ardita--distressed.

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TRANSLATION

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Diti, daughter of Daksa, being afflicted with sex desire, begged her husband, Kasyapa, the son of Marici, to have intercourse with her in the evening in order to beget a child.

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istvagni-jihvam payasa

purusam yajusam patim

nimlocaty arka asinam

agny-agare samahitam

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SYNONYMS

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istva--after worshiping; agni--fire; jihvam--tongue; payasa--by oblation; purusam--unto the Supreme Person; yajusam--of all sacrifices; patim--master; nimlocati--while setting; arke--the sun; asinam--sitting; agni-agare--in the sacrificial hall; samahitam--completely in trance.

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TRANSLATION

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The sun was setting, and the sage was sitting in trance after offering oblations to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, whose tongue is the sacrificial fire.

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PURPORT

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Fire is considered to be the tongue of the Personality of Godhead Visnu, and oblations of grains and clarified butter offered to the fire are thus accepted by Him. That is the principle of all sacrifices, of which Lord Visnu is the master. In other words, the satisfaction of Lord Visnu includes the satisfaction of all demigods and other living beings.

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TEXT 10

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TEXT

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ditir uvaca

esa mam tvat-krte vidvan

kama atta-sarasanah

dunoti dinam vikramya

rambham iva matangajah

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SYNONYMS

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ditih uvaca--beautiful Diti said; esah--all these; mam--unto me; tvat-krte--for you; vidvan--O learned one; kamah--Cupid; atta-sarasanah--taking his arrows; dunoti--distresses; dinam--poor me; vikramya--attacking; rambham--banana tree; iva--like; matam-gajah--mad elephant.

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TRANSLATION

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In that place the beautiful Diti expressed her desire: O learned one, Cupid is taking his arrows and distressing me forcibly, as a mad elephant troubles a banana tree.

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PURPORT

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Beautiful Diti, seeing her husband absorbed in trance, began to speak loudly, not attempting to attract him by bodily expressions. She frankly said that her whole body was distressed by sex desire because of her husband's presence, just as a banana tree is troubled by a mad elephant. It was not natural for her to agitate her husband when he was in trance, but she could not control her strong sexual appetite. Her sex desire was like a mad elephant, and therefore it was the prime duty of her husband to give her all protection by fulfilling her desire.

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TEXT 11

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TEXT

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tad bhavan dahyamanayam

sa-patninam samrddhibhih

prajavatinam bhadram te

mayy ayunktam anugraham

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SYNONYMS

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tat--therefore; bhavan--your good self; dahyamanayam--being distressed; sa-patninam--of the co-wives; samrddhibhih--by the prosperity; praja-vatinam--of those who have children; bhadram--all prosperity; te--unto you; mayi--unto me; ayunktam--do unto me, in all respects; anugraham--favor.

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TRANSLATION

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Therefore you should be kind towards me by showing me complete mercy. I desire to have sons, and I am much distressed by seeing the opulence of my co-wives. By performing this act, you will become happy.

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PURPORT

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In Bhagavad-gita sexual intercourse for begetting children is accepted as righteous. A person sexually inclined for simple sense gratification, however, is unrighteous. In Diti's appeal to her husband for sex, it was not exactly that she was afflicted by sex desires, but she desired sons. Since she had no sons, she felt poorer than her co-wives. Therefore Kasyapa was supposed to satisfy his bona fide wife.

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TEXT 12

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TEXT

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bhartary aptorumananam

lokan avisate yasah

patir bhavad-vidho yasam

prajaya nanu jayate

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SYNONYMS

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bhartari--by the husband; apta-urumananam--of those who are beloved; lokan--in the world; avisate--spreads; yasah--fame; patih--husband; bhavat-vidhah--like your good self; yasam--of those whose; prajaya--by children; nanu--certainly; jayate--expands.

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TRANSLATION

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A woman is honored in the world by the benediction of her husband, and a husband like you will become famous by having children because you are meant for the expansion of living entities.

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PURPORT

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According to Rsabhadeva, one should not become a father or mother unless one is confident that he can beget children whom he can deliver from the clutches of birth and death. Human life is the only opportunity to get out of the material scene, which is full of the miseries of birth, death, old age and diseases. Every human being should be given the opportunity to take advantage of his human form of life, and a father like Kasyapa is supposed to beget good children for the purpose of liberation.

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TEXT 13

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TEXT

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pura pita no bhagavan

dakso duhitr-vatsalah

kam vrnita varam vatsa

ity aprcchata nah prthak

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SYNONYMS

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pura--in days long ago; pita--father; nah--our; bhagavan--the most opulent; daksah--Daksa; duhitr-vatsalah--affectionate to his daughters; kam--unto whom; vrnita--you want to accept; varam--your husband; vatsah--O my children; iti--thus; aprcchata--inquired; nah--us; prthak--separately.

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TRANSLATION

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In days long ago, our father, the most opulent Daksa, who was affectionate to his daughters, asked each of us separately whom we would prefer to select as our husband.

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PURPORT

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It appears from this verse that free selection of a husband was allowed by the father, but not by free association. The daughters were asked separately to submit their selection of a husband who was famous for his acts and personality. The ultimate selection depended on the choice of the father.

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TEXT 14

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TEXT

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sa viditvatmajanam no

bhavam santana-bhavanah

trayodasadadat tasam

yas te silam anuvratah

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SYNONYMS

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sah--Daksa; viditva--understanding; atma-janam--of the daughters; nah--our; bhavam--indication; santana--children; bhavanah--well-wisher; trayodasa--thirteen; adadat--handed over; tasam--of all of them; yah--those who are; te--your; silam--behavior; anuvratah--all faithful.

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TRANSLATION

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Our well-wishing father, Daksa, after knowing our intentions, handed over thirteen of his daughters unto you, and since then we have all been faithful.

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PURPORT

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Generally the daughters were too shy to express their opinions before their father, but the father would accept the daughters' intentions through someone else, such as a grandmother to whom the grandchildren had free access. King Daksa collected the opinions of his daughters and thus handed over thirteen to Kasyapa. Every one of Diti's sisters was a mother of children. Therefore, since she was equally faithful to the same husband, why should she remain without children?

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TEXT 15

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TEXT

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atha me kuru kalyanam

kamam kamala-locana

artopasarpanam bhumann

amogham hi mahiyasi

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SYNONYMS

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atha--therefore; me--unto me; kuru--kindly do; kalyanam--benediction; kamam--desire; kamala-locana--O lotus-eyed one; arta--of the distressed; upasarpanam--the approaching; bhuman--O great one; amogham--without failure; hi--certainly; mahiyasi--to a great person.

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TRANSLATION

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O lotus-eyed one, kindly bless me by fulfilling my desire. When someone in distress approaches a great person, his pleas should never go in vain.

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PURPORT

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Diti knew well that her request might be rejected because of the untimely situation, but she pleaded that when there is an emergency or a distressful condition, there is no consideration of time or situation.

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TEXT 16

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TEXT

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iti tam vira maricah

krpanam bahu-bhasinim

pratyahanunayan vaca

pravrddhananga-kasmalam

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SYNONYMS

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iti--thus; tam--unto her; vira--O hero; maricah--the son of Marici (Kasyapa); krpanam--unto the poor; bahu-bhasinim--too talkative; pratyaha--replied; anunayan--pacifying; vaca--by words; pravrddha--highly agitated; ananga--lust; kasmalam--contaminated.

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TRANSLATION

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O hero [Vidura], Diti, being thus afflicted by the contamination of lust, and therefore poor and talkative, was pacified by the son of Marici in suitable words.

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PURPORT

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When a man or woman is afflicted by the lust of sex desire, it is to be understood as sinful contamination. Kasyapa was engaged in his spiritual activities, but he did not have sufficient strength to refuse his wife, who was thus afflicted. He could have refused her with strong words expressing impossibility, but he was not as spiritually strong as Vidura. Vidura is addressed here as a hero because no one is stronger in self-control than a devotee of the Lord. It appears that Kasyapa was already inclined to have sexual enjoyment with his wife, and because he was not a strong man he tried to dissuade her only with pacifying words.

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TEXT 17

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TEXT

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esa te 'ham vidhasyami

priyam bhiru yad icchasi

tasyah kamam na kah kuryat

siddhis traivargiki yatah

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SYNONYMS

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esah--this; te--your request; aham--I; vidhasyami--shall execute; priyam--very dear; bhiru--O afflicted one; yat--what; icchasi--you are desiring; tasyah--her; kamam--desires; na--not; kah--who; kuryat--would perform; siddhih--perfection of liberation; traivargiki--three; yatah--from whom.

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TRANSLATION

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O afflicted one, I shall forthwith gratify whatever desire is dear to you, for who else but you is the source of the three perfections of liberation?

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PURPORT

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The three perfections of liberation are religiosity, economic development and sense gratification: For a conditioned soul, the wife is considered to be the source of liberation because she offers her service to the husband for his ultimate liberation. Conditional material existence is based on sense gratification, and if someone has the good fortune to get a good wife, he is helped by the wife in all respects. If one is disturbed in his conditional life, he becomes more and more entangled in material contamination. A faithful wife is supposed to cooperate with her husband in fulfilling all material desires so that he can then become comfortable and execute spiritual activities for the perfection of life. If, however, the husband is progressive in spiritual advancement, the wife undoubtedly shares in his activities, and thus both the wife and the husband profit in spiritual perfection. It is essential, therefore, that girls as well as boys be trained to discharge spiritual duties so that at the time of cooperation both will be benefited. The training of the boy is brahmacarya, and the training of the girl is chastity. A faithful wife and spiritually trained brahmacari are a good combination for advancement of the human mission.

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TEXT 18

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TEXT

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sarvasraman upadaya

svasramena kalatravan

vyasanarnavam atyeti

jala-yanair yatharnavam

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SYNONYMS

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sarva--all; asraman--social orders; upadaya--completing; sva--own; asramena--by the social orders; kalatra-van--a person living with a wife; vyasana-arnavam--the dangerous ocean of material existence; atyeti--one can cross over; jala-yanaih--with seagoing vessels; yatha--as; arnavam--the ocean.

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TRANSLATION

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As one can cross over the ocean with seagoing vessels, one can cross the dangerous situation of the material ocean by living with a wife.

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PURPORT

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There are four social orders for cooperation in the endeavor for liberation from material existence. The orders of brahmacarya, or pious student life, household life with a wife, retired life and renounced life all depend for successful advancement on the householder who lives with a wife. This cooperation is essential for the proper functioning of the institution of the four social orders and the four spiritual orders of life. This Vedic varnasrama system is generally known as the caste system. The man who lives with a wife has a great responsibility in maintaining the members of the other social orders--the brahmacaris, vanaprasthas and sannyasis. Except for the grhasthas, or the householders, everyone is supposed to engage in the spiritual advancement of life, and therefore the brahmacari, the vanaprastha and the sannyasi have very little time to earn a livelihood. They therefore collect alms from the grhasthas, and thus they secure the bare necessities of life and cultivate spiritual understanding. By helping the other three sections of society cultivate spiritual values, the householder also makes advancement in spiritual life. Ultimately every member of society automatically becomes spiritually advanced and easily crosses the ocean of nescience.

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TEXT 19

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TEXT

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yam ahur atmano hy ardham

sreyas-kamasya manini

yasyam sva-dhuram adhyasya

pumams carati vijvarah

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SYNONYMS

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yam--the wife who; ahuh--is said; atmanah--of the body; hi--thus; ardham--half; sreyah--welfare; kamasya--of all desires; manini--O respectful one; yasyam--in whom; sva-dhuram--all responsibilities; adhyasya--entrusting; puman--a man; carati--moves; vijvarah--without anxiety.

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TRANSLATION

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O respectful one, a wife is so helpful that she is called the better half of a man's body because of her sharing in all auspicious activities. A man can move without anxiety entrusting all responsibilities to his wife.

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PURPORT

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By the Vedic injunction, the wife is accepted as the better half of a man's body because she is supposed to be responsible for discharging half of the duties of the husband. A family man has a responsibility to perform five kinds of sacrifices, called panca-yajna, in order to get relief from all kinds of unavoidable sinful reaction incurred in the course of his affairs. When a man becomes qualitatively like the cats and dogs, he forgets his duties in cultivating spiritual values, and thus he accepts his wife as a sense gratificatory agency. When the wife is accepted as a sense gratificatory agency, personal beauty is the main consideration, and as soon as there is a break in personal sense gratification, there is disruption or divorce. But when husband and wife aim at spiritual advancement by mutual cooperation, there is no consideration of personal beauty or the disruption of so-called love. In the material world there is no question of love. Marriage is actually a duty performed in mutual cooperation as directed in the authoritative scriptures for spiritual advancement. Therefore marriage is essential in order to avoid the life of cats and dogs, who are not meant for spiritual enlightenment.

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TEXT 20

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TEXT

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yam asrityendriyaratin

durjayan itarasramaih

vayam jayema helabhir

dasyun durga-patir yatha

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SYNONYMS

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yam--whom; asritya--taking shelter of; indriya--senses; aratin--enemies; durjayan--difficult to conquer; itara--other than the householders; asramaih--by orders of society; vayam--we; jayema--can conquer; helabhih--easily; dasyun--invading plunderers; durga-patih--a fort commander; yatha--as.

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TRANSLATION

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As a fort commander very easily conquers invading plunderers, by taking shelter of a wife one can conquer the senses, which are unconquerable in the other social orders.

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PURPORT

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Of the four orders of human society--the student, or brahmacari order, the householder, or grhastha order, the retired, or vanaprastha order, and the renounced, or sannyasi order--the householder is on the safe side. The bodily senses are considered plunderers of the fort of the body. The wife is supposed to be the commander of the fort, and therefore whenever there is an attack on the body by the senses, it is the wife who protects the body from being smashed. The sex demand is inevitable for everyone, but one who has a fixed wife is saved from the onslaught of the sense enemies. A man who possesses a good wife does not create a disturbance in society by corrupting virgin girls. Without a fixed wife, a man becomes a debauchee of the first order and is a nuisance in society--unless he is a trained brahmacari, vanaprastha or sannyasi. Unless there is rigid and systematic training of the brahmacari by the expert spiritual master, and unless the student is obedient, it is sure that the so-called brahmacari will fall prey to the attack of sex. There are so many instances of falldown, even for great yogis like Visvamitra. A grhastha is saved, however, because of his faithful wife. Sex life is the cause of material bondage, and therefore it is prohibited in three asramas and is allowed only in the grhastha-asrama. The grhastha is responsible for producing first-quality brahmacaris, vanaprasthas and sannyasis.

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TEXT 21

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TEXT

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na vayam prabhavas tam tvam

anukartum grhesvari

apy ayusa va kartsnyena

ye canye guna-grdhnavah

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SYNONYMS

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na--never; vayam--we; prabhavah--are able; tam--that; tvam--unto you; anukartum--do the same; grha-isvari--O queen of the home; api--in spite of; ayusa--by duration of life; va--or (in the next life); kartsnyena--entire; ye--who; ca--also; anye--others; guna-grdhnavah--those who are able to appreciate qualities.

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TRANSLATION

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O queen of the home, we are not able to act like you, nor could we repay you for what you have done, even if we worked for our entire life or even after death. To repay you is not possible, even for those who are admirers of personal qualities.

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PURPORT

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So much glorification of a woman by her husband indicates that he is henpecked or is talking lightly in joke. Kasyapa meant that householders living with wives enjoy the heavenly blessings of sense enjoyment and at the same time have no fear of going down to hell. The man in the renounced order of life has no wife and may be driven by sex desire to seek another woman or another's wife and thus go to hell. In other words, the so-called man of the renounced order, who has left his house and wife, goes to hell if he again desires sexual pleasure, knowingly or unknowingly. In that way the householders are on the side of safety. Therefore husbands as a class cannot repay their debt to women either in this life or in the next. Even if they engage themselves in repaying the women throughout their whole lives, it is still not possible. Not all husbands are as able to appreciate the good qualities of their wives, but even though one is able to appreciate these qualities, it is still not possible to repay the debt to the wife. Such extraordinary praises by a husband for his wife are certainly in the mode of joking.

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TEXT 22

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TEXT

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athapi kamam etam te

prajatyai karavany alam

yatha mam natirocanti

muhurtam pratipalaya

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SYNONYMS

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atha api--even though (it is not possible); kamam--this sex desire; etam--as it is; te--your; prajatyai--for the sake of children; karavani--let me do; alam--without delay; yatha--as; mam--unto me; na--may not; atirocanti--reproach; muhurtam--a few seconds; pratipalaya--wait for.

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TRANSLATION

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Even though it is not possible to repay you, I shall satisfy your sex desire immediately for the sake of begetting children. But you must wait for only a few seconds so that others may not reproach me.

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PURPORT

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The henpecked husband may not be able to repay his wife for all the benefits that he derives from her, but as for begetting children by fulfilling sexual desire, it is not at all difficult for any husband unless he is thoroughly impotent. This is a very easy task for a husband under normal conditions. In spite of Kasyapa's being very eager, he requested her to wait for a few seconds so that others might not reproach him. He explains his position as follows.

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TEXT 23

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TEXT

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esa ghoratama vela

ghoranam ghora-darsana

caranti yasyam bhutani

bhutesanucarani ha

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SYNONYMS

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esa--this time; ghora-tama--most horrible; vela--period; ghoranam--of the horrible; ghora-darsana--horrible looking; caranti--move; yasyam--in which; bhutani--ghosts; bhuta-isa--the lord of the ghosts; anucarani--constant companions; ha--indeed.

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TRANSLATION

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This particular time is most inauspicious because at this time the horrible-looking ghosts and constant companions of the lord of the ghosts are visible.

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PURPORT

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Kasyapa has already told his wife Diti to wait for a while, and now he warns her that failure to consider the particular time will result in punishment from the ghosts and evil spirits who move during this time, along with their master, Lord Rudra.

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TEXT 24

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TEXT

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etasyam sadhvi sandhyayam

bhagavan bhuta-bhavanah

parito bhuta-parsadbhir

vrsenatati bhutarat

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SYNONYMS

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etasyam--in this period; sadhvi--O chaste one; sandhyayam--at the junction of day and night (evening); bhagavan--the Personality of God; bhuta-bhavanah--the well-wisher of the ghostly characters; paritah--surrounded by; bhuta-parsadbhih--by ghostly companions; vrsena--on the back of the bull carrier; atati--travels; bhuta-rat--the king of the ghosts.

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TRANSLATION

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Lord Siva, the king of the ghosts, sitting on the back of his bull carrier, travels at this time, accompanied by ghosts who follow him for their welfare.

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PURPORT

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Lord Siva, or Rudra, is the king of the ghosts. Ghostly characters worship Lord Siva to be gradually guided toward a path of self-realization. Mayavadi philosophers are mostly worshipers of Lord Siva, and Sripada Sankaracarya is considered to be the incarnation of Lord Siva for preaching godlessness to the Mayavadi philosophers. Ghosts are bereft of a physical body because of their grievously sinful acts, such as suicide. The last resort of the ghostly characters in human society is to take shelter of suicide, either material or spiritual. Material suicide causes loss of the physical body, and spiritual suicide causes loss of the individual identity. Mayavadi philosophers desire to lose their individuality and merge into the impersonal spiritual brahmajyoti existence. Lord Siva, being very kind to the ghosts, sees that although they are condemned, they get physical bodies. He places them into the wombs of women who indulge in sexual intercourse regardless of the restrictions on time and circumstance. Kasyapa wanted to impress this fact upon Diti so that she might wait for a while.

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TEXT 25

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TEXT

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smasana-cakranila-dhuli-dhumra-

vikirna-vidyota-jata-kalapah

bhasmavagunthamala-rukma-deho

devas tribhih pasyati devaras te

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SYNONYMS

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smasana--burning crematorium; cakra-anila--whirlwind; dhuli--dust; dhumra--smoky; vikirna-vidyota--thus smeared over beauty; jata-kalapah--bunches of matted hair; bhasma--ashes; avaguntha--covered by; amala--stainless; rukma--reddish; dehah--body; devah--the demigod; tribhih--with three eyes; pasyati--sees; devarah--younger brother of the husband; te--your.

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TRANSLATION

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Lord Siva's body is reddish, and he is unstained, but he is covered with ashes. His hair is dusty from the whirlwind dust of the burning crematorium. He is the younger brother of your husband, and he sees with his three eyes.

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PURPORT

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Lord Siva is not an ordinary living entity, nor is he in the category of Visnu, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is far more powerful than any living entity up to the standard of Brahma, yet he is not on an equal level with Visnu. Since he is almost like Lord Visnu, Siva can see past, present and future. One of his eyes is like the sun, another is like the moon, and his third eye, which is between his eyebrows, is like fire. He can generate fire from his middle eye, and he is able to vanquish any powerful living entity, including Brahma, yet he does not live pompously in a nice house, etc., nor does he possess any material properties, although he is master of the material world. He lives mostly in the crematorium, where dead bodies are burnt, and the whirlwind dust of the crematorium is his bodily dress. He is unstained by material contamination. Kasyapa took him as his younger brother because the youngest sister of Diti (Kasyapa's wife) was married to Lord Siva. The husband of one's sister is considered one's brother. By that social relationship, Lord Siva happened to be the younger brother of Kasyapa. Kasyapa warned his wife that because Lord Siva would see their sex indulgence, the time was not appropriate. Diti might argue that they would enjoy sex life in a private place, but Kasyapa reminded her that Lord Siva has three eyes, called the sun, moon and fire, and one cannot escape his vigilance any more than one can escape Visnu. Although seen by the police, a criminal is sometimes not immediately punished; the police wait for the proper time to apprehend him. The forbidden time for sexual intercourse would be noted by Lord Siva, and Diti would meet with proper punishment by giving birth to a child of ghostly character or a godless impersonalist. Kasyapa foresaw this, and thus he warned his wife Diti.

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TEXT 26

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TEXT

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na yasya loke sva-janah paro va

natyadrto nota kascid vigarhyah

vayam vratair yac-caranapaviddham

asasmahe 'jam bata bhukta-bhogam

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SYNONYMS

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na--never; yasya--of whom; loke--in the world; sva-janah--kinsman; parah--unconnected; va--nor; na--neither; ati--greater; adrtah--favorable; na--not; uta--or; kascit--anyone; vigarhyah--criminal; vayam--we; vrataih--by vows; yat--whose; carana--feet; apaviddham--rejected; asasmahe--respectfully worship; ajam--maha-prasada; bata--certainly; bhukta-bhogam--remnants of foodstuff.

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TRANSLATION

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Lord Siva regards no one as his relative, yet there is no one who is not connected with him; he does not regard anyone as very favorable or abominable. We respectfully worship the remnants of his foodstuff, and we vow to accept what is rejected by him.

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PURPORT

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Kasyapa informed his wife that just because Lord Siva happened to be his brother-in-law, that should not encourage her in her offense towards him. Kasyapa warned her that actually Lord Siva is not connected with anyone, nor is anyone his enemy. Since he is one of the three controllers of the universal affairs, he is equal to everyone. His greatness is incomparable because he is a great devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is said that among all the devotees of the Personality of Godhead, Lord Siva is the greatest. Thus the remnants of foodstuff left by him are accepted by other devotees as maha-prasada, or great spiritual foodstuff. The remnants of foodstuff offered to Lord Krsna are called prasada, but when the same prasada is eaten by a great devotee like Lord Siva, it is called maha-prasada. Lord Siva is so great that he does not care for the material prosperity for which every one of us is so eager. Parvati, who is the powerful material nature personified, is under his full control as his wife, yet he does not use her even to build a residential house. He prefers to remain without shelter, and his great wife also agrees to live with him humbly. People in general worship goddess Durga, the wife of Lord Siva, for material prosperity, but Lord Siva engages her in his service without material desire. He simply advises his great wife that of all kinds of worship, the worship of Visnu is the highest, and greater than that is the worship of a great devotee or anything in relation with Visnu.

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TEXT 27

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yasyanavadyacaritam manisino

grnanty avidya-patalam bibhitsavah

nirasta-samyatisayo 'pi yat svayam

pisaca-caryam acarad gatih satam

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SYNONYMS

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yasya--whose; anavadya--unimpeachable; acaritam--character; manisinah--great sages; grnanti--follow; avidya--nescience; patalam--mass; bibhitsavah--desiring to dismantle; nirasta--nullified; samya--equality; atisayah--greatness; api--in spite of; yat--as; svayam--personally; pisaca--devil; caryam--activities; acarat--performed; gatih--destination; satam--of the devotees of the Lord.

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TRANSLATION

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Although no one in the material world is equal to or greater than Lord Siva, and although his unimpeachable character is followed by great souls to dismantle the mass of nescience, he nevertheless remains as if a devil to give salvation to all devotees of the Lord.

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PURPORT

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Lord Siva's uncivilized, devilish characteristics are never abominable because he teaches the sincere devotees of the Lord how to practice detachment from material enjoyment. He is called Mahadeva, or the greatest of all demigods, and no one is equal to or greater than him in the material world. He is almost equal with Lord Visnu. Although he always associates with Maya, Durga, he is above the reactionary stage of the three modes of material nature, and although he is in charge of devilish characters in the mode of ignorance, he is not affected by such association.

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TEXT 28

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hasanti yasyacaritam hi durbhagah

svatman-ratasyavidusah samihitam

yair vastra-malyabharananulepanaih

sva-bhojanam svatmatayopalalitam

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SYNONYMS

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hasanti--laugh at; yasya--whose; acaritam--activity; hi--certainly; durbhagah--the unfortunate; sva-atman--in the self; ratasya--of one engaged; avidusah--not knowing; samihitam--his purpose; yaih--by whom; vastra--clothing; malya--garlands; abharana--ornaments; anu--such luxurious; lepanaih--with ointments; sva-bhojanam--eatable by the dogs; sva-atmataya--as if the self; upalalitam--fondled.

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TRANSLATION

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Unfortunate, foolish persons, not knowing that he is engaged in his own self, laugh at him. Such foolish persons engage in maintaining the body--which is eatable by dogs--with dresses, ornaments, garlands and ointments.

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PURPORT

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Lord Siva never accepts any luxurious dress, garland, ornament or ointment. But those who are addicted to the decoration of the body, which is finally eatable by dogs, very luxuriously maintain it as the self. Such persons do not understand Lord Siva, but they approach him for luxurious material comforts. There are two kinds of devotees of Lord Siva. One class is the gross materialist seeking only bodily comforts from Lord Siva, and the other class desires to become one with him. They are mostly impersonalists and prefer to chant sivo'ham, "I am Siva," or "After liberation I shall become one with Lord Siva." In other words, the karmis and jnanis are generally devotees of Lord Siva, but they do not properly understand his real purpose in life. Sometimes so-called devotees of Lord Siva imitate him in using poisonous intoxicants. Lord Siva once swallowed an ocean of poison, and thus his throat became blue. The imitation Sivas try to follow him by indulging in poisons, and thus they are ruined. The real purpose of Lord Siva is to serve the Soul of the soul, Lord Krsna. He desires that all luxurious articles, such as nice garments, garlands, ornaments and cosmetics, be given to Lord Krsna only, because Krsna is the real enjoyer. He refuses to accept such luxurious items himself because they are only meant for Krsna. However, since they do not know this purpose of Lord Siva, foolish persons either laugh at him or profitlessly try to imitate him.

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TEXT 29

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TEXT

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brahmadayo yat-krta-setu-pala

yat-karanam visvam idam ca maya

ajna-kari yasya pisaca-carya

aho vibhumnas caritam vidambanam

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SYNONYMS

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brahma-adayah--demigods like Brahma; yat--whose; krta--activities; setu--religious rites; palah--observers; yat--one who is; karanam--the origin of; visvam--the universe; idam--this; ca--also; maya--material energy; ajna-kari--order carrier; yasya--whose; pisaca--devilish; carya--activity; aho--O my lord; vibhumnah--of the great; caritam--character; vidambanam--simply imitation.

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TRANSLATION

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Demigods like Brahma also follow the religious rites observed by him. He is the controller of the material energy, which causes the creation of the material world. He is great, and therefore his devilish characteristics are simply imitation.

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PURPORT

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Lord Siva is the husband of Durga, the controller of the material energy. Durga is personified material energy, and Lord Siva, being her husband, is the controller of the material energy. He is also the incarnation of the mode of ignorance and one of the three deities representing the Supreme Lord. As His representative, Lord Siva is identical with the Supreme personality of Godhead. He is very great, and his renunciation of all material enjoyment is an ideal example of how one should be materially unattached. One should therefore follow in his footsteps and be unattached to matter, not imitate his uncommon acts like drinking poison.

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TEXT 30

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TEXT

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maitreya uvaca

saivam samvidite bhartra

manmathonmathitendriya

jagraha vaso brahmarser

vrsaliva gata-trapa

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SYNONYMS

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maitreyah uvaca--Maitreya said; sa--she; evam--thus; samvidite--in spite of being informed; bhartra--by her husband; manmatha--by Cupid; unmathita--being pressed; indriya--senses; jagraha--caught hold of; vasah--clothing; brahma-rseh--of the great brahmana-sage; vrsali--public prostitute; iva--like; gata-trapa--without shame.

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TRANSLATION

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Maitreya said: Diti was thus informed by her husband, but she was pressed by Cupid for sexual satisfaction. She caught hold of the clothing of the great brahmana sage, just like a shameless public prostitute.

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PURPORT

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The difference between a married wife and a public prostitute is that one is restrained in sex life by the rules and regulations of the scriptures, whereas the other is unrestricted in sex life and is conducted solely by the strong sex urge. Although very enlightened, Kasyapa, the great sage, became a victim of his prostitute wife. Such is the strong force of material energy.

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TEXT 31

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sa viditvatha bharyayas

tam nirbandham vikarmani

natva distaya rahasi

tayathopavivesa hi

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SYNONYMS

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sah--he; viditva--understanding; atha--thereupon; bharyayah--of the wife; tam--that; nirbandham--obstinacy; vikarmani--in the forbidden act; natva--offering obeisances; distaya--unto worshipable fate; rahasi--in a secluded place; taya--with her; atha--thus; upavivesa--lay; hi--certainly.

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TRANSLATION

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Understanding his wife's purpose, he was obliged to perform the forbidden act, and thus after offering his obeisances unto worshipable fate, he lay with her in a secluded place.

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PURPORT

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It appears from the talks of Kasyapa with his wife that he was a worshiper of Lord Siva, and although he knew that Lord Siva would not be pleased with him for such a forbidden act, he was obliged to act by his wife's desire, and thus he offered his obeisances unto fate. He knew that the child born of such untimely sexual intercourse would certainly not be a good child, but could not protect himself because he was too obligated to his wife. In a similar case, however, when Thakura Haridasa was tempted by a public prostitute at the dead of night, he avoided the allurement because of his perfection in Krsna consciousness. That is the difference between a Krsna conscious person and others. Kasyapa Muni was greatly learned and enlightened, and he knew all the rules and regulations of systematic life, yet he failed to protect himself from the attack of sex desire. Thakura Haridasa was not born of a brahmana family, nor was he himself brahmana, yet he could protect himself from such an attack due to his being Krsna conscious. Thakura Haridasa used to chant the holy name of the Lord three hundred thousand times daily.

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TEXT 32

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athopasprsya salilam

pranan ayamya vag-yatah

dhyayan jajapa virajam

brahma jyotih sanatanam

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SYNONYMS

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atha--thereafter; upasprsya--touching or taking bath in water; salilam--water; pranan ayamya--practicing trance; vak-yatah--controlling speech; dhyayan--meditating; jajapa--chanted within the mouth; virajam--pure; brahma--Gayatri hymns; jyotih--effulgence; sanatanam--eternal.

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TRANSLATION

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Thereafter the brahmana took his bath in the water and controlled his speech by practicing trance, meditating on the eternal effulgence and chanting the holy Gayatri hymns within his mouth.

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PURPORT

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As one has to take bath after using the toilet, so one has to wash himself with water after sexual intercourse, especially when at a forbidden time. Kasyapa Muni meditated on the impersonal brahmajyoti by chanting the Gayatri mantra within his mouth. When a Vedic mantra is chanted within the mouth so that only the chanter can hear, the chanting is called japa. But when such mantras are chanted loudly, it is called kirtana. The Vedic hymn Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare can be chanted both softly to oneself or loudly; therefore it is called the maha-mantra, or the great hymn.

Kasyapa Muni appears to be an impersonalist. Comparing his character with that of Thakura Haridasa as referred to above, it is clear that the personalist is stronger in sense control than the impersonalist. This is explained in Bhagavad-gita as param drstva nivartate; i.e., one ceases to accept lower grade things when one is situated in a superior condition. One is supposed to be purified after taking bath and chanting Gayatri, but the maha-mantra is so powerful that one can chant loudly or softly, in any condition, and he is protected from all the evils of material existence.

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TEXT 33

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ditis tu vridita tena

karmavadyena bharata

upasangamya viprarsim

adho-mukhy abhyabhasata

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SYNONYMS

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ditih--Diti, the wife of Kasyapa; tu--but; vridita--ashamed; tena--by that; karma--act; avadyena--faulty; bharata--O son of the Bharata family; upasangamya--going nearer to; vipra-rsim--the brahmana--sage; adhah-mukhi--with her face lowered; abhyabhasata--politely said.

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TRANSLATION

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O son of the Bharata family, Diti, after this, went nearer to her husband, her face lowered because of her faulty action. She spoke as follows.

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PURPORT

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When one is ashamed of an abominable action, one naturally becomes down-faced. Diti came to her senses after the abominable sexual intercourse with her husband. Such sexual intercourse is condemned as prostitution. In other words, sex life with one's wife is equal to prostitution if the regulations are not properly followed.

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TEXT 34

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ditir uvaca

na me garbham imam brahman

bhutanam rsabho 'vadhit

rudrah patir hi bhutanam

yasyakaravam amhasam

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SYNONYMS

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ditih uvaca--the beautiful Diti said; na--not; me--my; garbham--pregnancy; imam--this; brahman--O brahmana; bhutanam--of all living entities; rsabhah--the noblest of all living entities; avadhit--let him kill; rudrah--Lord Siva; patih--master; hi--certainly; bhutanam--of all living entities; yasya--whose; akaravam--I have done; amhasam--offense.

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TRANSLATION

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The beautiful Diti said: My dear brahmana, kindly see that my embryo is not killed by Lord Siva, the lord of all living entities, because of the great offense I have committed against him.

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PURPORT

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Diti was conscious of her offense and was anxious to be excused by Lord Siva. Lord Siva has two popular names, Rudra and Asutosa. He is very prone to anger as well as quickly pacified. Diti knew that because of his being quickly angered he might spoil the pregnancy she had so unlawfully achieved. But because he was also Asutosa, she implored her brahmana husband to help her in pacifying Lord Siva, for her husband was a great devotee of Lord Siva. In other words, Lord Siva might have been angry with Diti because she obliged her husband to transgress the law, but he would not refuse her husband's prayer. Therefore the application for excuse was submitted through her husband. She prayed to Lord Siva as follows.

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TEXT 35

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namo rudraya mahate

devayograya midhuse

sivaya nyasta-dandaya

dhrta-dandaya manyave

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SYNONYMS

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namah--all obeisances unto; rudraya--unto the angry Lord Siva; mahate--unto the great; devaya--unto the demigod; ugraya--unto the ferocious; midhuse--unto the fulfiller of all material desires; sivaya--unto the all-auspicious; nyasta-dandaya--unto the forgiving; dhrta-dandaya--unto the immediate chastiser; manyave--unto the angry.

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TRANSLATION

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Let me offer my obeisances unto the angry Lord Siva, who is simultaneously the very ferocious great demigod and the fulfiller of all material desires. He is all-auspicious and forgiving, but his anger can immediately move him to chastise.

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PURPORT

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Diti prayed for the mercy of Lord Siva very cleverly. She prayed: "The lord can cause me to cry, but if he likes he can also stop my crying because he is Asutosa. He is so great that if he likes he can immediately destroy my pregnancy, but by his mercy he can also fulfill my desire that my pregnancy not be spoiled. Because he is all-auspicious, it is not difficult for him to excuse me from being punished, although he is now ready to punish me because I have moved his great anger. He appears like a man, but he is the lord of all men."

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TEXT 36

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sa nah prasidatam bhamo

bhagavan urv-anugrahah

vyadhasyapy anukampyanam

strinam devah sati-patih

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SYNONYMS

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sah--he; nah--with us; prasidatam--be pleased; bhamah--brother-in-law; bhagavan--the personality of all opulences; uru--very great; anugrahah--merciful; vyadhasya--of the hunter; api--also; anukampyanam--of the objects of mercy; strinam--of the women; devah--the worshipable lord; sati-patih--the husband of Sati (the chaste).

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TRANSLATION

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Let him be pleased with us, since he is my brother-in-law, the husband of my sister Sati. He is also the worshipable lord of all women. He is the personality of all opulences and can show mercy towards women, who are excused even by the uncivilized hunters.

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PURPORT

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Lord Siva is the husband of Sati, one of the sisters of Diti. Diti invoked the pleasure of her sister Sati so that Sati would request her husband to excuse her. Besides that, Lord Siva is the worshipable lord of all women. He is naturally very kind towards women, on whom even the uncivilized hunters also show their mercy. Since Lord Siva is himself associated with women, he knows very well their defective nature, and he might not take very seriously Diti's unavoidable offense, which occurred due to her faulty nature. Every virgin girl is supposed to be a devotee of Lord Siva. Diti remembered her childhood worship of Lord Siva and begged his mercy.

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TEXT 37

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maitreya uvaca

sva-sargasyasisam lokyam

asasanam pravepatim

nivrtta-sandhya-niyamo

bharyam aha prajapatih

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SYNONYMS

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maitreyah uvaca--the great sage Maitreya said; sva-sargasya--of her own children; asisam--welfare; lokyam--in the world; asasanam--desiring; pravepatim--while trembling; nivrtta--averted from; sandhya-niyamah--the rules and regulations of evening; bharyam--unto the wife; aha--said; prajapatih--the progenitor.

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TRANSLATION

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Maitreya said: The great sage Kasyapa thus addressed his wife, who was trembling because of fear that her husband was offended. She understood that he had been dissuaded from his daily duties of offering evening prayers, yet she desired the welfare of her children in the world.

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TEXT 38

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kasyapa uvaca

aprayatyad atmanas te

dosan mauhurtikad uta

man-nidesaticarena

devanam catihelanat

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SYNONYMS

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kasyapah uvaca--the learned brahmana Kasyapa said; aprayatyat--because of the pollution; atmanah--of the mind; te--your; dosat--because of defilement; mauhurtikat--in terms of the moment; uta--also; mat--my; nidesa--direction; aticarena--being too neglectful; devanam--of the demigods; ca--also; atihelanat--being too apathetic.

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TRANSLATION

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The learned Kasyapa said: Because of your mind's being polluted, because of defilement of the particular time, because of your negligence of my directions, and because of your being apathetic to the demigods, everything was inauspicious.

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PURPORT

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The conditions for having good progeny in society are that the husband should be disciplined in religious and regulative principles and the wife should be faithful to the husband. In Bhagavad-gita (7.11) it is said that sexual intercourse according to religious principles is a representation of Krsna consciousness. Before engaging in sexual intercourse, both the husband and the wife must consider their mental condition, the particular time, the husband's direction, and obedience to the demigods. According to Vedic society, there is a suitable auspicious time for sex life, which is called the time for garbhadhana. Diti neglected all the principles of scriptural injunction, and therefore, although she was very anxious for auspicious children, she was informed that her children would not be worthy to be the sons of a brahmana. There is a clear indication herein that a brahmana's son is not always a brahmana. Personalities like Ravana and Hiranyakasipu were actually born of brahmanas, but they were not accepted as brahmanas because their fathers did not follow the regulative principles for their birth. Such children are called demons, or Raksasas. There were only one or two Raksasas in the previous ages due to negligence of the disciplinary methods, but during the age of Kali there is no discipline in sex life. How, then, can one expect good children? Certainly unwanted children cannot be a source of happiness in society, but through the Krsna consciousness movement they can be raised to the human standard by chanting the holy name of God. That is the unique contribution of Lord Caitanya to human society.

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TEXT 39

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TEXT

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bhavisyatas tavabhadrav

abhadre jatharadhamau

lokan sa-palams trims candi

muhur akrandayisyatah

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SYNONYMS

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bhavisyatah--will take birth; tava--your; abhadrau--two contemptuous sons; abhadre--O unlucky one; jathara-adhamau--born of a condemned womb; lokan--all planets; sa-palan--with their rulers; trin--three; candi--haughty one; muhuh--constantly; akran-dayisyatah--will cause lamentation.

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TRANSLATION

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O haughty one, you will have two contemptuous sons born of your condemned womb. Unlucky woman, they will cause constant lamentation to all the three worlds!

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PURPORT

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Contemptuous sons are born of the condemned womb of their mother. In Bhagavad-gita (1.40) it is said, "When there is deliberate negligence of the regulative principles of religious life, the women as a class become polluted, and as a result there are unwanted children." This is especially true for boys; if the mother is not good, there cannot be good sons. The learned Kasyapa could foresee the character of the sons who would be born of the condemned womb of Diti. The womb was condemned because of the mother's being too sexually inclined and thus transgressing all the laws and injunctions of the scriptures. In a society where such women are predominant, one should not expect good children.

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TEXT 40

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TEXT

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praninam hanyamananam

dinanam akrtagasam

strinam nigrhyamananam

kopitesu mahatmasu

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SYNONYMS

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praninam--when the living entities; hanyamananam--being killed; dinanam--of the poor; akrta-agasam--of the faultless; strinam--of the women; nigrhyamananam--being tortured; kopitesu--being enraged; mahatmasu--when the great souls.

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TRANSLATION

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They will kill poor, faultless living entities, torture women and enrage the great souls.

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PURPORT

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Demoniac activities are predominant when innocent, faultless living entities are killed, women are tortured, and the great souls engaged in Krsna consciousness are enraged. In a demoniac society, innocent animals are killed to satisfy the tongue, and women are tortured by unnecessary sexual indulgence. Where there are women and meat, there must be liquor and sex indulgence. When these are prominent in society, by God's grace one can expect a change in the social order by the Lord Himself or by His bona fide representative.

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TEXT 41

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TEXT

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tada visvesvarah kruddho

bhagaval loka-bhavanah

hanisyaty avatiryasau

yathadrin sataparva-dhrk

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SYNONYMS

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tada--at that time; visva-isvarah--the Lord of the universe; kruddhah--in great anger; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; loka-bhavanah--desiring the welfare of the people in general; hanisyati--will kill; avatirya--descending Himself; asau--He; yatha--as if; adrin--the mountains; sata-parva-dhrk--the controller of the thunderbolt (Indra).

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TRANSLATION

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At that time the Lord of the universe, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the well-wisher of all living entities, will descend and kill them, just as Indra smashes the mountains with his thunderbolts.

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PURPORT

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As stated in Bhagavad-gita (4.8), the Lord descends as an incarnation to deliver the devotees and kill the miscreants. The Lord of the universe and of everything would appear to kill the sons of Diti because of their offending the devotees of the Lord. There are many agents of the Lord, such as Indra, Candra, Varuna, goddess Durga, and Kali, who can chastise any formidable miscreants in the world. The example of mountains being smashed by a thunderbolt is very appropriate. The mountain is considered the most strongly built body within the universe, yet it can be easily smashed by the arrangement of the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Personality of Godhead does not need to descend in order to kill any strongly built body; He comes down just for the sake of His devotees. Everyone is subject to the miseries offered by material nature, but because the activities of miscreants, such as killing innocent people and animals or torturing women, are harmful to everyone and are therefore a source of pain for the devotees, the Lord comes down. He descends only to give relief to His ardent devotees. The killing of the miscreant by the Lord is also the mercy of the Lord towards the miscreant, although apparently the Lord takes the side of the devotee. Since the Lord is absolute, there is no difference between His activities of killing the miscreants and favoring the devotees.

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TEXT 42

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TEXT

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ditir uvaca

vadham bhagavata saksat

sunabhodara-bahuna

asase putrayor mahyam

ma kruddhad brahmanad prabho

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SYNONYMS

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ditih uvaca--Diti said; vadham--the killing; bhagavata--by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; saksat--directly; sunabha--with His Sudarsana weapon; udara--very magnanimous; bahuna--by the arms; asase--I desire; putrayoh--of the sons; mahyam--of mine; ma--never be it so; kruddhat--by the rage; brahmanat--of the brahmanas; prabho--O my husband.

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TRANSLATION

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Diti said: It is very good that my sons will be magnanimously killed by the arms of the Personality of Godhead with His Sudarsana weapon. O my husband, may they never be killed by the wrath of the brahmana devotees.

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PURPORT

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When Diti heard from her husband that the great souls would be angered by the activities of her sons, she was very anxious. She thought that her sons might be killed by the wrath of the brahmanas. The Lord does not appear when the brahmanas become angry at someone, because the wrath of a brahmana is sufficient in itself. He certainly appears, however, when His devotee simply becomes sorry. A devotee of the Lord never prays to the Lord to appear for the sake of the troubles the miscreants cause for him, and he never bothers Him by asking for protection. Rather, the Lord is anxious to give protection to the devotees. Diti knew well that the killing of her sons by the Lord would also be His mercy, and therefore she says that the wheel and arms of the Lord are magnanimous. If someone is killed by the wheel of the Lord and is thus fortunate enough to see the arms of the Lord, that is sufficient for his liberation. Such good fortune is not achieved even by the great sages.

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TEXT 43

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TEXT

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na brahma-danda-dagdhasya

na bhuta-bhayadasya ca

narakas canugrhnanti

yam yam yonim asau gatah

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SYNONYMS

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na--never; brahma-danda--punishment by a brahmana; dagdhasya--of one who is so punished; na--neither; bhuta-bhaya-dasya--of one who is always fearful to the living entities; ca--also; narakah--those condemned to hell; ca--also; anugrhnanti--do any favor; yam yam--whichever; yonim--species of life; asau--the offender; gatah--goes.

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TRANSLATION

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A person who is condemned by a brahmana or is always fearful to other living entities is not favored either by those who are already in hell or by those in the species in which he is born.

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PURPORT

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A practical example of a condemned species of life is the dog. Dogs are so condemned that they never show any sympathy to their contemporaries.

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TEXTS 44-45

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TEXT

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kasyapa uvaca

krta-sokanutapena

sadyah pratyavamarsanat

bhagavaty uru-manac ca

bhave mayy api cadarat

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putrasyaiva ca putranam

bhavitaikah satam matah

gasyanti yad-yasah suddham

bhagavad-yasasa samam

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SYNONYMS

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kasyapah uvaca--the learned Kasyapa said; krta-soka--having lamented; anutapena--by penitence; sadyah--immediately; pratyavamarsanat--by proper deliberation; bhagavati--unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; uru--great; manat--adoration; ca--and; bhave--unto Lord Siva; mayi api--unto me also; ca--and; adarat--by respect; putrasya--of the son; eva--certainly; ca--and; putranam--of the sons; bhavita--shall be born; ekah--one; satam--of the devotees; matah--approved; gasyanti--will broadcast; yat--of whom; yasah--recognition; suddham--transcendental; bhagavat--of the Personality of Godhead; yasasa--with recognition; samam--equally.

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TRANSLATION

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The learned Kasyapa said: Because of your lamentation, penitence and proper deliberation, and also because of your unflinching faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead and your adoration for Lord Siva and me, one of the sons [Prahlada] of your son [Hiranyakasipu] will be an approved devotee of the Lord, and his fame will be broadcast equally with that of the Personality of Godhead.

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TEXT 46

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TEXT

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yogair hemeva durvarnam

bhavayisyanti sadhavah

nirvairadibhir atmanam

yac-chilam anuvartitum

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SYNONYMS

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yogaih--by the rectifying processes; hema--gold; iva--like; durvarnam--inferior quality; bhavayisyanti--will purify; sadhavah--saintly persons; nirvaira-adibhih--by practice of freedom from animosity, etc.; atmanam--the self; yat--whose; silam--character; anuvartitum--to follow in the footsteps.

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TRANSLATION

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In order to follow in his footsteps, saintly persons will try to emulate his character by practicing freedom from animosity, just as the purifying processes rectify gold of inferior quality.

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PURPORT

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Yoga practice, the process of purifying one's existential identity, is based mainly on self-control. Without self-control one cannot practice freedom from animosity. In the conditional state, every living being is envious of another living being, but in the liberated state there is an absence of animosity. Prahlada Maharaja was tortured by his father in so many ways, yet after the death of his father he prayed for his father's liberation by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He did not ask any benediction that he might have asked, but he prayed that his atheistic father might be liberated. He never cursed any of the persons who engaged in torturing him at the instigation of his father.

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TEXT 47

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TEXT

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yat-prasadad idam visvam

prasidati yad-atmakam

sa sva-drg bhagavan yasya

tosyate 'nanyaya drsa

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SYNONYMS

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yat--by whose; prasadat--mercy of; idam--this; visvam--universe; prasidati--becomes happy; yat--whose; atmakam--because of His omnipotence; sah--He; sva-drk--taking special care for His devotees; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; yasya--whose; tosyate--becomes pleased; ananyaya--without deviation; drsa--by intelligence.

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TRANSLATION

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Everyone will be pleased with him because the Personality of Godhead, the supreme controller of the universe, is always satisfied with a devotee who does not wish for anything beyond Him.

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PURPORT

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The Supreme Personality of Godhead is situated everywhere as the Supersoul, and He can dictate to anyone and everyone as He likes. The would-be grandson of Diti, who was predicted to be a great devotee, would be liked by everyone, even by the enemies of his father, because he would have no other vision besides the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A pure devotee of the Lord sees the presence of his worshipable Lord everywhere. The Lord reciprocates in such a way that all living entities in whom the Lord is dwelling as the Supersoul also like a pure devotee because the Lord is present in their hearts and can dictate to them to be friendly to His devotee. There are many instances in history wherein even the most ferocious animal became friendly to a pure devotee of the Lord.

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TEXT 48

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TEXT

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sa vai maha-bhagavato mahatma

mahanubhavo mahatam mahisthah

pravrddha-bhaktya hy anubhavitasaye

nivesya vaikuntham imam vihasyati

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SYNONYMS

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sah--he; vai--certainly; maha-bhagavatah--the topmost devotee; maha-atma--expanded intelligence; maha-anubhavah--expanded influence; mahatam--of the great souls; mahisthah--the greatest; pravrddha--well matured; bhaktya--by devotional service; hi--certainly; anubhavita--being situated in the anubhava stage of ecstasy; asaye--in the mind; nivesya--entering; vaikuntham--in the spiritual sky; imam--this (material world); vihasyati--will quit.

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TRANSLATION

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That topmost devotee of the Lord will have expanded intelligence and expanded influence and will be the greatest of the great souls. Due to matured devotional service, he will certainly be situated in transcendental ecstasy and will enter the spiritual sky after quitting this material world.

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PURPORT

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There are three stages of transcendental development in devotional service, which are technically called sthayi-bhava, anubhava and mahabhava. Continual perfect love of Godhead is called sthayi-bhava, and when it is performed in a particular type of transcendental relationship it is called anubhava. But the stage of mahabhava is visible amongst the personal pleasure potential energies of the Lord. It is understood that the grandson of Diti, namely Prahlada Maharaja, would constantly meditate on the Lord and reiterate His activities. Because he would constantly remain in meditation, he would easily transfer himself to the spiritual world after quitting his material body. Such meditation is still more conveniently performed by chanting and hearing the holy name of the Lord. This is especially recommended in this age of Kali.

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TEXT 49

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TEXT

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alampatah sila-dharo gunakaro

hrstah pararddhya vyathito duhkhitesu

abhuta-satrur jagatah soka-harta

naidaghikam tapam ivodurajah

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SYNONYMS

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alampatah--virtuous; sila-dharah--qualified; guna-akarah--reservoir of all good qualities; hrstah--jolly; para-rddhya--by others' happiness; vyathitah--distressed; duhkhitesu--in others' unhappiness; abhuta-satruh--without enemies; jagatah--of all the universe; soka-harta--destroyer of lamentation; naidaghikam--due to the summer sun; tapam--distress; iva--likened; udu-rajah--the moon.

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TRANSLATION

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He will be a virtuously qualified reservoir of all good qualities; he will be jolly and happy in others' happiness, distressed in others' distress, and will have no enemies. He will be a destroyer of the lamentation of all the universes, like the pleasant moon after the summer sun.

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PURPORT

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Prahlada Maharaja, the exemplary devotee of the Lord, had all the good qualities humanly possible. Although he was the emperor of this world, he was not profligate. Beginning from his childhood he was the reservoir of all good qualities. Without enumerating those qualities, it is said here summarily that he was endowed with all good qualities. That is the sign of a pure devotee. The most important characteristic of a pure devotee is that he is not lampata, or licentious, and another quality is that he is always eager to mitigate the miseries of suffering humanity. The most obnoxious misery of a living entity is his forgetfulness of Krsna. A pure devotee, therefore, always tries to evoke everyone's Krsna consciousness. This is the panacea for all miseries.

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TEXT 50

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TEXT

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antar bahis camalam abja-netram

sva-purusecchanugrhita-rupam

pautras tava sri-lalana-lalamam

drasta sphurat-kundala-manditananam

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SYNONYMS

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antah--within; bahih--without; ca--also; amalam--spotless; abja-netram--lotus eyes; sva-purusa--own devotee; iccha-anugrhita-rupam--accepting form according to desire; pautrah--grandchild; tava--your; sri-lalana--beautiful goddess of fortune; lalamam--decorated; drasta--will see; sphurat-kundala--with brilliant earrings; mandita--decorated; ananam--face.

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TRANSLATION

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Your grandson will be able to see, inside and outside, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose wife is the beautiful goddess of fortune. The Lord can assume the form desired by the devotee, and His face is always beautifully decorated with earrings.

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PURPORT

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It is predicted herewith that the grandson of Diti, Prahlada Maharaja, would not only see the Personality of Godhead within himself by meditation but would also be able to see Him personally with his eyes. This direct vision is possible only for one who is highly elevated in Krsna consciousness, for the Lord is not possible to see with material eyes. The Supreme Personality of Godhead has multifarious eternal forms such as Krsna, Baladeva, Sankarsana, Aniruddha, Pradyumna, Vasudeva, Narayana, Rama, Nrsimha, Varaha and Vamana, and the devotee of the Lord knows all those Visnu forms. A pure devotee becomes attached to one of the eternal forms of the Lord, and the Lord is pleased to appear before him in the form desired. A devotee does not imagine something whimsical about the form of the Lord, nor does he ever think that the Lord is impersonal and can assume a form desired by the nondevotee. The nondevotee has no idea of the form of the Lord, and thus he cannot think of any one of the above-mentioned forms. But whenever a devotee sees the Lord, he sees Him in a most beautifully decorated form, accompanied by His constant companion the goddess of fortune, who is eternally beautiful.

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TEXT 51

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maitreya uvaca

srutva bhagavatam pautram

amodata ditir bhrsam

putrayos ca vadham krsnad

viditvasin maha-manah

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SYNONYMS

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maitreyah uvaca--the sage Maitreya said; srutva--by hearing; bhagavatam--to be a great devotee of the Lord; pautram--grandson; amodata--took pleasure; ditih--Diti; bhrsam--very greatly; putrayoh--of two sons; ca--also; vadham--the killing; krsnat--by Krsna; viditva--knowing this; asit--became; maha-manah--highly pleased in mind.

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TRANSLATION

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The sage Maitreya said: Hearing that her grandson would be a great devotee and that her sons would be killed by Krsna, Diti was highly pleased in mind.

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PURPORT

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Diti was very aggrieved to learn that because of her untimely pregnancy her sons would be demons and would fight with the Lord. But when she heard that her grandson would be a great devotee and that her two sons would be killed by the Lord, she was very satisfied. As the wife of a great sage and the daughter of a great Prajapati, Daksa, she knew that being killed by the Personality of Godhead is a great fortune. Since the Lord is absolute, His acts of violence and nonviolence are both on the absolute platform. There is no difference in such acts of the Lord. Mundane violence and nonviolence have nothing to do with the Lord's acts. A demon killed by Him attains the same result as one who attains liberation after many, many births of penance and austerity. The word bhrsam is significant herein because it indicates that Diti was pleased beyond her expectations.

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[Guest guest]

The meaning of realization is that we get to the bottom line. Srila Prabhupada often noted that some were cursed with a great deal of knowledge, but not the complete picture. Im glad you posted the full text in which we can really see the bottom line.

 

My angst was from the partial quotes out of context, which makes little ants like us comment on personalities that cannot be even remotely appreciated.

 

Cupid strikes, biology takes hold. But we cannot leave it like that because its never the whole picture. It is horrible to just cite that Diti is a prostitute wife and not give the full context. Why? Because we miss entirely her actual position:

 

"Diti was very aggrieved to learn that because of her untimely pregnancy her sons would be demons and would fight with the Lord. But when she heard that her grandson would be a great devotee and that her two sons would be killed by the Lord, she was very satisfied. As the wife of a great sage and the daughter of a great Prajapati, Daksa, she knew that being killed by the Personality of Godhead is a great fortune. Since the Lord is absolute, His acts of violence and nonviolence are both on the absolute platform. There is no difference in such acts of the Lord. Mundane violence and nonviolence have nothing to do with the Lord's acts. A demon killed by Him attains the same result as one who attains liberation after many, many births of penance and austerity. The word bhrsam is significant herein because it indicates that Diti was ,Diti was very aggrieved to learn that because of her untimely pregnancy her sons would be demons and would fight with the Lord. But when she heard that her grandson would be a great devotee and that her two sons would be killed by the Lord, she was very satisfied. As the wife of a great sage and the daughter of a great Prajapati, Daksa, she knew that being killed by the Personality of Godhead is a great fortune. Since the Lord is absolute, His acts of violence and nonviolence are both on the absolute platform. There is no difference in such acts of the Lord. Mundane violence and nonviolence have nothing to do with the Lord's acts. A demon killed by Him attains the same result as one who attains liberation after many, many births of penance and austerity. The word bhrsam is significant herein because it indicates that Diti was pleased beyond her expectations.."

 

So, we see the full picture. Diti is not a person to be derided because she is overcome by lust. Diti is the most fortunate, was pleased beyond her expectations. The whole event is a transcendental poastime of the Supreme Lord, meaning Diti's so-called lusty behavior is the arrangement of the Supreme Lord.

 

We can also see in the Gokuladham pastimes that the gopis, too, were affected by Cupid, but we also understand that Cupid, in that case, is the Supreme Lord Himself. We never say that the gopis, who some of which actually had husbands other than Krsna, were overcome by material desire. So the same goes when we make comment about other faultless personalities.

 

Srila Prabhupada, being an instructing spiritual master, may use shastra to teach certain specific things to his students, but such teachings are always complete, such as his high praise at the end for the great Goddess Srimati Diti. There is a dirth of difference in his commentary which amplifies the transcendental sense control of Haridas Thakur and the less refined control exhibited by Sri Kasyapa. Srila Prabhupada also makes similar instruction using Lord Siva. However, we must be clear that these are teaching aids, and Srila Prabhupada NEVER vilifies Lord Siva, Sri Kasyapa, Srimati Diti, etc.

 

Haribol, and thanks again for the provision of the entire text so the bottom line is understood, this is proper use of quotation and source citing.

 

hare krsna, ys, mahaksadasa

[krishnadasa 0]

 

I think the offenses they committed against the Lord shows that they were.

It is also a good lesson of the fine line between devotional service and anti-Krishna mentality.

Krishna can turn a devotee into a demon if he wants to.

Sometimes he does that to create formidable foes to do battle with.

 

Krishna loves a good fight!

 

Thats sounds sensibel , afterall why would Krishna come to kill insect like demons he he...

[Guruvani 0]

 

I thought Jaya and Vijaya's real offence was against the Lords devotees not so much directly to the Lord. He can forgive offence to himself but doesn't forgive aparadhe towards His surrendered servitors and can't allow such an attitude anywhere near the atmosphere in the Kingdom He has created, even though He has his Asura mohan lila. So the bros took the rap to show the example of what gets up the Lords nose, so don't go there.

 

originally, it was offenses to the saintly persons.

Later though, it became many offenses to the Lord himself.

After they became demons they committed so many offenses to the Lord and tried to kill him.