Chapter 9 - Viśvarūpa killed—Gods defeated by Vṛtra, advised to approach Dadhīci

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śrī Śuka said:

1. Oh Parīkṣit (the scion of the Bharata race), we have heard the report that Viśvarūpa had three heads, one used to drink Soma, the other wine, and the third used to eat food.

2. They say that in sacrifices, he directly offered the share of gods to them with due respect declaring loudly their names (e.g. Indrāya idam—this is the share of Indra), for gods were his forefathers.

3. Himself being the sacrificer, he managed secretly to offer the share in the sacrifices to the Asuras also, for due to his affection to his mother, he oblated some share to them.

4. Indra, the king of gods, noticed his contempt and faithlessness to gods and his sham righteousness. Being afraid (lest Asuras should be powerful) he immediately cut down his (Viśvarūpa’s) heads in wrath.

5. The head that used to drink Soma became the bird Kapiñjala; the head drinking wine, a sparrow (Kalaviṅka); the head eating food became the Tittiri bird.

6. Even though India was powerful enough, he accepted the sin of assassinating a Brāhmaṇa with both his hands folded. But at the end of the year for self-purification of the elements constituting himself, he distributed that sin proportionately in four parts to the earth, water, trees and young women.

7. They say that the earth accepted the fourth part of the sin on condition that pits excavated in it are (automatically) filled up (in due course). Barren soil is the form of the Brahmahatyā which became manifested in the earth.

8. The trees accepted one-fourth of the sin on condition of the boon that a chopped part of the trees will grow with greater force. Brahmahatyā is seen exhibited in trees in the form of gum.

9. Women took over one-fourth of the sin on condition of getting the boon that they would ever cherish the passion of love (even during pregnancy). This sin (of killing a Brāhmaṇa) appears in the form of menstrual discharge from month to month in them.

10. The waters accepted the (remaining) one-fourth of the sin on condition of increasing the quantity of the substance with which it is mixed. The sin appears in the form of bubbles and foam on the water. He who throws away the bubbles etc. removes that sin from water.

11. Tvaṣṭṛ whose son was slain (by Indra) then performed a sacrifice for the birth of an enemy, the killer of Indra: “Oh enemy of Indra grow in strength and kill the enemy (Indra) without delay” (prayed Tvaṣṭṛ).

12. Then arose from Dakṣiṇāgni or Anvahārya-pacana, a demon terrific in appearance like the god of death, at the end of the destruction of the worlds, at the end of Yugas.

13. Everyday he increased in size, in all directions, to the extent of the distance covered by the shot of an arrow. He looked like the burnt top of a mountain and was bright like the mass of evening clouds.

14. His hair of the head and beard was red like heated copper and his eyes were fierce like the mid-day Sun.

15. He, as it were, held the vault of the heaven pierced with his brilliant trident. He was dancing and roaring and was shaking the earth by his gait.

16. By his deep valley-like mouth he was as if drinking the surface of the sky, and was licking the stars with his tongue, and was as it were swallowing the three worlds.

17. He was now and then yawning his mouth which displayed his terrible tusks—seeing him people were stricken with panic and ran away to all the ten directions.

18. That most ferocious wicked demon was called Vṛtra as he, the son of Tvaṣṭṛ, covered the whole world with the darkness, by the shadow of his person.

19. The prominent leaders of gods, along with their armies, attacked him, and discharged at him streams of their respective divine missiles and arms. But he swallowed them up completely.

20. The gods were thereby amazed. All of them got despondent. With their splendour eclipsed, they approached Nārāyaṇa, with their minds composed, as he is the antaryāmin, the inner controller.

21. May we get protection from him (the Supreme Lord) of whom even the god of Death (or the god presiding over Time) is afraid—the god of death to whom the five elements (constituting the universe) viz., the wind, the sky, the fire, the water and the earth, and three worlds (along with their denizens) and (the rulers of the worlds like) god Brahmā and others and we (ordinary) gods pay homage out of great fear.

22. Like an ignoramous person desiring to cross the sea with the help of a dog’s tail, is he who approaches for protection to someone else than him (the Supreme Lord) who is absolutely free from egotism (or curiosity), perfectly serene and passionless, all whose wishes are fulfilled through the realization of his own blissful self and is unconditioned by limitations.

23. The same god, in his fish incarnation, to whose broad big horn Manu fastened his boat in the form of the earth and crossed the danger of deluge, will certainly protect us, his dependants, from the danger caused by Vṛtra, the son of Tvaṣṭṛ—a danger which is difficult to be got over.

24. Formerly (at the beginning of the creation of the universe) god Brahmā, the self-born deity, was all alone. He was all but fallen from his lotus (-abode, growing out of the navel of Viṣṇu) in the terrible waters of the deluge, by the roars of the heavy billows whipped up by stormy winds. But he got over from that danger by (the grace of) Viṣṇu. May the same God be our protector.

25. That Supreme Sovereign, though all alone, has created us by his Māyā. It is through his grace and by imitating him that we carry on the work of creation. We each being proud as independent rulers, cannot see his form, though he is present before us.

26. When he finds that we are excessively harassed by our enemies, he, though eternally existent, by his Māyā takes incarnation by assuming forms of gods (e.g. Vāmana). sages (e.g. Paraśurāma), sub-human beings (e.g. Varāha, Nṛsiṃha), and human beings (Rāma, Kṛṣṇa), in every yuga- period and protects us, regarding us as his own.

27. To that God alone we shall all resort for asylum as he is worthy of it. He is our own Deity (object of worship). He manifests himself as the universe and yet is different from it. As the ultimate cause of it, he is himself both Pradhāna and Puruṣa. The Supreme Soul will positively confer happiness and prosperity on us who are his devotees.

Śrī Śuka said:

28. While they were praying thus, Oh great King, the Lord revealed himself in their hearts, as wielding a conchy disc and a mace.

29-30. On seeing the Lord whose eyes were like fullblown autumnal lotus, and waited upon on all sides by sixteen attendants (like Sunanda and others) who were just like himself (wielding conchs, discs etc.) with the exception of Śrīvatsa mark and the Kaustubha gem, all of them were overwhelmed with joy, and lay prostrate before him on the ground like a stick, and rising slowly, began to praise him.

The gods said:

31.^[1] Salutations to you whose power (to confer Svarga and other blessings) is (revealed in) the sacrificial performance. Hail to you who are our Age (The Time-Spirit) defining the time limit of the fruits of sacrifices etc. to be enjoyed. Bows to you who hurl your disc (at our enemies to destroy them). We salute you who are addressed with a number of blessed epithets.

32. Oh Lord! One who is born posterior to the Creation (of the universe) is incapable of knowing the highest nature which transcends the guṇas. We can merely bow to you who are the controller of the three courses of guṇas (or the modes of existence as gods, human and sub-human beings).

33. Bow to you, Oh Lord, who are designated by the syllable OM! Oh Nārāyaṇa (occupant of Cosmic Waters), Vāsudeva (the Abode of the worlds), the most ancient person, the supreme person, possessor of supreme glory and auspiciousness, the supremely blessed and merciful, the absolute (one without a second), the support of the world, the only protector of the universe, the ruler of all, consort of Lakṣmī (the goddess of fortune and bliss)!

When the ascetics of the highest paramahaṃsa order deeply meditate upon you by means of the highest concentration of the mind through eight-fold yogic processes the real dharma of the Paramahaṃsas, viz., the adoration of the Lord, becomes manifest and realized in their pure hearts. Thereby the door of darkness of their hearts is broken open and you stand revealed as the inherent bliss of the Soul, in the regions of their hearts.

34. You create, protect and destroy this universe constituted of (sattva, rajas and tamas) guṇas though you yourself are without any support, body or form, without any expectation of cooperation and help from us (the divinities presiding over various organs etc.) and without undergoing any transformation (within yourself). The cause of this sport of yours is simply beyond (our) comprehension.

35. Moreover, we do not properly understand whether your worship, like Devadatta (an ordinary person who builds a house and helplessly experiences joys and sorrows while staying therein) enters (as an antaryāmin) the various bodies (which are the products of guṇas) and depending upon other (karmic) forces helplessly reap the fruit of good or bad actions or whether you are an unconcerned witness (of such happenings) remaining delighted in yourself and naturally unruffled with your spiritual essence undiminished.

36. As a matter of fact, there is no contradiction in both the positions which are compatible in Your Lordship who are endowed with infinite variation of excellences, the absolute ruler of unfathomable greatness. You are far beyond the range of controversies of modern disputants who are strongly prejudiced as their minds are bewildered by the study of heretic scriptures teeming with doubts, (false) reasoning, wrong conclusions, (untrustworthy) authorities and bad logic. Your real essential Self is absolute, transcending all the products of Māyā. What is there that cannot be predicated of you, who, remaining concealed under Māyā, make the Māyā create any impossibility and your real self is free from both the above (contradictory) propositions. (There is no contradiction as there is no duality in you).

37. Just as a piece of rope appears to be a serpent (garland etc.) to those whose minds are prepossessed with the false notion of a serpent etc., (but appears factually a piece of rope to the right thinking men), you show yourself according to the views of the right-thinking persons or of prejudiced wrong-thinkers.

38. Again, the Lord is certainly the real essence of every existing thing and abides in all things. He is the ruler of all. He is the cause of all the causes (Prakṛti or Brahma) of the whole of the universe. The illuminating power of the objects (intellect, senses) indicates the jīva but not him as he abides in all, as the Inner Controller (Sarvāntaryāmin). He is the only true existence conclusively left over (proved) by the process of elimination of double negation (neti neti).

39. Oh slayer of (the demon) Madhu! By tasting but once a small drop of the nectar-like sweet ocean of your glories, incessant stream of rapturous joy begins to flow uninterruptedly in the heart of great devotees. It makes them forget the apparent trifling bits of pleasures of senses actually seen (enjoyed on the earth) or heard (of as available in the heaven)—the devotees whose hearts find incessant and ecstatic delight in the Lord who is beloved friend of all beings and is the Soul (the Inner Controller—antaryāmin) of the entire universe. Under these circumstances, how is it that the saintly persons (devoid of love, hate etc.) who are skilful in achieving their high purpose (viz. Liberation) and who look upon you as their dear friend and a well-wisher, give up the service of your lotus-like feet whereby there is no return to the Saṃsāra, the transmigration of the Soul.

40. Oh Lord whose manifestation and mansion are the three worlds (or Oh Soul and the abode of the three worlds)! Oh God who dominate the three worlds (or who covered the universe in three steps)! Oh Guide of the three worlds whose majestic charm captivates (the minds of) the worlds! Even the demons like the sons of Diti and Danu and others are your glorious forms. Considering (however) that this is not the appropriate time for (giving free rein to) their (destructive) activities, you as a wielḍer of the rod (of punishment), dispense punishment (to them) proportionate to (the gravity of) their offence by assuming, through your Māyā Power, forms of gods (e.g. Vāmana), men (e.g. Rāma, Kṛṣṇa), beasts (such as Boar or Varāha), half-man half-beast (e.g. Narasiṃha, Hayagrīva), aquatic animal (e.g. the Fish or the Tortoise). In the same way, Oh glorious Lord, if you deem it fit, kill this son of Tvaṣṭṛ (viz. Vṛtra).

41. Oh Father! (Nay) Oh grand-father! Since we are yours and have completely submitted to you, and since our heart has been firmly attached (lit. fettered) with the bond of love (evolved) through (our) meditation on the pair of your lotus-like feet, and as you have accepted us as your own by the revelation of your person, be pleased to cure the fever (torments) of our hearts, by your bright, charming, soothing, smiling looks which are rendered still more gracious by your compassion and with the nectarine drops in the form of sweet words proceeding from your lips, Oh Faultless one!

42. Oh glorious Lord! To what extent can we respectfully communicate to you our specific entreaty any more than the sparks of fire (which emit little light) can bring illumina- sion to the god of Fire? (as a matter of fact, it is superfluous). For you indulge in your pastime with the divine Māyā which is the instrumental cause of the creation, maintenance and the destruction of the whole world, and you, as Brahman as well as Antaryāmin (the Inner Controller of bodies) reside within the hearts of all the multitudes of beings, and from without as Pradhāna (the Primordial matter) you are their material cause, and thus experience the peculiarities of the place, time, body and conditions (of all beings). With your body (untouched and untainted) like the sky, you are a detached witness of the thoughts of all. You are the transcendental Brahman, the Supreme Soul.

43. (You are omniscient). Hence please accomplish for us of your own accord (without waiting for being requested for it by us) that object (of ours) desiring which we have resorted to you and have sought refuge under the shade of your lotus-like feet which removes the fatigue of the transmigration of the Soul resulting from various sins. And you are the glorious Lord and the Supreme Teacher.

44. Therefore, Oh Lord, kill Vṛtra who has already swallowed up our powers as well as missiles, Oh Kṛṣṇa, and is now devouring the three worlds.

45. Salutations to you Hari, the reliever of sufferings—to Hari who is absolutely pure and abides in the cavity of heart remaining witness to the intellect etc. You are the eternal Bliss incarnate. Your glory is resplendent. You are beginningless and are cherished as a treasure by the virtuous. To wanderers in Saṃsāra seeking refuge with you, you are the final destination to be reached at the end of Saṃsāra, the excellent fruit to be coveted.

46. Oh King! Being thus reverentially and earnestly praised by gods, Lord Hari listened to the prayer offered to him and being highly pleased, he addressed them (as follows:).

The Lord said:

47. I am highly pleased with you, Oh great gods, for the knowledge enshrined in your eulogy which will awaken the memory of transcendental nature of their real Self among the beings and engender in them devotion unto me.

48. What is difficult to be attained when I am pleased, Oh great gods? But he who knows the truth and cherishes devotion to me, does not covet for anything else than Myself.

49. The miserly fool who looks upon the products of the guṇas as real, does not know what is really good for himself and he who confers those objects (products on them at their request is of the same description (is equally ignorant).

50. A wise man, knowing for himself what the highest good is, does not prescribe the (path of) Karma (ritualistic actions) to the ignorant, just as an excellent physician does not allow the ailing patient unwholesome food even if he (the patient) may desire it.

51. May good betide you, Oh Indra! Without delay you all go to Dadhyaṅ (Dadhīca or Dadhīci), the foremost of sages and beg of him his body which has been reinforced by Brahma-Vidyā, observance of vows and austerities.

52. Dadhyañ has completely realized his identity with Pure Brahman (untainted by Māyā or has mastered the Pravargya). He initiated the gods Aśvinikumāras [Aśvinīkumāras?] in that knowledge which came to be called Aśvaśiras—horse headed (as at the time of imparting the knowledge, the sage Dadhyaṅ had a horse’s head instead of a human one.^[2] That Brahma-lore conferred immortality (mokṣa while alive) on those gods.

53. Dadhyaṅ, the son of Atharvan, taught the impregnable protective armour (called the Nārāyaṇa kavaca) full of my essence and imparted it to Tvaṣṭṛ. Tvaṣṭṛ gave it to his son Viśvarūpa who in turn taught it to you.

54. The sage is well-versed in Dharma (righteousness). When begged by Aśvinikumāras [Aśvinīkumāras?] (your physicians) he will offer his body (i.e. the limbs of the body) to you. Then with the (bones of the requisite) limbs, the most powerful weapon will be forged by Viśvakarman (your artisan). With that weapon imbued with my power, you will cut the head of Vṛtra.

55. When he (Vṛtra) is killed, you will regain your former glory, missiles, weapons and wealth. May you be happy! Nobody can trouble or destroy those who are devoted to me.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Bhāgavata Candrikā: Hail to you who have empowered sacrifices and made them the cause of creation, and who bless (us) with longevity for performance of sacrifices and other forms of worship. You wield the disc Sudarśana for the protection of your devotees and the remembrance of whose glorious name is efficacious enough to ward off danger immediately.

Padaratnāvalī: We salute you who are the creator of sacrifices. You keep jīvas bound in saṃsāra. You continue the cycle of creation and destruction again and again. You incarnated as Sudarśana (for the protection of the world). You are addressed with various sanctifying names. (We bow to you).

[2]:

Purāṇic quotations in the commentaries of Bhāvāratha Dīpikā, Bhāgavata Candrikā etc. give the story as follows:

When Aśvinikumāras [Aśvinīkumāras?] sought initiation in Brahma-vidyā from Dadhyaṅ, the sage was engaged in some religious rites. He told them to see him on some other occasion as he was then busy. In the meanwhile, Indra came to the sage and advised him not to impart Brahma-vidyā to Aśvins as they were merel y physicians and hence unqualified. He further threatened to behead him, in case he initiated them in that lore. When Aśvinikumāras approached the sage and learnt of Indra’s threat, they proposed a surgical operation in which the sage’s head would be replaced by a horse’s head and requested him to teach through the horse’s mouth. In case Indra beheaded the horse’s head, they would substitute his original human head. The sage preferred to keep his word and not his head. He allowed the Aśvins to perform the operation and imparted to them the Brahmavidyā with a horse’s head on bis shoulders.