Fifth Canto Chapter Three

In this chapter story of Nābhi, the eldest son of Agnidhṛa, and the story of Vrushabha are covered.

Nābhi was the eldest son of Agnidhṛa. His wife was Merudevi. For a very long time this couple was childless. Then, with the desire of obtaining a progeny, Nābhi together with his wife dedicatedly and devotedly worshipped Srihari, the Lord of Yagnas.

With an absolute pure uncontaminated mind Nābhi conducted the Yagnas. In his Yagna all the seven aspects were available in abundance. The seven aspects are- dravya (ingredients used for Yagna purposes), place (deśa), time, mantra, priests (ritvik), dakshina (money offering made to priests) and vidhi (regulative principles).

Srihari, who loves his devotees as his children, is in reality very difficult to obtain. Yet this Lord was bound by His desire to fulfill the desires of this devotee. His heart succumbed to this desire. In a beautiful, pleasing form He appeared in the assembly. His pleasing form brings untold joy to the eyes and mind! The vision of this transcendental form fills one with bliss!

All the priests, assembled guests and Nābhi were able to see the Lord who appeared there. The Lord was glowing with His four arms. He was wearing golden silken clothing around His waist. On His chest the Srivatsa mark glittered. He was holding a lotus, conch, discus, mace in his Hands. He was wearing a Kausthuba gem on his chest. He was also wearing a long Vanamala garland. On His head was a crown laden with precious gems. The glittering earrings, bracelets, armlets, waistband, pearl chain, anklets and other glittering ornaments on His body were enhancing His bodily luster.

Just as the poor reverentially welcome untold riches that are suddenly showered upon them, the priests at the assembly bowed their heads and with auspicious Vedic chants reverentially welcomed the Lord and glorified Him. They said,

“O Supreme Lord Srihari! You are the most worthy among all those who are worthy of receiving worship. We, your servants, should worship You again and again. However O Lord, we do not know anything apart from offering obeisance again and again to You. This is the only thing we have learnt from our elders.

You are the Supreme Iśwara who is beyond this Nature and the individual entity. The human mind is enchanted by the three attributes of goodness, passion and ignorance, which emerge out of Nature. We who are subject to worldly limitations of name and form cannot understand Your transcendental form. Your transcendental divine qualities are such that they drive away the sins of all the people. We are capable of describing only a few among those limitless divine qualities. There is nothing we know beyond this.

O Iśwara! With overflowing love and devotion your devotees glorify You in many beautiful ways. They lovingly worship You with water, clean Tulasi leaves, tender shoots and grass. With these trivial offerings You are greatly elated.

With plentiful ingredients and arrangements we are conducting this Yagna. What is it that You, the Supreme Lord, gain from this Yagna conducted by us? We are unable to understand.

The four goals of life secretly lie within Your peaceful form. We, the people who are desirous of fulfilling worldly desires, use this Yagna as a means to fulfill our desires. O Puruśottama! You are superior to Brahma and all other Devatas. Just as a father attends to the needs of his small helpless infant children, You show unlimited compassion towards the ignorant who are clueless about the supreme goal known as liberation. You fulfill their desires and also bless them with the ultimate bliss known as liberation. There is nothing which You expect from this Yagna being performed. Even then You appear as if You need these offerings and are accepting them.

O Lord, You are the most supreme among the Gods who grant boons. You have appeared before us during this Yagna being conducted by the saintly king Nābhi. This can be no better boon that this. Great saints and ardent devotees endlessly sing Your divine glories. These saints practice dispassion and through the fire called Self-knowledge destroy all their sins. Totally immersed in Self’s bliss they endlessly chant Your divine names.

Chanting Your divine names grants a lot of merit. We actually should remember You when we are stumbling, falling, sneezing, yawning, at times of difficulties, during fevers and at time of death. However sadly we are unable to do so. **Your divine names, which explain Your transcendental qualities, destroy all sins. Therefore O compassionate Lord, please make our tongues chant Your holy divine names at all times and in all situations. **

This saintly king Nābhi considers having progeny as the only goal of life. He is desirous of having a son who is as worthy as You. O Lord, not only do You fulfill worldly desires, but in addition You also grant comforts of heaven and also liberation. Just as a person suffering from dire poverty approaches the richest person and begs for a fistful of grains, this King Nābhi is dedicatedly worshipping You only for begetting a son.

It is impossible to transcend māya, Your illusory power. It is impossible to decipher the form or the path taken by this illusory power. None in the creation can cross Your illusory power without offering services to great saints. There is not even one wise person in this creation who is not bewildered by Your illusion. There is none in this creation who is unaffected by the poison called sensory material pleasures. It is our opinion that we can cross over Your illusory power only if we serve great saints.

O Lord of all Lords! Your activities are all magnificent. We, dull-witted humans have have invoked You here only for fulfilling a single desire. By doing so we have actually insulted Your supremacy. Nevertheless, you have feelings of equanimity towards every living being. Please forgive our sins”.

After offering this prayer, the priests offered obeisance to the Lord’s lotus feet.

Swamiji explains: The priests felt guilty that they had invited the most Supreme Lord so that He would bless their king with a son. It was like going to the richest man and asking a bagful of grains.

Trivikramāya namah