Narayana

Eighth Canto Chapter Twelve

In this chapter, Lord Shiva being infatuated by Vishnu’s female form of Mohini is covered.

Maharishi Śuka continued, “The Supreme Lord Srihari, the conqueror of demon Madhu, confused the demons through his female form. He is that Supreme Lord who bewilders the entire creation! He can assume any form, enact any sport per his free will. He can decide to assume any form or not to assume any form. He pervades the entire creation. He can decide to display his transcendental sports on a large scale or on a small scale. It is His wish and His will. In reality this Lord has no particular form. Every form belongs to Him alone!

Such Supreme Lord stole the hearts of the demons through his extra-ordinarily beautiful female form. Demons who are predominantly filled with ignorance were rewarded with that which they sought. Devatas got the rare fortune of drinking nectar.

Lord Śiva, who resides in Kailasa, came to know of Vishnu’s female form as Mohini and of how it captivated the hearts of the demons. He also heard how the Lord, in this female form, took the pot of nectar in His hands and of how he tactfully distributed it only to Devatas.

Upon hearing this, Lord Śiva, together with Mother Goddess Parvati, mounted the bull and proceeded to see Lord Vishnu who was in a female form. He was surrounded by all his bhoota gana troops.

Srihari reverentially welcomed Śiva who had arrived together with his spouse. Śiva too worshipped Lord Srihari. He then sat comfortably on the seat offered to him and with a gentle smile addressed Srihari and said, “O Lord, You manifest as the universe. Thereafter You pervade through the universe ensuring its sustenance. You are the original form of all the objects. You alone are the cause for their existence. You are the sole ruler for this creation.

Although the beginning, middle and ending of the creation take place solely due to the Supreme Lord, they do not exist in Him as he is indestructible. He alone manifests as the Seer (dṛk) and the Seen (dṛṣya) and as the enjoyer (bhoktṛ) and the object enjoyed (bhogyam).

You, the Supreme Lord, are none other than the famous indivisible truth (sat) made known by the Vedas. You alone are the non-dual pure consciousness (cit).

Maharishis who deeply desire liberation discard desires in entirety. Giving up feelings of differences and dualities, they solely meditate upon Your holy lotus feet. You are the indestructible, changeless, traitless Supreme Lord who is complete in every aspect and who is an embodiment of bliss. Even a trace of grief cannot exist within You, O Lord. There is nothing apart from You in the creation. Yet You maintain an existence separate from this creation.

You are the cause for the creation, sustenance and annihilation of the universe. You are the Self that exists within all. You are the Jagannatha whom every living entity in the creation, which is primarily based upon results of fruitive actions, seeks. You however do not depend upon this world. You remain independent.

You alone are the gross and subtle, cause and effect. Gold remains the same irrespective of whether it has been converted into an ornament or not. Likewise the dualities seen in this world do not exist in You. Purely due to spiritual ignorance the human beings assume You to be dual. This is possible because inherently You do not associate with any carrier. Even then, You reflect within the three attributes of Nature and appear as if You are filled with dualities.

Vedantins address You as Parabrahma. Mimamsakas declare that You are a personification of righteousness. Sānkhya philosophers state that You are the Supreme Lord who is beyond Nature-Self (Prakṛti-Puruṣa). Pancarātras describe You as the Supreme Lord, who is endowed with the nine types of supernatural energies. The Pātanjali philosophers understand You as Puruśtottama, who is indestructible and ever-independent.

O Iśwara! Neither me, nor Lord Brahma who has a lifespan of two parārthas, nor Marici and other Maharishis who are predominantly filled with traits of goodness, can ever understand the secrets within this creation of Yours. Then isn’t it impossible for the demons and humans, who are bewildered by Your illusory energies, who are predominantly filled with the inauspicious traits of passion and ignorance and in whom wisdom is totally depleted, to ever understand Your illusionary capacities?

O Lord, You are an embodiment of pure transcendental knowledge. As You are the creator of this world, O Lord, You are aware of all the secrets behind creation, sustenance and annihilation. You are aware of the destiny of living entities, their bondages which appear in the form of the unending cycle of births and deaths, and the routes by which they can obtain liberation. Just like the all-pervading wind, in the form of the Self You pervade this entire creation consisting of animate and inanimate entities. Using the three attributes of Nature (trigunas) as a carrier, You incarnate and joyfully sport in this creation.

I have seen many such incarnations of Yours, O Lord. I now desire to see the female form of Yours. I have heard that You captivated the demons with Your female form while distributing nectar to the Devatas. We have come here to see that beautiful form of Yours, O Lord. Please fulfill my desire”- said Lord Rudra, the holder of the trident.

Hearing these words, Srihari laughed cheerfully and replied, “O Rudra, I ensure completeness of all divine tasks. When the Devatas were distraught upon losing the pot of nectar, I incarnated in a female form, bewildered the minds of the demons and thus helped the Devatas.

Lust and other desires emerge due to sankalpa. Lustful persons respect that form of mine which intensifies feelings of lust in them. Since you desire to see that form I shall show it to you”. Saying this, Srihari vanished from there.

Narayana narayana.