॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
Thursday, 9 February 2023 VIII.09 - The besotted Asuras request Bhagavan as Mohini to distribute the Amrutha. They realise Mohini is none other than Bhagavan Maha Vishnu but by then all the Amrutha is already given to Devas.
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॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
॥ नवमोऽध्यायः - ९ ॥
श्रीशुक उवाच
तेऽन्योन्यतोऽसुराः पात्रं हरन्तस्त्यक्तसौहृदाः । क्षिपन्तो दस्युधर्माण आयान्तीं ददृशुः स्त्रियम् ॥ १॥
अहो रूपमहो धाम अहो अस्या नवं वयः । इति ते तामभिद्रुत्य पप्रच्छुर्जातहृच्छयाः ॥ २॥
का त्वं कञ्जपलाशाक्षि कुतो वा किं चिकीर्षसि । कस्यासि वद वामोरु मथ्नन्तीव मनांसि नः ॥ ३॥
न वयं त्वामरैर्दैत्यैः सिद्धगन्धर्वचारणैः । नास्पृष्टपूर्वां जानीमो लोकेशैश्च कुतो नृभिः ॥ ४॥
नूनं त्वं विधिना सुभ्रूः प्रेषितासि शरीरिणाम् । सर्वेन्द्रियमनःप्रीतिं विधातुं सघृणेन किम् ॥ ५॥
सा त्वं नः स्पर्धमानानामेकवस्तुनि मानिनि । ज्ञातीनां बद्धवैराणां शं विधत्स्व सुमध्यमे ॥ ६॥
वयं कश्यपदायादा भ्रातरः कृतपौरुषाः । विभजस्व यथान्यायं नैव भेदो यथा भवेत् ॥ ७॥
इत्युपामन्त्रितो दैत्यैर्मायायोषिद्वपुर्हरिः । प्रहस्य रुचिरापाङ्गैर्निरीक्षन्निदमब्रवीत् ॥ ८॥
श्रीभगवानुवाच
कथं कश्यपदायादाः पुंश्चल्यां मयि सङ्गताः । विश्वासं पण्डितो जातु कामिनीषु न याति हि ॥ ९॥
सालावृकाणां स्त्रीणां च स्वैरिणीनां सुरद्विषः । सख्यान्याहुरनित्यानि नूत्नं नूत्नं विचिन्वताम् ॥ १०॥
श्रीशुक उवाच
इति ते क्ष्वेलितैस्तस्या आश्वस्तमनसोऽसुराः । जहसुर्भावगम्भीरं ददुश्चामृतभाजनम् ॥ ११॥
ततो गृहीत्वामृतभाजनं हरिर्बभाष ईषत्स्मितशोभया गिरा ।
यद्यभ्युपेतं क्व च साध्वसाधु वा कृतं मया वो विभजे सुधामिमाम् ॥ १२॥
इत्यभिव्याहृतं तस्या आकर्ण्यासुरपुङ्गवाः । अप्रमाणविदस्तस्यास्तत्तथेत्यन्वमंसत ॥ १३॥
अथोपोष्य कृतस्नाना हुत्वा च हविषानलम् । दत्त्वा गोविप्रभूतेभ्यः कृतस्वस्त्ययना द्विजैः ॥ १४॥
यथोपजोषं वासांसि परिधायाहतानि ते । कुशेषु प्राविशन् सर्वे प्रागग्रेष्वभिभूषिताः ॥ १५॥
प्राङ्मुखेषूपविष्टेषु सुरेषु दितिजेषु च । धूपामोदितशालायां जुष्टायां माल्यदीपकैः ॥ १६॥
तस्यां नरेन्द्र करभोरुरुशद्दुकूलश्रोणीतटालसगतिर्मदविह्वलाक्षी ।
सा कूजती कनकनूपुरशिञ्जितेन कुम्भस्तनी कलशपाणिरथाविवेश ॥ १७॥
तां श्रीसखीं कनककुण्डलचारुकर्णनासाकपोलवदनां परदेवताख्याम् ।
संवीक्ष्य सम्मुमुहुरुत्स्मितवीक्षणेन देवासुरा विगलितस्तनपट्टिकान्ताम् ॥ १८॥
असुराणां सुधादानं सर्पाणामिव दुर्नयम् । मत्वा जातिनृशंसानां न तां व्यभजदच्युतः ॥ १९॥
कल्पयित्वा पृथक् पङ्क्तीरुभयेषां जगत्पतिः । तांश्चोपवेशयामास स्वेषु स्वेषु च पङ्क्तिषु ॥ २०॥
दैत्यान् गृहीतकलशो वञ्चयन्नुपसञ्चरैः । दूरस्थान् पाययामास जरामृत्युहरां सुधाम् ॥ २१॥
ते पालयन्तः समयमसुराः स्वकृतं नृप । तूष्णीमासन् कृतस्नेहाः स्त्रीविवादजुगुप्सया ॥ २२॥
तस्यां कृतातिप्रणयाः प्रणयापायकातराः । बहुमानेन चाबद्धा नोचुः किञ्चन विप्रियम् ॥ २३॥
देवलिङ्गप्रतिच्छन्नः स्वर्भानुर्देवसंसदि । प्रविष्टः सोममपिबच्चन्द्रार्काभ्यां च सूचितः ॥ २४॥
चक्रेण क्षुरधारेण जहार पिबतः शिरः । हरिस्तस्य कबन्धस्तु सुधयाऽऽप्लावितोऽपतत् ॥ २५॥
शिरस्त्वमरतां नीतमजो ग्रहमचीकॢपत् । यस्तु पर्वणि चन्द्रार्कावभिधावति वैरधीः ॥ २६॥
पीतप्रायेऽमृते देवैर्भगवान् लोकभावनः । पश्यतामसुरेन्द्राणां स्वं रूपं जगृहे हरिः ॥ २७॥
एवं सुरासुरगणाः समदेशकालहेत्वर्थकर्ममतयोऽपि फले विकल्पाः ।
तत्रामृतं सुरगणाः फलमञ्जसाऽऽपुर्यत्पादपङ्कजरजःश्रयणान्न दैत्याः ॥ २८॥
यद्युज्यतेऽसुवसुकर्ममनोवचोभिर्देहात्मजादिषु नृभिस्तदसत्पृथक्त्वात् ।
तैरेव सद्भवति यत्क्रियतेऽपृथक्त्वात्स र्वस्य तद्भवति मूलनिषेचनं यत् ॥ २९॥
इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां
अष्टमस्कन्धे अमृतमथने नवमोऽध्यायः ॥ ९॥
Skandha VIII: Chapter 9 ASURAS DEPRIVED OF AMRUTHA
(Swami Tapasyananda)
Mohini was chosen to distribute Amrutha ( 1-16)
Sri Shuka said: 1. While the Asuras, abandoning all ties of friendship and adopting the ways of robbers, were engaged in a mutual wrangle for wresting the vessel of Amrutha, they saw the exquisitely beautiful maiden approaching them.
2. Agitated by lust at her sight, the Asuras rushed towards her exclaiming: 'Ah! What a beauty! What a complexion! What a blooming youth! '
3. They addressed her saying:
“ Oh, Lotus-eyed beauty! Tell us who you are, whence you come, and why. Whose daughter are you, Oh lass of lovely thighs? Your charm seems to churn our hearts in excitement.
4. We know for certain that you are still a maiden untouched by anyone from among the Devas, Asuras, Siddhas, Gandharvas, Charanas, or the world lords, not to speak of men.
5. Oh, Girl of attractive eyes! Is it that the merciful creator has sent you here to enthral the minds and senses of all beings?
6. Oh, Slender-waisted beauty! All of us, who are related, have now become bitter enemies because of a competition to get possession of a common object. Settle that quarrel and bring peace among us.
7. We are all the descendants of Kashyapa, and therefore brothers. We have worked alike for churning the ocean and getting Amrutha. Now be pleased to divide the Amrutha among us in a way that would look just and avoid later disputes.”
8. On being thus requested, the Lord Sri Hari, who had assumed this maiden's form, replied as follows, casting flitting glances from the corners of her lovely eyes.
The Lord said:
9. “Oh descendants of Kashyapa! How is it that you approach me putting so much trust in one who is but a sensuous wanton woman soliciting men? Wise men never trust wanton women.10. It is said that no lasting relationship can be forged with women who are ever in quest of new mates and fun, similar to befriending wolves who are always hungry!
Sri Shuka said:
With their faith in her being reinforced through these teasing words, the Asuras laughed as a token of their deep confidence In her and handed the Amrutha to her.
12. Bhagavan Sri Hari as Mohini received the vessel of Amrutha and said with a smile -If you undertake to abide by my actions, irrespective of whether you consider them right or wrong. I shall agree to divide the Amrutha among you.
13. Without realising the implications, the Asuras agreed to the proposal of the charming maiden.
14-15. As a preparation for the sacred act of taking Amrutha. the Asuras fasted for a day. The next morning, they performed their oblations In the fire, fed all living being high and low, received the blessings of holy men, put on new clothes and ornaments, and sat on seats of Kusha grass arranged with the blade tips pointed eastward
16. Both the Asuras and Devas seat facing eastward in readiness in a hall decorated with lights and flowers fragrant by burning incense.
Asuras befooled ( 17-29)
17. Oh, King! Into the hall now entered that beautiful woman with vase-like breasts, holding the Amrutha Jar in hand. A brilliant cloth of Silk draped the lower part of her body. Her tread was slow. and her eyes unsteady as if under Inebriation. and the sweet sounds of her tinkling anklets announced her slow movement.
18. As the Devas and Asuras smiled and looked carefully at that female form assumed by Bhagavan to match Devi Sri Lakshmi Herself, they were stupefied with excitement to see her face illumined by ear ornaments and beautified by her damask cheeks, ears and nose; and her torso from which the end of her clothes covering the breasts had slipped down.
19. It will be as unwise a policy to give Amrutha to, and confer immortality on, the Asuras as on the cobras, as they are both naturally cruel-hearted. So the Lord did not distribute the Amrutha among those depraved Asuras.
20. The Lord made different seating arrangements for the two parties and assigned them seats. In their respective rows.
21. In order to hoodwink the Asuras, the Lord moved about the rows of the Asuras with the Amrutha vessel in hand and sweet words in His mouth, while he arranged to actually distribute that rejuvenating drink among the Devas who were sitting at a distance.
22. Oh King! All the while the Asuras sat silently, honouring their agreement not to raise any dispute. Besides, their minds were fully taken up with infatuation for the maiden, and they also disliked getting the opprobrium of quarrelling with a woman.
23. Their lustful attachment to her was so great that they were afraid to do anything that might cause a breach in their relationship. Their respect for her was also a restraining factor. So they remained silent without making any adverse remarks.
24. But an Asura named Swarbhanu (otherwise known as Rahu) went into the midst of the Devas disguised as one of them, and drank a share of the Amrutha. But his identity was soon discovered and revealed by Surya and Chandra deities between whom he sat.
25. At once, Sri Hari cut off his head with his sharp Chakra. As the Amrutha had gone only up to the neck above and had not descended into the trunk, the lower portion of his body fell dead while the head became immortal.
26. The head, which thus gained eternal life, was not converted by the Lord into a planet (graha). Rahu, who harbours antagonism to Chandra and Surya deities for exposing him, assails them as eclipse on certain full-moon and new-moon days.
27. After the Devas had finished drinking the Amrutha, the wonderful Lord, the protector of the worlds, assumed His real form in full view of the Asuras.
28. In this way, though the Devas and the Asuras/Daityas started on a common enterprise, at the same time and place, and with the same motive, plan and objective, they got divergent results in the end the Devas got to consume the Amrutha and the Asuras got nothing of it. By resignation to the Lord and devotion to Him, the Devas achieved this easily, but the Asuras failed in the final result because they had no reliance on Him.
29. Whatever service or sacrifice (Pooja or Yajna) men perform with their life, wealth, work, mind and words for the sake of themselves and their dear ones – all this will be in the end, because all such efforts are directed towards entities separate from the Divine. But all that becomes immensely fruitful if the service is done to Him (or to others with the knowledge that those served are the Lord’s manifestation). It is like pouring water at the root of a tree, which is equal to watering the whole tree. Watering the leaves and branches serves no purpose.
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॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
