"21. The Conversation Between Manu and Kardama"

 

Skandham-3.2

Chapter-21.

Slokam- 1 to 56.

 The Conversation Between Manu and Kardama

 

(1) Vidura said: 'O supreme one, be so good to describe the most esteemed dynasty of Svâyambhuva Manu, of which sexual intercourse the progeny multiplied. (2) Priyavata and Uttânapâda, the two sons of Svâyambhuva Manu, verily ruled the world consisting of the seven continents, according the principles of religion. (3) Of that Manu was thus known Devahûti, o brahmin, as the wife of the father of men that you spoke of [ see 3.12:27 ] as Kardama Muni, o sinless one. (4) Can you tell me, eager as I am, the story about how the many offspring of Kardama Muni, who was in fact a great mystic yogî endowed with the eight perfections [see 3.15.45], was conceived from her? (5) And how did the worshipful Ruci, o brahmin, and Daksha, the son of Brahmâ, generate offspring after securing as their wives the two other daughters of Svâyambhuva Manu?'

 

(6) Maitreya said: 'Lord Brahmâ commissioned the supreme Muni Kardama to beget children after a penance he had practiced for ten thousand years on the bank of the river the Sarasvatî. (7) Absorbed in that connectedness did Kardama through his yoga serve in devotion unto Him, the Lord who bestows all mercy upon the surrendered souls. (8) Pleased did the Supreme lotus-eyed Lord then show him through the culture of precepts and rituals, o Vidura, His transcendental form. (9) That of Him he saw without contamination as effulgent as the sun with a garland of white water lilies and lotuses and an abundance of slick blackish-blue locks of hair, a lotuslike face and wearing spotless clothing. (10) Adorned with a crown and wearing earrings He, captivating the heart with His smiling glances, held a conch, a disc and a mace while playing with a white lily. (11) He was seen in the air standing with His lotus feet on the shoulders of Garuda with on His chest the famous Kaustubha jewel hanging from His neck. (12) Jubilant he fell down with his head to the ground having achieved his desire with his prayers and satisfied with a heart that had always been filled with love, he folded his hands.

 

(13) The sage said: 'Oh, now we have attained the complete success of having before our eyes You, the reservoir of all goodness; to the sight of You, o worshipable Lord, are yogî's, aspiring the perfection of yoga, through many births gradually elevated. (14) Those persons who of the deluding energy lost the intelligence of You in worshiping Your lotus feet, the boat for crossing the ocean of mundane existence, for the purpose of trivial pleasures - even on those who are in hell with their desires, You bestow every possible grace. (15) Desiring to marry a girl of like disposition which in married life is as a cow of plenty, did I also with lusty intentions approach You, the root and source of everything and desire tree that fulfills all wishes. (16) Under the direction of You as the father of all living beings, o my Lord are all these who are victim of their desire bound by the rope of their conditions and do I, conditioned like them, offer You my oblations, o embodiment of religion who operates as the eternal of time. (17) But those who gave up on the pursuance of their animalistic earthly interests and took shelter under the umbrella of Your lotus feet by discussing Your qualities with one other, do extinguish by that intoxicating nectar the single servicing of their physical bodies. (18) The wheel of the universe that with a tremendous speed spins around the axle of the imperishable of You [Brahmân] with three naves [sun, moon and stars], [twelve to] thirteen spokes [as lunar months] three hundred and sixty joints [as days in a demigod year], six rims, [as seasons] and innumerable leaves [moments], does not at all diminish the lives of the devotees. (19) You Yourself being the universe are the one without a second desirous to bring about, from the self, controlling by Your deluding oneness in matter, the universes You create, maintain and again wind up like a spider does, o Supreme Lord, of its own force. (20) This material world with its gross and subtle elements, which You manifest before us, is indeed not Your desire; let it be there for bestowing Your grace upon us when You, through Your causeless mercy, are perceived as the Supreme Lord splendid with tulsî [or worship]. (21) In order to realize detachment in the enjoying of the fruits, You brought about, by your own energies, the material worlds; continuously I offer My obeisances to the worshipable lotus feet that shower benedictions on the insignificant ones.'

 

(22) The sage [Maitreya] said: 'Thus having been praised sincerely did Lord Vishnu reply Kardama Muni with words as sweet as nectar, standing shining of affection on the shoulders of Garuda, smilingly looking from below His expressive eyebrows. (23) The Supreme Lord said: ' Knowing your state of mind, have I already arranged for that for which you exercised yourself with Me as the only one of worship. (24) It is verily never useless to be of that certainty, o leader of the living entities, as the minds of persons that are worshiping Me like you are entirely fixed. (25) The son of the father of men, the emperor Svâyambhuva Manu, whose righteous actions are well known, has his place in Brahmâvarta [the world as part of Brahmâ's lotus] and rules the seven oceans and the earth. (26) He, the saintly king, o learned one, will come here along with his queen the day after tomorrow wishing to see you as an expert in religious activities. (27) He has a grown-up daughter with black eyes and a character full of good qualities and is searching for a husband; he will give her to you, o master, as you are suitable. (28) She is the one your heart was after all these years; she is your princess, o brahmin, and will soon serve you as you desired. (29) She will, from the seed sown in her by you, bear nine daughters, and from those daughters will the wise beget their number of children. (30) When you will have carried out My command properly and are completely purified unto Me in the resignation of the fruits of action, you will finally attain Me. (31) And when you have shown compassion and have given assurance to all souls, you will be self-realized and perceive yourself and the universe as being in Me, as well as Me being in you. (32) By your semen I will, as My own plenary portion, o great sage, from your wife Devahûti, instruct the doctrine of the ultimate reality.'

 

(33) Maitreya said: 'Thus having spoken to him went the Supreme Lord who is directly perceived by the senses, away from lake Bindu-sarovar through which the river Sarasvatî flows. (34) While He who is praised by all liberated souls left with him looking on, did he hear the hymns of the path of perfection that form the Sâma-veda being vibrated by the wings of the carrier of the Lord [Garuda]. (35) Then, after His departure, did Kardama, the greatly powerful sage, stay on the bank of lake Bindu, awaiting his time.

 

(36) Svâyambhuva Manu who mounted a gold-plated chariot, had placed his own daughter on it along with his wife and traveled all the globe. (37) On that chariot, o great bowman, he reached as the Lord had foretold, the âs'ram of the sage on the day that he completed his vows of austerity. (38-39) That holy auspicious water flooded by the Sarasvatî river was the nectar that had served hosts of great sages. It was verily a lake of tears, called so after the teardrops that fell down from the Lord His eyes overwhelmed by the extreme compassion for the confidence of this surrendered soul. (40) The place was holy with clusters of trees and creepers with pleasant cries of animals and birds and, adorned by the beauty of groves of trees, rich with fruits and flowers in all seasons. (41) It overflowed of the joy of flocks of birds, intoxicated bees madly buzzing around, peacocks dancing in pride and merry cuckoos calling one another. (42-43) Kadamba, campaka, as'oka, karañja and bakula flowers; âsana, kunda, mandâra, kuthaja trees and young mango trees adorned the lake in which kârandava ducks, plavas, swans, ospreys, waterfowls, and cranes were seen while the cakravâka and cakora birds were vibrating their happy sounds. (44) Likewise there were also masses of deer, boar, porcupines, gavaya's [wild cows], elephants, baboons, lions, monkeys, mongooses, and musk deer.

 

(45-47) As the first monarch with his daughter entered that eminent place, they saw the sage sitting in his hermitage, offering oblations in the sacred fire. His body shone brilliantly of his prolonged terrible penance of yoga and was not very emaciated, as the Lord had cast sidelong His affectionate glance upon him and had made him listen to His moonlike nectarean words. He was tall with eyes as the petals of a lotus, had matted locks of hair, ragged clothes and approaching him he appeared to be soiled like an unpolished gem. (48) Seeing that the monarch had approached the cottage, he bowed down before him receiving him in honor welcoming him as befitted a King. (49) After receiving his honoring, he then remained silent as he sat down and was delighted to hear what the sage, who remembered what the Lord had told him, then in a sweet voice said:

 

(50) 'Surely your touring, o divine personality, is there for the protection of the virtuous and the frustration of the ones of untruth, since you are the person of the Lord His protecting energy. (51) When necessary you assume of the sun, the moon; of the fire [Agni] and the Lord of heaven [Indra]; the wind [Vâyu], the chastising [Yama] and the religion [Dharma] and of the waters [Varuna] the different forms; unto Him, the Lord Vishnu that is You, my obeisances. (52-54) If You wouldn't have mounted the chariot of victory bedecked with its mass of jewels and have twanged your bow so frighteningly threatening all the culprits with your presence; if your leading a huge army of footsoldiers trampling, wouldn't have shaken the earth in roaming the globe like the brilliant sun, then surely all moral codes and obligations of the vocations [varna] and agegroups [âs'rama] set by the Lord, o King, would regrettingly have been broken by rogues. (55) When you would rest, then unrighteousness would flourish with the lacking control over men that are simply after the money; this world would then be taken by the miscreants and perish [see also B.G.: 3.23]. (56) In spite of all this I ask You, o heroic one, what You want in coming here; that we shall, without reservation carry out with heart and soul.'