Scriptures

Śrīmad Devī Bhāgavatam

BOOK 6 • CHAPTER 10
Ch 10 Verse 1 Verse
Sanskrit Text
६.१० दशमोऽध्यायः । कर्मणां गहनगतिवर्णनम् । जनमेजय उवाच । कथितं चरितं ब्रह्मञ्छक्रस्याद्भुतकर्मणः । स्थानभ्रंशस्तथा दुःखप्राप्तिरुक्ता विशेषतः ॥ १ ॥
English Translation
Janamejaya said :-- “O Brāhmaṇa! You have described in detail the wonderful character of Indra, his displacement from his Heavens, and his suffering many hardships and at the same time, you have described very widely the greatness of the Highest Goddess of the world.
Ch 10 Verse 2 Verse
Sanskrit Text
यत्र देवाधिदेव्याश्च महिमातीव वर्णितः । सन्देहोऽत्र ममाप्यस्ति यच्छक्रोऽपि महातपाः ॥ २ ॥
English Translation
But one doubt has arisen in my mind that Indra was very powerful and when he got the lordship over the Devas, which means in other words that no trouble would pain him, how was it that he had to feel pain and agony?
Ch 10 Verse 3 Verse
Sanskrit Text
देवाधिपत्यमासाद्य दुःसहं दुःखमन्वभूत् । मखानां तु शतं कृत्वा प्राप्तं स्थानमनुत्तमम् ॥ ३ ॥
English Translation
He got the Lordship of the Devas and his highest position by performing one hundred Horse Sacrifices; how was it, then that he was again displaced from that position?
Ch 10 Verse 4-5 Verse
Sanskrit Text
देवेशत्वं च सम्प्राप्य भ्रष्टः स्थानादसौ कथम् । एतत्सर्वं समाचक्ष्व कारणं करुणानिधे ॥ ४ ॥ सर्वज्ञोऽसि मुनिश्रेष्ठ पुराणानां प्रवर्तकः । नावाच्यं महतां किञ्चिच्छिष्ये च श्रद्धयान्विते ॥ ५ ॥
English Translation
O Ocean of mercy! Kindly explain to me the causes of all these. You know everything; you are the best of the Munis and the maker of the Purāṇas; I am your devoted disciple; therefore nothing there can be that cannot be mentioned to me. So, O highly fortunate One! Kindly remove my doubts.” Sūta said :--
Ch 10 Verse 6 Verse
Sanskrit Text
तस्मात्कुरु महाभाग मत्सन्देहापनोदनम् । सूत उवाच । इति पृष्टः स राज्ञा वै तदा सत्यवतीसुतः ॥ ६ ॥
English Translation
:-- Thus asked by Janamejaya, Vyāsa the son of Satyavatī gladly spoke, in due order, the following words :-
Ch 10 Verse 7-10 Verse
Sanskrit Text
तमाहातिप्रसन्नात्मा यथानुक्रममुत्तरम् । व्यास उवाच । निबोध नृपतिश्रेष्ठ कारणं परमाद्भुतम् ॥ ७ ॥ कर्मणस्तु त्रिधा प्रोक्ता गतिस्तत्त्वविदां वरैः । सञ्चितं वर्तमानं च प्रारब्धमिति भेदतः ॥ ८ ॥ अनेकजन्मसञ्जातं प्राक्तनं सञ्चितं स्मृतम् । सात्त्विकं राजसं कर्म तामसं त्रिविधं पुनः ॥ ९ ॥ शुभं वाप्यशुभं भूप सञ्चितं बहुकालिकम् । अवश्यमेव भोक्तव्यं सुकृतं दुष्कृतं तथा ॥ १० ॥
English Translation
Vyāsa said :-- O King! Hear, then the causes that are certainly very wonderful. The seers say that Karma is of three kinds :-- Sañcita (accumulated), Vartamāna (present) and Prārabdha (commenced). Each of these is again subdivided into three, Sāttvik, Rājasik, and Tāmasik. The accumulated effects of Karmas done in many past lives is called Sañcita, O King! The effects of this Sāñcita Karma, be it auspicious or inauspicious, be it for a long or for a short time, must have to be enjoyed by the beings whether they be good or bad.
Ch 10 Verse 11-14 Verse
Sanskrit Text
जन्मजन्मनि जीवानां सञ्चितानां च कर्मणाम् । निःशेषस्तु क्षयो नाभूत्कल्पकोटिशतैरपि ॥ ११ ॥ क्रियमाणं च यत्कर्म वर्तमानं तदुच्यते । देहं प्राप्य शुभं वापि ह्यशुभं वा समाचरेत् ॥ १२ ॥ सञ्चितानां पुनर्मध्यात्समाहृत्य कियान्किल । देहारम्भे च समये कालः प्रेरयतीव तत् ॥ १३ ॥ प्रारब्धं कर्म विज्ञेयं भोगात्तस्य क्षयः स्मृतः । प्राणिभिः खलु भोक्तव्यं प्रारब्धं नात्र संशयः ॥ १४ ॥
English Translation
This Sañcita Karma done by the embodied beings in several previous births, can never be totally exhausted even in hundred Koṭi Kalpas without their being enjoyed. The Karma that is being done by a Jīva and that has not as yet been completed, that is called Vartamāna Karma. The Jīvas do this Vartamāna Karma, auspicious or inauspicious, in their present embodiments. At the time of birth, a part of the Sañcita Karma, the soul takes up for fructification. This part of Sañcita Karma is called Prārabdha Karma. This exhausts only when its effects have been fully borne out by the embodied soul. The beings cannot but bear the effects of this Prārabdha Karma.
Ch 10 Verse 15-18 Verse
Sanskrit Text
पुरा कृतानि राजेन्द्र ह्यशुभानि शुभानि च । अवश्यमेव कर्माणि भोक्तव्यानीति निश्चयः ॥ १५ ॥ देवैर्मनुष्यैरसुरैर्यक्षगन्धर्वकिन्नरैः । कर्मैव हि महाराज देहारम्भस्य कारणम् ॥ १६ ॥ कर्मक्षये जन्मनाशः प्राणिनां नात्र संशयः । ब्रह्मा विष्णुस्तथा रुद्र इन्द्राद्याश्च सुरास्तथा ॥ १७ ॥ दानवा यक्षगन्धर्वाः सर्वे कर्मवशा किल । अन्यथा देहसम्बन्धः कथं भवति भूपते ॥ १८ ॥
English Translation
O King! Know this for certain that the effects of merits or demerits done previously must be borne by anybody, be he a Deva, or a man, or an Asura, or a Yakṣa or a Gandharba. The acts done previously go to form the new births of all beings. When the Karma gets exhausted, then no more birth takes place. There is no doubt in this. Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Rudra, Indra and the other Devas, the Dānavas, Yakṣas, Gandharbas, all are under the control of this Karma. O King! Were it not so, how could they get bodies that are the causes of the enjoyments of pains and pleasures of all the beings.
Ch 10 Verse 19-20 Verse
Sanskrit Text
कारणं यस्तु भोगस्य देहिनः सुखदुःखयोः । तस्मादनेकजन्मोत्थसञ्चितानां च कर्मणाम् ॥ १९ ॥ मध्ये वेगः समायाति कस्यचित्कालपाकतः । तत्प्रारब्धवशात्पुण्यं करोति च यथा तथा ॥ २० ॥
English Translation
Therefore, O King! Out of the Sañcita Karmas done in many previous births, some Karmas get ripe in due time and they manifest themselves; those manifested Sañcita Karmas are called Prārabdha Karmas (those that are being enjoyed by an individual in the present birth). Impelled by this Prārabdha Karma, the Devas and the human beings, all do meritorious acts as well as sinful acts. Thus Indra out of his past meritorious acts attained his Indraship, and, out of his past sinful acts, committed the sin Brahmahattyā and so he was dislodged from his Indraship. What doubt can exist here?
Ch 10 Verse 21-22 Verse
Sanskrit Text
पापं करोति मनुजस्तथा देवादयोऽपि च । तथा नारायणो राजन्नरश्च धर्मजावुभौ ॥ २१ ॥ जातौ कृष्णार्जुनौ काममंशौ नारायणस्य तौ । पुराणपीठिकेयं वै मुनिभिः परिकीर्तिता ॥ २२ ॥
English Translation
O King! So Nara and Nārāyana, the sons of Dharma, had to take births out of their previous Karmas; again Arjuṇa and Kṛṣṇa were born out of their Karmic effects as part incarnations of this Nara and Nārāyana. The Munis describe this Karma as the basis of the Purāṇas.
Ch 10 Verse 23-24 Verse
Sanskrit Text
देवांशः स तु विज्ञेयो यो भवेद्विभवाधिकः । नानृषिः कुरुते काव्यं नारुद्रो रुद्रमर्चते ॥ २३ ॥ नादेवांशो ददात्यन्नं नाविष्णुः पृथिवीपतिः । इन्द्रादग्नेर्यमाद्विष्णोर्धनदादिति भूपते ॥ २४ ॥
English Translation
Know that he is born of a Deva who is very wealthy and prosperous; he who is not born of the part of a Muni, never writes any spiritual treatise on Jñana or Knowledge; he who is not born of Rudra, never worships Rudra; who is not born of a Deva never distributes rice in charity; he who is not born of Śrī Viṣṇu, never becomes the king and lord of the earth. O King! The embodied souls derive their bodies certainly from Indra, Agni, Yama, Viṣṇu, and Kuvera.
Ch 10 Verse 25-26 Verse
Sanskrit Text
प्रभुत्वं च प्रभावं च कोपं चैव पराक्रमम् । आदाय क्रियते नूनं शरीरमिति निश्चयः ॥ २५ ॥ यः कश्चिद्बलवाँल्लोके भाग्यवानथ भोगवान् । विद्यावान्दानवान्वापि स देवांशः प्रपढ्यते ॥ २६ ॥
English Translation
Indra presides over lordship, Agni presides over energy, Yama presides over anger, and Viṣṇu presides over strength. He who is powerful, fortunate, enjoying many enjoyments, learned, charitable, is said to be born of a Devāṃśa.
Ch 10 Verse 27 Verse
Sanskrit Text
तथैवैते मयाख्याता पाण्डवाः पृथिवीपते । देवांशो वासुदेवोऽपि नारायणसमद्युतिः ॥ २७ ॥
English Translation
O Lord of the earth! Similarly the Pāṇḍavas and Vāsudeva who was as glorious as Nārāyana were born of Devāṃśas.
Ch 10 Verse 28 Verse
Sanskrit Text
शरीरं प्राणिनां नूनं भाजनं सुखदुःखयोः । शरीरी प्राप्नुयात्कामं सुखं दुःखमनन्तरम् ॥ २८ ॥
English Translation
O King! Know this as quite certain that the bodies of the Jīvas are the receptacles of pains and pleasures; and the embodied souls (Jīvas) experience alternately pleasure and pain. No Jīva is independent; he is always under the Great Fate.
Ch 10 Verse 29 Verse
Sanskrit Text
देही नास्ति वशः कोऽपि दैवाधीनः सदैव हि । जननं मरणं दुःखं सुखं प्राप्नोति चावशः ॥ २९ ॥
English Translation
He experiences birth, death, pleasure and pain, not out of his self will, but compelled and guided, as it were, by the unseen Fate. 30-41. O King! How very strong is that Fate can easily be judged by the following.
Ch 10 Verse 30 Verse
Sanskrit Text
पाण्डवास्ते वने जाताः प्राप्तास्तु स्वगृहं पुनः । स्वबाहुबलतः पश्चाद्राजसूयं क्रतूत्तमम् ॥ ३० ॥
English Translation
The Pāṇḍavas were born in forest; then they went their own homes. They performed the Great Rājasūya Sacrifice by virtue of their own strength.
Ch 10 Verse 31 Verse
Sanskrit Text
वनवासं पुनः प्राप्ता बहुदुःखकरं परम् । अर्जुनेन तपस्तप्तं दुष्करं ह्यजितेन्द्रियैः ॥ ३१ ॥
English Translation
After this they had to suffer their exiles in forest a much greater and more terrible hardship indeed! Next Arjuṇa performed a very hard asceticism when the Devas, not self-controlled, became pleased and granted him an auspicious boon.
Ch 10 Verse 32 Verse
Sanskrit Text
सन्तुष्टैस्तु सुरैर्दत्तं वरदानं पुनः शुभम् । नरदेहकृतं पुण्यं क्व गतं वनवासजम् ॥ ३२ ॥
English Translation
Still he could not extricate himself from the hands of the terrible hardship; nowhere could be found the fruits of the merits acquired in the past when he was afterwards remaining in exile in his human body in the forest!
Ch 10 Verse 33 Verse
Sanskrit Text
नरदेहे तपस्तप्तं चोग्रं बदरिकाश्रमे । नार्जुनस्य शरीरे तत्फलदं सम्बभूव ह ॥ ३३ ॥
English Translation
The severe tapasyā that he did in the Vadarikāsrama in his past incarnation as Nara, the son of Dharma, did not bear any fruit in his Arjuṇa birth.
Ch 10 Verse 34 Verse
Sanskrit Text
प्राणिनां देहसम्बन्धे गहना कर्मणो गतिः । दुर्ज्ञेया सर्वथा देवैर्मानवानां तु का कथा ॥ ३४ ॥
English Translation
Mysterious and inexplicable are the ways and means of Karma with which the bodies of the several beings are concerned. How could men get an idea of it when the Devas themselves are at a loss to solve it.
Ch 10 Verse 35-36 Verse
Sanskrit Text
वासुदेवोऽपि सञ्जातः कारागारेऽतिसङ्कटे । नीतोऽसौ वसुदेवेन नन्दगोपस्य गोकुलम् ॥ ३५ ॥ एकादशैव वर्षाणि संस्थितस्तत्र भारत । पुनः स मथुरां गत्वा जघानोग्रसुतं बलात् ॥ ३६ ॥
English Translation
Bhagavān Vāsudeva had to take birth in the prison, a very critical and dangerous place; he was then carried by Vasudeva to the milkman Nanda’s abode at Gokula; he remained there eleven years and thence came back to Mathurā where he killed by force Kaṃsa, the son of Ūgrasena.
Ch 10 Verse 37-38 Verse
Sanskrit Text
मोचयामास पितरौ बन्धनाद्भृशदुःखितौ । उग्रसेनं च राजानञ्चकार मधुरापुरे ॥ ३७ ॥ जगाम द्वारवत्यां स म्लेच्छराजभयात्पुनः । सर्वं भाविवशात्कृष्णः कृतवान्पौरुषं महत् ॥ ३८ ॥
English Translation
Then he released his sorrowful father and mother from the bonds of prison and made Ūgrasena, the King of Mathurā. Afterwards he went to Dvārkā city, out of the fear of Kāla Yavana, the King of the Mleccas; thus Janārdana Kṛṣṇa performed many great and heroic deeds, being impelled by Fate.
Ch 10 Verse 39 Verse
Sanskrit Text
कृत्वा कार्याण्यनेकानि द्वारवत्यां जनार्दनः । देहं त्यक्त्वा प्रभासे तु सकुटुम्बो दिवं गतः ॥ ३९ ॥
English Translation
Then he left his mortal coil at Prabhāsa, a place of pilgrimage, along with his relatives and acquaintances and then ascended to his Vaikunṭha abode.
Ch 10 Verse 40-42 Verse
Sanskrit Text
पुत्राः पौत्राश्च सुहृदो भ्रातरो जामयस्तथा । प्रभासे यादवाः सर्वे विप्रशापात्क्षयं गताः ॥ ४० ॥ एवं ते कथिता राजन् कर्मणो गहना गतिः । वासुदेवोऽपि व्याधस्य बाणेन निधनं गतः ॥ ४१ ॥
Sanskrit Colophon
इति श्रीमद्देवीभागवते महापुराणेऽष्टादशसाहस्र्यां संहितायां षष्ठस्कन्धे कर्मणां गहनगतिवर्णनं नाम दशमोऽध्यायः ॥ ६.१०॥
English Translation
All the Yādavas, sons, grandsons, friends, brothers, sisters and ladies of the houses all died under the curse of a Brāhmin. O King! I have thus described to you the inexplicable ways of Karma. What more shall I say than the fact that Vāsudeva was killed by the arrows of a hunter! Here ends the Tenth Chapter of the Sixth Book on the phase of Karma in the Mahapurāṇam Śrī Mad Devī Bhāgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharṣi Veda Vyāsa.