Srimad Bhagavatam, Book One, Chapter 4

SB.1.4.

(Vyasa said)

Thus having heard all Suta did relate,

The sages praise him and congratulate;

Then Shaunaka, the elder and learned,

In that long sacrifice, to Suta said. 1

(Shaunaka said)

O Suta, dear Suta, most highly bless’d!

You are of orators the first and best;

The pious narrative to us unfold,

The Bhagavat, e'en as by Suka told. 2

In what age was this account introduced?

Where and for what reason was it produced?

Whence did Krishna, the sage, derive insight,

This great epic narrative to indite? 3

His divine son was a great yogin too,

Who held the one non-differential view;

Awakened from the sleep of ignorance,

Unrecognised, appearing like a dunce. 4

What time some ambling nymphs the sage had viewed,

As he along the way his son pursued,

Although he was clad as he passed them by,

They dressed themselves with decent modesty;

He marked they did not put their garments on,

When passing there they saw his naked son;

The sage, approaching them began to say,

And questioned why they acted in that way.

The nymphs, replying to the sage began,

'You see distinction in man and woman,

But this is not so in your holy son,

Who is detached and makes no distinction.' 5

How did the city dwellers recognise

The sage who of a dullard wore the guise,

Who roamed the Kuru-Jangala domain,

When to Elephantopolis he came? 6

How did this sacred dialogue take place

Between the scion of the Pandu race,

The sainted king and the mighty seer;

The distilled essence of scripture, my dear? 7

He but the short time only would allow,

That it would take for milking of a cow,

To remain on a household property,

Affording thereto blessed sanctity. 8

'Tis said, O Suta, Abhimanyu's son

Was devoted to the Almighty One;

Tell us the wonders of his fame and worth,

And of his noble deeds and unique birth. 9

Wherefore did that mighty monarch whose reign

Extended the Pandu family's' fame,

Sit down to fast on Ganga's holy bank,

Forsaking kingdom, royal wealth and rank? 10

Ah me! how was it such a worthy king,

At whose feet enemies would tribute bring,

Who paid him honour for their benefit,

Endowed with every royal requisite,

Of youthful vigour and unfailing health,

High destiny and the blessings of wealth;

Such dear things as would be hard to forswear,

Forsake them all without regret nor care?

Thus he enjoyed dominion without strife,

Why did he forsake comforts, even life? 11

Those who are devoted to the Great Lord,

Who is with sublime poetry adored,

Act for the peoples' benefit with zeal,

And live for others' advancement and weal;

They do not live merely for their own sake,

Wherefore did he his body thus forsake? 12

All these subjects of inquiry thus,

Be kind enough to recount unto us;

You know the subject, and to speak are fit;

Aside from certain parts of holy writ. 13

(Suta said)

When Dvapara, the third age had begun,

Parasar by Vasavi got a son,

Who was the great sage and mighty yogi,

An emanated portion of Hari. 14

Once, seated on Sarasvati's fair shore,

He did pure libations of water pour;

His mind in contemplation did compose,

Even as Ravi radiant arose. 15

The seer with his unrestricted view,

The past, the present and the future knew,

He saw from age to age virtue decline,

In the inexorable course of time. 16

He thus observed with untainted vision,

General vice and degeneration,

The want of faith and dire uncertainty,

Folly, misfortune, incapacity;

The degradation of caste and status,

Diminished longevity and distress.

Thus with divine insight he was aware,

And thought of the means for the world's welfare. 17/18

The rituals where four high priests preside,

Whereby the populace are purified,

He made division of their liturgy;

One Veda into four accordingly. 19

Rik, Yajuh, Sama and Atharva named,

The four-fold texts expounded and explained,

And in that which the fifth Veda decrees,

In epic chronicles and histories. 20

The Rik was mastered by Paila the sage,

Jaimini read the Sama Vedas' page;

And Vaisampayana, to fame well known,

Was master of the Yajur texts alone. 21

Sumantu-Angira, the holy sage,

Was master of Atharva Vedas' page,

And my father, Romaharsana hight,

Did chronicles and histories recite. 22

Then each with their respective texts assigned,

They to their many disciples consigned;

Those disciples to their disciples read,

And thus branches of Vedic schools were spread. 23

Illustrious Vyasa in sympathy

For people wallowing in misery;

The essence of the Vedas did select,

For man with his diminished intellect; 24

Women, labourers, friends of the twice-born,

Have no access to texts of triple form,

Considering how the people to bless,

And in their pious deeds to gain success,

The seer to great compassion disposed,

The Mahabharat history composed. 25

Thus he engaged himself with earnest zeal,

To bring to all great benefit and weal;

And though he to the task himself applied,

He in his heart remained dissatisfied. 26

Thus not too pleased he sate him by the shore

Of Sarasvati's stream and pondered o'er;

And while there in that lonely place he sate,

Within his mind began to cogitate. 27

‘Strict vows and penances I have sustained,

Service to teachers and fires maintained,

I have honoured without duplicity

The disciplines of pious sanctity;

In the Mahabharat is clearly shown

Whatever in the Vedic texts is known;

Which doth to women and sudras provide

On righteous duty an unfailing guide. 28/29

And yet, alas, no true pleasure I find,

No, not in my body, my soul nor mind;

Haply my learning is not sufficient,

Wherefore I am assailed with discontent! 30

Or what! perhaps since I did not explain,

Nor did the Bhagavat Dharma proclaim,

Which swan-like saints are always wont to hear,

Which to unfailing Acyuta are dear.’ 31

Thus with a sense of insufficiency,

The sage Krishna sat there remorsefully,

Whereupon arrived at his hermitage,

Suddenly, Narada, the god-like sage. 32

Observing his arrival, feeling bless’d,

He rose in haste to greet his worthy guest,

And as the gods worship Vidhi the Lord,

Thus even so Narada he adored. 33

Thus ends Chapter Four in Book One

Of the great and glorious

Bhagavata Purana,

the text beloved of swan-like saints,

sung by the son of Vyasa.