*SKANDHA VII. CHAP. 9.*
"Brahma and other Devas, Rishis and wise men, full of Satva, have failed
to adore Thee in suitable words. How can this Asura boy please Thee, O
Hari: But I think, it is not wealth, good birth, beauty, asceticism,
learning, power, intellect, or even Yoga that is so much suited for the
worship of Parama Purusha as Bhakti. It is by Bhakti that the elephant
king pleased Bhagavan. _Even a Chandala, (an outcaste) is much superior
to a Brahmana, who has all the 12 virtues, but has no devotion to
Vishuu._ For the Chandala who offers his Manas, his words, his Karma,
his wealth and even his Prana to Vishnu, purifies not only himself, but
his whole line, while, the proud Brahmana does not even purify himself."
(Without devotion, the virtues only serve to increase pride. They do not
purify the mind. _Sridhara_.)
(The Almighty Vishnu does not want any offering from the ignorant for
himself. He is possessed of all things. But the man who gives offerings
to Him can alone keep them to himself, for verily the paintings on the
real face are to be seen in the image. The self in man is only a
reflection of Atma or Manas. Therefore if a man does any thing that
affects his Manas only, it does not concern his real self. If an
offering is made to Ishvara, that reaches his real self).
"Therefore though of low birth, I have no hesitation in reciting thy
glory as much as I can, for such a recital is sure to purify a man.
"Withdraw, O Lord! this terrible form, and be cooled. Look! the world
trembles at Thee.
"I am not afraid, however, even of this form, as I am afraid of the
wheel of births. Give shelter at thy feet, that I may gain Moksha.
"I have been scorched by the fire of misery in all births. The only
remedy is devotion to Thy service. For Thy servant by Thy favor gets the
company of Mahatmas. By their company, he gets rid of all worldly
attachments and sings the glory of Bhagavan. Then the miseries of life
cannot overpower him.
"The parents are not the protectors of the child; medicine is not the
remedy for the diseased; the boat is not a shelter for the drowning; for
they cannot save from a recurrence of evils. And even the little that
others do is promoted by the Prompter of all.
"When Purusha wishes, Maya disturbed by Kala creates the Sukshma
Sharira, headed by Manas. That Manas is drawn into a world of recurring
births, characterised by the transformations of Maya": (5 Jnanendriyas,
5 Karmendriyas, 5 Bhutas and Manas). "I am being squeezed in this wheel,
like the sugar-cane in the mill.
"Draw me unto Thee, O Lord! or I am lost in the whirl."
(Some platitudes and a short account of the part taken by Vishnu in the
creation follow).
"Thou dost incarnate as man, animal, Rishi and Deva in order to guard
all beings, to destroy the enemies of the world and preserve Dharma,
according to the requirements of every Yuga. But in Kali Yuga, Thou
concealest Thyself. Hence (from manifestating only in three Yugas), Thou
art called Triyuga.
"Lord of Vaikuntha, this mind does not take pleasure in discourses about
Thee, as it is vitiated, prone towards the outside, unmanageable,
passionate and affected by the three promptings -- joy, sorrow and fear.
How can I with such a mind think of Thee?
"I am drawn on all sides by the Indriyas, and I am as miserable as a man
with many wives.
"I am not the only sufferer. Look! all men remain fallen by their own
karma in the Vaitarani (River at the gate of Yama) of recurring births.
They are afraid of births and deaths and of danger from each other. They
are mutually both friends and enemies. Take pity on these bewildered
creatures, O Thou that art on the other side of the river, and preserve
them this very day by taking them across the Vaitarani (_i.e._ the
relativity's of Triloki existence).
"O guide of the Universe! what is thy difficulty in saving all men? For
Thou art the cause of the creation, preservation and destruction of the
Universe. Thou hast much kindness for the ignorant. Thou art the friend
of the afflicted. What then by saving us only who serve thy favorite men
the Mahatmas (for, those who serve the Mahatmas are already saved).
"O Thou Supreme, I am not the least anxious for myself about the
Vaitarani (Triloki existence), however difficult to cross it may be, for
my mind is plunged in the nectar ocean of singing thy glory. But I mourn
for the ignorant, those that care only for the gratification of the
senses and for the means of such gratification while they remain
estranged from Thee.
"Generally, O Deva! the Munis are desirous of their own Moksha, they
hold their tongue, and roam in solitude without caring for the good of
others. But I do not like to be liberated alone, leaving behind me the
afflicted round me; I find no other shelter for these misguided people,
besides Thee.
"They are not happy, O Lord, in the enjoyment of the objects of the
senses. For like itching, it is not a pleasure by itself but seems to be
so, as long as Thou art not known.
"It is said that holding the tongue (_mouna_) vowed observance (Vrata),
sacred knowledge (Sruta), austerity (Tapas), reading (Adhyayana), the
observance of rules pertaining to one's caste (Sva Dharma), exposition
of Shastras (Vyakhya), living in solitude (Rahas), recital of Mantra
(Japa), and Samadhi also lead to Moksha. But generally it is seen that
these are only means of livelihood for those that have no control over
their senses. And for proud people they are sometimes the means of
livelihood and sometimes not. But pride in itself is not a good thing.
"Thou art not separate from the Universe. Both cause and effect are thy
forms. It is not by avoiding the ways of Universe but by seeing Thee
everywhere by means of Bhakti, that the right course is followed. It is
by striking one stone against another that fire comes out, and not
otherwise."
[Let the words of the Asura boy resound from one end of India to the
other. Let the sublime words of compassion and universal love be written
in characters of gold, and let them be engraven in the hearts of all
Indians]. Prahlada was made the king of the Asuras.