Chapter Five

Ambara Saves Durvs

|| 9.5.1 ||
r-uka uvca
eva bhagavatdio
durvs cakra-tpita
ambaram upvtya
tat-pdau dukhito 'graht
ukadeva Gosvm said: When thus advised by Lord Viu,
Durvs, harassed by the Sudarana cakra, approached
Mahrja Ambara and fell at his feet.
The Fifth Chapter describes Durvs touching Ambaras feet,
Ambaras prayers to the cakra, Ambara feeding Durvs,
Durvs praising Ambara, and Ambara going to the forest.
|| 9.5.2 ||
tasya sodyamam vkya
pda-spara-vilajjita
astvt tad dharer astra
kpay pito bham
Seeing Durvs attempting to praise him, Mahrja
Ambara was ashamed and, seeing him suffering, was
greatly aggrieved. Thus he offered prayers to the weapon of
the Lord.
Seeing his attempts at praising, Ambara was embarrassed.
|| 9.5.3 ||
ambara uvca
tvam agnir bhagavn sryas
tva somo jyoti pati
tvam pas tva kitir vyoma
vyur mtrendriyi ca
Mahrja Ambara said: O Sudarana cakra! You are fire,
you are the most powerful sun, and you are the moon, the
master of all luminaries. You are water, earth and sky, you
are the air, you are the five sense objects [sound, touch,
form, taste and smell], and you are the senses.
|| 9.5.4 ||
sudarana namas tubhya
sahasrrcyuta-priya
sarvstra-ghtin viprya

svasti bhy iaspate

O Sudarana! I offer respects to you. O thousand-spoked
wheel! O dearest of the Lord! O destroyer of all weapons! O
master of the earth! Give auspiciousness to this brhmaa.
O thousand-spoked wheel! O master of the earth (idaspate)!
|| 9.5.5 ||
tva dharmas tvam ta satya
tva yajo 'khila-yaja-bhuk
tva loka-pla sarvtm
tva teja paurua param
You are religion, you are truth, you are sweet words, you are
sacrifice, and you are the enjoyer of the fruits of sacrifice.
You are the maintainer of the entire universe; you are soul
of all beings. You are prowess and the power of Viu.
tam means sweet words as in the example ta ca sunt v
satya ca sama-daranam.(SB 11.19.37) Pauruam means the
power of Viu.
|| 9.5.6 ||
nama sunbhkhila-dharma-setave
hy adharma-lsura-dhma-ketave
trailokya-gopya viuddha-varcase
mano-javydbhuta-karmae ge
SYNONYMS
O Sudarana, with an auspicious hub! I offer respects to you,
the upholder of all bhakti, an inauspicious comet for the
irreligious demons, the maintainer of the three worlds,
possessor of pure effulgence, traveling as quick as the mind,
performer of astounding works.
I offer respects to the maintainer of bhakti dharma. I, the cakra,
will give pain to the irreligious brhmaa who afflicted you. I offer
respects to the comet for irreligious demons. By these to
statements, irreligious brhmaas and religious demons are
excluded from protection and destruction respectively. O wheel with
beautiful hub! I offer respects since I am incapable of offering
prayers.
|| 9.5.7 ||
tvat-tejas dharma-mayena sahta
tama praka ca do mahtmanm
duratyayas te mahim gir pate
tvad-rpam etat sad-asat parvaram

O master of speech! By your effulgence, composed of

dharma, the darkness of the world is dissipated, and the
knowledge belonging great souls is manifested. Indeed, no
one can surpass your effulgence. All things, manifested and
unmanifested, superior and inferior, are but you various
forms.
You must cure this brhmaa who thought he had some effulgence
and powers. You destroy darkness by your effulgence, in the form
of vibhtis like the sun. You reveal knowledge belonging to the
great souls and all sight, by your effulgence. The universe is your
form, since you are the Lord. Other powerful entities cannot show
their power in another powerful object.
|| 9.5.8 ||
yad visas tvam anajanena vai
bala pravio 'jita daitya-dnavam
bhdarorv-aghri-irodhari
vcann ajasra pradhane virjase
O indefatigable one! When, sent by the Supreme Lord, you
enter among the soldiers of the demons, you stay on the
battlefield and incessantly cut off their arms, bellies, thighs,
legs and heads.
I desire to play with this brhmaa. No, your place of play is the
battle field of demons. O unconquered cakra! Sent by the Lord
(anajanena) you enter the ranks of the demonic troops. Another
version has praviorjita-daitya-dnavam: you enter the troops of
the strong demons. The sandhi is poetic license. You cut off their
arms and other limbs in the battle (pradhane).
|| 9.5.9 ||
sa tva jagat-tra khala-prahaye
nirpita sarva-saho gad-bht
viprasya csmat-kula-daiva-hetave
vidhehi bhadra tad anugraho hi na
O protector of the universe! As the form of all strength, you
are engaged by the Supreme Lord in killing the criminals.
For the benefit of our entire dynasty, as a favor to us, favor
this poor brhmaa.
I have been engaged by the Lord for killing your enemies. That is
not the only engagement. O deliverer of the universe! As the form
of all strength (sarva-saha) you have been engaged by the Lord for
killing the criminals. Sarva-saha can also mean the cakra which
tolerates all of our offenses. Therefore tolerate the offense of the

brhmaa. This brhmaa is not my enemy. Do something

auspicious for this brhmaa so that our dynasty can have good
fortune (daiva-hetave).
|| 9.5.10 ||
yady asti dattam ia v
sva-dharmo v svanuhita
kula no vipra-daiva ced
dvijo bhavatu vijvara
If our family has given charity to the proper persons, if we
have performed sacrifices, if we have properly carried out
our occupational duties, and if we have sheltered
brhmaas, may this brhmaa be freed from the burning
caused by Sudarana.
Seeing that the cakra would not give up pursuing Durvs,
Ambara makes an oath. Vipra-devam means if we are respectful
to brhmaas.
|| 9.5.11 ||
yadi no bhagavn prta
eka sarva-guraya
sarva-bhttma-bhvena
dvijo bhavatu vijvara
If the one Supreme Lord, the reservoir of all transcendental
qualities, is pleased with us, since he has love for all beings
as his very self, may this brhmaa be freed from the pain
of being burned.
Seeing the cakra disregard his oath, he made a stronger oath. If the
Lord is pleased with us, by his having love for all beings as if they
were his self, may the brhmaa be free from being burned.
|| 9.5.12 ||
r-uka uvca
iti sastuvato rjo
viu-cakra sudaranam
amyat sarvato vipra
pradahad rja-ycay
ukadeva Gosvm said: When the King offered prayers, the
Sudarana cakra which was burning the brhmaa
completely became peaceful because of the request.
Though the cakra was burning the brhmaa completely, it became
peaceful.

|| 9.5.13 ||
sa mukto 'strgni-tpena
durvs svastims tata
praaasa tam urva
yujna paramia
Durvs, freed from the fire of the Sudarana cakra, became
joyful, offered Ambara the highest blessings, and praised
the King.
|| 9.5.14 ||
durvs uvca
aho ananta-dsn
mahattva dam adya me
ktgaso 'pi yad rjan
magalni samhase
Durvs said: O King! Today I have witnessed the greatness
of the Lords devotees, for although I desired your bad
fortune, you have prayed for my good fortune.
Though I desired your misfortune (krgasa), you desired my good
fortune.
|| 9.5.15 ||
dukara ko nu sdhn
dustyajo v mahtmanm
yai saghto bhagavn
stvatm abho hari
What is impossible to do, and what is impossible to give up,
for devotees who have achieved the Supreme Lord, the
master of the pure devotees?
What mercy is impossible for them to give, and what offense is
impossible for them to overlook? Just as others take wealth, they
take the Lord. But the Lord, after being taken, steals their hearts.
|| 9.5.16 ||
yan-nma-ruti-mtrea
pumn bhavati nirmala
tasya trtha-pada ki v
dsnm avaiyate
What is impossible for the servants of the Lord, whose feet
are like holy places? Merely by hearing their names a
person becomes completely purified.
|| 9.5.17 ||

rjann anughto 'ha

tvaytikarutman
mad-agha phata ktv
pr yan me 'bhirakit
O King! I have been favored by you, who are so merciful
since you have overlooked my offenses and saved my life.
|| 9.5.18 ||
rj tam akthra
pratygamana-kkay
carav upasaghya
prasdya samabhojayat
Expecting the return of Durvs Muni, the King had not
taken his food. Therefore, when the sage returned, the King
fell at his feet, pleased him, and fed him sumptuously.
|| 9.5.19 ||
so 'itvdtam ntam
tithya srva-kmikam
tpttm npati prha
bhujyatm iti sdaram
Durvs Muni, after eating varieties of palatable food
brought with respect, was so satisfied that with great
affection he requested the King to eat also, saying, "Please
take your meal."
Durvs ate the food (tithyam) brought with respect.
|| 9.5.20 ||
prto 'smy anughto 'smi
tava bhgavatasya vai
darana-sparanlpair
tithyentma-medhas
I am very pleased, being favored by my intelligence, by your
hospitality, and by seeing, touching and speaking with you,
a great devotee of the Lord.
I have been favored by seeing you, and thus I am pleased. Asmi is
in the present tense. This indicates the previously I was not favored
by seeing you, and not pleased, since I became blind with anger and
created a demon to burn you, though you were sinless. If there is
seeing of the devotee arising from bhakti, caused by actions of the
devotee, then those events will give mercy to the brhmaas having
austerity and knowledge. There is no other way. I am the example
of that. If I did not have intelligence to accept the hospitality of

Ambara, how could I become saved? The pain inflicted by the

cakra was my great benefactor, delivering me from sasra, and
showing the path of bhakti.
|| 9.5.21 ||
karmvadtam etat te
gyanti sva-striyo muhu
krti parama-puy ca
krtayiyati bhr iyam
All the blessed women in the heavenly planets continuously
chant about your spotless activities at every moment, and
the people of this world will also chant your most purifying
glories continuously.
Avadtam means pure.
|| 9.5.22 ||
r-uka uvca
eva sakrtya rjna
durvs paritoita
yayau vihyasmantrya
brahmalokam ahaitukam
ukadeva Gosvm said: Thus being satisfied, Durvs took
permission and left, continuously glorifying the King.
Through the sky, he went to Brahmaloka, which is devoid of
dry reasoning.
Durvs went to Brahmaloka to speak to his friends who had
realized Brahman about his deliverance, the great influence of
bhakti and the devotees, and the Lord who is controlled by the
devotees. Ahaitukam means the place which is devoid of dry
reasoning.
|| 9.5.23 ||
savatsaro 'tyagt tvad
yvat ngato gata
munis tad-darankko
rjb-bhako babhva ha
As long as Durvs Muni had left the place of Mahrja
Ambara, and had not returnedfor one complete year
the King, desiring to see him again, had fasted, maintaining
himself simply by drinking water.
As long as the sage had gone and not returned, with one year
passing, he fasted.

|| 9.5.24 ||
gate 'tha durvsasi so 'mbaro
dvijopayogtipavitram harat
er vimoka vyasana ca vkya
mene sva-vrya ca parnubhvam
After one year, when Durvs Muni had returned, King
Ambara ate pure food remnants of a brhmaa. When the
King saw that the brhmaa Durvs had been released
from the great danger of being burned, he understood that
his power was the Lords power alone.
He took food purified by being remnants of a brhmaa. He
considered his qualities such as forbearance and his powers to be
only the power of the Lord.
|| 9.5.25 ||
eva vidhneka-gua sa rj
partmani brahmai vsudeve
kriy-kalpai samuvha bhakti
yayviricyn niray cakra
In this way, Mahrja Ambara, who was endowed with
varieties of qualities, performed bhakti to Vsudeva, who is
also Brahman and Paramtm, by all his activities. By this
he saw all material pleasures as hell.
Vsudeva contained Brahman, Paramtm and Bhagavn. By
activities such as cleaning the temple, he performed bhakti. By this
bhakti (yay) he considered all enjoyment (viricyt) as hell.
|| 9.5.26 ||
r-uka uvca
athmbaras tanayeu rjya
samna-leu visjya dhra
vana vivetmani vsudeve
mano dadhad dhvasta-gua-pravha
ukadeva Gosvm said: Thereafter, the learned Mahrja
Ambara, having destroyed the agitation of the guas,
divided his kingdom among his sons, who were equally
qualified, and entered the forest to concentrate his mind
fully upon Lord Vsudeva.
He entered the forest to concentrate his mind on Vsudeva.
|| 9.5.27 ||
ity etat puyam khynam
ambarasya bhpate

sakrtayann anudhyyan
bhakto bhagavato bhavet
O King! The person who chants this narration or even thinks
of this narration about the activities of Mahrja Ambara
certainly becomes a devotee of the Lord.
Even a householder can concentrate his mind perfectly on the Lord
as illustrated in SB 9.4.18. Devotees attracted to bhakti have the
nature of a merchant greedy for a great treasure. Just as the most
wealthy merchant, thinking himself to be poor, crossed the ocean to
earn money, the devotee makes all efforts to gain bhakti.
|| 9.5.28 ||
ambarasya carita
ye vanti mahtmana
mukti praynti te sarve
bhakty vio prasdata
By the grace of the Lord, people who with devotion hear
about the activities of Mahrja Ambara, the great
devotee, certainly become liberated by the mercy of Viu.
Thus ends the commentary on the Fifth Chapter of the Ninth Canto
of the Bhgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance
with the previous cryas.