Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 9, Chapter 13, Texts 4 & 5 titled “Vasistha vs. Vishvamitra”. Dallas, TX 2010-07-12

Srimad Bhagavatam 9.13.4

sishya–vyatikramam vikshya

tam nirvartyagato guruh

asapat patatad deho

nimeh pandita–maninah

TRANSLATION

After completing the sacrificial performance for King Indra, the spiritual master Vasishtha returned and found that his disciple Maharaja Nimi had disobeyed his instructions. Thus Vasishtha cursed him, saying, “May the material body of Nimi, who considers himself learned, immediately fall.”

Srimad Bhagavatam 9.13.5

nimih pratidadau sapam

gurave ‘dharma–vartine

tavapi patatad deho

lobhad dharmam ajanatah

TRANSLATION

For unnecessarily cursing him when he had committed no offense, Maharaja Nimi countercursed his spiritual master. “For the sake of getting contributions from the King of heaven,” he said, “you have lost your religious intelligence. Therefore I pronounce this curse: your body also will fall.”

PURPORT

The religious principle for a brahmana is that he should not be greedy at all. In this case, however, for the sake of more lucrative remunerations from the King of heaven, Vasishtha neglected Maharaja Nimi‘s request on this planet, and when Nimi performed the sacrifices with other priests, Vasishtha unnecessarily cursed him. When one is infected by contaminated activities, his power, material or spiritual, reduces. Although Vasishtha was the spiritual master of MaharajaNimi, because of his greed he became fallen.

SB 09.13.04-5 Vasistha Vs Vishvamitra 2010-07-12

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Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 10, Chapter 1, Text 23 titled “Entrances and Exits”.

Dallas, TX
2010-12-16

Srimad Bhagavatam 10.1.23

vasudeva–grihe sakshad

bhagavan purushah parah

janishyate tat-priyartham

sambhavantu sura–striyah

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, who has full potency, will personally appear as the son of Vasudeva. Therefore all the wives of the demigods should also appear in order to satisfy Him.

PURPORT

In Bhagavad-gita (4.9) the Lord says, tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti: [Bg. 4.9] after giving up the material body, the devotee of the Lord returns home, back to Godhead. This means that the devotee is first transferred to the particular universe where the Lord is at that time staying to exhibit His pastimes. There are innumerable universes, and the Lord is appearing in one of these universes at every moment. Therefore His pastimes are called nitya–lila, eternal pastimes. The Lord’s appearance as a child in the house of Devaki takes place continuously in one universe after another. Therefore, the devotee is first transferred to that particular universe where the pastimes of the Lord are current. As stated in Bhagavad-gita, even if a devotee does not complete the course of devotional service, he enjoys the happiness of the heavenly planets, where the most pious people dwell, and then takes birth in the house of a suci or sriman, a pious brahmana or a wealthy vaisya (sucinam srimatam gehe yoga-bhrashto ‘bhijayate). Thus a pure devotee, even if unable to execute devotional service completely, is transferred to the upper planetary system, where pious people reside. From there, if his devotional service is complete, such a devotee is transferred to the place where the Lord’s pastimes are going on. Herein it is said, sambhavantu sura–striyah. Sura–stri, the women of the heavenly planets, were thus ordered to appear in the Yadu dynasty in Vrindavana to enrich the pastimes of Lord Krishna. These sura–stri, when further trained to live with Krishna, would be transferred to the original Goloka Vrindavana. During Lord Krishna‘s pastimes within this world, the sura–stri were to appear in different ways in different families to give pleasure to the Lord, just so that they would be fully trained before going to the eternal Goloka Vrindavana. With the association of Lord Krishna, either at Dvaraka–puri, Mathura–puri or Vrindavana, they would certainly return home, back to Godhead. Among the sura–stri, the women of the heavenly planets, there are many devotees, such as the mother of the Upendra incarnation of Krishna. It was such devoted women who were called for in this connection.

SB 10.01.23 Entrances And Exits 2010-12-16

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