Srimad Bhagavatam - Summary and Study Guide - Sixth Canto
SB 6.1.6: Mahārāja Parīkṣit said: [...] tell me how human beings may be saved from having to enter hellish conditions [...]
Text 7: Śukadeva Gosvāmī replied: if before one’s next death whatever impious acts one has performed in this life with his mind, words and body are not counteracted through proper atonement according to the description of the Manu-saṁhitā and other dharma-śāstras, one will certainly enter the hellish planets after death [...]
Text 8: Therefore, before one’s next death comes, [...] one should quickly adopt the process of atonement [...]
Text 9: Mahārāja Parīkṣit said: [...] one is forced to commit sins again and again, even after performing acts of atonement. Therefore, what is the value of such atonement?
Text 10: Sometimes one who is very alert so as not to commit sinful acts is victimized by sinful life again. I therefore consider this process of repeated sinning and atoning to be useless.
Text 15: Śukadeva Gosvāmī answered: Only a rare person who has adopted complete, unalloyed devotional service to Kṛṣṇa can uproot the weeds of sinful actions with no possibility that they will revive.
MGDAS: Sukadeva Gosvami then goes on to explain the power of devotional service by describing the history of Ajamila.
SB 6.4.1-2: Mahārāja Parīkṣit said to Śukadeva Gosvāmī: My dear lord, the demigods, demons, human beings, Nāgas, beasts and birds were created during the reign of Svāyambhuva Manu. You have spoken about this creation briefly [in the Third Canto]. Now I wish to know about it elaborately. I also wish to know about the potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by which He brought about the secondary creation.
Here we are reminded that we continue to hear from Sūta Gosvāmī talking to the great sages assembled at Naimiṣāraṇya.
Now Sukadeva Gosvami relates the story of the ten sons of Prācīnabarhi, the Pracetas. After their meditation in the Lavana-sagara they saw the whol Bhu-mandala was filled with trees that blocked the way to svarga loka (the heavenly planets), and they became angry and burned them.
After some time Soma came down and tried to stop them.
My dear King, after thus (see SB 6.4.7 - SB 6.4.15) pacifying the Pracetās, Soma, the king of the moon, gave them the beautiful girl born of Pramlocā Apsarā. The Pracetās all received Pramlocā’s daughter, who had high, very beautiful hips, and married her according to the religious system.
Text 17: In the womb of that girl the Pracetās all begot a son named Dakṣa, who filled the three worlds with living entities.
The Sukadeva Gosvami comes to the point and answers Maharaja Pariksits question: Please hear from me with great attention how Prajāpati Dakṣa, [...] created different types of living entities through his semen and through his mind.
He explains that King Daksa meditated in the Vindhya mountain range in Aghamarṣaṇa, and he recited the Haṁsa-guhya prayers (SB 6.4.23 -SB 6.4.34), and he obtained the darsan of the Lord.
Text 51 The Supreme Personality of Godhead asked Daksa: O My dear son Dakṣa, Prajāpati Pañcajana has a daughter named Asiknī, whom I offer to you so that you may accept her as your wife [and] [...] you will be able to beget hundreds of children in the womb of this girl to increase the population.
Prajāpati Dakṣa begot ten thousand sons in the womb of Pāñcajanī [Asiknī]. [...] these sons were called the Haryaśvas.
[A]fter hearing the instructions of Nārada, the Haryaśvas [...] followed the path by which one never returns to this world.
[Then] Dakṣa begot one thousand more children in the womb of his wife, Pāñcajanī. This time his sons were known as the Savalāśvas.
Nārada Muni also instructed these sons.
The sons of Dakṣa followed their elder brothers. Not attempting to produce children, they engaged themselves in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Then Daksa cursed Narada Muni.
Text 43: You have made me lose my sons once, and now you have again done the same inauspicious thing. Therefore you are a rascal who does not know how to behave toward others. You may travel all over the universe, but I curse you to have no residence anywhere.
[T]hereafter, at the request of Lord Brahmā, Prajāpati Dakṣa, [...] begot sixty daughters in the womb of his wife Asiknī.
This chapter describes their marriages and off-spring. Most notably to Yamaraja He gave ten daughters in charity to Dharmarāja [Yamarāja].
Later the text explains:
[A]ṁjñā, the wife of Vivasvān, the sun-god, gave birth to the Manu named Śrāddhadeva, and the same fortunate wife also gave birth to the twins Yamarāja and the river Yamunā.
This Yamaraja will serve in Pitr-loka, at the bottom of the universe and is the brother of the present Manu.
The other Yamaraja or Dharmaraja is the God of Dharma and born from Lord Brahma's chest, and is one of the Dikpalas, he resides on Mount Meru.
Then at the end of the chapter Sukadeva Gosvami explains:
Although Viśvarūpa was the son of the daughter of their eternal enemies the demons, the demigods accepted him as their priest in accordance with the order of Brahmā when they were abandoned by their spiritual master, Bṛhaspati, whom they had disrespected.
Then the following chapter Maharaja Pariksit asks:
Mahārāja Parīkṣit inquired from Śukadeva Gosvāmī: O great sage, why did the spiritual master of the demigods, Bṛhaspati, reject the demigods, who were his own disciples? What offense did the demigods commit against their spiritual master? Please describe to me this incident.
[A]lthough Indra saw his spiritual master before him, he did not [...] offer him a respectful welcome.
Indra [...] could immediately understand his mistake.
Text 18: Hearing of the pitiable condition of King Indra, the demons, following the instructions of their guru, Śukrācārya, equipped themselves with weapons and declared war against the demigods.
Text 19: The demigods’ heads, thighs and arms and the other parts of their bodies were injured by the sharp arrows of the demons. The demigods, headed by Indra, saw no other course than to immediately approach Lord Brahmā with bowed heads for shelter and proper instruction.
Text 25: O demigods, I instruct you to approach Viśvarūpa, the son of Tvaṣṭā, and accept him as your guru. [...]
Text 26: Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: Thus advised by Lord Brahmā and relieved of their anxiety, all the demigods went to the sage Viśvarūpa, the son of Tvaṣṭā. [...]
Visvarupa said:
Text 37: All of you are my superiors. Therefore although accepting priesthood is sometimes reproachable, I cannot refuse even a small request from you. I agree to be your priest. [...]
Text 39: [...] Viśvarūpa composed a protective prayer known as the Nārāyaṇa-kavaca. By this intelligent mantra, he took away the opulence of the demons and gave it to Mahendra, the King of heaven.
Chapter eight is the Nārāyaṇa-kavaca Shield.
Afterwards Indra conquered the demons.
Text 4: Once upon a time, however, the King of heaven, Indra, understood that Viśvarūpa was secretly cheating the demigods by offering oblations on behalf of the demons. He became extremely afraid of being defeated by the demons, and in great anger at Viśvarūpa he cut Viśvarūpa’s three heads from his shoulders.
Text 11: After Viśvarūpa was killed, his father, Tvaṣṭā, performed ritualistic ceremonies to kill Indra. He offered oblations in the sacrificial fire, saying, “O enemy of Indra, flourish to kill your enemy without delay.”
Text 12: Thereafter, from the southern side of the sacrificial fire known as Anvāhārya came a fearful personality who looked like the destroyer of the entire creation at the end of the millennium.
Text 18: That very fearful demon, who was actually the son of Tvaṣṭā, covered all the planetary systems by dint of austerity. Therefore he was named Vṛtra, or one who covers everything.
Text 19: The demigods, headed by Indra, charged the demon with their soldiers, striking him with their own transcendental bows and arrows and other weapons but Vṛtrāsura swallowed all their weapons.
Text 20: Struck with wonder and disappointment upon seeing the strength of the demon, the demigods lost their own strength. Therefore they all met together to try to please the Supersoul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, by worshiping Him.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, said:
Text 51: O Maghavan [Indra], all good fortune unto you. I advise you to approach the exalted saint Dadhyañca [Dadhīci]. He has become very accomplished in knowledge, vows and austerities, and his body is very strong. Go ask him for his body without delay.
Text 52: That saintly Dadhyañca, who is also known as Dadhīci, personally assimilated the spiritual science and then delivered it to the Aśvinī-kumāras. [...]
Text 53: Dadhyañca’s invincible protective covering known as the Nārāyaṇa-kavaca was given to Tvaṣṭā, who delivered it to his son Viśvarūpa, from whom you have received it. Because of this Nārāyaṇa-kavaca, Dadhīci’s body is now very strong. You should therefore beg him for his body.
Text 54: When the Aśvinī-kumāras beg for Dadhyañca’s body on your behalf, he will surely give it because of affection. [...] When Dadhyañca awards you his body, Viśvakarmā will prepare a thunderbolt from his bones. This thunderbolt will certainly kill Vṛtrāsura because it will be invested with My power.
Text 55: When Vṛtrāsura is killed because of My spiritual strength, you will regain your strength, weapons and wealth. Thus there will be all good fortune for all of you. Although Vṛtrāsura can destroy all the three worlds, do not fear that he will harm you. He is also a devotee and will never be envious of you.
Text 2: O King Parīkṣit, following the Lord’s instructions, the demigods approached Dadhīci, the son of Atharvā. He was very liberal, and when they begged him to give them his body, he at once partially agreed.
Text 11: Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Dadhīci Muni, the son of Atharvā, thus resolved to give his body to the service of the demigods. He placed himself, the spirit soul, at the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and in this way gave up his gross material body made of five elements.
Texts 13-14: Thereafter, King Indra very firmly took up the thunderbolt manufactured by Viśvakarmā from the bones of Dadhīci. Charged with the exalted power of Dadhīci Muni and enlightened by the power of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Indra rode on the back of his carrier, Airāvata, surrounded by all the demigods, while all the great sages offered him praise. Thus he shone very beautifully, pleasing the three worlds as he rode off to kill Vṛtrāsura.
Text 15: [...] Indra angrily and with great force attacked Vṛtrāsura, who was surrounded by the leaders of the demoniac armies.
Text 16: Thereafter, at the end of Satya-yuga and the beginning of Tretā-yuga, a fierce battle took place between the demigods and the demons on the bank of the Narmadā.
This Narmada river is one of the seven rivers that are flowing in Bharata-varsa, part of Jambhudvipa, the middle of Bhu-mandala, this middle planetary system. The sevne rivers are: Ganga (also called Alakanandā and Bhāgīrathī), Yamuna, Godavari, Saraswati, Narmada, Sindhu, Kaveri.
The asuras [...] found all their endeavors futile. Leaving aside their leader [Vrtasura] even in the very beginning of the fight, they decided to flee [...].
Texts 2-3: [T]he demigods [...] attacked the army of the demons from the rear and began driving away the demoniac soldiers [...].
Text 6: Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Vṛtrāsura, the angry and most powerful hero, terrified the demigods with his stout and strongly built body. When he roared with a resounding voice, nearly all living entities fainted.
MGDAS: Then Indra fought Vrtasura
Text 23: Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Vṛtrāsura and King Indra spoke about devotional service even on the battlefield, and then as a matter of duty they again began fighting. My dear King, both of them were great fighters and were equally powerful.
Texts 27-29: [Vrtasura] came before Indra and swallowed him[...].
Text 32: With his thunderbolt, King Indra [...] pierced through Vṛtrāsura’s abdomen and came out. Indra, the killer of the demon Bala, then immediately cut off Vṛtrāsura’s head [...]
Text 33: Although the thunderbolt revolved around Vṛtrāsura’s neck with great speed, separating his head from his body took one complete year — 360 days, the time in which the sun, moon and other luminaries complete a northern and southern journey. Then, at the suitable time for Vṛtrāsura to be killed, his head fell to the ground.
Text 35: O King Parīkṣit, subduer of enemies, the living spark then came forth from Vṛtrāsura’s body and returned home, back to Godhead. While all the demigods looked on, he entered the transcendental world to become an associate of Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa.
Text 1: Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King Parīkṣit, who are so charitably disposed, when Vṛtrāsura was killed, all the presiding deities and everyone else in the three planetary systems was immediately pleased and free from trouble — everyone, that is, except Indra.
Text 3: Mahārāja Parīkṣit inquired from Śukadeva Gosvāmī: O great sage, what was the reason for Indra’s unhappiness? I wish to hear about this. When he killed Vṛtrāsura, all the demigods were extremely happy. Why, then, was Indra himself unhappy?
Text 5: King Indra replied: When I killed Viśvarūpa, I received extensive sinful reactions, but I was favored by the women, land, trees and water, and therefore I was able to divide the sin among them. But now if I kill Vṛtrāsura, another brāhmaṇa, how shall I free myself from the sinful reactions?
Text 6: Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Hearing this, the great sages replied to King Indra, “O King of heaven, all good fortune unto you. Do not fear. We shall perform an aśvamedha sacrifice to release you from any sin you may accrue by killing the brāhmaṇa.”
Text 11: Following the advice of the demigods, Indra killed Vṛtrāsura, and he suffered because of this sinful killing. Although the other demigods were happy, he could not derive happiness from the killing of Vṛtrāsura. Indra’s other good qualities, such as tolerance and opulence, could not help him in his grief.
Texts 12-13: Indra saw personified sinful reaction chasing him, appearing like a caṇḍāla woman, a woman of the lowest class. She seemed very old, and all the limbs of her body trembled. Because she was afflicted with tuberculosis, her body and garments were covered with blood. Breathing an unbearable fishy odor that polluted the entire street, she called to Indra, “Wait! Wait!”
Text 14: O King, Indra first fled to the sky, but there also he saw the woman of personified sin chasing him. This witch followed him wherever he went. At last he very quickly went to the northeast and entered the Mānasa-sarovara Lake.
Text 15: Always thinking of how he could be relieved from the sinful reaction for killing a brāhmaṇa, King Indra, invisible to everyone, lived in the lake for one thousand years in the subtle fibers of the stem of a lotus. The fire-god used to bring him his share of all yajñas, but because the fire-god was afraid to enter the water, Indra was practically starving.
Text 17: Indra’s sins were diminished by the influence of Rudra, the demigod of all directions. Because Indra was protected by the goddess of fortune, Lord Viṣṇu’s wife, who resides in the lotus clusters of Mānasa-sarovara Lake, Indra’s sins could not affect him. Indra was ultimately relieved of all the reactions of his sinful deeds by strictly worshiping Lord Viṣṇu. Then he was called back to the heavenly planets by the brāhmaṇas and reinstated in his position.
Text 18: O King, when Lord Indra reached the heavenly planets, the saintly brāhmaṇas approached him and properly initiated him into a horse sacrifice [aśvamedha-yajña] meant to please the Supreme Lord.
Text 21: [...] Thus Indra regained his exalted position and was again honored by everyone.
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