Khatvang’s departure from Durgapur.
Khatvang’s departure from Durgapur.
In the morning at breakfast time, when King Khatvang was about to leave, Abhay, with tears in his eyes, humbly said to Him. 1.
‘Subjugated by your devotion, when Shri Hari comes to your town, please intimate us through a messenger.’ 2.
These days we are tormented by irreligious antagonists for no reason. Since we are troubled thus, it is not proper to leave this place. Otherwise we would have gone to Sharadharapur to have His Darshan. 3-4.
Tell us if you know of any such means, with the help of which these inimical forces will be destroyed earliest, so that we will be able to go to have His darshan at will. 5.
King Khatvang, the well-heard knowledgeable person said to him, ‘O best of the virtuous, mind this hymn of prayer to Ten Incarnations of the Lord Shri Hari, which I am telling you now.’ 6.
You will be freed from all worries and fears by reciting it at the hour of Krishna’s worship respectfully. 7.
Saying thus, he taught the following hymn, destroying all perils to Abhay, the most intelligent one who kept it well in his memory. 8.
The Hymn of Ten Incarnations.
Matsya Avatar:
He that saved King Satyavrata along with the great sages at the hour of deluge on earth by assuming the form of a huge fish, using earth as a boat, navigating it through the turbulent waters, narrated Matsyapuran to him, annihilated demon Hayagriva and brought back the Vedas for Brahma, may He take away all my miseries. 9.
Kurm Avatar:
The gods and demons churned the milky-ocean to obtain nectar to the exclusion of each other. The Mandra mountain served as a churning rod. Unsupported that it was, it began to sink in the waters. He that assumed the form of a Tortoise and held it on His back and who mercifully delivered the trophies of such churning to the wise sages, may He fulfill our wishes. 10.
Varah Avatar:
Assuming the form of a Cosmic Boar, He that killed Diti’s son Hiranyaksha in a combat and lifted the earth submerged in Rasatala; He in whose body all sacrifices are latent, who in the beginning of the Kalp (creation) established and augmented the entire institution of sacrifices and forms of worship for the emancipation of men from the cycle of rebirth as told by Him (to the goddess earth in Varahapurana), may He protect us at all times. 11.
Narsimah Avatar:
He that assumed the incarnation of Man-lion and killed Hiranyakasipu, the King of Asuras and protected Prahlada His intent devotee, and conferred happiness to the gods by reinstating their abode – the heavens – to them (from the clutches of the demons), may that fierce-looking Lord who bestows desired fruit to the devotees protect us all evils. 12.
Vaman Avatar:
Begging for a favour of three-pace earth from Bali through ruse, He that regained the sovereignty over three worlds for Indra in the incarnation of Vamana, and who later afforded full protection to Bali by appointing him a guard at His door, may that Lord Upendra the younger brother of Indra who oversaw the unhindered creation of Vaivasvata Manu banish our sins. 13.
Pasuram Avatar:
The Lord, who as Rama incarnate and born into the Bhrugu family, held a war-axe in His hand and, in twenty one campaigns, terminated emperor Kartavirya, his progeny and also the Ksatriya clan that was given to cruelty and unholy ways and presented the entire earth ocean-to-ocean to the gods-on-earth, the Brahmin preceptors (in sacrifice), and whose glories were sung by Siddhas and sages, may He save us from unruly rulers. 14.
Rama Avatar:
He that went on exile to the forest accompanied by his wife and Lakshman (son of Sumitra) in adherence to the command of His (plighted) father; He that built a bridge across the sea, and on His own valour destroyed Sita’s abductor Ravana the sovereign ruler of Lanka and his army; He that ascended the throne of Ayodhya – may that righteousness Rama lovingly protected His subjects as His own children. 15.
Krishna Avatar:
Annihilating Kamsa and other demon kings who had become a burden to the earth, He that protected the earth, the cows, the sages, the Brahmins and religion in every way; He whose acts are always for the good of the people; He the remover of the streams of all adversities – may that Lord Sri Krishna, the foremost of Yadus enrich us with dharmic conduct. 16.
Bhddha Avatar:
The Lord born as Buddha the enlightened, who deluded the intellects of the enemies of gods, established true ideals of the religion, protected multitude of His followers from the heretic forces, the ocean of mercy who is well known for his sacrifice without violence, bestower of purity of mind, savior of mankind to cross the ocean of transmigration – may he teach us to lead a peaceful life on earth. 17.
Kalki Avatar:
Towards the close of the Kali era, He that assumed the form of Kalki, rode a horse given by gods, bore a sword in his hand and coursed through the earth destroying countless sinful plunderers parading as kings. The touch of the fragrant air coursing from whose body stripes off vile thoughts that will render the minds of them all very pure. May He, the establisher of true religion guide us in this last phase of the time cycle. 18.
One who recites and/or listens to this hymn of Ten Incarnations of the Lord will be fearless and will face no trouble from water, hell, army of evil-doers and wild animals like tiger; will not go wayward or get caught in obscure places; will not be tortured by rulers, troops of enemies and even from ignorance (the root cause of all miseries) and also from Kali! Nevertheless those men, after the end of their worldly life, will reach that meritorious state by the grace of Shri Hari, the kind friend of the afflicted. 19.
Abhay worships Shri Hari intently; freed from fear.
Suvrat said:-
O King, saying thus, that king-sage proceeded to his town Karyayan. King Abhay with his family now got intently engaged in worship of Shri Hari. 20.
With his family members, he observed the vow of fasting on alternate days without using ghee, milk and sugar (Dharana-Parana) until Shri Hari-darshan. 21.
‘He, the in-dwelling Lord of all, the knower of all sentiments and ocean of compassion will come and make His presence here for us’ - with such firm faith they adored according to rituals, Sri Krishna, the world-guru incarnate on earth. 22 - 23.
As told by Khatvang, observing all the procedure of the vow, contemplating on Him, they venerated Him as their master, the devotee-loving Lord, with great devotion. 24.
Like forest-dwelling austere men who mostly observe fast by eating little food or just fruits, give no attention to their bodily habits though they were used to royal pleasures and treating the body as an insignificant clog of earth, with pure hearts they worshipped the Lord. 25 - 26.
The king entrusted his royal responsibilities to the chief minister and fully engaged himself in adoration of Krishna, listening to the discourses about the Lord and reciting hymns of praise at conclusion of everyday worship. 27.
Thus continuously contemplating and chanting His name every day, they visualized Him in their hearts, as was portrayed by King Khatvang. 28.
Nevertheless their desire to see Him in person which was getting intense by the day desiccated their bodies gradually. 29.
While they were devotedly engaged in worshipping Shri Hari day after day, O King, becoming pure at heart and longing for His Darshan, two and half months passed, and also troubles from enemy subsided. 30.
Thus ends the twenty sixth chapter entitled ‘Narration of hymn to ward off adversities and ways of worship of Shri Hari’ in the second Prakarana of Satsangijivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as ‘Dharmashastra’ (the rules of the code of conduct). 26
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