Adhyaya 9
Instruction on Dharma and Truth as Viṣṇu’s Own Nature (with Teaching on Impermanence and Detachment)
The chapter opens with Kaśyapa describing how the wise self, through meditation, withdraws from the fivefold activity of the elements. Since the body is ultimately abandoned and there is no enduring bond between prāṇa and the body, attachments to wealth, spouse, and children are to be understood as impermanent. The teaching then turns to theistic ethics: the Supreme Brahman is Viṣṇu, also named Brahmā and Rudra—the creator, protector, and dissolver—and His very form is Dharma. Dharma and satya (truth) uphold the gods; Viṣṇu’s grace attends those who practice and protect them, while the corruption of truth and righteousness brings sin and destruction. In the end, Diti accepts the counsel to abandon delusion and take refuge in dharma. Kaśyapa consoles her, and she regains composure.
Shlokas
Verse 1
कश्यप उवाच । एवं संबोधितस्तत्र आत्मा ध्यानादिकैस्तदा । त्यक्तुकामः स तत्कार्यं पंचात्मकं स बुद्धिमान्
Kaśyapa said: Thus instructed there, the self—through meditation and allied disciplines—then, being wise, desired to abandon its fivefold activity connected with the five elements.
Verse 2
निमित्तान्येव पश्यैव प्राप्य तांस्तान्प्रयाति सः । विहाय कायं निर्लक्ष्यं पतितं नैव पश्यति
Seeing only the omens, he reaches those destinations and departs. Abandoning the body—fallen and unrecognizable—he does not look back at it at all.
Verse 3
सहवर्द्धितयोर्नास्ति संबंधः प्राण देहयोः । धनपुत्रकलत्रैश्च संबंधः केन हेतुना
Even though they grow together, there is no lasting bond between the life-breath and the body. Then for what reason should there be any real bond with wealth, children, or spouse?
Verse 4
एवं ज्ञात्वा शमं गच्छ क्लैब्यं मा भज सुप्रिये । अयमेव परं ब्रह्म अयमेव सनातनः
Knowing this, enter into peace; do not resort to weakness, O beloved. He alone is the Supreme Brahman; He alone is the Eternal One.
Verse 5
अयमात्मस्वरूपेण दैत्य देवेषु संस्थितः । अयं ब्रह्मा अयं रुद्रो ह्ययं विष्णुः सनातनः
In his own essential nature, he abides among both the Daityas and the Devas. He is Brahmā; he is Rudra; indeed, he is Viṣṇu—the Eternal.
Verse 6
अयं सृजति विश्वानि अयं पालयते प्रजाः । संहरत्येष धर्मात्मा धर्मरूपी जनार्दनः
He creates the worlds; he protects the creatures. He too withdraws (dissolves them)—this righteous-souled Janārdana, whose very form is Dharma.
Verse 7
अनेनोत्पादिता देवा दानवाश्चैव सुप्रिय । देवाश्चाधर्मनिर्मुक्ता धर्महीनाः सुतास्तव
By this means, O beloved, both the gods and the Dānavas were brought forth. Yet the gods were freed from unrighteousness, while your sons were devoid of dharma.
Verse 8
धर्मोयं माधवस्यांगं सर्वदैवैश्च पालितम् । धर्मं च चिंतयेद्देवि धर्मं चैव तु पालयेत्
This dharma is a limb of Mādhava (Viṣṇu) and has been upheld by all the gods. Therefore, O Goddess, one should contemplate dharma—and indeed, one should also practice and protect dharma.
Verse 9
तस्य विष्णुः स धर्मात्मा सर्वदैव प्रसादवान् । धर्मेण वर्तिता देवाः सत्येन तपसा किल
For him, Viṣṇu—righteous-souled and ever gracious—was present. Indeed, the gods are sustained by dharma, by truth, and by ascetic discipline (tapas).
Verse 10
येषां विष्णुः प्रसन्नो वै धर्मस्तैरिह पालितः । विष्णोः कायमिदं धर्मं सत्यं हृदयमेव च
For those with whom Viṣṇu is truly pleased, dharma is practiced and protected here in this world. Dharma is the very body of Viṣṇu—truth is indeed His heart.
Verse 11
यस्तौ पालयते नित्यं तस्य विष्णुः प्रसीदति । दूषयेद्यः सत्यधर्मौ पापमेव प्रपालयेत्
He who continually upholds those two—truth and righteousness—wins the grace of Viṣṇu. But whoever corrupts truth and dharma truly nurtures only sin.
Verse 12
तस्य विष्णुः प्रकुप्येत नाशयेदतिवीर्यवान् । वैष्णवैः पालितं धर्मं तपः सत्येन संस्थितैः
Viṣṇu, supremely mighty, would become enraged with him and destroy him; for this is the dharma preserved by the Vaiṣṇavas, established through austerity (tapas) and grounded in truth.
Verse 13
तेषां प्रसन्नो धर्मात्मा रक्षामेवं करोति च । तव पुत्रा दनोः पुत्राः सैंहिकेयास्तथैव च
Pleased with them, that righteous-souled One grants protection in this very manner. (He safeguards) your sons, the sons of Danu, and likewise the Saiṁhikeyas as well.
Verse 14
अधर्मेणापि पापेन वर्तिताः पापचेतसः । सूदिता वासुदेवेन समरे चक्रपाणिना
Those of sinful mind, living by adharma and sin, were slain in battle by Vāsudeva, the wielder of the discus.
Verse 15
योसावात्मा मयोक्तः पूर्वमेव तवाग्रतः । सोयं विष्णुर्न संदेहो धर्मात्मा सर्वपालकः
That very Supreme Self whom I earlier described to you—here before you—indeed is Viṣṇu; there is no doubt. He is dharmic in essence and the protector of all.
Verse 16
दैत्यकायेषु यः स्वस्थः पापमेव समास्थितः । जघ्निवान्दानवान्देवि स च क्रुद्धो महामतिः
He who, though dwelling among the bodies of the Daityas, remained unshaken and firmly established in sin—O Goddess—he, that great-minded one, in anger slew the Dānavas.
Verse 17
स बाह्याभ्यंतरे भूत्वा तव पुत्रा निपातिताः । येन चोत्पादिता देवि तेनैव विनिपातिताः
Becoming both external and internal, he caused your sons to fall; and by the very one through whom they were brought forth, O Goddess, by that same one they were struck down.
Verse 18
नैषां मोहस्तु कर्तव्यो भवत्या वचनं शृणु । पापेन वर्तते योसौ स एव निधनं व्रजेत्
Do not be deluded about them; listen to my words. Whoever lives by sin—he alone goes to ruin, to death.
Verse 19
तस्मान्मोहं परित्यज्य सदाधर्मं समाश्रय । दितिरुवाच । एवमस्तु महाभाग करिष्ये वचनं तव
“Therefore, cast away delusion and ever take refuge in dharma.” Diti said, “So be it, O noble one; I shall do as you have spoken.”
Verse 20
कश्यपं च मुनिश्रेष्ठमेवमाभाष्य दुःखिता । संबोधिता सा मुनिना दुःखं संत्यज्य संस्थिता
Thus, in her sorrow, she addressed Kaśyapa, the foremost of sages. Instructed and consoled by the muni, she cast off her grief and became composed.