Real Beauty Comes From Virtuous Qualities

2011-03-13
Srimad Bhagavatam 09.15.32-40 - Real Beauty Comes From Virtuous Qualities (download mp3)
by Radha Gopinath Prabhu at ISKCON Chowpatty
www.iskcondesiretree.net




SB 9.15.32
drstva sva-sainyam rudhiraugha-kardame
ranajire rama-kuthara-sayakaih
vivrkna-varma-dhvaja-capa-vigraham
nipatitam haihaya apatad rusa

Translation: 
By manipulating his axe and arrows, Lord Parasurama cut to pieces the shields, flags, bows and bodies of Kartaviryarjuna's soldiers, who fell on the battlefield, muddying the ground with their blood. Seeing these reverses, Kartaviryarjuna, infuriated, rushed to the battlefield.

SB 9.15.33
atharjunah paƱca-satesu bahubhir
dhanuhsu banan yugapat sa sandadhe
ramaya ramo 'stra-bhrtam samagranis
tany eka-dhanvesubhir acchinat samam

Translation: 
Then Kartaviryarjuna, with his one thousand arms, simultaneously fixed arrows on five hundred bows to kill Lord Parasurama. But Lord Parasurama, the best of fighters, released enough arrows with only one bow to cut to pieces immediately all the arrows and bows in the hands of Kartaviryarjuna.

SB 9.15.34
punah sva-hastair acalan mrdhe 'nghripan
utksipya vegad abhidhavato yudhi
bhujan kutharena kathora-nemina
ciccheda ramah prasabham tv aher iva

Translation: 
When his arrows were cut to pieces, Kartaviryarjuna uprooted many trees and hills with his own hands and again rushed strongly toward Lord Parasurama to kill him. But Parasurama then used his axe with great force to cut off Kartaviryarjuna's arms, just as one might lop off the hoods 
of a serpent.

SB 9.15.35-36
krtta-bahoh siras tasya
gireh srngam ivaharat
hate pitari tat-putra
ayutam dudruvur bhayat
agnihotrim upavartya
savatsam para-vira-ha
samupetyasramam pitre
pariklistam samarpayat

Translation: 
Thereafter, Parasurama cut off like a mountain peak the head of Kartaviryarjuna, who had already lost his arms. When Kartaviryarjuna's ten thousand sons saw their father killed, they all fled in fear. Then Parasurama, having killed the enemy, released the kamadhenu, which had undergone great suffering, and brought it back with its calf to his residence, where he gave it to his father, Jamadagni.

SB 9.15.37
sva-karma tat krtam ramah
pitre bhratrbhya eva ca
varnayam asa tac chrutva
jamadagnir abhasata

Translation: 
Parasurama described to his father and brothers his activities in killing Kartaviryarjuna. Upon hearing of these deeds, Jamadagni spoke to his son as follows.

SB 9.15.38
rama rama mahabaho
bhavan papam akarasit
avadhin naradevam yat
sarva-devamayam vrtha

Translation: 
O great hero, my dear son Parasurama, you have unnecessarily killed the king, who is supposed to be the embodiment of all the demigods. Thus you have committed a sin.

SB 9.15.39
vayam hi brahmanas tata
ksamayarhanatam gatah
yaya loka-gurur devah
paramesthyam agat padam

Translation: 
My dear son, we are all brahmanas and have become worshipable for the people in general because of our quality of forgiveness. It is because of this quality that Lord Brahma, the supreme spiritual master of this universe, has achieved his post.

SB 9.15.40
ksamaya rocate laksmir
brahmi sauri yatha prabha
ksaminam asu bhagavams
tusyate harir isvarah

Translation: 
The duty of a brahmana is to culture the quality of forgiveness, which is illuminating like the sun. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, is pleased with those who are forgiving.

Purport: 
Different personalities become beautiful by possessing different qualities. Canakya Pandita says that the cuckoo bird, although very black, is beautiful because of its sweet voice. Similarly, a woman becomes beautiful by her chastity and faithfulness to her husband, and an ugly person becomes beautiful when he becomes a learned scholar. In the same way, brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas and sudras become beautiful by their qualities. Brahmanas are beautiful when they are forgiving, ksatriyas when they are heroic and never retreat from fighting, vaisyas when they enrich cultural activities and protect cows, and sudras when they are faithful in the discharge of duties pleasing to their masters. Thus everyone becomes beautiful by his special qualities. And the special quality of the brahmana, as described here, is forgiveness.