The Bhagavata Purana
by G. V. Tagare | 1950 | 780,972 words | ISBN-10: 8120838203 | ISBN-13: 9788120838208
This page describes Some Lilavataras and their work which is chapter 7 of the English translation of the Bhagavata Purana, one of the eighteen major puranas containing roughly 18,000 metrical verses. Topics include ancient Indian history, religion, philosophy, geography, mythology, etc. The text has been interpreted by various schools of philosophy. This is the seventh chapter of the Second Skandha of the Bhagavatapurana.
Chapter 7 - Some Līlāvatāras and their work
[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]
[Note: Vide Supra—Skandha 1.3.6-26]
Brahmā said:
1.[1] When the Infinite God assumed the Boar-form which was completely composed of sacrifices (yajñas), he determined to lift up the earth (which was sinking in the ocean). He, like Indra breaking down the mountains, tore down by his tusk the first demon (daitya Hiraṇyākṣa) who came upon him at the bottom of the sea.
2. Then he was born as a son of Ruci and Ākūti (and was) named Suyajña. He procreated from Dakṣiṇā, gods called Suyama. As he removed the troubles of the three worlds, he was called Hari (the remover) by (his maternal grandfather) Svāyambhuva Manu.
3.[2] Oh Brāhmaṇa! And, along with nine sisters, he was born in the family of Prajāpati Kardama from him and (his wife) Devahūti. He explained to his mother the knowledge of Ātman (Brahman) whereby she, in this very birth, washed off her impurities caused by the mud of association with Guṇas and reached liberation—the goal preached by Kapila or Sāṃkhya Philosophy.
4. To Atri who solicited an offspring (son), the glorious lord, being pleased, said, “I have offered myself (as a son) to you” and hence he was called Datta (one who is given). It is by the dust of his lotus-like feet that Yadus, Haihayas and others got their bodies (themselves) purified and attained excellence in Yoga, leading to prosperity here and hereafter.[3]
5. In the beginning (of the creation) when I performed penance with a desire to create various worlds and beings, He incarnated as the four sages whose names begin with Sana (Sanatkumāra, Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanātana), by my offering of my penance. He accurately explained the real nature of ātman or Brahma which was lost in the deluge of the previous Kalpa. Sages instantaneously realized the soul (Ātman) as soon as it (his explanation of the nature of the soul) was heard by them.
6. From Dharma and Mūrtī the daughter of Dakṣa, he incarnated as Nārāyaṇa and Nara. He was distinguished for his penance. The celestial damsels, the army of Kāma, the god of Love, having seen Ūrvaśī and other lovelier beauties created by him, were unable to disturb his austerities.
7. The great gods verily burn down Kāma, the god of Love, by their angry looks. But they cannot burn down the unbearable anger which consumes them. Such anger is afraid of even entering his pure heart. How can Kāma dare to enter his mind again?
8. The young Dhruva wounded by the arrow-like words uttered by his step-mother in the presence of (his father) King Uttānapāda, took to forest, for performing penance, even as a child. He, who was gracious unto him who praised him, gave an immovable place (dhruva sthāna) to him—a situation which is praised by celestial sages who stay above and below him. [Bhāvāratha Dīpikā explains that ‘sages in heaven’ implies the Great Bear or Bhṛgu and other sages].[4]
9. He, on being praised, saved king Vena who had gone astray and whose might and fortunes were destroyed by the thunderlike curses of Brāhmaṇas and who was falling in the hell. He became his son. In this incarnation he milked the earth of all kinds of wealth.[5]
10. He was born from king Nābhi and Sudevī (another name—Merudevī). He visualised Brahman everywhere and was unperturbed in self-realization with his mind and senses serene and controlled. Being free from attachment, he practised Yoga of undisturbed meditation (and so he appeared as inanimate object)—a state called by sages as the state of a paramahaṃsa.
11. That glorious lord incarnated in my sacrifice as Hayagrīva (horse-necked God), of complexion like gold. He is the Yajña Puruṣa (presiding deity of all sacrifices). He is the main object of worship in the Vedas (or Veda incarnate), the sacrifice incarnate (or for whose grace sacrifices are performed) and who is the soul of all the deities. From the breath of his nostrils beautiful words (i.e. Vedic hymns) came forth.
12. At the end of a Yuga, he was found by Vaivasvata Manu as a Fish who was the support of the earth (or who held the earth which was like a boat), and hence a refuge of all kinds of living beings. He collected the Vedas which fell down from my mouth in the waters, and joyfully sported in the terrible waters (of the deluge).
13. The first divinity in the form of Tortoise supported on his back, the mount Mandara which was the churning-rod, when the Gods and Demons (daityas) churned Kṣīrasāgara (the sea of milk). The movements of the mountain while churning were like scratching to him, in consequence of which he enjoyed a pleasant nap.[6]
14. He who removes the great terror of Gods[7], assumed the form of a Man-Lion of terrific appearance with rolling eyebrows and gnashing tusks. He seized and placed on his lap and tore down, in a moment, with his claws, the king of Daityas (Hiraṇyakaśipu) who with rage attacked him with a mace.[8]
15. The king o elephants which became distressed by his leg being caught by an extremely powerful crocodile, in a lake, held out a lotus in its trunk (to offer to the Lord), appealed to him thus: “Oh Primeval Man (the cause of the universe), the lord of all the worlds and beings, one of holy fame, whose name is very auspicious to the ears”.
16. Hari of incomprehensible nature, hearing the appeal, took his weapon, viz. the disc Sudarśana, mounted on the shoulder of Garuḍa (the lord of birds), cut asunder the jaw of the crocodile by the disc, and holding the elephant by his trunk dragged him out, by his grace.[9]
17. Although the youngest born son of Aditi, he (Viṣṇu) was the eldest (superior to them) in virtues and lord of Sacrifices. He covered the three worlds in his (three) strides, and in the form of Vāmana (a dwarf), he took over the earth under the pretext of requesting a land three feet in measure (because) kings who are going by the path of righteousness, are not to be removed except (under the pretext of) begging.
18. Bali, who sprinkled his head with the pure water of washing the feet of Vāmana, had no aspiration for sovereignty over gods. Oh beloved Nārada! He did not desire to do anything else but to fulfil his promise to the Lord and he offered himself by his head to Hari.[10]
19. Oh Nārada! The Lord, being pleased with your intense devotion, expounded to you the complete details of (bhakti) yoga and Bhāgavata which is the means to the knowledge (of ātmanj which is like a lamp (light) to the truth about soul, which devotees who take refuge to Vāsudeva understand with ease.
20. At the time of the changes of Manvantaras (period of Manu) for maintaining the continuity of Manu’s race, he maintains his unchallenged rule in ten quarters like the unobstructed Sudarśana Cakra. He brings discipline among wicked kings and by his deeds his enchanting fame reaches Satya-Ioka which is above the three worlds.
21. And the venerable Lord incarnated as Dhanvantari who is glory itself. By means of uttering his name (i.e. by the incantation of his nāma-mantra—Oṃ Śrī Dhanvantaraye namaḥ —he immediately cures diseases of persons afflicted with many ailments. He, who blesses (his devotees) with immortality, recovered his share in sacrifices which was denied to him (by Daityas). Having come down in this world, he taught it the science of medicine (Āyurveda—the Science of life).
22.[11] The great-souled one of terrific valour (Paraśurāma) twentyone times massacred with his axe of long sharp edge, the Kṣatriya-class which was like a thorn unto the world, and the destruction of which was ordained by fate and which (as if) being desirous of suffering pain in the hell, had left the Vedic way (of life), and hated Brāhmaṇas.
23. The Lord of Māyā who is favourably disposed to us, incarnated in the race of Ikṣvākus along with his parts (aṃśas like Bharata etc.). Abiding by his father’s order, he, along with his wife and younger brother, entered (stayed) in the forest where the ten-headed (Rāvaṇa) opposing him came to grief (met his death).
24. To him, who like Śiva, wanted to burn down the city of the enemy, the sea whose limbs of the body were trembling with fear, immediately gave passage (to cross it) when Rāma, by his fiery eyes reddened with rage, exploded on account of his distant sweet-heart, scorched the entire world of acquatic animals like crocodiles, serpents etc.[12]
25. While prominently moving between the two armies (his and Rāvaṇa’s), he (Rāma) will[13] quickly end the life anḍ the boastful laughter of Rāvaṇa[14], the abductor of his wife, and who governed various nations in all directions which were resplendent as the tusks of Indra’s elephant (Airāvata) which were broken (and were stuck in Rāvaṇa’s chest, when he dashed against his chest).[15]
26. In order to remove the distress of the earth which, was pounded by the armies of Daityas, he, of white and black hair[16], will be born (as Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa) by his own aṃśa (part or portion). He whose ways are incomprehensible to men, will perform deeds which will establish his greatness, i.e. supreme nature.
27. That as a child he sucked away the life of Pūtanā (Ulūkikā), and as a child of three months he upturned (and pounded to pieces) the cart (Śakaṭāsura) by his kick, and that while crawling on his knees between two Arjuna trees which were scraping the skies, he uprooted them—this would not have been possible on any other presumption (except that the child was the Almighty).
28. In Gokula, He will bring back to life the cattle of the Vraja and their cowherds who have drunk water mixed with poison, by showering gracious looks at them. He will sport in the river Yamunā for its purification and will drive out the serpent whose tongue always rolls about on account of the power of fierce poison.
29. It must be a miraculous deed, indeed, when in the forest of Muñja grass (on the night of Kāliyādamana) the summer-dry forest caught fire on all sides by forest-conflagration at night. He, of incomprehensible power will, along with Balarāma, save the whole Vraja which remained awake[17] expecting total annihilation, by calling upon them all to shut their eyes.
30. Whatever length of rope or material of binding him will be taken by his mother, it will not be sufficient to bind Him. Yaśodā, the cowherḍess, would be astounded to see fourteen worlds in his yawning mouth and (thus) awakened to or made aware of his greatness.
31. He will, rescue Nanda from the fear of Varuṇa’s noose. He will bring back the cowherds which were concealed in caves by Vyomāsura, the son of Maya. He will take to his world, viz. Vaikuṇṭha, the whole of Gokula, which spends the day in their daily work and which sleeps at night through utter exhaustion, (thus can spare no time for penance etc.).
32. When the cowherds will obstruct the sacrifice (dedicated to Indra) and when in order to drown the whole of Vraja, God Indra will pour down (torrential) rains, he, out of grace, with a desire to save the cattle, will sportively hold mount Govardhana for seven days, on his single hand, without any fatigue, as if it were some mushroom—even though he was a child of seven.
33. While playing in the forest at night which was bright on account of the rays of the moon, and while he is about to start the Rāsa dance, he will cut off the head of Śaṅkhacūḍa, the servant of Kubera who wanted to carry away the young damsel of Vraja in whom passion of love for Kṛṣṇa was aroused by songs with long drawn out musical notes, expressing sweet words.
34-35. And other evil persons such as Pralamba, Khara Dhenuka, Dardura, Keśi, Ariṣṭa, the mallas (athletes) like Cāṇūra, the elephant Kuvalayāpīḍa, Kaṃsa, Kālayavana, Narakāsura and Pauṇḍraka (a pretender of Vāsudeva) and others of whom Śālva, Kapi, Balvala, Dantavaktra and the Daityas in the form of seven bulls (of Nagnajit), Śambarāsura, Vidūratha, Rukmi and those kings who boastfully take up bows on the battlefield such as Kāmboja, Matsya, Kuru, Kaikaya, Sṛñjaya and others, would be killed by Hari in the form and names of Balarāma, Arjuna and Bhīma, and will go to his holy abode (Vaikuṇṭha), which is beyond the sight of men.
36. Considering that the Veda produced by him cannot be studied completely (from the beginning to the end) by men who, in course of time, will become of limited intellectual capacity, and of short span of life, he will take birth from Satya- vatī, and will divide the tree in the form of Veda into different branches, in every age (yuga).
37. Seeing that asuras (enemies of gods) who follow the path of Veda, will harass the world, travelling in cities moving with invisible velocity constructed by Māyā, he will assume the disguise of heretics, deluding the mind and attracting the hearts of asuras, he will extensively explain to them heretic doctrines.
38. At the end of the yuga, the Lord will incarnate and punish Kali when there will be no discussion about the deeds of Hari in the houses of the good ones, and when persons of the Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya and Vaiśya classes will be heretics, and Śūdras will be kings, and the words ‘Svāhā’, ‘Svadhā’ and ‘Vaṣaṭ’ will not be uttered at all (when Vedic rituals will not be performed).
39. At the beginning of creation, Tapas (penance), myself, sages and nine Prajāpatis; at the time of maintenance (of the universe), Dharma, sacrifice, Manu, gods and kings; at the time of destruction adharma (non-righteousness), Śiva, serpents characterised by wrath and vengeance and powerful asuras—these are the forms assumed by God of infinite powers, by his Māyā.
40.[18]. Can any wise or learned man who might have calculated all the particles of dust in the world, count the glorious or heroic deeds of Viṣṇu who stabilised with his support, the terribly tottering Satyaloka, on account of the irresistible velocity (while raising his leg in his Trivikrama incarnation) which shook the universe to its outermost envelop of Pradhāna where there is equilibrium of the guṇas (sattva, rajas, and tamas.)
41. Neither I nor these sages (like Marīci etc.) and your elder brothers (like Sanatkumāra etc.) know the extent of the power and the greatness of the Māyā of the Supreme Man. How can other people do? The first god Śeṣa, of one thousand mouths (and two thousand tongues) has not yet reached the ends of his excellent qualities of which he has been singing (from times immemorial).
42. Only those can go beyond and understand the real nature of God’s māyā—power which is very difficult to cross, if the infinite Lord is gracious unto them, and these devotees, with all their heart and soul, sincerely resort to his feet. Such persons are free from the idea or notion of “I and mine” (even in respect of their bodies), which are the eatables or food of dogs and jackals.
(Many persons, despite the absence of inner knowledge, know Māyā through Hari’s grace. For example).
43. Oh child, (through his grace) I know (the nature etc. of) the Yoga-māyā of the Supreme Lord. So do you (Sanaka, Sanandana etc.), God Śiva and Prahlāda, the chief of the Daityas, Svāyambhuva Manu and his wife Śatarūpā and their children, viz., Priyavrata, Uttānapāda and three daughters, Prācīnabarhis,[19] Ṛbhu,[20] and Dhruva.
44. Ikṣvāku,[21] Aila,[22] Mucukunda,[23] Videha (king Janaka), Gādhi,[24] Raghu,[25] Ambarīṣa,[26] Sagara,[27] Gaya,[28] Yayāti[29] and others; Mānḍhātṛ,[30] Alarka,[31] Śatadhanvan,[32] Anu,[33] Rantideva,[34] Devavrata (Bhīṣma), Bali, Amūrtaraya,[35] and Dilīpa;[36]
45. Saubhari,[37] Uttaṅka,[38] Śibi,[39] Devala,[40] Pippalāda,[41] great men Sārasvata,[42] Uddhava, Parāśara, Bhūriṣeṇa;[43] and many others viz. Vibhīṣaṇa, Hanūmān, Śuka, Arjuna, Ārṣṭiṣeṇa,[44] Vidura, Śrutadeva and others;
46. Verily they comprehend and cross over the māyā of God. And women, Śūdras, Hūṇas, Śabaras and even sinful souls (jīvas) like non-human beings, if they have got the training with regard to the virtuous character of the devotees of Hari of wonderful strides (in covering each world in a step as Trivikrama), can understand and go beyond the māyā. What to say about those (i.e. Brāhmaṇas and others eligible to study the Vedas) who can concentrate their minds on the form of the Lord (described) in the Vedas[45]?
47-48. That indeed is the essential form (nature) of the glorious Supreme Man which the learned ones call Brahman, which is eternally blissful and untouched by sorrow. It is eternal, serene, free from fear, of the nature of pure knowledge, untouched by impurities, sama (i.e. one without a second), beyond the pale of sat and asat (i.e. not related to the objects of senses and non-senses), which is the real principle of the Supreme Soul, beyond the reach of the words, i.e. the Vedas, wherein causative circumstances produce no fruit, and in whose presence māyā comes back (vanishes as if) blushed. Recluses, having concentrated their minds on him, give up their tools (means) of destroying their idea of difference, just as Indra, the god of rains, would ignore a spade for digging a well[46] (i.e. Indra himself being a god of rains, has no need of a spade for digging a well. Similarly those who visualise the Brahman in meditation, automatically rise above the notion of difference, and have no need to resort to other means to wipe out that notion).
49. He is the all-pervading lord who is a dispenser of all blessings on men. It is from him that the results of good actions which are done with the natural qualifications or duties (like śama, dama) of Brāhmaṇas and others accrue. (Or, from him comes forth the whole world—the effect produced by transformations which are the natural and specific characteristics of mahat and other principles, i.e. he is the dispenser of heaven etc). When the constituents of the body are disintegrated, the body is shattered, but not the internal element the ether. Similarly individual soul in the body is also not destroyed, for he has no birth nor death.
50. In this way, oh child, the glorious lord, the creator has been described to you in brief. Whatever is Sat or Asat (i.e. cause and effect or the manifest and the unmanifest) is not something different from Hari (everything proceeds from Hari)
51. This Bhāgavata which is narrated to me by the lord is only an epitome of the powers and glorious deeds of the lord. You extol them in details (to others).
52. After determining in your mind to make men devoted to the glorious Lord Hari who is the antaryāmin, (soul residing in all) and the support of all, describe Hari and his glories (with special emphasis on Hari’s sports).
53. The mind (Soul) of the person who describes the māyā of the Almighty or who gives his approbation to this or who always devoutly listens to this, is not bewildered by the māyā.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Vide infra III. chs 13-19.
[2]:
Infra III. chs. 24-33.
[3]:
ubhayīm—Leading to enjoyments in this world and liberation hereafter.
Subodhinī explains that the two-fold yogic accomplishment is (1) gradual liberation by possessing Siddhis (supernatural powers) like Aṇimā (power of atomization) etc. and (2) instantaneous liberation.
Subodhinī derives Atri as “sonless” or “one who desires three sons.”
[4]:
For details vide infra IV. Chapters 8 and 9.
[5]:
,, ,, ,, infra IV. Chapters 15-23.
[6]:
v.l. nidrekṣaṇa—whose eyes were half-closed with drowsiness.
[7]:
traiviṣṭa—whose laughter strikes terror in the hearts of gods.
[8]:
For details vide infra VII. Chapters 8 and 9.
[9]:
For details vide infra VIII. Chapters 2-4.
[10]:
For details vide infra VIII. Chapters 18-23.
[11]:
Vide infra IX. Chapters 15 & 16.
[12]:
Vide infra IX. Chapters 10 & 11.
[13]:
The epic-writer presumes that this dialogue between Brahmadeva and Nārada took place before the incarnation of Rāma, hence the use of future tense.
[14]:
Bhāvāratha Dīpikā gives the v.l. kakubjuṣa ūḍhahāsam [ūḍhahāsa]—It means: the boastful laugh of Rāvaṇa, who ruled over various countries in various directions which appeared brilliant with the pieces of tusks of Indra’s elephant, which had been scattered in all directions, when Indra’s elephant dashed against Rāvaṇa’s chest. Rāvaṇa, boastfully laughed and remarked whether the tusks so scattered have imitated his (white) glory of the conquest of directions.
[16]:
That God Viṣṇu sent His two hairs down to the earth as the incarnation of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma is repeated in the Mahābhārata. I. 196. 32-33, and Viṣṇu Purāṇa (Viṣṇu Purāṇa) 5.1.59.
Bhāvāratha Dīpikā explains that the white hair of the lord is not due to his old age as he is immutable. They show his personal charm only. Quoting Mahābhārata. (given above), he states that the white hair was born as Balarāma and the dark hair as Krṣṇa. These symbolic hair indicate the fair and dark complexions of the two brothers. The hair do not undervalue this incarnation as Kṛṣṇa’s the perfect incarnation Kṛṣṇastu Bhagavān svayam BH.P. 1.3.28. Viṣṇu wanted to show that the task of removing the distress of the earth by destroying the demonic forces is as easy as could be done by his hair.
Padaratnāvalī explains that hari was born by his aṃśa called Sita-Kṛṣṇa-Keśa (white-black-hair). In Nṛsiṃha Purāṇa these are stated to be the two powers of the Lord (Bhāvārtha-dīpikā-prakāśa)
[17]:
niḥśayāna: Bhāgavata Candrikā explains that Vraja was fast asleep at night and they awoke after their rescue. This is not supported by Bhāgavata Purāṇa X.19.7-1 2, where the cowherds are stated to have appealed to Kṛṣṇa for saving them from the fire.
[18]:
[19]:
Prācīnabarhis—Son of Harivardhana and Dhiṣaṇā: a Prajā- pati: married Sāmudrī (Savarṇā); had ten sons named Prācetasas. He knew the power of Viṣṇu’s Yoga—Purāṇa Index. 2.438.
[20]:
[21]:
Ikṣvāku—Son of Vaivasvata Manu; founder of Solar race of kings; reigned at Ayodhyā. Max Mïller thinks this to be the name of a people in the Ṛg Veda Saṃhitā.—DHM. 123.
[23]:
Mucukunda—Son of Māndhātṛ; helped gods against Asuras and got a boon of long uninterrupted sleep. Kālayavana who was lured into his cave by Kṛṣṇa, woke the sleeper who burnt him down by his fiery glance. Kṛṣṇa gave Mucukunda the power to go anywhere for enjoyment, but he went to Gandhamādana for penance. DHM. 210.
[24]:
Gādhi—A king of the Kuśika race and father of Viśvāmitra—DHM. 103.
[25]:
Raghu—a king of the Solar race; reigned at Ayoḍhyā; a famous ancestor of Dāśarathi Rāma—DHM. 252.
[26]:
[27]:
Sagara—a king of Ayodhyā of the Solar race; the horse let loose by him for Aśvamedha was carried off to Pātāla; his sixty thousand sons dug their way to Pātāla where they found the horse grazing near the sage Kapila who was engaged in meditation; thinking him to be the thief, they disturbed his meditation and were reduced to ashes by his fiery glance; he was noted for his generosity and the chasm dug by his sons and filled by the waters of the Ganges is called Sāgara (sea) after him.—DHM. 271-72.
[28]:
Gaya—A sage who knew the power of Viṣṇu’s yoga; Purāṇa Index. 1,514.
[29]:
Yayāti—the fifth king of the Lunar Race, Son of Naḥuṣa; married Devayānī and Śarmiṣṭhā; from the former was born Yaḍu, the founder of the Yādava clan, and from the latter Puru; the founder of the Paurava race. He became prematurely old by Śukra’s curse; he borrowed the youth from his son Puru, but later repenting, returned it to Puru and retired to forest for penance—DHM. 376-77.
[30]:
[31]:
Alarka—A pupil of Dattātreya; a sage who realised the force of Hari’s māyā.—Pi. 1.115
[32]:
Śatadhanvan.—A royal sage devoted to Viṣṇu—Bhāratīya Paurāṇika Kośa 306.
[33]:
Anu—A son of Ṣvāyambhuva Manu; knew the power of the yoga of Hari—Purāṇa Index. 1-56.
[34]:
Rantideva—A pious and benevolent king of the Lunar race; sixth in descent from Bharata; he was enormously rich, very religious, charitable and profuse in his sacrifices—DHM. 263.
[35]:
Amūrtaraya—A sage who had transcended the force of māyā—Purāṇa Index. 1-85.
[36]:
Dilīpa—Son of Aṃśumat and father of Bhagīratha; ancestor of Rāma; by serving the Nandini cow at the cost of his life, he was freed from the curse of Surabhi and a son, Raghu, was born to him—DHM. 92.
[37]:
Saubhari—A devout sage; married 50 daughters of king Mānḍhātṛ and had 150 sons; finding the vanity of saṃsāra he retired with his wives to the forest for penance—DHM. 289-90.
[38]:
[39]:
Śibi—A king famous for the offering of his own body to a hawk to save the life of a dove which had come to his refuge—ASD. 918.
[41]:
Pippalāda—a pupil of Devadarśa; the sage who communicated the Aṅgāra-vrata to Yudhiṣṭhira; came to see Parīkṣit practising prāyopaveśa; knew the yoga-power of Viṣṇu. Purāṇa Index. 2.333.
[42]:
[43]:
Bhūriṣeṇa—A sage who knew the Yoga power of Hari; son of Brahmasāvarni P1 2.578.
[44]:
[45]:
Śruta-dhāraṇa [dhāraṇaḥ] (1) Who can contemplate on the described object (Hari)—Bhāgavata Candrikā
(2) Men who can immediately concentrate upon the name and form learnt from the preceptor—VC.
(3) Those who can concentrate their minds upon the reality of the Soul as heard from the spiritual preceptor.—Siddhāntapradīpa