tat te ’nabhīṣṭam iva sattva-nidher vidhitsoḥ
tat te ’nabhīṣṭam iva sattva-nidher vidhitsoḥ
kṣemaṁ janāya nija-śaktibhir uddhṛtāreḥ
naitāvatā try-adhipater bata viśva-bhartus
tejaḥ kṣataṁ tv avanatasya sa te vinodaḥ
You, the ocean of sattva, who desire the welfare of the people and who weed out the opposers of dharma by your empowered kings, do not desire the destruction of dharma Since you are the lord of the three worlds and the maintainer of the universe, your power is not decreased though you act with humility to the brāhmaṇas. That humility is only your play.
“Let the Vedic path be destroyed. What do I care?” The destruction of the path (tat) is not desired by you, who desire good for the people, by giving them engagement in action. Or the dative case of janāya can have a genitive meaning: you desire the good of the people. By your powers, through kings in this world, you weed out the opposers of dharma. “But does not humility before lesser beings reduce power?” Your power is not reduced when you act with humility before the brāhmaṇas for the purpose of rescuing dharma. That humility is only your play.
|| 3.16.25||
yaṁ vānayor damam adhīśa bhavān vidhatte
vṛttiṁ nu vā tad anumanmahi nirvyalīkam
asmāsu vā ya ucito dhriyatāṁ sa daṇḍo
ye ’nāgasau vayam ayuṅkṣmahi kilbiṣeṇa
O Lord! We willingly accept what punishment or reward you allot to the door keepers. May the suitable punishment which we gave to the innocent door keepers by our curse be given to us!
Bowing to you with body, mind and words we make a request to you whose intentions are hard to understand. We accept whatever punishment you award to the gate keepers if you favor us brāhmaṇas, or whatever promotion in life you award them, if you are affectionate to your devotee door keepers. Do that as you wish, O Lord! May the curse we gave to them go to Rasātala! They then speak fearfully with tears and shaking bodies. Award fitting punishment to us, which we gave to the two sinless door keepers by our curse!
|| 3.16.26||
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