Text 31: Please also describe the imperfections and contradictions of the faithless atheists, the situation of crossbreeding, and the movements of the living entities in various species of life according to their particular modes of nature and work.
Text 32: You may also describe the noncontradictory causes of religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and salvation and also the different means of livelihood and different processes of law and order as mentioned in the revealed scriptures.
Text 33: Please also explain the regulations for offering respects to the forefathers, the creation of the Pitṛloka, the time schedule in the planets, stars and luminaries, and their respective situations.
Text 34: Please also describe the fruitive results of charity and penance and of digging reservoirs of water. Please describe the situation of persons who are away from home and also the duty of a man in an awkward position.
Text 35: O sinless one, because the Personality of Godhead, the controller of all living entities, is the father of all religion and all those who are candidates for religious activities, kindly describe how He can be completely satisfied.
Śrīdhara Svāmi-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā Vyākhyā
The paths of heretics, their activities, that is their discord. ||31|| * * Causes and means without mutual contradiction. ||32|| The position of planets etc. in the wheel of time. ||33|| 34|| * By which path one would be satisfied. Of whom, meaning of what kind. ||35||
Śrī Vaṃśīdhara-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā Prakāśa Vyākhyā
Or the discord of intellect that arises from heresy, which has the marks of unrighteousness. The entry of all into Brahman in reverse order, meaning in reverse of the order of creation, that is dissolution. Or, the reverse entry meaning the marriage of Brahmin and other girls to Kshatriyas etc. Ya means of what kind, how many, meaning of what number, born from the qualities like sattva and actions as causes. ||31|| The method of vārtā (agriculture etc.), daṇḍanīti (royal duties mentioned in political treatises), śruta (Vedic injunctions). ||32|| * * Tārā means stars like Dhruva etc., of time divisions meaning of time particles like paramāṇu etc. ||33|| * * Puṃsa means of humans in general. ||34|| * * In the reading "me'nagha", me means to me. Dharmasya yoni means the cause, the creator as the upholder of the world, meaning Janārdana fulfills desires of devotees with desires, and afflicts pure devotees with remorse arising from love. The meaning is - he should explain what is the means of his grace, and who are qualified for it. ||35||
Śrī Rādhā Ramaṇa dāsa Gosvāmi Viracitā Dīpanī Vyākhyā
Pratilomāḥ means those born of reverse order like sūta, vaideha etc., their niveśana means inclination, gati means destinations, yāvatīḥ means of what number. ||31|| * * Vārtāyāḥ means of the four types like agriculture etc., śrutasya means of hearing of scriptures, vidhiṃ means method. ||32|| 33|| 34|| * * Ekam is neuter gender in a general sense. The meaning is that path, cause of grace, and qualification of the eligible. ||35, 36||
Śrīmad Vīrarāghava Vyākhyā
Pākhaṇḍānāṃ means of those outside the Vedic fold, panthāḥ means inclination, its vaiṣamya means reverse entry, arrangement of those born of reverse order of castes, and the destinations or fruits born of the qualities like sattva and actions of the soul. ||31|| Of dharma etc. without contradiction, by mutual non-contradiction, nimittāni means methods, vārtāyāḥ means of occupations like agriculture etc., daṇḍanīteḥ means of the science of punishment which is instruction for the welfare of people, of that policy or justice, śrutasya means of Vedic injunctions like sandhyā worship etc., separately the method. ||32|| O Brahman Maitreya! The creation of ancestors like Aryamā etc., grahāḥ means the nine planets like Sun etc., nakṣatrāṇi means constellations like Aśvinī etc., tārāḥ means other stars, their position in time divisions means their position as delimiters of time divisions. ||33|| * The fruit of charity, austerity, difficult vows like cāndrāyaṇa etc., of iṣṭāpūrta meaning Vedic and Smārta rituals, and also the dharma to be followed by one staying abroad in another country, and also the dharma to be followed by a person in calamity or distress. ||34|| * * Janārdana, the promoter of dharma, the inner self of people, the Lord, by which path he would be pleased, to whom of what kind he becomes gracious, explain all this to me, narrate O sinless Maitreya! ||35||
Śrīmad Vijayadhvaja Tīrtha-kṛtā Pada Ratnāvalī Vyākhyā
Yāvatīr means as many, tāvatīr is to be supplied, born from qualities like sattva and actions, nimittāni means means, without contradiction means by mutual non-contradiction. ||31|| * * Vārtāyā means of trade etc., daṇḍanīteḥ means of royal duties mentioned in political treatises, śrutasya means mentioned in Vedas, vidhiṃ means method. ||32|| * * Grahāḥ means Sun etc., nakṣatrāṇi means constellations like Aśvinī etc., tārā means stars like Dhruva etc., of time divisions means of particles of time like paramāṇu etc., saṃsthitiḥ, iṣṭa means sacrifices etc., pūrta means digging tanks etc. ||33|| * * Born from dharma means merit, whose manifestation is characterized by appearance, thus dharmasya yoniḥ means cause, creator as the upholder of the world. ||34-35||
Śrīmad Viśvanātha Cakravarti-kṛtā Sārārtha darśinī Vyākhyā
From the heretical path means from the heretical way, vaiṣamyaṃ means arrangement of those born in reverse order like sūta etc. ||31|| * * Nimittāni means methods, by mutual non-contradiction, vārtāyāḥ means of sciences of agriculture, trade etc. Daṇḍanīteḥ means of political science, śrutasya means of Vedic scriptures. ||32|| * * In time divisions means in day, night, month, year etc., saṃsthitiṃ means position. ||33|| * * Thus having known superior and inferior vows from Vyāsa's mouth as stated in "O Lord, vows heard", now to complete the inquiry about objects to be known through Maitreya's mouth also, he asks about his desired intent with yena. The word vā is in the sense of tu. Janārdana is the cause of all dharmas. The meaning is - fulfilling desires of devotees with desires. Or, afflicting pure devotees with remorse arising from love. What is the means of his grace in order, and who are qualified for it, explain this to me - this is the meaning. ||34|| * * I do not know even my own desired inquiry, therefore you yourself kindly explain - he says this with anuvratānām. The sixth case ending is in the sense of the fourth case. ||35||
Śrīmac Chukadeva-kṛta Siddhānta Pradīpaḥ
Pākhaṇḍānāṃ means of false dharmas outside the Vedas, panthāḥ means inclination, that itself is vaiṣamyam. ||31|| * * Nimittāni means methods. ||32|| Of planets etc. which are divisions of time, in the wheel of time, saṃsthitim. ||33|| 34|| 35||
Śrīmad Vallabhācārya Viracitā Subodhinī Vyākhyā
The causes of the four types of human goals should be explained without contradiction. The nine types of vārtā (livelihood) should be explained according to the differences in eligibility. Similarly, the method of daṇḍanīti (penal policy) and rājadharma (royal duties) should be explained. Of śruta (Vedic study). And by the conjunction, of the aṅgas (Vedic auxiliaries), or of the knowledge of meaning. Separately according to the differences in eligibility. || 31 ||
The method of śrāddha (ancestral rites) should be explained. The creation of the pitṛs (ancestors) should also be explained. Of the planets, constellations, and stars, of Mercury and others, of Aśvinī and other constellations. The correct position in the zodiac, which is a division of time, should be explained. || 32 ||
The results of dāna (charity) and others should be explained, and their methods. Vāpī (step-well) is used in the sense of disregard, meaning only those differences that you intend should be explained. Iṣṭa (desired) refers to sacrifices and other fire-based rituals. Pūrta (meritorious works) refers to digging and other earth and water-based activities. The dharma of one who is traveling or in a foreign land, or the previously mentioned restriction. The dharma of a man in distress. || 33 ||
Or the manner in which the Lord would be pleased, the performer of dharma and the giver of knowledge. His satisfaction is naturally complete contentment. "Prasīdati" means he becomes favorably disposed for the purpose of granting boons, etc., with satisfaction. Or it should be explained which eligible persons the Lord is satisfied with. The address "anagha" (sinless one) is for the purpose of knowing the Lord's intention. || 34 ||
He says that even what is not asked should be explained - "Of the devoted followers." For children do not know how to ask about secrets. Those who follow the will of the guru. Of the disciples who have attained the state of being a śeṣa (remainder), or of those seeking knowledge. And of sons, for the purpose of illustration. The address "best of twice-born" is to indicate that you should instruct me as you were instructed by your father and others. The statement "they should speak even what is not asked" is based on proper conduct as authority. But that too not forcefully, but out of compassion. Thus he says - "compassionate towards the poor." || 35 ||
Śrī Giridhara-kṛtā Bāla Prabodhinī
How did the pāṣaṇḍa (heresy), a path contradictory to the Vedas, arise and how did that discord originate? How did the settlement of the pratilomas (inverse castes) like caṇḍālas in the varṇas occur? The states of the jīva (soul) resulting from actions influenced by sattva and other qualities, the fruits of karma, how many, of what number, and of what kind are they? || 31 ||
Without contradiction, mutually non-contradictory causes or means of the four types of human goals such as dharma. The method of vārtā (livelihood) such as agriculture, and of daṇḍanīti (penal policy), which is punishment or disciplining of wrongdoers, and of the related nīti (policy) or nyāya (justice), and of śruta (Vedic learning) prescribed by śruti such as Vedic study and sandhyā worship, separately and distinctly. || 32 ||
The address "O Brahman" is to prevent irritation despite many questions. And the method of śrāddha (ancestral rites). And the creation of the pitṛs (ancestors) like Aryaman. The grahas (planets) are nine including the Sun, the nakṣatras (constellations) are twenty-seven beginning with Aśvinī, tārās are other stars, their proper position in the zodiac which is a division of time, the manner of their position according to different places. || 33 ||
The result of dāna (charity) of cows etc., of tapas (austerity) like kṛcchra and cāndrāyaṇa, iṣṭa (desired) means sacrifices etc., pūrta (meritorious works) are "step-wells, wells, ponds, temples, food donations, gardens - these are called pūrta" as stated in smṛti, and their results. The dharma to be followed by one who is traveling or in a foreign land. And also. And the dharma to be followed by a man in distress or calamity. || 34 ||
Or by which dharma the Lord would be pleased - this is a question about the dharma that causes the Lord's satisfaction. Or whom the Lord favors - this is a question about the characteristics of those worthy of the Lord's grace. Indicating the reason for the Lord's satisfaction through dharma, he specifies - "source of dharma", meaning the promulgator of dharma. Anticipating what would happen with the Lord's grace, with the intention that it would result in the cessation of worldly suffering, he specifies - "Janārdana", meaning one who terminates (ardayati) people's (janān) ignorance (avidyā) which is the cause of worldly existence. This occurs only to one who is faultless, and you are such a person - indicating this, he addresses him as "anagha" (sinless one). Explain all this to me. || 35 ||
Hindī Anuvāda
Tell us about the disparity caused by the propagation of various heretical paths, the types of offspring born from a lower caste man and a higher caste woman, and the various qualities and actions that lead to different states of existence for living beings. || 31 ||
O Brahman! Please describe separately the mutually non-conflicting means of attaining dharma, artha, kāma (kama) and mokṣa (moksha), the methods of commerce, penal policy and scriptural study, the procedures for śrāddha (shraddha) rites, the creation of the ancestral spirits, and the positions of planets, constellations and stars in the wheel of time. || 32-33 ||
What are the fruits of charity, austerity, and iṣṭa (ishta) and pūrta (purta) rituals? What is the dharma of a person during travel and times of calamity? || 34 ||
O sinless Maitreya! Please describe by what conduct Lord Śrī Janārdana (Shri Janardana), the root cause of dharma, becomes pleased and upon whom He bestows His grace. || 35 ||
SB 3.7.31-35
