Canto 7, Chapter 1 Summary - Lord is Equal to Everyone - Poetry

Chapter 7 Summary
In ancient halls where sages tread,
Echoes of dharma softly spread.
King Parikshit, his heart in quest,
Sought the truth, his soul unrest.
“O sage of wisdom, pure and true,
Dispel my doubts, grant clearer view.
Why does the Lord, so kind, so just,
Appear to act in ways unjust?
He shields the righteous, shuns the vile,
Yet sometimes seems to reconcile
With deeds of cruelty, harsh and grim-
What purpose, then, lies deep in Him?”
The Sage's Response
Sukadeva spoke, his voice serene,
“O King, the truth is vast, unseen.
The Lord transcends our mortal gaze,
His acts are deep, in mystic ways.
For those entangled in maya’s snare,
Life seems unjust, beyond repair.
But Vishnu’s moves are pure, divine,
Each step aligned with cosmic design.
To demons, He’s the fiercest flame;
To devotees, He’s love’s sweetest name.
Like the sun that nurtures or destroys,
He acts to balance, creating poise.
The Tale of Hiranyakashipu
Consider Hiranyakashipu’s tale,
A demon fierce, whose might did pale
Before Lord Narasimha’s wrathful form-
Yet for Prahlad, He was calm and warm.
The Lord appears to punish, to fight,
Yet harbors no malice, His heart is light.
Through His acts, the world aligns,
In every moment, His mercy shines.
The Cosmic Truth
“O noble King, know this as true:
The Lord’s ways transcend what mortals construe.
What seems as partial, cruel, or vain,
Is but His lila, His holy reign.
By hearing His deeds, the soul is freed,
Devotion blooms, the heart takes heed.
Thus, sing His glories, let doubts dissolve,
In His love, all mysteries resolve.”
The Tales of Devotion and Strife
Jaya and Vijaya, Vaikuṇṭha’s gate,
Cursed by sages, they met their fate.
As Hiraṇyakaśipu and Hiraṇyākṣa first,
By Narasiṁha and Varāha were their bonds dispersed.
Then Rāvaṇa and Kumbhakarṇa in Tretā’s tale,
By Rāma’s hand, their lives did pale.
Finally, Śiśupāla and Dantavakra in Dvāpara’s fight,
Redeemed by Kṛṣṇa’s divine sight.
Prahlāda, the child of faith so true,
Endured trials his father threw.
Hiraṇyakaśipu, fierce and wild,
Could not harm the devoted child.
From Narasiṁha’s claws, justice came,
For both the sinner and His holy name.
O King, the Lord is equal to all,
He lifts the humble, yet demons fall.
Through envy, fear, or love’s sweet call,
To think of Him redeems us all.
By names and tales, His mercy flows,
In every heart, His essence grows.
Parikshit’s Realization
With humbled grace, the King did bow,
A newfound light adorned his brow.
For Sukadeva’s wisdom lit the night,
Revealing truth with eternal light.
In timeless space, Parikshit adored,
The boundless mercy of the Lord.
His faith restored, his doubts did cease,
Immersed in Krishna’s eternal peace.
Parīkṣit, the king with a questing mind,
Seeks truth from Śukadeva, the sage refined.
Śukadeva, the voice serene,
Reveals the Lord’s impartial sheen.
And Yudhiṣṭhira, righteous, wise, and bold,
At the Rājasūya, the truth unfolds.