Devanagari
वाचं दुहितरं तन्वीं स्वयम्भूर्हरतीं मन: ।
अकामां चकमे क्षत्त: सकाम इति न: श्रुतम् ॥ २८ ॥
Verse text
vācaṁ duhitaraṁ tanvīṁ
svayambhūr haratīṁ manaḥ
akāmāṁ cakame kṣattaḥ
sa-kāma iti naḥ śrutam
Synonyms
vācam
—
Vāk
;
duhitaram
—
unto the daughter
;
tanvīm
—
born of his body
;
svayambhūḥ
—
Brahmā
;
haratīm
—
attracting
;
manaḥ
—
his mind
;
akāmām
—
without being sexually inclined
;
cakame
—
desired
;
kṣattaḥ
—
O Vidura
;
sa
—
kāmaḥ — being sexually inclined
;
iti
—
thus
;
naḥ
—
we
;
śrutam
—
have heard .
Translation
O Vidura, we have heard that Brahmā had a daughter named Vāk who was born from his body and who attracted his mind toward sex, although she was not sexually inclined towards him.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
O Vidura! We have heard that lusty Brahmā desired his attractive and delicate limbed daughter Vak, who had no desire for him.
Even those who are very learned and with great power of discernment cannot control lust. This verse shows that one should not remain alone with women. Maitreya says “We have heard.” This indicates “Though this should not be spoken, in order to give knowledge, I speak without fault finding, since I fear making offense.” He had fear that by fault finding he would fall down in the manner of Marīci’s sons. [Note: Marīci’s sons laughed at Brahmā when he became attracted to his own daughter. They were later born as the sons of Devakī and were killed by Kaṁca. (SB 10.85.47)] The phrase also indicates that this incident was not seen by anyone in the present kalpa. Rather it happened in a previous, distant kalpa, and is now being explained, since it cannot be accepted to have occurred after Brahmā heard the four essential verses of Bhāgavatam (during the first day of this Brahmā’s life.)
etan mataṁ samātiṣṭha parameṇa samādhinā
bhavān kalpa-vikalpeṣu na vimuhyati karhicit
Follow my instructions in detail, with extreme concentration. You will not be bewildered at any time during your lifetime and its subdivisions. SB 2.9.36
Purport
Balavān indriya-grāmo vidvāṁsam api karṣati
(
Bhāg.
9.19.17
). It is said that the senses are so mad and strong that they can bewilder even the most sensible and learned man. Therefore it is advised that one should not indulge in living alone even with one’s mother, sister or daughter.
Vidvāṁsam api karṣati
means that even the most learned also become victims of the sensuous urge. Maitreya hesitated to state this anomaly on the part of Brahmā, who was sexually inclined to his own daughter, but still he mentioned it because sometimes it so happens, and the living example is Brahmā himself, although he is the primeval living being and the most learned within the whole universe. If Brahmā could be a victim of the sexual urge, then what of others, who are prone to so many mundane frailties? This extraordinary immorality on the part of Brahmā was heard to have occurred in some particular
kalpa,
but it could not have happened in the
kalpa
in which Brahmā heard directly from the Lord the four essential verses of
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
because the Lord blessed Brahmā, after giving him lessons on the
Bhāgavatam,
that he would never be bewildered in any
kalpa
whatsoever. This indicates that before the hearing of
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
he might have fallen a victim to such sensuality, but after hearing
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
directly from the Lord, there was no possibility of such failures.
One should, however, take serious note of this incident. The human being is a social animal, and his unrestricted mixing with the fair sex leads to downfall. Such social freedom of man and woman, especially among the younger section, is certainly a great stumbling block on the path of spiritual progress. Material bondage is due only to sexual bondage, and therefore unrestricted association of man and woman is surely a great impediment. Maitreya cited this example on the part of Brahmā just to bring to our notice this great danger.