FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.8.2

मृषाधर्मस्य भार्यासीद्दम्भं मायां च शत्रुहन् । असूत मिथुनं तत्तु निऋर्तिर्जगृहेऽप्रज: ॥ २ ॥
mṛṣādharmasya bhāryāsīd
[mrishaadharmasya bhaaryaaseed]
dambhaṁ māyāṁ ca śatru-han
[dambham maayaam cha shatru-han]
asūta mithunaṁ tat tu
[asoota mithunam tat tu]
nirṛtir jagṛhe ’prajaḥ
[nirritir jagrihe ’prajah]
Word-for-word
mṛṣā — Mṛṣā adharmasya — of Irreligion bhāryā — wife āsīt — was dambham — Bluffing māyām — Cheating ca — and śatru-han — O slayer of enemies asūta — produced mithunam — combination tat — that tu — but nirṛtiḥ — Nirṛti jagṛhe — took aprajaḥ — being childless.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
mṛṣādharmasya bhāryāsīd
mṛṣā
Mṛṣā
adharmasya
of Irreligion
bhāryā
wife
āsīt
was
dambhaṁ māyāṁ ca śatru-han
dambham
Bluffing
māyām
Cheating
ca
and
śatru-han
O slayer of enemies
asūta mithunaṁ tat tu
asūta
produced
mithunam
combination
tat
that
tu
but
nirṛtir jagṛhe ’prajaḥ
nirṛtiḥ
Nirṛti
jagṛhe
took
aprajaḥ
being childless.
Another son of Lord Brahmā was Irreligion, whose wife’s name was Falsity. From their combination were born two demons named Dambha, or Bluffing, and Māyā, or Cheating. These two demons were taken by a demon named Nirṛti, who had no children.
Purport

It is understood herein that Adharma, Irreligion, was also a son of Brahmā, and he married his sister Mṛṣā. This is the beginning of sex life between brother and sister. This unnatural combination of sex life can be possible in human society only where there is Adharma, or Irreligion. It is understood that in the beginning of creation Brahmā created not only saintly sons like Sanaka, Sanātana and Nārada but also demoniac offspring like Nirṛti, Adharma, Dambha and Falsity. Everything was created by Brahmā in the beginning. Regarding Nārada, it is understood that because his previous life was very pious and his association very good, he was born as Nārada. Others were also born in their own capacities, according to their backgrounds. The law of karma continues birth after birth, and when there is a new creation, the same karma comes back with the living entities. They are born in different capacities according to karma even though their father is originally Brahmā, who is the exalted qualitative incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
O killer of the enemy! Lord Brahmā’s son Adharma had a wife named Lying. She gave birth to twins called Cheating and Illusion. Nirṛti, who had no children, accepted them as his children. The family of Brahmā’s son Adharma is described. O killer of the enemy! This indicated to Vidura that people like him kill adharma. Dambha means cheating. Māyā means activities suitable for cheating. Though brother and sister, they married, since they are aṁśas of Adharma. Nirṛti is in charge of the southwest direction (inauspicious).
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Adharma married Falsity and produced Bluffing and Cheating. Once you allow even subtle irreligion in, it pairs with lies and breeds a whole family of dysfunction.
Reflection Questions
  • Where have I let a small 'Adharma' pair with a small 'Mṛṣā' in my life — and what children have they had?
  • Which lie do I keep telling myself that is the parent of all the others?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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