CANTO 9:
Liberation
Chapter 1 King Sudyumna Becomes a Woman
Chapter 2 The Dynasties of Six of the Sons of Manu
Chapter 3 The Marriage of S'ukanyâ and Cyavana Muni
Chapter 4 Ambarîsha Mahârâja Offended by Durvâsâ Muni
Chapter 5 Durvâsâ Saved: the Cakra-prayers of Ambarîsha
Chapter 6 The Downfall of Saubhari Muni
Chapter 7 The Descendants of King Mândhâtâ
Chapter 8 The Sons of Sagara Meet Lord Kapiladeva
Chapter 9 The Dynasty of Ams'umân
Chapter 10 The Pastimes of Lord Râmacandra
Chapter 11 Lord Râmacandra Rules the World
Chapter 12 The Dynasty of Kus'a, the Son of Lord Râmacandra
Chapter 13 The Story of Nimi and the Dynasty of his Son Mithila.
Chapter 14 King Purûravâ Enchanted by Urvas'î
Chapter 15 Paras'urâma, the Lord's Warrior Incarnation
Chapter 16 How Lord Paras'urâma Came to Destroy the Ruling Class Twenty-one Times
Chapter 17 The Dynasties of the Sons of Purûravâ
Chapter 18 King Yayâti Regains His Youth
Chapter 19 King Yayâti Achieves Liberation: the Goats of Lust
Chapter 20 The Dynasty of Pûru up to Bharata
Chapter 21 The Dynasty of Bharata: the Story of Rantideva
Chapter 22 The Descendants of Ajamîdha: the Pândavas and Kauravas
Chapter 23 The Dynasties of the Sons of Yayâti: the Appearance of Lord Krishna
Chapter 24 The Yadu and Vrishni Dynasties, Prithâ and the Glory of Lord Krishna
King Sudyumna Becomes a Woman
(1) The king said: 'I've listened to your descriptions of all the periods of the Manus and all the wonderful actions performed by the Lord of Eternal Heroism during those periods. (2-3) He who was known by the name of Satyavrata, the saintly king and ruler of Dravidades'a, received at the end of the previous day of Brahmâ the spiritual knowledge by rendering service to the Original Person [the purusha]. From you I heard how he indeed as a son of Vivasvân [the sun-god] thus became the Manu. You have spoken about his many sons, the kings headed by Ikshvâku [8.13: 1]. (4) O brahmin, please describe each of the dynasties of those kings and what characterized them, o greatly fortunate one, for they constitute the eternal of our service unto you. (5) Please tell us about the exploits of all those pious and celebrated souls who have lived, who will live in the future and who are there around right now.'
(6) S'rî Sûta said: "Thus in the assembly of all the brahmin followers requested by Parîkchit gave the most learned in the dharma, the powerful S'uka a reply. (7) S'rî S'uka said: 'Now listen to me about the dynasty of Manu, o subduer of the enemies, as far as possible discussed, because not even hundred years would be enough to do this extensively. (8) When the Supersoul who is the Original Transcendental Person of all higher and lower forms of life found existed at the end of the kalpa could there outside of Him nothing of this universe or whatever else be found. (9) From His navel generated a golden lotus and on that lotus, o King, was there the selfborn one with his four heads [see also 3.8]. (10) Marîci took birth from Brahmâ's mind and from him there was Kâs'yapa who thereafter in the daughter of Daksha, Aditi, begot Visvasvân as his son [see also 6.6: 38-39]. (11-12) From him appeared in Samjñâ, Manu S'râddhadeva and in his wife S'râddha he of his self-control begot ten sons that by him were named Ikshvâku, Nriga, S'aryâti, Dishtha, Dhrishtha, Karûshaka, Narishyanta and Prishadhra, and Nâbhaga and the mighty Kavi. (13) At first had he, the Manu, no son but the great personality, the powerful Vasishthha, performed for the demigods Mitra and Varuna a sacrifice that would bring one. (14) But S'râddha, Manu's wife, as prescribed with obeisances being on a payo vrata [vow of drinking only, see 8.16] approached in that sacrifice the performing priest to beg him for a daughter. (15) Thus requested executed the ritvik the ceremony, with great attention taking the ghee to commence the oblation to which the brahmin chanted the mantra 'vashat' ['to the Living Being'].
(16) With that transgression of the performing priest was a daughter born named Ilâ ['the libation'] and when Manu saw her said he dissatisfied to his guru: (17) 'O my lord, what is this, as a result of the actions of you followers of Brahmâ, is there alas this opposite result which is a painful deviation that according the mantras used never should have taken place! (18) How could, of the society of the wise and learned of you all so aware of the Absolute Truth and composed of penance, with all impurities burnt away, there be such a discrepancy, such a falsehood, with what was planned?'
(19) Hearing that been said by him, the most powerful one, the Manu, spoke, with understanding for the mistake the performing priest had made, their great-grandfather Vasishthha to the son of the sungod. (20) 'Despite of this unexpected result as a consequence of what your priest did wrong, am I capable of assuring you a nice son!'
(21) Thus decided, o King, offered the renown powerful master Vasishthha prayers unto the Original Person to have of Ilâ a turn to manhood. (22) Pleased with him granted the Supreme Controller Hari the desired benediction of Ilâ becoming consequently a nice man called Sudyumna. (23-24) Sudyumna once on a hunting trip in the forest, o King, accompanied by a couple of associates and riding a horse from Sindhupradesha, went north in pursuit of the animals to the occasion of which he as a hero carried his bow and arrows and wore a remarkably beautiful armor. (25) At the foot of mount Meru he entered the Sukumâra forest where the mighty Lord S'iva is enjoying with his wife Umâ. (26) Having entered there saw Sudyumna, the hero above all, himself indeed changed into a woman and his horse into a mare, o ruler of man [see also 5.17: 15]. (27) So were all of his companions transformed to the opposite sex and seeing each other like this they became very depressed.'
(28) The honorable king [Parîkchit] said: 'How can that realm have this quality or for what reason, o mighty one, took this place, this is what I very much would like to see you deliberate about.'
(29) S'rî S'uka answered: 'Once upon a time gathered the great saints to see the Lord of the Mountain, S'iva, there in that forest; being the very best in the vow having cleared the darkness of each direction they so arrived there. (30) Ambikâ [Durgâ] naked on her husband's lap was very ashamed when she saw them and quickly got up covering her breasts. (31) The saints seeing the two enjoying sex desisted from proceeding further and left immediately that place for the âs'rama of Nara-Nârâyana. (32) Because of this said the mighty lord for the pleasure of his sweetheart: 'Anyone who enters this place will consequently on the spot turn into a woman!' (33) Ever since do in particular males not enter that forest in the vincinity of which she [Sudyumna] in the company of her associates was doomed to keep wandering. (34) With her, the most enticing woman, this way surrounded by other women loitering nearby his âs'rama, desired the powerful Budha [the son of the moon and deity of Mercury] it to enjoy her. (35) She who also longed to have him, the beautiful son of the king of the moon, for her husband and thus gave she from him birth to a son named Purûravâ. (36) This way having achieved femininity did Sudyumna, as a king born of Manu, remember Vasishthha, the preceptor of the family, so I've heard. (37) He upon seeing him in that condition was very aggrieved and desiring maleness began he out of his mercy to worship Lord S'ankara [S'iva]. (38-39) Pleased with him said he, o servant of rule, keeping true to his given word and to show the sage his love: 'This disciple of your line will every other month be a female and with this settlement may Sudyumna as desired rule the world.' (40) With this arrangement by the mercy of the âcârya having the desired maleness ruled he over the entire world even though the citizens weren't quite happy with it. (41) Of Sudyumna there were three sons listening to the names of Utkala, Gaya and Vimala, o King; they became kings over the southern realm and were very religious. (42) Thereafter, when the time had arrived, handed the master of the kingdom who was so mighty the world over to his son Purûravâ and left he for the forest.
The Dynasties of Six of the Sons of Manu
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'After Sudyumna, the son, thus had accepted his destination, executed Vaivasvata Manu, desirous of getting sons, austerities at the Yamunâ for a hundred years. (2) After Manu had been of worship unto the Godhead, Lord Hari, for the purpose of offspring, got he ten sons alike him of whom the eldest was named Ikshvâku [see also 8.13: 2-3]. (3) Among the sons of Manu was Prishadhra by his guru ordered to herd cows and for the purpose of their protection at night he had taken the vow of vîrâsana to guard them in the field [see also 4.6: 38]. (4) One night while it was raining, entered a tiger the land of the cowshed and got all the cows lying down, up in fear, scattering all around in the field. (5-6) When the strong animal seized one of them began that cow to cry of distress and fear. Prishadhra upon hearing the screaming followed it hastily having taken up his sword, but under the by clouds covered stars cut he in the dark of night without realizing it the cow its head off mistaking her for the tiger. (7) The tiger also hit had his ear cut off and next fled most afraid leaving blood on its trail. (8) Prishadhra, the hero to conquer all though, thinking he had killed the tiger, to his dismay discovered the next morning that he had killed the cow. (9) The family preceptor [Vasishthha] cursed him for the - unintended - sinful deed with: 'Having acted like a s'ûdra, you cannot belong to the kshatriyas, and therefore shall it of that unholy deed be your karma to become one.' (10) The hero thus being cursed by his guru accepted it with folded hands and took up the vow of celibacy as approved by the sages. (11-13) Unto Vâsudeva the Supreme Lord and Soul of all, the Transcendent and Pure, was he unalloyed in the mode of bhakti equal and kindhearted to each living being. Freed from attachments, peaceful within and self-controlled, was he, not after possessions, of a vision in which he could accept whatever that was available for his bodily needs as being arranged by His grace for the benefit of the soul. Always with his mind to the Supreme Self within, fully absorbed satisfied in spiritual realization, traveled he all over the earth appearing as if he were deaf, dumb and blind. (14) After in that order of life having entered the forest achieved he as a saint the ultimate transcendental goal the moment he, meeting a forest fire out there, allowed the fire to consume him [see also B.G. 4: 9].
(15) Another son, Kavi [or Vasumân], the youngest, had no attachments to material pleasures and after he gave up his father's kingdom, entered he, still a young man, in the company of his friends the forest and reached he the transcendental world always keeping the effulgent Supreme Person in his heart.
(16) From the son of Manu Karûsha [or Tarûsha] was there a dynasty of kshatriyas called the Kârûshas who as kings of the northern realm were highly religious protectors of the brahminical.
(17) From Dhrishtha [or Shrishtha] came about a caste of kshatriyas who in the world, having achieved the position of brahmins, were named the Dhârshtha. Of Nriga there was the succession of first Sumati, Bhûtajyoti and thereafter Vasu. (18) Of Vasu his son Pratîka was there one named Oghavân ['the uninterrupted tradition'] who was the father of another Oghavân who had a daughter also named Oghavatî. She married Sudars'ana.
(19) From Narishyanta there was Citrasena, Riksha was his son, and of him was there Mîdhvân. Mîdhvân's son was Pûrna and Indrasena was Pûrna's son. (20) From Indrasena there was Vîtihotra, of him there was Satyas'ravâ, Urus'ravâ was his son and of him was Devadatta born. (21) Devadatta's son became the most powerful Agnives'ya who was Agni in person; he was a maharishi well known as Kânîna and Jâtûkarnya. (22) From Agnives'ya came forth a dynasty of brahmins known as the Âgnives'yâyanas. O King, thus I described the descendants of Narishyanta, now hear next about the dynasty of Dishtha.
(23-24) The son of Dishtha was Nâbhâga [unlike his uncles Nâbhaga or the Nâbhâga that was also called Nriga]. He, different, answered to the vocation of the vais'yas [a merchant, see 7.11: 23]. His son was Bhalandana and of him there was Vatsaprîti. From him there was the son named Prâms'u and his son was Pramati. Know Khanitra as Pramati's successor. He was followed by Câkshusha and his son Vivims'ati. (25) Vivims'ati's son was Rambha and his son was a very religious one named Khanînetra. Of him there was the scion Karandhama, o great King. (26) The latter's son was Avîkshit whose son was Marutta who became emperor. The great mystic Samvarita, the son of Angirâ, engaged him in performing a yajña. (27) The like of Marutta's sacrifice has never been seen since, as all he used was made of gold and everything he had was of the greatest beauty. (28) Indra became intoxicated of drinking the soma-rasa, the twice-born were royally compensated, the shining ones [the Maruts] offered foodstuffs and all divinities of the universe were part of the assembly. (29) Marutta's son was Dama and of him there was one with the power to expand the kingdom: Râjyavardhana. From his son Sudhriti was a son born named Nara. (30) His son was called Kevala and Dhundhumân was his. From him came Vegavân and from Vegavân there was Budha whose son was Trinabindu, a great king. (31) Alambushâ accepted him as her husband, she was a goddess worthy of him, a girl of heaven and reservoir of all good qualities from whom a couple of sons and a daughter named Ilavilâ were born. (32) Vis'ravâ, who was a saint and master of yoga who received his knowledge from his father, begot in her Kuvera: the one who brings wealth. (33) From Trinabindu's sons Vis'âla, S'ûnyabandhu and Dhûmraketu rose from Vis'âla, the king, a dynasty and was a palace constructed named Vais'âlî. (34) Hemacandra was his son and Dhûmrâksha was his and from his son Samyama there were two sons named Kris'âs'va and Devaja. (35-36) From Kris'âs'va there was a son named Somadatta. He achieved by worshiping the Supreme Person in an as'vamedha sacrifice unto the best of all, the Lord of all Praise [Vishnu], the supreme destination where all great mystics reside. A son of Somadatta named Sumati then begot one called Janamejaya. All these kings of Vais'âlî continued the fame of king Trinabindu.
The Marriage of S'ukanyâ and Cyavana Muni
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'The son of Manu named S'aryâti was a brahminical king and thus he turned out to be someone giving instruction on matters as the functions to be performed on the second day in the arena of sacrifice of the descendants of Angirâ. (2) There was a lotus-eyed daughter of him called Sukanyâ with whom he went to the forest to visit the âs'rama of the sage Cyavana. (3) When she in the company of her friends was collecting fruits and flowers from the trees, saw she in an anthill some sort of two shining lights [compare 7.3: 15-16]. (4) As the young girl, ignorantly trying, poked in the light objects with a thorn, oozed there blood out of them. (5) The youngsters startled instantly froze on the spot so that the king, observing what had happened, had to address the surprised ones he was responsible for. (6) 'Alas, we have done something wrong in our appraoch of the illumined sage; with what we've done have we clearly fouled his âs'rama!'
(7) Afraid said Sukanyâ to her father: 'It was I who, not knowing what I did, with a thorn have pierced two shiny things.'
(8) When he heard his daughter saying this was king S'aryâti of the greatest concern to appease him, the sage who turned out to be residing within the anthill. (9) Understanding what was needed to set things right handed he, having the greatest trouble, his daughter over to the muni and took he permission to return home. (10) Sukanyâ after having Cyavana for her husband had understanding for him who remained very grumpy with her and tried to satisfy him serving him free from wantonness. (11) But after some time had passed this way reached the two As'vins [the healers of heaven] the âs'rama. Offering them his respects said the sage: 'Please give me youth, o Masters! (12) I promise you to offer a pot of soma-rasa - although you don't drink soma - just give me back the youth and beauty so desirable to young women.'
(13) 'So be it' they thus granted the learned one complimenting him in their role as the two great healers, 'just dive into this lake that will bring you all perfection.'
(14) Thus being addressed was the aged one with his gray hair, loose skin and frail body of which the veins were visible, by the As'vins helped into the lake. (15) The three that rose from the lake were of the great beauty that would allure women: with lotus garlands, earrings, similar features and nice clothes. (16) After the young beauty saw them could the chaste woman not tell which of them was her husband for they were all equally beautiful shining like the sun and so took she shelter of the As'vins. (17) Pleased with the strength of her faith showed they her the saint that was her husband and returned they, taking his permission, in their celestial chariot to the heavenly worlds. (18) Having left for Cyavana's âs'rama, wishing to perform a yajña, saw king S'aryâti thus how at his daughter's side there was a man as radiant as the sun. (19) The King then gave his daughter, after she had paid her respect, not his blessings because he didn't turn out to be very pleased: (20) 'What do you think you are doing now cheating on your husband the great sage honored by all the people? Did you, because he's decrepit of age, unfaithful one, not thinking him very attractive, give him up taking this man, this street beggar, for a lover? (21) Have you lost your mind? You in keeping to this lover are, as a daughter from the most respectable family, a disgrace to the entire dynasty; you, so shameless, are throwing your father as well as your husband into the deepest darkness.'
(22) Chaste laughing she replied her father who was thus rebuking her: 'O father this one here is your son-in-law, the son of Bhrigu!.'
(23) She described to her father everything of how he had changed in age and beauty whereupon he utterly pleased and surprised happily embraced his daughter. (24) Cyavana Muni by dint of his own prowess enabled the great man to perform the soma sacrifice, and delivered the As'vins, who had no interest in drinking it, a pot full of the soma-rasa. (25) Greatly perturbed took Indra in order to kill him, impetuously, his thunderbolt up immediately, but the man of Bhrigu paralyzed the arm of Indra that held the thunderbolt. (26) With the permission of all the demigods was there henceforth for the As'vins, who as physicians before had been denied a share in the soma-yajña, the pot filled with soma-rasa.
(27) Uttânabarhi, Ânarta and Bhûrishena were S'aryâti's three sons and begotten by Ânarta was Revata born. (28) He after in the deep of the ocean building a town called Kus'asthalî, lived materially happy and ruled kingdoms like Ânarta and others, o subduer of the enemies, and his hundred sons of whom the eldest was Kakudmî were born to be the ones in power [after him]. (29) Kakudmî took his own daughter Revatî before Lord Brahmâ in his drive to go for his abode beyond the modes, with the pupose of asking for a husband for his daughter. (30) Because he was fully engaged in enjoying the celestial musicians playing had he not a second for him, but as soon as it was over could Kakudmî submit his desire to Lord Brahmâ offering him his obeisances. (31) The all-powerful Lord had to laugh about what he heard and said to him: 'Alas, o King, in the course of time, have all those that you'd like to close in your heart disappeared! (32) We do not hear anymore of the sons, the grandsons, the descendants and the dynasties because a period of three times nine mahâ-yugas has passed! (33) Therefore seek Baladeva, He is the great one of power to the God that is God's plenary portion [Lord Vishnu], and give Him, the Excellence of Man, this beautiful daughter o King. (34) The Supreme Lord, the Ever Well-wisher to lessen the burden of the world, the Virtue of the hearing and singing, has now descended with all that belongs to Him.' [see also 5.25] (35) Thus ordered returned the king, after paying the Unborn One his respects, to his own residence, but found it abandoned by his brothers; they in fear of the meritorious people had spread in all directions. (36) After handing his perfectly shaped daughter over to the most powerful One, Lord Baladeva, went the king in order to perform austerities to Badarikâs'rama, the place of Nara-Nârâyana.
Ambarîsha Mahârâja Offended by Durvâsâ Muni
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Nâbhâga, the learned youngest son of Nâbhaga [see 9.1: 11-12, not the uncle also called Nriga nor the Nâbhâga of Dishtha, see: 9.2: 23] returning from a celibate life received [as his share] the father when the elder brothers divided the property [among themselves].
(2) 'O, my brothers' [he said] 'What have you reserved for me as my share?'
'We allot you our father as yours' [they answered].
[To his father he then said:] 'O father, my elder brothers have not given me my share!'
[The father thereupon replied:] 'My son, take no heed of that! (3) All these so very intelligent descendants of Angirâ [see 6.6: 19] are today performing a sacrifice but every sixth day after having such a day, o learned one, will they fall in ignorance because of their karma. (4-5) You yourself, recite for those great souls, two vedic hymns relating to the God of the Universe so that they, after resuming their own course, will deliver you the wealth of what remains of the sacrifice of their own property; therefore go to them.'
He then did what his father had told him to and so gave they him the remnants of the yajña before they returned to their own heavenly places. (6) As he was accepting in the riches said some black-looking person who had arrived from the north to him: 'All these riches remaining from the sacrifice are mine!'
(7) [He replied:] 'They're all mine, the sages have handed them over to me!'
[The black man said:] 'Let us to this head for the son of Manu, your father and ask him', and so inquired he with his father as was proposed.
(8) [Father Nâbhaga said:] 'Everything that belongs to the sacrificial arena, and what remains sometimes is by the sages set apart as a share for Lord S'iva; he is the demigod deserving it all.'
(9) Nâbhâga offered him [S'iva] his obeisances and said: 'As my father said: it's yours, o Lord, and so is for sure all that belongs to the sacrificial arena, o you of Brahmâ [see: 3.12: 6-14], let me bow my head before you, I beg your pardon.'
(10) [Lord S'iva said:] 'All that your father said is true and also is what you are saying the truth; let me, the knower of the mantras, grant you the spiritual knowledge that is transcendental and eternal. (11) Please take all the riches; I give you all that has been offered to me', and having spoken thus, vanished Rudra, the great lord and guardian of the dharma. (12) Anyone who in the morning and in the evening with great attention remembers this becomes learned: like a self-realized soul will he be a knower of the mantras and the destination. (13) From Nâbhâga was the most exalted and highly celebrated devotee Ambarîsha born; a curse of a brahmin against him failed: it could never ever touch him.'
(14) The king said: 'O lordship, I would like to hear about him, that king who was such a sober personality that the so insurmountable power of a brahmin's measure had no effect on him.'
(15-16) S'rî S'uka said: 'Ambarîsha, the man of great fortune, meant that, after achieving on this earth consisting of the seven continents an unlimited opulence, that all that is so rarely obtained by many a ruler is as the riches imagined in a dream: coming to one's senses it is all gone; it is the reason because of which a man lands in ignorance. (17) Unto Vâsudeva, the Supreme Personality, unto the devotees as also unto the saints was he as someone who has achieved the reverence and devotion in the transcendental because of which one takes the entirety of this universe for something as insignificant as a piece of stone. (18-20) He was sure to fix his mind upon the lotusfeet of Krishna, his words upon the description of the qualities of Vaikunthha, his hands to things like cleaning the Lord His temple and to engage his ears in the Infallible. Hearing the transcendental talks, using his eyes to see the deities, the temples and buildings of Mukunda, being physically in touch with the bodies of the devotees, smelling the fragrance of the tulsî leaves at the lotusflower of His feet, to have on his tongue the food offered to Him, to walk his legs to the Lord's holy places, to bow his head to the feet of Hrishîkes'a, to set his desires more to being a servant than to sense gratification, was he as that one man [Prahlâda] who seeks his refuge with the Lord Glorified in the Scriptures. (21) Thus in his prescribed duties always of sacrifice unto the Transcendence, the Original One of the Sacrifice, the Supreme Lordship and Him Beyond the Senses, exercised he all the different forms of love for the True One of the Soul and ruled he, directed by the Lord His faithful ones of learning, this planet earth in the past [see also 5.18: 12 and B.G. 5: 29]. (22) In horse sacrifices executed by brahmins like Vasishthha, Asita and Gautama, worshiped he, everywhere the Sarasvatî river flowed through the desert countries, the Lord of Sacrifice, the Supreme Controller, with great opulence and all the prescribed paraphernalia and remuneration. (23) The loyals of penance and experts who as the participants in the sacrifice were the priests to perform for him the offerings, were, dressed up the finest, seen as the unblinking demigods. (24) The heavenly existence so dear to even the demigods, was not a thing desired by his citizens who were accustomed to hear and chant the glories of Uttamas'loka, the Lord hailed in the Verses. (25) Because such aspirations are not conducive to the happiness of those who are happy in their constitutional position of rendering service, are the persons who are used to having Mukunda thus in their hearts, rarely after the perfections of the great [see siddhis]. (26-27) He, the king, of bhakti-yoga and at the same time of austerity, in his constitutional activities unto the Lord satisfying all sorts of desires, this way gradually gave it up to have his mind fixed upon the untrue that one finds in one's home, the wife, in children, in friends and relatives, a good elephant, a nice chariot, fine horses and in durable goods like jewels, ornaments, an outfit and such and a never empty treasury. (28) Pleased with his unalloyed devotional service gave the Lord him for the protection of the devotees His cakra that is so intimidating to the ones opposed [see also 7.9: 43 and B.G. 9: 31]. (29) Aspiring to worship Krishna together with his equally qualified queen, accepted the king the vow of dvâdas'î [fasting on certain lunar days] for a whole year. (30) Once at the Yamunâ, at the end of his vow, observed he in the month Kârtika [Oct. - Nov.] for three nights a full fast after which he took a bath and worshiped the Lord in Madhuvana [a part of the Vrindâvana area]. (31-32) According the rules of bathing the deity bathing it [mahâbhisheka] with all paraphernalia for the honoring - nice clothing and ornaments, fragrant flower garlands and other means of worship - performed he the puja with a mind filled with divine love in bhakti unto the greatly fortunate of Kes'ava and the brahmins, to the peace of whom he equally became peaceful. (33-35) The brahmins, the learned who had arrived at his place fed he, whith the twice-born first, sumptuously with the most heavenly, delicious food after having donated sixty crores nicely decorated, young and beautiful cows with gold covered horns and silver plated hooves, full udders and extra calves next to them. When he to the full of their satisfaction and with their permission was about to observe the concluding ceremony were they all of a sudden confronted with a unexpected visit of the mighty sage Durvâsâ. (36) Even though he came there uninvited showed the king him his respect by standing up and offering him a seat, and asked he him with all regards fallen at his feet whether he would like to eat something. (37) He gladly accepted that request and next went, in order to perform the necessary rituals, to the Yamunâ to dip into the auspicious water and meditate on the Supreme Brahmân. (38) That, with less than an hour left before the ending of the dvâdas'î fast that was observed, made the king together with the twice-born wonder what now would be the appropriate notion of dharma in the precarious situation he had ran into: (39-40) 'Failing to respect the brahmin sage is an offense as well as not to break with the fast of dvâdas'î at the right time; what now is the best thing to do, what would be irreligious and what not? So let me touch water only so that I correctly may conclude the vow, because, o learned ones, the act of drinking water is considered to be indeed as well eating as not eating.'
(41) The great king, after thus drinking water, awaited the return of the brahmin mystic with his mind put to the Infallible One, o best of the Kurus. (42) When Durvâsâ had finished the rituals at the bank of the Yamunâ and returned, was he well received by the king but from his insight he managed to figure out what had taken place. (43) Incensed trembling all over, with his face tightened and frowning, addressed he hungry for action the perpetrator standing there with folded hands. (44) 'Alas, this one here, this 'love of all', has mad of his opulence, for everyone to see, transgressed the dharma; not a devotee of Vishnu at all, he thinks he is the Controller Himself! (45) This man has towards me, unexpectantly arriving here, after welcoming me as his guest, taken food without sharing it with me: I'll show you here and now what the repercussion is.'
(46) Speaking thus pulled he, red of anger, a bunch of hair out of his head and created he from it a demon that appeared like the fire at the end of time. (47) As the demon came at him with a trident blazing with fire in his hand and a footstep that made the earth tremble, did the king, seeing him clearly, not move an inch from the spot [compare 6.17: 28]. (48) The way it by the Original Person of the Supersoul was arranged for the protection of His devotees burned the cakra [that Ambarîsha had received, see verse 28] like fire that angry serpent of a created demon to ashes [see also B.G. 18: 66]. (49) Seeing how the disc moved at him and how his own attempt had failed, began Durvâsâ to run in great fear wherever he could go to save his life. (50) As a snake pursued by a forest fire blazing high with flames ran the muni, seeing how the disc, that wheel from the Lord His chariot, burned his back, quickly to mount Meru to enter a cave there. (51) But, fleeing in each direction, in the sky, on the earth's surface, in caves, in the seas, in all places hiding with all rulers of the three worlds - wheresoever he went, saw Durvâsâ the acute of His presence [Sudars'ana cakra] that was so frightening. (52) Without the shelter of a protector was he everywhere, with a constant fear in his heart, looking for someone who could give him protection. At last he approached Lord Brahmâ: 'O my Lord, o Selfborn One, save me from the fire released at me by the Invincible One.'
(53-54) Lord Brahmâ said: 'With a flick of His eyebrows will the place where I am, my residence, along with this entire universe at the end of the Supreme Lord His pastimes, upon the desire of Him in the form of time to burn it at the end of one day of my life [a dvi-parârdha, see 3.11: 33], be vanquished indeed. I, Lord S'iva, Daksha, Bhrigu and others under their lead, the rulers of man, the living beings and the demigods - we and all lead by us, who are bowing our heads for the good of all living beings surrendered to the principles regulating our lives, do carry out His orders.'
(55) Turned down by Lord Brahmâ went Durvâsâ, scorched by the cakra, for his shelter to him who always resides on Kailâsa [Lord S'iva]. (56) S'rî Sankara said: 'We in relation to the Supreme One lack in power, my dear - with us rotating in Him, the Transcendence, can [I and] the other living beings up to the Unborn One, Lord Brahmâ and not even the universes, arrive at such a power; indeed can we nor any of the thousands and millions of our worlds evolve to that degree. (57-59) I, Sanat and the other Kumâras, Nârada, the great Lord Unborn, Kapila, Vyâsadeva, Devala [the great sage], Yamarâja, Âsuri [the saint] and Marîci, and the others all-perfect in knowledge headed by them, have met the limits of all there is to know, but none of us can fully comprehend His illusory energy and that which is covered by it. The Controller of the Universe His weapon [the cakra] is indeed even for us difficult to handle and therefore should you seek your refuge with the Lord who will not fail you in His auspiciousness.'
(60) Disappointed went Durvâsâ thereafter to the Supreme Lord His place known as Vaikunthha where He as S'rînivâsa, the Master of the Abode, perpetually resides with the goddess of fortune. (61) Scorched by the fire of the invincible weapon fell he down at His lotus feet trembling all over and said he: 'O Infallible and Unlimited One, o Desire of the Saintly, o Master give me, this great offender, protection, o Well-wisher of the Entire Universe! (62) Not knowing of Your inconceivable prowess have I committed a great offense at the feet of the ones dear to Your Lordship; please be so kind to do whatever is needed to counteract an offense like this o Vidhâta, Lord of Regulation, by whose name, when awakened, even a person destined for hell can be delivered.'
(63) The Supreme Lord said: 'Precisely o twice-born one, I am not self-willed, I indeed am fully committed to My bhaktas; it is because they are devotees that My heart is controlled by the saintly and by those who hold those bhaktas dear. (64) I as their ultimate destination am, without My saintly devotees, not for the blissful essence or the Supreme of My opulences [see om pûrnam]. (65) Their wife, house, children, relatives, their very lives and wealth - if they unto Me for the Transcendence gave up on all these in their taking shelter, then how can I be after those things and let them down? (66) The way a chaste woman controls a gentle husband, do the saintly, pure and equalminded [see also 7.9: 43], in their hearts firmly attached to Me, in settling for their devotional service, have Me under control. (67) In My service do they automatically achieve the four types of liberation and hanker they, simply being of service, not for the complete [the pûrnam] so that there is no question of other things: in the course of time have they been overcome. (68) The saintly are always in My heart and I am verily always in theirs; they know nothing apart from Me and I do not have the least interest apart from them [see also B.G 9: 29]. (69) Let Me tell you how to protect yourself with this, o learned one, just listen to what I say: with this action of yours have you become your own enemy; now waste no time and forthwith go to him [Ambarîsha] because of whom this happened - you see: the power applied against the devotee is harmful to the one who employs it. (70) Penance and knowledge are the two causes for the upliftment of the learned ones, but practiced by an obstinate person lead they to the exact opposite. (71) O brahmin, go therefore to the king, the son of Nâbhâga, to satisfy him, that great personality - then will there be peace.'
Durvâsâ Saved: the Cakra-prayers of Ambarîsha
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Durvâsâ [meaning: 'the difficulty of residing'] who, harassed by the cakra, thus was directed by the Lord, approached Ambarîsha and caught most aggrieved his lotus feet. (2) Seeing him engaged in that practice of touching his feet felt Ambarîsha ashamed and offered he thus, embarrassed as he was in his mercy, prayers to the weapon of the Lord [see also 6.8: 23]. (3) Ambarîsha said: 'You are the fire, the supreme power of the sun and the moon you are, you are the master of all the luminaries, the waters, the earth, the sky, the air, and the senses and their objects. (4) O acute presence and auspicious vision [or Sudars'ana], my obeisances unto you with your thousands of spokes, o love of the Infallible One, you are the defeat of all weapons, be favorable unto this brahmin, o master over the world. (5) You are the dharma, the original nature and religion, you encourage the statements of the Ultimate Truth, you are the full and complete enjoyer of the results of the sacrifices and maintain the variety of the worlds; the all-pervading prowess you are of the Transcendental Personality. (6) All my respect for you, the auspicious center of spin, the measure of the complete nature, who indeed art like a bad omen to the unenlightened bereft of the religion; the maintainer of the three worlds you are, the supreme goodness acting with a wonderful effulgence and as fast as the mind I try to voice. (7) By your strength which carries all religiousness is the darkness dissipated and are all directions illumined; for the great personalities are your glories unsurpassable, o master of speech, your manifestation comprises the manifest and unmanifest, the superior and the lower. (8) When you by the Transcendental Personality are sent to the fighters of the Daityas and Dânavas, o indefatigable one, do you, staying on the battlefield, never tire to sever their arms and bellies, thighs and legs. (9) For the person of learning that I am, is your good self, o protector of the universe, the one who, empowered by the Full Authority of the Club, is engaged in bringing defeat; please may we enjoy the favor of your doing good to the fortune of our dynasty? (10) If there is charity, the worship of the deity and the duties are properly performed, and if our dynasty is blessed by the scholars, may this twiceborn soul then be free from burning [down] with you. (11) When by us the one Supreme Lord, the reservoir of all qualities and life and soul of all living beings, is satisfied, may this twiceborn soul then be freed from the fire?'
(12) S'rî S'uka said: 'When the disc weapon of the Lord named Sudars'ana thus was glorified by the King ceased it because of his prayers with all its harrassing the learned one. (13) He, Durvâsâ, freed from the heat of the fire of the weapon most contented then praised him, the ruler of the earth, the king he blessed with the highest benedictions. (14) Durvâsâ said: 'What a greatness may I witness today of the servants of the Eternal One; despite of the wrong I perpetrated have you, o King, prayed for my good fortune! (15) What indeed would be difficult to do or impossible to forsake for those saintly, great souls, those persons who reached the leader, Hari, the Supreme Lord of the Devotees. (16) What is there else to do for the servants if by simply hearing the holy name of Him whose lotusfeet are the holy places, a person becomes purified? (17) O King, you so utterly merciful have, in control with my offenses, favored me very much and doing so that way saved my life.'
(18) The King, who had awaited his return fasting, was of mercy for him in every way and desired to approach his feet feeding him sumptuously. (19) He after having eaten of the different foodstuffs that, catering to every taste, were given with the greatest respect, said thus fully satisfied to the king: 'Please partake', and proved this way his care. (20) [He continued:] 'I'm very happy to be favored so much by the purity of your devotion; indeed am I, seeing you, touching your feet, talking to you and enjoying your hospitality, much obliged. (21) The purity of the things you've done will for ever be sung by the maidens of heaven; the entire world will never cease singing the glory of your supreme virtue!'
(22) S'rî S'uka continued: 'Thus glorifying the king took Durvâsâ, satisfied in all respects, permission to leave that place and rose he to the heavens of the abode of Brahmâ where no other ulterior motive holds. (23) One complete year had passed and for the time that the great muni had not returned had the king, desiring to see him again, restricted himself to only drinking water. (24) Upon Durvâsâ's return gave Ambarîsha him the best food available to eat that would befit a twiceborn one and understood he, seeing how the sage had been released from the sin, that he owed his strength to his devotion for the Supreme [see also B.G. 6: 47]. (25) Thus blessed with all good qualities was the king of devotion for the Supersoul, the Supreme Spirit and for Vâsudeva with the many duties he observed, keeping with them always in mind that with whatever one does from the highest position in heaven to the lowest in hell one must take care [to remember the difference between that what is to the letter and that what is to the spirit; compare: 6.17: 28].'
(26) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus did Ambarîsha, as the wisest dividing his kingdom among his equally qualified sons, enter the forest setting his mind to the True Self that is Vâsudeva and vanquished he the waves [the gunas] of the material ocean. (27) As a consequence of reciting or regularly meditating this tale of piety can one become a devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (28) All those who hear of the character of this great soul Ambarîsha will simply through bhakti by the mercy of Vishnu advance towards the end that is the liberation.'
The Downfall of Saubhari Muni
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'The three sons of Ambarîsha [see previous chapters] were Virûpa, Ketumân and S'ambhu; from Virûpa there was Prishadas'va and from him there was a son called Rathîtara. (2) Rathîtara had no sons and so was [sage] Angirâ requested to beget children with his [Rathîtara's] wife, which led to the birth of ['kshetra jâta'-] sons with brahminical qualities. (3) They again were all sons of Rathîtara, the head, as they, born from his wife, belonged to his family indeed, but they were remembered as the dynasty of Angirâ and called double-born [of mixed caste] since they were born from that field [or kshetra]. (4) When once Manu sneezed was from his nostrils the son Ikshvâku born [see also 8.13] and of his hundred sons were Vikukshi, Nimi and Dandakâ the most prominent. (5) Twenty-five of them became kings in Âryâvarita in the east [in the Himalaya and Vindhya mountains], o King, as also [did twenty-five of them] in the west [of that region], three ruled in the middle, while the others ruled over other places. (6) He, king Ikshvâku, once during ashthaka-s'râddha [offerings to the forefathers made in January, February and March] ordered his son: 'Bring me pure flesh [from hunting] o Vikukshi, go for it right now, without delay.'
(7) So he thereto went to the forest to kill animals suitable for the oblations, but when he was fatigued and hungry ate the hero forgetful [that the flesh was meant for the sacrifices] a rabbit [•] (8) He offered what remained to his father who on his turn asked their guru [Vasishthha] to purify it and he replied: 'All this is polluted and unfit to be used.'
(9) Informed by the spiritual master knew the ruler what his son had done and so drove he out of anger over him having violated the vidhi his son out of the country. (10) He in the discussions with the scholar who was his tutor thereto incited, gave according the knowledge [of the Absolute Truth] he thus received, as a yogi up his vehicle of time, and thus achieved the supreme position. (11) Upon the abdication of his father came Vikukshi back to rule over this planet earth in worship of the Lord with different yajñas and was he thus celebrated as S'as'âda ['the rabbit-eater']. (12) Purañjaya ['the conqueror of the residence'] was his son. He was also known as Indravâha ['carried by Indra'] and Kakutstha ['sitting on the hump of a bull']. Hear now about what he did to get these names. (13) There had been a devastating war, a fight of the godly with the Dânavas, in which he being of the best assistance, for the godly turned out to be a hero in conquering the demoniac. (14) By word of the God of Gods Lord Vishnu, the Supersoul and Master of the Entire Creation, became Indra engaged in His service as His carrier, as a great bull. (15-16) He, highly praised and well-equipped, with a first-class bow taking up the sharpest arrows, mounted him and sat on the hump, prepared to fight. Favored by the power of Vishnu, the Original Person and Supersoul, captured he, surrounded by the servants of heaven, in the western direction the daitya residence. (17) A battle took place between them and him that was so fierce that it makes one's hair stand on end to hear how he in the fight came forward and sent the Daityas with his arrows to Yamarâja. (18) Confronted with his shower of arrows fierce as the fire at the end of time, gave the Daityas all together their attack up and ran they who were not killed off to their own places. (19) Conquering over them turned he, the saintly king, all their wealth and wives over to the carrier of the thunderbolt [Indra] and were him thus given the names.
(20) From Purañjaya was a son born called Anenâ, his son was Prithu and the son he begot was Vis'vagandhi who on his turn had a son called Candra whose son was called Yuvanâs'va. (21) S'râvasta was his son and he built a town called S'râvastî; by S'râvasta was then Brihadas'va begotten and from him was there Kuvalayâs'va. (22) It was him being of a great power who, together with the twenty-one thousand sons that surrounded him, for the satisfaction of sage Utanka killed a demon named Dhundhu. (23-24) He was thus known as Dhundhumâra [the killer of Dhundhu]. All but three of his sons had been burned by the fire from the mouth of Dhundhu. The only ones that remained alive were Dridhâs'va, Kapilâs'va and Bhadrâs'va, o son of Bharata. Dridhâs'va's son was Haryas'va and the renown Nikumbha was his son. (25) Nikumbha's son was Bahulâs'va and his was Kris'âs'va. After him was there Senajit of whom Yuvanâs'va was born. Yuvanâs'va had no sons and retired [together with his wives] to the forest. (26) Together out there with his hundred wives was he depressed so that the sages very merciful with him with the greatest care began a [fertility] ceremony known as Indra-yajña. (27) He one night being very thirsty entered the sacrificial arena and seeing all the brahmins fast asleep, drank he of the sanctified water himself [instead of keeping it for his women]. (28) After they all woke up and next found the waterpot empty, o prabhu, inquired they who was responsible for drinking the water that was meant for giving birth to a child. (29) Understanding that by providence it was drank by the king prayed they all to the Supreme Lord saying: 'Alas, the power of God is what rules!' (30) So opened, lo and behold, thereafter when the time was ripe, the lower abdomen of king Yuvanâs'va itself at the right side and was a son born with all the qualities characterizing a good king. (31) Who now would supply the child with milk? It was crying so much thirsting for it that king Indra said: 'don't cry my child, just drink from me' and gave it his index-finger to suck. (32) The father didn't die of the baby he gave birth to because of the mercy of the divine scholars. Yuvanâs'va afterwards achieved the perfection doing tapas in that very place. (33-34) Dear king, Indra gave the child the name Trasaddasyu ['the fear of the rogues'], and of him indeed were crooks like Râvana and such, most afraid. Thus ruled Yuvanâs'va's son Mândhâtâ by the power of the Infallible One the surface of the earth with its seven continents as its one and only master. (35-36) He also in full awareness of the true self worshiped Yajña, the Lord of Sacrifices, the God and Supersoul of everyone above the sensual, in great ritualistic performances that were attended by all the godly whom he rewared with large sums. All ingredients, the mantras and the regulative principles, the worship and the worshiper and the priests with all the dharma of proceeding to the time and place, together contributed to assure that the interest of the true self was done justice. (37) About all the places mentioned stretching from where the sun rises above the horizon to everywhere he sets, speaks one as the field of action of the son of Yuvanâs'va, Mândhâtâ.
(38) In the daughter Bindumatî of a king called S'as'abindu begot the ruler [Mândhâtâ] Pûrukutsa, Ambarîsha and Mucukunda who was a great yogi . Their fifty sisters accepted sage Saubhari as their husband. (39-40) He [Saubhari] performing an uncommon austerity saw, submerged in the deep of the Yamunâ river, in his penance how a big fish was enjoying in sexual matters. Sexually awakened begged the learned one the king [Mândhâtâ] for a single daughter. The king said: 'You may take my daughter, o brahmin, if that is what she chooses.'
(41-42) He thought to himself: 'Women don't like me, I'm too old, I'm not attractive to them, wrinkled, with gray hair and a head-tremor; I'll be rejected! Let me make it this way that my body is desirable to the women of heaven, not to mention the daughters of worldly kings!' Thus was the resolve of the mystic. (43) Announced by an envoy was the sage admitted into the in every possible respect opulent quarters of the princesses where he, the one person he was, by all the fifty princesses was accepted as their husband. (44) Quarrels ensued among themselves when they gave up on their good relations in being attracted to him saying things like: 'He's the person suited for me, not for you.' (45-46) He, as a result of his austerity knowing many a mantra, enjoyed with his wives consequently an unlimited opulence with everything that one could wish for: all kinds of finely furnished houses and quarters, parks, the clearest water in ponds amidst fragrant gardens, costly bedding and furniture, clothing and ornaments; there were bathing places, palatable dishes, there was sandalwood paste and a dress-up with garlands and decorations of all men and women who in constant glee were followed by the song of birds, bumblebees and professional singers. (47) Just to observe Saubhari's family life struck the ruler over the seven continents [Mândhâtâ] with wonder so that he could no longer pride himself on his own position as the emperor of the world blessed with all opulence. (48) And Saubhari, always engaged in the happiness and diversity of the material affairs of his household, was in his enjoyment, just as a fire fed with fat, never satisfied. (49) He one day, sitting down wondering how his straying away from the true self could have taken place, had to conclude that it had been caused by a couple of copulating fish: (50) 'Alas, see how I, who was such a great ascetic, so observant and strict to the vow, have fallen down from the ascetic life I practiced for so long; just because of what aquatics do under water! (51) He who desires liberation has to give up the association of people vowed to sensual affairs; he should in every respect avoid to employ his external senses, he should move alone in a seclude place and fix his heart on the lotus feet of the Lord Unlimited and if he seeks company, he should associate with like-minded people like saints. (52) On my own as a renunciate was I, under water, associating with fish (!) and got I fifty wives, not to mention the five thousand sons I begot; I see no end to my duties here and hereafter that are occupying my mind. Under the influence of the modes of matter am I, out for my own interest, lost in the great attraction for material things.'
(53) Thus [regretfully] living at home passed the time and became he, detached, situated in the renounced order of life; he went to the forest and was followed by all his wives as he was their object of worship. (54) There in his penance being of the severest austerity conducive to self-realization, engaged he, now familiar with the fires of the personal self, himself with the Supreme Soul. (55) O Mahârâja, the wives who saw their husband spiritually progressing, managed to follow under that influence just like flames do with a fire that extinguishes [compare B.G. 9: 32].
*: To this there is
a quote from the Brahmâ-vaivarita Purâna so said
S'rî Caitanya Mahâprabhu:
'as'vamedham gavâlambham
sannyâsam pala-paitrikam
devarena sutotpattim
kalau pañca vivarjayet'
"In this age of Kali, five acts are forbidden: the offering of a
horse in sacrifice, the offering of a cow in sacrifice, the
acceptance of the order of sannyâsa, the offering of oblations
of flesh to the forefathers, and a man's begetting children in his
brother's wife."
The Descendants of King Mândhâtâ
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'The most prominent son of Mândhâtâ named Ambarîsha [to the Ambarîsha of Nâbhâga, see 4.13], was adopted by his grandfather Yuvanâs'va as his son and he had a son called Yauvanâs'va who on his turn had a son named Hârîta. These [three, Ambarisha, Yauvanâs'va and Hârîta,] were the most prominent of all members of the Mândhâtâ dynasty. (2) Purukutsa [another son of Mândhâtâ] was taken to the lower regions by his wife Narmadâ who in service of the king of the serpents [Vâsuki] had been given to him in marriage by her serpent brothers. (3) There did he, factually empowered by Lord Vishnu, shatter the ones abiding by the song of heaven who deserved it to be chastised [because of their Gandharva sin of gambling]. From the serpentine he received the benediction that those who remember this incident are protected against the reptilians [the snake-like race of humanoids].
(4) The son of Pûrukutsa Trasaddasyu [named after the other one: 9.6: 32-34] was the father of Anaranya whose son had the name Haryas'va [after: 9.6: 23-24]. From him there was Prâruna and Prâruna's son was Tribandhana. (5-6) Of Tribandhana there was a son named Satyavrata [after the Manu, see 8.24: 10], who, being cursed by his father [for kidnapping a brahmin daughter at her marriage], had acquired the quality of an outcast [cândâla] and was thus called Tris'anku ['afraid of the heavens']. Under the influence of Kaus'ika [sage Vis'vâmitra] went he to heaven where he, having fallen down there, fixed [half way in his fall] by the sage his supreme and divine power, today still can be seen hanging with his head downward from the sky. (7) Tris'anku's son was Haris'candra; because of him was there between Vis'vâmitra and Vasishthha a great quarrel because of which the two for many years were as birds [*]. (8) He was very morose of having no successor and took on the advise of Nârada shelter with Varuna whom he asked: 'O lord, let there be a son born from me.'
(9) O Mahârâja, then he said: 'And if there is a son, am I even willing to make with him an offering if you so desire'. Varuna accepted it and so was there indeed a son born to him that was named Rohita ['to the blood'].
(10) 'Since a son has been born can you, my dear, prepare me a sacrifice with him', so Varuna said to Haris'candra who then replied: 'Ten days after [its birth] should an animal be considered fit for being sacrificed.'
(11) Ten days later coming back said he: 'And now: sacrifice!' Thus replied Haris'candra: 'When the teeth of an animal have appeared, then it has become fit for being sacrificed!'
(12) When the teeth had grown said Varuna: 'Sacrifice now', upon which Haris'candra replied: 'When he looses his [milk] teeth, then will he be fit.'
(13) When the teeth fell out told he him: 'Sacrifice now then!', upon which came the reply: 'When the 'sacrificial animal' its teeth have grown back, then it is pure!'
(14) Varuna, upon them having grown, then said: 'You offer now', after which Haris'candra said: 'When he as a warrior can defend himself with a shield, o King, then will the 'sacrificial animal' be pure.'
(15) This way with his mind under the control of his affection for his son cheated he the god on the time that it would take and had he him so waiting for the moment to arrive. (16) Rohita aware of what his father had planned to do, took, trying to save his life, his bow and arrows and left for the forest. (17) When he heard that his father because of Varuna was plagued by dropsy and had grown a large belly, wanted Rohita to return to the capital, but Indra forbade him to go there. (18) Indra told him to travel the world for the purpose of holy places and pilgrimage sites and that he had to live in the forest for one year. (19) And so it happened for a second, a third, a fourth and a fifth year as well that Indra in the form of an old brahmin appeared before him to tell him that again and again. (20) The sixth year that Rohita wandered in the forest, went he to the capital where he with Ajîgarita bought out his second son S'unahs'epha to use as the 'animal of sacrifice'. Him he offered to his father bringing his obeisances. (21) Thereafter sacrificing the [worldly life of the] man in the yajña [**] became Haris'candra as famous and celebrated as demigods like Varuna are in making sacrifices and was he freed from the dropsy. (22) Vis'vâmitra was in the sacrifice offering the oblations [the Hotâ], the self-realized Jamadagni led the recitations of the [Yayur-veda] mantras [as the Adhvaryu], Vasishthha was the leading brahmin [the brahmâ] and Ayâsya [or Âgastya] did the [Sâma-veda] hymns [as the Udgâtâ]. (23) Indra, very pleased, delivered him a golden chariot. The glories of S'unahs'epha will be recounted with the description of the sons of Vis'vâmitra.
(24) To see truthfulness, solidity and forbearance with the ruler [Haris'candra] and his wife pleased Vis'vâmitra very much and so gave he them the imperishable knowledge to reach their destination. (25-26) Merging the mind with the earth, the earth with the water, the water with the fire, the fire with the air and the air with the sky as also merging that with the material identification, that false ego with the totality of matter and that complete with the spiritual knowledge in all its branches, was by that specific process of meditation the ignorance subdued and the material ambition forsaken. By loving selfrealization and liberating transcendental bliss remained they with the Inconceivable, completely freed from being bound materially.'
*: Prabhupâda comments: 'Vis'vâmitra and Vasishthha were always inimical. Formerly, Vis'vâmitra was a kshatriya, and by undergoing severe austerities he wanted to become a brâhmana, but Vasishthha would not agree to accept him. In this way there was always disagreement between the two. Later, however, Vasishthha accepted him because of Vis'vâmitra's quality of forgiveness. Once Haris'candra performed a yajña for which Vis'vâmitra was the priest, but Vis'vâmitra, being angry with Haris'candra, took away all his possessions, claiming them as a contribution of dakshinâ. Vasishthha, however, did not like this, and therefore a fight arose between Vasishthha and Vis'vâmitra. The fighting became so severe that each of them cursed the other. One of them said, "May you become a bird," and the other said, "May you become a duck." Thus both of them became birds and continued fighting for many years because of Haris'candra.'
**: Sacrificing a human being has to be considered here as something nonviolent since the vidhi preaches compassion with all living creatures (dayâ or ahimsâ ) and the Bhâgavatam for sure condemns the sacrifice of human lives by the story of Jada Bharata [see 5.9: 17]. The context here suggests, and from 9.16: 31-32 it appears, that because Haris'candra had been the cause of a fight between the sages Vis'vâmitra and Vasishthha that the sacrifice of a human being meant that some man had to give up his worldly life to serve the sages in their reconcilliation. The heir to the throne, the most likely candidate for the job, could not give up his worldly responsibility, so was another man chartered to take that duty upon him.
The Sons of Sagara Meet Lord Kapiladeva
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Hârîta was the son of King Rohita [see previous chapter] and his son Campa built a city called Campâpurî. After him there was Sudeva who also had a son called Vijaya. (2) Bharuka was the son of Vijaya, he had one called Vrika and Vrika had Bâhuka of whom all the land he had was taken away by his enemies so that the king had to enter the forest with his wife. (3) When he had died of old age wanted his queen to die along with him but sage Aurva, who understood that she was pregnant with a son in her womb, forbade it. (4) The co-wives finding out gave her poison with her food, but with the poison was Sagara ['with poison'] born, who became an emperor of great repute. His sons were responsible for the place called Gangâsâgara. (5-6) He didn't kill the antisocial [Tâlajanghas, or tree-people], the ones opposing [the Yavanas, also: invaders like the Muslims and the Europeans], the godless [the S'akâs], the ruffians [Haihayas] nor the barbarians [Barbaras]. Instead made he, to the orders of the guru, them appear in odd dresses, shaved clean, wearing mustaches or sometimes tolerated he them as people with loose hair, being half-shaven, without any underwear or not being clad at all. (7) He was to the words of Aurva in yoga with the Supersoul of all vedic knowledge and the enlightened, and with horse sacrifices of worship unto the Lord, the Original Self and Controller. Some day he discovered that the horse that was used for the sacrifice had been stolen by Purandara [Indra, see also 4.19: 17]. (8) The proud sons born from Sumati [a wife of Sagara] then were ordered by their father to turn the entire country up side down to find out where the horse had gone to. (9-10) In the northeastern direction they saw the horse near the âs'rama of Kapila and said: 'Now we know where that horse-thief with his eyes closed lives; kill him, kill him that sinner!' While thus the sixty thousand men of Sagara with their weapons raised approached him, opened the muni at that very moment his eyes. (11) With their minds stolen [by Indra] and in offense with such a great personality [as Kapila see also 3.25-33], self-ignited their bodies instantly and turned they to ashes. (12) It is not the opinion of the saintly to say that the sons of the emperor were thus burnt to ashes by the anger of the muni, for how could with him [Him] as the abode of goodness by whose grace the entire universe is purified, the mode of ignorance dominate and anger rise - how can earthly dust pollute the ether? (13) With him who so thoroughly explained the world analytically [see 3.25-33] and in this world is there as a boat with which a seeker can cross over the ocean of nescience that in one's mortal existence is so hard to overcome - how can there, with a learned person elevated in transcendence, be a sense of distinction between friend and foe? [such a one is always jubilant: prasannâtmâ] (14) He who born from Kes'inî [Sagara's other wife] was called Asamañjasa had as a prince a son of his own known as Ams'umân who always did the best he could for his grandfather. (15-16) Formerly a yogi, as he could remember from another life, had Asamañjasa fallen down from the path of yoga because of bad association and personally proven himself a most disturbing way. Behaving badly was he of trouble for everybody in the society and had he, sporting with his relatives, been acting unkind throwing all the boys into the river the Sarayû. (17) Of these acts [the boys had disappeared] was he by his father banned who gave up his love for him. By the power of yoga [though] managed he to present the boys and went he away. (18) O King, the inhabitants of Ayodhyâ were astound to see their sons turning up again while the king was truly sorry [now that his son was gone]. (19) Ams'umân ordered by the king to search for the horse went for it following the tracks his uncles had left behind and found the horse near a pile of ashes. (20) Seeing the one from the beyond [the Vishnu avatâra] known as Kapila, offered the great personality attentively prayers with folded hands prostrating himself.
(21) Ams'umân said: 'No one of us living beings can envision You as the Transcendental One. To the day of today can not even Lord Brahmâ fathom You and by what meditation or guesswork would others, we creatures of the material world who, taking the body for the self, miss the transcendence [see also B.G. 7: 27]? (22) They who accepted a material body under the influence of the three modes [the gunas, see also B.G. 14: 5] can only see those modes so one says and bewildered by the illusory energy not know You who resides in goodness in the core of the heart of one's body; they see but the external byproducts. (23) By Sanandana and other worshipable sages free from the contaminating and bewildering illusory differentiation caused by the gunas, is all wisdom with the original nature [svabhâva] rolled in one [see B.G. 14: 26 & 2: 45], but how can I as a fool of matter keep You, the Personality [of that unity], in mind? (24) O Peaceful One, I offer my obeisances unto You, the Original Supreme Personality, who without a name and form, transcendental to the temporal and eternal, in order to distribute the transcendental knowledge, to the modes of matter has assumed a material body symptomized by fruitive action. (25) In their hearth and home, accepting Your material energy as the real thing, do they [birth after birth] wander around in this world in their hearts bewildered by lust, greed, envy and illusion. (26) O Supreme Lord, by simply seeing You has today this hard and tight knot of our illusion been broken of which one in one's sensuality is influenced by lust and the profitmind, o Soul of All beings!'
(27) S'rî S'uka said: 'O master of man, the great sage and Supreme Lord Kapila this way having been glorfied, told Ams'umân mercifully the following about the path of knowledge. (28) The Supreme Lord said: 'Take this horse, my son, it is the sacrificial animal of your grandfather, but all these bodies of your forefathers burnt to ashes can by no other means be saved but by Ganges-water.' (29) After circumambulating him bowing to his satisfaction brought he the horse back to Sagara and was by means of that animal the concluding ceremony performed. (30) Following the path laid out by Aurva handed he [Sagara], freed from attachments and desires, the kingdom over to Ams'umân and attained he the supreme destination.'
The Dynasty of Ams'umân
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Ams'umân for a long time doing penance with a desire to bring the Ganges down was unsuccessful and then died in due course of time. (2) His son Dilîpa, like his father, couldn't do so either and also died a victim of time. Next was his son Bhagîratha in his penance of the greatest austerity. (3) Unto him the goddess [of mother Gangâ] appeared who said: 'Very pleased as I am will I answer your prayers', and thus addressed seeing his wishes granted [that the Ganges would wash away the ashes, see 9.8: 28] bowed that ruler of man respectfully.
(4) [Mother Gangâ said:] 'Who is able to sustain the force of the waves with me falling down upon this earth? Unsustained I'd split open its surface, o master of men, and head for the lower worlds! (5) Another reason for me not to head for the earth is, and please take this into account o King, that I of the people cleansing themselves with my water will have to wash away the sinfulness.'
(6) S'rî Bhagîratha said: 'The saintly forsakers of the world who peaceful and expert to the rules deliver all, will take the sinfulness you thus accumulate away, because they bathing in your water carry within them the Defeat of all Sin, the Lord [see also 1.13: 10 and 6.1: 15]. (7) The god of destruction, Rudra, will sustain your force, for he is of the embodied beings the Supersoul in whom all the universe long and wide is situated as threads in cloth [*].'
(8) After this was said was he, the ruler, of penance with Lord S'iva; not wasting any time propitiated he the All-auspicious One so that the lordship indeed soon was satisfied, o King [**]. (9) 'So be it', said Lord S'iva ever auspicious to all, after having been addressed by the king, and with great attention sustained he the Ganges that was pure of washing from Vishnu's toes [see also 5.17]. (10) He Bhagîratha, the saintly king, brought her who could deliver the entire universe to the place where the ashes were of the bodies of his forefathers. (11) Leading the way, driving a chariot at the speed of the wind, was he followed by her while she blessed all the countries with her holiness until she flowed over the burnt sons of Sagara. (12) Even though the sons of Sagara were condemned for offending a brahmin, could the simple touch of her water with their remains only, make them reach the divine. (13) If Sagara's sons whose bodies burned to ashes went to heaven after contacting [the Ganges], then what would her effect be with those determined in vows who with faith and devotion worship the goddess? (14) This miracle of her water now described is not such a supreme wonder at all, to cut the bondage is her natural ability because she emanates from the Lotus feet of the Eternal One. (15) Saintly people who in faith with their minds are of full attention, are purified despite of the difficulty to give it up with the three modes of nature; by them is the spiritual quality of the Supreme immediately achieved.
(16-17) From Bhagîratha was a son born named S'ruta, of him there was Nâbha - different from the one I before described [see 5.3] - and from Nâbha was born Sindhudvîpa of whom thereafter Ayutâyu was born. His son Ritûparna was a friend of Nala. From Nala he received the art of training horses in exchange for secrets of gambling. Ritûparna had a son named Sarvakâma. (18) From him there was Sudâsa whose son [Saudâsa] as the husband of Damayantî ascended the throne and also was known, so one says, as Mitrasaha and Kalmâshapâda. He, because of sin without a son, once got cursed by Vasishthha to become a man-eater [a Râkshasa].
(19) The king said: 'Please tell me, if it is not a secret, what the reason was for the curse of the spiritual master against Saudâsa, this great soul? That I would like to know.'
(20-21) S'rî S'uka said: 'Saudâsa sometimes went out to hunt and had in the past killed a Râkshasa, but the brother whom he let go, thereafter pursued him in revenge. With evil intentions he posed as the king's cook and presented his spiritual master who came to dine at his home, the flesh of a human being he had cooked. (22) Checking his food found the mighty master it from his inner sense unfit for consumption and cursed he the king very angry with: 'For this you'll become a man-eater indeed!' (23-24) Finding out that the Râkshasa was to blame performed he, to atone, for twelve years a penance. Saudâsa though had taken a palmful of water in order to curse his guru, but his wife Madayantî forbade it. He spilled the water potent of the [s'apa-]mantra over his legs after which that lord of man in all directions in the sky everywhere could see the surface of the earth teeming with life. (25) He acquired the propensities of a wild man and acquired a black spot on his leg [for which he was known as Kalmâshapâda]. Living in the forest saw he [once] a brahmin couple the moment they had sexual intercourse. (26-27) Suffering from hunger caught he the brahmin but his wife said: 'You must be very unhappy, poor and hungry, but a Râkshasa you're not; in fact you're a great warrior from the Ikshvâku-dynasty, the husband of Madayantî, o hero, it is nothing for you to act against the dharma. Please release my husband, this twice-born soul whose desire to get a son has not yet been fulfilled. (28) O King, this human body does good to the Complete of the Living Being and so would, so to say, the killing of him, o hero, be the killing of all good chances! (29) He here is a brâhmana well-versed in the Veda, who austere, of good behavior and endowed with all good qualities is determined to honor the Brahmân, the Supreme Personality known as the Living Soul of all beings in the beyond of whom He's the quality. (30) He, this brahmin and best of all sages, how can he, like it is with a son with his father, from you the best of all saintly kings, with your awareness of the religion o power of the state, deserve it to be killed? (31) He's a saint free from sin, a speaker of Absolute Truth; how can you of your good self appreciated in the highest circles, think of killing him: that would be like killing an embryo or a cow! (32) Without him I can't live for even a moment and am I as a dead body; if you want to eat him, then eat me instead.'
(33) With the wife, this way pleading so pitiably and lamenting as a woman bereft of her man, devoured he, Saudâsa, condemned by the curse, him like a tiger does with its prey. (34) The brâhmana wife, the chaste woman, upon seeing how the man, who was about to impregnate her, by the Râkshasa was eaten, cried loudly from her deepest being and pronounced angered a curse against the king. (35) 'Because you've devoured the husband of a woman in pain for intercourse will you, o sinner, suffer the curse of also finding death when you try to discharge semen, o traitor of civilization!'
(36) After this way cursing Mitrasaha ['indulgent toward friends' or Saudâsa] found she, inclined to stay with him, her destination stepping into the fire ablaze with the bones of her husband. (37) When after twelve years Saudâsa was released [from the curse of Vasishthha] and tried to have sex with his wife was he checked by the queen who reminded him of the curse of the brâhmanî. (38) Thus had he henceforward to forsake it to be happy with his wife and remained he by destiny sonless. Vasishthha then was permitted to beget a child in Madayantî, his wife. (39) She verily bore the child for seven years in her womb not delivering, but with her abdomen struck by a stone was there a son from her who therefore was called As'maka ['of us']. (40) From As'maka was Bâlika born. This child was protected by a human shield consisting of women and named thereafter [as 'Nârîkavaca']. When there were no rulers around anymore [as Lord Paras'urâma had killed them all] became he Mûlaka ['springing from'], the progenitor of the kshatriyas. (41) From Bâlika there was a son named Das'aratha, his son was Aidavidi and from him was there the famous king Vis'vasaha who for his son had Khathvânga who became emperor. (42-43) He very fierce on the request of the godly killed the Daityas in battle and coming home, knowing that he had only a second longer to live, fixed he his mind by praying: 'Nor the earth, my kingdom or my dearest wife; nor my sons and daughters, my opulence or life are as worshipable to me as are the godly of the brahmin community respected in my family [***]. (44) Not even as a child was I attracted or enjoying the irreligious, nor did I at any time see anything else but the Lord Hailed in the Scriptures, Uttamas'loka, as something substantial. (45) By the godly I was granted the boon to have whatever I wanted but that claim over the three worlds I could not accept; all that I desire in this world is to be fully absorbed in the Supreme Lord [compare B.G. 9: 34]. (46) If even they, the godly, in their senses and minds always are distraught not knowing the Dearmost Eternal One of the Soul residing in their hearts, what then to expect of others [see B.G. 18: 55]? (47) Let me therefore in loving service give up the attachment to the modes of nature, the so powerful material control of mâyâ in manmade things which are like castles in the sky, and surrender myself unto Him, the One Soul who created the complete of the universe.'
(48) Thus intelligently with a firm resolve fully in the grip of Nârâyana, gave he up on all other concerns which are but ignorance and found he thereafter himself situated in his original position of loving service. (49) That which as such is known as the Supreme Brahmân defying all description is not something impersonal or empty as one might think; it is the Supreme Lord Vâsudeva of whom the truthloving people are singing [see also 1.2: 11].'
*:
Prabhupâda quotes: Lord S'iva is described in the
Brahmâ-samhitâ (5.45):
ks'îram yathâ dadhi
vikâra-visesa-yogât
sanjâyate na hi tatah prithag asti hetoh
yah S'ambhutâm api tathâ samupaiti kâryâd
govindam âdi-purusham tam aham bhajâmi
"Milk changes into yogurt when mixed with a yogurt culture, but
actually yogurt is constitutionally nothing but milk. Similarly,
Govinda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, assumes the form of Lord
S'iva for the special purpose of material transactions. I offer my
obeisances at Lord Govinda's lotus feet."
**: Lord S'iva is also called Âs'utosha: quickly pleased.
***: The
vaishnava daily expresses his respects for the brahminical in his
offerings worshiping the Lord with this prayer
namo brâhmanya-devâya
go brâhmana-hitâya ca
jagad-dhitâya krishnâya
govindâya namo namah
"I offer my respectful obeisances to the Supreme Absolute Truth,
Krishna, who is the well-wisher of the cows and the
brâhmanas as well as the living entities in general. I
offer my repeated obeisances to Govinda, who is the pleasure
reservoir for all the senses."
The Pastimes of Lord Râmacandra
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'From Khathvânga there was Dîrghabâhu, from him was the renown and dexterous Raghu born, from whose son Aja was born the great king Das'aratha. (2) Upon the prayers of the God-conscious was there from him the Absolute Truth in four forms with the Supreme Lord in person and three expansions of Him; they appearing as four sons were thus known as Râma, Lakshmana, Bharata and S'atrughna. (3) Of His transcendental exploits as the husband of Sîtâ, o King, have you more than enough [*] heard through the nice descriptions by the many seers and knowers of the Reality [compare B.G. 4: 34]. (4) Faithful to the teachings [answering to a promise his father made] abandoned He the royal position and wandered He, accompanied by His loved ones [Sîtâ and Lakshmana] who relieved Him of His fatigue on the path, from forest to forest on His bare lotus feet that were as tender to the touch as a hand palm. He was [by Râvana] separated from His sweetheart Sîtâ because of disfiguring S'ûrpanakhâ [the sister of Râvana who got her nose cut off] and found support with the king of the monkeys [Hanumân]. Over the ocean, that was afraid of His eyebrows raised in anger, was a bridge constructed [to Lankâ, the residence of Râvana] and became He, like a forestfire burning the envious ones, the king of Ayodhyâ. May His mercy be upon us.
(5) With a [as'vamedha] sacrifice of Vis'vâmitra was His honor defended of indeed under the supervision of Lakshmana, having killed the wanderers of the dark headed by Mârîca, the great chiefs of the Râkshasas.
(6-7) It was He who of all the heroes in the world in the hall where Sîtâ would select her husband took up the mighty bow of S'iva that had to be carried by three hundred men. Fastening the string, o King, and bending it broke He the bow in two the way a baby elephant breaks a stick of sugar cane. With first by the victory gaining to His chest the divine girl named Sîtâ, who in her qualities, behavior, age and limbs was a perfect match for Him, met and defeated He on his way home with her the deep-rooted pride of Bhrigupati [Paras'urâma] who three times [seven, thus twenty one times] had rid the earth [of its burden of unrighteous rulers] that now without royalty had Him as the seed. (8) He had indeed to the order on His head of His father, who so very attached had made a promise to his wife [**], to accept that He had to abandon the kingdom, residence, opulence, relatives and friends and go live in the forest like a liberated soul. (9) With Him, wandering through the forest living a life of hardship, was the body of the Râkshasa [Râvana] his sister maimed because she had a mind foul of lust and were, with in His hands His invincible bow and arrows, the fourteen-thousand of her many friends headed by Khara, Tris'ira and Dûshana, killed by Him.
(10) O ruler of man, hearing the stories about Sîtâ, stirred the heart of ten-head Râvana and made him lust to see her. Mârîca in the form of a golden deer then lured Him away from their stay and was, like S'iva did with Daksha [see 4.5: 22], by Him killed on the spot with a sharp arrow. (11) With Him together with His brother in the forest, was the unprotected daughter of the king of Videha [Janaka] by the tiger, the most wicked Râkshasa, kidnapped and wandered He around posing as a man who attached to women is in distress over being separated from his dearest wife, thus giving an example [s'ringâra-rasa] of what attachment leads to. (12) After cremating the one who had died for His sake [the eagle Jathâyu], killed He Kabandha [a headless monster] and made He friends with the leaders of the monkey hordes in order to free Sîtâ. He whose feet are worshiped by Brahmâ and S'iva, but appeared as a normal man, next in their acquaintance killed Vâli [a wicked brother of Hanumân] and proceeded, accompanied by the monkey soldiers, to the shore of the ocean. (13) The ocean silent of fear because of His angry glance - of which all the crocodiles and sharks were agitated - carried, assuming a personal form, on its head all that was needed to worship Him and said, reaching the lotus feet, the following: (14) 'We, the dull-minded, are truly not capable of, o Supreme One, knowing You as residing in the core of the heart as the Original Person and Supreme Master of all Universes; the God-conscious under Your direction fixed in their attention are infatuated with goodness, the controllers of the people are infatuated with passion, while the rulers of the physical existence are [as ghosts] under the influence of slowness, but Your Lordship art in Your position the Master over these modes. (15) You may cross as you like! Just conquer that son of Vis'ravâ called Râvana, that urine pollution of the three worlds, and regain Your wife o hero. Build a bridge here so that Your fame may spread; the great kings and heroes still to come will all glorify You for it.'
(16) After the Master of the Raghu dynasty with all sorts of mountain peaks, complete with trees and plants, that were transported by hand by the mighty monkeys, had constructed a bridge in the ocean [***], entered He, helped by the directions of Vibhîshana [a virtuous brother of Râvana], with the soldiers led by Sugrîva, Nîla and Hanumân [the island of] Lankâ that just before had been set afire [by Hanumân's tail]. (17) Right there were the houses of pleasure, granaries, treasuries, palace doors and city gates, assembly houses, palace frontages and [even the] pigeon houses by force taken in and dismantled by the Vânara [monkey people]-leaders who like an elephant herd turned the squares and crossroads, with all their flags and golden waterpots on the rooftops into one swirling river. (18) When the master of the Râkshasas saw that summoned he Nikumbha, Kumbha, Dhûmrâksha, Durmukha, Surântaka, Narântaka and others to fight, and called he as well for his son Indrajit, his followers Prahasta, Atikâya, Vikampana and finally for Kumbhakarna [his mighty brother, see 4.1: 37, 7.1: 44 and 7.10: 36]. (19) All the râkshasa soldiers with hard to defeat swords, lances, bows, barbed missiles and spears, firebrands, javelins and scimitars [a curved sword] came in front of Him who was surrounded by Sugrîva, Lakshmana, Hanumân, Gandhamâda, Nîla, Angada, Riksha, Panasa and others.
(20) The commanders of the soldiers of the Ruler of the Raghu dynasty, together out to defeat all the enemies, fought the hordes by elephant, on foot, from chariots and on horseback. By the warriors lead by Angada and others were they with trees, mountain peaks, clubs and arrows all killed as the luck of Râvana's dependents had ran out being condemned by the anger of mother Sîtâ. (21) The râkshasa leader fuming of seeing his forces defeated thereupon drove his vehicle forward proceeding towards the effulgent Râma who, glittering on the chariot of Indra that Mâtali [the driver] had brought, struck him with the sharpest arrows. (22) Râma said to him: 'You servant of scum, since you criminal like a dog have kidnapped My helpless wife will I as the Time itself in person, will I unfailing in my heroism, for that shameless act, as a result today punish you, abominable evildoer [see also B.G. 16: 6-18]!'
(23) Thus rebuking him released He the arrow He had fixed on His bow and that arrow like a thunderbolt pierced his heart. Vomiting blood from his ten mouths he fell from his heavenly vehicle while all his folk roared: 'Alas, what befell us?', just like the pious do when they fall down [see also B.G. 9: 21]. (24) Thereafter came the wives of the demons headed by Mandodarî [Râvana's wife] out of Lankâ and lamented they upon approaching [their dead husbands]. (25) Embracing their beloved and friends all killed by Lakshmana's arrows beated they, so poor, their breasts and cried they, [for the victors] pleasant to hear, piteously: (26) 'O alas, killed is he who in the past protected us all! O, Râvana, cause of our cries, to whom must the state of Lankâ, overcome by the enemy, turn for shelter, now that it is bereft of your good self? (27) O greatest patron, as a result of having fallen under the influence of lusty desires, had you really no idea of how mother Sîtâ could put you in a situation like this. (28) O glory of the dynasty, because of what you did are we and the state of Lankâ now without a protector and is your body there as fodder for the vultures and your soul destined for hell [compare B.G. 16: 19].'
(29) S'rî S'uka said: 'On the approval of the King of Kosala [Râma] performed, of the [Râvana] family, Vibhîshana the funeral rites that for a deceased one have to be observed to save him from hell. (30) Next found the Supreme Lord in an as'oka forest His love back taking shelter in a small cottage at the foot of a s'ims'apâ [as'oka] tree, very lean from suffering the separation from Him. (31) Râma finding His dearmost wife so poor off became very compassionate with her while her lotuslike mouth, the moment she saw her beloved, was overwhelmed by a great joy. (32) The Supreme Lord, putting Vibhîshana in charge of the rule over Lankâ's Râkshasas for the duration of a kalpa, placed her on his vehicle and got in Himself together with Hanumân and the brothers [Lakshmana and Sugrîva the commander] to return to the home town [Ayodhyâ] and to conclude the term of the vow [to stay away for 14 years]. (33) On the road was He showered by a choice of fragrant flowers offered by the higher class to honor His uncommon activities and were the seer of the absolute truth [Brahmâ] and those belonging to him of great jubilation. (34) The One of Great Compassion was very sorry to hear how His brother Bharata with matted locks was lying down on a Kus'a mat, ate from barley cooked in cows urine and had covered Himself with tree bark. (35-38) Bharata hearing of the arrival took the two sandals on His head [that Râma had left behind on the throne to represent Him] and went, accompanied by all citizens, the ministers and the priests, out to welcome His eldest brother. Departing from His camp Nandigrâma were there songs, the sounds of musical instruments, the constant recitation of mantras by brahmins, with gold embroidered flags on golden chariots pulled by the most beautiful, with gold caparisoned, horses and soldiers in gold-covered armor. In procession with nicely dressed courtesans and servants and also soldiers on foot and everything else that would befit a royal reception, like a wealth of all kinds of jewelry, fell He down at the lotus feet in an ecstatic love that softened the core of His [ascetic] heart and filled His eyes with tears. (39-40) Placing the two slippers with folded hands before His golden brother embraced He Him with His cheeks wet, bathing Him in His arms for a long time with the water from His eyes. Râma, together with Lakshmana and Sîtâ, personally offered the learned and the others worthy of worship their obeisances and received them also back from all the citizens. (41) Seeing their Lord returning after so many years waved the citizens of Kosala with their upper garments, offered they Him garlands and started they to dance in great jubilation. (42-43) The sandals were carried by Bharata, the whisk and luxurious fan by Vibhîshana and Sugrîva, a white parasol by the son of the Maruts [Hanumân], the bow and two quivers by S'atrughna, Sîtâ had the waterpot with water from the holy places, Angada had the sword made of gold and the King of the Rikshas [Jâmbavân, leader of the bears that also assisted in the war] held the shield, o King. (44) To sit on Kuvera's heavenly chariot [the 'Pushpaka' captured from Râvana] made Him, the Supreme Lord, with the worshipful prayers of the women and the reciters, o King, appear as beautiful as the moon risen between the planets.
(45-46) Properly welcomed by His brother was He thereafter festively received in the city of Ayodhyâ. Upon entering the royal palace paid He mother Kaikeyî, His other stepmothers and His own mother [Kaus'alyâ] His respects. The spiritual teachers, friends of their age and the younger ones were all of worship and befittingly was the welcome returned by Him, the princess of the Videhas [Sîtâ] and Lakshmana. (47) As bodies awakening from sleep rose their mothers to their feet and moistened they, keeping their sons on their lap, them with a continuous flow of tears as they gave up their grief [of being separated for so long from them]. (48) Shaving off the matted locks, was by the family priest and the elders of the family according the vidhi with the water of the four oceans and other paraphernalia a bathing ceremony performed to the like of the purification of King Indra [see 6: 13]. (49) Thus having been bathed completely, nicely dressed, decorated and garlanded, shone He brightly with His brothers and His wife. (50) Pleased with the surrender He accepted the throne submitted to Him by His brother and also the citizens who, engaged in the occupational duties of their status-orientations [varnâs'rama, see B.G. 4: 13], all had become fit for His protection; Râma was therein just like a father and by them was He also considered as being their father.
(51) Although it was Tretâ-yuga became the period equal to Satya-yuga because of Râma's presence as the ruling king in full respect of the dharma that makes all living beings happy [see also 12.3: 15]. (52) The forests, rivers, hills and mountains, the lands, the islands, the oceans and the seas yielded for all the living beings all they could desire for their existence, o best of the Bharatas. (53) There was no suffering [due to oneself, others and nature], no disease, old age, bereavement, distress, lamentation, fear and fatigue or an unwanted death during the period that Lord Râma, the One beyond All, was king. (54) Vowed not to take another woman [for reasons of principle He separated from Sîtâ, see next chapter] was He, as a saintly King pure of character in His dharma, especially teaching the householders by the example of His personal dutifulness. (55) In loving service unto her husband was Sîtâ by her good character always submissive and ready to please, and captivated she His mind being chaste and unafraid, bashfully and understanding her husband's position.'
*: This and the next chapter are a summary of Vâlmîki's Râmâyana, the original scripture describing the st0ry of Râma.
**: Prabhupâda explains: 'Mahârâja Das'aratha had three wives. One of them, Kaikeyî, served him very pleasingly, and he therefore wanted to give her a benediction. Kaikeyî, however, said that she would ask for the benediction when it was necessary. At the time of the coronation of Prince Râmacandra, Kaikeyî requested her husband to enthrone her son Bharata and send Râmacandra to the forest. Mahârâja Das'aratha, being bound by his promise, ordered Râmacandra to go to the forest, according to the dictation of his beloved.'
***: This bridge is till today really present there in the form of a narrow passage of land close to the surface of the ocean between Lanka and India. It is called the Adam's Bridge and consists of a chain of shoals, c.18 miles (30 km) long [see picture and article].
Lord Râmacandra Rules the World
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'The Supreme Lord Râma, the Godhead, heart and soul of the godly, accepted an âcârya so that of Himself by Himself with the greatest opulence there was worship in the performance of sacrifices [see also 4.31: 14]. (2) The hotâ priest [the one offering oblations] He gave the entire east, the brahmâ priest [supervising the proceedings] received the southern side from His Lordship, the adhvaryu priest [who chants the yayur mantras preparing the sacrifice] got the entire west and the northern side went to the udgâtâ priest [singing the Sâma-veda hymns]. (3) Thinking that the brahmins free from desire deserved the complete of it, gave He the teacher of example, the âcârya, the rest of whatever land there was in between the regions. (4) All that He kept for Himself this way were His personal ornaments and garments while for the queen, the daughter of the king of Videha, just her nose ring remained. (5) But when they saw how He as the God of the brahmins was of such a great care melted, pleased with Him, their hearts and worshiped they Him with prayers with returning to Him all they received and said they: (6) 'What indeed have You not given us o Supreme Lord, o Master of the Universe? With You entering the core of our hearts do You, with Your effulgence, dissipate the darkness of our ignorance. (7) Our obseisances unto You Râmacandra, o best of all the renown, o You whose memory and knowledge, in Your divine respect for the brahmins, are never disturbed by anxiety. Those beyond the sanctions [the sages] are delivered to Your feet!'
(8) One night curious about the public opinion walked Râma in disguise unnoticed and heard He someone speaking who was referring to his [and His] wife. (9) 'I can't maintain you since you are an impure, unchaste woman keeping it with another man; I'll not again accept to be the henpecked one like even Râma is with Sîtâ!' (10) Apprehensive of folk who, not knowing where to stop, in their poor fund of knowledge speak a lot of nonsense, was she [Sîtâ] thus by her husband abandoned and went she to the hermitage of Prâcetasa [Vâlmîki Muni]. (11) There delivered she, being pregnant, when the time had arrived twin sons who thus from the sage performing the birth-rituals received the names Kus'a and Lava ['from the grass' and 'what's cut off']. (12) Also Lakshmana had two sons: Angada and Citraketu [named after 6.14-17] and Bharata, o great ruler, had two who were remembered as Taksha and Pushkala. (13-14) Subâhu and S'utrasena were born of S'atrughna. The Gandharvas [pretenders and gamblers] were by the millions killed by Lord Bharata who in His conquest brought all directions under the control of the King [Râma] whom He offered all their riches. The Râkshasa listening to the name of Lavana, a son of Madhu, was killed by S'atrughna in the great forest of Madhuvana where he established the great town known as Mathurâ. (15) Entrusting the sage her sons did Sîtâ, who banished by her husband kept meditating on Râma's feet, enter the earth. (16) Hearing about this was He, Râma, the Supreme Lord remembering her qualities in the different circumstances, not able to check His grief, however much He tried to ban it with His intelligence. (17) An attraction between husband and wife like this is a universal source of worries; even to the great controllers - how much then woudn't that be true for the common people who are enslaved to a household existence? (18) After she went to heaven observed He complete celibacy and performed the Lord a ceremony, a fire-sacrifice [Agnihotra], that continued for a thirteen thousand years without interruption. (19) Thereafter placed Râma the lotuspetals of His feet that were pierced by the thorns of the Dandakâranya forest [were He stayed during His exile] in the hearts of those remembering Him, and entered He, the Light of the Soul [âtma-jyoti], the Beyond.
(20) The Lord of the Raghu dynasty [Râma], spiritually relating to us in His pastimes, had, with no one greater or equal to Him, [personally] no need for all this fame, all the prayers of the godly, the killing of the Râkshasas, bridging the ocean and His bow and arrows, nor needed He the monkeys to assist Him in defeating the enemy [compare B.G. 3: 20-26]. (21) Unto Him whose spotless fame in royal assemblies to the present day is glorified, unto Him whose sin-devouring lotusfeet are to the saintly as what the cloth covering the elephant of victory is to the gods of heaven and kings of earth who greet it with their helmets - unto that Master of the Raghu dynasty I surrender myself. (22) He, who the people of Kosala looked for and wanted to touch, was by them all, whether they ate and slept with Him or respected Him as a servant, followed to the place for which He left where all [bhakti-]yoga practicioners go to [see also B.G. 4: 9]. (23) Any person hearing about the activities of Lord Râma will simply by this process be freed from the human weakness [envy, or original sin], o King, and be liberated from the clutches of karma.'
(24) The King asked: 'How did He, the Supreme Lord, Râma, relate to His brothers who were His personal expansions and how did they as well as all His people, His subjects, behave towards Him, their Controller?'
(25) The son of Vyâsadeva said: 'After accepting the throne ordered He, the Lord of the Universe, His younger brothers to conquer the world [*] while He personally gave audience to His people supervising the affairs of the capital with other assistants. (26) The streets were sprinkled with perfumed water and the musth of the elephants. To see Him, their Master and Ruler, present in person was the highest and greatest delight. (27) In the palaces, at the palace gates, in the assembly-houses on the platforms and the houses of God and such were golden waterpots placed together with flags. (28) Everywhere was He received with the charm of reception gates, tapestries, garlands, betel nut, flowers and fruits, banana-trees, colorful flags and mirrors. (29) Wherever He passed approached the locals Him carrying their articles of worship to receive His blessings saying: 'O my Lord, maintain this land that You, like You did before [as the other vishnu-avatâras], have rescued'. (30) The men and women in the city thereafter, desirous to see their king returning after so long a time, left their homes to get on the rooftops of the greater mansions in order to feast their hungry eyes on the Lord with the Lotus-eyes and shower Him with flowers. (31-35) He thereafter entered His home occupied by His family members which by His ancestors had been turned into an unlimited treasury decorated with a wealth of the most costly paraphernalia. The door-posts were of coral, the pillars lining up on the polished marakata floors [of emerald] were of vaidûrya-stone, there were dazzling marble fountains, all sorts of flowers and flags, draperies and an utter heaven to each his desire of paraphernalia embellished with pearls and the most valuable effulgent gems. Full with bunches of flowers, fragrant incense and lamps appeared the men and women there, whose bodies competed in beauty with their ornamentation, like demigods. (35) There enjoyed He, the Supreme Lord Râma [lit.: 'the source of joy'], ever pleased by His dearmost wife, mother Sîtâ, His personal happiness as the chief of the greatest scholars. (36) For many many years, enjoyed He without interruption, with the people meditating His lotus feet, and without transgressing the dharma, of all the pleasures of life.'
*: S'rî Caitanya Mahâprabhu said to this Râma-mission of conquering the world: 'prithivîte âche yata nagarâdi grâma sarvatra pracâra haibe mora nâma'; A pure devotee, therefore, must execute the order of the Lord and must not gratify his senses by remaining stagnant in one place, falsely proud, thinking that because he does not leave Vrindâvana but chants in a solitary place he has become a great devotee. He also said: 'yâre dekha, târe kaha 'Krishna'-upades'a'; every devotee, therefore, should spread Krishna consciousness by preaching, asking whomever he meets to accept the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The Dynasty of Kus'a, the Son of Lord Râmacandra
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Of Kus'a [the son of Lord Râma] there was Atithi, and from him there was Nishadha; Nishadha's son was Nâbha, Pundarîka came after him and Kshemadhanvâ became his son. (2) Devânîka was the son of Kshemadhanvâ, his was Anîha whose son was Pâriyâtra; Pâriyâtra's son was Balasthala who had a son called Vajranâbha who stemmed from the sun-god. (3-4) From Sagana [from Vajranâbha] there was a son called Vidhriti from whom the son Hiranyanâbha was born who became a teacher of yoga after Jaimini. With him studied Yâjñavalkya as a disciple the spirituality of Kaus'alya [âdhyâtma yoga see 6.15: 12-15]: the most elevated yoga of becoming a seer able to cut through the material knots in the heart. (5) From Pushpa, the son of Hiranyanâbha, was born Dhruvasandhi from whom there was Sudars'ana. After him came Agnivarna whose son was named S'îghra and Maru was his son. (6) The person of him still exists in Kalâpa-grâma ['bundle of communities'] as a perfect one of yoga; remaining there will he at the end of Kali-yuga, in order to revive the lost dynasty of the sun-god, beget a son. (7) There was a son of him: Prasus'ruta who had Sandhi and of him there was a son named Amarshana from whose son Mahasvân the person of Vis'vabâhu took birth. (8) From him there was Prasenajit from whom again Takshaka would take birth. From Takshaka there was Brihadbala, the one who then by your father was killed in a fight.
(9) All these kings of the Ikshvâku-dynasty are dead and gone. Now listen to the ones to become: after Brihadbala there will be a son named Brihadrana. (10) Brihadrana's son will be Ûrukriya, of him will Vatsavriddha take birth, Prativyoma will be his son and of him there will be Bhânu, whose son Divâka will be a great military commander. (11) Sahadeva from him will beget a great hero: Brihadas'va, from whom there will be Bhânumân. From Bhânumân will Pratîkâs'va father the son Supratîka. (12) Marudeva will be born thereafter and after him there will be Sunakshatra; next will there be Pushkara and his son Antariksha will have Sutapâ whose son will be Amitrajit. (13) Brihadrâja then of him will bring Barhi, Kritañjaya born of him will have a son called Ranañjaya and of him Sañjaya will take birth. (14) From him will thereafter be S'âkya whose son will be the memorable S'uddhoda, the father of Lângala of whom there will be Prasenajit who on his turn will father Kshudraka. (15) Ranaka will take birth from him, Suratha will be the next son, and the one of him named Sumitra will end the line of all these kings in the Brihadbala-dynasty. (16) Of all these descendants of Ikshvâku will Sumitra be the last to appear in the future because getting to him as a king will be the culmination indeed for Kali-yuga.'
The Story of Nimi and the Dynasty of his Son Mithila.
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Nimi [see 9.6: 4], the son of Ikshvâku, planning for a sacrifice appointed Vasishthha to be the priest who said: 'I am already engaged by Lord Indra, o Mahârâja. (2) When I have finished that sacrifice will I return, wait for me till then'.
Nimi remained silent and [Vasishthha] performed the sacrifice for Indra. (3) With the guru for a long time not returning thought Nimi: 'Life is short' and inaugurated the sacrifice with another self-realized soul as the officiating priest.
(4) Having ended the ceremonies did the guru upon his return find deviation from the instructions given and so he pronounced a curse: 'May the body of Nimi, who thinks he's so learned, come to a fall!'
(5) Nimi [on his turn] cursed the guru who tried to thrive in denial of his religious practice: 'And may your body, so ignorant of the dharma with your greed, fall down too!'
(6) Thus had Nimi, fully conversant with the spiritual knowledge, to give up his body. Vasishthha, the great-grandfather [died also but] was by Mitra and Varuna [their seed] born [again] from Urvas'î [the heavenly courtesan, see also 6.18: 5-6]. (7) Nimi's body was preserved in fragrant substances and at the end of the Sa(t)tra-sacrifice [a long-standing Soma-sacrifice] formulated the assembled ones of God the following: (8) 'May this body of the potent king cherished by us, come alive!'
Thus having expressed themselves answered Nimi: 'Do not bind me to a physical frame! (9) Shunning to be falsely united do spiritual philosophers [jñânis] neither desire to get into contact that way nor to be of a service like that of the great saints who at the lotus feet are absorbed in thoughts about the Lord [see bhajan]. (10) I do not wish to assume a material body that inevitably dies again, it is for each everywhere, like with fish living in the water, the cause of all distress, lamentation and fear [see also 1.13: 47 and B.G. 9: 3].'
(11) The godly said: 'Live as you like without a body; in the vision of the embodied you may become manifest or unmanifest now we've seen you in your spiritual existence!'
(12) In respect of the common people afraid of anarchy churned the great seers the deceased body of Nimi and was thus a son born [compare: 4.14: 43 and 4.15: 1]. (13) Because of his uncommon birth became he known as Vaideha ['free from a body'] because of being born from Videha [Nimi who was without a body]. He as well as the city he founded, were also known as Mithila from the being born from the churning. (14) From him there was a son named Udâvasu, the one born from him was Nandivardhana, Suketu followed him and his son carried the name Devarâta, o great ruler. (15) From him there was Brihadratha, Mahâvîrya was his and he became the father of Sudhriti who had a son named Dhrishthaketu. He on his turn had Haryas'va after whom there was Maru. (16) Maru's son was Pratîpaka and from him was Kritaratha born. From him came Devamîdha and his son Vis'ruta had one named Mahâdhriti. (17) Kritirâta followed and from him there was Mahâromâ as a son whose son Svarnaromâ had a son called Hrasvaromâ as the next one in the dynasty. (18) From him was S'îradhvaja [King Janaka] born who for the performance of sacrifices plowing the earth from the front of his plow [or s'îra] had Sîtâdevî [the wife of Râma, Sîtâ means 'furrow'] born, because of which he was celebrated as S'îradhvaja. (19) Kus'adhvaja was S'îradhvaja's son and his son was king Dharmadhvaja whose two sons were Kritadhvaja and Mitadhvaja. (20-21) Kritadhvaja had Kes'idhvaja and Mitadhvaja's son was Khândikya, o King. Kritadhvaja's son was an expert in the science of transcendence and Khândikya was an expert in vedic rituals. The latter fled because he feared Kes'idhvaja. From Bhânumân, Kes'idhvaja's son, there was the son S'atadyumna. (22) S'uci was his son and of him was the son Sanadvâja born. Ûrjaketu, his son, had Aja who thereafter had Pûrujit as his son. (23) Also he had a son: Arishthanemi, and from his son S'rutâyu was there Supârs'vaka who fathered Citraratha of whom the son Kshemâdhi became the king of Mithilâ. (24) His son named Samaratha had one named Satyaratha. From him was Upaguru born who begot Upagupta who was a partial expansion of Agni [the god of fire]. (25) Vasvananta [of Upagupta] his son thereafter was known by the name of Yuyudha who had a son called Subhâshana and his son was S'ruta. He had Jaya and Jaya had Vijaya. Vijaya's son was Rita. (26) Of him was the son S'unaka born, then came Vîtahavya and his son was Dhriti. Dhriti begot the son Bahulâs'va and of him there was Kriti who had a son called Mahâvas'î. (27) These, o King, are the descendants of Mithila who by the grace of the Lord of Yoga were all true knowers of the soul finding liberation from the worldly duality, even though they stayed at home.'