S'RÎMAD BHÂGAVATAM

"The story of the fortunate one"  

CANTO 5:

The Creative Impetus

Chapter 1 The Activities of Mahârâja Priyavrata  

Chapter 2 The Activities of Mahârâja Âgnîdhra

Chapter 3 Rishabhadeva's Appearance in the Womb of Merudevî, the Wife of King Nâbhi.

Chapter 4 The Characteristics of Rishabhadeva

Chapter 5 Lord Rishabhadeva's Teachings to His Sons

Chapter 6 Lord Rishabhadeva's Activities

Chapter 7 The Activities of King Bharata

Chapter 8 The Rebirth of Bharata Mahârâja

Chapter 9 The Supreme Character of Jada Bharata

Chapter 10 Jada Bharata meets Mahârâja Rahûgana

Chapter 11 Jada Bharata Instructs King Rahûgana

Chapter 12 The Conversation Between Mahârâja Rahûgana and Jada Bharata

Chapter 13 Further talks Between Mahârâja Rahûgana and Jada Bharata

Chapter 14 The Material World as the Great Forest of Enjoyment

Chapter 15 The Glories of the Descendants of King Priyavrata

Chapter 16 How the Lord can be Comprehended as a Matter of Fact.

Chapter 17 The Descent of the River Ganges

Chapter 18 Prayers to the different Avatâras

Chapter 19 The Prayers of Hanumân and Nârada and the Glories of Bhârata-varsha

Chapter 20 The structure of the Different Dvîpa's and the Prayers by their Different Peoples

Chapter 21 The Reality of the Sungod Sûrya

Chapter 22 The movement of the Planets and their Considered Effects

Chapter 23 Description of the Stars of S'is'umâra, our Coiling Galaxy

Chapter 24 The Nether Worlds

Chapter 25 The Glories of Lord Ananta

Chapter 26 The Hellish Worlds or the Karmic Rebound

 Chapter 1

 The Activities of Mahârâja Priyavrata  

(1) The King said: 'Why, o sage, was Priyavrata, the great devotee of contentment with the soul, so happy to stay at home, that place which is the root cause of bondage in karma and the betrayal of transcendence? (2) Such a thing as indulgence in familiy-affairs, o wisest of the twiceborn, is for sure not possible with persons who are free from attachments. (3) It suffers no doubt that the consciousness of great souls that is satiated by the shade of the feet of the Lord praised in the verses, is there never in attachment to kith and kin. (4) This I greatly doubt, o brahmin: how can because of the forces of wife, home, children and so on, perfection and an unfailing determination unto Krishna come about?'

(5) S'rî S'uka said: 'What you said about the nectarean honey of the glorification of the lotuslike feet of the Lord of the scriptures, the pleasing in which the hearts of liberated persons and the devotees are absorbed, is correct; although sometimes checked by impediments do they as good as never give up their most exalted position. (6) Because, indeed, o King, prince Priyavrata was a supreme devotee did he, in service of Nârada his feet, quickly become aware of the complete truth of the transcendental subject matter, continuously discussing the spiritual in dedicated zeal, without deviating from the sum total of the highest qualities as directed in the scriptures. He was asked by his father to rule over the surface of the earth, but because of having such a love for with all his senses and actions being absorbed in yoga in the all-pervading of the Supreme Lord, did he not welcome it, although taking that post could for no reason be refused by him as surely deterioration could be foreseen if he would act any otherwise to the untrue. (7) So it happened that the Lord and first among the demigods [Brahmâ], who is always thinking of the welfare of the whole of this universal creation of the three modes and of whom one knows of the Universe the ultimate purpose of the Supreme Soul from which he himself is born, surrounded by all his personal associates and the Vedas, descended from his abode. (8) When he reached the vicinity of the Gandhamâdana Mountains [where Priyavrata was meditating] was He, under the cover of the sky, alike the moon illumined by the stars, left and right flanked by the leaders of the demigods, who from their heavenly carriers worshiped him all the way as also one after the other in groups did the perfect ones, the inhabitants of heaven, the refined, the singers and the sages [respectively the Siddhas, the Gandharvas, the Câranas, the Sâdhyas and the Munis]. (9) There did the deva-rishi [Nârada] recognizing the swan-carrier of his almighty father Lord Hiranyagarbha [Brahmâ], together with Priyavrata and his father immediately rise to their feet to worship him with respect, folded hands and all the paraphernalia. (10) O son of Bhârata, as the Lord was confronted with all the articles of worship according the customs and his qualities were praised in high language in gratitude for the glory of his descendent, did he, the original person of the universe, looking at Priyavrata, compassionately smiling at him, come to address him.

(11) The great Lord said: 'Pay attention to the true which I am telling you; you should not be jealous with the Godhead who is beyond our powers of control; we, Lord S'iva, your father and this great Rishi [Nârada], all carry out His orders not being capable to deviate. (12) No living entity in acceptance of a material body can escape His order; not by austerity, and education, not by yoga, by one's strength, intelligence and for sure never either by one's opulence, the virtue of one's duty, by an external power or any personal endeavor. (13) Directed by the unseen, do the living entities accept to be bound to a material body, for birth, death, sadness, illusion, constant fear, happiness and distress and for what they should do to their karma. (14) My son, like four legged ones [bulls] by the nose bound to the two-legged [driver], are we on the long rope of vedic instruction all engaged in carrying out the orders meant to please the Controller, in our being tied to the modes and the fruitive labor [within the varnâs'rama system] so difficult to avoid. (15) Like blind men led by someone with eyes do we, my dearest, certainly have to accept the distress or happiness associated with the qualities and the work that belong to the condition we are situated in with the body that our Protector gave us. (16) Even a liberated person must so long maintain his own body that was obtained as a result of the past, accepting unmistaken that what he went trough as one who has awakened from sleep; but for another material body he would never give in to the material qualities. (17) When even residing in the forest there must be the fear of being bewildered because of living with the six co-wives [of the mind and the five senses], what harm indeed could then household life do to such a self-satisfied, learned one who has conquered the senses? (18) Anyone who has entered a householders life must first eagerly try to conquer the six adversaries and as soon as, as from a fortified place, he has decreased the very strong enemies of the lusty desires, can he as a man of experience go wherever he likes. (19) You then, having taken shelter of the stronghold of the cavity of the lotusfeet of Him whose navel is alike a lotus and having conquered the six enemies, enjoy in this world everything to be enjoyed, finding yours in being liberated from attachments in your position through these special orders of the Original Person.'

(20) S'rî S'uka said: 'The great devotee of the mighty Lord who is the spiritual master of the three worlds, thus fully instructed, as a subordinate soul bowed his head down upon his order and said: 'Yes sir, so will it, with all respect, be carried out'. (21) The great Lord, also by Manu duly respected as He deserves, with Priyavrata and Nârada in peace taking notice, then returned to his abode, departing for the superposed place beyond description and the mind. (22) Manu thus, also with his support, executed what he had in mind and with the permission of Nârada by his son establishing the maintenance of the protection of all worlds in the entire universe, did he personally find relief from the desires of the so very dangerous poisonous ocean of material affairs. (23) So indeed as ordered by the Controller, fully engaged in material affairs as the emperor of the universe, was he [Manu's son, Priyavrata] by constant meditation on the two lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, the Original Person, who's influence of transcendence destroys all bondage, completely pure with all dirt washed out of his heart and ruled he the material world just to honor the great ones. (24) He afterwards also married the daughter Barhishmatî of Vis'vakarmâ, one of the founding fathers and begot in her gloriously as well as ten sons, whose magnanimity was exactly like his in character, qualities, course of action, beauty and prowess, as a daughter who as the youngest of all carried the named Ûrjasvatî. (25) The sons all got the names of Agni, the god of fire: Âgnîdhra, Idhmajihva, Yajñabâhu, Mahâvîra, Hiranyaretâ, Ghritaprishthha, Savana, Medhâtithi, Vîtihotra and Kavi. (26) Three of them, Kavi, Mahâvîra and Savana were celibates from the inner drive who, living in transcendental knowledge right from the beginning of their childhood, were well conversant with the highest spiritual perfection, keeping without doubts its order [paramahamsa-âs'rama]. (27) In that surely kept renounced order of life (*) does reside the sum total of all great sages for the individual souls who anxious about their material existence take to the lotusfeet of the Supreme Lord Vâsudeva Who is the only shelter. In constant remembrance by virtue of the supreme of the yoga of devotion, free from contaminations purified, they within their hearts perceived the Supreme Lord of all beings as situated within themselves, directly realizing their souls as qualitatively equal in being non-different from the Supersoul. (28) It was in another wife that he also begot three sons named Uttama, Tâmasa and Raivata who so became rulers of the Manu period [that is 71 yugas long]. (29) They, all his well qualified sons, became masters of the universe and thus without interruption was for a 110 million years, endowed with powerful arms of prowess and strength who together pulled the bowstring loudly defeating all who opposed the righteous rule, there Priyavrata's increase of rule as a great soul who of his wife Barhishmatî her amiability, femininity, shyness, coy, laughs and glances and exchanges of love had a life of pleasure; but in his true knowledge he was defeated by it like a less intelligent one. (30) Like a second sun exactly following the orbit of the sun a seven times, did he thinking himself equally powerful say to himself: 'I'll make the night as brilliant as the day', without appreciating the superhuman influence of the Supreme Lord, whom he perfectly thought to satisfy by on a chariot circumambulating the Mountain of enlightenment of the sungod who so long as he dazzling illumines the one half of the earth darkens the other half. (31) The certainty of that way with the wheels of his chariot, was, making trenches with the rims, responsible for bringing about the settling of the seven places of refuge of the atmosphere [Bhû-mandala]. (32) Known as Jambû, Plaksha, S'âlmali, Kus'a, Krauñca, S'âka and Pushkara measures each of them twice the size of the preceding one and was there all around outside of them that what they produced. (33) As they from the outside were the different continents separated by what's around them and inside were like seven islands divided by seas of salt water, sugercane-juice, liquor, fluid butter, milk, fluid yogurt and sweet water, that respectively [in size] corresponded to the seven refuges within them, was the husband of Barhishmatî certain to install as their rulers within each one of them one of his to the principle loyal sons, Âgnîdhra, Idhmajihva, Yajñabâhu, Hiranyaretâ, Ghritaprishthha, Medhâtithi and Vîtihotra - also seven in number.

(34) What he also did was to give the daughter named Ûrjasvatî to the great sage Us'anâ [S'ukrâcârya] unto whom was born a daughter named Devayânî. (35) Of no surprise is to the devotees the personal influence of the One of the Great Steps [Urukrama, see 1-3: 20] by the lotusfeet of which the sixfold material whip [of hunger, thirst, lamentation, illusion, old age and death], is conquered, when a fifth-class person [an outcaste] only once uttering His holy name immediately gives up his material bondage. (36) He [Priyavrata] thus unparalleled in strength and influence, who once surrendered himself to the feet of the deva-rishi [Nârada] but thereafter fell down because of his concerns with the modes of matter not finding satisfaction [compare 1-5:17], then, thinking about himself, in a spirit of renunciation said this: (37) 'Alas, I did wrong for I was completely absorbed by the nescience of sense gratification; the dark well of material pleasure made me guilty of a lot of distress making me look like a dancing monkey, insignificant and of no importance, in the hands of my wife; doomed and damned I am indeed!', thus he criticized himself. (38) By the selfrealization obtained through the mercy of the God Beyond, handing over the earth to his sons who followed him exactly, dividing the inheritance he enjoyed so many ways, with the queen and the great opulence giving up the deadness of his body and with himself in his heart in perfect surrender taking to the renunciation, he with that attitude was sure to again put himself on the right track together with the stories of the Lord at the feet of that greatest of saints Nârada. (39) To him apply all these verses: 'What was done by Priyavrata no one could have done except for the Supreme Controller', 'By the impressions of the rims of the wheels of his chariot he dissipated the darkness, creating the seven seas'. (40) 'To stop the fighting of the different nations on the various continents he created the situation on the world of the separation by means of rivers, mountain ranges and forests [compare 4-14:45-46] and such.' (41) 'He was the one most dear on the path after the Original Person, to whom all opulence of the lower worlds, the heavens or the earth, as acquired by fruitive action and the power of yoga, compared to hell'.  

 *: There are four stages in accepting the renounced order: 1) Kuthîcaka: one stays outside one's village in a cottage, and one's necessities, especially one's food, are supplied from home, 2) Bahûdaka: one no longer accepts anything from home: instead, one, mâdhukarî, with the "profession of the bumblebees", collects one's necessities, especially one's food, from many places 3) Parivrâjakâcârya: one travels all over the world to preach the glories of Lord Vâsudeva collecting one's necessities, especially one's food, from many places, and 4) Paramahamsa: he finishes his preaching work and sits down in one place, strictly for the sake of advancing in spiritual life.  

Chapter 2  

The Activities of Mahârâja Âgnîdhra

(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'When thus his father took to the path of liberation and Âgnîdhra according to his order took his place, did he, strictly observing the principles, protect the citizens, the inhabitants of Jambûdvîpa, as if they were his children. (2) Once, desiring a woman from the realm of the godly ones, became he at the foot of the mountains, to his forefathers having gathered all the necessities for the service, in the full attention of the mind of the repentant, engaged in austerities and worship unto the master, the highest power of creation in the universe [Lord Brahmâ].

(3) Understanding that did the Mighty Lord, the first person of the universe, send down from his abode the celestial girl, the apsara Pûrvacitti. (4) Strolling around in the woods was she then sure in that place of meditation, which was very beautiful with its dense variety of trees with masses of high reaching, golden creepers attached to the branches. In the clear waters of the lotus-filled lake there, she sang along with the vibrations of the pleasant sounds of the communicating pairs of land birds and water birds like ducks, swans and such. (5) The son of the god of men now, in the ecstasy of his yoga, heard the pleasant sounds of her ankle bells that tinkled with every step of her so very attractive way of moving playfully around and, with his half open lotusbud-like eyes looking up, he spotted her. (6) Nearby, like a honeybee indeed smelling the beautiful flowers, did she by the pleasure derived from her playful movements, shy glances and humility, her sweet voice and her limbs, to the eyes and mind of as well normal man as the men of heaven, pave the way for the flower-bearing God of Love. The goddess was stunning with the pleasure of hearing the sweet nectar pouring out of her smiling and talking mouth, the sight of the hasty stylish little movements of her feet to the intoxicated bees surrounding her, the movements of her jug-like breasts, the weight of her hips, the braids of her hair and the belt around her waist. By the mere sight of the goddess brought fully under the control of the almighty Cupid, did he then take the opportunity of addressing her.

(7) 'Who are you and what are you up to on this hill, o choice of the munis; are you some illusory appearance of the Supreme Lord, our God in the beyond, with your two bows without strings [her eyebrows] that you are carrying with you; is it for your own sake or for a friend that you are here, or are you trying to hunt down the maddened animals in this forest? (8) These two arrows [these eyes] of you o magical one, that have feathers like lotus petals, have no shaft and are peaceful and very beautiful; who is it in this forest that you, loitering around, want to pierce with their sharp points; may your prowess be there for the welfare of all of us dull-headed who do not understand! (9) These followers around you [the bees] o worshipable one, incessantly all singing recite unto the Lord the Sâmaveda and the Upanishad, as if they were sages to the branches of the Veda, enjoying the resort of your tresses of hair and the lots of flowers falling from them. (10) From the resounding vibration alone of your ankle bells I can very distinctly hear the tittiri birds, o one of Brahmâ, without seeing their form; did you at all dress up, as I see your beautiful round hips with the lovely color of kadamba flowers and around them a belt red as burning cinders. (11) What is it that fills the two horns, o heavenly appearance of beauty, that you carry to your slim middle; what do they contain that is so attractive to my eyes; and what is that fragrant red powder on the two of them with which you, o fortunate one, are perfuming my spiritual resort? (12) Please show me where you live, o dearest friend; where was a person like you with such wonderful limbs born? For a person like me are the many wonders of your lovely words and inviting gestures, that are as sweet as nectar to the mouth, very upsetting. (13) And what do you live on; chewing the betel of the sacrifices [a red palatable nut], my best; you must have come forth as a part of Vishnu, with your two wide open brilliant sharks of eyes and your ears with their restless fishlike earrings, the rows of your beautiful teeth and your face like a lake amidst the swarm of the bees around you. (14) My eyes are restlessly moving in all directions, distracted by the ball struck by your lotus palm; don't you care about your curls of hair hanging loose; is that lower garment of you not giving you trouble taken up by the wind like a man does attached to women? (15) O beauty, treasure of the sages, by what austerity did you achieve to unsettle so unfailing this way indeed the penance of all who have retired; you should practice the forsaking with me, o friend, for maybe are you, with the creator of the created [Brahmâ] being pleased with me, there meant for me. (16) I won't give up on you, upon whom, being given by the God of Spiritual Rebirth, I have fixed my mind and eyes; I won't leave you and will keep you close to me, o beauty of the breasts; lead me as you wish, as I am your follower, wherever that your finest of friends might follow.

(17) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus very expert in winning over women did he with the intelligence of the gods with flattery cater to the heavenly girl's appetite and gained he her favor. (18) She in her mind attracted to also the intelligence, manners, beauty, youth, opulence and magnanimity of him, that master among the heroes, enjoyed for an endless, countless number of years all earthly and heavenly pleasures spending time with him being the king of Jambûdvîpa. (19) In her managed he, Âgnîdhra, the best of kings, to beget nine sons named Nâbhi, Kimpurusha, Harivarsha, Ilâvrita, Ramyâka, Hiranmaya, Kuru, Bhadras'va and Ketumâla. (20) After she year after year had given birth to her sons, made Pûrvacitti indeed sure that she again approached the God Unborn. (21) By virtue of their mother obtained the sons of Âgnîdhra strong, well-built bodies and to each his name did the father properly divide the different parts of Jambûdvîpa [probably the Eurasian continent] to be ruled by them. (22) Âgnîdhra, the king, not quite satisfied in his desires and thinking every day more and more about her, got by the Vedas promoted to that place of her, where the forefathers are living in delight. (23) After the departure of their father married the nine brothers the nine daughters of Meru named Merudevî, Pratirûpâ, Ugradamshthrî, Latâ, Ramyâ, S'yâmâ, Nârî, Bhadra and Devavîti.

Chapter 3  

Rishabhadeva's Appearance in the Womb of Merudevî, the Wife of King Nâbhi.

(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Nâbhi, the son of Âgnîdhra, desiring to have sons with Merudevî who was childless, with great attention offered prayers in worship of the Supreme Lord Vishnu, the enjoyer of all sacrifices. (2) When he assuredly with great faith and devotion and a pure mind was worshiping, manifested the Supreme Lord out of His love to fulfill the desires of His devotees, Himself in His most beautiful, unconquerable form that is pleasing to the mind and eyes with its captivating beautiful limbs, although with the introductory pravargya ceremony as was initiated, and the ingredients, the right place and time, the hymns, the priests, the gifts to the priests and by means of the regulative principles themselves that could not be obtained. (3) After He manifested Himself most obviously in His fourhanded form very bright, as the topmost of all living beings, with a yellow silk garment and the beauty of the S'rîvatsa mark He has on His chest; His conchshell, lotus flower, disc, flower garland, the Kaustubha-jewel and His club and such as are characteristic for Him; radiating brilliantly with the helmet, earrings, bracelets, girdle, necklace, armlets, ankle bells etc., that ornamented his body, felt king Nâbhi and the priests and the others themselves like poor people having obtained a great treasure and with great regards and everything of worship they reverentially bent their heads. (4-5) The priests said: 'Please accept again and again, o most exalted one, the offering in worship of the respects; the obeisances of us, Your servants. Thus we are able to act so far instructed by the exalted ones; what man, whose mind is most unable absorbed in the transformations of material nature, is capable of ascertaining of the Supreme Controller who is beyond the say of the material world, all the names, forms and qualities belonging to His position here! By most auspiciously speaking of the excellence of Your transcendental qualities, which wipe out all the sinful actions of mankind, we can know You but partially. (6) It is by the worship indeed of Your servants, who in great ecstasy with faltering voices do their prayers, performing with water, fresh twigs of green, tulasî leaves and sprouts of grass, that You become satisfied. (7) Everything else of all the concern here about the things of use required in this, we acknowledge is of Your greatness even not needed. (8) All the spiritual virtues - Your actual identity - self-sufficiently, undoubtedly at every moment, directly and without ever stopping do increase endlessly; but, o Lord, the always desiring of us in this for the blessings of material pleasure can only be there for getting Your mercy. (9) Although You, personally, by the abundance of Your causeless mercy and glory desiring to lay open the spiritual path [called apavarga], have come here and are presently seen like one can see any ordinary person, do we fall short in our worship for You as we, o Lord of lords, are as fools ignorant about that ultimate welfare of You. (10) This then, because of in this sacrifice of saintly king Nâbhi having become, o Lordship, o best of the benefactors, the object of the vision of us Your devotees, is no doubt the greatest benediction indeed, o most worshipable One. (11) You are to them, of whom the endless impurity, having attained Your qualities, has been removed by the strength of detachment and the fire of knowledge; You are to those sages who self-satisfied, incessantly recounted all the good of You in telling Your stories, the supreme bliss produced.  (12) Still we somehow or other stumble along, hungrily fall down and yawn because of feeling misplaced and so on, and also are we of ourselves unable to remember You in the fever of our deathstruggle; may it be possible that we utter Your names and speak of Your activities and attributes as they have the potency to drive away all our sins. (13) Moreover - this pious King desires from You to have offspring, a son that he hopes to be exactly like You, a supreme controller of the benedictions of heaven and the path leading there, although he is with You, the great love of the worship, with the idea of children as the ultimate goal of life, like a poor man who asks a person of wealth and charity for a little grain. (14) Who without respect for the feet of the great ones is within this world of You not conquered by the unconquerable illusory energy of which one cannot find the path; who is in his intelligence not bewildered by the material enjoyment that is like poison; who is in his nature not checked by that stream? (15) Because of indeed Your again being invited in this arena of sacrifice as the doer of many wonders - please tolerate out of Your sameness to all and everything therefore us, the ignorant ones, who, not very intelligent in disrespect of the divinity of You as the God of Gods, are aspiring a material outcome.' 

(16) S'rî S'uka said: 'The Supreme Lord, the lead of the wise, thus extolled by the recitation of those who bowed to the feet of the emperor of Bhâratavarsha [India], spoke to them. (17) The Supreme Lord said: 'Alas, pleased as I am by you o sages whose words are all true, is that benediction you have been asking for - that there may be a son of Nâbhi that is like Me -, thus very difficult to achieve; as One without a second there is only the I of Me that is equal, nevertheless with the brahminical of what you said not being false ought that of Me to become for sure, mouthed as it is by the divinity of the class of the twice-born. (18) Not finding My equal, I shall therefore by personal expansion into a plenary portion of Myself, advent in the wife of Âgnîdhra's son.'

(19) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus having spoken to the husband in the presence of Merudevî, disappeared the Supreme Lord. (20) O grace of Vishnu [Parîkchit], in order to please king Nâbhi did the Supreme Lord, this way being propitiated by the best of the wise, appear in the original form of pure goodness of an avatâra in his wife Merudevî, in a desire to show the great of the renounced, the withdrawn and the studious order [the sannyâsîs, the vânaprasthas and the brahmacârîs] the ways of the principles of dharma [righteousness, the religion, the true nature].

Chapter 4

The Characteristics of Rishabhadeva

(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'From the beginning of His appearance did He [as the son of king Nâbhi, see previous chapter and 2-7: 10] distinguish Himself in having all the characteristics of the Supreme Lord as being equalminded to all, being of perfect peace and renunciation and having all power and the great attributes, day after day therewith increasing in His effect in a great desire to rule over ministers, citizens, the brahmins, the godly and the whole surface of the earth. (2) Thus for certain most exalted in as well his bodily features as in having all the qualities as described by the poets, did the father thus give Him because of His prowess, strength, beauty, fame, influence and heroism, the name Rishabha, the best one. (3) King Indra who turned out to be very envious with His greatness did not permit any rain to fall down on the land below the Himalâya's; the Supreme Lord Rishabhadeva who knew that, as the master of yoga smiled over it and made by the power of His spiritual self the waters fall down on His place that was called Ajanâbha. (4) King Nâbhi who to his desire no doubt had gotten the most beautiful son had, overwhelmed by an excess of great jubilation, from his ecstasy a faltering voice; by His independent will had He, the Supreme Lordship and oldest, Original Person through His deluding power bewildered his mind making him thus with great affection say 'my dear son, my darling', as he achieved transcendental bliss in raising Him. (5) Knowing well of the popularity of His serving the citizens and the state, enthroned king Nâbhi, in his desire to protect the people strictly to the principle, his son, entrusting him to the brahmins. With Merudevî did he in Badarikâs'rama with great satisfaction and skill perform austerities, fully absorbed in yoga worshiping Nara-Nârâyana, the Supreme Lord Vâsudeva by which he in the course of time reached His glorious abode.

(6) O son of Pându [Parîkchit, see family tree], of him in fact are two verses recited: 'What man following the example of the pious king Nâbhi can do what he did and by the pure of his actions receive the Supreme Personality of God for his son?' and (7) 'Is there besides Nâbhi any other devotee of the brahmins who in worship satisfying them in the sacrificial arena, by dint of their devotional service was granted the presence of the Supreme Enjoyer of all sacrifices?'.

(8) The Supreme Lord Rishabha then, accepting His kingdom as His field of work, set an example in living with the spiritual master, giving gifts upon achieving and, as was demanded by the guru, took upon Him the duties of a householder. Thus, being married to Jayantî who had been offered to Him by Indra, He taught by example performing the both types of work as mentioned in the scriptures [of defending the religion and fighting injustice], begetting a hundred sons [with her and with co-wives or via his sons with daughters in law] that were exactly like Him. (9) Of them was indeed the eldest, Bharata, a great practitioner of yoga; he had the best qualities and it was he of whom this land was called Bhârata-varsha by the people. (10) After him followed Kus'âvarta, Ilâvarta, Brahmâvarta, Malaya, Ketu, Bhadrasena, Indrasprik, Vidarbha en Kîkata who were the elder ones of the ninety-nine other sons. (11-12) Of the latter were Kavi, Havi, Antariksha, Prabuddha, Pippalâyana, Avirhotra, Drumila, Camasa and Karabhâjana nine highly advanced devotees who defended the truth of this Bhâgavatam; of their good characters evincing the glories of the Lord, I will later on [in Canto 11] give a colorful account in relating the conversation between Vâsudeva and Nârada which brings the mind the fullest satisfaction. (13) The eighty-one younger sons of Jayantî [...] were, following the order of their father, well cultured with a great command of the scriptural truths and had a great expertise in the performance of sacrifices; very pure in their actions, they became great brahmins.

(14) The Supreme Lord named Rishabha was indeed a completely independent Controller full of transcendental bliss who personally was always free from the unwanted; by executing strict to the tradition, did He, teaching the ignorant of whom in the course of time just the opposite in neglect of the religion is found, equipoised and unperturbed, friendly and merciful, for the people in general regulate the eternal of righteousness and economy so that they could achieve reputation, offspring and pleasure in household life [compare B.G. 4-13]. (15) Whatever is done by leading personalities is followed by the people in general [see also B.G 3:21]. (16) Although He knew of the confidential purport of the different vedic duties on the path of the brahmins, ruled He [as a kshatriya] over the people by means of controlled senses, a controlled mind and by tolerance. (17) Along with the necessities according the place and the time ascertained He, aided by the good [tender] age and faith of the priests worshipping the different gods for different purposes, as is prescribed, Himself a hundred times of sacrifices in all kinds of ceremonies. (18) Being protected by the Supreme Lordship of Rishabha does no one on this planet, not even the most common man, need to build himself a castle in the sky, nor does he whatever way ever need to be after any illusion with anyone else; one cares to see within oneself an ever expanding affection towards the one carrying the weight. (19) When He, the Supreme Lord, once toured around and reached the holy land of Brahmâvarta [between the rivers the Sarasvatî and Drishadvatî to the N. W. of Hastinâpura] did he, overheard by the citizens in a meeting of the best of the brahmins, say the following to his attentive and well-behaved sons, lecturing to them although they excelled in self-control and devotion.

Chapter 5  

Lord Rishabhadeva's Teachings to His Sons

(1) Lord Rishabha said: 'My dear sons: This body carried by all within this material world does not deserve the troublesome of the sense-gratification of dogs and hogs, but is worth the trouble of the austerities and penances for the sake of the divine from which the heart becomes purified and for certain an unending spiritual happiness is found. (2) Serving the great ones, one says, is the way of liberation and to seek the association of the ones who are attached to women is the way of the dungeon, of darkness; the highly advanced are people who in the spiritual have an equal regard for all, they are situated in peace, do not feel offended, wish all the best and know how to behave. (3) Those who in relating to Me, their Lord, are eager to develop love * , and who to people, who interested in the maintenance of their body are fond of their home, wife, children, wealth or friends, are not so attached, collect from and take to the world only in so far it is needed. (4) Indeed, I think that the madly being engaged for the satisfaction of the senses with its performance of unwanted deeds, which made this temporal existence of the body possible - although its brings misery -, does not befit the soul. (5) As long as there is the defeat resulting from ignorance, as long as one is not inquiring about the reality of the soul, as long as one's mind is absorbed in fruitive activities, is one factually caught in one's karma from which there is the bondage to this material body. (6) When the soul is thus covered by ignorance acts the mind subjugated by fruitive activities as long as unto Me, Vâsudeva, there is no love; for that time is one not delivered from being united with a physical frame. (7) Even when one is a man of learning - when one does not see how useless the endeavor to satisfy the senses is, will one very soon get mad being forgetful in one's self-interest and become a fool finding nothing but material miseries in a life at home that is based on sexual intercourse. (8) Of the sexual attraction between man and woman are both their hearts tied to one another and thereafter do they call for a home, privacy, children, wealth and relatives; this is the illusion of the living being known as "I" and "Mine'. (9) When the mind, the strong knot in the heart of such a person bound by the results of deeds in the past, is slackened; at that time does the conditioned one turn away from his misconception of "I", and does he, giving it up, liberated go to the transcendental world that is the original cause. (10-13) By following a spiritually advanced person, a guru; in devotional service unto Me, by not desiring, in tolerance for the dual world and as well by inquiring and by realizing the truth of the miseries of the living being everywhere; by practicing austerities and penances and giving up on sensual pleasures; by working for Me, listening to stories about Me as also by always keeping company with the devoted; by singing about My qualities; by being without enmity, by being equal to all, by subduing one's emotions, o sons; by desiring to give up on the identification with one's home and body, by studying the yoga-literatures; by living solitary, by fully controlling the breath, the senses and the mind; by developing faith, by always observing celibacy, by being ever vigilant, by restraint of speech; by thinking of Me, seeing Me everywhere; by developing knowledge, wisdom and by being illumined by the practice of yoga; by patience, enthusiasm and endowed with goodness and benevolence, one can give up the false identification with the material world, the cause of material bondage. (14) Becoming completely free from the hankering for the profit, by this practice of yoga as I have told you taking care of the knot of bondage in the heart brought about by ignorance, one should [further] desist from the means of liberation. (15) The king or guru to his sons or disciples who, desiring my abode, thinks that reaching Me is the aim of life, should in this manner, free from anger, give instruction; when one misses the spiritual knowledge one should not engage for fruitive actions - for what can a man simply piously or impiously working for the profit achieve? In fact he will cause the ones whose vision is clouded, to fall down in the pit [compare BG 3-26]. (16) People who personally have lost sight of the path of auspiciousness and who are obsessed in their desiring the goods, run envious of one another for the sake of temporary happiness into unlimited sufferings and have being foolish no idea [see also BG 7.25]. (17) What man of learning who is personally well-known with the spiritual knowledge would in his mercy engage someone else in looking for that again, after which that person, living in ignorance like a blind man addicted to material cunning, is following the wrong path? (18) Such a person may not be a relative, a father, a mother, a spouse, nor may he be the reality, the spiritual master, the deity of worship or the one who delivers from the repetition of birth and death. (19) It is in this embodiment of Mine, which inconceivably is of the eternal, that indeed My heart is set to the dharma, the devotional, and My back is turned away to the adharma, the non-devotional; therefore truly call the civilized Me the Best One, Rishabha. (20) Therefore, you all, born from My heart, try with a pure intelligence to be of service to the most exalted, that brother Bharata of yours ruling over the people.

(21-22) Of the living and nonliving, are far superior to the plants those beings who move around; of them are those who developed intelligence better and better than them are the human beings of whom the ones of the spirit, the meditators of S'iva, are superior. Better than them are the singers of heaven [the Gandharvas] and superior to them are the perfected ones [the Siddhas], above whom are found the superhuman beings [the Kinnaras]. The godly ones are better than the unenlightened and of the direct sons of Brahmâ, like Daksha, led by Indra, is Lord S'iva the best; above him we find originating from Lord Brahmâ he, My devotee, [the brahmin,] to whose divinity of being twiceborn, I am the Lord. (23) No other entity compares to the brahmin nor do I see, o learned ones, anything superior to him, through whom I with satisfaction eat from the food that by the people with faith and love was offered in proper ceremony - not so much from food that that way was offered in the fire. (24) Of the [vedic] body fed by the eternal of My spirit that is free from material contamination, has one in this world the [eight brahminical qualities of the] mode of supreme goodness [sattva], the purification [pavitra], the control over the mind [s'ama] and the senses [dama], the truthfulness [satya], the mercy [anugraha], the penance [tapasya] and the tolerance [titikshâ], wherein the realization of God is found. (25) Oh, of what need could you [My sons] be for anyone else but for those who, without needs and possessions in devotional service unto Me, are able to bestow heaven, liberation and enjoyment from Me and even the unlimited of a strength and opulence higher than the highest? (26) My dear sons, with you having the clear vision that I reside in all of them, you should at all times be of respect for each and everything, knowing that with respecting them you indirectly are of respect unto Me. (27) Engage all mind, words and sight of your active and receptive senses directly in My worship, because otherwise a person will never be able to free himself from the great illusion which is Yama's deathtrap. '

(28) S'rî S'uka said: 'After for the sake of the people personally instructing this way His sons in spite of their being highly cultured, did the great personality, the well-wisher and Supreme Lord of all who was celebrated as the Best One, Rishabha, place Bharata, the eldest of His hundred sons and topmost devotee and follower of the divine order, on the throne for ruling over the planet. Of the great wise, the best of human beings free from desire who no longer work for the profit and who are characterized by devotional service, spiritual knowledge and detachment, is this the instruction of the duties. Although He remained with what He was at home, accepted He, only physically, like a madman with his hair unkempt, the sky for His dress and roamed He, keeping the vedic fire within, far and wide from Brahmâvarta. (29) Although He, idle, blind, deaf, dumb and like a ghost and a madman, to the people appeared like someone unconcerned about the world [an avadhûta], did He with the vow of silence keep Himself from speaking. (30) Here and there passing through cities, villages, mines, lands, gardens, valley-communities, military encampments, cowsheds, farms, restingplaces for pilgrims, hills and forests, hermitages and so on, was He surrounded by bad people and flies and was He like an elephant coming from the forest beaten away and threatened, urinated and spit upon, thrown into the dust, with the stones and the stool, farted at and given bad names; but He didn't care about that because He, from His understanding how the body relates to the soul, knew that this dwelling place of a body that is called real, was not a habitat fit for a gentleman; instead He remained situated in His personal glory in denial of the 'I 'and 'Mine' and wandered unperturbed alone all over the earth. (31) With His very delicate hands, feet, chest, long arms, shoulders, neck and face etc.; with the lovely nature of His well-proportioned limbs, His natural smile, beautiful lotus petal like graceful mouth, the marvel of His reddish widespread eyes and the great beauty of His forehead, ears, neckline, nose and expressive lip, of which His face was like a festival to all household women in spreading all around the awakening of Cupid in the heart, appeared He, having His great abundance of curly brown hair matted, dirty and neglected, in the body as if He was haunted by a ghost. (32) When He, the Supreme Lord saw that the people in general were in direct opposition to His yoga did He to counteract that karma take to the behavior of a python lying down, indeed chewing his food and accepting his drinks, passing stool and urinating, while He smeared His body rolling in the excrement thus. (33) His smell of the stool was of such a good fragrance indeed that the air of the countryside for ten yojanas around received a pleasant aroma. (34) Thus by His activities moving, standing, sitting and lying down with the cows, the crows and the deer He also did eat, drink and pass urine exactly like cows, crows and deer do. (35) So practicing the various ways of mystic yoga did the Supreme Lord, the Master of Enlightenment, Rishabha, incessantly enjoy the Supreme in great bliss. By His fundamental indifference He achieved in the Supreme Self, the complete perfection of the unlimited of the whole of opulence and symptoms of loving emotions unto the Supreme Personality of Vâsudeva situated in the heart of all living beings; the full of the mystic powers like traveling through the air, moving with lightening speed, the ability to stay unseen, the ability to enter the bodies of others, the power to see without difficulty things from afar and other perfections [siddhis, see also 2-2-22; 2-9-17; 3-15-45; 3-25-37] thus achieved, o King Parîkchit, He in His heart never directly accepted.

* The five main loving relationships or rasa's in which with the Lord's all higher human emotions are experienced are  the neutral one (santa), the servant-master relation (dâsya), the relation of frienship (sakhya), the parent-child relation (vâtsalya) and the amorous relation (srngâra) .  

Chapter 6

Lord Rishabhadeva's Activities

(1) The king said: 'O Supreme One, by those self-satisfied souls of whom the seed of fruitive action is burnt by the spiritual knowledge that was won by the practice of yoga, are mystic powers automatically achieved; how can they possibly be of any future hindrance? '

(2) The sage said: 'You're quite right, but in this world does one either, just like a cunning hunter doesn't, not directly put faith in the mind that [like game] always runs off. (3) And so, one says, one should at no time make friends with the so very restless mind; from the practice of for a long time placing too much faith in it was the austerity of even the greatest ones [like Lord S'iva or sage Saubhari] disturbed. (4) Like a husband with a wife charmed by competitors, will aspirants of yoga relying on the mind always of lust be paving the way for the enemies following in its wake. (5) So, which man that has learned his lesson, would indeed confide in the mind that is the breeding ground for the lust anger, pride, greed, lamentation, illusion, fear that all together bind one to one's karma? (6) Although He [Rishabha] was the head of all kings and rulers of this universe, acted He along this line of reasoning in the dress, language and character of an avadûtha [5-5-29] as if He was stupid, concealing the Supreme of His Lordship in teaching the yogic forsaking by His own personal vehicle of time; as if He were a normal mortal that tries to give up on the physical, did He Himself to the Supreme of the Soul, unhindered by the illusory of matter, always see Himself from within the love above all vice and ended He His Royal pastimes. (7) Of Him thus we saw the apparent physical presence, the driven appearance in this illusory world, of the body of Him, the Supreme Lord Rishabhadeva who Himself was free from any vital interest. He on His own traveled the lands of South India: Konka, Venka and Kuthaka in the province of Karnâta, and reached a forest nearby Kuthakâcala. There with a handful of stones in His mouth, He just like a madman wandered around naked and with scatted hair. (8) With a fierce forest fire blazing all around that was caused by the friction of bamboo's tossed by the force of the wind, was His body then in that forest burned to ashes. (9) Hearing of His pastimes of being free from all ritual and custom, took the king of Konka, Venka and Kuthaka who carried the name Arhat [the Jain, the venerable] to an imitation of them; bewildered by an increase of irreligious life forboding the arrival of the Kali-Yuga Age of Quarrel he gave up on the safe path of the religion that would ward of all fear and adopted a wrong heretic view in defiance of the vedic injunctions introducing most foolishly a concoction of His own. (10) By such practices will the most pitiable among men in the age of Kali, bewildered by the external energy of God, void of character, cleanliness and the rules and regulations of the personal duty, sworn to impiety and in neglect of the divinity be holding on to their desires, with imaginary principles of austerity like staying unclean, not washing their mouth and plucking out their hair. From the Kali-age abundance of godlessness will those whose pure consciousness is destroyed become almost entirely blasphemous towards the strict brahmin and his vedic culture, the ceremonies of sacrifice and the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His devotees. (11) Those who are certain in deviating from the eternal principles of the religion with a practice based on their own speculations, feel themselves encouraged by blinded predecessors and are sure to fall down in the darkness of ignorance being blinded themselves [compare B.G. 16-16, 16-23 ]. (12) This descend of the Lord was there for the ones overwhelmed by passion so that they may follow the right principles of enlightenment. (13) Of Him do the ones who are after liberation chant the following verses: 'O, of this earth with its seven seas and many lands on its continents, is this land [of Bhârata-varsha, India] the most meritorious; their people sing of the all-auspicious qualities of Murâri [Krishna as the enemy of the foolish one, Mura] in His many incarnations.' (14) 'O what to say about the dynasty of king Priyavrata wherein the Original Person, the Supreme Personality descended as an incarnation; He, the Unparalleled One executed the religious duty which is the cause of the end of fruitive labor.' (15) 'Who else is there, who even with the mind, is able to follow the example of Him, the unborn One, who renounced as being insubstantial all desires for the perfections of yoga, which mystic yogîs, so eager to serve, do aspire.'

(16) Thus I have expounded on the pure activities of the Supreme Lord named Rishabha, the highest spiritual teacher for the people in general, the godly, the brahmins and the cows; he who following the footsteps of the great, with a growing faith and devotion attentively hears or speaks to others of this foremost and greatest shelter of auspiciousness who destroys all sins of every living being, will no doubt factually have made a beginning with an unflinching devotion in both the modes of listening and speaking, unto Him, the Supreme Lord Vâsudeva. (17) In that does the soul of advancement incessantly bathe itself in order to constantly be freed from suffering the troublesome conditions in material existence, although on itself that so surely by happiness obtained uninterrupted liberation, that greatest of all achievements, certainly is not what one is after, because in relating to the Supreme Lord one is complete in all one has striven for. (18) Dear King, He, the worshipable deity of the Yadus, is no doubt, your dearest friend and master of the lineage; to be sure, He sometimes even acted as your servant and thus my best, isn't He indeed the Supreme Lord Mukunda of the yoga of devotion who at all times delivers, liberating all the ones engaged in service? (19) Always after His real identity, complete in Himself with no further desires, was by His mercy of expanding His activities in the material field, the true meaning of a life of fearlessness with the real self communicated to the intelligence of men that had been asleep for so long; all respect unto Him, that Supreme Lord Rishabhadeva.

Chapter 7

The Activities of King Bharata

(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'When Bharata ['the one maintained'], being a most exalted devotee, on instigation of his father had made his mind up to rule over the surface of the globe, did he, as he took over the throne, marry the daughter of Vis'varûpa, Pañcajanî. (2) Indeed, like one, identified with the body does find the five objects of the senses, did he in her beget five sons, Sumati, Râshthrabhrita, Sudars'ana, Âvarana and Dhûmraketu, who were entirely alike himself. (3) This part of the world called Ajanâbha [referring to king Nâbhi, see 5-3] was from the beginning of his rule by them thus celebrated as Bhârata-varsha [the land of Bharata, now India]. (4) He, being very advanced in knowledge, was, governing with a caring heart, as great a ruler as his father and grandfather were, keeping the citizens and himself to each his respective duty. (5) He also worshiped the Supreme Lord by great and small sacrifices with and without animals; with faith were in full or partially performed agni-hotra-, dars'a-, pûrnamâsa-, câturmâsya-, pas'u- and soma-rasa-yajña's, that according the regulative principles practically always stood under the direction of four priests (*). (6) Always thinking of Vâsudeva, the Supreme Lord, did he, by the vedic hymns in that mind freed from lust and anger, consider all the different demigods, the recipients of the results, the ingredients of the offering and himself as the sacrificer, as all being part of the Original Person, who is their Controller, Doer and Origin, when the expert priests with all supplementary rites began to perform the various sacrifices; whatever on the long term would be the result of such sacrifices that in the name of the religion were brought unto the Supreme Spirit in the beyond, the Enjoyer of all sacrifices who is responsible for all the divinities. (7) Thus in the purest of service was he of the purest of goodness unto the Supersoul within the heart of the body, unto the impersonal spirit of Brahman and unto Bhagavân, the Supreme Lord, Vâsudeva, the greatest of the Person whose form is recognized by the S'rîvatsa mark on the chest, the Kaustubha gem, the flowergarland, the disc, the conchshell, the club and other symbols. On the highest level known by His shining personal form is He, once having appeared as an indelible image in the heart of the devotee, of the force of increasing the devotion day after day. (8) Thus for a countless number of millennia was the wealth enjoyed that he, having it received from his forefathers, at the end of his rule according the laws of Manu had ascertained for his sons; having personally divided the diversity of the opulence among them, he left that abode of the ancestral home and went to the Pulaha-âs'rama in Hardwar. (9) It is there that even today one can be certain that the Supreme Lord Hari residing in that place, by His transcendental affection for His own devotees becomes visible as is desired from one's devotion. (10) At that place are all hermitages everywhere sanctified by the river named the Cakra-nadi (the Gandakî) from which one sees the concentric circles that like a navel can be observed on top and below [of the black oval pebbles that serve as objects of worship, the so called S'âlagrâma-sîla's]. (11) All alone in the fields of that meditation resort did he by offerings of roots, bulbs and fruits with water, twigs, tulasî-leaves and all kinds of flowers, perform worship unto the Supreme Lord and was he freed from all desire for material enjoyment with a steady increase of the transcendental tranquility and satisfaction that he obtained. (12) By that constant practice of service to the original personality of the Supreme Lord melted by the load of the incessantly increasing attachment to Him, the laxity of his heart; through the force of the transcendental bliss stood the hairs on his body on end and sprang of the intense longing tears of love to his eyes that blurred his vision. Thus meditating the reddish lotus feet of the Lord was there by dint of his bhakti-yoga, an increase spreading everywhere of the highest and deepest spiritual enrapture in the heart, the lake wherein immersed - although his intelligence was working for the Lord - he could no longer remember the regulative service. (13) In this way vowed to the Supreme Lord, did he, dressed in a deerskin and with his mass of brown, curly matted, hair, wet of bathing three times a day, so beautiful in worship of the sungod (**) honor the Original Personality, by paying homage at sunrise reciting the following: (14) 'Minding this created universe, beyond passion, illumining the entire world there is the self-effulgence, the grace of the divinity that fulfills the desires of all the devoted; time and again entering [as the sun, as the avatâra] is the living entity supervised that hankers after material pleasure - all this [my respects] to the intelligence that moves all!'  

 *: Such sacrifices are impossible in this age due to the scarcity of expert brahmins or ritvijah who are able to take the responsibility. In the absence of these, is the sankîrtana-yajña singing of the holy names recommended. 

**: The deity of the sun is by the common Hindu nowadays worshiped by means of the Gâyatrî mantra, one of the most important mantras of purification and liberation kindred to the one expressed in this chapter by Bharata Mahârâj: om bhûr bhuvah svah, tat savitur varenyam, bhargo devasya dhîmahi, dhyo yonah prachodayat -, a prayer meaning:

The original form of the body,
the lifeforce and the supreme abode;
that source of life most excellent,
that divine luster we meditate -
may this light illumine our intellect.

Chapter 8

 The Rebirth of Bharata Mahârâja

(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Once upon a time having taken a bath in the great Gandakî, having done his daily duties and chanted his mantras, sat he [Bharata] for a few minutes down at the bank of the river. (2) O King, there he saw a single doe that because of thirst was driven to the river. (3) Precisely when it to its great satisfaction drank of the water, arose from very nearby the tumultuous roar of the king of the jungle that is so fearful to all living beings. (4) Hearing that great noise was the she-deer, always fearful of her life looking about, very afraid of the intrusion of the lion, and upset with restless eyes without having quenched her thirst properly, she terrified all of a sudden took a leap over the river. (5) Of being pregnant slipped, of its out of fear forcefully jumping up, her baby out of her womb and fell it down in the flowing water. (6) From the miscarriage of jumping and being afraid, did the black doe, separated from the flock and plagued by exhaustion fall down in some cave, because of which it died. (7) Seeing that deer calf then, separated from its kind, helplessly floating away in the waves, took the wise king Bharata, like a friend thinking it an orphan, to his âs'rama. (8) To this deer he grew greatly attached in accepting it as his own kid, every day feeding it, protecting it, raising it and petting it. Within a couple of days was indeed, giving up on his personal care for himself, his duties and worship of the Original Person, for sure the complete of his practice of detachment destroyed. (9) 'Alas! [he thought to himself], is by the Controller turning the wheel of time, this one deprived of its kin, friends and relatives and has it finding me for its shelter, me only as a father, mother, brother and like belonging to the herd. Surely having no one else it puts great faith in the person of me to rely on and is it fully dependent on me for its learning, sustenance, love and protection; without a grudge I should know what the fault is of neglecting someone who has taken shelter and act accordingly. (10) Indeed is it surely of great importance that the civilized, the saintly, even though complete in their renunciation, are, as friends of the helpless, committed to the principles, even at the cost of their own self-interest.'

(11) Thus grown attached he sat, lied down, walked, bathed, ate etc. with the young animâl and became in his heart captivated by affection. (12) When entering the forest for flowers, firewood, kus'a-grass, leaves, fruits and roots and going to collect water, did he, doubtful of wolves, dogs and other animals of prey, always take the deer with him. (13) On his way did he, with a mind and heart loaded with love, carry it on his shoulder here and there, being fond of such a youngster, and kept he it fondling it on his lap or on his chest when sleeping, thus deriving great pleasure. (14) In worship, at times he would get up although he was not finished, just to look after the deer calf and then did the master of the domain derive great satisfaction from wishing it all his blessings saying: 'O my dear calf let there be unto you all the best'. (15) At times he was so concerned that he got upset like a piteous miserly man who has lost his riches; with great anxiety in his heart, agitated from being separated from the deer-calf, he was in a state of constantly thinking of it only and was thus certain of running into the greatest illusion while saying: (16) 'Oh, alas! my dear child, that orphan of a deer, must be very distressed; it will return again to me putting faith in me as being a perfectly gentle person and as one of its own kind - it will forget about me as being such an ill-behaved cheater, such a barbarian who has a mind that is no good at all. (17) Will I be seeing it again unafraid walking around my âs'rama nibbling the grass under divine protection? (18) Or would the poor creature have met with one of the many wolves or dogs, or a group of hogs or a wandering tiger? (19) Alas, the Supreme Lord of the whole Universe, the vedic threefold to the better of all, is [in the form of the sun] already setting; and still has this baby that the mother entrusted to me not returned! (20) Would that princely deer of mine really return and please me who gave up on the pious exercise; it was so cute to behold - pleasing it in a way that befits its kind drove away all unhappiness! (21) Playing with me while I with closed eyes feigned meditation, it would angry of love, trembling and timidly come to touch my body with the tips of its horns soft as waterdrops. (22) When I scolded it for polluting the things placed on kus'agrass for sacrifice, it immediately in great fear stopped its play, just like the son of a saint sitting in complete restraint of its senses. (23) Oh, what practice of penance by the most austere on this planet can bring the earth the wealth of the sweet, small, beautiful and most auspicious soft imprints of the hooves of this most unhappy creature in pain of being lost! For me they indicate the way to achieve the wealth of her lands that, on all sides adorned by them, are turned into places of sacrifice to the gods and the brahmins desirous on the path to heaven! (24) Can it be that the most powerful moon that is so kind to the unhappy, out of compassion for its fearing the great beast of prey, is now protecting this motherless deer-child which strayed from its protective refuge? (25) Or it may, by its rays, so peaceful and cool, out of love, be splashing water as good as nectar from its mouth, giving my heart, that red lotus flower unto which the deer was so submissive, comfort, as the heat of the separation is burning with the flames of a forestfire.'

(26) In this way was he, whose heart was aggrieved with a mind deriving from bad karma, carried away by the impossibility of a son that looked like a deer and had he fallen down from the exercises of yoga, the penance of yoga and the devotional service towards the Supreme Lord. What possible way could he, so attached to the body of a different species, a deer calf, directly achieve the goal of life with that kind of a hindrance - he who previously had given up his sons born from his heart, although that was difficult to do. By that obstacle of him thus being obstructed in the execution of his yoga, was king Bharata, so absorbed in maintaining, pleasing, protecting and fondling a baby deer, neglecting his own soul and saw he that very rashly the inevitable of his time had come like a snake entering the hole of a mouse. (27) At that time giving up this world he indeed saw at his side lamenting like his own son the deer his mind was absorbed in; with his body dying with the deer, he thereafter got the body of a deer, but unlike with other births, was the remembrance of what had happened before at his death not destroyed. (28) In that birth, as a consequence of his past devotional activities, constantly remembering what the cause was of having gotten the body of a deer, he repenting said: (29) 'Oh what a misery! I have fallen from the way of life of the self-realized, although I had given up my sons and home, lived solitary in a sacred forest as one perfect to the soul taking shelter of the Supersoul of all beings and was constantly listening to and thinking about Him, the Supreme Lord Vâsudeva, chanting, worshiping and remembering, filling all my hours being absorbed; by time does a mind fixed in such a situation turn into a mind fully established to the eternal, but again, fallen in affection for a deer-young, I am a great fool far from that! '

(30) Thus being this way silent to itself did [he as] the deer unmotivated give up its mother and turned it from the Kâlañjara mountain where it was born, back again to the place, to the âs'rama of Pulastya and Pulaha in the village called S'âlagrâma, where he before had worshiped the Supreme Lord so dear to the great saints living there in complete detachment. (31) In that place, eating fallen leaves and herbs, he awaited his time in the ever company of the Supersoul, and existed he, constantly alert to bad association l, only in consideration of the end of the cause of his deer body, the body that he, bathing it in the water of that holy place, ultimately gave up.

Chapter 9

The Supreme Character of Jada Bharata

(1-2) S'rî S'uka said: 'After having given up his life in the body of a deer did Bharata, the most exalted devotee and most honored of all saintly kings, obtain his last body as a brahmin so is said. As the male child of a twin brother and sister he was born from the second wife of some brahmin of the line of saint Angirâ who was endowed with the qualities of a perfect control over mind and senses, of penance, vedic study and recitation, of renunciation, satisfaction, tolerance, kindness, knowledge, of no envy, and of spiritual happiness in the wisdom of the soul; with his first wife he had nine sons all equal to him in education, character, behavior, beauty and magnanimity. (3) Also in that birth by the special mercy of the Lord remembering his previous lives, was he, being greatly apprehensive of falling down again in association with his own kind, always afraid of being obstructed on the path of devotional service and kept he his mind close to his soul by always thinking of the two lotusfeet of the Supreme Lord, hearing and remembering the descriptions of the qualities which vanquish the bondage to fruitive labor; but to the local people he showed himself as being of a mad, dull and blind character [of which he is called Jada]. (4) His brahmin father who for sure affectionately felt obliged to his son, thought that as a father to a son he should teach him, although against his will, that indeed the regulative principles should be followed so that until the end of his student life he again, as one of the sacred thread, would practice the duties of cleanliness of the purification process as prescribed by the s'âstras. (5) But also before his father he acted as if he could not understand a thing of what was instructed. For four months during the summer wishing to teach him the vedic mantras as also the Gâyatrî headed by Omkâra did he, despite of the full study, not succeed in having him completely mastering them. (6) Thus thinking that his son, although he didn't like it, by himself should be fully instructed in all the cleanliness, vedic study, vows, principles, sacrifice and service to the guru that belongs to the celibate state [the brahmacarya-âs'rama], was the brahmin, in that considering his son to be his life and soul, himself heavily attached to his home indeed so that in the course of the in its turn not so forgetful time he had to take leave of the world as a man frustrated by the unfit obstinacy of his son. (7) After that did the youngest wife, of whose womb the twins were born, entrust the care for them to the first wife and followed she her husband to the sphere of him in a next life [Patiloka].

(8) After the death of the father did Jada Bharata's stepbrothers, who of the three Vedas were well settled in finding their ways with the rituals and with their dulled minds did not understand how high he stood, stop the endeavor to teach their brother. (9-10) When he was addressed as being mad, dull, deaf and dumb by the two-legged, animâl-like materialists, he used to also use likewise words in reply. He did the things that he by force was summoned to do. He used to eat whatever small or large quantity of palatable or tasteless food that he got by begging, by wages or that came on its own accord. He never lived to please his senses as he had forever stopped to live for the material cause. By himself he had accomplished the transcendental blissful vision as one in knowledge of the true self who with the dual causes of happiness and distress, summer and winter, wind and rain, did not identify himself with the body. Firm of limbs did he, strong like a bull, never cover his body. Not bathing he was dirty from lying on the ground and he never massaged his body. With his loins covered by dirty cloth and with a of dirt darkened sacred thread, he was like a non-manifest gem in his spiritual splendor. He wandered around disrespected with ignorant folk calling him, as a brahmin of birth, a mere friend of them ['brahma-bandu']. (11) As he only looked for work to get in exchange food from others, did even his stepbrothers engage him in agricultural work in the fields - something with which he had no idea of what should be leveled or be uneven or where he had to pile things up. Usually only eating broken rice, oil cakes, chaff, worm-eaten grains, or burnt rice that stuck to the pot, it was nevertheless all nectar to him.

(12) Following, after a certain period of time, there came some plundering leader of the working class who was looking for a human son no better than an animâl to begin a sacrifice to the goddess Bhadra Kâlî. (13) The animâl-type he had, had by chance escaped and his followers on their way to find it could, in the midst of the night in the middle of the darkness, not catch the animâlistic one. Ordained by providence they stumbled upon the brahmin son from the line of Angirâ, who from an elevated position was guarding the fields against deer, wild pigs and such. (14) Thereupon finding him to be of a suitable character did they, with bright and shining faces for understanding the completion of their masters work, take him, bound tightly with ropes, to the temple of the goddess. (15) Then did the followers of the dacoit, according their own customs bathe him, put him in new clothes, cover his body with ornaments, smear him with sandalwood pulp and garland him in making him, as the animâl-like man, ready for the sacrifice. Vibrating songs, prayers, drums and bugles, they seated him before the goddess Kâlî, fully dressed up and properly fed, with incense, lamps, strings of flowers, parched grains, twigs and sprouts, fruits and other articles of worship. (16) Next did the priest of that dacoit leader in preparation for offering a flow of blood from the animâl-man to the deity of Bhadra Kâlî, take up a fearful razor sharp sword, consecrating it with the appropriate mantras. (17) Thus was by those contemptible types, who of a passionate and ignorant nature were materialistically befooled and driven by minds full of imagination, the heroic lot of the Supreme Lord, the brahmins, disrespected, in having their own way following a wrong course. Proceeding with a lust for violence against others they acted cruelly directly against a born brahmin, a son of spiritual wisdom who had no enemies and was a well-wisher to all. At the last minute though indeed, did the goddess Bhadra Kâlî, seeing what was about to happen in conflict with the law and against the will of the Lord, break out with a burning physical appearance of an overly bright, unbearable, spiritual effulgence. (18) Infuriated in utter intolerance she displayed her features of raised eyebrows, crooked teeth, bloodshot eyes, an agitated fearful face as if she wanted to destroy the whole universe and a frightening laugh. Coming forth from the altar, of the great anger released, separated she with the same blade the heads from of all the sinful offenders and drank she together with her associates, the blood oozing from the necks as a very hot intoxicating beverage. Overwhelmed by all the intoxicating drinking did she with her following, loudly singing and dancing, then play ball using the heads for a sport.

(19) When one this way in envy indeed is out of order with the great, will one consequently for oneself get this as a result. (20) Oh, Vishnudatta ['protected by Vishnu'; Parîkchit], this is not a great wonder to the ones not perplexed who, of no enmity and of goodness to all, by the Supreme Lord of the invincible time who carries the best of all weapons [the Sudarshana disc], directly are fully liberated from the very strong and tight knot in the heart of a false bodily concept of life. Even though threatened by decapitation, have those liberated souls and devotees who are of full surrender and who are protected at His lotus feet, nothing to fear and are they never upset by these kinds of moods of the Divinity.

Chapter 10

Jada Bharata meets Mahârâja Rahûgana

(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'So it became that Rahûgana ['he who outshines the sun'], the ruler of Sindhu and Sauvîra, while he was on his way, on the bank of the river Ikshumatî needed another palanquin carrier and had sent out their chief to look for a suitable person. His search led by chance to the twice born son Jada Bharatha whom, being such a stout young man who with his firm limbs was as strong as an ass, he chose considering him capable of carrying the load. Although he was not fit for the job, carried he, the great soul, the palanquin, being forced to it as was the wont. (2) When doing this was the twiceborn son, constantly looking three feet ahead [not to step on ants], all the time out of pace with the others and was thus the palanquin shaking. Rahûgana, realizing this then said to the men carrying: 'Oh carriers, please walk in pace! For what reason is this palanquin carried so uneven?'

(3) They, hearing their master speak with reproach, informed him apprehensively that that was due to the fourth carrier: (4) 'Oh, it is not, o God of Man, that we, always obedient to your orders, are in neglect. We certainly do the best we can, but it is this new man that recently has been contracted to work with us with whom we aren't able to do our work of carrying: he is rather slow!'

(5) Although from the intimations certain that it had come to be so as indeed a fault of one of them, did king Rahûgana, hearing the fearful words of the servants, in spite his political experience, from his kshatriya nature slightly give in to the violence of anger. To him whose spiritual effulgence, as a vedic fire covered by ashes, could not be clearly distinguished, he said in a mind full of passion: (6) 'What a trouble it is alas my brother! All alone on such a long journey you certainly must have gotten very tired. Nor is your cooperative, firm body very strong; you must be troubled by old age yourself my friend! For sure are these other coworkers of no avail to you'.

Thus he sarcastically criticized him severely, but no false belief of 'I' and 'mine' interposed with him carrying on in silence the palanquin as before; as one on the spiritual platform he was of that particular disposition to physical things as having a specific self-spirited body that is produced from a mix of the qualities and workload of ignorant matter. (7) Thereupon again being shaken of the uneven carrying of his palanquin said Rahûgana getting very angry: 'O fool, what nonsense is this! You, living corpse, ignore me overriding my reproach! Are you out of your mind? Like Yamarâja with the common folk, I will teach you a lesson so that you will know where you should stand out here!'

(8) Though having poured over him such a load of nonsense by the out of passion and ignorance rebuking one who thought he could rule as a God of Man, dearmost votary of the Lord and learned scholar, did that selfrealized brahmin who was the friend of all living beings with the poise of a master of yoga, slightly smile like being relieved of a burden and spoke he to the not so experienced ruler as follows. (9) The brahmin said: 'What you so clearly stated is of no contradiction if I could say mine to that body, o great hero, and to that carrier of the load; if it were that to be obtained strong and stout to the path, then I must tell you that that, to the person of selfrealization residing within the body, is no subject matter of discussion. (10) Being strong and stout, skinny or weak, in pain with the physical or the mind, of hunger, thirsty, of fear, of quarrel, desire, old age and of sensual motivation; to be of anger, falsehood, illusion and lamentation are with this body things of the one born, but for me they for sure do not exist. (11) To be a living soul bound to death [to be a 'living corpse'] is settled by nature o King, everything has a beginning and an end; but, respected one, if one sees the unchangeable in the things of transformation - of which we see servants and masters - then one speaks of doing the right thing in yoga. (12) Discriminating to the person is a narrow vision and apart from convention I do not see what other use it would have; who is that master and who is the one to be controlled? Nevertheless, o King, what may I do for you? (13) Of me being myself, o King, you gathered that I was a disheveled, mad ignoramus; of what use would it then be to receive punishment from you; how can one correct a crazy, stupid person - it is like grinding flour!'

(14) S'rî S'uka said: 'Consequently responding to all the words that had fallen, arrested the great sage so calm and peaceful his case - to the cause of matters strange to the soul he accepted things as a consequence of what he had enjoyed and again, to put the acquired karma to an end, he as before continued to carry the king his palanquin. (15) O best of the Pându-dynasty, he, the ruler of Sindhu and Sauvîra, indeed was also of great faith concerning matters of control relating to the Absolute Truth; thus qualified hearing what the twice-born one said of that which eradicates the falsehood in the heart and which is approved by all of yoga and its culture, he hastily got down and fell head-on flat on the ground at the lotus feet to be excused for his offense. Thus giving up his false claim of being the king to be respected he said: (16) 'Who of all the twice born are you, moving around in this world under cover? I see you wear a sacred thread. Of which forsaker of the world are you the disciple? From where and for what purpose have you come here? Are you, as one of pure goodness, here for our benefit or maybe not? (17) I am not afraid of Indra's thunderbolt nor do I fear S'iva's trident or punishment from Yamarâja, nor do I fear the heat of solar rays, the moon, the wind or the weapons of Kuvera; what I fear most is offending the brahmin class. (18) Therefore, as one fully detached concealing the power of wisdom, as one moving around abiding in the beyond, please speak to us, as none of us, o saint, is able to comprehend to any extend the words of yogic meaning you uttered. (19) I thereto indeed ask you, master of yoga, o best preceptor of the saintly scholars of the reality of the soul, about that which in this world is the best engagement, the most secure shelter, o direct incarnation of the Lord of spiritual knowledge [see Kapila C3-25 ]. (20) As Him indeed is your good self traveling this world, looking into the motives of the people here and that without showing your real identity; may I know how we, being bound to family affairs missing the intelligence, nevertheless can take to the goal of the masters of yoga? (21) One knows of fatigue acting a certain way to the soul indeed, like the way you move carrying the palanquin; I guess that, following in respect of the phenomenal, it is as much proof of something non material, as having a container for water when there is no water at all. (22) Because of the heat under a cooking pot, becomes the milk put into it hot and because of the heated milk is the hard kernel of the rice in it cooked; [so too] from being connected to the senses there is the experience of fatigue and such by the soul in compliance with the matter. (23) The governor doing good to his subjects is, as a human ruler over the citizens, someone who carries out orders indeed; not grinding what is already ground, is one in one's own occupational duty of worship for the Infallible One, for whom performing one is released from all kinds of sin. (24) Therefore from your good self true in penance, unto me, this maddened and proud God of Man, kindly show your causeless mercy as a friend, a friend of the distressed, so that I can find relief from the sin of being in contempt with a such great personality like you. (25) You, friend of the Friend of All, as one removed from the bodily concept of life, are not put off balance; but even though as powerful as Lord S'iva [S'ûlapâni], will a person like me, by my practice of getting over the great, certainly soon be destroyed.'

Chapter 11

Jada Bharata Instructs King Rahûgana

(1) The brahmin [Jada Bharata] said: 'From lacking experience you do not speak of the most important in use of the terms of those who have the experience; these matters of mundane and social behavior one should in fact discuss with the intelligent who do have such a refined sense of truth. (2) Because of this, o King, is indeed among those, who notably by the Vedas [veda-vâdî] take interest in the endlessly increasing concern with the rituals of a material household, as good as never the actual spiritual science [tattva-vâda] found that manifests itself so clearly with the advanced of purity. (3) Although sufficiently known with the words, is the very exalted direct vision of the real purpose of the Veda not theirs, as the happiness of a worldly life for example is like a dream of which one naturally will come to realize that it is unreal. (4) As long as the mind of someone is under the control of the mode of passion, of goodness or of darkness, do actions, auspicious or otherwise, by the senses of action and perception, expand like with an elephant that is roaming freely. (5) That mind endowed with many a desire is, driven by the modes of nature, attached to material happiness; as the chief of the sixteen elements of the material existence [the physical, the active and the perceptual ones plus the mind] does it, estranged, wander around in names [in upâdhis - suppositions] and does it manifest with bodies of a higher or lower quality in different forms [compare B.G. 3:27]. (6) The unhappin