Chapter 15: The Glories of the Descendants of King Priyavrata

 

5.15.1

śrī-śuka uvāca

bharatasyātmajaḥ sumatir nāmābhihito yam u ha vāva kecit pākhaṇḍina ṛṣabha-padavīm anuvartamānaḿ cānāryā aveda-samāmnātāḿ devatāḿ sva-manīṣayā pāpīyasyā kalau kalpayiṣyanti

 

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued to speak; bharatasya — of Bharata Mahārāja; ātma-jaḥ — the son; sumatiḥ nāma-abhihitaḥ — named Sumati; yam — unto whom; u ha vāva — indeed; kecit — some; pākhaṇḍinaḥ — atheists, men without Vedic knowledge; ṛṣabha-padavīm — the path of King Ṛṣabhadeva; anuvartamānam — following; ca — and; anāryāḥ — not belonging to the Āryans who strictly follow the Vedic principles; aveda-samāmnātām — not enumerated in the Vedas; devatām — to be Lord Buddha or a similar Buddhist deity; sva-manīṣayā — by their own mental speculation; pāpīyasyā — most sinful; kalau — in this age of Kali; kalpayiṣyanti — will imagine.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: The son of Mahārāja Bharata known as Sumati followed the path of Ṛṣabhadeva, but some unscrupulous people imagined him to be Lord Buddha himself. These people, who were actually atheistic and of bad character, took up the Vedic principles in an imaginary, infamous way to support their activities. Thus these sinful people accepted Sumati as Lord Buddhadeva and propagated the theory that everyone should follow the principles of Sumati. In this way they were carried away by mental concoction.

 

5.15.2

tasmād vṛddhasenāyāḿ devatājin-nāma putro 'bhavat

 

tasmāt — from Sumati; vṛddha-senāyām — in the womb of his wife, named Vṛddhasenā; devatājit-nāma — named Devatājit; putraḥ — a son; abhavat — was born.

 

TRANSLATION

 

From Sumati, a son named Devatājit was born by the womb of his wife named Vṛddhasenā.

 

5.15.3

athāsuryāḿ tat-tanayo devadyumnas tato dhenumatyāḿ sutaḥ parameṣṭhī tasya suvarcalāyāḿ pratīha upajātaḥ

 

atha — thereafter; āsuryām — in the womb of his wife, named Āsurī; tat-tanayaḥ — one son of Devatājit; deva-dyumnaḥ — named Devadyumna; tataḥ — from Devadyumna; dhenu-matyām — in the womb of Dhenumatī, the wife of Devadyumna; sutaḥ — one son; parameṣṭhī — named Parameṣṭhī; tasya — of Parameṣṭhī; suvarcalāyām — in the womb of his wife, named Suvarcalā; pratīhaḥ — the son named Pratīha; upajātaḥ — appeared.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Thereafter, in the womb of Āsurī, the wife of Devatājit, a son named Devadyumna was begotten. Devadyumna begot in the womb of his wife, Dhenumatī, a son named Parameṣṭhī. Parameṣṭhī begot a son named Pratīha in the womb of his wife, Suvarcalā.

 

5.15.4

ya ātma-vidyām ākhyāya svayaḿ saḿśuddho mahā-puruṣam anusasmāra

 

yaḥ — who (King Pratīha); ātma-vidyām ākhyāya — after instructing many people about self-realization; svayam — personally; saḿśuddhaḥ — being very advanced and purified in self-realization; mahā-puruṣam — the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu; anusasmāra — perfectly understood and always remembered.

 

TRANSLATION

 

King Pratīha personally propagated the principles of self-realization. In this way, not only was he purified, but he became a great devotee of the Supreme Person, Lord Viṣṇu, and directly realized Him.

 

5.15.5

pratīhāt suvarcalāyāḿ pratihartrādayas traya āsann ijyā-kovidāḥ sūnavaḥ pratihartuḥ stutyām aja-bhūmānāv ajaniṣātām

 

pratīhāt — from King Pratīha; suvarcalāyām — in the womb of his wife, named Suvarcalā; pratihartṛ-ādayaḥ trayaḥ — the three sons Pratihartā, Prastotā and Udgātā; āsan — came into being; ijyā-kovidāḥ — who were all very expert in the ritualistic ceremonies of the Vedas; sūnavaḥ — sons; pratihartuḥ — from Pratihartā; stutyām — in the womb of Stutī, his wife; aja-bhūmānau — the two sons Aja and Bhūmā; ajaniṣātām — were brought into existence.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In the womb of his wife Suvarcalā, Pratīha begot three sons, named Pratihartā, Prastotā and Udgātā. These three sons were very expert in performing Vedic rituals. Pratihartā begot two sons, named Aja and Bhūmā, in the womb of his wife, named Stutī.

 

 5.15.6

bhūmna ṛṣikulyāyām udgīthas tataḥ prastāvo devakulyāyāḿ prastāvān niyutsāyāḿ hṛdayaja āsīd vibhur vibho ratyāḿ ca pṛthuṣeṇas tasmān nakta ākūtyāḿ jajñe naktād druti-putro gayo rājarṣi-pravara udāra-śravā ajāyata sākṣād bhagavato viṣṇor jagad-rirakṣiṣayā gṛhīta-sattvasya kalātmavattvādi-lakṣaṇena mahā-puruṣatāḿ prāptaḥ

 

bhūmnaḥ — from King Bhūmā; ṛṣi-kulyāyām — in the womb of his wife, named Ṛṣikulyā; udgīthaḥ — the son named Udgītha; tataḥ — again from King Udgītha; prastāvaḥ — the son named Prastāva; deva-kulyāyām — his wife, named Devakulyā; prastāvāt — from King Prastāva; niyutsāyām — in his wife, named Niyutsā; hṛdaya-jaḥ — the son; āsīt — was begotten; vibhuḥ — named Vibhu; vibhoḥ — from King Vibhu; ratyām — in his wife, named Ratī; ca — also; pṛthu-ṣeṇaḥ — named Pṛthuṣeṇa; tasmāt — from him (King Pṛthuṣeṇa); naktaḥ — a son named Nakta; ākūtyām — in his wife, named Ākūti; jajñe — was begotten; naktāt — from King Nakta; druti-putraḥ — a son in the womb of Druti; gayaḥ — named King Gaya; rāja-ṛṣi-pravaraḥ — most exalted among the saintly royal order; udāra-śravāḥ — famous as a very pious king; ajāyata — was born; sākṣāt bhagavataḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly; viṣṇoḥ — of Lord Viṣṇu; jagat-rirak-ṣiṣayā — for the purpose of giving protection to the whole world; gṛhīta — who is conceived; sattvasya — in the śuddha-sattva qualities; kalā-ātma-vattva-ādi — of being a direct incarnation of the Lord; lakṣaṇena — by symptoms; mahā-puruṣatām — the chief quality of being the leader of the human society (exactly like the chief leader of all living beings, Lord Viṣṇu); prāptaḥ — achieved.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In the womb of his wife, Ṛṣikulyā, King Bhūmā begot a son named Udgītha. From Udgītha's wife, Devakulyā, a son named Prastāva was born, and Prastāva begot a son named Vibhu through his wife, Niyutsā. In the womb of his wife, Ratī, Vibhu begot a son named Pṛthuṣeṇa. Pṛthuṣeṇa begot a son named Nakta in the womb of his wife, named Ākūti. Nakta's wife was Druti, and from her womb the great King Gaya was born. Gaya was very famous and pious; he was the best of saintly kings. Lord Viṣṇu and His expansions, who are meant to protect the universe, are always situated in the transcendental mode of goodness, known as viśuddha-sattva. Being the direct expansion of Lord Viṣṇu, King Gaya was also situated in the viśuddha-sattva. Because of this, Mahārāja Gaya was fully equipped with transcendental knowledge. Therefore he was called Mahāpuruṣa.

 

5.15.7

sa vai sva-dharmeṇa prajā-pālana-poṣaṇa-prīṇanopalālanānuśāsana-lakṣaṇenejyādinā ca bhagavati mahā-puruṣe parāvare brahmaṇi sarvātmanārpita-paramārtha-lakṣaṇena brahmavic-caraṇānusevayāpādita-bhagavad-bhakti-yogena cābhīkṣṇaśaḥ paribhāvitāti-śuddha-matir uparatānātmya ātmani svayam upalabhyamāna-brahmātmānubhavo 'pi nirabhimāna evāvanim ajūgupat

 

saḥ — that King Gaya; vai — indeed; sva-dharmeṇa — by his own duty; prajā-pālana — of protecting the subjects; poṣaṇa — of maintaining them; prīṇana — of making them happy in all respects; upalālana — of treating them as sons; anuśāsana — of sometimes chastising them for their mistakes; lakṣaṇena — by the symptoms of a king; ijyā-ādinā — by performing the ritualistic ceremonies as recommended in the Vedas; ca — also; bhagavati — unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu; mahā-puruṣe — the chief of all living entities; para-avare — the source of all living entities, from the highest, Lord Brahmā, to the lowest, like the insignificant ants; brahmaṇi — unto Parabrahman, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva; sarva-ātmanā — in all respects; arpita — of being surrendered; parama-artha-lakṣaṇena — with spiritual symptoms; brahma-vit — of self-realized, saintly devotees; caraṇa-anusevayā — by the service of the lotus feet; āpādita — achieved; bhagavat-bhakti-yogena — by the practice of devotional service to the Lord; ca — also; abhīkṣṇaśaḥ — continuously; paribhāvita — saturated; ati-śuddha-matiḥ — whose completely pure consciousness (full realization that the body and mind are separate from the soul); uparata-anātmye — wherein identification with material things was stopped; ātmani — in his own self; svayam — personally; upalabhyamāna — being realized; brahma-ātma-anubhavaḥ — perception of his own position as the Supreme Spirit; api — although; nirabhimānaḥ — without false prestige; eva — in this way; avanim — the whole world; ajūgupat — ruled strictly according to the Vedic principles.

 

TRANSLATION

 

King Gaya gave full protection and security to the citizens so that their personal property would not be disturbed by undesirable elements. He also saw that there was sufficient food to feed all the citizens. [This is called poṣaṇa.] He would sometimes distribute gifts to the citizens to satisfy them. [This is called prīṇana.] He would sometimes call meetings and satisfy the citizens with sweet words. [This is called upalālana.] He would also give them good instructions on how to become first-class citizens. [This is called anuśāsana.] Such were the characteristics of King Gaya's royal order. Besides all this, King Gaya was a householder who strictly observed the rules and regulations of household life. He performed sacrifices and was an unalloyed pure devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He was called Mahāpuruṣa because as a king he gave the citizens all facilities, and as a householder he executed all his duties so that at the end he became a strict devotee of the Supreme Lord. As a devotee, he was always ready to give respect to other devotees and to engage in the devotional service of the Lord. This is the bhakti-yoga process. Due to all these transcendental activities, King Gaya was always free from the bodily conception. He was full in Brahman realization, and consequently he was always jubilant. He did not experience material lamentation. Although he was perfect in all respects, he was not proud, nor was he anxious to rule the kingdom.

 

5.15.8

tasyemāḿ gāthāḿ pāṇḍaveya purāvida upagāyanti

 

tasya — of King Gaya; imām — these; gāthām — poetic verses of glorification; pāṇḍaveya — O Mahārāja Parīkṣit; purā-vidaḥ — those learned in the historical events of the purāṇas; upagāyanti — sing.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear King Parīkṣit, those who are learned scholars in the histories of the Purāṇas eulogize and glorify King Gaya with the following verses.

 

5.15.9

gayaḿ nṛpaḥ kaḥ pratiyāti karmabhir

yajvābhimānī bahuvid dharma-goptā

samāgata-śrīḥ sadasas-patiḥ satāḿ

sat-sevako 'nyo bhagavat-kalām ṛte

 

gayam — King Gaya; nṛpaḥ — king; kaḥ — who; pratiyāti — is a match for; karmabhiḥ — by his execution of ritualistic ceremonies; yajvā — who performed all sacrifices; abhimānī — so widely respected all over the world; bahu-vit — fully aware of the conclusion of Vedic literature; dharma-goptā — protector of the occupational duties of everyone; samāgata-śrīḥ — possessing all kinds of opulence; sadasaḥ-patiḥ satām — the dean of the assembly of great persons; sat-sevakaḥ — servant of the devotees; anyaḥ — anyone else; bhagavat-kalām — the plenary incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ṛte — besides.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The great King Gaya used to perform all kinds of Vedic rituals. He was highly intelligent and expert in studying all the Vedic literatures. He maintained the religious principles and possessed all kinds of opulence. He was a leader among gentlemen and a servant of the devotees. He was a totally qualified plenary expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore who could equal him in the performance of gigantic ritualistic ceremonies?

 

5.15.10

yam abhyaṣiñcan parayā mudā satīḥ

satyāśiṣo dakṣa-kanyāḥ saridbhiḥ

yasya prajānāḿ duduhe dharāśiṣo

nirāśiṣo guṇa-vatsa-snutodhāḥ

 

yam — whom; abhyaṣiñcan — bathed; parayā — with great; mudā — satisfaction; satīḥ — all chaste and devoted to their husbands; satya — true; āśiṣaḥ — whose blessings; dakṣa-kanyāḥ — the daughters of King Dakṣa; saridbhiḥ — with sanctified water; yasya — whose; prajānām — of the citizens; duduhe — fulfilled; dharā — the planet earth; āśiṣaḥ — of all desires; nirāśiṣaḥ — although personally having no desire; guṇa-vatsa-snuta-udhāḥ — earth becoming like a cow whose udders flowed upon seeing Gaya's qualities in ruling over the citizens.

 

TRANSLATION

 

All the chaste and honest daughters of Mahārāja Dakṣa, such as Śraddhā, Maitrī and Dayā, whose blessings were always effective, bathed Mahārāja Gaya with sanctified water. Indeed, they were very satisfied with Mahārāja Gaya. The planet earth personified came as a cow, and, as though she saw her calf, she delivered milk profusely when she saw all the good qualities of Mahārāja Gaya. In other words, Mahārāja Gaya was able to derive all benefits from the earth and thus satisfy the desires of his citizens. However, he personally had no desire.

 

5.15.11

chandāḿsy akāmasya ca yasya kāmān

dudūhur ājahrur atho baliḿ nṛpāḥ

pratyañcitā yudhi dharmeṇa viprā

yadāśiṣāḿ ṣaṣṭham aḿśaḿ paretya

 

chandāḿsi — all the different parts of the Vedas; akāmasya — of one who has no desire for personal sense gratification; ca — also; yasya — whose; kāmān — all desirables; dudūhuḥ — yielded; ājahruḥ — offered; atho — thus; balim — presentation; nṛpāḥ — all the kings; pratyañcitāḥ — being satisfied by his fighting in opposition; yudhi — in the war; dharmeṇa — by religious principles; viprāḥ — all the brāhmaṇas; yadā — when; āśiṣām — of blessings; ṣaṣṭham aḿśam — one sixth; paretya — in the next life.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Although King Gaya had no personal desire for sense gratification, all his desires were fulfilled by virtue of his performance of Vedic rituals. All the kings with whom Mahārāja Gaya had to fight were forced to fight on religious principles. They were very satisfied with his fighting, and they would present all kinds of gifts to him. Similarly, all the brāhmaṇas in his kingdom were very satisfied with King Gaya's munificent charities. Consequently the brāhmaṇas contributed a sixth of their pious activities for King Gaya's benefit in the next life.

 

5.15.12

yasyādhvare bhagavān adhvarātmā

maghoni mādyaty uru-soma-pīthe

śraddhā-viśuddhācala-bhakti-yoga-

samarpitejyā-phalam ājahāra

 

yasya — of whom (King Gaya); adhvare — in his different sacrifices; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; adhvara-ātmā — the supreme enjoyer of all sacrifices, the yajña-puruṣa; maghoni — when King Indra; mādyati — intoxicated; uru — greatly; soma-pīthe — drinking the intoxicant called soma; śraddhā — by devotion; viśuddha — purified; acala — and steady; bhakti-yoga — by devotional service; samarpita — offered; ijyā — of worshiping; phalam — the result; ājahāra — accepted personally.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In Mahārāja Gaya's sacrifices, there was a great supply of the intoxicant known as soma. King Indra used to come and become intoxicated by drinking large quantities of soma-rasa. Also, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Viṣṇu [the yajña-puruṣa] also came and personally accepted all the sacrifices offered unto Him with pure and firm devotion in the sacrificial arena.

 

5.15.13

yat-prīṇanād barhiṣi deva-tiryań-

manuṣya-vīrut-tṛṇam āviriñcāt

prīyeta sadyaḥ sa ha viśva-jīvaḥ

prītaḥ svayaḿ prītim agād gayasya

 

yat-prīṇanāt — because of pleasing the Supreme Personality of Godhead; barhiṣi — in the sacrificial arena; deva-tiryak — the demigods and lower animals; manuṣya — human society; vīrut — the plants and trees; tṛṇam — the grass; ā-viriñcāt — beginning from Lord Brahmā; prīyeta — becomes satisfied; sadyaḥ — immediately; saḥ — that Supreme Personality of Godhead; ha — indeed; viśva-jīvaḥ — maintains the living entities all over the universe; prītaḥ — although naturally satisfied; svayam — personally; prītim — satisfaction; agāt — he obtained; gayasya — of Mahārāja Gaya.

 

TRANSLATION

 

When the Supreme Lord is pleased by a person's actions, automatically all the demigods, human beings, animals, birds, bees, creepers, trees, grass and all other living entities, beginning with Lord Brahmā, are pleased. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Supersoul of everyone, and He is by nature fully pleased. Nonetheless, He came to the arena of Mahārāja Gaya and said, "I am fully pleased."

 

5.15.14-15

gayād gayantyāḿ citrarathaḥ sugatir avarodhana iti trayaḥ putrā babhūvuś citrarathād ūrṇāyāḿ samrāḍ ajaniṣṭa; tata utkalāyāḿ marīcir marīcer bindumatyāḿ bindum ānudapadyata tasmāt saraghāyāḿ madhur nāmābhavan madhoḥ sumanasi vīravratas tato bhojāyāḿ manthu-pramanthū jajñāte manthoḥ satyāyāḿ bhauvanas tato dūṣaṇāyāḿ tvaṣṭājaniṣṭa tvaṣṭur virocanāyāḿ virajo virajasya śatajit-pravaraḿ putra-śataḿ kanyā ca viṣūcyāḿ kila jātam

 

gayāt — from Mahārāja Gaya; gayantyām — in his wife, named Gayantī; citra-rathaḥ — named Citraratha; sugatiḥ — named Sugati; avarodhanaḥ — named Avarodhana; iti — thus; trayaḥ — three; putrāḥ — sons; babhūvuḥ — were born; citrarathāt — from Citraratha; ūrṇāyām — in the womb of Ūrṇā; samrāṭ — named Samrāṭ; ajaniṣṭa — was born; tataḥ — from him; utkalāyām — in his wife named Utkalā; marīciḥ — named Marīci; marīceḥ — from Marīci; bindu-matyām — in the womb of his wife Bindumatī; bindum — a son named Bindu; ānudapadyata — was born; tasmāt — from him; saraghāyām — in the womb of his wife Saraghā; madhuḥ — Madhu; nāma — named; abhavat — was born; madhoḥ — from Madhu; sumanasi — in the womb of his wife, Sumanā; vīra-vrataḥ — a son named Vīravrata; tataḥ — from Vīravrata; bhojāyām — in the womb of his wife Bhojā; manthu-pramanthū — two sons named Manthu and Pramanthu; jajñāte — were born; manthoḥ — from Manthu; satyāyām — in his wife, Satyā; bhauvanaḥ — a son named Bhauvana; tataḥ — from him; dūṣaṇāyām — in the womb of his wife Dūṣaṇā; tvaṣṭā — one son named Tvaṣṭā; ajaniṣṭa — was born; tvaṣṭuḥ — from Tvaṣṭā; virocanāyām — in his wife named Virocanā; virajaḥ — a son named Viraja; virajasya — of King Viraja; śatajit-pravaram — headed by Śatajit; putra-śatam — one hundred sons; kanyā — a daughter; ca — also; viṣūcyām — in his wife Viṣūcī; kila — indeed; jātam — took birth.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In the womb of Gayantī, Mahārāja Gaya begot three sons, named Citraratha, Sugati and Avarodhana. In the womb of his wife Ūrṇā, Citraratha begot a son named Samrāṭ. The wife of Samrāṭ was Utkalā, and in her womb Samrāṭ begot a son named Marīci. In the womb of his wife Bindumatī, Marīci begot a son named Bindu. In the womb of his wife Saraghā, Bindu begot a son named Madhu. In the womb of his wife named Sumanā, Madhu begot a son named Vīravrata. In the womb of his wife Bhojā, Vīravrata begot two sons named Manthu and Pramanthu. In the womb of his wife Satyā, Manthu begot a son named Bhauvana, and in the womb of his wife Dūṣaṇā, Bhauvana begot a son named Tvaṣṭā. In the womb of his wife Virocanā, Tvaṣṭā begot a son named Viraja. The wife of Viraja was Viṣūcī, and in her womb Viraja begot one hundred sons and one daughter. Of all these sons, the son named Śatajit was predominant.

 

5.15.16

tatrāyaḿ ślokaḥ —

praiyavrataḿ vaḿśam imaḿ

virajaś caramodbhavaḥ

akarod aty-alaḿ kīrtyā

viṣṇuḥ sura-gaṇaḿ yathā

 

tatra — in that connection; ayam ślokaḥ — there is this famous verse; praiyavratam — coming from King Priyavrata; vaḿśam — the dynasty; imam — this; virajaḥ — King Viraja; carama-udbhavaḥ — the source of one hundred sons (headed by Śatajit); akarot — decorated; ati-alam — very greatly; kīrtyā — by his reputation; viṣṇuḥ — Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sura-gaṇam — the demigods; yathā — just as.

 

TRANSLATION

 

There is a famous verse about King Viraja. "Because of his high qualities and wide fame, King Viraja became the jewel of the dynasty of King Priyavrata, just as Lord Viṣṇu, by His transcendental potency, decorates and blesses the demigods."