SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM: CANTO 9

(1) The son of Vyâsadeva said: 'From Vitatha [the name of Bharadvâja because he was given to Bharata] his son Manyu there were Brihatkshatra, Jaya, Mahâvîrya, Nara and Garga. Of them had Nara the son Sankriti. (2) Sankriti had Guru and Rantideva, o scion of Pându; the glories of Rantideva are sung in this world and the next.

(3-5) Living on what fate provided took he [Rantideva] pleasure in distributing to others whatever grain of food he had. Always penniless he with all his family members lived very sober and had to suffer a lot. One morning when forty-eight days had passed and he even was deprived of drinking water, it so happened that he received different foodstuffs, prepared with ghee and milk, and water. With the family all shaky of suffering thirst and hunger arrived that very moment a brahmin guest of Rantideva who also wanted to eat. (6) He, with great respect and faith conceiving the Lord as residing in each [see B.G. 5: 18], gave him his share of the food after which, having eaten, the twice-born one left from there. (7) Thereafter when he had divided the food for the family and just was about to eat arrived another one, a s'ûdra, whom he, remembering the Lord, gave the food allotted to him, the king. (8) With the s'ûdra gone arrived there another guest surrounded by dogs who said: 'O king, provide me with food for me and my hungry dogs!'

(9) He, the one in power, gave with great respect the dogs and their master whatever that remained of the food, honoring them with his obeisances. (10) Only the drinking water remained of the food and that also had to satisfy one out-caste who, arriving there when the king was about to drink, asked him: 'Please give me some water, even though I'm lowborn!'

(11) Hearing the pitiable words of him so very exhausted spoke he, deeply touched, out of compassion these nectarean words: (12) 'I do not desire from the Supreme Controller to attain the great of the eight perfections [siddhis], nor do I ask for the cessation of a repeated birth; I accept all hardship in my stay among all the living beings so that they may become free from suffering. (13) I am freed fom all the hunger, thirst, fatigue and a shaky body, as also from the poverty, distress, lamentation, depression and bewilderment, with my handing over my water to maintain the life of this poor soul desiring to stay alive!' (14) Thus expressing himself gave he, that sober kindhearted ruler, although he of thirst was on the verge of death, the drinking water to the out-caste. (15) Then manifested before him the controllers of the three worlds, the gods who for those desiring the fruits bestow all results, themselves in their true identities because it [their previous appearances in the form of the brahmin, the man with the dogs, the s'ûdra and the outcaste] had all been creations of the illusory energy of Vishnu. (16) He being true with them as someone of no material aspirations for any benefit or possessions [see B.G. 7: 20] offered them his obeisances, concentrating in his mind upon Vâsudeva, the Supreme Lord as the ultimate goal. (17) Fixing his consciousness in fully taking shelter with the Supreme Controller was he without deviation willing to serve only, o King, and was the illusory energy of the three modes nothing but a dream to him [see also B.G 7: 14 and 9: 34]. (18) Those associating to the lead of him, all followers of Rantideva, became first-class yogis all devoted to Lord Nârâyana [see also B.G. 6: 47].

(19-20) From Garga [see verse 1] there was S'ini, from him appeared Gârgya, of whom despite of his kshatriya birth a whole line of brahmins originated. From Mahâvîrya there was Duritakshaya whose sons were named Trayyâruni, Kavi and Pushkarâruni. They in this line all achieved the position of brahmins. Hastî became Brihatkshatra's son who founded the city of Hastinâpura [now Delhi]. (21) Ajamîdha, Dvimîdha and Purumîdha became the sons of Hastî. Ajamîdha's descendants headed by Priyamedha were all twice-born. (22) From Ajamîdha there was Brihadishu, his son was Brihaddhanu, Brihatkâya came thereafter and his son was Jayadratha. (23) His son was Vis'ada of whom Syenajit was born and his sons were Rucirâs'va, Dridhahanu, Kâs'ya and Vatsa. (24) Rucirâs'va's son was Pâra, from Pâra was Prithusena born and a son called Nîpa, who managed to generate a hundred of them. (25) He in his wife Kritvî, who was the daughter of S'uka [not the one speaking this Bhâgavatam], begot Brahmadatta, a yogi who in the womb of his wife Sarasvatî created a son called Vishvaksena. (26) By the instruction of the rishi Jaigîshavya was in the past by him [Vishvaksena] a description of yoga [a so-called tantra] compiled. He had a son Udaksena and from him there was Bhallâtha. These descendants were called the Brihadishus. (27) Yavînara born of Dvimîdha had Kritimân for his son and his son well known is Satyadhriti whose son Dridhanemi was the father of Supârs'va. (28-29) Supârs'va had Sumati whose son Sannatimân had one called Kritî, who from Lord Brahmâ got the mystic power to teach in the past the six samhitâs of the Prâcyasâma verses [from the Sâma-veda]. Of him could Nîpa take his birth of whom Udgrâyudha was born and his son was Kshemya of whom next appeared Suvîra. From Suvîra was there Ripuñjaya. (30) The one from him was named Bahuratha. Purumîdha [the younger brother of Dvimîdha] was without a son. Of Ajamîdha took from the wife Nalinî Nîla his birth who then had S'ânti for his son. (31-33) S'ânti's son Sus'ânti had Puruja for his son, Arka was his son and from him was born Bharmyâs'va who had five sons with Mudgala as the eldest, followed by Yavînara, Brihadvis'va, Kâmpilla and Sañjaya. He prayed to them: 'My sons, if you're really capable, then take care of all the different states'. Thus received they the name the Pañcâlas [to the five states]. From Mudgala was there a line consisting of brahmins known as Maudgalya. (34) A non-identical twin, one male one female, was born from Mudgala, Bharmyâs'va's son. The boy was called Divodâsa and the girl was named Ahalyâ. From her marriage with Gautama was S'atânanda born [personalities also mentioned in the Ramâyana]. (35) Of him there was a son Satyadhriti, an expert in archery, and of S'aradvân, his son, were, simply by him seeing Urvas'î of his semen falling on a clump of s'ara grass, a male and a female child born that were a great blessing. (36) During a hunt wandering in the forest saw King S'ântanu the twin whom he out of compassion took with him, naming the boy Kripa and the girl Kripî. She later became Dronâcârya's wife.

The son of Vyâsadeva said: 'From Vitatha [the name of Bharadvâja because he was given to Bharata] his son Manyu there were Brihatkshatra, Jaya, Mahâvîrya, Nara and Garga. Of them had Nara the son Sankriti.

S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: Because Bharadvâja was delivered by the Marut demigods, he was known as Vitatha. The son of Vitatha was Manyu, and from Manyu came five sons--Brihatkshatra, Jaya, Mahâvîrya, Nara and Garga. Of these five, the one known as Nara had a son named Sankriti. (Ved abase)

Text 2

Sankriti had Guru and Rantideva, o scion of Pându; the glories of Rantideva are sung in this world and the next.

O Mahârâja Parîkshit, descendant of Pându, Sankriti had two sons, named Guru and Rantideva. Rantideva is famous in both this world and the next, for he is glorified not only in human society but also in the society of the demigods. (Ved abase)

Text 3-5:

Living on what fate provided took he [Rantideva] pleasure in distributing to others whatever grain of food he had. Always penniless he with all his family members lived very sober and had to suffer a lot. One morning when forty-eight days had passed and he even was deprived of drinking water, it so happened that he received different foodstuffs, prepared with ghee and milk, and water. With the family all shaky of suffering thirst and hunger arrived that very moment a brahmin guest of Rantideva who also wanted to eat.

Rantideva never endeavored to earn anything. He would enjoy whatever he got by the arrangement of providence, but when guests came he would give them everything. Thus he underwent considerable suffering, along with the members of his family. Indeed, he and his family members shivered for want of food and water, yet Rantideva always remained sober. Once, after fasting for forty-eight days, in the morning Rantideva received some water and some foodstuffs made with milk and ghee, but when he and his family were about to eat, a brahmana guest arrived. (Ved abase)

Text 6

He, with great respect and faith conceiving the Lord as residing in each [see B.G. 5: 18], gave him his share of the food after which, having eaten, the twice-born one left from there.

Because Rantideva perceived the presence of the Supreme Godhead everywhere, and in every living entity, he received the guest with faith and respect and gave him a share of the food. The brahmana guest ate his share and then went away. (Ved abase)

Text7:

Thereafter when he had divided the food for the family and just was about to eat arrived another one, a s'ûdra, whom he, remembering the Lord, gave the food allotted to him, the king.

Thereafter, having divided the remaining food with his relatives, Rantideva was just about to eat his own share when a s'ûdra guest arrived. Seeing the s'ûdra in relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, King Rantideva gave him also a share of the food. (Ved abase)

Text 8

With the s'ûdra gone arrived there another guest surrounded by dogs who said: 'O king, provide me with food for me and my hungry dogs!'

When the s'ûdra went away, another guest arrived, surrounded by dogs, and said, "O King, I and my company of dogs are very hungry. Please give us something to eat." (Ved abase)

Text 9

He, the one in power, gave with great respect the dogs and their master whatever that remained of the food, honoring them with his obeisances.

With great respect, King Rantideva offered the balance of the food to the dogs and the master of the dogs, who had come as guests. The King offered them all respects and obeisances. (Ved abase)

Text 10

Only the drinking water remained of the food and that also had to satisfy one out-caste who, arriving there when the king was about to drink, asked him: 'Please give me some water, even though I'm lowborn!'

Thereafter, only the drinking water remained, and there was only enough to satisfy one person, but when the King was just about to drink it, a candâla appeared and said, "O King, although I am lowborn, kindly give me some drinking water." (Ved abase)

Text 11

Hearing the pitiable words of him so very exhausted spoke he, deeply touched, out of compassion these nectarean words:

Aggrieved at hearing the pitiable words of the poor fatigued candâla, Mahârâja Rantideva spoke the following nectarean words. (Ved abase)

Text 12

'I do not desire from the Supreme Controller to attain the great of the eight perfections [siddhis], nor do I ask for the cessation of a repeated birth; I accept all hardship in my stay among all the living beings so that they may become free from suffering.

I do not pray to the Supreme Personality of Godhead for the eight perfections of mystic yoga, nor for salvation from repeated birth and death. I want only to stay among all the living entities and suffer all distresses on their behalf, so that they may be freed from suffering. (Ved abase)

Text 13

I am freed fom all the hunger, thirst, fatigue and a shaky body, as also from the poverty, distress, lamentation, depression and bewilderment, with my handing over my water to maintain the life of this poor soul desiring to stay alive!'

By offering my water to maintain the life of this poor candâla, who is struggling to live, I have been freed from all hunger, thirst, fatigue, trembling of the body, moroseness, distress, lamentation and illusion. (Ved abase)

Text 14

Thus expressing himself gave he, that sober kindhearted ruler, although he of thirst was on the verge of death, the drinking water to the out-caste.

Having spoken thus, King Rantideva, although on the verge of death because of thirst, gave his own portion of water to the candâla without hesitation, for the King was naturally very kind and sober. (Ved abase)

Text 15

Then manifested before him the controllers of the three worlds, the gods who for those desiring the fruits bestow all results, themselves in their true identities because it [their previous appearances in the form of the brahmin, the man with the dogs, the s'ûdra and the outcaste] had all been creations of the illusory energy of Vishnu.

Demigods like Lord Brahmâ and Lord S'iva, who can satisfy all materially ambitious men by giving them the rewards they desire, then manifested their own identities before King Rantideva, for it was they who had presented themselves as the brâhmana, s'ûdra, candâla and so on. (Ved abase)

Text 16

He being true with them as someone of no material aspirations for any benefit or possessions [see B.G. 7: 20] offered them his obeisances, concentrating in his mind upon Vâsudeva, the Supreme Lord as the ultimate goal.

King Rantideva had no ambition to enjoy material benefits from the demigods. He offered them obeisances, but because he was factually attached to Lord Vishnu, Vâsudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he fixed his mind at Lord Vishnu's lotus feet. (Ved abase)

Text 17

Fixing his consciousness in fully taking shelter with the Supreme Controller was he without deviation willing to serve only, o King, and was the illusory energy of the three modes nothing but a dream to him [see also B.G 7: 14 and 9: 34].

O Mahârâja Parîkshit, because King Rantideva was a pure devotee, always Krishna conscious and free from all material desires, the Lord's illusory energy, maya, could not exhibit herself before him. On the contrary, for him maya entirely vanished, exactly like a dream. (Ved abase)

Text 18:

Those associating to the lead of him, all followers of Rantideva, became first-class yogis all devoted to Lord Nârâyana [see also B.G. 6: 47].

All those who followed the principles of King Rantideva were totally favored by his mercy and became pure devotees, attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nârâyana. Thus they all became the best of yogis. (Ved abase)

Text 19-20:

From Garga [see verse 1] there was S'ini, from him appeared Gârgya, of whom despite of his kshatriya birth a whole line of brahmins originated. From Mahâvîrya there was Duritakshaya whose sons were named Trayyâruni, Kavi and Pushkarâruni. They in this line all achieved the position of brahmins. Hastî became Brihatkshatra's son who founded the city of Hastinâpura [now Delhi].

From Garga came a son named S'ini, and his son was Gârgya. Although Gârgya was a kshatriya, there came from him a generation of brâhmanas. From Mahâvîrya came a son named Duritakshaya, whose sons were Trayyâruni, Kavi and Pushkarâruni. Although these sons of Duritakshaya took birth in a dynasty of kshatriyas, they too attained the position of brâhmanas. Brihatkshatra had a son named Hastî, who established the city of Hastinâpura [now New Delhi]. (Ved abase)

Text 21:

Ajamîdha, Dvimîdha and Purumîdha became the sons of Hastî. Ajamîdha's descendants headed by Priyamedha were all twice-born.

From King Hastî came three sons, named Ajamîdha, Dvimîdha and Purumîdha. The descendants of Ajamîdha, headed by Priyamedha, all achieved the position of brâhmanas. (Ved abase)

Text 22:

From Ajamîdha there was Brihadishu, his son was Brihaddhanu, Brihatkâya came thereafter and his son was Jayadratha.

From Ajamîdha came a son named Brihadishu, from Brihadishu came a son named Brihaddhanu, from Brihaddhanu a son named Brihatkâya, and from Brihatkâya a son named Jayadratha. (Ved abase)

Text 23:

His son was Vis'ada of whom Syenajit was born and his sons were Rucirâs'va, Dridhahanu, Kâs'ya, and Vatsa.

The son of Jayadratha was Vis'ada, and his son was Syenajit. The sons of Syenajit were Rucirâs'va, Dridhahanu, Kâs'ya and Vatsa. (Ved abase)

Text 24

Rucirâs'va's son was Pâra, from Pâra was Prithusena born and a son called Nîpa, who managed to generate a hundred of them.

The son of Rucirâs'va was Pâra, and the sons of Pâra were Prithusena and Nîpa. Nîpa had one hundred sons. (Ved abase)

Text 25

He in his wife Kritvî, who was the daughter of S'uka [not the one speaking this Bhâgavatam], begot Brahmadatta, a yogi who in the womb of his wife Sarasvatî created a son called Vishvaksena.

King Nîpa begot a son named Brahmadatta through the womb of his wife, Kritvî, who was the daughter of S'uka. And Brahmadatta, who was a great yogi, begot a son named Vishvaksena through the womb of his wife, Sarasvatî. (Ved aba s e)

Text 26

By the instruction of the rishi Jaigîshavya was in the past by him [Vishvaksena] a description of yoga [a so-called tantra] compiled. He had a son Udaksena and from him there was Bhallâtha. These descendants were called the Brihadishus

Following the instructions of the great sage Jaigîsavya, Vishvaksena compiled an elaborate description of the mystic yoga system. From Vishvaksena, Udaksena was born, and from Udaksena, Bhallâtha. All these sons are known as descendants of Brihadishu. (Ved abase)

Text 27

Yavînara born of Dvimîdha had Kritimân for his son and his son well known is Satyadhriti whose son Dridhanemi was the father of Supârs'va.

The son of Dvimîdha was Yavînara, whose son was Kritîman. The son of Kritîman was well known as Satyadhriti. From Satyadhriti came a son named Dridhanemi, who became the father of Supârs'va. (Ved abase)

Text 28-29

Supârs'va had Sumati whose son Sannatimân had one called Kritî, who from Lord Brahmâ got the mystic power to teach in the past the six samhitâs of the Prâcyasâma verses [from the Sâma-veda]. Of him could Nîpa take his birth of whom Udgrâyudha was born and his son was Kshemya of whom next appeared Suvîra. From Suvîra was there Ripuñjaya.

From Supârs'va came a son named Sumati, from Sumati came Sannatimân, and from Sannatiman came Kritî, who achieved mystic power from Brahmâ and taught six samhitâs of the Prâcyasâma verses of the Sâma Veda. The son of Kritî was Nîpa; the son of Nîpa, Udgrâyudha; the son of Udgrâyudha, Kshemya; the son of Kshemya, Suvîra; and the son of Suvîra, Ripuñjaya. (Ved abase)

Text 30

The one from him was named Bahuratha. Purumîdha [the younger brother of Dvimîdha] was without a son. Of Ajamîdha took from the wife Nalinî Nîla his birth who then had S'ânti for his son.

From Ripuñjaya came a son named Bahuratha. Purumîdha was sonless. Ajamîdha had a son named Nîla by his wife known as Nalinî, and the son of Nîla was S'ânti. (Ved abase)

Text 31-33

S'ânti's son Sus'ânti had Puruja for his son, Arka was his son and from him was born Bharmyâs'va who had five sons with Mudgala as the eldest, followed by Yavînara, Brihadvis'va, Kâmpilla and Sañjaya. He prayed to them: 'My sons, if you're really capable, then take care of all the different states'. Thus received they the name the Pañcâlas [to the five states]. From Mudgala was there a line consisting of brahmins known as Maudgalya.

The son of S'ânti was Sus'ânti, the son of Sus'ânti was Puruja, and the son of Puruja was Arka. From Arka came Bharmyâs'va, and from Bharmyâs'va came five sons--Mudgala, Yavînara, Brihadvis'va, Kâmpilla and Sañjaya. Bharmyâs'va prayed to his sons, "O my sons, please take charge of my five states, for you are quite competent to do so." Thus his five sons were known as the Pañcâlas. From Mudgala came a dynasty of brâhmanas known as Maudgalya. (Ved ab a se)

Text 34

A non-identical twin, one male one female, was born from Mudgala, Bharmyâs'va's son. The boy was called Divodâsa and the girl was named Ahalyâ. From her marriage with Gautama was S'atânanda born [personalities also mentioned in the Ramâyana].

Mudgala, the son of Bharmyâs'va, had twin children, one male and the other female. The male child was named Divodâsa, and the female child was named Ahalyâ. From the womb of Ahalyâ by the semen of her husband, Gautama, came a son named S'atânanda. (Ved abase)

Text 35

Of him there was a son Satyadhriti, an expert in archery, and of S'aradvân, his son, were, simply by him seeing Urvas'î of his semen falling on a clump of s'ara grass, a male and a female child born that were a great blessing.

The son of S'atânanda was Satyadhriti, who was expert in archery, and the son of Satyadhriti was S'aradvân. When S'aradvân met Urvas'î, he discharged semen, which fell on a clump of s'ara grass. From this semen were born two all-auspicious babies, one male and the other female. (Ved abase)

Text 36

During a hunt wandering in the forest saw King S'ântanu the twin whom he out of compassion took with him, naming the boy Kripa and the girl Kripî. She later became Dronâcârya's wife.

While Mahârâja S'ântanu was on a hunting excursion, he saw the male and female children lying in the forest, and out of compassion he took them home. Consequently, the male child was known as Kripa, and the female child was named Kripî. Kripî later became the wife of Dronâcârya. (Ved abase)