Bhagavatapurana 4.23: atha trayoviṃśo'dhyāyaḥ

4.23.1

/0 maitreya uvāca
dṛṣṭvātmānaṃ pravayasam ekadā vainya ātmavān /
ātmanā vardhitāśeṣa- svānusargaḥ prajāpatiḥ //

Maitreya said:
Seeing himself advanced in age, the self-controlled son of Vena, the protector of subjects,
who had personally brought all creation under his care to prosperity,

1—3. Maitreya said:—On a certain day, turning his attention upon himself, Prithu, (Vena's son) saw that he had grown very old; as the protector of his subjects he had himself improved and provided for the permanency of his gifts (beneficial institutions) to them; that he had provided for the maintenance of (all creatures), mobile and immobile, and given (full) support to the Dharma of the righteous; and that he had fulfilled the Lord's commission for which he had been born here; he entrusted the earth, like a daughter crying, for

4.23.2

jagatas tasthuṣaś cāpi vṛttido dharma-bhṛt satām /
niṣpāditeśvarādeśo yad-artham iha jajñivān //

giving sustenance to the moving and the unmoving, upholder of the dharma of the virtuous,
having fulfilled the order of the Lord for which he was born here,

4.23.3

ātmajeṣv ātmajāṃ nyasya virahād rudatīm iva /
prajāsu vimanaḥsv ekaḥ sa-dāro 'gāt tapo-vanam //

entrusting the earth, his offspring, as if weeping from separation, unto his sons,
while the citizens were disheartened, departed alone with his wife to the penance forest.

separation, to the care of his sons; while all his subjects stood dispirited, he with his queen, unattended, betook himself to a hermitage.

4.23.4

tatrāpy adābhya-niyamo vaikhānasa-susammate /
ārabdha ugra-tapasi yathā sva-vijaye purā //

Even there, strictly unyielding in vows approved for hermits (vaikhānasas),
he undertook severe austerities, just as in his former conquest of his own kingdom.

4. And there too he observed uninterruptedly rules of self discipline and entered upon a course of austere penance most approved of *Vanaprasthas* even with the same determination as he had of old in conquering the world.

4.23.5

kanda-mūla-phalāhāraḥ śuṣka-parṇāśanaḥ kvacit /
ab-bhakṣaḥ katicit pakṣān vāyu-bhakṣas tataḥ param //

Eating tubers, roots, and fruits, sometimes subsisting on dry leaves,
consuming only water for some fortnights, and after that surviving on air alone;

5. He ate roots and fruits, sometimes dry leaves, some weeks subsisted only on water and thereafter he lived upon mere atmospheric air.

4.23.6

grīṣme pañca-tapā vīro varṣāsv āsāraṣāṇ muniḥ /
ākaṇṭha-magnaḥ śiśire udake sthaṇḍile-śayaḥ //

in summer performing the five-fire penance, the heroic sage tolerating downpours in the rainy season,
submerged up to his neck in cold water in the dewy season, and sleeping on bare ground.

6. In hottest summer he practised austerity, standing in the midst of five fires; the dauntless hero and contemplative sage exposed himself to the heavy downpour of rain during the rainy season; and in winter he stood immersed in water up to his neck and slept on the bare ground.

4.23.7

titikṣur yata-vāg dānta ūrdhva-retā jitānilaḥ /
ārirādhayiṣuḥ kṛṣṇam acarat tapa uttamam //

Forbearing, restrained of speech, self-controlled, chaste, with breath mastered,
desiring to worship Kṛṣṇa, he performed supreme ascetic penance.

7. He was full of endurance, controlled his tongue, senses and organs, kept celibacy, conquered the vital breaths and performed the hardest *Tapas* in order to please (the blessed Lord) Krishna.

4.23.8

tena kramānusiddhena dhvasta-karma-malāśayaḥ /
prāṇāyāmaiḥ sanniruddha- ṣaḍ-vargaś chinna-bandhanaḥ //

By that [penance], perfected in due order, the impurities of karmic impressions were destroyed in his heart;
having restrained the group of six [senses and mind] by breath-controls, his bonds were severed.

8. By his *Tapas* gradually developed to perfection he was rid of Karma and became pure in mind and by control of breaths he completely nipped the six passions and cut asunder the bondage (of *Vasanas*).

4.23.9

sanat-kumāro bhagavān yad āhādhyātmikaṃ param /
yogaṃ tenaiva puruṣam abhajat puruṣarṣabhaḥ //

That supreme spiritual yoga which the divine Sanatkumāra spoke of,
by that very [yoga] the bull among men worshipped the Supreme Person.

9. That great person (bull among men) worshipped and contemplated the perfect Lord by that very means (yoga) which the worshipful Sanatkumara had taught him as the best course towards Atman.

4.23.10

bhagavad-dharmiṇaḥ sādhoḥ śraddhayā yatataḥ sadā /
bhaktir bhagavati brahmaṇy ananya-viṣayābhavat //

In that virtuous man who practiced the Lord's dharma and strove constantly with faith,
there arose exclusive devotion unto the Lord, Brahman.

10. As the pious king was doing the righteous duties delightful to the Lord and constantly exerting himself with faith, his devotion to the glorious Brahman became absolute (was not distracted by any other object).

4.23.10.p1

tasyānayā bhagavataḥ parikarma-śuddha- $ sattvātmanas tad-anusaṃsmaraṇānupūrtyā &

For him whose inner being was purified by devotion to the Lord, through that constant remembrance of Him,

11. By virtue of this perfect devotion and by having rendered his mind pure and *Satvic* through his worship of the Lord he attained perfect renunciation and powerful wisdom with which he cut off his vesture as *jiva*, the source of doubt (and wrong notions).

4.23.11

jñānaṃ viraktimad abhūn niśitena yena % ciccheda saṃśaya-padaṃ nija-jīva-kośam //

there arose knowledge accompanied by dispassion, by which, sharp as it was,
he cut away the sheath of his individual soul, the seat of doubt.

4.23.11.p2

chinnānya-dhīr adhigatātma-gatir nirīhas $ tat tatyaje 'cchinad idaṃ vayunena yena &

Having cut away the thought of anything else, having attained his own true state, free from desire,
he relinquished that [knowledge] too, by which insight he had severed this [sheath of embodiment].

12. When his thought was withdrawn from every thing else, and the realisation of Atman was secured as well as freedom from all activity, he gave up (efforts for) that wisdom too by which he cut off the other half this (the source of doubt). For he who is undergoing Yogic discipline does not cease to *give his attention* (to be attracted) to the courses of Yoga so long as he may not come to find delight in the stories of Sri Krishna (elder brother of Gada).

4.23.11.p3

chinnānya-dhīr adhigatātma-gatir nirīhas $ tat tatyaje 'cchinad idaṃ vayunena yena &

Having cut away the thought of anything else, having attained his own true state, free from desire,
he relinquished that [knowledge] too, by which insight he had severed this [sheath of embodiment].

4.23.12

tāvan na yoga-gatibhir yatir apramatto % yāvad gadāgraja-kathāsu ratiṃ na kuryāt //

A renunciant, even if vigilant, should not [rely] only upon the attainments of yoga
so long as he does not develop loving attachment to the narrations of Gadāgraja [Kṛṣṇa].

4.23.13

evaṃ sa vīra-pravaraḥ saṃyojyātmānam ātmani /
brahma-bhūto dṛḍhaṃ kāle tatyāja svaṃ kalevaram //

Thus, that best of heroes, having united the self with the Self,
having become one with Brahman, firmly relinquished his own body when the time came.

13. That great hero having thus united his self with Atman and truly become Brahman shook off the mortal frame, when (the proper) time came.

4.23.14

sampīḍya pāyuṃ pārṣṇibhyāṃ vāyum utsārayañ chanaiḥ /
nābhyāṃ koṣṭheṣv avasthāpya hṛd-uraḥ-kaṇṭha-śīrṣaṇi //

Pressing the anus with his heels and gradually raising the life-breath upward,
he held it in the navel, the abdomen, the heart, the chest, the throat, and the head.

14. With his heels he closely pressed the rectum and slowly forced up the breath, (from *muladhara*) allowing it to stop at the different stages, *viz.*, navel, heart, chest, throat and head (the point between the brows),

4.23.15

utsarpayaṃs tu taṃ mūrdhni krameṇāveśya niḥspṛhaḥ /
vāyuṃ vāyau kṣitau kāyaṃ tejas tejasy ayūyujat //

Leading it gradually into the crown of the head, free of desire,
he merged the air [of the body] into air, the physical body into earth, and heat into heat.

15 & 16. Carrying the breath still higher and gradually into the very crown of the head, absolved from all passions, he made

Vayu mix with Vayu, the body with earth, fire with fire, the senses (the openings constituting the sense organs) with Akasa (sky), the liquid with water and earth with water, water with fire and fire with Vayu and Vayu with Akasa — thus everything in its proper place, he contemplated them as having become one.

4.23.16

khāny ākāśe dravaṃ toye yathā-sthānaṃ vibhāgaśaḥ /
kṣitim ambhasi tat tejasy ado vāyau nabhasy amum //

The bodily spaces [he merged] into space, bodily fluids into water, each into its place according to division;
earth into water, that [water] into fire, that into air, and that [air] into ether.

4.23.17

indriyeṣu manas tāni tan-mātreṣu yathodbhavam /
bhūtādināmūny utkṛṣya mahaty ātmani sandadhe //

The mind into the senses, these into the subtle elements according to their origin;
drawing these up by means of the ego, he united them with the great principle (mahat).

17. He contemplated the absorption of manas (mind and the presiding gods) into the senses, senses into their objects in the order of their creation, and carrying them up (still higher) he contemplated the objects along with Ahankara as absorbed in the Mahattatva.

4.23.18

taṃ sarva-guṇa-vinyāsaṃ jīve māyāmaye nyadhāt /
taṃ cānuśayam ātma-stham asāv anuśayī pumān /
nāna-vairāgya-vīryeṇa svarūpa-stho 'jahāt prabhuḥ //

That [mahat-tattva], the repository of all the gunas, he placed in the individual soul constituted of māyā;
and that lingering subtle impression residing in the self, this master, who had harbored impressions, / cast off, established in his essential nature, by the power of knowledge and dispassion.

18. And the absorption of the last (mahat) which is the ground of all products, into Jiva conditioned by Maya; that conditioned person having become powerful, shook off the condition attached to self by dint of wisdom and renunciation.

4.23.19

arcir nāma mahā-rājñī tat-patny anugatā vanam /
sukumāry atad-arhā ca yat-padbhyāṃ sparśanaṃ bhuvaḥ //

The great queen named Arcis, his wife, had followed him to the forest;
a delicate woman, unaccustomed even to touching the bare earth with her feet.

19. That great Queen Archis, his devoted wife, had followed him to the forest, though very delicate and not fit to go into the forest, nay, even to tread the earth with her feet.

4.23.20

atīva bhartur vrata-dharma-niṣṭhayā śuśrūṣayā cārṣa-deha-yātrayā /
nāvindatārtiṃ parikarśitāpi sā preyaskara-sparśana-māna-nirvṛtiḥ //

Through devotion to her husband's vows and dharma, through service and the bodily sustenance fitting a sage,
though severely emaciated, she felt no distress, rejoicing in the honor of touching her beloved.

20. By her intense devotion to partake in the austere practices of her Lord, by her services to him, and by living a life of a Rishi, she was subject to much affliction; yet she did not feel it a distress, for she was happy with her Lord's affectionate touch and regards.

4.23.21

dehaṃ vipannākhila-cetanādikaṃ patyuḥ pṛthivyā dayitasya cātmanaḥ /
ālakṣya kiñcic ca vilapya sā satī citām athāropayad adri-sānuni //

Observing the body of her husband—the beloved of the earth and of herself—to have lost all life-signs,
and lamenting a little, that virtuous woman then erected a funeral pyre upon the mountain ridge.

21. On observing the body of the Lord of the Earth, of her own beloved Lord, completely destitute of life, consciousness, etc., the true wife wept over it but for a short while, and soon caused it to be placed the funeral pile of fuel on the high ledge of a hill.

4.23.22

vidhāya kṛtyaṃ hradinī-jalāplutā dattvodakaṃ bhartur udāra-karmaṇaḥ /
natvā divi-sthāṃs tridaśāṃs triḥ parītya viveśa vahniṃ dhyāyatī bhartṛ-pādau //

Having performed the required rites and bathed in the river's water, offering water to her husband of noble deeds,
bowing to the gods dwelling in heaven and circumambulating [the pyre] three times, she entered the fire, meditating on her husband's feet.

22. Having performed appropriate rites she bathed in the waters of the river, poured libations to her Lord of noble deeds and then bowed to the gods in heaven witnessing from the sky, she thrice went round the pile and, contemplating her Lord's feet, threw herself into the fire.

4.23.23

vilokyānugatāṃ sādhvīṃ pṛthuṃ vīra-varaṃ patim /
tuṣṭuvur varadā devair deva-patnyaḥ sahasraśaḥ //

Beholding the virtuous wife following Pṛthu, that foremost of heroes, her husband,
thousands of wives of the gods, together with the gods, bestowed boons and praised her.

23. On seeing the chaste Archis follow Prithu her Lord, foremost among heroes, thousands of goddesses with their consorts sang her praises bestowing many a boon (on her).

4.23.24

kurvatyaḥ kusumāsāraṃ tasmin mandara-sānuni /
nadatsv amara-tūryeṣu gṛṇanti sma parasparam //

Raining down a shower of flowers upon that Mandara ridge
as divine drums sounded, they spoke to one another:

24. They showered down flowers on to that peak of Mount Mandara, and talked to one another in praise of her, while the celestial trumpets were blowing.

4.23.25

/0 devya ūcuḥ
aho iyaṃ vadhūr dhanyā yā caivaṃ bhū-bhujāṃ patim /
sarvātmanā patiṃ bheje yajñeśaṃ śrīr vadhūr iva //

The goddesses said:
"Oh, blessed is this woman who served her husband, the master of kings,
with all her being, just as the bride Śrī serves the Lord of sacrifice!

25. Goddesses said:—What a blessed wife is she who has with a full heart followed the king of kings even as the goddess Lakshmi sought the Lord of sacrifices (Narayana)!

4.23.26

saiṣā nūnaṃ vrajaty ūrdhvam anu vainyaṃ patiṃ satī /
paśyatāsmān atītyārcir durvibhāvyena karmaṇā //

Surely, this chaste woman goes upward, following her husband, the son of Vena;
behold Arcis passing beyond us by her unfathomable deed!

26. This worthy lady certainly goes to higher regions (Vaikuntha) by following her lord (Vena's son); see! Archis passes beyond us by virtue of her dutifulness that cannot even be thought of (by unrighteous women).

4.23.27

teṣāṃ durāpaṃ kiṃ tv anyan martyānāṃ bhagavat-padam /
bhuvi lolāyuṣo ye vai naiṣkarmyaṃ sādhayanty uta //

What else could be hard to attain for those mortals—the realm of the Lord—
who, though having an unstable lifespan on earth, nevertheless achieve freedom from karmic reaction?

27. Could there be any other glorious position beyond their reach to those mortals who in spite of their precarious life on earth (can) attain wisdom leading to salvation?

4.23.28

sa vañcito batātma-dhruk kṛcchreṇa mahatā bhuvi /
labdhvāpavargyaṃ mānuṣyaṃ viṣayeṣu viṣajjate //

Deceived, alas, is that self-destroyer who, having obtained with great difficulty
human birth capable of liberation, becomes entangled in sense objects!"

28. In the world he is indeed pitiably deceived and he indeed

is treacherous to his own self—submitting it to great affliction—he who, having come into human life most feasible for working out salvation, becomes attached to the objects of sense.

4.23.29

/0 maitreya uvāca
stuvatīṣv amara-strīṣu pati-lokaṃ gatā vadhūḥ /
yaṃ vā ātma-vidāṃ dhuryo vainyaḥ prāpācyutāśrayaḥ //

Maitreya said:
While the divine women thus praised her, the wife went to the realm of her husband,
which the son of Vena, foremost of knowers of the Self, attained by taking shelter in Acyuta.

29. Maitreya said:—While the celestial women were thus singing her praises, Archis (Queen of Prithu) attained to the world which Vainya, foremost among the seers of the Lord, and contemplating none but Achyuta, attained.

4.23.30

ittham-bhūtānubhāvo 'sau pṛthuḥ sa bhagavattamaḥ /
kīrtitaṃ tasya caritam uddāma-caritasya te //

Such was the glory of Pṛthu, that greatest devotee of the Lord;
the deeds of that king of boundless actions have been narrated to you.

30. That personage of such glory was he, the most worshipful Prithu. Thus thou hast been told the history of the king of noble-deeds.

4.23.31

ya idaṃ sumahat puṇyaṃ śraddhayāvahitaḥ paṭhet /
śrāvayec chṛṇuyād vāpi sa pṛthoḥ padavīm iyāt //

Whoever recites this most holy account with faith and attentiveness,
or recites it to others, or listens to it, will attain the path of Pṛthu.

31. He who with faith and attention reads this holy account to himself or to others or listens to it, would attain to the path of Prithu.

4.23.32

brāhmaṇo brahma-varcasvī rājanyo jagatī-patiḥ /
vaiśyaḥ paṭhan viṭ-patiḥ syāc chūdraḥ sattamatām iyāt //

A brāhmaṇa [becomes] possessed of spiritual luster, a kṣatriya becomes ruler of the earth,
a vaiśya reciting it becomes master of trades, and a śūdra attains the status of the most virtuous.

32. (Thereby) a Brahmin may add to his Brahminic glory; a prince of royal blood may become lord of the earth; a Vaisya reading it may become the leader of Vaisyas and a Sudra (listening to it) may become a most worthy man.

4.23.33

triḥ kṛtva idam ākarṇya naro nāry athavādṛtā /
aprajaḥ suprajatamo nirdhano dhanavattamaḥ //

Hearing this three times with reverence, a man or a woman,
if childless, becomes blessed with excellent offspring; if impoverished, becomes most wealthy;

33. Having listened to it thrice a man or woman, full of faith, does, if devoid of issue, become blessed with best children; a poor man the richest man; a nameless person attains high reputation and a dunce becomes a scholar.

4.23.34

aspaṣṭa-kīrtiḥ suyaśā mūrkho bhavati paṇḍitaḥ /
idaṃ svasty-ayanaṃ puṃsām amaṅgalya-nivāraṇam //

one whose fame is obscured achieves illustrious renown, and a fool becomes learned.
This is a source of well-being for men, removing all inauspiciousness.

34. This is a source of prosperity for men, a means of warding off everything inauspicious, a way to happiness, reputation, longevity and heavenly blessings, and to the removal of the impurity brought on by Kali.

4.23.35

dhanyaṃ yaśasyam āyuṣyaṃ svargyaṃ kali-malāpaham /
dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣāṇāṃ samyak siddhim abhīpsubhiḥ /
śraddhayaitad anuśrāvyaṃ caturṇāṃ kāraṇaṃ param //

Bestowing wealth, fame, long life, heaven, and removing the impurity of Kali,
it should be heard with faith by those desiring complete attainment
of dharma, wealth, pleasure, and liberation, for it is the supreme cause of all four.

35. By those who desire full achievement of the four purposes Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha, this should be regularly and with faith told and listened to as being most efficacious in attaining them.

4.23.36

vijayābhimukho rājā śrutvaitad abhiyāti yān /
baliṃ tasmai haranty agre rājānaḥ pṛthave yathā //

A king intent upon victory who marches against [enemies] after hearing this,
kings will offer tribute before him, just as they did to Pṛthu.

36. (If he is) about to undertake a victorious expedition, a king who, on listening to this hymn, marches against other kings, will be met by them with their tributes even as Prithu was.

4.23.37

muktānya-saṅgo bhagavaty amalāṃ bhaktim udvahan /
vainyasya caritaṃ puṇyaṃ śṛṇuyāc chrāvayet paṭhet //

Free from other attachments, carrying pure devotion to the Lord,
one should listen, cause others to hear, or recite the holy acts of the son of Vena.

37 & 38. He who unattached to other things, full of pure devotion to the Lord Hari, listens to, or relates to others, or reads to

4.23.38

vaicitravīryābhihitaṃ mahan-māhātmya-sūcakam /
asmin kṛtam atimartyaṃ pārthavīṃ gatim āpnuyāt //

Told to you, O son of Vicitravīrya [Vidura], it indicates great glory;
whoever accomplishes this superhuman narration reaches the destination attained by Pṛthu.

himself, the holy story of Vena’s son which indicates, O Vidura, the Lord’s great glories—(he) would develop his thought and, with conclusive understanding, would attain to the course and goal attained by Prithu himself.

4.23.39

anudinam idam ādareṇa śṛṇvan pṛthu-caritaṃ prathayan vimukta-saṅgaḥ /
bhagavati bhava-sindhu-pota-pāde sa ca nipuṇāṃ labhate ratiṃ manuṣyaḥ //

Daily hearing this with reverence, proclaiming the deeds of Pṛthu, freed from all attachments,
a human being obtains refined loving attachment to the Lord, whose feet are a boat on the ocean of worldly existence.

39. He who day after day devoutly listens to this story of Prithu and proclaims it to the world — he gets free from attachments and develops intense and most profitable devotion to the feet of the glorious Lord, which form the boat for crossing the sea of life.