Bhagavatapurana 5.4

5.4.1

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/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
atha ha tam utpattyaivābhivyajyamāna-bhagaval-lakṣaṇaṃ sāmyopaśama-vairāgyaiśvarya-mahā-vibhūtibhir anudinam edhamānānubhāvaṃ prakṛtayaḥ prajā brāhmaṇā devatāś cāvani-tala-samavanāyātitarāṃ jagṛdhuḥ //

1. Now the Lord who had so revealed Himself, in whom the special marks of the Supreme Deity were manifest from the very moment of appearance, whose greatness was every day seen to get enhanced by the qualities of equality, tranquility, self-denial, majesty, and great powers, the ministers, subjects, Brahmanas, and the gods eagerly wished that He may become the protector of the earth.

5.4.2

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tasya ha vā itthaṃ varṣmaṇā varīyasā bṛhac-chlokena caujasā balena śriyā yaśasā vīrya-śauryābhyāṃ ca pitā ṛṣabha itīdaṃ nāma cakāra //

2. His father rightly called him Rishabha, (a term of such high import as fully described) his superiority in respect of stature, reputation, force, strength, splendour, celebrity, determination and promise.

5.4.3

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yasya hīndraḥ spardhamāno bhagavān varṣe na vavarṣa tad avadhārya bhagavān ṛṣabhadevo yogeśvaraḥ prahasyātma-yogamāyayā sva-varṣam ajanābhaṃ nāmābhyavarṣat //

3. Indra became envious of him and stopped the rains in his kingdom: knowing that, the worshipful king Rishabha the Lord of Yoga smiled and by virtue of his own yoga brought down showers in his continent called Ajanabha.

5.4.4

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nābhis tu yathābhilaṣitaṃ suprajastvam avarudhyāti-pramoda-bhara-vihvalo gadgadākṣarayā girā svairaṃ gṛhīta-naraloka-sadharmaṃ bhagavantaṃ purāṇa-puruṣaṃ māyā-vilasita-matir vatsa tāteti sānurāgam upalālayan parāṃ nirvṛtim upagataḥ //

4. And having obtained a son after his heart Nabhi transported with joy and in paternal affection caressed with faltering words, Him who was really the Supreme Deity, who of His own accord had put on a human form and who was the glorious Ancient Person, whom, overpowered by His will, the father called "My child, My father, My dear etc." and felt the greatest happiness.

5.4.5

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viditānurāgam āpaura-prakṛti jana-pado rājā nābhir ātmajaṃ samaya-setu-rakṣāyām abhiṣicya brāhmaṇeṣūpanidhāya saha merudevyā viśālāyāṃ prasanna-nipuṇena tapasā samādhi-yogena nara-nārāyaṇākhyaṃ bhagavantaṃ vāsudevam upāsīnaḥ kālena tan-mahimānam avāpa //

5. When he saw that he (Rishabha) was the one object of love to all the citizens, courtiers and subjects, Nabhi, the father, installed him on the throne as the king for protection of the limits or boundaries of social customs and entrusted him to (to the care of) Brahmanas; and he went with his queen Merudevi to the Visala and (there) by means of his tapas characterised by (harmlessness) serenity and skilfulness (i.e. swiftness) and deep thought, worshipped Vasudeva who was in the form of Nara Narayana and in course of time attained to the state Jivanmukta.

5.4.6

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/0 yasya ha pāṇḍaveya ślokāv udāharanti----
ko nu tat karma rājarṣer nābher anv ācaret pumān /
apatyatām agād yasya hariḥ śuddhena karmaṇā //

6. O prince of Pandava race, these two verses are sung in praise of him (Nabhi).

Who could other than Nabhi the royal sage do that righteous work as he had done, by the purity of which Hari became his son?

5.4.7

brahmaṇyo 'nyaḥ kuto nābher viprā maṅgala-pūjitāḥ /
yasya barhiṣi yajñeśaṃ darśayām āsur ojasā //

7. Who else than Nabhi could be so devoted to Brahmanas, as he was, in whose sacrifice they, propitiated by him with proper dakshina, by virtue of their spiritual strength, made the Lord of sacrifices reveal Himself to his view?

5.4.8

atha ha bhagavān ṛṣabhadevaḥ sva-varṣaṃ karma-kṣetram anumanyamānaḥ pradarśita-gurukula-vāso labdha-varair gurubhir anujñāto gṛhamedhināṃ dharmān anuśikṣamāṇo jayantyām indra-dattāyām ubhaya-lakṣaṇaṃ karma samāmnāyāmnātam abhiyuñjann ātmajānām ātma-samānānāṃ śataṃ janayām āsa //

8. Now the glorious Rishabhadeva, seeing his continent was Karmakshetra *i.e.*, the place for righteous duties lived in the house of a preceptor in an exemplary manner, obtained permission of his preceptors who had duly received their honours and then to exemplify (in himself) the duties of the house-holder's life, married Jayanti bestowed on him by Indra and observing karma (Dharma) of both descriptions, laid down by the Vedas and Smrities, had by her one hundred sons who were like unto him.

5.4.9

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yeṣāṃ khalu mahā-yogī bharato jyeṣṭhaḥ śreṣṭha-guṇa āsīd yenedaṃ varṣaṃ bhāratam iti vyapadiśanti //

9. Of these (hundred) was indeed the great Yogi, Bharata by name, the eldest, of highest merits after whom they have called this continent, Bharatha.

5.4.10

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tam anu kuśāvarta ilāvarto brahmāvarto malayaḥ ketur bhadrasena indraspṛg vidarbhaḥ kīkaṭa iti nava navati pradhānāḥ //

10. Next to him were the nine, chief among the remaining leaders of the Ninety-nine, namely, Kusavarta, Ilavarta, Brahmavarta, Malaya, Ketu, Bhadrasena, Indraspruk, Vidarbha and Keekata.

5.4.11

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kavir havir antarikṣaḥ prabuddhaḥ pippalāyanaḥ /
āvirhotro 'tha drumilaś camasaḥ karabhājanaḥ //

11&12. Kavi, Hari, Antariksha, Prabudha, Pippalayana, Avirhotra, Drumida, Chamasa, and Karabhajana; these nine who showed to the world what the duties of the votaries are, were great devotees of Lord Hari; and their history which, imbued with the glory of the Lord, leads to tranquility and engenders devotion,--we shall describe later on (in the eleventh Skandha) in the form of conversation of Vasudeva and Narada.

5.4.12

iti bhāgavata-dharma-darśanā nava mahā-bhāgavatās teṣāṃ sucaritaṃ bhagavan-mahimopabṛṃhitaṃ vasudeva-nārada-saṃvādam upaśamāyanam upariṣṭād varṇayiṣyāmaḥ //

11&12. Kavi, Hari, Antariksha, Prabudha, Pippalayana, Avirhotra, Drumida, Chamasa, and Karabhajana; these nine who showed to the world what the duties of the votaries are, were great devotees of Lord Hari; and their history which, imbued with the glory of the Lord, leads to tranquility and engenders devotion,--we shall describe later on (in the eleventh Skandha) in the form of conversation of Vasudeva and Narada.

5.4.13

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yavīyāṃsa ekāśītir jāyanteyāḥ pitur ādeśakarā mahā-śālīnā mahā-śrotriyā yajña-śīlāḥ karma-viśuddhā brāhmaṇā babhūvuḥ //

13. The younger eighty-one sons of Jayanti carried out the commands of their father, were highly docile, pious, thoroughly versed in the Vedas, and devoted to sacrificial duty and, being purified by their works became Brahmanas, *i.e.*, were devoted to the contemplation of Brahman.

5.4.14

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bhagavān ṛṣabha-saṃjña ātma-tantraḥ svayaṃ nitya-nivṛttānartha-paramparaḥ kevalānandānubhava īśvara eva viparītavat karmāṇy ārabhamāṇaḥ kālenānugataṃ dharmam ācaraṇenopaśikṣayann atad-vidāṃ sama upaśānto maitraḥ kāruṇiko dharmārtha-yaśaḥ-prajānandāmṛtāvarodhena gṛheṣu lokaṃ niyamayat //

14. The glorious Emperor by name Rishabha, not dependent upon another, (absolute) by nature and eternally untouched by any evil, ever in the enjoyment of pure blissfulness; being the Supreme Ruler himself, still as if he were of the opposite nature, did the righteous duties in order to teach the world ignorant of it the course of duties handed down through Time; he was full of equanimity, and was tranquil and devout, kind and compassionate. And having turned to the attainment of righteousness, wealth, renown, children, pleasures and salvation, he ordained his people in domestic life.

5.4.15

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yad yac chīrṣaṇyācaritaṃ tat tad anuvartate lokaḥ //

15. People indeed follow that which is done by leading men.

5.4.16

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yadyapi sva-viditaṃ sakala-dharmaṃ brāhmaṃ guhyaṃ brāhmaṇair darśita-mārgeṇa sāmādibhir upāyair janatām anuśaśāsa //

16. Though he was himself aware of all the righteous courses treasured in the Vedas, still he followed the path pointed out by Brahmanas and governed his people by a judicious use of the four expedients of peace, gifts, discord and war.

5.4.17

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dravya-deśa-kāla-vayaḥ-śraddhartvig-vividhoddeśopacitaiḥ sarvair api kratubhir yathopadeśaṃ śata-kṛtva iyāja //

17. Having regard to all the conditions of substance, place, time, age, earnestness, priests, and the several gods in view, he worshipped the Lord, a hundred times, by all the sacrifices as laid down in the Sastras.

5.4.18

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bhagavatarṣabheṇa parirakṣyamāṇa etasmin varṣe na kaścana puruṣo vāñchaty avidyamānam ivātmano 'nyasmāt kathañcana kimapi karhicid avekṣate bhartary anusavanaṃ vijṛmbhita-snehātiśayam antareṇa //

18. In this continent when it was being protected by the glorious Rishabha, his people did not expect anything at the hands of another as if no object of desire existed; nor did they ever in any measure cast a vistful look on another's property except the daily growing and intense love to their Lord.

5.4.19

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sa kadācid aṭamāno bhagavān ṛṣabho brahmāvarta-gato brahmarṣi-pravara-sabhāyāṃ prajānāṃ niśāmayantīnām ātmajān avahitātmanaḥ praśraya-praṇaya-bhara-suyantritān apy upaśikṣayann iti hovāca //

19. Once in his progress through his kingdom the glorious Rishabha coming into Brahmavarta, while all the people were looking on, spoke as follows to his sons in order to teach them as well as the world, though they had controlled their mind and showed thorough discipline by their great modesty and love.