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Bhagavatapurana 5.4

English (machine translation) 5.4

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5.4.1

Śrī Śuka said: / Then indeed, as the signs of the Lord were manifested from his very birth, and his glory increased daily through equanimity, peacefulness, dispassion, sovereignty, and immense majesty, the ministers, subjects, brāhmaṇas, and deities ardently desired him for the protection of the earth.

5.4.2

Because he had such a superior body, grand renown, vigor, strength, splendor, fame, prowess, and heroism, his father gave him this name, Ṛṣabha.

5.4.3

For, Indra, becoming envious, did not pour rain upon his realm; having understood this, the Lord Ṛṣabhadeva, the master of yoga, smiled and by His own creative power of yoga caused rain to fall upon His own realm, named Ajanābha.

5.4.4

Nābhi, however, having obtained the desired excellent offspring, was overwhelmed by an excess of joy; with words faltering with emotion, his mind enchanted by the divine creative power, he fondly caressed the Lord, the primal person who had voluntarily assumed the ways of mortal men, addressing Him affectionately as 'my child, my father,' and reached supreme bliss.

5.4.5

Having recognized the affection of the citizens and the people of the provinces, King Nābhi consecrated his son for the preservation of the boundaries of established order, placed him in the care of the brāhmaṇas, and went with Merudevī to Viśālā; there, worshipping the Lord Vāsudeva, known as Nara-Nārāyaṇa, through serene and skillful austerity and the yoga of deep meditation, he attained His glory in due course.

5.4.6

Concerning him, O son of Pāṇḍu, they recite these two verses: / 'Who indeed among men could imitate that deed of the royal sage Nābhi, / to whom Hari became a son through his pure ritual action?

5.4.7

'Who else was so devoted to brāhmaṇas as Nābhi, whose auspiciously worshipped priests / by their power made the Lord of sacrifice appear in his sacrificial arena?'

5.4.8

Then the Lord Ṛṣabhadeva, recognizing His realm as a field of ritual action, demonstrated the life of residence in the teacher's house; authorized by His teachers who had received their rewards, He learned the duties of householders, married Jayantī who was given by Indra, and performing twofold action as prescribed by the Vedic revelation, begot a hundred sons who were equal to Himself.

5.4.9

Among them, indeed, the eldest was the great yogin Bharata, endowed with the highest virtues, by whom they name this realm Bhārata.

5.4.10

Following him, the prominent ones among the ninety-nine were nine: Kuśāvarta, Ilāvarta, Brahmāvarta, Malaya, Ketu, Bhadrasena, Indraspṛk, Vidarbha, and Kīkaṭa.

5.4.11

Kavi, Havi, Antarikṣa, Prabuddha, Pippalāyana, / Āvirhotra, then Drumila, Camasa, and Karabhājana—

5.4.12

These were the nine great Bhāgavatas who taught the Bhāgavata-dharma; their noble life, enriched by the glory of the Lord, which leads to tranquility, we shall narrate later in the conversation between Vasudeva and Nārada.

5.4.13

The eighty-one younger sons born of Jayantī, carrying out their father's command, became extremely well-mannered, deeply learned in the Veda, devoted to sacrifice, purified by their deeds, and elevated to brāhmaṇas.

5.4.14

The Lord named Ṛṣabha, independent in Himself, having eternally eliminated the sequence of undesirable misfortunes, experiencing pure bliss, being the Sovereign Lord Himself, undertook actions as if contrary [to His self-sufficient nature], teaching through His conduct the dharma that had been obscured by time to those who were ignorant of it. Impartial, tranquil, friendly, and compassionate, He guided the people within household life by restraining them toward the bliss and nectar of dharma, wealth, fame, and progeny.

5.4.15

Whatever is practiced by the best of men, that the world follows.

5.4.16

Although He Himself knew all sacred, secret dharma, He governed the people along the path demonstrated by the brāhmaṇas, using the political means such as conciliation and the rest.

5.4.17

According to instruction, He performed sacrifices a hundred times with all kinds of ritual offerings, richly endowed with appropriate materials, place, time, age, faith, priests, and diverse objectives.

5.4.18

While this realm was being protected by the Lord Ṛṣabha, no person desired anything non-existent, nor did anyone ever look to anyone else for anything in any manner whatsoever, except toward their ruler, harboring an intense, overflowing affection at every sacrificial session.

5.4.19

Once, wandering about, the Lord Ṛṣabha arrived in Brahmāvarta. In an assembly of eminent brāhmaṇa seers, while the subjects were listening attentively, He spoke as follows, instructing His sons, who were composed in mind and well-restrained by abundant modesty and affection:

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