Vyasadev
Praneetha
The Mad Bhagavatam
Canto 9
Chapter 18
King Yayâti Regains His Youth
This chapter gives the history of King Yayāti, the son of Nahuṣa. Among Yayāti's five sons, the youngest son, Pūru, accepted Yayāti's invalidity.
When Nahuṣa, who had six sons, was cursed to become a python, his eldest son, Yati, took sannyāsa, and therefore the next son, Yayāti, was enthroned as king. By providence, Yayāti married the daughter of Śukrācārya. Śukrācārya was a brāhmaṇa and Yayāti a kṣatriya, but Yayāti married her nonetheless. Śukrācārya's daughter, named Devayānī, had a girl friend named Śarmiṣṭhā, who was the daughter of Vṛṣaparvā. King Yayāti married Śarmiṣṭhā also. The history of this marriage is as follows. Once Śarmiṣṭhā was sporting in the water with thousands of her girl friends, and Devayānī was also there. When the young girls saw Lord Śiva, seated on his bull with Umā, they immediately dressed themselves, but Śarmiṣṭhā mistakenly put on Devayānī's clothes. Devayānī, being very angry, rebuked Śarmiṣṭhā, who also became very angry and responded by rebuking Devayānī and throwing her into a well. By chance, King Yayāti came to that well to drink water, and he found Devayānī and rescued her. Thus Devayānī accepted Mahārāja Yayāti as her husband. Thereafter, Devayānī, crying loudly, told her father about Śarmiṣṭhā's behavior. Upon hearing of this incident, Śukrācārya was very angry and wanted to chastise Vṛṣaparvā, Śarmiṣṭhā's father. Vṛṣaparvā, however, satisfied Śukrācārya by offering Śarmiṣṭhā as Devayānī's maidservant. Thus Śarmiṣṭhā, as the maidservant of Devayānī, also went to the house of Devayānī's husband. When Śarmiṣṭhā found her friend Devayānī with a son she also desired to have a son. Therefore, at the proper time for conception, she also requested Mahārāja Yayāti for sex. When Śarmiṣṭhā became pregnant also, Devayānī was very envious. In great anger, she immediately left for her father's house and told her father everything. Śukrācārya again became angry and cursed Mahārāja Yayāti to become old, but when Yayāti begged Śukrācārya to be merciful to him, Śukrācārya gave him the benediction that he could transfer his old age and invalidity to some young man. Yayāti exchanged his old age for the youth of his youngest son, Pūru, and thus he was able to enjoy with young girls.
9.18.1
yatir yayātiḥ saḿyātir
indriyāṇīva dehinaḥ
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Of king Nahusha [another son of Purûravâ's son Âyu] were there just like the six senses [the mind as the sixth] of an embodied soul, the six of Yati, Yayâti, Samyâti, Âyati, Viyati and Kriti.
9.18.2
ātmānaḿ nāvabudhyate
(2) The eldest son Yati, knowing what assuming power entails, did not accept the kingdom offered by his father, [with the argument that] the person who enters such a position cannot be serious in self-realization.
Self-realization is the prime objective of human civilization, and it is regarded seriously by those who are situated in the mode of goodness and have developed the brahminical qualities. Kṣatriyas are generally endowed with material qualities conducive to gaining material wealth and enjoying sense gratification, but those who are spiritually advanced are not interested in material opulence. Indeed, they accept only the bare necessities for a life of spiritual advancement in self-realization. It is specifically mentioned here that if one enters political life, especially in the modern day, one looses the chance for human perfection. Nonetheless, one can attain the highest perfection if one hears Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. This hearing is described as nityaḿ bhāgavata-sevayā [SB 1.2.18]. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was involved in politics, but because at the end of his life he heard Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from Śukadeva Gosvāmī, he attained perfection very easily. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has therefore suggested:
sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāḿ tanu-vāń-manobhir
(Bhāg. 10.14.3)
Regardless of whether one is in the mode of passion, ignorance or goodness, if one regularly hears Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from the self-realized soul, one is freed from the bondage of material involvement.
9.18.3
pitari bhraḿśite sthānād
indrāṇyā dharṣaṇād dvijaiḥ
(3) When his father by the brahmins was forced to leave his elevated position because of having offended Indra's wife S'acî and he had degraded to the life of a snake, became Yayâti the king.
9.18.4
catasṛṣv ādiśad dikṣu
kṛta-dāro jugoporvīḿ
(4) The four brothers younger than him he allowed to rule the different directions. Yayâti so ruling the world married with the daughters [Devayânî] of S'ukrâcârya and [S'armishthhâ of] Vrishaparvâ.'
9.18.5
śrī-rājovāca
(5) The king said: 'The mighty seer S'ukrâcârya was a brahmin while Yayâti belonged to the kshatriya class; how could there against the customs be a [pratiloma] marriage of a brahmin [daughter] with a kshatriya?' [anuloma, the other way around, was more common].
According to the Vedic system, marriages between kṣatriyas and kṣatriyas or between brāhmaṇas and brāhmaṇas are the general custom. If marriages sometimes take place between different classes, these marriages are of two types, namely anuloma and pratiloma. Anuloma, marriage between a brāhmaṇa and the daughter of a kṣatriya, is permissible, but pratiloma, marriage between a kṣatriya and the daughter of a brāhmaṇa, is not generally allowed. Therefore Mahārāja Parīkṣit was curious about how Śukrācārya, a powerful brāhmaṇa, could accept the principle of pratiloma. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was eager to know the cause for this uncommon marriage.
9.18.6-7
ekadā dānavendrasya
devayānyā purodyāne
(6-7) S'rî S'uka said: 'One day was Vrishaparvâ's daughter named S'armishthhâ, a girl with a high-strung character, together with thousands of friends and the daughter of the guru Devayânî, as innocent as she was, walking in the palace garden that, full of lotus flowers and crammed with blossoming trees, nicely buzzed of the bumblebees.
9.18.8
(8) All the lotus-eyed girls arriving at the side of the lake there gave their dresses up on the bank and began sporting in the water splashing one another.
9.18.9
sahasottīrya vāsāḿsi
paryadhur vrīḍitāḥ striyaḥ
(9) Seeing Lord S'iva pass by with the goddess [Pârvatî] seated on his bull got the young girls quickly out of the water ashamed covering themselves with their garments.
9.18.10
śarmiṣṭhājānatī vāso
devayānīdam abravīt
(10) S'armishthhâ unknowingly put on as her own the dress of the guru's daughter upon which Devayânî irritated said this:
9.18.11
asmad-dhāryaḿ dhṛtavatī
śunīva havir adhvare
(11) 'Alas see how she, like a maid-servant, acts against the etiquette. Just like a dog after the ghee for a sacrifice has she put on the garment that was meant for me!
9.18.12-14
yair idaḿ tapasā sṛṣṭaḿ
yān vandanty upatiṣṭhante
śiṣyo 'syā naḥ pitāsuraḥ
asmad-dhāryaḿ dhṛtavatī
śūdro vedam ivāsatī
(12-14) Of those by whose austerity this entire world was created, of those who are the face of the Personality of Transcendence and of whose piety the light of the right path is known, of those unto whom the masters of the world, the enlightened of control and even the Supreme Lord, the Purifying Supersoul and Husband of the Goddess are offering prayers, of us descendants of Bhrigu better than the rest has she, whose cloudy father is a disciple of our father, like a low-class laborer put on what was meant to be worn by us - it is alike someone unchaste who tries to master the Vedas!'
9.18.15
ruṣā śvasanty urańgīva
(15) S'armishthhâ thus rebuked breathed heavily like a trampled serpent and said very angry biting her lip to the guru's daughter:
9.18.16
kiḿ na pratīkṣase 'smākaḿ
(16) 'What a nonsense, you beggar! You don't know your place. Isn't it you who waits outside our house [for food] like the crows do?'
Crows have no independent life; they fully depend on the remnants of foodstuffs thrown by householders into the garbage tank. Therefore, because a brāhmaṇa depends on his disciples, when Śarmiṣṭhā was heavily rebuked by Devayānī she charged Devayānī with belonging to a family of crowlike beggars. It is the nature of women to fight verbally at even a slight provocation. As we see from this incident, this has been their nature for a long, long time.
9.18.17
(17) With these unkind words took S'armishthhâ after her reprimand angrily the garments of the virtuous daughter of the spiritual teacher away and threw she her into a well.
9.18.18
prāpto yadṛcchayā kūpe
(18) As she went home happened Yayâti, wandering around for a hunt, to arrive there and discovered he, thursting for water, her in the well.
9.18.19
(19) Untying his upper garment reached the king down to her being naked and put he his hand into hers in his kindness to pull her out.
9.18.20-21
rājaḿs tvayā gṛhīto me
sambandho nau na pauruṣaḥ
(20-21) Unto him, the hero, said the daughter of the thinker of the heat [Us'anâ or S'ukrâcârya, see also B.G. 10: 37] with words full of love and kindness: 'O King by your taking my hand have you, o conqueror of all other kingdoms, accepted my hand! May it not be touched by anyone else but by you because the relationship between you and me, that what we by providence now have o hero, is not something arranged by man!
While taking Devayānī out of the well, King Yayāti must certainly have appreciated her youthful beauty, and therefore he might have asked her which caste she belonged to. Thus Devayānī would have immediately replied, "We are already married because you have accepted my hand." Uniting the hands of the bride and bridegroom is a system perpetually existing in all societies. Therefore, as soon as Yayāti accepted Devayānī's hand, they could be regarded as married. Because Devayānī was enamored with the hero Yayāti, she requested him not to change his mind and let another come to marry her.
9.18.22
(22) Because of me having landed in this well have I learned to know your goodness; [please know that] no qualified brahmin can become my husband o stong-armed one, because Kaca, the son of Brihaspati, in the past pronounced a curse against it because I had cursed him [*].'
Kaca, the son of the learned celestial priest Bṛhaspati, had been a student of Śukrācārya, from whom he had learned the art of reviving a man who has died untimely. This art, called mṛta-sañjīvanī, was especially used during wartime. When there was a war, soldiers would certainly die untimely, but if a soldier's body was intact, he could be brought to life again by this art of mṛta-sañjīvanī. This art was known to Śukrācārya and many others, and Kaca, the son of Bṛhaspati, became Śukrācārya's student to learn it. Devayānī desired to have Kaca as her husband, but Kaca, out of regard for Śukrācārya, looked upon the guru's daughter as a respectable superior and therefore refused to marry her. Devayānī angrily cursed Kaca by saying that although he had learned the art of mṛta-sañjīvanī from her father, it would be useless. When cursed in this way, Kaca retaliated by cursing Devayānī never to have a husband who was a brāhmaṇa. Because Devayānī liked Yayāti, who was a kṣatriya, she requested him to accept her as his bona fide wife. Although this would be pratiloma-vivāha, a marriage between the daughter of a high family and the son of a lower family, she explained that this arrangement was made by providence.
9.18.23
yayātir anabhipretaḿ
daivopahṛtam ātmanaḥ
(23) Yayâti did not like what by God had been arranged, but thinking for himself however abided he, attracted to her, by what she told him.
According to the Vedic system, the parents would consider the horoscopes of the boy and girl who were to be married. If according to astrological calculations the boy and girl were compatible in every respect, the match was called yoṭaka and the marriage would be accepted. Even fifty years ago, this system was current in Hindu society. Regardless of the affluence of the boy or the personal beauty of the girl, without this astrological compatibility the marriage would not take place. A person is born in one of three categories, known as deva-gaṇa, manuṣya-gaṇa and rakṣasa-gaṇa. In different parts of the universe there are demigods and demons, and in human society also some people resemble demigods whereas others resemble demons. If according to astrological calculations there was conflict between a godly and a demoniac nature, the marriage would not take place. Similarly, there were calculations of pratiloma and anuloma. The central idea is that if the boy and girl were on an equal level the marriage would be happy, whereas inequality would lead to unhappiness. Because care is no longer taken in marriage, we now find many divorces. Indeed, divorce has now become a common affair, although formerly one's marriage would continue lifelong, and the affection between husband and wife was so great that the wife would voluntarily die when her husband died or would remain a faithful widow throughout her entire life. Now, of course, this is no longer possible, for human society has fallen to the level of animal society. Marriage now takes place simply by agreement. Dāmpatye 'bhirucir hetuḥ (Bhāg. 12.2.3). The word abhiruci means "agreement." If the boy and girl simply agree to marry, the marriage takes place. But when the Vedic system is not rigidly observed, marriage frequently ends in divorce.
9.18.24
(24) After the king had left submitted she, having returned home, in tears everything to her father, recounting everything that S'armishthhâ had done and what was said thereafter.
9.18.25
(25) The mighty thinker was very unhappy about it and condemning the priesthood and praising the business of collecting the grains [uñcha-vritti, see 7.11: 16 and 7.12: 17-19] left he with his daughter his residence.
When a brāhmaṇa adopts the profession of a kapota, or pigeon, he lives by collecting grains from the field. This is called uñcha-vṛtti. A brāhmaṇa who takes to this uñcha-vṛtti profession is called first class because he depends completely on the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and does not beg from anyone. Although the profession of begging is allowed for a brāhmaṇa or sannyāsī, one does better if he can avoid such a profession and completely depend on the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead for maintenance. Śukrācārya was certainly very sorry that because of his daughter's complaint he had to go to his disciple to beg some mercy, which he was obliged to do because he had accepted the profession of priesthood. In his heart, Śukrācārya did not like his profession, but since he had accepted it, he was obliged to go unwillingly to his disciple to settle the grievance submitted by his daughter.
9.18.26
(26) Vrishaparvâ understanding that his spiritual master did so for chiding or cursing him, propitiated him by meeting him halfway and prostrating at the feet.
9.18.27
kṣaṇārdha-manyur bhagavān
naināḿ tyaktum ihotsahe
(27) The mighty son of Bhrigu, whose anger wouldn't last but for a minute, then said to his disciple: 'Please fulfill her desire, o King, for as long as I live I'll not be able to give up on this girl!'
Sometimes a great personality like Śukrācārya cannot neglect sons and daughters, for sons and daughters are by nature dependent on their father and the father has affection for them. Although Śukrācārya knew that the quarrel between Devayānī and Śarmiṣṭhā was childish, as Devayānī's father he had to side with his daughter. He did not like to do this, but he was obliged to because of affection. He plainly admitted that although he should not have asked the King for mercy for his daughter, because of affection he could not avoid doing so.
9.18.28
(28) With his consent to settle matters expressed Devayânî her desire: 'To whomever my father gives me, I will go, with my servant [S'armishthhâ] and her friends.'
9.18.29
śarmiṣṭhā sānugā tadā
strī-sahasreṇa dāsavat
(29) At the time wisely understanding the danger as well as the benefit of the greatness of him [his âcârya], gave the father S'armishthhâ along with her friends to Devayânî so that she with the thousands of other women would take care of Devayânî as her servant.
In the beginning of these affairs concerning Śarmiṣṭhā and Devayānī, we saw that Śarmiṣṭhā had many friends. Now these friends became maidservants of Devayānī. When a girl married a kṣatriya king, it was customary for all her girl friends to go with her to her husband's house. For instance, when Vasudeva married Devakī, the mother of Kṛṣṇa, he married all six of her sisters, and she also had many friends who accompanied her. A king would maintain not only his wife but also the many friends and maidservants of his wife. Some of these maidservants would become pregnant and give birth to children. Such children were accepted as dāsī-putra, the sons of the maidservants, and the king would maintain them. The female population is always greater than the male, but since a woman needs to be protected by a man, the king would maintain many girls, who acted either as friends or as maidservants of the queen. In the history of Kṛṣṇa's household life we find that Kṛṣṇa married 16,108 wives. These were not maidservants but direct queens, and Kṛṣṇa expanded Himself into 16,108 forms to maintain different establishments for each and every wife. This is not possible for ordinary men. Therefore although the kings had to maintain many, many servants and wives, not all of them had different establishments.
9.18.30
saha śarmiṣṭhayośanā
(30) Giving the descendant of Nahusha his daughter in marriage together with S'armishthhâ said Us'anâ to him: 'O King, never ever allow S'armishthhâ into your bed!'
9.18.31
vilokyauśanasīḿ rājañ
charmiṣṭhā suprajāḿ kvacit
(31) When S'armishthhâ [however later on] saw Us'anâ's daughter having nice children, asked she him at an opportune moment in a secluded place, whether he as the husband of her girl-friend wouldn't like her as a faithful wife.
9.18.32
dharmaḿ cāvekṣya dharmavit
diṣṭam evābhyapadyata
(32) Remembering what S'ukra had said in his direction for a time like this, decided he, on the request of that princess to have a son with her, from his own sense of duty and the general principles of religion to give in to her [compare B.G. 7: 11].
King Yayāti was completely aware of the duty of a kṣatriya. When a kṣatriya is approached by a woman, he cannot deny her. This is a religious principle. Consequently, when Dharmarāja, Yudhiṣṭhira, saw Arjuna unhappy after Arjuna returned from Dvārakā, he asked whether Arjuna had refused a woman who had begged for a son. Although Mahārāja Yayāti remembered Śukrācārya's warning, he could not refuse Śarmiṣṭhā. He thought it wise to give her a son, and thus he had sexual intercourse with her after her menstrual period. This kind of lust is not against religious principles. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (7.11), dharmāviruddho bhūteṣu kāmo 'smi: sex life not contrary to the principles of religion is sanctioned by Kṛṣṇa. Because Śarmiṣṭhā, the daughter of a king, had begged Yayāti for a son, their combination was not lust but an act of religion.
9.18.33
(33) Yadu and Turvasu as well were the ones who Devayânî gave birth to and Druhyu, Anu and Pûru were there from S'armishthhâ, the daughter of Vrishaparvâ.
9.18.34
(34) Finding out that S'armishthhâ was pregnant from him left Devayânî, boiling with anger, proud as she was for her father's house.
9.18.35
vacobhir upamantrayan
pāda-saḿvāhanādibhiḥ
(35) Following his sweetheart, his great desire, tried he to propitiate her with meaningful words but he couldn't even appease her massaging her feet.
9.18.36
(36) S'ukra angry with him said: 'You womanizing, deceitful man, may you fool enter the old of age that disfigures the human body.'
9.18.37
vayasā yo 'bhidhāsyati
(37) S'rî Yayâti said: 'As yet has my lust not been satisfied with your daughter, o brahmin!'
[S'ukra replied:] 'For as long as you are lusty may you exchange the memorable of you with the youth of someone willing to take your place.'
When King Yayāti said that he had not yet satisfied his lusty desires with Śukrācārya's daughter, Śukrācārya saw that it was against the interests of his own daughter for Yayāti to continue in old age and invalidity, for certainly his lusty daughter would not be satisfied. Therefore Śukrācārya blessed his son-in-law by saying that he could exchange his old age for someone else's youth. He indicated that if Yayāti's son would exchange his youth for Yayāti's old age, Yayāti could continue to enjoy sex with Devayānī.
9.18.38
(38) Thus took he the opportunity to change place requesting the eldest son: 'O Yadu, beloved son, please give me your youth in exchange for this old age!
9.18.39
(39) With what the father of your mother gave me, my dear son, am I not satisfied in my sensual needs, let me by the good of your age enjoy life for a few more years!' [see also 7.5: 30]
This is the nature of lusty desires. In Bhagavad-gītā (7.20) it is said, kāmais tais tair hṛta jñānāḥ: when one is too attached to sense gratification, he actually loses his sense. The word hṛta jñānāḥ refers to one who has lost his sense. Here is an example: the father shamelessly asked his son to exchange youth for old age. Of course, the entire world is under such illusion. Therefore it is said that everyone is pramattaḥ, or exclusively mad. Nūnaḿ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma: [SB 5.5.4] when one becomes almost like a madman, he indulges in sex and sense gratification. Sex and sense gratification can be controlled, however, and one achieves perfection when he has no desires for sex. This is possible only when one is fully Kṛṣṇa conscious.
yadavadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṇa-pādāravinde
"Since I have been engaged in the transcendental loving service of Kṛṣṇa, realizing ever-new pleasure in Him, whenever I think of sex pleasure, I spit at the thought, and my lips curl with distaste." Sexual desire can be stopped only when one is fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, and not otherwise. As long as one has desires for sex, one must change his body and transmigrate from one body to another to enjoy sex in different species or forms. But although the forms may differ, the business of sex is the same. Therefore it is said, punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām [SB 7.5.30]. Those who are very much attached to sex transmigrate from one body to another, with the same business of "chewing the chewed," tasting sex enjoyment as a dog, sex enjoyment as a hog, sex enjoyment as a demigod, and so on.
9.18.40
vaitṛṣṇyaḿ naiti pūruṣaḥ
(40) S'rî Yadu said: 'I'm not happy with accepting your old age while you remain in youth. Without [having had] the experience of bodily happiness will a person [like me] never become indifferent about material pleasures!' [see also: 7.12: 9-11 and B.G 4: 13]
Renunciation of material enjoyment is the ultimate goal of human life. Therefore the varṇāśrama institution is most scientific. It aims at giving one the facility to return home, back to Godhead, which one cannot do without completely renouncing all connections with the material world. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya: one who wants to go back home, back to Godhead, must be niṣkiñcana, free from all affinity for material enjoyment. Brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam: unless one is fully renounced, one cannot engage in devotional service or stay in Brahman. Devotional service is rendered on the Brahman platform. Therefore, unless one attains the Brahman platform, or spiritual platform, one cannot engage in devotional service; or, in other words, a person engaged in devotional service is already on the Brahman platform.
māḿ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa
"One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in any circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman." (Bg. 14.26) If one attains devotional service, therefore, he is certainly liberated. Generally, unless one enjoys material happiness, one cannot attain renunciation. Varṇāśrama therefore gives the opportunity for gradual elevation. Yadu, the son of Mahārāja Yayāti, explained that he was unable to give up his youth, for he wanted to use it to attain the renounced order in the future.
Mahārāja Yadu was different from his brothers. As stated in the next verse, turvasuś coditaḥ pitrā druhyuś cānuś ca bhārata/ pratyācakhyur adharmajñāḥ. Mahārāja Yadu's brothers refused to accept their father's proposal because they were not completely aware of dharma. To accept orders that follow religious principles, especially the orders of one's father, is very important. Therefore when the brothers of Mahārāja Yadu refused their father's order, this was certainly irreligious. Mahārāja Yadu's refusal, however, was religious. As stated in the Tenth Canto, yadoś ca dharma-śīlāya: Mahārāja Yadu was completely aware of the principles of religion. The ultimate principle of religion is to engage oneself in devotional service to the Lord. Mahārāja Yadu was very eager to engage himself in the Lord's service, but there was an impediment: during youth the material desire to enjoy the material senses is certainly present, and unless one fully satisfies these lusty desires in youth, there is a chance of one's being disturbed in rendering service to the Lord. We have actually seen that many sannyāsīs who accept sannyāsa prematurely, not having satisfied their material desires, fall down because they are disturbed. Therefore the general process is to go through gṛhastha life and vānaprastha life and finally come to sannyāsa and devote oneself completely to the service of the Lord. Mahārāja Yadu was ready to accept his father's order and exchange youth for old age because he was confident that the youth taken by his father would be returned. But because this exchange would delay his complete engagement in devotional service, he did not want to accept his father's old age, for he was eager to achieve freedom from disturbances. Moreover, among the descendants of Yadu would be Lord Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, because Yadu was eager to see the Lord's appearance in his dynasty as soon as possible, Yadu refused to accept his father's proposal. This was not irreligious, however, because Yadu's purpose was to serve the Lord. Because Yadu was a faithful servant of the Lord, Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared in his dynasty. As confirmed in the prayers of Kuntī, yadoḥ priyasyānvavāye. Yadu was very dear to Kṛṣṇa, who was therefore eager to descend in Yadu's dynasty. In conclusion, Mahārāja Yadu should not be considered adharma jña, ignorant of religious principles, as the next verse designates his brothers. He was like the four Sanakas (catuḥ-sana), who refused the order of their father, Brahmā, for the sake of a better cause. Because the four Kumāras wanted to engage themselves completely in the service of the Lord as brahmacārīs, their refusal to obey their father's order was not irreligious.
9.18.41
pratyācakhyur adharmajñā
hy anitye nitya-buddhayaḥ
(41) The father requested Turvasu, Druhyu and Anu, o son of Bharata, but they refused to accept because they, not knowing the true nature [of the soul], took their temporality for something permanent.
9.18.42
vayasonaḿ guṇādhikam
(42) He asked Pûru even though he was a younger son, saying to him: 'You my dear son, are of a better fiber, you wouldn't, like your older brothers did, refuse me.'
9.18.43
pratikartuḿ kṣamo yasya
(43) S'rî Pûru said: 'Who o King, best among the people, has in this world the chance to repay the father who gave him his body, for it is by his mercy that he may enjoy a higher life.
The father gives the seed of the body, and this seed gradually grows and develops until one ultimately attains the developed human body, with consciousness higher than that of the animals. In the human body one can be elevated to the higher planets, and, furthermore, if one cultivates Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one can return home, back to Godhead. This important human body is obtained by the grace of the father, and therefore everyone is indebted to his father. Of course, in other lives one also gets a father and mother; even cats and dogs have fathers and mothers. But in the human form of life the father and mother can award their son the greatest benediction by teaching him to become a devotee. When one becomes a devotee, he achieves the greatest benediction because he completely averts the repetition of birth and death. Therefore the father who trains his child in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the most benevolent father in this world. It is said:
janame janame sabe pitā mātā pāya
Everyone gets a father and mother, but if one gets the benediction of Kṛṣṇa and guru, he can conquer material nature and return home, back to Godhead.
9.18.44
adhamo 'śraddhayā kuryād
akartoccaritaḿ pituḥ
(44) He who acts in respect of his father's wishes is the best, he who acts on his command is but mediocre and low class is he who acts without faith, but like stool is he who defies his father's words.'
Pūru, Yayāti's last son, immediately accepted his father's proposal, for although he was the youngest, he was very qualified. Pūru thought, "I should have accepted my father's proposal before he asked, but I did not. Therefore I am not a first-class son. I am second class. But I do not wish to become the lowest type of son, who is compared to his father's stool." One Indian poet has spoken of putra and mūtra. putra means "son," and mūtra means "urine." Both a son and urine come from the same genitals. If a son is an obedient devotee of the Lord he is called putra, or a real son; otherwise, if he is not learned and is not a devotee, a son is nothing better than urine.
9.18.45
(45) This way was it entirely Pûru's pleasure to accept the burden of old age of his father, the father who was most contented with all the desires belonging to the youth of his son that he had asked for, o ruler of man.
9.18.46
yathopajoṣaḿ viṣayāñ
jujuṣe 'vyāhatendriyaḥ
(46) As the master of the entirety of the seven continents ruled he like a father over his subjects, enjoying as much as he wanted the material happiness without any impairment of his senses.
9.18.47
devayāny apy anudinaḿ
mano-vāg-deha-vastubhiḥ
(47) Devayânî also served for twenty-four hours a day as the dearest of her beloved in all privacy him with all her body, mind and words and everything thereto to bring him divine bliss.
9.18.48
kratubhir bhūri-dakṣiṇaiḥ
(48) Worshiping with different rituals Hari, the Personality of Sacrifice, the God and Reservoir of All Divinity and Object of All Vedic knowledge, was Yayâti of an abundant charity.
9.18.49
yasminn idaḿ viracitaḿ
vyomnīva jaladāvaliḥ
nāneva bhāti nābhāti
(49) Like a mass of clouds in the sky appears the entire, in Himself, created world at one time as a diversity of life forms, and then at other times is it of no manifestation, like it was a creation of the mind as in a dream [see also B.G. 7: 24-25]. s stated by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gītā (7.19):
bahūnāḿ janmanām ante
"After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare." The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva, is one with the Supreme Brahman, the Supreme Absolute Truth. Everything is in Him in the beginning, and at the end all manifestations enter into Him. He is situated in everyone's heart (sarvasya cāhaḿ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ). And from Him everything has emanated (janmādy asya yataḥ [SB 1.1.1]). All material manifestations, however, are temporary. The word svapna means "dreams," māyā means "illusion," and manoratha means "mental creations." Dreams, illusions and mental creations are temporary. Similarly, all material creation is temporary, but Vāsudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the eternal Absolute Truth.
9.18.50
vāsudevaḿ guhāśayam
(50) Certain of Him, Lord Vâsudeva in his heart, the One Nârâyana existing within each but visible to no one, worshiped he free from desire the Supreme Master.
King Yayāti, although externally seeming very fond of material enjoyment, was internally thinking of becoming an eternal servant of the Lord.
9.18.51
vidadhāno 'pi nātṛpyat
(51) Although he thus for a period of thousand years proceeded with the mind and the five senses in an idea of worldy happiness, could he, impure in his sensuality, not be satisfied, even though he was the ruler of all.'
One must be freed from all designations. When one identifies himself with the material world, his senses are impure. But when one achieves spiritual realization and identifies himself as a servant of the Lord, his senses are purified immediately. Engagement of the purified senses in the service of the Lord is called bhakti. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaḿ bhaktir ucyate. One may enjoy the senses for many thousands of years, but unless one purifies the senses, one cannot be happy
'Kaca, the son of the learned celestial priest Brihaspati, had been a student of Sukrâcarya, from whom he had learned the art of reviving a man who has died untimely. This art, called mrita-sañjîvanî, was especially used during wartime. When there was a war, soldiers would certainly die untimely, but if a soldier's body was intact, he could be brought to life again by this art of mrita-sañjîvanî. This art was known to S'ukrâcârya and many others, and Kaca, the son of Brihaspati, became S'ukrâcârya's student to learn it. Devayânî desired to have Kaca as her husband, but Kaca, out of regard for Sukrâcarya, looked upon the guru's daughter as a respectable superior and therefore refused to marry her. Devayânî angrily cursed Kaca by saying that although he had learned the art of mrita-sañjîvanî from her father, it would be useless. When cursed in this way, Kaca retaliated by cursing Devayânî never to have a husband who was a brâhmana
No comments:
Post a Comment