Sunday, January 29, 2012

Sri Bhagavatam - Canto 9 (Skandha 9) chapters 2 and 3



















Vyasadev
Praneetha
                 
The Mad Bhagavatam


 
Canto 9

Chapter 2  
The Dynasties of Six of the Sons of Manu

This Second Chapter describes the dynasties of the sons of Manu, headed by Karūṣa.
After Sudyumna accepted the order of vānaprastha and departed for the forest, Vaivasvata Manu, being desirous of sons, worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead and consequently begot ten sons like Mahārāja Ikṣvāku, all of whom were like their father. One of these sons, Pṛṣadhra, was engaged in the duty of protecting cows at night with a sword in his hand. Following the order of his spiritual master, he would stand in this way for the entire night. Once, in the darkness of night, a tiger seized a cow from the cowshed, and when Pṛṣadhra came to know this, he took a sword in his hand and followed the tiger. Unfortunately, when he finally approached the tiger, he could not distinguish between the cow and the tiger in the dark, and thus he killed the cow. Because of this, his spiritual master cursed him to take birth in a śūdra family, but Pṛṣadhra practiced mystic yoga, and in bhakti-yoga he worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then he voluntarily entered a blazing forest fire, thus relinquishing his material body and going back home, back to Godhead.
Kavi, the youngest son of Manu, was a great devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead from his very childhood. From Manu's son known as Karūṣa, a sect of kṣatriyas known as Kārūṣas was generated. Manu also had a son known as Dhṛṣṭa, from whom another sect of kṣatriyas was generated, but although they were born of one who had the qualities of a kṣatriya, they became brāhmaṇas. From Nṛga, another son of Manu, came the sons and grandsons known as Sumati, Bhūtajyoti and Vasu. From Vasu, in succession, came Pratīka, and from him came Oghavān. Descending in order from the seminal dynasty of Nariṣyanta, another son of Manu, were Citrasena, Ṛkṣa, Mīḍhvān, Pūrṇa, Indrasena, Vītihotra, Satyaśravā, Uruśravā, Devadatta and Agniveśya. From the kṣatriya known as Agniveśya came the celebrated brāhmaṇa dynasty known as Āgniveśyāyana. From the seminal dynasty of Diṣṭa, another son of Manu, came Nābhāga, and from him in succession came Bhalandana, Vatsaprīti, Prāḿśu, Pramati, Khanitra, Cākṣuṣa, Viviḿśati, Rambha, Khanīnetra, Karandhama, Avīkṣit, Marutta, Dama, Rājyavardhana, Sudhṛti, Nara, Kevala, Dhundhumān, Vegavān, Budha and Tṛṇabindu. In this way, many sons and grandsons were born in this dynasty. From Tṛṇabindu came a daughter named Ilavilā, from whom Kuvera took birth. Tṛṇabindu also had three sons, named Viśāla, Śūnyabandhu and Dhūmraketu. The son of Viśāla was Hemacandra, his son was Dhūmrākṣa, and his son was Saḿyama. The sons of Saḿyama were Devaja and Kṛśāśva. Kṛśāśva's son, Somadatta, performed an Aśvamedha sacrifice, and by worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, he achieved the supreme perfection of going back home, back to Godhead.
9.2.1


(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'After Sudyumna, the son, thus had accepted his destination, executed Vaivasvata Manu, desirous of getting sons, austerities at the Yamunâ for a hundred years.
9.2.2
tato 'yajan manur devam
apatyārthaḿ hariḿ prabhum
ikṣvāku-pūrvajān putrān


 (2) After Manu had been of worship unto the Godhead, Lord Hari, for the purpose of offspring, got he ten sons alike him of whom the eldest was named Ikshvâku [see also 8.13: 2-3].
9.2.3
pṛṣadhras tu manoḥ putro


(3) Among the sons of Manu was Prishadhra by his guru ordered to herd cows and for the purpose of their protection at night he had taken the vow of vîrâsana to guard them in the field [see also 4.6: 38].
One who becomes vīrāsana takes the vow to stand all night with a sword to give protection to the cows. Because Pṛṣadhra was engaged in this way, it is to be understood that he had no dynasty. We can further understand from this vow accepted by Pṛṣadhra how essential it is to protect the cows. Some son of a kṣatriya would take this vow to protect the cows from ferocious animals, even at night. What then is to be said of sending cows to slaughterhouses? This is the most sinful activity in human society.
9.2.4
śārdūlo niśi varṣati
bhītās babhramur vraje

 (4) One night while it was raining, entered a tiger the land of the cowshed and got all the cows lying down, up in fear, scattering all around in the field.
9.2.5-6
cukrośa bhayāturā
pṛṣadhro 'nusasāra ha
pralīnoḍu-gaṇe niśi
ajānann acchinod babhroḥ


(5-6) When the strong animal seized one of them began that cow to cry of distress and fear. Prishadhra upon hearing the screaming followed it hastily having taken up his sword, but under the by clouds covered stars cut he in the dark of night without realizing it the cow its head off mistaking her for the tiger.
9.2.7
vyāghro 'pi vṛkṇa-śravaṇo
nistriḿśāgrāhatas tataḥ


(7) The tiger also hit had his ear cut off and next fled most afraid leaving blood on its trail.
9.2.8
manyamāno hataḿ vyāghraḿ

 (8) Prishadhra, the hero to conquer all though, thinking he had killed the tiger, to his dismay discovered the next morning that he had killed the cow.
9.2.9
taḿ śaśāpa kulācāryaḥ
kṛtāgasam akāmataḥ
karmaṇā bhavitāmunā

 (9) The family preceptor [Vasishthha] cursed him for the - unintended - sinful deed with: 'Having acted like a s'ûdra, you cannot belong to the kshatriyas, and therefore shall it of that unholy deed be your karma to become one.'
It appears that Vasiṣṭha was not free from tamo-guṇa, the mode of ignorance. As the family priest or spiritual master of Pṛṣadhra, Vasiṣṭha should have taken Pṛṣadhra's offense very lightly, but instead Vasiṣṭha cursed him to become a śūdra. It is the duty of a family priest not to curse a disciple but to give him relief through the performance of some sort of atonement. Vasiṣṭha, however, did just the opposite. Therefore Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says that he was durmati; in other words, his intelligence was not very good.
9.2.10
pratyagṛhṇāt kṛtāñjaliḥ
adhārayad vrataḿ vīra

 (10) The hero thus being cursed by his guru accepted it with folded hands and took up the vow of celibacy as approved by the sages.
9.2.11-13
sarvātmani pare 'male
vimukta-sańgaḥ śāntātmā
saḿyatākṣo 'parigrahaḥ
yad-ṛcchayopapannena
jaḍāndha-badhirākṛtiḥ

(11-13) Unto Vâsudeva the Supreme Lord and Soul of all, the Transcendent and Pure, was he unalloyed in the mode of bhakti equal and kindhearted to each living being. Freed from attachments, peaceful within and self-controlled, was he, not after possessions, of a vision in which he could accept whatever that was available for his bodily needs as being arranged by His grace for the benefit of the soul. Always with his mind to the Supreme Self within, fully absorbed satisfied in spiritual realization, traveled he all over the earth appearing as if he were deaf, dumb and blind.

9.2.14
tenopayukta-karaṇo

 (14) After in that order of life having entered the forest achieved he as a saint the ultimate transcendental goal the moment he, meeting a forest fire out there, allowed the fire to consume him [see also B.G. 4: 9].
The Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (4.9):
janma karma ca me divyam
naiti mām eti so 'rjuna
"One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna." Pṛṣadhra, because of his karma, was cursed to take his next birth as a śūdra, but because he took to saintly life, specifically concentrating his mind always upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he became a pure devotee. Immediately after giving up his body in the fire, he reached the spiritual world, as mentioned in Bhagavad-gītā (mām eti), as a result of his devotional situation. Devotional service performed by thinking of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is so powerful that although Pṛṣadhra was cursed he avoided the terrible consequence of becoming a śūdra and instead returned home, back to Godhead. As stated in Brahma-saḿhitā (5.54):
yas tv indra-gopam athavendram aho sva-karma-
bandhānurūpa-phala-bhājanam ātanoti
Those who engage in devotional service are unaffected by the results of their material activities. Otherwise, everyone, from the smallest microbe up to the King of heaven, Indra, is subject to the laws of karma. A pure devotee, being always engaged in the service of the Lord, is exempt from these laws.

9.2.15

(15) Another son, Kavi [or Vasumân], the youngest, had no attachments to material pleasures and after he gave up his father's kingdom, entered he, still a young man, in the company of his friends the forest and reached he the transcendental world always keeping the effulgent Supreme Person in his heart.

9.2.16
karūṣān mānavād āsan
uttarā-patha-goptāro

(16) From the son of Manu Karûsha [or Tarûsha] was there a dynasty of kshatriyas called the Kârûshas who as kings of the northern realm were highly religious protectors of the brahminical.

9.2.17
bhūtajyotis tato vasuḥ

(17) From Dhrishtha [or Shrishtha] came about a caste of kshatriyas who in the world, having achieved the position of brahmins, were named the Dhârshtha. Of Nriga there was the succession of first Sumati, Bhûtajyoti and thereafter Vasu.
Here it is said, kṣatraḿ brahma-bhūyaḿ gataḿ kṣitau: although the Dhārṣṭas belonged to the kṣatriya caste, they were able to convert themselves into brāhmaṇas. This gives clear evidence supporting the following statement by Nārada (Bhāg. 7.11.35):
yasya yal lakṣaṇaḿ proktaḿ
puḿso varṇābhivyañjakam
yad anyatrāpi dṛśyeta
If the qualities of one group are found in the men of another, those men should be recognized by their qualities, by their symptoms, not by the caste of the family in which they were born. Birth is not at all important; it is one's qualities that are stressed in all Vedic literature.

9.2.18
vasoḥ pratīkas tat-putra
kanyā caughavatī nāma

(18) Of Vasu his son Pratîka was there one named Oghavân ['the uninterrupted tradition'] who was the father of another Oghavân who had a daughter also named Oghavatî. She married Sudars'ana.

9.2.19
citraseno nariṣyantād
ṛkṣas tasya suto 'bhavat
tasya mīḍhvāḿs tataḥ pūrṇa
indrasenas tu tat-sutaḥ


(19) From Narishyanta there was Citrasena, Riksha was his son, and of him was there Mîdhvân. Mîdhvân's son was Pûrna and Indrasena was Pûrna's son.
9.2.20
vītihotras tv indrasenāt
tasya satyaśravā abhūt
devadattas tato 'bhavat

 (20) From Indrasena there was Vîtihotra, of him there was Satyas'ravâ, Urus'ravâ was his son and of him was Devadatta born.
9.2.21
tato 'gniveśyo bhagavān
kānīna iti vikhyāto
jātūkarṇyo mahān ṛṣiḥ

(21) Devadatta's son became the most powerful Agnives'ya who was Agni in person; he was a maharishi well known as Kânîna and Jâtûkarnya.
Agniveśya was also known as Kānīna and Jātūkarṇya.
9.2.22
nariṣyantānvayaḥ prokto

(22) From Agnives'ya came forth a dynasty of brahmins known as the Âgnives'yâyanas. O King, thus I described the descendants of Narishyanta, now hear next about the dynasty of Dishtha.
9.2.23-24
nābhāgo diṣṭa-putro 'nyaḥ
vatsaprītir bhalandanāt
khanitraḥ pramates tasmāc
cākṣuṣo 'tha viviḿśatiḥ


(23-24) The son of Dishtha was Nâbhâga [unlike his uncles Nâbhaga or the Nâbhâga that was also called Nriga]. He, different, answered to the vocation of the vais'yas [a merchant, see 7.11: 23]. His son was Bhalandana and of him there was Vatsaprîti. From him there was the son named Prâms'u and his son was Pramati. Know Khanitra as Pramati's successor. He was followed by Câkshusha and his son Vivims'ati.
From Manu, one son became a kṣatriya, another a brāhmaṇa, and another a vaiśya. This confirms the statement by Nārada Muni, yasya yal lakṣaṇaḿ proktaḿ puḿso varṇābhivyañjakam (Bhāg. 7.11.35). One should always remember that brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas and vaiśyas should never be regarded as members of a caste by birth. A brāhmaṇa may be changed into a kṣatriya, and a kṣatriya into a brāhmaṇa. Similarly, a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya may be changed into a vaiśya, and a vaiśya into a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (cātur-varṇyaḿ mayā sṛṣṭaḿ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]). So one is a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya or vaiśya never by birth, but by quality. There is a great need of brāhmaṇas. Therefore, in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we are trying to train some brāhmaṇas to guide human society. Because at present there is a scarcity of brāhmaṇas, the brain of human society is lost. Because practically everyone is a śūdra, no one at the present moment can guide the members of society to the proper path by which to achieve perfection in life.

9.2.25
khanīnetro 'sya dhārmikaḥ
karandhamo mahārāja
tasyāsīd ātmajo nṛpa

(25) Vivims'ati's son was Rambha and his son was a very religious one named Khanînetra. Of him there was the scion Karandhama, o great King.
9.2.26
tasyāvīkṣit suto yasya
maruttaś cakravarty abhūt
saḿvarto 'yājayad yaḿ vai


(26) The latter's son was Avîkshit whose son was Marutta who became emperor. The great mystic Samvarita, the son of Angirâ, engaged him in performing a yajña.
9.2.27
na tathānyo 'sti kaścana
yat kiñcic cāsya śobhanam


(27) The like of Marutta's sacrifice has never been seen since, as all he used was made of gold and everything he had was of the greatest beauty.
9.2.28
amādyad indraḥ somena
dakṣiṇābhir dvijātayaḥ
marutaḥ pariveṣṭāro

 (28) Indra became intoxicated of drinking the soma-rasa, the twice-born were royally compensated, the shining ones [the Maruts] offered foodstuffs and all divinities of the universe were part of the assembly.
Because of the yajña performed by Marutta, everyone was pleased, especially the brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas. Brāhmaṇas are interested in receiving contributions as priests, and kṣatriyas are interested in drinking. All of them, therefore, were satisfied with their different engagements.
9.2.29
tasyāsīd rājyavardhanaḥ
sudhṛtis tat-suto jajñe
saudhṛteyo naraḥ sutaḥ

(29) Marutta's son was Dama and of him there was one with the power to expand the kingdom: Râjyavardhana. From his son Sudhriti was a son born named Nara.
9.2.30
tat-sutaḥ kevalas tasmād
dhundhumān vegavāḿs tataḥ
budhas tasyābhavad yasya
tṛṇabindur mahīpatiḥ

 (30) His son was called Kevala and Dhundhumân was his. From him came Vegavân and from Vegavân there was Budha whose son was Trinabindu, a great king.
9.2.31
taḿ bheje 'lambuṣā devī
bhajanīya-guṇālayam
varāpsarā yataḥ putrāḥ
kanyā celavilābhavat


(31) Alambushâ accepted him as her husband, she was a goddess worthy of him, a girl of heaven and reservoir of all good qualities from whom a couple of sons and a daughter named Ilavilâ were born.
9.2.32
viśravā dhanadaḿ sutam

 (32) Vis'ravâ, who was a saint and master of yoga who received his knowledge from his father, begot in her Kuvera: the one who brings wealth.
9.2.33
viśālaḥ śūnyabandhuś ca
dhūmraketuś ca tat-sutāḥ
viśālo vaḿśa-kṛd rājā

 (33) From Trinabindu's sons Vis'âla, S'ûnyabandhu and Dhûmraketu rose from Vis'âla, the king, a dynasty and was a palace constructed named Vais'âlî.
9.2.34
dhūmrākṣas tasya cātmajaḥ
tat-putrāt saḿyamād āsīt


(34) Hemacandra was his son and Dhûmrâksha was his and from his son Samyama there were two sons named Kris'âs'va and Devaja.
9.2.35-36
kṛśāśvāt somadatto 'bhūd
yo 'śvamedhair iḍaspatim
iṣṭvā puruṣam āpāgryāḿ
gatiḿ yogeśvarāśritām
saumadattis tu sumatis
ete vaiśāla-bhūpālās
tṛṇabindor yaśodharāḥ

(35-36) From Kris'âs'va there was a son named Somadatta. He achieved by worshiping the Supreme Person in an as'vamedha sacrifice unto the best of all, the Lord of all Praise [Vishnu], the supreme destination where all great mystics reside. A son of Somadatta named Sumati then begot one called Janamejaya. All these kings of Vais'âlî continued the fame of king Trinabindu.


Canto 9
Chapter 3  
The Marriage of S'ukanyâ and Cyavana Muni
This chapter describes the dynasty of Śaryāti, another son of Manu, and also tells about Sukanyā and Revatī.
Devajña Śaryāti gave instructions about what to do in the ritualistic ceremony observed on the second day of the yajña of the Ańgirasas. One day, Śaryāti, along with his daughter, known as Sukanyā, went to the āśrama of Cyavana Muni. There Sukanyā saw two glowing substances within a hole of earthworms, and by chance she pierced those two glowing substances. As soon as she did this, blood began to ooze from that hole. Consequently, King Śaryāti and his companions suffered from constipation and inability to pass urine. When the King asked why circumstances had suddenly changed, he found that Sukanyā was the cause of this misfortune. Then they all offered prayers to Cyavana Muni just to satisfy him according to his own desire, and Devajña Śaryāti offered his daughter to Cyavana Muni, who was a very old man.
When the heavenly physicians the Aśvinī-kumāra brothers once visited Cyavana Muni, the muni requested them to give him back his youth. These two physicians took Cyavana Muni to a particular lake, in which they bathed and regained full youth. After this, Sukanyā could not distinguish her husband. She then surrendered unto the Aśvinī-kumāras, who were very satisfied with her chastity and who therefore introduced her again to her husband. Cyavana Muni then engaged King Śaryāti in performing the soma-yajña and gave the Aśvinī-kumāras the privilege to drink soma-rasa. The King of heaven, Lord Indra, became very angry at this, but he could do no harm to Śaryāti. Henceforward, the Aśvinī-kumāra physicians were able to share in the soma-rasa.
Śaryāti later had three sons, named Uttānabarhi, Ānarta and Bhūriṣeṇa. Ānarta had one son, whose name was Revata. Revata had one hundred sons, of whom the eldest was Kakudmī. Kakudmī was advised by Lord Brahmā to offer his beautiful daughter, Revatī, to Baladeva, who belongs to the viṣṇu-tattva category. After doing this, Kakudmī retired from family life and entered the forest of Badarikāśrama to execute austerities and penances.

9.3.1
śaryātir mānavo rājā


(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'The son of Manu named S'aryâti was a brahminical king and thus he turned out to be someone giving instruction on matters as the functions to be performed on the second day in the arena of sacrifice of the descendants of Angirâ.

9.3.2
sukanyā nāma tasyāsīt
hy agamac cyavanāśramam

 (2) There was a lotus-eyed daughter of him called Sukanyâ with whom he went to the forest to visit the âs'rama of the sage Cyavana.
9.3.3
vicinvanty ańghripān vane

(3) When she in the company of her friends was collecting fruits and flowers from the trees, saw she in an anthill some sort of two shining lights [compare 7.3: 15-16].

9.3.4
susrāvāsṛk tato bahiḥ

 (4) As the young girl, ignorantly trying, poked in the light objects with a thorn, oozed there blood out of them.
9.3.5
śakṛn-mūtra-nirodho 'bhūt
rājarṣis tam upālakṣya
puruṣān vismito 'bravīt


(5) The youngsters startled instantly froze on the spot so that the king, observing what had happened, had to address the surprised ones he was responsible for.
9.3.6
apy abhadraḿ na yuṣmābhir

(6) 'Alas, we have done something wrong in our appraoch of the illumined sage; with what we've done have we clearly fouled his âs'rama!'
9.3.7


(7) Afraid said Sukanyâ to her father: 'It was I who, not knowing what I did, with a thorn have pierced two shiny things.'

9.3.8
śaryātir jāta-sādhvasaḥ
valmīkāntarhitaḿ śanaiḥ

(8) When he heard his daughter saying this was king S'aryâti of the greatest concern to appease him, the sage who turned out to be residing within the anthill.

9.3.9
kṛcchrān muktas tam āmantrya

(9) Understanding what was needed to set things right handed he, having the greatest trouble, his daughter over to the muni and took he permission to return home.
The King, after hearing the statement of his daughter, certainly told the great sage Cyavana Muni everything about how his daughter had ignorantly committed such an offense. The muni, however, inquired from the King whether the daughter was married. In this way, the King, understanding the purpose of the great sage Cyavana Muni (tad-abhiprāyam ājñāya), immediately gave the muni his daughter in charity and escaped the danger of being cursed. Thus with the permission of the great sage the King returned home.


9.3.10
apramattānuvṛttibhiḥ

(10) Sukanyâ after having Cyavana for her husband had understanding for him who remained very grumpy with her and tried to satisfy him serving him free from wantonness.
This is an indication of the relationship between husband and wife. A great personality like Cyavana Muni has the temperament of always wanting to be in a superior position. Such a person cannot submit to anyone. Therefore, Cyavana Muni had an irritable temperament. His wife, Sukanyā, could understand his attitude, and under the circumstances she treated him accordingly. If any wife wants to be happy with her husband, she must try to understand her husband's temperament and please him. This is victory for a woman. Even in the dealings of Lord Kṛṣṇa with His different queens, it has been seen that although the queens were the daughters of great kings, they placed themselves before Lord Kṛṣṇa as His maidservants. However great a woman may be, she must place herself before her husband in this way; that is to say, she must be ready to carry out her husband's orders and please him in all circumstances. Then her life will be successful. When the wife becomes as irritable as the husband, their life at home is sure to be disturbed or ultimately completely broken. In the modern day, the wife is never submissive, and therefore home life is broken even by slight incidents. Either the wife or the husband may take advantage of the divorce laws. According to the Vedic law, however, there is no such thing as divorce laws, and a woman must be trained to be submissive to the will of her husband. Westerners contend that this is a slave mentality for the wife, but factually it is not; it is the tactic by which a woman can conquer the heart of her husband, however irritable or cruel he may be. In this case we clearly see that although Cyavana Muni was not young but indeed old enough to be Sukanyā's grandfather and was also very irritable, Sukanyā, the beautiful young daughter of a king, submitted herself to her old husband and tried to please him in all respects. Thus she was a faithful and chaste wife.

9.3.11
nāsatyāv āśramāgatau


 (11) But after some time had passed this way reached the two As'vins [the healers of heaven] the âs'rama. Offering them his respects said the sage: 'Please give me youth, o Masters!
The heavenly physicians like the Aśvinī-kumāras could give youthful life even to one who was advanced in age. Indeed, great yogīs, with their mystic powers, can even bring a dead body back to life if the structure of the body is in order. We have already discussed this in connection with Bali Mahārāja's soldiers and their treatment by Śukrācārya. Modern medical science has not yet discovered how to bring a dead body back to life or bring youthful energy to an old body, but from these verses we can understand that such treatment is possible if one is able to take knowledge from the Vedic information. The Aśvinī-kumāras were expert in Āyur-veda, as was Dhanvantari. In every department of material science, there is a perfection to be achieved, and to achieve it one must consult the Vedic literature. The highest perfection is to become a devotee of the Lord. To attain this perfection, one must consult Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which is understood to be the ripe fruit of the Vedic desire tree (nigama-kalpa-taror galitaḿ phalam [SB 1.1.3]).
9.3.12

(12) I promise you to offer a pot of soma-rasa - although you don't drink soma - just give me back the youth and beauty so desirable to young women.'
9.3.13
bāḍham ity ūcatur vipram
abhinandya bhiṣaktamau


(13) 'So be it' they thus granted the learned one complimenting him in their role as the two great healers, 'just dive into this lake that will bring you all perfection.'  

9.3.14
ity ukto jarayā grasta-
hradaḿ praveśito 'śvibhyāḿ

(14) Thus being addressed was the aged one with his gray hair, loose skin and frail body of which the veins were visible, by the As'vins helped into the lake.
Cyavana Muni was so old that he could not enter the lake alone. Thus the Aśvinī-kumāras caught hold of his body, and the three of them entered the lake.

9.3.15
puruṣās traya uttasthur
padma-srajaḥ kuṇḍalinas

 (15) The three that rose from the lake were of the great beauty that would allure women: with lotus garlands, earrings, similar features and nice clothes.
9.3.16
tān nirīkṣya varārohā
sarūpān sūrya-varcasaḥ


 (16) After the young beauty saw them could the chaste woman not tell which of them was her husband for they were all equally beautiful shining like the sun and so took she shelter of the As'vins.
Sukanyā could have selected any one of them as her husband, for one could not distinguish among them, but because she was chaste, she took shelter of the Aśvinī-kumāras so that they could inform her who her actual husband was. A chaste woman will never accept any man other than her husband, even if there be someone equally as handsome and qualified.

9.3.17

(17) Pleased with the strength of her faith showed they her the saint that was her husband and returned they, taking his permission, in their celestial chariot to the heavenly worlds.
9.3.18
yakṣyamāṇo 'tha śaryātiś
cyavanasyāśramaḿ gataḥ

(18) Having left for Cyavana's âs'rama, wishing to perform a yajña, saw king S'aryâti thus how at his daughter's side there was a man as radiant as the sun.
9.3.19
kṛta-pādābhivandanām
āśiṣaś cāprayuñjāno
nātiprīti-manā iva

(19) The King then gave his daughter, after she had paid her respect, not his blessings because he didn't turn out to be very pleased:

9.3.20
pralambhito loka-namaskṛto muniḥ

(20) 'What do you think you are doing now cheating on your husband the great sage honored by all the people? Did you, because he's decrepit of age, unfaithful one, not thinking him very attractive, give him up taking this man, this street beggar, for a lover?
This shows the values of Vedic culture. According to the circumstances, Sukanyā had been given a husband who was too old to be compatible with her. Because Cyavana Muni was diseased and very old, he was certainly unfit for the beautiful daughter of King Śaryāti. Nonetheless, her father expected her to be faithful to her husband. When he suddenly saw that his daughter had accepted someone else, even though the man was young and handsome, he immediately chastised her as asatī, unchaste, because he assumed that she had accepted another man in the presence of her husband. According to Vedic culture, even if a young woman is given an old husband, she must respectfully serve him. This is chastity. It is not that because she dislikes her husband she may give him up and accept another. This is against Vedic culture. According to Vedic culture, a woman must accept the husband given to her by her parents and remain chaste and faithful to him. Therefore King Śaryāti was surprised to see a young man by the side of Sukanyā
9.3.21
kathaḿ matis te 'vagatānyathā satāḿ
pituś ca bhartuś ca nayasy adhas tamaḥ


 (21) Have you lost your mind? You in keeping to this lover are, as a daughter from the most respectable family, a disgrace to the entire dynasty; you, so shameless, are throwing your father as well as your husband into the deepest darkness.'
. It is quite clear that according to Vedic culture a woman who accepts a paramour or second husband in the presence of the husband she has married is certainly responsible for the degradation of her father's family and the family of her husband. The rules of Vedic culture in this regard are strictly observed in the respectable families of brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas and vaiśyas even today; only the śūdras are degraded in this matter. For a woman of the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya or vaiśya class to accept another husband in the presence of the husband she has married, or to file for divorce or accept a boyfriend or paramour, is unacceptable in the Vedic culture. Therefore King Śaryāti, who did not know the real facts of Cyavana Muni's transformation, was surprised to see the behavior of his daughter.

9.3.22

 (22) Chaste laughing she replied her father who was thus rebuking her: 'O father this one here is your son-in-law, the son of Bhrigu!.'
Although the father chastised the daughter, assuming that she had accepted another husband, the daughter knew that she was completely honest and chaste, and therefore she was smiling. When she explained that her husband, Cyavana Muni, had now been transformed into a young man, she was very proud of her chastity, and thus she smiled as she talked with her father.
9.3.23
vayo-rūpābhilambhanam

(23) She described to her father everything of how he had changed in age and beauty whereupon he utterly pleased and surprised happily embraced his daughter.
9.3.24
grahaḿ somasya cāgrahīt
asoma-por apy aśvinoś

 (24) Cyavana Muni by dint of his own prowess enabled the great man to perform the soma sacrifice, and delivered the As'vins, who had no interest in drinking it, a pot full of the soma-rasa.

9.3.25
sadyo manyur amarṣitaḥ
savajraḿ stambhayām āsa

 (25) Greatly perturbed took Indra in order to kill him, impetuously, his thunderbolt up immediately, but the man of Bhrigu paralyzed the arm of Indra that held the thunderbolt.
9.3.26
anvajānaḿs tataḥ sarve
grahaḿ somasya cāśvinoḥ
bhiṣajāv iti yat pūrvaḿ
somāhutyā bahiṣ-kṛtau


(26) With the permission of all the demigods was there henceforth for the As'vins, who as physicians before had been denied a share in the soma-yajña, the pot filled with soma-rasa.

9.3.27
uttānabarhir ānarto
śaryāter abhavan putrā
ānartād revato 'bhavat

(27) Uttânabarhi, Ânarta and Bhûrishena were S'aryâti's three sons and begotten by Ânarta was Revata born.

9.3.28
so 'ntaḥ-samudre nagarīḿ
āsthito 'bhuńkta viṣayān
ānartādīn arindama

(28) He after in the deep of the ocean building a town called Kus'asthalî, lived materially happy and ruled kingdoms like Ânarta and others, o subduer of the enemies, and his hundred sons of whom the eldest was Kakudmî were born to be the ones in power [after him].
9.3.29

(29) Kakudmî took his own daughter Revatî before Lord Brahmâ in his drive to go for his abode beyond the modes, with the pupose of asking for a husband for his daughter.
It appears that Brahmaloka, the abode of Lord Brahmā, is also transcendental, above the three modes of material nature (apāvṛtam).

9.3.30
svābhiprāyaḿ nyavedayat


(30) Because he was fully engaged in enjoying the celestial musicians playing had he not a second for him, but as soon as it was over could Kakudmî submit his desire to Lord Brahmâ offering him his obeisances.
9.3.31
tac chrutvā bhagavān brahmā
aho rājan niruddhās te


(31) The all-powerful Lord had to laugh about what he heard and said to him: 'Alas, o King, in the course of time, have all those that you'd like to close in your heart disappeared!
9.3.32
kālo 'bhiyātas tri-ṇava-

(32) We do not hear anymore of the sons, the grandsons, the descendants and the dynasties because a period of three times nine mahâ-yugas has passed!
During Lord Brahmā's day, fourteen Manus or one thousand mahā-yugas pass away. Brahmā informed King Kakudmī that twenty-seven mahā-yugas, each consisting of the four periods Satya, Tretā, Dvāpara and Kali, had already passed. All the kings and other great personalities born in those yugas had now departed from memory into obscurity. This is the way of time as it moves through past, present and future.

9.3.33
tad gaccha deva-devāḿśo
baladevo mahā-balaḥ

(33) Therefore seek Baladeva, He is the great one of power to the God that is God's plenary portion [Lord Vishnu], and give Him, the Excellence of Man, this beautiful daughter o King.
9.3.34
bhuvo bhārāvatārāya
avatīrṇo nijāḿśena


 (34) The Supreme Lord, the Ever Well-wisher to lessen the burden of the world, the Virtue of the hearing and singing, has now descended with all that belongs to Him.' [see also 5.25]
9.3.35
ity ādiṣṭo 'bhivandyājaḿ
bhrātṛbhir dikṣv avasthitaiḥ


(35) Thus ordered returned the king, after paying the Unborn One his respects, to his own residence, but found it abandoned by his brothers; they in fear of the meritorious people had spread in all directions.
9.3.36
sutāḿ dattvānavadyāńgīḿ
badary-ākhyaḿ gato rājā
taptuḿ nārāyaṇāśramam


 (36) After handing his perfectly shaped daughter over to the most powerful One, Lord Baladeva, went the king in order to perform austerities to Badarikâs'rama, the place of Nara-Nârâyana.  





(My humble salutations to the lotus feet of Swamyjis, Philosophers, Scholars and Knowledge Seekers for the collection)

No comments:

Post a Comment