Chapter 4(13)

Suta said, ‘Vidura heard what Kousharava had described about Dhruva’s ascent to his status in Vaikuntha. His devotion towards the illustrious Adhokshaja became firmer and he started to ask yet again.

‘Vidura asked, “O one excellent in vows! Who were known as Prachetas and who were their offspring? Which famous family did they belong to and where did they undertake the sacrifice? I think that Narada, who met the god, is extremely fortunate. He is the one who spoke about kriya yoga and the rites one should observe for worshipping Hari. Those men ¹³⁷¹ followed good conduct and their own dharma. They performed a sacrifice to the illustrious one who is the lord of sacrifices. It was to them that the devoted Narada described everything. There, the devarshi described the illustrious one’s account. O brahmana! I wish to hear about it. You should describe everything to me.”

‘Maitreya replied, “When his father left for the forest, Dhruva’s son, Utkala, did not desire the prosperity of being an emperor and did not wish for his father’s throne. Right from his birth, his soul was tranquil. He was unattached and was impartial in his outlook. He saw the atman pervading the world and saw the world in his own atman. Through the fire of continuous practice of yoga, he burnt down all karma and impurities in his mind. He saw that his own atman was no different from the brahman, the nirvana in whom all differences cease to exist. He is the single one, true knowledge and complete bliss, existing everywhere. He thus realized his own true nature. To foolish people along the road, he appeared to be stupid, blind, deaf, mad and dumb. However, his intelligence was not like that. He was like a fire without flames. But the aged in the family and the ministers were of the view that he was stupid and mad. Therefore, they made his younger brother, Vatsara, Bhrami’s son, the king. Svavirthi was Vatsara’s beloved wife and she had six sons—Pushparna, Tigmaketu, Isha, Urja, Vasu and Jaya. Pushparna had two wives—Prabha and Dosha. Prabha’s sons were Pratar, Madhyadina and Sayam. Dosha’s three sons were Pradosha, Nishitha and Vyushta. ¹³⁷² Vyushta’s wife was Pushkarini and she had a son named Sarvateja. Through his wife Akuti, he ¹³⁷³ had a son named Chakshu, who would become Manu later. ¹³⁷⁴ Manu’s queen, Nadvala, gave birth to twelve faultless sons—Puru, Kutsa, Trita, Dyumna, Satyavat, Rita, Vrata, Agnishtoma, Atiratra, Pradyumna, Shibi and Ulmuka. Through his wife, Pushkarini, ¹³⁷⁵ Ulmuka had six excellent sons—Anga, Sumanasa, Khyati, Kratu, Angiras and Gaya. Sunitha, Anga’s wife, gave birth to the wicked Vena. Because of his wicked conduct, the royal sage ¹³⁷⁶ was disgusted and left the city. O dear one! The words of the sages were like the vajra. They were enraged and cursed him. After this, they churned the right hand of the dead body. ¹³⁷⁷ At that time, there was no king in the world and the subjects were oppressed by bandits. As part of Narayana’s portion, Prithu, the first lord of the earth, was born.”

‘Vidura asked, “The king ¹³⁷⁸ was virtuous, great-souled and a store of good conduct. He was devoted to brahmanas. How did he get such a wicked son, who made him so distressed that he had to leave? The sages were knowledgeable about dharma. King Vena was supposed to wield the rod of chastisement. What was his offence, as a consequence of which the brahmanas cursed him? The king is a protector of the subjects and even if he commits a crime, the subjects should not disrespect him. In addition to his own energy, he is nurtured through the energy of the guardians of the world. O brahmana! You are supreme among those who know about the past and the future. I am devoted and faithful towards you. Tell me about the activities of Sunitha’s son.”

‘Maitreya continued, “The royal sage, Anga, performed a great horse sacrifice. Though they were summoned by learned brahmanas, the gods did not go there. The officiating priests were surprised and told the one who was performing the sacrifice, ¹³⁷⁹ ‘Though the oblations have been offered, the gods are not accepting them. O king! The oblations are pure and have been collected with devotion. The hymns have also been properly chanted by those who are firm in their vows. We do not know of the slightest bit of disrespect that we have shown to the gods. As a result of this, the gods have witnessed the sacrifice, but are not accepting their shares.’ Hearing the words of the brahmanas, Anga, the performer of the sacrifice, was greatly distressed. With the permission of those who were present in the assembly, he broke his vow of silence and asked them. ‘Though asked, the gods have not come to the sacrifice. They have not accepted their shares. O leaders of the assembly! Tell me. What offence have I committed?’ The leaders of the assembly replied, ‘O lord among men! You have not committed even a trifling crime. However, you did commit a sin in your former life. That is the reason you still don’t have a son. O fortunate one! O king! Therefore, strive to obtain an excellent son. Desiring a son, worship the lord of sacrifices and he will grant you a son. When Hari, the lord of sacrifices, is directly invoked for the sake of an offspring, all the residents of heaven will accept their respective shares. Hari confers all the objects of desire that men wish for. However, the fruits that a man obtains depends on the way the worship is carried out.’

‘“So that the king might obtain offspring, the brahmanas determined this. They offered cakes to Vishnu in the form of Shipivishta. ¹³⁸⁰ A being arose. He was adorned in golden garlands and sparkling garments. He held a golden vessel with cooked payasam. ¹³⁸¹ With the permission of the brahmanas, the king accepted the rice in his cupped palms. The generous one smelt it and happily gave it to his wife. It had the power to deliver a male child. The queen accepted it from her husband and ate it. She didn’t have any children. But she conceived, and at the right time, gave birth to a son. Since his childhood, this son was devoted to his maternal grandfather, Mrityu. ¹³⁸² Because he was born from this portion of adharma, he was devoted to adharma. Wielding a bow and arrow, the wicked one would go on a hunt to the forest and kill the distressed deer. Therefore, people would exclaim, ‘This is Vena.’ ¹³⁸³ He was extremely terrible and merciless. While playing in the playground with boys who were his age, he would kill them, as if he was slaughtering animals. On seeing this, the king tried to restrain him with many kinds of punishment. However, unable to control him, he became extremely miserable. ‘Householders who do not have offspring have probably worshipped the gods. ¹³⁸⁴ That is the reason they do not have to bear the hardship caused by wicked children, which is so difficult to bear. The great fame of men is destroyed because of this wicked adharma. There are quarrels with everyone and there is never ending hardship. Such a person is a son only in name, bound by the bonds of delusion. What learned man will show respect towards a person who causes hardships in the home? However, I think that a bad son who is the source of grief is superior to a good son. Because of the terrible hardship he causes at home, a mortal person loses all attachment towards his home.’ Thus, the king was miserable in his mind. He could not sleep. He arose in the night. While Vena’s mother was asleep, unnoticed by men, he abandoned his house and his great prosperity, and left. The subjects got to know that their detached lord had left. They were filled with great grief. The priests, advisers and large number of well-wishers searched everywhere on earth for him. However, he was as hidden as Purusha inside the heart of an imperfect yogi. They could not find the footprints of the lord of the earth. Therefore, they gave up the attempt and returned to the city. O Pourava! With tears in their eyes, they honoured the assembled rishis and told them that their master had disappeared.”’

Chapter 4(14)

‘Maitreya said, “Bhrigu and the other sages looked towards the well-being of the people. They saw that in the absence of someone to protect them, men would be the same as animals. The ones who knew about the brahman summoned Sunitha, the mother of a brave one. Though the ordinary people did not approve of this, they instated Vena as the lord of the earth. On hearing that Vena, who was extremely fierce and uncontrolled, had ascended on to the throne, all the bandits immediately hid themselves, like rats scared of a snake. Having ascended the throne, the king became insolent and thought he possessed the eight kinds of prosperity. ¹³⁸⁵ He took himself to be great and insulted those immensely fortunate ones. He became blind with insolence. He was as proud as an elephant uncontrolled by a goad. He travelled astride his chariot and made the earth and the sky tremble. Everywhere, he used drums to make an announcement. ‘O brahmanas! You will not perform sacrifices and offer oblations. No donations will be given.’ In this way, dharma was restrained.

‘“The sages witnessed the evil conduct that Vena was engaged in. Thinking of the hardships faced by the people, they were full of compassion and assembled at a sacrificial arena. ‘Alas! Like a piece of wood that has been ignited at both ends, people are facing a great hardship from both sides, from bandits and from the protector. Even though he did not deserve to be a king, there was the fear of not having a king. There was a danger then. But now, how can people be made safe? He is like a snake who has been nourished with milk, even though he causes harm to the one who nourishes him. Born from Sunitha’s womb, Vena is naturally vile. Though he was appointed to protect the subjects, he is causing violence to subjects. Therefore, we must seek to pacify him. Otherwise, the sin will touch us too. Though we knew that Vena was wicked in nature, we made him the king. If he does not accept our words and continues to follow adharma, we will have to pacify him. He has already been scorched by the censure of the people. We will burn him down with our own energy.’ Having decided this, the sages concealed their rage. They approached Vena and addressed him in conciliatory tones. The sages said, ‘O noble king! Understand what we are telling you. O son! This will enhance your lifespan, prosperity, strength and deeds. Men who follow dharma in words, thought, body and intelligence and confer freedom from grief on people are bestowed with infinite worlds where there is freedom from attachment. O brave one! Therefore, do not destroy the signs of peace among the subjects. If this is destroyed, the king falls down from his state of prosperity. O king! If a king protects his subjects from wicked advisers and thieves, and protects them, accepting the taxes, he obtains delight in this world and in the world after death. The illustrious lord of sacrifices must be worshipped in the kingdom and in the city and people must follow their own dharma, according to their varna and their ashrama. O immensely fortunate one! The illustrious creator of beings, the one who is the atman of the universe, is pleased with a king who thus follows his instructions. When the lord of the lords is satisfied, what can not be obtained in this universe? Indeed, the worlds and the guardians of the worlds devotedly render him offerings. When the brahmanas perform sacrifices in your kingdom, the gods, who are Hari’s portions, are also properly worshipped through these observances and are extremely satisified. They give what is desired. O brave one! You should not try to show them disrespect.’ Vena retorted, ‘All of you are foolish. You respect adharma as dharma. You are abandoning the husband who provides you sustenance and worshipping a paramour. Foolish people show disrespect towards a king, who is the embodied form of the lord. Such people do not obtain any benefit in this world or in the next. Vishnu, Virinchi, Girisha, Indra, Vayu, Yama, Ravi, ¹³⁸⁶ Parjanya, Dhanada, Soma, Kshiti, ¹³⁸⁷ Agni, the lord of the waters, these and other gods who possess the power to grant boons and curse, exist in the king’s body. The king is full of all the gods. O brahmanas! Therefore, forget all envy and use your rites to worship me. Bring me the offerings. Other than me, which other man can have the first share in sacrifices?’ In this way, his intelligence was crooked and he was following a wicked path. Since he had deviated from everything auspicious, though he was entreated, he did not pay attention to what they sought.

‘“O Vidura! Priding himself on his learning, he thus insulted the brahmanas. Since their wishes had been shattered, they became angry with him. ‘Let him be killed. This wicked one should be slain. His nature is extremely terrible. If he remains alive, it is certain that he will soon reduce the world to ashes. He is wicked in conduct and does not deserve to be seated on an excellent throne meant for a king among men. He is without shame and criticizes Vishnu, the lord of sacrifices. Having obtained this kind of prosperity because of his favours, who but Vena will be so inauspicious as to vilify him?’ The sages decided to kill him and manifested their rage. Since he had criticized Achyuta, he was already dead. But they slew him through their humkara. ¹³⁸⁸ After this, the rishis left for their own hermitages. Sunitha grieved. However, she preserved her son’s dead body with her knowledge and yoga. ¹³⁸⁹

‘“On one occasion, the sages bathed in the waters of the Sarasvati. Having offered oblations into the fire, they sat down on the banks of the river and began to converse about auspicious accounts. They saw many kinds of omens manifest themselves, signifying terror to the worlds. ‘Because there is no protector, may the earth not suffer from any misfortune on account of bandits.’ While the rishis were reflecting on this, a dust arose in all the directions. This was caused by a large number of thieves running around, engaged in plundering. There was no protector. Knowing this, they tried to kill each other and plundered the riches of people, thus causing this disturbance. Without a king, a country loses its spirits and is generally full of thieves. Though the people saw this sin being committed, they were unable to do anything. ‘A brahmana should be impartial in outlook and peaceful. However, if he ignores the afflicted, his powers ebb away, like water from a pot with a hole in it. The lineage of the royal sage, Anga, does not deserve to perish. This king’s lineage was invisible in its valour and sought refuge with Keshava.’ Having determined this, the rishis churned the dead king’s thigh with force and a man named Bahuka arose. ¹³⁹⁰ He was as dark as a crow and his limbs were extremely short. His arms were small and his chin jutted out. His arms were short and his nose was flat. His eyes and hair were coppery red. He bowed down to them and humbly asked, ‘What will I do?’ O son! They asked him to sit and he became Nishada. ¹³⁹¹ The descendants of Nishada roamed around in mountains and forests. He took upon himself all of Vena’s sins.”’

Chapter 4(15)

‘Maitreya said, “After this, the brahmanas again churned the arms of the king, who had no son. A male and a female were born. The rishis knew about the brahman and knew that the couple was born from the illustrious one’s portion. They were extremely satisfied and said, ‘This one ¹³⁹² is a portion of the illustrious Vishnu, the protector of the world. And this one ¹³⁹³ has been born as a portion of Lakshmi, who is never separated from the supreme being. This man will be the first king and his fame will be extensive. This great king will be named Prithu, because his fame will be extensive. ¹³⁹⁴ This goddess possesses excellent teeth and is an ornament among all qualities and ornaments. This beautiful one will have the name of Archi and will be attached to Prithu. ¹³⁹⁵ Desiring to protect the world, Hari’s portion has directly been born through him. And this is Shri, who is inseparable from him, and has therefore been born.’ The brahmanas praised him. The best among gandharvas sang his praise. The Siddhas showered down excellent flowers. The celestial women danced. Conch shells, trumpets, drums and kettledrums were sounded in the sky. All the gods, the rishis and large numbers of ancestors assembled there. Brahma, the preceptor of the universe, arrived there, with the gods and the lords among the gods. He saw the signs of the wielder of the mace ¹³⁹⁶ on the right hand of Vena’s son. Because of the signs of the lotus on the soles of his feet, he ¹³⁹⁷ thought that he was Hari’s portion. An unobstructed mark of the chakra ¹³⁹⁸ is a sign of the Parameshthi’s portion. The consecration was undertaken by brahmanas who knew about the brahman. From every direction, people brought ingredients required for the consecration. The rivers, oceans, mountains, serpents, cattle, birds, animals, the sky, the earth and all the creatures brought tribute and assembled. The king was dressed in excellent garments and wonderful ornaments. With his ornamented wife, Archi, he was as resplendent as a second Agni and was instated. O brave one! Dhanada brought him an excellent golden throne. Varuna brought him an umbrella that was as radiant as the moon, dripping with water. Vayu brought him whisks made out of yak hair. Dharma brought a garland that would bring glory. Indra brought an excellent diadem and Yama a staff to be used for controlling. Brahma gave him armour permeated with the brahman. Bharati ¹³⁹⁹ gave him an excellent necklace. Hari gave him the sudarshana chakra and his wife bestowed uninterrupted prosperity on him. Rudra gave him a sword with the marks of ten moons. Ambika gave him a shield with the marks of one hundred moons. Soma gave him horses that were made out of amrita. Tvashta gave him a chariot that was the embodiment of beauty. Agni gave him a bow made out of the horns of goats and bulls. Surya gave him arrows that were as brilliant as his rays. The earth gave him sandals that had the power of yoga. The sky brought an offering of collections of flowers. Those who travel in the sky gave him the knowledge of drama, singing, the playing of musical instruments and the power to disappear. The rishis conferred infallible benedictions. The ocean gave him a conch shell born from the ocean. The oceans, mountains and rivers granted the great-souled one passage for his chariot. The sutas, magadhas and bandis were stationed there and sung his praise.

‘“Prithu, Vena’s powerful son, understood that he was being praised. He seemed to smile and addressed them in words that rumbled like clouds. Prithu said, ‘O amiable sutas, magadhas and bandis! You have spoken about my qualities, but they are yet to manifest themselves in this world. On what basis are these praises being ascribed to me? May they exist in me and may your words not be rendered false. O speakers of sweet words! Therefore, enough of what has been heard. Save them for the future and compose words of praise then. Indeed, when there are discussions about Uttamashloka’s qualities, civilized people do not praise contemptible people like me. If a person has the capacity to invoke great qualities in him, why will he allow his followers to praise him, when they are still non-existent? A person who thinks that he might obtain learning in the future, does not realize that his intelligence is crooked and that people laugh at him. Even if powerful people are famous, they do not like their own praise. A generous and humble man censures this. O sutas and others! We are not yet known in this world for any superior deeds. Like a foolish person, how can I engage you to sing my praise?’”’

Chapter 4(16)

‘Maitreya said, “The singers heard what the king said and their minds were satisfied by his words, which were like amrita. However, urged by the sages, they continued to sing his praise. ‘Our description of your greatness has not been enough. You are the noble god, who has used his maya to descend here. Though you have been born from Vena’s limbs, the intelligence of lords of speech is bewildered, when they seek to describe your glory. We are interested in hearing about the exploits of the generous Prithu, who has descended as Hari’s portion, and whose account is like amrita. We have been instructed and urged by the sages. We will seek to spread accounts of your praiseworthy deeds. He is foremost among those who uphold dharma. He makes people follow dharma. He protects the ordinances of dharma and chastises those who act in a contrary way. For the welfare of both the worlds, ¹⁴⁰⁰ from time to time, his own body will manifest the different bodies of the guardians of the worlds. At the right time, he will generate riches and at the right time, release them, like the powerful and radiant sun. ¹⁴⁰¹ Vena’s son will be tolerant of crimes, even if he continually suffers from them. He will be compassionate towards beings. Like the behaviour of the earth, he will always be forgiving towards those who are suffering. He is the divinity Hari, who has assumed the form of a king among men. When the god ¹⁴⁰² does not shower down, like Indra, he will protect the subjects who find it difficult to remain alive. He will delight the world with a face that is the embodied form of the moon. His affectionate glances and his bright smiles will render everything beautiful. His path will be difficult to understand and his acts will be mysterious. His intelligence will be deep and he will guard his riches. He will alone be the reservoir of an infinite number of qualities and greatness. Like Prachetas, ¹⁴⁰³ Prithu’s nature will be hidden from view. He will be impossible to assail and impossible to withstand. Even when he is near, he will seem to be far away. Vena’s son, who has arisen from the fire, ¹⁴⁰⁴ will be impossible to overcome. Through his spies, he will see the acts of creatures, whether they are overt or covert. Like the breath of life in bodies, he will be like an indifferent witness. He will not punish those who do not deserve to be punished, even if they happen to be the sons of his enemies. He will punish even his own sons. His punishment will be based on the path of dharma. Right up to Mount Manasa, Prithu’s wheel of rule will be unrestricted and will extend to everywhere that the illustrious sun god illuminates with his rays. ¹⁴⁰⁵ Through his own deeds, he will delight the world. Since he delights the minds of the subjects, he will be known as rajan. ¹⁴⁰⁶ He will be firm in his vows and will not waver from the truth. He will be devoted to brahmanas and will serve the aged. For all creatures, he will be a refuge. He will bestow honours and be affectionate towards the distressed. He will revere other men’s wives like his own mother. He will treat his own wife like one half of his own self. Towards the subjects, he will be as gentle as a father. He will be a servant to those who know about the brahman. Those with bodies will love him like their own selves. He will enhance the joy of his well-wishers. He will associate with those who are free from all attachments. Against the wicked, his hand will wield the rod of chastisement. He is the illustrious lord of the three worlds himself, who, mysterious in his atman, has made his portion descend. Because of the futile constructs of lack of knowledge, one sees him as manifesting in many different forms. This brave king is a protector and guardian of the earth’s sphere, from Mount Udaya onwards. ¹⁴⁰⁷ He will be astride his victorious chariot and with a bow, will circle the sun from the right to the left, just as the sun does. Here and there, kings, along with the guardians of the world, will bring him tribute. Their women will consider him as the original king. Like the one with the chakra as a weapon, his fame will extend. He will be the lord of subjects. To provide a means of subsistence to subjects, this supreme king will milk the earth, like a cow. Playfully, he will use the ends of his bow to shatter the mountains, just as Indra does, and will level the earth. He will twang his own bow, made out of the horns of goats and bulls. When he travels around, he will be impossible to resist. At that time, wicked people will hide themselves in different directions. He will be like a lion with its tail raised up. He will perform one hundred horse sacrifices at the source of Sarasvati. When the hundredth sacrifice is going on, Purandara will steal the sacrificial horse. In his grove, alone, he will meet the illustrious Sanatkumara and will worship him with devotion. He will then obtain unadulterated knowledge and obtain the supreme brahman. Prithu will be extensive in his valour and famous for his bravery. Everywhere he goes, he will hear words and songs about himself. His unrestricted wheel of rule will conquer the directions. With his own energy, he will uproot the stakes of the world. He will be the immensely fortunate lord of the earth, and the asuras and the gods, with Indra, will sing about him.’”’

Chapter 4(17)

‘Maitreya said, “Vena’s illustrious son was thus glorified because of his qualities and deeds. He greeted and honoured them back and gave them whatever they wished for. He honoured the varnas, with brahmanas at the forefront, the servants, the advisers, the citizens of the city and the countryside, the guilds and the ordinary people.”

‘Vidura asked, “The earth can assume many different forms. Why did she assume the form of a cow? When Prithu milked her, who was the calf? How did the milking take place? The goddess is naturally uneven. How did he level her? The horse was meant for a sacrifice. Why did the god steal it? O brahmana! The illustrious Sanatkumara is supreme among those who know about the brahman. When he obtained jnana and vijnana, what destination did the royal sage obtain? O lord! I am devoted to no one other than you and the illustrious Krishna. His auspicious activities are excellent to hear, such as when he resorted to former bodies. I am devoted to you and Adhokshaja. You should therefore tell me about how he milked the earth, in the form of Vena’s son.”’

Suta said, ‘Maitreya was urged by Vidura to speak about Vasudeva’s account. He praised him and, pleased, replied.

‘Maitreya continued, “O dear one! Prithu was instated by the brahmanas and the ministers as a protector of the people. But at that time, the surface of the earth did not yield any food. The subjects were hungry and their bodies were emaciated. They went to their protector and addressed him. ‘O king! Our stomachs are burning with hunger, like fire in the hollow of a tree. You are our lord now and will find a means of livelihood for us. You are our refuge and we have come to you for refuge. O divinity in the form of a lord of men! We are afflicted by hunger, please try to give us some food, before we perish because our store of food is exhausted. As a guardian of the people, you will indeed find a means of sustenance for us.’ Prithu heard the piteous lamentations of the subjects. O best among the Kuru lineage! He thought for a long time about the reason. Using his intelligence, he decided on the course of action. ¹⁴⁰⁸ Enraged, like the destroyer of Tripura, he picked up his bow and arrow and targeted an arrow in the earth’s direction. On seeing that he had picked up the weapon, the earth trembled. She adopted the form of a cow and started to run away, like a terrified female deer that is being pursued by a hunter. At this, Vena’s son became angry and his eyes turned as red as the rising sun. Fixing an arrow to his bow, he pursued her, wherever she tried to run away. The goddess ran to the directions and the sub-directions and to the space between heaven and earth. But wherever she ran, she saw him pursue her, with the upraised weapon. Just as people cannot avoid death in the worlds, she could not find any escape from Vena’s son. Therefore, with a scared and grieving hurt, she returned.

‘“She told the immensely fortunate one, ‘O one who knows about dharma! O one who is affectionate towards those who seek refuge! Since you have been instated as the protector of all creatures, save me too. That being the case, why do you want to kill a distressed person like me, who has not committed a crime? Since you are regarded as someone who knows about dharma, how can you strike a woman? Even if women commit crimes, people do not strike them. O king! That apart, someone like you is compassionate and devoted to those who are distressed. I am like a strong boat on which the world is established. After having shattered me, how will you sustain yourself and these subjects on the waters?’ Prithu replied, ‘O earth! Since you have disobeyed my commands, I will kill you. You have taken your share in the sacrifice, but have not given us the wealth. Every day, you eat green grass, but do not yield milk from your udders. Since you are wicked in this way, punishment is indicated. The seeds of herbs were earlier created by Svayambhu. But you are indeed wicked in intelligence. Despite this, you are hiding them within yourself and not releasing them. You are ignoring me. They are lamenting, afflicted and overcome by hunger. I will slice your flesh with my arrows and pacify them. For kings, the slaying of a wicked and self-centred person who is not compassionate towards creatures, regardless of whether the person is a man, a woman or a eunuch, is not considered to be killing. You are insolent and obstinate and have used your maya to assume this form. I will use my arrows to reduce you to pieces as small as sesamum seeds. I will use the strength of my yoga to sustain the subjects.’ He was the embodied form of rage and was like Death personified. The trembling earth joined her hands in salutation and spoke to him. The earth said, ‘I bow down to the supreme Purusha. He uses his maya to manifest himself in many diverse forms that are characterized by gunas. I use my understanding to bow down to his true form. He is not affected by material objects, the sense of being a doer and delusion. The creator fashioned me, with the collection of gunas in different kinds of creation, as a resting place for those beings. The self-ruling one has now presented himself, raising his weapon to kill me. Whom will I turn to for refuge? Using his own maya and himself as the only refuge, at the beginning, the inconceivable one created all mobile and immobile objects. Indeed, he is the one who exerts to confer protection. How can a person who is devoted to dharma desire to kill me? The supreme lord is one, but is seen to appear in many different forms because of his maya. It is because of this that even those with cleansed souls find it difficult to realize him. He is the one who created the creator. People can certainly not fathom his deeds. His powers are the cause behind creation, preservation and destruction. Material objects, action, controllers, consciousness and the sense of the atman flow from him. He is the one who manifests and withdraws his powers. I bow down to the supreme Purusha, the cause behind everything. O lord! You have created this universe, the elements, the senses and the inner organs. O one without birth! As the original boar, you raised me out of the waters of rasatala and instated me. You raised me out of the waters and established me, like a boat, desiring to protect the subjects. That valiant form was that of Dharadhara. ¹⁴⁰⁹ For the sake of milk, he now wishes to slay me, holding a fierce arrow. Indeed, people cannot understand the actions of their lords, especially those like me, whose intelligence is confused by maya and the gunas of creation. Confounded, my mind does not comprehend your ways. I bow down to those brave ones who ensure fame.’”’

Chapter 4(18)

‘Maitreya said, “Despite being addressed in this way, Prithu was still angry and his lips quivered. Scared, she steadied herself and spoke again. ‘O lord! Please control your rage and listen to what I have to say. Like a bee, a learned man accepts the essence from everywhere. Whether it is for the welfare of men in this world or in the next world, sages who have realized the truth have prescribed some modes. If one follows the principles that have been instructed earlier properly, with undiluted devotion, one easily attains the objective. Neglecting those, an ignorant person starts to determine his own modes. He deviates and despite trying repeatedly, he does not attain the objective. O lord of the earth! I have seen that the herbs that were formerly created by Brahma were being enjoyed by those who were wicked and were not firm in their vows. Rulers of the world, like you, did not protect me and neglected me. The world became full of thieves. The herbs were meant for sacrifices and I hid them. After a long period of time, within me, those herbs and grains have indeed diminished. Therefore, you should try to extract them through means that have been indicated earlier. O brave one! O mighty-armed one! Think of a calf to whom I am devoted, a vessel for the milk and a person who can do the milking. O one who desires to protect creatures! I will then be milked and yield all the objects of desire as milk. O illustrious one! You will obtain the desired food that will nourish. O king! O lord! Level me, so that when the rainy season is over, the beneficial water that is showered down by the god remains on me.’ The king accepted the agreeable and beneficial words that the earth spoke.

‘“He made Manu the calf and milked all the herbs and grains with his own hand. Everywhere, other learned ones also extracted the essence of everything. As determined by Prithu, others also milked the objects of their desire. O excellent one! The rishis made Brihaspati the calf and their senses the vessel and milked the pure hymns. The large number of gods made Indra the calf and milked soma juice into a golden vessel. This milk gave them valour, energy and strength. The daityas and danavas made Prahlada, the bull among asuras, the calf. In an iron vessel, they milked sura and asava. The gandharvas and apsaras made Vishvavasu a calf. In a vessel that was the cup of a lotus, they milked the sweet and beautiful art of singing and dancing. The immensely fortunate ancestors made Aryama the calf. Using an unbaked earthen vessel, those divinities of shraddha ceremonies devotedly milked kavya. The Siddhas thought of Kapila as a calf. They used resolution as a vessel to milk the siddhis. The vidyadharas milked the knowledge of travelling through the sky. There were others, well versed in maya. They thought of Maya as a calf. Using their will as a vessel, they milked Maya and the extraordinary technique of disappearing. The yakshas, rakshasas, bhutas, pishachas and those who eat raw flesh made the lord of bhutas ¹⁴¹⁰ a calf. Using a vessel made out of a skull, they milked asava that was made out of blood. In this way, snakes without hoods, scorpions, snakes and serpents made Takshaka the calf. Using their holes as vessels, they milked poison. Herbivores made the bull ¹⁴¹¹ a calf. Using the forest as a vessel, they milked green grass. Animals with sharp teeth and predatory beasts made the lion a calf. Using their own bodies as vessels, they milked flesh. Birds used Suparna as a calf and milked movable and immovable creatures. The trees made the banyan tree the calf and extracted their own juices as milk. The mountains made the Himalayas the calf. Using their own slopes as vessels, they milked many kinds of minerals. Every species used the foremost among it as a calf. They had their own respective vessels and their own respective milk. As determined by Prithu, every object of desire was milked from the earth. In this way, Prithu and the others survived on the food the earth provided and each had his own respective food. O extender of the Kuru lineage! There were differences in the vessels used for milking and variations in the milk that was yielded. King Prithu was pleased that every object of desire had been milked. Affectionately, he thought of her as his daughter and loved her like a daughter. Using the ends of his own bow, the king of kings shattered the tops of the mountains. The lord who was Vena’s son made the surface of the earth almost level. Thus, like a father, Vena’s illustrious son provided a means of subsistence for the subjects. Here and there, as they deserved, he constructed habitations for them. Villages, cities, habitations, many kinds of forts, residences for cowherds, pens for animals, camps, mines, agricultural settlements and villages on mountains were established. Before Prithu, there was no such planning of cities, villages and other places. Without any fear, here and there, they dwelt happily.”’

Chapter 4(19)

‘Maitreya said, “The king consecrated himself for one hundred horse sacrifices. This land of Manu, with the Sarasvati flowing towards the east, is known as Brahmavarta. The illustrious Shatakratu saw that Prithu would surpass his own deeds and could not tolerate the great festivities of sacrifices he had undertaken. The lord Hari is the illustrious lord of sacrifices and is present in all atmans. The lord, who is the preceptor of the worlds, was himself present at these. He was accompanied by Brahma, Sharva and the guardians of the worlds and their companions. The gandharvas, sages and large numbers of apsaras chanted his praise. There were the Siddhas, the vidyadharas, the daityas, the danavas, the guhyakas and the others and the foremost among Hari’s attendants, Sunanda and Nanda being the chief. Eager to serve him, devotees of the illustrious one, like Kapila, Narada, Datta, ¹⁴¹² the lords of yoga and Sanaka and the others followed him. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! The earth was milked in accordance with dharma and yielded every object of desire. She was milked for every object of desire and satisfied the intentions of the performer of the sacrifice. All the rivers flowed with every kind of taste, milk, curds, food and other dairy products. The large bodies of the trees yielded honey and fruit. The oceans brought stores of jewels and the mountains provided four kinds of food. ¹⁴¹³

‘“The extremely generous Prithu regarded Adhokshaja as his lord. However, the illustrious Indra suffered from jealousy and tried to create impediments. Vena’s son, the performer of the sacrifice, was completing the last horse sacrifice, dedicated to the lord of sacrifices. Regarding him as a rival, he ¹⁴¹⁴ remained invisible and stole the sacrificial animal. The illustrious Atri saw him travelling swiftly through the sky, like a heretic pretending to be someone detached, like a confused person taking adharma to be dharma. Urged by Atri, Prithu’s maharatha son pursued him. Intending to kill him, he angrily said, ‘Wait. Wait.’ However, he looked at his form. His hair was matted and he was covered with ashes. Therefore, taking him to be the embodied form of dharma, he did not release his arrow. When he returned without killing him, Atri again urged him, ‘O son! Kill the one who is destroying the sacrifice. This is the great Indra, worst among the gods.’ Thus urged, Vena’s grandson became angry and followed him through the sky, like the king of eagles ¹⁴¹⁵ pursuing Ravana. The self-ruling one ¹⁴¹⁶ gave up the form he had assumed and vanished, abandoning the horse. The brave one seized his own animal and returned to his father’s sacrifice. O lord! The supreme rishis saw the extraordinary deed that he had done and gave him the name of Vijitashva. ¹⁴¹⁷ The lord Hari ¹⁴¹⁸ created a terrible darkness and stole the horse again, severing the golden rope with which it was tethered to the ring on the sacrificial post. Atri showed that he was travelling swiftly through the sky. Since he was carrying a skull and a khatvanga, the brave one did not obstruct him. ¹⁴¹⁹ However, when Atri urged him, he angrily affixed an arrow. The self-ruling one gave up the form he had assumed and vanished, abandoning the horse. Virashva ¹⁴²⁰ seized the horse and went to the place where his father’s sacrifice was being held. Since that time, those who are weak and ignorant have assumed the disguise that was used by Hari. ¹⁴²¹ Desiring to steal the horse, Indra assumed these forms. These sinful signs and marks are known as khanda. ¹⁴²² Wishing to destroy the sacrifice of Vena’s son, Indra stole the horse in this way. He assumed and discarded the disguise of men who are heretical in intelligence. They are naked, or dress themselves in red garments. They propagate false dharma as dharma. Since they are accomplished and eloquent, people who are misguided are generally attracted to these.

‘“The illustrious Prithu was extensive in his valour. Knowing about Indra, he became angry and affixed an arrow to his upraised bow. The officiating priests saw that he had affixed an invincible and forceful arrow, with a desire to kill Shakra. They restrained him. ‘O immensely intelligent one! It has been instructed that nothing other than the sacrificial animal should be killed here. We will summon Indra, the lord of the Maruts, who sought to destroy your objective, here. Because of your energy, he has already lost his powers. O king! Using mantras that have never been used before, we will thereafter offer the one who caused you injury as an oblation.’ O Vidura! They advised the master of the sacrifice ¹⁴²³ in this way. Using the sacrificial ladle, the enraged officiating priests started to offer him as an oblation. However, Svayambhu restrained them. ‘Indra should not be killed by you. He is known as Yajna because he is part of the illustrious one’s body. You wish to kill him, but the gods who are worshipped are also parts of his body. O brahmanas! Indra performed the act of trying to obstruct the sacrifice undertaken by the king. Regard this as a great transgression of dharma. Prithu has performed one less than one hundred sacrifices, but let him be more famous than Indra.’ ‘Enough of sacrifices, which you have performed well. ¹⁴²⁴ You know about the dharma of liberation. O fortunate one! You should not succumb to rage any longer. Both you and the great Indra are embodied forms of Uttamashloka. O great king! Do not worry. ¹⁴²⁵ Respectfully listen to my words. If a man thinks of doing something, but it is frustrated by destiny, when his mind succumbs to great anger, he enters the darkness of ignorance. Since the gods have created obstructions, let this sacrifice be stopped. Indra created the heretics who caused a transgression of dharma. These heretical views, which people find attractive, have been created by Indra. Look at the way he stole the horse and caused an obstruction to the sacrifice. You have descended on this world as a saviour of dharma among people, appropriate for the age. Because of Vena’s wicked activities, those practices have disappeared. O Vena’s son! That is the reason you have been born as Vishnu’s portion. O lord of subjects! Consider the resolutions of the creator of the universe and fulfil them. Indra’s maya is the mother of many kinds of wrong dharma. O lord! Destroy the terrible path of the ascetics.’ Thus instructed by the preceptor of the worlds, the lord of the earth affectionately had an alliance with Maghona. ¹⁴²⁶ Prithu, the performer of a lot of deeds, had the bath that is taken at the end of a sacrifice. Satisfied at the way the sacrifice was undertaken, the granters of boons ¹⁴²⁷ conferred boons on him. O Kshatta! Respectfully, the king first honoured brahmanas. Having obtained dakshina, they were content and showered benedictions on him. ‘O mighty-armed one! All of us have come here because we have been invited by you. ¹⁴²⁸ We have been worshipped, honoured and have been given gifts—the ancestors, the gods, the rishis and men.’”’

Chapter 4(20)

‘Maitreya said, “Satisfied with the performance of the sacrifice, the illustrious Vaikuntha, the lord of sacrifices and the one who enjoys sacrifices, arrived there, along with the Lord Maghavan. He told him ¹⁴²⁹ the following.

‘“The illustrious one said, ‘O dear one! This one has caused an obstruction to your hundredth horse sacrifice. But he is asking you for forgiveness. Therefore, you should pardon him. O lord of men! In this world, the best among men are virtuous and extremely intelligent. Since the atman is not the body, they are not malicious towards other creatures. ¹⁴³⁰ If men like you are confounded by divine maya, the long period of serving the aged becomes futile exertion. A learned person knows that this body is the creation of ignorance, kama and karma. That being the case, a person in whom knowledge has been generated, has no attachment towards it. If a learned person is not attached to the body, why will he have a sense of ownership towards things that result from it—a house, children and riches? The atman is one and pure. It is self-resplendent and nirguna, though it is a store for the gunas. It is not covered by anything and goes everywhere. It is a witness and there is nothing that is superior to the atman. If a man knows that his atman is within himself, he is established in me. He is not affected by Prakriti and its attributes. O king! If a person follows his own dharma and always worships me devotedly, without any motive, his mind gradually obtains gratification. Such a person discards the gunas and is impartial in his outlook. He obtains unadulterated tranquility in me. Like the brahman, he is indifferent and obtains kaivalya. He is indifferent towards whatever controls material objects, the senses of perception and action and the mind. He fixes himself on the atman and realizes it, obtaining fortune. The linga sharira consists of different kinds of flows of the gunas, which causes material objects to interact with each other. ¹⁴³¹ Bound in affection towards me, learned people do not react to prosperity or adversity. O brave one! Such a person conquers all the senses and is indifferent towards happiness and unhappiness and looks upon the superior, the medium and the inferior impartially. Having been appointed by me, offer protection to the entire world, accompanied by all the people. A king obtains benefit by protecting the subjects and in the next birth, obtains a one-sixth share of the good deeds they perform. However, if he is only a collector who receives taxes and fails to protect the subjects, he loses his good merits and obtains the sins. ¹⁴³² In this way, if you accord prominence to dharma and follow what has been sanctioned by the best of brahmanas, you will be the best among those who protect. You will be loved by people and in a short period of time, you will see the Siddhas come to visit you in your house. O Indra among men! Ask for any boon from me. Because of your qualities and good conduct, I am tied to you. I cannot be easily obtained through sacrifices, austerities and yoga, but can be obtained by those who are indifferent in their intelligence.’ Vishvaksena, the preceptor of the worlds, instructed the conqueror of the world in this way. He bowed his head down and accepted Hari’s commands. Ashamed of his own deeds, Shatakratu affectionately touched his feet and he gave up all enmity and embraced him. Prithu worshipped the illustrious atman of the universe with offerings. He seized his lotus feet and his devotion gradually increased.

‘“The one with eyes like the petals of a lotus was about to leave. However, he looked at him with compassion and lingered on. Since he loved virtuous people, he did not leave. Because his eyes were overflowing with tears, the original king could not see him. Since his voice choked with tears, he could not say anything. He joined his hands in salutation and stood there, embracing Hari in his heart. He then wiped away the flowing tears and saw Purusha standing before him, his feet touching the ground and the top of his hand resting on the enemy of serpents. ¹⁴³³ Prithu was not satisfied and said, ‘O lord! The lords who grant boons result from your boon. Confused by the transformation of gunas within his own self, which learned person will seek a boon from you? O lord! O bestower of kaivalya! Embodied beings who go to hell also enjoy them. I will not ask for these. O protector! If I can taste the asava of your lotus feet, which flows from the hearts of great ones and emerges through their mouths, I do not desire any of that. Give me the boon of ten thousand ears so that I can hear about your glory. O Uttamashloka! Emerging from the mouths of great ones, drops of the nectar from your lotus feet are borne by the wind. It again brings back memory to those who have forgotten about the true path, the bad yogis. This restoration is sufficient boon for us. O one who knows about qualities! If one can manage to hear about the excellent account of your auspicious fame in an assembly of noble ones even once, unless he is an animal, which person will desire a cessation of that? Even Shri wishes to receive the accumulation of your qualities. I hanker to worship the complete Purushottama, who is a reservoir of qualities, just as the one with the lotus in her hand ¹⁴³⁴ does. Since we are competing for the same master, let there be no quarrels between her and me. We are both single-minded in our attention to your feet. O lord of the universe! Even though we wish to perform a little bit of this worship, the mother of the universe ¹⁴³⁵ may be angry with us. But you are extremely devoted to the distressed. Since you possess your own powers, why are you content with her? Virtuous people worship you in this way and dispel the confusion that is created by maya and the gunas. O illustrious one! We do not know if virtuous people have any other motive than that of remembering your lotus feet. I think your words confound the universe. You have told your devotee, “Ask for a boon.” If people are not bound by what has been said in your words, who will be confused and perform the rites? ¹⁴³⁶ O lord! People are separated because of your maya. An ignorant person desires everything other than his atman. Just as a father himself acts for the welfare of his child, you should also act on our behalf.’ The one who sees the entire universe was thus worshipped by the original king and replied, ‘O king! You will remain devoted towards me. You will possess the good fortune of acting with your intelligence immersed in me. You will cross over my maya, which is so very difficult to cross. O lord of subjects! Therefore, without any distractions, carry out my commands. People who act in accordance with my instructions, obtain benefits everywhere.’ He honoured the words spoken by Vena’s son, the royal sage, who worshipped him. Having shown him his favours, Achyuta made up his mind to leave. Since his mind looked on all of them as manifestations of the lord of sacrifices, the king joined his hands in salutation and devotedly worshipped the divine rishis, the ancestors, the gandharvas, the Siddhas, the charanas, the serpents, the kinnaras, the apsaras, the mortals, the birds and all the other kinds of creatures with sweet words. Worshipped thus, all of them followed Vaikuntha. The illustrious Achyuta robbed the hearts of the royal sage and the priests and returned to his own abode. He had revealed himself to the king, who bowed down to the one who cannot be seen and is not manifest, the god of the gods. After this, he went to his own city.”’

Chapter 4(21)

‘Maitreya said, “It ¹⁴³⁷ was decorated with pearls, flowers, garlands, silk garments and golden arches. Here and there, it was embellished with great fragrances and incense. The highways, quadrangles and roads were sprinkled with water mixed with sandalwood and aloe and beautified with flowers, unhusked grain, fruits, minerals, parched grain and lamps. There were pillars of plantain trees and clean areca nut trees with fruits and flowers. Everywhere, it was decorated with garlands made out of the tender leaves of trees. The subjects received him with collections of lamps and an infinite number of auspicious objects. There were beautiful maidens ornamented with sparkling earrings. There were the sounds of conch shells and drums. Officiating priests chanted sounds of the brahman. The brave one was devoid of pride. Praised in this way, he entered his residence. Here and there, immensely illustrious ones honoured him and he honoured back the inhabitants of the city and the countryside, happily giving them whatever would please them. He was the greatest of the great and right from the beginning, had repeatedly performed many unmatched tasks. He ruled the globe of the earth and obtained pervasive fame, eventually ascending to the supreme state.”’

Suta said, ‘Kousharava praised the original king, who possessed great fame because of a large number of qualities, qualities that were praiseworthy. At this, Kshatta, the great devotee of the illustrious one, praised the master of the assembly ¹⁴³⁸ and spoke to him. Vidura said, “Prithu was instated by the brahmanas and obtained a great deal of praise from the gods. He was radiant because of Vaishnava energy and used his hands to milk the earth. What experienced man will not listen to his deeds? All the other kings and the guardians of the world survive on his valour even now, obtaining their wishes. Tell me about his auspicious deeds.”

‘Maitreya continued, “He resided in the region that was between the rivers Ganga and Yamuna. Desiring to exhaust his store of good deeds, he enjoyed only what had matured. ¹⁴³⁹ Everywhere, in all parts of the land, in the seven dvipas, he alone was the one who wielded the rod of chastisement. ¹⁴⁴⁰ The only ones who could counter him were those born from lineages of brahmanas and those who were from Achyuta’s gotra. ¹⁴⁴¹ Once, he consecrated himself for a great sacrifice. O excellent one! The residents of heaven, brahmana rishis and royal sages assembled there. There, everyone was honoured according to what he deserved. In the midst of the assembly, like the lord of the stars amidst the stars, he stood up. He was tall and his arms were thick. He was fair. His eyes were like red lotuses. He possessed an excellent nose and a handsome face. He was amiable and his shoulders were rounded. His teeth and his smile were beautiful. His chest was broad and his loins were wide. His beautiful stomach had three lines, like the leaf of a banyan tree. His shining navel was deep, like a whirlpool. His thighs seemed to be made out of gold and his insteps were arched. The hair on his head was fine, curly, glossy and dark. His throat was like a conch shell. He wore two extremely expensive silken garments, a lower garment and an upper garment. Because of the rituals he had followed, many beautiful signs could be seen on his body. He had cast aside his ornaments. He was attired in black antelope skin. With a blade of kusha grass in his hand, he performed the required rites. He glanced around with eyes that were like stars in a sky wet with dew. He spoke to the assembly in a loud voice and delighted them. The words were beautiful, clear and with colourful quatrains, deep and certain in their import. It was as if he was saying this for the sake of everyone’s welfare.

‘“The king said, ‘O members of the assembly! O fortunate ones! Listen to me. You virtuous ones have assembled here. If virtuous people ask about dharma, a person must answer according to his own learning. In this world, I have been instated as a king who wields the rod of chastisement over subjects. I must protect their respective means of subsistence and establish their separate ordinances. Those who know about the brahman speak about worlds. If I perform my tasks properly now and if the one who sees everything is pleased, I will obtain my objects of desire there. If a king collects taxes and does not instruct subjects about dharma, he forfeits his own good fortune and shares in the sins committed by the subjects. O subjects! Therefore, for the sake of your own benefit and as a funeral offering towards your master, ¹⁴⁴² you must turn your intelligence towards Adhokshaja. That will be a favour to me. O unblemished ancestors, gods and rishi! Please approve of what I am saying. After death, equal fruits are obtained by the doer, the preceptor and the approver. O supreme among worthy ones! There are some who hold that there is a lord of sacrifices. Otherwise, in this world and in the next, how can there be worlds ¹⁴⁴³ that are as radiant as the moonlight? ¹⁴⁴⁴ Manu, Uttanapada, King Dhruva, the royal sage Priyavrata, my paternal grandfather Anga and others like Aja, ¹⁴⁴⁵ Bhava, Prahlada and Bali have held that the wielder of the mace exists. With the exception of those like Mrityu’s daughter’s son, ¹⁴⁴⁶ who deserves to be pitied, who are confused about dharma, it has generally been held that there must be a cause behind material objectives, ¹⁴⁴⁷ heaven and emancipation. If an ascetic has the intention of serving at his feet, the impurities of intelligence accumulated through many births, which increase day by day, are instantly cleansed, as if by the river ¹⁴⁴⁸ that emerges from the toes on his feet. The valour of such a man is enhanced and with all his impurities cleansed, his non-attachment and vijnana increase. He does not undergo the cycle of life, the source of hardships. Therefore, according to your occupations, minds, words, bodies, gunas and own deeds, worship him without any reservations. His lotus feet yield the objects of desire. Convinced that this will yield benefits, depending on your abilities, you will then obtain success. He is devoid of gunas, but he manifests himself as a sacrifice with qualities of many different kinds of material objects, traits, rites and chants. Such a sacrifice is accomplished with diverse signs and names. Though his own form is made out of pure concentrated consciousness, he accepts such sacrifices. The aggregate of material nature, time, hopes and dharma in physical bodies leads the consciousness to accept these. The lord visualizes different manifestations of the fruits of these rites, just as, depending on the qualities of the wood, the fire blazes inside it. Hari is the preceptor and lord of those who receive shares in sacrifices. ¹⁴⁴⁹ I am fortunate that those who have an association with me are showing me their favours by worshipping him incessantly on the surface of the earth, following their own dharma and firm in their vows. The devotees of the unvanquished one and noble brahmanas who possess tolerance, austerities and learning are resplendent. Let the energy and great power of royal lineages not seek to surpass them. Hari is the ancient Purusha and even that divinity is always devoted to brahmanas. It is by worshipping at their feet that he obtained Lakshmi, who never leaves him, fame and the supreme greatness that purifies the universe. He completely rules himself and resides in all hearts. The lord of every kind of desire loves brahmanas and is content when they are served. Therefore, humbly and with all your souls, serve brahmana lineages. That is supreme dharma. By continually having an association with them and serving them, a man can immediately achieve satisfaction of the soul and automatic personal serenity. Among those who accept the oblations of clarified butter, is there any superior mouth? The infinite one accepts oblations of clarified butter that are offered faithfully, using the mouths of those who indeed know about the truth. The one who does not abandon his devotees is not that pleased with oblations offered into the mouth of the fire, rendered without consciousness. A brahmana’s purity is eternal because of his faith, austeries, auspiciousness, silence, control and concentration. His insight illuminates the true objective, like the reflection in a mirror. O noble ones! Right up to the end of my life, I wish to bear on my crown the dust from the lotus feet of those who illuminate. This quickly destroys all sins. One must worship those who possess all the qualities. A person who has acquired good qualities, is a store of good conduct, is grateful and is a refuge for the aged, certainly obtains prosperity. I wish that the lineages of brahmanas, cattle and Janardana and his followers should be satisfied with me.’”

‘Maitreya continued, “When the king said this, the ancestors, the gods and the brahmanas were satisfied and delighted in their minds. Those virtuous ones applauded his virtuous words. The learned saying, ‘One can conquer the worlds through a son’, is true. Though the wicked Vena was slain through the curse of brahmanas, he overcame the darkness. Because he censured the illustrious one, Hiranyakashipu was also about to enter darkness, but was delivered because of the influence of Prahlada, his son. ‘O noble and brave one! ¹⁴⁵⁰ O father of the earth! May you live for an eternal number of years, since you display this kind of devotion towards Achyuta, the lord of all the worlds. O one who is auspicious in deeds! With you as our protector now, it is as if Mukunda is our protector. Your words have described the divinity, Uttamashloka Vishnu, who is devoted to brahmanas. O protector! However, this is not extraordinary, since you rule over living creatures. You are devoted to your subjects and your nature is great and full of compassion. O lord! On account of our past deeds and touched by destiny, we were wandering around, with our insight destroyed. It is wonderful that you have made us cross this increasing darkness. O one with an elevated spirit! O glorified person! Through your own energy, you maintain brahmanas, kshatriyas and vaishyas. We bow down to you.’”’

Chapter 4(22)

‘Maitreya said, “When the citizens were praising Prithu, whose valour was pervasive, four sages arrived there and they were as radiant as the sun. With his followers, the king saw those unblemished lords of the Siddhas, whose radiance illuminated the worlds, descend from the sky and recognized them. Just as the lord of senses rushes towards the objects of the senses, Vena’s son was eager to see them and instantly stood up, along with all his followers who were there at the assembly. They were worshipped in the proper way and accepted the offerings and the seats. Completely overpowered by their glory, he ¹⁴⁵¹ humbly lowered down his head. He took the water that had washed their feet and sprinkled it over the hair on his head. He was good in conduct and with his conduct, accorded them respect. They sat down on those golden seats, like sacrificial fires on altars. Delighted and full of devotion and control, he addressed Bhava’s elder brothers. ¹⁴⁵²

‘“Prithu said, ‘O reservoirs of everything auspicious! This is wonderful. Since I have been able to see you, who even yogis find it difficult to see, I must have performed auspicious deeds. If brahmanas like you, and Shiva and Vishnu who follow you, are pleased, what will be difficult to obtain in this world and in the next? Even though you roam the worlds, people cannot see you, just as the omniscient cause of everything is in all atmans, but cannot be seen. Even if a householder possesses no riches, he is certainly blessed if the master of the house and his servants have water, grass and land in the house, which can be used to honour worthy and virtuous ones who visit. However, even if a house possesses every kind of wealth in abundance, if it does not have sacred water with which the feet of those whose feet are like tirthas can be washed, that house is like a tree inhabited by venomous serpents. O best among brahmanas! Welcome. Since childhood, you have followed vows of emancipation. Your conduct has been faithful and persevering. Because of our own deeds, we have descended into these hardships. O protectors! We have taken the satisfaction of the senses as the objective. Can there be welfare for us? Since you find delight in your own atmans, there is no need to ask questions about your welfare. Your minds and intelligence are such that the question of good fortune and misfortune does not arise. Therefore, I confidently look on you as well-wishers of those who are tormented and am questioning you. How can welfare be ensured quickly? It is evident that the illustrious one, who has no birth, shows favours towards his devotees and manifests his atman in the atmans of those like you, who roam around in the form of Siddhas.’”

‘Maitreya continued, “Prithu’s words were full of meaning, brief, spoken well and sweet. Hearing what he had said, Sanatkumara smiled slightly. Delighted, he replied.

‘“Sanatkumara said, ‘O great king! With the welfare of all creatures in your mind, you have asked an excellent question. You are learned. ¹⁴⁵³ The intelligence of the virtuous is like this. When two virtuous ones meet each other, it is good for both. The resultant conversation and questioning enhances every person’s tranquility. O king! You mention an attachment for speaking about the qualities of the lotus feet of Madhu’s enemy. This unwavering devotion is extremely difficult to find. It washes away the impurities of lust and desire that exist in the inner recesses of the heart. The sacred texts have perfectly considered the causes for human welfare and have arrived at definitive conclusions—non-attachment to everything other than the atman and firm attachment to the atman and the nirguna brahman, devotion, the observance of dharma towards the illustrious one, inquiry about the adhyatmika, faith in yoga, worship of the lord of yoga, continuous listening to auspicious and sacred accounts, reluctance to associate with those who seek gratification in wealth or in the senses, avoiding and not accepting objects that such people seek for gratification, love for solitude, except at times when the nectar of Hari’s qualities can be drunk, non-violence, following the conduct of paramahamsas, remembering Mukunda, drinking the best of nectar in the form of his exploits, yama, niyama, refraining from slander, lack of desire towards objects in this world, tolerance of the opposites, ¹⁴⁵⁴ repeated filling up of the ears with a recital of his qualities, bending down before him, unadulterated detachment towards apparent existence and non-existence and easy devotion towards the nirguna brahman. If a man has unwavering love for the brahman, through a preceptor, he obtains knowledge and non-attachment. Just as a fire burns down the source of its birth, ¹⁴⁵⁵ the power of these burns down the impotence of the heart and the sheath of the subtle body, which consists of the five subtle elements. When this sheath is burnt down, he is liberated from all the differences that existed between the jivatman and the paramatman and from the gunas. This is like a man who sees his dream destroyed in front of him. He can then see himself, the objects of the senses and what is superior to both of these. A man thus sees nothing other than what has been designated as the truth. It is because of differences that a reflection is seen differently in water and in something else. ¹⁴⁵⁶ When differences do not exist, a man sees no difference between himself and someone else. If one is attracted to the objects of the senses, the mind thinks about them and is agitated. Consciousness and intelligence are lost, like canals draining out water from a pond. One can no longer remember one’s consciousness. Knowledge is disturbed and memory is destroyed. When these are obstructed, the wise say that the atman itself has been lost. In this world, there is nothing more destructive of a man’s self-interests than loving something that is an impediment to self-realization of the atman. For men, thinking about wealth and the objects of the senses destroys all other objectives. With both jnana and vijnana destroyed, he enters immobile births. ¹⁴⁵⁷ Those who wish to cross the terrible darkness must never be attached to anything. That is an impediment towards attaining dharma, artha, kama and moksha. Among these objectives, moksha is regarded as the most important. The other three objectives are always associated with the fear of Death. Irrespective of being a superior or an inferior creation, ¹⁴⁵⁸ one is affected by the transformations of the gunas. Therefore, there is no peace and the lord ¹⁴⁵⁹ destroys any benefits that may have been obtained. O Indra among men! He is in everything immobile and mobile, covered with bodies, sense organs, the breath of life, intelligence and the ego. He is inside all hearts. He knows about the kshetra and controls it. He is everywhere in the universe. Know the truth that the illustrious one shines everywhere in the universe. Know that you are no different from him. He manifests himself as the one who leads to cause and effect. When intelligence is affected by his maya, a garland appears like a snake, but can be distinguished with clear discrimination. He is always free and pure. He is the unadulterated and pure truth. He overcomes Prakriti, contaminated by karma. Surrender to him. With devotion, enjoy the toes of his lotus feet, which are like petals. Devotees can uproot the firm bonds of karma. Even if a person continually tries to stem the floods of attachment to the objects of the senses, if his mind is not attached to Vasudeva, he does not succeed. Therefore, worship him as the refuge. Those who have not sought refuge with the lord find this ocean of life to be a great hardship. It is extremely difficult to cross. The six are like crocodiles. ¹⁴⁶⁰ Therefore, you should worship the lotus feet of the illustrious Hari. He is like a boat one can use to cross the hardships that are extremely difficult to cross.’”

‘Maitreya continued, “Kumara, Brahma’s son, who possessed true knowledge about the atman, instructed him about the path to realize the atman. The king praised him and replied.

‘“The king said, ‘O brahmana! O illustrious one! Earlier, Hari, who is compassionate towards those who are in distress, showed me his favours. You have now come here to complete the task. You have carried everything out completely. You are as compassionate as the illustrious one. Everything that I possess, including my own self, is a leftover from virtuous ones. ¹⁴⁶¹ What can I give you? O brahmana! My life, my wife, my sons, my house, my garments, my kingdom, my army, the earth and the treasury—I am offering everything to you. The command of the army, the kingdom, the right to exert the rod of punishment and suzerainty over all the worlds should be given to a person who knows about the Vedas and the sacred texts. A brahmana himself eats, clothes himself and himself gives. Kshatriyas and the other varnas enjoy because of his favours. People like you know about the atman and about the movements of the illustrious one. With a complete understanding of the sacred texts, you have explained these to us. Filled with unlimited compassion, may you always be satisfied with what you yourself do. But for some water cupped in my palms, what can I possibly offer you in return?’”

‘Maitreya continued, “They were lords of yoga who knew about the atman and were thus worshipped by the original king. They praised his good conduct and while people looked on, left through the sky. Vena’s son, greatest among the great, was firm in what he had learnt about adhyatma. Having realized his own atman, he thought that he had obtained everything. He performed the required deeds, appropriate to the time, the place and his capacity. As was proper and according to his riches, he performed worship towards the brahman. Controlled and without any attachment, he vested all fruits in the brahman. He took his atman to be beyond Prakriti and only a witness to the action. He remained a householder and his kingdom was full of prosperity. However, like the sun, his mind had no sense of ego and was not attached to the objects of the senses. In this way, engaged in the yoga of adhyatma, he performed his deeds. Through Archi, he had five sons whom he respected—Vijitashva, Dhumrakesha, Haryaksha, Dravina and Vrika. But Prithu alone was the one in whom the qualities of all the guardians of the world were combined. For the sake of protection, from time to time, Achyuta, the creator of the universe, manifests his own self. Amiable in qualities, he ¹⁴⁶² delighted the subjects through his thoughts, words and deeds. The king thus obtained the name that he was a second King Soma. Like the sun, he heated the earth and received only for the sake of giving back wealth. His energy was as invincible as that of Agni. He was as difficult to defeat as the great Indra. He was like the earth in forgiveness. In granting the wishes of men, he was like heaven. Like Parjanya, he showered and satisfied desires. He was as difficult to understand as the ocean. In his spirit, he was like the king of the mountains. ¹⁴⁶³ He was like Dharmaraja ¹⁴⁶⁴ in his learning. He was as wonderful as the Himalayas. His treasury was like that of Kubera. In secret treasures, he was like Varuna. In strength, great energy and an ability to go anywhere, he was like Vayu. He was as irresistible as the illustrious god, the lord of the bhutas. ¹⁴⁶⁵ He was as handsome as Kandarpa. ¹⁴⁶⁶ He was as spirited as a king of deer. He was like Manu in his affection towards men. He was like the illustrious Aja ¹⁴⁶⁷ in his lordship. In knowledge of the brahman, he was like Brihaspati. In control of the atman, he was like Hari. In devotion to cattle, preceptors, brahmanas and followers of Vishvaksena, and in modesty, gentle behaviour and trying for others, he was comparable only to his own self. Here and there in the three worlds, men loudly chanted his praise. It entered through the ears of women, just as accounts of Rama do to the virtuous.”’

Chapter 4(23)

‘Maitreya said, “On one occasion, Vena’s son, who knew about his own self, saw that he had become old. The lord of subjects ensured unlimited prosperity for everything that he had himself created, ¹⁴⁶⁸ the mobile and immobile objects in the world. He ensured a means of subsistence for those who followed dharma. He had been born for the purpose of accomplishing the commands of the lord and he implemented these. He gave the earth, who was like his own daughter and seemed to be weeping because of the separation, to his sons. The subjects were distressed. Alone, with his wife, he went to a grove. He followed rituals approved of by the vaikhanasas there. With the intensity he had earlier shown in his own conquests, he started austerities. He ate bulbs, roots and fruits. Sometimes, he only ate dry leaves. For some fortnights, he only drank water and ate nothing. For others, he survived only on air. In the summer, the brave one tormented himself with five fires. ¹⁴⁶⁹ During the monsoon, the sage exposed himself to the rain. In the winter, he immersed himself in water up to the neck. He slept on the bare ground. He tolerated these and controlled his senses. He held up his seed and controlled his breath of life. He performed these excellent austerities and worshipped Krishna. Through these, he progressively purified himself. He destroyed the impurities of his store of karma. Through pranayama, he controlled the six categories. ¹⁴⁷⁰ He severed all bondage. He followed the supreme path of adhyatma that the illustrious Sanatkumara had spoken about. Through this yoga, the bull among men worshipped Purusha. Faithfully, the virtuous one followed the dharma of worshipping the illustrious one. His devotion became fixed on the illustrious brahman and on nothing else. Through these perfect activities, his mind was purified and filled with sattva. He only remembered the illustrious one. His sense of knowledge and non-attachment was sharpened. He severed the sheath of the jivatman and all doubts were dispelled. All identification with the body was destroyed and he realized the nature of the atman. He had no desires. Through this knowledge, he severed and gave up the path of yoga too. ¹⁴⁷¹ If, without any deviation, a person is interested in the exploits of Gaja’s elder brother, he is not attached to anything else. In this way, the foremost among brave ones engaged the atman with the atman. ¹⁴⁷² Firmly immersed in the brahman, he gave up his own body. He blocked the anus with his heels and pushed up the vital air. He held it at the navel, the heart, the throat and the head, progressively and gradually pushing it up. ¹⁴⁷³ He gradually pushed it up to the crown of the head and became free from all desire. He merged the breath of his life with Vayu, his body with the earth and his energy with Agni. In this way, the gaps in his body were merged with space and the liquid parts with water, each division going back to its origin—earth into water, water into fire, fire into air and air into space. The mind was merged into the senses and the senses into the tanmatras, from which, they had evolved. Having merged the objects of the senses and the elements, he merged everything into Mahat tattva. Then he merged this, the source of all gunas, into the being who is full of maya. Through his knowledge, non-attachment and valour, the lord obtained the self-realization of the atman and transcended everything men are subject to. He realized his true nature.

‘“His wife, the great queen known by the name of Archi, followed him to the forest. She was delicate and her feet did not deserve to touch the earth. She followed the dharma of being extremely devoted to her husband. She served him and followed him in whatever he subjected his body to. She was not afflicted, nor did she suffer from any torment. She was content with the pleasant touch of her beloved’s hand. She noticed that her husband’s body had decayed, without any signs of consciousness. She had loved the lord of the earth as much as she had loved her own self. After lamenting for a while, she placed the body on a funeral pyre on the summit of a mountain. Bathing in the water of a lake, she performed the prescribed rites. She offered water to her husband, the performer of generous deeds. She worshipped the gods who were in heaven. Thinking of her husband’s feet, she circumambulated the fire thrice and entered it. There were thousands of gods, the bestowers of boons, and the wives of those gods. On seeing that the virtuous lady had followed Prithu, her husband and supreme among brave ones, they praised her. They showered down flowers on the summit of Mandara. While the celestial trumpets were sounded, they conversed with each other. The goddesses said, ‘This wife, who served her husband, the lord of all the kings, with all her soul, is blessed. She is like Shri, the wife of the lord of sacrifices. This virtuous one is certainly headed upwards, following her husband, Vena’s son. Behold. Through her inconceivable deeds, Archi is surpassing all of us. Mortals have an uncertain lifespan on earth. However, if they seek the path of liberation at the feet of the illustrious one, there is nothing that cannot be achieved by them. The life of a human on earth is a great opportunity to follow the path of liberation. However, if a man is attached to the hardships that come from pursuing material objects, he deceives himself and is like an enemy to his own atman.’ Praised by the immortal women, the wife went to her husband’s superior world, obtained by Vena’s son, who realized the atman and sought refuge with Achyuta.

‘“Such was the extremely great Prithu, an excellent devotee of the illustrious one. He possessed greatness of conduct and I have described his conduct to you. If a person attentively and faithfully reads this extremely pious account, hears it or expounds it, he obtains the status obtained by Prithu. A brahmana obtains the radiance of the brahman, a king becomes the lord of the earth, a vaishya who reads it becomes a master of animals and a shudra obtains a prominent position. After hearing this account thrice, a man or a woman who does not have offspring, obtains excellent offspring and a person without riches obtains the best of wealth. A person whose deeds are not known of obtains great fame. A stupid person becomes learned. This account confers benedictions and counters anything inauspicious faced by men. It brings riches, fame, a long lifespan and heaven, and removes the impurities of kali yuga. Those who desire complete success in pursuing dharma, artha, kama and moksha should listen to it faithfully. This is supreme in accomplishment of the four objectives. A king who is seeking victory should listen to it. The kings will bring tribute in front of him, just as they did to Prithu. As one faithfully hears or reads the auspicious account of Vena’s son, one obtains freedom from attachment, unadulterated devotion to the illustrious one and undertakes acts faithfully. O Vichitravirya’s son! I have described this great account, which brings greatness. If a mortal person makes up his mind in this way, he obtains Prithu’s destination. If a person lovingly listens to Prithu’s account or narrates it day after day, he is freed from attachment. He develops devotion towards the illustrious one, whose feet are like a boat to cross the ocean of life. Such a man develops complete attachment towards him.”’

Chapter 4(24)

‘Maitreya said, “Vijitashva, the son of Emperor Prithu, was extensive in his fame. He was affectionate towards his brothers and put his younger brothers in charge of the directions. Haryaksha was given the eastern direction and Dhumrakesha the southern. The lord gave the western direction to Vrika and the northern to Dravina. From Shakra he obtained the power of making himself invisible and was thus known as Antardhana. ¹⁴⁷⁴ Through his wife Shikhandini, he obtained three sons who were extremely well regarded. Earlier, these had been the fire gods, Pavaka, Pavamana and Shuchi. They were born in this way because of Vasishtha’s curse and using the path of yoga, got back their original status. Through his wife Nabhasvati, Antardhana also had a son named Havirdhana. Though he had known that Indra had stolen the horse, he had not killed him. ¹⁴⁷⁵ He thought that the king’s duties, extracting tribute and taxes and using the rod of chastisement, were extremely terrible. Therefore, he abandoned them and undertook a long sacrifice. In the course of this sacrifice, he realized his atman and worshipped the perfect Purusha, the paramatman. Through his meditations, he easily obtained his world. O Vidura! Through his wife Havirdhani, Havirdhana had six sons—Barhishad, Gaya, Shukla, Krishna, Satya and Jitavrata. O extender of the Kuru lineage! The extremely fortunate Barhishad, Havirdhana’s son, became a lord of subjects. He immersed himself in rites and in yoga. He continuously sacrificed, and worshipped the gods. The earth was always covered with kusha grass, with the tips of the blades pointing to the east. ¹⁴⁷⁶ On the advice of the god of the gods, ¹⁴⁷⁷ he married Shatadruti, the daughter of the ocean. She was beautiful to behold, charming in all her limbs, but was still young. At the time of the marriage, adorned in beautiful ornaments, she circumambulated Agni, who fell in love with her, as he had done with Shuki. ¹⁴⁷⁸ The gods, the asuras, the gandharvas, the sages, the Siddhas and the serpents were captivated by the bride, when the directions tinkled with the bells on her anklets. Through Shatadruti, Prachinabarhi had ten sons. All of them had the same name. All of them observed identical vows. All of them were immersed in dharma. They were the Prachetas. When their father commanded them to have children, they entered the ocean and performed austerities there. They worshipped the lord of austerities ¹⁴⁷⁹ for ten thousand years. Along the path, they had met Girisha and had pleased him. Controlling themselves, they meditated, chanted and worshipped according to what he had said.”

‘Vidura asked, “Along the way, how did the Prachetas meet Girisha? O brahmana! Pleased, what did Hara tell them? Tell me the import. O brahmana rishi! For embodied beings, a meeting with Shiva is indeed extremely difficult. The sages meditate, desiring such a meeting. The illustrious Bhava is satisfied within himself. However, for the maintenance of the worlds, he travels around, with the terrible Shakti.”

‘Maitreya continued, “The virtuous Prachetas accepted the words of their father. Firm in their minds about performing austerities, they left for the western direction. They saw an extremely large and extensive lake that was almost like an ocean. It was full of sparkling water and as clear as the mind of a great person. There were blue and red water lilies born from the water, lotuses that bloom in the night and blue lotuses. There were the sounds of swans, cranes, chakravakas and karandavas. There were creepers and trees and their body hair seemed to stand up in joy at the humming of the crazy bees. As if at the time of a festival, the wind flung up pollen from the lotuses in all directions. The princes were astounded to hear the divine singing of gandharvas, pleasant to the mind. Drums and kettledrums were being played. They saw the three-eyed Shitikantha emerge from the lake, with his attendants. The best among immortals was being praised by the followers of the gods. ¹⁴⁸⁰ They saw his excellent face, ready to grant favours. Filled with curiosity, they bowed down before him. The illustrious Hara removes the afflictions of those who are afflicted and those who are devoted to dharma. Because of their knowledge of dharma and their good conduct, he was pleased. Delighted, he spoke to them.

‘“The illustrious Rudra said, ‘You are the sons of Vedishad. ¹⁴⁸¹ I know what you wish for. O fortunate ones! It is to show you favours that I have revealed myself to you. The illustrious and supreme Vasudeva is beyond the three gunas that living entities are characterized by. ¹⁴⁸² Anyone who seeks refuge directly with him is loved by me. If a man is devoted to his own dharma, after one hundred births, he reaches Virinchi. If he goes beyond that, he obtains me. If he does not deviate and is devoted to the illustrious one, he obtains the Vaishnava world, which gods like us obtain after the universal destruction. You are devoted to the illustrious one. I love you as much as I do the illustrious one. Those who are devoted to the illustrious one do not love anyone as much as they love me. This is a special chant, sacred and extremely auspicious. It brings great benefit. I will recite it for you. Listen.’”

‘Maitreya continued, “With kindness in his heart, the illustrious Shiva, who was devoted to Narayana, said this, while the princes joined their hands in salutation.

‘“The illustrious Rudra said, ‘Victory to you. ¹⁴⁸³ You are most noble among those who know about the atman. You are auspicious. May I be blessed. You are the perfect one who should be worshipped. You are in all atmans. I bow down before you. I bow down before the one who has a lotus in his navel. You control the subtle elements and the sense organs. You are the tranquil Vasudeva. You do not change. You illuminate yourself. I bow down to Samkarshana, the subtle and invincible destroyer. I bow down to Pradyumna, who awakens the universe and is inside every atman. I bow down. I bow down to Aniruddha, the one who controls the mind and the sense organs. I bow down to paramahamsa, the complete one who is not affected. I bow down to the one who is the gate to heaven and liberation, the one who is always present among those who are pure. I bow down to the one with the golden seed, the one who gives power to the four kinds of officiating priests. I bow down to the one who provides energy to the ancestors, the lord of the three ¹⁴⁸⁴ and the seed of the sacrifice. You are the one who provides satisfaction to all living beings. I bow down to the one who is in all atmans. You are the one who is the body of all beings and all the diverse material objects. I bow down to the one who is the protector of the three worlds and the lord of prowess and strength. Your signs reveal every kind of meaning. You are the sky. I bow down to the one who is inside and outside. I bow down to the immensely radiant one who provides all the auspicious worlds after death. You are pravritti and nivritti. You are the rites towards the gods and the ancestors. I bow down to the one who is Death, the one who provides misery as a consequence of adharma. I bow down to the one who is the lord of all benedictions. You are Manu. You are the cause of everything. I bow down to Dharma, the great one. You are Krishna, the infinitely intelligent one. You are the ancient Purusha. You are the lord of samkhya and yoga. You are the store of the three kinds of capacity. ¹⁴⁸⁵ You are Mrida, ¹⁴⁸⁶ the lord of ahamkara. You take the forms of knowledge and eagerness to act. I bow down to the one who manifests himself in different kinds of speech. Show yourself to us. We wish to see you in the form in which devotees worship you. Your agreeable form has all the senses and the gunas and is most loved by those who are devoted to you. Your form is gentle and dark, like clouds during the monsoon. You are an accumulation of everything that is beautiful. Your four-armed form is graceful. It is excellently shaped, with a handsome face. Your eyes are like the inner petals of a lotus. Your eyebrows are beautiful and your nose is excellent. Your teeth are beautiful and your forehead is handsome. You are adorned with symmetric ears. Your sidelong glances are affectionate and you seem to smile. Your flowing locks enhance your beauty. Your shining yellow and silk garments are like the filaments of a lotus. You are adorned with dazzling earrings. Your diadem, bracelets, necklace, anklets and girdle sparkle. You look even more beautiful because of the conch shell, chakra, mace, lotus and a garland of excellent jewels. Your shoulders are like those of a maned lion. You wear the extremely fortunate Koustubha around your neck. Shri is never distanced from you and surpasses the radiance of the stone used to test for gold. ¹⁴⁸⁷ His acts of puraka and rechaka lead to a ripple in the three lines on the stomach, which is as beautiful as the leaf of a banyan tree. The deep and whirling eddy in his navel seems to withdraw the universe into it. Your hips are dark blue and are covered with a yellow and silken garment, with a golden girdle atop it. Because of symmetric and beautiful feet, shanks, thighs and insteps, you are extremely handsome. The nails on your feet are as beautiful as the petals of an autumn lotus. Their radiance dispels all the impurities that are inside us. So as to destroy all hardships, reveal your own form. O preceptor! You are the refuge. As a preceptor, reveal the path to those suffering from darkness. Those who desire purification for themselves must meditate on this form. While they perform their own dharma, bhakti yoga brings freedom from fear. All embodied beings find it extremely difficult to reach you, but those who are devoted can obtain you. Even the king of heaven seeks you. You can be obtained by those who single-mindedly seek self-realization. You are extremely difficult to worship and even the virtuous find it hard to reach you. But for single-minded devotion at your lotus feet, what external object can be desired? Death destroys the universe with a movement of his eyebrows, displaying his valour and prowess. But even he does not dare to destroy someone who has completely surrendered to you. A momentary association with those who are devoted to the illustrious one is superior to heaven, or being freed from rebirth on earth. What other benediction can a mortal person desire? Your lotus feet are praised as a tirtha. Bathing there, internal and external impurities are cleansed. ¹⁴⁸⁸ Let there be benedictions for those who are extremely good in conduct. Grant us the favour of an association with them. If a person’s intelligence is not bewildered by external objectives and if he is not stuck in the cave of tamas, he enters the state of purification. Through bhakti yoga, he obtains the favours and is delighted. Such a sage sees that there is no objective other than you. This universe is your manifestation. You pervade the entire universe. You are the supreme brahman. Like the sky, your resplendence extends everywhere. Using your maya, you created many kinds of forms. You are also the one who maintains and without acting, you are the one who destroys. You are eternal and not affected, but you create this sense of differentiation. O illustrious one! We know that you are the one who controls your own self. With devotion, learned yogis, who pursue action and processes, ¹⁴⁸⁹ worship you for success. The Vedas and the tantras state that you are the one who controls the elements, the senses and the mind. You are the original being, with your capacity dormant. You divide it into sattva, rajas and tamas. From this is evolved Mahat, ahamkara, space, fire, wind, water and earth, the gods, the rishis and the large number of creatures. As your own portions, you used your own powers to create and enter the four types of beings. ¹⁴⁹⁰ This is known as the Purusha who exists within, who enjoys the senses, like honey collected by bees. All these worlds are extremely terrible in their force. In the course of time, you are the one who destroys them, like a dense mass of clouds dispelled by the irresistible wind. This is your true nature in beings, but beings can only infer it. ¹⁴⁹¹ Those who are mad think loudly about what should be done. In a desire for material objects, their avarice increases. Without being distracted, as death, you seize them suddenly, like the flickering tongue of a hungry snake that grabs a rat. Which learned man will neglect and discard your lotus feet in favour of a decaying body? Our father ¹⁴⁹² worshipped you without any hesitation and so unhesitatingly, did the fourteen Manus. For those who are learned, you are our brahman and our paramatman. The universe is scared of Rudra. But you are the destination who grants freedom from fear. O fortunate ones! O sons of a king! Perform your own dharma and purifying yourselves, chant this. Worship the illustrious one as a refuge. You are the atman who is inside all beings. You are established in all beings. Chant and worship him. Incessantly meditate on Hari. I have instructed you about the chant known as yogadesha. O ones who observe the vows of sages! Remember it. Control your intelligence. All of you should study this respectfully. In ancient times, the illustrious lord and creator of the universe taught us, Bhrigu and the other sons, this. They were entrusted with the task of creation and desired to create. When all of us, the lord of subjects, were instructed to create subjects, this destroyed the darkness and we were able to create different kinds of beings. Therefore, a man must always attentively chant this, being devoted to Vasudeva. He will then swiftly ensure well-being. Knowledge that leads to supreme benefit is best among all kinds of learning. This knowledge is like a boat that crosses the ocean of hardship, which is so very difficult to cross, and achieves happiness. I have chanted this song, a prayer to the illustrious one. If a person studies this faithfully, he will worship Hari, who is so very difficult to worship. From him, a man will quickly obtain everything that he desires. When he chants my song, the single lord will be extremely delighted and will bestow everything beneficial. If a mortal person wakes up at the right time and joining his hands faithfully, hears it or makes it heard, he is freed from the bondage of action. O those who bring delight to the king! My song is a prayer to the supreme being, the paramatman. Chanting this with single-minded attention is a great austerity. If you practise this, at the end, you will obtain everything that you wish for.’”’

Chapter 4(25)

‘Maitreya said, “The illustrious one instructed the sons of Barhishad in this way and was worshipped by them. While those princes looked on, Hara instantly disappeared. All the Prachetas immersed themselves in water and performed austerities for ten thousand years. They chanted the prayer recited by the illustrious Rudra. O Kshatta! In his mind, Prachinabarhi was attached to various rites. Narada, who knew the truth about adhyatma, took pity on him and sought to wake him up. ‘O king! What benefit do you desire for the atman by performing these acts for fruits? The end of unhappiness and obtaining happiness are the best benefits. But those cannot be obtained through these.’ The king replied, ‘O immensely fortunate one! I do not know what is superior to these. My intelligence is entangled in these rites. Tell me about unadulterated knowledge, so that I can be freed from these rites. As a householder, one is engaged in deceitful acts, pursuing sons, wives and riches as objectives. Such foolish people roam around on the road of samsara and do not attain the supreme.’

‘“Narada said, ‘O king! O lord of subjects! Behold the animals being slaughtered at your sacrifice. Thousands of large numbers of living beings are being killed mercilessly. They remember your cruelty and are waiting. When you die, their rage will be aroused and they will pierce you with their horns. In this connection, I will tell you about an ancient history. This is about Puranjana’s conduct. Listen attentively to my words. O king! There was a king named Puranjana and his fame was extensive. He had a friend named Avijnata, since his activities could not be detected. ¹⁴⁹³ Searching for a refuge, the lord wandered around the entire earth. He could not find anything that appealed to him and he became distressed in his mind. He desired to satisfy his desires and did not think that any of the cities on earth were good enough to satisfy what he was after. On one occasion, on the southern slopes of the Himalayas, he saw a city with nine gates and it possessed all the auspicious marks. ¹⁴⁹⁴ There were ramparts, gardens, mansions, moats, windows and arches. There were many houses everywhere and the tops of the houses were made out of gold, silver and iron. There were assembly halls, quadrangles, highways, gambling houses, markets, dwelling houses, decorations of flags and festoons, places without trees ¹⁴⁹⁵ and platforms. Outside the city, there was a grove filled with celestial trees and creepers. There was a lake filled with the calling of birds and the humming of bees. The banks of the lake were beautiful because of trees. Their branches fluttered because the cool breeze brought with it spray from waterfalls and the fragrance of flowers. The forest was filled with many animals. However, these didn’t cause an impediment because they followed the vows of sages. ¹⁴⁹⁶ Travellers thought they were being invited by the calling of cuckoos. He saw a beautiful woman there, wandering around as she pleased. There were ten servants with her and each was the husband of one hundred wives. ¹⁴⁹⁷ In every direction, she was guarded by a serpent with five hoods. ¹⁴⁹⁸ She could assume any form at will. She was young and was searching for a husband. Her nose was excellent. Her teeth were excellent. She was young, with an excellent forehead. Her face was beautiful. Her ears were symmetric, ornamented with shining earrings. Around her beautiful hips, the maiden ¹⁴⁹⁹ wore a yellow garment, with a golden girdle atop it. When she walked, like a resident of heaven, the anklets on her feet tinkled. Her breasts were rounded, with the signs of youth and with no space between them. As she walked like a female elephant, out of shame, she covered them with the end of her garment. Her smile was bashful and charming.

‘“‘Her sidelong glances were like arrows shot from the bow of her eyebrows. The brave one was smitten by love and addressed her in gentle words. “O one with eyes like the petals of lotuses! Who are you? Whom do you belong to? Where have you come from? O timid one! What do you wish to do in this city? Tell me. Who are the ten great warriors who follow you? Who is the eleventh? O one with the excellent eyebrows! Who are these women? Who is the serpent preceding you? Are you Hri, Bhavani or the goddess of speech? ¹⁵⁰⁰ Wandering like a sage in this forest, are you searching for a husband? Has he satisfied all his wishes at your lotus feet, which are desirable? Are you the one who resides on a lotus ¹⁵⁰¹ and has the lotus been dislodged from your hand? O one with the beautiful thighs! Since your feet touch the ground, you cannot be any of these. With me, supreme among brave ones and glorious in his deeds, you should decorate this city, just as Shri ornaments the supreme world, along with the lord of sacrifices. Your bashful and sidelong glances have excited my senses. Your smiles and eyebrows have bewildered me. Touched by you, the illustrious Manobhava ¹⁵⁰² has agitated me. O beautiful one! Show me your favours. Your face is charming, with the excellent eyebrows. Your eyes have excellent pupils. Your face is encircled by locks of bluish-black hair. O one with the beautiful smiles! Because of your shyness, you are not looking at me.” Like an impatient person, Puranjana beseeched the woman. She was also bewitched by the brave one. She smiled and greeted him. “O bull among men! We do not accurately know who our creator is. Nor do we know ourselves, or others, our gotras, our names, or who has created us. We know that we exist here now and we do not know anything beyond that. O brave one! We do not know who constructed this city, where we seek a refuge for ourselves. O one who grants honours! These men and women are my male and female friends. When I sleep, they remain awake. This serpent guards the city. O fortunate one! It is good fortune that you have come here. O destroyer of enemies! With my friends, I will provide you with whatever ordinary sensual pleasures you wish to satisfy. O lord! Please reside in this city with nine gates. For one hundred years, I will bring you all the objects of desire. Accept them. How can I enjoy those with a person who does not know about sexual pleasures, a person who is ignorant about the next world and does not look forward to the future? Such a person is like an animal. One obtains dharma, artha, kama, joy from offspring, immortality and fame in this world, without any sorrow and without any disease. Those who know about kaivalya are ignorant of that. It is said that in this world, the welfare of ancestors, gods, rishis, living beings and one’s own self is ensured by a mortal person through the state of a householder. O brave one! You are famous and handsome. Why will a person like me not accept a beloved husband like you? O mighty-armed one! O one whose arms are like the coils of a serpent! Which woman on earth will not be attracted to the idea of being embraced by your arms? Through your favours, you are adequate to remove the hardships of those who are without a protector. You roam around, with your smiling glances.” O king! Thus, the couple entered into an agreement there.

‘“‘They entered the city, enjoying themselves there for a hundred years. Here and there, singers praised him in pleasant notes. When it was too hot, surrounded by women, he would enter the lake. Seven of the gates of the city were above and two were below. ¹⁵⁰³ All these were for different purposes and the lord used them accordingly. O king! Five gates were to the east, one was to the south, one was to the north and two were to the west. I will describe their names to you. ¹⁵⁰⁴ Khadyota and Avirmukhi were two gates to the east that were fashioned together. ¹⁵⁰⁵ Using these, with his friend Dyumat, he used to go to the region named Vibhrajit. Nalini and Naalini were two gates to the east, fashioned together. ¹⁵⁰⁶ With his friend Avadhuta, he used these to go to the region named Sourabha. The fifth gate in front was named Mukhya. ¹⁵⁰⁷ With Rasajna and Vipana, the king of the city used these to go to the regions named Apana and Bahudana. O king! The southern gate of the city was known as Pitrihu. ¹⁵⁰⁸ Along with Shrutadhara, Puranjana used this to go the region of Dakshina Panchala. The northern gate of the city was known as Devahu. ¹⁵⁰⁹ Along with Shrutadhara, Puranjana used this to go to the region of Uttara Panchala. To the west was the gate named Asuri. ¹⁵¹⁰ Accompanied by Durmada, Puranjana used this to go to the region named Gramaka. ¹⁵¹¹ To the west was also the gate named Nirriti. Accompanied by Lubdhaka, Puranjana used this to go to the region named Vaishasa. Among the citizens who were blind, there were two named Nirvaka and Peshaskrita. ¹⁵¹² Though he possessed eyes, the lord used to go and act with them. Sometimes, accompanied by Vishuchina, he went to his inner quarters. When he went there, through his wife and children, confusion, satisfaction and joy would result. With desire in his heart, the ignorant one was thus deceived and attached to action. The king did exactly what his queen desired. When she drank, he would drink liquor and become senseless and intoxicated. When she ate, he ate. When she chewed, he chewed. Sometimes, when she sang, he sang. Sometimes, when she wept, he wept. Sometimes, when she conversed, he conversed. When she chattered, he chattered. When she ran, he ran. When she stood, he stood. When she lay down on the bed, he lay down. When she was seated, he sat down. Sometimes, when she heard, he heard. When she saw, he saw. Sometimes, when she smelt, he smelt. Sometimes, when she touched, he touched. Sometimes, when his wife grieved, he too grieved like a distressed person. When she enjoyed, he enjoyed. When she was happy, he was happy. He was thus captivated by his queen and his nature was deceived in every possible way. Though he didn’t wish it, like an ignorant person, he followed her. He was as helpless as a domesticated animal.’”’

Chapter 4(26)

‘“Narada said, ‘One day, the great archer was astride his chariot, yoked to five horses and was advancing swiftly. There were two shafts, two wheels, one axle, three bamboo poles, five joints between the yoke and the pole, one rein, one charioteer, one seat, two poles for the yoke, five types of weapons, seven bumpers and five kinds of movement. He was adorned in golden ornaments. His armour and inexhaustible quivers were made out of gold. There were eleven commanders and he went to the forest of Panchaprastha. ¹⁵¹³ Proud, he picked up his bow and arrows and wandered around on a hunt. He was greedy for the unsavoury act of hunting. Though she did not deserve it, he abandoned his wife. He followed the conduct of asuras. His heart was terrible and he was without compassion. Using his sharp arrows, in that forest, he killed many forest dwellers. It is decreed that in the waterholes in a forest, a king may kill animals required for a sacrifice, but only as much as is required for the purpose. It is the rule that one should not kill out of greed. O Indra among kings! If a learned man knows and performs acts in accordance with the rules, he is not touched by those acts. However, if a man is overwhelmed by pride and acts in a contrary way, he is bound by those acts. He descends into the flow of the gunas. With his wisdom destroyed, he heads downwards. Arrows whetted on stone mangled the bodies of many with colourful feathers. There was destruction of the distressed ones. Those who had compassion in their hearts found this impossible to tolerate. He killed hares, boars, buffaloes, oxen, ¹⁵¹⁴ ruru antelopes, porcupines and many other animals, regardless of whether they could be used for sacrifices. After this, he was overcome by exhaustion. Hungry, thirsty and tired, he withdrew and returned to his residence. Having returned, he bathed and ate the appropriate food. All his exhaustion went away. As is proper, he adorned himself with scents, unguents and garlands. Having adorned all his limbs in this excellent way, his mind started to search for the queen. He was content and happy. He was extremely proud and his mind was affected by Kandarpa. He did not see the beautiful one, the mistress of the house of a householder. O Vedishad! Distressed in his mind, he asked the women in the inner quarters. “O beautiful women! As used to be the case earlier, is all well with you and your mistress? Unlike earlier, the prosperity of this household is not attracting me any more, since the house is without a mother and a wife who regarded her husband as a divinity. It is like a shattered chariot. What wise man will reside here, like a miserable person? Where is that beautiful lady? When I am submerged in an ocean of hardships, she saves me. At every step, she illuminates my intelligence.” The women replied, “O lord of men! We do not know why your beloved is behaving in this way. O destroyer of enemies! Behold. Without a spread, she is lying down on the bare ground.” Puranjana saw his own queen on the ground, resembling an avadhuta. He was attached to her and he was crushed. Not knowing the reason, he was filled with great bewilderment. With his heart shattered, he spoke to her in soft and comforting words. However, there were no signs that his beloved was feigning this because of love. The brave one, who knew how to beseech, entreated her in slow words. He touched her feet. Making her sit on his lap, he embraced her and spoke to her. Puranjana said, “O beautiful one! When servants commit an inauspicious act, if their masters do not impose punishment on their wrongdoing, taking them to be their own, the servants do not learn from the punishment and are unfortunate. Punishment is a supreme favour imposed on the servant by the master. O slender one! A person who does not take this to be a friendly act is foolish. You possess excellent teeth and charming eyebrows. Please smile and cast a loving and bashful glance at me. Your dark locks hang down, like a mass of bees. Your beautiful face has a tall nose. O spirited one! Reveal your face to those who are your own. O wife of a brave person! Other than those who are gods on earth, ¹⁵¹⁵ if there is anyone who has committed an offence against you, I will punish him. I will ensure that he does not obtain freedom from fear and since I am a servant of Muraripu, ¹⁵¹⁶ will see that he does not obtain happiness in the three worlds or anywhere else. I have not seen your face so faded and distressed, without a tilaka mark. ¹⁵¹⁷ Because of rage, it seems terrible. It is without radiance and without affection. I have never seen your well-formed breasts suffer so much because of grief. ¹⁵¹⁸ Your lips are like bimba fruit, but they are bereft of their reddish tinge. O loved one! Show me your favours. I have committed a crime. Overwhelmed by desire, I acted on my own and went on a hunt. Suffering from the force of flowery weapons, ¹⁵¹⁹ I am under your subjugation. My patience has been shattered. Acting according to duty, which beautiful woman will not unite with such a husband?”’”’

Chapter 4(27)

‘“Narada said, ‘O great king! In this way, Puranjani ¹⁵²⁰ used her charms to bring Puranjana under her control. She enjoyed herself, finding pleasure with her husband. O king! The queen, the one with the beautiful face, bathed herself well and approached the king, having performed the benedictions. He was content and welcomed her. Embraced by her, he embraced her shoulders. Bereft of his senses, he used loving words to converse with her in private. He did not realize the passing of time, which is so very difficult to cross. Night and day, he was captivated by the lady. The great-minded one was overwhelmed by this confusion. Using his queen’s arms as a pillow, he lay down on an extremely expensive bed. The brave one thought that she was supreme. Overcome by tamas, he no longer understood what was his and what belonged to someone else. ¹⁵²¹ With his senses overcome by the sin of desire, he pleasured with her. O Indra among kings! His youth passed away, as if it was but half a kshana. O king! Through Puranjani, Puranjana had eleven hundred sons. However, half of his life was over. O lord of subjects! In this way, through Puranjani, he had eleven hundred daughters and they brought fame to their father and mother. They possessed good conduct and noble qualities. The lord of Panchala ¹⁵²² wished to extend the lineage of his fathers. He had his sons married to wives and his daughters were married to grooms who were their equals. Each of those sons had a hundred sons. In this way, Puranjana’s lineage increased in the land of Panchala. He became attached to material objects and had a strong sense of “mine”. They ended up destroying his riches. He was attached to his home, his riches and those who lived on them. He consecrated himself for terrible sacrifices and rites, at which, animals were killed. Just like you, he worshipped gods, ancestors and the lord of bhutas. Thus, he was attached to his relatives and became inattentive. Those who love women find a certain time ¹⁵²³ unpleasant and that arrived.

‘“‘O king! There was a lord of the gandharvas and his name was Chandavega. This powerful one had an army consisting of three hundred and sixty gandharvas. ¹⁵²⁴ There were a similar number of gandharva women who were united with them. Some were dark and some were light. Together, they surrounded the city and plundered all the objects of desire. When Chandavega’s followers started to plunder Puranjana’s city, the large serpent tried to counter them. The powerful protector of Puranjana’s city fought with the seven hundred and twenty gandharvas for one hundred years. However, his friend was fighting single-handedly with many and his strength decayed. At this, his kingdom, city and relatives, were afflicted and filled with great anxiety. However, with his companions in Panchala, he ¹⁵²⁵ was like a person who subsisted on the honey of the city. He had been conquered by a woman. Since tribute was brought to him, he did not realize the fear. O Barhishad! Kala had a daughter. ¹⁵²⁶ Desiring a husband, she roamed around in the three worlds. However, no one wished to accept her. Because of her misfortune, she was known in all the worlds as Durbhaga. ¹⁵²⁷ Satisfied with the royal sage, Puru, she once granted him a boon. ¹⁵²⁸ On one occasion, I had come down from Brahma’s world to earth. Though she knew that I was following a great vow, ¹⁵²⁹ overcome by desire, she sought me. She became extremely angry with me and invoked a curse on me, extremely difficult to withstand. “O sage! Since you have refused me, from now, you will not be able to remain at the same place for a long time.” Her wishes were not satisfied. However, instructed by me, she approached the lord of the Yavanas, named Bhaya, as her husband. ¹⁵³⁰ “O bull among Yavanas! ¹⁵³¹ O brave one! I will accept you. You are the husband I wish for. If living beings make up a resolution about you, it is never rendered unsuccessful. Two kinds of foolish people are lamented about—those who do not give, and those who do not receive, in accordance with the norms laid down in the sacred texts, that is, those who do not desire to follow these modes. O fortunate one! Therefore, since I am offering myself to you, accept me. Take compassion on me. It is the dharma of a man to show compassion towards the afflicted.” The lord of the Yavanas heard the words that Kala’s daughter had spoken. He wished to carry out the secret task of the gods. He smiled and addressed her. “After thinking about it, I have determined a husband for you. This is despite people disrespecting you and not welcoming you because of your misfortune. Adopt a progress that cannot be detected. This world is determined by karma. Aided by my soldiers, without any obstructions, you will be able to destroy beings. This is my brother, Prajvara. ¹⁵³² Become his sister. Both of you roam around in this world, accompanied by my terrible soldiers, ¹⁵³³ who cannot be detected.”’”’

Chapter 4(28)

‘“Narada said, ‘O Barhishad! Bhaya’s soldiers were the agents of destiny. With Prajvara and Kala’s daughter, they travelled around the earth. O king! Once, they used terrible force to lay siege to Puranjana’s city. It was full of objects of pleasure and was guarded by the serpent who had turned old. With her force, Kala’s daughter took over Puranjana’s city. Whichever man was overpowered by her, instantly lost his powers. From all the directions, the Yavanas took possession. They entered through the gates and caused great suffering everywhere in the city. Puranjana was obsessed with himself and was oppressed by them. Attached to his relatives and with a sense of “mine”, he suffered from many kinds of torments. Embraced by the maiden, he lost his beauty. Addicted to material objects, he was miserable. His wisdom was destroyed. He lost his prosperity because of the force of the Yavanas and the gandharvas. He saw that his own city was devastated by the adversaries. His sons, grandsons, followers, advisers and wife were disrespectful and lost their affection. He was himself devoured by the maiden and those in Panchala were tarnished by the enemy. He was overcome by insurmountable thoughts, but could find no means of countering. He still hankered for objects of desire, but he was miserable because the maiden made them seem stale. He did not know what would happen to him. Though he tended to his sons and wive, he lost his affection for them. He was attacked by the gandharvas and the Yavanas and he suffered because of Kala’s daughter. Unwillingly, the king decided to abandon the city. At that time, Prajvara, Bhaya’s elder brother, arrived. Wishing to do what would bring pleasure to his brother, he burnt down the entire city. When it was on fire, the citizens, the attendants, the relatives and the followers suffered from the heat, as did the king. The Yavanas attacked his residence. He was devoured by Kala’s daughter. Prajvara approached the city. The protector of the city ¹⁵³⁴ was aggrieved to see this. He was unable to protect the city any longer. Suffering, with great difficulty, he tried to leave, as if he was trying to escape from a fire in the hollow of a tree. But his limbs had become feeble. He had been robbed of his virility by the gandharvas. O king! Confined by his enemies, the Yavanas, he started to weep. There was a little bit left—daughters, sons, grandsons, daughters-in-law, sons-in-law, the home, wealth and belongings. Having been a householder and having accepted notions of “I” and “mine”, his intelligence was wicked. The time for separation from his wife arrived and he was miserable. He thought, “While I leave for the next world, my wife will be without a protector. She will grieve over her children. How will she maintain herself? She does not eat until I have eaten. She does not bathe until I have bathed. She is devoted to me. If I am angry, she is extremely scared. When I reprimand her, she is silent. When I do not know, she advises me. When I am not around, she is filled with sorrow. She is the mother of brave sons. How will she sustain the status of a householder? My miserable sons and daughters are dependent on me. When I have left, how will they sustain themselves? They will be in an ocean, with a broken boat.” In this way, with a miserable mind, he lamented, though he should not have done so. Having made up his mind to seize him, Bhaya approached him. Like an animal, the Yavanas dragged him away to their own abode. Sorrowing and afflicted by grief, his followers followed him. The serpent, which had also been obstructed, abandoned the city and departed. After this, the city was broken down and became one with nature. He was forcibly dragged by the powerful Yavanas. Overwhelmed by tamas, he did not remember his former well-wisher and friend. ¹⁵³⁵ Having been cruel, he had slaughtered many sacrificial animals. They remembered his crimes and angrily sliced him with axes. For many years, he was submerged in a darkness that extended up to infinity. He lost his memory. Having been tainted because of his association with women, he suffered for eternity.

‘“‘Her thoughts had been fixed in his mind. ¹⁵³⁶ Therefore, thereafter, he was born in Vidarbha in Rajasimha’s house, as a beautiful woman. ¹⁵³⁷ Malayadhvaja, the king of Pandya, was a conqueror of enemy cities. He vanquished the kings and married the princess of Vidarbha through the viryashulka mode. Through her, he had a black-eyed daughter. There were also seven sons who were younger and they became kings of the seven Dravida countries. O king! Each of those sons had millions of sons. Their descendants will enjoy the earth until the next manvantara. Agastya married the daughter who was born first. She was firm in her vows. Dridhachyuta was born from her and he had the sage Idhmavaha as his son. Malayadhvaja, the royal sage, divided up the entire earth among his sons. After this, so that he could worship Krishna, he went to Kulachala. ¹⁵³⁸ The princess of Vidarbha, with the intoxicating eyes, abandoned her home, sons and the objects of pleasure. Like moonlight following the moon, she rushed after the lord of Pandya. The rivers Chandravasa, Tamraparni and Vatodaka are there. He always used those auspicious waters to cleanse himself. He subsisted on bulbs, seeds, roots, fruits, flowers, leaves, grass and water. Because of the austerities he resorted to, his body gradually became emaciated. He became impartial in his attitude towards opposites—cold and heat, wind and rain, hunger and thirst, pleasant and unpleasant and happiness and unhappiness. Through austerities, learning, niyama and yama, he burnt up impurities and united himself with the brahman. He conquered his breath of life and consciousness. For one hundred celestial years, he remained in the same spot, like a pillar. He did not have attraction for anyone other than the illustrious Vasudeva. He realized the pervasive atman and all differences within his own atman. Like a witness, he saw everything as if in a dream, and ceased all action. O king! The illustrious Hari directly instructed him as a preceptor. The lamp of pure knowledge, which illuminates all directions of the universe, was ignited in him. He saw the supreme brahman within his own atman and his own atman in the supreme brahman. He gave up his consciousness and withdrew from everything. The princess of Vidarbha looked upon her husband, Malayadhvaja, as supreme among those who knew about dharma. Looking upon her husband as a divinity, she lovingly tended to him and gave up all objects of pleasure. She attired herself in bark and became emaciated because of her vows. She did not braid her hair. Remaining near her husband, she was tranquil, like the flames of a quiet fire. The maiden did not know that her beloved had given up his body, since he was seated in that steady posture. She conducted herself just as she used to do earlier. However, while she tended to her husband, she could no longer feel the heat in his legs. Her heart became anxious, like a doe that has strayed from the herd. Distressed and without a relative, she grieved. Incapacitated, she sprinkled her breasts with her tears. Alone, she wept loudly. “Arise! O royal sage! Wake up. This earth, with the ocean as a girdle, is terrified of bandits and kshatra-bandhus. You should save it.” Having followed her husband to that desolate spot, the lady lamented in this way. She fell down at her husband’s feet. She cried and tears flowed down from her eyes. She used wood to build a funeral pyre and placed her husband’s body on this pyre. She lit it and, lamenting, made up her mind to follow him in death.

‘“‘There was a brahmana who had realized his atman. He had once been a friend. ¹⁵³⁹ O lord! At that time, he arrived there and comforted the weeping one. He addressed her in sweet and assuring words. The brahmana said, “Who are you? Whom do you belong to? You are grieving over the one who is lying down here. Who is he? Don’t you recognize me as a friend with whom you used to wander around earlier? O friend! Can you remember your friend Avijnata? You wished to be attached to earthly pleasures. You abandoned me and went in search of that. O noble one! You and I were swans, two friends who resided in Lake Manasa. But for one thousand years, both of us have been separated from our original residences. O friend! Your mind turned to carnal pleasures. You left me and went to earth. While you were wandering around there, you saw a place that was constructed by a woman. There were five gardens, nine gates, one protector, three chambers, six families and five marketplaces. It was made out of the five elements and a woman was the mistress. O lord! The gardens are the objects of the five senses. The gates are the nine apertures for the senses. The three chambers are fire, water and earth. The families are the collections of the senses. ¹⁵⁴⁰ The marketplaces are the organs of action, where beings transact according to their capacity and nature. The man is truly the lord of all the powers. However, having entered there, he does not comprehend. You were touched by that lady. While you pleasured with her, you forgot all your learning. O lord! Because of your association with her, you have been reduced to this wicked state. You are not the daughter of Vidarbha, nor is this brave one your well-wisher. You are not Puranjani’s husband. You have been confined by these nine gates. It is because of the maya created by me that you think of yourself as a man or a virtuous woman. You are neither. Both of us are swans. ¹⁵⁴¹ Behold our true nature. I am you. Behold. You are no different from me. Those who are wise do not detect the slightest bit of difference between us. In a mirror, a man can use his eyes to see one or two. The difference between us is just like that.” In this way, the swan from Manasa obtained knowledge from the swan. He realized his own true nature. He regained his memory, lost because of the separation. O Barhishad! This adhyatma has been explained to you indirectly. That is because the illustrious god, the creator of the universe, prefers to remain indirect.’”’

Chapter 4(29)

‘“Prachinabarhi said, ‘O illustrious one! We haven’t understood your words completely. The wise may be able to comprehend it, but not those like us, who are confounded by karma.’

‘“Narada replied, ‘Know that the being Puranjana creates a city for himself—with one leg, two legs, four legs, many legs, or no legs. ¹⁵⁴² The friend of the being, described as Avijnata, is the lord himself. Living beings cannot know him through names, acts or attributes. When a being desires to enjoy all the gunas of Prakriti, he accepts that nine gates, two hands and two feet are the most appropriate form. One should know the maiden as Buddhi, who creates the feeling of “I” and “mine”. With that presiding over the body, the being enjoys the qualities of the senses. The male friends are the senses, who ensure knowledge and action, while the female friends are their conduct. The serpent is prana, with its five kinds of flows. One should know the great commander as the mind, the leader of both types of senses. The Panchala kingdom is one where one enjoys the five objects of the senses. In its midst is the city with nine gates—the two eyes, the two nostrils, the two ears, the mouth, the genital organs and the anus. Some of them are in pairs. In association with the respective sense, the breath of life goes out through these. The eyes, the nostrils and the mouth are the five gates towards the east. The right ear is considered as the gate towards the south and the left ear as the gate towards the north. The anus and the genital organs are regarded as the two gates towards the west. Khadyota and Avirmukhi are two gates that have been fashioned together. Through these eyes, the lord visualizes form and the region known as Vibhrajit. Nalini and Naalini are the two nostrils and smell is the region known as Sourabha. Avadhuta is the faculty of smelling. The gate Mukhya is the mouth, Vipana is the organ of speech and that of taste is Rasavit. ¹⁵⁴³ Apana is the conduct of the tongue, while Bahudana is the many kinds of eatable objects. The right ear is known as Pitrihu, while the left ear is Devahu. The rites of nivritti and pravritti, mentioned in the sacred texts, are known as Panchala. Hearing these, and accompanied by Shrutadhara, one follows the path of the gods or the path of the ancestors. The genital organs are Asuri. Foolish ones addicted to carnal pleasures use this to go to the region of Gramaka. The ability to procreate is spoken of as Durmada and the anus is said to be Nirriti. Vaishasa is hell and the ability to defecate is his friend, Lubdhaka. Hear from me about the two blind ones. For the being, these are the hands and the feet. Using these, he goes and does. The heart is the inner quarters. The mind is known as Vishuchi. Through its attributes, one obtains delusion, contentment and delight. One is made to act by her ¹⁵⁴⁴ qualities and accordingly, one does different things. In this way, though the atman is a witness, it is made to undertake different kinds of activities. The body is the chariot and the senses are the horses. Though one doesn’t actually move, the number of years is the span of life. Good and bad deeds are the two wheels. The three gunas constitute the standard. The five joints between the yoke and the pole are the five aspects of prana. The mind is the rein, intelligence is the charioteer, the heart is the seat and opposite sentiments are the two poles for the yoke. The five senses are the five kinds of weapons. The seven bumpers are the constituents of the body. ¹⁵⁴⁵ Akuti ¹⁵⁴⁶ is external motion. Using the eleven types of soldiers of the senses, ¹⁵⁴⁷ a being rushes after a mirage and takes pleasure in commiting the five kinds of killing. ¹⁵⁴⁸ The passage of time was symbolized by the year, Chandavega. He commanded the days, in the form of the male gandharvas, and the nights, in the form of the female gandharvas. There are three hundred and sixty of each and as they progress, they diminish the lifespan. The daughter of Kala is old age herself and no one welcomes her. For the sake of destruction, Mrityu, the lord of the Yavanas, accepted her as his sister. Mental and physical ailments are the soldiers of the lord of the Yavanas. Prajvara stands for the two types of fever ¹⁵⁴⁹ that make living beings suffer. In this way, destiny ensures that a being who is born suffers from many kinds of miseries for one hundred years. In the body, the jivatman is enveloped in darkness. It is nirguna, but the attributes of prana, the senses and the mind are imposed on the atman. It lies down in this bondage of desire and performs acts according to “I” and “mine”. The atman does not realize itself, or the illustrious one as the supreme preceptor. Though he is self-luminescent, Purusha surrenders to the gunas of Prakriti. He prides himself on his qualities and, helpless because of this, performs white, black and red acts. ¹⁵⁵⁰ His subsequent birth depends on his deeds. Because of white acts, he sometimes obtains the shining worlds. ¹⁵⁵¹ Because of black acts, he sometimes obtains regions that are full of terrible unhappiness and grief. Because of the wickedness in intelligence, he is sometimes a man, sometimes a woman and sometimes a eunuch. Depending on the qualities of the deeds, one becomes a god, a human or an inferior species. Suffering from hunger, a miserable dog goes from one house to another house. Roaming around in that way, he obtains punishment or food. Pursuing desire, a being travels on the superior path or the inferior path. Depending on destiny, he experiences pleasure or pain above, below, or in the middle. The living being cannot end sufferings from any of these—destiny, other creatures, or one’s own self. ¹⁵⁵² None of these can be countered. This is like a man bearing a heavy burden on his head. He sometimes places the burden down on his shoulder. All attempts to counter are like that. O unblemished one! An act can never be the ultimate counter to any other act. Both of these are the outcome of ignorance. It is like countering a dream with another dream. In the mind, the linga sharira wanders around in a dream. But in reality, this is non-existent and when the dream is over, it retreats. The being does not realize his atman and confronts a succession of unreal objects. This material existence will cease only if one faithfully resorts to the supreme preceptor. Controlling oneself, one must engage in bhakti yoga to the illustrious Vasudeva. Complete non-attachment and knowledge will then be generated. O royal sage! If one assiduously cultivates the faithful and listens to accounts of Achyuta, these are swiftly obtained. O king! There are places where virtuous and broad-minded devotees of the illustrious one gather to talk about the illustrious one’s qualities. One should hear those with an eager mind. The conduct of Madhu destroys flows in every direction from the mouths of those great ones. One should drink that incessant flow of nectar. O king! If one drinks this with an attentive ear and without being satisfied, one will never be touched by hunger, thirst, fear, sorrow or delusion. Those in the world of the living always suffer from many kinds of natural hardships. That is because they are not attracted to accounts of Hari, which are like an ocean of amrita. The lord of the Prajapatis himself, ¹⁵⁵³ the illustrious Girisha, Manu, Daksha and the other lords of subjects, Sanaka and the other faithful ones, Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Bhrigu, Vasishtha and others who know about the brahman, ending with me, are lords of speech. We have resorted to austerities, learning and meditation, but have even now, not been able to see him through these means. Even when we see him, we do not really see the true nature of the supreme lord. Superior persons may worship the one with extensive strides through chants of the brahman, mantras and other signs. However, his movements are beyond all these and they do not know the supreme one. If a person worships the illustrious one in his heart, he shows his favours. In such cases, the person’s mind turns away from the rituals mentioned in the Vedas. O Barhishad! Therefore, do not resort to ignorant acts, expecting fruits from these. The pursuit of fruits is pleasant to the ears. However, it is futile and cannot touch the real purpose. Such people do not know their own world, not to speak of the god Janardana. It is said that their intelligence is shrouded in smoke and without knowing, they follow the rituals of the Vedas. You have covered the entire surface of the earth with darbha grass, with the points of the blades pointing towards the east. You are proud that you have slaughtered a large number of animals. But you do not know karma and that which is superior to it. Karma is that which satisfies Hari. Knowledge turns the intelligence towards him. Hari is himself in the atmans of living beings and he is the lord of their natures. His feet are the refuge that bring benefit to men in this world. He is the most beloved atman. If one resorts to him, there is not the slightest bit of fear. A person who knows this is learned. For such a learned person, the preceptor is Hari. O bull among men! Your questions have thus been answered. I will now tell you about something that is secret and has been determined. Listen. There is a deer grazing in the refuge of a beautiful garden of flowers. It is grazing on grass and is attached to the doe. Its eyes are eager to listen to the humming of bees. It has not noticed the wolves, which survive on the flesh of others, in front, nor that it is likely to be pierced by the arrows of a hunter from the rear. O king! You should see yourself as the deer whose heart is likely to be pierced. The hunter who is following you at the rear is Death. Undetected, his arrows will rob you of your life. In your state as a householder, you have sought refuge with women, who are like flowers. The satisfaction obtained from acts of desire are as insignificant as the honey and fragrance from flowers. You are thinking of intercourse and the trifling happiness that desire provides to the tongue, or the genital organs. Like the bees, your mind is immersed in the sweet and attractive songs sung by the wife and by other women. You are excessively attracted to the conversations of people. While you are thus submerged, like a pack of wolves, days and nights and special units of time like lava are taking away your lifespan. Yet, you find pleasure in your home. Think of what you are doing as the activities of the deer. Fix your consciousness in the inside of your heart and the proclivities of the sense organs in your consciousness. Abandon this householder stage, associated with women. This is the worst of accounts, about the association between men and women. Gradually, detach yourself and seek the one who is the refuge of hamsas.’

‘“The king replied, ‘O brahmana! O illustrious one! I have heard and considered what you have said. The preceptors did not know about this. If they knew, why did they not tell me? O brahmana! You have severed a great doubt that they had created. Even the rishis are bewildered by the state where the senses cease to function. A man may begin an action in this life, but gives up his body. In the next life and in a different body, he reaps the fruits. Everywhere, those who know about the Vedas talk about this principle and it has been heard. It is said that when an act is performed, it is not directly visible.’ ¹⁵⁵⁴

‘“Narada said, ‘If an act is begun, a man enjoys the fruits in the next life too. There is no interruption because there is no change in the linga sharira and the mind. When a man lies down, he is sleeping and breathing, but forgets his identity. It is just like that. Action that has been undertaken is enjoyed by a different body. In his mind, a person says, “These are mine. This body is mine.” A man thus accepts the deeds that he has undertaken and this determines the nature of his future birth. One can think of two kinds of consciousness, resulting from the two types of senses. ¹⁵⁵⁵ From the way the consciousness behaves, one can infer the acts undertaken in a former life. Sometimes, we feel something that has not been seen or heard in the present body. Sometimes, in the mind, we see forms that we have not experienced. O king! That is the way the linga sharira determines the creation of the next body. Believe that it must have been experienced before. Otherwise, it would not have touched the mind. The mind indicates the past forms of a man. O fortunate one! It also tells us about who will take birth in the future and who will not take birth. Sometimes, things that have not been seen or not been heard here, are seen by the mind. It must be understood that these have a basis in acts performed in a different place and a different time. All the many acts that progressively come and go are experienced by the mind and the senses. They leave imprints in the minds of people. When the mind is fixed on sattva and one is near the illustrious one, because of the association with him, everything is illuminated. This is like the dark one being seen in the presence of the moon. ¹⁵⁵⁶ As long as a man is not disassociated from notions of “I” and “mine”, the gross body, an accumulation of intelligence, mind, the senses and their objects and gunas, continues. When a person is asleep or unconscious, when there is fever, or when one approaches death, the flow of the breath of life is obstructed and there is no sense of “I” and “mine”. In the womb and in childhood, because the eleven senses ¹⁵⁵⁷ are not fully developed, the linga sharira cannot be seen, just as the moon cannot be seen on the night of the new moon. In the cycle of life, the objects of the senses never withdraw. Even in one’s sleep, one thinks about objects of pleasure, or about catastrophes that might happen. The linga sharira consists of five subtle elements, the three gunas and modifications of the sixteen. ¹⁵⁵⁸ When this is united with consciousness, the jivatman is formed. It is through this ¹⁵⁵⁹ that a body is cast off and a new body taken up. This is the way one obtains joy, misery, fear, unhappiness and happiness. A caterpillar does not give up a blade of grass, but moves on. ¹⁵⁶⁰ Like that, even when a person dies, he does not give up the association with the former body. O Indra among men! Like that, until one has obtained another body, one cannot extinguish one’s karma. The mind is the reason for creatures being born and not being born. When one thinks about the pleasures from the objects of the senses, one frequently performs many kinds of acts. Because of these deeds, one is ignorant and binds oneself to these acts. Therefore, if you wish to counter the objects of the senses, with all your soul, worship Hari. Behold the universe as being under his control. Creation, preservation and destruction are dependent on him.’”

‘Maitreya continued, “The illustrious Narada, foremost among the devotees of the illustrious one, instructed him about the destination meant for hamsas. He then took his leave and went to the world of the Siddhas. Prachinabarhi, the royal sage, instructed his sons about protecting the subjects. He then went to Kapila’s hermitage to perform austerities. Free from attachment, with perseverance and single-mindedness, he worshipped Govinda’s lotus feet. With this devotion, he achieved tranquility. O unblemished one! The divine rishi himself sang about adhyatma. If a person hears it or narrates it, he is freed from his linga sharira. This account of Mukunda’s fame purifies the world. It flowed from the mouth of the noble and divine rishi and sanctifies the atman. If a person recounts it, he obtains Parameshthi. Freed from all bondage, he does not circle in the world any more. I have directly heard this extraordinary account of adhyatma. There is no doubt that a man can use this to free himself from association with women.”’

Chapter 4(30)

‘Vidura said, “O brahmana! Earlier, you have spoken about Prachinabarhi’s sons. You told me that they obtained success and satisfied Hari through the prayer sung by Rudra. O Brihaspati’s disciple! They obtained the beloved side of the lord of kaivalya, after having met the god Girisha by chance. Did the Prachetas obtain it in this life, or later?”

‘Maitreya replied, “The Prachetas wished to follow the instructions of their father. They entered the water, meditated and performed austerities. They thus satisfied the one who creates all living bodies. After ten thousand years were over, the eternal being appeared before them. His beauty calmed and pacified their hardships. He was astride Suparna’s shoulder, resembling a cloud atop the summit of Meru. He was attired in yellow garments and wore the gem ¹⁵⁶¹ around his neck. He dispelled the darkness of the directions. He was adorned with shining gold ornaments. His cheeks and face were radiant. His diadem glittered. He held eight weapons. ¹⁵⁶² He was followed and served by his attendants, sages and the foremost ones among the gods. Like a kinnara, Garuda sung his praise. His eight arms were long and thick and Lakshmi was in their middle, close to his chest. He wore a garland of wild flowers and its radiance rivalled that of Shri. Barhishad’s sons surrendered themselves to the supreme being. He glanced compassionately towards them and addressed them in a voice that rumbled like a cloud.

‘“The illustrious one said, ‘O fortunate ones! O sons of a king! Ask for a boon. Because of your fraternal relationship, all of you are separately following the same dharma. I am satisfied with your brotherly love. If a man remembers you every day at the time of sandhya, ¹⁵⁶³ he will love his brothers like his own self and be affectionate towards all creatures. If a person controls himself and chants Rudra’s prayer in the morning and in the evening, praising me, he will obtain every boon that he desires and excellent wisdom. You have happily accepted and followed the instructions of your father. Therefore, your unmatched glory will spread everywhere in the worlds. You will have a famous son, who will not be inferior in qualities to Brahma. He will populate the three worlds with his descendants. O sons of a king! Through Kandu, Pramlocha had a lotus-eyed daughter. ¹⁵⁶⁴ When she was abandoned by her mother, the trees accepted her. She suffered because of hunger. Driven by compassion, King Soma placed his finger in her mouth and this showered down nectar. You have been instructed by your father, who is my follower, to have offspring. Without any delay, marry that beautiful maiden. All of you follow identical dharma and are equal in good conduct. The slender-waisted one will dedicate herself to you. She will be your wife and will exhibit identical dharma and good conduct. Through my favours, your energy will not diminish and you will enjoy the earth for one million celestial years, enjoying divine objects of pleasure. Because of your single-minded devotion to me, you will not be contaminated by any impurities of the gunas. You will not be associated with hell and will obtain my abode. Even if a man is engaged in the householder state, but is accomplished in his deeds and spends all his time on my accounts, it is considered that he is not bound to the householder stage. If a person increasingly fixes Vishnu in his heart, those who know about the brahman say that this is the realization of the brahman. A person who attains this state does not grieve. He is not delighted or confused.’”

‘Maitreya continued, “The bestower of the ultimate goal of life, ¹⁵⁶⁵ Janardana, said this. The Prachetas joined their hands in salutation. Having seen him, their impurities of tamas and rajas were destroyed. In faltering words, they prayed to the best of friends.

‘“The Prachetas said, ‘We bow down before the one who destroys all hardships. We bow down before the generous one whose qualities and names have been enumerated. You are swifter than the speed of thoughts and words. We bow down before the one whose progress cannot be detected through any of the paths. We bow down before the one who is purity and serenity. You are established in your own position. It is because of the mind that you are manifested in this meaningless appearance of duality. We bow down before the one who creates, preserves and destroys the universe. Through your maya and gunas, you assume different forms. We bow down before the one who is pure sattva. You are Hari. You are the one who destroys the cycle of existence. You are Vasudeva. We bow down to Krishna, the lord of the Satvatas. We bow down before the one with the lotus in his navel. We bow down before the one who wears a garland of lotuses. We bow down before the one whose feet are like lotuses. We bow down before the one whose eyes are like the petals of lotuses. O illustrious one! You are the one who destroys many kinds of miseries and you have revealed yourself to us, who are suffering from hardships. What other kind of compassion can there be? O lord! O destroyer of everything inauspicious! Using our intelligence we must remember you at the right time and conceive you, because it is the truth that you are compassionate towards the distressed. This brings tranquility to creatures, even those who are the most inferior in this world. You are hidden in the inner hearts of everyone. How can you not know what we desire? O lord of the universe! You are the supreme benediction that we desire. O illustrious one! You are the preceptor and the recourse we seek. Show us your favours. O protector! You are the supreme, beyond the supreme. We seek a boon from you. Since there is no end to your powers, you are praised as the infinite one. When the parijata tree is easily obtained, a bee does not frequent any other tree. Since we have directly obtained shelter at your feet, what other boon shall we ask for? As long as we are touched by maya, we will circle around amidst these deeds. In every birth, may we obtain an association with those who are devoted to you. Even for a lava, ¹⁵⁶⁶ we do not regard heaven, or not being born, as comparable to an association with those who are devoted to the illustrious one. What other benedictions can mortals seek? When you are worshipped or talked about, the thirst for material objects is quenched. There is no enmity towards beings and no kind of anxiety there. This is the illustrious Narayana himself, the objective sought by those who have renounced. Those who have been freed from attachment repeatedly praise him through virtuous accounts. Such people roam around your feet, desiring to purify themselves, as at a tirtha. If someone is terrified, why will the assemblage of such devotees not appeal to him? We met the illustrious Bhava, your beloved friend, for a short instant. For those on earth, death is extremely difficult to cure. However, you are an excellent physician and we have now been able to reach you. O lord! Whatever we have studied, whatever good deeds we have always followed to please seniors, brahmanas and the aged, whatever humility we have exhibited towards noble ones, well-wishers and brothers, the lack of envy we have shown towards all beings, whatever excellent austerities we have used to torment ourselves, the fact that we have submerged ourselves in the water and not taken food for a very long time—may all this serve the purpose of your satisfaction. You are the supreme being and this is the boon that we seek. Manu, the illustrious Svayambhu, Bhava and others have purified their hearts with austerities and knowledge. But even they could not comprehend the limits of your greatness. According to our capacity, we chant your praise. We bow down to the one who is impartial and pure, the supreme being. We bow down to Vasudeva, who is sattva incarnate. We bow down to you, the illustrious one.’”

‘Maitreya continued, “The Prachetas praised Hari in this way. He was devoted to those who sought refuge and happily granted them what they wished. Their eyes were not satiated from looking at him. Though they did not wish it, the one with unvanquished valour left for his own abode. After this, the Prachetas arose from the water. They saw that the earth was covered with very tall trees that obstructed the space between earth and heaven. They were angry. O king! To remove trees from the earth, like the samvartaka fire ¹⁵⁶⁷ at the time of destruction, they angrily exhaled fire and wind from their mouths. They undertook this task of reducing the trees to ashes. On seeing this, the grandfather arrived there and used his reasoning to pacify Barhishad’s sons. The trees that remained were terrified. Instructed by Svayambhu, they bestowed their daughter on the Prachetas. Following Brahma’s instructions, they married Marisha. Since he had caused an act of great disrespect earlier, the one who had not been born from a womb was now born through a womb. ¹⁵⁶⁸ When Chakshusha manvantara arrives, the progress of time will destroy the earlier creation. Directed by the god, Daksha will then wish to create subjects. While he was being born, his radiance surpassed the energy of all those who possessed energy. Because he was accomplished in his deeds, he came to be known as Daksha. ¹⁵⁶⁹ The one without a beginning ¹⁵⁷⁰ instated him in the task of creating and protecting subjects. He also engaged others and Daksha was made the lord over all these Prajapatis.”’

Chapter 4(31)

‘Maitreya said, “After this, because they remembered what had been said by Adhokshaja, vijnana developed in them. ¹⁵⁷¹ They entrusted their son ¹⁵⁷² to their wife. They left their home. They left for the shores of the western ocean, where Jajali ¹⁵⁷³ had obtained success. They initiated themselves into knowledge about the brahman, so that they developed the intelligence to look upon all creatures as their own selves. They conquered their breath of life, their minds, their thoughts and their visions. They mastered the asanas and their bodies were peaceful and upright. They engaged their minds in the supreme and uncontaminated brahman. Narada, praised by the gods and the asuras, saw them. On seeing him come, they arose, prostrated themselves and greeted him. As was decreed, they worshipped him. When he was happily seated, they spoke to him.

‘“The Prachetas said, ‘O divine rishi! Welcome. It is our good fortune that we have seen you. O brahmana! You move around, ending fear, just as the sun does. We have been instructed by the illustrious Shiva and Adhokshaja. O lord! However, because we have been attached to the householder stage, we have almost forgotten it. Therefore, awaken the knowledge of adhyatma, the insight about the pure truth, in us. We will then easily cross over the ocean of life, which is so very difficult to cross.’”

‘Maitreya continued, “The Prachetas asked the illustrious sage, Narada, this. The illustrious one is immersed in Uttamashloka and spoke to the kings.

‘“Narada said, ‘If Hari, the atman of the universe, is served, the birth, deeds, lifespans, minds and words of men are truly successful. There can be three kinds of birth in this world—through semen, through initation ceremonies and through consecration in sacrifices. It is said that there are three kinds of rites. ¹⁵⁷⁴ But what use is this, or a lifespan like that of the gods, to a man? What purpose do learning, austerities, words, control over consciousness, intelligence, skill, strength and the power of the senses serve? What is the use of yoga, samkhya, sannyasa and studying? If a person does not satisfy himself with Hari, what is the point of other superior methods? Among everything, it is true that the atman is the best objective. Among all creatures, Hari, who can give us our atman, is the most loved. Watering the roots of a tree satisfies the trunk, branches and sub-branches. Like that, the nourishment of the breath of life nurtures the senses. Among all kinds of worship, that of Achyuta is the best. Water is generated from the sun and at the right time, enters creatures and mobile and immobile objects on earth. ¹⁵⁷⁵ In that way, the flow of gunas emerges from Hari. This universe is the abode of the supreme atman. Sometimes, the two seem different, like the radiance of the sun from the sun. The senses are awake, but their powers and objects of the senses are dormant during sleep. They do not seem to act. With knowledge, all perceptions of differences melt away. O kings! Clouds, darkness and light appear in the sky, but progressively, also vanish. In this way, the powers and flows of sattva, rajas and tamas appear in the supreme brahman. That unlimited and single atman is in all bodies. He is Time, the cause, Purusha and the supreme lord. He uses his own energy to destroy the flow of the gunas. Worship him with single-minded devotion. If one is compassionate towards all creatures, satisfied with anything and if one pacifies all the senses, Janardana is quickly pleased. He regards himself as being under the control of those who are devoted to him, those who call on him with constant and increasing contemplation. The undecaying one does not move out of the spaces in their hearts. He removes all the impurities in their atmans. He does not accept the offerings of those who are evil-minded. Hari loves those who possess no riches, but know that he is the essence of the wealth they should love the most. There are some wicked people who despise the virtuous because of their learning, riches, noble birth, deads and pride. But he does not accept their worship. Though Shri follows him, he is not attached to her. Nor does he care for the lords of men and gods who regard themselves as self-sufficient. He loves the large number of his servants, who are dependent on him. How can any grateful person give up such a being?’”

‘Maitreya continued, “O king! The sage, Svayambhu’s son, thus made the Prachetas and others hear the account of the illustrious one and went to Brahma’s world. This glory of Hari emerged from his mouth and removed the impurities of the world. Having heard, they meditated on his feet and went to his abode. O Kshatta! I have thus told you everything that you had asked about, the conversation between the Prachetas and Narada and Hari’s praise.”’

‘Shri-Shuka said, “O supreme among kings! The lineage of Uttanapada, Manu’s son, has been described to you. Now hear about Priyavrata. He obtained knowledge of adhyatma from Narada, but returned to earth. After enjoying it, he divided it among his sons and obtained the lord’s abode. Kshatta heard the virtuous account about the glorious and unvanquished one, described by Kousharava. His delight increased and tears flowed from his eyes. He bowed his head down at the sage’s feet and held Hari’s feet in his heart. Vidura said, ‘O great yogi! You have shown me compassion today. You have shown me the shore beyond the darkness, where Hari can be reached by those who are not interested in trifles.’ Having bowed down to him and having taken his leave, Vidura went to Gajasahvya. Though he no longer possessed any desires, he wished to see his relatives and kin. O king! If one hears this account of kings who have offered themselves up to Hari, one obtains a long lifespan, wealth, fame, good fortune, the destination of life and prosperity.”’

This ends the Fourth Skandha and Volume 1.