TEXT 1
TEXT
sri-suka uvaca
amsumams ca tapas tepe
ganganayana-kamyaya
kalam mahantam nasaknot
tatah kalena samsthitah
Sukadeva Gosvami continued: King Amsuman, like his grandfather,
performed austerities for a very long time. Nonetheless, he could not
bring the Ganges to this material world, and thereafter, in due course of
time, he died.
TEXT 2
TEXT
dilipas tat-sutas tadvad
asaktah kalam eyivan
bhagirathas tasya sutas
tepe sa sumahat tapah
Like Amsuman himself, Dilipa, his son, was unable to bring the Ganges
to this material world, and he also became a victim of death in due
course of time. Then Dilipa’s son, Bhagiratha, performed very severe
austerities to bring the Ganges to this material world.
TEXT 3
TEXT
darsayam asa tam devi
prasanna varadasmi te
ity uktah svam abhiprayam
sasamsavanato nrpah
Thereafter, mother Ganges appeared before King Bhagiratha and said, “I
am very much satisfied with your austerities and am now prepared to give
you benedictions as you desire.” Being thus addressed by Gangadevi,
mother Ganges, the King bowed his head before her and explained his
desire.
TEXT 4
TEXT
ko ‘pi dharayita vegam
patantya me mahi-tale
anyatha bhu-talam bhittva
nrpa yasye rasatalam
Mother Ganges replied: When I fall from the sky to the surface of the
planet earth, the water will certainly be very forceful. Who will sustain
that force? If I am not sustained, I shall pierce the surface of the
earth and go down to Rasatala, the Patala area of the universe.
TEXT 5
TEXT
kim caham na bhuvam yasye
nara mayy amrjanty agham
mrjami tad agham kvaham
rajams tatra vicintyatam
O King, I do not wish to go down to the planet earth, for there the
people in general will bathe in my water to cleanse themselves of the
reactions of their sinful deeds. When all these sinful reactions
accumulate in me, how shall I become free from them? You must consider
this very carefully.
TEXT 6
TEXT
sri-bhagiratha uvaca
sadhavo nyasinah santa
brahmistha loka-pavanah
haranty agham te ‘nga-sangat
tesv aste hy agha-bhid dharih
Bhagiratha said: Those who are saintly because of devotional service
and are therefore in the renounced order, free from material desires, and
who are pure devotees, expert in following the regulative principles
mentioned in the Vedas, are always glorious and pure in behavior and are
able to deliver all fallen souls. When such pure devotees bathe in your
water, the sinful reactions accumulated from other people will certainly
be counteracted, for such devotees always keep in the core of their
hearts the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who can vanquish all sinful
reactions.
TEXT 7
TEXT
dharayisyati te vegam
rudras tv atma saririnam
yasminn otam idam protam
visvam sativa tantusu
Like a cloth woven of threads extending for its length and breadth,
this entire universe, in all its latitude and longitude, is situated
under different potencies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Lord
Siva is the incarnation of the Lord, and thus he represents the Supersoul
in the embodied soul. He can sustain your forceful waves on his head.
TEXT 8
TEXT
ity uktva sa nrpo devam
tapasatosayac chivam
kalenalpiyasa rajams
tasyesas casv atusyata
After saying this, Bhagiratha satisfied Lord Siva by performing
austerities. O King Pariksit, Lord Siva was very quickly satisfied with
Bhagiratha.
TEXT 9
TEXT
tatheti rajnabhihitam
sarva-loka-hitah sivah
dadharavahito gangam
pada-puta-jalam hareh
When King Bhagiratha approached Lord Siva and requested him to sustain
the forceful waves of the Ganges, Lord Siva accepted the proposal by
saying, “Let it be so.” Then, with great attention, he sustained the
Ganges on his head, for the water of the Ganges is purifying, having
emanated from the toes of Lord Visnu.
TEXT 10
TEXT
bhagirathah sa rajarsir
ninye bhuvana-pavanim
yatra sva-pitrnam deha
bhasmibhutah sma serate
The great and saintly king Bhagiratha brought the Ganges, which can
deliver all the fallen souls, to that place on earth where the bodies of
his forefathers lay burnt to ashes.
TEXT 11
TEXT
rathena vayu-vegena
prayantam anudhavati
desan punanti nirdagdhan
asincat sagaratmajan
Bhagiratha mounted a swift chariot and drove before mother Ganges, who
followed him, purifying many countries, until they reached the ashes of
Bhagiratha’s forefathers, the sons of Sagara, who were thus sprinkled
with water from the Ganges.
TEXT 12
TEXT
yaj-jala-sparsa-matrena
brahma-danda-hata api
sagaratmaja divam jagmuh
kevalam deha-bhasmabhih
Because the sons of Sagara Maharaja had offended a great personality,
the heat of their bodies had increased, and they were burnt to ashes. But
simply by being sprinkled with water from the Ganges, all of them became
eligible to go to the heavenly planets. What then is to be said of those
who use the water of mother Ganges to worship her?
TEXT 13
TEXT
bhasmibhutanga-sangena
svar yatah sagaratmajah
kim punah sraddhaya devim
sevante ye dhrta-vratah
Simply by having water from the Ganges come in contact with the ashes
of their burnt bodies, the sons of Sagara Maharaja were elevated to the
heavenly planets. Therefore, what is to be said of a devotee who worships
mother Ganges faithfully with a determined vow? One can only imagine the
benefit that accrues to such a devotee.
TEXT 14
TEXT
na hy etat param ascaryam
svardhunya yad ihoditam
ananta-caranambhojaprasutaya
bhava-cchidah
Because mother Ganges emanates from the lotus toe of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Anantadeva, she is able to liberate one from
material bondage. Therefore whatever is described herewith about her is
not at all wonderful.
TEXT 15
TEXT
sannivesya mano yasmin
chraddhaya munayo ‘malah
traigunyam dustyajam hitva
sadyo yatas tad-atmatam
Great sages, completely freed from material lusty desires, devote
their minds fully to the service of the Lord. Such persons are liberated
from material bondage without difficulty, and they become
transcendentally situated, acquiring the spiritual quality of the Lord.
This is the glory of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TEXTS 16-17
TEXT
sruto bhagirathaj jajne
tasya nabho ‘paro ‘bhavat
sindhudvipas tatas tasmad
ayutayus tato ‘bhavat
rtuparno nala-sakho
yo ‘sva-vidyam ayan nalat
dattvaksa-hrdayam casmai
sarvakamas tu tat-sutam
Bhagiratha had a son named Sruta, whose son was Nabha. This son was
different from the Nabha previously described. Nabha had a son named
Sindhudvipa, from Sindhudvipa came Ayutayu, and from Ayutayu came
Rtuparna, who became a friend of Nalaraja. Rtuparna taught Nalaraja the
art of gambling, and Nalaraja gave Rtuparna lessons in controlling and
maintaining horses. The son of Rtuparna was Sarvakama.
TEXT 18
TEXT
tatah sudasas tat-putro
damayanti-patir nrpah
ahur mitrasaham yam vai
kalmasanghrim uta kvacit
vasistha-sapad rakso ‘bhud
anapatyah sva-karmana
Sarvakama had a son named Sudasa, whose son, known as Saudasa, was the
husband of Damayanti. Saudasa is sometimes known as Mitrasaha or
Kalmasapada. Because of his own misdeed, Mitrasaha was sonless and was
cursed by Vasistha to become a man-eater [Raksasa].
TEXT 19
TEXT
sri-rajovaca
kim nimitto guroh sapah
saudasasya mahatmanah
etad veditum icchamah
kathyatam na raho yadi
King Pariksit said: O Sukadeva Gosvami, why did Vasistha, the
spiritual master of Saudasa, curse that great soul? I wish to know of
this. If it is not a confidential matter, please describe it to me.
TEXTS 20-21
TEXT
sri-suka uvaca
saudaso mrgayam kincic
caran rakso jaghana ha
mumoca bhrataram so ‘tha
gatah praticikirsaya
sancintayann agham rajnah
suda-rupa-dharo grhe
gurave bhoktu-kamaya
paktva ninye naramisam
Sukadeva Gosvami said: Once Saudasa went to live in the forest, where
he killed a man-eater [Raksasa] but forgave and released the man-eater’s
brother. That brother, however, decided to take revenge. Thinking to harm
the King, he became the cook at the King’s house. One day, the King’s
spiritual master, Vasistha Muni, was invited for dinner, and the Raksasa
cook served him human flesh.
TEXT 22
TEXT
pariveksyamanam bhagavan
vilokyabhaksyam anjasa
rajanam asapat kruddho
rakso hy evam bhavisyasi
While examining the food given to him, Vasistha Muni, by his mystic
power, could understand that it was unfit to eat, being the flesh of a
human being. He was very angry at this and immediately cursed Saudasa to
become a man-eater.
TEXTS 23-24
TEXT
raksah-krtam tad viditva
cakre dvadasa-varsikam
so ‘py apo-‘njalim adaya
gurum saptum samudyatah
varito madayantyapo
rusatih padayor jahau
disah kham avanim sarvam
pasyan jivamayam nrpah
When Vasistha understood that the human flesh had been served by the
Raksasa, not by the King, he undertook twelve years of austerity to
cleanse himself for having cursed the faultless King. Meanwhile, King
Saudasa took water and chanted the sapa-mantra, preparing to curse
Vasistha, but his wife, Madayanti, forbade him to do so. Then the King
saw that the ten directions, the sky and the surface of the globe were
full of living entities everywhere.
TEXT 25
TEXT
raksasam bhavam apannah
pade kalmasatam gatah
vyavaya-kale dadrse
vanauko-dampati dvijau
Saudasa thus acquired the propensity of a man-eater and received on
his leg a black spot, for which he was known as Kalmasapada. Once King
Kalmasapada saw a brahmana couple engaged in sexual intercourse in the
forest.
TEXTS 26-27
TEXT
ksudharto jagrhe vipram
tat-patny ahakrtarthavat
na bhavan raksasah saksad
iksvakunam maha-rathah
madayantyah patir vira
nadharmam kartum arhasi
dehi me ‘patya-kamaya
akrtartham patim dvijam
Being influenced by the propensity of a Raksasa and being very hungry,
King Saudasa seized the brahmana. Then the poor woman, the brahmana’s
wife, said to the King: O hero, you are not actually a man-eater; rather,
you are among the descendants of Maharaja Iksvaku. Indeed, you are a
great fighter, the husband of Madayanti. You should not act irreligiously
in this way. I desire to have a son. Please, therefore, return my
husband, who has not yet impregnated me.
TEXT 28
TEXT
deho ‘yam manuso rajan
purusasyakhilarthadah
tasmad asya vadho vira
sarvartha-vadha ucyate
O King, O hero, this human body is meant for universal benefits. If
you kill this body untimely, you will kill all the benefits of human
life.
TEXT 29
TEXT
esa hi brahmano vidvams
tapah-sila-gunanvitah
ariradhayisur brahma
maha-purusa-samjnitam
sarva-bhutatma-bhavena
bhutesv antarhitam gunaih
Here is a learned, highly qualified brahmana, engaged in performing
austerity and eagerly desiring to worship the Supreme Lord, the Supersoul
who lives within the core of the heart in all living entities.
TEXT 30
TEXT
so ‘yam brahmarsi-varyas te
rajarsi-pravarad vibho
katham arhati dharma-jna
vadham pitur ivatmajah
My lord, you are completely aware of the religious principles. As a
son never deserves to be killed by his father, here is a brahmana who
should be protected by the king, and never killed. How does he deserve to
be killed by a rajarsi like you?
TEXT 31
TEXT
tasya sadhor apapasya
bhrunasya brahma-vadinah
katham vadham yatha babhror
manyate san-mato bhavan
You are well known and worshiped in learned circles. How dare you kill
this brahmana, who is a saintly, sinless person, well versed in Vedic
knowledge? Killing him would be like destroying the embryo within the
womb or killing a cow.
TEXT 32
TEXT
yady ayam kriyate bhaksyas
tarhi mam khada purvatah
na jivisye vina yena
ksanam ca mrtakam yatha
Without my husband, I cannot live for a moment. If you want to eat my
husband, it would be better to eat me first, for without my husband I am
as good as a dead body.
TEXT 33
TEXT
evam karuna-bhasinya
vilapantya anathavat
vyaghrah pasum ivakhadat
saudasah sapa-mohitah
Being condemned by the curse of Vasistha, King Saudasa devoured the
brahmana, exactly as a tiger eats its prey. Even though the brahmana’s
wife spoke so pitiably, Saudasa was unmoved by her lamentation.
TEXT 34
TEXT
brahmani viksya didhisum
purusadena bhaksitam
socanty atmanam urvisam
asapat kupita sati
When the chaste wife of the brahmana saw that her husband, who was
about to discharge semen, had been eaten by the man-eater, she was
overwhelmed with grief and lamentation. Thus she angrily cursed the King.
TEXT 35
TEXT
yasman me bhaksitah papa
kamartayah patis tvaya
tavapi mrtyur adhanad
akrta-prajna darsitah
O foolish, sinful person, because you have eaten my husband when I was
sexually inclined and desiring to have the seed of a child, I shall also
see you die when you attempt to discharge semen in your wife. In other
words, whenever you attempt to sexually unite with your wife, you shall
die.
TEXT 36
TEXT
evam mitrasaham saptva
pati-loka-parayana
tad-asthini samiddhe ‘gnau
prasya bhartur gatim gata
Thus the wife of the brahmana cursed King Saudasa, known as Mitrasaha.
Then, being inclined to go with her husband, she set fire to her
husband’s bones, fell into the fire herself, and went with him to the
same destination.
TEXT 37
TEXT
visapo dvadasabdante
maithunaya samudyatah
vijnapya brahmani-sapam
mahisya sa nivaritah
After twelve years, when King Saudasa was released from the curse by
Vasistha, he wanted to have sexual intercourse with his wife. But the
Queen reminded him about the curse by the brahmani, and thus he was
checked from sexual intercourse.
TEXT 38
TEXT
ata urdhvam sa tatyaja
stri-sukham karmanaprajah
vasisthas tad-anujnato
madayantyam prajam adhat
After being thus instructed, the King gave up the future happiness of
sexual intercourse and by destiny remained sonless. Later, with the
King’s permission, the great saint Vasistha begot a child in the womb of
Madayanti.
TEXT 39
TEXT
sa vai sapta sama garbham
abibhran na vyajayata
jaghne ‘smanodaram tasyah
so ‘smakas tena kathyate
Madayanti bore the child within the womb for seven years and did not
give birth. Therefore Vasistha struck her abdomen with a stone, and then
the child was born. Consequently, the child was known as Asmaka [“the
child born of a stone”].
TEXT 40
TEXT
asmakad baliko jajne
yah stribhih pariraksitah
nari-kavaca ity ukto
nihksatre mulako ‘bhavat
From Asmaka, Balika took birth. Because Balika was surrounded by women
and was therefore saved from the anger of Parasurama, he was known as
Narikavaca [“one who is protected by women”]. When Parasurama vanquished
all the ksatriyas, Balika became the progenitor of more ksatriyas.
Therefore he was known as Mulaka, the root of the ksatriya dynasty.
TEXT 41
TEXT
tato dasarathas tasmat
putra aidavidis tatah
raja visvasaho yasya
khatvangas cakravarty abhut
From Balika came a son named Dasaratha, from Dasaratha came a son
named Aidavidi, and from Aidavidi came King Visvasaha. The son of King
Visvasaha was the famous Maharaja Khatvanga.
TEXT 42
TEXT
yo devair arthito daityan
avadhid yudhi durjayah
muhurtam ayur jnatvaitya
sva-puram sandadhe manah
King Khatvanga was unconquerable in any fight. Requested by the
demigods to join them in fighting the demons, he won victory, and the
demigods, being very pleased, wanted to give him a benediction. The King
inquired from them about the duration of his life and was informed that
he had only one moment more. Thus he immediately left his palace and went
to his own residence, where he engaged his mind fully on the lotus feet
of the Lord.
TEXT 43
TEXT
na me brahma-kulat pranah
kula-daivan na catmajah
na sriyo na mahi rajyam
na daras cativallabhah
Maharaja Khatvanga thought: Not even my life is dearer to me than the
brahminical culture and the brahmanas, who are worshiped by my family.
What then is to be said of my kingdom, land, wife, children and opulence?
Nothing is dearer to me than the brahmanas.
TEXT 44
TEXT
na balye ‘pi matir mahyam
adharme ramate kvacit
napasyam uttamaslokad
anyat kincana vastv aham
I was never attracted, even in my childhood, by insignificant things
or irreligious principles. I did not find anything more substantial than
the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 45
TEXT
devaih kama-varo datto
mahyam tri-bhuvanesvaraih
na vrne tam aham kamam
bhutabhavana-bhavanah
The demigods, the directors of the three worlds, wanted to give me
whatever benediction I desired. I did not want their benedictions,
however, because I am interested in the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
who created everything in this material world. I am more interested in
the Supreme Personality of Godhead than in all material benedictions.
TEXT 46
TEXT
ye viksiptendriya-dhiyo
devas te sva-hrdi sthitam
na vindanti priyam sasvad
atmanam kim utapare
Even though the demigods have the advantages of being situated in the
higher planetary system, their minds, senses and intelligence are
agitated by material conditions. Therefore, even such elevated persons
fail to realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is eternally
situated in the core of the heart. What then is to be said of others,
such as human beings, who have fewer advantages?
TEXT 47
TEXT
athesa-maya-racitesu sangam
gunesu gandharva-puropamesu
rudham prakrtyatmani visva-kartur
bhavena hitva tam aham prapadye
Therefore I should now give up my attachment for things created by the
external energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I should engage in
thought of the Lord and should thus surrender unto Him. This material
creation, having been created by the external energy of the Lord, is like
an imaginary town visualized on a hill or in a forest. Every conditioned
soul has a natural attraction and attachment for material things, but one
must simply give up this attachment and surrender unto the Supreme
Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 48
TEXT
iti vyavasito buddhya
narayana-grhitaya
hitvanya-bhavam ajnanam
tatah svam bhavam asthitah
Thus Maharaja Khatvanga, by his advanced intelligence in rendering
service to the Lord, gave up false identification with the body full of
ignorance. In his original position of eternal servitorship, he engaged
himself in rendering service to the Lord.
TEXT 49
TEXT
yat tad brahma param suksmam
asunyam sunya-kalpitam
bhagavan vasudeveti
yam grnanti hi satvatah
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva, Krsna, is extremely
difficult to understand for unintelligent men who accept Him as
impersonal or void, which He is not. The Lord is therefore understood and
sung about by pure devotees.
Leave a Reply