Chapter Twenty-three

                   Maharaja Prthu's Going Back Home

 

                              TEXTS 1-3

 

                                 TEXT

 

                            maitreya uvaca

                       drstvatmanam pravayasam

                         ekada vainya atmavan

                         atmana vardhitasesa-

                        svanusargah prajapatih

 

                        jagatas tasthusas capi

                      vrttido dharma-bhrt satam

                          nispaditesvaradeso

                       yad-artham iha jajnivan

 

                       atmajesv atmajam nyasya

                         virahad rudatim iva

                        prajasu vimanahsv ekah

                       sa-daro 'gat tapo-vanam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   maitreyah uvaca--the sage Maitreya continued to speak; drstva--after seeing; atmanam--of the body; pravayasam--old age; ekada--once upon a time; vainyah--King Prthu; atma-van--fully conversant in spiritual education; atmana--by oneself; vardhita--increased; asesa--unlimitedly; sva-anusargah--creation of material opulences; praja-patih--a protector of citizens; jagatah--moving; tasthusah--not moving; ca--also; api--certainly; vrtti-dah--one who gives pensions; dharma-bhrt--one who observes the religious principles; satam--of the devotees; nispadita--fully executed; isvara--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; adesah--order; yat-artham--in coordination with Him; iha--in this world; jajnivan--performed; atma-jesu--unto his sons; atma-jam--the earth; nyasya--indicating; virahat--out of separation; rudatim iva--just like lamenting; prajasu--unto the citizens; vimanahsu--unto the aggrieved; ekah--alone; sa-darah--with his wife; agat--went; tapah-vanam--in the forest where one can execute austerities.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   At the last stage of his life, when Maharaja Prthu saw himself getting old, that great soul, who was king of the world, divided whatever opulence he had accumulated amongst all kinds of living entities, moving and nonmoving. He arranged pensions for everyone according to religious principles, and after executing the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in complete coordination with Him, he dedicated his sons unto the earth, which was considered to be his daughter. Then Maharaja Prthu left the presence of his citizens, who were almost lamenting and crying from feeling separation from the King, and went to the forest alone with his wife to perform austerities.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Maharaja Prthu was one of the saktyavesa incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as such he appeared on the surface of the earth to execute the orders of the Supreme. As stated in Bhagavad-gita, the Supreme Lord is the proprietor of all planets, and He is always anxious to see that in each and every planet the living entities are happily living and executing their duties. As soon as there is some discrepancy in the execution of duties, the Lord appears on earth, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (4.7): yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata.

   Since there were so many discrepancies during the reign of King Vena, the Lord sent His most confidential devotee Maharaja Prthu to settle things. Therefore, after executing the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and settling the affairs of the world, Maharaja Prthu was ready to retire. He had been exemplary in his governmental administration, and now he was to become exemplary in his retirement. He divided all his property amongst his sons and appointed them to rule the world, and then he went to the forest with his wife. It is significant in this connection that it is said that Maharaja Prthu retired alone and at the same time took his wife with him. According to Vedic principles, when retiring from family life, one can take his wife with him, for the husband and wife are considered to be one unit. Thus they can both combinedly perform austerities for liberation. This is the path that Maharaja Prthu, who was an exemplary character, followed, and this is also the way of Vedic civilization. One should not simply remain at home until the time of death, but should separate from family life at a timely moment and prepare himself to go back to Godhead. As a saktyavesa incarnation of God who had actually come from Vaikuntha as a representative of Krsna, Maharaja Prthu was certain to go back to Godhead. Nonetheless, in order to set the example in all ways, he also underwent severe austerities in the tapo-vana. It appears that in those days there were many tapo-vanas, or forests especially meant for retirement and the practice of austerities. Indeed, it was compulsory for everyone to go to the tapo-vana to fully accept the shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for it is very difficult to retire from family life and at the same time remain at home.

 

                                TEXT 4

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        tatrapy adabhya-niyamo

                         vaikhanasa-susammate

                         arabdha ugra-tapasi

                        yatha sva-vijaye pura

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tatra--there; api--also; adabhya--severe; niyamah--austerities; vaikhanasa--rules and regulations of retired life; su-sammate--perfectly recognized; arabdhah--beginning; ugra--severe; tapasi--austerity; yatha--as much as; sva-vijaye--in conquering the world; pura--formerly.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After retiring from family life, Maharaja Prthu strictly followed the regulations of retired life and underwent severe austerities in the forest. He engaged in these activities as seriously as he had formerly engaged in leading the government and conquering everyone.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   As it is necessary for one to become very active in family life, similarly, after retirement from family life, it is necessary to control the mind and senses. This is possible when one engages himself fully in the devotional service of the Lord. Actually the whole purpose of the Vedic system, the Vedic social order, is to enable one to ultimately return home, back to Godhead. The grhastha-asrama is a sort of concession combining sense gratification with a regulative life. It is to enable one to easily retire in the middle of life and engage fully in austerities in order to transcend material sense gratification once and for all. Therefore in the vanaprastha stage of life, tapasya, or austerity, is strongly recommended. Maharaja Prthu followed exactly all the rules of vanaprastha life, which is technically known as vaikhanasa-asrama. The word vaikhanasa-susammate is significant because in vanaprastha life the regulative principles are also to be strictly followed. In other words, Maharaja Prthu was an ideal character in every sphere of life. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah: one should follow in the footsteps of great personalities. Thus by following the exemplary character of Maharaja Prthu, one can become perfect in all respects while living this life or while retiring from active life. Thus after giving up this body, one can become liberated and go back to Godhead.

 

                                TEXT 5

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        kanda-mula-phalaharah

                       suska-parnasanah kvacit

                      ab-bhaksah katicit paksan

                       vayu-bhaksas tatah param

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   kanda--trunk; mula--roots; phala--fruits; aharah--eating; suska--dry; parna--leaves; asanah--eating; kvacit--sometimes; ap-bhaksah--drinking water; katicit--for several; paksan--fortnights; vayu--the air; bhaksah--breathing; tatah param--thereafter.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   In the tapo-vana, Maharaja Prthu sometimes ate the trunks and roots of trees, and sometimes he ate fruit and dried leaves, and for some weeks he drank only water. Finally he lived simply by breathing air.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In Bhagavad-gita, yogis are advised to go to a secluded place in the forest and live alone in a sanctified spot there. By Prthu Maharaja's behavior we can understand that when he went to the forest he did not eat any cooked food sent from the city by some devotees or disciples. As soon as one takes a vow to live in the forest, he must simply eat roots, tree trunks, fruits, dried leaves or whatever nature provides in that way. Prthu Maharaja strictly adopted these principles for living in the forest, and sometimes he ate nothing but dried leaves and drank nothing but a little water. Sometimes he lived on nothing but air, and sometimes he ate some fruit from the trees. In this way he lived in the forest and underwent severe austerity, especially in regards to eating. In other words, overeating is not at all recommended for one who wants to progress in spiritual life. Sri Rupa Gosvami also warns that too much eating and too much endeavor (atyaharah prayasas ca) are against the principles by which one can advance in spiritual life.

   It is also notable that according to Vedic injunction, to live in the forest is to live in the mode of complete goodness, whereas to live in the city is to live in the mode of passion, and to live in a brothel or drinking house is to live in the mode of ignorance. However, to live in a temple is to live in Vaikuntha, which is transcendental to all the modes of material nature. This Krsna consciousness movement affords one the opportunity to live in the temple of the Lord, which is as good as Vaikuntha. Consequently a Krsna conscious person does not need to go to the forest and artificially try to imitate Maharaja Prthu or the great sages and munis who used to live in the forest.

   Srila Rupa Gosvami, after retiring from his minister's seat in the government, went to Vrndavana and lived beneath a tree, like Maharaja Prthu. Since then, many people have gone to Vrndavana to imitate Rupa Gosvami's behavior. Instead of advancing in spiritual life, many have fallen into material habits and even in Vrndavana have become victims of illicit sex, gambling and intoxication. The Krsna consciousness movement has been introduced in the Western countries, but it is not possible for Westerners to go to the forest and practice the severe austerities which were ideally practiced by Prthu Maharaja or Rupa Gosvami. However, Westerners or anyone else can follow in the footsteps of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura by living in a temple, which is transcendental to residence in a forest, and to vow to accept krsna-prasada and nothing else, follow the regulative principles and chant sixteen rounds daily of the Hare Krsna mantra. In this way, one's spiritual life will never be disturbed.

 

                                TEXT 6

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        grisme panca-tapa viro

                        varsasv asarasan munih

                        akantha-magnah sisire

                        udake sthandile-sayah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   grisme--in the summer season; panca-tapah--five kinds of heating; virah--the hero; varsasu--in the rainy season; asarasat--being situated within the torrents of rain; munih--like the great sages; akantha--up to the neck; magnah--drowned; sisire--in winter; udake--within water; sthandile-sayah--lying down on the floor.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Following the principles of forest living and the footsteps of the great sages and munis, Prthu Maharaja accepted five kinds of heating processes during the summer season, exposed himself to torrents of rain in the rainy season and, in the winter, stood in water up to his neck. He also used to simply lie down on the floor to sleep.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   These are some of the austerities executed by the jnanis and yogis, who cannot accept the process of bhakti-yoga. They must undergo such severe types of austerity in order to become purified from material contamination. panca-tapah refers to five kinds of heating processes. One is enjoined to sit within a circle of fire, with flames blazing from four sides and the sun blazing directly overhead. This is one kind of panca-tapah recommended for austerity. Similarly, in the rainy season one is enjoined to expose himself to torrents of rain and in winter to sit in cold water up to the neck. As far as bedding is concerned, the ascetic should be content with simply lying on the floor. The purpose for undergoing such severe austerities is to become a devotee of the Supreme personality of Godhead, Krsna, as explained in the next verse.

 

                                TEXT 7

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       titiksur yata-vag danta

                        urdhva-reta jitanilah

                         ariradhayisuh krsnam

                         acarat tapa uttamam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   titiksuh--tolerating; yata--controlling; vak--words; dantah--controlling the senses; urdhva-retah--without discharge of semen; jita-anilah--controlling the life air; ariradhayisuh--simply desiring; krsnam--Lord Krsna; acarat--practice; tapah--austerities; uttamam--the best.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Maharaja Prthu underwent all these severe austerities in order to control his words and his senses, to refrain from discharging his semen and to control the life air within his body. All this he did for the satisfaction of Krsna. He had no other purpose.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In Kali-yuga the following is recommended:

 

                        harer nama harer nama

                        harer namaiva kevalam

                      kalau nasty eva nasty eva

                       nasty eva gatir anyatha

 

   (Brhan-naradiya Purana)

 

   In order to be recognized by Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one should chant the holy name of the Lord continuously, twenty-four hours a day. Unfortunate persons who cannot accept this formula prefer to execute some type of pseudomeditation, without accepting the other processes of austerity. The fact is, however, that one must accept either the severe method of austerity described above to become purified or take to the process of devotional service recommended for pleasing the Supreme Lord, Krsna. The person who is Krsna conscious is most intelligent because in Kali-yuga it is not at all possible to undergo such severe austerities. We need only follow great personalities like Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In His Siksastaka, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu wrote, param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam: all glories to the holy names of Lord Krsna, which from the very beginning purify the heart and immediately liberate one. Bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam. If the real purpose of all yoga is to please Lord Krsna, then this simple bhakti-yoga system recommended for this age is sufficient. It is necessary, however, to engage constantly in the service of the Lord. Although Prthu Maharaja executed his austerities long before the appearance of Lord Krsna on this planet, his purpose was still to please Krsna.

   There are many fools who claim that worship of Krsna began only about five thousand years ago, after the appearance of Lord Krsna in India, but this is not a fact. Prthu Maharaja worshiped Krsna millions of years ago, for Prthu happened to be a descendant of the family of Maharaja Dhruva, who reigned for thirty-six thousand years during the Satya-yuga age. Unless his total life-span was one hundred thousand years, how could Dhruva Maharaja reign over the world for thirty-six thousand years? The point is that Krsna worship existed at the beginning of creation and has continued to exist throughout Satya-yuga, Treta-yuga and Dvapara-yuga, and now it is continuing in Kali-yuga. As stated in Bhagavad-gita, Krsna appears not only in this millennium of Brahma's life, but in every millennium. Therefore worship of Krsna is conducted in all millenniums. It is not that Krsna worship began only when Krsna appeared on this planet five thousand years ago. This is a foolish conclusion that is not substantiated by Vedic literatures.

   Also of significance in this verse are the words ariradhayisuh krsnam acarat tapa uttamam. Maharaja Prthu underwent severe types of austerities for the express purpose of worshiping Krsna. Krsna is so kind, especially in this age, that He appears in the transcendental vibration of His holy name. As is said in the Narada-pancaratra, aradhito yadi haris tapasa tatah kim. If Krsna is worshiped, if He is the goal of advancement, there is no need for one to execute severe types of tapasya, because one has already reached his destination. If, after executing all types of tapasya, one cannot reach Krsna, all his tapasya has no value, for without Krsna all austerity is simply wasted labor. Srama eva hi kevalam (Bhag. 1.2.8). We should therefore not be discouraged just because we cannot go to the forest and practice severe austerities. Our life is so short that we must strictly adhere to the principles laid down by the Vaisnava acaryas and peacefully execute Krsna consciousness. There is no need to become despondent. Narottama dasa Thakura recommends: anande bala hari, bhaja vrndavana, sri-guru-vaisnava-pade majaiya mana. For a transcendental, blissful life, chant the Hare Krsna mantra, come worship the holy place of Vrndavana, and always engage in the service of the Lord, of the spiritual master and of the Vaisnavas. This Krsna consciousness movement is therefore very safe and easy. We have only to execute the order of the Lord and fully surrender unto Him. We have only to execute the order of the spiritual master, preach Krsna consciousness and follow in the path of the Vaisnavas. The spiritual master represents both Lord Krsna and the Vaisnavas; therefore by following the instructions of the spiritual master and by chanting Hare Krsna, everything will be all right.

 

                                TEXT 8

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         tena kramanusiddhena

                       dhvasta-karma-malasayah

                       pranayamaih sanniruddha-

                     sad-vargas chinna-bandhanah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tena--thus by practicing such austerities; krama--gradually; anu--constantly; siddhena--by perfection; dhvasta--smashed; karma--fruitive activities; mala--dirty things; asayah--desire; prana-ayamaih--by practice of pranayama-yoga, breathing exercises; san--being; niruddha--stopped; sat-vargah--the mind and the senses; chinna-bandhanah--completely cut off from all bondage.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   By thus practicing severe austerities, Maharaja Prthu gradually became steadfast in spiritual life and completely free of all desires for fruitive activities. He also practiced breathing exercises to control his mind and senses, and by such control he became completely free from all desires for fruitive activity.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The word pranayamaih is very important in this verse because the hatha-yogis and astanga-yogis practice pranayama, but generally they do not know the purpose behind it. The purpose of pranayama, or mystic yoga, is to stop the mind and senses from engaging in fruitive activities. The so-called yogis who practice in Western countries have no idea of this. The aim of pranayama is not to make the body strong and fit for working hard. The aim is worship of Krsna. In the previous verse it was specifically mentioned that whatever austerity, pranayama and mystic yoga practices Prthu Maharaja performed were performed for the sake of worshiping Krsna. Thus Prthu Maharaja serves as a perfect example for yogis also. Whatever he did, he did to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna.

   The minds of those who are addicted to fruitive activity are always filled with unclean desires. Fruitive activities are symptomatic of our polluted desire to dominate material nature. As long as one continues to be subject to polluted desires, he has to accept one material body after another. So-called yogis, without knowledge of the real purpose of yoga, practice it in order to keep the body fit. Thus they engage themselves in fruitive activities, and thus they are bound by desire to accept another body. They are not aware that the ultimate goal of life is to approach Krsna. In order to save such yogis from wandering throughout the different species of life, the sastras warn that in this age such yogic practice is simply a waste of time. The only means of elevation is the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra.

   King Prthu's activities took place in Satya-yuga, and in this age this practice of yoga is misunderstood by fallen souls who are not capable of practicing anything. Consequently the sastras enjoin: kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha. The conclusion is that unless the karmis, jnanis and yogis come to the point of devotional service to Lord Krsna, their so-called austerities and yoga have no value. Naradhitah: if Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is not worshiped, there is no point in practicing meditational yoga, performing karma-yoga or culturing empiric knowledge. As far as pranayama is concerned, chanting of the holy name of the Lord and dancing in ecstasy are also considered pranayama. In a previous verse, Sanat-kumara instructed Maharaja Prthu to engage constantly in the service of the Supreme Lord, Vasudeva:

 

                yat pada-pankaja-palasa-vilasa-bhaktya

              karmasayam grathitam udgrathayanti santah

 

   Only by worshiping Vasudeva can one become free from the desires of fruitive activities. Outside of worshiping Vasudeva, the yogis and jnanis cannot attain freedom from such desires.

 

              tadvan na rikta-matayo yatayo 'pi ruddha-

                sroto-ganas tam aranam bhaja vasudevam

 

   (Bhag. 4.22.39)

 

   Here the word pranayama does not refer to any ulterior motive. The actual aim is to strengthen the mind and senses in order to engage them in devotional service. In the present age this determination can be very easily acquired simply by chanting the holy names--Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

 

                                TEXT 9

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        sanat-kumaro bhagavan

                       yad ahadhyatmikam param

                        yogam tenaiva purusam

                        abhajat purusarsabhah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sanat-kumarah--Sanat-kumara; bhagavan--most powerful; yat--that which; aha--said; adhyatmikam--spiritual advancement of life; param--ultimate; yogam--mysticism; tena--by that; eva--certainly; purusam--the Supreme Person; abhajat--worshiped; purusa-rsabhah--the best of human beings.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Thus the best amongst human beings, Maharaja Prthu, followed that path of spiritual advancement which was advised by Sanat-kumara. That is to say, he worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In this verse it is clearly said that Maharaja Prthu, practicing the pranayama-yoga system, engaged in the service of the Supreme personality of Godhead as advised by the saint Sanat-kumara. In this verse the words purusam abhajat purusarsabhah are significant: purusarsabha refers to Maharaja Prthu, the best amongst human beings, and purusam refers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The conclusion is that the best man amongst all men engages in the service of the Supreme Person. One purusa is worshipable, and the other purusa is the worshiper. When the purusa who worships, the living entity, thinks of becoming one with the Supreme person, he simply becomes bewildered and falls into the darkness of ignorance. As stated by Lord Krsna in Bhagavad-gita (2.12), all living entities assembled in the battlefield, as well as Krsna Himself, were also present in the past as individuals and would continue to be present in the future as individuals also. Therefore the two purusas, the living entity and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, never lose their respective identities.

   Actually, one who is self-realized engages himself in the service of the Lord perpetually, both in this life and in the next. Indeed, for devotees there is no difference between this life and the next. In this life a neophyte devotee is trained to serve the Supreme personality of Godhead, and in the next life he approaches that Supreme Person in Vaikuntha and renders the same devotional service. Even for the neophyte devotee, devotional service is considered brahma-bhuyaya kalpate. Devotional service to the Lord is never considered a material activity. Since he is acting on the brahma-bhuta platform, a devotee is already liberated. He therefore has no need to practice any other type of yoga in order to approach the brahma-bhuta stage. If the devotee adheres strictly to the orders of the spiritual master, follows the rules and regulations and chants the Hare Krsna mantra, it should be concluded that he is already at the brahma-bhuta stage, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (14.26):

 

                       mam ca yo 'vyabhicarena

                         bhakti-yogena sevate

                        sa gunan samatityaitan

                        brahma-bhuyaya kalpate

 

   "One who is engaged in full devotional service, unfailing in all circumstances, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman."

 

                               TEXT 10

 

                                 TEXT

 

                      bhagavad-dharminah sadhoh

                        sraddhaya yatatah sada

                      bhaktir bhagavati brahmany

                         ananya-visayabhavat

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   bhagavat-dharminah--one who executes devotional service; sadhoh--of the devotee; sraddhaya--with faith; yatatah--endeavoring; sada--always; bhaktih--devotion; bhagavati--unto the Personality of Godhead; brahmani--the origin of impersonal Brahman; ananya-visaya--firmly fixed without deviation; abhavat--became.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Maharaja Prthu thus engaged completely in devotional service, executing the rules and regulations strictly according to principles, twenty-four hours daily. Thus his love and devotion unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, developed and became unflinching and fixed.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The word bhagavad-dharminah indicates that the religious process practiced by Maharaja Prthu was beyond all pretensions. As stated in the beginning of Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.1.2), dharmah projjhita-kaitavo 'tra: religious principles which are simply pretentious are actually nothing but cheating. Bhagavad-dharminah is described by Viraraghava Acarya as nivrtta-dharmena, which indicates that it cannot be contaminated by material aspiration. As described by Srila Rupa Gosvami:

 

                         anyabhilasita-sunyam

                        jnana-karmady-anavrtam

                         anukulyena krsnanu-

                        silanam bhaktir uttama

 

   When one who is not inspired by material desires and is not contaminated by the processes of fruitive activity and empiric speculation fully engages in the favorable service of the Lord, his service is called bhagavad-dharma, or pure devotional service. In this verse the word brahmani does not refer to the impersonal Brahman. Impersonal Brahman is a subordinate feature of the Supreme personality of Godhead, and since impersonal Brahman worshipers desire to merge into the Brahman effulgence, they cannot be considered followers of bhagavad-dharma. After being baffled in his material enjoyment, the impersonalist may desire to merge into the existence of the Lord, but a pure devotee of the Lord has no such desire. Therefore a pure devotee is really bhagavad-dharmi.

   It is clear from this verse that Maharaja Prthu was never a worshiper of the impersonal Brahman but was at all times a pure devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhagavati brahmani refers to one who is engaged in devotional service to the Personality of Godhead. A devotee's knowledge of the impersonal Brahman is automatically revealed, and he is not interested in merging into the impersonal Brahman. Maharaja Prthu's activities in devotional service enabled him to become fixed and steady in the discharge of devotional activities without having to take recourse to karma, jnana or yoga.

 

                               TEXT 11

 

                                 TEXT

 

                tasyanaya bhagavatah parikarma-suddha-

                sattvatmanas tad-anusamsmarananupurtya

                jnanam viraktimad abhun nisitena yena

                ciccheda samsaya-padam nija-jiva-kosam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tasya--his; anaya--by this; bhagavatah--of the Supreme personality of Godhead; parikarma--activities in devotional service; suddha--pure, transcendental; sattva--existence; atmanah--of the mind; tat--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; anusamsmarana--constantly remembering; anupurtya--being perfectly done; jnanam--knowledge; virakti--nonattachment; mat--possessing; abhut--became manifested; nisitena--by sharpened activities; yena--by which; ciccheda--become separated; samsaya-padam--position of doubtfulness; nija--own; jiva-kosam--encagement of the living entity.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   By regularly discharging devotional service, Prthu Maharaja became transcendental in mind and could therefore constantly think of the lotus feet of the Lord. Because of this, he became completely detached and attained perfect knowledge by which he could transcend all doubt. Thus he was freed from the clutches of false ego and the material conception of life.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In the Narada-pancaratra, devotional service to the Lord is likened unto a queen. When a queen gives an audience, many maidservants follow her. The maidservants of devotional service are material opulence, liberation and mystic powers. The karmis are very much attached to material enjoyment, the jnanis are very anxious to become freed from material clutches, and the yogis are very fond of attaining the eight kinds of mystic perfection. From the Narada-pancaratra we understand that if one attains the stage of pure devotional service, he also attains all the opulences derived from fruitive activities, empiric philosophical speculation and mystic yogic practice. Srila Bilvamangala Thakura therefore prayed in his Krsna-karnamrta: "My dear Lord, if I have unflinching devotion to You, You become manifest before me personally, and the results of fruitive activity and empiric philosophical speculation--namely religion, economic development, sense gratification and liberation--become like personal attendants and remain standing before me as if awaiting my order." The idea here is that the jnanis, by culture of brahma-vidya, spiritual knowledge, struggle very hard to get out of the clutches of material nature, but a devotee, by dint of his advancement in devotional service, automatically becomes detached from his material body. When the devotee's spiritual body begins to manifest, he actually enters into his activities in transcendental life.

   At present we have contacted a material body, material mind and material intelligence, but when we become free from these material conditions, our spiritual body, spiritual mind and spiritual intelligence become manifest. In that transcendental state, a devotee attains all the benefits of karma, jnana and yoga. Although he never engages in fruitive activities or empiric speculation to attain mystic powers, automatically mystic powers appear in his service. A devotee does not want any kind of material opulence, but such opulence appears before him automatically. He does not have to endeavor for it. Because of his devotional service, he automatically becomes brahma-bhuta. As stated before, this is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (14.26):

 

                       mam ca yo 'vyabhicarena

                         bhakti-yogena sevate

                        sa gunan samatityaitan

                        brahma-bhuyaya kalpate

 

   "One who is engaged in full devotional service, unfailing in all circumstances, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman."

   Because of his regular discharge of devotional service, a devotee attains the transcendental stage of life. Since his mind is transcendentally situated, he cannot think of anything but the lotus feet of the Lord. This is the meaning of the word samsmarana-anupurtya. By constantly thinking of the lotus feet of the Lord, the devotee immediately becomes situated in suddha-sattva. Suddha-sattva refers to that platform which is above the modes of material nature, including the mode of goodness. In the material world, the mode of goodness is considered to be representative of the highest perfection, but one has to transcend this mode and come to the stage of suddha-sattva, or pure goodness, where the three qualities of material nature cannot act.

   Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura gives the following example: If one has strong digestive power, after eating he automatically lights a fire within his stomach to digest everything and does not need to take medicine to aid his digestion. Similarly, the fire of devotional service is so strong that a devotee does not need to act separately to attain perfect knowledge or detachment from material attractions. A jnani may become detached from material attractions by prolonged discussions on subjects of knowledge and may in this way finally come to the brahma-bhuta stage, but a devotee does not have to undergo so much trouble. By virtue of his devotional service, he attains the brahma-bhuta stage without a doubt. The yogis and jnanis are always doubtful about their constitutional position; therefore they mistakenly think of becoming one with the Supreme. However, a devotee's relationship with the Supreme becomes manifest beyond all doubt, and he immediately understands that his position is that of eternal servant of the Lord. Jnanis and yogis without devotion may think themselves liberated, but actually their intelligence is not as pure as that of a devotee. In other words, the jnanis and yogis cannot become factually liberated unless they become elevated to the position of devotees.

 

                  aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah

                patanty adho 'nadrta-yusmad-anghrayah

 

   (Bhag. 10.2.32)

 

   The jnani and yogis may rise to the highest position, Brahman realization, but because of their lack of devotion unto the lotus feet of the Lord, they again fall down into material nature. Therefore jnana and yoga should not be accepted as the real processes for liberation. By discharging devotional service, Maharaja Prthu automatically transcended all these positions. Since Maharaja Prthu was a saktyavesa incarnation of the Supreme Lord, he did not have to act in any way to attain liberation. He came from the Vaikuntha world, or spiritual sky, in order to execute the will of the Supreme Lord on earth. Consequently he was to return home, back to Godhead, without having to execute jnana, yoga or karma. Although Prthu Maharaja was eternally a pure devotee of the Lord, he nonetheless adopted the process of devotional service in order to teach the people in general the proper process for executing the duties of life and ultimately returning home, back to Godhead.

 

                               TEXT 12

 

                                 TEXT

 

               chinnanya-dhir adhigatatma-gatir nirihas

               tat tatyaje 'cchinad idam vayunena yena

                tavan na yoga-gatibhir yatir apramatto

               yavad gadagraja-kathasu ratim na kuryat

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   chinna--being separated; anya-dhih--all other concepts of life (the bodily concept of life); adhigata--being firmly convinced; atma-gatih--the ultimate goal of spiritual life; nirihah--desireless; tat--that; tatyaje--gave up; acchinat--he had cut; idam--this; vayunena--with the knowledge; yena--by which; tavat--so long; na--never; yoga-gatibhih--the practice of the mystic yoga system; yatih--the practicer; apramattah--without any illusion; yavat--so long; gadagraja--of Krsna; kathasu--words; ratim--attraction; na--never; kuryat--do it.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When he became completely free from the conception of bodily life, Maharaja Prthu realized Lord Krsna sitting in everyone's heart as the Paramatma. Being thus able to get all instructions from Him, he gave up all other practices of yoga and jnana. He was not even interested in the perfection of the yoga and jnana systems, for he thoroughly realized that devotional service to Krsna is the ultimate goal of life and that unless the yogis and jnanis become attracted to krsna-katha [narrations about Krsna], their illusions concerning existence can never be dispelled.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   As long as one is too much absorbed in the bodily conception of life, he becomes interested in many different processes of self-realization, such as the mystic yoga system or the system utilizing the speculative empiric methods. However, when one understands that the ultimate goal of life is to approach Krsna, he realizes Krsna within everyone's heart and therefore helps everyone who is interested in Krsna consciousness. Actually the perfection of life depends on one's inclination to hear about Krsna. It is therefore mentioned in this verse: yavad gadagraja-kathasu ratim na kuryat. Unless one becomes interested in Krsna, in His pastimes and activities, there is no question of liberation by means of yoga practice or speculative knowledge.

   Having attained to the stage of devotion, Maharaja Prthu became uninterested in the practices of jnana and yoga and abandoned them. This is the stage of pure devotional life as described by Rupa Gosvami:

 

                         anyabhilasita-sunyam

                        jnana-karmady-anavrtam

                         anukulyena krsnanu-

                        silanam bhaktir uttama

 

   Real jnana means understanding that the living entity is the eternal servant of the Lord. This knowledge is attained after many, many births, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (7.19): bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate. In the paramahamsa stage of life, one fully realizes Krsna as everything: vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah. When one understands fully that Krsna is everything and that Krsna consciousness is the highest perfection of life, he becomes a paramahamsa, or mahatma. Such a mahatma or paramahamsa is very rare to find. A paramahamsa, or pure devotee, is never attracted by hatha-yoga or speculative knowledge. He is simply interested in the unalloyed devotional service of the Lord. Sometimes one who was formerly addicted to these processes tries to perform devotional service and the jnana and yoga practices at the same time, but as soon as one comes to the unalloyed stage of devotional service, he is able to give up all other methods of self-realization. In other words, when one firmly realizes Krsna as the supreme goal, he is no longer attracted by mystic yoga practice or the speculative empirical methods of knowledge.

 

                               TEXT 13

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        evam sa vira-pravarah

                        samyojyatmanam atmani

                       brahma-bhuto drdham kale

                        tatyaja svam kalevaram

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   evam--thus; sah--he; vira-pravarah--the chief of the heroes; samyojya--applying; atmanam--mind; atmani--unto the Supersoul; brahma-bhutah--being liberated; drdham--firmly; kale--in due course of time; tatyaja--gave up; svam--own; kalevaram--body.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   In due course of time, when Prthu Maharaja was to give up his body, he fixed his mind firmly upon the lotus feet of Krsna, and thus, completely situated on the brahma-bhuta platform, he gave up the material body.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   According to a Bengali proverb, whatever spiritual progress one makes in life will be tested at the time of death. In Bhagavad-gita (8.6) it is also confirmed: yam yam vapi smaran bhavam tyajaty ante kalevaram. tam tam evaiti kaunteya sada tad-bhava-bhavitah. Those who are practicing Krsna consciousness know that their examination will be held at the time of death. If one can remember Krsna at death, he is immediately transferred to Goloka Vrndavana, or Krsnaloka, and thus his life becomes successful. Prthu Maharaja, by the grace of Krsna, could understand that the end of his life was near, and thus he became very jubilant and proceeded to completely give up his body on the brahma-bhuta stage by practicing the yogic process. It is thoroughly described in the following verses how one can voluntarily give up this body and return home, back to Godhead. The yogic process practiced by Prthu Maharaja at the time of death accelerates the giving up of this body while one is in sound health physically and mentally. Every devotee desires to give up the body while it is sound physically and mentally. This desire was also expressed by King Kulasekhara in his Mukunda-mala-stotra:

 

                krsna tvadiya-padapankaja-panjarantam

                 adyaiva me visatu manasa-raja-hamsah

               prana-prayana-samaye kapha-vata-pittaih

               kanthavarodhana-vidhau smaranam kutas te

 

   King Kulasekhara wanted to give up his body while in a healthy state, and he thus prayed to Krsna to let him die immediately while he was in good health and while his mind was sound. When a man dies, he is generally overpowered by mucus and bile, and thus he chokes. Since it is very difficult to vibrate any sound while choking, it is simply by Krsna's grace that one can chant Hare Krsna at the time of death. However, by situating oneself in the muktasana position, a yogi can immediately give up his body and go to whatever planet he desires. A perfect yogi can give up his body whenever he desires through the practice of yoga.

 

                               TEXT 14

 

                                 TEXT

 

                      sampidya payum parsnibhyam

                       vayum utsarayan chanaih

                     nabhyam kosthesv avasthapya

                       hrd-urah-kantha-sirsani

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sampidya--by blocking; payum--the door of the anus; parsnibhyam--by the calves; vayum--the air which goes up; utsarayan--pushing upward; sanaih--gradually; nabhyam--by the navel; kosthesu--in the heart and in the throat; avasthapya--fixing; hrt--in the heart; urah--upward; kantha--throat; sirsani--between the two eyebrows.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When Maharaja Prthu practiced a particular yogic sitting posture, he blocked the doors of his anus with his ankles, pressed his right and left calves and gradually raised his life air upward, passing it on to the circle of his navel, up to his heart and throat, and finally pushed it upward to the central position between his two eyebrows.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The sitting posture described herein is called muktasana. In the yoga process, after following the strict regulative principles controlling sleeping, eating and mating, one is allowed to practice the different sitting postures. The ultimate aim of yoga is to enable one to give up this body according to his own free will. One who has attained the ultimate summit of yoga practice can live in the body as long as he likes or, as long as he is not completely perfect, leave the body to go anywhere within or outside the universe. Some yogis leave their bodies to go to the higher planetary systems and enjoy the material facilities therein. However, intelligent yogis do not wish to waste their time within this material world at all; they do not care for the material facilities in higher planetary systems, but are interested in going directly to the spiritual sky, back home, back to Godhead.

   From the description in this verse, it appears that Maharaja Prthu had no desire to promote himself to the higher planetary systems. He wanted to return home immediately, back to Godhead. Although Maharaja Prthu stopped all practice of mystic yoga after realizing Krsna consciousness, he took advantage of his previous practice and immediately placed himself on the brahma-bhuta platform in order to accelerate his return to Godhead. The aim of this particular system of asana, known as the sitting posture for liberation, or muktasana, is to attain success in kundalini-cakra and gradually raise the life from the muladhara-cakra to the svadhisthana-cakra, then to the manipura-cakra, the anahata-cakra, the visuddha-cakra, and finally to the ajna-cakra. When the yogi reaches the ajna-cakra, between the two eyebrows, he is able to penetrate the brahma-randhra, or the hole in his skull, and go to any planet he desires, up to the spiritual kingdom of Vaikuntha, or Krsnaloka. The conclusion is that one has to come to the brahma-bhuta stage for going back to Godhead. However, those who are in Krsna consciousness, or who are practicing bhakti-yoga (sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam), can return to Godhead without even practicing the muktasana process. The purpose of muktasana practice is to come to the brahma-bhuta stage, for without being on the brahma-bhuta stage, one cannot be promoted to the spiritual sky. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (14.26):

 

                       mam ca yo 'vyabhicarena

                         bhakti-yogena sevate

                        sa gunan samatityaitan

                        brahma-bhuyaya kalpate

 

   The bhakti-yogi, practicing bhakti-yoga, is always situated on the brahma-bhuta stage (brahma-bhuyaya kalpate). If a devotee is able to continue on the brahma-bhuta platform, he enters the spiritual sky automatically after death and returns to Godhead. Consequently a devotee need not feel sorry for not having practiced the kundalini-cakra, or not penetrating the six cakras one after another. As far as Maharaja Prthu was concerned, he had already practiced this process, and since he did not want to wait for the time when his death would occur naturally, he took advantage of the sat-cakra penetration process and thus gave up the body according to his own free will and immediately entered the spiritual sky.

 

                               TEXT 15

 

                                 TEXT

 

                      utsarpayams tu tam murdhni

                        kramenavesya nihsprhah

                       vayum vayau ksitau kayam

                        tejas tejasy ayuyujat

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   utsarpayan--thus placing; tu--but; tam--the air; murdhni--on the head; kramena--gradually; avesya--placing; nihsprhah--being freed from all material desires; vayum--the air portion of the body; vayau--in the total air covering the universe; ksitau--in the total covering of earth; kayam--this material body; tejah--the fire in the body; tejasi--in the total fire of the material covering; ayuyujat--mixed.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   In this way, Prthu Maharaja gradually raised his air of life up to the hole in his skull, whereupon he lost all desire for material existence. Gradually he merged his air of life with the totality of air, his body with the totality of earth, and the fire within his body with the totality of fire.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   When the spiritual spark, which is described as one ten-thousandth part of the tip of a hair, is forced into material existence, that spark is covered by gross and subtle material elements. The material body is composed of five gross elements--earth, water, fire, air and ether--and three subtle elements--mind, intelligence and ego. When one attains liberation, he is freed from these material coverings. Indeed, success in yoga involves getting free from these material coverings and entering into spiritual existence. Lord Buddha's teachings of nirvana are based on this principle. Lord Buddha instructed his followers to give up these material coverings by means of meditation and yoga. Lord Buddha did not give any information about the soul, but if one follows his instructions strictly, he will ultimately become free from the material coverings and attain nirvana.

   When a living entity gives up the material coverings, he remains a spirit soul. This spirit soul must enter into the spiritual sky to merge into the Brahman effulgence. Unfortunately, unless the living entity has information of the spiritual world and the Vaikunthas, there is a 99.9 percent chance of his falling down again into material existence. There is, however, a small chance of being promoted to a spiritual planet from the Brahman effulgence, or the brahmajyoti. This brahmajyoti is considered by impersonalists to be without variety, and the Buddhists consider it to be void. In either case, whether one accepts the spiritual sky as being without variety or void, there is none of the spiritual bliss which is enjoyed in the spiritual planets, the Vaikunthas or Krsnaloka. In the absence of varieties of enjoyment, the spirit soul gradually feels an attraction to enjoy a life of bliss, and not having any information of Krsnaloka or Vaikunthaloka, he naturally falls down to material activities in order to enjoy material varieties.

 

                               TEXT 16

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       khany akase dravam toye

                       yatha-sthanam vibhagasah

                      ksitim ambhasi tat tejasy

                        ado vayau nabhasy amum

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   khani--the different holes in the body for the sense organs; akase--in the sky; dravam--the liquid substance; toye--in the water; yatha-sthanam--according to proper situation; vibhagasah--as they are divided; ksitim--earth; ambhasi--in the water; tat--that; tejasi--in the fire; adah--the fire; vayau--in the air; nabhasi--in the sky; amum--that.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   In this way, according to the different positions of the various parts of the body, Prthu Maharaja merged the holes of his senses with the sky; his bodily liquids, such as blood and various secretions, with the totality of water; and he merged earth with water, then water with fire, fire with air, air with sky, and so on.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In this verse two words are very important: yatha-sthanam vibhagasah. In Srimad-Bhagavatam, Second Canto, Fifth Chapter, Lord Brahma clearly explained to Narada how the creation took place, and he explained one step after another the proper divisions of the senses, the controller of the senses, the objects of the senses, and the material elements, and he also explained how they are created one after another: the air from the sky, the fire from the air, the water from the fire, the earth from the water, etc. It is important to know thoroughly the process of creation as it applies to this cosmic manifestation. Similarly, this body is also created according to the same process by the Supreme Lord. The Personality of Godhead, after entering the universe, creates the cosmic manifestations one after another. Similarly, the living entity, after entering a womb of a mother, also collects his gross and subtle bodies, taking ingredients from the totality of sky, air, fire, water and earth. The words yatha-sthanam vibhagasah indicate that one should know the process of creation and should meditate upon the creative process inversely and thus become free from material contamination.

 

                               TEXT 17

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         indriyesu manas tani

                       tan-matresu yathodbhavam

                        bhutadinamuny utkrsya

                        mahaty atmani sandadhe

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   indriyesu--in the sense organs; manah--the mind; tani--the sense organs; tat-matresu--in the objects of the senses; yatha-udbhavam--wherefrom they generated; bhuta-adina--by the five elements; amuni--all those sense objects; utkrsya--taking out; mahati--in the mahat-tattva; atmani--unto the ego; sandadhe--amalgamated.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   He amalgamated the mind with the senses and the senses with the sense objects, according to their respective positions, and he also amalgamated the material ego with the total material energy, mahat-tattva.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In respect to the ego, the total material energy is sundered in two parts--one agitated by the mode of ignorance and the other agitated by the modes of passion and goodness. Due to agitation by the mode of ignorance, the five gross elements are created. Due to agitation by the mode of passion, the mind is created, and due to agitation by the mode of goodness, false egoism, or identification with matter, is created. The mind is protected by a particular type of demigod. Sometimes the mind (manah) is also understood to have a controlling deity or demigod. In this way the total mind, namely the material mind controlled by material demigods, was amalgamated with the senses. The senses, in turn, were amalgamated with the sense objects. The sense objects are forms, tastes, smells, sounds, etc. Sound is the ultimate source of the sense objects. The mind was attracted by the senses and the senses by the sense objects, and all of them were ultimately amalgamated in the sky. The creation is so arranged that cause and effect follow one after the other. The merging process involves amalgamating the effect with the original cause. Since the ultimate cause in the material world is mahat-tattva, everything was gradually wound up and amalgamated with the mahat-tattva. This may be compared to sunya-vada, or voidism, but this is the process for cleansing the real spiritual mind, or consciousness.

   When the mind is completely washed of all material contamination, the pure consciousness acts. The sound vibration from the spiritual sky can automatically cleanse all material contaminations, as confirmed by Caitanya Mahaprabhu: ceto-darpana-marjanam. We need only take the advice of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and chant the Hare Krsna mantra to cleanse the mind of all material contamination, and this may be considered the summary of this difficult verse. As soon as the whole material contamination is washed away by this process of chanting, all desires and reactions to material activities become immediately vanquished, and real life, peaceful existence, begins. In this age of Kali it is very difficult to adopt the yogic process mentioned in this verse. Unless one is very expert in such yoga, the best course is to adopt the ways and means of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, sri-krsna-sankirtanam. Thus one can gloriously become freed from all material contamination by the simple process of chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Just as life in this material world has its beginning in material sound, similarly a spiritual life has its beginning in this spiritual sound vibration.

 

                               TEXT 18

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       tam sarva-guna-vinyasam

                        jive mayamaye nyadhat

                       tam canusayam atma-stham

                          asav anusayi puman

                        jnana-vairagya-viryena

                     svarupa-stho 'jahat prabhuh

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tam--unto Him; sarva-guna-vinyasam--the reservoir of all qualities; jive--unto the designations; maya-maye--the reservoir of all potencies; nyadhat--placed; tam--that; ca--also; anusayam--designation; atma-stham--situated in self-realization; asau--he; anusayi--the living entity; puman--the enjoyer; jnana--knowledge; vairagya--renunciation; viryena--by the prowess of; svarupa-sthah--being situated in one's constitutional position; ajahat--returned home; prabhuh--the controller.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Prthu Maharaja then offered the total designation of the living entity unto the supreme controller of illusory energy. Being released from all the designations by which the living entity became entrapped, he became free by knowledge and renunciation and by the spiritual force of his devotional service. In this way, being situated in his original constitutional position of Krsna consciousness, he gave up this body as a prabhu, or controller of the senses.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   As stated in the Vedas, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the source of material energy. Consequently He is sometimes called maya-maya, or the Supreme person, who can create His pastimes through His potency known as the material energy. The jiva, or the individual living entity, becomes entrapped by the material energy by the supreme will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In Bhagavad-gita (18.61) we understand:

 

                        isvarah sarva-bhutanam

                       hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati

                       bhramayan sarva-bhutani

                         yantrarudhani mayaya

 

   Isvara, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is situated within the heart of all conditioned souls, and by His supreme will the living entity, or individual soul, gets the facility to lord it over material nature in various types of bodies, which are known as yantra, or the moving vehicle offered by the total material energy, maya. Although the individual living entity (jiva) and the Lord are both situated within the material energy, the Lord is directing the movements of the jiva soul by offering him different types of bodies through the material energy, and thus the living entity is wandering throughout the universes in various forms of body and becomes implicated in different situations, partaking of the reactions of fruitive activities.

   When Prthu Maharaja became spiritually powerful by the enhancement of his spiritual knowledge (jnana) and renunciation of material desires, he became a prabhu, or master of his senses (sometimes called gosvami or svami). This means that he was no longer controlled by the influence of material energy. When one is strong enough to give up the influence of material energy, he is called prabhu. In this verse the word svarupa-sthah is also very significant. The real identity of the individual soul lies in understanding or attaining the knowledge that he is eternally a servant of Krsna. This understanding is called svarupopalabdhi. By culturing devotional service, the devotee gradually comes to understand his actual relationship with the Supreme personality of Godhead. This understanding of one's pure spiritual position is called svarupopalabdhi, and when one attains that stage he can understand how he is related with the Supreme personality of Godhead as a servant or friend or as a parent or conjugal lover. This stage of understanding is called svarupa-sthah. Prthu Maharaja realized this svarupa completely, and it will be clear in the later verses that he personally left this world, or this body, by riding on a chariot sent from Vaikuntha.

   In this verse the word prabhu is also significant. As stated before, when one is completely self-realized and acts according to that position, he can be called prabhu. The spiritual master is addressed as "Prabhupada" because he is a completely self-realized soul. The word pada means "position," and Prabhupada indicates that he is given the position of prabhu, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for he acts on behalf of the Supreme personality of Godhead. Unless one is a prabhu, or controller of the senses, he cannot act as spiritual master, who is authorized by the supreme prabhu, or Lord Krsna. In his verses praising the spiritual master, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura writes:

 

                  saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair

                   uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih

 

   "The spiritual master is honored as much as the Supreme Lord because he is the most confidential servitor of the Lord." Thus Prthu Maharaja can also be called Prabhupada, or, as described herein, prabhu. Another question may be raised in this connection. Since Prthu Maharaja was a power incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, saktyavesa-avatara, why did he have to execute the regulative principles in order to become a prabhu? Because he appeared on this earth as an ideal king and because it is the duty of the king to instruct the citizens in the execution of devotional service, he followed all the regulative principles of devotional service in order to teach others. Similarly, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, although Krsna Himself, taught us how to approach Krsna as a devotee. It is said, apani acari' bhakti sikhainu sabare. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructed others in the process of devotional service by setting the example Himself through His own personal actions. Similarly, Prthu Maharaja, although a saktyavesa-avatara incarnation, still behaved exactly as a devotee in order to achieve the position of prabhu. Furthermore, svarupa-sthah means "complete liberation." As it is said (Bhag. 2.10.6), hitvanyatha-rupam svarupena vyavasthitih: when a living entity abandons the activities of maya and attains the position from which he can execute devotional service, his state is called svarupa-sthah, or complete liberation.

 

                               TEXT 19

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        arcir nama maha-rajni

                       tat-patny anugata vanam

                        sukumary atad-arha ca

                    yat-padbhyam sparsanam bhuvah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   arcih nama--of the name Arci; maha-rajni--the Queen; tat-patni--the wife of Maharaja Prthu; anugata--who followed her husband; vanam--in the forest; su-kumari--very delicate body; a-tat-arha--who did not deserve; ca--also; yat-padbhyam--by the touch of whose feet; sparsanam--touching; bhuvah--on the earth.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The Queen, the wife of Prthu Maharaja, whose name was Arci, followed her husband into the forest. Since she was a queen, her body was very delicate. Although she did not deserve to live in the forest, she voluntarily touched her lotus feet to the ground.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Because Prthu Maharaja's wife was the Queen and also a daughter of a king, she never experienced walking on the ground, for queens used to never come out of the palace. They certainly never went to the forests and tolerated all the difficulties of living in the wilderness. In Vedic civilization there are hundreds of similar examples of such renunciation on the part of queens and dedication to the husband. The goddess of fortune mother Sita followed her husband, Ramacandra, when He went to the forest. Lord Ramacandra went to the forest in compliance with the order of His father, Maharaja Dasaratha, but mother Sita was not so ordered. Nonetheless, she voluntarily accepted the path of her husband. Similarly, Gandhari, the wife of King Dhrtarastra, also followed her husband into the forest. Being the wives of great personalities like Prthu, Lord Ramacandra and Dhrtarastra, these were ideal chaste women. Such queens also instructed the general people by showing them how to become a chaste wife and follow the husband in every stage of life. When the husband is king, she sits beside him as the queen, and when he goes to the forest, she also follows, despite having to tolerate all kinds of difficulties in living in the forest. Therefore it is said here (atad-arha) that although she did not want to touch her feet to the ground, she nonetheless accepted all difficulties when she went to the forest with her husband.

 

                               TEXT 20

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 ativa bhartur vrata-dharma-nisthaya

                     susrusaya carsa-deha-yatraya

                    navindatartim parikarsitapi sa

                  preyaskara-sparsana-mana-nirvrtih

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ativa--very much; bhartuh--of the husband; vrata-dharma--vow to serve him; nisthaya--by determination; susrusaya--by serving; ca--also; arsa--like the great saintly sages; deha--body; yatraya--living condition; na--did not; avindata--perceive; artim--any difficulty; parikarsita api--although transformed to become lean and thin; sa--she; preyah-kara--very pleasing; sparsana--touching; mana--engaged; nirvrtih--pleasure.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Although she was not accustomed to such difficulties, Queen Arci followed her husband in the regulative principles of living in the forest like great sages. She lay down on the ground and ate only fruits, flowers and leaves, and because she was not fit for these activities, she became frail and thin. Yet because of the pleasure she derived in serving her husband, she did not feel any difficulties.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The words bhartur vrata-dharma-nisthaya indicate that a woman's duty, or religious principle, is to serve her husband in all conditions. In Vedic civilization a man is taught from the beginning of his life to become a brahmacari, then an ideal grhastha, then vanaprastha, then sannyasi, and the wife is taught just to follow the husband strictly in all conditions of life. After the period of brahmacarya, a man accepts a householder's life, and the woman is also taught by her parents to be a chaste wife. Thus when a girl and boy are united, both are trained for a life dedicated to a higher purpose. The boy is trained to execute his duty in accordance with the higher purpose of life, and the girl is trained to follow him. The chaste wife's duty is to keep her husband pleased in householder life in all respects, and when the husband retires from family life, she is to go to the forest and adopt the life of vanaprastha, or vana-vasi. At that time the wife is to follow her husband and take care of him, just as she took care of him in householder life. But when the husband takes the renounced order of life, namely sannyasa, the wife is to return home and become a saintly woman, setting an example for her children and daughters-in-law and showing them how to live a life of austerity.

   When Caitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyasa, His wife, Visnupriyadevi, although only sixteen years old, also took the vow of austerity due to her husband's leaving home. She chanted her beads, and after finishing one round, she collected one grain of rice. In this way, as many rounds as she chanted, she would receive the same number of rice grains and then cook them and so take prasada. This is called austerity. Even today in India, widows or women whose husbands have taken sannyasa follow the principles of austerity, even though they live with their children. Prthu Maharaja's wife, Arci, was steadily determined to execute the duty of a wife, and while her husband was in the forest, she followed him in eating only fruits and leaves and lying down on the ground. Since a woman's body is considerably more delicate than a man's, Queen Arci became very frail and thin, parikarsita. When one engages in austerities, his body generally becomes lean and thin. Becoming fat is not a very good qualification in spiritual life because a person who is engaged in spiritual life must reduce the comforts of the body--namely eating, sleeping and mating--to a minimum. Although Queen Arci became very thin from living in the forest according to regulative principles, she was not unhappy, for she was enjoying the honor of serving her great husband.

 

                               TEXT 21

 

                                 TEXT

 

                    deham vipannakhila-cetanadikam

                  patyuh prthivya dayitasya catmanah

                  alaksya kincic ca vilapya sa sati

                    citam atharopayad adri-sanuni

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   deham--body; vipanna--completely failing; akhila--all; cetana--feeling; adikam--symptoms; patyuh--of her husband; prthivyah--the world; dayitasya--of the merciful; ca atmanah--also of herself; alaksya--by seeing; kincit--very little; ca--and; vilapya--lamenting; sa--she; sati--the chaste; citam--unto the fire; atha--now; aropayat--placed; adri--hill; sanuni--on the top.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When Queen Arci saw that her husband, who had been so merciful to her and the earth, no longer showed symptoms of life, she lamented for a little while and then built a fiery pyre on top of a hill and placed the body of her husband on it.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   After seeing all the life symptoms in her husband stop, the Queen lamented for a while. The word kincit means "for a little while." The Queen was completely aware that her husband was not dead, although the symptoms of life--action, intelligence and sense perception--had ceased. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (2.13):

 

                       dehino 'smin yatha dehe

                        kaumaram yauvanam jara

                       tatha dehantara-praptir

                       dhiras tatra na muhyati

 

   "As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change."

   When a living entity transfers from one body to another, a process generally known as death, a sane man does not lament, for he knows that the living entity is not dead but is simply transferred from one body to another. The Queen should have been afraid of being alone in the forest with the body of her husband, but since she was a great wife of a great personality, she lamented for a while but immediately understood that she had many duties to perform. Thus instead of wasting her time in lamentation, she immediately prepared a fiery pyre on top of a hill and then placed the body of her husband on it to be burned.

   Maharaja Prthu is described here as dayita, for not only was he the king of the earth, but he treated the earth as his protected child. Similarly, he protected his wife also. It was the duty of the king to give protection to everyone, especially to the earth or land which he ruled, as well as the citizens and his family members. Since Prthu Maharaja was a perfect king, he gave protection to everyone, and therefore he is described here as dayita.

 

                               TEXT 22

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   vidhaya krtyam hradini-jalapluta

                  dattvodakam bhartur udara-karmanah

               natva divi-sthams tridasams trih paritya

                 vivesa vahnim dhyayati bhartr-padau

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   vidhaya--executing; krtyam--the regulative function; hradini--in the water of the river; jala-apluta--taking bath completely; dattva udakam--offering oblations of water; bhartuh--of her husband; udara-karmanah--who was so liberal; natva--offering obeisances; divi-sthan--situated in the sky; tri-dasan--the thirty million demigods; trih--three times; paritya--circumambulating; vivesa--entered; vahnim--the fire; dhyayati--while thinking of; bhartr--of her husband; padau--the two lotus feet.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After this, the Queen executed the necessary funerary functions and offered oblations of water. After bathing in the river, she offered obeisances to various demigods situated in the sky in the different planetary systems. She then circumambulated the fire and, while thinking of the lotus feet of her husband, entered its flames.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The entrance of a chaste wife into the flames of the pyre of her dead husband is known as saha-gamana, which means "dying with the husband." This system of saha-gamana had been practiced in Vedic civilization from time immemorial. Even after the British period in India this practice was rigidly observed, but soon it degraded to the point that even when the wife was not strong enough to enter the fire of her dead husband, the relatives would force her to enter. Thus this practice had to be stopped, but even today there are still some solitary cases where a wife we personally knew of a chaste wife who died in this way.

 

                               TEXT 23

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        vilokyanugatam sadhvim

                       prthum vira-varam patim

                        tustuvur varada devair

                       deva-patnyah sahasrasah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   vilokya--by observing; anugatam--dying after the husband; sadhvim--the chaste woman; prthum--of King Prthu; vira-varam--the great warrior; patim--husband; tustuvuh--offered prayers; vara-dah--able to give benediction; devaih--by the demigods; deva-patnyah--the wives of the demigods; sahasrasah--in thousands.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After observing this brave act performed by the chaste wife Arci, the wife of the great King Prthu, many thousands of the wives of the demigods, along with their husbands, offered prayers to the Queen, for they were very much satisfied.

 

                               TEXT 24

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        kurvatyah kusumasaram

                        tasmin mandara-sanuni

                        nadatsv amara-turyesu

                        grnanti sma parasparam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   kurvatyah--just showering; kusuma-asaram--showers of flowers; tasmin--in that; mandara--of Mandara Hill; sanuni--on the top; nadatsu--vibrating; amara-turyesu--beating of the drums of the demigods; grnanti sma--they were talking; parasparam--amongst themselves as follows.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   At that time the demigods were situated on the top of Mandara Hill, and all their wives began to shower flowers on the funeral pyre and began to talk amongst themselves as follows.

 

                               TEXT 25

 

                                 TEXT

 

                              devya ucuh

                        aho iyam vadhur dhanya

                      ya caivam bhu-bhujam patim

                        sarvatmana patim bheje

                       yajnesam srir vadhur iva

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   devyah ucuh--the wives of the demigods said; aho--alas; iyam--this; vadhuh--the wife; dhanya--most glorious; ya--who; ca--also; evam--as; bhu--of the world; bhujam--of all the kings; patim--the king; sarva-atmana--with full understanding; patim--unto the husband; bheje--worshiped; yajna-isam--unto Lord Visnu; srih--the goddess of fortune; vadhuh--wife; iva--like.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The wives of the demigods said: All glories to Queen Arci! We can see that this queen of the great King Prthu, the emperor of all the kings of the world, has served her husband with mind, speech and body exactly as the goddess of fortune serves the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Yajnesa, or Visnu.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In this verse the words yajnesam srir vadhur iva indicate that Queen Arci served her husband just as the goddess of fortune serves the Supreme Personality of Godhead Visnu. We can observe that even in the history of this world, when Lord Krsna, the supreme Visnu, was ruling over Dvaraka, Queen Rukmini, who was the chief of all Krsna's queens, used to serve Lord Krsna personally in spite of having many hundreds of maidservants to assist her. Similarly, the goddess of fortune in the Vaikuntha planets also serves Narayana personally, although there are many thousands of devotees prepared to serve the Lord. This practice is also followed by the wives of the demigods, and in days past the wives of men also followed this same principle. In Vedic civilization the husband and wife were not separated by such man-made laws as divorce. We should understand the necessity for maintaining family life in human society and should thus abolish this artificial law known as divorce. The husband and wife should live in Krsna consciousness and follow in the footsteps of Laksmi-Narayana or Krsna-Rukmini. In this way peace and harmony can be possible within this world.

 

                               TEXT 26

 

                                 TEXT

 

                     saisa nunam vrajaty urdhvam

                        anu vainyam patim sati

                        pasyatasman atityarcir

                        durvibhavyena karmana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sa--she; esa--this; nunam--certainly; vrajati--going; urdhvam--upward; anu--following; vainyam--the son of Vena; patim--husband; sati--chaste; pasyata--just see; asman--us; atitya--overpassing; arcih--of the name Arci; durvibhavyena--by inconceivable; karmana--activities.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The wives of the demigods continued: Just see how this chaste lady, Arci, by dint of her inconceivable pious activities, is still following her husband upward, as far as we can see.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Both Prthu Maharaja's airplane and the airplane carrying Queen Arci were passing out of the vision of the ladies of the higher planetary systems. These ladies were simply astonished to see how Prthu Maharaja and his wife achieved such an exalted position. Although they were the wives of the denizens of the higher planetary system and Prthu Maharaja was an inhabitant of an inferior planetary system (the earth), the King, along with his wife, passed beyond the realms of the demigods and went upward to Vaikunthaloka. The word urdhvam ("upward") is significant here, for the ladies speaking were from the higher planetary systems, which include the moon, sun and Venus, up to Brahmaloka, or the highest planet. Beyond Brahmaloka is the spiritual sky, and in that spiritual sky there are innumerable Vaikunthalokas. Thus the word urdhvam indicates that the Vaikuntha planets are beyond or above these material planets, and it was to these Vaikuntha planets that Prthu Maharaja and his wife were going. This also indicates that when Prthu Maharaja and his wife, Arci, abandoned their material bodies in the material fire, they immediately developed their spiritual bodies and entered into spiritual airplanes, which could penetrate the material elements and reach the spiritual sky. Since they were carried by two separate airplanes, it may be concluded that even after being burned in the funeral pyre they remained separate, individual persons. In other words, they never lost their identity or became void, as imagined by the impersonalists.

   The ladies in the higher planetary systems were capable of seeing both downward and upward. When they looked down they could see that the body of Prthu Maharaja was being burned and that his wife, Arci, was entering into the fire, and when they looked upward they could see how they were being carried in two airplanes to the Vaikunthalokas. All of this is possible simply by durvibhavyena karmana, inconceivable activity. Prthu Maharaja was a pure devotee, and his wife, Queen Arci, simply followed her husband. Thus they can both be considered pure devotees, and thus they are capable of performing inconceivable activities. Such activities are not possible for ordinary men. Indeed, ordinary men cannot even take to the devotional service of the Lord, nor can ordinary women maintain such vows of chastity and follow their husbands in all respects. A woman does not need to attain high qualifications, but if she simply follows in the footsteps of her husband, who must be a devotee, then both husband and wife attain liberation and are promoted to the Vaikunthalokas. This is evinced by the inconceivable activities of Maharaja Prthu and his wife.

 

                               TEXT 27

 

                                 TEXT

 

                      tesam durapam kim tv anyan

                       martyanam bhagavat-padam

                        bhuvi lolayuso ye vai

                      naiskarmyam sadhayanty uta

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tesam--of them; durapam--difficult to obtain; kim--what; tu--but; anyat--anything else; martyanam--of the human beings; bhagavat-padam--the kingdom of God; bhuvi--in the world; lola--flickering; ayusah--span of life; ye--those; vai--certainly; naiskarmyam--the path of liberation; sadhayanti--execute; uta--exactly.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   In this material world, every human being has a short span of life, but those who are engaged in devotional service go back home, back to Godhead, for they are actually on the path of liberation. For such persons, there is nothing which is not available.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In Bhagavad-gita (9.33) Lord Krsna says: anityam asukham lokam imam prapya bhajasva mam. The Lord here declares that this material world is full of miseries (asukham) and at the same time is very flickering (anityam). Therefore one's only duty is to engage himself in devotional service. This is the best end to which human life can be put. Those devotees who are constantly engaged in the service of the lotus feet of the Lord achieve not only all material benefits but also all spiritual benefits, for at the end of life they go back home, back to Godhead. Their destination is described in this verse as bhagavat-padam. The word padam means "abode," and bhagavat means "the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Thus the destination of the devotees is the abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

   In this verse the word naiskarmyam, which means "transcendental knowledge," is also significant. Unless one comes to the platform of transcendental knowledge and offers devotional service to the Lord, one is not perfect. Generally the processes of jnana, yoga and karma are executed life after life before one gets a chance to render pure devotional service to the Lord. This chance is given by the grace of a pure devotee, and it is in this way only that one can actually attain liberation. In the context of this narration, the wives of the demigods repented because although they had the opportunity of a birth in a higher planetary system, a lifetime spanning millions of years and all material comforts, they were not as fortunate as Prthu Maharaja and his wife, who were actually surpassing them. In other words, Prthu Maharaja and his wife scorned promotion to the higher planetary systems and even to Brahmaloka because the position which they were attaining was incomparable. In Bhagavad-gita (8.16) the Lord affirms, abrahma-bhuvanal lokah punar avartino 'rjuna: "From the highest planet in the material world to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place." In other words, even if one goes to the highest planet, Brahmaloka, he has to return to the miseries of birth and death. In the Ninth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita (9.21), Lord Krsna also asserts:

 

                 te tam bhuktva svarga-lokam visalam

                   ksine punye martya-lokam visanti

 

   "When they have thus enjoyed heavenly sense pleasure, they return to this mortal planet again." Thus after exhausting the results of pious activities, one has to come again to the lower planetary systems and begin a new chapter of pious activities. It is therefore said in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.5.12), naiskarmyam apy acyuta-bhava-varjitam: "The path of liberation is not at all secure unless one attains the devotional service of the Lord." Even if one is promoted to the impersonal brahmajyoti, he runs every chance of falling down into this material world. If it is possible to fall down from the brahmajyoti, which is beyond the higher planetary systems in this material world, then what can be said of the ordinary yogis and karmis who can only be elevated to the higher material planets? Thus the wives of the denizens of the higher planetary systems did not very much appreciate the results of karma, jnana and yoga.

 

                               TEXT 28

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       sa vancito batatma-dhruk

                        krcchrena mahata bhuvi

                      labdhvapavargyam manusyam

                          visayesu visajjate

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sah--he; vancitah--cheated; bata--certainly; atma-dhruk--envious of himself; krcchrena--with great difficulty; mahata--by great activities; bhuvi--in this world; labdhva--by achieving; apavargyam--the path of liberation; manusyam--in the human form of life; visayesu--in the matter of sense gratification; visajjate--becomes engaged.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Any person who engages himself within this material world in performing activities that necessitate great struggle, and who, after obtaining a human form of life--which is a chance to attain liberation from miseries--undertakes the difficult tasks of fruitive activities, must be considered to be cheated and envious of his own self.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In this material world people are engaged in different activities simply to achieve a little success in sense gratification. The karmis are engaged in performing very difficult activities, and thus they open gigantic factories, build huge cities, make big scientific discoveries, etc. In other words, they are engaged in performing very costly sacrifices in order to be promoted to the higher planetary systems. Similarly, yogis are engaged in achieving a similar goal by accepting the tedious practices of mystic yoga. Jnanis are engaged in philosophical speculation in order to gain release from the clutches of material nature. In these ways everyone is engaged in performing very difficult tasks simply for the gratification of the senses. All of these are considered to be engaged in sense gratificatory activities (or visaya) because they all demand some facility for material existence. Actually the results of such activities are temporary. As Krsna Himself proclaims in Bhagavad-gita (7.23), antavat tu phalam tesam: "The fruits [of those who worship the demigods] are limited and temporary." Thus the fruits of the activities of the yogis, karmis and jnanis are ephemeral. Moreover, Krsna says, tad bhavaty alpa-medhasam: "They are simply meant for men of small intelligence." The word visaya denotes sense gratification. The karmis flatly state that they want sense gratification. The yogis also want sense gratification, but they want it to a higher degree. It is their desire to show some miraculous results through the practice of yoga. Thus they strive very hard to achieve success in becoming smaller than the smallest or greater than the greatest, or in creating a planet like earth or, as scientists, by inventing so many wonderful machines. Similarly, the jnanis are also engaged in sense gratification, for they are simply interested in becoming one with the Supreme. Thus the aim of all these activities is sense gratification to a higher or a lower degree. The bhaktas, however, are not interested in sense gratificatory practices; they are simply satisfied to get an opportunity to serve the Lord. Although they are satisfied in any condition, there is nothing they cannot obtain, because they are purely engaged in the service of the Lord.

   The wives of the demigods condemn the performers of sense gratificatory activities as vancita, cheated. Those so engaged are actually killing themselves (atma-ha). As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.20.17):

 

                 nr-deham adyam sulabham sudurlabham

                   plavam sukalpam guru-karnadharam

                     mayanukulena nabhasvateritam

                 puman bhavabdhim na taret sa atma-ha

 

   When one wants to cross a large ocean, he requires a strong boat. It is said that this human form of life is a good boat by which one can cross the ocean of nescience. In the human form of life one can obtain the guidance of a good navigator, the spiritual master. One also gets a favorable wind by the mercy of Krsna, and that wind is the instructions of Krsna. The human body is the boat, the instructions of Lord Krsna are the favorable winds, and the spiritual master is the navigator. The spiritual master knows well how to adjust the sails to catch the winds favorably and steer the boat to its destination. If, however, one does not take advantage of this opportunity, one wastes the human form of life. Wasting time and life in this way is the same as committing suicide.

   The word labdhvapavargyam is significant in this verse, because according to Jiva Gosvami, apavargyam, or the path of liberation, does not refer to merging into the impersonal Brahman but to salokyadi-siddhi, which means attaining the very planet where the Supreme Personality of Godhead resides. There are five kinds of liberation, and one is called sayujya-mukti, or merging into the existence of the Supreme, or the impersonal Brahman effulgence. However, since there is a chance of one's falling down again into the material sky from the Brahman effulgence, Srila Jiva Gosvami advises that in this human form of life one's only aim should be to go back home, back to Godhead. The words sa vancitah indicate that once a person has obtained the human form of life, he is actually cheated if he does not make preparations to go back home, back to Godhead. The position of all nondevotees, who are not interested in going back to Godhead, is very much lamentable, for the human form of life is meant for executing devotional service and nothing else.

 

                               TEXT 29

 

                                 TEXT

 

                            maitreya uvaca

                        stuvatisv amara-strisu

                        pati-lokam gata vadhuh

                       yam va atma-vidam dhuryo

                       vainyah prapacyutasrayah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   maitreyah uvaca--the great sage Maitreya continued to speak; stuvatisu--while glorifying; amara-strisu--by the wives of the denizens of heaven; pati-lokam--the planet where the husband had gone; gata--reaching; vadhuh--the wife; yam--where; va--or; atma-vidam--of the self-realized souls; dhuryah--the topmost; vainyah--the son of King Vena (Prthu Maharaja); prapa--obtained; acyuta-asrayah--under the protection of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The great sage Maitreya continued speaking: My dear Vidura, when the wives of the denizens of heaven were thus talking amongst themselves, Queen Arci reached the planet which her husband, Maharaja Prthu, the topmost self-realized soul, had attained.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   According to Vedic scriptures, a woman who dies with her husband, or enters into the fire in which her husband is burning, also enters the same planet her husband attains. In this material world there is a planet known as Patiloka, just as there is a planet known as Pitrloka. But in this verse the word pati-loka does not refer to any planet within this material universe, for Prthu Maharaja, being topmost amongst self-realized souls, certainly returned home, back to Godhead, and attained one of the Vaikuntha planets. Queen Arci also entered Patiloka, but this planet is not in the material universe, for she actually entered the planet which her husband attained. In the material world also, when a woman dies with her husband, she again unites with him in the next birth. Similarly, Maharaja Prthu and Queen Arci united in the Vaikuntha planets. In the Vaikuntha planets there are husbands and wives, but there is no question of their giving birth to children or having sex life. In the Vaikuntha planets both husbands and wives are extraordinarily beautiful, and they are attracted to one another, but they do not enjoy sex life. Indeed, they consider sex not to be very relishable because both husband and wife are always absorbed in Krsna consciousness and in glorifying and chanting the glories of the Lord.

   According to Bhaktivinoda Thakura also, a husband and wife can turn the home into a place as good as Vaikuntha, even while in this material world. Being absorbed in Krsna consciousness, even in this world husband and wife can live in Vaikuntha simply by installing the Deity of the Lord within the home and serving the Deity according to the directions of the sastras. In this way, they will never feel the sex urge. That is the test of advancement in devotional service. One who is advanced in devotional service is never attracted by sex life, and as soon as one becomes detached from sex life and proportionately attached to the service of the Lord, he actually experiences living in the Vaikuntha planets. In the ultimate issue, there is actually no material world, but when one forgets the service of the Lord and engages himself in the service of his senses, he is said to be living in the material world.

 

                               TEXT 30

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       ittham-bhutanubhavo 'sau

                       prthuh sa bhagavattamah

                        kirtitam tasya caritam

                         uddama-caritasya te

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ittham-bhuta--thus; anubhavah--very great, powerful; asau--that; prthuh--King Prthu; sah--he; bhagavat-tamah--the best among the lords; kirtitam--described; tasya--his; caritam--character; uddama--very great; caritasya--one who possesses such qualities; te--to you.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Maitreya continued: The greatest of all devotees, Maharaja Prthu, was very powerful, and his character was liberal, magnificent and magnanimous. Thus I have described him to you as far as possible.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In this verse the word bhagavattamah is very significant, for the word bhagavat is used especially to refer to the Supreme personality of Godhead, as the word bhagavan ("the Supreme Personality of Godhead") is derived from the word bhagavat. Sometimes, however, we see that the word bhagavan is used for great personalities like Lord Brahma, Lord Siva and Narada Muni. This is the case with Prthu Maharaja, who is described here as the best of the bhagavans, or the best of the lords. A person can be so addressed only if he is a great personality who exhibits extraordinary and uncommon features or who attains the greatest goal after his disappearance or who knows the difference between knowledge and ignorance. In other words, the word bhagavan should not be used for ordinary persons.

 

                               TEXT 31

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        ya idam sumahat punyam

                       sraddhayavahitah pathet

                        sravayec chrnuyad vapi

                        sa prthoh padavim iyat

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yah--anyone; idam--this; su-mahat--very great; punyam--pious; sraddhaya--with great faith; avahitah--with great attention; pathet--reads; sravayet--explains; srnuyat--hears; va--or; api--certainly; sah--that person; prthoh--of King Prthu; padavim--situation; iyat--attains.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Any person who describes the great characteristics of King Prthu with faith and determination--whether he reads or hears of them himself or helps others to hear of them--is certain to attain the very planet which Maharaja Prthu attained. In other words, such a person also returns home to the Vaikuntha planets, back to Godhead.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In the execution of devotional service, sravanam kirtanam visnoh is especially stressed. This means that bhakti, or devotional service, begins by hearing and chanting about Visnu. When we speak of Visnu, we also refer to that which relates to Visnu. In the Siva purana, Lord Siva recommends Visnu worship to be the topmost worship, and better than Visnu worship is worship of the Vaisnava or anything that is related to Visnu. The fact is explained herein that hearing and chanting about a Vaisnava is as good as hearing and chanting about Visnu, for Maitreya has explained that anyone who hears about Prthu Maharaja with attention also attains the planet which Maharaja Prthu attained. There is no duality between Visnu and the Vaisnava, and this is called advaya-jnana. A Vaisnava is as important as Visnu, and therefore Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura wrote in his Gurv-astaka:

 

                  saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair

                   uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih

                  kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya

                    vande guroh sri-caranaravindam

 

   "The spiritual master is honored as much as the Supreme Lord because he is the most confidential servitor of the Lord. This is acknowledged in all revealed scriptures and is followed by all authorities. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master, who is a bona fide representative of Sri Hari."

   The supreme Vaisnava is the spiritual master, and he is nondifferent from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is said that sometimes Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to chant the names of the gopis. Some of the Lord's students tried to advise Him to chant the name of Krsna instead, but upon hearing this Caitanya Mahaprabhu became very angry with His students. The controversy on this subject reached a point that after this incident Caitanya Mahaprabhu decided to take sannyasa because He was not taken very seriously in His grhastha-asrama. The point is that since Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu chanted the names of the gopis, worship of the gopis or the devotees of the Lord is as good as devotional service rendered directly to the Lord. It is also stated by the Lord Himself that devotional service to His devotees is better than service offered directly to Him. Sometimes the sahajiya class of devotees are interested only in Krsna's personal pastimes to the exclusion of the activities of the devotees. This type of devotee is not on a very high level; one who sees the devotee and the Lord on the same level has further progressed.

 

                               TEXT 32

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       brahmano brahma-varcasvi

                         rajanyo jagati-patih

                    vaisyah pathan vit-patih syac

                       chudrah sattamatam iyat

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   brahmanah--the brahmanas; brahma-varcasvi--one who has attained the power of spiritual success; rajanyah--the royal order; jagati-patih--the king of the world; vaisyah--the mercantile class of men; pathan--by reading; vit-patih--becomes master of animals; syat--becomes; sudrah--the laborer class of men; sattama-tam--the position of a great devotee; iyat--attains.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   If one hears of the characteristics of Prthu Maharaja and is a brahmana, he becomes perfectly qualified with brahminical powers; if he is a ksatriya, he becomes a king of the world; if he is a vaisya, he becomes a master of other vaisyas and many animals; and if he is a sudra, he becomes the topmost devotee.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In Srimad-Bhagavatam it is recommended that one should become a devotee regardless of one's condition. Whether one is without desire (akama) or with desire (sakama), or whether one desires liberation (moksa-kama), he is advised to worship the Supreme Lord and execute devotional service unto Him. By so doing, one attains all perfection in any field of life. The process of devotional service--especially hearing and chanting--is so powerful that it can bring a person to the perfectional stage. In this verse brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas and sudras are mentioned, but here it should be understood that that reference is to the brahmana who is born in a brahminical family, the ksatriya who is born in a ksatriya family, the vaisya who is born in a vaisya family and the sudra in a sudra family. But whether one is a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya or sudra, he can attain perfection simply by hearing and chanting.

   To take birth in a family of brahmanas is not the ultimate finishing touch; one must have the power of a brahmana, which is called brahma-tejas. Similarly, taking birth in a royal family is not the all in all; one must possess the power to rule the world. Similarly, taking birth as a vaisya is not all; one must possess hundreds or thousands of animals (specifically cows) and rule over other vaisyas as Nanda Maharaja did in Vrndavana. Nanda Maharaja was a vaisya who possessed nine hundred thousand cows and ruled over many cowherd men and boys. A person who is born in a sudra family can become greater than a brahmana simply by accepting devotional service and giving aural reception to the pastimes of the Lord and His devotees.

 

                               TEXT 33

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       trih krtva idam akarnya

                         naro nary athavadrta

                         aprajah suprajatamo

                        nirdhano dhanavattamah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   trih--thrice; krtvah--repeating; idam--this; akarnya--hearing; narah--man; nari--woman; athava--or; adrta--in great respect; aprajah--one who has no children; su-praja-tamah--surrounded by many children; nirdhanah--without any money; dhana-vat--rich; tamah--the greatest.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   It does not matter whether one is a man or woman. Anyone who, with great respect, hears this narration of Maharaja Prthu will become the father of many children if he is without children and will become the richest of men if he is without money.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Materialistic persons who are very fond of money and great families worship different demigods to attain their desires, especially goddess Durga, Lord Siva and Lord Brahma. Such materialistic persons are called sriyaisvarya-prajepsavah. Sri means "beauty," aisvarya means "riches," praja means "children," and ipsavah means "desiring." As described in the Second Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, one has to worship various demigods for different types of benedictions. However, here it is indicated that simply by hearing of the life and character of Maharaja Prthu, one can have both riches and children in enormous quantities. One simply has to read and understand the history, the life and activities of Prthu Maharaja. It is advised that one read them at least three times. Those who are materially afflicted will so benefit by hearing of the Supreme Lord and His devotees that they need not go to any demigod. The word suprajatamah ("surrounded by many children") is very significant in this verse, for one may have many children but may not have any qualified children. Here, however, it is stated (su-prajatamah) that all the children thus attained would be qualified in education, wealth, beauty and strength--everything complete.

 

                               TEXT 34

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        aspasta-kirtih suyasa

                       murkho bhavati panditah

                      idam svasty-ayanam pumsam

                         amangalya-nivaranam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   aspasta-kirtih--unmanifested reputation; su-yasah--very famous; murkhah--illiterate; bhavati--becomes; panditah--learned; idam--this; svasti-ayanam--auspiciousness; pumsam--of the men; amangalya--inauspiciousness; nivaranam--prohibiting.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Also, one who hears this narration three times will become very reputable if he is not recognized in society, and he will become a great scholar if he is illiterate. In other words, hearing of the narrations of Prthu Maharaja is so auspicious that it drives away all bad luck.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In the material world, everyone wants some profit, some adoration and some reputation. By associating in different ways with the Supreme Personality of godhead or His devotee, one can very easily become opulent in every respect. Even if one is not known or recognized by society, he becomes very famous and important if he takes to devotional service and preaching. As far as education is concerned, one can become recognized in society as a great learned scholar simply by hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita, wherein the pastimes of the Lord and His devotees are described. This material world is full of dangers at every step, but a devotee has no fear because devotional service is so auspicious that it automatically counteracts all kinds of bad luck. Since hearing about Prthu Maharaja is one of the items of devotional service (sravanam), naturally hearing about him brings all good fortune.

 

                               TEXT 35

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       dhanyam yasasyam ayusyam

                       svargyam kali-malapaham

                       dharmartha-kama-moksanam

                      samyak siddhim abhipsubhih

                       sraddhayaitad anusravyam

                        caturnam karanam param

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   dhanyam--the source of riches; yasasyam--the source of reputation; ayusyam--the source of an increased span of life; svargyam--the source of elevation to the heavenly planets; kali--of the age of Kali; mala-apaham--decreasing the contamination; dharma--religion; artha--economic development; kama--sense gratification; moksanam--of liberation; samyak--completely; siddhim--perfection; abhipsubhih--by those desiring; sraddhaya--with great respect; etat--this narration; anusravyam--must one hear; caturnam--of the four; karanam--cause; param--ultimate.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   By hearing the narration of Prthu Maharaja, one can become great, increase his duration of life, gain promotion to the heavenly planets and counteract the contaminations of this age of Kali. In addition, one can promote the causes of religion, economic development, sense gratification and liberation. Therefore from all sides it is advisable for a materialistic person who is interested in such things to read and hear the narrations of the life and character of Prthu Maharaja.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   By reading and hearing the narrations of the life and character of Prthu Maharaja, one naturally becomes a devotee, and as soon as one becomes a devotee, his material desires automatically become fulfilled. Therefore it is recommended in Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.3.10):

 

                         akamah sarva-kamo va

                        moksa-kama udara-dhih

                        tivrena bhakti-yogena

                         yajeta purusam param

 

   If a person wants to return home, back to Godhead, or wants to become a pure devotee (akama), or wants some material prosperity (sakama or sarva-kama), or wants to merge into the existence of the Supreme Brahman effulgence (moksa-kama), he is recommended to take to the path of devotional service and hear and chant of Lord Visnu or of His devotee. This is the sum and substance of all Vedic literatures. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah (Bg. 15.15). The purpose of Vedic knowledge is to understand Krsna and His devotees. Whenever we speak of Krsna, we refer to His devotees also, for He is not alone. He is never nirvisesa or sunya, without variety, or zero. Krsna is full of variety, and as soon as Krsna is present, there cannot be any question of void.

 

                               TEXT 36

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         vijayabhimukho raja

                       srutvaitad abhiyati yan

                      balim tasmai haranty agre

                        rajanah prthave yatha

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   vijaya-abhimukhah--one who is about to start for victory; raja--king; srutva--hearing; etat--this; abhiyati--starts; yan--on the chariot; balim--taxes; tasmai--unto him; haranti--present; agre--before; rajanah--other kings; prthave--unto King Prthu; yatha--as it was done.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   If a king, who is desirous of attaining victory and ruling power, chants the narration of Prthu Maharaja three times before going forth on his chariot, all subordinate kings will automatically render all kinds of taxes unto him--as they rendered them unto Maharaja Prthu--simply upon his order.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Since a ksatriya king naturally desires to rule the world, he wishes to make all other kings subordinate to him. This was also the position many years ago when Prthu Maharaja was ruling over the earth. At that time he was the only emperor on this planet. Even five thousand years ago, Maharaja Yudhisthira and Maharaja Pariksit were the sole emperors of this planet. Sometimes the subordinate kings rebelled, and it was necessary for the emperor to go and chastise them. This process of chanting the narrations of the life and character of Prthu Maharaja is recommended for conquering kings if they want to fulfill their desire to rule the world.

 

                               TEXT 37

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       muktanya-sango bhagavaty

                        amalam bhaktim udvahan

                       vainyasya caritam punyam

                       srnuyac chravayet pathet

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   mukta-anya-sangah--being freed from all material contamination; bhagavati--unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; amalam--unalloyed; bhaktim--devotional service; udvahan--carrying out; vainyasya--of the son of Maharaja Vena; caritam--character; punyam--pious; srnuyat--must hear; sravayet--must induce others to hear; pathet--and go on reading.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   A pure devotee who is executing the different processes of devotional service may be situated in the transcendental position, being completely absorbed in Krsna consciousness, but even he, while discharging devotional service, must hear, read and induce others to hear about the character and life of Prthu Maharaja.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   There is a type of neophyte devotee who is very anxious to hear about the pastimes of the Lord, especially the rasa-lila chapters in Srimad-Bhagavatam. Such a devotee should know by this instruction that the pastimes of Prthu Maharaja are nondifferent from the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. An ideal king, Prthu Maharaja exhibited all talents in showing how to rule the citizens, how to educate them, how to develop the state economically, how to fight enemies, how to perform great sacrifices (yajnas), etc. Thus it is recommended for the sahajiya, or the neophyte devotee, to hear, chant and get others to hear about the activities of Prthu Maharaja, even though one may think himself to be in the transcendental position of advanced devotional service.

 

                               TEXT 38

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        vaicitraviryabhihitam

                        mahan-mahatmya-sucakam

                        asmin krtam atimartyam

                       parthavim gatim apnuyat

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   vaicitravirya--O son of Vicitravirya (Vidura); abhihitam--explained; mahat--great; mahatmya--greatness; sucakam--awakening; asmin--in this; krtam--performed; ati-martyam--uncommon; parthavim--in connection with Prthu Maharaja; gatim--advancement, destination; apnuyat--one should achieve.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The great sage Maitreya continued: My dear Vidura, I have as far as possible spoken the narrations about Prthu Maharaja, which enrich one's devotional attitude. Whoever takes advantage of these benefits also goes back home, back to Godhead, like Maharaja Prthu.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The word sravayet, mentioned in a previous verse, indicates that one should not only read for himself, but should also induce others to read and hear. That is called preaching. Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommended this practice: yare dekha, tare kaha 'krsna'-upadesa (Cc. Madhya 7.128). "Whomever you meet, simply talk with him about the instructions given by Krsna or tell him of narrations about Krsna." Prthu Maharaja's history of devotional service is as potent as narrations about the activities of the Supreme personality of Godhead. One should not make distinctions between the pastimes of the Lord and the activities of Prthu Maharaja, and whenever it is possible a devotee should attempt to induce others to hear about Prthu Maharaja. One should not only read of his pastimes for one's own benefit but should induce others to read and hear about them also. In this way everyone can be benefited.

 

                               TEXT 39

 

                                 TEXT

 

                     anudinam idam adarena srnvan

                prthu-caritam prathayan vimukta-sangah

                   bhagavati bhava-sindhu-pota-pade

                 sa ca nipunam labhate ratim manusyah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   anu-dinam--day after day; idam--this; adarena--with great respect; srnvan--hearing; prthu-caritam--the narration of Prthu Maharaja; prathayan--chanting; vimukta--liberated; sangah--association; bhagavati--unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhava-sindhu--the ocean of nescience; pota--the boat; pade--whose lotus feet; sah--he; ca--also; nipunam--complete; labhate--achieves; ratim--attachment; manusyah--the person.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Whoever, with great reverence and adoration, regularly reads, chants and describes the history of Maharaja Prthu's activities will certainly increase unflinching faith and attraction for the lotus feet of the Lord. The Lord's lotus feet are the boat by which one can cross the ocean of nescience.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The word bhava-sindhu-pota-pade is significant in this verse. The lotus feet of the Lord are known as mahat-padam; this means that the total source of material existence rests on the lotus feet of the Lord. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (10.8), aham sarvasya prabhavah: everything is emanating from Him. This cosmic manifestation, which is compared to an ocean of nescience, is also resting on the lotus feet of the Lord. As such, this great ocean of nescience is minimized by a person who is a pure devotee. One who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord need not cross over the ocean, for he has already crossed it by virtue of his position at the Lord's lotus feet. By hearing and chanting of the glories of the Lord or the Lord's devotee, one can become firmly fixed in the service of the lotus feet of the Lord. This position can also be achieved very easily by narrating the history of the life of Prthu Maharaja regularly every day. The word vimukta-sangah is also significant in this connection. Because we associate with the three qualities of material nature, our position in this material world is full of dangers, but when we engage in the devotional service of the Lord by the process of sravanam and kirtanam, we immediately become vimukta-sanga, or liberated.

 

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Fourth Canto, Twenty-third Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled "Maharaja Prthu's Going Back Home."