Canto 4 - Chapter 31: The story of the Pracetās ...

Discourse XXXI

The story of the Pracetās

Maitreya continued : After that (i.e., after enjoying earthly and celestial pleasures for a million years—vide verse 17 of the last discourse) when wisdom dawned on the Pracetās, they remembered the words of Lord Viṣṇu (vide verse 18 of the same discourse) and, leaving their wife (Māriṣā) to the care of their son (Dakṣa), immediately quitted their home (by way of renunciation). (1)
On the seashore in the west, where (the celebrated sage) Jājali had attained perfection (in the form of God-Realization) they took a vow of enquiry into the Supreme Spirit, which culminates in the realization of the same as the one animating principle permeating all life. (2)
The sage Nārada; who deserves the praise of gods and demons (alike), saw (called on) the Pracetās, who had fully controlled their breath, mind, speech and sight, who could remain squatting in a particular posture as long as they would, keeping their body absolutely motionless and straight, and had concentrated their mind on the transcendent Brahma untainted by Māyā. (3)
Seeing him come, they rose (from their seat), fell prostrate at his feet, welcomed him and worshipped him with due ceremony. And when he was comfortably seated they spoke to him (as follows). (4)

The Pracetās said : Welcome is your visit (to this place) today, O celestial sage! Thank God that you have appeared before us. Your going about (from place to place), like the revolution of the sun, O holy one, brings fearlessness (to the world). (5)
What was taught (to us) by Lord Śiva and Bhagavān Viṣṇu (who is beyond sense-perception) has almost been forgotten (by us), strongly attached as we were to our home, O master. (6)
Therefore, kindle (once more) in us the light of spiritual wisdom, revealing the truth of things, whereby we may easily cross the ocean of mundane existence, which is so difficult to cross. (7)

Maitreya went on : Requested thus by the Pracetās, the divine sage Nārada, whose mind had entered the most glorious Lord, addressed those rulers of men (as follows).(8)

Nārada said : That birth, those actions, that period of life, that mind and that speech alone of human beings are worth anything in this world, through which Śrī Hari, the almighty Lord and the Soul of the universe, is resorted to. (9)
Of what avail to a man in this world are the threefold birth—viz., through good parentage, through investiture with the sacred thread and through consecration (as a preparation for the performance of a sacrifice)—duties enjoined by the three Vedas, or even a span of life extending to the life-time of a god? Again, of what use is learning or asceticism or flowery speech, or the (unique) faculty of attending to a number of things at one and the same time? Or, what benefit shall a man derive from a penetrating intellect, strength of body or the keenness of the senses? Or what shall a man gain by (the eight forms of) Yoga (such as Prāṇāyāma), Sāṅkhya (the knowledge of the Spirit as being distinct from the body etc.), Saṃnyāsa (renunciation), or a study of the Vedas? And what benefit will flow to him from other means to the attainment of salvation (such as sacred observances and dispassion) if all these are not employed in the service of Śrī Hari, who bestows His very Self (on His devotees)? (10—12)
Truly speaking, (the realization of) the Self is the culmination of all blessings. And Śrī Hari (alone) is the beloved Self of all living beings and it is He who enables the Jiva to realize its true character. (13)
Even as the stem, boughs and side-branches of a tree are nourished by watering its roots and just as all the Indriyas (the senses of perception as well as the organs of action) are nourished by sustaining life through food, so by offering worship to the immortal Lord all are worshipped. (14)
Even as water (in the form of rain-drops) emanates from (the rays of) the sun during the rainy season and returns to the same source in the dry season and just as (the physical bodies of all) mobile and immobile creatures evolve from the earth and return to the earth, so does this animate and inanimate creation (which is product of Matter) proceeds from Śrī Hari and returns to Him. (15)
As sunshine has no existence apart from the sun, this (material) creation is (no other than) that (well-known) absolute (unqualified) essence of the Universal Spirit (wherefrom it has evolved), inasmuch as it appears (like a phantom only) at times (and remains out of sight at other times) even as the Indriyas (the senses of perception as well as the organs of action) appear (to function) in the waking state and remain dormant in sound sleep. As a matter of fact, however, (the three modifications of the ego in the shape of) the five gross elements, the five organs of action and the five senses of perception as well as the phantom of diversity arising from it are (ever) absent in Him. (16)
Just as clouds, darkness and light appear, O rulers of the globe, and disappear in the sky by turns so do the potencies of Brahma in the form of Rajas, Tamas and Sattva appear and then disappear in the Absolute. So does the process (of creation and dissolution) continue uninterrupted. (17)
Therefore (since He is the Cause of all), worship you as one with yourselves Śrī Hari (the Ruler even of the highest gods, Brahmā and others) Himself, the one (undifferentiated) Soul of all embodied existences, who is (the same as) Time (the efficient cause), the Unmanifest (the material cause) and the Supreme Puruṣa (the doer), and who has by His energy (in the shape of Consciousness) cast out the material creation. (18)

By kindness to all living beings, by remaining contented with anything whatsoever and by taming the senses Lord Janārdana is soon propitiated. (19)
Lured into the heart of pious souls—rid of all cravings and (thus) purged of all dross by their constantly growing devotion—the imperishable Lord surely does not escape from it any more than the ether locked in it, (thereby) proving His amenability to the control of His servants. (20)
Śrī Hari, who loves the destitute looking upon Him as their (only) wealth, and knows the bliss inherent in Devotion, does not accept the worship of those foolish men who through their pride of learning, affluence, pedigree and (remarkable) deeds show disrespect to such destitute devotees. (21)
How can a man who has any sense of gratitude in him give up even for a while (the thought of) Him who has no regard (even) for Śrī (the goddess of beauty and prosperity and His own Consort)—even though She (ever) waits on Him—much less for kings (rulers of men) and gods seeking Her favour—inasmuch as He is perfect in Himself—but who is (nonetheless) subject to the will of His servants ? (22)

Maitreya resumed : Having thus told the Pracetās what has been reproduced just now and discoursed on other topics relating to the Lord, O Vidura, the sage Nārada (son of Brahmā, the self-born) returned to the abode of Brahmā. (23)
Having heard the praises of Śrī Hari—which wipe out the sins of the world, and which were uttered by the mouth of Nārada—and contemplating on His feet, the Pracetās too attained to His realm. (24)
I have thus repeated to you, O Vidura, the dialogue between the Pracetās and Nārada, containing the praises of Śrī Hari—which was all you asked me. (25)

Śrī Śuka continued : I have thus told you (all) about the posterity of Uttānapāda, the (younger) son of Swāyambhuva Manu. (Now) O jewel of kings, hear about the line of Priyavrata (his elder son) as well, who, having received instruction in spiritual lore from Nārada, and subsequently enjoyed the sovereignty of the globe, divided the same among his sons and duly attained to the divine Abode. (26-27)

Vidura was overwhelmed with emotion when he heard the sacred story, interspersed with an account of the invincible Lord Śrī Hari, as told by the sage Maitreya (the son of Kuṣāru). With his eyes full of tears he bore the sage's feet on his head and installed (an image of) Śrī Hari's feet in his heart. (28)

Vidura said : Your merciful self, O great Yogi, has brought me within sight of the other shore of (the ocean of) ignorance, where dwells Śrī Hari, who (Himself) goes to meet those that have nothing to call their own. (29)

Śrī Śuka went on : With these (polite) words (expressive of gratitude) Vidura bowed low (to Maitreya) and, taking leave of him, proceeded with a peaceful mind to Hastināpura with intent to see his own kith and kin (and bless them by his holy company). (30)
He who listens, O king, to this narrative of kings who had given their mind to Śrī Hari, should (bids fair to) attain longevity, affluence, glory, security, the way to (eternal) happiness as well as worldly power and prosperity. (31)

Thus ends the thirty-first discourse entitled "The story of the Pracetās", in Book Four of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Sarhhitā, composed by the sage Vedavyāsa and consisting of eighteen thousand Ślokas.
END OF BOOK FOUR