Canto 5 - Chapter 1: The story of Priyavrata ...

Mahāpurāṇa

Book Five
Discourse I
The story of Priyavrata

The king (Parikṣit) said: Priyavrata was a (great) devotee of the Lord and revelled in the Self. How did he, O sage, rejoice in family life, which obscures one's true nature and subjects one to the bondage of actions ? (1)
Certainly it is not desirable, O chief of the Brāhmaṇas, that people like him, who are free from attachment, should get identified with their home in this way. (2)
Indeed, O Brāhmaṇa sage, exalted souls whose mind has found peace in the (cool) shade of the feet of Śrī Hari (enjoying excellent renown) cannot conceive a fond attachment to their family. (3)
I have this great doubt in my mind, O holy Brāhmaṇa, as to how Priyavrata, who was attached to his wife, house, children and so on, attained perfection and (what is still more difficult) come to develop unswerving devotion to Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. (4)

Śrī Śuka said : What you have stated is (quite) right. They, however, whose mind is engrossed in enjoying the (sweet) honey of the charming feet of Lord Śrī Hari (of exalted fame) do not generally give up their most blessed path (habit) of listening to the narrative of the Lord, who is the beloved of His devotees and ascetics of the highest order, even though it may be (temporarily) obstructed by some impediments. (5)
And it is a well-known fact, O king, that when that prince Priyavrata—who was a supreme devotee of the Lord and had through the adoration of Nārada's feet easily come to know the true nature of the highest Reality, and was about to undertake a vow of (lifelong)contemplation on the Spirit—was called upon by his father (Swāyambhuva Manu) to rule over the earth because of his being a unique repository of hosts of excellent virtues mentioned in the scriptures, he did not welcome it, although the command (of his father) was inviolable; for he had through constant absorption of his mind in Lord Vāsudeva completely resigned all the activities of his senses and organs of action to Him and he thought that on his assuming the reins of government (the true nature of) his self would be obscured by (contact with) the non-self, even though the latter has no reality. (6)

Thereupon the glorious Brahmā (the self-born), the first among the gods—who kept himself acquainted with the designs of all the worlds, being ever engaged in the thought of promoting the creation, which is a product of the three Guṇas (modes of Prakṛti)—came down (to the earth) from his abode (the Brahmaloka), surrounded by all the (four) Vedas (in visible form) and his retinue (consisting of the sage Marīci and others). (7)
Shining like the moon and being worshipped at many points on his way through the heavens by the foremost among the gods, who rode in their aerial cars, and glorified along the route in separate groups by troops of Siddhas (a class of heavenly beings endowed with supernatural powers from their very birth), Gandharvas (celestial songsters), Sādhyas (another class of celestial beings), Cāraṇas (celestial bards) and sages, he approached the prince, illuminating the (entire) valley of Mount Gandhamādana (by his brilliance). (8)
Recognizing there from his mount, a swan, that he was no other than his father, the glorious Brahmā, Nārada (the celestial sage) quickly rose and waited upon him with articles of worship along with the father (Swāyambhuva Manu) and son (Priyavrata), his palms joined (in prayer). (9)
The glorious Brahmā too, the first among embodied beings, who was offered (many an article of) worship (by Nārada) and whose hosts of virtues, coming down to the earth (to bless his devotees), and excellent glories were sung in appropriate words, spoke as follows to Priyavrata, casting at him a smiling look full of compassion indeed. (10)

The glorious Brahmā said : Listen, dear child : I speak this truth to you. You ought not to find fault with the Lord, who cannot be known through the ordinary means of cognition, and whose bidding we all compulsorily obey—I as well as Lord Śiva (the Source of the entire universe), your father (Swāyambhuva Manu) and this great seer (Nārada, your preceptor). (11)
No embodied creature is capable of undoing what He has ordained, through asceticism or erudition, through Yogic power or intellectual acumen, through affluence or religious merit, with the help of another or by oneself. (12)
Living beings, dear Priyavrata, ever maintain their connection with a body, bestowed on them by the unmanifest Lord, for (going through the experiences of) birth and death, grief, infatuation and fear, joy and sorrow, as well as for doing work. (13)
Fastened strongly, dear child, to a big rope in the form of the Word of God with the tight strings of the three Guṇas (modes of Prakṛti), as well as of duties and denominations bearing the stamp of these Guṇas, we all bear offerings to God even as quadrupeds with a string passed through their nostrils bear loads for human beings. (14)
Taking whatever form the Lord has ordained for us according to our attachment to actions dominated by a particular Guṇa (mode of Prakṛti), and conducted by Him even as the blind are led by one endowed with vision, we undergo pleasurable or painful experiences decreed by God, O dear Priyavrata. (15)

Reaping the fruit of his destiny without identifying himself with the body, even a liberated soul maintains it till that destiny has been reaped, even as one who has woke up from sleep still remembers what one experienced in a dream; but he no longer indulges in actions or cravings which may invest him with another body. (16)
He who has not been able to subdue his senses is exposed to the fear of rebirth even though he may roam about from forest to forest; for the six (internal) foes (in the shape of the five senses and the mind that have not been controlled) are (ever) with him. (On the other hand,) what harm can the home do to the wise man who has subdued his senses and delights in the Self ? (17)
He who is keen to subdue the (above-mentioned) six foes should in the first instance strive to conquer them while remaining at home; for he alone who has ensconced himself in a stronghold is able to overcome even powerful enemies. When these (internal) foes grow weak, the wise man may roam about at will. (18)
Resorting to the citadel of the lotus-like feet of the Lord whose navel is the seat of a lotus, you have thoroughly conquered the six enemies. (Therefore, first) enjoy on this earth the blessings bestowed (on you) by that Supreme Person and (then), wholly freed from attachment, be established in the Self. (19)

Śrī Śuka continued : Thus instructed, Priyavrata (that eminent devotee of the Lord) most respectfully accepted the command of the glorious Brahmā (the preceptor of the three worlds) with the words "Very well !," his head bent low as a token of his smallness (humility). (20)
The glorious Brahmā too, who was duly honoured by Manu, left for his abode (the Brahmaloka), contemplating on his own asylum (the supreme Brahma)—who is beyond the ken of speech and mind and is incapable of being dealt with—while Priyavrata and Nārada kept gazing on him with a serene look. (21)

Manu too, whose ambition (of bequeathing the kingship to his son and retiring to the woods for meditation and worship) was thus fulfilled by Brahmā (the highest of the gods), appointed Priyavrata (his son) with the concurrence of Nārada (the foremost of celestial sages) to maintain stability of rule on the terrestrial globe and himself gave up the desire of enjoying home life, which is like a most fearful lake full of poisonous water in the shape of sensuous pleasures. (22)
Thus appointed by God's will to do work, the emperor (Priyavrata), whose impurities of mind had been burnt, nay, who had become (extremely) pure by virtue of constant meditation on the feet of the Lord, the most ancient Person—whose supreme glory is capable of destroying the bondage of the entire creation—ruled over the earth just in order to show his great regard for the exalted (by obeying their command). (23)
He then married a daughter, named Barhiṣmati, of Viśwakarmā (the architect of the gods), a lord of created beings; and how wonderful that through her he actually begot ten sons—who were evidently as great as he in amiability, virtues, actions, comeliness of form and prowess—as well as a daughter, Ūrjaswati by name, who was younger than all of them. (24)
They all bore the names of the fire-god, viz., Āgnidhra, Idhmajihva, Yajñabāhu, Mahāvīra, Hiranyaretā Ghṛtapṛṣṭha, Savana, Medhātithi, Vitihotra and Kavi. (25)
Three of these—Kavi, Mahāvīra and Savana—were lifelong celibates; they took to a study of the science of Self-Knowledge from their very infancy and (eventually) entered the order of recluses. (26)
Continuing in that Āśrama (stage of life) and given to (perfect) self-control, these foremost seers indeed wonderfully attained absolute self-identity with the Lord, who is the very Self, nay, the Inner Controller uninterrupted and supreme Devotion resulting from their ceaseless remembrance of the charming lotus-like feet of Bhagavān Vāsudeva, the abode of all species of living beings and the asylum of the fear-stricken. (27)
By another wife too he had three sons—Uttama, Tāmasa and Raivata, each of whom presided over a Manvantara (associated with his name). (28)

(Three of) his sons being thus given to self-control, the high-minded emperor (Priyavrata) ruled over the globe for 1,10,00,00,000 years. (During his reign) the enemies of righteousness were scared away by the very twang of the bow-string pulled by his stout arms, possessed of (inordinate) strength, which consummated all his efforts without any obstruction. Nay, like a man who has forgotten his self, he had his judgment clouded as it were by Barhiṣmati's daily growing expressions of excessive joy (on his visiting her), her rising from the seat and going forth to meet him, amatory gestures natural to women, smiles and glances half-concealed by bashfulness and delightful jokes etc. (29)

(Once he observed that) even to the extent the glorious sun-god lights the earth's surface (viz., up to the Lokāloka mountain) in the course of his circuit round Mount Sumeru (the mountain of the gods), he shines only on one-half of that portion and leaves the other half shrouded in darkness. He (however) did not like this. His superhuman glory having been enhanced by virtue of his adoration of the Lord, he thereupon like another sun made seven circuits (round the earth) after the sun, in his effulgent car, as swift as the sun, determined to turn night as well into day. (30)
The tracks that were sunk by the fellies of the wheels of his chariot came to be the most celebrated seven oceans, which divided the earth into (what are known as) the seven Dwiṣas (or main divisions). (31)
The Dwiṣas are (severally) known as Jambūdwīpa, Plakṣadwīpa, Śāmalidwīpa, Kuśadwīpa, Krauñcadwīpa, Śākadwīpa and Puṣkaradwīpa. As regards dimensions, each succeeding one is twice as large as the preceding one and is placed beyond the ocean and encircling it. (32)
The seven oceans (severally) contain salt water, the juice of sugar-cane, wine, clarified butter, milk, fluid curds and pure water and serve as a moat as it were one for each of the seven Dwiṣas. They are equal in extent to the Dwiṣa enclosed by them and are situated one beyond and encircling each of the seven Dvīpas severally.* Priyavrata (the spouse of queen Barhiṣmatī) severally made his dutiful sons—Āgnidhra, Idhmajihva, Yajñabāhu, Hiranyaretā, Ghṛtapṛṣṭha, Medhātithi and Vītihotra by name, each the ruler of one of these divisions—Jambūdwīpa and so on. (33)
And his daughter, Ūrjaswatī by name, he gave away to Uśanā (the sage Śukrācārya, the preceptor of the Asura kings); it was of her that Devayānī, the celebrated daughter of Śukrācārya (nicknamed as Kāvya or Kavi) was born. (34)
Such an achievement on the part of devotees of the Lord (who measured the three worlds in a couple of strides)—devotees who by resorting to the dust of His feet have been able to conquer the six senses (the five senses and the mind)—is not to be wondered at; for even a pariah immediately shakes off his bondage if he utters the Lord's Name only once. (35)

Thus possessed of immeasurable strength and prowess, king Priyavrata once felt (much) disgusted at heart since he regarded himself very unhappy as it were on account of his contact with the world of master (a product of the three Guṇas), which dogged him even after he had taken shelter under the feet of the celestial sage (Nārada), and said this (to himself); (36)
"Oh, what a wrong I have done in that I have (allowed) myself to be hurled by the senses into the terrible and deceptive pit of sensuous pleasures—which are products of Avidyā (nescience)! Therefore enough, enough of these! Fie upon me, a veritable ape for the amusement of this woman!" In this way he condemned himself. (37)
In the light of wisdom, recovered by the grace of the Supreme Deity, he proportionately divided the earth among his devoted sons and abandoned the queen, whom he had enjoyed as a source of pleasure, along with the imperial fortune, like a dead body; and, disgusted at heart (with this world) he followed once again the path (of renunciation) chalked out for him by the divine sage Nārada, realizing in his heart the glory of the pastimes of Śrī Hari (that had given him the strength to renounce his all). (38)

• The relative position of the seven Dvīpas and the seven oceans should be understood as given below. The first in order is Jambūdwīpa, which has a width of 8,00,000 miles and is girded by an ocean of salt water, equal in width to Jambūdwīpa. Beyond the ocean of salt water and twice as much in width (i. e., 16,00,000 miles wide) is Plakṣadwīpa, which is in its turn enclosed by an ocean containing the juice of sugar-cane and equal in width to the latter. On the other side of this ocean and twice as large in extent (i. e., 32,00,000 miles wide) is Śāmalidwīpa, encircled by an ocean of wine as large as the Dvīpa itself. Lying immediately after the ocean of wine and twice as large (or 64,00,000 miles wide) is Kuśadwīpa, surrounded by an ocean of clarified butter equal in width to Kuśadwīpa. On the outer coast of the ocean of clarified butter and twice as large (i. e., 1,28,00,000 miles wide) is Kraṇñcadwīpa, girded by an ocean of milk equal in width to the latter. Beyond the ocean of milk and twice as large in extent (i. e., 2,56,00,000 miles wide) is Śakadwīpa, enclosed in its turn by an ocean of fluid curds as large as the Dvīpa itself. On the other side of the ocean of fluid curds and twice as large (i. e., 5,12,00,000 miles wide) is Puṣkaradwīpa, itself encircled by an ocean of pure water equal in width to the latter.

These are the verses actually sung of old in praise of Emperor Priyavrata :— "Who else than the almighty Lord could do the work accomplished by Priyavrata, who in sunk by the felliies (of the wheels of his chariot), nay, who divided the earth (into so many every Dwīpa by allocating separate rivers, mountains and forests (to each). (39-40)
Devoted to the servants of the Supreme Person, he looked upon as akin to hell the fortunes of the subterranean worlds, the heavenly regions and the terrestrial globe as well as those acquired through actions (performed in a previous existence) or Yoga (concentration of mind or mystic powers)." (41)

Thus ends the first discourse, forming part of the story of Priyavrata's conquest, in Book Five of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahārṣa-Sarhhitā.