॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
॥ चतुर्थोऽध्यायः ॥
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Discourse IV
The sovereignty of Rṣabha (Preamble)
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श्रीशुक उवाच ।
अथ ह तमुत्पत्त्यैवाभिव्यज्यमानभगवल्लक्षणं
साम्योपशमवैराग्यैश्वर्यमहाविभूतिभिरनुदिन-
मेधमानानुभावं प्रकृतयः प्रजा ब्राह्मणा
देवताश्चावनितलसमवनायातितरां जगृधुः ॥ १॥
तस्य ह वा इत्थं वर्ष्मणा वरीयसा बृहच्छ्लोकेन
चौजसा बलेन श्रिया यशसा वीर्यशौर्याभ्यां च
पिता ऋषभ इतीदं नाम चकार ॥ २॥
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Śrī Śuka resumed : Now, finding marks of divinity (such as the figures of a thunderbolt and goad in the soles of His feet) manifest in (the person of) Lord Ṛṣabha from His very birth and His glory mounting everyday alongwith (the qualities of) viewing all alike, control of the internal and external senses, aversion to the pleasures of sense, universal domination and perfection in everything, the ministers as well as the people, including the Brāhmaṇas, and gods too eagerly wished that He should rule over the earth. (1)
Considering His personality—which was so exquisite and formed the theme of many a laudatory verse—majesty, strength, splendour, glory, dominating influence and energy, his father (Nābhi) gave Him the name of Ṛṣabha (the foremost). (2) (1-2)
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तस्य हीन्द्रः स्पर्धमानो भगवान् वर्षे न ववर्ष
तदवधार्य भगवान् ऋषभदेवो योगेश्वरः
प्रहस्यात्मयोगमायया स्ववर्षमजनाभं
नामाभ्यवर्षत् ॥ ३॥
नाभिस्तु यथाभिलषितं सुप्रजस्त्वमवरुध्याति-
प्रमोदभरविह्वलो गद्गदाक्षरया गिरा स्वैरं
गृहीतनरलोकसधर्मं भगवन्तं पुराणपुरुषं
मायाविलसितमतिर्वत्स तातेति सानुराग-
मुपलालयन् परां निर्वृतिमुपगतः ॥ ४॥
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Envyng Him, the mighty Indra did not rain (at all) in his land. Having come to know this, Lord Ṛṣabhadeva, the Master of Yoga (marvels), laughed heartily and sent down showers throughout his land, known by the name of Ajanābha, by dint of His Yogamāyā (divine potency). (3)
Having been blessed with a worthy son, as desired by him, king Nābhi for his part was overwhelmed with a transport of excessive joy and felt supremely happy as he fondly caressed the divine Child—who was really the most ancient Person, having assumed a human semblance of His own will—addressing Him in a faltering voice as "my child, my darling", his mind deluded by the divine Māyā (which led him to mistake the Lord for his own child). (4) (3-4)
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विदितानुरागमापौरप्रकृतिजनपदो राजा
नाभिरात्मजं समयसेतुरक्षायामभिषिच्य
ब्राह्मणेषूपनिधाय सह मेरुदेव्या विशालायां
प्रसन्ननिपुणेन तपसा समाधियोगेन
नरनारायणाख्यं भगवन्तं वासुदेवमुपासीनः
कालेन तन्महिमानमवाप ॥ ५॥
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Having come to know that his son (Ṛṣabhadeva) was popular with all including his ministers and citizens, king Nābhi, who was guided by the popular sentiment, installed him on the throne for the preservation of moral standards and entrusted him to the care of the Brāhmaṇas. (And) worshipping Lord Vāsudeva as known by the name of Nara and Nārāyaṇa through austerities which, though severe, caused no annoyance to others as well as through the practice of profound meditation with (his spouse) Merudevī at Viśālā (in the holy retreat of Badarikāśrama, the modern Badrīnātha), he attained oneness with Him at the proper time. (5) (5)
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यस्य ह पाण्डवेय श्लोकावुदाहरन्ति -
को नु तत्कर्म राजर्षेर्नाभेरन्वाचरेत्पुमान् ।
अपत्यतामगाद्यस्य हरिः शुद्धेन कर्मणा ॥ ६॥
ब्रह्मण्योऽन्यः कुतो नाभेर्विप्रा मङ्गलपूजिताः ।
यस्य बर्हिषि यज्ञेशं दर्शयामासुरोजसा ॥ ७॥
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People cite the following two couplets in praise of Nābhi, O Parikṣit (a scion of Pāṇḍu) :— What (other) man can imitate the celebrated doings of the royal sage Nābhi, attracted by whose pious deeds Śrī Hari (Himself) became a son to him ? (Again) where could he had a devotee of the Brāhmaṇas other than Nābhi, propitiated by whose (liberal) sacrificial fees the Brāhmaṇas by dint of sacred hymns made the (very) Lord of sacrifices manifest Himself during the sacrifice? (6-7) (6-7)
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अथ ह भगवान् ऋषभदेवः स्ववर्षं कर्मक्षेत्र-
मनुमन्यमानः प्रदर्शितगुरुकुलवासो लब्धवरै-
र्गुरुभिरनुज्ञातो गृहमेधिनां धर्माननुशिक्षमाणो
जयन्त्यामिन्द्रदत्तायामुभयलक्षणं कर्म
समाम्नायाम्नातमभियुञ्जन्नात्मजानामात्मसमानानां
शतं जनयामास ॥ ८॥
येषां खलु महायोगी भरतो ज्येष्ठः श्रेष्ठगुण
आसीद्येनेदं वर्षं भारतमिति व्यपदिशन्ति ॥ ९॥
तमनु कुशावर्त इलावर्तो ब्रह्मावर्तो मलयः केतुर्भद्रसेन
इन्द्रस्पृग्विदर्भः कीकट इति नव नवतिप्रधानाः ॥ १०॥
कविर्हरिरन्तरिक्षः प्रबुद्धः पिप्पलायनः ।
आविर्होत्रोऽथ द्रुमिलश्चमसः करभाजनः ॥ ११॥
इति भागवतधर्मदर्शना नव महाभागवतास्तेषां
सुचरितं भगवन् महिमोपबृंहितं वसुदेवनारदसंवाद-
मुपशमायनमुपरिष्टाद्वर्णयिष्यामः ॥ १२॥
यवीयांस एकाशीतिर्जायन्तेयाः पितुरादेशकरा
महाशालीना महाश्रोत्रिया यज्ञशीलाः कर्मविशुद्धा
ब्राह्मणा बभूवुः ॥ १३॥
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Now indeed Lord Rṣabhadeva, who knew His land to be the land of action, showed (by His own example) how one should live at the residence of one's preceptor. (Again,) permitted (to marry) by His preceptors, who had received (from Him) the boons of their choice (by way of the teacher's fees), and teaching (to the world) the duties of householders, he performed both the types of religious rites ordained by the scriptures (viz., those enjoined by the Vedas and those prescribed by traditional law) and begot through (His consort) Jayanti, bestowed on Him by Indra, a hundred sons, who were His own replicas. (8)
Of them the eldest and the one possessed of the highest attributes was Bharata, who was indeed a great adept in Yoga and after whom they speak of this land as Bhāratavarṣa (the land of Bharata). (9)
Next to him came the nine (brothers)—Kuśāvarta, Ilāvarta, Brahmāvarta, Malaya, Ketu, Bhadrasena, Indrasprk, Vidarbha and Kīkāta—who led the (other) ninety. (10)
Kavi, Hari, Antarikṣa, Prabuddha, Pippalāyana, Āvirhotra, Drumila, Camasa and Karabhājana—these nine were eminent devotees of the Lord who taught (to the world) the conduct prescribed for the votaries of the Lord. We shall narrate hereafter (in Book XI), in the form of a dialogue between Vasudeva (the father of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa) and the sage Nārada, their sacred story imbued with the Lord's own glory and (thus) inducing peace of mind. (11-12)
The (remaining) eighty-one sons of Jayanti, who were still younger, were obedient to their father, very modest, highly well-versed in the Vedas and habitually engaged in performing sacrifices. Purified by their (pious) conduct, they passed for Brāhmaṇas. (13) (8-13)
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भगवान् ऋषभसंज्ञ आत्मतन्त्रः स्वयं नित्यनिवृत्तानर्थ-
परम्परः केवलानन्दानुभव ईश्वर एव विपरीतवत्कर्मा-
ण्यारभमाणः कालेनानुगतं धर्ममाचरणेनोपशिक्षय-
न्नतद्विदां सम उपशान्तो मैत्रः कारुणिको धर्मार्थयशः-
प्रजानन्दामृतावरोधेन गृहेषु लोकं नियमयत् ॥ १४॥
यद्यच्छीर्षण्याचरितं तत्तदनुवर्तते लोकः ॥ १५॥
यद्यपि स्वविदितं सकलधर्मं ब्राह्मं गुह्यं ब्राह्मणै-
र्दर्शितमार्गेण सामादिभिरुपायैर्जनतामनुशशास ॥ १६॥
द्रव्यदेशकालवयःश्रद्धर्त्विग्विविधोद्देशोपचितैः
सर्वैरपि क्रतुभिर्यथोपदेशं शतकृत्व इयाज ॥ १७॥
भगवतर्षभेण परिरक्ष्यमाण एतस्मिन् वर्षे न कश्चन
पुरुषो वाञ्छत्यविद्यमानमिवात्मनोऽन्यस्मात्
कथञ्चन किमपि कर्हिचिदवेक्षते भर्तर्यनुसवनं
विजृम्भितस्नेहातिशयमन्तरेण ॥ १८॥
स कदाचिदटमानो भगवान् ऋषभो ब्रह्मावर्तगतो
ब्रह्मर्षिप्रवरसभायां प्रजानां निशामयन्तीना-
मात्मजानवहितात्मनः प्रश्रयप्रणयभरसुयन्त्रिता-
नप्युपशिक्षयन्निति होवाच ॥ १९॥
इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां
पञ्चमस्कन्धे चतुर्थोऽध्यायः ॥ ४॥
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The Lord, who was (rightly) called Rṣabha (the foremost), was God Himself—(altogether) independent, eternally free from all evils by His very nature and (ever) enjoying absolute bliss (which constitutes His very essence). Yet, performing actions like an ordinary mortal, He taught to the ignorant by His own example the duties that had been forgotten through (passage of) time; and, remaining equipoised, calm and controlled, friendly disposed (towards all) and full of compassion. He ordained the people in household life by acquiring religious merit, worldly possessions and fame, begetting children, enjoying the pleasures of sense and attaining final beatitude. (14)
(For, as a rule,) the world (blindly) follows whatever is done by men of topmost rank (in society). (15)
Although He Himself knew the hidden truths of the Vedas, which represent the essence of all Dharmas (rules of good conduct) He ruled over the people according to the (four recognized) policies of persuasion etc., following the line of conduct chalked out (for Him) by the Brāhmaṇas. (16)
He worshipped the Lord (strictly) according to precept through all (kinds of) sacrifices, performed a hundred times each and provided with (all requisites in the shape of appropriate) materials, place, time, age (of the sacrificer), faith and (the guidance of) priests and intended to propitiate different gods. (17)
In this land (subsequently known by the name of Bhāratavarṣa), (when it was) ruled over by Lord Ṛṣabhadeva, nobody ever sought for one's own use on any account anything whatsoever from another—any more than one would have a thing (altogether) non-existent—except an incessantly growing and profound love for their Ruler; nor did anyone cast a (wistful) look on another's property. (18)
On a certain occasion, while touring (over His kingdom), Lord Ṛṣabhadeva happened to be in Brahmāvarta and (there), in a gathering of the foremost Brāhmaṇa sages, He thus addressed His own sons—even though they were (fully) self-controlled and thoroughly disciplined by virtue of their modesty and excessive devotion (to their divine Father)—with a view to admonishing them within the hearing (in the presence) of His subjects. (19)
Thus ends the fourth discourse, in Book Five of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Sarhhitā. (14-19)
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