श्रीशुक उवाच ।
भरतस्यात्मजः सुमतिर्नामाभिहितो यमु ह वाव
केचित्पाखण्डिन ऋषभपदवीमनुवर्तमानं चानार्या
अवेदसमाम्नातां देवतां स्वमनीषया पापीयस्या
कलौ कल्पयिष्यन्ति ॥ १॥
तस्माद्वृद्धसेनायां देवताजिन्नाम पुत्रोऽभवत् ॥ २॥
अथासुर्यां तत्तनयो देवद्युम्नस्ततो धेनुमत्यां सुतः
परमेष्ठी तस्य सुवर्चलायां प्रतीह उपजातः ॥ ३॥
य आत्मविद्यामाख्याय स्वयं संशुद्धो
महापुरुषमनुसस्मार ॥ ४॥
प्रतीहात्सुवर्चलायां प्रतिहर्त्रादयस्त्रय आसन्निज्या-
कोविदाः सूनवः प्रतिहर्तुः स्तुत्यामजभूमाना-
वजनिषाताम् ॥ ५॥
भूम्न ऋषिकुल्यायामुद्गीथस्ततः प्रस्तावो देवकुल्यायां
प्रस्तावान्नियुत्सायां हृदयज आसीद्विभुर्विभो रत्यां च
पृथुषेणस्तस्मान्नक्त आकूत्यां जज्ञे नक्ताद्द्रुतिपुत्रो
गयो राजर्षिप्रवर उदारश्रवा अजायत ।
साक्षाद्भगवतो विष्णोर्जगद्रिरक्षिषया गृहीतसत्त्वस्य
कलात्मवत्त्वादि लक्षणेन महापुरुषतां प्राप्तः ॥ ६॥
स वै स्वधर्मेण प्रजापालनपोषणप्रीणनोपलालना-
नुशासनलक्षणेनेज्यादिना च भगवति महापुरुषे
परावरे ब्रह्मणि सर्वात्मनार्पितपरमार्थलक्षणेन
ब्रह्मविच्चरणानुसेवयाऽऽपादितभगवद्भक्तियोगेन
चाभीक्ष्णशः परिभावितातिशुद्धमतिरुपरतानात्म्य
आत्मनि स्वयमुपलभ्यमानब्रह्मात्मानुभवोऽपि
निरभिमान एवावनिमजूगुपत् ॥ ७॥
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Śrī Śuka began again : We have (in VII. 3 above) already spoken about the (eldest) son of Emperor Bharata, Sumati by name, who followed in the footsteps of Lord Rṣabha (lived the life of an ascetic who had shaken off all worldly feeling and obligation) and whom certain heretics, having no respect for Vedic traditions, will set up according to their own perverted intellect in the Kali age as a deity not mentioned in the Vedas (the Vedic pantheon). (1)
A son, Devatājit (a conqueror of the gods by name, was born to him through (his wife) Vṛddhasenā. (2)
Then through Āsuri (Devatājit's wife) sprang up his son, Devadyumna; from Devadyumna, through Dhenumati, was born a son, Parameṣṭhī (by name); (and) from the loins of Parameṣṭhī, through Suvarcalā, was born Pratiha, who, having taught self-knowledge (to many) and himself thoroughly purified (thereby), realized the Supreme Person as his own self. (3-4)
From (the loins of) Pratiha, through (his wife, also known as) Suvarcalā, sprang up three sons, Pratihartā and so on (the other two being known by the names of Prastotā and Udgātā), who were (all) well-versed in (performing) sacrifices; and from Pratihartā, through Stuti, were born (two sons) Aja and Bhūmā (by name). (5)
From (the loins of) Bhūmā, through Rṣikulyā, sprang up Udgitha; from Udgitha, through Devakulyā, was born Prastāva; from Prastāva, through Niyutsā, sprang up his son, Vibhu; from Vibhu, again, through Rati, followed Pṛthusena; from Pṛthusena, through Ākuti, was born Nakta; and from (the loins of) Nakta sprang up the illustrious Gaya, son of Druti, the foremost among royal sages and a ray of Lord Viṣṇu Himself—who has assumed the quality of Sattva (a form consisting of Sattva unmixed with Rajas and Tamas) with intent to protect the universe—Gaya, who attained to the rank of an exalted soul by virtue of (his) self-possession and other attributes. (6)
He had his mind repeatedly chastened and rendered extremely pure through (the disinterested performance of) his own duty—in the shape of looking after, providing with means of subsistence, humouring, treating with tenderness and admonishing the people and undertaking sacrifices and other pious acts in a spirit of complete dedication to Lord Viṣṇu (the Supreme Person), who is higher than the highest (Brahmā, Śiva and others) and no other than Brahma (the Infinite)—which had rendered it capable of yielding the highest results (viz., final beatitude, the supreme object of human pursuit), as well as through the habit of Devotion to the Lord, acquired by constantly adoring the feet of those who have realized (their oneness with) Brahma. In that mind, which had now been (completely) rid of all identification with the body (which is other than the self), he realized his oneness with Brahma (the Supreme Spirit), whose presence was felt therein as a matter of course (without any conscious effort on his part). Yet he had no pride in him and as such (in such an unegoistic spirit) he protected (ruled over) the (entire) globe. (7) (1-7)
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तस्येमां गाथां पाण्डवेय पुराविद उपगायन्ति ॥ ८॥
गयं नृपः कः प्रतियाति कर्मभि-
र्यज्वाभिमानी बहुविद्धर्मगोप्ता ।
समागतश्रीः सदसस्पतिः सतां
सत्सेवकोऽन्यो भगवत्कलामृते ॥ ९॥
यमभ्यषिञ्चन् परया मुदा सतीः
सत्याशिषो दक्षकन्याः सरिद्भिः ।
यस्य प्रजानां दुदुहे धराशिषो
निराशिषो गुणवत्सस्नुतोधाः ॥ १०॥
छन्दांस्यकामस्य च यस्य कामान्
दुदूहुराजह्रुरथो बलिं नृपाः ।
प्रत्यञ्चिता युधि धर्मेण विप्रा
यदाशिषां षष्ठमंशं परेत्य ॥ ११॥
यस्याध्वरे भगवानध्वरात्मा
मघोनि माद्यत्युरुसोमपीथे ।
श्रद्धा विशुद्धाचलभक्तियोग-
समर्पितेज्याफलमाजहार ॥ १२॥
यत्प्रीणनाद्बर्हिषि देवतिर्यङ्-
मनुष्यवीरुत्तृणमाविरिञ्चात् ।
प्रीयेत सद्यः स ह विश्वजीवः
प्रीतः स्वयं प्रीतिमगाद्गयस्य ॥ १३॥
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The knowers of the past (those well-versed in the Paurāṇika lore), chant the following verses in praise of Gaya:— (8)
What king, other than a part manifestation of the Lord could (dare) emulate by his deeds Gaya—be he a (great) sacrificer (one who has performed a number of great sacrifices), a high-souled man of extensive knowledge, a defender of righteousness, one who is wooed by the Goddess of Fortune, the leader of an assembly of holy men and a (true) servant of pious souls ? (9)
It was him that the pious daughters of Dakṣa (Śraddhā, Maitri, Dayā and so on)—whose benedictions (always) come true—along with (the deities presiding over a number of holy) rivers (such as Gaṅgā) sprinkled with water (at the time of his coronation) in supreme (ecstasy of) joy. And attracted by his virtues, like a cow whose udders begin to flow at the sight of her calf, mother Earth yielded to his subjects (all their) desired objects, even though he (himself) had no desire (whatsoever). (10)
The Vedas (that had been duly propitiated by him through a reverential and devoted study) as well as the Vedic rites (scrupulously and diligently performed by him) yielded to him all (sensuous) enjoyments even though he was free from (all) cravings. Again, honoured (by him with volleys of arrows) on the battle-field, (hostile) kings brought him (rich) tributes; while the Brāhmaṇas, when propitiated with righteousness (the scrupulous performance of his sacred duties), yielded to him in the other world one-sixth of the blessings (earned by them through their religious austerities and sacrificial performances). (11)
While Indra (the chief of the gods and the lord of paradise) got inebriate at his sacrificial performance, where copious libations of the (intoxicating drink called) Soma were offered (to the gods entitled to a share in the sacrificial offerings), the Lord (Himself), who is the Soul of (all) sacrifices, accepted (in person) the reward of the sacrifice (in the form of religious merit), duly offered (by him) with reverence and in a spirit of pure (unalloyed) and unflinching Devotion. (12)
By propitiating the Lord, the entire creation from Brahmā (the creator) down to the (other gods), men and the sub-human species of animate life as well as plants, including the smallest blade of grass is at once gratified. The selfsame Lord (the Soul of the universe), who is (ever) pleased (all-blissful by nature), Himself felt palpably gratified at the sacrificial performance of Gaya ! (13) (8-13)
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गयाद्गयन्त्यां चित्ररथः सुगतिरवरोधन इति त्रयः
पुत्रा बभूवुश्चित्ररथादूर्णायां सम्राडजनिष्ट ॥ १४॥
तत उत्कलायां मरीचिर्मरीचेर्बिन्दुमत्यां बिन्दुमा-
नुदपद्यत तस्मात्सरघायां मधुर्नामाभवन्मधोः
सुमनसि वीरव्रतस्ततो भोजायां मन्थुप्रमन्थू
जज्ञाते मन्थोः सत्यायां भौवनस्ततो दूषणायां
त्वष्टाजनिष्ट त्वष्टुर्विरोचनायां विरजो विरजस्य
शतजित्प्रवरं पुत्रशतं कन्या च विषूच्यां किल
जातम् ॥ १५॥
तत्रायं श्लोकः
प्रैयव्रतं वंशमिमं विरजश्चरमोद्भवः ।
अकरोदत्यलं कीर्त्या विष्णुः सुरगणं यथा ॥ १६॥
इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां
पञ्चमस्कन्धे प्रियव्रतवंशानुकीर्तनं नाम पञ्चदशोऽध्यायः ॥ १५॥
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From (the loins of) Gaya, through (his wife) Gayantī, sprang up three sons, Citraratha, Sugati and Avarodhana by name; and from Citraratha, through Urṇā, came Samrāṭ. (14)
From Samrāṭ, through Utkalā, sprang up Marīci and from (the loins of) Marīci, through Bindumatī, Bindumān was born. From Bindumān, through Saraghā appeared (a son) Madhu by name; from Madhu through Sumanā, sprang up Viravrata and from Viravrata, through Bhojā, Manthu and Pramanthu were born; from Manthu, through Satyā, appeared Bhauvana; from Bhauvana, through Dūṣaṇā, Twaṣṭā was born; from Twaṣṭā, through Virocanā, came Viraja; (and) from the loins of Viraja, through Viṣūcī, were born a hundred sons, the eldest of whom was Śatajit, and a daughter (too). (15)
About Viraja runs the following verse: "Viraja, the last-born (in the line), adorned this race of Priyavrata by his glory even as Lord Viṣṇu brought glory to the gods (by appearing in their midst as Vāmana, the divine Dwarf). (16)
Thus ends the fifteenth discourse entitled "The posterity of Priyavrata," in Book Five of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahārṣa-Sarhhitā. (14-16)
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