> > Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 9
> > Sanskrit, word-for-word and original translation of Swami Prabhupâda
> > (for the purports one will have to consult the books under the copyright of the BBT)

> > *****

> > Canto 9: 'Liberation'

> > *****

> > Chapter Twenty: The Dynasty of Puru

> > ******

> > TEXT 1

> > srî-bâdarâyanir uvâca

> > pûror vamsam pravaksyâmi

> > yatra jâto 'si bhârata

> > yatra râjarsayo vamsyâ

> > brahma-vamsyâs ca jajnire

> > srî-bâdarâyanih uvâca--Srî Sukadeva Gosvâmî said; pûroh vamsam--the dynasty of Mahârâja Pûru; pravaksyâmi--now I shall narrate; yatra--in which dynasty; jâtah asi--you were born; bhârata--O Mahârâja Parîksit, descendant of Mahârâja Bharata; yatra--in which dynasty; raja-rsayah--all the kings were saintly; vamsyâh--one after another; brahma-vamsyâh--many brâhmana dynasties; ca--also; jajnire--grew up.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Sukadeva Gosvami said: O Maharaja Pariksit, descendant of Maharaja Bharata, I shall now describe the dynasty of Puru, in which you were born, in which many saintly kings appeared, and from which many dynasties of brahmanas began.

> > ******

> > TEXT 2

> > janamejayo hy abhût pûroh

> > pracinvâms tat-sutas tatah

> > pravîro 'tha manusyur vai

> > tasmâc cârupado 'bhavat

> > janamejayah--King Janamejaya; hi--indeed; abhût--appeared; pûroh--from Pûru; pracinvân--Pracinvân; tat--his (Janamejaya's); sutah--son; tatah--from him (Pracinvân); pravîrah--Pravîra; atha--thereafter; manusyuh--Pravîra's son Manusyu; vai--indeed; tasmât--from him (Manusyu); cârupadah--King Cârupada; abhavat--appeared.

> > TRANSLATION

> > King Janamejaya was born of this dynasty of Pûru. Janamejaya's son was Pracinvan, and his son was Pravira. Thereafter, Pravira's son was Manusyu, and from Manusyu came the son named Carupada.

> > ******

> > TEXT 3

> > tasya sudyur abhût putras

> > tasmâd bahugavas tatah

> > samyâtis tasyâhamyâtî

> > raudrâsvas tat-sutah smrtah

> > tasya--of him (Cârupada); sudyuh--by the name Sudyu; abhût--appeared; putrah--a son; tasmât--from him (Sudyu); bahugavah--a son named Bahugava; tatah--from him; samyâtih--a son named Samyâti; tasya--and from him; ahamyâtih--a son named Ahamyâti; raudrâsvah--Raudrâsva; tat-sutah--his son; smrtah--well known.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The son of Carupada was Sudyu, and the son of Sudyu was Bahugava. Bahugava's son was Samyati. From Samyati came a son named Ahamyati, from whom Raudrasva was born.

> > ******

> > TEXTS 4-5

> > rteyus tasya kakseyuh

> > sthandileyuh krteyukah

> > jaleyuh sannateyus ca

> > dharma-satya-vrateyavah

> > dasaite 'psarasah putrâ

> > vaneyus câvamah smrtah

> > ghrtâcyâm indriyânîva

> > mukhyasya jagad-âtmanah

> > rteyuh--Rteyu; tasya--of him (Raudrâsva); kakseyuh--Kakseyu; sthandileyuh--Sthandileyu; krteyukah--Krteyuka; jaleyuh--Jaleyu; sannateyuh--Sannateyu; ca--also; dharma--Dharmeyu; satya--Satyeyu; vrateyavah--and Vrateyu; dasa--ten; ete--all of them; apsarasah--born of an Apsarâ; putrâh--sons; vaneyuh--the son named Vaneyu; ca--and; avamah--the youngest; smrtah--known; ghrtâcyâm--Ghrtâcî; indriyâni iva--exactly like the ten senses; mukhyasya--of the living force; jagat-âtmanah--the living force of the entire universe.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Raudrasva had ten sons, named Rteyu, Kakseyu, Sthandileyu, Krteyuka, Jaleyu, Sannateyu, Dharmeyu, Satyeyu, Vrateyu and Vaneyu. Of these ten sons, Vaneyu was the youngest. As the ten senses, which are products of the universal life, act under the control of life, these ten sons of Raudrasva acted under Raudrasva's full control. All of them were born of the Apsara named Ghrtaci.

> > ******

> > TEXT 6

> > rteyo rantinâvo 'bhût

> > trayas tasyâtmajâ nrpa

> > sumatir dhruvo 'pratirathah

> > kanvo 'pratirathâtmajah

> > rteyoh--from the son named Rteyu; rantinâvah--the son named Rantinâva; abhût--appeared; trayah--three; tasya--his (Rantinâva's); âtmajâh--sons; nrpa--O King; sumatih--Sumati; dhruvah--Dhruva; apratirathah--Apratiratha; kanvah--Kanva; apratiratha-âtmajah--the son of Apratiratha.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Rteyu had a son named Rantinava, who had three sons, named Sumati, Dhruva and Apratiratha. Apratiratha had only one son, whose name was Kanva.

> > ******

> > TEXT 7

> > tasya medhâtithis tasmât

> > praskannâdyâ dvijâtayah

> > putro 'bhût sumate rebhir

> > dusmantas tat-suto matah

> > tasya--of him (Kanva); medhâtithih--a son named Medhâtithi; tasmât--from him (Medhâtithi); praskanna-âdyâh--sons headed by Praskanna; dvijâtayah--all brâhmanas; putrah--a son; abhût--there was; sumateh--from Sumati; rebhih--Rebhi; dusmantah--Mahârâja Dusmanta; tat-sutah--the son of Rebhi; matah--is well-known.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The son of Kanva was Medhatithi, whose sons, all brahmanas, were headed by Praskanna. The son of Rantinava named Sumati had a son named Rebhi. Maharaja Dusmanta is well known as the son of Rebhi.

> > ******

> > TEXTS 8-9

> > dusmanto mrgayâm yâtah

> > kanvâsrama-padam gatah

> > tatrâsînâm sva-prabhayâ

> > mandayantîm ramâm iva

> > vilokya sadyo mumuhe

> > deva-mâyâm iva striyam

> > babhâse tâm varârohâm

> > bhataih katipayair vrtah

> > dusmantah--Mahârâja Dusmanta; mrgayâm yâtah--when he went hunting; kanva-âsrama-padam--to the residence of Kanva; gatah--he came; tatra--there; âsînâm--a woman sitting; sva-prabhayâ--by her own beauty; mandayantîm--illuminating; ramâm iva--exactly like the goddess of fortune; vilokya--by observing; sadyah--immediately; mumuhe--he became enchanted; deva-mâyâm iva--exactly like the illusory energy of the Lord; striyam--a beautiful woman; babhâse--he addressed; tâm--her (the woman); vara-ârohâm--who was the best of beautiful women; bhataih--by soldiers; katipayaih--a few; vrtah--surrounded.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Once when King Dusmanta went to the forest to hunt and was very much fatigued, he approached the residence of Kanva Muni. There he saw a most beautiful woman who looked exactly like the goddess of fortune and who sat there illuminating the entire asrama by her effulgence. The King was naturally attracted by her beauty, and therefore he approached her, accompanied by some of his soldiers, and spoke to her.

> > ******

> > TEXT 10

> > tad-darsana-pramuditah

> > sannivrtta-parisramah

> > papraccha kâma-santaptah

> > prahasan slaksnayâ girâ

> > tat-darsana-pramuditah--being very much enlivened by seeing the beautiful woman; sannivrtta-parisramah--being relieved of the fatigue of the hunting excursion; papraccha--he inquired from her; kâma-santaptah--being agitated by lusty desires; prahasan--in a joking mood; slaksnayâ--very beautiful and pleasing; girâ--with words.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Seeing the beautiful woman, the King was very much enlivened, and the fatigue of his hunting excursion was relieved. He was of course very much attracted because of lusty desires, and thus he inquired from her as follows, in a joking mood.

> > ******

> > TEXT 11

> > kâ tvam kamala-patrâksi

> > kasyâsi hrdayan-game

> > kim svic cikîrsitam tatra

> > bhavatyâ nirjane vane

> > kâ--who; tvam--are you; kamala-patra-aksi--O beautiful woman with eyes like the petals of a lotus; kasya asi--with whom are you related; hrdayam-game--O most beautiful one, pleasing to the heart; kim svit--what kind of business; cikîrsitam--is being thought of; tatra--there; bhavatyâh--by you; nirjane--solitary; vane--in the forest.

> > TRANSLATION

> > O beautiful lotus-eyed woman, who are you? Whose daughter are you? What purpose do you have in this solitary forest? Why are you staying here?

> > ******

> > TEXT 12

> > vyaktam râjanya-tanayâm

> > vedmy aham tvâm sumadhyame

> > na hi cetah pauravânâm

> > adharme ramate kvacit

> > vyaktam--it appears; râjanya-tanayâm--the daughter of a ksatriya; vedmi--can realize; aham--I; tvâm--your good self; su-madhyame--O most beautiful; na--not; hi--indeed; cetah--the mind; pauravânâm--of persons who have taken birth in the Pûru dynasty; adharme--in irreligion; ramate--enjoys; kvacit--at any time.

> > TRANSLATION

> > O most beautiful one, it appears to my mind that you must be the daughter of a ksatriya. Because I belong to the Pûru dynasty, my mind never endeavors to enjoy anything irreligiously.

> > ******

> > TEXT 13

> > srî-sakuntalovâca

> > visvâmitrâtmajaivâham

> > tyaktâ menakayâ vane

> > vedaitad bhagavân kanvo

> > vîra kim karavâma te

> > srî-sakuntalâ uvâca--Srî Sakuntalâ replied; visvâmitra-âtmajâ--the daughter of Visvâmitra; eva--indeed; aham--I (am); tyaktâ--left; menakayâ--by Menakâ; vane--in the forest; veda--knows; etat--all these incidents; bhagavân--the most powerful saintly person; kanvah--Kanva Muni; vîra--O hero; kim--what; karavâma--can I do; te--for you.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Sakuntala said: I am the daughter of Visvamitra. My mother, Menaka, left me in the forest. O hero, the most powerful saint Kanva Muni knows all about this. Now let me know, how may I serve you?

> > ******

> > TEXT 14

> > âsyatâm hy aravindâksa

> > grhyatâm arhanam ca nah

> > bhujyatâm santi nîvârâ

> > usyatâm yadi rocate

> > asyatâm--please come sit here; hi--indeed; aravinda-aksa--O great hero with eyes like the petals of a lotus; grhyatâm--please accept; arhanam--humble reception; ca--and; nah--our; bhujyatâm--please eat; santi--what there is in stock; nîvârâh--nîvârâ rice; usyatâm--stay here; yadi--if; rocate--you so desire.

> > TRANSLATION

> > O King with eyes like the petals of a lotus, kindly come sit down and accept whatever reception we can offer. We have a supply of nivara rice that you may kindly take. And if you so desire, stay here without hesitation.

> > ******

> > TEXT 15

> > srî-dusmanta uvâca

> > upapannam idam subhru

> > jâtâyâh kusikânvaye

> > svayam hi vrnute râjnâm

> > kanyakâh sadrsam varam

> > srî-dusmantah uvâca--King Dusmanta replied; upapannam--just befitting your position; idam--this; su-bhru--O Sakuntalâ, with beautiful eyebrows; jâtâyâh--because of your birth; kusika-anvaye--in the family of Visvâmitra; svayam--personally; hi--indeed; vrnute--select; râjnâm--of a royal family; kanyakâh--daughters; sadrsam--on an equal level; varam--husbands.

> > TRANSLATION

> > King Dusmanta replied: O Sakuntala, with beautiful eyebrows, you have taken your birth in the family of the great saint Visvamitra, and your reception is quite worthy of your family. Aside from this, the daughters of a king generally select their own husbands.

> > ******

> > TEXT 16

> > om ity ukte yathâ-dharmam

> > upayeme sakuntalâm

> > gândharva-vidhinâ râjâ

> > desa-kâla-vidhânavit

> > om iti ukte--by reciting the Vedic pranava, invoking the Supreme Personality of Godhead to witness the marriage; yathâ-dharmam--exactly according to the principles of religion (because Nârâyana becomes the witness in an ordinary religious marriage also); upayeme--he married; sakuntalâm--the girl Sakuntalâ; gândharva-vidhinâ--by the regulative principle of the Gandharvas, without deviation from religious principles; râjâ--Mahârâja Dusmanta; desa-kâla-vidhâna-vit--completely aware of duties according to time, position and objective.

> > TRANSLATION

> > When Sakuntala responded to Maharaja Dusmanta's proposal with silence, the agreement was complete. Then the King, who knew the laws of marriage, immediately married her by chanting the Vedic pranava [omkara], in accordance with the marriage ceremony as performed among the Gandharvas.

> > ******

> > TEXT 17

> > amogha-vîryo râjarsir

> > mahisyâm vîryam âdadhe

> > svo-bhûte sva-puram yâtah

> > kâlenâsûta sâ sutam

> > amogha-vîryah--a person who discharges semen without being baffled, or, in other words, who must beget a child; râja-rsih--the saintly King Dusmanta; mahisyâm--into the Queen, Sakuntalâ (after her marriage, Sakuntalâ became the Queen); vîryam--semen; âdadhe--placed; svah-bhûte--in the morning; sva-puram--to his own place; yâtah--returned; kâlena--in due course of time; asûta--gave birth; sâ--she (Sakuntalâ); sutam--to a son.

> > TRANSLATION

> > King Dusmanta, who never discharged semen without a result, placed his semen at night in the womb of his Queen, Sakuntala, and in the morning he returned to his palace. Thereafter, in due course of time, Sakuntala gave birth to a son.

> > ******

> > TEXT 18

> > kanvah kumârasya vane

> > cakre samucitâh kriyâh

> > baddhvâ mrgendram tarasâ

> > krîdati sma sa bâlakah

> > kanvah--Kanva Muni; kumârasya--of the son born of Sakuntalâ; vane--in the forest; cakre--executed; samucitâh--prescribed; kriyâh--ritualistic ceremonies; baddhvâ--capturing; mrga-indram--a lion; tarasâ--by force; krîdati--playing; sma--in the past; sah--he; bâlakah--the child.

> > TRANSLATION

> > In the forest, Kanva Muni performed all the ritualistic ceremonies concerning the newborn child. Later, the boy became so powerful that he would capture a lion and play with it.

> > ******

> > TEXT 19

> > tam duratyaya-vikrântam

> > âdâya pramadottamâ

> > harer amsâmsa-sambhûtam

> > bhartur antikam âgamat

> > tam--him; duratyaya-vikrântam--whose strength was insurmountable; âdâya--taking with her; pramadâ-uttamâ--the best of women, Sakuntalâ; hareh--of God; amsa-amsa-sambhûtam--a partial plenary incarnation; bhartuh antikam--unto her husband; âgamat--approached.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Sakuntala, the best of beautiful women, along with her son, whose strength was insurmountable and who was a partial expansion of the Supreme Godhead, approached her husband, Dusmanta.

> > ******

> > TEXT 20

> > yadâ na jagrhe râjâ

> > bhâryâ-putrâv aninditau

> > srnvatâm sarva-bhûtânâm

> > khe vâg âhâsarîrinî

> > yadâ--when; na--not; jagrhe--accepted; râjâ--the King (Dusmanta); bhâryâ-putrau--his real son and real wife; aninditau--not abominable, not accused by anyone; srnvatâm--while hearing; sarva-bhûtânâm--all the people; khe--in the sky; vâk--a sound vibration; âha--declared; asarîrinî--without a body.

> > TRANSLATION

> > When the King refused to accept his wife and son, who were both irreproachable, an unembodied voice spoke from the sky as an omen and was heard by everyone present.

> > PURPORT

> > Maharaja Dusmanta knew that Sakuntala and the boy were his own wife and son, but because they came from outside and were unknown to the citizens, he at first declined to accept them. Sakuntala, however, was so chaste that an omen from the sky declared the truth so that others could hear. When everyone heard from the omen that Sakuntala and her child were truly the King's wife and son, the King gladly accepted them.

> > ******

> > TEXT 21

> > mâtâ bhastrâ pituh putro

> > yena jâtah sa eva sah

> > bharasva putram dusmanta

> > mâvamamsthâh sakuntalâm

> > mâtâ--the mother; bhastrâ--just like the skin of a bellows containing air; pituh--of the father; putrah--the son; yena--by whom; jâtah--one is born; sah--the father; eva--indeed; sah--the son; bharasva--just maintain; putram--your son; dusmanta--O Mahârâja Dusmanta; mâ--do not; avamamsthâh--insult; sakuntalâm--Sakuntalâ.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The voice said: O Maharaja Dusmanta, a son actually belongs to his father, whereas the mother is only a container, like the skin of a bellows. According to Vedic injunctions, the father is born as the son. Therefore, maintain your own son and do not insult Sakuntala.

> > ******

> > TEXT 22

> > reto-dhâh putro nayati

> > naradeva yama-ksayât

> > tvam câsya dhâtâ garbhasya

> > satyam âha sakuntalâ

> > retah-dhâh--a person who discharges semen; putrah--the son; nayati--saves; nara-deva--O King (Mahârâja Dusmanta); yama-ksayât--from punishment by Yamarâja, or from the custody of Yamarâja; tvam--your good self; ca--and; asya--of this child; dhâtâ--the creator; garbhasya--of the embryo; satyam--truthfully; âha--said; sakuntalâ--your wife, Sakuntalâ.

> > TRANSLATION

> > O King Dusmanta, he who discharges semen is the actual father, and his son saves him from the custody of Yamaraja. You are the actual procreator of this child. Indeed, Sakuntala is speaking the truth.

> > ******

> > TEXT 23

> > pitary uparate so 'pi

> > cakravartî mahâ-yasâh

> > mahimâ gîyate tasya

> > harer amsa-bhuvo bhuvi

> > pitari--after his father; uparate--passed away; sah--the King's son; api--also; cakravartî--the emperor; mahâ-yasâh--very famous; mahimâ--glories; gîyate--are glorified; tasya--his; hareh--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; amsa-bhuvah--a partial representation; bhuvi--upon this earth.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Sukadeva Gosvami said: When Maharaja Dusmanta passed away from this earth, his son became the emperor of the world, the proprietor of the seven islands. He is referred to as a partial representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in this world.

> > ******

> > TEXTS 24-26

> > cakram daksina-haste 'sya

> > padma-koso 'sya pâdayoh

> > îe mahâbhisekena

> > so 'bhisikto 'dhirâd vibhuh

> > panca-pancâsatâ medhyair

> > gangâyâm anu vâjibhih

> > mâmateyam purodhâya

> > yamunâm anu ca prabhuh

> > asta-saptati-medhyâsvân

> > babandha pradadad vasu

> > bharatasya hi dausmanter

> > agnih sâcî-gune citah

> > sahasram badvaso yasmin

> > brâhmanâ gâ vibhejire

> > cakram--the mark of Krsna's disc; daksina-haste--on the palm of the right hand; asya--of him (Bharata); padma-kosah--the mark of the whorl of a lotus; asya--of him; pâdayoh--on the soles of the feet; ije--worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead; mahâ-abhisekena--by a grand Vedic ritualistic ceremony; sah--he (Mahârâja Bharata); abhisiktah--being promoted; adhirât--to the topmost position of a ruler; vibhuh--the master of everything;

> > panca-pancâsatâ--fifty-five; medhyaih--fit for sacrifices; gangâyâm anu--from the mouth of the Ganges to the source; vâjibhih--with horses; mâmateyam--the great sage Bhrgu; purodhâya--making him the great priest; yamunâm--on the bank of the Yamunâ; anu--in regular order; ca--also; prabhuh--the supreme master, Mahârâja Bharata;

> > asta-saptati--seventy-eight; medhya-asvân--horses fit for sacrifice; babandha--he bound; pradadat--gave in charity; vasu--riches; bharatasya--of Mahârâja Bharata; hi--indeed; dausmanteh--the son of Mahârâja Dusmanta; agnih--the sacrificial fire; sâcî-gune--on an excellent site; citah--established; sahasram--thousands; badvasah--by the number of one badva (one badva equals 13,084); yasmin--in which sacrifices; brâhmanâh--all the brâhmanas present; gâh--the cows; vibhejire--received their respective share.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Maharaja Bharata, the son of Dusmanta, had the mark of Lord Krsna's disc on the palm of his right hand, and he had the mark of a lotus whorl on the soles of his feet. By worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead with a grand ritualistic ceremony, he became the emperor and master of the entire world. Then, under the priesthood of Mamateya, Bhrgu Muni, he performed fifty-five horse sacrifices on the bank of the Ganges, beginning from its mouth and ending at its source, and seventy-eight horse sacrifices on the bank of the Yamuna, beginning from the confluence at Prayaga and ending at the source. He established the sacrificial fire on an excellent site, and he distributed great wealth to the brahmanas. Indeed, he distributed so many cows that each of thousands of brahmanas had one badva [13,084] as his share.

> > ******

> > TEXT 27

> > trayas-trimsac-chatam hy asvân

> > baddhvâ vismâpayan nrpân

> > dausmantir atyagân mâyâm

> > devânâm gurum âyayau

> > trayah--three; trimsat--thirty; satam--hundred; hi--indeed; asvân--horses; baddhvâ--arresting in the yajna; vismâpayan--astonishing; nrpân--all other kings; dausmantih--the son of Mahârâja Dusmanta; atyagât--surpassed; mâyâm--material opulences; devânâm--of the demigods; gurum--the supreme spiritual master; âyayau--achieved.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Bharata, the son of Maharaja Dusmanta, bound thirty-three hundred horses for those sacrifices, and thus he astonished all other kings. He surpassed even the opulence of the demigods, for he achieved the supreme spiritual master, Hari.

> > ******

> > TEXT 28

> > mrgân chukla-datah krsnân

> > hiranyena parîvrtân

> > adât karmani masnâre

> > niyutâni caturdasa

> > mrgân--first-class elephants; sukla-datah--with very white tusks; krsnân--with black bodies; hiranyena--with gold ornaments; parîvrtân--completely covered; adât--give in charity; karmani--in the sacrifice; masnâre--by the name Masnâra, or in the place known as Masnâra; niyutâni--lakhs (one lakh equals one hundred thousand); caturdasa--fourteen.

> > TRANSLATION

> > When Maharaja Bharata performed the sacrifice known as Masnara [or a sacrifice in the place known as Masnara], he gave in charity fourteen lakhs of excellent elephants with white tusks and black bodies, completely covered with golden ornaments.

> > ******

> > TEXT 29

> > bharatasya mahat karma

> > na pûrve nâpare nrpâh

> > naivâpur naiva prâpsyanti

> > bâhubhyâm tridivam yathâ

> > bharatasya--of Mahârâja Bharata, the son of Mahârâja Dusmanta; mahat--very great, exalted; karma--activities; na--neither; pûrve--previously; na--nor; apare--after his time; nrpâh--kings as a class; na--neither; eva--certainly; âpuh--attained; na--nor; eva--certainly; prâpsyanti--will get; bâhubhyâm--by the strength of his arms; tri-divam--the heavenly planets; yathâ--as.

> > TRANSLATION

> > As one cannot approach the heavenly planets simply by the strength of his arms (for who can touch the heavenly planets with his hands?), one cannot imitate the wonderful activities of Maharaja Bharata. No one could perform such activities in the past, nor will anyone be able to do so in the future.

> > ******

> > TEXT 30

> > kirâta-hûnân yavanân

> > paundrân kankân khasân chakân

> > abrahmanya-nrpâms câhan

> > mlecchân dig-vijaye 'khilân

> > kirâta--the black people called Kirâtas (mostly the Africans); hûnân--the Huns, the tribes from the far north; yavanân--the meat-eaters; paundrân--the Paundras; kankân--the Kankas; khasân--the Mongolians; sakân--the Sakas; abrahmanya--against the brahminical culture; nrpân--kings; ca--and; ahan--he killed; mlecchân--such atheists, who had no respect for Vedic civilization; dik-vijaye--while conquering all directions; akhilân--all of them.

> > TRANSLATION

> > When Maharaja Bharata was on tour, he defeated or killed all the Kiratas, Hunas, Yavanas, Paundras, Kankas, Khasas, Sakas and the kings who were opposed to the Vedic principles of brahminical culture.

> > ******

> > TEXT 31

> > jitvâ purâsurâ devân

> > ye rasaukâmsi bhejire

> > deva-striyo rasâm nîtâh

> > prânibhih punar âharat

> > jitvâ--conquering; purâ--formerly; asurâh--the demons; devân--the demigods; ye--all who; rasa-okâmsi--in the lower planetary system known as Rasâtala; bhejire--took shelter; deva-striyah--the wives and daughters of the demigods; rasâm--in the lower planetary system; nîtâh--were brought; prânibhih--with their own dear associates; punah--again; âharat--brought back to their original places.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Formerly, after conquering the demigods, all the demons had taken shelter in the lower planetary system known as Rasatala and had brought all the wives and daughters of the demigods there also. Maharaja Bharata, however, rescued all those women, along with their associates, from the clutches of the demons, and he returned them to the demigods.

> > ******

> > TEXT 32

> > sarvân kâmân duduhatuh

> > prajânâm tasya rodasî

> > samâs tri-nava-sâhasrîr

> > diksu cakram avartayat

> > sarvân kâmân--all necessities or desirable things; duduhatuh--fulfilled; prajânâm--of the subjects; tasya--his; rodasî--this earth and the heavenly planets; samâh--years; tri-nava-sâhasrîh--three times nine thousand (that is, twenty-seven thousand); diksu--in all directions; cakram--soldiers or orders; avartayat--circulated.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Maharaja Bharata provided all necessities for his subjects, both on this earth and in the heavenly planets, for twenty-seven thousand years. He circulated his orders and distributed his soldiers in all directions.

> > ******

> > TEXT 33

> > sa samrâd loka-pâlâkhyam

> > aisvaryam adhirât sriyam

> > cakram câskhalitam prânân

> > mrsety upararâma ha

> > sah--he (Mahârâja Bharata); samrât--the emperor; loka-pâla-âkhyam--known as the ruler of all the lokas, or planets; aisvaryam--such opulences; adhirât--thoroughly in power; sriyam--kingdom; cakram--soldiers or orders; ca--and; askhalitam--without failure; prânân--life or sons and family; mrsâ--all false; iti--thus; upararâma--ceased to enjoy; ha--in the past.

> > TRANSLATION

> > As the ruler of the entire universe, Emperor Bharata had the opulences of a great kingdom and unconquerable soldiers. His sons and family had seemed to him to be his entire life. But finally he thought of all this as an impediment to spiritual advancement, and therefore he ceased from enjoying it.

> > ******

> > TEXT 34

> > tasyâsan nrpa vaidarbhyah

> > patnyas tisrah susammatâh

> > jaghnus tyâga-bhayât putrân

> > nânurûpâ itîrite

> > tasya--of him (Mahârâja Bharata); âsan--there were; nrpa--O King (Mahârâja Parîksit); vaidarbhyah--daughters of Vidarbha; patnyah--wives; tisrah--three; su-sammatâh--very pleasing and suitable; jaghnuh--killed; tyâga-bhayât--fearing rejection; putrân--their sons; na anurûpâh--not exactly like the father; iti--like this; îrite--considering.

> > TRANSLATION

> > O King Pariksit, Maharaja Bharata had three pleasing wives, who were daughters of the King of Vidarbha. When all three of them bore children who did not resemble the King, these wives thought that he would consider them unfaithful queens and reject them, and therefore they killed their own sons.

> > ******

> > TEXT 35

> > tasyaivam vitathe vamse

> > tad-artham yajatah sutam

> > marut-stomena maruto

> > bharadvâjam upâdaduh

> > tasya--his (Mahârâja Bharata's); evam--thus; vitathe--being baffled; vamse--in generating progeny; tat-artham--to get sons; yajatah--performing sacrifices; sutam--a son; marut-stomena--by performing a marut-stoma sacrifice; marutah--the demigods named the Maruts; bharadvâjam--Bharadvâja; upâdaduh--presented.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The King, his attempt for progeny frustrated in this way, performed a sacrifice named marut-stoma to get a son. The demigods known as the Maruts, being fully satisfied with him, then presented him a son named Bharadvaja.

> > ******

> > TEXT 36

> > antarvatnyâm bhrâtr-patnyâm

> > maithunâya brhaspatih

> > pravrtto vârito garbham

> > saptvâ vîryam upâsrjat

> > antah-vatnyâm--pregnant; bhrâtr-patnyâm--with the brother's wife; maithunâya--desiring sexual enjoyment; brhaspatih--the demigod named Brhaspati; pravrttah--so inclined; vâritah--when forbidden to do so; garbham--the son within the abdomen; saptvâ--by cursing; vîryam--semen; upâsrjat--discharged.

> > TRANSLATION

> > When the demigod named Brhaspati was attracted by his brother's wife, Mamata, who at that time was pregnant, he desired to have sexual relations with her. The son within her womb forbid this, but Brhaspati cursed him and forcibly discharged semen into the womb of Mamata.

> > ******

> > TEXT 37

> > tam tyaktu-kâmâm mamatâm

> > bhârtus tyâga-visankitâm

> > nâma-nirvâcanam tasya

> > slokam enam surâ jaguh

> > tam--that newly born baby; tyaktu-kâmâm--who was trying to avoid; mamatâm--unto Mamatâ; bhârtuh tyâga-visankitâm--very much afraid of being forsaken by her husband because of giving birth to an illegitimate son; nâma-nirvâcanam--a name-giving ceremony, or nâma-karana; tasya--to the child; slokam--verse; enam--this; surâh--the demigods; jaguh--enunciated.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Mamata very much feared being forsaken by her husband for giving birth to an illegitimate son, and therefore she considered giving up the child. But then the demigods solved the problem by enunciating a name for the child.

> > ******

> > TEXT 38

> > mûdhe bhara dvâjam imam

> > bhara dvâjam brhaspate

> > yâtau yad uktvâ pitarau

> > bharadvâjas tatas tv ayam

> > mûdhe--O foolish woman; bhara--just maintain; dvâjam--although born by an illicit connection between two; imam--this child; bhara--maintain; dvâjam--although born by an illicit connection between two; brhaspate--O Brhaspati; yâtau--left; yat--because; uktvâ--having said; pitarau--both the father and mother; bharadvâjah--by the name Bharadvâja; tatah--thereafter; tu--indeed; ayam--this child.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Brhaspati said to Mamata, "You foolish woman, although this child was born from the wife of one man through the semen discharged by another, you should maintain him." Upon hearing this, Mamata replied, "O Brhaspati, you maintain him!" After speaking in this way, Brhaspati and Mamata both left. Thus the child was known as Bharadvaja.

> > ******

> > TEXT 39

> > codyamânâ surair evam

> > matvâ vitatham âtmajam

> > vyasrjan maruto 'bibhran

> > datto 'yam vitathe 'nvaye

> > codyamânâ--although Mamatâ was encouraged (to maintain the child); suraih--by the demigods; evam--in this way; matvâ--considering; vitatham--purposeless; âtmajam--her own child; vyasrjat--rejected; marutah--the demigods known as the Maruts; abibhran--maintained (the child); dattah--the same child was given; ayam--this; vitathe--was disappointed; anvaye--when the dynasty of Mahârâja Bharata.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Although encouraged by the demigods to maintain the child, Mamata considered him useless because of his illicit birth, and therefore she left him. Consequently, the demigods known as the Maruts maintained the child, and when Maharaja Bharata was disappointed for want of a child, this child was given to him as his son.

> > Back to the running text