> Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 5
> 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 5

> **************

> Chapter Thirteen: Further Talks Between Mahârâja Rahûgana and Jada Bharata

> *******

> TEXT 1

> brâhmana uvâca

> duratyaye 'dhvany ajayâ nivesito

> rajas-tamah-sattva-vibhakta-kamaadrk

> sa esa sârtho 'rtha-parah paribhraman

> bhavâtavîm yâti na sarma vindati

> brâhmanah uvâca--the brâhmana Jada Bharata continued to speak; duratyaye--which is very difficult to traverse; adhvani--on the path of fruitive activities (performing actions in this life, creating a body in the next life by those actions, and in this way continuously accepting birth and death); ajayâ--by mâyâ, the external energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; nivesitah--caused to enter; rajah-tamah-sattva-vibhakta-karma-drk--a conditioned soul who sees only immediately beneficial fruitive activities and their results, which are divided into three groups by the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance; sah--he; esah--this; sa-arthah--the living entity falsely seeking sense gratification; artha-parah--intent upon gaining wealth; paribhraman--wandering all over; bhava-atavîm--the forest known as bhava, which means the repetition of birth and death; yatî--enters; na--not; sarma--happiness; vindati--obtains.

> TRANSLATION

> Jada Bharata, who had fully realized Brahman, continued: My dear King Rahugana, the living entity wanders on the path of the material world, which is very difficult for him to traverse, and he accepts repeated birth and death. Being captivated by the material world under the influence of the three modes of material nature (sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna), the living entity can see only the three fruits of activities under the spell of material nature. These fruits are auspicious, inauspicious and mixed. He thus becomes attached to religion, economic development, sense gratification and the monistic theory of liberation (merging with the Supreme). He works very hard day and night exactly like a merchant who enters a forest to acquire some articles to sell later for profit. However, he cannot really achieve happiness within this material world.

> *******

> TEXT 2

> yasyâm ime san nara-deva dasyavah

> sârtham vilumpanti kunâyakam balât

> gomâyavo yatra haranti sârthikam

> pramattam âvisya yathoranam vrkâh

> yasyâm--in which (in the forest of material existence); ime--these; sat--six; nara-deva--O King; dasyavah--the plunderers; sa-artham--the conditioned souls, who are interested in false ideas; vilumpanti--plunder, regularly taking away all the possessions; ku-nâyakam--who are always misguided by so-called gurus, or spiritual masters; balât--by force; gomâyavah--exactly like foxes; yatra--in which forest; haranti--they take away; sa-arthikam--the conditioned soul who is seeking material profits to maintain the body and soul; pramattam--who is a crazy man not knowing his self-interest; âvisya--entering the heart; yathâ--just as; uranam--nicely protected lambs; vrkâh--the tigers.

> TRANSLATION

> O King Rahugana, in this forest of material existence there are six very powerful plunderers. When the conditioned soul enters the forest to acquire some material gain, the six plunderers misguide him. Thus the conditioned merchant does not know how to spend his money, and it is taken away by these plunderers. Like tigers, jackals and other ferocious animals in a forest that are ready to take away a lamb from the custody of its protector, the wife and children enter the heart of the merchant and plunder him in so many ways.

> *******

> TEXT 3

> prabhûta-vîrut-trna-gulma-gahvare

> kathora-damsair masakair upadrutah

> kvacit tu gandharva-puram prapasyati

> kvacit kvacic câsu-rayolmuka-graham

> prabhûta--a very large number; vîrut--of creepers; trna--of varieties of grass; gulma--of thickets; gahvare--in bowers; kathora--cruel; damsaih--by bites; masakaih--by mosquitoes; upadrutah--disturbed; kvacit--sometimes; tu--but; gandharva-puram--a false palace created by the Gandharvas; prapasyati--be sees; kvacit--and sometimes; kvacit--sometimes; ca--and; âsu-raya--very quickly; ulmuka--like a meteor; graham--a fiend.

> TRANSLATION

> In this forest there are dense bowers composed of thickets of bushes, grass and creepers. In these bowers the conditioned soul is always disturbed by cruelly biting mosquitoes [envious people]. Sometimes he sees an imaginary palace in the forest, and sometimes he is bewildered by seeing a fleeting fiend or ghost, which appears like a meteor in the sky.

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> TEXT 4

> nivâsa-toya-dravinâtma-buddhis

> tatas tato dhâvati bho atavyâm

> kvacic ca vâtyotthita-pâmsu-dhûmrâ

> diso na jânâti rajas-valâksah

> nivâsa--residential place; toya--water; dravina--wealth; âtma-buddhih--who considers these material things the âtma, or self; tatah tatah--here and there; dhâvati--he runs; bhoh--O King; atavyâm--on that forest path of material existence; kvacit ca--and sometimes; vâtyâ--by the whirlwind; utthita--raised; pâmsu--by dust; dhûmrâh--appear smoke-colored; disah--the directions; na--not; jânâti--knows; rajah-vala-aksah--whose eyes are covered by the dust of the wind or who is captivated by his wife during her menstrual period.

> TRANSLATION

> My dear King, the merchant on the forest path of the material world, his intelligence victimized by home, wealth, relatives and so forth, runs from one place to another in search of success. Sometimes his eyes are covered by the dust of a whirlwind--that is to say, in his lust he is captivated by the beauty of his wife, especially during her menstrual period. Thus his eyes are blinded, and he cannot see where to go or what he is doing.

> *******

> TEXT 5

> adrsya jhillî-svana-karna-sûla

> ulûka-vâgbhir vyathitântarâtmâ

> apunya-vrksân srayate ksudhârdito

> marîci-toyâny abhidhâvati kvacit

> adrsya--invisible; jhillî--of crickets or a kind of bee; svana--by the sounds; karna-sûla--whose ears are disturbed; ulûka--of the owls; vâgbhih--by sound vibrations; vyathita--very disturbed; antah-âtmâ--whose mind and heart; apunya-vrksân--impious trees that have no fruits or flowers; srayate--he takes shelter of; ksudha--from hunger; arditah--suffering; marîci-toyâni--the waters of a mirage in the desert; abhidhâvati--he runs after; kvacit--sometimes.

> TRANSLATION

> Wandering in the forest of the material world, the conditioned soul sometimes hears an invisible cricket making harsh sounds, and his ears become very much aggrieved. Sometimes his heart is pained by the sounds of owls, which are just like the harsh words of his enemies. Sometimes he takes shelter of a tree that has no fruits or flowers. He approaches such a tree due to his strong appetite, and thus he suffers. He would like to acquire water, but he is simply illusioned by a mirage, and he runs after it.

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> TEXT 6

> kvacid vitoyâh sarito 'bhiyâti

> parasparam câlasate nirandhah

> âsâdya dâvam kvacid agni-tapto

> nirvidyate kva ca yaksair hrtâsuh

> kvacit--sometimes; vitoyâh--without depth to the water; saritah--rivers; abhiyâti--he goes to bathe or jumps into; parasparam--one another; ca--and; âlasate--desires; nirandhah--being with no stock of food; âsâdya--experiencing; dâvam--a forest fire in family life; kvacit--sometimes; agni-taptah--burned by fire; nirvidyate--is despondent; kva--somewhere; ca--and; yaksaih--by kings resembling rogues and thieves; hrta--taken away; asuh--wealth. which is as dear as one's life.

> TRANSLATION

> Sometimes the conditioned soul jumps into a shallow river, or being short of food grains, he goes to beg food from people who are not at all charitable. Sometimes he suffers from the burning heat of household life, which is like a forest fire, and sometimes he becomes sad to have his wealth, which is as dear as life, plundered by kings in the name of heavy income taxes.

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> TEXT 7

> sûrair hrta-svah kva ca nirvinna-cetâh

> socan vimuhyann upayâti kasmalam

> kvacic ca gandharva-puram pravistah

> pramodate nirvrtavan muhûrtam

> sûraih--by very powerful enemies; hrta-svah--all of whose possessions have been stolen; kva ca--sometimes; nirvinna-cetâh--very morose and aggrieved at heart; socan--deeply lamenting; vimuhyan--becoming bewildered; upayâti--achieves; kasmalam--unconsciousness; kvacit--sometimes; ca--also; gandharva-puram--an imaginary city in the forest; pravistah--having entered; pramodate--he enjoys; nirvrta-vat--exactly like a person who has achieved success; muhûrtam--for a moment only.

> TRANSLATION

> Sometimes, being defeated or plundered by a superior, powerful agent, a living entity loses all his possessions. He then becomes very morose, and lamenting their loss, he sometimes becomes unconscious. Sometimes he imagines a great palatial city in which he desires to live happily with his family members and riches. He thinks himself fully satisfied if this is possible, but such so-called happiness continues only for a moment.

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> TEXT 8

> calan kvacit kantaka-sarkarânghrir

> nagâruruksur vimanâ ivâste

> pade pade 'bhyantara-vahninârditah

> kautumbikah krudhyati vai janâya

> calan--wandering; kvacit--sometimes; kantaka-sarkara--pierced by thorns and small stones; anghrih--whose feet; naga--the hills; âruruksuh--one desiring to climb; vimanâh--disappointed; iva--like; âste--becomes; pade pade--step by step; abhyantara--within the abdomen; vahninâ--by the strong fire of appetite; arditah--being fatigued and aggrieved; kautumbikah--a person living with his family members; krudhyati--becomes angry; vai--certainly; janâya--at the family members.

> TRANSLATION

> Sometimes the merchant in the forest wants to climb the hills and mountains, but due to insufficient footwear, his feet are pricked by small stone fragments and by thorns on the mountain. Being pricked by them, he becomes very aggrieved. Sometimes a person who is very attached to his family becomes overwhelmed with hunger, and due to his miserable condition he becomes furious with his family members.

> *******

> TEXT 9

> kvacin nigîrno 'jagarâhinâ jano

> nâvaiti kincid vipine 'paviddhah

> dastah sma sete kva ca danda-sûkair

> andho 'ndha-kûpe patitas tamisre

> kvacit--sometimes; nigîrnah--being swallowed; ajagara-ahinâ--by the great snake known as the python; janah--the conditioned soul; na--not; avaiti--understands; kincit--anything; vipine--in the forest; apaviddhah--pierced by arrows of suffering; dastah--being bitten; sma--indeed; sete--lies down; kva ca--sometimes; danda-sûkaih--by other kinds of snakes; andhah--blind; andha-kûpe--in a blind well; patitah--fallen; tamisre--in a hellish condition of life.

> TRANSLATION

> The conditioned soul in the material forest is sometimes swallowed by a python or crushed. At such a time he is left lying in the forest like a dead person, devoid of consciousness and knowledge. Sometimes other poisonous snakes bite him. Being blind to his consciousness, he falls down into a dark well of hellish life with no hope of being rescued.

> *******

> TEXT 10

> karhi sma cit ksudra-rasân vicinvams

> tan-maksikâbhir vyathito vimânah

> tatrâti-krcchrât pratilabdhamâno

> balâd vilumpanty atha tam tato 'nye

> karhi sma cit--sometimes; ksudra--very insignificant; rasân--sexual enjoyment; vicinvan--searching for; tat--of those women; maksikâbhih--by honeybees, or the husbands or family members; vyathitah--very much aggrieved; vimânah--insulted; tatra--in that; ati--very much; krcchrât--with difficulty because of spending money; pratilabdhamânah--obtaining sexual enjoyment; balât--by force; vilumpanti--kidnapped; atha--thereafter; tam--the object of sense enjoyment (the woman); tatah--from him; anye--another debauchee.

> TRANSLATION

> Sometimes, in order to have a little insignificant sex enjoyment, one searches after debauched women. In this attempt, one is insulted and chastised by the women's kinsmen. This is like going to take honey from a beehive and being attacked by the bees. Sometimes, after spending lots of money, one may acquire another woman for some extra sense enjoyment. Unfortunately, the object of sense enjoyment, the woman, is taken away or kidnapped by another debauchee.

> *******

> TEXT 11

> kvacic ca sîtâtapa-vâta-varsa-

> pratikriyâm kartum anîsa âste

> kvacin mitho vipanan yac ca kincid

> vidvesam rcchaty uta vitta-sâthyât

> kvacit--sometimes; ca--also; sîta-âtapa-vâta-varsa--of freezing cold, scorching heat, strong wind and excessive rainfall; pratikriyâm--counteraction; kartum--to do; anîsah--being unable; âste--remains in misery; kvacit--sometimes; mithah--one another; vipanan--selling; yat ca--whatever; kincit--a little bit; vidvesam--mutual enmity; rcchati--obtain; uta--it is so said; vitta-sâthyât--because of cheating one another merely for money.

> TRANSLATION

> Sometimes the living entity is busy counteracting the natural disturbances of freezing cold, scorching heat, strong wind, excessive rainfall and so forth. When he is unable to do so, he becomes very unhappy. Sometimes he is cheated in business transactions one after another. In this way, by cheating, living entities create enmity among themselves.

> *******

> TEXT 12

> kvacit kvacit ksîna-dhanas tu tasmin

> sayyâsana-sthâna-vihâra-hînah

> yâcan parâd apratilabdha-kâmah

> pârakya-drstir labhate 'vamânam

> kvacit kvacit--sometimes; ksîna-dhanah--becoming bereft of all riches; tu--but; tasmin--in that forest; sayyâ--of bedding for lying down; âsana--of a sitting place; sthâna--of a residential house; vihâra--of enjoyment with a family; hînah--being bereft; yâcan--begging; parât--from others (friends and relatives); apratilabdha-kâmah--not getting his desires fulfilled; pârakya-drstih--becomes greedy for the wealth of others; labhate--he obtains; avamânam--dishonor.

> TRANSLATION

> On the forest path of material existence, sometimes a person is without wealth and due to this does not have a proper home, bed or sitting place, nor proper family enjoyment. He therefore goes to beg money from others, but when his desires are not fulfilled by begging, he wants to borrow or steal the property of others. Thus he is insulted in society.

> *******

> TEXT 13

> anyonya-vitta-vyatisanga-vrddha-

> vairânubandho vivahan mithas ca

> adhvany amusminn uru-krcchra-vitta-

> bâdhopasargair viharan vipannah

> anyonya--with one another; vitta-vyatisanga--by monetary transactions; vrddha--increased; vaira-anubandhah--one is encumbered by enmity; vivahan--sometimes marrying; mithah--one another; ca--and; adhvani--on the path of material existence; amusmin--that; uru-krcchra--by great difficulties; vitta-bâdha--by scarcity of money; upasargaih--by diseases; viharan--wandering; vipannah--one becomes fully embarrassed.

> TRANSLATION

> Due to monetary transactions, relationships become very strained and end in enmity. Sometimes the husband and wife walk on the path of material progress, and to maintain their relationship they work very hard. Sometimes due to scarcity of money or due to diseased conditions, they are embarrassed and almost die.

> *******

> TEXT 14

> tâms tân vipannân sa hi tatra tatra

> vihâya jâtam parigrhya sârthah

> âvartate 'dyâpi na kascid atra

> vîrâdhvanah pâram upaiti yogam

> tân tân--all of them; vipannân--embarrassed in various ways; sah--the living being; hi--certainly; tatra tatra--here and there; vihaya--giving up; jâtam--those who are newly born; parigrhya--taking; sa-arthah--the living being searching for his own interest; avartate--wanders in this forest; adya api--even until now; na--not; kascit--any of them; atra--here in this forest; vîra--O hero; adhvanah--of the path of material life; pâram--the ultimate end; upaiti--gets; yogam--the process of devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

> TRANSLATION

> My dear King, on the forest path of material life, first a person is bereft of his father and mother, and after their death he becomes attached to his newly born children. In this way he wanders on the path of material progress and is eventually embarrassed. Nonetheless, no one knows how to get out of this, even up to the moment of death.

> *******

> TEXT 15

> manasvino nirjita-dig-gajendrâ

> mameti sarve bhuvi baddha-vairâh

> mrdhe sayîran na tu tad vrajanti

> yan nyasta-dando gata-vairo 'bhiyâti

> manasvinah--very great heroes (mental speculators); nirjita-dik-gajendrâh--who have conquered many other heroes as powerful as elephants; mama--my (my land, my country, my family, my community, my religion); iti--thus; sarve--all (great political, social and religious leaders); bhuvi--in this world; baddha-vairâh--who have created enmity among themselves; mrdhe--in battle; sayîran--fall dead on the ground; na--not; tu--but; tat--the abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vrajanti--approach; yat--which; nyasta-dandah--a sannyâsî; gata-vairah--who has no enmity throughout the whole world; abhiyâti--attains that perfection.

> TRANSLATION

> There were and are many political and social heroes who have conquered enemies of equal power, yet due to their ignorance in believing that the land is theirs, they fight one another and lay down their lives in battle. They are not able to take up the spiritual path accepted by those in the renounced order. Although they are big heroes and political leaders, they cannot take to the path of spiritual realization.

> *******

> TEXT 16

> prasajjati kvâpi latâ-bhujâsrayas

> tad-âsrayâvyakta-pada-dvija-sprhah

> kvacit kadâcid dhari-cakratas trasan

> sakhyam vidhatte baka-kanka-grdhraih

> prasajjati--becomes more and more attached; kvâpi--sometimes; latâ-bhuja-âsrayah--who takes shelter of the soft arms of his beautiful wife which are like creepers; tat-âsraya--who are sheltered by such creepers; avyakta-pada--who sing unclear songs; dvija-sprhah--desiring to hear birds; kvacit--sometimes; kadâcit--somewhere; hari-cakratah trasan--being afraid of the roaring sound of a lion; sakhyam--friendship; vidhatte--makes; baka-kanka-grdhraih--with cranes, herons and vultures.

> TRANSLATION

> Sometimes the living entity in the forest of material existence takes shelter of creepers and desires to hear the chirping of the birds in those creepers. Being afraid of roaring lions in the forest, he makes friends with cranes, herons and vultures.

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> TEXT 17

> tair vancito hamsa-kulam samâvisann

> arocayan sîlam upaiti vânarân

> taj jâtirâsena sunirvrtendriyah

> parasparodvîksana-vismrtâvadhih

> taih--by them (the cheaters and pretenders, the so-called yogîs, svâmîs, incarnations and gurus); vancitah--being cheated; hamsa-kulam--the association of great paramahamsas, or devotees; samâvisan--contacting; arocayan--not being satisfied with; sîlam--their behavior; upaiti--approaches; vânarân--the monkeys, which are all debauchees with no good character; tat jâti-râsena--by sense gratification in the association of such debauchees; sunirvrta-indriyah--being very satisfied with getting the opportunity of sense gratification; paraspara--of one another; udvîksana--by seeing the faces; vismrta--who has forgotten; avadhih--the end of life.

> TRANSLATION

> Being cheated by them, the living entity in the forest of the material world tries to give up the association of these so-called yogis, svamis and incarnations and come to the association of real devotees, but due to misfortune he cannot follow the instructions of the spiritual master or advanced devotees; therefore he gives up their company and again returns to the association of monkeys who are simply interested in sense gratification and women. He derives satisfaction by associating with sense gratifiers and enjoying sex and intoxication. In this way he spoils his life simply by indulging in sex and intoxication. Looking into the faces of other sense gratifiers, he becomes forgetful and thus approaches death.

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> TEXT 18

> drumesu ramsyan suta-dâra-vatsalo

> vyavâya-dîno vivasah sva-bandhane

> kvacit pramâdâd giri-kandare patan

> vallîm grhîtvâ gaja-bhîta âsthitah

> drumesu--in the trees (or in houses standing like trees in which monkeys jump from one branch to another); ramsyan--enjoying; suta-dâra-vatsalah--being attached to the children and wife; vyavâya-dînah--who is poor-hearted because of acting on the platform of sex desire; vivasah--unable to give up; sva-bandhane--in bondage to the reactions of one's own activities; kvacit--sometimes; pramâdât--from fear of imminent death; giri-kandare--in a cave in a mountain; patan--falling down; vallîm--the branches of a creeper; grhîtvâ--capturing; gaja-bhîtah--being afraid of the elephant of death; âsthitah--remains in that position.

> TRANSLATION

> When the living entity becomes exactly like a monkey jumping from one branch to another, he remains in the tree of household life without any profit but sex. Thus he is kicked by his wife just like the he-ass. Unable to gain release, he remains helplessly in that position. Sometimes he falls victim to am incurable disease, which is like falling into a mountain cave. He becomes afraid of death, which is like the elephant in the back of that cave, and he remains stranded, grasping at the twigs and branches of a creeper.

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> TEXT 19

> atah kathancit sa vimukta âpadah

> punas ca sârtham pravisaty arindama

> adhvany amusminn ajayâ nivesito

> bhraman jano 'dyâpi na veda kascana

> atah--from this; kathancit--somehow; sah--he; vimuktah--liberated; âpadah--from the danger; punah ca--again; sa-artham--taking interest in that life; pravisati--begins; arim-dama--O King, killer of the enemies; adhvani--on the path of enjoyment; amusmin--that; ajaya--by the influence of the illusory energy; nivesitah--being absorbed; bhraman--traveling; janah--the conditioned soul; adya api--even up to death; na veda--does not understand; kascana--anything.

> TRANSLATION

> O killer of enemies, Maharaja Rahugana, if the conditioned soul somehow or other gets out of his dangerous position, he again returns to his home to enjoy sex life, for that is the way of attachment. Thus, under the spell of the Lord's material energy, he continues to loiter in the forest of material existence. He does not discover his real interest even at the point of death.

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> TEXT 20

> rahûgana tvam api hy adhvano 'sya

> sannyasta-dandah krta-bhûta-maitrah

> asaj jitâtmâ hari-sevayâ sitam

> jnânâsim âdâya tarâti-pâram

> rahûgana--O King Rahûgana; tvam--you; api--also; hi--certainly; adhvanah--of the path of material existence; asya--this; sannyasta-dandah--having given up the king's rod for punishing criminals; krta-bhûta-maitrah--having become friendly to everyone; asat jita-âtmâ--whose mind is not attracted to the material pleasure of life; hari-sevayâ--by the means of loving service to the Supreme Lord; sitam--sharpened; jnâna-asim--the sword of knowledge; âdâya--taking in hand; tara--cross over; ati-pâram--to the ultimate end of spiritual existence.

> TRANSLATION

> My dear King Rahugana, you are also a victim of the external energy, being situated on the path of attraction to material pleasure. So that you may become an equal friend to all living entities, I now advise you to give up your kingly position and the rod by which you punish criminals. Give up attraction to the sense objects and take up the sword of knowledge sharpened by devotional service. Then you will be able to cut the hard knot of illusory energy and cross to the other side of the ocean of nescience.

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> TEXT 21

> râjovâca

> aho nr janmâkhia janma-sobhanam

> kim janmabhis tv aparair apy amusmin

> na yad dhrsîkesa-yasah-krtâtmanâm

> mahâtmanâm vah pracurah samâgamah

> râjâ uvâca--King Rahûgana said; aho--alas; nr janma--you who have taken birth as a human being; akhila janma-sobhanam--the best of all species of life; kim--what need; janmabhih--with births in a higher species like the demigods in the heavenly planets; tu--but; aparaih--not superior; api--indeed; amusmin--in the next birth; na--not; yat--which; hrsîkesa-yasah--by the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hrsîkesa, the master of all senses; krta-âtmanâm--of those whose hearts are purified; mahâ-âtmanâm--who are actually great souls; vah--of us; pracurah--abundant; samâgamah--the association.

> TRANSLATION

> King Rahugana said: This birth as a human being is the best of all. Even birth among the demigods in the heavenly planets is not as glorious as birth as a human being on this earth. What is the use of the exalted position of a demigod? In the heavenly planets, due to profuse material comforts, there is no possibility of associating with devotees.

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> TEXT 22

> na hy adbhutam tvac-caranâbja-renubhir

> hatâmhaso bhaktir adhoksaje 'malâ

> mauhûrtikâd yasya samâgamâc ca me

> dustarka-mûlo 'pahato 'vivekah

> na--not; hi--certainly; adbhutam--wonderful; tvat-carana-abja-renubhih--by the dust of your lotus feet; hata-amhasah--who am completely freed from the reactions of sinful life; bhaktih--love and devotion; adhoksaje--unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is beyond the capture of experimental knowledge; amalâ--completely freed from all material contamination; mauhûrtikât--momentary; yasya--of whom; samâgamât--by the visit and association; ca--also; me--my; dustarka--of false arguments; mûlah--the root; apahatah--completely vanquished; avivekah--not discriminating.

> TRANSLATION

> It is not at all wonderful that simply by being covered by the dust of your lotus feet, one immediately attains the platform of pure devotional service to Adhoksaja, which is not available even to great demigods like Brahma. By associating with you just for a moment, I am now freed from all argument, false prestige and lack of discrimination, which are the roots of entanglement in the material world. Now I am free from all these problems.

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> TEXT 23

> namo mahadbhyo 'stu namah sisubhyo

> namo yuvabhyo nama âvatubhyah

> ye brâhmanâ-gâm avadhûta-lingâs

> caranti tebhyah sivam astu râjnâm

> namah--all obeisances; mahadbhyah--unto the great personalities; astu--let there be; namah--my obeisances; sisubhyah--unto those great personalities who appear as boys; namah--respectful obeisances; yuvabhyah--unto those who appear as young men; namah--respectful obeisances; â-vatubhyah--unto those who appear as children; ye--all those who; brâhmanâh--self-realized in transcendental knowledge; gâm--the earth; avadhûta-lingâh--who remain hidden under different bodily guises; caranti--they traverse; tebhyah--from them; sivam astu--let there be all good fortune; râjnâm--unto the royal dynasties or kings (who are always very puffed up).

> TRANSLATION

> I offer my respectful obeisances unto the great personalities, whether they walk on the earth's surface as children, young boys, avadhutas or great brahmanas. Even if they are hidden under different guises, I offer my respects to all of them. By their mercy, may there be good fortune in the royal dynasties that are always offending them.

> *******

> TEXT 24

> srî-suka uvâca

> ity evam uttarâ-mâtah sa vai brahmarsi-sutah sindhu-pataya

> âtmasatattvam viganayatah parânubhâvah parama-kârunikatayopadisya

> rahûganena sakarunam abhivandita-carana âpûrnârnava iva nibhrta-

> karanormy-âsayo dharanim imâm vicacâra.

> srî-sukah uvâca--Srî Sukadeva Gosvâmî said; iti evam--in this way; uttarâ-mâtah--O Mahârâja Parîksit, son of mother Uttarâ; sah--that brâhmana; vai--indeed; brahma-rsi-sutah--Jada Bharata, the son of a highly educated brâhmana; sindhu-pataye--unto the king of the province of Sindhu; âtma-sa-tattvam--the actual constitutional position of the soul; viganayatah--although insulting Jada Bharata; para-anubhâvah--who was very exalted in spiritual realization; parama-kârunikatayâ--by his quality of being very kind to the fallen souls; upadisya--instructing; rahûganena--by King Rahûgana; sakarunam--piteously; abhivandita-caranah--whose lotus feet were worshiped; âpûrna-arnavah iva--like the full ocean; nibhrta--completely silenced; karana--of the senses; ûrmi--the waves; âsayah--possessing a heart in which; dharanim--the earth; imâm--this; vicacâra--continued to roam.

> TRANSLATION

> Srila Sukadeva Gosvami continued: My dear King, O son of mother Uttara, there were some waves of dissatisfaction in the mind of Jada Bharata due to his being insulted by King Rahugana, who made him carry his palanquin, but Jada Bharata neglected this, and his heart again became calm and quiet like an ocean. Although King Rahugana had insulted him, he was a great paramahamsa. Being a Vaisnava, he was naturally very kindhearted, and he therefore told the King about the constitutional position of the soul. He then forgot the insult because King Rahugana pitifully begged pardon at his lotus feet. After this, he began to wander all over the earth, just as before.

> *******

> TEXT 25

> sauvîra-patir api sujana-samavagata-paramâtma-satattva âtmany

> avidyâdhyâropitâm ca dehâtma-matim visasarja. evam hi nrpa

> bhagavad-âsritâsritânubhâvah.

> sauvîra-patih--the King of the state of Sauvîra; api--certainly; sujana--from an elevated person; samavagata--having completely understood; paramâtma-sa-tattvah--the truth of the constitutional position of the spirit soul and the Supersoul; âtmani--in himself; avidyâ--by nescience; adhyâropitâm--erroneously attributed; ca--and; deha--in the body; âtma-matim--the concept of the self; visasarja--completely gave up; evam--thus; hi--certainly; nrpa--O King; bhagavat-âsrita-asrita-anubhâvah--the consequence of taking shelter of a devotee who has similarly taken shelter of a spiritual master in the paramparâ system (one is sure to get out of the great nescience of the bodily concept of life).

> TRANSLATION

> After receiving lessons from the great devotee Jada Bharata, King Rahugana of the state of Sauvira became completely aware of the constitutional position of the soul. He thus gave up the bodily conception completely. My dear King, whoever takes shelter of the servant of the servant of the Lord is certainly glorified because he can without difficulty give up the bodily conception.

> *******

> TEXT 26

> râjovâca

> ya ha vâ iha bahu-vidâ mahâ-bhâgavata tvayâbhihitah paroksena

> vacasâ jîva-loka-bhavâdhvâ sa hy ârya-manîsayâ kalpita-visayo

> nânjasâvyutpanna-loka-samadhigamah. atha tad evaitad

> duravagamam samavetânukalpena nirdisyatâm iti.

> râjâ uvâca--King Parîksit said; yah--which; ha--certainly; vâ--or; iha--in this narration; bahu-vidâ--who are aware of many incidents of transcendental knowledge; mahâ-bhâgavata--O great devotee sage; tvayâ--by you; abhihitah--described; paroksena--figuratively; vacasâ--by words; jîva-loka-bhava-adhvâ--the path of material existence of the conditioned soul; sah--that; hi--indeed; ârya-manîsayâ--by the intelligence of advanced devotees; kalpita-visayah--the subject matter is imagined; na--not; anjasa--directly; avyutpanna-loka--of persons who are not very experienced or intelligent; samadhigamah--the complete understanding; atha--therefore; tat eva--because of that; etat--this matter; duravagamam--which is difficult to understand; samaveta-anukalpena--by substituting the direct meaning of such incidents; nirdisyatâm--let it be described; iti--thus.

> TRANSLATION

> King Pariksit then told Sukadeva Gosvami: My dear lord, O great devotee sage, you are omniscient. You have very nicely described the position of the conditioned soul, who is compared to a merchant in the forest. From these instructions intelligent men can understand that the senses of a person in the bodily conception are like rogues and thieves in that forest, and one's wife and children are like jackals and other ferocious animals. However, it is not very easy for the unintelligent to understand the purport of this story because it is difficult to extricate the exact meaning from the allegory. I therefore request Your Holiness to give the direct meaning.

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