> > Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 4
> > 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 4 Part 1

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

> > Chapter Sixteen: Praise of King Prthu by the Professional Reciters

> > *******

> > TEXT 1

> > maitreya uvaca

> > iti bruvanam nrpatim

> > gayaka muni-coditah

> > tustuvus tusta-manasas

> > tad-vag-amrta-sevaya

> > maitreyah uvaca--the great sage Maitreya said; iti--thus; bruvanam--speaking; nrpatim--the King; gayakah--the reciters; muni--by the sages; coditah--having been instructed; tustuvuh--praised, satisfied; tusta--being pleased; manasah--their minds; tat--his; vak--words; amrta--nectarean; sevaya--by hearing.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The great sage Maitreya continued: While King Prthu thus spoke, the humility of his nectarean speeches pleased the reciters very much. Then again they continued to praise the King highly with exalted prayers, as they had been instructed by the great sages.

> > *******

> > TEXT 2

> > nalam vayam te mahimanuvarnane

> > yo deva-varyo 'vatatara mayaya

> > venanga jatasya ca paurusani te

> > vacas-patinam api babhramur dhiyah

> > na alam--not able; vayam--we; te--your; mahima--glories; anuvarnane--in describing; yah--you who; deva--the Personality of Godhead; varyah--foremost; avatatara--descended; mayaya--by His internal potencies or causeless mercy; vena-anga--from the body of King Vena; jatasya--who have appeared; ca--and; paurusani--glorious activities; te--of you; vacah-patinam--of great orators; api--although; babhramuh--became bewildered; dhiyah--the minds.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The reciters continued: Dear King, you are a direct incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Visnu, and by His causeless mercy you have descended on this earth. Therefore it is not possible for us to actually glorify your exalted activities. Although you have appeared through the body of King Vena, even great orators and speakers like Lord Brahma and other demigods cannot exactly describe the glorious activities of Your Lordship.

> > *******

> > TEXT 3

> > athapy udara-sravasah prthor hareh

> > kalavatarasya kathamrtadrtah

> > yathopadesam munibhih pracoditah

> > slaghyani karmani vayam vitanmahi

> > atha api--nevertheless; udara--liberal; sravasah--whose fame; prthoh--of King Prthu; hareh--of Lord Visnu; kala--part of a plenary expansion; avatarasya--incarnation; katha--words; amrta--nectarean; adrtah--attentive to; yatha--according to; upadesam--instruction; munibhih--by the great sages; pracoditah--being encouraged; slaghyani--laudable; karmani--activities; vayam--we; vitanmahi--shall try to spread.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Although we are unable to glorify you adequately, we nonetheless have a transcendental taste for glorifying your activities. We shall try to glorify you according to the instructions received from authoritative sages and scholars. Whatever we speak, however, is always inadequate and very insignificant. Dear King, because you are a direct incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, all your activities are liberal and ever laudable.

> > *******

> > TEXT 4

> > esa dharma-bhrtam srestho

> > lokam dharme 'nuvartayan

> > gopta ca dharma-setunam

> > sasta tat-paripanthinam

> > esah--this King Prthu; dharma-bhrtam--of persons executing religious activities; sresthah--the best; lokam--the whole world; dharme--in religious activities; anuvartayan--engaging them properly; gopta--the protector; ca--also; dharma-setunam--of the principles of religion; sasta--the chastiser; tat-paripanthinam--of those who are against religious principles.

> > TRANSLATION

> > This King, Maharaja Prthu, is the best amongst those who are following religious principles. As such, he will engage everyone in the pursuit of religious principles and give those principles all protection. He will also be a great chastiser to the irreligious and atheistic.

> > *******

> > TEXT 5

> > esa vai loka-palanam

> > bibharty ekas tanau tanuh

> > kale kale yatha-bhagam

> > lokayor ubhayor hitam

> > esah--this King; vai--certainly; loka-palanam--of all the demigods; bibharti--bears; ekah--alone; tanau--in his body; tanuh--the bodies; kale kale--in due course of time; yatha--according to; bhagam--proper share; lokayoh--of planetary systems; ubhayoh--both; hitam--welfare.

> > TRANSLATION

> > This King alone, in his own body, will be able in due course of time to maintain all living entities and keep them in a pleasant condition by manifesting himself as different demigods to perform various departmental activities. Thus he will maintain the upper planetary system by inducing the populace to perform Vedic sacrifices. In due course of time he will also maintain this earthly planet by discharging proper rainfall.

> > *******

> > TEXT 6

> > vasu kala upadatte

> > kale cayam vimuncati

> > samah sarvesu bhutesu

> > pratapan suryavad vibhuh

> > vasu--riches; kale--in due course of time; upadatte--exacts; kale--in due course of time; ca--also; ayam--this King Prthu; vimuncati--returns; samah--equal; sarvesu--to all; bhutesu--living entities; pratapan--shining; surya-vat--like the sun-god; vibhuh--powerful.

> > TRANSLATION

> > This King Prthu will be as powerful as the sun-god, and just as the sun-god equally distributes his sunshine to everyone, King Prthu will distribute his mercy equally. Similarly, just as the sun-god evaporates water for eight months and, during the rainy season, returns it profusely, this King will also exact taxes from the citizens and return these monies in times of need.

> > *******

> > TEXT 7

> > titiksaty akramam vainya

> > upary akramatam api

> > bhutanam karunah sasvad

> > artanam ksiti-vrttiman

> > titiksati--tolerates; akramam--offense; vainyah--the son of King Vena; upari--on his head; akramatam--of those who are trampling; api--also; bhutanam--to all living entities; karunah--very kindhearted; sasvat--always; artanam--to the aggrieved; ksiti-vrtti-man--accepting the profession of the earth.

> > TRANSLATION

> > This King Prthu will be very, very kind to all citizens. Even though a poor person may trample over the King's head by violating the rules and regulations, the King, out of his causeless mercy, will be forgetful and forgiving. As a protector of the world, he will be as tolerant as the earth itself.

> > *******

> > TEXT 8

> > deve 'varsaty asau devo

> > naradeva-vapur harih

> > krcchra-pranah praja hy esa

> > raksisyaty anjasendravat

> > deve--when the demigod (Indra); avarsati--does not supply rains; asau--that; devah--Maharaja Prthu; nara-deva--of the king; vapuh--having the body; harih--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; krcchra-pranah--suffering living entities; prajah--the citizens; hi--certainly; esah--this; raksisyati--will protect; anjasa--very easily; indra-vat--like King Indra.

> > TRANSLATION

> > When there is no rainfall and the citizens are in great danger due to the scarcity of water, this royal Personality of Godhead will be able to supply rains exactly like the heavenly King Indra. Thus he will very easily be able to protect the citizens from drought.

> > *******

> > TEXT 9

> > apyayayaty asau lokam

> > vadanamrta-murtina

> > sanuragavalokena

> > visada-smita-ca runa

> > apyayayati--enhances; asau--he; lokam--the whole world; vadana--by his face; amrta-murtina--moonlike; sa-anuraga--affectionate; avalokena--with glances; visada--bright; smita--smiling; caruna--beautiful.

> > TRANSLATION

> > This King, Prthu Maharaja, by virtue of his affectionate glances and beautiful moonlike face, which is always smiling with great affection for the citizens, will enhance everyone's peaceful life.

> > *******

> > TEXT 10

> > avyakta-vartmaisa nigudha-karyo

> > gambhira-vedha upagupta-vittah

> > ananta-mahatmya-gunaika-dhama

> > prthuh praceta iva samvrtatma-

> > avyakta--unmanifested; vartma--his policies; esah--this King; nigudha--confidential; karyah--his activities; gambhira--grave, secret; vedhah--his accomplishing; upagupta--secretly kept; vittah--his treasury; ananta--unlimited; mahatmya--of glories; guna--of good qualities; eka-dhama--the only reservoir; prthuh--King Prthu; pracetah--Varuna, the King of the seas; iva--like; samvrta--covered; atma--self.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The reciters continued: No one will be able to understand the policies the King will follow. His activities will also be very confidential, and it will not be possible for anyone to know how he will make every activity successful. His treasury will always remain unknown to everyone. He will be the reservoir of unlimited glories and good qualities, and his position will be maintained and covered just as Varuna, the deity of the seas, is covered all around by water.

> > *******

> > TEXT 11

> > durasado durvisaha

> > asanno 'pi viduravat

> > naivabhibhavitum sakyo

> > venarany-utthito 'nalah

> > durasadah--unapproachable; durvisahah--unbearable; asannah--being approached; api--although; vidura-vat--as if far away; na--never; eva--certainly; abhibhavitum--to be overcome; sakyah--able; vena--King Vena; arani--the wood that produces fire; utthitah--being born of; analah--fire.

> > TRANSLATION

> > King Prthu was born of the dead body of King Vena as fire is produced from arani wood. Thus King Prthu will always remain just like fire, and his enemies will not be able to approach him. Indeed, he will be unbearable to his enemies, for although staying very near him, they will never be able to approach him but will have to remain as if far away. No one will be able to overcome the strength of King Prthu.

> > *******

> > TEXT 12

> > antar bahis ca bhutanam

> > pasyan karmani caranaih

> > udasina ivadhyakso

> > vayur atmeva dehinam

> > antah--internally; bahih--externally; ca--and; bhutanam--of living entities; pasyan--seeing; kamaani--activities; caranaih--by spies; udasinah--neutral; iva--like; adhyaksah--the witness; vayuh--the air of life; atma--the living force; iva--like; dehinam--of all the embodied.

> > TRANSLATION

> > King Prthu will be able to see all the internal and external activities of every one of his citizens. Still no one will be able to know his system of espionage, and he himself will remain neutral regarding all matters of glorification or vilification paid to him. He will be exactly like air, the life force within the body, which is exhibited internally and externally but is always neutral to all affairs.

> > *******

> > TEXT 13

> > nadandyam dandayaty esa

> > sutam atma-dvisam api

> > dandayaty atmajam api

> > dandyam dharma-pathe sthitah

> > na--not; adandyam--not punishable; dandayati--punishes; esah--this King; sutam--the son; atma-dvisam--of his enemies; api--even; dandayati--he punishes; atma jam--his own son; api--even; dandyam--punishable; dharma-pathe--on the path of piety; sthitah--being situated.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Since this King will always remain on the path of piety, he will be neutral to both his son and the son of his enemy. If the son of his enemy is not punishable, he will not punish him, but if his own son is punishable, he will immediately punish him.

> > *******

> > TEXT 14

> > asyapratihatam cakram

> > prthor amanasacalat

> > vartate bhagavan arko

> > yavat tapati go-ganaih

> > asya--of this King; apratihatam--not being impeded; cakram--the circle of influence; prthoh--of King Prthu; a-manasa-acalat--up to Manasa Mountain; vartate--remains; bhagavan--the most powerful; arkah--sun-god; yavat--just as; tapati--shines; go-ganaih--with rays of light.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Just as the sun-god expands his shining rays up to the Arctic region without impedance, the influence of King Prthu will cover all tracts of land up to the Arctic region and will remain undisturbed as long as he lives.

> > *******

> > TEXT 15

> > ranjayisyati yal lokam

> > ayam atma-vicestitaih

> > athamum ahu rajanam

> > mano-ranjanakaih prajah

> > ranjayisyati--will please; yat--because; lokam--the entire world; ayam--this King; atma--personal; vicestitaih--by activities; atha--therefore; amum--him; ahuh--they call; rajanam--the King; manah-ranjanakaih--very pleasing to the mind; prajah--the citizens.

> > TRANSLATION

> > This King will please everyone by his practical activities, and all of his citizens will remain very satisfied. Because of this the citizens will take great satisfaction in accepting him as their ruling king.

> > *******

> > TEXT 16

> > drdha-vratah satya-sandho

> > brahmanyo vrddha-sevakah

> > saranyah sarva-bhutanam

> > manado dina-vatsalah

> > drdha-vratah--firmly determined; satya-sandhah--always situated in truth; brahmanyah--a lover of the brahminical culture; vrddha-sevakah--a servitor of the old men; saranyah--to be taken shelter of; sarva-bhutanam--of all living entities; mana-dah--one who gives respect to all; dina-vatsalah--very kind to the poor and helpless.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The King will be firmly determined and always situated in truth. He will be a lover of the brahminical culture and will render all service to old men and give shelter to all surrendered souls. Giving respect to all, he will always be merciful to the poor and innocent.

> > *******

> > TEXT 17

> > matr-bhaktih para-strisu

> > patnyam ardha ivatmanah

> > prajasu pitrvat snigdhah

> > kinkaro brahma-vadinam

> > matr-bhaktih--as respectful as one is to his mother; para-strisu--to other women; patnyam--to his own wife; ardhah--half; iva--like; atmanah--of his body; prajasu--unto the citizens; pitr-vat--like a father; snigdhah--affectionate; kinkarah--servant; brahma-vadinam--of the devotees who preach the glories of the Lord.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The King will respect all women as if they were his own mother, and he will treat his own wife as the other half of his body. He will be just like an affectionate father to his citizens, and he will treat himself as the most obedient servant of the devotees, who always preach the glories of the Lord.

> > *******

> > TEXT 18

> > dehinam atmavat-presthah

> > suhrdam nandi-vardhanah

> > mukta-sanga-prasango 'yam

> > danda-panir asadhusu

> > dehinam--to all living entities having a body; atma-vat--as himself; presthah--considering dear; suhrdam--of his friends; nandi-vardhanah--increasing pleasures; mukta-sanga--with persons devoid of all material contamination; prasangah--intimately associated; ayam--this King; danda-panih--a chastising hand; asadhusu--to the criminals.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The King will consider all embodied living entities as dear as his own self, and he will always be increasing the pleasures of his friends. He will intimately associate with liberated persons, and he will be a chastising hand to all impious persons.

> > *******

> > TEXT 19

> > ayam tu saksad bhagavams try-adhisah

> > kuta-stha atma kalayavatirnah

> > yasminn avidya-racitam nirarthakam

> > pasyanti nanatvam api pratitam

> > ayam--this King; tu--then; saksat--directly; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tri-adhisah--the master of the three planetary systems; kuta-sthah--without any change; atma--the Supersoul; kalaya--by a partial plenary expansion; avatirnah--descended; yasmin--in whom; avidya-racitam--created by nescience; nirartha-kam--without meaning; pasyanti--they see; nanatvam--material variegatedness; api--certainly; pratitam--understood.

> > TRANSLATION

> > This King is the master of the three worlds, and he is directly empowered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is without change, and he is an incarnation of the Supreme known as a saktyavesa-avatara. Being a liberated soul and completely learned, he sees all material varieties as meaningless because their basic principle is nescience.

> > *******

> > TEXT 20

> > ayam bhuvo mandalam odayadrer

> > goptaika-viro naradeva-nathah

> > asthaya jaitram ratham atta-capah

> > paryasyate daksinato yatharkah

> > ayam--this King; bhuvah--of the world; mandalam--the globe; a-udaya-adreh--from the mountain where the first appearance of the sun is visible; gopta--will protect; eka--uniquely; virah--powerful, heroic; nara-deva--of all kings, gods in human society; nathah--the master; asthaya--being situated on; jaitram--victorious; ratham--his chariot; atta-capah--holding the bow; paryasyate--he will circumambulate; daksinatah--from the southern side; yatha--like; arkah--the sun.

> > TRANSLATION

> > This King, being uniquely powerful and heroic, will have no competitor. He will travel around the globe on his victorious chariot, holding his invincible bow in his hand and appearing exactly like the sun, which rotates in its own orbit from the south.

> > *******

> > TEXT 21

> > asmai nr-palah kila tatra tatra

> > balim harisyanti saloka-palah

> > mamsyanta esam striya adi-rajam

> > cakrayudham tad-yasa uddharantyah

> > asmai--unto him; nr-palah--all the kings; kila--certainly; tatra tatra--here and there; balim--presentations; harisyanti--will offer; sa--with; loka-palah--the demigods; mamsyante--will consider; esam--of these kings; striyah--wives; adi-rajam--the original king; cakra-ayudham--bearing the disc weapon; tat--his; yasah--reputation; uddharantyah--carrying on.

> > TRANSLATION

> > When the King travels all over the world, other kings, as well as the demigods, will offer him all kinds of presentations. Their queens will also consider him the original king, who carries in His hands the emblems of club and disc, and will sing of his fame, for he will be as reputable as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

> > *******

> > TEXT 22

> > ayam mahim gam duduhe 'dhirajah

> > prajapatir vrtti-karah prajanam

> > yo lilayadrin sva-sarasa-kotya

> > bhindan samam gam akarod yathendrah

> > ayam--this King; mahim--the earth; gam--in the form of a cow; duduhe--will milk; adhirajah--extraordinary king; praja-patih--progenitor of mankind; vrtti-karah--providing living facility; prajanam--of the citizens; yah--one who; lilaya--simply by pastimes; adrin--mountains and hills; sva-sarasa--of his bow; kotya--by the pointed end; bhindan--breaking; samam--level; gam--the earth; akarot--will make; yatha--as; indrah--the King of heaven, Indra.

> > TRANSLATION

> > This King, this protector of the citizens, is an extraordinary king and is equal to the Prajapati demigods. For the living facility of all citizens, he will milk the earth, which is like a cow. Not only that, but he will level the surface of the earth with the pointed ends of his bow, breaking all the hills exactly as King Indra, the heavenly King, breaks mountains with his powerful thunderbolt.

> > *******

> > TEXT 23

> > visphurjayann aja-gavam dhanuh svayam

> > yadacarat ksmam avisahyam ajau

> > tada nililyur disi disy asanto

> > langulam udyamya yatha mrgendrah

> > visphurjayan--vibrating; aja-gavam--made of the horns of goats and bulls; dhanuh--his bow; svayam--personally; yada--when; acarat--will travel; ksmam--on the earth; avisahyam--irresistible; ajau--in battle; tada--at that time; nililyuh--will hide themselves; disi disi--in all directions; asantah--demoniac men; langulam--tail; udyamya--keeping high; yatha--as; mrgendrah--the lion.

> > TRANSLATION

> > When the lion travels in the forest with its tail turned upward, all menial animals hide themselves. Similarly, when King Prthu will travel over his kingdom and vibrate the string of his bow, which is made of the horns of goats and bulls and is irresistible in battle, all demoniac rogues and thieves will hide themselves in all directions.

> > *******

> > TEXT 24

> > eso 'svamedhan satam ajahara

> > sa rasvati pradu rabhavi yatra

> > aharsid yasya hayam purandarah

> > sata-kratus carame vartamane

> > esah--this King; asvamedhan--sacrifices known as asvamedha; satam--one hundred; ajahara--will perform; sarasvati--the river of the name Sarasvati; pradurabhavi--became manifest; yatra--where; aharsit--will steal; yasya--whose; hayam--horse; purandarah--the Lord Indra; sata-kratuh--who performed one hundred sacrifices; carame--while the last sacrifice; vartamane--is occurring.

> > TRANSLATION

> > At the source of the River Sarasvati, this King will perform one hundred sacrifices known as asvamedha. In the course of the last sacrifice, the heavenly King Indra will steal the sacrificial horse.

> > *******

> > TEXT 25

> > esa sva-sadmopavane sametya

> > sanat-kumaram bhagavantam ekam

> > aradhya bhaktyalabhatamalam taj

> > jnanam yato brahma param vidanti

> > esah--this King; sva-sadma--of his palace; upavane--in the garden; sametya--meeting; sanat-kumaram--Sanat-kumara; bhagavantam--the worshipable; ekam--alone; aradhya--worshiping; bhaktya--with devotion; alabhata--he will achieve; amalam--without contamination; tat--that; jnanam--transcendental knowledge; yatah--by which; brahma--spirit; param--supreme, transcendental; vidanti--they enjoy, they know.

> > TRANSLATION

> > This King Prthu will meet Sanat-kumara, one of the four Kumaras, in the garden of his palace compound. The King will worship him with devotion and will be fortunate to receive instructions by which one can enjoy transcendental bliss.

> > *******

> > TEXT 26

> > tatra tatra giras tas ta

> > iti visruta-vikramah

> > srosyaty atmasrita gathah

> > prthuh prthu-parakramah

> > tatra tatra--here and there; girah--words; tah tah--many, various; iti--thus; visruta-vikramah--he whose chivalrous activities are widely reputed; srosyati--will hear; atma-asritah--about himself; gathah--songs, narrations; prthuh--King Prthu; prthu-parakramah--distinctly powerful.

> > TRANSLATION

> > In this way when the chivalrous activities of King Prthu come to be known to the people in general, King Prthu will always hear about himself and his uniquely powerful activities.

> > *******

> > TEXT 27

> > diso vijityapratiruddha-cakrah

> > sva-tejasotpatita-loka-salyah

> > surasurendrair upagiyamana-

> > mahanubhavo bhavita patir bhuvah

> > disah--all directions; vijitya--conquering; apratiruddha--without check; cakrah--his influence or power; sva-tejasa--by his own prowess; utpatita--uprooted; loka-salyah--the miseries of the citizens; sura--of demigods; asura--of demons; indraih--by the chiefs; upagiyamana--being glorified; maha-anubhavah--the great soul; bhavita--he will become; patih--the lord; bhuvah--of the world.

> > TRANSLATION

> > No one will be able to disobey the orders of Prthu Maharaja. After conquering the world, he will completely eradicate the threefold miseries of the citizens. Then he will be recognized all over the world. At that time both the suras and the asuras will undoubtedly glorify his magnanimous activities.

> > Back to the running text