> > 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 Thirteen: The Dynasty of Mahârâja Nimi

> > This chapter describes the dynasty in which the great and learned scholar Janaka was born. This is the dynasty of Maharaja Nimi, who is said to have been the son of Iksvaku.

> > When Maharaja Nimi began performing great sacrifices, he appointed Vasistha to be chief priest, but Vasistha refused, for he had already agreed to be priest in performing a yajna for Lord Indra. Vasistha therefore requested Maharaja Nimi to wait until Lord Indra's sacrifice was finished, but Maharaja Nimi did not wait. He thought, "Life is very short, so there is no need to wait." He therefore appointed another priest to perform the yajna. Vasistha was very angry at King Nimi and cursed him, saying, "May your body fall down." Cursed in that way, Maharaja Nimi also became very angry, and he retaliated by saying, "May your body also fall down." As a result of this cursing and countercursing, both of them died. After this incident, Vasistha took birth again, begotten by Mitra and Varuna, who were agitated by Urvasi.

> > The priests who were engaged in the sacrifice for King Nimi preserved Nimi's body in fragrant chemicals. When the sacrifice was over, the priests prayed for Nimi's life to all the demigods who had come to the arena of yajna, but Maharaja Nimi refused to take birth again in a material body because he considered the material body obnoxious. The great sages then churned Nimi's body, and as a result of this churning, Janaka was born.

> > The son of Janaka was Udavasu, and the son of Udavasu was Nandivardhana. The son of Nandivardhana was Suketu, and his descendants continued as follows: Devarata, Brhadratha, Mahavirya, Sudhrti, Dhrstaketu, Haryasva, Maru, Pratipaka, Krtaratha, Devamidha, Visruta, Mahadhrti, Krtirata, Maharoma, Svarnaroma, Hrasvaroma and Siradhvaja. All these sons appeared in the dynasty one after another. From Siradhvaja, mother Sitadevi was born. Siradhvaja's son was Kusadhvaja, and the son of Kusadhvaja was Dharmadhvaja. The sons of Dharmadhvaja were Krtadhvaja and Mitadhvaja. The son of Krtadhvaja was Kesidhvaja, and the son of Mitadhvaja was Khandikya. Kesidhvaja was a self-realized soul, and his son was Bhanuman, whose descendants were as follows: Satadyumna, Suci, Sanadvaja, Urjaketu, Aja, Purujit, Aristanemi, Srutayu, Suparsvaka, Citraratha, Ksemadhi, Samaratha, Satyaratha, Upaguru, Upagupta, Vasvananta, Yuyudha, Subhasana, Sruta, Jaya, Vijaya, Rta, Sunaka, Vitahavya, Dhrti, Bahulasva, Krti and Mahavasi. All of these sons were great self-controlled personalities. This completes the list of the entire dynasty.

> > ******

> > TEXT 1

> > srî-suka uvâca

> > nimir iksvâku-tanayo

> > vasistham avrtartvijam

> > ârabhya satram so 'py âha

> > sakrena prâg vrto 'smi bhoh

> > srî-sukah uvâca--Srî Sukadeva Gosvâmî said; nimih--King Nimi; iksvâku-tanayah--the son of Mahârâja Iksvâku; vasistham--the great sage Vasistha; avrta--appointed; rtvijam--the chief priest of the sacrifice; ârabhya--beginning; satram--the sacrifice; sah--he, Vasistha; api--also; âha--said; sakrena--by Lord Indra; prâk--before; vrtah asmi--I was appointed; bhoh--O Mahârâja Nimi.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Srila Sukadeva Gosvami said: After beginning sacrifices, Maharaja Nimi, the son of Iksvaku, requested the great sage Vasistha to take the post of chief priest. At that time, Vasistha replied, "My dear Maharaja Nimi, I have already accepted the same post in a sacrifice begun by Lord Indra.

> > ******

> > TEXT 2

> > tam nirvartyâgamisyâmi

> > tâvan mâm pratipâlaya

> > tûsnîm âsîd grha-patih

> > so 'pîndrasyâkaron makham

> > tam--that sacrifice; nirvartya--after finishing; âgamisyâmi--I shall come back; tâvat--until that time; mâm--me (Vasistha); pratipâlaya--wait for; tûsnîm--silent; âsît--remained; grha-patih--Mahârâja Nimi; sah--he, Vasistha; api--also; indrasya--of Lord Indra; akarot--executed; makham--the sacrifice.

> > TRANSLATION

> > "I shall return here after finishing the yajna for Indra. Kindly wait for me until then." Maharaja Nimi remained silent, and Vasistha began to perform the sacrifice for Lord Indra.

> > ******

> > TEXT 3

> > nimis calam idam vidvân

> > satram ârabhatâtmavân

> > rtvigbhir aparais tâvan

> > nâgamad yâvatâ guruh

> > nimih--Mahârâja Nimi; calam--flickering, subject to end at any moment; idam--this (life); vidvân--being completely aware of this fact; satram--the sacrifice; ârabhata--inaugurated; âtmavân--self-realized person; rtvigbhih--by priests; aparaih--other than Vasistha; tâvat--for the time being; na--not; âgamat--returned; yâvatâ--so long; guruh--his spiritual master (Vasistha).

> > TRANSLATION

> > Maharaja Nimi, being a self-realized soul, considered that this life is flickering. Therefore, instead of waiting long for Vasistha, he began performing the sacrifice with other priests.

> > ******

> > TEXT 4

> > sisya-vyatikramam vîksya

> > tam nirvartyâgato guruh

> > asapat patatâd deho

> > nimeh pandita-mâninah

> > sisya-vyatikramam--the disciple's deviation from the order of the guru; vîksya--observing; tam--the performance of yajna by Indra; nirvartya--after finishing; âgatah--when he returned; guruh--Vasistha Muni; asapat--he cursed Nimi Mahârâja; patatât--may it fall down; dehah--the material body; nimeh--of Mahârâja Nimi; pandita-mâninah--who considers himself so learned (as to disobey the order of his spiritual master).

> > TRANSLATION

> > After completing the sacrificial performance for King Indra, the spiritual master Vasistha returned and found that his disciple Maharaja Nimi had disobeyed his instructions. Thus Vasistha cursed him, saying, "May the material body of Nimi, who considers himself learned, immediately fall."

> > ******

> > TEXT 5

> > nimih pratidadau sâpam

> > gurave 'dharma-vartine

> > tavâpi patatâd deho

> > lobhâd dharmam ajânatah

> > nimih--Mahârâja Nimi; pratidadau sâpam--countercursed; gurave--unto his spiritual master, Vasistha; adharma-vartine--who was induced to irreligious principles (because he cursed his offenseless disciple); tava--of you; api--also; patatât--let it fall; dehah--the body; lobhât--because of greed; dharmam--religious principles; ajânatah--not knowing.

> > TRANSLATION

> > For unnecessarily cursing him when he had committed no offense, Maharaja Nimi countercursed his spiritual master. "For the sake of getting contributions from the King of heaven," he said, "you have lost your religious intelligence. Therefore I pronounce this curse: your body also will fall."

> > ******

> > TEXT 6

> > ity utsasarja svam deham

> > nimir adhyâtma-kovidah

> > mitrâ-varunayor jajne

> > urvasyâm prapitâmahah

> > iti--thus; utsasarja--gave up; svam--his own; deham--body; nimih--Mahârâja Nimi; adhyâtma-kovidah--fully conversant with spiritual knowledge; mitrâ-varunayoh--from the semen of Mitra and Varuna (discharged from seeing the beauty of Urvasî); jajne--was born; urvasyâm--through Urvasî, a prostitute of the heavenly kingdom; prapitâmahah--Vasistha, who was known as the great-grandfather.

> > TRANSLATION

> > After saying this, Maharaja Nimi, who was expert in the science of spiritual knowledge, gave up his body. Vasistha, the great-grandfather, gave up his body also, but through the semen discharged by Mitra and Varuna when they saw Urvasi, he was born again.

> > ******

> > TEXT 7

> > gandha-vastusu tad-deham

> > nidhâya muni-sattamâh

> > samâpte satra-yâge ca

> > devân ûcuh samâgatân

> > gandha-vastusu--in things very fragrant; tat-deham--the body of Mahârâja Nimi; nidhâya--having preserved; muni-sattamâh--all the great sages gathered there; samâpte satra-yâge--at the end of the sacrifice known by the name Satra; ca--also; devân--to all the demigods; ûcuh--requested or spoke; samâgatân--who were assembled there.

> > TRANSLATION

> > During the performance of the yajna, the body relinquished by Maharaja Nimi was preserved in fragrant substances, and at the end of the Satra-yaga the great saints and brahmanas made the following request to all the demigods assembled there.

> > ******

> > TEXT 8

> > râjno jîvatu deho 'yam

> > prasannâh prabhavo yadi

> > tathety ukte nimih prâha

> > mâ bhûn me deha-bandhanam

> > râjnah--of the King; jîvatu--may again be enlivened; dehah ayam--this body (now preserved); prasannâh--very much pleased; prabhavah--all able to do it; yadi--if; tathâ--let it be so; iti--thus; ukte--when it was replied (by the demigods); nimih--Mahârâja Nimi; prâha--said; mâ bhût--do not do it; me--my; deha-bandhanam--imprisonment again in a material body.

> > TRANSLATION

> > "If you are satisfied with this sacrifice and if you are actually able to do so, kindly bring Maharaja Nimi back to life in this body." The demigods said yes to this request by the sages, but Maharaja Nimi said, "Please do not imprison me again in a material body."

> > ******

> > TEXT 9

> > yasya yogam na vânchanti

> > viyoga-bhaya-kâtarâh

> > bhajanti caranâmbhojam

> > munayo hari-medhasah

> > yasya--with the body; yogam--contact; na--do not; vânchanti--jnânîs desire; viyoga-bhaya-kâtarâh--being afraid of giving up the body again; bhajanti--offer transcendental loving service; carana-ambhojam--to the lotus feet of the Lord; munayah--great saintly persons; hari-medhasah--whose intelligence is always absorbed in thoughts of Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Maharaja Nimi continued: Mayavadis generally want freedom from accepting a material body because they fear having to give it up again. But devotees whose intelligence is always filled with the service of the Lord are unafraid. Indeed, they take advantage of the body to render transcendental loving service.

> > ******

> > TEXT 10

> > deham nâvarurutse 'ham

> > duhkha-soka-bhayâvaham

> > sarvatrâsya yato mrtyur

> > matsyânâm udake yathâ

> > deham--a material body; na--not; avarurutse--desire to accept; aham--I; duhkha-soka-bhaya-âvaham--which is the cause of all kinds of distress, lamentation and fear; sarvatra--always and everywhere within this universe; asya--of the living entities who have accepted material bodies; yatah--because; mrtyuh--death; matsyânâm--of the fish; udake--living within the water; yathâ--like.

> > TRANSLATION

> > I do not wish to accept a material body, for such a body is the source of all distress, lamentation and fear, everywhere in the universe, just as it is for a fish in the water, which lives always in anxiety because of fear of death.

> > ******

> > TEXT 11

> > devâ ûcuh

> > videha usyatâm kâmam

> > locanesu sarîrinâm

> > unmesana-nimesâbhyâm

> > laksito 'dhyâtma-samsthitah

> > devâh ûcuh--the demigods said; videhah--without any material body; usyatâm--you live; kâmam--as you like; locanesu--in the vision; sarîrinâm--of those who have material bodies; unmesana-nimesâbhyâm--become manifest and unmanifest as you desire; laksitah--being seen; adhyâtma-samsthitah--situated in a spiritual body.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The demigods said: Let Maharaja Nimi live without a material body. Let him live in a spiritual body as a personal associate of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and, according to his desire, let him be manifest or unmanifest to common materially embodied people.

> > ******

> > TEXT 12

> > arâjaka-bhayam nrnâm

> > manyamânâ maharsayah

> > deham mamanthuh sma nimeh

> > kumârah samajâyata

> > arâjaka-bhayam--due to fear of the danger of an unregulated government; nrnâm--for the people in general; manyamânâh--considering this situation; mahâ-rsayah--the great sages; deham--the body; mamanthuh--churned; sma--in the past; nimeh--of Mahârâja Nimi; kumârah--one son; samajâyata--was thus born.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Thereafter, to save the people from the danger of an unregulated government, the sages churned Maharaja Nimi's material body, from which, as a result, a son was born.

> > ******

> > TEXT 13

> > janmanâ janakah so 'bhûd

> > vaidehas tu videhajah

> > mithilo mathanâj jâto

> > mithilâ yena nirmitâ

> > janmanâ--by birth; janakah--born uncommonly, not by the usual process; sah--he; abhût--became; vaidehah--also known as Vaideha; tu--but; videha-jah--because of being born from the body of Mahârâja Nimi, who had left his material body; mithilah--he also became known as Mithila; mathanât--because of being born from the churning of his father's body; jâtah--thus born; mithilâ--the kingdom called Mithilâ; yena--by whom (Janaka); nirmitâ--was constructed.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Because he was born in an unusual way, the son was called Janaka, and because he was born from the dead body of his father, he was known as Vaideha. Because he was born from the churning of his father's material body, he was known as Mithila, and because he constructed a city as King Mithila, the city was called Mithila.

> > ******

> > TEXT 14

> > tasmâd udâvasus tasya

> > putro 'bhûn nandivardhanah

> > tatah suketus tasyâpi

> > devarâto mahîpate

> > tasmât--from Mithila; udâvasuh--a son named Udâvasu; tasya--of him (Udâvasu); putrah--son; abhût--was born; nandivardhanah--Nandivardhana; tatah--from him (Nandivardhana); suketuh--a son named Suketu; tasya--of him (Suketu); api--also; devarâtah--a son named Devarâta; mahîpate--O King Parîksit.

> > TRANSLATION

> > O King Pariksit, from Mithila came a son named Udavasu; from Udavasu, Nandivardhana; from Nandivardhana, Suketu; and from Suketu, Devarata.

> > ******

> > TEXT 15

> > tasmâd brhadrathas tasya

> > mahâvîryah sudhrt-pitâ

> > sudhrter dhrstaketur vai

> > haryasvo 'tha marus tatah

> > tasmât--from Devarâta; brhadrathah--a son named Brhadratha; tasya--of him (Brhadratha); mahâvîryah--a son named Mahâvîrya; sudhrt-pitâ--he became the father of King Sudhrti; sudhrteh--from Sudhrti; dhrstaketuh--a son named Dhrstaketu; vai--indeed; haryasvah--his son was Haryasva; atha--thereafter; maruh--Maru; tatah--thereafter.

> > TRANSLATION

> > From Devarata came a son named Brhadratha and from Brhadratha a son named Mahavirya, who became the father of Sudhrti. The son of Sudhrti was known as Dhrstaketu, and from Dhrstaketu came Haryasva. From Haryasva came a son named Maru.

> > ******

> > TEXT 16

> > maroh pratîpakas tasmâj

> > jâtah krtaratho yatah

> > devamîdhas tasya putro

> > visruto 'tha mahâdhrtih

> > maroh--of Maru; pratîpakah--a son named Pratîpaka; tasmât--from Pratîpaka; jâtah--was born; krtarathah--a son named Krtaratha; yatah--and from Krtaratha; devamîdhah--Devamîdha; tasya--of Devamîdha; putrah--a son; visrutah--Visruta; atha--from him; mahâdhrtih--a son named Mahâdhrti.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The son of Maru was Pratipaka, and the son of Pratipaka was Krtaratha. From Krtaratha came Devamidha; from Devamidha, Visruta; and from Visruta, Mahadhrti.

> > ******

> > TEXT 17

> > krtirâtas tatas tasmân

> > mahâromâ ca tat-sutah

> > svarnaromâ sutas tasya

> > hrasvaromâ vyajâyata

> > krtirâtah--Krtirâta; tatah--from Mahâdhrti; tasmât--from Krtirâta; mahâromâ--a son named Mahâromâ; ca--also; tat-sutah--his son; svarnaromâ--Svarnaromâ; sutah tasya--his son; hrasvaromâ--Hrasvaromâ; vyajâyata--were all born.

> > TRANSLATION

> > From Mahadhrti was born a son named Krtirata, from Krtirata was born Maharoma, from Maharoma came a son named Svarnaroma, and from Svarnaroma came Hrasvaroma.

> > ******

> > TEXT 18

> > tatah sîradhvajo jajne

> > yajnârtham karsato mahîm

> > sîtâ sîrâgrato jâtâ

> > tasmât sîradhvajah smrtah

> > tatah--from Hrasvaromâ; sîradhvajah--a son named Sîradhvaja; jajne--was born; yajna-artham--for performing sacrifices; karsatah--while plowing the field; mahîm--the earth; sîtâ--mother Sîtâ, the wife of Lord Râmacandra; sîra-agratah--from the front portion of the plow; jâtâ--was born; tasmât--therefore; sîradhvajah--was known as Sîradhvaja; smrtah--celebrated.

> > TRANSLATION

> > From Hrasvaroma came a son named Siradhvaja [also called Janaka]. When Siradhvaja was plowing a field, from the front of his plow [sira] appeared a daughter named Sitadevi, who later became the wife of Lord Ramacandra. Thus he was known as Siradhvaja.

> > ******

> > TEXT 19

> > kusadhvajas tasya putras

> > tato dharmadhvajo nrpah

> > dharmadhvajasya dvau putrau

> > krtadhvaja-mitadhvajau

> > kusadhvajah--Kusadhvaja; tasya--of Sîradhvaja; putrah--son; tatah--from him; dharmadhvajah--Dharmadhvaja; nrpah--the king; dharmadhvajasya--from this Dharmadhvaja; dvau--two; putrau--sons; krtadhvaja-mitadhvajau--Krtadhvaja and Mitadhvaja.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The son of Siradhvaja was Kusadhvaja, and the son of Kusadhvaja was King Dharmadhvaja, who had two sons, namely Krtadhvaja and Mitadhvaja.

> > ******

> > TEXTS 20-21

> > krtadhvajât kesidhvajah

> > khândikyas tu mitadhvajât

> > krtadhvaja-suto râjann

> > âtma-vidyâ-visâradah

> > khândikyah karma-tattva-jno

> > bhîtah kesidhvajâd drutah

> > bhânumâms tasya putro 'bhûc

> > chatadyumnas tu tat-sutah

> > krtadhvajât--from Krtadhvaja; kesidhvajah--a son named Kesidhvaja; khândikyah tu--also a son named Khândikya; mitadhvajât--from Mitadhvaja; krtadhvaja-sutah--the son of Krtadhvaja; râjan--O King; âtma-vidyâ-visâradah--expert in transcendental science;

> > khândikyah--King Khândikya; karma-tattva-jnah--expert in Vedic ritualistic ceremonies; bhîtah--fearing; kesidhvajât--because of Kesidhvaja; drutah--he fled; bhânumân--Bhânumân; tasya--of Kesidhvaja; putrah--son; abhût--there was; satadyumnah--Satadyumna; tu--but; tat-sutah--the son of Bhânumân.

> > TRANSLATION

> > O Maharaja Pariksit, the son of Krtadhvaja was Kesidhvaja, and the son of Mitadhvaja was Khandikya. The son of Krtadhvaja was expert in spiritual knowledge, and the son of Mitadhvaja was expert in Vedic ritualistic ceremonies. Khandikya fled in fear of Kesidhvaja. The son of Kesidhvaja was Bhanuman, and the son of Bhanuman was Satadyumna.

> > ******

> > TEXT 22

> > sucis tu tanayas tasmât

> > sanadvâjah suto 'bhavat

> > ûrjaketuh sanadvâjâd

> > ajo 'tha purujit sutah

> > sucih--Suci; tu--but; tanayah--a son; tasmât--from him; sanadvâjah--Sanadvâja; sutah--a son; abhavat--was born; ûrjaketuh--Ûrjaketu; sanadvâjât--from Sanadvâja; ajah--Aja; atha--thereafter; purujit--Purujit; sutah--a son.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The son of Satadyumna was named Suci. From Suci, Sanadvaja was born, and from Sanadvaja came a son named Urjaketu. The son of Urjaketu was Aja, and the son of Aja was Purujit.

> > ******

> > TEXT 23

> > aristanemis tasyâpi

> > srutâyus tat supârsvakah

> > tatas citraratho yasya

> > ksemâdhir mithilâdhipah

> > aristanemih--Aristanemi; tasya api--of Purujit also; srutâyuh--a son named Srutâyu; tat--and from him; supârsvakah--Supârsvaka; tatah--from Supârsvaka; citrarathah--Citraratha; yasya--of whom (Citraratha); ksemâdhih--Ksemâdhi; mithilâ-adhipah--became the king of Mithilâ.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The son of Purujit was Aristanemi, and his son was Srutayu. Srutayu begot a son named Suparsvaka, and Suparsvaka begot Citraratha. The son of Citraratha was Ksemadhi, who became the king of Mithila.

> > ******

> > TEXT 24

> > tasmât samarathas tasya

> > sutah satyarathas tatah

> > âsîd upagurus tasmâd

> > upagupto 'gni-sambhavah

> > tasmât--from Ksemâdhi; samarathah--a son named Samaratha; tasya--from Samaratha; sutah--son; satyarathah--Satyaratha; tatah--from him (Satyaratha); âsît--was born; upaguruh--Upaguru; tasmât--from him; upaguptah--Upagupta; agni-sambhavah--a partial expansion of the demigod Agni.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The son of Ksemadhi was Samaratha, and his son was Satyaratha. The son of Satyaratha was Upaguru, and the son of Upaguru was Upagupta, a partial expansion of the fire-god.

> > ******

> > TEXT 25

> > vasvananto 'tha tat-putro

> > yuyudho yat subhâsanah

> > srutas tato jayas tasmâd

> > vijayo 'smâd rtah sutah

> > vasvanantah--Vasvananta; atha--thereafter (the son of Upagupta); tat-putrah--his son; yuyudhah--by the name Yuyudha; yat--from Yuyudha; subhâsanah--a son named Subhâsana; srutah tatah--and the son of Subhâsana was Sruta; jayah tasmât--the son of Sruta was Jaya; vijayah--a son named Vijaya; asmât--from Jaya; rtah--Rta; sutah--a son.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The son of Upagupta was Vasvananta, the son of Vasvananta was Yuyudha, the son of Yuyudha was Subhasana, and the son of Subhasana was Sruta. The son of Sruta was Jaya, from whom there came Vijaya. The son of Vijaya was Rta.

> > ******

> > TEXT 26

> > sunakas tat-suto jajne

> > vîtahavyo dhrtis tatah

> > bahulâsvo dhrtes tasya

> > krtir asya mahâvasî

> > sunakah--Sunaka; tat-sutah--the son of Rta; jajne--was born; vîtahavyah--Vîtahavya; dhrtih--Dhrti; tatah--the son of Vîtahavya; bahulâsvah--Bahulâsva; dhrteh--from Dhrti; tasya--his son; krtih--Krti; asya--of Krti; mahâvasî--there was a son named Mahâvasî.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The son of Rta was Sunaka, the son of Sunaka was Vitahavya, the son of Vitahavya was Dhrti, and the son of Dhrti was Bahulasva. The son of Bahulasva was Krti, and his son was Mahavasi.

> > ******

> > TEXT 27

> > ete vai maithilâ râjann

> > âtma-vidyâ-visâradâh

> > yogesvara-prasâdena

> > dvandvair muktâ grhesv api

> > ete--all of them; vai--indeed; maithilâh--the descendants of Mithila; râjan--O King; âtma-vidyâ-visâradâh--expert in spiritual knowledge; yogesvara-prasâdena--by the grace of Yogesvara, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna; dvandvaih muktâh--they were all freed from the duality of the material world; grhesu api--even though staying at home.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Sukadeva Gosvami said: My dear King Pariksit, all the kings of the dynasty of Mithila were completely in knowledge of their spiritual identity. Therefore, even though staying at home, they were liberated from the duality of material existence.

> > Back to the running text