> 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 Four: The Characteristics of Rsabhadeva,

> *******

> TEXT 1

> srî-suka uvâca

> atha ha tam utpattyaivâbhivyajyamâna-bhagaval-laksanam

> sâmyopasama-vairâgyaisvarya-mahâ-vibhûtibhir anudinam

> edhamânânubhâvam prakrtayah prajâ brâhmanâ devatâs câvani-tala-

> samavanâyâtitarâm jagrdhuh.

> srî-sukah uvâca--Srî Sukadeva Gosvâmî said; atha ha--thus (after the Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared); tam--Him; utpattyâ--from the beginning of His appearance; eva--even; abhivyajyamâna--distinctly manifested; bhagavat-laksanam--possessing the symptoms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sâmya--equal to everyone; upasama--completely peaceful, in control of the senses and mind; vairâgya--renunciation; aisvarya--opulences; mahâ-vibhûtibhih--with great attributes; anudinam--day after day; edhamâna--increasing; anubhâvam--His power; prakrtayah--the ministers; prajâh--the citizens; brâhmanâh--the learned scholars in full knowledge of Brahman; devatâh--the demigods; ca--and; avani-tala--the surface of the globe; samavanâya--to rule; atitarâm--greatly; jagrdhuh--desired.

> TRANSLATION

> Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said: As soon as the Lord was born as the son of Maharaja Nabhi, He manifested symptoms of the Supreme Lord, such as marks on the bottoms of His feet [the flag, thunderbolt, etc.]. This son was equal to everyone and very peaceful. He could control His senses and His mind, and, possessing all opulence, He did not hanker for material enjoyment. Endowed with all these attributes, the son of Maharaja Nabhi became more powerful day after day. Due to this, the citizens, learned brahmanas, demigods and ministers wanted Rsabhadeva to be appointed ruler of the earth.

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> TEXT 2

> tasya ha vâ ittham varsmanâ varîyasâ brhac-chlokena caujasâ balena

> sriyâ yasasâ vîrya-sauryâbhyâm ca pitâ rsabha itîdam nâma cakâra.

> tasya--of Him; ha vâ--certainly; ittham--thus; varsmanâ--by the bodily features; varîyasâ--most exalted; brhat-slokena--decorated with all the high qualities described by poets; ca--also; ojasâ--by prowess; balena--by strength; sriyâ--by beauty; yasasâ--by fame; vîrya-sauryâbhyâm--by influence and heroism; ca--and; pitâ--the father (Mahârâja Nâbhi); rsabhah--the best; iti--thus; idam--this; nâma--name; cakâra--gave.

> TRANSLATION

> When the son of Maharaja Nabhi became visible, He evinced all good qualities described by the great poets--namely, a well-built body with all the symptoms of the Godhead, prowess, strength, beauty, name, fame, influence and enthusiasm. When the father, Maharaja Nabhi, saw all these qualities, he thought his son to be the best of human beings or the supreme being. Therefore he gave Him the name Rsabha.

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> TEXT 3

> yasya hîndrah spardhamâno bhagavân varse na vavarsa tad

> avadhârya bhagavân rsabhadevo yogesvarah prahasyâtma-

> yogamâyayâ sva-varsam ajanâbham nâmâbhyavarsat.

> yasya--of whom; hi--indeed; indrah--King Indra of heaven; spardhamânah--being envious; bhagavân--very opulent; varse--on Bhârata-varsa; na vavarsa--did not pour water; tat--that; avadhârya--knowing; bhagavân--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; rsabhadevah--Rsabhadeva; yoga-îsvarah--the master of all mystic power; prahasya--smiling; âtma-yoga-mâyayâ--by His own spiritual potency; sva-varsam--on His place; ajanâbham--Ajanâbha; nâma--named; abhyavarsat--He poured water.

> TRANSLATION

> Indra, the King of heaven, who is very materially opulent, became envious of King Rsabhadeva. Consequently he stopped pouring water on the planet known as Bharata-varsa. At that time the Supreme Lord, Rsabhadeva, the master of all mystic power, understood King Indra's purpose and smiled a little. Then, by His own prowess, through yogamaya [His internal potency], He profusely poured water upon His own place, which was known as Ajanabha.

> *******

> TEXT 4

> nâbhis tu yathâbhilasitam suprajastvam avarudhyâti-pramoda-bhara-

> vihvalo gadgadâksarayâ girâ svairam grhîta-naraloka-sadharmam

> bhagavantam purâna-purusam mâyâ-vilasita-matir vatsa tâteti

> sânurâgam upalâlayan parâm nirvrtim upagatah.

> nâbhih--King Nâbhi; tu--certainly; yathâ-abhilasitam--according to his desire; su-prajastvam--the most beautiful son; avarudhya--getting; ati-pramoda--of great jubilation; bhara--by an excess; vihvalah--being overwhelmed; gadgada-aksarayâ--faltering in ecstasy; girâ--with a voice; svairam--by His independent will; grhîta--accepted; nara-loka-sadharmam--acting as if a human being; bhagavantam--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; purâna-purusam--the oldest among living beings; mâyâ--by yogamâyâ; vilasita--bewildered; matih--his mentality; vatsa--my dear son; tâta--my darling; iti--thus; saanurâgam--with great affection; upalâlayan--raising; parâm--transcendental; nirvrtim--bliss; upagatah--achieved.

> TRANSLATION

> Due to getting a perfect son according to his desire, King Nabhi was always overwhelmed with transcendental bliss and was very affectionate to his son. It was with ecstasy and a faltering voice that he addressed Him, "My dear son, my darling." This mentality was brought about by yogamaya, whereby he accepted the Supreme Lord, the supreme father, as his own son. Out of His supreme good will, the Lord became his son and dealt with everyone as if He were an ordinary human being. Thus King Nabhi began to raise his transcendental son with great affection, and he was overwhelmed with transcendental bliss, joy and devotion.

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> TEXT 5

> viditânurâgam âpaura-prakrtijana-pado râjâ nâbhir âtmajam

> samaya-setu-raksâyâm abhisicya brâhmanesûpanidhâya saha

> merudevyâ visâlâyâm prasanna-nipunena tapasâ samâdhi-yogena

> nara-nârâyanâkhyam bhagavantam vâsudevam upâsînah kâlena tan-

> mahimânam avâpa.

> vidita--known very well; anurâgam--popularity; âpaura-prakrti--among all the citizens and government officers; jana-padah--desiring to serve the people in general; râjâ--the King; nâbhih--Nâbhi; âtmajam--his son; samaya-setu-raksâyâm--to protect the people strictly according to the Vedic principles of religious life; abhisicya--enthroning; brâhmanesu--to the learned brâhmanas; upanidhâya--entrusting; saha--with; merudevyâ--his wife Merudevî; visâlâyâm--in Badarikâsrama; prasanna-nipunena--performed with great satisfaction and expertise; tapasâ--by austerities and penances; samâdhi-yogena--by full samâdhi; nara-nârâyana-âkhyam--named Nara-Nârâyana; bhagavantam--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vâsudevam--Krsna; upâsînah--worshiping; kâlena--in due course of time; tatmahimânam--His glorious abode, the spiritual world, Vaikuntha; avâpa--achieved.

> TRANSLATION

> King Nabhi understood that his son, Rsabhadeva, was very popular among the citizens and among government officers and ministers. Understanding the popularity of his son, Maharaja Nabhi enthroned Him as the emperor of the world to give protection to the general populace in terms of the Vedic religious system. To do this, he entrusted Him into the hands of learned brahmanas, who would guide Him in administrating the government. Then Maharaja Nabhi and his wife, Merudevi, went to Badarikasrama in the Himalaya Mountains, where the King engaged Himself very expertly in austerities and penances with great jubilation. In full samadhi he worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nara-Narayana, who is Krsna in His plenary expansion. By doing so, in course of time Maharaja Nabhi was elevated to the spiritual world known as Vaikuntha.

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> TEXT 6

> yasya ha pândaveya slokâv udâharanti--

> ko nu tat karma râjarser

> nâbher anv âcaret pumân

> apatyatâm agâd yasya

> harih suddhena karmanâ

> yasya--of whom; ha--indeed; pândaveya--O Mahârâja Parîksit; slokau--two verses; udâharanti--recite; kah--who; nu--then; tat--that; karma--work; râja-rseh--of the pious King; nâbheh--Nâbhi; anu--following; âcaret--could execute; pumân--a man; apatyatâm--sonhood; agât--accepted; yasya--whose; harih--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; suddhena--pure, executed in devotional service; karmanâ--by activities.

> TRANSLATION

> O Maharaja Pariksit, to glorify Maharaja Nabhi, the old sages composed two verses. One of them is this: "Who can attain the perfection of Maharaja Nabhi? Who can attain his activities? Because of his devotional service, the Supreme Personality of Godhead agreed to become his son."

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> TEXT 7

> brahmanyo 'nyah kuto nâbher

> viprâ mangala-pûjitâh

> yasya barhisi yajnesam

> darsayâm âsur ojasâ

> brahmanyah--a devotee of the brâhmanas; anyah--any other; kutah--where is; nâbheh--besides Mahârâja Nâbhi; viprâh--the brâhmanas; mangala-pûjitâh--well worshiped and satisfied; yasya--of whom; barhisi--in the sacrificial arena; yajna-îsam--the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the enjoyer of all sacrificial ceremonies; darsayâm âsuh--showed; ojasâ--by their brahminical prowess.

> TRANSLATION

> [The second prayer is this.] "Who is a better worshiper of brahmanas than Maharaja Nabhi? Because he worshiped the qualified brahmanas to their full satisfaction, the brahmanas, by their brahminical prowess, showed Maharaja Nabhi the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana, in person."

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> TEXT 8

> atha ha bhagavân rsabhadevah sva-varsam karma-ksetram

> anumanyamânah pradarsita-gurukula-vâso labdha-varair gurubhir

> anujnâto grhamedhinâm dharmân anusiksamâno jayantyâm indra-dat-

> tâyâm ubhaya-laksanam karma samâmnâyâmnâtam abhiyunjann ât-

> majânâm âtma-samânânâm satam janayâm âsa.

> atha--thereupon (after the departure of his father); ha--indeed; bhagavân--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; rsabha-devah--Rsabhadeva; sva--His own; varsam--kingdom; karma-ksetram--the field of activities; anumanyamânah--accepting as; pradarsita--shown as an example; guru-kula-vâsah--lived at the gurukula; labdha--having achieved; varaih--gifts; gurubhih--by the spiritual masters; anujnâtah--being ordered; grha-medhinâm--of the householders; dhamân--duties; anusiksamânah--teaching by example; jayantyâm--in His wife, Jayantî; indra-dattâyâm--offered by Lord Indra; ubhaya-laksanam--of both types; karma--activities; samâmnâyâmnâtam--mentioned in the scriptures; abhiyunjan--performing; âtmajânâm--sons; âtmasamânânâm--exactly like Himself; satam--one hundred; janayâm âsa--begot.

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> TEXT 9

> yesâm khalu mahâ-yogî bharatojyesthah srestha-guna âsîd yenedam

> varsam bhâratam iti vyapadisanti.

> yesâm--of whom; khalu--indeed; mahâ-yogî--a very highly exalted devotee of the Lord; bharatah--Bharata; jyesthah--the eldest; srestha-gunah--qualified with the best attributes; âsît--was; yena--by whom; idam--this; varsam--planet; bhâratam--Bhârata; iti--thus; vyapadisanti--people call.

> TRANSLATION

> Of Rsabhadeva's one hundred sons, the eldest, named Bharata, was a great, exalted devotee qualified with the best attributes. In his honor, this planet has become known as Bharata-varsa.

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> TEXT 10

> tam anu kusâvarta ilâvarto brahmâvarto malayah ketur bhadrasena

> indrasprg vidarbhah kîkata iti nava navati pradhânâh.

> tam--him; anu--following; kusâvarta--Kusâvarta; ilâvartah--Ilâvarta; brahmâvartah--Brahmâvarta; malayah--Malaya; ketuh--Ketu; bhadra-senah--Bhadrasena; indra-sprk--Indrasprk; vidarbhah--Vidarbha; kîkatah--Kîkata; iti--thus; nava--nine; navati--ninety; pradhânâh--older than.

> TRANSLATION

> Following Bharata, there were ninety-nine other sons. Among these were nine elderly sons, named Kusavarta, Ilavarta, Brahmavarta, Malaya, Ketu, Bhadrasena, Indrasprk, Vidarbha and Kikata.

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> TEXT 11-12

> kavir havir antariksah

> prabuddhah pippalâyanah

> âvirhotro 'tha drumilas

> camasah karabhâjanah

> iti bhâgavata-dharma-darsanâ nava mahâ-bhâgavatâs tesâm

> sucaritam bhagavan-mahimopabrmhitam vasudeva-nârada-samvâdam

> upasamâyanam uparistâd varnayisyâmah.

> kavih--Kavi; havih--Havi; antariksah--Antariksa; prabuddhah--Prabuddha; pippalâyanah--Pippalâyana; âvirhotrah--Âvirhotra; atha--also; drumilah--Drumila; camasah--Camasa; karabhâjanah--Karabhâjana; iti--thus; bhâgavata-dharma-darsanâh--authorized preachers of Srîmad-Bhâgavatam; nava--nine; mahâ-bhâgavatâh--highly advanced devotees; tesâm--of them; sucaritam--good characteristics; bhagavat-mahimâ-upabrmhitam--accompanied by the glories of the Supreme Lord; vasudeva-nârada-samvâdam--within the conversation between Vasudeva and Nârada; upasamâyanam--which gives full satisfaction to the mind; uparistât--hereafter (in the Eleventh Canto); varnayisyâmah--I shall vividly explain.

> TRANSLATION

> In addition to these sons were Kavi, Havi, Antariksa, Prabuddha, Pippalayana, Avirhotra, Drumila, Camasa and Karabhajana. These were all very exalted, advanced devotees and authorized preachers of Srimad-Bhagavatam. These devotees were glorified due to their strong devotion to Vasudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore they were very exalted. To satisfy the mind perfectly, I [Sukadeva Gosvami] shall hereafter describe the characteristics of these nine devotees when I discuss the conversation between Narada and Vasudeva.

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> TEXT 13

> yavîyâmsa ekâsîtir jâyanteyâh pitur âdesakarâ mahâ-sâlînâ mahâ-

> srotriyâ yajna-sîlâh karma-visuddhâ brâhmanâ babhûvuh.

> yavîyâmsah--younger; ekâsîtih--numbering eighty-one; jâyanteyâh--the sons of Jayantî, the wife of Rsabhadeva; pituh--of their father; âdesakarâh--following the order; mahâ-sâlînâh--well behaved. well cultured; mahâ-srotriyâh--extremely learned in Vedic knowledge; yajna-sîlâh--expert in performing ritualistic ceremonies; karma-visuddhâh--very pure in their activities; brâhmanâh--qualified brâhmana's; babhûvuh--became.

> TRANSLATION

> In addition to these nineteen sons mentioned above, there were eighty-one younger ones, all born of Rsabhadeva and Jayanti. According to the order of their father, they became well cultured, well behaved, very pure in their activities and expert in Vedic knowledge and the performance of Vedic rituals. Thus they all became perfectly qualified brahmanas.

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> TEXT 14

> bhagavân rsabha-samjna âtma-tantrah svayam nitya-nivrttânartha-

> paramparah kevalânandânubhava îsvara eva viparîtavat karmâny

> ârabhamânah kâlenânugatam dharmam âcaranenopasiksayann atad-

> vidâm sama upasânto maitrah kâruniko dharmârtha-yasah-prajânan-

> dâmrtâvarodhena grhesu lokam niyamayat.

> bhagavân--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; rsabha--Rsabha; samjnah--named; âtma-tantrah--fully independent; svayam--personally; nitya--eternally; nivrtta--free from; anartha--of things not wanted (birth, old age, disease and death); paramparah--the continual succession, one after another; kevala--only; ânanda-anubhavah--full of transcendental bliss; îsvarah--the Supreme Lord, the controller; eva--indeed; viparîta-vat--just like the opposite; karmâni--material activities; ârabhamânah--performing; kâlena--in course of time; anugatam--neglected; dharmam--the varnâsrama-dharma; âcaranena--by executing; upasiksayan--teaching; a-tat-vidâm--persons who are in ignorance; samah--equipoised; upasântah--undisturbed by the material senses; maitrah--very friendly to everyone; kârunikah--very merciful to all; dharma--religious principles; artha--economic development; yasah--reputation; prajâ--sons and daughters; ânanda--material pleasure; amrta--eternal life; avarodhena--for achieving; grhesu--in household life; lokam--the people in general; niyamayat--He regulated.

> TRANSLATION

> Being an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Rsabhadeva was fully independent because His form was spiritual, eternal and full of transcendental bliss. He eternally had nothing to do with the four principles of material misery [birth, death, old age and disease]. Nor was He materially attached. He was always equipoised, and He saw everyone on the same level. He was unhappy to see others unhappy, and He was the well-wisher of all living entities. Although He was a perfect personality, the Supreme Lord and controller of all, He nonetheless acted as if He were an ordinary conditioned soul. Therefore He strictly followed the principles of varnasrama-dharma and acted accordingly. In due course of time, the principles of varnasrama-dharma had become neglected; therefore through His personal characteristics and behavior, He taught the ignorant public how to perform duties within the varnasrama-dharma. In this way He regulated the general populace in householder life, enabling them to develop religion and economic well-being and to attain reputations, sons and daughters, material pleasure and finally eternal life. By His instructions, He showed how people could remain householders and at the same time become perfect by following the principles of varnasrama-dharma.

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> TEXT 15

> yad yac chîrsanyâcaritam tat tad anuvartate lokah.

> yat yat--whatever; sîrsanya--by the leading personalities; âcaritam--performed; tat tat--that; anuvartate--follow; lokah--the people in general.

> TRANSLATION

> Whatever action is performed by a great man, common men follow.

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> TEXT 16

> yadyapi sva-viditam sakala-dharmam brâhmam guhyam brâhmanair

> darsita-mârgena sâmâdibhir upâyair janatâm anusasâsa.

> yadyapi--although; sva-viditam--known by Him; sakala-dharmam--which includes all different types of occupational duties; brâhmam--Vedic instruction; guhyam--very confidential; brâhmanaih--by the brâhmanas; darsita-mârgena--by the path showed; sâma-âdibhih--sâma, dama, titiksâ (controlling the mind. controlling the senses, practicing tolerance) and so on: upâyaih--by the means; janatâm--the people in general; anusasâsa--he ruled over.

> TRANSLATION

> Although Lord Rsabhadeva knew everything about confidential Vedic knowledge, which includes information about all types of occupational duties, He still maintained Himself as a ksatriya and followed the instructions of the brahmanas as they related to mind control, sense control, tolerance and so forth. Thus He ruled the people according to the system of varnasrama-dharma, which enjoins that the brahmanas instruct the ksatriyas and the ksatriyas administer to the state through the vaisyas and sudras.

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> TEXT 17

> dravya-desa-kâla-vayah-sraddhartvig-vividhoddesopacitaih sarvair api

> kratubhir yathopadesam sata-krtva iyâja.

> dravya--the ingredients for performing yajna; desa--the particular place, a holy place or a temple; kâla--the suitable time, such as springtime; vayah--the age, especially youth; sraddhâ--faith in goodness, not in passion and ignorance; rtvik--the priests; vividha-uddesa--worshiping different demigods for different purposes; upacitaih--enriched by; sarvaih--all kinds of; api--certainly; kratubhih--by sacrificial ceremonies; yathâ-upadesam--according to the instruction; sata-krtvah--one hundred times; iyâja--He worshiped.

> TRANSLATION

> Lord Rsabhadeva performed all kinds of sacrifices one hundred times according to the instructions of the Vedic literatures. Thus He satisfied Lord Visnu in every respect. All the rituals were enriched by first-class ingredients. They were executed in holy places according to the proper time by priests who were all young and faithful. In this way Lord Visnu was worshiped, and the prasada was offered to all the demigods. Thus the functions and festivals were all successful.

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> TEXT 18

> bhagavatarsabhena pariraksyamâna etasmin varse na kascana puruso

> vânchaty avidyamânam ivâtmano 'nyasmât kathancana kimapi

> karhicid aveksate bhartary anusavanam vijrmbhita-snehâtisayam an-

> tarena.

> bhagavatâ--by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; rsabhena--King Rsabha; pariraksyamâne--being protected; etasmin--on this; varse--planet; na--not; kascana--anyone; purusah--even a common man; vânchati--desires; avidyamânam--not existing in reality; iva--as if; âtmanah--for himself; anyasmât--from anyone else; kathancana--by any means; kimapi--anything; karhicit--at any time; aveksate--does care to see; bhartari--toward the master; anusavanam--always; vijrmbhita--expanding; sneha-atisayam--very great affection; antarena--within one's self.

> TRANSLATION

> No one likes to possess anything that is like a will-o'-the-wisp or a flower in the sky, for everyone knows very well that such things do not exist. When Lord Rsabhadeva ruled this planet of Bharatavarsa, even common men did not want to ask for anything, at any time or by any means. No one ever asks for a will-o'-the-wisp. In other words, everyone was completely satisfied, and therefore there was no chance of anyone's asking for anything. The people were absorbed in great affection for the King. Since this affection was always expanding, they were not inclined to ask for anything.

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> TEXT 19

> sa kadâcid atamâno bhagavân rsabho brahmâvarta-gato brahmarsi-

> pravara-sabhâyâm prajânâm nisâmayantînâm âtmajân avahitâtmanah

> prasraya-pranaya-bhara-suyantritân apy upasiksayann iti hovâca.

> sah--He; kadâcit--once; atamânah--while on tour; bhagavân--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; rsabhah--Lord Rsabha; brahmâvarta-gatah--when He reached the place known as Brahmâvarta (identified by some as Burma and by others as a place near Kanpura, Uttar Pradesh); brahma-rsi-pravara-sabhâyâm--in a meeting of first-class brâhmanas; prajânâm--while the citizens; nisâmayantînâm--were hearing; âtmajân--His sons; avahita-âtmanah--attentive; prasraya--of good behavior; pranaya--of devotion; bhara--by an abundance; su-yantritân--well controlled; api--although; upasiksayan--teaching; iti--thus; ha--certainly; uvâca--said.

> TRANSLATION

> Once while touring the world, Lord Rsabhadeva, the Supreme Lord, reached a place known as Brahmavarta. There was a great conference of learned brahmanas at that place, and all the King's sons attentively heard the instructions of the brahmanas there. At that assembly, within the hearing of the citizens, Rsabhadeva instructed His sons, although they were already very well behaved, devoted and qualified. He instructed them so that in the future they could rule the world very perfectly. Thus he spoke as follows.

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