Chapter Fourteen

King Citraketu's Lamentation

In this Fourteenth Chapter, Pariksit Maharaja asks his spiritual master, Sukadeva Gosvami, how such a demon as Vrtrasura could become an exalted devotee. In this connection the previous life of Vrtrasura is discussed. This involves the story of Citraketu and how he was victimized by lamentation because of the death of his son.

Among many millions of living entities, the number of human beings is extremely small, and among human beings who are actually religious, only some are eager to be liberated from material existence. Among many thousands of people who desire relief from material existence, one is freed from the association of unwanted persons or is relieved of material contamination. And among many millions of such liberated persons, one may become a devotee of Lord Narayana. Therefore such devotees are extremely rare. Since bhakti, devotional service, is not ordinary, Pariksit Maharaja was astonished that an asura could rise to the exalted position of a devotee. Being doubtful, Pariksit Maharaja inquired from Sukadeva Gosvami, who then described Vrtrasura with reference to his previous birth as Citraketu, the King of Surasena.

Citraketu, who had no sons, got an opportunity to meet the great sage Angira. When Angira inquired from the King about his welfare, the King expressed his moroseness, and therefore by the grace of the great sage, the King's first wife, Krtadyuti, gave birth to a son, who was the cause of both happiness and lamentation. Upon the birth of this son, the King and all the residents of the palace were very happy. The co-wives of Krtadyuti, however, were envious, and later they administered poison to the child. Citraketu was overwhelmed by shock at his son's death. Then Narada Muni and Angira went to see him.

TEXT 1

TEXT

sri-pariksid uvaca

rajas-tamah-svabhavasya

brahman vrtrasya papmanah

narayane bhagavati

katham asid drdha matih

SYNONYMS

sri-pariksit uvaca--King Pariksit inquired; rajah--of the mode of passion; tamah--and of the mode of ignorance; sva-bhavasya--having a nature; brahman--O learned brahmana; vrtrasya--of Vrtrasura; papmanah--who was supposedly sinful; narayane--in Lord Narayana; bhagavati--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; katham--how; asit--was there; drdha--very strong; matih--consciousness.

TRANSLATION

King Pariksit inquired from Sukadeva Gosvami: O learned brahmana, demons are generally sinful, being obsessed with the modes of passion and ignorance. How, then, could Vrtrasura have attained such exalted love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana?

PURPORT

In this material world, everyone is obsessed with the modes of passion and ignorance. However, unless one conquers these modes and comes to the platform of goodness, there is no chance of one's becoming a pure devotee. This is confirmed by Lord Krsna Himself in Bhagavad-gita (7.28):

yesam tv anta-gatam papam

jananam punya-karmanam

te dvandva-moha-nirmukta

bhajante mam drdha-vratah

"Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life, whose sinful actions are completely eradicated and who are freed from the duality of delusion, engage themselves in My service with determination." Since Vrtrasura was among the demons, Maharaja Pariksit wondered how it was possible for him to have become such an exalted devotee.

TEXT 2

TEXT

devanam suddha-sattvanam

rsinam camalatmanam

bhaktir mukunda-carane

na prayenopajayate

SYNONYMS

devanam--of the demigods; suddha-sattvanam--whose minds are purified; rsinam--of great saintly persons; ca--and; amala-atmanam--who have purified their existence; bhaktih--devotional service; mukunda-carane--to the lotus feet of Mukunda, the Lord, who can give liberation; na--not; prayena--almost always; upajayate--develops.

TRANSLATION

Demigods situated in the mode of goodness and great saints cleansed of the dirt of material enjoyment hardly ever render pure devotional service at the lotus feet of Mukunda. [Therefore how could Vrtrasura have become such a great devotee?]

TEXT 3

TEXT

rajobhih sama-sankhyatah

parthivair iha jantavah

tesam ye kecanehante

sreyo vai manujadayah

SYNONYMS

rajobhih--with the atoms; sama-sankhyatah--having the same numerical strength; parthivaih--of the earth; iha--in this world; jantavah--the living entities; tesam--of them; ye--those who; kecana--some; ihante--act; sreyah--for religious principles; vai--indeed; manuja-adayah--the human beings and so on.

TRANSLATION

In this material world there are as many living entities as atoms. Among these living entities, a very few are human beings, and among them, few are interested in following religious principles.

TEXT 4

TEXT

prayo mumuksavas tesam

kecanaiva dvijottama

mumuksunam sahasresu

kascin mucyeta sidhyati

SYNONYMS

prayah--almost always; mumuksavah--persons interested in liberation; tesam--of them; kecana--some; eva--indeed; dvija-uttama--O best of the brahmanas; mumuksunam--of those who desire to be liberated; sahasresu--in many thousands; kascit--someone; mucyeta--may be actually liberated; sidhyati--someone is perfect.

TRANSLATION

O best of the brahmanas, Sukadeva Gosvami, out of many persons who follow religious principles, only a few desire liberation from the material world. Among many thousands who desire liberation, one may actually achieve liberation, giving up material attachment to society, friendship, love, country, home, wife and children. And among many thousands of such liberated persons, one who can understand the true meaning of liberation is very rare.

PURPORT

There are four classes of men, namely karmis, jnanis, yogis and bhaktas. This statement pertains especially to karmis and jnanis. A karmi tries to he happy within this material world by changing from one body to another. His objective is bodily comfort, either in this planet or in another. When such a person becomes a jnani, however, be aspires for liberation from material bondage. Among many such persons who aspire for liberation, one may actually be liberated during his life. Such a person gives up his attachment for society, friendship, love, country, family, wife and children. Among many such persons, who are in the vanaprastha stage, one may understand the value of becoming a sannyasi, completely accepting the renounced order of life.

TEXT 5

TEXT

muktanam api siddhanam

narayana-parayanah

sudurlabhah prasantatma

kotisv api maha-mune

SYNONYMS

muktanam--of those who are liberated during this life (who are unattached to the bodily comforts of society, friendship and love); api--even; siddhanam--who are perfect (because they understand the insignificance of bodily comforts); narayana-parayanah--a person who has concluded that Narayana is the Supreme; su-durlabhah--very rarely found; prasanta--fully pacified; atma--whose mind; kotisu--out of millions and trillions; api--even; maha-mune--O great sage.

TRANSLATION

O great sage, among many millions who are liberated and perfect in knowledge of liberation, one may be a devotee of Lord Narayana, or Krsna. Such devotees, who are fully peaceful, are extremely rare.

PURPORT

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura gives the following purport to this verse. Simply desiring mukti, or liberation, is insufficient; one must become factually liberated. When one understands the futility of the materialistic way of life, one becomes advanced in knowledge, and therefore he situates himself in the vanaprastha order, unattached to family, wife and children. One should then further progress to the platform of sannyasa, the actual renounced order, never to fall again and be afflicted by materialistic life. Even though one desires to be liberated, this does not mean he is liberated. Only rarely is someone liberated. Indeed, although many men take sannyasa to become liberated, because of their imperfections they again become attached to women, material activities, social welfare work and so on.

Jnanis, yogis and karmis devoid of devotional service are called offenders. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, mayavadi krsne aparadhi: one who thinks that everything is maya instead of thinking that everything is Krsna is called an aparadhi, or offender. Although the Mayavadis, impersonalists, are offenders at the lotus feet of Krsna, they may nonetheless be counted among the siddhas, those who have realized the self. They may be considered nearer to spiritual perfection because at least they have realized what spiritual life is. If such a person becomes narayana-parayana, a devotee of Lord Narayana, he is better than a jivan-mukta, one who is liberated or perfect. This requires higher intelligence.

There are two kinds of jnanis. One is inclined to devotional service and the other to impersonal realization. Impersonalists generally undergo great endeavor for no tangible benefit, and therefore it is said that they are husking paddy that has no grain (sthula-tusavaghatinah). The other class of jnanis, whose jnana is mixed with bhakti, are also of two kinds--those who are devoted to the so-called false form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and those who understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead as sac-cid-ananda-vigraha, the actual spiritual form. The Mayavadi devotees worship Narayana or Visnu with the idea that Visnu has accepted a form of maya and that the ultimate truth is actually impersonal. The pure devotee, however, never thinks that Visnu has accepted a body of maya; instead, he knows perfectly well that the original Absolute Truth is the Supreme Person. Such a devotee is actually situated in knowledge. He never merges in the Brahman effulgence. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.2.32):

ye 'nye 'ravindaksa vimukta-maninas

tvayy asta-bhavad avisuddha-buddhayah

aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah

patanty adho 'nadrta-yusmad-anghrayah

"O Lord, the intelligence of those who think themselves liberated but who have no devotion is impure. Even though they rise to the highest point of liberation by dint of severe penances and austerities, they are sure to fall down again into material existence, for they do not take shelter at Your lotus feet." Evidence of this same point is also given in Bhagavad-gita (9.11), wherein the Lord says:

avajananti mam mudha

manusim tanum asritam

param bhavam ajananto

mama bhuta-mahesvaram

"Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do not know My transcendental nature and My supreme dominion over all that be." When rascals (mudhas) see that Krsna acts exactly like a human being, they deride the transcendental form of the Lord because they do not know the param bhavam, His transcendental form and activities. Such persons are further described in Bhagavad-gita (9.12) as follows:

moghasa mogha-karmano

mogha-jnana vicetasah

raksasim asurim caiva

prakrtim mohinim sritah

"Those who are thus bewildered are attracted by demoniac and atheistic views. In that deluded condition, their hopes for liberation, their fruitive activities and their culture of knowledge are all defeated." Such persons do not know that Krsna's body is not material. There is no distinction between Krsna's body and His soul, but because less intelligent men see Krsna as a human being, they deride Him. They cannot imagine how a person like Krsna could be the origin of everything (govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami). Such persons are described as moghasah, baffled in their hopes. Whatever they desire for the future will be baffled. Even if they apparently engage in devotional service, they are described as moghasah because they ultimately desire to merge into the Brahman effulgence.

Those who aspire to be elevated to the heavenly planets by devotional service will also be frustrated, because this is not the result of devotional service. However, they are also given a chance to engage in devotional service and be purified. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.17):

srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah

punya-sravana-kirtanah

hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani

vidhunoti suhrt satam

"Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramatma [Supersoul] in everyone's heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who relishes His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted."

Unless the dirt within the core of one's heart is cleansed away, one cannot become a pure devotee. Therefore the word sudurlabhah ("very rarely found") is used in this verse. Not only among hundreds and thousands, but among millions of perfectly liberated souls, a pure devotee is hardly ever found. Therefore the words kotisv api are used herein. Srila Madhvacarya gives the following quotations from the Tantra Bhagavata:

nava-kotyas tu devanam

rsayah sapta-kotayah

narayanayanah sarve

ye kecit tat-parayanah

"There are ninety million demigods and seventy million sages, who are all called narayanayana, devotees of Lord Narayana. Among them, only a few are called narayana-parayana."

narayanayana deva

rsy-adyas tat-parayanah

brahmadyah kecanaiva syuh

siddho yogya-sukham labhan

The difference between the siddhas and narayana-parayanas is that direct devotees are called narayana-parayanas whereas those who perform various types of mystic yoga are called siddhas.

TEXT 6

TEXT

vrtras tu sa katham papah

sarva-lokopatapanah

ittham drdha-matih krsna

asit sangrama ulbane

SYNONYMS

vrtrah--Vrtrasura; tu--but; sah--he; katham--how; papah--although sinful (getting the body of a demon); sarva-loka--of all the three worlds; upatapanah--the cause of suffering; ittham--such; drdha-matih--firmly fixed intelligence; krsne--in Krsna; asit--there was; sangrame ulbane--in the great blazing fire of battle.

TRANSLATION

Vrtrasura was situated in the blazing fire of battle and was an infamous, sinful demon, always engaged in giving troubles and anxieties to others. How could such a demon become so greatly Krsna conscious?

PURPORT

It has been described that a narayana-parayana, a pure devotee, is rarely found even among millions and millions of persons. Therefore Pariksit Maharaja was surprised that Vrtrasura, whose purpose was to give trouble and anxiety to others, was one of these devotees, even on a battlefield. What was the reason for Vrtrasura's advancement?

TEXT 7

TEXT

atra nah samsayo bhuyan

chrotum kautuhalam prabho

yah paurusena samare

sahasraksam atosayat

SYNONYMS

atra--in this connection; nah--our; samsayah--doubt; bhuyan--great; srotum--to hear; kautuhalam--eagerness; prabho--O my lord; yah--he who; paurusena--by bravery and strength; samare--in battle; sahasra-aksam--Lord Indra, who has one thousand eyes; atosayat--pleased.

TRANSLATION

My dear lord, Sukadeva Gosvami, although Vrtrasura was a sinful demon, he showed the prowess of a most exalted ksatriya and satisfied Lord Indra in battle. How could such a demon be a great devotee of Lord Krsna? These contradictions have caused me great doubt, and they have made me eager to hear of this from you.

TEXT 8

TEXT

sri-suta uvaca

pariksito 'tha samprasnam

bhagavan badarayanih

nisamya sraddadhanasya

pratinandya vaco 'bravit

SYNONYMS

sri-sutah uvaca--Sri Suta Gosvami said; pariksitah--of Maharaja Pariksit; atha--thus; samprasnam--the perfect question; bhagavan--the most powerful; badarayanih--Sukadeva Gosvami, the son of Vyasadeva; nisamya--hearing; sraddadhanasya--of his disciple, who was so faithful in understanding the truth; pratinandya--congratulating; vacah--words; abravit--spoke.

TRANSLATION

Sri Suta Gosvami said: After hearing Maharaja Pariksit's very intelligent question, Sukadeva Gosvami, the most powerful sage, began answering his disciple with great affection.

TEXT 9

TEXT

sri-suka uvaca

srnusvavahito rajann

itihasam imam yatha

srutam dvaipayana-mukhan

naradad devalad api

SYNONYMS

sri-sukah uvaca--Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; srnusva--please hear; avahitah--with great attention; rajan--O King; itihasam--history; imam--this; yatha--just as; srutam--heard; dvaipayana--of Vyasadeva; mukhat--from the mouth; naradat--from Narada; devalat--from Devala Rsi; api--also.

TRANSLATION

Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said: O King, I shall speak to you the same history I have heard from the mouths of Vyasadeva, Narada and Devala. Please listen with attention.

TEXT 10

TEXT

asid raja sarvabhaumah

surasenesu vai nrpa

citraketur iti khyato

yasyasit kamadhun mahi

SYNONYMS

asit--there was; raja--one king; sarva-bhaumah--an emperor of the entire surface of the globe; surasenesu--in the country known as Surasena; vai--indeed; nrpa--O King; citraketuh--Citraketu; iti--thus; khyatah--celebrated; yasya--of whom; asit--was; kama-dhuk--supplying all the necessities; mahi--the earth.

TRANSLATION

O King Pariksit, in the province of Surasena there was a king named Citraketu, who ruled the entire earth. During his reign, the earth produced all the necessities for life.

PURPORT

Here the most significant statement is that the earth completely produced all the necessities of life during the time of King Citraketu. As stated in the Isopanisad (Mantra 1):

isavasyam idam sarvam

yat kinca jagatyam jagat

tena tyaktena bhunjitha

ma grdhah kasya svid dhanam

"Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing well to whom they belong." Krsna, the supreme controller, has created the material world, which is completely perfect and free from scarcity. The Lord supplies the necessities of all living entities. These necessities come from the earth, and thus the earth is the source of supply. When there is a good ruler, that source produces the necessities of life abundantly. However, when there is not such a good ruler, there will be scarcity. This is the significance of the word kamadhuk. Elsewhere in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.10.4) it is said, kamam vavarsa parjanyah sarva-kama-dugha mahi: "During the reign of Maharaja Yudhisthira, the clouds showered all the water that people needed, and the earth produced all the necessities of men in profusion." We have experience that in some seasons the rains produce abundance and in other seasons there is scarcity. We have no control over the earth's productiveness, for it is naturally under the full control of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By His order, the Lord can make the earth produce sufficiently or insufficiently. If a pious king rules the earth according to the sastric injunctions, there will naturally be regular rainfall and sufficient produce to provide for all men. There will be no question of exploitation, for everyone will have enough. Black-marketeering and other corrupt dealings will then automatically stop. Simply ruling the land cannot solve man's problems unless the leader has spiritual capabilities. He must be like Maharaja Yudhisthira, Pariksit Maharaja or Ramacandra. Then all the inhabitants of the land will be extremely happy.

TEXT 11

TEXT

tasya bharya-sahasranam

sahasrani dasabhavan

santanikas capi nrpo

na lebhe tasu santatim

SYNONYMS

tasya--of him (King Citraketu); bharya--of wives; sahasranam--of thousands; sahasrani--thousands; dasa--ten; abhavan--there were; santanikah--quite capable of begetting sons; ca--and; api--although; nrpah--the King; na--not; lebhe--obtained; tasu--in them; santatim--a son.

TRANSLATION

This Citraketu had ten million wives, but although he was capable of producing children, he did not receive a child from any of them. By chance, all the wives were barren.

TEXT 12

TEXT

rupaudarya-vayo-janma-

vidyaisvarya-sriyadibhih

sampannasya gunaih sarvais

cinta bandhya-pater abhut

SYNONYMS

rupa--with beauty; audarya--magnanimity; vayah--youth; janma--aristocratic birth; vidya--education; aisvarya--opulence; sriya-adibhih--wealth and so on; sampannasya--endowed; gunaih--with good qualities; sarvaih--all; cinta--anxiety; bandhya-pateh--of Citraketu, the husband of so many sterile wives; abhut--there was.

TRANSLATION

Citraketu, the husband of these millions of wives, was endowed with a beautiful form, magnanimity and youth. He was born in a high family, he had a complete education, and he was wealthy and opulent. Nevertheless, in spite of being endowed with all these assets, he was full of anxiety because he did not have a son.

PURPORT

It appears that the King first married one wife, but she could not bear a child. Then he married a second, a third, a fourth and so on, but none of the wives could bear children. In spite of the material assets of janmaisvarya-sruta-sri--birth in an aristocratic family with full opulence, wealth, education and beauty--he was very much aggrieved because in spite of having so many wives, he had no son. Certainly his grief was natural. Grhastha life does not mean having a wife and no children. Canakya Pandita says, putra-hinam grham sunyam: if a family man has no son, his home is no better than a desert. The King was certainly most unhappy that he could not get a son, and this is why he had married so many times. Ksatriyas especially are allowed to marry more than one wife, and this King did so. Nonetheless, he had no issue.

TEXT 13

TEXT

na tasya sampadah sarva

mahisyo vama-locanah

sarvabhaumasya bhus ceyam

abhavan priti-hetavah

SYNONYMS

na--not; tasya--of him (Citraketu); sampadah--the great opulences; sarvah--all; mahisyah--the queens; vama-locanah--having very attractive eyes; sarva-bhaumasya--of the emperor; bhuh--land; ca--also; iyam--this; abhavan--were; priti-hetavah--sources of pleasure.

TRANSLATION

His queens all had beautiful faces and attractive eyes, yet neither his opulences, his hundreds and thousands of queens, nor the lands of which he was the supreme proprietor were sources of happiness for him.

TEXT 14

TEXT

tasyaikada tu bhavanam

angira bhagavan rsih

lokan anucarann etan

upagacchad yadrcchaya

SYNONYMS

tasya--of him; ekada--once upon a time; tu--but; bhavanam--to the palace; angirah--Angira; bhagavan--very powerful; rsih--sage; lokan--planets; anucaran--traveling around; etan--these; upagacchat--came; yadrcchaya--suddenly.

TRANSLATION

Once upon a time, when the powerful sage named Angira was traveling all over the universe without engagement, by his sweet will he came to the palace of King Citraketu.

TEXT 15

TEXT

tam pujayitva vidhivat

pratyutthanarhanadibhih

krtatithyam upasidat

sukhasinam samahitah

SYNONYMS

tam--him; pujayitva--after worshiping; vidhi-vat--according to the rules and regulations for receiving exalted guests; pratyutthana--by standing from the throne; arhana-adibhih--offering worship and so on; krta-atithyam--who was given hospitality; upasidat--sat down near; sukha-asinam--who was seated very comfortably; samahitah--controlling his mind and senses.

TRANSLATION

Citraketu immediately stood up from his throne and offered him worship. He offered drinking water and eatables and in this way performed his duty as a host to a great guest. When the rsi was seated very comfortably, the King, restraining his mind and senses, sat on the ground at the side of the rsi's feet.

TEXT 16

TEXT

maharsis tam upasinam

prasrayavanatam ksitau

pratipujya maharaja

samabhasyedam abravit

SYNONYMS

maha-rsih--the great sage; tam--unto him (the King); upasinam--sitting near; prasraya-avanatam--bowing in humility; ksitau--on the ground; pratipujya--congratulating; maharaja--O King Pariksit; samabhasya--addressing; idam--this; abravit--said.

TRANSLATION

O King Pariksit, when Citraketu, bent low in humility, was seated at the lotus feet of the great sage, the sage congratulated him for his humility and hospitality. The sage addressed him in the following words.

TEXT 17

TEXT

angira uvaca

api te 'namayam svasti

prakrtinam tathatmanah

yatha prakrtibhir guptah

puman raja ca saptabhih

SYNONYMS

angirah uvaca--the great sage Angira said; api--whether; te--of you; anamayam--health; svasti--auspiciousness; prakrtinam--of your royal elements (associates and paraphernalia); tatha--as well as; atmanah--of your own body, mind and soul; yatha--like; prakrtibhih--by the elements of material nature; guptah--protected; puman--the living being; raja--the king; ca--also; saptabhih--by seven.

TRANSLATION

The great sage Angira said: My dear King, I hope that your body and mind and your royal associates and paraphernalia are well. When the seven properties of material nature [the total material energy, the ego and the five objects of sense gratification] are in proper order, the living entity within the material elements is happy. Without these seven elements one cannot exist. Similarly, a king is always protected by seven elements--his instructor (svami or guru), his ministers, his kingdom, his fort, his treasury, his royal order and his friends.

PURPORT

As it is quoted by Sridhara Svami in his Bhagavatam commentary:

svamy-amatyau janapada

durga-dravina-sancayah

dando mitram ca tasyaitah

sapta-prakrtayo matah

A king is not alone. He first has his spiritual master, the supreme guide. Then come his ministers, his kingdom, his fortifications, his treasury, his system of law and order, and his friends or allies. If these seven are properly maintained, the king is happy. Similarly, as explained in Bhagavad-gita (dehino 'smin yatha dehe), the living entity, the soul, is within the material covering of the mahat-tattva, ego and panca-tanmatra, the five objects of sense gratification. When these seven are in proper order, the living entity is in a mood of pleasure. Generally when the associates of the king are quiet and obedient, the king can be happy. Therefore the great sage Angira Rsi inquired about the King's personal health and the good fortune of his seven associates. When we inquire from a friend whether everything is well, we are concerned not only with his personal self but also with his family, his source of income, and his assistants or servants. All of them must be well, and then a person can be happy.

TEXT 18

TEXT

atmanam prakrtisv addha

nidhaya sreya apnuyat

rajna tatha prakrtayo

naradevahitadhayah

SYNONYMS

atmanam--himself; prakrtisu--under these seven royal elements; addha--directly; nidhaya--placing; sreyah--ultimate happiness; apnuyat--may obtain; rajna--by the king; tatha--so also; prakrtayah--the dependent royal elements; nara-deva--O King; ahita-adhayah--offering wealth and other items.

TRANSLATION

O King, O lord of humanity, when a king directly depends upon his associates and follows their instructions, he is happy. Similarly, when his associates offer their gifts and activities to the king and follow his orders, they are also happy.

PURPORT

The actual happiness of a king and his dependents is described in this verse. A king should not simply give orders to his dependents because he is supreme; sometimes he must follow their instructions. Similarly, the dependents should depend on the king. This mutual dependence will make everyone happy.

TEXT 19

TEXT

api darah prajamatya

bhrtyah srenyo 'tha mantrinah

paura janapada bhupa

atmaja vasa-vartinah

SYNONYMS

api--whether; darah--wives; praja--citizens; amatyah--and secretaries; bhrtyah--servants; srenyah--merchants; atha--as well as; mantrinah--ministers; paurah--inmates of the palace; janapadah--the provincial governors; bhupah--landholders; atma-jah--sons; vasa-vartinah--under your full control.

TRANSLATION

O King, are your wives, citizens, secretaries and servants and the merchants who sell spices and oil under your control? Are you also in full control of ministers, the inhabitants of your palace, your provincial governors, your sons and your other dependents?

PURPORT

The master or king and his subordinates should be interdependent. Through cooperation, both of them can be happy.

TEXT 20

TEXT

yasyatmanuvasas cet syat

sarve tad-vasaga ime

lokah sapala yacchanti

sarve balim atandritah

SYNONYMS

yasya--of whom; atma--mind; anuvasah--under control; cet--if; syat--may be; sarve--all; tat-vasa-gah--under the control of him; ime--these; lokah--the worlds; sa-palah--with their governors; yacchanti--offer; sarve--all; balim--contribution; atandritah--becoming free from laziness.

TRANSLATION

If the king's mind is fully controlled, all his family members and governmental officers are subordinate to him. His provincial governors present taxes on time, without resistance, and what to speak of lesser servants?

PURPORT

Angira Rsi asked the King whether his mind was also under control. This is most essential for happiness.

TEXT 21

TEXT

atmanah priyate natma

paratah svata eva va

laksaye 'labdha-kamam tvam

cintaya sabalam mukham

SYNONYMS

atmanah--of you; priyate--is pleased; na--not; atma--the mind; paratah--due to other causes; svatah--due to yourself; eva--indeed; va--or; laksaye--I can see; alabdha-kamam--not achieving your desired goals; tvam--you; cintaya--by anxiety; sabalam--pale; mukham--face.

TRANSLATION

O King Citraketu, I can observe that your mind is not pleased. You seem not to have achieved your desired goal. Is this because of you yourself, or has it been caused by others? Your pale face reflects your deep anxiety.

TEXT 22

TEXT

evam vikalpito rajan

vidusa muninapi sah

prasrayavanato 'bhyaha

praja-kamas tato munim

SYNONYMS

evam--thus; vikalpitah--questioned; rajan--O King Pariksit; vidusa--greatly learned; munina--by the philosopher; api--although; sah--he (King Citraketu); prasraya-avanatah--being bent low due to humility; abhyaha--replied; praja-kamah--desiring offspring; tatah--thereafter; munim--to the great sage.

TRANSLATION

Sukadeva Gosvami said: O King Pariksit, although the great sage Angira knew everything, he inquired from the King in this way. Thus King Citraketu, desiring a son, bent low in great humility and spoke to the great sage as follows.

PURPORT

Since the face is the index to the mind, a saintly person can study the condition of one's mind by seeing his face. When Angira Rsi remarked about the King's discolored face, King Citraketu explained the cause of his anxiety as follows.

TEXT 23

TEXT

citraketur uvaca

bhagavan kim na viditam

tapo-jnana-samadhibhih

yoginam dhvasta-papanam

bahir antah saririsu

SYNONYMS

citraketuh uvaca--King Citraketu replied; bhagavan--O most powerful sage; kim--what; na--not; viditam--is understood; tapah--by austerity; jnana--knowledge; samadhibhih--and by samadhi (trance, transcendental meditation); yoginam--by the great yogis or devotees; dhvasta-papanam--who are fully freed from all sinful reactions; bahih--externally; antah--internally; saririsu--in conditioned souls, who have material bodies.

TRANSLATION

King Citraketu said: O great lord Angira, because of austerity, knowledge and transcendental samadhi, you are freed from all the reactions of sinful life. Therefore, as a perfect yogi, you can understand everything external and internal regarding embodied, conditioned souls like us.

TEXT 24

TEXT

tathapi prcchato bruyam

brahmann atmani cintitam

bhavato vidusas capi

coditas tvad-anujnaya

SYNONYMS

tathapi--still; prcchatah--asking; bruyam--let me speak; brahman--O great brahmana; atmani--in the mind; cintitam--anxiety; bhavatah--to you; vidusah--who know everything; ca--and; api--although; coditah--being inspired; tvat--your; anujnaya--by the order.

TRANSLATION

O great soul, you are aware of everything, yet you are asking me why I am full of anxiety. Therefore, in response to your order, let me disclose the cause.

TEXT 25

TEXT

loka-palair api prarthyah

samrajyaisvarya-sampadah

na nandayanty aprajam mam

ksut-trt-kamam ivapare

SYNONYMS

loka-palaih--by great demigods; api--even; prarthyah--desirable; samrajya--a great empire; aisvarya--material opulence; sampadah--possessions; na nandayanti--do not give pleasure; aprajam--because of having no son; mam--unto me; ksut--hunger; trt--thirst; kamam--desiring to satisfy; iva--like; apare--other enjoyable sense objects.

TRANSLATION

As a person aggrieved by hunger and thirst is not pleased by the external gratification of flower garlands or sandalwood pulp, I am not pleased with my empire, opulence or possessions, which are desirable even for great demigods, because I have no son.

TEXT 26

TEXT

tatah pahi maha-bhaga

purvaih saha gatam tamah

yatha tarema dusparam

prajaya tad vidhehi nah

SYNONYMS

tatah--therefore, because of this; pahi--kindly save; maha-bhaga--O great sage; purvaih saha--along with my forefathers; gatam--gone; tamah--to darkness; yatha--so that; tarema--we can cross; dusparam--very difficult to cross; prajaya--by getting a son; tat--that; vidhehi--kindly do; nah--for us.

TRANSLATION

Therefore, O great sage, please save me and my forefathers, who are descending to the darkness of hell because I have no progeny. Kindly do something so that I may have a son to deliver us from hellish conditions.

PURPORT

According to Vedic civilization, one gets married simply to have a son, who is needed to offer oblations to his forefathers. King Citraketu responsibly desired to beget a child so that he and his forefathers might be delivered from the darkest regions. He was concerned with how to get pinda, oblations, in the next life, not only for himself but also for his forefathers. Therefore he requested Angira Rsi to favor him by doing something that could help him get a son.

TEXT 27

TEXT

sri-suka uvaca

ity arthitah sa bhagavan

krpalur brahmanah sutah

srapayitva carum tvastram

tvastaram ayajad vibhuh

SYNONYMS

sri-sukah uvaca--Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; iti--thus; arthitah--being requested; sah--he (Angira Rsi); bhagavan--the most powerful; krpaluh--being very merciful; brahmanah--of Lord Brahma; sutah--a son (born of Lord Brahma's mind); srapayitva--after causing to cook; carum--a specific oblation of sweetrice; tvastram--meant for the demigod known as Tvasta; tvastaram--Tvasta; ayajat--he worshiped; vibhuh--the great sage.

TRANSLATION

In response to the request of Maharaja Citraketu, Angira Rsi, who was born of Lord Brahma's mind, was very merciful toward him. Because the sage was a greatly powerful personality, he performed a sacrifice by offering oblations of sweetrice to Tvasta.

TEXT 28

TEXT

jyestha srestha ca ya rajno

mahisinam ca bharata

namna krtadyutis tasyai

yajnocchistam adad dvijah

SYNONYMS

jyestha--the senior; srestha--the most perfect; ca--and; ya--she who; rajnah--of the King; mahisinam--among all the queens; ca--also; bharata--O Maharaja Pariksit, the best of the Bharatas; namna--by name; krtadyutih--Krtadyuti; tasyai--unto her; yajna--of the sacrifice; ucchistam--the remnants of food; adat--delivered; dvijah--the great sage (Angira).

TRANSLATION

O Pariksit Maharaja, best of the Bharatas, the remnants of the food offered in the yajna were given by the great sage Angira to the first and most perfect among Citraketu's millions of queens, whose name was Krtadyuti.

TEXT 29

TEXT

athaha nrpatim rajan

bhavitaikas tavatmajah

harsa-soka-pradas tubhyam

iti brahma-suto yayau

SYNONYMS

atha--thereafter; aha--said; nrpatim--unto the King; rajan--O King Citraketu; bhavita--there will be; ekah--one; tava--your; atmajah--son; harsa-soka--jubilation and lamentation; pradah--who will give; tubhyam--unto you; iti--thus; brahma-sutah--Angira Rsi, the son of Lord Brahma; yayau--left.

TRANSLATION

Thereafter, the great sage told the King, "O great King, now you will have a son who will be the cause of both jubilation and lamentation." The sage then left, without waiting for Citraketu's response.

PURPORT

The word harsa means "jubilation," and soka means "lamentation." The King was overwhelmed with joy when he understood that he would have a son. Because of his great jubilation, he could not actually understand the statement of the sage Angira. He accepted it to mean that there would certainly be jubilation because of the birth of his future son, but that he would be the King's only son and, being very proud of his great wealth and empire, would not be very obedient to his father. Thus the King was satisfied, thinking, "Let there be a son. It does not matter if he is not very obedient." In Bengal there is a proverb that instead of having no maternal uncle, it is better to have a maternal uncle who is blind. The King accepted this philosophy, thinking that a disobedient son would be better than no son at all. The great sage Canakya Pandita says:

ko 'rthah putrena jatena

yo na vidvan na dharmikah

kanena caksusa kim va

caksuh pidaiva kevalam

"What is the use of a son who is neither a learned scholar nor a devotee? Such a son is like a blind, diseased eye, which always causes suffering." Nevertheless, the material world is so polluted that one wants to have a son even though he is useless. This attitude was represented in the history of King Citraketu.

TEXT 30

TEXT

sapi tat-prasanad eva

citraketor adharayat

garbham krtadyutir devi

krttikagner ivatmajam

SYNONYMS

sa--she; api--even; tat-prasanat--by eating the remnants of food from the great sacrifice; eva--indeed; citraketoh--from King Citraketu; adharayat--bore; garbham--pregnancy; krtadyutih--Queen Krtadyuti; devi--the goddess; krttika--Krttika; agneh--from Agni; iva--as; atma-jam--a son.

TRANSLATION

As Krttikadevi, after receiving the semen of Lord Siva from Agni, conceived a child named Skanda [Karttikeya], Krtadyuti, having received semen from Citraketu, became pregnant after eating remnants of food from the yajna performed by Angira.

TEXT 31

TEXT

tasya anudinam garbhah

sukla-paksa ivodupah

vavrdhe surasenesa-

tejasa sanakair nrpa

SYNONYMS

tasyah--her; anudinam--day after day; garbhah--embryo; sukla-pakse--during the fortnight of the waxing moon; iva--like; udupah--the moon; vavrdhe--gradually developed; surasena-isa--of the King of Surasena; tejasa--by the semen; sanakaih--little by little; nrpa--O King Pariksit.

TRANSLATION

After receiving semen from Maharaja Citraketu, the King of Surasena, Queen Krtadyuti gradually developed in her pregnancy, O King Pariksit, just as the moon develops during the bright fortnight.

TEXT 32

TEXT

atha kala upavrtte

kumarah samajayata

janayan surasenanam

srnvatam paramam mudam

SYNONYMS

atha--thereafter; kale upavrtte--in due course of time; kumarah--the son; samajayata--took birth; janayan--creating; surasenanam--of the inhabitants of Surasena; srnvatam--hearing; paramam--the highest; mudam--delight.

TRANSLATION

Thereafter, in due course of time, a son was born to the King. Hearing news of this, all the inhabitants of the state of Surasena were extremely pleased.

TEXT 33

TEXT

hrsto raja kumarasya

snatah sucir alankrtah

vacayitvasiso vipraih

karayam asa jatakam

SYNONYMS

hrstah--very happy; raja--the King; kumarasya--of his newly born son; snatah--having bathed; sucih--being purified; alankrtah--being decorated with ornaments; vacayitva--having caused to be spoken; asisah--words of benediction; vipraih--by learned brahmanas; karayam asa--caused to be performed; jatakam--the birth ceremony.

TRANSLATION

King Citraketu was especially pleased. After purifying himself by bathing and by decorating himself with ornaments, he engaged learned brahmanas in offering benedictions to the child and performing the birth ceremony.

TEXT 34

TEXT

tebhyo hiranyam rajatam

vasamsy abharanani ca

graman hayan gajan pradad

dhenunam arbudani sat

SYNONYMS

tebhyah--unto them (the learned brahmanas); hiranyam--gold; rajatam--silver; vasamsi--garments; abharanani--ornaments; ca--also; graman--villages; hayan--horses; gajan--elephants; pradat--gave in charity; dhenunam--of cows; arbudani--groups of one hundred million; sat--six.

TRANSLATION

Unto the brahmanas who took part in the ritualistic ceremony the King gave charity of gold, silver, garments, ornaments, villages, horses and elephants, as well as sixty crores of cows [six hundred million cows].

TEXT 35

TEXT

vavarsa kaman anyesam

parjanya iva dehinam

dhanyam yasasyam ayusyam

kumarasya maha-manah

SYNONYMS

vavarsa--showered, gave in charity; kaman--all desirable things; anyesam--of others; parjanyah--a cloud; iva--like; dehinam--of all living entities; dhanyam--with the desire for an increase of opulence; yasasyam--an increase of reputation; ayusyam--and an increase of the duration of life; kumarasya--of the newly born child; maha-manah--the beneficent King Citraketu.

TRANSLATION

As a cloud indiscriminately pours water on the earth, the beneficent King Citraketu, to increase the reputation, opulence and longevity of his son, distributed like rainfall all desirable things to everyone.

TEXT 36

TEXT

krcchra-labdhe 'tha rajarses

tanaye 'nudinam pituh

yatha nihsvasya krcchrapte

dhane sneho 'nvavardhata

SYNONYMS

krcchra--with great difficulty; labdhe--gained; atha--thereafter; raja-rseh--of the pious King Citraketu; tanaye--for the son; anudinam--day after day; pituh--of the father; yatha--exactly as; nihsvasya--of a poor man; krcchra-apte--gained after great difficulty; dhane--for riches; snehah--affection; anvavardhata--increased.

TRANSLATION

When a poor man gets some money after great difficulty, his affection for the money increases daily. Similarly, when King Citraketu, after great difficulty, received a son, his affection for the son increased day after day.

TEXT 37

TEXT

matus tv atitaram putre

sneho moha-samudbhavah

krtadyuteh sapatninam

praja-kama-jvaro 'bhavat

SYNONYMS

matuh--of the mother; tu--also; atitaram--excessively; putre--for the son; snehah--affection; moha--out of ignorance; samudbhavah--produced; krtadyuteh--of Krtadyuti; sapatninam--of the co-wives; praja-kama--of a desire to have sons; jvarah--a fever; abhavat--there was.