SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM: CANTO 4

(1) Maitreya said: 'The Supreme Lord, the Lord of Vaikunthha, along with the mighty Indra satisfied by the sacrifices unto Him, the Lord of Sacrifice, spoke, as the enjoyer of all sacrifices, to King Prithu. (2) The Supreme Lord said: 'This Lord Indra, who indeed formed a disturbance with the hundredth horse sacrifice you performed, begs your soul to pardon him; you should forgive him. (3) The most intelligent of favor to others in this world, o god of man, belong to the best human beings; they never resort to malice in relation to other living beings, as they never forget the soul within this vehicle of time. (4) If people like you, for long in service of the superiors, become bewildered by the external energy of God, is for sure the only thing that is produced the being sick of it. (5) Therefore does he in full knowledge, who knows that this body is derived from nescience, desires and karma, certainly never become the slave of it. (6) In other words, what learned person would, being unattached, be of affinity for the wealth, house and children produced from such a bodily concept? (7) Being one, pure, self-effulgent and immaterial is that all-pervading reservoir of good qualities, unmoved by the material world, the selfless witness, transcendental to the body and the mind. (8) Anyone who thus knows of the soul existing within this body, is, although he is situated within the material nature, as a person never affected by its modes; such a person is situated in Me. (9) He who always doing his duty worships Me, having faith and devotion without any ulterior motive, will, o King, find his mind gradually become very satisfied. (10) Free from the modes of nature and with an equal vision will he, who within is uncontaminated and of peace, achieve the evenness of My spirit of emancipation. (11) Any person who knows this fixed soul as simply being the indifferent superintendent of the physical elements, the knowing and working senses and the mind, will find all good fortune. (12) Those bound to Me in friendship and enlightenment will never become disturbed with the experience of happiness or distress to the different qualities and constant change of the material body consisting of the physical elements, the active senses, its intentions and the mind. (13) Equipoised in happiness and distress, equal to all who are greater, lower or in between and with the senses and mind controlled, be, o hero, the protector of all citizens; by all people being accompanied it is as arranged by Me. (14) Ruling the populace in goodness is it certain for a king that in his next life he'll be the collector of a sixth of results of the pious activities, otherwise he will have to do without them as solely collecting taxes he will, from the citizens that he does not protect, suffer the sins. (15) Thus being the protector of the earth as one whose chief interest it is to be unattached after the principles as approved by and handed down by the foremost of the twice-born, you will in a short time see yourself being loved by the citizens and have your home visited by the perfected ones personally. (16) Please request, as I've been captivated by your excellent qualities *, any benediction from Me that you desire, o chief of the humans; I certainly cannot easily be obtained by mere sacrifices, austerities or the single practice of yoga - I am present in the one who is evenminded.'

(17) Maitreya said: 'The conqueror of the world thus being lead by the Supreme Master of All, the Personality of Vishnu, bowed his head to the instructions of the Lord.

(18) King Indra, ashamed of his own actions then lovingly touched his feet; embracing him he [Prithu] of course gave up his anger. (19) The Supreme Lord, the Supersoul, received from Prithu worship with all the paraphernalia and having taken to the lotus feet, his devotion gradually increased. (20) Although ready to leave him was the Lord with the lotus eyes, the well-wisher of the devotees, detained by kindness, not able to depart. (21) He, the ideal king, with folded hands before the Lord, was, with his eyes full of tears not able to behold Him, nor could he speak; his voice was choked up and with his heart embracing Him he remained standing there before Him. (22) Thereupon wiping the tears from his eyes and not being satisfied with seeing Him visible with his naked eyes, he spoke to the Original Personality who with His lotus feet barely touched the ground and with His raised hand was resting on the shoulder of Garuda, the enemy of the snakes.

(23) Prithu said: 'How could a learned man ask from You, o Almighty One, who is the Supreme ruler of it, for benedictions that are there also for all those embodied living beings who are bewildered by the modes of nature, even when they are in hell? Nor do I ask, o Supreme One, for You as the Enlightenment. (24) Not even that I do desire o master, when it is then so that I always have to miss the nectar which from the core of the heart is delivered by the mouths of the devotees at Your lotus feet; just give me these one million ears, that is for me the benediction. (25) That soothing breeze of the nectarean [saffron-] particles of Your lotus feet o Lord, who is praised in the scriptures as delivered by the mouths of the great, restores of those who strayed from the path of devotional service, the remembrance of the forgotten truth and makes other benedictions unnecessary. (26) When someone somehow or other even only once, in the association of the advanced, listens to the all-auspicious glorification of You, o honored one, how can one in favor of the qualities, unless he is an animal, then ever cease with that what the Goddess of Fortune with her desire to receive has accepted as Your quality? (27) Therefore I shall engage in the service of You, the all inclusive Supreme and Original Personality [Pûrushottama] and reservoir of all transcendental qualities; let, with the both of us competing to the one Master, as desirous indeed as the goddess with the lotus in her hand, there not be any quarrel in the one attention of acting in respect at Your feet. (28) The mother of the universe o Ruler of the Cosmic Reality, might be angry with my certain desire to her activities; but why would that with her unto You, who considers even the most insignificant service as very great and with Your inclination as a loving parent, be so, to the undoubtedly full satisfaction in Your own opulence? (29) They who therefore worship You are thus all saints that dispel the misconceptions originating from the operating modes of nature; I don't see why other persons than the holy, o Supreme Lord, would find a reason for constantly remembering Your lotus feet! (30) I consider Your words as a bewildering benediction to the material world; if one just accepts what You spoke of this way to your devotees, then how can the people in general, because they are surely not bound by the ropes of Your statements in the Vedas, not be captivated in the repetition of the performance of fruitive activities? (31) The people in general are, o Lord, in rebellion by Your illusory energy because of ignorantly desiring everything other than the real of the self; please, alike a father would do personally for the welfare of a child, bestow that what You deem to be desirable.

(32) Maitreya said: 'Thus being worshiped by the original king said He, the seer of the whole universe, to him: 'My dear King let there be Your devotion for Me; by the good fortune of an intelligence of having acted unto Me like this, will certainly My illusory energy, that is so difficult to relinguish, be overcome. (33) Do therefore what I ordered You to do without being mistaken, o protector of the citizens, anyone wherever who acts according My injunctions achieves all good fortune.'

(34) Maitreya said: 'Thus appreciating the meaningful words of the wise king, the son of Vena, decided He, the Infallible One, being worshiped and sufficiently having blessed him, to leave from there. (35-36) The godly ones, the sages, the forefathers, the artisans, the perfected ones, the heavenly singers, the ones living with the snakes, the superhuman beings, the nymphs, and the ones of the earth, the birds and all the many living beings [compare 3-10: 28-29], were by the king, with the wealth of an intelligence of perfect sacrifice to the Lord, with folded hands in the spirit of devotional service properly respected, after which all the followers of the Lord of Vaikunthha departed. (37) The protector of the dynamic creation and infallible Supreme Lord, indeed having captivated the mind of him, the saintly king and all his priests, returned to His abode. (38) Even though He wasn't materially visible to him received the king, by offering his respects unto the God of the godly, unto the Supersoul beyond the manifestation, His vision and returned he also to his home.

Maitreya said: 'The Supreme Lord, the Lord of Vaikunthha, along with the mighty Indra satisfied by the sacrifices unto Him, the Lord of Sacrifice, spoke, as the enjoyer of all sacrifices, to King Prithu.

The great sage Maitreya continued: My dear Vidura, being very much satisfied by the performance of ninety-nine horse sacrifices, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Vishnu, appeared on the scene. Accompanying Him was King Indra. Lord Vishnu then began to speak. (Vedabase)

Text 2

The Supreme Lord said: 'This Lord Indra, who indeed formed a disturbance with the hundredth horse sacrifice you performed, begs your soul to pardon him; you should forgive him.

Lord Vishnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, said: My dear King Prithu, Indra, the King of heaven, has disturbed your execution of one hundred sacrifices. Now he has come with Me to be forgiven by you. Therefore excuse him. (Vedabase)

Text 3

The most intelligent of favor to others in this world, o god of man, belong to the best human beings; they never resort to malice in relation to other living beings, as they never forget the soul within this vehicle of time.

O King, one who is advanced in intelligence and eager to perform welfare activities for others is considered best amongst human beings. An advanced human being is never malicious to others. Those with advanced intelligence are always conscious that this material body is different from the soul. (Vedabase)

Text 4

If people like you, for long in service of the superiors, become bewildered by the external energy of God, is for sure the only thing that is produced the being sick of it.

If a personality like you, who are so much advanced because of executing the instructions of the previous âcâryas, is carried away by the influence of My material energy, then all your advancement may be considered simply a waste of time. (Vedabase)

Text 5

Therefore does he in full knowledge, who knows that this body is derived from nescience, desires and karma, certainly never become the slave of it.

Those who are in full knowledge of the bodily conception of life, who know that this body is composed of nescience, desires and activities resulting from illusion, do not become addicted to the body. (Vedabase)

Text 6

In other words, what learned person would, being unattached, be of affinity for the wealth, house and children produced from such a bodily concept?

How can a highly learned person who has absolutely no affinity for the bodily conception of life be affected by the bodily conception in regard to house, children, wealth and similar other bodily productions? (Vedabase)

Text 7

Being one, pure, self-effulgent and immaterial is that all-pervading reservoir of good qualities, unmoved by the material world, the selfless witness, transcendental to the body and the mind.

The individual soul is one, Pure, nonmaterial and self-effulgent. He is the reservoir of all good qualities, and He is all-pervading. He is without material covering, and He is the witness of all activities. He is completely distinguished from other living entities, and He is transcendental to all embodied souls. (Vedabase)

Text 8

Anyone who thus knows of the soul existing within this body, is, although he is situated within the material nature, as a person never affected by its modes; such a person is situated in Me.

Although within the material nature, one who is thus situated in full knowledge of the Paramâtmâ and âtmâ is never affected by the modes of material nature, for he is always situated in My transcendental loving service. (Vedabase)

Text 9

He who always doing his duty worships Me, having faith and devotion without any ulterior motive, will, o King, find his mind gradually become very satisfied.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Vishnu, continued: My dear King Prithu, when one situated in his occupational duty engages in My loving service without motive for material gain, he gradually becomes very satisfied within. (Vedabase)

Text 10

Free from the modes of nature and with an equal vision will he, who within is uncontaminated and of peace, achieve the evenness of My spirit of emancipation.

When the heart is cleansed of all material contamination, the devotee's mind becomes broader and transparent, and he can see things equally. At that stage of life there is peace, and one is situated equally with Me as sac-cid-ânanda-vigraha. (Vedabase)

Text 11

Any person who knows this fixed soul as simply being the indifferent superintendent of the physical elements, the knowing and working senses and the mind, will find all good fortune.

Anyone who knows that this material body, made of the five gross elements, the sense organs, the working senses and the mind, is simply supervised by the fixed soul is eligible to be liberated from material bondage. (Vedabase)

Text 12

Those bound to Me in friendship and enlightenment will never become disturbed with the experience of happiness or distress to the different qualities and constant change of the material body consisting of the physical elements, the active senses, its intentions and the mind.

Lord Vishnu told King Prithu: My dear King, the constant change of this material world is due to the interaction of the three modes of material nature. The five elements, the senses, the demigods who control the senses, as well as the mind, which is agitated by the spirit soul--all these taken together comprise the body. Since the spirit soul is completely different from this combination of gross and subtle material elements, My devotee who is connected with Me in intense friendship and affection, being completely in knowledge, is never agitated by material happiness and distress. (Vedabase)

Text 13

Equipoised in happiness and distress, equal to all who are greater, lower or in between and with the senses and mind controlled, be, o hero, the protector of all citizens; by all people being accompanied it is as arranged by Me.

My dear heroic King, please keep yourself always equipoised and treat people equally, whether they are greater than you, in the intermediate stage or lower than you. Do not be disturbed by temporary distress or happiness. Fully control your mind and senses. In this transcendental position, try to execute your duty as king in whatever condition of life you may be posted by My arrangement, for your only duty here is to give protection to the citizens of your kingdom. (Vedabase)

Text 14

Ruling the populace in goodness is it certain for a king that in his next life he'll be the collector of a sixth of results of the pious activities, otherwise he will have to do without them as solely collecting taxes he will, from the citizens that he does not protect, suffer the sins.

To give protection to the general mass of people who are citizens of the state is the prescribed occupational duty for a king. By acting in that way, the king in his next life shares one sixth of the result of the pious activities of the citizens. But a king or executive head of state who simply collects taxes from the citizens but does not give them proper protection as human beings has the results of his own pious activities taken away by the citizens, and in exchange for his not giving protection he becomes liable to punishment for the impious activities of his subjects. (Vedabase)

Text 15

Thus being the protector of the earth as one whose chief interest it is to be unattached after the principles as approved by and handed down by the foremost of the twice-born, you will in a short time see yourself being loved by the citizens and have your home visited by the perfected ones personally.

Lord Vishnu continued: My dear King Prithu, if you continue to protect the citizens according to the instructions of the learned brâhmana authorities, as they are received by the disciplic succession--by hearing--from master to disciple, and if you follow the religious principles laid down by them, without attachment to ideas manufactured by mental concoction, then every one of your citizens will be happy and will love you, and very soon you will be able to see such already liberated personalities as the four Kumâras [Sanaka, Sanâtana, Sânandana and Sanat-kumâra]. (Vedabase)

Text 16

Please request, as I've been captivated by your excellent qualities *, any benediction from Me that you desire, o chief of the humans; I certainly cannot easily be obtained by mere sacrifices, austerities or the single practice of yoga - I am present in the one who is evenminded.'

My dear King, I am very captivated by your elevated qualities and excellent behavior, and thus I am very favorably inclined toward you. You may therefore ask from Me any benediction you like. One who does not possess elevated qualities and behavior cannot possibly achieve My favor simply by performance of sacrifices, severe austerities or mystic yoga. But I always remain equipoised in the heart of one who is also equipoised in all circumstances. (Vedabase)

Text 17

Maitreya said: 'The conqueror of the world thus being lead by the Supreme Master of All, the Personality of Vishnu, bowed his head to the instructions of the Lord.

The great saint Maitreya continued: My dear Vidura, in this way Mahârâja Prithu, the conqueror of the entire world, accepted the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead on his head. (Vedabase)

Text 18:

King Indra, ashamed of his own actions then lovingly touched his feet; embracing him he [Prithu] of course gave up his anger.

As King Indra was standing by, he became ashamed of his own activities and fell down before King Prithu to touch his lotus feet. But Prithu Mahârâja immediately embraced him in great ecstasy and gave up all envy against him for his having stolen the horse meant for the sacrifice. (Vedabase)