rule


 

Canto 4

Mahâmantra 4

 

Chapter 23:  Prithu Mahârâja Returns Back Home

(1-3) Maitreya said: 'King Prithu, who fully conversant with everything concerning the soul, as the protector of the people endlessly had promoted all that he had created, saw one day that he physically was getting old. Fully in accord with the instructions of the Supreme Ruler he in this world, following the dharma of devotees, had provided for the maintenance of all the moving and nonmoving living beings. He left the earth to his sons and with pity towards his aggrieved citizens he, alone with his wife, went into the forest for his austerity. (4) As perfect as he formerly had been in his understanding while conquering the earth, he in that [retreat] perfectly understood that he, according to the rules and regulations of a retired life, had to engage seriously in the practice of severe austerities. (5) At first he so now and then ate bulbs, roots, fruits and dry leaves, then he drank only water for several fortnights and finally he only breathed the air. (6) Like the great sages the hero tolerated during the summer the five fires [of the sun above and four fires in the four directions], in autumn the torrents of rain, in winter to be up to his neck submerged in water while he [all year long] slept on the bare earth. (7) Simply longing for Krishna he tolerated it to be without words, sensuality, the discharge of semen and freedom of his life breath, and was thus of all possible practices of the best austerity. (8) Unrelenting keeping to the Perfection [of Krishna] he thus gradually got rid of all the dirt and desires of his workload, his karma, while he by means of breath control fully stopping his mind and senses broke with all that bound him. (9) [And so he,] the best of all human beings, worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead with the very yoga the fortunate Sanat-kumâra spoke about concerning the ultimate goal of relating to the soul. (10) With him as a devotee endeavoring with faith on the path of devotional service unto the Fortunate One, the Lord, who is [the origin of] the Spirit of the Absolute, became his exclusive object of worship. (11) He, who was perfectly alert in the constant remembrance of a purely transcendental mind, found by these devotional activities unto the Supreme Lord the perfection of wisdom. Thus not attached to whatever one could call one's own, he became free from doubt and the material conception of life that covers the soul. (12) Free from desire and firmly convinced of the ultimate goal of the soul, he had given up on all other notions of life and transcendental knowledge, [for he realized that] as long as a practitioner of the yoga system in his renunciation is not attracted to the stories about the elder brother of Gada, Krishna [Gada was another son of Vasudeva younger than Krishna] he would not be free from illusion. (13) He, the best of the heroes, fixing his mind on the Supersoul, in due course of time thus thoroughly being spiritually purified, gave up his vehicle of time. (14) By blocking his anus with his ankle he pushed up his life air gradually from the navel to the heart and from there upwards to the throat to fix himself between the eyebrows. (15) This way gradually establishing his life breath in his head he, being  freed from all material desires, merged his life breath with the complete of [the cosmic] breath, his body with the complete of the earth and his innerly fire with the fire of the complete [of the universe]. (16) After merging the different apertures of his body [of his senses] with the sky and his fluids with the waters, he merged the earth with water, water with fire, fire with air and air with sky and thus united everything divided with its proper source [compare 2.5: 25-29]. (17) He united the mind with the senses and the sense organs with their objects and then merged the sense objects with the five elements they had originated from. Next he returned the material ego to the mahat-tattva, the totality of the material energy. (18) On his path towards Him, the reservoir of all qualities, he placed his individuality and the lives belonging to it in the Reservoir of All Potencies. He, the living entity and enjoyer, as the master of the senses thus returned home, back to his constitutional position, by dint of his insight in the spiritual knowledge of self-realization and renunciation.

(19) The queen named Arci, his wife, followed him on foot into the forest, even though she, with her delicate body, had not deserved it to contact the earth with her feet that way. (20)
Even though her body would turn lean she, most determined as she was in her vow to serve her husband, saw no difficulty in living in conditions like those of the great saints and was glad to join him, happy to be in touch. (21) Seeing that the body of her husband, who was of such a mercy for the world and for her, showed no signs of life, the virtuous woman, after weeping a while, cremated him on top of a hill. (22) Having performed the funeral rites for her so very liberal husband, she took a bath in the river and offered oblations of water in worship of the thirty million demigods in heaven. Three times circumambulating the fire she then, thinking of her husband's feet, entered the fire herself.

(23) The gracious gods and their wives who observed her following her husband into death, offered by the thousands prayers for the chaste wife of the great warrior King Prithu. (24)
On top of Mandara Hill they, showering flowers and to that occasion vibrating their musical instruments, spoke among themselves as follows. (25) The wives said: 'Oh how glorious this wife is who, just as the Goddess unto the Lord of Sacrifice [Vishnu], with heart and soul was of worship for her husband, the king of all the kings of the world. (26) Just see how she follows her chaste husband, the son of Vena, in his ascension and how she, who is named Arci, thus surpasses us by her difficult to conceive actions. (27) Among all those who but for a short moment live here in this human world, there is, for the ones who on the path of liberation do their best for the Kingdom of God, nothing too difficult to achieve. (28)  He who, having achieved the human form of life, on the path of liberation gets involved in the great difficulties of all that one does for one's sense gratification in this world, is, in going against his own true self, no doubt cheated [by illusions].'

(29) M
aitreya said: 'While the woman [Arci] thus by the wives of the denizens of heaven was glorified, she reached the place for which her husband had left. The position that the son of Vena under the protection of the Infallible One had attained was the topmost one of the self-realized. (30) I have thus described to you the character of Prithu, the first among the lords who was so high and mighty, as being the very best because of the greatness of his deeds. (31) Anyone who with faith and great attention reads and explains or hears about that very great and pious person of King Prithu, will attain the same position as reached by him. (32) The brahmin who reads it will attain spiritual splendor, a noble will become the king of the world, the trader will become the master of his trade and the laborer will attain the best unto Him. (33) When someone with great respect three times over listens to this that person, whether he is a man or a woman, when he is childless will have the best of children and when he is penniless will become the richest. (34) Without recognition he will become famous and illiterate he will become learned. This story so auspicious will drive away all bad luck of man. (35) They who desire wealth, a good repute, an increased life span, a better world [heaven], the defeat of the influence of the Age of Quarrel and those who are after the higher cause of the perfection of the four [civil virtues] of religiosity, economy, sensual pleasure and liberation, have to listen with great respect to this narration. (36) Listening to this the king, who on his chariot campaigns for his victory, will receive taxes from other kings like King Prithu did. (37) In performing unalloyed devotional service unto the Supreme Lord, one should, free from all other association, hear about, make others listen to and continue to read about the good deeds of the son of Vena. (38) Oh son of Vicitravîrya [Vidura], I explained to you how one should achieve one's destination and awaken to the greatness of His Cosmic Intelligence, by thus  being involved in relation to this extraordinary text. (39) He who, liberated in the association concerning the Supreme Lord, with great reverence repeatedly listens to this narration about Prithu and also spreads it, will in full realize the attachment to His feet that constitute the boat for [crossing] the ocean of nescience.'


 

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Third revised edition, loaded November 24, 2017.
 

 

 

Previous Aadhar edition and Vedabase links:

Text 1-3

Maitreya said: 'King Prithu, who fully conversant with everything concerning the soul, as the protector of the people endlessly had promoted all that he had created, saw one day that he physically was getting old. Fully in accord with the instructions of the Supreme Ruler he in this world, following the dharma of devotees, had provided for the maintenance of all the moving and nonmoving living beings. He left the earth to his sons and with pity towards his aggrieved citizens he, alone with his wife, went into the forest for his austerity.
Maitreya said: 'King Prithu, who fully conversant with everything concerning the soul, as the protector of the people, had been of an unlimited expansion in all he had created, saw one day that he was physically getting old. Entirely acting to the interest of what the Supreme Ruler had ordered, had he in this world, in observance of the principles of the devotees, provided for the maintenance of all the moving and nonmoving living beings. He left the earth to his sons and with pity towards the aggrieved citizens, he went alone with his wife into the forest for his austerity. (Vedabase)

 

Text 4

As perfect as he formerly had been in his understanding while conquering the earth, he in that [retreat] perfectly understood that he, according to the rules and regulations of a retired life, had to engage seriously in the practice of severe austerities.

There he perfectly acknowledged, as much as he formerly had been of insight in conquering the earth, that he, according the rules and regulations of a retired life, had to engage in the serious practice of severe austerity. (Vedabase)

   

Text 5

At first he so now and then ate bulbs, roots, fruits and dry leaves, then he drank only water for several fortnights and finally he only breathed the air.
At first he ate so now and then bulbs, roots, fruits and leaves at hand, then drank water for several fortnights, after which he only breathed the air. (Vedabase)

 

Text 6

Like the great sages the hero tolerated during the summer the five fires [of the sun above and four fires in the four directions], in autumn the torrents of rain, in winter to be up to his neck submerged in water while he [all year long] slept on the bare earth.

Like the great sages accepted the hero the five austerities of the summerheat [from the sun above and from the fires from four directions], the downpour of rains during the rainy season, to be up to his neck submerged in the water in winter and the sleeping on the bare earth. (Vedabase)

 

Text 7

Simply longing for Krishna he tolerated it to be without words, sensuality, the discharge of semen and freedom of his life breath, and was thus of all possible practices of the best austerity.

Thus of tolerance to be of control over his words and his senses, not to discharge his semen and to check the life air, he simply desired Lord Krishna, of all practices thus having the best austerity. (Vedabase)

 

Text 8

Unrelenting keeping to the Perfection [of Krishna] he thus gradually got rid of all the dirt and desires of his workload, his karma, while he by means of breath control fully stopping his mind and senses broke with all that bound him.

Thus step by step, unrelenting of perfection, he got rid of all the dirt and desires of his workload, his karma, and broke he, by the exercise of his breath fully stopping his mind and senses, with all that bound him. (Vedabase)

 

Text 9

[And so he,] the best of all human beings, worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead with the very yoga the fortunate Sanat-kumâra spoke about concerning the ultimate goal of relating to the soul.

To what the fortunate Sanat-kumâra had said about the ultimate goal of yoga of relating to the soul, was he, as the best of all human beings, sure to be of worship for the Supreme Person. (Vedabase)

 

Text 10

With him as a devotee endeavoring with faith on the path of devotional service unto the Fortunate One, the Lord, who is [the origin of] the Spirit of the Absolute, became his exclusive object of worship.

Endeavoring with faith on the path of devotion of the devotee, became he, always of service with the Supreme Lord, the origin of the Spirit of the Absolute, firmly fixed without any deviation. (Vedabase)

 

Text 11

He, who was perfectly alert in the constant remembrance of a purely transcendental mind, found by these devotional activities unto the Supreme Lord the perfection of wisdom. Thus not attached to whatever one could call one's own, he became free from doubt and the material conception of life that covers the soul.

By these devotional activities unto the Supreme Lord managed he, perfectly alert in the constant remembrance of the mind of pure goodness, the spiritual knowledge and the not being attached to whatever one could call one's own, and became he thus free from doubt and the material conception that covers the soul.  (Vedabase)

 

Text 12

Free from desire and firmly convinced of the ultimate goal of the soul, he had given up on all other notions of life and transcendental knowledge, [for he realized that] as long as a practitioner of the yoga system in his renunciation is not attracted to the stories about the elder brother of Gada, Krishna [Gada was another son of Vasudeva younger than Krishna] he would not be free from illusion.

Free from all other concepts of life, desireless and firmly convinced about the ultimate goal of the soul, had he given up on all of that, breaking away from it by means of that knowledge in which one, for long being a practicioner of the yoga-system, is not without illusion, as long as one is not of the attraction for the stories about the elder brother of Gada, Krishna [Gada was another son of Vasudeva younger than Krishna]. (Vedabase)

 

Text 13

He, the best of the heroes, fixing his mind on the Supersoul, in due course of time thus thoroughly being spiritually purified, gave up his vehicle of time.

Thus as the best of the heroes setting his mind to the Supersoul gave he, thoroughly spiritually purified, in due course of time up his vehicle of time. (Vedabase)

 

Text 14

By blocking his anus with his ankle he pushed up his life air gradually from the navel to the heart and from there upwards to the throat to fix himself between the eyebrows.

By blocking his anus with his ankle he pushed up his life air gradually from the navel to the heart and throat upwards to fix himself between the eyebrows. (Vedabase)

 

Text 15

This way gradually establishing his life breath in his head he, being  freed from all material desires, merged his life breath with the complete of [the cosmic] breath, his body with the complete of the earth and his innerly fire with the fire of the complete [of the universe].

Thus, freed from all material desires, putting gradually his vitality nowhere else but in the head, he merged his life air in the totality of it, his body in the full of the earth and the fire within himself in that of the complete. (Vedabase)


Text 16

After merging the different apertures of his body [of his senses] with the sky and his fluids with the waters, he merged the earth with water, water with fire, fire with air and air with sky and thus united everything  divided with its proper source  [compare 2.5: 25-29].

Merging the different openings of his body with the sky and his fluids with the waters, was thus, according to each division, that way the earth with the water, the water with the fire, the fire with the air and the air merged with the sky [compare 2.5: 25-29]. (Vedabase)

 

Text 17

He united the mind with the senses and the sense organs with their objects and then merged the sense objects with the five elements they had originated from. Next he returned the material ego to the mahat-tattva, the totality of the material energy.

He united the mind with the senses, the sense organs with their objects and from there compacting the objects with the five elements, he took the material ego out into the mahat-tattva, the total material energy.  (Vedabase)

 

Text 18

On his path towards Him, the reservoir of all qualities, he placed his individuality and the lives belonging to it in the Reservoir of All Potencies. He, the living entity and enjoyer, as the master of the senses thus returned home, back to his constitutional position, by dint of his insight in the spiritual knowledge of self-realization and renunciation.

Unto Him, the reservoir of all qualities, he put his individuality and the designations belonging to it in the reservoir of all potencies and thus did he as the prabhu or master, the controller of the senses, the living entity and the enjoyer, return home by the power of his own insight in that spiritual knowledge of selfrealization and renunciation. (Vedabase)
 
Text 19

The queen named Arci, his wife, followed him on foot into the forest, even though she, with her delicate body, had not deserved it to contact the earth with her feet that way.

The queen named Arci, his wife, followed him on foot into the forest, even though she, with her delicate body, had not deserved thus to touch the earth with her feet. (Vedabase)

 

Text 20

Even though her body would turn lean she, most determined as she was in her vow to serve her husband, saw no difficulty in living in conditions like those of the great saints and was glad to join him, happy to be in touch.

Although her body would turn lean and thin saw she, very determined in her vow to serve her husband, no difficulty in living in conditions like those of the great saints and engaged she with pleasure, happy to be near him. (Vedabase)

 

Text 21

Seeing that the body of her husband, who was of such a mercy for the world and for her, showed no signs of life, the virtuous woman, after weeping a while, cremated him on top of a hill.

Seeing that the body of her husband, so of mercy for the world and for her, failed in the symptoms of life, did she, the chaste woman, after weeping a little, cremate him on the top of a hill. (Vedabase)

 

Text 22

Having performed the funeral rites for her so very liberal husband, she took a bath in the river and offered oblations of water in worship of the thirty million demigods in heaven. Three times circumambulating the fire she then, thinking of her husband's feet, entered the fire herself.

After performing the funeral rites she took a bath in the river, offering oblations of water in worship of her so liberal husband now in heaven with the thirty million demigods. Three times circumambulating the fire she then, thinking of the feet of her husband, entered it. (Vedabase)

  

Text 23

The gracious gods and their wives who observed her following her husband into death, offered by the thousands prayers for the chaste wife of the great warrior King Prithu.

Observing her following the husband into death, offered the godly and their wives by the thousands prayers to the chaste wife of the great warrior King Prithu. (Vedabase)

 

Text 24

On top of Mandara Hill they, showering flowers and to that occasion vibrating their musical instruments, spoke among themselves as follows.

Showering flowers on top of the Mandara Hill they to that, vibrating the drums of devotion, spoke among themselves as follows. (Vedabase)

 

Text 25

The wives said: 'Oh how glorious this wife is who, just as the Goddess unto the Lord of Sacrifice [Vishnu], with heart and soul was of worship for her husband, the king of all the kings of the world.

The wives said: 'Alas, what has happened to this most glorious wife, who with all her soul was of worship for her husband, the king of all kings of the world, alike the Goddess is unto the Lord of Sacrifice [Vishnu]. (Vedabase)

 

Text 26

Just see how she follows her chaste husband, the son of Vena, in his ascension and how she, who is named Arci, thus surpasses us by her difficult to conceive actions.

Just see how she indeed follows the chaste husband, the son of Vena, in this ascension and how thus she, who is named Arci, surpasses us by the greatness of her actions. (Vedabase)

 

Text 27

Among all those who but for a short moment live here in this human world, there is, for the ones who on the path of liberation do their best for the Kingdom of God, nothing too difficult to achieve.

Of all who only for a short while are living here in the human world, is there for those who on the path of liberation do their best for the Kingdom of God, nothing too difficult to achieve. (Vedabase)

 

Text 28

He who, having achieved the human form of life, on the path of liberation gets involved in the great difficulties of all that one does for one's sense gratification in this world, is, in going against his own true self, no doubt cheated [by illusions].'

He, who, by achieving the human form of life, the path of liberation, gets involved with the great difficulties of all action in the matter of sense-gratification in this world, is no doubt cheated in envy with the truth.' (Vedabase)

 

Text 29

Maitreya said: 'While the woman [Arci] thus by the wives of the denizens of heaven was glorified, she reached the place for which her husband had left. The position that the son of Vena under the protection of the Infallible One had attained was the topmost one of the self-realized.

Maitreya said: 'While the wives of the denizens of heaven were thus in praise, reached the wife the place for which the husband had left; it was the topmost position of the self-realized that the son of Vena under the protection of the Infallible One had obtained. (Vedabase)

  

Text 30

I have thus described to you the character of Prithu, the first among the lords who was so high and mighty, as being the very best because of the greatness of his deeds.

Thus have I descibed to you of him, Prithu, the best of the lords, who was so high and mighty, his character as being the very best endowed with all qualities. (Vedabase)

  

Text 31

Anyone who with faith and great attention reads and explains or hears about that very great and pious person of King Prithu, will attain the same position as reached by him.

Anyone who with faith and great attention reads and explains or hears about that very great and pious person of King Prithu, will attain to the place he has reached. (Vedabase)

  

Text 32

The brahmin who reads it will attain spiritual splendor, a noble will become the king of the world, the trader will become the master of his trade and the laborer will attain the best unto Him.

The brahmin will attain the power of spiritual success, the royal one will be the king of the world, the trader will to the path become the master of the trade and the laborer will develop into a great devotee. (Vedabase)

  

Text 33

When someone with great respect three times over listens to this, that person, whether he is a man or a woman, when he is childless will have the best of children and when he is penniless will become the richest.

When a man listens to this with great respect three times over, whether he's a man or a woman, when he is without children he will be surrounded by the best of them and when he is penniless he will be the richest. (Vedabase)

  

Text 34

Without recognition he will become famous and illiterate he will become learned. This story so auspicious will drive away all bad luck of man.

Unrecognized he will become famous, illiterate he will become learned; this story so auspicious will drive away all bad luck of man. (Vedabase)

 

Text 35

They who desire wealth, a good repute, an increased life span, a better world [heaven], the defeat of the influence of the Age of Quarrel and those who are after the higher cause of the perfection of the four [civil virtues] of religiosity, economy, sensual pleasure and liberation, have to listen with great respect to this narration.

By those who desire wealth, a good repute, an increased life span, the attainment of heaven, the defeat of the influence of the Age of Quarrel and who are after the higher cause of the complete perfection of the four of religion, the economy, the pleasure of the senses and the liberation, must this narration be heard with great respect. (Vedabase)

 

Text 36

Listening to this the king, who on his chariot campaigns for his victory, will receive taxes from other kings like King Prithu did.

To that king who, on the chariot starting out for his victory, hears of this, will the other kings render taxes like was done did to King Prithu. (Vedabase)

 

Text 37

In performing unalloyed devotional service unto the Supreme Lord, one should, free from all other association, hear about, make others listen to and continue to read about the good deeds of the son of Vena.

Freed from all material association, carrying out unalloyed devotional service unto the Supreme Lord, one must hear, make others listen to and continue to read about the pious character of the son of Vena. (Vedabase)

 

Text 38

Oh son of Vicitravîrya [Vidura], I explained to you how one should achieve one's destination and awaken to the greatness of His Cosmic Intelligence, by thus  being involved in relation to this extraordinary text.

O son of Vicitravîrya [Vidura], I explained to what extend of greatness one can awaken and should advance when one, in relation to the extraordinary of this sacred text, is of this commitment. (Vedabase)

 

Text 39

He who, liberated in the association concerning the Supreme Lord, with great reverence repeatedly listens to this narration about Prithu and also spreads it, will in full realize the attachment to His feet that constitute the boat for [crossing] the ocean of nescience.'

He who repeatedly hears this narration about Prithu with great reverence and also recites it liberated in the association concerning the Supreme Lord - that person will in full realize the attachment to His feet that are the boat for the ocean of nescience. (Vedabase)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The picture shows a yogi meditating to leave his body. Artist unknown.
Production:
Filognostic Association of The Order of Time


  

 

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