SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM: CANTO 4

(1-3) 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. (4) 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. (5) 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.

(6) 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. (7) 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. (8) 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. (9) 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. (10) 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. (11) 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. (12) 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]. (13) 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. (14) 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. (15) 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. (16) 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]. (17) 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. (18) 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.

(19) 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. (20) 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. (21) 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. (22) 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.

(23) 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. (24) Showering flowers on top of the Mandara Hill they to that, vibrating the drums of devotion, spoke among themselves as follows. (25) 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]. (26) 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. (27) 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. (28) 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.'

(29) 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. (30) 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. (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 to the place he has reached. (32) 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. (33) 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. (34) Unrecognized he will become famous, illiterate he will become learned; this story so auspicious will drive away all bad luck of man. (35) 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. (36) 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. (37) 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. (38) 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. (39) 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.

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.

At the last stage of his life, when Mahârâja Prithu saw himself getting old, that great soul, who was king of the world, divided whatever opulence he had accumulated amongst all kinds of living entities, moving and nonmoving. He arranged pensions for everyone according to religious principles, and after executing the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in complete coordination with Him, he dedicated his sons unto the earth, which was considered to be his daughter. Then Mahârâja Prithu left the presence of his citizens, who were almost lamenting and crying from feeling separation from the King, and went to the forest alone with his wife to perform austerities. (Vedabase)

Text 4

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.

After retiring from family life, Mahârâja Prithu strictly followed the regulations of retired life and underwent severe austerities in the forest. He engaged in these activities as seriously as he had formerly engaged in leading the government and conquering everyone. (Vedabase)

Text 5

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.

In the tapo-vana, Mahârâja Prithu sometimes ate the trunks and roots of trees, and sometimes he ate fruit and dried leaves, and for some weeks he drank only water. Finally he lived simply by breathing air. (Vedabase)

Text 6

Like the great sages took 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.

Following the principles of forest living and the footsteps of the great sages and munis, Prithu Mahârâja accepted five kinds of heating processes during the summer season, exposed himself to torrents of rain in the rainy season and, in the winter, stood in water up to his neck. He also used to simply lie down on the floor to sleep. (Vedabase)

Text 7

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.

Mahârâja Prithu underwent all these severe austerities in order to control his words and his senses, to refrain from discharging his semen and to control the life air within his body. All this he did for the satisfaction of Krishna. He had no other purpose. (Vedabase)

Text 8

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.

By thus practicing severe austerities, Mahârâja Prithu gradually became steadfast in spiritual life and completely free of all desires for fruitive activities. He also practiced breathing exercises to control his mind and senses, and by such control he became completely free from all desires for fruitive activity. (Vedabase)

Text 9

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.

Thus the best amongst human beings, Mahârâja Prithu, followed that path of spiritual advancement which was advised by Sanat-kumâra. That is to say, he worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. (Vedabase)

Text 10

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.

Mahârâja Prithu thus engaged completely in devotional service, executing the rules and regulations strictly according to principles, twenty-four hours daily. Thus his love and devotion unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, developed and became unflinching and fixed. (Vedabase)

Text 11

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.

By regularly discharging devotional service, Prithu Mahârâja became transcendental in mind and could therefore constantly think of the lotus feet of the Lord. Because of this, he became completely detached and attained perfect knowledge by which he could transcend all doubt. Thus he was freed from the clutches of false ego and the material conception of life. (Vedabase)

Text 12

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].

When he became completely free from the conception of bodily life, Mahârâja Prithu realized Lord Krishna sitting in everyone's heart as the Paramâtmâ. Being thus able to get all instructions from Him, he gave up all other practices of yoga and jñâna. He was not even interested in the perfection of the yoga and jñâna systems, for he thoroughly realized that devotional service to Krishna is the ultimate goal of life and that unless the yogîs and jñânîs become attracted to krishna-katha [narrations about Krishna], their illusions concerning existence can never be dispelled. (Vedabase)

Text 13

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.

In due course of time, when Prithu Mahârâja was to give up his body, he fixed his mind firmly upon the lotus feet of Krishna, and thus, completely situated on the brahma-bhûta platform, he gave up the material body. (Vedabase)

Text 14

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.

When Mahârâja Prithu practiced a particular yogic sitting posture, he blocked the doors of his anus with his ankles, pressed his right and left calves and gradually raised his life air upward, passing it on to the circle of his navel, up to his heart and throat, and finally pushed it upward to the central position between his two eyebrows. (Vedabase)

Text 15

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.

In this way, Prithu Mahârâja gradually raised his air of life up to the hole in his skull, whereupon he lost all desire for material existence. Gradually he merged his air of life with the totality of air, his body with the totality of earth, and the fire within his body with the totality of fire. (Vedabase)

Text 16

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].

In this way, according to the different positions of the various parts of the body, Prithu Mahârâja merged the holes of his senses with the sky; his bodily liquids, such as blood and various secretions, with the totality of water; and he merged earth with water, then water with fire, fire with air, air with sky, and so on. (Vedabase)

Text 17

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.

He amalgamated the mind with the senses and the senses with the sense objects, according to their respective positions, and he also amalgamated the material ego with the total material energy, mahat-tattva. (Vedabase)

Text 18:

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.

Prithu Mahârâja then offered the total designation of the living entity unto the supreme controller of illusory energy. Being released from all the designations by which the living entity became entrapped, he became free by knowledge and renunciation and by the spiritual force of his devotional service. In this way, being situated in his original constitutional position of Krishna consciousness, he gave up this body as a prabhu, or controller of the senses. (Vedabase)