SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM: CANTO 9

(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Nimi [see 9.6: 4], the son of Ikshvâku, planning for a sacrifice appointed Vasishthha to be the priest who said: 'I am already engaged by Lord Indra, o Mahârâja. (2) When I have finished that sacrifice will I return, wait for me till then'. Nimi remained silent and [Vasishthha] performed the sacrifice for Indra. (3) With the guru for a long time not returning thought Nimi: 'Life is short' and inaugurated the sacrifice with another self-realized soul as the officiating priest.

(4) Having ended the ceremonies did the guru upon his return find deviation from the instructions given and so he pronounced a curse: 'May the body of Nimi, who thinks he's so learned, come to a fall!'.

(5) Nimi [on his turn] cursed the guru who tried to thrive in denial of his religious practice: 'And may your body, so ignorant of the dharma with your greed, fall down too!'

(6) Thus had Nimi, fully conversant with the spiritual knowledge, to give up his body. Vasishthha, the great-grandfather [died also but] was by Mitra and Varuna [their seed] born [again] from Urvas'î [the heavenly courtesan, see also 6.18: 5-6]. (7) Nimi's body was preserved in fragrant substances and at the end of the Sa(t)tra-sacrifice [a long-standing Soma-sacrifice] formulated the assembled ones of God the following: (8) 'May this body of the potent king cherished by us, come alive!' Thus having expressed themselves answered Nimi: 'Do not bind me to a physical frame! (9) Shunning to be falsely united do spiritual philosophers [jñânis] neither desire to get into contact that way nor to be of a service like that of the great saints who at the lotus feet are absorbed in thoughts about the Lord [see bhajan]. (10) I do not wish to assume a material body that inevitably dies again, it is for each everywhere, like with fish living in the water, the cause of all distress, lamentation and fear [see also 1.13: 47 and B.G. 9: 3].'

(11) The godly said: 'Live as you like without a body; in the vision of the embodied you may become manifest or unmanifest now we've seen you in your spiritual existence!'

(12) In respect of the common people afraid of anarchy churned the great seers the deceased body of Nimi and was thus a son born [compare: 4.14: 43 and 4.15: 1]. (13) Because of his uncommon birth became he known as Vaideha ['free from a body'] because of being born from Videha [Nimi who was without a body]. He as well as the city he founded, were also known as Mithila from the being born from the churning. (14) From him there was a son named Udâvasu, the one born from him was Nandivardhana, Suketu followed him and his son carried the name Devarâta, o great ruler. (15) From him there was Brihadratha, Mahâvîrya was his and he became the father of Sudhriti who had a son named Dhrishthaketu. He on his turn had Haryas'va after whom there was Maru. (16) Maru's son was Pratîpaka and from him was Kritaratha born. From him came Devamîdha and his son Vis'ruta had one named Mahâdhriti. (17) Kritirâta followed and from him there was Mahâromâ as a son whose son Svarnaromâ had a son called Hrasvaromâ as the next one in the dynasty. (18) From him was S'îradhvaja [King Janaka] born who for the performance of sacrifices plowing the earth from the front of his plow [or s'îra] had Sîtâdevî [the wife of Râma, Sîtâ means 'furrow'] born, because of which he was celebrated as S'îradhvaja. (19) Kus'adhvaja was S'îradhvaja's son and his son was king Dharmadhvaja whose two sons were Kritadhvaja and Mitadhvaja. (20-21) Kritadhvaja had Kes'idhvaja and Mitadhvaja's son was Khândikya, o King. Kritadhvaja's son was an expert in the science of transcendence and Khândikya was an expert in vedic rituals. The latter fled because he feared Kes'idhvaja. From Bhânumân, Kes'idhvaja's son, there was the son S'atadyumna. (22) S'uci was his son and of him was the son Sanadvâja born. Ûrjaketu, his son, had Aja who thereafter had Purujit as his son. (23) Also he had a son: Arishthanemi, and from his son S'rutâyu was there Supârs'vaka who fathered Citraratha of whom the son Kshemâdhi became the king of Mithilâ. (24) His son named Samaratha had one named Satyaratha. From him was Upaguru born who begot Upagupta who was a partial expansion of Agni [the god of fire]. (25) Vasvananta [of Upagupta] his son thereafter was known by the name of Yuyudha who had a son called Subhâshana and his son was S'ruta. He had Jaya and Jaya had Vijaya. Vijaya's son was Rita. (26) Of him was the son S'unaka born, then came Vîtahavya and his son was Dhriti. Dhriti begot the son Bahulâs'va and of him there was Kriti who had a son called Mahâvas'î. (27) These, o King, are the descendants of Mithila who by the grace of the Lord of Yoga were all true knowers of the soul finding liberation from the worldly duality, even though they stayed at home.'

S'rî S'uka said: 'Nimi [see 9.6: 4], the son of Ikshvâku, planning for a sacrifice appointed Vasishthha to be the priest who said: 'I am already engaged by Lord Indra, o Mahârâja.

S'rîla S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: After beginning sacrifices, Mahârâja Nimi, the son of Ikshvâku, requested the great sage Vasishthha to take the post of chief priest. At that time, Vasishthha replied, "My dear Mahârâja Nimi, I have already accepted the same post in a sacrifice begun by Lord Indra. (Vedabase)

Text 2

When I have finished that sacrifice will I return, wait for me till then'. Nimi remained silent and he [Vasishthha] performed the sacrifice for Indra.

"I shall return here after finishing the yajña for Indra. Kindly wait for me until then." Mahârâja Nimi remained silent, and Vasishthha began to perform the sacrifice for Lord Indra. (Vedabase)

Text 3

With the guru for a long time not returning thought Nimi: 'Life is short' and inaugurated the sacrifice with another self-realized soul as the officiating priest.

Mahârâja Nimi, being a self-realized soul, considered that this life is flickering. Therefore, instead of waiting long for Vasishthha, he began performing the sacrifice with other priests. (Vedabase)

Text 4

Having ended the ceremonies did the guru upon his return find deviation from the instructions given and so he pronounced a curse: 'May the body of Nimi, who thinks he's so learned, come to a fall!'.

After completing the sacrificial performance for King Indra, the spiritual master Vasishthha returned and found that his disciple Mahârâja Nimi had disobeyed his instructions. Thus Vasishthha cursed him, saying, "May the material body of Nimi, who considers himself learned, immediately fall." (Vedabase)

Text 5

Nimi [on his turn] cursed the guru who tried to thrive in denial of his religious practice: 'And may your body, so ignorant of the dharma with your greed, fall down too!'

For unnecessarily cursing him when he had committed no offense, Mahârâja Nimi countercursed his spiritual master. "For the sake of getting contributions from the King of heaven, he said, "you have lost your religious intelligence. Therefore I pronounce this curse: your body also will fall." (Vedabase)

Text 6

Thus had Nimi, fully conversant with the spiritual knowledge, to give up his body. Vasishthha, the great-grandfather [died also but] was by Mitra and Varuna [their seed] born [again] from Urvas'î [the heavenly courtesan, see also 6.18: 5-6].

After saying this, Mahârâja Nimi, who was expert in the science of spiritual knowledge, gave up his body. Vasishthha, the great-grandfather, gave up his body also, but through the semen discharged by Mitra and Varuna when they saw Urvas'î, he was born again. (Vedabase)

Text 7

Nimi's body was preserved in fragrant substances and at the end of the Sa(t)tra-sacrifice [a long-standing Soma-sacrifice] formulated the assembled ones of God the following:

During the performance of the yajña, the body relinquished by Mahârâja Nimi was preserved in fragrant substances, and at the end of the Satra-yâga the great saints and brâhmanas made the following request to all the demigods assembled there. (Vedabase)

Text 8

'May this body of the potent king cherished by us, come alive!' Thus having expressed themselves answered Nimi: 'Do not bind me to a physical frame!

"If you are satisfied with this sacrifice and if you are actually able to do so, kindly bring Mahârâja Nimi back to life in this body." The demigods said yes to this request by the sages, but Mahârâja Nimi said, "Please do not imprison me again in a material body." (Vedabase)

Text 9

Shunning to be falsely united do spiritual philosophers [jñânis] neither desire to get into contact that way nor to be of a service like that of the great saints who at the lotus feet are absorbed in thoughts about the Lord [see bhajan].

Mahârâja Nimi continued: Mâyâvâdîs generally want freedom from accepting a material body because they fear having to give it up again. But devotees whose intelligence is always filled with the service of the Lord are unafraid. Indeed, they take advantage of the body to render transcendental loving service. (Vedabase)

Text 10

I do not wish to assume a material body that inevitably dies again, it is for each everywhere, like with fish living in the water, the cause of all distress, lamentation and fear [see also 1.13: 47 and B.G. 9: 3].

I do not wish to accept a material body, for such a body is the source of all distress, lamentation and fear, everywhere in the universe, just as it is for a fish in the water, which lives always in anxiety because of fear of death. (Vedabase)

Text 11

The godly said: 'Live as you like without a body; in the vision of the embodied you may become manifest or unmanifest now we've seen you in your spiritual existence!'

The demigods said: Let Mahârâja Nimi live without a material body. Let him live in a spiritual body as a personal associate of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and, according to his desire, let him be manifest or unmanifest to common materially embodied people. (Vedabase)

Text 12

In respect of the common people afraid of anarchy churned the great seers the deceased body of Nimi and was thus a son born [compare: 4.14: 43 and 4.15: 1].

Thereafter, to save the people from the danger of an unregulated government, the sages churned Mahârâja Nimi's material body, from which, as a result, a son was born. (Vedabase)

Text 13

Because of his uncommon birth became he known as Vaideha ['free from a body'] because of being born from Videha [Nimi who was without a body]. He as well as the city he founded, were also known as Mithila from the being born from the churning.

Because he was born in an unusual way, the son was called Janaka, and because he was born from the dead body of his father, he was known as Vaideha. Because he was born from the churning of his father's material body, he was known as Mithila, and because he constructed a city as King Mithila, the city was called Mithilâ. (Vedabase)

Text 14

From him there was a son named Udâvasu, the one born from him was Nandivardhana, Suketu followed him and his son carried the name Devarâta, o great ruler.

O King Parîkshit, from Mithila came a son named Udâvasu; from Udâvasu, Nandivardhana; from Nandivardhana, Suketu; and from Suketu, Devarâta. (Vedabase)

Text 15

From him there was Brihadratha, Mahâvîrya was his and he became the father of Sudhriti who had a son named Dhrishthaketu. He on his turn had Haryas'va after whom there was Maru.

From Devarâta came a son named Brihadratha and from Brihadratha a son named Mahâvîrya, who became the father of Sudhriti. The son of Sudhriti was known as Dhrishthaketu, and from Dhrishthaketu came Haryas'va. From Haryas'va came a son named Maru. (Vedabase)

Text 16

Maru's son was Pratîpaka and from him was Kritaratha born. From him came Devamîdha and his son Vis'ruta had one named Mahâdhriti.

The son of Maru was Pratîpaka, and the son of Pratîpaka was Kritaratha. From Kritaratha came Devamîdha; from Devamîdha, Vis'ruta; and from Vis'ruta, Mahâdhriti. (Vedabase)

Text 17

Kritirâta followed and from him there was Mahâromâ as a son whose son Svarnaromâ had a son called Hrasvaromâ as the next one in the dynasty.

From Mahâdhriti was born a son named Kritirâta, from Kritirâta was born Mahâromâ, from Mahâromâ came a son named Svarnaromâ, and from Svarnaromâ came Hrasvaromâ. (Vedabase)

Text 18:

From him was S'îradhvaja [King Janaka] born who for the performance of sacrifices plowing the earth from the front of his plow [or s'îra] had Sîtâdevî [the wife of Râma, Sîtâ means 'furrow'] born, because of which he was celebrated as S'îradhvaja.

From Hrasvaromâ came a son named S'îradhvaja [also called Janaka]. When S'îradhvaja was plowing a field, from the front of his plow [s'îra] appeared a daughter named Sîtâdevî, who later became the wife of Lord Râmacandra. Thus he was known as S'îradhvaja. (Vedabase)

Text 19:

Kus'adhvaja was S'îradhvaja's son and his son was king Dharmadhvaja whose two sons were Kritadhvaja and Mitadhvaja.

The son of S'îradhvaja was Kus'adhvaja, and the son of Kus'adhvaja was King Dharmadhvaja, who had two sons, namely Kritadhvaja and Mitadhvaja. (Vedabase)

Text 20-21:

Kritadhvaja had Kes'idhvaja and Mitadhvaja's son was Khândikya, o King. Kritadhvaja's son was an expert in the science of transcendence and Khândikya was an expert in vedic rituals. The latter fled because he feared Kes'idhvaja. From Bhânumân, Kes'idhvaja's son, there was the son S'atadyumna.

O Mahârâja Parîkshit, the son of Kritadhvaja was Kes'idhvaja, and the son of Mitadhvaja was Khândikya. The son of Kritadhvaja was expert in spiritual knowledge, and the son of Mitadhvaja was expert in Vedic ritualistic ceremonies. Khândikya fled in fear of Kes'idhvaja. The son of Kes'idhvaja was Bhânumân, and the son of Bhânumân was S'atadyumna. (Vedabase)

Text 22:

S'uci was his son and of him was the son Sanadvâja born. Ûrjaketu, his son, had Aja who thereafter had Purujit as his son.

The son of S'atadyumna was named S'uci. From S'uci, Sanadvâja was born, and from Sanadvâja came a son named Ûrjaketu. The son of Ûrjaketu was Aja, and the son of Aja was Purujit. (Vedabase)

Text 23:

Also he had a son: Arishthanemi, and from his son S'rutâyu was there Supârs'vaka who fathered Citraratha of whom the son Kshemâdhi became the king of Mithilâ.

The son of Purujit was Arishthanemi, and his son was S'rutâyu. S'rutâyu begot a son named Supârs'vaka, and Supârs'vaka begot Citraratha. The son of Citraratha was Kshemâdhi, who became the king of Mithila. (Vedabase)

Text 24:

His son named Samaratha had one named Satyaratha. From him was Upaguru born who begot Upagupta who was a partial expansion of Agni [the god of fire].

The son of Kshemâdhi was Samaratha, and his son was Satyaratha. The son of Satyaratha was Upaguru, and the son of Upaguru was Upagupta, a partial expansion of the fire-god. (Vedabase)

Text 25:

Vasvananta [of Upagupta] his son thereafter was known by the name of Yuyudha who had a son called Subhâshana and his son was S'ruta. He had Jaya and Jaya had Vijaya. Vijaya's son was Rita.

The son of Upagupta was Vasvananta, the son of Vasvananta was Yuyudha, the son of Yuyudha was Subhâshana, and the son of Subhâshana was S'ruta. The son of S'ruta was Jaya, from whom there came Vijaya. The son of Vijaya was Rita. (Vedabase)

Text 26:

Of him was the son S'unaka born, then came Vîtahavya and his son was Dhriti. Dhriti begot the son Bahulâs'va and of him there was Kriti who had a son called Mahâvas'î.

The son of Rita was S'unaka, the son of S'unaka was Vîtahavya, the son of Vîtahavya was Dhriti, and the son of Dhriti was Bahulâs'va. The son of Bahulâs'va was Kriti, and his son was Mahâvas'î. (Vedabase)

Text 27:

These, o King, are the descendants of Mithila who by the grace of the Lord of Yoga were all true knowers of the soul finding liberation from the worldly duality, even though they stayed at home.'

S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: My dear King Parîkshit, all the kings of the dynasty of Mithila were completely in knowledge of their spiritual identity. Therefore, even though staying at home, they were liberated from the duality of material existence. (Vedabase)