॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
Sunday, 27 November 2022 V.01- King Priyavrata's rule setting aside his asceticism.
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In this chapter, a kind of Time Warp occurs. The first son of Svayambhuva Manu was Prince Devavrata. King Parikshit asks Sage Shuka: when Devavrata's reputation had been that of a man of devotion and worldly detachment, how come he undertook a long rule of the kingdom with all its worldly responsibilities? Or is it that he was a worldly man from the beginning?
संशयोऽयं महान् ब्रह्मन् दारागारसुतादिषु । सक्तस्य यत्सिद्धिरभूत्कृष्णे च मतिरच्युता ॥
T; King Parikshit asked Sage Shuka: "Oh great Brahmin, my doubt is this. If Devavrata was indeed entrapped in the world of his wife, home and children, how did such a bound man attain the Siddhi of devotion to Bhagavan Sri Krishna, Achyuta?"
Sage Shuka replied.
"Indeed, oh King, your question is valid. From Brahma downward, those who are devoted to the Paramatma Bhagavan, with His glories described eloquently, do not lose their Bhakti even if entrapped in the world owing to certain difficulties or impediments."
"In fact, Priyavrata was a great devotee by nature and guided by Sage Narada himself. With advanced knowledge, he always engaged in discussing spiritual subjects and did not divert his attention to anything else. The Prince’s father, King Svayambhuva Manu, then asked him to take charge of the kingdom. Priyavrata was already so immersed in his devotional path that despite knowing that disobeying his father was not correct, he did not accept the kingdom, stating that this would drive him away from his chosen path."
"Then Lord Brahma himself decided to come down to speak with Priyavrata. Followed by his attendants, and Vedas personified as beings, Brahma came down amidst great worship and celebration by celestials and sages in his honour. Brahma appeared just like the full moon surrounded by sparkling stars. Lord Brahma’s vehicle, the great swan, landed on the Gandhamadana Hill where Priyavrata was with his father, Svayambhuva Manu."
"Father and son bowed low to Brahma, the grandsire. Sage Narada too was there and he also paid his respects to his spiritual father."
Brahma graciously accepted their prayer and spoke to Priyavrata with a smile.
"Dear Priyavrata, all of us, including Lord Shiva, your father and the great sage Maharshi Narada, must carry out the order of the Supreme. We cannot deviate from His order. No austerities nor Vedic learning nor mystical powers of Yoga nor riches nor kingly power can permit us to disobey Bhagavan. That is impossible."
भवाय नाशाय च कर्म कर्तुं शोकाय मोहाय सदा भयाय । सुखाय दु:खाय च देहयोगमव्यक्तदिष्टं जनताङ्ग धत्ते ॥
T: "Birth, death, our assigned Karmas, misery, delusion, fear, happiness and sorrow, are all ordained by that Transcendental Lord, for all embodied beings."
"The Vedic classification of Varnas (people's different propensities and their activities) are an expression of the Lord's will alone. In a way, we are like bulls tied to the grind or like blind men being led by hand to move in a certain way without volition."
मुक्तोऽपि तावद्बिभृयात्स्वदेहमारब्धमश्नन्नभिमानशून्य: । यथानुभूतं प्रतियातनिद्र: किं त्वन्यदेहाय गुणान्न वृङ्क्ते ॥
T: "Even a liberated soul in a human body is conditioned by Karma. He undergoes the effects of Karma and the effects of the three Gunas. He is like a man who experiences a dream without losing within his core his own supreme wisdom about the ultimate reality."
"A man may retire to the forest for solitude. But if he is not self-controlled, he continues under the subjugation of the six proverbial wives - Kama Krodha Lobha Moha Mada Matsarya. But as a householder, he can still conquer these forces and live like a self-satisfied man of equanimity."
"A householder is like a king, and the family life acts like the peripheral fortress wall of the city for his protection. This will enable him to face life and its dangers well."
"Priyavrata, trust in the Lord, adhere to your devotion, but undertake your kingly responsibilities with good cheer."
Priyavrata was now persuaded and he dutifully accepted the assignment of kingship from his father. Brahma left after everyone worshipped him. Svayambhuva Manu under the guidance of Narada handed over all his responsibilities to Priyavrata.
Priyavrata ruled the land, but was also mindful of his higher aspirations and devotion to the Lord.
Priyavrata married Barhishmati, daughter of Prajapati Vishwakarma. He begot ten sons with their calibre matching his. He also had a daughter Urjaswati, who later married Sage Shukracharya and begot Devayani, the famous daughter.
Priyavrata's ten sons were named after the ten manifestations of Agni. The first three among them took to the spiritual path and became ascetics. Priyavrata had three more sons from a second queen and they were named after epochs.
Priyavrata was a great, unchallenged monarch. The twang of his bowstrings instilled fear in all adversaries. Over time, he grew slowly in his attachment to his queen Barhishmati with all her wifely charms. Thus although he was a great soul, he appeared lost in his wife's company. He behaved with her just like an ordinary man, even though he was a great soul.
In a significant development, King Priyavrata observed that the sun moved and shone only on one half of the earth (latitudinal orientation) at a time, thereby discriminating against the other half. This upset the king and he decided to do something about it. He followed the orbit of the sun mounted on his brilliant chariot and matched the sun in brilliance by the spiritual power that he had acquired by his devotion to Bhagavan.
When Priyavrata drove his chariot behind the sun, the rims of his chariot wheels created very deep impressions on the earth that later became the seven oceans, dividing the earth into seven islands.
These seven Dweepas are surrounded by seven oceans, containing salt water, sugarcane, liquor, ghee, curd, milk and sweet water (these are mystical descriptions).
The seven sons who did not become ascetics inherited these seven land masses from Pryavrata.
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Sage Shuka now says that a true devotee of the lord can overcome the six kinds of miseries of the body - hunger, thirst, sorrow, delusion, old age and death. He can also master his mind and the five senses. Such a man like Priyavrata accomplishing great deeds should not surprise us. In fact, even the lowliest of the low in social order can get liberation by simply chanting the Lord's name even once. सकृदाददीत यन्नामधेयमधुना स जहाति बन्धम्
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A time had to come when Priyavrata was filled with remorse that he had become engrossed in the worldly life of kingship and bodilypleasures, swerving from the path he had learnt from Sage Narada. He was filled with immense self-pity and guilt that he had allowed his queen to rule over him. In a way, this was an epiphany.
He divided all his earthly possessions among his obedient sons. He gave up everything, including his wife, with whom he had enjoyed so much sense-gratification, and his great and opulent kingdom, and he completely renounced all attachment. His heart, having been cleansed, became a place for his dwelling on the pastimes of Bhagavan. Thus he was able to return to the path of spiritual life, and resume the attitude of the pure devotee shown so kindly by Sage Narada.
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॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
