Srimad Bhagavatam · Canto 4 · Chapter 15
मैत्रेय उवाच अथ तस्य पुनर्विप्रैरपुत्रस्य महीपते: । बाहुभ्यां मथ्यमानाभ्यां मिथुनं समपद्यत ॥ १ ॥
maitreya uvaca atha tasya punar viprair aputrasya mahipateh bahubhyam mathyamanabhyam mithunam samapadyata
The great sage Maitreya continued: My dear Vidura, thus the brahmanas and the great sages again churned the two arms of King Vena’s dead body. As a result a male and female couple came out of his arms.
तद् दृष्ट्वा मिथुनं जातमृषयो ब्रह्मवादिन: । ऊचु: परमसन्तुष्टा विदित्वा भगवत्कलाम् ॥ २ ॥
tad drstva mithunam jatam rsayo brahma-vadinah ucuh parama-santusta viditva bhagavat-kalam
The great sages were highly learned in Vedic knowledge. When they saw the male and female born of the arms of Vena’s body, they were very pleased, for they could understand that the couple was an expansion of a plenary portion of Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
ऋषय ऊचु: एष विष्णोर्भगवत: कला भुवनपालिनी । इयं च लक्ष्म्या: सम्भूति: पुरुषस्यानपायिनी ॥ ३ ॥
rsaya ucuh esa visnor bhagavatah kala bhuvana-palini iyam ca laksmyah sambhutih purusasyanapayini
The great sages said: The male is a plenary expansion of the power of Lord Visnu, who maintains the entire universe, and the female is a plenary expansion of the goddess of fortune, who is never separated from the Lord.
अयं तु प्रथमो राज्ञां पुमान् प्रथयिता यश: । पृथुर्नाम महाराजो भविष्यति पृथुश्रवा: ॥ ४ ॥
ayam tu prathamo rajnam puman prathayita yasah prthur nama maharajo bhavisyati prthu-sravah
Of the two, the male will be able to expand his reputation throughout the world. His name will be Prthu. Indeed, he will be the first among kings.
इयं च सुदती देवी गुणभूषणभूषणा । अर्चिर्नाम वरारोहा पृथुमेवावरुन्धती ॥ ५ ॥
iyam ca sudati devi guna-bhusana-bhusana arcir nama vararoha prthum evavarundhati
The female has such beautiful teeth and beautiful qualities that she will actually beautify the ornaments she wears. Her name will be Arci. In the future she will accept King Prthu as her husband.
एष साक्षाद्धरेरंशो जातो लोकरिरक्षया । इयं च तत्परा हि श्रीरनुजज्ञेऽनपायिनी ॥ ६ ॥
esa saksad dharer amso jato loka-riraksaya iyam ca tat-para hi srir anujajne ’napayini
In the form of King Prthu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead has appeared through a part of His potency to protect the people of the world. The goddess of fortune is the constant companion of the Lord, and therefore she has incarnated partially as Arci to become King Prthu’s queen.
मैत्रेय उवाच प्रशंसन्ति स्म तं विप्रा गन्धर्वप्रवरा जगु: । मुमुचु: सुमनोधारा: सिद्धा नृत्यन्ति स्व:स्त्रिय: ॥ ७ ॥
maitreya uvaca prasamsanti sma tam vipra gandharva-pravara jaguh mumucuh sumano-dharah siddha nrtyanti svah-striyah
The great sage Maitreya continued: My dear Viduraji, at that time all the brahmanas highly praised and glorified King Prthu, and the best singers of Gandharvaloka chanted his glories. The inhabitants of Siddhaloka showered flowers, and the beautiful women in the heavenly planes danced in ecstasy.
शङ्खतूर्यमृदङ्गाद्या नेदुर्दुन्दुभयो दिवि । तत्र सर्व उपाजग्मुर्देवर्षिपितृणां गणा: ॥ ८ ॥
sankha-turya-mrdangadya nedur dundubhayo divi tatra sarva upajagmur devarsi-pitrnam ganah
Conchshells, bugles, drums and kettledrums vibrated in outer space. Great sages, forefathers and personalities from the heavenly planes all came to earth from various planeary systems.
ब्रह्मा जगद्गुरुर्देवै: सहासृत्य सुरेश्वरै: । वैन्यस्य दक्षिणे हस्ते दृष्ट्वा चिह्नं गदाभृत: ॥ ९ ॥ पादयोररविन्दं च तं वै मेने हरे: कलाम् । यस्याप्रतिहतं चक्रमंश: स परमेष्ठिन: ॥ १० ॥
brahma jagad-gurur devaih sahasrtya suresvaraih vainyasya daksine haste drstva cihnam gadabhrtah padayor aravindam ca tam vai mene hareh kalam yasyapratihatam cakram amsah sa paramesthinah
Lord Brahma, the master of the entire universe, arrived there accompanied by all the demigods and their chiefs. Seeing the lines of Lord Visnu’s palm on King Prthu’s right hand and impressions of lotus flowers on the soles of his feet, Lord Brahma could understand that King Prthu was a partial representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One whose palm bears the sign of a disc, as well as other such lines, should be considered a partial representation or incarnation of the Supreme Lord.
तस्याभिषेक आरब्धो ब्राह्मणैर्ब्रह्मवादिभि: । आभिषेचनिकान्यस्मै आजह्रु: सर्वतो जना: ॥ ११ ॥
tasyabhiseka arabdho brahmanair brahma-vadibhih abhisecanikany asmai ajahruh sarvato janah
The learned brahmanas, who were very attached to the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies, then arranged for the King’s coronation. People from all directions collected all the different paraphernalia for the ceremony. Thus everything was complete.
सरित्समुद्रा गिरयो नागा गाव: खगा मृगा: । द्यौ: क्षिति: सर्वभूतानि समाजह्रुरुपायनम् ॥ १२ ॥
sarit-samudra girayo naga gavah khaga mrgah dyauh ksitih sarva-bhutani samajahrur upayanam
All the rivers, seas, hills, mountains, serpents, cows, birds, animals, heavenly planes, the earthly planet and all other living entities collected various presentations, according to their ability, to offer the King.
सोऽभिषिक्तो महाराज: सुवासा: साध्वलड़्क़ृत: । पत्न्यार्चिषालड्क़ृतया विरेजेऽग्निरिवापर: ॥ १३ ॥
so ’bhisikto maharajah suvasah sadhv-alankrtah patnyarcisalankrtaya vireje ’gnir ivaparah
Thus the great King Prthu, exquisitely dressed with garments and ornaments, was coronated and placed on the throne. The King and his wife, Arci, who was also exquisitely ornamented, appeared exactly like fire.
तस्मै जहार धनदो हैमं वीर वरासनम् । वरुण: सलिलस्रावमातपत्रं शशिप्रभम् ॥ १४ ॥
tasmai jahara dhanado haimam vira varasanam varunah salila-sravam atapatram sasi-prabham
The great sage continued: My dear Vidura, Kuvera presented the great King Prthu with a golden throne. The demigod Varuna presented him with an umbrella that constantly sprayed fine particles of water and was as brilliant as the moon.
वायुश्च वालव्यजने धर्म: कीर्तिमयीं स्रजम् । इन्द्र: किरीटमुत्कृष्टं दण्डं संयमनं यम: ॥ १५ ॥
vayus ca vala-vyajane dharmah kirtimayim srajam indrah kiritam utkrstam dandam samyamanam yamah
The demigod of air, Vayu, presented King Prthu with two whisks (camaras) of hair; the King of religion, Dharma, presented him with a flower garland which would expand his fame; the King of heaven, Indra, presented him with a valuable helmet; and the superintendent of death, Yamaraja, presented him with a scepter with which to rule the world.
ब्रह्मा ब्रह्ममयं वर्म भारती हारमुत्तमम् । हरि: सुदर्शनं चक्रं तत्पत्न्यव्याहतां श्रियम् ॥ १६ ॥
brahma brahmamayam varma bharati haram uttamam harih sudarsanam cakram tat-patny avyahatam sriyam
Lord Brahma presented King Prthu with a protective garment made of spiritual knowledge. Bharati (Sarasvati), the wife of Brahma, gave him a transcendental necklace. Lord Visnu presented him with a Sudarsana disc, and Lord Visnu’s wife, the goddess of fortune, gave him imperishable opulences.
दशचन्द्रमसिं रुद्र: शतचन्द्रं तथाम्बिका । सोमोऽमृतमयानश्वांस्त्वष्टा रूपाश्रयं रथम् ॥ १७ ॥
dasa-candram asim rudrah sata-candram tathambika somo ’mrtamayan asvams tvasta rupasrayam ratham
Lord Siva presented him with a sword within a sheath marked with ten moons, and his wife, the goddess Durga, presented him with a shield marked with one hundred moons. The moon-demigod presented him with horses made of nectar, and the demigod Visvakarma presented him with a very beautiful chariot.
अग्निराजगवं चापं सूर्यो रश्मिमयानिषून् । भू: पादुके योगमय्यौ द्यौ: पुष्पावलिमन्वहम् ॥ १८ ॥
agnir aja-gavam capam suryo rasmimayan isun bhuh paduke yogamayyau dyauh puspavalim anvaham
The demigod of fire, Agni, presented him with a bow made of the horns of goats and cows. The sun-god presented him with arrows as brilliant as sunshine. The predominating deity of Bhurloka presented him with slippers full of mystic power. The demigods from outer space brought him presentations of flowers again and again.
नाट्यं सुगीतं वादित्रमन्तर्धानं च खेचरा: । ऋषयश्चाशिष: सत्या: समुद्र: शङ्खमात्मजम् ॥ १९ ॥
natyam sugitam vaditram antardhanam ca khecarah rsayas casisah satyah samudrah sankham atmajam
The demigods who always travel in outer space gave King Prthu the arts to perform dramas, sing songs, play musical instruments and disappear at his will. The great sages also offered him infallible blessings. The ocean offered him a conchshell produced from the ocean.
सिन्धव: पर्वता नद्यो रथवीथीर्महात्मन: । सूतोऽथ मागधो वन्दी तं स्तोतुमुपतस्थिरे ॥ २० ॥
sindhavah parvata nadyo ratha-vithir mahatmanah suto ’tha magadho vandi tam stotum upatasthire
The seas, mountains and rivers gave him room to drive his chariot without impediments, and a suta, a magadha and a vandi offered prayers and praises. They all presented themselves before him to perform their respective duties.
स्तावकांस्तानभिप्रेत्य पृथुर्वैन्य: प्रतापवान् । मेघनिर्ह्रादया वाचा प्रहसन्निदमब्रवीत् ॥ २१ ॥
stavakams tan abhipretya prthur vainyah pratapavan megha-nirhradaya vaca prahasann idam abravit
Thus when the greatly powerful King Prthu, the son of Vena, saw the professionals before him, to congratulate them he smiled, and with the gravity of the vibrating sounds of clouds he spoke as follows.
पृथुरुवाच भो: सूत हे मागध सौम्य वन्दिँ- ल्लोकेऽधुनास्पष्टगुणस्य मे स्यात् । किमाश्रयो मे स्तव एष योज्यतां मा मय्यभूवन्वितथा गिरो व: ॥ २२ ॥
prthur uvaca bhoh suta he magadha saumya vandil loke ’dhunaspasta-gunasya me syat kim asrayo me stava esa yojyatam ma mayy abhuvan vitatha giro vah
King Prthu said: O gentle suta, magadha and other devotee offering prayers, the qualities of which you have spoken are not distinct in me. Why then should you praise me for all these qualities when I do not shelter these features? I do not wish for these words meant for me to go in vain, but it is better that they be offered to someone else.
तस्मात्परोक्षेऽस्मदुपश्रुतान्यलं करिष्यथ स्तोत्रमपीच्यवाच: । सत्युत्तमश्लोकगुणानुवादे जुगुप्सितं न स्तवयन्ति सभ्या: ॥ २३ ॥
tasmat parokse ’smad-upasrutany alam karisyatha stotram apicya-vacah saty uttamasloka-gunanuvade jugupsitam na stavayanti sabhyah
O gentle reciters, offer such prayers in due course of time, when the qualities of which you have spoken actually manifest themselves in me. The gentle who offer prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead do not attribute such qualities to a human being, who does not actually have them.
महद्गुणानात्मनि कर्तुमीश: क: स्तावकै: स्तावयतेऽसतोऽपि । तेऽस्याभविष्यन्निति विप्रलब्धो जनावहासं कुमतिर्न वेद ॥ २४ ॥
mahad-gunan atmani kartum isah kah stavakaih stavayate ’sato ’pi te ’syabhavisyann iti vipralabdho janavahasam kumatir na veda
How could an intelligent man competent enough to possess such exalted qualities allow his followers to praise him if he did not actually have them? Praising a man by saying that if he were educated he might have become a great scholar or great personality is nothing but a process of cheating. A foolish person who agrees to accept such praise does not know that such words simply insult him.
प्रभवो ह्यात्मन: स्तोत्रं जुगुप्सन्त्यपि विश्रुता: । ह्रीमन्त: परमोदारा: पौरुषं वा विगर्हितम् ॥ २५ ॥
prabhavo hy atmanah stotram jugupsanty api visrutah hrimantah paramodarah paurusam va vigarhitam
As a person with a sense of honor and magnanimity does not like to hear about his abominable actions, a person who is very famous and powerful does not like to hear himself praised.
वयं त्वविदिता लोके सूताद्यापि वरीमभि: । कर्मभि: कथमात्मानं गापयिष्याम बालवत् ॥ २६ ॥
vayam tv avidita loke sutadyapi varimabhih karmabhih katham atmanam gapayisyama balavat
King Prthu continued: My dear devotees, headed by the suta, just now I am not very famous for my personal activities because I have not done anything praiseworthy you could glorify. Therefore how could I engage you in praising my activities exactly like children?
