Srimad Bhagavatam · Canto 9 · Chapter 1
श्रीराजोवाच मन्वन्तराणि सर्वाणि त्वयोक्तानि श्रुतानि मे । वीर्याण्यनन्तवीर्यस्य हरेस्तत्र कृतानि च ॥ १ ॥
sri-rajovaca manvantarani sarvani tvayoktani srutani me viryany ananta-viryasya hares tatra krtani ca
King Pariksit said: My lord, Sukadeva Gosvami, you have elaborately described all the periods of the various Manus and, within those periods, the wonderful activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has unlimited potency. I am fortunate to have heard all of this from you.
योऽसौ सत्यव्रतो नाम राजर्षिर्द्रविडेश्वर: । ज्ञानं योऽतीतकल्पान्ते लेभे पुरुषसेवया ॥ २ ॥ स वै विवस्वत: पुत्रो मनुरासीदिति श्रुतम् । त्वत्तस्तस्य सुता:प्रोक्ता इक्ष्वाकुप्रमुखा नृपा: ॥ ३ ॥
yo ’sau satyavrato nama rajarsir dravidesvarah jnanam yo ’tita-kalpante lebhe purusa-sevaya sa vai vivasvatah putro manur asid iti srutam tvattas tasya sutah prokta iksvaku-pramukha nrpah
Satyavrata, the saintly king of Dravidadesa who received spiritual knowledge at the end of the last millennium by the grace of the Supreme, later became Vaivasvata Manu, the son of Vivasvan, in the next manvantara [period of Manu]. I have received this knowledge from you. I also understand that such kings as Iksvaku were his sons, as you have already explained.
तेषां वंशं पृथग् ब्रह्मन् वंशानुचरितानि च । कीर्तयस्व महाभाग नित्यं शुश्रूषतां हि न: ॥ ४ ॥
tesam vamsam prthag brahman vamsanucaritani ca kirtayasva maha-bhaga nityam susrusatam hi nah
O greatly fortunate Sukadeva Gosvami, O great brahmana, kindly describe to us separately the dynasties and characteristics of all those kings, for we are always eager to hear such topics from you.
ये भूता ये भविष्याश्च भवन्त्यद्यतनाश्च ये । तेषां न: पुण्यकीर्तीनां सर्वेषां वद विक्रमान् ॥ ५ ॥
ye bhuta ye bhavisyas ca bhavanty adyatanas ca ye tesam nah punya-kirtinam sarvesam vada vikraman
Kindly tell us about the abilities of all the celebrated kings born in the dynasty of Vaivasvata Manu, including those who have already passed, those who may appear in the future, and those who exist at present.
श्रीसूत उवाच एवं परीक्षिता राज्ञा सदसि ब्रह्मवादिनाम् । पृष्ट: प्रोवाच भगवाञ्छुक: परमधर्मवित् ॥ ६ ॥
sri-suta uvaca evam pariksita rajna sadasi brahma-vadinam prstah provaca bhagavan chukah parama-dharma-vit
Suta Gosvami said: When Sukadeva Gosvami, the greatest knower of religious principles, was thus requested by Maharaja Pariksit in the assembly of all the scholars learned in Vedic knowledge, he then proceeded to speak.
श्रीशुक उवाच श्रूयतां मानवो वंश: प्राचुर्येण परन्तप । न शक्यते विस्तरतो वक्तुं वर्षशतैरपि ॥ ७ ॥
sri-suka uvaca sruyatam manavo vamsah pracuryena parantapa na sakyate vistarato vaktum varsa-satair api
Sukadeva Gosvami continued: O King, subduer of your enemies, now hear from me in great detail about the dynasty of Manu. I shall explain as much as possible, although one could not say everything about it, even in hundreds of years.
परावरेषां भूतानामात्मा य: पुरुष: पर: । स एवासीदिदं विश्वं कल्पान्तेऽन्यन्न किञ्चन ॥ ८ ॥
paravaresam bhutanam atma yah purusah parah sa evasid idam visvam kalpante ’nyan na kincana
The transcendental Supreme Person, the Supersoul of all living entities, who are in different statuses of life, high and low, existed at the end of the millennium, when neither this manifested cosmos nor anything else but Him existed.
तस्य नाभे: समभवत् पद्मकोषो हिरण्मय: । तस्मिञ्जज्ञे महाराज स्वयम्भूश्चतुरानन: ॥ ९ ॥
tasya nabheh samabhavat padma-koso hiranmayah tasmin jajne maharaja svayambhus catur-ananah
O King Pariksit, from the navel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead was generated a golden lotus, on which the four-faced Lord Brahma took his birth.
मरीचिर्मनसस्तस्य जज्ञे तस्यापि कश्यप: । दाक्षायण्यां ततोऽदित्यां विवस्वानभवत् सुत: ॥ १० ॥
maricir manasas tasya jajne tasyapi kasyapah daksayanyam tato ’dityam vivasvan abhavat sutah
From the mind of Lord Brahma, Marici took birth, and from the semen of Marici, Kasyapa appeared from the womb of the daughter of Daksa Maharaja. From Kasyapa, by the womb of Aditi, Vivasvan took birth.
ततो मनु: श्राद्धदेव: संज्ञायामास भारत । श्रद्धायां जनयामास दश पुत्रान् स आत्मवान् ॥ ११ ॥ इक्ष्वाकुनृगशर्यातिदिष्टधृष्टकरूषकान् । नरिष्यन्तं पृषध्रं च नभगं च कविं विभु: ॥ १२ ॥
tato manuh sraddhadevah samjnayam asa bharata sraddhayam janayam asa dasa putran sa atmavan iksvaku-nrga-saryati- dista-dhrsta-karusakan narisyantam prsadhram ca nabhagam ca kavim vibhuh
O King, best of the Bharata dynasty, from Vivasvan, by the womb of Samjna, Sraddhadeva Manu was born. Sraddhadeva Manu, having conquered his senses, begot ten sons in the womb of his wife, Sraddha. The names of these sons were Iksvaku, Nrga, Saryati, Dista, Dhrsta, Karusaka, Narisyanta, Prsadhra, Nabhaga and Kavi.
अप्रजस्य मनो: पूर्वं वसिष्ठो भगवान् किल । मित्रावरुणयोरिष्टिं प्रजार्थमकरोद् विभु: ॥ १३ ॥
aprajasya manoh purvam vasistho bhagavan kila mitra-varunayor istim prajartham akarod vibhuh
Manu at first had no sons. Therefore, in order to get a son for him, the great saint Vasistha, who was very powerful in spiritual knowledge, performed a sacrifice to satisfy the demigods Mitra and Varuna.
तत्र श्रद्धा मनो: पत्नी होतारं समयाचत । दुहित्रर्थमुपागम्य प्रणिपत्य पयोव्रता ॥ १४ ॥
tatra sraddha manoh patni hotaram samayacata duhitrartham upagamya pranipatya payovrata
During that sacrifice, Sraddha, Manu’s wife, who was observing the vow of subsisting only by drinking milk, approached the priest offering the sacrifice, offered obeisances to him and begged for a daughter.
प्रेषितोऽध्वर्युणा होता व्यचरत् तत् समाहित: । गृहीते हविषि वाचा वषट्कारं गृणन्द्विज: ॥ १५ ॥
presito ’dhvaryuna hota vyacarat tat samahitah grhite havisi vaca vasat-karam grnan dvijah
Told by the chief priest Now offer oblations the person in charge of oblations took clarified butter to offer.
होतुस्तद्व्यभिचारेण कन्येला नाम साभवत् । तां विलोक्य मनु: प्राह नातितुष्टमना गुरुम् ॥ १६ ॥
hotus tad-vyabhicarena kanyela nama sabhavat tam vilokya manuh praha natitustamana gurum
Manu had begun that sacrifice for the sake of getting a son, but because the priest was diverted by the request of Manu’s wife, a daughter named Ila was born. Upon seeing the daughter, Manu was not very satisfied. Thus he spoke to his guru, Vasistha, as follows.
भगवन् किमिदं जातं कर्म वो ब्रह्मवादिनाम् । विपर्ययमहो कष्टं मैवं स्याद् ब्रह्मविक्रिया ॥ १७ ॥
bhagavan kim idam jatam karma vo brahma-vadinam viparyayam aho kastam maivam syad brahma-vikriya
My lord, all of you are expert in chanting the Vedic mantras. How then has the result been opposite to the one desired? This is a matter for lamentation. There should not have been such a reversal of the results of the Vedic mantras.
यूयं ब्रह्मविदो युक्तास्तपसा दग्धकिल्बिषा: । कुत: सङ्कल्पवैषम्यमनृतं विबुधेष्विव ॥ १८ ॥
yuyam brahma-vido yuktas tapasa dagdha-kilbisah kutah sankalpa-vaisamyam anrtam vibudhesv iva
You are all self-controlled, well balanced in mind, and aware of the Absolute Truth. And because of austerities and penances you are completely cleansed of all material contamination. Your words, like those of the demigods, are never baffled. Then how is it possible that your determination has failed?
निशम्य तद् वचस्तस्य भगवान् प्रपितामह: । होतुर्व्यतिक्रमं ज्ञात्वा बभाषे रविनन्दनम् ॥ १९ ॥
nisamya tad vacas tasya bhagavan prapitamahah hotur vyatikramam jnatva babhase ravi-nandanam
The most powerful great-grandfather Vasistha, after hearing these words of Manu, understood the discrepancy on the part of the priest. Thus he spoke as follows to the son of the sun-god.
एतत् सङ्कल्पवैषम्यं होतुस्ते व्यभिचारत: । तथापि साधयिष्ये ते सुप्रजास्त्वं स्वतेजसा ॥ २० ॥
etat sankalpa-vaisamyam hotus te vyabhicaratah tathapi sadhayisye te suprajastvam sva-tejasa
This discrepancy in the objective is due to your priest’s deviation from the original purpose. However, by my own prowess I shall give you a good son.
एवं व्यवसितो राजन् भगवान् स महायशा: । अस्तौषीदादिपुरुषमिलाया: पुंस्त्वकाम्यया ॥ २१ ॥
evam vyavasito rajan bhagavan sa maha-yasah astausid adi-purusam ilayah pumstva-kamyaya
Sukadeva Gosvami said: O King Pariksit, after the most famous and powerful Vasistha made this decision, he offered prayers to the Supreme Person, Visnu, to transform Ila into a male.
तस्मै कामवरं तुष्टो भगवान् हरिरीश्वर: । ददाविलाभवत् तेन सुद्युम्न: पुरुषर्षभ: ॥ २२ ॥
tasmai kama-varam tusto bhagavan harir isvarah dadav ilabhavat tena sudyumnah purusarsabhah
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme controller, being pleased with Vasistha, gave him the benediction he desired. Thus Ila was transformed into a very fine male named Sudyumna.
स एकदा महाराज विचरन् मृगयां वने । वृत: कतिपयामात्यैरश्वमारुह्य सैन्धवम् ॥ २३ ॥ प्रगृह्य रुचिरं चापं शरांश्च परमाद्भुतान् । दंशितोऽनुमृगं वीरो जगाम दिशमुत्तराम् ॥ २४ ॥
sa ekada maharaja vicaran mrgayam vane vrtah katipayamatyair asvam aruhya saindhavam pragrhya ruciram capam sarams ca paramadbhutan damsito ’numrgam viro jagama disam uttaram
O King Pariksit, that hero Sudyumna, accompanied by a few ministers and associates and riding on a horse brought from Sindhupradesa, once went into the forest to hunt. He wore armor and was decorated with bows and arrows, and he was very beautiful. While following the animals and killing them, he reached the northern part of the forest.
सुकुमारवनं मेरोरधस्तात् प्रविवेश ह । यत्रास्ते भगवाञ्छर्वो रममाण: सहोमया ॥ २५ ॥
sukumara-vanam meror adhastat pravivesa ha yatraste bhagavan charvo ramamanah sahomaya
There in the north, at the bottom of Mount Meru, is a forest known as Sukumara where Lord Siva always enjoys with Uma. Sudyumna entered that forest.
तस्मिन् प्रविष्ट एवासौ सुद्युम्न: परवीरहा । अपश्यत् स्रियमात्मानमश्वं च वडवां नृप ॥ २६ ॥
tasmin pravista evasau sudyumnah para-vira-ha apasyat striyam atmanam asvam ca vadavam nrpa
O King Pariksit, as soon as Sudyumna, who was expert in subduing enemies, entered the forest, he saw himself transformed into a female and his horse transformed into a mare.
तथा तदनुगा: सर्वे आत्मलिङ्गविपर्ययम् । दृष्ट्वा विमनसोऽभूवन् वीक्षमाणा: परस्परम् ॥ २७ ॥
tatha tad-anugah sarve atma-linga-viparyayam drstva vimanaso ’bhuvan viksamanah parasparam
When his followers also saw their identities transformed and their sex reversed, they were all very morose and just looked at one another.
श्रीराजोवाच कथमेवं गुणो देश: केन वा भगवन् कृत: । प्रश्नमेनं समाचक्ष्व परं कौतूहलं हि न: ॥ २८ ॥
sri-rajovaca katham evam guno desah kena va bhagavan krtah prasnam enam samacaksva param kautuhalam hi nah
Maharaja Pariksit said: O most powerful brahmana, why was this place so empowered, and who made it so powerful? Kindly answer this question, for I am very eager to hear about this.
श्रीशुक उवाच एकदा गिरिशं द्रष्टुमृषयस्तत्र सुव्रता: । दिशो वितिमिराभासा: कुर्वन्त: समुपागमन् ॥ २९ ॥
sri-suka uvaca ekada girisam drastum rsayas tatra suvratah diso vitimirabhasah kurvantah samupagaman
Sukadeva Gosvami answered: Great saintly persons who strictly observed the spiritual rules and regulations and whose own effulgence dissipated all the darkness of all directions once came to see Lord Siva in that forest.
तान् विलोक्याम्बिका देवी विवासा व्रीडिता भृशम् । भर्तुरङ्कात् समुत्थाय नीवीमाश्वथ पर्यधात् ॥ ३० ॥
tan vilokyambika devi vivasa vridita bhrsam bhartur ankat samutthaya nivim asv atha paryadhat
When the goddess Ambika saw the great saintly persons, she was very much ashamed because at that time she was naked. She immediately got up from the lap of her husband and tried to cover her breast.
ऋषयोऽपि तयोर्वीक्ष्य प्रसङ्गं रममाणयो: । निवृत्ता: प्रययुस्तस्मान्नरनारायणाश्रमम् ॥ ३१ ॥
rsayo ’pi tayor viksya prasangam ramamanayoh nivrttah prayayus tasman nara-narayanasramam
Seeing Lord Siva and Parvati engaged in sexual affairs, all the great saintly persons immediately desisted from going further and departed for the asrama of Nara-Narayana.
तदिदं भगवानाह प्रियाया: प्रियकाम्यया । स्थानं य: प्रविशेदेतत् स वै योषिद् भवेदिति ॥ ३२ ॥
tad idam bhagavan aha priyayah priya-kamyaya sthanam yah pravised etat sa vai yosid bhaved iti
Thereupon, just to please his wife, Lord Siva said, “Any male entering this place shall immediately become a female!”
तत ऊर्ध्वं वनं तद् वै पुरुषा वर्जयन्ति हि । सा चानुचरसंयुक्ता विचचार वनाद् वनम् ॥ ३३ ॥
tata urdhvam vanam tad vai purusa varjayanti hi sa canucara-samyukta vicacara vanad vanam
Since that time, no male had entered that forest. But now King Sudyumna, having been transformed into a female, began to walk with his associates from one forest to another.
अथ तामाश्रमाभ्याशे चरन्तीं प्रमदोत्तमाम् । स्रीभि: परिवृतां वीक्ष्य चकमे भगवान् बुध: ॥ ३४ ॥
atha tam asramabhyase carantim pramadottamam stribhih parivrtam viksya cakame bhagavan budhah
Sudyumna had been transformed into the best of beautiful women who excite sexual desire and was surrounded by other women. Upon seeing this beautiful woman loitering near his asrama, Budha, the son of the moon, immediately desired to enjoy her.
सापि तं चकमे सुभ्रू: सोमराजसुतं पतिम् । स तस्यां जनयामास पुरूरवसमात्मजम् ॥ ३५ ॥
sapi tam cakame subhruh somaraja-sutam patim sa tasyam janayam asa pururavasam atmajam
The beautiful woman also desired to accept Budha, the son of the king of the moon, as her husband. Thus Budha begot in her womb a son named Pururava.
एवं स्रीत्वमनुप्राप्त: सुद्युम्नो मानवो नृप: । सस्मार स कुलाचार्यं वसिष्ठमिति शुश्रुम ॥ ३६ ॥
evam stritvam anupraptah sudyumno manavo nrpah sasmara sa kulacaryam vasistham iti susruma
I heard from reliable sources that King Sudyumna, the son of Manu, having thus achieved femininity, remembered his familial spiritual master, Vasistha.
स तस्य तां दशां दृष्ट्वा कृपया भृशपीडित: । सुद्युम्नस्याशयन् पुंस्त्वमुपाधावत शङ्करम् ॥ ३७ ॥
sa tasya tam dasam drstva krpaya bhrsa-piditah sudyumnasyasayan pumstvam upadhavata sankaram
Upon seeing Sudyumna’s deplorable condition, Vasistha was very much aggrieved. Desiring for Sudyumna to regain his maleness, Vasistha again began to worship Lord Sankara (Siva).
तुष्टस्तस्मै स भगवानृषये प्रियमावहन् । स्वां च वाचमृतां कुर्वन्निदमाह विशाम्पते ॥ ३८ ॥ मासं पुमान् स भविता मासं स्री तव गोत्रज: । इत्थं व्यवस्थया कामं सुद्युम्नोऽवतु मेदिनीम् ॥ ३९ ॥
tustas tasmai sa bhagavan rsaye priyam avahan svam ca vacam rtam kurvann idam aha visampate masam puman sa bhavita masam stri tava gotrajah ittham vyavasthaya kamam sudyumno ’vatu medinim
O King Pariksit, Lord Siva was pleased with Vasistha. Therefore, to satisfy him and to keep his own word to Parvati, Lord Siva said to that saintly person, “Your disciple Sudyumna may remain a male for one month and a female for the next. In this way he may rule the world as he likes.”
आचार्यानुग्रहात् कामं लब्ध्वा पुंस्त्वं व्यवस्थया । पालयामास जगतीं नाभ्यनन्दन् स्म तं प्रजा: ॥ ४० ॥
acaryanugrahat kamam labdhva pumstvam vyavasthaya palayam asa jagatim nabhyanandan sma tam prajah
Thus being favored by the spiritual master, according to the words of Lord Siva, Sudyumna regained his desired maleness every alternate month and in this way ruled the kingdom, although the citizens were not satisfied with this.
तस्योत्कलो गयो राजन् विमलश्च त्रय: सुता: । दक्षिणापथराजानो बभूवुर्धर्मवत्सला: ॥ ४१ ॥
tasyotkalo gayo rajan vimalas ca trayah sutah daksina-patha-rajano babhuvur dharma-vatsalah
O King, Sudyumna had three very pious sons, named Utkala, Gaya and Vimala, who became the kings of the Daksina-patha.
तत: परिणते काले प्रतिष्ठानपति: प्रभु: । पुरूरवस उत्सृज्य गां पुत्राय गतो वनम् ॥ ४२ ॥
tatah parinate kale pratisthana-patih prabhuh pururavasa utsrjya gam putraya gato vanam
Thereafter, when the time was ripe, when Sudyumna, the king of the world, was sufficiently old, he delivered the entire kingdom to his son Pururava and entered the forest.
