Srimad Bhagavatam · Canto 9 · Chapter 13

The Dynasty of Mahārāja Nimi

9.13.1

श्रीशुक उवाच निमिरिक्ष्वाकुतनयो वसिष्ठमवृतर्त्विजम् । आरभ्य सत्रं सोऽप्याह शक्रेण प्राग्वृतोऽस्मि भो: ॥ १ ॥

sri-suka uvaca nimir iksvaku-tanayo vasistham avrtartvijam arabhya satram so ’py aha sakrena prag vrto ’smi bhoh

Srila Sukadeva Gosvami said: After beginning sacrifices, Maharaja Nimi, the son of Iksvaku, requested the great sage Vasistha to take the post of chief priest. At that time, Vasistha replied, My dear Maharaja Nimi, I have already accepted the same post in a sacrifice begun by Lord Indra.

9.13.2

तं निर्वर्त्यागमिष्यामि तावन्मां प्रतिपालय । तूष्णीमासीद् गृहपति: सोऽपीन्द्रस्याकरोन्मखम् ॥ २ ॥

tam nirvartyagamisyami tavan mam pratipalaya tusnim asid grha-patih so ’pindrasyakaron makham

I shall return here after finishing the yajna for Indra. Kindly wait for me until then Maharaja Nimi remained silent, and Vasistha began to perform the sacrifice for Lord Indra.

9.13.3

निमिश्चलमिदं विद्वान् सत्रमारभतात्मवान् । ऋत्विग्भिरपरैस्तावन्नागमद् यावता गुरु: ॥ ३ ॥

nimis calam idam vidvan satram arabhatatmavan rtvigbhir aparais tavan nagamad yavata guruh

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

9.13.4

शिष्यव्यतिक्रमं वीक्ष्य तं निर्वर्त्यागतो गुरु: । अशपत् पतताद् देहो निमे: पण्डितमानिन: ॥ ४ ॥

sisya-vyatikramam viksya tam nirvartyagato guruh asapat patatad deho nimeh pandita-maninah

After completing the sacrificial performance for King Indra, the spiritual master Vasistha returned and found that his disciple Maharaja Nimi had disobeyed his instructions.

9.13.5

निमि: प्रतिददौ शापं गुरवेऽधर्मवर्तिने । तवापि पतताद् देहो लोभाद्धर्ममजानत: ॥ ५ ॥

nimih pratidadau sapam gurave ’dharma-vartine tavapi patatad deho lobhad dharmam ajanatah

For unnecessarily cursing him when he had committed no offense, Maharaja 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

9.13.6

इत्युत्ससर्ज स्वं देहं निमिरध्यात्मकोविद: । मित्रावरुणयोर्जज्ञे उर्वश्यां प्रपितामह: ॥ ६ ॥

ity utsasarja svam deham nimir adhyatma-kovidah mitra-varunayor jajne urvasyam prapitamahah

After saying this, Maharaja Nimi, who was expert in the science of spiritual knowledge, gave up his body. Vasistha, the great-grandfather, gave up his body also, but through the semen discharged by Mitra and Varuna when they saw Urvasi, he was born again.

9.13.7

गन्धवस्तुषु तद् देहं निधाय मुनिसत्तमा: । समाप्ते सत्रयागे च देवानूचु: समागतान् ॥ ७ ॥

gandha-vastusu tad-deham nidhaya muni-sattamah samapte satra-yage ca devan ucuh samagatan

During the performance of the yajna, the body relinquished by Maharaja Nimi was preserved in fragrant substances, and at the end of the Satra-yaga the great saints and brahmanas made the following request to all the demigods assembled there.

9.13.8

राज्ञो जीवतु देहोऽयं प्रसन्ना: प्रभवो यदि । तथेत्युक्ते निमि: प्राह मा भून्मे देहबन्धनम् ॥ ८ ॥

rajno jivatu deho ’yam prasannah prabhavo yadi tathety ukte nimih praha ma bhun me deha-bandhanam

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

9.13.9

यस्य योगं न वाञ्छन्ति वियोगभयकातरा: । भजन्ति चरणाम्भोजं मुनयो हरिमेधस: ॥ ९ ॥

yasya yogam na vanchanti viyoga-bhaya-katarah bhajanti caranambhojam munayo hari-medhasah

Maharaja Nimi continued: Mayavadis 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.

9.13.10

देहं नावरुरुत्सेऽहं दु:खशोकभयावहम् । सर्वत्रास्य यतो मृत्युर्मत्स्यानामुदके यथा ॥ १० ॥

deham navarurutse ’ham duhkha-soka-bhayavaham sarvatrasya yato mrtyur matsyanam udake yatha

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.

9.13.11

देवा ऊचु: विदेह उष्यतां कामं लोचनेषु शरीरिणाम् । उन्मेषणनिमेषाभ्यां लक्षितोऽध्यात्मसंस्थित: ॥ ११ ॥

deva ucuh videha usyatam kamam locanesu saririnam unmesana-nimesabhyam laksito ’dhyatma-samsthitah

The demigods said: Let Maharaja 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.

9.13.12

अराजकभयं नृणां मन्यमाना महर्षय: । देहं ममन्थु: स्म निमे: कुमार: समजायत ॥ १२ ॥

arajaka-bhayam nrnam manyamana maharsayah deham mamanthuh sma nimeh kumarah samajayata

Thereafter, to save the people from the danger of an unregulated government, the sages churned Maharaja Nimi’s material body, from which, as a result, a son was born.

9.13.13

जन्मना जनक: सोऽभूद् वैदेहस्तु विदेहज: । मिथिलो मथनाज्जातो मिथिला येन निर्मिता ॥ १३ ॥

janmana janakah so ’bhud vaidehas tu videhajah mithilo mathanaj jato mithila yena nirmita

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 Mithila.

9.13.14

तस्मादुदावसुस्तस्य पुत्रोऽभून्नन्दिवर्धन: । तत: सुकेतुस्तस्यापि देवरातो महीपते ॥ १४ ॥

tasmad udavasus tasya putro ’bhun nandivardhanah tatah suketus tasyapi devarato mahipate

O King Pariksit, from Mithila came a son named Udavasu; from Udavasu, Nandivardhana; from Nandivardhana, Suketu; and from Suketu, Devarata.

9.13.15

तस्माद् बृहद्रथस्तस्य महावीर्य: सुधृत्पिता । सुधृतेर्धृष्टकेतुर्वै हर्यश्वोऽथ मरुस्तत: ॥ १५ ॥

tasmad brhadrathas tasya mahaviryah sudhrt-pita sudhrter dhrstaketur vai haryasvo ’tha marus tatah

From Devarata came a son named Brhadratha and from Brhadratha a son named Mahavirya, who became the father of Sudhrti. The son of Sudhrti was known as Dhrstaketu, and from Dhrstaketu came Haryasva. From Haryasva came a son named Maru.

9.13.16

मरो: प्रतीपकस्तस्माज्जात: कृतरथो यत: । देवमीढस्तस्य पुत्रो विश्रुतोऽथ महाधृति: ॥ १६ ॥

maroh pratipakas tasmaj jatah krtaratho yatah devamidhas tasya putro visruto ’tha mahadhrtih

The son of Maru was Pratipaka, and the son of Pratipaka was Krtaratha. From Krtaratha came Devamidha; from Devamidha, Visruta; and from Visruta, Mahadhrti.

9.13.17

कृतिरातस्ततस्तस्मान्महारोमा च तत्सुत: । स्वर्णरोमा सुतस्तस्य ह्रस्वरोमा व्यजायत ॥ १७ ॥

krtiratas tatas tasman maharoma ca tat-sutah svarnaroma sutas tasya hrasvaroma vyajayata

From Mahadhrti was born a son named Krtirata, from Krtirata was born Maharoma, from Maharoma came a son named Svarnaroma, and from Svarnaroma came Hrasvaroma.

9.13.18

तत: शीरध्वजो जज्ञे यज्ञार्थं कर्षतो महीम् । सीता शीराग्रतो जाता तस्मात् शीरध्वज: स्मृत: ॥ १८ ॥

tatah siradhvajo jajne yajnartham karsato mahim sita siragrato jata tasmat siradhvajah smrtah

From Hrasvaroma came a son named Siradhvaja (also called Janaka). When Siradhvaja was plowing a field, from the front of his plow (sira) appeared a daughter named Sitadevi, who later became the wife of Lord Ramacandra. Thus he was known as Siradhvaja.

9.13.19

कुशध्वजस्तस्य पुत्रस्ततो धर्मध्वजो नृप: । धर्मध्वजस्य द्वौ पुत्रौ कृतध्वजमितध्वजौ ॥ १९ ॥

kusadhvajas tasya putras tato dharmadhvajo nrpah dharmadhvajasya dvau putrau krtadhvaja-mitadhvajau

The son of Siradhvaja was Kusadhvaja, and the son of Kusadhvaja was King Dharmadhvaja, who had two sons, namely Krtadhvaja and Mitadhvaja.

9.13.20-21

कृतध्वजात् केशिध्वज: खाण्डिक्यस्तु मितध्वजात् । कृतध्वजसुतो राजन्नात्मविद्याविशारद: ॥ २० ॥ खाण्डिक्य: कर्मतत्त्वज्ञो भीत: केशिध्वजाद्‍द्रुत: । भानुमांस्तस्य पुत्रोऽभूच्छतद्युम्नस्तु तत्सुत: ॥ २१ ॥

krtadhvajat kesidhvajah khandikyas tu mitadhvajat krtadhvaja-suto rajann atma-vidya-visaradah khandikyah karma-tattva-jno bhitah kesidhvajad drutah bhanumams tasya putro ’bhuc chatadyumnas tu tat-sutah

O Maharaja Pariksit, the son of Krtadhvaja was Kesidhvaja, and the son of Mitadhvaja was Khandikya. The son of Krtadhvaja was expert in spiritual knowledge, and the son of Mitadhvaja was expert in Vedic ritualistic ceremonies. Khandikya fled in fear of Kesidhvaja. The son of Kesidhvaja was Bhanuman, and the son of Bhanuman was Satadyumna.

9.13.22

शुचिस्तुतनयस्तस्मात् सनद्वाज: सुतोऽभवत् । ऊर्जकेतु: सनद्वाजादजोऽथ पुरुजित्सुत: ॥ २२ ॥

sucis tu tanayas tasmat sanadvajah suto ’bhavat urjaketuh sanadvajad ajo ’tha purujit sutah

The son of Satadyumna was named Suci. From Suci, Sanadvaja was born, and from Sanadvaja came a son named Urjaketu. The son of Urjaketu was Aja, and the son of Aja was Purujit.

9.13.23

अरिष्टनेमिस्तस्यापि श्रुतायुस्तत्सुपार्श्वक: । ततश्चित्ररथो यस्य क्षेमाधिर्मिथिलाधिप: ॥ २३ ॥

aristanemis tasyapi srutayus tat suparsvakah tatas citraratho yasya ksemadhir mithiladhipah

The son of Purujit was Aristanemi, and his son was Srutayu. Srutayu begot a son named Suparsvaka, and Suparsvaka begot Citraratha. The son of Citraratha was Ksemadhi, who became the king of Mithila.

9.13.24

तस्मात् समरथस्तस्य सुत: सत्यरथस्तत: । आसीदुपगुरुस्तस्मादुपगुप्तोऽग्निसम्भव: ॥ २४ ॥

tasmat samarathas tasya sutah satyarathas tatah asid upagurus tasmad upagupto ’gni-sambhavah

The son of Ksemadhi 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.

9.13.25

वस्वनन्तोऽथ तत्पुत्रो युयुधो यत् सुभाषण: । श्रुतस्ततो जयस्तस्माद् विजयोऽस्माद‍ृत: सुत: ॥ २५ ॥

vasvananto ’tha tat-putro yuyudho yat subhasanah srutas tato jayas tasmad vijayo ’smad rtah sutah

The son of Upagupta was Vasvananta, the son of Vasvananta was Yuyudha, the son of Yuyudha was Subhasana, and the son of Subhasana was Sruta. The son of Sruta was Jaya, from whom there came Vijaya. The son of Vijaya was Rta.

9.13.26

शुनकस्तत्सुतो जज्ञे वीतहव्यो धृतिस्तत: । बहुलाश्वो धृतेस्तस्य कृतिरस्य महावशी ॥ २६ ॥

sunakas tat-suto jajne vitahavyo dhrtis tatah bahulasvo dhrtes tasya krtir asya mahavasi

The son of Rta was Sunaka, the son of Sunaka was Vitahavya, the son of Vitahavya was Dhrti, and the son of Dhrti was Bahulasva. The son of Bahulasva was Krti, and his son was Mahavasi.

9.13.27

एते वै मैथिला राजन्नात्मविद्याविशारदा: । योगेश्वरप्रसादेन द्वन्द्वैर्मुक्ता गृहेष्वपि ॥ २७ ॥

ete vai maithila rajann atma-vidya-visaradah yogesvara-prasadena dvandvair mukta grhesv api

Sukadeva Gosvami said: My dear King Pariksit, 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.