Chapter Twenty-five

      The Descriptions of the Characteristics of King Puranjana

 

                                TEXT 1

 

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                            maitreya uvaca

                        iti sandisya bhagavan

                       barhisadair abhipujitah

                        pasyatam raja-putranam

                       tatraivantardadhe harah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   maitreyah uvaca--the great sage Maitreya continued to speak; iti--thus; sandisya--giving instruction; bhagavan--the most powerful lord; barhisadaih--by the sons of King Barhisat; abhipujitah--being worshiped; pasyatam--while they were looking on; raja-putranam--the sons of the King; tatra--there; eva--certainly; antardadhe--became invisible; harah--Lord Siva.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The great sage Maitreya continued speaking to Vidura: My dear Vidura, in this way Lord Siva instructed the sons of King Barhisat. The sons of the King also worshiped Lord Siva with great devotion and respect. Finally, Lord Siva became invisible to the princes.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This chapter contains a great lesson concerning the monarchical kingdom in the days of yore. When King Barhisat was considering retiring from the royal duties, he sent his sons to perform austerities in order to become perfect kings for the welfare of the citizens. At the same time, King Barhisat was being instructed by the great sage Narada about the material world and the living entity who wants to enjoy it. It is therefore very clear how the kings and princes were trained to take charge of a kingdom. Welfare activities for the benefit of the citizens were aimed at understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The human form of life is especially meant for understanding God, our relationship with Him and our activities in His service. Because the kings took charge of the spiritual education of the citizens, both the king and the citizens were happy in Krsna consciousness. In this regard, we should remember that the monarchical hierarchy of Pracinabarhisat comes from Maharaja Dhruva, a great devotee of the Lord and the most celebrated disciple of Narada Muni. King Pracinabarhisat was then too much engaged in fruitive activities due to performing different types of yajnas. One can actually be promoted to higher planetary systems or to the heavenly kingdoms by performing various yajnas, but there is no question of liberation or going back home, back to Godhead. When the great sage Narada saw that a descendant of Maharaja Dhruva was being misled by fruitive activities, Narada took compassion upon him and personally came to instruct him about the ultimate benediction of life, bhakti-yoga. How Narada Muni indirectly introduced the bhakti-yoga system to King Pracinabarhisat is very interestingly described in this Twenty-fifth Chapter.

 

                                TEXT 2

 

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                        rudra-gitam bhagavatah

                       stotram sarve pracetasah

                       japantas te tapas tepur

                         varsanam ayutam jale

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   rudra-gitam--the song sung by Lord Siva; bhagavatah--of the Lord; stotram--prayer; sarve--all; pracetasah--the princes known as the Pracetas; japantah--reciting; te--all of them; tapah--austerity; tepuh--executed; varsanam--of years; ayutam--ten thousand; jale--within the water.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   All the Praceta princes simply stood in the water for ten thousand years and recited the prayers given to them by Lord Siva.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Of course in the modern age one may be amazed how the princes could stand in the water for ten thousand years. However, living within air or living within water is the same process; one simply has to learn how to do it. The aquatics live within water for their whole life-span. Certain favorable conditions are created to enable them to live within water. In those days, however, people used to live for one hundred thousand years. Out of so many years, if one could spare ten thousand years for the sake of austerity, he would be assured of success in his future life. This was not very astonishing. Although such a feat is impossible in this age, it was quite possible in Satya-yuga.

 

                                TEXT 3

 

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                       pracinabarhisam ksattah

                        karmasv asakta-manasam

                     narado 'dhyatma-tattva-jnah

                        krpaluh pratyabodhayat

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   pracinabarhisam--unto King Pracinabarhisat; ksattah--O Vidura; karmasu--in fruitive activities; asakta--attached; manasam--with this mentality; naradah--the great sage Narada; adhyatma--spiritualism; tattva-jnah--one who knows the truth; krpaluh--being compassionate; pratyabodhayat--gave instructions.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   While the princes were undergoing severe austerities in the water, their father was performing different types of fruitive activities. At this time the great saint Narada, master and teacher of all spiritual life, became very compassionate upon the King and decided to instruct him about spiritual life.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   As pointed out by Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura, a great devotee of Lord Caitanya, kaivalya, or merging into the Brahman effulgence, is just like going to hell. He similarly states that elevation to the upper planetary systems for the enjoyment of heavenly life is just so much phantasmagoria. This means that a devotee does not give any importance to the ultimate goal of the karmis and jnanis. The ultimate goal of the karmis is promotion to the heavenly kingdom, and the ultimate goal of the jnanis is merging into the Brahman effulgence. Of course, the jnanis are superior to the karmis, as confirmed by Lord Caitanya. Koti-karmanistha-madhye eka 'jnani' srestha: "one jnani, or impersonalist, is better than many thousands of fruitive actors." (Cc. Madhya 19.147) Therefore a devotee never enters upon the path of karma, or elevation by fruitive activities. Narada Muni took compassion upon King Pracinabarhisat when he saw the King engaged in fruitive activity. In comparison to mundane workers, those who are trying to be elevated to the higher planetary systems by performing yajnas are undoubtedly superior. In pure devotional service, however, both karma and jnana are considered bewildering features of the illusory energy.

 

                                TEXT 4

 

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                      sreyas tvam katamad rajan

                          karmanatmana ihase

                       duhkha-hanih sukhavaptih

                       sreyas tan neha cesyate

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sreyah--ultimate benediction; tvam--you; katamat--what is that; rajan--O King; karmana--by fruitive activities; atmanah--of the soul; ihase--you desire; duhkha-hanih--disappearance of all distresses; sukha-avaptih--attainment of all happiness; sreyah--benediction; tat--that; na--never; iha--in this connection; ca--and; isyate--is available.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Narada Muni asked King Pracinabarhisat: My dear King, what do you desire to achieve by performing these fruitive activities? The chief aim of life is to get rid of all miseries and enjoy happiness, but these two things cannot be realized by fruitive activity.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In this material world there is a great illusion which covers real intelligence. A man in the mode of passion wants to work very hard to derive some benefit, but he does not know that time will never allow him to enjoy anything permanently. Compared with the work one expends, the gain is not so profitable. Even if it is profitable, it is not without its distresses. If a man is not born rich and he wants to purchase a house, cars and other material things, he has to work hard day and night for many years in order to possess them. Thus happiness is not attained without undergoing some distress.

   Actually, pure happiness cannot be had within this material world. If we wish to enjoy something, we must suffer for something else. On the whole, suffering is the nature of this material world, and whatever enjoyment we are trying to achieve is simply illusion. After all, we have to suffer the miseries of birth, old age, disease and death. We may discover many fine medicines, but it is not possible to stop the sufferings of disease or death. Actually, medicine is not the counteracting agent for either disease or death. On the whole there is no happiness in this material world, but an illusioned person works very hard for so-called happiness. Indeed, this process of working hard is actually taken for happiness. This is called illusion.

   Therefore Narada Muni asked King Pracinabarhisat what he desired to attain by performing so many costly sacrifices. Even if one attains a heavenly planet, he cannot avoid the distresses of birth, old age, disease and death. Someone may argue that even devotees have to undergo many distresses in executing austerities and penances connected with devotional service. Of course, for the neophytes the routine of devotional service may be very painful, but at least they have the hope that they will ultimately be able to avoid all kinds of distresses and achieve the highest perfectional stage of happiness. For the common karmis, there is no such hope because even if they are promoted to the higher planetary systems, they are not guaranteed freedom from the miseries of birth, old age, disease and death. Even Lord Brahma, who is situated in the highest planetary system (Brahmaloka), has to die. Lord Brahma's birth and death may be different from an ordinary man's, but within this material world he cannot avoid the distresses of birth, old age, disease and death. If one is at all serious about attaining liberation from these miseries, he must take to devotional service. This is confirmed by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gita (4.9):

 

                       janma karma ca me divyam

                       evam yo vetti tattvatah

                      tyaktva deham punar janma

                       naiti mam eti so 'rjuna

 

   "One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna."

   Thus after attaining full Krsna consciousness, the devotee does not return to this material world after death. He goes back home, back to Godhead. That is the perfect stage of happiness, unblemished by any trace of distress.

 

                                TEXT 5

 

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                               rajovaca

                         na janami maha-bhaga

                       param karmapaviddha-dhih

                       bruhi me vimalam jnanam

                        yena mucyeya karmabhih

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   raja uvaca--the King replied; na--not; janami--I know; maha-bhaga--O great soul; param--transcendental; karma--by fruitive activities; apaviddha--being pierced; dhih--my intelligence; bruhi--please tell; me--to me; vimalam--spotless; jnanam--knowledge; yena--by which; mucyeya--I can get relief; karmabhih--from the fruitive activities.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The King replied: O great soul, Narada, my intelligence is entangled in fruitive activities; therefore I do not know the ultimate goal of life. Kindly instruct me in pure knowledge so that I can get out of the entanglement of fruitive activities.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Sri Narottama dasa Thakura has sung:

 

                 sat-sanga chadi' kainu asate vilasa

               te-karane lagila ye karma-bandha-phansa

 

   As long as a person is entangled in fruitive activities, he is bound to accept one body after another. This is called karma-bandha-phansa--entanglement in fruitive activities. It does not matter whether one is engaged in pious or impious activities, for both are causes for further entanglement in material bodies. By pious activities one can take birth in a rich family and get a good education and a beautiful body, but this does not mean that the distresses of life are ultimately eliminated. In the Western countries it is not unusual for one to take birth in a rich aristocratic family, nor is it unusual for one to have a good education and a very beautiful body, but this does not mean that Westerners are free from the distresses of life. Although at the present moment the younger generation in Western countries has sufficient education, beauty and wealth, and although there is enough food, clothing, and facilities for sense gratification, they are in distress. Indeed, they are so distressed that they become hippies, and the laws of nature force them to accept a wretched life. Thus they go about unclean and without shelter or food, and they are forced to sleep in the street. It can be concluded that one cannot become happy by simply performing pious activities. It is not a fact that those who are born with a silver spoon in their mouth are free from the material miseries of birth, old age, disease and death. The conclusion is that one cannot be happy by simply executing pious or impious activities. Such activities simply cause entanglement and transmigration from one body to another. Narottama dasa Thakura calls this karma-bandha-phansa.

   King Pracinabarhisat admitted this fact and frankly asked Narada Muni how he could get out of this karma-bandha-phansa, entanglement in fruitive activities. This is actually the stage of knowledge indicated in the first verse of Vedanta-sutra: athato brahma jijnasa. When one actually reaches the platform of frustration in an attempt to discharge karma-bandha-phansa, he inquires about the real value of life, which is called brahma jijnasa. In order to inquire about the ultimate goal of life, the Vedas (Mundaka Upanisad 11.2.12) enjoin, tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet: "In order to understand the transcendental science, one must approach a bona fide spiritual master."

   King Pracinabarhisat found the best spiritual master, Narada Muni, and he therefore asked him about that knowledge by which one can get out of the entanglement of karma-bandha-phansa, fruitive activities. This is the actual business of human life. Jivasya tattva jijnasa nartho yas ceha karmabhih. As stated in the Second Chapter of the First Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.10), a human being's only business is inquiring from a bona fide spiritual master about extrication from the entanglement of karma-bandha-phansa.

 

                                TEXT 6

 

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                         grhesu kuta-dharmesu

                      putra-dara-dhanartha-dhih

                        na param vindate mudho

                      bhramyan samsara-vartmasu

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   grhesu--in family life; kuta-dharmesu--in false occupational duties; putra--sons; dara--wife; dhana--wealth; artha--the goal of life; dhih--one who considers; na--not; param--transcendence; vindate--achieves; mudhah--rascal; bhramyan--wandering; samsara--of material existence; vartmasu--on the paths.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Those who are interested only in a so-called beautiful life--namely remaining as a householder entangled by sons and a wife and searching after wealth--think that such things are life's ultimate goal. Such people simply wander in different types of bodies throughout this material existence without finding out the ultimate goal of life.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Those who are too much attached to family life--which consists of entanglement with wife, children, wealth and home--are engaged in kuta-dharma, pseudo duties. Prahlada Maharaja has likened these pseudo occupational duties to a dark well (andha-kupam). Prahlada has purposefully spoken of this dark well because if one falls into this well, he will die. He may cry for help, but no one will hear him or come to rescue him.

   The words bhramyan samsara-vartmasu are significant. In Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 19.151), Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu very clearly explains: brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva. All living entities are wandering in different types of bodies throughout different planets, and if, in the course of their wanderings, they come in contact with a devotee by the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, their lives become successful. Even though King Pracinabarhisat was engaged in fruitive activity, the great sage Narada appeared before him. The King was very fortunate to be able to associate with Narada, who enlightened him in spiritual knowledge. It is the duty of all saintly persons to follow in the footsteps of Narada Muni and travel all over the world to every country and village just to instruct illusioned persons about the goal of life and to save them from the entanglement of karma-bandha, fruitive activity.

 

                                TEXT 7

 

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                             narada uvaca

                       bho bhoh prajapate rajan

                       pasun pasya tvayadhvare

                       samjnapitan jiva-sanghan

                        nirghrnena sahasrasah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   naradah uvaca--the great sage Narada replied; bhoh bhoh--hello; praja-pate--O ruler of the citizens; rajan--O King; pasun--animals; pasya--please see; tvaya--by you; adhvare--in the sacrifice; samjnapitan--killed; jiva-sanghan--groups of animals; nirghrnena--without pity; sahasrasah--in thousands.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The great saint Narada said: O ruler of the citizens, my dear King, please see in the sky those animals which you have sacrificed without compassion and without mercy in the sacrificial arena.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Because animal sacrifice is recommended in the Vedas, there are animal sacrifices in almost all religious rituals. However, one should not be satisfied simply by killing animals according to the directions of the scriptures. One should transcend the ritualistic ceremonies and try to understand the actual truth, the purpose of life. Narada Muni wanted to instruct the King about the real purpose of life and invoke a spirit of renunciation in his heart. Knowledge and the spirit of renunciation (jnana-vairagya) are the ultimate goal of life. Without knowledge, one cannot become detached from material enjoyment, and without being detached from material enjoyment, one cannot make spiritual advancement. Karmis are generally engaged in sense gratification, and for this end they are prepared to commit so many sinful activities. Animal sacrifice is but one such sinful activity. Consequently, by his mystic power Narada Muni showed King Pracinabarhisat the dead animals which he had sacrificed.

 

                                TEXT 8

 

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                       ete tvam sampratiksante

                        smaranto vaisasam tava

                        samparetam ayah-kutais

                      chindanty utthita-manyavah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ete--all of them; tvam--you; sampratiksante--are awaiting; smarantah--remembering; vaisasam--injuries; tava--of you; samparetam--after your death; ayah--made of iron; kutaih--by the horns; chindanti--pierce; utthita--enlivened; manyavah--anger.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   All these animals are awaiting your death so that they can avenge the injuries you have inflicted upon them. After you die, they will angrily pierce your body with iron horns.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Narada Muni wanted to draw King Pracinabarhisat's attention to the excesses of killing animals in sacrifices. It is said in the sastras that by killing animals in a sacrifice, one immediately promotes them to human birth. Similarly, by killing their enemies on a battlefield, the ksatriyas who fight for a right cause are elevated to the heavenly planets after death. In Manu-samhita it is stated that it is necessary for a king to execute a murderer so that the murderer will not suffer for his criminal actions in his next life. On the basis of such understanding, Narada Muni warns the King that the animals killed in sacrifices by the King await him at his death in order to avenge themselves. Narada Muni is not contradicting himself here. Narada Muni wanted to convince the King that overindulgence in animal sacrifice is risky because as soon as there is a small discrepancy in the execution of such a sacrifice, the slaughtered animal may not be promoted to a human form of life. Consequently, the person performing sacrifice will be responsible for the death of the animal, just as much as a murderer is responsible for killing another man. When animals are killed in a slaughterhouse, six people connected with the killing are responsible for the murder. The person who gives permission for the killing, the person who kills, the person who helps, the person who purchases the meat, the person who cooks the flesh and the person who eats it, all become entangled in the killing. Narada Muni wanted to draw the King's attention to this fact. Thus animal-killing is not encouraged even in a sacrifice.

 

                                TEXT 9

 

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                       atra te kathayisye 'mum

                          itihasam puratanam

                         puranjanasya caritam

                         nibodha gadato mama

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   atra--herewith; te--unto you; kathayisye--I shall speak; amum--on this subject matter; itihasam--history; puratanam--very old; puranjanasya--in the matter of Puranjana; caritam--his character; nibodha--try to understand; gadatah mama--while I am speaking.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   In this connection I wish to narrate an old history connected with the character of a king called Puranjana. Please try to hear me with great attention.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The great sage Narada Muni turned toward another topic--the history of King Puranjana. This is nothing but the history of King Pracinabarhisat told in a different way. In other words, this is an allegorical presentation. The word puranjana means "one who enjoys in a body." This is clearly explained in the next few chapters. Because a person entangled in material activities wants to hear stories of material activities, Narada Muni turned to the topics of King Puranjana, who is none other than King Pracinabarhisat. Narada Muni did not directly deprecate the value of performing sacrifices in which animals are sacrificed. Lord Buddha, however, directly rejected all animal sacrifice. Srila Jayadeva Gosvami has stated: nindasi yajna-vidher ahaha sruti-jatam. The word sruti jatam indicates that in the Vedas animal sacrifice is recommended, but Lord Buddha directly denied Vedic authority in order to stop animal sacrifice. Consequently Lord Buddha is not accepted by the followers of the Vedas. Because he does not accept the authority of the Vedas, Lord Buddha is depicted as an agnostic or atheist. The great sage Narada cannot decry the authority of the Vedas, but he wanted to indicate to King Pracinabarhisat that the path of karma-kanda is very difficult and risky.

   Foolish persons accept the difficult path of karma-kanda for the sake of sense enjoyment, and those who are too much attached to sense enjoyment are called mudhas (rascals). It is very difficult for a mudha to understand the ultimate goal of life. In the propagation of the Krsna consciousness movement, we actually see that many people are not attracted because they are mudhas engaged in fruitive activity. It is said: upadeso hi murkhanam prakopaya na santaye. If good instructions are given to a foolish rascal, he simply becomes angry and turns against the instructions instead of taking advantage of them. Because Narada Muni knew this very well, he indirectly instructed the King by giving him the history of his entire life. In order to wear a gold or diamond nose pin or earring, one has to pierce the ear or nose. Such pain endured for the sake of sense gratification is endured on the path of karma-kanda, the path of fruitive activity. If one wishes to enjoy something in the future, he has to endure trouble in the present. If one wants to become a millionaire in the future and enjoy his riches, he has to work very hard at the present moment in order to accumulate money. This is karma-kandiya. Those who are too much attached to such a path undergo the risk anyway. Narada Muni wanted to show King Pracinabarhisat how one undergoes great troubles and miseries in order to engage in fruitive activity. A person who is very much attached to material activity is called visayi. A visayi is an enjoyer of visaya, which means eating, sleeping, mating and defending. Narada Muni is indirectly indicating through the story of King Puranjana that eating, sleeping, mating and defending are troublesome and risky.

   The words itihasam ("history") and puratanam ("old") indicate that although a living entity lives within the material body, the history of the living entity within the material body is very old. In this regard, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has sung, anadi karama-phale, padi' bhavarnava jale, taribare na dekhi upaya: "Due to my past fruitive activities I have fallen into the water of material existence, and I cannot find any way to get out of it." Every living entity is suffering in this material existence from past activities; therefore everyone has a very old history. Foolish material scientists have manufactured their own theories of evolution, which are simply concerned with the material body. But actually this is not the real evolution. The real evolution is the history of the living entity, who is puranjana, "living within the body." Sri Narada Muni will explain this evolutionary theory in a different way for the understanding of sane persons.

 

                               TEXT 10

 

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                         asit puranjano nama

                       raja rajan brhac-chravah

                         tasyavijnata-namasit

                        sakhavijnata-cestitah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   asit--there was; puranjanah--Puranjana; nama--named; raja--king; rajan--O King; brhat-sravah--whose activities were great; tasya--his; avijnata--the unknown one; nama--of the name; asit--there was; sakha--friend; avijnata--unknown; cestitah--whose activities.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   My dear King, once in the past lived a king named Puranjana, who was celebrated for his great activities. He had a friend named Avijnata ["the unknown one"]. No one could understand the activities of Avijnata.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Every living entity is puranjana. The word puram means "within this body, within this form," and jana means "living entity." Thus everyone is puranjana. Every living entity is supposed to be the king of his body because the living entity is given full freedom to use his body as he likes. He usually engages his body for sense gratification, because one who is in the bodily conception of life feels that the ultimate goal of life is to serve the senses. This is the process of karma-kanda. One who has no inner knowledge, who does not know that he is actually the spirit soul living within the body, who is simply enamored by the dictation of the senses, is called a materialist. A materialistic person interested in sense gratification can be called a puranjana. Because such a materialistic person utilizes his senses according to his whims, he may also be called a king. An irresponsible king takes the royal position to be his personal property and misuses his treasury for sense gratification.

   The word brhac-chravah is also significant. The word sravah means "fame." The living entity is famous from ancient times, for as stated in Bhagavad-gita (2.20), na jayate mriyate va: "The living entity is never born and never dies." Because he is eternal, his activities are eternal, although they are performed in different types of bodies. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire: "He does not die, even after the annihilation of the body." Thus the living entity transmigrates from one body to another and performs various activities. In each body the living entity performs so many acts. Sometimes he becomes a great hero--just like Hiranyakasipu and Kamsa or, in the modern age, Napoleon or Hitler. The activities of such men are certainly very great, but as soon as their bodies are finished, everything else is finished. Then they remain in name only. Therefore a living entity may be called brhac-chravah; he may have a great reputation for various types of activities. Nonetheless, he has a friend whom he does not know. Materialistic persons do not understand that God is present as the Supersoul, who is situated within the heart of every living entity. Although the Paramatma sits beside the jivatma as a friend, the jivatma, or living entity, does not know it. Consequently he is described as avijnata-sakha, meaning "one who has an unknown friend." The word avijnata-cestitah is also significant because a living entity works hard under the direction of the Paramatma and is carried away by the laws of nature. Nonetheless, he thinks himself independent of God and independent of the stringent laws of material nature. It is stated in Bhagavad-gita (2.24):

 

                      acchedyo 'yam adahyo 'yam

                        akledyo 'sosya eva ca

                      nityah sarva-gatah sthanur

                         acalo 'yam sanatanah

 

   "This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble and can be neither burned nor dried. He is everlasting, all-pervading, unchangeable, immovable and eternally the same."

   The living entity is sanatana, eternal. Because he cannot be killed by any weapon, burnt into ashes by fire, soaked or moistened by water, nor dried up by air, he is considered to be immune to material reactions. Although he is changing bodies, he is not affected by the material conditions. He is placed under the material conditions, and he acts according to the directions of his friend, the Supersoul. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (15.15):

 

                    sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto

                   mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca

 

   "I am seated in everyone's heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness." Thus the Lord as Paramatma is situated in everyone's heart, and He gives directions to the living entity to act in whatever way the living entity desires. In this life and in his previous lives the living entity does not know that the Lord is giving him a chance to fulfill all kinds of desires. No one can fulfill any desire without the sanction of the Lord. All the facilities given by the Lord are unknown to the conditioned soul.

 

                               TEXT 11

 

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                        so 'nvesamanah saranam

                      babhrama prthivim prabhuh

                         nanurupam yadavindad

                         abhut sa vimana iva

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sah--that King Puranjana; anvesamanah--searching after; saranam--shelter; babhrama--traveled over; prthivim--the whole planet earth; prabhuh--to become an independent master; na--never; anurupam--to his liking; yada--when; avindat--he could find; abhut--became; sah--he; vimanah--morose; iva--like.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   King Puranjana began to search for a suitable place to live, and thus he traveled all over the world. Even after a great deal of traveling, he could not find a place just to his liking. Finally he became morose and disappointed.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The travelings of Puranjana are similar to the travelings of the modern hippies. Generally hippies are sons of great fathers and great families. It is not that they are always poor. But some way or another they abandon the shelter of their rich fathers and travel all over the world. As stated in this verse, the living entity wants to become a prabhu, or master. The word prabhu means "master," but actually the living entity is not a master; he is the eternal servant of God. When the living entity abandons the shelter of God, Krsna, and tries to become a prabhu independently, he travels all over the creation. There are 8,400,000 species of life and millions and millions and trillions of planets within the creation. The living entity wanders throughout these various types of bodies and throughout different planets, and thus he is like King Puranjana, who traveled all over the world looking for a suitable place to live.

   Sri Narottama dasa Thakura has sung, karma-kanda, jnana-kanda, kevala visera bhanda: "The path of karma-kanda [fruitive activities] and the path of jnana-kanda [speculation] are just like strong pots of poison." Amrta baliya yeba khaya, nana yoni sada phire: "A person who mistakes this poison to be nectar and drinks it travels in different species of life." Kadarya bhaksana kare: "And, according to his body, he eats all types of abominable things." For instance, when the living entity is in the body of a hog, he eats stool. When the living entity is in the body of a crow, he eats all kinds of refuse, even pus and mucus, and enjoys it. Thus Narottama dasa Thakura points out that the living entity travels in different types of bodies and eats all kinds of abominable things. When he does not become ultimately happy, he becomes morose or takes to the ways of hippies.

   Thus in this verse it is said (na anurupam) that the King could never find a place suitable for his purposes. This is because in any form of life and on any planet in the material world, a living entity cannot be happy because everything in the material world is unsuitable for the spirit soul. As stated in this verse, the living entity independently wants to become a prabhu, but as soon as he gives up this idea and becomes a servant of God, Krsna, his happiness immediately begins. Therefore Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura sings:

 

                miche mayara vase,     yaccha bhese',

                        khaccha habudubu, bhai

 

   "My dear living entity, why are you being carried away by the waves of maya?" As stated in the Bhagavad-gita (18.61):

 

                        isvarah sarva-bhutanam

                       hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati

                       bhramayan sarva-bhutani

                         yantrarudhani mayaya

 

   "The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy."

   The living entity is carried in the machine of the body through so many species of life on so many planets. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Thakura asks the living entity why he is being carried away in these bodily machines to be placed in so many different circumstances. He advises that one surmount the waves of maya by surrendering unto Krsna.

 

                   jiva krsna-dasa,     ei visvasa,

                       karle ta' ara duhkha nai

 

   As soon as we confront Krsna, Krsna advises:

 

                       sarva-dharman parityajya

                        mam ekam saranam vraja

                       aham tvam sarva-papebhyo

                        moksayisyami ma sucah

 

   "Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear." (Bg. 18.66)

   Thus we are immediately relieved from traveling from one body to another and from one planet to another. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu says: brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva (Cc. Madhya 19.151). If, while traveling, a living entity becomes fortunate enough to become blessed by the association of devotees and to come to Krsna consciousness, his real life actually begins. This Krsna consciousness movement is giving all wandering living entities a chance to take to the shelter of Krsna and thus become happy.

   In this verse the words vimana iva are very significant. In this material world even the great King of heaven is also full of anxiety. If even Lord Brahma is full of anxiety, what of these ordinary living entities who are working within this planet? Bhagavad-gita (8.16) confirms:

 

                        abrahma-bhuvanal lokah

                        punar avartino 'rjuna

 

   "From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place." In the material world a living entity is never satisfied. Even in the position of Brahma or in the position of Indra or Candra, one is full of anxiety simply because he has accepted this material world as a place of happiness.

 

                               TEXT 12

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       na sadhu mene tah sarva

                        bhutale yavatih purah

                        kaman kamayamano 'sau

                         tasya tasyopapattaye

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   na--never; sadhu--good; mene--thought; tah--them; sarvah--all; bhu-tale--on this earth; yavatih--all kinds of; purah--residential houses; kaman--objects for sense enjoyment; kamayamanah--desiring; asau--that King; tasya--his; tasya--his; upapattaye--for obtaining.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   King Puranjana had unlimited desires for sense enjoyment; consequently he traveled all over the world to find a place where all his desires could be fulfilled. Unfortunately he found a feeling of insufficiency everywhere.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Srila Vidyapati, a great Vaisnava poet, has sung:

 

                   tatala saikate, vari-bindu-sama,

                       suta-mita-ramani-samaje

 

   Material sense gratification, with society, friendship and love, is herein compared to a drop of water falling on a desert. A desert requires oceans of water to satisfy it, and if only a drop of water is supplied, what is its use? Similarly, the living entity is part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who, as stated in the Vedanta-sutra, is anandamayo 'bhyasat, full of enjoyment. Being part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the living entity is also seeking complete enjoyment. However, complete enjoyment cannot be achieved separate from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In his wanderings in the different species of life, the living entity may taste some type of enjoyment in one body or another, but full enjoyment of the senses cannot be obtained in any material body. Thus Puranjana, the living entity, wanders in different types of bodies, but everywhere meets frustration in his attempt to enjoy. In other words, the spiritual spark covered by matter cannot fully enjoy the senses in any circumstance in material life. A deer may become absorbed in the musical sounds vibrated by the hunter, but the result is that it loses its life. Similarly, a fish is very expert in gratifying its tongue, but when it eats the bait offered by the fisherman, it loses its life. Even the elephant, who is so strong, is captured and loses its independence while satisfying its genitals with a female elephant. In each and every species of life, the living entity gets a body to satisfy various senses, but he cannot enjoy all his senses at one time. In the human form of life he gets an opportunity to enjoy all his senses pervertedly, but the result is that he becomes so harassed in his attempted sense gratification that he ultimately becomes morose. As he tries to satisfy his senses more and more, he becomes more and more entangled.

 

                               TEXT 13

 

                                 TEXT

 

                          sa ekada himavato

                        daksinesv atha sanusu

                      dadarsa navabhir dvarbhih

                        puram laksita-laksanam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sah--that King Puranjana; ekada--once upon a time; himavatah--of the Himalaya Mountains; daksinesu--southern; atha--after this; sanusu--on the ridges; dadarsa--found; navabhih--with nine; dvarbhih--gates; puram--a city; laksita--visible; laksanam--having all auspicious facilities.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Once, while wandering in this way, he saw on the southern side of the Himalayas, in a place named Bharata-varsa [India], a city that had nine gates all about and was characterized by all auspicious facilities.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The tract of land south of the Himalaya Mountains is the land of India, which was known as Bharata-varsa. When a living entity takes birth in Bharata-varsa he is considered to be most fortunate. Indeed, Caitanya Mahaprabhu has stated:

 

               bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma yara

                janma sarthaka kari' kara para-upakara

 

   (Cc. Adi 9.41)

 

   Thus whoever takes birth in the land of Bharata-varsa attains all the facilities of life. He may take advantage of all these facilities for both material and spiritual advancement and thus make his life successful. After attaining the goal of life, one may distribute his knowledge and experience all over the world for humanitarian purposes. In other words, one who takes birth in the land of Bharata-varsa by virtue of his past pious activities gets full facility to develop the human form of life. In India, the climatic condition is such that one can live very peacefully without being disturbed by material conditions. Indeed, during the time of Maharaja Yudhisthira or Lord Ramacandra, people were free from all anxieties. There was not even extreme cold or extreme heat. The three kinds of miserable conditions--adhyatmika, adhibhautika and adhidaivika (miseries inflicted by the body and mind itself, those inflicted by other living entities, and natural disturbances)--were all absent during the reign of Lord Ramacandra or Maharaja Yudhisthira. But at present, compared to other countries on earth, India is artificially disturbed. Despite these material disturbances, however, the country's culture is such that one can easily attain the goal of life--namely salvation, or liberation from material bondage. Thus in order to take birth in India one must have performed many pious activities in a past life.

   In this verse the word laksita-laksanam indicates that the human body attained in Bharata-varsa is very auspicious. Vedic culture is full of knowledge, and a person born in India can fully take advantage of Vedic cultural knowledge and the cultural system known as varnasrama-dharma. Even at the present time, as we travel all over the world, we see that in some countries human beings have many material facilities but no facilities for spiritual advancement. We find everywhere the defects of one-sided facilities and a lack of full facilities. A blind man can walk but not see, and a lame man cannot walk but can see. Andha-pangu-nyaya. The blind man may take the lame man over his shoulder, and as he walks the lame man may give him directions. Thus combined they may work, but individually neither the blind man nor the lame man can walk successfully. Similarly, this human form of life is meant for the advancement of spiritual life and for keeping the material necessities in order. Especially in the Western countries there are ample facilities for material comforts, but no one has any idea of spiritual advancement. Many are hankering after spiritual advancement, but many cheaters come, take advantage of their money, bluff them and go away. Fortunately the Krsna consciousness movement is there to give all facilities for both material and spiritual advancement. In this way people in the Western countries may take advantage of this movement. In India any man in the villages, unaffected by the industrial cities of India, can still live in any condition and make spiritual advancement. The body has been called the city of nine gates, and these nine gates include two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, one mouth, a genital and a rectum. When the nine gates are clean and working properly, it is to be understood that the body is healthy. In India these nine gates are kept clean by the villagers who rise early in the morning, bathe in the well or rivers, go to the temples to attend mangala-arati, chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra and take prasada. In this way one can take advantage of all the facilities of human life. We are gradually introducing this system in different centers in our Society in the Western countries. One who takes advantage of it becomes more and more enlightened in spiritual life. At the present moment, India may be compared to the lame man and the Western countries to the blind man. For the past two thousand years India has been subjugated by the rule of foreigners, and the legs of progress have been broken. In the Western countries the eyes of the people have become blind due to the dazzling glitter of material opulence. The blind man of the Western countries and the lame man of India should combine together in this Krsna consciousness movement. Then the lame man of India can walk with the help of the Westerner, and the blind Westerner can see with the help of the lame man. In short, the material advancement of the Western countries and the spiritual assets of India should combine for the elevation of all human society.

 

                               TEXT 14

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         prakaropavanattala-

                       parikhair aksa-toranaih

                     svarna-raupyayasaih srngaih

                       sankulam sarvato grhaih

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prakara--walls; upavana--parks; attala--towers; parikhaih--with trenches; aksa--windows; toranaih--with gates; svarna--gold; raupya--silver; ayasaih--made of iron; srngaih--with domes; sankulam--congested; sarvatah--everywhere; grhaih--with houses.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   That city was surrounded by walls and parks, and within it were towers, canals, windows and outlets. The houses there were decorated with domes made of gold, silver and iron.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The body is protected by walls of skin. The hairs on the body are compared to parks, and the highest parts of the body, like the nose and head, are compared to towers. The wrinkles and depressions on different parts of the body are compared to trenches or canals, the eyes are compared to windows, and the eyelids are compared to protective gates. The three types of metal--gold, silver and iron--represent the three modes of material nature. Gold represents goodness; silver, passion; and iron, ignorance. The body is also sometimes considered to be a bag containing three elements (tri-dhatu): mucus, bile and air (kapha, pitta and vayu). Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke. According to Bhagavatam (10.84.13), one who considers this bag of mucus, bile and air to be the self is considered no better than a cow or an ass.

 

                               TEXT 15

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       nila-sphatika-vaidurya-

                         mukta-marakatarunaih

                     klpta-harmya-sthalim diptam

                         sriya bhogavatim iva

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   nila--sapphires; sphatika--crystal; vaidurya--diamonds; mukta--pearls; marakata--emeralds; arunaih--with rubies; klpta--bedecked; harmya-sthalim--the floors of the palaces; diptam--lustrous; sriya--with beauty; bhogavatim--the celestial town named Bhogavati; iva--like.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The floors of the houses in that city were made of sapphire, crystal, diamonds, pearls, emeralds and rubies. Because of the luster of the houses in the capital, the city was compared to the celestial town named Bhogavati.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In the city of the body, the heart is considered to be the capital. Just as the capital of a state is especially gorgeously filled with various high buildings and lustrous palaces, the heart of the body is filled with various desires and plans for material enjoyment. Such plans are sometimes compared to valuable jewels such as sapphires, rubies, pearls and emeralds. The heart becomes the center for all planning for material enjoyment.

 

                               TEXT 16

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       sabha-catvara-rathyabhir

                          akridayatanapanaih

                       caitya-dhvaja-patakabhir

                       yuktam vidruma-vedibhih

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sabha--assembly houses; catvara--squares; rathyabhih--by streets; akrida-ayatana--gambling houses; apanaih--by shops; caitya--resting places; dhvaja-patakabhih--with flags and festoons; yuktam--decorated; vidruma--without trees; vedibhih--with platforms.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   In that city there were many assembly houses, street crossings, streets, restaurants, gambling houses, markets, resting places, flags, festoons and beautiful parks. All these surrounded the city.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In this way the capital is described. In the capital there are assembly houses and many squares, many street crossings, avenues and streets, many gambling places, markets and places of rest, all decorated with flags and festoons. The squares are surrounded with railings and are devoid of trees. The heart of the body can be compared to the assembly house, for the living entity is within the heart along with the Paramatma, as stated in Bhagavad-gita (15.15): sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca. The heart is the center of all remembrance, forgetfulness and deliberation. In the body the eyes, ears and nose are different places of attraction for sense enjoyment, and the streets for going hither and thither may be compared to different types of air blowing within the body. The yogic process for controlling the air within the body and the different nerves is called susumna, the path of liberation. The body is also a resting place because when the living entity becomes fatigued he takes rest within the body. The palms and the soles of the feet are compared to flags and festoons.

 

                               TEXT 17

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        puryas tu bahyopavane

                         divya-druma-latakule

                        nadad-vihangali-kula-

                          kolahala-jalasaye

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   puryah--of that town; tu--then; bahya-upavane--in an outside garden; divya--very nice; druma--trees; lata--creepers; akule--filled with; nadat--vibrating; vihanga--birds; ali--bees; kula--groups of; kolahala--humming; jala-asaye--with a lake.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   On the outskirts of that city were many beautiful trees and creepers encircling a nice lake. Also surrounding that lake were many groups of birds and bees that were always chanting and humming.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Since the body is a great city, there must be various arrangements such as lakes and gardens for sense enjoyment. Of the various parts of the body, those which incite sexual impulses are referred to here indirectly. Because the body has genitals, when the living entity attains the right age--be he man or woman--he becomes agitated by the sex impulse. As long as one remains a child, he is not agitated by seeing a beautiful woman. Although the sense organs are present, unless the age is ripe there is no sex impulse. The favorable conditions surrounding the sex impulse are compared here to a garden or a nice solitary park. When one sees the opposite sex, naturally the sex impulse increases. It is said that if a man in a solitary place does not become agitated upon seeing a woman, he is to be considered a brahmacari. But this practice is almost impossible. The sex impulse is so strong that even by seeing, touching or talking, coming into contact with, or even thinking of the opposite sex--even in so many subtle ways--one becomes sexually impelled. Consequently, a brahmacari or sannyasi is prohibited to associate with women, especially in a secret place. The sastras enjoin that one should not even talk to a woman in a secret place, even if she happens to be one's own daughter, sister or mother. The sex impulse is so strong that even if one is very learned, he becomes agitated in such circumstances. If this is the case, how can a young man in a nice park remain calm and quiet after seeing a beautiful young woman?

 

                               TEXT 18

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       hima-nirjhara-viprusmat-

                          kusumakara-vayuna

                        calat-pravala-vitapa-

                         nalini-tata-sampadi

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   hima-nirjhara--from the icy mountain waterfall; viprut-mat--carrying particles of water; kusuma-akara--springtime; vayuna--by the air; calat--moving; pravala--branches; vitapa--trees; nalini-tata--on the bank of the lake with lotus flowers; sampadi--opulent.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The branches of the trees standing on the bank of the lake received particles of water carried by the spring air from the falls coming down from the icy mountain.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In this verse the word hima-nirjhara is particularly significant. The waterfall represents a kind of liquid humor or rasa (relationship). In the body there are different types of humor, rasa or mellow. The supreme mellow (relationship) is called the sexual mellow (adi-rasa). When this adi-rasa, or sex desire, comes in contact with the spring air moved by Cupid, it becomes agitated. In other words, all these are representations of rupa, rasa, gandha, sabda and sparsa. The wind is sparsa, or touch. The waterfall is rasa, or taste. The spring air (kusumakara) is smell. All these varieties of enjoyment make life very pleasing, and thus we become captivated by material existence.

 

                               TEXT 19

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        nanaranya-mrga-vratair

                        anabadhe muni-vrataih

                        ahutam manyate pantho

                        yatra kokila-kujitaih

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   nana--various; aranya--forest; mrga--animals; vrataih--with groups; anabadhe--in the matter of nonviolence; muni-vrataih--like the great sages; ahutam--as if invited; manyate--thinks; panthah--passenger; yatra--where; kokila--of cuckoos; kujitaih--by the cooing.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   In such an atmosphere even the animals of the forest became nonviolent and nonenvious like great sages. Consequently, the animals did not attack anyone. Over and above everything was the cooing of the cuckoos. Any passenger passing along that path was invited by that atmosphere to take rest in that nice garden.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   A peaceful family with wife and children is compared to the peaceful atmosphere of the forest. Children are compared to nonviolent animals. Sometimes, however, wives and children are called svajanakhya-dasyu, burglars in the name of kinsmen. A man earns his livelihood with hard labor, but the result is that he is plundered by his wife and children exactly as a person in a forest is attacked by some thieves and burglars who take his money. Nonetheless, in family life the turmoil of wife and children appears to be like the cooing of the cuckoos in the garden of family life. Being invited by such an atmosphere, the person who is passing through such a blissful family life desires to have his family with him at all costs.

 

                               TEXT 20

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        yadrcchayagatam tatra

                        dadarsa pramadottamam

                      bhrtyair dasabhir ayantim

                         ekaika-sata-nayakaih

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yadrcchaya--all of a sudden, without engagement; agatam--arrived; tatra--there; dadarsa--he saw; pramada--one woman; uttamam--very beautiful; bhrtyaih--surrounded by servants; dasabhih--ten; ayantim--coming forward; eka-eka--each one of them; sata--of hundreds; nayakaih--the leaders.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   While wandering here and there in that wonderful garden, King Puranjana suddenly came in contact with a very beautiful woman who was walking there without any engagement. She had ten servants with her, and each servant had hundreds of wives accompanying him.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The body has already been compared to a beautiful garden. During youth the sex impulse is awakened, and the intelligence, according to one's imagination, is prone to contact the opposite sex. In youth a man or woman is in search of the opposite sex by intelligence or imagination, if not directly. The intelligence influences the mind, and the mind controls the ten senses. Five of these senses gather knowledge, and five work directly. Each sense has many desires to be fulfilled. This is the position of the body and the owner of the body, puranjana, who is within the body.

 

                               TEXT 21

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        panca-sirsahina guptam

                         pratiharena sarvatah

                         anvesamanam rsabham

                        apraudham kama-rupinim

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   panca--five; sirsa--heads; ahina--by a snake; guptam--protected; pratiharena--by a bodyguard; sarvatah--all around; anvesamanam--one who is searching after; rsabham--a husband; apraudham--not very old; kama-rupinim--very attractive to fulfill lusty desires.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The woman was protected on all sides by a five-hooded snake. She was very beautiful and young, and she appeared very anxious to find a suitable husband.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The vital force of a living entity includes the five kinds of air working within the body, which are known as prana, apana, vyana, samana and udana. The vital force is compared to a serpent because a serpent can live by simply drinking air. The vital force carried by the air is described as the pratihara, or the bodyguard. Without the vital force one cannot live for a moment. Indeed, all the senses are working under the protection of the vital force.

   The woman, who represents intelligence, was searching after a husband. This indicates that intelligence cannot act without consciousness. A beautiful woman is useless unless protected by the proper husband. Intelligence must always be very fresh; therefore the word apraudham ("very young") is used here. Material enjoyment means utilizing the intelligence for the sake of rupa, rasa, gandha, sabda and sparsa, or form, taste, smell, sound and touch.

 

                               TEXT 22

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        sunasam sudatim balam

                         sukapolam varananam

                       sama-vinyasta-karnabhyam

                       bibhratim kundala-sriyam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   su-nasam--very beautiful nose; su-datim--very beautiful teeth; balam--the young woman; su-kapolam--nice forehead; vara-ananam--beautiful face; sama--equally; vinyasta--arranged; karnabhyam--both ears; bibhratim--dazzling; kundala-sriyam--having beautiful earrings.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The woman's nose, teeth and forehead were all very beautiful. Her ears were equally very beautiful and were bedecked with dazzling earrings.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The body of intelligence enjoys the objects of sense gratification that cover it, such as smell, vision and hearing. The word sunasam ("beautiful nose") indicates the organ for acquiring knowledge by smell. Similarly, the mouth is the instrument for acquiring knowledge by taste, for by chewing an object and touching it with the tongue we can understand its taste. The word sukapolam ("nice forehead") indicates a clear brain capable of understanding things as they are. By intelligence one can set things in order. The earrings set upon the two ears are placed there by the work of the intelligence. Thus the ways of acquiring knowledge are described metaphorically.

 

                               TEXT 23

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        pisanga-nivim susronim

                        syamam kanaka-mekhalam

                    padbhyam kvanadbhyam calantim

                         nupurair devatam iva

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   pisanga--yellow; nivim--garment; su-sronim--beautiful waist; syamam--blackish; kanaka--golden; mekhalam--belt; padbhyam--with the feet; kvanadbhyam--tinkling; calantim--walking; nupuraih--with ankle bells; devatam--a denizen of the heavens; iva--like.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The waist and hips of the woman were very beautiful. She was dressed in a yellow sari with a golden belt. While she walked, her ankle bells rang. She appeared exactly like a denizen of the heavens.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse expresses the joyfulness of the mind upon seeing a woman with raised hips and breasts dressed in an attractive sari and bedecked with ornaments.

 

                               TEXT 24

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       stanau vyanjita-kaisorau

                        sama-vrttau nirantarau

                        vastrantena niguhantim

                         vridaya gaja-gaminim

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   stanau--breasts; vyanjita--indicating; kaisorau--new youth; sama-vrttau--equally round; nirantarau--fixed close, side by side; vastra-antena--by the end of the sari; niguhantim--trying to cover; vridaya--out of shyness; gaja-gaminim--walking just like a great elephant.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   With the end of her sari the woman was trying to cover her breasts, which were equally round and well placed side by side. She again and again tried to cover them out of shyness while she walked exactly like a great elephant.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The two breasts represent attachment and envy. The symptoms of raga and dvesa (attachment and envy) are described in Bhagavad-gita (3.34):

 

                       indriyasyendriyasyarthe

                       raga-dvesau vyavasthitau

                       tayor na vasam agacchet

                      tau hy asya paripanthinau

 

   "Attraction and repulsion for sense objects are felt by embodied beings, but one should not fall under the control of senses and sense objects because they are stumbling blocks on the path of self-realization."

   These representatives of attachment and envy are very much unfavorable for advancement in spiritual life. One should not be attracted by the breasts of young women. The great saint Sankaracarya has described the breasts of women, especially young women, as nothing but a combination of muscles and blood, so one should not be attracted by the illusory energy of raised breasts with nipples. They are agents of maya meant to victimize the opposite sex. Because the breasts are equally attractive, they are described as sama-vrttau. The sex impulse remains in an old man's heart also, even up to the point of death. To be rid of such agitation, one must be very much advanced in spiritual consciousness, like Yamunacarya, who said:

 

               yad-avadhi mama cetah krsna-padaravinde

              nava-nava-rasa-dhamany udyatam rantum asit

               tad-avadhi bata nari-sangame smaryamane

             bhavati mukha-vikarah susthu nisthivanam ca

 

   "Since I have been engaged in the transcendental loving service of Krsna, realizing ever-new pleasure in Him, whenever I think of sex pleasure, I spit at the thought, and my lips curl with distaste." When one is spiritually advanced he can no longer be attracted by the lumps of flesh and blood which are the breasts of young women. The word nirantarau is significant because although the breasts are situated in different locations, the action is the same. We should not make any distinction between attachment and envy. As described in Bhagavad-gita (3.37), they are both products of rajo-guna (kama esa krodha esa rajo-guna-samudbhavah).

   The word niguhantim ("trying to cover") indicates that even if one is tainted by kama, lobha, krodha, etc., they can be transfigured by Krsna consciousness. In other words, one can utilize kama (lust) for serving Krsna. Being impelled by lust, an ordinary worker will work hard day and night; similarly a devotee can work hard day and night to satisfy Krsna. Just as karmis are working hard to satisfy kama-krodha, a devotee should work in the same way to satisfy Krsna. Similarly, krodha (anger) can also be used in the service of Krsna when it is applied to the nondevotee demons. Hanumanji applied his anger in this way. He was a great devotee of Lord Ramacandra, and he utilized his anger to set fire to the kingdom of Ravana, a nondevotee demon. Thus kama (lust) can be utilized to satisfy Krsna, and krodha (anger) can be utilized to punish the demons. When both are used for Krsna's service, they lose their material significance and become spiritually important.

 

                               TEXT 25

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        tam aha lalitam virah

                        savrida-smita-sobhanam

                       snigdhenapanga-punkhena

                     sprstah premodbhramad-bhruva

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tam--unto her; aha--addressed; lalitam--very gently; virah--the hero; sa-vrida--with shyness; smita--smiling; sobhanam--very beautiful; snigdhena--by sex desire; apanga-punkhena--by the arrow of glancing; sprstah--thus pierced; prema-udbhramat--exciting love; bhruva--by the eyebrows.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Puranjana, the hero, became attracted by the eyebrows and smiling face of the very beautiful girl and was immediately pierced by the arrows of her lusty desires. When she smiled shyly, she looked very beautiful to Puranjana, who, although a hero, could not refrain from addressing her.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Every living entity is a hero in two ways. When he is a victim of the illusory energy, he works as a great hero in the material world, as a great leader, politician, businessman, industrialist, etc., and his heroic activities contribute to the material advancement of civilization. One can also become a hero by being master of the senses, a gosvami. Material activities are false heroic activities, whereas restraining the senses from material engagement is great heroism. However great a hero one may be in the material world, he can be immediately conquered by the lumps of flesh and blood known as the breasts of women. In the history of material activities there are many examples, like the Roman hero Antony, who became captivated by the beauty of Cleopatra. Similarly, a great hero in India named Baji Rao became a victim of a woman during the time of Maharashtrian politics, and he was defeated. From history we understand that formerly politicians used to employ beautiful girls who were trained as visa-kanya. These girls had poison injected into their bodies from the beginning of their lives so that in due course of time they would become so immune to the poison and so poisonous themselves that simply by kissing a person they could kill him. These poisonous girls were engaged to see an enemy and kill him with a kiss. Thus there are many instances in human history of heroes who have been curbed simply by women. Being part and parcel of Krsna, the living entity is certainly a great hero, but due to his own weakness he becomes attracted to the material features.

 

               krsna-bahirmukha hana bhoga-vancha kare

                 nikata-stha maya tare japatiya dhare

 

   It is said in the prema-vivarta that when a living entity wants to enjoy material nature, he is immediately victimized by the material energy. A living entity is not forced to come into the material world. He makes his own choice, being attracted by beautiful women. Every living entity has the freedom to be attracted by material nature or to stand as a hero and resist that attraction. It is simply a question of the living entity's being attracted or not being attracted. There is no question of his being forced to come into contact with material energy. One who can keep himself steady and resist the attraction of material nature is certainly a hero and deserves to be called a gosvami. Unless one is master of the senses, he cannot become a gosvami. The living entity can take one of two positions in this world. He may become a servant of his senses, or he may become master of them. By becoming a servant of the senses, one becomes a great material hero, and by becoming master of the senses, he becomes a gosvami, or spiritual hero.

 

                               TEXT 26

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       ka tvam kanja-palasaksi

                         kasyasiha kutah sati

                         imam upa purim bhiru

                        kim cikirsasi samsa me

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ka--who; tvam--you; kanja-palasa--like the petals of the lotus; aksi--eyes; kasya--whose; asi--you are; iha--here; kutah--wherefrom; sati--O chaste one; imam--this; upa--near; purim--city; bhiru--O timid one; kim--what; cikirsasi--you are trying to do; samsa--kindly explain; me--unto me.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   My dear lotus-eyed, kindly explain to me where you are coming from, who you are, and whose daughter you are. You appear very chaste. What is the purpose of your coming here? What are you trying to do? Please explain all these things to me.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The first aphorism in the Vedanta-sutra is athato brahma jijnasa. In the human form of life one should put many questions to himself and to his intelligence. In the various forms of life lower than human life the intelligence does not go beyond the range of life's primary necessities--namely eating, sleeping, mating and defending. Dogs, cats and tigers are always busy trying to find something to eat or a place to sleep, trying to defend and have sexual intercourse successfully. In the human form of life, however, one should be intelligent enough to ask what he is, why he has come into the world, what his duty is, who is the supreme controller, what is the difference between dull matter and the living entity, etc. There are so many questions, and the person who is actually intelligent should simply inquire about the supreme source of everything: athato brahma jijnasa. A living entity is always connected with a certain amount of intelligence, but in the human form of life the living entity must inquire about his spiritual identity. This is real human intelligence. It is said that one who is simply conscious of the body is no better than an animal, even though he be in the human form. In Bhagavad-gita (15.15) Sri Krsna says, sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca: "I am seated in everyone's heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness." In the animal form the living entity is completely forgetful of his relationship with God. This is called apohanam, or forgetfulness. In the human form of life, however, consciousness is more greatly developed, and consequently the human being has a chance to understand his relationship with God. In the human form one should utilize his intelligence by asking all these questions, just as Puranjana, the living entity, is asking the unknown girl where she has come from, what her business is, why she is present, etc. These are inquiries about atma-tattva--self-realization. The conclusion is that unless a living entity is inquisitive about self-realization he is nothing but an animal.

 

                               TEXT 27

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        ka ete 'nupatha ye ta

                         ekadasa maha-bhatah

                        eta va lalanah subhru

                     ko 'yam te 'hih purah-sarah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ke--who; ete--all these; anupathah--followers; ye--they who; te--your; ekadasa--eleven; maha-bhatah--very powerful bodyguards; etah--all of these; va--also; lalanah--women; su-bhru--O beautiful-eyed one; kah--who; ayam--this; te--your; ahih--the snake; purah--in front; sarah--going.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   My dear lotus-eyed, who are those eleven strong bodyguards with you, and who are those ten specific servants? Who are those women following the ten servants, and who is the snake that is preceding you?

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The ten strong servants of the mind are the five working senses and the five knowledge-gathering senses. All these ten senses work under the aegis of the mind. The mind and the ten senses combine to become eleven strong bodyguards. The hundreds of women under the jurisdiction of the senses are addressed here as lalanah. The mind works under the intelligence, and under the mind are the ten senses, and under the ten senses are innumerable desires to be fulfilled. All these, however, depend on the vital life-force, which is here represented by the snake. As long as the vital life-force is there, the mind works, and under the mind the senses work, and the senses give rise to so many material desires. Actually the living entity, known as puranjana, is embarrassed by so much paraphernalia. All this paraphernalia simply constitutes different sources of anxiety, but one who is surrendered unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and who leaves all business to Him, is freed from such anxieties. Therefore Prahlada Maharaja advises a person who has taken to the materialistic way of life, which is never permanent but always temporary, to take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and leave aside all his so-called responsibilities in order to get free from all anxieties.

 

                               TEXT 28

 

                                 TEXT

 

              tvam hrir bhavany asy atha vag rama patim

                   vicinvati kim munivad raho vane

                  tvad-anghri-kamapta-samasta-kamam

                   kva padma-kosah patitah karagrat

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tvam--you; hrih--shyness; bhavani--the wife of Lord Siva; asi--are; atha--rather; vak--Sarasvati, the goddess of learning; rama--the goddess of fortune; patim--husband; vicinvati--searching after, thinking of; kim--are you; muni-vat--like a sage; rahah--in this lonely place; vane--in the forest; tvat-anghri--your feet; kama--desiring; apta--achieved; samasta--all; kamam--desirable things; kva--where is; padma-kosah--the lotus flower; patitah--fallen; kara--of the hand; agrat--from the front portion, or palm.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   My dear beautiful girl, you are exactly like the goddess of fortune or the wife of Lord Siva or the goddess of learning, the wife of Lord Brahma. Although you must be one of them, I see that you are loitering in this forest. Indeed, you are as silent as the great sages. Is it that you are searching after your own husband? Whoever your husband may be, simply by understanding that you are so faithful to him, he will come to possess all opulences. I think you must be the goddess of fortune, but I do not see the lotus flower in your hand. Therefore I am asking you where you have thrown that lotus.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Everyone thinks that his intelligence is perfect. Sometimes one employs his intelligence in the worship of Uma, the wife of Lord Siva, in order to obtain a beautiful wife. Sometimes, when one wants to become as learned as Lord Brahma, he employs his intelligence in the worship of the goddess of learning, Sarasvati. Sometimes, when one wishes to become as opulent as Lord Visnu, he worships the goddess of fortune, Laksmi. In this verse all these inquiries are made by King Puranjana, the living entity who is bewildered and does not know how to employ his intelligence. Intelligence should be employed in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As soon as one uses his intelligence in this way, the goddess of fortune automatically becomes favorable to him. The goddess of fortune, Laksmi, never remains without her husband, Lord Visnu. Consequently, when one worships Lord Visnu he automatically obtains the favor of the goddess of fortune. One should not, like Ravana, worship the goddess of fortune alone, for she cannot remain long without her husband. Thus her other name is Cancala, or restless. In this verse it is clear that Puranjana is representing our intelligence while he is talking with the girl. He not only appreciated the shyness of the girl but actually became more and more attracted by that shyness. He was actually thinking of becoming her husband and consequently was asking her whether she was thinking of her prospective husband or whether she was married. This is an example of bhoga-iccha--the desire for enjoyment. One who is attracted by such desires becomes conditioned in this material world, and one who is not so attracted attains liberation. King Puranjana was appreciating the beauty of the girl as if she were the goddess of fortune, but at the same time he was careful to understand that the goddess of fortune cannot be enjoyed by anyone except Lord Visnu. Since he doubted whether the girl was the goddess of fortune, he inquired about the lotus flower she was not holding. The material world is also the goddess of fortune because the material energy works under the direction of Lord Visnu, as stated in Bhagavad-gita (mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram).

   The material world cannot be enjoyed by any living entity. If one so desires to enjoy it, he immediately becomes a demon like Ravana, Hiranyakasipu or Kamsa. Because Ravana wanted to enjoy the goddess of fortune, Sitadevi, he was vanquished with all his family, wealth and opulence. One can, however, enjoy that maya bestowed upon the living entity by Lord Visnu. The satisfaction of one's senses and desires means enjoying maya, not the goddess of fortune.

 

                               TEXT 29

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   nasam varorv anyatama bhuvi-sprk

                     purim imam vira-varena sakam

                  arhasy alankartum adabhra-karmana

                   lokam param srir iva yajna-pumsa

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   na--not; asam--of these; varoru--O most fortunate one; anya-tama--anyone; bhuvi-sprk--touching the ground; purim--city; imam--this; vira-varena--the great hero; sakam--along with; arhasi--you deserve; alankartum--to decorate; adabhra--glorious; karmana--whose activities; lokam--world; param--transcendental; srih--the goddess of fortune; iva--like; yajna-pumsa--with the enjoyer of all yajnas.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O greatly fortunate one, it appears that you are none of the women I have mentioned because I see that your feet are touching the ground. But if you are some woman of this planet, you can, like the goddess of fortune, who, accompanied by Lord Visnu, increases the beauty of the Vaikuntha planets, also increase the beauty of this city by associating with me. You should understand that I am a great hero and a very powerful king on this planet.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   There is a difference between demoniac mentality and devotional mentality. Devotees know perfectly well that the goddess of fortune, who is the constant companion of Visnu, or Narayana, cannot be enjoyed by a living entity. This higher sense of understanding is called Krsna consciousness. Nonetheless, everyone wants to become happy by imitating the prosperity of Narayana. In this verse Puranjana states that the girl appears to be an ordinary woman. However, since he is attracted by her, he requests that she become as happy as the goddess of fortune by associating with him. Thus he introduces himself as a great king with great influence so that she might accept him as her husband and be as happy as the goddess of fortune. To desire to enjoy this material world as a subordinate of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is godly. The demons, however, want to enjoy this material world without considering the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the difference between a demon and a demigod.

   The word bhuvi-sprk mentioned in this verse is very significant. When the demigods sometimes come to this planet, they do not touch the ground. Puranjana could understand that this girl did not belong to the transcendental world or the higher planetary system because her feet were touching the ground. Since every woman in this world wants her husband to be very influential, rich and powerful, Puranjana, to seduce the girl, introduced himself as such a personality. In the material world, whether one be a man or a woman, one wants to enjoy. A man wants to enjoy a beautiful woman, and a woman wants to enjoy a powerful, opulent man. Every living entity who possesses such material desires is called purusa, an enjoyer. Superficially it appears that the woman is the enjoyed and the man is the enjoyer, but internally everyone is an enjoyer. Consequently everything in this material world is called maya.

 

                               TEXT 30

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  yad esa mapanga-vikhanditendriyam

                 savrida-bhava-smita-vibhramad-bhruva

                  tvayopasrsto bhagavan mano-bhavah

                   prabadhate 'thanugrhana sobhane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yat--because; esah--this; ma--me; apanga--by your glances; vikhandita--agitated; indriyam--whose senses or mind; sa-vrida--with shyness; bhava--affection; smita--smiling; vibhramat--bewildering; bhruva--with eyebrows; tvaya--by you; upasrstah--being influenced; bhagavan--the most powerful; manah-bhavah--cupid; prabadhate--is harassing; atha--therefore; anugrhana--be merciful; sobhane--O very beautiful one.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Certainly your glancing upon me today has very much agitated my mind. Your smile, which is full of shyness but at the same time lusty, is agitating the most powerful cupid within me. Therefore, O most beautiful, I ask you to be merciful upon me.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Everyone has lusty desires within, and as soon as one is agitated by the movement of a beautiful woman's eyebrows, the cupid within immediately throws his arrow at the heart. Thus one is quickly conquered by the eyebrows of a beautiful woman. When one is agitated by lusty desires, his senses are attracted by all kinds of visaya (enjoyable things like sound, touch, form, smell and taste). These attractive sense objects oblige one to come under the control of a woman. In this way the conditional life of a living entity begins. Conditional life means being under the control of a woman, and certainly the living entity is always at the mercy of a woman or a man. Thus living entities live in bondage to one another, and thus they continue this conditional, material life illusioned by maya.

 

                               TEXT 31

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  tvad-ananam subhru sutara-locanam

                   vyalambi-nilalaka-vrnda-samvrtam

                   unniya me darsaya valgu-vacakam

                  yad vridaya nabhimukham suci-smite

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tvat--your; ananam--face; su-bhru--having nice eyebrows; su-tara--with nice pupils; locanam--eyes; vyalambi--scattered; nila--bluish; alaka-vrnda--by locks of hair; samvrtam--surrounded; unniya--having raised; me--unto me; darsaya--show; valgu-vacakam--having words very sweet to hear; yat--which face; vridaya--by shyness; na--not; abhimukham--face to face; suci-smite--O woman with lovely smiles.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   My dear girl, your face is so beautiful with your nice eyebrows and eyes and with your bluish hair scattered about. In addition, very sweet sounds are coming from your mouth. Nonetheless, you are so covered with shyness that you do not see me face to face. I therefore request you, my dear girl, to smile and kindly raise your head to see me.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Such a speech is typical of a living entity attracted by the opposite sex. This is called bewilderment occasioned by becoming conditioned by material nature. When thus attracted by the beauty of the material energy, one becomes very eager to enjoy. This is elaborately described in this instance of Puranjana's becoming attracted by the beautiful woman. In conditional life the living entity is attracted by a face, eyebrows or eyes, a voice or anything. In short, everything becomes attractive. When a man or a woman is attracted by the opposite sex, it does not matter whether the opposite sex is beautiful or not. The lover sees everything beautiful in the face of the beloved and thus becomes attracted. This attraction causes the living entity to fall down in this material world. This is described in Bhagavad-gita (7.27):

 

                        iccha-dvesa-samutthena

                        dvandva-mohena bharata

                        sarva-bhutani sammoham

                        sarge yanti parantapa

 

   "O scion of Bharata [Arjuna], O conqueror of the foe, all living entities are born into delusion, overcome by the dualities of desire and hate."

   This condition of life is called avidya. Opposed to this avidya is real knowledge. Sri Isopanisad distinguishes between vidya and avidya, knowledge and ignorance. By avidya (ignorance) one becomes conditioned, and by vidya (knowledge) one becomes liberated. Puranjana admits herein that he is attracted by avidya. Now he wishes to see the complete feature of avidya and so requests the girl to raise her head so that he can see her face to face. He thus wishes to see the various features that make avidya attractive.

 

                               TEXT 32

 

                                 TEXT

 

                             narada uvaca

                        ittham puranjanam nari

                         yacamanam adhiravat

                        abhyanandata tam viram

                         hasanti vira mohita

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   naradah uvaca--the great sage Narada continued to speak; ittham--upon this; puranjanam--unto Puranjana; nari--the woman; yacamanam--begging; adhira-vat--being too impatient; abhyanandata--she addressed; tam--him; viram--the hero; hasanti--smiling; vira--O hero; mohita--being attracted by him.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Narada continued: My dear King, when Puranjana became so attracted and impatient to touch the girl and enjoy her, the girl also became attracted by his words and accepted his request by smiling. By this time she was certainly attracted by the King.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   By this incident we can understand that when a man is aggressive and begins to woo a woman, the woman becomes attracted to the man. This process is described in the Bhagavatam (5.5.8) as pumsah striya mithuni-bhavam etam. This attraction is enacted on the platform of sexual life. Thus the sex impulse is the platform of material engagement. This conditional life, the platform of material sense enjoyment, is the cause of forgetfulness of spiritual life. In this way a living entity's original Krsna consciousness becomes covered or converted into material consciousness. Thus one engages in the business of sense gratification.

 

                               TEXT 33

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        na vidama vayam samyak

                        kartaram purusarsabha

                         atmanas ca parasyapi

                       gotram nama ca yat-krtam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   na--do not; vidama--know; vayam--I; samyak--perfectly; kartaram--maker; purusa-rsabha--O best of human beings; atmanah--of myself; ca--and; parasya--of others; api--also; gotram--family history; nama--name; ca--and; yat-krtam--which has been made by whom.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The girl said: O best of human beings, I do not know who has begotten me. I cannot speak to you perfectly about this. Nor do I know the names or the origin of the associates with me.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The living entity is ignorant of his origin. He does not know why this material world was created, why others are working in this material world and what the ultimate source of this manifestation is. No one knows the answers to these questions, and this is called ignorance. By researching into the origin of life, important scientists are finding some chemical compositions or cellular combinations, but actually no one knows the original source of life within this material world. The phrase brahma jijnasa is used to indicate an inquisitiveness to know the original source of our existence in this material world. No philosopher, scientist or politician actually knows wherefrom we have come, why we are here struggling so hard for existence and where we will go. Generally people are of the opinion that we are all here accidentally and that as soon as these bodies are finished all our dramatic activities will be finished and we will become zero. Such scientists and philosophers are impersonalists and voidists. In this verse the girl is expressing the actual position of the living entity. She cannot tell Puranjana her father's name because she does not know from where she has come. Nor does she know why she is present in that place. She frankly says that she does not know anything about all this. This is the position of the living entity in the material world. There are so many scientists, philosophers and big leaders, but they do not know wherefrom they have come, nor do they know why they are busy within this material world to obtain a position of so-called happiness. In this material world we have many nice facilities for living, but we are so foolish that we do not ask who has made this world habitable for us and has arranged it so nicely. Everything is functioning in order, but people foolishly think that they are produced by chance in this material world and that after death they will become zero. They think that this beautiful place of habitation will automatically remain.

 

                               TEXT 34

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        ihadya santam atmanam

                        vidama na tatah param

                         yeneyam nirmita vira

                         puri saranam atmanah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   iha--here; adya--today; santam--existing; atmanam--living entities; vidama--that much we know; na--not; tatah param--beyond that; yena--by whom; iyam--this; nirmita--created; vira--O great hero; puri--city; saranam--resting place; atmanah--of all living entities.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O great hero, we only know that we are existing in this place. We do not know what will come after. Indeed, we are so foolish that we do not care to understand who has created this beautiful place for our residence.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This lack of Krsna consciousness is called ignorance. In Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.5.5) it is called parabhavas tavad abodha jatah. Everyone is born ignorant. The Bhagavatam therefore says that we are all born ignorant within this material world. In our ignorance we may create nationalism, philanthropy, internationalism, science, philosophy and so many other things. The basic principle behind all these is ignorance. What then is the value of all this advancement of knowledge if the basic principle is ignorance? Unless a person comes to Krsna consciousness, all of his activities are defeated. This human form of life is especially meant to dissipate ignorance, but without understanding how to dissipate ignorance people are planning and building many things. After death, however, all of this is finished.

 

                               TEXT 35

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        ete sakhayah sakhyo me

                        nara naryas ca manada

                        suptayam mayi jagarti

                       nago 'yam palayan purim

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ete--all these; sakhayah--male friends; sakhyah--female associates; me--my; narah--men; naryah--women; ca--and; mana-da--O very respectful one; suptayam--while sleeping; mayi--I am; jagarti--keeps awake; nagah--snake; ayam--this; palayan--protecting; purim--this city.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   My dear gentleman, all these men and women with me are known as my friends, and the snake, who always remains awake, protects this city even during my sleeping hours. So much I know. I do not know anything beyond this.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Puranjana inquired from the woman about those eleven men and their wives and the snake. The woman gave a brief description of them. She was obviously without full knowledge of her surrounding men and women and the snake. As stated before, the snake is the vital force of the living being. This vital force always remains awake even when the body and the senses become fatigued and do no work. Even in the state of unconsciousness, when we sleep, the snake, or the life-force, remains intact and awake. Consequently we dream when we sleep. When the living entity gives up this material body, the vital force still remains intact and is carried to another material body. That is called transmigration, or change of the body, and we have come to know this process as death. Actually, there is no death. The vital force always exists with the soul, and when the soul is awakened from so-called sleep, he can see his eleven friends, or the active senses and the mind with their various desires (wives). The vital life-force remains. Even during our sleeping hours we can understand by virtue of our breathing process that the snake lives by eating the air that passes within this body. Air is exhibited in the form of breathing, and as long as breath is there, one can understand that a sleeping man is alive. Even when the gross body is asleep the vital force remains active and alive to protect the body. Thus the snake is described as living and eating air to keep the body fit for life.

 

                               TEXT 36

 

                                 TEXT

 

                      distyagato 'si bhadram te

                       gramyan kaman abhipsase

                       udvahisyami tams te 'ham

                       sva-bandhubhir arindama

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   distya--fortunately for me; agatah asi--you have come here; bhadram--all auspiciousness; te--unto you; gramyan--sensual; kaman--desired enjoyable objects; abhipsase--you want to enjoy; udvahisyami--I shall supply; tan--all of them; te--unto you; aham--I; sva-bandhubhih--with all my friends; arim-dama--O killer of the enemy.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O killer of the enemy, you have somehow or other come here. This is certainly great fortune for me. I wish all auspicious things for you. You have a great desire to satisfy your senses, and all my friends and I shall try our best in all respects to fulfill your desires.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The living entity comes down into this material world for sense gratification, and his intelligence, represented by the woman, gives him the proper direction by which he can satisfy his senses to their best capacity. In actuality, however, intelligence comes from the Supersoul, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He gives full facility to the living entity who has come down to this material world. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (2.41):

 

                        vyavasayatmika buddhir

                          ekeha kuru-nandana

                       bahu-sakha hy anantas ca

                        buddhayo 'vyavasayinam

 

   "Those who are on the spiritual path are resolute in purpose, and their aim is one. O beloved child of the Kurus, the intelligence of those who are irresolute is many-branched."

   When a devotee is advancing toward spiritual realization, his only aim is the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He does not care for any other material or spiritual activity. King Puranjana represents the ordinary living entity, and the woman represents the ordinary living entity's intelligence. Combined, the living entity enjoys his material senses, and the intelligence supplies all paraphernalia for his enjoyment. As soon as he enters the human form, the living entity is entrapped by a family tradition, nationality, customs, etc. These are all supplied by the maya of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus the living entity, under the bodily conception of life, utilizes his intelligence to his best capacity in order to satisfy his senses.

 

                               TEXT 37

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       imam tvam adhitisthasva

                       purim nava-mukhim vibho

                         mayopanitan grhnanah

                       kama-bhogan satam samah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   imam--this; tvam--your good self; adhitisthasva--just remain; purim--in the city; nava-mukhim--with nine gates; vibho--O my lord; maya--by me; upanitan--arranged; grhnanah--taking; kama-bhogan--the materials for sense gratification; satam--a hundred; samah--years.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   My dear lord, I have just arranged this city of nine gates for you so that you can have all kinds of sense gratification. You may live here for one hundred years, and everything for your sense gratification will be supplied.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Dharmartha-kama-moksanam darah samprapti-hetavah. The wife is the cause of all kinds of success in religion, economic development, sense gratification and ultimately salvation. When one accepts a wife, it is to be understood that he is being helped in his progressive march toward liberation. In the beginning of life a person is trained as a brahmacari and is then allowed to marry a suitable girl and become a householder. If one is thoroughly trained in household life, he finds all facilities for human life--eating, sleeping, mating and defending. Everything is there if it is executed according to regulative principles.

 

                               TEXT 38

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       kam nu tvad-anyam ramaye

                        hy arati-jnam akovidam

                         asamparayabhimukham

                        asvastana-vidam pasum

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   kam--unto whom; nu--then; tvat--than you; anyam--other; ramaye--I shall allow to enjoy; hi--certainly; arati-jnam--without knowledge of sex enjoyment; akovidam--therefore almost foolish; asamparaya--without knowledge of the next life; abhimukham--looking forward; asvastana-vidam--one who does not know what is happening next; pasum--like animals.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Mow can I expect to unite with others, who are neither conversant about sex nor capable of knowing how to enjoy life while living or after death? Such foolish persons are like animals because they do not know the process of sense enjoyment in this life and after death.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Since there are 8,400,000 species of life, there are also many different living conditions. In the lower grades of life (in plant and tree life) there is no system for sexual intercourse. In the upper grades (in the life of birds and bees) there is sex, but the insects and animals do not know how to actually enjoy sex life. In the human form of life, however, there is full knowledge of how to enjoy sex. Indeed, there are many so-called philosophers who give directions on how to enjoy sex life. There is even a science called kama-sastra, which is the science of sex. In human life there are also such divisions as brahmacarya, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa. There is no sex life except in the grhastha, or householder, asrama. The brahmacari is not allowed any sex, a vanaprastha voluntarily refrains from sex, and the sannyasi is completely renounced. The karmis do not practice brahmacarya, vanaprastha or sannyasa life, for they are very much interested in grhastha life. In other words, a human being is very much materially inclined. Indeed, all living entities are materially inclined. They prefer grhastha life because there is a concession for sex. The karmis think the other statuses of life are worse than animal life, for animals also have sex, whereas the brahmacari, vanaprastha and sannyasi completely give up sex. The karmis, therefore, abhor these orders of spiritual life.

 

                               TEXT 39

 

                                 TEXT

 

                     dharmo hy atrartha-kamau ca

                       prajanando 'mrtam yasah

                          loka visoka viraja

                        yan na kevalino viduh

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   dharmah--religious ritual; hi--certainly; atra--here (in this grhastha-asrama, or householder life); artha--economic development; kamau--sense gratification; ca--and; praja-anandah--the pleasure of generations; amrtam--the results of sacrifice; yasah--reputation; lokah--planetary systems; visokah--without lamentation; virajah--without disease; yan--which; na--never; kevalinah--the transcendentalists; viduh--know.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The woman continued: In this material world, a householder's life brings all kinds of happiness in religion, economic development, sense gratification and the begetting of children, sons and grandsons. After that, one may desire liberation as well as material reputation. The householder can appreciate the results of sacrifices, which enable him to gain promotion to superior planetary systems. All this material happiness is practically unknown to the transcendentalists. They cannot even imagine such happiness.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   According to Vedic instructions, there are two paths for human activities. One is called pravrtti-marga, and the other is called nivrtti-marga. The basic principle for either of these paths is religious life. In animal life there is only pravrtti-marga. pravrtti-marga means sense enjoyment, and nivrtti-marga means spiritual advancement. In the life of animals and demons, there is no conception of nivrtti-marga, nor is there any actual conception of pravrtti-marga. pravrtti-marga maintains that even though one has the propensity for sense gratification, he can gratify his senses according to the directions of the Vedic injunctions. For example, everyone has the propensity for sex life, but in demoniac civilization sex is enjoyed without restriction. According to Vedic culture, sex is enjoyed under Vedic instructions. Thus the Vedas give direction to civilized human beings to enable them to satisfy their propensities for sense gratification.

   In the nivrtti-marga, however, on the path of transcendental realization, sex is completely forbidden. The social orders are divided into four parts--brahmacarya, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa--and only in the householder life can the pravrtti-marga be encouraged or accepted according to Vedic instructions. In the orders of brahmacarya, vanaprastha and sannyasa, there are no facilities for sex.

   In this verse the woman is advocating pravrtti-marga only and is discouraging the path of nivrtti-marga. She clearly says that the yatis, the transcendentalists, who are concerned only with spiritual life (kaivalya), cannot imagine the happiness of pravrtti-marga. In other words, the man who follows the Vedic principles enjoys the materialistic way of life not only by becoming happy in this life, but also in the next life by being promoted to the heavenly planets. In this life such a person gets all kinds of material opulences, such as sons and grandsons, because he is always engaged in various religious functions. The material distresses are birth, old age, disease and death, but those who are interested in pravrtti-marga hold various religious functions at the time of birth, old age, disease and death. Without caring for the distresses of birth, old age, disease and death, they are addicted to performing the special functions according to the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies.

   Factually, however, pravrtti-marga is based on sex life. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.9.45), yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham. A householder who is too much addicted to pravrtti-marga is actually called a grhamedhi, not a grhastha. Although the grhastha desires sense gratification, he acts according to Vedic instructions. The grhamedhi, however, who is interested only in sense gratification, does not follow any Vedic instruction. The grhamedhi engages himself as an advocate of sex life and also allows his sons and daughters to engage in sex and to be deprived of any glorious end in life. A grhastha enjoys sex life in this life as well as in the next, but a grhamedhi does not know what the next life is about because he is simply interested in sex in this life. On the whole, when one is too much inclined toward sex, he does not care for the transcendental spiritual life. In this age of Kali especially, no one is interested in spiritual advancement. Even though it is sometimes found that one may be interested in spiritual advancement, he is most likely to accept a bogus method of spiritual life, being misguided by so many pretenders.

 

                               TEXT 40

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        pitr-devarsi-martyanam

                        bhutanam atmanas ca ha

                       ksemyam vadanti saranam

                      bhave 'smin yad grhasramah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   pitr--forefathers; deva--demigods; rsi--sages; martyanam--of humanity in general; bhutanam--of the infinite living entities; atmanah--of oneself; ca--also; ha--certainly; ksemyam--beneficial; vadanti--they say; saranam--shelter; bhave--in the material world; asmin--this; yat--that which; grha-asramah--householder life.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The woman continued: According to authorities, the householder life is pleasing not only to oneself but to all the forefathers, demigods, great sages, saintly persons and everyone else. A householder life is thus beneficial.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   According to the Vedic system, when one is born in this material world he has many obligations. He has obligations to the demigods--the demigods of the sun and moon, King Indra, Varuna, etc.--because they are supplying the necessities of life. We receive heat, light, water and all other natural amenities through the mercy of the demigods. We are also indebted to our forefathers, who have given us these bodies, paternal property, intelligence, society, friendship and love. Similarly, we are indebted to the general public for politics and sociology, and we are also indebted to lower animals such as horses, cows, asses, dogs and cats. In this way, as soon as one is born in this material world as a human being, he has so many obligations and is bound to repay all these obligations. If he does not repay them, he is further entangled in the process of birth and death. The grhamedhi, however, who is overly addicted to material things, does not know that if he simply takes shelter at the lotus feet of Mukunda, he is immediately freed from all obligations to others. Unfortunately a grhamedhi does not have any interest in Krsna consciousness. Prahlada Maharaja says:

 

                   matir na krsne paratah svato va

                   mitho 'bhipadyeta grha-vratanam

 

   (Bhag. 7.5.30)

 

   A grha-vrata is the same as a grhamedhi. One who takes sex life to be supreme finds action in Krsna consciousness confusing. Either due to his own personal consideration or due to his having taken instructions from others or conferring with them, he becomes addicted to sexual indulgence and cannot act in Krsna consciousness.

 

                               TEXT 41

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        ka nama vira vikhyatam

                       vadanyam priya-darsanam

                       na vrnita priyam praptam

                        madrsi tvadrsam patim

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ka--who; nama--indeed; vira--my dear hero; vikhyatam--famous; vadanyam--magnanimous; priya-darsanam--beautiful; na--not; vrnita--would accept; priyam--easily; praptam--gotten; madrsi--like me; tvadrsam--like you; patim--husband.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O my dear hero, who in this world will not accept a husband like you? You are so famous, so magnanimous, so beautiful and so easily gotten.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Every husband is certainly a great hero to his wife. In other words, if a woman loves a man, that man appears very beautiful and magnanimous. Unless one becomes beautiful in the eyes of another, one cannot dedicate his whole life to another. The husband is considered very magnanimous because he gives as many children to the wife as she likes. Every woman is fond of children; therefore any husband who can please his wife by sex and give her children is considered very magnanimous. Not only does the husband become magnanimous by begetting children, but by giving his wife ornaments, nice food and dresses, he keeps her completely under submission. Such a satisfied wife will never give up the company of her husband. Manu-samhita recommends that to keep a wife satisfied a husband should give her some ornaments because women are generally fond of home, ornaments, dresses, children, etc. In this way the woman is the center of all material enjoyment.

   In this regard, the word vikhyatam is very significant. A man is always famous for his aggression toward a beautiful woman, and such aggression is sometimes considered rape. Although rape is not legally allowed, it is a fact that a woman likes a man who is very expert at rape.

 

                               TEXT 42

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 kasya manas te bhuvi bhogi-bhogayoh

                 striya na sajjed bhujayor maha-bhuja

                yo 'natha-vargadhim alam ghrnoddhata-

                    smitavalokena caraty apohitum

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   kasyah--whose; manah--mind; te--your; bhuvi--in this world; bhogi-bhogayoh--like the body of a serpent; striyah--of a woman; na--not; sajjet--becomes attracted; bhujayoh--by the arms; maha-bhuja--O mighty-armed; yah--one who; anatha-varga--of poor women like me; adhim--distresses of the mind; alam--able; ghrna-uddhata--by aggressive mercy; smita-avalokena--by attractive smiling; carati--travels; apohitum--to dissipate.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O mighty-armed, who in this world will not be attracted by your arms, which are just like the bodies of serpents? Actually you relieve the distress of husbandless women like us by your attractive smile and your aggressive mercy. We think that you are traveling on the surface of the earth just to benefit us only.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   When a husbandless woman is attacked by an aggressive man, she takes his action to be mercy. A woman is generally very much attracted by a man's long arms. A serpent's body is round, and it becomes narrower and thinner at the end. The beautiful arms of a man appear to a woman just like serpents, and she very much desires to be embraced by such arms.

   The word anatha-varga is very significant in this verse. Natha means "husband," and a means "without." A young woman who has no husband is called anatha, meaning "one who is not protected." As soon as a woman attains the age of puberty, she immediately becomes very much agitated by sexual desire. It is therefore the duty of the father to get his daughter married before she attains puberty. Otherwise she will be very much mortified by not having a husband. Anyone who satisfies her desire for sex at that age becomes a great object of satisfaction. It is a psychological fact that when a woman at the age of puberty meets a man and the man satisfies her sexually, she will love that man for the rest of her life, regardless who he is. Thus so-called love within this material world is nothing but sexual satisfaction.

 

                               TEXT 43

 

                                 TEXT

 

                             narada uvaca

                        iti tau dam-pati tatra

                        samudya samayam mithah

                       tam pravisya purim rajan

                         mumudate satam samah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   naradah uvaca--the great sage Narada spoke; iti--thus; tau--they; dam-pati--husband and wife; tatra--there; samudya--being equally enthusiastic; samayam--accepting one another; mithah--mutually; tam--in that place; pravisya--entering; purim--in that city; rajan--O King; mumudate--they enjoyed life; satam--one hundred; samah--years.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The great sage Narada continued: My dear King, those two--the man and the woman--supporting one another through mutual understanding, entered that city and enjoyed life for one hundred years.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   One hundred years is significant in this connection because every human being is given the concession to live up to a hundred years. The span of life is different on different planets, according to the planet's distance from the sun. In other words, one hundred years on this planet is different from one hundred years on another planet. Lord Brahma lives for one hundred years according to time on the Brahmaloka planet, but one day of Brahma is equal to millions of years on this planet. Similarly, the days on the heavenly planets are equal to six months on this planet. On every planet, however, the span of life for a human being is roughly one hundred years. According to the life-spans on different planets, the standards of living also differ.

 

                               TEXT 44

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         upagiyamano lalitam

                       tatra tatra ca gayakaih

                      kridan parivrtah stribhir

                        hradinim avisac chucau

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   upagiyamanah--being sung about; lalitam--very nicely; tatra tatra--here and there; ca--also; gayakaih--by the singers; kridan--playing; parivrtah--surrounded; stribhih--by women; hradinim--in the water of the river; avisat--entered; sucau--when it was too hot.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Many professional singers used to sing about the glories of King Puranjana and his glorious activities. When it was too hot in the summer, he used to enter a reservoir of water. He would surround himself with many women and enjoy their company.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   A living being has different activities in different stages of life. One stage is called jagrata, or the life of awakening, and another is called svapna, or the life of dream. Another stage is called susupti, or life in an unconscious state, and still another stage occurs after death. In the previous verse the life of awakening was described; that is, the man and the woman were married and enjoyed life for one hundred years. In this verse life in the dream state is described, for the activities Puranjana accomplished during the day were also reflected at night in the dream state. Puranjana used to live with his wife for sense enjoyment, and at night this very sense enjoyment was appreciated in different ways. A man sleeps very soundly when he is greatly fatigued, and when a rich man is greatly fatigued he goes to his garden house with many female friends and there enters the water and enjoys their company. Such is the tendency of the living entity within this material world. A living entity is never satisfied with a woman unless he is trained in the system of brahmacarya. Generally a man's tendency is to enjoy many women, and even at the very end of life the sex impulse is so strong that even though one is very old he still wants to enjoy the company of young girls. Thus because of the strong sex impulse the living entity becomes more and more involved in this material world.

 

                               TEXT 45

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        saptopari krta dvarah

                      puras tasyas tu dve adhah

                      prthag-visaya-gaty-artham

                       tasyam yah kascanesvarah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sapta--seven; upari--up; krtah--made; dvarah--gates; purah--of the city; tasyah--that; tu--then; dve--two; adhah--down; prthak--different; visaya--to places; gati-artham--for going; tasyam--in that city; yah--one who; kascana--whoever; isvarah--governor.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Of the nine gates in that city, seven were on the surface, and two were subterranean. A total of nine doors were constructed, and these led to different places. All the gates were used by the city's governor.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The seven gates of the body that are situated upward are the two eyes, two nostrils, two ears and one mouth. The two subterranean gates are the rectum and the genitals. The king, or the ruler of the body, who is the living entity, uses all these doors to enjoy different types of material pleasures. The system of opening different gates to different places is still evident in old Indian cities. Formerly a capital was surrounded by walls, and one passed through various gates to go to various cities or toward specific directions. In Old Delhi there are still remnants of surrounding walls and various gates known as the Kashmiri Gate, the Lahori Gate, etc. Similarly, in Ahmadabad there is a Delhi Gate. The point of this simile is that the living entity wants to enjoy different types of material opulences, and to this end nature has given him various holes in his body that he can utilize for sense enjoyment.

 

                               TEXT 46

 

                                 TEXT

 

                      panca dvaras tu paurastya

                        daksinaika tathottara

                        pascime dve amusam te

                         namani nrpa varnaye

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   panca--five; dvarah--doors; tu--then; paurastyah--facing the eastern side; daksina--southern; eka--one; tatha--also; uttara--one toward the north; pascime--similarly, on the western side; dve--two; amusam--of them; te--unto you; namani--names; nrpa--O King; varnaye--I shall describe.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   My dear King, of the nine doors, five led toward the eastern side, one led toward the northern side, one led toward the southern side, and two led toward the western side. I shall try to give the names of these different doors.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Of the seven doors on the surface--namely the two eyes, two ears, two nostrils and one mouth--five look forward, and these are described as the doors facing the eastern side. Since looking forward means seeing the sun, these are described as the eastern gates, for the sun rises in the east. The gate on the northern side and the gate on the southern side represent the two ears, and the two gates facing the western side represent the rectum and the genitals. All the doors and gates are described below.

 

                               TEXT 47

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       khadyotavirmukhi ca prag

                        dvarav ekatra nirmite

                        vibhrajitam janapadam

                      yati tabhyam dyumat-sakhah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   khadyota--of the name Khadyota; avirmukhi--of the name Avirmukhi; ca--also; prak--toward the eastern side; dvarau--two gates; ekatra--in one place; nirmite--were constructed; vibhrajitam--of the name Vibhrajita; jana-padam--city; yati--used to go; tabhyam--by them; dyumat--of the name Dyuman; sakhah--with his friend.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The two gates named Khadyota and Avirmukhi were situated facing the eastern side, but they were constructed in one place. Through those two gates the King used to go to the city of Vibhrajita accompanied by a friend whose name was Dyuman.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The two names Khadyota and Avirmukhi mean "glowworm" and "torchlight." This indicates that of the two eyes, the left eye is less powerful in its ability to see. Although both eyes are constructed in one place, one is stronger than the other in the power to see. The king, or the living entity, uses these two gates to see things properly, but he cannot see unless accompanied by a friend whose name is Dyuman. This friend is the sun. Although the two eyes are situated in one place, they have no power to see without the sunlight. Vibhrajitam janapadam. If one wants to see something very clearly (vibhrajitam), he must see it with two eyes and the assistance of his friend the sunlight. Within this body everyone is a king because he uses his different gates according to his own will. Although he is very much proud of his power to see or hear, he is nonetheless dependent on the assistance of nature.

 

                               TEXT 48

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        nalini nalini ca prag

                        dvarav ekatra nirmite

                       avadhuta-sakhas tabhyam

                        visayam yati saurabham

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   nalini--of the name Nalini; nalini--of the name Nalini; ca--also; prak--eastern; dvarau--two gates; ekatra--in one place; nirmite--constructed; avadhuta--of the name Avadhuta; sakhah--with his friend; tabhyam--by those two gates; visayam--place; yati--used to go; saurabham--of the name Saurabha.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Similarly in the east there were two sets of gates named Nalini and Nalini, and these were also constructed in one place. Through these gates the King, accompanied by a friend named Avadhuta, used to go to the city of Saurabha.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The two gates named Nalini and Nalini are the two nostrils. The living entity enjoys these two gates with the help of different avadhutas, or airs, which constitute the breathing process. Through these gates the living entity goes to the town of Saurabha, or aroma. In other words, the nostrils, with the help of their friend the air, enjoy various aromas in the material world. Nalini and Nalini are the pipes of the nostrils, through which one inhales and exhales, enjoying the aroma of sense pleasure.

 

                               TEXT 49

 

                                 TEXT

 

                      mukhya nama purastad dvas

                          tayapana-bahudanau

                        visayau yati pura-rad

                         rasajna-vipananvitah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   mukhya--the chief; nama--called; purastat--on the eastern side; dvah--gate; taya--by that; apana--of the name Apana; bahudanau--of the name Bahudana; visayau--two places; yati--used to go; pura-rat--the King of the city (Puranjana); rasa-jna--of the name Rasajna; vipana--of the name Vipana; anvitah--along with.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The fifth gate situated on the eastern side was named Mukhya, or the chief. Through this gate, accompanied by his friends named Rasajna and Vipana, he used to visit two places named Bahudana and Apana.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The mouth is here described as the chief or the most important gate. The mouth is a very important entrance because one has two functions to conduct with the mouth. One function is eating, and the other is speaking. Our eating is done with the friend Rasajna, the tongue, which can taste so many different types of foods. The tongue is also used for speaking, and it can speak of either material sense enjoyment or Vedic knowledge. Of course, here material sense enjoyment is stressed. Therefore the word rasajna is used.

 

                               TEXT 50

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       pitrhur nrpa purya dvar

                         daksinena puranjanah

                       rastram daksina-pancalam

                        yati srutadharanvitah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   pitrhuh--of the name Pitrhu; nrpa--O King; puryah--of the city; dvah--gate; daksinena--on the southern side; puranjanah--King Puranjana; rastram--country; daksina--southern; pancalam--of the name Pancala; yati--used to go; sruta-dhara-anvitah--along with his friend Srutadhara.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The southern gate of the city was known as Pitrhu, and through that gate King Puranjana used to visit the city named Daksina-pancala, accompanied by his friend Srutadhara.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The right ear is used for karma-kandiya, or fruitive activities. As long as one is attached to the enjoyment of material resources, he hears from the right ear and uses the five senses to elevate himself to the higher planetary systems like Pitrloka. Consequently, the right ear is here described as the Pitrhu gate.

 

                               TEXT 51

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        devahur nama purya dva

                         uttarena puranjanah

                       rastram uttara-pancalam

                        yati srutadharanvitah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   devahuh--of the name Devahu; nama--as it was called; puryah--of the city; dvah--gate; uttarena--on the northern side; puranjanah--King Puranjana; rastram--country; uttara--northern; pancalam--of the name Pancala; yati--used to go; sruta-dhara-anvitah--with his friend Srutadhara.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   On the northern side was the gate named Devahu. Through that gate, King Puranjana used to go with his friend Srutadhara to the place known as Uttara-pancala.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The two ears are situated on the northern side and the southern side. The ear on the southern side is very strong and is always anxious to hear about sense enjoyment. The ear on the northern side, however, is used for taking initiation from the spiritual master and for gaining promotion to the spiritual sky. The right ear, or the ear on the southern side, is called Pitrhu, which indicates that it is used for attaining the higher planetary systems known as Pitrloka, but the left ear, which is known as Devahu, is utilized for hearing about even higher planetary systems, such as Maharloka, Tapoloka and Brahmaloka--or yet even higher planets, situated in the spiritual universe, where one becomes more inclined to be permanently situated. This is explained in Bhagavad-gita (9.25):

 

                        yanti deva-vrata devan

                       pitrn yanti pitr-vratah

                        bhutani yanti bhutejya

                       yanti mad-yajino 'pi mam

 

   "Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods; those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings; those who worship ancestors go to the ancestors; and those who worship Me will live with Me."

   One who is interested in being happy on this planet as well as after death generally wants to be elevated to the Pitrlokas. Such a person can use the right ear for hearing Vedic instructions. However, one who is interested in going to Tapoloka, Brahmaloka, the Vaikuntha planets or Krsnaloka may take initiation from the spiritual master in order to be elevated to such lokas.

 

                               TEXT 52

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        asuri nama pascad dvas

                         taya yati puranjanah

                        gramakam nama visayam

                         durmadena samanvitah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   asuri--of the name Asuri; nama--called; pascat--on the western side; dvah--gate; taya--by which; yati--used to go; puranjanah--King Puranjana; gramakam--of the name Gramaka; nama--called; visayam--the city of sense enjoyment; durmadena--by Durmada; samanvitah--accompanied.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   On the western side was a gate named Asuri. Through that gate King Puranjana used to go to the city of Gramaka, accompanied by his friend Durmada.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The gate on the western side of the city was known as Asuri because it was especially meant for the asuras. The word asura refers to those who are interested in sense gratification, specifically in sex life, to which they are overly attracted. Thus Puranjana, the living entity, enjoys himself to his greatest satisfaction by means of the genitals. Consequently he used to go to the place known as Gramaka. Material sense gratification is also called gramya, and the place where sex life is indulged in to a great extent is called Gramaka. When going to Gramaka, Puranjana used to be accompanied by his friend Durmada. The word visaya refers to the four bodily necessities of life--eating, sleeping, mating and defending. The word durmadena may be analyzed in this way: dur means dusta, or "sinful," and mada means "madness." Every living entity who is in contact with material nature is called mada, or mad. It is said:

 

                 pisaci paile yena mati-cchanna haya

                maya-grasta jivera haya se bhava udaya

 

   (Prema-vivarta)

 

   When a person is haunted, he becomes practically insane. When one is in an insane condition, he speaks all kinds of nonsense. Thus to become engaged in sense gratification, one has to accept a friend who is durmada, or badly affected by the material disease.

   The words asuri nama pascad dvah are significant in another sense. The sunrise is first visible from the eastern side--the Bay of Bengal--and gradually it progresses toward the west. It is practically experienced that people in the West are more addicted to sense gratification. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself has certified: pascimera loka saba mudha anacara (Cc. Adi 10.89). The more one goes to the western side, the more he will find people disinterested in spiritual life. He will find them behaving against the Vedic standards. Because of this, people living in the West are more addicted to sense gratification. In this Bhagavatam it is confirmed: asuri nama pascad dvah. In other words, the population on the western side is interested in an asuric civilization, that is, a materialistic way of life. Lord Caitanya consequently wanted this Krsna consciousness movement to be preached on the western side of the world so that people addicted to sense gratification might be benefited by His teachings.

 

                               TEXT 53

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       nirrtir nama pascad dvas

                         taya yati puranjanah

                        vaisasam nama visayam

                        lubdhakena samanvitah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   nirrtih--of the name Nirrti; nama--called; pascat--western; dvah--gate; taya--by which; yati--used to go; puranjanah--King Puranjana; vaisasam--of the name Vaisasa; nama--called; visayam--to the place; lubdhakena--by the friend named Lubdhaka; samanvitah--accompanied.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Another gate on the western side was known as Nirrti. Puranjana used to go through this gate to the place known as Vaisasa, accompanied by his friend Lubdhaka.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This is a reference to the rectum. The rectum is supposed to be situated on the western side of the eyes, nose and ears. This gate is especially meant for death. When an ordinary living entity abandons his present body, he passes through the rectum. It is therefore painful. When one is called by nature to evacuate, one also experiences pain. The friend of the living entity who accompanies him through this gate is named Lubdhaka, which means "greed." Due to our greed, we eat unnecessarily, and such gluttony causes pain at the time of evacuation. The conclusion is that the living entity feels well if he evacuates properly. This gate is known as Nirrti, or the painful gate.

 

                               TEXT 54

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        andhav amisam pauranam

                       nirvak-pesaskrtav ubhau

                         aksanvatam adhipatis

                        tabhyam yati karoti ca

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   andhau--blind; amisam--among those; pauranam--of the inhabitants; nirvak--of the name Nirvak; pesaskrtau--of the name Pesaskrt; ubhau--both of them; aksan-vatam--of the people who possessed eyes; adhipatih--ruler; tabhyam--with both of them; yati--used to go; karoti--used to act; ca--and.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Of the many inhabitants of this city, there are two persons named Nirvak and Pesaskrt. Although King Puranjana was the ruler of citizens who possessed eyes, he unfortunately used to associate with these blind men. Accompanied by them, he used to go here and there and perform various activities.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This is a reference to the arms and legs of the living entity. The two legs do not speak, and they are blind. If a person simply trusts his legs to take him walking, he is likely to fall into a hole or bump into something. Thus led by the blind legs, one's life may be placed in jeopardy.

   Of the senses that are working, the hands and legs are very important, but they have no eyes to see. This means that in the hands and legs there are no holes. In the head there are many holes--two eyes, two nostrils, two ears and one mouth--but lower down, in the arms and legs, there are no holes. Consequently, the arms and legs have been described as andha, blind. Although the living entity has many holes in his body, he nonetheless has to work with his hands and arms. Although the living entity is the master of many other senses, when he has to go somewhere, do something or touch something, he has to use his blind legs and hands.

 

                               TEXT 55

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       sa yarhy antahpura-gato

                         visucina-samanvitah

                       moham prasadam harsam va

                        yati jayatmajodbhavam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sah--he; yarhi--when; antah-pura--to his private home; gatah--used to go; visucina--by the mind; samanvitah--accompanied; moham--illusion; prasadam--satisfaction; harsam--happiness; va--or; yati--used to enjoy; jaya--wife; atma-ja--children; udbhavam--produced by them.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sometimes he used to go to his private home with one of his chief servants [the mind], who was named Visucina. At that time, illusion, satisfaction and happiness used to be produced from his wife and children.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   According to the Vedic conclusion, one's self is situated within the heart. As stated in Vedic language, hrdy ayam atma pratisthitah: the self is situated within the heart. In the material condition, however, the spirit soul is covered by the material qualities--namely goodness, passion and darkness--and within the heart these three qualities react. For instance, when one is in goodness, he feels happiness; when one is in passion, he feels satisfaction through material enjoyment; and when one is in darkness, he feels bewilderment. All these activities are of the mind, and they function on the platform of thinking, feeling and willing.

   When the living entity is encircled by wife, children and home, he acts on the mental plane. Sometimes he is very happy, sometimes he is very much satisfied, sometimes he is not satisfied, and sometimes he is bewildered. Bewilderment is called moha, illusion. Illusioned by society, friendship and love, the living entity thinks that his so-called society, friendship and love, nationality, community, etc. will give him protection. He does not know that after death he will be thrown into the hands of a very strong material nature that will force him to accept a certain type of body according to his present work. This body may not even be a human body. Thus the living entity's feeling of security in this life in the midst of society, wife and friendship is nothing but illusion. All living entities encaged in various material bodies are illusioned by the present activities of material enjoyment. They forget their real business, which is to go back home, back to Godhead.

   Everyone who is not in Krsna consciousness must be considered to be in illusion. One's so-called feelings of happiness and satisfaction resulting from material things are also illusions. Factually neither society, friendship, love nor anything else can save one from the onslaught of the external energy, which is symptomized by birth, death, old age and disease. To get even one living entity out of the illusory condition is very difficult; therefore Lord Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (7.14):

 

                        daivi hy esa guna-mayi

                         mama maya duratyaya

                        mam eva ye prapadyante

                        mayam etam taranti te

 

   "This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it." Therefore, unless one surrenders completely at the lotus feet of Krsna, he cannot get out of the entanglement of the three modes of material nature.

 

                               TEXT 56

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        evam karmasu samsaktah

                       kamatma vancito 'budhah

                         mahisi yad yad iheta

                        tat tad evanvavartata

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   evam--thus; karmasu--in fruitive activities; samsaktah--being too much attached; kama-atma--lusty; vancitah--cheated; abudhah--less intelligent; mahisi--the Queen; yat yat--whatsoever; iheta--she would desire; tat tat--all of that; eva--certainly; anvavartata--he followed.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Being thus entangled in different types of mental concoction and engaged in fruitive activities, King Puranjana came completely under the control of material intelligence and was thus cheated. Indeed, he used to fulfill all the desires of his wife, the Queen.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   When a living entity is in such bewilderment that he is under the control of his wife, or material intelligence, he has to satisfy the intelligence of his so-called wife and act exactly according to her dictates. Various sastras advise that for material convenience one should keep his wife always satisfied by giving her ornaments and by following her instructions. In this way there will be no trouble in family life. Therefore for one's own social benefit, one is advised to keep his wife satisfied. In this way, when one becomes the servant of his wife, he must act according to the desires of his wife. Thus one becomes more and more entangled. In Bengal it is said that if one becomes an obedient servant of his wife, he loses all reputation. However, the difficulty is that unless one becomes a most obedient servant of his wife, family life becomes disturbed. In the Western countries this disturbance gives rise to the divorce law, and in Eastern countries like India there is separation. Now this disturbance is confirmed by the new introduction of the divorce law in India. Within the heart, the mind is acting, thinking, feeling and willing, and falling under the control of one's wife is the same as falling under the control of material intelligence. Thus one begets children by his wife and becomes entangled in so many activities under the control of mental concoctions.

 

                             TEXTS 57-61

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       kvacit pibantyam pibati

                        madiram mada-vihvalah

                       asnantyam kvacid asnati

                        jaksatyam saha jaksiti

 

                       kvacid gayati gayantyam

                        rudatyam rudati kvacit

                       kvacid dhasantyam hasati

                        jalpantyam anu jalpati

 

                      kvacid dhavati dhavantyam

                       tisthantyam anu tisthati

                          anu sete sayanayam

                        anvaste kvacid asatim

 

                      kvacic chrnoti srnvantyam

                        pasyantyam anu pasyati

                     kvacij jighrati jighrantyam

                      sprsantyam sprsati kvacit

 

                       kvacic ca socatim jayam

                          anu socati dinavat

                        anu hrsyati hrsyantyam

                          muditam anu modate

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   kvacit--sometimes; pibantyam--while drinking; pibati--he drank; madiram--liquor; mada-vihvalah--being intoxicated; asnantyam--while she was eating; kvacit--sometimes; asnati--he ate; jaksatyam--while she was chewing; saha--with her; jaksiti--he chewed; kvacit--sometimes; gayati--he used to sing; gayantyam--while his wife was singing; rudatyam--when the wife was crying; rudati--he also cried; kvacit--sometimes; kvacit--sometimes; hasantyam--while she was laughing; hasati--he also laughed; jalpantyam--while she was talking loosely; anu--following her; jalpati--he also talked loosely; kvacit--sometimes; dhavati--he also used to walk; dhavantyam--when she was walking; tisthantyam--while she was standing silently; anu--following her; tisthati--he used to stand; anu--following her; sete--he used to lie down; sayanayam--while she was lying on the bed; anu--following her; aste--he also used to sit; kvacit--sometimes; asatim--while she was sitting; kvacit--sometimes; srnoti--he used to hear; srnvantyam--while she was engaged in hearing; pasyantyam--while she was seeing something; anu--following her; pasyati--he also used to see; kvacit--sometimes; jighrati--he used to smell; jighrantyam--while his wife was smelling; sprsantyam--while the wife was touching; sprsati--he was also touching; kvacit--at that time; kvacit ca--sometimes also; socatim--when she was lamenting; jayam--his wife; anu--following her; socati--he was also lamenting; dina-vat--like a poor man; anu--following her; hrsyati--he used to enjoy; hrsyantyam--while she was feeling enjoyment; muditam--when she was satisfied; anu--following her; modate--he felt satisfaction.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When the Queen drank liquor, King Puranjana also engaged in drinking. When the Queen dined, he used to dine with her, and when she chewed, King Puranjana used to chew along with her. When the Queen sang, he also sang. Similarly, when the Queen cried, he also cried, and when the Queen laughed, he also laughed. When the Queen talked loosely, he also talked loosely, and when the Queen walked, the King walked behind her. When the Queen would stand still, the King would also stand still, and when the Queen would lie down in bed, he would also follow and lie down with her. When the Queen sat, he would also sit, and when the Queen heard something, he would follow her to hear the same thing. When the Queen saw something, the King would also look at it, and when the Queen smelled something, the King would follow her to smell the same thing. When the Queen touched something, the King would also touch it, and when the dear Queen was lamenting, the poor King also had to follow her in lamentation. In the same way, when the Queen felt enjoyment, he also enjoyed, and when the Queen was satisfied, the King also felt satisfaction.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The mind is the place where the self is situated, and the mind is conducted by the intelligence. The living entity, situated within the heart, follows the intelligence. The intelligence is herein depicted as the Queen, and the soul, under mental control, follows the material intelligence just as the King follows his wife. The conclusion is that material intelligence is the cause of bondage for the living entity. The point is that one has to take to spiritual intelligence to come out of this entanglement.

   In the life of Maharaja Ambarisa, we find that the great Maharaja first engaged his mind on the lotus feet of Krsna. In this way his intelligence became purified. Maharaja Ambarisa also used his other senses in the service of the Lord. He engaged his eyes in seeing the Deity in the temple nicely decorated with flowers. He engaged his sense of smell by smelling the flowers, and he engaged his legs by walking to the temple. His hands were engaged in cleansing the temple, and his ears were engaged in hearing about Krsna. His tongue was engaged in two ways: in speaking about Krsna and in tasting prasada offered to the Deity. Materialistic persons, who are under the full control of material intelligence, cannot perform all these activities. Thus, consciously or unconsciously, they become entangled by the dictations of material intelligence. This fact is summarized in the following verse.

 

                               TEXT 62

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       vipralabdho mahisyaivam

                        sarva-prakrti-vancitah

                       necchann anukaroty ajnah

                      klaibyat krida-mrgo yatha

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   vipralabdhah--captivated; mahisya--by the Queen; evam--thus; sarva--all; prakrti--existence; vancitah--being cheated; na icchan--without desiring; anukaroti--used to follow and imitate; ajnah--the foolish King; klaibyat--by force; krida-mrgah--a pet animal; yatha--just like.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   In this way, King Puranjana was captivated by his nice wife and was thus cheated. Indeed, he became cheated in his whole existence in the material world. Even against that poor foolish King's desire, he remained under the control of his wife, just like a pet animal that dances according to the order of its master.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The word vipralabdhah is very significant in this verse. Vi means "specifically," and pralabdha means "obtained." Just to satisfy his desires, the King got the Queen, and thus he became cheated by material existence. Although he was not willing to do so, he remained a pet animal under the control of material intelligence. Just as a pet monkey dances according to the desires of its master, the King danced according to the desires of the Queen. In Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.5.2) it is said, mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimukteh: if one associates with a saintly person, a devotee, one's path of liberation becomes clear. But if one associates with a woman or with a person who is too much addicted to a woman, his path of bondage becomes completely clear.

   On the whole, for spiritual advancement, one must give up the company of women. This is what is meant by the order of sannyasa, the renounced order. Before taking sannyasa, or completely renouncing the material world, one has to practice avoiding illicit sex. Sex life, licit or illicit, is practically the same, but through illicit sex one becomes more and more captivated. By regulating one's sex life there is a chance that one may eventually be able to renounce sex or renounce the association of women. If this can be done, advancement in spiritual life comes very easily.

   How one becomes captivated by the association of one's dear wife is explained in this chapter by Narada Muni. Attraction for one's wife means attraction for the material qualities. One who is attracted by the material quality of darkness is in the lowest stage of life, whereas one who is attracted by the material quality of goodness is in a better position. Sometimes we see that when a person is on the platform of material goodness, he is attracted more or less by the cultivation of knowledge. This is, of course, a better position, for knowledge gives one the preference to accept devotional service. Unless one comes to the platform of knowledge, the brahma-bhuta stage, one cannot advance in devotional service. As Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (18.54):

 

                      brahma-bhutah prasannatma

                        na socati na kanksati

                        samah sarvesu bhutesu

                      mad-bhaktim labhate param

 

   "One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments nor desires to have anything; he is equally disposed to every living entity. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me."

   The platform of knowledge is advantageous because it is a means by which one may come to the stage of devotional service. However, if one takes to devotional service directly, knowledge is revealed without separate endeavor. This is confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.7):

 

                          vasudeve bhagavati

                       bhakti-yogah prayojitah

                        janayaty asu vairagyam

                       jnanam ca yad ahaitukam

 

   Devotional service automatically reveals actual knowledge of our material existence. One who is sufficiently intelligent immediately attains the stage of renunciation of so-called society, family and love as well as other things. As long as we are attached to society, family and love of the material world, there is no question of knowledge. Nor is there a question of devotional service. By directly taking to devotional service, however, one becomes filled with knowledge and renunciation. In this way one's life becomes successful.

 

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Fourth Canto, Twenty-fifth Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled "The Descriptions of the Characteristics of King Puranjana."