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Canto 9: " Liberation"
Ninth Canto
Table of Contents
Chapter One
King Sudyumna Becomes a Woman
This chapter describes how Sudyumna became a woman and how the dynasty of Vaivasvata Manu was amalgamated with the Soma-vamsa, the dynasty coming from the moon.
By the desire of Maharaja Pariksit, Sukadeva Gosvami told about the dynasty of Vaivasvata Manu, who was formerly King Satyavrata, the ruler of Dravida. While describing this dynasty, he also described how the Supreme Personality of Godhead, while lying down in the waters of devastation, gave birth to Lord Brahma from a lotus generated from His navel. From the mind of Lord Brahma, Marici was generated, and his son was Kasyapa. From Kasyapa, through Aditi, Vivasvan was generated, and from Vivasvan came Sraddhadeva Manu, who was born from the womb of Samjna. Sraddhadeva's wife, Sraddha, gave birth to ten sons, such as Iksvaku and Nrga.
Sraddhadeva, or Vaivasvata Manu, the father of Maharaja Iksvaku, was sonless before Iksvaku's birth, but by the grace of the great sage Vasistha he performed a yajna to satisfy Mitra and Varuna. Then, although Vaivasvata Manu wanted a son, by the desire of his wife he got a daughter named Ila. Manu, however, was not satisfied with the daughter. Consequently, for Manu's satisfaction, the great sage Vasistha prayed for Ila to be transformed into a boy, and his prayer was fulfilled by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus Ila became a beautiful young man named Sudyumna.
Once upon a time, Sudyumna went on tour with his ministers. At the foot of the mountain Sumeru there is a forest named Sukumara, and as soon as they entered that forest, they were all transformed into women. When Maharaja Pariksit inquired from Sukadeva Gosvami about the reason for this transformation, Sukadeva Gosvami described how Sudyumna, being transformed into a woman, accepted Budha, the son of the moon, as her husband and had a son named Pururava. By the grace of Lord Siva, Sudyumna received the benediction that he would live one month as a woman and one month as a man. Thus he regained his kingdom and had three sons, named Utkala, Gaya and Vimala, who were all very religious. Thereafter, he entrusted his kingdom to Pururava and took the order of vanaprastha life.
TEXT 1
TEXT
sri-rajovaca
manvantarani sarvani
tvayoktani srutani me
viryany ananta-viryasya
hares tatra krtani ca
SYNONYMS
sri-raja uvaca--King Pariksit said; manvantarani--all about the periods of the various Manus; sarvani--all of them; tvaya--by you; uktani--have been described; srutani--have been listened to; me--by me; viryani--wonderful activities; ananta-viryasya--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has unlimited potency; hareh--of the Supreme Lord, Hari; tatra--in those manvantara periods; krtani--which have been performed; ca--also.
TRANSLATION
King Pariksit said: My lord, Sukadeva Gosvami, you have elaborately described all the periods of the various Manus and, within those periods, the wonderful activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has unlimited potency. I am fortunate to have heard all of this from you.
TEXTS 2-3
TEXT
yo 'sau satyavrato nama
rajarsir dravidesvarah
jnanam yo 'tita-kalpante
lebhe purusa-sevaya
sa vai vivasvatah putro
manur asid iti srutam
tvattas tasya sutah prokta
iksvaku-pramukha nrpah
SYNONYMS
yah asau--he who was known; satyavratah--Satyavrata; nama--by the name; raja-rsih--the saintly king; dravida-isvarah--the ruler of the Dravida countries; jnanam--knowledge; yah--one who; atita-kalpa-ante--at the end of the period of the last Manu, or at the end of the last millennium; lebhe--received; purusa-sevaya--by rendering service to the Supreme personality of Godhead; sah--he; vai--indeed; vivasvatah--of Vivasvan; putrah--son; manuh asit--became the Vaivasvata Manu; iti--thus; srutam--I have already heard; tvattah--from you; tasya--his; sutah--sons; proktah--have been explained; iksvaku-pramukhah--headed by Iksvaku; nrpah--many kings.
TRANSLATION
Satyavrata, the saintly king of Dravidadesa who received spiritual knowledge at the end of the last millennium by the grace of the Supreme, later became Vaivasvata Manu, the son of Vivasvan, in the next manvantara [period of Manu]. I have received this knowledge from you. I also understand that such kings as Iksvaku were his sons, as you have already explained.
TEXT 4
TEXT
tesam vamsam prthag brahman
vamsanucaritani ca
kirtayasva maha-bhaga
nityam susrusatam hi nah
SYNONYMS
tesam--of all those kings; vamsam--the dynasties; prthak--separately; brahman--O great brahmana (Sukadeva Gosvami); vamsa-anucaritani ca--and their dynasties and characteristics; kirtayasva--kindly describe; maha-bhaga--O greatly fortunate one; nityam--eternally; susrusatam--who are engaged in your service; hi--indeed; nah--of ourselves.
TRANSLATION
O greatly fortunate Sukadeva Gosvami, O great brahmana, kindly describe to us separately the dynasties and characteristics of all those kings, for we are always eager to hear such topics from you.
TEXT 5
TEXT
ye bhuta ye bhavisyas ca
bhavanty adyatanas ca ye
tesam nah punya-kirtinam
sarvesam vada vikraman
SYNONYMS
ye--all of whom; bhutah--have already appeared; ye--all of whom; bhavisyah--will appear in the future; ca--also; bhavanti--are existing; adyatanah--at present; ca--also; ye--all of whom; tesam--of all of them; nah--unto us; punya-kirtinam--who were all pious and celebrated; sarvesam--of all of them; vada--kindly explain; vikraman--about the abilities.
TRANSLATION
Kindly tell us about the abilities of all the celebrated kings born in the dynasty of Vaivasvata Manu, including those who have already passed, those who may appear in the future, and those who exist at present.
TEXT 6
TEXT
sri-suta uvaca
evam pariksita rajna
sadasi brahma-vadinam
prstah provaca bhagavan
chukah parama-dharma-vit
SYNONYMS
sri-sutah uvaca--Sri Suta Gosvami said; evam--in this way; pariksita--by Maharaja Pariksit; rajna--by the King; sadasi--in the assembly; brahma-vadinam--of all the great saintly experts in Vedic knowledge; prstah--having been asked; provaca--answered; bhagavan--the most powerful; sukah--Suka Gosvami; parama-dharma-vit--the most learned scholar in religious principles.
TRANSLATION
Suta Gosvami said: When Sukadeva Gosvami, the greatest knower of religious principles, was thus requested by Maharaja Pariksit in the assembly of all the scholars learned in Vedic knowledge, he then proceeded to speak.
TEXT 7
TEXT
sri-suka uvaca
sruyatam manavo vamsah
pracuryena parantapa
na sakyate vistarato
vaktum varsa-satair api
SYNONYMS
sri-sukah uvaca--Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; sruyatam--just hear from me; manavah vamsah--the dynasty of Manu; pracuryena--as expansive as possible; parantapa--O King, who can subdue your enemies; na--not; sakyate--one is able; vistaratah--very broadly; vaktum--to speak; varsa-sataih api--even if he does so for hundreds of years.
TRANSLATION
Sukadeva Gosvami continued: O King, subduer of your enemies, now hear from me in great detail about the dynasty of Manu. I shall explain as much as possible, although one could not say everything about it, even in hundreds of years.
TEXT 8
TEXT
paravaresam bhutanam
atma yah purusah parah
sa evasid idam visvam
kalpante 'nyan na kincana
SYNONYMS
para-avaresam--of all living entities, in higher or lower statuses of life; bhutanam--of those who have taken material bodies (the conditioned souls); atma--the Supersoul; yah--one who is; purusah--the Supreme Person; parah--transcendental; sah--He; eva--indeed; asit--was existing; idam--this; visvam--universe; kalpa-ante--at the end of the millennium; anyat--anything else; na--not; kincana--anything whatsoever.
TRANSLATION
The transcendental Supreme Person, the Supersoul of all living entities, who are in different statuses of life, high and low, existed at the end of the millennium, when neither this manifested cosmos nor anything else but Him existed.
PURPORT
Taking the proper position from which to describe the dynasty of Manu, Sukadeva Gosvami begins by saying that when the entire world is inundated, only the Supreme Personality of Godhead exists, and nothing else. Sukadeva Gosvami will now describe how the Lord creates other things, one after another.
TEXT 9
TEXT
tasya nabheh samabhavat
padma-koso hiranmayah
tasmin jajne maharaja
svayambhus catur-ananah
SYNONYMS
tasya--of Him (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); nabheh--from the navel; samabhavat--generated; padma-kosah--a lotus; hiranmayah--known as Hiranmaya, or golden; tasmin--on that golden lotus; jajne--appeared; maharaja--O King; svayambhuh--one who is self-manifested, who takes birth without a mother; catuh-ananah--with four heads.
TRANSLATION
O King Pariksit, from the navel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead was generated a golden lotus, on which the four-faced Lord Brahma took his birth.
TEXT 10
TEXT
maricir manasas tasya
jajne tasyapi kasyapah
daksayanyam tato 'dityam
vivasvan abhavat sutah
SYNONYMS
maricih--the great saintly person known as Marici; manasah tasya--from the mind of Lord Brahma; jajne--took birth; tasya api--from Marici; kasyapah--Kasyapa (took birth); daksayanyam--in the womb of the daughter of Maharaja Daksa; tatah--thereafter; adityam--in the womb of Aditi; vivasvan--Vivasvan; abhavat--took birth; sutah--a son.
TRANSLATION
From the mind of Lord Brahma, Marici took birth, and from the semen of Marici, Kasyapa appeared from the womb of the daughter of Daksa Maharaja. From Kasyapa, by the womb of Aditi, Vivasvan took birth.
TEXTS 11-12
TEXT
tato manuh sraddhadevah
samjnayam asa bharata
sraddhayam janayam asa
dasa putran sa atmavan
iksvaku-nrga-saryati-
dista-dhrsta-karusakan
narisyantam prsadhram ca
nabhagam ca kavim vibhuh
SYNONYMS
tatah--from Vivasvan; manuh sraddhadevah--the Manu named Sraddhadeva; samjnayam--in the womb of Samjna (the wife of Vivasvan); asa--was born; bharata--O best of the Bharata dynasty; sraddhayam--in the womb of Sraddha (the wife of Sraddhadeva); janayam asa--begot; dasa--ten; putran--sons; sah--that Sraddhadeva; atmavan--having conquered his senses; iksvaku-nrga-saryati-dista-dhrsta-karusakan--named Iksvaku, Nrga, Saryati, Dista, Dhrsta and Karusaka; narisyantam--Narisyanta; prsadhram ca--and Prsadhra; nabhagam ca--and Nabhaga; kavim--Kavi; vibhuh--the great.
TRANSLATION
O King, best of the Bharata dynasty, from Vivasvan, by the womb of Samjna, Sraddhadeva Manu was born. Sraddhadeva Manu, having conquered his senses, begot ten sons in the womb of his wife, Sraddha. The names of these sons were Iksvaku, Nrga, Saryati, Dista, Dhrsta, Karusaka, Narisyanta, Prsadhra, Nabhaga and Kavi.
TEXT 13
TEXT
aprajasya manoh purvam
vasistho bhagavan kila
mitra-varunayor istim
prajartham akarod vibhuh
SYNONYMS
aprajasya--of he who had no son; manoh--of Manu; purvam--formerly; vasisthah--the great saint Vasistha; bhagavan--powerful; kila--indeed; mitra-varunayoh--of the demigods named Mitra and Varuna; istim--a sacrifice; praja-artham--for the sake of getting sons; akarot--executed; vibhuh--the great person.
TRANSLATION
Manu at first had no sons. Therefore, in order to get a son for him, the great saint Vasistha, who was very powerful in spiritual knowledge, performed a sacrifice to satisfy the demigods Mitra and Varuna.
TEXT 14
TEXT
tatra sraddha manoh patni
hotaram samayacata
duhitrartham upagamya
pranipatya payovrata
SYNONYMS
tatra--in that sacrifice; sraddha--Sraddha; manoh--of Manu; patni--the wife; hotaram--to the priest performing the yajna; samayacata--begged properly; duhitr-artham--for a daughter; upagamya--coming near; pranipatya--offering obeisances; payah-vrata--who was observing the vow of drinking only milk.
TRANSLATION
During that sacrifice, Sraddha, Manu's wife, who was observing the vow of subsisting only by drinking milk, approached the priest offering the sacrifice, offered obeisances to him and begged for a daughter.
TEXT 15
TEXT
presito 'dhvaryuna hota
vyacarat tat samahitah
grhite havisi vaca
vasat-karam grnan dvijah
SYNONYMS
presitah--being told to execute the sacrifice; adhvaryuna--by the rtvik priest; hota--the priest in charge of offering oblations; vyacarat--executed; tat--that (sacrifice); samahitah--with great attention; grhite havisi--upon taking the clarified butter for the first oblation; vaca--by chanting the mantra; vasat-karam--the mantra beginning with the word vasat; grnan--reciting; dvijah--the brahmana.
TRANSLATION
Told by the chief priest "Now offer oblations," the person in charge of oblations took clarified butter to offer. He then remembered the request of Manu's wife and performed the sacrifice while chanting the word "vasat."
TEXT 16
TEXT
hotus tad-vyabhicarena
kanyela nama sabhavat
tam vilokya manuh praha
natitustamana gurum
SYNONYMS
hotuh--of the priest; tat--of the yajna; vyabhicarena--by that transgression; kanya--a daughter; ila--Ila; nama--by the name; sa--that daughter; abhavat--was born; tam--unto her; vilokya--seeing; manuh--Manu; praha--said; na--not; atitustamanah--very much satisfied; gurum--unto his guru.
TRANSLATION
Manu had begun that sacrifice for the sake of getting a son, but because the priest was diverted by the request of Manu's wife, a daughter named Ila was born. Upon seeing the daughter, Manu was not very satisfied. Thus he spoke to his guru, Vasistha, as follows.
PURPORT
Because Manu had no issue, he was pleased at the birth of the child, even though a daughter, and gave her the name Ila. Later, however, he was not very satisfied to see the daughter instead of a son. Because he had no issue, he was certainly very glad at the birth of Ila, but his pleasure was temporary.
TEXT 17
TEXT
bhagavan kim idam jatam
karma vo brahma-vadinam
viparyayam aho kastam
maivam syad brahma-vikriya
SYNONYMS
bhagavan--O my lord; kim idam--what is this; jatam--born; karma--fruitive activities; vah--of all of you; brahma-vadinam--of you, who are expert in chanting the Vedic mantras; viparyayam--deviation; aho--alas; kastam--painful; ma evam syat--thus it should not have been; brahma-vikriya--this opposite action of the Vedic mantras.
TRANSLATION
My lord, all of you are expert in chanting the Vedic mantras. How then has the result been opposite to the one desired? This is a matter for lamentation. There should not have been such a reversal of the results of the Vedic mantras.
PURPORT
In this age, the performance of yajna has been forbidden because no one can properly chant the Vedic mantras. If Vedic mantras are chanted properly, the desire for which a sacrifice is performed must be successful. Therefore the Hare Krsna chant is called the maha-mantra, the great, exalted mantra above all other Vedic mantras, because simply chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra brings so many beneficial effects. As explained by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (Siksastaka 1):
ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam
sreyah-kairava-candrika-vitaranam vidya-vadhu-jivanam
anandambudhi-vardhanam prati-padam purnamrtasvadanam
sarvatma-snapanam param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam
"Glory to the Sri Krsna sankirtana, which cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire of conditional life, of repeated birth and death. This sankirtana movement is the prime benediction for humanity at large because it spreads the rays of the benediction moon. It is the life of all transcendental knowledge. It increases the ocean of transcendental bliss, and it enables us to fully taste the nectar for which we are always anxious."
Therefore, the best performance of yajna given to us is the sankirtana-yajna. Yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi sumedhasah (Bhag. 11.5.32). Those who are intelligent take advantage of the greatest yajna in this age by chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra in congregation. When the Hare Krsna mantra is chanted by many men together, the chanting is called sankirtana, and as a result of such a yajna there will be clouds in the sky (yajnad bhavati parjanyah). In these days of drought, people can gain relief from scarcity of rain and food by the simple method of the Hare Krsna yajna. Indeed, this can relieve all of human society. At present there are droughts throughout Europe and America, and people are suffering, but if people take this Krsna consciousness movement seriously, if they stop their sinful activities and chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, all their problems will be solved without difficulty. In other processes of yajna there are difficulties because there are no learned scholars who can chant the mantras perfectly well, nor is it possible to secure the ingredients to perform the yajna. Because human society is poverty-stricken and men are devoid of Vedic knowledge and the power to chant the Vedic mantras, the Hare Krsna maha-mantra is the only shelter. people should be intelligent enough to chant it. Yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi sumedhasah. Those whose brains are dull cannot understand this chanting, nor can they take to it.
TEXT 18
TEXT
yuyam brahma-vido yuktas
tapasa dagdha-kilbisah
kutah sankalpa-vaisamyam
anrtam vibudhesv iva
SYNONYMS
yuyam--of all you; brahma-vidah--completely in awareness of the Absolute Truth; yuktah--self-controlled and well balanced; tapasa--by dint of austerity and penances; dagdha-kilbisah--all kinds of material contamination having been burnt out; kutah--then how; sankalpa-vaisamyam--discrepancy in the matter of determination; anrtam--false promise, false statement; vibudhesu--in the society of the demigods; iva--or.
TRANSLATION
You are all self-controlled, well balanced in mind, and aware of the Absolute Truth. And because of austerities and penances you are completely cleansed of all material contamination. Your words, like those of the demigods, are never baffled. Then how is it possible that your determination has failed?
PURPORT
We have learned from many Vedic literatures that a benediction or curse given by the demigods never proves false. By performing austerities and penances, by controlling the senses and mind, and by achieving full knowledge of the Absolute Truth, one is fully cleansed of material contamination. Then one's words and blessings, like those of the demigods, are never a failure.
TEXT 19
TEXT
nisamya tad vacas tasya
bhagavan prapitamahah
hotur vyatikramam jnatva
babhase ravi-nandanam
SYNONYMS
nisamya--after hearing; tat vacah--those words; tasya--of him (Manu); bhagavan--the most powerful; prapitamahah--the great-grandfather Vasistha; hotuh vyatikramam--discrepancy on the part of the hota priest; jnatva--understanding; babhase--spoke; ravi-nandanam--unto Vaivasvata Manu, son of the sun-god.
TRANSLATION
The most powerful great-grandfather Vasistha, after hearing these words of Manu, understood the discrepancy on the part of the priest. Thus he spoke as follows to the son of the sun-god.
TEXT 20
TEXT
etat sankalpa-vaisamyam
hotus te vyabhicaratah
tathapi sadhayisye te
suprajastvam sva-tejasa
SYNONYMS
etat--this; sankalpa-vaisamyam--discrepancy in the objective; hotuh--of the priest; te--your; vyabhicaratah--from deviating from the prescribed purpose; tatha api--still; sadhayisye--I shall execute; te--for you; su-prajastvam--a very nice son; sva-tejasa--by my own prowess.
TRANSLATION
This discrepancy in the objective is due to your priest's deviation from the original purpose. However, by my own prowess I shall give you a good son.
TEXT 21
TEXT
evam vyavasito rajan
bhagavan sa maha-yasah
astausid adi-purusam
ilayah pumstva-kamyaya
SYNONYMS
evam--thus; vyavasitah--deciding; rajan--O King Pariksit; bhagavan--the most powerful; sah--Vasistha; maha-yasah--very famous; astausit--offered prayers; adi-purusam--unto the Supreme Person, Lord Visnu; ilayah--of Ila; pumstva-kamyaya--for the transformation into a male.
TRANSLATION
Sukadeva Gosvami said: O King Pariksit, after the most famous and powerful Vasistha made this decision, he offered prayers to the Supreme Person, Visnu, to transform Ila into a male.
TEXT 22
TEXT
tasmai kama-varam tusto
bhagavan harir isvarah
dadav ilabhavat tena
sudyumnah purusarsabhah
SYNONYMS
tasmai--unto him (Vasistha); kama-varam--the desired benediction; tustah--being pleased; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality; harih isvarah--the supreme controller, the Lord; dadau--gave; ila--the girl, Ila; abhavat--became; tena--because of this benediction; sudyumnah--by the name Sudyumna; purusa-rsabhah--a nice male.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme controller, being pleased with Vasistha, gave him the benediction he desired. Thus Ila was transformed into a very fine male named Sudyumna.
TEXTS 23-24
TEXT
sa ekada maharaja
vicaran mrgayam vane
vrtah katipayamatyair
asvam aruhya saindhavam
pragrhya ruciram capam
sarams ca paramadbhutan
damsito 'numrgam viro
jagama disam uttaram
SYNONYMS
sah--Sudyumna; ekada--once upon a time; maharaja--O King Pariksit; vicaran--touring; mrgayam--for hunting; vane--in the forest; vrtah--accompanied; katipaya--a few; amatyaih--by ministers or associates; asvam--upon a horse; aruhya--riding; saindhavam--born in the Sindhupradesa; pragrhya--holding in hand; ruciram--beautiful; capam--bow; saran ca--and arrows; parama-adbhutan--very wonderful, uncommon; damsitah--wearing armor; anumrgam--behind the animals; virah--the hero; jagama--went toward; disam uttaram--the north.
TRANSLATION
O King Pariksit, that hero Sudyumna, accompanied by a few ministers and associates and riding on a horse brought from Sindhupradesa, once went into the forest to hunt. He wore armor and was decorated with bows and arrows, and he was very beautiful. While following the animals and killing them, he reached the northern part of the forest.
TEXT 25
TEXT
sukumara-vanam meror
adhastat pravivesa ha
yatraste bhagavan charvo
ramamanah sahomaya
SYNONYMS
sukumara-vanam--the forest known as Sukumara; meroh adhastat--at the foot of Mount Meru; pravivesa ha--he entered; yatra--wherein; aste--was; bhagavan--the most powerful (demigod); sarvah--Lord Siva; ramamanah--engaged in enjoyment; saha umaya--with Uma, his wife.
TRANSLATION
There in the north, at the bottom of Mount Meru, is a forest known as Sukumara where Lord Siva always enjoys with Uma. Sudyumna entered that forest.
TEXT 26
TEXT
tasmin pravista evasau
sudyumnah para-vira-ha
apasyat striyam atmanam
asvam ca vadavam nrpa
SYNONYMS
tasmin--in that forest; pravistah--having entered; eva--indeed; asau--he; sudyumnah--Prince Sudyumna; para-vira-ha--who could very well subdue his enemies; apasyat--observed; striyam--female; atmanam--himself; asvam ca--and his horse; vadavam--a mare; nrpa--O King Pariksit.
TRANSLATION
O King Pariksit, as soon as Sudyumna, who was expert in subduing enemies, entered the forest, he saw himself transformed into a female and his horse transformed into a mare.
TEXT 27
TEXT
tatha tad-anugah sarve
atma-linga-viparyayam
drstva vimanaso 'bhuvan
viksamanah parasparam
SYNONYMS
tatha--similarly; tat-anugah--the companions of Sudyumna; sarve--all of them; atma-linga-viparyayam--the transformation of their sex into the opposite; drstva--seeing; vimanasah--morose; abhuvan--they became; viksamanah--looking over; parasparam--one another.
TRANSLATION
When his followers also saw their identities transformed and their sex reversed, they were all very morose and just looked at one another.
TEXT 28
TEXT
sri-rajovaca
katham evam guno desah
kena va bhagavan krtah
prasnam enam samacaksva
param kautuhalam hi nah
SYNONYMS
sri-raja uvaca--Maharaja Pariksit said; katham--how; evam--this; gunah--quality; desah--the country; kena--why; va--either; bhagavan--O most powerful; krtah--it was so done; prasnam--question; enam--this; samacaksva--just deliberate; param--very much; kautuhalam--eagerness; hi--indeed; nah--our.
TRANSLATION
Maharaja Pariksit said: O most powerful brahmana, why was this place so empowered, and who made it so powerful? Kindly answer this question, for I am very eager to hear about this.
TEXT 29
TEXT
sri-suka uvaca
ekada girisam drastum
rsayas tatra suvratah
diso vitimirabhasah
kurvantah samupagaman
SYNONYMS
sri-sukah uvaca--Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; ekada--once upon a time; girisam--Lord Siva; drastum--to see; rsayah--very saintly persons; tatra--in that forest; su-vratah--highly elevated in spiritual power; disah--all directions; vitimira-abhasah--having been cleared of all darkness whatsoever; kurvantah--doing so; samupagaman--arrived.
TRANSLATION
Sukadeva Gosvami answered: Great saintly persons who strictly observed the spiritual rules and regulations and whose own effulgence dissipated all the darkness of all directions once came to see Lord Siva in that forest.
TEXT 30
TEXT
tan vilokyambika devi
vivasa vridita bhrsam
bhartur ankat samutthaya
nivim asv atha paryadhat
SYNONYMS
tan--all the saintly persons; vilokya--seeing them; ambika--mother Durga; devi--the goddess; vivasa--because she was naked; vridita--ashamed; bhrsam--highly; bhartuh--of her husband; ankat--from the lap; samutthaya--getting up; nivim--breast; asu atha--very quickly; paryadhat--covered with cloth.
TRANSLATION
When the goddess Ambika saw the great saintly persons, she was very much ashamed because at that time she was naked. She immediately got up from the lap of her husband and tried to cover her breast.
TEXT 31
TEXT
rsayo 'pi tayor viksya
prasangam ramamanayoh
nivrttah prayayus tasman
nara-narayanasramam
SYNONYMS
rsayah--all the great saintly persons; api--also; tayoh--of both of them; viksya--seeing; prasangam--engagement in sexual matters; ramamanayoh--who were enjoying in that way; nivrttah--desisted from going further; prayayuh--immediately departed; tasmat--from that place; nara-narayana-asramam--to the asrama of Nara-Narayana.
TRANSLATION
Seeing Lord Siva and Parvati engaged in sexual affairs, all the great saintly persons immediately desisted from going further and departed for the asrama of Nara-Narayana.
TEXT 32
TEXT
tad idam bhagavan aha
priyayah priya-kamyaya
sthanam yah pravised etat
sa vai yosid bhaved iti
SYNONYMS
tat--because; idam--this; bhagavan--Lord Siva; aha--said; priyayah--of his dear wife; priya-kamyaya--for the pleasure; sthanam--place; yah--anyone who; praviset--will enter; etat--here; sah--that person; vai--indeed; yosit--female; bhavet--shall become; iti--thus.
TRANSLATION
Thereupon, just to please his wife, Lord Siva said, "Any male entering this place shall immediately become a female!"
TEXT 33
TEXT
tata urdhvam vanam tad vai
purusa varjayanti hi
sa canucara-samyukta
vicacara vanad vanam
SYNONYMS
tatah urdhvam--from that time onward; vanam--forest; tat--that; vai--in particular; purusah--males; varjayanti--do not enter; hi--indeed; sa--Sudyumna in the form of a woman; ca--also; anucara-samyukta--accompanied by his companions; vicacara--walked; vanat vanam--within the forest from one place to another.
TRANSLATION
Since that time, no male had entered that forest. But now King Sudyumna, having been transformed into a female, began to walk with his associates from one forest to another.
PURPORT
In Bhagavad-gita (2.22) it is said:
vasamsi jirnani yatha vihaya
navani grhnati naro 'parani
tatha sarirani vihaya jirnany
anyani samyati navani dehi
"As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, the soul accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones."
The body is just like a dress, and here this is proved. Sudyumna and his associates were all male, which means that their souls were covered by male dress, but now they became female, which means that their dress was changed. The soul, however, remains the same. It is said that by modern medical treatment a male can be transformed into a female, and a female into a male. The body, however, has no connection with the soul. The body can be changed, either in this life or the next. Therefore, one who has knowledge of the soul and how the soul transmigrates from one body to another does not pay attention to the body, which is nothing but a covering dress. Panditah sama-darsinah. Such a person sees the soul, which is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. Therefore he is a sama-darsi, a learned person.
TEXT 34
TEXT
atha tam asramabhyase
carantim pramadottamam
stribhih parivrtam viksya
cakame bhagavan budhah
SYNONYMS
atha--in this way; tam--her; asrama-abhyase--in the neighborhood of his asrama; carantim--loitering; pramada-uttamam--the best of beautiful women who excite sex; stribhih--by other women; parivrtam--surrounded; viksya--seeing her; cakame--desired sex; bhagavan--the most powerful; budhah--Budha, the son of the moon and predominating deity of the planet known as Budha, or Mercury.
TRANSLATION
Sudyumna had been transformed into the best of beautiful women who excite sexual desire and was surrounded by other women. Upon seeing this beautiful woman loitering near his asrama, Budha, the son of the moon, immediately desired to enjoy her.
TEXT 35
TEXT
sapi tam cakame subhruh
somaraja-sutam patim
sa tasyam janayam asa
pururavasam atmajam
SYNONYMS
sa--Sudyumna, transformed into a woman; api--also; tam--unto him (Budha); cakame--desired sex; su-bhruh--very beautiful; somaraja-sutam--unto the son of the king of the moon; patim--as her husband; sah--he (Budha); tasyam--in her womb; janayam asa--begot; pururavasam--named Pururava; atma-jam--a son.
TRANSLATION
The beautiful woman also desired to accept Budha, the son of the king of the moon, as her husband. Thus Budha begot in her womb a son named Pururava.
TEXT 36
TEXT
evam stritvam anupraptah
sudyumno manavo nrpah
sasmara sa kulacaryam
vasistham iti susruma
SYNONYMS
evam--in this way; stritvam--femininity; anupraptah--having achieved in that way; sudyumnah--the male named Sudyumna; manavah--the son of Manu; nrpah--the king; sasmara--remembered; sah--he; kula-acaryam--the familial spiritual master; vasistham--the most powerful Vasistha; iti susruma--I have heard it (from reliable sources).
TRANSLATION
I heard from reliable sources that King Sudyumna, the son of Manu, having thus achieved femininity, remembered his familial spiritual master, Vasistha.
TEXT 37
TEXT
sa tasya tam dasam drstva
krpaya bhrsa-piditah
sudyumnasyasayan pumstvam
upadhavata sankaram
SYNONYMS
sah--he, Vasistha; tasya--of Sudyumna; tam--that; dasam--condition; drstva--seeing; krpaya--out of mercy; bhrsa-piditah--being very much aggrieved; sudyumnasya--of Sudyumna; asayan--desiring; pumstvam--the maleness; upadhavata--began to worship; sankaram--Lord Siva.
TRANSLATION
Upon seeing Sudyumna's deplorable condition, Vasistha was very much aggrieved. Desiring for Sudyumna to regain his maleness, Vasistha again began to worship Lord Sankara [Siva].
TEXTS 38-39
TEXT
tustas tasmai sa bhagavan
rsaye priyam avahan
svam ca vacam rtam kurvann
idam aha visampate
masam puman sa bhavita
masam stri tava gotrajah
ittham vyavasthaya kamam
sudyumno 'vatu medinim
SYNONYMS
tustah--being pleased; tasmai--unto Vasistha; sah--he (Lord Siva); bhagavan--the most powerful; rsaye--unto the great sage; priyam avahan--just to please him; svam ca--his own; vacam--word; rtam--true; kurvan--and keeping; idam--this; aha--said; visampate--O King Pariksit; masam--one month; puman--male; sah--Sudyumna; bhavita--will become; masam--an other month; stri--female; tava--your; gotra-jah--disciple born in your disciplic succession; ittham--in this way; vyavasthaya--by settlement; kamam--according to desire; sudyumnah--King Sudyumna; avatu--may rule; medinim--the world.
TRANSLATION
O King Pariksit, Lord Siva was pleased with Vasistha. Therefore, to satisfy him and to keep his own word to Parvati, Lord Siva said to that saintly person, "Your disciple Sudyumna may remain a male for one month and a female for the next. In this way he may rule the world as he likes."
PURPORT
The word gotrajah is significant in this connection. Brahmanas generally act as spiritual masters of two dynasties. One is their disciplic succession, and the other is the dynasty born of their semen. Both descendants belong to the same gotra, or dynasty. In the Vedic system we sometimes find that both brahmanas and ksatriyas and even vaisyas come in the disciplic succession of the same rsis. Because the gotra and dynasty are one, there is no difference between the disciples and the family born of the semen. The same system still prevails in Indian society, especially in regard to marriage, for which the gotra is calculated. Here the word gotrajah refers to those born in the same dynasty, whether they be disciples or members of the family.
TEXT 40
TEXT
acaryanugrahat kamam
labdhva pumstvam vyavasthaya
palayam asa jagatim
nabhyanandan sma tam prajah
SYNONYMS
acarya-anugrahat--by the mercy of the spiritual master; kamam--desired; labdhva--having achieved; pumstvam--maleness; vyavasthaya--by this settlement of Lord Siva; palayam asa--he ruled; jagatim--the whole world; na abhyanandan sma--were not satisfied with; tam--to the king; prajah--the citizens.
TRANSLATION
Thus being favored by the spiritual master, according to the words of Lord Siva, Sudyumna regained his desired maleness every alternate month and in this way ruled the kingdom, although the citizens were not satisfied with this.
PURPORT
The citizens could understand that the king was transformed into a female every alternate month and therefore could not discharge his royal duty. Consequently they were not very satisfied.
TEXT 41
TEXT
tasyotkalo gayo rajan
vimalas ca trayah sutah
daksina-patha-rajano
babhuvur dharma-vatsalah
SYNONYMS
tasya--of Sudyumna; utkalah--by the name Utkala; gayah--by the name Gaya; rajan--O King Pariksit; vimalah ca--and Vimala; trayah--three; sutah--sons; daksina-patha--of the southern part of the world; rajanah--kings; babhuvuh--they became; dharma-vatsalah--very religious.
TRANSLATION
O King, Sudyumna had three very pious sons, named Utkala, Gaya and Vimala, who became the kings of the Daksina-patha.
TEXT 42
TEXT
tatah parinate kale
pratisthana-patih prabhuh
pururavasa utsrjya
gam putraya gato vanam
SYNONYMS
tatah--thereafter; parinate kale--when the time was ripe; pratisthana-patih--the master of the kingdom; prabhuh--very powerful; pururavase--unto Pururava; utsrjya--delivering; gam--the world; putraya--unto his son; gatah--departed; vanam--to the forest.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter, when the time was ripe, when Sudyumna, the king of the world, was sufficiently old, he delivered the entire kingdom to his son Pururava and entered the forest.
PURPORT
According to the Vedic system, one within the institution of varna and asrama must leave his family life after he reaches fifty years of age (pancasad urdhvam vanam vrajet). Thus Sudyumna followed the prescribed regulations of varnasrama by leaving the kingdom and going to the forest to complete his spiritual life.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Ninth Canto, First Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled "King Sudyumna Becomes a Woman."