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tat—him; darsana—seeing; udgatan—being greatly desired; pranan—life; pratyaditsuh—peacefully going; iva—like; utthitah—got up; sa—with; sadasya—associates or followers; anugah—officers; vainyah—King Prthu; indriya-isah—a living entity; gunan iva—as influenced by the modes of material nature.

Seeing the four Kumaras, Prthu Maharaja was greatly anxious to receive them. Therefore the King, with all his officers, very hastily got up, as anxiously as a conditioned soul whose senses are immediately attracted by the modes of material nature.

gauravad yantritah sabhyah

In Bhagavad-gita (3.27) it is said:

prakrteh kriyamanani
gunaih karmani sarvasah
ahankara-vimudhatma
kartaham iti manyate

Every conditioned soul is influenced by a particular mixture of the modes of material nature. As such, the conditioned soul is attracted to certain types of activity which he is forced to perform because he is completely under the influence of material nature. Here Prthu Maharaja is compared to such a conditioned soul, not because he was a conditioned soul but because he was so anxious to receive the Kumaras that it was as if without them he would have lost his life. The conditioned soul is attracted by the objects of sense gratification. His eyes are attracted to see beautiful things, his ears are attracted to hear nice music, his nose is attracted to enjoy the aroma of a nice flower, and his tongue is attracted to taste nice food. Similarly, all his other senses—his hands, his legs, his belly, his genitals, his mind, etc.—are so susceptible to the attraction of the objects of enjoyment that he cannot restrain himself. Prthu Maharaja, in the same way, could not restrain himself from receiving the four Kumaras, who were bright by dint of their spiritual progress, and thus not only he himself but also his officers and associates all received the four Kumaras. It is said, “Birds of a feather flock together.” In this world, everyone is attracted by a person of the same category. A drunkard is attracted to persons who are also drunkards. Similarly, a saintly person is attracted by other saintly persons. Prthu Maharaja was in the topmost position of spiritual advancement, and as such, he was attracted by the Kumaras, who were of the same category. It is said, therefore, that a man is known by his company.

SB4.22.4

TEXT 4

prasrayanata-kandharah

vidhivat pujayam cakre

grhitadhyarhanasanan

gauravat—glories; yantritah—completely; sabhyah—most civilized; prasraya—by humbleness; anata-kandharah—bowing down his shoulder; vidhi-vat—according to the instructions of the sastra; pujayam—by worshiping; cakre—performed; grhita—accepting; adhi—including; arhana—paraphernalia for reception; asanan—sitting places.

When the great sages accepted their reception, according to the instructions of the sastras, and finally took their seats offered by the King, the King, influenced by the glories of the sages, immediately bowed down. Thus he worshiped the four Kumaras.

The four Kumaras are parampara spiritual masters of the Vaisnava sampradaya. Out of the four sampradayas, namely Brahma-sampradaya, Sri-sampradaya, Kumara-sampradaya and Rudra-sampradaya, the disciplic succession of spiritual master to disciple known as the Kumara-sampradaya is coming down from the four Kumaras. So Prthu Maharaja was very respectful to the sampradaya-acaryas. As it is said by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastraih: a spiritual master, or the parampara-acarya, should be respected exactly like the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The word vidhivat is significant in this verse. This means that Prthu Maharaja also strictly followed the injunctions of the sastra in receiving a spiritual master, or acarya, of the transcendental disciplic succession. Whenever an acarya is seen, one should immediately bow down before him. Prthu Maharaja did this properly; therefore the words used here are prasrayanata-kandharah. Out of humility, he bowed down before the Kumaras.

SB4.22.5

TEXT 5

tat-pada-sauca-salilair

marjitalaka-bandhanah

tatra silavatam vrttam

acaran manayann iva

tat-pada—their lotus feet; sauca—washed; salilaih—water; marjita—sprinkled; alaka—hair; bandhanah—bunch; tatra—there; silavatam—of the respectable gentlemen; vrttam—behavior; acaran—behaving; manayan—practicing; iva—like.

After this, the King took the water which had washed the lotus feet of the Kumaras and sprinkled it over his hair. By such respectful actions, the King, as an exemplary personality, showed how to receive a spiritually advanced personality.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said, apani acari prabhu jivere sikhaya. It is very well known that whatever Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught in His life as acarya, He Himself practiced. When He was preaching as a devotee, although He was detected by several great personalities to be the incarnation of Krsna, He never agreed to be addressed as an incarnation. Even though one may be an incarnation of Krsna, or especially empowered by Him, he should not advertise that he is an incarnation. People will automatically accept the real truth in due course of time. Prthu Maharaja was the ideal Vaisnava king; therefore he taught others by his personal behavior how to receive and respect saintly persons like the Kumaras. When a saintly person comes to one’s home, it is the Vedic custom first to wash his feet with water and then sprinkle this water over the heads of oneself and one’s family. Prthu Maharaja did this, for he was an exemplary teacher of the people in general.

SB4.22.6

TEXT 6

hatakasana asinan

sva-dhisnyesv iva pavakan

sraddha-samyama-samyuktah

pritah praha bhavagrajan

hataka-asane—on the throne made of gold; asinan—when they were seated; sva-dhisnyesu—on the altar; iva—like; pavakan—fire; sraddha—respect; samyama—restraint; samyuktah—being decorated with; pritah—pleased; praha—said; bhava—Lord Siva; agra-jan—the elder brothers.

The four great sages were elder to Lord Siva, and when they were seated on the golden throne, they appeared just like fire blazing on an altar. Maharaja Prthu, out of his great gentleness and respect for them, began to speak with great restraint as follows.

The Kumaras are described herein as the elder brothers of Lord Siva. When the Kumaras were born out of the body of Lord Brahma, they were requested to get married and increase the population. In the beginning of the creation there was a great need of population; therefore Lord Brahma was creating one son after another and ordering them to increase. However, when the Kumaras were requested to do so, they declined. They wanted to remain brahmacari throughout life and be engaged fully in the devotional service of the Lord. The Kumaras are called naisthika-brahmacari, meaning they are never to marry. Because of their refusal to marry, Lord Brahma became so angry that his eyes became reddish. From between his eyes, Lord Siva, or Rudra, appeared. The mode of anger is consequently known as rudra. Lord Siva also has a sampradaya party, known as the Rudra-sampradaya, and they are also known as Vaisnavas.

mangalam mangalayanah

yasya vo darsanam hy asid

durdarsanam ca yogibhih

prthuh uvaca—King Prthu spoke; aho—O Lord; acaritam—practice; kim—what; me—by me; mangalam—good fortune; mangala-ayanah—O personified good fortune; yasya—by which; vah—your; darsanam—audience; hi—certainly; asit—became possible; durdarsanam—visible with great difficulty; ca—also; yogibhih—by great mystic yogis.

King Prthu spoke: My dear great sages, auspiciousness personified, it is very difficult for even the mystic yogis to see you. Indeed, you are very rarely seen. I do not know what kind of pious activity I performed for you to grace me by appearing before me without difficulty.

When something uncommon happens in one’s progressive spiritual life, it should be understood to be incurred by ajnata-sukrti, or pious activities beyond one’s knowledge. To see personally the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His pure devotee is not an ordinary incident. When such things happen, they should be understood to be caused by previous pious activity, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (7.28): yesam tv anta-gatam papam jananam punya-karmanam. One who is completely freed from all the resultant actions of sinful activities and who is absorbed only in pious activities can engage in devotional service. Although Maharaja Prthu’s life was full of pious activities, he was wondering how his audience with the Kumaras happened. He could not imagine what kind of pious activities he had performed. This is a sign of humility on the part of King Prthu, whose life was so full of pious activities that even Lord Visnu came to see him and predicted that the Kumaras would also come.

SB4.22.8

TEXT 8

kim tasya durlabhataram

iha loke paratra ca

yasya viprah prasidanti

sivo visnus ca sanugah

kim—what; tasya—his; durlabha-taram—very rare to achieve; iha—in this world; loke—world; paratra—after death; ca—or; yasya—one whose; viprah—the brahmanas and Vaisnavas; prasidanti—become pleased; sivah—all-auspicious; visnuh—Lord Visnu; ca—as well as; sa-anugah—going along with.

Any person upon whom the brahmanas and Vaisnavas are pleased can achieve anything which is very rare to obtain in this world as well as after death. Not only that, but one also receives the favor of the auspicious Lord Siva and Lord Visnu, who accompany the brahmanas and Vaisnavas.

The brahmanas and Vaisnavas are the bearers of Lord Visnu, the all-auspicious. As confirmed in the Brahma-samhita (5.38):

premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena
santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti
yam syamasundaram acintya-guna-svarupam
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

The devotees, out of their extreme love for Govinda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, always carry the Lord within their hearts. The Lord is already in the heart of everyone, but the Vaisnavas and the brahmanas actually perceive and see Him always in ecstasy. Therefore brahmanas and Vaisnavas are carriers of Visnu. Wherever they go, Lord Visnu, Lord Siva or the devotees of Lord Visnu are all carried. The four Kumaras are brahmanas, and they visited the place of Maharaja Prthu. Naturally Lord Visnu and His devotees were also present. Under the circumstances, the conclusion is that when the brahmanas and Vaisnavas are pleased with a person, Lord Visnu is also pleased. This is confirmed by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura in his eight stanzas on the spiritual master: yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah **. By pleasing the spiritual master, who is both brahmana and Vaisnava, one pleases the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If the Supreme Personality of Godhead is pleased, then one has nothing more to achieve either in this world or after death.

SB4.22.9

TEXT 9

naiva laksayate loko

lokan paryatato ’pi yan

yatha sarva-drsam sarva

atmanam ye ’sya hetavah

na—not; eva—thus; laksayate—can see; lokah—people; lokan—all planets; paryatatah—traveling; api—although; yan—whom; yatha—as much as; sarva-drsam—the Supersoul; sarve—in all; atmanam—within everyone; ye—those; asya—of the cosmic manifestation; hetavah—causes.

Prthu Maharaja continued: Although you are traveling in all planetary systems, people cannot know you, just as they cannot know the Supersoul, although He is within everyone’s heart as the witness of everything. Even Lord Brahma and Lord Siva cannot understand the Supersoul.

In the beginning of the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said: muhyanti yat surayah. Great demigods like Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, Indra and Candra are sometimes bewildered trying to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It so happened that when Krsna was present on this planet, Lord Brahma and King Indra also mistook Him. And what to speak of great yogis or jnanis who conclude that the Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead, is impersonal? In the same way, great personalities and Vaisnavas like the four Kumaras are also invisible to ordinary persons, although they are traveling all over the universe in different planetary systems. When Sanatana Gosvami went to see Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he could not be recognized by Candrasekhara Acarya. The conclusion is that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is situated in everyone’s heart, and His pure devotees, the Vaisnavas, are also traveling all over the world, but those who are under the modes of material nature cannot understand the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the source of this cosmic manifestation, or the Vaisnavas. It is said, therefore, that one cannot see the Supreme Personality of Godhead or a Vaisnava with these material eyes. One has to purify his senses and engage in the service of the Lord. Then gradually one can realize who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and who is a Vaisnava.

SB4.22.10

TEXT 10

adhana api te dhanyah

sadhavo grha-medhinah

yad-grha hy arha-varyambu-

trna-bhumisvaravarah

adhanah—not very rich; api—although; te—they; dhanyah—glorious; sadhavah—saintly persons; grha-medhinah—persons who are attached to family life; yat-grhah—whose house; hi—certainly; arha-varya—the most worshipable; ambu—water; trna—grass; bhumi—land; isvara—the master; avarah—the servants.

A person who is not very rich and is attached to family life becomes highly glorified when saintly persons are present in his home. The master and servants who are engaged in offering the exalted visitors water, a sitting place and paraphernalia for reception are glorified, and the home itself is also glorified.

Materially if a man is not very rich, he is not glorious, and spiritually if a man is too attached to family life, he is also not glorious. But saintly persons are quite ready to visit the house of a poor man or a man who is attached to material family life. When this happens, the owner of the house and his servants are glorified because they offer water for washing the feet of a saintly person, sitting places and other things to receive him. The conclusion is that if a saintly person goes to the house of even an unimportant man, such a person becomes glorious by his blessings. It is therefore the Vedic system that a householder invite a saintly person in his home to receive his blessings. This system is still current in India, and therefore saintly persons, wherever they go, are hosted by the householders, who in turn get an opportunity to receive transcendental knowledge. It is the duty of a sannyasi, therefore, to travel everywhere just to favor the householders, who are generally ignorant of the values of spiritual life.

It may be argued that all householders are not very rich and that one cannot receive great saintly persons or preachers because they are always accompanied by their disciples. If a householder is to receive a saintly person, he has to receive his entourage also. It is said in the sastras that Durvasa Muni was always accompanied by sixty thousand disciples and that if there was a little discrepancy in their reception, he would be very angry and would sometimes curse the host. The fact is that every householder, regardless of his position or economic condition, can at least receive saintly guests with great devotion and offer them drinking water, for drinking water is available always. In India the custom is that even an ordinary person is offered a glass of water if he suddenly visits and one cannot offer him foodstuff. If there is no water, then one can offer a sitting place, even if it is on straw mats. And if one has no straw mat, he can immediately cleanse the ground and ask the guest to sit there. Supposing that a householder cannot even do that, then with folded hands he can simply receive the guest, saying, “Welcome.” And if he cannot do that, then he should feel very sorry for his poor condition and shed tears and simply offer obeisances with his whole family, wife and children. In this way he can satisfy any guest, even if the guest is a saintly person or a king.

SB4.22.11

TEXT 11

vyalalaya-druma vai tesv

ariktakhila-sampadah

yad-grhas tirtha-padiya-

padatirtha-vivarjitah

vyala—venomous serpents; alaya—home; drumah—tree; vai—certainly; tesu—in those houses; arikta—abundantly; akhila—all; sampadah—opulences; yat—that; grhah—houses; tirtha-padiya—in relation with the feet of great saintly persons; pada-tirtha—the water which washed their feet; vivarjitah—without.

On the contrary, even though full of all opulence and material prosperity, any householder’s house where the devotees of the Lord are never allowed to come in, and where there is no water for washing their feet, is to be considered a tree in which all venomous serpents live.

svagatam vo dvija-srestha

In this verse the word tirtha-padiya indicates devotees of Lord Visnu, or Vaisnavas. As far as brahmanas are concerned, in the previous verse the mode of reception has been already described. Now, in this verse, special stress is being given to the Vaisnavas. Generally the sannyasis, or those in the renounced order of life, take trouble to enlighten the householders. There are ekadandi sannyasis and tridandi sannyasis. The ekadandi sannyasis are generally followers of Sankaracarya and are known as Mayavadi sannyasis, whereas the tridandi sannyasis are followers of Vaisnava acaryas—Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya and so on—and they take trouble to enlighten the householders. Ekadandi sannyasis can be situated on the platform of pure Brahman because they are aware that the spirit soul is different from the body, but they are mainly impersonalists. The Vaisnavas know that the Absolute Truth is the Supreme Person and that the Brahman effulgence is based on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (14.27): brahmano hi pratisthaham. The conclusion is that tirtha-padiya refers to Vaisnavas. In the Bhagavatam (1.13.10) there is also another reference: tirthi-kurvanti tirthani. Wherever he goes, a Vaisnava immediately makes that place a tirtha, a place of pilgrimage. The Vaisnava sannyasis travel all over the world to make every place a place of pilgrimage by the touch of their lotus feet. It is mentioned here that any house which does not receive a Vaisnava in the manner already explained in the previous verse is to be considered the residential quarters of venomous serpents. It is said that around the sandalwood tree, which is a very valuable tree, there is a venomous serpent. Sandalwood is very cold, and venomous serpents, because of their poisonous teeth, are always very warm, and they take shelter of the sandalwood trees to become cooler. Similarly, there are many rich men who keep watchdogs or doormen and put up signs that say, “Do not enter,” “Trespassers not allowed,” “Beware of the dog,” etc. Sometimes in Western countries a trespasser is shot, and there is no crime in such shooting. This is the position of demoniac householders, and such houses are considered to be the residential quarters of venomous snakes. The members of such families are no better than snakes because snakes are very much envious, and when that envy is directed to the saintly persons, their position becomes more dangerous. It is said by Canakya Pandita that there are two envious living entities—the snake and the envious man. The envious man is more dangerous than a snake because a snake can be subdued by charming mantras or by some herbs, but an envious person cannot be pacified by any means.

SB4.22.12

TEXT 12

yad-vratani mumuksavah

caranti sraddhaya dhira

bala eva brhanti ca

su-agatam—welcome; vah—unto you; dvija-sresthah—the best of the brahmanas; yat—whose; vratani—vows; mumuksavah—of persons desiring liberation; caranti—behave; sraddhaya—with great faith; dhirah—controlled; balah—boys; eva—like; brhanti—observe; ca—also.

Maharaja Prthu offered his welcome to the four Kumaras, addressing them as the best of the brahmanas. He welcomed them, saying: From the beginning of your birth you strictly observed the vows of celibacy, and although you are experienced in the path of liberation, you are keeping yourselves just like small children.

The specific importance of the Kumaras is that they were brahmacaris, living the life of celibacy from birth. They kept themselves as small children about four or five years old because by growing into youth one’s senses sometimes become disturbed and celibacy becomes difficult. The Kumaras therefore purposefully remained children because in a child’s life the senses are never disturbed by sex. This is the significance of the life of the Kumaras, and as such Maharaja Prthu addressed them as the best of the brahmanas. Not only were the Kumaras born of the best brahmana (Lord Brahma), but they are addressed herein as dvija-sresthah (“the best of the brahmanas”) on account of their being Vaisnavas also. As we have already explained, they have their sampradaya (disciplic succession), and even to date the sampradaya is being maintained and is known as the Nimbarka-sampradaya. Out of the four sampradayas of the Vaisnava acaryas, the Nimbarka-sampradaya is one. Maharaja Prthu specifically appreciated the position of the Kumaras because they maintained the brahmacarya vow from the very beginning of their birth. Maharaja Prthu, however, expressed his great appreciation of Vaisnavism by addressing the Kumaras as vaisnava-sresthah. In other words, everyone should offer respect to a Vaisnava without considering his source of birth. Vaisnave jati-buddhih. No one should consider a Vaisnava in terms of birth. The Vaisnava is always the best of the brahmanas, and as such one should offer all respects to a Vaisnava, not only as a brahmana but as the best of the brahmanas.

SB4.22.13

TEXT 13

kaccin nah kusalam natha

indriyarthartha-vedinam

vyasanavapa etasmin

patitanam sva-karmabhih

kaccit—whether; nah—our; kusalam—good fortune; nathah—O masters; indriya-artha—sense gratification as the ultimate goal of life; artha-vedinam—persons who understand only sense gratification; vyasana—illness; avape—got; etasmin—in this material existence; patitanam—those who are fallen; sva-karmabhih—by their own ability.

Prthu Maharaja inquired from the sages about persons entangled in this dangerous material existence because of their previous actions; could such persons, whose only aim is sense gratification, be blessed with any good fortune?

Maharaja Prthu did not ask the Kumaras about their good fortune, for the Kumaras are always auspicious by dint of their life in celibacy. Since they are always engaged on the path of liberation, there was no question of ill fortune. In other words, brahmanas and Vaisnavas who are strictly following the path of spiritual advancement are always fortunate. The question was asked by Prthu Maharaja for his own sake, since he was in the position of a grhastha and in charge of the royal authority. Kings are not only grhasthas, who are generally absorbed in sense gratification, but are sometimes employed to kill animals in hunting because they have to practice the killing art, otherwise it is very difficult for them to fight their enemies. Such things are not auspicious. Four kinds of sinful activities—associating with woman for illicit sex, eating meat, intoxication and gambling—are allowed for the ksatriyas. For political reasons, sometimes they have to take to these sinful activities. Ksatriyas do not refrain from gambling. One vivid example is the Pandavas. When the Pandavas were challenged by the opposite party, Duryodhana, to gamble and risk their kingdom, they could not refrain, and by that gambling they lost their kingdom, and their wife was insulted. Similarly, the ksatriyas cannot refrain from fighting if challenged by the opposite party. Therefore Prthu Maharaja, taking consideration of all these facts, inquired whether there is any auspicious path. Grhastha life is inauspicious because grhastha means consciousness for sense gratification, and as soon as there is sense gratification, one’s position is always full of dangers. This material world is said to be padam padam yad vipadam na tesam, dangerous in every step (Bhag. 10.14.58). Everyone in this material world is struggling hard for sense gratification. Clearing all these points, Maharaja Prthu inquired from the four Kumaras about the fallen conditioned souls who are rotting in this material world due to their past bad or inauspicious activities. Is there any possibility for their auspicious spiritual life? In this verse, the word indriyarthartha-vedinam is very significant. It indicates persons whose only aim is to satisfy the senses. They are also described as patitanam, or fallen. Only one who stops all activities for sense gratification is considered to be elevated. Another significant word is sva-karmabhih. One becomes fallen by dint of his own past bad activities. Everyone is responsible for his fallen condition because of his own activities. When activities are changed to devotional service, one’s auspicious life begins.

SB4.22.14

TEXT 14

bhavatsu kusala-prasna

atmaramesu nesyate

kusalakusala yatra

na santi mati-vrttayah

bhavatsu—unto you; kusala—good fortune; prasnah—question; atma-aramesu—one who is always engaged in spiritual bliss; na isyate—there is no need of; kusala—good fortune; akusalah—inauspiciousness; yatra—where; na—never; santi—exists; mati-vrttayah—mental concoction.

Prthu Maharaja continued: My dear sirs, there is no need to ask about your good and bad fortune because you are always absorbed in spiritual bliss. The mental concoction of the auspicious and inauspicious does not exist in you.