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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.

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

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.

SB4.25.3

TEXT 3

pracinabarhisam ksattah

karmasv asakta-manasam

narado ’dhyatma-tattva-jnah

krpaluh pratyabodhayat

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.

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.

sreyas tvam katamad rajan

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.

SB4.25.4

TEXT 4

karmanatmana ihase

duhkha-hanih sukhavaptih

sreyas tan neha cesyate

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.

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.

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.

param karmapaviddha-dhih

bruhi me vimalam jnanam

yena mucyeya karmabhih

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.

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.

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 enjoin, tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet: [MU 1.2.12] “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.

SB4.25.6

TEXT 6

grhesu kuta-dharmesu

putra-dara-dhanartha-dhih

na param vindate mudho

bhramyan samsara-vartmasu

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.

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.

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.

SB4.25.7

TEXT 7

narada uvaca

bho bhoh prajapate rajan

pasun pasya tvayadhvare

samjnapitan jiva-sanghan

nirghrnena sahasrasah

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.

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.

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.

SB4.25.8

TEXT 8

ete tvam sampratiksante

smaranto vaisasam tava

samparetam ayah-kutais

chindanty utthita-manyavah

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.

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.

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.

SB4.25.9

TEXT 9

atra te kathayisye ’mum

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.

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.

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.

SB4.25.10

TEXT 10

asit puranjano nama

raja rajan brhac-chravah

tasyavijnata-namasit

sakhavijnata-cestitah

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.

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.

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: [Bg. 2.20] “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.

SB4.25.11

TEXT 11

so ’nvesamanah saranam

babhrama prthivim prabhuh

nanurupam yadavindad

abhut sa vimana iva

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.

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.