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katham—how; nu—indeed; darakah—sons; dinah—poor; darakih—daughters; va—or; aparayanah—having no one else to depend on; vartisyante—will live; mayi—when 1; gate—gone from this world; bhinna—broken; navah—boat; iva—like; udadhau—in the ocean.

King Puranjana continued worrying: “After I pass from this world, how will my sons and daughters, who are now fully dependent on me, live and continue their lives? Their position will be similar to that of passengers aboard a ship wrecked in the midst of the ocean.”

At the time of death every living entity worries about what will happen to his wife and children. Similarly, a politician also worries about what will happen to his country or his political party. Unless one is fully Krsna conscious, he has to accept a body in the next life according to his particular state of consciousness. Since Puranjana is thinking of his wife and children and is overly engrossed in thoughts of his wife, he will accept the body of a woman. Similarly, a politician or so-called nationalist who is inordinately attached to the land of his birth will certainly be reborn in the same land after ending his political career. One’s next life will also be affected by the acts one performs during this life. Sometimes politicians act most sinfully for their own sense gratification. It is not unusual for a politician to kill the opposing party. Even though a politician may be allowed to take birth in his so-called homeland, he still has to undergo suffering due to his sinful activities in his previous life.

This science of transmigration is completely unknown to modern scientists. So-called scientists do not like to bother with these things because if they would at all consider this subtle subject matter and the problems of life, they would see that their future is very dark. Thus they try to avoid considering the future and continue committing all kinds of sinful activities in the name of social, political and national necessity.

SB4.28.22

TEXT 22

evam krpanaya buddhya

socantam atad-arhanam

grahitum krta-dhir enam

bhaya-namabhyapadyata

evam—thus; krpanaya—by miserly; buddhya—intelligence; socantam—lamenting; a-tat-arhanam—on which he should not have lamented; grahitum—in order to arrest; krta-dhih—the determined King of the Yavanas; enam—him; bhaya-nama—whose name was fear; abhyapadyata—came there immediately.

Although King Puranjana should not have lamented over the fate of his wife and children, he nonetheless did so due to his miserly intelligence. In the meantime, Yavana-raja, whose name was fear itself, immediately drew near to arrest him.

Foolish people do not know that every individual soul is responsible for his own actions and reactions in life. As long as a living entity in the form of a child or boy is innocent, it is the duty of the father and mother to lead him into a proper understanding of the values of life. When a child is grown, it should be left up to him to execute the duties of life properly. The parent, after his death, cannot help his child. A father may leave some estate for his children’s immediate help, but he should not be overly absorbed in thoughts of how his family will survive after his death. This is the disease of the conditioned soul. Not only does he commit sinful activities for his own sense gratification, but he accumulates great wealth to leave behind so that his children may also gorgeously arrange for sense gratification.

In any case, everyone is afraid of death, and therefore death is called bhaya, or fear. Although King Puranjana was engaged in thinking of his wife and children, death did not wait for him. Death does not wait for any man; it will immediately carry out its duty. Since death must take away the living entity without hesitation, it is the ultimate God realization of the atheists, who spoil their lives thinking of country, society and relatives, to the neglect of God consciousness. In this verse the word atad-arhanam is very significant, for it means that one should not be overly engaged in welfare activities for one’s family members, countrymen, society and community. None of these will help a person to advance spiritually. Unfortunately, in present-day society so-called educated men have no idea what spiritual progress is. Although they have the opportunity in the human form of life to make spiritual progress, they remain misers. They use their lives improperly and simply waste them thinking about the material welfare of their relatives, countrymen, society and so on. One’s actual duty is to learn how to conquer death. Lord Krsna states the process of conquering death 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.”

After giving up this body, one who is fully Krsna conscious does not accept another material body but returns home, back to Godhead. Everyone should try to attain this perfection. Unfortunately, instead of doing so, people are absorbed in thoughts of society, friendship, love and relatives. This Krsna consciousness movement, however, is educating people throughout the world and informing them how to conquer death. Harim vina na srtim taranti. One cannot conquer death without taking shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

SB4.28.23

TEXT 23

pasuvad yavanair esa

niyamanah svakam ksayam

anvadravann anupathah

socanto bhrsam aturah

pasu-vat—like an animal; yavanaih—by the Yavanas; esah—Puranjana; niyamanah—being arrested and taken away; svakam—to their own; ksayam—abode; anvadravan—followed; anupathah—his attendants; socantah—lamenting; bhrsam—greatly; aturah—being distressed.

When the Yavanas were taking King Puranjana away to their place, binding him like an animal, the King’s followers became greatly aggrieved. While they lamented, they were forced to go along with him.

When Yamaraja and his assistants take a living entity away to the place of judgment, the life, life air and desires, being followers of the living entity, also go with him. This is confirmed in the Vedas. When the living entity is taken away or arrested by Yamaraja (tam utkramantam), the life air also goes with him (prano ’nutkramati), and when the life air is gone (pranam anutkramantam), all the senses (sarve pranah) also go along (anutkramanti). When the living entity and the life air are gone, the lump of matter produced of five elements—earth, water, air, fire and ether—is rejected and left behind. The living entity then goes to the court of judgment, and Yamaraja decides what kind of body he is going to get next. This process is unknown to modern scientists. Every living entity is responsible for his activities in this life, and after death he is taken to the court of Yamaraja, where it is decided what kind of body he will take next. Although the gross material body is left, the living entity and his desires, as well as the resultant reactions of his past activities, go on. It is Yamaraja who decides what kind of body one gets next in accordance with one’s past actions.

SB4.28.24

TEXT 24

purim vihayopagata

uparuddho bhujangamah

yada tam evanu puri

visirna prakrtim gata

purim—the city; vihaya—having given up; upagatah—gone out; uparuddhah—arrested; bhujangamah—the serpent; yada—when; tam—him; eva—certainly; anu—after; puri—the city; visirna—scattered; prakrtim—matter; gata—turned into.

The serpent, who had already been arrested by the soldiers of Yavana-raja and was out of the city, began to follow his master along with the others. As soon as they all left the city, it was immediately dismantled and smashed to dust.

When the living entity is arrested, all his followers—namely the life air, the senses and sense objects—immediately leave the lump of matter, the body. When the living entity and his companions leave, the body no longer works but turns into basic material elements—earth, water, fire, air and ether. When a city attacked by enemies is vacated by its inhabitants, the enemy immediately takes advantage of that city and bombards it to smash the whole thing to dust. When we say, “Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shall return,” we refer to the body. When a city is attacked and bombarded by enemies, the citizens generally leave, and the city ceases to exist.

It is a foolish person who engages in improving the condition of a city without caring for the citizens or inhabitants. Similarly, a living entity who is not properly enlightened in spiritual knowledge simply takes care of the external body, not knowing that the spirit soul is the principal factor within the body. When one is advanced in spiritual knowledge, the spirit soul is saved from eternal transmigration. The Bhagavatam considers those who are attached to their bodies to be like cows and asses (sa eva go-kharah). The cow is a very innocent animal, and the ass is a beast of burden. One who labors under the bodily conception simply works like an ass and does not know his self-interest. It is therefore said:

yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke
sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijya-dhih
yat-tirtha-buddhih salile na karhicij
janesv abhijnesu sa eva go-kharah

“A human being who identifies this body made of three elements with his self, who considers the by-products of the body to be his kinsmen, who considers the land of birth worshipable, and who goes to a place of pilgrimage simply to take a bath rather than meet men of transcendental knowledge there, is to be considered like an ass or a cow.” (Bhag. 10.84.13)

Human civilization devoid of Krsna consciousness is simply a civilization of lower animals. Sometimes such a civilization may study the dead body and consider the brain or the heart. However, no part of the body is important unless the spirit soul is present. In a modern civilization of cows and asses, scientists try to search out some value in the brain or heart of a dead man.

SB4.28.25

TEXT 25

vikrsyamanah prasabham

yavanena baliyasa

navindat tamasavistah

sakhayam suhrdam purah

vikrsyamanah—being dragged; prasabham—forcibly; yavanena—by the Yavana; baliyasa—who was very powerful; na avindat—could not remember; tamasa—by darkness of ignorance; avistah—being covered; sakhayam—his friend; suhrdam—always a well-wisher; purah—from the very beginning.

When King Puranjana was being dragged with great force by the powerful Yavana, out of his gross ignorance he still could not remember his friend and well-wisher, the Supersoul.

kutharais cicchiduh kruddhah

In Bhagavad-gita (5.29) Lord Krsna says:

bhoktaram yajna-tapasam
sarva-loka-mahesvaram
suhrdam sarva-bhutanam
jnatva mam santim rcchati

A person can be in full Krsna consciousness and become happy and satisfied if he knows but three things—namely, that the Supreme Lord Krsna is the enjoyer of all benefits, that He is the proprietor of everything, and that He is the supreme friend of all living entities. If one does not know this and functions instead under the bodily conception, he is always harassed by the tribulations offered by material nature. In actuality, the Supreme Lord is sitting by the side of everyone. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese ’rjuna tisthati (Bg. 18.61). The living entity and the Supersoul are sitting side by side in the same tree, but despite being harassed by the laws of material nature, the foolish living entity does not turn toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead for protection. However, he thinks that he is able to protect himself from the stringent laws of material nature. This, however, is not possible. The living entity must turn toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead and surrender unto Him. Only then will he be saved from the onslaught of the powerful Yavana, or Yamaraja.

The word sakhayam (“friend”) is very significant in this verse because God is eternally present beside the living entity. The Supreme Lord is also described as suhrdam (“ever well-wisher”). The Supreme Lord is always a well-wisher, just like a father or mother. Despite all the offenses of a son, the father and mother are always the son’s well-wisher. Similarly, despite all our offenses and defiance of the desires of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Lord will give us immediate relief from all the hardships offered by material nature if we simply surrender unto Him, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te [Bg. 7.14]). Unfortunately, due to our bad association and great attachment for sense gratification, we do not remember our best friend, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

SB4.28.26

TEXT 26

tam yajna-pasavo ’nena

samjnapta ye ’dayaluna

smaranto ’mivam asya tat

tam—him; yajna-pasavah—the sacrificial animals; anena—by him; samjnaptah—killed; ye—all of them who; adayaluna—by the most unkind; kutharaih—by axes; cicchiduh—pierced to pieces; kruddhah—being very angry; smarantah—remembering; amivam—sinful activity; asya—of him; tat—that.

That most unkind king, Puranjana, had killed many animals in various sacrifices. Now, taking advantage of this opportunity, all these animals began to pierce him with their horns. It was as though he were being cut to pieces by axes.

Those who are very enthusiastic about killing animals in the name of religion or for food must await similar punishment after death. The word mamsa (“meat”) indicates that those animals whom we kill will be given an opportunity to kill us. Although in actuality no living entity is killed, the pains of being pierced by the horns of animals will be experienced after death. Not knowing this, rascals unhesitatingly go on killing poor animals. So-called human civilization has opened many slaughterhouses for animals in the name of religion or food. Those who are a little religious kill animals in temples, mosques or synagogues, and those who are more fallen maintain various slaughterhouses. Just as in civilized human society the law is a life for a life, no living entity can encroach upon another living entity as far as the Supreme Lord is concerned. Everyone should be given freedom to live at the cost of the supreme father, and animal-killing—either for religion or for food—is always condemned by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In Bhagavad-gita (16.19) Lord Krsna says:

tan aham dvisatah kruran
samsaresu naradhaman
ksipamy ajasram asubhan
asurisv eva yonisu

“Those who are envious and mischievous, who are the lowest among men, are cast by Me into the ocean of material existence, into various demoniac species of life.” The animal-killers (dvisatah), envying other living entities and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, are placed in darkness and cannot understand the theme and objective of life. This is further explained in the following verses.

SB4.28.27

TEXT 27

ananta-pare tamasi

magno nasta-smrtih samah

sasvatir anubhuyartim

pramada-sanga-dusitah

ananta-pare—unlimitedly expanded; tamasi—in the material existence of darkness; magnah—being merged; nasta-smrtih—bereft of all intelligence; samah—for many years; sasvatih—practically eternally; anubhuya—experiencing; artim—the threefold miseries; pramada—of women; sanga—by association; dusitah—being contaminated.

Due to his contaminated association with women, a living entity like King Puranjana eternally suffers all the pangs of material existence and remains in the dark region of material life, bereft of all remembrance for many, many years.

This is a description of material existence. Material existence is experienced when one becomes attached to a woman and forgets his real identity as the eternal servant of Krsna (nasta-smrtih). In this way, in one body after another, the living entity perpetually suffers the threefold miseries of material existence. To save human civilization from the darkness of ignorance, this movement was started. The main purpose of the Krsna consciousness movement is to enlighten the forgetful living entity and remind him of his original Krsna consciousness. In this way the living entity can be saved from the catastrophe of ignorance as well as bodily transmigration. As Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has sung:

anadi karama-phale, padi’ bhavarnava-jale,
taribare na dekhi upaya
ei visaya-halahale, diva-nisi hiya jvale,
mana kabhu sukha nahi paya

“Because of my past fruitive activities, I have now fallen into an ocean of nescience. I cannot find any means to get out of this great ocean, which is indeed like an ocean of poison. We are trying to be happy through sense enjoyment, but actually that so-called enjoyment is like food that is too hot and causes burning in the heart. I feel a burning sensation constantly, day and night, and thus my mind cannot find satisfaction.”

Material existence is always full of anxiety. People are always trying to find many ways to mitigate anxiety, but because they are not guided by a real leader, they try to forget material anxiety through drink and sex indulgence. Foolish people do not know that by attempting to escape anxiety by drink and sex, they simply increase their duration of material life. It is not possible to escape material anxiety in this way.

The word pramada-sanga-dusitah indicates that apart from all other contamination, if one simply remains attached to a woman, that single contamination will be sufficient to prolong one’s miserable material existence. Consequently, in Vedic civilization one is trained from the beginning to give up attachment for women. The first stage of life is brahmacari, the second stage grhastha, the third stage vanaprastha, and the fourth stage sannyasa. All these stages are devised to enable one to detach himself from the association of women.

SB4.28.28

TEXT 28

tam eva manasa grhnan

babhuva pramadottama

anantaram vidarbhasya

raja-simhasya vesmani

tam—her; eva—certainly; manasa—by the mind; grhnan—accepting; babhuva—became; pramada—woman; uttama—highly situated; anantaram—after death; vidarbhasya—of Vidarbha; raja-simhasya—of the most powerful king; vesmani—at the house.

King Puranjana gave up his body while remembering his wife, and consequently in his next life he became a very beautiful and well-situated woman. He took his next birth as the daughter of King Vidarbha in the very house of the King.

Since King Puranjana thought of his wife at the time of death, he attained the body of a woman in his next birth. This verifies the following verse in Bhagavad-gita (8.6):

yam yam vapi smaran bhavam
tyajaty ante kalevaram
tam tam evaiti kaunteya
sada tad-bhava-bhavitah

“Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he will attain without fail.”

When a living entity is accustomed to think of a particular subject matter or become absorbed in a certain type of thought, he will think of that subject at the time of death. At the time of death, one will think of the subject that has occupied his life while he was awake, lightly sleeping or dreaming, or while he was deeply sleeping. After falling from the association of the Supreme Lord, the living entity thus transmigrates from one bodily form to another according to nature’s course, until he finally attains the human form. If he is absorbed in material thoughts and ignorant of spiritual life, and if he does not take shelter under the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda, who solves all questions of birth and death, he will become a woman in the next life, especially if he thinks of his wife. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.31.1): karmana daiva-netrena. A living entity acts piously and impiously, and sometimes in both ways. All actions are taken into account, and the living entity is offered a new body by his superiors. Although King Puranjana was overly attached to his wife, he nonetheless performed many pious fruitive activities. Consequently, although he took the form of a woman, he was given a chance to be the daughter of a powerful king. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (6.41):

prapya punya-krtam lokan
usitva sasvatih samah
sucinam srimatam gehe
yoga-bhrasto ’bhijayate

“The unsuccessful yogi, after many, many years of enjoyment on the planets of the pious living entities, is born into a family of righteous people or into a family of rich aristocracy.”

If a person falls from the path of bhakti-yoga, God realization, due to attachment to fruitive activity, philosophical speculation or mystic yoga, he is given a chance to take birth in a high and rich family. The higher authorities appointed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead thus render justice to the living entity according to the living entity’s desires. Although King Puranjana was overly absorbed in thoughts of his wife and thus became a woman, he took birth in the family of a king due to his previous pious activities. The conclusion is that all our activities are taken into consideration before we are awarded another body. Narada Muni therefore advised Vyasadeva that one should take to Krsna consciousness, devotional service, and abandon all ordinary occupational duties. This advice was also given by Lord Krsna Himself. Although a devotee may fall from the path of spiritual consciousness, he will nonetheless attain a human body in the home of a devotee or a rich man. In this way one can resume his devotional service.

SB4.28.29

TEXT 29

upayeme virya-panam

vaidarbhim malayadhvajah

yudhi nirjitya rajanyan

pandyah para-puranjayah

upayeme—married; virya—of valor or prowess; panam—the prize; vaidarbhim—daughter of Vidarbha; malaya-dhvajah—Malayadhvaja; yudhi—in the fight; nirjitya—after conquering; rajanyan—other princes; pandyah—best of the learned, or born in the country known as Pandu; para—transcendental; puram—city; jayah—conqueror.

It was fixed that Vaidarbhi, daughter of King Vidarbha, was to be married to a very powerful man, Malayadhvaja, an inhabitant of the Pandu country. After conquering other princes, he married the daughter of King Vidarbha.

It is customary among ksatriyas for a princess to be offered under certain conditions. For instance, Draupadi was offered in marriage to one who could pierce a fish with an arrow simply by seeing the reflection of that fish. Krsna married one of His queens after conquering seven strong bulls. The Vedic system is for a daughter of a king to be offered under certain conditions. Vaidarbhi, the daughter of Vidarbha, was offered to a great devotee and powerful king. Since King Malayadhvaja was both a powerful king and great devotee, he fulfilled all the requirements. The name Malayadhvaja signifies a great devotee who stands as firm as Malaya Hill and, through his propaganda, makes other devotees similarly as firm. Such a maha-bhagavata can prevail over the opinions of all others. A strong devotee makes propaganda against all other spiritual conceptions—namely jnana, karma and yoga. With his devotional flag unfurled, he always stands fast to conquer other conceptions of transcendental realization. Whenever there is an argument between a devotee and a nondevotee, the pure, strong devotee comes out victorious.

The word pandya comes from the word panda, meaning “knowledge.” Unless one is highly learned, he cannot conquer nondevotional conceptions. The word para means “transcendental,” and pura means “city.” The para-pura is Vaikuntha, the kingdom of God, and the word jaya refers to one who can conquer. This means that a pure devotee, who is strong in devotional service and who has conquered all nondevotional conceptions, can also conquer the kingdom of God. In other words, one can conquer the kingdom of God, Vaikuntha, only by rendering devotional service. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is called ajita, meaning that no one can conquer Him, but a devotee, by strong devotional service and sincere attachment to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, can easily conquer Him. Lord Krsna is fear personified for everyone, but He voluntarily agreed to fear the stick of mother Yasoda. Krsna, God, cannot be conquered by anyone but His devotee. Such a devotee kindly married the daughter of King Vidarbha.

SB4.28.30

TEXT 30

tasyam sa janayam cakra

atmajam asiteksanam

yaviyasah sapta sutan

sapta dravida-bhubhrtah

tasyam—through her; sah—the King; janayam cakre—begot; atmajam—daughter; asita—blue or black; iksanam—whose eyes; yaviyasah—younger, very powerful; sapta—seven; sutan—sons; sapta—seven; dravida—province of Dravida, or South India; bhu—of the land; bhrtah—kings.

King Malayadhvaja fathered one daughter, who had very black eyes. He also had seven sons, who later became rulers of that tract of land known as Dravida. Thus there were seven kings in that land.

King Malayadhvaja was a great devotee, and after he married the daughter of King Vidarbha, he gave her one nice daughter, whose eyes were black. Figuratively this means that the daughter of King Malayadhvaja was also bestowed with devotional service, for her eyes were always fixed on Krsna. A devotee has no vision in his life other than Krsna. The seven sons are the seven processes of devotional service—hearing, chanting, remembering, offering worship, offering prayers, rendering transcendental loving service and serving the lotus feet of the Lord. Of the nine types of devotional service, only seven were immediately given. The balance—friendship and surrendering everything—were to be developed later. In other words, devotional service is divided into two categories—namely vidhi-marga and raga-marga. The process of becoming friends with the Lord and sacrificing everything for Him belongs to the category of raga-marga, the stage of developed devotional service. For the neophyte, the important processes are those of hearing and chanting (sravanam kirtanam), remembering Krsna, worshiping the Deity in the temple, offering prayers and always engaging in the service of the Lord, and worshiping the lotus feet of the Lord.

The word yaviyasah indicates that these processes are very powerful. After a devotee engages in the processes of sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam/ arcanam vandanam dasyam [SB 7.5.23], and is able to secure these processes, he can later become a devotee capable of rendering spontaneous devotional service—namely sakhyam and atma-nivedanam. Generally the great acaryas who preach devotional service all over the world belong to the category of sakhyam atma-nivedanam. A neophyte devotee cannot actually become a preacher. The neophyte is advised to execute devotional service in the seven other fields (sravanam kirtanam, etc.). If one can successfully execute the preliminary seven items, he can in the future be situated on the platform of sakhyam atma-nivedanam.

The specific mention of Dravida-desa refers to the five Dravida-desas in South India. All are very strong in rendering the preliminary devotional processes (sravanam kirtanam). Some great acaryas, like Ramanujacarya and Madhvacarya, also came from Dravida-desa and became great preachers. They were all situated on the platform of sakhyam atma-nivedanam.

SB4.28.31

TEXT 31

ekaikasyabhavat tesam

rajann arbudam arbudam

bhoksyate yad-vamsa-dharair

mahi manvantaram param

eka-ekasya—of each one; abhavat—there became; tesam—of them; rajan—O King; arbudam—ten million; arbudam—ten million; bhoksyate—is ruled; yat—whose; vamsa-dharaih—by descendants; mahi—the whole world; manu-antaram—up to the end of one Manu; param—and afterward.

My dear King Pracinabarhisat, the sons of Malayadhvaja gave birth to many thousands and thousands of sons, and all of these have been protecting the entire world up to the end of one Manu’s life-span and even afterward.