Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 5: “The Creative Impetus”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter Sixteen
SB5.16.15
TEXT 15
yesv amara-parivrdhah saha sura-lalana-lalama-yutha-pataya upadeva-ganair upagiyamana-mahimanah kila viharanti.
SYNONYMS
yesu—in which; amara-parivrdhah—the best of the demigods; saha—with; sura-lalana—of the wives of all the demigods and semidemigods; lalama—of those women who are like ornaments; yutha-patayah—the husbands; upadeva-ganaih—by the semi-demigods (the Gandharvas); upagiyamana—being chanted; mahimanah—whose glories; kila—indeed; viharanti—they enjoy sports.
TRANSLATION
The best of the demigods, along with their wives, who are like ornaments of heavenly beauty, meet together and enjoy within those gardens, while their glories are sung by lesser demigods known as Gandharvas.
SB5.16.16
TEXT 16
mandarotsanga ekadasa-sata-yojanottunga-devacuta-siraso giri-sikhara-sthulani phalany amrta-kalpani patanti.
SYNONYMS
mandara-utsange—on the lower slopes of Mandara Mountain; ekadasa-sata-yojana-uttunga—1,100 yojanas high; devacuta-sirasah—from the top of a mango tree named Devacuta; giri-sikhara-sthulani—which are as fat as mountain peaks; phalani—fruit; amrta-kalpani—as sweet as nectar; patanti—fall down.
TRANSLATION
On the lower slopes of Mandara Mountain is a mango tree named Devacuta. It is 1,100 yojanas high. Mangoes as big as mountain peaks and as sweet as nectar fall from the top of this tree for the enjoyment of the denizens of heaven.
PURPORT
In the Vayu Purana there is also a reference to this tree by great learned sages:
aratninam satany astav SB5.16.17 TEXT 17 tesam visiryamananam ati-madhura-surabhi-sugandhi-bahularuna-rasodenarunoda nama nadi mandara-giri-sikharan nipatanti pur-venelavrtam upaplavayati. SYNONYMS tesam—of all the mangoes; visiryamananam—being broken because of falling from the top; ati-madhura—very sweet; surabhi—fragrant; sugandhi—scented with other aromas; bahula—large quantities; aruna-rasa-udena—by reddish juice; arunoda—Arunoda; nama—named; nadi—the river; mandara-giri-sikharat—from the top of Mandara Mountain; nipatanti—falling down; purvena—on the eastern side; ilavrtam—through Ilavrta-varsa; upaplavayati—flows. TRANSLATION When all those solid fruits fall from such a height, they break, and the sweet, fragrant juice within them flows out and becomes increasingly more fragrant as it mixes with other scents. That juice cascades from the mountain in waterfalls and becomes a river called Arunoda, which flows pleasantly through the eastern side of Ilavrta. SB5.16.18 TEXT 18 yad-upajosanad bhavanya anucarinam punya-jana-vadhunam avayava-sparsa-sugandha-vato dasa-yojanam samantad anuvasayati. SYNONYMS yat—of which; upajosanat—because of using the fragrant water; bhavanyah—of Bhavani, the wife of Lord Siva; anucarinam—of attendant maidservants; punya-jana-vadhunam—who are wives of the most pious Yaksas; avayava—of the bodily limbs; sparsa—from contact; sugandha-vatah—the wind, which becomes fragrant; dasa-yojanam—up to ten yojanas (about eighty miles); samantat—all around; anuvasayati—makes fragrant. TRANSLATION The pious wives of the Yaksas act as personal maidservants to assist Bhavani, the wife of Lord Siva. Because they drink the water of the River Arunoda, their bodies become fragrant, and as the air carries away that fragrance, it perfumes the entire atmosphere for eighty miles around. SB5.16.19 TEXT 19 evam jambu-phalanam atyucca-nipata-visirnanam anasthi-prayanam ibha-kaya-nibhanam rasena jambu nama nadi meru-mandara-sikharad ayuta-yojanad avani-tale nipatanti daksinenatmanam yavad ilavrtam upasyandayati. SYNONYMS evam—similarly; jambu-phalanam—of the fruits called jambu (the rose apple); ati-ucca-nipata—because of falling from a great height; visirnanam—which are broken to pieces; anasthi-prayanam—having very small seeds; ibha-kaya-nibhanam—and which are as large as the bodies of elephants; rasena—by the juice; jambu nama nadi—a river named Jambu-nadi; meru-mandara-sikharat—from the top of Merumandara Mountain; ayuta-yojanat—ten thousand yojanas high; avani-tale—on the ground; nipatanti—falling; daksinena—on the southern side; atmanam—itself; yavat—the whole; ilavrtam—Ilavrta-varsa; upasyandayati—flows through. TRANSLATION Similarly, the fruits of the jambu tree, which are full of pulp and have very small seeds, fall from a great height and break to pieces. Those fruits are the size of elephants, and the juice gliding from them becomes a river named Jambu-nadi. This river falls a distance of 10,000 yojanas, from the summit of Merumandara to the southern side of Ilavrta, and floods the entire land of Ilavrta with juice. PURPORT We can only imagine how much juice there might be in a fruit that is the size of an elephant but has a very tiny seed. Naturally the juice from the broken jambu fruits forms waterfalls and floods the entire land of Ilavrta. That juice produces an immense quantity of gold, as will be explained in the next verses. SB5.16.20-21 TEXTS 20–21 tavad ubhayor api rodhasor ya mrttika tad-rasenanuvidhyamana vayv-arka-samyoga-vipakena sadamara-lokabharanam jambu-nadam nama suvarnam bhavati; yad u ha vava vibudhadayah saha yuvatibhir mukuta-kataka-kati-sutrady-abharana-rupena khalu dharayanti. SYNONYMS tavat—entirely; ubhayoh api—of both; rodhasoh—of the banks; ya—which; mrttika—the mud; tat-rasena—with the juice of the jambu fruits that flows in the river; anuvidhyamana—being saturated; vayu-arka-samyoga-vipakena—because of a chemical reaction with the air and sunshine; sada—always; amara-loka-abharanam—which is used for the ornaments of the demigods, the denizens of the heavenly planets; jambu-nadam nama—named Jambu-nada; suvarnam—gold; bhavati—becomes; yat—which; u ha vava—indeed; vibudha-adayah—the great demigods; saha—with; yuvatibhih—their everlastingly youthful wives; mukuta—crowns; kataka—bangles; kati-sutra—belts; adi—and so on; abharana—of all kinds of ornaments; rupena—in the form; khalu—indeed; dharayanti—they possess. TRANSLATION The mud on both banks of the River Jambu-nadi, being moistened by the flowing juice and then dried by the air and the sunshine, produces huge quantities of gold called Jambu-nada. The denizens of heaven use this gold for various kinds of ornaments. Therefore all the inhabitants of the heavenly planets and their youthful wives are fully decorated with golden helmets, bangles and belts, and thus they enjoy life. PURPORT By the arrangement of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the rivers on some planets produce gold on their banks. The poor inhabitants of this earth, because of their incomplete knowledge, are captivated by a so-called bhagavan who can produce a small quantity of gold. However, it is understood that in a higher planetary system in this material world, the mud on the banks of the Jambu-nadi mixes with jambu juice, reacts with the sunshine in the air, and automatically produces huge quantities of gold. Thus the men and women are decorated there by various golden ornaments, and they look very nice. Unfortunately, on earth there is such a scarcity of gold that the governments of the world try to keep it in reserve and issue paper currency. Because that currency is not backed up by gold, the paper they distribute as money is worthless, but nevertheless the people on earth are very proud of material advancement. In modern times, girls and ladies have ornaments made of plastic instead of gold, and plastic utensils are used instead of golden ones, yet people are very proud of their material wealth. Therefore the people of this age are described as mandah sumanda-matayo manda-bhagya hy upadrutah (Bhag. 1.1.10). In other words, they are extremely bad and slow to understand the opulence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They have been described as sumanda-matayah because their conceptions are so crippled that they accept a bluffer who produces a little gold to be God. Because they have no gold in their possession, they are actually poverty-stricken, and therefore they are considered unfortunate. Sometimes these unfortunate people want to be promoted to the heavenly planets to achieve fortunate positions, as described in this verse, but pure devotees of the Lord are not at all interested in such opulence. Indeed, devotees sometimes compare the color of gold to that of bright golden stool. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has instructed devotees not to be allured by golden ornaments and beautifully decorated women. Na dhanam na janam na sundarim: a devotee should not be allured by gold. beautiful women or the prestige of having many followers. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, therefore, confidentially prayed, mama janmani janmanisvare bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi: “My Lord, please bless Me with Your devotional service. I do not want anything else.” A devotee may pray to be delivered from this material world. That is his only aspiration. ayi nanda-tanuja kinkaram The humble devotee simply prays to the Lord, “Kindly pick me up from the material world, which is full of varieties of material opulence, and keep me under the shelter of Your lotus feet.” Srila Narottama dasa Thakura prays: ha ha prabhu nanda-suta, vrsabhanu-suta-yuta, “O my Lord, O son of Nanda Maharaja, now You are standing before me with Your consort, the daughter of Vrsabhanu, Srimati Radharani. Kindly accept me as the dust of Your lotus feet. please do not kick me away, for I have no other shelter.” Similarly, Prabodhananda Sarasvati indicates that the position of the demigods, who are decorated with golden helmets and other ornaments, is no better than a phantasmagoria (tri-dasa-pur akasa-puspayate). A devotee is never allured by such opulences. He simply aspires to become the dust of the lotus feet of the Lord. SB5.16.22 TEXT 22 yas tu maha-kadambah suparsva-nirudho yas tasya kotarebhyo vinihsrtah pancayama-parinahah panca madhu-dharah suparsva-sikharat patantyo ’parenatmanam ilavrtam anumodayanti. SYNONYMS yah—which; tu—but; maha-kadambah—the tree named Mahakadamba; suparsva-nirudhah—which stands on the side of the mountain known as Suparsva; yah—which; tasya—of that; kotarebhyah—from the hollows; vinihsrtah—flowing; panca—five; ayama—vyama, a unit of measurement of about eight feet; parinahah—whose measurement; panca—five; madhu-dharah—flows of honey; suparsva-sikharat—from the top of Suparsva Mountain; patantyah—flowing down; aparena—on the western side of Sumeru Mountain; atmanam—the whole of; ilavrtam—Ilavrta-varsa; anumodayanti—make fragrant. TRANSLATION On the side of Suparsva Mountain stands a big tree called Mahakadamba, which is very celebrated. From the hollows of this tree flow five rivers of honey, each about five vyamas wide. This flowing honey falls incessantly from the top of Suparsva Mountain and flows all around Ilavrta-varsa, beginning from the western side. Thus the whole land is saturated with the pleasing fragrance. PURPORT The distance between one hand and another when one spreads both his arms is called a vyama. This comes to about eight feet. Thus each of the rivers was about forty feet wide, making a total of about two hundred feet. SB5.16.23 TEXT 23 ya hy upayunjananam mukha-nirvasito vayuh samantac chata-yojanam anuvasayati. SYNONYMS yah—which (those flows of honey); hi—indeed; upayunjananam—of those who drink; mukha-nirvasitah vayuh—the air emanating from the mouths; samantat—all around; sata-yojanam—up to one hundred yojanas (eight hundred miles); anuvasayati—makes sweetly flavored. TRANSLATION The air carrying the scent from the mouths of those who drink that honey perfumes the land for a hundred yojanas around. SB5.16.24 TEXT 24 evam kumuda-nirudho yah satavalso nama vatas tasya skandhebhyo nicinah payo-dadhi-madhu-ghrta-gudannady-ambara-sayyasanabharanadayah sarva eva kama-dugha nadah kumudagrat patantas tam uttarenelavrtam upayojayanti. SYNONYMS evam—thus; kumuda-nirudhah—having grown on Kumuda Mountain; yah—that; sata-valsah nama—the tree named Satavalsa (because of having hundreds of trunks); vatah—a banyan tree; tasya—of it; skandhebhyah—from the thick branches; nicinah—flowing down; payah—milk; dadhi—yogurt; madhu—honey; ghrta—clarified butter; guda—molasses; anna—food grains; adi—and so on; ambara—clothing; sayya—bedding; asana—sitting places; abharana-adayah—carrying ornaments and so on; sarve—everything; eva—certainly; kama-dughah—fulfilling all desires; nadah—big rivers; kumuda-agrat—from the top of Kumuda Mountain; patantah—flowing; tam—to that; uttarena—on the northern side; ilavrtam—the land known as Ilavrta-varsa; upayojayanti—give happiness. TRANSLATION Similarly, on Kumuda Mountain there is a great banyan tree, which is called Satavalsa because it has a hundred main branches. From those branches come many roots, from which many rivers are flowing. These rivers flow down from the top of the mountain to the northern side of Ilavrta-varsa for the benefit of those who live there. Because of these flowing rivers, all the people have ample supplies of milk, yogurt, honey, clarified butter [ghee], molasses, food grains, clothes, bedding, sitting places and ornaments. All the objects they desire are sufficiently supplied for their prosperity, and therefore they are very happy. PURPORT The prosperity of humanity does not depend on a demoniac civilization that has no culture and no knowledge but has only gigantic skyscrapers and huge automobiles always rushing down the highways. The products of nature are sufficient. When there is a profuse supply of milk, yogurt, honey, food grains, ghee, molasses, dhotis, saris, bedding, sitting places and ornaments, the residents are actually opulent. When a profuse supply of water from the river inundates the land, all these things can be produced, and there will not be scarcity. This all depends, however, on the performance of sacrifice as described in the Vedic literature. annad bhavanti bhutani “All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rains. Rains are produced by performance of yajna [sacrifice], and yajna is born of prescribed duties.” These are the prescriptions given in Bhagavad-gita (3.14). If people follow these principles in full Krsna consciousness, human society will be prosperous, and they will be happy both in this life and in the next. SB5.16.25 TEXT 25 yan upajusananam na kadacid api prajanam vali-palita-klama-sveda-daurgandhya-jaramaya-mrtyu-sitosna-vaivarnyopasargadayas tapa-visesa bhavanti yavaj jivam sukham niratisayam eva. SYNONYMS yan—which (all the products produced because of the flowing rivers mentioned above); upajusananam—of persons who are fully utilizing; na—not; kadacit—at any time; api—certainly; prajanam—of the citizens; vali—wrinkles; palita—grey hair; klama—fatigue; sveda—perspiration; daurgandhya—bad odors because of unclean perspiration; jara—old age; amaya—disease; mrtyu—untimely death; sita—severe cold; usna—scorching heat; vaivarnya—fading of the luster of the body; upasarga—troubles; adayah—and so on; tapa—of sufferings; visesah—varieties; bhavanti—are; yavat—as long as; jivam—life; sukham—happiness; niratisayam—unlimited; eva—only. TRANSLATION The residents of the material world who enjoy the products of these flowing rivers have no wrinkles on their bodies and no grey hair. They never feel fatigue, and perspiration does not give their bodies a bad odor. They are not afflicted by old age, disease or untimely death, they do not suffer from chilly cold or scorching heat, nor do their bodies lose their luster. They all live very happily, without anxieties, until death. PURPORT This verse hints at the perfection of human society even within this material world. The miserable conditions of this material world can be corrected by a sufficient supply of milk, yogurt, honey, ghee, molasses, food grains, ornaments, bedding, sitting places and so on. This is human civilization. Ample food grains can be produced through agricultural enterprises, and profuse supplies of milk, yogurt and ghee can be arranged through cow protection. Abundant honey can be obtained if the forests are protected. Unfortunately, in modern civilization, men are busy killing the cows that are the source of yogurt, milk and ghee, they are cutting down all the trees that supply honey, and they are opening factories to manufacture nuts, bolts, automobiles and wine instead of engaging in agriculture. How can the people be happy? They must suffer from all the misery of materialism. Their bodies become wrinkled and gradually deteriorate until they become almost like dwarves, and a bad odor emanates from their bodies because of unclean perspiration resulting from eating all kinds of nasty things. This is not human civilization. If people actually want happiness in this life and want to prepare for the best in the next life, they must adopt a Vedic civilization. In a Vedic civilization, there is a full supply of all the necessities mentioned above. SB5.16.26 TEXT 26 kuranga-kurara-kusumbha-vaikanka-trikuta-sisira-patanga-rucaka-nisadha-sinivasa-kapila-sankha-vaidurya-jarudhi-hamsa-rsabha-naga-kalanjara-naradadayo vimsati-girayo meroh karnikaya iva kesara-bhuta mula-dese parita upaklptah. SYNONYMS kuranga—Kuranga; kurara—Kurara; kusumbha-vaikanka-trikuta-sisira-patanga-rucaka-nisadha-sinivasa-kapila-sankha-vaidurya-jarudhi-hamsa-rsabha-naga-kalanjara-narada—the names of mountains; adayah—and so on; vimsati-girayah—twenty mountains; meroh—of Sumeru Mountain; karnikayah—of the whorl of the lotus; iva—like; kesara-bhutah—as filaments; mula-dese—at the base; paritah—all around; upaklptah—arranged by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. TRANSLATION There are other mountains beautifully arranged around the foot of Mount Meru like the filaments around the whorl of a lotus flower. Their names are Kuranga, Kurara, Kusumbha, Vaikanka, Trikuta, Sisira, Patanga, Rucaka, Nisadha, Sinivasa, Kapila, Sankha, Vaidurya, Jarudhi, Hamsa, Rsabha, Naga, Kalanjara and Narada. SB5.16.27 TEXT 27 jathara-devakutau merum purvenastadasa-yojana-sahasram udagayatau dvi-sahasram prthu-tungau bhavatah; evam aparena pavana-pariyatrau daksinena kailasa-karavirau prag-ayatav evam uttaratas trisrnga-makarav astabhir etaih parisrto ’gnir iva paritas cakasti kancana-girih. SYNONYMS jathara-devakutau—two mountains named Jathara and Devakuta; merum—Sumeru Mountain; purvena—on the eastern side; astadasa-yojana-sahasram—eighteen thousand yojanas; udagayatau—stretching from north to south; dvi-sahasram—two thousand yojanas; prthu-tungau—in width and height; bhavatah—there are; evam—similarly; aparena—on the western side; pavana-pariyatrau—two mountains named Pavana and Pariyatra; daksinena—on the southern side; kailasa-karavirau—two mountains named Kailasa and Karavira; prak-ayatau—expanding east and west; evam—similarly; uttaratah—on the northern side; trisrnga-makarau—two mountains named Trisrnga and Makara; astabhih etaih—by these eight mountains; parisrtah—surrounded; agnih iva—like fire; paritah—all over; cakasti—brilliantly shines; kancana-girih—the golden mountain named Sumeru, or Meru. TRANSLATION On the eastern side of Sumeru Mountain are two mountains named Jathara and Devakuta, which extend to the north and south for 18,000 yojanas [144,000 miles]. Similarly, on the western side of Sumeru are two mountains named Pavana and Pariyatra, which also extend north and south for the same distance. On the southern side of Sumeru are two mountains named Kailasa and Karavira, which extend east and west for 18,000 yojanas, and on the northern side of Sumeru, extending for the same distance east and west, are two mountains named Trisrnga and Makara. The width and height of all these mountains is 2,000 yojanas [16,000 miles]. Sumeru, a mountain of solid gold shining as brilliantly as fire, is surrounded by these eight mountains. SB5.16.28 TEXT 28 meror murdhani bhagavata atma-yoner madhyata upaklptam purim ayuta-yojana-sahasrim sama-caturasram satakaumbhim vadanti. SYNONYMS meroh—of Sumeru Mountain; murdhani—on the head; bhagavatah—of the most powerful being; atma-yoneh—of Lord Brahma; madhyatah—in the middle; upaklptam—situated; purim—the great township; ayuta-yojana—ten thousand yojanas; sahasrim—one thousand; sama-caturasram—of the same length on all sides; sata-kaumbhim—made entirely of gold; vadanti—the great learned sages say. TRANSLATION In the middle of the summit of Meru is the township of Lord Brahma. Each of its four sides is calculated to extend for ten million yojanas [eighty million miles]. It is made entirely of gold, and therefore learned scholars and sages call it Satakaumbhi. SB5.16.29 TEXT 29 tam anuparito loka-palanam astanam yatha-disam yatha-rupam turiya-manena puro ’stav upaklptah. SYNONYMS tam—that great township named Brahmapuri; anuparitah—surrounding; loka-palanam—of the governors of the planets; astanam—eight; yatha-disam—according to the directions; yatha-rupam—in exact conformity with the township of Brahmapuri; turiya-manena—by measurement only one fourth; purah—townships; astau—eight; upaklptah—situated. TRANSLATION Surrounding Brahmapuri in all directions are the residences of the eight principal governors of the planetary systems, beginning with King Indra. These abodes are similar to Brahmapuri but are one fourth the size. PURPORT Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura confirms that the townships of Lord Brahma and the eight subordinate governors of the planetary systems, beginning with Indra, are mentioned in other Puranas. merau nava-purani syur Brahma’s township is known as Manovati, and those of his assistants such as Indra and Agni are known as Amaravati, Tejovati, Samyamani, Krsnangana, Sraddhavati, Gandhavati, Mahodaya and Yasovati. Brahmapuri is situated in the middle, and the other eight puris surround it in all directions. Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Fifth Canto, Sixteenth Chapter of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled, “A Description of Jambudvipa.”
eka-sasty-adhikani ca
phala-pramanam akhyatam
rsibhis tattva-darsibhih
patitam mam visame bhavambudhau
krpaya tava pada-pankaja-
sthita-dhuli-sadrsam vicintaya
karuna karaha ei-bara
narottama-dasa kaya, na theliha ranga-paya,
toma vine ke ache amara
parjanyad anna-sambhavah
yajnad bhavati parjanyo
yajnah karma-samudbhavah
manovaty amaravati
tejovati samyamani
tatha krsnangana para
sraddhavati gandhavati
tatha canya mahodaya
yasovati ca brahmendra
bahyadinam yatha-kramam