ERROR: Your browser does not support scripts.

sri-raja uvaca—the King said; deva-asura-nrnam—of the demigods, the demons and the human beings; sargah—the creation; naganam—of the Nagas (serpentine living entities); mrga-paksinam—of the beasts and birds; samasikah—briefly; tvaya—by you; proktah—described; yah—which; tu—however; svayambhuve—of Svayambhuva Manu; antare—within the period; tasya—of this; eva—indeed; vyasam—the detailed account; icchami—I wish; jnatum—to know; te—from you; bhagavan—O my lord; yatha—as well as; anusargam—the subsequent creation; yaya—by which; saktya—potency; sasarja—created; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; parah—transcendental.

The blessed King said to Sukadeva Gosvami: My dear lord, the demigods, demons, human beings, Nagas, beasts and birds were created during the reign of Svayambhuva Manu. You have spoken about this creation briefly [in the Third Canto]. Now I wish to know about it elaborately. I also wish to know about the potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by which He brought about the secondary creation.

SB6.4.3

TEXT 3

sri-suta uvaca

iti samprasnam akarnya

rajarser badarayanih

pratinandya maha-yogi

jagada muni-sattamah

SYNONYMS

sri-sutah uvaca—Suta Gosvami said; iti—thus; samprasnam—the inquiry; akarnya—hearing; rajarseh—of King Pariksit; badarayanih—Sukadeva Gosvami; pratinandya—praising; maha-yogi—the great yogi; jagada—replied; muni-sattamah—O best of the sages.

TRANSLATION

Suta Gosvami said: O great sages [assembled at Naimisaranya], after the great yogi Sukadeva Gosvami heard King Pariksit’s inquiry, he praised it and thus replied.

SB6.4.4

TEXT 4

sri-suka uvaca

yada pracetasah putra

dasa pracinabarhisah

antah-samudrad unmagna

dadrsur gam drumair vrtam

SYNONYMS

sri-sukah uvaca—Sukadeva Gosvami said; yada—when; pracetasah—the Pracetas; putrah—the sons; dasa—ten; pracinabarhisah—of King Pracinabarhi; antah-samudrat—from within the ocean; unmagnah—emerged; dadrsuh—they saw; gam—the entire planet; drumaih vrtam—covered with trees.

TRANSLATION

Sukadeva Gosvami said: When the ten sons of Pracinabarhi emerged from the waters, in which they were performing austerities, they saw that the entire surface of the world was covered by trees.

PURPORT

When King Pracinabarhi was performing Vedic rituals in which the killing of animals was recommended, Narada Muni, out of compassion, advised him to stop. Pracinabarhi understood Narada properly and then left the kingdom to perform austerities in the forest. His ten sons, however, were performing austerities within the water, and therefore there was no king to see to the management of the world. When the ten sons, the Pracetas, came out of the water, they saw that the earth was overrun with trees.

When the government neglects agriculture, which is necessary for the production of food, the land becomes covered with unnecessary trees. Of course, many trees are useful because they produce fruits and flowers, but many other trees are unnecessary. They could be used as fuel and the land cleared and used for agriculture. When the government is negligent, less grain is produced. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (18.44), krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam vaisya-karma svabhava jam: the proper engagements for vaisyas, according to their nature, are to farm and to protect cows. The duty of the government and the ksatriyas is to see that the members of the third class, the vaisyas, who are neither brahmanas nor ksatriyas, are thus properly engaged. Ksatriyas are meant to protect human beings, whereas vaisyas are meant to protect useful animals, especially cows.

SB6.4.5

TEXT 5

drumebhyah krudhyamanas te

tapo-dipita-manyavah

mukhato vayum agnim ca

sasrjus tad-didhaksaya

drumebhyah—unto the trees; krudhyamanah—being very angry; te—they (the ten sons of Pracinabarhi); tapah-dipita-manyavah—whose anger was inflamed because of long austerities; mukhatah—from the mouth; vayum—wind; agnim—fire; ca—and; sasrjuh—they created; tat—those forests; didhaksaya—with the desire to burn.

Because of having undergone long austerities in the water, the Pracetas were very angry at the trees. Desiring to burn them to ashes, they generated wind and fire from their mouths.

Here the word tapo-dipita-manyavah indicates that persons who have undergone severe austerity (tapasya) are endowed with great mystic power, as evinced by the Pracetas, who created fire and wind from their mouths. Although devotees undergo severe tapasya, however, they are vimanyavah, sadhavah, which means that they are never angry. They are always decorated with good qualities. Bhagavatam (3.25.21) states:

titiksavah karunikah
suhrdah sarva-dehinam
ajata-satravah santah
sadhavah sadhu-bhusanah

A sadhu, a devotee, is never angry. Actually the real feature of devotees who undergo tapasya, austerity, is forgiveness. Although a Vaisnava has sufficient power in tapasya, he does not become angry when put into difficulty. If one undergoes tapasya but does not become a Vaisnava, however, one does not develop good qualities. For example, Hiranyakasipu and Ravana also performed great austerities, but they did so to demonstrate their demoniac tendencies. Vaisnavas must meet many opponents while preaching the glories of the Lord, but Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommends that they not become angry while preaching. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given this formula: trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna/ amanina manadena kirtaniyah sada harih [Cc. adi 17.31]. “One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.” Those engaged in preaching the glories of the Lord should be humbler than grass and more tolerant than a tree; then they can preach the glories of the Lord without difficulty.

SB6.4.6

TEXT 6

tabhyam nirdahyamanams tan

upalabhya kurudvaha

rajovaca mahan somo

manyum prasamayann iva

tabhyam—by the wind and fire; nirdahyamanan—being burned; tan—them (the trees); upalabhya—seeing; kurudvaha—O Maharaja Pariksit; raja—the king of the forest; uvaca—said; mahan—the great; somah—predominating deity of the moon, Somadeva; manyum—the anger; prasamayan—pacifying; iva—like.

My dear King Pariksit, when Soma, the king of the trees and predominating deity of the moon, saw the fire and wind burning all the trees to ashes, he felt great sympathy because he is the maintainer of all herbs and trees. To appease the anger of the Pracetas, Soma spoke as follows.

It is understood from this verse that the predominating deity of the moon is the maintainer of all the trees and plants throughout the universe. It is due to the moonshine that trees and plants grow very luxuriantly. Therefore how can we accept the so-called scientists whose moon expeditions have informed us that there are no trees or vegetation on the moon? Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says, somo vrksadhisthata sa eva vrksanam raja: Soma, the predominating deity of the moon, is the king of all vegetation. How can we believe that the maintainer of vegetation has no vegetation on his own planet?

SB6.4.7

TEXT 7

na drumebhyo maha-bhaga

dinebhyo drogdhum arhatha

vivardhayisavo yuyam

prajanam patayah smrtah

na—not; drumebhyah—the trees; maha-bhagah—O greatly fortunate ones; dinebhyah—who are very poor; drogdhum—to burn to ashes; arhatha—you deserve; vivardhayisavah—desiring to bring about an increase; yuyam—you; prajanam—of all living entities who have taken shelter of you; patayah—the masters or protectors; smrtah—known as.

O greatly fortunate ones, you should not kill these poor trees by burning them to ashes. Your duty is to wish the citizens [prajas] all prosperity and to act as their protectors.

It is indicated herein that the government or king has the duty of protecting not only the human beings, but all other living entities, including animals, trees and plants. No living entity should be killed unnecessarily.

SB6.4.8

TEXT 8

aho prajapati-patir

bhagavan harir avyayah

vanaspatin osadhis ca

sasarjorjam isam vibhuh

aho—alas; prajapati-patih—the Lord of all the lords of created beings; bhagavan harih—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari; avyayah—indestructible; vanaspatin—the trees and plants; osadhih—the herbs; ca—and; sasarja—created; urjam—invigorating; isam—food; vibhuh—the Supreme Being.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Hari, is the master of all living entities, including all the prajapatis, such as Lord Brahma. Because He is the all-pervading and indestructible master, He has created all these trees and vegetables as eatables for other living entities.

Soma, the predominating deity of the moon, reminded the Pracetas that this vegetation had been created by the Lord of lords to provide food for everyone. If the Pracetas tried to kill them off, their own subjects would also suffer, for trees are also required for food.

SB6.4.9

TEXT 9

annam caranam acara

hy apadah pada-carinam

ahasta hasta-yuktanam

dvi-padam ca catus-padah

annam—food; caranam—of those that move on wings; acarah—the nonmoving (fruits and flowers); hi—indeed; apadah—the living entities without legs, like the grass; pada-carinam—of the animals who move on legs, like the cows and buffalo; ahastah—animals without hands; hasta-yuktanam—of the animals with hands, like the tigers; dvi-padam—of human beings, who have two legs; ca—and; catuh-padah—the four-legged animals like the deer.

By nature’s arrangement, fruits and flowers are considered the food of insects and birds; grass and other legless living entities are meant to be the food of four-legged animals like cows and buffalo; animals that cannot use their front legs as hands are meant to be the food of animals like tigers, which have claws; and four-legged animals like deer and goats, as well as food grains, are meant to be the food of human beings.

By nature’s law, or the arrangement of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one kind of living entity is eatable by other living entities. As mentioned herein, dvi-padam ca catus-padah: the four-legged animals (catus-padah), as well as food grains, are eatables for human beings (dvi-padam). These four-legged animals are those such as deer and goats, not cows, which are meant to be protected. Generally the men of the higher classes of society—the brahmanas, ksatriyas and vaisyas—do not eat meat. Sometimes ksatriyas go to the forest to kill animals like deer because they have to learn the art of killing, and sometimes they eat the animals also. Sudras, too, eat animals such as goats. Cows, however, are never meant to be killed or eaten by human beings. In every sastra, cow killing is vehemently condemned. Indeed, one who kills a cow must suffer for as many years as there are hairs on the body of a cow. Manu-samhita says, pravrttir esa bhutanam nivrttis tu maha-phala: we have many tendencies in this material world, but in human life one is meant to learn how to curb those tendencies. Those who desire to eat meat may satisfy the demands of their tongues by eating lower animals, but they should never kill cows, who are actually accepted as the mothers of human society because they supply milk. The sastra especially recommends, krsi-go-raksya: the vaisya section of humanity should arrange for the food of the entire society through agricultural activities and should give full protection to the cows, which are the most useful animals because they supply milk to human society.

SB6.4.10

TEXT 10

yuyam ca pitranvadista

deva-devena canaghah

praja-sargaya hi katham

vrksan nirdagdhum arhatha

yuyam—you; ca—also; pitra—by your father; anvadistah—ordered; deva-devena—by the Personality of Godhead, the master of the masters; ca—also; anaghah—O sinless ones; praja-sargaya—for generating the population; hi—indeed; katham—how; vrksan—the trees; nirdagdhum—to burn to ashes; arhatha—are able.

O pure-hearted ones, your father, Pracinabarhi, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead have ordered you to generate population. Therefore how can you burn to ashes these trees and herbs, which are needed for the maintenance of your subjects and descendants?

SB6.4.11

TEXT 11

atisthata satam margam

kopam yacchata dipitam

pitra pitamahenapi

justam vah prapitamahaih

SYNONYMS

atisthata—just follow; satam margam—the path of the great saintly personalities; kopam—the anger; yacchata—subdue; dipitam—which is now awakened; pitra—by the father; pitamahena api—and by the grandfather; justam—executed; vah—your; prapitamahaih—by the great-grandfathers.

TRANSLATION

The path of goodness traversed by your father, grandfather and great-grandfathers is that of maintaining the subjects [prajas], including the men, animals and trees. That is the path you should follow. Unnecessary anger is contrary to your duty. Therefore I request you to control your anger.

PURPORT

Here the words pitra pitamahenapi justam vah prapitamahaih depict an honest royal family, consisting of the kings, their father, their grandfather and their great-grandfathers. Such a royal family has a prestigious position because it maintains the citizens, or prajas. The word praja refers to one who has taken birth within the jurisdiction of the government. The exalted royal families were conscious that all living beings, whether human, animal or lower than animal, should be given protection. The modern democratic system cannot be exalted in this way because the leaders elected strive only for power and have no sense of responsibility. In a monarchy, a king with a prestigious position follows the great deeds of his forefathers. Thus Soma, the king of the moon, here reminds the Pracetas about the glories of their father, grandfather and great-grandfathers.

SB6.4.12

TEXT 12

tokanam pitarau bandhu

drsah paksma striyah patih

patih prajanam bhiksunam

grhy ajnanam budhah suhrt

tokanam—of children; pitarau—the two parents; bandhu—the friends; drsah—of the eye; paksma—the eyelid; striyah—of the woman; patih—the husband; patih—the protector; prajanam—of the subjects; bhiksunam—of the beggars; grhi—the householder; ajnanam—of the ignorant; budhah—the learned; su-hrt—the friend.

As the father and mother are the friends and maintainers of their children, as the eyelid is the protector of the eye, as the husband is the maintainer and protector of a woman, as the householder is the maintainer and protector of beggars, and as the learned is the friend of the ignorant, so the king is the protector and giver of life to all his subjects. The trees are also subjects of the king. Therefore they should be given protection.

By the supreme will of the Personality of Godhead, there are various protectors and maintainers for helpless living entities. The trees are also considered prajas, subjects of the king, and therefore the duty of the monarch is to protect even the trees, not to speak of others. The king is duty-bound to protect the living entities in his kingdom. Thus although the parents are directly responsible for the protection and maintenance of their children, the duty of the king is to see that all parents do their duty properly. Similarly, the king is also responsible for overseeing the other protectors mentioned in this verse. It may also be noted that the beggars who should be maintained by the householders are not professional beggars, but sannyasis and brahmanas, to whom the householders should supply food and clothing.

SB6.4.13

TEXT 13

antar dehesu bhutanam

atmaste harir isvarah

sarvam tad-dhisnyam iksadhvam

evam vas tosito hy asau

antah dehesu—within the bodies (in the cores of the hearts); bhutanam—of all living entities; atma—the Supersoul; aste—resides; harih—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; isvarah—the Lord or director; sarvam—all; tat-dhisnyam—His place of residence; iksadhvam—try to see; evam—in this way; vah—with you; tositah—satisfied; hi—indeed; asau—that Supreme Personality of Godhead.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is situated as the Supersoul within the cores of the hearts of all living entities, whether moving or nonmoving, including men, birds, animals, trees and, indeed, all living entities. Therefore you should consider every body a residence or temple of the Lord. By such vision you will satisfy the Lord. You should not angrily kill these living entities in the forms of trees.

As stated in Bhagavad-gita and confirmed by all the Vedic scriptures, isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese ’rjuna tisthati: [Bg. 18.61] the Supersoul is situated within everyone’s heart. Therefore, since everyone’s body is the residence of the Supreme Lord, one should not destroy the body because of unnecessary envy. That will dissatisfy the Supersoul. Soma told the Pracetas that because they had tried to satisfy the Supersoul, now they should not displease Him.

SB6.4.14

TEXT 14

yah samutpatitam deha

akasan manyum ulbanam

atma-jijnasaya yacchet

sa gunan ativartate

yah—anyone who; samutpatitam—suddenly awakened; dehe—in the body; akasat—from the sky; manyum—anger; ulbanam—powerful; atma-jijnasaya—by inquiry into spiritual realization or self-realization; yacchet—subdues; sah—that person; gunan—the modes of material nature; ativartate—transcends.

One who inquires into self-realization and thus subdues his powerful anger—which awakens suddenly in the body as if falling from the sky—transcends the influence of the modes of material nature.

When one becomes angry, he forgets himself and his situation, but if one is able to consider his situation by knowledge, one transcends the influence of the modes of material nature. One is always a servant of lusty desires, anger, greed, illusion, envy and so forth, but if one obtains sufficient strength in spiritual advancement, one can control them. One who obtains such control will always be transcendentally situated, untouched by the modes of material nature. This is only possible when one fully engages in the service of the Lord. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (14.26):

mam ca yo ’vyabhicarena
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa gunan samatityaitan
brahma-bhuyah

“One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in any circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the spiritual platform.” By engaging one in devotional service, the Krsna consciousness movement keeps one always transcendental to anger, greed, lust, envy and so forth. One must perform devotional service because otherwise one will become victimized by the modes of material nature.

SB6.4.15

TEXT 15

alam dagdhair drumair dinaih

khilanam sivam astu vah

varksi hy esa vara kanya

patnitve pratigrhyatam

alam—enough; dagdhaih—with burning; drumaih—the trees; dinaih—poor; khilanam—of the remainder of the trees; sivam—all good fortune; astu—let there be; vah—of you; varksi—raised by the trees; hi—indeed; esa—this; vara—choice; kanya—daughter; patnitve—into wifehood; pratigrhyatam—let her be accepted.