Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 9: “Liberation”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter Twenty-two
SB9.22.25
TEXT 25
ksetre ’prajasya vai bhratur
matrokto badarayanah
dhrtarastram ca pandum ca
viduram capy ajijanat
SYNONYMS
ksetre—in the wives and maidservant; aprajasya—of Vicitravirya, who had no progeny; vai—indeed; bhratuh—of the brother; matra uktah—being ordered by the mother; badarayanah—Vedavyasa; dhrtarastram—a son named Dhrtarastra; ca—and; pandum—a son named Pandu; ca—also; viduram—a son named Vidura; ca—also; api—indeed; ajijanat—begot.
TRANSLATION
Badarayana, Sri Vyasadeva, following the order of his mother, Satyavati, begot three sons, two by the womb of Ambika and Ambalika, the two wives of his brother Vicitravirya, and the third by Vicitravirya’s maidservant. These sons were Dhrtarastra, Pandu and Vidura.
PURPORT
Vicitravirya died of tuberculosis, and his wives, Ambika and Ambalika, had no issue. Therefore, after Vicitravirya’s death, his mother, Satyavati, who was also the mother of Vyasadeva, asked Vyasadeva to beget children through the wives of Vicitravirya. In those days, the brother of the husband could beget children through the womb of his sister-in-law. This was known as devarena sutotpatti. If the husband was somehow unable to beget children, his brother could do so through the womb of his sister-in-law. This devarena sutotpatti and the sacrifices of asvamedha and gomedha are forbidden in the age of Kali.
asvamedham gavalambham
sannyasam pala-paitrkam
devarena sutotpattim
kalau panca vivarjayet
“In this age of Kali, five acts are forbidden: the offering of a horse in sacrifice, the offering of a cow in sacrifice, the acceptance of the order of sannyasa, the offering of oblations of flesh to the forefathers, and a man’s begetting children in his brother’s wife.” (Brahma-vaivarta Purana). SB9.22.26 TEXT 26 gandharyam dhrtarastrasya jajne putra-satam nrpa tatra duryodhano jyestho duhsala capi kanyaka SYNONYMS gandharyam—in the womb of Gandhari; dhrtarastrasya—of Dhrtarastra; jajne—were born; putra-satam—one hundred sons; nrpa—O King Pariksit; tatra—among the sons; duryodhanah—the son named Duryodhana; jyesthah—the eldest; duhsala—Duhsala; ca api—also; kanyaka—one daughter. TRANSLATION Dhrtarastra’s wife, Gandhari, gave birth to one hundred sons and one daughter, O King. The oldest of the sons was Duryodhana, and the daughter’s name was Duhsala. SB9.22.27-28 TEXTS 27–28 sapan maithuna-ruddhasya pandoh kuntyam maha-rathah jata dharmanilendrebhyo yudhisthira-mukhas trayah nakulah sahadevas ca madryam nasatya-dasrayoh draupadyam panca pancabhyah putras te pitaro ’bhavan SYNONYMS sapat—due to being cursed; maithuna-ruddhasya—who had to restrain sexual life; pandoh—of Pandu; kuntyam—in the womb of Kunti; maha-rathah—great heroes; jatah—took birth; dharma—by Maharaja Dharma, or Dharmaraja; anila—by the demigod controlling the wind; indrebhyah—and by the demigod Indra, the controller of rain; yudhisthira—Yudhisthira; mukhah—headed by; trayah—three sons (Yudhisthira, Bhima and Arjuna); nakulah—Nakula; sahadevah—Sahadeva; ca—also; madryam—in the womb of Madri; nasatya-dasrayoh—by Nasatya and Dasra, the Asvini-kumaras; draupadyam—in the womb of Draupadi; panca—five; pancabhyah—from the five brothers (Yudhisthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva); putrah—sons; te—they; pitarah—uncles; abhavan—became. TRANSLATION Pandu was restrained from sexual life because of having been cursed by a sage, and therefore his three sons Yudhisthira, Bhima and Arjuna were begotten through the womb of his wife, Kunti, by Dharmaraja, by the demigod controlling the wind, and by the demigod controlling the rain. Pandu’s second wife, Madri, gave birth to Nakula and Sahadeva, who were begotten by the two Asvini-kumaras. The five brothers, headed by Yudhisthira, begot five sons through the womb of Draupadi. These five sons were your uncles. SB9.22.29 TEXT 29 yudhisthirat prativindhyah srutaseno vrkodarat arjunac chrutakirtis tu satanikas tu nakulih SYNONYMS yudhisthirat—from Maharaja Yudhisthira; prativindhyah—a son named Prativindhya; srutasenah—Srutasena; vrkodarat—begotten by Bhima; arjunat—from Arjuna; srutakirtih—a son named Srutakirti; tu—indeed; satanikah—a son named Satanika; tu—indeed; nakulih—of Nakula. TRANSLATION From Yudhisthira came a son named Prativindhya, from Bhima a son named Srutasena, from Arjuna a son named Srutakirti, and from Nakula a son named Satanika. SB9.22.30-31 TEXTS 30–31 sahadeva-suto rajan chrutakarma tathapare yudhisthirat tu pauravyam devako ’tha ghatotkacah bhimasenad dhidimbayam kalyam sarvagatas tatah sahadevat suhotram tu vijayasuta parvati SYNONYMS sahadeva-sutah—the son of Sahadeva; rajan—O King; srutakarma—Srutakarma; tatha—as well as; apare—others; yudhisthirat—from Yudhisthira; tu—indeed; pauravyam—in the womb of Pauravi; devakah—a son named Devaka; atha—as well as; ghatotkacah—Ghatotkaca; bhimasenat—from Bhimasena; hidimbayam—in the womb of Hidimba; kalyam—in the womb of Kali; sarvagatah—Sarvagata; tatah—thereafter; sahadevat—from Sahadeva; suhotram—Suhotra; tu—indeed; vijaya—Vijaya; asuta—gave birth to; parvati—the daughter of the Himalayan king. TRANSLATION O King, the son of Sahadeva was Srutakarma. Furthermore, Yudhisthira and his brothers begot other sons in other wives. Yudhisthira begot a son named Devaka through the womb of Pauravi, and Bhimasena begot a son named Ghatotkaca through his wife Hidimba and a son named Sarvagata through his wife Kali. Similarly, Sahadeva had a son named Suhotra through his wife named Vijaya, who was the daughter of the king of the mountains. SB9.22.32 TEXT 32 karenumatyam nakulo naramitram tatharjunah iravantam ulupyam vai sutayam babhruvahanam manipura-pateh so ’pi tat-putrah putrika-sutah SYNONYMS karenumatyam—in the wife named Karenumati; nakulah—Nakula; naramitram—a son named Naramitra; tatha—also; arjunah—Arjuna; iravantam—Iravan; ulupyam—in the womb of the Naga-kanya named Ulupi; vai—indeed; sutayam—in the daughter; babhruvahanam—a son named Babhruvahana; manipura-pateh—of the king of Manipura; sah—he; api—although; tat-putrah—the son of Arjuna; putrika-sutah—the son of his maternal grandfather. TRANSLATION Nakula begot a son named Naramitra through his wife named Karenumati. Similarly, Arjuna begot a son named Iravan through his wife known as Ulupi, the daughter of the Nagas, and a son named Babhruvahana by the womb of the princess of Manipura. Babhruvahana became the adopted son of the king of Manipura. PURPORT It is to be understood that Parvati is the daughter of the king of the very, very old mountainous country known as the Manipura state. Five thousand years ago, therefore, when the Pandavas ruled, Manipura existed, as did its king. Therefore this kingdom is a very old, aristocratic Vaisnava kingdom. If this kingdom is organized as a Vaisnava state, this revitalization will be a great success because for five thousand years this state has maintained its identity. If the Vaisnava spirit is revived there, it will be a wonderful place, renowned throughout the entire world. Manipuri Vaisnavas are very famous in Vaisnava society. In Vrndavana and Navadvipa there are many temples constructed by the king of Manipura. Some of our devotees belong to the Manipura state. The Krsna consciousness movement, therefore, can be well spread in the state of Manipura by the cooperative efforts of the Krsna conscious devotees. SB9.22.33 TEXT 33 tava tatah subhadrayam abhimanyur ajayata sarvatirathajid vira uttarayam tato bhavan SYNONYMS tava—your; tatah—father; subhadrayam—in the womb of Subhadra; abhimanyuh—Abhimanyu; ajayata—was born; sarva-atiratha-jit—a great fighter who could defeat the atirathas; virah—a great hero; uttarayam—in the womb of Uttara; tatah—from Abhimanyu; bhavan—your good self. TRANSLATION My dear King Pariksit, your father, Abhimanyu, was born from the womb of Subhadra as the son of Arjuna. He was the conqueror of all atirathas [those who could fight with one thousand charioteers]. From him, by the womb of Uttara, the daughter of Viradraja, you were born. SB9.22.34 TEXT 34 pariksinesu kurusu drauner brahmastra-tejasa tvam ca krsnanubhavena sajivo mocito ’ntakat SYNONYMS pariksinesu—because of being annihilated in the Kuruksetra war; kurusu—the members of the Kuru dynasty, such as Duryodhana; drauneh—Asvatthama, the son of Dronacarya; brahmastra-tejasa—because of the heat of the brahmastra nuclear weapon; tvam ca—your good self also; krsna-anubhavena—because of the mercy of Lord Krsna; sajivah—with your life; mocitah—released; antakat—from death. TRANSLATION After the Kuru dynasty was annihilated in the Battle of Kuruksetra, you also were about to be destroyed by the brahmastra atomic weapon released by the son of Dronacarya, but by the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, you were saved from death. SB9.22.35 TEXT 35 taveme tanayas tata janamejaya-purvakah srutaseno bhimasena ugrasenas ca viryavan SYNONYMS tava—your; ime—all these; tanayah—sons; tata—my dear King Pariksit; janamejaya—Janamejaya; purvakah—headed by; srutasenah—Srutasena; bhimasenah—Bhimasena; ugrasenah—Ugrasena; ca—also; viryavan—all very powerful. TRANSLATION My dear King, your four sons—Janamejaya, Srutasena, Bhimasena and Ugrasena—are very powerful. Janamejaya is the eldest. SB9.22.36 TEXT 36 janamejayas tvam viditva taksakan nidhanam gatam sarpan vai sarpa-yagagnau sa hosyati rusanvitah SYNONYMS janamejayah—the eldest son; tvam—about you; viditva—knowing; taksakat—by the Taksaka serpent; nidhanam—death; gatam—undergone; sarpan—the snakes; vai—indeed; sarpa-yaga-agnau—in the fire of the sacrifice for killing all the snakes; sah—he (Janamejaya); hosyati—will offer as a sacrifice; rusa-anvitah—because of being very angry. TRANSLATION Because of your death by the Taksaka snake, your son Janamejaya will be very angry and will perform a sacrifice to kill all the snakes in the world. SB9.22.37 TEXT 37 kalaseyam purodhaya turam turaga-medhasat samantat prthivim sarvam jitva yaksyati cadhvaraih SYNONYMS kalaseyam—the son of Kalasa; purodhaya—accepting as the priest; turam—Tura; turaga-medhasat—he will be known as Turaga-medhasat (a performer of many horse sacrifices); samantat—including all parts; prthivim—the world; sarvam—everywhere; jitva—conquering; yaksyati—will execute sacrifices; ca—and; adhvaraih—by performing asvamedha-yajnas. TRANSLATION After conquering throughout the world and after accepting Tura, the son of Kalasa, as his priest, Janamejaya will perform asvamedha-yajnas, for which he will be known as Turaga-medhasat. SB9.22.38 TEXT 38 tasya putrah sataniko yajnavalkyat trayim pathan astra-jnanam kriya-jnanam saunakat param esyati SYNONYMS tasya—of Janamejaya; putrah—the son; satanikah—Satanika; yajnavalkyat—from the great sage known as Yajnavalkya; trayim—the three Vedas (Sama, Yajur and Rg); pathan—studying thoroughly; astra-jnanam—the art of military administration; kriya-jnanam—the art of performing ritualistic ceremonies; saunakat—from Saunaka Rsi; param—transcendental knowledge; esyati—will achieve. TRANSLATION The son of Janamejaya known as Satanika will learn from Yajnavalkya the three Vedas and the art of performing ritualistic ceremonies. He will also learn the military art from Krpacarya and the transcendental science from the sage Saunaka. SB9.22.39 TEXT 39 sahasranikas tat-putras tatas caivasvamedhajah asimakrsnas tasyapi nemicakras tu tat-sutah SYNONYMS sahasranikah—Sahasranika; tat-putrah—the son of Satanika; tatah—from him (Sahasranika); ca—also; eva—indeed; asvamedhajah—Asvamedhaja; asimakrsnah—Asimakrsna; tasya—from him (Asvamedhaja); api—also; nemicakrah—Nemicakra; tu—indeed; tat-sutah—his son. TRANSLATION The son of Satanika will be Sahasranika, and from him will come the son named Asvamedhaja. From Asvamedhaja will come Asimakrsna, and his son will be Nemicakra. SB9.22.40 TEXT 40 gajahvaye hrte nadya kausambyam sadhu vatsyati uktas tatas citrarathas tasmac chucirathah sutah SYNONYMS gajahvaye—on the town of Hastinapura (New Delhi); hrte—being inundated; nadya—by the river; kausambyam—in the place known as Kausambi; sadhu—duly; vatsyati—will live there; uktah—celebrated; tatah—thereafter; citrarathah—Citraratha; tasmat—from him; sucirathah—Suciratha; sutah—the son. TRANSLATION When the town of Hastinapura [New Delhi] is inundated by the river, Nemicakra will live in the place known as Kausambi. His son will be celebrated as Citraratha, and the son of Citraratha will be Suciratha. SB9.22.41 TEXT 41 tasmac ca vrstimams tasya suseno ’tha mahipatih sunithas tasya bhavita nrcaksur yat sukhinalah SYNONYMS tasmat—from him (Suciratha); ca—also; vrstiman—the son known as Vrstiman; tasya—his (son); susenah—Susena; atha—thereafter; mahi-patih—the emperor of the whole world; sunithah—Sunitha; tasya—his; bhavita—will be; nrcaksuh—his son, Nrcaksu; yat—from him; sukhinalah—Sukhinala. TRANSLATION From Suciratha will come the son named Vrstiman, and his son, Susena, will be the emperor of the entire world. The son of Susena will be Sunitha, his son will be Nrcaksu, and from Nrcaksu will come a son named Sukhinala. SB9.22.42 TEXT 42 pariplavah sutas tasman medhavi sunayatmajah nrpanjayas tato durvas timis tasmaj janisyati SYNONYMS pariplavah—Pariplava; sutah—the son; tasmat—from him (Pariplava); medhavi—Medhavi; sunaya-atmajah—the son of Sunaya; nrpanjayah—Nrpanjaya; tatah—from him; durvah—Durva; timih—Timi; tasmat—from him; janisyati—will take birth. TRANSLATION The son of Sukhinala will be Pariplava, and his son will be Sunaya. From Sunaya will come a son named Medhavi; from Medhavi, Nrpanjaya; from Nrpanjaya, Durva; and from Durva, Timi. SB9.22.43 TEXT 43 timer brhadrathas tasmac chatanikah sudasajah satanikad durdamanas tasyapatyam mahinarah SYNONYMS timeh—of Timi; brhadrathah—Brhadratha; tasmat—from him (Brhadratha); satanikah—Satanika; sudasa-jah—the son of Sudasa; satanikat—from Satanika; durdamanah—a son named Durdamana; tasya apatyam—his son; mahinarah—Mahinara. TRANSLATION From Timi will come Brhadratha; from Brhadratha, Sudasa; and from Sudasa, Satanika. From Satanika will come Durdamana, and from him will come a son named Mahinara. SB9.22.44-45 TEXTS 44–45 dandapanir nimis tasya ksemako bhavita yatah brahma-ksatrasya vai yonir vamso devarsi-satkrtah ksemakam prapya rajanam samstham prapsyati vai kalau atha magadha-rajano bhavino ye vadami te SYNONYMS dandapanih—Dandapani; nimih—Nimi; tasya—from him (Mahinara); ksemakah—a son named Ksemaka; bhavita—will take birth; yatah—from whom (Nimi); brahma-ksatrasya—of brahmanas and ksatriyas; vai—indeed; yonih—the source; vamsah—the dynasty; deva-rsi-satkrtah—respected by great saintly persons and demigods; ksemakam—King Ksemaka; prapya—up to this point; rajanam—the monarch; samstham—an end to them; prapsyati—there will be; vai—indeed; kalau—in this Kali-yuga; atha—thereafter; magadha-rajanah—the kings in the Magadha dynasty; bhavinah—the future; ye—all those who; vadami—I shall explain; te—unto you. TRANSLATION The son of Mahinara will be Dandapani, and his son will be Nimi, from whom King Ksemaka will be born. I have now described to you the moon-god’s dynasty, which is the source of brahmanas and ksatriyas and is worshiped by demigods and great saints. In this Kali-yuga, Ksemaka will be the last monarch. Now I shall describe to you the future of the Magadha dynasty. Please listen. SB9.22.46-48 TEXTS 46–48 bhavita sahadevasya marjarir yac chrutasravah tato yutayus tasyapi niramitro ’tha tat-sutah sunaksatrah sunaksatrad brhatseno ’tha karmajit tatah sutanjayad viprah sucis tasya bhavisyati ksemo ’tha suvratas tasmad dharmasutrah samas tatah dyumatseno ’tha sumatih subalo janita tatah SYNONYMS bhavita—will take birth; sahadevasya—the son of Sahadeva; marjarih—Marjari; yat—his son; srutasravah—Srutasrava; tatah—from him; yutayuh—Yutayu; tasya—his son; api—also; niramitrah—Niramitra; atha—thereafter; tat-sutah—his son; sunaksatrah—Sunaksatra; sunaksatrat—from Sunaksatra; brhatsenah—Brhatsena; atha—from him; karmajit—Karmajit; tatah—from him; sutanjayat—from Sutanjaya; viprah—Vipra; sucih—a son named Suci; tasya—from him; bhavisyati—will take birth; ksemah—a son named Ksema; atha—thereafter; suvratah—a son named Suvrata; tasmat—from him; dharmasutrah—Dharmasutra; samah—Sama; tatah—from him; dyumatsenah—Dyumatsena; atha—thereafter; sumatih—Sumati; subalah—Subala; janita—will take birth; tatah—thereafter. TRANSLATION Sahadeva, the son of Jarasandha, will have a son named Marjari. From Marjari will come Srutasrava; from Srutasrava, Yutayu; and from Yutayu, Niramitra. The son of Niramitra will be Sunaksatra, from Sunaksatra will come Brhatsena, and from Brhatsena, Karmajit. The son of Karmajit will be Sutanjaya, the son of Sutanjaya will be Vipra, and his son will be Suci. The son of Suci will be Ksema, the son of Ksema will be Suvrata, and the son of Suvrata will be Dharmasutra. From Dharmasutra will come Sama; from Sama, Dyumatsena; from Dyumatsena, Sumati; and from Sumati, Subala. SB9.22.49 TEXT 49 sunithah satyajid atha visvajid yad ripunjayah barhadrathas ca bhupala bhavyah sahasra-vatsaram SYNONYMS sunithah—from Subala will come Sunitha; satyajit—Satyajit; atha—from him; visvajit—from Visvajit; yat—from whom; ripunjayah—Ripunjaya; barhadrathah—all in the line of Brhadratha; ca—also; bhupalah—all those kings; bhavyah—will take birth; sahasra-vatsaram—continuously for one thousand years. TRANSLATION From Subala will come Sunitha; from Sunitha, Satyajit; from Satyajit, Visvajit; and from Visvajit, Ripunjaya. All of these personalities will belong to the dynasty of Brhadratha, which will rule the world for one thousand years. PURPORT This is the history of a monarchy that began with Jarasandha and continues for one thousand years as the above-mentioned kings appear on the surface of the globe. Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Ninth Canto, Twenty-second Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled “The Descendants of Ajamidha.”