Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 9: “Liberation”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter Three
SB9.3.21
TEXT 21
katham matis te ’vagatanyatha satam
kula-prasute kula-dusanam tv idam
bibharsi jaram yad apatrapa kulam
pitus ca bhartus ca nayasy adhas tamah
SYNONYMS
katham—how; matih te—your consciousness; avagata—has gone down; anyatha—otherwise; satam—of the most respectable; kula-prasute—O my daughter, born in the family; kula-dusanam—who are the degradation of the family; tu—but; idam—this; bibharsi—you are maintaining; jaram—a paramour; yat—as it is; apatrapa—without shame; kulam—the dynasty; pituh—of your father; ca—and; bhartuh—of your husband; ca—and; nayasi—you are bringing down; adhah tamah—downward into darkness or hell.
TRANSLATION
O my daughter, who were born in a respectable family, how have you degraded your consciousness in this way? How is it that you are shamelessly maintaining a paramour? You will thus degrade the dynasties of both your father and your husband to hellish life.
PURPORT
It is quite clear that according to Vedic culture a woman who accepts a paramour or second husband in the presence of the husband she has married is certainly responsible for the degradation of her father’s family and the family of her husband. The rules of Vedic culture in this regard are strictly observed in the respectable families of brahmanas, ksatriyas and vaisyas even today; only the sudras are degraded in this matter. For a woman of the brahmana, ksatriya or vaisya class to accept another husband in the presence of the husband she has married, or to file for divorce or accept a boyfriend or paramour, is unacceptable in the Vedic culture. Therefore King Saryati, who did not know the real facts of Cyavana Muni’s transformation, was surprised to see the behavior of his daughter. SB9.3.22 TEXT 22 evam bruvanam pitaram smayamana suci-smita uvaca tata jamata tavaisa bhrgu-nandanah SYNONYMS evam—in this way; bruvanam—who was talking and chastising her; pitaram—unto her father; smayamana—smiling (because she was chaste); suci-smita—laughingly; uvaca—replied; tata—O my dear father; jamata—son-in-law; tava—your; esah—this young man; bhrgu-nandanah—is Cyavana Muni (and no one else). TRANSLATION Sukanya, however, being very proud of her chastity, smiled upon hearing the rebukes of her father. She smilingly told him, “My dear father, this young man by my side is your actual son-in-law, the great sage Cyavana, who was born in the family of Bhrgu.” PURPORT Although the father chastised the daughter, assuming that she had accepted another husband, the daughter knew that she was completely honest and chaste, and therefore she was smiling. When she explained that her husband, Cyavana Muni, had now been transformed into a young man, she was very proud of her chastity, and thus she smiled as she talked with her father. SB9.3.23 TEXT 23 sasamsa pitre tat sarvam vayo-rupabhilambhanam vismitah parama-pritas tanayam parisasvaje SYNONYMS sasamsa—she described; pitre—unto her father; tat—that; sarvam—everything; vayah—of the change of age; rupa—and of beauty; abhilambhanam—how there was achievement (by her husband); vismitah—being surprised; parama-pritah—was extremely pleased; tanayam—unto his daughter; parisasvaje—embraced with pleasure. TRANSLATION Thus Sukanya explained how her husband had received the beautiful body of a young man. When the King heard this he was very surprised, and in great pleasure he embraced his beloved daughter. SB9.3.24 TEXT 24 somena yajayan viram graham somasya cagrahit asoma-por apy asvinos cyavanah svena tejasa SYNONYMS somena—with the soma; yajayan—causing to perform the sacrifice; viram—the King (Saryati); graham—the full pot; somasya—of the soma-rasa; ca—also; agrahit—delivered; asoma-poh—who were not allowed to drink the soma-rasa; api—although; asvinoh—of the Asvini-kumaras; cyavanah—Cyavana Muni; svena—his own; tejasa—by prowess. TRANSLATION Cyavana Muni, by his own prowess, enabled King Saryati to perform the soma-yajna. The muni offered a full pot of soma-rasa to the Asvini-kumaras, although they were unfit to drink it. SB9.3.25 TEXT 25 hantum tam adade vajram sadyo manyur amarsitah savajram stambhayam asa bhujam indrasya bhargavah SYNONYMS hantum—to kill; tam—him (Cyavana); adade—Indra took up; vajram—his thunderbolt; sadyah—immediately; manyuh—because of great anger, without consideration; amarsitah—being very much perturbed; sa-vajram—with the thunderbolt; stambhayam asa—paralyzed; bhujam—the arm; indrasya—of Indra; bhargavah—Cyavana Muni, the descendant of Bhrgu. TRANSLATION King Indra, being perturbed and angry, wanted to kill Cyavana Muni, and therefore he impetuously took up his thunderbolt. But Cyavana Muni, by his powers, paralyzed Indra’s arm that held the thunderbolt. SB9.3.26 TEXT 26 anvajanams tatah sarve graham somasya casvinoh bhisajav iti yat purvam somahutya bahis-krtau SYNONYMS anvajanan—with their permission; tatah—thereafter; sarve—all the demigods; graham—a full pot; somasya—of soma-rasa; ca—also; asvinoh—of the Asvini-kumaras; bhisajau—although only physicians; iti—thus; yat—because; purvam—before this; soma-ahutya—with a share in the soma-yajna; bahih-krtau—who had been disallowed or excluded. TRANSLATION Although the Asvini-kumaras were only physicians and were therefore excluded from drinking soma-rasa in sacrifices, the demigods agreed to allow them henceforward to drink it. SB9.3.27 TEXT 27 uttanabarhir anarto bhurisena iti trayah saryater abhavan putra anartad revato ’bhavat SYNONYMS uttanabarhih—Uttanabarhi; anartah—Anarta; bhurisenah—Bhurisena; iti—thus; trayah—three; saryateh—of King Saryati; abhavan—were begotten; putrah—sons; anartat—from Anarta; revatah—Revata; abhavat—was born. TRANSLATION King Saryati begot three sons, named Uttanabarhi, Anarta and Bhurisena. From Anarta came a son named Revata. SB9.3.28 TEXT 28 so ’ntah-samudre nagarim vinirmaya kusasthalim asthito ’bhunkta visayan anartadin arindama tasya putra-satam jajne kakudmi-jyestham uttamam SYNONYMS sah—Revata; antah-samudre—in the depths of the ocean; nagarim—a town; vinirmaya—after constructing; kusasthalim—named Kusasthali; asthitah—lived there; abhunkta—enjoyed material happiness; visayan—kingdoms; anarta-adin—Anarta and others; arim-dama—O Maharaja Pariksit, subduer of enemies; tasya—his; putra-satam—one hundred sons; jajne—were born; kakudmi-jyestham—of whom the eldest was Kakudmi; uttamam—most powerful and opulent. TRANSLATION O Maharaja Pariksit, subduer of enemies, this Revata constructed a kingdom known as Kusasthali in the depths of the ocean. There he lived and ruled such tracts of land as Anarta, etc. He had one hundred very nice sons, of whom the eldest was Kakudmi. SB9.3.29 TEXT 29 kakudmi revatim kanyam svam adaya vibhum gatah putrya varam pariprastum brahmalokam apavrtam SYNONYMS kakudmi—King Kakudmi; revatim—named Revati; kanyam—the daughter of Kakudmi; svam—his own; adaya—taking; vibhum—before Lord Brahma; gatah—he went; putryah—of his daughter; varam—a husband; pariprastum—to inquire about; brahmalokam—Brahmaloka; apavrtam—transcendental to the three qualities. TRANSLATION Taking his own daughter, Revati, Kakudmi went to Lord Brahma in Brahmaloka, which is transcendental to the three modes of material nature, and inquired about a husband for her. PURPORT It appears that Brahmaloka, the abode of Lord Brahma, is also transcendental, above the three modes of material nature (apavrtam). SB9.3.30 TEXT 30 avartamane gandharve sthito ’labdha-ksanah ksanam tad-anta adyam anamya svabhiprayam nyavedayat SYNONYMS avartamane—because of being engaged; gandharve—in hearing songs from the Gandharvas; sthitah—situated; alabdha-ksanah—there was no time to talk; ksanam—even a moment; tat-ante—when it ended; adyam—unto the original teacher of the universe (Lord Brahma); anamya—after offering obeisances; sva-abhiprayam—his own desire; nyavedayat—Kakudmi submitted. TRANSLATION When Kakudmi arrived there, Lord Brahma was engaged in hearing musical performances by the Gandharvas and had not a moment to talk with him. Therefore Kakudmi waited, and at the end of the musical performances he offered his obeisances to Lord Brahma and thus submitted his long-standing desire. SB9.3.31 TEXT 31 tac chrutva bhagavan brahma prahasya tam uvaca ha aho rajan niruddhas te kalena hrdi ye krtah SYNONYMS tat—that; srutva—hearing; bhagavan—the most powerful; brahma—Lord Brahma; prahasya—after laughing; tam—unto King Kakudmi; uvaca ha—said; aho—alas; rajan—O King; niruddhah—all gone; te—all of them; kalena—by the course of time; hrdi—within the core of the heart; ye—all of them; krtah—who have been decided upon for acceptance as your son-in-law. TRANSLATION After hearing his words, Lord Brahma, who is most powerful, laughed loudly and said to Kakudmi: O King, all those whom you may have decided within the core of your heart to accept as your son-in-law have passed away in the course of time. SB9.3.32 TEXT 32 tat putra-pautra-naptrnam gotrani ca na srnmahe kalo ’bhiyatas tri-nava- catur-yuga-vikalpitah SYNONYMS tat—there; putra—of the sons; pautra—of the grandsons; naptrnam—and of the descendants; gotrani—the family dynasties; ca—also; na—not; srnmahe—we do hear of; kalah—time; abhiyatah—have passed; tri—three; nava—nine; catur-yuga—four yugas (Satya, Treta, Dvapara and Kali); vikalpitah—thus measured. TRANSLATION Twenty-seven catur-yugas have already passed. Those upon whom you may have decided are now gone, and so are their sons, grandsons and other descendants. You cannot even hear about their names. PURPORT During Lord Brahma’s day, fourteen Manus or one thousand maha-yugas pass away. Brahma informed King Kakudmi that twenty-seven maha-yugas, each consisting of the four periods Satya, Treta, Dvapara and Kali, had already passed. All the kings and other great personalities born in those yugas had now departed from memory into obscurity. This is the way of time as it moves through past, present and future. SB9.3.33 TEXT 33 tad gaccha deva-devamso baladevo maha-balah kanya-ratnam idam rajan nara-ratnaya dehi bhoh SYNONYMS tat—therefore; gaccha—you go; deva-deva-amsah—whose plenary portion is Lord Visnu; baladevah—known as Baladeva; maha-balah—the supreme powerful; kanya-ratnam—your beautiful daughter; idam—this; rajan—O King; nara-ratnaya—unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is always youthful; dehi—just give to Him (in charity); bhoh—O King. TRANSLATION O King, leave here and offer your daughter to Lord Baladeva, who is still present. He is most powerful. Indeed, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose plenary portion is Lord Visnu. Your daughter is fit to be given to Him in charity. SB9.3.34 TEXT 34 bhuvo bharavataraya bhagavan bhuta-bhavanah avatirno nijamsena punya-sravana-kirtanah SYNONYMS bhuvah—of the world; bhara-avataraya—to lessen the burden; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhuta-bhavanah—always the well-wisher of all the living entities; avatirnah—now He has descended; nija-amsena—with all the paraphernalia that is part of Him; punya-sravana-kirtanah—He is simply worshiped by hearing and chanting, by which one becomes purified. TRANSLATION Lord Baladeva is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One who hears and chants about Him is purified. Because He is always the well-wisher of all living entities, He has descended with all His paraphernalia to purify the entire world and lessen its burden. SB9.3.35 TEXT 35 ity adisto ’bhivandyajam nrpah sva-puram agatah tyaktam punya-jana-trasad bhratrbhir diksv avasthitaih SYNONYMS iti—thus; adistah—being ordered by Lord Brahma; abhivandya—after offering obeisances; ajam—unto Lord Brahma; nrpah—the King; sva-puram—to his own residence; agatah—returned; tyaktam—which was vacant; punya-jana—of higher living entities; trasat—because of their fear; bhratrbhih—by his brothers; diksu—in different directions; avasthitaih—who were residing. TRANSLATION Having received this order from Lord Brahma, Kakudmi offered obeisances unto him and returned to his own residence. He then saw that his residence was vacant, having been abandoned by his brothers and other relatives, who were living in all directions because of fear of such higher living beings as the Yaksas. SB9.3.36 TEXT 36 sutam dattvanavadyangim balaya bala-saline badary-akhyam gato raja taptum narayanasramam SYNONYMS sutam—his daughter; dattva—after delivering; anavadya-angim—having a perfect body; balaya—unto Lord Baladeva; bala-saline—unto the most powerful, the supreme powerful; badari-akhyam—named Badarikasrama; gatah—he went; raja—the King; taptum—to perform austerities; narayana-asramam—to the place of Nara-Narayana. TRANSLATION Thereafter, the King gave his most beautiful daughter in charity to the supremely powerful Baladeva and then retired from worldly life and went to Badarikasrama to please Nara-Narayana. Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Ninth Canto, Third Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled “The Marriage of Sukanya and Cyavana Muni.”