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.”

Next chapter (SB 9.4)