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yat—which; ca—and; anyat—other; api—certainly; krsnasya—of Krsna; bhavan—your good self; bhagavatah—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; prabhoh—powerful; sravah—glorious activities; su-sravasah—who is very pleasing to hear about; punyam—pious; purva-deha—of His previous incarnation; katha-asrayam—connected with the narration; bhaktaya—unto the devotee; me—to me; anuraktaya—very much attentive; tava—of you; ca—and; adhoksajasya—of the Lord, who is known as Adhoksaja; ca—also; vaktum arhasi—please narrate; yah—one who; aduhyat—milked; vainya-rupena—in the form of the son of King Vena; gam—cow, earth; imam—this.

Prthu Maharaja was a powerful incarnation of Lord Krsna’s potencies; consequently any narration concerning his activities is surely very pleasing to hear, and it produces all good fortune. As far as I am concerned, I am always your devotee as well as a devotee of the Lord, who is known as Adhoksaja. Please therefore narrate all the stories of King Prthu, who, in the form of the son of King Vena, milked the cow-shaped earth.

Lord Krsna is also known as avatari, which means, “one from whom all the incarnations emanate.” In Bhagavad-gita (10.8) Lord Krsna says, aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate: “I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me.” Thus Lord Krsna is the origin of everyone’s appearance. As far as this material world is concerned, Lord Brahma, Lord Visnu and Lord Siva are all emanations from Krsna. These three incarnations of Krsna are called guna-avataras. The material world is governed by three material modes of nature, and Lord Visnu, Lord Brahma and Lord Siva respectively take charge of the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance. Maharaja Prthu is also an incarnation of those qualities of Lord Krsna by which one rules over conditioned souls.

In this verse the word adhoksaja, meaning “beyond the perception of the material senses,” is very significant. No one can perceive the Supreme Personality of Godhead by mental speculation; therefore a person with a poor fund of knowledge cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Since one can form only an impersonal idea on the strength of one’s material senses, the Lord is known as Adhoksaja.

vasudeva-katham prati

prasasya tam prita-mana

maitreyah pratyabhasata

sutah uvaca—Suta Gosvami said; coditah—inspired; vidurena—by Vidura; evam—thus; vasudeva—of Lord Krsna; katham—narration; prati—about; prasasya—praising; tam—him; prita-manah—being very pleased; maitreyah—the saint Maitreya; pratyabhasata—replied.

Suta Gosvami continued: When Vidura became inspired to hear of the activities of Lord Krsna in His various incarnations, Maitreya, also being inspired and being very pleased with Vidura, began to praise him. Then Maitreya spoke as follows.

Talk of krsna-katha, or topics about Lord Krsna or His incarnations, is spiritually so inspiring that the reciter and hearer are never exhausted. That is the nature of spiritual talks. We have actually seen that one can never become satiated by hearing the conversations between Vidura and Maitreya. Both of them are devotees, and the more Vidura inquires, the more Maitreya is encouraged to speak. A symptom of spiritual talks is that no one feels tired. Thus upon hearing the questions of Vidura, the great sage Maitreya did not feel disgusted but rather felt encouraged to speak at greater length.

SB4.17.9

TEXT 9

maitreya uvaca

yadabhisiktah prthur anga viprair

amantrito janatayas ca palah

praja niranne ksiti-prstha etya

ksut-ksama-dehah patim abhyavocan

maitreyah uvaca—the great sage Maitreya said; yada—when; abhisiktah—was enthroned; prthuh—King Prthu; anga—my dear Vidura; vipraih—by the brahmanas; amantritah—was declared; janatayah—of the people; ca—also; palah—the protector; prajah—the citizens; niranne—being without food grains; ksiti-prsthe—the surface of the globe; etya—coming near; ksut—by hunger; ksama—skinny; dehah—their bodies; patim—to the protector; abhyavocan—they said.

The great sage Maitreya continued: My dear Vidura, at the time King Prthu was enthroned by the great sages and brahmanas and declared to be the protector of the citizens, there was a scarcity of food grains. The citizens actually became skinny due to starvation. Therefore they came before the King and informed him of their real situation.

Information is given herein concerning the selection of the king by the brahmanas. According to the varnasrama system, the brahmanas are considered to be the heads of the society and therefore to be situated in the topmost social position. The varnasrama-dharma, the institution of four varnas and four asramas, is very scientifically designed. As stated in Bhagavad-gita, varnasrama-dharma is not a man-made institution, but is God-made. In this narration it is clearly indicated that the brahmanas used to control the royal power. When an evil king like Vena ruled, the brahmanas would kill him through their brahminical powers and would select a proper ruler by testing his qualifications. In other words, the brahmanas, the intelligent men or great sages, would control the monarchical powers. Here we have an indication of how the brahmanas elected King Prthu to the throne as the protector of the citizens. The citizens, being skinny due to hunger, approached the King and informed him that necessary action should be taken. The structure of the varnasrama-dharma; was so nice that the brahmanas would guide the head of state. The head of state would then give protection to the citizens. The ksatriyas would take charge of protecting the people in general, and under the protection of the ksatriyas, the vaisyas would protect the cows, produce food grains and distribute them. Sudras, the working class, would help the higher three classes by manual labor. This is the perfect social system.

SB4.17.10-11

TEXTS 10–11

vayam rajan jatharenabhitapta

yathagnina kotara-sthena vrksah

tvam adya yatah saranam saranyam

yah sadhito vrtti-karah patir nah

tan no bhavan ihatu ratave ’nnam

ksudharditanam naradeva-deva

yavan na nanksyamaha ujjhitorja

varta-patis tvam kila loka-palah

vayam—we; rajan—O King; jatharena—by the fire of hunger; abhitaptah—very much aggrieved; yatha—just as; agnina—by the fire; kotara-sthena—in the hollow of a tree; vrksah—trees; tvam—unto you; adya—today; yatah—we have come; saranam—shelter; saranyam—worth taking shelter of; yah—who; sadhitah—appointed; vrtti-karah—one who gives employment; patih—master; nah—our; tat—therefore; nah—to us; bhavan—Your Majesty; ihatu—please try; ratave—to give; annam—food grains; ksudha—with hunger; arditanam—suffering; nara-deva-deva—O supreme master of all kings; yavat na—lest; nanksyamahe—we will perish; ujjhita—being bereft of; urjah—food grains; varta—of occupational engagements; patih—bestower; tvam—you; kila—indeed; loka-palah—the protector of the citizens.

Dear King, just as a tree with a fire burning in the hollow of the trunk gradually dries up, we are drying up due to the fire of hunger in our stomachs. You are the protector of surrendered souls, and you have been appointed to give employment to us. Therefore we have all come to you for protection. You are not only a king, but the incarnation of God as well. Indeed, you are the king of all kings. You can give us all kinds of occupational engagements, for you are the master of our livelihood. Therefore, O king of all kings, please arrange to satisfy our hunger by the proper distribution of food grains. Please take care of us, lest we soon die for want of food.

It is the duty of the king to see that everyone in the social orders—brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra—is fully employed in the state. Just as it is the duty of the brahmanas to elect a proper king, it is the duty of the king to see that all the varnas—brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra—are fully engaged in their respective occupational duties. It is here indicated that although the people were allowed to perform their duties, they were still unemployed. Although they were not lazy, they still could not produce sufficient food to satisfy their hunger. When the people are perplexed in this way, they should approach the head of government, and the president or king should take immediate action to mitigate the distress of the people.

SB4.17.12

TEXT 12

maitreya uvaca

prthuh prajanam karunam

nisamya paridevitam

dirgham dadhyau kurusrestha

nimittam so ’nvapadyata

maitreyah uvaca—the great saint Maitreya said; prthuh—King Prthu; prajanam—of the citizens; karunam—pitiable condition; nisamya—hearing; paridevitam—lamentation; dirgham—for a long time; dadhyau—contemplated; kuru-srestha—O Vidura; nimittam—the cause; sah—he; anvapadyata—found out.

After hearing this lamentation and seeing the pitiable condition of the citizens, King Prthu contemplated this matter for a long time to see if he could find out the underlying causes.

SB4.17.13

TEXT 13

iti vyavasito buddhya

pragrhita-sarasanah

sandadhe visikham bhumeh

kruddhas tripura-ha yatha

SYNONYMS

iti—thus; vyavasitah—having arrived at the conclusion; buddhya—by intelligence; pragrhita—having taken up; sarasanah—the bow; sandadhe—fixed; visikham—an arrow; bhumeh—at the earth; kruddhah—angry; tri-pura-ha—Lord Siva; yatha—like.

TRANSLATION

Having arrived at a conclusion, the King took up his bow and arrow and aimed them at the earth, exactly like Lord Siva, who destroys the whole world out of anger.

PURPORT

King Prthu found out the cause for the scarcity of food grains. He could understand that it was not the people’s fault, for they were not lazy in executing their duties. Rather, the earth was not producing sufficient food grains. This indicates that the earth can produce sufficiently if everything is properly arranged, but sometimes the earth can refuse to produce food grains for various reasons. The theory that there is a scarcity of food grains due to an increase of population is not a very sound theory. There are other causes that enable the earth to produce profusely or to stop producing. King Prthu found out the proper causes and took the necessary steps immediately.

SB4.17.14

TEXT 14

pravepamana dharani

nisamyodayudham ca tam

gauh saty apadravad bhita

mrgiva mrgayu-druta

pravepamana—trembling; dharani—the earth; nisamya—seeing; udayudham—having taken his bow and arrow; ca—also; tam—the King; gauh—a cow; sati—becoming; apadravat—began to flee; bhita—very much afraid; mrgi iva—like a deer; mrgayu—by a hunter; druta—being followed.

When the earth saw that King Prthu was taking his bow and arrow to kill her, she became very much afraid and began to tremble. She then began to flee, exactly like a deer, which runs very swiftly when followed by a hunter. Being afraid of King Prthu, she took the shape of a cow and began to run.

Just as a mother produces various children, both male and female, the womb of mother earth produces all kinds of living entities in various shapes. Thus it is possible for mother earth to take on innumerable shapes. At this time, in order to avoid the wrath of King Prthu, she took the shape of a cow. Since a cow is never to be killed, mother earth thought it wise to take the shape of a cow in order to avoid King Prthu’s arrows. King Prthu, however, could understand this fact, and therefore he did not stop chasing the cow-shaped earth.

SB4.17.15

TEXT 15

tam anvadhavat tad vainyah

kupito ’tyaruneksanah

saram dhanusi sandhaya

yatra yatra palayate

tam—the cow-shaped earth; anvadhavat—he chased; tat—then; vainyah—the son of King Vena; kupitah—being very much angry; ati-aruna—very red; iksanah—his eyes; saram—an arrow; dhanusi—on the bow; sandhaya—placing; yatra yatra—wherever; palayate—she flees.

Seeing this, Maharaja Prthu became very angry, and his eyes became as red as the early-morning sun. Placing an arrow on his bow, he chased the cow-shaped earth wherever she would run.

SB4.17.16

TEXT 16

sa diso vidiso devi

rodasi cantaram tayoh

dhavanti tatra tatrainam

dadarsanudyatayudham

SYNONYMS

sa—the cow-shaped earth; disah—in the four directions; vidisah—randomly in other directions; devi—the goddess; rodasi—towards heaven and earth; ca—also; antaram—between; tayoh—them; dhavanti—fleeing; tatra tatra—here and there; enam—the King; dadarsa—she saw; anu—behind; udyata—taken up; ayudham—his weapons.

TRANSLATION

The cow-shaped earth ran here and there in outer space between the heavenly planets and the earth, and wherever she ran, the King chased her with his bow and arrows.

SB4.17.17

TEXT 17

loke navindata tranam

vainyan mrtyor iva prajah

trasta tada nivavrte

hrdayena viduyata

SYNONYMS

loke—within the three worlds; na—not; avindata—could obtain; tranam—release; vainyat—from the hand of the son of King Vena; mrtyoh—from death; iva—like; prajah—men; trasta—being very much afraid; tada—at that time; nivavrte—turned back; hrdayena—within her heart; viduyata—very much aggrieved.

TRANSLATION

Just as a man cannot escape the cruel hands of death, the cow-shaped earth could not escape the hands of the son of Vena. At length the earth, fearful, her heart aggrieved, turned back in helplessness.

SB4.17.18

TEXT 18

uvaca ca maha-bhagam

dharma-jnapanna-vatsala

trahi mam api bhutanam

palane ’vasthito bhavan

SYNONYMS

uvaca—she said; ca—and; maha-bhagam—unto the great, fortunate King; dharma-jna—O knower of the principles of religion; apanna-vatsala—O shelter of the surrendered; trahi—save; mam—me; api—indeed; bhutanam—of living entities; palane—in protection; avasthitah—situated; bhavan—Your Majesty.

TRANSLATION

Addressing the great, opulent King Prthu as the knower of religious principles and shelter of the surrendered, she said: Please save me. You are the protector of all living entities. Now you are situated as the King of this planet.

PURPORT

The cow-shaped earth addressed King Prthu as dharma jna, which refers to one who knows the principles of religion. The principles of religion dictate that a woman, a cow, a child, a brahmana and an old man must be given all protection by the king or anyone else. Consequently mother earth took the shape of a cow. She was also a woman. Thus she appealed to the King as one who knows the principles of religion. Religious principles also dictate that one is not to be killed if he surrenders. She reminded King Prthu that not only was he an incarnation of God, but he was situated as the King of the earth as well. Therefore his duty was to excuse her.

SB4.17.19

TEXT 19

sa tvam jighamsase kasmad

dinam akrta-kilbisam

ahanisyat katham yosam

dharma-jna iti yo matah

sah—that very person; tvam—you; jighamsase—want to kill; kasmat—why; dinam—poor; akrta—without having done; kilbisam—any sinful activities; ahanisyat—would kill; katham—how; yosam—a woman; dharma-jnah—the knower of religious principles; iti—thus; yah—one who; matah—is considered.

The cow-shaped earth continued to appeal to the King: I am very poor and have not committed any sinful activities. I do not know why you want to kill me. Since you are supposed to be the knower of all religious principles, why are you so envious of me, and why are you so anxious to kill a woman?

The earth appealed to the King in two ways. A king who knows religious principles cannot kill anyone who has not committed sinful activities. Apart from this, a woman is not to be killed, even if she does commit some sinful activities. Since the earth was innocent and was also a woman, the King should not kill her.

SB4.17.20

TEXT 20

praharanti na vai strisu

krtagahsv api jantavah

kim uta tvad-vidha rajan

karuna dina-vatsalah

praharanti—strike; na—never; vai—certainly; strisu—women; krta-agahsu—having committed sinful activities; api—although; jantavah—human beings; kim uta—then what to speak of; tvat-vidhah—personalities like you; rajan—O King; karunah—merciful; dina-vatsalah—affectionate to the poor.

Even if a woman does commit some sinful activity, no one should place his hand upon her. And what to speak of you, dear King, who are so merciful. You are a protector, and you are affectionate to the poor.

SB4.17.21

TEXT 21

mam vipatyajaram navam

yatra visvam pratisthitam

atmanam ca prajas cemah

katham ambhasi dhasyasi

SYNONYMS

mam—me; vipatya—breaking to pieces; ajaram—very strong; navam—boat; yatra—where; visvam—all worldly paraphernalia; pratisthitam—standing; atmanam—yourself; ca—and; prajah—your subjects; ca—also; imah—all these; katham—how; ambhasi—in the water; dhasyasi—you will hold.

TRANSLATION

The cow-shaped earth continued: My dear King, I am just like a strong boat, and all the paraphernalia of the world is standing upon me. If you break me to pieces, how can you protect yourself and your subjects from drowning?

PURPORT

Beneath the entire planetary system is the garbha water. Lord Visnu lies on this garbha water, and from His abdomen a lotus stem grows, and all the planets within the universe are floating in the air, being supported by this lotus stem. If a planet is destroyed, it must fall into the water of garbha. The earth therefore warned King Prthu that he could gain nothing by destroying her. Indeed, how would he protect himself and his citizens from drowning in the garbha water? In other words, outer space may be compared to an ocean of air, and each and every planet is floating on it just as a boat or island floats on the ocean. Sometimes planets are called dvipa, or islands, and sometimes they are called boats. Thus the cosmic manifestation is partially explained in this reference by the cow-shaped earth.

SB4.17.22

TEXT 22

prthur uvaca

vasudhe tvam vadhisyami

mac-chasana-paran-mukhim

bhagam barhisi ya vrnkte

na tanoti ca no vasu

prthuh uvaca—King Prthu replied; vasu-dhe—my dear earthly planet; tvam—you; vadhisyami—I shall kill; mat—my; sasana—rulings; parak-mukhim—disobedient to; bhagam—your share; barhisi—in the yajna; ya—who; vrnkte—accepts; na—not; tanoti—does deliver; ca—and; nah—to us; vasu—produce.

King Prthu replied to the earthly Planet: My dear earth, you have disobeyed my orders and rulings. In the form of a demigod you accepted your share of the yajnas we performed, but in return you have not produced sufficient food grains. For this reason I must kill you.