Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 9: “Liberation”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Chapter Twenty

The Dynasty of Puru

SB9.20Summary

This chapter describes the history of Puru and his descendant Dusmanta. The son of Puru was Janamejaya, and his son was Pracinvan. The sons and grandsons in the line of Pracinvan, one after another, were Pravira, Manusyu, Carupada, Sudyu, Bahugava, Samyati, Ahamyati and Raudrasva. Raudrasva had ten sons—Rteyu, Kakseyu, Sthandileyu, Krteyuka, Jaleyu, Sannateyu, Dharmeyu, Satyeyu, Vrateyu and Vaneyu. The son of Rteyu was Rantinava, who had three sons—Sumati, Dhruva and Apratiratha. The son of Apratiratha was Kanva, and Kanva’s son was Medhatithi. The sons of Medhatithi, headed by Praskanna, were all brahmanas. The son of Rantinava named Sumati had a son named Rebhi, and his son was Dusmanta.

While hunting in the forest, Dusmanta once approached the asrama of Maharsi Kanva, where he saw an extremely beautiful woman and became attracted to her. That woman was the daughter of Visvamitra, and her name was Sakuntala. Her mother was Menaka, who had left her in the forest, where Kanva Muni found her. Kanva Muni brought her to his asrama, where he raised and maintained her. When Sakuntala accepted Maharaja Dusmanta as her husband, he married her according to the gandharva-vidhi. Sakuntala later became pregnant by her husband, who left her in the asrama of Kanva Muni and returned to his kingdom.

In due course of time, Sakuntala gave birth to a Vaisnava son, but Dusmanta, having returned to the capital, forgot what had taken place. Therefore, when Sakuntala approached him with her newly born child, Maharaja Dusmanta refused to accept them as his wife and son. Later, however, after a mysterious omen, the King accepted them. After Maharaja Dusmanta’s death, Bharata, the son of Sakuntala, was enthroned. He performed many great sacrifices, in which he gave great riches in charity to the brahmanas. This chapter ends by describing the birth of Bharadvaja and how Maharaja Bharata accepted Bharadvaja as his son.

SB9.20.1

TEXT 1

sri-badarayanir uvaca

puror vamsam pravaksyami

yatra jato ’si bharata

yatra rajarsayo vamsya

brahma-vamsyas ca jajnire

SYNONYMS

sri-badarayanih uvaca—Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; puroh vamsam—the dynasty of Maharaja Puru; pravaksyami—now I shall narrate; yatra—in which dynasty; jatah asi—you were born; bharata—O Maharaja Pariksit, descendant of Maharaja Bharata; yatra—in which dynasty; raja-rsayah—all the kings were saintly; vamsyah—one after another; brahma-vamsyah—many brahmana dynasties; ca—also; jajnire—grew up.

TRANSLATION

Sukadeva Gosvami said: O Maharaja Pariksit, descendant of Maharaja Bharata, I shall now describe the dynasty of Puru, in which you were born, in which many saintly kings appeared, and from which many dynasties of brahmanas began.

PURPORT

There are many historical instances by which we can understand that from ksatriyas many brahmanas have been born and that from brahmanas many ksatriyas have been born. The Lord Himself says in Bhagavad-gita (4.13), catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah: “According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me.” Therefore, regardless of the family in which one takes birth, when one is qualified with the symptoms of a particular section, he is to be described accordingly. Yal-laksanam proktam. One’s place in the varna divisions of society is determined according to one’s symptoms or qualities. This is maintained everywhere in the sastra. Birth is a secondary consideration; the first consideration is one’s qualities and activities.

SB9.20.2

TEXT 2

janamejayo hy abhut puroh

pracinvams tat-sutas tatah

praviro ’tha manusyur vai

tasmac carupado ’bhavat

SYNONYMS

janamejayah—King Janamejaya; hi—indeed; abhut—appeared; puroh—from Puru; pracinvan—Pracinvan; tat—his (Janamejaya’s); sutah—son; tatah—from him (Pracinvan); pravirah—Pravira; atha—thereafter; manusyuh—Pravira’s son Manusyu; vai—indeed; tasmat—from him (Manusyu); carupadah—King Carupada; abhavat—appeared.

TRANSLATION

King Janamejaya was born of this dynasty of Puru. Janamejaya’s son was Pracinvan, and his son was Pravira. Thereafter, Pravira’s son was Manusyu, and from Manusyu came the son named Carupada.

SB9.20.3

TEXT 3

tasya sudyur abhut putras

tasmad bahugavas tatah

samyatis tasyahamyati

raudrasvas tat-sutah smrtah

SYNONYMS

tasya—of him (Carupada); sudyuh—by the name Sudyu; abhut—appeared; putrah—a son; tasmat—from him (Sudyu); bahugavah—a son named Bahugava; tatah—from him; samyatih—a son named Samyati; tasya—and from him; ahamyatih—a son named Ahamyati; raudrasvah—Raudrasva; tat-sutah—his son; smrtah—well known.

TRANSLATION

The son of Carupada was Sudyu, and the son of Sudyu was Bahugava. Bahugava’s son was Samyati. From Samyati came a son named Ahamyati, from whom Raudrasva was born.

SB9.20.4-5

TEXTS 4–5

rteyus tasya kakseyuh

sthandileyuh krteyukah

jaleyuh sannateyus ca

dharma-satya-vrateyavah

dasaite ’psarasah putra

vaneyus cavamah smrtah

ghrtacyam indriyaniva

mukhyasya jagad-atmanah

SYNONYMS

rteyuh—Rteyu; tasya—of him (Raudrasva); kakseyuh—Kakseyu; sthandileyuh—Sthandileyu; krteyukah—Krteyuka; jaleyuh—Jaleyu; sannateyuh—Sannateyu; ca—also; dharma—Dharmeyu; satya—Satyeyu; vrateyavah—and Vrateyu; dasa—ten; ete—all of them; apsarasah—born of an Apsara; putrah—sons; vaneyuh—the son named Vaneyu; ca—and; avamah—the youngest; smrtah—known; ghrtacyam—Ghrtaci; indriyani iva—exactly like the ten senses; mukhyasya—of the living force; jagat-atmanah—the living force of the entire universe.

TRANSLATION

Raudrasva had ten sons, named Rteyu, Kakseyu, Sthandileyu, Krteyuka, Jaleyu, Sannateyu, Dharmeyu, Satyeyu, Vrateyu and Vaneyu. Of these ten sons, Vaneyu was the youngest. As the ten senses, which are products of the universal life, act under the control of life, these ten sons of Raudrasva acted under Raudrasva’s full control. All of them were born of the Apsara named Ghrtaci.

SB9.20.6

TEXT 6

rteyo rantinavo ’bhut

trayas tasyatmaja nrpa

sumatir dhruvo ’pratirathah

kanvo ’pratirathatmajah

SYNONYMS

rteyoh—from the son named Rteyu; rantinavah—the son named Rantinava; abhut—appeared; trayah—three; tasya—his (Rantinava’s); atmajah—sons; nrpa—O King; sumatih—Sumati; dhruvah—Dhruva; apratirathah—Apratiratha; kanvah—Kanva; apratiratha-atmajah—the son of Apratiratha.

TRANSLATION

Rteyu had a son named Rantinava, who had three sons, named Sumati, Dhruva and Apratiratha. Apratiratha had only one son, whose name was Kanva.

SB9.20.7

TEXT 7

tasya medhatithis tasmat

praskannadya dvijatayah

putro ’bhut sumate rebhir

dusmantas tat-suto matah

SYNONYMS

tasya—of him (Kanva); medhatithih—a son named Medhatithi; tasmat—from him (Medhatithi); praskanna-adyah—sons headed by Praskanna; dvijatayah—all brahmanas; putrah—a son; abhut—there was; sumateh—from Sumati; rebhih—Rebhi; dusmantah—Maharaja Dusmanta; tat-sutah—the son of Rebhi; matah—is well-known.

TRANSLATION

The son of Kanva was Medhatithi, whose sons, all brahmanas, were headed by Praskanna. The son of Rantinava named Sumati had a son named Rebhi. Maharaja Dusmanta is well known as the son of Rebhi.

SB9.20.8-9

TEXTS 8–9

dusmanto mrgayam yatah

kanvasrama-padam gatah

tatrasinam sva-prabhaya

mandayantim ramam iva

vilokya sadyo mumuhe

deva-mayam iva striyam

babhase tam vararoham

bhataih katipayair vrtah

SYNONYMS

dusmantah—Maharaja Dusmanta; mrgayam yatah—when he went hunting; kanva-asrama-padam—to the residence of Kanva; gatah—he came; tatra—there; asinam—a woman sitting; sva-prabhaya—by her own beauty; mandayantim—illuminating; ramam iva—exactly like the goddess of fortune; vilokya—by observing; sadyah—immediately; mumuhe—he became enchanted; deva-mayam iva—exactly like the illusory energy of the Lord; striyam—a beautiful woman; babhase—he addressed; tam—her (the woman); vara-aroham—who was the best of beautiful women; bhataih—by soldiers; katipayaih—a few; vrtah—surrounded.

TRANSLATION

Once when King Dusmanta went to the forest to hunt and was very much fatigued, he approached the residence of Kanva Muni. There he saw a most beautiful woman who looked exactly like the goddess of fortune and who sat there illuminating the entire asrama by her effulgence. The King was naturally attracted by her beauty, and therefore he approached her, accompanied by some of his soldiers, and spoke to her.

SB9.20.10

TEXT 10

tad-darsana-pramuditah

sannivrtta-parisramah

papraccha kama-santaptah

prahasan slaksnaya gira

SYNONYMS

tat-darsana-pramuditah—being very much enlivened by seeing the beautiful woman; sannivrtta-parisramah—being relieved of the fatigue of the hunting excursion; papraccha—he inquired from her; kama-santaptah—being agitated by lusty desires; prahasan—in a joking mood; slaksnaya—very beautiful and pleasing; gira—with words.

TRANSLATION

Seeing the beautiful woman, the King was very much enlivened, and the fatigue of his hunting excursion was relieved. He was of course very much attracted because of lusty desires, and thus he inquired from her as follows, in a joking mood.

SB9.20.11

TEXT 11

ka tvam kamala-patraksi

kasyasi hrdayan-game

kim svic cikirsitam tatra

bhavatya nirjane vane

SYNONYMS

ka—who; tvam—are you; kamala-patra-aksi—O beautiful woman with eyes like the petals of a lotus; kasya asi—with whom are you related; hrdayam-game—O most beautiful one, pleasing to the heart; kim svit—what kind of business; cikirsitam—is being thought of; tatra—there; bhavatyah—by you; nirjane—solitary; vane—in the forest.

TRANSLATION

O beautiful lotus-eyed woman, who are you? Whose daughter are you? What purpose do you have in this solitary forest? Why are you staying here?

SB9.20.12

TEXT 12

vyaktam rajanya-tanayam

vedmy aham tvam sumadhyame

na hi cetah pauravanam

adharme ramate kvacit

SYNONYMS

vyaktam—it appears; rajanya-tanayam—the daughter of a ksatriya; vedmi—can realize; aham—I; tvam—your good self; su-madhyame—O most beautiful; na—not; hi—indeed; cetah—the mind; pauravanam—of persons who have taken birth in the Puru dynasty; adharme—in irreligion; ramate—enjoys; kvacit—at any time.

TRANSLATION

O most beautiful one, it appears to my mind that you must be the daughter of a ksatriya. Because I belong to the Puru dynasty, my mind never endeavors to enjoy anything irreligiously.

PURPORT

Maharaja Dusmanta indirectly expressed his desire to marry Sakuntala, for she appeared to his mind to be the daughter of some ksatriya king.

SB9.20.13

TEXT 13

sri-sakuntalovaca

visvamitratmajaivaham

tyakta menakaya vane

vedaitad bhagavan kanvo

vira kim karavama te

SYNONYMS

sri-sakuntala uvaca—Sri Sakuntala replied; visvamitra-atmaja—the daughter of Visvamitra; eva—indeed; aham—I (am); tyakta—left; menakaya—by Menaka; vane—in the forest; veda—knows; etat—all these incidents; bhagavan—the most powerful saintly person; kanvah—Kanva Muni; vira—O hero; kim—what; karavama—can I do; te—for you.

TRANSLATION

Sakuntala said: I am the daughter of Visvamitra. My mother, Menaka, left me in the forest. O hero, the most powerful saint Kanva Muni knows all about this. Now let me know, how may I serve you?

PURPORT

Sakuntala informed Maharaja Dusmanta that although she never saw or knew her father or mother, Kanva Muni knew everything about her, and she had heard from him that she was the daughter of Visvamitra and that her mother was Menaka, who had left her in the forest.

SB9.20.14

TEXT 14

asyatam hy aravindaksa

grhyatam arhanam ca nah

bhujyatam santi nivara

usyatam yadi rocate

SYNONYMS

asyatam—please come sit here; hi—indeed; aravinda-aksa—O great hero with eyes like the petals of a lotus; grhyatam—please accept; arhanam—humble reception; ca—and; nah—our; bhujyatam—please eat; santi—what there is in stock; nivarahnivara rice; usyatam—stay here; yadi—if; rocate—you so desire.

TRANSLATION

O King with eyes like the petals of a lotus, kindly come sit down and accept whatever reception we can offer. We have a supply of nivara rice that you may kindly take. And if you so desire, stay here without hesitation.

SB9.20.15

TEXT 15

sri-dusmanta uvaca

upapannam idam subhru

jatayah kusikanvaye

svayam hi vrnute rajnam

kanyakah sadrsam varam

SYNONYMS

sri-dusmantah uvaca—King Dusmanta replied; upapannam—just befitting your position; idam—this; su-bhru—O Sakuntala, with beautiful eyebrows; jatayah—because of your birth; kusika-anvaye—in the family of Visvamitra; svayam—personally; hi—indeed; vrnute—select; rajnam—of a royal family; kanyakah—daughters; sadrsam—on an equal level; varam—husbands.

TRANSLATION

King Dusmanta replied: O Sakuntala, with beautiful eyebrows, you have taken your birth in the family of the great saint Visvamitra, and your reception is quite worthy of your family. Aside from this, the daughters of a king generally select their own husbands.

PURPORT

In her reception of Maharaja Dusmanta, Sakuntala clearly said, “Your Majesty may stay here, and you may accept whatever reception I can offer.” Thus she indicated that she wanted Maharaja Dusmanta as her husband. As far as Maharaja Dusmanta was concerned, he desired Sakuntala as his wife from the very beginning, as soon as he saw her, so the agreement to unite as husband and wife was natural. To induce Sakuntala to accept the marriage, Maharaja Dusmanta reminded her that as the daughter of a king she could select her husband in an open assembly. In the history of Aryan civilization there have been many instances in which famous princesses have selected their husbands in open competitions. For example, it was in such a competition that Sitadevi accepted Lord Ramacandra as her husband and that Draupadi accepted Arjuna, and there are many other instances. So marriage by agreement or by selecting one’s own husband in an open competition is allowed. There are eight kinds of marriage, of which marriage by agreement is called gandharva marriage. Generally the parents select the husband or wife for their daughter or son, but gandharva marriage takes place by personal selection. Still, although marriage by personal selection or by agreement took place in the past, we find no such thing as divorce by disagreement. Of course, divorce by disagreement took place among low-class men, but marriage by agreement was found even in the very highest classes, especially in the royal ksatriya families. Maharaja Dusmanta’s acceptance of Sakuntala as his wife was sanctioned by Vedic culture. How the marriage took place is described in the next verse.

SB9.20.16

TEXT 16

om ity ukte yatha-dharmam

upayeme sakuntalam

gandharva-vidhina raja

desa-kala-vidhanavit

SYNONYMS

om iti ukte—by reciting the Vedic pranava, invoking the Supreme Personality of Godhead to witness the marriage; yatha-dharmam—exactly according to the principles of religion (because Narayana becomes the witness in an ordinary religious marriage also); upayeme—he married; sakuntalam—the girl Sakuntala; gandharva-vidhina—by the regulative principle of the Gandharvas, without deviation from religious principles; raja—Maharaja Dusmanta; desa-kala-vidhana-vit—completely aware of duties according to time, position and objective.

TRANSLATION

When Sakuntala responded to Maharaja Dusmanta’s proposal with silence, the agreement was complete. Then the King, who knew the laws of marriage, immediately married her by chanting the Vedic pranava [omkara], in accordance with the marriage ceremony as performed among the Gandharvas.

PURPORT

The omkara, pranava, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead represented by letters. Bhagavad-gita says that the letters a-u-m, combined together as om, represent the Supreme Lord. Religious principles are meant to invoke the blessings and mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, who says in Bhagavad-gita that He is personally present in sexual desires that are not contrary to religious principles. The word vidhina means, “according to religious principles.” The association of men and women according to religious principles is allowed in the Vedic culture. In our Krsna consciousness movement we allow marriage on the basis of religious principles, but the sexual combination of men and women as friends is irreligious and is not allowed.

SB9.20.17

TEXT 17

amogha-viryo rajarsir

mahisyam viryam adadhe

svo-bhute sva-puram yatah

kalenasuta sa sutam

SYNONYMS

amogha-viryah—a person who discharges semen without being baffled, or, in other words, who must beget a child; raja-rsih—the saintly King Dusmanta; mahisyam—into the Queen, Sakuntala (after her marriage, Sakuntala became the Queen); viryam—semen; adadhe—placed; svah-bhute—in the morning; sva-puram—to his own place; yatah—returned; kalena—in due course of time; asuta—gave birth; sa—she (Sakuntala); sutam—to a son.

TRANSLATION

King Dusmanta, who never discharged semen without a result, placed his semen at night in the womb of his Queen, Sakuntala, and in the morning he returned to his palace. Thereafter, in due course of time, Sakuntala gave birth to a son.

SB9.20.18

TEXT 18

kanvah kumarasya vane

cakre samucitah kriyah

baddhva mrgendram tarasa

kridati sma sa balakah

SYNONYMS

kanvah—Kanva Muni; kumarasya—of the son born of Sakuntala; vane—in the forest; cakre—executed; samucitah—prescribed; kriyah—ritualistic ceremonies; baddhva—capturing; mrga-indram—a lion; tarasa—by force; kridati—playing; sma—in the past; sah—he; balakah—the child.

TRANSLATION

In the forest, Kanva Muni performed all the ritualistic ceremonies concerning the newborn child. Later, the boy became so powerful that he would capture a lion and play with it.

SB9.20.19

TEXT 19

tam duratyaya-vikrantam

adaya pramadottama

harer amsamsa-sambhutam

bhartur antikam agamat

SYNONYMS

tam—him; duratyaya-vikrantam—whose strength was insurmountable; adaya—taking with her; pramada-uttama—the best of women, Sakuntala; hareh—of God; amsa-amsa-sambhutam—a partial plenary incarnation; bhartuh antikam—unto her husband; agamat—approached.

TRANSLATION

Sakuntala, the best of beautiful women, along with her son, whose strength was insurmountable and who was a partial expansion of the Supreme Godhead, approached her husband, Dusmanta.

SB9.20.20

TEXT 20

yada na jagrhe raja

bharya-putrav aninditau

srnvatam sarva-bhutanam

khe vag ahasaririni

SYNONYMS

yada—when; na—not; jagrhe—accepted; raja—the King (Dusmanta); bharya-putrau—his real son and real wife; aninditau—not abominable, not accused by anyone; srnvatam—while hearing; sarva-bhutanam—all the people; khe—in the sky; vak—a sound vibration; aha—declared; asaririni—without a body.

TRANSLATION

When the King refused to accept his wife and son, who were both irreproachable, an unembodied voice spoke from the sky as an omen and was heard by everyone present.

PURPORT

Maharaja Dusmanta knew that Sakuntala and the boy were his own wife and son, but because they came from outside and were unknown to the citizens, he at first declined to accept them. Sakuntala, however, was so chaste that an omen from the sky declared the truth so that others could hear. When everyone heard from the omen that Sakuntala and her child were truly the King’s wife and son, the King gladly accepted them.

SB9.20.21

TEXT 21

mata bhastra pituh putro

yena jatah sa eva sah

bharasva putram dusmanta

mavamamsthah sakuntalam

SYNONYMS

mata—the mother; bhastra—just like the skin of a bellows containing air; pituh—of the father; putrah—the son; yena—by whom; jatah—one is born; sah—the father; eva—indeed; sah—the son; bharasva—just maintain; putram—your son; dusmanta—O Maharaja Dusmanta; ma—do not; avamamsthah—insult; sakuntalam—Sakuntala.

TRANSLATION

The voice said: O Maharaja Dusmanta, a son actually belongs to his father, whereas the mother is only a container, like the skin of a bellows. According to Vedic injunctions, the father is born as the son. Therefore, maintain your own son and do not insult Sakuntala.

PURPORT

According to the Vedic injunction atma vai putra-namasi, the father becomes the son. The mother is simply like a storekeeper, because the seed of the child is placed in her womb, but it is the father who is responsible for maintaining the son. In Bhagavad-gita the Lord says that He is the seed-giving father of all living entities (aham bija-pradah pita), and therefore He is responsible for maintaining them. This is also confirmed in the Vedas. Eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman: although God is one, He maintains all living entities with their necessities for life. The living entities in different forms are sons of the Lord, and therefore the father, the Supreme Lord, supplies them food according to their different bodies. The small ant is supplied a grain of sugar, and the elephant is supplied tons of food, but everyone is able to eat. Therefore there is no question of overpopulation. Because the father, Krsna, is fully opulent, there is no scarcity of food, and because there is no scarcity, the propaganda of overpopulation is only a myth. Actually one suffers for want of food when material nature, under the order of the father, refuses to supply him food. It is the living entity’s position that determines whether food will be supplied or not. When a diseased person is forbidden to eat, this does not mean that there is a scarcity of food; rather, the diseased person requires the treatment of not being supplied with food. In Bhagavad-gita (7.10) the Lord also says, bijam mam sama-bhutanam: “I am the seed of all living entities.” A particular type of seed is sown within the earth, and then a particular type of tree or plant comes out. The mother resembles the earth, and when a particular type of seed is sown by the father, a particular type of body takes birth.

Next verse (SB9.20.22)