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samvardhayanti—increase happiness; yat—because; kamah—such aspirations; sva-rajya—situated in his own constitutional position of rendering service to the Lord; paribhavitah—saturated with such aspirations; durlabhah—very rarely obtained; na—not; api—also; siddhanam—of the great mystics; mukundam—Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; hrdi—within the core of the heart; pasyatah—persons always accustomed to seeing Him.

Those who are saturated with the transcendental happiness of rendering service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead are uninterested even in the achievements of great mystics, for such achievements do not enhance the transcendental bliss felt by a devotee who always thinks of Krsna within the core of his heart.

A pure devotee is uninterested not only in elevation to the higher planetary systems but even in the perfections of mystic yoga. Real perfection is devotional service. The happiness derived from merging in the impersonal Brahman and the happiness derived from the eight perfections of mystic yoga (anima, laghima, prapti and so on) do not give any pleasure to the devotee. As stated by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati:

kaivalyam narakayate tridasa-pur akasa-puspayate
durdantendriya-kala-sarpa-patali protkhata-damstrayate
visvam purna-sukhayate vidhi-mahendradis ca kitayate
yat karunya-kataksa-vaibhavavatam tam gauram eva stumah

(Caitanya-candramrta 5)

When a devotee has achieved the position of rendering transcendental loving service to the Lord through the mercy of Lord Caitanya, he thinks the impersonal Brahman to be no better than hell, and he regards material happiness in the heavenly planets to be like a will-o’-the-wisp. As far as the perfection of mystic powers is concerned, a devotee compares it to a venomous snake with no teeth. A mystic yogi is especially concerned with controlling the senses, but because the senses of a devotee are engaged in the service of the Lord (hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate [Cc. Madhya 19.170]) there is no need for separate control of the senses. For those who are materially engaged, control of the senses is required, but a devotee’s senses are all engaged in the service of the Lord, which means that they are already controlled. param drstva nivartate (Bg. 2.59). A devotee’s senses are not attracted by material enjoyment. And even though the material world is full of misery, the devotee considers this material world to be also spiritual because everything is engaged in the service of the Lord. The difference between the spiritual world and material world is the mentality of service. Nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe yuktam vairagyam ucyate. When there is no mentality of service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one’s activities are material.

prapanci-kataya buddhya
hari-sambandhi-vastunah
mumuksubhih parityago
vairagyam phalgu kathyate

(Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.256)

That which is not engaged in the service of the Lord is material, and nothing thus engaged should be given up. In the construction of a high skyscraper and the construction of a temple, there may be the same enthusiasm, but the endeavors are different, for one is material and the other spiritual. Spiritual activities should not be confused with material activities and given up. Nothing connected with Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is material. A devotee who considers all this is always situated in spiritual activities, and therefore he is no longer attracted by material activities (param drstva nivartate).

SB9.4.26

TEXT 26

sa ittham bhakti-yogena

tapo-yuktena parthivah

sva-dharmena harim prinan

sarvan kaman sanair jahau

sah—he (Ambarisa Maharaja); ittham—in this way; bhakti-yogena—by performing transcendental loving service to the Lord; tapah-yuktena—which is simultaneously the best process of austerity; parthivah—the King; sva-dharmena—by his constitutional activities; harim—unto the Supreme Lord; prinan—satisfying; sarvan—all varieties of; kaman—material desires; sanaih—gradually; jahau—gave up.

The king of this planet, Maharaja Ambarisa, thus performed devotional service to the Lord and in this endeavor practiced severe austerity. Always satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead by his constitutional activities, he gradually gave up all material desires.

Severe austerities in the practice of devotional service are of many varieties. For example, in worshiping the Deity in the temple there are certainly laborious activities. Sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana srngara-tan-mandira-marjanadau **. One must decorate the Deity, cleanse the temple, bring water from the Ganges and Yamuna, continue the routine work, perform arati many times, prepare first-class food for the Deity, prepare dresses and so on. In this way, one must constantly be engaged in various activities, and the hard labor involved is certainly an austerity. Similarly, the hard labor involved in preaching, preparing literature, preaching to atheistic men and distributing literature door to door is of course an austerity (tapo-yuktena). Tapo divyam putraka. Such austerity is necessary. Yena sattvam suddhyet. By such austerity in devotional service, one is purified of material existence (kaman sanair jahau). Indeed, such austerity leads one to the constitutional position of devotional service. In this way one can give up material desires, and as soon as one is freed from material desires, he is free from the repetition of birth and death, old age and disease.

SB9.4.27

TEXT 27

grhesu daresu sutesu bandhusu

dvipottama-syandana-vaji-vastusu

aksayya-ratnabharanambaradisv

ananta-kosesv akarod asan-matim

grhesu—in the homes; daresu—in wives; sutesu—in children; bandhusu—in friends and relatives; dvipa-uttama—in the best of powerful elephants; syandana—in nice chariots; vaji—in first-class horses; vastusu—in all such things; aksayya—whose value never decreases; ratna—in jewels; abharana—in ornaments; ambara-adisu—in such dresses and ornaments; ananta-kosesu—in an inexhaustible treasury; akarot—accepted; asat-matim—no attachment.

Maharaja Ambarisa gave up all attachment to household affairs, wives, children, friends and relatives, to the best of powerful elephants, to beautiful chariots, carts, horses and inexhaustible jewels, and to ornaments, garments and an inexhaustible treasury. He gave up attachment to all of them, regarding them as temporary and material.

Anasaktasya visayan yatharham upayunjatah. Material possessions can be accepted as far as they can be used in devotional service. Anukulyena krsnanusilanam. Anukulyasya sankalpah pratikulyasya varjanam. In preaching, many things considered material are needed. A devotee should not have any attachment for such material involvements as house, wife, children, friends and cars. Maharaja Ambarisa, for example, had all such things, but he was not attached to them. This is the effect of bhakti-yoga. Bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra ca (Bhag. 11.2.42). One who is advanced in devotional service has no attachment for material things for sense enjoyment, but for preaching, to spread the glories of the Lord, he accepts such things without attachment. Anasaktasya visayan yatharham upayunjatah. Everything can be used to the extent that it can be engaged in Krsna’s service.

SB9.4.28

TEXT 28

tasma adad dharis cakram

pratyanika-bhayavaham

ekanta-bhakti-bhavena

prito bhaktabhiraksanam

tasmai—unto him (Ambarisa Maharaja); adat—gave; harih—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; cakram—His disc; pratyanika-bhaya-avaham—the Lord’s disc, which was extremely fearful to the enemies of the Lord and His devotees; ekanta-bhakti-bhavena—because of his performing unalloyed devotional service; pritah—the Lord being so pleased; bhakta-abhiraksanam—for the protection of His devotees.

Being very pleased by the unalloyed devotion of Maharaja Ambarisa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead gave the King His disc, which is fearful to enemies and which always protects the devotee from enemies and adversities.

A devotee, being always engaged in the service of the Lord, may not be expert in self-defense, but because a devotee fully depends on the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is always sure of protection by the Lord. Prahlada Maharaja said:

naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitaranyas
tvad-virya-gayana-mahamrta-magna-cittah

(Bhag. 7.9.43)

A devotee is always merged in the ocean of the transcendental bliss of rendering service to the Lord. Therefore he is not at all afraid of any adverse situation in the material world. The Lord also promises, kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati: “O Arjuna, you may declare to the world that the devotees of the Lord are never vanquished.” (Bg. 9.31) For the protection of the devotees, Krsna’s disc, the Sudarsana cakra, is always ready. This disc is extremely fearful to the nondevotees (pratyanika-bhayavaham). Therefore although Maharaja Ambarisa was fully engaged in devotional service, his kingdom was free of all fear of adversity.

yuktah samvatsaram viro

dadhara dvadasi-vratam

ariradhayisuh—aspiring to worship; krsnam—the Supreme Lord, Krsna; mahisya—with his queen; tulya-silaya—who was equally as qualified as Maharaja Ambarisa; yuktah—together; samvatsaram—for one year; virah—the King; dadhara—accepted; dvadasi-vratam—the vow for observing Ekadasi and Dvadasi.

To worship Lord Krsna, Maharaja Ambarisa, along with his queen, who was equally qualified, observed the vow of Ekadasi and Dvadasi for one year.

To observe Ekadasi-vrata and Dvadasi-vrata means to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Those interested in advancing in Krsna consciousness must observe Ekadasi-vrata regularly. Maharaja Ambarisa’s queen was equally as qualified as the King. Therefore it was possible for Maharaja Ambarisa to engage his life in household affairs. In this regard, the word tulya-silaya is very significant. Unless a wife is equally as qualified as her husband, household affairs are very difficult to continue. Canakya Pandita advises that a person in such a situation should immediately give up household life and become a vanaprastha or sannyasi:

mata yasya grhe nasti
bharya capriya-vadini
aranyam tena gantavyam
yatharanyam tatha grham

A person who has no mother at home and whose wife is not agreeable with him should immediately go away to the forest. Because human life is meant for spiritual advancement only, one’s wife must be helpful in this endeavor. Otherwise there is no need of household life.

SB9.4.30

TEXT 30

vratante kartike masi

tri-ratram samupositah

snatah kadacit kalindyam

harim madhuvane ’rcayat

vrata-ante—at the end of observing the vow; kartike—in the month of Kartika (October–November); masi—in that month; tri-ratram—for three nights; samupositah—after completely observing the fast; snatah—after bathing; kadacit—once upon a time; kalindyam—on the bank of the Yamuna; harim—unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; madhuvane—in that part of the Vrndavana area known as Madhuvana; arcayat—worshiped the Lord.

In the month of Kartika, after observing that vow for one year, after observing a fast for three nights and after bathing in the Yamuna, Maharaja Ambarisa worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, in Madhuvana.

SB9.4.31-32

TEXTS 31–32

mahabhiseka-vidhina

sarvopaskara-sampada

abhisicyambarakalpair

gandha-malyarhanadibhih

tad-gatantara-bhavena

pujayam asa kesavam

brahmanams ca maha-bhagan

siddharthan api bhaktitah

SYNONYMS

maha-abhiseka-vidhina—by the regulative principles for bathing the Deity; sarva-upaskara-sampada—by all the paraphernalia for worshiping the Deity; abhisicya—after bathing; ambara-akalpaih—with nice clothing and ornaments; gandha-malya—with fragrant flower garlands; arhana-adibhih—and with other paraphernalia to worship the Deity; tat-gata-antara-bhavena—his mind saturated with devotional service; pujayam asa—he worshiped; kesavam—unto Krsna; brahmanan ca—and the brahmanas; maha-bhagan—who were greatly fortunate; siddha-arthan—self-satisfied, without waiting for any worship; api—even; bhaktitah—with great devotion.

TRANSLATION

Following the regulative principles of mahabhiseka, Maharaja Ambarisa performed the bathing ceremony for the Deity of Lord Krsna with all paraphernalia, and then he dressed the Deity with fine clothing, ornaments, fragrant flower garlands and other paraphernalia for worship of the Lord. With attention and devotion, he worshiped Krsna and all the greatly fortunate brahmanas who were free from material desires.

SB9.4.33-35

TEXTS 33–35

gavam rukma-visaninam

rupyanghrinam suvasasam

payahsila-vayo-rupa-

vatsopaskara-sampadam

prahinot sadhu-viprebhyo

grhesu nyarbudani sat

bhojayitva dvijan agre

svadv annam gunavattamam

labdha-kamair anujnatah

paranayopacakrame

tasya tarhy atithih saksad

durvasa bhagavan abhut

SYNONYMS

gavam—cows; rukma-visaninam—whose horns were covered with gold plate; rupya-anghrinam—whose hooves were covered with silver plate; su-vasasam—very nicely decorated with garments; payah-sila—with full milk bags; vayah—young; rupa—beautiful; vatsa-upaskara-sampadam—with nice calves; prahinot—gave in charity; sadhu-viprebhyah—unto the brahmanas and saintly persons; grhesu—(who arrived) in his house; nyarbudani—ten crores (one hundred million); sat—six times; bhojayitva—feeding them; dvijan agre—first the brahmanas; svadu annam—very tasteful eatables; gunavat-tamam—highly delicious; labdha-kamaih—by those brahmanas, being fully satisfied; anujnatah—by their permission; paranaya—for completing the Dvadasi; upacakrame—was just about to observe the final ceremony; tasya—of him (Ambarisa); tarhi—immediately; atithih—unwanted or uncalled-for guest; saksat—directly; durvasah—the great mystic Durvasa; bhagavan—very powerful; abhut—appeared on the scene as a guest.

TRANSLATION

Thereafter, Maharaja Ambarisa satisfied all the guests who arrived at his house, especially the brahmanas. He gave in charity sixty crores of cows whose horns were covered with gold plate and whose hooves were covered with silver plate. All the cows were well decorated with garments and had full milk bags. They were mild-natured, young and beautiful and were accompanied by their calves. After giving these cows, the King first sumptuously fed all the brahmanas, and when they were fully satisfied, he was about to observe the end of Ekadasi, with their permission, by breaking the fast. Exactly at that time, however, Durvasa Muni, the great and powerful mystic, appeared on the scene as an uninvited guest.

SB9.4.36

TEXT 36

tam anarcatithim bhupah

pratyutthanasanarhanaih

yayace ’bhyavaharaya

pada-mulam upagatah

SYNONYMS

tam—unto him (Durvasa); anarca—worshiped; atithim—although an uninvited guest; bhupah—the King (Ambarisa); pratyutthana—by standing up; asana—by offering a seat; arhanaih—and by paraphernalia for worship; yayace—requested; abhyavaharaya—for eating; pada-mulam—at the root of his feet; upagatah—fell down.

TRANSLATION

After standing up to receive Durvasa Muni, King Ambarisa offered him a seat and paraphernalia of worship. Then, sitting at his feet, the King requested the great sage to eat.

SB9.4.37

TEXT 37

pratinandya sa tam yacnam

kartum avasyakam gatah

nimamajja brhad dhyayan

kalindi-salile subhe

SYNONYMS

pratinandya—gladly accepting; sah—Durvasa Muni; tam—that; yacnam—request; kartum—to perform; avasyakam—the necessary ritualistic ceremonies; gatah—went; nimamajja—dipped his body in the water; brhat—the Supreme Brahman; dhyayan—meditating on; kalindi—of the Yamuna; salile—in the water; subhe—very auspicious.

TRANSLATION

Durvasa Muni gladly accepted the request of Maharaja Ambarisa, but to perform the regulative ritualistic ceremonies he went to the River Yamuna. There he dipped into the water of the auspicious Yamuna and meditated upon the impersonal Brahman.

SB9.4.38

TEXT 38

muhurtardhavasistayam

dvadasyam paranam prati

cintayam asa dharma-jno

dvijais tad-dharma-sankate

SYNONYMS

muhurta-ardha-avasistayam—was remaining only for half a moment; dvadasyam—when the Dvadasi day; paranam—the breaking of the fast; prati—to observe; cintayam asa—began to think about; dharma-jnah—one who knows the principles of religion; dvijaih—by the brahmanas; tat-dharma—concerning that religious principle; sankate—in such a dangerous condition.

TRANSLATION

In the meantime, only a muhurta of the Dvadasi day was left on which to break the fast. Consequently, it was imperative that the fast be broken immediately. In this dangerous situation, the King consulted learned brahmanas.

SB9.4.39-40

TEXTS 39–40

brahmanatikrame doso

dvadasyam yad aparane

yat krtva sadhu me bhuyad

adharmo va na mam sprset

ambhasa kevalenatha

karisye vrata-paranam

ahur ab-bhaksanam vipra

hy asitam nasitam ca tat

SYNONYMS

brahmana-atikrame—in surpassing the rules of respect to the brahmanas; dosah—there is a fault; dvadasyam—on the Dvadasi day; yat—because; aparane—in not breaking the fast in due time; yat krtva—after doing which action; sadhu—what is auspicious; me—unto me; bhuyat—may so become; adharmah—what is irreligious; va—either; na—not; mam—unto me; sprset—may touch; ambhasa—by water; kevalena—only; atha—therefore; karisye—I shall execute; vrata-paranam—the completion of the vow; ahuh—said; ap-bhaksanam—drinking water; viprah—O brahmanas; hi—indeed; asitam—eating; na asitam ca—as well as not eating; tat—such an action.

TRANSLATION

The King said: “To transgress the laws of respectful behavior toward the brahmanas is certainly a great offense. On the other hand, if one does not observe the breaking of the fast within the time of Dvadasi, there is a flaw in one’s observance of the vow. Therefore, O brahmanas, if you think that it will be auspicious and not irreligious, I shall break the fast by drinking water.” In this way, after consulting with the brahmanas, the King reached this decision, for according to brahminical opinion, drinking water may be accepted as eating and also as not eating.

PURPORT

When Maharaja Ambarisa, in his dilemma, consulted the brahmanas about whether he should break the fast or wait for Durvasa Muni, apparently they could not give a definite answer about what to do. A Vaisnava, however, is the most intelligent personality. Therefore Maharaja Ambarisa himself decided, in the presence of the brahmanas, that he would drink a little water, for this would confirm that the fast was broken but would not transgress the laws for receiving a brahmana. In the Vedas it is said, apo ’snati tan naivasitam naivanasitam. This Vedic injunction declares that the drinking of water may be accepted as eating or as not eating. Sometimes in our practical experience we see that some political leader adhering to satyagraha will not eat but will drink water. Considering that drinking water would not be eating, Maharaja Ambarisa decided to act in this way.

SB9.4.41

TEXT 41

ity apah prasya rajarsis

cintayan manasacyutam

pratyacasta kuru-srestha

dvijagamanam eva sah

iti—thus; apah—water; prasya—after drinking; rajarsih—the great King Ambarisa; cintayan—meditating upon; manasa—by the mind; acyutam—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pratyacasta—began to wait; kuru-srestha—O best of the Kuru kings; dvija-agamanam—the return of Durvasa Muni, the great mystic brahmana; eva—indeed; sah—the King.

O best of the Kuru dynasty, after he drank some water, King Ambarisa, meditating upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead within his heart, waited for the return of the great mystic Durvasa Muni.

SB9.4.42

TEXT 42

durvasa yamuna-kulat

krtavasyaka agatah

rajnabhinanditas tasya

bubudhe cestitam dhiya

SYNONYMS

durvasah—the great sage; yamuna-kulat—from the bank of the River Yamuna; krta—had been performed; avasyakah—he by whom the necessary ritualistic ceremonies; agatah—returned; rajna—by the King; abhinanditah—being well received; tasya—his; bubudhe—could understand; cestitam—performance; dhiya—by intelligence.

TRANSLATION

After executing the ritualistic ceremonies to be performed at noon, Durvasa returned from the bank of the Yamuna. The King received him well, offering all respects, but Durvasa Muni, by his mystic power, could understand that King Ambarisa had drunk water without his permission.

SB9.4.43

TEXT 43

manyuna pracalad-gatro

bhru-kuti-kutilananah

bubhuksitas ca sutaram

krtanjalim abhasata

SYNONYMS

manyuna—agitated by great anger; pracalat-gatrah—his body trembling; bhru-kuti—by the eyebrows; kutila—curved; ananah—face; bubhuksitah ca—and hungry at the same time; sutaram—very much; krta-anjalim—to Ambarisa Maharaja, who stood there with folded hands; abhasata—he addressed.

TRANSLATION

Still hungry, Durvasa Muni, his body trembling, his face curved and his eyebrows crooked in a frown, angrily spoke as follows to King Ambarisa, who stood before him with folded hands.

SB9.4.44

TEXT 44

aho asya nr-samsasya

sriyonmattasya pasyata

dharma-vyatikramam visnor

abhaktasyesa-maninah

SYNONYMS

aho—alas; asya—of this man; nr-samsasya—who is so cruel; sriya unmattasya—puffed up because of great opulence; pasyata—everyone just see; dharma-vyatikramam—the transgression of the regulative principles of religion; visnoh abhaktasya—who is not a devotee of Lord Visnu; isa-maninah—considering himself the Supreme Lord, independent of everything.

TRANSLATION

Alas, just see the behavior of this cruel man! He is not a devotee of Lord Visnu. Being proud of his material opulence and his position, he considers himself God. Just see how he has transgressed the laws of religion.

PURPORT

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has diverted the entire meaning of this verse as spoken by Durvasa Muni. Durvasa Muni used the word nr-samsasya to indicate that the King was cruel, but Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura interprets it to mean that the King’s character was glorified by all the local people. He says that the word nr means “by all the local people” and that samsasya means “of he (Ambarisa) whose character was glorified.” Similarly, one who is very rich becomes mad because of his wealth and is therefore called sriya-unmattasya, but Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura interprets these words to mean that although Maharaja Ambarisa was such an opulent king, he was not mad after money, for he had already surpassed the madness of material opulence. Similarly, the word isa-maninah is interpreted to mean that he was so respectful to the Supreme Personality of Godhead that he did not transgress the laws for observing Ekadasi-parana, despite the thinking of Durvasa Muni, for he only took water. In this way, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has supported Ambarisa Maharaja and all his activities.

SB9.4.45

TEXT 45

yo mam atithim ayatam

atithyena nimantrya ca

adattva bhuktavams tasya

sadyas te darsaye phalam

yah—this man who; mam—unto me; atithim—who, being an uninvited guest; ayatam—had come here; atithyena—with the reception of a guest; nimantrya—after inviting me; ca—also; adattva—without giving (food); bhuktavan—has himself eaten; tasya—of him; sadyah—immediately; te—of you; darsaye—I shall show; phalam—the result.

Maharaja Ambarisa, you have invited me to eat as a guest, but instead of feeding me, you yourself have eaten first. Because of your misbehavior, I shall show you something to punish you.