Śrīmad Bhāgavatam |Canto 3 Chapter 22

The Marriage of Kardama Muni and Devahūti

VERSE 3.22.1

maitreya uvāca

evam āviṣkṛtāśeṣa-
guṇa-karmodayo munim
savrīḍa iva taṁ samrāḍ
upāratam uvāca ha

SYNONYMS

maitreyaḥ — the great sage Maitreya; uvāca — said; evam — thus; āviṣkṛta — having been described; aśeṣa — all; guṇa — of the virtues; karma — of the activities; udayaḥ — the greatness; munim — the great sage; sa-vrīḍaḥ — feeling modest; iva — as though; tam — him (Kardama); samrāṭ — Emperor Manu; upāratam — silent; uvāca ha — addressed.

TRANSLATION

Śrī Maitreya said: After describing the greatness of the Emperor’s manifold qualities and activities, the sage became silent, and the Emperor, feeling modesty, addressed him as follows.

VERSE 3.22.2

manur uvāca

brahmāsṛjat sva-mukhato
yuṣmān ātma-parīpsayā
chandomayas tapo-vidyā-
yoga-yuktān alampaṭān

SYNONYMS

manuḥ — Manu; uvāca — said; brahmā — Lord Brahmā; asṛjat — created; sva-mukhataḥ — from his face; yuṣmān — you (brāhmaṇas); ātma-parīpsayā — to protect himself by expanding; chandaḥ-mayaḥ — the form of the Vedas; tapaḥ-vidyā-yoga-yuktān — full of austerity, knowledge and mystic power; alampaṭān — averse to sense gratification.

TRANSLATION

Manu replied: To expand himself in Vedic knowledge, Lord Brahmā, the personified Veda, from his face created you, the brāhmaṇas, who are full of austerity, knowledge and mystic power and are averse to sense gratification.

VERSE 3.22.3

tat-trāṇāyāsṛjac cāsmān
doḥ-sahasrāt sahasra-pāt
hṛdayaṁ tasya hi brahma
kṣatram aṅgaṁ pracakṣate

SYNONYMS

tat-trāṇāya — for the protection of the brāhmaṇas; asṛjat — created; ca — and; asmān — us (kṣatriyas); doḥ-sahasrāt — from His thousand arms; sahasra-pāt — the thousand-legged Supreme Being (the universal form); hṛdayam — heart; tasya — His; hi — for; brahma — brāhmaṇas; kṣatram — the kṣatriyas; aṅgam — arms; pracakṣate — are spoken of.

TRANSLATION

For the protection of the brāhmaṇas, the thousand-legged Supreme Being created us, the kṣatriyas, from His thousand arms. Hence the brāhmaṇas are said to be His heart and the kṣatriyas His arms.

VERSE 3.22.4

ato hy anyonyam ātmānaṁ
brahma kṣatraṁ ca rakṣataḥ
rakṣati smāvyayo devaḥ
sa yaḥ sad-asad-ātmakaḥ

SYNONYMS

ataḥ — hence; hi — certainly; anyonyam — each other; ātmānam — the self; brahma — the brāhmaṇas; kṣatram — the kṣatriyas; ca — and; rakṣataḥ — protect; rakṣati sma — protects; avyayaḥ — immutable; devaḥ — the Lord; saḥ — He; yaḥ — who; sat-asat-ātmakaḥ — the form of the cause and effect.

TRANSLATION

That is why the brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas protect each other, as well as themselves; and the Lord Himself, who is both the cause and effect and is yet immutable, protects them through each other.

VERSE 3.22.5

tava sandarśanād eva
cchinnā me sarva-saṁśayāḥ
yat svayaṁ bhagavān prītyā
dharmam āha rirakṣiṣoḥ

SYNONYMS

tava — your; sandarśanāt — by sight; eva — only; chinnāḥ — resolved; me — my; sarva-saṁśayāḥ — all doubts; yat — inasmuch as; svayam — personally; bhagavān — Your Lordship; prītyā — lovingly; dharmam — duty; āha — explained; rirakṣiṣoḥ — of a king anxious to protect his subjects.

TRANSLATION

Now I have resolved all my doubts simply by meeting you, for Your Lordship has very kindly and clearly explained the duty of a king who desires to protect his subjects.

VERSE 3.22.6

diṣṭyā me bhagavān dṛṣṭo
durdarśo yo ’kṛtātmanām
diṣṭyā pāda-rajaḥ spṛṣṭaṁ
śīrṣṇā me bhavataḥ śivam

SYNONYMS

diṣṭyā — by good fortune; me — my; bhagavān — all-powerful; dṛṣṭaḥ — is seen; durdarśaḥ — not easily seen; yaḥ — who; akṛta-ātmanām — of those who have not controlled the mind and senses; diṣṭyā — by my good fortune; pāda-rajaḥ — the dust of the feet; spṛṣṭam — is touched; śīrṣṇā — by the head; me — my; bhavataḥ — your; śivam — causing all auspiciousness.

TRANSLATION

It is my good fortune that I have been able to see you, for you cannot easily be seen by persons who have not subdued the mind or controlled the senses. I am all the more fortunate to have touched with my head the blessed dust of your feet.

VERSE 3.22.7

diṣṭyā tvayānuśiṣṭo ’haṁ
kṛtaś cānugraho mahān
apāvṛtaiḥ karṇa-randhrair
juṣṭā diṣṭyośatīr giraḥ

SYNONYMS

diṣṭyā — luckily; tvayā — by you; anuśiṣṭaḥ — instructed; aham — I; kṛtaḥ — bestowed; ca — and; anugrahaḥ — favor; mahān — great; apāvṛtaiḥ — open; karṇa-randhraiḥ — with the holes of the ears; juṣṭāḥ — received; diṣṭyā — by good fortune; uśatīḥ — pure; giraḥ — words.

TRANSLATION

I have fortunately been instructed by you, and thus great favor has been bestowed upon me. I thank God that I have listened with open ears to your pure words.

VERSE 3.22.8

sa bhavān duhitṛ-sneha-
parikliṣṭātmano mama
śrotum arhasi dīnasya
śrāvitaṁ kṛpayā mune

SYNONYMS

saḥ — yourself; bhavān — Your Honor; duhitṛ-sneha — by affection for my daughter; parikliṣṭa-ātmanaḥ — whose mind is agitated; mama — my; śrotum — to listen; arhasi — be pleased; dīnasya — of my humble self; śrāvitam — to the prayer; kṛpayā — graciously; mune — O sage.

TRANSLATION

O great sage, graciously be pleased to listen to the prayer of my humble self, for my mind is troubled by affection for my daughter.

VERSE 3.22.9

priyavratottānapadoḥ
svaseyaṁ duhitā mama
anvicchati patiṁ yuktaṁ
vayaḥ-śīla-guṇādibhiḥ

SYNONYMS

priyavrata-uttānapadoḥ — of Priyavrata and Uttānapāda; svasā — sister; iyam — this; duhitā — daughter; mama — my; anvicchati — is seeking; patim — husband; yuktam — suited; vayaḥ-śīla-guṇa-ādibhiḥ — by age, character, good qualities, etc.

TRANSLATION

My daughter is the sister of Priyavrata and Uttānapāda. She is seeking a suitable husband in terms of age, character and good qualities.

VERSE 3.22.10

yadā tu bhavataḥ śīla-
śruta-rūpa-vayo-guṇān
aśṛṇon nāradād eṣā
tvayy āsīt kṛta-niścayā

SYNONYMS

yadā — when; tu — but; bhavataḥ — your; śīla — noble character; śruta — learning; rūpa — beautiful appearance; vayaḥ — youth; guṇān — virtues; aśṛṇot — heard; nāradāt — from Nārada Muni; eṣā — Devahūti; tvayi — in you; āsīt — became; kṛta-niścayā — fixed in determination.

TRANSLATION

The moment she heard from the sage Nārada of your noble character, learning, beautiful appearance, youth and other virtues, she fixed her mind upon you.

VERSE 3.22.11

tat pratīccha dvijāgryemāṁ
śraddhayopahṛtāṁ mayā
sarvātmanānurūpāṁ te
gṛhamedhiṣu karmasu

SYNONYMS

tat — therefore; pratīccha — please accept; dvija-agrya — O best of the brāhmaṇas; imām — her; śraddhayā — with faith; upahṛtām — offered as a presentation; mayā — by me; sarva-ātmanā — in every way; anurūpām — suitable; te — for you; gṛha-medhiṣu — in the household; karmasu — duties.

TRANSLATION

Therefore please accept her, O chief of the brāhmaṇas, for I offer her with faith and she is in every respect fit to be your wife and take charge of your household duties.

VERSE 3.22.12

udyatasya hi kāmasya
prativādo na śasyate
api nirmukta-saṅgasya
kāma-raktasya kiṁ punaḥ

SYNONYMS

udyatasya — which has come of itself; hi — in fact; kāmasya — of material desire; prativādaḥ — the denial; na — not; śasyate — to be praised; api — even; nirmukta — of one who is free; saṅgasya — from attachment; kāma — to sensual pleasures; raktasya — of one addicted; kim punaḥ — how much less.

TRANSLATION

To deny an offering that has come of itself is not commendable even for one absolutely free from all attachment, much less one addicted to sensual pleasure.

VERSE 3.22.13

ya udyatam anādṛtya
kīnāśam abhiyācate
kṣīyate tad-yaśaḥ sphītaṁ
mānaś cāvajñayā hataḥ

SYNONYMS

yaḥ — who; udyatam — an offering; anādṛtya — rejecting; kīnāśam — from a miser; abhiyācate — begs; kṣīyate — is lost; tat — his; yaśaḥ — reputation; sphītam — widespread; mānaḥ — honor; ca — and; avajñayā — by neglectful behavior; hataḥ — destroyed.

TRANSLATION

One who rejects an offering that comes of its own accord but later begs a boon from a miser thus loses his widespread reputation, and his pride is humbled by the neglectful behavior of others.

VERSE 3.22.14

ahaṁ tvāśṛṇavaṁ vidvan
vivāhārthaṁ samudyatam
atas tvam upakurvāṇaḥ
prattāṁ pratigṛhāṇa me

SYNONYMS

aham — I; tvā — you; aśṛṇavam — heard; vidvan — O wise man; vivāha-artham — for the sake of marriage; samudyatam — prepared; ataḥ — hence; tvam — you; upakurvāṇaḥ — not taken a vow of perpetual celibacy; prattām — offered; pratigṛhāṇa — please accept; me — of me.

TRANSLATION

Svāyambhuva Manu continued: O wise man, I heard that you were prepared to marry. Please accept her hand, which is being offered to you by me, since you have not taken a vow of perpetual celibacy.

VERSE 3.22.15

ṛṣir uvāca

bāḍham udvoḍhu-kāmo ’ham
aprattā ca tavātmajā
āvayor anurūpo ’sāv
ādyo vaivāhiko vidhiḥ

SYNONYMS

ṛṣiḥ — the great sage Kardama; uvāca — said; bāḍham — very well; udvoḍhu-kāmaḥ — desirous to marry; aham — I; aprattā — not promised to anyone else; ca — and; tava — your; ātma- — daughter; āvayoḥ — of us two; anurūpaḥ — proper; asau — this; ādyaḥ — first; vaivāhikaḥ — of marriage; vidhiḥ — ritualistic ceremony.

TRANSLATION

The great sage replied: Certainly I have a desire to marry, and your daughter has not yet married or given her word to anyone. Therefore our marriage according to the Vedic system can take place.

VERSE 3.22.16

kāmaḥ sa bhūyān naradeva te ’syāḥ
putryāḥ samāmnāya-vidhau pratītaḥ
ka eva te tanayāṁ nādriyeta
svayaiva kāntyā kṣipatīm iva śriyam

SYNONYMS

kāmaḥ — desire; saḥ — that; bhūyāt — let it be fulfilled; nara-deva — O King; te — your; asyāḥ — this; putryāḥ — of the daughter; samāmnāya-vidhau — in the process of the Vedic scriptures; pratītaḥ — recognized; kaḥ — who; eva — in fact; te — your; tanayām — daughter; na ādriyeta — would not adore; svayā — by her own; eva — alone; kāntyā — bodily luster; kṣipatīm — excelling; iva — as if; śriyam — ornaments.

TRANSLATION

Let your daughter’s desire for marriage, which is recognized in the Vedic scriptures, be fulfilled. Who would not accept her hand? She is so beautiful that by her bodily luster alone she excels the beauty of her ornaments.

VERSE 3.22.17

yāṁ harmya-pṛṣṭhe kvaṇad-aṅghri-śobhāṁ
vikrīḍatīṁ kanduka-vihvalākṣīm
viśvāvasur nyapatat svād vimānād
vilokya sammoha-vimūḍha-cetāḥ

SYNONYMS

yām — whom; harmya-pṛṣṭhe — on the roof of the palace; kvaṇat-aṅghri-śobhām — whose beauty was heightened by the tinkling ornaments on her feet; vikrīḍatīm — playing; kanduka-vihvala-akṣīm — with eyes bewildered, following her ball; viśvāvasuḥ — Viśvāvasu; nyapatat — fell down; svāt — from his own; vimānāt — from the airplane; vilokya — seeing; sammoha-vimūḍha-cetāḥ — whose mind was stupefied.

TRANSLATION

I have heard that Viśvāvasu, the great Gandharva, his mind stupefied with infatuation, fell from his airplane after seeing your daughter playing with a ball on the roof of the palace, for she was indeed beautiful with her tinkling ankle bells and her eyes moving to and fro.

VERSE 3.22.18

tāṁ prārthayantīṁ lalanā-lalāmam
asevita-śrī-caraṇair adṛṣṭām
vatsāṁ manor uccapadaḥ svasāraṁ
ko nānumanyeta budho ’bhiyātām

SYNONYMS

tām — her; prārthayantīm — seeking; lalanā-lalāmam — the ornament of women; asevita-śrī-caraṇaiḥ — by those who have not worshiped the feet of Lakṣmī; adṛṣṭām — not seen; vatsām — beloved daughter; manoḥ — of Svāyambhuva Manu; uccapadaḥ — of Uttānapāda; svasāram — sister; kaḥ — what; na anumanyeta — would not welcome; budhaḥ — wise man; abhiyātām — who has come of her own accord.

TRANSLATION

What wise man would not welcome her, the very ornament of womanhood, the beloved daughter of Svāyambhuva Manu and sister of Uttānapāda? Those who have not worshiped the gracious feet of the goddess of fortune cannot even perceive her, yet she has come of her own accord to seek my hand.

VERSE 3.22.19

ato bhajiṣye samayena sādhvīṁ
yāvat tejo bibhṛyād ātmano me
ato dharmān pāramahaṁsya-mukhyān
śukla-proktān bahu manye ’vihiṁsrān

SYNONYMS

ataḥ — therefore; bhajiṣye — I shall accept; samayena — on the conditions; sādhvīm — the chaste girl; yāvat — until; tejaḥ — semen; bibhṛyāt — may bear; ātmanaḥ — from my body; me — my; ataḥ — thereafter; dharmān — the duties; pāramahaṁsya-mukhyān — of the best of the paramahaṁsas; śukla-proktān — spoken by Lord Viṣṇu; bahu — much; manye — I shall consider; avihiṁsrān — free from envy.

TRANSLATION

Therefore I shall accept this chaste girl as my wife, on the condition that after she bears semen from my body, I shall accept the life of devotional service accepted by the most perfect human beings. That process was described by Lord Viṣṇu. It is free from envy.

VERSE 3.22.20

yato ’bhavad viśvam idaṁ vicitraṁ
saṁsthāsyate yatra ca vāvatiṣṭhate
prajāpatīnāṁ patir eṣa mahyaṁ
paraṁ pramāṇaṁ bhagavān anantaḥ

SYNONYMS

yataḥ — from whom; abhavat — emanated; viśvam — creation; idam — this; vicitram — wonderful; saṁsthāsyate — will dissolve; yatra — in whom; ca — and; — or; avatiṣṭhate — presently exists; prajā-patīnām — of the Prajāpatis; patiḥ — the Lord; eṣaḥ — this; mahyam — to me; param — highest; pramāṇam — authority; bhagavān — Supreme Lord; anantaḥ — unlimited.

TRANSLATION

The highest authority for me is the unlimited Supreme Personality of Godhead, from whom this wonderful creation emanates and in whom its sustenance and dissolution rest. He is the origin of all Prajāpatis, the personalities meant to produce living entities in this world.

VERSE 3.22.21

maitreya uvāca

sa ugra-dhanvann iyad evābabhāṣe
āsīc ca tūṣṇīm aravinda-nābham
dhiyopagṛhṇan smita-śobhitena
mukhena ceto lulubhe devahūtyāḥ

SYNONYMS

maitreyaḥ — the great sage Maitreya; uvāca — said; saḥ — he (Kardama); ugra-dhanvan — O great warrior Vidura; iyat — this much; eva — only; ābabhāṣe — spoke; āsīt — became; ca — and; tūṣṇīm — silent; aravinda-nābham — Lord Viṣṇu (whose navel is adorned by a lotus); dhiyā — by thought; upagṛhṇan — seizing; smita-śobhitena — beautified by his smile; mukhena — by his face; cetaḥ — the mind; lulubhe — was captivated; devahūtyāḥ — of Devahūti.

TRANSLATION

Śrī Maitreya said: O great warrior Vidura, the sage Kardama said this much only and then became silent, thinking of his worshipable Lord Viṣṇu, who has a lotus on His navel. As he silently smiled, his face captured the mind of Devahūti, who began to meditate upon the great sage.

VERSE 3.22.22

so ’nu jñātvā vyavasitaṁ
mahiṣyā duhituḥ sphuṭam
tasmai guṇa-gaṇāḍhyāya
dadau tulyāṁ praharṣitaḥ

SYNONYMS

saḥ — he (Emperor Manu); anu — afterward; jñātvā — having known; vyavasitam — the fixed decision; mahiṣyāḥ — of the Queen; duhituḥ — of his daughter; sphuṭam — clearly; tasmai — to him; guṇa-gaṇa-āḍhyāya — who was endowed with a host of virtues; dadau — gave away; tulyām — who was equal (in good qualities); praharṣitaḥ — extremely pleased.

TRANSLATION

After having unmistakably known the decision of the Queen, as well as that of Devahūti, the Emperor most gladly gave his daughter to the sage, whose host of virtues was equaled by hers.

VERSE 3.22.23

śatarūpā mahā-rājñī
pāribarhān mahā-dhanān
dampatyoḥ paryadāt prītyā
bhūṣā-vāsaḥ paricchadān

SYNONYMS

śatarūpā — Empress Śatarūpā; mahā-rājñī — the Empress; pāribarhān — dowry; mahā-dhanān — valuable presents; dam-patyoḥ — to the bride and bridegroom; paryadāt — gave; prītyā — out of affection; bhūṣā — ornaments; vāsaḥ — clothes; paricchadān — articles for household use.

TRANSLATION

Empress Śatarūpā lovingly gave most valuable presents, suitable for the occasion, such as jewelry, clothes and household articles, in dowry to the bride and bridegroom.

VERSE 3.22.24

prattāṁ duhitaraṁ samrāṭ
sadṛkṣāya gata-vyathaḥ
upaguhya ca bāhubhyām
autkaṇṭhyonmathitāśayaḥ

SYNONYMS

prattām — who was given; duhitaram — daughter; samrāṭ — the Emperor (Manu); sadṛkṣāya — unto a suitable person; gata-vyathaḥ — relieved of his responsibility; upaguhya — embracing; ca — and; bāhubhyām — with his two arms; autkaṇṭhya-unmathita-āśayaḥ — having an anxious and agitated mind.

TRANSLATION

Thus relieved of his responsibility by handing over his daughter to a suitable man, Svāyambhuva Manu, his mind agitated by feelings of separation, embraced his affectionate daughter with both his arms.

VERSE 3.22.25

aśaknuvaṁs tad-virahaṁ
muñcan bāṣpa-kalāṁ muhuḥ
āsiñcad amba vatseti
netrodair duhituḥ śikhāḥ

SYNONYMS

aśaknuvan — being unable to bear; tat-viraham — separation from her; muñcan — shedding; bāṣpa-kalām — tears; muhuḥ — again and again; āsiñcat — he drenched; amba — my dear mother; vatsa — my dear daughter; iti — thus; netra-udaiḥ — by the water from his eyes; duhituḥ — of his daughter; śikhāḥ — the locks of hair.

TRANSLATION

The Emperor was unable to bear the separation of his daughter. Therefore tears poured from his eyes again and again, drenching his daughter’s head as he cried, “My dear mother! My dear daughter!”

VERSE 3.22.26-27

āmantrya taṁ muni-varam
anujñātaḥ sahānugaḥ
pratasthe ratham āruhya
sabhāryaḥ sva-puraṁ nṛpaḥ

ubhayor ṛṣi-kulyāyāḥ
sarasvatyāḥ surodhasoḥ
ṛṣīṇām upaśāntānāṁ
paśyann āśrama-sampadaḥ

SYNONYMS

āmantrya — taking permission to go; tam — from him (Kardama); muni-varam — from the best of sages; anujñātaḥ — being permitted to leave; saha-anugaḥ — along with his retinue; pratasthe — started for; ratham āruhya — mounting his chariot; sa-bhāryaḥ — along with his wife; sva-puram — his own capital; nṛpaḥ — the Emperor; ubhayoḥ — on both; ṛṣi-kulyāyāḥ — agreeable to the sages; sarasvatyāḥ — of the river Sarasvatī; su-rodhasoḥ — the charming banks; ṛṣīṇām — of the great sages; upaśāntānām — tranquil; paśyan — seeing; āśrama-sampadaḥ — the prosperity of the beautiful hermitages.

TRANSLATION

After asking and obtaining the great sage’s permission to leave, the monarch mounted his chariot with his wife and started for his capital, followed by his retinue. Along the way he saw the prosperity of the tranquil seers’ beautiful hermitages on both the charming banks of the Sarasvatī, the river so agreeable to saintly persons.

VERSE 3.22.28

tam āyāntam abhipretya
brahmāvartāt prajāḥ patim
gīta-saṁstuti-vāditraiḥ
pratyudīyuḥ praharṣitāḥ

SYNONYMS

tam — him; āyāntam — who was arriving; abhipretya — knowing of; brahmāvartāt — from Brahmāvarta; prajāḥ — his subjects; patim — their lord; gīta-saṁstuti-vāditraiḥ — with songs, praise and instrumental music; pratyudīyuḥ — came forward to greet; praharṣitāḥ — overjoyed.

TRANSLATION

Overjoyed to know of his arrival, his subjects came forth from Brahmāvarta to greet their returning lord with songs, prayers and musical instruments.

VERSE 3.22.29-30

barhiṣmatī nāma purī
sarva-sampat-samanvitā
nyapatan yatra romāṇi
yajñasyāṅgaṁ vidhunvataḥ

kuśāḥ kāśās ta evāsan
śaśvad-dharita-varcasaḥ
ṛṣayo yaiḥ parābhāvya
yajña-ghnān yajñam ījire

SYNONYMS

barhiṣmatī — Barhiṣmatī; nāma — named; purī — city; sarva-sampat — all kinds of wealth; samanvitā — full of; nyapatan — fell down; yatra — where; romāṇi — the hairs; yajñasya — of Lord Boar; aṅgam — His body; vidhunvataḥ — shaking; kuśāḥ — kuśa grass; kāśāḥ — kāśa grass; te — they; eva — certainly; āsan — became; śaśvat-harita — of evergreen; varcasaḥ — having the color; ṛṣayaḥ — the sages; yaiḥ — by which; parābhāvya — defeating; yajña-ghnān — the disturbers of the sacrificial performances; yajñam — Lord Viṣṇu; ījire — they worshiped.

TRANSLATION

The city of Barhiṣmatī, rich in all kinds of wealth, was so called because Lord Viṣṇu’s hair dropped there from His body when He manifested Himself as Lord Boar. As He shook His body, this very hair fell and turned into blades of evergreen kuśa grass and kāśa [another kind of grass used for mats], by means of which the sages worshiped Lord Viṣṇu after defeating the demons who had interfered with the performance of their sacrifices.

VERSE 3.22.31

kuśa-kāśamayaṁ barhir
āstīrya bhagavān manuḥ
ayajad yajña-puruṣaṁ
labdhā sthānaṁ yato bhuvam

SYNONYMS

kuśa — of kuśa grass; kāśa — and of kāśa grass; mayam — made; barhiḥ — a seat; āstīrya — having spread; bhagavān — the greatly fortunate; manuḥ — Svāyambhuva Manu; ayajat — worshiped; yajña-puruṣam — Lord Viṣṇu; labdhā — had achieved; sthānam — the abode; yataḥ — from whom; bhuvam — the earth.

TRANSLATION

Manu spread a seat of kuśas and kāśas and worshiped the Lord, the Personality of Godhead, by whose grace he had obtained the rule of the terrestrial globe.

VERSE 3.22.32

barhiṣmatīṁ nāma vibhur
yāṁ nirviśya samāvasat
tasyāṁ praviṣṭo bhavanaṁ
tāpa-traya-vināśanam

SYNONYMS

barhiṣmatīm — the city Barhiṣmatī; nāma — named; vibhuḥ — the very powerful Svāyambhuva Manu; yām — which; nirviśya — having entered; samāvasat — he lived in previously; tasyām — in that city; praviṣṭaḥ — entered; bhavanam — the palace; tāpa-traya — the threefold miseries; vināśanam — destroying.

TRANSLATION

Having entered the city of Barhiṣmatī, in which he had previously lived, Manu entered his palace, which was filled with an atmosphere that eradicated the three miseries of material existence.

VERSE 3.22.33

sabhāryaḥ saprajaḥ kāmān
bubhuje ’nyāvirodhataḥ
saṅgīyamāna-sat-kīrtiḥ
sastrībhiḥ sura-gāyakaiḥ
praty-ūṣeṣv anubaddhena
hṛdā śṛṇvan hareḥ kathāḥ

SYNONYMS

sa-bhāryaḥ — along with his wife; sa-prajaḥ — along with his subjects; kāmān — the necessities of life; bubhuje — he enjoyed; anya — from others; avirodhataḥ — without disturbance; saṅgīyamāna — being praised; sat-kīrtiḥ — reputation for pious activities; sa-strībhiḥ — along with their wives; sura-gāyakaiḥ — by celestial musicians; prati-ūṣeṣu — at every dawn; anubaddhena — being attached; hṛdā — with the heart; śṛṇvan — listening to; hareḥ — of Lord Hari; kathāḥ — the topics.

TRANSLATION

Emperor Svāyambhuva Manu enjoyed life with his wife and subjects and fulfilled his desires without being disturbed by unwanted principles contrary to the process of religion. Celestial musicians and their wives sang in chorus about the pure reputation of the Emperor, and early in the morning, every day, he used to listen to the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead with a loving heart.

VERSE 3.22.34

niṣṇātaṁ yoga-māyāsu
muniṁ svāyambhuvaṁ manum
yad ābhraṁśayituṁ bhogā
na śekur bhagavat-param

SYNONYMS

niṣṇātam — absorbed; yoga-māyāsu — in temporary enjoyment; munim — who was equal to a saint; svāyambhuvam — Svāyambhuva; manum — Manu; yat — from which; ābhraṁśayitum — to cause to deviate; bhogāḥ — material enjoyments; na — not; śekuḥ — were able; bhagavat-param — who was a great devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

TRANSLATION

Thus Svāyambhuva Manu was a saintly king. Although absorbed in material happiness, he was not dragged to the lowest grade of life, for he always enjoyed his material happiness in a Kṛṣṇa conscious atmosphere.

VERSE 3.22.35

ayāta-yāmās tasyāsan
yāmāḥ svāntara-yāpanāḥ
śṛṇvato dhyāyato viṣṇoḥ
kurvato bruvataḥ kathāḥ

SYNONYMS

ayāta-yāmāḥ — time never lost; tasya — of Manu; āsan — were; yāmāḥ — the hours; sva-antara — his duration of life; yāpanāḥ — bringing to an end; śṛṇvataḥ — hearing; dhyāyataḥ — contemplating; viṣṇoḥ — of Lord Viṣṇu; kurvataḥ — acting; bruvataḥ — speaking; kathāḥ — the topics.

TRANSLATION

Consequently, although his duration of life gradually came to an end, his long life, consisting of a Manvantara era, was not spent in vain, since he ever engaged in hearing, contemplating, writing down and chanting the pastimes of the Lord.

VERSE 3.22.36

sa evaṁ svāntaraṁ ninye
yugānām eka-saptatim
vāsudeva-prasaṅgena
paribhūta-gati-trayaḥ

SYNONYMS

saḥ — he (Svāyambhuva Manu); evam — thus; sva-antaram — his own period; ninye — passed; yugānām — of the cycles of four ages; eka-saptatim — seventy-one; vāsudeva — with Vāsudeva; prasaṅgena — by topics connected; paribhūta — transcended; gati-trayaḥ — the three destinations.

TRANSLATION

He passed his time, which lasted seventy-one cycles of the four ages [71 × 4,320,000 years], always thinking of Vāsudeva and always engaged in matters regarding Vāsudeva. Thus he transcended the three destinations.

VERSE 3.22.37

śārīrā mānasā divyā
vaiyāse ye ca mānuṣāḥ
bhautikāś ca kathaṁ kleśā
bādhante hari-saṁśrayam

SYNONYMS

śārīrāḥ — pertaining to the body; mānasāḥ — pertaining to the mind; divyāḥ — pertaining to supernatural powers (demigods); vaiyāse — O Vidura; ye — those; ca — and; mānuṣāḥ — pertaining to other men; bhautikāḥ — pertaining to other living beings; ca — and; katham — how; kleśāḥ — miseries; bādhante — can trouble; hari-saṁśrayam — one who has taken shelter of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

TRANSLATION

Therefore, O Vidura, how can persons completely under the shelter of Lord Kṛṣṇa in devotional service be put into miseries pertaining to the body, the mind, nature, and other men and living creatures?

VERSE 3.22.38

yaḥ pṛṣṭo munibhiḥ prāha
dharmān nānā-vidhāñ chubhān
nṛṇāṁ varṇāśramāṇāṁ ca
sarva-bhūta-hitaḥ sadā

SYNONYMS

yaḥ — who; pṛṣṭaḥ — being questioned; munibhiḥ — by the sages; prāha — spoke; dharmān — the duties; nānā-vidhān — many varieties; śubhān — auspicious; nṛṇām — of human society; varṇa-āśramāṇām — of the varṇas and āśramas; ca — and; sarva-bhūta — for all living beings; hitaḥ — who does welfare; sadā — always.

TRANSLATION

In reply to questions asked by certain sages, he [Svāyambhuva Manu], out of compassion for all living entities, taught the diverse sacred duties of men in general and the different varṇas and āśramas.

VERSE 3.22.39

etat ta ādi-rājasya
manoś caritam adbhutam
varṇitaṁ varṇanīyasya
tad-apatyodayaṁ śṛṇu

SYNONYMS

etat — this; te — unto you; ādi-rājasya — of the first emperor; manoḥ — of Svāyambhuva Manu; caritam — the character; adbhutam — wonderful; varṇitam — described; varṇanīyasya — whose reputation is worthy of description; tat-apatya — of his daughter; udayam — to the flourishing; śṛṇu — please listen.

TRANSLATION

I have spoken to you of the wonderful character of Svāyambhuva Manu, the original king, whose reputation is worthy of description. Please hear as I speak of the flourishing of his daughter Devahūti.