Śrīmad Bhāgavatam |Canto 6 Chapter 5

Nārada Muni Cursed by Prajāpati Dakṣa

VERSE 6.5.1

śrī-śuka uvāca

tasyāṁ sa pāñcajanyāṁ vai
viṣṇu-māyopabṛṁhitaḥ
haryaśva-saṁjñān ayutaṁ
putrān ajanayad vibhuḥ

SYNONYMS

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; tasyām — in her; saḥ — Prajāpati Dakṣa; pāñcajanyām — his wife named Pāñcajanī; vai — indeed; viṣṇu-māyā-upabṛṁhitaḥ — being made capable by the illusory energy of Lord Viṣṇu; haryaśva-saṁjñān — named the Haryaśvas; ayutam — ten thousand; putrān — sons; ajanayat — begot; vibhuḥ — being powerful.

TRANSLATION

Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: Impelled by the illusory energy of Lord Viṣṇu, Prajāpati Dakṣa begot ten thousand sons in the womb of Pāñcajanī [Asiknī]. My dear King, these sons were called the Haryaśvas.

VERSE 6.5.2

apṛthag-dharma-śīlās te
sarve dākṣāyaṇā nṛpa
pitrā proktāḥ prajā-sarge
pratīcīṁ prayayur diśam

SYNONYMS

apṛthak — alike in; dharma-śīlāḥ — good character and behavior; te — they; sarve — all; dākṣāyaṇāḥ — the sons of Dakṣa; nṛpa — O King; pitrā — by their father; proktāḥ — ordered; prajā-sarge — to increase the population; pratīcīm — we stern; prayayuḥ — they went to; diśam — the direction.

TRANSLATION

My dear King, all the sons of Prajāpati Dakṣa were alike in being very gentle and obedient to the orders of their father. When their father ordered them to beget children, they all went in the western direction.

VERSE 6.5.3

tatra nārāyaṇa-saras
tīrthaṁ sindhu-samudrayoḥ
saṅgamo yatra sumahan
muni-siddha-niṣevitam

SYNONYMS

tatra — in that direction; nārāyaṇa-saraḥ — the lake named Nārāyaṇa-saras; tīrtham — very holy place; sindhu-samudrayoḥ — of the river Sindhu and the sea; saṅgamaḥ — confluence; yatra — where; su-mahat — very great; muni — by sages; siddha — and perfected human beings; niṣevitam — frequented.

TRANSLATION

In the west, where the river Sindhu meets the sea, there is a great place of pilgrimage known as Nārāyaṇa-saras. Many sages and others advanced in spiritual consciousness live there.

VERSE 6.5.4-5

tad-upasparśanād eva
vinirdhūta-malāśayāḥ
dharme pāramahaṁsye ca
protpanna-matayo ’py uta

tepire tapa evograṁ
pitrādeśena yantritāḥ
prajā-vivṛddhaye yattān
devarṣis tān dadarśa ha

SYNONYMS

tat — of that holy place; upasparśanāt — from bathing in that water or touching it; eva — only; vinirdhūta — completely washed away; mala-āśayāḥ — whose impure desires; dharme — to the practices; pāramahaṁsye — executed by the topmost class of sannyāsīs; ca — also; protpanna — highly inclined; matayaḥ — whose minds; api uta — although; tepire — they executed; tapaḥ — penances; eva — certainly; ugram — severe; pitṛ-ādeśena — by the order of their father; yantritāḥ — engaged; prajā-vivṛddhaye — for the purpose of increasing the population; yattān — ready; devarṣiḥ — the great sage Nārada; tān — them; dadarśa — visited; ha — indeed.

TRANSLATION

In that holy place, the Haryaśvas began regularly touching the lake’s waters and bathing in them. Gradually becoming very much purified, they became inclined toward the activities of paramahaṁsas. Nevertheless, because their father had ordered them to increase the population, they performed severe austerities to fulfill his desires. One day, when the great sage Nārada saw those boys performing such fine austerities to increase the population, Nārada approached them.

VERSE 6.5.6-8

uvāca cātha haryaśvāḥ
kathaṁ srakṣyatha vai prajāḥ
adṛṣṭvāntaṁ bhuvo yūyaṁ
bāliśā bata pālakāḥ

tathaika-puruṣaṁ rāṣṭraṁ
bilaṁ cādṛṣṭa-nirgamam
bahu-rūpāṁ striyaṁ cāpi
pumāṁsaṁ puṁścalī-patim

nadīm ubhayato vāhāṁ
pañca-pañcādbhutaṁ gṛham
kvacid dhaṁsaṁ citra-kathaṁ
kṣaura-pavyaṁ svayaṁ bhrami

SYNONYMS

uvāca — he said; ca — also; atha — thus; haryaśvāḥ — O Haryaśvas, sons of Prajāpati Dakṣa; katham — why; srakṣyatha — you will beget; vai — indeed; prajāḥ — progeny; adṛṣṭvā — having not seen; antam — the end; bhuvaḥ — of this earth; yūyam — all of you; bāliśāḥ — inexperienced; bata — alas; pālakāḥ — although ruling princes; tathā — so also; eka — one; puruṣam — man; rāṣṭram — kingdom; bilam — the hole; ca — also; adṛṣṭa-nirgamam — from which there is no coming out; bahu-rūpām — taking many forms; striyam — the woman; ca — and; api — even; pumāṁsam — the man; puṁścalī-patim — the husband of a prostitute; nadīm — a river; ubhayataḥ — in both ways; vāhām — which flows; pañca-pañca — of five multiplied by five (twenty-five); adbhutam — a wonder; gṛham — the house; kvacit — somewhere; haṁsam — a swan; citra-katham — whose story is wonderful; kṣaura-pavyam — made of sharp razors and thunderbolts; svayam — itself; bhrami — revolving.

TRANSLATION

The great sage Nārada said: My dear Haryaśvas, you have not seen the extremities of the earth. There is a kingdom where only one man lives and where there is a hole from which, having entered, no one emerges. A woman there who is extremely unchaste adorns herself with various attractive dresses, and the man who lives there is her husband. In that kingdom, there is a river flowing in both directions, a wonderful home made of twenty-five materials, a swan that vibrates various sounds, and an automatically revolving object made of sharp razors and thunderbolts. You have not seen all this, and therefore you are inexperienced boys without advanced knowledge. How, then, will you create progeny?

VERSE 6.5.9

kathaṁ sva-pitur ādeśam
avidvāṁso vipaścitaḥ
anurūpam avijñāya
aho sargaṁ kariṣyatha

SYNONYMS

katham — how; sva-pituḥ — of your own father; ādeśam — the order; avidvāṁsaḥ — ignorant; vipaścitaḥ — who knows everything; anurūpam — suitable for you; avijñāya — without knowing; aho — alas; sargam — the creation; kariṣyatha — you will perform.

TRANSLATION

Alas, your father is omniscient, but you do not know his actual order. Without knowing the actual purpose of your father, how will you create progeny?

VERSE 6.5.10

śrī-śuka uvāca

tan niśamyātha haryaśvā
autpattika-manīṣayā
vācaḥ kūṭaṁ tu devarṣeḥ
svayaṁ vimamṛśur dhiyā

SYNONYMS

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; tat — that; niśamya — hearing; atha — thereafter; haryaśvāḥ — all the sons of Prajāpati Dakṣa; autpattika — naturally awakened; manīṣayā — by possessing the power to consider; vācaḥ — of the speech; kūṭam — the enigma; tu — but; devarṣeḥ — of Nārada Muni; svayam — themselves; vimamṛśuḥ — reflected upon; dhiyā — with full intelligence.

TRANSLATION

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Hearing these enigmatic words of Nārada Muni, the Haryaśvas considered them with their natural intelligence, without help from others.

VERSE 6.5.11

bhūḥ kṣetraṁ jīva-saṁjñaṁ yad
anādi nija-bandhanam
adṛṣṭvā tasya nirvāṇaṁ
kim asat-karmabhir bhavet

SYNONYMS

bhūḥ — the earth; kṣetram — the field of activities; jīva-saṁjñam — the designation of the spiritual living being who is bound by different results of activity; yat — which; anādi — existing since time immemorial; nija-bandhanam — causing his own bondage; adṛṣṭvā — without seeing; tasya — of this; nirvāṇam — the cessation; kim — what benefit; asat-karmabhiḥ — with temporary fruitive activities; bhavet — there can be.

TRANSLATION

[The Haryaśvas understood the meaning of Nārada’s words as follows.] The word “bhūḥ” [“the earth”] refers to the field of activities. The material body, which is a result of the living being’s actions, is his field of activities, and it gives him false designations. Since time immemorial, he has received various types of material bodies, which are the roots of bondage to the material world. If one foolishly engages in temporary fruitive activities and does not look toward the cessation of this bondage, what will be the benefit of his actions?

VERSE 6.5.12

eka eveśvaras turyo
bhagavān svāśrayaḥ paraḥ
tam adṛṣṭvābhavaṁ puṁsaḥ
kim asat-karmabhir bhavet

SYNONYMS

ekaḥ — one; eva — indeed; īśvaraḥ — supreme controller; turyaḥ — the fourth transcendental category; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sva-āśrayaḥ — independent, being His own shelter; paraḥ — beyond this material creation; tam — Him; adṛṣṭvā — not seeing; abhavam — who is not born or created; puṁsaḥ — of a man; kim — what benefit; asat-karmabhiḥ — with temporary fruitive activities; bhavet — there can be.

TRANSLATION

[Nārada Muni had said that there is a kingdom where there is only one male. The Haryaśvas realized the purport of this statement.] The only enjoyer is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who observes everything, everywhere. He is full of six opulences and fully independent of everyone else. He is never subject to the three modes of material nature, for He is always transcendental to this material creation. If the members of human society do not understand Him, the Supreme, through their advancement in knowledge and activities, but simply work very hard like cats and dogs all day and night for temporary happiness, what will be the benefit of their activities?

VERSE 6.5.13

pumān naivaiti yad gatvā
bila-svargaṁ gato yathā
pratyag-dhāmāvida iha
kim asat-karmabhir bhavet

SYNONYMS

pumān — a human being; na — not; eva — indeed; eti — comes back; yat — to which; gatvā — having gone; bila-svargam — to the region of the lower planetary system known as Pātāla; gataḥ — gone; yathā — like; pratyak-dhāma — the effulgent spiritual world; avidaḥ — of the unintelligent man; iha — in this material world; kim — what benefit; asat-karmabhiḥ — with temporary fruitive activities; bhavet — there can be.

TRANSLATION

[Nārada Muni had described that there is a bila, or hole, from which, having entered, one does not return. The Haryaśvas understood the meaning of this allegory.] Hardly once has a person who has entered the lower planetary system called Pātāla been seen to return. Similarly, if one enters the Vaikuṇṭha-dhāma [pratyag-dhāma], he does not return to this material world. If there is such a place, from which, having gone, one does not return to the miserable material condition of life, what is the use of jumping like monkeys in the temporary material world and not seeing or understanding that place? What will be the profit?

VERSE 6.5.14

nānā-rūpātmano buddhiḥ
svairiṇīva guṇānvitā
tan-niṣṭhām agatasyeha
kim asat-karmabhir bhavet

SYNONYMS

nānā — various; rūpā — who has forms or dresses; ātmanaḥ — of the living entity; buddhiḥ — the intelligence; svairiṇī — a prostitute who freely decorates herself with different types of cloths and ornaments; iva — like; guṇa-anvitā — endowed with the mode of passion, and so on; tat-niṣṭhām — the cessation of that; agatasya — of one who has not obtained; iha — in this material world; kim asat-karmabhiḥ bhavet — what is the use of performing temporary fruitive activities.

TRANSLATION

[Nārada Muni had described a woman who is a professional prostitute. The Haryaśvas understood the identity of this woman.] Mixed with the mode of passion, the unsteady intelligence of every living entity is like a prostitute who changes dresses just to attract one’s attention. If one fully engages in temporary fruitive activities, not understanding how this is taking place, what does he actually gain?

VERSE 6.5.15

tat-saṅga-bhraṁśitaiśvaryaṁ
saṁsarantaṁ kubhāryavat
tad-gatīr abudhasyeha
kim asat-karmabhir bhavet

SYNONYMS

tat-saṅga — by association with the prostitute of intelligence; bhraṁśita — taken away; aiśvaryam — the opulence of independence; saṁsarantam — undergoing the material way of life; ku-bhārya-vat — exactly like a person who has a polluted wife; tat-gatīḥ — the movements of the polluted intelligence; abudhasya — of one who does not know; iha — in this world; kim asat-karmabhiḥ bhavet — what can be the benefit of performing temporary fruitive activities.

TRANSLATION

[Nārada Muni had also spoken of a man who is the husband of the prostitute. The Haryaśvas understood this as follows.] If one becomes the husband of a prostitute, he loses all independence. Similarly, if a living entity has polluted intelligence, he prolongs his materialistic life. Frustrated by material nature, he must follow the movements of the intelligence, which brings various conditions of happiness and distress. If one performs fruitive activities under such conditions, what will be the benefit?

VERSE 6.5.16

sṛṣṭy-apyaya-karīṁ māyāṁ
velā-kūlānta-vegitām
mattasya tām avijñasya
kim asat-karmabhir bhavet

SYNONYMS

sṛṣṭi — creation; apyaya — dissolution; karīm — one who causes; māyām — the illusory energy; velā-kūla-anta — near the banks; vegitām — being very rapid; mattasya — of one who is mad; tām — that material nature; avijñasya — who does not know; kim asat-karmabhiḥ bhavet — what benefit can there be by performing temporary fruitive activities.

TRANSLATION

[Nārada Muni had said that there is a river flowing in both directions. The Haryaśvas understood the purport of this statement.] Material nature functions in two ways — by creation and dissolution. Thus the river of material nature flows both ways. A living entity who unknowingly falls in this river is submerged in its waves, and since the current is swifter near the banks of the river, he is unable to get out. What will be the benefit of performing fruitive activities in that river of māyā?

VERSE 6.5.17

pañca-viṁśati-tattvānāṁ
puruṣo ’dbhuta-darpaṇaḥ
adhyātmam abudhasyeha
kim asat-karmabhir bhavet

SYNONYMS

pañca-viṁśati — twenty-five; tattvānām — of the elements; puruṣaḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; adbhuta-darpaṇaḥ — the wonderful manifester; adhyātmam — the overseer of all causes and effects; abudhasya — of one who does not know; iha — in this world; kim asat-karmabhiḥ bhavet — what can be the benefit of engaging in temporary fruitive activities.

TRANSLATION

[Nārada Muni had said that there is a house made of twenty-five elements. The Haryaśvas understood this analogy.] The Supreme Lord is the reservoir of the twenty-five elements, and as the Supreme Being, the conductor of cause and effect, He causes their manifestation. If one engages in temporary fruitive activities, not knowing that Supreme Person, what benefit will he derive?

VERSE 6.5.18

aiśvaraṁ śāstram utsṛjya
bandha-mokṣānudarśanam
vivikta-padam ajñāya
kim asat-karmabhir bhavet

SYNONYMS

aiśvaram — bringing understanding of God, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness; śāstram — the Vedic literature; utsṛjya — giving up; bandha — of bondage; mokṣa — and of liberation; anudarśanam — informing about the ways; vivikta-padam — distinguishing spirit from matter; ajñāya — not knowing; kim asat-karmabhiḥ bhavet — what can be the use of temporary fruitive activities.

TRANSLATION

[Nārada Muni had spoken of a swan. That swan is explained in this verse.] The Vedic literatures [śāstras] vividly describe how to understand the Supreme Lord, the source of all material and spiritual energy. Indeed, they elaborately explain these two energies. The swan [haṁsa] is one who discriminates between matter and spirit, who accepts the essence of everything, and who explains the means of bondage and the means of liberation. The words of scriptures consist of variegated vibrations. If a foolish rascal leaves aside the study of these śāstras to engage in temporary activities, what will be the result?

VERSE 6.5.19

kāla-cakraṁ bhrami tīkṣṇaṁ
sarvaṁ niṣkarṣayaj jagat
svatantram abudhasyeha
kim asat-karmabhir bhavet

SYNONYMS

kāla-cakram — the wheel of eternal time; bhrami — revolving automatically; tīkṣṇam — very sharp; sarvam — all; niṣkarṣayat — driving; jagat — the world; sva-tantram — independent, not caring for the so-called scientists and philosophers; abudhasya — of one who does not know (this principle of time); iha — in this material world; kim asat-karmabhiḥ bhavet — what is the use of engaging in temporary fruitive activities.

TRANSLATION

[Nārada Muni had spoken of a physical object made of sharp blades and thunderbolts. The Haryaśvas understood this allegory as follows.] Eternal time moves very sharply, as if made of razors and thunderbolts. Uninterrupted and fully independent, it drives the activities of the entire world. If one does not try to study the eternal element of time, what benefit can he derive from performing temporary material activities?

VERSE 6.5.20

śāstrasya pitur ādeśaṁ
yo na veda nivartakam
kathaṁ tad-anurūpāya
guṇa-visrambhy upakramet

SYNONYMS

śāstrasya — of the scriptures; pituḥ — of the father; ādeśam — the instruction; yaḥ — one who; na — not; veda — understands; nivartakam — which brings about the cessation of the material way of life; katham — how; tat-anurūpāya — to follow the instruction of the śāstras; guṇa-visrambhī — a person entangled in the three modes of material nature; upakramet — can engage in the creation of progeny.

TRANSLATION

[Nārada Muni had asked how one could ignorantly defy one’s own father. The Haryaśvas understood the meaning of this question.] One must accept the original instructions of the śāstra. According to Vedic civilization, one is offered a sacred thread as a sign of second birth. One takes his second birth by dint of having received instructions in the śāstra from a bona fide spiritual master. Therefore, śāstra, scripture, is the real father. All the śāstras instruct that one should end his material way of life. If one does not know the purpose of the father’s orders, the śāstras, he is ignorant. The words of a material father who endeavors to engage his son in material activities are not the real instructions of the father.

VERSE 6.5.21

iti vyavasitā rājan
haryaśvā eka-cetasaḥ
prayayus taṁ parikramya
panthānam anivartanam

SYNONYMS

iti — thus; vyavasitāḥ — being fully convinced by the instructions of Nārada Muni; rājan — O King; haryaśvāḥ — the sons of Prajāpati Dakṣa; eka-cetasaḥ — all being of the same opinion; prayayuḥ — left; tam — Nārada Muni; parikramya — circumambulating; panthānam — on the path; anivartanam — which does not bring one back again to this material world.

TRANSLATION

Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: My dear King, after hearing the instructions of Nārada, the Haryaśvas, the sons of Prajāpati Dakṣa, were firmly convinced. They all believed in his instructions and reached the same conclusion. Having accepted him as their spiritual master, they circumambulated that great sage and followed the path by which one never returns to this world.

VERSE 6.5.22

svara-brahmaṇi nirbhāta-
hṛṣīkeśa-padāmbuje
akhaṇḍaṁ cittam āveśya
lokān anucaran muniḥ

SYNONYMS

svara-brahmaṇi — in spiritual sound; nirbhāta — placing clearly before the mind; hṛṣīkeśa — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, the master of the senses; padāmbuje — the lotus feet; akhaṇḍam — unbroken; cittam — consciousness; āveśya — engaging; lokān — all the planetary systems; anucarat — traveled around; muniḥ — the great sage Nārada Muni.

TRANSLATION

The seven musical notes — ṣa, ṛ, gā, ma, pa, dha and ni — are used in musical instruments, but originally they come from the Sāma Veda. The great sage Nārada vibrates sounds describing the pastimes of the Supreme Lord. By such transcendental vibrations, such as Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, he fixes his mind at the lotus feet of the Lord. Thus he directly perceives Hṛṣīkeśa, the master of the senses. After delivering the Haryaśvas, Nārada Muni continued traveling throughout the planetary systems, his mind always fixed at the lotus feet of the Lord.

VERSE 6.5.23

nāśaṁ niśamya putrāṇāṁ
nāradāc chīla-śālinām
anvatapyata kaḥ śocan
suprajastvaṁ śucāṁ padam

SYNONYMS

nāśam — the loss; niśamya — hearing of; putrāṇām — of his sons; nāradāt — from Nārada; śīla-śālinām — who were the best of well-behaved persons; anvatapyata — suffered; kaḥ — Prajāpati Dakṣa; śocan — lamenting; su-prajastvam — having ten thousand well-behaved sons; śucām — of lamentation; padam — position.

TRANSLATION

The Haryaśvas, the sons of Prajāpati Dakṣa, were very well-behaved, cultured sons, but unfortunately, because of the instructions of Nārada Muni, they deviated from the order of their father. When Dakṣa heard this news, which was brought to him by Nārada Muni, he began to lament. Although he was the father of such good sons, he had lost them all. Certainly this was lamentable.

VERSE 6.5.24

sa bhūyaḥ pāñcajanyāyām
ajena parisāntvitaḥ
putrān ajanayad dakṣaḥ
savalāśvān sahasriṇaḥ

SYNONYMS

saḥ — Prajāpati Dakṣa; bhūyaḥ — again; pāñcajanyāyām — in the womb of his wife Asiknī, or Pāñcajanī; ajena — by Lord Brahmā; parisāntvitaḥ — being pacified; putrān — sons; ajanayat — begot; dakṣaḥ — Prajāpati Dakṣa; savalāśvān — named the Savalāśvas; sahasriṇaḥ — numbering one thousand.

TRANSLATION

When Prajāpati Dakṣa was lamenting for his lost children, Lord Brahmā pacified him with instructions, and thereafter Dakṣa begot one thousand more children in the womb of his wife, Pāñcajanī. This time his sons were known as the Savalāśvas.

VERSE 6.5.25

te ca pitrā samādiṣṭāḥ
prajā-sarge dhṛta-vratāḥ
nārāyaṇa-saro jagmur
yatra siddhāḥ sva-pūrvajāḥ

SYNONYMS

te — these sons (the Savalāśvas); ca — and; pitrā — by their father; samādiṣṭāḥ — being ordered; prajā-sarge — in increasing progeny or population; dhṛta-vratāḥ — accepted vows; nārāyaṇa-saraḥ — the holy lake named Nārāyaṇa-saras; jagmuḥ — went to; yatra — where; siddhāḥ — perfected; sva-pūrva-jāḥ — their older brothers, who had previously gone there.

TRANSLATION

In accordance with their father’s order to beget children, the second group of sons also went to Nārāyaṇa-saras, the same place where their brothers had previously attained perfection by following the instructions of Nārada. Undertaking great vows of austerity, the Savalāśvas remained at that holy place.

VERSE 6.5.26

tad-upasparśanād eva
vinirdhūta-malāśayāḥ
japanto brahma paramaṁ
tepus tatra mahat tapaḥ

SYNONYMS

tat — of that holy place; upasparśanāt — by bathing regularly in the water; eva — indeed; vinirdhūta — completely purified; mala-āśayāḥ — of all the dirt within the heart; japantaḥ — chanting or murmuring; brahma — mantras beginning with om (such as oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ); paramam — the ultimate goal; tepuḥ — performed; tatra — there; mahat — great; tapaḥ — penances.

TRANSLATION

At Nārāyaṇa-saras, the second group of sons performed penances in the same way as the first. They bathed in the holy water, and by its touch all the dirty material desires in their hearts were cleansed away. They murmured mantras beginning with oṁkāra and underwent a severe course of austerities.

VERSE 6.5.27-28

ab-bhakṣāḥ katicin māsān
katicid vāyu-bhojanāḥ
ārādhayan mantram imam
abhyasyanta iḍaspatim

oṁ namo nārāyaṇāya
puruṣāya mahātmane
viśuddha-sattva-dhiṣṇyāya
mahā-haṁsāya dhīmahi

SYNONYMS

ap-bhakṣāḥ — drinking only water; katicit māsān — for some months; katicit — for some; vāyu-bhojanāḥ — merely breathing, or eating air; ārādhayan — worshiped; mantram imam — this mantra, which is nondifferent from Nārāyaṇa; abhyasyantaḥ — practicing; iḍaḥ-patim — the master of all mantras, Lord Viṣṇu; om — O Lord; namaḥ — respectful obeisances; nārāyaṇāya — unto Lord Nārāyaṇa; puruṣāya — the Supreme Person; mahā-ātmane — the exalted Supersoul; viśuddha-sattva-dhiṣṇyāya — who is always situated in the transcendental abode; mahā-haṁsāya — the great swanlike Personality of Godhead; dhīmahi — we always offer.

TRANSLATION

For a few months the sons of Prajāpati Dakṣa drank only water and ate only air. Thus undergoing great austerities, they recited this mantra: “Let us offer our respectful obeisances unto Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is always situated in His transcendental abode. Since He is the Supreme Person [paramahaṁsa], let us offer our respectful obeisances unto Him.”

VERSE 6.5.29

iti tān api rājendra
prajā-sarga-dhiyo muniḥ
upetya nāradaḥ prāha
vācaḥ kūṭāni pūrvavat

SYNONYMS

iti — thus; tān — them (the sons of Prajāpati Dakṣa known as the Savalāśvas); api — also; rājendra — O King Parīkṣit; prajā-sarga-dhiyaḥ — who were under the impression that begetting children was the most important duty; muniḥ — the great sage; upetya — approaching; nāradaḥ — Nārada; prāha — said; vācaḥ — words; kūṭāni — enigmatic; pūrva-vat — as he had done previously.

TRANSLATION

O King Parīkṣit, Nārada Muni approached these sons of Prajāpati Dakṣa, who were engaged in tapasya to beget children, and spoke enigmatic words to them just as he had spoken to their elder brothers.

VERSE 6.5.30

dākṣāyaṇāḥ saṁśṛṇuta
gadato nigamaṁ mama
anvicchatānupadavīṁ
bhrātṝṇāṁ bhrātṛ-vatsalāḥ

SYNONYMS

dākṣāyaṇāḥ — O sons of Prajāpati Dakṣa; saṁśṛṇuta — please hear with attention; gadataḥ — who am speaking; nigamam — instruction; mama — my; anvicchata — follow; anupadavīm — the path; bhrātṝṇām — of your brothers; bhrātṛ-vatsalāḥ — O you who are very much affectionate to your brothers.

TRANSLATION

O sons of Dakṣa, please hear my words of instruction attentively. You are all very affectionate to your elder brothers, the Haryaśvas. Therefore you should follow their path.

VERSE 6.5.31

bhrātṝṇāṁ prāyaṇaṁ bhrātā
yo ’nutiṣṭhati dharmavit
sa puṇya-bandhuḥ puruṣo
marudbhiḥ saha modate

SYNONYMS

bhrātṝṇām — of elder brothers; prāyaṇam — the path; bhrātā — a faithful brother; yaḥ — one who; anutiṣṭhati — follows; dharma-vit — knowing the religious principles; saḥ — that; puṇya-bandhuḥ — highly pious; puruṣaḥ — person; marudbhiḥ — the demigods of the winds; saha — with; modate — enjoys life.

TRANSLATION

A brother aware of the principles of religion follows in the footsteps of his elder brothers. Because of being highly elevated, such a pious brother gets the opportunity to associate and enjoy with demigods like the Maruts, who are all affectionate to their brothers.

VERSE 6.5.32

etāvad uktvā prayayau
nārado ’mogha-darśanaḥ
te ’pi cānvagaman mārgaṁ
bhrātṝṇām eva māriṣa

SYNONYMS

etāvat — this much; uktvā — speaking; prayayau — departed from that place; nāradaḥ — the great sage Nārada; amogha-darśanaḥ — whose glance is all-auspicious; te — they; api — also; ca — and; anvagaman — followed; mārgam — the path; bhrātṝṇām — of their previous brothers; eva — indeed; māriṣa — O great Āryan king.

TRANSLATION

Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: O best of the advanced Āryans, after saying this much to the sons of Prajāpati Dakṣa, Nārada Muni, whose merciful glance never goes in vain, left as he had planned. The sons of Dakṣa followed their elder brothers. Not attempting to produce children, they engaged themselves in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

VERSE 6.5.33

sadhrīcīnaṁ pratīcīnaṁ
parasyānupathaṁ gatāḥ
nādyāpi te nivartante
paścimā yāminīr iva

SYNONYMS

sadhrīcīnam — completely correct; pratīcīnam — obtainable by adopting a mode of life aimed at the highest goal, devotional service; parasya — of the Supreme Lord; anupatham — the pathway; gatāḥ — taking to; na — not; adya api — even until today; te — they (the sons of Prajāpati Dakṣa); nivartante — have come back; paścimāḥ — western (those that have past); yāminīḥ — nights; iva — like.

TRANSLATION

The Savalāśvas took to the correct path, which is obtainable by a mode of life meant to achieve devotional service, or the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Like nights that have gone to the west, they have not returned even until now.

VERSE 6.5.34

etasmin kāla utpātān
bahūn paśyan prajāpatiḥ
pūrvavan nārada-kṛtaṁ
putra-nāśam upāśṛṇot

SYNONYMS

etasmin — at this; kāle — time; utpātān — disturbances; bahūn — many; paśyan — seeing; prajāpatiḥ — Prajāpati Dakṣa; pūrva-vat — like before; nārada — by the great sage Nārada Muni; kṛtam — done; putra-nāśam — the loss of his children; upāśṛṇot — he heard of.

TRANSLATION

At this time, Prajāpati Dakṣa observed many inauspicious signs, and he heard from various sources that his second group of sons, the Savalāśvas, had followed the path of their elder brothers in accordance with the instructions of Nārada.

VERSE 6.5.35

cukrodha nāradāyāsau
putra-śoka-vimūrcchitaḥ
devarṣim upalabhyāha
roṣād visphuritādharaḥ

SYNONYMS

cukrodha — became very angry; nāradāya — at the great sage Nārada Muni; asau — that one (Dakṣa); putra-śoka — due to lamentation for the loss of his children; vimūrcchitaḥ — almost fainting; devarṣim — the great sage Devarṣi Nārada; upalabhya — seeing; āha — he said; roṣāt — out of great anger; visphurita — trembling; adharaḥ — whose lips.

TRANSLATION

When he heard that the Savalāśvas had also left this world to engage in devotional service, Dakṣa was angry at Nārada, and he almost fainted due to lamentation. When Dakṣa met Nārada, Dakṣa’s lips began trembling in anger, and he spoke as follows.

VERSE 6.5.36

śrī-dakṣa uvāca

aho asādho sādhūnāṁ
sādhu-liṅgena nas tvayā
asādhv akāry arbhakāṇāṁ
bhikṣor mārgaḥ pradarśitaḥ

SYNONYMS

śrī-dakṣaḥ uvāca — Prajāpati Dakṣa said; aho asādho — O greatly dishonest nondevotee; sādhūnām — of the society of devotees and great sages; sādhu-liṅgena — wearing the dress of a saintly person; naḥ — unto us; tvayā — by you; asādhu — a dishonesty; akāri — has been done; arbhakāṇām — of poor boys who were very inexperienced; bhikṣoḥ mārgaḥ — the path of a beggar or mendicant sannyāsī; pradarśitaḥ — shown.

TRANSLATION

Prajāpati Dakṣa said: Alas, Nārada Muni, you wear the dress of a saintly person, but you are not actually a saint. Indeed, although I am now in gṛhastha life, I am a saintly person. By showing my sons the path of renunciation, you have done me an abominable injustice.

VERSE 6.5.37

ṛṇais tribhir amuktānām
amīmāṁsita-karmaṇām
vighātaḥ śreyasaḥ pāpa
lokayor ubhayoḥ kṛtaḥ

SYNONYMS

ṛṇaiḥ — from the debts; tribhiḥ — three; amuktānām — of persons not freed; amīmāṁsita — not considering; karmaṇām — the path of duty; vighātaḥ — ruin; śreyasaḥ — of the path of good fortune; pāpa — O most sinful (Nārada Muni); lokayoḥ — of the worlds; ubhayoḥ — both; kṛtaḥ — done.

TRANSLATION

Prajāpati Dakṣa said: My sons were not at all freed from their three debts. Indeed, they did not properly consider their obligations. O Nārada Muni, O personality of sinful action, you have obstructed their progress toward good fortune in this world and the next because they are still indebted to the saintly persons, the demigods and their father.

VERSE 6.5.38

evaṁ tvaṁ niranukrośo
bālānāṁ mati-bhid dhareḥ
pārṣada-madhye carasi
yaśo-hā nirapatrapaḥ

SYNONYMS

evam — thus; tvam — you (Nārada); niranukrośaḥ — without compassion; bālānām — of innocent, inexperienced boys; mati-bhit — contaminating the consciousness; hareḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pārṣada-madhye — among the personal associates; carasi — travel; yaśaḥ- — defaming the Supreme Personality of Godhead; nirapatrapaḥ — (although you do not know what you are doing, you are executing sinful activities) without shame.

TRANSLATION

Prajāpati Dakṣa continued: Thus committing violence against other living entities and yet claiming to be an associate of Lord Viṣṇu, you are defaming the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You needlessly created a mentality of renunciation in innocent boys, and therefore you are shameless and devoid of compassion. How could you travel with the personal associates of the Supreme Lord?

VERSE 6.5.39

nanu bhāgavatā nityaṁ
bhūtānugraha-kātarāḥ
ṛte tvāṁ sauhṛda-ghnaṁ vai
vairaṅ-karam avairiṇām

SYNONYMS

nanu — now; bhāgavatāḥ — devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; nityam — eternally; bhūta-anugraha-kātarāḥ — very much anxious to bestow benedictions upon the fallen conditioned souls; ṛte — except; tvām — yourself; sauhṛda-ghnam — a breaker of friendship (therefore not countable among the bhāgavatas, or devotees of the Lord); vai — indeed; vairam-karam — you create enmity; avairiṇām — toward persons who are not enemies.

TRANSLATION

All the devotees of the Lord but you are very kind to the conditioned souls and are eager to benefit others. Although you wear the dress of a devotee, you create enmity with people who are not your enemies, or you break friendship and create enmity between friends. Are you not ashamed of posing as a devotee while performing these abominable actions?

VERSE 6.5.40

netthaṁ puṁsāṁ virāgaḥ syāt
tvayā kevalinā mṛṣā
manyase yady upaśamaṁ
sneha-pāśa-nikṛntanam

SYNONYMS

na — not; ittham — in this way; puṁsām — of persons; virāgaḥ — renunciation; syāt — is possible; tvayā — by you; kevalinā mṛṣā — possessing knowledge falsely; manyase — you think; yadi — if; upaśamam — renunciation of material enjoyment; sneha-pāśa — the bonds of affection; nikṛntanam — cutting.

TRANSLATION

Prajāpati Dakṣa continued: If you think that simply awakening the sense of renunciation will detach one from the material world, I must say that unless full knowledge is awakened, simply changing dresses as you have done cannot possibly bring detachment.

VERSE 6.5.41

nānubhūya na jānāti
pumān viṣaya-tīkṣṇatām
nirvidyate svayaṁ tasmān
na tathā bhinna-dhīḥ paraiḥ

SYNONYMS

na — not; anubhūya — experiencing; na — not; jānāti — knows; pumān — a person; viṣaya-tīkṣṇatām — the sharpness of material enjoyment; nirvidyate — becomes aloof; svayam — himself; tasmāt — from that; na tathā — not like that; bhinna-dhīḥ — whose intelligence is changed; paraiḥ — by others.

TRANSLATION

Material enjoyment is indeed the cause of all unhappiness, but one cannot give it up unless one has personally experienced how much suffering it is. Therefore one should be allowed to remain in so-called material enjoyment while simultaneously advancing in knowledge to experience the misery of this false material happiness. Then, without help from others, one will find material enjoyment detestful. Those whose minds are changed by others do not become as renounced as those who have personal experience.

VERSE 6.5.42

yan nas tvaṁ karma-sandhānāṁ
sādhūnāṁ gṛhamedhinām
kṛtavān asi durmarṣaṁ
vipriyaṁ tava marṣitam

SYNONYMS

yat — which; naḥ — unto us; tvam — you; karma-sandhānām — who strictly follow the fruitive ritualistic ceremonies according to Vedic injunctions; sādhūnām — who are honest (because we honestly seek elevated social standards and bodily comfort); gṛha-medhinām — although situated with a wife and children; kṛtavān asi — have created; durmarṣam — unbearable; vipriyam — wrong; tava — your; marṣitam — forgiven.

TRANSLATION

Although I live in household life with my wife and children, I honestly follow the Vedic injunctions by engaging in fruitive activities to enjoy life without sinful reactions. I have performed all kinds of yajñas, including the deva-yajña, ṛṣi-yajña, pitṛ-yajña and nṛ-yajña. Because these yajñas are called vratas [vows], I am known as a gṛhavrata. Unfortunately, you have given me great displeasure by misguiding my sons, for no reason, to the path of renunciation. This can be tolerated once.

VERSE 6.5.43

tantu-kṛntana yan nas tvam
abhadram acaraḥ punaḥ
tasmāl lokeṣu te mūḍha
na bhaved bhramataḥ padam

SYNONYMS

tantu-kṛntana — O mischief-monger who have mercilessly separated my sons from me; yat — which; naḥ — unto us; tvam — you; abhadram — an inauspicious thing; acaraḥ — have done; punaḥ — again; tasmāt — therefore; lokeṣu — in all the planetary systems within the universe; te — of you; mūḍha — O rascal not knowing how to act; na — not; bhavet — there may be; bhramataḥ — who are wandering; padam — an abode.

TRANSLATION

You have made me lose my sons once, and now you have again done the same inauspicious thing. Therefore you are a rascal who does not know how to behave toward others. You may travel all over the universe, but I curse you to have no residence anywhere.

VERSE 6.5.44

śrī-śuka uvāca

pratijagrāha tad bāḍhaṁ
nāradaḥ sādhu-sammataḥ
etāvān sādhu-vādo hi
titikṣeteśvaraḥ svayam

SYNONYMS

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; pratijagrāha — accepted; tat — that; bāḍham — so be it; nāradaḥ — Nārada Muni; sādhu-sammataḥ — who is an approved sādhu; etāvān — this much; sādhu-vādaḥ — appropriate for a saintly person; hi — indeed; titikṣeta — he may tolerate; īśvaraḥ — although able to curse Prajāpati Dakṣa; svayam — himself.

TRANSLATION

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: My dear King, since Nārada Muni is an approved saintly person, when cursed by Prajāpati Dakṣa he replied, “tad bāḍham: Yes, what you have said is good. I accept this curse.” He could have cursed Prajāpati Dakṣa in return, but because he is a tolerant and merciful sādhu, he took no action.