27 verses
Maitreya said: The singers, pleased by hearing his sweet words, then praised Pṛthu, who had just spoken, as order by the sages.
We are not capable of describing the glories of you, the best of devas, who appear in this world by your mercy. The intelligence of eloquent persons such as Brahmā has become bewildered at the activities of you, born from the limb of Vena.
We are not capable (na alam). Māyayā means by mercy or along with your śakti Arci. The intelligence of even Brahmā is bewildered by your activities.
Still, eager for the sweetness of your topics, encouraged by the sages, we will now describe as instructed the praiseworthy pastimes of the most famous Pṛthu, a portion of the Lord.
The sages have entered our hearts and according to their instructions only we will offer praise.
Pṛthu, the best upholder of dharma, the protector of principles of dharma, the punisher of the opposers of dharma, engages the world in dharma.
For their prosperity, he alone maintains the bodies of the devatās within his own form for the benefit of this world and the heavenly abode at all times.
He alone maintains the bodies of the devatās at all times for the benefit of Svarga through spreading performance of sacrifice and for the benefit of earth by arranging rainfall and other facilities, for their prosperity. Bhagam means prosperity, desire, greatness, power, gem, the sun and fame according to Amara-koṣa.
Equal to all beings, powerful Pṛthu, shining like the sun, levies taxes and releases funds at the appropriate time.
Eight verses describe how Pṛthu maintains the sun and other deities. He receives wealth when levying taxes and releases wealth in times of famine, just as the sun for eight months evaporates water, and then during monsoon season releases water.
Like the earth, he tolerates when opposing parties disrespect him and is always merciful to the suffering people.
He tolerates violations (akramam). He has the nature of the earth (kṣiti-vṛttimān).
When the devatās do not give rain, the Lord in a kings body, like Indra, will protect the suffering citizens easily by supplying rain.
He will protect the citizens by supplying the rain himself, like Indra.
He pleases the world by his moon-like face, his affectionate glance and charming, cheerful smile.
His face is like the moon (amṛta-mūrtinā). This verse explains how he holds the body of the moon within himself.
His paths of entry and exit are unknown. The results of his actions are not known before they manifest. His intentions in action are unclear. His wealth and knowledge are very secret. He has the greatness, qualities and superior strength of Viṣṇu. Pṛthu, like Varuṇa, covers his qualities.
His path of entering and leaving is not clear. The effects of his acts are not known before they manifest (nigūòha-kāryaḥ). His intentions in doing something are unknown. His wealth and knowledge are very secret. He has the greatness and qualities and the chief influence of Viṣṇu. His nature is unseen by others, like Varuṇa (pracetā). The above qualities are seen in Varuṇa as the controller of the ocean.
His enemies cannot approach, and if they do, they cannot tolerate his strength. Though present, he seems to be far away. He cannot be conquered. He is like fire, arising from the araṇi wood of Vena.
He is not near the evil enemies and when close he is intolerable to them. The best of enemies cannot tolerate him. He arose from churning the araṇi wood in the form of Vena.
Seeing all the actions of all beings internally and externally by spies, he will seem to be an unattached. He is like sūtrātmā, pervading the universe. He is the superintendent, like the antaryāmī.
Seeing by behavior and spies (cāraṇaiḥ), he will be unattached (udāsīnaḥ). Though attached to his servants and ministers, he will appear to them to be unattached. He is like sūtrātmā (vāyuḥ), the thread passing through the whole universe. He is the superintendent, like antaryāmī (ātmā).
Situated in dharma, he will not punish his enemys son if he does not deserve to be punished and he will punish even his own son if he deserves punishment.
As far as the sun shines with its rays, the jurisdiction of Pṛthu will remain unimpeded up to Mānasottara Mountain.
Cakram means his order, his army or the wheel of his chariot. His influence will spread up to Mānasottara Mountain. What extent is that? It is as far as the suns rays extend.
Because he will please (rañjayiṣyati) the world by his activities which are pleasing to the mind, the citizens will call him the King (rāja).
Because the world will be pleased by his acts which give happiness to the mind (manaḥ rañjanakaiḥ), they will call him king. Rāja is derived in two ways. Some say rāja comes from rājati (he shines). Here it is said that rāja comes from rañjayati (he attracts or pleases).
He will be fixed in his vows, true to his promise, respectful to brāhmaṇas and elders, a protector of all beings, giving respect to all beings, and kind to the suffering.
Satya-sandhaḥ means true to his promise. He will be true to scriptural vows (dṛdha-vrataḥ), and everyday promises (satya-sandhaḥ). That is the difference.
He will treat other women as his mother, and have affection for his one wife as if she were half of his body. He will have affection like a father for the citizens. He will be a servant of the followers of the Vedas.
He will be affectionate to his wife as if she were half his body.
He will consider all beings as himself, will increase joy for his friends, take association of the detached and punish the wicked.
He will increase happiness (nandi-vardhanaḥ) in friends. He will take association of materially detached persons (mukta-saḍga).
The King, directly the Lord, master of the three worlds, unchanging, antaryāmī, has appeared as portion of the Lord. In him the sages see that the appearance of variety created by ignorance is meaningless.
In the Lord, sages present see variety, made of ignorance, to be meaningless or insubstantial, like variety in a dream, perceived by the imposition of gross and subtle bodies on the jīva.
The most heroic protector, the King of kings, situated on his victory chariot, with bow in hand, will circumambulate the whole earth clockwise from the Sunrise Mountain, like the sun.
He will travel clockwise, extending up to Sunrise Mountain.
Everywhere, the kings along with the devatās will offer tribute, and their wives, glorifying his fame, will understand that Pṛthu with his cakra is the first king.
The wives, glorifying him, will know him as the first king.
Just as Indra easily broke the mountains with the tip of his bow and leveled the earth, the King of kings, master of the citizens, the provider of maintenance, milked the earth as a cow.
How did the women glorify Pṛṭhu? Four verses answer. (Thus the verses are in the past tense.) Just as Indra broke mountains with the tip of his bow, Pṛthu would milk the earth.
When he traveled the earth during battle, twanging his irresistible bow made of cow and goat horn, like a lion with raised tail, the sinful fled away in all directions.
Just as a lion walking about with raised tail, Pṛthu wandered the earth twanging his bow.
The King performed a hundred horse sacrifices where the Sarasvatī River appeared. During the last sacrifice, Indra, performer of a hundred sacrifices, stole the horse.
Meeting the great Sanat-kumāra alone in his palace garden and worshipping him with devotion, Pṛthu attained spotless knowledge by which the yogīs know the supreme Brahman.
Thus here and there with various words of this sort, Pṛthu, of famous courage and great strength, will hear songs that they skillfully composed.
In various places, famous words will be spoken by these women. Ātma-āśritāḥ means stories told by their own skills. The verbs are in past tense, since when they glorified Pṛthu, the events had already occurred.
Conquering the directions, having unchecked power, uprooting the miseries of the people by his prowess, and glorified by the leaders of the devatās and demons, he will become a leader of great authority.
Thus ends the commentary on the Sixteenth Chapter of the Fourth Canto of the Bhāgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous ācāryas.
In the Sixteenth Chapter the bards, ordered by the sages, praise Pṛthu, describing how he would milk the earth in the future.