The Descriptions of the Characteristics of King Purañjana

Starting from the Twenty-fifth Chapter, for five chapters, Nārada awakens King Barhiṣat, who is absorbed in karma-yoga, using the story of King Purañjana. In the Twenty-fifth Chapter King Purañjana meets his wife in his city with nine gates and enjoys with her.

While Śiva taught the Pracetās his song, Nārada was teaching their father jñāna, vairāgya and bhakti through the story of Purañjana. Without completing the story of the Pracetās, Maitreya now speaks about their father. Nārada was merciful, thinking, “This king in the dynasty of my dear devotee Dhruva is enamored by karma. I will save him.”

Benefit is not seen (iṣyate) in karma, since the happiness attained by karma is mixed with suffering and is temporary.

Karmāpaviddha-dhīḥ means “my intelligence bewildered by karma.”

All householders are like me.

By his power of yoga Nārada directly showed the King the sacrificial animals killed in order to make him detached from the results of karma-yoga. Sañjñapitām means killed.

They are waiting for you, thinking “When will he die?” They remember that you cut their bodies (vaiśasam). They will cut you with horns made of iron when you are dead. He speaks in the present tense, to indicate that the time is not far off.

Nārada considered. I will enlighten the King who is fond of material stories, with this material story. I will awaken him to his condition by relating a different story, using the ornament of aprastuta-praśaṁsa (conveying the message by something which is different). The meaning of the sentence is clear. However, actually this is story about you, who create (janayati) your body (puram) by your actions. It is ancient because it starts before you entered the womb of your mother.

It will be explained five chapters later that Purañjana is King Barhiṣat. However, for easy understanding I will explain the story as it is. Purañjana is the jīva. Because he exists (rāj) with soul and other elements, he is called a king (raja). Śravāḥ means fame or hearing. Because he is famous for being intent on hearing about activities to produce happiness in the present and future, he is called śravāḥ, one who hears. The friend whose name and activities were unknown to him is the Supreme Lord. Or the friend has recognized activities (vijñāta-ceṣtitaḥ), such as inspiring the jīva, since he knows the dependent nature of the jīva.

Śaraṇam means a place to live, a place for enjoyment, the body. He wandered through various births in various forms because he could not find all the happiness he desired. He was “as if morose,” since he was not actually morose on getting pleasure in a pig’s body.

Though attaining material happiness everywhere in all the houses, he did not consider it enough for satisfying his desires, since cow bodies and other were not suitable for enjoyment. Yāvatīḥ should be yāvatyaḥ. The Śruti also explains how the bodies are unsuitable:

tābhyo gāmānayat. tā abruvan na vai no ’yamalam iti. tābhyo ’śvamānāt. tā abruvan na vai no ’yamalamiti.” iti tattaddehānāmasādhumananañca

He brought them a cow. They said, “That is not suitable.” He brought them a horse. They said, “That is not suitable.” Aitareya Upaniṣad 1.2.2

Śruti also shows how even in the womb one has awareness:

garbha-daśāyām eva mṛtaś cāhaṁ punar jātaṁ

Lying in the womb, having died, I was again born.

In Bhārata, in the land of karma, as a result of performing actions to get human body, he saw a human body (puram) which had visibly good qualities. This means he was not blind or born in a low caste.

The walls are the skin. The groves are the sense objects. The tower is the mouth. The moat is the combination of guṇas. Parikhaiḥ (masculine form instead of feminine) is poetic license. The lattices are the hair pores. The gates are the eyes and other openings. Gold, silver and iron refer to pitta, kapha and vāta or the three natures of sattva, rajas and tamas. The houses are the cakras in the body.

The palace had places made of ruby which are places within the heart, throat and brow. The other jeweled places represent the nādīs. Bhogavarī is a city of the Nāgas. It seemed to have pleasure, but actually did not.

Sabhā means a place for the King to sit. It means the heart, where the jīva is situated. The intersection refers to the place below the palate where the passages for the mouth, nose, eyes and ears meet. The main road is the suṣumnā, iòā and piḍgalā running down the spine. The gambling houses are the gross locations of the senses. The market is the gross mind (brain). The resting place (caitya) is within the citta. The flags are aversion to the Lord and the banners are the five miseries. The coral stages are the spaces within the various cakras.

nānāraṇya-mṛga-vrātair

anābādhe muni-vrataiḥ

āhūtaṁ manyate pāntho

yatra kokila-kūjitaiḥ

Outside the city in groves of beautiful trees and creepers, with ponds resounding with the cries of flocks of birds and humming of bees, with lakes having banks abundant with lotuses and trees, whose branches moved in the spring wind laden with water drops from cool waterfalls, where cuckoos warbled as if calling out to travelers, there were various non-violent forest animals free of troubles, and no violent animals.

In three verses, the variety of sense objects are described as the various items in the grove outside the city, in order to convey how the jīva becomes fixed in his body by concentrating on sense objects.

The King saw a beautiful woman who arrived on her own. That is the intelligence, functioning with ignorance. This means that the initial relationship of jīva with intelligence arises without cause.

In terms of the story this may be said. “O King! Someone like you should never bring a beautiful woman into the grove. If you by accident meet, see or touch her, you will be condemned.” In terms of the soul, the intelligence should not be exposed to enjoyable objects like sound and touch. If by accident one contacts them, one should repent. This rule is suggested.

What are the sense objects? There were beautiful trees, or various forms. There were the calls of birds, or various attractive sounds. The trees had branches moving in the spring breeze, filled with water drops from water falls, growing abundantly on banks of lakes with lotuses. The cool water is the sense of taste and the spring breeze is smell. The breeze is touch. The description of the branches moving in the breeze shows the variety of the five sense objects available, since with the branch, birds, flowers, fruit, wind and water necessarily exist. The forest was without violent animals (anāvādhe), and endowed with non-violent animals (muni-vrtaiḥ). Because the Kind had accrued pious results and had no sinful reactions, his enjoyment was not troubled by obstacles. It seemed that the cuckoos warbling were inviting a guest to relax there. This means that, in the body, the person divides up his enjoyment and offers it to family members, friends and brāhmaṇa guests. He beckons them with his fame (for wealth). The ten servants are the knowledge and action senses. Each sense has infinite actions or courtesans. Another version has nāyikaiḥ, which would mean female attendants.

The intelligence was protected by a door keeper (pratīhareṇa) with five heads, the five functions of prāṇa. The master is the jīva, the enjoyer of the intelligence. She was gentle, unmarried (apraudhām). Just as she attracted a husband, the intelligence with ignorance attracts the jīva. She was always wearing various ornaments (kāma-rūpiṇīm). This means that she was filled with various impressions.

Her beautiful nose represents the knowledge of smell, a function of intelligence. Her teeth represent the ability to taste flavors and to hew. Her forehead represents the clarity of intelligence. Her face represents the superior part of intelligence. Her ears were placed skillfully by the creator, sparkling with earrings, for understanding the meaning of the scriptures concerning enjoyment and liberation.

Her yellow clothe means the intelligence is covered by actions in rajas. The color of intelligence is blackish. As a cloud covers the sun, intelligence covers the Lord for the jīva. Walking on two feet with the sound of ankle bells indicates that the intelligence is unsteady in hearing scriptures. Nūpuraiḥ is in the plural to indicate not only the bells on the feet, but also on the toes.

Her breasts represent attachment and repulsion.

indriyasyendriyasyārthe rāga-dveṣau vyavasthitau |

tayor na vaśam āgacchet tau hy asya paripanthinau ||

Attachment and repulsion are firmly fixed in each of the sense objects. One should not come under control of attachment and repulsion. They are the two obstacles. BG 3.34

Her breasts were youthful. A person may be old, but attachment and hatred are always young. This is seen in the world. Her breasts were equally rounded. Attraction and repulsion equally bewilder the human. Her breasts had no space between, being very full at their bases. Attraction and repulsion actually are not different, for it is said kāma eṣa krodha eṣa rajoguṇasamudbhavaḥ: attraction transforms into anger. (BG 3. 37) Just as she tried to hide her breasts with her cloth, cultured people try to hide attraction and repulsion.

The jīva by his free will becomes bound by the function of ignorance. To show that the Lord does not bind the jīva with ignorance by force, how they establish a relationship is explained. Because of her affection she continually glanced at him. The arrow pierced him up to its shaft. Because he was courageous (vīraḥ) he did not grow tired. He was energetic to obtain enjoyment. The meaning is this. Ignorance shows itself to be the object of enjoyment. The jīva, accepting himself as the enjoyer, thinking that there is some enjoyment in ignorance, pursues enjoyment. The Lord, knowing there is nothing to enjoy in ignorance, remains aloof.

Even though the jīva is always situated with the intelligence and other factors, for the jīva in the human body the intelligence and other factors become outstanding. Because of attraction, he asks her questions as if not knowing her. From which place did you come? What do you want to do in the neighborhood of the city (upapurīm)?

Anupathā means followers. There are eleven powerful guards. “Powerful” indicates the mind. The women attendants are the functions of the senses. The snake, which has become a plaything, is the prāṇa.

One considers one’s intelligence to be excellent, and attractive to all people, because of lack of discernment. This is indicated by the King’s statements. Seeing her shyness because she covered her face and eyes, he says she is personified shyness, not just shy. That is attracting me. Are you looking for a husband who follows dharma in the forest alone? This indicates that he is attracted by the sweetness of intelligence. Noticing her beauty, he says “Are you the wife of Śiva? Are you looking for your husband Śiva?” Seeing her great intelligence, he asks, “Are you Sarasvatī (vāk)? Are you looking for your husband Brahmā?” Seeing her great wealth, he asks “Are you Lakṣmī (ramā), looking for Viṣṇu?” You have controlled your senses like a sage. What kind of husband do you have? He has fulfilled all desires by desiring your lotus feet. It is commonly said that for all people, all types of wealth are dependent on the strength of one’s intelligence. The lotus bud is the discerning power of the jīva. It is under her control though no one can see this. She has thrown it away.

He negates his previous questions to show that she is suitable for him. O beautiful woman! Because your feet touch the earth you are none of these. Devatās do not touch the earth. Vīra-vareṇa refers to the king. Param is Vaikuṇṭha. By a little consideration, one can understand that one’s intelligence is not the best, but people think that they have the best intelligence.

Since Cupid (manobhavaḥ), inspired by your glances, is attacking me, whose eye is shattered by your glance, be merciful. His eye of knowledge is shattered. His impressions of sense objects, produced specially (upaspṛṣtaḥ) by intelligence, attack him. Give me enjoyment of your sense objects such as sound and touch. Actually he should pray “Please give me knowledge, vidyā, your sister.”

The lusty jīva with no memory shows his bewilderment. Valgu-vācakaṁ means “who speak attractive words.” Show that face which you do not point towards me. O Avidyā, ignorance! You have cheated me of spiritual bliss but now provide a wealth of sense objects so that I can enjoy. Give up your stubbornness. The face with beautiful features indicates form, taste, smell, touch and sound. He prays to enjoy them.

Purañjana was foolish or seemingly foolish (adhīravat). Actually he was intelligent, having knowledge by his very nature. O valiant King! I have told you a story about yourself. Just as the jīva is attracted to sweetness of sense objects by the intelligence, the intelligence can be attracted (mohitā) to spiritual sweetness by the jīva.

I do not know the answers to your questions. In the context of the story, the King understood that she must be the daughter of some Apsarā who came to bewilder a sage. The spiritual meaning is the ignorance which covers the knowledge of the jīva should not claim to know the Lord. I do not know into which lineage I was born, nor my name.

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What do you know? I do not know by whom my shelter, this city, was built. The King understood that the city was built by some sage like Kardama by his power of yoga for material enjoyment.

She answers his question about her followers. The male friends are the senses and the female attendants are the actions of the senses. When I sleep along with my associates, the snake, prāṇa remains awake. When dreaming, the senses do not function and in deep sleep even the mind and intelligence do not function. But the prāṇa remains active.

By good fortune, you have attained a human body. I will supply you with enjoyment with my male and female associates.

It is said the life span after entering the human body is one hundred years (samāḥ).

Looking for a husband, I now see you, who have arrived suddenly. I will not look any further. Her intelligence follows dharma, since it is rajas mixed with a little sattva. She criticizes persons covered by intelligence which is predominantly in tamas and sattva in five verses. If one is born as a tree, one is completely ignorant of sexual enjoyment (arati-jñam). If one is born as an animal though one can enjoy sex, it is still without skill (akovidam). Though as brāhmaṇas and vaiśyas one can enjoy sex with skill, one has no experience of battle (asamparāyaḥ). One is without courage. If one is a kṣatriyas, one has courage, but he has no knowledge of what will happen tomorrow or the next day or after death. Therefore he is without dharma, like an animal.

She glorifies household life which bestows the three goals. Prajānanadaḥ means bliss arising from union to produce children or the bliss of raising children. Amṛtam is what is eaten as remnants of sacrifice. Medinī says that amṛta means the remnants of sacrifice, nectar, water, and ghee. Lokāḥ means the places one attains by doing sacrifice. She does not approve of the fourth goal, liberation, difficult to attain. This indicates that sattvic intelligence is criticized. Of course, from the spiritual point of view, recommending only the first three goals is a result of ignorance.

Householder life gives happiness to all. Asmin bhave means “in the human form of life.” They say what gives shelter is the household āśrama.

What woman’s mind would not take notice of your arms, and what woman would not be totally attracted to your arms? You wander about to remove the inner suffering of women like me who are without shelter, by your smiling glance. O man of extraordinary mercy! With the jīva’s consciousness, the intelligence and other factors have a protector.

Samayam samudīrya means speaking an agreement.

Their waking state was summarized by saying they enjoyed for a hundred years. Now the sleeping state is described. Playing with women describes his dream state. Because the senses do not function, the actions continue by the impressions of the senses (the women). Then the state of deep sleep is described. He entered the river, the space in the heart, where the jīva resides during deep sleep. Śucau means during the summer or during deep sleep.

The waking state is now described in detail, showing the nine gates. In the upper part of the city, in the tower, there were seven gates: two ears, two eyes, two nostrils and mouth. In the lower part of the city there were two gates: anus and penis. The lord of the city was Purañjana.

Of the seven gates five faced east (paurastyāḥ) and the right ear faced south while the left ear faced north.

The left eye is weaker like a firefly and the right eye is stronger. Śruti says tasmād dakṣiṇāḍgam ātmano vīryavattaram: the limbs on the right side of the body are stronger. They were next to each other (ekatra). Vibhrājitam means form. Dyumat sakhāh means he went with Dyumat, the eye sense organ.

Nala and nāla mean holes. The left and right nostrils were facing east. The presiding deity of the nose is Vāyu, called Avadhūta. He went to place called Saurabha, since it was fragrant. This means the sense object smell.

The mouth is called the chief because it gives life to everything else. By that one gate the King went to two places. By each of the two other doors mentioned he only went one place. Thus this one door is superior. This is the mouth. It is used for speaking (āpaṇa) and taking food (bahūdanaḥ). This word is used instead of bahvodana, since it speaks of the past. Rasajñam is the tongue and vipaṇaḥ is the voice.

O King! Dakṣiṇena means facing south.

Uttarena means in the northern direction. Śrutadhara is the ear. By the right ear which is stronger, one first hears karma-kāṇòa. By the left ear one hears jñāna-kāṇòa. Thus they are given different names (Pitṛhū and Devahū). Since one first understands about the five sense objects through the ear, the sense object sound is called pañcāla.

Asuras like to enjoy the senses. Therefore the gate is called Āsurī. Grāmaka means pleasure (ka) of the materialistic people (grama), sex life, using the sense organ Durmada (infatuated).

Nirṛti (destruction) is the anus, since it is the gate of death. Vaiśasam (slaughter) means excretion. Then organ1 is called Lubdhaka (greedy) because the pain endured to attain fortune is similar to the pain of excreting.

Nirvāk is the feet and Peśaskṛt is the hands. They are blind because they do not have openings. Akṣanvatām means he was the ruler of the gates and the senses.

Antaḥpura is the heart. Viṣūśī, the mind, means “wandering everywhere.” Illusion arises from tamas, satisfaction from sattva and joy from rajas. His wife was the intelligence and the children were objects of intelligence such as generalizing, particularizing, ascertaining and realizing.

These verses explain the conditioning imposed on the jīva. Jakṣyantyām means “when she chewed.” It is said:

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ |

ahaḍkāra-vimūòhātmā kartāham iti manyate ||

The person bewildered by pride thinks that he is the doer of actions which are being done completely by the senses made of prakṛti. BG 3.27

Āsatīm stands for āsīnām (when she sat).

When the Queen heard something, he would hear the same thing. When the Queen saw something, the King would also see, and when the Queen smelled something, the King would smell the same thing. When the Queen touched something, the King would also touch it. When the Queen lamented, King also lamented in misery. When the Queen felt joy, he also felt joy, and when the Queen was satisfied, the King also felt satisfaction.

Vipralabdhaḥ means “having specially attained a condition in this way.” Specially conditioned by the intelligence, at all times cheated of his nature of knowledge and bliss (sarva-prakṛti), giving up his nature, not wanting to because of his nature, but coming under the control of another (klaibyāt), assuming a different nature, he followed her. He imposed these qualities over the soul.

Thus ends the commentary on the Twenty-fifth Chapter of the Fourth Canto of the Bhāgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous ācāryas.