Chapter Twelve Pancajana-purvakhyana Pancajana's Previous Birth

sri-bahulacva uvaca canuradyac ca ye mallas te ke purvam ihagatah aho sri-krsnacandrena yesam yuddham babhuva ha sri-bahulacva uvaca - Sri Bahulacva said; canuradyah - headed by Canura; ca - and; ye - which; mallah - wrestlers; te - they; ke - who?; purvam - previously; iha - here; agatah - come; ahah - Oh; sri-krsnacandrena - by Sri Krsna; yesam - of whom; yuddham - the fight; babhuva - was; ha - indeed. Sri Bahulacva said: In their previous births who were Canura and the other wrestlers that fought with Lord Krsna?

sri-narada uvaca rajan puramaravatyam utathyo 'sti maha-munih tasyabhavan panca putrah kamadeva-sama-prabhah sri-narada uvaca - Sri Narada said; rajan - O king; pura - previously; amaravatyam - - in Amaravati; utathyah - Utathya; asti - is; maha-munih - a great sage; tasya - of him; abhavan - were; pa 24ca - five; putrah - sons; kamadeva-sama-prabhah - handsome as Kamadeva. Sri Narada said: O king, in ancient times there was a great sage named Utathya, who lived in Amaravati. He had five sons handsome as Kamadeva.

hitva vidyam cadhyayanam japam tena sahaiva te gatva baler malla-yuddham sadaciksan madoddhatah hitva - abandoning; vidyam - knowledge; ca - and; adhyayanam - study; japam - chanting; tena - by him; saha - with; eva - indeed; te - they; gatva - going; baleh - of Bali; malla-yuddham - wrestling; sada - always; aciksan - - studied; madoddhatah - wild. Abandoning their studies and mantra-chanting, these wild sons went to King Bali's wrestling camp and studied wrestling daily.

brahma-karma-paribhrastan vedadhyayana-varjitan rusa praha sa tan mattan utathyo muni-sattamah brahma-karma-paribhrastan - abandoning their brahminical duties; vedadhyayana-varjitan - not studying the Vedas; rusa - angrily; praha - said; sa - he; tan - to them; mattan - wild; utathyah - Utathya; muni-sattamah - the best of sages. Utathya, the best of sages, angrily spoke to his sons, who had neglected their Vedic studies and brahminical duties.

sri-utathya uvaca camo damas tapah caucam ksantir arjavam eva ca jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma sva-bhava-jam sri-utathya uvaca - Sri Uatathya said; camah - peacefulness; damah - self-control; tapah - austerity; caucam - purity; ksantih - tolerance; arjavam - honesty; eva - certainly; ca - and; jnanam - wisdom; vijnanam - knowledge; astikyam - religiousness; brahma - of a brahmana; karma - duty; sva-bhava-jam - born of his own nature. Sri Utathya said: Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, wisdom, knowledge, and religiousness-these are the qualities by which the brahmanas work.*

cauryam tejo dhrtir daksyam yuddhe capy apalayanam danam icvara-bhavac ca ksatram karma sva-bhava-jam cauryam - heroisom; tejah - power; dhrtih - determination; daksyam - resourcefulness; yuddhe - in battle; ca - also; api - and; apalayanam - not fleeing; danam - generosity; icvara - leadership; bhavah - nature; ca - and; ksatram - ksatriya; karma - duty; sva-bhava-jam - born of his own nature. Heroism, power, determination, resourcefulness, courage in battle, generosity, and leadership are the qualities of work for the ksatriyas.*

krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam vaicya-karma sva-bhava-jam paricaryatmakam karma cudrasyapi sva-bhava-jam krsi - plowing; gah - cows; raksya - protection; vanijyam - trade; vaicya - vaicya; karma-duty; sva-bhava-jam - born of his own nature; paricarya - service; atmakam - nature; karma - duty; cudrasya - of the cudra; api - also; sva-bhava-jam - born of his own nature. Farming, cow-protection, and business are the qualities of work for the vaicyas, and for the cudras there is labor and service to others.*

brahma-karma-parityakta bhavanto brahmanah sutah malla-yuddham ksatra-yuddham katham kuruta durjanah brahma-karma-parityakta - abandoned brahminical duties; bhavantah - you; brahmanah - of a brahmana; sutah - the sons; malla-yuddham - wrestling; ksatra-yuddham - ksatriya fighting; katham - why?; kuruta - do; durjanah - rogues. Rogues, why do you, a brahmana's sons, reject your brahminical duties and engage in wrestling, a ksatriya's work.

tasmad bhavanto bhuyasur malla vai bharatajire asuranam prasaggena durjana bhavatacu hi tasmat - therefore; bhavantah - you; bhuya asuh - become; malla - wrestlers; vai - indeed; bharatajire - in Bharata; asuranam - of demons; prasaggena - with the association; durjana - wicked; bhavata - become; acu - at once; hi - indeed. I curse you to become wrestlers in Bharata-varsa. By associating with demons you will become demons yourselves.

sri-narada uvaca utathyasya sutas te vai jata malla mahi-tale sri-krsnagga-sparca-matrat param moksam yayur nrpa sri-narada uvaca - Sri Narada said; utathyasya - Utathya; sutah - the sons; te - they; vai - indeed; jata - born; malla - wrestlers; mahi-tale - on the earth; sri-krsnagga-sparca-matrat - by the touch of Sri Krsna; param - great; moksam - liberation; yayuh - attained; nrpa - O king. Sri Narada said: In this way Utathya's sons were born as wrestlers on the earth. O king, simply by the touch of Lord Krsna's body they attained liberation.

canuro mustikah kutah calas tocala eva ca esam caritram kathitam kim bhuyah crotum icchasi canurah - Canura; mustikah - mustika;kutah - Kuta; calah - Sala; tocala - Tocala; eva - indeed; ca - and; esam - of them; caritram - activities; kathitam - described; kim - what?; bhuyah - more; crotum - to hear; icchasi - you wish. In this way I have described the activities of Canura, Mustika, Kuta, Sala, and Tocala. What more do you wish to hear?

sri-bahulacva uvaca kamsanuja bhrataro 'stau kagka-nyagrodhakadayah te ke purvam vada mune ye 'pi moksam param gatah sri-bahulacva uvaca - Sri Bahulacva said; kamsanuja bhratarah - the younger brothers of Kamsa; astau - eight; kagka-nyagrodhaka-adayah - headed by Kanka and Nyagrodha; te - they; ke - who?; purvam - before; vada - please tell; mune - O sage; ye - who; api - also; moksam - liberation; param - great; gatah - attained. Sri Bahulacva said: Kamsa's had eight younger brothers, headed by Kagka and Nyagrodha, who attained liberation. Who were they in their previous births. O sage, please tell me this.

sri-narada uvaca alakayam pura yakso devayaksa iti smrtah jnani jnana-paro manyah civa-bhaktya maha-dyutih sri-narada uvaca - Sri Narada said; alakayam - in Alaka-puri; pura - previously; yaksah - Yaksa; devayaksa - Devayaksa; iti - thus; smrtah - considered; jnani - wise; jnana-parah - devoted to knowledge; manyah - honorable; civa-bhaktya - with devotion to Lord Siva; maha-dyutih - very splendid. Sri Narada said: In ancient times there was a Yaksa named Devayaksa, who lived in Alaka-puri. He was wise, learned, glorious, and sincerely devoted to Lord Siva.

tasya castau suta jata devakuto mahagirih gando dandah pracandac ca khando 'khandah prthus tatha tasya - of him; ca - and; astau - eight; suta - sons; jata - born; devakutah - Devakuta; mahagirih - Mahagiri; gandah - Ganda; dandah - Danda; pracandah - Pracanda; ca - and; khanda - Khanda; akhandah - Akhanda; prthuh - Prthu; tatha - so. He had eight sons, who were named Devakuta, Mahagiri, Ganda, Danda, Pracanda, Khanda, Akhanda, and Prthu.

ekada civa-pujayam devayaksena noditah sahasram pundarikani cahartum arunodaye ekada - one day; civa-pujayam - in the worship of Lord Siva; devayaksena - by Devayaksa; noditah - sent; sahasram - a thousand; pundarikani - lotuses; ca - and; ahartum - to take; arunodaye - at sunrise. One time Devayaksa sent them to pick, for the worship of Lord Siva, a thousand lotus flowers at sunrise.

puspani manasan nitva cabditani madhu-vrataih aghraya gandha-lobhena dadus te janakaya vai puspani - the flowers; manasat - from Manasa-sarovara; nitva - taking; cabditani - with the sounds; madhu-vrataih - of bees; aghraya - smelling; gandha - for the fragrance; lobhena - with greed; daduh - gave; te - they; janakaya - to their father; vai - indeed. From Manasa-sarovara, they took many flowers filled with the humming of bees. After greedily smelling them, they gave them to their father.

ucchisti-krta-dosena civa-puja tiras-krta asurim yonim apanna mudhas te janmabhis tribhih ucchisti-krta - of being remnants; dosena - with the fault; civa-puja - the worship of Lord Siva; tiras-krta - upset; asurim - demonic; yonim - birth; apannah - attained; mudhah - bewildered; te - they; janmabhih - with births; tribhih - three. The worship of Lord Siva became ruined by offering these already-smelled flowers. The foolish sons became demons for three births.

hastabhyam sagkarabhyam ca baladevasya maithila param moksam gatas te vai dosan mukta videha-rat hastabhyam - with both hands; sagkarabhyam - auspicious; ca - and; baladevasya - of Balarama; maithila - O king of Mithila; param - great; moksam - liberation; gatah - attained; te - they; vai - indeed; dosat - from the sin; mukta - freed; videha-rat - O king of Videha. O king of Videha, by the touch of Lord Balarama's auspicious hands the sons became free of their sin and attained liberation.

kamsanujanam vyakhyanam purva-janma-bhavam nrpa idam maya te kathitam kim bhuyah crotum icchasi kamsanujanam - of the younger brothers of Kamsa; vyakhyanam - the account; purva-janma-bhavam - of the previous births; nrpa - O king; idam - this; maya - by me; te - to you; kathitam - spoken; kim - what?; bhuyah - more; crotum - to hear; icchasi - you wish. O king, in this way I have described to you the previous births of Kamsa's eight younger brothers. What more do you wish to hear?

sri-bahulacva uvaca ko 'yam pura pancajano daityah cagkha-vapur-dharah tasya cagkho babhau brahman sri-krsna-kara-pagkaje sri-bahulacva uvaca - Sri Bahulacva said; kah - who?; ayam - he; pura - before; pa 24cajanah - Pancajana; daityah - the demon; cagkha-vapur-dharah - having the form of a conch; tasya - of him; cagkhah - the conch; babhau - became; brahman - O brahmana; sri-krsna-kara-pagkaje - in Lord Krsna's lotus hand. Sri Bahulacva said: The demon Pancajana, who had the body of a conch, became the conchshell in Lord Krsna's lotus hand. Who was he in his previous birth?

sri-narada uvaca puraivaitany upaggani cakradini videha-rat trailokya-nathasya harer babhuvus tejasa hrtah sri-narada uvaca - Sri Narada said; pura - before; eva - indeed; etani - these; upaggani - addittions; cakradini - beginning with the disc; videha-rat - O king of Videha; trailokya - of the three worlds; nathasya - of the master; hareh - Lord Krsna; babhuvuh - became; tejasa - by the power; hrtah - taken. Sri Narada said: O king of Videha, Lord Krsna, the master of the three worlds, obtained His conch and other paraphernalia long ago by His own prowess.

tesam cagkhah pancajanyah prapto rajan mahat-padam papau tan-mukha-lagno 'sau sri-krsnasyadharamrtam tesam - of them; cagkhah - the conch; pa 24cajanyah - Pancajanya; praptah - attained; rajan - O king; mahat-padam - exalted; papau - drank; tan-mukha-lagnah - touching His lips; asau - he; sri-krsnasyadharamrtam - the nectar of Sri Krsna's lips. O king, among them the conchshell Pancajanya was especially exalted. Touching His mouth, again and again he would drink the nectar of Lord Krsna's lips.

akaroc caikada manam manasi praha cagkha-rat grhito 'ham hi harina rajahamsa-sama-dyutih akarot - did; ca - and; ekada - one day; manam - pride; manasi - in his heart; praha - said; cagkha-rat - the king of conchshells; grhitah - taken; aham - I am; hi - indeed; harina - by Lord Krsna; rajahamsa-sama-dyutih - as glorious as the king of swans. Then one day he became proud and in his heart he said to himself: "I am the king of conchshells. I am effulgent as the king of swans. Lord Krsna personally holds me.

sri-krsno daksinavartam dadhmau mam vijaye sati yad durlabham cabdhi-putryah sri-krsnasyadharamrtam sri-krsnah - Sri Krsna; daksinavartam - in tyhe south; dadhmau - blows; mam - me; vijaye - in victory; sati - being so; yat - what; durlabham - difficult to attain; ca - and; abdhi-putryah - for the goddess of fortune; sri-krsnasyadharamrtam - the nectar of Lord Krsna's lips. "When He is victorious, Sri Krsna points me to the south and makes a great sound through me. At that moment I drink the nectar of Lord Krsna's lips, which is diificult even for the goddess of fortune to obtain.

tat tasmat sarva-mukhyo 'smi pibamy aham ahar-nicam iti mana-yutam cagkham pancajanyam videha-rat cacapa laksmis tam krodhat tvam daityo bhava durmate so 'pi pancajano nama daityo 'bhut saritam patau tat - that; tasmat - therefore; sarva-mukhyah - the most important of all; asmi - I am; pibami - drink; aham - I; ahar-nicam - day and night; iti - thus; mana-yutamproud; cagkham - the conchshell; pa{ - .sy 24cajanyam - Pancajanya; videha-rat - O king of Videha; cacapa - cursed; laksmih - the goddess of fortune; tam - him; krodhat - angrily; tvam - you; daityah - a demon; bhava - become; durmate - fool; sah - he; api - even; pancajanah - Pancajana; nama - namewd; daityah - a demon; abhut - became; saritam - of rivers; patau - in the king. "Therefore I am the most important of all. Day and night I drink the nectar of Lord Krsna's lips." The goddess of fortune then angrily cursed him, Fool! Become a demon! You will become a demon named Pa 24cajana and you will live in the ocean."

tat tasmat sarva-mukhyo 'smi pibamy aham ahar-nicam iti mana-yutam cagkham pancajanyam videha-rat cacapa laksmis tam krodhat tvam daityo bhava durmate so 'pi pancajano nama daityo 'bhut saritam patau tat - that; tasmat - therefore; sarva-mukhyah - the most important of all; asmi - I am; pibami - drink; aham - I; ahar-nicam - day and night; iti - thus; mana-yutamproud; cagkham - the conchshell; pa{ - .sy 24cajanyam - Pancajanya; videha-rat - O king of Videha; cacapa - cursed; laksmih - the goddess of fortune; tam - him; krodhat - angrily; tvam - you; daityah - a demon; bhava - become; durmate - fool; sah - he; api - even; pancajanah - Pancajana; nama - namewd; daityah - a demon; abhut - became; saritam - of rivers; patau - in the king. "Therefore I am the most important of all. Day and night I drink the nectar of Lord Krsna's lips." The goddess of fortune then angrily cursed him, Fool! Become a demon! You will become a demon named Pa 24cajana and you will live in the ocean."

vaira-bhavena devecam punah prapto darecvarah jyotir linam tu devece vapur yasya kare babhau aho bhagyam viddhi tasya kim bhuyah crotum icchasi vaira-bhavena - with enmity; devecam - the Supreme Personality of Godhead; punah - again; praptah - attained; darecvarah - the king of conches; jyotih - line; linam - merged; tu - indeed; devece - in the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vapuh - form; yasya - of whom; kare - in the hand; babhau - is manifested; ahah - Oh; bhagyam - the good fortune; viddhi - know; tasya - of him; kim - what?; bhuyah - more; crotum - to hear; icchasi - you wish. As the king of conches, he approached the Lord as an enemy. Although at first he merged into the Lord, he again became the conchshell in the Lord's hand. You should know that he is very fortunate. What more do you wish to hear? .pa