SB 5.1.6 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

यर्हि वाव ह राजन् स राजपुत्र: प्रियव्रत: परमभागवतो नारदस्य चरणोपसेवयाञ्जसावगतपरमार्थसतत्त्वो ब्रह्मसत्रेण दीक्षिष्यमाण: अवनितलपरिपालनायाम्नातप्रवरगुणगणैकान्तभाजनतया स्वपित्रोपामन्त्रितो भगवति वासुदेव एवाव्यवधानसमाधियोगेन समावेशित-सकलकारकक्रियाकलापो नैवाभ्यनन्दद्यद्यपि तदप्रत्याम्नातव्यं तदधिकरण आत्मनोऽन्यस्माद सतोऽपि पराभवमन्वीक्षमाण: ॥ ६ ॥

Verse text

yarhi vāva ha rājan sa rāja-putraḥ priyavrataḥ parama-bhāgavato nāradasya caraṇopasevayāṣjasāvagata-paramārtha-satattvo brahma-satreṇa dīkṣiṣyamāṇo ’vani-tala-paripālanāyāmnāta-pravara-guṇa-gaṇaikānta-bhājanatayā sva-pitropāmantrito bhagavati vāsudeva evāvyavadhāna-samādhi-yogena samāveśita-sakala-kāraka-kriyā-kalāpo naivābhyanandad yadyapi tad apratyāmnātavyaṁ tad-adhikaraṇa ātmano ’nyasmād asato ’pi parābhavam anvīkṣamāṇaḥ.

Synonyms

yarhi — because ; vāva ha — indeed ; rājan — O King ; saḥ — he ; rāja — putraḥ — the Prince ; priyavrataḥ — Priyavrata ; parama — supreme ; bhāgavataḥ — devotee ; nāradasya — of Nārada ; caraṇa — the lotus feet ; upasevayā — by serving ; aṣjasā — quickly ; avagata — became aware of ; parama — artha — transcendental subject matter ; sa — tattvaḥ — with all knowable facts ; brahma — satreṇa — by continuous discussion of the Supreme ; dīkṣiṣyamāṇaḥ — desiring to fully dedicate himself ; avani — tala — the surface of the globe ; paripālanāya — to rule over ; āmnāta — directed in the revealed scriptures ; pravara — highest ; guṇa — of qualities ; gaṇa — the sum total ; ekānta — without deviation ; bhājanatayā — because of his possessing ; sva — pitrā — by his father ; upāmantritaḥ — being asked ; bhagavati — in the Supreme Personality of Godhead ; vāsudeve — the all-pervading Lord ; eva — certainly ; avyavadhāna — without cessation ; samādhi — yogena — by practicing yoga in complete absorption ; samāveśita — completely dedicated ; sakala — all ; kāraka — senses ; kriyā — kalāpaḥ — whose total activities ; na — not ; eva — thus ; abhyanandat — welcomed ; yadyapi — although ; tat — that ; apratyāmnātavyam — not to be rejected for any reason ; tat — adhikaraṇe — in occupying that post ; ātmanaḥ — of himself ; anyasmāt — by other engagements ; asataḥ — material ; api — certainly ; parābhavam — deterioration ; anvīkṣamāṇaḥ — foreseeing .

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: My dear King, Prince Priyavrata was a great devotee because he sought the lotus feet of Nārada, his spiritual master, and thus achieved the highest perfection in transcendental knowledge. With advanced knowledge, he always engaged in discussing spiritual subjects and did not divert his attention to anything else. The Prince’s father then asked him to take charge of ruling the world. He tried to convince Priyavrata that this was his duty as indicated in the revealed scriptures. Prince Priyavrata, however, was continuously practicing bhakti-yoga by constantly remembering the Supreme Personality of Godhead, thus engaging all his senses in the service of the Lord. Therefore, although the order of his father could not be rejected, the Prince did not welcome it. Thus he very conscientiously raised the question of whether he might be diverted from devotional service by accepting the responsibility of ruling over the world.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

O King! When Priyavrata, the son of the King, the greatest of devotees, who had become fully conversant with the highest goal and truth by serving the lotus feet of Nārada, and had attained initiation by meditation on ātmā, was requested by his father Manu to rule the earth because he possessed all the qualities mentioned in the scriptures for kingship, since he was completely absorbed with all his senses and actions in worshipping the Lord through unbroken concentration, he did not welcome the suggestion, though it could not to be refused. He considered that it would be unfavorable for him, since he would display lust and anger in himself when ruling the kingdom. Priyavrata’s status as an ātmārāma was natural. By the mercy of Nārada, he had become the greatest among devotees. Only by the order of Brahmā did he take up household life. That is stated in this verse. Vāva means certainly. When (yarhi), ordered by his father to do this for protecting the earth, he did not welcome the order, Brahmā made his appearance from his own abode. The sentence continues for two verses. By serving Nārada he quickly (aṣjasā) became fully knowledgeable of the highest goals and truths, and attained initiation though meditation on ātmā (brahma-satreṇa). Then he became eager to limit himself with determination to experience only the Supreme Lord full of eternity, knowledge and bliss, and not any material object. At that moment, because he steadily manifested all the qualities mentioned in the scriptures for ruling the kingdom, his father Manu asked him to rule the world. “O Priyavrata! Now you must protect the world.” He did not welcome that request. He did not desire to do so because he thought it was not beneficial for him. Why? He was constantly engaged in concentrating without break on the Lord with all his senses and activities. Though what his father said could not be rejected, he protested saying “I will not rule the kingdom.” Why? He considered that he would be affected by improper qualities like lust and anger (asataḥ) in ruling the kingdom.

Purport

Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has sung, chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava-sevā nistāra pāyeche kebā: “Without serving the lotus feet of a pure Vaiṣṇava or spiritual master, no one has ever attained perfect liberation from material bondage.” Prince Priyavrata regularly served the lotus feet of Nārada, and thus the Prince perfectly understood transcendental subjects in truth ( sa-tattvaḥ ). The word sa-tattvaḥ means that Priyavrata knew all the facts about the spirit soul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the relationship between the spirit soul and the Supreme Personality of Godhead and he also knew all about this material world and the relationship of the spirit soul and the Supreme Lord within the material world. Thus the Prince decided to engage himself only in rendering service to the Lord. When Priyavrata’s father, Svāyambhuva Manu, requested him to accept the responsibility of ruling over the world, he did not welcome the suggestion. This is the symptom of a great, liberated devotee. Even though engaged in worldly affairs, he does not take pleasure in them, but remains always absorbed in the Lord’s service. While thus serving the Lord, he deals externally with worldly affairs without being affected. For example, although he has no attraction for his children, he cares for them and educates them to become devotees. Similarly, he speaks to his wife with affectionate words, but he is not attached to her. By rendering devotional service, a devotee acquires all the good qualities of the Supreme Lord. Lord Kṛṣṇa had sixteen thousand wives, all of them very beautiful, and although He dealt with each of them as a beloved husband, He was not attracted or attached to any of them. In the same way, although a devotee may enter family life and act very affectionately toward his wife and children, he is never attached to these activities. This verse states that by serving the lotus feet of his spiritual master, Prince Priyavrata very soon attained the perfectional stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the only way to advance in spiritual life. As stated in the Vedas: yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ prakāśante mahātmanaḥ “If one has unflinching faith in the Supreme Lord and the spiritual master, the essence of all Vedic knowledge is revealed to him. ( Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.23) A devotee always thinks of the Lord continuously. While chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, the words Kṛṣṇa and Hare immediately remind him of all the Lord’s activities. Since his entire life is engaged in the service of the Lord, a devotee cannot forget the Lord at any time. Just as an ordinary man always engages his mind in material activities, a devotee always engages his mind in spiritual activities. This is called brahma-satra, or meditating upon the Supreme Lord always. Prince Priyavrata was perfectly initiated into this practice by Śrī Nārada.