Description of the Descendants of Dhruva Maharaja

Verse 1 (bhagavata.4.13.1)

सूत उवाच निशम्य कौषारविणोपवर्णितंध्रुवस्य वैकुण्ठपदाधिरोहणम् । प्ररूढभावो भगवत्यधोक्षजेप्रष्टुं पुनस्तं विदुरः प्रचक्रमे ॥ 13.1 ॥

sūta uvāca niśamya kauṣāraviṇopavarṇitaṁ dhruvasya vaikuṇṭha-padādhirohaṇam prarūḍha-bhāvo bhagavaty adhokṣaje praṣṭuṁ punas taṁ viduraḥ pracakrame

Suta said: Having heard from Maitreya of Dhruva's ascent to the abode of Vishnu, and his devotion to the Lord beyond the senses now deeply stirred, Vidura once again began to question him.

Verse 2 (bhagavata.4.13.2)

विदुर उवाच के ते प्रचेतसो नाम कस्यापत्यानि सुव्रत । कस्यान्ववाये प्रख्याताः कुत्र वा सत्रमासत ॥ 13.2 ॥

vidura uvāca ke te pracetaso nāma kasyāpatyāni suvrata kasyānvavāye prakhyātāḥ kutra vā satram āsata

Vidura asked: O one of noble vows, who were these Pracetas? Whose sons were they, in which lineage were they renowned, and where did they perform their sacrifice?

Verse 3 (bhagavata.4.13.3)

मन्ये महाभागवतं नारदं देवदर्शनम् । येन प्रोक्तः क्रियायोगः परिचर्याविधिर्हरेः ॥ 13.3 ॥

manye mahā-bhāgavataṁ nāradaṁ deva-darśanam yena proktaḥ kriyā-yogaḥ paricaryā-vidhir hareḥ

I understand that Narada, the great devotee who beholds the Lord directly, is the one by whom the process of ritual service to Hari was first expounded.

Verse 4 (bhagavata.4.13.4)

स्वधर्मशीलैः पुरुषैर्भगवान् यज्ञपूरुषः । इज्यमानो भक्तिमता नारदेनेरितः किल ॥ 13.4 ॥

sva-dharma-śīlaiḥ puruṣair bhagavān yajña-pūruṣaḥ ijyamāno bhaktimatā nāradeneritaḥ kila

While those Pracetas, devoted to their own dharma, were worshiping Bhagavan, the Lord of sacrifice, it was Narada, filled with devotion, who spoke to them there.

Verse 5 (bhagavata.4.13.5)

यास्ता देवर्षिणा तत्र वर्णिता भगवत्कथाः । मह्यं शुश्रूषवे ब्रह्मन् कार्त्स्न्येनाचष्टुमर्हसि ॥ 13.5 ॥

yās tā devarṣiṇā tatra varṇitā bhagavat-kathāḥ mahyaṁ śuśrūṣave brahman kārtsnyenācaṣṭum arhasi

O brahmana, kindly relate to me in full those accounts of Bhagavan which the divine sage Narada spoke there, for I am eager to hear them.

Verse 6 (bhagavata.4.13.6)

मैत्रेय उवाच ध्रुवस्य चोत्कलः पुत्रः पितरि प्रस्थिते वनम् । सार्वभौमश्रियं नैच्छदधिराजासनं पितुः ॥ 13.6 ॥

maitreya uvāca dhruvasya cotkalaḥ putraḥ pitari prasthite vanam sārvabhauma-śriyaṁ naicchad adhirājāsanaṁ pituḥ

Maitreya replied: When Dhruva set out for the forest, his son Utkala had no desire for the imperial throne of the whole earth left by his father.

Verse 7 (bhagavata.4.13.7)

स जन्मनोपशान्तात्मा निःसङ्गः समदर्शनः । ददर्श लोके विततमात्मानं लोकमात्मनि ॥ 13.7 ॥

sa janmanopaśāntātmā niḥsaṅgaḥ sama-darśanaḥ dadarśa loke vitatam ātmānaṁ lokam ātmani

Tranquil in spirit from his very birth, unattached, seeing all things equally, he beheld himself pervading the world and the world resting within himself.

Verse 8 (bhagavata.4.13.8)

आत्मानं ब्रह्म निर्वाणं प्रत्यस्तमितविग्रहम् । अवबोधरसैकात्म्यमानन्दमनुसन्ततम् ॥ 13.8 ॥

ātmānaṁ brahma-nirvāṇaṁ pratyastamita-vigraham avabodha-rasaikātmyam ānandam anusantatam

Having burned away the taint of his own past deeds in the unbroken fire of yoga, and abiding fixed in his own true nature — that Self which is Brahman, liberation itself, formless, one with the very essence of pure awareness —

Verse 9 (bhagavata.4.13.9)

अव्यवच्छिन्नयोगाग्निदग्धकर्ममलाशयः । स्वरूपमवरुन्धानो नात्मनोऽन्यं तदैक्षत ॥ 13.9 ॥

avyavacchinna-yogāgni- dagdha-karma-malāśayaḥ svarūpam avarundhāno nātmano ’nyaṁ tadaikṣata

abiding in unbroken bliss, he saw nothing whatsoever apart from that Self.

Verse 10 (bhagavata.4.13.10)

जडान्धबधिरोन्मत्तमूकाकृतिरतन्मतिः । लक्षितः पथि बालानां प्रशान्तार्चिरिवानलः ॥ 13.10 ॥

jaḍāndha-badhironmatta- mūkākṛtir atan-matiḥ lakṣitaḥ pathi bālānāṁ praśāntārcir ivānalaḥ

To the simple folk along the road he appeared dull, blind, deaf, mad and mute, though his mind was far from such a state — like a fire whose blaze lies hidden beneath its ashes.

Verse 11 (bhagavata.4.13.11)

मत्वा तं जडमुन्मत्तं कुलवृद्धाः समन्त्रिणः । वत्सरं भूपतिं चक्रुर्यवीयांसं भ्रमेः सुतम् ॥ 13.11 ॥

matvā taṁ jaḍam unmattaṁ kula-vṛddhāḥ samantriṇaḥ vatsaraṁ bhūpatiṁ cakrur yavīyāṁsaṁ bhrameḥ sutam

Taking him for dull-witted and mad, the elders of the family together with the ministers made his younger brother Vatsara, son of Bhrami, king in his place.

Verse 12 (bhagavata.4.13.12)

स्वर्वीथिर्वत्सरस्येष्टा भार्यासूत षडात्मजान् । पुष्पार्णं तिग्मकेतुं च इषमूर्जं वसुं जयम् ॥ 13.12 ॥

svarvīthir vatsarasyeṣṭā bhāryāsūta ṣaḍ-ātmajān puṣpārṇaṁ tigmaketuṁ ca iṣam ūrjaṁ vasuṁ jayam

Vatsara's beloved wife, Svarvithi, bore him six sons: Pushparna, Tigmaketu, Isha, Urja, Vasu and Jaya.

Verse 13 (bhagavata.4.13.13)

पुष्पार्णस्य प्रभा भार्या दोषा च द्वे बभूवतुः । प्रातर्मध्यन्दिनं सायमिति ह्यासन् प्रभासुताः ॥ 13.13 ॥

puṣpārṇasya prabhā bhāryā doṣā ca dve babhūvatuḥ prātar madhyandinaṁ sāyam iti hy āsan prabhā-sutāḥ

Pushparna had two wives, Prabha and Dosha; Prabha's sons were Pratah, Madhyandinam and Sayam.

Verse 14 (bhagavata.4.13.14)

प्रदोषो निशिथो व्युष्ट इति दोषासुतास्त्रयः । व्युष्टः सुतं पुष्करिण्यां सर्वतेजसमादधे ॥ 13.14 ॥

pradoṣo niśitho vyuṣṭa iti doṣā-sutās trayaḥ vyuṣṭaḥ sutaṁ puṣkariṇyāṁ sarvatejasam ādadhe

Dosha's three sons were Pradosha, Nishitha and Vyushta; Vyushta, through his wife Pushkarini, begot a son of great splendor named Sarvateja.

Verse 15 (bhagavata.4.13.15)

स चक्षुः सुतमाकूत्यां पत्न्यां मनुमवाप ह । मनोरसूत महिषी विरजान्नड्वला सुतान् ॥ 13.15 ॥

sa cakṣuḥ sutam ākūtyāṁ patnyāṁ manum avāpa ha manor asūta mahiṣī virajān naḍvalā sutān

Sarvateja obtained a son, Chakshusha, from his wife Akuti; and from Chakshusha, his queen Nadvala bore sons —

Verse 16 (bhagavata.4.13.16)

पुरुं कुत्सं त्रितं द्युम्नं सत्यवन्तमृतं व्रतम् । अग्निष्टोममतीरात्रं प्रद्युम्नं शिबिमुल्मुकम् ॥ 13.16 ॥

puruṁ kutsaṁ tritaṁ dyumnaṁ satyavantam ṛtaṁ vratam agniṣṭomam atīrātraṁ pradyumnaṁ śibim ulmukam

Puru, Kutsa, Trita, Dyumna, Satyavan, Rita, Vrata, Agnishtoma, Atiratra, Pradyumna, Shibi and Ulmuka.

Verse 17 (bhagavata.4.13.17)

उल्मुकोऽजनयत्पुत्रान्पुष्करिण्यां षडुत्तमान् । अङ्गं सुमनसं ख्यातिं क्रतुमङ्गिरसं गयम् ॥ 13.17 ॥

ulmuko ’janayat putrān puṣkariṇyāṁ ṣaḍ uttamān aṅgaṁ sumanasaṁ khyātiṁ kratum aṅgirasaṁ gayam

Of them, Ulmuka begot through his wife Pushkarini six excellent sons: Anga, Sumanas, Khyati, Kratu, Angiras and Gaya.

Verse 18 (bhagavata.4.13.18)

सुनीथाङ्गस्य या पत्नी सुषुवे वेनमुल्बणम् । यद्दौःशील्यात्स राजर्षिर्निर्विण्णो निरगात्पुरात् ॥ 13.18 ॥

sunīthāṅgasya yā patnī suṣuve venam ulbaṇam yad-dauḥśīlyāt sa rājarṣir nirviṇṇo niragāt purāt

The wife of Anga, Sunitha, bore a son named Vena, of wicked nature, on account of whose bad conduct that royal sage, disheartened, departed from the city.

Verse 19 (bhagavata.4.13.19)

यमङ्ग शेपुः कुपिता वाग्वज्रा मुनयः किल । गतासोस्तस्य भूयस्ते ममन्थुर्दक्षिणं करम् ॥ 13.19 ॥

yam aṅga śepuḥ kupitā vāg-vajrā munayaḥ kila gatāsos tasya bhūyas te mamanthur dakṣiṇaṁ karam

When the sages, enraged, cursed him — and their word is as unfailing as the thunderbolt — Vena died; and afterward they churned his right arm, from which came forth Prithu.

Verse 20 (bhagavata.4.13.20)

अराजके तदा लोके दस्युभिः पीडिताः प्रजाः । जातो नारायणांशेन पृथुराद्यः क्षितीश्वरः ॥ 13.20 ॥

arājake tadā loke dasyubhiḥ pīḍitāḥ prajāḥ jāto nārāyaṇāṁśena pṛthur ādyaḥ kṣitīśvaraḥ

With the throne thus empty, the people harassed by bandits, Prithu, foremost of kings, was born of a portion of Narayana.

Verse 21 (bhagavata.4.13.21)

विदुर उवाच तस्य शीलनिधेः साधोर्ब्रह्मण्यस्य महात्मनः । राज्ञः कथमभूद्दुष्टा प्रजा यद्विमना ययौ ॥ 13.21 ॥

vidura uvāca tasya śīla-nidheḥ sādhor brahmaṇyasya mahātmanaḥ rājñaḥ katham abhūd duṣṭā prajā yad vimanā yayau

Vidura asked: How did such a treasury of good conduct, a saintly soul devoted to brahmanas, come to have so wicked a son that he departed his kingdom in despair?

Verse 22 (bhagavata.4.13.22)

किं वांहो वेन उद्दिश्य ब्रह्मदण्डमयूयुजन् । दण्डव्रतधरे राज्ञि मुनयो धर्मकोविदाः ॥ 13.22 ॥

kiṁ vāṁho vena uddiśya brahma-daṇḍam ayūyujan daṇḍa-vrata-dhare rājñi munayo dharma-kovidāḥ

And how did those sages, so learned in dharma, come to yoke the rod of Brahma against Vena, who himself, as king, upheld the very vow of punishment?

Verse 23 (bhagavata.4.13.23)

नावध्येयः प्रजापालः प्रजाभिरघवानपि । यदसौ लोकपालानां बिभर्त्योजः स्वतेजसा ॥ 13.23 ॥

nāvadhyeyaḥ prajā-pālaḥ prajābhir aghavān api yad asau loka-pālānāṁ bibharty ojaḥ sva-tejasā

A protector of the people should never be censured by his subjects, even should he seem to have sinned, for by his own splendor he sustains the very might of all the guardians of the world.

Verse 24 (bhagavata.4.13.24)

एतदाख्याहि मे ब्रह्मन् सुनीथात्मजचेष्टितम् । श्रद्दधानाय भक्ताय त्वं परावरवित्तमः ॥ 13.24 ॥

etad ākhyāhi me brahman sunīthātmaja-ceṣṭitam śraddadhānāya bhaktāya tvaṁ parāvara-vittamaḥ

Relate this to me, O brahmana, the deeds of Sunitha's son — you who are foremost among the knowers of past and future — for I am your faithful and devoted listener.

Verse 25 (bhagavata.4.13.25)

मैत्रेय उवाच अङ्गोऽश्वमेधं राजर्षिराजहार महाक्रतुम् । नाजग्मुर्देवतास्तस्मिन्नाहूता ब्रह्मवादिभिः ॥ 13.25 ॥

maitreya uvāca aṅgo ’śvamedhaṁ rājarṣir ājahāra mahā-kratum nājagmur devatās tasminn āhūtā brahma-vādibhiḥ

Maitreya replied: The royal sage Anga once performed the great sacrifice known as the Ashvamedha, but though invited by the expert reciters of the Veda, the gods did not come.

Verse 26 (bhagavata.4.13.26)

तमूचुर्विस्मितास्तत्र यजमानमथर्त्विजः । हवींषि हूयमानानि न ते गृह्णन्ति देवताः ॥ 13.26 ॥

tam ūcur vismitās tatra yajamānam athartvijaḥ havīṁṣi hūyamānāni na te gṛhṇanti devatāḥ

Astonished, the priests there said to the King performing the sacrifice: The oblations we offer are not being accepted by the deities.

Verse 27 (bhagavata.4.13.27)

राजन् हवींष्यदुष्टानि श्रद्धयासादितानि ते । छन्दांस्ययातयामानि योजितानि धृतव्रतैः ॥ 13.27 ॥

rājan havīṁṣy aduṣṭāni śraddhayāsāditāni te chandāṁsy ayāta-yāmāni yojitāni dhṛta-vrataiḥ

O King, the offerings you have gathered with faith are untainted, and the mantras chanted by those firm in their vows are without flaw.

Verse 28 (bhagavata.4.13.28)

न विदामेह देवानां हेलनं वयमण्वपि । यन्न गृह्णन्ति भागान् स्वान् ये देवाः कर्मसाक्षिणः ॥ 13.28 ॥

na vidāmeha devānāṁ helanaṁ vayam aṇv api yan na gṛhṇanti bhāgān svān ye devāḥ karma-sākṣiṇaḥ

We can find not the smallest slight to the gods on our part; yet those very deities, witnesses of every deed, do not accept their own shares — we do not know why.

Verse 29 (bhagavata.4.13.29)

मैत्रेय उवाच अङ्गो द्विजवचः श्रुत्वा यजमानः सुदुर्मनाः । तत्प्रष्टुं व्यसृजद्वाचं सदस्यांस्तदनुज्ञया ॥ 13.29 ॥

maitreya uvāca aṅgo dvija-vacaḥ śrutvā yajamānaḥ sudurmanāḥ tat praṣṭuṁ vyasṛjad vācaṁ sadasyāṁs tad-anujñayā

Maitreya said: Hearing the words of the brahmanas, King Anga, the performer of the sacrifice, was deeply distressed, and with their permission he broke his silence to question them.

Verse 30 (bhagavata.4.13.30)

नागच्छन्त्याहुता देवा न गृह्णन्ति ग्रहानिह । सदसस्पतयो ब्रूत किमवद्यं मया कृतम् ॥ 13.30 ॥

nāgacchanty āhutā devā na gṛhṇanti grahān iha sadasas-patayo brūta kim avadyaṁ mayā kṛtam

King Anga said: O assembly of priests, though invited the gods do not come, nor do they accept their shares here — tell me, what wrong have I committed?

Verse 31 (bhagavata.4.13.31)

सदसस्पतय ऊचुः नरदेवेह भवतो नाघं तावन् मनाक्स्थितम् । अस्त्येकं प्राक्तनमघं यदिहेदृक् त्वमप्रजः ॥ 13.31 ॥

sadasas-pataya ūcuḥ nara-deveha bhavato nāghaṁ tāvan manāk sthitam asty ekaṁ prāktanam aghaṁ yad ihedṛk tvam aprajaḥ

The chief priests said: O King of men, in this life we find not the least sin in you; but there exists one sin from a former life, on account of which, despite all your qualities, you remain without a son.

Verse 32 (bhagavata.4.13.32)

तथा साधय भद्रं ते आत्मानं सुप्रजं नृप । इष्टस्ते पुत्रकामस्य पुत्रं दास्यति यज्ञभुक् ॥ 13.32 ॥

tathā sādhaya bhadraṁ te ātmānaṁ suprajaṁ nṛpa iṣṭas te putra-kāmasya putraṁ dāsyati yajña-bhuk

Therefore, may good befall you, O King — set yourself upon this: if, desiring a son, you make this very sacrifice your offering, the enjoyer of sacrifice himself will grant you a son.

Verse 33 (bhagavata.4.13.33)

तथा स्वभागधेयानि ग्रहीष्यन्ति दिवौकसः । यद्यज्ञपुरुषः साक्षादपत्याय हरिर्वृतः ॥ 13.33 ॥

tathā sva-bhāgadheyāni grahīṣyanti divaukasaḥ yad yajña-puruṣaḥ sākṣād apatyāya harir vṛtaḥ

And when Hari, the very person of sacrifice, is invoked for the sake of your offspring, the celestials too will come and accept their own portions.

Verse 34 (bhagavata.4.13.34)

तांस्तान् कामान् हरिर्दद्याद्यान् यान् कामयते जनः । आराधितो यथैवैष तथा पुंसां फलोदयः ॥ 13.34 ॥

tāṁs tān kāmān harir dadyād yān yān kāmayate janaḥ ārādhito yathaivaiṣa tathā puṁsāṁ phalodayaḥ

Whatever desires a person may harbor, Hari grants them all according to how He is worshiped — such is the fruit that comes to men.

Verse 35 (bhagavata.4.13.35)

इति व्यवसिता विप्रास्तस्य राज्ञः प्रजातये । पुरोडाशं निरवपन् शिपिविष्टाय विष्णवे ॥ 13.35 ॥

iti vyavasitā viprās tasya rājñaḥ prajātaye puroḍāśaṁ niravapan śipi-viṣṭāya viṣṇave

So resolved, the wise brahmanas, for the sake of the King's offspring, offered the sacrificial cake to Vishnu, who pervades all forms.

Verse 36 (bhagavata.4.13.36)

तस्मात्पुरुष उत्तस्थौ हेममाल्यमलाम्बरः । हिरण्मयेन पात्रेण सिद्धमादाय पायसम् ॥ 13.36 ॥

tasmāt puruṣa uttasthau hema-māly amalāmbaraḥ hiraṇmayena pātreṇa siddham ādāya pāyasam

From the altar there arose a being clad in white, garlanded in gold, bearing in a golden vessel a dish of rice cooked in milk, freshly prepared.

Verse 37 (bhagavata.4.13.37)

स विप्रानुमतो राजा गृहीत्वाञ्जलिनौदनम् । अवघ्राय मुदा युक्तः प्रादात्पत्न्या उदारधीः ॥ 13.37 ॥

sa viprānumato rājā gṛhītvāñjalinaudanam avaghrāya mudā yuktaḥ prādāt patnyā udāra-dhīḥ

With the priests' consent the noble-hearted King took the rice in his own cupped hands, and, gladly smelling it, gave a portion to his queen.

Verse 38 (bhagavata.4.13.38)

सा तत्पुंसवनं राज्ञी प्राश्य वै पत्युरादधे । गर्भं काल उपावृत्ते कुमारं सुषुवेऽप्रजा ॥ 13.38 ॥

sā tat puṁ-savanaṁ rājñī prāśya vai patyur ādadhe garbhaṁ kāla upāvṛtte kumāraṁ suṣuve ’prajā

That queen, having eaten the offering meant to bring forth a son, conceived by her husband, and, though hitherto childless, in due course brought forth a boy.

Verse 39 (bhagavata.4.13.39)

स बाल एव पुरुषो मातामहमनुव्रतः । अधर्मांशोद्भवं मृत्युं तेनाभवदधार्मिकः ॥ 13.39 ॥

sa bāla eva puruṣo mātāmaham anuvrataḥ adharmāṁśodbhavaṁ mṛtyuṁ tenābhavad adhārmikaḥ

That boy, even in childhood, followed the ways of his maternal grandfather; since the seed of irreligion had come through that line, he grew up an unrighteous man, drawing death itself as his inheritance.

Verse 40 (bhagavata.4.13.40)

स शरासनमुद्यम्य मृगयुर्वनगोचरः । हन्त्यसाधुर्मृगान् दीनान् वेनोऽसावित्यरौज्जनः ॥ 13.40 ॥

sa śarāsanam udyamya mṛgayur vana-gocaraḥ hanty asādhur mṛgān dīnān veno ’sāv ity arauj janaḥ

Taking up his bow, that cruel boy would roam the forest as a hunter, mercilessly killing helpless deer, so that the people, seeing him come, would cry out, "Here comes wicked Vena!"

Verse 41 (bhagavata.4.13.41)

आक्रीडे क्रीडतो बालान् वयस्यानतिदारुणः । प्रसह्य निरनुक्रोशः पशुमारममारयत् ॥ 13.41 ॥

ākrīḍe krīḍato bālān vayasyān atidāruṇaḥ prasahya niranukrośaḥ paśu-māram amārayat

Utterly without pity, while playing with the other boys of his age at their games, he would seize and kill them by force, as though they were animals for slaughter.

Verse 42 (bhagavata.4.13.42)

तं विचक्ष्य खलं पुत्रं शासनैर्विविधैर्नृपः । यदा न शासितुं कल्पो भृशमासीत्सुदुर्मनाः ॥ 13.42 ॥

taṁ vicakṣya khalaṁ putraṁ śāsanair vividhair nṛpaḥ yadā na śāsituṁ kalpo bhṛśam āsīt sudurmanāḥ

Seeing his son's wicked nature, the King tried various forms of correction; but when he found himself wholly unable to reform him, he became deeply grieved.

Verse 43 (bhagavata.4.13.43)

प्रायेणाभ्यर्चितो देवो येऽप्रजा गृहमेधिनः । कदपत्यभृतं दुःखं ये न विन्दन्ति दुर्भरम् ॥ 13.43 ॥

prāyeṇābhyarcito devo ye ’prajā gṛha-medhinaḥ kad-apatya-bhṛtaṁ duḥkhaṁ ye na vindanti durbharam

The King reflected: Surely those householders who remain without a child are fortunate indeed, for they must have worshiped the Lord in a former life, that they need not bear this unbearable grief brought by a wicked offspring.

Verse 44 (bhagavata.4.13.44)

यतः पापीयसी कीर्तिरधर्मश्च महान्नृणाम् । यतो विरोधः सर्वेषां यत आधिरनन्तकः ॥ 13.44 ॥

yataḥ pāpīyasī kīrtir adharmaś ca mahān nṛṇām yato virodhaḥ sarveṣāṁ yata ādhir anantakaḥ

For it is from such a son that a man's fair name is ruined and great irreligion spreads; from him arise quarrels with everyone, and from him endless anxiety.

Verse 45 (bhagavata.4.13.45)

कस्तं प्रजापदेशं वै मोहबन्धनमात्मनः । पण्डितो बहु मन्येत यदर्थाः क्लेशदा गृहाः ॥ 13.45 ॥

kas taṁ prajāpadeśaṁ vai moha-bandhanam ātmanaḥ paṇḍito bahu manyeta yad-arthāḥ kleśadā gṛhāḥ

What wise man would set great store by the name "offspring," which is but a bond of delusion for the soul, and for whose sake the household itself becomes a source of suffering?

Verse 46 (bhagavata.4.13.46)

कदपत्यं वरं मन्ये सदपत्याच्छुचां पदात् । निर्विद्येत गृहान्मर्त्यो यत्क्लेशनिवहा गृहाः ॥ 13.46 ॥

kad-apatyaṁ varaṁ manye sad-apatyāc chucāṁ padāt nirvidyeta gṛhān martyo yat-kleśa-nivahā gṛhāḥ

I consider a bad son better than a good one, which is itself but a source of grief — for through a bad son a man easily grows detached from the very home that becomes a mass of suffering.

Verse 47 (bhagavata.4.13.47)

एवं स निर्विण्णमना नृपो गृहा- न्निशीथ उत्थाय महोदयोदयात् । अलब्धनिद्रोऽनुपलक्षितो नृभि- र्हित्वा गतो वेनसुवं प्रसुप्ताम् ॥ 13.47 ॥

evaṁ sa nirviṇṇa-manā nṛpo gṛhān niśītha utthāya mahodayodayāt alabdha-nidro ’nupalakṣito nṛbhir hitvā gato vena-suvaṁ prasuptām

Thus disheartened with household life, the King, sleepless, rose in the depth of night before dawn and, unnoticed by anyone, left behind Vena's sleeping mother and departed from his home and its great splendor.

Verse 48 (bhagavata.4.13.48)

विज्ञाय निर्विद्य गतं पतिं प्रजाः पुरोहितामात्यसुहृद्गणादयः । विचिक्युरुर्व्यामतिशोककातरा यथा निगूढं पुरुषं कुयोगिनः ॥ 13.48 ॥

vijñāya nirvidya gataṁ patiṁ prajāḥ purohitāmātya-suhṛd-gaṇādayaḥ vicikyur urvyām atiśoka-kātarā yathā nigūḍhaṁ puruṣaṁ kuyoginaḥ

When they learned that the King, disheartened, had left, the priests, ministers, friends and citizens, overcome with grief, searched for him throughout the earth, as unskilled yogis search in vain for the hidden Supersoul within.

Verse 49 (bhagavata.4.13.49)

अलक्षयन्तः पदवीं प्रजापते- र्हतोद्यमाः प्रत्युपसृत्य ते पुरीम् । ऋषीन् समेतानभिवन्द्य साश्रवो न्यवेदयन् पौरव भर्तृविप्लवम् ॥ 13.49 ॥

alakṣayantaḥ padavīṁ prajāpater hatodyamāḥ pratyupasṛtya te purīm ṛṣīn sametān abhivandya sāśravo nyavedayan paurava bhartṛ-viplavam

Unable to find any trace of the King, their efforts exhausted, they returned to the city, and, weeping, bowed before the assembled sages and related to them the full loss of their lord.