King Agnidhra and the Nymph Purvachitti

Verse 1 (bhagavata.5.2.1)

श्रीशुक उवाच एवं पितरि सम्प्रवृत्ते तदनुशासने वर्तमान आग्नीध्रो जम्बूद्वीपौकसः प्रजा औरसवद्धर्मावेक्षमाणः पर्यगोपायत् ॥ १ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca evaṁ pitari sampravṛtte tad-anuśāsane vartamāna āgnīdhro jambūdvīpaukasaḥ prajā aurasavad dharmāvekṣamāṇaḥ paryagopāyat.

Shri Shukadeva said: Thus, once his father Priyavrata had set out upon the path of renunciation, Agnidhra remained faithful to his command and, strictly upholding dharma, protected the people of Jambudvipa as though they were his own children.

Verse 2 (bhagavata.5.2.2)

स च कदाचित्पितृलोककामः सुरवरवनिताक्रीडाचलद्रोण्यां भगवन्तं विश्वसृजां पतिमाभृतपरिचर्योपकरण आत्मैकाग्र्येण तपस्व्याराधयां बभूव ॥ २ ॥

sa ca kadācit pitṛloka-kāmaḥ sura-vara-vanitākrīḍācala-droṇyāṁ bhagavantaṁ viśva-sṛjāṁ patim ābhṛta-paricaryopakaraṇa ātmaikāgryeṇa tapasvy ārādhayāṁ babhūva.

Once, desiring to reach Pitriloka, Agnidhra went to that mountain valley where the wives of the gods come to play, and there, having gathered the materials of worship, he undertook austerities and worshiped, with single-pointed mind, Bhagavan Brahma, lord of the creators.

Verse 3 (bhagavata.5.2.3)

तदुपलभ्य भगवानादिपुरुषः सदसि गायन्तीं पूर्वचित्तिं नामाप्सरसमभियापयामास ॥ ३ ॥

tad upalabhya bhagavān ādi-puruṣaḥ sadasi gāyantīṁ pūrvacittiṁ nāmāpsarasam abhiyāpayām āsa.

Perceiving this desire, Bhagavan Brahma, the first-born being, sent to him an apsara named Purvachitti, who had been singing in his celestial assembly.

Verse 4 (bhagavata.5.2.4)

सा च तदाश्रमोपवनमतिरमणीयं विविधनिबिडविटपिविटपनिकरसंश्लिष्टपुरटलतारूढस्थलविहङ्गममिथुनैः प्रोच्यमानश्रुतिभिः प्रतिबोध्यमानसलिलकुक्कुटकारण्डवकलहंसादिभिर्विचित्रमुपकूजितामलजलाशयकमलाकरमुपबभ्राम ॥ ४ ॥

sā ca tad-āśramopavanam ati-ramaṇīyaṁ vividha-nibiḍa-viṭapi-viṭapa-nikara-saṁśliṣṭa-puraṭa-latārūḍha-sthala-vihaṅgama-mithunaiḥ procyamāna-śrutibhiḥ pratibodhyamāna-salila-kukkuṭa-kāraṇḍava-kalahaṁsādibhir vicitram upakūjitāmala-jalāśaya-kamalākaram upababhrāma.

That apsara came wandering through the exceedingly lovely grove near his hermitage, alive with the sweet calls of paired birds perched on golden creepers twined about the dense boughs of many trees, its clear lotus-pools astir with the cries of waterfowl, wild ducks and royal swans.

Verse 5 (bhagavata.5.2.5)

तस्याः सुललितगमनपदविन्यासगतिविलासायाश्चानुपदं खणखणायमानरुचिरचरणाभरणस्वनमुपाकर्ण्य नरदेवकुमारः समाधियोगेनामीलितनयननलिनमुकुलयुगलमीषद्विकचय्य व्यचष्ट ॥ ५ ॥

tasyāḥ sulalita-gamana-pada-vinyāsa-gati-vilāsāyāś cānupadaṁ khaṇa-khaṇāyamāna-rucira-caraṇābharaṇa-svanam upākarṇya naradeva-kumāraḥ samādhi-yogenāmīlita-nayana-nalina-mukula-yugalam īṣad vikacayya vyacaṣṭa.

Hearing, at her every step, the enchanting ring of her ankle ornaments as she moved with such graceful, lilting steps, Prince Agnidhra, whose lotus-like eyes had been half-closed in meditative trance, opened them slightly and looked toward her.

Verse 6 (bhagavata.5.2.6)

तामेवाविदूरे मधुकरीमिव सुमनस उपजिघ्रन्तीं दिविजमनुजमनोनयनाह्लाददुघैर्गतिविहारव्रीडाविनयावलोकसुस्वराक्षरावयवैर्मनसि नृणां कुसुमायुधस्य विदधतीं विवरं निजमुख विगलितामृतासवसहासभाषणामोदमदान्धमधुकरनिकरोपरोधेन द्रुतपदविन्यासेन वल्गुस्पन्दनस्तनकलशकबरभाररशनां देवीं तदवलोकनेन विवृतावसरस्य भगवतो मकरध्वजस्य वशमुपनीतो जडवदिति होवाच ॥ ६ ॥

tām evāvidūre madhukarīm iva sumanasa upajighrantīṁ divija-manuja-mano-nayanāhlāda-dughair gati-vihāra-vrīḍā-vinayāvaloka-susvarākṣarāvayavair manasi nṛṇāṁ kusumāyudhasya vidadhatīṁ vivaraṁ nija-mukha-vigalitāmṛtāsava-sahāsa-bhāṣaṇāmoda-madāndha-madhukara-nikaroparodhena druta-pada-vinyāsena valgu-spandana-stana-kalaśa-kabara-bhāra-raśanāṁ devīṁ tad-avalokanena vivṛtāvasarasya bhagavato makara-dhvajasya vaśam upanīto jaḍavad iti hovāca.

Like a honeybee drawing near a flower, she moved close by, delighting the minds and eyes of gods and men alike through her walk, her playful ease, her modesty, her graceful glances, and her sweetly-syllabled speech, opening as it were a passage into men's hearts for the flower-armed god of love. As she spoke and laughed, a nectar-like fragrance seemed to pour from her lips, and bees, intoxicated by that scent, pursued her, so that she quickened her steps — and with each hurried stride her lovely trembling breasts, like twin water-jars, and the girdle bound in her hair, swayed and stirred. Seeing that goddess, and finding in that very sight his opportunity, the prince fell, as though stupefied, under the sway of Kamadeva, the god of love, and spoke to her thus.

Verse 7 (bhagavata.5.2.7)

का त्वं चिकीर्षसि च किं मुनिवर्य शैले मायासि कापि भगवत्परदेवतायाः । विज्ये बिभर्षि धनुषी सुहृदात्मनोऽर्थेकिं वा मृगान्मृगयसे विपिने प्रमत्तान् ॥ ७ ॥

kā tvaṁ cikīrṣasi ca kiṁ muni-varya śaile māyāsi kāpi bhagavat-para-devatāyāḥ vijye bibharṣi dhanuṣī suhṛd-ātmano ’rthe kiṁ vā mṛgān mṛgayase vipine pramattān

O best of sages, who are you, and what is your purpose here on this hill? Are you perhaps some manifestation of the illusory power of the Supreme Lord? You carry two unstrung bows — is this for some friend's purpose, or do you mean to hunt the wild deer roaming this forest?

Verse 8 (bhagavata.5.2.8)

बाणाविमौ भगवतः शतपत्रपत्रौशान्तावपुङ्खरुचिरावतितिग्मदन्तौ । कस्मै युयुङ्क्षसि वने विचरन्न विद्मःक्षेमाय नो जडधियां तव विक्रमोऽस्तु ॥ ८ ॥

bāṇāv imau bhagavataḥ śata-patra-patrau śāntāv apuṅkha-rucirāv ati-tigma-dantau kasmai yuyuṅkṣasi vane vicaran na vidmaḥ kṣemāya no jaḍa-dhiyāṁ tava vikramo ’stu

These two arrows of yours are feathered like lotus petals, tranquil in appearance, lovely even without a shaft, yet with points exceedingly sharp. On whom you mean to loose them as you wander this forest, we cannot tell — but may your prowess prove, for a dull-witted one like myself, a source only of good fortune.

Verse 9 (bhagavata.5.2.9)

शिष्या इमे भगवतः परितः पठन्तिगायन्ति साम सरहस्यमजस्रमीशम् । युष्मच्छिखाविलुलिताः सुमनोऽभिवृष्टीःसर्वे भजन्त्यृषिगणा इव वेदशाखाः ॥ ९ ॥

śiṣyā ime bhagavataḥ paritaḥ paṭhanti gāyanti sāma sarahasyam ajasram īśam yuṣmac-chikhā-vilulitāḥ sumano ’bhivṛṣṭīḥ sarve bhajanty ṛṣi-gaṇā iva veda-śākhāḥ

My lord, these disciples of yours who circle about you seem forever to be chanting the secret hymns of the Sama Veda, and they receive the shower of flowers scattered from your hair just as sages resort to the many branches of the Veda.

Verse 10 (bhagavata.5.2.10)

वाचं परं चरणपञ्जरतित्तिरीणांब्रह्मन्नरूपमुखरां शृणवाम तुभ्यम् । लब्धा कदम्बरुचिरङ्कविटङ्कबिम्बेयस्यामलातपरिधिः क्व च वल्कलं ते ॥ १० ॥

vācaṁ paraṁ caraṇa-pañjara-tittirīṇāṁ brahmann arūpa-mukharāṁ śṛṇavāma tubhyam labdhā kadamba-rucir aṅka-viṭaṅka-bimbe yasyām alāta-paridhiḥ kva ca valkalaṁ te

O brahmana, we hear a sound as of caged partridges chirping at your feet, though their forms are nowhere to be seen. Your rounded hips have the lovely hue of the kadamba flower, and about them seems bound a girdle of glowing embers — but where, then, is your bark garment?

Verse 11 (bhagavata.5.2.11)

किं सम्भृतं रुचिरयोर्द्विज शृङ्गयोस्तेमध्ये कृशो वहसि यत्र दृशिः श्रिता मे । पङ्कोऽरुणः सुरभीरात्मविषाण ईदृग्येनाश्रमं सुभग मे सुरभीकरोषि ॥ ११ ॥

kiṁ sambhṛtaṁ rucirayor dvija śṛṅgayos te madhye kṛśo vahasi yatra dṛśiḥ śritā me paṅko ’ruṇaḥ surabhīr ātma-viṣāṇa īdṛg yenāśramaṁ subhaga me surabhī-karoṣi

O twice-born one, between your slender waist you bear these two beautiful, horn-like forms on which my eyes have fastened — what is it that fills them? They seem coated with a fragrant, reddish clay. O fortunate one, how is it that you fill my hermitage with such sweetness?

Verse 12 (bhagavata.5.2.12)

लोकं प्रदर्शय सुहृत्तम तावकं मेयत्रत्य इत्थमुरसावयवावपूर्वौ । अस्मद्विधस्य मनउन्नयनौ बिभर्तिबह्वद्भुतं सरसराससुधादि वक्त्रे ॥ १२ ॥

lokaṁ pradarśaya suhṛttama tāvakaṁ me yatratya ittham urasāvayavāv apūrvau asmad-vidhasya mana-unnayanau bibharti bahv adbhutaṁ sarasa-rāsa-sudhādi vaktre

O truest of friends, show me that world of yours, where the people bear upon their chests such unprecedented features as could unsettle the mind and eyes of one such as I. To judge by the sweetness of your speech and your smile, the mouths of your kinsfolk there must hold some wondrous nectar.

Verse 13 (bhagavata.5.2.13)

का वाऽऽत्मवृत्तिरदनाद्धविरङ्ग वातिविष्णोः कलास्यनिमिषोन्मकरौ च कर्णौ । उद्विग्नमीनयुगलं द्विजपङ्क्तिशोचि-रासन्नभृङ्गनिकरं सर इन्मुखं ते ॥ १३ ॥

kā vātma-vṛttir adanād dhavir aṅga vāti viṣṇoḥ kalāsy animiṣonmakarau ca karṇau udvigna-mīna-yugalaṁ dvija-paṅkti-śocir āsanna-bhṛṅga-nikaraṁ sara in mukhaṁ te

Dear one, on what do you subsist? A fragrance as of sacrificial offerings drifts from your mouth — this makes me think you must be some manifestation of Bhagavan Vishnu himself. Your two ears are like a pair of unblinking crocodiles, your eyes a pair of restless fish; your row of teeth gleams like white swans, and your face itself is nothing less than a lake thronged about with bees.

Verse 14 (bhagavata.5.2.14)

योऽसौ त्वया करसरोजहतः पतङ्गोदिक्षु भ्रमन् भ्रमत एजयतेऽक्षिणी मे । मुक्तं न ते स्मरसि वक्रजटावरूथंकष्टोऽनिलो हरति लम्पट एष नीवीम् ॥ १४ ॥

yo ’sau tvayā kara-saroja-hataḥ pataṅgo dikṣu bhraman bhramata ejayate ’kṣiṇī me muktaṁ na te smarasi vakra-jaṭā-varūthaṁ kaṣṭo ’nilo harati lampaṭa eṣa nīvīm

That ball you send spinning from your lotus-hand, circling in every direction, sets my own eyes spinning along with it. Your curling hair has come loose and lies scattered, yet you take no notice of it — and see how this wanton wind, like some lecherous man, keeps tugging at the knot of your waistcloth.

Verse 15 (bhagavata.5.2.15)

रूपं तपोधन तपश्चरतां तपोघ्नंह्येतत्तु केन तपसा भवतोपलब्धम् । चर्तुं तपोऽर्हसि मया सह मित्र मह्यंकिं वा प्रसीदति स वै भवभावनो मे ॥ १५ ॥

rūpaṁ tapodhana tapaś caratāṁ tapoghnaṁ hy etat tu kena tapasā bhavatopalabdham cartuṁ tapo ’rhasi mayā saha mitra mahyaṁ kiṁ vā prasīdati sa vai bhava-bhāvano me

O treasury of austerity, this beauty of yours is enough to unravel the austerity of any ascetic — by what penance did you win it? My friend, you should now undertake penance together with me — or is it, perhaps, that the maker of this world, pleased with me, has sent you here himself?

Verse 16 (bhagavata.5.2.16)

न त्वां त्यजामि दयितं द्विजदेवदत्तंयस्मिन्मनो दृगपि नो न वियाति लग्नम् । मां चारुशृङ्ग्यर्हसि नेतुमनुव्रतं तेचित्तं यतः प्रतिसरन्तु शिवाः सचिव्यः ॥ १६ ॥

na tvāṁ tyajāmi dayitaṁ dvija-deva-dattaṁ yasmin mano dṛg api no na viyāti lagnam māṁ cāru-śṛṅgy arhasi netum anuvrataṁ te cittaṁ yataḥ pratisarantu śivāḥ sacivyaḥ

Dear one, since you have been granted to me by Brahma, worshiped by the brahmanas, I cannot let you go, for my mind and my eyes will not move from you. O lovely one, take me now as your devoted follower, wherever you go, and let your gracious companions follow along with us.

Verse 17 (bhagavata.5.2.17)

श्रीशुक उवाच इति ललनानुनयातिविशारदो ग्राम्यवैदग्ध्यया परिभाषया तां विबुधवधूं विबुधमतिरधिसभाजयामास ॥ १७ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca iti lalanānunayāti-viśārado grāmya-vaidagdhyayā paribhāṣayā tāṁ vibudha-vadhūṁ vibudha-matir adhisabhājayām āsa.

Shri Shukadeva said: Thus, being highly skilled in the art of winning over women, and possessed of an intelligence worthy of the gods, Agnidhra, with his clever, worldly speech, won the favor of that celestial maiden.

Verse 18 (bhagavata.5.2.18)

सा च ततस्तस्य वीरयूथपतेर्बुद्धिशीलरूपवयःश्रियौदार्येण पराक्षिप्तमनास्तेन सहायुतायुतपरिवत्सरोपलक्षणं कालं जम्बूद्वीपपतिना भौमस्वर्गभोगान् बुभुजे ॥ १८ ॥

sā ca tatas tasya vīra-yūtha-pater buddhi-śīla-rūpa-vayaḥ-śriyaudāryeṇa parākṣipta-manās tena sahāyutāyuta-parivatsaropalakṣaṇaṁ kālaṁ jambūdvīpa-patinā bhauma-svarga-bhogān bubhuje.

Thereafter, her heart won over by his intelligence, character, beauty, youth, wealth and generosity, she lived with that chief of heroes, the lord of Jambudvipa, for many thousands of years, sharing with him both earthly and heavenly delights.

Verse 19 (bhagavata.5.2.19)

तस्यामु ह वा आत्मजान् स राजवर आग्नीध्रो नाभिकिम्पुरुषहरिवर्षेलावृतरम्यकहिरण्मयकुरुभद्राश्वकेतुमालसंज्ञान्नव पुत्रानजनयत् ॥ १९ ॥

tasyām u ha vā ātmajān sa rāja-vara āgnīdhro nābhi-kimpuruṣa-harivarṣelāvṛta-ramyaka-hiraṇmaya-kuru-bhadrāśva-ketumāla-saṁjñān nava putrān ajanayat.

By her, that finest of kings, Agnidhra, begot nine sons, named Nabhi, Kimpurusha, Harivarsha, Ilavrita, Ramyaka, Hiranmaya, Kuru, Bhadrashva, and Ketumala.

Verse 20 (bhagavata.5.2.20)

सा सूत्वाथ सुतान्नवानुवत्सरं गृह एवापहाय पूर्वचित्तिर्भूय एवाजं देवमुपतस्थे ॥ २० ॥

sā sūtvātha sutān navānuvatsaraṁ gṛha evāpahāya pūrvacittir bhūya evājaṁ devam upatasthe.

Having given birth to these nine sons, one each year, Purvachitti left them behind in the household and returned once more to Brahma, the self-born god.

Verse 21 (bhagavata.5.2.21)

आग्नीध्रसुतास्ते मातुरनुग्रहादौत्पत्तिकेनैव संहननबलोपेताः पित्रा विभक्ता आत्मतुल्यनामानि यथाभागं जम्बूद्वीपवर्षाणि बुभुजुः ॥ २१ ॥

āgnīdhra-sutās te mātur anugrahād autpattikenaiva saṁhanana-balopetāḥ pitrā vibhaktā ātma-tulya-nāmāni yathā-bhāgaṁ jambūdvīpa-varṣāṇi bubhujuḥ.

By their mother's grace, Agnidhra's sons were endowed from birth with strong, well-formed bodies. Their father divided Jambudvipa among them, giving each his own portion named after himself, and they ruled over those regions accordingly.

Verse 22 (bhagavata.5.2.22)

आग्नीध्रो राजातृप्तः कामानामप्सरसमेवानुदिनमधिमन्यमानस्तस्याः सलोकतां श्रुतिभिरवारुन्ध यत्र पितरो मादयन्ते ॥ २२ ॥

āgnīdhro rājātṛptaḥ kāmānām apsarasam evānudinam adhi-manyamānas tasyāḥ salokatāṁ śrutibhir avārundha yatra pitaro mādayante.

King Agnidhra, his desires never quite satisfied, kept thinking of that apsara day after day, and, by the path laid down in the scriptures, attained that same world where the ancestors dwell in bliss.

Verse 23 (bhagavata.5.2.23)

सम्परेते पितरि नव भ्रातरो मेरुदुहितृर्मेरुदेवीं प्रतिरूपामुग्रदंष्ट्रीं लतां रम्यां श्यामां नारीं भद्रां देववीतिमितिसंज्ञा नवोदवहन् ॥ २३ ॥

samparete pitari nava bhrātaro meru-duhitṝr merudevīṁ pratirūpām ugradaṁṣṭrīṁ latāṁ ramyāṁ śyāmāṁ nārīṁ bhadrāṁ devavītim iti saṁjñā navodavahan.

After their father's passing, the nine brothers took as wives the nine daughters of Meru — Merudevi, Pratirupa, Ugradamshtri, Lata, Ramya, Shyama, Nari, Bhadra, and Devaviti.