The Reign and Sons of Rishabhadeva

Verse 1 (bhagavata.5.4.1)

श्रीशुक उवाच अथ ह तमुत्पत्त्यैवाभिव्यज्यमानभगवल्लक्षणं साम्योपशमवैराग्यैश्वर्यमहाविभूतिभिरनुदिनमेधमानानुभावं प्रकृतयः प्रजा ब्राह्मणा देवताश्चावनितलसमवनायातितरां जगृधुः ॥ १ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca atha ha tam utpattyaivābhivyajyamāna-bhagaval-lakṣaṇaṁ sāmyopaśama-vairāgyaiśvarya-mahā-vibhūtibhir anudinam edhamānānubhāvaṁ prakṛtayaḥ prajā brāhmaṇā devatāś cāvani-tala-samavanāyātitarāṁ jagṛdhuḥ.

Shri Shukadeva said: In Him, from the very moment of His birth, the marks of Godhead had already begun to show, and His majesty went on increasing day by day, together with equanimity, tranquility, renunciation and great opulence; so that the ministers, the citizens, the brahmanas and the very gods all came to long ardently that He should govern the earth.

Verse 2 (bhagavata.5.4.2)

तस्य ह वा इत्थं वर्ष्मणा वरीयसा बृहच्छ्लोकेन चौजसा बलेन श्रिया यशसा वीर्यशौर्याभ्यां च पिता ऋषभ इतीदं नाम चकार ॥ २ ॥

tasya ha vā itthaṁ varṣmaṇā varīyasā bṛhac-chlokena caujasā balena śriyā yaśasā vīrya-śauryābhyāṁ ca pitā ṛṣabha itīdaṁ nāma cakāra.

Because of His towering stature, His great renown, His vigor, strength, splendor, fame, valor and heroism, His father gave Him the name Rishabha, "the foremost."

Verse 3 (bhagavata.5.4.3)

यस्य हीन्द्रः स्पर्धमानो भगवान् वर्षे न ववर्ष तदवधार्य भगवानृषभदेवो योगेश्वरः प्रहस्यात्मयोगमायया स्ववर्षमजनाभं नामाभ्यवर्षत् ॥ ३ ॥

yasya hīndraḥ spardhamāno bhagavān varṣe na vavarṣa tad avadhārya bhagavān ṛṣabhadevo yogeśvaraḥ prahasyātma-yogamāyayā sva-varṣam ajanābhaṁ nāmābhyavarṣat.

Envying Him, Indra withheld rain from that land. Perceiving this, Bhagavan Rishabhadeva, lord of all yogic power, merely smiled, and through His own yogamaya, poured abundant rain upon His own realm, known as Ajanabha, entirely by His own power.

Verse 4 (bhagavata.5.4.4)

नाभिस्तु यथाभिलषितं सुप्रजस्त्वमवरुध्यातिप्रमोदभरविह्वलो गद्गदाक्षरया गिरा स्वैरं गृहीत नरलोकसधर्मं भगवन्तं पुराणपुरुषं मायाविलसितमतिर्वत्स तातेति सानुरागमुपलालयन् परां निर्वृतिमुपगतः ॥ ४ ॥

nābhis tu yathābhilaṣitaṁ suprajastvam avarudhyāti-pramoda-bhara-vihvalo gadgadākṣarayā girā svairaṁ gṛhīta-naraloka-sadharmaṁ bhagavantaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ māyā-vilasita-matir vatsa tāteti sānurāgam upalālayan parāṁ nirvṛtim upagataḥ.

Nabhi, having obtained just the son he had longed for, was overwhelmed with boundless joy; with a voice choked by emotion, and his understanding beguiled by the Lord's own maya, he lovingly cradled that ancient, primeval Person — who had freely taken on the ways of an ordinary man — calling Him "my child, my dear one," and thus came to know supreme bliss.

Verse 5 (bhagavata.5.4.5)

विदितानुरागमापौरप्रकृति जनपदो राजा नाभिरात्मजं समयसेतुरक्षायामभिषिच्य ब्राह्मणेषूपनिधाय सह मेरुदेव्या विशालायां प्रसन्ननिपुणेन तपसा समाधियोगेन नरनारायणाख्यं भगवन्तं वासुदेवमुपासीनः कालेन तन्महिमानमवाप ॥ ५ ॥

viditānurāgam āpaura-prakṛti jana-pado rājā nābhir ātmajaṁ samaya-setu-rakṣāyām abhiṣicya brāhmaṇeṣūpanidhāya saha merudevyā viśālāyāṁ prasanna-nipuṇena tapasā samādhi-yogena nara-nārāyaṇākhyaṁ bhagavantaṁ vāsudevam upāsīnaḥ kālena tan-mahimānam avāpa.

When King Nabhi saw how devoted the citizens, ministers and the whole realm had become to his son, he anointed Him upon the throne to safeguard the boundaries of dharma, placed brahmanas to guide Him, and himself went with his wife Merudevi to Vishala, where, through skillful and joyful austerity and meditative absorption, he worshiped Bhagavan Vasudeva in His form as Nara-Narayana — and in time attained that same glory.

Verse 6 (bhagavata.5.4.6)

यस्य ह पाण्डवेय श्लोकावुदाहरन्ति— को नु तत्कर्म राजर्षेर्नाभेरन्वाचरेत्पुमान् । अपत्यतामगाद्यस्य हरिः शुद्धेन कर्मणा ॥ ६ ॥

yasya ha pāṇḍaveya ślokāv udāharanti — ko nu tat karma rājarṣer nābher anv ācaret pumān apatyatām agād yasya hariḥ śuddhena karmaṇā

O descendant of Pandu, of him these two verses are recited: "What man could ever hope to follow the deed of that royal sage Nabhi, whose purity of action moved Bhagavan Hari Himself to become his own son?"

Verse 7 (bhagavata.5.4.7)

ब्रह्मण्योऽन्यः कुतो नाभेर्विप्रा मङ्गलपूजिताः । यस्य बर्हिषि यज्ञेशं दर्शयामासुरोजसा ॥ ७ ॥

brahmaṇyo ’nyaḥ kuto nābher viprā maṅgala-pūjitāḥ yasya barhiṣi yajñeśaṁ darśayām āsur ojasā

"Who else could equal Nabhi in devotion to the brahmanas — at whose sacrifice the brahmanas, so well honored by him, made visible by their own spiritual power the very Lord of sacrifice Himself?"

Verse 8 (bhagavata.5.4.8)

अथ ह भगवानृषभदेवः स्ववर्षं कर्मक्षेत्रमनुमन्यमानः प्रदर्शितगुरुकुलवासो लब्धवरैर्गुरुभिरनुज्ञातो गृहमेधिनां धर्माननुशिक्षमाणो जयन्त्यामिन्द्रदत्तायामुभयलक्षणं कर्म समाम्नायाम्नातमभियुञ्जन्नात्मजानामात्मसमानानां शतं जनयामास ॥ ८ ॥

atha ha bhagavān ṛṣabhadevaḥ sva-varṣaṁ karma-kṣetram anumanyamānaḥ pradarśita-gurukula-vāso labdha-varair gurubhir anujñāto gṛhamedhināṁ dharmān anuśikṣamāṇo jayantyām indra-dattāyām ubhaya-lakṣaṇaṁ karma samāmnāyāmnātam abhiyuñjann ātmajānām ātma-samānānāṁ śataṁ janayām āsa.

Thereafter Bhagavan Rishabhadeva, regarding His own kingdom as the field of His activity, first set the example of residing in a gurukula, and, having received the blessings of His teachers and their leave to depart, took up the duties of householder life to instruct others. He married Jayanti, given to Him by Indra, and, faithfully performing the household rites laid down in the scriptures, begot one hundred sons equal to Himself in every quality.

Verse 9 (bhagavata.5.4.9)

येषां खलु महायोगी भरतो ज्येष्ठः श्रेष्ठगुण आसीद्येनेदं वर्षं भारतमिति व्यपदिशन्ति ॥ ९ ॥

yeṣāṁ khalu mahā-yogī bharato jyeṣṭhaḥ śreṣṭha-guṇa āsīd yenedaṁ varṣaṁ bhāratam iti vyapadiśanti.

The eldest of these, endowed with the finest qualities, was the great yogi Bharata, in whose honor this land came to be called Bharatavarsha.

Verse 10 (bhagavata.5.4.10)

तमनु कुशावर्त इलावर्तो ब्रह्मावर्तो मलयः केतुर्भद्रसेन इन्द्रस्पृग्विदर्भः कीकट इति नव नवति प्रधानाः ॥ १० ॥

tam anu kuśāvarta ilāvarto brahmāvarto malayaḥ ketur bhadrasena indraspṛg vidarbhaḥ kīkaṭa iti nava navati pradhānāḥ.

After Bharata came the other principal sons — Kushavarta, Ilavarta, Brahmavarta, Malaya, Ketu, Bhadrasena, Indraspṛk, Vidarbha and Kikata — nine among the remaining ninety-nine.

Verse 11 (bhagavata.5.4.11)

कविर्हविरन्तरिक्षः प्रबुद्धः पिप्पलायनः । आविर्होत्रोऽथ द्रुमिलश्चमसः करभाजनः ॥ ११ ॥

kavir havir antarikṣaḥ prabuddhaḥ pippalāyanaḥ āvirhotro ’tha drumilaś camasaḥ karabhājanaḥ

Also among them were Kavi, Havi, Antariksha, Prabuddha, Pippalayana, Avirhotra, Drumila, Chamasa, and Karabhajana.

Verse 12 (bhagavata.5.4.12)

इति भागवतधर्मदर्शना नव महाभागवतास्तेषां सुचरितं भगवन्महिमोपबृंहितं वसुदेवनारदसंवादमुपशमायनमुपरिष्टाद्वर्णयिष्यामः ॥ १२ ॥

iti bhāgavata-dharma-darśanā nava mahā-bhāgavatās teṣāṁ sucaritaṁ bhagavan-mahimopabṛṁhitaṁ vasudeva-nārada-saṁvādam upaśamāyanam upariṣṭād varṇayiṣyāmaḥ.

These nine were great devotees, seers of the path of bhagavata-dharma. Their noble conduct, rich with the glory of the Lord, we shall describe further on, as a subject that brings peace, in the course of the dialogue between Vasudeva and Narada.

Verse 13 (bhagavata.5.4.13)

यवीयांस एकाशीतिर्जायन्तेयाः पितुरादेशकरा महाशालीना महाश्रोत्रिया यज्ञशीलाः कर्मविशुद्धा ब्राह्मणा बभूवुः ॥ १३ ॥

yavīyāṁsa ekāśītir jāyanteyāḥ pitur ādeśakarā mahā-śālīnā mahā-śrotriyā yajña-śīlāḥ karma-viśuddhā brāhmaṇā babhūvuḥ.

The remaining eighty-one, younger sons of Jayanti, obedient to their father's word, grew into brahmanas of the finest culture, deeply versed in the Veda, devoted to sacrifice, and pure in their conduct.

Verse 14 (bhagavata.5.4.14)

भगवानृषभसंज्ञ आत्मतन्त्रः स्वयं नित्यनिवृत्तानर्थपरम्परः केवलानन्दानुभव ईश्वर एव विपरीतवत्कर्माण्यारभमाणः कालेनानुगतं धर्ममाचरणेनोपशिक्षयन्नतद्विदां सम उपशान्तो मैत्रः कारुणिको धर्मार्थयशः प्रजानन्दामृतावरोधेन गृहेषु लोकं नियमयत् ॥ १४ ॥

bhagavān ṛṣabha-saṁjña ātma-tantraḥ svayaṁ nitya-nivṛttānartha-paramparaḥ kevalānandānubhava īśvara eva viparītavat karmāṇy ārabhamāṇaḥ kālenānugataṁ dharmam ācaraṇenopaśikṣayann atad-vidāṁ sama upaśānto maitraḥ kāruṇiko dharmārtha-yaśaḥ-prajānandāmṛtāvarodhena gṛheṣu lokaṁ niyamayat.

Bhagavan Rishabha, though wholly self-sufficient, eternally free of all misfortune, the very Lord of pure bliss Himself, nonetheless took up action as though He were an ordinary man, and through His own conduct taught the ignorant the dharma that time had let fall into neglect. Even-minded, tranquil, friendly, compassionate, He set the people in order within household life, leading them toward dharma, prosperity, good name, offspring, and the nectar of true joy.

Verse 15 (bhagavata.5.4.15)

यद्यच्छीर्षण्याचरितं तत्तदनुवर्तते लोकः ॥ १५ ॥

yad yac chīrṣaṇyācaritaṁ tat tad anuvartate lokaḥ.

For whatever a person of eminence does, the ordinary world follows in his footsteps.

Verse 16 (bhagavata.5.4.16)

यद्यपि स्वविदितं सकलधर्मं ब्राह्मं गुह्यं ब्राह्मणैर्दर्शितमार्गेण सामादिभिरुपायैर्जनतामनुशशास ॥ १६ ॥

yadyapi sva-viditaṁ sakala-dharmaṁ brāhmaṁ guhyaṁ brāhmaṇair darśita-mārgeṇa sāmādibhir upāyair janatām anuśaśāsa.

Although He Himself already knew all confidential brahminical wisdom and the whole of dharma, He nonetheless governed the people along the path shown by the brahmanas, through such means as conciliation and the rest.

Verse 17 (bhagavata.5.4.17)

द्रव्यदेशकालवयःश्रद्धर्त्विग्विविधोद्देशोपचितैः सर्वैरपि क्रतुभिर्यथोपदेशं शतकृत्व इयाज ॥ १७ ॥

dravya-deśa-kāla-vayaḥ-śraddhartvig-vividhoddeśopacitaiḥ sarvair api kratubhir yathopadeśaṁ śata-kṛtva iyāja.

He performed every kind of sacrifice, each enriched with the proper materials, place, time, priesthood, and diverse purposes, exactly as the scriptures direct, and each one a hundred times over.

Verse 18 (bhagavata.5.4.18)

भगवतर्षभेण परिरक्ष्यमाण एतस्मिन् वर्षे न कश्चन पुरुषो वाञ्छत्यविद्यमानमिवात्मनोऽन्यस्मात्कथञ्चन किमपि कर्हिचिदवेक्षते भर्तर्यनुसवनं विजृम्भितस्नेहातिशयमन्तरेण ॥ १८ ॥

bhagavatarṣabheṇa parirakṣyamāṇa etasmin varṣe na kaścana puruṣo vāñchaty avidyamānam ivātmano ’nyasmāt kathañcana kimapi karhicid avekṣate bhartary anusavanaṁ vijṛmbhita-snehātiśayam antareṇa.

In this land, protected as it was by Bhagavan Rishabha, no one ever wished to seek anything from another, as though such a want simply did not exist; for the people were so wholly absorbed in their ever-deepening love for their sovereign that they never looked to anything else at all.

Verse 19 (bhagavata.5.4.19)

स कदाचिदटमानो भगवानृषभो ब्रह्मावर्तगतो ब्रह्मर्षिप्रवरसभायां प्रजानां निशामयन्तीनामात्मजानवहितात्मनः प्रश्रयप्रणयभरसुयन्त्रितानप्युपशिक्षयन्निति होवाच ॥ १९ ॥

sa kadācid aṭamāno bhagavān ṛṣabho brahmāvarta-gato brahmarṣi-pravara-sabhāyāṁ prajānāṁ niśāmayantīnām ātmajān avahitātmanaḥ praśraya-praṇaya-bhara-suyantritān apy upaśikṣayann iti hovāca.

Once, while wandering the earth, Bhagavan Rishabha came to Brahmavarta, and there, in an assembly of the finest brahmarshis, with the people listening, He began to instruct His own sons — though they were already humble, loving and well-disciplined — attentively, as follows.