INTRODUCTION
After the Prithu Charithram were described in the earlier 11 chapters, the Pracethas Charithram is narrated in the next 8 chapters. In the midst of 8 chapters the Chrithram of Prachinabharhis -the father of Prachetas are described.
Giridhara Goswami in his commentary of Bala Prabodhini says that in the previous 11 chapters the कामप्राप्ति: निरूपिता - meaning that the fulfilment of desires was proven and in the next 8 chapters मोक्षप्राप्तिर्निरूप्यते - meaning that the path of liberation is being proved. So the chapters from 24 to 31 describe the highest goal- moksha
After the Prithu Charithram were described in the earlier 11 chapters, the Pracethas Charithram is narrated in the next 8 chapters. In the midst of 8 chapters the Chrithram of Prachinabharhis -the father of Prachetas are described.
Giridhara Goswami in his commentary of Bala Prabodhini says that in the previous 11 chapters the कामप्राप्ति: निरूपिता - meaning that the fulfilment of desires was proven and in the next 8 chapters मोक्षप्राप्तिर्निरूप्यते - meaning that the path of liberation is being proved. So the chapters from 24 to 31 describe the highest goal- moksha
24
ख्यातः प्राचीनबर्हिस्त्वसृजदथ सुतान् स प्रचेतस्समाख्यान्;
पित्राƒदिष्टा गतास्ते दश कुसुमसुगन्धामलं तीर्थमेकम्।
पश्यन्तश्चेन्दुचूडं सविनयमनमन्, रुद्रगीताख्यमन्त्रम्
लब्ध्वाƒस्मात् तीर्थमग्ना हरिभजनमकुर्वंश्च मन्त्रं जपन्तः।।
Meaning : Prithu's eldest son Vijithashva was also known as Antardhana. He had one son by name Havirdhana from his second wife Nabhasvathi. Havirdhana had six sons- Barhishad,Gaya, Shukla, Krishna,Satya and Jitavrata. The eldest son Barhishad was also known as PrachinaBarhis. He was a votary of Kriya or Karma and performed Yajnas.Because of this the entire place was covered by kusha grass with their front spread in eastern direction . So he was called PrachinaBarhis. He married Shatadruti -the daughter of Ocean God . He had 10 sons collectively known as Prachetas.Prachina Barhis directed his ten sons to increase and multiply the creation. For this purpose they went to to the ocean in a western direction. Reaching a suitable place which was pure and having good smell undertook penance for 10000 years.There in a nearby place they met Shiva who rose frm a large lake and knowing their desire, taught them the mantra -known as RudraGitham and asked them to recite and engage themselves in the service of Hari.They followed the advice of Rudra and did severe penance for 10000 years reciting Rudrageetham constantly.
Commentary: The Rudrageetham is in verses from 33 to 79 of chapter 24. The recital of this sthuthi with faith will give a person a total detachment.
25
एषां राजा पिता तु क्रतुकृदमलहृन्नारदेनैवमुक्तो-
""यज्ञेनालं, न दद्यात् सुखमय,मघकृत् प्राणिहिंसा नराणां;।
वाक्यं च श्रूयतां मे नवमुखनगरे क्वापि पत्नीविधेयः
कश्चिद् राजाƒवसत् स्वैः सह निजसुह्मदं विस्मरन् मूढबुद्धिः।।
Meaning: The father of Prachetas -PrachinaBarhis after performing many yagnas as per the procedures laid down for them became pure in his mind. As this was Karma marga Narada went to him and advised him to undertake the path of Bhakthi and Jnana as Karma marga will not lead to moksham or mukthi.Further there is killing of animals in the course of conducting the sacrifices and this will make a person sinner.Narada narrated to him what is known as Puranjana Charitram to make him understand the ill-effects of Karma marga. He said .that there was a king by name Puranjana who after entering into a town having 9 doors became a servant of his wife. He forgot his friend by name Vijnyata who was accompanying himBut the king did not know him or his name..There in that town he lived with his relatives.
Meaning: The father of Prachetas -PrachinaBarhis after performing many yagnas as per the procedures laid down for them became pure in his mind. As this was Karma marga Narada went to him and advised him to undertake the path of Bhakthi and Jnana as Karma marga will not lead to moksham or mukthi.Further there is killing of animals in the course of conducting the sacrifices and this will make a person sinner.Narada narrated to him what is known as Puranjana Charitram to make him understand the ill-effects of Karma marga. He said .that there was a king by name Puranjana who after entering into a town having 9 doors became a servant of his wife. He forgot his friend by name Vijnyata who was accompanying himBut the king did not know him or his name..There in that town he lived with his relatives.
26
प्रेयस्येव पुरञ्जनी नृपवरस्यैषा तथाप्येकदा
तां नाƒƒपृच्छ्य वनं गतश्च मृगयां कुर्वन् निवृत्तस्ततः।
स्नात्वा लेपनमाल्यतः स्वयमलंकुर्वन् स्मरावेगतः
क्रोधागारगतां प्रियामनुनयन् भोगांश्च भुंक्ते स्म सः।।
Meaning: This Puranjani who was the wife of Puranjana was the most favourite wife and he was more attached to her.Even then on one occasion the king without informing her went for an hunting session. He killed many animals and returned. After a bath the king applied scent to his body. put on a garland, and decorated himself. As his wife was angry he pacified her, was infatuated with her and brought her under his control. Both of them enjoyed all the good things in life.
27
नानाभोगपरम्परासु नृपतिः पत्नीसमेतः सदा
मग्नः पुत्रशतान्यजीजनदहो! यज्वा सकामो भृशं।
क्षीणायुर्बुबुधे न कालजवमित्याज्ञाय सेनाबले-
नाक्रान्तश्च बभूव भूरिबलिना गन्धर्वराजेन सः।।
Meaning: The couple were engaged in enjoying their lives. Hundreds of sons were born to them. The king performed many sacrifices having more desires. The course of time overtook them.They did not remember any thing what was happening around them.When the death approached them due to old age, they were unaware of that also. Although they knew that one Gandharva king with his huge army was overpowering them and attacking them.
28
संवृत्तेƒथ रणे हतः स नृपतिः संचिन्तयन् प्रेयसीम्
स्त्रीत्वेनाजनि; सा विदर्भवनिता पत्यौ मृते दुखिता;।
तत्राƒƒप्तो द्विज आह - ""मानससरोहंसावहं त्वं च न-
न् वावामेक'' इति क्षणात् प्रियतरौ ,हम्सौ च तौ जग्मतु:॥
Meaning: When the war broke out, the king was killed.As the king died remembering his wife at the time of death, the king was rebornas a woman in the Vidharbha kingdom. She married a king and on death of her husband ,she could not bear her sorrow. At that time a brahmin came and told her that she and he both were Hansas (swans ) inthe Manasasarovar.Then both of them being Hansas (swans) became friends.
29
राजा जीवोƒत्र देहे पुरि सह निवसन् बुद्धिपत्न्या सरवायं
विस्मृत्येशं त्र्यवस्थो जनिमृतिवशगः कालगन्धर्वपिष्टः।
दैवेनाƒƒदिष्ट भक्तोत्तमसमभिगमाद् विप्रमीशं सरवायं
पश्यन् ब्रह्मात्मबुद्धिर्भवति; भज हरिं; सर्वथा तेƒस्तु भद्रम्।।
Meaning : The king was the body. The wife was the intellect.Both of them forgot the frind who is none else other than Paramatma- who is antaryami.Both of them were enjoying life forgetting their friend.The Gandharva king was Time. When they get destined by God and were fortunate they meet a true devotee in the form of a brahmin. When they met him the brahma bhava(the oneness of jiva and brahma) dawned on him.Narada asked the king PrachinaBarhis to devote himself to the service of Hari. That would lead him to get mukthi.
Commentary: This is an allegory. Narada narrated to PrachinaBarhis about the futility of engaging oneself in doing karma or activities without the object of getting knowledge and making efforts to get mukthi or liberation from repeated births and deaths. The Puranjana Charithram illustrates this in the form of a story. This shows as how poeople get attached to this material world. The only way to get the cycle of births and deaths terminated is to develop Hari Bhakthi. This Bhakthi will lead to the Jnana and the soul (atma) will get liberated. This is the essence of this story.
For details the chapters 25 to 29 of the Puranam-Canto-4 are to be studied in depth.
PrachinaBarhis followed the path shown by Narada and went to Kapilashrama. There he with pure Bhakthi worshipped Hari with total detachment and vairagya and reached Vaikunta.
30
इत्युक्तस्तपसे नृपो वनमगादब्दायुतं तत्सुता-
श्चक्रुर्दीर्घतपोƒभिदृश्य गरुडारूढं हरिं चास्तुवन्;।
तद्वाक्याद् गृहमागता उदवहन् वार्क्षीम् वधुं मारिषा
पुत्रम् चाजनयत् स दक्ष इति वै ख़्यात: प्रजासृष्टिकृत्॥
Meaning: As Vidura asked as to how the Prachetas -the sons of PrachinaBarhis got mukthi after reciting with faith Rudrageetham were able to get mukthi, Maitreya narrated their story.
The king PrachinaBarhis went to the forest after Narada left. The Prachetas did penance for 10000 years. Hari appeared before them on his vahana -Garuda , They offered their prayers to Him.Hari asked them to choose a boon and without waiting for them to ask anything further told them that a son who would be equal to Brahma will be born to them He told them to accept Marisha- the adopted daughter of the surviving plants (soma and oshadhis) and they married her. Daksha was reborn to them in the Chakshusha Mnvantara.They became famous for the subsequent creation and as Prajapaths.
Commentary: In this chapter the story of Prachtas is described. Pleased with their long penance with devotion Hari ,on the back of Garuda appeared before them.They were overwhelmed with joy and without waiting further asked them to ask for a boon. Further before they could ask for a boon ,He told them that they would become famous for following the advice of his father to multiply the creation further. A son equal to Brahma will be born to them who will carry on the creation further. They would marry the daughter born to Kandu rishi through Pramlocha-an apsara lady. As the child was left over and they went to Svargaloka. The trees adopted the child as their daughter The Prachetas would marry her. Afterwards they would reach Vaikunta duly worshipping Him with devotion.
The Prachetas offered their prayers to Him. See verses 22 to 42 of chapter 30..
After Hari disappeared they came out and saw that the entire earth was covered with thick and high trees. They became angry and started burning them with their yogic powers. Brahma came and pacified them and asked them to marry Marisha- the daughter of trees. They did as was instructed to them Daksha , who insulted Siva in previous birth , took rebirth now as the son to them. Daksha carried on further creation on the onset of Chakshusha manvanthara. He became famous.
31
पुत्रा वेदिषदः समर्प्य महिषीं पुत्रेƒब्धितीरं गताः
सत्रं चासत नारदाद्धरिकथाः श्रुत्वा ययुस्तद्गतिं।
मैत्रेयस्य मुखादिमाश्च विदुरः पीत्वा हरेः सत्कथाः
प्राप्तो हस्तिपुरं निनाय विपिनं ज्येष्ठं च तां सौबलीम्।।
Meaning: The sons of Vedishat (Prachetas) after their son was born to them ,left him to the charge of their wife and left for doing penance and reached the seashore in the western direction where the famous rishi Jajali was residing. They were engaged in a satra yaga and practised yoga and meditated on Paramatma. Then Narada arrived there before them They offered their respects to him. From Narada they heard the divine stories and leelas of Hari. They took the path of Bhakthi yoga and with pure devotion they attained mukthi.
At this stage of the narration of the Purana to Parikshit by Suka , Vidura took leave of Maitreya and left for Hastinapura . After reaching there, he left for the forest with his eldest brother Dhritharashtra and his wife Gandhari for getting liberation.PrachinaBarhis was known by the other name Vedishat also.
Commentary: In the 31st chapter the episode of Prahetas leaving for the forest and meeting of a guru in the form of Narada is described. Prachetas followed the path shown to them by Narada - which led them to attain mukthi. Thus the moksha prakarana ends here.
After Maitrya informed Vidura that he had narrated to him what he asked, Suka informed Parikshit that the generation of Uttanapada had been described in detail so far, Now he would narrate Priyavratha and his generation next. Priyavratha ,who was the eldest son of Swayambhuva Manu also followed the path shown by Narada but ruled the earth as well. Again after entrusting the kingdom to his sons went to the forest and attained mukthi.
Then Suka informed Parikshit that Vidura left for Hastinapuram.
CANTO-4 ends here.
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