Srimad Bhagavatam – day 246
Even after his body was weak and diseased, his mind was totally inclined towards sense gratification. That beautiful city, which was explained in great detail earlier, was now totally destroyed. Added to this his wife and children no longer cared for him. Realizing that he was totally under the trap of Jara, the daughter of time, Puranjana lamented a lot. He did not know how to escape from her clutches.
As he had not performed meritorious deeds he was not entitled to reach heavenly planes. Here on this plane, he was deprived of the love that his sons could have offered him. He had lost out both in this world and in the next.
In order to earn back love and warmth of his sons and wife, Puranjana began to flatter them. Aimlessly he was simply whiling away time. Yavanas and Gandharvas totally occupied his city. Kālakanya Jara completely destroyed the city. Even though his mind did not agree, Puranjana now made attempts to escape from this kingdom.
Meanwhile Prajvāra, the brother of Bhaya, entered the kingdom. In order to please his brother Bhaya, he set fire to the entire city. When the city was set ablaze Puranjana, together with his wife, sons, attendants and grandsons suffered horribly.
When Jara attacked the city, the Yavanas set fire to the snake that was guarding the city. Prajvāra tortured the snake which trembled in fear. It was helpless and was unable to protect the city. Just as a snake seated in the tree hole tries to escape from there when the tree is on fire, this snake which was trembling in fear tried to escape from this city which was burning. All its limbs were damaged. Gandharvas stole its entire strength. When it tried to escape, its enemies, the Yavanas, obstructed its path. Unable to escape the snake wept bitterly.
The house-holder Puranjana however had feelings of ‘I and mine’ towards his house i.e. his body and his relatives. When his wife deserted him, he was grief-stricken and helpless. At this point of time, only a little wealth and a few other acquisitions were left with him, which he could call his own. Even in those last days his thoughts were fixed upon his wealth, children, sons, daughters, grandchildren and other relatives.
“When I leave this body and proceed to other planes, how will my wife alone maintain this large family? She will grieve for me. How will she spend her days? She is a chaste woman. Unless I eat, she would never eat. She would not bathe until I had finished my bath. If I were to get angry she would be petrified. She always gave me the right advice. She, the mother of my many valourous sons, would get upset even if I travelled to a nearby city. Now how will she manage this entire household after my death?
My children are solely dependent upon me. They will be shattered completely with my death. Just as travelers drown when the ship capsizes in the ocean, my orphaned children will sink in this world. How will they survive in my absence?”
These were the thoughts in his mind when he was on the death bed. When seen logically it is understood that Puranjana should not have grieved over these matters as they did not pertain to him.
Meanwhile Bhaya, the Yavana king, arrived and captured Puranjana. When the Yavanas caught Puranjana and dragged him as if he were an animal, his attendants were agitated. Lamenting loudly they followed him. Unable to withstand the might of the Yavanas, the helpless snake which until then guarded the kingdom left the city and went away.
That very moment the city was totally destroyed and reduced to ashes. It merged into Nature. Bhaya, the Yavana King, began to forcefully drag Puranjana. Foolish Puranjana who was totally covered by ignorance, could not remember his earlier friend Avijnāta, who was his well-wisher.
Previously Puranjana had, in the name of animal-sacrifices, killed innumerable animals. Recollecting his cruelty towards them, these animals now chopped him with axes.
Being totally drowned in spiritual ignorance and for having excessive sexual attraction towards his wife, Puranjana’s mind was rendered impure. He lost his memory completely. For a long time he continued to suffer and grieve. He suffered piteously.