Srimad Bhagavatam – day 291
Looking after the needs of his citizens, ensuring their happiness, treating them with love, controlling them and conducting Yagnas are the duties stipulated (swadharma) for a king. Emperor Gaya excellently executed all these duties and thereafter offered them to the Supreme Lord Puruśottama.
Srihari is both the cause and the effect. He resides within every being in the form of the Self. By offering all actions to Him, swadharma (prescribed duties) paves way towards liberation. Gaya, who offered all his stipulated duties to the Lord, developed a pure, clean mind.
In addition, Gaya offered services to the lotus feet of Self-realized Mahatmas due to which he developed unflinching devotion towards the Lord. Due to this his attachment towards body and other material assets, which in reality are non-Self, vanished. He experientially realized his non-dual status i.e. the realization that he himself was Parabrahma dawned in his intellect. With this he obtained Self-realization.
Without even a trace of egoism Gaya ruled the earth righteously. He was eternally focused upon the Lord who was visible as the inner Self.O Parikshit! O descendant of the Pandavas! Professional story-tellers and scholars always sing this below verse which extols Emperor Gaya.
Gayaṁ nṛpaḥ kaḥ pratiyāti karmabhir yajvābhimānī bahuvid dharma-goptā
samāgata-śrīḥ sadasas-patiḥ satāṁ sat- evako ’nyo bhagavat-kalām ṛte
There is no king who can equal Gaya in execution of stipulated duties! Even that king who has successfully performed Yagnas, who has mastered all Vedic texts, who rules righteously, who righteously procures wealth, who is deemed to be the leader of all noble saintly persons and who diligently serves supreme Mahatmas, can never ever equal Emperor Gaya.
Gaya was a partial incarnation of the Supreme Lord. Daksha’s daughters were very chaste women who were devoted towards their husbands. The auspicious blessings of such chaste women always materialize. Such ladies delightedly bathed Gaya with the sanctified waters of Ganga and other rivers.
Seeing his noble qualities Mother Earth was bursting with joy. He had absolutely no desires. Hence she fulfilled the desires of all his citizens.
Due to strict adherence to Vedic rituals he was abundantly blessed with material comforts. Terrified of his might, opponent kings used to pay him tributes. He righteously protected Vedic Brahmins. Satisfied with this, they willingly offered one-sixth of their merit (punya) to him so that it would benefit him in the other worlds.
With absolute dedication and purity he travelled on the path of bhakti. He was unflinching in his austerities. With utmost devotion he offered the results of his Yagnas to Srihari. Seeing his devotion Srihari personally came forward to receive them. When the Supreme Lord who is the inner witness within all beings and who is blissfully situated in his original form is satisfied, all celestials, trees, plants, animals, birds, humans and all other living entities are instantly pleased. Such Srihari was absolutely pleased with Gaya’s Yagnas.
Gayanti was Gaya’s wife. This noble couple had 3 sons named Chitraratha, Sugati and Avarodhana. Chitraratha married ūrṇa. They were blessed with a son named Samrāt. Samrāt married Utkala and they were blessed with a son called Marīchi.
Marīchi’s wife was Bindumatī. This couple had a son named Bindumantha. From wife Saraga, Bindumantha begot a son named Madhu. Madhu was a great king. Madhu married Sumana and they were blessed with a son named Veeravrata. Veeravrata’s wife was Bhoja. From her he begot 2 sons Manthu and Pramanthu.
From wife Satya, Manthu begot a son named Bhauvana. Bhauvana married Dūṣaṇa and begot a son named Tvaṣtha. Tvaṣtha married Virocana and their son was Viraja. Viraja married Viṣuci. This couple had 100 sons beginning with Satajit and a daughter.
Viraja, the last descendant of Priyavrata’s lineage, was a very powerful king. Just as Vishnu incarnated as Vamana to increase the splendor of the Devatas, Viraja through his noble qualities and renown ensured that the fame of his dynasty spreads till the end of the world.
With this the fifteenth chapter of the fifth canto comes to an end.
Fifth Canto Chapter Sixteen
In this chapter, the description of the vast earth is given.
Parikshit enquired from Maharishi Śuka, “O great venerable saint! You have already explained earlier the measure of this earth up to that distance to which the Sun’s radiance travels and as far as the Moon and the Stars are visible.
You had explained that Priyavrata’s chariot caused 7 dents in the vast earth (Bhu mandala) thereby creating 7 oceans and dividing the vast earth into 7 divisions. I am desirous of understanding the measures and the characteristics of these 7 divisions
.
O Gurudeva! The universal form of the Lord is gross and is replete with trigunas. The mind which is focused completely upon this universal form will easily focus upon His Nirguṇa Parabrahma state (formless, traitless state), which is extremely subtle. That Self-effulgent form is known as Vāsudeva. It illumines within the living entities as pure consciousness (atma chaitanya). I desire to know about this in greater detail”.
Maharishi Śuka replied, “O Emperor! Even if the human being is allotted the lifespan of Devatas, he cannot understand the expansiveness and supremacy of the Lord’s illusory energy. Neither can he explain about it completely nor can he fathom about it”.
Trivikramāya namah