Srimad Bhagavatam – day 249
Emperor Pracina-barhi said, “O Maharishi Narada, I am unable to understand the hidden significance in your story. Only learned scholars understand the hidden meaning contained in your speech. People like us, who are deeply inclined towards frutitive actions, cannot understand the meaning contained in the story.”
Maharishi Narada then explained, “Puranjana refers to the individual entity. In order to execute his destiny (prārabdha karma), individual entity constructs a city known as gross body. His gross body may consist of one-leg, two-legs, four-legs or many legs. Or he could construct a body that is devoid of legs.
Iśwara, the Lord, is the friend of this individual entity. The actions, qualities and names are beyond the grasp of the individual entity and hence he is called Avijnāta.
The individual entity sought to experience the joys and sorrows which arise from the attributes of Nature (trigunās). He decided that a body consisting of two hands, two feet and 9 openings is best suited for this experience.
The beautiful damsel who enchanted Puranjana is his buddhi (intellect). Buddhi causes the feelings of ‘I and mine’ to emerge in the individual entity. Enchanted by this buddhi, the individual entity experiences the joys and sorrows in this body, through the medium of the 5 senses.
The 5 organs of perception and the 5 organs of action constitute 10 senses (indriya). These are the 10 friends of Puranjana. Puranjana would take their help for completing the actions. Through this he acquired knowledge.
Sound and other sense engagements are his female attendants. The life-force within the body has five functions i.e. Prana, Apāna, Vyāna. Udāna and Samāna. This has been compared to the 5 headed snake which guards the city.
Mind directs both organs of perception and the organs of action into their respective actions and has been represented as the very powerful ruler.
There are five subtle sensory perceptions of sound, touch, sight, taste and smell. These constitute the Pancala Kingdom. Within these enjoyments is located the city of 9 gates i.e. the body with nine openings.
While describing the 9 gates of this city, places where two gates simultaneously existed were mentioned. These are the 2 eyes, 2 nostrils and 2 ears. Mouth, organ of reproduction and organ of excretion are the other 3 gates. Through these 9 gates the individual entity experiences the world and enjoys it.
The 2 eyes, 2 nostrils and mouth are the 5 east facing gates. Right ear is the southern gate. Left ear is the northern gate. The organs or reproduction and excretion are the two western gates.
In this city at one place two gates are established. These gates are called Khadyota i.e. glowing Sun and Avirmukha i.e. glowing face. They are the 2 eyes. Vibhrājita deśa refers to form (roopa). Vibhrājita means that which has been illumined radiantly. The individual, who is the Lord for this gross body, travels through these two gates i.e. he perceives the world through the 2 eyes. The organ of sight has been referred to as the friend called Dwimanta. Dwimanta means he who possesses illumination.
The 2 nostrils are the 2 gates known as Nalini and Nālini. Sourabha deśa refers to smell. The friend Avadhoota refers to the organ of smell. Here Avadhoota means the breeze.
The door called ‘Mukhya’ refers to the mouth. The friend Vipaṇa refers to the organ of speech. Vipaṇa means discussing worldly matters. The friend Rasajna refers to the sense of taste. Rasajna means experiencing taste.
In this story wherein philosophy is being explained indirectly, conversation, which is the task of the organ of speech, has been referred to as Apaṇa. Apaṇa means shop. The various food items available in the shop are being referred to as the Bahudana deśa.
In this city, the left ear is the gate called Pitruhu and the right ear is the Devahu gate. The individual listens to the Karma-kānda of Vedas (portion of Vedas that extols frutitive action). Thereafter he performs frutitive actions and resultantly reaches the abode of the fore-fathers (pitr-devatas) after death. This Karma-kānda has been referred to as the Dakshiṇa-pāncala deśa.
The spiritual aspirant, who listens to the Jnana-kānda of Vedas (portion of Vedas dealing with knowledge) and thereby undertakes austerities, travels in the path of the Devatas. This Jnana-kāṇda has been explained as the Uttara-pāncala deśa in the story. The organ of hearing has been addressed as the friend called Srutadhara.
The organ of reproduction has been called the āsuri gate. It is the western gate. It leads those who are desirous of sex towards their dearest Grāmaka deśa. The friend called Durmada accompanies him when he travels through this gate.
The organ of excretion is called the Nivrtti gate. Hell is called the Vaiśasa deśa. The word Vaiśasa refers to hellish suffering. The anus is the friend called Lubdhaka.
Puranjana has two blind associates. They are said to be blind because they perform action without knowledge. Understand them to be the hands and legs of the individual. The individual performs work with the help of his hands. He walks with his legs.
The inner apartments of the palace refer to the heart. Here exists the attendant called Viśucina. This is the mind. When mind is filled with traits of goodness (sattva), the individual experiences peace. When it is filled with traits of passion he experiences happiness and with traits of ignorance he experiences attachments and illusion.
Puranjana’s wife Puranjani refers to the intelligence (buddhi). The intelligence undergoes many transformations during the dream. During waking state it causes transformations in the senses. Due to lack of discrimination, the actions of buddhi are being imposed upon the Self (atma). At that time it appears as if the Self has merged into them. Although the Self is a mere witness, due to this imposition it appears to be undergoing the transformations along with the buddhi”.
Srikrishnāya namah