Srimad Bhagavatam – day 523
Maharishi Śuka continues to narrate the future descendants of Ikṣwāku dynasty.
“Sanjaya’s son will be Śākya. Śākya’s son will be Śuddhōda whose son will be Lāngala. Lāngala will have a son Prasēnajit whose son will be Kṣudraka. Kṣudraka’s son will be Raṇaka. Raṇaka’s son will be Suratha. Suratha will have a son Sumitra. All these will be famous as descendants of Bṛhadbāla. Sumitra will be the last emperor of this lineage”.
Each of these kings mentioned here have a story associated with them. For this reason mentioning their names assumes importance. To narrate all their stories and achievements we will require two years’ time.
“In this Kali-yuga Ikṣwāku lineage will come to an end with Sumitra”.
With this the twelfth chapter of the ninth canto comes to an end.
Ninth Canto Chapter Thirteen
In this chapter the story of King Nimi is covered.
Maharishi Śuka continued, “Nimi was the son of Emperor Ikṣwāku. Desirous of performing a Satra-yāga, he requested Maharishi Vasiṣṭha to be the chief priest. Maharishi Vasiṣṭha replied, “O King, Indra has already approached me and requested me to be the chief priest for the yāga being performed by him. I shall assist Indra to duly complete his Yāga and thereafter return here. Please wait for me until then.”
Nimi remained silent hearing these words. Maharishi Vasiṣṭha went to Indra and began the Yagna ceremony.
Nimi was aware that in this uncertain life, the mind does not remain stable. When it would waver is absolutely unpredictable. A good deed should never be postponed. It should be executed immediately. A long time passed. Maharishi Vasiṣṭha did not return. Nimi, who realized this profound truth, could no longer wait for his family Guru Vasiṣṭha. Therefore with the help of other priests he began the Satra-yāga.
Meanwhile Maharishi Vasiṣṭha, having completed Indra’s yāga, returned. He saw King Nimi who was engrossed in his Satra-yāga. He was angered that Nimi had not heeded his instructions. He cursed, “May this Nimi, who has the arrogance that he is a learned scholar, die immediately!”
It is improper to delay a righteous deed. Without taking into consideration this rule of righteousness, Maharishi Vasiṣṭha had cursed Nimi. The desire to obtain dakshina (fees) from both the Yagnas was the sole reason behind this. Nimi therefore immediately counter-cursed his Guru Vasiṣṭha, “May you too immediately die!”
Nimi was an exponent in Self-knowledge. Immediately he discarded his body” said Maharishi Śuka.
He further continued, “My great-grandfather Vasiṣṭha left his body and was later born through Urvaṣi as the son of Mitra-Varuna”.
Maharishi Vyāsa was the father of Maharishi Śuka. Maharishi Paraśara was Maharishi Vyāsa’s father. Maharishi Vasiṣṭha was the father of Maharishi Parāśara.For this reason he was the great-grandfather of Maharishi Śuka.
“The priests safeguarded the body of Nimi in scented oil. After completion of the Satra-yāga, they said to the Devatas who had assembled there, “O Devatas! If you are truly pleased then please bless that King Nimi regains life”. The Devatas blessed accordingly. However King Nimi did not agree to this. He prayed, “May I never be bound by the material body”.
Those who are eternally engrossed in chanting divine names and who have fixed their mind solely upon the lotus feet of Lord Srihari, do not seek a material body. They do not seek re-birth. They fear having to give it up once taken. Hence they serve Lord Srihari solely with the desire of obtaining liberation.
“A gross body is the residence for bodily afflictions, mental sorrows and for fear. Hence I do not desire to obtain such gross body. Just as the tiny fish in the waters constantly fear the big fish, the person who is bound in a body constantly fears death”- said Nimi.
The assembled Devatas said, “Let this King Nimi be freed from material body. However let him exist in the eyes of all living entities. The opening and closing of the eyelids of the living entities represents his existence”.
In the form of eyelid, Nimi protects the living entities.
The priests feared that a kingdom without a king will become a cause of fear in the citizens due to lack of adequate governance. Hence they churned the body of Nimi. From this churning, a son was born. As he was born in an unusual manner the boy was named Janaka. As he was born from the dead body of his father, he was also known as Vaideha. As he emerged from the churning of the body he was also called Mithila. This King Mithila constructed a city named Mithila.
Janaka’s son was Udāvasu. Udāvasu’s son was Nandivariradhana whose son was Suketu. Suketu’s son was Devarāta. Devarāta’s son was Bṛhadratha. His son was Mahāveerya. Sudhṛti was the son of Mahaveerya. Sudhṛti’s son was Dṛṣṭaketu whose son was Haryāśva. His son was Maru.
Maru’s son was Pratīpaka. His son was Kṛtiratha whose son was Dēvamitha. Dēvamitha’s son was Viśruta. Viśruta’s son was Mahādhṛti. Mahādhṛti’s son was Kṛtirāta whose son was Mahāroma. His son was Swarṇaroma. Swarṇaroma’s son was Hrasvarōma.
Hrasvaroma begot a son called Śiradhwaja. One day when Śiradhwaja was ploughing the field for the purposes of a Yagna, from his plough Seeta was born. For this reason he was renowned as Śiradhwaja.
Narayana