Chapter 25: About the Character of King Purañjana
(1) Maitreya said: 'After thus having given instruction, the Destroyer, worshiped by the sons of Barhishat, vanished from there straight in front of the eyes of the princes. (2) While they at that water for an endless number of years executed austerities, all the Pracetâs recited the prayer as sung by Lord S'iva. (3) Oh Vidura, meanwhile a compassionate Nârada, as a knower of the spiritual truth, instructed King Prâcînabarhi who had a mind full of attachment to fruitive activities: (4) 'Oh King, [he said] what spiritual welfare do you expect from fruitive activities? That way being engaged you will not see the misery disappear nor will the ultimate good of happiness be attained.'
(5) The king replied: 'I do not know, oh great transcendental soul, my intelligence is occupied by my desire for the fruits. Please enlighten me about the pure, spiritual knowledge that will relieve me of my workload. (6) Someone who considers the superficial duties of a family life with sons, a wife and wealth, the ultimate goal of life, does not achieve transcendence. Such a person foolishly wanders around on all paths of material existence.'
(7) Nârada said: 'Oh my dearest ruler of the citizens, oh King, may I remind you of all the thousands of animals that mercilessly were killed by you in the sacrifices? (8) Remembering the harm you did to them, they are all waiting for you, boiling with anger, to pierce you with horns of iron after your death. (9) As for this, I will relate to you the very old story about the character of [a king named] Purañjana ['he who is after the city that is the body']. Understand what I am going to tell you now. (10) Once there was a king of great renown named Purañjana, oh Ruler. He had a friend called Avijñâta ['the unknown one'] of whom nobody knew what he did. (11) Looking for a residence he traveled all over the planet to assert his influence, but when he could not find a place to his liking, he became depressed. (12) Wishing a residence that fulfilled his desires, he deemed none of the places that he saw good enough. (13) One day, at the southern side of the Himalayas, he spotted on its ridges a city with nine gates that offered him all facilities [compare B.G. 5: 13]. (14) Packed with houses and surrounded by walls, it had towers, gates, parks, canals, windows and domes made of gold, silver and iron. (15) The floors of the palaces were bedecked with sapphires, crystal, diamonds, pearls, emeralds and rubies, that gave the city a luster as radiating as the celestial town Bhogavatî. (16) There were assembly houses, squares and streets with gambling houses, shops and places to repose, that were decorated with flags, festoons and hanging gardens. (17) In the outskirts of that town one saw the nicest trees and creepers and there was a lake vibrating with the sounds of chirping birds and colonies of humming bees. (18) The treasure trove of trees on the bank of the lotus-filled lake received, from the waterfall of a mountain stream, a springtime mist of water droplets on its branches. (19) The different groups of forest animals were as tame as the wisest sages and all the cooing of its cuckoos made any passenger feel welcome. (20) There he happened to see a very beautiful woman coming towards him surrounded by ten servants who each led a hundred others. (21) Young as she was with a desirable, well-shaped figure, she, looking for a husband, was on all sides guarded by a five-hooded snake. (22) With an attractive nose and beautiful teeth the young woman had a nice forehead and beautiful, harmoniously to her face, arranged ears with dazzling earrings. (23) She wore a yellow garment and had a beautiful waist and dark complexion, a golden belt and at her feet ankle bells tinkling as she walked, like a denizen of heaven.(24) Pacing as graceful as an elephant she with the end of her sârî, timidly tried to cover the equally round and full youthful breasts. (25) Moved by her sexual attraction, the arrows of her looks, the exciting influence of her eyebrows and the great beauty of her coy smiles, the hero addressed her very gently.
(26) 'Who are you with those beautiful lotus petal eyes? Who do you belong to, where do you come from and what are you doing here near this city, oh chaste lady? Please be so kind to tell me what your plans are, oh timid girl. (27) Who are all these followers, your eleven guards and all these women? Oh you with your beautiful eyes, what kind of snake is that preparing your way? (28) In your shyness you are as the wife of S'iva [Umâ] or rather Sarasvatî [of Brahmâ] or even better... the Goddess of Fortune [Lakshmî belonging to Vishnu]! Where is the lotus flower that must have fallen from the palm of your hand in your search for your husband, oh you as alone as a sage in the forest walking on feet from which one may expect anything one might wish for? (29) And when you are none of these [goddesses], oh fortunate one - for your feet are touching the ground - then you, as someone who is so much alike the transcendental goddess of the Enjoyer of the Sacrifices, deserve it to walk, to the greater beauty of this city, alongside this great hero, I who am of the greatest glory in this world! (30) With your shy looks, sympathetic smiles and bewildering eyebrows, you have upset me. Because of you I am pained by the almighty Cupid. Therefore have mercy with me, my dearest beauty. (31) Oh woman with the lovely smile, your face with such nice eyebrows and warm eyes, surrounded by the locks of your bluish hair hanging loose, you have, in your shyness, not even lifted up to grant me the vision of your look and the sweet words of your speech.'
(32) Nârada said: 'Oh hero, the woman, attracted by the impatient begging of Purañjana, smiled and addressed the staunch soul: (33) 'I am not sure about who has put me on this planet, oh best among the men, nor from whose lineage the others were born or what their names are. (34) All I know is that we souls are all present here today. I do not know, oh hero, who created this city where all souls have their residence. (35) These different men and women at my side are my male and female friends, oh respectable man, and when I am asleep, the snake stays awake to protect this city. (36) Fortunately you came to this place, may you find all happiness! I and my friends, oh killer of the enemy, will provide for all the sense enjoyment you desire. (37) Just be as good to stay in this city with the nine gates, oh mighty soul, to enjoy for a hundred years the matters of life that I have arranged for you here. (38) Who else but you would I have to enjoy with? Being ignorant about the knowledge of passion [that you have], I do not know what I am heading for, like the animals, that do not see what lies ahead. (39) With religious rituals, economic development and regulated pleasures one can enjoy a life here beyond the ken of the transcendentalists, a life of having offspring, the nectar of sacrifices, a good repute and [access to higher] worlds without lamentation and disease. (40) All the forefathers, the gods, man in general, all living beings and each person for himself, will defend that a householder's life like this constitutes the [safe and] blessed refuge [for people] in the material world. (41) Who indeed, my great hero, would not accept such a lovable, magnanimous, beautiful and famous husband like you? (42) Which woman's mind in this world would not be drawn to your able body with its strong arms, oh mighty man, oh you who only travels around to dissipate, with your utmost effort and alluring smiles, the distress of a poor woman like me?'
(43) Nârada continued: 'Oh King, thus at that place having agreed upon the terms of their engagement, they as husband and wife entered the city to enjoy their life there for a hundred years. (44) When it was too hot he, surrounded by women, entered the river to sport with them there, and the singers there and elsewhere sang nice songs about it. (45) The city had seven gates above the ground and two below, that were constructed for the ruler in charge to reach different places. (46) Five of the gates faced the east, one was at the south, one at the north and two gates where found at the western side. I will describe their names to you, oh King. (47) At one place at the eastern side two gates were built named Khadyotâ ['glowworm'] and Âvirmukhî ['torchlight']. The king used them to go to the city of Vibhrâjita ['to see clearly'] with his friend Dyumân ['of the sun']. (48) At another location in the east there were built the gates called Nalinî and Nâlinî ['mystical names for the nostrils'] and they were used when he, with his friend named Avadhûta ['the one who got rid'], went to a place called Saurabha ['aroma']. (49) The fifth gate on the eastern side called Mukhyâ ['of the mouth'] was used by the king of the city, accompanied by Rasajña ['the taster'] and Vipana ['the organ of speech'], to go to two places called Bahûdana ['many a gift'] and Âpana ['the market']. (50) Going through the southern city gate named Pitrihû ['invoking the ancestors'], oh King, Purañjana together with his friend S'rutadhara ['having a good memory'] visited the southern country side named Dakshina-pañcâla ['the southern territories']. (51) The city gate called Devahû ['directed at the divine'] in the north was used by Purañjana to visit together with S'rutadhara the northern countryside Uttara-pañcâla ['the northern fivefold']. (52) The gate on the western side called Âsurî ['the one void of light'] was used by Purañjana to go together with Durmada ['the one mad about'] to the city of pleasure called Grâmaka ['a small place']. (53) The western gate called Nirriti ['the bottom, dissolution'] was used by Purañjana to go to the place called Vais'asa ['distress, slaughter'] accompanied by his friend Lubdhaka ['the covetous one']. (54) The king, belonging to those endowed with sight, went through [the subterranean gates named] Nirvâk ['speechlessness'] and Pes'askrit ['the hand'] to engage in activities together with two blind citizens. (55) When he went to his private quarters, he did so accompanied by Vishûcîna ['going apart'] and then, in a state of illusion, to his satisfaction and happiness enjoyed the love of his wife and children. (56) Thus strongly attached to act in lust and foolishness for the sake of a certain result, he was cheated in being controlled by whatever his queen wanted him to do. (57-61) When she drank liquor, he drank and got drunk. When she ate he ate, chewing with her whatever she was chewing. When his wife sang he used to sing and when she at times had to cry, he cried too. When she had to laugh he also laughed, when she talked chitchat, he prattled after her. Wherever she went for a walk, he followed in her footsteps, when she stood still, he stood still and when she laid herself down on her bed, he had the habit to lie down following her example. He also had the habit of sitting down when she sat and at times listened to what she was listening to. When she saw something he looked for the same and when she smelled something, he usually smelled it too. When she touched, he touched and when she was complaining he followed her in being equally wretched. He enjoyed it when she was enjoying and when she was satisfied, he was the same after her. (62) Thus captivated by the queen in every way being tricked [by mâyâ] he, without a will of his own following her, was foolishly as weak as a pet animal.'
