The Activities of the Pracetâs
(1) Vidura said: 'The sons of Prâcînabarhi you before spoke about, oh brahmin, all successfully satisfied the Lord with the song of Lord S'iva [see 4: 24]. What did they achieve that way? (2) Oh disciple of Brihaspati, what was it that the Pracetâs arrived at after meeting the god of mountain Kailâsa [S'iva] who is so dear to the Lord of Emancipation and Beatitude? They must have attained the transcendental position, but what kind of life did they by chance therewith obtain in this life or a next one?'
(3) Maitreya said: 'The Pracetâs who at the lake carried out the orders of their father, satisfied with their austerity, Him, the Indweller [the Supreme Lord], by chanting mantras. (4) After the ten thousand years of their severe austerity [see also 4.24: 14] the Original Person of the Eternal Reality then appeared before them, who satisfied and pacified them with His beauty. (5) Sitting on the back of His carrier bird [Garuda] looking like a cloud on the summit of Mount Meru, He, wearing yellow garments and the jewel around His neck, dissipated all darkness around. (6) Shining with golden ornaments He radiated with His helmet on His head, His dazzling face and His eight weapons, while He assiduously was served by an entourage of sages and demigods, and Garuda like a superhuman being [a Kinnara] sang His glories. (7) With a flower garland hanging between His eight stout arms that challenged the beauty of the Goddess of Fortune, the Original Personality of Godhead, glancing mercifully, addressed the surrendered sons of Prâcînabarhi with a voice resounding like thunder. (8) The Supreme Lord said: 'I am very pleased about your mutual friendship, about your occupation as friends in the same sense of duty, oh sons of the king. You therefore, to your good fortune, may ask Me for a boon. (9) Anyone who each day, every evening remembers you, will be a soulmate to his brothers and a friend with all living beings. (10) They who in the morning and the evening praise Me attentively with the song of S'iva, I shall reward with the fulfillment of all their wishes and a bright intellect. (11) Your shining glory will be known the world all over because you so gladly accepted your father's order. (12) There will be a famous son [of yours] who, in his qualities in no way inferior to Lord Brahmâ, will populate the three worlds with his progeny. (13) The lotus-eyed daughter sage Kandu had from [the girl of heaven named] Pramlocâ, was left to the care of the [divinity of the] trees, oh sons of Prâcînabarhi. (14) When she, distressed with hunger, cried, Soma, the King of the Moon, by means of his index finger poured the nectar compassionately into her mouth. (15) Faithfull to the command of your father who follows Me, beget children and marry forthwith that beautiful daughter with so many qualities. (16) May this well-behaved, slender-waisted girl with a character and sense of duty similar to yours, be a wife fully dedicated to all of you. (17) By My mercy, for millions of heavenly years [one year on earth is one day in heaven see 3: 11] your power will exist without interruption and you will enjoy all the pleasures of heaven and earth. (18) Be therefore steadfast unto Me by devotional service; with your mind free from the contamination of the modes, you will, free from attachment to a material existence, attain My abode. (19) Even for persons who have entered a household life, such a family life is not considered a cause of bondage - not when you spend every minute of your time on [engaging in] good works and [listening to and recounting] the stories about Me. (20) Having attained this ever fresh Knower who is present in the heart as the Supreme Spirit of God, as the one about whom the knowers of the Absolute Truth are speaking, one does not cheer or lament, nor will one be bewildered.'
(21) Maitreya said: 'When they heard Him, the Lord, the remover of all obstacles, thus speak about the supreme purpose of life, the Pracetâs in His presence were liberated from the contamination of ignorance and passion, whereupon they, with faltering voices and folded hands, offered prayers to the greatest of all friends. (22) The Pracetâs said: 'Again and again we offer the destroyer of all distress our obeisances who established His name as the magnanimous One of the qualities always ahead of the fastest mind and tongue; all glories to Him whose course cannot be perceived by means of the senses. (23) Unto the Most Peaceful and Pure One we offer our respects. With one's mind fixed on that what is His, the dual world appears meaningless. Our obeisances unto Him who, according to the modes of matter, assumed His forms for the maintenance, creation and annihilation of the universe. (24) We bow before You, the perfect virtue of goodness, before You, oh Lord Hari, whose intelligence liberates. You are the all-pervading Lord of consciousness Vâsudeva, Krishna, the reason for existence of all devotees. (25) Our respects for You, the One with the lotus navel, the One with the lotus garland, the One of the lotus feet and the One with the lotus eyes. (26) We offer our obeisances unto Him, the Supreme Witness, whose garment, with the saffron color of a lotus heart, is spotless; our obeisances unto the shelter of all living beings. (27) The form You revealed to us who suffer the material condition, oh Lord, puts an end to an unlimited amount of troubles; what other mercy would one need?
(28) You who in Your compassion by Your expansions [and teachers] are visible to the humble devotees, are by one's devotional service - with [the necessary respect of] time - always remembered as such [ - by Your beautiful embodiment and not so much by thousands of mantras -], oh destroyer of all inauspiciousness. (29) By that form all desires of the living beings are quieted, however deep they may have fallen in their laboring - why would You, hidden in our hearts, not know our desires? (30) The blessing we are looking for is that You are satisfied with us, oh Father of the Universe, oh Supreme Lord and spiritual master with whom one on the path of liberation reaches the ultimate goal. (31) Nevertheless we pray for a favor from You, oh Lord of transcendence above everything else. There is no limit to Your greatness and thus You are celebrated as Ananta [the Unlimited One]. (32) A bee completely happy in achieving the Pârijâta tree [the honey dripping celestial wish-fulfilling tree or kalpa-vriksha] does not resort to another tree, so why would we, having approached Your lotus feet, having the root of everything directly before our eyes, ask for anything else? (33) As long as we are contaminated by Your illusory energy [mâyâ], we have to wander around in this world according to our workload [our karma]. Grant us [therefore], so long as that is the case, the association of Your loving devotees, whatever life [or world] we have found. (34) To enjoy but for a moment the company of those who are attached to the Supreme Lord, bears no comparison with the attainment of heaven, nor with the love of not being born again, not even mentioning the [so-called] benedictions reserved for mortal beings. (35) In that company the pure stories are discussed because of which all material hankering is appeased and among the members there is no question of any envy or fear. (36) There, where Lord Nârâyana, the ultimate goal of the renunciates, is worshiped, the Supreme Lord is personally present by dint of the repeated conversations about the truth of those who managed to break free from their attachments. (37) How can meeting those devotees, who on foot travel to the holy places to bring purity there, not be a pleasure to those who live in fear? (38) We who for a moment personally enjoyed the presence of Lord S'iva, Your dearest friend, oh Lord, today achieved [therewith] the destination that You are, You, the expert physician to cure us by Your company from death, the most difficult to cure disease of material existence. (39-40) We studied the scriptures, pleased the teachers, the brahmins and the elderly, we were good to the spiritually advanced souls [the civilized ones, the âryans] and have, free from any envy, honored our friends, brothers and all living beings. We were of severe penance, oh Lord, and resided near the water for a long time abstaining from food. We did all of that only for the benediction of seeing You satisfied, the most exalted Personality of God. (41) Manu, Brahmâ, the mighty Lord S'iva as also others, purified their existence by austerity and knowledge, but never saw the full extent of Your glories. Nevertheless they offered their prayers to You, like us, who do the same to the best of our ability. (42) We offer You our obeisances, the Supreme transcendental Person equal towards everyone and always pure, the Supreme omnipresent Lord of eternal goodness.'
(43) Maitreya said: 'Thus having been praised by the Pracetās the Lord, the protector of the surrendered souls, said pleased: 'So be it [may your prayers be fulfilled]', and left for His heavenly abode. But they did not wish His departure, for they had not seen enough of Him whose prowess is never defeated. (44) The Pracetâs thereupon moved away from the water of the lake, but when they saw that the world had been covered by trees that had grown very tall, as if they wanted to obstruct the way to heaven, they became angry. (45) Like with the fire of devastation at the end of time, they in their fury, oh King [Vidura as a ruler over the senses], with the help of the wind ['their breath'] thereupon started a fire in order to remove the trees from the earth. (46) Seeing that they had turned [almost] all the trees into ashes, the Great Father [Brahmâ] came to pacify the sons of Barhishmân with reason. (47) The remaining trees who were very afraid, then, on the advise of Brahmâ, delivered their daughter to the Pracetâs [see verse 13]. (48) By the order of Brahmâ they all married her, named Mârishâ, from whom the son of the Instigator [the son of Brahmâ] again took his birth because he had disrespected the Great One [S'iva see 4: 2]. (49) He was no one but Daksha, the one who, inspired by God during the previous manvantara [period of Manu*] called Câkshusha [the present one being called Vaivasvata*], had put as much people on earth as desired and was destroyed in the course of time. (50-51) He, who just after his birth with the brilliance of his luster outshone the brilliance of everyone else, was, for being a great expert in performing fruitive activities [sacrifices], called Daksha ['the expert']. Being appointed by the first living being, by Brahmâ, to generate and sustain all the people on earth, he also made sure to engage all the other founding fathers in the process.'
(3) Maitreya said: 'The Pracetâs who at the lake carried out the orders of their father, satisfied with their austerity, Him, the Indweller [the Supreme Lord], by chanting mantras. (4) After the ten thousand years of their severe austerity [see also 4.24: 14] the Original Person of the Eternal Reality then appeared before them, who satisfied and pacified them with His beauty. (5) Sitting on the back of His carrier bird [Garuda] looking like a cloud on the summit of Mount Meru, He, wearing yellow garments and the jewel around His neck, dissipated all darkness around. (6) Shining with golden ornaments He radiated with His helmet on His head, His dazzling face and His eight weapons, while He assiduously was served by an entourage of sages and demigods, and Garuda like a superhuman being [a Kinnara] sang His glories. (7) With a flower garland hanging between His eight stout arms that challenged the beauty of the Goddess of Fortune, the Original Personality of Godhead, glancing mercifully, addressed the surrendered sons of Prâcînabarhi with a voice resounding like thunder. (8) The Supreme Lord said: 'I am very pleased about your mutual friendship, about your occupation as friends in the same sense of duty, oh sons of the king. You therefore, to your good fortune, may ask Me for a boon. (9) Anyone who each day, every evening remembers you, will be a soulmate to his brothers and a friend with all living beings. (10) They who in the morning and the evening praise Me attentively with the song of S'iva, I shall reward with the fulfillment of all their wishes and a bright intellect. (11) Your shining glory will be known the world all over because you so gladly accepted your father's order. (12) There will be a famous son [of yours] who, in his qualities in no way inferior to Lord Brahmâ, will populate the three worlds with his progeny. (13) The lotus-eyed daughter sage Kandu had from [the girl of heaven named] Pramlocâ, was left to the care of the [divinity of the] trees, oh sons of Prâcînabarhi. (14) When she, distressed with hunger, cried, Soma, the King of the Moon, by means of his index finger poured the nectar compassionately into her mouth. (15) Faithfull to the command of your father who follows Me, beget children and marry forthwith that beautiful daughter with so many qualities. (16) May this well-behaved, slender-waisted girl with a character and sense of duty similar to yours, be a wife fully dedicated to all of you. (17) By My mercy, for millions of heavenly years [one year on earth is one day in heaven see 3: 11] your power will exist without interruption and you will enjoy all the pleasures of heaven and earth. (18) Be therefore steadfast unto Me by devotional service; with your mind free from the contamination of the modes, you will, free from attachment to a material existence, attain My abode. (19) Even for persons who have entered a household life, such a family life is not considered a cause of bondage - not when you spend every minute of your time on [engaging in] good works and [listening to and recounting] the stories about Me. (20) Having attained this ever fresh Knower who is present in the heart as the Supreme Spirit of God, as the one about whom the knowers of the Absolute Truth are speaking, one does not cheer or lament, nor will one be bewildered.'
(21) Maitreya said: 'When they heard Him, the Lord, the remover of all obstacles, thus speak about the supreme purpose of life, the Pracetâs in His presence were liberated from the contamination of ignorance and passion, whereupon they, with faltering voices and folded hands, offered prayers to the greatest of all friends. (22) The Pracetâs said: 'Again and again we offer the destroyer of all distress our obeisances who established His name as the magnanimous One of the qualities always ahead of the fastest mind and tongue; all glories to Him whose course cannot be perceived by means of the senses. (23) Unto the Most Peaceful and Pure One we offer our respects. With one's mind fixed on that what is His, the dual world appears meaningless. Our obeisances unto Him who, according to the modes of matter, assumed His forms for the maintenance, creation and annihilation of the universe. (24) We bow before You, the perfect virtue of goodness, before You, oh Lord Hari, whose intelligence liberates. You are the all-pervading Lord of consciousness Vâsudeva, Krishna, the reason for existence of all devotees. (25) Our respects for You, the One with the lotus navel, the One with the lotus garland, the One of the lotus feet and the One with the lotus eyes. (26) We offer our obeisances unto Him, the Supreme Witness, whose garment, with the saffron color of a lotus heart, is spotless; our obeisances unto the shelter of all living beings. (27) The form You revealed to us who suffer the material condition, oh Lord, puts an end to an unlimited amount of troubles; what other mercy would one need?
(28) You who in Your compassion by Your expansions [and teachers] are visible to the humble devotees, are by one's devotional service - with [the necessary respect of] time - always remembered as such [ - by Your beautiful embodiment and not so much by thousands of mantras -], oh destroyer of all inauspiciousness. (29) By that form all desires of the living beings are quieted, however deep they may have fallen in their laboring - why would You, hidden in our hearts, not know our desires? (30) The blessing we are looking for is that You are satisfied with us, oh Father of the Universe, oh Supreme Lord and spiritual master with whom one on the path of liberation reaches the ultimate goal. (31) Nevertheless we pray for a favor from You, oh Lord of transcendence above everything else. There is no limit to Your greatness and thus You are celebrated as Ananta [the Unlimited One]. (32) A bee completely happy in achieving the Pârijâta tree [the honey dripping celestial wish-fulfilling tree or kalpa-vriksha] does not resort to another tree, so why would we, having approached Your lotus feet, having the root of everything directly before our eyes, ask for anything else? (33) As long as we are contaminated by Your illusory energy [mâyâ], we have to wander around in this world according to our workload [our karma]. Grant us [therefore], so long as that is the case, the association of Your loving devotees, whatever life [or world] we have found. (34) To enjoy but for a moment the company of those who are attached to the Supreme Lord, bears no comparison with the attainment of heaven, nor with the love of not being born again, not even mentioning the [so-called] benedictions reserved for mortal beings. (35) In that company the pure stories are discussed because of which all material hankering is appeased and among the members there is no question of any envy or fear. (36) There, where Lord Nârâyana, the ultimate goal of the renunciates, is worshiped, the Supreme Lord is personally present by dint of the repeated conversations about the truth of those who managed to break free from their attachments. (37) How can meeting those devotees, who on foot travel to the holy places to bring purity there, not be a pleasure to those who live in fear? (38) We who for a moment personally enjoyed the presence of Lord S'iva, Your dearest friend, oh Lord, today achieved [therewith] the destination that You are, You, the expert physician to cure us by Your company from death, the most difficult to cure disease of material existence. (39-40) We studied the scriptures, pleased the teachers, the brahmins and the elderly, we were good to the spiritually advanced souls [the civilized ones, the âryans] and have, free from any envy, honored our friends, brothers and all living beings. We were of severe penance, oh Lord, and resided near the water for a long time abstaining from food. We did all of that only for the benediction of seeing You satisfied, the most exalted Personality of God. (41) Manu, Brahmâ, the mighty Lord S'iva as also others, purified their existence by austerity and knowledge, but never saw the full extent of Your glories. Nevertheless they offered their prayers to You, like us, who do the same to the best of our ability. (42) We offer You our obeisances, the Supreme transcendental Person equal towards everyone and always pure, the Supreme omnipresent Lord of eternal goodness.'(43) Maitreya said: 'Thus having been praised by the Pracetās the Lord, the protector of the surrendered souls, said pleased: 'So be it [may your prayers be fulfilled]', and left for His heavenly abode. But they did not wish His departure, for they had not seen enough of Him whose prowess is never defeated. (44) The Pracetâs thereupon moved away from the water of the lake, but when they saw that the world had been covered by trees that had grown very tall, as if they wanted to obstruct the way to heaven, they became angry. (45) Like with the fire of devastation at the end of time, they in their fury, oh King [Vidura as a ruler over the senses], with the help of the wind ['their breath'] thereupon started a fire in order to remove the trees from the earth. (46) Seeing that they had turned [almost] all the trees into ashes, the Great Father [Brahmâ] came to pacify the sons of Barhishmân with reason. (47) The remaining trees who were very afraid, then, on the advise of Brahmâ, delivered their daughter to the Pracetâs [see verse 13]. (48) By the order of Brahmâ they all married her, named Mârishâ, from whom the son of the Instigator [the son of Brahmâ] again took his birth because he had disrespected the Great One [S'iva see 4: 2]. (49) He was no one but Daksha, the one who, inspired by God during the previous manvantara [period of Manu*] called Câkshusha [the present one being called Vaivasvata*], had put as much people on earth as desired and was destroyed in the course of time. (50-51) He, who just after his birth with the brilliance of his luster outshone the brilliance of everyone else, was, for being a great expert in performing fruitive activities [sacrifices], called Daksha ['the expert']. Being appointed by the first living being, by Brahmâ, to generate and sustain all the people on earth, he also made sure to engage all the other founding fathers in the process.'
