CHAPTER ONE

śrī-rājā uvāca — King Parīkṣit said; manvantarāṇi — all about the periods of the various Manus; sarvāṇi — all of them; tvayā — by you; uktāni — have been described; śrutāni — have been listened to; me — by me; vīryāṇi — wonderful activities; ananta-vīryasya — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has unlimited potency; hareḥ — of the Supreme Lord, Hari; tatra — in those manvantara periods; kṛtāni — which have been performed; ca — also.

yaḥ asau — he who was known; satyavrataḥ — Satyavrata; nāma — by the name; rāja-ṛṣiḥ — the saintly king; draviḍa-īśvaraḥ — the ruler of the Draviḍa countries; jñānam — knowledge; yaḥ — one who; atīta-kalpa-ante — at the end of the period of the last Manu, or at the end of the last millennium; lebhe — received; puruṣa-sevayā — by rendering service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; saḥ — he; vai — indeed; vivasvataḥ — of Vivasvān; putraḥ — son; manuḥ āsīt — became the Vaivasvata Manu; iti — thus; śrutam — I have already heard; tvattaḥ — from you; tasya — his; sutāḥ — sons; proktāḥ — have been explained; ikṣvāku-pramukhāḥ — headed by Ikṣvāku; nṛpāḥ — many kings.

teṣām — of all those kings; vaṁśam — the dynasties; pṛthak — separately; brahman — O great brāhmaṇa (Śukadeva Gosvāmī); vaṁśa-anucaritāni ca — and their dynasties and characteristics; kīrtayasva — kindly describe; mahā-bhāga — O greatly fortunate one; nityam — eternally; śuśrūṣatām — who are engaged in your service; hi — indeed; naḥ — of ourselves.

ye — all of whom; bhūtāḥ — have already appeared; ye — all of whom; bhaviṣyāḥ — will appear in the future; ca — also; bhavanti — are existing; adyatanāḥ — at present; ca — also; ye — all of whom; teṣām — of all of them; naḥ — unto us; puṇya-kīrtīnām — who were all pious and celebrated; sarveṣām — of all of them; vada — kindly explain; vikramān — about the abilities.

śrī-sūtaḥ uvāca — Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī said; evam — in this way; parīkṣitā — by Mahārāja Parīkṣit; rājñā — by the King; sadasi — in the assembly; brahma-vādinām — of all the great saintly experts in Vedic knowledge; pṛṣṭaḥ — having been asked; provāca — answered; bhagavān — the most powerful; śukaḥ — Śuka Gosvāmī; parama-dharma-vit — the most learned scholar in religious principles.

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; śrūyatām — just hear from me; mānavaḥ vaṁśaḥ — the dynasty of Manu; prācuryeṇa — as expansive as possible; parantapa — O King, who can subdue your enemies; na — not; śakyate — one is able; vistarataḥ — very broadly; vaktum — to speak; varṣa-śataiḥ api — even if he does so for hundreds of years.

para-avareṣām — of all living entities, in higher or lower statuses of life; bhūtānām — of those who have taken material bodies (the conditioned souls); ātmā — the Supersoul; yaḥ — one who is; puruṣaḥ — the Supreme Person; paraḥ — transcendental; saḥ — He; eva — indeed; āsīt — was existing; idam — this; viśvam — universe; kalpa-ante — at the end of the millennium; anyat — anything else; na — not; kiñcana — anything whatsoever.

tasya — of Him (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); nābheḥ — from the navel; samabhavat — generated; padma-koṣaḥ — a lotus; hiraṇmayaḥ — known as Hiraṇmaya, or golden; tasmin — on that golden lotus; jajñe — appeared; mahārāja — O King; svayambhūḥ — one who is self-manifested, who takes birth without a mother; catuḥ-ānanaḥ — with four heads.

marīciḥ — the great saintly person known as Marīci; manasaḥ tasya — from the mind of Lord Brahmā; jajñe — took birth; tasya api — from Marīci; kaśyapaḥ — Kaśyapa (took birth); dākṣāyaṇyām — in the womb of the daughter of Mahārāja Dakṣa; tataḥ — thereafter; adityām — in the womb of Aditi; vivasvān — Vivasvān; abhavat — took birth; sutaḥ — a son.

tataḥ — from Vivasvān; manuḥ śrāddhadevaḥ — the Manu named Śrāddhadeva; saṁjñāyām — in the womb of Saṁjñā (the wife of Vivasvān); āsa — was born; bhārata — O best of the Bhārata dynasty; śraddhāyām — in the womb of Śraddhā (the wife of Śrāddhadeva); janayām āsa — begot; daśa — ten; putrān — sons; saḥ — that Śrāddhadeva; ātmavān — having conquered his senses; ikṣvāku-nṛga-śaryāti-diṣṭa-dhṛṣṭa-karūṣakān — named Ikṣvāku, Nṛga, Śaryāti, Diṣṭa, Dhṛṣṭa and Karūṣaka; nariṣyantam — Nariṣyanta; pṛṣadhram ca — and Pṛṣadhra; nabhagam ca — and Nabhaga; kavim — Kavi; vibhuḥ — the great.

aprajasya — of he who had no son; manoḥ — of Manu; pūrvam — formerly; vasiṣṭhaḥ — the great saint Vasiṣṭha; bhagavān — powerful; kila — indeed; mitrā-varuṇayoḥ — of the demigods named Mitra and Varuṇa; iṣṭim — a sacrifice; prajā-artham — for the sake of getting sons; akarot — executed; vibhuḥ — the great person.

tatra — in that sacrifice; śraddhā — Śraddhā; manoḥ — of Manu; patnī — the wife; hotāram — to the priest performing the yajña; samayācata — begged properly; duhitṛ-artham — for a daughter; upāgamya — coming near; praṇipatya — offering obeisances; payaḥ-vratā — who was observing the vow of drinking only milk.

preṣitaḥ — being told to execute the sacrifice; adhvaryuṇā — by the ṛtvik priest; hotā — the priest in charge of offering oblations; vyacarat — executed; tat — that (sacrifice); samāhitaḥ — with great attention; gṛhīte haviṣi — upon taking the clarified butter for the first oblation; vācā — by chanting the mantra; vaṣaṭ-kāram — the mantra beginning with the word vaṣaṭ; gṛṇan — reciting; dvijaḥ — the brāhmaṇa.

hotuḥ — of the priest; tat — of the yajña; vyabhicāreṇa — by that transgression; kanyā — a daughter; ilā — Ilā; nāma — by the name; sā — that daughter; abhavat — was born; tām — unto her; vilokya — seeing; manuḥ — Manu; prāha — said; na — not; atituṣṭamanāḥ — very much satisfied; gurum — unto his guru.

bhagavan — O my lord; kim idam — what is this; jātam — born; karma — fruitive activities; vaḥ — of all of you; brahma-vādinām — of you, who are expert in chanting the Vedic mantras; viparyayam — deviation; aho — alas; kaṣṭam — painful; mā evam syāt — thus it should not have been; brahma-vikriyā — this opposite action of the Vedic mantras.

yūyam — of all you; brahma-vidaḥ — completely in awareness of the Absolute Truth; yuktāḥ — self-controlled and well balanced; tapasā — by dint of austerity and penances; dagdha-kilbiṣāḥ — all kinds of material contamination having been burnt out; kutaḥ — then how; saṅkalpa-vaiṣamyam — discrepancy in the matter of determination; anṛtam — false promise, false statement; vibudheṣu — in the society of the demigods; iva — or.

niśamya — after hearing; tat vacaḥ — those words; tasya — of him (Manu); bhagavān — the most powerful; prapitāmahaḥ — the great-grandfather Vasiṣṭha; hotuḥ vyatikramam — discrepancy on the part of the hotā priest; jñātvā — understanding; babhāṣe — spoke; ravi-nandanam — unto Vaivasvata Manu, son of the sun-god.

etat — this; saṅkalpa-vaiṣamyam — discrepancy in the objective; hotuḥ — of the priest; te — your; vyabhicārataḥ — from deviating from the prescribed purpose; tathā api — still; sādhayiṣye — I shall execute; te — for you; su-prajāstvam — a very nice son; sva-tejasā — by my own prowess.

evam — thus; vyavasitaḥ — deciding; rājan — O King Parīkṣit; bhagavān — the most powerful; saḥ — Vasiṣṭha; mahā-yaśāḥ — very famous; astauṣīt — offered prayers; ādi-puruṣam — unto the Supreme Person, Lord Viṣṇu; ilāyāḥ — of Ilā; puṁstva-kāmyayā — for the transformation into a male.

tasmai — unto him (Vasiṣṭha); kāma-varam — the desired benediction; tuṣṭaḥ — being pleased; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality; hariḥ īśvaraḥ — the supreme controller, the Lord; dadau — gave; ilā — the girl, Ilā; abhavat — became; tena — because of this benediction; sudyumnaḥ — by the name Sudyumna; puruṣa-ṛṣabhaḥ — a nice male.

saḥ — Sudyumna; ekadā — once upon a time; mahārāja — O King Parīkṣit; vicaran — touring; mṛgayām — for hunting; vane — in the forest; vṛtaḥ — accompanied; katipaya — a few; amātyaiḥ — by ministers or associates; aśvam — upon a horse; āruhya — riding; saindhavam — born in the Sindhupradeśa; pragṛhya — holding in hand; ruciram — beautiful; cāpam — bow; śarān ca — and arrows; parama-adbhutān — very wonderful, uncommon; daṁśitaḥ — wearing armor; anumṛgam — behind the animals; vīraḥ — the hero; jagāma — went toward; diśam uttarām — the north.

sukumāra-vanam — the forest known as Sukumāra; meroḥ adhastāt — at the foot of Mount Meru; praviveśa ha — he entered; yatra — wherein; āste — was; bhagavān — the most powerful (demigod); śarvaḥ — Lord Śiva; ramamāṇaḥ — engaged in enjoyment; saha umayā — with Umā, his wife.

tasmin — in that forest; praviṣṭaḥ — having entered; eva — indeed; asau — he; sudyumnaḥ — Prince Sudyumna; para-vīra-hā — who could very well subdue his enemies; apaśyat — observed; striyam — female; ātmānam — himself; aśvam ca — and his horse; vaḍavām — a mare; nṛpa — O King Parīkṣit.

tathā — similarly; tat-anugāḥ — the companions of Sudyumna; sarve — all of them; ātma-liṅga-viparyayam — the transformation of their sex into the opposite; dṛṣṭvā — seeing; vimanasaḥ — morose; abhūvan — they became; vīkṣamāṇāḥ — looking over; parasparam — one another.

śrī-rājā uvāca — Mahārāja Parīkṣit said; katham — how; evam — this; guṇaḥ — quality; deśaḥ — the country; kena — why; vā — either; bhagavan — O most powerful; kṛtaḥ — it was so done; praśnam — question; enam — this; samācakṣva — just deliberate; param — very much; kautūhalam — eagerness; hi — indeed; naḥ — our.

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; ekadā — once upon a time; giriśam — Lord Śiva; draṣṭum — to see; ṛṣayaḥ — very saintly persons; tatra — in that forest; su-vratāḥ — highly elevated in spiritual power; diśaḥ — all directions; vitimira-ābhāsāḥ — having been cleared of all darkness whatsoever; kurvantaḥ — doing so; samupāgaman — arrived.

tān — all the saintly persons; vilokya — seeing them; ambikā — mother Durgā; devī — the goddess; vivāsā — because she was naked; vrīḍitā — ashamed; bhṛśam — highly; bhartuḥ — of her husband; aṅkāt — from the lap; samutthāya — getting up; nīvīm — breast; āśu atha — very quickly; paryadhāt — covered with cloth.

ṛṣayaḥ — all the great saintly persons; api — also; tayoḥ — of both of them; vīkṣya — seeing; prasaṅgam — engagement in sexual matters; ramamāṇayoḥ — who were enjoying in that way; nivṛttāḥ — desisted from going further; prayayuḥ — immediately departed; tasmāt — from that place; nara-nārāyaṇa-āśramam — to the āśrama of Nara-Nārāyaṇa.

tat — because; idam — this; bhagavān — Lord Śiva; āha — said; priyāyāḥ — of his dear wife; priya-kāmyayā — for the pleasure; sthānam — place; yaḥ — anyone who; praviśet — will enter; etat — here; saḥ — that person; vai — indeed; yoṣit — female; bhavet — shall become; iti — thus.

tataḥ ūrdhvam — from that time onward; vanam — forest; tat — that; vai — in particular; puruṣāḥ — males; varjayanti — do not enter; hi — indeed; sā — Sudyumna in the form of a woman; ca — also; anucara-saṁyuktā — accompanied by his companions; vicacāra — walked; vanāt vanam — within the forest from one place to another.

atha — in this way; tām — her; āśrama-abhyāśe — in the neighborhood of his āśrama; carantīm — loitering; pramadā-uttamām — the best of beautiful women who excite sex; strībhiḥ — by other women; parivṛtām — surrounded; vīkṣya — seeing her; cakame — desired sex; bhagavān — the most powerful; budhaḥ — Budha, the son of the moon and predominating deity of the planet known as Budha, or Mercury.

sā — Sudyumna, transformed into a woman; api — also; tam — unto him (Budha); cakame — desired sex; su-bhrūḥ — very beautiful; somarāja-sutam — unto the son of the king of the moon; patim — as her husband; saḥ — he (Budha); tasyām — in her womb; janayām āsa — begot; purūravasam — named Purūravā; ātma-jam — a son.

evam — in this way; strītvam — femininity; anuprāptaḥ — having achieved in that way; sudyumnaḥ — the male named Sudyumna; mānavaḥ — the son of Manu; nṛpaḥ — the king; sasmāra — remembered; saḥ — he; kula-ācāryam — the familial spiritual master; vasiṣṭham — the most powerful Vasiṣṭha; iti śuśruma — I have heard it (from reliable sources).

saḥ — he, Vasiṣṭha; tasya — of Sudyumna; tām — that; daśām — condition; dṛṣṭvā — seeing; kṛpayā — out of mercy; bhṛśa-pīḍitaḥ — being very much aggrieved; sudyumnasya — of Sudyumna; āśayan — desiring; puṁstvam — the maleness; upādhāvata — began to worship; śaṅkaram — Lord Śiva.

tuṣṭaḥ — being pleased; tasmai — unto Vasiṣṭha; saḥ — he (Lord Śiva); bhagavān — the most powerful; ṛṣaye — unto the great sage; priyam āvahan — just to please him; svām ca — his own; vācam — word; ṛtām — true; kurvan — and keeping; idam — this; āha — said; viśāmpate — O King Parīkṣit; māsam — one month; pumān — male; saḥ — Sudyumna; bhavitā — will become; māsam — another month; strī — female; tava — your; gotra-jaḥ — disciple born in your disciplic succession; ittham — in this way; vyavasthayā — by settlement; kāmam — according to desire; sudyumnaḥ — King Sudyumna; avatu — may rule; medinīm — the world.

ācārya-anugrahāt — by the mercy of the spiritual master; kāmam — desired; labdhvā — having achieved; puṁstvam — maleness; vyavasthayā — by this settlement of Lord Śiva; pālayām āsa — he ruled; jagatīm — the whole world; na abhyanandan sma — were not satisfied with; tam — to the king; prajāḥ — the citizens.

tasya — of Sudyumna; utkalaḥ — by the name Utkala; gayaḥ — by the name Gaya; rājan — O King Parīkṣit; vimalaḥ ca — and Vimala; trayaḥ — three; sutāḥ — sons; dakṣiṇā-patha — of the southern part of the world; rājānaḥ — kings; babhūvuḥ — they became; dharma-vatsalāḥ — very religious.

tataḥ — thereafter; pariṇate kāle — when the time was ripe; pratiṣṭhāna-patiḥ — the master of the kingdom; prabhuḥ — very powerful; purūravase — unto Purūravā; utsṛjya — delivering; gām — the world; putrāya — unto his son; gataḥ — departed; vanam — to the forest.