Srimad Bhagavatam, Volume 3

assurances for saving, do commit the maximum amount of sins and there is no
deliverance even by constantly remembering the Lotus feet of the Lord. Such
willful offender has no chance of being freed from the clutches of fruitive
action.
Tatra upajagmu bhuvanam punana
Mahanubhava munayah sasisyah
Prayena teertha abhigama apadeshaih
Swayam hi teerthani punanti santah.
Tatra—there, Upajagmu—arrived, Bhuvanam—the universe, Punana—those
who can sanctify, Mahanubhava—great minds, Munayah—thinkers,
Sasisyah—along with their disciples, Prayena—almost, Teertha—pilgrimage,
Abhigama journey, Apadeshaih—on the plea of, Swayam—personally, Hi—
certainly, Teerthani—all the pilgrimages, Punati—sanctify, Santah—sages.
At that time all the great minded thinkers accompanied by their disciples
and sages who could sanctify the pilgrimages even by their presence,
arrived there on the plea of pilgrim's journey.
When Maharaj Parikshlt fixed up himself on the bank of the Ganges the news
spread all directions of the universe and the great minded sages, who could
follow the importance of the occasion, all arrived there on the plea of
pilgrimage. Actually they came to meet Maharaj Parikshit and not for taking
bath in pilgrimage because all of them were competent enough to sanctify the
pilgrimages even. Common men go to pilgrimages for getting themselves
purified of all sins. Thus the place of pilgrimage becomes overburdened with
the sins of others. But when such sages visit such overburdened pilgrimages,
they sanctify the places by their presence. Therefore the sages who came to
meet Maharaj Parikshit were not very much interested to get themielves
purified like other common men but on the plea of taking bath in that place
they came to meet Maharaj Parikshit because they could foresee that taking
the advantage of Maharaj Parikshit's fasting for seven days, Sreemad
Bhagwatam would be spoken by Sukdeva Goswami and all of them wanted to
take advantage of the great occasion.
Atri vasistas chyavanah saradban
Aristanemir chrigur angirascha
Parasaro gadhisuto atho rama
Utatthya indrapramad Iddhmabahau.
Medhatithir devala astiseno
Bharadwaja goutamah pippalada.
Maitreya ourbah kavashah kumbhayoni
Dwaipayana bhagawan naradas cha.
Atri...to Narada—all names of the different saintly personalities arrived there
from different parts of the universe.
On that occasion there arrived great sages like Atri, Chyavan,
Saraadban, Aristanemi, Bhrigu, Vasista, Parasar, Viswamitra, Angira,
Parsurama, Utatthya, Indrapramad, Iddhmavahu, Medhatithi, Devala,
Astisena, Bharadwaj, Goutama. Pippalaha Maitreya,Ourbah, Kavash,
Kumbhayoni, Dwaipayana, and the great Personality Narada.
Chyavan:—A great sage and one of the sons of Bhrigu Muni. He was born
premature when his pregnant mother was kidnapped. Chyavan is one of the
six sons of his father.
Bhrigu:—When Brahmaji was performing a great sacrifice on behalf of
Varuna, Maharshi Bhrigu was born from the sacrificial fire. He was a great
sage and his very dear wife was Puloma. He could travel in the space like
Durvasa, Narada and others and used to visit all planets of the universe.
Before the battle of Kurukshetra, he was one of them who tried to stop the
battle. Sometimes he instructed Bharadwaja Muni about the astronomical
evolution and he is the author of the great Bhrigusamhita the astrological
calculation. He explained how air fire water and earth generated from ether.
He explained how the air in the stomach works and regulates the intestines.
As a great philosopher he established with logical conclusion about the
eternity of the living entity. (Mahabharat Shanti Ch. 87) He was also a great
anthropologist and the theory of evolution was long ago explained by him. He
was a scientific propounder of the four divisions and orders of the human
society known as the Varnashram institution. He converted Kshatriya king
Bitahavyak to become a Brahmin.
Vasista:—See page 497 Vol. II.
Parasara:—Is the grandson of Vasista Muni and father of Vyasadeva. He is
the son of Maharshi Shakti and his mother's name was Adrisyanti. He was in
the womb of his mother when she was only twelve years old. And from within
the womb of his mother he learnt the Vedas. His father was killed by a demon
Kalmaspada and to revenge this he wanted to annihilate the whole world
when he heard the death news of his father by his mother. He was however
restrained by his grand father Vasista. He then performed a Rkshas killing
yajna but Maharshi Pulasta restrained him. He begot Vyasdeva being attracted
by Satyavati later on wife of Maharaj Santanu. By the blessings of Parasara,
Satyavati became fragrant for miles together. He was present also during the
time of Bhisma's death. He was spiritual master of Maharaj Janaka and a great
69
Nineteenth Chapter - Appearance of Sukadeva Goswami
devotee of Lord Shiva. He is the author of many vedic scriptures and
sociological directions.
Gadhi Putra or Viswamitra:—A great sage of austerity and mystic power He
is famous as Gadhiputra because His father's name was Gadhi a powerful king
of the province of Kanyakubja (part of Uttar Pradesh). Although he was
Kshatriya by birth still he became a Brahmin in the very same body by the
power of his spiritual achievements. He picked up a quarrel with Vasista
Muni when he was a Kshatirya king and performed a great sacrifice in cooperation
with Matanga Muni and thus was able to vanish the sons of Vasista.
He became a great Yogi and yet he failed to check up his senses and thus was
obliged to become the father of Sakuntala the beauty queen of the world
history. Once upon a time while he was Kshatriya king, he visited the
hermitage of Vasista Muni and he was given royal reception. Viswamitra
wanted from Vasista a cow of the name Nandini, and the Muni refused to
deliver it. He stole away the cow and thus there was a quarrel between the
sage and the king. After all Viswamitra was defeated by the spiritual strength
of Vasista and thus the King decided to become a Brahmin and before
becoming a Brahmin he underwent a severe type of austerity on the bank of
Koushika. He was also one of them who tried to stop the Kurukshetra war.
Angira:—He is one of the six mental sons of Brahma and the father of
Vrihaspati the great learned priest of the demigods in the heaventy planet. He
is born of the semen of Brahmaji given to the cinder of fire. Utthato and
Samvarta are his sons and it is said that he is still performing austerity and
chanting the holy name of the Lord at a place known as Alokananda on the
bank of the Ganges.
Parsurama:—See page 496 VoII.
Utattha:—One of the three sons of Maharshi Angira. He was the spiritual
master of Maharaj Mandhata. He married Bhadra the daughter of Soma
(Moon). Sometimes Varuna Kidnapped his wife Bhadra and to retaliate the
offence of the god of water, he drunk off all water of the world.
Indrapramad:—See page 497 Vol. II.
Medhatithi:—An old Sage of yore. An assembly member of the heavely King
Indradeva. His son was Kannwa Muni who brought up Sakuntala in the
foreest. He was promoted to the heavenly planet by strictly following the
principles of retired life (Vanaprastha).
Devala:—A great authority like Narada Muni and Vyasdeva. His good name
in the list of authorities is mentioned in the Bhagwat Geeta while Arjuna
acknowledged Lord Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He met
Maharaj Yudhisthira after the battle of Kurukshetra and he is the elder brother
of Dhoumya the priest of the Pandava family. Like the Kshatriyas he also
allowed his daughter to select her own husband in Sayambara meeting and in
that ceremony all the bachelor sons of the Rishis were invited to attend.
According to some he is a different personality from Asita Devala.
Bharadwaja:—See page 496 Vol. II.
Goutama:—One of the seven great sages of the universe. Saradban Goutama
is one of his sons. Persons in Goutama Gotra (dynasty) uptodate are either his
family descendants or his disciplic sscession. The Brahmins who profess
Goutama Gotra are generally family descendants and the Kshatriyas and
Vaishyas who profess Goutama Gotra are all in the line of his disciplic
succession. He is the husband of the famous Ahalya who turned into stone and
Indradeva the king of the heaven molested her. Ahalya was delivered by Lord
Ramachandra. He is the grand father of Kripacharya one of the heroes of the
battle of Kurukshetra.
Maitreya:—A great Rishi of yore. He was spiritual master of Vidura and a
great authority in the matter of religiosity. He advised Dhritarstra to keep
good relation with the Pandavas. Duryadhone disagreed and thus he was
cursed by him. He met Vyasdeva and had religious discourses with him.
Dwaipayana:—See page 495 Vol. II.
Narada Muni:—See page 494 Vol. II.
Anye cha devarshi brahmarshi varya
Rajarshivarya arunadayas cha
Nana arseyapravaran sametan
Abhyarcha raja sirasa vavande.
Anye—many others, Cha—also, Devarshi—saintly demigods, Brahmarshi—
saintly brahmins, Varya—topmost, Rajarshivaryas—topmost saintly kings,
Arunadayas—a special rank of Rajarshis, Cha—and, Nana—many other,
Arsheyapravaran chief amongst the dynasties of the sages, Sametan—
assembled together, Abhyarcha—by worshipping, Sirasa—by the head down
on the ground, Vavande—welcomed.
There were many other saintly demigods, royal orders and special royal
order of the name Arunadaya of different dynasties of sages and when all
of them assembled together to meet the emperor, he received them
properly and bowed down his head on the ground.