Chapter Twenty-one

King Rantideva
|| 9.21.1 ||
r-uka uvca
vitathasya sutn manyor
bhatkatro jayas tata
mahvryo naro garga
saktis tu nartmaja
ukadeva Gosvm said: The son of Vitatha was Manyu, and
from Manyu came five sonsBhatkatra, Jaya, Mahvrya,
Nara and Garga. Nara had a son named Sakti.
The Twenty-first Chapter relates the story of Rantideva of the Puru
dynasty, who pleased Brahm, Viu and iva by his generosity and
patience. Vitatha (false) refers to Bharadvaja, who though a brhmaa
by birth, became Bharatas adopted son. Bharadvajas son was Manyu.
|| 9.21.2 ||
guru ca rantideva ca
sakte pu-nandana
rantidevasya mahim
ihmutra ca gyate
O Mahrja Parkit, descendant of Pu! Sakti had two
sons, named Guru and Rantideva. Rantideva is glorified not
only in human society but also in the society of the devats.
|| 9.21.3-5 ||
viyad-vittasya dadato
labdha labdha bubhukata
nikicanasya dhrasya
sakuumbasya sdata
vyatyur aa-catvriad
ahny apibata kila
ghta-pyasa-sayva
toya prtar upasthitam
kcchra-prpta-kuumbasya
kut-tbhy jta-vepatho
atithir brhmaa kle
bhoktu-kmasya cgamat

Rantideva accepted whatever he got by the arrangement of

providence, but when guests came he would give them
everything, though he desired to eat. Thus he underwent
considerable suffering along with the members of his family.
He remained calm though he was without anything. Once,
after fasting for forty-eight days without water, in the morning
Rantideva, his body trembling because of hunger and thirst,
was about to take some water and some food made with milk
and ghee, but when he and his family were about to eat, a
brhmaa guest arrived.
Rantideva received his wealth (vitta) from the sky, without effort. This
means he received whatever came by fate alone. Whatever came by
that means he would give others in charity, even though he desired to
eat.
|| 9.21.6 ||
tasmai savyabhajat so nnam
dtya raddhaynvita
hari sarvatra sampayan
sa bhuktv prayayau dvija
Because Rantideva perceived the presence of the Lord
everywhere, he received the guest with faith and respect and
gave him a share of the food. The brhmaa guest ate his
share and then went away.
|| 9.21.7 ||
athnyo bhokyamasya
vibhaktasya mahpate
vibhakta vyabhajat tasmai
valya hari smaran
Thereafter, having divided the remaining food with his
relatives, Rantideva was just about to eat his own share when
a dra guest arrived. Remembering the Lord, King Rantideva
gave him also a share of the food.
When Rantideva had divided up what was left after the brhmaa had
eaten, another guest arrived. He took a portion of the food for his
family and gave that to the dra.
|| 9.21.8 ||
yte dre tam anyo gd
atithi vabhir vta
rjan me dyatm anna

sagaya bubhukate
When the dra went away, another guest arrived, surrounded
by dogs, and said, O King, Please give me something to eat
along with my companions, for I desire to eat.
|| 9.21.9 ||
sa dtyvaia yad
bahu-mna-purasktam
tac ca dattv namacakre
vabhya va-pataye vibhu
With great respect, King Rantideva offered the balance of the
food to the dogs and the master of the dogs, who had come as
guests. The King offered them all respects and obeisances.
|| 9.21.10 ||
pnya-mtram ucchea
tac caika-paritarpaam
psyata pulkaso bhygd
apo dehy aubhya me
Thereafter, only the drinking water remained, and there was
only enough to satisfy one person, but when the King was just
about to drink it, a cala appeared and said, O King,
although I am lowborn, kindly give me some drinking water.
|| 9.21.11 ||
tasya t karu vca
niamya vipula-ramm
kpay bha-santapta
idam hmta vaca
Aggrieved at hearing the pitiable words cala which
indicated his fatigue, Mahrja Rantideva spoke the following
sweet words.
There was enough water for only one person, not two. The King
thought, I should not take the water for myself. A person would not
die but rather attain perfection by his body which heard with faith the
Kings sweet words with his ears. What would happen then if people
not only heard the words, but followed them?
|| 9.21.12 ||

na kmaye ha gatim vart parm

aarddhi-yuktm apunar-bhava v
rti prapadye khila-deha-bhjm
anta-sthito yena bhavanty adukh
I do not pray to the Supreme Lord for the eight perfections of
mystic yoga, nor for salvation from repeated birth and death. I
want only to stay among all the living entities and suffer all
distresses on their behalf, so that they may be freed from
suffering.
I shall remain among the suffering beings and take the suffering due to
them. What is it I alone experience the suffering due to all jvas. I can
tolerate my suffering but I cannot tolerate the suffering of others.
|| 9.21.13 ||
kut-t-ramo gtra-paribhrama ca
dainya klama oka-vida-moh
sarve nivtt kpaasya jantor
jijvior jva-jalrpan me
By offering water to maintain the life of this poor cala, who
is struggling to live, I have been freed from all hunger, thirst,
fatigue, trembling of the body, moroseness, distress,
lamentation and illusion.
But you should drink a little of the remaining water, since you are
suffering from thirst. But I am free from hunger and thirst by offering
water to save the life of a suffering living entity.
|| 9.21.14 ||
iti prabhya pnya
mriyama pipsay
pulkasydadd dhro
nisarga-karuo npa
Having spoken thus, King Rantideva, although on the verge of
death because of thirst, gave his own portion of water to the
cala, for the King was naturally very kind and wise.
|| 9.21.15||
tasya tribhuvandh
phalad phalam icchatm
tmna daray cakrur
my viu-vinirmit

Viu, Brahm and iva, who can satisfy all materially

ambitious men by giving them the rewards they desire, and
who had first disguised themselves as a brhmaa, dra and
dog keeper, then manifested their real identities before King
Rantideva.
Viu, Brahm and iva first showed deceptive forms as a brhmaa, a
dra and dog keeper to test Rantideva. They then showed their real
forms (tmnam).
|| 9.21.16 ||
sa vai tebhyo namasktya
nisago vigata-spha
vsudeve bhagavati
bhakty cakre mana param
King Rantideva, with no ambition to enjoy material benefits,
offered them obeisances. Free of all material desires, he fixed
his superior mind with devotion on the Supreme Lord
Vsudeva.
His mind is called superior (param) because it meditated on the form
and qualities of the Lord.
|| 9.21.17 ||
varlambana citta
kurvato nanya-rdhasa
my gua-may rjan
svapnavat pratyalyata
O Mahrja Parkit! Because King Rantideva took shelter of
the Lord completely, without worshiping anyone else, my
composed of the guas disappeared spontaneously like a
dream.
Rantideva is further described. He did not worship anyone else
(ananya-rdhasa). Just as a dream disappears on its own, so my
spontaneously disappeared for Rantideva.
|| 9.21.18 ||
tat-prasagnubhvena
rantidevnuvartina
abhavan yogina sarve
nryaa-parya

All those who followed Rantideva became yogs and devotees

of Nryaa by the power of his association.
|| 9.21.19-20 ||
gargc chinis tato grgya
katrd brahma hy avartata
duritakayo mahvryt
tasya trayyrui kavi
pukarruir ity atra
ye brhmaa-gati gat
bhatkatrasya putro bhd
dhast yad-dhastinpuram
From Garga came a son named ini, and his son was Grgya.
Although Grgya was a katriya, there came from him a
generation of brhmaas. From Mahvrya came a son named
Duritakaya, whose sons were Trayyrui, Kavi and
Pukarrui. Although these sons of Duritakaya took birth in
a dynasty of katriyas, they too attained the position of
brhmaas. Bhatkatra had a son named Hast, who
established the city of Hastinpura.
Having described the descendents of Nara, ukadeva now describes
the descendents of his brothers starting with Garga.
|| 9.21.22 ||
ajamho dvimha ca
purumha ca hastina
ajamhasya vay syu
priyamedhdayo dvij
From King Hast came three sons, named Ajamha, Dvimha
and Purumha. The descendants of Ajamha, headed by
Priyamedha, all achieved the position of brhmaas.
|| 9.21.22 ||
ajamhd bhadius
tasya putro bhaddhanu
bhatkyas tatas tasya
putra sj jayadratha
From Ajamha came a son named Bhadiu, from Bhadiu
came a son named Bhaddhanu, from Bhaddhanu a son

named Bhatkya, and from Bhatkya a son named

Jayadratha.
|| 9.21.23 ||
tat-suto viadas tasya
syenajit samajyata
rucirvo dhahanu
kyo vatsa ca tat-sut
The son of Jayadratha was Viada, and his son was Syenajit.
The sons of Syenajit were Rucirva, Dhahanu, Kya and
Vatsa.
|| 9.21.24 ||
rucirva-suta pra
pthusenas tad-tmaja
prasya tanayo npas
tasya putra-ata tv abht
The son of Rucirva was Pra, and the sons of Pra were
Pthusena and Npa. Npa had one hundred sons.
|| 9.21.25 ||
sa ktvy uka-kanyy
brahmadattam ajjanat
yog sa gavi bhryy
vivaksenam adht sutam
King Npa begot a son named Brahmadatta through the womb
of his wife, Ktv, who was the daughter of uka. And
Brahmadatta, who was a great yogi, begot a son named
Vivaksena through the womb of his wife, Sarasvat.
Npa begot a son in his wife Ktv, the daughter of uka. This uka is
different from the narrator of the Bhgavatam. He was born from
Vysa through Ara. This is described in Hari-vaa.
parara kulotpanna uko nma mah-ya
vysd aray sabhto vidhmo gniriva jvalan.
sa tasy pita-kanyy vriy janayiyati.
ka gaura prabhu ambhu tath bhriruta jayam.
kany krtimat yah yogin yogamtaram.
brahmadattasya janan mahim anuhasya ca

uka of great fame, born in the family of Parara, appeared from

Vysa through Ara. He shone like a fire without smoke. He will give
birth to sons named Ka, Gaura, Prabhu, ambhu, and Bhriruta in
his wife Vri,1 the daughter of the Pits, as well as a daughter named
Krtimat,2 expert at yoga, the mother of yoga, the mother of
Brahmadatta and the queen of Anuha.
uka, the speaker of Bhgavatam was the first son of Vysa, different
from the uka born from the womb of Ara. Brahma-vaivarta Pura
describes how Vysa wrote Mahbhrata at the beginning of Kali-yuga.
Then it describes ukadeva as follows:
On the order of his mother, unable to tolerate the obligation to his
ancestors, just an elephant cannot tolerate a post to which he is tied,
Vysa gave up his celibacy and took the daughter of Javal named
Vik as his wife. He performed austerities with her in a hermitage,
and after a long time he impregnated her. She was pregnant for eleven
years and still did not give birth. In the twelfth year, Vysa said to the
child in the womb, O child! Why are you causing such pain to your
mother? Please come out of the womb. The child in the womb said,
If I come out of the womb, my will attack me. Therefore I will
remain here, meditating on the Lord. Vysa said, You will not be
overcome by my. I will guarantee that. Come out of the womb.
Show your face to me. Do not give pain to my wife. The child said,
But I know that my has overcome you, since you are attached to
your wife and child. I do not believe your words. Vysa said, Then
whose words will you trust? The child said, I will trust the person
who controls my. Vysa said, Then I will bring him here. Vysa
then went to Dvrak and explained everything to Ka. He brought
Ka to his hermitage and said, O son! The Lord has come. The
child said to the Lord, Please speak, O Mdhava! My is like chains
on the universe. If your my, which cannot be surpassed by anyone,
will not bind me, I will leave the womb and come out. You are the
guarantee, now standing outside the womb. The Lord said, You will
not be affected by my my. By my mercy you will be liberated. uka
came out of the womb, offered respects to the Lord and praised him.
Seeing him the Lord said, O Vysa! Your son speaks attractively, like
a parrot. Let his name be uka. Taking permission from Vysa, Ka
mounted his chariot and returned to Dvrak. Then uka left the
house and Vysa pursued him.
rdhara Svm however explains that uka born of Ara, seeing his
father pursue him in pain of separation, produced a duplicate uka,
and then left. The duplicate uka then got married and had children.
1
2

She is called Pivar in the Matsya Pura.

This is another name for Ktv, mentioned in the Bhgavatam verse.

The yog Brahmadatta (sa) begot a son Vivaksena in his wife

Sarasvat (gavi).
|| 9.21.26 ||
jaigavyopadeena
yoga-tantra cakra ha
udaksenas tatas tasmd
bhallo brhadav
Following the instructions of the great sage Jaigavya,
Vivaksena compiled an elaborate description of the mystic
yoga system. From Vivaksena, Udaksena was born, and from
Udaksena, Bhalla. All these sons are known as descendants
of Bhadiu.
Vivaksena compiled a work on yoga. All the sons were descendents of
Bhadu. The form brhadav is poetic license. Brhadiava
would be the correct form.
|| 9.21.27 ||
yavnaro dvimhasya
ktims tat-suta smta
nmn satyadhtis tasya
dhanemi suprvakt
The son of Dvimha was Yavnara, whose son was Ktimn.
The son of Ktimn was well known as Satyadhti. From
Satyadhti came a son named Dhanemi, who became the
father of Suprva.
Suprva-kt means he who gave birth to Suprva.
|| 9.21.28-29 ||
suprvt sumatis tasya
putra sannatims tata
kt hirayanbhd yo
yoga prpya jagau sma a
sahit prcyasmn vai
npo hy udgryudhas tata
tasya kemya suvro tha
suvrasya ripujaya
From Suprva came a son named Sumati, from Sumati came
Sannatimn, and from Sannatimn came Kt, who achieved

mystic power from Brahm and taught six sahits of the

Prcyasma verses of the Sma Veda. The son of Kt was
Npa; the son of Npa, Udgryudha; the son of Udgryudha,
Kemya; the son of Kemya, Suvra; and the son of Suvra,
Ripujaya.
|| 9.21.30 ||
tato bahuratho nma
purumho prajo bhavat
nalinym ajamhasya
nla ntis tu tat-suta
From Ripujaya came a son named Bahuratha. Purumha was
sonless. Ajamha had a son named Nla by his wife known as
Nalin, and the son of Nla was nti.
Other lines from Ajamha are now described, starting with his son
Nla.
|| 9.21.31-33 ||
nte suntis tat-putra
purujo rkas tato bhavat
bharmyvas tanayas tasya
pacsan mudgaldaya
yavnaro bhadviva
kmpilla sajaya sut
bharmyva prha putr me
pacn rakaya hi
viaym alam ime
iti pacla-sajit
mudgald brahma-nirvtta
gotra maudgalya-sajitam
The son of nti was Sunti, the son of Sunti was Puruja,
and the son of Puruja was Arka. From Arka came Bharmyva,
and from Bharmyva came five sonsMudgala, Yavnara,
Bhadviva, Kmpilla and Sajaya. Bharmyva prayed to his
sons, O my sons, please take charge of my five states, for you
are quite competent to do so. Thus his five sons were known
as the Paclas. From Mudgala came a dynasty of brhmaas
known as Maudgalya.
|| 9.21.34 ||
mithuna mudgald bhrmyd

divodsa pumn abht

ahaly kanyak yasy
atnandas tu gautamt
Mudgala, the son of Bharmyva, had twin children, one male
and the other female. The male child was named Divodsa, and
the female child was named Ahaly. From the womb of Ahaly
by the semen of her husband, Gautama, came a son named
atnanda.
Brmyt means from the son of Bharmyva, Mudgala.
|| 9.21.35 ||
tasya satyadhti putro
dhanur-veda-virada
aradvs tat-suto yasmd
urva-darant kila
ara-stambe patad reto
mithuna tad abhc chubham
The son of atnanda was Satyadhti, who was expert in
archery, and the son of Satyadhti was aradvn. When
aradvn met Urva, he discharged semen, which fell on a
clump of ara grass. From this semen were born two allauspicious babies, one male and the other female.
|| 9.21.36 ||
tad dv kpayghc
chntanur mgay caran
kpa kumra kany ca
droa-patny abhavat kp
While Mahrja ntanu was on a hunting excursion, he saw
the male and female children lying in the forest, and out of
compassion he took them home. Consequently, the male child
was known as Kpa, and the female child was named Kp.
Thus ends the commentary on the Twenty-first Chapter of the Ninth
Canto of the Bhgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in
accordance with the previous cryas.