Topics covered:
SB 4.14: The Story of King Vena
- Vena installed on the throne
- King Vena stops religious rituals
- The great sages speak to king Vena
- Qualifications of a pious king
- King Vena replies to the brahmanas
- King Vena condemned by the sages
- Sunitha preserves the dead body of Vena
- Bahuka borm from thighs of Vena
SB 4.15: King Pṛthu’s Appearance and Coronation
- Male and female born of the arms of Vena
- The goddess of fortune incarnated as Arci
- King Pṛthu is placed on the throne
- King Pṛthu speaks
SB 4.16: Praise of King Pṛthu by the Professional Reciters
- The reciters continue to praise the king
- King Pṛthu as-chastiser to the irreligious
- King Pṛthuas protector of the world
- King Pṛthu to remain just like fire
- The King Pṛthu will respect all women
- The king will perform one hundred sacrifices
SB 4.17: Mahārāja Pṛthu Becomes Angry at the Earth
- The citizens suffer starvation
- The earth flees from kingPṛthu
- The cow – shaped earth appeals to the king
- King Pṛthu replies to the earthly planet
- Pṛthu Maharaja becomes like Yamaraja
- The planet earth speaks
- The Lord in the form of the original boar
SB 4.18: Pṛthu Mahārāja Milks the Earth Planet
- The planet earth tries to convince the king
- Grains being used by non devotees
- Earth fulfills the kings desire
- The demigods milk nectar from the earth
- The demons milk blood from the earth
- Earth supplies everyone his food
SB 4.19: King Pṛthu’s One Hundred Horse Sacrifices
- Vishnu present at the sacrifice of king Pritu
- King Pṛthu presented with various gifts
- Indra takes the sacrificial horse
- Indra adopts several ordrers of sannyasa
- Lord Bhrama stops the sacrifice
- Unwanted desires even amongst the demigods
- King Pṛthu concludes a peace with Indra
SB 4.20: Lord Viṣṇu’s Appearance in the Sacrificial Arena of Mahārāja Pṛthu
- Lord Vishnu appears on the scene
- The intelligent do not become addicted to the body
- The devotees ming becomes broader and transparent
- Lord Vishnu instructs kingPṛthu
- Lord Vishnu pleased withPṛthus character
- KingPṛthu worship the Lords lotus feet
- Prayers offered by MaharajaPṛthu
- hearing from the mouth of pure devotee
- Lakshmi the mother of the universe
- Thouse bound by the sweet words of the Vedas
- Pṛthu Maharaja blessed by the Lord
- The Lord returns to his abode
SB 4.21: Instructions by Mahārāja Pṛthu
- The kings city beautifully decorated
- All the citizens welcome the king
- The demigods follow inPṛthus footsteps
- KingPṛthu initiates a great sacrifice
- MaharajaPṛthu s beautiful speech
- The fate of an impious king
- There must be a Supreme authority
- Abominable persons bewildered on the path of religion
- A devotee manifests renunciation
- The Lord accepts fifferent types of sacrifice
- Vaishnavas more powerful than royalty
- Rregular service to brahmanas and vaishnavas
- Offerings accepted through mouths of devotees
- The dust of the lotus feet of vaishnavas
- King Prithu congratulated by the saintly persons
SB 4.22: Pṛthu Mahārāja’s Meeting with the Four Kumāras
- The four kumaras arrive
- The king worship the four kumaras
- KingPṛthu speaks with great restraint
- Four kumaras keep themselves like small children
- Sanat – Kumara begins to speak
- The ultimate goal of life
- drinking the nectar of the glorification of the Lord
- devotees should live simple live
- Increasing the culture of devotional service
- The soul subjected to designations
- The strongest obstruction to ones self – interest
- Liberation has to be taken very seriously
- Paramatma is eternally transcendental
- The ocean od nescience is difficult to cross
- Pṛthu Maharaja offers everything to the Kumaras
- The Kumaras praise the character of the king
- Pṛthu Maharajas only aim is to satisfy the Lord
- MaharajaPṛthu begets five sons
- MaharajaPṛthu satisfies everyone
- Pṛthu Maharajas reputation loudly declared
SB 4.23: Mahārāja Pṛthu’s Going Back Home
- MaharajaPṛthu goes to the forest
- Severe austerities undergone byPṛthu Maharaja
- Maharaja prithu engages completely in devotional service
- Pṛthu Maharaja gives up his material body
- Pṛthu Maharaja released from all designations
- Queen Arci follows the king into the forest
- Queen Arci prepares a funeral pyre
- The wifes of the demigods glorify queen Arci
- Queen Arci reaches the planet of her husband
- Benefits of hearing the narration of MaharajaPṛthu
- Even pure devotee must hear about MaharajaPṛthu
Lessions to be learned from this katha:
- Glorification means glorification of Krishna and His devotees
- Guru gives knowledge of subject which is inquired and other matters which he feel important
- One must not judge anyone externally
- Devotee may be misunderstood even by close family and friends
- Attention to detail is a sign of love
- Problems must be dealt with integrity, compassion and grace
- Questions are symptoms of intelligence and eagerness to hear
- Silence must be maintained during any yajna
- Fulfillment of desire may come by prayer and sacrifice n to Supreme Personality of Godhead
- Sometimes others’ misbehaviour is beyond our control
- Happiness is seen as symptom of Lord’s mercy
- Problems won’t change, attitude must
- One’s popularity is tested in one’s absence
- Leader must have power and character
- Real well wishers must be selfless
- Good advice from bonafide sources gives long life, opulence, strength and reputation
- One should not at any time tolerate blasphemy and insults against Lord Vishnu or His devotees
- Glorification is life; blasphemy is death
- Sadhus perform hari-kathä and not gossip about managerial current events
- Compassion is basis of sadhu’s life
- Lord always protects devotee’s family
- Devotional service is purifying
- Both leaders and followers must know their duties
- Qualification deserves glorification. Glorification does not manifest qualification
- Position is an opportunity for service, not for accepting praise
- Kirtana must be in mood of humility
- Economic development can’t bring happiness, dharma can
- Leadership crisis can never be solved, keep positive and chant
- Taxes must return as service; not salaries and comforts
- Mantra becomes bonafide in parampara
- Spiritual topics are ever fresh
- Hard work does not guarantee food
- One cannot challenge authority of Supreme Personality of Godhead in any circumstance
- Surrender means leaving life and death in Lord’s hands
- Life is preparation for eternal life
- Conditioned soul following liberated soul gives liberation
- Human’s duty is to provide protection and food to animals
- Lord is food supplier
- Real power is to celebrate other’s success
- Envious means not tolerate other’s advancement
- Opulence and success attracts envy
- Only religion is surrender to Supreme Personality of Godhead
- Conflict can’t be resolved by conflict sometimes
- Vaishnavas’s blessings give more result then actual performance of activities
- Envy towards an empowered Vaishnava is an offence
- Diseased man may be sympathized and forgive
- Forgiveness is a quality of those who are advancing in spiritual knowledge
- Execution of prescribed duties gives perfection
- Freedom from sin gives peace
- Lord is pleased only by elevated characteristics and behavior
- Humility means begging forgiveness; Magnanimity means forgive and forget
- Non devotees fight perpetually and are vanquished without finishing mission of human life
- King is responsible for citizen’s sin
- Lord performs lila out of affection for His devotees
- Hari katha heard from pure devotees is effective
- Goddess of fortune did austerity since wanted association of gopis
- Service in Vaikuntha is without malice
- Satisfaction of Lord can make impossible possible
- Devotional service is only way to cross maya
- Devotee is interested in service and not liberation
- Lord appears to establish bhakti. Devotee appears to propagate bhakti
- Great souls remain humble like fruit laden trees
- A responsible king was alwPrithu Maharaja tackled gentle and ignored envious
- Great souls behave to set the right example
- Promotion depends on satisfaction of Supreme Personality of Godhead
- Non performance of duties leads to degradation and misfortune
- Success in bhakti is attained when one is frank, open minded and displays no duplicity
- Lord never leaves Vaishnava sanga
- Study must reveal Krishna as mirror reflects face
- Devotee’s only asset is good behaviour
- The chief concern of a Vaishnava is to deliver the fallen souls
- Blessings invoke devotion which prolongs life
- Real mercy is to help spiritual elevation
- Only a Vaishnava can fulfil all the desires of the people
- Great souls purify sinful place
- Wherever he goes, a Vaishnava immediately makes that place a tirtha, a place of pilgrimage
- Surrender and Inquiry must immediately follow meeting great souls
- The idea is that even if a person is very exalted and knows everything, before his superior he should present questions
- Hari katha discussed in devotee circles becomes understandable to all
- When the Lord makes a prediction, He fulfills that prediction through some of His devotees
- Overeating is not at all recommended for one who wants to progress in spiritual life
Sruti Phala – fruit of hearingMahārāja Pṛthu’s katha:
SB 4.23.31 — Any person who describes the great characteristics of King Pṛthu with faith and determination — whether he reads or hears of them himself or helps others to hear of them — is certain to attain the very planet which Mahārāja Pṛthu attained. In other words, such a person also returns home to the Vaikuṇṭha planets, back to Godhead.
SB 4.23.32 — If one hears of the characteristics of Pṛthu Mahārāja and is a brāhmaṇa, he becomes perfectly qualified with brahminical powers; if he is a kṣatriya, he becomes a king of the world; if he is a vaiśya, he becomes a master of other vaiśyas and many animals; and if he is a śūdra, he becomes the topmost devotee.
SB 4.23.33 — It does not matter whether one is a man or woman. Anyone who, with great respect, hears this narration of Mahārāja Pṛthu will become the parent of many children if without children, and will become the richest if without money.
SB 4.23.34 — Also, one who hears this narration three times will become very reputable if he is not recognized in society, and he will become a great scholar if he is illiterate. In other words, hearing of the narrations of Pṛthu Mahārāja is so auspicious that it drives away all bad luck.
SB 4.23.35 — By hearing the narration of Pṛthu Mahārāja, one can become great, increase his duration of life, gain promotion to the heavenly planets and counteract the contaminations of this Age of Kali. In addition, one can promote the causes of religion, economic development, sense gratification and liberation. Therefore from all sides it is advisable for a materialistic person who is interested in such things to read and hear the narrations of the life and character of Pṛthu Mahārāja.
SB 4.23.36 — If a king, who is desirous of attaining victory and ruling power, chants the narration of Pṛthu Mahārāja three times before going forth on his chariot, all subordinate kings will automatically render all kinds of taxes unto him — as they rendered them unto Mahārāja Pṛthu — simply upon his order.
SB 4.23.37 — A pure devotee who is executing the different processes of devotional service may be situated in the transcendental position, being completely absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but even he, while discharging devotional service, must hear, read and induce others to hear about the character and life of Pṛthu Mahārāja.
SB 4.23.38 — The great sage Maitreya continued: My dear Vidura, I have as far as possible spoken the narrations about Pṛthu Mahārāja, which enrich one’s devotional attitude. Whoever takes advantage of these benefits also goes back home, back to Godhead, like Mahārāja Pṛthu.
SB 4.23.39 — Whoever, with great reverence and adoration, regularly reads, chants and describes the history of Mahārāja Pṛthu’s activities will certainly increase unflinching faith and attraction for the lotus feet of the Lord. The Lord’s lotus feet are the boat by which one can cross the ocean of nescience.