Canto Five
Chapter One
The Activities of Maharaja Priyavrata

 King Pariksit inquired from Sukadeva Goswami about Maharaja Priyavrata, and why such a great devotee remained in household life, attached to his family members. Sukadeva Goswami answered that great devotees can never give up the feet of Krsna, and Maharaja Priyavrata, when asked by his father, Svayambhuva Manu to take up ruling the world, expressed doubts that he should do so. Lord Brahma then appeared upon his swan carrier from Satyaloka. Narada Muni who was there instructing Priyavrata, Svayambhuva Manu, who was there requesting Priyavrata, and Priyavrata himself all worshiped and respected Brahma. Brahma then spoke smilingly. (1-10)
 Lord Brahma explains that everyone must carry out the order of the Lord, and everyone must also carry out their varnasrama duties and allow themselves to be conducted by the Supreme Lord, even if one is liberated, through viewing material activities as a dream and being detached. (11-16)
 "One who has controlled his senses is not entangled householder life," said Lord Brahma. "Seek shelter of the Lord, knowing that householder life and ruling the world is His desire for you." After convincing Priyavrata of his duty, Lord Brahma left, and Priyavrata, with no resentment, honored the order of Lord Brahma and ruled the world, while always thinking of the Supreme Lord. (17-23)
 Maharaja then married Barhismati and begot ten sons, three of whom became paramhamsas. He also begot three more sons who later became Manus. Maharaja Priyavrata appeared to be enamored with his wife, but actually he was a great soul. (24-30)
 Once, Maharaja Priyavrata became dissatisfied with the sun giving light only during the day. He then drove his chariot as a second sun, and the wheels of his chariot incidentally created the seven oceans.
 As he was immersed in his householder life, Maharaja Priyavrata began to consider how he had become entangled in material activities, and he began to criticize himself and speak of renunciation. He then divided up his kingdom and renounced everything. (31-38)
 Three verses glorifying Maharaja Priyavrata's activities are then repeated. (39-41)

1. One who comes under the shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord can never become attracted by the activities of family life, for householder life guides one towards sense gratification, its reactions, and hell, which is an opposite direction to Krsna consciousness. Because the contradictions in a devotee's life are resolved by the grace of the Lord through the blessings of a great devotee, a householder can perform his duties properly, without attachment, and remain always absorbed in the Lord's service. (1-10)
2. When one chants, the words Krsna and Hare remind Him of the Lord's activities. (6)

3. One should not attempt to avoid the order of the Lord. In pusuance of that order, whatever situation one finds himself within, he should use it to serve Krsna, accepting all distresses and happiness as a result of his past, getting on with his real business of Krsna consciousness. (11-16)
4. One who controls his senses and who serves the Lord is liberated regardless of his being either a householder or a sannyasi. Real shelter is taking shelter of the Lord's order, and that will protect one from all material influences. (17-23)
5. A devotee should always consider himself a servant of the Lord's servants, and he should not be eager for material affairs. His eagerness should be to gain relief from material involvement and to always think of the Lord. Such a devotee, regardless of his external position, is above all material contaminations. (24-30)
6. A householder may be setting a good example and performing the rules of his asrama, and a paramhamsa may be serving all others. As the paramhamsa has no interest other than devotional service, he is thus relieved from the bodily concept of life and has full realization of Krsna. Therefore a devotee may even be acting as if he was a materialistic, henpecked husband, but he may be fully conscious of his position as a spirit soul, and by the Lord's mercy, may achieve great powers. (24-30)
7. Although material opulences tend to cover us from the spiritual purpose of our lives, one who has already taken to the path of Krsna consciousness can not actually become a materialist, but can surmount his material attachments by constantly remembering the Lord. (31-38)
8: The Lord at times awards the title bhagavan to his pure devotee to increase his devotee's esteem. (39) 
9. One can transcend the fighting tendencies that arise through conditionings of body and karma only through Krsna consciousness. (40) 
10. One can only truly be detached from material opulences if one truly achieves the higher taste of Krsna consciousness. (41) 

Chapter Two: The Activities of Maharaja Agnidhra

 After Maharaja Priyavrata renounced his kingdom to return again to a life of austerities, his son, Maharaja Agnidhra, ruled. Agnidhra wished to have a son and thus began meditating and performing austerities to please Lord Brahma. Lord Brahma understood Agnidhra's desire and sent a beautiful damsel named Purvacitti from the heavenly planets. (1-5)
 Agnidhra sees Purvacitti and becomes fully captivated by her beautiful features. He thus speaks to her, describes her attractive features, and asks her to marry him. (6-15)
 Purvacitti agrees to marry Agnidhra, and they live together for thousands of years. After giving birth to nine children, and after witnessing the children grow up, Purvacitti again returned to her heavenly abode. Agnidhra continuously thinks of her after she departed and thus achieved her planet, Pitri loka, after his death. (16-23) 
1. Using one's senses in Krsna's service protects one. But if one becomes lusty, he will be bewildered and will thus contemplate the features of a woman as the object of his uncontrolled senses. The result of this is death by the hands of maya. (1-14) 
2. One can make advancement in household life, and household life pure prosecuted keeps the woman's mind pure, which results in good progeny. (15-21)
3. One should not become attached to one's wife and think of her at the time of death; rather, one should become attached to Krsna and go to Krishna loka. (22-23)

Chapter Three: Rsabhadeva's Appearance 

 Although one can obtain the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead through sacrifice, it was ultimately the Lord's kindness to His devotee, Maharaja Nabhi, that invoked His wonderful presence at the sacrifice. When the Lord appeared, the priest attending the sacrifice began to pray to the Lord that it is the devotion with which a sacrifice is offered, not the specific paraphernalia that satisfies the Lord and evokes Him to bestow the all-auspicious benediction of His presence. (1-12)
 The priests admit that the sacrifice they had just performed for King Nabhi to obtain a son like the Lord was an improper reason to evoke the Lord's presence at the sacrifice. (13-15)
 The Supreme Personality of Godhead was pleased by the prayers of the priests and agreed to personally become the son of the king. (16-20)

1. Since the Lord is in need of nothing, His apppearance in any form, either His personal descent, His Holy Names, or the arca vigraha, is His mercy to benefit us throough the facility of making devotional offerings. (1-12) 
2. A pure devotee, which one becomes through the association and blessings of another pure devotee, takes advantage of the Lord's association by praying for and worshiping the Lord only to attain the Lord's service. (13-15) 
3 When the Lord personally descends, He does so to maintain the words of His devotees, to broadcast His supreme position, and to demonstrate bhakti, the proper execution of religious principles. (16-20)

Chapter Four: The Characteristics of Rsabhadeva

 After the Supreme Personality of Godhead Rsabhadeva took birth and although He displayed His opulences, He still dealt with everyone as if He were an ordinary human being. (1-4)
 Understanding his son's popularity within the kingdom, Maharaja Nabhi, the Lord's father, installed Rsabhadeva as the emperor of the world. Nabhi then left for the Himalayas, practiced austerities, and attained Vaikuntha. Maharaja Nabhi great fortune of having the Lord as his son was glorified by two verses composed by brahmanas. Rsabhadeva then married and performed exemplary activities. He begot one hundred sons, of which the eldest, Bharat, possesses exalted attributes. (5-9)
 Maharaja Rsabhadeva's other sons were also highly qualified and powerful, and thus the perfect personality, Maharaja Rsabhadeva, set an ideal example in His householder life through His performance of varnasrama dharma. By seeing Rsabhadeva's example, the citizens became fully affectionate towards Him, and thus, because He was the Supreme Lord, devoid of material desires. Once while touring the earth, Rsabhadeva instructed His sons in a place known as Brahmavarta. (10-19)

1. When the almighty independent Supreme Lord incarnates and recognized by sastric symptoms, He is still all-powerful although He may be acting as an ordinary human to not disturb the affection of His parents. (1-4)
2. The Lord comes to set the example how the Vedic lifestyle brings one to liberation, even in this life, by acting only to please the Lord and acting according to the directions of the brahmana Vaisnavas. Then, especially if one has taken birth in India, one should preach Krsna consciousness for the benefit of the entire world. (5-9)
3. The Lord also demonstrates how the perfection of government, wherein the citizens have no material desires and use their lives to journey back to Godhead, can be achieved through following the Varnasarama system. (10-19)

 Chapter Five: Lord Rsabhadeva's Teachings

 Lord Rsabhadeva describes that human life is especially meant for performing austerities to achieve spiritual happiness, which one can achieve through serving Mahatmas and doing nothing that is not related to Krsna's service. (1-3) He further explained that an intelligent man acts in such a way that he doesn't again take a material body, which is the source of his miseries, and thus uses his life to develops love for Krsna. (4-6)
 To become free from material life, one has to slacken his attachment to sex-life, wife, family, and their paraphernalia. Only by cutting through these knots of illusion will one be able to go back to Godhead. (7-9)
 Rsabhadeva explained that one must accept a bona fide spiritual master and refrain from acting for sense gratification and always engage in devotional service, rejecting even that which brought one to devotional service. (10-14)
 He also explained that one should carefully not engage in any fruitive activities and one who is a guru should not engage his disciples in any fruitive activities; rather, one shouldn't take on any relationship where people are dependent upon him unless he takes responsibility for releasing those dependents from birth and death. (15-18)
 Lord Rsabhadeva then explained that He, Himself was the Supreme Lord, and that serving Him could be accomplished through serving Bharata, his pure, and elevated son. Since He, the Supreme Lord, is the Supreme entity, the brahmanas who are so dear to the Lord, because they purely preach the Vedas and are satisfied simple in devotional service, should be respected. (19-25)

 He explained that His sons should envy no one, and, while offering respects to every living entity, fully engage in devotional service. After thus instructing His sons, Lord Rsabhadeva installed Bharata as emperor and lived like an avadhuta and did not care for the conventions of the world. (26-35)

Verses to memorize: 5.1, 5.2 (first two lines), 5.5, 5.8, 5.18

1. Humans should not waste their lives seeking sense gratification; rather, they should voluntarily accept penances that increase their Krsna consciousness, associate with devotees, avoid the association of materialists, and, even if living at home, be detached, living to make spiritual advancement. (1-3)
2. One should neither engage in sinful activities, karma, or jnana, but one should surrender to Krsna in devotional service and thus end the cycle of birth and death. (4-6)
3. One can become free from attachment to family life, which also affects devotees who are contaminated by karma and jnana and which binds conditioned souls to samsara, and go back to Godhead by associating with sadhus and engaging in devotional service. (7-9)
4. To become liberated, one must first accept a bonafide spiritual master, give up acting for sense gratification, and act always in the service of the Lord. One should even give up the processes that led one to devotional service. (10-13)
5. Since only knowing and serving Krsna can actually liberate one, and since all fruitive activities bring future sufferings, one should only take on the responsibility of a relationship if he has the ability to liberate his dependents. (15-18)
6. Conclusion: Even if a devotee is king, that king should be subordinate to qualified brahmanas who have assimilated the scriptures and are compassionately preaching, with no material motive, to deliver the conditioned souls. (19-25)
7. The living entities are distinct from the Supreme Lord, but all of them, regardless of their bodies, should be treated with respect and not envied. One should engage his senses and his mind only in the service of the Lord, and without doing so, one cannot get out of the clutches of maya. (26-27)
8. One who fully realizes that this body and the material world are temporary is not concerned with bodily pain and pleasure. A devotee is peaceful because he is desireless, and he is desireless because he is completely dependent on the mercy of Krsna. (28-35)

Chapter Six: The Activities of Lord Rsabhadeva

 Maharaja Pariksit asked Sukadeva Goswami why, considering that Rsabhadeva was completely pure in heart, did he neglect his mystic powers although he possessed them. Sukadeva replied by explaining the treacherous nature of the mind, and that even one who has full control of his mind does not put full faith in it. Rather he remains always vigilant over the mind's actions. (1-5)
 Maharaja Rsabhadeva wandered over the earth, as if a madman. Once as he was in a forest near Kutakacala, a forest fire burnt the body of Rsabhadeva to ashes. Later, after Rsabhadeva ended His pastimes, a king named Arhat heard of the activities of Rsabhadeva. Being influenced by Kali Yuga, Arhat imitated Rsabhadeva and, concocting a new system of religion, he gave up the principles of varnasrama dharma. (6-12)
 The glories of Maharaja Rsabhadeva are chanted by great scholars and are the reservoir of all good things. The Supreme Lord Rsabhadeva came out of His causeless mercy to teach the self's real identity and the goal of life. Whoever attentively hears or speaks Rsabhadeva's glories attains pure devotional service. (13-19)

1. Even though a devotee is neither attracted to or averse to material opulences, he still does trust his mind which will tend to be the cause of falldown, and he therefore carefully chants Hare Krsna, always engages his mind in Krsna consciousness, and practices austerities and penances to keep his mind, the root cause of material life, under control. (1-5)
2. If one keeps spiritually fit and remains in the mood of an eternal servant of the Supreme Lord, he will go back to Godhead at the time he as to give up his body. One should follow the Vedic principles and one should not imitate Rsabhadeva. Those so called followers of Rsabhadeva think themselves the Supreme Lord and do not respect the followers of the Vedic principles, the real brahmanas. In Kali Yuga, if one does not imitate, but follows the instructions of Rsabhadeva in the Fifth Canto, he will certainly be liberated. (6-12)
3. The perfection of yoga is not the attainment of siddhis, but achieving the favor and shelter of the Supreme Lord. Compared to this, liberation is also easy to obtain, is insignificant, and comes automatically for the devotee. Lord Rsabhadeva descendend and by His example taught us to attain full satisfaction within, in Krsna consciousness, completely independent of the body for satisfaction. (13-19)

Chapter Seven: The Activities of King Bharat 

 Bharat Maharaja, the great devotee son of Maharaja Rsabhadeva, ruled the entire earth. He was affectionate to his citizens and performed various sacrifices to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva. Maharaja Bharat's devotion, due to his worship, increased day by day. (1-7)
 After ruling for thousands of years, he renounced his family and kingdom and retired to Pulaha Asrama, where he lived, performed austerity, and felt completely satisfied performing devotional service. Gradually, Bharat Maharaja increased his ecstatic love for Vasudeva and worshipped the Lord through reciting prayers from the Rig Veda. (8-14)

1. Since sacrifices are intended to please Krsna, and since Krsna is the source of Brahman and Paramatma, in Kali Yuga, one should engage in sankirtan yajna to please Krsna. This creates no new karma and purifies one as well. (1-7)
2. One can either renounce the world and go to a place wherein the Lord is present either personally or in the form of arca vigraha or one can render devotional service to the Lord according to the instructions of the Srimad Bhagavatam. But wherever he is, ecstasy results when one is engaged constantly in the Supreme Lord's service. (8-14)

Chapter Eight: The Character of Bharat Maharaja 
 
 While Bharat Maharaja meditated and chanted his mantra in Pulaha Asrama, he took compassion on a helpless, deer calf, born from a miscarriage which occurred when the mother deer heard a nearby lion roar. In no time, because of his attachment to the baby deer, Bharat Maharaja became distracted from his spiritual practices. Thinking it his duty to shelter the deer, Bharat Maharaja became bound to it with affection, as he protected and fondled it. When the deer was not present, in illusion he would lament. (1-12)
 Due to his attachment Bharat Maharaja would lament in the deer's absence that the deer had rightfully rejected him due to his own cunningness and faithlessness, and he would become filled with anxiety and fear for the deer's safety. Bharat Maharaja would then loose himself while remembering his playful dealings with the deer. Bharat Maharaja felt great pain in the absence of the deer and madly spoke of the deer in deep separation. (13-25)
 Bharat Maharaja, due to his attachment for the deer, thus fell down from his renunciation and in due course of time died. At the time of death, the deer came beside him, and the emperor who had renounced the world, thus took his next birth within the body of a deer. In that body, due to his previous rigid devotional practices, Bharat Maharaja could remember his past life. He thus lamented his foolishness and became completely detached from material life, again traveling to Pulaha Asrama, and finally giving up his deer body. (26-31)

1. One must be extremely cautious in one's spiritual practices, otherwise a little material attachment can cause one to fall down again into material existence. Make sure not to:
 a. neglect the rules and regulations and the regular chanting of Hare Krsna 
 b. engage in material compassion; rather spiritually elevate souls
 c. become attached to material things, which is the cause of our material bondage. (1-12)
2. One who is serious about advancing in Krsna consciousness must make sure he doesn't become attached to anything but Krsna, for even while engaging in spritiual practices, his advancement may be killed. (13-25)
3. Devotees should be cautious in executing their devotional service for if they again take to sense gratification, it is purposeful, and they will be punished for some time by the Lord. (26-31)

Chapter Nine: The Supreme Character of Jada Bharata

 Bharata Maharaja, after leaving the body of a deer, took his next birth within a family of pious brahmanas. During that life he was known as Jada Bharata. Jada Bharat could also remember his past births, and he therefore, due to fear of intimate association with non-devotees, constantly remembered the Lord and remained aloof, externally acting crazy and dull. Despite Jada Bharata's act, his father continuously attempted to train him as a qualified brahmana and a learned scholar. But since Jada Bharata had surpassed these attainments, he showed no interest in the reformatory processes. In due course of time, Jada Bharata's father and mother died, and Jada Bharata was placed under the care of his cruel step-brothers, who could not understand his exalted position. They thus mistreated him. 
 Acting as if a madman, Jada Bharata neglected his muscular body and kept it dirty. Nor did he care for palatable foods nor did he care that he was continuously exploited by his brothers. One day, while working for his brothers as a watchman in the fields, he was captured by some dacoits who planned to sacrifice him to the Goddess Kali. (1-14)
 The dacoits brought Jada Bharata to the Kali temple, planning to offer his blood as a sacrifice to the goddess. Just as they raised their sword to kill Jada Bharata, the Kali deity burst asunder, not being able to tolerate the offense to the great soul Jada Bharata. As Kali emerged from the deity along with her fearsome associates, she began to behead the rogues and dance and sing and drink their blood. Thus the Lord always protects devotees who take shelter at His lotus feet. (15-20)

1. As a devotee picks up his advancement from his last brith, and he should therefore become determined to become free from the modes of material nature, engage in no fruitive activities, engage only in devotional service, becoming neutral to good and bad in this world, and become a paramahamsa. (1-14)
2. Even if a devotee is an extreme circumstances, as was Jada Bharata when he was to be offered as a sacrifice to the Goddess Kali, a devotee keeps depending upon Lord Krsna and the Lord gives all protection. (15-20)

Chapter Ten: The Discussion Between 
Jada Bharata and Maharaja Rahugana
(Maharaja Rahugana Meets Jada Bharata) 

 As Jada Bharata was walking by the Iksumati River, the chief palanquin carrier of Maharaja Rahugana enlisted him to carry the king's palanquin. But Jada Bharata, due to his non-violence, carried his share erratically, which upset the smoothness of the king's ride. Thus Maharaja Rahugana became angry and criticized Jada Bharata with sarcastic words. When the king saw that Jada Bharata still wasn't carrying the palanquin properly, despite his chastisement, he became angry and spoke harshly to the great soul, Jada Bharata. (1-8)
 Jada Bharata replied to the king and showed him the spiritual meaning of the his insults. The king could thus understand that it is illusion to identify oneself with his body and his bodily situation. He also could understand that Jada Bharata was above such illusion. (9-14)
 After instructing the king, Jada Bharata picked up the palanquin to carry it as before. Maharaja Rahugana rushed from the palanquin and fell down flat on the ground in respect for Jada Bharata. The king began to offer prayers before the exalted devotee, requesting him to reveal his identity, forgive his offense, and further explain the instructions he had just given. Maharaja Rahugana asked, "What is the most secure shelter within this world? How can I advance in spiritual life? If this world is not factual, why are we able to visualize the affects of the interaction of the world's elements? How is it possible that the soul, which is within the material body, is completely detached from the conditioning of the material body?" (15-25)

1. A highly advanced Vaisnava knows he is not his body and is fixed on Krsna and doesn't become disturbed by distressful circumstances, while anger occurs easily within one who is in the bodily conception of life. (1-8)
2. The pure soul, in illusion, although aloof from the body, identifies with it, thinks himself the master, and thus suffers, a situation which can be removed by agreeing to become controlled by the Supreme Lord and his representatives and by accepting all difficulties as concessional suffering, while offering obeisances to the Lord within his heart. (9-14) 
3. Everyone, regardless of his material position, must approach (and not offend) a Vaisnava, who is distributing knowledge of Krsna, and learn from him how to engage without attachment in Krsna's service. (15-25)

Chapter Eleven: Jada Bharata Instructs King Rahugana

 Jada Bharata begins answering Maharaja Rahugana's questions by chastising the king for speaking words based on material reasonings. He then begins explaining that the Vedas deals with piety and impiety, and is insufficient for complete self-realization. (1-4)
 Jada Bharata further explains to Maharaja Rahugana about the activities of the material mind, and how it dictates the spirit soul's wanderings from body to body. In addition to binding a soul within the material world, the mind can, however, cause liberation. Jada Bharata continues describing the mind's functional interactions with the material world, and how it establishes a field of activities with its false identifications. (5-14)
 Jada Bharata describes how the mind must be conquered through service to the lotus feet of Spiritual Master and the Supreme Lord or it will lead us through countless births and deaths. (15-17)

Canto Five, Chapter Eleven
Jada Bharata Instructs King Rahugana 

1. Devotional service is the highest platform, and it is the true fruit of Vedic study, the only solution to all material prolems, and the culmination of liberation. (1-4) 
2. The mind causes both the material entanglement of the jiva soul and by being fully engaged in Krsna's service, his liberation as well. (5-14) 
3. To become free from birth and death one must conquer the mind by serving the lotus feet of the spiritual master. (15-17)

Canto Five, Chapters Twelve 
Rahugana Converses with Jada Bharata 
 
 Maharaja Rahugana glorifies Jada Bharata's exalted position and requests him to repeat his instructions and clarify the ideas he could not understand. (1-4)
 Jada Bharata replies by explaining that all bodies are merely transformations of the earth, while the earth itself, as well as the entire universe from which it comes, has no ultimate existence. Beyond this , the Absolute Truth can ultimately be understood as the Supreme Person Vasudeva, the cause of all causes, including Brahman and Paramatma. (5-11)
 Jada Bharata then explains the secret of spiritual success as association with great devotees, and tells of his own previous births as Bharata Maharaja and a deer. (12-16)

1. To become saved from maya one should approach a saintly person and surrender to him, serve him, and submissively hear and inquire from him about subject matters beyond the bodily concept of life. (1-4)
2. Since Krsna is the proprietor and maintainer of everyone, the Ultimate Cause, the resting place of the creation, and the cause all causes, including brahman and paramatma, one should learn about Krsna from a bona-fide spiritual master. By concentrating one's understanding on Krsna, one will then understand all else. (5-11)
3. To achieve Krsna, do the following:
 a. approach a pure devotee who never talks about worldly topics
 b. Achieve the mercy of the devotee by serving him
 c. Never envy, neglect, or try to surpass one's spiritual master. 
 d. accept the association of devotees and reject the association of non-devotees. (12-16)

Chapter Thirteen
Further Talks Between King Rahugana and Jada Bharata

 Jada Bharata compares the living entity's situation within the material world to that of a merchant entering a forest to acquire goods to later sell for a profit. While in the forest, he's attacked by six plunderers, bitten by mosquitoes, and frightened by ghosts and fiends. Running from place to place as he searches for success, he is blinded by the dust of a whirlwind. (1-4)
 As he is left hungry and thirsty, he is forced to beg food from the uncharitable. He has his wealth stolen and dreams of living with his family within a celestial palace. He attempts to climb a high mountain, but his feet become bruised and he is crushed by a python. (5-9)
 He seeks enjoyment through sex with a debauched woman, cheats other living entities, and tries to counteract the natural miseries of material life. Because of his beginning and stealing, he is insulted and his relationships become strained. After losing his mother and father, he becomes attached to his young children. Seeking shelter within forest bowers, he fears lions, and befriends cranes and vultures only to become cheated by them. He jumps from one branch of a tree to another like a monkey, and falls within a mountain cave. Getting freed from his dangerous position, he returns home to his wife, remaining in illusion till the moment of death. (10-19)
 Jada Bharata thus advises the king to slash the hard knot of the illusory energy with the sword of knowledge, and cross beyond the ocean of nescience. Maharaja Rahugana, after hearing the words of Jada Bharata, glorifies being born as a human, for such a birth gives one opportunity to associate with devotees. Maharaja Rahugana then gives up the bodily concept of life. 
 After hearing the words spoken to Maharaja Rahugana by Jada Bharata, Pariksit Maharaja then requests Sukadeva Goswami to explain the purport and direct meaning of the allegories. (20-26)

1. Human life is meant to serve Krsna. But seeking sense gratification and forgetting the accompanying repetitions of birth and death, we thus entangling ourselves in household life and fruitive activities, getting pleasure only from sex life, not knowing that these sinful acts pave his future material bodies. (1-4) 2. Since miseries, not happiness can only be found in the material world, one should therefore retire to Vrindaban, awaken from the illusion of trying to become happy here, and take shelter of Govinda and His Holy Names, as taught by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. (5-9)
3. Sex desire captures, deludes, and forces one to remain in the material world, with its cheating, envy, false-shelters, and ignorant sufferings, without understanding the real aim of life. (10-19) 4. Sadhus are needed all over the world to give knowledge and free individuals through their association from the bodily concept of life. One must beg such sadhus for forgiveness if one happens to offend such a saintly person. (20-26)

Chapter Fourteen: The Forest of Enjoyment

 When King Pariksit asked Sukadeva Goswami about the direct meaning of the forest of material enjoyment, Sukadeva Goswami replied that a merchant going into the forest to acquire goods and earn money is like the greedy, conditioned soul who enters this material world. In the forest of material existence, the six plunderers are compared to the six senses and family members that plunder one's money for sense gratification. Like the ploughman who ploughs his field only to have weeds come up the following year, the desires of one in the grhastha asrama for fruitive activities grow up again and again unless the seeds of his desire are destroyed. 
 Despite disturbances within his life, he continues with his material existence, thinking this temporary world permanent. He chases after the objects of the senses like an attached deer chasing after a mirage in the desert. He becomes interested in gold, since gold brings sense enjoyment. He becomes absorbed in finding a residence and acquiring the necessities to maintain his body. Blind with lusty desires and disobeying the regulations governing sex life, he does not know his disobedience is witnessed. The conditioned soul, at times, realizes the futility of sense enjoyment, but cannot escape his desires due to his strong bodily conception. He enjoys his riches and wealth attained through previous pious activities, but his enjoyment helps neither in this life nor the next. Attempting to overcome his distresses, he is cheated when he takes shelter of atheists and pseudo-spirituals, which is compared to jumping in a shallow river and breaking one's bones as an attempt to cool one's self from the summer heat. 
 He even takes to maintaining himself through exploiting his dear relatives, and doesn't mind giving them trouble. Implicated in family life, which is just like a blazing fire in the forest, the conditioned soul burns with lamentation. Government men, acting like carnivorous raksasas, plunder his wealth and thus rob him of his enthusiasm, and in his misery, he seeks pleasure imagining his father or grandfather has become his son. The performance of his children's marriages are like a big hill covered with thorns that he must cross over, and due to his suffering and disturbed condition, he becomes angry with his affectionate family members.
 Sleeping, like a dead body thrown in the forest, he is placed in dangerous positions by his enemies. In ignorance, he loses his intelligence, like a blind man who has fallen in a dark well. Attracted by the happiness derived from sense gratification and illicit sex, he is arrested by the government and put into jail for kidnapping, rape, or theft. Therefore, because of all the miseries connected with fruitive activities, transcendentalists condemn the materialistic path as the source of miseries. 
 He is unable to enjoy his accumulated money, he suffers the threefold miseries, he becomes the enemy of others due to minor cheating, and he thus he is overcome by fear, happiness, distress, madness, greed, and envy, moroseness, lamentation, and misery. Because of his attachments to members of the opposite sex, he loses his Krsna consciousness and throws himself in the dense darkness of material existence. But uncheckable time gradually steals away his life, and he, the living entity, in takes shelter of man-made gods who cannot help him. After being cheated by these atheists, he may even take shelter of a real devotee. But but because he cannot follow their principles, and again falls down to bad association with monkey-like men. Living a life fearing death, suffering miseries, making enemies due to financial dealings, falling into scarcity, stealing, remarrying, he thus becomes alternatingly miserable and happy. 
 He has forgotten his relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead and devotional service. Because he doesn't associate with saints, however powerful he may be, he forgets the mission of his life. Thus the entanglement of his fruitive work is the cause of all his sufferings. Having summarized the teachings of Jada Bharata, Sukadeva Goswami tells Maharaja Pariksit that most kings cannot follow the path of renunciation followed by Bharata Maharaja followed, and which Jada Bharata explained to Maharaja Rahugana. Sukadeva continues to glorify Bharata Maharaja, and then explains that those who submissively hear about Maharaja Bharata attain all their material and spiritual desires.

(This chapter is organized differently than most, and we've therefore modified our system for outlining it. The chapter's first verse tells us that the living entity enters the material world due to his desire for sense enjoyment. The remaining verses and purports repeatedly describe miseries that result from that initial illicit desire of the living entity. They also describe the process by which the soul can attain freedom from his suffering. 
 To focus our outline, we've grouped the instructions under four themes: 
 1. The nature of the material world
 2. Sex desire and family attachment
 3. Wealth and sense enjoyment 
 4. Freedom from suffering)

1. The nature of the material world: The unchangeable nature of the material world is miserable. (8,14-16,20-21,23,25,27,36-37)
 The very nature of this world is miserable. Even if we wish to remain in our situation, we are forced to change from one miserable body to another. Our struggle for happiness bring more and more misery, and at least one of the three-fold miseries disturb us at all times. We are forced to cause distress to those we love, we can't sleep peacefully, the government causes miseries, and enmity and envy ruins all relationships. And ultimately death claims all.

2. Sex desire and family attachment: All in all family life and sex simply cause one misery and bind one to the material world. (3-6,9,17-19,22,28,30,32,34-35)
 The conditioned soul suffers changes of body again and again because he's captivated by momentary sex pleasures. Illusioned by passion and unsatisfied, the conditioned soul even engages in illicit sex. Although he thinks himself unobserved, his acts are witnessed and he is punished birth after birth. His sex desire even stops him from following the rules and regulations within the path of devotional service. 
 To acquire the accoutrements needed for sex and the results of sex, his family responsibilities, he cheats and creates enmity even among his intimate friends. The family-social duties he must perform causes him difficulty, and his family members plunder his hard earned wealth and energy and thus cause him to cheat to obtain more money. All in all, family life gives no satisfaction, and the pleasure one receives from it is compared to a drop of water on the desert. The strong desire for family life can be burnt out only when one fully engages in devotional service. 

3. Wealth and sense enjoyment: Because gold and sense gratification simply cause misery, one should only gratify his senses in the service of the Lord and use all his activities to attain His favor. (7,11-12,24,26,29,33)
 Laksmi belongs to Narayana and should only be used in His service, and one attempting to independently enjoy Laksmi is vanquished. Those whose minds are covered by the mode of passion are attracted by gold, and those who get gold use it for sinful activities and sense gratification. They are so attached to sense gratification that they fail to see the miseries they are causing themselves. But the scriptures nevertheless enjoin that one should not endeavor for sense gratification, but should utilize all his activities to attain the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, one's senses should only be gratified in connection with Krsna's service. Because conditioned souls suffer so much misery just to enjoy sense gratification, they are considered rascals and the lowest amongst mankind.

4. Freedom from suffering; One can only free oneself from the suffering of the material world through the process of Krsna consciousness. (1-2,13,10,31,38-44) 
 One should understand that the nature of this world is miserable. He should give up his attempts to be happy here and only attempt to get out, understanding the goal of life is to become completely absorbed in Krsna and His service. To get out, one needs a bonafide spiritual master engaged in Krsna's service to end one's struggles within this material world. and attain the dust from his lotus feet, execute devotional service to please Krsna, associate with devotees and chant Hare Krsna, use one's material possessions in Krsna's service and not for sense gratification. 

Chapter Fifteen
The Glories of the Descendents of King Priyavrata

 The descendents of Bharata Maharaja to Pratiha, the great preacher, are described. (1-4) Pratiha's descendents to Viraja, especially the great king Gaya, are glorified. (5-16)

1. So called followers of the Vedas who do not follow the parampara are bogus and their association should be avoided while one who has realized Krsna is the bona fide spritual master and preacher. (1-4)

2. A king becomes glorious when he satisfies all the citizens, and through his good qualities pleases Krsna and the demigods and thus brings prosperity to earth. (5-15)
 Those who come directly from Krsna are called Mahapurusa, and sometimes a devotee is also called Mahapurusa. The kings responsibility is to satisfy the citizens, and Maharaja Gaya, who did so, was known as Mahapurusa. The current rulers should take example from Maharaja Gaya. The good qualities of a king allow bring prosperity from the earth for the use of the citizens. An expert king satisfies all the citizens. All living entities are pleased with a devotee when Krsna is pleased with Him. The fame of one family member glorifies one's entire family. 

Chapter Sixteen 
A Description of Jambudvipa 

 Maharaja Pariksit wishes to hear from Sukadeva Goswami a more detailed description of Bhu-mandala, the configuration of land divided by Maharaja Priyavrata's chariot. Sukadeva replies that it is impossible to perfectly understand the material universe, but that he would describe its principle regions. He then describes Bhu-mandala, Jambudvipa, and the nine varsa into which Jambudvipa is divided. (1-10)
 Sukadeva next describes the mountans, lakes, inhabitants, opulences, gardens, fruits, fragrances, products, rivers, trees, and towns, and living conditions that surround and rest upon the great golden mountain, Mount Sumeru, which stands in the middle of Bhu-mandala's central island, Jambudvipa. (11-29

1. The positions of the planets were studied and known to the sages of the Vedic age. Dealing with the material world or understanding the geographic location material universe is not material if one understands everything as an expansion of Krsna's energy. If one cannot comprehend the vastness of the material world, how can one understand the expansiveness of the spiritual world. We should be satisfied with the statements of the authorities like Sukadeva Goswami and appreciate how the entire cosmic manifestation has been made possible by the external energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
 Since we cannot understand the vastness of the material world, we should come to the following conclusions:
 a. the spiritual world is even more wonderful and expansive than the material world. 
 b. the vast material world is simply the Lord's external energy.
 c. that we should accept the statements of Sukadeva Goswami which describe the unlimitly vast material world. (1-10)

2. Although devotees care only for the lotus feet of Krsna, not for material opulences, they nevertheless support the agrarian and sacrifice-based Vedic culture which brings the citizens true opulences and prosperity and prepares them for their next life as well. (11-29)

Chapter Seventeen 
The Descent of the Ganges

 The Ganges descends from the Causal Ocean, and due to it having washed the lotus feet of Lord Vamanadeva, every living entity can purify his mind by touching its transcendental waters. The Ganges first descends to Dhruva-loka, then to the planets of the seven great sages, then to Mount Meru, where it divides in four branches, each flowing to the ocean. Wherever the Ganges flows, great sages like Dhruva Maharaja and the seven sages keep her waters reverently upon their heads and accept devotional service as the perfection of life. (1-10)
 Bharata-varsa is considered, among the nine varsas, as the field of fruitive activities. The other eight varsas are heavenly, wherein souls exhaust their pious activities. The Lord is worshiped in His Deity form in each of the nine varsas. In Ilavrta-varsa, where Siva is the only male, Lord Siva meditates on the Personality of Godhead Sankarsana through chanting mantras which praise the Lord as being unlimited, unmanifest to the non-devotees, manifest in various forms to the devotees, the deliverer of the devotees from material existence, unaffected by the modes of material nature, aloof from--yet the source of creation, maintenance, and destruction, greater than any demigod, and the person whose favor frees one from the illusory energy. (11-24)

1. Those who regularly bathe in the Ganges become purified, and feel ecstasy due to their constant remembrance of Krsna. For such a pure devotee, no activity, even heavenly sense pleasures, other than the Lord's service, is valued. (1-13)
2. The Deity is directly Krsna and one who worships the Deity (and the spiritual master) without offenses advances in spiritual life. (14)
3. The Supreme Lord is beyond the modes of material nature, although He works through the modes to create, maintain, and destroy this material world. One who wants to transcend the modes must take shelter of Him. Because Krsna is dhira, unagitated in all circumstances, one who wishes to also be dhira and unbewildered, must take shelter of His lotus feet. The Lord is far beyond those incarnations through whom He actually does the work of creation, maintenance, and destruction of this material world. The creators and controllers of the universe, even Lord Brahma and Lord Siva, are limited and bound by the Supreme Lord. One must surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead if he wishes to get out of the control of the three modes of material nature. (15-24)
4. The Vaisnava has no desire other than serving Krsna, who is available as the non-different Deity form, and thus the take shelter of Him, who is the only one aloof from all material activities and interactions. (Summary of 11-24) 

Chapter Eighteen
The Residents of Jambudvipa Offer Prayers

 In the tract of land known as Badrasva-varsa, Bhadrasrava, the son of Dharmaraja, and his followers offer prayers. In these prayers, Bhadrasrava glorifies the Lord as the reservoir of purifying religious principles. Bhadrasrava states that foolish materialists desire only sense gratification in this perishable world governed by the powerful illusory energy. He then glorifies the Lord as the cause of all causes, and as Hayagriva, the retriever of the Vedas for Lord Brahma, when this true knowledge was stolen by ignorance. (1-6)
 In Hari-varsa, Prahlad Maharaja prays to Lord Nrsimhadeva that the Lord will vanquish all material desires from within his heart and allow all living entities to take to devotional service, fixed in remembrance of Krsna. Prahlada prays that he will fell no attraction for temporary family life and material advancement, all of which hamper one's spiritual advancement. After glorifying associating with devotees and hearing from them about Krsna as the process to cleanse the heart of all contaminations and placing within the heart all good qualities, Prahlada mentions that non-devotees have no true assets, and thus requests everyone to take full shelter of Lord Nrsimhadeva.(7-14)
 In Ketumala, Laksmidevi prays to Kamadeva, who is Visnu-tattva with a material body, that He, the supreme master and provider for all, be always favorable. She prays that he, as the one who is free from fear, is the only true husband and protector. As the Lord always fulfils the desires of His devotees, one need not worship the Him for material benefit. Laksmideva then says that she actually favors no one but the Lord's devotees, and prays for the benediction of the Lord, whose motives are non-understandable. (15-23)
 In Ramakya-varsa, Vaivasvata Manu worships Lord Matsya in pure devotion by praising the Lord as pure transcendence, the origin of life and strength, the controller of all living entities, and the witness and commander within and without everyone's heart. Manu exlains how all leaders are envious of the Lord's authority, and that He is the only maintainer within this world. (24-28)
 In Hiranyamaya-varsa, Aryama leads the residents in worshiping the beautiful form of Lord Kurma with hymns which glorify the Lord as transcendentally situated in pure goodness as well as not limited by past, present, or future. The Lord is the source of the cosmic manifestation, and His form is conceivable only to devotees in transcendental consciousness. The Lord has innumerable inconceivable energies which are manifested in countless forms of living entities, as the planetary systems, and as the entire cosmos. While expanding thus, the Lord Himself is situated separately, as transcendental forms of which non-devotees remain ignorant. (29-33)
 Lord Varaha lives in Uttarakuru-varsa, and the Lord is worshiped there by an Upanisadic mantra chanted by Mother Earth. The mantra glorifies the Lord as the essence of all ritualistic ceremonies, who only reveals His identity to those who wholeheartedly search for Him. All objects of material enjoyment are created by Him, all the element are expansions of His external energy, inert matter moves by His glance, and the Supersoul, expanded from Him, is in the background of everything. (34-39)

1. Prayers to Lord Hayagriva in Bhadrasva-varsa by Bhadrasrava, the son of Dharmaraja, and his associates: In this world, wherein most people in ignorance will perform any sin for sense gratification, a devotee can be saved by his strict adherence to the instructions of the Lord. By the strong desire of a trusted devotee of the Lord, the Vedic knowledge will again be distributed. (1-6)
2. Prayers to Lord Nrsinghadeva by Prahlad in Hari-varsa: The Supreme Lord Krsna incarnates in many forms, such as Lord Nrsinghadeva, and only by being in constant touch with Him through His service--the mercy of the Lord, living simply, avoiding bad association, giving up thinking of sense gratification, always thinking of the lotus feet of Krsna, and hearing about Krsna (Giving people the chance to hear is the sum and substance of the Krsna consciousness movement.)-- can the binding, fruitive tendency (especially householder life, the root cause of material enamourment) be removed and purity and exalted qualities can become established within one's heart. (7-14)
3. The prayers of Laksmidevi in Ketumala to Kamadeva, who is Visnu-tattva (The protector): The Lord, as the controller of the material energy and the Lord of Karma, is the only true protector within this world and therefore the only true shelter. One should therefore become a devotee of Krsna, in the service of the residents of Vrindaban. (15-23) 
4. Vaivasvata Manu worships Lord Matsya in Ramakya-varsa (The maintainer): The devotees see that the Lord is situated in the platform of pure goodness, that the Lord is within everyone's heart, that the Lord is maintaining all living entities, and that the Lord is acting behind the workings of material nature in creation, maintenance, and annihilation of the universe, and they therefore surrender to Him and become liberated from the control of the material energy. (24-28) 
5. In Hiranyamaya-varsa, Aryama worships Lord Kurma. (The Lord and His energies): Only the Lord's devotees can understand how it is the Lord whose "impersonal" form and material energies are pervading everywhere. Non-devotees do not see Him. (29-33) 
6. Lord Varaha is worshiped in Uttarakuru-varsa by Mother Earth: Krsna, who comes in Kali Yuga as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, is the background of everything as He creates the material world, maintains it, and expands Himself as the Supersoul to give the living entities an opportunity to come back to Him. (34-39) 
