Prophecies of the Professional Reciters

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This article presents a thematic survey of the prophetic praises offered by the Professional Reciters (Sūtas and Māgadhas) to King Pṛthu. It organizes the verses found in the Vaniquotes category Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Verses Spoken by the Professional Reciters.

The glorification of King Pṛthu by the Professional Reciters is significant because it defines the Vedic standard of leadership. A king is not an autocrat but a representative of God, embodying the qualities of the demigods to maintain the citizens. These verses describe how a Kṛṣṇa conscious leader protects the citizens from drought, thieves, and irreligion, treating them with the affection of a father.

Introduction: The Duty to Glorify

Although King Pṛthu is humble and initially hesitant to accept praise, the Professional Reciters explain that they are acting on the order of the sages. They acknowledge their inability to fully describe the Lord's power but express their transcendental taste for glorifying Him.

Inspiration from Sages

The Professional Reciters state that they are not speaking whimsically but are following the instructions of authoritative scholars to describe the King's future qualities.

  • "The reciters said to King Pṛthu: Whatever we speak, however, is always inadequate and very insignificant. Dear King, because you are a direct incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, all your activities are liberal and ever laudable."
  • "The reciters continued: Dear King, you are a direct incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Viṣṇu, and by His causeless mercy you have descended on this earth. Therefore it is not possible for us to actually glorify your exalted activities."
  • "Although we (the reciters) are unable to glorify you (Pṛthu) adequately, we nonetheless have a transcendental taste for glorifying your activities. We shall try to glorify you according to the instructions received from authoritative sages and scholars."
  • "Although you (King Pṛthu) have appeared through the body of King Vena, even great orators and speakers like Lord Brahmā and other demigods cannot exactly describe the glorious activities of Your Lordship."

The King as Nature (Metaphors of Rule)

The Professional Reciters describe King Pṛthu's governance by comparing him to various natural forces and demigods. These metaphors illustrate how a king must balance power, mercy, and duty.

Like the Sun (Taxes and Mercy)

The Professional Reciters compare the King's tax collection to the sun evaporating water; it is taken only to be returned thousandfold in times of need.

  • "Just as the sun-god evaporates water for eight months and, during the rainy season, returns it profusely, this King will also exact taxes from the citizens and return these monies in times of need."
  • "Just as the sun-god expands his shining rays up to the Arctic region without impedance, the influence of King Pṛthu will cover all tracts of land up to the Arctic region and will remain undisturbed as long as he lives."
  • "This King Pṛthu will be as powerful as the sun-god, and just as the sun-god equally distributes his sunshine to everyone, King Pṛthu will distribute his mercy equally."
  • "This King, being uniquely powerful and heroic, will have no competitor. He will travel around the globe on his victorious chariot, holding his invincible bow in his hand and appearing exactly like the sun, which rotates in its own orbit from the south."

Like Fire (Unapproachable)

The Professional Reciters warn that the King's prowess makes him unapproachable to enemies, just as fire cannot be touched.

  • "King Pṛthu was born of the dead body of King Vena as fire is produced from araṇi wood. Thus King Pṛthu will always remain just like fire, and his enemies will not be able to approach him."
  • "Indeed, he will be unbearable to his enemies, for although staying very near him, they will never be able to approach him but will have to remain as if far away. No one will be able to overcome the strength of King Pṛthu."

Like the Wind (Neutral and Pervasive)

The Professional Reciters explain that the King will be present everywhere through his spies, yet remain personally neutral and unaffected, like the life air.

  • "King Pṛthu will be exactly like air, the life force within the body, which is exhibited internally and externally but is always neutral to all affairs."
  • "Pṛthu will be able to see all the internal and external activities of every one of his citizens. Still no one will be able to know his system of espionage, and he himself will remain neutral regarding all matters of glorification or vilification paid to him."

Like the Earth and Demigods

The Professional Reciters describe his ability to maintain the citizens and provide necessities, comparing him to the Earth and the rain-god Indra.

  • "This King, this protector of the citizens, is an extraordinary king and is equal to the Prajāpati demigods. For the living facility of all citizens, he will milk the earth, which is like a cow."
  • "This King alone, in his own body, will be able in due course of time to maintain all living entities and keep them in a pleasant condition by manifesting himself as different demigods to perform various departmental activities."
  • "When there is no rainfall and the citizens are in great danger due to the scarcity of water, this royal Personality of Godhead will be able to supply rains exactly like the heavenly King Indra. Thus he will very easily be able to protect the citizens from drought."
  • "Thus he will maintain the upper planetary system by inducing the populace to perform Vedic sacrifices. In due course of time he will also maintain this earthly planet by discharging proper rainfall."

Impartial Justice and Protection

The Professional Reciters highlight King Pṛthu's dedication to dharma. He is described as a protector of the weak and a strict chastiser of the wicked, maintaining absolute neutrality in dispensing justice.

Punishment and Forgiveness

The Professional Reciters predict that King Pṛthu will be impartial, punishing his own son if necessary, yet forgiving the innocent even if they are enemies.

  • "Since this King will always remain on the path of piety, he will be neutral to both his son and the son of his enemy. If the son of his enemy is not punishable, he will not punish him, but if his own son is punishable, he will immediately punish him."
  • "King Pṛthu will be very, very kind to all citizens. Even though a poor person may trample over the King's head by violating the rules and regulations, the King, out of his causeless mercy, will be forgetful and forgiving."
  • "The King will respect all women as if they were his own mother, and he will treat his own wife as the other half of his body."
  • "The King will consider all embodied living entities as dear as his own self, and he will always be increasing the pleasures of his friends. He will intimately associate with liberated persons, and he will be a chastising hand to all impious persons."

Protecting the Citizens

The Professional Reciters describe how the mere sound of his bowstring will drive away thieves and rogues, ensuring peace for the kingdom.

  • "When King Pṛthu will travel over his kingdom and vibrate the string of his bow, which is made of the horns of goats and bulls and is irresistible in battle, all demoniac rogues and thieves will hide themselves in all directions."
  • "This King, Pṛthu Mahārāja, by virtue of his affectionate glances and beautiful moonlike face, which is always smiling with great affection for the citizens, will enhance everyone's peaceful life."
  • "King Pṛthu will be just like an affectionate father to his citizens, and he will treat himself as the most obedient servant of the devotees, who always preach the glories of the Lord."
  • "No one will be able to disobey the orders of Pṛthu Mahārāja. After conquering the world, he will completely eradicate the threefold miseries of the citizens. Then he will be recognized all over the world."

Divine Nature and Confidential Activities

The Professional Reciters reveal that King Pṛthu is not an ordinary human but a śaktyāveśa-avatāra. His activities are confidential and difficult to understand, even for the wise.

The Incarnation of Power

The Professional Reciters identify him as the master of the world, directly empowered by the Supreme Lord.

  • "This King is the master of the three worlds, and he is directly empowered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is without change, and he is an incarnation of the Supreme known as a śaktyāveśa-avatāra."
  • "The reciters continued: No one will be able to understand the policies the King will follow. His activities will also be very confidential, and it will not be possible for anyone to know how he will make every activity successful."
  • "His treasury will always remain unknown to everyone. He will be the reservoir of unlimited glories and good qualities, and his position will be maintained and covered just as Varuṇa, the deity of the seas, is covered all around by water."

Universal Recognition

The Professional Reciters foresee that all kings and demigods will worship him.

  • "When the King travels all over the world, other kings as well as the demigods, will offer him all kinds of presentations. Their queens will also consider him the original king, who carries in His hands the emblems of club and disc and will sing of his fame."
  • "This King will please everyone by his practical activities, and all of his citizens will remain very satisfied. Because of this the citizens will take great satisfaction in accepting him as their ruling king."
  • "In this way when the chivalrous activities of King Pṛthu come to be known to the people in general, King Pṛthu will always hear about himself and his uniquely powerful activities."

Future Activities (Prophecies)

The Professional Reciters specifically list the great deeds King Pṛthu will perform, such as leveling the mountains and performing the aśvamedha-yajñas.

Leveling the Earth

The Professional Reciters predict that he will break the hills with his bow to make the earth suitable for agriculture and habitation.

  • "Not only that, but he will level the surface of the earth with the pointed ends of his bow, breaking all the hills exactly as King Indra, the heavenly King, breaks mountains with his powerful thunderbolt."

Sacrifices and Spiritual Instruction

The Professional Reciters foretell his religious performances and his meeting with the four Kumāras.

  • "At the source of the River Sarasvatī, this King will perform one hundred sacrifices known as aśvamedha. In the course of the last sacrifice, the heavenly King Indra will steal the sacrificial horse."
  • "This King Pṛthu will meet Sanat-kumāra, one of the four Kumāras, in the garden of his palace compound. The King will worship him with devotion and will be fortunate to receive instructions by which one can enjoy transcendental bliss."
  • "This King, Mahārāja Pṛthu, is the best amongst those who are following religious principles. As such, he will engage everyone in the pursuit of religious principles and give those principles all protection."

The King's Character

The Professional Reciters describe his personal qualities of determination, truthfulness, and detachment.

  • "The King will be firmly determined and always situated in truth. He will be a lover of the brahminical culture and will render all service to old men and give shelter to all surrendered souls."
  • "Being a liberated soul and completely learned, he sees all material varieties as meaningless because their basic principle is nescience."

Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani

This article is a thematic compilation of the teachings presented in the Vaniquotes category Bhagavatam Verses Spoken by the Professional Reciters. We invite you to visit the link to read the complete collection of verses presented in alphabetical order.

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