SB 5.1.6

yarhi vāva ha rājan sa rāja-putraḥ priyavrataḥ parama-bhāgavato nāradasya caraṇopasevayāñjasāvagata-paramārtha-satattvo brahma-satreṇa dīkṣiṣyamāṇo ‘vani-tala-paripālanāyāmnāta-pravara-guṇa-gaṇaikānta-bhājanatayā sva-pitropāmantrito bhagavati vāsudeva evāvyavadhāna-samādhi-yogena samāveśita-sakala-kāraka-kriyā-kalāpo naivābhyanandad yadyapi tad apratyāmnātavyaṁ tad-adhikaraṇa ātmano ‘nyasmād asato ‘pi parābhavam anvīkṣamāṇaḥ.

yarhiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyarhi

as if; as soon as; at any time (past, present or future); at any time; at which time; because; when; when it happens; whenever.—because; vāvaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigvāva

certainly; indeed; wonderful. haplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigha

alas; as he did it; certainly; clearly; completely manifested; have been; in fact; in that way; in the past; indeed; it is evident; it so happened; of course; oh; positively; so celebrated; so he did; so they did; still; then; there were; thus; very clearly.—indeed; rājanplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigrājan

my dear King; O great King; O King (if you still think that you are master and I am servant); O King (Mahārāja Parīkṣit); O King (Parīkṣit); O King (Yudhiṣṭhira); O King; O King Citraketu; O King Parīkṣit; O King Prācīnabarhiṣat; O King Purūravā; O King Pṛthu; O King Varuṇa; O King Yudhiṣṭhira; O Mahārāja Parīkṣit; O my dear King.—O King; saḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsaḥ

mahat-tattva; a person (Kaṁsa); a son; Aghāsura; all; anyone; Bharata Mahārāja; Brahmā; child Parīkṣit; Dakṣa; Dhruva; Dhruva Mahārāja; Dhṛtarāṣṭra; Durvāsā Muni; he (Agastya); he (Aghāsura); he (Ajāmila); he (Ambarīṣa Mahārāja); he (Aṅgirā Ṛṣi); He (Baladeva); he (Bali Mahārāja); he (Brahmā); he (Brahmājī); he (Budha); he (Citraketu); he (Dakṣa); he (Devāpi); he (Dhruva Mahārāja); he (Dhruva); he (Droṇa); he (Durvāsā); he (Emperor Manu); he (Gajendra); he (Garuḍa); he (Hiraṇyakaśipu); he (Hiraṇyakaśipu, the King of the Daityas); he (Indra); he (Jamadagni); he (Janamejaya); he (Jaḍa Bharata); he (Kardama); he (Kaṁsa); he (King Citraketu); he (King Hūhū); he (King Indra); he (King Kaṁsa); he (King Nīpa); he (King Pṛthu); he (King Rantideva); he (King Āgnīdhra); he (Kārtavīryārjuna); He (Kṛṣṇa); He (Lakṣmaṇa, the brother of Lord Rāmacandra); he (Lord Brahmā); He (Lord Kṛṣṇa); He (Lord Rāmacandra); He (Lord Viṣṇu); he (Lord Śiva); he (Mahārāja Ambarīṣa); he (Mahārāja Bharata); he (Mahārāja Priyavrata); he (Mahārāja Rahūgaṇa); he (Maitreya Muni); he (Manu); he (my father); he (Nahuṣa); he (Nābhāga); he (one who is not self-controlled); he (Prahlāda Mahārāja); he (Purūravā); he (Rantideva); he (Sarvatejā); He (Satyasena); he (Soma, the moon-god); he (Svāyambhuva Manu); he (that hunter); he (that uncivilized Kaṁsa); he (the muni); he (the conditioned soul); he (the devotee); he (the great man); he (the individual soul); he (the King); he (the leader of the elephants); He (the Lord); He (the Personality of Godhead); he (the serpent); he (the sun-god); He (the Supreme Lord); He (the Supreme Person); He (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); he (Vasudeva); he (Vasudeva, also known as Ānakadundubhi); he (Venus); he (Vidura); he (Viśvarūpa); He (Vāmanadeva); he (Vāsudeva); he (Vīrabhadra); he (Vṛtra); he (Vṛtrāsura); he (Śukadeva Gosvāmī); he (Śukrācārya); he (Śūra); he (Ṛcīka); he (Ṛṣyaśṛṅga); he; He alone; he is; he, Durvāsā Muni; he, Hariścandra; he, Jamadagni; he, King Purūravā; he, Kārtavīryārjuna; he, Lord Paraśurāma; He, Lord Rāmacandra; he, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa; he, Mahārāja Sagara; he, Prahlāda Mahārāja; he, Purañjaya; he, Purūravā; he, Rohita; he, Rāvaṇa; he, Saubhari Muni; he, Saubhari Ṛṣi; he, so celebrated; he, Soma; he, the brāhmaṇa; he, the King; He, the Lord; he, Varuṇa; he, Vasiṣṭha; he, Vidura; He, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; Hiraṇyakaśipu; Hiraṇyākṣa; His Lordship; His Lordship the Supreme Personality of Godhead; his son Utkala; I am the same powerful person; is he; it; Jambhāsura; Kardama Muni; Kaśyapa; Kaśyapa Muni; King Dakṣa; King Indra; King Malayadhvaja; King Purañjana; King Pṛthu; King Vena; King Yayāti; Kṛṣṇa; Kṛṣṇa Himself; Lord Brahmā; Lord Kṛṣṇa; Lord Śiva; Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; Mahārāja Bharata; Mahārāja Ikṣvāku; Mahārāja Yayāti; Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira; myself; one such as your good self; one who does so; Prahlāda Mahārāja; Prajāpati Dakṣa; Revata; so myself; someone; such; such a devotee; such a person; such a person as I am; such a personality; Sudyumna; Svāyambhuva Manu; that (great demon Maya Dānava); that (having the above symptoms); that (Supreme Personality of Godhead); that (Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa); that brāhmaṇa; that yoga system; that; that Ajāmila; that arrow; that banyan tree; that boy of the name Vena; whether that person; which; You; Your Lordship; yourself.—he; rājaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigraja

from the government; king; of a king; of the King; the King.-putraḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigputrah

a son; son; such a son; the son.—the Prince; priyavrataḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigpriyavrataḥ

Priyavrata.—Priyavrata; paramaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigparama

a great; exalted; extremely; final; first class; first-class; foremost; great; greatest; greatly; highest; highly; most; O great one; O Supreme; O Supreme Lord; O supreme one; O Supreme Personality of Godhead; sublime; supreme; supremely; the greatest; the highest; the supreme; the topmost; topmost; ultimate; very; very great; very high; very much; very nice.—supreme; bhāgavataḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigbhagavatah

about the Personality of Godhead; beyond the Personality of Godhead; from the Personality of Godhead; godly; greatly powerful; of Lord Śiva; of the great personality; of the great saintly person; of the greatly powerful; of the incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; of the lord (Brahmā); of the Lord; of the most powerful; of the most powerful being; of the most powerful demigod; of the most powerful Lord Brahmā; of the Personality of Godhead; of the possessor of all opulences; of the Supreme; of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (who is the support); of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa; of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu; of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva; of You (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); of you, my lord; of you, the most powerful; of You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; of you, who are powerful; of Your Lordship; of your powerful self; of your worshipable self; than the Supreme Personality of Godhead; the most powerful; the Supreme Personality of Godhead; unto the Personality of Godhead; unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead.—devotee; nāradasyaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bignāradasya

of Nārada; of Saint Nārada.—of Nārada; caraṇaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigcarana

at the feet; by the feet; feet; His feet; His lotus feet; legs; lotus feet; of lotus feet; of the feet; of the knees; of the lotus feet; of the wheels; on the feet; on the lotus feet; the feet; the legs; the lotus feet; to the feet; to the lotus feet; unto the feet; unto the lotus feet; Your lotus feet.—the lotus feet; upasevayāplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigupasevayā

by serving.—by serving; añjasāplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigañjasā

actually; at once; completely; direct; directly; easily; easily, totally or directly; elaborately; factually; fully; happily; immediately; in detail; in total; instantly; made easy; on the whole, or in fact; perfectly well; quickly; soon; summarily; taking all of them together, we cannot understand them; totally; truly; very easily; very easily by his mystic power; very soon; without delay; without difficulty.—quickly; avagataplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigavagata

became aware of; being fully convinced about.—became aware of; paramaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigparama

a great; exalted; extremely; final; first class; first-class; foremost; great; greatest; greatly; highest; highly; most; O great one; O Supreme; O Supreme Lord; O supreme one; O Supreme Personality of Godhead; sublime; supreme; supremely; the greatest; the highest; the supreme; the topmost; topmost; ultimate; very; very great; very high; very much; very nice.-arthaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigartha

a meaning; accumulation of wealth; as a fact; by material opulence; economic; economic development; explanation; explanations; for the purpose of; gain; giving the meaning; import; importance; imports; interest; material facility; material gain; meaning; meanings; money; object; object, goal; objective; objects of senses; of meaning; of meanings; of the meaning; of your interest; on values; purport; purpose; reality; riches; sense objects; subject; the goal of life; the import; the meaning; the meanings; the object; the objects of the senses; the phenomenon; the purpose; the real purpose of the Vedas; the sense objects; value; wealth; with desirable opulences; with the sense objects.—transcendental subject matter; saplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsa

accompanied by; along with; he; her; that; with.-tattvaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtattvaḥ

the Absolute Truth can be guessed; understood by the Vedas.—with all knowable facts; brahmaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigbrahma

brahma; brāhmaṇas; mantras beginning with oṁ (such as oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ); Veda; Vedas; absolute; Absolute Truth; all my brahminical qualifications; all the Vedas; all the Vedas with their different branches of knowledge; all the Vedas; all transcendental literatures; and brahma; Being; brahma; Brahmaloka; Brahman; brahminical civilization; brahminical culture; by Lord Brahmā; called by the name Brahman; from the activities of Brahman realization or austerity; Gāyatrī hymns; impersonal Brahman; impersonal Brahman realization; is the brāhmaṇas; knowledge of Brahman; Kṛṣṇa; Lord Brahmā; of a brāhmaṇa; of impersonal Brahman; of impersonal Brahman, or the Absolute Truth; of Lord Brahmā; of the brāhmaṇas; of the impersonal effulgence; spirit; spiritual; spiritual kingdom; spiritual knowledge; spiritual nature; spiritual power; Supreme; the brāhmaṇas; the Vedas; the Absolute; the Absolute Truth; the all-pervading Absolute Truth; the brahminical culture; the greatest; the Gāyatrī mantra; the impersonal Brahman (which is an emanation from Kṛṣṇa); the impersonal Brahman; the impersonal Brahman effulgence; the impersonal feature; the Parabrahman, Kṛṣṇa; the personified Vedas; the Supreme; the Supreme Absolute Truth; the Supreme Brahman; the Supreme Brahman, the Personality of Godhead; the Supreme Lord; the Supreme Personality of Godhead; the supreme spirit; the supreme truth, the Absolute Truth, Brahman; the Vedic knowledge; the Vedic literatures; the Vedic wisdom; Transcendence; transcendental; truth; unlimited; Vedic; Vedic knowledge; Vedic sound; without change; You are known as Brahman.-satreṇaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsatreṇa

for performance of sacrifices.—by continuous discussion of the Supreme; dīkṣiṣyamāṇaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigdīkṣiṣyamāṇaḥ

desiring to fully dedicate himself.—desiring to fully dedicate himself; avaniplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigavani

the earth.-talaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtala

palm or palmyra fruit; the palm trees; Tālavana.—the surface of the globe; paripālanāyaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigparipālanāya

for ruling over; to rule over.—to rule over; āmnātaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigāmnāta

directed in the revealed scriptures; systematically.—directed in the revealed scriptures; pravaraplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigpravara

best; excellent; highest; of the best; Pravara (in some readings, Pauvara).—highest; guṇaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigguna

attributes.—of qualities; gaṇaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biggana

assembly; associates; by hosts; congregation; crowds; descendants; devotees; followers; group; multitudes; of crowds; of groups; party of gopīs; the companions; the group; the groups; the sum total; with clusters.—the sum total; ekāntaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigekānta

exclusive; exclusively; exclusively fixed; in a solitary place; much; only; positively; pure; unflinching; without deviation.—without deviation; bhājanatayāplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigbhājanatayā

because of his possessing.—because of his possessing; svaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsva

by himself; by your own; his; his own; in his own; of one's own; of their own; one's own; own; personal, internal; personal, own; with his wealth.-pitrāplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigpitrā

by father; by her father; by His father; by his uncle, Dhṛtarāṣṭra; by our father; by the father (to exchange old age and invalidity for his youth); by the father; by their father; by your father.—by his father; upāmantritaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigupāmantritaḥ

being asked; being fervently requested; being requested; thus being inquired.—being asked; bhagavatiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigbhagavati

in the Supreme Personality of Godhead; of the Personality of Godhead; of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; on the Supreme Personality of Godhead; Personality of Godhead; the Lord; the Personality of Godhead; the Supreme Lord; the Supreme Personality of Godhead; to the Supreme Personality of Godhead (not to the demigods); to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; to Śiva; towards the Supreme Personality of Godhead; unto Him; unto Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; unto Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa; unto the Lord; unto the Personality of Godhead; unto the Supreme Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa; unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu.—in the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vāsudeveplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigvasudeve

when Vasudeva.—the all-pervading Lord; evaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigeva

alone; also; also the word eva; although; as; as it is; as it were; as much as; as they are; at all; at that time; certainly; certainly,; certainty; completely; definitely; even; ever; exactly; exactly like; factually; Himself; immediately; in fact; in this way; indeed; it is all like that; just; just so; like; like that; like this; of course; on the very; only; quite; simply; so; surely; the word eva; they are; thus; truly; undoubtedly; very; without doubt.—certainly; avyavadhānaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigavyavadhāna

by the nondifference of constitution; without cessation.—without cessation; samādhiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsamadhi

by meditation; concentration of mind; deep meditation; in ecstasy; in meditation; knowledge; trance.-yogenaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyogena

by bhakti-yoga, devotional service; by yoga practice; by combination; by concentration of the mind in devotion; by controlling the senses; by devotional service; by dint of; by means of mystic yoga; by mystic yoga; by mystic yoga practice; by mystic meditation; by performance of yoga; by practice of bhakti-yoga; by practice of mystic yoga; by practice of such bhakti-yoga; by practicing yoga; by proper means; by the yoga system; by the mystic power; by the process of linking up; in devotional service; in meditation; practice of yoga; simply by the method of devotional service.—by practicing yoga in complete absorption; samāveśitaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsamāveśita

completely dedicated.—completely dedicated; sakalaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsakala

all; all kinds of; all varieties; everyone; everything; in all; over all; total; whole.—all; kārakaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkaraka

cases; controlling demigods; demigods; doer; senses.—senses; kriyāplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkriyā

action; actions; activities; activities of the senses; activity; enjoyment of fruitive activities; fruitive activities; Kriyā; of actions; pastimes; performances; senses; spiritual activities; such activities; the activities of the senses; the verb; with activities; working; working senses.-kalāpaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkalāpaḥ

bunches of matted hair; his bunch of hair.—whose total activities; naplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigna

never; not; are not; but not; cannot; certainly not; could not; did not; do not; does it not; does not; is not; it is not; it is not so; may not; neither; never; never does; never to be; no; no one; none; nor; not; not like that; not preceded by oṁ; not suitable; nothing; or not; shall not; should never; there is none; there is not; there should not be; was not; whether; without.—not; evaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigeva

alone; also; also the word eva; although; as; as it is; as it were; as much as; as they are; at all; at that time; certainly; certainly,; certainty; completely; definitely; even; ever; exactly; exactly like; factually; Himself; immediately; in fact; in this way; indeed; it is all like that; just; just so; like; like that; like this; of course; on the very; only; quite; simply; so; surely; the word eva; they are; thus; truly; undoubtedly; very; without doubt.—thus; abhyanandatplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigabhyanandat

accepted; became glad; congratulated; he welcomed; welcomed.—welcomed; yadyapiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyadyapi

although; even though.—although; tatplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtat

establishment of the statement tat tvam asi.—that; apratyāmnātavyamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigapratyāmnātavyam

not to be rejected for any reason.—not to be rejected for any reason; tatplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtat

establishment of the statement tat tvam asi.-adhikaraṇeplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigadhikaraṇe

in occupying that post.—in occupying that post; ātmanaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigatmanah

and one's own self; children; consisting of; done by himself; expansions; expansions of His person; for herself; for himself; for His personal benefit; for my personal self; for personal sense gratification; for personal service; for self-preservation; for the benefit of the soul; for the body; for the living entities; for the real self; for the self; for the soul; for themselves; from my body; from the self; from the Supreme Soul; her own; himself; His; his own; his own self; His personal; his personal interest; in the self; mind; My; my own; of all living entities; of herself; of Him; of himself (Lord Śiva); of himself; of himself, personally (the head of the state); of his body; of His own; of his own real identity, the soul; of his own self; of his own welfare; of his personal self; of his self; of his soul; of myself; of one's own; of one's own self; of one's self; of oneself; of self-realization; of the Absolute; of the body; of the conditioned soul; of the living being; of the living beings; of the living entities; of the living entity; of the mind; of the most dear; of the person; of the same category as You (viṣṇu-tattva); of the self; of the soul; of the spirit soul; of the Supersoul; of the Supersoul of everyone; of the Supreme; of the Supreme Being; of the Supreme Lord; of the Supreme Lord and of oneself; of the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu; of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; of the Supreme Soul; of the supreme spirit soul or the Transcendence beyond the material conception of life; of the Supreme Spirit Soul, or the transcendence beyond the material conception of life; of the vital energy; of themselves; of us living beings; of you; of your own body; of your own body, mind and soul; of Yourself; of yourselves; on Transcendence; one's own; one's self; oneself; own; own selves; personal; self; self-caused; self-dependant; self-sufficiently; soul; than the Supreme Soul; the living entities; the mind; the senses; the soul; the soul or the Supersoul; the spiritual identity of the universe; the Supersoul of everyone; their minds; their own property; to himself (Kardama); unto His own (Brahmā); whose mind; whose minds; whose nature.—of himself; anyasmātplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biganyasmāt

being the cause of; by other engagements; from any others beyond Lord Brahmā; from anyone else.—by other engagements; asataḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigasataḥ

impious; material; miscreant; nondevotees (those who have not taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness); not existing; of a materialistic nondevotee; of such a foolish rascal; of the nonexistent; rascals who have no knowledge, no clear understanding; the nondevotees; the unscrupulous; unreal; who was without character.—material; apiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigapi

also; api; a still more secluded place; again; alas; also (confirms); also (the human beings); also; although (I am in such a position); although; although apparently different; although he is; although He is so; although it is so; although not exposed to common eyes; although one; although there is; although there was; and also; as also; as He is; as well as; as you have stated; at the same time; better than that; certainly; definitely; despite; either; else; especially; even; even if; even if the body is so exalted; even though; even though it is so; even though new calves were present; even though there is; even with; exactly; for the sake of; I am wondering; if; if also; if so; in due course; in spite of; in spite of this situation; including; indeed; it may be; just now; may be; moreover; of the word api; or; others; over and above; so; still; surely; the word api; then; though; thus; verily; virtually; whether.—certainly; parābhavamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigparābhavam

deterioration.—deterioration; anvīkṣamāṇaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biganvīkṣamāṇaḥ

always seeing; foreseeing.—foreseeing. ¶

Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: My dear King, Prince Priyavrata was a great devotee because he sought the lotus feet of Nārada, his spiritual master, and thus achieved the highest perfection in transcendental knowledge. With advanced knowledge, he always engaged in discussing spiritual subjects and did not divert his attention to anything else. The Prince’s father then asked him to take charge of ruling the world. He tried to convince Priyavrata that this was his duty as indicated in the revealed scriptures. Prince Priyavrata, however, was continuously practicing bhakti-yoga by constantly remembering the Supreme Personality of Godhead, thus engaging all his senses in the service of the Lord. Therefore, although the order of his father could not be rejected, the Prince did not welcome it. Thus he very conscientiously raised the question of whether he might be diverted from devotional service by accepting the responsibility of ruling over the world. ¶

Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has sung, chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava-sevā nistāra pāyeche kebā: “Without serving the lotus feet of a pure Vaiṣṇava or spiritual master, no one has ever attained perfect liberation from material bondage.” prince Priyavrata regularly served the lotus feet of Nārada, and thus the Prince perfectly understood transcendental subjects in truth (sa-tattvaḥ). The word sa-tattvaḥ means that Priyavrata knew all the facts about the spirit soul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the relationship between the spirit soul and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and he also knew all about this material world and the relationship of the spirit soul and the Supreme Lord within the material world. Thus the Prince decided to engage himself only in rendering service to the Lord. ¶

When Priyavrata’s father, Svāyambhuva Manu, requested him to accept the responsibility of ruling over the world, he did not welcome the suggestion. This is the symptom of a great, liberated devotee. Even though engaged in worldly affairs, he does not take pleasure in them, but remains always absorbed in the Lord’s service. While thus serving the Lord, he deals externally with worldly affairs without being affected. For example, although he has no attraction for his children, he cares for them and educates them to become devotees. Similarly, he speaks to his wife with affectionate words, but he is not attached to her. By rendering devotional service, a devotee acquires all the good qualities of the Supreme Lord. Lord Kṛṣṇa had sixteen thousand wives, all of them very beautiful, and although He dealt with each of them as a beloved husband, He was not attracted or attached to any of them. In the same way, although a devotee may enter family life and act very affectionately toward his wife and children, he is never attached to these activities. ¶

This verse states that by serving the lotus feet of his spiritual master, prince Priyavrata very soon attained the perfectional stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the only way to advance in spiritual life. As stated in the Vedas: ¶

yasya deve parā bhaktir
yathā deve tathā gurau
tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ
prakāśante mahātmanaḥ
[ŚU 6.23]

“If one has unflinching faith in the Supreme Lord and the spiritual master, the essence of all Vedic knowledge is revealed to him. (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.23) A devotee always thinks of the Lord continuously. While chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, the words Kṛṣṇa and Hare immediately remind him of all the Lord’s activities. Since his entire life is engaged in the service of the Lord, a devotee cannot forget the Lord at any time. Just as an ordinary man always engages his mind in material activities, a devotee always engages his mind in spiritual activities. This is called brahma-satra, or meditating upon the Supreme Lord always. Prince Priyavrata was perfectly initiated into this practice by Śrī Nārada. ¶