Mahārāja Pṛthu’s Going Back Home

Pṛthu practices forest austerities and fixed devotion to Kṛṣṇa, then departs; Arci’s faithful service is praised.

Themes of SB 4.23Rāja-dharma5 Dharma5 Karuṇā4 Vairāgya3 from its story phase

Connected storiesRukmiṇīThe gopīs and the rāsa danceDhṛtarāṣṭra leaves homeKing Vena

Who is speakingSūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → ViduraEvery voice in this chapter ›

Turning points hereMahārāja Pṛthu· Turning toward renunciation

What this chapter speaks about · the ten subjects

In this chapter

Who · King Pṛthu, the four Kumāras, Queen Arci

The story · Pṛthu addressed an assembly about taking shelter of the Lord and respecting brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas. When the four Kumāras arrived, he asked how those entangled in material enjoyment could attain good fortune. After receiving their instructions, he dedicated himself and the fruits of his activities to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In old age, he distributed his wealth, practiced forest austerities, and developed unflinching devotion to Kṛṣṇa. When he departed from his body, Arci prepared his funeral pyre, and the wives of the demigods praised her faithful service.

What it teaches · Discussion among devotees benefits both speakers and hearers. Pṛthu’s life shows dedication to the Lord in royal duties as well as in retirement.

SB 4.22.19 SB 4.22.51 SB 4.23.10 Read chapter 21 ›

Beyond this chapter

Connected stories across the Bhāgavatam

Stories told in other chapters that this chapter's verses or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purports bring in, the other Bhāgavatam verses the purports quote, and stories in other cantos with the same themes. Each link shows the sentence it comes from.

Rukmiṇī

SB 10.52–54 · Rukmiṇī chooses Kṛṣṇa

What it teaches · Hearing Kṛṣṇa’s qualities can awaken firm attachment to Him. The episode also warns that pride in power and possessions leads people to offend others.

We can observe that even in the history of this world, when Lord Kṛṣṇa, the supreme Viṣṇu, was ruling over Dvārakā, Queen Rukmiṇī, who was the chief of all Kṛṣṇa’s queens, used to serve Lord Kṛṣṇa personally in spite of having many hundreds of maidservants to assist her.
Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 4.23.25 (Text 25)

Read the story in SB 10.52–54

The gopīs and the rāsa dance

SB 10.20–22 · The gopīs’ flute songs and vow SB 10.29–33 · The gopīs’ search and the rāsa dance SB 10.46–47 · Uddhava witnesses Vraja’s love

What it teaches · Kṛṣṇa explains that desires fixed upon Him do not produce ordinary material desire for sense gratification. The gopīs’ attention is centered upon Him.

There is a type of neophyte devotee who is very anxious to hear about the pastimes of the Lord, especially the rāsa-līlā chapters in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 4.23.37 (Text 37)

It is said that sometimes Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to chant the names of the gopīs.
Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 4.23.31 (Text 31)

Read the story in SB 10.20–22

Dhṛtarāṣṭra leaves home

SB 1.13 · Dhṛtarāṣṭra leaves home

What it teaches · No one in the material world can prevent the approach of time and the decline of the body. Understanding this calls one away from bodily attachment toward spiritual realization.

Similarly, Gāndhārī, the wife of King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, also followed her husband into the forest.
Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 4.23.19 (Text 19)

Read the story in SB 1.13

King Vena

SB 4.13–14 · King Vena rejects good counsel

What it teaches · A pious ruler supports citizens in worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead through their occupations. Royal power does not justify demanding the worship due to the Lord.

Since there were so many discrepancies during the reign of King Vena, the Lord sent His most confidential devotee Mahārāja Pṛthu to settle things.
Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 4.23.1-3 (Texts 1-3)

Read the story in SB 4.13–14

Other Bhāgavatam verses Śrīla Prabhupāda quotes here

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