SrimadBhagavatam Episode 244: Leaving his wife, Puranjana goes hunting into the forests

Nārayanāya namah

In this way, King Puranjana was totally infatuated by Queen Puranjani. Totally trapped in illusion, he completely forgot his original form and was cheated. Being completely under her sway, he followed her footsteps irrespective of whether he liked it or not. He became a puppet in her hands. With this the twenty fifth chapter comes to an end.

Fourth Canto Chapter Twenty-six In this chapter, Puranjana goes into the forests for hunting. Using this as an example, lessons about how the individual gives up his waking and dream states, how he loses his discriminatory intelligence, development of infatuation towards this world and the dangers involved in it are all explained.

Nārada Maharishi continued, “One day King Puranjana took up his powerful bow and quiver which contained limitless arrows. He wore his armour and got into his chariot which was driven by five horses. Together with eleven army commanders he went hunting into the Pancaprastha forests. His chariot moved at lightening speeds.

The chariot was made up of two wheels, two side bars, one axis, 3 flags, one tether, 5 wires, one seat, two poles for harnessing animals, five weapons and seven protective coverings. This chariot was driven by a single charioteer. It looked beautiful with its golden decorations. It could run in five different speeds and styles.

As Puranjana had developed a deep desire to hunt he left behind his wife, from whom he found it hard to stay away even for a minute, and mounted this chariot. Due to arrogance, feelings of compassion had disappeared in him. With his fearful form and demonic behavior, he began to hunt mercilessly. With sharp arrows he heartlessly killed innocent animals that were running in deep forests.

If the king desires to eat meat, there is a specified procedure for it, isn’t it? Scriptures permit hunting and killing of animals only during certain specified Yagnas and rituals. The type of animals that can be hunted and the procedure for the same are also prescribed in these scriptures (Shastras). In other words, the king has to conduct Yagnas and then fulfill his desire as specified by the Shastras. Moreover he should kill only when necessary. He has no permission to kill beyond that.

Ya evaṁ karma niyataṁ vidvān kurvīta mānavaḥ Karmaṇā tena rājendra jñānena na sa lipyate

The intelligent person continues his daily obligatory duties and thereby purifies his mind. Then Self-knowledge arises in him. As a result of this, he is not bound to fruitive actions and their results.

On the other hand, the individual who performs fruitive actions with the feelings ‘I am the doer’ and expects to enjoy the resultant results gets firmly trapped in this cycle of repeated re-births. He loses his discriminatory intelligence. Trapped in this samsara he falls to the lowest levels.

When Puranjana was thus mercilessly cutting of the limbs of the various animals with his multi-coloured powerful arrows, the animals suffered horribly. His ruthless actions devoid of compassion caused great grief to the innocent noble hearted persons. He killed harmless animals such as rabbits, wild pigs, boars, bison, black coloured deer, porcupine and other animals. By then he was very tired and famished.

Therefore, he returned home, bathed, had sumptuous meal and relaxed. He was now rejuvenated. He applied sandalwood paste to his body. He lit incense sticks everywhere. He decorated his body with all sweet-smelling scents. He wore plentiful ornaments. Now he thought of his wife. His arrogant mind was joyful. It was now filled with lustful needs. He now began to search for his beautiful wife, who would clean the house and keep it tidy. She was nowhere to be seen. With this he became agitated.

Addressing her attendants, he asked, “O beautiful women, how are you all? How is your mistress? When I left for hunting, this house was sparkling and full of life. Why has this house lost its luster? The house in which the mother or the dutiful wife is missing can be compared to a broken chariot. Will any intelligent man prefer to stay in such a home? At that time when I was sinking in unimaginable difficulties, she caused intelligence to arise in me and thus uplifted me. Where has my dear wife disappeared?”

The attendants replied, “O destroyer of enemies, we do not know the intentions within your wife’s mind. She is now sleeping on the bare floor. Look there”.

Puranjana now saw his wife who was sleeping on the floor. Due to having co-habited with her, knowledge had totally eroded from him. Seeing her lying on the floor, he was extremely agitated. He was filled with sorrow. With sweet words he tried to pacify her. He was unable to figure out the reason for her anger. He could not understand where he had erred.

The valourous Puranjana possessed great expertise in flattery. He held on to her feet, then embraced her, seated her on his thighs and cajoling her said, “O auspicious one! When servants commit mistakes, the master punishes them accordingly while keeping them under control. Some masters consider their servants as their own kith and kin and thereby refrain from punishing them for their mistakes. Such servants are truly unlucky. Escaping punishment is not in any way a merit. It is their misfortune. This is the truth.

Paramo ’nugraho daṇḍo bhṛtyeṣu prabhuṇārpitaḥ Bālo na veda tat tanvi bandhu-kṛtyam amarṣaṇaḥ

O beautiful one, I am a servant who has committed mistakes. If my master punishes me, it will be my great fortune. Only an angry foolish servant, who lacks patience, can never understand that his master is actually uplifting him by imposing punishments upon him.

Nārayanāya namah