The Eighth Book. Chapter 4
The Eighth Book
Chapter Iv
On The Narration Of The Family Of Priyavrata
p. 748
1-28. The Risi Nryana said :-- The eldest son of Svyambhuva, Priyavrata served always his father and was very truthful. He married the daughter of the Prajpati Vis'va Karm, the exceedingly lovely and beautiful Barhismat, resembling like him, adorned with modesty, good nature and various other qualifications. He begat ten sons, very spiritual and well qualified and one daughter named rjasvat. This daughter was the youngest of all. The names of the ten sons are respec-
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tively :-- (1) gndhra, (2) Idhmajibha, (3) Jajabhu, (4) Mahvra, (5) Rukmas'ukra (Hiranyaret), (6) Ghritapristha, (7) Savana, (8) Medhtithi, (9) Vtihotra and (10) Kavi. The name "Agni" was attached to each of the above names. Out of these ten, the three sons named Kavi, Savana, and Mahvra were indifferent and dispassionate to the world. In due time, these became extremely free from all desires and they were proficient in tmavidy (Self-Knowledge). They were all rdharet (of perpetual chastity; who has subdued all their passions) and took gladly to the Paramahamsa Dharma. Priyavrata had by his other wife three sons, named Uttama, Tmasa, and Raivata. These were all widely known; each of them in due time became endowed with great prowess and splendour and became the Lord of one Manvatara. Priyavrata, the son of Svyambhuva, the King-Emperor enjoyed with his sons and relations, this earth for eleven Arvuda years; the wonder was this, that he lived so long and there was seen no decay in his strength as regards his body or his senses. Once on an occasion, the King observed that when the sun appeared on the horizon and got up, one part of the earth was illumined and the remaining part was enveloped in darkness. Seeing this discrepancy, he thought over for a long time and exclaimed, "What! Will the Darkness be seen in my kingdom, while I am reigning? This can never be. I will stop this by my Yogic powers." Thus thinking, the King Priyavrata mounted on a luminous chariot, as big as the Sun, to illumine the whole world and circumambulated round the earth seven times. Whatever portion of the earth was trodden by the wheel on each occasion, became an ocean. Thus the seven oceans had their origins. And the portion of the earth, that was included within the ruts, became the seven islands (Dvpas). 0 Child! Now hear about the seven Dvpas and the seven Oceans :-- The first is the Jambu Dvpa; the second is Plaksa, the third is S'almal; the fourth is the Kus'a Dvpa; the fifth is Krauncha; the sixth is the S'aka Dvpa; and the seventh is the Puskara Dvpa. The second Dvpa Plaksa is twice the first Jambu Dvpa and so on; each succeeding Dvpa is twice as large as its previous one. Now hear the names of the oceans. The first ocean is named Ksroda (the salt water ocean); the second is Iksurasa (the sugarcane ocean); the third is Sur (the wine ocean), the fourth is Ghritoda (the clarified butter ocean) the fifth is Ksroda (the ocean of milk); the sixth is Dadhi Manda (the ocean of curds); and the seventh is that of the ordinary water. The Jambu Dvpa is surrounded by Ksra Samudra. The King Priyavrata made his son gndhra, the lord of this Dvpa. He gave to his Idhmajibha, the Plaksa Dvpa surrounded by Iksu Sgara; so he gave to Jajabhu the S'lmal Dvpa surrounded by Sur Sgara and he
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gave the lordship of Kus'a Dvpa to Hiranyaret. Then he gave to his powerful son Ghritapristha the Krauncha Dvpa surrounded by Ksra Samudra and to his son Medhtithi the S'ka Dvpa surrounded by Dadhimanda Sgara. Finally he gave to his Vtihotra, the Puskara Dvpa surrounded by the ordinary water. Thus distributing duly amongst his sons, the separate divisions of the earth, he married his daughter, the youngest rjasvat to the Bhagavn Us'an. In the womb of rjasvat the Bhagavn S'ukrchrya had his famous daughter Devayn. O Child! Thus giving the charge of each Dvpa to each of his sons and marrying his daughters to the worthy hands, he took to Viveka (discrimination) and adopted the path of Yoga.
Here ends the Fourth Chapter of the Eighth Book on the narration of the family of Priyavrata in the Mah Purnam, S'r Mad Dev Bhgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vysa.
Chapter Iv
On The Narration Of The Family Of Priyavrata
p. 748
1-28. The Risi Nryana said :-- The eldest son of Svyambhuva, Priyavrata served always his father and was very truthful. He married the daughter of the Prajpati Vis'va Karm, the exceedingly lovely and beautiful Barhismat, resembling like him, adorned with modesty, good nature and various other qualifications. He begat ten sons, very spiritual and well qualified and one daughter named rjasvat. This daughter was the youngest of all. The names of the ten sons are respec-
p. 749
tively :-- (1) gndhra, (2) Idhmajibha, (3) Jajabhu, (4) Mahvra, (5) Rukmas'ukra (Hiranyaret), (6) Ghritapristha, (7) Savana, (8) Medhtithi, (9) Vtihotra and (10) Kavi. The name "Agni" was attached to each of the above names. Out of these ten, the three sons named Kavi, Savana, and Mahvra were indifferent and dispassionate to the world. In due time, these became extremely free from all desires and they were proficient in tmavidy (Self-Knowledge). They were all rdharet (of perpetual chastity; who has subdued all their passions) and took gladly to the Paramahamsa Dharma. Priyavrata had by his other wife three sons, named Uttama, Tmasa, and Raivata. These were all widely known; each of them in due time became endowed with great prowess and splendour and became the Lord of one Manvatara. Priyavrata, the son of Svyambhuva, the King-Emperor enjoyed with his sons and relations, this earth for eleven Arvuda years; the wonder was this, that he lived so long and there was seen no decay in his strength as regards his body or his senses. Once on an occasion, the King observed that when the sun appeared on the horizon and got up, one part of the earth was illumined and the remaining part was enveloped in darkness. Seeing this discrepancy, he thought over for a long time and exclaimed, "What! Will the Darkness be seen in my kingdom, while I am reigning? This can never be. I will stop this by my Yogic powers." Thus thinking, the King Priyavrata mounted on a luminous chariot, as big as the Sun, to illumine the whole world and circumambulated round the earth seven times. Whatever portion of the earth was trodden by the wheel on each occasion, became an ocean. Thus the seven oceans had their origins. And the portion of the earth, that was included within the ruts, became the seven islands (Dvpas). 0 Child! Now hear about the seven Dvpas and the seven Oceans :-- The first is the Jambu Dvpa; the second is Plaksa, the third is S'almal; the fourth is the Kus'a Dvpa; the fifth is Krauncha; the sixth is the S'aka Dvpa; and the seventh is the Puskara Dvpa. The second Dvpa Plaksa is twice the first Jambu Dvpa and so on; each succeeding Dvpa is twice as large as its previous one. Now hear the names of the oceans. The first ocean is named Ksroda (the salt water ocean); the second is Iksurasa (the sugarcane ocean); the third is Sur (the wine ocean), the fourth is Ghritoda (the clarified butter ocean) the fifth is Ksroda (the ocean of milk); the sixth is Dadhi Manda (the ocean of curds); and the seventh is that of the ordinary water. The Jambu Dvpa is surrounded by Ksra Samudra. The King Priyavrata made his son gndhra, the lord of this Dvpa. He gave to his Idhmajibha, the Plaksa Dvpa surrounded by Iksu Sgara; so he gave to Jajabhu the S'lmal Dvpa surrounded by Sur Sgara and he
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gave the lordship of Kus'a Dvpa to Hiranyaret. Then he gave to his powerful son Ghritapristha the Krauncha Dvpa surrounded by Ksra Samudra and to his son Medhtithi the S'ka Dvpa surrounded by Dadhimanda Sgara. Finally he gave to his Vtihotra, the Puskara Dvpa surrounded by the ordinary water. Thus distributing duly amongst his sons, the separate divisions of the earth, he married his daughter, the youngest rjasvat to the Bhagavn Us'an. In the womb of rjasvat the Bhagavn S'ukrchrya had his famous daughter Devayn. O Child! Thus giving the charge of each Dvpa to each of his sons and marrying his daughters to the worthy hands, he took to Viveka (discrimination) and adopted the path of Yoga.
Here ends the Fourth Chapter of the Eighth Book on the narration of the family of Priyavrata in the Mah Purnam, S'r Mad Dev Bhgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vysa.
