Canto & Chapters
The Creative Impetus (26 Chapters)
Chapter 141v
The Activities of Mahārāja Priyavrata
Chapter 223v
The Activities of Mahārāja Āgnīdhra
Chapter 319v
Ṛṣabhadeva’s Appearance in the Womb of Merudevī, the Wife of King Nābhi
Chapter 418v
The Characteristics of Ṛṣabhadeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead
Chapter 531v
Lord Ṛṣabhadeva’s Teachings to His Sons
Chapter 619v
The Activities of Lord Ṛṣabhadeva
Chapter 714v
The Activities of King Bharata
Chapter 831v
A Description of the Character of Bharata Mahārāja
Chapter 918v
The Supreme Character of Jaḍa Bharata
Chapter 1025v
The Discussion Between Jaḍa Bharata and Mahārāja Rahūgaṇa
Chapter 1116v
Jaḍa Bharata Instructs King Rahūgaṇa
Chapter 1215v
Conversation Between Mahārāja Rahūgaṇa and Jaḍa Bharata
Chapter 1326v
Further Talks Between King Rahūgaṇa and Jaḍa Bharata
Chapter 1446v
The Material World as the Great Forest of Enjoyment
Chapter 1515v
The Glories of the Descendants of King Priyavrata
Chapter 1627v
A Description of Jambūdvīpa
Chapter 1723v
The Descent of the River Ganges
Chapter 1839v
The Prayers Offered to the Lord by the Residents of Jambūdvīpa
Chapter 1929v
A Description of the Island of Jambūdvīpa
Chapter 2045v
Studying the Structure of the Universe
Chapter 2118v
The Movements of the Sun
Chapter 2217v
The Orbits of the Planets
Chapter 239v
The Śiśumāra Planetary Systems
Chapter 2431v
The Subterranean Heavenly Planets
Chapter 2515v
The Glories of Lord Ananta
Chapter 2640v
A Description of the Hellish Planets
Canto 5, Chapter 1

The Activities of Mahārāja Priyavrata

Verse 10 (SB 5.1.10)
SB 5.1.10 • मूल श्लोक

भगवानपि भारत तदुपनीतार्हण: सूक्तवाकेनातितरामुदितगुणगणावतारसुजय: प्रियव्रतमादि पुरुषस्तं सदयहासावलोक इति होवाच ॥ १० ॥

Transliteration

bhagavān api bhārata tad-upanītārhaṇaḥ sūkta-vākenātitarām udita-guṇa-gaṇāvatāra-sujayaḥ priyavratam ādi-puruṣas taṁ sadaya-hāsāvaloka iti hovāca.

Synonyms (Word-for-Word)

bhagavān — Lord Brahmā; api — moreover; bhārata — O King Parīkṣit; tat — by them; upanīta — brought forward; arhaṇaḥ — worshipable paraphernalia; sūkta — according to Vedic etiquette; vākena — by language; atitarām — highly; udita — praised; guṇa-gaṇa — qualities; avatāra — because of the descent; su-jayaḥ — whose glories; priyavratam — unto Priyavrata; ādi-puruṣaḥ — the original person; tam — unto him; sa-daya — with compassion; hāsa — smiling; avalokaḥ — whose looking; iti — thus; ha — certainly; uvāca — said.

Translation

“My dear King Parīkṣit, because Lord Brahmā had finally descended from Satyaloka to Bhūloka, Nārada Muni, Prince Priyavrata and Svāyambhuva Manu came forward to offer him objects of worship and to praise him in highly qualified language, according to Vedic etiquette. At that time, Lord Brahmā, the original person of this universe, felt compassion for Priyavrata and, looking upon him with a smiling face, spoke to him as follows.”

Bhaktivedanta Purport

By Śrīla Prabhupāda
That Lord Brahmā descended from Satyaloka to see Priyavrata indicates that the matter was very serious. Nārada Muni had come to advise Priyavrata about the value of spiritual life, knowledge, renunciation and bhakti, and Lord Brahmā knew that Nārada’s instructions were very impressive. Therefore unless Lord Brahmā personally went to Gandhamādana Hill to request Priyavrata, Lord Brahmā knew that Prince Priyavrata would not accept his father’s order. Brahmā’s purpose was to break Priyavrata’s determination. Therefore Brahmā first looked upon Priyavrata with compassion. His smile and compassionate features also indicated that although Brahmā would request Priyavrata to accept household life, Priyavrata would not be out of touch with devotional service. By the blessings of a Vaiṣṇava, everything is possible. This is described in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu as kṛpā-siddhi, or perfection attained simply by the blessings of a superior person. One usually becomes liberated and perfect by executing the regulative principles set down in the śāstras. Nonetheless, many persons have achieved perfection simply by the blessings of a spiritual master or superior. Priyavrata was the grandson of Lord Brahmā, and as joking competition sometimes takes place between grandson and grandfather, in this case also Priyavrata was determined to remain in meditation, whereas Brahmā was determined that he rule the universe. Thus Lord Brahmā’s affectionate smile and glance meant, “My dear Priyavrata, you have decided not to accept household life, but I have decided to convince you that you must accept it.” Actually, Brahmā had come to praise Priyavrata for his high standard of renunciation, austerity, penance and devotion so that he would not be deviated from devotional service, even though he would accept household life. In this verse, one important word is sūkta-vākena (by Vedic hymns). In the Vedas, there is the following prayer to Lord Brahmā: hiraṇyagarbhaḥ samavartatāgre bhūtasya jātaḥ patir eka āsīt. Brahmā was received with the appropriate Vedic hymns, and because he was welcomed according to the Vedic etiquette, he was very pleased.