Srimad Bhagavatam – day 500
“Thereafter Maharishi Cyavana got his father-in-law, Emperor Śaryati to perform the Soma-yāga. Using his mystical powers, the great sage accepted the pot of Soma-rasa from the Yagna and gave that share of Soma-rasa to Ashwini-devatas, even though they were considered ineligible to receive Soma-rasa during Yagnas”.
Swamiji explains: Soma-rasa refers to nectar that emerges due to performance of Yagna.
“Indra, the Lord of heaven, was absolutely displeased with this. With his thunderbolt, he instantly wanted to kill Maharishi Cyavana, the son of Bhrigu. However the great saint, using his mystical powers, caused Indra’s hand to be paralyzed.
The Devatas had previously banned the Ashwini-devatas from drinking the Soma-rasa merely because they were only physicians. When Maharishi Cyavana caused Indra’s hand to remain paralyzed, the Devatas realized his might. Instantaneously they begged Maharishi for forgiveness and agreed to allow the Ashwini-devatas to drink the Soma-rasa from Yagnas henceforth.
Emperor Śaryāti was blessed with three sons viz., Uttānabarhi, Anarta and Bhūriṣena. Revata was the son of Anarta. The mighty Revata constructed a city called Kuśasthali at the bottom of the ocean. Establishing this as his capital city, he ruled ānarta and other provinces. Revata had hundred noble sons. Among them Kakudmī was the eldest.
Desirous of finding a suitable husband for his daughter Revati, Kakudmī approached Lord Brahma together with daughter Revati. At the time of Kakudmī’s arrival into Brahma-loka, an elaborate music festival was in progress. As Lord Brahma was engrossed in those programs, Kakudmī could not get any suitable opportunity to speak to the Lord.
He waited for the music festival to conclude and thereafter expressed his desire to the Lord.
Lord Brahma laughed and said to Kakudmī, “Oho! My dear king! Time has long back swallowed all those who in your opinion were suitable grooms for your daughter. There is no trace whatsoever of their children, grand children or even their great-grand children. You will not even hear their names on earth.
O King! As of now on earth a period of 27 Maha-yugas has elapsed from the time of your arrival here”.
Swamiji explains: Kakudmī was waiting for the music festival to conclude. Meanwhile, a period of 27 Maha-yugas had completed on earth. He was now in Brahma’s time zone.
“Now you return back to earth. Baladeva, who is a partial incarnation of the Supreme Lord, still exists on earth. He is the best among humans. Offer your daughter Revati to him in marriage.
Bhuvo bhārāvatārāya bhagavān bhūta-bhāvanaḥ
Avatīrṇo nijāṁśena puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ
The Supreme Lord Srihari who creates and sustains all living entities has incarnated on earth in order to reduce its burden. Those who listen to His transcendental glories and who glorify them will be purified”.
Kakudmī prostrated before Lord Brahma and returned to his kingdom. He noticed that the descendants of his brother’s families had abandoned the kingdom and dispersed in different directions fearing the wrath of the Yakshas (spirits).
Kakudmī offered his daughter Revati to the mighty Baladeva in marriage and then, desirous of performing penance, reached Nārayana ashrama in Badari forests”.
With this the third chapter of the ninth canto comes to an end.
Ninth Canto Chapter Four
In this chapter the story of Nābhāga is explained.
Maharishi Śuka explained, “Nabhaga’s youngest son was Nābhāga. He lived in the home of his Guru for a very long period of time strictly abiding by the Brahmacharya vrata (celibacy) and mastering all the Vedas. He was an erudite scholar.
One day he suddenly he returned home, but realized that in his absence his brothers had divided all the property amongst themselves. To him, they only offered his father as his share of property. They had shared all the wealth, fields and houses between themselves”.
This is a very common sight. Some brothers share all property amidst themselves while handing over the aged parents to another brother with whom they share nothing else.
“Nābhāga was perplexed and he enquired, “My dear brothers, what is it that you have allotted as my share?” They promptly replied, “Our father is your share of property. Accept him.”
Nābhāga then addressed his father and said, “Dear father, my elder brothers have allotted you as my share of property”. The father replied, “O innocent boy! Do not believe your brothers who are cheating you”.
Nābhāga nevertheless was supremely thrilled to have obtained his father as his share of property. Seeing his son’s innocence and in order to protect his interests, his father said to him, “My dear son! Descendants of Maharishi Angira are presently conducting a Satra yāga. Although they are extremely intelligent, they get confused about the rituals to be performed on every sixth day during this Yāga period and hence commit mistakes.
Being a learned scholar you should visit them. Ensure that the descendants of Angira chant two Vedic hymns pertaining to Vishwadevatas. Due to this the Yagna will be completed flawlessly. Pleased with you they will hand over to you all the wealth that remains after the completion of Satra Yāga. Hence proceed to that place”.
As directed by his father, Nābhāga went to the place where the Satra-yāga ritual was being conducted. He strictly abided by all the instructions given by his father. The descendants of Angira handed over the remaining wealth of the Satra-yāga ritual to Nābhāga and departed to heavenly planets.
As Nābhāga was collecting all this wealth given to him, a dark black complexion suddenly arrived from the northern direction and said, “Wealth which is left behind in the place of Yagna belongs solely to me”.
Nābhāga said to him. “Dear sir, this wealth was given to me by the great Maharishis”. The black-complexioned person replied, “Only your father is competent to settle this dispute. Approach him.”
Nābhāga returned to his father and narrated the entire incident. His father replied,
Yajña-vāstu-gataṁ sarvam ucchiṣṭam ṛṣayaḥ kvacit
Cakrur hi bhāgaṁ rudrāya sa devaḥ sarvam arhati
“Previously Maharishis had decisively declared that all the wealth that remains after completion of a Yagna belongs to Rudra. As such, Lord Rudra alone is entitled to receive all the remnant wealth after the completion of the Yagna”.
Nābhāga returned back to the place of sacrifice. Offering obeisance to Lord Rudra, he said, “O Lord Iśwara! My father has declared that this entire wealth belongs solely to You. I therefore bow before You and offer obeisance. Please be merciful.”