SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM: CANTO 5- CHAPTER 2

S'rî S'uka said: 'When thus his father took to the path of liberation and Âgnîdhra according his order took his place, protected he, strictly observing the principles, the citizens, the inhabitants of Jambûdvîpa, as if they were his children.

S'rî S'ukadeva Gosvâmî continued: After his father, Mahârâja Priyavrata, departed to follow the path of spiritual life by undergoing austerities, King Âgnîdhra completely obeyed his order. Strictly observing the principles of religion, he gave full protection to the inhabitants of Jambûdvîpa as if they were his own begotten sons. (Vedabase)

Text 2

Once, desiring a woman from the realm of the godly, became he at the foot of the mountains, to his forefathers having gathered all the necessities for the service, immersed in the mind of the repentant and engaged he in austerities and was he of worship for the master, the highest power of creation in the universe [Lord Brahmâ].

Desiring to get a perfect son and become an inhabitant of Pitriloka, Mahârâja Âgnîdhra once worshiped Lord Brahmâ, the master of those in charge of material creation. He went to a valley of Mandara Hill, where the damsels of the heavenly planets come down to stroll. There he collected garden flowers and other necessary paraphernalia and then engaged in severe austerities and worship. (Vedabase)

Text 3

Understanding that sent the almighty Lord, the first person of the universe, down from his abode the celestial girl, the Apsara Pûrvacitti.

Understanding King Âgnîdhra's desire, the first and most powerful created being of this universe, Lord Brahmâ, selected the best of the dancing girls in his assembly, whose name was Pûrvacitti, and sent her to the King. (Vedabase)

Text 4

Strolling around in the woods could she thus be found in that place of meditation, which was very beautiful with its dense variety of trees with masses of high reaching, golden creepers attached to the branches. In the clear waters of the lotus-filled lake there, sang she along with the vibrations of the pleasant sounds of the communicating pairs of the land birds and water birds like ducks, swans and such.

The Apsara sent by Lord Brahmâ began strolling in a beautiful park near the place where the King was meditating and worshiping. The park was beautiful because of its dense green foliage and golden creepers. There were pairs of varied birds such as peacocks, and in a lake there were ducks and swans, all vibrating very sweet sounds. Thus the park was magnificently beautiful because of the foliage, the clear water, the lotus flowers and the sweet singing of various kinds of birds. (Vedabase)

Text 5

The son of the god of men then, in the ecstasy of his yoga, heard the pleasant sounds of her ankle bells that tinkled with every step of her so very attractive way of moving playfully around and, with his half open lotusbud-shaped eyes looking up, he spotted her.

As Pûrvacitti passed by on the road in a very beautiful style and mood of her own, the pleasing ornaments on her ankles tinkled with her every step. Although Prince Âgnîdhra was controlling his senses, practicing yoga with half-open eyes, he could see her with his lotuslike eyes, and when he heard the sweet tinkling of her bangles, he opened his eyes slightly more and could see that she was just nearby. (Vedabase)

Text 6

Nearby, like a honeybee indeed smelling the beautiful flowers, did she by the pleasure derived from her playful movements, shy glances and humility, her sweet voice and her limbs, to the eyes and mind of as well normal men as the men of heaven, pave the way for the flower-bearing god of love. The goddess was stunning with the pleasure of hearing the sweet nectar pouring out of her smiling and talking mouth, the sight of the hasty, stylish, little movements of her feet to the intoxicated bees surrounding her, the movements of her jug-like breasts, the weight of her hips, the braids of her hair and the belt around her waist. By the mere sight of the goddess brought fully under the control of the almighty Cupid, seized he the opportunity of addressing her.

Like a honeybee, the Apsara smelled the beautiful and attractive flowers. She could attract the minds and vision of both humans and demigods by her playful movements, her shyness and humility, her glances, the very pleasing sounds that poured from her mouth as she spoke, and the motion of her limbs. By all these qualities, she opened for Cupid, who bears an arrow of flowers, a path of aural reception into the minds of men. When she spoke, nectar seemed to flow from her mouth. As she breathed, the bees, mad for the taste of her breath, tried to hover about her beautiful lotuslike eyes. Disturbed by the bees, she tried to move hastily, but as she raised her feet to walk quickly, her hair, the belt on her hips, and her breasts, which were like water jugs, also moved in a way that made her extremely beautiful and attractive. Indeed, she seemed to be making a path for the entrance of Cupid, who is most powerful. Therefore the prince, completely subdued by seeing her, spoke to her as follows. (Vedabase)

Text 7

'Who are you and what are you up to on this hill, o choice of the munis; are you some illusory appearance of the Supreme Lord, our God in the beyond, with your two bows without strings [her eyebrows] that you are carrying with you; is it for your own sake or for a friend that you are here, or are you trying to hunt down the mad animals in this forest?

The Prince mistakenly addressed the Apsara: O best of saintly persons, who are you? Why are you on this hill, and what do you want to do? Are you one of the illusory potencies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead? You seem to be carrying two bows without strings, What is the reason you carry these bows? Is it for some purpose of your own or for the sake of a friend? Perhaps you carry them to kill the mad animals in this forest. (Vedabase)

Text 8

These two arrows [these eyes] of you o magical one, that have feathers like lotus petals, have no shaft and are peaceful and very beautiful; who is it in this forest that you, loitering around, want to pierce with their sharp points; may your prowess be there for the welfare of all of us who, dull-headed, fail to understand!

Then Âgnîdhra observed the glancing eyes of Pûrvacitti and said: My dear friend, you have two very powerful arrows, namely your glancing eyes. Those arrows have feathers like the petals of a lotus flower. Although they have no shafts, they are very beautiful, and they have very sharp, piercing points. They appear very peaceful, and thus it seems that they will not be shot at anyone. You must be loitering in this forest to shoot those arrows at someone, but I cannot understand whom. My intelligence is dull, and I cannot combat you. Indeed, no one can equal you in prowess, and therefore I pray that your prowess will be for my good fortune. (Vedabase)

Text 9

These followers around you [the bees] o worshipable one, are, enjoying the resort of your tresses of hair and the lots of flowers falling from them, incessantly singing all reciting unto the Lord the Sâmaveda and the Upanishad, as if they're sages of respect for the branches of the Veda.

Seeing the bumblebees following Pûrvacitti, Mahârâja Âgnîdhra said: My dear Lord, the bumblebees surrounding your body are like disciples surrounding your worshipable self. They are incessantly chanting the mantras of the Sâma Veda and the Upanishads, thus offering prayers to you. Just as great sages resort to the branches of Vedic literatures, the bumblebees are enjoying the showers of flowers falling from your hair. (Vedabase)

Text 10

From the resounding vibration alone of your ankle bells I can very distinctly hear the tittiri birds, o one of Brahmâ, without seeing their form; did you dress at all, the way I see your beautiful round hips with the lovely color of kadamba flowers and around them a belt red as burning cinders.

O brâhmana, I can simply hear the tinkling of your ankle bells. Within those bells, tittiri birds seem to be chirping among themselves. Although I do not see their forms, I can hear how they are chirping. When I look at your beautiful circular hips, I see they are the lovely color of kadamba flowers, and your waist is encircled by a belt of burning cinders. Indeed, you seem to have forgotten to dress yourself. (Vedabase)

Text 11

What is it that fills the two horns, o heavenly appearance of beauty, that you carry to your slim waist? What do they contain that is so attractive to my eyes? And what is that fragrant red powder on the two of them with which you, o fortunate one, are perfuming my spiritual resort?

Âgnîdhra then praised Pûrvacitti's raised breasts. He said: My dear brâhmana your waist is very thin, yet with great difficulty you are carefully carrying two horns, to which my eyes have become attracted. What is filling those two beautiful horns? You seem to have spread fragrant red powder upon them, powder that is like the rising morning sun. O most fortunate one, I beg to inquire where you have gotten this fragrant powder that is perfuming my âs'rama, my place of residence. (Vedabase)

Text 12

Please show me where you live, o dearest friend; where was a person like you with such wonderful limbs born? For a person like me are the many wonders of your lovely words and inviting gestures, that are as sweet as nectar to the mouth, something very arousing.

O best friend, will you kindly show me the place where you reside? I cannot imagine how the residents of that place have gotten such wonderful bodily features as your raised breasts, which agitate the mind and eyes of a person like me who sees them. Judging by the sweet speech and kind smiles of those residents, I think that their mouths must contain nectar. (Vedabase)

Text 13

And what do you live on, chewing the betel of the sacrifices [a red palatable nut], my best? You must have originated as a part of Vishnu, with your two wide open brilliant sharks of eyes and your ears with their restless fish-shaped earrings, the rows of your beautiful teeth and your face alike a lake amidst the swarm of the bees around you.

My dear friend, what do you eat to maintain your body? Because you are chewing betel, a pleasing scent is emanating from your mouth. This proves that you always eat the remnants of food offered to Vishnu. Indeed, you must also be an expansion of Lord Vishnu's body. Your face is as beautiful as a pleasing lake. Your jeweled earrings resemble two brilliant sharks with unblinking eyes like those of Vishnu, and your own eyes resemble two restless fish. Simultaneously, therefore, two sharks and two restless fish are swimming in the lake of your face. Besides them, the white rows of your teeth seem like rows of very beautiful swans in the water, and your scattered hair resembles swarms of bumblebees following the beauty of your face. (Vedabase)

Text 14

My eyes are restlessly moving in all directions, distracted by the ball struck by your lotus palm. Don't you care about your curls of hair hanging loose? Is that lower garment of you not giving you trouble taken up by the wind like a man does interested in a woman?

My mind is already restless, and by playing with a ball, moving it all about with your lotuslike palm, you are also agitating my eyes. Your curling black hair is now scattered, but you are not attentive to arranging it. Are you not going to arrange it? Like a man attached to women, the most cunning wind is trying to take off your lower garment. Are you not mindful of it? (Vedabase)

Text 15

O beauty, treasure of the sages, by what austerity managed you to unsettle so unfailing this way indeed the penance of all who retired? You should practice the forsaking with me, o friend, for maybe are you, with the creator of the created [Brahmâ] being pleased with me, there meant for me.

O best among those performing austerities, where did you get this wonderful beauty that dismantles the austerities performed by others? Where have you learned this art? What austerity have you undergone to achieve this beauty, my dear friend? I desire that you join me to perform austerity and penance, for it may be that the creator of the universe, Lord Brahmâ, being pleased with me, has sent you to become my wife. (Vedabase)

Text 16

I won't give up on you, upon whom, being given by the god of spiritual rebirth, I have fixed my mind and eyes; I won't leave you and will keep you close to me, o beauty of the breasts; lead me as you wish, as I am your follower, wherever that your finest of friends might be following you.

Lord Brahmâ, who is worshiped by the brâhmanas, has very mercifully given you to me, and that is why I have met you. I do not want to give up your company, for my mind and eyes are fixed upon you and cannot be drawn away. O woman with beautiful raised breasts, I am your follower. You may take me wherever you like, and your friends may also follow me. (Vedabase)