1
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 1:
Maitreyah -
Bhagavan samyak aakhyaatam mama etat akhilam tvayaa |
Jagatah sarga sambandhi yat prushto asi guro mayaa ||
*Maitreya *- O Paraasharar, I asked you about the creation of this world. You told me everything I asked you.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Atha dviteeye amshe srushti visheshah tat prasangaat srushtaanaam nivaasah
cha uchyate | Tatra prathame amshe avasheshitam priyavrata anvayam
prucchati bhagavan iti | Sarga sambandhi srushti anubandham vastu, yathaa
2
jagat babhoova yat mayam ityaadikam |
Now the creation - where all they were residing, and where they were ruling, is going to be told. What was not told about Priyavrata Vamsha, is going to be told here. Related to creation, how did creation happen, how they are all related, everything is told as Vishnu’s vibhooti, vapu only, is going to be told. This is continuing here.
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 2:
Yo ayam amsho jagat srushti sambandho gaditah tvayaa |
Tatra aham shrotum icchaami bhooyo api munisattama ||
You told me everything related to creation, about Bhagavaan’s vibhooti. I want to listen more about that.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Yo ayam iti | Srushti sambandhah srushtyaa vaachakatvena sambandhah |
Srushti vaachee hi prathama amshah |
3
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 3:
Priyavrato uttaanapaadou sutou svaayambhuvasya you |
Tayoh uttaanapaadasya dhruvah putrah tvayaa uditah ||
You said that Svaayambhuva Manu had two children, Priyavrata and *Uttaanapaada. *[[1]]
Uttaanapaada’s son Dhruva, his story was told in detail by you.
4
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 4:
Priyavratasya na eva uktaa bhavataa dvija santatih |
Taam aham shrotum icchaami prasanno vaktum arhasi ||
Priyavrata’s progeny was not told by you. Be pleased and do tell me about *Priyavrata’s *santaana.
5
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 5:
Sri Paraasharah -
Kardamasya aatmajaam kanyaam upayeme priyavratah |
Saamraat kukshischa tat kanye dasha putraah tathaa apare ||
Sri Paraasharar - Priyavrata married the daughter of *Kardama Prajaapati. *Priyavrata had two daughters - Samraat and Kukshi, and had ten sons.
6
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 6:
Mahaa praajnyaa mahaa veeryaa vineetaah dayitaah pituh |
Priyavrata sutaah khyaataah teshaam naamaani me shrunu ||
They were all very wise and very valiant, very obedient. They are very well known as Priyavrata’s sons. I will tell you their names. Listen to me.
7
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 7:
Agneedhrah cha agnibaahuh cha vapushmaan dyutimaan tathaa |
Medhaa medhaatithih bhavyah savanah putra eva cha ||
*Agneedhra, Agnibaahu, Vapushmaan, Dyutimaan, Medhaa, Medhaatithi, Bhavya, **Savana, Putra, … *
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Agneedhrah iti | Navamasya putra iti samjnyaa |
The name of the ninth son is Putra.
8
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 8:
Jyotishmaan dashamah teshaam satya naamaa suto abhavat |
Priyavratasya putraah te prakhyaataa bala veeryatah ||
… Jyotishmaan are the ten sons. Jyotishmaan is the tenth son. Jyotishmaan’s name became anvartha. All these sons of Priyavrata were very famous and known for their valiance.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Jyotishmaan iti | Dashamo jyotishmaan, satya naamaa yathaartha naamaa,
jyotishmattvaat |
Jyotishmaan had brahma tejas, shining forth with knowledge and aatma gunaas. He was true to his name. [[2]]
9
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 9:
Medhaagnirbaahu putraah tu trayo yoga paraayinaah |
Jaatismaraa mahaabhaagaa na raajyaaya mano dadhuh ||
Three of his sons - Medhaa, Agnibaahu, Putra, were always engaged in meditation. They remembered their previous births, they were jaatismaraas, they were great people, never interested in ruling the kingdom.
10
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 10:
Nirmamaah sarva kaalam tu samasta artheshu vai mune |
Chakruh kriyaam yathaa nyaayam aphalaakaankshino hi te ||
They had no mamakaara, not attached to anything all the time. Like karma yoga, without expecting any fruits, they were engaged in all karmaas, as ordained.
11
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 11:
Priyavrato dadou teshaam saptaanaam munisattama |
Sapta dveepaani maitreya vibhajya sumahaatmanaam ||
Priyavrata, for the remaining seven sons, gave all his kingdom by dividing into seven parts. He gave nine islands, by dividing among them.
12
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 12:
Jamboodveepam mahaabhaaga so agneedhraaya dadou pitaa |
Medhaatitheh tathaa praadaat plaksha dveepam tathaa aparam ||
For Agnidhra, he gave Jamboodveepa. For Medhaatithi, he gave Plakshadveepa.
13
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 13:
Shaalmale cha vapushmantam narendram abhishiktavaan |
Jyotishmantam kushadveepe raajaanam krutavaan prabhuh ||
Vapushmaan became king of Shaalmaladveepa. In Kushadveepa, he made Jyotishmaan as the king.
14
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 14:
Dyutimantam cha raajaanam krounchadveepe samaadishat |
Shaakadveepe eeshvaram cha api bhavyam chakre priyavratah ||
Dyutimaan became king of Krounchadveepa. He made Bhavya as king of Shaakadveepa.
15
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 15:
Pushkara adhipatim chakre savanam cha api sa prabhuh |
Jamboodveepeshvaro yah tu agneedhro munisattama ||
Savana became king of Pushkara. For Jamboodveepa, Agneedhra became king.
16
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 16: [[3]]
Tasya putraah babhoovuh te prajaapati samaa nava |
Naabhih kimpurushah cha eva harivarsha ilaavrutah ||
Agneedhra, who was king of Jamboodveepa, had nine children, who were all like Prajaapatis. Naabhi, Kimpurusha, Harivarsha, Ilaavruta, …
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Tasya iti | Prajaapati samaah bhrugu aadi nava prajaapatibhih tulyaah |
They were equivalent to Bhrugu and all the other Prajaapatis told earlier, in terms of their capabilities and knowledge.
17
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 17:
Ramyo hiranvaan shashtah cha kuruh bhadraashva eva cha |
Ketumaalah tathaa eva anyah saadhucheshto abhavat nrupah ||
Ramya, Hiranvaan, Kuru, Bhadraashva, Ketumaala, are the nine children. Ketumaala was a very virtuous and wise person.
18
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 18:
Jamboodveepa vibhaagaan cha teshaam vipra nishaamaya |
Pitraa dattam himaahvam tu varsham naabheh tu dakshinam ||
Agneedhra divided his kingdom Jamboodveepa among his nine children. *Himaahva *varsha was given to Naabhi.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Jamboodveepa iti | Himaahvam bhaaratam dakshinam himavatah himavat
hemakoota nishadhaih giribhih svasmaat svasmaat dakshinaanaam neela shveta
shrungibhih uttareshaam varshaanaam etat vyapadeshah |
Himaahva is Bhaarata desha. The locations of the kingdoms is being told - some of them are to the south of the other, and some to the north of the other.
19
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 19:
Hemakootam tathaa varsham dadou kimpurushaaya sah |
Triteeyam naishadham varsham harivarshaaya dattavaan ||
For Kimpurusha, he gave Hemakoota varsha. For Harivarsha, he gave Naishadavarsha, this is the third one.
20
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 20:
Ilaavruttaaya pradadou meruh yatra tu madhyamah |
Neelaachala aashritam varsham ramyaaya pradadou pitaa ||
For Ilaavruta, he gave Meru, which is in the centre. For Ramya, he gave Neelaachalavarsha.
21
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 21:
Shvetam yat uttaram tasmaat pitraa dattam hiranvate ||
[[4]]
For Hiranvaan, he gave Shvetavarsha, which is to the north of Neelaachala.
22
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 22:
Yat uttaram shrungavato varsham tat kurave dadou |
Meroh poorvena yat varsham bhadraashvaaya pradattavaan ||
For Kuru, he gave Shrungavarsha, which is again to the north of that. He gave the varsha to the east of Meru to Bhadraashva.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Yat iti | Gandhamaadhanavarsham meroh paschimam |
23
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 23:
Gandhamaadhanavarsham tu ketumaalaaya dattavaan |
Iti etaani dadou tebhyah putrebhyah sa nareshvarah ||
For Ketumaala, he gave Gandhamaadhanavarsha. He gave all these to his sons like this.
24
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 24:
Varsheshu eteshu taan putraan abhishichya sa bhoomipah |
Saalagraamam mahaa punyam maitreya tapase yayou ||
He made Jamboodveepa into nine divisions. He gave them to his nine sons. He went to Saalagraama, which is a very auspicious place, to do tapas there.
Earth is delimited by mountains. Varsha is an expanse of earth, like a kingdom, surrounded by mountains.
25
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 25:
Yaani kimpurusha aadeeni varshaani ashtou mahaamune |
Teshaam svaabhaavikee siddhih sukha praayaa hi ayatanatah ||
From Kimpurusha the eight varshaas, the people living there naturally attained all kinds of siddhis, and were living in great joy, without any effort.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Yaani iti | Siddhih bhogaanaam svaabhaavikee, na krushi aadi saadhyaa |
All their enjoyments, the things that they wanted, dravyaas, were naturally coming to them, without doing farming, or cultivating the land.
26
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 26:
Viparyayo na teshu asti jaraa mrutyu bhayam na cha |
Dharma adharmou na teshu aastaam na uttama adhama madhyamaah ||
Grief and other things were never present there. Fear of death or old age was not present at all; the lifespan was decided; before that lifespan, there was no fear. It is not like Vaikuntha, where jaraa, mrutyu is not there. Dharma and adharma was not [[5]]
there. *Uttama, madhyama, adhama *- this division was not there.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Viparyayo iti | Viparyayah dukha praachuryaadi | Jaraa mrutyu bhayam tat
krlruptaat aayuh avadheh praak | Na dharma adharmou varna aashrama niyama
bhaavena karma adhikaara abhaavaat |
Whatever is the decided lifespan, before that, there was no death. *Akaala *mrutyu was not there. There was no varna aashrama niyama there; there was no karma adhikaara.
27
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 27:
Na teshu asti yugaa avasthaa (dehaadihraasa lakshanaah) kshetreshu ashtasu
sarvadaa |
Himaahvayam tu vai varsham naabheh aaseet mahaatmanah |
Tasya rushabho abhavat putro merudevyaam mahaadyutih ||
There was no yuga avasthaa. Because there was no old age, they would not get old. They will be of the same age, and then would die, probably. Various changes due to yuga, etc. were not there. In Naabhi’s kingdom, Bhaaratavarsha, Himaahva, he had a son by name Rishabha, through his wife Merudevi.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Na iti | Atah poorva uktaat hetoh na yuga avasthaa | Saa hi dharma adharma
hraasa vruddhi krutaa | Dehaadi hraasa lakshana iti eka vachana paathasya |
28
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 28:
Rushabhaat bharato jajnye jyeshthah putrashatasya sah |
Krutvaa raajyam svadharmena tathaa ishtvaa vividhaan makhaan ||
Rishabha had a son called Bharata, who was the eldest of hundred sons he had. Rishabha ruled over the kingdom in a very wise way, and performed all kinds of yajnyaas.
29
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 29:
Abhishichya sutam veeram bharatam pruthiveepatih |
Tapase sa mahaabhaagah pulahasya aashramam yayou ||
Then he made his son Bharata as the king. He went to *Pulaha Aashrama, *Saalagraama, for doing tapas.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Abhishichya iti | Pulahasya aashramam saalagraamam |
30
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 30:
Vaanaprastha vidhaanena tatra api kruta nischayah |
Tapah tepe yathaa nyaayam iyaaja cha maheepatih || [[6]]
Having gone to Saalagraama also, he lived the life of a Vaanaprastha; there also, he performed a lot of yaagaas, did tapas.
31
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 31:
Tapasaa karshito atyartham krusho dhamani santatah |
Nagno (vishtam) veetaam mukhe krutvaa veeraadhvaanam tato gatah ||
Rishabha, going to Saalagraama, living the life of Vaanaprastha, did all kinds of *tapas, *yajnyaas, and he became very weak and very lean, due to tapas. He did *deha *dandana, became very thin. His veins were visible. He was without wearing any cloth. He kept a ball of stone in his mouth, and attained *mahaa prasthaana *(left the body).
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Tapasaa iti | (Vishtam) veetee kandukam | Sa cha atra mouna anashana
vratasthaih shilaamayah kaaryah | Veeraadhvanam mahaa prasthaanam |
Those who have taken the vow of not speaking and not eating, they keep a ball of stone in their mouth, so that they can’t speak or eat anything.
32
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 32:
Tatah cha bhaaratam varsham etallokeshu geeyate |
Bhaarataaya yatah pitraa dattam praatishtataa vanam ||
Bharata became the king, and his kingdom is well known as Bhaaratavarsha. Because Rishabha gave his kingdom to Bharata, and then went to forest to do tapas, this kingdom came to known as Bhaaratavarsha.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Tata iti | Praatishtataa praatishtamaanena |
33
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 33:
Sumatih bharatasya abhoot putrah parama dhaarmikah |
Krutvaa samyak dadou tasmai raajyam isthamakhah pitaa ||
Bharata had a son who was very wise, and following the path of dharma, called Sumati. After having performed all the yajnyaas, Bharata gave the kingdom to him.
34
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 34:
Putra sankraamitashreeh tu bharatah sa maheepatih |
Yogaabhyaasaratah praanaan saalagraame atyajat mune ||
Having given the kingdom to his son Sumati, being established in yogaabhyaasa, he left his mortal body in Saalagraama.
35
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 35:
Ayaajata cha vipro asou yoginaam pravare kule |
Maitreya tasya charitam kathayishyaami te punah ||
[[7]]
Because of his yogaabhyaasa, he was born again in a great family of yogis, as a Brahmin. O Maitreya, I am going to tell the story of that Bharata, sometime later.
36
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 36:
**
**Sumateh tejasah tasmaat indradyumno vyajaayata |
**
**Parameshti tatah tasmaat pratihaarah tat anvayah ||
Sumati had a son called Indradyumna. Indradyumna had a son called *Parameshti. *Parameshti had a son called Pratihaara.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Sumateh iti | Tejasah veeryaat |
37
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 37:
Pratihartaa iti vikhyaatah utpannah tasya cha aatmajah |
Bhavah tasmaat atha udgeetah praastaavih tat suto vibhuh ||
His son was known as Pratihartaa. His son was Bhava. Bhava’s son was *Udgeeta. *Udgeeta’s son was Praastaavi.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Pratihartaa iti | Bhava iti kasyachit naama | Bhuvah tasmaat iti cha paathah |
38
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 38:
Pruthuh tatah tato nakto naktasya api gayah sutah |
Naro gayasya tanayah tat putro abhoot viraat tatah ||
Then Pruthu was born as son of Prastaava, then Pruthu’s son Nakta was born, then Nakta’s son Gaya was born. Gaya’s son was Nara. His son was Viraat. The vamshaavali of Priyavrata was told in detail. At some point, Gaya’s son Nara was born. His son was Viraat.
39
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 39:
Tasya putro mahaaveeryo dheemaan tasmaat ajaayata |
Mahaantah tat sutah cha abhoot manasyuh tasya cha aatmajah ||
His son was Mahaaveerya and his son was Dheemaan. Dheemaan had a son called Mahaanta. His son was Manasyu. Viraat’s son was Mahaaveerya. His son was Dheemaan. His son was *Mahaanta. *Mahaanta’s son was Manasyu.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Tasya iti | Mahaanta iti kasyachit naama |
40
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 40:
Tvashtaa tvashtru cha virajo rajah tasya api abhoot sutah | [[8]]
Shatajit rajasah tasya jajnye putra shatam mune ||
Then Manasyu’s son Tvashtaa was born, Tvashtaa’s son Viraja, his son was Raja, his son was Shatajit, who had hundred sons. Manasyu’s son was Twashtaa. Twashtu’s son was Viraja. Viraja’s son was Rajas. Rajas’ son was Shatajit. Shatajit had hundred sons.
41
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 41:
Vishvagjyotipradhaanah te yerimaa vardhitaah prajaah |
Taih idam bhaaratam varsham nava bhedam alankrutam ||
Out of them, the prominent one was Vishvajyoti, and so their family continued to prosper in a great way. Thus, the nine parts of the Bhaarata Varsha were decorated by all these children. The prominent ones starting from Vishvagjyoti, all continued the progeny and that vamsha expanded. The nine divisions of the Bhaarata Varsha, was ruled over and enjoyed by the sons of Shatajit.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Vishvagjyotipradhaana iti | Te shatajit putraah |
42
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 42:
Teshaam vamsha prasootaih cha bhukteyam bhaaratee puraa |
Kruta treta aadi samjnyeya yugaakhyaa hi eka saptatih ||
This kingdom was ruled over and enjoyed by all people who were born in this vamsha. In Kruta, Treta and all these seventy one yugaas, they enjoyed. The Bhaarata Varsha was ruled over and enjoyed by all the people born in that vamsha.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Teshaam iti | Bhaaratee bharatasyeyam bhooh iti bhaaratee | Kruta treta aadi
samjnyeya yugaakhyaa krutaadi vyapadeshaih yugaih aakhyeyaa chaturyugaika
saptatih iyam bhaaratee bhoorbhuktaa | Eka manvantaram bhukteti arthah |
Eka saptatim iti kaalaadhvanoh iti dviteeyaa praaptaa; eka saptatih iti
prathamaaprayoga arshatvaat saadhuh | Yat vaa yugaikasaptatimito yah
kaalah tam kaalam bhuurbhukteti yat tat shabdayoh adhyaayaahaarah | Kruta
tretaadi sargena yugaakhyaam eka saptatim iti paathe kruta aadi svabhaavena
yugaih aakhyeyaam eka saptatim kaalam bhoorbhukteti |
The land which belonged to Bharata, is called Bhaaratee. The yugaas which are named as Kruta, Treta, etc. - seventy one of these chaturyugaas, were enjoyed by them. Seventy one chaturyugaas form one manvantara. In one kalpa, there are fourteen manvantaraas. One kalpa is a thousand chaturyugaas. So, all these people ruled over for one manvantara. It should have been eka saptatim, as per grammar, [[9]]
but it is eka saptatih, which is aarsha, rishi prayoga. The period limited by 71 chaturyugaas, is also the meaning. There is another paathaantara which is explained. They enjoyed Bhaarata bhoomi for 71 chaturyugaas, is told there.
43
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 1, Shloka 43:
Esha svaayambhuvah sargo yena idam pooritam jagat |
Vaaraahe tu mune kalpe poorva manvantaraadhipah ||
This is Svaayambhuva srushti, with which all this world is filled. This is Vaaraaha kalpa and Svaayambhuva manvantara.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Esha iti | Poorva manvantaraadhipe svaayambhuve manou sati, eshah eka
saptati yuga avicchinnah sargah, svaayambhuvah svaayambhuvasya manoh
sambandhee priyavrataadih |
In the previous manvantara, Svaayambhuva Manu was the ruler. Priyavrata and others were related to Svaayambhuva. The creation for 71 yugaas without any break, was told; they enjoyed the kingdom. Related to Svaayambhuva Manu, Priyavrata and others, they enjoyed for 71 chaturyugaas, in the Vaaraaha kalpa.
This concludes the First Chapter.
|| Iti Sri Vishnu Puraane Dviteeya Amshe Prathamo Adhyaayah ||
|| Iti Sri Vishnu Puraana Vyaakhyaane Sri Vishnuchitteeye Dviteeye Amshe
Prathamo Adhyaayah ||
[[10]]
|| Atha Dviteeyo Adhyaayah ||
Jamboo Dveepa
Now the Second Chapter of Amsha Two.