chakravarti samrat ke pad ka moh tyagakar shri shukdev baba ji ke charnon men sthit maharaj parikshit ne pucha - bhagavan! prithu vansh ki rajya paranpra v bhakt shreshth nardji dvara raja prachin barhin ko die atm vishayak gyan ka kripa karke shravan karaiye. un par kis prakar kis karan se narayan ke param bhakt devarshi narad ji ne kripa ki? vyas nandan shri shukdev ji kahte hain - rajan ! maharaj prithu ke bad unke putra param yashasvi vijitashva raja hue. indra se bhi prasiddhi mili. inka chote bhaiyon par vishesh sneh tha, so haryaksh ko purva, dhumrakesh ko dakshin, vrik ko pashchim aur dravin ko uttar disha ka raja bana diya. antardhan ki patni ka nam shikhandini tha. unke tin putra pavak, pavman, shuchi age chalakar vashishthaji ke shap ki sarthakata ko siddh kar punah yogmarg se agnirup ho gae. antardhan ki dusri patni se havirdhan ka janm hua. inhonne parmatma ki aradhna karke sudrirh samadhi ke dva ara bhagvan ke divya lok ko prapt kiya. havirdhan ki patni havirdhani se barhishad sahit chah putra utpann hue. barhishad yagyadi, karmakand aur yogabhyas men kushal the. unhonne prajapti ka pad prapt kiya.
inhonne lagatar itne yagya kie ki yah sanpunr a prithvi purva ki or agrabhag karke failae hue kushon se achchadit ho gayi. yahi age chalakar ‘prachinabarhi’ nam se vikhyat hue. raja prachin barhi ne brahmaji ke kahne se samudra ki kanya ‘shatadruti’ se vivah kiya. sarvang sundari agnidev ko bhi mohit karne vali shatadruti ke garbh se pracheta nam ke das putra hue. ye sab bare hi dharmagya v ek se nam v acharan yukt the. jab pita ne unhen santan utpann karne ka adesh diya, tab marg men tapasya ko jate samay unhen shri mahadev ke darshan hue. trilokinath ne kaha- tum raja prachin barhi ke putra ho, tumhara kalyan ho. tum jo kuch karna chahte ho, vah bhi mujhe gyat hai. is samay tum par kripa karne ke lie hi mainne tumhen is prakar darshan diya hai. jo vyakti avyakt prakriti tatha jiv sangyak purush in donon ke niyamak bhagvan vasudev ki sakshat sharan leta hai, vah mujhe param priya hai. apne varnashram dharm ka uchit riti se palan karne vala purush sau janm ke bad brahma ke pad ko prapt hota hai aur isse bhi adhik punya hone par vah mujhe prapt hota hai.
parantu jo bhagvan ka ananya bhakt hai, vah to mrityu ke bad hi sidhe bhagvan vishnu ke us sarva pranchatit paramapad ko prapt ho jata hai, jise rudra rup men sthit tatha anya adhikarik devta apne-apne adhikar ki samapti ke bad prapt karenge. tum log bhagavad bhakt hone ke nate mujhe bhagvan ke saman hi pyare ho. bhagvan shiv ne apne samne hath jore khare hue un rajputron ko bara hi pavitra, mangalamay aur kalyankari yogadesh namka stotra sunaya aur kaha -rajkumarane ! tum log vishuddhabhav se svadharm ka acharan karte hue bhagvan men chitt lagakar mere kahe hue stotra ka jap karte raho, bhagvan tumhara kalyan karenge. jo purush usha kal men uthakar ise shraddhapurvak hath jorakar sunta ya sunata hai, vah sab prakar ke karmabandhnon se mukt ho jata hai. ab tum is parmpurush parmatma ke stotra ko ekagrachitt se japte hue mahan tapasya karo. tapasya purn hone par isi se tumhen abhisht fal prapt ho jayega. bholenath rajkumaron ke samne hi antardhan ho gaye. prachetaon ne bhi pashchim disha men sthit samudra men pravesh kiya. vahan das hajar varshon tak tapasya karte hue, unhonne tap ka fal dene vale shrihri ki aradhna praranbh ki.
shri shukdev ji kahte hain- rajan ! prachetaon ke jane ke bad raja prachinabarhi ka chitt karmakand men ram gaya tha. unhen adhyatmavidya- visharad parmkripalu narad ji ne updesh diya aur kaha rajan ! dukh ke atyantik nash aur parmanand ki prapti ka nam kalyan hai vah to karmon se nahin milta. raja ne kaha-mahabhag nardji! meri buddhi karm men fansi hui hai, islie mujhe ap vishuddhagyan ka updesh dijie, jisse main karmabandhan se chut jaun. shrinardji ne kaha - dekho, rajan ! tumne yagya men nirdayata purvak jin hajaron pashuon ki bali di hai- unhen akash men dekho. ye sab badla lene ki bat dekh rahe hain. ye tumhen apne lohe ke singon se ched denge. atah is vishay men main tumhen ek prachin raja puranjan ke charitra upakhyan sunati hun, savdhan hokar suno- devarshi narad ji ne kaha rajan ! purvakal men puranjan nam ka ek bara yashasvi raja tha. uska avigyat namak ek mitra tha. koi bhi uski cheshtaon ko samajh nahin sakta tha. raja puranjan bhogon ki lalsa ko purn karne hetu aise nagar ki khoj men nikla, jahan rahakar vah bhogon ko anandpurvak bhog sake, parantu sari prithvi men ghumne ke bad bhi use koi anurup sthan n mila, tab vah kuch udas sa ho gaya.
ek din usne himalay ke dakshin tatavarti shikhron par karmabhumi bhartkhand men ek nau dvaron ka sab prakar ke sulakshanon se yukt sundar nagar dekha. yah nagar svarg ki tarah shobhayman tha. bag bagichon, sarovron v pakshiyon ke kalarav se gunjayman us nagar ke ramniya van men raja puranjan ne ek sundri ko das sevkon ke sath ate dekha. ye sevak sau-sau nayikaon ke pati the. ek panch fan vala sanp uska dvarpal tha. vahi sab or se us nagar ki raksha karta tha. devi ke saman saundarya shalini, gajgamini bala, bholi-bhali kishori vivah ke lie shreshth purush ki khoj men thi. uski prem se bhatkti bhaunh aur prempurn tirchi chitavan ke ban se ghayal hokar raja ne kaha- kamaladal lochne! tum kaun ho, kiski kanya ho. tumhare sath men gyarhven shurvir se sanchalit ye das sevak, saheliyan, age-piche chalne vala sarp kaun hai? subhge! main bara hi vir aur parakrami hun. parantu aj tumhare katakshon ne mere man ko bekabu kar diya hai. yah shaktishali kamdev mujhe pirit kar raha hai. islie sundri ! lakshmi ji jis prakar bhagvan vishnu ke sath baikunth ki shobha barhati hain, usi prakar tum mere sath is shreshth puri ko alankrit karo.
jab raja puranjan ne adhir hokar is prakar yachna ki, to us bala ne bhi raja ki bat ka anumodan kiya. vah kahne lagi- narashreshtha! aj ham is puri men hain- iske siva main aur kuch nahin janti, mujhe yah bhi pata nahin, ki hamare rahne ke lie yah puri kisne banayi hai. ye purush mere sakha aur striyan meri saheliyan hain. mere so jane par yah sarp jagta hua puri ki raksha karta hai. shatrudmn! apka is nagar men svagat hai. ap is nau dvaron vali nagri men ichchit vishay bhogon ko bhogte hue saikron varshon tak nivas kijie. main apne sathiyon sahit sabhi prakar ke bhog prastut karti rahungi. is lok men grihasthashram men hi dharm, arth, kam, santan sukh, moksh, suyash aur svargadi divya lokon ki prapti ho sakti hai. vir shiromne ! vah kaun stri hogi, jo apka varan n karegi. shri nardji kahte hain- rajan un stri purushon ne ek-dusre ki bat ka samarthan kar sau varshon tak us puri men rahakar anand bhoga. us puri ke nau dvar the. sat nagri upar aur do niche the. yah dva ar us puri men rahne vale raja ke lie prithk-prithak deshon men jane ke lie hi the.
jab kabhi raja apne pradhan sevak vishuchin ke sath antahpur men jata, tab use stri aur putron ke karan hone vale moh, prasannata evan harsh adi vikaron ka anubhav hota. karmon men fansa hua raja apni ramni ke anusar hi karyon ka anumodan karta. ramni ke so jane par so jata, bhojan karne par bhojan karta tatha madira pan karne par svayan bhi madyapan karta adi-adi. raja puranjan apni sundri rani ke dvara thaga gaya. rajan! ek din raja puranjan apna vishal dhanush v akshay tarakas dharan kar apne gyarhven senapti ke sath panch ghoron ke shighragami susajjit rath men baithakar apni priya ko kshanabhar bhi chorne men asahya pira se yukt sa, ramni ke bina hi bare hi garva se dhanush-ban charhakar van men akhet karne laga. puranjan ke tarh-tarah ke pankhon vale banon se chinna-bhinn hokar anek jiv bare kasht ke sath pran tyagne lage. dayalu purushon ko is bat se bara dukh hua. raja puranjan bhukh pyas se shithil ho van se lautakar rajamahal men aya. snan, bhojnoprant kam se vyathit ho sundri bharya ko dhunrhne laga, vah kahin bhi dikhai n di. tab raja ki vyakulta ko dekhakar striyon ne kaha narnath! pata nahin aj apki priya bina bichaune ke hi prithvi par pari hui hai.
raja ne bhi dhire-dhire use manana aranbh kiya. pahle uske charan chue aur fir god men bithakar pyar bhari baten karte hue kaha- priye ! main vyasanavash tumse bina puche shikar khelne chala gaya, islie avashya apradhi hun. fir bhi apna samajhakar tum mujh par prasann ho jao. puranjni ne raja ka alingan kiya aur raja ne use gale lagaya. fir ekant men man ke anukul rahasya ki bat karte hue aisa mohit ho gaya ki use din-rat ke bhed se nirantar bitte hue kal ki dustar gati ka bhi kuch pata n chala. us puranjni se raja puranjan ke gyarah sau putra aur ek sau das kanyayen huin. yogya bandhuon v varon ke sath vivah sanpann hua. putron ko 100-100 putra prapti ka saubhagya mila. is prakar puranjan ka vansh kalyan karne vale karmon ki or se asavdhan raha. ant men vriddh avastha ne a ghera. rajan. chandaveg nam vala gandharva tin sau sath mahablvan gandharvon aur utni hi mithun bhav se sthit krishn v shukla varn ki gandharviyon ko sath lekar raja puranjan ke nagar ko lutna praranbh kar diya. tab panch fan vala sarp sau varsh tak akela hi unse yuddh karta raha. stri ke vashibhut rahne ke karan raja ko avashyambhavi bhay ka pata hi n chala.
barhishman ! inhin dinon kal ki ek kanya bhagyahina (durbhaga) ‘jara’ triloki men var ki khoj men bhatkne lagi tab rajarshi puru ne pita ko apna yauvan dene ke lie apni hi ichcha se use var liya, isse prasann hokar usne unhen rajya prapti ka var diya tha. ek din main brahmalok se prithvi par aya to mujhe naushthik brahmachari janakar usne varna chaha. mainne uski prarthana svikar nahin ki. is par kupit hokar jara ne mujhe duahsah shap diya ki ‘‘tum ek sthan par adhik der tak n thahar sakoge.’’ tab kalakanya meri sammati se yavnraj bhay ke pas gayi aur pati rup men svikar karne ki bat kahi. tab yavnraj ne vidhata ka gupt karya karane ki ichcha se muskarate hue usse kaha- tu sabka anisht karne vali hai, isi karan kisi ko achchi nahin lagti. islie is karm janit lok ko tu alakshet hokar balat bhog. yah prajvar nam ka mera bhai hai aur tu meri bahin ban ja. tum donon ke sath main avyakt gati se bhayankar sena lekar sare lokon men vichrunga. shrinardji kahte hain - rajan ! sarvatra vicharan karte hue unhonne sab prakar ki sukh sanpann samagriyon se yukt puranjnpuri ko gherakar uska upbhog karne lage.
raja puranjan bhi kleshon se akrant ho gaye. kalakanya ke alingan se uski sari shri nasht ho gayi. raja puranjan ke sabhi sevak kalayavan ki sena ke adhin ho gae. mahabli yavnraj ke balpurvak khinchne par bhi raja puranjan ne agyanavash apne hitaishi evan purane mitra avigyat ka smaran nahin kiya. vah varshon tak vivekhin avastha men apar andhkar men para nirantar kasht bhogta raha. stri ki asakti se hi uski yah durgati hui thi. ant samay men bhi puranjan ko usi ka chintan bane rahne ke karan dusre janm men mripashreshth vidarbharaj ke yahan usne sundri kanya ke rup men janm liya. tab shatruon ke nagron ko jitne vale pandya naresh maharaj malayadhvaj ne samrbhumi men samast rajaon ko jitakar uske sath vivah kiya. usse ek shyamlochna kanya aur usse chote sat putra utpann kie, jo age chalakar dravir desh ke raja hue. ant men rajarshi malayadhvaj prithvi ko putron men bantakar bhagvan shrikrishn ki aradhna karne ki ichcha se malay parvat par chale gae. mattalochna vaidarbhi ne bhi moh tyagakar pandya naresh ka anugaman kiya.
yam-niyamadi ke dvara indriya pran aur man ko vash men karke ve atma men brahmabhavna karne lage. patiprayna vaidarbhi samast bhogon ko tyagakar apne param dharmagya pati ki seva bare prem se karti rahi. malayadhvaj maharaj ne apni atma ko parabrahm men aur parabrahm ko atma men abhinn rup se dekha aur ant men is abhed chintan ko bhi tyagakar sarvatha shant ho gae. devarshi nardji kahte hain- rajan vaidarbhi ne lakriyon ki chita banakar usne us par pati ka shav rakha aur agni lagakar vilap karte-karte svayan sati hone ka nishchay kiya. isi samay uska koi purana mitra ek atmagyani brahman vahan aya. usne us roti hui abla ko madhur vani se samjhate hue kaha- tu kaun hai? kiski putri hai aur yah purush kaun hai? kya tum mujhe nahin janti? main vahi tera mitra hun, jiske sath tu pahle vichra karti thi. sakhe! tumhen kya apni yad ati hai, kisi samay main tumhara avigyat nam ka sakha tha. atmagyani brahman ne purva ki samast smritiyon ka gyan karate hue kaha- dekho, tum n to vidarbh raj ki putri ho ya n yah vir malay dhvaj tumhara pati hi.
jisne tumhen nau dvaron ke nagar men band kiya tha, us puranjni ke pati bhi tum nahin ho. yah sab meri failayi maya ka prabhav hai. vastav men ham donon to hans hain, vastavik svarup ka anubhav karo. mitr jo main (ishvar) hun, vahi tum (jiv) ho. tum mujhse bhinn nahin ho, ham donon abhinn hain. ek hi atma vidya aur avidya ki upadhi ke bhed se apne ko ishvar aur jiv ke rup men do prakar se dekh raha hai. is prakar jab hans (ishvar) ne use savdhan kiya, tab vah mansrovar ka hans (jiv) apne svarup men sthit ho gaya aur use apne mitra ke bichoh se bhula hua atmagyan fir prapt ho gaya. devarshi nardji kahte hain- prachinabarhi. mainne tumhen paroksh rup se yah atmagyan ka digdarshan karaya hai; kyonki jagatkarta jagdishvar ko paroksh varnan hi adhik priya hai. rajan! atma, parmatma, jiv-ishvar ka milan hi sarvopri hai, atah atmagyan ko antahkaran men dharan kar apne kalyan ka sadhan karo.
jo is puranjnopakhyan ka smaran, chintan, manan karta hai vah sansarik vishay vasnaon ka tyag karta hua atmatatva men sthit ho kalyan ko prapt ho jata hai. bhakt shreshth narad ji ne raja prachin barhi ko jiv aur ishvar ke svarup ka digdarshan karaya fir ve unse vida lekar siddh lok ko chale gae. raja ne bhi ekagraman se bhaktipurvak shri hari ke charan kamlon ka chintan karte hue sarupya pad prapt kiya.