Puranjana Story

Chapter 25, 26, 27, 28

While performing their austerities, the Pracetas happily recited the prayers. Meanwhile, their father, King Pracinabarhisat, was engrossed in materialistic endeavours and oblivious to the spiritual dimension of life. The itinerant preacher, Narada Muni, arrived on the scene and resolved to philosophically enlighten the King through the allegorical story of Puranjana.

Long ago, a King named Puranjana was looking for a suitable place to fulfil his desires, when he chanced upon a beautiful city which had nine gates and all the necessary facilities. This, he thought, was the ideal place. Accompanied by his friend, Avijnata, he entered that city, and later became attracted by Puranjani, a woman who had ten servants. After marriage, she faithfully arranged varieties of material pleasures in the city for one hundred years, during which time the King became completely henpecked.

Explanation: Wandering in the material world, the spirit soul (Puranjana) accepts a material body (city of nine gates). Though accompanied by the Supersoul (Avijnata), his attention is attracted by mundane religiosity and sense gratification (Puranjani). He thus wastes his valuable years in temporary pleasures that amount to nothing.

Once, Puranjana abandoned his wife and went on a hunting excursion, indiscriminately killing many innocent animals on his journey. Hungry and thirsty, he eagerly returned to the palace, only to find the Queen lying on the ground looking depressed and emaciated. He regretted leaving her and sought forgiveness for his nefarious activities. Being pacified, the Queen regained her lustre and enjoyed sexual union with him. The King begot 1,100 sons and 110 daughters, who were duly married and had their own children, and thus the city became populated. Puranjana became tormented by family demands and was plundered due to his attachments.

Explanation: Sometimes, one gives up his religiosity and intelligence (abandoning Puranjani), and hedonistically runs after the opposite sex (hunting animals). Frustrated by such whimsical attempts for pleasure, one returns, repents, and regains their good sense. They again adopt a pious life, but remain absorbed in material pursuits (sexual union with Puranjani). The activities of such bewildered souls produce a network of karmic reactions which bind them to the material world (expanding family of Puranjana).

Some years later, when King Chandavega and his soldiers attacked, a five- hooded snake attempted to defend the city. Puranjana, himself absorbed in sense gratification, paid little attention to the attack, while the serpent was becoming weaker and weaker. Kalakanya was Chandavega’s daughter, and she was renowned for discretely attacking people. She entered the city with her associates and embraced Puranjana, while her other associates wreaked havoc. When the situation deteriorated, the city was set ablaze and the King was forced to leave, embroiled in thoughts of his family and wife. After leaving the city, Puranjana was tormented by all the animals that he had mercilessly killed earlier in his life.

Explanation: The body is eventually attacked by time (Chandavega) and our life energy (five-hooded snake) is depleted. Being preoccupied with material endeavours, old age eventually arrives (Kalakanya), almost imperceptibly, along with diseases, fear and ill-fate. The body gradually dwindles and thus becomes uninhabitable (city is set ablaze), and the soul is forced to leave, absorbed in thoughts of various attachments and desires (worry for family and dependents). Moving to the next chapter of existence, the soul is subjected to a series of karmic reactions for his misdeeds (attack of animals).

Because he remembered his wife, Puranjana went on to become the daughter of King Vidarbha (Vaidarbhi), and was married to Malayadhvaja. After Vaidarbhi gave birth to children, Malayadhvaja retired from household life and dedicated himself to spiritual pursuits. Vaidarbhi followed him, and when he died, she arranged his funeral pyre and prepared to enter the fire. Just then, an old brahmana friend of Puranjana came and questioned her. He said that they were old friends, but she had forgotten him, having engaged in the illusory relationships and activities of this world.

Explanation: If one is fortunate, they receive the seed of bhakti from a spiritual master (Malayadhvaja) and this gives rise to the practice of devotional service (birth of children). Those practices of bhakti expand unlimitedly (further children), and when one is mature, the spiritual master retires (Malayadhvaja renounces). The disciple always follows in the footsteps of the spiritual master, and is constantly absorbed in the fire of following his instructions. The Lord (old brahmana friend) appears before such a dedicated devotee and enlightens him with the knowledge necessary to return to the spiritual world.

Narada thus concluded the allegorical story.