35. Even among these objectives of life, moksha (liberation) is acknowledged as the highest goal of life (as it transcends death). For, the remaining goals of life are always subject to the fear of death.
36. For the Jiva of the higher order (like Brahma) and lower order like us who are created after the equilibrium of the three gunas of Prakrti was disturbed (resulting in creation), there is no security and happiness, as all their aspirations and hopes (of attaining their objectives) are ruined by the all-powerful Time.
37. Therefore, O King, (you) realize that you are (the same as) the Lord (the only existing Reality) – the Lord who manifests Himself and directly shines everywhere in the Self as antaryamin (the inner controller) in the hearts of all mobile and immobile Jiva who are covered (invested) with body, sense-organs, vital airs, intellect and ego (ahamkara).
38. I take shelter with the Supreme Soul, eternally free, extremely pure, highly enlightened, Reality Itself that has overpowered the Prakrti (primordial nature) contaminated by karma (of various Jiva), and in Which appears this universe of superior and inferior things (or of cause and effect) as maya, which disappears owing to (the dawn of) discriminating wisdom like (the dispelling of) the misapprehension of a garland of flowers as a (coiled) serpent.
39. You (therefore) take resort to Lord Vasudeva as your asylum through devotion (and concentration) on the splendour of petal-like toes of His lotus-feet. By such meditation, the saintly devotees easily cut the knot of their egotism (ahamkara) formed in their hearts by karma that even recluses and ascetics who have cleared their mind (of all worldly thoughts) and have controlled their senses are unable to do so.
The Sanskrit word used for asylum is a-ranam meaning ‘beyond fight’. It, therefore, means that if one does not resort to Vasudeva, one will have to battle with one’s sense-organs which, by their brute force, will defeat one.
The Sanskrit word used for splendour is vilasa meaning ‘beauty which increases every moment’. It means that the devotee meditating on Vasudeva experiences ever increasingly the grandeur of Vasudeva leading to liberation.
40. There is a great trouble here to those who have not resorted to the Lord as a boat for crossing the ocean of samsara which is infested with crocodiles in the form of the six-fold. For they desire to cross it (samsara) by painful means (practice of yoga). You should, therefore, make the adorable feet of Lord Hari as a boat, and reach the other
end of this impassable ocean of samsara easily, and without any difficulty.
The ‘six-fold’ relates to the six passions, namely, kama (desire), krodha (anger), lobha (avarice), mada (conceit), moha (delusion) and matsara (jealousy), or the mind and the five senses.
Maitreya said:
41. The King to whom the real nature of the Atman (Soul) was thus expounded by Sanatkumara, the son of god Brahma, the knower of the Brahman, praised him appropriately and enquired.
The King said:
42. O venerable Brahmana! Lord Hari is compassionate to the afflicted. He had formerly conferred His grace upon me. You all have now come to consummate it.
43. Your venerable-selves, merciful as you are, have translated into reality the blessing in its entirety. Everything that I possess, including my own self, belongs to the saintly souls who have graciously returned it to me as a favour. What can I give to you?
44. My life, wife, sons, houses with all their furnishings, kingdom, army, soil and treasury, everything, are offered to you although they already belong to you.
45. And a person who is well-versed in the Veda and Sastras really deserves to command an army, (to rule over) a kingdom, to direct military operations and to govern the entire world.
46. A brahmana eats his own food, wears the clothes belonging to him and offers his own belongings. It is through his (brahmana’s) grace that kshatriyas and others enjoy their food.
47. You are past-masters in the Vedic lore. In your discourse about the Atman (and other spiritual matters), you have succinctly and definitely explained to us the nature of the Lord. Abounding in mercy as you are, may you forever be pleased with your action of redeeming the afflicted? Who can return your obligations except by folding his palms in reverence? (One becomes an object of ridicule if one attempts to repay your kindness).
Maitreya said:
48. Those masters of atma-yoga (the yogic path of self-realization) were worshipped by the first monarch Prthu. They appreciated his righteous character, and rose to the heavens while people were looking on (agape).
49. Prthu (the son of Vena), the foremost among great souls, became firmly established in his soul, owing to concentration achieved by their instruction in the spiritual lore. He felt as if he had achieved all his desires in life.
50. It was as an offering to the Brahman that he performed all his actions at the proper time, at the proper place, to the best of his ability, according to proper formalities, and according to his means and property.
51. Thus, with concentrated mind, he consigned the fruit (of his deeds) to the Brahman. He remained unattached by regarding his self as distinct and beyond Prakrti, a mere witness to all actions.
52. Just as the sun (remains unattached to, and unsoiled by, the objects on which it shines), the King, though leading the life of a householder and endowed with imperial majesty and splendour, remained free from egotism (ahamkara), and hence unattached to the objects of the senses.
53 – 56. While he was, in this way, doing his prescribed duties properly and in time, with his heart fixed on his atman (self), he begot through his queen Arcis five sons who were resembling and agreeable to him. They were Vijitasva, Dhumrakesa, Haryaksa, Dravina and Vrka. But Prthu was a part of Lord Visnu. For the protection of the created world, Prthu combined in him (and manifested) powers of all lokapalas (protectors of worlds like Indra, Varuna), from time to time, as was necessary (according to the exigencies of the situations). He bore significantly the title Raja by delighting his subjects with his thoughts, words and deeds, and pleasing Soma-like (saumya) qualities as if he was another king Soma (the moon or the soma – juice which has raja as its epithet). Like the sun (evaporating water from the earth and collecting it in clouds), he levied taxes from his subjects only to give them back (for their welfare) and governed them (as the sun gives light and heat).
57. By his majestic splendour, he was unassailable like Agni (Fire-god); he was unconquerable like the great Indra; in forbearance, he was like the earth; and he was like the heaven (svarga) in granting desired objects to his subjects.
58. Like the rain-god, he showered to the satisfaction (of his subjects) all that they desired; like the (unfathomable) sea, he was too deep to be understood; and in his firmness, he was like Meru, the king of mountains.
59. He was comparable to Yama-dharma, in dispensing punishment; in marvelous-ness (in scenery, ores, etc), he was like the Himalayas. He had rich treasure like Kubera (the god of wealth). He possessed immense un-divulged treasures like Varuna.
60. In physical strength, force and energy and in his ability to move anywhere he was like Vayu. In his irresistibility, he was comparable to god Siva.
61. He was a compeer of the god of Love in beauty; in spiritedness, he was like a lion; in paternal affection, he was like Manu; while, in his lordship over man, he was like god Brahma.
62. He was Brihaspati in his knowledge of the Veda, while in self-control he was like Lord Hari Himself. He was comparable to himself in his devotion to cows, brahmanas, preceptor, votaries of Hari, and in qualities like modesty, humility, good nature and work for the benefit of others.
63. As his glory was loudly sung by people everywhere in the three worlds, he reached the ears of women just as Rama entered the ears of the saintly people.