Activities Of Maharaja Agnidhra

Activities Of Maharaja Agnidhra by Sukadeva Goswami

When Maharaja Priyavrata went away for solitary spiritual practice, his son Agnidhra became the ruler of Jambudvipa, in accordance with his instructions. Agnidhra maintained its residents with the same affection a father feels for his sons. Once Maharaja Agnidhra desired to have a son. For this reason, he went to a cave of Mandara
Mountain to practice austerity. Understanding his desire, Lord Brahma sent a celestial woman named Purvacitti to Agnidhra’s hermitage. Dressing very attractively, she presented herself before him displaying her various feminine charms. Maharaja Agnidhra naturally became attracted. Her actions, expressions, smile, sweet words and eye movements were fascinating to him. Agnidhra was expert in flattery. Thus he attracted the celestial lady, who was pleased to accept him as her husband because of his mellifluous words. She enjoyed royal happiness with Agnidhra for many years and then returned to her abode in the heavenly planets. In her womb Agnidhra begot nine sons-Nabhi, Kimpurusa, Harivarsa, Ilavrta, Ramyaka, Hiranmaya, Kuru, Bhadrasva and Ketumala. He gave them nine islands which were named after them. Agnidhra, however, his senses unsatisfied, was always thinking of his celestial
wife, and therefore in his next life he was born on the celestial planet where she resided. After the death of Agnidhra, his nine sons married nine daughters of Meru named Merudevi, Pratirupa, Ugradaṁsṭri, Lata, Ramya, Śyama, Nari, Bhadra and Devaviti.

Maharaja Nabhi, the son of Agnidhra, wished to have sons, and therefore he very attentively began to offer prayers to and worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Vishnu, the master and enjoyer of all sacrifices. Maharaja Nabhi’s wife, Merudevi, who had not given birth at that time, also worshiped Lord Vishnu along with her husband. In the performance of a sacrifice, there are seven established means to obtain the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead:
(1) by sacrificing valuable things or eatables,
(2) by acting in terms of place,
(3) by acting in terms of time,
(4) by offering hymns,
(5) by engaging a qualified priest,
(6) by offering gifts to the priests and
(7) by observing the regulative principles.
However, one cannot always obtain the Supreme Lord through these paraphernalia. Nonetheless, the Lord is affectionate to His devotee. Therefore when Maharaja Nabhi, who was a devotee, worshiped and offered prayers to the Lord with great faith, devotion and a pure uncontaminated mind, superficially performing the yajña in the line of pravargya, the kind Supreme Personality of Godhead, due to His affection for His devotees, appeared before King Nabhi in His unconquerable and captivating form with four hands. In this way, to fulfill the desire of His devotee, the Supreme Personality of Godhead manifested Himself before him in His beautiful form, which always pleases the mind and eyes of the devotees. Lord Vishnu appeared before King Nabhi with four arms. He was very bright, and He appeared to be the best of all great personalities. On the lower part of His body, He wore a yellow silken garment. On His chest was the mark of srīvatsa, the symbol of beauty. He carried a conchshell, lotus flower, disc and club, and He wore a garland of forest flowers and the kaustubha gem. He was beautifully decorated with a helmet, earrings, bangles, belt, pearl necklace, armlets, ankle bells and other bodily ornaments bedecked with radiant jewels. Seeing the Lord present before them, King Nabhi, his priests and associates felt just like poor people who have suddenly attained great riches. They received the Lord by respectfully bowing their heads and offering Him things in worship.

—Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (BhāgavataPurāṇa) » Canto 5: The Creative Impetus » Chapter 2: The Activities of Maharaja Āgnīdhra(Summary) & Chapter 3: Ṛṣabhadeva’s Appearance in the Womb of Merudevī, the Wife of King Nābhi » Verses: 1-20.