The Pracetās meet Lord Śiva and receive the Rudra-gītā — exact verses
Follow the complete lila: the Pracetās’ journey, the beautiful lake, celestial music, Lord Śiva’s appearance, his instructions, and the gift of the Rudra-gītā.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.24.13
प्राचीनबर्हिष: पुत्रा: शतद्रुत्यां दशाभवन् ।
तुल्यनामव्रता: सर्वे धर्मस्नाता: प्रचेतस: ॥ १३ ॥
prācīnabarhiṣaḥ putrāḥ
śatadrutyāṁ daśābhavan
tulya-nāma-vratāḥ sarve
dharma-snātāḥ pracetasaḥ
King Prācīnabarhi begot ten children in the womb of Śatadruti. All of them were equally endowed with religiosity, and all of them were known as the Pracetās.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.24.19
मैत्रेय उवाच
प्रचेतस: पितुर्वाक्यं शिरसादाय साधव: ।
दिशं प्रतीचीं प्रययुस्तपस्यादृतचेतस: ॥ १९ ॥
maitreya uvāca
pracetasaḥ pitur vākyaṁ
śirasādāya sādhavaḥ
diśaṁ pratīcīṁ prayayus
tapasy ādṛta-cetasaḥ
The great sage Maitreya continued: My dear Vidura, because of their pious nature, all the sons of Prācīnabarhi very seriously accepted the words of their father with heart and soul, and with these words on their heads, they went toward the west to execute their father’s order.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.24.20
ससमुद्रमुप विस्तीर्णमपश्यन् सुमहत्सर: ।
महन्मन इव स्वच्छं प्रसन्नसलिलाशयम् ॥ २० ॥
sa-samudram upa vistīrṇam
apaśyan sumahat saraḥ
mahan-mana iva svacchaṁ
prasanna-salilāśayam
While traveling, the Pracetās happened to see a great reservoir of water which seemed almost as big as the ocean. The water of this lake was so calm and quiet that it seemed like the mind of a great soul, and its inhabitants, the aquatics, appeared very peaceful and happy to be under the protection of such a watery reservoir.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.24.21
नीलरक्तोत्पलाम्भोजकह्लारेन्दीवराकरम् ।
हंससारसचक्राह्वकारण्डवनिकूजितम् ॥ २१ ॥
nīla-raktotpalāmbhoja-
kahlārendīvarākaram
haṁsa-sārasa-cakrāhva-
kāraṇḍava-nikūjitam
In that great lake there were different types of lotus flowers. Some of them were bluish, and some of them were red. Some of them grew at night, some in the day and some, like the indīvara lotus flower, in the evening. Combined together, the lotus flowers filled the lake so full that the lake appeared to be a great mine of such flowers. Consequently, on the shores there were swans and cranes, cakravākas, kāraṇḍavas and other beautiful water birds standing about.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.24.22
मत्तभ्रमरसौस्वर्यहृष्टरोमलताङ्घ्रिपम् ।
पद्मकोशरजो दिक्षु विक्षिपत्पवनोत्सवम् ॥ २२ ॥
matta-bhramara-sausvarya-
hṛṣṭa-roma-latāṅghripam
padma-kośa-rajo dikṣu
vikṣipat-pavanotsavam
There were various trees and creepers on all sides of the lake, and there were mad bumblebees humming all about them. The trees appeared to be very jolly due to the sweet humming of the bumblebees, and the saffron, which was contained in the lotus flowers, was being thrown into the air. These all created such an atmosphere that it appeared as though a festival were taking place there.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.24.23
तत्र गान्धर्वमाकर्ण्य दिव्यमार्गमनोहरम् ।
विसिस्म्यू राजपुत्रास्ते मृदङ्गपणवाद्यनु ॥ २३ ॥
tatra gāndharvam ākarṇya
divya-mārga-manoharam
visismyū rāja-putrās te
mṛdaṅga-paṇavādy anu
The sons of the King became very much amazed when they heard vibrations from various drums and kettledrums along with other orderly musical sounds pleasing to the ear.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.24.24-25
तर्ह्येव सरसस्तस्मान्निष्क्रामन्तं सहानुगम् ।
उपगीयमानममरप्रवरं विबुधानुगै: ॥ २४ ॥
तप्तहेमनिकायाभं शितिकण्ठं त्रिलोचनम् ।
प्रसादसुमुखं वीक्ष्य प्रणेमुर्जातकौतुका: ॥ २५ ॥
tarhy eva sarasas tasmān
niṣkrāmantaṁ sahānugam
upagīyamānam amara-
pravaraṁ vibudhānugaiḥ
tapta-hema-nikāyābhaṁ
śiti-kaṇṭhaṁ tri-locanam
prasāda-sumukhaṁ vīkṣya
praṇemur jāta-kautukāḥ
The Pracetās were fortunate to see Lord Śiva, the chief of the demigods, emerging from the water with his associates. His bodily luster was just like molten gold, his throat was bluish, and he had three eyes, which looked very mercifully upon his devotees. He was accompanied by many musicians, who were glorifying him. As soon as the Pracetās saw Lord Śiva, they immediately offered their obeisances in great amazement and fell down at the lotus feet of the lord.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.24.26
स तान् प्रपन्नार्तिहरो भगवान्धर्मवत्सल: ।
धर्मज्ञान् शीलसम्पन्नान् प्रीत: प्रीतानुवाच ह ॥ २६ ॥
sa tān prapannārti-haro
bhagavān dharma-vatsalaḥ
dharma-jñān śīla-sampannān
prītaḥ prītān uvāca ha
Lord Śiva became very pleased with the Pracetās because generally Lord Śiva is the protector of pious persons and persons of gentle behavior. Being very much pleased with the princes, he began to speak as follows.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.24.27
श्रीरुद्र उवाच
यूयं वेदिषद: पुत्रा विदितं वश्चिकीर्षितम् ।
अनुग्रहाय भद्रं व एवं मे दर्शनं
कृतम् ॥ २७ ॥
śrī-rudra uvāca
yūyaṁ vediṣadaḥ putrā
viditaṁ vaś cikīrṣitam
anugrahāya bhadraṁ va
evaṁ me darśanaṁ kṛtam
Lord Śiva said: You are all the sons of King Prācīnabarhi, and I wish all good fortune to you. I also know what you are going to do, and therefore I am visible to you just to show my mercy upon you.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.24.28
य: परं रंहस:
साक्षात्त्रिरगुणाज्जीवसंज्ञितात् ।
भगवन्तं वासुदेवं प्रपन्न: स प्रियो हि
मे ॥ २८ ॥
yaḥ paraṁ raṁhasaḥ sākṣāt
tri-guṇāj jīva-saṁjñitāt
bhagavantaṁ vāsudevaṁ
prapannaḥ sa priyo hi me
Lord Śiva continued: Any person who is surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, the controller of everything — material nature as well as the living entity — is actually very dear to me.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.24.30
अथ भागवता यूयं प्रिया: स्थ भगवान् यथा ।
न मद्भागवतानां च प्रेयानन्योऽस्ति कर्हिचित् ॥ ३० ॥
atha bhāgavatā yūyaṁ
priyāḥ stha bhagavān yathā
na mad bhāgavatānāṁ ca
preyān anyo ’sti karhicit
You are all devotees of the Lord, and as such I appreciate that you are as respectable as the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. I know in this way that the devotees also respect me and that I am dear to them. Thus no one can be as dear to the devotees as I am.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.24.31
इदं विविक्तं जप्तव्यं पवित्रं मङ्गलं परम् ।
नि:श्रेयसकरं चापि श्रूयतां तद्वदामि व: ॥ ३१ ॥
idaṁ viviktaṁ japtavyaṁ
pavitraṁ maṅgalaṁ param
niḥśreyasa-karaṁ cāpi
śrūyatāṁ tad vadāmi vaḥ
Now I shall chant one mantra which is not only transcendental, pure and auspicious, but is the best prayer for anyone who is aspiring to attain the ultimate goal of life. When I chant this mantra, please hear it carefully and attentively.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.24.32
मैत्रेय उवाच
इत्यनुक्रोशहृदयो भगवानाह ताञ्छिव: ।
बद्धाञ्जलीन् राजपुत्रान्नारायणपरो वच: ॥ ३२ ॥
maitreya uvāca
ity anukrośa-hṛdayo
bhagavān āha tāñ chivaḥ
baddhāñjalīn rāja-putrān
nārāyaṇa-paro vacaḥ
The great sage Maitreya continued: Out of his causeless mercy, the exalted personality Lord Śiva, a great devotee of Lord Nārāyaṇa, continued to speak to the King’s sons, who were standing with folded hands.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.24.33
श्रीरुद्र उवाच
जितं त आत्मविद्वर्यस्वस्तये स्वस्तिरस्तु मे ।
भवताराधसा राद्धं सर्वस्मा आत्मने नम: ॥ ३३ ॥
śrī-rudra uvāca
jitaṁ ta ātma-vid-varya-
svastaye svastir astu me
bhavatārādhasā rāddhaṁ
sarvasmā ātmane namaḥ
Lord Śiva addressed the Supreme Personality of Godhead with the following prayer: O Supreme Personality of Godhead, all glories unto You. You are the most exalted of all self-realized souls. Since You are always auspicious for the self-realized, I wish that You be auspicious for me. You are worshipable by virtue of the all-perfect instructions You give. You are the Supersoul; therefore I offer my obeisances unto You as the supreme living being.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.24.78
इदं य: कल्य उत्थाय प्राञ्जलि: श्रद्धयान्वित: ।
शृणुयाच्छ्रावयेन्मर्त्यो मुच्यते कर्मबन्धनै: ॥ ७८ ॥
idaṁ yaḥ kalya utthāya
prāñjaliḥ śraddhayānvitaḥ
śṛṇuyāc chrāvayen martyo
mucyate karma-bandhanaiḥ
A devotee who rises early in the morning and with folded hands chants these prayers sung by Lord Śiva, and gives facility to others to hear them, certainly becomes free from all bondage to fruitive activities.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.24.79
गीतं मयेदं नरदेवनन्दना:
परस्य पुंस: परमात्मन: स्तवम् ।
जपन्त एकाग्रधियस्तपो महत्
चरध्वमन्ते तत आप्स्यथेप्सितम् ॥ ७९ ॥
gītaṁ mayedaṁ naradeva-nandanāḥ
parasya puṁsaḥ paramātmanaḥ stavam
japanta ekāgra-dhiyas tapo mahat
caradhvam ante tata āpsyathepsitam
My dear sons of the King, the prayers I have recited to you are meant for pleasing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supersoul. I advise you to recite these prayers, which are as effective as great austerities. In this way, when you are mature, your life will be successful, and you will certainly achieve all your desired objectives without fail.