Nārada explains the allegory of King Purañjana (Srimad Bhagavatam #75)

Nārada gives a summary of the meanings of the allegory of Puranjana. These descriptions clarify the details and serve as a summary to help remembering it.

Sep 06, 2025

For us, the allegory of Purañjana is quite understandable because of all the details included in the purports of Srila Prabhupada. However, for one with access to just the Sanskrit verses, the meaning of the allegory is not clear at all. That's a situation similar to the second chapter of the Bhagavad-Gītā, where Arjuna becomes confused by the meaning of the verses, while for us, the meaning is quite clear due to the purports. Some of the symbolism was already revealed by the Lord, speaking in the form of the Brāhmana on verses 56 to 58 of the previous chapter, but the king was still puzzled by many aspects of the allegory.

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Nārada explains the allegory of King Purañjana (Chapter 4.29)

Even though Prācīnabarhi was misled about the goal of the scriptures, he was still a highly qualified person. However, he couldn't understand the allegory because he was too much engaged in sense gratification. Confused about the meaning, he breaks the silence and questions Nārada:

"My dear lord, we could not appreciate completely the purport of your allegorical story of King Purañjana. Actually, those who are perfect in spiritual knowledge can understand, but for us, who are overly attached to fruitive activities, to realize the purpose of your story is very difficult." (SB 4.29.1)

Nārada then gives a summary of the meanings of the different aspects of the allegory. We have already studied all these meanings, but these descriptions serve as a summary to help remember all the details, and both the verses by Nārada and the purports by Prabhupada add new meaning.

Here are the main points:

a) Purañjana is the living entity who transmigrates through different types of bodies according to the results of his previous activities. Avijñāta (the unknown) is the Supreme Lord, as Paramātmā, who remains invisible for the conditioned soul, although present in everyone's heart. He Lord remains present inside the subtle body, together with the soul, accompanying each of us from one body to the other.

b) Out of the many types of bodies available in the material creation, the soul prefers bodies with a human form (human or demigod), because this type of body offers better facilities. Animal bodies offer different types of facilities for sense gratification (some animals have a developed sense of smell, others have good vision, etc.), but in the human form, one can enjoy using all senses. The trap is that if one uses the human form to just enjoy one's senses, one falls back to the animal forms. As Prabhupada explains, "The more one desires a degraded life within his heart, the more he falls down to occupy different forms of abominable existence. As soon as one desires to enjoy his senses, he puts himself under the control of material energy and automatically, or mechanically, is placed into the cycle of birth and death in various life forms."

c) The woman (pramadā) is the material intelligence, which makes one identify with the material body, accepting the consciousness of “I” and “mine” and enjoying through one's senses. When the intelligence becomes purified by the practice of Krsna Consciousness, it is called buddhi-yoga (or bhakti-yoga) and operates differently, dovetailing our actions with the desires of Krsna. The acceptance of material intelligence is the cause of our conditioning, but by the process of ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam, our original, spiritual intelligence is awakened. We then understand that everything belongs to Krsna and should be used in His service.

d) The ten male servants are the five working senses and the five senses for acquiring knowledge. The many girlfriends of each are the different objects of the senses, and the five-hooded serpent represents the five vital airs. The mind is counted as Viṣūcīna, the 11th servant, who controls the others, just as a minister. If it is not carefully controlled, it can misuse its influence is misdirect us. We can see that in the allegory, Purañjana leaves his intelligence behind, taking just the mind and senses with him when going to hunt, becoming engaged in sinful activities. The best way to avoid that is to keep the mind always engaged in the service of the Lord. Finally, the Pañcāla kingdom of Purañjana is his place of action, the atmosphere in which the five types of sense objects are enjoyed.

e) The body has nine gates: eyes, nostrils, ears, mouth, genital, and rectum, which allow us to enjoy the objects of the senses. When we are not awakened to our original spiritual position, we are misled by the mind to become absorbed in these sense objects, just as other conditioned souls.

f) In the allegory, the two eyes are called Khadyotā and Āvirmukhī; using them, we go to the town of Vibhrājita, or form. The two nostrils are called Nalinī and Nālinī; together with Avadhūta (smell), we go to the town called Saurabha (aroma). The mouth is called Mukhyā, and it has two faculties (speech and taste), described in the allegory as Vipaṇa and Rasajña. Using these two faculties, we visit the towns of Āpaṇa and Bahūdana.

g) The right ear is called Pitṛhū, and through this ear we visit the town of Dakṣiṇa-pañcāla, which represents the Vedic process of karma-kanda, for fruitive activities and sense enjoyment. The left ear is called Devahū, and through this gate, we visit the city of Uttara-pañcāla, which represents the scriptures that explain spiritual knowledge. By these two processes, one may be elevated to the celestial planets or go back to Godhead.

h) The genital is described as the Āsurī gate, and through it we go to the town of Grāmaka (sex life). The genital is called Āsurī because it is very much appreciated by the asuras, foolish men. Sex life has its proper use, but when used just for illicit sex, it causes degradation. In the allegory, it is said that Purañjana went to a place called Vaiśasa through the gate Nirṛti (the rectum). This means he went to hell because of his sins. When a sinful soul is pulled out of the body by the Yamadūtas, it leaves the body through the rectum, which is a very painful process.

i) The blind associates with whom Purañjana spent most of his time are the hands and legs. This means he spent most of his time going here and there and performing material activities, instead of hearing about self-realization.

j) Sometimes, Purañjana would go to Antaḥ-pura, the heart (the center of emotions), and stay with Viṣūcīna, the mind. The mind goes everywhere, and accompanying it, Purañjana would sometimes enjoy illusion, sometimes satisfaction, and sometimes jubilation, under the influence of the three material modes.

k) In the conditioned state, the jīva acts according to the material intelligence. The soul itself performs no material action, remaining an observer, but at the same time is forced to follow the plans of the intelligence, the movements of the mind, and the actions of the senses due to material identification.

l) Next, Nārada Muni explains the meaning of the chariot, in which Purañjana goes to perform sinful activities. The chariot is the body, pulled by the horses of the senses, and moving on the two wheels of pious and sinful activities. The three material modes are the flag, the mind is the rope, etc. The horses run without obstruction, enjoying matter, but they make no progress, since all this material enjoyment does not result in any tangible gain. This continues perpetually until we finally come to the process of devotional service to the Lord. Real progress means to become free from material contamination.

m) Purañjana spent his time involved in sense gratification, and thus wasted his life. Gradually, his city was attacked by the soldiers of Caṇḍavega (time), and eventually by Kālakanyā (old age), who was accepted as the sister of Yavana-rāja (death). At the final stage, the city was torched by Prajvāra (the fever that precedes death). However, devotees who are engaged in Krsna Consciousness are not defeated by old age. On the contrary, they conquer death.

Our situation in the material world

After describing the main points of the allegory, Nārada continues with a sobering description of our position in this material world, identifying with the body, birth after birth, and acting under the influence of the three material modes. Due to our minute independence, we can choose our path, but by misusing it, we remain in the material atmosphere.

"The living entity by nature has minute independence to choose his own good or bad fortune, but when he forgets his supreme master, the Personality of Godhead, he gives himself up unto the modes of material nature. Being influenced by the modes of material nature, he identifies himself with the body and, for the interest of the body, becomes attached to various activities. Sometimes he is under the influence of the mode of ignorance, sometimes the mode of passion and sometimes the mode of goodness. The living entity thus gets different types of bodies under the modes of material nature." (SB 4.29.26-27)

Our natural position is as servants of the Lord, and we remain very happy as long as we remain in this subordinate position. However, as soon as we desire to become the master, we abandon the protection of Krsna, and our problems start. We then try to open our own business, to become competitors of the Lord, but this position is illusory and simply results in anxiety and suffering.

When we are predominantly influenced by the mode of goodness, we become pious and attain higher levels of existence, being elevated to the celestial planets, or even to the upper planets (Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka, and Brahmaloka), which are inhabited by enlightened souls. In general, pious karmis (who perform fruitive sacrifices according to the rules and regulations of the Vedas) are elevated to Svargaloka, and jñanis, who faithfully study the scriptures, as well as great yogis, are elevated to the higher planetary systems.

When the mode of passion is predominant, we remain as human beings, striving for economic development, life after life, be it on Earth or other intermediate planets. When we fall under the mode of ignorance, we are born in the lower planets or in the animal kingdom.

No one is purely in goodness in this material world; there is always some contamination of the lower modes. The contamination of the mode of passion makes one attracted to sense gratification (even if according to the recommendations of the scriptures), and the mode of ignorance makes one see himself as the body. This contamination is present even in great demigods such as Indra or Brahma. It is in this sense that Nārada Muni mentions that:

"Covered by the mode of ignorance in material nature, the living entity is sometimes a male, sometimes a female, sometimes a eunuch, sometimes a human being, sometimes a demigod, sometimes a bird, an animal, and so on. In this way he is wandering within the material world. His acceptance of different types of bodies is brought about by his activities under the influence of the modes of nature." (SB 4.29.29)

Demigods are considered to be in goodness, but even then display some contamination of passion and ignorance in the form of identification with the body, attraction to sense gratification, etc. Only when one fully realizes his transcendental position as an eternal servant of the Lord does this stop. As Prabhupada explains in his purport to text 29:

"Actually the living entity is part and parcel of the Lord; therefore he is spiritual in quality. The living entity is never material, and his material conception is simply a mistake due to forgetfulness. He is as brilliant as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Both the sun and the sunshine are very brilliant. The Lord is like the full shining sun, and the living entities are like the small particles of that sun which constitute the all-pervasive sunshine. When these small particles are covered by the cloud of māyā, they lose their shining capacity. When the cloud of māyā is gone, the particles again become brilliant and shining. As soon as the living entity is covered by the ignorance of māyā, or darkness, he cannot understand his relationship with the Supreme God. Somehow or other, if he comes before the Lord, he can see himself shining like the Supreme Lord, although he is not as extensive as the Lord. Because the living entity desires to imitate the Supreme Lord, he is covered by māyā. We cannot imitate the Lord, nor can we become the supreme enjoyer. This is not possible, and when we think it is, we become conditioned by māyā. Thus the encagement of the living entity under the clutches of māyā is brought about by forgetfulness of his relationship with the Supreme Lord."

The helpless condition of the soul, wandering in this material world due to its own free will, without shelter, is made explicit by Nārada Muni in texts 30 to 33:

"The living entity is exactly like a dog who, overcome with hunger, goes from door to door for some food. According to his destiny, he sometimes receives punishment and is driven out and at other times receives a little food to eat. Similarly, the living entity, being influenced by so many desires, wanders in different species of life according to destiny. Sometimes he is high, and sometimes he is low. Sometimes he goes to the heavenly planets, sometimes to hell, sometimes to the middle planets, and so on. The living entities are trying to counteract different miserable conditions pertaining to providence, other living entities or the body and mind. Still, they must remain conditioned by the laws of nature, despite all attempts to counter these laws.
A man may carry a burden on his head, and when he feels it to be too heavy, he sometimes gives relief to his head by putting the burden on his shoulder. In this way he tries to relieve himself of the burden. However, whatever process he devises to counteract the burden does nothing more than put the same burden from one place to another." (SB 4.29.30-33)

Life in the material world is composed of both pleasant and unpleasant circumstances. There is pleasure available in hell, and similarly, there is anxiety even in the celestial planets. This creates a situation where we are constantly busy, trying to counteract distress and find happiness. This combination of desire, anxiety, and fear makes us very entangled in this world.

Nārada explains, however, that all these attempts are just like moving a heavy burden from the head to the shoulder. The burden may change position, but it is still there. Similarly, counteracting the difficulties of our current position simply means continuing our material existence and being put in another unpleasant condition later on. The effort is thus ineffective, just like the effort of raising the burden on our head just to transfer it to the shoulder. As Prabhupada explains, we should simply try to develop our Kṛṣṇa consciousness and not waste our time trying to improve our material condition, understanding that ultimately it can't be improved. Only when we become active in developing our Krsna Consciousness instead of counteracting material difficulties can our problems be finally solved.

One way to try to mitigate material miseries is through economic development. We can see humanity has been on this path for the past centuries, resulting in great technological progress and economic development. The world's GDP has increased thousands of times in the last five centuries, and we now have facilities that would be inconceivable for people from the Middle Ages. If material progress were to bring happiness, we would be all exultant by now, but that's not what we see. People are still unhappy and anxious; the problems just changed, and new sources of misery were introduced.

One could argue then that one can solve material suffering by performing fruitive activities, as in the case of King Prācīnabarhi. However, these processes also can't solve the problem, because they don't awaken our original Krsna Consciousness. One may think that being promoted to the celestial planets may solve his material anxiety, but there is also anxiety in Svargaloka, and, apart from that, when his pious results end, hell falls back to Earth, back to the starting point. Moving the burden to the shoulder just to bring it back to the head later on solves nothing.

As Nārada explains:

"Sometimes we suffer because we see a tiger in a dream or a snake in a vision, but actually there is neither a tiger nor a snake. Thus, we create some situation in a subtle form and suffer the consequences. These sufferings cannot be mitigated unless we are awakened from our dream.
The real interest of the living entity is to get out of the nescience that causes him to endure repeated birth and death. The only remedy is to surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead through His representative. Unless one renders devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva, one cannot possibly become completely detached from this material world, nor can he possibly manifest real knowledge." (SB 4.29.35-37)

Here, Nārada offers the same analogy of the material existence as a dream that Prabhupada offers in other passages. Dangerous situations experienced in a dream may be illusory, but this doesn't prevent them from becoming a source of anxiety. A tiger in a dream can't kill a person, but a man having a nightmare doesn't know that, and therefore, he experiences suffering. Similarly, no force in the material world can harm the soul, but as long as we are not aware of this fact, we suffer due to identification with the body.

The most effective way to end a nightmare is to simply wake up, and similarly, the remedy for all our material anxiety is to surrender to the Supreme Lord and wake up to our eternal existence. As already established, the original position of the soul is loving service to the Lord, and it can be reestablished only through the practice of devotional service. Other paths, such as karma, jñana, and yoga, can be effective to a certain extent if combined with devotional service, but without at least a tinge of bhakti, all other processes are ineffective. One may progress to a certain extent, but will remain bound to this material world.

The problem is that due to the absence of transcendental knowledge, people don't know that, and thus they perform actions that are against their own self-interest. After understanding the goal of life, one can surrender to the Lord through His representative, the spiritual master, and thus start his way back, starting by controlling the desires of the mind, which are the source of new bodies in this material world. As argued by Arjuna in the Gītā, controlling the mind is very difficult, but it becomes possible by the process of devotional service, which gives us a higher taste and breaks the chain of material actions and reactions that keep us bound to this material world.

Devotional service begins by following rules and regulations, and progresses up to the stage of loving service. As we become attached to the service of the Lord, we automatically become detached from service to the body, which is the foundation of material existence. Becoming detached from the body, we ascend to a platform of perfect knowledge, in which we perfect our devotional service.

In the beginning, the rules and regulations of the process of devotional service may appear to be difficult, but as we advance, they become natural. Our situation is similar to a drug addict, who struggles to get rid of the addiction. As Prabhupada explains in his purport to text 37:

'Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, jīvera ‘svarūpa’ haya — kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa’: “Every living entity is by constitutional position an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa.” As soon as one engages in the service of Lord Vāsudeva, he attains his normal constitutional position. This position is called the liberated stage. Muktir hitvānyathā-rūpaṁ svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ: in the liberated stage, one is situated in his original Kṛṣṇa conscious position. He gives up all engagements in the service of matter, engagements concocted under the names of social service, national service, community service, dog service, automobile service and so many other services conducted under the illusion of “I” and “mine.”'

How to become fixed in the path of devotional service? Nārada answers on texts 39 and 40:

"My dear King, in the place where pure devotees live, following the rules and regulations and thus purely conscious and engaged with great eagerness in hearing and chanting the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in that place if one gets a chance to hear their constant flow of nectar, which is exactly like the waves of a river, one will forget the necessities of life, namely hunger and thirst, and become immune to all kinds of fear, lamentation and illusion." (SB 4.29.39-40)

If we get caught in the flow of the river of nectar of the description of the glories of the Lord from the discourses of pure devotees, then the practice of Krsna consciousness becomes easy. This simple process of hearing elevates us above the stage of bodily conception and makes it possible for us to remain fixed in the service of the Lord. As Prabhupada summarizes, "The secret of success in the cultivation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is hearing from the right person." When we associate with advanced devotees who have a taste for serving Krsna, we also become inclined to follow the same path.

Unfortunately, because we are so disturbed by bodily necessities and by the agitations of the mind, we are busy trying to improve our material condition, or at least maintaining whatever little we have, and thus we have little time to seek this association, as Nārada laments in text 41. In his purport to this verse, Prabhupada points to another trap, which is to become a sahajiyā, rejecting the association of real devotees and thinking oneself very advanced, even while failing even to follow basic regulative principles.

Nārada instructs the king to stop fruitive performances

After establishing the process of devotional service as the only real solution for the miseries of life, Nārada proceeds to point out the deficiencies in the process of fruitive activity followed by Prācīnabarhi. The goal of life is to understand Viṣnu through the practice of devotional service, and this ultimate goal is pursued by great, powerful personalities, such as Brahma, Śiva, Manu, Dakṣa, the four Kumāras, and so on. However, fruitive performances and worship of demigods can't help one attain this goal. As he explains:

"Despite the cultivation of Vedic knowledge, which is unlimited, and the worship of different demigods by the symptoms of Vedic mantras, demigod worship does not help one to understand the supreme powerful Personality of Godhead. When a person is fully engaged in devotional service, he is favored by the Lord, who bestows His causeless mercy. At such a time, the awakened devotee gives up all material activities and ritualistic performances mentioned in the Vedas.
My dear King Barhiṣmān, you should never out of ignorance take to the Vedic rituals or to fruitive activity, which may be pleasing to hear about or which may appear to be the goal of self-interest. You should never take these to be the ultimate goal of life." (SB 4.29.45-47)

King Prācīnabarhi had executed many thousands of complicated sacrifices and covered the whole surface of the world with auspicious kuśa grass. However, such sacrifices were based on the killing of animals for fruitive purposes, and were ultimately useless, because they were not made for the satisfaction of the Lord. One doesn't need to perform costly sacrifices, much less kill animals; the Lord is pleased by devotional service, nothing else. Nārada thus instructs Prācīnabarhi to stop his fruitive performances and instead engage in the loving service of the Lord.

The conclusions given by Nārada Muni here build upon the conclusions of the previous chapters. Previously, it was already defined that the eternal home of the soul is the spiritual world, in the service of Krsna. Now, Nārada puts the performance of Vedic sacrifices with fruitive purposes in this context, by declaring:

"Those who are less intelligent accept the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies as all in all. They do not know that the purpose of the Vedas is to understand one’s own home, where the Supreme Personality of Godhead lives. Not being interested in their real home, they are illusioned and search after other homes." (SB 4.29.48)

If one is determined to remain in this material world, chasing after illusory sense gratification, it's better to follow the Vedic path of fruitive activities than to just lead a sinful life. The Lord is sometimes compared to a fire, and the souls with sparks of this fire. The sparks are originally part of the fire, but because they have individual existence, they can fall off the fire. If a spark falls on dry grass, it can ignite it and preserve its brilliance. This is compared to one practicing devotional service and returning to our original consciousness. If the spark falls on wet grass, it will not start a fire, but it can at least preserve its heat for some time; this is compared to living a pious life according to the principles of the Vedas. One can thus at least continue taking birth in human forms, and in the future may come to the platform of devotional service. Sinful life, however, is like falling into water, which immediately covers one's spiritual nature, tossing it into the lower species of life, where one lives in complete ignorance.

However, one who is intelligent should pursue the real purpose of the Vedas, which is pure devotional service to the Lord. Until we become again established in our original nature of service to the Lord, any other position will be temporary, therefore, why bother? Better to directly pursue this ultimate goal. As Prabhupada explains in his purport to text 48:

"If one goes to the highest planetary system within this universe he still has to return after the effects of pious activities are finished. Space vehicles may go very high in the sky, but as soon as their fuel is finished, they have to return to this earthly planet. All these activities are performed in illusion. The real attempt should now be to return home, back to Godhead. The process is mentioned in Bhagavad-gītā. Yānti mad-yājino ’pi mām: those who engage in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead return home, back to Godhead. Human life is very valuable, and one should not waste it in vain exploration of other planets. One should be intelligent enough to return to Godhead. One should be interested in information about the spiritual Vaikuṇṭha planets, and in particular the planet known as Goloka Vṛndāvana, and should learn the art of going there by the simple method of devotional service, beginning with hearing (śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ)."

After chastising the king in text 50, calling him a fool for having killed so many animals in the name of sacrifices and being ignorant of the real purpose of life, Nārada continues:

"Śrī Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the Supersoul and guide of all living entities who have accepted material bodies within this world. He is the supreme controller of all material activities in material nature. He is also our best friend, and everyone should take shelter at His lotus feet. In doing so, one’s life will be auspicious.
One who is engaged in devotional service has not the least fear in material existence. This is because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Supersoul and friend of everyone. One who knows this secret is actually educated, and one thus educated can become the spiritual master of the world. One who is an actually bona fide spiritual master, representative of Kṛṣṇa, is not different from Kṛṣṇa." (SB 4.29.50-51)

Be foundation of our spiritual advancement is the relationship with the spiritual master, from whom we learn how to love Krsna. As declared by Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu, this love is eternally present in the soul and doesn't need to be obtained from an external source. However, this love has been forgotten for a long time. We need, thus, to remember it by associating with a person who has it now. Prācīnabarhi certainly had spiritual masters, but they were not able to properly guide him. Nārada thus explains the qualification of a bona-fide spiritual master: It's not about being learned in the Vedas or even about having brāhminical qualifications. The qualification of a bona-fide spiritual master is to know the Supreme Lord. Only such a pure devotee can act as the perfect representative of the Lord.

This point is explained in the Padma Purāna: ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro, mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ, avaiṣṇavo gurur na syād, vaiṣṇavaḥ śva-paco guruḥ, “Even if a brāhmaṇa is very learned in Vedic scriptures and knows the six occupational duties of a brāhmaṇa, he cannot become a guru, or spiritual master, unless he is a devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. However, if one is born in a family of dog-eaters but is a pure devotee of the Lord, he can become a spiritual master.”

In his purport to text 55, Prabhupada also quotes SB 11.3.21: tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta, jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam, śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ, brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam, “Any person who is seriously desirous of achieving real happiness must seek out a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation. The qualification of a spiritual master is that he must have realized the conclusion of the scriptures by deliberation and arguments and thus be able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities, who have taken complete shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, are to be understood as bona fide spiritual masters.”

He then mentions: "A paramahaṁsa is one who has taken shelter of the Parabrahman, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If one takes shelter of the paramahaṁsa spiritual master, gradually, through training and instruction, he will become detached from worldly life and ultimately return home, back to Godhead."

By taking shelter of such a spiritual master, who knows Krsna as the Supreme Lord, the only supreme beloved personality, who is a confidential devotee of the Lord, one can attain success in life.