Marm ni vaat (Gujarati) - Bhagvat Puran - Devi Bhagvat

In the second part of the exploring meaning of Puranjan's story, we understand another metaphorical story that talks about a deer. Through this story, Naradji attempts to make the King Prachinbruhi, why he needs to stop his killing of animals in the yagna and focus on the penance and bhakti towards the Lord Vishnu. Just continuing to do karma without understanding its dharma is fruitless. 

The story of Puranjan is a metaphor and so Naradji now explains the king Prachinbruhi the real meaning of it. In the first part, we hear about what the story of Puranjan in the initial aspects means including why the nourishment of the soul cannot be achieved by just focusing on materialism. We also hear how worldly pleasures move us away from the bhakti of the Lord. 

Puranjan dies of old age and goes to hell where the animals he had killed before attack him. Later on he gets another birth as the daughter of the king of Vidharbha. The princess then marries to the king of Pandya, Malaydhwaja. In his later life, as the king leaves his kingdom for penance, his queen (who was in previous life Puranjan) also joins. When the king dies, the queen decides to become a Sati and at that time Puranjan's old friend avignat appears and explains that he is a swan from Mansarovar originally and because of his materialistic nature he has gone through these two lives. 

King Puranjan is completely devoted to his family life and has forgotten to focus on the kingdom or the purushartha, the aims of life. In that period, the kalkanya (old age), builds a connection with the king fear and his brother prajwar (fever due to illness) and start attacking Puranjan and his kingdom. 

The king Puranjan goes out for hunting one day while leaving his queen and kills numerous animals. His cruel approach to life is reflected upon. When he gets back tired from the hunt, he realises that his queen is angry on him and so he goes to her palace to appease her and using his sweet tongue does so.

Maharaj Prachinbruhi meets muni Narad who asks the king about the need for so many yagna he has been doing and informs him that just focusing on the yagna and not on their meaning won't allow the king to reach moksha that he desires. Muni Narad tells the story of Puranjan. In that story, Puranjan searches for a kindgom to live in and find a wife to marry and meets a lady of that kind near Himalaya. He becomes totally infetuated with her and starts living under her whims and frenzies. 

Maharaj Pruthu has left the Earth and we hear about his progeny. We hear about Vijitashwa, his son, and his life, followed by a reflection on Maharaj Prachinbruhi and his sons. These sons meet Lord Shankar when they go for a penance and Lord Shankar teaches them a stuti of Lord Vishnu. 

After being a devout king for a many years, Maharaj Pruthu decides to leave his kingdom and focus on the spiritual path and enlightenment of the self. He goes to the forest and focuses on the penance and soul cleansing. Maharani Archi also joins him in this journey and they both reach moksha. We again hear about the way of Moksha. 

The four first sons of Brahma visit Maharaj Pruthu and offer his sagely advice. They explain what should an individual do to be on the path of dharma and moksha ultimately. They also explain why the soul falls from grace. We also hear about the karma of Maharaj Pruthu after the sages leave. 

Maharaj Pruthu arrives back in his abode and after sitting with his subjects and many other rishis he explains his views on the role of a ruler and what his subjects should be doing. He also explains the role of the leader and the importance of Dharma at individual and societal levels.