ध्वंसनपरानुभावस्य भगवत आदिपुरुषस्याङ्घ्रियुगलानवरतध्यानानुभावेन
परिरन्धितकषायाशयोऽवदातोऽपि मानवर्धनो महतां महीतलमनुशशास ॥२३॥
iti ha vÄva sa jagatÄ«-patir Ä«Å›varecchayÄdhiniveÅ›ita-karmÄdhikÄro 'khila-jagad-bandha-dhvaá¹sana-parÄnubhÄvasya bhagavata Ädi-puruá¹£asyÄá¹…ghri-yugalÄnavarata-dhyÄnÄnubhÄvena parirandhita-kaá¹£ÄyÄÅ›ayo 'vadÄto 'pi mÄna-vardhano mahatÄá¹ mahÄ«talam anuÅ›aÅ›Äsa
iti - thus; ha vÄva - indeed; saḥ - he; jagatÄ«-patiḥ - the emperor of the whole universe; Ä«Å›vara-icchayÄ - by the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; adhiniveÅ›ita - completely engaged; karma-adhikÄraḥ - in material affairs; akhila-jagat - of the entire universe; bandha - bondage; dhvaá¹sana - destroying; para - transcendental; anubhÄvasya - whose influence; bhagavataḥ - of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; Ädi-puruá¹£asya - the original person; aá¹…ghri - on the lotus feet; yugala - two; anavarata - constant; dhyÄna-anubhÄvena - by meditation; parirandhita - destroyed; kaá¹£Äya - all the dirty things; ÄÅ›ayaḥ - in his heart; avadÄtaḥ - completely pure; api - although; mÄna-vardhanaḥ - just to give honor; mahatÄm - to superiors; mahÄ«talam - the material world; anuÅ›aÅ›Äsa - ruled.
Following the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, MahÄrÄja Priyavrata fully engaged in worldly affairs, yet he always thought of the lotus feet of the Lord, which are the cause of liberation from all material attachment. Although Priyavrata MahÄrÄja was completely freed from all material contamination, he ruled the material world just to honor the orders of his superiors.
The words mÄna-vardhano mahatÄm (“just to show honor to superiorsâ€) are very significant. Although MahÄrÄja Priyavrata was already a liberated person and had no attraction for material things, he engaged himself fully in governmental affairs just to show respect to Lord BrahmÄ. Arjuna had also acted in the same way. Arjuna had no desire to participate in political affairs or the fighting at Kuruká¹£etra, but when ordered to do so by the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, he executed those duties very nicely. One who always thinks of the lotus feet of the Lord is certainly above all the contamination of the material world. As stated in Bhagavad-gÄ«tÄ:
yoginÄm api sarveá¹£Äá¹
mad-gatenÄntarÄtmanÄ
Å›raddhÄvÄn bhajate yo mÄá¹
sa me yuktatamo mataḥ
“Of all yogÄ«s, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all.†(Bg. 6.47) MahÄrÄja Priyavrata, therefore, was a liberated person and was among the highest of yogÄ«s, yet superficially he became the emperor of the universe in accordance with the order of Lord BrahmÄ. Showing respect to his superior in this way was another of his extraordinary qualifications. As stated in ÅšrÄ«mad-BhÄgavatam (6.17.28):
nÄrÄyaṇa-parÄḥ sarve
na kutaścana bibhyati
svargÄpavarga-narakeá¹£v
api tulyÄrtha-darÅ›inaḥ
A devotee who is actually advanced is not afraid of anything, provided he has the opportunity to execute the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the proper explanation of why Priyavrata engaged in worldly affairs although he was a liberated person. Also, only because of this principle does a mahÄ-bhÄgavata, who has nothing to do with the material world, come down to the second platform of devotional service to preach the glories of the Lord all over the world.
