saḥ - He; kadācit - once; aṭamānaḥ - while on tour; bhagavān - the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ṛṣabhaḥ - Lord Ṛṣabha; brahmāvarta-gataḥ - when He reached the place known as Brahmāvarta (identified by some as Burma and by others as a place near Kanpura, Uttar Pradesh); brahma-ṛṣi-pravara-sabhāyām - in a meeting of first-class brāhmaṇas; prajānām - while the citizens; niśāmayantīnām - were hearing; ātmajān - His sons; avahita-ātmanaḥ - attentive; praśraya - of good behavior; praṇaya - of devotion; bhara - by an abundance; su-yantritān - well controlled; api - although; upaśikṣayan - teaching; iti - thus; ha - certainly; uvāca - said.

Once while touring the world, Lord Ṛṣabhadeva, the Supreme Lord, reached a place known as Brahmāvarta. There was a great conference of learned brāhmaṇas at that place, and all the King’s sons attentively heard the instructions of the brāhmaṇas there. At that assembly, within the hearing of the citizens, Ṛṣabhadeva instructed His sons, although they were already very well-behaved, devoted and qualified. He instructed them so that in the future they could rule the world very perfectly. Thus he spoke as follows.