Shloka 47
The Pracetās Meet Lord Viṣṇu—Benedictions, Pure Prayer, and the Birth of Dakṣa
तत्रावशिष्टा ये वृक्षा भीता दुहितरं तदा । उज्जह्रुस्ते प्रचेतोभ्य उपदिष्टा: स्वयम्भुवा ॥ ४७ ॥
tatrāvaśiṣṭā ye vṛkṣā bhītā duhitaraṁ tadā ujjahrus te pracetobhya upadiṣṭāḥ svayambhuvā
The trees that remained, terrified of the Pracetās, at once presented their daughter, acting on the counsel of Svayambhū Brahmā.
The daughter of the trees is referred to in text 13 of this chapter. This daughter was born of Kaṇḍu and Pramlocā. The society girl Pramlocā, after giving birth to the child, immediately left for the heavenly kingdom. While the child was crying, the king of the moon took compassion upon her and saved her by putting his finger into her mouth. This child was cared for by the trees, and when she grew up, by the order of Lord Brahmā, she was delivered to the Pracetās as their wife. The name of the girl was Māriṣā, as the next verse will explain. It was the predominating deity of the trees that delivered the daughter. In this connection, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī Prabhupāda states, vṛkṣāḥ tad-adhiṣṭhātṛ-devatāḥ: “The ‘trees’ means the controlling deity of those trees.” In Vedic literatures we find that there is a controlling deity of the water; similarly, there is a controlling deity of the trees. The Pracetās were engaged in burning all the trees to ashes, and they considered the trees their enemies. To pacify the Pracetās, the predominating deity of the trees, under the advice of Lord Brahmā, delivered the daughter Māriṣā.
FAQs
It describes how the remaining trees, fearing for their daughter, brought her forth and offered her to the Pracetas, following Lord Brahmā’s direction.
They were afraid for her welfare and acted according to the instruction given by Svayambhū (Brahmā), aligning with the cosmic and social order established by higher authority.
It highlights acting responsibly under wise guidance—when faced with fear or conflict, seek principled counsel and resolve matters in a way consistent with dharma and legitimate authority.