Shloka 8
Ṛṣabhadeva’s Enthronement, Exemplary Household Life, and the Birth of Bharata and the Nine Yogendras
अथ ह भगवानृषभदेव: स्ववर्षं कर्मक्षेत्रमनुमन्यमान: प्रदर्शितगुरुकुलवासो लब्धवरैर्गुरुभिरनुज्ञातो गृहमेधिनां धर्माननुशिक्षमाणो जयन्त्यामिन्द्रदत्तायामुभयलक्षणं कर्म समाम्नायाम्नातमभियुञ्जन्नात्मजानामात्मसमानानां शतं जनयामास ॥ ८ ॥
atha ha bhagavān ṛṣabhadevaḥ sva-varṣaṁ karma-kṣetram anumanyamānaḥ pradarśita-gurukula-vāso labdha-varair gurubhir anujñāto gṛhamedhināṁ dharmān anuśikṣamāṇo jayantyām indra-dattāyām ubhaya-lakṣaṇaṁ karma samāmnāyāmnātam abhiyuñjann ātmajānām ātma-samānānāṁ śataṁ janayām āsa.
After Mahārāja Nābhi left for Badarikāśrama, Bhagavān Ṛṣabhadeva accepted His own kingdom as His field of action. To set the example, He first embraced brahmacarya under His spiritual masters and lived in the gurukula. When His studies were complete, He offered guru-dakṣiṇā and, with the gurus’ permission, entered householder life, teaching the duties of gṛhastha-dharma. He accepted Jayantī, presented by Indra, as His wife and, following the rites enjoined in śruti and smṛti, begot one hundred sons equal to Himself in strength and virtue.
Being an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Ṛṣabhadeva had nothing to do with material affairs. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām: the purpose of an incarnation is to liberate His devotees and to stop the demoniac activities of nondevotees. These are the two functions of the Supreme Lord when He incarnates. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said that in order to preach one must live a practical life and show people how to do things. Āpani ācari’ bhakti śikhāimu sabāre. One cannot teach others unless he behaves the same way himself. Ṛṣabhadeva was an ideal king, and He took His education in the gurukula, although He was already educated because the Supreme Lord is omniscient. Although Ṛṣabhadeva had nothing to learn from gurukula, He went there just to teach the people in general how to take an education from the right source, from Vedic teachers. He then entered householder life and lived according to the principles of Vedic knowledge — śruti and smṛti. In his Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.2.101) Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, quoting the Skanda Purāṇa, states:
FAQs
This verse shows Ṛṣabhadeva entering household life with guru’s permission and specifically teaching the dharma meant for householders, indicating that gṛhastha life is sacred when guided by Vedic principles and spiritual instruction.
The verse states He ‘demonstrated’ residence in the guru’s āśrama to model ideal conduct—showing that even the highest authority honors discipline, learning, and obedience to spiritual teachers for the benefit of society.
Perform responsibilities (work, family care, service) in a way that brings lawful worldly stability while also aiming at spiritual growth—by offering results to God, following ethical principles, and keeping devotion at the center.