Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 58
Pṛthu Mahārāja Meets the Four Kumāras: Bhakti as the Boat Across Saṁsāra
वर्षति स्म यथाकामं पर्जन्य इव तर्पयन् । समुद्र इव दुर्बोध: सत्त्वेनाचलराडिव ॥ ५८ ॥
varṣati sma yathā-kāmaṁ parjanya iva tarpayan samudra iva durbodhaḥ sattvenācala-rāḍ iva
De même que la pluie comble les désirs de tous, Mahārāja Pṛthu satisfaisait chacun. Il était comme l’océan, dont nul ne peut sonder la profondeur, et comme le mont Meru, roi des montagnes, inébranlable dans son dessein.
Mahārāja Pṛthu used to distribute his mercy to suffering humanity, and it was like rainfall after excessive heat. The ocean is wide and expansive, and it is very difficult to measure its length and breadth; similarly, Pṛthu Mahārāja was so deep and grave that no one could fathom his purposes. The hill known as Meru is fixed in the universe as a universal pivot, and no one can move it an inch from its position; similarly, no one could ever dissuade Mahārāja Pṛthu when he was determined.
FAQs
This verse praises Pṛthu Mahārāja as one who fulfills people’s needs like timely rain, remains deep and unfathomable like the ocean, and is steady in sattva like a great mountain—showing benevolence, depth, and unwavering virtue.
The comparisons highlight three royal virtues: generous nourishment (rain), profound gravity beyond ordinary estimation (ocean), and unshakable steadiness rooted in goodness (mountain).
Serve others according to genuine needs, cultivate inner depth rather than show, and build steadiness through sattvic habits—truthfulness, self-control, and responsibility—so your support becomes reliable like a mountain.