Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 9 Chapter 1 Verses 38-39

SYNONYMS

tushtah -- being pleased; tasmai -- unto Vasishtha; sah -- he (Lord Siva); bhagavan -- the most powerful; rishaye -- unto the great sage; priyam avahan -- just to please him; svam ca -- his own; vacam -- word; ritam -- true; kurvan -- and keeping; idam -- this; aha -- said; visampate -- O King Parikshit; masam -- one month; puman -- male; sah -- Sudyumna; bhavita -- will become; masam -- an other month; stri -- female; tava -- your; gotra-jah -- disciple born in your disciplic succession; ittham -- in this way; vyavasthaya -- by settlement; kamam -- according to desire; sudyumnah -- King Sudyumna; avatu -- may rule; medinim -- the world.

TRANSLATION

O King Parikshit, Lord Siva was pleased with Vasishtha. Therefore, to satisfy him and to keep his own word to Parvati, Lord Siva said to that saintly person, "Your disciple Sudyumna may remain a male for one month and a female for the next. In this way he may rule the world as he likes."

PURPORT

The word gotrajah is significant in this connection. Brahmanas generally act as spiritual masters of two dynasties. One is their disciplic succession, and the other is the dynasty born of their semen. Both descendants belong to the same gotra, or dynasty. In the Vedic system we sometimes find that both brahmanas and kshatriyas and even vaisyas come in the disciplic succession of the same rishis. Because the gotra and dynasty are one, there is no difference between the disciples and the family born of the semen. The same system still prevails in Indian society, especially in regard to marriage, for which the gotra is calculated. Here the word gotrajah refers to those born in the same dynasty, whether they be disciples or members of the family.

<<< >>>

Buy Online Copyright (c) The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness