CHAPTER FOUR
The Characteristics of Rṣabhadeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead
In this chapter, Rṣabhadeva, the son of Mahārāja Nābhi, begot a hundred sons, and during the reign of those sons the world was very happy in all respects. When Rṣabhadeva appeared as the son of Mahārāja Nābhi, he was appreciated by the people as the most exalted and beautiful personality of that age. His poise, influence, strength, enthusiasm, bodily luster and other transcendental qualities were beyond compare. The word  rṣabha  refers to the best, or the supreme. Due to the superexcellent attributes of the son of Mahārāja Nābhi, the King named his son Rṣabha, or “the best.” His influence was incomparable. Although there was a scarcity of rain, Rṣabhadeva did not care for Indra, the King of heaven, who is in charge of supplying rain. Through His own potency, Rṣabhadeva sumptuously covered Ajanābha with ample rain. Upon receiving Rṣabhadeva, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as his son, King Nābhi began to raise Him very carefully. After that, he entrusted the ruling power to Him and, retiring from family life, lived at Badarikāśrama completely engaged in the worship of Vāsudeva, the Supreme Lord. To follow social customs, Lord Rṣabhadeva for a while became a student in the  gurukula , and after returning, he followed the orders of His  guru  and accepted a wife named Jayantī, who had been given to Him by the King of heaven, Indra. He begot a hundred sons in the womb of Jayantī. Of these hundred sons, the eldest was known as Bharata. Since the reign of Mahārāja Bharata, this planet has been called Bhārata-varṣa. Rṣabhadeva’s other sons were headed by Kuśāvarta, Ilāvarta, Brahmāvarta, Malaya, Ketu, Bhadrasena, Indrasprk, Vidarbha and Kikaṭa. There were also other sons named Kavi, Havi, Antarikṣa, Prabuddha, Pippalāyana, Āvirhotra, Drumila, Camasa and Karabhājana. Instead of ruling the kingdom, these nine became mendicant preachers of Krṣṇa consciousness, following the religious precepts of the  Bhāgavatam . Their characteristics and activities are described in the
137