Text 4] Maharaja Prthu’s Going Back Home 975

property amongst his sons and appointed them to rule the world, and
then he went to the forest with his wife. It is significant in this connection
that it is said that Maharaja Prthu retired alone and at the same time took
his wife with him. According to Vedic principles, when retiring from fam-
ily life, one can take his wife with him, for the husband and wife are con-
sidered to be one unit. Thus they can both combinedly perform austerities
for liberation. This is the path that Maharaja Prthu, who was an exemplary
character, followed, and this is also the way of Vedic civilization. One
should not simply remain at home until the time of death but should
separate from family life at a timely moment and prepare himself to go
back to Godhead. As a Saktyavesa incarnation of God who had actually
come from Vaikuntha as a representative of Krsna, Maharaja Prthu was
certain to go back to Godhead. Nonetheless in order to set the example in
all ways, he also underwent severe austerities in the tapo-vana. It appears
that in those days there were many tapo-vanas, or forests especially meant
for retirement and the practice of austerities. Indeed, it was compulsory
for everyone to go to the tapo-vana to fully accept the shelter of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, for it is very difficult to retire from
family life and at the same time remain at home.

TEXT 4

TIAA «| FATAAGATAA |
wey saa wT Bay FTI 8 Il

tatrapy adabhya-niyamo
vaik hanasa-susammate

arabdha ugra-tapasi
yatha sva-vijaye pura

tatra—there; api—also; adabhya—severe; niyamah—austerities; vaikha-
nasa—rules and regulations of retired life; susammate—perfectly recognized;
arabdhah—beginning; ugra—severe; tapasi—austerity; yatha—as much as;
sva-vijaye—in conquering the world; pura—formerly.

TRANSLATION

After retiring from family life, Maharaja Prthu strictly followed the
regulations of retired life and underwent severe austerities in the forest.
He engaged in these activities as seriously as he had formerly engaged in
leading the government and conquering everyone.
