Text 22] The Activities of Maharaja Priyavrata 43
ruled this planet earth. Svayambhuva Manu, however, appears to have
been in charge of the entire universe, and he entrusted to his son,
Maharaja Priyavrata, the responsibility for maintaining and protecting
all the planetary systems. Dhard-mandala means “‘planet.”” This earth,
for instance, is called dhardé-mandala. Akhila, however, means ‘‘all”* or
“universal.” It is therefore difficult to understand where Maharaja
Priyavrata was situated, but from this literature his position certainly ap-
pears greater than that of Vaivasvata Manu, for he was entrusted with all
the planetary systems of the entire universe.

Another significant statement is that Svayambhuva Manu took great
satisfaction from abnegating the responsibility for ruling all the plane-
tary systems of the universe. At present, politicians are very eager to
take charge of the government, and they engage their men in canvassing
from door to door to get votes to win the post of president or a similar ex-
alted office. On the contrary, however, herein we find that King
Priyavrata had to be persuaded by Lord Brahmi to accept the post of em-
peror of the entire universe. Similarly, his father, Svayambhuva Manu,
felt relieved to entrust the universal government to Priyavrata. Thus it is
evident that the kings and executive heads of government in the Vedic
age never accepted their positions for sense enjoyment. Such exalted
kings, who were known as rayarsis, ruled only to maintain and protect
the kingdom for the welfare of the citizens. The history of Priyavrata
and Svayambhuva Manu describes how exemplary, responsible monarchs
performed the duties of government with disinterest, keeping them-
selves always aloof from the contamination of material attachment.

Material affairs have herein been compared to an ocean of poison.
They have been described in a similar way by Srila Narottama dasa
Thakura in one of his songs:

samsdra-visanale, diva-nisi hiya jvale,
Judaite na kainu upaya
‘*My heart is always burning in the fire of material existence. and I have
made no provisions for getting out of it.”
golokera prema-dhana, hari-nadma-sankirtana,
rati nd janmila kene taya
