220 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 9, Ch. 15

own oblation, had eaten that which was meant for her mother, she would
give birth to a son imbued with the ksatriya spirit. This was undesirable.
The son of a brahmana is generally expected to become.a brahmana, but
if such a son becomes fierce like a ksatriya, he is designated according to
the description of the four varnas in Bhagavad-gita (cdtur-varnyarh
maya srstam guna-karma-vibhdgasah). If the son of a brahmana does
not become like a brdhmana, he may be called a ksatriya, vaisya or
Sidra, according to his qualifications. The basic principle for dividing
society is not a person’s birth but his qualities and actions.

TEXT 11
manea: THIN Ft AT arta: |
my ae aa TTT Te PaReTISTAA 112 21

prasdditah satyavatya
maivam bhir iti bhargavah

atha tarhi bhavet pautro
Jamadagnis tato *bhavat

prasdditah—pacified; satyavatya—by Satyavati; mé—not; evam—
thus; bhih—let it be; iti—thus; bhdrgavah—the great sage; atha—if
your son should not become like that; tarhi—then; bhavet—should be-
come like that; pautrah—the grandson; jamadognih—Jamadagni;
tatah—thereafter; abhavat—was born.

TRANSLATION

Satyavati, however, pacified Rcika Muni with peaceful words and
requested that her son not be like a fierce ksatriya. Reika Muni
replied, ‘“‘Then your grandson will be of a ksatriya spirit.”” Thus
Jamadagni was born as the son of Satyavati.

PURPORT

The great sage Rcika was very angry, but somehow or other Satyavati
pacified him, and at her request he changed his mind. It is indicated here
that the son of Jamadagni would be born as Parasurama.
