King Nṛga Offers Prayers After Being Rescued from a Lizard Body

This article presents a thematic survey of the tragic history, immense charity, and ultimate deliverance of the son of Ikṣvāku. It organizes the captivating and deeply instructive verses found in the Vanisource category Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Verses Spoken by Nrga Maharaja.

The history of King Nṛga is a profound lesson on the strict laws of karma and the danger of offending a brāhmaṇa. Famous throughout the universe for his unparalleled generosity, King Nṛga gave away millions of highly decorated cows to qualified priests. However, one day, a cow belonging to a brāhmaṇa accidentally wandered back into the King's herd, and Nṛga unknowingly gave it in charity to a different brāhmaṇa. When the mistake was discovered, both men claimed the cow and angrily refused the King's desperate offer of 100,000 cows in exchange. Upon his death, Yamarāja asked the King if he wanted to suffer the reaction for his one sin first, or enjoy the results of his immense piety. Nṛga chose to suffer first and was immediately cast down to earth as a giant lizard trapped in a dry well. Rescued centuries later by the transcendental touch of Lord Kṛṣṇa, King Nṛga was instantly freed from his reptilian body. Astounded that he was seeing the Supreme Lord face-to-face, he offered beautiful prayers of absolute surrender before departing for the heavenly planets.

Nṛga Mahārāja is the 81st top speaker of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with 16 verses at Vanisource. He speaks only in the 10th canto (16 verses).

The Immense Charity of the King

When Lord Kṛṣṇa pulled the giant lizard from the dry well, it instantly transformed into a beautiful demigod adorned with a helmet and glowing ornaments. Asked to identify himself, the demigod humbly recounted his past life as one of the most famously generous kings in history.

Giving Cows Like Grains of Sand

King Nṛga explains to the omniscient Lord Kṛṣṇa that he was completely dedicated to truth and the welfare of society. Seeking out the most exalted, qualified brāhmaṇas, he showered them with inconceivable wealth, land, and perfectly decorated, milk-laden cows.

"King Nṛga said: I am a king known as Nṛga, the son of Ikṣvāku. Perhaps, Lord, You have heard of me when lists of charitable men were recited."
"What could possibly be unknown to You, O master? With vision undisturbed by time, You witness the minds of all living beings. Nevertheless, on Your order I will speak."
"I gave in charity as many cows as there are grains of sand on the earth, stars in the heavens, or drops in a rain shower."
"Young, brown, milk-laden cows, who were well behaved, beautiful and endowed with good qualities, who were all acquired honestly, and who had gilded horns, silver-plated hooves and decorations of fine ornamental cloths and garlands—such were the cows, along with their calves, that I gave in charity."
"I first honored the brāhmaṇas who were recipients of my charity by decorating them with fine ornaments. Those most exalted brāhmaṇas, whose families were in need, were young and possessed of excellent character and qualities. They were dedicated to truth, famous for their austerity, vastly learned in the Vedic scriptures and saintly in their behavior. I gave them cows, land, gold and houses, along with horses, elephants and marriageable girls with maidservants, as well as sesame, silver, fine beds, clothing, jewels, furniture and chariots. In addition, I performed Vedic sacrifices and executed various pious welfare activities."

The Fatal Mistake and Judgment

Despite his staggering piety, King Nṛga fell victim to a terrible, unintentional mistake. A cow belonging to a first-class brāhmaṇa wandered back into the King's herd, and Nṛga innocently donated it to someone else, sparking an unsolvable dispute between the two priests.

Choosing to Suffer First

Unable to pacify the brāhmaṇas even after offering one hundred thousand of his best cows in exchange, King Nṛga was left with the karmic burden of having misappropriated a brāhmaṇa's property. Brought before the superintendent of death, the King bravely chose to face his punishment immediately.

"Once a cow belonging to a certain first-class brāhmaṇa wandered away and entered my herd. Unaware of this, I gave that cow in charity to a different brāhmaṇa."
"Finding myself in a terrible dilemma concerning my duty in the situation, I humbly entreated both the brāhmaṇas: "I will give one hundred thousand of the best cows in exchange for this one. Please give her back to me. Your good selves should be merciful to me, your servant. I did not know what I was doing. Please save me from this difficult situation, or I'll surely fall into a filthy hell.""
"O Lord of lords, O master of the universe, the agents of Yamarāja, taking advantage of the opportunity thus created, later carried me to his abode. There Yamarāja himself questioned me."
"I replied, "First, my lord, let me suffer my sinful reactions," and Yamarāja said, "Then fall!" At once I fell, and while falling I saw myself becoming a lizard, O master."

Deliverance and Eternal Surrender

Because he had dedicated his life to the service of the brāhmaṇas and always hankered for the audience of the Supreme Lord, King Nṛga's consciousness remained completely intact, even while trapped in the degraded, miserable body of a lizard.

A Miraculous Audience with Kṛṣṇa

Overwhelmed with awe, King Nṛga marvels at his supreme fortune. He acknowledges that even the greatest mystic yogīs struggle to see the Lord within their pure hearts. Yet, he is directly perceiving the Supreme Absolute Truth with his own eyes. Deeply moved, he begs for eternal devotion.

"O Keśava, as Your servant I was devoted to the brāhmaṇas and generous to them, and I always hankered for Your audience. Therefore even till now I have never forgotten (my past life)."
"O almighty one, how is it that my eyes see You here before me? You are the Supreme Soul, whom the greatest masters of mystic yoga can meditate upon within their pure hearts only by employing the spiritual eye of the Vedas. Then how, O transcendental Lord, are You directly visible to me, since my intelligence has been blinded by the severe tribulations of material life? Only one who has finished his material entanglement in this world should be able to see You."
"O Devadeva, Jagannātha, Govinda, Puruṣottama, Nārāyaṇa, Hṛṣīkeśa, Puṇyaśloka, Acyuta, Avyaya! O Kṛṣṇa, please permit me to depart for the world of the demigods. Wherever I live, O master, may my mind always take shelter of Your feet."
"I offer my repeated obeisances unto You, Kṛṣṇa, the son of Vasudeva. You are the source of all beings, the Supreme Absolute Truth, the possessor of unlimited potencies, the master of all spiritual disciplines."

Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani

This article is a thematic compilation of the teachings presented in the Vaniquotes category Bhagavatam Verses Spoken by Nrga Maharaja. We invite you to visit the link to read the complete collection of verses presented in alphabetical order.