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Prithu leaves the kingdom to Vijitashwa and enters Vanaprastha ashram. After performing austere meditations he gives up his physical body.
After living a long and righteous life dedicated to the worship of God, Prithu realized that it was time for him to hand over charge to his son, Vijitashwa. Vijitashwa immediately shared the immense kingdom with his four brothers creating for them their own independent kingdoms. Prithu and his wife Arci left for the forest. Crowds of lamenting citizens gathered for one last look at the king who had done so much for them. In the forest, Prithu followed the rigors of Vanaprastha ashram with the same zest and dedication that he had showed in ruling the country. Initially he lived off the fruits and roots of trees. Then he ate only bark and dried leaves and ultimately subsisted only on air. He was exposed to the elements of nature. In summer he meditated under the scorching sun, in the monsoon he mediated in the torrential rain and in winter in the ice-cold waters of the river. Also the forest floor was his bed. Throughout this period though his wife was with him he lived a celibate life. Through the austere life in the forest in which he continuously worshipped God, Prithu eliminated the last vestige of desire. Hence he was completely freed from ego and the material conception of life. Then for all twenty-four hours his mind was fixed to the lotus feet of the Supreme God. He thus realized the God within him. He then decided to give up his physical body. He sat in the appropriate yogic posture and began to push his life air upward. He raised it from his navel to his heart and then to his throat. Finally the life air was raised to the central position between his eyebrows. After that his life escaped from the top of his skull and left his body forever. Queen Arci had all along followed in the footsteps of her husband. Though her body was delicate and not rugged like her husband’s, she did not complain but accepted the rigors of the forest life with equanimity. One day she saw that her husband’s body had become still and lifeless and understood that his jiv atma had merged with the param atma. She stoically built a funeral pyre on top of a hill and placed Prithu’s body on it. She then bathed in the river and offered prayers to all the Devas and other deities. She lit the pyre and after circumambulating it as was customary, she entered the flames and yielded her physical form. The Devas and their consorts were observing this sacred event. As Arci stepped into the pyre they showered petals on her. They praised King Prithu and Queen Arci for leading an exemplary life and welcomed their permanent reunion with the Supreme God. Please check my course on Hindu Mythology Please check my articles on Mythology from India
The copyright of the article Prithu’s Ascension in Hinduism is owned by Harsh Nevatia. Permission to republish Prithu’s Ascension in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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