The Activities of the Pracetās Brothers
Following his profound realization through the teachings of Nārada, King Prācīnabarhi underwent a complete transformation of consciousness and life purpose. He recognized that despite his position as a powerful king and despite his extensive religious activities, he had remained trapped in material consciousness and had not made genuine progress toward spiritual realization. With sincere humility and determination, he decided to renounce his kingdom and dedicate the remainder of his life to intensive spiritual practice aimed at achieving pure devotional consciousness and liberation from material entanglement. Before departing for the forest to engage in austerities, he entrusted his kingdom to his sons, known as the Pracetās brothers, who numbered ten in total.
The ten Pracetās brothers had been extensively educated in spiritual knowledge by their father and by various sages who visited the kingdom. Unlike their father in his earlier years, the Pracetās brothers had developed genuine spiritual understanding from early in their lives and were committed to balancing their material duties with serious spiritual practice. When their father renounced the kingdom and departed for the forest, the brothers accepted the responsibility of governing the realm, but they did so with the clear understanding that political power and material wealth were merely temporary trusts to be managed according to dharmic principles rather than personal possessions to be exploited for selfish gratification.
The Pracetās brothers ruled the kingdom jointly, establishing a unique form of collective governance in which decisions were made through consultation and consensus rather than through the authority of a single monarch. This arrangement proved extraordinarily effective, as each brother contributed his particular strengths and insights, and the collective wisdom of the group exceeded what any single individual could have achieved. The kingdom flourished under their righteous and wise governance, with justice, prosperity, and spiritual culture all being maintained at high levels. The brothers ensured that temples and spiritual centers were well-supported, that learned brahmanas could teach Vedic knowledge without interference, and that all citizens had opportunities to engage in spiritual practice according to their capacity and interest.
Despite their success in governance and their material prosperity, the Pracetās brothers never forgot that the ultimate goal of life was spiritual realization rather than material achievement. They maintained regular spiritual practices including meditation, study of sacred texts, and worship of the Supreme Lord. They consulted regularly with sages and spiritual masters, seeking guidance to deepen their spiritual understanding. They used their position and wealth not for personal indulgence but to create conditions in which they and their subjects could advance spiritually. In this way, they demonstrated that it is possible to fulfill one's material duties and responsibilities while maintaining primary focus on spiritual development.
Eventually, having fulfilled their duties as rulers and having established their kingdom on firm dharmic foundations, the Pracetās brothers decided that the time had come to dedicate themselves more fully to spiritual practice. They arranged for capable successors to assume governance of the kingdom, and then they departed together to engage in intensive austerities and meditation. They traveled to a sacred location near the ocean where they could practice without distraction from political duties or material concerns. There, they engaged in extremely rigorous spiritual practices for many thousands of years, their minds fixed on the Supreme Lord and their consciousness progressively purifying as they transcended all material attachments and identifications.
This chapter teaches that genuine spiritual life does not necessarily require immediate renunciation of all material duties and responsibilities, but rather requires maintaining proper consciousness and motivation while fulfilling one's prescribed duties. The Pracetás brothers demonstrated that one can be a ruler, manage material affairs, and fulfill family and social obligations while simultaneously advancing spiritually, provided that one maintains clear priorities, engages in regular spiritual practice, and eventually transitions toward more intensive spiritual focus when circumstances permit. Their example shows that the spiritual path is flexible and can accommodate different life situations, but that ultimate success requires eventually prioritizing spiritual realization above all material concerns and dedicating oneself fully to achieving the supreme goal of loving devotional service to the Lord.