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Monday, April 8, 2024
Contents
Introduction
TopWhen you start the journey into Bhagavata, you begin with a namaskara. "na" means absent. "ma" means ego. So by namaskara it is meant that we give up ego when wishing someone
We pray to the almighty who is responsible for creation, maintenance and destruction of the universe; is self-effulgent; gave Lord Brahma the vedas; encompasses the Devas; unlike the mirage is alway true; is not conceited.
Bhagavata is written by the sage Vyasa where he described the devotion of beings without any conceit or deception. Bhagavata will eliminate bondage and set a goal to life. It is ever truthful and auspicious. When there are other epics like Ramayana and Maha Bharata where is the need for a new epic? Bhagavata is the heart of the almighty. Those who listen to or read it with devotion will attain the paramatma.
In Bhagavata salvation is the central topic. Since the paramatma alone can offer salvation, it won't dwell into things that don't pertain to salvation. That means it is self-effacing. Therefore, the reader or listener will be free from conceit. Such people are humble and truthful.
Bhagavata takes away duality and destroys bonds. Those who read Bhagavata will attain salvation without rebirth.
Bhagavata gives us the knowledge about Brahman who is not a novel thing. Everything we see, touch, taste, hear, inhale is because of Brahman. If Brahman is not experienced by us, it is because of our ignorance. Without a clean conscience, it is impossible to realize Brahman. So Bhagavata introduced several devotional aspects that give us the ability to realize Brahman. When Bhagavata is there, where is the need for other epics?
Devotees! Bhagavata is the sacred fruit of vedas. It was narrated by the Suka maharshi. It is without death. One has to try again and again to imbibe it.
Being a fruit of vedas, there is nothing to reject in Bhagavata. It is as ripe as a fruit pecked by a parrot. It is not the amrit imbibed by the Devas. The sage Suka offered the Bhagavata elixir in exchange for the amrit which is far inferior. This is done as per the wish of Devas who can't get this elixir in heaven.
By imbibing the elixir of Bhagavata, king Pareekshit attained salvation. That's why Sage Vyasa advises us to read Bhagavata again and again so that we may attain salvation.
A number of devotees think Bhagavata itself is one of the forms of paramatma. Its origin is traced to a cave in Amarnath. In Kousika samhita, it was stated that in the Amarnath cave Lord Siva narrated Bhagavata to his consort Parvati Devi.
At the beginning of Bhagavata, Sage Vyasa paid homage to paramatma. Similarly he ends Bhagavata with a homage to Paramatma.
The Bhagavata ends with a prayer to Lord Vishnu as the destroyer of all travails and tribulations.
Bhagavata does not just pray to avoid unhappy things but to put an end to them because the fruits of all of our past karma need to be experienced in this life. When one reads an epic like Bhagavata, the degree of sadness felt when carrying out karma is diminished.
Stalwarts like Budha, Sankara, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Vivekananda, et al. were also subjected to unhappiness. But they never physically experienced its pain and were always in joy.
Once a devotee addressing Ramakrishna said "If you get surgery done, then you will return to a healthful state". To which Ramakrishna replied "I gave my mind to the mother of the universe. How can I think about surgery? How can I apply my mind to this body that is nothing but flesh and blood. I am happy the way I am".
It is not the unhappiness that troubles us. But the feeling that we are unhappy makes us miserable. Unhappiness is a phase in life that makes us resilient and prepared.
When we are happy we seldom pray to paramatma. If we are in the habit of praying to Paramatma everyday then even unhappiness is welcome. Lord Sri Krishna sticks with us through thick and thin, especially when suffering. When Pandavas were in difficult times, Lord Sri Krishna stuck with them. Similarly after leaving Vraja pura, where the Lord spent his childhood, Gopikas felt abandoned and the Lord gave them salvation. So a staunch devotee is never afraid of suffering and gladly welcomes it fully knowing that the paramatma will give enough strength to tide over it.
Once the mother of Pandavas, Kunti, was melancholic seeing her sons ending up in the forests while the Kauravas were ruling their kingdom. She prayed to Lord Sri Krishna and the Lord appeared before her.
The Lord asked her to seek a boon.
Kunti said "I am blessed by your appearance. Please make this suffering last for ever".
The Lord said: "O mother, your wish is very strange. Everyone asks for happiness. I don't understand why you seek suffering".
"O the King of Yadavas, is there anything you don't know? When I was living in the palace at Hastinapura I never thought about you. Ensconced in riches my mind didn't focus on you. Today, bereft of all riches, I am praying to you. I feel the riches that take me away from you are unwanted. Therefore, please grant me suffering that keeps my mind focused on you." said Kunti.
Auspicious Beginning
TopIn Naimisa forest Rishi Sounaka and other rishis gathered to perform a yagna for the pleasure of Sri Hari. Sage Vyasa's disciple Soota came to visit them.
It was early in the morning before the sun rose. Cool winds were blowing. Nightingales were singing. The air was fragrant. Peacocks and other birds were dancing and singing
All the sages gathered around Soota.
"O great rishi! You have learnt epics from your guru. You also teach about them. You are as enlightened as your guru Vyasa. Please teach us what you have learnt" said Sounaka and other rishis.
Only with the tutelage under a guru can the disciple learn the scripture. Lone efforts may not be fruitful. Soota has served his guru and attained enlightenment. He not only absorbed the teachings of guru, he was also spreading the knowledge.
The noble are those who not only attain enlightenment but also help others achieve enlightenment.They are free of sins and follow dharma. Merely listening to their preachings will cleanse souls.
A guru is one who has already cleansed his sin. A disciple tries to cleanse his sins. A real guru never commits sin. His disciple will be too afraid to commit sin.
A wretched one will be far removed from paramatma. He cannot have a clear conscience. Sometimes he weeps at his wretched life. A real sinner is one who never tries for salvation. Just as it is impossible to find anything in a dark room, it is impossible to find paramatma in the wretched person's heart. So effort has to be made to preach the Bhagavata thereby enhancing the devotion to the Lord. Some listeners are very attentive during preachings. But when it comes to action, they fail to follow them. It is because of their sins.
With sunlight, darkness is dispelled. Similarly in a guru-disciple tutelage, the sin is cleansed. A sin-free guru and a disciple who is too afraid to commit sin, create an idle atmosphere for learning. Hence their hermitage is free of sins. Such hermitages in turn become holy pilgrimage sites.
Some unfortunate people can't visit holy pilgrim sites. When they have money, they can seek entertainment. Only with fortune can one visit the holy sites.
Kali yuga is filled with short-lived, ill mannered, low lives. So it is imperative that they be enlightened. Sounaka and other rishis were seeking such enlightenment from Soota.
There are so many attainable objects in this world. God is also one such thing. But lazy ones have no such desire. They are very unfortunate. Bhagavata will help such lazy ones attain salvation by freeing their bonds and cleansing their conscience. It offers complete peace.
The tales of the Lord are as pleasure giving as a sweet. Whereas a sweet doesn't last long, the Lord's tales will be sweetening us forever. The more we imbibe the more we want to hear them. When a tree is watered at the roots, it will look healthy green. Similarly when the tales of the Lord enter our ears, we will be enlightened. We will be free from the dependence on the ephemeral body and will stay focused on the infinite god. Listening to Bhagavata will also free us from anger and lust. The conscience will be made clean. The obstacles to salvation will be removed. We will be kind to others and achieve great satisfaction.
The antagonistic feelings, emotions, actions won't stop without the exposure to the Lord's tales. The mind will be focused on the Lord when we listen to his tales.When we imagine the form of the Lord our heart rejoices and eyes water. Only listening to Lord's tales can generate such auspicious feelings. The devotion attained by the Lord's tales will help us tide over the worldly bonds.
"O the great rishi Soota! We have realized that Kali yuga has begun. That's why we gathered in the Naimisa forest to perform a yagna. It is the only way we figured to tide over the Kali's adverse effects. We are keen to listen to the stories of Sri Hari. No matter how many times we listen to such stories we are not satisfied. Our hearts seek more and more.
"Lord Vishnu has donned the Sri Krishna avatara to rescue his devotees. You know all about Sri Krishna avatar. We are prepared to listen to you attentively. It is by the grace of God that we have you in our midst."
The river Ganga is holy. But the story of Lord Krishna is holier. Ganga's water only cleanses the body by contact. Whereas by the mere sighting of a holy person one's mind and body are cleansed. Just as an able sailor can navigate the boat in bad weather, the tutelage of the holy people will help us maneuver over our lives.
Significance of Bhakti
Top"O holy Soota, the son of Roma Harsha, at the demise of Krishna avatara where did dharma go? Whom did it approach?"
To please the Sanaka and other rishis, Soota was about to deliver his lecture on Bhagavata. Before that he said a prayer to Suka maharshi as it was customary to pray to the gurus.
The Sage Suka, the son of Vyasa, when still in his mother's womb did not emerge for sixteen years. Vyasa asked him "O son, how long are you going to stay in the womb? Why aren't you coming out?"
Suka replied "I am not interested in the trappings of the world. It is full of ignorance. It is a vicious circle. The world is the making of maya. I am not ready to experience it. Hence I am reluctant to come out".
Who is a noble one? One who is afraid of committing sins. The real devotees are the ones who are afraid of sins and lead a pious life.
Some people perform a plethora of religious rites while committing sins. Paramatma won't help them because he is not fooled by the offerings but looks into the actions.
Being aware of Suka's dilemma, the Lord blessed him. The Lord told Suka his devotees cannot commit sins. Sri Suka, assured by the Lord, came out of his mother's womb.
Even before Suka was born his devotion to the Lord arose. So he went in search of the Lord soon after he was born. He selected a place to carry on his search by meditation and wandering into the forest.
Some people lead a sinful life till their death. Those who seek the answer to the question "Why am I born?" become noble souls.
Suka's trysts made his mother worry. She was unable to bear the separation from him. So she beseeched her husband Vyasa to stop Suka's wanderings.
"The ones we cherish the most, should be offered to the Lord. Suka is very dear to us. It is better to let him search for paramatma" said the omniscient Vyasa. This however did not end his wife's worrying.
One should have renunciation along with devotion. One who doesn't return to the Lord what he has received from him is committing sin. Some people are ardent devotees. But they are too afraid to renounce something. Such people are flowers sans fragrance. When a devotee has the spirit of renunciation, then he will be like a fragrant flower.
Suka's mother was very much worried. Even Vyasa was beginning to get worried after seeing his son wander. One day he went after Suka calling out "O son! O son!". The trees along his path also echoed him. Thus soota reminisced before beginning the Bhagavata thereby offering his obeisance to Suka.
The trees along the path of Vyasa echoed his calling to Suka. There are some important spiritual aspects to this.
Just as the dear son of Vyasa was leaving him, everyday the birds that dwell on the trees leave in search of food. Who can enjoy a world full of travail and strife? So the trees were consoling Vyasa.
Just as man and wife procreate, the trees generate fruits. The fruits are for the birds. The trees have no use for them. When we offer what is dearest to the Lord, we become noble.
The trees were saying to Vyasa, "We offer the fruits, which are like our offspring, to others. Similarly offer your son Suka for the welfare of others. Don't cry". Vyasa's heart filled with kindness, moved the hearts of the trees and made them echo "O son! O son!". Thus meditating over Suka, Soota began the Bhagavata.
"Bhagavata which is the essence of vedas, scripture and self experience is being told to dispel the ignorance of devotees upon their wish with the blessing of Sage Suka who is the guru for all the sages and son of the great Vyasa" said Soota in prayer to Suka.
"After praying to Lord, Goddess Saraswati, Sage Vyasa I am going to unfold Bhagavata that helps the listeners cross the ocean of life," said Soota.
"O sages! You have sought the knowledge that brings auspiciousness to the world. Dharma is very subtle. When the mind is rested on Lord Sri Krishna, such dharma is the most preferred. The open minded devotees are the perfect ones. By listening to the Bhagavata, the devotees attain purity in their hearts" said Soota.
When we hear the tales about the Lord, our interest in him grows manifold. One has to be very attentive while listening. Otherwise there is no focus. Those who put effort to gain one track mind while listening, will receive the grace of the Lord. They will be blessed with pure knowledge.
Soota said, "The devotion to Vasu Deva will make us renounce worldly things and seek true knowledge".
The one who is disinterested in Bhagavata, no matter how much dharma he adheres to cannot attain salvation. He will only obtain the fruit of his karma. Among dharma, wealth and desire, he will obtain one or all but not salvation. So no matter which dharma one adopts, one has to keep his mind focused on the Lord. The great sages attain salvation thus.
"One has to be steadfast in devotion to Paramatma. He has to give up worldly pleasures. Devotion will mitigate the desires and enhance the pleasure of thinking about the Lord. It will also lessen the involvement in extraneous things. Thus," said Soota, "one has to attain a focused mind full of devotion to the Lord."
One has to sever the bonds with the sword called Bhagavata. There is no need to renounce karma. It is ideal to give up desire. The memories from the past lives create cravings that need to be surmounted. When the meditation on the Lord is uninterrupted, then it means the desires are overcome. This leads to peace and perennial joy.
It is not a sin to eat food. But it is a sin when it is not offered to the Lord first. After it is offered to the Lord it is no longer ordinary food but a holy offering that rejuvenates the mind and body.
Pilgrimage, service to guru and devotees, listening to Bhagavata will mitigate the sin and eradicate the memories from past lives and those from the present life emanating from gunas. Devotion will clean the conscience and prepare the body and mind for enlightenment. Just as a building cannot stand without a foundation, there is no knowledge without devotion. Such knowledge is all from Vasu Deva's effulgence.
The real knowledge is about the Lord; the real penance is about the Lord; the real dharma is the one attributed to the Lord. Thus Soota informed the gathering of rishis about the devotion to the Lord in preparation for the description of his avataras.
The real form of the Lord is devoid of attributes. For the sake of devotees he assumes various forms. There are twenty four such forms that have descended on the earth.
Lord's Avataras
TopThe quintessence of Bhagavata is Sri Krishna's story. It appears in the tenth skanda. In this skanda Soota mentions briefly the various avataras.
When the unmanifest appears visible to us, then it is called an avatar. It literally means descending to the earth. The formless Lord appears with attributes and gunas when he arrives on earth as an avatar. Where will he be born? Where from he manifests? Won't the infinite Lord become finite when he is born? How can a finite avatara represent the vast formless unmanifest Lord? When the Lord is infinite everything is from him and because of him. In this non-dualistic mode of thinking, the avatara hasn't manifested. It is only our ignorance that is dispelled. The non-dualist sees everything as an avatara of the Lord.
There is a huge difference between our birth and the birth of the Lord. When we are born it is because of the accumulated karma from the past lives. We are attached to the yoke of life and don't have the freedom to digress from a set pattern of life in bondage. But an avatara has no accumulated karma. So it is free from bondage.
Lord dons an avatara to emancipate us with his maya. When an avatara appears people are confused about its significance. "What karma will the one who has no karma perform?" is one lingering doubt in our minds. The avatara is prompted in response to the sins committed by various people. Just as we attain our birth based on karma from previous lives, the Lord gives retribution to the wicked because of whom he had to assume an avatar.
The reason for Lord Rama avatara is not only Ravana's sinful ways but also Vibheeshana's nobility. For Lord Krishna avatara it is not just the Rukmini Devi's devotion but also Sisupala's wickedness. We reap our karma and experience its fruits. Devotees are inspired by the appearance of the avatar. The wicked are eliminated by the avatar. Thus the avataras maintain the balance of dharma and stabilize the earth.
Lord Krishna said in gnana yoga of Bhagavad Gita "Arjuna, the one who fully realizes my birth and karma, attains me after leaving his body".
Bhagavad Gita furthermore says the punishment of the wretched and the protection of the noble as the paramount reason for an avatar. How can punishing the wicked Ravana or the wretched Kamsa thousands of years ago, help us in the present times?
The wickedness is not external but within us. When we eliminate wicked thoughts, we see the world as the manifestation of the Lord. There are no demons outside but inside to torment us. The bad thoughts, haunting memories are the real asuras. An avatara helps us eliminate our negative thoughts and propel us toward positivity by increasing our good qualities. Therefore Lord dons an avatara inside our hearts when the time is ripe. The realization and reconciliation of the external avatara with the inner world is the real impetus. To light up the heart, there is a need for a stimulus from outside. With his maya Sri Hari dons uncountable or infinite avataras.
The details of various avataras are as old as the vedas. They appear in the puranas which are considered as Lord's exhalations by the Brihadaranyaka upanishad. So the real essence of puranas needs to be grasped. Purana literally means the one understood in a new light. Hence one has to apply the scientific knowledge to grasp puranas whose settings predate us by several thousands of years.
Soota was narrating the details of Lord's avataras. He told Sounaka and other rishis that the Lord appeared as Sanaka, Sananda et al.
The first avatara of Lord extolled celibacy. Without celibacy one can't experience the creator. A disciple should necessarily practice celibacy. The loss of vital life force brings us closer to death. The food we eat is digested and absorbed into the blood, flesh and eventually the vital force. So there is no one center in the body for the vital force. It is all over the body and creates an aura around it. Without the vital force, the body withers away.
It was said in Susruta's manual of medicine: "Just as butter is hidden in the milk, jaggery is within sugar cane, the vital force is all over the body." Because of celibacy Hanuman was able to fly over the ocean to reach Lanka; Bhishma was able to choose his time of death; Lord Rama and Lakshmana were able to kill Indrajit. The practitioners of spirituality must be celibate to receive the fruits of their hard work. With celibacy one could also control the senses.
There is another interpretation of celibacy. In Sanskrit the word for celibacy also means vedas. This gives the interpretation that one has to recite vedas. A celibate person has to control his senses and recite the scripture. The Lord's first avatara of Sanaka, Sananda et al. were naked and looked like young children. Their celibacy was unparalleled.
Lord's next avatara was a varaha or a boar. In Sanskrit "vara" means exalted and "ava" means day. Varaha means an auspicious day. So what is an auspicious day?
Whenever devotion overflows in our hearts that is an auspicious day. Varaha ends the covetousness associated with devotion. Varaha slayed a demon called Hiranyaksha to bring peace and tranquility on earth.
Hiranyaksha means one whose sight is on gold. It means acquisitiveness and possessiveness. Hiranyaksha ran away with earth. This shows his covetousness.
When devotion arises in our hearts, it makes us renounce unwanted things. Just as sun rise drives away darkness, renunciation eliminates covetousness. This is the essence of Varaha avatar. One has to be content with what one has and not clamor for more than necessary. Celibacy, sacrifice, satisfaction are the attributes of a devotee.
The next avatara is Narada which literally means someone who imparts knowledge. Blind belief is not wanted. Devotion with knowledge is more stable. With devotion it is possible to attain salvation. The goal of devotion is to merge in paramatma.
The fourth avatara is Nara-Narayana. They were born to Dharma and his wife Moorthy and did great penance. Paramatma can only be known through meditation and penance. People clamor for money but not everyone shows the same interest in paramatma. It is not possible to love God without first renouncing the desire for ephemeral things. Without renunciation, devotion will be weak.
The fifth avatara is called Kapila. In this avatara penance with renunciation, devotion and knowledge are demonstrated. Kapila preaches to his mother, Devahuti, about the spiritual matters. It is famously called "Kapila Gita".
The sixth avatara of the Lord is Dattatreya who was born to Atri and Anasuya. Anasuya means one without jealosy. He wrote Avadhoota Gita and Jeevanmukta Gita. He also gave a sermon to Prahlada.
Lord Krishna said to Arjuna in Gita, "You being without jealousy, I tell you secret knowledge that elevates you and takes you away from inauspiciousness" So paramatma is biased against jealous people.
After attaining knowledge one assumes the form of yagna. Lord was born to Ruchi and Akuti in the form of yagna. This is the seventh avatar.
Knowledge and yagna symbolize sacrifice. So together they imply sanyasa. Lord was born as Rushabha Deva to teach the duties of a paramahamsa.
Some people are born to serve others. They see the happiness in others and feel it as their own. They always aspire for good things to happen in the world. This is the essence of King Prudhu's avatar. After hearing appeals from rishis, the Lord in this avatara extracted medicinal plants from the earth. Soota said this is a very beautiful avatar.
In Matsyavatara or fish avatar, the Lord killed the demon Hayagriva thereby saving his devotee Satyavrata. He also recovered vedas stolen from Brahma Deva. Thus he restored dharma on earth.
In Koormavatara or tortoise avatar, Lord bore the weight of Mount Mandara that was used to churn the milky ocean by the Devas and Asuras. This avatara means devotion to the Lord protects the devotee from sinking with his memories retained from the past lives. This is the eleventh avatara of the Lord.
The next avatara of the Lord is Dhanvantari who emerged from the milky ocean as Devas and Asuras were churning it holding in his hands eixir (amrit). He represents the outcome of a devotee's unflinching dedication to the Lord.
The thirteenth avatara is Mohini who distributes elixir among Devas, denying the Asuras. It is a beautiful avatara that tells us to renounce negative feelings and enhance positivity of mind.
The fourteenth avatara is Nrusimha. He slayed the demon Hiranyakasipu who was granted a boon by Brahma Deva. As per the boon he could not be killed at night or in day; inside or outside; by animals or men. Lord assumed the form of half-lion and half-man to annihilate Hiranyakasipu and save his devotee Prahlada, the son of Hiranyakasipu, who was being tortured by his father. The avatara emphasizes that ego cannot be killed easily where Hiranyakasipu represents the ego.
The fifteenth avatara is Vamana. In this avatara the Lord hoodwinks the King Bali to part with his kingdom and save the Devas. There was no blood shed in this avatar.
The fourteenth avatara is Parasurama. He was also called Bhargavaram. At the beginning of treta yuga Parasurama went about killing the kings. He attacked the royals who hated Devas and brahmins twenty one times.
The seventeenth avatara is Veda Vyasa who was born to Parasara and Satyavati. He edited vedas, wrote eighteen puranas, gave us Bharata, Bhagavata, Brahma Sutras among others. Sanatana dharma would not have existed without his contribution.
Sri Rama is the eighteenth avatar. Lord Rama is epitome of dharma. He was an ideal son, king, husband, friend, disciple, guru, brother, enemy and so on. He is the role model to many to this day.
In nineteenth and twentieth avataras the Lord was born as Balararama and Sri Krishna. Together they rid the earth of demons and wicked people. Sri Krishna was also called Poorna avatara meaning he is the most exalted being.
Budha is the twenty-first avatar. At the time of writing the Bhagavata, this avatara didn't exist. Soota predicted that this avatara would grace the earth. Budha sacrificed his kingdom and became a role model with his kindness and compassion.
The twenty second avatara is Kalki. This will appear at the end of the Kali yuga, when dharma will be completely eradicated. It was predicted that the Lord would be born to a brahmin called Vishnuyasu in a place called Sambala. Thus there are innumerable avataras of the Lord. By knowing about these important avataras one will be cleansed of sin.
The non-believers limit the infinite Lord to a body. Like the clouds in the sky, dust in the air, they see the Lord confined to a body. The quest is to see the Lord in all manifestations.
Like those who can't discern an actor from his real self, the omnipresent Lord is not felt by the ignorant ones. Those who see the existence of the Lord in all manifestations are exalted beings. Those devotees who worship the Lord with pure hearts attain the Lord.
Soota continued his discourse. Veda Vyasa wrote the Bhagavata. After Sri Krishna renounced his avatara at the beginning of Kali yuga, the earthlings were run over by ignorance. To emancipate such souls, the auspicious Bhagavata emerged. It is like the sun that dispels darkness.
Vyasa churned the vedas and ithasasa and extracted the butter called Bhagavata. He passed it on to his son Suka.
Suka, surrounded by other rishis, gave the Bhagavata discourse to the King Pareekshit who was about to kill himself by drowning in river Ganga. Soota was one of the rishis who listened to the discourse.
Soota said "Sounaka and other rishis, I listened to the discourse on Bhagavata given by Sri Suka. Because of his kindness I absorbed some of it. I will lecture on it as per your wish."
The rishis said "Soota, in which yuga was this auspicious Bhagavata written? Where else was it discussed? Why did Vyasa write this? We heard about Vyasa's son Suka yogi. He is a genius and capable of non-duality."
When Suka was going to the forest, a group of apsarasas were frolicking in a lake. At the time, Suka shone with youthful vigor. Apsarasas saw him but ignored him.
Sometime later Vyasa came there searching for his son. As soon as the apsarasa saw him, they ran and got dressed.
Vyasa was puzzled by the apsarasas' action. He asked "You did not feel abashed when my youthful son passed by. But now as I pass by you are abashed. Why?"
The apsarasas replied "Even though your son is a youth, he never questioned us. He is an elderly person in our view. That's why we were not abashed. But you saw us and asked us several questions".
Suka didn't discriminate. There was no feeling in him for women. He only saw divinity in one and all.
Sounaka et al asked "Soota, how did Suka reach the banks of river Ganga? He is not known to linger in households for more than a few moments. How did such a noble person stay on the banks of Ganga for seven days? Please tell us about King Pareekshit to whom Soota preached Bhagavata".
In response to Sounaka and rishis, Soota was revealing the motivation for Bhagavata and the aim it purports to achieve.
Vyasa's Melancholy
TopAs the Dwapara yuga was ending, the son of Satyvati, Vyasa carried out ablutions in the river Saraswati and sat in meditation in his Badarika ashram.
Vyasa reorganized vedas, wrote eighteen puranas, Brahma Sutras, etc. He was well known as Veda Vyasa.
At the time Sage Narada was passing by and noticed the forlorn face of Vyasa. He asked "O Son of Parasara, why is your face so long? How can melancholy creep into your mind?"
Vyasa replied "O Sage Narada, even I don't understand. You travel in the three lokas. You are omniscient. You move like air in all lokas. You are born from Brahma. You praise Lord Vishnu. You stepped auspiciously in all directions. You are the most learned".
"O King among the ascetics, you know all about dharma. You have experienced all situations. You surely will know the reason for my melancholy. Kindly reveal it to me", said Vyasa.
Narada replied, "O great sage, you wrote about dharma, wealth and desire in Bharata and puranas. You have not written about the eclectic deeds of Lord Vishnu that are worthy of great praise and lead to salvation."
"O great sage! you have written about the esoteric aspects of vedas but forgot to write about devotion. No matter how much knowledge one has, without devotion there will be no salvation. Your melancholy is because you have not praised the amazing qualities of the Lord. So write Bhagavata in praise of Lord Vishnu and get rid of your melancholy", said Narada.
"One cannot obtain knowledge that transcends physical dimensions without devotion toward Lord Vishnu. An act done without offering its fruits to Eswara won't endear Eswara. Devotion-less karma and knowledge are useless. So write about the escapades of Vasudeva that releases the listeners from the material bonds. A devotee won't be caught in the material bonds when he is subservient to the Lord."
Thus Narada spoke and started revealing his previous life.
Narada's Past Lives
TopAll auspicious karma is to praise the Lord Sri Hari. Penance, reading Vedas, performing yagna, offering alms are meant to praise the positive attributes of Sri Hari.
In his previous life, Narada was born to a maid who was serving a pious brahmin woman. Once during the rainy season, the brahmin family was performing a vedic ritual. Narada was serving the family.
Narada refrained from childhood games. He gained control over his senses. He spoke very little. The brahmin family liked his behavior and looked after him with loving care. Sometimes they gave him the leftover food. Narada accepted it as a holy offering. As a result he attained purity of heart. He developed a deep interest in the Lord's tales.
During the fire rituals, the brahmins praised Lord Krishna everyday. Narada used to listen to the songs praising the Lord. Gradually a deep devotion for the Lord began in Narada. His intellect had stabilized and the shortcomings of gunas were nullified. At the end of the fire ritual, the brahmins gave advice to Narada.
"From that moment on, I decided to serve the Lord. I vowed to dedicate myself to his service. Actions are no longer obstacles to me"
"O Vyasa, just as food that causes illness and exacerbates disease isn't helpful, the ignorant acts won't liberate a person from bondage. The food that causes illness when mixed with healthy food, cannot exacerbate disease with the same vigor when taken alone. Similarly karma causes bondage that traps us. When we perform karma and offer its fruits to Eswara, it purifies our mind and paves the way for salvation"
"O great sage, thus I was serving Lord Krishna who bestowed me with the wealth of knowledge", said Narada. Vyasa wanted to know the rest of the story.
One day Narada's mother was walking toward a cow to milk it. On the way she was bitten by a poisonous snake resulting in her death. Narada accepted it as divine will. Later Narada went northward. He was meditating under a tree. Lord Sri Hari appeared in his mind. Narada was amazed at the feeling. His eyes were watering. Then Sri Hari disappeared.
Narada felt sad. Seeking another vision of the Lord, he was crying. Then he heard the disembodied voice of Sri Hari say "Dear child, you cannot see me in this birth. The mind full of past memories cannot visualize me. To encourage devotion toward me, I appeared in your mind's eye. By offering service to noble people your mind is purified. You will be my servant after renouncing your body and attaining devotion"
From then on Narada unabashedly started praising the Lord and reminiscing about the Lord's stories. He gave up ego and broke his bonds. He got rid of desires and got disembodied. Then he became Lord Vishnu's servant.
"O Vyasa, I told you the cause of your melancholy. I have also described my karma in previous lives and the significance of my present birth" said Naarada and left the place singing praises to the Lord. Soota said to Sounaka et al Narada was very fortunate.
Aswathama's Rage
TopSoon after Narada left, Vyasa wrote Bhagavata in Samyaprasa ashram situated on the banks of river Saraswati. He then bequeathed Bhagavata to his son Suka.
The war between Kauravas and Pandavas in Kurukshetra ended. Bheema destroyed Dhuryodhana by hitting on his thighs. To please his master Duryodhana, Aswathama decapitated Droupadi's children. He thought his master would be pleased. To the contrary, Duryodhana condemned Aswathama's murders. Everyone blamed Aswathama.
Droupadi was crying at the decapitated bodies of her sons. Arjuna consoled her.
Arjuna said "O auspicious one, please don't cry. The dead ones can't be seen again. By crying you can't make them alive. The low life who killed your sons will be meted with the same fate. I will bring his decapitated head as a gift to you". He then went after Aswathama in his chariot.
In a state of delirium one commits sin. The sin won't end soon after the act. The sin constantly chases the person. Some people garner wealth by cheating others. But they can't sleep in peace.
Aswathama saw Arjuna's chariot and started running. Seeing Arjuna was gaining on him, he fired Brahma Astra even though he didn't know how to recall it. The Brahma Astra released great fire and started devouring the world. Arjuna didn't know what to do. He prayed for Lord Krishna's help.
Situations will not be in our control all the time. At any time events can go topsy turvy. There is no need to fear during such times, if one prays to the Lord. It is essential to chant the names of the Lord who will grant us the strength to face tough situations. Lord Krishna's devotee, Arjuna seeing the calamity created by the Brahma Astra feared his death and prayed to the Lord.
"O Lord Krishna, the one with strong arms, this wild fire is spreading all over. Its origin is unknown. No one but you can protect us" prayed Arjuna.
Lord Krishna said "Arjuna, Aswathama fired Brahma Astra. He knows how to fire it but not recall it. You know how to recall it. So you be on that task".
Arjuna obeyed Sri Krishna's command. He decided to fire his Brahma Astra and took Lord's blessing.
Arjuna can easily destroy Aswathama's Brahma Astra. But he sought Lord Krishna's blessing. This kind of humility made him great. So we have to pray to the Lord before carrying out actions, even though we are very strong. We should not forget that it is the Lord's blessing that makes us successful.
With Lord's help, Arjuna recalled Brahma Astra. He then captured Aswatham.
The enraged Lord Krishna said "Arjuna, this Aswatham committed grave sin. He killed innocent children in the darkness of the night. He is a wicked person without remorse. This low life needs to be killed. He is not eligible for your pardon."
Lord Krishna said "This low life cannot be in the company of those seeking pardon. It is better to kill him. I heard you say to Droupadi that you will bring his decapitated head with you. Even Duryodhana did not approve of this wicked man's action. It is not correct to let him go. He is eligible for capital punishment".
Arjuna listened to Sri Krishna. But he did not want to kill Aswathama who was the son of his guru Drona. Killing a brahmin, that to guru's son, could land him in even more trouble. One has to assess if an act will cause more harm than good. An act causing more harm has to be abandoned. When a devotee hesitates to commit an act because of the sin it is a positive sign. This reflects the character of the devotee.
Arjuna tied up Aswathama and brought him to Droupadi. Aswathama bent his head in shame. He was repentant for the sin he committed by killing innocent children. One should not commit acts that make him hang his head in shame. Sin takes away the vital force of a person. A much revered person who is condemned for a sinful act prefers death over the shame.
Droupadi couldn't face Aswathama tied up like an animal. She said "My husband, free him. Think it over. Your guru Drona taught you all that you know in warfare and now he is in the form of Aswathama. Killing him is akin to killing your guru. He may have committed a sin. Will you commit another sin by killing him?"
"Arjuna think again. I am crying for the demise of my children. If Aswathama is killed by you his mother will cry like me", said Droupadi.
Here Droupadi is teaching a valuable lesson. Even to the enemy she was showing sympathy. Any one can be enraged with anger. But the noble ones are those who can control their anger.
When we suffer, we should hope that others don't suffer for the same reason. One should refrain from committing sin no matter how dire the situation is.
Droupadi said "I don't have children but have husbands. Aswathama's mother Krupi lost her husband. All her hopes are now on her son. It is not moral to let her suffer even more by killing her son." Everyone agreed with Droupadi.
Droupadi turning to Aswathama said "Does this act behoove you? My husbands, Pandavas, learnt all the skills of warfare from your father. Your dead father is living with you. Disciples are like children. Their children are your grandchildren. How could you kill my innocent children?"
"O son of guru. My children aren't strong. They were not carrying weapons. They didn't face you in the battle. They were only sleeping. What harm did they cause you? You killed my sons like you decapitate your enemy in the battlefield. How could your conscience permit it? How could your arms do the dirty deed?"
"O brahmin, when your mother comes to know that Arjuna captured you, she will cry. I am thinking about her agony. Didn't you have the foresight that if you kill innocent children, their mother will cry?" said Droupadi.
Everyone but Bheema agreed with Droupadi.
"We should not set this wicked one free. Droupadi is talking rubbish. Is this killer a brahmin anymore? This murderer needs to be killed. Droupadi doesn't make sense. Anyone of you could kill him. Otherwise, I will break his head into a thousand pieces with my bare hands" said Bheema.
Lord Krishna pacified Bheema. He said "O Arjuna, this Aswathama who killed your innocent sons is up for capital punishment. But as Droupadi said, the life of the son of a guru needs to be spared. So don't kill him. Yet don't set him free without punishment."
Arjuna understood the message from Lord Krishna. He took his sword and cut the hair on Aswathama's head. He then took away the jewel that was shining on his forehead. This made Aswathama lose the vital force.
Everyone agreed that Aswathama was meted with proper punishment. Aswathama felt death was preferable over the shame he was meted with.
Kunti Devi's Praise To The Lord
TopPandavas performed rituals for the departed souls. Dharma Raja, Pandavas, Gandhari, Dhrutarashtra, Kunti, Droupadi were seated near river Ganga. Everyone was feeling sad for the destruction of near and dear ones in the Kurukshetra war. Sri Krishna and the ascetics there consoled them. The Lord said no one could overcome the wheel of time.
Time will not show any remorse. Everyone will have to wither away with the passage of time. Knowing this one has to act in haste. Time will not stop for us. We have to make the best use of time to progress in the spiritual discipline.
The kingdom Sri Krishna received from Duryodhana was handed over to Dharma Raja. The Lord helped Dharma Raja perform three horse sacrifices. Dharma Raja's fame was spreading all over the world.
Sri Krishna decided to go to Dwaraka. He was about to leave with Satyaki and Uddhava. Abhimanyu's wife Uttara came running in fear. She asked for Lord's protection.
"O Lord of Lords, great Yogi, please protect me. In this world it seems everyone is out to kill everyone else. There is no one but you who can protect me" said Uttara.
"An arrow spitting fire is coming towards me. It seems to be targeting my womb. Please protect me from this arrow" said Uttara.
Sri Krishna realized that the embarrassed Aswathama decided to kill the last Pandava to be born by firing Brahma Astra. Meanwhile, five arrows targeting the Pandavas were arriving. The Lord destroyed them all with his Sudharsana chakra.
Uttara was worried about the Brahma Astra. Yet she did not seek help from her relatives. She prayed to the Lord for help. She knew that only the Lord could save her.
The Lord entered the womb of Uttara with his maya and saved the growing fetus.
The Lord without birth or death entered Uttara's womb. Devaki and Vasudeva thought they gave birth to Lord Krishna. In reality Lord Krishna never entered Devaki's womb nor was he born like mortals. How can the omnipresent be embodied? After entering Uttara's womb, the Lord protected the Pareekshit in fetus form.
Not only Pareekshit, the Lord is protecting every fetus in the womb. He also protects after delivering the fetus. As the child grows to adult and the adult turns old, and ultimately dies, the Lord is taking care. He protects us while living and after death.
Sri Krishna was finally ready to go to Dwaraka. Kunti Devi accompanied by her children approached the Lord
She did namaskara to Sri Krishna. Every day it was Sri Krishna that did the namaskara to Kunti Devi. Sri Krishna said "I am younger than you. I have to do namaskara to you. Not you".
Kunti said "Until now I thought you are a younger relation. In fact you are the paramatma and worthy of worship. You transcend senses and are everlasting"
"Namaskara to the one who has lotus in the navel. Namaskara to the one wearing a garland of lotuses around his neck. Namaskara to the one whose eyes are like lotuses. Namaskara to the one whose feet are like lotuses" said Kunti.
Kunti said "Lord, your parents were tortured by Kamsa for a long time. You have given them salvation. Because of your grace, I am living with my children"
The Lord does good things to his devotees. But ordinary people don't show their gratitude. We have to be ardent devotees of the Lord for having been given everything we have by him. Situations may change, but devotion should be unwavering.
Arjuna was inconsolable in Kurukshetra. He surrendered to the Lord. At the moment, Kunti didn't have any difficulties. Her son Dharma Raja was the king. Even then she was praying to Lord Krishna. Bhishma prayed to the Lord with a thousand names as he was resting on a bed of arrows. These examples prove the point that in difficulties, in happy moments or in the throes of death the Lord should be prayed.
Kunti Devi was inviting obstacles. Because, when living comfortably we forget to meditate on the Lord. Whereas, the Lord is remembered during difficult periods in life.
Kunti said "Krishna, I visited gokula when you were a child. I saw a strange thing. Yasoda tried to tie you up as you broke a pot containing butter. You started crying. The tears ran down your beautiful cheeks. You bowed your head down in fear"
Those who reminisce about the Lord's escapades and meditate over the names of the Lord, are in a state of bliss. Like Kunti, ardent devotees should brood over the divine acts and their transcendental meaning. In between acts, when there is an idle moment, we should think about the Lord. From name, we should progress to form and from there sublime into the formless vital force.
"Krishna, those who listen to your history, praise you, talk about you, meditate about you, experience infinite happiness, break free from the bonds, and reach your abode," said Kunti.
"Krishna, you are our savior. You are our destination. We are living with your support. Now you are leaving us behind. Pandavas will be lifeless. This kingdom is made auspicious with your footsteps. If you leave it will lose its lustre. Lord, dissipate my love for Pandavas. Like the river that flows into the vast ocean, my mind, free from desires, is racing towards you and resting in you" said Kunti.
With the pleasantries Kunti Devi praised the Lord. She reminisced over his escapades. Sri Krishna with a smile endeared her. Kunti offered namaskara to Sri Krishna.
Dharma Raja requested Sri Krishna to stay for some more time.
Dharma Raja was in melancholy. He was crying over the dead relatives. Vyasa and other rishis tried to console him. But it didn't help mitigate his sadness. He was experiencing deep depression.
"I am such a fool and selfish person. Ignorance has spread all over my heart. This body will wither away after I die. For its sake I killed thousands of soldiers, brahmins, friends, cousins and gurus. There is no way to atone for these sins. No matter how many millions of times I will be reborn these sins can't be washed away" said Dharma Raj.
"Even though the scripture says in a war enemies can be killed, my mind is still not at peace. I don't think performing yagnas will take away the sin of separating the warriors from their wives", said Dharma Raj.
"We can't wash our body with unclean water. We can't clean a pot used to store toddy with toddy. Similarly the sin of killing a person cannot be atoned by performing yagna" said Dharma Raj.
While Dharma Raja was asking "Why did I kill?" after the war, Arjuna with foresight had asked "Why should I kill?" before the war. A forethought will make a person perfect. Moping over the past won't help anyone.
After hearing about the sadness felt by Dharma Raj, Sri Krishna returned to Hastinapura.
"Heeding to my prayers, Sri Krishna returned to Hastina" thought Kunti and felt elated.
"Krishna listened to my pleadings and returned to Hastina" thought Dharma Raja.
"Krishna is my friend. It is not easy to part with friends. I am very fortunate" thought Arjuna.
"Krishna is my brother. My love for him has drawn him back" thought Subhadra. Droupadi thought "He likes my devotion to him."
Why Sri Krishna returned was unknown except to him. Everyone thought he returned for their sake. How many know that he returned to offer salvation to Bhishma who was resting on the bed of arrows?
Bhishma's Passing Away
TopThe outcome of the war stirred Yudhishtara. Bhishma was lying on the bed of arrows. Sri Krishna felt learning the intricacies of Dharma from Bhishma would uplift Dharma Raja's mood.
Dharma Raja approached Bhishma. Pandavas, Vyasa, Dhoumya, Sri Krishna went along with him. To see Bhishma, several rishis including Narada assembled near him.
The birth of great people looks ordinary. But their death is celebratory. As the river flows, it widens. In life a great person gains wisdom.
Bhishma offered namaskara to all the visitors. On seeing the all pervading Sri Krishna, he raised his hands in namaskara.
With happy tears Bhishma saw the Pandavas. The son of Ganga felt the tug of bonds by the obedient and loving Pandavas.
"Pandavas, you lived with Dharma. You followed brahmins and the Lord. Even then obstacles to your happiness came. This is a strange thing." said Bhishma.
"Pandavas, your father Pandu died when you were very young. To raise you my daughter-in-law Kunti persevered. She experienced great difficulties" said Bhishma.
"Dear ones, just as clouds move along with the wind, this world is controlled by time. The difficulties created by time have to be experienced. The escapades of the Lord are unimaginable to common people. At what point in time, what turn the life takes is unknown. People watching his maya have been blinded by it" said Bhishma.
"Pandavas, since this is divine ordained there is no reason to feel sad. Dharma Raja you are very fortunate. The omniscient Lord stood behind you. The Lord's kindness can't be expressed in words. To bless this poor soul he came to see me on the throes of death. He came to make my death a memorable experience" said Bhishma.
The noble Bhishma saw the Lord at the death's door. His death was made auspicious by the grace of the Lord. Bhishma decided to let go of his prana in the presence of the Lord.
When life is free from travail, even death will be auspicious. Those who pray to paramatma all their lives will meet him at the time of death. We should pray "O Lord, stay in my eyes when I die".
"Let the Lord stay near me until my body withers away" thought Bhishma.
Soota said "Sounaka and rishis, at that time Dharma Raja asked Bhishma several questions about Dharma. He learnt various intricacies of Dharma from him. He learnt the duties of householders and kings. Dharma Raja asked what is the most important Dharma. Bhishma said reciting the thousand names of Lord Vishnu is the most important dharma. With the recital of the thousand names of Lord Vishnu one's obstacles will be removed resulting in all round happiness.
Just as the interaction between Sri Krishna and Arjuna gave us Bhagavad Gita, the discussion between Dharma Raja and Bhishma gave us Vishnu Sahasra Nama. Both Arjuna and Dharma Raja are qualified to receive the wisdom from Sri Krishna and Bhishma. A life led with Dharma, patience and perseverance is the necessity.
As the solstice approached Bhishm decided to let his prana go. He turned his senses inward, freed his mind from external distractions and focused mind on Lord Krishna. He praised Sri Krishna.
"The creator of various worlds, the most exalted Yadava, the most handsome in all the world, one with dark blue skin, one who wears silk robes, one who is the friend of Arjuna, one who is covered with the dust raised by the running horses in the battle field, one whose sweat flowed down his beautiful curls, one who is struck by my arrows, let him stay in my mind forever" said Bhishma.
Sri Krishna vowed not to use any weapons during the Maha Bharata war. Arjuna was worried about Bhishma's arrows. Once he fell unconscious. Sri Krishna jumped to the ground from the chariot. He held the chariot wheel and lunged toward Bhishma like a lion that attacks an elephant. Bhishma was impressed by the sight. He felt his life's purpose had been served. The Lord didn't hesitate to take back his vow to protect his ardent devotee Arjuna. Even if he faces defeat, his devotees should always win was his motto. Watching this love of the Lord, Bhishma was elated.
"By whose words, laughter, footsteps the Gopikas attained salvation by breaking the earthly bonds, such Sri Krishna should remain in my heart forever" thought Bhishma.
Bhishma focused his mind on Sri Krishna, stopped his breath and let his prana go. He merged with paramatma who is disembodied. All those gathered to watch the spectacle, remained silent. Devas rained down flowers in celebration.
Dharma Raja performed the last rites to Bhishma. He started crying like a child. Along with Sri Krishna he returned to Hastina. He consoled Gandhari and Dhrutarashtra who felt sad at the demise of Bhishma. With the acceptance of Dhrutarashtra and blessing of Sri Krishna, Dharma Raja became the king of Hastina.
Bhishma is a great devotee of the Lord. His story is forever green. His life is worthy of emulation. It is full of inspiration.
The following conversation between Bhishma and Sri Krishna was not to be found in the scripture.
As Bhishma lay on the bed of arrows, Sri Krishna asked, "Bhishma, you follow dharma. Why did you fight alongside kauravas who left dharma?"
Bhishma replied, "Lord, even though I was fighting alongside Kauravas, my mind was with Pandavas. You are the charioteer for Arjuna. Unless I stand with Kauravas, how can I see you face to face? Such good fortune is not possible if I fought with Pandavas."
Sri Krishna's Entry In Dwaraka
TopDharma Raja became the king. He was still repenting his actions that led to the deaths of relations and friends. As a result, he had no interest in the luxuries. Dharma was upheld in his rule.
"Rains came on time. Cows gave plentiful milk. Agriculture was abundant. Trees bore juicy fruit. Sri Krishna after consoling Pandavas was headed to Dwaraka. All the citizens of Hastinapura wailed at the departure of Sri Krishna. It is not possible to leave the company of those devotees who worship the Lord. Is it possible to leave the Lord himself by his coevals?" said Soota.
Pandavas didn't want to cry as it was inauspicious to do so at the time of Sri Krishna's departure. The drums and musical instruments were employed. Ladies showered flowers on the Lord from their palace perches. Arjuna brought an umbrella studded with diamonds and held it above Lord's head. On the chariot, Satyaki and Udhava held fans. All along the way citizens showered the Lord with flowers. Pandavas followed Sri Krishna's chariot for some distance and then returned to Hastinapura.
By evening the Lord reached Dwaraka. The sun was about to set. Lord went to a lake and offered Surya Namaskara. Is it necessary for a Lord who offers fruits of everyone's karma to do Surya Namaskara? He was doing it as a role model for others to emulate.
Lord said in the Karma Yoga chapter of Gita "The noble person is emulated by other people. The standards of noble people are adopted by others".
Sri Krishna entered Dwaraka and blew his shell Pancha Janya. Hearing it, the Dwaraka's citizens came running to welcome the Lord.
The recital of Lord's names brings us closer to him. The sound of Pancha Janya brought the Dwaraka citizens to the feet of the Lord.
It was said in Vaisampayana Samhita that "Even a wretched one who doesn't follow dharma, a wicked one who commits innumerable sins can attain salvation by praising the Lord."
By blowing Pancha Janya the Lord is indicating that the sound emanating from reciting his names will break the earthly bonds and help us attain salvation.
Soota said "The sound of Pancha Janya drowned the fears of the Dwaraka citizens who were stuck with worldly bonds"
The citizens of Dwaraka gathered around Sri Krishna. They offered salutations and enquired about his well being. Like children conversing with parents, they were rejoicing.
"Sri Krishna, the most auspicious! You are our father, mother, relation, master, guru and god. By following your footsteps our lives are enriched. Your handsome face is not to be found even in heaven. You stayed in Hastinapura for the sake of your relations. Without you we felt darkness in day."
Pareekshit's Birth
TopSounaka et al in the Naimisa forest asked Soota "Mahatma! Please tell us the history of the wise Pareekshit. Also about the wisdom he gained from Suka."
Soota told Sounaka and others "Dharma Raja ruled his kingdom where the subjects were treated like his own children. Because of Sri Krishna's nurture he didn't show any interest in luxuries. When one is hungry one desires food but not luxuries. He didn't evince interest in anything but Lord's vision"
"The Brahma Astra released by Aswathama entered Uttara's womb where Pareekshit was in fetus form. The Lord protected Pareekshit with his Sudarshana chakra. Pareekshit saw the resplendant form of the Lord. He saw a divine person fighting the Brahma Astra with a mace. Pareekshit is fortunate for seeing the Lord even before he was born" said Soota.
"Pareekshit was finally delivered. The astrologists reckoned he was born at an auspicious time" said Soota.
"Dharma Raja gave alms to people to celebrate the birth of Pareekshit. We should accept anything in life as a gift from the Lord. One should not enjoy the gift alone. It should be shared with all deserving people. Dharma Raja asked the astrologers to predict Pareekshit's future", said Soota.
"Brahmins said the child's future will be amazing and unparalleled".
"Pareekshit will protect his subjects like Ikshvakas. Like Lord Rama he will be truthful. Like Sibi he will give alms to people. He will be as ferocious as fire. And as stable as an ocean. His valor will be that of a lion. He will be patient like the earth. Like Lord Siva he will be favorable to all. Like Lord Sri Hari he will be revered. He will be courageous like Bali. His devotion to the Lord will be like that of Prahlada. He will perform yagnas. He will respect elders" said the astrologers.
"Why was he named Pareekshit? As he lay in his mother's womb, he was meditating over the Lord who appeared to him. After leaving the womb he was in search of the Lord"
"The world has names and forms. Paramatma is sat-chit-ananda. The one who is in search of the Lord in the names and forms is called Pareekshit. Everyone should seek Paramatma in this world"
"Pareekshit grew into a child. Even then he followed dharma. He was a Krishna devotee. He respected all life. His character was flawless"
Vidura's Arrival - Dhrutarashtra and Gandhari's Passing Away
Top"Vidura completed his pilgrimage and arrived at Hastinapura. He learnt about the demise of Kauravas from Udhava when they met at Prabhasa Kshetra. Later he gained wisdom from Maitreya"
"Vidura didn't come to see relations but break their bonds. He didn't expect lavish food parties, but wanted to enlighten Dhrutarashtra."
Dharma Raja and Pandavas welcomed Vidura. They cried about not seeing him in a long while.
After supper Dharma Raja approached Vidura and said "O great one, in the past we faced several obstacles. Kauravas tried to kill us by poisoning our food and burning down our abode made of lac. We were saved because of you. Like the birdlings that live without their parents we were raised by your patronage"
"Please tell us about your experiences during pilgrimage" said Dharma Raja.
Pilgrimage is a sacred act. Pilgrimage should not be about sight seeing and novelty. It should be done to lead a noble life. Householders cannot perform all rituals at home. They have to go on pilgrimage and perform the rituals at holy sites. Without that there is no use to pilgrimage.
Vidura was on pilgrimage for several years. In spite of that he was humble. He didn't like self-praise.
We should hide our good deeds and talk about bad deeds. We should remember our sinful acts. And forget noble acts.
Some days passed. One night Vidura approached Dhrutarashtra. He told him about time and the birth-death cycle of life. "O king, your brothers, children and relations are dead. Even your body has withered. Your death is fast approaching. Still you are hiding your head in Pandava kingdom"
"O brother, under your watch Pandavas' house was set on fire; poisonous food was served to Pandavas; their wife Droupadi was insulted. You stole their wealth and kingdom. Now you are living under their mercy. Does it look fine with you?" said Vidura.
"On one hand you are miserable and on the other you think yourself to be very lucky. Your body has withered."
"The desire to live is so pernicious. Living under the mercy of Pandavas you get a few morsels of food like a dog"
Dhrutarashtra said "Vidura, what do you want me to do as it is already night?"
"O king, night and day are for the one who can see but not you. In daylight Dharma Raja won't let you leave Hastina. So start now and go northward"
Dhrutarashtra agreed with Vidura. He along with his wife Gandhari and Vidura went towards Himalayas and arrived at Sapta Srota.
At Sapta Srota the river Ganga split several ways to please celestial seven rishis. Dhrutarashtra performed ablutions thrice a day and only consumed water.
Next day Dharma Raja came to offer his namaskara to Dhrutarashtra and Gandhari. But he could not find them, including Vidura. He accosted Sanjaya.
He asked "Sanjaya, where is my old and blind father? Where is my mother Gandhari? Where is my uncle Vidura? Did they end their lives by drowning in river Ganga fearing me who killed all their relations?"
"Sanjaya! my mind is in turmoil. My father died when I was young. Dhrutarashtra and Gandhari raised me" said the grieving Dharma Raja.
Sanjaya felt sad and said "Dharma Raja, Dhrutarashtra usually seeks my counsel on everything. But not this time"
Sage Narada arrived at that juncture.
"O Deva, great Sage, you are like the navigator for those drowning with wordly bonds. My parents have left without telling me. I don't know where they are now. I weep for Gandhari who lost all of her sons" said Dharma Raja.
Narada said "O Pandava, this world is subservient to Eswara. He is the one who unites and separates people".
"People play with dice. Sometimes dice meet and at other times they separate. This is not in the control of the players. Attachment is the root for all sadness. You are crying about your parents. Is your body permanent?"
"The naked animals are being eaten by clothed men. The grass without feet is being eaten by quadrupeds. Small fish are being eaten by big fish. One specie is the food for another"
"O king, your parents and Vidura are living in Sapta Srota. They are in meditation. Please don't interrupt their penance. Five days from today Dhrutarashtra will die. Along with him Gandhari will die on his pyre. Vidura will once again go on pilgrimage" said Narada. Dharma Raja recovered from his sadness.
No one will live for ever. Instead of thinking about the dead, it is better to think about who will die next. We can't die together because we were not born together. Everyone is alone when it comes to death.
Relations and friends come upto the cemetary in a funeral procession. The symbolic meaning is we will be the next ones to go to the cemetery for cremation.
Until death a person will be planning about his children's employment, daughters' marriages, helping relations, amassing wealth and fame. They will all be put to rest when death strikes.
Narada said in six months the Kali yuga would begin. People would indulge in bad acts and pollute the land. It was also spelling doom for Pandavas.
Bad Omens
TopArjuna went to Dwaraka. Some months passed. Dharma Raja was seeing bad omens. He saw squalor. Time didn't seem normal. He was troubled by the events in his Kingdom.
Dharma Raja said "Bheema, it is seven months since Arjuna went to Dwaraka. He hasn't returned till now. Narada told me that Sri Krishna is going to end his avatar. My mind is disturbed. Because of the Lord, we are able to lead a royal life. Of late I am seeing many bad omens"
"I saw a fox wailing in front of the rising sun. One dog cried on seeing me. Horses were crying. Owls and crows were crying out loudly. The sun is less radiant. Calves are not drinking milk from udders. Cows are not giving milk. Cows are sad. The deities in the temples are less radiant" said Dharma Raja.
"Bheema, I went for a walk yesterday. I saw a smith holding a strange object in his hand. I asked him about it. He said it is a key. Do you see people are now afraid of thieves and locking up their homes?" said Dharma Raja.
"People are lying and easy to anger. Covetousness increased. Friends are cheating one another. Forests are not as green as before. Villages lost their lustre" said Dharma Raja.
"Six months ago a trader sold his house to a brahmin. After some time as the brahmin was repairing his house he found gold. He took the gold to the trader and wanted to return it to him because he bought only the house but not gold from him. But the trader refused to take the gold and asked the brahmin to keep it forever. My kingdom was replete with such people in the past" said Dharma Raj.
"So much change took place in just six months.Yesterday the trader and the brahmin came to me claiming the gold as their own. The minds of the people have changed in a short time" said Dharma Raja.
Arjuna returned from Dwaraka. He looked forlorn and bereft of aura. On seeing him Dharma Raja was troubled.
"Arjuna, are our relations safe in Dwaraka? Are you keeping good health? You look less radiant. You spent an excess amount of time with relations. Did they insult you? Did you not protect those who sought your protection? Did you eat food without feeding the guests? Did you perform actions violating dharma? Is Lord Krishna safe?" enquired Dharma Raja.
Arjuna cried out loud and fell on the feet of his brother.
"Brother, Sri Krishna left. My aura diminished because of his departure. This world is looking to me like a corpse. My strength and valor are vaning without Sri Krishna. All the things I have accomplished so far are because of Lord Krishna. I have run out of will. Even Gopas defeated me as I stood in protection of the ladies" said Arjuna.
"O king, because of the curse of a sage, all our relations perished. Only a handful of them remained" said Arjuna.
Sri Krishna's encouraging words were reverberating in Arjuna's mind. All of his sins were washed away by the servitude to the Lord. The Gita Lord told him, came to memory. By focusing his mind on the Lord, he gave up desire and sadness.
Kunti Devi on hearing about the demise of the Lord perished. Dharma Raja felt without Sri Krishna it was too hard to live.
On the day Sri Krishna left, Kali entered. Kali means disagreement. Where the Lord dwells there would be no Kali. Those reciting the Lord's name won't experience Kali.
Dharma Raja abdicated his throne to Pareekshit, the son of Uttara. He donned torn clothes, with his hair unkempt he wandered like a mad man in northerly direction. All of his brothers followed him meditating on Lord Krishna.
Vidura focused his mind on Sri Krishna and died in Prabhasa. Droupadi after hearing about her husbands' plight attained salvation.
Pandavas eventually attained salvation. Pareekshit was ruling the world following the advice of wise people. Dharma was standing on its four legs.
Pareekshit's Rule
TopPareekshit married Niravati. He had four sons. With his Guru Krupacharya's help, he performed three Aswamedhas.
Aswa means a horse. The yagna performed with the sacrifice of a horse is called Aswamedha. Horse is a finicky animal. That's why the riders cover its eyes with blind folds. Such finickiness is found in our senses. One who restricts the flight of senses and mind can attain steadfastness. So for self realization senses, mind and heart have to be controlled. Pareekshit by performing three Aswamedha yagnas attained self-realization.
Pareekshit went on a victory tour. He saw Kali at one place kicking a calf with his leg. Kali was thinking if Pareekshit performed a sinful act, he could enter him. He thought if the king could be conquered, then it would be easy to conquer the kingdom. But Pareekshit was free from sin.
In his victory tour, Pareekshit saw a cow and an ox. The ox was standing on one leg and the cow without calves was crying. The ox was dharma and the cow was earth.
Dharma is essential for the balance in the world. In Kali the dharma is standing only on one of the four legs.
The ox said to the cow "Are you healthy? I am worried about your decrepit status. Something is bothering you. Are you sad that I am standing on one leg? Or is the king's bad rule bothering you? Or you are sad about the people caught in the famine?"
"O earth, there is a change in time. Husbands are not protecting their wives. Parents are not taking care of their offspring. They are acting like demons. Knowledge is coveted by unworthy people. Incompetent people are being served by knowledgeable people. Are you sad because of all these?" said the ox.
The earth in the form of a cow said "O Dharma, you know the reason for my sadness. In the past you used to stand on all four legs. Now you only use one leg. The Lord Sri Krishna, the epitome of dharma, has ended his avatar. The sinful Kali is pestering the people. I am crying for them."
Kali Restrained
TopPareekshit saw a man wearing royal insignia hitting an ox with a stick. He also saw a cow beaten by him.
Pareekshit said "Who are you? Why are you pretending to be a king? You look like a low life. Why are you hitting the voiceless cattle?"
Pareekshit said to the ox "Who are you standing on one leg? I am feeling sympathetic towards you. I don't see anyone crying in my kingdom but you. Don't cry. I can reform the cruel man."
When subjects are being tortured by wicked people, the ruler's longevity, wealth and salvation will be destroyed.
The Dharma in ox form said "O king, you are the most exalted in the Pandava dynasty protected by Lord Krishna. You are capable of protecting me. I don't know who disabled my three legs. Some say it is the time, karma or behavior. Please let me know the reason for my sadness."
Pareekshit said to the ox "You are not revealing the name of your torturer. I think you are the dharma Devata. It is apparent to me that Kali is torturing you."
"In Krita yuga you stood on four legs. Penance, Kindness, Purity and Truth are these legs. Because of ego, penance was destroyed. With bad company, purity was gone. Because of alcohol, kindness was destroyed. The only remaining leg is that of truth. You are living with the strength of truth. Kali is trying to disable even this last leg you are standing on. Please don't feel sad. I will protect you" said Pareekshit. He immediately drew his sword and attacked the man wearing royal insignia. Kali was frightened and dropped his insignia. He fell on the feet of Pareekshit seeking mercy.
Pareekshit said, "In Arjuna's dynasty refugees need not fear. But you are performing wicked acts. So you don't have a place in my kingdom".
"O king, I will obey your order. But wherever I go I fear your arrow. Please tell me where I can stay".
Pareekshit said, "You can stay in gambling, alcohol, prostitution and torture."
When Kali begged for another place he gave gold as the fifth place.
Thus Pareekshit restored Penance, Kindness, Purity in Dharma.
Pareekshit's Trying Time
TopKali thought the king gave five places to stay and he could enter the king through one of them.
One day Pareekshit had a strange thought. He wanted to know what his grandfather Arjuna left for him. As he searched, he found a golden crown. Pareekshit wore it on his head. That crown belongs to Jarasandha. Bheema stole it from Jarasandha who wanted to bequeath it to his son. Thus it was associated with immorality. That's why even Pandavas were not wearing it. Pareekshit unbeknowst of its history wore it on his head. Kali, seeing the opportunity, immediately got inside Pareekshit. Pareekshit went for a hunt wearing the crown.
Soota said to Sounaka et al "Pareekshit is a noble man. He was on the receiving end of the Brahma Astra fired by Aswathama but did not die due to the grace of Lord Krishna. Even though he was cursed by Srungi, he did not fear death. He received Bhagavata knowledge from Suka and transcended death."
Sounaka and other rishes said "O great one, let all auspiciousness come to you. You are telling us the everlasting story about Sri Krishna's life. The company of devotees is always preferable. It is more superior than heaven and salvation. Please tell us more about Bhagavata."
Soota said "O rishis, you know vedas. You are the embodiment of knowledge. You are seeking knowledge about Sri Krishna. I will tell you as much as I can. Just as a bird flies as high as it can, I will follow my memory and mind".
One day Pareekshit went hunting in the forest. He was tired after the hunt. He was thirsty. Whereever he searched, there was no water to be found. As he was searching he entered an ashram. It is the ashram of rishi Sameeka. At that time, the rishi was in deep meditation. His mind was totally turned inward.
Pareekshit requested the rishi to give water to quench his thirst. The rishi was in samadhi and didn't hear anything Pareekshit said. Pareekshit was offended by the lack of response. He felt insulted by the rishi. His mind lost its cool due to thirst.
Pareekshit was enraged by the rishi. He found a dead serpent nearby. He immediately picked it up and placed it around Sameeka's neck.
Sameeka was not aware that there was a dead serpent around his neck. He did not react as he was in deep meditation. This amazed the king. He thought he could awaken the rishi by his act, instead he found out that the rishi was really in deep meditation. This saddened him. Feeling repentance he left the ashram.
Some bachelors in the ashram saw the incident and ran to tell Srungi, the son of Sameeka, who was at the banks of a river.
Srungi was very disturbed. He was enraged by the unjust act on his father who was a hermit and deeply spiritual. He felt the king violated the dharma. He considered it as an unforgivable transgression.
"My father is a divine person. He will never hurt anyone. He is not pompous. He wears the names of the Lord and never takes offence. He crossed all mortal planes and is always in Lord Vishnu's prayer. He never expects alms and doesn't covet wealth. How can anyone insult him by placing a dead serpent in the middle of a forest? This is unpardonable" said Srungi while preparing to curse Pareekshit.
"Nowadays kings are getting as fat as crows feeding on leftovers and committing grave sins. Even though they are our servants, they are rejecting their masters. They are not fit for pardon. Takshaka will bite seven days from today the king Pareekshit who committed a grave sin on my father" said Srungi.
Thus the curse was placed on the king. A momentary transgression ended the life of an otherwise promising king.
Srungi returned to the ashram from the river still seething with anger.
When Sameeka came out of samadhi he saw his son in rage and a dead serpent nearby. He realized what had happened. He felt very sad for the curse his son placed on the king.
Sameeka said "Son, what a grave mistake you have committed. After Sri Krishna's exit, like thieves stealing sheep, dharma started waning on the earth. Pareekshit is our only hope to make the dharma stand on its four legs. You put a grave curse upon him for a minor offence. He is a follower of dharma. The ones violating dharma are used to wicked acts. A follower of dharma occasionally loses the rectitude. Later on they repent and feel sad. You ignored the thousand morally upright acts the king carries out and focused on one minor offence to curse him. Will a morally upright king replace Pareekshit? Instead of welcoming him as a guest you cursed. Is it fair?"
Sameeka said "Son, without Pareekshit to rule us, thieves will multiply manifold. Violence will raise its ugly head. Cattle, women and the wealth will be usurped. Then dharma will wither away. Without dharma men will behave like simians and canines following their gut instincts. Do you see the malevolent consequences of your curse?" He prayed to Sri Krishna to forgive his son.
Sameeka asked the bachelors in the ashram to inform Pareekshit about Srungi's curse. The repentant king upon hearing about the curse felt relieved because in seven days he would be released from his sin.
Pareekshit is like a wanderer seeking peace on earth. For many, quenching their desires is impossible. There is no end to the desires. They are never satisfied.
In search of peace Pareekshit found Sameeka's ashram. Sama means control of mind. One who controlled his mind is Sameeka. He is the ideal guru. An ideal guru has his senses turned inward. A disciple cannot enter the innards of a guru. That's the reason Pareekshit's words didn't enter Sameeka's inner world.
A disciple at the beginning of tutelage under a guru is subject to nervousness. He can't understand the inner world of the guru. Moreover he may misunderstand guru's way of life. It is not a surprise if the nervousness causes him to disrespect the guru.
A guru may not be offended by a disciple's actions and words. But an immoral life will be embarrassing. For every karma there is fruit. Upon coming to know of Pareekshit's shameful act, Srungi was shaken. Srunga means horn. A horn grows out of the body. Even though karma may end, the fruit will be still forming and make one experience it. In other words, Srungi is the fruit of karma. There is no escape from experiencing the fruit of karma.
The fruit of karma is decided by the Lord. No one can escape it. There is no way to retract an arrow shot from a bow. Once karma is done, its fruit is unavoidable. Such is the curse of Srungi.
To err is human. If one repents and vows to not repeat the error, he will become noble. Then he seeks the company of the wise. Eventually he becomes a rishi.
A guru is kind, loving and always nurturing his disciples.
A guru forgives even the most vile disciple. That's why Sameeka sent the message to Pareekshit about his son's curse.
A guru will not abandon a disciple who has gone crooked. He will continue to shape his character.
Pareekshit after coming to know about the curse decided to renounce all physical comforts. He focused his mind on the Lord Sri Krishna. He went to the banks of river Ganga to cleanse his sins.
Word spread that King Pareekshit was ending his life in the river Ganga. Great sages and rishis came from all over the land and gathered near Pareekshit.
Pareekshit was disinterested in the mortal plane. He was in search of self realization.
Pareekshit saluted the sages and washed their feet. He said with folded hands "O great ones, by placing a dead serpent around the rishi's neck I invited the inauspiciousness. Please give me advice on how to overcome that sin. Who can question Eswara's will? Who can fight against Paramatma's decisions? I am ready to offer my body to Takshaka. But how do I ensure that in the coming births I will remain a true devotee of Sri Hari?"
Pareekshit bequeathed his throne to his son Janamejaya. As sages were discussing amongst them on how to reply to Pareekshit, at that juncture, the rishi Suka arrived at the gathering.
Upon the arrival of Suka everyone was relieved. Like sun's rays that make lotuses bloom, the radiant Suka made the sages rejoice.
Pareekshit washed the feet of Suka and invited him. He realized that out of his sheer luck, Suka arrived. Devotion will never go to waste.
Pareekshit prayed to Suka and praised his qualities. He wanted to know from Suka what steps he could take as he was certain to die in seven days.
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