April 25, 2017 archive

Padmanābhāya namah

Srikrishna, the Lord of liberation, looked at me cheerfully. With His joyful glance all my bodily exhaustion was blown away and I was bursting with joy. Addressing me He said, “O Uddhava, in your previous birth you were a Vasu (demi-god). I am aware of the deepest desire that you entertain within your mind. I will fulfill that desire of yours which cannot be attained by others. In the bygone period, when Vasus and Prajapatis were conducting Yagnas, you participated in them with the sole desire of obtaining Me.

Uddhava! You are of saintly nature. This is your last birth. This is because My grace has fallen upon you. At the time when I am about to leave this human plane, it is your total faith and absolutely pure mind that, with absolute solitude, you are having My darshan. This has happened due to God’s will.

Previously in the beginning of creation, to Brahma who was seated in my navel, I taught the Supreme Knowledge that explains My essence. Learned scholars address this teaching of mine as Bhāgawatam. I now bless you with the knowledge of that Bhāgawatam”.

In this manner the Supreme Lord spoke lovingly to me. I was fortunate to be showered with His blessings every minute. Due to my love for Him, the hair on my body stood up. I could not get myself to speak. With folded palms and with tears flowing profusely from my eyes I said,

“Ko nv īśa te pāda-saroja-bhājāṁ sudurlabho ’rtheṣu caturṣv apīha

Tathāpi nāhaṁ pravṛṇomi bhūman bhavat-padāmbhoja-niṣevaṇotsukaḥ 

O Lord! There is nothing which is not attained by those who serve Your lotus feet! The four-fold goals of life viz., Dharma, artha, kama and moksha, will all be easily attained by them. O Paramātma! Even then I do not seek them. The desire to remain eternally serving Your lotus feet is very strong, O Lord.

(Dharma means abiding by the rules of righteousness, artha means materialistic earnings, kāma means fulfillment of desires and moksha means to attain liberation).

O Lord, although You are free from desire and are untouched by action, You always appear to be involved in action. You are birthless yet at all times You incarnate. You are the Lord of time and death and yet, pretending to be scared of your enemies, You ran to the island called Dwaraka and enacted as if You sought shelter there.

You, who are none other than the Self in all, enacted as if You were a house-holder with 10,000 wives enjoying those comforts. Even learned scholars who fail to properly understand your divine plays, become perplexed seeing Your actions.

O Lord, You are omniscient! You possess indivisible ultimate knowledge. Yet pretending as if You know nothing, You would always seek my advice. This would put me in delusion.  O Lord, You taught in entirety to Brahma that Supreme Knowledge which talks about Your real original form. If you believe that I possess the capacity to absorb that knowledge then kindly preach it to me too. With the help of that knowledge I will very easily cross this ocean called worldly bondages”.

In this manner I expressed, to the Lord, the desire that was deep within my heart. Then the lotus-eyed Lord Srikrishna imparted to me the knowledge of the Self. I circumambulated and offered obeisance to those lotus feet of Srikrishna, who in the form of Guru, had taught to me the complete knowledge of the Self. From there I came to this place and still am unable to bear these pangs of separation from Him.

O Vidura! For many years I was blissful due to the presence of Srikrishna. Even though this is true, this sorrow of separation overpowers that bliss which I enjoyed in those days. Badari ashrama is very dear to Lord Srikrishna. In accordance with His orders I am proceeding to Badari.

Yatra nārāyaṇo devo naraś ca bhagavān ṛṣiḥ

Mṛdu tīvraṁ tapo dīrghaṁ tepāte loka-bhāvanau

 That holy place Badarikāśrama where Maharishis Nara and Nārāyaṇa, with the intent of causing the welfare of the worlds, took up gentle austerities but performed them with utmost strictness is very dear to Srikrishna. I am now proceeding to Badari” said Uddhava.

Vidura, who heard this unbearable news about his near and dear ones from Uddhava, forcefully withheld within himself the sorrow that was gushing out. As Uddhava was about to leave for Badarikāśrama, Vidura, the most supreme amongst the Kuru lineage, addressing him said,

“O Uddhava! Srikrishna, who is the Lord of Yoga, has preached to you the entire knowledge of the Self. Please impart that teaching to me. There is none who is more capable than you. The devotees of Lord Srivishnu travel eternally so as to be of some help in the activities of other devotees. Please consider me as your devotee and instruct me into this knowledge”.

Uddhava then said, “O Vidura! Please approach Maharishi Maitreya if you are desirous of obtaining Self-knowledge. This is because in that last moment when Srikrishna was about to leave this earth, He personally imparted this Self-knowledge to Maharishi Maitreya”.

In this way Uddhava, who recounted the glories of the Lord and of His greatness, qualities, principles etc., was now free from grief. He spent that night on the sandy banks of Yamuna as if it were just a moment. The next morning he left that place and went away.” said Maharishi Śuka.

Hearing these words, Parikshit enquired, “O Maharishi Śuka! All the eminent warriors of the Vristhi and Bhoja clans, who possessed unsurpassed prowess, died. Srikrishna, the Lord of all the planes, also gave up His human body. How is it possible for only Uddhava, the most supreme amongst the Yadavas, to still remain alive?”

Śuka Avadhoota replied, “When the time for his departure from earth had arrived, Lord Srikrishna, who possessed supreme divine will, through the excuse called ‘the curse of the Brahmins’ actually withdrew all the members of His Yadava clan into himself. While leaving His body, He thought,

Asmāl lokād uparate mayi jñānaṁ mad-āśrayam

Arhaty uddhava evāddhā sampraty ātmavatāṁ varaḥ
Dāmodarāya namah

Om Padmanābhāya namah

Bhagavān api viśvātmā loka-veda-pathānugaḥ

Kāmān siṣeve dvārvatyām asaktaḥ sāṅkhyam āsthitaḥ

 Lord Srikrishna, who is the universal Self, enjoyed the comforts in Dwaraka while adhering to the customs of the world, strictly abiding by the Vedic dictates, being firmly established in the ultimate Supreme Knowledge of Sat+chit+ananda, and with absolutely no desire towards this materialistic world. In this way he established the path of knowledge in this world.

Not just the inhabitants of earth but also the inhabitants of all celestial plans were captivated with His charming pleasant glances accompanied by tender smiles; His nectarous words; His unblemished character and His form which was the residence for beauty in entirety.

During the free time at nights he accepted the loving services offered by the enthusiastic Gopikas and enjoyed rāsa kreeda. Thus, without any form of attachment/ desire, He enjoyed the bliss of rāsa kreeda for many years. He was by then totally detached towards comforts that grihasta ashrama (householder’s life) had to offer.

Even those ardent devotees of Lord Srikrishna, the Lord for all Yogis, who with absolute dedication serve the Lord through means of Yoga of action (Karma Yoga) and knowledge (Jnana), are under the control of that Lord. Such persons who are totally under divine control do not show any inclination towards these material pleasures. They do not get trapped in them. Thus when it is explicitly clear that a devotee does not entangle himself in these worldly comforts, is there any need to emphasize specifically that the Lord does not get entangled in them?

It so happened once that the children belonging to Yadu and Bhoja clans who were playing in Dwaraka infuriated the Maharishis through their deeds. In accordance with Srikrishna’s divine intent, the Maharishis cursed these boys.

Many months passed. Due to the illusion created by the Lord, the Yadavas belonging to the Vṛṣti, Andhaka, Bhoja clans enthusiastically mounted their chariots and proceeded to Prabhāsa kshetra. They bathed in the waters at Prabhāsa kshetra and dutifully completed all the offerings to be made to Devatas, forefathers, sages and pleased them all. To the Brahmins they gave cows in charity.

These Yadavas used their lives for protecting cows and Brahmins.  These valourous Yadavas also gave to Brahmins gold, silver, costly items, jewellery, beds, blankets, palanquins, chariots, animal skins used for seating, elephants, girls, fertile lands, tasty food and many other valuable items in charity.

While giving these items away in charity, they fixed their minds completely upon the Lord and offered the results of those actions to Him. Thereafter they offered obeisance to the Brahmins by bowing down completely before them.  They supremely protected the Brahmins and the cows in this manner”.

With this the third chapter of the third canto comes to an end.

Third Canto Chapter Four

In this chapter the destruction of the Yadava clan is detailed. Understanding the teaching imparted by Uddhava and with a desire to obtain liberation, Vidura approaching Maharishi Maitreya is also covered.

Uddhava continued, “Those Yadavas who completed their charitable activities took leave of the Brahmins. They now had a sumptuous lunch. Thereafter they consumed liquor. Due to the influence of this liquor, the knowledge in them completely eroded. Oblivious of their actions they began to hurt each other using harsh words.

By sunset the effect of this liquor was at its peak. Just as friction between bamboo trees in the forest creates alarmingly scary sounds, this fight between the Yadavas turned fearfully violent.

Bhagavān svātma-māyāyā gatiṁ tām avalokya saḥ

Sarasvatīm upaspṛśya vṛkṣa-mūlam upāviśat

The Supreme Lord with His transcendental divine vision foresaw this destruction of His Yadava clan. He then bathed in the River Saraswati and sat down under a tree.

That Supreme Lord, who comes to the aid of those in distress, having decided to withdraw into himself that lineage in which He had taken birth, previously had called me and said, “O Uddhava, you have conquered the senses! Now you proceed to Badari ashrama”.

I understood the reason behind this message given. Yet, despite His message, I was unable to bear separation from His lotus feet and for this reason I followed Him. Searching for my beloved and dearest Lord, with my mind exclusively focused upon Him I was wandering everywhere.

When that Lord, who is the refuge for every being, was seated under a tree by the banks of River Saraswati, I saw Him.

I was able to recognize this Lord, who is the eternal truth, who is of bluish complexion, who has red eyes, four hands and who wears golden yellow clothing, even from a great distance. He was seated under a banyan tree with his lotus-like right foot on his left thigh. By then He had completely abstained from any form of food including fruits. He had completely discarded all sensory comforts. Even then He looked cheerful and blissful.

At that time the supremely knowledgeable Maharishi Maitreya, who was His ardent devotee and a friend of Maharishi Vyasa, arrived there accidently during his travels. Maitreya Maharishi had supreme love and devotion towards Srikrishna. He would always abide by Srikrishna’s dictates and would joyfully listen to His words.

Srikrishna, the Lord of liberation, looked at me cheerfully. With His joyful glance all my bodily exhaustion was blown away and I was bursting with joy. Addressing me he said, “O Uddhava, in your previous birth you were a Vasu. I am aware of your deep desire. I will fulfill that desire of yours which cannot be attained by others. Previously in the Yagna that was performed by Vasus and Prajapatis you participated in the Yagna with the desire to obtain me.”

Padmanābhāya namah

Sridharāya namah

Under the tutelage of Maharishi Sāndipani, Krishna began his formal education. Krishna was ‘eka sandhāgrāhi’ which means He learnt lessons merely by listening to them once! There was absolutely no need for repetition in any subject, such was His capacity. In this way Srikrishna mastered Vedas together with its six limbs.

Maharishi Sāndipani had lost his beloved son in a much earlier period of time. Srikrishna tore apart the stomach of Demon Panchajanya and brought back to life Guru Sāndīpani’s son. This was the Guru- dakshina (fees) He offered.

When Rukmi announced the svayamvara (where the bride chooses the groom) of his sister Rukmini, who was the daughter of King Bheeshmaka, many powerful princes such as Shishupala were invited for the ceremony. Rukmini Devi resembled Goddess Lakshmi in every aspect. Fascinated by her overpowering beauty, many princes belonging to various kingdoms thronged there desiring her hand in marriage. In reality, Rukmini Devi is the eternal companion of Srikrishna, the incarnation of Lord Srihari. Therefore Srikrishna decided to marry her in the Gandharva style. Mounting a powerful chariot He arrived in Bheeshmaka’s kingdom. In public view he carried her away in his chariot, defeating Shishupala and other kings who attacked him.

Taming seven bulls, whose noses were not pierced, Srikrishna married Nagnajit during her swayamvara. All the other kings who had assembled there hoping to win her hand in marriage felt deeply humiliated seeing Krishna’s victory. Out of sheer ignorance and infatuated with Princess Nagnajit’s beauty, these kings took up weapons and attacked Krishna. Very deftly Srikrishna, while ensuring that he remains unhurt, defeated and killed them all.

Like an ordinary lover seeking to please his wife, the Supreme Lord Srikrishna brought the Pārijata tree from heaven to please his dearest wife Satyabhama. This deed of Srikrishna left Indra, the Lord of heaven, seething in anger. The deluded Indra took up his weapon, the thunderbolt, and together with his huge army attacked Srikrishna. It was his wife who had instigated him to wage a war against Srikrishna. Indra, who was thus instigated by his wife, was a toy in the hands of women”.

Uddhava further continued, “In the war Srikrishna using his discus killed Demon Narakasura, who with his mammoth body appeared to cover the entire space. Hearing the prayers of his mother Dharitri (mother earth), Krishna then handed over the remaining kingdom to Narakasura’s son Bhagadatta and allowed him to return to his home.

The damsels who had been kidnapped by Narakasura, the son of mother earth, were grieving within the house of Narakasura. They rejoiced greatly when they saw Srikrishna. They looked at him with love coupled with shyness and mentally accepted him as their husband. The Supreme Lord Srikrishna, then through his power of illusion assumed thousands of forms and matched each form to suit to that respective princess. In those forms Srikrishna, by visiting their respective accommodations, simultaneously married all the princesses strictly per Vedic traditions.

Who apart from Paramatma can manifest simultaneously in varied forms and make himself present in different locations at the same time? This is no ordinary feat!

With this illusory form of his, Krishna then begot from each of them ten children, who resembled Srikrishna in every possible way. In that way creation expanded.

Kālayavana, Jarāsandha who was the king of Magadha and King Shalva, together with their vast armies attacked Mathura and Dwaraka. Using His army as His instruments it was Srikrishna who defeated them.

To Arjuna and other devotees He granted divine prowess. Śambara, Dvivida, Bāna, Mura, Balvala, Dantavaktra and others were demons whom Srikrishna either killed personally or had them vanquished by others.

O Vidura! Thereafter He involved himself in the war pertaining to your nephews the Pandavas and Kauravas and caused the killing of the kings. When those kings together with their armies were proceeding to Kurukshetra for the war, earth trembled under their weight. Duryodhana who listened to the ill-advice of Karna, Dusśāsana and Shakuni lost all his prosperity. In addition he even lost his life. When he, with his broken thighs was lying in the battlefield together with his followers, Krishna who saw him was not at all happy.

He thought within himself, “Arjuna, Bheeshma, Drona, Bhima and others have destroyed armies consisting of 18 akshohini (each akshohini army consists of 21870 chariots, 21870 elephants, 65610 cavalry and 109350 foot soldiers) and reduced the burden of earth. Yet, in no way this can be called an extraordinary accomplishment! After all, the powerful burdensome Yadava clan still continues to exist.

These Yadavas, having consumed intoxicating liquor, will, with reddened eyes fight amongst themselves, and destroy each other. There is no other method apart from this through which they can be destroyed. When I begin to prepare for my departure from earth, Yadavas will get routed out completely due to their own doing.

Thinking thus, Srikrishna crowned Yudhisthira as the emperor who through his actions demonstrated to the world the right way of life. He caused joy to all friends and relatives.

When the son of Abhimanyu, the descendant of the Kuru lineage was growing in Uttara’s womb, Ashwattthama, the son of Drona, destroyed the child through his powerful weapon. At that moment Srikrishna revived the child and brought him back to life.

Srikrishna the Supreme Lord got Yudhisthira to perform three Ashwamedha Yāgas. Yudhisthira who ruled the kingdom along with his brothers, followed Srikrishna with total devotion and he lived happily”.

Sridharaya Namah.

Om Vāmanāya namah

Uddhava continued, “

Aho bakī yaṁ stana-kāla-kūṭaṁ jighāṁsayāpāyayad apy asādhvī

Lebhe gatiṁ dhātry-ucitāṁ tato ’nyaṁ kaṁ vā dayāluṁ śaraṇaṁ vrajema

With the intent of killing infant Krishna, the wicked demoness Putana applied deadly poison to her breasts and fed Him her milk. For having breast fed him, Putana, although being wicked, was bestowed with the same levels of merit (punya) that his mother Yashoda had earned for raising Him. Aha! What wonder! What more can be said about His compassion! Who else apart from Him can be our refuge?

Srikrishna smaraṇam mama– I eternally think of Srikrishna. I think of Him and seek shelter in Him alone!

Even those wicked demons who detested and deplored Sri Mahavishnu, the Lord of the three worlds, are his devotees. This is my firm opinion. This is because during the war they were able to see Lord Mahavishnu, who holds the discus in his hand and who sits on the shoulders of Kashyapa’s son Garuda. Can there be any fortune greater than this? From this we should conclude that even demons are his devotees.

Vasudevasya devakyāṁ jāto bhojendra-bandhane

Cikīrṣur bhagavān asyāḥ śam ajenābhiyācitaḥ

 Hearing the pleas of Lord Brahma, with the intent of reducing the burden of earth and causing her great delight, Sri Mahavishnu, took birth as the son of Devaki and Vasudeva in the prison of Kamsa.

Thereafter, terrified of Kamsa, his father Vasudeva took him to Nanda-vraja. With great caution, Krishna while ensuring that his glory goes unnoticed lived here for eleven years along with his brother Balarama.

Amidst the forests on the banks of River Yamuna, Krishna surrounded by the cowherds spent his time grazing the cattle. Those forests were abounding with tall trees and chirping birds. With his childhood plays he stole the hearts of all the residents. At times he would weep, at others times he would laugh and with his innocent gaze he looked adorable like a small lion cub.

As he grew up he began to take the herds of cattle for grazing. Melodiously playing the flute he would bring great joy to all his companions. In that herd were bulls as well as cows of every colour.

In order to kill Krishna, Kamsa sent demons who possessed the capacity take on any form per their will. Playfully, just as the children break their toys, Krishna killed them all.

Vipannān viṣa-pānena nigṛhya bhujagādhipam

Utthāpyāpāyayad gāvas tat toyaṁ prakṛti-sthitam 

The serpent-king Kaliya poisoned the waters of the lake due to which many cows and cowherds, who drank the waters of the lake, suddenly lost their life. At that moment Krishna punished Kaliya and revived the dead cows and cowherds back to life. He drove Kaliya out of that lake. With this, the waters of that lake turned pure and were fit for consumption.

Lord Krishna desired that the great wealth of that land be utilized properly. Through the help of learned Vedic scholars He got his father King Nanda to worship the cows. Displeased and angered with this, Indra showered thunderous rains on that land. In order to protect the residents of Nanda-vraja together with their cattle from these horrendous rains that were destroying the place, Krishna playfully lifted up the Mountain Govardhan. Holding it like an umbrella over their heads, he protected them all.

It was winter. The pleasant cool moonlight lit up the entire forest. Srikrishna was fascinated with this serene atmosphere. He desired to augment its serenity and grandeur. Srikrishna, who was the jewel that decorated all the Gopi and Gopikas of Vrindavan, melodiously played his flute while dancing amidst these Gopis and Gopikas”.

With this the second chapter of the third canto of Srimad Bhagawatam comes to an end.

Third Canto Chapter Three

The divine transcendental plays demonstrated by the Lord in Dwaraka and Mathura will be now told. Srikrishna visiting Prabhasa Kshetra is also covered.

In response to Vidura’s questions, Uddava began recounting Srikrishna’s childhood deeds. He now continued, “To give joy to his parents Devaki and Vasudeva, Krishna together with his brother Balarama left Nanda-gokula and reached Mathura. There he encountered the terrible Kamsa, who was the leader of all his enemies. He pounced on Kamsa, beat him and threw him down from his throne and then killed him.

Sāndīpaneḥ sakṛt proktaṁ brahmādhītya sa-vistaram

Tasmai prādād varaṁ putraṁ mṛtaṁ pañca-janodarāt

Thereafter Srikrishna, for His formal education, went and resided in the hermitage of Maharishi Sāndipini as his student”.

Om Vāmanāya Namah