April 2017 archive

Yudhisthira, who was devoid of ahamkara (sense of I-ness) and who had developed total disinterest towards this world, let go of all his royal garments and ornaments. Restraining his senses (indriyas) together with their activities, he withdrew them into the mind. He then merged his mind into breath. He merged the breath into life-force (prana), merged apāna into apāna (downward moving air in the body) and death into death. Thus mentally he merged all these into the gross body which is composed of the five elements of earth, water, air, fire and space. He offered all of them into this mental homa.

Thereafter Yudhisthira, who was habituated to meditation, mentally merged this gross body into Nature (Prakriti) which is composed of the trigunas (sattva, rajas and tamas). He then mentally merged Prakriti into spiritual ignorance (avidya); spiritual ignorance into the Self (ātma) and the Self into the ever-lasting, inexhaustible Parabrahma.

Yudhisthira then changed into rags, totally gave up food, took up mouna (total silence) and let his hair loose. He appeared to others like an inert insane being or a ghost. Without even looking back he left home. Like a deaf person, he heard nothing.

Do you notice how fortunate Yudhisthira was? Had he waited to observe the influence of Kali upon people, the story would have taken a different twist. Focusing his mind exclusively upon Paramātma, he began to walk in the Northern direction following the path that Mahatmas had taken for similar purposes. Our Shastras dictate that those who give up their life in this manner are totally free from bondages of re-birth!

Noticing that Kali was rapidly increasing its influence upon the people on earth, the other four Pandavas, with firm decisive intellect, followed the footsteps of their elder brother.

During their lifetime, these Pandavas had diligently abided by the 4 Purusharthas (adherence to dharma (righteousness), artha (materialistic earnings), kāma (fulfillment of desires) and moksha (attaining liberation). They realized that the lotus feet of Lord Narayana itself was the Purushartha.

They exclusively meditated upon the lotus of feet of the Supreme Lord. Due to this exclusive meditation, their devotion towards the Lord surged significantly and drenched them. Their mind was totally cleansed.

As their minds were totally fixed upon the lotus feet of that Supreme Lord, they became absolutely disinterested towards this material world and all its luxuries. Freed from all impurities, they attained that supreme liberation, which is beyond the reach of the wicked and which is otherwise unattainable.

Vidura, who had conquered the senses completely, also fixed his mind totally upon Lord Srikrishna. He renounced his body in the sacred place of Prabhāsa. Together with the forefathers, he went to his abode.

Upon hearing that her husbands, having attained dispassion, had left home, Draupadi fixed her mind exclusively upon Srikrishna and merged into Him.

Yaḥ śraddhayaitad bhagavat-priyāṇāṁ

Pāṇḍoḥ sutānām iti samprayāṇam

Śṛṇoty alaṁ svastyayanaṁ pavitraṁ

Labdhvā harau bhaktim upaiti siddhim

Pandavas were extremely dear to the Supreme Lord. They had obtained his complete grace. This story is the most supreme and auspicious one. He who listens to this story of the Pandavas accession to Heaven, with total dedication will develop absolute love towards Srihari. In the end they will be blessed with that liberation which frees them from re-birth.

With this the fifteenth chapter of the First canto comes to an end.

First Canto Chapter Sixteen

In this chapter Parikshit becoming the king of the land, tours undertaken by him to conquer the world and his listening to the dialogue between the presiding deity of earth (bhu devi) and presiding deity of righteousness (Dharma-devata) are covered.

Maharishi Suta continued, “O Maharishi Śounaka! After the Pandavas ascended heaven, Parikshit became the king. Just as eminent astrologers had predicted at the time of his birth, he turned out to be an illustrious king with many noble traits. Under the guidance of wise, learned beings, he ruled very effectively and wisely. He married Iravati, the daughter of King Uttara. Janmejaya and three other sons were born to them.

Under the guidance of Guru Kripacharya he completed three Ashwamedha yāgas on the banks of Ganga. He honoured the priests with plentiful gifts. Astonishingly, in these Yāgas, the deities (Devatas) who came to accept the offerings made into the homa fire were visible to people’s eyes!

Once when valourous Parikshit was proceeding to conquer the world (digvijay yatra), he came across Kali Puruṣa, the presiding deity of this Kali Yuga. He was dark in complexion, had dressed up like a king and was riding a vehicle that was being driven by a cow and a bull. This Kali Puruṣa was kicking the legs of these animals and hurting them.  Parikshit caught hold of Kali Puruṣa.

Upon hearing this Maharishi Śounaka enquired, “O Mahatma Suta! Why did Parikshit, who was on this digvijay yātra, seize this Kali Puruṣa? What was the reason? Who is this Kali Puruṣa, who having dressed up like a king was kicking the holy cow?

O Mahatma! Please answer this question of mine only if this incident bears connection to the story of Lord Krishna or pertains to those holy beings who, being engrossed in supreme devotion towards His holy lotus feet, lick the nectar from those holy feet.

For, ordinary human beings like us who have a fleeting lifespan within which we seek to realize the Supreme Truth have no need for wasteful and inauspicious subjects that bear no connection to Krishna. What benefit will be obtained by spending time discussing wasteful topics? Apart from exhausting our longevity we see no other result”.

Often people waste their time discussing wasteful topics. Every second in this life is extremely precious! Use every second and every minute effectively without wasting it. Time once gone can never be retrieved! There are many who listen to stories of the Lord as it is a good pastime. This belief is wrong. Instead the person should be thrilled that he is using time effectively for listening to the stories of the Lord. He should not consider it a pastime. He should thank his lucky stars!

Hari! Srihari! Narayana!

Arjuna was recollecting the times when Krishna had loved him as a dear friend, the times when He had showered fatherly love upon him, the times when He had advised him on important matters and the times when He had played and jocularly teased him. He then recollected the Bhagavad Geeta that he had heard years before and with this attained mental peace. His grief was destroyed and he attained absolute peace.

There are many who keep on recollecting their past sorrowful events and remain in that state itself. They continue to chase the dead relative. They do not believe in moving on in life. ‘He has gone ahead with his journey. Now I should continue my journey independently.’ Such thinking should be developed. What is the use of recollecting the same sad events? Learn to recollect good incidents and the important lessons that have been learnt from them. One should learn this from Arjuna.

Arjuna recollected all the past good memories and pleasant events. He remembered the incidents where the Lord had objected to his vows, the incidents where the Lord had encouraged and helped him fulfill his vows as well as the incident where He assumed the role of a Guru and accepted him as a disciple. He remembered how the Lord in the role of Guru preached to him the sacred Bhagavad Geeta. He was grateful that the Lord, through the medium of this preaching, ensured that he remains steadfast in the completion of his duties and thus becomes a liberated being.

In this way Arjuna thought of only the good memories. If Arjuna had not recollected all those happy incidents, can you imagine what would have been his mental state due to dejection?

Yudhisthira had enquired about each and every relative individually. Barring four or five, all of them were no longer alive. Now when Yudhisthira heard that none of his friends or relatives was alive, when he heard that Krishna himself was no more, what would be the state of his mind? How would he have felt? Therefore instantly, with an absolutely firm mind that was devoid of any grief, he decided that he has to travel to that place where Krishna lives. His mind was calm.

A very important message is contained in this for us who are living in Kali Yuga. At least a few among these points we should adopt. There are people who grieve for years at stretch about their kith and kin who have departed. They talk and think about them at all times. Instead of this if they think about Krishna it would be so supreme, isn’t it? Believing firmly that these departed souls have merged with God, one should also seek to attain God. Such resolution should be taken with a firm decisive mind, devoid of grief. With this the departed soul and the person both will be at peace.

By constantly thinking about departed souls, you are holding on to them and pulling them continuously down towards this world. Through your mind you are constantly attracting them towards yourself. With this neither you nor they will be mentally peaceful.

All this preaching to Yudhisthira is actually meant for us. If not, how is it possible for Arjuna to ever forget Krishna? Such was his relationship with Krishna. But then, methodically he composed himself, stabilized his mind and became calm, peaceful. There were some more pending tasks for him to complete. He decided to return to that place where Paramatma lives. Observing this in his younger brother even Yudhisthira resolved firmly to ascend heaven.

Kunti who heard Arjuna’s narration about the disappearance of Lord Krishna from earth and of the total destruction of the Yadu clan, fixed her mind in undeviating devotion towards the Lord, who was beyond measurement by any parameter. She thus attained liberation while living (jeevan mukti). She discarded this body and exited from the shackles of births and deaths! How soothing it is to hear such words!

Just as a thorn removes another thorn, the Lord who is without form took on a physical body for the purpose of reducing the burden of Mother Earth. He now gave up his body. The purpose of His incarnation was complete. To Him, the taking up a body, the actions undertaken through the medium of that body and relinquishing it are one and the same.

Just as an actor dons many disguises for the purposes of enacting a drama, the Supreme Lord accepted different incarnations and then gave up those bodies too. In this case he accepted the role as Krishna, reduced the burden of earth and then gave up his body.

From the moment Krishna gave up His body, Kali increased his influence on earth. Kali Yuga commenced that day. Kali instigated those who lacked wisdom towards unrighteous deeds. Miserliness, untruthfulness, cheating, violence and other unrighteous actions became rampant in every country, city, home; in fact in every being. To be frank due to the influence of Kali, they caused a person to harm himself. Yudhisthira, who was very wise, realized this.

So far Yudhisthira had been addressed as a king or as an emperor. Now he is addressed as a wise man. He realized that he had to leave this earth and determined firmly to do so. He did not make new resolutions, ‘Oh, I need to eliminate this untruthfulness in people; I have to eradicate deceptiveness’. He realized that they will go away on their own. He was truly wise. Just as a thorn plucks out another thorn, these incarnations which create these changes also destroy them when their time is complete. For that also the right time has to arise. Yudhisthira realized this and hence is advised as wise.

In Hastinapura, Yudhisthira coroneted his grandson Parikshit, who was equal to him in every respect, as the emperor of the entire land that spanned up to the seas and entrusted the kingdom to him. In a similar manner, at Mathura, he crowned Vajra, the son of Aniruddha, as the King of Surasena kingdom. Thereafter, he performed the yagna called Prājapatyeshti, and invoking the fire into himself, took up sanyasa (renunciation from worldly life).

Sri Krishna! Datta Krishna!