August 2017 archive

Sridharāya namah

The citizens praised the Queen Suneeti, “O queen, from a long time your son was not to be seen. Due to God’s grace he has returned. It is truly great fortune. He will alleviate all our sufferings. He will safeguard earth.

Abhyarcitas tvayā nūnaṁ bhagavān praṇatārti-hā

Yad-anudhyāyino dhīrā mṛtyuṁ jigyuḥ sudurjayam

You sincerely worshipped the Lord who dispels the distress of those who have surrendered to Him. This is undoubtedly true. Devotees who are eternally devoted towards His worship conquer even death, which otherwise is impossible to conquer”.

In various ways the citizens praised Dhruva. Hearing these wonderful praises King Uttānapāda was overjoyed. He had Dhruva and his brother Uttama seated on an elephant and then the procession returned to the city. Citizens also glorified their King.

The city was decorated with many crocodile-shaped doorways. Each of these doorways was decorated with banana plants laden with bunches of ripe bananas and areca palm trees laden with areca nuts.

Burning lamps placed in huge water pots were positioned at each gate. These water pots were decorated with tender mango leaves, flower garlands and pearl chains.

The entire city was enclosed by boundary walls. There were many gate towers. Huge domes decorated these towers. There were many palaces within the city. All the domes of the palaces glittered like domes of airplanes.

The citizens cleaned all pathways, main roads as well as the streets and sprinkled them with sandalwood water. They arranged auspicious items such as fried grain, fruits, akshata, rice, flowers. As Dhruva passed by, married women greeted him by singing melodious welcoming songs and showered motherly love upon him. They blessed him profusely with many auspicious items such as curd, white gingely, akshata (colored rice), water, tender grass, fruits and flowers. While listening to these melodious songs, Dhruva entered his father’s palace.

That palace was made up of many precious gems and stones. Enjoying his father’s love and affection, Dhruva lived in that palace just as Devatas live in heaven. The place had beds made of ivory which were white like milk cream. All vessels and plates were made of gold. Costly, valuable furniture could be seen throughout the palace.

The walls of that palace were made of marble and were engraved with many carvings made of sapphire. Many oil lamps were burning on these walls. In the inner apartments of the palace, ladies moved about wearing costly jewellery that glittered brightly.

The gardens attached to this palace were replete with many fragrant, auspicious trees which brought joy to the mind. Bird-couples seated on the many branches of this garden chirped melodiously. Bees that were intoxicated due to drinking excessive nectar moved about buzzing melodiously.

The steps leading to the ponds and wells were made of marbles, emeralds and precious stones. These ponds were decorated with many black lilies, white lilies and lotuses. Flocks of swans, cranes and birds such as kārandavās, jakkava, rāyanca could be seen throughout the lakes. They flew about freely everywhere.

King Uttānapāda, who was of a saintly nature, had previously heard from Maharishi Narada the supreme accomplishment of his son Dhruva. He could now see directly the magnanimity of that accomplishment. It left him wonder-struck.

Time passed and Dhruva entered into his youth. The ministers and the elderly members of the country thought it appropriate for him to be crowned the King. Uttānapāda also realized that the citizens loved him dearly. He therefore crowned Dhruva as the king.

Uttānapāda had attained dispassion. Being old he now wanted to spend time in contemplating about the Self. Accepting vanaprastha ashrama, he left for the forests.

With this the ninth chapter of the fourth canto comes to an end.

Fourth Canto Chapter Ten

Dhruva’s marriage, the death of his brother Uttama and infuriated Dhruva fighting with the Yakshas who killed his brother, are covered in this chapter.

Maitreya Maharishi continued the story of Dhruva, “Śiśumāra Prajāpati had a daughter named Bhrami. Dhruva married Bhrami. This couple had two sons named Kalpa and Vatsara.

Dhruva was a very powerful emperor. He also married Ila, the daughter of wind. Through her he begot a son named Utkala and a very beautiful daughter who was also very virtuous.

His younger brother Uttama however was unmarried. One day he went hunting into the deep Himalayas. There while fighting a powerful Yaksha, he died. His mother Suruci, who was deeply attached to her son, went searching for him into the forests. She was caught in a terrible forest fire and she died.

This happened exactly as Sri Mahavishnu had earlier prophesized.

When Dhruva came to know that his brother Uttama had been killed by a Yaksha he was overwhelmed with grief. His fury knew no bounds. Immediately he mounted his chariot and set out for Alakāpuri, the abode of Yakshas.

This city is located in the northern direction. Attendants of Rudra wander about in these places. Dhruva travelled in that direction and reached a vast field located amidst the huge Himalayan valleys. From there he spotted Alakāpuri, the city of Yakshas.

Instantly Dhruva blew his conch so loudly that it reverberated in all directions.

Sridharāya namah

Dhruva thought, “I reached the lotus feet of that Lord who destroys worldly bondages. But due to my foolishness, I prayed to Him for a position which is of impermanent nature.

The star (pole star) that I am about to reach is superior to the heavenly planets wherein Devatas reside. When their balance of punya (merit) comes to an end these Devatas are thrown out of heaven. Therefore envious of my accession to a higher planet, these Devatas polluted my intelligence. That is why foolishly I threw away the valuable advice given to me earlier by Maharishi Narada.

I was totally deluded by Srihari’s illusion (māya). The person considers the objects seen in the dream to be of different existence, although this is far from truth. In reality there is nothing apart from the Self. Likewise totally deluded, I considered my brother as my enemy. I am afflicted due to this wrongful thinking. Hence all my efforts have become completely useless and can be compared to the treatment given to a dead person.

Srihari is the Self (atma) for this entire universe. Pleasing Him is the most difficult task. He is the Lord who destroys worldly bondages. I was fortunate that I could please Him with my penance. But then being dull-witted, I asked Him for perishable objects. I sought worldly bondages.

Svārājyaṁ yacchato mauḍhyān māno me bhikṣito bata

Īśvarāt kṣīṇa-puṇyena phalī-kārān ivādhanaḥ

Iśwara blesses the person with liberation. Due to depletion in my punya, I foolishly asked Him to bless me with the ultimate position, which only enhances my ego. I am like the foolish beggar who asks for grains of rice from the richest man who has the capacity to fulfill every demand”.

Maitreya Maharishi continued, “My dear son Vidura, pure devotees like you who are free from desire are satisfied by whatever is obtained by them due to the Lord’s grace. Srihari is the Lord who bestows liberation. Devotees like you, who serve His lotus feet, do not seek any material benefit for themselves. They seek only to serve His lotus feet.

No one believes that the dead return to life. Likewise, King Uttānapāda could not believe the messenger who reported that his son was returning home. He thought -‘I am a wretched fool. How can such auspiciousness ever come to me?’

But yet at the same time he recollected the words of Maharishi Narada. With faith in the Maharishi words, he understood that his son was actually returning home. He jumped with uncontrollable joy. He rewarded the messenger who had brought him this good news with a precious pearl chain.

He was anxious and desperate to see his son’s face. Immediately he mounted a golden chariot that was drawn by magnificent horses and left the city. Together with priests, Vedic scholars, relatives and many other well-wishers, his procession moved magnificently.

The citizens blew conches, drums, flutes and kettle-drums celebrating Dhruva’s arrival. Vedic scholars began to chant Vedic hymns loudly. Suneeti and Suruci, the king’s wives, decked themselves with exquisite golden jewellery. Seated in their palanquins, they too joined the procession to welcome Dhruva.

Due to touching the holy lotus feet of the all-pervading Lord Srihari, Dhruva was now totally freed from all material bondages!

From a distance King Uttānapāda saw his son who was approaching the nearby forests. For the past many months his mind was afflicted by the desire to see his son. In that eagerness he got down from the chariot, rushed towards his son and embraced him warmly with both his arms. It was as if his long pending desire was truly fulfilled. He kissed the boy on his head repeatedly and patted him. Tears of joy were freely flowing from his eyes and they drenched the boy thoroughly.

Dhruva is the foremost among noble persons. He was totally humble. He prostrated before his father. The father blessed him and enquired about his well-being. Thereafter Dhruva turned towards both his mothers and bowing before them, he offered obeisance to them.

Step-mother Suruci lovingly carried the boy who had bowed down before her in reverence. She embraced him lovingly and with a choked voice blessed him “May you live long!” Tears of happiness were freely flowing from her eyes.

Just as water naturally flows downhill, human beings naturally honour the person who has been blessed completely by Lord Srihari. Suruci who despised him earlier now showered him with her love and blessings.

Brothers Uttama and Dhruva embraced each other and shed tears of joy. Their hair on their bodies stood up.

Mother Suneeti embraced her son who was dearer than her own life by putting her arms around him. She was soaked in total joy and the grief in her mind was totally washed away. The valiant and noble mother that she was, milk flowed from her breasts that were wet with tears of joy. They drenched Dhruva totally.

Vāmanāya namah

Dhruva continued, “Knowledge and ignorance, creation and dissolution,- such mutually contradictory energies keep manifesting suddenly one after another within the non-dual Parabrahma. This entire creation has emerged from the Supreme Lord, who is not subject to the limitations of time. This Lord is a personification of bliss and is changeless. He is the primordial cause for everything.  I surrender to such Supreme Lord.

Satyāśiṣo hi bhagavaṁs tava pāda-padmam

Āśīs tathānu-bhajataḥ puruṣārtha-mūrteḥ

apy evam arya bhagavān paripāti dīnān

vāśreva vatsakam anugraha-kātaro ’smān

O Lord! Your lotus feet are the sole refuge for bliss, which is sought after by every human being. The devotee who serves You without any expectation of reward considers the wonderful opportunity of serving Your lotus feet as far superior than even the highest materialistic reward! To him serving Your lotus feet itself is the highest reward!

Nevertheless, O Lord, You are always eager to fulfill the desire of Your devotees. Just as a mother cow protects her newborn calf, with utmost love You protect helpless devotees like me”.

In this way, intelligent Dhruva praised the Lord. Supreme Lord Srihari was immensely pleased with this prayer. Appreciating his prayer, He replied,

“Vedāhaṁ te vyavasitaṁ hṛdi rājanya-bālaka

Tat prayacchāmi bhadraṁ te durāpam api suvrata

O Prince! Your dedication towards penance is supreme! I know the desire within your mind. Although it is impossible to fulfill, I am going to fulfill it. May you be blessed with auspiciousness!

Dhruva, the planet that you are about to obtain glows radiantly. None can rise above it. None can enter into it. You will eternally rule over it. Constellations of stars and planets will be under its control.  Based on their individual punya, meritorious beings who reside in higher planes are re-born on earth during the Kalpa (period of creation). This planet that you are about to obtain will however remain till eternity. In other words, it will remain till the end of creation.

Dharma, Kashyapa, Agni, Shukra, as well as other great sages who abiding by the rules of Vānaprastha have acquired limitless merit, will in the form of stars circumambulate this planet (pole star) together with other planets and stars.

Your father will hand over the kingdom to you and leave for the forests. Thereafter you will rule for a period of 36000 years. You will keep Dharma, artha, kāma (the first three principles of life) absolutely under your control. You will totally restrain your senses and then enjoy kingly luxuries.

Your younger brother Uttama will die while he is hunting in deep forests. Your step-mother Suruci, unable to bear separation from her son, will go searching for him into the forests. Caught in a forest fire, she will meet death.

Yagna is my heart. You will worship me by conducting many such Yagnas and give away plentiful Dakshina (money offering given to priests conducting the Yagna). After enjoying best luxuries in this planet, in your last moments you will remember Me.

Tato gantāsi mat-sthānaṁ sarva-loka-namaskṛtam –Thereafter you will reach My abode, which is revered by all the worlds and which is located above the constellation of seven great sages. Only Yatiśwaras reach this abode of Mine. There is no question of re-birth for those who reach My abode”. In this way, Lord Srihari blessed Dhruva.

As Dhruva was watching, the Lord returned to His abode. By worshipping the lotus feet of the Lord, Dhruva’s desire was fulfilled. But still he was not totally satisfied. Recollecting the Lord’s order, he returned to his kingdom” said Maitreya Maharishi to Vidura.

Vidura then enquired, “O Maharishi, Srihari is the Lord of illusion. His permanent abode is the ultimate position that can be granted. It is beyond the reach of the pretentious. It can be attained only with great difficulty. It is obtained purely by those who dedicatedly worship His holy feet. In one birth Dhurva obtained that ultimate abode which cannot be obtained even after innumerable births. Why then was he unhappy?”

To this Maitreya Maharishi replied, “Through her harsh words step-mother Suruci pierced the heart of Dhruva. Dhruva recollected her painful words time and again. When he meditated upon the Supreme Lord he did not forget these insulting words. He did not seek liberation. For this reason, he now grieved.

He now thought, ‘Sanaka, Sananda and other great saints, who choose to remain eternal celibates, practiced intense meditation with total concentration for many births. Through ripened knowledge, they obtained the lotus feet of the Lord. With merely six months of penance, I could see the shadow of the Lord’s feet. However I entertained feelings of differentiation and considered my step-mother to be different from me. Due to this I have again been separated from the Lord’s feet. How unfortunate I am! Due to my foolishness I have lost them”.

Vāmanāya namah.

Vishṇave namah

Dhruva continued, “O Lord who rushes to the aid of those who are in trouble! Soon upon waking, the person perceives the world. This happens solely because You, as the inner consciousness, illumine the senses and intelligence due to which the person is able to perceive the world.

With the aid of the knowledge blessed by You, Lord Brahma was able to see this world. Only by taking shelter in You, who reside as the inner Self, the human being is able to see this world.

A wise man remembers favours received from others. How can such wise man ever forget Your lotus feet, when You are the inner Self that teaches about the real existence? Your devotees, who truly seek liberation, surrender wholly to Your lotus feet.

You are the wish fulfilling Kalpavriksha tree. You liberate people from this endless cycle of births and deaths. Despite this there are people who, influenced by Your illusory power, worship You for other small favours. Such ignorant people crave for trivial sensory pleasures that can be experienced through the medium of this gross body, which in reality is nothing but a corpse. Isn’t it true that such sensory comforts can be experienced, in greater or smaller degrees, even in hell?

O Lord! The joy that is experienced by your ardent devotees by meditating upon Your lotus feet or by listening to Your glorious pastimes from other devotees, cannot be obtained even through Parabrahma. In other words, joy thus obtained far surpasses the supreme bliss known as Brahmānanda.

Through the medium of their wealth called merit (punya), virtuous persons travel to heaven in their celestial airplanes. When the sword called ‘time’ cuts through their merit i.e. when their merit depletes, they fall down to earth. Is there any special need to emphasize that such people, who travel to heavenly planets on the strength of their merit, do not experience this special joy that is obtained by Your pure devotees?

Bhaktiṁ muhuḥ pravahatāṁ tvayi me prasaṅgo

Bhūyād ananta mahatām amalāśayānām

Yenāñjasolbaṇam uru-vyasanaṁ bhavābdhiṁ

Neṣye bhavad-guṇa-kathāmṛta-pāna-mattaḥ

O infinite Lord! Supreme Mahatmas, who possess a very pure mind, tie down all their mental activities and divert them towards You. They have absolute devotion towards You. Bless me that I can associate with such Supreme Mahatmas. When such Supreme Mahatmas render Your divine glories I will drink in that nectar and obtain limitless bliss. Lost in this infinite bliss, I will easily cross this fearful, dreaded ocean of samsāra.

O lotus-eyed Lord! You are my Lord. The devotee’s heart is attracted by the divine fragrance that emerges from the lotus called Your feet. Association with supreme devotees is an exceptionally great opportunity. Those who associate with such devotees do not bother about this gross body, which is very dear to a materialistic person and which is subject to destruction. Neither do they attach any importance to house and other material possessions; children, spouse and other associations which come along with a gross body.

O Lord, You are birthless! This entire universal form of Yours is filled with animals, birds, snakes, Devatas, demons, humans and many other types of creatures. In this creation differences such as earth, water, fire, air, space (gross elements), smell, taste, form, touch and sound (subtle elements) are visible. Mahat and all other principles have an existence within the universal form itself. I know only about the Mahat tattva. However I have no knowledge about the formless, traitless Lord, who exists beyond it. This is because the Supreme Essence is beyond the scope of the mind, speech and imagination.

The Self-illuminating, primordial Lord Srihari retains the entire creation within His womb at the time of dissolution. He sleeps on Adi-śesha, the snake-bed. His navel is as vast as an ocean. From that navel, the three worlds emerge in the form of a golden lotus. In the centre of that golden lotus, Lord Brahma will be seated. He will be shining radiantly. I offer my obeisance to that Supreme Lord Srihari.

You are the Self which is eternally pure (nitya śuddha), eternally liberated (nitya mukta), changeless (nirvikara), eternally omniscient (nitya buddha). You are the cause for the entire creation. You are an embodiment of completeness. You are replete with the six auspicious qualities. You are the Lord of Nature, which is composed of the trigunas. You are the Lord of all the three worlds. You are the eternal witness to all the various individual activities. Your Self-illumination is indivisible.

During the existence of the universe You are the presiding deity for Yagna. Even though this world exists within You and gets absorbed into You, You remain aloof from it.

Yasmin viruddha-gatayo hy aniśaṁ patanti

Vidyādayo vividha-śaktaya ānupūrvyāt

Tad brahma viśva-bhavam ekam anantam ādyam

Ānanda-mātram avikāram ahaṁ prapadye

Knowledge and ignorance, creation and dissolution and such other opposite energies, which are mutually contradictory, keep manifesting suddenly one after another within the non-dual Parabrahma.

Trivikramaāya namah

Dhruva meditated upon Srihari, who exists as Pure Consciousness, with feelings of oneness. Using his sense organs, he blocked the movement of the life-force. As Dhruva had attained oneness with Pure Consciousness, when he blocked the movement of life-force, all beings in this creation including the guardian deities were choked, breathless and restless. Instantly the Devatas prayed to Lord Srihari and sought refuge.

“O Lord, breathing has stopped within every movable and immovable entity in this creation. Never before have we faced such situation! Please save us from this torture. We seek refuge in You.”

Lord Srihari, who heard their prayers, replied,

“mā bhaiṣṭa bālaṁ tapaso duratyayāt nivartayiṣye pratiyāta sva-dhāma

yato hi vaḥ prāṇa-nirodha āsīd auttānapādir mayi saṅgatātmā

O Devatas! Do not fear! Uttānapāda’s son Dhruva has merged his mind into that of mine. He has fully merged into Me, the form of the world. Due to his severe penance, you are getting suffocated. I will ask him to stop his terrible austerities. Please return to your homes”.

With this the eighth chapter of fourth canto comes to an end.

Fourth Canto Chapter Nine

In this chapter, Dhruva is blessed with the darshan of Lord Srihari. The hymn that he composes for the Lord, his returning back to his kingdom and accepting the Kingly duties are also covered.

Maitreya Maharishi continued, “In this way, Srihari reassured the Devatas. In the past, this Lord had dispelled fears of the Devatas by measuring the three worlds with his vast steps. With this assurance, they offered obeisance to Him and fearlessly returned back to heaven.

Desiring to meet Dhruva, Srihari mounted his vehicle Garuda and reached Madhuvana. Srihari exists in the form of living beings. All living beings are His forms, isn’t it? For this reason, He has innumerable heads.

Dhruva’s practices at remaining in the final stages of meditation (samādhi) had ripened. He was totally absorbed in meditating upon the Lord, who dazzled in the form of lightening within his heart-lotus. For this reason, he could not see Srihari who was present outside of him.

All of a sudden, the form of lightening upon which he was meditating vanished from his heart. With this his meditation was disturbed and he opened his eyes. He could see the same form, upon which he was meditating within his mind, outside of him.

Dhruva, the five year old boy, was anxious upon seeing this form of the Lord. Immediately he prostrated before the Lord in reverence. He looked at the Lord keenly with overflowing love. It was as if he was drinking in the form of the Lord with his eyes, as if he was kissing the Lord’s face. Without blinking an eyelid he joyously looked at the Lord as if the Lord was embracing him with his four hands.

In the form of Pure Consciousness Lord Srihari resides not just in Dhruva’s heart, but also in the heart-cave of every living being.

Little Dhruva wanted to glorify the Lord, he wanted to talk to Him, but being a child did not know how and what to say. The Supreme Lord understood the feelings of the little child. With limitless mercy, He touched Dhruva’s cheek with his conch, which is the embodiment of Vedas. That very instant the knowledge from the Vedas, which extol the greatness of Lord Srihari, dawned upon the child. The complete knowledge of the Lord, the Supreme Truth, was now clear to him, who was on the verge of obtaining a permanent position.

Without any agitation or anxiety, with a heart that was overflowing with devotion, he calmly prayed to the Lord.

He said, “

yo ’ntaḥ praviśya mama vācam imāṁ prasuptāṁ

sañjīvayaty akhila-śakti-dharaḥ sva-dhāmnā

anyāṁś ca hasta-caraṇa-śravaṇa-tvag-ādīn

prāṇān namo bhagavate puruṣāya tubhyam

O Supreme Lord! With all Your energies You are a personification of completeness. You have entered my heart and are the inner being. With Your illumination You have awakened my sleeping senses i.e. my speech, hands, eyes, ears, skin and other organs, and have enlivened them. I offer obeisance to You.

O Lord, You are non-dual. Your energy is known as ‘illusion’. It is composed of three attributes of goodness (sattva), passion (rajas) and ignorance (tamas). Using this illusory energy, You create everything right from Mahat (cosmic intelligence) up to the gross elements. Due to the magnitude of these principles, this visible world has emerged. All objects in this creation have emerged from the mixing of the three attributes of this illusory energy.

You enter into the world in the form of Self and cause it to exist. You illumine the world. This world does not have any authentic existence or energy. Its existence is purely illusory.

In such a world, that is full of varied names and forms, You alone exist. Just as fire enters different types of wood and burns accordingly in different shapes, You illumine in different forms that exist in the world!”

Vishnāve namah