August 2017 archive

The assembled guests continued to pray,

“In this world, dualities such as happiness-sorrows, victory-loss are the deep pits into which people keep falling repeatedly. In addition, people suffer terribly due to existence of ferocious wild animals known as ‘wicked persons’ in the society. There is no limit to their suffering.

O Lord, in this forest called samsāra the huge fire called grief eternally burns. In this path, human beings carry huge luggage known as body, house, wealth and struggle under its weight. They eagerly chase mirages known as sensory pleasures. It is desire that causes people to be infatuated towards this worldly path. If only such foolish persons would hold on to Your lotus feet, O Lord, definitely they would obtain protection. When will they learn to seek shelter under Your feet, O Lord?”

Swamiji explains:

Even after endless suffering why are people unable to surrender to You? They would be freed from their afflictions if only they surrender. They complain of bodily pains, but not even once do they offer that pain to Paramatma. These foolish people believe that Paramatma has no role in it, as it is their body that undergoes pain. They consider this body to be everything. Bodily pleasures themselves are liberation according to them.

The physical as well as mental agony that a being undergoes is limitless. He suffers in all his 3 bodies. If only he had surrendered whole-heartedly to the Lord, definitely the Lord will protect.

What is this illusion that has trapped people? At every moment, feelings of ‘me and mine’ run in their mind. ‘This is ‘mine’, he is ‘my’ relative, she is ‘my’ daughter, this is ‘my’ body and since it is diseased, ‘I’ need to heal it by undergoing an operation; this is ‘my’ pain’ – this is their way of thinking. It is not that pain should not be attended to. Going to a doctor and taking treatment is the right course, but meanwhile offer this body and this pain to the Lord. After all, one day you have to let go off this body. Even after taking extreme precautions to preserve the body from diseases, even after having given it endless treatment to set it right, the truth is that one day you have to let go off this body! You cannot take it with you.

You say, ‘at least as long as I live, I must be comfortable in this body’. Does it mean that you are not seeking happiness after leaving your body? If at all you seek happiness even after giving up this body, then offer the senses together with the pain to the Lord. ‘Let this body undergo pain. It is my destiny after all. I need to experience this’. Why can’t any person develop such stubborn attitude towards suffering and pain?

In every other aspect, the person is adamant. He is adamant that his desire should be fulfilled; he is adamant that he wins every argument; he is adamant that he should recover from his illness and so forth. Here once again I re-iterate that I am not against medication and treatment. I do not say that confusions and misunderstandings at home should not be set right. However along with your actions towards recovery, mentally surrender to the Lord! Why are you unable to put this into practice? This is what the assembled guests questioned. Now let’s get back to Bhagawatam.

Rudra then prayed, “O Srihari! O bestower of boons! The deluded living beings who are full of desires and Maharishis who are absolutely desireless- everyone in this creation worships Your lotus feet”.

Swamiji explains:

It is a misconception that people worship the Lord purely for fulfillment of desires. The truth is that even those who are desireless worship His holy feet. They seek shelter under Him. They seek to obtain the Supreme Lord itself! The one who has desires has love towards his body.

In the person who is desireless such attachment and love towards the body would have died down. He realizes that for having taken up a body, experiences are a must. So he retains only that much body-identification as is needed for existence. He eats only as much as needed for survival. He breathes only because life should continue. He does not struggle beyond this.

As against this, we struggle eternally for maintaining our body. More important than this is our dedication towards acquiring assets. Do you even know why you are struggling to acquire them? You struggle seeking the well-being of the children but in the process children do not know what it is to struggle and earn. Even a bird allows its babies to fetch their own food once they develop wings. The bird struggles and finds its own way. This is the rule of karma.

Human beings however are dependant up to the age of three upon parents. Only when the infant is properly nourished by the mother for three years, it survives. All other living beings live and earn their food independently right from beginning.

Sri krishnāya namah.

Thereafter Daksha, seeking permission from Lord Brahma, reinstated the Yagna fire and together with the priests and other sages, sat down to complete the remaining rituals.

As Veerabhadra and other warriors had damaged the sacrificial hall and fires, the Yagna had been rendered impure. In order to bring purity to the Yagna and to ensure that it would be completed without any obstacles, the Brahmins organized 3 Purodaśa vessels (pātra). Completing the rituals and offering oblations as stipulated, they worshipped Sri Mahāvishnu.

While the chief priest Maharishi Bhrigu was holding the offerings, Daksha, the performer of the Yagna, meditated upon Sri Mahāvishnu with a pure inner mind.

Immediately Srihari, the Supreme Lord, manifested there. He was seated on His vehicle Garuda, which has the Sāma veda hymns known as Bṛhat and Rathāntara as its wings.

With His arrival, the 10 directions glowed luminously. In front of this illumination, Brahma and other Devatas appeared lusterless and pale.

With His dark complexion, golden waistband, golden-yellow silken clothing around His waist and with a crown that dazzled like the Sun, the Supreme Lord glowed vibrantly. The curly hair which resembled black bees and the glittering earrings decorated His face beautifully.

In His eight hands, which were decorated with golden ornaments, He held the conch, lotus, discus, bow, arrow, sword, mace and shield. It appeared as if He was in a hurry to rescue His devotees with these weapons. The Lord who was holding these weapons resembled a huge blossoming tree.

With Goddess Lakshmi on His chest and the long Vanamāla garland, He looked divine. With His charming smile and tender gaze He was showering limitless love and causing happiness to the entire world. The white vinjāmara fans that were on His either side looked like royal swans. The beautiful white umbrella over His head resembled the beautiful full moon. Together with all these decorations, He was looking extraordinarily beautiful.

Brahma, Shiva, Indra and all other Devatas, Maharishis, priests and the assembled invitees saw the Supreme Lord and instantly stood up to offer obeisance. In front of His supreme radiance, all the Devatas appeared pale and lusterless. Seeing this divine auspicious form in front of them, the Devatas were mesmerized and speechless. In nervousness they quickly folded their hands above their heads, fell on the ground and prostrated before Him.

Srihari is that Supreme Essence who cannot be understood through any definite decisive proofs! He is beyond them all! When this Supreme Essence appeared before them, all the Devatas stood up and reverentially worshipped Him!

The divine transcendental glories of the Supreme Lord are beyond the understanding of even Lords such as Brahma. His beauty, His glory cannot be understood by the mind. Even then the compassionate Lord, who treats His devotees as His children, appeared before them and blessed them with His darshan. Such is His grace! Enthralled by this love shown, each of them praised the Lord according to his capacity and understanding.

Each of the assembled guests praised the Lord according to the feelings that existed in his/her mind, according to his/her level of understanding of the Supreme Essence, according to the manner in which he/she perceived the Lord at that point of time.

Whenever He manifests, devotees arrange all the items in clean, beautiful puja-plates and offer them to Him. He then accepts them. Likewise, Daksha, with pure focused attention, meditated upon the Lord and the Lord accepted His prayers.

The Lord was accompanied by His attendants, Nanda and Sunanda. Daksha Prajāpati folded his hands and with feelings of total self-surrender, prayed as follows,

“In the Pure Consciousness (atma chaitanya), everything shines. Yet, the merits and demerits of the illumined objects cannot influence the Pure Consciousness. For this reason, it is absolutely pure. It has no second. It has no fear.

Even though the three states of waking, dream and deep sleep exist within this consciousness, it remains beyond them. Such Pure Consciousness is itself Your form!

O Lord, You are independent and above the scope of illusion (māya). You, an embodiment of knowledge, remain eternally in Your original form. Nevertheless, due to Your illusory powers, You appear as if You have taken on a human form and are impure”.

The priests then prayed to the Lord,

“Tattvaṁ na te vayam anañjana rudra-śāpāt  Karmaṇy avagraha-dhiyo bhagavan vidāmaḥ

Dharmopalakṣaṇam idaṁ trivṛd adhvarākhyaṁ  Jñātaṁ yad-artham adhidaivam ado vyavasthāḥ

O Lord! You are the Self (atma) that exists within the different living entities. Even then, the sins committed by those varied bodies do not touch You. Due to Nandi’s curse, our mind is eternally inclined towards fruitive actions and we have been unable to understand Your real form.

Yagna, which regulates people to walk on the path of the dharma and which is explained in all the three Vedas, is Your form. You manifest in the form of Indra and other Devatas. These Devatas and these disciplines manifest along with You solely to ensure successful completion of the Yagna”.

The assembled members prayed,

“O Lord, who protects one and all! Ignorant foolish persons are walking on the path called samsāra mārga i.e. they are eternally rotating in the repeated cycle of births and deaths. In this path, when the ferocious snake called death continually chases the persons, there is none to rescue them.

In this path of repeated births and deaths, afflictions known as spiritual ignorance (avidy), sense of I-ness (ahamkara), likes-dislikes (raga-dweśa) and fear of death (abhiniveśa) are the huge boulders that are impossible to cross over.”

Srikrishnāya namah.

Haraye namah

“Eṣa te rudra bhāgo ’stu yad-ucchiṣṭo ’dhvarasya vai

Yajñas te rudra bhāgena kalpatām adya yajña-han

O Rudra! After completion of Yagna, may everything that remains belong exclusively to You! May it be Your share. May this Yagna be completed with Your portion of offerings”. In this way, Brahma prayed to Rudra.

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

Fourth Canto Chapter Seven

In this chapter, Mahavishnu manifests in the sacrificial hall when Daksha, Shiva and other Devatas pray to Him. With His blessings, Daksha re-starts the Yagna.

Maitreya Maharishi continued, “O Vidura! Hearing the prayers of the self-created Lord Brahma, Shiva was pleased. Smiling cheerfully He replied,

“O Lord Brahma! Being influenced by illusory power (māya) Daksha and other persons have lost their wisdom and intelligence. I do not even consider their mistakes as serious offences. Even then, finding the appropriate time, I have punished them for their mistakes.

Due to this punishment, Daksha Prajāpati’s head was chopped off and thrown into the fire pit. Henceforth he will have a goat’s head. Bhaga Devata, who lost his eyes, will hereafter see his share of sacrifice through the eyes of Mitra Devata.

Puśa Devata will be able to chew and eat, items made of flour, through the teeth of his Yajamāni (the patron conducting the sacrifice). The Devatas have offered to me everything that remains in the Yagna, therefore all their injured limbs will be healed and they will as robust as before.

The priests who lost their hands will have to work through the hands of Ashwini Devatas and through the forearms of Puśa Devata. Bhrigu Maharishi, who lost his mustache and beard, will henceforth have a goat’s beard” -Shiva thus showered blessings upon them.

Devatas who heard this were overjoyed. They applauded and appreciated Lord Shiva, the giver of boons. They invited Shiva to the Yagna. Together with Brahma and Shiva, the Devatas and Maharishis returned to the place of Daksha’s Yagna to complete the sacrifice as instructed by Shiva.

The head of the sacrificial goat was fixed to Daksha’s headless body. Shiva showered His compassionate gaze upon Daksha, who was now goat-headed. As easily as a person wakes up from sleep, Daksha returned back to life. He opened his eyes and saw Shiva standing before him.

Previously Daksha’s mind was polluted due to his aversion for Shiva. However now due to Shiva’s compassionate gaze and due to the fact that he had the darshan of Shiva immediately upon being revived, Daksha’s mind was totally cleansed. Just like the clear autumn waters of the lake, Daksha’s mind shone with purity.

He wanted to glorify Shiva but suddenly he remembered his daughter Satidevi, who was no more. With this, his mind was engulfed with feelings of affection and agitation. He shed profuse tears and could not get himself to speak.

Although Daksha was well-learned scholar his mind had succumbed to feelings of love and affection. With great difficulty he restrained his mind. With feeling of absolute devotion, he prayed,

“O Lord Śiva, I have insulted You. I am a sinner. Even then, You first blessed me in the form of punishments. Thereby You purified me.  By restoring me back to life You have blessed me once again. Thus twice You have showered limitless mercy upon me. Your action is supremely astonishing, O Lord.

Neither You nor Srihari ever disregard even the worst, useless Brahmin. This being the case, would You ever disregard those people who have diligently taken the vow towards Yagna? It is impossible.

O Parameśwara! You are all pervading. At the beginning of creation, with the intent of protecting Vedas and Self-knowledge, You manifested as Brahma. From that face You created Brahmins. Through strict adherence to the disciplines linked to austerities, through penance and through following the path of knowledge, these Brahmins have been protecting the Vedas. Hence, when they are in distress You rush and protect them.

A cowherd uses a stick to regulate the movement of cows that go astray. Thereby he ensures their protection. Likewise You punish the wicked. Through the medium of punishment You actually ensure their protection. Through this You ensure protection of the Vedic regulations. The punishment that You have awarded to people like me is for my benefit and protection!

I was an ignorant fool who had no idea of Your divine reputation. In that fully-packed gathering, I insulted You by uttering harsh words that pierced you like sharp arrows. Being an epitome of compassion, O Lord, You did not even take them seriously. You are supremely venerable. When I was about to fall into hell, because of the sin incurred by insulting You, You showered Your compassionate gaze upon me and saved me.  I do not have in me the capacity to satisfy and please You. But yet, You have blessed me abundantly.

O Lord, with Your extreme broad-mindedness and out of Your own will, be happy with me since I do not in me have the capacity to please You.”In this way, Daksha Prajāpati sought pardon from Shiva for his earlier sins.

He now regretted his earlier deeds. He grieved that he lost his daughter in the process. He realized that in the form of punishment i.e. destruction of the Yagna, the Lord had actually been merciful towards him. After punishing him for his misdeeds, the Lord now restored him back to life and enabled him to continue with his yagna. Due to the Lord’s grace, his desire to complete the Yagna and to adhere to his prescribed duties was fulfilled. Towards this, the Lord’s grace was limitless. It was supreme. Hence Daksha was thankful to Him.

Haraye namah

Immediately upon seeing Brahma, Shiva stood up and offered obeisance. All the sages, Maharishis, siddha-gaṇās and Shiva’s attendants also stood up and offered obeisance to Lord Brahma.

Shiva’s neck was bluish in complexion. He body was glowing. With the crescent moon on His forehead, He was radiant. With a charming smile, Lord Brahma addressed the Lord who had reverentially bowed to him and said, “

Jāne tvām īśaṁ viśvasya jagato yoni-bījayoḥ

Śakteḥ śivasya ca paraṁ yat tad brahma nirantaram

O Parameśwara! You are the Lord of this entire universe. If illusory power (māya śakti) is the womb within which the world emerges, then Śiva is the seed. If illusory power is the material cause (upādāna kāraṇa) for the creation, the Śiva are the instrumental cause (nimitta kāraṇa).

Due to the union of the Nature and Self (Prakriti- Puruśa), this world emerges. For this reason, śakti and Śiva are the father and mother for this entire creation. I know You as the Supreme Lord (Parabrahma), who is above Nature and Self, who is non-dual and who is extolled greatly by the Vedas.

O Supreme Lord! O Parameshwara! You manifest as Śiva and śakti and in these forms, playfully engage in actions. The spider spins a web from its body. Thereafter it pulls back that web into itself. In the similar manner, You create this world from Your body. You sustain it and thereafter absorb it back into Yourself.

Vedas blesses the people by establishing the four-fold principles of life i.e. the Puruśārthas. In order to protect these Vedas, using Daksha as an instrument, You began the Yagna. O Lord, You are the one who protects the tenets of Dharma. Exponents in Vedas dedicatedly abide by these Vedic disciplines.

Tvaṁ karmaṇāṁ maṅgala maṅgalānāṁ Kartuḥ sva-lokaṁ tanuṣe svaḥ paraṁ vā

Amaṅgalānāṁ ca tamisram ulbaṇaṁ Viparyayaḥ kena tad eva kasyacit

O Lord Śiva! O bestower of auspiciousness! You are the heavenly destination for those who, for the fulfillment of their desires, adhere to the auspicious activities specified by the Vedas.  You are the one who rewards them with heavenly comforts. For those who complete actions without any expectation of reward (niśkāma), You bestow liberation, the final goal of life. You are the one who punishes those who indulge in sinful inauspicious deeds, by pushing them into horrible hells.

Nevertheless, for some unknown reason, at times these results awarded are contrary to what they should be. Although Daksha began an auspicious activity, due to his mistakes the result was inauspicious. The person who has surrendered to Your lotus feet, sees You as residing with every living being. Giving up feelings of differentiation he sees every living being as a form of the Self. Such evolved person does not succumb to anger like animals or like ignorant beings.

Yet, there are people who believe in duality and differentiation. Their mind is eternally focused upon performance of actions instead of focusing upon the Supreme Lord. Such persons, who have a wicked mind, can never tolerate another’s prosperity. At every moment they are tormented with jealousy. They cause distress to others by uttering harsh words which pierce the hearts of others. In the form of inauspicious results God punishes these wicked persons. One among such sinners is Daksha. O auspicious form! I pray to You, please do not cause his death.

It is impossible to cross God’s illusion (Hari māya). Those who are caught in this illusion see only duality everywhere. If due to their past destiny or due to God’s will such people commit sins, the saints who exist during that time period, out of compassion pardon them and thus shower their grace upon them. They do not show their might upon them.

O Lord! It is impossible to cross illusion created by the Supreme Lord. However this illusion does not touch you, who are omniscient. Trapped in this illusion, wisdom and intelligence depletes. As a result Daksha and other ordinary persons are eternally engrossed in performing actions. Please pardon their mistakes and bless them.

O primordial cause of this creation! O Lord Śiva! You are entitled for a share in Yagna offerings. Due to wickedness, these people conducting the Yagna did not offer to you, Your share. Due to destruction caused by You, Daksha’s yagna remains incomplete. O Lord! Please ensure that this Yagna is duly completed. After all You are the Lord who bestows the results for every Yagna. You please bring Daksha back to life and help him complete his Yagna.

O Lord, please also ensure that Bhaga Devata gets back his eyesight, Puśa Devatas gets back his teeth and that Bhrigu Maharishi gets back his beard and mustache. O Rudra! Please ensure that all injured priests and Devatas, whose limbs are broken, are healed completely”.

Haraye namah

Haraye namah

All the lakes in Kailasa are ornamented with different kinds of white lilies, blue water lilies, chengalva lilies and lotuses. Groups of birds flock to these lakes chirping melodiously rendering the place divine. Deer, monkeys, wild pigs, lions, bears, wild boars, sharvas, wild bulls, tigers, foxes and many other species of animals wander about in the vicinity of these lakes. Rows of banana plants decorate the river banks and lake-beds. River Nanda, which has attained ultimate purity due to Satidevi bathing in it, flows all around Kailasa.

The Devatas, who arrived at Kailasa to seek pardon from Shiva, were deeply wonder-struck seeing its beauty and richness. They saw the beautiful city called Alakapuri and the forests known as ‘sougandhika’. The lotuses that bloom in this forest are known as sougandhika (fragrant). Rivers Alakananda and Nanda flow on either side of this Alakapura. Due to the dust of the sacred lotus feet of Shiva, these rivers have become extremely pure.

Celestial ladies, who are tired after excessive sensory pleasures, come down from their planets to play in these rivers. Together with their husbands, they play in these waters, to drive away the tiredness.

As they playfully enter the waters, the kumkum from the forehead of the ladies, mixes into the waters causing the waters of the river to appear crimson yellow. The male elephants, intoxicated due to the fragrance of the waters, flock to these rivers together with the female elephants to drink water even though they are not thirsty.

In the skies above Alakapuri, hundreds of celestial airplanes, made of gold, precious stones and gems, fly about. Seated within them are female Yakshas. In this way the sky above Alakapuri, illumines with the beautiful female Yakshas and airplanes that dazzle like clouds.

The Devatas crossed this city called Alakapuri, which is the residence of Kubera, the king of Yakshas. They now arrived at the gardens known as Sougandhika. This garden, filled with wish-fulfilling trees known as Kalpavrikshas, appears pleasant. All the trees here glow with their multi-coloured leaves, tender shoots and fruits.

In this garden, the melodious chirps of the cuckoos are accompanied by the tuneful buzzing of the bees. The lakes in this garden are filled with beautiful lotuses which attract royal swans. Yellow sandalwood trees are found in great abundance here. In order to relieve themselves from the itching sensations, wild elephants rub their backs against the trees. With this the barks of the trees fall off. The aroma of these sandalwood trees, carried by the wind, torments the minds of the female Yakshas and makes them crave for more sensual pleasures.

The steps leading to the lakes are made of sapphires and rubies. With rows of black water lilies, these lakes appear divinely beautiful. Devatas observed these lakes and the Kimpuruśas, who were wandering about in these lakes.

Then they saw a huge banyan tree that was located near the lake. That tree was 100 yojanās long (1 yojana is 8 miles approx.). Its branches were 75000 yojanās wide. The shadow of this tree was spreading over hundreds of miles and it appeared never ending. Bird nests could not be found on this tree. Under the tree it was pleasantly cool.

Tasmin mahā-yogamaye mumukṣu-śaraṇe surāḥ

Dadṛśuḥ śivam āsīnaṁ tyaktāmarṣam ivāntakam

This tree is the repository of the various supernatural powers such as Anima. Sanaka and other maha-yogis frequently visit this tree. Spiritual aspirants desirous of liberation seek refuge under this tree. Brahma and other Devatas saw Lord Shiva, who was seated under this tree. At that moment He appeared like Lord Yama (lord of death) who had given up all anger.

He was surrounded by Sanaka, Sananda and other saints, who were totally free from dualities such as likes-dislikes. They were meditating upon this peaceful and calm form of Lord Shiva. Shiva’s friend Kubera, who is also the Lord of the Yakshas, was serving Him.

Shiva is the Lord who causes well-being of the entire creation. He is the friend of the universe. He is a personification of love. He is filled with knowledge, penance and Yoga. For bringing about the welfare of the world and to guide the spiritual aspirants, He adheres to meditation, total concentration of mind and other disciplines of ashtānga yoga.

Lord Shiva’s body glows like the red evening-twilight cloud. He has decorated himself with ash, stick, animal skin and long braids. For those who are on the path of penance, these symbols are extremely dear. He adorns His head with a crescent moon.

Upaviṣṭaṁ darbhamayyāṁ bṛsyāṁ brahma sanātanam

Nāradāya pravocantaṁ pṛcchate śṛṇvatāṁ satām

Seated on a cushion made of grass He was teaching the Supreme Knowledge to Narada, who had enquired of the same from Him. Sanaka and other saints were keenly listening to this preaching.

Kṛtvorau dakṣiṇe savyaṁ pāda-padmaṁ ca jānuni

Bāhuṁ prakoṣṭhe ’kṣa-mālām āsīnaṁ tarka-mudrayā

He had placed his left leg on his right thigh. In His left hand He held the japamala (rosary) and it was resting on the left thigh. With His right hand He depicted the Jnana-mudra. His mind was totally immersed in absolute bliss. He is the foremost among those who are established in the Self.

Seeing this Supreme Lord Paramaśiva, all the Devatas, Maharishis and the guardian deities of the world, folded their hands and offered obeisance. Devatas and demons, together with their leaders, worship the lotus feet of this Lord.

Just as Mahavishnu offered obeisance to Maharishi Kaśyapa, this Lord Shiva, immediately upon seeing Lord Brahma, stood up and offered obeisance to Him.

Haraye namah