August 2017 archive

Maharishi Kapila continued,

“Daivenāsāditaṁ tasya śamalaṁ niraye pumān

Bhuṅkte kuṭumba-poṣasya hṛta-vitta ivāturaḥ 

The person who walks on the path of adharma (unrighteousness) ultimately grieves as miserably as a person who has lost everything. The Supreme Lord ensures that the person who has maintained his family through unrighteous means suffers for these sinful deeds in the form of severe punishments in hell.

The person who relies purely on unrighteous or illegal activities to maintain his family reaches the worst portion of hell known as Andha-tāmiśra. The sinner experiences the worst possible punishments here.

After completing his suffering in hell, he will take birth again as animal and other lower forms of life and then gradually through purification, he progresses to human birth” said Kapila Maharishi.

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

Third Canto Chapter Thirty-one

In this chapter, acquiring human birth as a result of the combination of merits and sins is explained.

Kapila Maharishi continued, “O Mother! Based on the Lord’s will and in accordance with his own past fruitive actions, the being is ordered to take human birth. He takes shelter in a cell of the semen of a particular man and through it enters into the womb of a woman.

On the first night, the being that has entered his mother’s womb, will be in a form which is a mixture of two cells.  By the fifth night it converts into a bubble. By the tenth day it hardens and is the size of a plum. Thereafter it transforms into a small ball of flesh.

By the end of the first month, head is formed. At the end of two months, hands, legs and other limbs begin to form. By the end of three months, nails, fingers, toes, hair, bones, skin and sense organs manifest.

In the fourth month, bone marrow and the other six primary body building components (dhātus) will form. By the time the fetus is 5 months old, he begins to experience hunger and thirst. In the sixth month skin and the innermost membrane known as amnion are formed. Within the womb the fetus turns towards the left. With the help of the food and water consumed by the mother, its dhatus are nourished.

In the womb, fetus lives amidst stools and urine. This place is infested by worms. Living in these despicable places he suffers horribly.

The worms repeatedly bite his delicate skin every second. Unable to withstand this pain he swoons every second. The sour, salty and spicy food consumed by the mother, reach the fetus and due to these in every organ he experiences agonizing pain and suffers horribly.

Within the womb, the fetus is covered with the membrane called amnion and outside by the intestines. He suffers with shortage of space. Retaining his head within the womb, he bends his neck and back. Like a bird in a cage, he is stuck and unable to move his limbs properly. He has no freedom.

At such hour, due to the Lord’s will, the fetus regains the memory of all its past births. Recollecting his varied actions across the many past births, for a long time he is shocked and then he laments. What happiness can he obtain in such condition, tell me?

From the seventh month the fetus is conscious. However due to the pressure of the winds preceding delivery he is tossed about here and there. Just like the worm that exists alongside him, he too cannot remain at one place.

Due to the knowledge of his previous births, he who is now bound to this gross body composed of the seven components begins to dread these worldly bondages. Folding his palms, piteously he prays to the Lord who had put him into this womb. He pleads,

“In order to protect this world that has sought shelter in Him, the Lord out of His free will, incarnates in numerous forms on earth. For all living beings on earth, His feet are the sole refuge. I surrender to such lotus feet.

As I am wicked He has awarded me this punishment of living in a womb. Nature undergoes transformation and manifests as body, senses and mind. The individual being mistakenly considers himself to be the body and senses. Due to this misconception he gets involved in actions. He then obtains bodies that are in accordance to his merits and sins and gets imprisoned within a mother’s womb. I offer obeisance to that Supreme Lord, who is unbound and is without a carrier.

That Supreme Lord, who is devoid of birth and other transformations, shines resplendently within my heart, which is presently undergoing severe turmoil. To Him, who is an embodiment of knowledge (jnana), differences such as knower and known do not exist.

Yaḥ pañca-bhūta-racite rahitaḥ śarīre cchanno ’yathendriya-guṇārtha-cid-ātmako ’ham

Tenāvikuṇṭha-mahimānam ṛṣiṁ tam enaṁ vande paraṁ prakṛti-pūruṣayoḥ pumāṁsam

The activities of Nature and its attributes (trigunas) manifest as the 5 gross elements. In reality I am unconnected with this body created by Nature. Nor am I connected with the senses, or with sound and other sense perceptions or with ahamkara (sense of I-ness) that reflects within the mind. However due to my false belief that I am connected to them, I am actually getting bound to them. I offer my obeisance to that Lord who is of unquestionable repute. He is beyond Nature (Prakriti)”.

Padmanābhāya namah

Sridharāya namah.

“The Lord’s illusory power (māya shakti) has manifested as this vast universe composed of innumerable forms. That wonderful, ultimate power of the Lord which is responsible for this manifestation is known as time (kāla)!

Time is the refuge for everything! Through the medium of the 5 gross elements it enters into living beings and destroys them. It rules over even Brahma and other Gods who rule the universe.  The Supreme Lord Vishnu, who bestows results for all Yagnas, himself is time!

Time does not have a friend; nor does it have an enemy. It does not have any relative. It destroys everyone. Time, which destroys everyone, is ever vigilant. It enters into those who are overly immersed into sensual pleasures and destroys them.

Yad-bhayād vāti vāto ’yaṁ sūryas tapati yad-bhayāt

Yad-bhayād varṣate devo bha-gaṇo bhāti yad-bhayāt

It is due to fear of time that the wind blows, the Sun shines brightly, Lord Indra showers rains and the heavenly bodies illumine the sky.

Fearing time all creepers, plants and trees bear flowers and fruits as stipulated based on their seasons. Rivers flow and oceans do not transgress their limits out of fear of time.

Fearing this time the fire burns and the earth with its mountains refrains from sinking into the waters of the ocean. Respecting the laws of time, space makes place for all planets as well as all objects to exist within it.

Being under the control of time, Mahat tattva (cosmic intelligence) expands its body known as ahamkara (sense of I-ness) to manifest as the Universal body (Brahmanda) which is composed of 7 layers!

Fearing time, the three Lords Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra, the presiding deities for the attributes of action (rajas), goodness (sattva) and ignorance (tamo gunas), systematically execute their duties of creation, sustenance and annihilation in every creation. They rule this universe consisting of animate and inanimate entities.

Time, which is indestructible, destroys everything! Time, which is birthless, gives birth to everything! Time does not have transformations such as growing and shrinking. It continues creation by bringing forth a son from a father. It causes death to everyone including the Lord of death, Yama”.

Kapila Maharishi thus taught Mother Devahuti. With this the twenty ninth chapter of the third canto comes to an end.

Third Canto Chapter Thirty

In this chapter the lowest/worst levels to which a fickle-minded person, who struggles to support himself and his family, slips is explained.

Kapila Maharishi said to mother Devahuti,

“Tasyaitasya jano nūnaṁ nāyaṁ vedoru-vikramam

Kālyamāno ’pi balino vāyor iva ghanāvaliḥ

O Mother! Powerful winds disperse clouds. Clouds do not however have any estimation of the power of the wind. Similarly, time traps the being in these worldly bondages (samsara) and makes him suffer. The individual being however is unable to know the power of this samsāra. This is undoubtedly true.

Desiring comforts and happiness, a human being accumulates varied different objects, through many strenuous efforts. However the Lord, who manifests as time, swallows them all completely! Time destroys everything. Ultimately the human being grieves.

Yad adhruvasya dehasya sānubandhasya durmatiḥ

Dhruvāṇi manyate mohād gṛha-kṣetra-vasūni ca 

Due to spiritual ignorance (ajnana), the dull-witted individual being considers this impermanent body and the assets associated with it such as house, land and wealth as permanent. This ultimately is the cause for his sorrow.

Whatever type of birth he gets, i.e. irrespective of the womb into which he is born, be it a human, bird, insect, animal or celestial, the living entity considers it to be comfortable. He does not develop distaste towards it.

Due to Srihari’s power of illusion, the living entity has extreme infatuation towards these worldly bondages. Even if he were to be born in hell, he will crave for obtaining those trivial comforts available there. He will resist and grieve to give up that body.

The human being’s mind is completely focused upon his body, spouse, children, house, wealth, relatives. He entertains plentiful desires. Despite this, he considers himself to be perfect and great.

Being under the grip of illusion, with a wicked spoilt mind he endlessly strives only for fulfillment and sustenance of his desires. Due to this mental anxiety, his organs are all afflicted. Eternally he engages in sinful deeds.

The mind as well as the senses of such householder is totally enchanted by the body of women and the sweet, childish, innocent actions of infants. He will be under their sway. Hence, without any deviation, he dutifully completes all worldly activities that are evil, untrue and which only lead towards sorrows.

Simultaneously he is always on the lookout for methods by which he can get out of his worldly problems. In his opinion getting rid of problems is happiness. Lost in this trap, he never searches for real happiness. Getting into problems and then trying to resolve them becomes the entire purpose of his life.

Earning wealth has some element of injury (himsa) involved. With this money that is earned he feeds his family. He eats only that which remains after they eat. Finally due to his acts of violence he ends up in hell.

Sridharāya namah

Maharishi Kapila continued,

“Yo māṁ sarveṣu bhūteṣu santam ātmānam īśvaram

Hitvārcāṁ bhajate mauḍhyād bhasman-yeva juhoti saḥ

In the form of the Self I reside within every living being and I regulate his body and 10 senses. Rejecting this idea and instead worshipping Me only as an idol is equal to conducting homa with ash.

The person who, believing in separateness (dualism), loathes others or is envious of them, in reality loathes Me as I am the Self (atma) who resides within every living being! Such a person can never experience peace of mind.

Even if a person worships Me as an idol with the best available ingredients and to the best of his capacities while disregarding or abusing other living beings, then his worship does not give me any happiness irrespective of its greatness.

Arcādāv arcayet tāvad īśvaraṁ māṁ sva-karma-kṛt

Yāvan na veda sva-hṛdi sarva-bhūteṣv avasthitam

‘I am the Lord who resides with every living being’- until the person realizes this truth, he should adhere to his prescribed duties while continuing to worship My idols!

The person who believes in dualism perceives himself to be different from other living beings. He also considers himself to be different from Paramatma. Even if there is a slight feeling of dualism in the person, then I, in the form of death, create extreme fear in him.

Atha māṁ sarva-bhūteṣu bhūtātmānaṁ kṛtālayam

Arhayed dāna-mānābhyāṁ maitryābhinnena cakṣuṣā

I reside as the Self within every living being! Hence, it is imperative for the devotee to have feelings of equality towards every form of life. He should revere those who are superior to him. He should be friendly with equals. To those lower than him, he should give charity. Behaving in this manner amounts to worshipping Me.

O Mother! O form of auspiciousness! Living entities are superior to non-living entities such as stones. Among living entities, animals which breathe are superior to trees. Superior to such animals are living entities which possess a mind. Still better than them are beings that have sense perceptions.

Among living entities which have sense perceptions, trees have only touch perception. Fish that have taste perception are superior to trees. Bees and other insects that have smell perception are superior to fish. Snakes that have sound perception are superior to these bees. Crows and other beings that have sight perception are superior to even these snakes.

Monkeys and animals which have upper and lower sets of teeth are superior to crows. Insects that have many legs are superior to those beings which do not have legs. Still superior to them are the four legged animals.

Human being who has 2 legs is superior to these four legged animals! There are 4 classifications within human beings. Amongst them Brahmin is superior. Amongst Brahmins, he who knows Vedas is more superior. Even among them, one who understands the meaning of Vedas is still superior. The Brahmin, who in addition to understanding the meaning of the Vedas is also able to resolve the doubts therein, is still superior.

Even better than him is the Brahmin who strictly abides by the dictates of the Vedas without any deviation. More superior than this Brahmin is the person who strictly abides by his own dharma (swadharma) while developing dispassion towards these worldly bondages!

However he who with absolute non-dual attitude towards Me, totally surrenders his body including all his actions and the results of those actions to Me, is the best! This is the ultimate knowledge. Such person believes in principle of non-dualism. He is a supremely knowledgeable (jnani). He offers his intelligence and actions totally unto Me. He sees Me everywhere in the form of the Self (atma). I am unable to find any entity superior to him in this entire creation!

Manasaitāni bhūtāni praṇamed bahu-mānayan

Īśvaro jīva-kalayā praviṣṭo bhagavān iti 

The Supreme Lord himself has entered all living entities as the individual being.  Hence the devotee should respect every form of life and mentally offer obeisance to them.

Bhakti-yogaś ca yogaś ca mayā mānavy udīritaḥ

Yayor ekatareṇaiva puruṣaḥ puruṣaṁ vrajet

O daughter of Manu! I have taught to you both ashtānga yoga as well as bhakti yoga. The spiritual aspirant who puts either one of them into practice will reach the ultimate goal of life.

Etad bhagavato rūpaṁ brahmaṇaḥ paramātmanaḥ

Paraṁ pradhānaṁ puruṣaṁ daivaṁ karma-viceṣṭitam

Nature (Prakriti), the Self (Puruśa) who is beyond this Nature, the repository for fruitive actions of the individual and God are nothing but forms of the Supreme Lord known as Parabrahma (Paramatma).

The Lord’s illusory power has manifested into this vast universe composed of innumerable forms. That ultimate power of the Lord which is responsible for this is known as time (kāla)”.

Vāmadevāya namah