Puttugam2

Arjuna continued his prayer, “This incarnation of Yours O Lord is also to help those devotees, who exclusively meditate upon You with total concentration. O Devadeva! What could be this huge illumination that is advancing in this direction? From where is it coming? This terrible illumination is encircling me from all directions. I am unable to understand anything. Please rescue me”.

Srikrishna replied, “Arjuna, do you realize that this is the dangerous Brahmāstra? Panic stricken Ashwatthama, the son of Drona, has used this weapon. He does not know the art of recalling or neutralizing it. There is no weapon in this world which can counter a Brahmāstra. Only a Brahmāstra can neutralize another Brahmāstra . Arjuna, you are an expert in the knowledge of archery. Therefore release a Brahmāstra and neutralize this weapon”.

How to counteract fire? Suppose there is a forest fire. To subdue the flames water is poured upon it but it continues to spread everywhere. It is said that the direction in which the flames are spreading must be estimated. Thereafter in that path another fire should be lit. Fire neutralizes fire.

Arjuna then performed acamana (a purificatory ritual), circumambulated around Lord Srikrishna and released a Brahmāstra. The two weapons merged and created an unimaginably mammoth illumination which resembled the Sun or a huge ball of fire. This brilliance enveloped all the three planes of existence. Due to the combined intensity of these two weapons, all the three planes were scorched. People feared that the fire of destruction had descended upon them.

Sensing that the world was about to be destroyed, Srikrishna was unhappy. Arjuna who understood the feelings of Srikrishna instantaneously recalled both weapons. Since both the weapons had merged, there was only one weapon. Arjuna recalled it. Arjuna, who had the blessings of his Guru, also had the knowledge of recalling weapons that were released by others.

Arjuna was deeply incensed and now rushing at great speeds caught hold of Ashwatthama. He bound him with ropes as if he was an animal and planned to drag him like an animal to Draupadi’s camp. Seeing this, Krishna angrily said, “O Arjuna, do not spare him. He is a lowly degraded Brahmin. Kill him. He has gone and murdered innocent children who were sleeping. He is a terrible sinner.

Anyone who knows the tenets of dharma will not kill his enemy when he is intoxicated, is careless, is insane or is sleeping. He will not kill a person who has sought refuge under him, who cannot help himself, one who does not have a chariot or one who is terrified. He will not kill children or women. He will not kill helpless persons and will simply let them go. Such a person is a true warrior.

A wretched person, who devoid of compassion saves his life at the cost of others, should be killed for in it lies his well-being. This is because if such a person is left free, his wickedness only increases and he falls to the lowest states. Therefore killing him is for his own benefit. Hence Arjuna kill Ashwatthama right away. With that his sins will be destroyed. Moreover did you not in my presence, promise Draupadi that you will gift her Ashwatthama’s head? Therefore kill this Ashwatthama, the murderer of children, right now!

His cruel deed was not to the liking of his master Duryodhana. ‘Is it so easy to kill the sons of the Pandavas? He must be fooling me’ Duryodhana thought in this manner and did not even believe him. Duryodhana also thought that if he really had killed the sons of the Pandavas, then he, Ashwatthama, who had been invincible so far, had brought about his own downfall”.

In this manner, Krishna, seeking to test Arjuna’s wisdom and his adherence to the rules of dharma, instigated him in various ways to kill Ashwatthama.  But Arjuna, the supreme being, did not have the heart to kill Ashwatthama, the son of his Guru, although he was the murderer of his sons. He considered killing his Guru’s son as equivalent of killing his own son. How could he inflict pain upon another merely because his sons were killed? After all Ashwatthama was the son of their revered Guru. How could he kill him? Arjuna did not want to kill Ashwatthama.

Arjuna then dragged Ashwatthama and entrusted him to the grieving Draupadi. Draupadi, the virtuous woman, seeing Ashwatthama, the son of their Guru, who was being dragged like an animal and who had bent his head in shame, was totally filled with feelings of compassion towards him. With such feelings of compassion she respectfully saluted him. She was totally pacified. Such a divine being she was! After all, she was also a mother. A mother always remains a mother. Draupadi, who was a pious devoted chaste woman, could not bear to see Ashwatthama being dragged about like an animal.

She screamed loudly, “Release him! Release him right now! After all he is a revered Brahmin, he is the son of our Guru. Just free him right now. O Arjuna! That revered Guru from whom you learnt the secrets of archery; that revered Guru from whom you learnt how to release and recall weapons, that great spiritual teacher Guru Drona is now standing in front of us in the form of Ashwatthama. Kripi, the wife of Guru Drona and the mother of this warrior, still remains alive. She did not give up her life along with her husband Drona. Hence release him right away.”

Narayana, Narayana, Sriman Narayana!

Sa saṁhitāṁ bhāgavatīṁ kṛtvānukramya cātma-jam

Śukam adhyāpayām āsa nivṛtti-nirataṁ muniḥ

The great sage Maharishi Vyasa composed Śrimad Bhāgawata Samhita, thereafter scrutinized his work thoroughly and then taught it to his son Maharishi Śuka, who was an exponent in Supreme Knowledge and who had attained ultimate dispassion.  He got him to read the text,” said Maharishi Suta.

Śounaka and other saints asked, “O Maharishi Suta! What was the necessity for Maharishi Śuka, who had attained total dispassion and who was an exponent in Self-knowledge to study Bhāgawatam when he was already all-knowing and had reached the pinnacle? He was experiencing supreme bliss and was Self-realized, isn’t it?”

Maharishi Suta replied, “It is true that for yogis and saints who dwell in the Self, the necessity of reading any scripture does not exist. Nevertheless, they possess selfless devotion towards the omnipresent Lord. Lord Srihari’s glories and His supreme traits are infinite. At the same time they are melodious and pleasant. As a result, they attract even the hearts of such saints who dwell in the Self.

This saint had deep love towards the dear devotees of the Lord. The venerable Maharishi Śuka, the son of Maharishi Vyasa, being attracted towards the qualities of the Supreme Lord every single day studied this great text Bhāgawatam. He recollected the glories every single day.

O Maharishis! Now along with the story of Lord Krishna, I shall narrate the birth of the saintly king Parikshit, his noble deeds, the manner in which he attained liberation as well as the story of the Pandavas’ ascent to Heaven. Please listen.

During the war, Dristadyumna, the commander in chief of Pandava army, together with many other warriors from Pandava and Kaurava camps attained heaven. Bhima attacked Duryodhana with his mace and broke his thighs. At that time Ashwatthama wanted to bring happiness to his King Duryodhana. He chopped the heads of Draupadi’s sons, who were sleeping, and gave them as a gift to Duryodhana. However Duryodhana disapproved this action.

Draupadi greatly bemoaned the ghastly death of her sons. To console her Arjuna said, “O Draupadi, using the arrows from my bow Gandiva, I will behead that lowly Brahmin Ashwatthama, the murderer of children and gift it to you. With this I shall wipe away your tears. After cremating your sons, you can kick the head of Ashwattama and then have your bath”.

Pacifying Draupadi in this manner, Arjuna, who had Krishna as his friend, wore his armour. Holding the bow in his hand he mounted the chariot and chased Ashwatthama. From a great distance Ashwatthama saw Arjuna who was approaching him at unimaginably high speeds. He was petrified. In great panic he boarded his chariot and sped hastily as far as he could.  Arjuna continued to chase him. Ashwatthama could not find anyone who could save him and his horses were tired. He thought the mighty weapon Brahmāstra alone could save him. Although he did not have the knowledge of recalling this weapon, Ashwatthama who was panicking for his life, quickly performed acamana (a purification procedure) and going into meditation released the Brahmāstra upon Arjuna.

That weapon, which could take away life, travelled in all directions and neared Arjuna. Brahmāstra is a very powerful weapon and should not be used per one’s whims and fancies. One should have total knowledge about it i.e. the procedure to release it, pacify it and recall it back. Seeing the Brahmāstra approaching him, Arjuna addressed Krishna and said,

Kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa mahā-bāho bhaktānām abhayaṅkara

Tvam eko dahya-mānānām apavargo ‘si saṁsṛteḥ

O Krishna! O Paramātma! You the one who showers ‘abhaya’ (assurance of fear-not) upon the devotee! To people who have fallen into this samsara (cycle of repeated re-births) and are burning in its flames, You are the embodiment of liberation. You destroy samsara”.

Swamiji explains: There are many who talk about getting rid of samsara while in reality they increase their bondages. They do not chant the Divine names. In case they chant divine names, samsāra will disappear. Instead of thinking about the Supreme Lord, they make their own plans. Only when there is total faith in the Lord and the person believes that God is everything, the plans he makes will turn out to be successful.

“O Krishna, you are the cause for this universe. Due to your transcendental nature you have rejected māya (illusion) and stay eternally in the Parabrahma state. You have taken on the duty of bringing auspiciousness to people who are drowned in illusion. This incarnation of yours is solely to reduce the load of earth”.

Sriman Narayana.

Nārada Maharishi continued, “My mind was completely filled with happiness. Without feelings of envy or pride, I constantly recollected the glories of the Lord and began roaming all over earth, eagerly waiting the time He had specified.

O Maharishi Vyasa, with a pure mind and with absolutely no worldly attachments, I had fully fixed my mind upon Lord Krishna. When I was in this state, God of death arrived like lightening and enveloped me. I realized that the time for leaving this body had arrived. Just as the Supreme Lord had predicted, when the time to offer service to Him arrived, this gross body of mine composed of the five basic elements, dropped dead.

At the end of the Kalpa (creation) Lord Narayana absorbed the entire creation into Himself and slept in the ocean of dissolution. At that time Lord Brahma merged into Him. I entered the womb of Lord Brahma.

The total of 4 yugas (eons) is one Maha-yuga. After a 1000 such Maha-yugas, Lord Brahma woke up and decided to begin creation afresh. Along with Marichi and other saints I was born from Him.

Due to the grace of the Supreme Lord I could, without any obstacles, continue my vow called ‘endlessly chanting divine names’, as I travelled throughout the three planes. I chanted these divine names within and outside of the three planes without any break.

Playing this Veena given to me by the Lord and singing His divine glories I constantly travel. This singing gives me immense happiness. To my mind which eternally sings his divine names, He at once appears and gives darshan.

Due to extreme attachment towards these materialistic comforts, the hearts of these humans is drowned in suffering. Such people do not enjoy happiness. Bhava-sindhu-plavo dṛṣṭo hari-caryānu-varṇanam – repeated chanting of divine names acts as a boat that takes people away from this repeated cycle of re-births.

Yamādibhir yoga-pathaiḥ kāma-lobha-hato muhuḥ

Mukunda-sevayā yadvat tathātmāddhā na śāmyati

The amount of peace that a mind tormented by desire and greed gets from chanting the names of Mukunda will not be attained from adherence to Yama, Niyama and other Yogic disciplines. This is my opinion.

O sinless Maharishi Vyasa! You had asked me to explain about my birth, my actions and my sadhana (spiritual pursuits). In order to ensure that your mind gets peace and happiness, I have narrated all these. I believe that your mind has attained happiness”.

Saying so, the revered saint Maharishi Nārada, who was devoid of selfishness, took leave of Maharishi Vyasa, the son of Satyavati. Playing his Veena he went away.

Oh, what a wonder! How fortunate is the divine saint Maharishi Narada, who, blissfully holding the Veena in his hand, sings the glories of sarangapaṇi Lord Srihari, with the intent of relieving people from their distresses and afflictions!”

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

First Canto Seventh Chapter

In this chapter the following are covered: the commencement of Srimad Bhāgawatam by Maharishi Vyasa; the killing of Draupadi’s sons by Ashwatthama at the time when the birth-story of Parikshit was being told; the hostility that Ashwatthama incurred.

Śounaka and other Maharishis wanted to know the deeds of Maharishi Vyasa after the departure of Maharishi Nārada. To this Maharishi Suta replied,

“On the western banks of River Saraswati, there is an ashram called Sāmyāprasa. The saints here are endlessly engaged in the Vedic rituals. This is the ashram of Maharishi Vyasa.

Seated in his ashram which was surrounded by berry trees, Maharishi Vyasa performed acamana (sipping water, a purificatory ritual) and fixed his mind in total concentration. With a pure mind that was filled with devotion, He had the darshan of the Supreme Lord and of the illusory power (maya shakti) that takes refuge in Him.

Although the individual being is none other than the Supreme Parabrahma, due to illusion, he considers himself to be an embodiment of trigunas. He suffers in the repeated cycle of re-births (samsāra).

Maharishi Vyasa who was an embodiment of knowledge realized that only Srihari’s bhakti yoga possessed the capacity to pull a person out of this meaningless samsara. In order to dispel the ignorance that had enveloped people, He began to compose the holy text, Srimad Bhāgawatam.

Yasyāṁ vai śrūyamāṇāyāṁ kṛṣṇe parama-pūruṣe

Bhaktir utpadyate puṁsaḥ śoka-moha-bhayāpahā

Maharishi Veda Vyasa composed the Supreme Bhāgawata Samhita.  Merely by listening to it, devotion towards the Supreme Lord intensifies in the person. Simultaneously it dispels grief concerning past events, removes infatuation towards the present events and destroys the fear pertaining to the future events.

Om Namo Narayana.

Nārada Maharishi continued, “I travelled northwards and after crossing many prosperous places, forests, ponds, gardens and mountains I finally reached a huge dense forest. I was extremely exhausted by then. Finding a pond nearby I bathed in it. I performed acamana (purificatory ritual), drank water from that pond and thus abated my tiredness. Sitting under a peepal tree in that isolated uninhabited forest, I began to contemplate upon the Supreme Lord, who illumines in the form of the Self (atma) within the heart.”

Swamiji explains: All of you please remember this. Whenever we are alone, we waste our time recollecting unnecessary past events, sorrows, useless transactions, insults that have been heaped upon us in the past etc. It is not right. Getting time exclusively for ourselves (ekanta) is a great fortune. Not everyone is blessed with such exclusive time for themselves. We may perhaps think, ‘what is so great about being alone? Jobless people, diseased persons, and every other person whom we see has this opportunity wherein they are alone and idle. But delve into their hearts and see what they are doing. Then you observe what Maharishi Nārada did with this opportunity. He focused upon the Supreme Lord who was seated within his heart in the form of the Self (atma).

Nārada Maharishi continued, “I contemplated in the following manner: ‘Who am I? What is this light which is illumining through me? What is it which is illuminating in the form of my Self? How will I know about my Self?’

As I progressed in this contemplation, my mind completely came under the control of bhakti (devotion). With this the desire to see God and to earn Him intensified deeply within me. Due to this intensified desire very soon tears welled up in my eyes and began to flow profusely like a stream.

‘Perhaps my birth is only for this purpose. Perhaps I was born only to have a vision of that Lord. I have to see Him somehow or the other. I have to see that illumination’. This was my line of thinking.

As I was thinking in this manner, Śrihari gradually emerged within my heart! I could see the Lord within my heart! This is the meaning of ‘atma-darshana’. With this my love and devotion towards him surged even further and I experienced horripilation throughout the body. I experienced unimaginable peace. I, who was soaked in an ocean of limitless bliss, experienced the non-dual (advaita) state!

That form of the Supreme Lord, which is very dear to the mind, which gives limitless peace and which drives away all forms of grief in totality, did not however come back to the mind. No matter how hard I tried, I could not experience Him again. I kept trying endlessly but it was of no avail.

With disturbed mind I stood up. Deciding that somehow or the other I have to see that Supreme form once again I again began my sadhana with absolute concentration. Yet it did not yield any result.

When the Supreme form could not be seen again, I was tormented. I was like a diseased person. When I could not see that divine light, that yoga, that Paramātma, I began to feel extremely helpless. I felt dejected and forlorn. I was angry with myself and at my incapacity to see Him.

In that way when I was sitting in this uninhabited forest persistently trying to see him, I heard a celestial voice from the sky, “In this birth you cannot see me again! Desires and other evil tendencies do not completely disappear with limited austerities!”

Swamiji explains: Many people wear suitable clothing and assuming that they have attained yoga, sit for meditation. ‘I am seeing the Supreme Lord’, they think. Do you think it is so simple? Desire, anger and other evil tendencies have solidified and got struck to you from many births. 10 minutes of meditation or an hour’s meditation cannot wash away this accumulated dirt from the mind. ‘Oh, I saw some light. I have seen God. I have had his darshan’- many declare in this manner. But remember that this dirt has still not gone away. It has not been reduced to ashes.

The celestial voice continued, “In such a situation having My vision is extremely difficult. Some dirt is still left behind. O sinless person! In order to cultivate feelings of deep love and devotion towards me, I blessed you once with my vision. That’s all! I have just given you the taste of it. Out of intense love towards me, a pure minded person gradually gives up all his desires. You too tread that path. I want you to give up your desires gradually.

For some time you served great saints. As a result your mind firmly stabilized upon me. After giving up this insignificant body of yours, you will be blessed with a little service towards me. You will attain a chance for offering tiny seva. This mind of yours which has totally fixed upon Me will however never waver. Even after the total destruction of the creation (pralaya kala), memory of this birth will remain ever fresh in your memory”.

Hearing these words of the Supreme Lord, I attained total peace of mind. I gave up trying to see Him. Accepting that He was always with me, I was happy. All my sorrows vanished.

‘Disappearance of all sorrows, destruction of desires -anger and other evil tendencies that have been coming down as a result of the deeds of many past births and attainment of resultant total peace’- I who had attained all these, bowed in deep reverence to that Supreme Lord.

From then on, giving up any form of inhibition, I began to sing the glories of that Divine Lord as well as His names. Without shyness, at every place I began to sing his glories loudly. I kept saying Narayana, Narayana, Narayana everywhere.

Om Namo Narayana

Nārada Maharishi continued, “Because of the initiation into the most confidential text Bhāgawatam, I could understand clearly about the influence of the Lord’s power of illusion (māya shakti). Those who understand this, reach the ultimate abode of the Lord.

O Maharishi Vyasa! Recollecting divine names destroys all forms of worldly afflictions. The desire to offer all deeds to Parabrahma is a supreme medicine to cure the disease called bhava (cycle of repeated re-births). 

I am explicitly indicating this to you. Actions performed solely to please the Supreme Lord become the cause for attaining supreme knowledge (jnana) through the medium of bhakti-yoga. These persons, while unfailingly engaging in performing the meritorious deeds as dictated by the Vedas, which are forms of the Supreme, eternally chant or recollect the Lord’s names, forms or qualities.

Namo bhagavate tubhyaṁ vāsudevāya dhīmahi

Pradyumnā-yāniruddhāya namaḥ saṅkarṣaṇāya ca

Salutations to Lord Vāsudeva! Salutations to the Lords Pradyumna, Aniruddha and Sankarshana! I contemplate upon the Supreme God who manifests in all these 4 forms (chatur-vyuha).

The Supreme Lord who inherently is devoid of form takes on mantra as His form. He also exists in the form of Yagna (sacrificial rituals). The person, who worships such Lord with mantras that represent Him, attains total knowledge of Brahma (Brahma jnana).

O saint, I also tried to worship the Supreme Lord in the similar manner. Lord Srihari himself bestowed upon me the knowledge pertaining the Supreme and also unflinching devotion towards Him.

O Maharishi Vyasa! You are an embodiment of complete knowledge. You should now describe the wonderful glories of that Supreme Lord. Through that, quench the thirst of those who are exponents in the field of knowledge. The miseries of the ordinary men will be washed away when they glorify the deeds of the Supreme Lord Srihari.” concluded Maharishi Nārada.

With this the fifth chapter of the first canto comes to an end.

First Canto Sixth Chapter

In this chapter the following are covered: the remaining story of Maharishi Narada’s previous birth and his subsequent birth as the mind-born son of Brahma as a result of his austerities (tapas).

Upon hearing the story of Maharishi Narada’s previous birth and his deeds therein, Maharishi Vyasa enquired thus,

“O Maharishi Nārada! What did you do, after the sages, having completed their Chaturmasya austerities and after having initiated you into knowledge, departed from that place? O Son of Brahma! How did you spend your time thereafter? At the time of death, how did you give up your old body? Time swallows everything. In your case I am presuming that this time has not swallowed your memories of your earlier birth. Please be merciful and narrate to me the entire story of your previous birth.”

Maharishi Nārada replied, “I will now narrate to you my activities, after my initiation and after the departure of the great sages from that place. I was the only son of my mother. She was an uneducated, helpless poor lady who worked as a maid to earn a living. She tied me down with her love and affection. At all times she sought my well-being.

Man is a puppet in the hands of the Supreme, isn’t it? The Supreme Lord has tied us down with puppet strings and is playing a game with us. In the same manner she also was like a bonded being with absolutely no freedom. She was helpless. I, who had no knowledge of other lands, directions or times and who was tied down completely with the love and affection showered by my mother, served these great saints per her directions. At that time I was just 5 years old.

One morning, when my mother was going to milk the cow, she accidently stepped on a snake. Inspired by the God of death, the snake bit my mother.

Considering this also to be a special grace of that Lord, I now began travelling in the northern direction. On the way I crossed many rich kingdoms, villages and towns that were flourishing with prosperity. I also crossed many hamlets, agricultural fields, gardens, natural forests and artificial forests. I also came across many mountains that were filled with minerals and also many ponds.

Having crossed all these I entered into a forest.

Om Namo Narayana.