Category: SrimadBhagavatam

Second Canto Chapter Four

In this chapter, Maharishi Suta’s reply, Parikshit’s question about process of creation and Maharishi Śuka making the auspicious beginning to the story are covered.

Maharishi Suta began, “Parikshit, the son of Uttara, who had thoroughly understood that which had been taught by Maharishi Śuka until now, fixed his pure intellect with total concentration upon Lord Srikrishna. Maharishi Śuka, the son of Maharishi Vyasa, began explaining the decisive subjects pertaining to the form of the Self.

The broadminded Emperor Parikshit has extreme dedication in listening to the glories of Lord Srikrishna. He has absolute devotion towards the Supreme Lord. Knowing that death is approaching him, he has given up in totality, all actions that pertain to comforts of this world and the next. Just as you had questioned me now, he questioned Maharishi Śuka as follows,

‘O Maharishi Śuka! You are the supremely pure. You are all-knowing. Your words are nectarous. My spiritual ignorance (ajnana) will be washed away when I listen to the stories of Lord Srikrishna being narrated by you. I want to know in extreme detail all subjects pertaining to the Supreme Lord.

How did the all-pervading Supreme Lord, using His power of illusion (māya shakti), create this vast universe which is beyond the conception of even the guardian-deities of the world? How does He nourish and protect it? How does He absorb it back into Himself? Please explain in greater detail.

The primordial Lord (ādi puruśa), who possesses limitless energies, manifests in the form of Lord Brahma and others.  Playfully He engages them in various actions and gets them to perform various deeds. What are the energies through which He engages in these playful activities? Please explain this.

It is my firm conviction that even learned scholars cannot fathom the extraordinary and astonishing deeds of Srihari, who is of limitless fame. Either accepting at one go the three attributes (trigunas) of the indivisible power of illusion (māya shakti) or through gradual acceptance, He has manifested as Brahma and other Devatas or has manifested in the many varied incarnations. Through these incarnations He is performing innumerable actions.

Please explain to me how Paramātma, the Supreme Puruśa, accepts a body that is constituted of Nature (Prakriti) together with its 3 components i.e. the trigunas? I have many doubts in this subject. You are an exponent in the knowledge of the Vedas. You are well-versed in Supreme Knowledge.  Please be compassionate and clarify all my doubts’.

When Parikshit pleaded in this manner, Maharishi Śuka, in reply, praised the Supreme Lord as follows:

Namaḥ parasmai puruṣāya bhūyase

Sad-udbhava-sthāna-nirodha-līlayā

Gṛhīta-śakti-tritayāya dehinām

Antarbhavāya-anupalakṣya-vartmane

I offer my obeisance to that Supreme Puruśa, Paramatma, who possesses infinite greatness, who has playfully accepted the 3 energies (tri-shakti) which are the cause for the creation, sustenance and absorption, who resides in every heart and who is impossible to understand.

I offer my obeisance to Srihari, who dispels the distress of noble beings (satpuruśa), who restrains the wicked, kills them and bestows them with liberation, who exists in the form of all beings, who bestows God-realization upon Yatis who have given up action in totality (sarva karma sanyāsa) and who have stabilized completely in the knowledge of the Self.

I offer my obeisance to Lord Srikrishna, who was the most supreme among the Yadavas. Those who are devoid of devotion (bhakti) cannot get even a glimpse of His shadow.

There is nothing superior to Him. There is none equal to Him. There is nothing more radiant than Him. Such is His radiance. I offer my obeisance to Srihari, who dwells in His original form.

Yat-kīrtanaṁ yat-smaraṇaṁ yad-īkṣaṇaṁ

Yad-vandanaṁ yac-chravaṇaṁ yad-arhaṇam

Lokasya sadyo vidhunoti kalmaṣaṁ

tasmai subhadra-śravase namo namaḥ

I respectfully offer many salutations to that Supreme Lord Srihari who is of limitless fame and who is the bestower of all forms of supreme auspiciousness.  Merely by singing His glories, by having His darshan, by thinking about Him, by offering obeisance to Him, by listening to His tales and by worshipping Him, the sins of a human being are instantaneously destroyed!

Wise men always serve the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord. Through this, their mind gives up its attachment/ inclination towards the comforts of this world and the next. Easily they merge into absolute meditation.  I offer obeisance to such Lord who is of such limitless fame.

I offer my obeisance to that Supreme Lord Srihari, the embodiment of auspiciousness, to whom all those who are engaged in acts of charities, who perform great deeds, who are of great renown, who are engaged in deep penance, who have restrained the mind, who possess the knowledge of the mantras as well as those who tread the path of right conduct, offer all their sadhana (spiritual pursuits) and who through this obtain the most supreme fruits for their actions.

Not just those belonging to the Kirāta, Hūṇa, Āndhra, Pulinda, Pulkaśa, Abhīra, Kanka, Yavana, Khasa races, but also other sinners take refuge under the devotees of Lord Srihari and thereby become pure. To such a powerful Lord Srihari I offer my obeisance.

The exponents in Self-knowledge worship Him as the Self. Exponents of Vedas worship Him as the form of Veda. Those who abide by the path of righteousness worship Him as a personification of dharma. The ascetics worship Him as a form of penance.

Brahma, Shiva and other Gods, who possess a very pure inner mind, with great reverence and astonishment, observe the pure form of Jagannatha, Lord of the universe. May such Lord Srihari be pleased with me!

Srihari.

The spiritual aspirant, who develops devotion towards the Supreme Lord and who worships Him in the manner described above, will get a chance to associate and live amongst the most supreme devotees of the Lord! This is the greatest fruit! Through this he will develop unflinching devotion towards the Supreme Lord. Due to such devotion he will be blessed with liberation!

For the mind to be happy and contented it is imperative to listen to the stories of Srihari! Due to the knowledge gained through this, likes and dislikes that originate out of the triguṇās (sattva, rajas and tamo gunas) will be washed away totally. In a mind that is contented and happy, dispassion (vairagya) emerges. The mind then stops chasing these worldly pleasures.

What is the use of extensive worship if the mind endlessly continues to chase the worldly pleasures? What should be done to prevent it from chasing these worldly pleasures? Here the plan to arrest the mind is being explained.

In a mind that has developed dispassion, bhakti yoga emerges! This path of devotion (bhakti yoga) paves the way for liberation! This is what Mahatmas declare. The one who has tasted the nectar and sweetness in these stories of Srihari which bestow contentment, peace, devotion and liberation, cannot stay away from them.

When Maharishi Suta narrated this declaration of Maharishi Śuka to Maharishi Śounaka, the latter enquired as follows:

“O Maharishi, after hearing this declaration of Maharishi Śuka, what else did Emperor Parikshit enquire further from him? O learned sage! We are extremely desirous of hearing this. Please be compassionate enough to preach this to us”.

kathā hari-kathodarkāḥ satāṁ syuḥ sadasi dhruvam –Every word/ topic discussed in the assembly of great sages pertains only to Lord Srihari.

Parikshit, the grandson of the Pandavas, was an ardent devotee of Lord Srihari. Even in his infancy and childhood when he would play with dolls, he would be engaged only in those games that pertained to Lord Srihari.

Maharishi Śuka, the son of Maharishi Vyasa, was also a supreme devotee of Lord Srikrishna. In a conversation between two ardent devotees of the Lord, topics pertaining to Srihari would necessarily have arisen.

Āyur harati vai puṁsām udyann astaṁ ca yann asau

Tasyarte yat-kṣaṇo nīta uttama-śloka-vārtayā

The Lord Sun, by its rising and setting every day, decreases the lifespan of everyone excepting those who spend at least a little of their time daily in glorifying the deeds of the Supreme Lord.

That tongue which does not glorify the stories of that Supreme Lord who has been glorified by the Vedas themselves, is like the wasteful tongue of a frog which is capable of only croaking uselessly. That head which does not bow in front of Supreme Lord Srihari, even though it may be covered by rich clothing and heavy crown, is only a heavy burden to the body. There is no use of such a head.

The eyes of those human beings, who do not visit the sacred pilgrim centres that pertain to Lord Srihari are like the eye-shaped spots found on the peacock’s feathers.  Even those spots on the peacock’s feathers are called ‘eyes’ can these eyespots see anything?

Those legs which do not walk to pilgrim centres can be compared to tree trunks. He, who has not even once in his life, applied the dust from the feet of holy devotees’ of the Lord upon his head, can be compared to a living corpse. Tulasi (basil) leaves, due to the merit of being offered at the lotus feet of the Lord, have become famous as ‘vishnupadi’. He, who does not enjoy the aroma of Tulasi leaves that have been taken from the lotus feet of the Lord, is a corpse who breathes.

The person whose heart does not melt upon listening to the holy names of Lord Srihari is stone-hearted. When listening to holy names of the Lord, tears of joy should flow from the eyes! At the same time the body should experience horripilation!

O Maharishi Suta! Parikshit’s questions are supremely wonderful! Please preach to us all that which was taught by Maharishi Śuka, the master in Self-knowledge and a supreme devotee of the Lord, to Emperor Parikshit. Your words bring great joy to our mind” said Maharishi Śounaka.

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

Narayana! Sriman Narayana!

Maharishi Śuka continued, “In the earlier period Lord Brahma worshipped Supreme Lord Vāsudeva and enquired about instantaneous liberation (sadyomukti) and progressive liberation (krama mukti) which were eternal and which had been specified in the Vedas. Lord Vāsudeva explained them to Brahma.

na hy ato ‘nyaḥ śivaḥ panthā viśataḥ saṁsṛtāv iha

vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogo yato bhavet

For those who are drowned in these worldly bondages (samsāra), there is no greater method than developing supreme devotion towards Lord Vāsudeva. There is no other path which is superior to the path of devotion (bhakti marga).

Lord Brahma with absolute concentration thoroughly scrutinized the Vedas thrice. Then through the medium of His intelligence He determined that the method through which devotion towards Supreme Lord Srihari, who is the form of the Self, is intensified is in itself the most superior dharma.

Srihari shines within every being as the inner Self, as an embodiment of consciousness and as an inner witness. The senses and other inner instruments, through their acts, ensure that we are able to deduce about this consciousness, whose presence is being made known through them.

Therefore O King! In all times and in all circumstances, the human beings should listen to glories of Srihari with rapt attention and total concentration. They should praise Him and meditate upon Him.

Pibanti ye bhagavata ātmanaḥ satāṁ

kathāmṛtaṁ śravaṇa-puṭeṣu sambhṛtam

Punanti te viṣaya-vidūṣitāśayaṁ

vrajanti tac-caraṇa-saroruhāntikam

Mahatmas eternally distribute the nectarous stories of Srihari, who is the Universal soul. Those who drink these nectarous stories through the medium of their ears purify their inner mind that has thus far been contaminated due to worldly objects and enjoyments. They then reach the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord.

With this the second chapter of the second Canto comes to an end.

Third Chapter Second Canto

In this third chapter, worship of various different deities for the fulfillment of desires, Maharishi Śounaka’s question and glorifying those senses (indriyas) that are solely dedicated towards the worship of the Supreme Lord are covered.

Maharishi Śuka said, “O Emperor Parikshit! Your question was, ‘What are the duties to be completed by an intelligent and wise human being before his death?’ In response to this, I have explained to you the relevant message which is contained in the Shastras.

Intelligent persons should dedicate themselves to listening to the glories of the Supreme Lord in the method prescribed so far. Shastras state that this is how time should be spent.

One who desires supreme effulgence should worship Lord Brahma, who is the presiding deity of the Vedas. One who desires strong sense organs should worship Indra, the Lord of heaven. One who is desirous of good progeny should worship Daksha and other Prajāpatis. One who seeks prosperity should worship the Mother Goddess. One seeking powerful radiance should worship Fire. One who seeks only money should worship Vasus.

One who is desirous of great valour should, with great enthusiasm, worship the 11 Rudras. One who wishes to have plentiful foodgrains and obtain excellent digestive capacities should worship Mother Aditi. Those who want to attain Heaven should worship the 12 Adityas. He who desires powerful emperorship and kingdom should worship Viśvadeva. Those who seek to hold people under their sway, who seek successful completion of their task and who seek success in trading activities should worship Sādhya Devatas. Those who, without any desire, seek only the ultimate liberation should worship Srihari, the primordial being”.

Have you noticed the different types of desires entertained? There are so many sections of Devatas who are responsible for fulfilling these desires. There are so many departments. For every department and for every form of desire there are separate Gods. Many people listen to this chapter attentively. Perhaps they will note it down too. Perhaps they will listen to it again and again. This is because they are a storehouse of desires. So they will print this sheet and distribute to others.

akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhīḥ

tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena yajeta puruṣaṁ param

The wise intelligent person irrespective of whether he has no desires or desires liberation or has any other material desires should, with total devotion worship and serve the Supreme Lord Srihari! Remember this always.

The spiritual aspirant, who develops devotion towards the Supreme Lord and worships Him in the manner described above, will get a chance to associate and live amongst supreme devotees of the Lord.

This is the greatest fruit.

Narayana! Narayana!

1000 Maha-yugas constitute a period of Kalpa. Two such Kalpas constitute 1 day of Brahma. Brahma has a lifespan of 100 years. Each half of this lifespan is known as Parārtham.

The ordinary humans who are not acquainted with this process of meditation (dhyāna prakriya) explained until now, and who do not undertake any sadhana, are born as birds and animals and suffer endless grief. We should not seek to experience this grief and pain.

Residents of these higher planes do not experience old-age, death, physical disorders or mental discomforts of any kind. The accomplished being, who has thus travelled to these planes, fearlessly through his subtle body attains the earth element (prithvi tattva). Merging that into the water element, he becomes the form of water. Merging this water element into fire element he becomes a form of fire. After staying in this form for a certain period of time without disturbances of any kind, he merges this form of fire into the air element. Thereafter he merges this air form into the space element, which brings to light the infinite nature of the Supreme Lord.

The accomplished Yogi merges the subtle sense of smell (ghrānendriya) into the subtle earth element (sookṣma prthvi), subtle sense of taste into the subtle water element, subtle power of seeing into the subtle fire, subtle sense of touch into the subtle air element and the subtle sense of hearing into the subtle space element (ākasa tanmatra). He also merges the various organs of actions (karmendriya) into their respective actions.

He now dissolves these gross and subtle elements (pancha bhootas and tanmatras) into the tamasic egoism (ahamkara), the senses (indriyas) into the rajasic egoism and the presiding deities of mind as well as senses into the Satvik egoism. As these are the different activities of egoism, a Yogi follows this process.

In the similar manner, the Yogi dissolves this egoism into the Mahat tattva (cosmic intelligence). He now dissolves the Mahat tattva into illusory power (māya shakti), which is the root for all the 3 modes of nature (trigunas).

After the Yogi, who is an embodiment of bliss, dissolves this subtle body into the illusory power (māya shakti), the necessity to take on another body permanently ceases. This is the state of liberation.

Then together with Prakriti (Nature), he merges completely into that Paramātma, who is devoid of any transformations and who is a personification of bliss”.

This is liberation. Do you now understand? Listen to this 10 times. Only then you will understand the true meaning of the term liberation. You will understand what merging into Paramatma actually means. You will understand the meaning of Pranayama and yoga.

Do not be afraid. A spiritual aspirant is never afraid. He will be truly happy that so many secrets have come to light only because of Bhagawatam. After all it is Maharishi Śuka who is teaching all this to us. In the form of a parrot he is preaching this knowledge to Parikshit. To be frank, he is not teaching Parikshit. The teaching is meant for us. Aha, O dear Parrot! O Maharishi Śuka! Any number of times I offer obeisance to You is inadequate.

The Yogi who merges into Supreme Parabrahma as explained in this method does not have a re-birth. He will be free from all associations. He reaches that state of ultimate liberation from where the fear of re-birth does not at all exist.

There are many levels in liberation. In all those levels of liberation, the prospect of re-birth exists. Here the Yogi reaches that level of liberation from where the question of re-birth does not arise. One in many crores attains this level of liberation.

A person has to go through this elaborate process in order to reach that state. At least begin the attempts in this birth. We are in an urgency to attain that liberation. Somehow or the other we want to attain it by next year. After attending two classes we demand liberation. Did you think liberation was something so easy to obtain? On the one hand speaking about liberation and on the other indulging in sinful deeds and sinful thoughts, how can you ever obtain liberation?

“O Emperor Parikshit! I have now explained to you about sadyomukti (instantaneous liberation) and krama mukti (progressive liberation), the two methods of liberation, which are eternal and which are explained in the Vedas.”

Narayana! Narayana!

“At the time of death Yogis using the heel of their foot block the air hole at the rectum. Prana should not leave the body from that hole. This is why Yogis always give up their body in the sitting position.

They push the life-force (prana shakti) up towards the Brahmarandhra (aperture at the crown of the head), through the path of the six spiritual centres (shat chakras)”.

Try to find the meaning of shat chakras. What are they? Anyone who considers himself a Yogi takes the trouble to find out more about them. This is because he has placed his entire concentration upon the Supreme Lord. Hence he has understood their significance.

Even though the life force leaves the body of a Yogi through the Brahmarandhra (aperture at the top of the head), his skull is broken. This is to ensure that any small remnants of life-force left behind should also go away from there.

It is said that life force should not leave through the nostrils, eyes or ears.

“Life-force exists at the Manipura chakra near the navel. This is to be taken to the Anahata chakra located near the heart. From there, through the path of the Udāna vayu (upward moving wind), it should be directed towards the Vishuddha chakra located beneath the throat”.

This is the reason for which people are asked to learn about Yoga and about the Shat chakras. Many find it unnecessary. At the same time there are many who find it useful. They strive desperately for it. They go to the extreme of asking about Kundalini Shakti when they are old and infirm. Who can teach them about Kundalini Shakti at that time? Learn about the Kundalini Shakti when you are young. Try to practice meditation from that early stage.

Thereafter the Yogi, who has conquered his mind, investigates about this life-force thoroughly using his intelligence (buddhi) and gradually pushes the life-force into the uvula (the small fleshy mass of tissue located at the back of the palate, above the base of the tongue).

The Yogi, who had until then led his life as a true Karma-yogi, should close the 7 doorways in which the life- force travels viz., the two nostrils, two eyes, two ears and mouth. They should be closed using the inner Yogic power and not through external aids such as cotton etc”.

After a person dies we close all these holes by stuffing cotton. But of what use is it? The life-force would have already left the body.

“Even when he is alive, using his yogic power he closes all the possible exits so as to prevent the life-force from escaping through any of them. The life-force should now be taken from the uvula to the Ajna chakra, located at the junction between the two eyebrows”.

What a wonderful Yogic method this is! Maharishi Śuka is explaining this to Emperor Parikshit. We are so fortunate to be listening to this in detail.

“Thereafter, the Yogi has to fix the intellect (buddhi) firmly upon the Supreme Lord, who is the goal to be attained, and remain in that state for a few minutes. With this he breaks open the Brahma-randhra (aperture at the crown of the head) and merges totally into Paramātma”.

This is such a supreme method! Narayana!

“O Emperor! Instead of this, in case the Yogi who seeks to travel to the abode of Brahma (Brahmaloka) or to the enjoyable residences of Anima and other supernatural achievements or to any other plane, he has to take with him, his mind and his senses. In other words, he needs to travel in his subtle body (sookṣma śareera). He can travel anywhere he pleases along with them.

Only accomplished Yogis who have attained mastery through the strength of their austerities, adherence to righteousness, ashtānga yoga and transcendental knowledge (Jnana) are equipped with a subtle body (sookshma shareera). Using this subtle body, they can travel as they please”.

This is reason why it is said that accomplished saints, Yogis, Siddha-puruṣas and Mahatmas live eternally. It is not that they take a gross body and incarnate. They eternally travel in their subtle body. They would have merged into the five basic elements (pancha bhootas). For this reason it is said that we should never harm anybody. Never cheat anybody. Never commit any sin. The Yogis, who exist within the five elements, will be watching. They will know your deeds.

“Not just within this cosmos, such great Yogis can, out of their freewill, travel even outside of the cosmos.

The human being who is involved in frutitive actions can never reach this state. Such a state can be attained purely through Yoga. It can be attained only through the path of deep concentration, meditation.

O Emperor! The Sushumna nādi which is filled with radiance is the path that takes the being to Brahmaloka (abode of Brahma). Traveling on this path the Yogi releases himself from this body and travelling through the skies (ākāśa mārga) reaches the abode of the Lord of Fire. Here he is cleansed all of the remnants of sin that are attached to him. From here the Yogi travels still higher to the illuminating circle called Śinśumāra jyotirmandala, which is connected with Lord Srihari. This Śinśumāra jyotirmandala is like the navel in the Cosmic form of the Supreme Lord.

Only that Yogi, who is absolutely devoid of sin and who possesses a subtle body, alone can travel beyond this Śinsumāra mandala. He now reaches the Mahar loka. Even Supreme Mahatmas glorify and offer obeisance to this holy place.

Mahar loka is the supreme plane called Go-loka. This is the place where saguṇa Brahma upasana (worship of the Lord with attributes) is conducted. Here Devatas whose lifespan extends up to the end of the Kalpa (4.32 billion years) live happily.

At the end of the Kalpa, the Yogi observes all the universes being burnt and reduced totally into ashes due to the fumes emanating from the mouth of Adishesha (1000 headed snake). At that point he travels from here to Brahmaloka (abode of Brahma).

In this loka, supremely accomplished eminent saints wander about happily in their celestial airplanes. They have a lifespan of 50 Brahma years. One Kalpa is 1000 Maha-yugas. 2 Kalpas equal one day of Brahma. Such Brahma has a lifespan of 100 years.

Om Namo Narayana!