॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
Thursday, 15 December 2022 V.19 Part 1- Bhakta Hanuman's prayer to Sri Rama in Kimpurusha Varsha and Sage Narada's spiritual instruction.
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श्रीशुक उवाच
किम्पुरुषे वर्षे भगवन्तमादिपुरुषं लक्ष्मणाग्रजं सीताभिरामं रामं तच्चरणसन्निकर्षाभिरत: परमभागवतो हनुमान् सह किम्पुरुषैरविरतभक्तिरुपास्ते ॥
आर्ष्टिषेणेन सह गन्धर्वैरनुगीयमानां परमकल्याणीं भर्तृभगवत्कथां समुपशृणोति स्वयं चेदं गायति ॥
ॐ नमो भगवते उत्तमश्लोकाय नम आर्यलक्षणशीलव्रताय नम उपशिक्षितात्मन उपासितलोकाय नम: साधुवादनिकषणाय नमो ब्रह्मण्यदेवाय महापुरुषाय महाराजाय नम इति ॥
यत्तद्विशुद्धानुभवमात्रमेकं स्वतेजसा ध्वस्तगुणव्यवस्थम् । प्रत्यक्प्रशान्तं सुधियोपलम्भनं ह्यनामरूपं निरहं प्रपद्ये ॥
मर्त्यावतारस्त्विह मर्त्यशिक्षणं रक्षोवधायैव न केवलं विभो: । कुतोऽन्यथा स्याद्रमत: स्व आत्मन: सीताकृतानि व्यसनानीश्वरस्य ॥
न वै स आत्मात्मवतां सुहृत्तम: सक्तस्त्रिलोक्यां भगवान् वासुदेव: । न स्त्रीकृतं कश्मलमश्नुवीत न लक्ष्मणं चापि विहातुमर्हति ॥
न जन्म नूनं महतो न सौभगं न वाङ्न बुद्धिर्नाकृतिस्तोषहेतु: । तैर्यद्विसृष्टानपि नो वनौकसश्चकार सख्ये बत लक्ष्मणाग्रज: ॥
सुरोऽसुरो वाप्यथ वानरो नर: सर्वात्मना य: सुकृतज्ञमुत्तमम् । भजेत रामं मनुजाकृतिं हरिं य उत्तराननयत्कोसलान्दिवमिति ॥
T: Sage Shuka spoke to Parikshit: "In the Kimpurusha Varsha (to be understood as the land of non-human beings like Vanaras), the great devotee Mahaveera Hanuman, along with other attendants, prays fervently to the Lord Sri Rama, Bhagavan incarnate as a human, the elder brother of the noble prince Lakshmana and the loving husband of Devi Sita."
In the Kimpurusha Varsha, celestial singers are constantly reciting the glories of Bhagavan Sri Rama. Hanuman and the chief of Kimpurushas, Arshtishena, listen to the singing with great fervour and pray thus:
"Om! Obeisances to the Supreme Lord, extolled by all, the epitome of greatness among evolved human beings, setting an example of Dharma for all to follow, the touchstone of goodness, the Lord of even Brahma, the greatest human ever, and the Emperor of the world, Lord Sri Rama!"
"As we bow down, we are fully aware that You are pure Knowledge, beyond the three Gunas, the Creative Energy behind the three Gunas, the Indweller in all, the emobodiment of peace, one perceivable only by the purified intellect and not any ordinary mind, beyond name and form, totally egoless, we surrender to you, Bhagavan Sri Rama!"
"Lord, Your incarnation was not merely to destroy the evil Rakshasas, but also to uplift all human beings by Your example and instruction. Otherwise, how can we explain your sport in which you suffered the terrible pangs of separation from Devi Sita!?"
"You are the inner spirit of the brave seekers who realise You. As such, You are Bhagavan Vasudeva, You have no attachment to anything in the three worlds. Then how do we explain the suffering of separation from a beloved wife, or the extreme distress of forsaking the noble Lakshmana!?" (To set an example of what one goes through willy nilly in this world.)
"Dear Lord, it is clear that You took this incarnation only to teach us forest dwellers what is right and what is wrong. Your glory is not just because of your high birth, your physical beauty, your eloquent speech, your extreme intelligence or your immense physical form. Otherwise, how would you cultivate us forest dwellers who lacked every single of these attributes!?"
"We cannot see anyone else worshippable, even by gods, celestials, demons or humans other than You! In the form of the human king Sri Rama, You are none other than Bhagavan Sri Hari Himself! How wonderfully appreciative You are of even trivial tasks performed for You by Vanaras and such servants! Indeed, You took everyone dwelling in Ayodhya and so on, back with You, to Vaikuntha at the end of Your incarnation!!!"
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Bhagavan has taken the form of Nara-Narayana to bless Bharata Varsha also. He pervades the region being invisible to the end of time. He upholds by example Dharma, Jnana, Vairagya, Aishwarya (Power and Glory in the true sense), Conquest of the Senses, Abiding Peace, and all these accomplishments leading up to realisation of Atma or the Supreme. He does this by performing Tapas for all creation's welfare eternally.
Sage Narada extols these attributes of Nara-Narayana while teaching the truths of Sankhya, Yoga and the Pancharatra methods of worship of the Lord to Savarni Manu. The citizens of Bharata Varsha observe the Dharma of the four Ashramas and Varnas meticulously as they develop Bhakti towards the Lord. They constantly sing His glories.
ॐ नमो भगवते उपशमशीलायोपरतानात्म्याय नमोऽकिञ्चनवित्ताय ऋषिऋषभाय नरनारायणाय परमहंसपरमगुरवे आत्मारामाधिपतये नमो नम इति ॥
T: "Om! Obeisances to the great Lord, beyond arrogance, beyond ego, the wealth of the poor, the embodiment of peace, the supreme teacher of the Paramahamsas, the indwelling Lord of those established in the bliss of Atma, Lord Nara Narayana!"
"Prayers to Nara-Narayana, the Supreme Being who is the primal cause and creator of all universes and yet totally free from pride or egoism, embodied in this creation without bodily attachments, the eternal Witness (Onlooker) who is yet unattached and unaffected by what He sees always, He is the Pure Spirit!"
Lord Brahma has said: The Ultimate goal of all Yoga is to merge into You, Oh Lord, with no attachment at all to the body and its world, at the moment of death."
"Man is entrenched here with attachments to home, wife, children and so on. He is so attached to his wealth and belongings that at the moment of death, he is filled with great fear. In fact, even learned scholars find it hard to shrug off these bonds. Therefore, their acquisition of knowledge appears to be doomed to waste!"
"Oh, Lord, therefore grant us by Your grace Devotion. The path of Bhakti is the easiest. By Bhakti we will be able to cut asunder the bonds and attachments here."
Note: These narratives use the simple present tense, reminding us that Puranic Time is circular and that past, present, and future are only constructs of the human mind!
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The second part of this chapter has detailed descriptions of rivers.
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