॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
Sunday, 21 August 2022 - Today's readings coincide with a big house-warming celebration in Nana Nani with Homa and Vedic chants and extensive pujas. No better stimulus to reading the Srimad Bhagavatam than such an occasion. The best part of it was worshipping the cows and feeding them!
Mahatmyam - Chapter 3
Narada is is now most ethusiastic in reciting the Srimad Bhagavatam. He asks the Sanaka-Sanandana-Sanatkumara-Sanatsujata Kumar as, where should he undertake this holy task?
शृणु नारद विवक्ष्यामो विनम्राय विवेकिने। गङ्गाद्वारसमीपे तु तटमानन्दनामकम् ॥
नानाऋषिगणैर्जुष्टं देवसिद्धनिषेवितम् । यत्समीपस्थजीवानां वैरं चेतसि न स्थितम्॥
T; "Oh Narada, we suggest the holy place of Gangadvar (Haridwar) called Ananda. It is sanctified by the presence of rishis, gods and Siddhas, beautiful with lotus ponds and flourishing fauna and flora. Indeed it is so sanctified that wild animals with natural animosity to one another live in harmony!"
अपूर्व रसरूपा च कथा तत्र भविष्यति
T: "Your narration will be unprecedented in its sweetness and definitely restore Bhakti, Jnana and Vairagya fully!"
The four Kumaras went with Narada to the Ganga bank. He set up a beautiful place, offered exalted seats to the divine foursome, and soon all the greatest of rishis including Vyasa, Parashara, Vasishtha, Vishwamitra, Bhrigu and so on gathered. Bhrigu brought even the reluctant rishis saying this was a priceless opportunity to experience the holiest of the holy.
The narrator (Sage Vedavyasa who wrote the Srimad Bhagavatam too - let us not forget!) gets so inspired as he narrates how rivers, all the sacred animals, gods bringing flowers from the Kalpavriksha (the divine wish-fulfilling tree) and showering them on the assembly - and so on arrived post-haste to enjoy the experience. Narada had arranged a beautiful theatre as it were and all the holy ones were properly seated with the Kumaras at the head.
The Kumaras now announced, "Oh Narada, you shall now recite the Bhagavatam - after listening to which liberation or Mukti is करतले स्थिता T: in the palm of one's hand.
किं श्रुतैर्बहुभिः शास्त्रैः पुराणैश्च भ्रमावहैः । एकं भागवतं शास्त्रं मुक्तिदानेन गर्जति॥
कथा नित्यं भवति यद्गृहे तद्गृहं तीर्थरूपं हि भवतां पापनाशनम्॥
न गङ्गा न गया काशी फलेन समतां नयेत्॥ त्रयी भागवतं चैव द्वादशाक्षर एव च॥
T: The Kumaras explained to all: "Studying Vedas, Shastras, so many Puranas, will make one confused! Just the holy Bhagavatam is enough-it proclaims with a roar that it guarantees liberation from bondage. A home where this is recited daily is the most sacred place of pilgrimage. No need to go to Ganga, Gaya or Kashi, as they don't lead one to liberation like the Bhagavatam. The three Vedas, the Srimad Bhagavatam, and the chant of the holy mantra of twelve syllables ॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥ are all equal in efficacy!"
Thus the Kumaras go on listing the wonderful glory of Bhagavatam (that is anyway the meaning of Mahatmyam). They explain how life is complicated for the average soul in Kali Yuga and it is impossible to maintain focus and dedication for the reading of Bhagavatam over an extended period of time. Therefore one should undertake its complete study in a concentrated way over just one single week. The month of Magha is ideal for its study. But nevertheless, any place, any time, is suitable for its holy recitation.
***
So far, let's remember this, the Shaunaka rishis in Naimisharanya have been listening to Suta tell the story of Narada and the Kumaras. They now ask with wonder what made the Kumaras place Bhagavatam as the remedy so supreme!? The Suta begins to explain the background.
***
When Sri Krishna was leaving his physical form and ascending to his Vishnu abode, Uddhava, his beloved, enlightened disciple, begged. "Oh, Lord, you are going, but what shall become of this earth and its people during the terrible Kali Yuga? What shall protect them?
अतः सत्सु दयां कृत्वा भक्तवत्सल मा व्रज। भक्तार्थं सगुणो जातो निराकारोऽपि चिन्मयः॥
T: "Oh Lord! Given this terrible predicament of people during Kali, I beg you to stay back. After all, for their upliftment alone did you take this Saguna form (with name, form and humanly presence) manifested out of your immaculate infinite divinity."
Hari, Maha Vishnu in Krishna's form, thought through the matter, and decided to imbue the story of Srimad Bhagavatam with his infinite glory which is nothing but all sanctity,
तेनयं वाङ्मयी मूर्तिः प्रत्यक्षा वर्तते हरेः
"Thus this Srimad Bhagavatam is Hari incarnate in efficacy!"
Suta continues the gripping story of Narada: At that moment in that assembly, there was a burst of brilliance as Bhakti and her sons appeared in all glory!
भक्तिः सुतौ तौ तरुणौ गृहीत्वा प्रेमैकरूपा सहसाऽविरासीत् । श्रीकरष्ण गोविन्द हरे मुरारे नाथेति नामानि मुहुर्वदन्ती॥
T; Lo and behold, there was Bhakti herself, with her young lustrous sons Jnana and Vairagya, reciting the holy names, "Sri Krishna! Govinda! Hari! Murari!" and so on. So Narada had fulfilled his mission indeed!
Now Bhakti beseeched the Sanatkumaras, "Pray holiest of the holy sages, tell me where in future should I be, to protect myself from the ills of this world?"
They replied,
सा त्वं च तिष्ठ स्वसुधैर्यसंश्रया निरन्तरं वैष्णवमानसानि। ततोऽपि दोषाः कलिजा इमे त्वां द्रष्टुं न शक्ताः प्रभवोऽपि लोके॥
T: "Oh Bhakti, be strong, courageous, and reside always in the hearts of Vaishnava devotees. The ills of Kali Yuga however powerful will then not find you or touch you."
***
Swami Tapasyananda's Introduction - Part 3
There are three important points covered.
Bhagavatam makes the devotee envision the glorious form of Sri Krishna and Maha Vishnu, but does not fetter him with a dogmatic cult-deity worship. It liberates him and makes him realize the ultimate reality of Oneness.
The contemplation of divine majesty and the Lord's glorious form will ultimately sublimate into an immersion within a boundless divinity.
The final reality that engulfs the realized devotee is a manyness-in-one, a variegated existence of everyone and everything in an all encompassing Universal Bliss and Divine Love.
The realized devotee has two choices at that point. He can sublimate his existence into merging into the One Reality. Or he can choose to maintain his identity as the loving servant of the Lord. That is the ultimate Bhakti!
I am tempted to quote the Srimad Bhagavadgita here. In the 18th Chapter, Sri Krishna is explaining to Arjuna what happens to the seeker after reaching Brahmanhood. He says,
ब्रह्मभूतः प्रसन्नात्मा न शोचति न काङ्क्षति । |
समः सर्वेषु भूतेषु मद्भक्तिं लभते पराम् ॥ १८-५४॥ |
T: The Brahman-realized one, full of cheerfulness within, has no desire or sorrow. He sees oneness in all, and attains ultimate Bhakti.
॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
