॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
Tuesday, 20 September 2022 - The eighth chapter of the second Skandha- King Parikshit has several questions for which he seeks answers from the gracious sage, Shuka.
The best story is one where you identify yourself with the protagonist and pretty much think and act as he does, at least in your mind.
If we were to do so, what would be the condition of King Parikshit? The immediacy and the utter palpability of his own impending demise will obviously occupy his mind. But he feels most blessed that a sage like Shuka has graciously come to tell him the divine and liberating scripture Srimad Bhagavatam. This has been most engrossing and contains unbelievable imagery and incredible stories of the Lord. A keen listener will have several questions beginning with how, why, where, when and so on. This is precisely the content of this chapter!
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ब्रह्मणा चोदितो ब्रह्मन्गुणाक्यानेऽगुणस्य च। यस्मै यस्मै यथा प्राह नारदो देवदर्शनः॥
कथयस्व महाभाग यथाहमखिलात्मनि। कृष्णे निवेश्य मनस्त्यक्ष्ये कलेवरम्॥
T: “Oh holy Brahmin! You have said that Lord Brahma inspired Sage Narada to go around the sanctifying stories of the Lord, describing His attributes, when indeed He is also beyond attributes! I know Sage Narada has realised God. How did he go around telling these stories, and to whom?”
“Oh, blessed sir, I beseech you to tell me the path by which I can enter my mind fully in the Universal Supersoul, Bhagavan Sri Krishna, and relinquish my body thereafter.”
“Those who listen with whole-hearted devotion the Srimad Bhagavatam will quickly manifest the Lord in their hearts. He will cleanse their hearts like the autumn season that clears the waters muddied during the rains.”
“The five elements go into all material creation, but yet remain separate from each individual piece of matter. Similarly, the Lord creates everything and you have said He stays separate. How does this happen? How does the Lord get a body? Is it by accident or by some cause? How does the Lord remain separate and untouched by His own energy?"
“You have stated that the different gods and the different worlds (Lokas) constitute the body of the Virat Purusha. But what is their actual position?”
“And coming to Time, please explain the time cycle of creation, sustenance and dissolution, and how the past, present and future co-exist. Also, please explain the longevity of different beings.”
“How do the Gunas mix, influence man’s Karma, produce results, and reconstitute themselves in him?”
“Indeed, Sir, I am so eager to know in detail about all the Lord’s incarnations!”
“What are the societal norms for a man’s normal conduct? What are specific duties based on one’s status in life? How should royal sages function? How should one in distress behave? Coming to the great mystics, and what is their ultimate realisation? How does the perfect mystic become detached from the subtle astral body?”
“How does economic development take place? How do people fulfil their material wants?”
“How do living beings come into existence, and how are they annihilated?”
“What is the structure and hierarchy of Vedas, supplementary scriptures, and the Puranas?”
“What is the role of liberated beings? And what are the procedures to be followed for the establishment of religion, economic development and opportunities for sense gratification in society?"
सर्वमेतच्च भगवन् पृच्छते मेऽनुपूर्वशः । तत्त्वतोऽर्हस्युदाहर्तुं प्रपन्नाय महामुने॥
अत्र प्रमाणं हि भवान्परमेष्ठी यथात्मभूः। परे चेहानुतिष्ठन्ति पूर्वेषां पूर्वजैः कृतम्॥
T: “Oh, great sage! Whatever questions I have asked thus far (and those that remain unasked) are worthy of your kind answers, as I am surrendered to you. You are as much an authority as Lord Brahma, the creator who was himself not born in the usual way! I am not like those who simply follow as a ritual whatever were the practices of their predecessors.”
न मेऽसवः परायन्ति ब्रह्मन्ननशनादमी। पिबतोऽच्युतपीयूषमन्यत्र कुपिताद्विजात्॥
T: “Respected sage, my life-energies are not affected by my abstaining from food and drink all this time, because I am constantly drinking the nectar of your stories of Bhagavan! I am also least bothered that I was cursed by that Brahmin for my transgression.”
The great sage Shuka was immensely pleased by King Parikshit’s dispassionate mindset, his eager seeking, his preparedness, and all his questions. He began to answer those questions.
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॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
