॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
Saturday, 10 September 2022 - Seventeenth chapter of the first Skandha- Kali finds a home by winning Parikshit’s mercy.
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In this chapter, in a few lines, Sage Vyasa has summarized both factors - what causes man’s rise in his evolution and what leads him to destruction. It has great contemporary appeal!
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Parikshit now witnessed an imposter dressed in royal clothes mercilessly beating both the one-footed bull and the weeping cow. From his chariot, the king shouted to the man to stop his brutality at once and be ready to receive due punishment.
यस्य राष्ट्रे प्रजाः सर्वास्त्रस्यन्ते साध्व्यसाधुभिः। तस्य मत्तस्य नश्यन्ति कीर्तिरायुर्भगो गतिः॥
एष राज्ञां परो धर्मो ह्यार्तानामार्तिनिग्रहः।अत एनं वधिष्यामि भूतद्रुहमसत्तमम् ॥
कोऽवृश्चत्तव पादांस्त्रीन्सौरभेय चतुष्पद। माभूवंस्त्वादृशा राष्ट्रे राज्ञां कृष्णानुवर्तिनाम् ॥
T: King Parikshit proclaimed, “Under any king, if good people are thus tormented by the evil ones, such a king will lose his fame, longevity, wealth and chances of spiritual advancement. Indeed a king’s foremost duty is to remove the suffering of the miserable. Therefore I shall surely put to death this miscreant who is most barbaric towards other creatures. Oh, bull, you are the descendant of the heavenly Kamadhenu, and we hold all cows and bulls as sacred. Who has destroyed three of your four legs? How can this happen in our kingdom when we are devoted to Bhagavan Sri Krishna!?”
The bull now speaks high philosophy!
“Oh, King, your kind and reassuring words of protection are worthy of your lineage devoted to Sri Krishna, and they explain the reason why even the Bhagavan took up menial roles like a charioteer for your family! Coming to your question, indeed, philosophers have long cogitated in vain about what causes misery in this world.”
केचिद्विकल्पवसना आहुरात्मानमात्मनः। दैवमन्ये परे कर्म स्वभावमपरे प्रभुम् ॥
अप्रतर्क्यादनिर्देश्यादिति केष्वपि निश्चयः। अत्रानुरूपं राजर्षे विमृश स्वमनीषया॥
T: “Oh, King! Some non-dualists (Advaitins) maintain that all suffering is self-created. Some others blame the stars and destiny for suffering. Atheists don’t look beyond the material and natural world for causes. Some others are certain that all creation runs according to the will of the Inexplicable, Unseen, Ishwara. Therefore you may apply your own judgement and decide, oh, King, what explains my present predicament!”
Hearing these philosophic words, King Parikshit understood at once that this was Dharma himself who had come in the guise of the bull.
“You have spoken rightly, oh, Dharma! Now I see it clearly. Your four legs, on which all Dharma and righteousness stand for all time, are Austerity (self-abnegation), Purity (in thought, word, deed), Compassion (towards all) and Truth. Now only Truth is left, as the first three have been eroded by man’s misdeeds.”
तं जिघृक्षत्यधर्मोऽयमनृतेनैधितः कलिः
T: “And I can see that this is indeed Kali who is the embodiment of Adharma and thrives on Untruth and is now trying to break your only remaining leg i.e. Truth! Alas!”
इयं च भूर्भगवता न्यासितोरुभरा दुर्भगेवोज्झिताधुना ।
अब्रह्मण्या नृपव्याजाः शूद्राः भोक्ष्यन्ति मामिति॥
T: “And I also realize is that this cow is the blessed Mother Earth herself, sanctified by the feet of Bhagavan Sri Krishna till recently, and now cast into this desperate condition by Brahmins forsaking their holy ways, kings having become corrupt and unscrupulous, and the lowliest of society (called here Sudras) wanting to slaughter her (cow-slaughter is a metaphor for ecological exploitation).”
The king despises Kali, representing the lowest of the low, masquerading in a king’s attire, and making this mischief. Parikshit draws his sword and says he will cut off Kali’s head and put an end to his evil.
Kali discards his disguise and now hastens to fall at King Parikshit’s feet. Looking most frightened for his life, he pleads for mercy! He knows that the goodness in King Parikshit is his leverage. The king at once relents, stating smilingly that he is wedded to the principle of mercy for anyone who surrenders, being the descendent of Arjuna himself. This holds true however evil and punishable the culprit may be.
But again, Parikshit says, very sternly, “Look, Kali, there is absolutely no place for you in this kingdom. Our kingdom has been blessed by Bhagavan Sri Krishna and we uphold the highest standards of Dharma and compassion through continual, dedicated, righteous practices and worship. Therefore I am banishing you at once. Go away!”
Kali pleads. “Oh, Lord, your fierce sight with the drawn sword about to kill me shall haunt me wherever I may be. I shall always live in terrible dread. I really do not know where to go. I, therefore, beg you, please command me and tell me where I can make my home. Please help me!”
Look at the irony of this. Indeed, it is easy for us to see that evil thrives and survives only by the kindness of the good. It is the very order of creation! This is pure Leela of Bhagavan!
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अभ्यर्त्थितस्तदा तस्मै स्थानानि कलये ददौ। द्यूतं पानं स्त्रियः सूना यत्राधर्मश्चतुर्विधः॥
पुनश्च याचमानाय जातरूपमदात्प्रभुः। ततोऽनृतं मदं कामं रजो वैरं च पञ्चमम्॥
T: Thus as Kali begged for specific places where he would be spared by the king, Parikshit stated, “You shall inhabit places of gambling, drinking houses full of drunkenness, places pursuing sexual debauchery, and slaughterhouses.” When Kali asked for a bigger bandwidth for his play, the king added, “You shall exist in gold, because the love of gold is the root of all man’s evil! And further, you shall dwell where there is falsehood, arrogance, lust, violence, and hatred, as these degrade man.”
Kali was now very happy. He had now got enough sanction for all his intended exploits! Mankind was doomed.
After Kali disappeared, Sage Vyasa narrates that King Parikshit by his power of goodness restored the lost three feet of Dharma the bull, and Mother Earth cheered up, saved from her pain and misery.
King Parikshit continued to rule his kingdom राजर्षिः कौरवेन्द्रः श्रियोल्लसन् T: Ruling his kingdom like a rishi/sage, the scion of the Kuru dynasty, Parikshit, ushered in great prosperity into his land.
The Suta now states something Puranic in import: The sages in Naimisharanya owed their welfare and opportunity for their great yajna without hindrance to the righteous rule installed by King Parikshit.
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॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
