॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
Thursday, 29 September 2022 - Vidura has a lot of questions.
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Anyone who had heard of the Lord’s transcendence and eternal bliss, after listening to Sage Maitreya’s narration of the process of creation, will have many questions. Those were voiced by Vidura.
In a pleasant voice, Vidura asked:
ब्रह्मन्कथं भगवतश्चिन्मात्रस्याविकारिणः। लीलया चापि युज्येरन्निर्गुणस्य गुणाः क्रियाः॥
क्रीडयामुद्यमोऽर्भस्य कामश्चिक्रीडिषान्यतः। स्वतस्तृप्तस्य च कथं निवृत्तस्य सदान्यतः॥
T: “Respected sir, how come the Gunas got associated with the Lord who is of the nature of supreme consciousness alone, with no modifications ever, with no Gunas in Himself, even if it were in a sport? Of course, a mere child can be drawn into play by offering inducements and attractions. When the Lord is otherwise eternally self-satisfied, and never bogged down, how can He be induced to play?”
“You say He creates and regulates and dissolves everything only through His Maya. There are no constraints of space and time for the Lord’s nature. Then how come He got connected with Maya? If you call it Karma, it is not understandable as the Lord is the Eternal Witness and is never involved. All these questions are tormenting me. Kindly give me clarity.”
Sage Maitreya welcomed the questions with a smile.
“Of course, Vidura, if the Lord, Ishwara, gets entangled, that would be contrary to the definition of the Lord. But yet, we can explain creation as only a sport of Maya. It is like a man, when asleep, may dream that he has cut off his own head! But it is a dream that vanishes on the man’s waking up. The Gunas are like the waves on the lake that make the image of the moon full of ripples when the real moon is undisturbed. So man’s delusion on account of Maya is slowly removed by Vasudeva’s grace when man practises detachment and Bhagavad-Bhakti Yoga.”
“By focussing all senses in Sri Hari, becoming calm much like Bhagavan as He sleeps in Yoga Nidra with no distractions, man’s difficulties with Maya will vanish. By hearing Murari’s glorious stories, all troubles are erased. Once one is settled at His lotus feet, inhaling their pollen, one’s mind is forever detached.”
Vidura responded. “Oh, Sage, you have slashed with the sword of insight (सूक्ति) all my doubts. Now I know why Bhagavan is not bound and man is bound by Maya. I think that there are two types of people without care or distress. The first type is those too dull to even think, who go through life like animals in ignorance. And the second type is those liberated after attaining Bhagavan. The rest like us experience all troubles. Now I know, by your grace, that all creation, objects and beings are indeed the Non-Atman (अनात्म) and don’t really exist. I should now serve your feet and remove my delusion, and attain high devotion to Madhusudana and bliss. One goes beyond birth and death by association with Mahatmas. They are always in communion with the Lord (वैकुण्ठवर्त्मसु) and sing His praises constantly.”
“As you explained, the Lord created Virat Purusha, with Mahattattva and other parts, and through those parts which He entered into came out this creation. Thus came out all progeny. Can you elaborate on that process? Can you kindly chronicle the stories of the generations of Manus and various kings? What is the span and nature of this Bhuloka (earth sphere)? How did various non-human species, humans, gods, animals that move by sliding, birds, and life forms born in sweat, born in decaying matter, in eggs etc., come into being? What are Sri Hari’s sports assuming the form of the Trinity- Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesha? What are His sports for creation, sustenance and dissolution?”
“Sir, Indeed the Lord has also created the Vedas, the ascetic way of life, rituals, Yoga, Jnana, the discriminatory path of Sankhya, and even devious paths that draw man away from the Lord! How did different men take up those many paths?”
“What are the merits accruing to man from Dana (charity), Tapas (austerity), Yatra (pilgrimage), Pitru Karma (ancestral rites)? By what is Bhagavan Janardana pleased?”
“How do those gods (deities) serve the Lord? Especially when He is in Yoga Nidra? What is the process of cosmic dissolution?”
पुरुषस्य च संस्थानं स्वरूपं वा परस्य च। ज्ञानं च नैगमं यत्तद्गुरुशिष्यप्रयोजनम् ॥
T: Kindly explain about Ishwara and Jiva, the knowledge contained in the Upanishads, and the importance and value of the Guru-Shishya relationship.”
“Many learned seekers have etched out different paths. Please tell me about them. Indeed I am dulled in mind. But you are my supreme benefactor. I think as follows.”
सर्वे वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च तपो दानानि चानघ। जीवाभयप्रदानस्य न कुर्वीरन् कलामपि॥
T: “The study of all the Vedas, the performance of all Yajnas, charity and austerity do not confer even a one-sixteenth of the needed effect of removing man’s fear of life and death. Only the Guru can give that wisdom.”
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Sri Shuka smilingly explains that Maitreya began to give his answers to these queries.
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॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
