॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
***
King Nimi now asked some vital questions.
श्रीराजोवाच
परस्य विष्णोरीशस्य मायिनामपि मोहिनीम् । मायां वेदितुमिच्छामो भगवन्तो ब्रुवन्तु न: ॥
नानुतृप्ये जुषन्युष्मद्वचोहरिकथामृतम् । संसारतापनिस्तप्तो मर्त्यस्तत्तापभेषजम् ॥
T: Dear sages, kindly tell us about the bewitching effects of Vishnu Maya that deludes even ascetics! I am not satiated listening to your glorious stories of Bhagavan Sri Hari that are the panacea for one scorched by this world!"
श्रीअन्तरीक्ष उवाच
एभिर्भूतानि भूतात्मा महाभूतैर्महाभुज । ससर्जोच्चावचान्याद्य: स्वमात्रात्मप्रसिद्धये ॥
एवं सृष्टानि भूतानि प्रविष्ट: पञ्चधातुभि: । एकधा दशधात्मानं विभजन्जुषते गुणान् ॥
T: Sage Antareeksha (one of those nine Rishis) answered: "Know, King, that it is the Lord alone who creates this universe and its beings, and enters into them as the mind, the ten senses and the five elements. This is true for nobler and meaner beings, all."
कर्माणि कर्मभि: कुर्वन्सनिमित्तानि देहभृत् । तत्तत्कर्मफलं गृह्णन्भ्रमतीह सुखेतरम् ॥
T: "Once born, beings are deluded and cohabit, procreating their offspring, constantly engaging in the Karma cycle and experiencing joy and sorrow in a bemused way."
शतवर्षा ह्यनावृष्टिर्भविष्यत्युल्बणा भुवि । तत्कालोपचितोष्णार्को लोकांस्त्रीन्प्रतपिष्यति ॥
T: "At the end of the epoch, when Bhagavan decides to pull the plug, there will be a drought for a hundred years. There will be infernal fire raging and burning everything down. All life and even all matter ends in this apocalypse to be the end of the manifest universe."
लीयते सलिले विराट् अव्यक्तं विशते सूक्ष्मं निरिन्धन इवानल: ॥
T: "The manifest Virat Purusha ceases and becomes unmanifest. He subsists in a subtle form like the fire unseen in the absence of fuel."
प्रविशन्ति ह्यहङ्कारं स्वगुणैरहमात्मनि ॥ एषा माया भगवत: सर्गस्थित्यन्तकारिणी ।
T: "At the dissolution of the universe, the senses and ego merge into the Mahat, and finally remain unmanifest. This whole creation cycle thus described, in toto, is Bhagavan's Maha Maya, the creation-sustenance-dissolution cycle!"
श्रीराजोवाच
यथैतामैश्वरीं मायां दुस्तरामकृतात्मभि: । तरन्त्यञ्ज: स्थूलधियो महर्ष इदमुच्यताम् ॥
T: The king now asked. "For one who has not striven, indeed this Maya seems insurmountable! But there must be some way, dear sages, how even a mere mortal like me with dull wit should be able to liberate himself. Would you kindly state that?"
तस्माद् गुरुं प्रपद्येत जिज्ञासु: श्रेय उत्तमम् । शाब्दे परे च निष्णातं ब्रह्मण्युपशमाश्रयम् ॥
तत्र भागवतान् धर्मान् शिक्षेद् गुर्वात्मदैवत: । अमाययानुवृत्त्या यैस्तुष्येदात्मात्मदोहरि: ॥
श्रद्धां भागवते शास्त्रेऽनिन्दामन्यत्र चापि हि । मनोवाक्कर्मदण्डं च सत्यं शमदमावपि ॥
श्रवणं कीर्तनं ध्यानं हरेरद्भुतकर्मण: । जन्मकर्मगुणानां च तदर्थेऽखिलचेष्टितम् ॥
इष्टं दत्तं तपो जप्तं वृत्तं यच्चात्मन: प्रियम् । दारान् सुतान् गृहान् प्राणान् यत्परस्मै निवेदनम् ॥
परस्परानुकथनं पावनं भगवद्यश: । मिथो रतिर्मिथस्तुष्टिर्निवृत्तिर्मिथ आत्मन: ॥
इति भागवतान् धर्मान् शिक्षन् भक्त्या तदुत्थया । नारायणपरो मायामञ्जस्तरति दुस्तराम् ॥
तस्मिन् विशुद्ध उपलभ्यत आत्मतत्त्वं साक्षाद् यथामलदृशो: सवितृप्रकाश: ॥
T: "Well, the key to emancipation lies with the enlightened Guru. So seek him. That is your real breakthrough. The Guru knows beyond the spoken scriptures! He enshrines the Brahman Truth that liberates."
"The Guru teaches what is true Bhagavata Dharma. He is the living God. He reveals the cycle of life and what drives it. Then one begins to offer one's all, including dear family and possessions, as one's offering to the Lord who gave it all in the first place! Once you cultivate the company of the true seekers, they help each other by holding hands and exchanging stories of the Lord. This purifies the mind and body steadily. It erases the unedifying attachments to pleasures. The one who adopts this Bhagavata Dharma will become dedicated to Bhagavan Narayana and cross the ocean of this worldly bondage! The individual then becomes like a spotless mirror that best reflects the sun."
कर्माकर्मविकर्मेति वेदवादो न लौकिक: । वेदस्य चेश्वरात्मत्वात् तत्र मुह्यन्ति सूरय: ॥
नाचरेद् यस्तु वेदोक्तं स्वयमज्ञोऽजितेन्द्रिय: । विकर्मणा ह्यधर्मेण मृत्योर्मृत्युमुपैति स: ॥
T: "One more thing. What is the Karma to be done for progress, the Karma that pulls one down, and the Karma that should be eschewed at all costs? These matters are intractable even for those who have studied the Vedas."
What is the solution then, what is Karma Yoga?
वेदोक्तमेव कुर्वाणो नि:सङ्गोऽर्पितमीश्वरे । नैष्कर्म्यां लभते सिद्धिं रोचनार्था फलश्रुति: ॥
लब्ध्वानुग्रह आचार्यात् तेन सन्दर्शितागम: । महापुरुषमभ्यर्चेन्मूर्त्याभिमतयात्मन: ॥
T: "Do what is prescribed as duty according to your status in life by the Vedas, but do it offering all the fruits only to Bhagavan! This way, you will become free from actions driven by selfish desires and worldly motives. Indeed, don't be misled by the Phalashrutis stated in all prayers and scriptures (even in Srimad Bhagavatam). They are inserted to induce people to come and perform worship and prayer. But those worldly gains can be the albatross preventing release. Hence you should offer all work as worship without expecting any reward."
"Once you start this process, you will get the grace of your Guru. He will help you experience the Lord within, giving up the false attachment to body and mind. Then you can worship your chosen Ishta Devata deity, with all sincerity, engaging body mind and soul in that unselfish worship! It will be a celebration of life, the grace you are receiving always."
साङ्गंसम्पूज्य विधिवत् स्तवै: स्तुत्वा नमेद्धरिम् ॥
एवमग्न्यर्कतोयादावतिथौ हृदये च य: । यजतीश्वरमात्मानमचिरान्मुच्यते हि स: ॥
T: "The one who is detached from the world of the senses, not seeking rewards from work, will then worship truly. He will be worshipping Sri Hari. He will receive the world of the five elements as a guest in his heart! He will cherish material life as worship. Thus he will connect with Ishwara as his own soul, and be liberated soon."
***
॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
