॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
Srimad Bhagavatam - Skandha XII.12 Part A Thursday, 24 August 2023 - A quick wrap-up of the major contents of Srimad Bhagavatam.
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सूत उवाच
नमो धर्माय महते नम: कृष्णाय वेधसे । ब्रह्मणेभ्यो नमस्कृत्य धर्मान् वक्ष्ये सनातनान् ॥
एतद् व: कथितं विप्रा विष्णोश्चरितमद्भुतम् । भवद्भिर्यदहं पृष्टो नराणां पुरुषोचितम् ॥
अत्र सङ्कीर्तित: साक्षात् सर्वपापहरो हरि: । नारायणो हृषीकेशो भगवान् सात्वतां पति: ॥
अत्र ब्रह्म परं गुह्यं जगत: प्रभवाप्ययम् । ज्ञानं च तदुपाख्यानं प्रोक्तं विज्ञानसंयुतम् ॥
भक्तियोग: समाख्यातो वैराग्यं च तदाश्रयम् । पारीक्षितमुपाख्यानं नारदाख्यानमेव च ॥
The Suta said:
Glory be to Dharma embodied, Sri Krishna, Bhagavan, Veda incarnate!
My great fortune it is to tell you this story of timeless Dharma after bowing to true sages!
What I have narrated so far, in response
नमो धर्माय महते नम: कृष्णाय वेधसे । ब्रह्मणेभ्यो नमस्कृत्य धर्मान् वक्ष्ये सनातनान् ॥
एतद् व: कथितं विप्रा विष्णोश्चरितमद्भुतम् । भवद्भिर्यदहं पृष्टो नराणां पुरुषोचितम् ॥
अत्र सङ्कीर्तित: साक्षात् सर्वपापहरो हरि: । नारायणो हृषीकेशो भगवान् सात्वतां पति: ॥
अत्र ब्रह्म परं गुह्यं जगत: प्रभवाप्ययम् । ज्ञानं च तदुपाख्यानं प्रोक्तं विज्ञानसंयुतम् ॥
भक्तियोग: समाख्यातो वैराग्यं च तदाश्रयम् । पारीक्षितमुपाख्यानं नारदाख्यानमेव च ॥
The Suta said:
Glory be to Dharma embodied, Sri Krishna, Bhagavan, Veda incarnate!
My great fortune it is to tell you this story of timeless Dharma after bowing to true sages!
What I have narrated so far, in response
To your earnest enquiry,
is the incredible story of Maha Vishnu’s Leelas.
The subject of this is Bhagavan Sri Hari himself, no less, the one who wipes out all sins from our lives.
He is Narayana, the one whose senses are in perfect control, the Lord worshipped by Sadhus.
Brahman, creation and preservation as well as dissolution, esoteric subjects all,
Have been covered so far to impart knowledge of the Supreme and how to lead our lives.
How Bhakti Yoga is the supreme path, and how Vairagya or dispassion is needed for it, and
The stories of the earnest king Parikshit and the glorious sage Narada!
प्रायोपवेशो राजर्षेर्विप्रशापात् परीक्षित: । शुकस्य ब्रह्मर्षभस्य संवादश्च परीक्षित: ॥
योगधारणयोत्क्रान्ति: संवादो नारदाजयो: । अवतारानुगीतं च सर्ग: प्राधानिकोऽग्रत: ॥
विदुरोद्धवसंवाद: क्षत्तृमैत्रेययोस्तत: । पुराणसंहिताप्रश्नो महापुरुषसंस्थिति: ॥
तत: प्राकृतिक: सर्ग: सप्त वैकृतिकाश्च ये । ततो ब्रह्माण्डसम्भूतिर्वैराज: पुरुषो यत: ॥
Consider this! King Parikshit, sitting down to fast unto death while listening to Bhagavan’s glory,
To deal with the sage’s curse. And his good fortune to have Sage Shuka himself narrate all this!
Srimad Bhagavatam gives the key to liberation - practising Bhakti Yoga- when death is imminent.
Lord Brahma gives it to Narada, with all the stories of Bhagavan’s incarnations!
The creative process of the universe by the Supreme One, most fascinating,
Step by step from core energy and matter infused with consciousness.
Vidura’s dialogue with Uddhava, and his receiving instruction from Sage Maitreya.
The mysterious ways Bhagavan adopts to dissolve and subsume creation when the time is ripe.
And again, the creation cycle that repeats from the universal egg through elemental stages!
कालस्य स्थूलसूक्ष्मस्य गति: पद्मसमुद्भव: । भुव उद्धरणेऽम्भोधेर्हिरण्याक्षवधो यथा ॥
ऊर्ध्वतिर्यगवाक्सर्गो रुद्रसर्गस्तथैव च । अर्धनारीश्वरस्याथ यत: स्वायम्भुवो मनु: ॥
शतरूपा च या स्त्रीणामाद्या प्रकृतिरुत्तमा । सन्तानो धर्मपत्नीनां कर्दमस्य प्रजापते: ॥
अवतारो भगवत: कपिलस्य महात्मन: । देवहूत्याश्च संवाद: कपिलेन च धीमता ॥
नवब्रह्मसमुत्पत्तिर्दक्षयज्ञविनाशनम् । ध्रुवस्य चरितं पश्चात्पृथो: प्राचीनबर्हिष: ॥
नारदस्य च संवादस्तत: प्रैयव्रतं द्विजा: । नाभेस्ततोऽनु चरितमृषभस्य भरतस्य च ॥
द्वीपवर्षसमुद्राणां गिरिनद्युपवर्णनम् । ज्योतिश्चक्रस्य संस्थानं पातालनरकस्थिति: ॥
दक्षजन्म प्रचेतोभ्यस्तत्पुत्रीणां च सन्तति: । यतो देवासुरनरास्तिर्यङ्नगखगादय: ॥
त्वाष्ट्रस्य जन्म निधनं पुत्रयोश्च दितेर्द्विजा: । दैत्येश्वरस्य चरितं प्रह्लादस्य महात्मन: ॥
Srimad Bhagavatam tells how Time came into being,
He is Narayana, the one whose senses are in perfect control, the Lord worshipped by Sadhus.
Brahman, creation and preservation as well as dissolution, esoteric subjects all,
Have been covered so far to impart knowledge of the Supreme and how to lead our lives.
How Bhakti Yoga is the supreme path, and how Vairagya or dispassion is needed for it, and
The stories of the earnest king Parikshit and the glorious sage Narada!
प्रायोपवेशो राजर्षेर्विप्रशापात् परीक्षित: । शुकस्य ब्रह्मर्षभस्य संवादश्च परीक्षित: ॥
योगधारणयोत्क्रान्ति: संवादो नारदाजयो: । अवतारानुगीतं च सर्ग: प्राधानिकोऽग्रत: ॥
विदुरोद्धवसंवाद: क्षत्तृमैत्रेययोस्तत: । पुराणसंहिताप्रश्नो महापुरुषसंस्थिति: ॥
तत: प्राकृतिक: सर्ग: सप्त वैकृतिकाश्च ये । ततो ब्रह्माण्डसम्भूतिर्वैराज: पुरुषो यत: ॥
Consider this! King Parikshit, sitting down to fast unto death while listening to Bhagavan’s glory,
To deal with the sage’s curse. And his good fortune to have Sage Shuka himself narrate all this!
Srimad Bhagavatam gives the key to liberation - practising Bhakti Yoga- when death is imminent.
Lord Brahma gives it to Narada, with all the stories of Bhagavan’s incarnations!
The creative process of the universe by the Supreme One, most fascinating,
Step by step from core energy and matter infused with consciousness.
Vidura’s dialogue with Uddhava, and his receiving instruction from Sage Maitreya.
The mysterious ways Bhagavan adopts to dissolve and subsume creation when the time is ripe.
And again, the creation cycle that repeats from the universal egg through elemental stages!
कालस्य स्थूलसूक्ष्मस्य गति: पद्मसमुद्भव: । भुव उद्धरणेऽम्भोधेर्हिरण्याक्षवधो यथा ॥
ऊर्ध्वतिर्यगवाक्सर्गो रुद्रसर्गस्तथैव च । अर्धनारीश्वरस्याथ यत: स्वायम्भुवो मनु: ॥
शतरूपा च या स्त्रीणामाद्या प्रकृतिरुत्तमा । सन्तानो धर्मपत्नीनां कर्दमस्य प्रजापते: ॥
अवतारो भगवत: कपिलस्य महात्मन: । देवहूत्याश्च संवाद: कपिलेन च धीमता ॥
नवब्रह्मसमुत्पत्तिर्दक्षयज्ञविनाशनम् । ध्रुवस्य चरितं पश्चात्पृथो: प्राचीनबर्हिष: ॥
नारदस्य च संवादस्तत: प्रैयव्रतं द्विजा: । नाभेस्ततोऽनु चरितमृषभस्य भरतस्य च ॥
द्वीपवर्षसमुद्राणां गिरिनद्युपवर्णनम् । ज्योतिश्चक्रस्य संस्थानं पातालनरकस्थिति: ॥
दक्षजन्म प्रचेतोभ्यस्तत्पुत्रीणां च सन्तति: । यतो देवासुरनरास्तिर्यङ्नगखगादय: ॥
त्वाष्ट्रस्य जन्म निधनं पुत्रयोश्च दितेर्द्विजा: । दैत्येश्वरस्य चरितं प्रह्लादस्य महात्मन: ॥
Srimad Bhagavatam tells how Time came into being,
The lotus that arose from Bhagavan’s navel.
The slaying of Hiranyaksha and the deliverance of Mother Earth.
Gods, demons, animals and creatures. Lord Rudra’s birth, how the first man Manu was born from Ishwara who was neither man nor woman! Manu's wife, Shatarupa, and their progeny through Prajapati.
Bhagavan Kapila’s advent, and his discourse to his dear mother.
The nine sages who fathered many. Daksha’s ill-fated Yajna.
King Dhruva’s piety. Prithu, Prachinabarhi, and his wisdom after listening to Sage Narada.
So many kings later too, Rishabha Deva and Bharata!
You heard elaborate accounts of the geography of this earth and nether regions.
How Daksha was reborn as Prachetas and how his daughters mothered the many generations on earth.
Vrittra, Hranyaksha, Hiranyakashipu – how each was dealt with and the great Asura Bhakta Prahlada!
मन्वन्तरानुकथनं गजेन्द्रस्य विमोक्षणम् । मन्वन्तरावताराश्च विष्णोर्हयशिरादय: ॥
कौर्मं मात्स्यं नारसिंहं वामनं च जगत्पते: । क्षीरोदमथनं तद्वदमृतार्थे दिवौकसाम् ॥
देवासुरमहायुद्धं राजवंशानुकीर्तनम् । इक्ष्वाकुजन्म तद्वंश: सुद्युम्नस्य महात्मन: ॥
इलोपाख्यानमत्रोक्तं तारोपाख्यानमेव च । सूर्यवंशानुकथनं शशादाद्या नृगादय: ॥
सौकन्यं चाथ शर्याते: ककुत्स्थस्य च धीमत: । खट्वाङ्गस्य च मान्धातु: सौभरे: सगरस्य च ॥
We saw how Manu reigned, how Gajendra was saved, how Bhagavan Vishnu came down in different Avataras in each epoch, including as the Hayshirsha (Horse-head!). Kurma, Matya, Bhagavan Narasimha, ….also Vamana who came after the churning of the Milky Ocean to secure Amrita!
The great battle between Devas and Asuras, the dynasties of great kings, the birth of Ikshwaku, the pious Sudyumna. Ila, Tara, Surya’s descendants like Shashada and Nriga. Sukanya, Saryati, the great kings Kakutstha, Khatvanga, Saubhari and Sagara.
The slaying of Hiranyaksha and the deliverance of Mother Earth.
Gods, demons, animals and creatures. Lord Rudra’s birth, how the first man Manu was born from Ishwara who was neither man nor woman! Manu's wife, Shatarupa, and their progeny through Prajapati.
Bhagavan Kapila’s advent, and his discourse to his dear mother.
The nine sages who fathered many. Daksha’s ill-fated Yajna.
King Dhruva’s piety. Prithu, Prachinabarhi, and his wisdom after listening to Sage Narada.
So many kings later too, Rishabha Deva and Bharata!
You heard elaborate accounts of the geography of this earth and nether regions.
How Daksha was reborn as Prachetas and how his daughters mothered the many generations on earth.
Vrittra, Hranyaksha, Hiranyakashipu – how each was dealt with and the great Asura Bhakta Prahlada!
मन्वन्तरानुकथनं गजेन्द्रस्य विमोक्षणम् । मन्वन्तरावताराश्च विष्णोर्हयशिरादय: ॥
कौर्मं मात्स्यं नारसिंहं वामनं च जगत्पते: । क्षीरोदमथनं तद्वदमृतार्थे दिवौकसाम् ॥
देवासुरमहायुद्धं राजवंशानुकीर्तनम् । इक्ष्वाकुजन्म तद्वंश: सुद्युम्नस्य महात्मन: ॥
इलोपाख्यानमत्रोक्तं तारोपाख्यानमेव च । सूर्यवंशानुकथनं शशादाद्या नृगादय: ॥
सौकन्यं चाथ शर्याते: ककुत्स्थस्य च धीमत: । खट्वाङ्गस्य च मान्धातु: सौभरे: सगरस्य च ॥
We saw how Manu reigned, how Gajendra was saved, how Bhagavan Vishnu came down in different Avataras in each epoch, including as the Hayshirsha (Horse-head!). Kurma, Matya, Bhagavan Narasimha, ….also Vamana who came after the churning of the Milky Ocean to secure Amrita!
The great battle between Devas and Asuras, the dynasties of great kings, the birth of Ikshwaku, the pious Sudyumna. Ila, Tara, Surya’s descendants like Shashada and Nriga. Sukanya, Saryati, the great kings Kakutstha, Khatvanga, Saubhari and Sagara.
रामस्य कोशलेन्द्रस्य चरितं किल्बिषापहम् । निमेरङ्गपरित्यागो जनकानां च सम्भव: ॥
रामस्य भार्गवेन्द्रस्य नि:क्षत्रीकरणं भुव: । ऐलस्य सोमवंशस्य ययातेर्नहुषस्य च ॥
दौष्मन्तेर्भरतस्यापि शान्तनोस्तत्सुतस्य च । ययातेर्ज्येष्ठपुत्रस्य यदोर्वंशोऽनुकीर्तित: ॥
The holy narrative of Bhagavan incarnated as Sri Ramachandra, King of Koshala, and King Janaka.The story of Bhagavan Bhargava Parashurama and his exterminating the despotic kings.
Then the Chandra Vamshis like Yayati, Aila, Nahusha, Dushyanta, Bharata, Shantanu, Bhishma…Yadu, son of Yayati!
यत्रावतीर्णो भगवान् कृष्णाख्यो जगदीश्वर: । वसुदेवगृहे जन्म ततो वृद्धिश्च गोकुले ॥
तस्य कर्माण्यपाराणि कीर्तितान्यसुरद्विष: । पूतनासुपय:पानं शकटोच्चाटनं शिशो: ॥
तृणावर्तस्य निष्पेषस्तथैव बकवत्सयो: । अघासुरवधो धात्रा वत्सपालावगूहनम् ॥
धेनुकस्य सहभ्रातु: प्रलम्बस्य च सङ्क्षय: । गोपानां च परित्राणं दावाग्ने: परिसर्पत: ॥
दमनं कालियस्याहेर्महाहेर्नन्दमोक्षणम् । व्रतचर्या तु कन्यानां यत्र तुष्टोऽच्युतो व्रतै: ॥
प्रसादो यज्ञपत्नीभ्यो विप्राणां चानुतापनम् । गोवर्धनोद्धारणं च शक्रस्य सुरभेरथ ॥
यज्ञाभिषेक: कृष्णस्य स्त्रीभि: क्रीडा च रात्रिषु । शङ्खचूडस्य दुर्बुद्धेर्वधोऽरिष्टस्य केशिन: ॥
अक्रूरागमनं पश्चात् प्रस्थानं रामकृष्णयो: । व्रजस्त्रीणां विलापश्च मथुरालोकनं तत: ॥
गजमुष्टिकचाणूरकंसादीनां तथा वध: । मृतस्यानयनं सूनो: पुन: सान्दीपनेर्गुरो: ॥
Then the central story of Srimad Bhagavatam, the story of Bhagavan Sri Krishna!
Born to Vasudeva, raised in Gokula, this Yadava’s innumerable pastimes and pranks!
So many demons – Putana suckled to death, Trinavarta, Bakasura, Vatsa, Agha…
The way Sri Krishna saved the boys and taught Brahma himself a lesson.
Balarama killing Pralamba, Sri Krishna’s killing Dhenuka and saving the Gopas from the forest fire…
The chastisement of the poisonous Kaliya, rescuing King Nanda. The penance of Gopis to secure Sri Krishna’s love. His lesson to ritualistic Brahmins who didn’t see his reality.
यत्रावतीर्णो भगवान् कृष्णाख्यो जगदीश्वर: । वसुदेवगृहे जन्म ततो वृद्धिश्च गोकुले ॥
तस्य कर्माण्यपाराणि कीर्तितान्यसुरद्विष: । पूतनासुपय:पानं शकटोच्चाटनं शिशो: ॥
तृणावर्तस्य निष्पेषस्तथैव बकवत्सयो: । अघासुरवधो धात्रा वत्सपालावगूहनम् ॥
धेनुकस्य सहभ्रातु: प्रलम्बस्य च सङ्क्षय: । गोपानां च परित्राणं दावाग्ने: परिसर्पत: ॥
दमनं कालियस्याहेर्महाहेर्नन्दमोक्षणम् । व्रतचर्या तु कन्यानां यत्र तुष्टोऽच्युतो व्रतै: ॥
प्रसादो यज्ञपत्नीभ्यो विप्राणां चानुतापनम् । गोवर्धनोद्धारणं च शक्रस्य सुरभेरथ ॥
यज्ञाभिषेक: कृष्णस्य स्त्रीभि: क्रीडा च रात्रिषु । शङ्खचूडस्य दुर्बुद्धेर्वधोऽरिष्टस्य केशिन: ॥
अक्रूरागमनं पश्चात् प्रस्थानं रामकृष्णयो: । व्रजस्त्रीणां विलापश्च मथुरालोकनं तत: ॥
गजमुष्टिकचाणूरकंसादीनां तथा वध: । मृतस्यानयनं सूनो: पुन: सान्दीपनेर्गुरो: ॥
Then the central story of Srimad Bhagavatam, the story of Bhagavan Sri Krishna!
Born to Vasudeva, raised in Gokula, this Yadava’s innumerable pastimes and pranks!
So many demons – Putana suckled to death, Trinavarta, Bakasura, Vatsa, Agha…
The way Sri Krishna saved the boys and taught Brahma himself a lesson.
Balarama killing Pralamba, Sri Krishna’s killing Dhenuka and saving the Gopas from the forest fire…
The chastisement of the poisonous Kaliya, rescuing King Nanda. The penance of Gopis to secure Sri Krishna’s love. His lesson to ritualistic Brahmins who didn’t see his reality.
He lifted the Govardhana itself to teach Indra a lesson.
The epitome of Sri Krishna’s love sport with the Gopis in Raasa Leela. More demons are killed – Shankhachuda, Arishtanemi and Keshi, before Akrura is compelled by Kamsa to bring Sri Krishna and Balarama to Mathura. How the Lord with his brother dealt with the evil elephant Kuvalayapada, and wrestlers like Mushtika and Chanura before Sri Krishna destroyed the evil Kamsa.
Bhagavan repaid his Guru Sandipani by bringing his son back from the dead!
Bhagavan repaid his Guru Sandipani by bringing his son back from the dead!
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