Shrimad Bhagavata Mahapurana

Synopsis of the Ninth Session - Part 1

Bhagavata Dwitiya Skanda (Book Two)

Chapter 4 to 10

————————————

By now we have realised in the Bhagawtam that when a question in asked, the speakers, says that the same question was asked by so and so. When he answers also, he says that this answer was given to the question asked by so and so. 

This serves very important purpose, Firstly it deflates the ego of the questioner, stating that this question has already been asked and at the same time keeps the ego of the person answering in check, as he knows that the knowledge that is being imparted is already there, and he is just re-stating it and not creating anything new.

Secondly, it also validates and gives credibility to the answer that is being given. In which, the questioner knows that it is an answer which is not personal to the speaker, but has been given by authorities in the subject, and enlightened souls. The same is being experience and shared. 

Below is a long list of question asked by Pariksit and Narad muni. Pariksit while asking these questions says, inspite of fasting I feel nourished by the nectar like stories and talks of Shri Hari. They are nourishing my very soul.

Questions 

Narada to Brahma

1. What is the wisdom that make me realise the truth of the spirit?

2. Kindly tell me in essence the truth about the universe, as to;

  - What its characteristics are

  - On what it is supported

  - By whom it has been created

  - Where it ultimately rests

  - By what power it is ruled 

  - What it essentially is

3. What is the source of your special knowledge and by who are you supported

Pariksit to Sukhdevji

1. How the Lord by his own Maya creates this universe?

2. How the all pervading Lord protects the universe and how again he destroys it?

3. Which of his innumerable power does the supreme person assume when he plays with his own self, transforming himself into so many playthings?

4. How does the Lord who is one without a second, assumes all at ones the three guna of prakriti in order to perform the various function and manifest himself in different forms?

5. When Brahma urged Narad muni to describe at length the virtues of the Lord, to what particular individuals did he discourse and in what manner?

6. Who are foremost among the knower of the vedas?

7. How am I to fix my mind which is free from all attachments, on the Lord, before casting off my body?

8. In what way does the Lord differ from the common man?

9. Where does the supreme person, who is the Lord of Maya and the indweller of all hearts, rest after throwing off his maya?

10. What is the length of the Mahakalpa and a vikalpas?

11. How is the passage of time (past present and future) to be known?

12. What is the allotted span of life of the creatures that have identified themselves with the physical body?

13. How can the subtle and the long movement of the time be perceived?

14. How many destines are to be reached through Karma and what are their characteristic?

15. What kind of jivas, resort to what kind of action, to gain what kind of fruits?

16. How does everything come into existance?

17. What are the dimensions of the egg shaped universe, within and without?

18. What are the characteristics of various yugas, the duration of each and the course of duties prescribed to each?

19. The stories of Shri Hari’s decent.

20. The stories of the exalted souls.

21. Distinctive characteristics of different Varnas and Ashrams.

22. What are the common duties enjoyed on men, what are the special duties and what are the duties depending on the trade?

23. What are the duties of Royal sages as well as the men in adverse circumstances?

24. The method of worshipping the supreme person.

25. What is the yoga taught by the sage patanjali (Astang Yoga)?

26. What are the power acquired by the masters of yoga and what is their destiny?

27. How does the Linga Sarira (Subtle body) of the yogis dissolve?

28. What are the distinctive character and the theme of the vedas and the subsidiary vedas, Dharma-sastra, the Itihasas and Puranas?

29. What is the purpose of performing vedic rites and works?

30. What is the unobjectionable method of pursuing the three objects of human aspirations (Dharma, Artha and Kama)?

31. How are the divas whose individuality ha been merged in prakrit during mahapralaya, invest with a body again?

32. What is meant by bondage and emancipation of a soul?

33. What is meant by soul realising its true character?

Raja Pariksit said, ‘If I have left anything or there is more to know please tell me that also’.

This list can be kept handy by the people who are seriously wanting to gain the knowledge from this Granth. This list can be added, as and when a question arises in your mind and marked as and when a question has been answered, which might not be immediate or direct. 

The process is going to be slow, as and when we progress in the Granth, we will keep getting the answers. At the same time we might negate some answers which we felt were correct initially, as the horizon of our Knowledge increases in the course of the journey.

It is essential to keep an open mind, without forming any rigid conclusions, one should walk on this path of the divine knowledge. 

Jai Shri Krishna🙏

Jai Hanuman🙏

Shrimad Bhagavata Mahapurana

Synopsis of the Ninth Session - Part 2

Bhagavata Dwitiya Skanda (Book Two)

Chapter 4 to 10

———————————————

Story

In the dawn of the Mahakalp, after the Mahapralay, Brahmaji is sitting, and wondering about what, where and how of his existance. Not knowing, what has just happened and what is to be done. At that time, immersed in only one thing, knowing the truth, he delve in the depth of his heart and there comes a sound which says ‘Tapa’. 

Not knowing who and what and why, he just walks forward in faith. He undertakes the hardest of Tapa, and not asking when it will end, he continues in Love and faith. When after 1000 years of Brahma’s life, the all divine Lord, reveals himself. 

He discloses the sacred truth and the deepest of secrets, that are hidden safely for the ones who truly deserve to know. He take Brahma to his beautiful world, the divine glory of the Lords world is just mesmerising and the secrets of this magnificent creation so enticing and serene. The Lords, shows him;

- His Virat Swaroop (Picture and write up attached)

- His kingdom where he sits in a royal seat between his 25 potencies. (Chart 2)

- His body taking a shape (Visualise here the the baby growing in a mother’s womb) He is in Nara (water) and hence called Narayana. Each part of his body - has tree elements (Chart 3)

- How he ever there hidden behind the layers of Koshas(Chart 4)

- How the creation takes place. This one cosmic being future becomes many. By the shear imbalance in the gunas by kala. (Chart 1)

- Further more, this Divine being reveals the ‘Chatusloki Bhagwatam’. All that is to know in just 4 Shlokas. 

This vision, leaves Brahmaji equipped with the work ahead and immuned to the disease of ‘doership’. He begins his work of creation by a sacred yagna, taking all that is needed to be offered, from the divine being. For, there is nothing other than him. All is him and in him.

Soon Narad muni, the mind born son of Brahma, asks;

- What is the wisdom that make me realise the truth of the spirit?

- Kindly tell me in essence the truth about the universe, as to;

  - What its characteristics are

  - On what it is supported

  - By whom it has been created

  - Where it ultimately rests

  - By what power it is ruled 

  - What it essentially is

- What is the source of your special knowledge and by who are you supported?

To which Brahmaji, again tell him all that he knows, and the four shlokas, which the Lord had presented. He further instructs Narad muni, to go and share this knowledge, expand it make it understandable. Narad muni went on to impart the same to Veda vyasa and Veda Vyasa expanded it and shared it with Sukhdevji, who narrated it to Pariksit. 

——————————

Points to Ponder

Two Parts:

1. Chaturshloki Bhagawatam 

  1. Brahman

  2. Maya

  3. World

  4. How to reach Brahman

2. Tapa

  1. Yama 

  2. Niyama

Chaturshloki Bhagwatam (These 4 shlokas, for our understanding have been expanded into 18000) 

Brahman

I alone am, I alone was and I alone will be. 

Because, we insist that the creation is real, hence, we are using ’was and is will be’, in the actual sense the Lord is beyond the realm of time and devoid of attribute.

In the beginning Lord alone was, and he is devoid of all difference. Then creation came into place and it seemed at that Lord became many, but in reality there is nothing but him even then. Then again after the dissolution only he the unchangeable will remain. He is beyond the manifest and the unmaifesjt, beyond sat and asat, beyond all tangibility and intangibility

‘Ataman alone and nothing else.’

Maya

Maya is cause of which, what is real seems unreal, was unreal seems real. What is, is hidden and what is not is revealed. Just like the world is not real, but we see it and the Atman is the only reality, which is never seen.

Eg: A mere rope can be seen as a snake, when there is not enough light. But, when the light is turned on, the truth of the rope comes forth and the fear is eliminated.

Maya itself is not real, it is just a projection, yet it dominates. Does it not?

World

The world is nothing but him, him alone and only him. we have just given him another name - The World

Can we have

- Clay pot without clay

- Gold bangle with Gold

- Waves without the Ocean

The clay pot is nothing but clay, the bangle is nothing but gold and the wave is nothing but he ocean. 

The world is nothing but the Lord - Everything is in him, yet nothing is in him - It is all just an appearance.

‘The world is just a dream, let the vision cease. But, if you can not, just give love to all and service free.’

How to reach Brahman/Self

Delve deeper keeping the concept of ‘Presence and absence in mind’

Can there be

- The clay pot with out the clay

- The Gold bangle without the gold

- The waves without the ocean

There can be

- Clay without the clay pot

- Gold without the gold bangle 

- Ocean without the waves

‘Analysing like this we finally reach the atman, or self. This is where analysing is not possible because it is infinite, one without a second.’

Tapa 

Lord to Brahmaji - Penance is very dear to me, and I am the essence of penance. It is by penance alone that I create this universe and through penance I maintain it and it is through penance again that i absorb it. My strength consists in Penance which is hard to practice.

Sukhdev to Parikshi - It is this penance which is the true wealth of men. 

“Yamaniyam sanjama apa kiyo,

Puni tyaga virage athaga lahyo,

Vanavasa liyo mukh mauna rahyo,

Drdha asana padma lagaya diyo

Mana pauna nirodha svabodha kiyo,

hathajoga prayoga su tara bhayo….”

Tapa tapa tapa…has to be undertaken to walk further. 

Many times we get agitated and defensive, and say how is it possible to give aways all our wealth. Sad, how every endeavour is associated with the material and tangible, which is not even a small part of the entire process. 

Work, on the subtle, tangible mental level first. 99 % of the Tapa is internal - 1% material part of it we can deal with when the inner battle has been won.

Lets delve a bit deeper into these two elements of Tapa Yama and Niyama. 

Yama - 5 Noble Values of Life 

Ahimsa (Non-violence)

“Non-violence in speech, action and thoughts. Non violence to others, as well as self.”

Ahimsa is abstention from injuring any living creature. Ahimsa is not merely non-killing. It is perfect harmlessness and positive love. It is to abstain from the slightest thought of harm, and even unkind looks. 

Not only this, to fail to relieve pain or trouble in another is negative himsa. To approve of another’s harsh actions is also against ahimsa.

Satya (Truthfulness) 

“Truthfulness is speech action and thought, and to always be on the path of truth.”

“Satya bolo, mitha bolo, kaatu Satya maat bolo”

Find a way to say the truth in a nice an soothing manner. Don’t keep it, say it.

Pls note: A person who is not truthful can never be a spiritual seeker.

Asteya (Non-stealing) 

“Practicing honesty, non-stealing, and not talking that which does not belong to you.”

Why does a person steal? He wants something. When he cannot get it by legitimate means, he steals it. Desire, thirst or trishna is the root cause of stealing.

You remove a thing secretly without the knowledge of the owner and you do not want others to know of this act. This is stealing. 

Eg: Taking blotting paper, pins, paper, pencil, etc. from the office is stealing. 

Those are all tangible forms of stealing right. But, 

- Stealing someone’s peace of mind. 

- Stealing someone’s confidence.

- Accumulating too much money

- Eating too much.

- Adding to your cravings. 

These are also forms of stealing, and this kind of stealing is much more grave in it’s nature.

Aparigraha (Not hoarding)

“Not to possess beyond what is needed for survival. Not to hoard things, emotions and feelings.”

Giving aways the excess of whatever you have to the people who are in need. The more we have the more we want to have.

As someone rightly said, we are not communist, socialist, etc we are more-ist. All we want is more and more.

It can also be emotions and feeling. Like someone said something to me 10 years back, but you don’t forget it and want to take revenge. 

Let go, our mind is not a garbage can, where we keep storing ugly emotions of hatred and hurt. 

Brahmacharya 

Lets first say what Brahmacharya is not - Brahmacharya is not Celibacy. 

Brahmacharya is to be like brahman - compete in itself, complete in oneself.

“Purnamada, purnamidam .. (Detailed explanation enclosed)

And when you are complete within yourself. You do not need someone else to compete you. 

However, at the physical level. It means that a Sanyasi should abstain from Sex and for an house-holder it should be only with the spouse. Here also don’t forget to follow a discipline and decorum. It is a meant for procreation and not recreation.

One should analyse if it is a impulsive, compulsive action or a thoughtful one. 

“The same Law is applied to the married or the single. If one wastes the most potent force (Ojas Shakti) of one’s being, one can not become spiritual." Vivekananda

Niyama - 5 Daily disciplines 

Tapas (Austaritites) 

“To bear anything and everything that comes across on the spiritual path and complete dedication to the spiritual practices.”

Tapas also means restraint of the senses and meditation. It leads to control of the mind. Austerities like occasional fasting and observance of silence increase the power of endurance.

Mental tapas is more powerful than physical tapas. To keep a balanced mind in all conditions of life, to bear insult, injury and persecutions, to be ever serene, contented and peaceful, to be cheerful in adverse conditions, to have fortitude in meeting danger, to have presence of mind and forbearance, are forms of mental tapas. 

Shaucha (Purity)

“Cleanliness, not only outer cleanliness but also inner purity.”

External as well as Internal Purity is very essential. External purity is being clean externally. Keep the body and surroundings clean and uncluttered. In fact, whatever we intake should be pure. Pure thoughts, pure food, pure company etc.

Eg: Jesa kaho aan wesa hoga maan - feeding in purity

Eg: Purity of interaction - interact with Positive people.

Internal purity is purity of thought word and deed. It is a freedom from all the vices. Freedom from vicious thoughts. It is Purity of intentions. Purity of spoken words, which are truthful and at the same time sweet. Freedom from diplomacy and hypocrisy. 

“Vani ek anmol hai, 

Jo koi bole jani.

Hiye taraju tol kar, 

fir mukh bahar aani.”

“Weigh every word in your heart, before it comes out of your lips.”

Santosh (Contentment)

“Choice-less acceptance of all that is happening in ones life.”

Santosh or contentment cuts at the root of all desires. It bestows peace, one-pointedness of mind, serenity and satisfaction. It gives a willingness to accept things as they are and to make the best of them.

A contented person is satisfied with his lot. He is happy in whatever condition he is placed, he does not crave for things he does not have. 

Contented person is the most energetic person as he does not let his energy dissipate in the the form of anxiety and worry. He is free from the baggages of the past and the worries of the future. It is just being in the moment. 

Swadhyaya (Study of Self and the study of Scriptures

“Involves self learning and learning about oneself.”

Swadhyaya or self-study is not just study of scriptures and books written by the realised ones, but also enquiry into the nature of the self. Swadhyaya is asking the question, “Who am I?”

It is very important for us to spend time alone, in understanding the self. For instance, Why do we react in a particular manner in a given situation? What makes me sad? What is it that I can do to make me happy? All big...