Shrimad Bhagavata Mahapurana

Synopsis of the Seventeenth Session

Bhagavata Tritiya Skanda (Book Three)

Chapter 21 to 24

—————————

Sub Story - To bring our mind to the session

There ones was a King who had 4 very fine horses, the best breed possible. But, he could not train them and no one could either. Training was one thing, they did not allow anyone to lay a finger on them. Many tired and many got injured.

One day a man said he would be able to train them and asked to take them with him for a year. The king gave him told him about he danger and when the young man persisted he agreed The king waited but was sure that it was impossible. But, as time went by he almost knew that he would never see the man or there horses again.

Exactly after one year he saw a man riding one of the 4 well trained horses. The horses danced and walked in perfect rhythm as guided but he man. They were no other than the king’s wild horses.

The King could not believe his eyes and asked how could this happen. The man replied I never forced them, I tried and became their friend. I would eat with them, sleep with them, play with them and day by day they started accepting me as one of them. Soon I touched them and one day gradually I started to ride them and they accepted me and would do as I say. 

Ponder Now:

These four horses are our Maan, Buddhi, Chit and Ahenkar or they could be taken as 5 horses- Which could mean our 5 senses. We have the finest of the faculties, but the irony is that they work against us and not with us. We have only these to help us reach that which can only be understood.

To understand the self one needs;

- To sublimate and not suppress. 

- To be persistent and aware. 

- To be Dedicated, determine and disciplined.

Just by repeatedly hitting a hard mountain, the wave is able to carve its impression on it.

Just by constantly listening to Hari Katha, Hari Kripa happens.

——————————

Story

Brahmaji finally was successful in his attempt on making a tangible creation. He created the Swambhu Manu and Shatarupa by splitting his most pure self into two halves. They lived on the most beautiful mother earth and their capital was know as Barhismati. He had 3 divine daughter and 2 sons. These daughters were Prasuti, Akruti and Devhuti and the Sons were Uttanpanda and Priyavrata. The Daughters started going up and one day Narad Muni came, and told them about all the delightful rishis. Devhuti, totally got mesmerised by the description of Kardama Rishi and took him to be her husband. When Manu found out about this he told Devhuti, that they will go to meet the sage soon. 

In the mean time as per Brahmaji’s Instruction Kardama Rishi decided to go into intense ‘Tapa’ as he said if i am to become a Grihasta, let Narayan be my son. In the course of his Tapa, the divine gave him darshan, he came on his vahana, Garuda, from his wings come out the Sama veda. He asked him if what was the intent of this divine yagna. Kardama Rishi said, today my Lord you have come here and if I ask so I know you will give me Moksha. However, I can’t and I have to ask for the greater good of the world. Please dear Lord may you only be born to me as my Son. 

The Lord said, so be it and told him that in 2 days Manu and Shatrupa will come with their daughter Devhuti, who is divine, accept her to be your better half on this journey. You and her are an ideal pair who is rare. Kardama Rishi agreed and went back into his sadhana.

Now, soon Manu came and as told Devhuti got married to Kardama. Her father wept, and the agony of separation from his daughter was tearing him apart. However, he gathered himself and returned to his capital, which was free from the three fold agony. The time for his reign that is 71.5 cycles of the 4 yugas was coming to an end. He considered his mission in life achieved as inspite of being in the midst of worldly pressures and material glories, he never got attracted towards them and spend his life in the bliss of self adoring the Lord within.

Kardama Muni went back into his Tapa and Devhuti served him selflessly. Forgetting her own body, she devoted the most precious years of her life in the service of her husband. After years of samadhi, when he came to the world again, he saw his wife wasted but still selflessly serving him. My ’Tapa’ will equally elevate you. How can I serve you now he asked.

She wanted to enjoy the bliss of married life. He said so be it. He created by his yogic power the most magnificent of floating ships, it was like a planet with various rivers and lakes and lavish palaces and hundreds of apsaras to attend to Devhuti’s every need. A dip in one of the rivers made them both young and vibrant again. She was adored with the finest of jewels and cloths.

They spend hundreds of years, which were but an hour for Kardam Rishi enjoying the worldly bliss. The went into deep Tapa together, and were blessed with 9 Divine daughter and when the time was right Brahamaji and Narada muni found them the match of their choice. 

1. Kala wed Marichi

2. Ansuya wed Atri

3. Shradda wed Angira

4. Havibhu wed Pulastiya

5. Gati wed Pulaha 

6. Kriya wed Kartu

7. Khayati wed Bhrigu

8. Arundhati wed Vasistha

9. Shanti Wed Atharva

When the daughters left, Kardama Muni was also wanting to depart and he said that he had a distaste for worldly pleasure. But, Devhuti, reminded that they still had not gotten Narayana as their Son, and he promised to be with with her till then. Moreover, she felt that she never knew his yogic power and felt silly to have asked for mere sensuous pleasures. 

When this distaste for pleasure came, she was finally ready to gain glory of becoming the mother of that divine. They bother did intense Tapa and were blessed with Kapiladev, who was no other then the divine one. Kardama Rishi did his parikrama and said you are the that nirakar who has taken the sakar form for the benefit of the world. He told him to take care and enlighten his mother.

Saying this Kardama went on his journey towards self realisations. He gave up even the agnihotri and wandered, giving up all, he became established in the Self. Over here Devhuti lovingly took care of her son.

——————————

Points to Ponder

Grihasta Jaago 

The householder needs to awaken and take charge of their responsibility, as you have all the power. The material power and the power to give the world Human Being as children, and not Human beasts

The Grihasta Ashram is not less that the Sanyas Ashram - They are equally capable of achieving enlightement. If at all the path is more difficult for a Grihasta, as he is time and again faced with the worldly challenges. 

However, if Sanyasi is the ocean, the Grihasta is drop of water and if sanyasi is the blazing sun, the Grihasta is a candle. To this I totally disagree. All our great rishis were Grihastas, the only difference is they were not deluded like we are today.

Brahmacharya

The importance people used to pay to brahmacharya. The seed of those who lack self control and austerities is weakened, resulting in the birth of a weak person.

Devhuti 

She teaches us that when it is possible to worship Lord in a statue made by man, why can’t we see and worship the Lord in the Man, who is made by the Lord. Unselfish service always bring benefits like control over sense organs, a purified mind, and merits equal to that of great ascetic. 

Divinity in the Married life

Don’t forget the decorum of the married life. Become human being and shun being human beasts.

When each sees each other as divine and worships each other. There is pure selfless love and the aura of the house is like a temple. Then it does not matter how much material possession one has or how poor one is. Togetherness is all that matters. 

Diti vs Devhuti - Conception and Pregnancy 

According to the Vedas, the consciousness of the parents at the time of conception determines the quality of the child.In that sense it is interesting to contrast Diti’s union with Kashyapa with Devahuti’s union with Kardama. Both women served their husbands but Diti was impurely motivated by her desire.

On the contrary, Kardama Muni’s response to her was definitive, that she must engage in devotional service with austerity and sense control, following all religious principles and performance of charity. Devahuti being faithful and respectful to the instructions of her husband worshipped the Supreme Lord. And after many many years of such worship their union resulted in her having Kapia muni as her son.

Srila Prabhupada states, “By bodily union of the husband and wife their qualities are expanded: children born of good parents are expansions of the parents’ personal qualifications. The mental situation at the time of sex life may then be transferred into the womb of the wife, and good children can come out of that pregnancy.”

Children become not as an accident of passion or a product of family planning but as an aspect of the same nature in which the parents are already immersed. These stories of these great personailities are there for a reason in Srimad Bhagavatam.

Desire for knowledge

Devhuti even after having all that even the gods could dream of did not find joy. She felt that inspite of being in the company of such a great sage, she was still inclined towards material thing and suddenly felt averse from them. The beauty of good company. 

Husband and wife are life long companions. Both have a tremendous influence on each other. Let this influence be blissful. Many a times a devote spouse is rendered totally atheist, just by the influence of his/her spouse. At the same time many atheist are turned towards God by their better half.

The spiritual journey of a Grihasta - It is never and independent journey for a married couple - The Nara and Nari have to be aligned. It is indeed a rare combination. If by your effort this alignment has happened, don’t miss the opportunity for realising the Self. 

This Human birth is rare, are rarer it is to find a companion on the spiritual path. If you have both, what are you waiting for.

Nirakar or Sakar - The beauty of Sanatan Dharma

The beauty of Sanatan Dharma is in its lucidity. If you are a Nirakar Upasak, that is divine and if you are a Sakar Upasak that is equally divine, and if you are not an upasak, you have another way, that is also welcomed.

‘Jitne log utne raste, 

uus saach tak pahuchne ke.’

If there are 7 billion people, there can be 7 billion philosophies and no one would challenge it. That is why from this umbrella came so many religions - each accepted and applaud by ‘Shrimad Bhagavata Mahapuran’ as founded by someone worth worshiping. 

Kardama muni, was heading to find the Nirakar, but acknowledge the Sakar. 

People debate wether the atman is Nirakar or Sakar. Some are convinced that it is Nirakar and some are sure he is Sakar. It is however the same, that comes and take the sakar form and that is the same which resided in the depth of our heart in the Nirakar form. 

‘Nirakar sakar hogaye bhakto ke angan mai,

Nirakar Sakar hågade bhakto ke angan mai.’

Jai Shri Krishna 🙏

Jai Shri Hanuman 🙏