Shrimad Bhagavata Mahapurana

Synopsis of the Fortieth Session

Bhagavata Shastha Skanda (Book Six)

Chapter 1 to 3 

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A portion of Book 5 (that we skipped for now) sees King Parikshit questioning Shri Shukhdevji Maharaj about the geographical conditions. It is made absolutely clear that all the descriptions given of islands, countries and continents, are not for the purpose of geographical or historic research. They are given to facilitate the ability to see God everywhere, and in all forms. All these descriptions establish that everything - from the inanimate to the animate, from a wisp of grass right up to Prakriti, and from and earth worm to Hiranyagarbha - is nothing but the form of the Lord. Meditating upon the description for the Lord removes the last strand of attachment and aversions.

All the apparent difference around us - the difference between man and women, between religious sects, between Indian and Non-Indian, between the vedic and the other philosophies, between the Shaivas and the Shaktas etc. etc. are not real differences. They are hammers which shatter our heart. So, the geographical and astronomical descriptions have the specific pulse of mending our heart and making it whole again. 

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Book 6 talks about ‘Poshan - nurturing’. What are we nurturing here, we are nurturing the state of being established in the Self - Our Sat Chid Anand Swaroop. The entire journey is to know the true self 

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Story:

Ajamil promised that he will mend his ways and never do anything horrible and evil again. He got a second chance to atone for his sins and he was very grateful to God. He left everything and started wondering around and spent a lot of time in the company of pious holy sages. Soon he was also fully purified and did lot of prayer and Tapa and went to Vaikuth Dham.

Now, the Yama dooths, that is the messenger of Yama were very confused. They came back and told Yamraj everything that had happened. They requested Yama Raj to clear 2 major doubts. They asked;

- Who is the Lord of the universe, who decides who should be taken to hell and who should not be taken to hell?

- How do we decide who to take to hell and which hell should we take them to?

To which Yamaraj decide to shed some knowledge and help his dear messengers.

He answered that, I am not the Lord of the universe, Shri Hari is the only Lord of the universe and he is the one who has all the power. 

To the second question, he answered saying that the Vedas tell us what is Dharma and what is adharma. They also tell us what what is the atonement, based on what sin is committed. 

However, every sin becomes null and void if a person takes the name of the Lord. The person who has taken the name of the Lord even once (focused in thought, word and deed) should not be approached by the messengers of Yama. 

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Points to Ponder:

Power of Hari Naam - Naam Ki Mahima -Kaliyug Mai Hari naam Aadhar

‘Sat Chit Anand Swaroop ki Stithi mai Rehne ka Poshan hai Hari Naam’

We need to know the scriptures well to walk the path of Dharma described by them. We also need to know all our past life sins to atone for them completely. However, these two are very difficult methods.

So, an easy solution to this big problem - Take the Hari Naam, which is able to remove all the sins from the very root.

The manual

All machines come with manuals, we read the manuals before we operate them. However, this complex machine called ‘human’ is used without any guidance. The scriptures are the ‘Manuals for Humans’. The sooner we ‘Understand’ them, the better the type of life we will lead and better directed our pursuits will be.

Bhisma Story

Why Bhishma Pitamah was suffering this punishment even when he had not committed any sin during past 72 birth lives (Great Bhishma could peep into his past lives through Samadhi). Lord Krishna replied, that he committed a folly in past 73rd life birth when he inflicted injuries to insects by piercing thorns / needles into their bodies. Those thorns have now appeared as bed of arrows for you. Your sinful Karma remained dormant as you were a pious person throughout theses lives but since you have now become a party to Adharma of Duryodhana, the sanchit evil Karma’s of 73rd life has ripened now. 

So, if a person has done good Karmas in past lives, he/she gets a good life in future births & if he/she has done bad karmas in past lives then that person has to suffer bad fruit of those bad Karmas. So it is generally said that we should do good Karmas only. So Bhishma Pitamah had to suffer the pangs on the bed of arrows in battlefield before attaining final beatitude and redemption to Vaikuntha Loka.

Power of the Name

There was ones an atheist who was adamant about never taking the Lord’s Name. He had a friend who loved the name Ram. The friend pleaded with him just to take the name of the Lord once, but he man refused. One day the friend caught him and threatened him to take Ram’s Name. The man defiantly said, No, I will not take the name of Ram. The friend let him go and said, Thank you, you just did.

Now, this man lived a sinful life and when he died, Yamaraj’s dooths took his soul, and were trying to figure out if he had ever done anything good. They saw in their record that he had taken Lord Rams name once. What is the benefit of this they wondered. Yama raj also did not know what is the benefit of taking the Lord’s name ones. They decided to go and ask Lord Brahma. Bhramaji said he did not know either. He suggested going to Lord Shiva to ask. Lord Shiva said he too did not know. So they all started to proceed to Lord Hari’s abode.

The man who was frustrated and tired by then insisted, you people are making me run around, shuttling from here to there. Now I am too tired and will not move from here. They all said very well, you sit on a palanquin and we will carry you there.

They seated him in the palanquin and began their journey. Lord Hari saw from a distance that Lord Brahma, Lord Shiva and Yamaraja were bringing someone in a palanquin, and thought this must be some great person. Lord Hari himself rushed out and asked, who is in the Palanquin.

Bhramaji said, you tell us, this man took your name only once in his life what reward should he get for this.

Lord replied, is it not reward enough that he was carried in a palanquin by none other than Brahma, Shivji and Yamaraj and that I came running to meet him.

This is what happens when you chant the Lords name even once.

Ram se Bada Ram ka Naam

After Ramji came back from exile, he had invited the kings from various kingdoms to come Ayodhya and discuss the rule of Dharma. One of the Kings was Raja Rajkuvar. When he was entering the palace he met Narad Muni, who advised him not to do Prenam to Vishvamitra and this king followed. This enraged Vishvamitra and he ordered Ram to kill this king before the sun sets the next day.

This king ran to Narad muni and wept, Narad muni said don’t worry go seek refuge with Anjani Ma. He ran to Ma Anjani and she promised that her Son Hanuman would protect him. When Hanumanji came home he promised his mother to do so. But, the the king told him again whom he had to protect, Hanumanji started shivering. In his dreams also he could not fight his Lord Ram. However, as the promise was made, the word had to be kept. 

The next day, Hanumanji was ready, as Ramji apporached, he asked the king to start singing, and Hanumaji himself took a small form and hide behind the king’s ear.

- When Ramji came with Ram Baandh - The King started singing - Raghupati raghav Raja Ram. Ramji saw that he was his devotee so turned back.

Vishvamitra got upset and Ramji head back to kill the King

- This time Ramji came with Shakti Baandh - The King on being prompted by Hanumanji started - Sitaram Sitaram… Ramji turned back, how could he kill Ma Sita’s devotee.

Vishvamitra got upset and Ramji head back to kill the King

- This time Ramji came with Pralay Baandh - The King started singing Ram Laxman Janki Jai bolo HANUMAN ki. He started jumping and saying Jai Hanuman Jai Hanuman.

This time Ramji put down his bow and said no one can touch My Hanuman’s Devotee, I will protect him.

At that time the ministers, Ramji’s brothers, Vasishta and Vishvamitra all were present and Narad muni came and said Visvamitra, take back your words, forgive the King, as your Ram is going to Lose. 

Ram does not have the strength that his name has. The battle is between Ram and Ram Naam, and Ram will surely Lose. 

That ocean that Ramji could not cross without a bridge, was crossed in one jump by hanuman by taking Ramji’s name. 

Ram se Baada Ram ka naam.

Vishvamitra shouted out and said, stop Ram I forgive the King. Hanumanji jumped out from behind the ear and fell at Ramji’s feet.

There is nothing bigger than the name of Lord. 

“Bolo Ram Ram Ram tere banenge bigde kaam, aanth mai nikla, aaakhir nikla, aanth mai nikla yeh parinam, yeh parinam..

Ram se baada Ram ka Naam.

Lord’s Grace

The blessing are not handed out keeping with the receiver’s action, they are showered in keeping with the nature of the bestower. This is the Dharma of the Bhagwat, and the Lord himself takes this practice for the benefit of all creatures.

Hari Naam Aadhar

No external force can succeed in cleansing the heart. So, seek the means within yourself. The one who is seated with in the the purest of the pure. So bring him who is already there, into your conscious awareness, and start to serve all, with the feeling of serving him. This will defiantly purify your heart.

The Lord is the one who uplifts the fallen, purifies the impure and raises the lowly. He also liberates those who are headed fro hell. This is the Godliness fo God. The greatest purity is, therefore, that our lives be filled with Bhakti.

Jai Shri Krishna🙏

Jai Hanuman🙏