Shrimad Bhagavata Mahapurana

Synopsis of the Thirtieth Fifth Session (Part 1)

Bhagavata Chaturth Skanda (Book Five)

Chapter 5 and 6

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Story: 

King Rishabh was actually the foremost and he had 100 sons as divine as him, Bharat being the eldest. Under the love, care and guidance of Jayanti, their mother, they all grew up to be very pious. 

Rishabh dev treated his Praja and Putra equally and always taught his children in the open where all others could also join. On one such day Rishabdev touring around his kingdom, reached Brahmavarta, there in the gathering of foremost Brahmanas he addressed his sons. 

Note: 

We have to understand that a King, who was a Grihasta, who had been not only a perfect Brahmachari and later a divine Grihast, Was addressing his sons, who where to later, rule the kingdom and enter the Grihasta Ashram themselves. 

So, while reading the teaching we cannot shrug our shoulder and decline the applicability of the teaching on us, saying we are Grihastas and not Sanyasis. 

After imparting the divine truth of existence, he left everything behind, and went to a place where none recognised him. His body was his soul companion, with only the sky to cover it. He waked around like a dumb, mute and mad man. People abused and insulted him, yet he smiled through all that.

He crossed many cities during his wandering years and finally, entered a forest, and sat in one position, not moving and eating what came his way. Soon the forest caught fire and Rishabdev, just put a stone in his mouth and let the universe do his final rites and became one with the divine.

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Points to Ponder:

The points to ponder have been divided into two part:

1. The address/teaching imparted to his sons - An important advice for parenting

2. The learning from Rishabdev’s Avadhuta - wandering stage

The teachings imparted to his Son’s

“These day the parents buy their children gifts, give them the best academic education, and provide them with different kinds of knowledge and training to teach them how to earn a living. Yet never do they tell their children how wealth should be used to support Dharma or how Dharma should be practiced to take them to Moksh.

Under such condition, if the children get spoiled and walk unrighteous paths, whose fault is it? Parents have to won their responsibility.” Swami Tejomayananda 

A teacher is no teacher, a relation is no relation, a father is no father, a mother is no mother, a deity is no deity nor is a husband a husband;

- Who is unable to redeem his pupil, relation, son, votary or wife fallen into the whirlpool of transmigration.

- Who does not lead the one depending on him or her to God, to become free from all worldly bondage.

It is like directing a blind man who is following a wrong track to continue on that path.

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This human body should not be indulged in the pursuits of sensuous pleasures. These kind of pleasure are enjoyed even by swines, dogs and other animals. It is worth of being devoted to actives through which the mind is purified.

Note: An erring soul commits sin only when he endeavours to gratify his senses.

Sub Story 1:

Ones upon a time, there was a poor wood cutter, and he used to work very hard for a living. One day when he was toiling in the sun, the King reached there and was very thirsty and tired.

The woodcutter offered him water and made the king comfortable. The king was very pleased and he sent his minister to the wood cutter and gifted him a forest. 

This forest was not an ordinary forest, it was a sandal wood forest, so that the poor wood cutter would not have to work so hard and could earn more money.

Now, the wood cutter was very happy to receive the gift but did not realise that it was the forest of sandal wood. He, as usual, chopped wood and sold for the same price as before. He wasted his precious gift.

Ponder:

God has given us the precious birth of Human beings. Let us not waste it like the wood cutter who did not realise the precious gift. Let us live a discipled life, pray to God and be one with the Lord

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There are two paths, two roads, two gates - There is not too much of a choice and there is no middle way. We can spend our full life trying to strike a balance - A balance between the spiritual and the material world. But to be honest, there is not such thing as balance. 

‘The wise suggest that one has a strong spiritual base and then build a material world on it, according to it.’

Gate 1 - Service of the self realised masters/ elevated souls

Gate 2 - The company of the lustful/ people full of worldly desires

Sub Story 2: 

There was a man due to his immense good deeds was assigned to heaven. On route to heaven he crossed hell and saw people dancing, eating and having a good time. When he reached heaven, he saw that it quiet and some what desolated.

This man went to God and said, I would like to go to hell. God was astonished and asked him why? The man said he felt it was better there. God agreed.

The minute this man landed in hell, he was beaten and tortured, battered he asked why are you doing this. The people said welcome to hell. But, again he said, when I passed I saw all of you enjoying. To this they said, that was our marketing team, then you were just a guest.

Ponder:

The company of the lustful people is also like this. Initially we enjoy this kind of company very much because it leads us to revel in sense pleasures. But, when we come into the grip of such a life style, the agitations starts.

Eg: Plastic surgery - How one surgery leads to another and so on. There is no satisfying ones urges and thirst. 

Note:

Some characteristics of the wise/ They alone are really great

- Who are even minded

- Exceptionally calm and composed

- Free from anger

- Kind Hearted

- Pious

- Who consider love offered to God as the only object of Human pursuit

- Who take no delight in the company of such people who are engaged merely in nourishing their body 

- Who have no selfish interest in the world

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There are two knots of the mind that tie one down and does not let one elevate to the realm of bliss

- Association with the body - Me

- Attachment to all the relationship of the Body - Mine

Grihasta Ashram is a divine place to be, but a fool forgets its own essential nature and the divinity and decorum of this phase of life and finding a home providing sexual enjoyment as a characteristic feature, suffers torments of various kinds. 

Ponder:

The mind and the senses create this bond of attachment and desires. As the mind is purified this bond can be broken and pure love can replace lust and attachments. Constant effort and vigilance is required.

Sub Story 3:

There was a prostitute who would visit a sage every day and ask him if he was able to conquer passion. The sage would never reply to her and would remain quiet. One day the news came that the sage passed away. This lady rushed to him and said, you can not die, you have not answered my question. 

That very moment, just to answer this question the sage got up and said, Yes I HAVE and again left his body motionless and dead.

Ponder Further: 

No one can claim to conquer the mind, the minute we get laid back, it attacks, total awareness is essential. 

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How can one be freed by all worldly bondage/Maya? 

How can one purify the mind? 

- By adoring God and depending on God the pure self

- By freedom from thirst for enjoyment 

- By enduring pairs of opposite 

- Through a spirit of enquiry into the truth by Tapa (Austerities)

- By abstaining from actions done with some interested motive. Instead focus on selfless service 

- By hearing Hari Katha everyday

- Through the fellowship of devotees 

- By singing the Lords praises

- Through even-mindedness, tranquility and freedom from animosity

- Through a desire to give up identifying with the body, house etc

- Through a careful study of scriptures 

- By living in solitude (Gives time to reflect)

- By thoroughly controlling the breath, the indriya and the mind

- Through faith in saints and the holy books

- Through continence - control of bodily discharge 

- Through constant vigilance 

- Through control of tongue 

- Through wisdom illumined by realisation and penetrating enough to perceive my presence everywhere 

- Through deep meditation

“Equipped with firmness, diligence and discretion, a clever man should endeavour to tear the veil know by the name fo ego.”

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A result of purification of mind 

A pure mind respects all living being mobile as well as immobile at every step as many abodes of God or God himself. 

This love for all is true worship - seeing God in all and all in God is true worship

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We might argue the above all is easier said than done, to turn towards God, and putting ourselves at his feet goes a long way. 

Sub Story 4:

Story Small fish and the fisherman 

There was a fisherman who would come everyday and fish and the big mighty fish would get trapped and taken away. But, there was this one fish, who would never be caught. Now, curious to know, they all went to find out what was his secret.

This little fish said that, whenever the fisher man comes, he quickly goes and stands right next to his feet. Note: The net is thrown away at a distance and by staying at the feet he is saved.

Example: The grain of wheat and Chakki - When we were small we have seen our grand mothers using the chukki to grind wheat into flour. We would see that the grains which were away from the centre stick which was held to move the two stones, would remain as it is, but the grains which were further away would be crushed.

Ponder: 

When one surrenders to the feet of God, Maya can not touch him. But the further one is from the feet of God, the easier it is for one to get 

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When we surrender and are willing to do anything to realise the Self hidden beneath the layers, through constant austerities the brilliance of the self - our true value is revealed.

Sub Story 5:

Ones Leo Tolstoy was having a conversation with a man. 

Leo Tolstoy: What is the value of this piece of iron?

Man: A few dollars

Leo Tolstoy: If I make a horse shoe with it?

Man: We will get a few more dollars

Leo Tolstoy: If we make needles for from it?

Man: It will be worth more than the shoe 

Leo Tolstoy: If we make tiny parts for a watch?

Man: It will be worth a lot more

Leo Tolstoy: My friend, how do we make the needle and the and tiny parts from the metal slab?

Man: By putting the metal in the fire, which makes it soft and then by beating the soft metal to the desired shape.

Leo Tolstoy: Humans being are also like this ….

Ponder:

Human being are also like this. More we train ourselves, more discipline we live by, we increase our value. Living a disciplined life our mind becomes disciplined, our thought are moe productive and we become more productive.

Living by discipline is putting our personality in fire, putting our bad habits in fire to purify. We do not like it in the beginning, but soon we will feel the bliss unfold.

Know the Self

Just blossom

When you blossom the fragrance will fill the entire universe. Those touched will feel it, they will want to blossom too, and those who don’t won’t bother you anymore.

Jai Shri Krishna🙏

Jai Hanuman🙏

Shrimad Bhagavata Mahapurana

Synopsis of the Thirtieth Fifth Session (Part 2)

Bhagavata Chaturth Skanda (Book Five)

Chapter 5 and 6

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The learning from Rishabdev’s Avadhuta - wandering stage

Hierarchy 

Caste/Varna not by birth by Deed/Characteristics/state of mind

1. Brahmanas (Brahmins)

2. Vishnu 

3. Brahma

4. Shiva 

5. Mind Born son of Brahma - Daksa and other

6. Gods with Indra as the leader 

7. Kinnars (Attendands of God) 

8. Siddhas (A class of demi gods who are endowed with mystical power)

9. Gandharva (Celestial musicians)

10. Pramathas (Spirits and genii forming the retinue of Lord Rudra)

11. Human Beings

12. Beast endowed with intelligence 

13. Mobile Creature 

14. Plants 

15. Mineral and stones 

To understand the above, you don’t need to think out of the box. You need to think as if there is no Box.

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Qualities of a Brahmin - Caste/Varna not by birth by the inner texture 

1. Brahmanas are the one who maintain the Lord in the form of Vedas, Shastras on earth

2. Sanctifying quality of sattva

3. Control of mind and senses

4. Truthfulness and compassion

5. Asceticism 

6. Endurance

7. Wisdom

8. Rich in devotion to the Lord

9. Have nothing to seek even form the Lord

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Fickleness of the Mind 

8 Sidhis came to Rishab dev’s life. This included the ability to go anywhere at will, fly in the sky, obtain any desired object etc. Rishabdev denied all of them.

Raja Parikshit asked weather it would have harmed Rishabdev in anyway, had he accepted the Siddhis. Sukhdevji replied.

‘King, the mind is fickle - one should never consider it to be a true friend. Many yogis because of the confidence in their mind lost their hard earned Tapa. People who claim to have over come desires, anger and greed are deluded. 

Just as we can never trust a cheat, in the same way we should never trust what the mind tells us, because the mind is an unworthy as a cheat.

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Be Careful 

‘One man experience becomes a thousands religion’ 

That one man acted in a particular way, as an outcome of his inner most experience, that oneness, that expansion. On the other hand, sadly we blindly imitate his outwardly actions, to get that experience. 

- Submerged in the divine bliss he lost sense of his body. We torture the body to experience divine bliss

- Submerged in divine bliss sweet poems enraptured from his mouth. We mouth the words in anticipated that bliss would rupture.

Socho, Ponder and analyse …

That wave realised that he was the ocean, we hold on to the wave and brutally try and divide the ocean.

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Austerities - Why? 

There was a sage who had burnt his whole life in the fire of Tapa. He has gained after all this a special power - he could produce fire at will. 

He was worshipped by all and was glorified by the Mudhas (fools). His renown and devotees were spread all over the globe.

One day another divine sole, hardly known, came to see this wonder Sage. He asked, How long did you take to get this power and how much effort did you put?

The sage, all pumped up, answered I put in my entire life, my life long effort.

This divine soul, took out a match box from his pocket and said, oh, I don’t even have to put in any effort and wala he said see fire.

Ponder

Can any amount of sidhi, ridhi, samridhi, swarga be the desired outcome of Tapa (Austerities). How shallow would it be if this were the object of a Sadkhak, and how foolish would be the followers.

Wake Up - Manur Bhav - Manushya tu Manusya to pehle banja 

True Divinity in itself is a Miracle 

Seek the Divine

Experience the Divine 

Be the Divine 

Jai Shri Krishan 🙏

Jai Hanuman 🙏