Srimad Bhagavatham

Srimad Bhagavatham – A Spiritual Insight - Story 6 - Rescue of Parikshit and Prayer of Kunti Devi

Slokas (Skanda 1 Chapter 7)
Once asvattaama was given the punishment, Draupadi and the Pandavas went to the shore of Ganga and did the karmas for their children who had died. Everybody were said with the happenings. At that time, Krishna consoled everyone by telling that it is Time or kaalam which is working and it is inevitable, nobody can overcome it. After consoling, Krishna got into his chariot and was about to leave for his hometown of Dwaraka. At that time, Uttara – wife of Abhimanyu – came running towards Krishna. She prayed thus to Lord Krishna

Uttara says
Paahi Paahi mahaayogin devadeva jagatpathe
Naanthyam tvad abhayam pashye yatra mrithyu parasparam

O Lord I don’t see any other person to seek shelter or refuge than You who are the greatest of yogis (as always established in the Self) and who is the Lord of the world (as the substratum for the illusory world) in this illusory world where death is always roaming around (here death can also mean ignorance which is the cause of all sorrows and sufferings).

O Krishna! I see a fire ball enveloping me. I am afraid of dying but I am afraid of my child who is present in my womb (and who is the last successor to Pandavas kula). Please save me.

Krishna realized that this was the work of Asvattaama who had sent Brahmaastra to eradicate the vamsa or clan of Pandavas. The Lord who is the controller of the illusory world thus took a very subtle form and went into the womb of Uttara. He protected the child by demolishing the Brahma astra (which cannot be destroyed by anybody in the world) through his sudharshana chakra. Thus he saved the child, Uttara and Pandavas clan from getting extinct.

Suta thus says
Maa mamsthaa hi etad aascharyam sarvaascharyamaye achyuthe
Ya idam maayayaa devyaa srijathi avathi hanthyajah

Such is the wonderful and miracle of the miraculous Lord who is Achyuta (without any change or destruction). He creates everything here in the world through his illusory power of Shakthi or Maya. He is the controller of Maya.

Thus seeing Krishna save the people there, Kunti praised the Lord thus:
“O Lord! My prostrations to thee who are the first God or creator and beyond Prakrithi or your own illusory power of Maya and you who are present in and out of all the beings in the world (meaning you are the only one present and other things are only mere illusions in the reality of Lord of the nature of Consciousness).

Vipadah santhu taah sashvat tatra tatra jagadguro
Bhavatho darshanam yatsyaadapurbhavadarshanam

O Lord! Give me more and more sorrow so that I may be able to pray and seek you & thus get your vision.

Namo akinchanavittaaya nivrittagunavrittaye
Aatmaaraamaaya shaantaaya kaivalyapathaye namah

Prostrations to the Lord who is beyond the three gunas and the controller of the gunas, who is full of Bliss and who is ever established in the Self or his own nature of Consciousness, who is auspicious and calm all the time and who is the absolute (one without a second) of the illusory world.

(Kunthi praised the Lord further which is not being dealt here) After being praised by Kunthi, Krishna started and went to Dwaraka,

Explanation

This story brings us a lot of imports to be implemented in life.

Here, we first find the mind of a wicked and sinful person who is craving for sense pleasures and whose mind is full of lust, anger, greed, jealousy etc. Aswattaama was such a person who couldn’t think of anything else other than revenge. Thus he tried to kill the son of Uttara (the last successor to the Pandava kula). This portrayal is not just of Aswattaama but these are the various characters of the mind which is present in each one of us. There are people who are full of anger, full of lust, full of greed etc. This is the first and main obstacle to Self-realization. Self or Consciousness or the Lord is the source of the mind and our very own nature. As a face is not seen in a dusty mirror, similarly the Self is not realized in an impure mind. Therefore purity of mind is a pre requisite for realization of one’s own real nature of Self. Why is this a pre requisite? If the mind is not pure, then it is extroverted in nature. It always searches for external objects. The reality is the source of the mind which can be known only when the mind is introverted. Thus impurities in the mind cause the mind to be extroverted more and more. Therefore the Self which is the source of the mind & the real nature of each and every person is not known when the mind is impure.

What we need to do in life is to realize our own very nature through the knowledge that everything is the Lord alone. This itself is Bhakthi or devotion of the Lord (one-pointed devotion). When this is followed, everything becomes ONE. Thus duality and likes-dislikes arising out of the duality vanishes. Therefore, what remains is the Lord or Consciousness or Self alone. When oneness is perceived, there is nobody other than oneself or the Lord to either get attached or get revenge at. Therefore all sorrows and sufferings which themselves causes of dual perception vanishes. This is the state of realization – wherein the individual sees nothing but ONE only. The individual himself doesn’t exist there to perceive the ONE but he just merges into the ONE, realizes his own very nature of Lord of the nature of Existence, Consciousness and Bliss absolute.

Thus, through the nature of Aswattaama, Srimad Bhagavatham is indirectly telling us that we all have to overcome the six enemies of the mind which are desire or lust, anger, delusion, greed, jealousy and pride. When these are overcome, the Lord who is one’s own real nature is realized.

For the real sadhaka who is ever established in the Self or Consciousness or ever has the thought of the Lord, these enemies cannot stay or affect them. This is what happened to Uttara. Uttara was devoted to the Lord. Hence, the Lord saved the child from Brahma astra. Now suta is here anticipating a question as to how come Krishna vanquished the non-vanquish able Brahma astra and thus answers that everything is miraculous about the Lord who only is present here but due to Maya or ignorance, various things and objects are seen. Suta thus says that the world itself is an illusion created in the Lord (no creation whatsoever is possible from the Lord but still creation is perceived) – this itself is a miracle! Thus, anything is possible in this illusion of Maya.

Sankara defines Maya as “Yukthi Viheena prakaashasya samjha maaya” – that which is not explainable by logic is called Maya.

Thus, the Maya of the Lord (which itself is only an illusion in the reality of Lord) is strange and creates things which are not explainable by logic. The very simple question of why the Lord created the world itself is inexplainable. The answer given by many people for the same is that the world is a leela or play of the Lord. Why did the Lord who is perfect and complete play? How did he play? Wherefrom did the power of Maya appear in him who only was present? All these questions are questions directed indirectly to Maya – since Maya is inexplainable, these questions also are unanswerable. The only thing Vedanta tells about these is that there has been no creation at all. Creation is only an illusion seen in the reality of Consciousness or Lord. Remove Consciousness or the Lord, the world ceases to exist. Thus, since the creation itself is an illusion – anything can happen in it.

Another point to be noted here is that the Lord who is the creator, protector of all the beings (since he is substratum of the illusory world) can perform any miracles as the actor in a show can perform miracles in the drama (which was not part of the drama) and like the dreamer can perform miracles in the dream world (even though he can’t actually do it in the waking state). Therefore, the Lord can achieve the unachievable because he is the substratum of the illusion & hence controller of the illusion. If the illusory nature of the world is not accepted, the questions stated above can never be answered even by the Lord Krishna himself!

Thus, when devotion to the Lord who is the substratum of the illusory world is present, then the Lord himself takes care of the devotee as we saw in the various stories (and incidents) yesterday. Thus, Krishna saved the child from destruction.

Seeing this, Kunthi devi starts her prayer to the Lord. Kunthi here asks Krishna to give her sorrow so that she can remember the Lord at all times & thereby get vision of the Lord.

It is very well known that people seek the Lord when sorrows come & forget him when happiness is there. As Swami Chinmayananda beautifully puts it, when bad thoughts creep in the mind “God gave it to me!” and when good things happen “I did it!!!!!”. These are the statements of so-called devotees who are nothing but goats in the disguise of lion. They are not at all fit to be called devotees itself instead they are only doing BUSINESS with the Lord and thus show their business attitude (about when good happens taking the credit and giving the discredit to the Lord). Such devotion is not being shown in the character of Kunti Devi. She was completely devoted to the Lord. She wanted constant remembrance of the Lord (constant remembrance of the reality alone can remove the ignorance veil which is the cause of a person not realizing the Lord who is one’s own very nature). And she did not believe in her mind (as mind is always fluctuating and cannot be believed). Hence asked Krishna to give her sorrow so that during those times, she will seek the Lord.

This portrayal of Kunthi Devi is something that cannot be explained in words. The devotion is supreme. Each and every person needs to analyze this and seek out such a strong devotion towards the ultimate reality (which in turn will give one the eternal bliss inherent in the Self).

Lastly Kunti Devi says to the Lord that he is always established in the Self. The Lord is also previously called as ACHYUTA by Suta. Achyuta is he who is indestructible and immutable. Mutability comes due to birth. This means the Lord is birthless and hence changeless. Such a changeless entity alone is capable of conferring eternal bliss. Since it is changeless, the world can never be created from the Lord but is only an illusion in the Lord, one without a second. Since the Lord alone exists, the individual who considers himself different from the Lord is also not different from the Lord but the Lord alone. This is what Sri Krishna says in Gita that “Lord resides in the heart of all beings”, “There is nothing different from Me” etc.

Such a Lord is the only thing present here & hence each one of us are the Lord alone. But then why is difference perceived? It is due to ignorance termed as Maya. Ignorance has to be removed through contemplation on the Lord or contemplation of the ultimate reality that “I am the Lord, I am Brahman, I am Consciousness, one without a second”. When this realization of one’s own real nature of Consciousness or Lord is known, then the person is always established in the Self. Thus Kunti points out to us that Krishna is not a form God but is the ultimate reality of Brahman or Ishwara or Consciousness. She also in the way points us to the characteristics of a realized person and how we can reach that state.

Let us all thus contemplate on the ultimate reality of Lord and thereby get the blessing and protection of the Lord by removal of ignorance & being established in the eternal bliss inherent in the Self (which is Lord alone and not different).

Dharmavyaadha and Janaka

These are two great Brahmajnaanis who were fully engrossed in worldly actions but still unaffected by it & established in the Self. That they were self-realized is known by various seekers going to them and questioning them about Brahman or the ultimate reality of Self.

One important thing to be remembered in the world is that the Self or Brahman is already realized & hence it can never be achieved through any action, let it be devotion or karma or yoga. This is also due to the fact that anything that is achieved will also be lost. Hence the Self is one’s own very nature of Consciousness.

When the Self is realized, after that the world ceases to exist as it is. The world is seen only as Brahman and the realized self knows that the world is a mere illusion in the ultimate reality of Brahman. Thus, a Brahmajnaani might be seen as doing actions from the ignorant seeker’s or viewer’s perspective. But for the Brahmajnaani, there is nothing but Brahman alone.

The worldly activities are not at all an obstruction to realization – because the Self is already realized. The worldly actions become more powerful when the reality that everything is Brahman is known. Normally people have the wrong impression that only sanyaasins can realize the Self & others cannot realize the Self. But this is wrong – any person who has the desire to know the Self can realize the Self (because it is his own nature which has been veiled through ignorance – when ignorance is removed, then the Self shines as self-luminous and non-dual Consciousness).

The first is Dharmavyaada who was a butcher by profession. The story about Dharmavyaada occurs in Mahabhaaratha. Yudhistira was once confused as to what to do? He did not know Brahman and was confused as to what is Dharma and what is Adharma? All sorts of doubts and confusions arose in him. He was then guided to meet Dharmavyaada in a particular place. Yudhistira did not know Dharmavyaada or his profession. He went there and saw that the person was a butcher. He couldn’t believe that this person was following dharma and was a Brahmajnaani. He silently watched Dharmavyaada who was unaffected by all the actions that he was doing. When evening came, Dharmavyaada went home taking the money he got from this job. Yudhistira followed him and asked him to explain about Brahman and asked him “how is it that you are said to be Brahmajnaani and known to follow dharma when you are killing animals which is adharma according to the scriptures”. Dharmavyaada laughed and explained to Yudishtira thus “There is nothing called dharma and adharma here – whatever is present is Brahman alone, one without a second. Thus, there is no action here but only Brahman. The action what I am seen as doing is like a person killing another person in dream. It is only an illusion and incidental in nature. Whatever happens, it happens. I never am the doer – I am the mere witness to the illusion of my job and everything. Therefore, I am not killing any animals. The doership, enjoyership etc are only mere illusions in the reality of Consciousness or Brahman. These exist only till the reality is not known. Once the reality is known, then these merely vanish”.

Hearing this, Yudhistira was convinced that this person was clearly following the dharma of establishing himself in the reality of Self – which is one’s own real nature. Thus, he went back happily after getting the answers to his questions.

What we have to learn from here is that there is no action, no actor, no doer, no enjoyer here. Whatever is, is Brahman alone. That alone exists – other things are mere illusions in the reality of Brahman or Consciousness. If Consciousness decides, these objects will vanish (as they are only illusions). Thus, the actions one does is not important at all but the attitude is important. The moment a person realizes that there is no action and no doer, he ceases to do any action & the action ceases to be an action.

It is only due to ignorance that we have the notion that I am doing an action, I am the doer & enjoyer etc. One of the easiest path to remove this illusion is to offer the actions to the Lord, to the Almighty who is the real doer of all these actions. Such actions cease to be action as any action is an action only when the doer is present. In this case, the doer is not there as the actions are done without any expectation and as an offering to the Lord. Hence the action ceases to be an action. This is the path of Bhakthi and Karma.

Dharmavyaada was a Brahmajnaani who identified himself with the reality of “I” or Consciousness. The Self is neither the doer nor enjoyer because all things except the Self are only mere illusions in the reality of Self. This is the state of a Jnaani. Here Mahabharatha also points us as to how we can reach that state of Self-realization. The only requirement here is that all actions should cease – by cessation or destruction of the doer or Ego. When the Ego vanishes, what remains behind is the reality of Self or Consciousness. This is the natural and real state of each and every person (there is no each and every person but only Consciousness or Self appearing as diverse due to ignorance).

The greatest dharma is being established in the Self which is one’s own real nature of Existence, Consciousness and Bliss absolute.

Another great Brahmjnaani mentioned in the scriptures as well as in puranas is King Janaka. King Janaka was a great Brahmajnaani who was always established in the Self even though he was doing all actions and was ruling an entire kingdom named Videha and enjoying time with all sensual pleasures.

Today’s story to be discussed is about Janaka learning from Astavakra. King Janaka learned the scriptures and learned that the time taken to lift one’s foot and place it on the stirrup of a horse is the time taken to realize the Self. The King couldn’t understand or apprehend this (this was prior to Janaka realizing his own very nature of Self). He asked various scholars but none of their answers could satisfy him. His soldiers thus were searching here and there for a person. They then saw a saint whose body was bent in eight places and hence named Astavakra and took him to the king. The Sage then told the king that he knows the answer and explanation but would not tell him unless he comes to the forest. The king then went to the forest. The sage then told the King to send back his soldiers which the king did. The sage then told that the secret of Self is told only to a disciple. Hearing this, Janaka who wanted to know the truth offered due salutation to the Guru and sat at his feet. Then the sage told the King to stand up. After this, the sage told the king to go near the horse and then told to lift his leg. The king lifted one of his legs (as if to put it on the stirrup). At that time, the sage told “STOP”. The king stopped – his leg in space. The sage then went his way. The king remained the same without any change or any movement as his guru had instructed him. The soldiers did not find the king and went in search. They found him in the forest standing as a statue. They called him, he did not react. They then took him to the palace & then started searching for the sage who had done this to the king. They found the sage and dragged him to the palace. They started accusing the sage. Then the sage said to the king “Put your leg down”. At that the king put his leg down. The sage then told the king that his soldiers were accusing him. Hearing this the king said to his soldiers that “This is my Guru, don’t disturb him”. After this, the sage asked the king whether he understood the statement about realization within no time. The king replied “yes” and then the sage taught the king during night when no one was there the reality about the Self and this teaching is the great Astavakra Samhita or Astavakra Gita.

This story tells us that realization takes very little time only as the Self is already realized. Ramana Maharshi used to tell that the time taken for light to dispel darkness in a room when the light is switched on is the time for realization!!!

But, then why aren’t everyone realized? This is because of the lack of the desire to know and lack of faith & dedication to the Guru. Janaka was a dedicated and faithful disciple. He took each and every word of the Guru as the final commandment to him. Thus, he realized the Self through the instruction of the Guru. Also here it is pointed out that the Self is realized within short time for a person who is desirous of it as the Self is ever realized.