Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Story 32 - Story of King Bharatha - 1
Srimad Bhagavatham - A Spiritual Insight - Story 32 - Story of King Bharatha
Explanation
We have come to the end of the 4th Canto of Srimad Bhagavatham. We are now entering into the 5th Canto of the Srimad Bhagavatham.
One of the descendents of Swayambhuva Manu was Priyavrata. Maharaja Priyavrata was pious and devoted to the Lord. He thus attained liberation at the end of his life always contemplating on the ultimate reality of Lord. Priyavrata had a son by name Agnidhra. Agnidhra had a son by name Nabhi. Nabhi and his wife Merudevi by the grace of the Lord got a son called Rishabhadeva. Rishabhadeva was as if Lord Vishnu has come to the earth. Rishabhadeva had a son by name Bharatha who ruled the Earth after his father. Bharatha was very pious and devoted to the Lord.
It is the story of this Bharatha as well as to how he attains liberation after 3 births that we are going to discuss in the coming days. As part of this story comes the beautiful discourse between Bharatha and King Rahugana which is full of knowledge & directly leads a seeker to the ultimate reality of Brahman or Lord.
This story of Bharatha is very important for a seeker as it shows different facets to the path of realization. This story tells us as to that whatever we do without remembering the ultimate reality of Brahman or Lord, will be of no use & will become bondage in itself. As Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita "Do all actions remembering me", similarly we have to remember the ultimate reality that there is nothing here but the Lord alone. The moment we forget this reality, we enter into an illusory world. This illusion leads us to nowhere but sorrow. The water seen in desert leads us to sorrow alone as we will be running after the water & will become sad when we don't get it. This is what happens when we forget the ultimate reality of Lord behind the illusory things in the world. Even if it is worshipping of Vishnu or Siva, visiting temples, meditating or learning the scriptures -- if it is not associated with the remembrance of the ultimate reality of Lord, it is going to lead us to sorrow alone. This is not a mere statement but that which has been experiened by people, put forth in various scriptures as well as experienced by each one of us in our daily life. It doesn't matter what we are doing but it really matters whether we are contemplating on the reality or not. The ultimate reality is ONE alone -- that alone exists. The duality that we are currently perceiving is only an illusion in the ultimate reality of Brahman or Lord of the nature of Existence, Consciousness and Bliss absolute. We all are the reality only -- there is nothing but the reality alone. We have to constantly remember this & offer all our actions unto the reality or Lord. When we offer our actions unto the Lord, the actions become offerings & selfless service. Thus we will not be affected by the fruits of the action as well as the way in which the action occurs. We will always be unaffected by the actions & contemplating on the reality behind the actions. The more and more a person contemplates on the ultimate reality of Lord, the more happiness he gets - the more bliss becomes permanent and continuous. We all are searching for happiness in the world. All activities are towards happiness, contentment, peace and satisfaction. All these are put into a single term BLISS by Vedanta. Bliss or ANANDA is that which is POORNA or complete and eternal. Bliss can be achieved only by knowing the underlying non-dual reality behind the illusory dual world. The world is nothing but names and forms of the ultimate reality. As we have already previously discussed that names and forms are never the reality - they are mere illusions in the ultimate reality of Lord.
It may be doubted that "If I do bad actions, won't I go to hell & suffer?". But this doubt is invalid and illogical. Aren't we all suffering here itself? This is the reason why Vedanta says that hell and heaven are here itself - in the mind of the seeker. There is neither hell nor heaven really but it is the perception of the seeker which makes him feel as if he is in hell or heaven. Any action is caused out of desire to improve, desire to become perfect. It is ignorance which causes a seeker to think that he is imperfect & thereby desire to become perfect. We all are nothing but the ultimate reality of Lord who is ever perfect. It is but ignorance of our own very nature of Lord that causes us to desire & these desires are further converted to actions. Thus action in itself is bad only as it takes a person away from his natural state of eternal bliss. Lord Krishna says in Gita that it doesn't matter what actions a person is doing, but it matters with what thought he is doing it. That person who is doing the worst action but remembering the ultimate reality of Lord, is but a devotee and saint of the Lord. Thus it doesn't really matter where we are or what we are doing but what matters is whether we are remembering the ultimate reality of Lord. It doesn't take any effort at all to remember the Lord and do actions offering them to the Lord. Let it be while cooking or driving or working in office, remembering the Lord & offering the work to the Lord is very easy. It might seem to be tough in the beginning but by practice it will become natural.
If a lover can always think about his/her love while doing any action, then why can't a seeker remember the ultimate reality behind the illusory world while doing actions??? This is the only way to eternal bliss. Thus if a person really wants to rejoice in the eternal bliss inherent in the Self, then he has to always remember the ultimate reality of Lord and that he is nothing but the Lord alone, one without a second.
This story of Bharatha beautifully brings out the importance of contemplation of the Lord while doing any action & condemning any action (whether it be worldly or spiritual) which is not associated with constant remembrance of the Lord. There are many other concepts useful for the seeker which is brought out in this story. We will continue tomorrow analyzing the story and its importance/application to a seeker.
Let us all try to always contemplate on the ultimate reality of Lord while doing any actions so that we may realize our own very nature of the Lord thereby rejoicing in eternal bliss - that which is being sought out each and every minute.
Bharatha when instructed by his father started ruling over the surface of Earth. He married a princess and begot five children by her. He ruled the kingdom in a righteous way. He was also very pious and always prayed to the Lord as he was devoted to the Lord.
Thus he ruled for many years and at last when it was time for him to take resort to vaanaprastha, he left the kingdom under his children and started staying in an ashram penancing on the Lord, spending the complete time on contemplation of the Lord.
Explanation
Bharatha even though was very pious and devoted to the Lord, failed to understand the ultimate reality completely. The ultimate reality of Lord or Brahman as propounded by the Upanishads is devoid of any form. Anything which has a form is subject to change and hence will die off one day or the other. Even devas are not excluded from this law. The same is the case with Vishnu also. Until a person completely understands the underlying ultimate reality of formless Lord, he is prone to get attached to a particular form. Getting attached to the form of Vishnu or Siva is not much different from getting attached to a woman/man. The only difference is that when a person contemplates on the form of Vishnu, he might end up in Vaikunta & after enjoying his stay there, he will return back to Earth. This journey will continue until a person realizes the underlying formless, attributes reality behind all names and forms in the world.
We see from the story of Jaya and Vijaya who were guards to Vaikunta that nothing is permanent in the world except the ultimate reality of all-pervading non-dual Consciousness. Jaya and Vijaya under the curse of a sage had to come to Earth taking three demon births. It was only after they realized the reality behind the various forms through the Lord himself, that they realized their own very nature of eternal Lord.
Thus a seeker should always remember that the ultimate reality of Lord is beyond all forms -- it is formless because it pervades and is beyond all forms. The word Vishnu means one who is all-pervasive like ether. An all-pervasive entity cannot be contained into a form because a form limits an entity in space. Thus Vishnu is the formless reality of Brahman and not the four-handed husband of Lakshmi. Siva means one who is auspicious. Auspiciousness means that which gives happiness and peace. The only entity which can give eternal bliss and peace is Brahman or Consciousness. This ultimate reality of Brahman is indicated by the word Siva and not the bhasma dhaari Siva.
It really doesn't matter where a person is but the attitude is what matters. We find in the story of King Ambariksha, Janaka and others how even though being involved completely in the worldly pleasures, they were still immersed in the ultimate reality of Brahman or Consciousness.
IF a person doesn't realize and take into consideration the underlying ultimate reality of Consciousness beyond all names and forms, there is no use praying to any form lord or being. The Lord himself is the slave of he who has realized the ultimate reality of Brahman. The form of Vishnu could not help durvasa from the sudharshana chakra but Ambariksha could help out. The form of Sri Krishna could not save himself nor his clan from destruction. But the important point is that Lord Krishna was always immersed in the reality & never affected by worldly situations and conditions. He was always smiling and gave instructions to Arjuna and Uddhava in the Bhagavad Gita and Uddhava Gita respectively.
Thus we have to constantly remember that it doesn't matter what we are doing but what is important is constant contemplation and remembrance of the ultimate reality that there is only one entity here called Consciousness or Lord & other all things are mere illusions in the ultimate reality. When this is remembered and actions are offered to this Lord, every action becomes a pooja or offering. The action even though might be bad (like the case of butcher Dharmavyaadha in Mahabharatha who was a realized being even though he used to do action against vedas) but still if it is done remembering the ultimate reality of Brahman or Lord in mind, then such an action becomes good and not binding.
Bharatha was attached to the form of Vishnu without really knowing the underlying formless non-dual reality of Brahman -- thus he was affected by actions which we will be seeing in the coming days.
The most important point we get from this part of the story is that any action leads to liberation only when it is associated with the knowledge of the ultimate reality of non-dual Brahman or Consciousness or Lord.
We will continue with the story in the next day.
Let us all try to contemplate on the ultimate reality of Lord beyond all names and forms thereby making all actions lead to liberation & letting us rejoice in the eternal bliss inherent in the Lord who is none other than our own very Self.
Bharatha thus used to stay in ashram doing ritualistic activities and fixing his mind constantly on the form of Vishnu. One day as usual he had his bath in the nearby river and sat at the bank of the river. At that time, he saw a doe (deer female) was driven to the river because of thirst. It was pregnant. At that time, it heard the roar of a lion. The doe was terrified and jumped over the river. Since it was pregnant, the child came out of its womb and it fell dead because of the jumping. Thus the small deer was floating in the river. It came near by to where Bharatha was sitting. Seeing the deer kid, Bharatha, thinking that it had none other than him to take care of, took it to his ashram.
Explanation
We come to a really beautiful part of the story conveying a very important point to be implemented by each one of us in our lives. Bharatha was a devotee of the Lord but he failed to grasp the underlying reality in the illusory names and forms of the world. We have to constantly remember that the very moment we forget the ultimate reality of Lord underlying all existences, we enter into the illusory names and forms. Names and forms are never real but they are mere illusions in the reality of Brahman.Names and forms can give only sorrow in the long run because they are mere illusions. As the water seen in desert can never give happiness but it will only give sorrow when the person runs behind it, similarly the various names and forms that we perceive in the world will lead to sorrow only.
If a person doesn't recognize the ultimate reality of Lord who is all-pervasive and who gives existence to all names and forms that we perceive, then he is taken to believe that the names and forms are real. He is a fool who doesn't recognize the illusory nature of names and forms. The objects that we perceive in the waking state are like the objects we perceive in dream -- they are mere illusions and seem to exist but never really exist. A person has to use his intellect & interpret scriptures properly to understand that the names and forms which we currently perceive as objects are illusions because they have no existence of their own apart from the ultimate reality of Consciousness. If there is no Consciousness, there is nothing at all. It would be funny to imagine Vishnu or Siva without Consciousness. It is Consciousness termed as Brahman or Lord in upanishads and puranas which is the underlying reality behind any forms whether it be just a jar or Vishnu or Siva.
Thus using logic and knowing that everything is but the Lord alone - whatever is perceived is only the Lord -- the names and forms are not real but mere illusions in the reality of Lord, a person has to contemplate on the reality of Lord at all points of time. This alone will remove ignorance of one's own very nature of Lord. The Consciousness underlying Vishnu and underlying each one of us is the same. This formless Consciousness is what is called as Lord or Brahman. We all are that only - the seeming difference is only due to ignornace. It is very evident by analysis of the state of deep sleep where there is nothing but Consciousness alone & hence a person rejoices bliss throughout that state. We have to similarly constantly remember that everything is Brahman or Lord alone. Remembering this reality, we have to offer all work unto the Lord. Offering work unto Lord, doing pooja etc. is nothing but constant remembrance of the Lord. If constant remembrance of the Lord is not there, then the various physical and mental poojaas are of no use as they will lead to more problems only.
We find here that Bharatha didn't really understand the underlying reality of all names and forms. Thus when a person doesn’t realize the underlying reality of Brahman or Lord amidst the illusory names and forms, he falls into the illusory world. Thus such a person gets the various thoughts like "how can I help the world? What will people in the world do if I am not there?" etc. These are thoughts which shouldn’t come for a seeker - these are obstacles to the spiritual path as in the case of Bharatha which we will be seeing in the coming days. When a seeker knows the ultimate reality of Lord as one who pervades the illusory names and forms, he will not be attached to anything in the world whether it is a being or any non-living item. He will always be immersed in the ultimate reality of Lord - seeing the Lord in everything and offering all actions unto the Lord.
Bharatha here lacked the ultimate reality as he was ever engrossed in the form of Vishnu as the reality. He thus didn’t know that the Lord who has created all the things in the world can and will take of his illusory creations. The computer company which makes computers takes care of its computers - if normal beings are doing so much, what to speak about all-knowing Lord who has created the world out of himself. Thus we need to constantly remember that the Lord is looking after all the things in the world – nothing is in the hands of the seeker, everything is disposed by the Lord alone. The famous saying of "Man proposes, God alone disposes" becomes meaningful here. This is the reason why the country which almost ruled the entire world couldn’t stop militants from rampaging their buildings. It is wrong in the part of a seeker to think that he can take care of the world. Firs thing is – the world which the seeker is claiming or planning to take care is an illusory one. This is like taking care of the dream world and its objects which are so temporary that they will vanish the very next moment. Similar is the case with the waking world too. We see a person today and the next moment he dies. This is the case of things in the illusory world. Thus how much can a person take care of the illusory things in the world – it is foolish enough to even think about such an alternative. Second thing is the Lord who has created this illusory world can very well take care of his creations. If a person says that "there is no body to take care of things & I have to do my duty", it is but questioning the capabilities of the all-pervading and all-knowing Lord. There is nothing foolish than this. All these thoughts arise due to lack of real knowledge about the Lord and the creations of the world. Lord Krishna clearly says in Bhagavad Gita that the duty of a person in the world is to realize his own very nature of Lord – there is no duty whatsoever other than this. All other activities, rituals, bhajans, chanting etc. are only meant to lead the seeker to realization of his own very nature of Self or Consciousness. Instead the seeker clings on to duty of looking after illusory things in the world – he is neither able to look after his so-called duty properly because the things which are taken care by him will surely vanish & are beyond his control – nor is he able to contemplate on the ultimate reality of Lord offering all work unto the Lord as a pooja thus not progressing towards the ultimate reality of Brahman or Lord.
Bharatha thus indirectly questioned the capability of the Lord as well as forgot to remember the ultimate reality that all things are mere illusions – that there is neither the deer nor water nor he – whatever exists is only the ultimate reality of Brahman or Lord.
Thus Bhagavatham is indirectly telling to each one of us not to commit the mistake that he committed. Bharatha could have just left the deer there praying to the Lord to take care of the deer. It may be questioned here that "isn’t it a crime to ignore the deer?" – it is a crime to look after the deer thinking that there is nobody to look after it. It is but ignorance about the capability of the all-pervading Lord that such questions/ideas creep in. A seeker should always offer all work unto the Lord. If Bharatha had taken care of the deer saying that the Lord has given me an opportunity to do something and offering the work unto the Lord (at the same time, remembering that everything is illusory), there would have been no problem at all. There are only two alternatives to the real seeker when such a situation comes. He has to see whether he can take care of the deer alongside remembering the ultimate reality of Lord - if yes, he can take care of the deer. Else, he can just offer prayers to the Lord and go his way. There is no fault in the second way also because everything is but an illusion. And whatever a person does is by the will of the Lord alone as the famous sloka says "Karomi yad yad sakalam parasmai naaraayanaayethi samarpayaami" – whatever I do is offered to the Lord.
We will see the next day as to what happened to Bharatha as a result of this particular activity of taking care of the deer.
Explanation
We have come to the end of the 4th Canto of Srimad Bhagavatham. We are now entering into the 5th Canto of the Srimad Bhagavatham.
One of the descendents of Swayambhuva Manu was Priyavrata. Maharaja Priyavrata was pious and devoted to the Lord. He thus attained liberation at the end of his life always contemplating on the ultimate reality of Lord. Priyavrata had a son by name Agnidhra. Agnidhra had a son by name Nabhi. Nabhi and his wife Merudevi by the grace of the Lord got a son called Rishabhadeva. Rishabhadeva was as if Lord Vishnu has come to the earth. Rishabhadeva had a son by name Bharatha who ruled the Earth after his father. Bharatha was very pious and devoted to the Lord.
It is the story of this Bharatha as well as to how he attains liberation after 3 births that we are going to discuss in the coming days. As part of this story comes the beautiful discourse between Bharatha and King Rahugana which is full of knowledge & directly leads a seeker to the ultimate reality of Brahman or Lord.
This story of Bharatha is very important for a seeker as it shows different facets to the path of realization. This story tells us as to that whatever we do without remembering the ultimate reality of Brahman or Lord, will be of no use & will become bondage in itself. As Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita "Do all actions remembering me", similarly we have to remember the ultimate reality that there is nothing here but the Lord alone. The moment we forget this reality, we enter into an illusory world. This illusion leads us to nowhere but sorrow. The water seen in desert leads us to sorrow alone as we will be running after the water & will become sad when we don't get it. This is what happens when we forget the ultimate reality of Lord behind the illusory things in the world. Even if it is worshipping of Vishnu or Siva, visiting temples, meditating or learning the scriptures -- if it is not associated with the remembrance of the ultimate reality of Lord, it is going to lead us to sorrow alone. This is not a mere statement but that which has been experiened by people, put forth in various scriptures as well as experienced by each one of us in our daily life. It doesn't matter what we are doing but it really matters whether we are contemplating on the reality or not. The ultimate reality is ONE alone -- that alone exists. The duality that we are currently perceiving is only an illusion in the ultimate reality of Brahman or Lord of the nature of Existence, Consciousness and Bliss absolute. We all are the reality only -- there is nothing but the reality alone. We have to constantly remember this & offer all our actions unto the reality or Lord. When we offer our actions unto the Lord, the actions become offerings & selfless service. Thus we will not be affected by the fruits of the action as well as the way in which the action occurs. We will always be unaffected by the actions & contemplating on the reality behind the actions. The more and more a person contemplates on the ultimate reality of Lord, the more happiness he gets - the more bliss becomes permanent and continuous. We all are searching for happiness in the world. All activities are towards happiness, contentment, peace and satisfaction. All these are put into a single term BLISS by Vedanta. Bliss or ANANDA is that which is POORNA or complete and eternal. Bliss can be achieved only by knowing the underlying non-dual reality behind the illusory dual world. The world is nothing but names and forms of the ultimate reality. As we have already previously discussed that names and forms are never the reality - they are mere illusions in the ultimate reality of Lord.
It may be doubted that "If I do bad actions, won't I go to hell & suffer?". But this doubt is invalid and illogical. Aren't we all suffering here itself? This is the reason why Vedanta says that hell and heaven are here itself - in the mind of the seeker. There is neither hell nor heaven really but it is the perception of the seeker which makes him feel as if he is in hell or heaven. Any action is caused out of desire to improve, desire to become perfect. It is ignorance which causes a seeker to think that he is imperfect & thereby desire to become perfect. We all are nothing but the ultimate reality of Lord who is ever perfect. It is but ignorance of our own very nature of Lord that causes us to desire & these desires are further converted to actions. Thus action in itself is bad only as it takes a person away from his natural state of eternal bliss. Lord Krishna says in Gita that it doesn't matter what actions a person is doing, but it matters with what thought he is doing it. That person who is doing the worst action but remembering the ultimate reality of Lord, is but a devotee and saint of the Lord. Thus it doesn't really matter where we are or what we are doing but what matters is whether we are remembering the ultimate reality of Lord. It doesn't take any effort at all to remember the Lord and do actions offering them to the Lord. Let it be while cooking or driving or working in office, remembering the Lord & offering the work to the Lord is very easy. It might seem to be tough in the beginning but by practice it will become natural.
If a lover can always think about his/her love while doing any action, then why can't a seeker remember the ultimate reality behind the illusory world while doing actions??? This is the only way to eternal bliss. Thus if a person really wants to rejoice in the eternal bliss inherent in the Self, then he has to always remember the ultimate reality of Lord and that he is nothing but the Lord alone, one without a second.
This story of Bharatha beautifully brings out the importance of contemplation of the Lord while doing any action & condemning any action (whether it be worldly or spiritual) which is not associated with constant remembrance of the Lord. There are many other concepts useful for the seeker which is brought out in this story. We will continue tomorrow analyzing the story and its importance/application to a seeker.
Let us all try to always contemplate on the ultimate reality of Lord while doing any actions so that we may realize our own very nature of the Lord thereby rejoicing in eternal bliss - that which is being sought out each and every minute.
Bharatha when instructed by his father started ruling over the surface of Earth. He married a princess and begot five children by her. He ruled the kingdom in a righteous way. He was also very pious and always prayed to the Lord as he was devoted to the Lord.
Thus he ruled for many years and at last when it was time for him to take resort to vaanaprastha, he left the kingdom under his children and started staying in an ashram penancing on the Lord, spending the complete time on contemplation of the Lord.
Explanation
Bharatha even though was very pious and devoted to the Lord, failed to understand the ultimate reality completely. The ultimate reality of Lord or Brahman as propounded by the Upanishads is devoid of any form. Anything which has a form is subject to change and hence will die off one day or the other. Even devas are not excluded from this law. The same is the case with Vishnu also. Until a person completely understands the underlying ultimate reality of formless Lord, he is prone to get attached to a particular form. Getting attached to the form of Vishnu or Siva is not much different from getting attached to a woman/man. The only difference is that when a person contemplates on the form of Vishnu, he might end up in Vaikunta & after enjoying his stay there, he will return back to Earth. This journey will continue until a person realizes the underlying formless, attributes reality behind all names and forms in the world.
We see from the story of Jaya and Vijaya who were guards to Vaikunta that nothing is permanent in the world except the ultimate reality of all-pervading non-dual Consciousness. Jaya and Vijaya under the curse of a sage had to come to Earth taking three demon births. It was only after they realized the reality behind the various forms through the Lord himself, that they realized their own very nature of eternal Lord.
Thus a seeker should always remember that the ultimate reality of Lord is beyond all forms -- it is formless because it pervades and is beyond all forms. The word Vishnu means one who is all-pervasive like ether. An all-pervasive entity cannot be contained into a form because a form limits an entity in space. Thus Vishnu is the formless reality of Brahman and not the four-handed husband of Lakshmi. Siva means one who is auspicious. Auspiciousness means that which gives happiness and peace. The only entity which can give eternal bliss and peace is Brahman or Consciousness. This ultimate reality of Brahman is indicated by the word Siva and not the bhasma dhaari Siva.
It really doesn't matter where a person is but the attitude is what matters. We find in the story of King Ambariksha, Janaka and others how even though being involved completely in the worldly pleasures, they were still immersed in the ultimate reality of Brahman or Consciousness.
IF a person doesn't realize and take into consideration the underlying ultimate reality of Consciousness beyond all names and forms, there is no use praying to any form lord or being. The Lord himself is the slave of he who has realized the ultimate reality of Brahman. The form of Vishnu could not help durvasa from the sudharshana chakra but Ambariksha could help out. The form of Sri Krishna could not save himself nor his clan from destruction. But the important point is that Lord Krishna was always immersed in the reality & never affected by worldly situations and conditions. He was always smiling and gave instructions to Arjuna and Uddhava in the Bhagavad Gita and Uddhava Gita respectively.
Thus we have to constantly remember that it doesn't matter what we are doing but what is important is constant contemplation and remembrance of the ultimate reality that there is only one entity here called Consciousness or Lord & other all things are mere illusions in the ultimate reality. When this is remembered and actions are offered to this Lord, every action becomes a pooja or offering. The action even though might be bad (like the case of butcher Dharmavyaadha in Mahabharatha who was a realized being even though he used to do action against vedas) but still if it is done remembering the ultimate reality of Brahman or Lord in mind, then such an action becomes good and not binding.
Bharatha was attached to the form of Vishnu without really knowing the underlying formless non-dual reality of Brahman -- thus he was affected by actions which we will be seeing in the coming days.
The most important point we get from this part of the story is that any action leads to liberation only when it is associated with the knowledge of the ultimate reality of non-dual Brahman or Consciousness or Lord.
We will continue with the story in the next day.
Let us all try to contemplate on the ultimate reality of Lord beyond all names and forms thereby making all actions lead to liberation & letting us rejoice in the eternal bliss inherent in the Lord who is none other than our own very Self.
Bharatha thus used to stay in ashram doing ritualistic activities and fixing his mind constantly on the form of Vishnu. One day as usual he had his bath in the nearby river and sat at the bank of the river. At that time, he saw a doe (deer female) was driven to the river because of thirst. It was pregnant. At that time, it heard the roar of a lion. The doe was terrified and jumped over the river. Since it was pregnant, the child came out of its womb and it fell dead because of the jumping. Thus the small deer was floating in the river. It came near by to where Bharatha was sitting. Seeing the deer kid, Bharatha, thinking that it had none other than him to take care of, took it to his ashram.
Explanation
We come to a really beautiful part of the story conveying a very important point to be implemented by each one of us in our lives. Bharatha was a devotee of the Lord but he failed to grasp the underlying reality in the illusory names and forms of the world. We have to constantly remember that the very moment we forget the ultimate reality of Lord underlying all existences, we enter into the illusory names and forms. Names and forms are never real but they are mere illusions in the reality of Brahman.Names and forms can give only sorrow in the long run because they are mere illusions. As the water seen in desert can never give happiness but it will only give sorrow when the person runs behind it, similarly the various names and forms that we perceive in the world will lead to sorrow only.
If a person doesn't recognize the ultimate reality of Lord who is all-pervasive and who gives existence to all names and forms that we perceive, then he is taken to believe that the names and forms are real. He is a fool who doesn't recognize the illusory nature of names and forms. The objects that we perceive in the waking state are like the objects we perceive in dream -- they are mere illusions and seem to exist but never really exist. A person has to use his intellect & interpret scriptures properly to understand that the names and forms which we currently perceive as objects are illusions because they have no existence of their own apart from the ultimate reality of Consciousness. If there is no Consciousness, there is nothing at all. It would be funny to imagine Vishnu or Siva without Consciousness. It is Consciousness termed as Brahman or Lord in upanishads and puranas which is the underlying reality behind any forms whether it be just a jar or Vishnu or Siva.
Thus using logic and knowing that everything is but the Lord alone - whatever is perceived is only the Lord -- the names and forms are not real but mere illusions in the reality of Lord, a person has to contemplate on the reality of Lord at all points of time. This alone will remove ignorance of one's own very nature of Lord. The Consciousness underlying Vishnu and underlying each one of us is the same. This formless Consciousness is what is called as Lord or Brahman. We all are that only - the seeming difference is only due to ignornace. It is very evident by analysis of the state of deep sleep where there is nothing but Consciousness alone & hence a person rejoices bliss throughout that state. We have to similarly constantly remember that everything is Brahman or Lord alone. Remembering this reality, we have to offer all work unto the Lord. Offering work unto Lord, doing pooja etc. is nothing but constant remembrance of the Lord. If constant remembrance of the Lord is not there, then the various physical and mental poojaas are of no use as they will lead to more problems only.
We find here that Bharatha didn't really understand the underlying reality of all names and forms. Thus when a person doesn’t realize the underlying reality of Brahman or Lord amidst the illusory names and forms, he falls into the illusory world. Thus such a person gets the various thoughts like "how can I help the world? What will people in the world do if I am not there?" etc. These are thoughts which shouldn’t come for a seeker - these are obstacles to the spiritual path as in the case of Bharatha which we will be seeing in the coming days. When a seeker knows the ultimate reality of Lord as one who pervades the illusory names and forms, he will not be attached to anything in the world whether it is a being or any non-living item. He will always be immersed in the ultimate reality of Lord - seeing the Lord in everything and offering all actions unto the Lord.
Bharatha here lacked the ultimate reality as he was ever engrossed in the form of Vishnu as the reality. He thus didn’t know that the Lord who has created all the things in the world can and will take of his illusory creations. The computer company which makes computers takes care of its computers - if normal beings are doing so much, what to speak about all-knowing Lord who has created the world out of himself. Thus we need to constantly remember that the Lord is looking after all the things in the world – nothing is in the hands of the seeker, everything is disposed by the Lord alone. The famous saying of "Man proposes, God alone disposes" becomes meaningful here. This is the reason why the country which almost ruled the entire world couldn’t stop militants from rampaging their buildings. It is wrong in the part of a seeker to think that he can take care of the world. Firs thing is – the world which the seeker is claiming or planning to take care is an illusory one. This is like taking care of the dream world and its objects which are so temporary that they will vanish the very next moment. Similar is the case with the waking world too. We see a person today and the next moment he dies. This is the case of things in the illusory world. Thus how much can a person take care of the illusory things in the world – it is foolish enough to even think about such an alternative. Second thing is the Lord who has created this illusory world can very well take care of his creations. If a person says that "there is no body to take care of things & I have to do my duty", it is but questioning the capabilities of the all-pervading and all-knowing Lord. There is nothing foolish than this. All these thoughts arise due to lack of real knowledge about the Lord and the creations of the world. Lord Krishna clearly says in Bhagavad Gita that the duty of a person in the world is to realize his own very nature of Lord – there is no duty whatsoever other than this. All other activities, rituals, bhajans, chanting etc. are only meant to lead the seeker to realization of his own very nature of Self or Consciousness. Instead the seeker clings on to duty of looking after illusory things in the world – he is neither able to look after his so-called duty properly because the things which are taken care by him will surely vanish & are beyond his control – nor is he able to contemplate on the ultimate reality of Lord offering all work unto the Lord as a pooja thus not progressing towards the ultimate reality of Brahman or Lord.
Bharatha thus indirectly questioned the capability of the Lord as well as forgot to remember the ultimate reality that all things are mere illusions – that there is neither the deer nor water nor he – whatever exists is only the ultimate reality of Brahman or Lord.
Thus Bhagavatham is indirectly telling to each one of us not to commit the mistake that he committed. Bharatha could have just left the deer there praying to the Lord to take care of the deer. It may be questioned here that "isn’t it a crime to ignore the deer?" – it is a crime to look after the deer thinking that there is nobody to look after it. It is but ignorance about the capability of the all-pervading Lord that such questions/ideas creep in. A seeker should always offer all work unto the Lord. If Bharatha had taken care of the deer saying that the Lord has given me an opportunity to do something and offering the work unto the Lord (at the same time, remembering that everything is illusory), there would have been no problem at all. There are only two alternatives to the real seeker when such a situation comes. He has to see whether he can take care of the deer alongside remembering the ultimate reality of Lord - if yes, he can take care of the deer. Else, he can just offer prayers to the Lord and go his way. There is no fault in the second way also because everything is but an illusion. And whatever a person does is by the will of the Lord alone as the famous sloka says "Karomi yad yad sakalam parasmai naaraayanaayethi samarpayaami" – whatever I do is offered to the Lord.
We will see the next day as to what happened to Bharatha as a result of this particular activity of taking care of the deer.
# posted by vedanta : 10:58 AM
