Srimad Bhagavatham

Bharatha, the compassionate Guru as he was, replied thus to Rahugana’s question:

Boasting ‘I am the protector’ you make a bad presence in the society of the learned, simply being rude! Being fat, meager, tiny or big all are impermanence and bound by time and space. These are the illusions arising out of duality. The ultimate reality of Vasudeva is what is to be known by seekers and it is of the nature of existence and peace.

The ultimate reality is not known through penance, duty, worship or austerity but instead it is known only by the grace of the Guru. Wherever there is contemplation of the world as the Lord, worldly concerns are put to an end.

Explanation

A Sadguru will make the disciple realize the ultimate reality of Lord in one way or the other. The disciple will have no option but to follow the spiritual path - if he doesn’t follow it voluntarily, he will be made to follow the path by beatings and other sufferings.

Thus Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa used to say that a person who has come to a Sadguru is like a person who has in the mouth of a lion (there is no chance of escape at all).

Here we find Rahugana surrendering to the Sadguru of Bharatha by questioning about the reality with the real and earnest desire to know about the ultimate reality of Brahman. A Sadguru treats his disciples and cures them of the diseases of kaama, krodha, ahamkaara etc. even as a doctor treats his patients. Here Bharatha attacks Rahugana directly by pointing out that he was making himself a fool while speaking about himself being the protector and controller of all beings. The things that we perceive in the world are nothing but mere illusions in the ultimate reality of Brahman or Lord. They are not at all different from the objects that a person sees in dream. The things are present today and will vanish tomorrow or even the next moment. In such a case, how can a person say that he is controlling the things of the world??? There is only one controller for the illusory world which is the Self or the Lord. The Lord doesn’t require to control the world because he knows very well that there is no world but everything is only an illusion. Until a person realizes this ultimate reality that there is nothing here but the Lord alone, he will fall a prey to the various diseases of mind like attraction, aversion, ego etc. These are very dangerous that these take the seeker away from the reality and make them fall deep into the ocean of ignorance. They cause a person to forget the ultimate reality behind the illusory world and its objects.

Thus once a person falls a prey to the various activities and qualities of the mind, he is constantly attracted to those qualities even as a drunkard is attracted to drinking. Thus initially the person gets ego about his own position in the illusory world. But slowly this ego becomes addictive and out of control. Thus the illusory mind which should be under the control of the THINKER of Self is in itself controlling the seeker. This is what Vedanta calls as bandha or bondage. Once a person gets out of the clutches of the ego and other enemies, he fully concentrates on the ultimate reality of Lord. Thus he is always contemplating on the Lord thereby taking him more and more towards the goal – he thus realizes his own very nature of Lord in a very short time.

The best and easiest way to kill the Ego is to strike it strongly which Bharatha does here. Even though Rahugana’s ego was vanquished by the silence and no-reaction of Bharatha, but still there was some residue of the Ego in Rahugana and there are possibilities that this residue will become strong and rise again. Thus Bharatha wanted to remove it completely - therefore he attacks the egoistic attitude or statement of Rahugana. Thus we find that a Sadguru treats his disciple in the most odd fashion which is beyond apprehension. We may think that how a compassionate Guru can attack his disciple in such a way? But it is only for the welfare of the disciple that the Guru attacks the disciple. The Guru who has realized the ultimate non-dual reality of Brahman has nothing to gain from the disciple or through teaching the disciple but it is only for the welfare and spiritual progress of the disciple that the Guru treats at times harshly with the disciple.

Bharatha explains that it is out of the illusion of duality that all problems arise. Out of duality arise likes and dislikes – these in turn lead to attraction and aversion. Thus if a person gets rid of the thought and notion that duality is real, he gets rid of attachment and aversion. Thus his mind is always in a state of equipoise and hence he is able to fully contemplate on the ultimate reality of Lord without any disturbances.

Bharatha says here that the reality of Lord is not known through any amount of activity – instead it is realized only through the grace of the Guru and following of the Guru’s teachings/instructions in turn implementing them in life. Action arises out of desire which in turn is propelled through ignorance about one’s own perfect and complete state. A person forgets that he is nothing but the non-dual reality of Lord of the nature of Existence, Consciousness and Bliss absolute. This ignorance makes the seeker think that he is imperfect & therefore strive for perfection. Thus he gets the desire to become perfect. This desire is converted into action. Thus action arises out of ignorance - thus it cannot remove ignorance and thereby make a person realize his own very nature of Lord.

Thus any action will not lead to realization – instead realization happens only by knowledge of the reality of Lord. Knowledge is possible only through following of the words of the Guru - thus Guru is inevitable for a seeker. By the mere grace of the Guru, a person gets rid of ignorance which veils his own very nature of non-dual Lord.

Lord Siva thus says to Parvathi in Guru Gita:

Na guror adhikam bhaavam na guror adhikam tapah
Tattvajnaanaat paratharam naasthi tasmai sree gurave namah

There is no greater thing or reality than the Guru - there is no greater austerity than service to the Guru - there is no knowledge greater than the knowledge of TAT TVAM ASI or THAT THOU ART which the disciple is instructed by the Guru - my prostrations to such a Guru.

Bharatha continued:
In a previous birth I was known as a king named Bharatha who found liberation through personal insight and association in worship of the Supreme Lord. But I became a deer being closely associated and attached to a deer. Thus I neglected the primary duty of a human being to contemplate constantly on the ultimate reality of Lord or Brahman.
Despite being a deer, I had remembered my previous birth and thus was able to contemplate on the Lord all the time. For the same reason of not getting attached to anything in the world, I keep myself afar from association with ordinary folk and I move about unseen.
Therefore can every person, by means of the sword of knowledge detaching and associating with good company, even in this world, cross over the ocean of samsaara.

Explanation
Bharatha here explains to Rahugana what he has learned from his prior experience about the truth that the one and only action which can lead a person to the ultimate reality of Lord is constant contemplation on the reality of Lord. The moment a person deviates from the reality, he enters into the world of illusion wherein there is nothing but sorrow and suffering alone.

The world can be split into two distinct parts – one is the real part of the Lord and other is the various names-forms. Beyond the illusory names and forms is the ultimate reality of Lord. Forget the names and forms; a person contemplates on the reality of Lord. Such a person never is deluded into the names and forms. Instead he is always contemplating on the reality of Lord and thus will realize his own very nature of Lord who is eternal bliss. But if a person forgets the underlying reality of Lord, he enters into the illusory names and forms. Names and forms keep on changing and are prone to die one day. When the particular form dies off, if a person is attached to that particular form, he gets sad as a result of that. Hence the scriptures proclaim that a person should never get attached to the illusory names and forms instead should contemplate on the underlying reality of Lord.

Vedanta gives the example of gold ornaments to prove this point. There are several gold ornaments kept in front – gold chain, gold necklace, gold ring etc. A normal person sees them as different and gets deluded into the name of chain and form of chain. He forgets that one day the name and form will die. Thus when by time, the chain loses its form he gets sad. Instead a goldsmith is not at all deluded into the name and form. He always perceives the gold beyond the name and form. Thus he never gets sad as he is always contemplating on the reality of gold beyond the illusory names and forms.

Similarly a seeker should always see beyond the illusory names and forms of the world and contemplate on the underlying reality of Lord of the nature of Existence, Consciousness and Bliss absolute.

Bharatha initially when he was a king was not really aware of the underlying reality of Lord and hence passion overcame him. Thus he became attached to the name and form of a deer. Thus he forgot the underlying reality and instead contemplated on the name-form of the deer. Therefore he fall down from the path of spirituality and was born as a deer. But since he had spent a lot of time contemplating on the reality of Lord, therefore he remembered his mistake and took a decision not to get deluded into the illusory names and forms of the world. Thus he was always contemplating on the Lord – thus he got a better life and realized his own very nature of Lord. Even though he was realized in the jada bharatha life, still he didn’t want to get attached to anything illusory in the world. Once a person realizes the futility of illusory things, he never gets attached to them. When a person knows that there is no water in desert but what he is seeing is only mirage, he never runs after the water. Similarly once a person realizes his own very nature of eternal bliss, he never gets deluded into the illusory names and forms. Thus Bharatha was ever established in the ultimate reality of Lord.

Bharatha here stresses Sadhu sangama or sat sanga for realization. Each and every person in the world when he/she is initially in the path of spirituality, he will find it tough to overcome the obstacles of sensual pleasure/attraction in the world. The simplest way to overcome this is through association with good people. The very presence of a Mahatma will ward off evil thoughts and induce positive waves so that the seeker will be easily able to contemplate on the ultimate reality of Lord.

Sankara thus says beautifully as to how Satsanga leads to realization in Bhaja Govindam:

Satsangatve nissangatvam
Nissangatve nirmohatvam
Nirmohatve nishchalattattvam
Nishchalatattve jeevanmukthi

Satsanga leads to nissanga or dissociation with things in the world.
Dissociation leads to removal of delusion that the world is real.
Removal of delusion leads to mind being steady and constant (without any ripples or vibrating thoughts).
Steady mind leads to jeevan mukthi or liberation while living.

The analysis of the above sloka is deep but we will try to analyze it in brief over here. Satsanga or association with good people will lead a person to dissociation with the illusory things in the world. Association with good people will lead the seeker to contemplate more and more on the reality of Lord rather than the illusory things of the world. Since the seeker contemplates on the reality of Lord, therefore dissociation with things in the world automatically happens. The seeker is no longer contemplating on the illusory things of the world. This dissociation leads to removal of delusion caused out of attachment to worldly things. Delusion is the thought that the worldly things are real and will give eternal bliss. Instead when the seeker gets himself dissociated from worldly things, the delusion that the worldly things are real vanishes. The seeker realizes that the worldly things are mere illusions and will never be present eternally. Thus moha or delusion completely vanishes. When delusion vanishes, there is no more contemplation of the illusory worldly objects even when there is association with mahatmas. Thus all the time, the seeker is contemplating on the reality of Lord alone. Thus his mind is steady on the Lord – without any ripples or vibrating thoughts caused due to contemplation on the illusory objects of the world. This again leads the seeker to liberation which is nothing but the realization that I am the Lord and there is nothing but the Lord alone here, one without a second. Thus the seeker realizes the ultimate reality and rejoices in the eternal bliss inherent in the Lord or his own very Self. This eternal bliss is the very aim of life and is achieved only through association with good people.

Thus various scriptures and saints give great emphasis to association with good people or mahatmas. We will continue with the story tomorrow.
Let us all try to offer our prostrations to the various Sadgurus amidst us thereby making us follow the spiritual path and realize our own very nature of Lord through the Mahavakya of TAT TVAM ASI or THAT THOU ART.

Bharatha finished his teaching thus:
King Rahûgana, you, surely also on this path of material existence, will, once you have given up the stick of chastising and are acting friendly towards all beings, by means of service to the Lord be someone who in his mind is no longer drawn to the untrue; taking the sharpened sword of knowledge in hand now cross over to the supreme of the other side!'

King Rahugana replied thus: Alas, o best one among the born, being born into the human form, of what use is it to be but of a higher birth? Indeed there is nothing superior about it if we in a new life cannot enjoy the abundance of association with the truly great ones whose hearts are purified in the glory of Hrisîkesa [the Lord and master of the senses]

Let there be my reverential homage unto the great personalities, whether they appear as boys, as young men or as total forsakers; let there, from all those selfrealized of transcendence who walk this earth under different guises, be good fortune over all the dynasties!

Suka thus concluded the story: The king of Sauvîra sure of an elevated position, came to a full understanding of the truth of the oversoul; within himself he managed to completely give up the conception of a bodily self that he erroneously in nescience had attributed to his person and thus, o King, followed he on the path of disciplic succession to the Lord.

Explanation

We come to the end of this wonderful story told in Srimad Bhagavatham which is full of imports and things to be understood, implemented by each and every seeker in the world.

We have to constantly remember that the very aim of listening and learning of the various stories mentioned in Srimad Bhagavatham is just to remove doubts and confusions about the ultimate reality of Lord so that we will be able to contemplate on the Lord without any break or continuous. Thus if the analysis of these stories don’t lead us to more and more contemplation on the ultimate reality of Lord, then there are of no use and are very similar to a rock on the road which doesn’t help the passers-by but hinders their progress.

The various stories in Bhagavatham have deeper import and meaning than we can imagine. Hence there can be many interpretations and explanations for the same. But all these explanations will lead to the ultimate truth that there is nothing here but the Lord alone, one without a second. Whatever is temporarily seen is only an illusion like the dream world. The world never really exists – it is a mere illusion of names and forms in the reality of Lord. Whatever exists is the Lord alone. Thus realization of one’s own very nature of Lord is the very aim and purpose of life. Until this purpose is fulfilled there will be no happiness in life. Life will be full of sorrows and sufferings due to temporary happiness derived from the objects in the world. Since we all are searching for eternal bliss irrespective of caste, creed and other distinctions, thus the one and only way to get that is by realizing the ultimate reality of Lord.

Thus even while listening to these various stories, even while doing some activities whether they be worldly or spiritual, a person has to constantly remember the ultimate reality that there is only Lord here, one without a second. This constant remembrance alone can lead a person to realization of his own very nature of Lord. There is no other path to realization or eternal bliss. Those who consider themselves as enjoying and happy are not at all different from pigs in the story of Uddhava where the pigs refused to go to heaven because they wanted filth and other stuff which is “their” happiness. We consider ourselves happy but forget that this happiness is temporary and will vanish any moment.

The moment a person loses something in the world, he becomes sad. A person thinks that he is happy with his children. But the moment his children take decisions against him, he becomes sad. This is the state of happiness achieved from external sense objects. The realization of one’s own very nature of Lord alone can give a person eternal bliss. Other things will seem to give happiness but they will be giving sorrow alone.

Thus the Lord clearly says in Gita:
Ye hi samsparshajaa bhogaah dukha yonaya eva te Adhyantha viheenah kaunteya na teshu ramathe budhah

That happiness which is derived from contact with sense objects is the cause of sorrow only. As they are devoid of beginning and end, wise people never take resort to them.

That which is not there in the beginning and end is only an illusion that seems to be there in the present or middle. Dream worlds are not there in the beginning and in the end after a person wakes up – therefore they are not there in the middle also. Similar is the case with the objects in the world. We didn’t see our child yesterday and he is there today. But tomorrow, he will surely not be there – thus the child is also an illusion only. Thus analyzing and understanding, wise people never take resort to worldly objects. Instead they always contemplate on the eternal entity of Lord who alone is present as the substratum of the illusory world and its objects.

Let the analysis of various stories in Srimad Bhagavatham lead us to constant contemplation on the reality so that we will realize the ultimate reality of Lord this very second itself.