Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Story 33 - Story of Ajamila – 4
Yama continued:
Etavaaneva loke asmin pumsaam dharmah parah smritah
Bhakthiyogo bhagavathithannaama grahanaadibhih
This alone is called as Ultimate Dharma by people in the world – which is gaining devotion for the ultimate reality of Lord through chanting of his name etc.
Ajaamila got liberated by calling the name of his son Narayana. That is the importance of the name of the Lord. But it is strange that those who consider themselves as intelligent also are deluded into the illusion of Maya thereby forgetting the ultimate reality of Lord. Those who are devoid of the knowledge of the ultimate reality of Lord are deluded into various yajnaas and other activities in the world whereas the intelligent contemplate on the reality of Lord and realize their own very nature of Lord.
Therefore O Children (addressing the yama kinkaraas), don’t go near the devotees of the Lord. Bring those people to me who haven’t even looked towards the Lord. Having heard Yama’s wonderful words, the Yama Kinkaraas returned to their place contemplating on the Lord. From that day, they never look upon the devotees of the Lord.
Explanation:
We have come to the end of the story of Ajaamila. Here Yama is making it clear as to what is Ultimate Dharma. Dharma at the empirical level is doing one’s own duties but at the ultimate level, it is nothing but constant contemplation of the ultimate reality of Lord. This is the Para Dharma or ultimate duty of any being in the world. We all are the very Lord alone – but we have forgotten our own very nature due to ignorance. When we contemplate on the ultimate reality of Lord at all times, the ignorance veil vanishes & we realize that we are nothing but the Lord alone. Since our own very nature is the Lord & we have forgotten it, it is our prime duty to realize our own very nature of Lord.
We normally at the empirical level call those who don’t have any intellect and memory MAD PEOPLE. If we extend this to our own very nature of Self, then we all are MAD PEOPLE who are unaware of our own nature itself. Thus it is our prime duty to realize our own very nature of Lord. This is what is the prime duty of Dharma of each one of us.
Thus Yama says here that the prime duty is to get devotion for the ultimate reality of Lord. Devotion here is nothing but constant contemplation of the Lord through the different activitites like hearing to his glories, singing his glories, chanting his name etc.
Devotion is defined by Narada thus in Narada Bhakthi Sutras:
Naradah tu tad arpita akhila aachaarathaa tad vismarane parama vyaakulathaa cha
As per narada, bhakthi is offering all actions unto the Lord & getting dejected when the Lord is forgotten (vyaakula bhava is the feeling which a fish has when it is thrown onto land).
Only when a seeker is devoted to the reality of Lord can be constantly think & contemplated on the Lord. When the seeker realizes that he is nothing without the Lord, he is incapable of doing anything without the presence or grace of the Lord, then he completely surrenders to the Lord offering all actions to the Lord & continously thinking about the Lord. This devotion is pure love wherein there is no expectation, no limitation, no bondage but only love exists. We can find such devotion in Raadha and Meera wherein they were completely devoted to the Lord. The Lord was beyond anything and everything for them. They were completely focussed on the Lord. Meera renounced everything (even her husband) for the sake of the Lord. This is pure devotion where the devotee forgets and renounces everything for the sake of the Lord. The Lord is not sacrificed for the sake of husband or wife or children or friends – instead everything is sacrificed for the Lord.
When a seeker gains such pure devotion towards the Lord, he completely surrenders & totally merges into the Lord – thus the ignorance veil which causes the devotee to think that he is different from the Lord, he is suffering in the ocean of samsaara etc. vanish & he realizes that there is nothing but the Lord alone, one without a second.
Yama thus says that intelligent people always contemplate on the Lord through pure devotion. Intelligence as we know is knowledge about the illusory objective world. But real intelligence is knowing one’s own very nature of Lord & knowing that there is nothing here but the Lord alone. Thus those who dont strive for the reality of Lord are not intelligent people but considering themselves intelligent and free even though they dont know their own nature of Lord.
Yama finally says to his kinkaraas not to go near the devotees of the Lord. This is a kind of reinstating the Lord’s promise to his devotees in Gita that “I will take care of you”. Thus Yama or death and his followers never come near devotees. Death is forgetfulness of the Lord causing sufferings and sorrows – thus the devotee never suffers but will always be immersed in the eternal bliss of the Lord.
We come to an end of the story of Ajaamila – we will have a brief summary of the story in the next day and then continue with the next story.
Explanation
We come to the end of the story of Ajaamila in Srimad Bhagavatham. As we have been discussing till now, all the various stories are means to get devotion to the ultimate reality of Lord through which a person crosses over the ocean of samsaara (full of sorrows and sufferings) and realizes his own very nature of eternal bliss. Thus these stories are not mere stories to be listened and forgotten but these are stories which have imports in them that have to be implemented in life by each and every seeker in the world.
The ultimate reality of Lord alone is real – whatever else we see is only an illusion in the reality of Lord. The duality that is perceived is only an illusion in the non-dual reality of Lord. If the Lord is present, everything is there. If the Lord is not there, there is nothing at all. This clearly shows that the objects that we perceive are dependent on the Lord whereas the Lord is independent. Any dependent entity is only an illusion in the independent entity even as a variable is only an illusion in the constant (a variable is at any point of time a constant alone – it has no existence apart from the constant). Thus the objects which we perceive (this includes the body, mind, intellect and Ego also) are only illusions in the reality of Lord. We all are nothing but the Lord alone – but we seem to have forgotten our own very nature of Lord. Thus the primary dharma or duty of each person in the world is to realize his own very nature of Lord. This is possible only through pure devotion to the reality of Lord. Devotion has to be total and complete – there should be complete surrender on the part of the devotee so that there is no separate existence for the devotee but the devotee merges into the reality of Lord. This aspect of merging into the Lord is what Bhagavatham calls as Atma Nivedanam – the final of the nine forms of Bhakthi towards the Lord.
Thus Yama pointed out in this story that the ultimate dharma of a being is gaining devotion to the ultimate reality of Lord so that he may constantly contemplate on the reality of Lord and merge into the reality of Lord. All other things even if they are as per vedic injunctions are not dharma. An action becomes dharma when it is associated with constant contemplation of the reality of Lord. Thus even if a person does the worse action of killing another person but remembering the Lord, such an action is DHARMA alone because it is associated with contemplation on the ultimate reality of Lord.
This story also clearly brings out the fact that a devotee of the Lord never perishes. Even death fears such a devotee of the Lord. Death represents the sorrows and sufferings of a person. But for the real devotee of the Lord, there is no sorrow at all because everything is an offering to the Lord & since everything is associated with thought of the Lord, there is only bliss. If something good happens, the devotee considers it as the WISH OF THE LORD. If something bad happens, the devotee considers it as the WILL OF THE LORD. Thus there is neither good nor bad for a real devotee but everything is a presence of the Lord, all actions are means to contemplate on the reality of Lord.
We find that Ajaamila who uttered the name of his son which was the same as the name of Lord was liberated from the clutches of death. Thus here Bhagavatham points out that if mere chanting of the name of the Lord (unknowingly) has so much effect, then what to speak about knowingly chanting of the name of the Lord.
Thus Sankara points out in his Vishnu Sahasranaama Bhashya
Jnaanatho ajnaanatho va api vaasudevasya keerthanaat
Tat sarvam layam yaathi thoyastham lavanasthathaa
Knowingly or unknowingly if a person utters the name of the Lord, he crosses over the ocean of samsaara even as salt completely merges into water (similarly the devotee merges completely into the ultimate reality of Lord).
Thus Yama reinstates the promise given the Lord in Gita that “my devotee never perishes” by ordering his kinkaraas not to go near the devotees of the Lord. This in turn means that whoever is a real devotee of the Lord, he never suffers but he is always immersed in the thought of the Lord. Since Lord is of the nature of eternal bliss, the devotee is always immersed in the eternal bliss of the Lord.
Thus bhagavatham is telling each one of us to become real devotees of the Lord thereby following the ultimate dharma of constant contemplation on the Lord & merging into the Lord for ever. Let us all try to be real devotees by implementing the imports given in each of the story of Srimad Bhagavatham.
We will start with the next story in the next.
Etavaaneva loke asmin pumsaam dharmah parah smritah
Bhakthiyogo bhagavathithannaama grahanaadibhih
This alone is called as Ultimate Dharma by people in the world – which is gaining devotion for the ultimate reality of Lord through chanting of his name etc.
Ajaamila got liberated by calling the name of his son Narayana. That is the importance of the name of the Lord. But it is strange that those who consider themselves as intelligent also are deluded into the illusion of Maya thereby forgetting the ultimate reality of Lord. Those who are devoid of the knowledge of the ultimate reality of Lord are deluded into various yajnaas and other activities in the world whereas the intelligent contemplate on the reality of Lord and realize their own very nature of Lord.
Therefore O Children (addressing the yama kinkaraas), don’t go near the devotees of the Lord. Bring those people to me who haven’t even looked towards the Lord. Having heard Yama’s wonderful words, the Yama Kinkaraas returned to their place contemplating on the Lord. From that day, they never look upon the devotees of the Lord.
Explanation:
We have come to the end of the story of Ajaamila. Here Yama is making it clear as to what is Ultimate Dharma. Dharma at the empirical level is doing one’s own duties but at the ultimate level, it is nothing but constant contemplation of the ultimate reality of Lord. This is the Para Dharma or ultimate duty of any being in the world. We all are the very Lord alone – but we have forgotten our own very nature due to ignorance. When we contemplate on the ultimate reality of Lord at all times, the ignorance veil vanishes & we realize that we are nothing but the Lord alone. Since our own very nature is the Lord & we have forgotten it, it is our prime duty to realize our own very nature of Lord.
We normally at the empirical level call those who don’t have any intellect and memory MAD PEOPLE. If we extend this to our own very nature of Self, then we all are MAD PEOPLE who are unaware of our own nature itself. Thus it is our prime duty to realize our own very nature of Lord. This is what is the prime duty of Dharma of each one of us.
Thus Yama says here that the prime duty is to get devotion for the ultimate reality of Lord. Devotion here is nothing but constant contemplation of the Lord through the different activitites like hearing to his glories, singing his glories, chanting his name etc.
Devotion is defined by Narada thus in Narada Bhakthi Sutras:
Naradah tu tad arpita akhila aachaarathaa tad vismarane parama vyaakulathaa cha
As per narada, bhakthi is offering all actions unto the Lord & getting dejected when the Lord is forgotten (vyaakula bhava is the feeling which a fish has when it is thrown onto land).
Only when a seeker is devoted to the reality of Lord can be constantly think & contemplated on the Lord. When the seeker realizes that he is nothing without the Lord, he is incapable of doing anything without the presence or grace of the Lord, then he completely surrenders to the Lord offering all actions to the Lord & continously thinking about the Lord. This devotion is pure love wherein there is no expectation, no limitation, no bondage but only love exists. We can find such devotion in Raadha and Meera wherein they were completely devoted to the Lord. The Lord was beyond anything and everything for them. They were completely focussed on the Lord. Meera renounced everything (even her husband) for the sake of the Lord. This is pure devotion where the devotee forgets and renounces everything for the sake of the Lord. The Lord is not sacrificed for the sake of husband or wife or children or friends – instead everything is sacrificed for the Lord.
When a seeker gains such pure devotion towards the Lord, he completely surrenders & totally merges into the Lord – thus the ignorance veil which causes the devotee to think that he is different from the Lord, he is suffering in the ocean of samsaara etc. vanish & he realizes that there is nothing but the Lord alone, one without a second.
Yama thus says that intelligent people always contemplate on the Lord through pure devotion. Intelligence as we know is knowledge about the illusory objective world. But real intelligence is knowing one’s own very nature of Lord & knowing that there is nothing here but the Lord alone. Thus those who dont strive for the reality of Lord are not intelligent people but considering themselves intelligent and free even though they dont know their own nature of Lord.
Yama finally says to his kinkaraas not to go near the devotees of the Lord. This is a kind of reinstating the Lord’s promise to his devotees in Gita that “I will take care of you”. Thus Yama or death and his followers never come near devotees. Death is forgetfulness of the Lord causing sufferings and sorrows – thus the devotee never suffers but will always be immersed in the eternal bliss of the Lord.
We come to an end of the story of Ajaamila – we will have a brief summary of the story in the next day and then continue with the next story.
Explanation
We come to the end of the story of Ajaamila in Srimad Bhagavatham. As we have been discussing till now, all the various stories are means to get devotion to the ultimate reality of Lord through which a person crosses over the ocean of samsaara (full of sorrows and sufferings) and realizes his own very nature of eternal bliss. Thus these stories are not mere stories to be listened and forgotten but these are stories which have imports in them that have to be implemented in life by each and every seeker in the world.
The ultimate reality of Lord alone is real – whatever else we see is only an illusion in the reality of Lord. The duality that is perceived is only an illusion in the non-dual reality of Lord. If the Lord is present, everything is there. If the Lord is not there, there is nothing at all. This clearly shows that the objects that we perceive are dependent on the Lord whereas the Lord is independent. Any dependent entity is only an illusion in the independent entity even as a variable is only an illusion in the constant (a variable is at any point of time a constant alone – it has no existence apart from the constant). Thus the objects which we perceive (this includes the body, mind, intellect and Ego also) are only illusions in the reality of Lord. We all are nothing but the Lord alone – but we seem to have forgotten our own very nature of Lord. Thus the primary dharma or duty of each person in the world is to realize his own very nature of Lord. This is possible only through pure devotion to the reality of Lord. Devotion has to be total and complete – there should be complete surrender on the part of the devotee so that there is no separate existence for the devotee but the devotee merges into the reality of Lord. This aspect of merging into the Lord is what Bhagavatham calls as Atma Nivedanam – the final of the nine forms of Bhakthi towards the Lord.
Thus Yama pointed out in this story that the ultimate dharma of a being is gaining devotion to the ultimate reality of Lord so that he may constantly contemplate on the reality of Lord and merge into the reality of Lord. All other things even if they are as per vedic injunctions are not dharma. An action becomes dharma when it is associated with constant contemplation of the reality of Lord. Thus even if a person does the worse action of killing another person but remembering the Lord, such an action is DHARMA alone because it is associated with contemplation on the ultimate reality of Lord.
This story also clearly brings out the fact that a devotee of the Lord never perishes. Even death fears such a devotee of the Lord. Death represents the sorrows and sufferings of a person. But for the real devotee of the Lord, there is no sorrow at all because everything is an offering to the Lord & since everything is associated with thought of the Lord, there is only bliss. If something good happens, the devotee considers it as the WISH OF THE LORD. If something bad happens, the devotee considers it as the WILL OF THE LORD. Thus there is neither good nor bad for a real devotee but everything is a presence of the Lord, all actions are means to contemplate on the reality of Lord.
We find that Ajaamila who uttered the name of his son which was the same as the name of Lord was liberated from the clutches of death. Thus here Bhagavatham points out that if mere chanting of the name of the Lord (unknowingly) has so much effect, then what to speak about knowingly chanting of the name of the Lord.
Thus Sankara points out in his Vishnu Sahasranaama Bhashya
Jnaanatho ajnaanatho va api vaasudevasya keerthanaat
Tat sarvam layam yaathi thoyastham lavanasthathaa
Knowingly or unknowingly if a person utters the name of the Lord, he crosses over the ocean of samsaara even as salt completely merges into water (similarly the devotee merges completely into the ultimate reality of Lord).
Thus Yama reinstates the promise given the Lord in Gita that “my devotee never perishes” by ordering his kinkaraas not to go near the devotees of the Lord. This in turn means that whoever is a real devotee of the Lord, he never suffers but he is always immersed in the thought of the Lord. Since Lord is of the nature of eternal bliss, the devotee is always immersed in the eternal bliss of the Lord.
Thus bhagavatham is telling each one of us to become real devotees of the Lord thereby following the ultimate dharma of constant contemplation on the Lord & merging into the Lord for ever. Let us all try to be real devotees by implementing the imports given in each of the story of Srimad Bhagavatham.
We will start with the next story in the next.
# posted by vedanta : 8:12 PM
