Thursday, December 18, 2008

Story 51 – Story of Narakaasura Vadha (killing) - Summary

We have completed yet another story of Srimad Bhagavatham. Srimad Bhagavatham is one among the various scriptural works – this is not because of the descriptive portrayal of the life of Sri Krishna nor is it because of Vishnu being praised all over but it is because Bhagavatham always focuses on the ultimate reality of Lord (who is being described in each and every story).

Bhagavatham itself speaks about its subject-matter thus:

srimadbhagavatha puranam amalam
yad vaishnavaanaam priyam
yasmin paaramahamsyam ekam
jnaanam param geeyathe

Bhagavatha Purana is very pure and dear to seekers of the reality; in which the supreme non-dual truth has been sung all over.

Who is a vaishnava?
One who is an ardent seeker of Vishnu thereby remembers Vishnu at all times is a Vaishnava. Vishnu word means one who is all-pervasive. Thus he who remembers that everything is the non-dual reality of Consciousness is a vaishnava. Such Vaishnavas consider Bhagavatham as very dear to them because Bhagavatham never strays away from Vishnu.

As we have been learning many stories of Bhagavatham, we know very well that each and every story of Bhagavatham is always focused on the ultimate reality of Lord. But it is very easy to get distracted from the reality of Lord to the mysterious world that we currently perceive. The world is very attractive that it might take our attention away from the ultimate reality of Lord. But even as a mother never loses focus of her child even when she is amidst beautiful trees or in a resort or in a museum similarly a seeker whose sole intent is eternal bliss will never stray off from the ultimate reality of Lord. This is what we have to always remember even while reading or reflecting on the various stories of Bhagavatham. If we forget the ultimate reality of Lord then we will end up with sorrow alone.

This story of Bhagavatham shows us the infinite capabilities of the Lord who controls the illusory power of Maya that is responsible for the entire world. If we are able to surrender unto the ultimate reality of Lord, then the Lord will take care of all our needs (worldly as well as spiritual). Such a surrendered seeker will be always rejoicing in bliss, so what else would he need? Such a seeker is termed in the scriptures as an apthakaama (one whose desires are fulfilled).

Surrendering unto the Lord is as simple as always remembering that the entire world is only an illusion of names and forms in the ultimate reality of Lord. Most of the times we do remember our parents or friends or lover – therefore it is not tough to shift the focus unto the ultimate reality of Lord. It becomes very easy when we remember the goal of eternal bliss that will be achieved by this surrender.

An analysis of the Ultimate Reality

We have completed yet another beautiful story of Srimad Bhagavatham. Before we begin the next story, let us try to focus on the ultimate reality of Lord.

A seeker has to always remember that the moment a person’s focus shifts from the ultimate reality of Lord to anything else, that very moment the seeker falls into the delusion of Maya which can give him nothing but sorrow alone. Even as a driver driving on a narrow road with heavy traffic will not even for a single moment let go of his concentration from the road, similarly a seeker should remember to always focus on the ultimate reality of Lord. Even as when the driver’s attention goes from the road the driver ends up in an accident, when a seeker forgets the ultimate reality of Lord he ends up in the endless ocean of samsaara which can cause sorrow and suffering alone.

We all like stories a lot – the various stories mentioned in Bhagavatham are like the anecdotes given by spiritual masters like Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Ramana Maharshi, Sadguru Mata Amritanandamayi etc. We can also find such stories mentioned in the commentaries of great commentators like Adi Sankaracharya among others. These stories are not mere stories but are stories with a deeper meaning in the form of an import. If we forget the import it is as good as not knowing the story. This can be compared to a person having the recent laptop but doesn’t know what a laptop is used for. The ancients often speak of this as a garland in the hands of a monkey – the monkey doesn’t know what the garland is therefore within moments it destroys the garland.

The various stories of Bhagavatham can make a non-believer believe in the Lord but as long as the import of the stories is not known, the believer still will end up in sorrow. As long as a person doesn’t understand the real import of all the stories of Bhagavatham as the non-dual reality of Lord and realizing that Lord as one’s own Self and pervading the entire illusory world, the person will still end up in sorrow. Only a seeker whose focus is always on the ultimate reality of Lord with the knowledge that the entire world is just an illusion of names and forms in the Lord will be able to rejoice in bliss. It is this bliss that is the goal of life for everyone – irrespective of caste, creed and other adjuncts, everyone is seeking eternal and long-lasting bliss each and every minute. As long as a person doesn’t remain focused on the truth that the entire world is nothing but the non-dual reality of Lord of the nature of Existence, Consciousness and Bliss absolute, the person will not get this bliss. As long as a person doesn’t get eternal bliss, his life will still be filled with sorrow, discontentment, dissatisfaction and incompleteness.

Bhagavatham is one among the scriptures as we can find the ultimate reality of Lord praised in all the stories and very clearly as well. Even though Bhagavatham clearly praises and tries to bring our focus on the ultimate reality of Lord if we fail to recognize and apprehend this, who is to be blamed than ourselves? Such a seeker who ignores the ever-present ultimate reality of Lord in each and every part of Bhagavatham will go from death and death as he will be constantly suffering in sorrow.

Before we start the next story of Bhagavatham in the next day, let us try to take the resolution of not forgetting the real import of the stories as the ultimate reality of Lord so that we will be able to ever rejoice in bliss and eradicate sorrow once and for all.

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