Srimad Bhagavatham

Usha who was playing sensually with Aniruddha was noticed by the guards. The guards could see the characteristics of being a man in Usha. They informed this to Baana. Confused and worried, Baana ran towards Usha’s room.

Explanation

Many people will ask “what is the problem with leading a worldly life filled with desires and passions”. We find here in Baana’s reaction to the news delivered by his guards the answer to the above question.

As long as there are passions in the form of attachment and aversion (raga-dvesha) to anything in the entire world (except to the ultimate reality of Lord), the outcome will always be sorrow only. The Lord clearly mentions this thus in Gita (showing the various stages through which a simple meditation on an object goes through till complete destruction).

Dhyaayatho vishayaan pumsah sangasteshu upajaayathe
Sangaat samjaayathe kaamaah kaamaat krodhobhijaayathe
Krodhaat bhavathi sammohah sammohaat smrithi vibhramaa
Smrithi bhramshaat buddhinaasho buddhinaashaat pranashyathi

When a person meditates on a person/object, he gets attached to it. Attachment leads to kaama (strong desire to maintain the object); when at times the object is lost or decays, attachment becomes anger; anger leads to delusion; delusion leads to los of memory; loss of memory leads to destruction of intellect (proper discrimination); destruction of intellect thereby destroys the person completely.

When something good or bad happens to the person we are attached to, we get excited or angry. Any fluctuation in the mental state of a person (emotions) is like tides of the ocean. Even as the tides are not good for anyone, similarly the mental emotions aren’t good for the seeker. These emotions take a person away from the peaceful state. Even as a pendulum at the extreme positions is restless, similarly the mind becomes restless when in emotions. But once the pendulum’s middle position is achieved (where there is no longer any movement), the pendulum is resting. Similarly the state of the mind where the mind just perceives the world as such without getting into emotions is the resting state or peaceful state.

We as seekers of eternal bliss have to start practicing to go beyond attachment and aversion so that we are able to maintain the calmness of the mind. A person whose mind is ever calm is a jeevan muktha (realized person) who is ever blissful. Thus attachment and aversion even if it is to the most insignificant thing in the world will cause only our destruction whereas the way to eternal bliss is to go beyond attachment and aversion.

It isn’t tough at all to go beyond attachment and aversion; the moment a seeker sees one Ishwara everywhere, attachment and aversion vanishes completely to make the seeker ever rejoice in bliss (even when the entire world collapses).

Let us try to go beyond attachment and aversion by always contemplating on the truth that “everything is Ishwara” so that our mind doesn’t cause our own destruction and instead leads us to rejoice in bliss.

In Usha’s room Baana found Aniruddha. Baana saw the most-beautiful Aniruddha playing chaturanga game (similar to chess) with Usha. First the guards of Baana attacked Aniruddha with various weapons. But unable to stand and fight in front of Aniruddha they ran away.

Explanation

Though what we are going to discuss doesn’t have any direct relation to the story part today but still it is worth knowing. How can we scare away the various asuras? Asuras don’t necessarily mean the asura parampara (asura generations) but anything that veils and obstructs us from remembering the ultimate reality of Lord is an asura. Even if it is japa and it obstructs us from remembering the ultimate reality of Lord, then those are asuras. If asuras obstruct us from remembering the ultimate reality of Lord, then the way to scare away asuras is also very simple – remembrance of the Lord in whatever way possible (through any means).

Wherever the Lord’s thoughts are present, no asuras can live in that particular place. We find this in the story of Markandeya. Markandeya’s time to die came and Yama came to pick up Markandeya. But Markandeya’s parents didn’t want to let go of their young son and hence Markandeya refused to go with Yama. Instead Markandeya caught hold of a Siva linga not to let go of Lord Siva. Seeing this Yama decided that if Markandeya cannot leg go of the siva linga, he could take the siva linga along with Markandeya. This is exactly what Yama tried but Yama was unsuccessful in his attempt. The Lord then arrives there granting more life to Markandeya and overruling Yama.

We find the same incident happening in a different way in the story of Ajamila who called out his son Narayana while dying. Though he meant to call out his son but since the name was that of the Lord, therefore a battle ensues between the guards of Yama and Narayana (the guards of Yama wanted to take Ajamila to naraka/hell because he had done lot of bad deeds but the guards of Narayana wouldn’t let them do so as saying the name of the Lord is enough to destroy all bad deeds). Yama’s guards fail and thereby they return sadly to Yama. Yama then advises them to stay away from the devotees of Narayana.

Thus the very thought of the ultimate reality of Lord as pervading the entire world is enough to get rid of all that will lead us to sorrow (both internally and externally). This means that a seeker has to always try to have the thought of the Lord in his mind. Even as a lover is constantly thinking about his love, the seeker has to always contemplate on the ultimate reality of Lord. This is very simple to do as this doesn’t involve anything externally but just the mental desire and conviction to remember the Lord in one part of our mind.

We will continue with the story in the next day.

Let us try to always remember the ultimate reality of Lord in our mind so that all that causes us sorrow will instantly vanish and thereby we will be able to ever rejoice in bliss.