Tuesday, March 07, 2006
A Spiritual Insight - Story 9 - Birth of Parikshit
Srimad Bhagavatham – A Spiritual Insight - Story 9 - Birth of Parikshit
Shaunaka questioned Suta thus:
After being rescued by Sri Krishna, what happened to Parikshit. Please tell us about the exploits of Parikshit hearing which we may gain knowledge about the ultimate reality.
Suta explained to them: When Uttara was enveloped with the fire of Brahma Astra fired by Aswattaama, the child Parikshit found a very small purusha (Angustamaatra purusham – this is the very word used in Upanishads also to explain about the ultimate reality of Brahman) who through his mace destroyed the fire of Brahma Astra (which is indestructible in nature and inevitable).
Parikshit thus saw the form of the Lord with four hands each holding a lotus, conch, mace and chakra – the form which is resplendent and shining, which is all-pervasive and attractive in nature.
And Parikshit started enquiring about his savior once he came out of his mother’s womb. From his preceptors, he learned the glories of the Lord through learning of the scriptures (Gita, Upanishads etc.). Since he was born after being tested, he was called Parikshit (one who is born after a Pareeksha or testing in the form of the astra fire). The Pandavaas called great astrologers to predict the life of Parikshit. The astrologers who were Brahmanaas explained the life of Parikshit. They told that the king will do all good activities, will conquer Kali, serve his people very well & finally will learn the ultimate reality from Shuka (in the form the study of Srimad Bhagavatham) and then get liberated.
With the instruction and grace of Sri Krishna, Pandavas performed various yajnaas and got the benefit out of those yajnaas. Once the yajnaas were completed successfully, Krishna then returned back to Dwaraka.
Explanation
We are currently discussing the 12th chapter of the 1st Skanda. Here there are some important things being explained by Suta through parikshit and the Brahmanas (who answer the pandavas as to the future life of Parikshit).
A seeker should always be willing to spend time to hear about the ultimate reality. Until the goal that is to be achieved is known, all actions will be waste & like pouring water into a container which is kept upside down (so that nothing goes in). The goal to be realized in life is the ultimate reality of Lord or Brahman or Consciousness. Each and every one of us are already the Lord alone. But this knowledge has been veiled by ignorance. The starting process of removal of this ignorance veil is hearing about the ultimate reality which has been forgotten.
Thus, the first step is to enquire and hear about the ultimate reality from a competent teacher or Guru. Guru is one who is well versed in the Vedas (not just slokas but in the truth about the slokas) and is a BrahmaNistha (one who is established in the ultimate reality of Brahman or the Lord). Here in Srimad Bhagavatham we find Shaunaka sages questioning Suta in order to hear and know about the ultimate reality. This interest in spiritual matters – to know about the ultimate reality is very much essential for a seeker.
Quantity of time input for spiritual practice is not important but quality is important. If a person is able to spend 1 hour completely contemplating on the Lord, then that is more than sufficient to keep the thought of Lord during the rest 23 hours in a day. Instead if a person just remembers God without much concentration for 12 hours – it will be of no use because his mind is not completely focused on the ultimate reality.
Sadguru Mata Amritanandamayi Devi explains this with a beautiful story of child Krishna and his mother Yashoda. Once Krishna was being fed milk by Yashoda. At that time, Yashoda had kept small quantity of milk for warming (boiling). Krishna was very hungry at that time. But Yashoda’s concentration was on the milk kept for warming. Thus, she left Krishna in the middle (he being very hungry!!!!) and went to look the milk which was kept for warming. She took care of the milk & then returned back. To her surprise, she saw that Krishna had broken all the ghee kept in the room as he was very hungry!!!!! Thus, all the ghee was lost for the sake of little milk!!!!!
The Lord doesn’t require anything from us other than our attention and concentration. This attention is also not for the sake of the Lord but for our sake alone – God is perfect and complete – thus he never requires anything from either a jnaani or an ajnaani – either a bhaktha or a non-bhaktha. He considers each and very one as the same only. All the beings in the world are same for the Lord since he is the substratum of these illusory beings.
But attention and concentration are important for the ignorant seeker so that he progresses towards his own real nature of Consciousness or Lord who is present in him & who is his own very nature.
The above story tells us that we need to concentrate on the reality if we need to overcome sorrow & sufferings in the world. If we don’t mind the reality, then the reality will also not mind us (because the reality has no connection whatsoever with this illusory world except that it is the substratum and unaffected by anything & everything).
When the seeker runs after limited pleasures got from the external world, what he is losing is the abundant and infinite bliss inherent in himself. Thus, it is a big loss for a seeker because the limited sensual pleasures give happiness in the beginning and then they lead to sorrow alone (as is over daily experience. The wife gives happiness initially but after some time, it becomes boring & moreover when the wife dies, remembrance of the wife gives sorrow. The same wife thought gives happiness and sorrow to the individual).
Thus, a seeker should always be focused to hear about the ultimate reality so that he is able to contemplate on the reality that “I am the Lord, the Lord is present in Me, my very nature is Lord of the nature of Consciousness and Bliss absolute”.
When there is earnestness in the seeker, the Lord or the Self appears to the seeker in the form of the teacher or Guru & then instructs him about the ultimate reality. Thus, here Suta instructs Shaunaka about the ultimate reality of Consciousness or Lord who saved the devotee of Uttara and her child Parikshit in the womb itself.
Here, a seeker might have the doubt that how come Krishna could enter into the womb of Uttara (in a very small form) and then destroy the indestructible Brahma Astra???
Vedanta says that anything & everything is possible in the world because it is only an illusion like the dream state. The stronger one’s thoughts or Sankalpaas become, the more chances of them becoming real in the world. This is why when a person concentrates for IIT, he gets through because of strong concentration. Moreover, nothing in the world is explainable. Even the world itself is not explainable – its causes, its changing nature, the objects & things in the world, the various laws etc.
The normal theory that is told by so-called Bhakthaas about the creation of the world is that it is God’s play. Even Srimad Bhagavatham mentions it – but even before mentioning that it is God’s play, Bhagavatham tells us that there is nothing here but only Brahman or the Lord – whatever exists is the Lord alone. If the Lord is perfect and complete, then why did he have the desire to create? And that too, create imperfect beings in the world? J Is this the play of the Lord? Will a person who knows acting very well ever act very badly in a film? Will a potter who creates pot & is very skilled create bad pots? Moreover, in the beginning there was the Lord alone. Then where from did he get the material to create the world? Did he change into the world (that would mean that he is changing and hence is not eternal and is subject to death!!!!)? These are thus not at all possible.
Similar to the above questions of creation of the world, many such questions can be asked about the things in the world. These questions neither the scientists can answer nor the so-called devotees who don’t know who is the Lord (of the nature of Consciousness).
Vedanta beautifully answers all these questions by telling that the world is never created. The world is only an illusion in the ultimate reality of Consciousness or Lord. Whatever is present is the Lord alone. There is nothing here but the Lord alone. It is only ignorance which causes an individual to think that there is duality present in the world. When this ignorance is removed, the all-pervading and non-dual reality of Lord or Consciousness is realized.
Thus, this world is only an illusion in the substratum of Lord or Consciousness. AS the dreamer in the dream world alone is real, similarly the Lord alone is real and the world is only an illusion like the dream world. If many things can happen in the dream world, similar things can happen in the waking world also. All these so-called impossible things in the waking world are only illusions superimposed on the ultimate reality of Lord.
If the Lord who is perfect has created the world, why can’t he do impossible things? Yes, there is nothing impossible for the lord or Brahman or the ultimate reality.
Vedanta goes one step further and asserts that there is no world created here. Since there is no world created here, then what illusion and what magic or what impossible is there in the not created world? There is nothing here but Brahman alone – everything else is only an illusion in the Lord or Brahman of the nature of Existence, Consciousness and Bliss absolute.
Then isn’t the form of Vishnu (four-handed form) real?
Bhagavatham itself has stated previously that the avatars or descents of the Lord are nothing but illusions only and forms of the formless Lord (this is contradictory and can mean only that the forms are mere illusions). But the forms are useful for contemplation. As a person can never contemplate on the formless Subject of Brahman, therefore various forms have been prescribed in the Upanishads for concentration. When the seeker concentrates on a form, that form becomes everything for him. He sees the form everywhere – what happens then is that the form vanishes & then he realizes the formless Subject of Lord or Consciousness.
Every form has some significance for the seeker – it is used to point out some important import in the path of spirituality. The form if Vishnu also has a very important import to the seeker.
Vishnu has four hands in which he holds the following – a lotus, conch, mace and sudharshan chakra.
Vishnu always tells the seeker to look at the lotus. Lotus resembles purity – the Self or the inner nature of the individual seeker is pure at all times. Lotus is that which is unaffected by the water even though it lives in water. Similarly the Self even though is present in the illusory world, but it is not at all affected by the activities in the world because it is the substratum of the illusory world. Thus, Vishnu tells each seeker to look into himself & find out the ultimate reality of Lord or Self which is his own real nature. If this is not heeded, then he blows the conch to get the attention of the seeker. If still, the seeker doesn’t heed, then he gives a blow on the head of the seeker with the mace. If still the seeker doesn’t heed, then he is a given a strong blow by the sudharshan chakra.
These strong blows are what we normally term as FATE and strange bad or sorrowful incidents like death of partner, death of loved ones, failure in various exams etc.
When we encounter such strong failures, we naturally tend to take refuge in the Lord & thereby realize our own very nature of Lord. Thus, the form of Vishnu is meant to tell the seeker that if you yourself seek the Self or the Lord, then it is good for you!!! Else, you will be forced to do it with beatings!!! (like a small kid is made to do things with beatings from its mother!!!!)
The Pandavas were very devoted to the Lord and hence Lord in the form of Krishna saved the child Parikshit. Parikshit did not stop after being rescued but instead he was always looking for the Lord & hearing his glories. This is what is the nature of a real devotee. He never forgets the Lord once his desires are gratified by the Lord – but instead he always seeks the Lord until the ultimate reality of oneness of the devotee and the Lord is realized.
But we find most of the so-called devotees praying to the Lord for money among other things. Once they get it, they forget the Lord. And if Lord doesn’t support their desires or fulfills them, then they curse the Lord or forget the Lord!!!!
Srimad Bhagavatham thus here says that a seeker should never forget the ultimate reality. Whatever actions he does, he should remember the ultimate reality that everything is the Lord alone. If the reality is forgotten, then what remains is sorrows & sufferings alone.
Here we find that the Pandavas remembered Krishna & did various sacrifices and all of them were successful.
Let us all also try to remember the ultimate reality of Lord and offer all actions unto the ultimate reality which is the substratum for the illusory world.
Shaunaka questioned Suta thus:
After being rescued by Sri Krishna, what happened to Parikshit. Please tell us about the exploits of Parikshit hearing which we may gain knowledge about the ultimate reality.
Suta explained to them: When Uttara was enveloped with the fire of Brahma Astra fired by Aswattaama, the child Parikshit found a very small purusha (Angustamaatra purusham – this is the very word used in Upanishads also to explain about the ultimate reality of Brahman) who through his mace destroyed the fire of Brahma Astra (which is indestructible in nature and inevitable).
Parikshit thus saw the form of the Lord with four hands each holding a lotus, conch, mace and chakra – the form which is resplendent and shining, which is all-pervasive and attractive in nature.
And Parikshit started enquiring about his savior once he came out of his mother’s womb. From his preceptors, he learned the glories of the Lord through learning of the scriptures (Gita, Upanishads etc.). Since he was born after being tested, he was called Parikshit (one who is born after a Pareeksha or testing in the form of the astra fire). The Pandavaas called great astrologers to predict the life of Parikshit. The astrologers who were Brahmanaas explained the life of Parikshit. They told that the king will do all good activities, will conquer Kali, serve his people very well & finally will learn the ultimate reality from Shuka (in the form the study of Srimad Bhagavatham) and then get liberated.
With the instruction and grace of Sri Krishna, Pandavas performed various yajnaas and got the benefit out of those yajnaas. Once the yajnaas were completed successfully, Krishna then returned back to Dwaraka.
Explanation
We are currently discussing the 12th chapter of the 1st Skanda. Here there are some important things being explained by Suta through parikshit and the Brahmanas (who answer the pandavas as to the future life of Parikshit).
A seeker should always be willing to spend time to hear about the ultimate reality. Until the goal that is to be achieved is known, all actions will be waste & like pouring water into a container which is kept upside down (so that nothing goes in). The goal to be realized in life is the ultimate reality of Lord or Brahman or Consciousness. Each and every one of us are already the Lord alone. But this knowledge has been veiled by ignorance. The starting process of removal of this ignorance veil is hearing about the ultimate reality which has been forgotten.
Thus, the first step is to enquire and hear about the ultimate reality from a competent teacher or Guru. Guru is one who is well versed in the Vedas (not just slokas but in the truth about the slokas) and is a BrahmaNistha (one who is established in the ultimate reality of Brahman or the Lord). Here in Srimad Bhagavatham we find Shaunaka sages questioning Suta in order to hear and know about the ultimate reality. This interest in spiritual matters – to know about the ultimate reality is very much essential for a seeker.
Quantity of time input for spiritual practice is not important but quality is important. If a person is able to spend 1 hour completely contemplating on the Lord, then that is more than sufficient to keep the thought of Lord during the rest 23 hours in a day. Instead if a person just remembers God without much concentration for 12 hours – it will be of no use because his mind is not completely focused on the ultimate reality.
Sadguru Mata Amritanandamayi Devi explains this with a beautiful story of child Krishna and his mother Yashoda. Once Krishna was being fed milk by Yashoda. At that time, Yashoda had kept small quantity of milk for warming (boiling). Krishna was very hungry at that time. But Yashoda’s concentration was on the milk kept for warming. Thus, she left Krishna in the middle (he being very hungry!!!!) and went to look the milk which was kept for warming. She took care of the milk & then returned back. To her surprise, she saw that Krishna had broken all the ghee kept in the room as he was very hungry!!!!! Thus, all the ghee was lost for the sake of little milk!!!!!
The Lord doesn’t require anything from us other than our attention and concentration. This attention is also not for the sake of the Lord but for our sake alone – God is perfect and complete – thus he never requires anything from either a jnaani or an ajnaani – either a bhaktha or a non-bhaktha. He considers each and very one as the same only. All the beings in the world are same for the Lord since he is the substratum of these illusory beings.
But attention and concentration are important for the ignorant seeker so that he progresses towards his own real nature of Consciousness or Lord who is present in him & who is his own very nature.
The above story tells us that we need to concentrate on the reality if we need to overcome sorrow & sufferings in the world. If we don’t mind the reality, then the reality will also not mind us (because the reality has no connection whatsoever with this illusory world except that it is the substratum and unaffected by anything & everything).
When the seeker runs after limited pleasures got from the external world, what he is losing is the abundant and infinite bliss inherent in himself. Thus, it is a big loss for a seeker because the limited sensual pleasures give happiness in the beginning and then they lead to sorrow alone (as is over daily experience. The wife gives happiness initially but after some time, it becomes boring & moreover when the wife dies, remembrance of the wife gives sorrow. The same wife thought gives happiness and sorrow to the individual).
Thus, a seeker should always be focused to hear about the ultimate reality so that he is able to contemplate on the reality that “I am the Lord, the Lord is present in Me, my very nature is Lord of the nature of Consciousness and Bliss absolute”.
When there is earnestness in the seeker, the Lord or the Self appears to the seeker in the form of the teacher or Guru & then instructs him about the ultimate reality. Thus, here Suta instructs Shaunaka about the ultimate reality of Consciousness or Lord who saved the devotee of Uttara and her child Parikshit in the womb itself.
Here, a seeker might have the doubt that how come Krishna could enter into the womb of Uttara (in a very small form) and then destroy the indestructible Brahma Astra???
Vedanta says that anything & everything is possible in the world because it is only an illusion like the dream state. The stronger one’s thoughts or Sankalpaas become, the more chances of them becoming real in the world. This is why when a person concentrates for IIT, he gets through because of strong concentration. Moreover, nothing in the world is explainable. Even the world itself is not explainable – its causes, its changing nature, the objects & things in the world, the various laws etc.
The normal theory that is told by so-called Bhakthaas about the creation of the world is that it is God’s play. Even Srimad Bhagavatham mentions it – but even before mentioning that it is God’s play, Bhagavatham tells us that there is nothing here but only Brahman or the Lord – whatever exists is the Lord alone. If the Lord is perfect and complete, then why did he have the desire to create? And that too, create imperfect beings in the world? J Is this the play of the Lord? Will a person who knows acting very well ever act very badly in a film? Will a potter who creates pot & is very skilled create bad pots? Moreover, in the beginning there was the Lord alone. Then where from did he get the material to create the world? Did he change into the world (that would mean that he is changing and hence is not eternal and is subject to death!!!!)? These are thus not at all possible.
Similar to the above questions of creation of the world, many such questions can be asked about the things in the world. These questions neither the scientists can answer nor the so-called devotees who don’t know who is the Lord (of the nature of Consciousness).
Vedanta beautifully answers all these questions by telling that the world is never created. The world is only an illusion in the ultimate reality of Consciousness or Lord. Whatever is present is the Lord alone. There is nothing here but the Lord alone. It is only ignorance which causes an individual to think that there is duality present in the world. When this ignorance is removed, the all-pervading and non-dual reality of Lord or Consciousness is realized.
Thus, this world is only an illusion in the substratum of Lord or Consciousness. AS the dreamer in the dream world alone is real, similarly the Lord alone is real and the world is only an illusion like the dream world. If many things can happen in the dream world, similar things can happen in the waking world also. All these so-called impossible things in the waking world are only illusions superimposed on the ultimate reality of Lord.
If the Lord who is perfect has created the world, why can’t he do impossible things? Yes, there is nothing impossible for the lord or Brahman or the ultimate reality.
Vedanta goes one step further and asserts that there is no world created here. Since there is no world created here, then what illusion and what magic or what impossible is there in the not created world? There is nothing here but Brahman alone – everything else is only an illusion in the Lord or Brahman of the nature of Existence, Consciousness and Bliss absolute.
Then isn’t the form of Vishnu (four-handed form) real?
Bhagavatham itself has stated previously that the avatars or descents of the Lord are nothing but illusions only and forms of the formless Lord (this is contradictory and can mean only that the forms are mere illusions). But the forms are useful for contemplation. As a person can never contemplate on the formless Subject of Brahman, therefore various forms have been prescribed in the Upanishads for concentration. When the seeker concentrates on a form, that form becomes everything for him. He sees the form everywhere – what happens then is that the form vanishes & then he realizes the formless Subject of Lord or Consciousness.
Every form has some significance for the seeker – it is used to point out some important import in the path of spirituality. The form if Vishnu also has a very important import to the seeker.
Vishnu has four hands in which he holds the following – a lotus, conch, mace and sudharshan chakra.
Vishnu always tells the seeker to look at the lotus. Lotus resembles purity – the Self or the inner nature of the individual seeker is pure at all times. Lotus is that which is unaffected by the water even though it lives in water. Similarly the Self even though is present in the illusory world, but it is not at all affected by the activities in the world because it is the substratum of the illusory world. Thus, Vishnu tells each seeker to look into himself & find out the ultimate reality of Lord or Self which is his own real nature. If this is not heeded, then he blows the conch to get the attention of the seeker. If still, the seeker doesn’t heed, then he gives a blow on the head of the seeker with the mace. If still the seeker doesn’t heed, then he is a given a strong blow by the sudharshan chakra.
These strong blows are what we normally term as FATE and strange bad or sorrowful incidents like death of partner, death of loved ones, failure in various exams etc.
When we encounter such strong failures, we naturally tend to take refuge in the Lord & thereby realize our own very nature of Lord. Thus, the form of Vishnu is meant to tell the seeker that if you yourself seek the Self or the Lord, then it is good for you!!! Else, you will be forced to do it with beatings!!! (like a small kid is made to do things with beatings from its mother!!!!)
The Pandavas were very devoted to the Lord and hence Lord in the form of Krishna saved the child Parikshit. Parikshit did not stop after being rescued but instead he was always looking for the Lord & hearing his glories. This is what is the nature of a real devotee. He never forgets the Lord once his desires are gratified by the Lord – but instead he always seeks the Lord until the ultimate reality of oneness of the devotee and the Lord is realized.
But we find most of the so-called devotees praying to the Lord for money among other things. Once they get it, they forget the Lord. And if Lord doesn’t support their desires or fulfills them, then they curse the Lord or forget the Lord!!!!
Srimad Bhagavatham thus here says that a seeker should never forget the ultimate reality. Whatever actions he does, he should remember the ultimate reality that everything is the Lord alone. If the reality is forgotten, then what remains is sorrows & sufferings alone.
Here we find that the Pandavas remembered Krishna & did various sacrifices and all of them were successful.
Let us all also try to remember the ultimate reality of Lord and offer all actions unto the ultimate reality which is the substratum for the illusory world.
# posted by vedanta : 9:28 AM
