Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Story 12 – Ascent of Pandavas to heaven
Srimad Bhagavatham – A Spiritual Insight - Story 12 – Ascent of Pandavas to heaven
Suta Continues (Skandha 1 chapter 15 ends with this posting)
Once Krishna had shed his mortal coil, Yudhisthira felt that the world was entering into bad times or moments. Therefore, he made Parikshit the King and mentally renounced everything ranging from kingdom, wife, dress etc. Thus he was liberated of the enemies of greed and delusion.
Having renounced everything and being liberated from everything, Yudhishtira was relieved of “I” (Ego) and “Mine” and thus all his bondages were destroyed.
Yudhishthira then contemplated on the ultimate reality and thereby was liberated then and there itself. Thus, after this he started towards the upper path (towards heaven). Seeing Yudhisthira leave the kingdom, his brothers too left the place and followed him. Draupadi concentrated on the Lord and was liberated.
Suta concludes by saying that any person who hears this story with devotion (apprehending the meaning and implementing it in life), they are liberated (by getting supreme devotion on the ultimate reality of Lord).
Explanation
Here in this section of Srimad Bhagavatham, we find the direct way out of the illusory sorrow and suffering. We find Yudhisthira getting liberated here itself by contemplating on the ultimate reality through renouncing the various objects in the world.
What is renunciation?
Renunciation is complete dispossession of the various objects. Dispossession becomes complete only if the Ego or the doer is renounced or destroyed. Until the Ego is present, even though a person might be a sanyaasin (external ochre robed sanyaasin), yet he will be not be renounced. Renunciation is thus not external but internal renunciation of the Ego. When the Ego is destroyed, all the possessions automatically vanish as the possessions depend on the possessor or Ego for their existence. The very moment a person renounces the Ego, all possessions vanish & such a person alone is a real sanyaasin.
Thus, we find King Janaka as a sanyaasin even though he was a king and enjoying the sensual pleasures in the external world. But internally, he was ever immersed in the Self or Lord which is the source of the illusory Ego. The Ego vanishes the moment a person abides in the Self.
The moment the thought of Lord comes into one’s mind, that very moment Ego along with the various possessions vanishes. The moment the thought of Lord vanishes from one’s mind – that very moment Ego and the various possessions cling to the person. The renouncing or destruction of the Ego alone is termed renunciation. And this is not external but it is internal renunciation of the Ego.
The two main obstacles to realization of the Lord within the heart is the notions of “I” and “Mine”. “I” notion is the notion of the Ego. When a person says that “I am a software engineer”, it is the “I-notion” or Ego speaking here. The moment this “I” springs up, the attachments to various objects also spring up. These are called “Mine”. When the thought “I am a software engineer” comes, then it is followed by the thoughts of “my company, other company, my co-worker” etc. These two are the main causes of sorrows in life. These are also the cause of bondage in life. When a person has this “I” and “Mine”, he becomes sad when the so-called “mine” objects vanish or leave him away. Thus, when the company tells “ME” to quit, this “I” becomes sad. Thus, attachment is the cause of bondage as well as sorrow. When one bondage is built, other bondages follow in course of time. These are never ending & ceaselessly continue. The bondages are the main cause of suffering in the world. That person who is free from bondages is liberated here itself because the very nature of Self or Lord is always liberated – it is not at all bonded.
Thus Sankara echoes the same in Upadesha Sahasri
Aham ithi aatma dheeryaa cha mama ithi atmeeya dheeraapi
Arthashoonye yadaa yasya sah atmajno bhaved tadaa
When the thought of “I” and “Mine” vanish, that very moment a person becomes a knower of the Self (means that very moment the person becomes liberated).
Thus, what a seeker needs to do is to remove the notions of “I” and “Mine”. The simplest way to do this is to offer all work unto the Lord and always surrendering to the Lord. When work is offered to the Lord, the Ego is not present and thereby there is no “I” and “Mine”. As the seeker thus continues, the ignorance veil which covers his own very nature of Bliss is removed. When the ignorance veil is completely removed, the person realizes his own very nature of the Lord (absolute bliss).
Any person can attain do this offering of work to the Lord. There is no kind of limitation that only a Brahmana can do it or a Kshatriya can do it. There is no time limitation to it – there is no space limitation also to it. This is very easy for even a layman to follow. There are no hair-splitting logics that either Madhva or Madhusudhana Saraswathi uses.
This is what Sri Krishna also mentions in Gita
Sarva dharmaan parityajya maam ekam sharanam vraja
Aham tvaa sarva paapebhyo mokshayishyaami maa shuchah
Renounce everything and take refuge in ME alone – I will take care of you and will liberate you from all sins – don’t worry.
This is the statement of the Lord who has kept it till today and will still keep the word. Thus, Yudhisthira contemplated on the Lord and thereby was liberated. Draupadi also was liberated. Thus, Bhagavatham tells to each one of us that we also can achieve this and that too even while living in the world itself.
Liberation is something which can be achieved here itself because our own very nature is the ever-liberated Self. What is required is only removal of ignorance veil through destruction of the Ego by offering all work unto the Lord.
Thus, Suta says that if a person listens to the story of Pandavas getting liberated – they are liberated that moment itself. Here by listening is meant following of whatever is said and implementation in real life. This means that any person who follows whatever Yudhisthira and others did (offering of work to the Lord thereby getting rid of “I” and “Mine”), they get liberated here itself.
Thus ends the story of the Pandavaas in Srimad Bhagavatham. Next starts the most important part of the story of Parikshit.
Suta Continues (Skandha 1 chapter 15 ends with this posting)
Once Krishna had shed his mortal coil, Yudhisthira felt that the world was entering into bad times or moments. Therefore, he made Parikshit the King and mentally renounced everything ranging from kingdom, wife, dress etc. Thus he was liberated of the enemies of greed and delusion.
Having renounced everything and being liberated from everything, Yudhishtira was relieved of “I” (Ego) and “Mine” and thus all his bondages were destroyed.
Yudhishthira then contemplated on the ultimate reality and thereby was liberated then and there itself. Thus, after this he started towards the upper path (towards heaven). Seeing Yudhisthira leave the kingdom, his brothers too left the place and followed him. Draupadi concentrated on the Lord and was liberated.
Suta concludes by saying that any person who hears this story with devotion (apprehending the meaning and implementing it in life), they are liberated (by getting supreme devotion on the ultimate reality of Lord).
Explanation
Here in this section of Srimad Bhagavatham, we find the direct way out of the illusory sorrow and suffering. We find Yudhisthira getting liberated here itself by contemplating on the ultimate reality through renouncing the various objects in the world.
What is renunciation?
Renunciation is complete dispossession of the various objects. Dispossession becomes complete only if the Ego or the doer is renounced or destroyed. Until the Ego is present, even though a person might be a sanyaasin (external ochre robed sanyaasin), yet he will be not be renounced. Renunciation is thus not external but internal renunciation of the Ego. When the Ego is destroyed, all the possessions automatically vanish as the possessions depend on the possessor or Ego for their existence. The very moment a person renounces the Ego, all possessions vanish & such a person alone is a real sanyaasin.
Thus, we find King Janaka as a sanyaasin even though he was a king and enjoying the sensual pleasures in the external world. But internally, he was ever immersed in the Self or Lord which is the source of the illusory Ego. The Ego vanishes the moment a person abides in the Self.
The moment the thought of Lord comes into one’s mind, that very moment Ego along with the various possessions vanishes. The moment the thought of Lord vanishes from one’s mind – that very moment Ego and the various possessions cling to the person. The renouncing or destruction of the Ego alone is termed renunciation. And this is not external but it is internal renunciation of the Ego.
The two main obstacles to realization of the Lord within the heart is the notions of “I” and “Mine”. “I” notion is the notion of the Ego. When a person says that “I am a software engineer”, it is the “I-notion” or Ego speaking here. The moment this “I” springs up, the attachments to various objects also spring up. These are called “Mine”. When the thought “I am a software engineer” comes, then it is followed by the thoughts of “my company, other company, my co-worker” etc. These two are the main causes of sorrows in life. These are also the cause of bondage in life. When a person has this “I” and “Mine”, he becomes sad when the so-called “mine” objects vanish or leave him away. Thus, when the company tells “ME” to quit, this “I” becomes sad. Thus, attachment is the cause of bondage as well as sorrow. When one bondage is built, other bondages follow in course of time. These are never ending & ceaselessly continue. The bondages are the main cause of suffering in the world. That person who is free from bondages is liberated here itself because the very nature of Self or Lord is always liberated – it is not at all bonded.
Thus Sankara echoes the same in Upadesha Sahasri
Aham ithi aatma dheeryaa cha mama ithi atmeeya dheeraapi
Arthashoonye yadaa yasya sah atmajno bhaved tadaa
When the thought of “I” and “Mine” vanish, that very moment a person becomes a knower of the Self (means that very moment the person becomes liberated).
Thus, what a seeker needs to do is to remove the notions of “I” and “Mine”. The simplest way to do this is to offer all work unto the Lord and always surrendering to the Lord. When work is offered to the Lord, the Ego is not present and thereby there is no “I” and “Mine”. As the seeker thus continues, the ignorance veil which covers his own very nature of Bliss is removed. When the ignorance veil is completely removed, the person realizes his own very nature of the Lord (absolute bliss).
Any person can attain do this offering of work to the Lord. There is no kind of limitation that only a Brahmana can do it or a Kshatriya can do it. There is no time limitation to it – there is no space limitation also to it. This is very easy for even a layman to follow. There are no hair-splitting logics that either Madhva or Madhusudhana Saraswathi uses.
This is what Sri Krishna also mentions in Gita
Sarva dharmaan parityajya maam ekam sharanam vraja
Aham tvaa sarva paapebhyo mokshayishyaami maa shuchah
Renounce everything and take refuge in ME alone – I will take care of you and will liberate you from all sins – don’t worry.
This is the statement of the Lord who has kept it till today and will still keep the word. Thus, Yudhisthira contemplated on the Lord and thereby was liberated. Draupadi also was liberated. Thus, Bhagavatham tells to each one of us that we also can achieve this and that too even while living in the world itself.
Liberation is something which can be achieved here itself because our own very nature is the ever-liberated Self. What is required is only removal of ignorance veil through destruction of the Ego by offering all work unto the Lord.
Thus, Suta says that if a person listens to the story of Pandavas getting liberated – they are liberated that moment itself. Here by listening is meant following of whatever is said and implementation in real life. This means that any person who follows whatever Yudhisthira and others did (offering of work to the Lord thereby getting rid of “I” and “Mine”), they get liberated here itself.
Thus ends the story of the Pandavaas in Srimad Bhagavatham. Next starts the most important part of the story of Parikshit.
# posted by vedanta : 9:35 AM
