Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Story 13 – Conquer of Kali by Parikshit
Srimad Bhagavatham – A Spiritual Insight - Story 13 – Conquer of Kali by Parikshit
Once the Lord left the world, Kali came into the world. King Parikshit ruled the country very well. Once Parikshit was traveling, he found a very strange thing. He found a Sudra in the disguise of a king and molesting a bull which had only one leg. Nearby a cow was standing which was weeping, tears were coming out of the cows eye’s (as if the eyes are an abundant source of water even as a river or sea).
Parikshit couldn’t understand what it was. He talked with the bull and the cow and found out that the bull was Dharma. Dharma had four legs of Tapas (austerity), Shaucha (purity), Daya (Compassion) and Satyam (Truth). But due to time and due to the effect of Kali, it was left with only one leg of Satya or Truth. The rest three were not there. The cow was bhoomi devi watching and weeping at the bad state of Dharma which was so well protected by the Lord in the avatar of Sri Krishna.
Parikshit then assured to help out the bull. The man (Kali) was afraid of Parikshit and therefore surrendered to him. Parikshit allowed Kali to stay in the four things of wine, dine (food), women and shambles.
Thus, Parikshit conquered Kali and made sure that Kali was present only in certain places and thereby other places or things were pure with the ultimate reality shining like the Sun.
Explanation
The current story spans across two chapters (16 and 17) of the first skandha of Bhagavatham. It has the dialogue between the bull and the cow, the bull and parikshit etc. But there are some main imports to be realized in the current story.
First and the foremost import is from the fact that when Lord left his mortal coil, Kali entered. This is what happens in our mind. The moment the thought of Lord vanishes, Kali or bad thoughts enter into the mind. Any thought is bad that makes one divert from the changeless and permanent ultimate reality of Lord. Thus, the thought of learning java might be good according to a normal person but it is a bad thought for the seeker because this thought diverts him from the Lord (this thought of java doesn’t lead one in the path of remembrance of the Lord but in turn it makes one to forget the Lord). Thus, all thoughts which are not associated with the thought or remembrance of the Lord are diversions which will lead one to sorrow and suffering only.
Learning java will lead one to become a professional in Java. That would mean requesting more salary or some other benefits from the company. If the company doesn’t provide, it creates tensions and problems. The individual then leaves the company to join another company. This jumping continues until he realizes that any thought is insentient without the thought of the Lord. Any insentient object like the pot cannot give happiness unless the sentient being of Consciousness throws the light unto the object.
Thus, the moment the thought of Lord leaves the mind, that very moment the person has entered into the cycle of sorrow and sufferings in the form of birth-death. Thus, what a seeker should try to do is always remember the Lord and do all the actions. Even as breathing happens normally even while other actions are being done, even as a lover remembers his love even while working or sleeping, similarly a person should always remember the Lord while doing any actions.
When the thought of the Lord is present in the mind, the actions become poojas which give only good effect of purification of the mind (thereby making one realize one’s own real nature of Consciousness).
Thus Srimad Bhagavatham says that when the Lord left the world, Kali came into the world. This Kali is nothing but bad thoughts, narrow-mindedness, sorrowful living, lustful living like animals etc.
Dharma or righteousness has four legs upon which it stands. They are Austerity, Purity, Compassion and Truth. These are signs of a realized saint and also of a real devotee who always remembers the Lord. Austerity is nothing but constant remembrance of the Lord which makes one shine like the Sun. Such shine is not only useful for the individual but this shine reaches the surrounding people also. This is the reason why a person feels peace when he is near a Mahatma. Purity is cleanliness of the mind. When the mind is clear and without any ripples in the form of bondage, it is ever happy and cheerful. Such a mind leads to austerity or shine as it emanates peace in the surrounding. Compassion is pure love towards the various beings in the world. Compassion is showering emotional and pure love (not lustful love of the body and mind which we see in the normal world – what people call love today is nothing but a beggar begging for attention either physically or mentally – real love is that which doesn’t expect anything but which is full and hence gives and spreads – real love grows after each moment of enjoyment whereas normal love fades with time). A person can help the whole world only if he realizes that the world is nothing but the Lord alone and through service to the world, the thought of Lord is remembered and Lord is being served (there is nothing greater than this for the devotee than to serve the ever-present and full Lord!!!!). Truth is remembrance of the ultimate reality of the Lord. Truth is knowing that whatever is present is the Lord alone – there is nothing here but the Lord alone. Lord is my own very nature and he is blissful.
But due to time and the present yuga of Kali, people are used to bad habits and hence these four qualities which support dharma have been lost except Truth (because Truth is that which always is present and there always are people who are ever steadfast or established in the ultimate reality). Thus the various qualities of austerity, purity and compassion have vanished and it has been replaced mere passion, impurity in the form of religion, money, power etc. People have become very selfish and cater to their own needs. Whereas in ancient times, the rishis were compassionate and they saw the whole world as their family. But today it is just the family of 2-3 members who are called as “mine”. Rest are just ignored.
These are various indications about kali. A person who is ever established in the thought of the Lord will never be selfish but instead he will always be engaged in the welfare of the world – he will be ever doing social service either through actions or through speech and consolation.
Srimad Bhagavatham then goes on to say that a person who is established in the Self and knows the reality will never fall under the trap of Kali. Parikshit was saved by Sri Krishna and during his childhood, he had learned Gita from his parents. Therefore, he was not at all affected by Kali. Hence when Kali showed up, he conquered Kali and thereby rescued Dharma.
But the world is such that each person will not relieved of Kali if one person gets relieved. Therefore, Bhagavatham says that wine, women etc which are most common addictions of the people are the places where Kali is present. If a person enters or indulges in these things, then he will get only sorrow and sufferings. Thereby a seeker should avoid indulging in these things & should ever try to contemplate on the ultimate reality of Lord. That alone can save a person from the illusory sufferings in the form of innumerous births and deaths.
Sri Krishna thus says in Gita
Ananyaaschintayanthomaa ye janaah paryupaasathe
Teshaam nitya abhiyuktanaam yoga kshemam vahaami aham
Those who remember Me alone at all points of time (without any other thought of divertion), I take care of good and bad.
We will see tomorrow about Siddhis and realization as well as about how a person can falter from the ultimate reality at times of tension and pressure.
Once the Lord left the world, Kali came into the world. King Parikshit ruled the country very well. Once Parikshit was traveling, he found a very strange thing. He found a Sudra in the disguise of a king and molesting a bull which had only one leg. Nearby a cow was standing which was weeping, tears were coming out of the cows eye’s (as if the eyes are an abundant source of water even as a river or sea).
Parikshit couldn’t understand what it was. He talked with the bull and the cow and found out that the bull was Dharma. Dharma had four legs of Tapas (austerity), Shaucha (purity), Daya (Compassion) and Satyam (Truth). But due to time and due to the effect of Kali, it was left with only one leg of Satya or Truth. The rest three were not there. The cow was bhoomi devi watching and weeping at the bad state of Dharma which was so well protected by the Lord in the avatar of Sri Krishna.
Parikshit then assured to help out the bull. The man (Kali) was afraid of Parikshit and therefore surrendered to him. Parikshit allowed Kali to stay in the four things of wine, dine (food), women and shambles.
Thus, Parikshit conquered Kali and made sure that Kali was present only in certain places and thereby other places or things were pure with the ultimate reality shining like the Sun.
Explanation
The current story spans across two chapters (16 and 17) of the first skandha of Bhagavatham. It has the dialogue between the bull and the cow, the bull and parikshit etc. But there are some main imports to be realized in the current story.
First and the foremost import is from the fact that when Lord left his mortal coil, Kali entered. This is what happens in our mind. The moment the thought of Lord vanishes, Kali or bad thoughts enter into the mind. Any thought is bad that makes one divert from the changeless and permanent ultimate reality of Lord. Thus, the thought of learning java might be good according to a normal person but it is a bad thought for the seeker because this thought diverts him from the Lord (this thought of java doesn’t lead one in the path of remembrance of the Lord but in turn it makes one to forget the Lord). Thus, all thoughts which are not associated with the thought or remembrance of the Lord are diversions which will lead one to sorrow and suffering only.
Learning java will lead one to become a professional in Java. That would mean requesting more salary or some other benefits from the company. If the company doesn’t provide, it creates tensions and problems. The individual then leaves the company to join another company. This jumping continues until he realizes that any thought is insentient without the thought of the Lord. Any insentient object like the pot cannot give happiness unless the sentient being of Consciousness throws the light unto the object.
Thus, the moment the thought of Lord leaves the mind, that very moment the person has entered into the cycle of sorrow and sufferings in the form of birth-death. Thus, what a seeker should try to do is always remember the Lord and do all the actions. Even as breathing happens normally even while other actions are being done, even as a lover remembers his love even while working or sleeping, similarly a person should always remember the Lord while doing any actions.
When the thought of the Lord is present in the mind, the actions become poojas which give only good effect of purification of the mind (thereby making one realize one’s own real nature of Consciousness).
Thus Srimad Bhagavatham says that when the Lord left the world, Kali came into the world. This Kali is nothing but bad thoughts, narrow-mindedness, sorrowful living, lustful living like animals etc.
Dharma or righteousness has four legs upon which it stands. They are Austerity, Purity, Compassion and Truth. These are signs of a realized saint and also of a real devotee who always remembers the Lord. Austerity is nothing but constant remembrance of the Lord which makes one shine like the Sun. Such shine is not only useful for the individual but this shine reaches the surrounding people also. This is the reason why a person feels peace when he is near a Mahatma. Purity is cleanliness of the mind. When the mind is clear and without any ripples in the form of bondage, it is ever happy and cheerful. Such a mind leads to austerity or shine as it emanates peace in the surrounding. Compassion is pure love towards the various beings in the world. Compassion is showering emotional and pure love (not lustful love of the body and mind which we see in the normal world – what people call love today is nothing but a beggar begging for attention either physically or mentally – real love is that which doesn’t expect anything but which is full and hence gives and spreads – real love grows after each moment of enjoyment whereas normal love fades with time). A person can help the whole world only if he realizes that the world is nothing but the Lord alone and through service to the world, the thought of Lord is remembered and Lord is being served (there is nothing greater than this for the devotee than to serve the ever-present and full Lord!!!!). Truth is remembrance of the ultimate reality of the Lord. Truth is knowing that whatever is present is the Lord alone – there is nothing here but the Lord alone. Lord is my own very nature and he is blissful.
But due to time and the present yuga of Kali, people are used to bad habits and hence these four qualities which support dharma have been lost except Truth (because Truth is that which always is present and there always are people who are ever steadfast or established in the ultimate reality). Thus the various qualities of austerity, purity and compassion have vanished and it has been replaced mere passion, impurity in the form of religion, money, power etc. People have become very selfish and cater to their own needs. Whereas in ancient times, the rishis were compassionate and they saw the whole world as their family. But today it is just the family of 2-3 members who are called as “mine”. Rest are just ignored.
These are various indications about kali. A person who is ever established in the thought of the Lord will never be selfish but instead he will always be engaged in the welfare of the world – he will be ever doing social service either through actions or through speech and consolation.
Srimad Bhagavatham then goes on to say that a person who is established in the Self and knows the reality will never fall under the trap of Kali. Parikshit was saved by Sri Krishna and during his childhood, he had learned Gita from his parents. Therefore, he was not at all affected by Kali. Hence when Kali showed up, he conquered Kali and thereby rescued Dharma.
But the world is such that each person will not relieved of Kali if one person gets relieved. Therefore, Bhagavatham says that wine, women etc which are most common addictions of the people are the places where Kali is present. If a person enters or indulges in these things, then he will get only sorrow and sufferings. Thereby a seeker should avoid indulging in these things & should ever try to contemplate on the ultimate reality of Lord. That alone can save a person from the illusory sufferings in the form of innumerous births and deaths.
Sri Krishna thus says in Gita
Ananyaaschintayanthomaa ye janaah paryupaasathe
Teshaam nitya abhiyuktanaam yoga kshemam vahaami aham
Those who remember Me alone at all points of time (without any other thought of divertion), I take care of good and bad.
We will see tomorrow about Siddhis and realization as well as about how a person can falter from the ultimate reality at times of tension and pressure.
# posted by vedanta : 9:36 AM
