Srimad Bhagavatham

After this Siva consoled Parvathi and praised the equanamity and calmness of the mind of the real devotees of the Lord. He said that the real devotees will see Brahman everywhere even in svarga or naraka or in moksha (state). Sukha, dukha, birth, death, curse, blessing all these dvandva bhaava are only illusions caused by ignorance. These dont affect those who have intellectually confirmed the ultimate reality of Consciousness.

It is Chitrakethu who was born from the yajnaagni of Tvastaa and named Vritrasura.

Explanation

Narada mentions thus about real devotees of the Lord:

Tatpraapya tadeva avalokathi tadeva srunothi tadeva bhaashayathi tadeva chintayathi

After having attained devotion of the ultimate reality of Lord, a devotee always seeks the Lord, thinks about the Lord, speaks about the Lord and hears about the Lord.

This is what leads to constant thought about the ultimate reality of Lord alone. A real devotee knows that everything is but the Lord alone. And hence he always sees everything as the Lord. There is neither happiness nor sorrow, neither bondage nor liberation, neither knowledge nor ignorance for such a devotee. There is only the ultimate reality of Lord, one without a second. Whatever is seen, whatever is heard, whatever is known everything is but the ultimate reality of Lord alone. Everything from known to unknown is but an illusion in the ultimate absolute reality of Lord. Real devotee is one who knows this reality of non-dual Lord – that there is no duality whatsoever here, but the Lord alone exists, one without a second.

Chitrakethu was a real devotee who was totally immersed in the ultimate reality of Lord & hence was ever established in the Lord. It was only due to testing of the Lord and as knowledge didn’t end in experience that Chitrakethu got deluded when he saw Parvathi-Parameshwara together amidst sages. Once the ego is vanquished by the seeker, then there is nothing at all in the world. The world itself is only a projection of the mind due to the primal thought of “I” or Ego as we generally term it. Once the individuality vanishes into the absolute reality of Lord, there remains nothing at all. Even though things might seem to be present, the seeker will clearly know that there is no duality whatsoever but whatever exists is ony the ultimate reality of Lord.

It is this conviction that is main characteristic of a real devotee who has no existence apart from the Lord. It is only in the initial stages of devotion that the seeker differentiates between himself and the Lord. But once the ego is vanquished, then the seeker realizes that there never was any differentiation between him and the Lord – whatever existed was only the Lord. The duality that seems to be existing is only an illusion in the ultimate reality of Lord.

Thus bhagavatham here is instructing each one of us to become real devotees of the Lord by constantly remembering the Lord and always having the knowledge that everything is but the Lord alone, one without a second. As this conviction grows and the devotee spends most of the time remembering the Lord, there will not be any sorrow – instead the devotee will start experiencing the eternal bliss of the Self. This is what is termed as trance state by Ramana Maharshi. It is that state in which momentarily the devotee gets bliss by mere remembrance of the Lord. This is a sign to the devotee that he is progressing in the right direction. But we have to remember that this bliss is not permanent but temporary alone. Hence the devotee has to progress further until the distinction between the Lord and himself vanishes. It is only when duality totally vanishes with realization of one’s own very nature of Lord that sorrow completely vanishes & only bliss remains.

Realization can be split into two distinct stages or steps. The first is paroksha jnaana or indirect experience of the reality. This is achieved through intellectual knowledge and conviction that there is nothing here but the Lord alone. Once the seeker gets paroksha jnaana through study of scriptures and by the grace of the Guru, the paroksha jnaana turns aparoksha. This is the second and final stage termed as jeevan mukthi or moksha. Aparoksha anubhava is when the seeker gets direct experience of the reality – thus whatever the seeker knew intellectually becomes his very experience. We shouldn’t confuse experience here with its normal usage because the reality is the Experiencer and hence can never become an object of experience. Here experience only means that the seeker constantly dwells in the reality of Lord. He always remembers the reality of Lord even though externally he might be doing actions or crying or enjoying sensual pleasures.

Chitrakethu had completely realized the ultimate reality of Lord and hence he was equipoised. It is this calmness and realization which is very much evident in the life of Vritrasura. Thus bhagavatham shows that the realization which a person might get will be maintained across births. We may doubt here that even after realization, is there birth as Chitrakethu was born again? Birth and death are only for the body and not for the Self. When a person realizes his nature of Lord, then there is no birth-death for him. The body might come and go but the Lord ever remains as the substratum of illusory body-mind complex. Even if we see dreams, we know for sure that there are no dream worlds. Similarly even though body might seem to be there, birth-death might seem to be there – there is only the ultimate reality of Lord. Thus Chitrakethu who had realized his nature of Lord was ever the same even though illusions of birth and death seemed to be present.

Thus we should remember here that Bhagavatham is pointing out that whatever be the situation or condition, the realized saint ever remains immersed in the reality of Lord. It is this nature of the saint which gives him and others eternal bliss.

Thus if we want to get eternal bliss, we need to be totally immersed in the reality of Lord at all times. It is only this which will lead us to the happiness that we all are seeking each and every moment.

With this we come to end of this beautiful story of Chitrakethu. We will summarize the story the next day and then start with the next story in Bhagavatham.

Story of King Chitrakethu – Conclusion

We find Bhagavatham pointing out that the Lord is so compassionate with his devotees that he gives them whatever they ask for even though that might lead them only to sorrow. Thus Chitrakethu was granted a child by the grace of the Lord. The Lord doesn’t stop with this, instead he proves to the devotee that any sensual pleasures are only temporary and seeds of sorrow. Thus Chitrakethu’s son dies and Chitrakethu becomes very sad. The Lord now comes and imparts the ultimate reality to Chitrakethu emphasizing that all sensual pleasures will lead only to sorrow – the reality of Lord alone is capable of conferring eternal bliss to the seeker.

This is where we should remember the statement of Lord in Gita that “I will save you from all sins O Arjuna! – surrender completely unto me”. This statement is not a mere statement but a promise of the Lord and the Lord keeps his promise even today. Each devotee will have experienced the grace of the Lord working in one way or the other in his life. But a real devotee doesn’t give too much emphasis on this “miracles” (which are due to the grace of the Lord) – instead he proceeds further and doesn’t rest until the ultimate reality of Lord is realized as his own very nature.

Chitrakethu was imparted knowledge through the sages and thereby Chitrakethu contemplated on the ultimate reality of Lord. The one and only way to realize the ultimate reality of Lord is to constantly contemplate on the Lord – there is no other way than this to realization. All paths whether they be that of knowledge or devotion or action leads finally to this constant contemplation alone. Contemplation should be such that the devotee remembers the Lord each and every moment as if it is similar to breathing. It is this constant contemplation of the Lord knowing that the lord alone is present & other things are mere illusions in the reality of Lord – which is termed in Vedanta as Nidhidhyaasana.

A person who constantly contemplates on the ultimate reality of Lord realizes the Lord as his own very nature of non-dual Consciousness.

We have to remember that the path of spirituality is not a small one but a seeker has to go through different stages. Before realization happens and duality totally vanishes, the seeker will get a glimpse of the Lord. This is what we say that “the Lord appeared in front of me”. Any form whether that be of Lord Vishnu or Lord Siva is limited and hence illusory. The ultimate reality of Lord or Brahman is without any forms. It can never be limited to any forms. Anything with form is subject to birth, change and death – hence it cannot be eternal. But the ultimate reality of Lord is eternal and all-pervasive, therefore devoid of any name and form. All names and forms even those of Vishnu and Siva are only mere illusions in the reality of Lord even as bubble, waves, sea etc. are mere names and forms in the reality of water.

Bhagavatham clearly points out that the final stage of realization is killing of the Ego – the Seer of all objects. This Seer is the one who is attached to all objects. Ego is termed in VEdanta as jeeva or individual Self. It is the Ego which causes identification with body-mind and things in the world. It is this identification which causes a seeker to delude into likes-dislikes thereby making him enjoy happiness-duality. The Ego needs to be killed if the seeker has to realize his own very nature of unlimited absolute Lord.

Chitrakethu had ego still left and thereby he mocked at Parvathi-Siva. A realized saint will never mock at anyone – he will be seeing everything as the name and form of the ultimate reality of Lord. Thus in his view, there is nothing apart from the ultimate reality of Lord. Whatever he sees, whatever he hears, whatever he knows is but the ultimate reality of Lord alone.

Here we find the difference between a person who knew the reality but hadn’t realized it yet and a realized being in Chitrakethu and Siva respectively. Chitrakethu forgot the reality and mocked whereas Siva was ever calm and established in the reality of Lord. But Parvathi was angry and thereby cursed Chitrakethu. It it this curse that killed the Ego of Chitrakethu. We can find the Lord making the devotee realize things in a harsh way by curses or killing etc. But once Parvathi cursed him, Chitrakethu remembered the reality which he had temporarily forgotten as a result of Ego. Thus the Ego was totally vanquished and killed. Therefore he was ever established in the reality – thus he asked forgiveness to Parvathi and started from them, behaving as if nothing has really happened.

It may happen that the seeker might not realize the reality in one birth due to attachments and other passions. But it is fine if we still are able to contemplate on the Lord during all those passions or addictions. It doesn’t matter in how much birth we realize because birth and death are only for the body and not for the Self. Realization of the Self is achieved only by constant contemplation of the ultimate reality of Lord. Whether it is in the particular body titled “Rama” or another body titled “Sita”, it doesn’t matter. What really matters is the attitude in the mind of the seeker.

We have always remember the Lord while doing activities. Whether it is a good activity or a sinful activity (termed as sin by the scriptures), it doesn’t matter – we should remember the Lord while doing the activity and offer the action to the Lord. Even if it is smoking or drinking, we need to offer the action to the Lord. We will soon find that the Lord will lead us from the addictions to a life full of purity and ever established in the Lord.

Bhagavatham here finally points out that a seeker shouldn’t stop with just intellectual knowledge of the Lord but progress further until he realizes his own very nature of Lord – unless he is ever thinking of the Lord alone and always remembers the reality that the world is only an illusion in the absolute reality of Lord.

Ultimate Reality – an analysis

Before we enter into the next story in Srimad Bhagavatham, let us now try to analyze the ultimate reality of Lord who is the import of all the stories in Srimad Bhagavatham.

There might be doubt that why are we learning about the ultimate reality in between all stories – isn’t it enough to learn the story and analyze the reality in the story?
It is very easy to get carried away by the story and the various incidents in the story. It is but the very nature of the mind to forget the reality and get carried away by the various miracles or the story in itself. Thus it is essential that we don’t forget the ultimate reality which is the very basis for each of the story of Srimad Bhagavatham. If we forget the ultimate reality underlying each of the story of Srimad Bhagavatham, then learning of Srimad Bhagavatham itself becomes of no use.

It is in order to focus our attention on the ultimate reality of Lord that we are trying to analyze the reality in between each of the story of Bhagavatham. It is not a fault to again and again discuss the same things about the reality because it is only through repetition of things that a person becomes clear about the concept & his mind is able to contemplate on the reality without any doubts or confusions.

The ultimate reality of Brahman or Lord is the one and only reality in the entire world. Whatever exists or seemingly exists in the world is nothing but names and forms of the reality alone. It is the reality of Consciousness which gives light to all things that seem to exist. But for the reality, there would be no existence at all. It is due to Sun that we are able to apprehend the objects in the world – but the Sun itself derives existence or light from the ultimate reality of Consciousness. If there is no Consciousness, then there is neither the Sun nor the world. Thus everything that we see or perceive is only an illusion in the ultimate reality of Lord of the nature of Existence, Consciousness and Bliss absolute.

This ultimate reality is not different from each one of us. WE all are in fact the reality alone as the Lord is the essence of all existences. The Lord pervades everything in the world – there is nothing apart from the Lord. Hence we all are the Lord alone. But we seem to have forgotten our own very nature of Lord. Study of scriptures and contemplation on the reality is the mean to remove the ignorance of our own nature of Lord & thereby realize our own nature of non-dual reality of Lord. It is with this motive of removing ignorance and realizing our own nature of Lord that study of scriptures and puranas is undertaken. If we analyze the import of the scriptures or the puranas, we will end up with the ultimate reality of Lord, one without a second. Bhagavatham purana stands out amongst all other puranas in that it has the import of the ultimate reality in each and every story and sloka. Thus if we analyze each story, we will find the reality being propounded clearly. Thus Bhagavatham through story emphasizes the reality of Lord who alone is present. Thus if a person learns Bhagavatham or the stories in Bhagavatham, he is in fact contemplating on the reality alone through the stories. Thus instead of spending lot of time learning tough slokas and logic of the scriptures, it is easier to learn the stories of Bhagavatham which also does the same thing of pointing out the ultimate reality through simple and in-depth stories.

The stories of Bhagavatham might seem to be very simple and normal but if we analyze it deeply, we will find profound truth directing the seeker to the ultimate reality and as to how to realize the ultimate reality of Lord. It is because of this that Parikshit was able to realize the reality within 7 days by mere listening of the stories in Srimad Bhagavatham. Thus if we are dedicated to the reality and are able to apprehend the profound truths in Bhagavatham, we will realize the reality within no time. This is not a mere statement but a fact and truth. We find many later vedantic acharyas like vallabhacharya, sridhara swamin, madhvacharya etc. emphasizing so much on Srimad Bhagavatham. And these saints have realized the story through Srimad Bhagavatham and the scriptures. Thus it is true that if a person really follows the Bhagavatham by learning the import of each story which is the ultimate reality of non-dual Lord, he will realize the reality in a short while.

As Sankara clearly points out in Upadesa Sahasri, a person who has the strong knowledge that “I am the Self” – as strong as the ignorant person’s conviction that “I am the body”, then he realizes the reality even though he doesn’t or might not need it.

Thus for a person who learns Srimad Bhagavatham through the import of the ultimate reality and means to the reality, he realizes the reality even though he might not need it. He doesn’t have any option to it as well. This is true because we all are the Lord itself even though we might not accept it now. There is nothing apart from the Lord and hence we have to be the same as the Lord. Since we all are the Lord himself, therefore if we follow the path of knowledge and contemplation of the Lord, then we have no option but to realize our own very nature of Lord.

Remembering this import of realization of the ultimate reality of Lord as one’s own nature, we will continue with the next story in Srimad Bhagavatham from the next day.