Introduction to Bhagavatha By Bandarkere Swamiji We must remember Hari through Bhagavatha. There are three types of listening. Listening with devotion is the first grade, listening for repentance is the second grade and listening to earn punya, the third grade. Bhagavantha is a light who shows the right direction in our path. He is like fire in wood. We must always remember him by saying “diyoyanaha prachodayath”. He is good for good people. We must win him over with devotion. Fruits will form from flowers. Flowers will form from passion. One will go to God when one’s desires are not fulfilled. There are two types of karmas. One is pravrathi karma, which is loukika. The other one is nivrathi karma which is Nishkamakarma. Even though Vedavyasa wrote Mahabharatha and Brahma sutra, he was not satisfied. At the same time, Narada insists on Vedavyasa to create another Krithi in simple language. (Narada is a great shishya of Vayu.) Everyone does sakama karma only. This is not correct. One should do Nishkama karma. Pariksitraja was the emperor of Hastinapura. Usually a man loses his patience when he is hungry; when he is thirsty; and when he is tired. All this happened to Parikshitraja when he went hunting and he became angry because the rishi did not treat him well. The rishi did not do sathithi sathkara. (Sathithi means to have appointment before meeting) To test him Parikshitraja puts the dead snake around him. However, after returning to the Palace he repents for what he did, he renounces everything and goes towards the Ganga river, and he thinks that he has done great injustice to a Brahmin. This is bhava vyragya and not abhava vyragya. He decides to end his life. Then Devathes, Paramathma, Rishis all come and pacify him. When Rishi comes to know that his son has cursed Parikshitraja, he tells his son that what he has done is not good for the nation. He tells him that nation will be looted and adharma will spread everywhere. (Pashu means Rashtra. So Rashtrapathi means Pashupathi in turn means Rudra Devaru). This shows the piousness of the rishi. (Dog is the gate keeper. If the owner of the dog releases the dog on the guest (athithi) then special hell (naraka) will welcome him). (Vasudeva is Krishna’s father. Kunti is Vasudeva’s sister. Pandavas are Kunti’s children. Krishna was very fond of Pandavas.) Ox symbolizes Dharma Devathe. Parikshitraj happens to see an Ox with one leg and a crying cow. He asks the Ox who he is and why he is having only one leg and who is responsible for this? Kali was punishing the Ox. He realizes that out of Shouchya, Daya, Thapas, and Sathya, (Which were the four legs of the Ox) only sathya has remained in Kaliyuga as Krishna and Pandavas have left this bhumi (earth). Because of Raga, Shouchya has gone. Because of Mada, Daya has gone. Because of egoism (ahankara) thapas shakti has gone. When Parikshitraj tries to kill Kali, Kali surrenders to him. As a Kshatriya it is his dharma to save him. So he will not kill him. He orders Kali to go away from his sight. Then Kali requests him to give a place to survive. Then Kali gives him five sites. He gives him to reside in betting, liquor, prostitutes, discomfort, gold. Taking food without doing vaishwadeva, it is discomfort (himse). On Bali padyami day, people indulge in betting also. . Who is great among Hari, Brahma, and Rudra? Brahma worshipped Vishnu. Brahma worships the Ganga occupying in Rudra’s head, earlier as Ganga initially flows from Vishnu’s feet. Lord Vishnu (Hari) gives moksha to everybody. Hence Hari is great. When Hari kirthane is done, devotion comes. Without Vairagya one cannot understand Bhagavatha. Hari should be remembered with Omkara japa with asana in correct sitting posture. It is difficult to concentrate. But one should try to concentrate. Bhagavantha’s anatomy should be meditated upon. If one concentrates on Bhagavantha with a pure mind devotion can be attained. In the beginning one should meditate on the brahmanda roopa of Bhagavantha. (His feet in pathala loka; Granthi in athala loka; thigh in vithula,athula loka; nabhi-anthariksha; lalata in thapoloka; sonta(waist) in suthala loka). (Eyes reppe-day and night). (His stomach – Ocean(samudra); His nadis: Rivers; His romas-trees; His bones-Mountains; His hair-clouds; His veerya-anna; His shwasa-vayu; His anthakaruna-Rudra; His nakha-elephant, horse, zebra, His Shastras-Vayu). After meditating on his sthoola roopa one should meditate on sukshma roopa. What Maitreyi narrated to Vidura, Shuklacharya narrated to Parikshitraja. Vidura advises Drutharashtra to give the Rajya to Pandavas, as they are devotees of Paramathma, and banish Duryodhana. Duryodhana comes to know about this and gives a lot of trouble to Vidura. Hence Vidura decides to leave the place and go on a theerthayaathre (pilgrimage). Vidura meets Uddhava near Yamuna river and wanted to know from him the future of Pandavas after 26 years as he had heard that Pandavas vanish after 26 year Uddhava tells Vidura that Maitreyi will give him the information. Vidura meets Maitreyi in Badari. Maitreyi preaches Bhagavatha to Vidura in Badari. Vidura is the avatar of Yama. (For Devathes our 360 days is equal to one day) Kashyapa is the son of Maricha. Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha are the sons of Kashyapa. Varaha = vara + aha = great + strength = great strength. Aha also means jnana. Whenever we go out we must pray Varaha to protect us. We must pray Varaha to help us to overcome the obstacles we face in the dharma marga. (Abhimani devathe for akasha (space) is Ganapathi.) (Dakshina is the sister of Narayana who was born to Swayambumanu. They get married. But they have no births. Deva dharma is different from Manava dharma.) (Sathra means many leaders. Yaaga means one leader). (Hari chitha is different from Nara chitha). Rudra Devaru tells Sati that Brahma was sitting in front of him and he was fully concentrating on Brahma and he was not aware of Dakshprajapathi’s presence. Brahma is fire and Prajapathi is smoke, which comes later. When Sathi’s father insulted her, she sacrifices her body through yogaagni. To get brahma jnana one should surrender to Rudra Devaru. (Sanakadi is the son of Brahma). Even though Rudra Devaru could fight everyone when he was angry, he could not defeat Upendra and Hari. This shows that Shiva Shakti is under the control of Paramathma (Vishnu). Shiva Shakti means Shiva and Parvathi (Shakti). Rudra Devaru punishes Dakshaprajapathi and blesses him afterwards. Everyone has limitations (Vishesha). But Paramathma has no limitations. (For example we say that father and son were together earlier. After the marriage of the son, they are living separately. This means that they are living independently. That is, the son is not under the control of the father. But this is not applicable to Paramathma. All jeevas are under the control of Paramathma.) Rudra Devaru is the abhimani devathe of the mind and Umadevi is the abhimani devathe of the tongue. If both of them are o.k. then there won’t be room for divorce. Dhruva made the thapas with the mantra “Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya” which contains 12 letters. Bhagavatha also contains 12 skandas. The name Prithvi came due to the development of bhoomi by Prithviraja. Prithviraja introduced the concept of Grama, Pattana, and Nagara for the first time. (10 Prachethas marry one woman. From her Dakshaprajapathi is born). Narada is the shishya of Vayu Devaru. From Narada’s sermon everyone gets sadgathi. The real education is the understanding of Paramathma. 'I acknowledge with gratitude the services of Shree K.K. Raghavendra Rao of the Indian Railways, (retired), who went through the article and gave valuable suggestions. Compiled by J.Sudhindra Simha, Bangalore.