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Sri Hari
GURUJI SRI MURALIDHARA SWAMIGAL MISSION |
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SWAMIGAL SPEAKS |
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NÃMA BHIKSHA KENDRA |
VEDA PATASHALA |
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Sri Hari
GURUJI SRI MURALIDHARA SWAMIGAL MISSION |
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SWAMIGAL SPEAKS |
MISSION |
NÃMA BHIKSHA KENDRA |
VEDA PATASHALA |
PUBLICATIONS/PERIODICALS |
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Sri Swamiji,
"HARE RÃMA HARE RÃMA RÃMA RÃMA HARE HARE
“Nãmasankeertanam yasya sarva papa pranãsanam|
“ Srimad Bhãgavatam revels in glories of Bhagavãn and Bhãgavatãs (devotees). Srimad Bhãgavatam is ‘svayam Krishna’ (is verily Lord Krishna). In this Kali yuga Krishna exists as every ‘akshara’ (alphabet) in the Maha Purãna (great Epic) – Srimad Bhãgavatam. Will Bhagavăn be born as a book? Such a doubt does arise. Does it not? If, Bhagavăn, taking the form of a pig that runs around the street, appears as ‘Varăha’ (Boar), then is it surprising that He has incarnated as a book? It is wonderful to find Bhagavăn incarnating in any form (‘stiti’) in lieu of doing ‘uddhărana’ (save) of people. Such is Bhagavăn’s ‘soulabhya’ (accessibility) and ‘karuna’ (compassion). While doing puja, Ramakrishna Paramakrishna used to get into ‘bhăva’ and in ‘bhăva samădhi’ he used to experience many ‘divya’ darshans (divine visions). He did puja of Krishna in the form of Radha Kănta. One day while doing puja, a divine vision arises. A divine ‘jyoti’ (light) arising from Rădha Kănta enters his body; from his body it enters into the Bhăgavata ‘granta’ placed nearby and then it moves back to Radha Kănta. While still in the state of ‘bhăva samădhi’ he asks Bhagăvan, ‘what are you trying to enlighten me through this?’ He receives the reply, ‘Know that there is no difference between Bhagavăn, the Bhăgavata and the Bhăgavatam.’ So, the ‘granta’ Bhăgavatam is ‘pratyaksha’ Krishna ‘swaroopam’ (the very form of Krishna).
So, Sanatkumara tells Narada,
Written by Sage Veda Vyãsa (Bãdarayana) it was first narrated by Lord Narayana Himself to Lord Brahma who in turn passed it on to his son Sage Narada. Narada passed it on to Sage Veda Vyãsa; Veda Vyãsa passed it on to his son Sukadeva. Sukadeva narrated the Maha Purãna to King Parikshit, the son of Abhimanyu and grandson of Arjuna. Mere reading/listening to Bhãgavatam ensures attainment of life’s goal, viz. God/Self-realisation. Srimad Bhãgavatam speaks the glory of Sadhus, the significance of their company and the greatness of Nãmasankirtan. Sadhus are very merciful (‘krupălu’). When they move about on the streets they might come across a leprosy patient in a very bad state. They look at him with overflowing compassion and sing Govinda! Govinda! Their hearts melt looking at the state he is in. Looking at him they would feel truly sorry for him, ‘oh! This jiva is suffering.’ And what happens? This leprosy patient attains Vaikuntam after his life here ends. He himself would have no idea of who has bestowed this state on him. The Sadhus visit our home and accept food offered. After the meal they go to the garden at the back and wash their hands and feet. The ‘păda teerta’ (water washing their Holy feet) of the Sadhus is of greater glory than the waters of the ‘sapta nadi teerta’ (waters of the seven Holy rivers). The ‘păda teerta’ of the Sadhus has greater ‘mahima’ (glory) than bathing in the seven Holy rivers. The water that has washed the holy feet of the Sadhus flows into the gutter near by. The worms living inside the gutter attain a high state (‘gati’)! Mahans wander about in the ‘loka’ only in their infinite mercy to help the ‘jiivăs’. The Lila (divine play) of the Lord in His various incarnations, in general, and as Lord Krishna, in particular, is nectar to the ears. It is this nectar falling from the divine lips of Sri Sukadeva that Parikshit drank to his fill and attained to the Lord’s Lotus Feet! Mere listening to the Bhãgavatam led him to the final goal of life. The story of Sage Narada’s earlier birth brings forth the importance of Satsang (association with Sadhus [one who has ‘realised’ God/Self]) The three daughters-in-law in the Pandava clan – Kunti, her daughter-in-law Draupadi, and Uttara, Draupadi’s daughter-in-law, surpass one another in their love and devotion for the Lord (Krishna). Draupadi’s grief over the murder of her children by Aswatthãma, the son of Dronacharya, the Guru of the Pandavãs does not blind her into accepting Arjuna’s fulfillment of his vow to kill Aswatthãma. Krishna, the Lord, is highly pleased with her when she forbids Arjuna from killing Aswatthãma for various reasons – not righteous to kill a Brahmin; not righteous to the kill the son of the Guru who is verily the Guru Himself; and, let not another mother (who was already drowned in grief due to the loss of her husband) grieve over the death of her son. This incident brings out the compassion and love of Draupadi even towards one who had caused her immense grief. Kunti’s famous ‘stuti’ (hymn in praise of the Lord) seeks the strange boon of more and more such sorrows as would draw the Lord to them! Ignoring the mighty Pandavas, Uttara, Draupadi’s daughter-in-law, surrenders unto Krishna, when Aswattahãma tries to destroy the foetus in her womb (in order to render the Pandava clan heirless) using the Brahmãstra. Bearing the curse of a Brahmin, that he would die on the seventh day by the sting of the serpent king (Takshaka), king Parikshit questions all the sages as to what should a man, particularly one on the verge of death, do? His intense longing to know this drew the great Sukadeva, an Avadhuta, who was in search of an appropriate vessel to pour out Srimad Bhãgavatam received from his great father Veda Vyãsa. With a disciple such as Parikshit and a Guru such as Sukamuni can liberation be far away?
Suka sings in praise of the Lord (2:4:12-25). In it Suka says,
Sri Suka narrates the various incarnations of the Lord and His ‘upadesa’ in each of His incarnations out of sheer Compassion to the ‘jiva’; and, the lives of the Lord’s devotees. More touching are the lives of devotees of the Lord – Little Dhruva, blessed by His Guru Sage Narada, drawing the Lord with his intense tapas. Little Prahlad’s steadfast devotion to the Lord notwithstanding innumerable brutal punishments inflicted on him by his Asura father Hiranyakashipu. King Ambarisha’s deep devotion to the Lord; his humility even when faced with the wrath of Sage Durvasa. Vritrasura’s devotion to the Lord puts to shame even Indra, the chief of devas. The Pandava’s deep love for the Lord saves them from every danger in their life. Ajamila’s episode in the sixth skanda (canto) confirms the greatness of the Divine Name of the Lord – mere taking the Name of the Lord, whether casually, in jest or even in disrespectful manner draws the Lord’s grace. Ajămila charitra begins in the 6th canto that lay in the center of the Bhăgavatam, which contains 12 cantos. Why the 6th canto? Is not this canto in the center of the Bhăgavatam? It has been placed in the center as a gem. It is verily a gem. The unique love of the Gopis for Krishna fills the tenth canto. This love of theirs is upheld as the highest even by such great ones as Suka, Bhishma, Uddhava, and by each and every Mahatma who has walked/walks on the soil of this Holy land. Every one of them yearns for such love for the Lord! Listening to or chanting the entire episode of ‘Rãsam’ cleanses one of all diseases of the heart, particularly sexual desire. Uddhava commissioned as messenger to Vraja by Krishna is dumbstruck by the love of the Gopis for the Lord. Krishna’s marriage with Rukmini illustrates the union of the ‘jiva’ with the Lord. This is followed by Krishna’s marriage with Satyabhama, Jãmbavati, Kalindi, Mitravinda, Satya, Bhadra, Lakshmana, followed by the 16000 princesses kept imprisoned. The Lord plays to perfection His part as a householder in all these 16008 homes! The tenth canto ends with the portrayal of the madness of spiritual love of the wives of Krishna.
Sudãma (personification of poverty), Krishna’s close friend and classmate while He studied at Sri Sãndeepani Gurukulam, visits Krishna
when the latter is Dwarakãdeesa (king of Dwãraka), with a handful of pounded rice as offering. In this episode Krishna shows that He
values only pure love. The Lord tells,
In the eleventh ‘skanda’ the Lord reveals spiritual sãdhana to Uddhava – The conversations of the ‘Nava Yogis’, the lessons learnt by Dattatreya (an Avadhuta) from twenty-four Gurus, the sanctifying power of association with Holy men, the intense longing of the Gopis for Krishna, the life of the Brahmin turned mendicant, etc.
The twelfth ‘skanda’speaks the greatness of Hari Nãmasankirtan, the only way to attain life’s goal in this Kali Yuga which is a storehouse of all evils.
“I prostrate unto that Hari, chanting whose name all sins are destroyed and surrendering to whom man is freed from all miseries.” The main Dharma in Bhăgavatam is Nămasankirtan. Arrows are of two kinds. The arrow aimed at a bird by the hunter is of one kind. If the bird flies away the arrow shot by the hunter covers the distance but falls down. On the other hand Mantra ‘astrăs’ (arrows carrying Mantras) like the Brahmăstra are shot after doing japa of a Mantra on it. It chases the target wherever he may run or fly. The Mantra ‘astrăs’ possess this kind of a power; whereas the ordinary ‘astra’ falls down once it fails to hit the target. What is Nămasankirtan? It is a Mantra ‘astra’. Wherefrom does it fall? From (the lips of the) Guru! Once it has fallen from the lips of the Guru into your ears, it takes you to the right company and moves you away from undesirable company. This Mantra ‘astra’ of Nămasankirtan would fall down only after depositing you on the lap of Bhagavăn!” In whose hands would Bhăgavatam be found? ‘Krishna priyam sakala kalmasha năshanam’ In one way it means that if you read the Bhăgavatam you become the Beloved (‘priyan’) of Krishna. The other way of conceiving it is - Bhagavăn likes someone. He likes him/her very much. Bhagavăn desires to bless (do ‘anugraha’) him. If He does, will not people accuse him of being biased? Will they not question, “Why did you bless him/her? Are You not being partial (‘paksha păda’)?” Therefore, the Lord surreptitiously pushes Bhăgavatam into the hands of one whom He likes, one whom He desires to bestow His Grace. Bhagavăn can then justify, ‘he/she read the Bhăgavatam. So I bestowed my Grace on him.’ He can use this as a pretext for blessing someone with His Grace. Can He not? Therefore, Bhăgavtam is found only in the hands of the one who has become the recipient of Bhagavăn’s Grace (‘preeti pătram’); one on whom Bhagavăn’s ‘krupa’ (Grace) has fallen. Each and every ‘akshara’ (alphabet) in the Bhăgavatam is verily ‘Brahma swaroopa’ (the form of the Brahman). The life histories of Ălangudi Periyava, Mayavaram Periyava are examples of the attainment of the high state of Jivan Mukti through mere Bhăgavata ‘sravanam’ (listening to the Bhăgavatam), through mere Bhăgavata părayana (reading). "
GOPIKA JEEVANASMARANAM!
NOTE: Any discrepancy/lapse in the translated version of the Upanyasam is the sole responsibility of the person/s who translated the work from Tamizh into English.
Radhe Krishna |
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