Vishnu Maya

In this world, it is not unusual to find an atheist suddenly turning into a devotee or a devotee suddenly turning into an atheist. And there are those who cannot be categorized into either a devotee or an atheist! In Ramayana we find that Jãpãli, a Maharishi, speak atheism in his defense of Rama, out of love. Some enjoy portraying themselves as Bhaktas while there are those who are proud to show themselves as atheists. Some enjoy portraying themselves as the situation demands!

In the life history of Mira we find that Ranakumba who married Mira for her Bhakti tries to kill her in later days. (‘Guna’) The work of the mind is not stable in anybody. This is usual amongst the men of the world.

In Srimad Bhãgavatam, Akrura out of deep desire for the darshan of Bhagavãn comes to Vrindãvan from Mathura and takes the Lord back to Mathura. On the way back to Mathura, Bhagavãn blesses him with the darshan of His true form. In later part of Bhãgavatam we find that this same Akrura develops difference of opinion with the Bhagavãn who had blessed him with the darshan of His true form!

Everyone points to Lord Brahma as the ‘uttama purusha’. Brahma is the ‘ãdhikãrika purusha’ without any ‘dosha’ (fault). In Srimad Bhãgavatam, when the burden of the earth becomes unbearable, Bhooma Devi takes the form of a cow and takes refuge in Lord Brahma. Taking Bhooma Devi and the Devas along with him, Brahma surrenders unto Bhagavãn who is in the Ocean of Divine milk. In his prayer to the Lord, Brahma stresses the need for Bhagavãn’s Avatãr on the earth. And it is to this Brahma that Bhagavãn declares about His Avatãr to be taken in Vasudeva’s home. With total delight Brahma informs the Devas about the pronouncement of Bhagavãn and announces that those desirous of serving Him could take birth on the earth as ‘strees’ (ladies). It was the ‘pure’ Brahma who prays to Bhagavãn to incarnate on the earth. And it is to Brahma that Bhagavãn reveals about His Avatãr. It is Brahma who passes on this message to the Devas.

However, in the later part of Bhãgavatam it is found that it is this Brahma who kidnaps all the cows and calves of Vrindavãn while Bhagavãn had taken His Avatãr and was grazing the cattle! Brahma nurtures the desire that Bhagavãn Himself should approach and plead with him to return the cattle. However, finding that it was none but Bhagavãn Himself who was the cows, the calves and the cowherd boys Brahma surrenders to the Lord and seeks forgiveness for the wrong done. But Bhagavãn does not speak even a single word with him!

If such was the position of the pure (‘shuddha jiva’) ‘Ãdikãrika Purusha’ Brahma in Bhagavãn’s Maya can one then expound the position of ordinary ‘jivas’? (!)

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