Srimad Bhagavata Mahatmyam 06 - The Glory of Srimad Bhagavata Sapthaha

Hari Om

My highest Salutations to Lord Narasimha, the destroyer of ignorance and in whose abode resides the Goddess of abundance. My repeated Salutations to him at whose service are Gods themselves at all time. Also, my scaled Salutations to all Gods that includes Hanuman, Sarasvati, Garuda, Sesha, Shiva, Narada, Dhruva, Prahalada who are always brimming with devotion and are never exhausted at the service of Lord. My utmost Salutations to Srimad Acharya and all the Gurus of the lineage through whom the nectar of Bhagavata Shastra has been flowing and seek the shelter of Guru Raghavendra at all times.

The Glory of Srimad Bhagavata Sapthaha

The Sanatkumara, the Emperor of Vedanta Samrajya along with Sanaka, Sanatana, Sanandana sat on the dais, after everyone settling down, offered prayers as per satsampradaya or sacred customary procedure to remove an obstruction and to accomplish the desired results. Sanatkumara started with the glory of Srimad Bhagavata or Mahatmya, the sacred procedure laid out by Lord Veda Vyasa himself. 

Sanatkumara says - 

Hearing from Holy Srimad Bhagavatha one will get Liberation from the cycle of death & birth. I will narrate the glory of the doctrine of Sri Shukacharya called Srimad Bhagavatha. Hearing the glory or Mahatmya is very important for developing the keenness and required enthusiasm. Also, the Lord who is in every individual blesses proximity. One has to daily hear or read from the Holy Srimad Bhagavata which has 18000 Verses, in each verse, there are 32 Akshara or alphabet, are divided into 12 skandhas or chapters and was told to Parikshit raja by Sri Shukacharya. 

One will face difficulty in life, only till such time, he has not heard Bhagavata. Once, one starts hearing Srimad Bhagavata, the difficulties will start disappearing, strength to face the samsara or life will start increasing. Also, one will be able to get over Kama or lust, krodha or anger, lobha or greed, moha or attachment, mada or pride and matsarya or jealousy and become more balanced soul. 

The study of Puranas, Shruthi like Brahma Mimamsa, other shastras or philosophy would not yield proper perspective without the study of Srimad Bhagavata. The only study of Srimad Bhagavata makes complete and helps to have a proper perspective. It is only Srimad Bhagavata that gives mukti. The house where Bhagavata is narrated daily becomes theerta kshatra or a Holy place and people living there will absolve all their sin. Also, the merit of doing thousand ashwamedha yagna and hundred vajpayi yagna is not equivalent to one-sixteenth of merit of penning Srimad Bhagavata. The sins could reside in a person, only till such time a person has not understood Srimad Bhagavata correctly. 

Neither Ganga, nor Gaya, nor Kashi, nor Pushkara, nor Prayaga will give merits as much as hearing Srimad Bhagavata. Even, just reading half or one-fourth of a verse from Srimad Bhagavata will yield great progress towards moksha. 

In Vedas, Gayathri mantra, Purusha sukta, Bhagavata, Twelve syllabus mantra; Prayaga, the twelve named Suns, Kala or Time, Samvatsara or full Year, Brahmana or Brahmin, Agnihotra or one who does fire ceremony, Kamadhenu or Surabhi is wish-fulfilling cow of Heaven, the tithis of Dwadashi, Ekadashi & Dashami or twelfth, eleventh and tenth lunar day from new moon or full moon, Tulasi or Holy Basil, Vasanta rutu or Season of Spring, resides Purshottama or Supreme Lord. The Lord resides in these in a remarkable way, worthy of worship. However, the Lord is omnipresent at all times. 

One who practices Bhagavata Shastra and communicate to others, the sin accrued over one crore births will be absolved. Let there be no doubt on this, says Sanatkumara. 

One who reads half or even one fourth a verse daily from Srimad Bhagavata will accrue punya or merit equal to the merit of offering Rajasuya or Ashvamedha. Recitation of Srimad Bhagavata daily is equivalent to thinking of the Lord’s attributes or Serving Goddess Tulasi or Basil Plant by offering salutations & watering her or Serving the Cow by offering Salutations and feeding Grass & Water. By reading Srimad Bhagavata daily, one will be blessed to hear Srimad Bhagavata during the last days & hours of life as like Parikshit raja that would lead to Vaikunta and the Lotus feet of Lord Govinda. 

If one donates a book of Srimad Bhagavata that would be helpful for one to recite or read or study or teach and also if one could donate Srimad Bhagavata in a gold case, he would get Sayujyam or communion or closely united with Lord Krishna permanently. 

One who blames or puts down or disrespects Srimad Bhagavata, he is equivalent to an outcast. If one who has not heard Srimad Bhagavata during his present life, he is only a pain to his mother for his birth and is an utter waste. Though he seems living, he is like a dead body. He is a sinner. For those who have not heard Srimad Bhagavata Mahatmya, Gods, in the assembly would talk about them, blame them, look down and tell that he is only a dead weight to the earth said Sanatkumara. 

However, as we are reading this, we need not be worried. The Lord has been kind to us, he is a Sea of Compassion and loves us as his devotees. We are fortunate, for a minuscule deed in our earlier births, the Lord has blessed with the Prasada or a great gift of reading these words of Srimad Bhagavata. 

Sanatkumara continues to sing the glory of Srimad Bhagavata and says, it is not available to one and all nor is it another run of the mill stuff. But available only to those who have done Sadana or worked over it for over one crore births. Hence, one should hear or read as soon as it is available with all commitment and efforts. There is no limited time and one should hear or read every day. This is what all knowledgeable or Jnanis agree. 

Due to the influence of Kali in this Dark Age, it is difficult to practice Srimad Bhagavata daily. Hence, the Sapthaha or limited seven days with Diksha or initiation under spiritual guide is suggested. Also, one has to follow all procedures including Brahmacharya or vow of chastity. The merit of hearing Srimad Bhagavata in the lunar month of Magha is achieved by conducting Sapthaha. The merits of doing Tapa or austerity, Yoga, Samadhi is achieved by Sapthaha effortlessly. There is no yagna or sacrifice, Vrata or Ceremony with Vow or Tapa or austerity, Pilgrimage, Yoga, Dhyana or meditation that is equivalent to Sapthaha. 

As the glory of Sapthaha was being narrated by Sanatkumara, Something very surprising happened. The Young Lady Bhakti came along with her two sons, Jnana & Vairagya to the assembly. Jnana & Vairagya had regained youth, they were singing the names of Natha or the Lord continuously as “Shree Krishna, Govinda, Hare, Murare” and were dancing in ecstasy as they entered the assembly of all Gods, Rishis & all Vaishnava. 

As everyone was surprised and thinking who they are? Sanatkumara told them that as we have prepared to start Srimad Bhagavata by recollecting its glory, Jnana, Bhakti, and Vairagya have appeared here. Only on completion of narrating Glory or Mahatmya of Bhagavata Sapthaha, Bhakti’s children became youth and have traveled all the way from Brundavana.

Hari Om

Sri Krishnarpanamastu