Srimad Bhagavatam Skanda 1 - Sri Sutacharya’s Mangalacharna
|| Sri Veda Vyasaya Namaha ||
Hari Om
Srimad Bhagavatam cleanses kalimala or the pollutant of Kali, destroys sins, shows the indweller, the Lord, in oneself by bringing Vairagya towards the materialistic world, and gives pure devotion, crystal clear and clean knowledge. Always being satisfied, having no expectations with full of attributes, stainless, creates, sustains, destroys, regulates all non-living including liberates all living just by expression of his attributes is the only Lord having the Lordship. My salutations to HIM. My Salutations to Goddess Lakshmi who always wonders about the attributes of Lord to whom she is dearest. By assigning the most important and difficult task of locating Goddess Sita or getting the Sanjeevani, has been dear to Lord. My Salutations to Prasanna Hanuman in whose abode resides Goddess of Bhakti. Appearing always as sweet sixteen and bitten the sweetest fruit of all seasons and in whose orchestration only the best of Bhagavatas like Indra, Bali, SanatKumara, Uddhava, Narada, Prahlada, Dhruva, do sankeertana, my salutations to Sri Sukacharya the dear son of Lord and all the Bhagavatas. By repetition of whose name the quintessence of Vedas would be understood easily, my prostration to such Guru Sri Raghavendra.
Lord Veda Vyasa calling Sri Sutacharya as Romaharshana says,
प्रतिपूज्य वचस्तेषां प्रवक्तुमुपचक्रमे ॥
Having heard the six questions from Sri Shaunaka Rishi, Romaharshana experienced goosebumps with a sudden surge of emotions. He describes the questions as सम्प्रश्नसंहृष्टो, Sumpreshna Sumhrusta, indicating the questions were very good as it led to the narration of Mahapurana of Srimad Bhagavatam. Also, the way questions were asked was also very good. Sri Shaunaka Rishi had asked the questions filled with devotion and high respect to Sri Sutacharya as it was regarding the Lord. Also, with the concern for the people of Kali Yuga.
Hence, Sri Sutacharya experienced goosebumps. Since he had to narrate the stories of Lord’s lordship and his attributes. The service of Lord’s devotees and their accomplishments of Lord’s Lotus feet had to be narrated. Lord Veda Vyasa says प्रतिपूज्य, Sri Sutacharya replied with equal respect as Sri Shaunaka Rishi had during questioning.
With a keen desire to give out his best, filled with devotion offered mangalacharna or the verses of prayer before taking up the question. Sri Sutacharya had studied under both Lord Veda Vyasa and Sri Shuka muni. Hence, Sri Sutacharya offers prayer to both the Gurus. Also, he offers prayers to Lakshmi Devi, Mukya Prana, and Sarasvati Devi. Their blessings had bestowed the Siddhi of Tattva Jnana of Srimad Bhagavatam:
यं प्रव्रजन्तमनुपेतमपेतकृत्यं द्वैपायनो विरहकातर आजुहाव ।
पुत्रेति तन्मयतया तरवोऽभिनेदुस्तं सर्वभूतहृदयं मुनिमानतोऽस्मि ।। |
| Sri Shukacharya |
As if feeling loss and loneliness, Lord Veda Vyasa calls Shuka, “My Son”. But Sri Shukacharya who has the attribute of Vairagya or dispassion, even to his body, walked ahead to become Sanyasi without any reply. Being no different from God Rudra who is obliged to The Lord for being responsible to influence the minds in all living being, answered filled with bhakti or devotion to The Lord by swaying of trees. Salutations to Vairagya Shiromani, Sri Shukacharya.
Sri Sutacharya with this verse has set forth to describe the greatness of Sri Shukacharya and the glory of Srimad Bhagavatam. Lord Veda Vyasa in the second verse of Mangalacharna, धर्मः प्रोज्झित or Dharma Projita, in this Srimad Bhagavatam has affirmed that without any deceit and being honest one has to follow the Supreme Dharma of nishkama karma or action without any expectation or desire and propitiate Lord. Consistent with that Lord Veda Vyasa has composed Srimad Bhagavatam and has initiated Sri Shukacharya. The best of Vaishnava and an incarnation of Rudra, “Sri Shukacharya understanding the various principles of the philosophy, drawing the essence and implementing it in every step of his life does the anusandhana. Anusandhana of Srimad Bhagavatam has a high influence on him. Has brought about a qualitative change. Change of doing nishkama karma and following all Bhagavata dharma. He even forgoes desire towards his own body. Hence, he decides to take-up Sanyasa ashrama. However being an incarnation of God Rudra and as सर्वभूतहृदयं in the minds of all living, he is obliged to The Lord for the responsibility to influence the minds answered by swaying of the tree. This is the Glory of Srimad Bhagavatam and the accomplishment of Sri Shukacharya.
The important aspect for us is to understand is the extent of Vairagya or dispassion we develop towards worldly happenings and materialistic happiness, to that extent Bhakti and Jnana start showing up. As Sri Shukacharya had achieved the pinnacle of Vairagya, the level of avadhoota, so too was his devotion towards the Lord.यः स्वानुभावमखिलश्रुतिसारमेकमध्यात्मदीपमतितितीर्षतां तमोऽन्धम्
संसारिणां करुणयाह पुराणगुह्यं तं व्याससूनुमुपयामि गुरुं मुनीनाम् ।।
This Srimad Bhagavatam gives the experience of the Lord and has the essence of all Vedas and Vedanta. It sheds spiritual light on the transcendental philosophy required for surpassing the intense cycle of death and birth which is wrapped in ignorance. However, it is very secretive in nature. Hence, I pray to Sri Shukacharya for his continued blessings.
Here, Sri Sutacharya has called the Lord स्वा नुभाव or All by Himself. The capacity or ability to conduct all happenings is not dependent. One may wonder on the consistency of this in the verse! And may also conclude that by studying Srimad Bhagavatam, the explanation of Vedas or Vedas directly one could accomplish Lord. No, says Sri Sutachary here. Not with Veda nor with Srimad Bhagavatam. As the Lord is not dependent on Vedas nor Srimad Bhagavatam.
In our day to day life, we come across several experiences. We come across atheists saying there is no God. Some believe that all happenings are by individual efforts and the creation is accidental or with a big bang. Some say all happenings and the creation is an Illusion and some say that the Lord helps only to those who help themselves. Or he would help all those who take the right path. And many blends of these. Hence, each of us suffers from one or the other illusion. This is the cause of dissatisfaction in individuals. So, let’s see how Sri Sutacharya explains.
There are stories of several hata yogis. Thousands of efforts of hata yoga will not help in understanding the Lord. Nor any amount of studies would! The Lord Adhokshaja is not vivid and being invisible is his attribute. He is not rudimentary nor Mechanical. Such Lord is being explained in this Srimad Bhagavatam. The study of Srimad Bhagavatam would help in developing Jnana, Bhakti and Vairagya to propitiate Lord. Thus leading to his anugraha or blessings of Prasada. On his blessings, the same Vedas or Srimad Bhagavatam would lead to his Lotus feet by shearing the cycle of death and birth. The Lord is Independent and not dependent on Vedas or Srimad Bhagavatam.
Hence, here, Sri Sutacharya repeats salutations to Sri Shukacharya in the second verse also. He does out of extreme Bhakti. Also, Sri Shukacharya would play a double role. A role as an incarnation of God Rudra. He is obliged to The Lord for being responsible to influence the minds helps the individual in understanding the basic verse and the essence in it. Also for having a role of parama Guru or Guru’s Guru by narrating for first time Srimad Bhagavatam in his physical form to Parikshit Raja.
The subject of ignorance is psychological in nature. It works through emotions and is very thick layered. This has the capacity to lead to Hell. We have seen this in SBM 08 - Srimad Bhagavata, Redemption from Sins - Sri Ramana tava charna. This is the layer of “I”. I the doer. Also, the need for crossing this will not come to one’s mind. Though the untoward and obstructions stare every individual most of the time, rare is exhaustion to worldly happenings and short-lived materialistic happiness.
Here, it is worth noting that though there are several Publications, Interpretations, and Translations of Srimad Bhagavatam, all does not take-up its study. It comes only with the merit accumulated over several births. The merit would prompt taking-up Srimad Bhagavatam. The sense or thought to cross over the cycle of death-birth is very rare. Hence, for those who have got that sense, this is अध्यात्मदीप adyatma deepa or Spiritual Light, says Sri Sutacharya. A Spiritual Light gave by Sri Shukacharya.
Adyatma could be kshetra or body, or the Gods influencing each faculty in a body, or Soul or Lord. For us to understand about our body, Srimad Bhagavatam is required. For us to break the cycle of death & birth, first we need to understand the bandana or the one which confines. Else, steps to liberate cannot be taken-up. While we require the body for Sadhana like study of Srimad Bhagavatam, but our body itself is confinement. As we need to leave this body, we need to understand its characteristics. In this body are sense organs and in them are our enemies. The enemy of Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Mada, and Matsarya or Arishadvargas. Also, the desire of Bhakti or to cross over from the cycle of death and birth is good kama. Hence, we need to understand those who are helpful and those which are not. The one which we need to persuade and the one which we have to forego needs to be understood. There are also the Gods in the sense organs of the body persuading the helpful. Only by understanding them and worshipping them, we will be blessed. From those organs, we could do more good deeds. Also, the Lord as chief Indweller of the body and the Indweller of the Gods responsible for each sensory organs is present. He is present in several forms. This is the Vaibava or Majesty that Goddess Lakshmi desires to see in the Lord as we discussed in Srimad Bhagavatam Skanda 1 - Mangalacharna continued. By understanding the majesty of the Lord in this body, we would be able to cross over the cycle of death and birth. All of this and more is what Bhagavatam describes in the form of stories. Hence Adyatmadeepa or the Spiritual Light that Sri Shukacharya has lit. The body is Jada or materialistic substance. If the Indweller, the Lord leaves the body, all Gods will follow. The body has to be disposed of in fire or in the earth. Srimad Bhagavatam of Sri Shukacharya talks about such deepa or light which is Prime. The essence of all Vedas is included in Srimad Bhagavatam which is secretive in nature and not available to all. Hence, Sri Sutacharya with bhakti has taken refuge in his Guru Sri Shukacharya and the Lord. Also, out of his kind generosity has called on us to take refuge in Paramaguru Sri Shukacharya and the Lord.
देवीं सरस्वतीं व्यासं ततो जयमुदीरयेत् ॥
Salutations to Lord Sriman Narayana, who supports all including Goddess Lakshmi and who is the subject of Srimad Bhagavatam. Salutations to Lord Veda Vyasa, the composer of Srimad Bhagavatam. Salutations to Devi, the Goddess of fortune who is always at the service of the Lord and blessing all Bhagavatas with Srimad or in abundant. The abundance of hearing, studying, understanding Srimad Bhagavata that has Bhakti, Jnana and Vairagya. Salutations to Gods Brahma & Vayu, the best of beings. Salutations to Sarasvati, the goddess of Knowledge and bhakti. Salutations to Gods Sesha and Shiva, the best of Vaishnava. Salutations to Srimad Bhagavatam that brings Victory.
Looking forward to the continued blessings of Hari, Vayu, and Gurus to see the answers of Sri Sutacharya to those very auspicious questions asked by Sri Shaunaka Rishi.
|| Hari Om ||
|| Sri Krishnarpanamastu ||
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