Srimad Bhagavatam Skanda 1- The Axiom of Atma (Continued)

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. 

|| Hari Om ||

|| Sri Veda Vyasaya Namaha ||

My Salutations to Lord Adhokshaja, Lord Vasudeva, bestower of Satvika Bhakti. My repeated Salutation to the unchanging Lord Tattva, the bestower of Nishkama Bhakti. My Salutations to Goddess Mahalakshmi who removes our ignorance & wrongful knowledge, who keeps us away from entertainment that would bind us with actions & desire and bestows a desire for Satvika Bhakti. My Salutations to Bharati Ramana, the cause of happiness to Goddess Bharati influencing Bhakti. My Salutation to Parvati Pati, cause for auspiciousness. 
My Prostration to the attendant of God Brahma who accrued an immeasurable Satvika merit as Prahlad and as Guru Raghavendra bestows only Satvika blessings which is stainless.
As we remind ourselves that long-time back, before the start of Kali Yuga, a Satra or a spiritual gathering was organized under the leadership of Sri Shaunaka Rishi in Naimisharanya. Incidentally, Sri Sutacharya happened to visit there like a bright Sun that dispels the darkness of night at the dawn of every morning.  Being concerned for the virtuous taking birth in the dark age of Kali Yuga, Sri Shaunaka Rishi had asked six questions to Sri Sutacharya that included the following:

आपन्नः संसृतिं घोरां यन्नाम विवशो गृणन् ।

ततः सद्यो विमुच्येत यद्बिभेति स्वयं भयम् ॥

को वा भगवतस्तस्य पुण्यश्लोकेड्यकर्मणः ।

शुद्धिकामो न शृणुयाद्यशः कलिमलापहम् ॥

In the very scary cycle of death and birth, uttering Lord Sriman Narayana’s name would retrieve even from the most horrific situation. Even the horror is horrified by his name. Please tell us his story. Even the saints from whose blessings, the ordinary would get purified, take refuge in the Lotus feet of Lord, tell us his stories. The Lord who has the highest fame, worthy of being praised, carries out his divine play. The glory of his divine fame would purify the Soul. Who would not be desirous to hear? We have the highest faith in him, please tell us his extraordinary fame. Hearing which the pollutants of Kali disappear.

अथाख्याहि हरेर्धीमन्नवतारकथाः शुभाः ।

लीला विदधतः स्वैरमीश्वरस्यात्ममायया ॥

वयं तु न वितृप्याम उत्तमश्लोकविक्रमे ।

यच्छृण्वतां रसज्ञानां स्वादु स्वादु पदे पदे ॥

Lord assumes various forms like Matsya, Kurma, Varaha including that of Mohini that caused the illusion to all Daitya or evil, please tell us those stories. Hearing those stories written in divine verses describing the immeasurable valor of Lord is fantastic and overwhelming. It generates powerful and mysteriously fascinating feelings towards the Lord and is always afresh and anew on every step. How couldn't a devotee surrender himself to that divine ecstasy?

Sri Sutacharya as a response says,

वासुदेवपरा वेदा वासुदेवपरा मखाः | वासुदेवपरा योगा वासुदेवपराः क्रियाः ॥

वासुदेवपरं ज्ञानं वासुदेवपरं तपः| वासुदेवपरो धर्मो वासुदेवपरा गतिः॥

Should it be Vedas, or Sacrifice, or Yoga, or Actions of Activity, all pertain to Lord Vasudeva. So too the Knowledge, or Austerity, or the indoctrinations in philosophy, all pertain to Lord Vasudeva. For everything, it is Lord Vasudeva, the basis of sustenance.

The most famous act of Lord is the Creation of this Universe having the highest fame. Sri Sutacharya narrates this act of Lord Parama Purusha. Also, his twenty-two forms sustaining and controlling the universe and appearing visibly or invisibly as Indweller. The other form of Lord what Sri Sutacharya describes is in that in all non-living objects.

All the nonliving things what we see is the Idol of Lord.

Like the sweetness is within the Sugar and Sugar within the sweetness, 

The Lord is inside and outside of all living bodies and nonliving Objects.

In all, Lord’s forms are grouped as a)  Swaroopa Roopa or His direct form; b) Pratibimba Roopa or as reflection being Indweller and c) Pratima Roopa or as Idol.

Apart from the above, Sri Sutacharya narrates about Jiva or a Life called Atma that is fantastic, invisible and is like that of Lord. However, as Atma is filled with Prakriti and capsuled as Linga Deha having ignorance. Hence, has the vulnerability to the act of Lord of Evil, Kali getting caught in the cycle of death and birth filled with sorrow.    

To a question as to how does the Jiva look after breaking this cycle of death & birth? Sri Sutacharya explaining says,

यत्रेमे सदसद्रूपे प्रतिषिद्धे स्वसंविदा ।

अविद्ययाऽऽत्मनि कृते इति तद्ब्रह्मदर्शनम् ॥ ३३॥

When the Jiva gets realization of self or Atma, the ignorance starts disappearing. Also, the sight of various forms of Lord in living bodies and non-living objects start appearing. Consequently, the cycle of death and birth will break. This is called ब्राह्मदर्शनम् or Aproksha Jnana.

यत्रे or when Jiva, इमे सदसद्रूपे who is in the form of Prakrata Atma i.e. invisible Atma filled with invisible Prakriti having the deed and the reason for such a deed being the physical body made of Prakriti. As Linga Deha being Prakrtatmaka is invisible and Prakriti is the Physical body. Hence, is called sadsadroopa causing अविद्यया or the three types of ignorance viz. 1) Lord’s wish binding Jiva to regulate 2) Prakriti causing Ignorance and 3) Ignorance of individual Jiva and कृते for these three reasons, Ignorance has possessed the Jiva.

This Ignorance of Jiva also does not permit to understand that यत्रे or In Lord has स्वसंविदा प्रतिषिद्धे the form of only Jnana and Ananda. Or in other words, Lord has no Prakrata Linga Deha nor Prakriti or the physical body. i.e. Lord is not having the cycle of death & birth. The Jiva does not understand that Prakrata Atma and Prakriti are limited to only Jiva and not to the Lord. Hence, the Almighty Srisha is independent and  the Lord to Goddess Mahalakshmi influencing Prakriti. However, the Jiva is dependent or Dasa, a slave.

As we read and understand this, our minds may quickly wish to doubt this with a logic that though I understand, nothing much is changing nor I am independent of obstacles with differences or disagreement or dissidence, in short sorrow. This is the nature of Prakriti or our exterior mind. Hence, when we do anusandana i.e. understand the principles of philosophy, draw essence and implement it by practicing in our day to day activities of life, the fruit of Bhakti Yoga ripens. The anusandana of the Axiom of Bhakti is:

Lord is Srisha and I the Jiva is Dasa.

That is, when one does Sadana or Practise, sits down cross-legged, closing the eyes, leaving all attachment towards the body, contemplating on the attributes of the Lord does dharna on his form as he stands on the Lotus of Heart by accomplishing Siddhi or Perfection. Also, The exceptionally dazzling and pleased Lord full of knowledge and bliss will appear standing above Prakriti blesses Aparoksha Jnana.

This Aparoksha Jnana having destroyed all the ignorance including on creation, destruction and the bind with Prakriti is how Jiva gets released from the confinement of Prakriti. This would yield clean and special Knowledge of Atma, the relation with Prakriti including exterior Sensory Organs and the Lord Parmatma. This would be the form of Jiva after having broken the cycle of death and birth.  

By seeing the forms of Lord during his appearances and singing the fame of the forms of the Lord, the Lord being pleased blesses Aproksha Jnana.

यद्येषोपरता देवी माया वैशारदी मतिः ।

सम्पन्न एवेति विदुर्महिम्नि स्वे महीयते ॥ ३४॥

After receiving the Aparoksha Jnana and during the time of Pralaya, the Prakriti filled in the invisible Atma gets cleansed and removed breaking Linga Deha or would have taken a dip in the river Viraja-Nadi on the way to Shweta Dweepa. This jiva having cleansed the bind of Prakriti would reach Shwetadweepa. In Shweta Dweepa, the Lord Padmanabha in his sleeping posture of Yoga Nidra on God Sesha is being served by Goddess Mahalakshmi. 
This is the seed form or the root form of Lord in this universe that Sri Sutacharya had narrated. The Jiva would be brimming with Bhakti and happiness. The moment he sees the mother Mahalakshmi at the feet of Lord, the Jiva gets overwhelmed, tears of Joy starts flowing, failing to control with the choked throat would be unable to say anything. The Jiva prostrates to the kind-hearted mother Mayadevi responsible to influence the Prakriti. The mother being pleased takes the Jiva into her arms blesses the permanent release from Prakriti. Subsequently, the Lord with several forms and names like Purusha or Padmanabha or Mayapati Vasudeva being pleased blesses the Jiva with Mukti. The Mukta Jiva would be able to express himself or experience the Knowledge and bliss.

देवी माया – Goddess Mahalakshmi influencing the Prakriti,  उपरता – ceased or free from, वैशारदी मतिः – Also, the ignorance through the wish of Lord also ceases, महिम्नि स्वे महीयते – Jiva will be able to experience the epitome of bliss embedded within himself then सम्पन्न एवेति विदु accomplish Mukti.

For the virtuous to do anusandana of the Axiom of Bhakti, Sri Sutacharya elaborates,

एवं जन्मानि कर्माणि ह्यकर्तुरजनस्य च ।

वर्णयन्ति स्म कवयो वेदगुह्यानि हृत्पतेः ॥ ३५॥

This way, in the Axiom of Bhakti Yoga, the cause of Mukti from ignorance is Aparoksha Jnana. The cause for Aparoksha Jnana is to see the forms and sing the fame of the Lord. Hence, the almighty Lord with an immeasurable will power who could create the entire universe just by desire i.e. इच्छा मात्रम् जगत् सृष्टि, out of his extreme generosity appears in various forms and does the famous acts.

एवं This way, the Aparoksha Jnana is the cause for Mukti. The cause for Aparoksha Jnana is by Bhakti Yoga involving understanding जन्मानि the story of appearances of Lord by कवयः or Jnanis and वर्णयन्ति describing these stories and singing the fame of his Glory always. The Lord is अकर्तु: or independent and अजनस्य having no death or birth. Also, अकर्तु: because he has no expectation to himself from his कर्माणि or actions. He does so as sports charm and also as in the वेदगुह्यानि or secrets of Veda. This हृत्पतेः or Lord standing on the Lotus of the heart is being propitiated by Jnanis and वर्णयन्ति स्म described to the students always.

By seeing the form and hearing the fame of Lord, How does Jiva get Mukti?  In the Pursuit to Hone Bhakti, Sri Sutachary had said,

शृण्वतां स्वकथाः कृष्णः पुण्यश्रवणकीर्तनः ।

हृद्यन्तःस्थो ह्यभद्राणि विधुनोति सुहृत् सताम् ॥

The most attractive, Lord Krishna in his dark skin like the color of monsoon cloud, standing in हृद्यन्तःस्थो, the Lotus of Heart like a सुहृत्, friend. A dear friend for the सताम् or virtuous waiting with great patience as if he has nothing else to do except for ह्यभद्राणि विधुनोति, destroying all our Sins that cause inauspiciousness and ready to pour his mercy.

He is waiting for us to श्रवणकीर्तनः, hear and sing his Glory. So that he could pour पुण्य, the mercy, and high merit.

Like he did to Kuchela, with a torn dress and made him Sudhama, having in abundance for just three fists of beaten rice. The rice filled with Love, brimming with devotion through hearing and singing the Glory of the Lord.

So too, he came as if he is at the beck and call of Prahlada! Also, in a form only dedicated to him!

Hence, the answer to the question as to how can the Jiva get rid of this Prakriti or break the cycle of death and birth is that Jiva has to see the form and hear the fame of Lord i.e. accomplish Aparoksha Jnana. Therefore, the kindhearted and most merciful Lord takes the form of Kumara, Varaha, Mahidasa, Nara-Narayana and so on, from time to time to enable this Jiva to see and hear of him even in Linga Deha. Also, for the periods of nonappearance, he has arranged Literature of Philosophy, Shastras, to enable Jiva to hear about him. The sports charm of Lord is not for himself but to help the Jivas. He has no use of this as being always satisfied. 
स वा इदं विश्वममोघलीलः सृजत्यवत्यत्ति न सज्जतेऽस्मिन् ।

भूतेषु चान्तर्हित आत्मतन्त्रः षाड्वर्गिकं जिघ्रति षड्गुणेशः ॥ ३६॥

Having the six complete attributes of Ishwarya or Wealth of Knowledge, Dhairya or Courage, Samartya or capacity, Eshas or fame, Shree or Kanti, and Vishesha Jnana, displays the exceptional sport of Creation of this Universe, Protection, Destructions, and so on, However, does not have any attachment. He is extremely Independent. Being as an Indweller in all Jiva and sensory organs have complete knowledge without being soiled.    

न चास्य कश्चिन्निपुणेन धातुरवैति जन्तुः कुमनीष ऊतीः ।

नामानि रूपाणि मनोवचोभिः सन्तन्वतो नटचर्यामिवाज्ञः ॥ ३७॥

A Hypnotist or an Actor with his extraordinary talent does amazing acts which a dull person cannot even understand. Similarly, the Lord who manifests all that is written in Vedas, the attributes in his name, and the forms mentioned in the scriptures just by his desire cannot be understood by a vice person full of wicked thoughts through words nor through mind or intellect.    

स वेद धातुः पदवीं परस्य दुरन्तवीर्यस्य रथाङ्गपाणेः ।

योऽमायया सन्ततयानुवृत्त्या भजेत तत्पादसरोजगन्धम् ॥ ३८॥

The valor, aggression and the power of Lord holding the divine disc named Sudarshana is immeasurable and unsurpassed. Though the whole universe is established by him, He is unique and special.

अथेह धन्या भगवन्त इत्थं यद्वासुदेवेऽखिललोकनाथे ।

कुर्वन्ति सर्वात्मकमात्मभावं न यत्र भूयः परिवर्त उग्रः ॥ ३९॥

Sutacharya hails and applauds Shaunakadi Rishis and says, fortunate are you Rishis being auspicious and worthy of worship. Because you all have submitted yourself in all the way to the Lord of this Universe, Vasudeva.

|| Hari Om ||

Surya Arghya

Keraya neeranu kerege chelli, Like pouring back the water from the lake,

Varava padedavarante kaaniro, Be seen as blessed.

Hariya karunadolaada bhagyava,
The accomplishments happening due to Lord Hari's grace,

Hari samarpane maadi badukiro, Credit back to Lord Hari.

Sri Purandara Vithala raayana Charana kamalava nambi badukiro.
Live to have trust in the Lotus feet of Lord Sri Purandara Vithala.

|| Sri Krishnarpanamastu ||