Srimad Bhagavatam Skanda 1 - Bhakti Yoga of Uttara Devi and Kunti Devi
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 ||
कृष्णाय वासुदेवाय देवकीनन्दनाय च ।
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Om Krishnaya Namah |
नन्दगोपकुमाराय गोविन्दाय नमो नमः ॥
Sri Krishna! Being a hope to the
imprisoned Devaki & Vasudeva caused happiness by mesmerizing Nandagopa,
Gopikas and even the Goddess of abundant beauty. Vasudeva! creation,
sustenance, destruction and so on is a sports charm of you. Govinda! you are
the cause & protector of Vedas.
Krishna, Vasudeva, Devaki Nandana,
Nanda Gopa Kumara, Govinda,
My repeated salutations to you.
My repeated salutations to you.
नमः पङ्कजनाभाय नमः पङ्कजमालिने ।
नमः पङ्कजनेत्राय नमस्ते पङ्कजाङ्घ्रये ॥
My salutations to the Lotus of the navel. My
salutations to the Lotus garlanded.
My salutations to Lotus petal eye. My
salutations to the Lotus feet.
व्यासाय भव नाशाय श्रीशाय गुण राशऐ ।
हृद्याय शुद्ध विद्याय मध्वायछ नमो नमः ॥
Charming & the beloved Vyasa,
the destroyer of emotional & behavioral disorders, the Lord of Goddess of
abundance having heaps of attributes, bestower of clean knowledge, my repeated
salutations to you and Acharya Madhwa.
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 to surpass the intense cycle of death and
birth which is wrapped in ignorance. However, it is very secretive in nature.
Hence, I pray to you Sri Shukacharya for your continued blessings.
यद्भनौ यत्क्र्शानौ यदमृतकिरणे यद् ग्रहेषू दितेषु
ज्योतिर्यत्तारकासु प्रथितमणिषु यद्यच्च सौदामिनिषु ।
सम्भूयौतत् समस्तं त्वदमितह्रदयाकाशनिर्यत्प्रकाशे
धीर श्रीराघवेन्द्रव्रतिवरभजते हन्त खद्योतरीतिम् ॥
The brightness of the Sun, Fire,
Moon, Planets, Stars, Gems, Precious stones and Lightening put together is just
like a firefly near the astonishing brilliance emanating from your lotus of
Heart wherein the five forms of Lord Sri Rama, Sri Narasimha, Sri Veda Vyasa,
Sri Krishna and Sriman Narayana are present in a significant way bestowing you
the Brahmavarchas or the Sacred Knowledge.
Gentle & Holy Sage, Sri
Raghvendra, भजते, I worship you by surrendering myself.
In Shaunaka Rishi's Virtue of Humility, Sri Shaunaka & his fellow Rishis had asked Sri Sutachary through the ninth verse of the fourth adhyaya:
अभिमन्युसुतं सूत प्राहुर् - भागवतोत्तमम् ।
तस्य जन्म महाश्चर्यं कर्माणि च गृणीहि नः ॥ ९॥
Sri Sutha Puranika! We have heard that the son of Abhimanyu, Parakshid Raja was the best of Bhagavata following Bhagavata dharma to letter and spirit. His birth itself was a wonder. Please tell us the extraordinary story of his birth and all his outstanding activities.
Answering this, Sri Sutacharya narrates the story of Ashwathama including the execution of Brahmashirsha Astra and his refusal to callback its aggression on the offspring of Pandavas. Hence, Uttara Devi the wife of Abhimanyu prays to Lord Sri Krishna seeking protection, says,
पाहि महायोगिन् देवदेव जगत्पते ।
नान्यं त्वदभयं पश्ये यत्र मृत्युः परस्परम् ॥ ९॥
अभिद्रवति मामीश शरस्तप्तायसो विभो ।
कामं दहतु मां नाथ मा मे गर्भो निपात्यताम् ॥ १०॥
The God of Gods! The Lord of the Universe! The greatest Yogi! Save me! Save me! None other than you could offer protection to me. Here, everyone is becoming a cause for one another’s death.
My Lord! You are Omnipotent. All-Powerful. An iron arrow burnt red hot is chasing me. If needed, let it kill me. However, please bless the safety of the baby growing in my womb.
Lord Sri Krishna for whom the devotees are most dear, protected both the Bhagavatas from Brahmashirsha Astra through his वैष्णवं तेज or his brilliance. He blessed Abhaya or safety to the selfless, ready to sacrifice her own life, Uttara Devi and the baby in her womb. Hearing this Sri Shaunaka & his fellow Rishis were astonished.
मा मंस्था ह्येतदाश्चर्यं सर्वाश्चर्यमयेऽच्युते ।
य इदं मायया देव्या सृजत्यवति हन्त्यजः ॥ १६॥
One need not be astonished by this, said Sri Sutacharya. Our Lord is awesome. He is the most amazing one. He is Achyutha, having no decline. The unchanging Lord without birth nor death having immeasurable power using Prakriti creates, sustains, destroys, and regulates the whole universe. He is Paramatma or Supreme Atma to confine other Atmas to death & birth. Subsequently, releasing them with Moksha.
Remember, this is the same as the first verse of prayer in this Srimad Bhagavatam taught by Lord Veda Vyasa himself. जन्माद्यस्य or His attribute of Creation, Sustenance, Destruction, Regulation, providing - Knowledge, Ignorance, Bandha or Confinement and Moksha or Liberation has the highest fame.
Overwhelmed by the protection of Lord Sri Krishna at every step of their life, the virtuous Sadhvi Kunti Devi’s heart oozes with devotion. She addresses Lord Sri Krishna to offer her gratitude. Submitting herself sings the famous Kunti Stotra,
कुन्त्युवाच
नमस्ये पुरुषं त्वाद्यमीश्वरं प्रकृतेः परम् ।
अलक्ष्यं सर्वभूतानामन्तर्बहिरवस्थितम् ॥ १८॥
You are the Purusha without beginning nor end. Using Prakruti, you have created the vast Universe and gave birth to Jivas starting from God Brahma to a blade of grass. However, neither Prakruti nor Jiva can influence you as you are Satchidananda, the best of all and the Supreme Lord. You are inside as well as outside the universe, all material substances, and living beings. You are omnipresent. Yet we are unable to know you. Nor the best of being, does God Brahma or even Goddess Lakshmi knows you completely.
My Salutations to you.
मायाजवनिकाच्छन्नमज्ञाधोक्षजमव्ययम् ।
न लक्ष्यसे मूढदृशा नटो नाट्यधरो यथा ॥ १९॥
To understand you, I should understand myself. With the concealment of Jeevachadika, I do not have the ability to look into myself as my Indriya or the sensory organs are always looking outwards for happiness. Also, the veil of Paramachadika between you and me is obstructing me to know you. Though I am born with a human body that diseases & decays, I have been caught in the grips of your Vishnu Maya causing illusions and chasing the mirage of happiness outwards.
Whenever I close my eyes and sit to meditate your form & fame, I only see darkness & short-lived contemplation of your fame though you are present in me as my Indweller. Omniscient Lord Adhokshaja! You know everything and have surpassed the knowledge & happiness that come from Indriya. You are a supreme actor playing immeasurable roles with several acts and unique outfits. How can a dull and ignorant person like me recognize you? Only your blessings will bestow the knowledge of myself, you, and the happiness therein.
तथा परमहंसानां मुनीनाममलात्मनाम् ।
भक्तियोगविधानार्थं कथं पश्येम हि स्त्रियः ॥ २०॥
The Paramahamsa like Sanakaadi yogis, Naradaadi Rishis, and the Aparoksha Jnanis have overcome Ignorance, desire, anger, actions, & so on giving up the materialistic world to gain pure heart brimming with devotion in you and crystal clear and clean knowledge of you. For them, you are the subject of Bhakti Yoga. How can a common woman like me recognize you? Asks Kunti Devi.
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| Sri Krishna |
कृष्णाय वासुदेवाय देवकीनन्दनाय च ।
नन्दगोपकुमाराय गोविन्दाय नमो नमः ॥ २१॥
नमः पङ्कजनाभाय नमः पङ्कजमालिने ।
नमः पङ्कजनेत्राय नमस्ते पङ्कजाङ्घ्रये ॥ २२॥
Krishna, Vasudeva, Devaki Nandana, Nanda Gopa Kumara, Govinda, My repeated salutations to you.My salutations to the Lotus of the navel. My salutations to the Lotus garlanded.My salutations to Lotus petal eye. My salutations to the Lotus feet.
यथा हृषीकेश खलेन देवकी कंसेन रुद्धातिचिरं शुचार्पिता ।
विमोचिताहं च सहात्मजा विभो त्वयैव नाथेन मुहुर्विपद्गणात् ॥ २३॥
विषान्महाग्नेः पुरुषाददर्शनादसत्सभाया वनवासकृच्छ्रतः ।
मृधे मृधेऽनेकमहारथास्त्रतोद्रौण्यस्त्रतश्चास्म हरेऽभिरक्षिताः ॥ २४॥
Oh! Lord Hrishikesha, Your mother Devaki was put in jail and the babies born to her were brutally killed by the wicked Kamsa. You saved her by destroying Kamsa. It’s not just that you saved your mother from her sorrow & grief, you have saved me and my children from one difficulty after another. You are the All-powerful, Almighty Lord.
Lord Sri Krishna! Only you have saved all my five sons Pandavas from Duryodhana and his evil cronies. Bheema was poisoned, tied with a chain to dead weight, and thrown into a river to sink and die. Yudhisthira was lured into the gambling and deceived. You protected us during our exile period of living in the forest and from evils like Hidimba. At every stage in the war of Kurukshetra, you saved the Pandavas from dangerous weapons executed by the expert warriors. Now you saved us from the Brahmashirsha Astra. Your favor with blessings is endless!
विपदः सन्तु नः शश्वत्तत्र तत्र जगद्गुरो ।
भवतो दर्शनं यत्स्यादपुनर्भवदर्शनम् ॥ २५॥
जन्मैश्वर्यश्रुतश्रीभिरेधमानमदः पुमान् ।
नैवार्हत्यभिधातुं वै त्वामकिञ्चनगोचरम् ॥ २६॥
नमोऽकिञ्चनवित्ताय निवृत्तगुणवृत्तये ।
आत्मारामाय शान्ताय कैवल्यपतये नमः ॥ २७॥
Jagadguru! The teacher of the Universe, gives me difficulties all the time, in all my activities that I take-up while being in this cycle of death & birth. Let there be obstructions coming more frequently. So, during all my difficult times, compassionate Lord! You will stand with me blessing with thoughts of you making your sight definitive. The sight of you would break the cycle of death & birth with Moksha.
You will bless with the sight of your presence to only those who have nothing of their own. Those being utterly poor and destitute. Then, how can the brags intoxicated with the pride of the clan or the class or authority or for being famous or wealthy and so on would even get the thoughts to singing your names? How can they become even eligible?
Hence, Lord Krishna! Please bless me without any of those yielding intoxications.
You are a treasure for all those who have nothing of their own and yet propitiating you without expectations. You surpass the three Gunas or Prakriti including their effects. Being engrossed in yourself and having no expectations from anyone else, you are Atmarama. You are serene and the only Lord to bestow Moksha having eternal bliss.
My salutations to you.
समं चरन्तं सर्वत्र भूतानां यन्मिथः कलिः ॥ २८॥
My Lord! I know you have no beginning nor end. From the immeasurable time of past to an immeasurable time in future, being omnipresent, you are the Lord of Time controlling everyone’s lifespan. In this form of Sri Krishna, you are here to reduce the Sin on mother earth. Through the war of Kurukshetra, you took away the life of all the sinners.
Though there are differences and aberrations among all living beings and nonliving things, you are present in all of them with equanimity.
Lord is the Indweller of each individual Jiva. Consistent with the intrinsic characters and Gunas, the Jiva practices perfection doing Sadhana. Accordingly, the Lord supports the practice to accomplish their utmost.
न वेद कश्चिद्भगवंश्चिकीर्षितं तवेहमानस्य नृणां विडम्बनम् ।
न यस्य कश्चिद्दयितोऽस्ति कर्हिचिद्द्वेष्यश्च यस्मिन्विषमा मतिर्नृणाम् ॥ २९॥
Bhagavan! When you appear among us the people of earth showing your sports charm, no one could contemplate your actions and intentions. You delay as if a fellow human being. Though the people have unfair mind towards you, never have you had one whom you like nor whom you dislike.
जन्म कर्म च विश्वात्मन्नजस्याकर्तुरात्मनः ।
तिर्यङ्नृर्षिषु यादःसु तदत्यन्तविडम्बनम् ॥ ३०॥
Vishwatma! You are the pure soul of the Universe having no birth nor are you duty-bound. Yet, you take birth with all the Jivas including the birds that live in the sky, plants & animals that live in water and those living on earth. Also, in ordinary human, rishis, and munies to carry out the actions consistent with the behavior of those species.
My Lord! I wonder as to what sort of Sports Charm is this. says Kunti Devi.
Let's seek the continued blessings of Lord Sri Hari, Vayu, and Gurus to take a look at the remaining part of Kunti Stotra.
|| Hari Om ||
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