Srimad Bhagavatam Skanda 1 - Dharmaraja’s Dilemma on Dharma
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 ।
 |
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.
After the great war of Kurukshetra, Yudhishthira
was coronated as the King and Bheemasena as Crown Prince of the Kuru Kingdom by
Lord in his forms of Veda Vyasa and Sri Krishna. For the fair and just
governance of Yudhishthira, he became popular as Dharmaraja.
Sri Sutacharya continuing the narration of Srimad Bhagavatam to Sri Shaunaka & fellow Rishis says,
व्यासाद्यैरीश्वरेहाज्ञैः कृष्णेनाद्भुतकर्मणा ।
प्रबोधितोऽपीतिहासैर्नाबुध्यत शुचार्पितः ॥ ४६॥
Shaunaka! Dharmaraja remembering the death of his relatives
and friends sunk into melancholy. Having hidden meanings and objectives, Lord
in the form of Veda Vyasa and even the form of Sri Krishna tried consoling
Dharmaraja citing examples of history. They told him that he had carried out
fair and good acts, consistent with the teachings of Lord Sri Krishna to Arjuna
before the start of the war. Hence, they were successful in establishing
Dharma of fair and good governance. They had done as per the wish of
Lord, with his inspiration or Vishnu Prernaya and for pleasing him or Vishnu
Preethyartham to accomplish Purusarthas or the objective of Life. However, King
Yudhishthira was not convinced. All the time, his mind was occupied with scenes of the aftermath of the war of Kurukshetra. He continued sulking.
आह राजा धर्मसुतश्चिन्तयन् सुहृदां वधम् ।
प्राकृतेनात्मना विप्राः स्नेहमोहवशं गतः ॥ ४७॥
अहो मे पश्यताज्ञानं हृदि रूढं दुरात्मनः ।
पारक्यस्यैव देहस्य बह्व्यो मेऽक्षौहिणीर्हताः ॥ ४८॥
Sri Sutacharya says, Shaunaka! The son of
Goddess of Dharma, King Yudhishthira had allowed his exterior mind of Prakriti to
be tied up with relation to friendship and infatuation. Hence, being subjugated
and controlled by exterior mind regarding the death of his relatives and friends,
he thought thus,
“So sad! I wonder as to how this ignorance has
deeply rooted in my ill-natured heart? I have sacrificed bodies of soldiers
forming several Akshauhini. These bodies have become food for dogs and
wolves after the departure of their souls.”
In, The Axiom of Yoga continued, (we saw that the Shastras are saying that there are two minds. One
which is made of nature or the exterior and the other with Swaroopa or Jivatma.
Similarly, eyes for seeing, ears for hearing, nose for smelling, tongue for
taste and skin for touch. All Sensory
organs that are seen exterior, the same is in Swaroopa or Jivatma including the
one causing thoughts and intellect. The ones that are exterior are prone to
disease and decay. However, those in
Jivatma is not destructible. The exterior sensory organs are the cause of
samsara or death and birth. As these exterior sensory organs are made of
Prakriti having guna of Sattvika, Rajasik and Tamasik and reason for
Arishadvarga. These external sensory organs are tied to हृदय or Linga Deha with ग्रन्थि or Knot.
As the cracks appear, क्षीयन्ते चास्य कर्माणि or the Sins will disappear.
बालद्विजसुहृन्मित्रपितृभ्रातृगुरुद्रुहः ।
न मे स्यान्निरयान्मोक्षो ह्यपि वर्षायुतायुतैः ॥ ४९॥
नैनो राज्ञः प्रजाभर्तुर्धर्मयुद्धे वधो द्विषाम् ।
इति मे न तु बोधाय कल्पते शासनं वचः ॥ ५०॥
King Yudhishthira engrossed in himself thought "I have deceived several kids, brahmins, near &
dear relatives and friends. Also, those in the position of elder or younger
brothers, fathers, and Gurus. To all these and many more, I have deceived.
Hence, having carried out such a big crime, even tens of millions of years in
hell would not redeem my sins, thought Dharmaraja."
While Lord in the form of Veda Vyasa and Sri
Krishna including the family priest Dhaumya Rishi all quoted Shastras or The indoctrination that permits the King to go to war for justice and the
protection of the citizens of his kingdom. Thus, permitting the King to order
the killing of enemy soldiers. However, I am not able to absolve my guilt for
the death of so many lives during the war.
This is the emotional & behavioral disorder
that Arjuna went through before the Great War of Kurukshetra. Arjuna seeing his
Grandfather, brothers including Karna, Acharyas, Gurus, near & dear relatives
and friends in the enemy line against whom he had to fight, drops his bow
Gandiva to surrender to the enemy. To this Lord Sri Krishna unfurled Bhagavad
Gita. He clarified that one is not born to serve himself or his sensory organs
which always long for more. But for maintaining Bhagavad Dharma or the Lord's divine order. As a Kshatriya, there is a divine call to Yudhishthira for the
killing of unfair and unjust Duryodhana. However, King Yudhishthira was
caught up with a thought that the killings in the great war of Kurukshetra happened only for his personal benefits. For him to become the King. Hence, the Kingdom has been established for him to enjoy Power.
As a common man, we too are under the grip of such disorder of emotions and behavior. What comes to our mind, we think is right. Further, we reiterate the same. We fail to consider if what we think is consistent with Bhagavad Dharma or Lord's divine order.
As a common man, we too are under the grip of such disorder of emotions and behavior. What comes to our mind, we think is right. Further, we reiterate the same. We fail to consider if what we think is consistent with Bhagavad Dharma or Lord's divine order.
स्त्रीणां मद्धतबन्धूनां द्रोहो योऽसाविहोत्थितः ।
कर्मभिर्गृहमेधीयैर्नाहं कल्पो व्यपोहितुम् ॥ ५१॥
यथा पङ्केन पङ्काम्भः सुरया वा सुराकृतम् ।
भूतहत्यां तथैवैकां न यज्ञैर्मार्ष्टुमर्हति ॥ ५२॥
King Yudhishthira thought that there is no spiritual austerity or sacrifice that
could be carried out by a family man to absolve his sins accrued due to the curse of
women & children for loss of near and dear in a war.
Like the murky water cannot be cleaned with the
muck. And the impurity caused to the soul by the liquor cannot be purified by
liquor. Similarly, spiritual austerity having a sacrifice of animals cannot be
redeemed for violence and killing. Under this circumstance, how could I redeem
my sins? Thought King Yudhishthira.
इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां प्रथमस्कन्धे
कुन्तीस्तुतिर्युधिष्ठिरानुतापो नामाष्टमोऽध्यायः ॥ ८॥
With this, we complete a part named "Kunti
Stotra and Repentance of King Yudhishthira" of eighth Adhyaya, of Srimad Bhagavatam Skanda 1.
We could do so only with the grace of Gurus
including Sri Raghavendra and his philosophical associates including Sri
Saunaka & his fellow Rishis, Sri Sutacahrya, Sri Sukachary, God Vayu, and
Sri Hari as their Jnana Prasada.
सूत उवाच. Sri Sutacharya says,
इति भीतः प्रजाद्रोहात्सर्वधर्मविवित्सया ।
ततो विनशनं प्रागाद्यत्र देवव्रतोऽपतत् ॥ १॥
तदा ते भ्रातरः सर्वे सदश्वैः स्वर्णभूषितैः ।
अन्वगच्छन् रथैर्विप्रा व्यासधौम्यादयस्तथा ॥ २॥
भगवानपि विप्रर्षे रथेन सधनञ्जयः ।
स तैर्व्यरोचत नृपः कुबेर इव गुह्यकैः ॥ ३॥
Shaunaka Rishi! This way, Dharmaraja’s Dilemma on Dharma
continued. He suffered from fear. He thought he was the cause for the death of several
soldiers. Accepting the suggestions of Lord in his forms of Sri Krishna and Veda Vyasa to take the opinion from the eldest of his Kuru family and since he had fought against them along with Duryodhana, King Yudhishthira decided to meet Sri Bheeshmacharya.
Also, with a desire to learn the secrets of dharma or divine justice in statecraft from his grandfather, Sri Bheeshmacharya, Dharmaraja arrived at the battle-ground of Kurukshetra. Sri Bheeshmacharya was lying there on the bed of sharp arrows.
Also, with a desire to learn the secrets of dharma or divine justice in statecraft from his grandfather, Sri Bheeshmacharya, Dharmaraja arrived at the battle-ground of Kurukshetra. Sri Bheeshmacharya was lying there on the bed of sharp arrows.
At the same time, the other four brothers of Pandavas
followed him in their chariots well decorated with gold plates and pulled by
horses of very good breed. Also, they were accompanied by Lord Veda Vyasa,
Dhaumya Rishi, the family priest and his assistant brahmins.
Lord Sri Krishna accompanied
by Arjuna boarded the chariot and traveled to Kurukshetra. With all these
dignitaries of high rank, King Yudhishthira appeared shining like King Kubera,
the God of wealth in the assembly of high ranked Yakshas, says Sri Sutacharya
दृष्ट्वा निपतितं भूमौ दिवश्च्युतमिवामरम् ।
प्रणेमुः पाण्डवा भीष्मं सानुगाः सह चक्रिणा ॥ ४॥
तत्र ब्रह्मर्षयः सर्वे देवर्षयश्च सत्तम ।
राजर्षयश्च तत्रासन् द्रष्टुं भरतपुङ्गवम् ॥ ५॥
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| Sri Bheeshmacharya |
To see the most eminent hero of Bharata, Sri
Bheeshmacharya, all the Brahma Rishis, Deva Rishis, Raja Rishis accompanied
with their students had arrived there by then, says Sri Sutacharya.
Continuing the narration, Sri Sutacharya
says,
पर्वतो नारदो धौम्यो भगवान् बादरायणः ।
बृहदश्वो भरद्वाजः सशिष्यो रेणुकासुतः ॥ ६॥
वसिष्ठ इन्द्रप्रमदस्त्रितो गृत्समदोऽसितः ।
कक्षीवान् गौतमोऽत्रिश्च कौशिकोऽथ सुदर्शनः ॥ ७॥
अन्ये च मुनयो ब्रह्मन् ब्रह्मरातादयोऽमलाः ।
शिष्यैरुपेता आजग्मुः कश्यपाङ्गिरसादयः ॥ ८॥
Parvata, Narada, Dhaumya, Bhagavan Veda Vyasa,
Brihadaswa, Bharadwaja, Parashurama, Vasishtha, Indra Pramada, Trita,
Gritsamad, Asita, Kakshivanta, Gautama, Atri, Vishwamitra, Sudarshan had
arrived to see Sri Bheeshmacharya. Also, Brahmaratas who were initiated by god
Brahma like Sukacharya, Kashyapa, Angirasa, and so on who were Maharishis with
pure souls along with their support staff and students had arrived.
तान् समेतान् महाभागानुपलभ्य वसूत्तमः ।
पूजयामास धर्मज्ञो देशकालविभागवित् ॥ ९॥
कृष्णं च तत्प्रभावज्ञ आसीनं जगदीश्वरम् ।
हृदिस्थं पूजयामास माययोपात्तविग्रहम् ॥ १०॥
Knowing one’s duty and the protocol of response
based on place and time, Sri Bheeshmacharya an incarnation of a God among Asta
Vasu welcomed all the Sages and offered his salutations through thoughts in his
mind.
Sri Bheeshmacharya, knowing the Lordship of Sri
Krishna who appeared as if another human being seated among the sages creating
an illusion to most of the people and also knowing him being an indweller
in each one's heart, offered salutations
to Lord Sri Krishna.
पाण्डुपुत्रानुपासीनान् प्रश्रयप्रेमसङ्गतान् ।
अभ्याचष्टानुरागास्रैरन्धीभूतेन चक्षुषा ॥ ११॥
अहो कष्टमहोऽन्याय्यं यद्यूयं धर्मनन्दनाः ।
जीवितुं नार्हथ क्लिष्टं विप्रधर्माच्युताश्रयाः ॥ १२॥
The Pandavas always expresses their virtue of
humility, sat next to the bed of arrows. They sat close to their grandfather, Sri
Bheeshmacharya. Seeing them, the tears of joy rolled down the eyes of Sri
Bheeshmacharya. Taking a while to come to terms with the situation, Sri
Bheeshmacharya says,
Dharmanandana! The Sons of Pandu! You all have
believed in taking refuge of pious priests, the Dharma and the Lord. Though you all have always taken their refuge, yet, life has not been kind! Alas, you had to
face lots of difficulties without good reasons. You all are not fit for such a
state of poverty and difficult life.
Sri Bheeshmacharya continues to say,
संस्थितेऽतिरथे पाण्डौ पृथा बालप्रजा वधूः ।
युष्मत्कृते बहून् क्लेशान् प्राप्ता तोकवती मुहुः ॥ १३॥
सर्वं कालकृतं मन्ये भवतां च यदप्रियम् ।
सपालो यद्वशे लोको वायोरिव घनावलिः ॥ १४॥
यत्र धर्मसुतो राजा गदापाणिर्वृकोदरः ।
कृष्णोऽस्त्री गाण्डिवं चापं सुहृत्कृष्णस्ततो विपत् ॥ १५॥
Pandu was a great warrior. He had an unexpected
death. At that time, you all were too young. Hence, Kunti had to suffer a lot for your
upbringing. Also, You all have to face the burden of the early death of Pandu.
The way the clouds are under the control of wind so too in our lives. Each one’s life is under the control of Time. The Universe, including the Guardians of the Universe, are under the control of
Time. There is no choice. But, all have to follow the dictates of Time. Hence,
I believe that you are facing so many difficulties is in the charm of the sport of the
Lord Time.
Else, when the son of Dharma, Yudhishthira himself
is King, the bearer of the terrific mace that could break the hardest, Sri
Bheemasena and the bearer of terrifying bow and arrow, Arjuna are the guardians
and the Lord Sri Krishna himself is a friend, how could difficulties even show
it's face!
न ह्यस्य कर्हिचिद्राजन् पुमान् वेद विधित्सितम् ।
यद्विजिज्ञासया युक्ता मुह्यन्ति कवयोऽपि हि ॥ १६॥
तस्मादिदं दैवतन्त्रं व्यवस्य भरतर्षभ ।
तस्यानुविहितोऽनाथा नाथ पाहि प्रजाः प्रभो ॥ १७॥
Dharmanandana! The Sons of Pandu! The form of the
Lord of Time, this Sri Krishna is a wonder! What are his intentions and how he
intends to unfurl the situations can never be contemplated by any being! Even
the most intelligent being falls into an illusion if he tries contemplating to
predict the future.
The best in Bharat! All the happenings on the earth are as per the wish of the Lord. The subjects in the Kingdom of Bharat have become orphans without a King. Hence, return to Hastinapura to protect them. Also, you are the most capable to take care.
Hence, even before Dharmaraja asks the question to get clarifications on his Dilemma, Sri Bheeshmacharya suffering from an intense pain with several arrows pierced through him forming a bed answers conclusively. He says that no matter who the person is, he is under the control of Bhagavad Dharma or the Lord's divine order. Even though it is Kunti Devi, the aunt of Lord Sri Krishna or Pandavas, a relative and dear friend of Sri Krishna. Also, the evil Duryodhana including all those who supported him in the great war of Kurukshetra are under the control of Bhagavad Dharma or the Lord's divine order.
Subsequently, Sri Bheeshmacharya sings the Glory of Lord that is famously known as Bheeshma Stuti. Let's pray to Hari, Vayu, and Gurus for their continued blessings to take a look at the famous Bheeshma Stuti.
The best in Bharat! All the happenings on the earth are as per the wish of the Lord. The subjects in the Kingdom of Bharat have become orphans without a King. Hence, return to Hastinapura to protect them. Also, you are the most capable to take care.
Hence, even before Dharmaraja asks the question to get clarifications on his Dilemma, Sri Bheeshmacharya suffering from an intense pain with several arrows pierced through him forming a bed answers conclusively. He says that no matter who the person is, he is under the control of Bhagavad Dharma or the Lord's divine order. Even though it is Kunti Devi, the aunt of Lord Sri Krishna or Pandavas, a relative and dear friend of Sri Krishna. Also, the evil Duryodhana including all those who supported him in the great war of Kurukshetra are under the control of Bhagavad Dharma or the Lord's divine order.
Subsequently, Sri Bheeshmacharya sings the Glory of Lord that is famously known as Bheeshma Stuti. Let's pray to Hari, Vayu, and Gurus for their continued blessings to take a look at the famous Bheeshma Stuti.
|| Hari Om ||
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