Srimad Bhagavatam Skanda 1 - The Divine Eye Blessed by Bheemasena to Dhritarashtra

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 ||

Hare Srinivasa

कल्यण अद्भुत गात्राय कामितार्थ प्रदयिने ।

श्रीमद् वेन्कटनाथाय श्रीनिवासय ते नम: ॥

Your benevolence for granting wishes is incredibly vast and unsurpassed.

Divine Lord Venkateshwara! Destroyer of Sins! An abode of Mahalakshmi! Srinivasa!

My salutations to you.

भवाय नस्त्वं भव विश्वभावन त्वमेव माताथ सुहृत्पतिः पिता ।

त्वं सद्गुरुर्नः परमं च दैवतं यस्यानुवृत्त्या कृतिनो बभूविम ॥ ७॥

Vishwabhavana! From you, the whole universe has arisen. Suhrtpati! You are the mother, the father, you are the friend, as well as our teacher. Sadguru! It is you, who makes us walk on the right path. You are our lord, as well as being worshipped. We are safe and successful by taking refuge in your lotus feet which are auspicious. 

Lord! You are the only cause of our success.

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.

दयादाक्षिण्यवैराग्यवाक्पाटवमुखाङिकतः ।

शापानुृग्रहशक्तोऽन्यो राघवेन्द्रन्नविध्यते ॥

The face symbolizing Compassion; Modesty; Dispassion towards sensual pleasure; Eloquence; Power to remove curses is none else than you, Guru Raghavendra. My salutations to you.

King Yudhishthira had established righteousness in his kingdom. Every village had at least five houses of Brahmins who helped the administration to understand the Dharma Shastra and cleared all the doubt. They directed the administration in implementing the acts of righteousness.

However, Vidura noticed that his brother Dhritarashtra was not following the righteous acts as per his age and position. Though Dhritarashtra had to take up Vanaprastha ashrama he was still attached to the family life and luxuries. In the first fifteen years, the Pandavas under the leadership of Yudhishthira conducted major Yagnas or Sacrifices. This had increased the spiritual energy of the people in the kingdom and had brought high merit to them.

In the fifteen years of Yagna or sacrifices, Dhritarashtra too had gained merit. Yet Dhritarashtra had not taken-up the acts consistent with his original form of Atma and was fully under the control of Prakriti. Hence, the compassionate Bheemasena had taken on himself to transform Dhritarashtra. Dhritarashtra had his first serious issue inherited during the incidence of his birth.

In Mahabharata, we have heard that Shantanu, the elder brother of Bahlika was throned as King of Hastinapura. Shantanu had married the beautiful Ganga with a vow. However, he broke the vow when he stopped drowning their child in the water seeking reason. This child was named Devavrata. A celestial being taken birth on earth and was one among the eight Vasu named Dyu. He became the famous Sri Bheeshmacharya.

Later, Shantanu married Satyavati and had two children named Chitraangada and Vichitravirya. Chitraangada inherits the throne of Hastinapura. However, he gets killed in a battle. After the sudden demise of Chitraangada, Vichitravirya was crowned as King of Hastinapura by his half brother, the son of Ganga, Sri Bheeshmacharya though he was just a child.  Later, King Vichitravirya got married to Ambika and Ambalika, the beautiful daughters of King of Kasi.

Unfortunately, due to illness, even King Vichitravirya too died childlessly. To save the kingdom of Kuru and have her grandchild be the inheritor of Kuru Kingdom, Satyavati approached Lord Veda Vyasa who recommended that Ambika & Ambalika take up a vow of rigorous austerity for a period of one year to have a child. But like any other being caught-up in the cycle of death & birth, they disagreed to make a vow, walk the difficult and narrow path of Bhakti Yoga. Hence, Lord Veda Vyasa suggested an alternative that he would appear in a horrific form during the process of Levirate or Niyoga. Hence, Lord Veda Vyasa appeared as dark and with frightening looks to Ambika. The moment Ambika saw him, she got scared and closed her eyes.

Hence, Ambika gave birth to Dhritarashtra, who was born blind by birth conveying a message that he was unable to see the Lord, though was present in the form of Veda Vyasa, Sri Krishna and Parshurama appearing to all his near and dear who took the path of righteousness. Hence, the act of Ambika also made Dhritarashtra live life blind to righteousness and spiritualism. Though he had the ability to distinguish right and wrong, he never stood firm on the path of righteousness nor directed his mind towards the Lord present in him as his Indweller.

In the metaphysical sense, the story of Mahabaratha is happening in each of us. While the Pandavas are the Merits, blessing us virtues and making us walk on the righteous path. While, Kauravas are Sins, making us gullible and take up evil acts leading towards hell. Hence, the war of Kurukshetra is happening continuously in us. The establishment of righteousness should happen only in oneself. But the question arises who is Dhritarashtra in the metaphysical sense of Mahabharata.

On a closer examination, Dhritarashtra represents a Satvika Jiva or a soul. From birth, we lead a life like Dhritarashtra. The act of our parents and act of us as parents are all towards the materialistic world. Though the whole creation is of the Lord, we strongly believe that we are taking care of ourselves. Not to blame the parents, we carry such destiny from our previous births. Our long education is silent and blind towards spiritualism, Lord, and exposes a superficial understanding of his lordship. In fact, the science we learn reduces the Lord’s most dear act of creation with a big bang theory. We learn that the creation was accidental and has no creator.

Like Dhritarashtra, we too hardly find time to pray and propitiate the Lord. At good times, finding even ten minutes in the mornings is too tight or to visit a temple. At most, during exams, or for an interview, or during annual promotion time, we could make a quick visit to God Ganesha or Hanuman. Else, during ill health of children or for raise in incomes. However, the ill health of parents or grandparents is a pain and time to curse our fate & destiny. The other time we would visit the Hanuman temple is during the seven and half years of Saturn. Visiting Shiv-Parvati Ji or Lakshmi-Narayana Ji temple is for getting married or for the marriage of daughter or sisters. Else, it should be for an easy settlement of divorce without any liabilities. However, most of the time we are busy earning money, planning for weekend outings or partying. The least weekend shopping. And always finding good times.

Dhritarashtra too was enjoying life. He had several attendants including Sanjaya. Every morning, he was woken up by Vandimagada singing his praises. The water for his bath was prepared by boiling herbs for its herbal values, unique & rich fragrances. For the bath, attendants would apply special oils and massage him. Special breakfast and lunch were arranged every day and served in Gold and Silverware. The chef would prepare exotic delicacies of Dhritarashtra’s wish. For his pastime, programs of music or dance or drama were organized. Also, the royal chariots were organized to take him to gardens, parks, and lakes, riverside, to enjoy outings.        

Hence, Bheemasena, the form of God Prana, the best of beings at the same hierarchy of God Brahma and only second among the equals, takes on himself to reform Dhritarashtra knowing the magnitude of sins committed by him. The compassionate Bheemasena thought, should Dhritarashtra continue to live in the materialistic world full of desire seeking wealth, good clothes, luxurious house, furniture, & vehicles, servants & attendants at every step, tour & travel to exotic places would be vicious. Without taking up rigorous austerity or tapas in the forests, the vicious cycle would spiral him down to Hell. 

Seeing the lifestyle of Dhritarashtra, Bheemasena started responding to his uncle by countering his instructions.  Bheemasena would stop the attendants to follow the instructions of Dhritarashtra. When Dhritarashtra asked for hot water with fragrance, Bheemasena would reduce him and instruct the attendants that he had to take a cold water bath. Similarly no food of Dhritarashtra’s choice was provided. Nor his choice of clothes or Jewelry were provided. In fact, everyday Bheemaseana would taunt and take a jibe against Dhritarashtra. Bheemaseana would brag about his valor to Nakula & Sahadeva in such a voice that Dhritarashtra hears him. Every day, Bheemaseana would brag about his shoulders, the strength in it, the way he killed each of the hundred sons of Dhritarashtra in the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Bheemasena would say that though this old man’s hundred children had learned various marshal acts all their life, he dismembered their arms or legs and had beaten up to a pulp. Bheemasena would explain how Dhritarashtra’s each of the sons would cry for help when they had fallen helplessly on the battlefield and their flesh had become food for dogs and wolves.      

While everyone, including King Yudhishthira, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva, Draupadi, and Uttara Devi would take special care of Dhritarashtra, but not Bheemasena. Hence, Dhritarashtra was damn angry against Bheemasena. But was helpless for the sake of luxury that he enjoyed in the palace. The heckle of Bheemasena and his helplessness made him embarrassed. Staying in the house of Pandavas to whom he had ill-treated, Dhritarashtra helplessly remembered the death of his hundred children.

A strong feeling of disapproval and revulsion towards life aroused in him. Dhritarashtra started understanding that no amount of glamour or luxury would bring self-esteem and permanency to happiness. This way, bringing in aversion towards life, Bheemasena blessed the blind Dhritarashtra with a divine eye to look inwards. During the same time, Vidura too advised him to take up vanaprastha or life in the forest to propitiate the Lord that we saw in our last blog.

The dispassion towards life or Vairagya is an important milestone in the spiritual journey of mumukshu seeking release from the confinement of death & birth. We had seen the accomplishment of Kunti Devi in Bhakti Yoga of Uttara Devi and Kunti Devi through Kunti Stuti seeking difficulties in life to Lord through these verses:

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, give 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 of 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.

Sri Sutacharya continuing the narration to the spiritual gathering says,

एवं राजा विदुरेणानुजेन प्रज्ञाचक्षुर्बोधित आजमीढः ।

छित्त्वा स्वेषु स्नेहपाशान् द्रढिम्नो निश्चक्राम भ्रातृसन्दर्शिताध्वा ॥ २८॥

Hearing his brother’s words, Dhritarashtra got awakened and came to his real senses. Giving up all worldly luxuries and becoming detached with the relationship, he took up the path suggested by his brother Vidura.

पतिं प्रयान्तं सुबलस्य पुत्री पतिव्रता चानुजगाम साध्वी ।

हिमालयं न्यस्तदण्डप्रहर्षं मनस्विनामिव सत्सम्प्रहारः ॥ २९॥

Like a soldier in a battle taking the blow of an enemy with courage and the valor gets overwhelmed with happiness, so too the devout wives of Dhritarashtra see their husband taken-up Sanysaashram and traveling towards Himalaya. Subala, Nandani, and Gandhari too followed their husband said Sri Sutacharya to the gathering hearing Srimad Bhagavata

Continuing the narration, Sri Sutacharya says,

अजातशत्रुः कृतमैत्रो हुताग्निर्विप्रान् नत्वा तिलगोभूमिरुक्मैः ।

गृहं प्रविष्टो गुरुवन्दनाय न चापश्यत्पितरौ सौबलीं च ॥ ३०॥

The next day, King Yudhishthira having no enemy got up early in the morning and carried out his daily routine, including the Sandhya Vandanam or the prayers to Goddess Gayatri, giving Surya Arghya, Agnihotra or the fire sacrifice and so on. He followed it up with greetings to Brahmins, including the donation of Cow, Gold, and Land. Later, when he proceeded to the palace of Dhritarashtra, Gandaree, Kunti, and Vidura to pay respects to the Gurus and elders of the family, a surprise awaited him. He could not find them there. 

तत्र सञ्जयमासीनं पप्रच्छो द्विग्नमानसः ।

गावल्गणे क्व नस्तातो वृद्धो हीनश्च नेत्रयोः ॥ ३१॥

Seeing Sanjaya, the attendant of Dhritarashtra sitting clueless on the floor, the perturbed King Yudhishthira asked him, where are my old and blind uncles and aunts?

अम्बा च हतपुत्रार्ता पितृव्यः क्व गतः सुहृत् ।

अपि मय्यकृतप्रज्ञे हतबन्धुः स भार्यया ।

आशंसमानः शमलं गङ्गायां दुःखितोपतत् ॥ ३२॥

My aunt, Gandhari is depressed with the loss of her hundred children. My uncle Vidura too is exhausted traveling to various places. My uncle Dhritarashtra might have misunderstood me and have all decided to jump into the river Ganga!

पितर्युपरते पाण्डौ सर्वान् नः सुहृदः शिशून् ।

अरक्षतां व्यसनतः पितृव्यौ क्व गतावितः ॥ ३३॥

When we were still children, my father Pandu passed away. Since then, we have been brought by uncles Dhritarashtra and Vidura. They protected us from various difficulties and took care with full affection! Now their dis-appearance has made me anxious! Said King Yudhishthira to Sanjaya.

|| Hari Om ||

|| Sri Krishnarpanamastu ||