Srimad Bhagavatam Skanda 1 - Refuge in Lotus feet of Lord yields unending Abundance, Victory, Prosperity, and Righteousness

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.

We did note that Sri Sutacharya had said, Sri Shaunaka! Arjuna was engulfed in the fire of separation from his dearest friend, Lord Sri Krishna. He had become weak and tired. Fatigue had taken over him! King Yudhishthira second-guessing Arjuna had fired a series of questions on him.

Due to sorrows, and fatigue, Arjuna’s face and the lotus of heart had wilted! As his mind space was fully occupied about the separation with his dearest friend Sri Krishna, he could not reply to King Yudhishthira.

He was the same Arjuna who was initiated into Tattva Jnana of Bhagavad Gita by Lord Sri Krishna in the middle of the battlefield. Seeing and hearing the same through a divine eye, Sanjaya has said,

यत्र योगेश्वर: कृष्णो यत्र पार्थो धनुर्धर: ।

तत्र श्रीर्विजयो भूतिध्रुवा नीतिर्मतिर्मम ॥

When योग or synchronization is done with इश्वर: or The Lord; like done by पार्थ, Prince Arjuna, an expert in archery hitting the bull’s eye with precision; then there would be an unending abundance, victory, prosperity, and righteousness.

Continuing the narration, Sri Sutacharya says,

कृच्छ्रेण संस्तभ्य शुचः पाणिनाऽऽमृज्य नेत्रयोः ।

परोक्षेण समुन्नद्धप्रणयौत्कण्ठ्यकातरः ॥ ३॥

सख्यं मैत्रीं सौहृदं च सारथ्यादिषु संस्मरन् ।

नृपमग्रजमित्याह बाष्पगद्गदया गिरा ॥ ४॥

Sri Shaunaka! Arjuna had become subservient to the love and affection of Lord Sri Krishna. With that separation, the befuddled Arjuna was shocked and shaken. Trying to control the sorrow oozing out of his heart, wiping his tears, and remembering the way Lord Sri Krishna showed lenience to him, the love and affection while even being his coachman during the great war of Kurukshetra, Arjuna started responding to King Yudhishthira,

अर्जुन उवाच

वञ्चितोऽहं महाराज हरिणा बन्धुरूपिणा ।

येन मेऽपहृतं तेजो देवविस्मापनं महत् ॥ ५॥

Your highness! Lord Sri Hari who came as a relative of ours has deceived me! Even the greatest of Gods wondered seeing my splendor and the valor that I exhibited with the blessings of Lord Sri Krishna. However, now, he has taken away my splendor and the valor. 

Arjuna says to King Yudhishthira, वञ्चितोऽहं, I have been deceived!

However, this is not to be treated as fault or accusation against Lord Krishna, but separation from Lord Sri Krishna. While Arjuna had the awareness of the presence of Lord as his indweller, he mentions हरिणा बन्धुरूपिणा i.e Separation with Lord who was appearing as his relative and a dear friend.

यस्य क्षणवियोगेन लोको ह्यप्रियदर्शनः ।

उक्थेन रहितो ह्येष मृतकः प्रोच्यते यथा ॥ ६॥

Brother! The moment उक्थेन रहित or without the presence of lifeforce i.e. when God Prana abandons, the body of even the near and dear becomes aversion and we address it as dead body or corpse. So too this body of mine has lost the splendor and the valor. Also, the earth has become averse to me after the separation of Lord Sri Krishna.

यत्संश्रयाद्द्रुपदगेहमुपागतानां राज्ञां स्वयंवरमुखे स्मरदुर्मदानाम् ।

तेजो हृतं खलु मयाभिहतश्च मत्स्यः सज्जीकृतेन धनुषाधिगता च कृष्णा ॥ ७॥

A lot of kings with their splendor and valor had come to the Swayamvara that was organized by King Drupada. They included Jarasandha, Duryodhana, Karna, Shalya, and all of these Kings were resolute. They were admirably purposeful to win Draupadi. However, I took away their splendor and the valor successfully by being on the target of a fish-shaped device spot on. And was able to get married to Draupadi.

Brother! Remember, after escaping from the wax house that was lit with fire to kill us, we took shelter in the forest and subsequently the guise of Brahmins. As we entered the Swayamvara, my sight fell on Lord Sri Krishna who had come along with his brother Balram. Only on seeing him, I was filled with zeal and zest. I took refuge in his Lotus feet. I was successful to target the fish-shaped device spot on only because of his blessings.

However, the one who had bestowed me such success, that very Lord, Sri Krishna has deceived me. He is no more here to bless me with that splendor and valor. Now, I have become dead and inauspicious.  

Arjuna addressing King Yudhishthira says,

यत्सन्निधावहमु खाण्डवमग्नयेऽदामिन्द्रं च सामरगणं तरसा विजित्य ।

लब्धा सभा मयकृताद्भुतशिल्पमाया दिग्भ्योऽहरन् नृपतयो बलिमध्वरे ते ॥ ८॥

My brother! Let alone winning the Kings on the earth during Swayamvara, I even defeated God Indra, the King of heaven during the Khandava Vana incident. Every time when God Agni started burning the forest, God Indra would order his favorite clouds Pushkala and Avartaka to douse the fire.

Hence, God Agni had come to me in the form of a Brahmin seeking my help. He wanted the Khandava forest to be burnt to satiate his hunger. I had agreed to support him with the blessing of Lord Sri Krishna. When the clouds Pushkala and Avartaka started pouring, I held the rain with a series of arrows not permitting the water to douse the fire in the Khandava forest.

However, Maya, the architect of Asuras present in the same forest sought my refuge and hence was saved from the fire. The same Maya helped us to build our palace where you carried out several Ashvamedha Yagnas. During these Yagnas, various kings offered their wealth and treasure at your feet, Rajan! However, that very Lord, Sri Krishna who had blessed me to win over God Indra has deceived me. He is no more to be seen on this earth to bless me with that splendor and the valor.

यत्तेजसा नृपशिरोऽङ्घ्रिमहन् मखार्थमार्योऽनुजस्तव गजायुतसत्त्ववीर्यः ।

तेनाहृताः प्रमथनाथमखाय भूपा यन्मोचितास्तदनयन् बलिमध्वरे ते ॥ ९॥

Seeing Bheemasena, Arjuna says to King Yudhishthira, Rajan! Though you desired to carry out Rajasuya Yagna, you refrained because of Jarasandha. Also, the evil Jarasandha had captured 21,000 kings as prisoners and had decided to offer their heads as a sacrifice in the Bhairava Yagna.  Knowing this, Lord Sri Krishna took Bheemasena and me for a battle with him and killed him. Bheemasena having the power of 10,000 elephants killed Jarasandha and freed all the Kings who were the prisoners. These very Kings offered their wealth and treasure at your feet, King Yudhishthira, at the time of Yagna.

However, that very Lord, Sri Krishna is no more to be seen on this earth.

पत्न्यास्तवाधिमखकॢप्तमहाभिषेकश्लाघिष्ठचारुकबरं कितवैः सभायाम् ।

स्पृष्टं विकीर्य पदयोः पतिताश्रुमुख्या यस्तत्स्त्रियोऽकृतहतेशविमुक्तकेशाः ॥ १०॥

Brother! Those who are small and weak would gain enormous power and strength, by taking refuge in the lotus feet of Lord Sri Krishna. Though Draupadi’s hair was soaked by the divine water of Kalasha during the Rajasuya Yagna, the evil ones held her by the hair and dragged her into the royal assembly! They barred the Pandavas and sent them to exile!

The poor Draupadi wept and took refuge in the Lotus feet of Lord Sri Krishna. During the period of exile, one day, Lord Sri Krishna reached there to enquire about their safety and well being. The moment Draupadi saw the Lord, she ran to grab his feet and held it tightly. She started weeping and flooding his feet with tears. As the tears flowed relentlessly, she remembered the most embarrassing incidence of her life and it was only that lotus feet of Lord Sri Krishna had come to her rescue. During the same incident, Lord Sri Krishna had said that those who had caused her embarrassment and made them live in the forest, he would ensure that each one of them is beaten to death by Bheemasena. Pandavas would be reinstated to the throne. Also, he would show her their wives crying with scattered hair and holding the dead bodies.
Subsequently, the time came. Lord Sri Krishna holding the hands of Draupadi, took her into the sea of dead bodies. Lord Sri Krishna moved through the scattered limbs, trunk, heads, and other parts of dead bodies to show Draupadi how the wicked had died to the heavy strokes of Bheemasena. He pointed towards the body of Durmukha, an evil faced, then towards Dussalan, Jalagandha, Sama, Saha, Vindha, Anuvindha, Durmukha, Chitrasena, Durdarsha, Durmarsha, Dussaha, Durmada, Vikarna, Dushkarna, Durdarsha, Vivinsati, Durdarsha, Durvishaha, Durvimochana, Durpradharsha, Durjaya, Jaitra, Bhurivala, Ravi, Jayatsena Siyata, Shratavan, Shrutanta, Jayat, Chitra, Upachitra, Charuchithra, Chitraksha, Sarasana, Chitrayudha, Chotravarman, Suvarma, Sudarshan.
He reached near the body of Dhushasana, well known for his wicked governance. Lord Sri Krishna said “wasn’t this wicked who had pulled you by your hair to the assembly. See his chest! How Bheemasena has ripped the chest cage allowing the birds & animals to eat his flesh. Then he showed Duryodhana, his thighs that had been broken by Bheema. Showing the dead this way Lord Sri Krishna listed all the 100 children of blind Dhritarashtra and the blindfolded Gandhari. Draupadi saw the wives of the 100 sons of Dhritarashtra with scattered hairs, all the symbols of being married removed, chest-beating, and crying.

Sri Krishna says, Draupadi! Bheemasena has not left a single soul that was involved in insulting you to go free. Each one's chest has been broken or the head has been dismembered. He has done justice. See the status of their women and the way the Law has been implemented to those who took the path of Adharma.

Remembering the incident, Arjuna said to King Yudhishthira, Brother! When Draupadi’s tears touched the Lotus Feet of the Lord, when she took refuge in his lotus feet, justice was served. Such ‘True to his word” Lord Sri Krishna who executed what he said and always stands on the side of righteousness is no more to be seen on this earth.

यो नो जुगोप वनमेत्य दुरन्तकृच्छ्राद्दुर्वाससोऽरिरचितादयुताग्रभुग् यः ।

शाकान्नशिष्टमुपयुज्य यतस्त्रिलोकीं तृप्ताममंस्त सलिले विनिमग्नसङ्घः ॥ ११॥

Sage Durvasa, the form of God Rudra motivated by Duryodhana along with his thousands of pupils made an untimely visit to us seeking guest service including lunch. Durvasa literally meant a difficult companion and is known for cursing. Hence, Draupadi was shocked and prayed to Lord Sri Krishna seeking his refuge.

As Durvasa along with his pupil went towards the river to have a bath, Lord Sri Krishna appeared to save us from the curse of Durvasa. By the time Durvasa and his pupils finished their bath, Lord Sri Krishna sought the leftover food from the Akshaya Patra or the inexhaustible vessel. Consuming the leftover food, Lord Sri Krishna, the indweller of everyone satiated the hunger of all beings in this universe.

Brother! King Yudhishthira! That very Lord, Sri Krishna who saved us from Sage Durvasa by satisfying his hunger is no more to be seen on this earth.

यत्तेजसाथ भगवान् युधि शूलपाणिर्विस्मापितः सगिरिजोऽस्त्रमदान्निजं मे ।

अन्येऽपि चाहममुनैव कलेवरेण प्राप्तो महेन्द्रभवने महदासनार्धम् ॥ १२॥

Brother! As per the directions of Dwaipayana Krishna in the last years of our exile, I went to Himalaya to propitiate God Shiva and gain Pashupatastra. Only because of Lord Sri Krishna’s blessings did the Parvatipati, God Shiva, got pleased with me, blessed me with the great Pashupatastra. I could master the Astra only under his guidance in the form of Kirata. Also, all the attendant Gods of Shiva blessed me with their Astras too. This made me invincible as God Shiva himself stood with me in the form of Pashupatastra in the entire war of Kurukshetra.

Also, God Indra shared his chair with me in the assembly of Gods in heaven.

Brother! King Yudhishthira! That very Lord, Sri Krishna is no more to be seen on this earth.

तत्रैव मे विहरतो भुजदण्डयुग्मंगाण्डीवलक्षणमरातिवधायदेवाः ।

सेन्द्राः श्रिता यदनुभावितमाजमीढ तेनाहमद्य मुषितः पुरुषेण भूम्ना ॥ १३॥

Brother! When I toured Heaven sporting my formidable Gandiva, I was surprised to see how the other Gods would come to me with folded hands seeking my help to kill the demons named Nivatakavachas.

The cause of such fame to me was the blessings of Lord Sri Krishna. However, he is not to be seen on this earth. 

यद्बान्धवः कुरुबलाब्धिमनन्तपारमेको रथेन ततरेऽहमतीर्यसत्त्वम् ।

प्रत्याहृतं बहुधनं च मया परेषां तेजास्पदं मणिमयं च हृतं शिरोभ्यः ॥ १४॥

I could cross the unwinnable and a sea of the army of Kauravas only being a relative of Lord Sri Krishna. Earlier, during the time of disguise, it was only the blessings of Lord Sri Krishna that helped me fight alongside King Virata and his son Prince Uttara and recover their wealth including the cows.

However, that very Lord Sri Krishna is not to be seen on this earth anymore.

यो भीष्मकर्णगुरुशल्यचमूष्वदभ्रराजन्यवर्यरथमण्डलमण्डितासु ।

अग्रेचरो मम विभो रथयूथपानामायुर्मनांसि च दृशा सह ओज आर्च्छत् ॥ १५॥

Rajendra! An innumerable number of kings in their chariot stood across the enemy line including the legendary Bheeshmacharya, Karna, Drona, Shalya, and other अतिरथ or great warriors and महारथ or the greater warriors in the war of Kurukshetra. 

However, Lord Sri Krishna charioting in the battlefield of Kurukshetra took away their will power to fight and their lifespan just through a glance. Brother! That very Lord Krishna is not to be seen on this earth anymore.

यद्दोःषु मा प्रणिहितं गुरुभीष्मकर्णनप्तृत्रिगर्तशलसैन्धवबाह्लिकाद्यैः ।

अस्त्राण्यमोघमहिमानि निरूपितानिनोपस्पृशुर्नृहरिदासमिवासुराणि ॥ १६॥

In that war of Kurukshetra, Acharya Drona, the great grandfather Bheeshma, Karna, Bhurishrava, Susharma, Shalya, Jayadratha, Balika Raja used the most lethal Astras on me. Like Prahlada who was under the assault of Hiranyakashipu was protected by Lord Narasimha, all those who propitiate Lord Narasimha cannot be touched by any ghosts nor goblins. Even the evil sight of the moving planets cannot influence the devotees of Lord Narasimha. These virtuous would remain untouched. The same way, no different from Lord Narasimha, Lord Sri Krishna protected me on the battlefield.

However, that very protector, the Lord Vasudeva, the Saketa Purusha, has left to his abode of Vaikuntha. He cannot be seen anymore, my brother!

What we read above is the detailed elaboration of the same last verse of Sanjaya in Bhagavad Gita:

यत्र योगेश्वर: कृष्णो यत्र पार्थो धनुर्धर: ।

तत्र श्रीर्विजयो भूतिध्रुवा नीतिर्मतिर्मम ॥

In the metaphysical sense, the disappearance of Lord Sri Krishna is our distancing from the Lord by forgetting to remember his names without sankeertana, nor any propitiation to him, nor praying to him, nor the spiritual practice of yoga, nor practicing righteousness. And this becomes the cause us to be evil and wicked.

And the effect is the situation of Arjuna after the disappearance of Lord Sri Krishna. That is a loss, decline, misfortunes, and poverty. However, going closer to Lord or Refuge in Lotus feet of Lord yields unending Abundance, Victory, Prosperity, and Righteousness as narrated above by Arjuna to King Yudhishthira during the presence of Lord Sri Krishna and the blessings he bestowed.

Hence, let’s pray to Sri Hari - The husband of Goddess of abundance; Bharatipati Vayu – The husband of Goddess of intellect; and The Guru - The destroyer of ignorance to bless us with योग or synchronization with इश्वर:, the Lord of Wealth.

|| Hari Om || 

|| Sri Krishnarpanamastu ||