Srimad Bhagavatam Skanda 1 - The Bravery of Heroic Lord having Knowledge and Dispassion
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| Hare Srinivasa |
My salutations to you.
As we
complete the first verse of the praises of Lord by Goddess Bhoo Devi in her
conversation with God Dharma Raja that goes as,
सत्यं शौचं दया त्याग: सन्तोष आर्जवम् ।
शमो दमस्तपः साम्यं तितिक्षोपरतिः श्रुतम् ॥ २६॥
These names
are so exceptional, wonderful, and have potent to bestow unique and special
virtues. However, the three types of jivas do sadhana in their own ways. The
uttama or best would propitiate the Lord, accomplish virtues, and move towards
Lord experiencing bliss in heaven. The madyama or mediocre intermittently
propitiate Lord or be indifferent most of the time engrossed in worldly
matters. They would swing between happiness and sorrow. The adhama or worst
would express jealousy, intolerance, and unacceptance of the attributes of the
Lord expressed by himself or as the indweller of various Jivas. They work hard
to accomplish Hell!
Hence, only
the virtuous would be blessed with clear and clean knowledge. Therefore, we
should pay our obeisance to the revered saint who had meditated on each word of
this prayer, contemplated over a protracted period of time, deep dived to pick
the pearls of benefit that compassionate Lord would bless when we worship and
do Yoga of these divine words of Prayer.
Sri
Vijayadwaja Theertaru (1434 to 1448) doing word by word Upasana on the banks of
the Arabian Sea in Kanva Theerta, has exhaustively written commentary that goes
by the name Padaratnavali or also called Bhaktiratnavali. Fortunate are we to
take a look at these commentaries for reasons of his compassion and consent
though in glimpses due to our limited ability. My Gratitude to such
compassionate Guru Sri Vijayadwaja Theertaru and seek his continued blessings
for a better understanding, clearer thoughts, and clean knowledge.
The next
verse Bhoo Devi sings is,
ज्ञानं विरक्तिरैश्वर्यं शौर्यं तेजो बलं स्मृतिः ।
स्वातन्त्र्यं कौशलं कान्तिर्धैर्यं मार्दवमेव च ॥ २७॥
ज्ञानं or Jnanam or Knowledge. To explain this attribute of Lord, Sri Vijayadwaja Theertaru has said सर्वज्ञता or omniscience. In Mangalacharna Continued, we had noted for “Artheshu abignaha,” that Lord has the
knowledge and the skills required. Like a good Carpenter or a Smith having all
the necessary knowledge and skills to convert to good furniture or ornaments,
so too the Lord. He has all the knowledge and skills for Creation, Sustenance, and
so on. He is सर्वज्ञ or sarvagna or all-knowing. Or in other words, all that exists in this
universe is because of the complete knowledge he has, the complete knowledge of
himself, and all happenings.
By repeated
contemplation of this attribute of the Lord, worshipping him as having complete
knowledge, doing Yoga or synchronization with his attribute, Sri Vijayadwaja
Theertaru says he would bestow us with परोक्ष or the invisible, hidden, and mysterious
knowledge of himself. After sufficient practice of worship and Yoga on various
premises thus gained through the shastras, Lord would bless with अपरोक्ष
of Aproksha Jnana or perceptible
knowledge of Him. He will present himself evidently and be seen either through
the physical eyes outside when open or through the interior eyes of Atma in the
Lotus of heart.
Lord would bless us an ability and give a mind for interest to study Shastras or Indoctrinations. He blesses with crystal clear and clean knowledge about him.
विरक्ति or Vairagya having dispassion towards worldly matter or objects or foregoing desire
to worldly matter. This happens only when we understand the downside of
attachment or defects in attachments towards worldly matter or it’s potent to
entangle with knots of death and birth. Also, our desire for higher positions,
luxury, fame, etc. gives a temporary
sense of accomplishment. When we understand that only Moksha or release from
the bind of death & births is ultimate happiness, we develop dispassion to
materialistic desire.
Lord has a
name called भगवान्, or Bhagavan i.e. Poorna or
complete in Ishwarya, Dhairya or Samartya or capacity, Eshas or fame, Shree,
Kanti, wealth) Poorna! Also, Jnana & Vishesha Jnana including Vairagya. Not
just six, he is Ananta Guna Poorna so we call him Bhagavan. He is full of
compassion.
Vairagya or
dispassion is an attribute of the Lord. We have noted in the first verse of
prayer of this Srimad Bhagavata composed by Lord Veda Vyasa saying त्रिसर्गोऽमृषा or the sustenance, destruction,
regulation, and so on including creation, of three Gunas through Prakriti for
the construction of this universe has no specific benefit to him. He does so
only to express his attribute of creation as sports charm.
He has
dispassion towards all else other than himself. He is stainless having no
downside for all his actions, supreme, and ultimate in all aspects, He is the
creator and does not desire anything more, other than himself. So, by
worshipping him this way or doing yoga with this attribute of Lord as
stainless, without having downside, nor attached to any matter or subject or
object other than himself as he is ultimate or supreme, we would be blessed
with Vairagya or dispassion towards all worldly matters.
ऐश्वर्य or Aishwarya is that which is possessed by ईश्वर or the Lord. Hence, Aishwarya means Lordship
with governance, while in common parlance, Aishwarya is used to refer to wealth
or treasure as its possessor is Ishwara. Our Lord has created the entire
universe, he sustains and governs. He recognizes with rewards of happiness,
awards positions of comforts, and higher regions of heaven. He also oppresses
the vice with suffering and punishes the lower regions of Hell. His Lordship is
absolute on a blade of grass to the King of God, Indra, including their
superiors - Garuda, Sesha, Rudra, Vayu, Brahma, and even Goddess Mahalakshmi.
He has the capacity to govern and ascertain his lordship. Hence, his ऐश्वर्य or Lordship is supreme and gets the
title of परमेश्वर or Parameshwara.
By
worshipping the Lord with this attribute or doing Yoga or
synchronization through bhakti, Lord would bless the individual with the eight
Siddhis of अणिमा, महिमा, लघिम, प्राप्ति, प्राकाम्य, ईशित्व, वशित्व, and गरिम.
अणिमा is the ability to reduce the size of the body to even an atom or disappearing; महिमा is the ability to expand the body to an
infinitely large size; गरिम is the ability to become infinitely heavy; लघिम is the ability to become almost
weightless, even feather light; प्राप्ति is the ability to be anywhere at
will; प्राकाम्य is the ability to obtain anything at will; ईशित्व is the ability to possess lordship
over the forces of nature; वशित्व is the power to subjugate others.
In the
meantime, for those who are practicing the perfection to please the Lord, or
are on the path of accomplishment, Lord would bless leadership including the
ability to command respect over a family, or the department of work, or over a
team. This would help to direct others and lead them to the path of dharma.
In the फलश्रुति or fruit or benefit of reading of
Vishnu Sahasranama, Lord Veda Vyasa says,
यशः प्राप्नोति विपुलं ज्ञाति प्राधान्यमेव च ।
अचलां श्रियमाप्नोति श्रेयः प्राप्नोत्यनुत्तमम् ॥
One would gain enormous fame in the society; Leadership of a team; immeasurable wealth; and endless credibility.
शौर्यं or Shaurya or Bravery of Heroism! Lord exhibits bravery and heroism without
running away from a fight, or a battle, or war. We come across various stories
in Purana including Hiranyaksha pulling out the earth from its orbit and
dropped it in the primordial water. Also, his brother, Hiranyakashipu stopping all
virtuous on earth to pray to Lord Vishnu. Against, all these wicked and evil
forces, Lord fought and won. As Lord Rama, he killed Kumbhakarna and Ravana, as
Lord Sri Krishna, he killed several sinners including evil. He has an
immeasurable Bravery equaled by none let alone surpassed.
Hence,
answering his grandson King Yudhishthira, Sri Bheeshmacharya says,
विष्णुं जिष्णुं महाविष्णुं प्रभविष्णुं महेश्वरम् ।
अनेकरूपदैत्यांतं नमामि पुरुषोत्तमम् ॥
The
all-pervading Lord Vishnu has Bravery, Heroism, Might, Aggression, and be
Victorious! My salutations to this Supreme Lord who takes several forms to kill
several mighty vices and wicked.
By
worshipping the Lord with this attribute or doing Yoga or synchronization
through Bhakti, Lord would bless the individual with bravery and heroism. We
will be able to win over our internal enemies who break our resolve and be able
to standby our commitment. The resolve could be to do prayers every day, or the
vow of fasting, or visit a holy place or even, give up bad habits, or New Year
resolution, and so on. We will be able to standby without giving up or running
away. Also, Lord would bless us to win over external enemies, the threat of
nature, or potential accidents with bravery and emerge heroically.
As there is
no difference between the attributes of the Lord and his name, Lord Veda Vyasa
has listed a thousand names or attributes in Vishnusahasranama. However, for a
common man to understand the meanings of the name and meditate on the attributes
could be difficult. Hence, as in Ramayana, so also all along in Srimad
Bhagavatam, Lord Veda Vyasa has embedded the attributes as the essence in
stories and narrated that in an elaborate way. Like a dear grandmother of a
three years old telling stories to imbibe moral in the child, Lord Veda Vyasa
has done so in Srimad Bhagavatam. We would come across heroic acts of Lord Sri
Krishna, Narasimha, or even his devotees like Druva and Prahalada.
In the Lord
and his devotees, there is a continuous manifestation of these attributes like
a flow of water from snow-capped mountains. Replenishing! This includes Satyam
or Authenticity, Saucham or Cleanliness, Shauryam or Heroism, and so on. Also, one would receive an immeasurable
amount of benefits by repeated hearing and doing anusandhana of these verses of
prayers and stories of Ramayana or Srimad Bhagavata. The great power and
influence of these processes have also been researched by the modern-day
science and we saw the below list in our last blog.
1. Power of Suggestion involving a psychological process by which the conscious mind could guide the thoughts,
feelings, or behavior
2. Autosuggestion
3. Hetrosuggestion
4. Counter reaction for Negative suggestion
5. Assumption of a Premise
The
Sanathana or the oldest dharma explains how each one of us, our personality,
and the behaviors that manifest differently are due to the Prarabdha Karma we
carry. An individual is personified as feelings of emotion, wisdom or folly,
awareness of the present, and vision of the future from past life experiences
as merits and sins. This is being fed to the conscious mind of the present life
to unfold our personality and behavior.
Also, propitiating the Indwelling Lord through a spark of bhakti blessed by him would
drive towards dharma. Following dharma, the mind gets a little purified. In a
little pure mind, bhakti will brighten to repeats with further dharma, jnana, and vairagya. Thus, purification of the mind to redeem the Prarabdha
Karma on the path towards the Lord for Moksha. These tenets of Sanathana dharma
is yet to be established by the present-day science.
|| Hari Om ||
|| Sri
Krishnarpanamastu ||
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