Bhagavan’s word, Bhagavan’s form
Class Notes | February 3, 2019
The greatest misery is poverty. But as we have learned in our study of Ramayana, even more miserable than poverty is poverty of prioritization or not knowing what is important. We should make Bhagavan Rama or joy a priority in our life, just as Goswami-ji did. By experiencing Ramayana and now Bhagavata, what is important becomes more and more clear.
Shrimad Bhagavata is known as Vangmayi (speech or word) murtih (form) — these words are actually the form of Bhagavan Krishna. As we are part of this course, we should try to feel we are directly listening to Bhagavan Krishna’s teachings and when we have that trust, we will be enlightened.
At the end of Mahabharata, as Bhagavan Krishna is leaving his friends and family, one of his closest disciples, Uddhava-ji asks, what will we do without You? Bhagavan Krishna thinks about this. With His power and teja, he transforms Himself into Shrimad Bhagavata.
Bhagavata is all about the nama and roopa of Bhagavan that gives us access to His guna and dhaama and we start to think of His qualities. If we are tuned in to the Creator’s gunas, we go to the Creator. Such immense respect and praise for Shrimad Bhagavata!
If Veda is a tree, Bhagavata is the ripe mango that falls off the tree on its own. It is the essence of the tree that can be eaten. If Veda is the milk, Bhagavata is the yogurt or ghee that lights up a lamp.
Rishi Vyasa has done so much for Sanatana Dharma. Yet, it was not until he wrote the Bhagavata that he felt his contribution was fully meaningful. Bhagavan Vishnu taught Bhagavata to Bhagavan Brahma, who taught his son Rishi Narada, who then taught it to Rishi Vyasa. It was Rishi Vyasa who documented Bhagavata and shared it with his son, Rishi Shukadeva. Through this Guru-shishya parampara, bhakti has been established and with it, grow Vidya and Vairagya, the sons of Bhakti.
One of Rishi Vyasa’s disciples is Rishi Romaharshana. His son, the wise Suta-ji, guides Rishi Shaunaka and 88,000 seekers towards more meaning. Suta- ji shares with Rishi Shaunaka what the meaning of bhakti is.
Bhakti is a beautiful young woman who is sad because her 2 sons are old and unconscious. When she meets Narada Rishi, she asks him to revive her sons. She asks why Raja Parikshitha, a noble and thoughtful king, allowed Kali to live in the kingdom?
Rishi Narada explains there is no other time than Kali-yuga. Kali is incomparable. We are lucky we are living in the time of Kali because in Kali, we are most receptive to bhakti. We cannot be freed from maya by ourselves. We need the help of bhakti. We need to let go of our ego and ask for help.
Rishi Narada tries to awaken Bhakti’s sons with the help of Vedas and Vedanta, but in vain. An aakashvani tells him to engage in a satkarma (noble action). The Sanatakumaras, his elder brothers, tell him to organize a Bhagavata saptah near Anandakanana or Varanasi, on the banks of Ganga.
Anandakanana symbolizes a place where one’s priority is ananda and one forgets about one’s vices. The Sanatakumaras explain that Bhagavata should be thought about and taught all the time, but if not, then one must do it at least for 7 days or a saptah. Unlike some rituals that can only be done at certain times or by certain people, Bhagavata saptah can be done by anyone, anytime; all the people, all the time. What a beautiful, universal message!
Rishi Narada takes the sankalpa and goes to Varanasi. Thousands of people, Rishis, Ganga Devi, Kaveri Devi, Bhakti, Vidya and Vairagya come running to Varanasi to listen to him. Just by the sankalpa to study Bhagavata, Vidya and Vairagya come back to life. When someone has faith in Bhagavata, bhakti establishes and brings with it, vidya and vairagya. This is the power of shravana. Just by listening to Bhagavata, everyone can be purified.
If Chintamani makes you the owner of this bhoomi and Kalpataru, the wish-fulfilling tree, makes you the owner of swarga, then Bhagavata makes you the owner of Vaikunta, where maya becomes kunthita or extremely blunt and dull and has no power.
Bhagavata is Bhagavan Vishnu. If we need His help, He will use one of His vahanas (garuda, sesha or lotus) to come to us. Whatever help we need in life, it will come to us through Bhagavata. Bhagavata is a jnana yajna.
As Shaunaka Rishi listens to Suta-ji sing praises of Bhagavata, he finds it hard to believe and feels he needs proof. The next portion of Bhagavata Mahatmya will provide proof that even a full-time sinner can find rest. Bhagavata is the key to the door that leads to enlightenment. It is the key that will lock samsara and open sambandha. This is Bhagavan Krishna speaking to us.
Class discussion: How can we grow up from sneha (love for the lower or the 3 Ps) to prema (love for the higher)?
CF: Engage in satsanga to learn the difference between sneha and prema; make your quest for prema a priority.
Vivek-ji’s impression: All of our relationships should be prema. Key to that is to not expect happiness and not project completion of ourselves on our spouse. Parameshwara pati means God has come as our spouse; not spouse is God, as in pati Parameshwara.
