Revisiting Mahabharata

Class Notes | March 10, 2019

In Kaliyuga, Rishi Vyasa has observed that people are quick to give up virtues and give in to vices. Knowing that peoples determination is getting weaker, he put together a collection called Sattvata Samhita, that which encourages Sattva, that which is like Sat.

Shrimad Bhagavata is a Sattvata samhita. We are all dedicated to Shrimad Bhagavata and our yajna is to reach swarga. Swarga is a place of pleasure, which sounds contradictory, but this swarga is different. It’s coming from ourselves as the happiness which we seek is from within ourselves. We are studying Shrimad Bhagavata, not just for the katha, but for the vedanta. How does this knowledge relate to me? How is this knowledge of me?

In Skanda1, Shloka 1 states, I contemplate upon, meditate upon, the highest knowledge of the highest gain, the Parasatya. It’s come from the Controller, one who knows all, i.e. Bhagavan. What we are listening to is not a human composition; it’s a divine revelation. This is the ends.

Shloka 2 — The means is Dharma, which demands that we renounce all selfishness because that is the only way to reach Parama, the highest or Paramatma. This is Vedyam or that which is to be known. Biology or knowing how to drive is not Vedyam. Bhagavata is Vedyam.

Shivanam tapatrayomulanam leads to egolessness. When there is no ego, then all tapatraya, from waking, dreaming and sleeping or body, mind and intellect is nivrithih or let go. I find sukha, find myself and smile within myself.

Sanatana Dharma keeps growing and is dynamic. It never loses its relevance, nor its vision. The 5th Veda, our Itihasas and Puranas were added later and they have come to be as important as the 4 Vedas which shows that our scriptures are forever alive, unlike in other religions.

Last week, we learned how simple Rishi Narada is. As he was growing up, the Rishis taught him to love Bhagavan and he loved Him so much that Bhagavan gifted him with the Devadatta, the veena, and the only sound that comes from his veena is ‘Narayana’. Rishi Narada is a perfect uni-tasker. Naram dadati iti Narada — He gives knowledge as he has it.

A large portion of Skanda1 revisits Mahabharatha as Raja Parikshita who is listener of the Bhagavata is the son of Abhimanyu, Prince Arjuna’s son.

Ashwatthama releases the Brahmastra twice. The first time Ashwatthama releases it to kill the Pandavas and all the Pandavas are in agony. Upon seeing their sorrowful condition, Lord Krishna uses his Sudarshana Chakra to capture all the energy of the Brahmastra. When Prince Arjuna finds that they are not going to be harmed by the Brahmastra, he captures Ashwatthama and ties him to a tree like an animal.

The Pandavas have a discussion and decide to release him as he is the son of their Guru Dronacharya. But Ashwathama comes back and brutally kills all the infants of the Pandavas by beheading them. This shows that our shastras are not a fantasy and depict the reality, it’s still relevant as we still have people like Ashwatthama who behave in this fashion even today.

Then Prince Arjuna captures him again. Surprisingly, Mother Draupadi is the greatest proponent who asks for Ashwatthama’s release. It shows her large heartedness, even though he showed no mercy in killing all their children. She touches his feet out of reverence to the Guru Shishya parampara. We see real violence and real compassion which is very moving.

This time when Ashwatthama is released, he is livid as he is very loyal to Duryodhana and his judgement is clouded. So He again releases the Brahmastra, Uttara, Abhimanyu’s wife, comes running in distress as the Brahmastra is directed towards her baby in the womb. She prays to Bhagavan Krishna who absorbs the Brahmastra and this is the end of the Mahabharata war.

As all the Pandavas are remembering Bhagavan Krishna, there is a famous section called Kunthi Stuthi. Mother Kunthi says to Bhagavan, ‘You have saved us again and again and blessed us with your darshana. But now that you are returning to Dwarka please bless us with more suffering so that we can have more and more of your darshana.’

We see how courageous and compassionate Mother Kunthi and Mother Draupadi are, very much in line with our International Women’s day. If we have even a trace of their courage and passion, we would never feel any fear or stress, nor the feeling of being taken advantage of.

When Raja Yudhishthira returns to Hastinapura, he is overcome by attachment and is saddened by all the loss to friends and family. They are sad and return to Bhagavan Krishna to ask what they should do and he tells them to go learn from Acharya Bhishma.

Acharya Bhishma is lying on his bed of arrows and when they go to visit him, all the other Rishis — Rishi Vyasa, Rishi Shuka, Rishi Vasistha, all come as well to pay their respects. Acharya Bhishma teaches Yudhishthira a lot, including the Vishnu Sahasranama.

Acharya Bhishma has seen so much loss and he teaches that raga or attachment comes from vikshepa or projection, which comes from avidya or ignorance. His body is dying and when he sees the sun moving in the Uttarayana or Northern direction, he merges with Bhagavan Narayana. And for a long time, everyone’s outer and inner environment becomes still.

How much respect and truth there is, that upon Acharya Bhishma’s passing, Raja Yudhishthira and Bhagavan Krishna visit Raja Dhritarashtra and Rani Gandhari to console them. Raja Dhritarashtra is the cause of the Mahabharatha war as he never learns to be free of attachment.

Raja Parikshita is in his mother’s womb, and all of a sudden he sees this heat and light spinning towards him and turns to see a being the size of thumb with 4 arms, crown and mala, spinning his mace so fast that it’s on fire. Slowly the heat and fire dissipates, and he sees only the person with the mace on fire. It is Bhagavan Krishna who enters Uttara’s womb and protects Raja Parikshita from the Brahmastra, just as He protects all infants in their mothers’ wombs.

Typically in the mother’s womb, we can see all our past lives, but Raja Parikshita is able to see his future as well. He sees that he is with Bhagavan Krishna when his body dies. After Raja Parikshita is born, he is always looking for Bhagavan Vishnu, he is constantly engaged in pariksha. He is also called Vishnu rata. Rata means one who is / was protected by Bhagavan Vishnu. The only purpose of us being born is to find Bhagavan. We do that when we are infants, but as we grow up we forget this due to Kali.

Raja Yudhishthira is engaged in his duty, but is not enjoying it. All the Pandavas are only with Bhagavan Krishna. When Bhagavan Krishna is returning to Dwarka, everyone is very sad in Hastinapura as love is leaving, and in Dwarka everyone is happy. Upon reaching Dwaraka, Bhagavan Krishna sounds his panchajanya conch and the whole city lights up like Deepavali.

Then the story continues with what happens to the Pandavas, Raja Dhritarashtra, Bhagavan Krishna. Raja Parikshita becomes the ruler and roams his kingdom to find and destroy Kali.

Class Discussion: Tapa (investing in ourselves), Shaucha (organizing our life), Daya (caring for others), Satya (integrating the micro with the macro) — Put these in an order from the weakest to the strongest in our society today & also discuss why?

RAW: Reflect and share how you have been protected in your life. Who protected you?