|| Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 1 – The legend of Lord Krishna -  1 – The introduction to Srimad Bhagavath Mahapuran

Sanantana Dharma – Mind & Intellect – The nature of Prakrithi and Purusha – Punarjama/rebirth

Krishnam Narayanam Vandhe Krishnam Vandhe Vrajapriyam | Krishnam Dhwaipayanam Vandhe Krishnam Vandhe Prithasutham || Sacchidhanandha Roopaya Vishwothpaththi Hethave | Thapathraya Vinashaya Srikrishnaya Vayam Nama: ||

The ancient Rishis and Sages conducted thorough research about the mind and intellect and its immense potential through rigorous spiritual practices and disciplines, Srimad Bhagavath Mahapuran is a highly inspirational scripture, predominantly speaks about the mind and intellect, and fleeting thoughts, which cause the endless miseries and sufferings of worldly existence.   The end result was the composition of highly rewarding scripture Srimad Bhagavath Mahapuran, which could remove the endless mental and physical afflictions of Jeeva, helps to build a better society of creative and productive minds.  The Rishis and Sages found that the human body undergoes constant transformation, aging, illness, and death, and it has made up of five essential elements, further the mind and intellect /thoughts have diverse nature, it roused them to think about the origin of the mind and intellect, after thorough exploration, they have exposed a few mystifying facts into light that the human body/Prakrithi is destructible nature and the mind and intellect is originated from the supreme soul resides as a soul in living beings, therefore the soul/Prana/Paramathma/Athma is indestructible. 

The human body is made up of five essential elements known as Earth, Air, Ether, Water, and Fire, it is protected and preserved by the Panchabhoothas, with the constant influence of ‘Time’ it has to return to the Prakrithi/nature.  The mind and intellect remain the same even after the Prana leaves the body, therefore it was evident that the Panchabhoothas of Time cannot influence the mind and intellect.  Therefore, Rishis and Sages arrived in the conclusion that the supreme soul/Paramathma is the origin of the mind and intellect, and it remains protected and preserved in the three states of sleep, awaken and dream.  The body cannot function in the absence of soul in it, the supreme soul is widely known as Athma/Paramathma/Bhramam, Veda addressed it as ‘Purusha’.  The Rishis and Sages affirmed that the body made up of essential elements merges with the Prakrithi after the death and put an end to its journey, therefore the mind and intellect that has been originated from the supreme soul should unite with the Paramathma.  The union of the soul with the supreme soul is the process called ‘Moksham’/absence of grief or sorrow.  They also found that the supreme soul is eternal/Sanatana’, it has neither birth nor death, flawless, and it has supreme brilliance. They have experienced the supreme state of bliss, with the constant practice of meditation and attained the union of the soul with the supreme soul, eventually, they have expressed the bliss in words came to know as Veda.  The Rishis and Sages asserted that the body has to undergo a constant transformation and ruin with the influence of time, but the soul has no death unless and until it attains union with the supreme soul, otherwise, it keeps taking several births/Punarjanma. 

|| Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 365 – The legend of Lord Krishna -  213

Sutha Pauranika speaks “ Oh! Shaunakadhis, King Pareekshith/Vishnuratha, prostrated before Sage Shuka Bhramam, he kept head at the feet of Shuka bhramam, with folded hands, tears overflowing from eyes, reverentially prostrated before Shukha Bhramam.”

 King Pareekshith speaks “Oh! Mahamune,  you have brilliantly narrated the glorious myths of supreme Lord Hari, and immensely assisted me to elevate my soul, you have given me mental courage and extreme strength to face any adverse situation, Oh! Paramaguro, I shall repeatedly prostrate before you. Oh! Compassionate one, you have blessed me with supreme wisdom and I am the fortunate one, my intellect is purified, since birth I have forgotten the presence of supreme Lord Hari as a soul in me, I have realized his eternal presence in me. Oh! Mahamune, Oh! Prominent one, I shall repeatedly prostrate before you for your kindness and tremendous service to elevate the virtuous souls and the people like us. If you ask me, am I scared of death, I would answer ‘No’. I have already surrendered my mind and intellect to supreme Lord Hari, I have thoroughly understood his presence in me, and so I do not have fear of death. Oh! Paramaguro, kindly give me permission to attain union with the supreme soul Adhokshaja and leave my mortal coil, I have constantly practiced that Gnana and Vignana gained from you and you have guided my mind and intellect to invest on that Parama Padham, finally I have elevated my soul into that Paramapadham.” Thus, King Pareekshith prostrated before Shukha Bhramam, eventually, Shuka Bhramam proceeded for a spiritual journey to other parts of Badarikashram.

|| Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 364 – The legend of Lord Krishna -  212

Bhramopadhesha

Aham Bhramam Paramdhama Bhrama Aham Paramam Padham | Yevam Sameekshan Athmanam Athmanyadhaya Nishkale ||

Shuka Bhramam concludes the speech imparting the highest of the spiritual knowledge to King Pareekshith who was cursed to die in seven days by the son of Rishi Sameeka.  In the fifth chapter/Panchama Adhyaya: of twelfth Skandha Shukha Bhramam describes the essence of spiritual practice in twelve verses.

Shuka Bhramam speaks “Oh! Rajan, I shall narrate the splendor supreme Lord Hari, who is Vishwathma resides as a soul in living beings, source of thoughts of Rajoguna/Bhrama, Thamoguna/Rudra in the mind and intellect.  Oh! Rajan, leave your immature thoughts about death and body consciousness, the body has to ruin the soul has no death; there is nothing here to claim as yours, realize the presence of supreme soul in you, like the wood and fire are different entities.  Oh! Rajan, you must have dreamt of your death while sleeping, remember the supreme soul is Aja/has no birth and Amara/has no death.  Oh! Rajan, imagine a mud pot kept upside down was broken, the air in it does not undergo any changes, the mud pot like the body has to face its ruin, the soul does not get destroyed.  Oh! Rajan, the excessive interest in worldly matters and bondages cause the rebirth, and once again it accumulates thoughts of Sathvik, Rajasik, and Thamasik natures, compels to perform Karma/duties and responsibilities, the excessive attachment to the material world put the Jeeva into constant miseries and sorrows of the worldly existence, gradually the Jeeva find it difficult to unfasten from the desires in the material world, like an earthen lamp keeps glowing as long as the oil poured in it/as long as you pour the oil like worldly attachments, the earthen lamp like the body assumes several births.  Oh! Rajan, therefore always contemplates upon supreme Lord who is self-illuminating like the pole star, which is the source of the functioning of mind and intellect/thoughts, resides as a soul in you.  Oh! Rajan, do not let your mind and intellect to think other than the supreme soul/Vasudeva, like the pregnant woman keep the child in her womb.  Oh! Rajan, the curse of Vipra is following you, you are nearing to death/Thakshaka that can hurt your body, but it cannot destroy your soul, you are with the supreme Lord who is the Lord of Mrithyu. Oh! Rajan, do not get besieged with the fear of death, remember you are with the supreme Bhramam, he is the ultimate shelter for the souls, unite your soul with the supreme soul with the constant contemplation upon supreme Lord who is unblemished.  Oh! Nripoththama, in this way, you can witness no difference in yourself and Thakshaka, when he touches your feet. Oh! Rajan, I have narrated all that about the supreme Lord Hari who resides as a soul in living beings/Vishwathma, what else would you like to hear from me?” Thus, Maharishi Shuka Bhramam concluded the glorious legend of Srimad Bhagavath Mahapuran before King Pareekshith.

|| Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 363 – The legend of Lord Krishna -  211

Shuka Bhramam speaks “ Oh! Rajan, the precious yellow metal is used for creating stunning ornaments, likewise, the presence of Adhokshaja as the supreme soul in living beings makes us to narrate the diverse nature of Prakrithi, all that we have seen and heard could be expressed in words. Oh! Rajan, all that you are witnessing is the Supreme Lord who resides as a soul in living beings/Anthar Narayana Bahir Sthitha:/all-pervasive nature of him, the thoughts that has the nature of Thrigunas forms  the habits in the individuals, ultimately it causes actions.  Oh! Rajan, The brilliant rays of Sun evaporates the ocean water and forms rain clouds, eventually get it covered in the clouds, similarly, the thoughts like rain clouds formed in the mind of Jeeva, creates an obstacle to witnessing the brilliance of Sun-like supreme soul in it, whoever does not understand the presence of the supreme soul which is source of the functioning of the mind, intellect, Panchaprana, Gnana, and Karmendhriyas, would hurl themselves into the cycles of repeated birth.  Oh! Rajan, rain clouds like thoughts formed in the mind would disappear with the constant contemplation of supreme Lord and wisdom,  as the brilliance of the sun rays remove the rain clouds, therefore the redundant thoughts like rain clouds can be get destroyed with the curiosity to learn and meditation ONLY.  Oh! Rajan, the more you meditate upon the supreme Lord Acchyutha, who is beyond comparison, has all-pervasive nature, and omnipresent, he is the source of the functioning of mind and intellect/thoughts, you can slice off the swollen pride/Ahamkara/impurities, with the sharp sword of wisdom, gradually the interest in worldly matters and bondages will get destroyed like the ripened fruits get separated from its branches.   Once the Jeeva gets completely freed material matters and bondage, with the constant meditation and supreme wisdom is the superior state called Athyanthika Pralaya/Bhrama Pralaya.  Oh! Rajan, keep listening to the glorious myths of the supreme Lord, meditate upon him and his various passionate sports, it would relieve you from the miseries and sorrows of worldly existence. Maharishi Narada learned these marvelous legends from Nara Narayana Rishi, later it was narrated to Maharishi Vedavyasa who retold the glorious scripture to me.”

|| Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 362 – The legend of Lord Krishna -  210

The mind and intellect originated from the supreme soul has neither birth nor death, until and unless it attains union with the Bhramalaya/Bhrama Pralaya.  The illustrious Rishis and Sages found that the unfulfilled desires and lust, causes the Jeeva to take repeated births/Punarjanma and undergoes miseries and sorrows of worldly existence.  An ignorant without the knowledge of the impermanent nature of Prakrithi /body which undergoes constant transformation and ruin, get attached to people, wealth, richness, fame, etc. and hurl into endless afflictions finally cause themselves to repeated births. An intellectual who has a thorough knowledge of the supreme soul that has neither birth nor death, changeless, and unblemished, isolate themselves from the interest from worldly matters, people, fame, richness, etc. and with the constant practice of meditation, surrender to the supreme Lord who is the source of supreme bliss.

Shuka Bhramam speaks “ Oh! Rajan, The supreme soul has subtle nature and void of Thrigunas, it has neither end nor beginning/Dhrik,  resides as a soul in the human body is the source of the functioning of the mind, intellect, and sense organs, like the light that reveals the presence of things and people, like the stars and planets, cannot exist without the presence of the sky. Oh! Rajan, its piteous act, the Jeeva did not realize the presence of the supreme soul who is the cause for the functioning of mind and intellect, thereby getting attached to the material world and people.  Oh! Rajan, the supreme soul is void of manifold nature; it is the thought that has the diverse nature that has the influence of Sathvik, Rajasik, and Thamasik Guna, like the clouds that keep appearing and disappear in the vast sky.  The supreme soul is the cause and effect like mud pot/effect created out of mud/cause, clothes/effect woven out of thread/cause, various patterns of ornaments/effect made out of gold/cause. Oh! Rajan, the Prakrithi/Jeeva cannot exist without the Purusha/Paramathma, with the constant contemplation upon the supreme Lord; the Jeeva attains serenity of mind/absence of thoughts, as if in the good sleep. Oh! Rajan,  Jeeva is the mirror image of Paramathma, but the Jeeva has accumulated impurities through the senses, attached to material world and bondage, hence it fails to realize the supreme nature of Paramathma within it. Therefore the practice intense meditation, Pranayama, reading and reciting scriptures, association with the saintly men and ascetics would remove the redundant thoughts in the mind; eventually, Jeeva will attain the union with the Paramathma/supreme bliss.”

|| Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 361 – The legend of Lord Krishna -  209

Kaler Dhoshanidhe Rajanasthi Hyeko Mahan Guna: | Keerthanadeva Krishnasya Mukthasanga: Param Vrajeth || Krithe  Yadhyatho Vishnum Threthayam Yajatho Makhai: | Dhwapare Paricharyayam Kalu Thadh Harikeerthanath ||

Shuka Bhramam speaks “ Oh! Rajan, In this Kali era, singing in praise of Lord Krishna, the association of saintly men and ascetics would bring liberation from cycles of birth and death.  In the  Krita Yuga the illustrious Rishis and Sages conducted extreme penance and attained Lord Vishnu, in the Thretha Yuga the Rishis and sages were engaged in the fire sacrifice and elevated their souls,  in the Dwapara Yuga, the pious and righteous elevated their souls with the worship of Lord, in the Kali era, the remembrance of supreme Lord Hari and chanting his sacred names would bring liberation from repeated births.”

The human mind and intellect are structured in a manner to get easily attracted to material matters and spiritual matters as well.  The increased interest in the material world would cause fear and mental exhaustion; eventually, it would pave way for repeated births as well.  Srimad Bhagavath Mahapuran is an inspirational scripture that enlightens the souls to attain the highest of the spiritual state, to get rid of extreme fears, anxieties, sorrows, and miseries of worldly existence, and ultimately attain liberation from the cycles of repeated births with the constant practice of meditation.  It repeatedly denotes the immense potential of the human mind and intellect to rise from the destructible nature of Prakrithi/body-conscious to the state of bliss, attain the union with the supreme Bhramam which is free from afflictions.  Therefore the ultimate object of a Jeeva is to attain the union with the supreme soul that requires constant practice of meditation and learning from scriptures and being in the association of saintly men and ascetics.  The constant practice of meditation and a disciplined life would bring the serenity of mind/lack of expectation.

There are four types of deluge/Pralaya, such as Nithya Pralaya, Naimiththika Pralaya, Prakritha Pralaya and Bhrama Pralaya/Athyanthika Pralaya which is beyond ‘Time’.  ‘Prakarshena Layam Ithi Pralayam’ or Laya is the union, all the living and non-living things have to undergo constant transformation and ruin as per the law of nature.  The human body undergoes aging, illnesses, and death is defined as Nithya Pralaya.  The physical and mental exhaustion causes sleep which is called Naimiththika Pralaya.  The Prakritha Pralaya is the process after death, it is a known fact that the corpse would combine with the soil and enhances the productiveness of the soil.  The Bhrama Pralaya is the superior state, union of mind and intellect/thoughts in the supreme soul.

|| Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 360 – The legend of Lord Krishna -  208

Prabhavanthi Yadha Saththve Mano Budhdhi Indhriyani Cha | Thadha Krithayugam Vidhya Gnane Thapasi Yath Ruchi: || Yadha  Dharma Arththa Kameshu Bhakthir Bhavathi Dhehinam | Thadha Thretha Rajo Vriththirithi Janeehi  Budhdhiman || Yadha Lobhasthvasanthosho Mano Dhambhoadha Mathsara: | Karmanam Chapi Kamyanam Dhwaparam Thadhrajasthama: || Yadha Mayanritham Thadhra Nidhra Himsa Vishadhanam | Shoko Moho Bhayam Dhainyam Sa Kalisthamasa: Smritha: ||

King Pareekshith speaks “ Oh! Mune, how did we get rid of the evil effects of Kali era? Kindly describe the Supreme Lord Vishnu as Kalasyeshwararoopa, Yuga, Yugadharma, and the Pralayakalpa.”

Shuka Bhramam speaks “ Oh! Rajan, The Dharma has four feet, known as Sathyam/truthfulness, Shaucham/austerities,  Dhaya/kindness and Thapas/penance/control over senses.  It was in a perfect state during the Krita Yuga, it was the period people were possessed virtues like Santhushta/contentment, Karuna/compassion, Maithra/companionship, Shantha/serene, Dhantha/good control over senses, Thithikshava/serenity of mind, Athmarama/liberated souls, Samadhrisha/equality, Prayasha/hard work, Shramana/mendicant.  In the Thretha Yuga, the feet of Dharma got hurt; there was Adharma/immorality, Himsa/violence, Anrutham/wickedness, Asanthosha/unhappiness.  In the Dwapara Yuga, Dharma got hurt even more and more, people found pleasure in violence.  In the Kali era, the Dharma will get hurt three fourth of its nature, people will be miser, follow all those unwarranted habits and immoral deeds, selfish, unkind, hatred, ignorant take pride in knowledge.  Oh! Rajan, all that I have explained is the destructible nature of Prakrithi, the supreme soul is void of Thrigunas.  Oh! Rajan, even in this Kali era people whose mind and intellect are filled with Sathvikgunas, follows austerities and vows, contemplates upon the supreme Lord, practice learning scriptures, with this practice they could elevate their souls as in the Krithayuga.  Oh! Rajan, people whose mind and intellect are soaked in Dharma, Artha, Kama lives the life in Thretha Yuga.  People whose mind and intellect are drenched in Lobham/desires, Asanthosham/unhappiness, Manam/pride, Dhambham/ego, would perform all those spiritual and religious rites for fulfilling desires and live a life in Dwapara Yuga.  The People whose mind and intellect are soaked in Moha/lust and desire, Bhaya/fear,  Dhainyam/self-pity, Shokam/grief, Vishadhanam/depression, Himsa/violence, Nidhra/sleep, Anritham/untruthful, lives in the Kali era.  Oh! Rajan, an ignorant forgets the nature of the supreme soul and contemplates upon the supreme Lord to fulfill their desires.”