THE RELEVANCE OF THE NAME VIJITASHWA

( VIJITA + ASHWA ) = VIJITASHWA)

This name is just not a name, but signifies many things about the qualities of a person.  This name was assigned to the son of Prthu by the revered saints and sages. Prthu was one of the greatest emperors of the world, Who was none other than the manifestation of Shri Maha Vishnu Himself.

All things in this universe are conditioned by the flow of eternal time factor, including every manifestation of the Supreme Truth.  Only that Supreme Truth (which we have given the name as God) is beyond this time factor.  In fact He is the controller of this time itself.  It is this principle which we see in the representative form of Lord Krishna in the form of a baby lying on a leaf of banyan tree sucking the thumb finger of his foot.  This leaf containing Lord Krishna is seen floating on the huge waters.  These waters are the contents of the entire universe at the time of annihilation and the only One Who remains is that Supreme Principle enjoying Himself within Himself and all by Himself.  Since human perception is always linked to some form or the other, a particular form is given by our ancestors.  One can perceive this truth the way one is capable of and able to.

Each millennium of the time factor has a Brahma, the creator, who is created by that Supreme Truth.  According to our scriptures everything has an end, depending upon the time.  Everything is time conditioned.  Thus even Lord Brahma has an end.  At the new millennium a new Brahma comes up.  Each millennium is divided into 14 Manvantaras.  All are calculated exactly to the time of the earth as well as the time of the other worlds.  Each Manvantara has a Manu, the Head.  The head of this first Manvantara is known as Swayambhuva and hence known as the Swayambhuva Manvantara.  The present Manvantara is Vaivasvata Manvantara.

Swayambhuva Manu is the son of Brahma.  His grandson is Dhruv.  Prthu was born in the dynasty of Dhruv.  Prthu was a great ruler and established the right order in  the world.  There was prosperity all around.  He acquired great fame.  We have to go back a little to know about the origin of Prthu.

Prthu was the son of Anga, one of the descendants of Dhruv. Anga was a great ruler.   Anga’s son Vena was a cruel personality.  Anga went to forests depressed with the behaviour of his son Vena.  He left the palace without the knowledge of others.  The earth became rulerless.  However, since the earth needed a ruler, the saints and sages appointed Vena as the ruler and advised him to rule with righteousness.  He did not obey them.  He criminalized everything.  Fed up with his atrocities, the saints and sages killed him with the powers of their mantras.  However, his dead body was preserved by Vena’s mother.

The saints and sages were now looking for a suitable ruler.  They could not find anyone equalling to the capabilities of Svayambhuva, Dhruv or Prthu.  They saw that the dead body of Vena was kept afresh by his mother.  They churned that body.  From the thighs came about a dwarf.  Through this dwarf the progenies of hunters and those live in mountains came about.

They churned further the arms of the body of Vena.  There appeared a boy child (Prthu) who was none other than Maha Vishnu Himself.

One must remember here that the life can be originated from anything and from anywhere.  This is the concept of churning the dead body.  Again, the emperors were advised by knowledgeable saints.  They were the real conscience keepers and the emperor/king was only the executor.

The sages entrusted the earth to Prthu.  Prthu was a great ruler as said earlier.  He conducted Asvamedha Yajna.  It is said that when a person performs one hundred Asvamedha Yajna he equals the position of Lord Indra.  Prthu completed 99 of them.  While performing the 100th, Lord Indra becomes jealous of Prthu.  He assumes the form of Mayavi (Pakhand in Sanskrit) by adorning robes of a Sanyasi etc. ( falsified images of a Sanyasi propagating wrong means as we see many today ) and takes away the 100th horse.   The great saints and sages point out this fact to the son of Prthu.  The son of Prthu follows this falsified personality of Indra and overpowers him. He recovers the horse and hands over it to Prthu for the completion of the Yajna.

Indra repeats this again and again and the son of Prthu retrieves the horse again and again.  The saints and sages insist upon the son of Prthu to kill Indra so that the horse is not stolen further by him.  The son of Prthu, though capable of killing Indra, does not do so because he was of the view that it is not the person who is to be killed but the evil thinking spread by such an evil minded person.  He stands for the reformation of Indra.  He also gets worried about the wrong paths shown by Indra as the ordinary people without rational thinking would easily pick up such path to achieve their wrongful ends.  This we are seeing in our everyday life.

The saints and sages advises Prthu to kill Indra.  Prthu was equally capable of doing so.  At this juncture Lord Brahma appears and puts a stop to this war.  He tells Prthu that the stand taken by the son of Prthu was the right one.  He tells that though a person might have achieved the position of Indra, it does not mean that such a person is devoid of meanness and jealousy.  Despite having conducted 100 Ashwamedha Yajnas, Indra had not discarded the jealousy or envy.  What was required is to overcome these bad qualities and not the counting of how many Yajnas one has conducted in life. He advises Indra to turn back within and analyse his bad actions. Lord Indra realizes his mistakes and becomes a friend of Prthu as well as his son.

At this juncture Lord Maha Vishnu Himself appears there.  He advises that Prthu does not require to do Ashwamedha Yajna at all as he has already in him the qualities much beyond these.  He does not need to acquire any new achievements by performing this or that.  Therefore, the Lord tells that it is better for good thinking individuals to stick to righteous path and perform duties as prescribed in our scriptures.  Prthu’s son stood for all these.

The name of the son of Prthu has never been mentioned till this incidence in Srimad Bhagavatam.  He gets his name only after this incidence.  Thus the name is a concept and which was assigned to the son of Prthu.

Coming to the son of Prthu, the saints and sages named him as “Vijitashwa” - the one who has conquered the horse (STANZA 18, CHAPTER 19 - VOLUME 4 SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM).  He becomes the next ruler equivalent in all the capabilities just like Swayambhuva, Dhruv, Anga and Prthu, the previous rulers.

The name Vijitashwa has great significance.  The emperors have to rule other kings.  The horses represent symbolically all the rulers.  To command and get things done, one must win over everything.  One must have unparalleled strength and energy.  However, having won over everything, the person is supposed to act only in righteous ways.  He becomes a witness to everything and does not put himself into each and everything.  He is just a trustee or only an executor.  All actions done by him do not affect him personally.  This way he does not inherit any bad or good benefits of such actions.  He is a liberated personality.  He merges with that Supreme Truth after his material body disappears if he conducts himself in this way.

Another context is the horses represent the material desires or the satiating desires of the senses.  The human beings indulge themselves in fulfilling one or the other desire every time.  Each desire bring about actions and reactions with which we are all bound.  We get births and rebirths according to these consequences of fruitive actions.  Even in the heaven one does not get liberation as he has to come down to earth once he completes his period there.   When a person wins over the desires he is liberated after he attains the knowledge of self realization.  This is easily said but not practical for even an intelligent person.  This requires constant practice and perseverance and must become a habit in a natural way.  This cannot be an imposed approach.

THIS IS VIJITASHWA.  

FOR DETAILED WORD TO WORD INTERPRETATIONS IN ENGLISH ON SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM THE FOLLOWING SITES ARE AVAILABLE:

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THE NECTAR OF SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM -DRINKING IT AND ASSIMILATING IT IS A GREAT EXPERIENCE

It is known to everyone that Srimad BHAGAVATAM was told to the King Parikshit by Sukh Dev ji Maharaj, son of Shri Ved Vyas ji, who created Srimad BHAGAVATAM.

While describing the beauty of Srimad BHAGAVATAM, Sri Ved Vyas ji, through the following stanza,

nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalaṁ

 śuka-mukhād amṛta-drava-saṁyutam

pibata bhāgavataṁ rasam ālayam

 muhur aho rasikā bhuvi bhāvukāḥ

(Volume 1, Chapter 1, Stanza 3)

explains the worth and value of this great work for those who are eager to understand the concepts of Srimad BHAGAVATAM. The poetical beauty of the above stanza attracts those interested in this work in such a way that, as one works through this great creation called Srimad BHAGAVATAM, he really comes to know how each word mentioned here is true.

The above stanza compares Srimad BHAGAVATAM as the tasty fruits of the Vedas encompassed in the Kalpataru tree.  When we say "fruit" it is the essence  - accumulated nectar - of all good things (Amrita Drava Samyutam) born in the tree, which again is born out of nature's good blessings.  Shuk Dev ji Maharaj is compared here to a parrot who tastes the fruits from this tree.  By coincidence, some fruits fall down from the beak of that parrot.  Such fruits contain the essence of the Truth. Even if one picks up and tastes few such fallen fruits, he gets enchanted in this great work.  

We can also interpret it in another way.  A parrot repeats exactly what is told to it.  So, Sukha Dev ji Maharaj tells through Srimad BHAGAVATAM only the essence of Vedas as the nectar of the fruit got assimilated in him.  All our saints and seers propagated only the nectar of knowledge and wisdom originally conveyed in the Vedas, which was conveyed to Brahma, the creator, by none other other than God Himself.  Such saints and seers tell us that the Truth is one and The Only One.

Sages like Sukh Dev ji Maharaj have attained such mental state of mind that they need not know anything in this world because they are beyond all knowledge.  Even such sages want to drink repeatedly the essence of this fruit called Srimad BHAGAVATAM.

This being the case with enlightened persons, what to talk of ordinary people!  A little interest in this great work by an ordinary person definitely attracts him more and more to the understanding of the concepts and be part and parcel of this great knowledge and devotion to God.  In fact Ved Vyas ji is not asking us to read his work, but drink it and enjoy its taste. Assimilation is far more superior than mere storage of knowledge.  The concepts of this great work has to be assimilated as part and parcel of one's own life.  This is only possible when one lives through it and be one with it.

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WHILE DEPARTING FROM THIS MATERIAL WORLD WHAT LORD KRISHNA GAVE TO HIS CLOSEST FRIEND UDDHAVA?

Uddhava was the only person who remained on this earth after the departure of all the people of Yadu dynasty including Shri Krishna from this world.  

Uddhava was instructed by Lord Krishna to go to Badri Ashram, the place where Nara and Narayana are believed to be in continuous penance,  and remain there spreading the knowledge of truth.

What was the parting gift which Uddhava had received from Shri Krishna?  This was very valuable and the one which Shri Krishna gave to Lord Brahma as the very first knowledge before Brahma, as an instrument of Shri Vasudeva,  started the creation work.

In order to know the real words of Lord Krishna Himself, it is better to go to Stanzas 11, 12, and 13 of Chapter 4 Volume 3 of Srimad Bhagavatam.

Shri Krishna said to Uddhava:

I, in my heart of heart, understand your mind’s desires.  What some others - who do not have devotion in Me - find it difficult to achieve, that one I am giving unto you. Oh Vasu !  Once in the Satra conducted jointly by Prajapatis and Vasus, with the desire of being with Me, I was worshipped by you.

Such is your this birth, in which you have attained My blessings, and this birth, amongst all your births, is the final one.  

Not only that, while I am leaving from this world of life forms, you became the one who could see  me all alone  with the purest of devotion. That is very good !

Very Very long ago, in the beginning of the creations, the Brahma seated as such on the lotus sprouted from my navel, was advised by Me that sacred and superior knowledge presenting the enlightenment of My specialities and glories.  The knowledgeable persons call this presentation as SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM.

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THE POWER OF THE CONCH SHELL OF SHRI HARI

Dhruva did intense penance on the encouragement of his mother Suneeti and as per the advice of Saint Narada.  His penance was so intense that all the three worlds trembled as Dhruva continued focussing within him that form and shape of the Supreme Being, the very source of all the principles starting with Mahat Tattva and also the Controller of both Prakriti and Purusha.

When that prince stood with his one leg, at that time the earth which got pressed with his toe finger, moved left and right by sinking half of its portion just a like a boat on each step when a giant elephant is made to stand over it.

When that prince, Dhruva, controlling his life of air and blocking its way through,focussed his total attention and meditated on that Supreme Being not separating Him  from  his thinking, the people of different worlds together with the controllers of all the worlds, got very much tormented with suffocation and took shelter unto Shri Hari.

In other words, when Dhruva meditated upon Shri Hari, Who is none other than the inherent being of everything in the universe, within him blocked his breathing process, the residents of all the worlds got suffocated.

The above are described in Stanzas 78, 79 and 80 of Chapter 8 Volume 4 of Srimad Bhagavatam.  All the demigods approached Shri Hari and expressed their predicament of suffocation.  Shri Hari replied to them that He knew the reason for the same as iiiit was Dhruva’s intense penance which is responsible for it.  He told them to go to their respective places and He shall be meeting personally Dhruva shortly.

Thus, all those demigods who discarded their fears, paying their obeisances unto that Bhagavan, returned to their heavenly abodes. The Form of the Universe (the Supreme Being), thereafter, so eager to see his devotee (Dhruva) ascended upon Garuda and proceeded to Madhuvana on the banks of the river Yamuna.

As far was that Dhruva was concerned, because of the affirmation of his meditative status being very resolute, he could experience through his intellect the disappearance of that Supreme Being so suddenly, Who was till then  glittering within his lotus heart just like the illumination of the lightning, and could see the same form and shape of that Supreme Being which he had perceived within his heart till then,standing just outside in front of him.

Shri Hari appearing before Dhruva

As Dhruva was focussed within himself and meditating, he could not see at first Shri Vasudeva who appeared before him seated on Garuda.  At that time, Shri Vasudeva Himself blocked His own form which Dhruva was meditating upon within his heart.  As soon as Dhruva experienced the disappearance of the meditative form from within him, he opened his eyes.  He could then see the very same form of the most auspicious Bhagavan right in front of him.

Because of the sudden perplextion within him due to the visualization of that Bhagavan, that child Dhruva made his body fall down on the earth just like a stick and offered obeisances.

Thereafter, Dhruva looked at Him standing as if he was beginning to drink Him through his eyes, whereafter he again paid his worship. Again, he paid his obeisances in such a manner as if he was kissing Him with his face and embracing Him with his arms.

That Shri hari, Who has His place of abode innately from within in Dhruva as well in each and everything, having understood that the child who was standing before Him with folded hands was in fact desirous of praising His fame but was not having the sufficient knowledge for the same, compassionately touched his cheek with His conch shell which is the representative form of the Vedas.  

That Dhruva, who was going to inherit the position of permanent inhabitance, at that instant time itself as the conch shell of Shri hari touched his cheek, imbibed within him all the divine words of the Vedas dealing with the subject matters of that Supreme Being.

Thereafter, Dhruva, who became knowledgeable about the principles of the Supreme Being very conclusively, and having become drawn out with devotional predisposition, started praising with very conclusive words about that Supreme, Whose glories and fames are avowed always and forever.

These have been described in detail in Stanzas 1 to 5, Chapter 9, Volume 4 of Srimad Bhagavatam.

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HOW THE DETERMINED DRUVA PASSES THE TEST OF SAINT NARADA

The story of Dhruva is not a mere story. It has very high philosophical and spiritual contents and, if properly analysed and understood, it gives much insight into the devotional services towards Shri Hari as well as the aim for which such services are undertaken by persons in different occupations in life for the fulfilment of their desires.

Chapter 8, Volume 4 of Srimad Bhagavatam is the first chapter dealing with Dhruva’s life and how he got the determination to go in for intense penance to seek the fulfilment of wishes from Shri Hari. The characteristics of the names of his mother (Suneeti) and stepmother (Suruchi) by themselves indicate the innate nature about them. While Suneeti stands for righteous deeds, Suruchi is more towards enjoyment of the worldly matters, position, status etc. It also shows the predicament of the great king, Uttanapada, who was totally helpless when his closest wife, Suruchi, denied the wish of Dhruva, who just wanted to sit on the lap of the King along with Uttama, the son of Suruchi.

The most hurting statements which went deep into the heart of Dhruva, as a child of just five years, was the ones made by his stepmother Suruchi saying the following (Stanzas 11, 12 and 13 of Chapter 8, Volume 4):

Dhruva is denied access to his father’s lap by his stepmother Suruchi.

“Child ! You do not deserve to be mounted on the altar of the King, even though you are a prince. That is because, you are not born out of my womb.

Hey silly ! You are a little child. You definitely do not know about yourself as you are born out of the womb of some other woman. That is why you had a fancy to achieve something which is difficult for you to attain.

If you wish to occupy the seat of the King, you must worship the Supreme Being through your penance and with His blessings alone, you must take your birth out of my womb.”

When Dhruva went to his mother crying with anger, she just could not help relieving his predicament or sorrow. As she was helpless she also felt sorry for this situation and advised Dhruva to follow the advice of his stepmother and meditate upon Shri Hari for the fulfilment of his desires. She also quotes the instances of great worship to Sri Vasudeva undertaken by all his ancestors and encouraged him from various angles to proceed with his determination.

Armed thus with the strong support of his mother, Dhruva proceeds to the forests for undertaking penance. Here exactly he gets the right advice from none other than the great saint Narada as to what exactly he should do. Saint Narada wanted to see to what extent it is deep in Dhruva’s heart, a kshatriya, (with the spirit to rule and protect people), the disgrace he had suffered.

Saint Narada puts to test Dhruva just to know his determination. Through his profound words, saint Narada puts forward his views before Dhruva (Stanzas 27 to 34 Chapter 8 Volume 4 Srimad Bhagavatam):

Saint Narada meeting and blessing Dhruva

“Hey son ! I do not see anything as a dishonour or honour for you because as you being a little child even now you are inclined towards childish play and frolic.

Though one can argue that one can definitely understand about the specific distinction between dishonour and honour, the actual reason for the mental displeasure arises for a person because of the person’s wrong perception of his intellect and nothing else. That is because, in this world all these things happen only as the consequential effect of one’s own deeds and actions.

( A person undergoes the consequential effects of one’s own actions and deeds. It is, therefore, foolish to blame others for this situation. This is the essence of the above statement.

Through the following stanzas saint Narada advises Dhruva the qualities of forbearance. He thus attempts to dissuade Dhruva from undertaking penance.)

Therefore, hey child ! An intelligent person, by understanding the divine order, gets himself satisfied with whatever comes to him as per the divine wish.

This apart, the Person, whose blessings you are seeking to get through the path of yogic meditation as per the advice of your mother, is the One Who cannot be worshipped very easily by ordinary people, as I feel it so.

The path/position of that Supreme Personality could not be understood even after constant enquiry through the processes of meditation achieved out of constant practice during their various births by those saints who were mentally well balanced and totally detached from the worldly desires and pleasures.

Therefore, please leave aside this obstinacy of yours which is of no use. When you reach the appropriate time conducive for your betterment, you shall put in the desired efforts all by yourself.

Whatever has been determined by the Supreme Being for a person, in the midst of his happiness and miseries, that person enjoys and is contented with all of them (what has been conferred upon him by the Supreme Being) within his mind happily and thereby crosses over to the other shore of the darkness of frivolous desires.

When one sees another person having more quality attributes, as compared to him, such a person should seize with happiness. A feeling of compassion should develop in a person when he sees another having less quality attributes. When one sees another having equal quality attributes one should gesture friendship. Such a person (who has these characteristics) shall not be affected by mental or physical pain.”

Stanzas 35 to 38 are the answers of Dhruva to Saint Narada: “ This path of advice for the emancipation from all the illusions of existence, though is beyond the capacity of cognizance of persons like me, it is only because of your kindness that you, being the most experienced saint, have made public the same for the sake of the people who have been rendered bewildered in their thinking because of they facing the happiness and miseries.

Therefore, because of having obtained the overwhelming Kshatriya characteristic, my mind has not subdued its passions, and your valuable advices are not reclining upon my heart, which has been split by the arrows of bad words of Suruchi.

Hey the one who has acquired the knowledge of Brahman ! Please advise me the appropriate way as I have the intention of capturing such a position which is far superior among all the three worlds and which has not been acquired by any of my ancestors or by any others.

You are certainly born out of the body of Bhagavan Brahma Deva. You are the one who travel around like the sun, playing your musical instrument known as Veena in a very special way, for the sake of the welfare of the whole world.” Upon understanding the strong determination of Dhruva, saint Narada goes on to advise him the appropriate ways of doing the penance. He tells him (Stanza 41):

“A person who desires to have for himself the Purusharth known as Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha --they are dharma (duty, ethics), artha (prosperity, wealth), kama (pleasure, sensual gratification), and moksha (the pursuit of liberation) -- for him the most important cause of instrument for achieving them is the worship of the pious lotus feet of Shri Vasudeva.”

Saint Narada advises Dhruva to proceed to Madhuvana on the banks of the river Yamuna. He also explains to him the methods he should follow in undertaking the penance of Sri Vasudeva in a systematic and prescribed manner.

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CONNECTING WITH NATURE - THE WAY SHRI KRISHNA DID

There cannot be a better description as to how one should connect with the nature as Shri Krishna did during His childhood days in the Vrindavana.  Whether the nature showed its full bounty because of the happiness of Shri Krishna playing around within it or whether Shri Krishna added to the beauty of nature is debatable.  However, the enjoyment of Nature by that Great Being, perhaps because of   nature’s own soul and heart being together at that place, is worth emulating within our hearts to achieve real happiness.  

These are briefly described through stanzas 9 to 19 in Chapte4 15 of Volume 10 of Srimad Bhagavatam.  The gist of these descriptions, in fact, take us to the very nature, which, perhaps we see every day, but for some reason or the other, escapes our attention depriving the happiness to be derived out of it.   The descriptions are so endearing to our hearts and they take us to the bounties of the very nature in which we all live.

Once Shri Krishna and Balarama, when they were between the age of 6 and 7, were moving around in the forests of Vrindavana, in the company of very many cowherd boys from their resident village, Gokulam.  They were taking their cattle to the grazing grounds in the forests of beautiful and prosperous Vrindavana.

Shri Krishna was so much delighted at His heart, joyfully grazed the cows on the banks of the river adjacent to the mountains along with His friends and thus was enjoying.

Krishna playing with cowherd boys

Shri Krishna, Who was wearing the garland of forest flowers, and Who was being praised for His great deeds by His Gopa friends walking along with Him, in the company of Balarama, was also singing at some places together with the singing of intoxicated bees which were continuously sucking the honey from the flowers.

At some other places He was singing following the rhythm in which the swans were singing.  At some other places, making his friends laugh, He danced just like the peacock imitating its dance.  

At some locations, with his words so intense as the thunder robbing the hearts of the cows as well as the cowherds,  He was calling so endearingly by telling their individual names of the cattle which had gone to far away locations.

He was imitating the voices  of the birds like crow pheasants, ganders, skylarks,  fish hawks, and also the peacocks. He was acting in pretension as if He was afraid of the wild animals  like the tigers and the lions.

When, sometimes, because of the fatigue of playing, His brother used to lie down on the lap of the Gopa friends using them as his pillow, Krishna Himself used to caress Balarama’s legs and do such other affectionate actions to give him the required relief while resting.

Both Shri Krishna and Balarama laughingly appreciated those Gopa children by holding their hands while they were sometimes singing among themselves in groups and turn by turn, at some other times dancing, again at other times playing running games, and and other occasions doing mock fighting.  

Sometimes Shri Krishna got tired and fatigued of doing fist fighting and after going towards the foot of any tree trunk lied down and slept on the tender grass bed keeping His head on the lap of any Gopa child.  

Some Gopa children, whose sins had already been ended, caressed the legs of that Supreme Being. Some others fanned Him perfectly well  with the implements of feathers/leaves.

The remaining Gopa children sang such songs in very low voice, which were so endearing with love, which were the most suitable ones at the time of going to sleep, and which were very much pleasing to the mind of that Supreme Being.

That Bhagavan Shri Krishna, Whose tender and soft buds like feet are always sincerely caressed by Shri Lakshmi, discharging His work as a Gopa cowherd and following the status of one among them, though was the very same Supreme Principle concealed in His powers of illusions (Maya Shakti), carried out His pastimes by indulging in such activities, from time to time, which can be likened to the ones relating to the ability of only His Divine Personality, and  at some other times, doing things just as a village boy does as if He was just one among them.

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THE ORIGIN IS ONE, MAY BE THE MANIFESTATIONS MANY

There is only a single source or origin for whatever we see in this universe. They are all from the Supreme Being, and vice versa the very universe in itself is that Being alone. That being so, all the divine personalities described in our scriptures are also from the same source, though they may appear to be in the form of different beings in our understanding.

The manifestations (or avatars) from that single entity known as the Supreme Being (the Ultimate Truth or the Brahman) take place from time to time depending upon the need and the circumstances. Thus, they need not be in the human form alone. Coming to specifically Shri Krishna and Balarama, though they appear to be two separate personalities, they are one and the same opulence. While Shri Krishna is considered as complete manifestation (purna avatar) because of the full potency of that Supreme Being, Balarama is His own associate, the manifestation of Lord Vishnu Himself. He is known as Adi Sesha upon Whom Sriman Narayana rests in the ocean of waters, where Shri Lakshmi presses Sriman Narayana’s feet and Lord Brahma being seated on the lotus flower sprouted from His navel. These have been described in various scriptures for our understanding of the principle of oneness.

There cannot be a better description about the concept of oneness of that Supreme Being, despite the different manifestations, than to go through and understand the stanzas 5 to 8 in Chapter 15, Volume 10 of Srimad Bhagavatam. Through these stanzas Shri Krishna is addressing Lord Balarama as the very same Supreme Being. Apart from the concept of oneness and single origin, the poetic beauty in these stanzas are par excellent. They are described below.

Shri Krishna, along with Balarama, is entering the forest of Vrindavana along with their cows and cowherd boys. Shri Krishna is enthralled by seeing the scenic beauty of the forest. He admires the nature and connects their happiness to the presence of the very same Supreme Being in the form of Balarama among them. What follows is the description by Shri Krishna as to how the nature in the forest feel within themselves. He addresses Lord Balarama in the following words:

Hey the Great Divine Personality ! (Lord Balarama) What a wonder ! In order to atone for the sins they had committed, because of which they have now turned into the forms of trees, these trees are offering their flowers and fruits in the form of obeisances and prostrating with the head of their branches at Your pious lotus feet which are worshipped by all the demigods very devotedly.

Hey the Very First Being ! These bees make all the worlds pure with the praises of that Supreme Being sung by them at each and every step and thereby they offer their worship to You. It is possible that these bees might have been the prominent devotees of the groups of saints and sages. Hey the Most Pure Being ! Though they are hiding in the forest, they never have abandoned their inherently positioned Personality that is Yourself. Hey the One Who is worth worshipping ! These peacocks dance because they are very happy. All the female deer looking at you with their beautiful glance just like the Gopa women, and the groups of kokilas (the cuckoos ) with their mellifluous singing express their pleasant happiness towards You as You have come to their place of residence. All the animals living in the forest are also very fortunate. Because, this is exactly the natural characteristic of good people (to welcome those who come to their residence).

This earth is very grateful today. The grass and the bushes which feel the sense of touch of Your feet are very contented and grateful. The trees and other creepers which sensed the touch of your foot nails feel they have accomplished their purpose. Having received your compassionate glance, the rivers, the mountains, the birds and the animals are all very satisfied and contended. All the Gopa women are happy with your chest region in between both your arms. Even Goddess Lakshmi always yearns to be positioned in that chest region.

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IT IS OUR FAMILY CONCERN

The family life, or what is called as the householder’s life, when executed sincerely and honestly, is considered as devotional service to the Supreme Being.  There cannot be any other example of this story from our mythology.

Saint Narada was not very happy within himself when he found that the average householders do not pray to God, leave alone taking His name at least once a day.  He went to Shri Hari and expressed his anguish.  He requested for a solution to this issue and for that the intervention of Shri Hari Himself.

Shri Hari appreciated Saint Narada’s concern.  He handed over to Saint Narada a bowl containing oil filled up to its brim. He told him to go ahead with his journey of the world, as he normally does while chanting “Narayana Narayana” as always, while carrying with him this bowl.  However, he put a rider saying that while doing so Saint Narada must ensure that not a single drop of oil should spill from the bowl.  Once he completes his journey and comes back to Him, Shri Hari said He will give a solution to this issue which bothers him.

Saint Narada agreed and started off with his usual zeal by continuously reciting His name “Narayana Narayana”.  As he moved forward in his journey, his attention started getting focussed on the bowl of oil and he remembered Shri Hari’s words that not a single drop of oil should spill over from it.  Thus he became very very careful and concentrated his mind on the bowl.  As his attention increased towards the bowl of oil, the recitation of “Narayana Narayana” gradually reduced and a time came it totally stopped.  

Saint Narada did not realize that he had stopped reciting “Narayana Narayana” which he was always doing as a matter of habit.  He did complete his journey with success as not a single drop of oil spilled from the bowl which he was carrying with him.  Thus he returned to Shri Hari and reported to him about his success.

Saint Narada

Shri Hari asked him only two things : (1) How many times, during this journey, he recited the name “Narayana Narayana”; and (2) What were all the news and scenes he happened to see in the world while undertaking his travel.

Saint Narada got perplexed.  He was expecting an appreciation from Shri Hari for his having done a good job as instructed, but now he was faced with a predicament like this.  He told Shri Hari that since his entire attention was on the bowl of oil, he could not recite “Narayana Narayana”, about which he in fact remembered only on hearing from Shri Hari.  Secondly, as his attention was focussed on the bowl of oil he could not see any scene or developments in the world.

Saint Narada asked Shri Hari as to the reasons for these questions.  Shri Hari replied to him that being an intelligent person Saint Narada must have understood the import of these questions, which, of course, he did on a reflective thinking.

Shri Hari said further that a householder is burdened with heavy responsibility of bringing up his family.  He has to face all the odds like earning a living, bringing up children, facing diseases, looking after the elderly, etc.  So, when they are so much involved in these matters of family life, how can they take time off for prayers, worship, and reciting His names ?

Saint Narada understood the predicament of the householders because he himself could not recite “Narayana Narayana” while travelling in the world with the bowl of oil.  His assigned task of carrying the bowl filled with oil was very simple, a single point agenda, and not at all he being responsible towards any other activities, whereas the householder is burdened with multifarious activities.  So, even with this single responsibility, when he could not take time off for reciting His names, he realized the situation of an average householder.  He accepted his error of judgement and told Shri Hari that he realized now as to why the householders are not reciting the names of Shri Hari.

However, Shri Hari did not stop at this.  He again put a rider.  He said to Saint Narada that the situation does not end here.  A householder, when he carries out his responsibilities truthfully, honestly, and keeping the welfare of all his family members and without expecting anything in return from those services being done by him, the same is equal to doing service to the Supreme Being.  

This, in itself, is like doing penance.  In this situation, Shri Hari, Himself shall be present in such persons without they being aware of it, guide them through, and provide them the required deliverance.  Thus, as a matter of habit, all the actions of the householders, shall, in a way, become very pious and they qualify to be treated as Shri Hari’s devotees.  Moreover, when such house holders grow up in age and maturity, they shall have no selfish interest, no attachment to worldly desires, and shall be pure souls thinking only about the welfare of other members of the family.  This evolution in thinking is possible for everyone in the family life.  This is the aim one should strive at while serving the family.

Shri Hari said to Saint Narada further that whatever he had said above is not to negate any prayers or worship. Prayers done through pure hearts reach the Supreme Being instantly connecting the person with that Supreme Principle without any duality.  This should be evolved in life as a habit and not as a mechanical action.  It is the responsibility of each and every individual to carry out the assigned responsibilities, in whatever position they occupy in their respective lives, through rightful means and truthful endeavour.  This in itself is the dedication towards the Supreme Being.  The ultimate aim is the evolution of the human beings into better individuals so that all their actions become divine.  The society, as a whole, shall become his family, in the process, and he shall not see any distinction between him and other living beings.  He shall overcome the deficiencies in himself and others, the paucity of resources shall not affect him, and he shall focus his mind towards service to all.  Such a person is a divine personality.

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