Chapter 31
The
Grace of God
Satharupa
and Manu together approached the Lord of Creation and
inquired what they had to fulfill. Brahma replied with a
smile, "Be mates of each other; beget and people the
Earth." Equipped with the authority derived from this
command, they filled the earth with people, said the sage
Suka, to the King. (See also S'rîmad
Bhâgavatam
Canto 2, Chapter 8: Questions by King
Parikchit)
At this the King
interceded: "Master! I have learnt from my own experience
that the origin of all grief in this world is Infatuation
or Moha. I have no desire to hear about these matters;
please relate to me how to overcome infatuation, delusion
and attachment. In these last days, what exactly has man
to do? Which Name has he to keep constantly in mind so
that he can avoid for ever this round of birth and death?
Tell me these things," he asked.
Suka was very much
delighted, at this query. He replied, "0 King! you are a
spiritual soul. You serve sages with devotion. This large
gathering of monks, ascetics and sages is proof of your
meritorious acts. For, these do not usually congregate in
any place." The King interrupted him, with his protests.
"No, no, my Lord! I am a great sinner; I have no trace of
spiritual progress in me. If I had the least merit, if I
had served sages devotedly, I would not have become the
target for the curse of the Brahmin. The fortune that I
now enjoy, namely, the company of these great sages and
the chance of adoring your feet, is the consequence of
the meritorious acts of my forefathers. I know fully well
that my activities have not contributed anything to it.
The grace that Syamasundara (Krishna) showered on my
grandparents is the cause. Had it been otherwise, can
persons like me who are sunk in the well of Samsar,
immersed in the vain pursuit of sensory pleasure, who do
not contemplate for a moment the True, the Eternal and
the Pure - can we ever hope to see before us, in concrete
form your presence, ever roaming in the silences of the
forests, unknown to man? Really, this is an unattainable
piece of good fortune. All this is due to the blessings
of my grand-parents, and the Grace of Syamsundara
(Krishna), not to anything else. You are full of
affection for me and so, you attribute this to my own
merit. I am only too aware of my failings.
Kindly continue to
shower on me the same affection, and help me to decide
what has to be given up by a person whose death is
imminent, what has to be adopted and practiced by him.
Advise me this and make my days worth while. You alone
can solve this for me. Relate to me the Bhagavatha, as
you said you would. You told me that it is the basis for
progress and for liberation; it will destroy sins; it
will result in prosperity. Let me quaff the sacred nectar
of the Name of Krishna and refresh myself, in this
feverish heat, he pleaded.
Suka smiled at the King
and said, "The Bhagavatha is as worthy of reverence as
the Vedas, as worthy of study and observance. At the end
of the Dwapara age, on the Gandhamadana mountain, in the
hermitage of my father Vyasa, I had listened to that
sacred text. I shall repeat the same to you. Listen." At
this, the King inquired, with his palms held together in
prayer, "0 Incomparable Sage! I have heard that you were
an ascetic deep in detachment from the very moment of
birth. Even without the traditional ceremonial rites
which purify and clarify the intellect, (such as
Jathakarma, Namakarana, and Upanayana) you had won the
fullest awareness of the Reality, and hence, I have heard
you were moving about in the consciousness of that Truth,
away from men, in the forests. Hence, I am surprised that
your heart was drawn towards this text, which, you say,
is saturated with devotion. What caused your interest in
this path? I pray that you describe the circumstances to
me."
Suka started explaining
with a calm unruffled countenance. "Yes. I am beyond
prescriptions and prohibitions. I am in unbroken mergence
in the attributeless Nirguna Brahma. That is the truth
about me. Nevertheless, I must declare, that there is an
inexpressible sweetness in God that attracts you and
captivates you by His Sportive Activities and Attributes.
I must confess also that I have listened to the
description of the beauty and the sweetness of God. My
mind delighted in hearing and reading the Glories of God,
manifesting His Divine attributes, through each of these.
I could not remain at peace; I exulted like a mad man,
thrilled by the bliss I derived from listening and
reading. His sweet pranks and sports intoxicated me with
infinite joy. This day I came hither, since I became
aware that a chance has arisen to relate them to a group
of eager listeners, persons who, in all respects, deserve
to hear them, and understand their significance.
Therefore, I shall relate that sacred Bhagavatha to you
and through you, to the personages gathered here. You
have the avidity and the attainment necessary to listen
to it. You have resolved to achieve the Highest Goal of
Man.
Those who listen to
this narrative with earnest devotion, (not merely listen)
and reflect upon its value and significance and act
according to the Light it sheds on their minds, such will
merge in the Bliss of which Vasudeva, the Lord, is the
embodiment. Their hearts will be filled with the sweet
nectar of the Personification of Captivating Charm
(Madanamohana) and they will experience the
Adwaithananda, the Bliss of being One and Only. The
highest Sadhana is the recitation of the Name of God with
full vigilance of thought, feeling and utterance
(Manovaak-kaaya) and the loud singing of His Glory. No
better Sadhana exists.
The
Grace of God
O King, do not lose
yourselves in anxiety that time is short. Not much time
is needed to win the Grace of God. The rays of Grace from
that Embodiment of Compassion can fall on you as quick as
the wink of the eye. I shall enable you to listen during
these seven days, the stories of many who experienced
spiritual bliss, how Vasudeva blessed them with spiritual
progress, how persons crossed the Ocean of Birth and
Death through the hearing of such stories and the singing
of the Glory of God that is manifest in them. We shall
not waste a single moment. You are conscious that you
have only seven more days of life. Therefore, give up all
sense of 'mine' and 'thine', of the body in which you
live and the home in which the body lives. Be aware only
of the story of Madhava, The Lord of the Universe; drink
the nectarine narratives of the Incarnations of the Lord.
It is quite a common occurrence that stories are told and
heard by gatherings of thousands. But, Jnana can be
achieved only by placing complete faith in what is heard.
That faith must result in a cleansed mind, a pure
heart.
One further point, O
King! There are countless exponents who go about
discoursing on morals and spiritual matters on the basis
of mere study; they do not have an iota of experience of
what they preach. They have no faith in the authenticity
of the various Manifestations of Divine Glory which they
dilate upon. Such exhortation is as ineffective as
offerings of ghee, made, not in flames but on a cold heap
of ashes. It will not cure the mind of faults and
failures.
In your case, there is
no fear of such ineffectiveness, Your heart is immersed
in the uninterrupted flood of Love for Shyamasundara
(Krishna). Whoever listens to this narrative and imbibes
the nectar of this story with a heart, bubbling over with
Divine yearning, unshakeable faith in God, and constant
joy can attain the realization of the Self. This is
beyond the realm of doubt. 0 King! This occasion, this
text and this listener are all quite appropriate and
excellent.
Saying, "0, how
fortunate you are!", the sage Suka placed his hand on the
head of the King in benediction; he caressed the thick
curls of his hair. The King pleaded most humbly, "Master,
You know too well that I have very little time before
me." Therefore, he continued with folded palms, "give me
highest guidance, and I shall get myself established in
it, all these seven days. Give me the holy formula so
that I can repeat it in the short time I have, and keep
it fresh in memory and save myself".
The sage laughed.
"Parikshit! Those who are intent on sensory pleasures
spend their days in worry, in anxiety, in pain, grief and
tears throughout a long period of life, they breed like
birds and beasts; they eat good food and cast it away as
urine and feaces. This is the purposeless life that most
people lead. Can you call this, the process of living?
Enormous numbers of living beings exist on the earth.
Living is not enough; it has no value by itself, for
itself. It is the motives, the feelings, the thoughts,
the attitudes that prompt the day to day life that
matters. If a person has divine qualities manifesting
themselves as thoughts, feelings, etc., then he is alive.
Instead, if a person defiles the holy encasement of his,
(body) by utilizing it for unholy purposes that cater to
momentary happiness, thereby ignoring the All-knowing,
All-powerful Providence, it is to be condemned as a
calculated denial of one's humanity. Take the case of a
person who has fixed his mind on the Lotus Feet of the
Lord (Hari); it does not matter if he is short-lived.
During that short period, he can make his life fruitful
and auspicious. 0 King, to remove your doubt, I shall
tell you the beautiful story of a Rajarshi.
Listen.
In the Solar Dynasty,
there was once a ruler who was mighty in prowess, heroic
on the field, prolific in charity, upright in character,
and just in his dealings. He was named Khatvanga. He had
no equal, no one who could challenge him. Meanwhile, the
wicked Daityas and Danavas mustered their forces and went
to war against the Devas (gods); the gods were afraid of
being overwhelmed; they realized their weakness and came
down to earth and sought help from King Khatvanga. The
king was also longing for the adventure of battle; so, he
collected his bow and arrows and riding his chariot, he
proceeded to the scene of war. There, he shook the hearts
of the Daityas and Danavas by sheer terror of his valour.
The enemy fled in panic, unable to withstand the terrific
onslaught. Since it is immoral to subject a fleeing foe
to hot pursuit, Khatvanga desisted from further
clashes.
The gods (Devas) were
happy that they could achieve victory through the timely
help of Khatvanga. They praised his might and his sense
of righteousness. "0 King, there is no one who can
compare with you, in contemporary history. You granted us
triumph in this deadly struggle against the forces of
evil. We desire that you should accept from us in return
any help that you need that we can render." The King told
them, "Ye gods! Yajnas and Yagas are performed by men to
please you, isn't it? This battle in which I had the
privilege to participate is therefore a Yajna, so far as
I am concerned. What else do I need from you than this
Grace that you have showered on me? This is adequate
boon." Declaring thus, he fell at the feet of the
gods.
Not satisfied with this
reply, the gods compelled him to ask for something, some
boon from them. Though he had no mind to ask anything, he
was forced to frame some wish, since he felt he would not
be left alone. At last, he said, "Ye gods! Reveal to me
how many years more I shall live. Only then can I decide
which boon I can ask from you." Purandara (Indra), the
monarch of the gods is all-knowing and so, without a
moment's delay, he replied, "0 King, your span of life is
very nearly over. You can live only for one more Muhurtha
(a period of a few minutes [about an hour,
edit.])." [Muhurta: see also Srimad
Bhagavatam,
Canto 3, chapter 11, verse 8] On hearing this,
Khatvanga said, I have nothing to ask. I do not need
anything. I feel that all the pleasures of this world and
the next are trifles to be discarded. I shall not enter
again the slush of sensory pleasure. Give me the boon of
attaining the Sublime Presence of the Lord, from which
there is no return, for which all life is dedicated."
Then, he sat with closed eyes repeating the Name of God
and, at the end of the Muhurtha he achieved the Lotus
Feet of Hari (God)! (See also Srimad
Bhagavatam
Canto 3, Chapter 11: Division of time expanding from the
atom)
"Note how in a few
moments, he cast off from the mind all attachment to
objective pleasure! Khatvanga was thus able to reach the
Feet of the Lord, where fear dare not approach. You have
seven days, while he had a few minutes only. Therefore,
you have no reason to be anxious. During these days,
purify your inner consciousness by attentively listening
to the best and holiest narrative of the manifestation of
God."
At this, Parikshith
shed tears of joy, remembering the supreme benediction,
won by the great devotee, Khatvanga. He exclaimed,
Master! Instruct, me what I must do now; I do not get
words to express my yearning. My heart is overflowing
with bliss." He sat in petrified silence.
Suka advised, "0 King,
equip yourself with the sword of detachment. Cut into
pieces the deluded affection for the body. Give up the
'myness' that makes you cling to your kith and kin. Be
seated firmly on the bank of this sacred river." Then,
when Suka was about to begin his narrative, Parikshith
appeared anxious to ask some question. Seeing this, Suka
said, "You seem to be perplexed with something. Ask me
what you wish to know and have that doubt removed from
your mind." Immediately, the King said, "Master! You are
indeed an Ocean of Compassion. As a tasty meal to a
starving person, your words bring cool comfort to my
burning heart. Revered Preceptor, you had spoken to me a
short while ago about the beginnings of Creation. I did
not understand it clearly. Why did the Attributeless
Parabrahmam (Formless-Immanence-Transcendence) assume
Form and Attributes? Tell me about that." The King sat
with expectant face, all attention, and praying
sincerely, eager to hear and learn.
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