srimadbhagavatham-skandha1-chapters 3and4

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Chapter-3-Avatharas

 

The Lord wishing to create the universe and assumed the form of Purusha consisting of the sixteen kalas that originated from the thathvas mahath etc. The physical forms of creation started from prakrthi, the premordial nature from which mahath or buddhi originated,which gave rise to the three kinds of ahamkara, sAthvik, rAjasik and ThAmasik which in their turn gave rise to the evolutes , namely ten indhriyas , manas and the five subtle elements which are denoted here by the sixteen kalas.This will be described in detail in the third skandha of Bhagavatha dealing with Kapilavathara.`

 

There came from Him innumerous incarnations like springs from a lake out of which 24 are said to be prominent.They are,purusha, kumara, varaha.narada,nara and narayana,kapila,dhatthathreya, yajna,rshabha,prthu,mathsya,koorma,dhanvanthri,mohini,nrsimha,vamana,parasurama,vyasa,raghurama,balarama, krishna,buddha and kalki.`

 

The rshis, manus,devas and the sons of manus are all amsa of the Lord. But Krishnavathara is the complete incarnation.'Krishnasthu bhagavAn svayam.'

 

Then Sootha started to talk about Bhagavatha and its origin.The Bhagavatha is called purANArkah, that is, the sun which has risen to remove the darkness due to kali, after krishna left this world.This is in answer to the question no. 6, namely, 'to whom dharma took as refuge when Lord Krishna left this world?'

The origin of Bhagvatha is related in the next chapter. Now we shall see about the philospophical aspects of this chapter.

 

1. One becoming many.Upanishad says, 'sadhEva soumya idham agra Aseeth, EkamEva adhvitheeyam,' That alone was existing in the beginning, one only without a second and that willed to become many, 'thadhaikshatha bahusyAm prajAyeya.'

 

2.The absolute reality is synonymous with Lord Narayana.

 

3.jnana will arise only through bhakthi and jnana with bhakthi secures mukthi.

 

4.All actions and thoughts are to be directed to Him only.

 

5. The only reality is Brahman or Bhagavan who appears to be many as the statement of the upanishad, 'ajAyamAnO bahuDHA vijAyathE,' the one who is unborn becomes many.As such all beings sentient and insentient are the amsa of the Lord and His avatharas are inuumerable.

 

6. The bhagavatha purana is the essence of all vedas and upanishads and ithihasas.

 

 

Chapter-4-Vedavyasa and his work

 

The rshis asked Sootha about the circumstances that were instrumental for Vyasa composing Bhagavatha Purana and also about the situation which the led the narration of Bhagavatha by Shuka to Parikshith. The reason why the king Parikshith, who was deemed to be a MahabhAgavatha, took the vow of prAyopavesa, that is, fast until death.

Shuka was praised by the rshis as being more evolved that his father. 'Thasya puthro mahayOgeesamdhrg nirvikalpakah, EkAnthamathirunnidhrO gooDO mooDa ivEyathe.' (SB.1-4-4) He is a great yogi, equanimous, sees no duality, with steady mind,awake from the sleep of maya, disguised as though he does not know anything. Once when Vyasa was following his son , some women were bathing in the river. When Shuka went there the never bothered but when Vyasa folloed him they covered themselves. Vyas asked them as to why they did not do so when his son who was a young man came but covered themselves when he, an old man passed by they replied that shuka had no sense of duality and saw no distinction between man and woman whereas Vyasa was not so.

Then the rshis expressed their surprise that Shuka stayed so long with Parikshith to relate the Bhagavatha because the renounced souls will stay in a place only for a short time enough to milk the cow, 'GodhOhana mAthram' in the houses of grhasthas to bless them and to purify the place.

Sootha started answering the questions and narrated Bhagavatha.VYasa was born to Sathyavathi through Parasara, at the end of dvAparayuga and was considered an amsa of Bhagavan. He re-edited and codified the vedas and came to be known as Vedavyasa.He also wrote Mahabharatha which is called the panchamo vedah, the fifth veda.Even then he did not derive contenment and he asked himself as to why his heart was agitated inspite of his following the rituals enjoined in the vedas and even after the meaning of the vedas were brought out in Mahabharatha. When he was upset in not having mental peace the sage Narada came there. The sage Narada by the Lord's will always appears when a pure soul needs guidance.