The Bhagavatha

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The name Bhagavatha can be applied to every account of the xperiences of those

who have contacted God and the Godly (Bhagavan and Bhaktha). God assumes many

Forms and enacts many activities. The name Bhagavatha is given to the

descriptions of the experiences of those who have realised Him in those Forms

and of those who have been blessed by His Grace and chosen as His Instruments.

 

The great Work known by that name is honoured by all masters of the Vedas. It is

a panacea which cures physical, mental and spiritual illnesses. The Bhagavatha

is saturated with sweetness of nectar, it shines with the splendour of God. The

principle of Avathara or the Descent of God on Earth, the Incarnation of the

Formless with Form, for the Uplift of Beings—this is the basic fact that makes

the

Bhagavatha authentic. By Bhagavatha we also mean those with attachment to God,

those who seek the companionship of God. For such, the book, Bhagavatha, is most

precious; it is the breath of their life. To be in the midst of such Bhagavathas

is to foster one's own devotion. Unless you have a taste for Godward thoughts,

you will not derive joy therefrom. To create that taste, the Bhagavatha relates

stories relating to incarnations to the earnest inquirer. Then, one

develops the yearning to experience the thrill of God, through all the levels of

consciousness. He who has this intense yearning can be a true Bhagavatha.

 

People believe that incarnations of God happen only for two reasons: the

punishment of the wicked and the protection of the righteous. But those

represent only one aspect of the Task. The granting of peace and joy, of a sense

of fulfilment to seekers who have striven long—this too is the Task.

 

The Avatar, or Form Incarnate, is only the concretisation of the yearning of the

seekers. It is the solidified sweetness of the devotion of godly aspirants. The

formless assumes the Form for the sake of these aspirants and seekers. They are

the prime cause. The cow secretes milk for the sustenance of the calf. That is

the chief beneficiary. But as we see, others too benefit from that milk. So too,

though the Bhakthas are the prime cause and their joy and sustenance

THE BIRTH OF A BHAGAVATHA

 

Maharaja Parikshit was the very self of Abhimanyu, who had attained the Heavenly

Abode of Heroes. When Parikshit was an embryo, growing in the womb of Uttara, he

saw the sharp arrow let off by Aswatthama flying towards him, emitting sparks of

fury and terror, bent on his destruction. But at that very moment, he saw also,

a Person of Brilliant Charm armed with a Terrific Wheel, breaking that

death-dealing arrow into a hundred pieces. The royal foetus was filled with

wonder and gratitude. He pondered deep on the identity of his Saviour. " Who is

he? He must also be dwelling in this womb, with me,

because he could see the arrow at the very moment I saw it! But he has such

intrepidity and skill that he could destroy it before it reached me. Can he be a

uterine brother? How could he get hold of that wheel? If he is endowed with a

wheel, how did I miss having it? No. He is no mortal. " He argued thus for a long

time within himself.

 

He could not forget that Face, that Form. He was a Boy, with the splendour of a

million suns. He was benign, blissful, blue like the clear sky. After saving him

so dramatically and so mercifully, he had disappeared. He had the Form always

before him, for, he was seeking to see it again. Whomsoever he saw, he examined

to find out whether

that form corresponded with the Form he had reverentially fixed in his mind.

Thus he grew in the womb, contemplating that Form. That contemplation

transformed him into a splendour-filled baby. When at the end of the period of

gestation, he was born into the world, the lying-in-room was lit by a strange

light. The female attendants of Uttara were dazzled by the brilliance. Their

wits were overcome by wonder.

Recovering herself, Subhadra, mother of Abhimanyu, sent word to Yudhishtira, the

eldest of the Pandavas announcing the birth. The Pandava brothers were

overwhelmed with joy, when they heard the glad tidings for which they were

waiting anxiously. They ordered that bands

play, and guns be fired in honour of the event, for, a scion had been born for

the royal family, a successor to the Pandava throne.

 

The people heard the peal of guns and sought the reason for the joy. They rushed

towards Indraprastha in Bhagavatha Vahini

 

Ram Chugani

Kobe, Japan

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