A Summary of the Srimad Bhagavata Mahapuranam ( 04/04/2013. )

Skandham-5. Chapter-4. Slokam-5. King Nabhi understood that his son, Ṛṣabhadeva, was very popular among the citizens and among government officers and ministers. Understanding the popularity of his son, Maharaja Nabhi enthroned Him as the emperor of the world to give protection to the general populace in terms of the Vedic religious system. To do this, he entrusted Him into the hands of learned brahmanas, who would guide Him in administrating the government. Then Maharaja Nabhi and his wife, Merudevi, went to Badarikasrama in the Himalaya Mountains, where the King engaged Himself very expertly in austerities and penances with great jubilation. In full samādhi he worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nara-Narayana, who is Krishna in His plenary expansion. By doing so, in course of time Maharaja Nabhi was elevated to the spiritual world known as Vaikuntam. When Maharaja Nabhi saw that his son Rshabhadeva was popular with the general populace and the governme

Skandham-5 Chapter-4. Slokam-4.  Due to getting a perfect son according to his desire, King Nabhi was always overwhelmed with transcendental bliss and was very affectionate to his son. It was with ecstasy and a faltering voice that he addressed Him, “My dear son, my darling.” This mentality was brought about by yogamaya, whereby he accepted the Supreme Lord, the supreme father, as his own son. Out of His supreme good will, the Lord became his son and dealt with everyone as if He were an ordinary human being. Thus King Nabhi began to raise his transcendental son with great affection, and he was overwhelmed with transcendental bliss, joy and devotion. The word maya is used in the sense of illusion. Considering the Supreme Personality of Godhead to be his own son, Maharaja Nabhi was certainly in illusion, but this was transcendental illusion. This illusion is required; otherwise how can one accept the supreme father as his own son? The Supreme Lord appears as the s

Skandham-5. Chapter-4. Slokam-3. Indra, the King of heaven, who is very materially opulent, became envious of King Rshabhadeva. Consequently he stopped pouring water on the planet known as Bharata-varsha. At that time the Supreme Lord, Rshabhadeva, the master of all mystic power, understood King Indra’s purpose and smiled a little. Then, by His own prowess, through yogamaya [His internal potency], He profusely poured water upon His own place, which was known as Ajanabha. We find the word bhagavan used twice in this verse. Both King Indra and Rshabhadeva, the incarnation of the Supreme Lord, are described as bhagavan. Sometimes Narada and Lord Brahma are also addressed as bhagavan. The word bhagavan means that one is a very opulent and powerful person like Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, Narada or Indra. They are all addressed as bhagavan due to their extraordinary opulence. King Rshabhadeva is an incarnation of the Supreme Lord, and therefore He was the original Bhagavan.

Skandham-5. Chapter-4. Slokam-2. When the son of Maharaja Nabhi became visible, He evinced all good qualities described by the great poets—namely, a well-built body with all the symptoms of the Godhead, prowess, strength, beauty, name, fame, influence and enthusiasm. When the father, Maharaja Nabhi, saw all these qualities, he thought his son to be the best of human beings or the supreme being. Therefore he gave Him the name Rshabha. To accept someone as God or an incarnation of God, one must observe the symptoms of God in his body. All the symptoms were found in the body of Maharaja Nabhi’s extraordinarily powerful son. His body was well structured, and He displayed all the transcendental qualities. He showed great influence, and He could control His mind and senses. Consequently He was named Rshabha, which indicates that He was the supreme living being. Continues..

Skandham-5. Chapter-4. Slokam-1. Sri Sukadeva Maharishi said: As soon as the Lord was born as the son of Maharaja Nabhi, He manifested symptoms of the Supreme Lord, such as marks on the bottoms of His feet [the flag, thunderbolt, etc.]. This son was equal to everyone and very peaceful. He could control His senses and His mind, and, possessing all opulence, He did not hanker for material enjoyment. Endowed with all these attributes, the son of Maharaja Nabhi became more powerful day after day. Due to this, the citizens, learned brahmanas, demigods and ministers wanted Rshabhadeva to be appointed ruler of the earth. In these days of cheap incarnations, it is very interesting to note the bodily symptoms found in an incarnation. From the very beginning of His birth, it was observed that Ṛṣabhadeva’s feet were marked with the transcendental signs (a flag, thunderbolt, lotus flower, etc.). In addition to this, as the Lord began to grow, He became very prominent. He was equal

Skandham-5. Chapter-4.( The Characteristics of Rshabhadeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead ) : In this chapter, Rshabhadeva, the son of Maharaja Nabhi, begot a hundred sons, and during the reign of those sons the world was very happy in all respects. When Ṛṣabhadeva appeared as the son of Maharaja Nabhi, He was appreciated by the people as the most exalted and beautiful personality of that age. His poise, influence, strength, enthusiasm, bodily luster and other transcendental qualities were beyond compare. The word ṛṣabha refers to the best, or the supreme. Due to the superexcellent attributes of the son of Maharaja Nabhi, the King named his son Rshabha, or “the best.” His influence was incomparable. Although there was a scarcity of rain, Rshabhadeva did not care for Indra, the King of heaven, who is in charge of supplying rain. Through His own potency, Rshabhadeva sumptuously covered Ajanabha with ample rain. Upon receiving Rshabhadeva, who is the Supreme Personali

Skandham-5. Chapter-3. Slokam-20. O Vishnudatta, Parikshit Maharaja, the Supreme Personality of Godhead was pleased by the great sages at that sacrifice.  Consequently the Lord decided to personally exhibit the method of executing religious principles [as observed by brahmacaris, sannyasis, vanaprasthas and grhasthas engaged in rituals] and also satisfy Maharaja Nabhi’s desire.  Consequently He appeared as the son of Merudevi in His original spiritual form, which is above the modes of material nature. When the Supreme Lord appears or descends as an incarnation within this material world, He does not accept a body made of the three modes of material nature (sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna). Mayavadi philosophers say that the impersonal God appears in this material world by accepting a body in the sattva-guna. Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti states that the word sukla means “consisting of suddha-sattva.” Lord Vishnu descends in His suddha-sattva form. Suddha-sat