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

Chapter-3: Kapila’s Instructions to Devahuti - 20. That is the reason why God as a Supreme Person is considered as magnificently beautiful. It is a great art presented before us, an attraction which satisfies not only the mind, the feeling and the heart, but even the sense organs which seek the perception of beautiful form. That is how Maharishi Kapila describes God as the Marvel of marvels. We also have this type of description in the vision of Narayana that was granted to Brahma, partly in the Second Book and in the early part of the Third Book of the Bhagavata. God is always considered as a divine protector, a parent—a father and mother. The feelings of satisfaction, affection, and aesthetic completion go together in our worship of God. This is the reason why in every religion God is considered as a Supreme Person. We also have in our scriptures the description of the Mahapurusha, Purushottama. Ato’smi loke vede ca prathitah purushottamah (B.G. 15.18), says Bhagavan

Chapter-3: Kapila’s Instructions to Devahuti - 19. Also, we should be satisfied and happy during the time of meditation. It is one of the conditions of successful contact with God. We cannot satisfactorily place ourselves before God Almighty with a sense of fear of Him, as if He is a terror in front of us and we do not know what He will do to us. The conviction of the devotee is that God will always do good, and His response is not always so uncertain that it causes insecurity in the heart of the devotee. We reach out to God and approach Him for succour because we feel certain that He will help us, and He will not harm us. We cannot conceive Him like a universal magnetic field, by touching which we do not know what reaction will follow. There is a confirmation in the heart of the devotee that only a good thing will follow. Swami Krishnananda  To be continued  ... Bhagavatham Village-Kerala-Bharatham.

Chapter-3: Kapila’s Instructions to Devahuti - 18. In every religion, we will find that God is conceived as a Person—whether it is the Father in heaven, Allah, Ahura Mazda, or Narayana, Brahma, Vishnu, Siva. Whatever be the nomenclature of this Great Divinity, the idea behind it is the Personality of God. The structure of human individuality is such that it cannot but feel the necessity to encounter the Ultimate Being as a Person, because the devotee expects a response from God. The heart of the devotee does not feel comfortable with the imagination that God is a transparent, ubiquitous pervasiveness which includes the devotee also, so that the possibility of response between the devotee and God is not well defined. For instance, we hear in the Old Testament that the Jews had a covenant with God. They would deal with God as if He was their caretaker, their well-wisher, and He would fulfill all their requirements. The very feeling that such a covenant with God is possible arise

Chapter-3: Kapila’s Instructions to Devahuti - 17. In the Third Book of the Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana we have an elaborate presentation of the instructions given by Maharishi Kapila to mother Devahuti. Everyone should read this wondrous conversation between Sage Kapila and Devahuti for the variety of themes dealt with in this connection. Among many other things which are very important from the point of view of a sadhaka, the emphasis that Rishi Kapila lays here is concentration on God as the Supreme Person. The concept of God as a Person is pre-eminent in all religions. We cannot but conceive God as a Great Person, Whose limbs have to be the objects of our concentration. The minute details of this process are described by Kapila in these chapters. Swami Krishnananda  To be continued  .....

Chapter-3: Kapila’s Instructions to Devahuti - 16. Brahma wanted to tease this egoistic king, and said, “There are two persons whom you have not yet conquered, and you may go there and see if you can do anything to them.” “Oh! Is it so? Let me know who they are,” said Dambhodbhava. “They are Nara-Narayana. They are in Badrikashrama. You can show your strength to them,” replied Brahma. “I will conquer them,” the king said. He went to Badrikashrama with a huge army, and told Nara-Narayana, “I have come to seek battle.” Nara and Narayana replied, “This is not the place for battle. We are rishis. We are calm and quiet people. We don’t require any disturbance here, and you should not come and speak to us in this manner.” “But I have been told by Brahma that you are capable of meeting me, and I want to have a battle with you,” said the king. Again Nara and Narayana said, “This is not a proper place for battle. We do not fight with anybody.” The king again persisted. Th

Chapter-3: Kapila’s Instructions to Devahuti - 15. This dual force of Nara-Narayana is in Badrinath. In the Mahabharata there is a story about them. There was a king called Dambhodbhava, who wanted to conquer the whole world. He did not want to leave anything unconquered. He extended his kingdom to the shores of the ocean, and there was no king whom he had not vanquished. But his egoism did not feel satisfied, and he wanted to conquer more. He went to Brahma and said, “I have conquered everybody, but still I have the desire to conquer more. Is there anyone whom I have not conquered? Tell me, so that I can conquer him also.” Swami Krishnananda  To be continued  .....

Chapter-3: Kapila’s Instructions to Devahuti - 14. In Brahma’s court, when all the divinities were seated, two persons rushed across without even paying attention to Brahma and the audience. How would you feel if two people suddenly, unceremoniously, crossed through the audience when you were holding a conference and large number of people were seated? Would you feel it is all right? People were surprised, and wondered who these two persons were. Brahma alone knew, and to the query of the gods seated there in audience, he said, “These two are Nara and Narayana. They do not have any concern for me or for any one of you. They have risen above common perception. The power that they wield is more than the power of the wind, the sun and the moon.” Swami Krishnananda  To be continued  .....