SRIMAD MAHABHAGAVATHAM :1.6 - Swami Krishnananda

========================================================

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

08/04/2020.

Discourse 1: King Parikshit’s Question to Suka Maharishi -6 :

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1.

Action is cosmic action, and the characteristic of all visible physical things is its perishable nature  : – 

Bhutabhavodbhavakaro visargah  karmasamjnitah (Gita 8.3); 

Adhibhutam ksharo bhavah purushas cadhidaivatam (Gita 8.4). 

The Purusha, who is the principle of cosmic sacrifice as we have it described in the Purusha Sukta, is also the indwelling presence in all our hearts. He is the source of individual sacrifices and right action, virtuous action, etc. He is the impeller from the recesses of our own heart. This is the source of individual impulses. 

Adhiyajnoham evatra (Gita 8.4) : – 

the field of activity is also God Himself. God is the director of the drama of creation, as also the actor. He does not employ people to act in the theatre. He himself appears as all the actors in all forms of manifestation, and he also directs it from another point of view. He is the performer as well as the witness of all performances.

2.

These descriptions in the beginning of the eighth chapter of the Bhagavadgita point out that we belong to all levels of existence. 

It is, therefore, not to be considered as something unwarranted that a time comes when we have to shed this body, because every day we are shedding the earlier components of our body in the process of rising into a more healthy condition. Cells of the body decompose every moment of time, and it is believed that every seven years all the cells are changed; we become new persons altogether. 

But we do not know that this is happening because of the identification of consciousness with every process that is taking place. Otherwise, if this linkage of development is not filled in by consciousness, we would feel jerks every time we jump or move from one level to another level. 

Such jerks are not experienced on account of a rapid action of consciousness, just as the rapid flashing of many still pictures on a screen makes us feel that it is a continuous movement although they are all small pictures, one independent of the other. 

The rapidity of the action of consciousness makes us feel that we are continuously one whole human being.

3.

But, at death, the consciousness withdraws itself. That is why we feel such a fear; some tremendous upheaval takes place when we leave this body. 

The fear of death that was hovering on the mind of Parikshit had to be removed by this kind of great admonition by Sukadeva Maharishi, which is the highlighting feature of the beginning of the second chapter of Srimad Bhagavata Mahapuranam.

4.

It is believed that this great scripture, the Srimad Bhagavatam, is like a delicious nectar. 

It is as sweet as kheer because, as Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa Deva used to say, it is a combination of the sugar of devotion, the energy of the ghee of vairagya, and the milk of knowledge. Jnana, vairagya, and bhakti – all the three are combined in a wonderful manner in the narration of the Srimad Bhagavata Mahapuranam.

 Sri Krishna Himself is supposed to be indwelling this wonderful scripture. We do not physically see the personality of Bhagavan Sri Krishna now, but we see Him as the Srimad Bhagavata Mahapuranam.

 Whoever studies the Bhagavata is supposed to be reading the life of Bhagavan Sri Krishna Himself in all its cosmic manifested forms. Whoever gives dana or a charity of one copy of the Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana is actually giving Lord Krishna Himself to the devotees.

To be continued ....

=========================================================