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

My dear Priyavrata, according to our association with different modes of material nature, the Supreme Personality of Godhead gives us our specific bodies and the happiness and distress we achieve. One must therefore remain situated as he is and be conducted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, exactly as a blind man is led by a person who has eyes with which to see. By material means, one cannot avoid the happiness and distress unique to his particular body. There are 8,400,000 bodily forms, each destined to enjoy and suffer a certain amount of happiness and distress. This we cannot change, for the happiness and distress are ordained by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in accordance with whose decision we have received our bodies. Since we cannot avoid the plan of the Supreme Godhead, we must agree to be directed by Him, just as a blind man is led by a person who has eyes. Under any circumstances, if we remain in the condition allotted to us by the Suprem...

My dear boy, all of us are bound by the Vedic injunctions to the divisions of varnäsrama according to our qualities and work. These divisions are difficult to avoid because they are scientifically arranged. We must therefore carry out our duties of varnäsrama-dharma, like bulls obliged to move according to the direction of a driver pulling on ropes knotted to their noses. In this verse, the words tantyäà guna-karma-dämabhih are very important. We each get a body according to our association with the guëas, the qualities or modes of material nature, and we act accordingly. As stated in Bhagavad-gétä, the four orders of the social system—namely brähmana, kshatriya, vaiçya and südra—are arranged according to guëa and karma, their qualities and work. There is some controversy about this, however, because some say that since one receives a body according to the guna and karma of his past life, it is one's birth that determines his social status. Others say, however, that one...

My dear Priyavrata, by the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, all living entities accept different types of bodies for birth and death, activity, lamentation, illusion, fear of future dangers, and happiness and distress. Every living entity who has come to this material world has come here for material enjoyment, but according to his own karma, activities, he must accept a certain type of body given to him by material nature under the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As stated in Bhagavad-gétä (3.27), prakåteù kriyamäëäni guëaiù karmäëi sarvaçaù: everything is being done by prakåti, material nature, under the direction of the Supreme Lord. Modern scientists do not know why there are varieties of bodies in 8,400,000 forms. The fact is that all these bodies are ordained for the living entities by the Supreme Personality of Godhead according to the living entities' desires. He gives the living entities freedom to act as they like, but on the other hand...

Skandham-5. Chapter-1 Slokam-12. One cannot avoid the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, not by the strength of severe austerities, an exalted Vedic education, or the power of mystic yoga, physical prowess or intellectual activities. Nor can one use his power of religion, his material opulence or any other means, either by himself or with the help of others, to defy the orders of the Supreme Lord. That is not possible for any living being, from Brahmä down to the ant. In the Garga Upaniñad, Gargamuni says to his wife, etasya vä akñarasya praçäsane gargi süryä-candramasau vidhåtau tiñöhataù: "My dear Gargé, everything is under the control of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Even the sun, the moon and other controllers and demigods like Lord Brahmä and King Indra are all under His control." An ordinary human being or animal who has accepted a material body cannot go beyond the jurisdiction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead's control. A material...

Lord Brahmä, the supreme person within this universe, said: My dear Priyavrata, kindly hear attentively what I shall say to you. Do not be jealous of the Supreme Lord, who is beyond our experimental measurements. All of us, including Lord Çiva, your father and the great sage Mahärñi Närada, must carry out the order of the Supreme. We cannot deviate from His order. Of the twelve great authorities in devotional service, four—Lord Brahmä himself, his son Närada, Sväyambhuva Manu and Lord Çiva—were present before Priyavrata. They were accompanied by many other authoritative sages. Brahmä first wanted to impress upon Priyavrata that although these great personalities are all authorities, they cannot possibly disobey the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is described in this verse as deva, which means "always glorious." The power, glory and potencies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead can never be diminished. In the Éçopaniñad, the Lord is ...

Slokam-9. Lord Brahmä, the father of Närada Muni, is the supreme person within this universe. As soon as Närada saw the great swan, he could understand that Lord Brahmä had arrived. Therefore he immediately stood up, along with Sväyambhuva Manu and his son Priyavrata, whom Närada was instructing. Then they folded their hands and began to worship Lord Brahmä with great respect. As stated in the previous verse, Lord Brahmä was accompanied by other demigods, but his specific carrier was the great swan. Therefore as soon as Närada Muni saw the swan, he could understand that his father, Lord Brahmä, who is also known as Hiraëyagarbha, was arriving. Thus he immediately stood up with Sväyambhuva Manu and his son Priyavrata to receive Lord Brahmä and offer him respect. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Slokam-10. My dear King Parékñit, because Lord Brahmä had finally descended from ...

Thinking himself a king, King Rahügaëa was in the bodily conception and was influenced by material nature's modes of passion and ignorance. Due to madness, he chastised Jaòa Bharata with uncalled-for and contradictory words. Jaòa Bharata was a topmost devotee and the dear abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although considering himself very learned, the King did not know about the position of an advanced devotee situated in devotional service, nor did he know his characteristics. Jaòa Bharata was the residence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; he always carried the form of the Lord within his heart. He was the dear friend of all living beings, and he did not entertain any bodily conception. He therefore smiled and spoke the following words. The distinction between a person in the bodily conception and a person beyond the bodily conception is presented in this verse. In the bodily conception, King Rahügaëa considered himself a king and chastised J...