04 Apr 2014
[Abstract for conference on the Bhagavatam at Coimbatore]
All the three sacred epics of Hinduism (the Ramayanam, the Bharatam and the Bhagavatam) deal with the main concept, which is the contemporary human incarnation of the unimaginable God on this earth for the sake of humanity. Unfortunately, this main point is not impressed in our minds so far in spite of the special mention in the Gita about the human incarnation (Manusheem tanumashritam). We are very much fascinated to the medium or the external packing material than the internal absolute God, the precious diamond that is packed. A beggar in the silk shirt is given more value than the king in the cotton shirt. Indra, a soul in the energetic body, is only a servant of God, who was given more value than Krishna, the absolute God packed in the human body. The energetic body is like silk shirt and the human body is like cotton shirt. God also enters the energetic body as in the case of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva for the sake of the souls existing in the energetic bodies, which may be angels or even the departed souls from this earth. At the same time, the energetic body may contain only soul and not God. On this earth also the human bodies contain souls and a specific human body may contain God as in the case of Krishna. The repulsion between common media is common in the upper world as well as on this earth. The angels and departed souls enclosed in the energetic bodies neglect the energetic incarnation of God in the upper world. Here also, the same negligence comes to the human beings not to care the human incarnation. The negligence is based on the ego and jealousy to the common media.
In the Ramayanam and the Bharatam, Pravrutti is stressed, which is the establishment of justice rejecting the injustice. Pravrutti is very important for God, who always likes that His creation should run peacefully. Nivrutti is important for the soul, which is the personal upliftment by coming very close to God. Krishna showed His care for Pravrutti in the Bharatam and showed His concern for Nivrutti in the Bhagavatam. The devotees uplifted in the Bhagavatam were the sages born as Gopikas. These sages took a very long time of millions of births to acquire the true knowledge and to confirm it in their hearts. This true knowledge was given to them by Lord Dattatreya, Who was worshipped by them as their spiritual preacher (Sadguru). The essence of the true spiritual knowledge is only to recognize and totally surrender to the contemporary human incarnation, which alone is relevant to the humanity. This true spiritual knowledge obtained was concentrated by the sages through thinking again and again and mutual discussions and debates. Such process of concentration is the real penance (Taddhitapah…Vijijnasasva… Veda). The spiritual knowledge is called as Jnana Yoga. The force of confirmation of it through concentration is called as Bhakti Yoga or devotion. Unless the knowledge is associated with devotion, the practical implementation, Karma Yoga, will not materialize. The true knowledge is the basic foundation, which is the purest and most sacred as praised in the Gita. It is said in the Gita that knowledge can cancel the fruits of actions and also actions (Vrujinam santarishyasi…, Jnanaagnih sarvakarmani…). Knowledge can alone bring realization and transformation of the soul. Once this is achieved, all your difficulties, the fruits of your sins disappear since knowledge cancels the fruits. The soul will not do any wrong action further due to realization and hence, knowledge cancels the actions also. The reason is that knowledge brings true realization and there is no need of punishment after this realization. Punishment is only for transformation and not for vengeance. Therefore, such a long time was taken by sages to acquire and confirm the true spiritual knowledge. Once such perfection is attained, the practical implementation took one birth only in which the sages were born as Gopikas.
The sages could conquer the three types of ego in such a long time. The three types are: 1)ego of caste 2)ego of gender and 3)ego of education. The first was removed since the Brahmin sages accepted the birth as shepherds. The second was removed by accepting the birth as female. The third was removed by accepting the birth of uneducated. The sages after taking the birth of Gopikas were very much respecting the sages in their time proving that they got rid of jealousy also. Ego from the side of sages and jealousy from the side of Gopikas should be avoided by all the spiritual aspirants travelling in Nivrutti.
The Essence of the Bhagavatam is to conquer the three strong bonds (Eeshanaas) for the sake of bond with God after eradicating the three types of ego and jealousy. The bond with money (Dhaneshana) is the most powerful, which is the basis for the other two bonds also. Their total income was only from the sale of milk, curd and butter in the nearby Madhura city. The Lord started stealing that money and those who recognized the Lord offered the same with pleasure. This sort of donation to Krishna was purely based on their recognition of Krishna as God only and not due to sympathy to poor since they know that Krishna was very rich. The second bond (putreshana) was also cut by them since they offered the butter etc., to Krishna, which was stored by them for the sake of their children. They were also educated by Krishna since their own children led by Krishna stole the butter etc., in their own houses. The children sacrificed even their attachment towards their own food. The third bond is the love between wife and husband (dareshana) was cut since Gopikas, the wives of the villagers, danced with Krishna in Brindavanam. Unfortunately people take only this issue of the third bond whenever Krishna and Gopikas are remembered. They give significance only to this dance forgetting the other two stronger bonds.
Thus, Bhagavatam is the subject of practical test for the sages in the path of Nivrutti. The soul should get salvation (Moksha) or liberation from bonds by its own effort and the close approach (Sayujyam) is sanctioned by God. Hence, you should not ask salvation from God and if salvation is given by God, there is no need of any effort from your side. In such case, you want to pass the examination without writing it. Lord Dattatreya, who preached the spiritual knowledge in the earlier births, took the form of Krishna for the sake of the test. Your own class teacher becomes the invigilator in the examination. Lord Dattatreya is the Creator (Brahma), Ruler (Vishnu) and Destroyer (Shiva) of this creation. In the Gita, Lord Krishna says that He is the creator (Visrujami punahpunah), ruler to establish justice (Dharma Samsthapanaarthaya) and destroyer (Kaalosmi Lokakshayakrut) of this creation indicating that He is the incarnation of Lord Dattatreya.
Due to this new and real dimension of the Bhagavatam exposing the last birth of the sages getting the fruit of Nivrutti through practical implementation of their spiritual knowledge, the Bhagavatam was recommended as the only scripture to be heard in the last days of king Parikshit. It is also told that the Bhagavatam is a test of the spiritual knowledge (Vidyavataam Bhagavate Parikshaa).
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