Stories with a difference from the Bhagavata Purana

By J.P. Vaswani

The stories of Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana are as timeless as they are captivating. In this book the world renowned author captures the essence of this epic in a lucid style. He enlightens us with the tales of the Lord that are as sacred as the water of the Ganga and as sweet as ambrosial nectar! The book inspires you to walk on the path of dharma and emphasises that the easiest and shortest way to reach God is the way of bhakti.

Settle down for another magnificent session of story-telling with Rev. Dada: let him enchant you with his rapturous account of the great avataras, with Krishna leela being the jewel in the crown!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gita Publishing House
• Release date: Jun 20, 2019
• ISBN: 9789386004239

J.P. Vaswani

Dada J. P. Vaswani is the author of over 200 self-help and inspirational titles, including the bestselling Daily Appointment with God and Why Do Good People Suffer? One of contemporary India’s leading nonsectarian spiritual leaders, his books are filled with enlightening anecdotes from world traditions and practical wisdom that helps many people to start living confident, fulfilling, and connected lives. Dada, as he is known to his admirers and followers, has held audiences with prominent world leaders, including the Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa, and Pope John Paul II. As the spiritual head of the Sadhu Vaswani Mission, he has been a tireless advocate for animal rights and non-violence for the past half century. Visit him online at www.sadhuvaswani.org. One of India’s foremost spiritual leaders, J. P. Vaswani is the author of more than two hundred inspirational and self-help books, most of them bestsellers. A scientist-turned-philosopher, he is widely admired all over the world for his message of practical optimism.

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The Leelas of Lord Krishna

Lord Vyasa composed this Purana by the name Srimad Bhagavatam, which stands on par with the Vedas containing the stories of the Lord, who is of holy renown.

For the good of the world, he taught that very Srimad Bhagavatam, which is blessed, benedictory and great to his son Suka, who was the greatest among Self-realised souls

Suka, in turn, recited the Srimad Bhagavatam which is the very essence extracted from all the Vedas and Itihasas to King Parikshit who had taken a vow of fasting unto death on the banks of the Ganga and surrounded by great Rishis.

Now that Sri Krishna has returned to His eternal abode along with all the virtues like righteousness, knowledge, etc., this sun-like Purana has now arisen for the sake of men who are blinded in the age of Kali.

[1: 3: 40-43]

A Tribute to Sage Veda Vyasa

Let me begin my tribute to the great composer of the Bhagavata Purana, by citing a sloka from the opening of the Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram:

Vyaasam Vasishtanaptharam

Sakthepautramakalmasham

Paraasaratmajamvandhe

ShukaththamTaponidhim

This sloka translates as follows:

I salute him, the great sage Vyasa, the pure and holy one who is the very embodiment of taposhakti, who is the great grandson of Sage Vasishta, the grandson of Sage Shakti, the son of Sage Parasara, and the father of Sage Sukha.

In these few lines, the lineage and the divine power of Sage Veda Vyasa is revealed to us, for we are urged to remember that it is through Vyasa’s divine grace that this great prayer of adoration has been revealed to us. Not only this, but also the Vedas, the Mahabharata, the Brahmasutras, the Shrimad Bhagavatam, and the eighteen great puranas, have come down to us, thanks to the profound wisdom and the infinite grace of this great sage.

Who was Veda Vyasa? There is actually a belief that the name referred not just to one person, but a whole host of great rishis and munis, whose combined efforts gave us all the above mentioned texts, which form the very foundation of the Hindu faith. However, specific reference is made in our scriptures to Veda Vyasa and his origins.

According to scholars, Vyasa, also known as Krishna Dwaipayana (which literally means ‘he of the dark complexion who was born on an island’) was the son of the great sage Parasara and a fisherwoman, Matsyagandha, who lived on a small islet in the River Yamuna. It is said that Vyasa was born to her as the offspring of a sacred union with the great sage.

The father took the young Vyasa to the ashram of Sage Gautama, where he was initiated into the rigorous discipline of brahmacharya. He traveled with his father to Badhrikashram in the Himalayas, the abode of Maha Vishnu in His avatar of Nara and Narayana. Here, Vyasa performed severe tapasya, and at long last, was blessed with the realization of the Supreme Truth. His sojourn in these snowcapped peaks earned him the name of Badharayana - i.e. he whose abode is Badhrikashrama.

It was Maharishi Yajnavalkya who initiated Vyasa into the study of our greatest scriptures, the Vedas, and having mastered the scriptures, Krishna Dwaipayana became Veda Vyasa. Later, in deference to his father’s wishes, Vyasa entered the grihastha ashram (married state) by taking as his wife, the daughter of Sage Jabali, named Pinjala. To her, was born his true spiritual heir, Sage Sukha, who would continue the lineage of Vasishta.

It is said that Lord Vishnu Himself manifested his divinity through Veda Vyasa, for the purpose of codifying the Vedas. The Vishnu Puranam tells us that Vyasa adopted four great sages as his personal disciples and initiated each one into a particular Veda. Thus, Sage Paila was taught the Rigveda; the Yajurveda was taught to Sage Vaishampayana; Sage Jaimini was taught to master the Samaveda; the Atharvaveda was taught to Sage Angiras.

Vyasaya Vishnurupaya Vyasroopaya Vishnave

Namove Brahmanithaye, Vasishtaya Namo Namaha:

[I salute Vyasa in the form of Vishnu, and Vishnu in the form of Vyasa; for he was the progeny of Maharishi Vasishta; and the embodiment of the true knowledge of Brahman (The Supreme Spirit).]

We know too, that in Chapter Ten of Bhagavad Gita (Vibhuti Yoga), Lord Sri Krishna confirms this, when He says, Of all the sages, I am Vyasa. (Muneem Parayanam Vyasa.)

How the Bhagavata Purana was Composed

It is said that once he had completed the Mahabharata, Veda Vyasa fell into a mood of pessimism and despair. He had set out to compose the great epic for the good of all mankind; and yet he felt that his task had not been completed.

Maharishi Narada now appeared before him and advised him to devote himself to singing the glories of Lord Vishnu, and to enumerate the Lord’s divine attributes in a Purana which would be easily accessible to all bhaktas. "People who hear this Purana and reflect on it, would grow in the spirit of bhakti and attain Liberation, Narada said to him. This will also give you the peace and inner bliss that now eludes you. Let your purana dwell on none other than the Lord. For you alone can compose such a great text."

Inspired by this message, Vyasa retired to the banks of the River Saraswati near Badhrikashram. Here, he composed the Bhagavata Purana, and taught it to his son, Maharishi Shuka. Later, it was Shukha who recited this sacred scripture to Maharaja Parikshit, to enable him to attain Liberation.

[The story of Veda Vyasa and how he came to compose the Bhagavata Purana is narrated in S. B. I.4]

King Parikshit

Parikshit was the grandson of the great archer and Pandava prince, Arjuna; the son of Abhimanyu and Uttara. He was so blessed that Lord Krishna protected him even while he was in the womb of his mother, Uttara, when the powerful Brahmaastra, aimed by Ashwatthama, was sent to wipe out the progeny of the Pandavas. It is said that after he took birth, the child kept on scrutinizing everyone he met, in the hope of seeing the divine form of the Lord again. Thus he came to be known as Parikshit, or the one who examines closely.

Parikshit, the sole surviving heir of the Pandavas was crowned the King of Hastinapura when Yudhishthira and his brothers decided to seek Liberation from the world. He had been well educated in all the shastras and was indeed a righteous ruler. The Kuru Kingdom would be safe under his rule.

The Curse on King Parikshit

Once, King Parikshit was out on a hunting expedition. Chasing after his quarry, he was separated from his retinue, and became hungry and exhausted. In the vicinity, he saw the kutiya of a rishi and went to enquire if he could get some water to drink.

The hermitage was the home of Sage Shamika. At the moment that Parikshit approached him, the sage was in a state of deep meditation. He was as one who is dead to the material world. Parikshit repeatedly asked him for water, but the sage was so lost in his state of Samadhi, that he did not reply.

King Parikshit lost his temper. His anger flared up against the sage who was unresponsive to his pleas. He saw a dead snake lying nearby. He picked it up with the tip of his bow and wound it around the neck of the sage, as if to signify that he was no better than the dead creature.

When the Sage’s son Shringi turned to the hermitage, he was angered to see his father so insulted. A rishi can become a slave to anger as much as a kshatriya! In a terrible fit of rage, the rishiputra cursed that the man who had dared to insult his father would die of snakebite within a week!

When Sage Shamika awakened from his meditation, he was grieved to hear what had transpired. He chided his son for cursing the king, who was the protector and benefactor of them all. King Parikshit too, came to know of the curse laid upon him. He took it stoically; he was happy that the curse applied to him alone and not to his progeny, but resolved to do prayaschitta (penance) for his wrongdoing. He therefore decided that he would move to the banks of the river Ganga and undertake a fast to contemplate on his savior, Sri Krishna. He crowned his son Janamejaya as his successor, so that his kingdom would be well cared for.

Meanwhile, many sages and holy men assembled at the blessed place where the pious king was fasting to meet his death. Sage Shuka, who was then a young brahmachari, sixteen years of age, also arrived. Delighted to see him, King Parikshit said to the sage, O, Sage, I am indeed blessed to have you here as I prepare to meet death. Your very presence here has cleansed me of my sins and purified my soul. I beg of you, teach me what a man who is about to face death should do? What should he hear? What should he reflect on? How can he be liberated from birth and death? I beg you to speak to me of these things.

And this was how the Srimad Bhagavatam, taught to Maharishi Shuka by his father Veda Vyasa, came to be narrated to King Parikshit, during the last seven days of his earthly life, thus enabling him to attain Liberation. (S.B. 1.71.19)

Veda Vyasa gives us this promise in the words of Sage Shuka who narrated it to King Parikshit: anyone who reads, understands, hears and chants the verses of the Bhagavata Purana with devotion to Lord Vishnu, becomes completely liberated from the cycle of births and deaths in the material world.

The Opening of the Bhagavata:

The Shrimad Bhagavata Purana opens with a beautiful invocation to the Lord:

Let us meditate on the supreme Truth, who, by His effulgence, dispels all ignorance and falsity. From Him, creation, sustenance and dissolution of the entire universe proceed; His presence is in all created entities; He is omniscient (all-knowing) and made Brahma realise the Vedas through his mind; the whole of creation which is caused by three-fold Maya (Sattva, Rajas, Tamas) appears to be true (though not in reality), for He is the Truth behind the illusion; this is how we perceive Water on Earth in Fire (heat) appear in one another (as in a mirage).

The greatness of this sacred scripture, the glory of dharma and the importance of shravana and manana are emphasized: on its own, shravana (devoted listening to the glory of God), is capable of bestowing Liberation on us. The Supreme dharma of this age is that of the Bhagavata dharma, or the dharma of bhakti, for it is the most valuable and the most auspicious for us all. The Supreme Being, whose essence is in the Bhagavata and whose glories are revealed to us so beautifully and lucidly in this scripture, instantly captures our hearts when we allow His praise to be heard through our ears. There is no other shastra that can help us achieve this wonderful and elevated state, for the Bhagavata is the ripened, sweet fruit from the tree of the Vedas.

The great yajna at Naimisharanya:

Once, in a holy place in the forest of Naimisharanya, great sages headed by the Sage Shaunaka assembled to perform a great thousand- year sacrifice for the satisfaction of the Lord and His devotees…

At this juncture, Maharishi Suta arrived amidst them. Offering him a seat of honour, the rishis led by Shaunaka said to him: "O, holy one, you are pure and virtuous; you are well versed in the shastras as well as the puranas which are the basis of dharma. You have received this knowledge in direct succession of instruction from your guru, who was also your father. Your saintly father, Romaharshana, heard the puranas directly from Veda Vyasa; therefore, you belong to a great lineage of disciples. Your gentle, humble virtuous temperament has endeared you to the great Acharyas, who have imparted the best instruction to you. Therefore, we request you to tell us that which is for the ultimate good of all people in this age of Kali."

The Remedy for Kaliyuga:

Well pleased with their request, Suta Maharishi began to narrate to them the story of Lord Vishnu as enshrined in the Bhagavata.

1. The ultimate good for people in Kaliyuga is to free themselves from all material bondages and offer devotional service to Sri Hari. [1.2 6-7] This can lead them to Liberation.

2. Sri Hari is the only object of our worship; establishing a relationship of bhakti with Him is the essence, the sum and substance of all the shastras. [1. 3. 7-27]

3. God was born as Sri Krishna to rescue His bhaktas.[1.2.34]

4. The Lord’s various incarnations are described briefly in 1.3. More detailed accounts are given of the various avataras in the later cantos.

5. A brief description is given in [1. 3. 30-33] where we are told how the Purusha creates material substance and enters into all aspects of the Universe. [Also see Cantos 3 and 4]

6. Sri Krishna dwells in the Srimad Bhagavata Purana which may be said to be His literary incarnation.[1.2]

The Avataras of the Lord (S.B. 1.3)

Offering his salutations to Sri Narayana, Sage Veda Vyasa, Sage Shuka and Goddess Saraswati, Suta Maharishi began his discourse to the rishis assembled at Naimisharanya.

Suta Maharishi said:

The ultimate goal of all dharma (righteous action) is to cultivate devotion for Lord Vishnu; all else is wasted effort. The aim of one who practices dharma, can never be material gains or sensual gratification; only the desire to know and attain to the ultimate Truth is the goal of life. The stories of the Lord are like a knife which can cut asunder the base ego and release us from bondage to karma. Lord Krishna himself cleanses and purifies the hearts of those who listen to His stories with devotion. When we hear the Bhagavata with devotion and render service to sadhus and saints, all our sins and impurities are cleansed. We attain peace and bliss.

Sattva, Rajas and Tamas (the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance) are the three qualities, which became associated with Prakriti (Primordial Matter) to form Creation. The Supreme Being responsible for sustenance, creation and dissolution assumes the names of Hari, Brahma and Hara. Of these, Lord Vasudeva is Pure Sattva alone. All the Vedas, all the sacrifices and austerities have Vasudeva as their goal. It was He who created this universe.

He is in all of Creation, which is associated with the three gunas; but He is unaffected by the gunas, for He is established in the Consciousness of the Self. He is in all; but He is detached and above all.

In order to Create this Universe, he assumed the form of the Virata Swaroopa (the Cosmic Self), from which the universe emanated. Even as he lay in yoga nidra (Samadhi or state of yogic slumber) on the ocean of milk, a lotus appeared from His navel, in which was seated Lord Brahma. Brahma became the Lord of the Prajapatis (the Gods of Creation). He also created the sanatkumaras, knowers of Brahman and mind- sons of Brahma.

Next, he incarnated as the Varaha or the wild boar to rescue Mother Earth who was forcibly kept under water in the nether worlds by Hiranyaksha, an asura.

In His third avatara, He manifested as Sage Narada to impart the Pancharatra agamas.

In His fourth manifestation, He took the forms of the sages Nara and Narayana, to perform penances and austerities for the welfare of humanity.

His fifth avatara was as Sage Kapila, who was the founder of the Sankhya philosophy which explains to us the fundamental principles of creation.

Upon the entreaty of the great rishipatni Anasuya, the Lord’s sixth incarnation was as Lord Dattatreya, son of Rishi Atri and his wife, Anasuya.

In His seventh incarnation, He was born as Yajna to Aakuti (daughter of Swayambhuva Manu) and the Prajapati called Ruci, in order to protect the Manvantara along with His sons, the Yamas.

His eighth incarnation was as Rishabhadeva, to show people the glory of renunciation.

He took the form of the kind King Prithu, the ninth incarnation, to tend to Mother Earth who was in the form of a cow; he took the responsibility to milk her and bring forth plants, herbs and good produce from the earth for the welfare of all people.

In the great deluge that followed the end of the yuga, the Lord incarnated as a great fish (Matsya) to save Vaivasvata Manu, the seven sages and all the species for the next Yuga. This was his tenth avatara.

In his eleventh incarnation, the Lord took the form of a tortoise (Koorma) to support the Mandara mountain which was used by the devas and asuras to churn the ocean for nectar (samudra manthan).

Danvantari, the divine physician who was the Lord’s twelfth incarnation, emerged out of the samudra manthan (Churning of the ocean).

His thirteenth incarnation was in the beautiful form of Mohini, to ensure that the devas got nectar.

His fourteenth incarnation was as Narasimha, the Man Lion, to destroy the evil force of Hiranyakashipu and save His devotee, Bhakta Prahalada.

Next, He took the form of a dwarf, Vamana, to subdue the pride of the demon king, Bali.

In His sixteenth avatara, He was Sage Parashurama, who came to save brahmins from being persecuted by ruthless kshatriyas.

Veda Vyasa was His seventeenth incarnation; He took up this avatara to split the Vedas (divide into simple structures for better understanding) and make them accessible to the new age of men with limited intellect, who could not grasp the Vedas in their original form.

His eighteenth avatara was as the son of King Dasharatha; He took birth as Sri Rama to destroy the demon king Ravana.

His nineteenth and twentieth avataras were those of Balarama and Krishna in the lineage of the Vrishnis.

The twenty-first avatara is referred to in the future tense. It is said that the Lord would incarnate as Buddha.

At the close of the Yuga, the Lord will assume His twenty- second incarnation as Kalki, to preside over the dissolution of the earth.

Thus, the incarnations of the Lord are indeed innumerable. The great rishis, sages, Manus and Prajapatis are aspects of His power.

It is Lord Hari, Sri Krishna who is the Supreme Person who incarnates in various forms to protect the earth and its people.

Those who meditate on these incarnations of the Lord are sure to be freed from worldly misery. Beyond the gross form of this Universe exists the subtle form of the Lord in pristine glory. This subtle form also pervades the jiva, which undergoes transmigration. When one attains this awareness, one is instantly Liberated. The jiva then realizes his true, glorious and blissful nature.

This is the manner in which the birth and actions of the eternal and almighty Lord are explained to us by the Wise Ones.

It is He who creates, protects and destroys the world in which we live. He is the Master of all Creation but is not Himself attached to the life of the senses or affected by sense experiences, except as the indweller in the jiva.

He is incomprehensible to us, except through pure and simple devotion. This sacred scripture, the Srimad Bhagavatam, compiled by Sage Veda Vyasa is the literary incarnation of God, and is meant for the greatest good of all people, for it encompasses all success, all bliss and all perfection. Sage Vyasa extracted the essence of the Vedas to put it into this scripture which he narrated to his son, Sage Shuka. Sage Shuka narrated the Bhagavata to King Parikshit, who was fasting on the banks of the Ganga awaiting his death.

In the dark age of Kali, the Srimad Bhagavata is like the sun which dispels the darkness of ignorance.

I was privileged to hear it from Sage Shuka, as he narrated it to King Parikshit. Let me impart it to you even as I have experienced its greatness.

Thus ended Suta Maharishi’s discourse on the Incarnations of the Lord.

[Note: The Srimad Bhagavata Purana lists 22 avataras in 1.3, although several other avataras are described in later sections. They include Hayagriva, Sarvabhauma, Vishvaksena and many others. Many of the avataras listed above are discussed in detail later. Most other Vaishnavite accounts celebrate the Dashavatara or ten avatars of Lord Vishnu. Some of them distinguish between different types of avatara such as Purusha-avatar (original avataras), Guna-avatara (as the Holy Trinity of Vishnu, Brahma and Shiva), Avessa- avataras (indirect empowerment of a living entity with His power), Amsa Avatara (or partial manifestation) as in Matsya, Koorma, Varaha, etc. and Purna Avatara in which He manifests directly, showing all Godly powers. Sri Krishna is regarded by many as being the Purna Avatar in His ultimate manifestation. Sri Chaitanya began the tradition of venerating Sri Krishna as the Original Purusha or Supreme Version of Godhead.)

The Story of Creation: Lord Brahma

(As told in S.B. II 5-27 and III 10)

Vidura questioned Sage Maitreya on the mysteries of the Creation and Cosmic Manifestation. Pleased with his earnest desire to learn of the Lord’s leelas, Maitreya, responded thus:

The Supreme Being existed prior to creation; His will made creation possible; and at the dissolution, it will all merge into Him.

When the various elements were combined by means of the energy of the Supreme Lord, this Universe came into being with both its true and illusory, its spiritual and material realities (sat/asat). The living energies were enlivened into their many activities. In His cosmic form as the gigantic virat- purusha, known as Hiranmaya, He dwelt for one thousand celestial years on the water of the universe, and with Him lay all of aggregate creation.

Out of His divine form, emerged the demigods. Indra emerged from His hands. Agni emanated from His mouth, along with the function of human speech. Varuna emerged from His palate, along with the faculty of taste; from His nostrils emanated the Asvini Kumaras, along with the sense of smell; out of His two eyes emerged the sun god, Surya, and the capacity for human sight; out of His skin emerged Anila, the wind god along with the sense of touch; out of His ears emerged the eight directions and the capacity of hearing.

The Supreme Being as Purusha, glanced at Prakriti and brought about material reality or maya; from this glance was created the entire manifest Universe. We must take note that Purusha is Unchanging, Eternal; the manifest Universe is illusory and subject to ceaseless change.

[Knowledge of the created Universe is an important aspect of knowing God. But we must also remember the words of Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita: But what need is there, Arjuna, for all this detailed knowledge? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe. (Gita, X - 42) What is important for the aspiring soul is this, the Lord’s promise to us: For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me. (Gita,VI-30)]

All this while, the three worlds were submerged in water, and Garbhodakasayi Vishnu was alone, lying on His bedstead, the great snake also known as Ananta (Eternity). Thus the Lord lay in His yoga nidra for no less than for four thousand yuga cycles.

Now, out of the Lord’s navel appeared a thin stalk, which bloomed into an immense lotus, and when the energy of the Supreme Being entered this lotus, Brahma was created. Brahma, born out of the lotus flower, could not at first see the world; when he turned his eyes in all directions to see where he was, he achieved four heads facing the four directions.

Brahma was granted a vision of Lord Narayana reclining on the waters. This was a moment of enlightenment and wisdom for Brahma. Unprompted, untaught by any external force, he offered a prayer to Lord Vishnu. He also realised that the Lord had made him the repository of Vedic wisdom and entrusted to him the task of creating the world and all the beings in it.

Brahma first created Time, and the Cycles of Yugas. He also brought about the units of measured time and the Solar and Lunar movements and phases. He also created the three planetary systems, Svarga, Martya and Patala i.e., the abode of the gods, the world of the mortals and the nether world. (Also referred to by the names Bhuh, Bhuvah, and Svah in the Vedas.) He created the beings who inhabit these worlds.

Brahma, from his mind created the four rishis, Sanaka, Sananda, Sanatana and Sanatkumara. He ordered them to take up the task of creation and multiply through their progeny. But the Sanatkumaras were focused on the Supreme Being, Lord Narayana, and were disinclined to take up the task of creation.

Brahma, then created Rudra. However, the progeny of Rudra were all angry and furious like him, and this made Brahma afraid. Brahma therefore instructed Rudra to take up tapasya or penance, so that He and all other living beings may be blessed. Rudra went into the tapobana to take up austerities as directed by his father.

Brahma then created the ten rishis, Marici, Atri, Angira, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Bhrigu, Vasishta, Daksha, and Narada. From Brahma’s shadow was born Sage Kardama.

Now, Brahma began to contemplate on how he could resume the task of creation of the Yugas and the three worlds. At this stage, the Vedas were born out of his mouth; the four functions of yajna, namely the offer, the performer, the fire and the offering were also created; the Vedic hymns, sacrificial rituals, the recitation were all established, in order. Now followed the four principles of religion (truth, purity, austerity and compassion) and the spiritual phases of human life, (the four ashrams) and the four vocational divisions (varnas).

Brahma now created medical science, military art, musical art and architectural science, all from the Vedas. Then he created the fifth Veda, namely the Puranas and the histories, for he was endowed with the ability to see the past, present and future. Education, charity, penance and truth which are the four pillars of religion were all created in systematic order.

Now, Brahma created out of his own body, a male and a female being; the progenitors of humanity, Swayambhuva Manu and Shatarupa. To his newborn son, who bowed before him with folded hands, Brahma said, "Beget children from your wife; rule this world and perform the yajnas stipulated for the worship of the Supreme Being. Give protection to all living beings. This will be the best service you can offer."

Brahma then saw that while he had been engaged in creation, the earth had been inundated by a deluge and had been submerged under a vast ocean. Now, Lord Vishnu appeared as Varaha to rescue the earth from the ocean. Even as the devas and Sanakadi rishis watched in awe and devotion, the Lord effortlessly killed the demon who had hidden the earth away; He killed the demon and brought the earth out of the deluge and set it afloat on the waters.

Now, the task of further creation could continue.

The Story of Kapila (S.B. III 3-36)

The Bhagavata Purana tells us:

The words and actions of Sri Kapila and his dealings with his mother are so beautiful and transcendental in their glory; whosoever hears the story of Kapila, will grow in the loving devotion of Mahavishnu whose banner is that of Garuda; they will eventually attain the Lotus Feet of the Lord.

Sage Kapila, an avatara of Lord Vishnu, was the son of Kardama and Devahuti, the daughter of Swayambhuva Manu. When his father, Sage Kardama departed to undertake the life of sannyasa ashram, Kapila lived with his mother on the banks of the Bindusarovar. Having lavished her affection on her dear son, Devahuti realised that the Lord had come to her to instruct her on the Highest Truth.

Therefore, she begged him to impart to her the way of Liberation. Realizing his mother’s great desire for selfknowledge and freedom from ignorance and attachment, Kapila began to speak to her of the system of truth which we now call Sankhya Philosophy. Lord Kapila’s teachings to his dear mother are inscribed in chapters 25-33, in Canto 3 of the Shrimad Bhagavatam.

Sankhya, as preached in its original form by Lord Kapila, is as much concerned with Metaphysics as it is with spiritual knowledge and rational analytics but its most beautiful feature is that it culminates in pure bhakti or devotional service to the Lord. In effect, it is the science of bhakti yoga.

It is impossible to do justice in a narrative such as this, to the profound expositions of this philosophical system, delivered by the Lord Himself. A brief summing up is given below:

1. The mind is the cause of all bondage and misery, when it is turned towards the material world; when the same mind is turned inwards, it becomes purified; it is free from kama, krodha and moha, and this is the first step to Liberation, a stage called Chittasanyamana.

2. Attachment is a great obstacle for everyone who seeks Liberation; but when attachment is directed towards sadhu sangat (the company of the holy ones), it will lead the aspiring soul closer to God.

3. Satsang leads to devotion or bhakti. Bhakti helps the seeker turn away from all worldly pleasures and focus on God. Bhakti will grant freedom from karma and oneness with the Lord.

4. The atman or the soul within everyone is none other than the Purusha or Supreme Being. Only, as a Jiva, the atman becomes entangled in the three gunas. This makes the jiva forget his true nature and enter the state of avidya or ignorance.

5. To free oneself from this delusion, the best way is bhakti yoga. It promotes the Love of the Lord above all else, and makes the jiva realise that Narayana, the Supreme Lord is the only Truth, the only Goal of life.

6. One who realizes that He is one with the Supreme Soul attains Liberation through bhakti alone. No other effort is required of him.

Having heard these great truths from her beloved son, Devahuti lived a life of contemplation and meditation. Her great love for her beloved son gradually turned into intense bhakti for the Supreme Being. Soon she attained mukti. Her body which had become pure and radiant, turned into a river;

Reviews for Stories with a difference from the Bhagavata Purana

[chaitanya ch · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved the book and tears are flowing when reading the stories.