A memorable katha filled with devotion and divinity at Badrinath

Day 1 Katha – Where was Shrimad Bhagavat born?

On first day of Badrinath Katha, PujyaBhaishri said that Bhagavat Katha is God’s extreme grace upon us. This Katha is a form of partiality of God on His devotees.

ShrimadBhagavat was born in Badrinath. Bhagavat Katha is our mother. Similarly, the holy land of Badrinath is the mother of ShrimadBhagavat.

ShrimadBhagavat is a stotra mantra; Shri Krishna is the God of this mantra; DevarshiNarad is the perceiver; Bhakti (devotion) is its strength and Gyan-Vairagya (Knowledge-renunciation) are its clamp.

Emerging from this Vaikunth land of Badrinath, this Bhagavat Ganga is the medicine of life. Drinking this medicine makes an aspirant healthy and enables experience of the essence of Shri Krishna.

Shri VedVyasji worshipped the lotus feet of Shri Narayan by writing of the Bhagavat. Badrinath is the land of penance. Purity is not possible without penance and without purity, bliss can’t be experienced.

Day 2 Katha – Importance of Penance in an aspirant’s life

Badrinath is the land of penance of Lord Narayan. In our life, purity is not possible without penance and consequently, happiness and peace cannot be experienced without peace.

Many obstacles arise in an aspirant’s path. Not only demons, but also the deities of our senses tempt us with various materialistic temptations and thus distract us from our path. However, a true aspirant bears these obstacles and remains disinterested in these temptations on his spiritual journey.

The various obstacles encountered on the path of devotion are mentioned in Shri Ram Charit Manas; Bharatji experienced them on his way to meet Lord Ram and Shri Hanumanji, on his search for Maa Sita.

An aspirant desiring to do penance should refrain from fame and lust for beauty and wealth. Even if an aspirant performs a virtuous task for a good cause but in order to gain fame, the aspirant will not gain any spiritual benefits.

Hence we see in the Badrinath Mandir that Lord Narayan is engrossed in meditation inside the temple but Maa Laxmi’s temple is situated outside.

Day 3 Katha – What do we gain from Katha? What should the fruit of our spiritual endeavours be?

Katha helps us change our thinking and see the positive in every situation. One who can do this is a true devotee.

Just like Shri Ram who saw everything positive when he was exiled for 14 years. Similarly, when other saints approached Kind Parikshit to show him sympathy from the curse given to him, Parikshit said that the curse was a blessing as has it not been, he would still be involved in the material world and not gained freedom from it.

Chanting God’s name with a mala, meditation, donation, Yagya etc, are all paths in devotion and the fruit we should ask for as a result is only to increase our love for Lord Krishna.

As devotion increases, it gives birth to knowledge and renunciation, knowledge of the form of God, His ability and nature and renunciation from the world.

Day 5 Katha – Three Greatly Devoted Women of Bhagavat

Bhagavat Katha is mainly a Katha of God’s devotees. The lineage Parikshit was born in also had greatly devoted women like: Uttara, Draupadi and Kunti.

Parikshitji’s mother, Uttara, was a great woman because when Ashwathama tried to kill the baby in Uttara’s womb through Bhramastra, Uttara did not take refuge of others, but surrendered only to God.

Draupadi was a godly woman because she forgave even the person who killed her five sons.

Kunta Mata was also a greatly devoted woman because in order to attain God’s proximity, she asked God for difficult times in her life.

A devotee considers every God’s act as auspicious. A devotee does not have complaints in life, but accepts everything with content. Such a devotee will not turn away from God even in unfavourable situations. Such a devotee will not be unhappy even during sorrowful times.

Day 6 Katha – Life and Death

Today, Pujya Bhaishri talked about life and death. Pujya Bhaishri said that until you do not understand death well, you will not enjoy life in the right way and perspective.

In reality, life and death are deluded words. For instance, we talk about sun rise and sun set but the sun does not rise nor set. Similarly, life/soul is not born nor does it die. The body is made of five elements and it merges in these five elements. We consider this as death due to our ignorance and this become scared and sorrowful.

In fact, fear itself is death and salvation from fear and ignorance is true salvation. We do not need to fear death and at the same time we should not forget death.

The fruit of listening to Shrimad Bhagavat is that it frees us from the fear of death and death becomes a celebration. Death does not become dying but unity with the Lord.