Devka – Gujarat Bhagavat Katha 5th Day, part 2

This is a continuation of the katha in Devka from 14th May.

Shri Vyasji thought, I want everyone to experience the peace and bliss I have. I need to pass this on to someone capable. Someone who is attached to the worldly pleasures is not completely capable. Also, i need one who is filled with love in his heart. He then remembered his son Shukdevji, not because he is his son, but because he deserves to learn the divine Bhagavat. But where is my son? Shukdevji does not need to learn anything, he is internally satisfied, but if he tastes this only once, he will come to learn the whole of it. Hence, he taught 4 of his disciples a few shlokas and told them to sing these when they go to fetch firewood. And when someone asks about these shlokas, bring that person to me.

The disciples began to sing the shlokas‘Barhapiram natvar vapuhu karanyo karani kaaram, vipradha vaasah kanak kapisham vaijayanti cha maalam; Rundranvenu adhara sudhaya purayan gopavrindi, vrindarandyam swapacharamayam praavishadh geetkirtihi.’ The sholakas mean Lord Shri Krishna who has a crown with a peacock feather, earrings made of flowers, dark hued body, yellow pitambar and a vaijanti garland. He also holds a flute which he plays with his delicate fingers. His friends around him praise his playing of the flute. They also praise Lord Shri Krishna while roaming in Vrindavan.

The disciples also sang a shloka from the third chapter describing Gods nature. Shukdevji heard these shlokas and queried the disciples about them. The disciples said that this is just a sample. There are 18000 such shlokas. On being questioned, the disciples mentioned that these shlokas have been created by Shri Ved Vyasji. Hence, Shri Shukdevji requested Shri Vyasji to teach him the Bhagavat. On learning the Bhagavat, Shri Shukdevji began to sing it and reached the banks of Maa Ganga where he narrated this to Shri Pariksheetji.

Pujya Bhaishree explained that when we go to a saint we should present ourselves as toys. As soon as their attention away from us we should leave as a saint’s time is invaluable.

Sutji explained that in Kurukshetra Duryodhan had been injured and was lying in earth in pain. Aswathaama saw this and decided to kill the ‘while they were asleep. Instead he killed Pandavas’ five sons while they were sleeping by mistake. The Pandavas saw this in the morning and took an oath to kill the killer and make a stool out of his skin on which Draupadi could bathe. As soon as Ashwathama realised the Pandavas were after him he made use of the Brahmastra. Arjun released another brahmastra to defend the former. He then caught Ashwathama and took her to Draupadi as he could not kill him being a son of his Guru.

Draupadi begged to release Ashwathama saying that his mum would have no support if his son was killed whereas I have my husbands to look after me. Shri Krishna advised to cut his shikha as this is similar to providing death to a bhramin and release him.

After this, Ashwathama fired five arrows towards the pandavas and a bhramastra towards Shri Uttaraji’s (Abhimanyu’s wife) womb to kill the infant in the womb. Shri Uttaraji took refuge of Shri Krishna. Shri Krishna cut the five arrows, entered Shri Uttaraji’s womb and protected the child. Similarly, Shri Krishna protects all of us in our mothers’ wombs in the squeezed state we are in.

Thereafter, Shri Kunta mata performed stuti of Shri Krishna. She mentioned that Shri Krishna you are omnipresent and omnipotent. Please provide me with sorrows in my life as I have noticed that you are always close to us in times of sorrow, whilst you have gone away in times of happiness.

Happiness is the depletion of our fruits from good deeds whilst sorrows are the depletion of sins. Man tends to perform more good deeds and remember God more in bad times while man forgets God during happiness. Now what is worrying here? Of course, times of happiness! This perspective will avoid depression and unhappiness in our lives.

Shri Krishna now went to Shri Bhishmaji who is getting ready to rid his soul from his body. At this time Yudhisthir was depressed after the war. Shri Bhishmaji advised him on his dharma as a king and showed him the right path. Shri Bhishmaji then saw Shri Krishna. Tears flowed from his eyes. He requested Shri Krishna to stand in front of him until his soul departs his body. He then performed a stuti of Shri Krishna. Shri Bhismaji’s life united with his soul.

Pujya Bhaishri said that Shri Krishna left to go to Dwarka and in Hastinapur, Shri Pariksheetji was born. Also Vidurji returned from his yatra. He expanded on his trip and the satsang he had from Shri Maitriji. He however, did not mention about Shri Krishna returning to his abode. He saw that Gandhari and Dhitrashtra were still in the palace accepting the pandavas seva who he had tried kill. Gandhari and Dhitrashtra accepted his offer to go with him to the forest to meditate. Gandhari and Dhitrashtra attained emancipation.

Pujya Bhaishri then explained the sad time of the pandavas losing heart when they discovered that Shri Krishna had returned to his abode. The pandavas and Draupadi, passed the kingdom to Shri Pariksheetji and left to go to the Himalayas from where they went to heaven.

One day, Shri Pariksheetji saw that a shudra was farming. However the bull was standing on only one leg and struggling to walk. The shudra would hit the bull who would move two steps and give up. The cow next to it saw this and cried. The cow is the form of earth. The bull is dharma. Dharma has four legs: truth, penance, purity and mercy. In kaliyug, dharma has only one leg: dharma. Shudra is the form of kaliyug. Seeing this, Pariksheetji threatened to kill Kaliyug.

Kaliyug begged for mercy. The king thought that it is the era of kaliyug, hence I cannot kill him, and I will need to control him. So the king gave kaliyug five places to live: drugs and alcohol, gambling, slaughter house, prostitution and gold.

Pariksheetji once wore a gold crown from his possessions. Instantly, he decided to go hunting. At noon he was tired and thirsty and arrived at Shamik Rishis’s ashram. The Rishi was deeply engrossed in meditation and did not get up to welcome the king. The king was angry and put a dead snake around the rishi’s neck. Someone informed the rishi’s son, Shringi, of what had happened. Shringi ji was angry and cursed the king that he will be bitten by a poisonous snake on the 7th day.

On hearing this and realising his mistake, Shri Parkisheetji left everything, including food and went to the banks of Maa Ganga where he asked other rishis what humans should do in their lives and what humans should do when they know they are about to die? At this time Shri Shukdevji arrived and narrated the Shrimad Bhagavat katha to the king.

Pujya Bhaishri then briefly explained what has been said in the 2nd to 9th chapters of the Shrimad Bhagavat. He briefly narrated the story of Bharatji from the 4th chapter and the salvation of Gajendra from the 8th chapter. Thereafter, he went on to briefly narrate how Kans killed all 6 sons of Maa Devaki after jailing her and Shri Vasudevji. He described the change in the divine atmosphere when Shri Krishna was about to be born and the appearance of Maa Durga warning Kansa that Shri Krishna was in a safe place. Thereafter Shri Krishna was taken to Gokul by Vasudevji. The birth of Shri Krishna was celebrated with great fanfare and joy!

Hathi ghoda paalki, jai kanhaiya laal ki!