Parikshit’s Journey from Tragedy to Remedy

Shlok of the Week 21 – Shrimad Bhagavat – 10.7.1-2-3

Cravings cause one to be deviated; to cry; and to sin. Śrī Hari’s Kathā extinguishes those
cravings and also removes disinterest and a lack of loving sentiments for worship
(bhajana). Thus, always imbibe Hari Kathā, ‘sadā sevyā harikathā’.

#Saprem_Harismaran | @PPBhaishri

rājovāca
yena yenāvatāreṇa bhagavān harirīśvaraḥ ।
karoti karṇaramyāṇi manojñāni ca naḥ prabho ॥ 10.7.1

yacchṛṇvato’paityaratirvitṛṣṇā sattvaṃ ca śuddhyatyacireṇa puṃsaḥ ।
bhaktirharau tatpuruṣe ca sakhyaṃ tadeva hāraṃ vada manyase cet ॥ 10.7.2

athānyadapi kṛṣṇasya tokācaritamadbhutam ।
mānuṣaṃ lokamāsādya tajjātimanurundhataḥ ॥ 10.7.3

Śrīmad Bhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa 10.7.1-2-3

श्रीराजोवाच
येन येनावतारेण भगवान् हरिरीश्वर: ।
करोति कर्णरम्याणि मनोज्ञानि च न: प्रभो ॥ १०.७.१

यच्छृण्वतोऽपैत्यरतिर्वितृष्णा सत्त्वं च शुद्ध्यत्यचिरेण पुंस: ।
भक्तिर्हरौ तत्पुरुषे च सख्यं तदेव हारं वद मन्यसे चेत् ॥ १०.७.२

अथान्यदपि कृष्णस्य तोकाचरितमद्भ‍ुतम् ।
मानुषं लोकमासाद्य तज्जातिमनुरुन्धत: ॥ १०.७.३

श्रीमद् भागवत महापुराण १०.७.१-२-३

राजा परीक्षित ने पूछा- प्रभो! सर्वशक्तिमान भगवान श्रीहरि अनेकों अवतार धारण करके बहुत-सी सुन्दर एवं सुनने में मधुर लीलाएँ करते हैं। वे सभी मेरे हृदय को बहुत प्रिय लगती हैं ॥ १ ॥

1.  उनके श्रवण मात्र से भगवत-सम्बन्धी कथा से अरुचि और
2.  विविध विषयों की तृष्णा भाग जाती है।
3. मनुष्य का अंतःकरण शीघ्र-से-शीघ्र शुद्ध हो जाता है।
4. भगवान के चरणों में भक्ति और
5. उनके भक्तजनों से प्रेम भी प्राप्त हो जाता है। यदि आप मुझे उनके श्रवण का अधिकारी समझते हों, तो भगवान की उन्हीं मनोहर लीलाओं का वर्णन कीजिये ॥ २ ॥

भगवान श्रीकृष्ण ने मनुष्य-लोक में प्रकट होकर मनुष्य-जाति के स्वभाव का अनुसरण करते हुए जो बाल-लीलाएँ की हैं अवश्य ही वे अत्यन्त अद्भुत हैं, इसलिए आप अब उनकी दूसरी बाल-लीलाओं का भी वर्णन कीजिये | ३ ॥

•  The Śrīmad Bhāgavata Mahāpuraṇa is said to be an infallible medicinal cure (auṣadhī) for those afflicted by material malaise (bhavaroga).

• The great King Parīkṣit was harassed by pangs of hunger and thirst whilst on a hunt in the forest and stepped into Rṣī Śamīk’s āṣrama, expecting to be welcomed as the scriptures decree the King to be a plenary portion of Lord Viṣṇu, who maintains all living beings.

•  Instead, he found the hermitage to be deserted with the sage in a deep trance (samādhī). The effect of Kaliyuga was such that he distrusted the sincerity of the sage’s state and so he garlanded him with a dead snake to test him.

• Seeing no response, he departed for his capital and realised the grave error of his ways the moment he returned to the palace and removed the golden crown he had worn during the hunt.

• Of the three pairs of speaker-listeners of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata Śrī Śukadevaji and Mahārāja Parīkṣit are considered the most eligible (uttama adhikārī) as they are wellmatched and share the goal of personal enrichment in this exchange. One example of the exchange between them flowing constantly, like the River Gaṅgā is –

• At the conclusion of the sixth chapter of the tenth skandha, Śrī Śukdevaji states that the result of listening faithfully to the liberation of Pūtanā (avidyā) is that one develops love towards Govinda.

• In response, at the start of the seventh chapter, his ardent and attentive listener responds with a testimonial of his personal direct experience of this and adds that he has also developed love towards the exalted soul (māhatmā) who share this Hari Kathā.

• King Parīkṣit attests to the efficacy of this sure-cure for all malaises. Simply by listening faithfully to this Kathā, he has personally experienced five positive transformations, as the tenth canto (nirodha līlā) merely commences –

1. The removal of disinterest in bhajan (worship) for #ShriHari – turning one away from the miserable material world and towards the blissful spiritual realm.
2. The reduction of material desires – as these material cravings (tṛṣṇā) are what lead one to sin and thus suffer.
3. Immediate purification of the heart – the heart is fully cleansed to make it a suitable receptacle to receive the nectar of Bhakti. Just as an earthen vessel may be cleansed by water but the smell of what was kept in it persists, so too does the heart retain the impression of desires (vāsanās), until it is heated (with devotion), as an earthen vessel over the flame.
4. Awakening of unalloyed devotion towards the Lord – the pure heart is then also filled with the prized nectar of Hari Bhakti!
5. Loving kinship towards Saints – gratitude and kinship towards those who have lovingly served this supreme nectar!

•  The Śrīmad Bhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa is a Bhakti Saṃhitā – which means devotion is both the method (sādhan) and the goal (sādhya). It is (the nine forms of) devotional practices (such as kathā śravaṇa) which prepare a devotee to receive the gift of unalloyed devotion for the Lord.

Pure and loving devotion towards the Lord has the power to liberate us from all material
miseries – sorrows of the past, attachments in the present and the fear of the future.

#Saprem_Harismaran | @PPBhaishri

vadanti tat tattva-vidas
tattvaṃ yaj jñānam advayam
brahmeti paramātmeti
bhagavān iti śabdyate
SB 1.2.11

That Supreme Tattva is known as:
1. Brahma (the highest reality) – when He exists without form or attributes;
2. Iśvara/Paramātmā (the supreme controller) – when He manifests without form but with attributes;
3. Bhagavāna (the beloved Lord of His devotees) – when He further manifests with both form and attributes.

•  Did-You-Know 

Īśvara is when the Lord accepts the three material modes of nature belonging to his śaktī and functions as generator, operator and destroyer. This is synonymous to Paramātmā as saguṇa, nirākāra

• This ‘descent’ of the Lord from unmanifest into a manifest state is not due to any Karma (bondage of action) but entirely due to His Karuṇā (compassion).

• Parīkṣit Mahārāja has directly heard, seen and experienced Lord Kṛṣṇa interacting with himself and his own family as a normal human being. Thus, his testimonial as to the transformative power of listening to the tales of the Lord’s pastime is heartfelt and significant for all seekers.

• Did-You-Know?

Just as a patient gives feedback to his physician of results experienced so far from a prescribed treatment; so too is Rājā Parīkṣit sharing his direct experience with his physician for Bhavaroga, Sadguru Śukadeva. What are these five tangible results from the medicine of Hari Kathā?

Click-Here to Listen:

Share your answer or a fun-fact in the comments section below……

#ShrimadBhagavat #Mahatmya #ShlokOfTheWeek #SVN_SOW #ScriptureOfLove

Series by Rishi Harshitbhai Shukla – @HarshitbhaiShukla;
Nimishaben Sadhu (India);
Rajeshbhai Purohit (UK).

About this Article

This is a part of an ongoing series to learn a Shlok a week from the Purushottam Maas Shrimad Bhagavat Katha by Pujya Bhaishri Rameshbhai Oza.

We hope devotees are able to savour a few fun facts on these verses with an enhanced interest for the context and divine nuances through this series.

This Article is the 21st in the ‘Shlok of the Week’ Series