Monday, January 10, 2011

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.19.21

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.19.21

sarve vayaḿ tāvad ihāsmahe 'tha

kalevaraḿ yāvad asau vihāya

lokaḿ paraḿ virajaskaḿ viśokaḿ

yāsyaty ayaḿ bhāgavata-pradhānaḥ

SYNONYMS

sarve — all; vayam — of us; tāvat — as long as; iha — at this place; āsmahe — shall stay; atha — hereafter; kalevaram — the body; yāvat — so long; asau — the King; vihāya — giving up; lokam — the planet; param — the supreme; virajaskam — completely free from mundane contamination; viśokam — completely freed from all kinds of lamentation; yāsyati — returns; ayam — this; bhāgavata — devotee; pradhānaḥ — the foremost.

TRANSLATION

We shall all wait here until the foremost devotee of the Lord, Mahārāja Parīkṣit, returns to the supreme planet, which is completely free from all mundane contamination and all kinds of lamentation.

PURPORT

Beyond the limitation of the material creation, which is compared to the cloud in the sky, there is the paravyoma, or the spiritual sky, full of planets called Vaikuṇṭhas. Such Vaikuṇṭha planets are also differently known as the Puruṣottamaloka, Acyutaloka, Trivikramaloka, Hṛṣīkeśaloka, Keśavaloka, Aniruddhaloka, Mādhavaloka, Pradyumnaloka, Sańkarṣaṇaloka, Śrīdharaloka, Vāsudevaloka, Ayodhyāloka, Dvārakāloka and many other millions of spiritual lokas wherein the Personality of Godhead predominates; all the living entities there are liberated souls with spiritual bodies as good as that of the Lord. There is no material contamination; everything there is spiritual, and therefore there is nothing objectively lamentable. They are full of transcendental bliss, and are without birth, death, old age and disease. And amongst all the above-mentioned Vaikuṇṭhalokas, there is one supreme loka called Goloka Vṛndāvana, which is the abode of the Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and His specific associates. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was destined to achieve this particular loka, and the great ṛṣis assembled there could foresee this. All of them consulted among themselves about the great departure of the great King, and they wanted to see him up to the last moment because they would no more be able to see such a great devotee of the Lord. When a great devotee of the Lord passes away, there is nothing to be lamented because the devotee is destined to enter into the kingdom of God. But the sorry plight is that such great devotees leave our sight, and therefore there is every reason to be sorry. As the Lord is rarely to be seen by our present eyes, so also are the great devotees. The great ṛṣis, therefore, correctly decided to remain on the spot till the last moment.

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.19.20

na vā idaḿ rājarṣi-varya citraḿ

bhavatsu kṛṣṇaḿ samanuvrateṣu

ye 'dhyāsanaḿ rāja-kirīṭa-juṣṭaḿ

sadyo jahur bhagavat-pārśva-kāmāḥ

SYNONYMS

na — neither; vā — like this; idam — this; rājarṣi — saintly king; varya — the chief; citram — astonishing; bhavatsu — unto all of you; kṛṣṇam — Lord Kṛṣṇa; samanuvrateṣu — unto those who are strictly in the line of; ye — who; adhyāsanam — seated on the throne; rāja-kirīṭa — helmets of kings; juṣṭam — decorated; sadyaḥ — immediately; jahuḥ — gave up; bhagavat — the Personality of Godhead; pārśva-kāmāḥ — desiring to achieve association.

TRANSLATION

[The sages said:] O chief of all the saintly kings of the Pāṇḍu dynasty who are strictly in the line of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa! It is not at all astonishing that you give up your throne, which is decorated with the helmets of many kings, to achieve eternal association with the Personality of Godhead.

PURPORT

Foolish politicians who hold political administrative posts think that the temporary posts they occupy are the highest material gain of life, and therefore they stick to those posts even up to the last moment of life, without knowing that achievement of liberation as one of the associates of the Lord in His eternal abode is the highest gain of life. The human life is meant for achieving this end. The Lord has assured us in the Bhagavad-gītā many times that going back to Godhead, His eternal abode, is the highest achievement. Prahlāda Mahārāja, while praying to Lord Nṛsiḿha, said, "O my Lord, I am very much afraid of the materialistic way of life, and I am not the least afraid of Your present ghastly ferocious feature as Nṛsiḿhadeva. This materialistic way of life is something like a grinding stone, and we are being crushed by it. We have fallen into this horrible whirlpool of the tossing waves of life, and thus, my Lord, I pray at Your lotus feet to call me back to Your eternal abode as one of Your servitors. This is the summit liberation of this materialistic way of life. I have very bitter experience of the materialistic way of life. In whichever species of life I have taken birth, compelled by the force of my own activities, I have very painfully experienced two things, namely separation from my beloved and meeting with what is not wanted. And to counteract them, the remedies which I undertook were more dangerous than the disease itself. So I drift from one point to another birth after birth, and I pray to You therefore to give me a shelter at Your lotus feet."

The Pāṇḍava kings, who are more than many saints of the world, knew the bitter results of the materialistic way of life. They were never captivated by the glare of the imperial throne they occupied, and they sought always the opportunity of being called by the Lord to associate with Him eternally. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was the worthy grandson of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira gave up the imperial throne to his grandson, and similarly Mahārāja Parīkṣit, the grandson of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, gave up the imperial throne to his son Janamejaya. That is the way of all the kings in the dynasty because they are all strictly in the line of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Thus the devotees of the Lord are never enchanted by the glare of materialistic life, and they live impartially, unattached to the objects of the false, illusory materialistic way of life.

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.19.19

maharṣayo vai samupāgatā ye

praśasya sādhv ity anumodamānāḥ

ūcuḥ prajānugraha-śīla-sārā

yad uttama-śloka-guṇābhirūpam

SYNONYMS

maharṣayaḥ — the great sages; vai — as a matter of course; samupāgatāḥ — assembled there; ye — those who; praśasya — by praising; sādhu — quite all right; iti — thus; anumodamānāḥ — all approving; ūcuḥ — said; prajā-anugraha — doing good to the living being; śīla-sārāḥ — qualitatively powerful; yat — because; uttama-śloka — one who is praised by selected poems; guṇa-abhirūpam — as beautiful as godly qualities.

TRANSLATION

All the great sages who were assembled there also praised the decision of Mahārāja Parīkṣit and they expressed their approval by saying, "Very good." Naturally the sages are inclined to do good to common men, for they have all the qualitative powers of the Supreme Lord. Therefore they were very much pleased to see Mahārāja Parīkṣit, a devotee of the Lord, and they spoke as follows.

PURPORT

The natural beauty of a living being is enhanced by rising up to the platform of devotional service. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was absorbed in attachment for Lord Kṛṣṇa. Seeing this, the great sages assembled were very pleased, and they expressed their approval by saying, "Very good." Such sages are naturally inclined to do good to the common man, and when they see a personality like Mahārāja Parīkṣit advance in devotional service, their pleasure knows no bounds, and they offer all blessings in their power. The devotional service of the Lord is so auspicious that all demigods and sages, up to the Lord Himself, became pleased with the devotee, and therefore the devotee finds everything auspicious. All inauspicious matters are removed from the path of a progressive devotee. Meeting all the great sages at the time of death was certainly auspicious for Mahārāja Parīkṣit, and thus he was blessed by the so-called curse of a brāhmaṇa's boy.

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.19.18

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.19.18

evaḿ ca tasmin nara-deva-deve

prāyopaviṣṭe divi deva-sańghāḥ

praśasya bhūmau vyakiran prasūnair

mudā muhur dundubhayaś ca neduḥ

SYNONYMS

evam — thus; ca — and; tasmin — in that; nara-deva-deve — upon the King's; prāya-upaviṣṭe — being engaged in fasting to death; divi — in the sky; deva — demigods; sańghāḥ — all of them; praśasya — having praised the action; bhūmau — on the earth; vyakiran — scattered; prasūnaiḥ — with flowers; mudā — in pleasure; muhuḥ — continually; dundubhayaḥ — celestial drums; ca — also; neduḥ — beaten.

TRANSLATION

Thus the King, Mahārāja Parīkṣit, sat to fast until death. All the demigods of the higher planets praised the King's actions and in pleasure continually scattered flowers over the earth and beat celestial drums.

PURPORT

Even up to the time of Mahārāja Parīkṣit there were interplanetary communications, and the news of Mahārāja Parīkṣit's fasting unto death to attain salvation reached the higher planets in the sky where the intelligent demigods live. The demigods are more luxurious than human beings, but all of them are obedient to the orders of the Supreme Lord. There is no one in the heavenly planets who is an atheist or nonbeliever. Thus any devotee of the Lord on the surface of the earth is always praised by them, and in the case of Mahārāja Parīkṣit they were greatly delighted and thus gave tokens of honor by scattering flowers over the earth and by beating celestial drums. A demigod takes pleasure in seeing someone go back to Godhead. He is always pleased with a devotee of the Lord, so much so that by his adhidaivic powers he may help the devotees in all respects. And by their actions, the Lord is pleased with them. There is an invisible chain of complete cooperation between the Lord, the demigods and the devotee of the Lord on earth.

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.19.17

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.19.17

iti sma rājādhyavasāya-yuktaḥ

prācīna-mūleṣu kuśeṣu dhīraḥ

udań-mukho dakṣiṇa-kūla āste

samudra-patnyāḥ sva-suta-nyasta-bhāraḥ

SYNONYMS

iti — thus; sma — as in the past; rājā — the King; adhyavasāya — perseverance; yuktaḥ — being engaged; prācīna — eastern; mūleṣu — with the root; kuśeṣu — on a seat made of kuśa straw; dhīraḥ — self-controlled; udań-mukhaḥ — facing the northern side; dakṣiṇa — on the southern; kūle — bank; āste — situated; samudra — the sea; patnyāḥ — wife of (the Ganges); sva — own; suta — son; nyasta — given over; bhāraḥ — the charge of administration.

TRANSLATION

In perfect self-control, Mahārāja Parīkṣit sat down on a seat of straw, with straw-roots facing the east, placed on the southern bank of the Ganges, and he himself faced the north. Just previously he had given charge of his kingdom over to his son.

PURPORT

The River Ganges is celebrated as the wife of the sea. The seat of kuśa straw is considered to be sanctified if the straw is taken out of the earth complete with root, and if the root is pointed toward the east it is considered to be auspicious. Facing the north is still more favorable for attaining spiritual success. Mahārāja Parīkṣit handed over the charge of administration to his son before leaving home. He was thus fully equipped for all favorable conditions.

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.19.17

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.19.17

iti sma rājādhyavasāya-yuktaḥ

prācīna-mūleṣu kuśeṣu dhīraḥ

udań-mukho dakṣiṇa-kūla āste

samudra-patnyāḥ sva-suta-nyasta-bhāraḥ

SYNONYMS

iti — thus; sma — as in the past; rājā — the King; adhyavasāya — perseverance; yuktaḥ — being engaged; prācīna — eastern; mūleṣu — with the root; kuśeṣu — on a seat made of kuśa straw; dhīraḥ — self-controlled; udań-mukhaḥ — facing the northern side; dakṣiṇa — on the southern; kūle — bank; āste — situated; samudra — the sea; patnyāḥ — wife of (the Ganges); sva — own; suta — son; nyasta — given over; bhāraḥ — the charge of administration.

TRANSLATION

In perfect self-control, Mahārāja Parīkṣit sat down on a seat of straw, with straw-roots facing the east, placed on the southern bank of the Ganges, and he himself faced the north. Just previously he had given charge of his kingdom over to his son.

PURPORT

The River Ganges is celebrated as the wife of the sea. The seat of kuśa straw is considered to be sanctified if the straw is taken out of the earth complete with root, and if the root is pointed toward the east it is considered to be auspicious. Facing the north is still more favorable for attaining spiritual success. Mahārāja Parīkṣit handed over the charge of administration to his son before leaving home. He was thus fully equipped for all favorable conditions.

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.19.16

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.19.16

punaś ca bhūyād bhagavaty anante

ratiḥ prasańgaś ca tad-āśrayeṣu

mahatsu yāḿ yām upayāmi sṛṣṭiḿ

maitry astu sarvatra namo dvijebhyaḥ

SYNONYMS

punaḥ — again; ca — and; bhūyāt — let it be; bhagavati — unto Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa; anante — who has unlimited potency; ratiḥ — attracting; prasańgaḥ — association; ca — also; tat — His; āśrayeṣu — with those who are His devotees; mahatsu — within the material creation; yām yām — wherever; upayāmi — I may take; sṛṣṭim — my birth; maitrī — friendly relation; astu — let it be; sarvatra — everywhere; namaḥ — my obeisances; dvijebhyaḥ — unto the brāhmaṇas.

TRANSLATION

Again, offering obeisances unto all you brāhmaṇas, I pray that if I should again take my birth in the material world I will have complete attachment to the unlimited Lord Kṛṣṇa, association with His devotees and friendly relations with all living beings.

PURPORT

That a devotee of the Lord is the only perfect living being is explained herein by Mahārāja Parīkṣit. A devotee of the Lord is no one's enemy, although there may be many enemies of a devotee. A devotee of the Lord does not like to associate with nondevotees, although he has no enmity with them. He desires association with the devotees of the Lord. This is perfectly natural because birds of the same feather mix together. And the most important function of a devotee is to have complete attachment for Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the father of all living beings. As a good son of the father behaves in a friendly way with all his other brothers, so also the devotee of the Lord, being a good son of the supreme father, Lord Kṛṣṇa, sees all other living beings in relation with the supreme father. He tries to bring back the upstart sons of the father to a saner stage and to get them to accept the supreme fatherhood of God. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was certainly going back to Godhead, but even if he were not to go back, he prayed for a pattern of life which is the most perfect way in the material world. A pure devotee does not desire the company of a personality as great as Brahmā, but he prefers the association of a petty living being, provided he is a devotee of the Lord.

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.19.15

taḿ mopayātaḿ pratiyantu viprā

gańgā ca devī dhṛta-cittam īśe

dvijopasṛṣṭaḥ kuhakas takṣako vā

daśatv alaḿ gāyata viṣṇu-gāthāḥ

SYNONYMS

tam — for that reason; mā — me; upayātam — taken shelter of; pratiyantu — just accept me; viprāḥ — O brāhmaṇas; gańgā — mother Ganges; ca — also; devī — direct representative of the Lord; dhṛta — taken into; cittam — heart; īśe — unto the Lord; dvija-upasṛṣṭaḥ — created by the brāhmaṇa; kuhakaḥ — something magical; takṣakaḥ — the snakebird; vā — either; daśatu — let it bite; alam — without further delay; gāyata — please go on singing; viṣṇu-gāthāḥ — narration of the deeds of Viṣṇu.

TRANSLATION

O brāhmaṇas, just accept me as a completely surrendered soul, and let mother Ganges, the representative of the Lord, also accept me in that way, for I have already taken the lotus feet of the Lord into my heart. Let the snake-bird — or whatever magical thing the brāhmaṇa created — bite me at once. I only desire that you all continue singing the deeds of Lord Viṣṇu.

PURPORT

As soon as one is given up completely unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, he is not at all afraid of death. The atmosphere created by the presence of great devotees of the Lord on the bank of the Ganges and Mahārāja Parīkṣit's complete acceptance of the Lord's lotus feet were sufficient guarantee to the King for going back to Godhead. He thus became absolutely free from all fear of death.