We started our class with our first Pareeksha of the year 2020–21, based on the content shared in September and October of 2020. Here are the Questions and the corresponding responses –
- What is the main teaching of Ramayana and the main teaching of Bhagavata?
- Humility is the main teaching of Ramayana
- Surrender is the main teaching of Bhagavata. Surrender is the completion of humility.
2. What is an indicator of Sadhutva, that is being a Sadhu in reference to Avataras?
- A sadhu is one who engages in satya or non-compromising, but they can only correct minimal amounts of compromising. However, when circumstances are filled with maximum compromising, then Bhagavan has to take Avatara — to protect the sadhus and to correct those who are living by asatya or a life of compromise.
3. What does Putana symbolize?
- Putana symbolizes avidya or forgetfulness. Puta means pure and na means not, so Putana is the one who is not pure which is technically called ignorance in vedanta. Avidya is forgetting your nature is pure, and when you remember, that is vidya, then you feel your nature and become fragrant.
4. Why did Rishi Garga name Bhagavan the way he did?
- The first name was Krshnata, the one who is darker. Bhagavan Krshna was darker and Shri Balarama was lighter. Why is Bhagavan darker? The closest way we can see the Infinite is in blueness, as in the sky and in water. They are clear, but they are so big that the clarity seems like blue. Hence, Bhagavan Krshna’s skin color is also blue.
- Bhagavan Krshna is the son of Vasudeva, so He will be known as Vaasudeva.
- Bhagavan was also named Karshanath, the One who attracts, and what is most attractive? It is Joy! Everyone is attracted to joyous people.
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When the cows of Gokula were hungry, they turned away from Bhagavan Krshna to eat the grass, and whenever they did that, they got into trouble. When the Gopas who were always with Bhagavan Krshna, turned towards those cows who turned towards the grass, they also got into trouble. The Gopis, who were always thinking Bhagavan Krshna, whenever they thought about themselves and turned away from Him, they also got themselves into trouble. One who never did this was Devi Radha. The word Radha comes from the base, Radh which means no other. Devi Radha had no other thought, no other word, no other action other than Bhagavan Krshna, Independent Joy. In another Purana, Devi Radha is Rishi Shuka’s teacher. That is why in Bhagavata, he never uses her name. He has that much reverence for Devi Radha that he can’t even use her name.
Let us put ourselves in this framework. Are we becoming more like Devi Radha? Is all we think about, talk about and act upon is Bhagavan? If we are becoming more like that, then Vedanta in Bhagavata is happening to you, and if we are not becoming more like that, then this class is just like any other University class like Economics, History, etc, and we are using this for worldly utility. In Gopi Gita, we had seen that the result of being a Gopi is that we are not involved in any worldliness. How to experience this practically? Enjoy being an instrument. Doership is our burden as we become controlling, worrying, so let us be, but an instrument. Bhagavan’s hand is on our heads and we are supposed to just work for Him. What is the need to be recognized, appreciated and included? He’s there and He’s looking at us. What else do we need? That is why in Skanda ten there is so much symbolism about Bhagavan Krshna’s flute which is literally an instrument.
In our last class, we met the Asuras Arishta, the ox, Keshi, the horse, and Vyoma, the cowherd, and they all symbolize pretentiousness — one who looks one way, but are directing us another way. That often happens with spiritual teachers, a Sadguru. The more authentic and deep we are, the more we will attract that authenticity and depth.
We finished our last class with Kamsa asking Akrura to bring Bhagavan Krshna to Mathura. He has realized that dealing with Bhagavan Krshna with fear has not worked. Sending Putana and all the other Asuras did not work. So now he is trying to deal with Bhagavan Krshna with love, and Bhagavan Krshna does go to Mathura. So we learn that instead of communicating through fear first, we must communicate with love.
10:38:5 — Rishi Shuka is telling Raja Parikshta what Akrura is thinking to himself. Akrura is thinking — Even one who is impure and vicious like me is going to have the darshana of Achyuta. People are being controlled by the river of time, but some, by some power are able to free themselves from this control of time.
Akrura is thinking to himself that he doesn’t deserve to be with Bhagavan Krshna, but it is through His grace that Akrura is about to get this opportunity.
Kamsa symbolizes violence or harm. Another word for Kamsa is Krura, which means cruelty. Kamsa now appreciates that krura doesn’t work so he should use akrura which means non-violence, non-harming. Akrura is Shri Krshna’s Uncle. He loves Bhagavan Krshna and Bhagavan Krshna also loves Akrura. So when Kamsa told Akrura that he needed to bring Bhagavan Krshna to Mathura so that they could kill Him, he certainly didn’t agree to this intention, but he also knew Krshna is Bhagavan and that nobody could kill Him. He is the Protector and the Corrector, so Akrura had no fear of what he was doing. He was simply the instrument in Bhagavan’s leela. He knew Bhagavan Krshna was invincible. This was his chance to be with Bhagavan Krshna.
There are many such lovely thoughts that Akrura shared and there are so many personalities in Bhagavata that are like Devi Radha. Their whole life is dedicated to enlightenment or bhakti. Akrura shares, “The deer that are walking around me in circles are a good omen. I’m an old man, yet the fulfillment of my eyes and my life are about to happen in seeing my Bhagavan”. The reference to age is important as enlightenment is not time related. Akrura shares, “Any words verbal or written that are not directed towards Bhagavan are the words of a corpse.” So every time that we speak or write about money, position, pleasure, what we are really writing about is death. All of that is going to change. He also shares, “The Infinite has manifested as Bhagavan Krshna, just so we can love Him more.”
How can we love the Infinite? Can we hug or kiss the Infinite? Can we write poetry about the Infinite? How much the Infinite loves us to manifest just so that we can love the Infinite! It’s like training or practice. He shares, “Yogis get to prostrate at Bhagavan’s feet only in their minds and that I am going to get to do this in reality.” It is such a moving thought when we think of someone great and then actually are able to be with them which is a totally different experience. He shares, “I see Bhagavan Krshna’s footprints by the markings. There is lotus there and there is conch there,” and when he finally sees a footprint, he is so happy knowing he is approaching Bhagavan that he jumps out of his chariot and starts rolling around in the dust. Imagine how much Akrura loved Bhagavan! Would we ever do that? He is so ecstatic and finally when sees a dark handsome figure and a light handsome figure, he runs to them and prostrates to them. These boys are eight, nine, ten years old. And these boys pick him up and hug him. Then Bhagavan Krshna and Shri Balarama walk on either side of their uncle, holding his hands and walking him to their home, like best friends. There is no pretentiousness, no ego, just love. Bhagavan is Love.
Vedanta: What Bhagavata is sharing with us is the Katha Amrita. Katha means story and Amrita means deathlessness or independence. This Katha Amrita is greater or superior to the Amrita that we came across earlier in our Bhagavatam, from the Kshira Sagara Manthana. Why is this greater? Because that Amrita we have to drink, but we just have to listen to this Amrita. This is more pervasive. The Amrita from the Kshira Sagara lengthens the span of our life, but this Katha Amrita reduces the sorrow in our life. Imagine if we lived a long life, but are sad, then the long life would be a curse and not a blessing. But if this Katha Amrita reduced our sorrow, that would be a real blessing. Making this more tactile, based on how Akrura is thinking, we should stop fearing change. Mrita or death in a lighter way is change. So Amrita is not fearing change. The less we fear change, the more in tune we are with the changeless. The less we fear change, the more organised we will get.
So how are we going to get this Amrita? By listening and thinking.
10:39:35 — Rishi Shuka is describing to Raja Parikshita how the Gopis are interacting with each other as Bhagavan Krshna leaves. The Gopis are all standing together in Vrindavana and Bhagavan Krshna, Shri Balarama and Akrura are in a chariot and they are leaving. Bhagavan Krshna looks back and sees how much they are suffering. So He slightly gets up and to appease them, He says to the Gopis with love. He is actually quite far away from them, so this is an internal dialogue with them and He says to them — ‘I will come back’.
So when Bhagavan Krshna and Shri Balarama bring their old uncle, Akrura into their home, they feed him Madhuparka made of Ghee, Honey and Curd. And then Bhagavan Krshna begins to massage Akrura’s feet. They give him fresh clothes, sandalwood, etc.. If we connect the dots, they are actually offering puja to their uncle. Vivekji has shared with us many times that we should make puja personal, where we are inviting Bhagavan into our home and seat Him, feed Him, freshen Him, etc. The trajectory of puja is to treat everyone like that, the message being “Atithi devo bhava”. Tithi means appointment and atithi is someone who comes without an appointment. And how do we typically react towards such people? Deeply annoyed, deeply frustrated and deeply angry! The more we relate to Bhagavan, the more we engage in puja of everyone.
As they seat Akrura, they ask how their family is in Mathura. Bhagavan asks — How is My mother, Devaki? How is My father, Vasudeva? And they say this with such sadness because if Kamsa or violence is there, how would they be living in Mathura? And Akrura tells them that Kamsa tried to kill Devaki and Vasudeva again, and that they are back in jail.
Now as we think about Bhagavan Krshna leaving, He had to leave. Akrura tells them about the happenings in Mathura and the invitation from Kamsa. Bhagavan Krshna and Shri Balarama say that they would go to Mathura with him. Shri Nanda then tells the Gopas to announce that Shri Krshna and Shri Balarama are leaving, and it was this announcement that reaches the Gopis.
When they hear this announcement, the Gopis all get together. Some versions of Bhagavata share that there were 16,000 Gopis living in this Vrindavana area, and they all got together out of fear, holding each other, standing close. They start crying together, and start describing what would happen the next day — Bhagavan Krshna is going to leave them and go to Mathura, He will see and meet others and is going to forget them. And they cry all night, out of fear. This is when the scene with Shri Krshna on the bullock cart takes place and they are walking behind the cart, behind Him. As Bhagavan Krshna senses them following Him, He stops the cart and that’s when He gets up, looks at them and says ‘I will come back’, and then the cart continues.
This is how the Gopis felt when He left them again — “They remained where they were, motionless, like pictures drawn on canvas, viewing the departing Krshna, and mentally absorbed and pursuing His chariot until the flag of the chariot disappeared from sight and the dust raised by it was no longer visible.” There is indeed power in sadness.
Q&A: Vivekji shared additional insights on how to make the right decision. Only when we directly interact with one who loves Bhagavan do we also start to love Bhagavan. When we live and see someone who loves Bhagavan so much, it transforms us as well. So we should always reference — what would the wise do. Another form of wisdom is the shastra. What would Bhagavad Gita or Ramayana encourage us to do? The more long term the decision is, the more right a decision is. Long term means more selfless and short term means more selfish. If the decision makes us quieter, then it was the right decision. If it makes us more agitated, then it was the wrong decision. So we should reference our own experiences so that we have this framework.