ViBha Class Notes: Sept 12, 2021

We have completed 92 classes of Vedanta in Bhagavata and what better way to start our new semester than with a Pareeksha. This will also be a tool for a review.

• The preface or pre-Skanda to Srimad Bhagavata is called the Bhagavata Mahatmya.

Q1: What are the names of Bhakti’s sons? — Viveka and Vairagya

Discrimination and Dispassion had become old and the only way for them to become young again was through Bhakti, that is their mother.

Bhagavata is made up of 4 compounds: Bha means light, Ga means go, Va means best and Ta means boat. Light go best boat or the best boat to go to the Light or Knowledge or Joy.

The context for Bhagavatam, shared in this pre-Skanda, is to remind us that rituals should be leading us to virtues and if not, that ritual is old. That is why we see that Viveka and Vairagya become old as they do not develop. When we don’t love what we do, then Viveka and Vairagya are old in our lives — they are not vibrant. This pre-Skanda is to orient us to how much we need Bhagavata in our lives.

• In Vedanta in Bhagavata, there are 12 Skandas or sections, and in the first section or Skanda, the theme is Adhikari. Adhikari means student or disciple.

Q2: How many questions does Rishi Shaunaka ask Rishi Ugrashava? — Six questions

• What is the greatest good for all?
• What is the purpose of God or Avatara?
• What is the performance of Avatara?
• What are the passings of Avatara?
• What is the play of Avatara? (that is where we are now, in terms of Shri Krshna’s life)
• What is the home of Dharma? (as Shri Krshna becomes unmanifest)?

These 6 questions are being asked in Naimisharanya, a jungle in Bharat. Naimihi shiryate means — where the mind becomes quiet. So where is Naimsharanya? Hopefully it’s in this zoom now. Their questions are amazing since there is a grand ritual going on in this jungle, but they don’t waste any time. As these rituals are going on, they are thinking about Avatara and about God and that is why they are asking these questions.

• In the second Skanda, the theme is Sadhana — which means discipline or practice. What should a disciple do? — Be disciplined.

Q3: What should every human do? Sadhana

We should all practice being more disciplined, and this is what Raja Parikshita is being encouraged to do — to be more disciplined and dedicate his life to God. The discipline that is being encouraged is Contemplation. If we cannot contemplate, then we cannot become enlightened. We have to prepare for this. The highest contemplation is on Svarupa or our own Spirit. To prepare for this, we have to contemplate on Vishvarupa or feel divinity all around us, for example in Nature. If that is too hard, then to contemplate on Ishtarupa which is a personal name and form of the Divine.

The framework is — first we try to find God in an icon, then that starts to grow to our home, neighbor, job, and finally we should find the comfort we have with ourselves, in all circumstances. That is why we chant ‘Satyam Param Dhimahi’.

In the second Skanda, the original Bhagavatam is taught. It is only 4 verses, but the Bhagavatam we are learning is 18,000 verses. And essentially this is what Bhagavan Narayana teaches Bhagavan Brahma. He teaches him that:

• Infinity is Real
• Illusion is unreal
• Creation is relative
• Extraction is release

The idea being that in creation, we sense that it is relative so that we can be free to be Absolute.

• In the third Skanda, the theme is Sarga or fundamental creation, the creation of the elements like space, air, fire, water and earth.

Q4: What do Jaya and Vijaya symbolize? A calm body and a quiet mind, which is Dama and Shama.

The two dvarapalas of Bhagavan Narayana had lost their Dama and Shama, and were no longer eligible to be called Jaya and Vijaya, so they became three sets of brothers. And these brothers were all Asuras — there was darkness inside of them. Right now, we are focused on the last set of brothers, Shishupala and Dantavaktra. The main point being that we may have names like Shanti & Soumya, but do we live like that? We have to work to imbibe the virtues represented by our names.

• In Skand four, the theme is Visarga or functional creation. This is where air, fire and water become more. They become humans as our body is made up of these elements.

Q5. What framework does this Skanda flow through? The Purusharthas or the purposes of living

The personalities that this is taught through is –

• Daksha — we learn about Dharma
• Dhruva — we learn about Artha or possessions
• Raja Prithu — one of the greatest leaders in our culture, we learn about Kama or position
• Puranjana — we learn about Moksha or peace.

Focusing on Raja Prithu, he shares that anyone who cares about anyone else, has three responsibilities — to provide them with ease, employment and education. For someone we care for, do we make them feel more at ease? Employment does not mean dollars, but do we encourage them to be more focused, have a passion for something? And do we educate them, encourage them to be independently joyous?

This Skanda tries to teach us that they are only means if they are leading us to the ends. If we think we are engaged in Dharma, but if it’s not leading us closer to Moksha, then is it Dharma? No, it is Not.

• In Skanda five, the theme is Sthana or to be established. This is the landscape on which humans live.

Q6: Who is Bharata? Son of Rshaba

Rshaba Deva in Jainism manifested to show us how to live as an ideal Grihasta and Sanyasi. They are not mutually exclusive. The vision of a Grihasta and Sanyasi should be the same. His son’s name was Bharata who was just as great, and that is why our culture and religion is sourced in Bharatavarsha. It is this Bharata from which India is called Bharata.

In this Skanda, there is a detailed description of Naraka or hell, or our mind sometimes. The purpose of hell in Sanatana Dharma is for us to stop engaging in Nisheda, which means that which is wrong or prohibited. So hell does serve a noble purpose. However if we keep engaging in that which is wrong or prohibited, that means we haven’t learned from that experience. Swami Chinmayananda describes hell as a laundry machine. We get pushed and pulled, but we are supposed to come out cleaner.

• The theme of Skanda six is Poshana or to nourish. How did humans thrive?

Q7: What is the main focus or subject of this Skanda? Grace

Tat Anugraha — God’s grace. The example shown in this Skanda was Ajamila who named his son Narayana and through that, God’s grace saved him in many, many ways. Another important portion of this Skanda is the Narayana kavacha, about how to establish Bhagavan Narayana in our whole system. We also explored one of the greatest Bhaktas in Bhagavatam — Vritra. One of the greatest lovers of God was an Asura.

• The theme of Skanda seven is Uti which means our blueprint. How come we are different from our siblings? How come our neighbors think and act differently? It’s about blueprint or vasanas.

Q8: Who is the Maha Bhagavata in Bhagavatam or in life? Rishi Prahlada

Who is the greatest of the great in terms of loving Bhagavan? Bhakta Prahlada was born in more adversity than any of us were born into. His father tried to assassinate him countless times. Rishi Prahlada teaches us how we can transcend adversity. He says — Bhaktih Chet Navalakshana — He gives us nine steps on how to climb out of adversity into Peace, the famous signs of Devotion. This skanda ends with the responsibilities of every position in life. For those who are living as grihastas or families, the two primary responsibilities are being grateful and generous. If we are not grateful, our generosity will be with ego or will be limited, but if we are grateful, our generosity will be quite spontaneous, and natural.

• In Skanda eight, the theme is Saddharma.

Q9: What is needed to evolve from Dharma to Sat Dharma? How to evolve from being a good person to being a great person — through four virtues

The four virtues needed are:

• Smarana — Perpetually remember God — explored this through Gajendra
• Dana — Perpetual Generosity — explored this through Indra
• Pratijna — Perpetual Commitment — explored through Raja Bali who promised three steps and never backed out from that commitment
• Raksha — Perpetual Independence — we protect another from making them independent — explored through Satyavrata who protected this fish over and over again

We also explored the Churning of the milky ocean and the first substance that came out of it was Kalakuta — black heap of the most poisonous substance. The last substance that comes out of our personality, the last feeling in our personality, is Amrita which is Peace. When we start to live by humility, the surrender of our vasanas kicks in. So we have to infuse humility, which means having patience and not being controlling.

• In Skanda nine, the theme is Nasha or destruction of vasanas.

Q10: What virtues do Skandas nine-eleven signify or magnify? Trust

Skandas 1–2: Nurture Identification in us — identify as a disciple, identify with discipline

Skandas 3–5: Nurture Belief — more science oriented, about creation, fundamental, functional

Skandas 6–8: Nurture Faith — let go of belief and hold onto Faith

Skandas 9–11: Nurture Trust — To trust that we are more, trust in our Original parent

The three ways that we can engage in the Nasha of our vasanas:

• Vasana kshaya — exhaustion — light vasana that we can let go of
• Vasana parivartana — substitution — medium vasana — if we keep indulging in it, it becomes heavy and then we have to practice the opposite
• Vasana nasha — the heavy vasanas can be destroyed only by trusting in our original parent and let go of external security, including the body

In this Skanda we came across Raja Ambarisha who had no body identification, Bhaghirata who practiced such intense disciplines to help humanity, Bhagavan Rama as in Parushurama and Bhagavan Rama.

• In Skanda ten, the theme is Ashraya — Surrender to the absolute support.

Q11: Why does Bhagavan manifest or incarnate? Margdarshana — To Bless

When there is minimum compromise in society, a sadhu or a noble, dynamic personality can correct that, but when there is maximum compromise in society, an ambassador of God cannot correct society; God has to correct that. That is why in our community, Satya is represented as non-compromise, rather than just truthfulness. Those who do not compromise, are living in Satya Yuga. Those who compromise live in fear. Our leaders are disguised, and are compromising and promoting the same. When we compromise, we say the economy is more important than the environment. We can live without the economy but not without the environment. If we look at Afghanistan, they can live without politics, but not without food. The 95% answer to the question is to protect the noble and to correct the ignoble.

The 100% correct answer why Bhagavan manifests is just to Bless. This is so overt as all the Asuras who tried to kill Bhagavan, He just blessed them, giving Moksha to all of them. The Gopis, who loved Bhagavan, were all blessed with Moksha as well. So we have to start trusting that the factual answer to why Bhagavan manifests is to Bless. Margadarshana means that Bhagavan is walking the path just for us to see Him and to be blessed by that.

In Skanda ten, we are in the second portion of Bhagavan Krshna’s life where He has more responsibilities. He is left becoming a farmer, but He is just as cheerful.

Review of our last class: Bhagavati Rukmini is in Kundina, which is in Maharashtra. Here Bhagavan Vittala is very popular now. She has sent a message to Bhagavan Krshna and He has responded to be with Bhagavati Rukmini. Shishupala and his friends are coming as well because he wants to marry her. One of his friends is Chaanura as he made everyone into churna; he powdered everyone. So knowing this, Shri Balarama was also on his way to Kundina. So there was going to be an epic gathering of all these forces.

Bhagavati Rukmini has just left Bhagavati Parvati’s Mandir, and is waiting and looking for Shri Krshna and then she spots Him. That is her prasada for being at that Mandir. Then Bhagavan Krshna captivates and captures Bhagavati Rukmini, and starts to leave Kundina. He shares — Do not be afraid. If they want to fight, I will fight. Shishupala and team try to fight Bhagavan Krshna and are unable to and Jarasanda withdraws. Many times in Bhagavatam, Jarasanda had, as if won over Bhagavan Krshna and here he is withdrawing, which shows that Bhagavan Krshna is just playing — sometimes we win, sometimes we lose.

When all of these forces withdraw, Bhagavan Krshna and Bhagavati Rukmini get married according to Vedic tradition. We may not know, but one of Bhagavan Krshna’s name is Vivaha. Bhagavati Rukmini’s marriage is the first one and seven more are coming.

While in Dwaraka, all the people were all very happy as they felt that Bhagavan Krshna and Bhagavati belonged together. We should feel as if we are the citizens of Dwaraka. The symbolism is that Bhagavati Rukmini symbolizes Generosity and Bhagavan Krshna symbolizes Dakshina, or changing the words, generosity and gratitude or dana and dakshina. That is what their marriage shows. There is no stealing here as it is all natural, and is supposed to be.

Coming up next week: Then born from the Princess of Vidarba and the strength of Bhagavan Krshna — Pradyumna was born, equal to Bhagavan Krshna in all ways.