A Study of the Bhagavata Purana or Esoteric Hinduism Part 1

A Study of the Bhagavata Purana.

or Esoteric Hinduism.

by Purnendu Narayana Sinha.

PREFACE.

The Bhagavata is the most popular of all Puranas and it is held in the highest esteem by Vaishnavas in all parts of India. It was the most authoritative book with such religious teachers as Shri Chaitanya.

Several commentaries have been written on this great work. It is however strange that there has been so much discussion about the authoritative character of the work. The readers are all familiar with that discussion and I need not refer to it further than to say that the discussion does not in any way affect the intrinsic merit of the book, and the verdict of the public is so certain in this respect that the book will continue to be the most popular of all Puranas, despite any thing that may be said as to its authorship or the period of its appearance.

The Padma Purana devotes a chapter to the worship of this Purana and calls it the most exalted of all the Puranas and the book is actually worshipped in many Hindu houses. The Purana is recited all over India by learned Pandits and Sadhus and its subject matter is familiar to every Hindu.

PROFESSOR WILSON SAYS: - "Bhagavata is a work of great celebrity in India and exercises a more direct and powerful influence upon the opinions and feelings of the people than perhaps any other of the Puranas. It is placed fifth in all the lists but the Padma Purana ranks it as the eighteenth, as the extracted substance of all the rest.

According to the usual specification it consists of eighteen thousand slokas, distributed amongst three hundred and thirty-two chapters divided into twelve Skandhas or books. It is named Bhagavata from its being dedicated to the glorification of Bhagavat or Vishnu."

Referring to the Tenth Skandha, Professor Wilson says "The tenth book is the characteristic part of the Purana, and the portion upon which its popularity is founded. It has been translated into, perhaps, all the languages in India, and is a favourite work with all descriptions of people."

Much as the book commands the respect of the Hindus, it has brought upon itself the ridicule and sarcasm of those that attack Hinduism. It is the Tenth Skandha which has given the greatest handle to all adverse criticism and it is the one Skandha in the whole book which is so little understood by foreigners, unacquainted with the genius of the Hindu religion, particularly with its love aspect which is the peculium of all real devotees in every great religion. But the modern professors of great religions, being lost in their material surroundings, have entirely lost sight of that aspect. The songs of Solomon will stand out in all ages as an expression of enthusiastic and rapturous love of the human soul for the Divine Lord, whether the Christians of the modern day understand them or not. The Divvans and Sufis bore the highest love to their divine Lover, whether or not the Mohammedans of the present day follow the outpourings of their heart.

Love in religion is a Science. It is the natural outcome of the human soul, when it is freed from impurities and cured of distractions.

All religions speak of the purity of the mind, and they speak also of devotion to G.o.d or ishvara. But no religion other than Hinduism treats of the gradual development of the mind as a Science, treats of its purification and then of its natural attraction for ishvara and the final a.s.similation of human life to Isvaric life as the law of the Universe. And no book in Hinduism deals with the subject so systematically specially with reference to the history of the Universe, as the Bhagavata Purana does. I have tried to understand the book myself as an earnest student, with the light afforded by the book itself. I have been greatly helped in the understanding of of the book by the commentary of Sridhara Svami which is by common consent the most authoritative of all the commentaries on the Bhagavata Purana. Once a Pandita prided himself before Sri Chaitanya on his having put an interpretation upon a certain sloka of the Purana different from that of Sridhara Svami. Now "Svami" is the designation of a learned Sanya.s.si, such as Sridhara Svami was and it also means a husband. Sri Chaitanya remarked "one that does not follow the Svami is unchaste." Such was the high opinion which the great Teacher held regarding Sridhara's commentary.

I have purposely avoided making any reference to the commentaries made by the followers of Sri Chaitanya as I intend to study them separately along with the teachings of his school.

The method of treatment followed in this study will speak for itself. I have separated the text from my own observations except in the introductory chapter and in the reference to Sukadeva in the chapter on Virat Purusha, and one can follow the text itself, without accepting any of my own views. I believe I have faithfully reproduced the text in its essential features, I have omitted unimportant details, poetical descriptions, prayers and adorations some of them most beautiful and sublime - and I have also omitted the introduction by Suta and his concluding words. Suta related the Purana to Rishi Sounaka and others as he heard it from Sukadeva.

The proofs have pa.s.sed through different hands and the transliteration of Sanskrit words has been differently made. For instance [Sanskrit Letter] has been rendered as s, s', _s_ and sh. Though I would prefer s', the dash has been generally omitted, for the convenience of the printer. There have been also several mistakes in names.

My best thanks are due to the several gentlemen, who have gone through the proofs and specially to my friend Mr. Bertram Keightley M, A., who has gone through nearly the whole of the ma.n.u.scripts.

SKANDHA I.

THE IDEAL OF BHaGAVATA PURaNA: A DISCOURSE BETWEEN VYaSA AND NaRADA.

"I have duly respected the Vedas, the teachers and the sacrificial fire, I have put the sense of all the Vedas into the Mahabharata and have made their sacred lore accessible to all cla.s.ses of men. I have done all this, nay, much more. Still I think my work is not fully done." So thought Veda Vyasa, the adept author of the Kali Yuga, while meditating on the sacred banks of the Sarasvati, and his heart became heavy with something, he knew not what. At this time Narada appeared before him - Narada, who knew all that transpired in the Triloki and who could enter into the hearts of all beings. "Thou hast fully known," said Narada, "all that is knowable, for thou hast written the excellent Mahabharata, which leaves nothing unsaid. How is it then thou feelest dispirited as if thy object were not gained?" What could Vyasa say in reply; he only inquired from the seer Narada the cause of his uneasiness.

Narada entered into a free criticism of the Bhagavat Gita, the philosophical portion of the Mahabharata, pointed out its shortcomings and suggested to Vyasa what next to do. A few remarks will be necessary to understand all this.

There are seven planes Bhur, Bhuvar, Svar, Mahar, Jana, Tapas and Satya.

Bhur is the terrestrial plane.

Bhuvar is the astral plane.

Svar is the plane of Kama and desires.

These three planes, collectively known as Triloki, are the planes of personality. Kama is the guiding principle of existence in Triloki, and a recurrence of births and re-births its main characteristic. With every Night of Brahma, this triple plane comes to an end, transferring its energies to the next higher plane, and is re-born with every Day of Brahma. Mahar is intermediate between Triloki and the three higher Lokas of Universality.

The Vedic school laid great stress on communion with the Devas of Svar Loka or Svarga or Indra Loka, and this was pre-eminently known as Vedic Yajna. The performance of Vedic Yajna led only to a prolonged gratification of kama in Svar Loka. But however long the period might be, it was limited by the magnitude of the force (Apurva) which buoyed up the individuality in the Svar Loka. As the Gita says, when the merits are exhausted the observer of Vedic Dharma enters again into the transitory plane. The course of births and re-births is then set up anew, with constant transformations and with all the miseries of existence conditioned by personality.

This was not Mukti or liberation. The followers of the post-vedic or Upanishad school contended that liberation lay in crossing the triple plane of individuality to the higher cosmic planes of universality. When an individual reaches the higher planes, he does not again become subject to transformations, and to the constant recurrence of births and re-births. There is one continued life, one continued existence in the higher planes, till the end of cosmos or the Life of Brahma. This life is not measured by personalities but is the cosmical life, and the individuality becomes a cosmical ent.i.ty. Further there is life also beyond the cosmos, in the highest plane, the abode of the Supreme.

The Gita only incidentally describes the highest plane in the following sloka:

"That is my supreme abode, by reaching which (Jivas) do not recur (to fresh births). Not the Sun, not the Moon, not even fire illumines that."

- XV. 6.

Krishna also refers to that plane in VIII. 20 and XV. 4. 5.

The Gita lays down Nishkama Karma, or the unselfish performance of the duties of life (Sva-dharma) as the first step towards reaching the higher planes. The sense of separateness is killed by Nishkama Karma.

Then the Gita takes the disciple to Upasana or communion with the Purusha of the highest plane, but scarcely a glimpse is given of that plane and its surroundings. The Mahabharata does not throw any light on the dwellers of the higher planes, nor does it give any details of those planes. Without any distinct prospect of trans-Triloki life, one is asked to adhere to the duties appertaining to one's own sphere of life (Sva-dharma) and to perform those duties unselfishly. However transitory the things of Triloki may be, there are attractions enough for the frail sons of Manu, abounding in pa.s.sions and desires. What can then bind a man to the higher planes and the highest Purusha of those planes or Bhagavan? It is only a description of the grandeur and the glory of those planes and of Bhagavan. Such description begets Bhakti or holy attachment, and it is this Bhakti which sets up a real communion with Bhagavan. Frail as man is, the mere performance of duties makes him attached to them, unless he is bound to the higher planes by the tie of holy attachment. The Gita is however silent as to the attractions of the higher planes and of Bhagavan. This was the defect pointed out by Narada.

"O thou great Muni, as thou hast treated of Dharma and of other things, so thou hast not recited the glory of Vasudeva". - I. 5. 9.

"This universe is also an aspect of Bhagavan, for its creation, preservation and end proceed from Him. Thou knowest all this thyself.

But thou hast shown to others only a portion of this truth." - I. 5.

20.

"Salutations to Thee, Bhagavan, let me meditate on Vasudeva. Salutations to Pradyumna, Aniruddha and to Sankarshana. He who, by naming these _murtis_ in the _murtiless_, whose only _murti_ is mantra, makes offerings to Yajna Purusha, is the complete seer." - I. 5. 37-38. A mystery lies veiled in this Sloka.

But who is this Narada? Why should we accept his authority? Narada was therefore careful to give his own account, elaborated by the enquiries of Vyasa. All students of occultism will do well to read carefully this account which forms a fitting preliminary to the Bhagavata.

ACCOUNT OF NARADA.

*SKANDHA I. CHAP. 5 & 6.*

"In the previous Kalpa, in my former birth, I was born of a certain maid-servant of Vedic Rishis. Certain Yogis had collected at a place to pa.s.s the rainy season and I was engaged as a boy to serve them. Seeing me void of all fickleness as a boy and self-controlled, the Munis, who looked on all with equal eyes, were kind to me, especially as I gave up play, followed them, served them and talked little. With the permission of the regenerated I at one time partook of the remnants of their meal and the impurities of my mind were all removed. When thus my mind became pure, my inclination grew towards their Dharma. By their favor I heard them sing the beautiful stories of Krishna. Hearing those stories every day with faith, I gained holy love for Krishna. Through that love my mind became fixed in Him and I came to perceive my Sthula and Sukshma bodies as only false reflections of the real Self or Brahma. The Bhakti that grew up in me destroyed my Rajas and Tamas. Then when the kind Rishis were about to leave the place, they imparted to me the most occult knowledge which had been given to them by Bhagavan himself.

Through that knowledge I have known the Maya of Bhagavan. It is by that knowledge that one reaches the plane of Bhagavan. As I cultivated this occult knowledge, Bhagavan appeared Himself and gave me knowledge and powers direct."

[S'ridhara Svami, the commentator of Bhagavata Purana notes the following points in the above story (1) Seva, _i.e._, service of and attendance on Mahatmas, (2) their kripa or favor, (3) trust in their Dharma, (4) hearing the stories of Bhagavan, (5) attachment to Bhagavan, (6) knowledge of Self by the discrimination of the Sthula and the Sukshma body, (7) firm Bhakti, (8) knowledge of the reality of Bhagavan, (9) at the last the appearance of omniscience and other powers through the favor of Bhagavan.]

What followed then, inquired Vyasa? Narada continued:

"Sometime after my teachers, the Bhikshus, had gone away, my mother died of snake-bite. I deemed that an act of G.o.d and went towards the North.

After crossing several forests, rivers and mountains, I at last reached a solitary forest and there sat under a pipal tree. As directed by my teachers, I meditated on self in self through self. My mind had been completely conquered by Bhakti. As I was devotedly meditating on the lotus feet of Bhagavan with tear-drops in my eyes, Hari gradually appeared in my heart. O Muni, the hairs of my body stood on end through exuberance of holy love, I was completely lost in joy and knew not either self or any other. The indescribable ishvara spoke thus in solemn words:

"O thou that dost not deserve to see me in this life, I am difficult to be seen by imperfect Yogis, whose likes and dislikes have not been completely burnt up. I have shown myself to thee that thy Kama may all be centred in me. When I am the object of Kama, the Sadhu gives up all other desires. By prolonged service of Mahatmas, thy mind is firmly fixed in me. Therefore shalt thou give up this faulty body and acquire my companionship. The mind fixed in me is never destroyed in creation or in pralaya, nor does the memory fail.'"