A Study of the Bhagavata Purana or Esoteric Hinduism Part 17

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. Baisaka Aryaman Pulaha Athaujas. Praheti. Kachnira Narada Punjikasthali.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. Jyaistha Mitra. Atri Rathasvana Paurusheya Takshaka Haha. Menaka.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4. asarha Varuna. Vasistha. Chitrasvana Sahajayna Sukra. Huhu. Rambha.

(Sahajanya) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5. Sravana Indra. Angiras. Sroti. Varya Elaptara Visvavasu Pramlocha.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6. Bhadra Vivasvat Bhrigu. Asarana. Vyaghra. Sankhahala Ugrasena. Anumlocha.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7. Magha Pushan. Gautama. Suruchi. Vata. Dhanjaya. Sushena. Ghritachi.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8. Falguna Parjanya Bharadhvaja Ritu. Vorcha. Airavatra Visva. Senajit.

(Savitri) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9. Agrahayana Ansu. Kasyapa. Ritusena. Vidyatsatru Mahasankha Ritusena. Urvasi.

(Vidhatri) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 10. Pausha. Bhaga. Kratu. Urna. Sphurja. Karkotaka. Arishtanemi Purvachitti ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 11. asvina Tvastri. Jamadagni. Satajit. Brahmapeta. Kambala. Dhritarashtra Tilottama.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 12. Kartika Vishnu. Visvamitra. Satyajit. Makhapeta. Asvatara. Suryyavarcha. Rambha.

TABLE M.

There is not much to detain us in this Table. It will be enough if readers will please note the meanings of the names used.

TABLE N.

We must divide this Table into the following heads: - I. The story of Dhruva, II. The story of Pirthu, III. The story of Prachina Barhis, IV.

The allegory of Puranjana, and V. The story of the Prachetasas.

I. THE STORY OF DHRUVA.

*SKANDHA IV. CHAP. 8-12.*

Uttanapada is one of the sons of the First Manu. Uttanapada means "with uplifted foot". This perhaps refers to the period when the Jiva, having still the spiritual element strong in him, was not fixed in the course of material descent, but had one foot towards Mahar-Loka. Uttanapada had two wives Suruchi (with good graces) and Suniti (of good morals). Uttama or the Highest was the son of Suruchi. Dhruva or the fixed was the son of Suniti. Once upon a time, Dhruva found Uttama on his father's lap and he wished to be there himself. For fear of Suruchi, Uttanapada did not dare stretch forth his hands towards Dhruva, while Suruchi herself taunted the boy for his impudent aspiration. Stung to the quick by the bitter words of his stepmother Dhruva forthwith left the place and went straight to his mother and related to her his grievances. Suniti advised her son who was only five years old to make Tapas. Dhruva did not lose time but left home to make Tapas as directed by his mother. Narada met him on the way. "Thou art a child Dhruva" said the great Ris.h.i.+. "How is it possible for thee to find out Him by Tapas, Who is attainable by intense Yoga concentration and freedom from pa.s.sion practised for several births. Desist my boy, for the present. Try, when thou hast enjoyed all the things of the world and hast grown old". But Dhruva was fixed in resolve and he importuned Narada to teach him how to meditate.

Narada initiated Dhruva into the mysteries of the Mantra "Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya", told him how to meditate on Vasudeva and asked him to make Tapas at Mathura where Bhagavan permanently resides. Dhruva pa.s.sed his days in austere asceticism, standing on one foot and living on air. The prince at last controlled his breath and with deep concentration saw the Divine Light in the heart. Bhagavan withdrew that Light from the heart, and on the break of Samadhi, Dhruva found the same Divinity outside, standing before him. Words he had none for a time.

Bhagavan addressing him said: - "O Thou Kshatriya boy! I know thy resolve. Do thou ever prosper. I give thee a place which is ever bright and where Nirvana is constant. The planets and stars are all attached to that place. Those that live for a Kalpa will die, but that place shall never be destroyed. Dharma, Agni, Kasyapa, Indra and the seven Ris.h.i.+s with all the luminaries of the sky are constantly revolving round the place. Thou shalt succeed thy father on the throne and reign for 36,000 years. Thy brother Uttama shall disappear in a forest. Thy stepmother Suruchi shall die in pursuit of her son. The place where thou shalt finally go is my own abode, higher than that of the Ris.h.i.+s, and there is no return from it."

Dhruva returned to his parents and was placed by his father on the throne. He married Bhrami, the daughter of Sisumara, and had two sons by her, Kalpa and Vatsara. He had another son Utkala by Ila. Uttama was killed by a powerful Yaksha while out on a hunt. Dhruva went out to the north to take revenge on the Yakshas for his brother's death. He killed several thousands of innocent Yakshas, Rakshasas and Kinnaras in battle.

Manu took pity on them and asked his grandson to desist from fight.

Dhruva bowed in obedience to Manu and so Kubera the king of Yakshas became much pleased with him and blest him too. After thirty six thousand years, Sananda and Nanda, two companions of Vishnu came with a chariot and took Dhruva to the promised abode.

Utkala was the eldest son of Dhruva and he was ent.i.tled to succeed his father. But he was a sage and had united himself with Brahma. He declined the throne. Bhrami's son Vatsara became the king. Vatsara married Subithi and had six sons by her, - Pushparna, Tigmaketu, Isha, Urja, Vasu and Jaya. Pushparna had two wives, - Pravha and Dosha. Prabha had three sons, - Pratar, Madhyandina and Sayam, Dosha had three sons, - Pradosha, Nisitha and Vyushta. Vyushta married Pushkarini. His Son was Sarvatejas, afterwards called Chakshus. Chakshus had one son, - Nadvala Manu.

THOUGHTS ON THE ABOVE.

[The line of Uttanapada, as I have said above, represents the appearance of individual life-forms. Limitation had to be put to the life-periods of individuals. We commence with Dhruva, who presides over the polar star, and lives for one Kalpa. His sons are Kalpa and Vatsara. "Vatsara"

means year. The sons of Vatsara are the six seasons. "Pushparna" is the flower season or spring. "Tigmaketu" means fierce-rayed. The word denotes summer season. "Isha" means full of sat and is the name of the month of Asvina. But it means here the rainy season. "Urja" is the name of the month of Kartika. It is indicative of autumn. "Vasu" meaning wealth is the season between autumn and winter, when paddy becomes ripe.

"Prabha" is light. "Dosha" is darkness. "Pratar," "Madhyandina" and Sayam are morning, midday and evening, respectively. "Pradosha" is first part of the night, "Nisitha" is midnight. "Vyushta" is day break.

"Sarva-tejas" is all-fire. He was subsequently called Chakshus or eye.

The names other than Chakshus indicate different capacities of individual life, ranging from portions of a day to the whole Kalpa. When the downward flow of Jivas was the rule, Dhruva had to make great sacrifice to remain fixed on the spiritual plane. Hence he wors.h.i.+pped Vishnu, as directed by Narada. Sarva-tejas or Chakshus perhaps indicates the appearance of perceptive faculties. The son of Chakshus is glorified with the t.i.tle of Manu. This is significant. He is called Nadvala, or one made of reeds. This marks a new era in the progress of Monads. As the reed is made up of sheaths over-lapping each other, so the sons of this Manu were const.i.tuted of overlapping principles. Why Nadvala is called Manu, has to be found out in the circ.u.mstances that attended the progress of the Monads from the mineral to the vegetable stage. The son of this Manu was Anga or the limbs. And Anga was wedded to the daughter of the death G.o.d. So there was no death up to the Nadvala form of life, and no limbs. It was something like the appearance of protoplastic matter, with all its potentialities of evolving life forms. Thus we can understand the importance of Nadvala as a Manu. Death or decay made the inorganic to develop organs or anga.]

II. THE STORY OF PRITHU.

*SKANDHA. IV. CHAP. 13-23.*

Nadvala had twelve sons; one of them being Ulmuka (fire-brand, torch).

He had six sons, one of them being Anga or the members of the body. Anga married Sunitha, the daughter of Death. The iniquitous Vena was the son of Anga. When he became king, he issued a proclamation prohibiting all wors.h.i.+p and sacrifices. The sages strongly remonstrated with him but when he turned a deaf ear to their words, they killed him with their incantations. The kingdom was now without a ruler and there was great disorder. The Ris.h.i.+s then churned the thigh of the dead body, until a dwarfish, deep black person came out. The Ris.h.i.+s told him to 'sit down and wait.' Hence he was called Nishada. They then churned the two arms, and a pair arose. "This male is an incarnation of Vishnu," said the Ris.h.i.+s, "and this female is an incarnation of Lakshmi. They shall marry each other. He shall be called Prithu and his wife, Archis. Prithu shall be the King and he shall preserve all beings." Prithu accepted the duty of preserving the people. He saw there was no vegetation on the earth.

His subjects suffered from hunger. He thought that the earth had eaten up the seeds and was not bringing forth the plants. In anger Prithu took up his bow and aimed at the earth. She a.s.sumed the form of a cow and began to run away chased by the King. But she at last yielded and requested him to spare her life. "Thou art Lord of this Universe,"

exclaimed the earth, "Thou knowest very well that the forms of vegetable life created by Brahma could not be used in Yajna so long. I have therefore preserved them within myself. If I had not done so, they would have been destroyed long ago and no Yajna could be performed in future.

True, they are now rotting in me. But think about the best means to bring them out. Find out a calf, a milk-pot and a milker. I will secrete all desired objects as my milk. But first of all make my surface flat and level." Prithu rejoiced at these words. He made Svayambhuva Manu the calf and milked all vegetables into his own hands. Others followed him.

The Ris.h.i.+s made Vrihaspati their calf and drew out the Vedas into their Indriyas.

The Devas made Indra their calf and milked out into their golden pot Amrita and energy of body, of mind and of the Indriyas.

The Daityas and Danavas made Prahlada their calf and milked out wine into their iron pot. The Gandharvas and Apsaras made Visvavasu their calf and milked out into their lotus vessel, fragrance, beauty and sweet words.

The Pitris made Aryaman their calf and extracted into their unburnt earth vessel the Kavya offerings. The Siddhas made Kapila their calf and milked out the Siddhis (animan &c). (And so other instances are given).

Prithu was so glad that he called earth his daughter and hence she is called Prithivi or the daughter of Prithu. The King also crushed the mountains and made the earth's surface level.

Prithu then commenced a series of Asvamedha Yajnas. During the performance of the hundredth, Indra twice stole away the sacrificial horse, but Prithu's son restored it on both the occasions. The performer of one hundred Asvamedha sacrifices becomes an Indra. This was the cause of Indra's fear. Prithu could not bear the disgraceful conduct of Indra and he resolved to kill him. The Ris.h.i.+s dissuaded him and even Brahma and Vishnu appeared to soothe the offended King and restore his friends.h.i.+p with Indra. Vishnu explained to Prithu that he had enough to do as a king of the earth and as a preserver of the people and that he should not aspire to become Indra, who had his duties as well.

Sometime after, the Sanat k.u.mar brothers appeared before the King and taught him the way to Mukti. He made over the kingdom to his son Vijitasva and retired into the forest. At last he gave up the body and went to Vaikuntha.

THOUGHT ON THE ABOVE.

[We left the Monad in its protoplasmic state. The protoplasmic ma.s.s began to spread out limbs (Anga). But the development of limbs was not an unmixed blessing, for Anga became wedded to the daughter of Death.

There was no death in the protoplasm. The offspring of the first connexion with death was Vena.

The root _ven_ means to move. The first moving protoplasmic ma.s.s had too much of unruliness in it, and it was not therefore fitted for _yajna_ or evolution. It had to be brought under the law and the black element was churned out. That black element of Tamas had to wait till the time of the great dissolution. Vishnu had to incarnate at this stage as Prithu to suffuse the material ma.s.s with _satva_ and thereby make it conscious.

The course of evolution received a great impetus. The Monad had pa.s.sed through elemental and mineral stages. Organic life had already appeared.

Matter had pa.s.sed through the grossness and immobility of Tamas and the irregular, impulsive and purposeless movements of Rajas, till it became permeated with Satva, when those movements a.s.sumed the regularity of conscious acts. The consciousness of Satva made the future evolution or _yajna_ teem with big possibilities. Earth could no longer keep back the seeds of the vegetable creation in her bosom. Her surface became levelled and she looked green with vegetation. She brought forth all her latent life-energies and life-evolution commenced in right earnest under the guidance of the first King energised by Vishnu for the preservation of the universe. But that King was not to exceed the proper bounds. He was not to usurp the functions of Indra. The Devas are the executive officers of the Ris.h.i.+s in the cyclic administration of the universe and their work is more on cyclic than on individual lines. The kings however as representing Manu have to deal directly with Monads and Egos and have to guide them according to the light of the Ris.h.i.+s. Prithu was asked by Vishnu to keep himself within the bounds of kingly duties.]

III. THE STORY OF THE PRACHINA BARHIS OR BARHISHAD.

*SKANDHA IV. CHAP, 24.*

The eldest son of Prithu was Vijitasva. He was so called for having restored the sacrificial horse stolen by Indra. Indra taught him the art of becoming invisible. Hence he was also called Antardhana. He had four brothers - Havyaksha, Dhumrakesha, Vrika and Dravinas. To them he gave the east, the south, the west and the north respectively. By his wife Sikhandini, Vijitasva had three sons - Pavaka, Pavamana, and Suchi.

These fire-G.o.ds descended by the curse of Vasishtha but the descent was only temporary. Antardhana had by his other wife Nabhasvati one son, Havirdhana. Havirdhana had six sons - Barhishad, Gaya, Sukla, Krishna, Satya and Jitavrata. Of these, Barhishad was a great votary of Kriya, (action) and he constantly performed Yajnas. Even while he was performing one Yajna, the place for another was preparing close by.

Hence he was called Prachina-Barhis. King Prachina-Barhis married Satadruti, the daughter of the Ocean-G.o.d. And he had by her ten sons, all of whom were called Prachetas. The King ordered his sons to enlarge the creation. They went out to make Tapas for one thousand years. Narada came to the King and told him that the way to Mukti was not through Kriya Kanda. By. performing sacrifices he was only acquiring new karma.

The only way to attain liberation was to know oneself. The Ris.h.i.+ ill.u.s.trated his teachings by the famous allegory of Puranjana. The King heard the story and its explanation from Narada. He did not wait for the return of his sons. But he called his ministers together and delivered to them his mandate that his sons were to succeed him on the throne. He went to the asrama of Kapila for Tapas and attained liberation.