A Study of the Bhagavata Purana or Esoteric Hinduism Part 4

Tapas, Brahma, the Ris.h.i.+s, and the Nine Praj.a.patis.

In _preservation_ they are:

Dharma, Vishnu, Manu, Devas and Kings.

In _Pralaya_ they are:

Adharma, Siva, Serpents and Asuras.

O Narada, this is, in brief, the Bhagavata Purana. You relate it to others in a much more expanded form, so that people may have Bhakti or Divine attachment to Bhagavan.

THOUGHTS ON THE ABOVE.

The above account of creation relates to Triloki and to the dwellers of Triloki. After creation, some come down from the higher planes and hold responsible positions as we have already seen. The Vaikarika Devas, who may be identified with the Vedic Devas, are created or rather manifested in the Triloki before the Individual creation. They appertain to what the Purana calls Karana or causal Creation. The Vaikritika Devas and Deva Yonis, known as Elemental in Theosophical language, are created according to their Karma in the previous Kalpa and are subject to gradual evolution during the Kalpa. The Vaikarika Devas, however, remain as they are during the whole of the Kalpa. Similarly the Devas of the higher planes, e. g., k.u.mudas, Ribhus, Pratardanas, Anjanabhas and Prat.i.tabhas of Mahar Loka, Brahma Purohitas, Brahma Kayikas, Brahma Maha Kayikas and Amaras of Jana Loka, abhasvaras, Mahabhasvaras, and Satya Mahabhasvaras of Tapas Loka and Achyutas, Suddha Nibasas, Satyabhas and Sanjna Sanjnins of Satya Loka these are not affected by creation in Triloki. The dwellers of those Lokas other than Devas are also similarly not affected. The story of creation is a simple one. As the Linga Purana says, when Earth is scorched up in the summer season, it becomes fallow and the roots of vegetation remain underground. They, however, wait for the rainy season to germinate again and grow in all the varieties of the previous vegetation. Similarly when the previous creation is burnt up by the fires of Pralaya, the roots remain imbedded in Prakriti, which becomes fallow. The fallowness is removed on the approach of the creative period or Kala. Kala, according to Bhagavata, is a Sakti of Purush or the Unmanifested Logos. Then transformation follows in Prakriti according to Svabhava or the inherent nature of Prakriti and Karma, or the root-record of the previous Kalpa gives shape to the transformation.

Sridhara Svami quotes a sloka, which says that there are three Purusha manifestations. The first Purusha is the creator of Mahat and other elemental principles (Tatvas). The Second Purusha is the dweller of the Cosmic Egg. The Third Purusha is the pervader of all beings.

Creation is divided into two stages. First the creation of the principles themselves or Tatvas, which unite to form globes and individuals. This is called Karana creation. Secondly the creation of individuals and of globes. This is called Karya or resultant creation.

Following the law of periodicity, the First Purusha energises the latent Karma or Jiva-record of the previous Kalpa, and prepares the ground for the development of that Karma, by setting Prakriti into active transformation. This is the First Life Wave which caused the principles to appear by themselves. The First Purusha permeated these principles as pure atma.

But the principles could not unite to make the forms, and to make individuals and globes. Purusha, as pure atma could not guide them further, as the gulf between Purusha and Prakriti was too wide. So Purusha had to limit Himself further, by uniting with Mula Prakriti, as one undivided whole, and so becoming the guiding principle of all individual workings in our universe, the pervader of all individuals and globes as atma-Buddhi. The Universe as a whole is represented as an Egg, and the Second Purusha or Virat Purusha is the soul of that Egg.

Individuals and globes appear as germs in that Egg, and are all brought into manifestation in time by the Third Purusha Brahma.

The Second Purusha is called the First Avatara and the seed and resting place of all other Avataras. An Avatara is a highly evolved Jiva, that has attained the Logoic state and that _comes down_ from his exalted position, to serve the universe. Why is the second Purusha called an Avatara? The Brihad aranyaka Upanishad raises the veil a little on this point.

"This was before atma, bearing the shape of man (the first born from the Egg, the embodied soul, the Virat with heads and other members of the body) Looking round, he beheld nothing, but himself. He said first: 'This am I'. Hence the name of I was produced.

"_And because he, as the first of all of them consumed by fire all the sins, therefore he is called Purusha. He verily consumes him, who strives to obtain the state of Praj.a.pati, prior to him."_ Sankaracharya explains the under-lined portion as follows: - "And because he, "Praj.a.pati in a former birth, which is the cause, as the first of those who were desirous to obtain the state of Praj.a.pati by the exercise of reflection on works and knowledge, viz, "as the first of all of them,"

of all those desirous of obtaining the state of Praj.a.pati, consumed by the perfect exercise of reflection in works and knowledge all the sins of contact, which are obstacles to the acquirement of the state 'of Praj.a.pati' because such was the case, therefore he is called Purusha, because, he, _pur_ (first) (did) _ush_ (burn)

Therefore by the words: "He consumes him," it is meant, that the perfect performer obtains the highest state of Praj.a.pati, he, who is less perfect, does not obtain it, and by no means, that the less perfect performer is actually consumed by the perfect.

Here the word Praj.a.pati refers to the Second Purusha.

The state of the Second Purusha is the highest achievement of Jiva. It is the meeting ground of Jiva and the Supreme Purusha. The Second Purusha may be different for each Kalpa, it may be for each Brahmanda.

He is the ishvara, the Lord of our Universe. He holds the whole creation unto His bosom, and is the sustaining force of all. In the three aspects of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva, he guides the creation, the preservation and the dissolution of the Universe. Those that could not attain His state, though they strove for it equally as eminent as the Second Purusha, that are to become the Second Purusha in perhaps another Kalpa or Brahmanda, are the Lila Avataras. They remain merged in the Second Purusha or ishvara and they manifest themselves in the Universe, only when a necessity arises for their manifestation. The Bhagavata contends that of all Lila Avataras, only Krishna is Purusha Himself the others being only partial manifestations of Purusha.

"These are the parts and aspects of Purusha. Krishna is Bhagavan Himself." - I-3-28.

Tamas is dark, opaque and heavy on the physical plane, indolent and ignorant on the mental plane, non-perceptive on the spiritual plane.

Rajas is translucent, and constantly moving on the physical plane; distracted constantly, acquiring likes and dislikes, and exercising intellection on the mental plane; and partially perceptive on the spiritual plane.

Satva is light and transparent on the physical plane, cheerful and buoyant on the mental plane, and fully perceptive on the spiritual plane. True perception and real knowledge follow from Satva. By partial understanding and semblance of knowledge, the results of Rajas, people become distracted and led astray.

Tamas keeps down all beings and enchains them to materiality in the course of evolution, and there is a point in the downfall of beings as well as of globes, beyond which there is a complete break-down. Satva counter-acts Tamas and the preservation and improvement of the Universe, rather of Triloki, there fore mean the infusion of Satva. Vishnu represents Satva and so Vishnu is the Preservative aspect of Virata Purusha. When Rajas and Tamas predominate in Triloki, when the lowest plane Bhur becomes heavy with Tamas, the Lila Avataras appear and infuse Satva into the Lokas.

*SKANDHA I., CHAP. 2-34.*

This Preserver of Lokas preserves the Lokas by means of Satva, by incarnating in Deva, Animal, Human and other kingdoms as Lila Avataras.

The Third Purusha is Brahma in Creation, Vishnu in Preservation and Siva in dissolution. Vishnu as the atma in each being manifests Himself in action consciousness and will. Brahma is the propelling power in the Involution of beings, which gives them their physical body. Vishnu is the propelling force in the evolution of beings through physiological action (Prana), sensation, intellect, and lastly the development of the spiritual faculties.

THE BHaGAVATA PURaNA AND ITS PARTS.

*SKANDHA II., CHAP. 10.*

The next question of Raja Pariks.h.i.+t was most comprehensive. It related to all knowledge of the Universe in all details. In answering the question, Suka related the whole of the Purana, from beginning to end.

In doing so, the Muni gave a short introduction as to the history of the Purana. When Brahma regained his drowsy consciousness at the dawn of the present Kalpa, he knew not how to bring back the former state of things.

He practised Tapas. Then Bhagavan appeared and related to him the Bhagavata Purana. Brahma taught the Purana to his son Narada. Narada gave it to Vyasa, and Vyasa to his son Suka.

The Purana has ten parts: -

1. _Sarga_ - the creation of the Bhutas, Tanmatras, Indriyas, Ahankara and Mahat, or of the materials that form individuals, and the appearance of Virat Purusha.

2. _Visarga_ - the Individual creation by Brahma or the creation of the individual life forms.

3. _Sthana_ - the preservation of the created beings in their own states by Bhagavan.

4. _Poshana_ - the divine favor to those that properly remain in their own states.

5. _Manvantara_ - the duties of the Rulers of Manvantaras.

6. _Uti_ - desires that bind one to Triloki.

7. _Isanukatha_ - stories of the Avataras and of the followers of Hari.

8. _Nirodha_ - the sleep of Hari and of all individual souls a Pralaya.

9. _Mukti_ - the continued perception of the ident.i.ty of self and of Brahma.

10. _Asraya_ - The Final Resort, Para Brahma or Paramatma from whom Creation and Dissolution both proceed.

This brings us to the end of the Second Skandha.

SKANDHA III.

BHaGAVATA AS RELATED BY MAITREYA TO VIDURA.

The Third and Fourth Branches of the Bhagavata are related by Maitreya to Vidura. Maitreya was the disciple of Parasara, father of Vyasa.

Parasara learned the Purana from Sankhyayana, Sankhyayana from Sanat k.u.mara and Sanat k.u.mara from Atlanta Deva.

I.--THE CREATION

*SKANDHA III., CHAP. 5-6.*