Srimad Bhagavatham - Skanda 2 Chapter 1 - ' Ways to meditate upon Bhagavan '

P.Natarajan.  

(Source: Velukkudi Sri. Sri. Krishnan Swamy's writings in recent Tamil weekly Tuglak  - This would serve the limited purpose to read this chapter of Sacred Srimad Bhagavatham by those who don't know to read Tamil or don't get access to the related recent issues of the  Tamil weekly magazine 'Tuglak')

Sri Sukacharya began his address :-  “ Oh ! King Parikshit, You have raised a right question what a person should do when he is about to die. Not only you would gain knowledge but it would benefit a large section of population also. People live their life without being aware of the purpose of the birth. Nights are spent in sleep and the days in earning the livelihood and thus the whole life is spent in the up-keep of the family. It is analogous to people watching interestingly a scene where a large tree is being cut at the two ends. But they don’t realize the section of the tree in the middle would be felled at any time. People run in haste at dawn to earn and bring the earnings late in the evening only to spend it with the family, in the process they forget to do anything towards gaining ‘Brahma-Jnana’.(knowledge about the Supreme). Time is precious like gold and time lost can not be recovered.

Sri Rama addressed Sita when she was expecting : - “ Sita, I have regained whatever I lost - I got back the Kingdom, I got back you but the ten months time of separation from you can never be regained by me which makes me sad." Lord Rama himself accepted that time once lost is lost for ever. The mandate is clear that time needs to be utilized in the best and wholesome  manner for the benefit of all concerned. The stress here is to utilize the valuable time in seeking knowledge about the Supreme being.

Sukacharya continues:- “ Parikshit, you are having at least seven days  but the case of a King by name Kadvanga was different. The King had helped the Devas during a war against Asuras. The Devas asked him what boon he would desire from them. He asked Devas what was his life time and was shocked to know that he would die within one ‘muhurta’ (very short time). He was not disheartened. He rushed to bhooloka  and completed the unfinished tasks and spent the remaining time in praying and meditating upon the Lord Supreme. He reached heaven in the end. If there is a will there is a way. A person should control his senses and orient his thoughts towards Bhagavan. He should meditate upon the ‘OHM’, the Pranava Mantra. The three letters in OHM, A+U+M symbolize Brahman. The letter A points towards Vishnu, and M the Jeeva. The meaning of Ohm is  that Jeevatma is dependent upon Vishnu or better said Jeevatma is enslaved by Paramatma. We should utter the Pranava Mantra sitting in a peaceful and clean surrounding and direct our minds towards every part of the cosmic form of Bhagavan. The breath should be controlled and the mind subdued.  Rajas and Tamas gunas would leave a person, instead Satva guna will be gained”.

Parikshit requested Suka to explain the procedures involved in the meditation of the Supreme being. Suka explained:- “ Bhagavan's cosmic form consists of the whole world which is known as ‘Virat Swarupa’. He is also known as “Vairaja’ in this form. (Quote Sri Bhagavatham):-

Jitasano: jitasvaso jitasango jitendriya:!

Sthoole bhagavato rupe mana: sandharayeth dhiya !! (2-1-23)

We should sit in a proper seat, regulate our breath, control the senses without any passion, and direct the thoughts towards Bhagavan's Form. Whatever objects we see all those are in the form of Bhagavan only. The Universe consists of 14 Worlds. We should meditate that each world or loka is an integral part of Bhagavan’s cosmic form.

The steps in meditation are :- (1) 'Vedana’ viz  the awareness of the Supreme being, (2) ‘Dyana’ -- orienting the thoughts towards him (3) Manana’-- binding the thoughts in him with no deviation at all (4’Nithityasana’ --  the thoughts will be full of love and affection - this constitution is called as ’ Upasana ‘or Dhyana. “

Sukacharya continued his narration :- “ The cosmic form of the Supreme should be thought in the following order:-  starting from the netherworld first and proceeding towards heaven and above - that is in this order - (1) Patala as his sole and feet (2) Rasatala as his heels and toes (3) Mahatala as his ankles (4) Talatala as his shanks (5) Sutala as his knees (6) Vitala & Atala as his two thighs (7) Bhutala as his hips (8) Akasa as his nabhi or navel (9) above Akasa, that is Swarga or heaven as his chest (10) Maharloka as his neck (11) Janaloka as his face (12) Tapa Loka as his forehead (13) Satyaloka as his head.

Indra and other Devas are his hands, All the existing Directions become his ears, Ashwini Devas are his nostrils, the Sun God is his eyes, the night and the day are his two eye-brows, Vedas are his head, Yamadharma is his canines and passion becomes his teeth, the elusive Maya is his smile, the day and the night become his dress. The Moon is his mind. The logic can thus be extended that whatever thing there exists in the 14 worlds becomes part of his limb or cosmic form.” Suka added whoever was able to meditate in the manner elucidated above could obtain liberation or ‘mukti'.

Sukacharya also added “It is traditionally said that the Mahat-Tatva’ is his intellectual power and Rudra Siva is the ego of the Lord who rests in every heart.  The first Manu by name Swayambhava Manu’ is his power of intellect and whose offspring namely the human race represents his dwelling place. Such is the magnitude and configuration of  the cosmic form of Eshwara, as I have described to you. It is on this huge body one's mind should be concentrated on, using one’s own intellect, as nothing exists beyond this “. 
Sukacharya continued to speak which we will see in Chapter 2. (end of chapter 1 of Skanda 2)

pn