Srimad Bhagavatham Skanda 2 Chapter 2 - " Be one with Bhagavan in all earnestness "

  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')

Sukacharya explained the ways to meditate upon Bhagavan to King Parikshit in the previous chapter and he made it clear that Brahma acquired the power to create the World (Srishti) by meditating upon the ‘Virat Purush’ as was described by him.

When a person is in wants  and has to work hard to earn his bread, he does not find time for meditation. Should  someone takes care to feed a person, he may be able to practice ‘dhyana’. It is for meeting this purpose, free feeding exists in Temples and in places like Mutts run by religious  endowments from time immemorial. How long can one keep his eye in earnings alone which would only attract worries, make one greed and force unpleasant situations.

Suka addressed the King:- “ When large free space is openly available, where is the need for a cot or pillows to lie down ? A person need not search for a spoon or a fork when two hands are available to eat .  The river or pond is not dried up and when water flows copiously, what is the need to search for water?   Nature provides fruits, nuts and fibrous material as energy to live - where is the necessity to go for synthetic food? Similarly one need not search for a big mansion to live. It  becomes therefore evident one can lead a healthy life provided he endears to live with Nature and accept  the natural surroundings”.

Parikshit attempted  to meditate upon the Virat Purush,  but found it very hard to do so.  Thirumangai Alwar says it is difficult for an ordinary person to sit in ‘ dhyana-posture ‘, by controlling his breath, and focusing his mind at the center of his eyebrows. Instead it would be easy to train the mind to visualize  the image of the deity. We can  bring before our closed eyes for instance the standing posture of the deity Sri Venkateswara clad in pitambara, adorned with a golden crown ,  showing his ‘abhaya-hasta’, carrying the conch shell, disc and a  club. We can focus our attention mentally at his feet adorned with  colourful flowers. So Suka preached the second method of worshiping to King Parikshit. While doing so, the devotee should set his mind in every limb of Bhagavan’s body and get inspired with devotion..

Suka continued :-  ” When a person leaves his mortal remains and departs from this world, he travels in two ways and reaches two different places.  One way is known as ‘ Doomadhi Marga’ which allows him to go to places in line with his ‘Prarabdha’.  The sins and punyas when they become even out  he takes rebirth in bhooloka.  The other way is known as ‘Archiradi Marga’. Here he performs dhyana continuously and reaches a position beyond the sins committed or punyas earned by him. He thus reaches Vaikunta through the Archaradi Marga. He will not be subject to the cycle of birth and death, thereafter” Suka emphatically brings this point in the following lines:-

Etham gathim bhagavathim gatho yaha

  savai punar neha vishajjathe (a)nga !! (Sri Bhagavatham : 2-2-31)

The person who reaches Vaikunta also proclaims :- “ Na Cha Punaravarthathe; Na Cha Punaravarthathe” - meaning No Rebirth, No Rebirth “ which is true for those who reach Vaikunta.    

Dhyana, Upasana or Bhakthi - all advocate one and the same objective of how to reach Bhagavan.

Purusha Suktam outlines :-  Na Anya Pantha:  Ayanaya  Vidhyathe !  -  meaning that there is no other way to reach Bhagavan except  the path of devotion.

Listening to his progressive gunas and singing in praise of those outstanding deeds heart of hearts and visualizing his glorious form at constant intervals renders a person to a state of self actualization. Instead of allowing our mind to wander in meaningless thoughts that serve no purpose, what a great relief it would turn to be when we redirect the thoughts and visualize the radiant form of  Bhagavan. We can feel the joy inside when we hear the story of Vasudeva. It is certain that ‘Bhakthi Marga’ leads us to reach the feet of Bhagavan.

Sukacharya thus explained at length the two ways to meditate upon Bhagavan to King Parikshit.

The second method is easy to follow by all of us.

pn