Bhagavatam skanda 1 part-5

                Story of PARIKSHIT (part-3)    
         ( This blog is continuation of blog
           Bhagavatam skanda 1 part-4.)
             
          In this blog we will discuss about what made Parikshit to listen Bhagavatam.

          After the entry of kali to Parikshit's crown, he started controlling his mind with his enormous power. Soon Parikshit got the idea of hunting in the forest. Actually king Parikshit always avoids the act of hunting because he thinks hunting is a cruel act towards animals. But due to Kali's influence on his brain, Parikshit went to forest for hunting. After spending so many hours in forest, he didn't find a single animal to hunt. Soon he lost his temper and started to go deep in the forest, eventually he moved far away from his bodyguards. He went to the Deep forest. There Parikshit became so tired and his appetite has increased. Then he found a Rishi's ashram ( hermitage of sage samika). Parikshit gone through the samika's hermitage and asked for some water to drink. But there were no people in the hermitage. Only samika muni is doing meditation under a tree. So sage samika didn't recognised the arrival of king Parikshit. And he failed to arrange the water for him. Parikshit looked at peacefully meditating samika and felt disgusted because samika didn't gave the respect to a king like him. Parikshit was full of arrogance, pride, anger because of Kali's influence. Then Parikshit took his sword and moved towards sage samika and lift his sword to cut the samika's throat. But Parikshit thought of killing sage is a biggest sin. So he aborted the plan of killing and he thought to humiliate the sage samika. So he looked around the hermitage and found a dead snake. Parikshit picked up the dead snake and he rounded up on sage samika's neck. Then Parikshit left from that place. After some time sage samika's son sage srungi came to the hermitage and saw the dead snake around his father's neck. Soon srungi came near to his father and removed the dead snake from his neck. He felt so humiliated because an unknown person put a dead snake on his father's neck. Then he gave a curse to the Parikshit that who ever done this act towards my father will be dead by the 7 days from this day by the snake Takshaka's poison bite. After completing the meditation, sage samika came to his senses and known about the curse gave by his son. Soon by his penance powers, sage samika known the whole scenario done by PARIKSHIT to him, his son's curse. Then sage samika scolded his son for not controlling his temper because a sage should always control his anger. Now due to srungi's anger Parikshit got a curse and he was about die in 7 days. If a king dies suddenly the whole kingdom will be in crisis. So that's why sage samika councelled his son srungi.

Then sage samika sent one of his disciples to Parikshit to say about his son's curse gave to him. A samika's disciple went to king Parikshit's court and said about the whole scenario done at the samika's hermitage and the curse given by srungi. At that time, king Parikshit removed his crown where was kali was in. So there is no influence of kali on Parikshit's mind. Parikshit felt regret for what he done to sage samika and happily accepted the srungi's curse. He was completely ready for death. So he left his king's throne and gave to his elder son Janamejaya. King Parikshit left his all jewelry, costly clothes and palace. Parikshit went to river Ganga. And performing atonement for his sins. But due to the fear of death in 7 days, he couldn't concentrate on god. At that time, there arrived a lot of rushis named vyasa, Agastya, vishwamitra, vasista, ashtavakra, Kashyap, brughu, narada, etc.. All the sages adviced Parikshit to listen Bhagavatam, so he can concentrate on supreme lord. But Parikshit got a doubt that who will preach him Bhagavatam. So all the sages requested shuka muni ( son of vyasa.) to preach Bhagavatam to Parikshit. Shuka muni accepted the sages request and started to preach the Bhagavatam to Parikshit.

            This is how PARIKSHIT listened Bhagavatam from shuka maharshi.

              In latter blogs we will discuss about the preaches given by shuka maharshi to Parikshit on Bhagavatam.

Bhagavatam skanda 1 part-4

               Story of Parikshit ( part-2 )
          ( This blog is continuation of blog Bhagavatam skanda 1 part-3.)

             Pandavas ruled the kingdom for 36 years. Later due to the tsunami, the Dwaraka Kingdom of lord Krishna was merged in underwater. Sri Krishna also ended up his incarnation and went to vaikuntha ( place of lord Vishnu). After knowing this, Pandavas decided to leave the kingdom. They made Parikshit as new king to the Hastinapur and went to Himalayas. Soon they also left the world and went to svarga lok ( heaven/ god Indra's court). Then ruling of PARIKSHIT is started.

                He ruled the kingdom in such a way that as the yudhishthira ruled. Parikshit ruling is satisfying the needs of his kingdom's people. All maharshis are praising the Parikshit's rule. He was married to his uncle's ( uttara kumara ) daughter Iravathi. They gave birth to four sons namely Janamejaya, bhimasena, ugrasena, sruthasena. By doing a prosperous ruling in kingdom, Parikshit started Ashwamedha yagna in the presence of their clan's guru "kripacharya".  In a Vijaya Yatra,( a victory program or procession done by the emperors) he saw a strange incident. That is Parikshit saw a buffalo with one leg and besides a weeping cow. Here the buffalo with one leg is dharma devatha ( the god of righteousness) and weeping cow is bhoomatha ( the world). They transformed into those animals and continuing their conversation as: 

    Buffalo: why are you crying world ( cow
                    i.e bhoomatha) ?
     Cow    :  I am crying for the death of
                    Lord Krishna who gave up his
                    form. He is lord Vishnu's
                    incarnation came to my land
                    to save me from Adharma
                    done by people.

As their conversation was going, there came a person who is in king's clothes but with dusty and black face with a cruel sight in his eyes. He came to that single legged buffalo and started beating it with a long and strong stick. He is none other than  kalipurusha(ruler of the Kaliyuga).

His nature is so wicked. He always trouble the earth and becomes a enemy to the righteous people. Soon Parikshit noticed Kali and started a war with him by his tremendous sword. Kali slowly lost in the battle with Parikshit. Parikshit was about to cut the Kali's neck but he soon fell on his feet and begged his pardon to leave him. As per the kshatriya rules, a person who accepted his defeat, will be left by not harming them. Same as Parikshit did, but on one condition that to leave kali from his kingdom. But as per the creation rules, the Parikshit ruling is happening in Kaliyuga ( the fourth yuga according to Hindu scriptures.) So the ruler of that yuga is kali. Understanding this matter, Parikshit ordered to kali that he was permitted to live in only 5 places of his kingdom they are: violence done places, whore's places, drinking alcohol places, gambling places and in the golden objects. As per the Parikshit's order, kali went into those places. But firstly he went into the golden objects i.e Parikshit's ornaments because kali want to end up his story to satisfy his revenge of defeat. He entered to Parikshit's crown and slowly started to control his thoughts.

       ( In latter blog, we will discuss the junk done by kali to Parikshit.)

Bhagavatam skanda 1 part- 3

           Story of king PARIKSHIT.(part-1)

       ( Continuation of blog Bhagavatam 

                       Skanda 1 part-2.) 

         PARIKSHIT is the king of Hastinapur, grandson of 5 Pandavas ( yudhishthira, Bheema, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva), 

son of the great warrior Abhimanyu ( son of Arjuna). His birth story is very exciting. So we will learn his story today. 

          Long time ago in Dwapara yug, Pandavas and Kauravas fought in kurukshetra ( a place in present Hariyana, India.) With an army of 7 Akshaunis and 11 Akshaunis respectively for the throne of Hastinapur empire. 

           ( 1 Akshauni = 21,870 chariots; 21,870 elephants;  65,610 horses and 109,350 infantry.) 

            Pandavas won in that war.  But in Kauravas army a warrior called Ashwathama ( son of guru Dronacharya) is alive and killed all 5 sons of Pandavas when they are in deep sleep. But Pandavas where not present at that time of Ashwathama attack. So Ashwathama killed 5 sons of Pandavas, shikandi, drushtadyumna (commander of Pandavas army) and many soldiers by violating the rules of the war. And he escaped from that place. When Pandavas came to their place after celebrations, they observed the bloodshed done by Ashwathama. Draupadi (wife of Pandavas ) went on  weeping for the death of her 5 sons. Due to this adharma act done by Ashwathama, Bheema ( second brother of 5 Pandavas) was in a very angry mood like a volcano which is ready to blast. Bheema promised to Draupadi that he will bring the Ashwathama alive and handover to Draupadi. So that she can take her revenge by giving the unbearable punishment. Soon Bheema took a chariot and went into the forest where Ashwathama was hiding. Other 4 Pandavas namely yudhishthira, Arjuna, nakula, sahadeva also followed the Bheema to help him. There was also the prime lord sri krishna who played a crucial role in Pandavas winning the battle also followed them. Sri Krishna is the brother in law for Pandavas and he likes pandavas very much because Dharmam is present in Pandavas side. 

    (**  In latter blogs I will deeply discuss about the krishna, Pandavas, and Kauravas and the war between them.**)

           After a long search, Pandavas found Ashwathama where he was hiding in sage vyasa's hermitage. Ashwathama afraid by seeing the Pandavas and krishna approaching to him. So he aimed to Pandavas and attacked with a powerful weapon called "Brahmashironamak astra". By seeing the astra, Arjuna also used the same weapon on Ashwathama. But the colloiding of these 2 astras can destruct the whole universe. So vyasa stopped these astras by his penance powers. But he can't stop the astras for long time and requested both Arjuna and Ashwathama to upasamhar ( take back or withdraw) their Brahmashironamak astra. Arjuna who knew the upasamhar mantra took back his astra. But Ashwathama don't know the upasamhar mantra. So vyasa adviced him to reduce the power and change it's direction. Because Pandavas should rule the kingdom in a dharma way and they are the hope of future Hastinapur. So Ashwathama ready to change his astra's direction but his wish to defeat Pandavas was not fulfilled, so he decided to end up their ( Pandavas) race. Because he thought that if there is no race of Pandavas alive, then Pandavas will live there life difficulty by thinking of their son and grandson's death. But at that point of time there were no sons of Pandavas. All their sons have died in that terrific battle. The only one who alive in Pandavas race was the grandson of Pandavas and son of  Abhimanyu; in Uttara's ( wife of Abhimanyu, daughter in law of Arjuna. ) Womb. So Ashwathama targeted the Uttara's womb to kill Pandavas race. The Brahmashironamak astra targets the Uttara's womb and attacking the baby in her womb. Also Bheema's patience boundary is destroyed, he caught Ashwathama and beat him black and blue. Bheema tied him with ropes and dragged him towards Draupadi. Then Bheema said to Draupadi that to punish him as your will. Instead of punishing him, Draupadi in deep sorrowful mood asked Ashwathama about how he was able to kill his little, innocent children with that harsh sword. Ashwathama doesn't have any answer to her distressed question. And Draupadi ordered her husbands to leave this Ashwathama, because Ashwathama is a brahmin and especially he his the child of their Guru Dronacharya i.e. teacher's son. But Bheema not accepted the proposal of leaving Ashwathama alive. So krishna adviced him that to take off his jewel which was in his forehead. So that his prestige and power  will be lost. Bheema took the jewel from Ashwathama's head forcefully and freed Ashwathama.

               But, Ashwathama's weapon in Uttara's womb is active and slowly killing the baby inside her. Uttara went on weeping due to the power of Brahmashironamak astra in her womb. All Pandavas, Draupadi, Kunti ( mother of Pandavas) are worried about the baby in Uttara's womb. Then everyone worshipped lord Krishna to help them. Krishna agreed to help them and used his full thapopalam ( penance power) to save the baby. He removed all the power of Brahmashironamak astra in her womb and gave the new life to the dead baby. And after that incidents yudhishthira became king of Hastinapur. He ruled his kingdom best to his subjects. After a few months, a son named Parikshit was born to uttara. All the people of Hastinapur celebrated that their future hope was born. Whole Hastinapur empire is celebrating the birth of Parikshit. 

                 In next post, we will discuss the Parikshit accepting the throne and his ruling and his story towards his death. 

Bhagavatam skanda 1 part-2

                           Story of SHUKA

       ( Vyasa's son, Bhagavatam preacher.)

     ( This blog is continuation of Bhagavatam           skanda 1 part-1.)

            Vyasa written BHAGAVATAM philosophically with the respect and heartful devotion towards lord vishnu. But he has doubt that which person can teach the bhagavatam's philosophy by not deviating the devotion towards vishnu. And he left the question to the lord and started penance and yagnas in his hermitage.

             After a long time, vyasa once thought to have a child. Because after taking a birth in this world, a human should perform the 4 runas called Manushya, Deva, Rushi, Pitru runas. According to Hindu scriptures RUNAM means the duty of every person to perform in his birth. Vyasa completed the 3 runas except pitru runam because to do pitru runam we should have a own child. But Vyasa is a bachelor rushi. So to accomplish pitru runam he performed a difficult penance to please lord Shiva. After many years of penance lord shiva appeared and gave a boon to vyasa that in a short time he will have a son. Vyasa was satisfied by the boon and started his journey towards his hermitage. But in the journey vyasa got a doubt that he doesn't have a wife, then how he can have a son. And similarly he left the biggest doubt to lord. 

                 Once vyasa performed a yagnam in his hermitage. At that time there appeared a apsarasa( dancer in heaven.) named Gruthachi. Vyasa got the sex feelings when he saw the Gruthachi and a sperm was expelled from his body into the sacred fire of yagna. But soon vyasa came into his senses and controlled his feelings and gave a high intensity anger sight towards Gruthachi. Then Gruthachi afraid of that anger sight and flew away from that place by becoming a shuka( parrot). But Vyasa didn't observed his sperm that fell in the yagna. And vyasa started the performance of yagna. After some time due to the blessings of lord shiva a son was born from that sacred yagna. Vyasa was taken that child and named him as shuka. 

           Shuka maharshi is like a yogi from his birth. That means he doesn't have any interests in external world, he thinks only about the eternal god. When he born, he firstly asked his father vyasa about how to get Moksham( salvation). But Vyasa replied that to get Moksham we need to grow, experience, think and live the life and at the end of the life we get Moksham. But shuka maharshi thinks of only the eternal god. 

             Once shuka is walking in the forest without any senses and dress on his body to find the god. Vyasa is calling and following the shuka in that dense forest but shuka is not on his senses and doesn't answering to any calling of vyasa. Shuka then reached a pond where apsaras are taking bath nude. Shuka saw the nude apsaras but he didn't tempted to them. Also apsaras are not worried about the arrival of SHUKA. After shuka went away, vyasa came and saw the nude apsaras. Immediately vyasa moved a side and closed his eyes and apsaras are worried and dressed themselves. Then vyasa got a doubt that why these apsaras are worried by looking at me but not worried by looking at young and handsome shuka muni? And vyasa asked the same question to the apsaras. Then apsaras replied that shuka was like a kid who always think of god god doesn't think of this external world and mainly he doesn't know the difference between man and woman but Vyasa knew the difference. That's why apsaras worried when they look to vyasa but not to shuka. Then vyasa understood that his son shuka is a person of reasonable birth. So vyasa called shuka and taught the complete veda knowledge, Upanishads, ithihasas and his greatest work BHAGAVATAM which helped shuka muni to find the god in himself. Shuka learnt Bhagavatam very well that he understands the each and every philosophy of it. Now he is ready to teach Bhagavatam. 

                ( In our next blog we will discuss about the first listener of Bhagavatam.)

                           Thank you...