Çré Saphalä Ekädaçé Issue no:102 1st January 2019 Vrtrasura, Çrémad-Bhägavatam And Devé-Bhägavatam

Vrtrasuras Glorious Death Vrtrasura, Çrémad-Bhägavatam Srila Sukadeva Goswami And Devé-Bhägavatam Srila Jiva Goswami

How Can One Become A Perfect Person? What Is The Final Destination Of His Divine Grace Those Who Worship Sri Gauranga? A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura Circulaton 28, 630 Issue no 102, Page — 2 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä

Vrtrasuras Glorious Death due to his blazing rage, As it flew in the sky, Srila Sukadeva Goswami Vrtrasura’s trident resembled a brilliant meteor. Although the blazing weapon was Sukadeva Goswami said: Due to difficult to even look upon, King Indra, his desire to give up his body, Vrtrasura was undaunted and , cut it to pieces with considered death in the battle preferable his thunderbolt. Simultaneously, he cut to victory over his enemy. O King Pariksit, off one of Vrtrasura’s arms, which was as just as Kaitabha had forcefully attacked the thick as the body of Vasuki, the King of Supreme Personality of Godhead when the serpents. Although one of his arms the universe was inundated, with great was severed from his body, Vrtrasura force Vrtrasura attacked Lord Indra, the angrily approached King Indra and struck King of heaven. Vrtrasura, the prominent him on the jaw with an iron mace. He also hero of the demons, whirled his trident, struck the elephant that carried Indra. As which had points like the flames of the a result of this attack Indra dropped the blazing fire at the end of the millennium. thunderbolt from his hand. Roaring and exclaiming loudly, “O sinful The denizens of various planets, like one, thus shall I kill you!”, he hurled that the demigods, demons, Caranas and weapon at Indra with formidable power Siddhas, praised Vrtrasura’s deed, but Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya www.ibmedu.org nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Issue no 102, Page—3 when they observed that Indra was in always dependent, he falsely thinks himself great danger, they lamented, “Alas! Alas!” the Supreme. If one thinks, “According Having dropped the thunderbolt from his to one’s previous fruitive actions, one’s hand in the presence of his enemy, Indra material body is created by the father and was practically defeated and felt greatly mother, and the same body is annihilated ashamed. He did not darerecover his by another agent, as another animal is weapon. Vrtrasura, however, encouraged devoured by a tiger,” this is not a correct him, saying, “Take up your thunderbolt understanding. The Supreme Personality and kill your enemy. This is not the time to of Godhead Himself creates and devours lament your fate.” the living beings through other living Vrtrasura continued: O Indra, no one beings. Just as a person not inclined to die but the original enjoyer, the Supreme must nonetheless give up his longevity, Personality of Godhead, Bhagavan is opulence, fame and everything else at guaranteed of being always victorious. He the time of death, so, at the appointed alone is the cause of creation, maintenance time of victory, one can gain all these and annihilation, and He knows everything. when the Supreme Lord awards them by Being dependent and being obliged to His mercy. Since everything is dependent accept material bodies, His belligerent on the supreme will of the Personality of subordinates- we ordinary living entities- Godhead, one should be equipoised in are sometimes victorious and sometimes dualities like fame and infamy, victory and defeated. All living beings in all the planets defeat, life and death. When experiencing of this universe, including the presiding the effects of these dualities represented deities of the planets themselves, are fully as happiness and distress, one should under the control of the Lord. They act like maintain oneself in equilibrium, without birds caught in a net, who cannot move anxiety. independently. Our sensory prowess, mental power, bodily strength, living force, One who knows that the three qualitative immortality and mortality are all subject modes of goodness, passion and ignorance to the superintendence of the Supreme are not qualities of the soul but rather Personality of Godhead. Not knowing this, the qualities of material nature, and who foolish people think their dull material knows that the pure soul is simply an body to be the cause of their activities. observer of the actions and reactions of O King Indra, as a wooden doll that these qualities, should be understood to looks like a woman or as an animal made be a liberated person. He is not bound by of grass and leaves cannot move or dance these material qualities. O my enemy, just independently, but depend fully on the look at me. I have already been defeated, person who handles it, all of us dance for my weapon and arm have been cut to according to the desire of the supreme pieces. You have already overwhelmed controller, the Personality of Godhead. me, but nonetheless, with a desire to No one is independent. The three puruñas defeat and kill you, I am still trying my Karanodaksayi-Visnu, Garbhodakasayi best to fight. I am not at all morose, even Visnu and Ksirodakasayi-Visnu the material under such adverse conditions. Therefore nature, the total material energy, the false you should give up your moroseness and ego, the five material elements, the material continue fighting. senses, the mind, the intelligence and O my enemy, consider this battle a consciousness cannot create the material gambling match in which our lives are the manifestation without the direction of the stakes, the arrows are the dice, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A foolish, animals acting as carriers are the game senseless person cannot understand the board. No one can understand who will be Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although defeated and who will be victorious. It all www.ibmedu.org Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya Issue no 102, Page — 4 Top left 4 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä depends on all-powerful providence. pieces by Indra. Being very powerful in Sukadeva Goswami said: Hearing physical strength and influence Vrtrasura the straightforward, instructive words then placed his lower part of jaw on the of Vrtrasura, King Indra praised him and ground and his upper jaw in the air. His again took up the thunderbolt. Without expanded mouth became very deep, like bewilderment or duplicity, he then smiled the sky itself, and his tongue appeared and spoke to Vrtrasura as follows. like a large serpent. With fearful, deadly Indra said: O great demon, I can teeth, he seemed to be trying to devour the understand by your discrimination and entire universe. Thus assuming a gigantic endurance in devotional service, in spite body, the great demon Vrtrasura shook your being in a dangerous position, that even the mountains and began crushing you are certainly a perfect devotee of the surface of the earth under his feet, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, if he were the Himalayas walking about. the Supersoul and friend of everyone. He came before Indra and swallowed him You have surmounted the powerful and Airavata, his elephantine carrier, just illusory energy of Lord Visnu, and as a monstrous python might swallow an because of achieving this liberation, you elephant. When the demigods, along with have given up the demoniac mentality Brahma, his prajäpatis and other great and have attained the position of an saintly persons, saw that Indra had been exalted devotee. O Vrtrasura, demons swallowed by the demon, they became are generally conducted by the mode of morose. “Alas,” they lamented. “What a passion. Therefore, it is simply wondrous calamity! What a calamity!” that although you are a demon, you have The protective armor of Narayana which adopted the pure mentality of a devotee Indra now wore, was identical with, and have fixed your mind on the Supreme the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva, who Narayana Himself. Protected by that armor is always situated in pure goodness. A and by his own mystic power, King Indra, person firmly established in the devotional although swallowed by Vrtrasura, did not service of the Supreme Lord, Hari, the perish within the demon’s belly. Using Lord of the highest auspiciousness, swims his thunderbolt, King Indra, who was in an ocean of nectar. For him what is also extremely powerful, pierced through the use of the scant water found in small Vrtrasura’s abdomen and emerged. ditches? Indra, the killer of the demon Bala, then Sri Sukadeva Goswami said: Vrtrasura immediately began to cut off Vrtrasura’s and King Indra spoke about devotional head, which was as high as the peak of service even on the battlefield, and then a mountain. Although the thunderbolt as a matter of duty they again began revolved around Vrtrasura’s neck with fighting. My dear King, both of them were great speed, separating his head from his great fighters and were equally powerful. body took one complete year (360 days), O Maharaja Pariksit, Vrtrasura, who was the time in which the sun, moon and competant to subdue his enemies, took other luminaries complete a northern and his iron club, whirled it , aimed it at southern journey. Then, at the suitable Indra and then hurled it at him with his time for Vrtrasura to die, his head fell to left hand. With his thunderbolt named the ground. When Vrtrasura was killed, the Shataparvan, Indra simultaneously Gandharvas and Siddhas in the heavenly cut to pieces Vrtrasura’s club and his planets played kettledrums in jubilation. remaining arm. Vrtrasura, now bleeding They celebrated the prowess of Indra, profusely, his two arms cut off at their the killer of Vrtrasura, with Vedic hymns roots, looked very beautiful, like a flying praising him and showering flowers upon mountain whose wings have been cut to his head with great pleasure. O King Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya www.ibmedu.org nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Issue no 102, Page—5 Pariksit, subduer of enemies, the living whom they hold in their hearts. I beg to spark then came forth from Vrtrasura’s body offer my respectful obeisance unto Him." and returned home, back to Godhead. Anyone can be purified if he takes shelter While all the demigods looked on, he of a pure devotee and molds his character gloriously entered the transcendental according to the pure devotee's direction. world to become an associate of Lord Then, even if one is a Kiräta, Andhra, Sankarsana. Pulinda or whatever, he can be purified — Çrémad-Bhägavatam (Bhägavata Puräëa) » Canto 6: and elevated to the position of a mahä- Prescribed Duties for Mankind » SB 6.12: Vrtrasura’s Glorious pauruñya. Death » Verse: 1-35. Vrtrasura has formerly prayed (SB 6.11.25), na näka-påñöhaà na ca pärameñöhyaà na How Can One Become A Pefect Person? särva-bhaumaà na rasädhipatyam. "I do His Divine Grace not want the facilities for happiness on the A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada highest planets of Brahmaloka, Svargaloka or even Dhruvaloka, what to speak of on Lord Visnu is the mahä-puruña. Therefore this earth or the lower planets. I simply one who becomes connected to Lord Visnu want to return home, back to Godhead." as a Vaisnava attains the designation of This is the determined resolution of a “mahä-pauruñya”. This status or position pure devotee. He is never attracted to any was attained by Maharaja Pariksit. It is said exalted position within this material world. in the Padma Puräëa that the distinction He simply wants to associate with the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the between a demigod and a demon is that a demigod is a devotee of Lord Visnu manner of the inhabitants of Vrindavana whereas a demon is just the opposite: - Srimati Radharani, the gopis, Krishna's Viñëu-bhaktaù småto daiva äsuras tad- father and mother (Nanda Maharaja and viparyayaù. Vrtrasura was considered Yashoda), Krishna's friends and Krishna's a demon, but actually he was more than servants. He simply wants to associate qualified as a devotee, or mahä-pauruñya. with the Krishna conscious atmosphere If one somehow becomes the Supreme of Vrindavana's unalloyed beauty. These Lord's devotee, regardless of his previous are the highest ambitions of a devotee position, he can be brought to the platform of Krishna. Devotees of Lord Visnu may of a perfect person. This is possible if an aspire for a position in Vaikunthaloka, but unalloyed devotee serves the Lord by a devotee of Krishna never aspires even elevating him in this way. Therefore for the facilities of Vaikuntha; his only Sukadeva Goswami says in Çrémad- wish is to return to Goloka Vrindavan and Bhägavatam (2.4.18): associate with Lord Krishna in His eternal pastimes. Any form of material happiness is like measly water in a ditch, whereas the kiräta-hüëändhra-pulinda-pulkaçä spiritual happiness eternally enjoyed in the äbhéra-çumbhä yavanäù khasädayaù spiritual world is like an ocean of nectar ye 'nye ca päpä yad-apäçrayäçrayäù in which a devotee always submerges çudhyanti tasmai prabhaviñëave namaù himself. This is what a devotee of Krishna ardently aspires for. "Kiratas, Hunas, Andhras, Pulindas, — Çrémad-Bhägavatam (Bhägavata Puräëa) » Canto 6: Pulkasas, Abhiras, Shumbhas, Yavanas and Prescribed Duties for Mankind » SB 6.12: Vrtrasura’s Glorious members of the Khasa races, and others Death » Purort to the Verses: 21 and 23. who are addicted to sinful acts can be purified by taking shelter of the devotees of the Lord, for He is the supreme power

www.ibmedu.org Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya Issue no 102, Page — 6 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Vrtrasura, Çrémad-Bhägavatam "Which is the controlling deity?' He And Devé-Bhägavatam answered, `It is präëa, the air of life. All Srila Jiva Goswami beings which exist enter within präëa, and all rise up again from präëa. That präëa is yaträdhikåtya gäyatréà the controlling deity.'" kértyate dharma-vistaraù In the Vedänta-sütra (1.1.23), Srila Vyasa offers the aphorism ata eva präëaù to Vrtrasura-vadhopetaà prove that the präëa-vidyä is a not just a tad Bhägavatam ucyate depiction of a subtle physical energy but särasvatasya kalpasya a transcendental meditation on Brahman. proñöhapadyäà tu tad dadet Baladeva Vidyabhusana explains in his añöädaça-sahasräëi Vedänta commentary, Govinda-bhäñya: hema-siàha-samanvitam präëo 'yaà sarveçvara eva na tu väyu- vikäraù. kutaù? ata eva sarva-bhütotpatti- "In the beginning of one of the Puräëas the pralaya-hetutva-rüpäd brahma-liìgäd Gäyatré mantra is the focus of discourse. eva. "This präëa is the Lord of all, not In it all the ramifications of true religion are a mere transformation of the element enunciated, and the killing of the demon air. Why is that ? It is because präëa is Vrtra is also described. The Puräëa which characterized as the Supreme, in terms of has these characteristics is called Çrémad- its being the cause of all beings' generation Bhägavatam (Bhägavata Puräëa). and destruction." It deals with the Särasvata-kalpa and The second vidyä which the Ashvinis has eighteen thousand verses. One should learned from Dadhici is the Näräyaëa- give it as a gift on a gold lion-throne in the kavaca, a meditation on God in many of month of Prauñöhapada." His personal forms meant for protection This unidentified Puräëic verse cited from various kinds of danger. The same by Srila Sridhara Swami specifies that the Näräyaëa-kavaca is recited in the eighth Bhägavatam describes the Hayagréva- chapter of Çrémad-Bhägavatam's Sixth brahma-vidyä. Although Hayagriva is also Canto (Texts 12–34), although in that the name of an incarnation of Lord Visnu instance it is being taught by a grand- who appeared with a horse's head and disciple of Dadhici, the sage Viçvarüpa, to spoke the Vedas to Lord Brahma, Srila Jiva Lord Indra. Goswami here explains that this Hayagréva His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupäda gives is different. He is the sage Dadhici, who more information on the story of Dadhici's taught the Ashvini-kumaras two specific teaching that brahma-vidyä in a purport vidyäs, (systematic meditations on the to his translation of Çrémad-Bhägavatam Supreme for aspirants on various levels of 6.9.52: realization). The Upaniñads give instruction "The following story is narrated by many on several such vidyäs, among them the äcäryas in their commentaries: The great pravargya taught by Dadhici, otherwise sage Dadhici had perfect knowledge of known as the präëa-vidyä, a meditation on how to perform fruitive activities, and the Supreme in the form of the air of life. he had also attained advanced spiritual The präëa-vidyä is introduced in a passage knowledge. Knowing this, the minor of the Chändogya Upaniñad (1.11.4–5): demigods named the Ashvini-kumaras once approached him, begging to be katamä devateti. präëa iti hoväca, instructed in spiritual science (brahma- sarväëi ha vä imäni bhütäni präëam vidyä). Dadhici Muni replied, `I am eväbhisaàviçanti präëam abhyujjihate now busily engaged in arranging ritual saiñä devatä. sacrifices for auspicious results. Kindly Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya www.ibmedu.org nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Issue no 102, Page—7 return some time later.' When the Ashvini- Srila Jiva Goswami solves the controversy kumaras left, Indra, the King of heaven, by citing references that list distinctive approached Dadhici and said, `My dear features of Çrémad-Bhägavatam: it begins Muni, the Ashvini-kumaras are mere with the Gäyatré mantra, it contains the physicians. Please do not instruct them in Hayagréva-brahma-vidyä, the events spiritual science. If you impart the spiritual it narrates happened in the Särasvata- science to them despite my admonition, I kalpa, and it was first spoken by Sri shall punish you by cutting off your head.' Sukadeva Goswami to Pariksit Maharaja. After threatening Dadhici in this way, Jiva Goswami further supports his opinion Indra returned to heaven. The Ashvini- by quoting from the Bhävärtha-dépikä, kumaras, who understood Indra's desires, Sridhara Swam’s commentary on Çrémad- returned and again begged Dadhici for Bhägavatam. brahma-vidyä. When the great saint The Devé Bhägavatam opens with a Dadhici informed them of Indra's threat, statement that appears to be based on the Ashvini-kumaras replied, `Let us first Gäyatré: oà sarva-caitanya-rüpäà täm cut off your head and replace it with the ädyaà vidyäà ca dhémahi, buddhià yä head of a horse. You can instruct brahma- naù pracodayät. There are two reasons vidyä through the horse's head, and when this statement should not be equated with Indra returns and cuts off that head, we Gäyatré: Firstly, nothing in it corresponds shall reward you and restore your original to the words savituù, vareëyam, and head.' Since Dadhici had already promised bhargas from Gäyatré. (By contrast, to impart brahma-vidyä to the Ashvini- in Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.1.1 such a kumaras, he agreed to their proposal. correspondence is found.). Secondly, this Thus, because Dadhici imparted brahma- statement is a meditation on Devi, but as Sri vidyä through the mouth of a horse, this Jiva will show in the next Text, the object brahma-vidyä is also known as Açvaçirä." of meditation in Gäyatré is the Supreme In this Text Jiva Goswami gives Personality of Godhead, Lord Visnu. special attention to establishing that the Like Çrémad-Bhägavatam, the Devé Bhägavatam glorified in the Puräëas Bhägavatam narrates the killing of is Çrémad-Bhägavatam. He does this Vrtrasura, but in its account Indra kills Vrtra because some scholars of his time held with ocean foam empowered by Devé. that the Devé Bhägavatam, rather than That version tells that Vrtrasura performed Çrémad-Bhägavatam, was actually the severe penances for hundreds of years Bhägavatam glorified in the Puräëas. to please Lord Brahma. When Brahma Like Çrémad-Bhägavatam, the Devé appeared before him and offered a boon, Bhägavatam is a Puräëa with twelve Vrtra asked that he would not be slain by cantos, 18,000 verses, and an account of any weapon made of iron or wood, or one Vrtrasura’s death, although its account that was dry or wet. After Lord Brahma of how Vrtra was killed differs from the granted this boon, Vrtra attacked Indra and one in Çrémad-Bhägavatam. Also, when defeated him. Indra subsequently took some traditional scholars read in the help from Lord Visnu, who entered Indra’s Puräëas that on the full-moon day of the thunderbolt and also advised him to take month of Bhädra one should donate the the help of Dev1 and make a truce with Bhägavatam mounted on a golden lion Vrtra. Indra then apparently befriended (hema-siàha), they take this to mean the Vrtrasura. But one day at dusk Indra Devé Bhägavatam. This seems quite fitting, surprised Vrtrasura on a beach and slew since Devi, or Durga, rides on a lion. (In him with his thunderbolt covered with the case of Çrémad-Bhägavatam, hema- foam, which was not a weapon of iron or siàha is understood to mean “golden lion- wood and was neither moist nor dry. throne.”) www.ibmedu.org Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya Issue no 102, Page — 8 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä The Devé Bhägavatam also makes no péöha after liberation. Then there are those mention of the Hayagréva-brahma-vidyä devotees who in their period of sädhana (the Näräyaëa-varma). For all these worship both Sri Krishna and Sri Gauranga. reasons it is clear that the Bhägavatam After obtaining liberation, these devotees referred to in the verse cited by Sridhara acquire two transcendental forms and Swami is not the Devé Bhägavatam. simultaneously serve Sri Krishna in kåñëa- — An excerpt from Çré Tattva-sandarbha (20.5) of Srila Jiva péöha and Sri Gauranga in gaura-péöha. Goswami Translated by Sri Gopiparadhan Das and BBT. This is the divine and confidential mystery of the inconceivable, simultaneous What Is The Final Destination Of Those oneness and difference of Sri Krishna and Who Worship Sri Gauranga? Sri Gauranga.” Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura — Excerpt from Chapter 17 of Jaiva-dharma by Srila Bhaktivinod Thakura, Translated by Sarvabhävana Das. “Sri Krishna and Sri Gauranga are non- different in terms of tattva ( category ); they are the same Absolute Truth and both are the fountainheads of madhura- !! Sri Sri Nitai Gaurchandra Jayati !! rasa, nectarean, honey-like mellows. ISKCON Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya However, there are two ways in which is a branch of madhura-rasa manifests: mädhurya, International Society for Krishna Consciousness Founder-Äcärya: His Divine Grace transcendental conjugal sweetness; and A.C. BhaktiVedanta Swami Prabhupāda audärya, transcendental magnanimity. When mädhurya is pre-eminent, Sri Ongoing Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya Projects: Krishna manifests, and when audärya is 1. Bhāgavata Vidyālaya – A program to systemactically teach Srimad-Bhāgavatam for your prominent, Sri Gauranga manifests. In the temple/community. original Vrindavan, known also as Goloka, 2. Bhāgavata Carcā – there are two symmetrical halves: kåñëa- A 64-week program compiled from 64 chapters of Srimad- péöha, the abode of Sri Krishna; and gaura- Bhāgavatam péöha, the abode of Sri Gauranga. Those 3. Self-study course on Srimad-Bhāgavatam. Jivas whose devotional mood is primarily 4. Self-study course on Caitanya-caritāmṛta mädhurya appended with audärya reside in kåñëa-péöha,—they are the devotees of 5. Bhāgavata Teachers Training course. Sri Krishna. Those Jivas whose devotional 6. Fortnightly e-magazine exclusively on Srimad-Bhāgavatam mood is most pronouncedly audärya, in English and Monthly in Spanish. supported by mädhurya reside in gaura- 7. 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