A MINSTREL SHARES THE BHAGAVATA

LONG AGO IN THE NAIMISHA FOREST in India, Shaunaka, along with some other rishis, decided to hold a religious ceremony that would last for many years and which many other saints and holy men could take part in.

In those days there were saintly minstrels who sang and recited the holy puranas, scriptures that give stories of the gods and goddesses. These storytellers were called Sutas. The great Suta Ugrashrava, son of Romaharshana, was one of them. When he arrived to take part in the ceremony at Naimisharanya, all the other saints, sages, and holy people were pleased. With great respect, they asked him to recite the stories of Lord Hari—especially of his divine play as Krishna.

Suta Ugrashrava was delighted. He said: ‘When you ask about the Bhagavatam, the story of the one called Krishna, or Vasudeva, you are talking about the story of the Supreme Being. The Vedas find their fulfilment in Vasudeva; the goal of all sacrifice is Vasudeva; the fruit of all yoga is Vasudeva; the end of all actions is Vasudeva. Wisdom, austerities, and holy living are all contained in Vasudeva. Vasudeva alone is the goal of all.

‘He who is Vasudeva, Sri Krishna, is the ever-playful Sri Hari. It is He who incarnates himself as the avatara in different ages. The supremely wise Vyasa recounted the story of his life, activities, and teachings in the Bhagavata Purana, and he then taught it to his son Shukadeva. When, after the death of Sri Krishna, everything was engulfed in darkness, this Bhagavata Purana was the sun, illuminating the world with spiritual truth. When King Parikshit heard the Bhagavata Purana from Shukadeva, I too was there, listening with great attention. Whatever I heard from him, I shall narrate to all of you now as best I can.’

THE INCARNATION STORY

At the beginning of creation, God assumed his Cosmic Form (Virat), which is the source of his many incarnations (avataras), and into which they withdraw. From him also, all the gods, human beings, and sub-human creatures have been created.

Ten avataras are usually spoken of, but the Bhagavatam speaks of twenty-four and of even more than that. As countless streams flow from a single lake, so also countless incarnations spring from Sri Hari, the source of creation. Some are portions of him, some are transformations of his qualities into human terms. But Sri Krishna is God himself. He kindly incarnates himself in every age to save us from sufferings produced by various causes.

Shaunaka then asked Suta: Shukadeva is an ever-free soul and is the greatest among the ascetics, and he is always absorbed in the bliss of the Self. Why then did he take up the study of this scripture?

Suta replied: Such are the blessed qualities of the Supreme Lord Hari that even those sages whose sole delight is in the Self and whose bonds of ignorance have been severed—even they have spontaneous love for the Lord. Moreover, besides being drawn to the wonderful qualities of the Lord, Shuka is also fond of the devotees, so he learned this text in order to relate it to the devotees.

Suta continued: I shall now relate to all of you the story of King Parikshit’s life.

KING PARIKSHIT

King Parikshit was the son of the great hero Abhimanyu, who was himself the son of another great hero, Arjuna, one of the five Pandava brothers. While still in his mother’s womb, Parikshit had been saved from the deadly brahmastra weapon by Sri Krishna. Later, before the Pandavas left on their final earthly journey, King Yudhishthira gave his kingdom to Parikshit, and installed him on the royal throne. Parikshit then ruled and protected the vast kingdom and its subjects with great heroism and righteousness.

One day King Parikshit was on a hunting expedition in a forest when he became terribly hungry and thirsty. Wandering about, he spied a small hermitage with a sage inside who was seated in deep samadhi. Not realizing the state that the sage was in, the king eagerly approached him and asked for water, but the sage gave no reply. He didn’t even move. After asking again and again, the thirsty king finally lost his patience. Seeing a dead snake nearby, he picked it up and hung it around the ascetic’s neck. Then he left to search further for water.

The meditating sage was named Shamika, and he had a young son called Shringi. When Shringi learned that the king had put a dead snake around his father’s neck, he was furious. Immediately he uttered a curse: ‘Whoever has thus insulted my father will die in seven days from the venom of the snake Takshaka!’

The great sage soon learned of his son’s angry curse, and he was not at all happy. He understood that the man who had just visited his hermitage had been King Parikshit, protector of the realm and preserver of dharma. He was a supremely virtuous king. Shamika then rebuked his son: ‘Alas, you foolish boy, what have you done? This was not a serious offence, but you have inflicted a serious punishment. He was a righteous king who protected this country. Who will do that now?’ But the die was cast and the curse had to be fulfilled.

After returning home, King Parikshit began to feel remorseful for his ill-treatment of the sage and could not forgive himself. Just then he received the news of the curse on him and decided to prepare for death. He handed his kingdom over to his son Janamejaya and went to the bank of the Ganga. There he spread a grass mat, took his seat, and resolved to give up his body by fasting to death.

After returning home, King Parikshit began to feel remorseful for his ill-treatment of the sage and could not forgive himself. Just then he received the news of the curse on him and decided to prepare for death. He handed his kingdom over to his son Janamejaya and went to the bank of the Ganga. There he spread a grass mat, took his seat, and resolved to give up his body by fasting to death.

Just then the young saint named Shukadeva, son of Vyasa, who wandered about always immersed in the bliss of the Self, came to the bank of the Ganga to meet Parikshit. Though young, he was already a liberated soul of great wisdom and purity. Seeing him, the king felt like a drowning man catching hold of a log. After prostrating himself at the feet of Shuka and honouring him in various ways, the king said with folded hands: ‘O great yogi, in the presence of Lord Vishnu the demons are destroyed, and in your presence a person’s greatest sins disappear. Has Sri Krishna, the friend of the Pandavas, sent you here to console me during my last few days on earth? It must be so! You are a liberated soul, the guru of yogis. Please instruct me. What shall I do with the seven days that remain of my life? What will bring me the greatest good? How should I meditate on God and worship him? How shall I find him and attain liberation?’ Shukadeva was pleased with King Parikshit’s questions, and he began to speak.

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