Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 06.05.2017 morning, Rila)

(continues from the previous Friday)

 Today we shall read a forest story. Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya. Shrimad Bhagavatam is the ripe fruit of the Vedas. Mahaprabhu selected this as a very essential scripture. And there are many-many different topics inside – like how the creation is done, how devotees perform their life; kings, ascetics, yogis are the main characters. But nevertheless we know that all these stories direct our attention to something else. And this is the living and loving divine connection. Therefore today we remember a very instructive and very beautiful story of Bharata Maharaj:

“Shukadeva Gosvami continued speaking to Maharaja Parikshit: My dear King, Bharata Maharaja was a topmost devotee. Following the orders of his father, who had already decided to install him on the throne, he began to rule the earth accordingly. When Bharata Maharaja ruled the entire globe, he followed the orders of his father and married Pancajani, the daughter of Vishvarupa.”[1]

This is the way – if you want to become kings, first try to enjoy the blessings of your father king. Of course we all want to be kings – to be in power of the situation, right? Without the blessings of the superiors, you can dominate by some chance; but the tradition goes according to this principle – enjoy the blessings and then accomplish. So, how to become the kings of our lives?

“Just as the false ego creates the subtle sense objects, Maharaja Bharata created five sons in the womb of Pancajani, his wife. These sons were named Sumati, Rashtrabhrita, Sudarshana, Avarana and Dhumraketu. Formerly this planet was known as Ajanabha-varsha, but since Maharaja Bharata’s reign it has become known as Bharata-varsha. Bharata was a very learned and experienced king on this earth. He perfectly ruled the citizens, being himself engaged in his own respective duties. Maharaja Bharata was as affectionate to the citizens as his father and grandfather had been. Keeping people engaged in their occupational duties, he ruled the earth.”.[2]

You know, if you want to charm the heart of an Indian person, I’ll give you a mantra. Because there is one goddess that all Indians worship, irrespective of their religious affiliation. This is their Mother India. They have temples for Mother India. Somehow this is a general denominator for them – to worship the homeland. So, if you say: “Bharata Mata ki jay!” everybody will be satisfied with you. Don’t say “Mother India, ki jay!” because then they will understand that you are a foreigner. But if you say “Bharata Mata” – the original, intrinsic name of India that they use is Bharata. And this comes from Bharata Maharaja. So he is such a remarkable personality that practically the country is named after him. Why? Because he was a just king. As good as his father and grandfather.

(to be continued)

[1] Shrimad Bhagavatam 5.7.1

[2] Shrimad Bhagavatam 5.7.2-4