Prominent Early Incarnations of Godhead

The Purusha incarnation, just previously described, is the primary incarnation for the material world, existing through the entire thing – before and after it as well – and maintaining its reality. The first aspect of the Purusha creates the primordial potentialities for all the universes. The second aspect enters each potential universe and generates Brahmā, the agent of actual creation. The third aspect enters within each quantum particle of the universe, including each soul therein, and makes their mutual existence and exchange possible.

From this third aspect comes a myriad of “avatār” (incarnations). Suta will now enumerate some of the prominent  ones.

The Kumara

[1.3.6]

The first avatār occurs within the “Childhood” age of creation. “The Children” performed the very difficult task of Brahmā: uninterrupted celibacy.

The quadruplet sons of Brahmā (the god who creates) are the first avatār of the Purusha. They appeared in a very early cycle of creation, called the “Childhood Age” (kaumāra sargam). Brahmā asked them to create thousands of offspring to generate the initial population base of the world. They declined and took up a more difficult, implicit order: to cultivate spiritual knowledge. Such endeavor is made much more efficacious if one desists from simultaneously cultivating anti-knowledge: which is the ignorance that the soul deserves to be a central figure of gratification via the world’s resources. So celibacy is one of the important components of classical spiritual discipline. The Children (Kaumara. Or, “The Four Kumaras”) had a very novel idea. They did not allow their bodies to age into puberty, a really great solution to the often troubling practice of celibacy!

[7]

The second avatār of He For Whom Sacrifices Are Meant appeared when the Earth fell into the lowest dregs of the universe. Appearing as a boar, this avatār rescued the world by lifting it back to its proper orbit

He is more popularly named Varāha.

[8]

The third avatār came during the “Sage Age” as the Sage of the Gods. He compiled purifying manuals regarding how to live in the world without becoming entangled in selfishness.

He is most popularly known as Nārada.

[9]

Nara Naryana

The fourth came during the “Age of Dharma’s Wife” as Sage Nara-Nārāyaṇa. His task was to show how to perform very serious disciplines of self-control.

[10]

The fifth is named Kapila, the master of the accomplished ones. He restored empiric material sciences, which had been lost over time, by teaching Āsuri.

[11]

The sixth is Atri’s, because his wife Anasūyā prayed for such a son. He instructed spiritual knowledge to Alarka, Prahlāda and others.

The name of Atri and Anasūyā’s son is Dattātreya. Many of these initial incarnations came for the purpose of giving spiritual knowledge to humanity. Knowledge which is beyond the human mind cannot exist unless a being which is beyond the human mind comes and delivers it in a manner which the human mind could hope to comprehend.

Among Dattātreya’s students is the name Prahlāda. It seems this could not be the famous Prahlāda associated with a later incarnation.

[12]

Then the seventh avatār, Yajña, appeared from his mother Ākūti and father Ruci. He took care of the world during the difficult transition out of the “Svāyambhu Age.”

[13]

The eighth, Urukrama, was born from his mother Merudevī and father Nābhi. He showed the path walked by those enlightened souls who are honored by all spiritualists.

A more common name for him is Ṛṣabha. “Enlightened souls honored by all spiritualists” has a specific import. There are four generally sequential spiritual orders in classical Indian culture: the student (brahmacārya), the active householder (gṛhastha), those retired to the forest (vānaprastha), and the renounced (sannyāsa). The fourth, the renounced, is honored by all the others as the objective. Within each order are sub-orders. The fourth order has four classical sub-orders: renounced in the hermitage (kuṭicaka), without a hermitage (bahudaka), without a location (parivrājaka), and the topmost swan (paramahaṁsa). The topmost swan is honored by all others, even those in the fourth order, as the ultimate objective.

The nature of such persons is that they have completed all development and require no further discipline. The eighth avatār set the standard of the nature, quality, and behavior of such very rare souls.

The person of a similar name important to the Jain religion must be named after this avatar, considering the chronology.

[14]

Answering the prayers of sages, Purusha accepted the ninth avatār as a king of the earth. By milking the earth he made her body very verdant and attractive.

He is more commonly known as Pṛthu.

Incarnations of Godhead – Creators

Suta says [1.2.34]:

I’ve spoken of how Vishnu pervades everything in the universe out of compassion to help all living beings fulfill their desires. Now I will speak of another way that the spiritual Godhead manifests his pure existence within this material realm: he performs pastimes in the role of incarnations among the gods, animals, and humans.

[1.3.1]

The All-Attractive first takes the form of Purusha, at the very beginning of the universe, with the intention to manifest all that is required for creation. This begins with manifesting the great conglomeration of energies from which sixteen primary ingredients emerge.

“Purusha” means the man. This first incarnation of Godhead, Purusha, is basically “the man of the house” where “the house” is the entirety of all material creation. The role of the male is to supply the seeds and necessary ingredients. The female role is to develop the seeds and ingredients. So the original man, Purusha, gives the seed of all ingredients required in the universe.

The sixteen primary ingredients of creation manifest from “the great conglomeration of energies” (mahat) which the Purusha produces. In due course Suta will explain all these details fully. At present, suffice to say that the sixteen ingredients are the five elements, five gathering senses, five expressing senses, and the mind.

[2]

He lies down upon the water and enters a mystic sleep. In the lake of his naval grows a lotus, from which is manifested Brahmā, the master engineer of the universe.

He does this in a second form. The Purusha has three forms. The first was described in the previous text. It is Vishnu Lying on the Ocean of Causality (kāraṇodakaśayī viṣṇu). From this first Purusha comes all the globs (mahat) in which are stored all the ingredients required to create a universe.

The current text now describes the second form of the Purusha, Vishnu Lying on the Womb-Ocean (garbhodakaśayī viṣṇu). This Purusha enters each proto-universal glob to empower its creation.

[3]

We imagine that all the many worlds are grounded within the Purusha’s expansive body. But really, the body of the All-Attractive Godhead is super-excellently pure existence.

In other words, the idea that material things exist within God is a conception only. The truth is that nothing material exists in super-excellently pure nature of God. Thus material existence itself is a conception only.

Now the sages ask, “What does this conceptual form of Godhead that contains all the various worlds look like?”

[4]

Only perfect eyes can see this form; Thousands of amazing legs, thighs, hands and faces; Thousands of heads, ears, eyes, and noses; Thousands of effulgent garlands, clothes, and earrings.

Having answered their question, Suta returns to his original train of thought:

[5]

He gives the inexhaustible seed of the multitudes of incarnations. The portions of his portion create gods, animals, humans and so forth.

The second form of the Purusha creates the third form of the Purusha, Vishnu Lying on the Milk-Ocean (kṣīrodakaśayī viṣṇu). This third Purusha enters into the globule of each subatomic quantum within his universe. He is the origin of all the incarnations. His fragments and the fragments of his fragments become the gods, animals, humans, and so forth.

In the next section, Suta will describe many of the innumerable incarnations of Godhead that spring forth from this third Purusha.

On God and Gods

 Thus far, Suta has explained to the sages that:

• Devotion to the Supreme Entity is the most beneficial human goal
• It completely liberates a person from all troubles and fates, and delivers complete satisfaction and joy.
• It revolves around the service of loving discussion about the divine beloved
• Such loving discussion destroys all troubles and delivers supreme bliss in progressive stages beginning with interest in the topic and culminating in direct personal relationship with the divine beloved.

Suta concludes this section by saying:

[22] “That is why wise people always want to busy themselves in the extraordinarily delightful and soul-satisfying affairs of devotion to the all-attractive son of Vasudeva, Krishna.”

Now some of the sages listening to Suta pose a question, “Why is all this only about Krishna and other incarnations of Vishnu? Why don’t you mention devotion to other divinities?”

[23] Suta answers with a quote: “The Supreme Person, though beyond the world and singular, takes three forms that operate within the three energies of the world – clarity, ambition, and rest – and perform tasks like creation. They are known as Hari, Viriñci, and Hara. Humanity derives the highest benefit, as expected, from the form operating in the energy of clarity.”

There is one supreme deity just beyond the world, overseeing its existence. That one deity does not directly touch the world and become involved in its complications. But he creates expansions of himself to do so, for it is necessary. These expansions are “the gods” and similar powerful creatures. Primary among all of them are three gods, who take charge of the three fundamental natural energies for the sake of performing three tasks crucial to the unfolding of the universe.

• Creation is one such task. It is accomplished through the energy of ambition (rajo-guṇa) by the deity who is the embodiment of that creative energy, Brahmā (“Viriñci”).
• Destruction is another essential task. This is accomplished via the energy of rest (tamo-guṇa) by the deity who embodies that energy, Śiva (“Hara”).
• Maintenance of things between their creation and destruction is the third essential task. It is accomplished through the energy of clarity (sattva-guṇa) by the deity of clarity, Viṣṇu (“Hari”).

In quoting this, Suta recognizes and affirms a plurality of deities and gods worthy of respect and all linked to the Original Person. But in the final line of the quote he explains why devotion to these many gods does not have the same significance and effect as devotion to Krishna and the forms of Vishnu. The logic in this line is that since the mode of clarity is the most beneficial form of nature, it makes perfect sense that Vishnu, who is the embodiment of that clarity, is the most beneficial form of divinity. The divine loving devotion Suta speaks of in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is directed towards Krishna and the forms of Vishnu, and not to other less beneficial divinities.

Suta proceeds to explain why the energy of clarity is supremely beneficial:

[24] “From earth grows wood, which creates smoke and fire. But it is only fire which is most beneficial to humanity. Similarly there is rest, ambition and clarity but only clarity grants direct spiritual perception.”

Here Suta references a very sophisticated analogy. The earth is similar to the One Great Person. The earth is the root source of wood (trees), smoke and fire – just as the One Great Person is the root source of the three main gods. But this does not indicate that all three gods are of equal importance and relevance to humanity’s ultimate good. Fire is the most important thing for humanity, more important than wood or smoke. Wood is analogous to the solidifying and strengthening mode of rest (tamas), smoke to the dust-raising mode of creative ambition (rajas), and fire to the illuminating mode of clarity (sattva). The mode of clarity alone has the power to illuminate the human mind and grant it direct spiritual perception and joyful self-realization. Thus, sensibly, the deity of clarity – Vishnu – is more beneficial to humanity than any other form of divinity, because Vishnu most powerfully possess the powers of clarity (sattva) and therefore can deliver the most important, joyful, and real benedictions.

[25] “That is why,” Suta continues, “sages have always engaged themselves in devotions for the all-attractive one beyond contamination of the material energies. Thus they attained absolutely undistorted spiritual clarity, as will any of you who follow them.”

The word adhokṣaja (“beyond contamination of material energies”), deserves at least a short comment. If Vishnu is the deity of the material energy of clarity, how can he be worthy of this name, Adhokṣaja? The word sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ (“absolutely undistorted clarity of existence”) answers. It says that the mode of clarity, unmixed with the other two: ambition or rest, is the state of being in the pure reality which exists transcendentally to the material creation. Within the material creation we experience clarity as a material phenomenon because it is always mixed with some amounts of the need to create or destroy some condition, and is therefore never experienced in its pure state, unadulterated by the energies of ambition and rest. But in the transcendental manifestation pure clarity exists as the underlying foundation of transcendent reality. Vishnu is pure clarity, and is therefore a transcendent divinity: Adhokṣaja. Thus, other divinities – though certainly worthy of deep respect – are categorically inferior to Vishnu and his expansions.

At this point, some of the sages presented Suta with another question, “Why then do many people worship non-transcendent gods?”

[26] “Those who want a permanent solution to their troubles seek liberation. They are always respectful and never spiteful of anyone, much less any powerful divinity, but they certainly reject the often horrific forms of such material gods and are exclusively devoted to the peaceful and pleasant expansions of the Supreme Personality.”

Because material nature, with constant creation and destruction, is often horrific and ghastly, the deities of this world are often grotesque and frightening beings. Transcendence, however, is joyful and peaceful. Transcendental deities, the expansions of the Original Person Nārāyaṇa, are thus always blissful and pleasant to see.

[27] “Others have more base desires, requiring creation or destruction of various practical goal or obstacles. Naturally they are devoted to deities connected to creation and destruction, and thus worship their ancestors, powerful spirits, and superhuman universal forefathers due to their hunger for power and wealth.”

Suta has explained the reasonable cause for worshiping inferior powers. But now wants to make a powerful statement dissuading such:

[28-29]

Krishna is paramount education

Krishna is paramount ritualism

Krishna is paramount mysticism

Krishna is paramount duty

Krishna is paramount knowledge

Krishna is paramount sacrifice

Krishna is paramount religion

Krishna is the paramount objective

This resoundingly powerful statement surely set the hairs of the sages bristling with joy and excitement. In it, Suta mentioned the main components of human culture, the main paths through which human beings try to obtain their objectives: education, rituals, mystic power, dutiful righteousness, comprehension and knowledge, self-sacrifice, & religious morality. For each he says that the son of Vasudeva, Krishna is the paramount finish line.

What Suta says here is that the ultimate aim of every human desire is joy, satisfaction, & happiness. Such cannot be had in the constantly shifting environment of creation and destruction. It can only be had in the beginningless and endless transcendence. Thus the ultimate goal of any person – be he spiritually minded or not – can only be satisfied perfectly by Vishnu and Vishnu’s expansions, the deity of transcendent clarity.

Therefore everyone, regardless of their immediate proclivities or interests, should turn their devotions towards topics of Śrī Krishna – the topics we are about to enjoy in this Śrīmad Bhāgavatam.

 

How to Acquire Divine Love

We pick up the story just after Suta explained why devotion to the Supreme Person, which is developed through hearing about and discussing him, is the most beneficial thing for humanity and brings complete joy to the soul. Suta’s conclusion [1.2.14] was, “one should therefore always hear about, glorify, remember and worship that Supreme Person.”

Some sages, who follow much more arduous and difficult paths for purification, must have felt incredulous towards Suta’s declaration that the supreme welfare can be achieved simply by loving discussion of the Supreme Person. “How could emotion and discussion alone liberate a person from the complex clutches of miserable karmic action and reaction?” They might have asked.

Suta replies [15]: “The meditation which arises spontaneously with a person who hears and discusses Godhead in a loving manner becomes like a sword, with which that wise soul slices to pieces all the hard knots of karmic bondage.”

Some of the sages expected some sort of difficult meditation and yoga and austerity to be required for liberation. Suta explained that by loving devotion, powerful meditation, intimate connection, and willingness to forego anything and everything for the sake of the beloved naturally and automatically arises. Therefore one need not cultivate such things individually. Merely by cultivating love of Godhead through hearing and chanting, such things automatically manifest in an uncommonly powerful form.

The vast majority of Suta’s audience is now back on board and ready to pursue the concept further. They are all agreeable that devotion to Godhead is the most beneficial and valuable thing for a human being. Now they would like to know how to do it; How does one acquire the yoga of devotion?

Suta begins with a rhetorical question: “So who would not be attracted and interested in such discussions about the Supreme?”

This is a reference to the first stage of developing devotion, bhakti-yoga. Śrī Rūpa Goswāmī divides the progress of a bhakti-yogi into nine stages. The first is śraddhā – which means that your heart naturally becomes interested in the topic. Suta enumerates this stage here in the 15^th verse, with the words tasya ko na kuryāt kathā-ratim, “[Since the process of devotion, encapsulated succinctly in hearing and chanting about the beloved, is so delightful and efficacious] who in their right mind would not develop some interest in it?”

[16] “A person who does have significant interest in deeply hearing about Vasudeva’s Son (Krishna) is a great soul – a mahātmā. We should purify ourselves by pilgrimage to such purified persons, and should do whatever we can to care for and assist them.”

This is now a reference especially to the second stage of bhakti-yoga: Keeping the company of excellent devotees, sādhu-sanga. The summary of this stage is that, once we have some interest in divine devotion (śraddha) we would then naturally seek out those who have more experience with and accomplishment in it. Seeking such persons, who have more interest in divine love of Krishna than we do, is the second step in bhakti-yoga. How shall we associate with them? We must try to be helpful in a humble manner and assist and serve them in whatever capacity they might want or need. That will quickly make us as pure as they are.

[17] “When you yourself begin to feel the urge to hear Krishna’s words and virtues, you will become even more purified. Such words will carry Krishna, your dear friend, into the core of your heart, which will therefore become cleansed of all impurities, illusions, and inauspiciousness.”

Here Suta refers to the third and fourth stages of bhakti-yoga. The third stage is to execute devotional practices (bhajana-kriyā). The fourth is to become purified of all inauspicious undesirable impurities (anārtha-nivṛtti). The way to actually practice bhakti-yoga is to eagerly hear and discuss Krishna’s own words and words about him. Purification takes place next, on a more profound scale than before. One becomes pure from the inside out, because those words of Krishna carry him into the heart, and all inauspicious and undesirable things flee therefrom.

[18] “When almost all impurities have been cast out from your being, you will become very firmly fixed in bhāgavata-seva – hearing the messages about the all-fortunate and all-attractive Krishna, and humbly serving those who hear such messages. The beautiful poetry describing all-attractive Krishna will then cause very extreme devotion to manifest in you.”

Now Suta refers to the fifth and sixth/seventh stages of bhakti-yoga. The fifth stage is niṣṭhā, “fixation on bhāgavata-seva.” This steady engagement in hearing about Krishna and serving those discussions comes about my way of being purified via more occasional engagement in the same. Once we attain steady engagement in bhāgavata-seva we begin to experience serious glimpses of extreme bhāgavata-bhakti, devotion. These initial extreme stages of bhakti-yoga as a practice are the sixth and seventh stages according to Śrī Rūpa’s way of looking at it: ruci (taste) and āsakti (addiction).

[19] “As a result of extreme devotion to poetic descriptions of Krishna, the contaminating facets of material illusion – ignorance and ambition and their concomitant anger and greed will be unable to affect your mind. Instead only the pure facet of existence will caress your being.”

Existence has three facets: tama, rajas, and sattva – darkness of ignorance, coloration of passionate ambition, and the crystal purity of awareness. Extreme devotion to hearing and chanting about Krishna form an impenetrable shield around one’s mind and perception. One can no longer perceive a situation in a way that gives rise to anger or greedy desires, because the selflessness and understanding of pure loving devotion encapsulates and caresses him. Therefore only the sattva facet of existence continues to affect the bhakta-yogi at this level.

Here, Suta has described the eighth stage of devotional yoga: bhāva. At this stage only pure sattva affects our existence and in that crystal clarity our true nature as a spiritual individual in relationship to the all-attractive Godhead begins to become tangible and empirically real.

[20] “Your being thus caressed by this pure energy of existence manifest due to your union with pure and selfless love for the all-attractive Krishna, the next development is that you become emancipated entirely from all material bondage and directly experience, face-to-face, your divine all-attractive beloved.”

Now Suta comes to the ninth and final stage of progress in bhakti-yoga. It is called prema. The characteristic of Prema is direct tangible perception of Godhead via the delightful bond of love, which of course cannot be had without incidentally destroying all bonds to selfishness and illusion.

[21] “The knots tied around your pure heart are no now sliced to shreds and you are free from all confusions and misgiving. The chain of your destiny has come to an end, completely fulfilled as karma terminates once and for all. Your self is now directly seen with your master.”

Here glorious Suta completes his explanation of how hearing and discussing Krishna causes the most desirable and auspicious outcome and destroys the knots of inauspiciousness. He now describes what occurs after the nine stages of development in bhakti-yoga. The fulfillment of bhakti yoga occurs after it destroys all the ropes binding our inner soul, blows away the haze and thick fog of all our confusions and delusions, and terminates the cycle of destiny we have created by selfish actions and their inescapable reactions. The fulfillment of bhakti yoga is to attain direct interactive relationship with the beloved, Krishna. “The self is seen now only in terms of the beloved master. The self exists to be seen nowhere else.”

Divine Love – The Most Important Thing in the World

[1.2.1] Suta was completely satisfied by their good questions. He offered them words of thanks and began the attempt to answer. He began by praising Sukadeva, his guru, whose teachings he decided would fully answer the questions of the sages.

[2]“He instantly ran off to wander as a saint, without even bothering with the formalities of life. Vyāsa cried out after him in the pain of separation, ‘my son!’ The only reply was the trees echoing, ‘my son!’ as if feeling the same pain. To him, who enters the hearts of all living things, I offer my deep respect.

[3] “Without formal education, he understood the unified essence of all the branches of knowledge. Compassionately wanting to eradicate the deep darkness of humanity, his words created the transcendental torchlight of the most confidential spiritual book (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam). To him, Vyāsa’s son and the guru of sages, I offer my deep respect.

[4] “Respecting the Supreme Godhead Nārāyaṇa and the sages, topmost humans, who know Nārāyaṇa; respecting the Goddess of Learning, Sarasvatī, and the great deliverer of knowledge, Vyāsa; thereafter all that we speak with their blessings will be victorious.”

Now, Suta turned his attention directly to the sages and their questions.

[5] “You sages have asked me excellent questions, about topics truly beneficial to the world. To ask meaningful questions about Krishna is the way to fully delight one’s soul!”

Suta begins to answer their questions. They asked him to tell them the essence of all scriptures regarding what is the most beneficial thing for humanity. He says:

[6] “The most important and beneficial thing for a human being,” he said, “is certainly devotion to the Supreme Entity, without ulterior motive and without satiation. This completely delights the soul.”

Among the multitude of sages, many were dedicated to painstaking scientific and philosophical study (jñāna), many others to harsh nihilistic annihilation of material desires (vairāgya), others to the path of morally responsible duty (karma). Hearing that devotion to the Supreme was more important than any of their pursuits, naturally they raised their doubts. Suta now begins to address those doubts.

[7] “Krishna, the son of Vasudeva, is the object of devotional-yoga,” he explained. “Attaining him through devotion automatically and effortlessly produces all other fruits – like philosophical knowledge and detachment for materialism – as a mere side-effect. [8] As for duties and responsibilities,” he continued, “If performance of duty does not generate interest in hearing about Godhead, it is worth only its own sweat and tears, and nothing else!”

The idea Suta presents here is that duties and responsibilities are meant to purify the heart of selfishness. Why? Because selfishness is the antithesis of love. What is the real importance of love? Without it the human soul cannot become delighted and satisfied. What is the supreme satisfaction and delight that love can deliver? That would be known by one who loves to the Supreme Delightful Entity! How does one express and cultivate such love? By talking constantly about the beloved. Thus if duties and responsibilities do not make the heart more lovingly inclined towards people and their source, the Supreme, they are worthless.

Some may argue that there are other important benefits of religiosity, morality and responsibility. Suta addresses that argument now:

[9] “Religion and dutifulness is not meant for creating a paradise or going to enjoy heavenly delights. Nor is it truly meant for making our lives and societies more prosperous. The true purpose of religion is not any such permutation of sense gratification!”

But then, some will wonder, what is the point of prosperity and common pleasures? Our undeniable needs must be met, but such must not be the goal of our endeavors.

[10] “We should not dedicate ourselves merely to pleasing our senses,” Suta said. “Instead we should simply keep them satisfied, peaceful and healthy. This life is meant for discovery the life’s true essence, not for simply acquiring external things and pleasures!”

What is life’s true essence?

[11] “Those who know the essence of life say that it is an entity of pure and undivided awareness. It is understood in three stages: as brahman, all-pervading life-force; as paramātmā, the unifying soul within all things; and as bhagavān, the Supreme Lifeform.”

How does one come to understand such things for oneself?

[12] “A sincerely inquisitive and thoughtful person,” Suta explained, “who has good measure of learning and simplicity can see these truths of life within himself by practicing the yoga of Devotion (bhakti) under good guidance.”

Now Suta concludes:

[13] “So, if the typical religions of social and moral duties are to have any serious value at all, it is only in so far as they eventually lead one towards the only truly important thing: Devotion to the pleasure of Hari (the Supreme Entity). [14] Therefore, ignore what is frivolous in religion and concentrate exclusively on loving devotion for Godhead by constantly hearing about, speaking about, contemplating, and worshipping Hari, the protector of devotees.

Questions that Inspired Srimad Bhagavatam 1.1.4-23

A host of sages and mystics assembled in a great forest to perform a prolonged sacrifice for the benefit of the world, which just entered the challenging Age of Quarrel. One morning a very learned sage, named Suta, appeared amongst them and they all questioned him eagerly.

He might protest their attention and respect, so they said:

“It is right that we respect and inquire from you because (a) you have studied all branches of science and philosophy, (b) you understand all the major schools of thought on these subjects, and (c) you are very humble and therefore blessed by your teachers and eager to help others.”

Then they put their question to him – they asked, “We have assembled here to perform a sacrifice for the benefit of humanity in this difficult epoch of history. But we are afraid that we are not getting anything from our sacrificial fires except a lot of black smoke and soot. What should we do successfully benefit mankind?”

Suta would have protested that the learned sages should know the answer, so they continued:

“We have studied much indeed, but all the various branches and opinions have confused us. We are asking you to identify and explain the essence of all branches of knowledge.”

Suta may have protested that to answer would take a long time, so they said:

“You are very long-lived! As you can see from this thousand-year sacrifice we have begun, we are also long-lived and patient.”

Suta might have then doubted, “If these sages don’t even have the slightest idea as to the answer to their question, which though profound is indeed simple and essential, then perhaps they are not qualified or capable to learn the subject, and it would be a misuse of my time and effort to try to instruct them?” Fearing this doubt the sages spoke up to indicate that many of them did indeed have a strong suspicion about what might be the answer to this question – what is the most beneficial thing for humanity. Therefore they said:

“We think this question has everything to do with Krishna. The Supreme Godhead only appears in this world to uplift and benefit humanity, so his very recent appearance as Krishna must be the key to humanity’s welfare in this difficult age.”

Seeing Suta’s approving expression, the sages felt encouraged to reveal more of their opinion on the subject:

“Anything connected to Krishna is extremely purifying and beneficial for human beings. His name, for example, very easily frees everyone from the inescapably complex and frightening web of illusions. His servants and friends, for example, purify a human more than the Ganges river – just by being in their company. So we think that poems about Krishna and his confidential partners must be the most beneficial thing to purify and uplift humanity, especially in the Age of Quarrel.”

Now Suta may have tested the sages, or the sages anticipated such. One test Suta might have posed is, “What do you mean, how can hearing about some person be beneficial for humanity?”

They addressed this test thus: “Krishna is not an ordinary person, he is an incarnation of the Supreme Godhead.”

Suta tests further, “Yes, but in an incarnation Godhead acts like an ordinary man. What is the value of hearing about someone who imitates ordinary men?”

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The sages reply [1.1.17-18], “No, no, no! The Gods themselves and great saints and sages all sing loudly to broadcast the activities of Godhead. If such activities were ordinary, how would such extraordinary beings take delight in them? Please rest assured that we do not have this obnoxious misconception about the incarnations of Godhead, thinking that they are material and ordinary. We know fully well that the activities of the divine are not at all within the arena of illusion! They are all expressions of the overflowing internal spiritual bliss of Godhead. Poems about them are pictures of pure spirit in action! Therefore please tell us all about the activities of Krishna and many other incarnations of Godhead, too!”

Suta may then test the sages: “Are you sure? I love these topics. I will not stop speaking about them for a long time. Don’t you have busy schedules and responsibilities with this sacrifice? Won’t you become distracted or bored?”

They reply [19], “No! We can never get enough of the topmost poetry describing the amazing deeds of the Supreme Personality! We are familiar with the truth of pleasures and happiness and therefore when we hear the deeds of Krishna we will enjoy, oh we will so enjoy! In each and every word we will enjoy true pleasure.”

Now Suta becomes fully satisfied that his audience is fit to truly relish a full disclosure of Srimad Bhagavatam – the poetry describing the character and deeds of many incarnations of the Supreme Entity, the subject matter that should be meditated upon to attain the highest blessing. But he wonders, “Previously they mentioned Krishna as the son of Vasudeva and Devaki as their prime interest, but later they extended their interest to all incarnations of the Supreme Godhead. Which incarnation of Godhead should I really focus on as I narrate these divine tales?”

The sages reply [20], “We specifically want you to focus on Krishna, with beautiful hair, who sported with his brother Rāma. Especially we want to know the most intimate and concealed activities of Krishna – the Superhuman Godhead acting like a tricky young man!”

With this statement, the sages in the Forest of the Unblinking Eyes indicate boldly and directly that they want Suta Goswāmī to focus his narration upon Śrī Krishna as the son of Nanda and Yasoda, in the Sweet Forest (Vrindavana), especially on his very expert and tricky dealings with the young girls there. Indeed this topic will become the focal point and crown jewel of Suta Goswāmī’s presentation.

At this point, Suta Goswāmī is overjoyed but shocked to have found such deep spiritual passion in an unexpected place – a ritualistic ceremony.

The sages reply to this surprise [21-22]: “Because we knew that the Age of Quarrel had already begun, all of us gathered here in this special forest to perform a sacrifice. This forest is special because it is consecrated to Śrī Vishnu and is therefore fit for Vaishnava functions. The sacrifice we truly intended to perform here is not done with fire and oil, but with words! However we found no one fit to lead the sacrifice by speaking the divine words of poetry glorifying the incarnations of the Supreme Personality, Śrī Vishnu. But now you have come into our midst, sent directly by providence! You shall fill the post that no one here was fit to fill. You shall become the captain of the boat which can carry humanity in the Age of Quarrel over the insurmountable ocean of decay and deterioration!”

Wishing to end their statements with a specific question allowing Suta to have clear focus on how to begin his discussion, the sages closed with the following [23]:

“The master of all spiritual powers, the Spiritual Entity, the protector of dharma – Krishna – has now gone away to his own abode. Who or what shall now protect dharma?”

Bhagavatam… Buon Appetito!

There is a tree made of wisdom,
knowledge that fulfills your every desire and need.

On this tree is a fruit,
at the peak of ripeness.

A parrot lands upon the branches and pecks it with her beak,
its sugars and sweetness multiply.
Perfected,
like thickened juice within an impossibly thin skin.

Aho! You there!
You who crave for deep emotional significance!
You who wish to taste the true pleasures of life itself!
Yes you there, earthling!

DRINK IT!!!

Relish the nectar of this Bhagavatam-fruit,
again and again,
eternally without end!

This third verse of Srimad Bhagavatam is a beautiful poetic metaphor! The Sanskrit itself has an amazing meter. If “.” is a short syllable and “-” a long one, the meter of the Sanskrit is:

. . . – . . – | . . – . -

Here I will put the long syllables in bold:

nigama-kalpa-taror galitaM phalaM
zuka-mukhAd amRita-drava-saMyutam
pibata bhAgavataM rasam AlayaM
muhuraho rasikA bhuvi bhAvukAH

The meaning is as beautiful as the structure:

The Tree

The tree made of wisdom is a metaphor for the Vedic literature. “Vedic” literature is misunderstood by the definition of modern western scholastics. It is not merely the 3 or 4 original “Veda” but all the ancillary works which elaborate upon and elucidate it. That is the Indian conception of the term Vedic, and since India is the mother of the Veda, we ought to give it deference, no?

In any case, Vedic literature refers to the entire corpus of philosophical, practical, technological and religious material cultivated through at least a few dozen centuries in the region today called India. This includes the ritualistic four Veda; the explanation of their philosophical import, the Upanishad (108 principle books). The summary study of all this philosophy, the Vedanta Sutra. The application and retelling of the rituals and philosophy in semi-historical tales, the Purana and Itihasa (like Mahabharata, Bhagavad Gita, and Ramayan). And many other appendixes to the original four vedas in the form of manuals (Aranyas) and treatises (Samhitas and Siddhantas), etc.

To go back to the poetic image – it would be stupid to envision a tree of wisdom and knowledge with only four branches! The tree of wise knowledge (“veda”) has hundreds of branches spreading in all directions, in the form of Puranas, Itihasas, Upanishads, Aranyas, Samhitas, Siddhantas, Tikas, etc. etc.

The Fruit

There are many fruits on this huge tree, of course, but one fruit is particularly special because it is perfectly ripe. What does it mean to be “perfectly ripe”? It means to be at the absolute pinnacle of one’s maturity.

The Srimad Bhagavatam is thus depicted as the absolute pinnacle of Indian spiritual wisdom at the peak of ripeness. We will soon hear from its opening stories how the main author, Mahamuni Vyasa, compiled this after compiling all other Vedic works and having thus achieved a zenith of spiritual realization. In particular the Srimad Bhagavatam is the grand-finale of Vedic wisdom because it is (a) the sequel to the Vedanta Sutra, which is otherwise the most important Vedic book; the “second ripest fruit”, you might say; (b) the 18th of the 18 main purana, thus also the culmination of Indian thought as expressed through that medium. Thus the Srimad Bhagavatam represents the pinnicle of both the philosophical genius of the Vedanta-Sutra, as well as the poetic and theatrical mastery and relative ease-of-understanding developed in the Puranas.

The Parrot

The Sanskrit word for parrot is zuka. Mahamuni Vyasa is given credit as the compiler of Srimad Bhagavatam, but the main narrator of this tale is Vyasa’s son zuka-deva (“The divine parrot” – Sukadeva Goswāmī). Suka is really the one who expanded upon the core material within this Purana and made it as sweet and wonderful and easily digestible as it now is.

The imagery of a “parrot” is not always positive in English because it carries the meaning of one who simply repeats words without understanding their meaning. This connotation is absolutely absent from Sanskrit poetics. Instead the connotation of “parrot” is a bird with a special type of saliva that, when the bird bites a fruit, causes that fruit to become extremely sweet and ripe. So do not carry over the English connotation and imagine that the Bhagavatam is being narrated by someone who merely repeats what he heard from his father, without understanding. Not at all. Quite the opposite. The Bhagavatam is as sweet as it is because Sukadeva’s telling of it enhanced, expanded, and amplified the original meaning into an even more wondrous perfection.

Drink It!

Finally, we are implored to take our place in the poem. Our place is to grab the fruit and enjoy it!!!

What is unusual about this fruit is that it satisfies hunger without reducing the hunger, and it is eaten without ever diminishing. The more you meditate upon what you will hear in Srimad Bhagavatam, the more you will be able to meditate upon it! The more you enjoy it, the more and more you will be able to enjoy it.

Specifically this metaphor refers to the principle that meditation upon the Supreme Entity, Śrī Krishna is infinite. It is not a means to a goal, but is itself the goal and the means. Therefore it is never abandoned. Even the persons who are steeped in spiritual perfection continue to feast upon the perfect fruit of Srimad Bhagavatam. Even beyond liberation, even in the spiritual locus, our tongues will forever taste and vibrate the delicious topics discovered within this amazing book!

The Great Merits of this Beautiful Bhagavatam

I understand from the previous discussion that meditation upon the Supreme Entity – Sri Krishna, Vasudeva’s son – is the superlative directive for spiritual evolution. But, how do I perform this meditation?

Those who are well-intentioned perform this divine meditation by very deeply relishing this very book, Srimad Bhagavatam – without delay or distraction. (zrImad-bhAgavate… kRtibhiH zuzrUSubhis tat-kSaNAt)

Why? What is so special about this book?

Unlike other books, even those that are religious and spiritual, Srimad Bhagavatam goes direct and straight to the true heart of the heart of absolute reality, as well as all the wondrous realities which spring forth from it. (vedyaM vAstavam atra vastu)

How is that unlike other religious and spiritual books?

This Bhagavatam banishes from its pages all hints of mundane religiosity – which is really nothing more than common selfishness in a pious disguise, and thus provides the ideal subject matter even for the most elevated and pure-hearted spiritualists to meditate upon. (dharmaH projjhita-kaitavo ‘tra paramo narmatsarANAM satAM)

Religion, in its best forms at least, deals with the four needs of human beings: pleasure, stability, morality, and emancipation. All four, however, are evolutions from the root need: pleasure. And all four are immature evolutions because the retain a self-centered focus, albeit to lesser and lesser extents. Thus, from a critical point of view, all forms of religion are merely materialism (selfishness) in pious disguises. The Srimad Bhagavatam, on the other hand, is quite different because it deals with the true and ultimate human need, the perfection of all other needs: love. And in so doing establishes a selfless goal, centered upon the all-attractive all-fortunate cynosure of divine love, Sri Krishna, Vasudeva’s son. Thus the Srimad Bhagavatam is rightly differentiated here as unique among all the great spiritual and religious works of India and around the world as well.

What is the effect of meditation upon the Srimad Bhagavatam?

That which is inauspicious becomes absolutely annihilated, and that which is all-auspicious becomes absolutely established in your heart. The Supreme Entity himself, Sri Krishna, will at once become captured within the loving confines of your own heart, destroying all inauspiciousness as a mere side-effect! (zivadaM tApa-tray-onmUlanam… IzvaraH sadya hRdy avarudhyate ‘tra)

Srimad Bhagavatam has captured within its core a revelation of the all-attractive Sri Krishna. Therefore if you meditate upon this Bhagavatam’s contents, what is within it’s core will be transferred into your core. You then will become a “Bhagavata” – an entity carrying the all-attractive divine Krishna lovingly in your core.

This is the essence of all auspiciousness! If you are worried about obtaining or avoiding anything else beyond or besides this, don’t. Everything else will immediately be perfected when the all-perfect Supreme Entity is loving captured within you. All the various miseries of life will be completely uprooted, and all the auspiciousness beyond your wildest dreams will be irrevocably established! 

Therefore, besides this beautiful Bhagavatam, compiled by the great sage Mahamuni,  what else could you possibly require?

This great sage Mahamuni is purported to be Veda Vyasa, the figure said to be the author of the entire body of Indian spiritual literature, more or less. The bhagavatam itself consists of several layers of itself, several versions of itself wrapped in larger, more elaborative versions. At the core the Bhagavatam is only 4 verses long, but the many layers of tellings and retellings included in the Bhagavatam we have today expands those four to 18,000. Mahamuni Vyasa is credited here as the compiler, or maker (kRte) of this book, but we know from the book itself that it has many illustrious authors, including Sri Krishna, Shukadeva, and Suta Goswami.

The attentive reader will find that the Srimad Bhagavatam is the most brilliant exposition of pure selfless love for the Divine Supreme and is therefore the most auspicious subject mater for the human heart and mind to contemplate. Let us meditate on the all-fortunate, all-attractive Sri Krishna by attentively and eagerly hearing the beautiful words of this Bhagavatam!

Who and What is the “Supreme Entity”?

Now hear this transcendental declaration:

Krishna, the Son of Vasudeva is the all-attractive, all-fortunate one – not you or I! (oḿ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya)

The great Gayatri Mantra says, “meditate!” (dhīmahi)

But what is the topmost topic for mediation???

The absolute reality is! (satyaḿ paraḿ)

But how shall we meditate upon the absolute reality!?
What shall we focus upon?

 The great Vedanta Sutra defines the absolute reality as:

That creative entity from which all other creative entities in the universe spring forth. (janmādy asya yato)

This entity is all-knowing: fully aware of everything which springs from it – both directly and indirectly, and therefore knows fully well how to fulfill all its goals and intentions. (‘nvayād itarataś cārtheṣv abhijñaḥ)

Yet this entity never becomes entangled in any of the pettiness that indirectly springs from it – nor is this entity ever dependent on anything which has come from it. It is fully self-complete and independent. (svarAT)

There are many beings which have sprung forth from this entity in the history of the universe who seem nearly all-knowing and totally independent creators of all things. But you must not divert your meditation to them! All of them are dependent in all respects on this Supreme, Absolute Entity. Brahma, for example, is the all-wise creator of everything within the universe – but all his wisdom and power was granted to him by this Supreme Entity. (tene brahma hRdA ya Adi kavaye) Many other gods exist who rule the atom, the heat, the rain, the sky, space, etc. etc. Many powerful human beings also exist who are powerful and smart. They all appear to be all-knowing and all-powerful creators, but they are all dependent upon this Supreme Entity, who confuses and confounds their inferior powers and comprehensions. (muhyanti yat sUrayaH)

This entity is not only the wellspring of all creators and all creativity, it is also the fountainhead of the creative materials and elements themselves! It is only because of this Supreme Entity that the world within the realm of our experience appears to have sensible form, taste, smell, etc. (tejo-vAri-mRdAM yathA vinimayo yatra tri-sargo ‘mRSA)

So meditate upon the Absolute Entity as the all-knowing, fully-independent origin of all creativity, creators, and creation.

This explains how the absolute reality exists in relation to the world we are aware of, our own universe. But how does the absolute reality exist in relation to itself, in its own context, in it’s own world?

The Supreme Entity is an eternal and infinite manifestation of pleasures, replete with all the talents and paraphernalia required by and enjoyed in the process of such bliss. These blissful objects have a resemblance to those sights, smells, and forms which have also sprung from the Supreme into our small realm of experience, our “material world.” But the bliss and pleasures of the absolute are distinct from the dim reflections of the same known to us, because there is no sense of lack or emptiness or need driving them – no dire, miserable hunger at the root of it as is the case with us. All the pleasures and delights of the Supreme Entity are overflowing effulgences of its own naturally inherent self-sufficient bliss. (dhAmnA svena sadA)

Why is there no obstruction to the bliss and pleasures in the wold of the Supreme Entity? Because there is no falsehood there! We have given a home to falsehood and allowed it to embrace and enclose our cores. Therefore we cannot experience unimpeded bliss until we entirely cast off all lies and cheats. What is the essential lie?

The essential truth is that Sri Krishna, the son of Vasudeva is all-fortunate and all-attraction. The essential lie is that we can compete with him for a similar position as the focal point of affection, pleasure, admiration, power, knowledge, etc.

This is the lie that must be cast off if we are to realize our true potential as entity that factually exist. To meditate upon the all-fortunate beauty and attractiveness of Sri Krishna is the medicine that allows and encourages us to cast off our lie and cut our hearts free from it’s thick encrusting embrace.

The Srimad Bhagavatam is 18,000 verses of such meditation.

We have just tasted a drop of the first!