Dashama Skanda

Ānandadhāma…

May my mind merge into the lotus feet of Lord Govinda, who has supreme bliss as His residence; who wears the non-dual Supreme Knowledge as His form; who does not have any existence apart from Him in this creation, and who is beyond the understanding of the mind and senses!

Although the Supreme Lord is inherently invisible, He makes Himself visible to the person who fixes his mind upon Him with absolute devotion. To the residents of Gokula, who possessed utmost devotion, Supreme Lord Srihari, who is invisible, made Himself visible. He moved amidst them as a friend, as a relative and as a son, thereby showering them with limitless happiness.

Cintāmaṇir-lōka-sukham surendraḥ swarga sampadam
Prayacchati guruhu preeto vaikunṭham yōgi durlabham

The philosopher’s stone (chintamani gem) showers the person only with worldly luxuries. Devendra, the Lord of heaven, showers the person with heavenly comforts. However, if Spiritual-Guru is pleased, He can bless the person with residence in Vaikunṭha, the ultimate abode of Vishnu, which is beyond the reach of even the greatest Yogis.

Before beginning the Dasama skanda (tenth canto) of Bhagavatam, let us reverentially offer obeisance to the Gurus who propagated Bhagavatam i.e. to the Supreme Lord Srihari, to his disciple Lord Brahma, to Maharishi Nārada the disciple of Brahma, to Maharishi Vyasa who learnt Bhagavatam from Maharishi Nārada, to Maharishi Śuka who was the disciple of Maharishi Vyasa, to Maharishis Sanaka and his brothers, to Maharishi Śounaka, Suta and other saints as well as to Emperor Parikshit.

Prahlāda nārada parāśara punḍarīka

Vyasāmbarīṣa śuka, śounaka bheeshma dālbhyān

Rukmangadārjuna vasiṣṭa vibheeṣanādiṃ

Puṇyānimān parama bhāgawatān smarāmi

I think of Prahlāda, Nārada, Parāśara, Punḍarīka, Vyāsa, Ambarīṣa, Śuka, Śounaka, Bheeṣma, Dhālbya, Rukmāngada, Arjuna, Vasiṣṭha, Vibheeṣana and other pious persons, who are the most supreme amongst devotees of the Lord.

Dhanyām brindāvanam yatra bhaktiḥ nṛtyati sarvadā-

Brindavana, the sacred place where devotion dances at all times, is truly fortunate. I remember this sacred Brindavana, which contains the imprints of the Lord’s lotus feet.

With this prayer, the tenth canto should be begun.

Vyāsāya Viśnu rūpāya vyāsa rūpāya viśṇavē

Namovai Braḥma-nidhaye vāśisṭāya namōnamaḥ ǀǀ

I offer reverential obeisance to Lord Vishnu who is none other than Maharishi Vyasa; to Maharishi Vyasa the incarnation of Lord Vishnu who belongs to the lineage of Maharishi Vasiṣṭha, who is an erudite scholar and who is well-versed in Supreme Essence.

Yogindrāya namas tasmai śukāya braḥma-rūpiṇe

Samsāra darpa dasṭam yo viśṇurāta mamūmucat ǀǀ

I offer obeisance to Maharishi Śuka, the supreme Yogi and form of the Supreme Lord, who freed Emperor Parikshit, the ardent devotee, from the terrible bondage called repeated re-births (samsāra) which bit him in the form of a snake.

Kāla-vyāla-mukha-grāsa trāsa-nirnāṣa-hētave

Srīmad-bhāgavatam śāśtram kalau keerena bhāśitam

Maharishi Śuka preached this sacred text Srimad Bhāgavatam, which dispels fear from those who are caught in the jaws of the serpent called time. This sacred text uplifts the human beings in Kali-yuga.

Sacchidānanda rūpāya viśwotpatyādi hetave

Tāpatraya vināśāya śri kriśnāya vayaṃ nu maḥ ǀǀ

I offer obeisance to Lord Srikrishna, who is the form of truth-knowledge-bliss (Sachchidananda); who is the cause for the creation, sustenance and dissolution of the universe and who drives away the afflictions that torment a person.

Janmady asyā yato ‘nvayad itaratas carthesv abhijnah svarāt

Tene brahma hrda ya ādi-kavaye muhyanti yat surayah

Tejo-vāri-mrdam yatha vinimayo yatra trisargo’mrśa
Dhāmna svena sadā nirasta-kuhakam satyam param dhimahi ǀǀ

Every object in this creation is in the state of existence (sat). But one object does not reside within another. We understand that this world was born out of Parabrahma who inherently is the form of existence (sat). It dwells (sthiti) in Him and once again merges back into Him. On His own will the omniscient Paramātma, who Self-illumines without any expectation, taught the knowledge of the Vedas to four faced Brahma. Even great souls get stupefied in matters pertaining to this Supreme Lord.

Just as fire, water, earth emerged from Him whose inherent form is existence only (sat), this world too which is their effect form (kārya roopa) and which in reality does not exist, becomes apparent (visible). Māya (illusion) and its defects cannot touch that Lord who is Pure Consciousness. In other words, He destroys those defects. I contemplate upon such Supreme Lord (Parabrahma) who is the form of Truth.

Narayana.[PE1]

Reviewed. [PE1]