In the previous episode, we had witnessed the continuation of the important discussion on why it is the easiest to internalize Bhagawan as a child. We’ve seen an interesting conversation between Alwar and Bhagawan Vishnu with regards to this. Of course, Bhagawan is an embodiment of the entire universe, but being so, it is very difficult for normal people like us to internalize and imagine Bhagawan. This is what Alwar is trying to convey here – He wants Bhagawan to come in front of him in the form of a child, because a child is an embodiment of pure love and innocence. We would also agree to this point that when we see a child, irrespective of we being a male or a female, a sense of motherly love and affection automatically gets born within us, doesn’t it? We would immediately want to have the child in our arms and lap and to pamper it with all our love, isn’t it? This is the reason why the great ardent devotees of Bhagawan always prefer to see Him as a little child. By doing so, their motherly love overpowers them and this in turn transforms into “Bhakti” and unconditional surrender to Bhagawan’s divine lotus feet. This is exactly what is happening in the case of Sage Shukaachaarya, Sage Paraashara, etc. as well. When they narrate the Krishna-Leelas one after the other, they get so engrossed into imagining Bhagawan Bala-Krishna that they automatically shed tears of “Bhakti-Bhaava”.
In these lines, there is yet another important question that might keep lingering in our minds. In fact, I’ve answered this question in a different angle in one of our previous episodes, but I feel that it’s worth revisiting that question in this context again. We’ve witnessed the entire Shrimad Bhaagawatha Puraana in our previous project, and now we’re witnessing Shri Vishnu Puraana here. In both these Puraanas, there is not much of a mention of the “Rama-Avatara ”, isn’t it? Although Sage Paraashara and Sage Shukaachaarya are giving a detailed accord on the various incarnations of Bhagawan Vishnu, starting from the “Koorma-Avatara”, “Varaaha-Avatara”, Bhagawan Vaamana, etc., when it comes to Bhagawan Rama, both the sages are very brief in their description. They quickly tell their disciples Sage Maithreya and King Parikshit that if they want to have a detailed accord on Bhagawan Rama, they should go and read the Ramayana text authored by Valmiki Bhagawan. They just tell this one sentence and give a jist of how Bhagawan Rama takes birth in this world as the son of King Dasharata and that’s it. They move on into the “Krishna-Avatara” in the Dwaapara Yuga. Whereas, when it comes to the “Krishna-Avatara”, both these “Aachaaryas” spent enormous time in describing the length and breadth of what Bhagawan Krishna did. We’ve seen that in the Shrimad Bhaagawatha Puraana, Sage Shukaachaarya had dedicated the entire 10’th Skanda for describing Bhagawan Bala-Krishna. Here too, we’re witnessing the third “Amsa” for the past 100 episodes or more, wherein Sage Paraashara too is talking at length about Bhagawan Bala-Krishna.
We might wonder here as to why these “Aachaaryas” were so partial towards Bhagawan Rama! In other words, we might be wondering why the same strategy wasn’t adopted to Bhagawan Krishna as well. For instance, Bhagawan Krishna has been described in detail by Sage Veda-Vyaasa in the Mahabharata text, isn’t it? All of us know that very well. Yet, why is Sage Paraashara and Sage Shukaachaarya taking all their time in describing Bhagawan Krishna at length? Moreover, since Sage Shukaachaarya was Sage Paraashara’s son, Sage Shukaachaarya could have easily said to King Parikshit to refer to his father’s Shri Vishnu Puraana text for a detailed accord on Bhagawan Bala-Krishna, isn’t it? Why didn’t he say that?
These are questions that might be lingering in our mind for a long time now. The answer to all these questions is very simple and straightforward. Imagining Bhagawan as a child, performing all His childhood pranks is the best way to increase the “Bhakti-Bhaava” in a spiritual seeker. We should always remember that the ultimate aim of both these texts (Shrimad Bhaagawatha Puraana and Shri Vishnu Puraana) was to instill the “Bhakti Bhaava” in the minds and hearts of King Parikshit and Sage Maithreya. Of course, both these texts talk about how the world was created, how Bhagawan Vishnu performed the “Srishti” with the help of Bhagawan Brahma, King Svaayambhuva Manu, etc. We’ve also witnessed all that in our earlier episodes too. However, the real “Bhakti-Bhaava” doesn’t come there. All that was just pieces of information that one can learn and grasp. The real “Bhakti-Bhaava” begins only when Bhagawan Bala-Krishna takes birth and starts playing in Gokula.
This cannot be done even with Bhagawan Rama. This is because, Bhagawan Rama is an epitome of “Dharma”, as all of us know by now. If one has to be an epitome of “Dharma”, He has to demonstrate to the world through His actions, which is exactly what Bhagawan Rama did all through His incarnation. For someone to exhibit and practice “Dharma”, one should be an adult, isn’t it? Only then the person would have the maturity to follow “Dharma” principles. With this, the spiritual seeker might get an impression that if Bhagawan Rama is following the “Dharma” as per the book, He might be a very strict person. If we’ve to go in front of Bhagawan Rama, and if we’re epitomes of “Adharma” (Which we actually are), won’t Bhagawan Rama punish us and take us to task? This is a fear that lingers in all of us, isn’t it? Whereas, this fear doesn’t arise when we go near Bhagawan Bala-Krishna, as He’s a child! 🙂 We would automatically have that confidence that although we might be epitomes of “Adharma”, Bhagawan Bala-Krishna would still forgive us and accept us as His ardent devotees!
Thus, the point is very clear here – The central focus of both these “Puraanas’ ‘ are Bhagawan Bala-Krishna and the reason behind it is to instil the Bhakt-Bhaava in all of us. So for today, let us understand this point very clearly and let us try and internalize Bhagawan Bala-Krishna in all our hearts, as we move forward with the next important “Krishna-Leela”. Stay tuned! 🙂
The Indian Dharma 