Srimad Bhagavatam – day 227
Following the Yagna disciplines, he was not wearing any ornaments on his body. He was wearing a black deer skin. For this reason his body was clearly visible.
Having completed his daily obligatory rituals, Prithu stood holding the darbha grass in his hand. With beautiful lotus-like eyes he observed the entire assembly. With his affectionate gaze he dispelled their grief totally. In a melodious voice that appeared to shower bliss upon everyone, he addressed them.
His speech was melodious, filled with experiential knowledge of many vast areas, worthy, pure, grave, filled with deep essence and unambiguous. Without any sense of urgency he calmly addressed them. It appeared as if he was sharing his experience for the benefit of all.
“O assembled guests! All of you are supremely noble souls who have arrived here. May you all be blessed with auspiciousness! Please listen to what I say. Noble persons who seek to understand dharma should unhesitatingly put for their doubts in the presence of great Mahatmas.
Maharishis have appointed me as the ruler for this land. Therefore I am punishing the wicked and protecting the righteous. I am also providing livelihood to the people. Based on their status and eligibility I am ensuring that each person abides by the rules of dharma applicable to him/her. Simultaneously I am diligently abiding by my own dharma (swadharma).
Devatas state that those who discharge their duties while abiding by their swadharma obtain heavenly planets. Due to the grace of Lord Srihari, who resides as the inner witness, I too am eligible for obtaining these heavenly meritorious planes.
The king who extracts taxes from the citizens without offering them any protection acquires the sins of his citizens while he loses his merit (punya).
My dear citizens, please give up your inclination towards evil tendencies. Instead fix your mind upon Lord Srihari.
Lord Srihari cannot be understood through any visible or direct proofs. If you wish that your king should reach heavenly planets after his death, then please abide by your respective dharmic duties. By doing so, you are actually blessing me.
O fore-fathers, Devatas, Maharishis, please accept these pure words of mine. This is because the person who adheres to the dharma, the person who teaches dharma and the person who actively encourages dharma also get an equal share in the results which he enjoys in heavenly planes.
O venerable ones, knowledgeable persons authoritatively state that Lord Yagneshwara showers the results for all actions. This is undoubtedly true. This is because both in this world and the next certain places which illumine brightly can be spotted.
From this we know that there is one single primary force which blesses the individual with dharma, materialistic earnings (artha), fulfillment of desires (kāma), liberation (moksha) and attaining heavenly planes after death, based on the his/her eligibility. This force is Srihari, the Supreme Lord who holds a mace in his hand.
Great emperors such as Swāyambhuva Manu, Uttānapāda, Dhruva, Priyavrata, my grandfather Anga and others have accepted His existence. Lord Brahma, Shiva, Prahlada, Bali also accept His existence.
Vena, the grandson of Mrtyu, did not accept the existence of the Lord. Having disregarded dharma he and his associates fell to those pitiable states where grief was inevitable.
In those who undertake penance and other rituals to alleviate the sufferings caused by these worldly afflictions, the desire to serve the Lord’s lotus feet intensifies day by day. This desire washes away their mental impurities which had accumulated over many, many births.
Therefore, with the desire to serve Lord Srihari, the individual should wash away all the mind’s impurities and should surrender to His lotus feet! Such a person develops detachment which in turn leads to Self-realization. With this his mind becomes strong. He will be freed from this repeated sorrow-filled re-births.
All of you are innocent. You have all attained accomplishment (siddhi) based on your individual capacities and eligibilities. Please continue your assigned duties diligently. Through these duties worship the Lord. In your mind meditate upon Him. Through your speech glorify Him. Through your body, offer obeisance to Him. The lotus feet of this Lord is Kāmadhenu, the wish-fulfilling cow, which will fulfill all your desires.
The Supreme Lord Srihari is devoid of traits. He is non-dual. He is an embodiment of all knowledge. Yet, in this world He makes himself available through Puroḍāśa and other ingredients offered in the Yagna, through all the rituals pertaining to the Yagna and through the mantras chanted during Yagna. Yagna is composed of many important divisions.
The Lord’s illusory power is māya shakti. Time causes a disturbance within this illusory power. The subtle impressions of past actions (karma vāsana), destiny (prārabdha karma, the portion of the accumulated karma that should be experienced within a birth), māya shakti and time combine together to create the individual’s body.
Fire which engulfs logs of wood appears to have acquired the shape of the wood. Similarly, the all-pervading Lord merges with the individual’s intellect (buddhi) which is in the form of objects. Hence it appears as if he is enjoying the fruits of frutitive actions.
My citizens are adhering to their own dharma with firm determination and endlessly worshipping Srihari. Through this they are blessing me. This is my great fortune.
Srikrishnāya namah