Srimad Bhagavatam

Reflections & some points from the book Bhagavata Pravaha

Srimad Bhagavatham, famous as the fully ripened fruit of the Vedic tree of wisdom, is considered the literacy incarnation of the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna.

Endowed with the unparallel beauty and unmatched potency of Krsna, Srimad Bhagavatam is the ageless devotional classic renowned to leave a deeply transformative effect on its readers.

According to Padma Purana, the twelve cantos of the Srimad Bhagavatam represent different limbs of the transcendental body of Lord Krsna. Thus, the transcendental Srimad Bhagavatam is non-different from the transcendental Supreme Lord Krsna.

The deepest longing for everyone is love, and that love is available only through true relationships beyond all selfishness. The Bhagavatam ultimately evokes our dormant love for God, by reinstating our lost but dormant relationship with Krsna.

Srimad Bhagavatam is the divine literature that vividly teaches us the process of Bhakti (love or devotion). Understanding Srimad Bhagavatam is not an intellectual feat or a matter of academic research, one needs sincerity of purpose, purity of character and profuse spiritual blessings to fully benefit from the association of Bhagavatam.

The entire Bhagavatam is an answer to the two questions :

1. How to Live?
2. How to Leave?

Sharing some of the messages from the book :

• Advancement and satisfaction in bhakti are dependent on one’s purity of intent and consistency of attempt
• While spiritual literature uplifts our consciousness and enlightens us on the purpose of life, materialistic, literature degrades our thoughts and entangles us in a sinful life
• However exalted one may be in the material calculation, if one stands against the righteous and sides with the wicked, one would be defeated. Valor cannot stand before virtue.
• Responsibility shouldn’t lead to undue attachment and detachment doesn’t imply acting with irresponsibility
• The quality of consciousness in life matters more than the quantity of time and facilities of life.
• Everything in the material world is originally a product of false ego. One who overcomes this ego by bhakti-yoga can transcend the material world.
• The illusory, materialistic and selfish thinking in terms of “I” and “mine” is the root cause of material distress.
• By bad association, one loses all good qualities — mercy, truthfulness, cleanliness, gravity, intelligence, shyness, austerity, fame, forgiveness, and control of mind and senses
• Pride, envy and resultant anger make one blaspheme and offend exalted personalities. But great souls exemplify the quality of tolerance even in provoking situations.
• False ego makes one so hard-hearted that one gives up affection for near and dear ones, becoming indifferent to even death.
• Every living being is qualitatively one with God, although quantitatively different from and subordinate to him. We are not God, but of godly consciousness originally. Acknowledging the spiritual nature of all beings and their eternal connection with God, one should respect everyone befittingly.
• Selfishness and stubbornness to satisfy one’s own false prestige make one irresponsible to society.
• The thoughts at the time of death depend on the activities during one’s lifetime. And the next life depends on one’s thoughts at the time of death.
• Submissiveness to superiors, selfless service attitude and sincere self-control saves one from obstacles in spiritual life. Obstacles cannot obstruct absorption in bhakti.
• The Lord inspires and empowers his devotees to engage in and accomplish inconceivable tasks.
• When the supreme lord descends as an incarnation. He not only performs various enchanting activities but also gives enlightening teachings to guide human society.
• Real compassion for people is to help them awaken their dormant spiritual consciousness and not just ignorantly pampering their temporary material bodies
• One who experiences the spiritual bliss of love of God within doesn’t feel the need to prove one’s greatness before materialistic people
• It is the sinful propensity that needs to be destroyed, and not just the sinful ‘reaction’ by some atonement.
• Advancement in spiritual life is possible with resolute determination for self-control and sincere commitment to spiritual practices.
• Chanting the Lord’s name is the ultimate atonement for all sins and the most auspicious activity for the whole world.
• One’s maturity is reflected in the way one responds to life situations at the spur of the moment. False pride can cover all knowledge and blunt our responsiveness to situations.
• After all, the body will collapse sooner or later. Fortunate are those who get an opportunity to selflessly utilize their bodies and life for a higher purpose.
• Although material boons may seem necessary to a conditioned soul but self-realised personalities know that anything material just brings temporary joy followed by bondage and suffering
• Envy makes one hard-hearted, lose all discrimination and take to destructive action
• A conditioned soul unaware of the subtle laws of nature blames and criticizes God for one’s material miseries
• Relationships induce possessiveness, but both relationships and possessiveness are temporary, even within one lifetime
• Even demons know philosophy but they don’t always apply it in their practical life due to false attachments or lack of piety
• God mercifully gives us the intuition and inspiration to seek his shelter in situations of difficulty
• The nature of materialistic people is to always oppose, complain, compare and compete with the righteous people, often causing their own misery
• Without the Lord’s inspiration, sanction and assistance no plans can take shape or get executed
• The bewilderment by the opposite gender is so deep that a spiritual seeker has to be extremely careful in this regard
• Problems in this world are created due to the selfish and godless nature of human beings, and not due to God’s mismanagement. After all, God never interferes with the free will of any soul
• The blessings of Brahmanas and Guru are more powerful than one’s own strength and independent efforts
• One should be satisfied with whatever one achieves by destiny and honest efforts. One who is not self-controlled will not be happy even by possessing the three worlds
• Tolerance and equanimity in humiliation is a manifestation of true surrender
• Despite one’s desires and determinations, the inevitable destiny cannot be changed so easily. Bhakti however can change the course of one’s life
• Simplicity, loyalty and chastity impress the hearts of great people, who shower their blessings upon the pure-hearted
• Time scales are different in different planetary systems of the universe — a fact well established by the Bhagavatam and now being acknowledged by modern science by the theory of time dilation
• Sometimes fate takes us on a twisted path toward our destination but at every juncture, it offers precious wisdom for the thoughtful to acquire
• While the whole world can see the foolishness of a person obsessed with lust, the person himself cannot realise it or give it up
• The soul, when conditioned by Maya, adores one’s own self the most, infatuating over one’s body, bodily relationships and belongings. The pure soul, in a spiritual state , loves Krsna the most, more than one’s own self, body or bodily relations
• What we offer may not be the greatest thing in a material sense, but when offered with pure love and devotion, the lord prizes it
• Dutiful detached work combined with the guidance of an experienced guru enables one to traverse the path of life successfully
• To transcend the three material modes, one must first come to the stage of the mode of goodness
• The actual intention of the Vedas is to eventually transcend all material duality and bring one to the stage of God-consciousness
• Even great souls might succumb to extreme emotions at times, but they are humble enough to admit their mistakes, rectify them and not repeat them
• Whenever saintly devotees resound the Srimad Bhagavadham, it is Lord Krsna who speaks through their agency for our transformation and to relieve us of all material tribulations

Excerpts from the Book BHAGAVATA PRAVAHA by Gauranga Darshan Dasji. He is a monk who stays in Govardhan Eco Village, Wada, Maharashtra, India.