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Prologue
OM! NAMO BHAGAVATHE VASUDEVAYA
After the great holocaust of Mahabharata when most of the
friends and all the enemies of Pandavas were slain, Parikshit, the
grandson of Arjuna was installed as the king at Hastinapura (Modern
Delhi). He was as valorous as his father Abhimanyu and invincible
like his grandfather Arjuna and it seemed that Krita Yuga had once
again returned. But it was not to be. All things must change.
The king went out a hunting. It was essential to keep the wild
animals at bay. After a daylong hunt, the king got separated from his
attendants. He was very thirsty and looking about, saw an ashram
(hermitage) at a distance. Taking off his shoes and with folded arms
the king gently entered the ashram and there saw an old sage,
Maharishi Angeras sunk in deep meditation. Parikshit tried to rouse
him but the sage would not open his eyes. In a weak moment the
king was overcome with anger. A serpent had cast off its coils near
by. With the end of his bow the king took it up and placed it round the
neck of the meditating saint and departed.
The bad news soon reached the ears of Sringi, the son of
Angeras. At once, surrounded by his playmates he returned to the
ashram and saw the dead snake round his father’s neck. He burst
into tears. Hearing that, it was done by the king himself, he flew into
a rage and taking a handful of water in his palms pronounced a terrible
curse. He said.” On the seventh day from now the king shall die of
snake bite, bitten by Takshaka”
Angeras Maharishi hearing the hubbub woke from his samadhi.
On hearing all that had happened, he was displeased with his son. He
said, “What have you done my son! The king is a great ruler. Who will
protect us, ensuring peace all around, enabling us to pursue tapas?
You must go at once and beg for pardon.” Sringi was abashed to hear
this.
Meanwhile the king too had heard of the curse. Too late he
repented for his conduct. A Brahmin’s curse was irrevocable and
death was certain. But he now wanted to know how to meet it
remembering Hari always and of course at the last moment.
The ministers - most of them being sages and rishis - advised
him to call on a great conference. News spread fast, couriers were
sent to distant parts of the kingdom and even outside. A vast concourse
assembled on the banks of the Ganges. Bhagavan Atri, and the great
sages Vasishta, Chyavana, Bhrigu, Angeras, Bharaduaj, Gautama,
Agastya, Dwaipayana, Viswamitra, Sri Narada himself and many
others had assembled. When all were comfortably seated, the king
asked them what a dying man should do to realize God. . While they
were debating, there came by accident as it were Vyasa Maharshi’s
son Sri Suka, the bachelor saint , always sixteen years old, glowing
like the rising sun. The great assembly rose en-masse and conducted
him to the acharya’s seat.
Parikshit said, “It is certainly our great good fortune that
Bhagavan has chosen to come amongst us. Kindly tell us what a
mortal facing death should do to realize Hari”
Sri Suka replied “Oh! King! Your question is most opportune.
We all face death any moment. At least you have the certainty of
living for seven days. Consider this whole universe as the manifestation
of Sri Hari. His feet are in the nether world; His waist and abdomen
constitute the earth. His head is the heavenly region. His eyes are the
sun and moon. His heart is Truth itself. Contemplate on this divine
form and before long you will be merged in Him enjoying great peace
and ecstasy.”
Sri Suka continued. “Sri Hari takes various forms. The most
pleasant is Adi Narayana with four arms carrying the conch, the disc,
the mace and the lotus, lounging on the serpent body of Adisesha with
the ever-constant Sri Devi attending with all the other Parshadas. It is
Vaikunta, glistening with golden domes and marble palaces. All the
blessed inhabitants look alike and are in the prime of youth. The
women resemble their mistress Sri Devi. The fragrance of heavenly
flowers exude from them, and they sing hymns praising the glory of
the Lord. Even the parrots chant Vedas. It is all so pleasant. But, Sri
Narayana wanted a change. It came about as follows.”
Thus Bhagavan Sri Suka started to tell the sacred story of the
lord The Bhagavatham.
friends and all the enemies of Pandavas were slain, Parikshit, the
grandson of Arjuna was installed as the king at Hastinapura (Modern
Delhi). He was as valorous as his father Abhimanyu and invincible
like his grandfather Arjuna and it seemed that Krita Yuga had once
again returned. But it was not to be. All things must change.
The king went out a hunting. It was essential to keep the wild
animals at bay. After a daylong hunt, the king got separated from his
attendants. He was very thirsty and looking about, saw an ashram
(hermitage) at a distance. Taking off his shoes and with folded arms
the king gently entered the ashram and there saw an old sage,
Maharishi Angeras sunk in deep meditation. Parikshit tried to rouse
him but the sage would not open his eyes. In a weak moment the
king was overcome with anger. A serpent had cast off its coils near
by. With the end of his bow the king took it up and placed it round the
neck of the meditating saint and departed.
The bad news soon reached the ears of Sringi, the son of
Angeras. At once, surrounded by his playmates he returned to the
ashram and saw the dead snake round his father’s neck. He burst
into tears. Hearing that, it was done by the king himself, he flew into
a rage and taking a handful of water in his palms pronounced a terrible
curse. He said.” On the seventh day from now the king shall die of
snake bite, bitten by Takshaka”
Angeras Maharishi hearing the hubbub woke from his samadhi.
On hearing all that had happened, he was displeased with his son. He
said, “What have you done my son! The king is a great ruler. Who will
protect us, ensuring peace all around, enabling us to pursue tapas?
You must go at once and beg for pardon.” Sringi was abashed to hear
this.
Meanwhile the king too had heard of the curse. Too late he
repented for his conduct. A Brahmin’s curse was irrevocable and
death was certain. But he now wanted to know how to meet it
remembering Hari always and of course at the last moment.
The ministers - most of them being sages and rishis - advised
him to call on a great conference. News spread fast, couriers were
sent to distant parts of the kingdom and even outside. A vast concourse
assembled on the banks of the Ganges. Bhagavan Atri, and the great
sages Vasishta, Chyavana, Bhrigu, Angeras, Bharaduaj, Gautama,
Agastya, Dwaipayana, Viswamitra, Sri Narada himself and many
others had assembled. When all were comfortably seated, the king
asked them what a dying man should do to realize God. . While they
were debating, there came by accident as it were Vyasa Maharshi’s
son Sri Suka, the bachelor saint , always sixteen years old, glowing
like the rising sun. The great assembly rose en-masse and conducted
him to the acharya’s seat.
Parikshit said, “It is certainly our great good fortune that
Bhagavan has chosen to come amongst us. Kindly tell us what a
mortal facing death should do to realize Hari”
Sri Suka replied “Oh! King! Your question is most opportune.
We all face death any moment. At least you have the certainty of
living for seven days. Consider this whole universe as the manifestation
of Sri Hari. His feet are in the nether world; His waist and abdomen
constitute the earth. His head is the heavenly region. His eyes are the
sun and moon. His heart is Truth itself. Contemplate on this divine
form and before long you will be merged in Him enjoying great peace
and ecstasy.”
Sri Suka continued. “Sri Hari takes various forms. The most
pleasant is Adi Narayana with four arms carrying the conch, the disc,
the mace and the lotus, lounging on the serpent body of Adisesha with
the ever-constant Sri Devi attending with all the other Parshadas. It is
Vaikunta, glistening with golden domes and marble palaces. All the
blessed inhabitants look alike and are in the prime of youth. The
women resemble their mistress Sri Devi. The fragrance of heavenly
flowers exude from them, and they sing hymns praising the glory of
the Lord. Even the parrots chant Vedas. It is all so pleasant. But, Sri
Narayana wanted a change. It came about as follows.”
Thus Bhagavan Sri Suka started to tell the sacred story of the
lord The Bhagavatham.
| Tales from Bhagavatham(Contents) |  |
| Preface | |
| Prologue | |
| Chapters 1,2,3,4 | |
| Chapters 5,6,7,8 | |
| Chapters 9,10,11,12 | |
| Chapters 13,14,14,16 | |
| Chapters 17,18,19,20 | |
| Chapters 21,22,23 | |
| Chapters 24,25,26 | |
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| Om! namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya |