Foreword to Bhagavatam (Gita Press)-English Translation An English Rendering of the Foreword in Sanskrit to the Fifth Edition of Bhagavata published by Gita Press, Gorakhpur In this age of Kali, is there a living being, moving or non-moving, which is not terrified by the Serpent of Time (Kaalabhujamga) slowly but surely devouring the animate and the inanimate entities of this world? Who in this world does not always long to break free, by whatever means, from the bondage born out of one’s attachment to the body, house, wealth, wife and so on? Is there a human being who, scorched as he is by the continuously raging fire of diverse physical and psychological ailments, does not yearn for the company of saintly persons wherein he can immerse himself in the nectar of divine names and praise of the Lord flowing from the very depth their hearts? Yet, man is uncertain about the path that will lead him to liberation. Who will churn this boundless ocean of samsara and help him get the amrit (nectar) which will give him immortality? Unable to decide on the path he has to take, man is ever in a state of misery and sorrow. Not only those who want to cross this ocean of samsara but also those who are indifferent to it and others who are silent spectators are being tossed about by its towering waves. Seeing this piteous plight of human beings the Lord, ever the friend of the meek and the humble, in his infinite compassion which flows freely without any cause, descends on this earth plane in order to wipe the tears of humans and to dry up the ocean of sorrow enveloping them. The play (Leela) of the Lord is such that it is worthy of being heard and remembered always. The exploits during such incarnations spread the fame of the Lord in all directions like moon light bathing the whole world. This leela is so sweet that the heart of the devotee blossoms like the kumuda flower blooming in moon light. His tongues and ears experience such ecstasy out of singing and hearing the praise of the Lord that he is able to cross the circle of raging fire created by the poison of the Serpent of Time (kaala vyala) as easily as if it is only a depression created in the earth by the hoof of a cow (goshpada). He finally reaches the abode of the Lord where there is always peace and pure joy alone. The Lord, out of his love for his devotees, descended on this earth in the incarnation of Sage Vyasa who divided the ancient Vedic lore into the four Vedas. He also authored the puranas which include, apart from their main theme, a description of the main and subsidiary creation, the lineage of kings of the solar and lunar dynasties (surya vamsa and chandra vamsa) and so on. He also wrote the Mahabharata which is of epic proportions shedding light on every aspect of human life. The puranas and epics expound and expand the essence of the Vedas in a language and idiom intelligible to ordinary human beings. In this way, out of compassion for humanity, Sage Vyasa has created, collected and edited the whole body of literature describing the divine leelas of the Lord and the nectar of wisdom and knowledge imparted by Him to His devotees during such incarnations. Among the Puranas authored by Sage Vyasa, Srimad Bhagavata outshines the others being the crest-jewel of the entire Puranic literature. This alone is capable of saving humanity from the fear of the Serpent of Time (kala vyala) as described in the Padma Purana: “ kaala-vyaala-mukha-graasa thraasa-nirnaasha-hethave sreemad-bhaavatham shaastram kalau keerena bhaashitam” [Sage Suka has narrated the bhagavata sastra to allay the fears of those who are caught in the jaws of kaalavyala (Serpent of Time)] Bhagavata alone is described, time and again, as one without a second and incomparable as an instrument for freeing humans from the bonds of samsaara and help them attain liberation (mukti) : “ Ekam Bhaagavatam shaastram mukti-daanena garjathi” Srimad Bhagavata alone is enriched by the tejas (splendour, effulgence, power) of sri Vasudeva. Bhagavata is the incarnation of the Lord in the form of vangmaya ( body of literature) and it is here that He always resides, as it has been said in Paadma Purana: “ swakeeyam yad bhavethejah thachcha bhagavathe adadhaath thirodhaaya pravishtoyam srimad bhaagavathaarnavam theneyam vangmayee moorthih pratyakshaa vartate hareh” [The Lord deposited his power (tejas) in Bhagavata and entering the sea of bhagavata, He disappeared into it. Therefore bhagavata is the word- form ( vangmayee moorthih) of the Lord visible to the naked eye of man ] The ocean of nectar which is Bhagavatha is easily available even for the dull-witted (abudhaah) in this world but is difficult to attain even for the celestial beings (vibudhaah) of the other worlds, as it has been said : “sreemad bhagavatee vaartaa suraanaamapi durlabhaa”
Posted on: Thu, 20 Jun 2013 07:27:13 +0000
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