A Study of the Bhâgavata Purâna; or, Esoteric Hinduism
Religion
A Study of the Bhâgavata Purâna; or, Esoteric Hinduism
Puranas. Bhagavatapurana. English
Then we come to MANTRA BHAGAVATA or Bhâgavata written in Vedic Mantras,
a stiff work not quite intelligible without the excellent gloss of
Nilkantha (published at the Venkatesvara Press, Bombay). This work is
said to have been found out by Nilkantha. It is divided into four parts
— Gokula Kânda, Vrindâvana Kânda, Akrûra Kânda and Mathurâ Kânda. The
chief events of Krishna’s divine life (Lilâ) are narrated in this book,
but in the order of narration., it follows Hari Vansa more than the
Bhâgavata Purâna. I refer only to those portions of the book, which to
me appear important.
We take the following from the Gokula Kânda. The Gopas are
re-incarnations of Devas. They are the messengers of Krishna. They are
fond of _Gavya_ or the products of Cows. The relation between Krishna
and the Gopas is that between an object and its image. Krishna drove the
cattle of Nanda, just as he drove the horses of Arjuna, the object of
doing so being in both the cases the destruction of all the enemies
(III). In commenting on the 5th Śloka, Nilkantha calls Krishna the white
ray of the Sun, which becomes the blue ray, which is in reality the ray
of Sat, Chit and Ananda. He refers in this connection to the word Bharga
(ray) in the Gayatri. Krishna is the heart of the Sun.
The sixth sloka explains this: —
"It is Krishna who causes bliss. The Sun God (Savitri), being guided by
Krishna, goes his way on the golden chariot (VI)."
In the 11th sloka, Krishna is called the Black ray.
Mother Aditi (Earth) asked her son Indra for relief (VII). At the
request of Indra, Vishnu entered the womb of Devaki. He first ensouled
seven Ardha-Garbhas. (_Ardha_ is half and _Garbha_ is a foetal child.
The six sons of Kala-nemi — the name of a demon, literally, the rim of
the wheel of time, known as Shat Garbhas, pleased Brahmâ by worship and
became immortal. They were the grandsons of Hiranyakasipu. He cursed
them saying: —
"I am your own grandfather. But you disregard me for the sake of the
Divine Grandfather Brahmâ. Hence you shall be killed by the hands of
your own father." They remained in their Linga Sarira in Pâtâla.
They incarnated as the first six sons of Vâsudeva and were killed by
Kansa, the incarnation of Kala-nemi. This is related in Harivansa.
Therefore they are called Ardha Garbhas. The seventh Balarâma is also
called Ardha-Garbha, as he was drawn away from Devakl to Rohini.
_Nilkantha_) IX.
The Black ray (Sat, Chit and Ananda) incarnated in Devakt’s womb.
Krishna is Antaryâmin or inside all beings.
Balarâma is Sutrâtmâ, the Ego. XIX.
The Cart Asura (_Sakata_) is a messenger of the death God from the
South, XX.
_Pûtanâ_ is a weapon of death in the form of a bird. XXI.
_Trinâvarta_ is the disease, known as consumption.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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