Shreemad Bhagavat Mahapuran- Canto: 6, Chapters: 3-5
Shree Shukdevji said – Parikshit! When Bhagwan Vishnu's attendants stopped Yamadutas from taking Ajamila to Yamlok, they went to Yamraj and said, "Prabhu! The actions of living beings are of three types – sinful, virtuous, and mixed. Only one ruler should decide their consequences; otherwise, the system of justice will be disrupted. We consider you the supreme ruler, but this time, four divine beings disobeyed your order and liberated Ajamila simply because he uttered the name 'Narayan.' We wish to know the reason for this."
Yamraj replied, "O Yamadutas! There is another supreme ruler of the animate and inanimate world besides me, to whom this entire universe is connected. Brahma, Vishnu, and Shankar are His manifestations and are responsible for creation, preservation, and destruction. Just as a farmer ties his oxen with ropes and connects them to a main tether, Bhagwan has bound the varnas and ashrams with regulations and governs them through the Vedic injunctions. All living beings are bound by name and karma and, out of fear, offer their actions to Bhagwan. Even I, Indra, Varun, Chandra, Agni, Shankar, Surya, Vayu, Brahma, and all other devatas, though endowed with the quality of sattva, are still under Bhagwan's Maya and cannot comprehend His actions."
"He is supremely independent, and His divine attendants possess extraordinarily beautiful forms, virtues, and qualities as they roam this world. The vision of Bhagwan Vishnu's celestial attendants is extremely rare. They protect devotees from me, enemies, fire, and all dangers. The Bhagavat Dharma established by Bhagwan is supremely pure and highly confidential. It is very difficult to understand. Whoever realises it attains the divine form of Bhagwan. O messengers! The secret of Bhagavat Dharma is known only to twelve personalities – Brahmaji, Devarshi Narad, Bhagwan Shankar, Sanatkumar, Kapildev, Swayambhuva Manu, Prahlad, Janak, Bhishmapitamah, Bali, Shukdevji, and myself (Dharmaraj)."
"For the living beings in this world, the highest duty and supreme Dharma is to develop devotion at Bhagwan's feet through naam-kirtan and other devotional practices. Singing the glories, pastimes, and names of Bhagwan destroys sins, but that is not its greatest reward. Look, Ajamila, even with an unsteady mind, called out his son's name 'Narayan' at the time of death, and merely through a faint reflection of the name, all his sins were destroyed, and he attained liberation. Even great scholars, deluded by Bhagwan's Maya, get entangled in yajnas and rituals but fail to understand the glory of His name. However, saints who rely solely on Bhagwan are protected by His divine mace. O messengers! Never approach such saints, for neither we nor time itself can punish them. But those who turn away from this divine nectar, who are trapped in the desires of household life, who neither chant Bhagwan's name nor bow at His feet – only such sinners should be brought before me!"
Yamraj continued – "Today, my messengers insulted Bhagwan Vishnu's attendants, which is equivalent to disregarding Bhagwan Himself. This is my own fault. May Bhagwan Narayan forgive us for this ignorance. We are His obedient servants, always waiting for His grace. I bow to that all-pervading Supreme Lord."
Shree Shukdevji said – "Parikshit! The best and ultimate atonement for even the greatest sins is to sing the glories, pastimes, and names of Bhagwan. Only through this can the world attain true welfare. Those who repeatedly listen to and sing Bhagwan's divine pastimes, filled with His grace, awaken pure loving devotion in their hearts. Such purification of the soul cannot be achieved through austerities or vows. Those who thirst for the nectar of Shree Krishna's lotus feet never get trapped in worldly pleasures again. But those who turn away from this divine nectar keep performing atonements repeatedly, yet their sinful tendencies never cease. Parikshit! After hearing Bhagwan's glories from Dharmaraj, the Yamadutas became so fearful that they never dared to approach devotees again. This sacred story was narrated to me by Agastyaji while worshipping Shree Hari on Mount Malaya."
The Expansion of the Prachetas' Lineage
King Parikshit asked, "You briefly described how devas, asuras, humans, serpents, animals, and birds were created in the Swayambhuva Manvantara. Now, I wish to know this in detail."
Shree Shukdevji narrated: When King Prachinbarhi's sons, the Prachetas, emerged from the ocean after their penance, they saw that the entire Earth was covered with dense forests. Enraged, they attempted to burn down the trees using fire and wind.
At that moment, Chandra, the moon god, intervened and pacified them. He explained that trees are essential to creation, providing food and sustaining all living beings. He advised the Prachetas to control their anger, protect their subjects, and understand the divine arrangement of Bhagwan Shree Hari.
To resolve the situation, Chandra, the king of vegetation, offered them the beautiful Marisha, the daughter of the Apsara Pramlocha, in marriage. Convinced by his words, the Prachetas accepted his advice and married Marisha in accordance with Dharma.
The Expansion of Creation Through Daksha, Son of the Prachetas
From the womb of Marisha, the wife of the Prachetas, was born Prajapati Daksha. Through Daksha’s efforts in creation, all three worlds became populated.
Prajapati Daksha initially created devas, asuras, and humans residing in water, land, and sky through his willpower. However, when he noticed that creation was not expanding as expected, he undertook intense penance in the mountains near Vindhyachal. There, in a sacred pilgrimage site called Aghamarshan—renowned for washing away all sins—Daksha performed austerities and offered prayers to Bhagwan using the ‘Hansaguhya’ stuti.
Pleased with his devotion, Bhagwan appeared before him and explained that Brahma, Shankar, and other devas are His divine manifestations, assisting in the process of creation. Bhagwan further revealed that in the beginning, only He existed. When Brahma faced difficulties in creation, Bhagwan instructed him to engage in penance, which led to the emergence of nine Prajapatis.
Bhagwan then guided Daksha to marry Asikni, the daughter of Panchajan Prajapati, stating that from then on, creation would expand through the union of male and female. All living beings would continue to serve His divine purpose. After imparting this knowledge, Bhagwan Shree Hari disappeared from Daksha’s sight, leaving him to fulfil his role in the grand cosmic order.
Naradji Instills Vairagya in Daksha's Sons
Shree Shukadevji says that with Bhagwan's divine empowerment, Prajapati Daksha became highly capable. He begot ten thousand sons named Harayashvas through his wife Asikni, the daughter of Panchajan. These sons were similar in nature and conduct. Following their father's command to expand creation, they went westward for penance. Arriving at Narayan-Sar, the sacred confluence of the Sindhu River and the ocean, they purified their minds through its holy waters, developing an inclination toward Bhagavat Dharma. However, bound by their father's orders, they continued their austere penance for progeny.
Seeing their potential for devotion but their focus on worldly duties, Devarshi Narad approached them and spoke:
"O Harayashvas! You may be Prajapatis, but in reality, you are ignorant. Tell me, how can you create the world when you have never even seen its end?" Then, Naradji narrated a riddle: "There is a land where only one man resides. A burrow with no exit. A woman who constantly changes her form. A man who is married to an unfaithful wife. A river that flows both forward and backwards. A peculiar house made of twenty-five elements. A swan with an extraordinary story. A wheel forged of knives and thunderbolts that rotates on its own. Foolish Harayashvas! Until you understand your all-knowing father's true intention and witness these mysteries, how will you fulfil your duty of creation?"
The Harayashvas, being intelligent by birth, pondered deeply over Naradji's words. Contemplating the profound meaning of his riddle, they began to unravel its truth within their minds.
- "A land where there is only one man" – This land represents the body, and the only being who resides within it and enjoys is Bhagwan, who is present everywhere. If a person does not realise the Supreme Soul and toils only for temporary pleasures, what is the benefit of such efforts?
- "A hole from which there is no way out" – Just as one who enters Patal Lok (the netherworld) does not return. Similarly, one who attains Bhagwan and reaches the divine abode never returns to the material world. Why dive into a temporary world when the real destination lies elsewhere?
- "A woman who constantly changes her form" – This represents the intellect, which takes on different forms influenced by the three gunas—sattva (purity), rajas (passion), and tamas (ignorance). Sometimes, it becomes wise, and at other times, under the influence of Maya, it misguides the soul.
- "A man who is the husband of an unchaste woman" – This symbolises the individual soul, which, being controlled by its restless intellect, wanders here and there and gets trapped in worldly attachments. Just as a person who marries an unfaithful woman loses his independence, the soul bound by illusion loses its true freedom.
- "A river that flows both forward and backward" – This represents Maya, which, on the one hand, creates the material world and, on the other, brings about its destruction. When a soul tries to escape this world, Maya entangles it evenfurther.
- "A peculiar house made of twenty-five elements" – refers to the body and the material world, composed of twenty-five elements of nature. Becoming entangled in it, the soul forgets its true freedom.
- "A swan whose story is quite unique" – signifies the Vedas and scriptures, which distinguish between knowledge and ignorance like a swan separating milk from water.
- "A wheel made of sharp blades and thunderbolt, which keeps revolving on its own" – This symbolises time (Kaal), which moves continuously and cannot be stopped. Those who do not understand it mistake temporary things for permanent ones and fall into illusion.
The Haryashvas realised that no one can stop the wheel of time; it is supremely independent. Those who do not understand this truth and, considering the fruits of actions to be eternal, engage in rituals with worldly desires—what benefit do they gain from such impermanent actions? The shastras are the true father, and their instruction is not to engage in karma but to renounce it. One who does not understand this gets trapped in the illusion of material sound and other sensory experiences. How, then, can he follow the command to renounce actions?
With this realisation, the Haryashvas unanimously decided to embrace the path shown by Naradji. Circumambulating him in reverence, they set forth on the path of liberation, from which there is no return.
When Daksha Prajapati learnt that his sons had taken the path of renunciation due to Naradji’s teachings, he was deeply distressed. Brahmaji consoled him, after which Daksha begot another thousand sons through Asikni, who were called Shabalashvas. Following their father’s instructions to expand creation, they went to Narayana Sarovar to perform austerities—the same sacred place where their elder brothers had attained perfection.
Bathing in the Saraswati River, their hearts were purified, and they became immersed in the worship of Bhagwan Narayan. Living only on water and air, they performed severe austerities while chanting the Omkar mantra.
Seeing them, Devarshi Narad approached with love and instructed them, saying, “A true brother follows the noble path of his elder brothers.” Inspired by his words, the Shabalashvas too chose the path of renunciation and advanced towards Bhagavat-realisation.
Naradji Cursed by Daksha
When Daksha Prajapati realises that Naradji has once again inspired his sons to tread the path of renunciation, his lips begin to quiver in rage. Enraged, he lashes out at Naradji with harsh words, accusing him of misleading his innocent sons and diverting them from their duties as householders, even before they had fulfilled their obligations.
Fuming with anger, Daksha rebukes Naradji, calling him deceitful and branding his renunciation as mere hypocrisy. He argues that true detachment can only arise after experiencing worldly pleasures, and yet, Naradji has misguided his sons forcibly, depriving them of this experience.
Blinded by fury, Daksha curses Naradji, condemning him to wander endlessly across different worlds, without ever finding a resting place.
However, Naradji, embodying true saintliness, accepts the curse without resentment. With a serene smile, he simply says, “Very well.” He embraces Daksha’s words with joy, displaying the highest virtue of a sadhu—remaining forgiving even when possessing the power to retaliate.
Summary: JKYog India Online Class- Shreemad Bhagavat Katha [Hindi]- 10.03.2025
