Shreemad Bhagavat Mahapuran- Canto: 10: Chapters: 87-88
King Parikshit asks, “When the Supreme Brahman is beyond the modes of sattva, rajas, and tamas, beyond the reach of the mind and speech, and entirely nirgun (without material attributes), then how do the Shrutis describe Him, when they generally describe only qualities, actions, and forms?”
Shree Shukdevji answers Parikshit’s question by narrating an ancient dialogue.
Once, Devarshi Narad went to Badrikashram to have the darshan of Bhagwan Narayan. At that time, Bhagwan Narayan was seated among a gathering of perfected sages from Kalapgram and engaged in austerity, dharma, and spiritual wisdom for the welfare and supreme good of all beings.
Narad offered his obeisances and asked the same question that you ask today, “How do the Shrutis reveal the nirgun Brahman, who is beyond the reach of the mind and speech?”
Bhagwan Narayan replied, “O Narad! This very question had also arisen in ancient times during a great spiritual assembly in Janalok. At that time, Brahma’s mind-born sons, the eternal celibate sages Sanak, Sanandan, Sanatan, and Sanatkumar, were discussing the true purport of the Vedas and the nature of the Supreme Brahman.
“In that assembly, the profound question arose: How do the Shrutis reveal that Supreme Brahman whom the mind and speech cannot reach and whom even the Vedas cannot describe directly? At that time, you had gone to Shvetadwip to behold My Aniruddh form, the Lord of Shvetadwip. I shall now narrate to you the divine discussion that took place there.”
Sanak, Sanandan, Sanatan, and Sanatkumar were equal in scriptural knowledge, austerity, and noble conduct. In their vision, friend, enemy, and neutral person were all alike. Yet they chose Sanandan as the speaker, while the remaining brothers sat as eager listeners.
Sanandan said, “Just as, at dawn, royal bards approach a sleeping emperor and awaken him by singing of his glorious deeds and fame, similarly, when the Supreme Lord withdraws the entire universe into Himself and rests with all His divine powers, the Shrutis, at the end of cosmic dissolution, awaken Him by glorifying Him through their revelatory words.”
The Shrutis said, “O Ajit (the Unconquerable One)! All glory to You. You alone are the shelter of all powers. By Your Maya, the soul’s innate knowledge and bliss are covered, and thus it remains bound within the material world. This Maya can be destroyed only by Your grace. Although we do not possess the ability to fully describe Your nirgun (attributeless) nature, we are able to describe You to the best of our capacity when You manifest through creation, maintenance, dissolution, or Your divine pastimes.
“O Lord! The entire universe emanates from You and ultimately merges back into You. Just as various pots made of clay are, in essence, nothing but clay, similarly, this entire universe is but Your manifestation. Therefore, whether we describe a deity, a name, or a form, ultimately we are describing You alone.
“Discerning souls do not become entangled in the various manifestations of Maya composed of the three gunas. By hearing Your divine pastimes, they destroy all their sins and sufferings. Self-realised saints become free from all impurities of the heart and remain established in Your eternal, blissful nature.
“The true success of life lies in worshipping You and following Your commands. Those who fail to do so merely spend their lives breathing in and out like the bellows of a blacksmith. You dwell as consciousness within all the sheaths of existence- the annamaya, pranamaya, manomaya, vijnanamaya, and anandamaya koshas, yet remain completely detached from them. Even after the negation of all causes and effects, You alone remain.
“Some seekers worship You through various spiritual paths. However, those who attain Your radiant path never again enter the cycle of birth and death. Saints abandon attachment to the fruits of action and behold Your one undivided Truth everywhere.
“O Lord! Your true nature is exceedingly difficult to comprehend. Therefore, You descend in various incarnations and perform such sweet pastimes that those who hear them forget all worldly sorrows. Many devotees become so immersed in the joy of Your divine leela-katha that they no longer even desire liberation.
“You are the true Self, benefactor, and beloved of every soul. Yet, out of delusion, people abandon You and become attached to the temporary body and its relationships, wandering endlessly through the cycle of birth and death.
“It is astonishing that the supreme state attained by yogis through severe austerities is also attained by Your enemies simply through constant remembrance of You. For You are equal to all and regard only the intensity of one's absorption.
“O Infinite Lord! Your true nature lies beyond the reach of intellect and speech. Before creation, You alone existed, and after dissolution, You alone remain. Therefore, the best means of knowing You is not through logic and argument, but through surrender and devotion.
“This universe appears real because it is illumined by Your existence, yet in truth it is merely a display of names and forms. Self-realised souls perceive only Your presence throughout the entire creation and thereby conquer death itself. Those who turn away from You, however, remain bound despite engaging in knowledge and ritualistic actions.
“Though You are beyond the senses, You are the source of all sensory power. Even Brahma, Indra, and the other celestial beings perform their respective functions under Your command. By Your mere will, creation comes into being, and by Your support it continues to exist.
“All living beings, deluded by Your Maya, consider themselves separate from You and thus undergo the cycle of birth and death. Wise souls, however, take shelter of You and become free from this fear. Without the grace of the Guru, it is extremely difficult to control the mind; therefore, a spiritual aspirant should always take refuge in a genuine Guru.
“Those saints who have abandoned pride in wealth, learning, and lineage are living places of pilgrimage, for Your lotus feet eternally reside within their hearts. One who has surrendered his mind to You even once never again becomes trapped in worldly bondage.
“O Lord! When a soul, under the influence of ignorance, identifies the body as its true self, it suffers the miseries of birth and death. But You are forever beyond Maya and endowed with infinite opulence. One who understands Your true nature, or lovingly hears and chants Your divine pastimes, transcends happiness and distress, virtue and vice, and all forms of bondage, and attains Your supreme abode.
“O Infinite Bhagwan! Neither Brahma, nor Indra, nor the greatest sages have been able to reach the limits of Your glory. We, the Shrutis, ultimately negate everything other than You and finally merge into contemplation of You alone. That is our highest fruit and our supreme perfection.”
Bhagwan Narayan said, “O Devarshi! In this way, the sages Sanak and his brothers heard this supreme knowledge of Brahman and realised their true spiritual nature. Although they were eternally perfected souls, they nevertheless felt completely fulfilled by this discourse and respectfully honoured Sanandan, who had spoken it.
“O Narad! The Kumaras are among the most ancient sages of creation. These great celestial saints churned the essence of the Vedas, Upanishads, and Puranas and revealed this supreme truth. It is the very essence of all scriptures.
“You too are a mind-born son of Brahma and an heir to the same lineage of divine wisdom. Therefore, embrace this knowledge of the Self and Brahman with faith, and wander freely upon the earth for the welfare of all beings. This sacred wisdom destroys all material desires and leads the soul to the highest spiritual good.”
Shree Shukdevji says to Parikshit that Devarshi Narad reverentially accepted Bhagwan Narayan’s teachings. He then offered obeisances to Him as the Supreme Lord who incarnates for the welfare and liberation of all beings. Thereafter, he went to the ashram of Ved Vyas and narrated to him the entire spiritual wisdom that he had heard from Bhagwan Narayan.
Thus, the Shrutis do not describe Brahman directly. Rather, they reveal Him through implication, indication, and the method of “neti, neti.” They first describe the world, its qualities, names, and forms, and then show that the foundation, support, and ultimate reality behind all of them is Brahman alone. When all limiting designations are negated, the one changeless, eternal, sat-chit-anand Reality that remains is the nirgun Brahman.
Why Do the Devotees of Vairagi Shiv Receive Material Prosperity While the Devotees of Lakshmipati Narayan Receive Renunciation?
King Parikshit asks, “It is astonishing that Bhagwan Shankar Himself is the embodiment of renunciation and detachment, yet His worshippers often obtain wealth, prosperity, and material enjoyments. On the other hand, Bhagwan Vishnu is the Lord of Lakshmi, yet His devotees do not always appear to possess worldly riches. Why does the worship of renunciate Shiv result in enjoyment and opulence, while the worship of Lakshmipati Vishnu results in renunciation and detachment? I wish to know this mystery.”
Shree Shukdevji says, “Parikshit! Shivji is always united with his divine potency. He presides over Ahankara (cosmic ego) and functions within the sphere of the material gunas. Ahankar has three divisions: Vaikarik, Taijas, and Tamas. From this threefold ahankar arise sixteen transformations: the ten senses, the five gross elements, and the mind.
Therefore, by worshipping any of the deities presiding over these principles, one can attain various forms of material prosperity and opulence.
Ahankar= Mind, Senses, Five Gross Elements (Pancha-mahabhutas), etc. → Their presiding deities.
The supreme presiding deity of all these deities = Shiv (Devon ke Dev Mahadev).
According to Sankhya philosophy, from prakriti arises mahat, from mahat arises ahankar, and from ahankar arise the mind, senses, and five gross elements. Bhagwan Shiv is regarded as the presiding deity of these principles and is associated with the Sankarshan aspect of the Chaturvyuh. Therefore, worship of Shiv grants material powers and opulence existing within material nature.
“However, Bhagwan Shree Hari, as the Vasudev-tattva, is entirely beyond prakriti and the three gunas. Therefore, devotion to Him elevates the devotee beyond material qualities and ultimately leads to supreme liberation.
“Bhagwan Shree Hari is the Supreme Purushottam, beyond material nature and free from all material qualities. He is omniscient and the witness residing within everyone's heart. One who worships Him also becomes transcendental to the three gunas.”
Prakriti manifests in the following sequence:
Prakriti → Mahat → Ahankar → Mind, Senses, Five Gross Elements → Entire Material Universe.
Shree Shukdevji says, “Parikshit! This very question had once been asked by Dharmaraj Yudhishthir to Bhagwan Shree Krishna. Bhagwan replied, ‘When I bestow special mercy upon someone, I gradually take away his wealth and worldly supports. When he becomes detached and disillusioned with worldly life, he seeks the association of saints and takes shelter in Me. Then I bestow My causeless grace upon him and grant him realisation of the Supreme Sat-Chit-Anand Brahman.’
“In contrast, other deities become pleased quickly and grant their devotees wealth, prosperity, and enjoyment. However, after attaining such opulence, people often become intoxicated and forget both Bhagwan and the very deity they worship.”
Therefore, the fruit of Vishnu-bhakti is primarily renunciation, God-realisation, and liberation, whereas the worship of other deities generally bestows worldly prosperity and enjoyments.
How Mahadev's Boon Turned Vrikasur into Bhasmasur
Shree Shukdevji says to Parikshit, “O Parikshit! In this regard, great souls narrate an ancient history. Once, Bhagwan Shankar fell into danger after granting a boon to Vrikasur. Vrikasur was the son of Shakuni, a descendant of Hiranyaksha. His intellect had become thoroughly corrupted. One day, while travelling somewhere, he happened to see Devarshi Narad and asked him, ‘Among the three principal deities, who is pleased the quickest?’”
Devarshi Narad replied, “Worship Bhagwan Shankar. Your desire will be fulfilled very quickly. He becomes pleased by even a little devotion and becomes angry over even a small offence. Ravan and Banasur had merely praised Shankarji like court bards, and he became pleased with them and granted them incomparable opulence. Later, however, he himself fell into difficulty because of Ravan's attempt to lift Mount Kailash and because he had taken responsibility for protecting Banasur's city.”
Following Narad's advice, Vrikasur went to Kedarkshetra and began severe austerities to please Bhagwan Shankar. He repeatedly cut pieces of flesh from his own body and offered them into the sacrificial fire. Even after six days had passed, Bhagwan Shankar did not appear. Therefore, on the seventh day, Vrikasur resolved to cut off his own head as an offering.
Before he could commit this act of self-destruction, the supremely compassionate Bhagwan Shankar emerged from the sacrificial fire. He held Vrikasur's hands and stopped him. By His touch, He restored Vrikasur's body to its original state. Then, with great compassion, He said, “Enough, Vrikasur! I am pleased with you. Ask for whatever boon you desire. I become pleased even with the simple offering of water. Why are you unnecessarily tormenting your body?”
The exceedingly sinful Vrikasur then asked for a boon that would strike terror into all living beings: “May anyone upon whose head I place my hand die instantly.”
Upon hearing this request, Bhagwan Rudra became somewhat reluctant. Yet, after a moment, He smiled and said, “Very well, so be it.” By granting such a boon, He had, as it were, fed nectar to a serpent. After receiving this destructive power, Vrikasur became infamous as Bhasmasur, “the one who reduces others to ashes.”
Mahadev Himself Fell into Danger After Granting the Boon
After obtaining the boon, Vrikasur developed a desire to possess Parvatiji. To test his newly acquired power, he ran toward Bhagwan Shankar with the intention of placing his hand upon His head. Because of the very boon He had granted, Bhagwan Shankar found Himself in great danger and fled in fear to escape him.
Vrikasur continued to pursue Him relentlessly. Bhagwan Shankar travelled across the earth, the heavenly realms, and to the ends of all directions, yet He could not escape him. When none of the gods could find a solution to this crisis, Bhagwan Shankar finally went to the supremely effulgent Vaikunth Lok to seek help.
Bhagwan Narayan Assumed the Form of a Brahmachari to Deliver Mahadev from Danger
Seeing Bhagwan Shankar in distress, Bhagwan Narayan, the Lord of Vaikunth, assumed the form of a radiant brahmachari by His Yogmaya and approached Vrikasur. He wore a sacred girdle, a deerskin, carried a staff, had a rudraksha mala around His neck, and held kusha grass in His hand. Divine effulgence, like blazing fire, emanated from His body.
On reaching Vrikasur, He respectfully offered him obeisances.
Then, in a sweet voice, He said, “O Vrikasur, son of Shakuni! You seem very exhausted. First, take some rest, for this body is the instrument by which all desires are fulfilled and should not be subjected to unnecessary suffering. What is it that you wish to accomplish? If you deem me worthy, please tell me, for many tasks are easily accomplished with the assistance of capable helpers.”
Enchanted by the sweet and nectar-like words of the divine brahmachari, Vrikasur narrated his entire story, his austerities, the boon he had received, and his pursuit of Bhagwan Shankar.
Then Bhagwan Narayan cleverly planted doubt in his mind and said, “I do not trust Shankar's words. After all, he has become afflicted with a ghostly condition due to Daksha's curse. If you truly believe in his boon, then first place your hand upon your own head and test it. If the boon proves false, then you may punish that liar.”
By the enchanting and sweet words of Bhagwan, Vrikasur's power of discrimination was destroyed. Deluded, he mistakenly placed his hand upon his own head. The very moment he did so, his head split apart, and he fell to the ground dead like a tree struck by lightning.
Thus, Bhagwan Shankar was delivered from that terrible danger.
Then Bhagwan Narayan said to Shankarji, “This wicked daitya has been destroyed by his own sins, for no living being can remain happy after offending great souls, especially Jagadguru Bhagwan Shankar.”
Summary: JKYog India Online Class- Shreemad Bhagavat Katha [Hindi]- 22.06.2026
