Sapthaham

Where the Mahabharata ends, the Bhagavatha begins…..

After the exit of Pandavas and Krishna, Parikshit, the son of Abhimanyu, becomes the Emperor. During his time, Kali was tormenting the earth and Dharma. He prepares to slay Kali, who surrenders and pleads with Parikshit to assign him places to stay on. Parikshit allocates him falsehood, intoxication, passion and cruelty. Kali pleads for one more place, gold, which was granted.

One day, King Parikshit was tired and thirsty amidst a hunt, enters the hermitage of Shamika rishi and asks for water. The sage, in a complete state of meditation does not respond to king’ query. Parikshit, angered that he was disrespected, lifts a dead snake lying nearby with the end of his bow and throws it across the sage’s shoulder. The sage doesn’t notice that either.

The king returns to the capital after the hunting procedure. The sage’s son, Shringi, a mere boy, who was playing with his friends hears about this undignified act of Parikshit. Enraged, he immediately curses that the king would be bitten by the snake Takshaka in a matter of seven days.

Shringi goes home and laments before his father. Shamika opens his eyes, notices the snake, brushes it away, and asks the reason for Shringi’s grief. The boy narrates how he has cursed Parikshit. Then Shamika tells the glories of Parikshit and reasons how he did not deserve the curse. The wise sage seeks pardon from the Almighty for his son’s immature understanding. He also arranges to convey about the curse to the king.

Parikshit also regrets his action, and welcomes the curse as an opportunity for him toredeem himself. Giving charge of the kingdom to his son Janamejaya, and renouncing everything, he walks away to the banks of the river Ganga river for a fast unto death. He seeks the guidance of elders and sages around him for salvation of his soulwithin the limited time. Earlier, Lord Vishnu gives an outline of the Bhagavatha in a nutshell as Chathusloki Bhagavatha(4 verses) to Brahmadeva. Brahma narrates it to the sages of Sanaka and his brothers, Sanatana, Sanandana and Sanatkumara. They in turn, narrate it to Narada.

Even after the mammoth task of editing and compiling the vedas, composing the

Mahabharatha etc., Vyasa felt dejected. Narada reasons that it was because Vyasa did not sing the glory of God. He briefly narrates the theme of the Bhagavatha to Bhagwan Vyasa. Narada gives a brief description of the epic to Vyasa who composes the epic. The epic was then taught to Vyasa’s son, Sage Srishukha.

As if by divine intervention, sage Sri Sukha, the son of Vyasa, walks in and gives the solution to the king Pareekshit by chanting the Bhagavatha. After chanting the stories, he also volunteers to narrate the epic Srimad Bhagavatam.

Where the Mahabharata ends, the Bhagavatha begins…..

After the exit of Pandavas and Krishna, Parikshit, the son of Abhimanyu, becomes the Emperor. During his time, Kali was tormenting the earth and Dharma. He prepares to slay Kali, who surrenders and pleads with Parikshit to assign him places to stay on. Parikshit allocates him falsehood, intoxication, passion and cruelty. Kali pleads for one more place, gold, which was granted.

One day, King Parikshit was tired and thirsty amidst a hunt, enters the hermitage of Shamika rishi and asks for water. The sage, in a complete state of meditation does not respond to king’ query. Parikshit, angered that he was disrespected, lifts a dead snake lying nearby with the end of his bow and throws it across the sage’s shoulder. The sage doesn’t notice that either.

The king returns to the capital after the hunting procedure. The sage’s son, Shringi, a mere boy, who was playing with his friends hears about this undignified act of Parikshit. Enraged, he immediately curses that the king would be bitten by the snake Takshaka in a matter of seven days.

Shringi goes home and laments before his father. Shamika opens his eyes, notices the snake, brushes it away, and asks the reason for Shringi’s grief. The boy narrates how he has cursed Parikshit. Then Shamika tells the glories of Parikshit and reasons how he did not deserve the curse. The wise sage seeks pardon from the Almighty for his son’s immature understanding. He also arranges to convey about the curse to the king.

Parikshit also regrets his action, and welcomes the curse as an opportunity for him toredeem himself. Giving charge of the kingdom to his son Janamejaya, and renouncing everything, he walks away to the banks of the river Ganga river for a fast unto death. He seeks the guidance of elders and sages around him for salvation of his soulwithin the limited time. Earlier, Lord Vishnu gives an outline of the Bhagavatha in a nutshell as Chathusloki Bhagavatha(4 verses) to Brahmadeva. Brahma narrates it to the sages of Sanaka and his brothers, Sanatana, Sanandana and Sanatkumara. They in turn, narrate it to Narada.

Even after the mammoth task of editing and compiling the vedas, composing the

Mahabharatha etc., Vyasa felt dejected. Narada reasons that it was because Vyasa did not sing the glory of God. He briefly narrates the theme of the Bhagavatha to Bhagwan Vyasa. Narada gives a brief description of the epic to Vyasa who composes the epic. The epic was then taught to Vyasa’s son, Sage Srishukha.

As if by divine intervention, sage Sri Sukha, the son of Vyasa, walks in and gives the solution to the king Pareekshit by chanting the Bhagavatha. After chanting the stories, he also volunteers to narrate the epic Srimad Bhagavatam.

Thus, Srishuka begins his narration and describes the cosmos, the different

worlds (lokas) and the cosmic form of the Lord. And how to meditate on him, who resides in the cavity of one’s heart in the form as big as a thumb in height. Then he begins the stories of his descents on earth — the avataras, for the benefit of the world.

Shrimad Bhagavatham says:

Nigamakalpatharoh galitham phalam ShukamukhAth amrutha drava samyutham Pibatha BhAgavatham rasamAlayam muhuraho rasikA Bhuvi BhavukA ‘O ye devotees possessing a taste for divine joy, Srimad Bhagavatha is the fruit (essence) of the wish-yielding tree of veda (book of knowledge) dropped onto earth from the mouth of the parrot (Sage Shuka), and is full of nectar of supreme bliss. Go on drinking this nectar repeatedly till there is consciousness left in you.’

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