Questions by King Parīkṣit

In the eighth chapter, Parīkṣit, revealing clearly his enthusiasm for topics about Kṛṣṇa, asks Śukadeva, who destroys all doubts, about various topics.

Aguṇasya means “devoid of material guṇas.” Deva refers to Kṛṣṇa.

Here Parīkṣit indicates that his objects of attachment such as kingdom have been given up. Whatever attachment is left for the body, he wishes to give up by concentrating his mind on Kṛṣṇa. This shows his efforts to remember Kṛṣṇa.

Effort in remembering Kṛṣṇa is not necessary for the devotee who hears and chants. Even without great effort, the Lord spontaneously enters into the heart. Hearing and chanting here indicates remembering.

Kṛṣṇa in the form of topics enters the lotus of the heart (bhāva-saroruham) through the ears. Though Paramātmā is always situated in the heart, he is neutral. This implies that Kṛṣṇa, entering though the ears, attaches the jīva to himself. Bhāva indicates relationships like dāsya and sakhya. Thus bhāva-saroruham can also mean the lotus of various sentiments for the Lord. Kṛṣṇa washes way the faults (śamalam) such as lust and anger.

“But this is not so remarkable, because jñāna and yoga can do this also.” By mixing a substance in a jar of water, that water alone is purified, but not all the water in rivers or ponds. The contamination also remains in the jar and is not completely destroyed. By shaking the jar, the dirt becomes disturbed again. Jñāna and yoga purify some people but not all, and even then not completely. They purify the heart to some degree. It is said:

yamādibhir yoga-pathaiḥ kāma-lobha-hato muhuḥ |

mukunda-sevayā yadvat tathātmāddhā na śāmyati ||

The ātmā constantly afflicted by lust and greed will not be satisifed by aṣṭaḍga-yoga and other paths as much as by direct service to Mukunda. SB 1.6.35

But Kṛṣṇa, just by entering, purifies everything with no impurities remaining. That is the meaning of the example.

This verse describes the person with a purified heart. He does not give up the root of the feet of Kṛṣṇa.

evaṁ harau bhagavati pratilabdha-bhāvo

bhaktyā dravad-dhṛdaya utpulakaḥ pramodāt

autkaṇṭhya-bāṣpa-kalayā muhur ardyamānas

tac cāpi citta-baòiśaṁ śanakair viyuḍkte

The unfortunate yogī who has developed love for the Lord, full of all sweet qualities, whose heart is somewhat soft because of devotion, whose body hairs stand on end in ecstasy, who is constantly overcome with intense tears of joy, gradually withdraws his hook-like mind from the Lord's form. SB 3.28.34

This verse describes a yogī who thinks he has a pure heart, not a person with a pure heart. It is just as the traveler returning from a journey does not give up his house. “But do we not see that the traveler after some time leaves his house to go out and earn wealth?” The traveler is further described. He is freed from all suffering, having earned wealth.

Having expressed his enthusiasm for hearing about Kṛṣṇa, the first aḍga of pure bhakti that he cherishes, Parīkṣit inquires about subjects to the extent that they may contribute to the accomplishment of the goals of pure or mixed bhakti. These questions continue till the end of the chapter. Wherever even a trace of bhakti appears, it should be established without aparādha, otherwise Bhakti-devī will not show mercy. It is shown here that one should desire to know about examples and more examples of bhakti performed by pure devotees who are fixed in, and cherish, hearing and chanting about the sweetness of the Lord for the purpose of producing prema.

The jīva who does not have a relationship with the material elements (adhātu-mataḥ) takes up a body made of material elements. Is this body produced by chance or for some reason? These topics should be explained by you as you have understood them. Persons other than you do not know this. Why should I ask them?

It has been explained that the Lord of the jīva has a body similar to the jīva. How is the Lord then different from the jīva? Three lines ask this question. The Lord from whose navel a lotus appears has been described as being composed of the planets. But this Lord has been described as different from the material person endowed with limited limbs, though the Lord is endowed with limbs such as hands and feet which are suitably thick, thin, long and short similar to the jīvas. Though the Lord’s hands and feet are different from those of the jīva, they are described as similar. What is the actual difference?

Certainly you should explain the difference. Brahmā (ajaḥ) is the controller of the individual bodies (bhūtāmā) since he represents the totality of bodies. Since he has come from the lotus in the navel of the Lord, by the Lord’s mercy alone he creates. And the Lord is not without form, because Brahmā saw that form. Though Brahmā is unborn, he appeared from the lotus in the Lord’s navel. Is the form of the Lord similar to that of the material body of Brahmā, or is it different? That you should explain.

Now he asks a different question. Please describe the place where the Lord, who glances over prakṛti, lies. Though he is the Lord of māyā, the master of māyā, he does not touch her since she is his external energy?

Now Parīkṣit asks another question. The planets were previously imagined as limbs of the puruṣa starting in SB 2.5.36. The limbs of the puruṣa were equated with the planets starting in SB 2.1.26. I have heard this from your mouth. If there are some other details concerning this, please tell that. I asked about the jīva controlled by the Lord and the second puruṣa situated in the universe (SB 2.8.8). I have asked about the first puruṣa, creator of the mahat-tattva (SB 2.8.10) and the third puruṣa situated in all living entities (SB 2.8.10). It is said in the smṛti:

viṣṇos tu trīṇi rūpāṇi puruṣākhyāny atho viduḥ |

ekaṁ tu mahataḥ sraṣṭṛ dvitīyaṁ tantu-saṁsthitam |

tṛtīyaṁ sarva-bhūtasthaṁ tāni jñātvā vimucyate ||

The three forms of Viṣṇu are called puruṣas. The first is the creator of the mahat-tattva. The second is situated in the universe, and the third is situated in all living entities. One who knows them becomes liberated.

I have also asked about the totality of jīvas in the present question about the limbs of the puruṣa. These five questions are suitable for śānta and dāsya bhakti. These questions indicate that Śukadeva should tell how the form of the Lord, that Brahmā saw, is distinct from the jīva. This is desired in prīti-bhakti or dāsya-bhakti.

Speak also about the great time spans (kalpaḥ) and their divisions (vikalpaḥ), how time in past, future and present is perceived, and the life spans of the humans, Pitṛs and devatās, who think they are their bodies (sataḥ)

The progress (anugatiḥ) of time has very small divisions (anvī) like the paramāṇu and large divisions (bṛhati) like years. Karma-gatayaḥ refers to the destinations achieved by sinful or pious acts. Yādṛśīḥ stands for yadṛśyaḥ (what type). All of the places achieved by karma are ultimately devoured by the small and large divisions of time. These two questions are suitable for pure bhakti in order to become indifferent to all karma. The Lord says jāta-śraddho mat-kathāsu nirviṇṇaḥ sarva-karmasu: he who has developed faith in my topics and is indifferent to all karmas. (SB 11.20.27)

The transformation of the guṇas refers to the bodies of devatās and others desired by the particular jīva (guṇinām). Speak about the all the activities of sin and piety, yoga, jñāna and bhakti, which are transformation of the guṇas. This refers particularly to the human bodies. And speak about the particular actions that should be performed by the particular jīva (yena) for receiving that body. In the human form, through activities of karma, jñāna or bhakti, what type of person performs what activities and receives what results. This question is suitable for karma-miśra, jñāna-miśra, yoga-miśra and pure bhakti.

Yathā from the previous verse should be understood in this verse also. Speak also about the creation of the various planets and who lives there and how the inhabitants achieve those planets. This question is suitable for all devotees, since all planets are the shelter of various types of devotees and devotees are in charge of those planets.

The question about dimensions of the universe is for bhakti with predominance of aiśvarya. What types of universes exist in the Lord’s belly? Varṇāśrama rules are applicable to mixed devotees. Also describe the condition without these rules. This question is suitable for karma-miśra and jñāna-miśra-bhakti.

This question includes not only the yugāvatāras but also the type of bhakti that they institute.

Please describe about bhakti (sādhāraṇaḥ dharmaḥ) for men, including even the outcastes. Saviśeṣaḥ refers to dharmas according to birth. Even these persons become devotees. This is illustrated in the verse kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā. (SB 2.4.18) Also describe the dharma of the vaiśyas (śreṇīnām) and kings. These people should also take up bhakti without offense. What is the dharma in emergency situations when it is difficult to act according to varṇa? This question is suitable for all types of bhakti.

Enumerate the elements (tattvānām) and their svarūpas (lakṣaṇam), and how they give rise to various effects (hetu-lakṣaṇam). Puruṣa here refers to the puruṣāvatāras and their activities. Yoga indicates yoga-miśra-bhakti.

Yogeśvara refers to great devotees like Śiva. They have attained positions of great power. The description of the destruction of the subtle bodies is suitable for śānta-bhakti. The word tātparyam should be supplied in the last line for the words in possessive case. That conclusion (of Vedas, etc.), of course, is only bhakti, and is a suitable question for all types of bhakti.

What is the deliverance of the living beings from the ocean of saṁsāra (samplavaḥ)? What is the prowess (vikramaḥ) necessary for that? What destroys it? This is a question about what is favorable and unfavorable for bhakti. Or samplava-vikrama-pratisaḍkramaḥ can refer to creation, maintenance and destruction. Speak also about the Vedic (iṣṭā), smārta (pūrtasya) and kāmya-karmas.

vāpī-kūpa-taòāgādi devatā-yatanāni ca |

anna-pradānam ārāmaḥ pūrtam ity abhidhīyate ||

Pūrta refers to making ponds, wells and tanks, worship of devatās, giving food and pleasure.

And speak of dharma, artha and kāma (trivargasya). Vidhiḥ refers to those rules without contradiction to bhakti. These questions are suitable for karma-miśra-bhakti.

Also describe the appearance (sargaḥ) of jīvas (anuśāyinām) who were merged in the Lord at mahā-pralaya. This is a question about the sādhaka-bhaktas who want to attain perfection of their sādhana. The question about the heretics (pāṣaṇòasya) concerns those without bhakti. The question about bondage and liberation of the jīvas touched by māyā (ātmanaḥ) concerns jñāna mixed with bhakti or bhakti mixed with jñāna. Vyavasthānām svarūpataḥ means the condition of the eternally liberated souls, untouched by māyā. This concerns the eternal bhakti of jīva associates of the Lord such as Viśvaksena.

Describe how the Lord carries out pastimes of creation, having given up the universe at the time of destruction. Or describe how independent (ātma-tantraḥ) Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavān, the source of all avatāras, performs pastimes starting with killing Pūtanā using his yoga-māyā potency. His supreme position is shown when Mahā-viṣṇu steals the sons of the brāhmaṇa in order to see Kṛṣṇa. And describe how, after creating special pastimes of disappearance (visṛjya), he remains indifferent to them, making pretence of being a witness only to those pastimes.

The word ca indicates what was not asked.

“Previously you have understood all of this from other great sages directly. Why do you ask me again?” Among all the sages (atra), definitely (hi), you are authoritative. Though I know these subjects, I ask out of longing for the answers coming from your lotus mouth. You are like Brahmā, who by the mercy of the Lord became knowledgeable of the meaning of the self-evident Vedas. Others undertake action after studying and studying it, and seeing what was done by previous knowers.

In this endeavor you should not worry about my difficulties. My life airs are not disturbed from fasting (na parāyanti). What is the reason? I drink the nectar of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. The angry brāhmaṇa will come in seven days in the form of Takṣaka, and due to that, my life airs will be disturbed (my life will end). Then I will not be able to drink the nectar of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. Therefore do not delay in telling about Kṛṣṇa.

Sat-pateḥ means Kṛṣṇa. Brahma-rataḥ refers to Śukadeva. Sūta here testifies that the Kṛṣṇa is being discussed in the questions and answers.

Śukadeva then commenced to give the answers by reciting the Bhāgavatam. Brahma-kalpe means in the first day of Brahmā.

The sequence is according to topic, not according to the order of the questions.