Episode # 257 – Commencing the tenth “Skandha” of Shrimad Bhaagawatha Puraana – King Parikshit requests Sage Sukhaachaarya to narrate the “Krishna Charitra” in more detail!!!
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We are at an extremely important and a beautiful juncture wherein Bhagawan Vishnu has once again incarnated into this earth, as the son of Devaki and Vasudeva. As per the divine will, Bhagawan was born was born as the eighth child of this couple, and this child is going to be the reason for Kamsa’s death. As Kamsa was on a rampaging mode of killing baby after baby as and when they’re born, he was waiting eagerly for the all-important eighth baby to be born. However, as fate would have it, some events conspire, which are beyond Kamsa’s or anybody’s imagination. We’ve witnessed yesterday how the little baby was transported by Vasudeva to Gokula amidst the heavy rain and also amidst Bhagawan Aadisesha serving as a divine umbrella for the little child from getting drenched in the rain.
With this, we had come to the end of the “Krishna-Jananam” and also the ninth “Skandha” of the Shrimad Bhaagawatha Puraana text. Now we’re all set to commence the all-important tenth “Skandha”, which perhaps is the lengthiest one of all “Snakdhas” in this text. This tenth Skandha talks in detail about Bhagawan Krishna’s incarnation and all of His accomplishments, so as to restore the “Dharma” again in this earth. To be very precise, this tenth “Skandha” is the lifeline of the entire text, right from head to toe. With this auspicious short introduction, we shall quickly commence the tenth “Skandha” and go into details of it. I shall try and explain as much as I can and readers are requested to take notes and read the details repeatedly, so as to gain a better understanding of the contents.
Moving on thus with the tenth “Skandha”, as Sage Sukhaachaarya narrates the “Krishna-Jananam”, King Parikshit was literally in tears of joy. It is to be remembered that it was Bhagawan Krishna who had given life to King Parikshit when he was a newly-born baby. We’ve witnessed this incident in the first “Skandha” itself and readers can recollect it at ease. Now as Sage Sukhaachaarya is going on narrating the birth of Bhagawan Krishna in this world, King Parikshit was very eager to listen to more and more details of the same. As Sage Sukhaachaarya was briefing the birth of Bhagawan Krishna thus, King Parikshit stops him for a minute and asks, “Oh great Sage! Right from the beginning, you were explaining many things, starting from how this world was created, what were the different calculations of time, how did Bhagawan Vishnu protect this world at every stage in the form of various incarnations such as Koorma, Varaaha, Matsya, Narasimha, Vaamana, etc. You also explained in detail about Sage Kapilaachaarya, Jada Bharata, etc. too. But now when it comes to Bhagawan Krishna’s incarnation, why are you hurrying up? Why can’t you explain the “Krishna-Jananam” in more detail? It is only because of Bhagawan Krishna that I’m alive today. It is only because of the divine grace of Bhagawan Krishna did my grandfathers – the Paandavas were able to win over Hastinapura and thus restore the “Dharma”! Thus, if today my family is alive and with all prosperity, it is solely because of Bhagawan Krishna’s divine grace! Hence, please explain in great detail, the “Charithra” of Bhagawan Krishna, right from His divine birth till today!”
As King Parikshit requests thus, Sage Sukhaachaarya replies, “Oh Parikshit! You are a great king! Whereas, I’m an ordinary saint! I can keep on narrating story after story, incident after incident without a break. I do not have any commitment. However, you have your administrative tasks to accomplish as a responsible and a righteous king. You can live a luxurious life. You might not have time to sit for a long time to listen to such stories. Hence, I thought for a moment that I might be wasting your precious time and thus, I described the “Krishna-Jananam” in a brief!”
As Sage Sukhaachaarya replies thus, Parikshit found it a bit strange! He replies thus,
“Pibantham mukhaambhoja acchutham hari kathaamrutham!!”
King Parikshit replies thus, “Oh great Sage! Indeed, I’m so fortunate to first of all have you amidst me today! Moreover, whatever you’ve narrated so far in the form of nine “Skandhas” were like “Amrut” (The divine nectar) being fed to me by Bhagawan Himself! Hence, I’m now devoid of hunger, thirst, sleep, etc. too, which are basic elements of human life. It is totally devoid of all of these, have I listened to all of what you’ve explained to me in detail. I’m prepared to listen more and more of what you’re going to say!”
As King Parikshit requests thus, Sage Sukhaachaarya is moved to tears of joy! He is in tears of joy because he too loves to explain the “Krishna-Charitra” in detail. In fact, he was waiting for King Parikshit to request him to explain the full set of events pertaining to Bhagawan Krishna! This is the reason why Sage Sukhaachaarya narrates the “Krishna-Jananam” in a brief and stops there without explaining further. This triggered King Parikshit’s interests further and this automatically made him ask Sage Sukhaachaarya for more explanation! As King Parikshit requests thus, Sage Sukhaachaarya is all set to start the marathon narration of Bhagawan Krishna, how was He born, where did He spend His first ten years of His life, where did He go next, what happened to Kamsa, what happened to the Gopikas, how did Bhagawan Krishna establish the “Dwaraka-Puri”, etc. As we read through this, we might also have innumerable questions that may prop up in our minds as well, isn’t it? Just like how King Parikshit was so eager to listen to the “Krishna-Charitra”, our interests are also being triggered to listen to the “Krishna-Charitra”, isn’t it?
