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the Munis, who looked on all with equal eyes, were kind to me, especial-
ly as I gave up play, followed them, served them and talked little.
With the permission of the regenerated I at one time partook of the
remnants of their meal and the impurities of my mind were all removed.
When thus my mind became pure, my inclination grew towards their
Dharma. By their favor I heard them sing the beautiful stories of
Krishna. Hearing those stories every day with faith, I gained holy
love for Krishna. Through that love my mind became fixed in Him
and I came to perceive my Sthula and Sukshma bodies as only false
reflections of the real Self or Brahma. The Bhakti that grew up in
me destroyed my Rajas and Tamas. Then when the kind Rishis were
about to leave the place, they imparted to me the most occult know-
ledge which had been given to them by Bhagavan himself. Through
that knowledge I have known the Maya of Bhagavan. It is by that
knowledge that one reaches the plane of Bhagavan. As I cultivated
this occult knowledge, Bhagavan appeared Himself and gave me know-
ledge and powers direct."
[Sridhara Svami, the commentator of Bhagavata Purana notes
the following points in the above story (i) Seva, /. e., service of and
attendance on Mahatmas, (2) their krip or favor, (3) trust in their
Dharma, (4) hearing the stories of Bhagavan, (5) attachment to Bhaga-
van, (6) knowledge of Self by the discrimination of the Sthula and the
Sukshma body, (7) firm Bhakti, (8) knowledge of the reality of Bhaga-
van, (9) at the last the appearance of omniscience and other powers
through the favor of Bhagavan.]
What followed then, inquired Vyasa? Narada continued:
"Sometime after my teachers, the Bhikshus, had gone away, my
mother died of snake-bite. I deemed that an act of God and went
towards the North. After crossing several forests, rivers and mountains,
I at last reached a solitary forest and there sat under a pipal tree. As
directed by my teachers, I meditated on self in self through self. My
mind had been completely conquered by Bhakti. As I was devotedly
meditating on the lotus feet of Bhagavan with tear-drops in my eyes,
Hari gradually appeared in my heart. O Muni, the hairs of my body
stood on end through exuberance of holy love, I was completely lost
in joy and knew not either self or any other. The indescribeable Isva-
ra spoke thus in solemn words:
"O thou that dost not deserve to see me in this life, I am difficult
to be seen by imperfect Yogis, whose likes and dislikes have not been
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name: bowerbird
email: bowerbird@aol.com
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