p005 _
-chap- _
toc-1 _
p006w _
toc-2 _
+chap+ _
p007
----- bhagap006.html
VIRAT PURUSHA.
SK. I. Cn. 18 ?? SK. II. CH. I.
Vyasa drew upon his inspiration and wrote the Bhagavata. He
taught this Purana to his son, the wonderful Suka. Suka did not
marry, as Rishis in his time did. He left his home and roamed about
the world at large, stark naked. The separation was painful to
Vyasa and he went out in search of his son. While he passed near
a tank, the Apsarases, who were freely indulging in play, hastily drew
up their clothes, feeling ashamed. " Strange! " exclaimed Vyasa,
' I am old and covered. But when my young son, wholly uncovered,
went this way, you remained unmoved." And the Deva-ladies replied,
"Thy son knows not man and woman, but thou knowest." This
exalted Suka was the worthy propounder of the Bhagavata Purana.
Raja Parikshit, son of Abhimanyu and grandson of Arjuna,
the successor of Raja Yudisthira on the throne of Hastinapura, forgot
himself in a fit of anger and placed a dead serpent round the neck
of a Rishi. For this he was cursed by the Rishi's son to meet with
untimely death at the end of a week. The Raja became penitent
and deemed the curse an act of God. He prepared himself for death
and took up his abode on the sacred banks of the Ganges in company
with all the Rishis. The Raja asked what a man on the point of
death should do. The Rishis present could not give any satisfactory
answer. At this time Suka appeared, followed by a host of boys,
who took him to be a mad man. Suka was then only sixteen with
long flowing hairs and well-built body, blooming with nature's beauty.
All rose up as they saw the very young Rishi, and gave him the first
seat. He related the Bhagavata Purana to Parikshit in seven days.
The Raja repeated hi^ question to Suka " What is a dying
man, specially one who desires to attain Moksha, to do? What are
the duties of men and what are they not to do?"
Suka replied: "A man on the approach of death is to give
up all fear of death and is to cut off all likes and dislikes by dis-
passion. He is to leave his house, bathe in pure water and duly make
his dsana in some solitary place. He is then to meditate on the
three lettered Pranava with mind concentrated by Dharana and
Dhyana till he attains samdd/ti. If, however, his mind gets distracted
by Rajas and Tamas, he is again and again to practise Dharana."
"What Dharana is it that speedily brings on concentration and
purity of mind? " was the next question.
[[6]]
p005 _
-chap- _
toc-1 _
p006w _
toc-2 _
+chap+ _
p007
v?