Bhagavatam study 50 1.10.1-8 Yudhishtira’s dharmic reign harmonizes the natural order with the human order

Thank you 1.10.1 1.10.1 the bhagavatam is containing my nested conversations the outermost in that nesting is the second outermost is the conversation between Vyasadeva and us the readers of the bhagavatam but biggest conversation within the bhagavatam is the conversation between Suta Goswami and the sages Vrishabana Prasidha asking Hathwa after destroying after overpowering Swariktha Spudhaatata you know so that which was their own inheritance those who desired to usurp it after destroying them Yudhishthira Dharmabhrutam Vrishtha Yudhishthira who was among those who were the followers of dharma Vrishtha who was the eldest Sahan Ujjain along with his brothers Pratyavruddhojana so how did he rule how did he accept bhojana normally bhojana means eating bhojana also means accepting for one’s own necessity and for one’s own purposes Katham pravruttha kim akarshittha so how did he act and how did he execute his duties so here in the previous chapter how Yudhishthira how his heart wrenching feelings of remorse were mitigated were addressed by Bhishma that is described and then after that now in this chapter Vishwanath Rishi asks for a continuation of the narrative when he says please describe how that issue was dealt with by by the how did all that counselling how did all that guidance by Bhishma how did that affect Yudhishthira when he came down to the ground level of doing the duty how was he able to do the duty so there significant words are there dharma vritham vrishtaham this is another way of saying dharma raj so vritha actually vritha means to sustain or vritha means to hold actually vritha means to sustain similar connotations although somewhat different but dharma vritham vrishtaham so he was among foremost among the maintainers of dharma because of his desire to maintain dharma he felt that I have committed a great adharma by taking this kingdom and therefore the appropriate remorse for me will be to renounce the kingdom but when he understood that the proper dharma for him was to accept the kingdom as he was instructed by Bhishma when did this person who was dharma vritham vrishtaham how did he execute his dharma and because his dharma entailed him to accept huge amount of opulences so how did he by accepting the opulences execute his duties how did he use the opulences that is the question here Smtavvacham text 110-2 so in the Kuru dynasty Vamshidavagni nirvrtam so there was a Vamshidavagni that means huge forest fire that was destroying the dynasty nirvrtam once that was extinguished that was exhausted samrohitva bhavah vanoharihi samrohitva after installing against bhavah vanoh the proper maintainer of the creation that was lord hari bhavah vanoh maintainer of the lord krishna niveshitva he established that king as the ruler over here nijarajeshwaroh in his own himidam the lord established niveshitva pritamana bhavah he became very satisfied in his mind bhavah it is interesting that in response to the question about how did Yudhishtira execute the activities of the king Suta Goswami begins the answer by describing Krishna’s emotions.
And that is because Yudhisthira was devoted to Krishna and he wanted to please Krishna. So pleasing Krishna was required. And in the previous chapter, when there is this whole speech by Bhishma Pitamah instructing Yudhisthira, the whole point of that was, do the Lord’s will.
And the Lord is pleased with you, then ultimately you will be successful no matter how many reversals you face. So Bhishma had spoken that and he had lived that and especially in his leaving, in his departure, he had also demonstrated that. So in one sense, this answer reflects the reality that Yudhisthira had applied Bhishma’s instructions and he had moulded his life in a way to please Krishna and Krishna was pleased that his plan now was successful.
Text 3, Nishamya Bhishmoktam, so that theme is now talked about in the next text itself. Nishamya, after having heard Bhishmoktam, that is just spoken by Bhishma and Athachutoktam and also that which is spoken by Achyuta, Pravruttyavijnana Vidhutavibhrama, Vidhutavibhrama, all his vibhrama, his illusions, Vidhuta, they were removed. Pravruttyavijnana, so he was engaged according to knowledge, proper knowledge.
Shashashagamindraivajitashreha, Shashasana is to rule, Shashasana means to rule over. Gam, so he ruled over the earth, Gamavishchabhutani, Gam is the word standard used for referring to the earth. Indraivajitashreha, just as he ruled like Indra, Ajitashreha, under the shelter of Ajita.
So, Paridhiupantam, Paridhiupantam means as far as the seas, even including the seas, his rule went far away. Anujanuvartitaha, and he was followed by his anujas, his younger brothers. So, here the essential theme is that Yudhishthira was successful, prosperous, glorious.
So, his glory is mentioned in several ways. Anujanuvartitaha, that is brothers followed him, they respected him. Earlier there had been a conflict between him and his brothers when he wanted to renounce and they didn’t want him to renounce.
So, now when he had taken up the rule, his brothers faithfully followed him. There was a united family. Earlier, they and their cousins, there was a divided family and that caused a lot of stress and distress.
But now, the united family indicated one barometer, one pointer to success. Then the fact that he was ruling the earth, extending far up to the oceans, that also indicates another level of success. And he was just like Indra rules.
So, Ajita-Achuta-Ashraya, just like now this Indra with Achuta, that can refer to many states. Directly, Ajita-Ashraya. Directly, Yudhishthira was under the shelter of Krishna who is also Ajita.
Or traditionally, this can also refer to when there was the battle between Indra and Bali Maharaj and then after that, Vamanadeva got the kingdom back for Indra. And Vamanadeva protected Indra. So, Indra ruled under the protection of Ajita.
Ajita protects Indra. Similarly, here Krishna was protecting Yudhishthira. So, the kind of heavenly prosperity that Indra enjoys.
Similarly, Yudhishthira was enjoying prosperity on the earth. So, essentially, this was the reply. Now, from more objective perspective of the starting question, that Yudhishthira was a very prosperous and successful ruler.
Further parameters of that prosperity and success are given in the next text. So, this is a verse which Prabhupada would often quote to talk about natural prosperity and how natural prosperity is at the basis of all human prosperity. Nowadays, because we live in cities where we think of prosperity in terms of skyscraper buildings and cars and cell phones and computers and such high-tech gadgetry, it is easy to forget amidst all these man-made products which are indicators of prosperity from today’s perspective, that none of such prosperity can be sustained without nature’s bountiful gifts.
So, we humans may develop technology, we may make advancements, but ultimately, for whatever we need to do, whatever we do, even using our best intelligence, we do primarily based on the resources which nature has provided us. So, if rains stop, even the most prosperous land will become barren. If the temperature goes too high or too low, we may use our technology to try to minimise the effects on us, but still, that does, if it goes to extremes, entire civilisations can be wiped out.
So, natural resources, they are at the foundation of all human resource development. And how natural resources came bountifully in the time of Maharaja Yudhishthira is mentioned here. Kaamam babarishya parjanya.
Parjanya is rains. Babarishya, shower down. Kaamam.
So, the rains shower down abundantly. Sometimes, when it rains too heavily, we may feel inconvenienced in moving about. But actually, without rains, we will be far more inconvenienced.
And especially in an agrarian economy or an agrarian society, rains are most welcome. Rains are essential, indispensable for the growth of crops. And the first coming of rains is often an occasion of celebration.
So, here it is said, the rains showered down kaama, means whatever was desired, the rains showered that down. The shower of rains granted that. How did that happen? Sarva-kaam-dugha-mahi.
So, here we, sarva-kaam-dugha-mahi, that mahi is the earth, dugha is the producer to give, sarva-kaam-dugha. So, all desires, the earth provided. So, when the rains come, then earth gets fertile, the fertile earth starts giving out crops and fruits and everything that we need.
And then, eating the, say, if the grasses are, if there is abundant grass, then the cows eat the grass and the cows eat the grass. They moisten the pasturing grounds. Payasa is milk.
Payasam is a milk sweet. Udhaswati. Udhaswati means there is swollen.
So, their milk bags were swollen. And as milk dripped out from the milk bags, mudha, they had a joyful attitude. So, taking milk out from cows is an art.
And the milkman or milkmaid have to be expert. They have to be firm at the same time, they have to be gentle so that they can take the milk out of the cow. Of course, nowadays, machines are used and the cows are squeezed, often being treated simply not as conscious beings or persons, they are treated simply as milk-producing machines.
That is a very depersonalised, mechanised conception of cows. But here we have the other extreme that rather than any art or skill being required to milk the cows, the cows were just naturally, abundantly giving milk. They were so delighted that the milk was joyfully coming out of their udders.
Their udders were swollen. So, when the cows are happy, when they are no longer in anxiety, then they give milk abundantly. And that abundance of the milk is indicated over here.
So, there is a connection between physiology and psychology. Just like when we are depressed, we feel that we don’t have much energy to do things. Or when we are in a cheerful attitude, even if we have a lot of work, we tackle it vigorously.
So, just as the psychology determines our physiological energy level, similarly, the Vedic culture understands that the psychology determines the physiological milk secretion by the cows. So, if they are mudha, if they are happy, then they will give milk abundantly. When they feel that they are cared for, their needs are provided for, their future is safe, then they abundantly give milk.
So, the shishichuhusma vajangava, this sprinkling of their milk on the pastures is a significant indicator, is a striking indicator of natural prosperity. Now here, one more significant point is, the word kama is used here in an entirely positive sense. So, often when Krishna uses the word kama in the Bhagavad Gita, initially uses it in the form of desire as lust and he says kama is enemy and has to be curbed.
But kama is also one of the purusharthas and as a purushartha it needs to be recognised that it is natural to have desires and it is natural to have those desires fulfilled. So, to desire is the natural condition of the conscious state. Now, of course, our desires can be healthy or they can be deceased.
So, say a drug addict’s desire for more and more drugs is a sick desire and that is going to increase the misery and the sickness. But say a talented artist’s desire to draw something aesthetic, that is a healthy desire. And especially if the artist is drawing something which is going to glorify the Lord, that is the healthiest desire.
So, desire in that sense is not bad. And kamam bhavarshya parjanya sarva-kama-dhugha-mahin. So, here the word kama comes twice and the idea is that here the desires are in terms of what is required for a holistic, harmonious, happy living at the material level.
So, that is also provided by nature when we are spiritually harmonious. So, spiritual harmony leads to material harmony also. And that is what is demonstrated here in this verse that at Maharaja Yudhishthira’s rule, abundance was there.
And Kunti Maharaj also earlier talked about this when she said that, yadante tava vikshitaha, O dear Lord, by your image anapada asuddha, supakva ushadi virudhaha, vanarandyo dhanmato yadante tava vikshitaha that all these things are abundantly prosperous, all the resources of nature are abundant because you are glancing on them. So, that same thing which she has mentioned, she had mentioned earlier in the 8th chapter, now is being repeated here in the 10th chapter while describing the rule of Yudhishthira Maharaj. So, text 5, nadya-samudra-giraya, savanna-vaspati-virudhaha, falantya-oshadaya-sarva, kamam-anvritu-tasyavai So, various natural resources are being talked about here.
nadya-samudra-giraya, the rivers, the seas, the hills, savanna-vaspati-virudhaha, savanna-vaspati, vegetables, virudhaha, creepers, falantya-oshadaya-sarva, falanti, they were flowering, fructifying, they were growing, blossoming, active, oshadaya, the medicines, medicinal herbs that are there. So, normally when we think of aushadhi, we think of aushadhi more in terms of pills and tonics or injections that are manufactured in industrial complexes and provided to us in pharmaceutical shops. But traditionally, the connectedness with nature was both implicit and explicit.
That means, people were aware that even aushadhaya, medicines, how do they come? They come from herbs. So, even now, if an Ayurvedic, traditional Ayurvedic, if he is living in a rural area, and even if we go to the native, some traditional societies, they have some curative kind of doctor who goes out in the forest to look for the right herbs. So, the word aushadhi is directly used for the plants which have medicinal properties.
So, the herbs, sarvaha, all of them, kaamam anvrtu tasya vayi, tasya, antudehim, that is Maharaja Yudhishthira, kaamam anvrtu, they all, anvrtu, rtu is season, anvrtu is according to seasons, according to seasons they all provided it. Whatever was required, they provided according to seasons. Now, Prabhupada reveals his brilliance in translating this as kaamam anvrtu tasya vayi translated as paid their tax quota to the king in profusion.
So, the natural world is also conscious. And it’s not that we can just go and extort and plunder resources from their nature. Rather, when we are living in harmony with nature, nature provides its bounty happily to us.
So, in that sense, that cooperative vision between humans and nature with the dharmic king being the king not only of the citizens, of the humans but also of nature, that is conveyed here by Prabhupada when he uses the word taxes. So, they also provided according to seasons whatever was appropriate, whatever was required. And thus, there was harmony between the natural order and the human order.
Take six. naadhayo vyadhayah kleshah daivabhutatmahetavah ajat shatrav abhavan jantunam rajnikarhichet naadhayo vyadhayah kleshah naadhayah, aadhaya is anxiety, there are no anxieties, vyadhayah, so it’s, here we see the beauty of Sanskrit as a language. Similar things have similar sounding words for them, which create poetic alliteration.
So, aadhaya and vyadhayah. So, aadhaya is anxiety, vyadhayah is disease. So, neither were there anxieties nor were there diseases.
naadhayah, vyadhayah, kleshah, kleshah is, there was no distress. Prabhupada gives the glosses, he says, there was no distress, no trouble due to excessive heat or cold. daivabhutatmahetavah So, daivabhutatmah, so this refers to the three kleshas that are there, adhidaivik, adhyatmik and adhibhautik.
There are three kleshas that come to people in Germany. So, those three are talked about over here and it is said that no adhidaivik klesh, that is pointed to by daiva, bhutah is no adhibhautik klesh and adhyatmik, atmah. So, these were not there.
Hetavah, coming from these, they were not there. Ajatashatrabhavan. So, Ajatashatrabhavan, this is a standard name which Yudhishthira is often referred, one who had no enemies.
He is Pratashatabhavan. It happened during his rule that there was no none of these distresses. Jantunam ragya karhi chhet.
So, the living beings were not disturbed in any way during his kingdom. So, the question was how did Yudhishthira Maharaj rule? So, it is being told here, the effects of that rule was that there was no misery and everybody was living in a remarkable state of relative freedom from misery. Of course, the ultimate miseries of death and everything will be there in this world.
Although this world is miserable, it is not that Krishna wants us to be miserable. Dharma is meant to ultimately take us beyond this miserable world. But intermediately, dharma also enables us to live as happily as possible in this world.
And that is indicated that when there was Dharmaraj and he was guiding the citizens to live dharmically, then he ensured conditions which were almost like heaven or even like the spiritual world in this world by his virtuous rule. Take 7. Ushitva means to stay. So, Krishna stayed in Hastinapura for some months.
A few months. Lord Hari. His relatives for pacifying and especially his sister that refers here to his sister was Subhadra.
So, Subhadra, she had lost her son Abhimanyu and he was the only son she had. And he had been killed brutally. So, Krishna wanted to pacify her.
And of course, because Krishna was close to everyone, but for a girl who is married into a family, those who have been there with her in childhood and in her youth before her marriage, there is a special bond that is formed with them and she wanted Krishna to be there with her for some time to satisfy her. So, Krishna stayed for a few months. So, Krishna is God, but he is not simply a dominating, order-giving God.
He cares for others and at others’ requests, he is even ready to adjust his things, change his plans and he is ready to do things whatever are required for taking care of people. So, earlier at the request of Yudhishthir, Krishna stayed and now for the desire of pleasing Subhadra, he stayed. Text 8. So, after taking permission, means he was given the permission.
So, he embraced everyone. He bowed down because Yudhishthir Maharaj was older to Krishna. So, Krishna always had a respectful disposition towards him.
He bowed down to him. He went on to sat on his chariot. He was embraced by some.
He was offered obeisances by some. So, the standard modes of reciprocation all started when Krishna decided to depart. So, to his elders he offered obeisances, to his equals he offered embraces and from the juniors he received their obeisances.
So, in this way, Krishna very affectionately reciprocated with everyone and then set off to depart. So, that departure will be, what happens, how prayers are offered when he is departing,