Bhagavaan Kirushnan is the , and swaroopan. He is the creator, saviour and destroyer of this universe.
He is the remover of the 3 types of miseries - , , .
Let us pray Him.
Even when the upanayanam was not performed, and even when there were no opportunities available to perform the religious ceremonies stated in vedhaas, decided to renounce this worldly bondage to become a sage.
Upon seeing his son leaving the house to become a sage, and unable to control the sorrow of his seperation, called him as "Oh! my son".
As believed in Brumma mayam in everything, even trees have become Brumma mayam and repeated the words "Oh! my son".
To such Sukha Brummam, let me bow my head and pray.
Once upon a time, Sounaka Maharishi who liked to hear the stories of bhagavaan, reached Naimishaaranyam and met Sootha Pouraanikar who is a great sage having great knowledge in shaasthraas.
Sounakar asked Sootha Pouraanikar - "Oh! Sootha Pouraanikaray, your knowledge to remove our ignorance is equivalent to koti (crore) sooriyan (sun). Please tell us the stories of bhagavaan that will remove our ignorance!
How to receive the wisdom of bhagavaan through Bhakthi, Gnaanam and Vairaagyam? How does the bhagavaan's devotees safeguard themselves from this worldly maaya?
In this cruel Kali Yugam, people have contracted demonic qualities. Please let me know how these people who are afflicted with miseries attain the godly qualities?
Please tell me the way which will bring all the benefits, and which will clean the cleanest (even the Ganga river), and which will help us reach bhagavaan Kirushnan easily.
The wish fulfilling gemstone Chinthamani and the Kalpaka tree in swarga loka can bring benefits only in this world. But, if our teachers (guru) are happy, they can take us to Sri Vaikundam when even that is not attainable to big yogis."
To this, Sootha Pouraanikar said "Oh! Sounakaray, your heart is filled with Bhakthi towards bhagavaan. I will think and tell you the best ways stated in shaasthraas, in which you can get rid of the fear of the cycle of birth and death.
That is the way that will bring bhakthi and will make bhagavaan Kirushnan happier. I will tell you about that. Listen carefully.
In this Kali Yugam, in order to save the people from the fear of Kali, preached the best shaasthraa, that is Srimadh Bhaagavatham.
There is no other saadhana for the people to purify their minds. Only because of the good deeds performed in the thousands of one's previous births, he can get this Srimadh Bhaagavatham.
When started preaching this best story to king , dhevaas came with the holy nectar (amudham).
They told to take the holy nectar and hand over to king so that he can drink it and become chiranjeevi, and in that place, give back to them the holy nectar which is Srimadh Bhaagavatham.
To that, laughed and refused to give Srimadh Bhaagavatham to dhevaas as he thought the dhevaas were not capable of listening Srimadh Bhaagavatham as they do not have bhakthi."
He further said "Once upon a time, was suprised upon hearing that king attained on hearing this Srimadh Bhaagavatham. He immediately, placed all the saadhanaas for in a thulaabhaaram (scales) on one side and Srimadh Bhaagavatham on another side.
He found that Srimadh Bhaagavatham weighed more than any other saadhanaa. On seeing this all the rishis were surprised.
Finally, they decided that this Srimadh Bhaagavatham is bhagavaan's swaroopam and the only way in Kali Yugam to reach is to read or hear someone reading it and following it through."
And Sootha Pouraanikar said, "If we read/hear this in seven days (according to the Sapthaaga vidhi), bhakthi will engulf us. Once upon a time, the preached this to .
Even though dheva rishi had heard Srimadh Bhaagavatham from his father , only preached him about the Sapthaaga vidhi."
To this, Sounakar asked "Oh! Sootha Pouraanikaray, has renounced this worldly bondage and does not stay in one place and stays alone. Please tell me how he got the urge to know the Sapthaaga vidhi from ? Where did he meet the ?"
Sootha Pouraanikar answered " considered me his beloved disciple and preached me about this in private. I will tell you that story."
"One day, all the four came to the city of Visaalaa to meet other rishis and discuss about bhagavaan's gunangal. There, by bhagavaan's grace, they met .
Sanakaadhi Rishis asked Naaradhar - "Hey Brahmaa puthra, why your face has become pale? Looks like you are in some deep thoughts. Where are you going this fast and where are you coming from?
You look like someone who has lost his wealth. You are the one who does not have any bondage with anything and so, why are you looking freightened? Please tell us."
To this, Naaradhar said "I came here thinking this bhooloka is great. After coming here, I wandered Pushkaram, Prayaagai, Kaasi, Godhaavari, Haridhwaar, Kurukshethram, Srirangam, Rameshwaram (where the Sethu bridge is there). But, I did not get the peace and bliss anywhere. Now, the Kali Yugam which goes behind evil deeds (adharmaa) is ruling the entire universe.
Now, in this bhooloka, there is no Sathyam, Thavam, Cleanliness (both inside and outside), Dhayai and Dhaanam (with everyone). All the living beings are busy filling up their stomach. They all speak lies, they are lazy, do not have good wisdom, and without any bhaagyam, they are miserable. Saadhus has become Paashandi (who perform deeds against the vedhaas teachings). They are just looking renounced, but they are behind women, and wealth.
Women has become the queen in every household. Whatever they say is the rule of the law in the household. Their brothers has become the guiding ministers. People are selling their daughters for money. Quarrel between the couples is never ending."
"Aashramam belonging to rishis, holy rivers are in the control of other religious people (yavvanargal). Such evil are they that they destroyed many temples."
"Now, there are no yogis or siddhars or gnaanis or those who perform good deeds. All the saadhanaas for performing good deeds has been burnt by Kali."
"In this kali yugam, all the people belonging to all the nations sell food in shops. Brahmanaas take money to teach vedhaa. Women sell their bodies and live luxurious life."
"Seeing all these miseries of kali yugam in bhooloka, I came to Yamuna river where bhagavaan Kirushnan performed various leelaas."
"Oh! sanakaadhi rishis - There I saw a surprising thing. A young lady was sitting with much sorrow."
"Near to her, there were 2 old men sleeping. They were taking big breaths and looked like they were fainting. That young lady looked after them and sometimes, tried to wake them up, but failed and cried."
"She was looking on all the directions for someone who can save them. And there were hundred other women who were fanning her and consoling her."
"I was surprised on seeing these from a long distance. In order to know who they were, I went near them. After seeing me, that young lady got up and started speaking."
"Hey Saadhu. Please stay here for a minute and help me get rid of my sorrow. Your appearance will cleanse all the sins of these living beings."
"Your guidance will remove my sorrow and I will be happier. Only when there is a good time arrived, saadhus like you will appear before us."
And then Naaradhar said to the sanakaadhi rishis - "Then, I asked that young lady - Ammaa, who are you? Who are these two old men? How are they releated to you? Who are these 100 other women who are fanning you? What is the reason for your sorrow?"
The young lady replied "Hey Saadhu. My name is Bhakthi. These two old men are my children. They are Gnaanam and Vairaagyam. Time has made them old men."
"These hundred women are rivers including Gangaa. They are here to serve me. Even though I have the privilege to be served by these dhevaas, I do not get happy or peace of mind."
"Hey thava chakravarthi - Now, please listen to my complete history and bless me."
"I was born in Draavida desam (Tamilnadu). Brought up in Karnaataka desam. I was glorified in some places in Mahaaraashtraa. I became old in Gujaraath."
"In this cruel kali yugam, those Paashandis who reject the vedhaas has made me less glorified. Me and my children have lost our energy, thejas because of these."
"But, after coming to this brindhaavanam, I regained my youtfullness and glory."
"But, my two children who are sleeping here are still miserable and so, I want to leave this place and go somewhere else."
"I am painful to see my two children's miseries."
"Can you please tell me the reason why I am young and my two children are still old men? We are together but still why this difference? The world norm is that, mother will be old woman and her children will be young. But, why that is not the case with us?"
"You are the learned person who is aware of all the things (past, present and future). I request you to please tell me the reason behind this."
Naaradhar said "Ammaa - I will find out the reason behind your miseries, through my gnaana dhristi. Please do not worry. Bhagavaan Sri Hari will remove your miseries and shower you with mangalam."
Sootha Pouraanikar told Sounakar "In one second, Naaradhar found out the reason behind Bhakthi's miseries and started talking to her....."
Naaradhar said "Amma - The cruel kali yugam is reigning now. Discipline, Yoga maarkkam, Thavam are completely destroyed. People are contracting demonic qualities. Good people are living in misery. Evil people are happier. In this situation, only the person who performs good deeds with courage is considered the intelligent, learned, and gnaani. This bhooloka is becoming a burden to Aadhi Sheshan. We could not see any good deeds performed."
"There are no one who could look after you and your two children. That is the reason you have attained old age and are in misery."
"Since you came to this brindhaavanam which is very holy, you have regained your youthfullness."
"But, there is no one here to look after your two children Gnaanam and Vairaagyam and hence they are still old men. But, they have got the spiritual wellness. (in brindhaavanam, only Bhakthi is pradhaanam. There is no place for Gnaanam or Vairaagyam)."
To this, Bhakthi asked Naaradhar "Hey Naaradharay - Why the king Pareekshith did not kill the Kali Purushan? After the Kali Purushan came, all the good things have disappeared."
"Why did the most graceful Sri Hari also did not do anything but watch? Please tell me the answers to these questions. Your words are bringing peace in my mind."
Naaradhar replied to her "Amma Kalyaani (mangalamaanaval), you have asked for that. So, listen carefully. I will tell you all. Your miseries will automatically go away."
"On the same day when bhagavaan Sri Kirushnan renounced this bhooloka and reached Sri Vaikundam, kali yugam started where all the good deeds are destroyed."
"When the king Pareekshith was conquering all the sides, he saw this Kali Purushan. But Kali Purushan had surrendered to him. Because of Kali Purushan's surrender, king Pareekshith did not kill him."
"In this Kali Yugam, we cannot get the utlimate gathi by doing Thavam, Yogam, and Samaadhi. However, by chanting bhagavaan's naamam, we can achieve that ultimate gathi."
"King Pareekshith thought himself that even though, this Kali Yugam is not good, but just because of chanting bhagavaan's naamam, one can get all the good benefits, and because of all the living beings getting all the benefits in this kali yugam, he did not kill Kali Purushan."
"In this Kali Yugam, people had stopped following godly deeds and are following adharmaa, and hence all the substances has lost their essence. "
"Because brahmanaas are chanting the stories of Srimadh Bhaagavatham at all the places for food and wealth, the stories in the puraana Srimadh Bhaagavatham has lost it's essence. "
"In the rivers and temples, those who perform adharmaa deeds, atheists who do not believe in God have started living and hence the greatness of these theerthaas has been lost."
"Those who have lust, anger, greed, and are involved in the worldly deeds are performing fake thavam and hence the greatness of thavam has been lost."
"People have started sticking to greed, luxurious life, atheistic beliefs and lost their humility and also have stopped reading and following dharmic shaasthraas. This led to the Dhyaana Yoga losing it's glory."
"Pundits have stopped looking for moaksham and were involved in baby making with women and this led them losing the wisdom of moaksham."
"Traditional following of Vishnu Bhakthi has stopped and so the essence of all objects was lost."
"This is the nature of Kali Yugam, Kali Dharmam. And hence there is no one to be blamed. This is the reason, bhagavaan Kirushnan though he is near to us, is tolerating all these."
Now, Sootha Pouraanikar said "Hey Sounakaray, upon hearing what the Dheva Rishi Naaradhar said, Bhakthi was suprised. Let me tell you what Bhakthi replied to this."
Bhakthi said "Hey Dheva Rishi - You are the pious one. I am blessed because of your dharshan. In this world, it is the dharshan of the pious and bhakthaas that will bring all the benefits."
"Because of your teachings to the son of Kayaadhu - Prahlaadhan, he conquered this worldly maayaa. The same way, Dhruvan had attained the Dhruva Padham. You are Brahmaa's son who will bring in all the benefits. I am praying you. Please save me."
Chapter 1 of Srimadh Bhaagavatham Mahaathmiyam ends here.