Introduction:
Sarartha Darsini by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura contains wonderful commentaries on the complete Tenth Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam. By his elevated realizations, illuminating dialogues, hidden inner meanings, technical analysis of Sanskrit words, and by his sweet revelations, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura reveals (darsini) the essential (sara) meaning (artha) of each rasa-laden verse of the Tenth Canto.
Hardcover
Language: English
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Sample Chapter:
Sarartha Darshini
Worshiping Govardhana Hill
Text 1:
çré-çuka uväca
çré-çuka uväca
bhagavän api tatraiva, baladevena saàyutaù
apaçyan nivasan gopän, indra-yäga-kåtodyamän
Çukadeva Gosvämé said: While staying in that very place with His brother Baladeva, Lord Kåñëa happened to see the cowherd men busily arranging for a sacrifice to Indra.
Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura: In this chapter Kåñëa talks with His father Nanda Maharaja, stops the sacrifice to Indra, and introduces the worship of Govardhana Hill.
In village of the yajnic brähmaëas, Nanda Maharaja and his brothers were somehow or other preparing an elaborate sacrifice to Lord Indra. Upon arriving there and observing the men busy in the preparations, Kåñëa reacted as follows.
Text 2:
tad-abhijïo ‘pi bhagavän, sarvätmä sarva-darçanaù, praçrayävanato ‘påcchad, våddhän nanda-purogamän
tad-abhijïo ‘pi bhagavän, sarvätmä sarva-darçanaù, praçrayävanato ‘påcchad, våddhän nanda-purogamän
Being the omniscient Supersoul, the Supreme Lord Kåñëa already understood the situation, yet He still humbly inquired from the elders, headed by His father, Nanda Mahäräja.
Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura: Kåñëa knew all about the sacrifice because He had seen it many times before. As Paramatma (sarva-atma) He was inspiring the Vrajavasis to perform the sacrifice. Yet being eager to enact His pastime of lifting Govardhana Hill, Kåñëa cleverly inquired from His father about the imminent sacrifice. Kåñëa is called sarva-darsanah because He could see into the future, wherein He would smash Indra’s pride and enjoy pastimes with His loving devotees for seven days.
Text 3:
kathyatäà me pitaù ko ‘yaà, sambhramo va upägataù, kià phalaà kasya voddeçaù, kena vä sädhyate makhaù
kathyatäà me pitaù ko ‘yaà, sambhramo va upägataù, kià phalaà kasya voddeçaù, kena vä sädhyate makhaù
[Lord Kåñëa said:] My dear father, kindly explain to Me what this great endeavor of yours is all about. What is it meant to accomplish? If this is a ritual sacrifice, then for whose satisfaction is it intended and by what means is it going to be executed?
Text 4:
etad brühi mahän kämo, mahyaà çuçrüñave pitaù,
na hi gopyaà hi sadhünäà, kåtyaà sarvätmanäm iha
asty asva-para-dåñöénäm, amitrodästa-vidviñäm
Please tell Me about it, O father. I have a great desire to know and am ready to hear in good faith. Certainly, no secrets are to be kept by saintly personalities, who see all others as equal to themselves, who have no conception of “mine” or “another’s” and who do not consider who is a friend, who is an enemy and who is neutral.
Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura: If Nanda Maharaja answered, “We are busy preparing for the sacrifice we are about to perform.” Then Kåñëa would ask, “What is the purpose of this sacrifice? Who is the demigod to be worshiped through this sacrifice? Who will perform it and with what materials?”
Nanda Maharaja said, “You are but a mere child. Why are You asking such questions?”
Kåñëa: “I have a great desire (mahan-kama) to know.” Or the meaning can be “As You are showing great expectations, therefore please tell Me because I want to hear.”
Text 5:
udäséno ‘ri-vad varjya, ätma-vat suhåd ucyate
udäséno ‘ri-vad varjya, ätma-vat suhåd ucyate
One who is neutral may be avoided like an enemy, but a friend should be considered like one’s own self.
Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura: Anticipating that one of the cowherd men may say, “As this is a private affair, we should not tell a small boy with little intelligence,” Kåñëa utters statements that reveal He is very learned.
Kåñëa said, “Those who are of good character see all other people on the same level as themselves. They do not distinguish between friends, enemies and neutral parties. Therefore, you should trust Me and reveal the entire purpose of the sacrifice.”
Nanda Maharaja: “But we are householders and cannot follow such standards of saintly behavior.”
To answer that objection Kåñëa says, “One who is indifferent may be avoided like an enemy.”
Ujjvala-nilamani defines the tatastha or neutral person as “a friend of the opposing group.” The neutral person is not an enemy or a friend, and should not be avoided nor accepted. Therefore he is included among those to be avoided.
Kåñëa continues, “But one should have faith in the friend as one’s very own self. I am more than a friend; I am an intimate family member.”
Text 6:
jïatväjïätvä ca karmäëi, jano ‘yam anutiñöhati, viduñaù karma-siddhiù syäd, yathä näviduño bhavet
jïatväjïätvä ca karmäëi, jano ‘yam anutiñöhati, viduñaù karma-siddhiù syäd, yathä näviduño bhavet
When people in this world perform activities, sometimes they understand what they are doing and sometimes they don’t. Those who know what they are doing achieve success in their work, whereas ignorant people do not.
Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura: Kåñëa said, “People should perform a particular ceremony or activity only after thoroughly understanding it through discussion with friends. We should not be blind followers of tradition.”
Activities refers to the worship and sacrifices that vaisyas [farmers] should perform, as well the present and future results.
Text 7:
tatra tävat kriyä-yogo, bhavatäà kià vicäritaù, atha vä laukikas tan me, påcchataù sädhu bhaëyatäm
tatra tävat kriyä-yogo, bhavatäà kià vicäritaù, atha vä laukikas tan me, påcchataù sädhu bhaëyatäm
Such being the case, this ritualistic endeavor of yours should be clearly explained to Me. Is it a ceremony based on scriptural injunction, or simply a custom of ordinary society?
Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura: Anticipating that one of the cowherd men may say, “We are conducting this yajna after considering very carefully with knowledge,” Kåñëa replies here with another question: “Is this fruitive endeavor (kriya yoga) based on scripture, or is it simply a local custom?”
Text 8:
çré-nanda uväca
çré-nanda uväca
parjanyo bhagavän indro, meghäs tasyätma-mürtayaù, te ‘bhivarñanti bhütänäà, préëanaà jévanaà payaù
Nanda Mahäräja replied: The great Lord Indra is the controller of the rain. The clouds are his personal representatives, and they directly provide rainwater, which gives happiness and sustenance to all creatures.
Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura: In this verse Nanda Maharaja gives the logic behind the worship. Nanda Maharaja said, “This is a local custom. Indra sends the rain which is pleasing and gives life to entities such as grass.”
Text 9:
taà täta vayam anye ca, värmucäà patim éçvaram, dravyais tad-retasä siddhair, yajante kratubhir naräù
taà täta vayam anye ca, värmucäà patim éçvaram, dravyais tad-retasä siddhair, yajante kratubhir naräù
Not only we, my dear son, but also many other men worship him, the lord and master of the rain-giving clouds. We offer him grain and other paraphernalia of worship produced through his own discharge in the form of rain.
Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura: Nanda Maharaja is affectionately addressing Kåñëa with the word täta (my dear son). The hint is: “Through the mercy of demigods like Indra, I have attained a qualified son like You. Therefore You should not oppose this action. In this sacrifice there should be no false pride. We worship Indra with materials created by Indra’s rain, just as one worships the Ganga with Ganga water.”
Text 10:
tac-cheñeëopajévanti, tri-varga-phala-hetave, puàsäà puruña-käräëäà, parjanyaù phala-bhävanaù
tac-cheñeëopajévanti, tri-varga-phala-hetave, puàsäà puruña-käräëäà, parjanyaù phala-bhävanaù
By accepting the remnants of sacrifices performed to Indra, people sustain their lives and accomplish the threefold aims of religiosity, economic development and sense gratification. Thus Lord Indra is the agent responsible for the fruitive success of industrious people.
Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura: Nanda Maharaja said, “People sustain their lives by the remnants of sacrifices performed to Indra. Human life is not meant just for sense gratification, but for attaining the goals of dharma, artha and kama. From rain comes grains, from grains comes sustenance of life, from sustenance of life comes religiosity, and from religiosity comes effort and action. Because the clouds are the root of the dharma, artha and kama, we should worship Indra, the Lord of the clouds.”
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