A Study of the Bhagavadgita : 15.4. - Swami Krishnananda.

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Swami Udit Chaithanyaji

SRIMAD BHAGAVATHA SAPTAHA MOHOTSAVAM (FM 2022 OCT 2 TO OCT 09 ) NOIDA 62-DELHI VIJAYADASAMI CELEBRATION

ഭാഗവത സപ്താഹ മഹോത്സവം (2022  Oct 02  to Oct 9 വരെ ) Noida 62- Delhi വിജയദശമി ആഘോഷം.

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Friday, October 07, 2022. 06:00. 
Chapter 15: Krishna and Arjuna Together is Victory-4.

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Nara-Narayanana are symbols of Krishna and Arjuna. In the Srimad Bhagavata, in the Vishnu Purana, in the Mahabharata, mention is made of the manifestation of the Supreme Being as the twin realities called Narayana and Nara, who are supposed to be invisibly practising meditation in holy Badrinath for the welfare of everybody. The Mahabharata says their light envelopes the whole universe. Such is the glory and the power of Narayana and Nara.

They are also to be compared to the two birds whose story is found in the Munkada Upanishad. Two birds are sitting on the same tree. This tree can be the society outside, the universe of nature, the entire creation, or yourbody. Any one of these can be considered as the tree. And the two birds are there in yourself. You have got two persons inside, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Narayana and Nara are within – God and demon, man and Super-man, we can say. They are within this body. They are in human society as conflicting or cooperating media. They are in the world of nature, and the supreme vastness of creation. Therefore, the two birds refer to the higher principle which is merely conscious of its being, and the lower principle which is not only conscious of itself, but is also conscious of somebody else outside. The Supreme bird has no consciousness of anything external to it. It is satisfied with itself. It does not eat the fruit of the tree, says the Upanishad. Anaśnann anyo'bhicakaśīti (Mundaka 3.1.1): It simply gazes, and feels satisfied merely by looking on. God merely knows, sees, and is. That itself is the blessedness of God. He need not have to see something; He sees Himself only. That is Narayana. And Nara is the segregated individual.

Krishna and Arjuna are supposed to be the manifestations of the blessedness of humanity of Narayana and Nara. Eternal principles are Narayana and Nara. They are even now in Badri-Narayan. Whoever goes to Badrinath can receive their blessing. They cannot be seen with your eyes, as mortal eyes cannot behold immortal essences. Tradition says that there are two mountains, and those who have gone to Badri would have seen two mountains, one on one side, another on the other side, between which the river Alakananda flows. That mountain, at the root of which is the temple of Badrinath, is called Narayana Mountain. They say Narayana himself is appearing as the mountain, as he will not give darshan as he is in himself because of the impurity of the observers. The other is Nara Parvata, Nara Mountain. So Narayana and Nara are today in the form of two hills in Badrinath. Though you cannot see them in their divine essences, still they are there. You can touch the feet of the mountains; that is sufficient.

Great power, great glory is associated with these presences. In a story from the Mahabharata there was a king called Damodava. He wanted to conquer the whole world, and had no peace of mind even for a single day unless he had somebody to conquer. He went on warring with all people, and one day he found there was no one to fight with because he had overcome everybody in the world. But still he was restless: "I have nothing to conquer. This is a miserable life. I must conquer something." So he went to Brahma, the Creator, and said, "I want to conquer, but I'm feeling very unhappy because there is nothing to conquer. I have already conquered everything."

Brahma said, "What kind of man you are! There is somebody I know of. You go to him, and he will be equal to you in war."

"Eh? There is somebody still whom I have not conquered? I thought I had conquered the whole world," said Damodava.

"Is it so? Then I shall see to it," he said.

"There is somebody whom you have not seen.–Perhaps he will be equal to you, and teach you a good lesson. Nara and Narayana are in Badrinath. Go and meet them, and you can fight with them if you like," said Brahma.

Damodava went to Badrinath with a large army, and Narayana and Nara were seated in meditation with closed eyes. He made a big noise. "Hello!"

They both opened their eyes. "What is the matter with you?"

"I have come to give battle," said Damodava.

Nara replied, "This is not a place for war. Here nobody fights. This is a peaceful abode of meditation. It is a divine, holy spot. We are engaged in meditation. You have come to the wrong place. We request you to go away from here, as we do not fight anybody. This is a peaceful area."

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To be continued ..

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