#Tattva_Bhagavatam, a special discourse based on the principles of Bhagavatam:
#GouSwarga_Chaturmasya
19-08-2018:
Salutations to Shukamuni inside whom bloomed a flower called Bhagavata.
Tattva Bhaagavatam
Real quality of superior people is that they love everyone, who love them or doesn’t love them or hate them, unconditionally. They have that close feeling about everyone. While, it is completely opposite in case of inferior people – they hate everyone, especially the good people; they hate people with no reason at all or with a mere reason being behavioural differences. They are like bats which hates light. Kali is the inspiration for all these people, be it in any era.
Nala and Damayanti won each other after completing the task given by the Gods in Swayamvara. Two men, one brownish in color and another with a black skin tone arrived while the Gods were about to depart. Both of them were the greatest of the great in their era and not common people. The two men, Dwapara and Kali smiled at Indra, knowing him. The description about Kalipurush by Purandaradasa is a parody which goes like this – he had a weird head with haphazard hairs and short neck. He wore dirty clothes and had a brownish unorganised moustache. They had with them ogres on both sides. It was an army mainly to destroy the order of the world. They had arrived in an iron chariot, Kali smiling with the confidence of winning Damayanti. When Devendra questioned their advancement, Kali replied that he wanted to marry Damayanti and hence was going towards Swayamvara.
For fixing marriages, there is a practice of seeing the tallies. It is because marriage is not that thing which is decided by two people; family, clan all should be observed. Love doesn’t need any of these. We see a lot of love marriages; some of them last for 3 days. When marrying, they don’t ask for anyone’s guidance. But when problem arises after marriage, they need people badly to resolve. For marriage, there should be complete tally of personalities. Even the defects in both should match. It is called Paapasaamya. Their life wouldn’t be good if their qualities aren’t matched. If you ask whether the marriages where the horoscope is seen won’t fail, it is the defect of the astrologer; not of astrology. The astrologer would not have seen it correctly.
Damayanti is completely flawless while Kali is the home of flaws. Indra laughed at it when he heard that Kali was interested in marrying her. He told Kali “For two reasons, it is unfair. First one is your desire is senseless. Second one is her swayamvara is already over. Though we were in Nala’s form, she married Nala in front of us taking our complete blessings.”
If demigods come, there is no harm at all; something good shall happen. Because demigods are abode of compassion. Also, to become God or a Guru, they should have a melting heart. Kali was angry. He told: “Though you all were present, she ignored you and married a human. This is a crime. It should be punished. I will punish them for ignoring you. I will do such that Nala shouldn’t have either Damayanti or his kingdom. Who is as powerful as me?”, Kali laughed.
Among the planets, Shani has same features as Kali. But he causes detachment. In this age, people fear Shani so much; they don’t fear even God that much. But it is not devotion, it is fear. It is like asking him not to come to them at all. Shani has good elements in him a lot. Detachment is an important key in life. Sorrow should cause detachment and Shani causes it. Didn’t Buddha get detachment after seeing three sorrows; what was the loss due to it? Shani grants success and goodness. But it is not so in case of Kali. He is completely evil.
Here, both Kali and Damayanti do not know about Kali, they are completely innocent. Kali has enmity for them because of jealousy. ‘What I didn’t acquire, no one else should’ was his thought.
Demigods tried to convince Kali. They explained him their play and how Damayanti married Nala with their approval. They told him that Damayanti prayed them and with their blessings, she married him; there is no question of disrespect for them in this. Even then when Kali didn’t accept, they warned him “Don’t trouble him unnecessarily, he is noble. Everyone relies on him, even we should. He knows and practices Dharma properly. He puts many rules for himself and follows them. Truth, firmness, justice, penance, cleanliness, tolerance, self-control- all reside in him. He is a king beyond us, it is wrong to trouble him. Anyone cursing Nala is as good as cursing himself. If you plan to trouble him, it would washout yourself. Be careful! Even his enemies admire him. If anyone troubles him, that person will have to suffer in the cruel and unavoidable Rourava Naraka (hell). Do whatever you want”. But none of these went into Kali’s head.
If there is a mind to do bad to someone, no advices from elders or wise ones enter into head. Kali was enthusiastic, whomever he enters, will destroy Dharma. He becomes an evil. Minimally, he will be destroyed. Next to Kali was Dwaapara. Their pair is efficient in destruction. The remaining ones- Krita and Treta are noble. Kali has only Dwaapara as friend. He asked him to help to trouble Nala. No one can win Nala. He could be won over in gambling game. It has deception using which we can spoil Nala. Kali asked Dwaapara to get inside the pawns. He himself would get inside the dice. “Let us thus annihilate Nala”, he said.
Nala came to his house, even these both came too. Kali entered Nala’s palace. The further incidents are difficult to think of.
Nala-Damayanti were unaware of all these. Nala holds the shoulders of Damayanti and vows “You have chosen me even rejecting the demigods. I will never leave you and go. I will be loyal to you. I will protect you from difficulties anytime.” He becomes Ekapatnivratastha (vow to have only one wife). It was common to have more wives in those days. There is a saying ‘राजानो बहुवल्लभ:’. Even in Raama’s case, he had no compulsion to have only one wife. Dasharatha had 350 queens among whom three were prime. But still, Raama became ‘Ekapatnivratastha’.
Nala-Damayanti lived a heavenly life. Two children were born to them. Son was Indrasena and daughter was Indrasene. They performed hundreds of mega yagas (sacrifices) and governed the state according to Dharma. Even though it had been 12 years since Kali entered Nala’s palace, Nala didn’t do even a single mistake so that Kali could enter into him. So, Kali kept waiting for it daily.
Be it any adversity, it is possible to trouble us only if we have a loophole. We observe this in case of Seetha. She had talked harsh words about Lakshmana. He went away disappointed. This paved the way for Raavana to enter. In this way, there should be some gap in us for anything to enter into us.
A small incident happened. Nala was very busy in state affairs. He once went without performing the ritual and cleansing after attending nature call. Kali’s awaiting of 12 years borne fruit then. That was a very minor mistake, that too committed only once. But that small mistake became magnified. We remember Raamayana here. When disguised Raavana comes near Seetha as a sage, she tells him all her story that she had enjoyed all human pleasures in 12 years. But during the 13th year, due to the king’s wish, we are here suffering. We can see similarity between Nala and Raama here.
Pushkara was Nala’s younger brother. He was envying Nala for no reason. He had been defeated several times when he quarreled with Nala. Kali went to him and told him that he would give him the kingdom. He asked him to call Nala for gambling game. Nala didn’t agree when Pushkara called him. He told that it is necessary for a Kshatriya to go if he is called for a war; but not for a game. But, second time when Pushkara called in front of Damayanti, he could not refuse. His identity came into picture. In this way, even Damayanti became a cause for his destiny. Then began the play of Dwaapara and Kali.
Big hurdles come for great people. The result is also great there. It is not recommended to remain small. Hurdles are natural for anyone who wishes to climb up in life. Those obstacles will be according to the person. Winning over them is climbing up in life.
We hereby call you all, Kali won’t touch you if you contemplate on this story. That is, no hazard or misery happens. Adharma can’t come near you.
Picture courtesy: Internet
TattvaBhaagavatam a special discourse by Sri Sri RaghaveshwaraBharathi Mahaswamiji: full Video :
Leave a Reply