Chapter 3: Bhārāvataranam – the devarahasya

 

The main characters of Mahābhārata be it bhīṣma, droṇa, kripa and so on, or the kuru princes like yudhiṣthira, duryōdhana, bhīma, arjuna and so on, or the wife of Pāndavās – Draupadi, were all born through divine sankalpam, at various points in the story. One of the key driving divine factors which determined the secret of their respective birth, their marriage, motivations behind their actions and the consequences of the actions – is the devarahasyam of bhārāvataranam {= bhāram (burden) + avataranam (removal) – i.e. unburdening}

Hence, we shall first understand this background aspect first (i.e. about bhārāvataranam) before we move to studying Lord Śiva’s leela in making this bhārāvataranam unfold, through the principal characters of this itihāsā.

The cycle of creation persists for the jīva so long as the jīva is ever entranced by the driśya prapancham (visible universe), due to the persistence of ajnāna (ignorance of one’s infinite divine nature). The various yugas and kalpās continue, so long as there are jīvas who have not purified themselves and obtained this jnāna, which leads to mokṣa.  During the earlier yugas, the four varṇā, adequately discharged their svadharma.

evam āyuṣmatībhis tu prajābhir bharatarṣabha

iyaṁ sāgaraparyantā samāpūryata medinī – 1.58.16 CE

ījire ca mahāyajñaiḥ kṣatriyā bahudakṣiṇaiḥ

sāṅgopaniṣadān vedān viprāś cādhīyate tadā – 1.58.17 CE

O bharatarṣabha (best among the race of bharata), the earth was filled to the very shores of the ocean, with people who were long lived (i.e. due to faithful discharge of one’s svadharma). The kṣatriyā performed great sacrifices and bestowed much wealth on the brahmanas and all the brahmanas were well initiated into the study of vedas, upaniṣad and all the veda angas (i.e. śīkṣā, vyākaranam, nirukta, kalpa, chandas, jyōtisam).

01058020a phenapāṁś ca tathā vatsān na duhanti sma mānavāḥ

01058020c na kūṭamānair vaṇijaḥ paṇyaṁ vikrīṇate tadā – 1.58.20 CE

No one milched the cows as long as the calves could not lie on the milk of thier mothers. No merchant sold his goods with false scales. 

karmāṇi ca naravyāghra dharmopetāni mānavāḥ

dharmam evānupaśyantaś cakrur dharmaparāyaṇāḥ - 1.58.21 CE

svakarmaniratāś cāsan sarve varṇā narādhipa

evaṁ tadā naravyāghra dharmo na hrasate kva cit – 1.58.22 CE

Everyone thus virtuously inclined did everything with their heart intent on dharma – as both the means and the ends. Everyone followed their svakarma, as per their varṇā and thus they never flinched from the pursuit of their dharma, in the least bit.

Guru: Thus was the kritya yuga.  This only implies that society at large was intent in the pursuit of dharma and accrual of punya. A wonderful situation indeed. However, we may wonder why can’t such a idealized environment continue forever?! This cannot be so, due to the presence of latent ajnāna in the jīva. All niṣta (i.e. single-minded dedication) to svakarma, grants worldly and other worldly fruits of karma (i.e. enjoyment of fulfilment of desires here and hereafter). Unless this svakarma niṣta turns to īśvaraḥ bhakti and brahma jijñāsa (i.e. single-minded seeking of Brahman or infinite reality), cessation of suffering (i.e. experiencing the effect of past actions) does not become possible.  Just as devatas impel the divine tendencies in us, asuras empower the tendencies born out of strong identification with one’s body and senses (i.e. namely sense identification). So in keeping with the law of karma, the asuras who were defeated by devas, in the earlier battles, now found newer way of fighting the devatas by beginning to manifest among human beings.

tataḥ samudite loke mānuṣe bharatarṣabha

asurā jajñire kṣetre rājñāṁ manujapuṁgava – 1.58.25 CE

ādityair hi tadā daityā bahuśo nirjitā yudhi

aiśvaryād bhraṁśitāś cāpi saṁbabhūvuḥ kṣitāv iha – 1.58.26 CE

iha devatvam icchanto mānuṣeṣu manasvinaḥ

jajñire bhuvi bhūteṣu teṣu teṣv asurā vibho – 1.58.27 CE

goṣv aśveṣu ca rājendra kharoṣṭramahiṣeṣu ca

kravyādeṣu ca bhūteṣu gajeṣu ca mr̥geṣu ca – 1.58.28 CE

When the world was in such happy state, the asurā started taking birth in the kṣatriyā families. The children of diti having been defeated by children of Aditi, began to take birth on earth.  The children of diti wishing to enjoy the sovereignty in earth, took birth among human and various other animals like cows, horses, mules, camels, buffaloes, elephants, deer etc.

jātair iha mahīpāla jāyamānaiś ca tair mahī

na śaśākātmanātmānam iyaṁ dhārayituṁ dharā – 1.58.29 CE

O protectors of the world (i.e. addressed to janamejaya by vaiśampāyana), owing to the birth of the asuras, the earth struggled to support herself.

atha jātā mahīpālāḥ ke cid balasamanvitāḥ

diteḥ putrā danoś caiva tasmāl lokād iha cyutāḥ – 1.58.30 CE

Among the songs of diti and Dhanu, took birth as men and became proud and insolent monarchs on earth.

brāhmaṇān kṣatriyān vaiśyāñ śūdrāṁś caivāpy apīḍayan

anyāni caiva bhūtāni pīḍayām āsur ojasā – 1.58.32 CE

 

They begam to oppress brahmanas, kshatriyas, vaishyas and shudras. They began to persecute all other creatures with their strength.

āśramasthān maharṣīṁś ca dharṣayantas tatas tataḥ

abrahmaṇyā vīryamadā mattā madabalena ca – 1.58.34 CE

Bereft of virtue and truth and intoxicated by their strength, they (i.e. asuras born among men) insolently troubled the rṣīs in their āśrama (as it was the rṣīs who guided men in the path of dharma).

tato mahī mahīpāla bhārārtā bhayapīḍitā

jagāma śaraṇaṁ devaṁ sarvabhūtapitāmaham – 1.58.37 CE

O Janamejana, thereupon the Prithvi devi, afflicted with fear and oppressed by the weight (of the adharmic jīva – i.e. asuras among men), went to the grandsire of all creatures and sought His protection.

Guru: Remember the attitude Mahābhārata takes towards Brahma, is same as it takes towards Lord Śiva and Śri Hari – i.e. that of īśvara of vedānta.  With this bhakti in view, see the choice of the words used by the deities when they are in the presence of sarva bhūta pitāmaha (i.e. grandsire of all creation).

sā saṁvr̥taṁ mahābhāgair devadvijamaharṣibhiḥ

dadarśa devaṁ brahmāṇaṁ lokakartāram avyayam – 1.58.38 CE

atha vijñāpayām āsa bhūmis taṁ śaraṇārthinī

saṁnidhau lokapālānāṁ sarveṣām eva bhārata – 1.58.40 CE

She saw the divine Brahma, imperishable creator all that we see (visible universe as it appears to one’s consciousness). He was surrounded by illustrious deities, brāhmanas, maharṣis and other celestials. In the presence of all those divine being, mother earth pleaded her case and sought protection.

tat pradhānātmanas tasya bhūmeḥ kr̥tyaṁ svayaṁbhuvaḥ

pūrvam evābhavad rājan viditaṁ parameṣṭhinaḥ - 1.58.41 CE

sraṣṭā hi jagataḥ kasmān na saṁbudhyeta bhārata

surāsurāṇāṁ lokānām aśeṣeṇa manogatam - 1.58.42 CE

The prayer of her heart, was already known to the omniscient, self-created (svayaṁbhuvaḥ), supreme lord (parameṣṭhi). He is the source of all this creation, why will he not already know all that is in the hearts of his children (i.e. being in the creation), including devas and asuras?!

Guru: See in the next ślōkā, the epithets used for Brahma – īśaḥ, śaṁbhuḥ - implying the essential identity of Lord Śiva with Brahma.

tām uvāca mahārāja bhūmiṁ bhūmipatir vibhuḥ

prabhavaḥ sarvabhūtānām īśaḥ śaṁbhuḥ prajāpatiḥ  - 1.58.43 CE

Thereafter īśvara who is the mahārāja, bhūmipati, source of all creation, īśaḥ, śaṁbhuḥ prajāpatiḥ, spoke to her.

yadartham asi saṁprāptā matsakāśaṁ vasuṁdhare

tadarthaṁ saṁniyokṣyāmi sarvān eva divaukasaḥ - 1.58.44 CE

Brahma Spoke: O Vasundhara (holder of all wealth), I shall appoint all celestials in the work, for which you have come to me.

Guru: What is the work? The work is to reduce the burden on mother earth, due to the adharmic forces, wreaking havoc.

asyā bhūmer nirasituṁ bhāraṁ bhāgaiḥ pr̥thak pr̥thak

asyām eva prasūyadhvaṁ virodhāyeti cābravīt – 1.58.46 CE

All of you go and take birth on earth to free her from her burden. Go according to your respective parts and fight the adharmic forces.

Guru: And all the devatas with Indra, on hearing these words (atha śakrādayaḥ sarve śrutvā) of the Lord of the celestials (suraguruḥ) meant for the good of the universe, accepted them. They all having resolved to come down on earth in their respected amśa, then went to Nārāyana in vaikuṇṭha, the one who has the discus and the mace in his hands, who is clad in purple, who is of great splendor (cakra gadā pāṇiḥ pītavāsāsitaprabhaḥ), padmanābhaḥ, is the slayer of the foes of the gods (surārighnaḥ), who is of eyes looking down upon his wide chest (in yoga niṣta - pr̥thucārvañcitekṣaṇaḥ), who is the lord of the Prajapati himself (prajāpatipatirdevaḥ), the sovereign of all the gods, of mighty strength (suranātho mahābalaḥ), shrīvatsānko, hriśikeśaḥ, who is adored by all the gods (sarvadaivatapūjitaḥ). To Bhagavān Śri Hari, Indra and devatās prayed for His incarnation. Swāmi gave His assent “Be it so”.

Thus along with Bhagavān Śri Hari, all the devatas were born through their amśa.

Guru: In Vana Parva when Rishi Lomāsa was conversing with Indra about Arjuna, Indra reveals this devarahasyam to the Rishi.

bhūmer bhārāvataraṇaṁ mahāvīryau kariṣyataḥ - 3.45.21 CE

Those Rishis (i.e. Nara and Nārāyana) of blazing splendor have, O Brahmarshi, at my desire, been born on earth, and endued with mighty energy, will lighten the burden of Earth.

In Śānti parva, Nārāyana Himself reveals : -

kr̥tvā bhārāvataraṇaṁ vasudhāyā yathepsitam

sarvasātvatamukhyānāṁ dvārakāyāś ca sattama – 12.326.92 CE

O best one, having reduced the burden of the Earth (bhārāvataraṇaṁ), as is desired, I will cause the destruction of my own race and a terrible annihilation of all the Sātvata chiefs and of [the city of] Dvāraka.

tvaṁ caivāhaṁ ca kaunteya naranārāyaṇau smr̥tau

bhārāvataraṇārthaṁ hi praviṣṭau mānuṣīṁ tanum – 12.328.33 CE

Kaunteya, you and I are considered to be Nara and Nārāyana, who have entered into human form to unload the burden [of the Earth].

Guru:  Again, elsewhere in Śānti Parva, we see Nārāyana Himself revealing this devarasyam (12.337.30-34 CE)

“On this earth, many Daityas and Dānavas and Rākṣasas will become powerful and, endowed with austerities, they will obtain boons.  Surely, the groups of gods and the seers rich in austerities will be tormented by all those who have become arrogant due to the gift of boons. There, unburdening the earth by me (kartuṃ bhārāvataraṇaṃ mayā) is justified.  With various manifestations on this earth in due order and by defeating the evil ones and upholding the good ones, I will uplift the pitiable, true earth. Verily, I uphold her as the serpent in the underworld [i.e., Śeṣa]. Borne by me, she will bear the world of movable and immovable beings. Therefore, taking on birth, I will protect Earth (bhārāvataraṇārthaṃ hi praviṣṭau mānuṣīṃ tanum)”

Thus, this is the key secret of Mahābhārata. It is to initiate this Śiva-Nārāyana-Brahma Sankalpam, of bhārāvataranam – that the main narrative plot of Mahābhārata unfolds.