Radhe Krishna All,
This discourse narrates the circumstances that led to the birth of Srimad Bhagavatam and the story of sage Narada's previous birth.
The Vedas form the very foundation of the whole universe. Ithihaasas – Puranas (Epic / Scriptures) are merely derivatives of the Vedas and expound on the end purpose of the Vedas.
The Vedas, Mahabharata, the Puranas and the Bhrama-sutras have all been bestowed upon us by Sage Veda Vyasa. These constitute the very bedrock of our existence. Don’t they? It is these that address the very fundamental questions such as,
How was the world created?
Who is God?
Why has God created us?
What is our state before and after death?
How should we live?
What constitutes a sin and what constitutes a Merit?
The term 'Vedas' means knowledge or wisdom. The next logical question that arises is whose wisdom are we talking about when we refer to the Vedas? The Vedas represent God's wisdom. Man first draws up a building plan before the actual execution of construction. Likewise, the Vedas form the master plan drawn by the master himself before carrying out his work of creation. Even today, the Vedic sounds reverberate in the cosmos,
The Maharishis (Sages) have, through their divine power, grasped those cosmic vibrations and have bestowed them as the Vedas. The great Veda Vyasa made a compilation of all those and organized it in the current form.
Once, Veda Vyasa experienced confusion in his mind! Isn't this surprising? Do even realized souls like Veda Vyasa get into confusion and distress? Just as we are unable to sleep peacefully owning to our deep concern over various worldly matter such as son's education, daughter's wedding, employment and financial commitments to cite a few instances, Realized souls feel a very great mental unrest, when they contemplate on ways to uplift Mankind who are caught in ignorance (Maya). In spite of bestowing the Holy Scriptures, Veda Vyasa himself felt restless.
It was at this juncture that Sage Narada came there by chance. Veda Vyasa received the sage warmly and worshipped him as per scriptural injunctions.
Looking at Veda Vyasa, Narada asked, "Great Sage! Why do you appear distressed? What is troubling you?".
Veda Vyasa replied, "The thoughts of the realized souls can only be comprehended by another, sage Narada! I beseech you, who has rightly identified that my mind is troubled, to also explain the cause behind it?
At once Narada said, "In the path of Karma advocated by you, one has to follow the Scriptural injunctions scrupulously without any compromise. Following, the path of Karma without adhering to the Scriptural injunctions will not reap any benefit. Likewise, the path of Raja yoga is full stringent regulations such as control over the senses. Slightest deviation from them would lead to mental disorders. The Vedanta marga requires dispassion (Vairagya) of the highest order, without which one cannot attain liberation. The scripture describe God a being fair complexioned in Krita Yuga (the first of the four yugas where everything was perfect). As people of that yuga (Age) were pure, they were able to perform dhyana (One pointed meditation) as they could easily gain control over the mind.
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