Dissecting the Bhagavatham
A. RAMALINGA SASTRY
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The speaker elaborated on Guru-Sishya Saampradayam.
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The talk on Bhagavatham and Guru-Sishya Sampradaayam, delivered by associate professor in Sanskrit, Andhra University, Department of Telugu, Sriman Maddulapalli Dattatreya Sastry, beautifully elaborated and highlighted exemplary statements from many scripture including the Bhagavatham in Sanskrit.
The speaker, who spoke extempore, explained that in the ancient purana Bhagavatham, the four letters Bha, Ga, Va and Tham signify Bhakti (devotion), Gnanam (knowledge of the Brahman), Vairagyam (renunciation) and Tatwasaakshaatkaram or Moksham (salvation). This purana thus is an exhaustive treatise of not only the distinct attributes of Bhakti, the Bhakta (devotee) and the Bhagavan (Supreme God), but also of the four basic goals every human being is supposed to aspire for and achieve in his or her lifetime, i.e. the Dharma, Ardha, Kaama and Moksha.
He said that it directly or otherwise highlights the need of a Guru (The Preceptor), who is in possession of this knowledge. He not only continues to strive hard with implicit faith and devotion to God to attain salvation, but also shares the wealth of his knowledge with suitable persons at the appropriate time to make them tread the path of Bhakti.
This will help themachieve similar goals in less time and even the easiest way, if needed. Needless to say that the persons thus chosen are considered as Sishya (disciple).
The professor explained how Sutha became the guru by elucidating the Purana to Sounakaadimunis when they were performing Satra Yaaga in NaimisharanyamSimilarly, Sukha Maharshi who narrated the entire story in seven days to alleviate King Parikshith from untimely death due to a curse inflicted on him by Sameekamuni, Kapila Narayana who told the story to his mother Devahuthi in detail, Suneetha who taught the norms of Vishnubhakti to Dhruva, Rishabha Deva who expounded the same to his 100 sons, Prahlada who was singularly instrumental for the revelation of Mahavishnu to his father Hiranyakasipu are all hailed as gurus.
Even Lord Krishna accomplished the attributes of a guru many times and his upadesam to Uddhva and others are given in detail in the Bhagavatham.
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