Marm ni vaat (Gujarati) - Bhagvat Puran - Devi Bhagvat

આ અધ્યાયમાં આપણે ગંગાજી ની ઉત્પતિ કેવી રીતે થઈ અને ત્યારબાદ ગંગાજી કેવી રીતે અંતરિક્ષમાંથી ધ્રુવ લોકમાં અને ત્યાંથી બ્રહ્મપુરી માં અને ત્યારબાદ પૃથ્વી પર અવતર્યા. પૃથ્વી પર તેમની સમુદ્ર સુધીની યાત્રા પણ આપણે સાંભળીશું. ઇલાવૃત દેશમાં આપણે શિવજીના મુખે સાકર્ષણની સ્તુતિનો આનંદ માણીશું. 

આજના અધ્યાયમાં આપણે ભુવનકોષનું વર્ણન સાંભળીશું. ભુવનકોષ એટલે એટલે કે બ્રહ્માંડ. શુકદેવજી આપણને રાજા પ્રિયવ્રતે પ્રસ્થાપિત કરેલ સાત દ્વીપ ની વાત કરવાના છે. આ દરેક દ્વીપમાં રહેલ લોકોના નામ, એમના પર્વતો, અધિપતિઓ અને વર્ણની વાત આજના અધ્યાયમાં જાણવા મળશે.

After hearing the explanation from Sage Shukdevji of the metaphor offered by Jadbharat, we are now move further along the story line by listening to the progeny of King Bharat and hear about some of the Dharma driven kings in the Bharat lineage. We hear particularly about the King Gaya and his illustrious life. 

Continuing on the explanation of the bhavatavi, we hear Sage Shukdevji offers a clearer meaning of how small materialistic steps lead to the degeneration of the soul. He also elaborates on the kalchkara (the force of life and death) and how it affects the soul further. He explains that having that comparative expectations of getting more than others makes it even worse for the soul. We are reminded of the Greek idea of polis.

As requested by King Parikshit, Sage Shukdevji elaborates on the idea of Bhavatavi (the material world). In his detailed explains, he shows how a soul gets trapped in the materialistic ideology and runs on this slippery slope of degeneration.

Jadbharat uses a deeply metaphoric reflection on 'bhavatavi', the material world, and explains how a soul gets trapped in the lure of physical materialism and loses the path of upliftment. In a most beautiful poetic way Jadbharat adds a unique touch to the metaphor by making some of the aspects easy to understand while other being very deep and requiring a lot of reflection. King Rahugana is overwhelmed by the knowledge he has received from Jadbharat. On the other hand, in his listening of this story, King Parikshit does not understand some of the aspects of the metaphorical story and so requests Sage Shukdev to explain it further. 

King Rahugana asks the questions as to why we are blinded by logic and Jadbharat explains in detail the nature of being. He offers an observation as to what is the difference between a rock on the Earth and us if the soul is removed. Jadbharat offers some deep reflections and also mentions his past births and the folly of being trapped in the cycle of material attractions that may be even love towards another being. He suggests the need to focus all that love towards the Lord.

Jadbharat explains to the king Rahugana that just using a superficial logic is no way to become a knowledgeable person. Further, such logic cannot lead to the path of Moksha. Jadbharat delienates the idea of the body, the Earth and the soul. He also demonstrates using an example, how materialism leads to the vicious cycle of the degeneration of the soul. 

Once upon a time King Rahugan is passing through his kingdom and is need of a palanquin carrier. He finds Jadbharat and adds him as part of palanquin carriers. However, Jadbharat in his view not to harm those insects and other living being crawling on the Earth, does not keep pace with other palanquin carriers. The king gets really angry on Jadbharat and also mocks him. Jadbharat at this time offers the most insightful reflection on tatvagyan and in brief explains the difference he sees in the soul and the body. Rahugan realises his mistake and asks for forgiveness from Jadbharat as well as poses a question based on logic. 

In his re-birth after leaving his body of a deer, the king Bharat is born as one of the twins in a Brahmin family. He remembers his past and is so worried about going down the wrong path that he acts deaf, dumb and generally incapable of coherent thoughts. His father has a lot of love for him and tries to teach him but 'jadbharat' does not learn much. When his father dies, his brothers and others take advantage of jadbharat, however, he does not mind as nothing sways him from the path of the Lord. One night, some decoits, kidnap him to be the sacrifice for the Goddess Kali. The Goddess  realising that a pure soul is being put on the alter for sacrifice, gets angry and kills all the decoits.