*SK. I. CH. 18 & SK. II. CH. I.*
Vyasa drew upon his inspiration and wrote the Bhagavata. He taught this
Purana to his son, the wonderful Suka. Suka did not marry, as Rishis in
his time did. He left his home and roamed about the world at large,
stark naked. The separation was painful to Vyasa and he went out in
search of his son. While he passed near a tank, the Apsarasas, who were
freely indulging in play, hastily drew up their clothes, feeling
ashamed. "Strange!" exclaimed Vyasa, "I am old and covered. But when my
young son, wholly uncovered, went this way, you remained unmoved." And
the Deva-ladies replied, "Thy son knows not man and woman, but thou
knowest." This exalted Suka was the worthy propounder of the Bhagavata
Purana.
Raja Parikshit, son of Abhimanyu and grandson of Arjuna, the successor
of Raja Yudisthira on the throne of Hastinapura, forgot himself in a fit
of anger and placed a dead serpent round the neck of a Rishi. For this
he was cursed by the Rishi's son to meet with untimely death at the end
of a week. The Raja became penitent and deemed the curse an act of God.
He prepared himself for death and took up his abode on the sacred banks
of the Ganges in company with all the Rishis. The Raja asked what a man
on the point of death should do. The Rishis present could not give any
satisfactory answer. At this time Suka appeared, followed by a host of
boys, who took him to be a mad man. Suka was then only sixteen with long
flowing hairs and well-built body, blooming with nature's beauty. All
rose up as they saw the very young Rishi, and gave him the first seat.
He related the Bhagavata Purana to Parikshit in seven days.
The Raja repeated his question to Suka -- "What is a dying man,
specially one who desires to attain Moksha, to do? What are the duties
of men and what are they not to do?"
Suka replied: -- "A man on the approach of death is to give up all
fear of death and is to cut off all likes and dislikes by dispassion. He
is to leave his house, bathe in pure water and duly make his asana in
some solitary place. He is then to meditate on the three lettered
Pranava with mind concentrated by Dharana and Dhyana till he attains
_samadhi_. If, however, his mind gets distracted by Rajas and Tamas, he
is again and again to practise Dharana."
"What Dharana is it that speedily brings on concentration and purity of
mind?" was the next question.
Suka replied: -- "Dharana of the Sthula aspect of Bhagavana, by a
fully controlled mind." He then went on dilating on the Sthula or
Universe aspect, called Virat Purusha or Mahapurusha. The present, the
past, the future is manifest in that aspect. The Virata Purusha is the
soul of an Egg-like body with a seven-fold cover of earth, water, fire,
air, akasa, Ahankara, and Mahat, respectively.
Patala is His feet, Rasatala His heels, Mahatala His ankles, Talatala
His legs, Sutala His knees, Vitala the lower portion of His thighs, and
Atala the upper portion.
Bhur Loka is His loins, Bhuvar Loka His navel, Svar Loka His breast,
Mahar Loka His throat, Jana Loka His mouth, Tapas Loka His forehead, and
Satya Loka is the head of the thousand-headed Virat Purusha. Indra and
other Usra Devas (the world Usra meaning, literally, a ray of light) are
his hands.
The Dik or space gods are his ears. The twin gods Asvini Kumara are his
nose.
Agni is His mouth.
The firmament is His eyes and the Sun-god His sight.
Day and night are His eye-lashes.
The graceful movement of His eye-brows is the abode of the Supreme.
Water is His palate, taste His tongue.
The Vedas are known as His Brahma-randhra.
Yama is His tusk.
The objects of affection are His teeth.
His enchanting smile is Maya.
The endless creation is His side-glance.
His lower lip is shame, and the upper greed.
Dharma is His breast. Adharma His back.
Prajapati is His generative organ.
The Mitra-Varuna gods are His sense of taste.
The seas are His belly, the mountains His bony system and the rivers His
veins and arteries.
The trees are the hairs of the Universe-bodied.
The powerful wind-god is His breath.
Time is His movement.
His play is the flow of Gunas.
The clouds are His hairs.
Twilight is His clothing.
Prakriti is His heart.
His manas is the moon, which is the source of all transformations.
Mahat is His Chitta.
Rudra is His Ahankara.
Horses, mules, camels and elephants are His nails.
All the other animals are His loins.
The birds are His wonderful art.
He is the abode of Manu, Buddhi and Man.
Gandharva, Vidyadhara, Charana and Apsaras are His musical notes.
The Asuras are His strength.
The Brahmana is His mouth, the Kshatriya His hands, the Vaisya His
thighs, and the black Sudra His feet.
The Devas severally and collectively are His _havis_ or sacrificial
ghee, and yajna is His karma.
This is Virat Purusha. This is how the Universe-aspect of Purusha is
realised in meditation, more as a means of concentration, than as the
end. When the mind is sufficiently fixed by Dharana or contemplation of
Virat Purusha, it has next to meditate on the Purusha in the heart.