Churning the Bhagavatam – Dashavatara – Varaha (video)

Latest Monks’ podcast on Churning the Bhagavatam – Dashavatara 3 – Varaha Dev with HH Krishna Kshetra Maharaj
 

Summary by Chaitanya Charan Prabhu from 1:48:54

We broadly started this discussion with two main things:

1. The role of the past in shaping one’s life and one’s choices.

2. Bhumi Devi and role of protecting the earth

In the first part, we started by talking about speech acts- where the act itself leads to some action. Like some judge or a priest pronouncing marriage. Similarly, we have curses and benedictions both acting in that way.

Then we discussed what all is affected by the curse. Is it the situation, the dispositions, the decisions? To some extent, multiple things may be affected. And the effects might be there at multiple levels. It’s very difficult to make it discrete. But if you look at it from this life’s perspective, what made somebody behave in a particular way, then you will be able to see the convergence of factors for this life as well as previous life.

We talked about why Hiranyaksha was so violent. There is no description that he was specifically evil against people in general. But, he wanted to aggrandize, increase the power of his brother and please him.

That filial piety was a nice concept you mentioned. We could say that, that was a virtue within Hiranyaksha. But it was misdirected because his brother was a demon. There were negative influences coming for Hiranyaksha from two levels. One because Jay and Vijay had been cursed, as per the plan of the Lord so that He (the Lord) could have some motion Lila- some fighting. And then the two brothers were conceived at an inauspicious time, because of Diti’s insistence. All this contributed to Hiranyaksha’s arrogant or violent bellicose disposition. And then he, as you said seems very straightforward. Hiranyaksha challenges Varuna, and in the water body the boar appears.

We talked a little bit about the subversive conception of divinity of Varaha. So Varaha is worshipped, in fact he is considered the personification of sacrifice. Although normally boars would seem to be contaminating sacrifice. But in some cultures, not in Indian culture, boars might be sacrificed. There are normally cows, buffaloes or some other animals like goats and horses that are sacrificed.

And in that connection, we discussed more about this whole concept of how domestic animals are sacrificed. Dogs and cats are interesting in that, dogs are liminal, cats simply are not mentioned so much. And the boar, although the word amphibious beast is used, is more like a one animal one a gochara – wandering in the forest. So when Varaha manifests, he has affection for the earth. It can also be associated with the fact that boars borrow or dig into the earth and they find edible food over there. Now the earth itself is passive here. Lord Varaha reciprocates with Brahmaji while rescuing the earth.

And then we discussed a little bit about the principle of rescuing the earth, protecting the earth today. We can feel the helpless sometimes, seeing the sheer magnitude of forces that are disrupting the environment. But it is said that the Lord intervened to protect then, so we can also be hopeful that the Lord can intervene. At the same time, we can also act as the arms of the Lord for doing our part. While acting as the arms of the Lord, we need to be careful to have the mentality of Prahlad so that we don’t see friends and enemies.

Now, even the environmental issues have become very politicalized in the US presidential elections. Hence, we need to avoid that mentality. You also mentioned about Prahalad and Vibhishana being exceptions. Although born in a demoniac family they are not demoniac. Although Prahlad stood firm to his principles, he was never directly disrespectful to his father.

We also discussed some cultural aspects. We saw on Wikipedia some beautiful pictures of Varaha Dev, Varaha Narasimha temple and this giant colossal Varaha temple. It seems that there is Bhumi Devi with him as his consort

Towards the end, we discussed how while protecting Bhumi Devi, you don’t want environmentalism to become like another religion. Rather, you want it to be a natural by-product of God Consciousness. If we are practicing Krishna consciousness, if we are spiritually conscious, then naturally, we will have environmental consciousness. Our consciousness in taking care of the environment should not be that it is for us to live and enjoy this. Rather it should be that -this Bhumi Devi is the Lord’s consort, she’s our mother and that’s why we need to care for her as a part of our service to the Lord.

Then we also discuss a few verses. In some places there is humour as well. Varaha Dev tries to help the Lord, embrace the Lord and crush Him but the Lord disappears.

In the concluding verse you mentioned about how Varaha Dev is the original boar. He comes to the earth and when he goes back, there is a Akhandit Utsav. So, there is an eternal festival going on in the spiritual world.

In this connection, you mentioned the idea of myth. So, myth is something that is historical but is something much more than history. Let’s take the metaphor of the wheel. The wheel is the wheel of transit in the spiritual world where eternal festivals are happening. And sometimes those festivities, those divine Lila, touch the ground, which is the earth and they manifest for us to relish. So, we accept that the myths are historical. We consider Lila’s are historical but also trans historical. And if they become our mental homes then we can become absorbed in Krishna and that can be actually a very sweet way of being, spiritually, devotionally conscious. Thank you very much Maharaj.