Essence Of Maha Bhagavatha Purana

Maha Vishnu’s ‘Darshan’( Vision) to Krishna and Arjuna

In the context of Narayana Rishi, the legend of Nara Narayana assumes significance.Once, Great Sages performed a Vedic Sacrifice on the banks of River Sarasvati. A controversy engaged their attention about the issue as to Who should be the most appropriate worthy of devotion among the Trinity of Gods-Brahma or Maheswar or Vishnu. They deputed Sage Bhrighu to the Trinity to personally ascertain the fact and verify.Bhrigu visited his father Brahma first and felt insulted since Brahma did not treat him as a Sage but as a son and hence did not stand and greet.

Siva no doubt embraced the Sage but he treated him only as a friend but not as a Sage. Later on, Bhrigu visited Vishnu who pretended to be busy with Maha Lakshmi initially (as the Sage kicked Him on His Chest where Lakshmi resides) but later on paid prayers, along with Lakshmi Devi.(In the process however Vishnu nipped Bhrigu’s exrta eyes on his body). Thus the Grand Congregation decided Vishnu as the Head of  the Trinty. Suta Maha Muni narrated the memorable episode in the life of Arjuna. A pious Brahmana in Dvaraka lost a just-born child and reconciled himself as fate. Then he lost another child too and further children also were lost in succession.As the ninth child was still born, the Brahmana was wailing loud on the road- side and Arjuna happened to passby.The Brahmana out of frustration and anger shouted harshly on Arjuna and said that each time a child was dead he approached  Ugrasena, Vasudeva, Balarama, Krishna, Pradyumna and others. But to no avail!Arjuna said that he would try to save the next child. He used his mystic powers, some of which secured from Indra as he was Arjuna’s son, and guarded the area with diligence and attention. Unfortunately the result was negative and the tenth child too met the same fate. Arjuna took his ‘Gandiva’( his own Bow and Arrows) with his full determination and travelled the entire Universe including the Planetery System and sub terrain lokas.As there was no clue yet, Arjuna decided to jump into Holy Fire pit as he could not keep up his promise to the Brahmana. Lord Krishna prevented him from doing so and asked Arjuna to join on His Chariot to ascertain as to what could have happened to the children of the Brahmana couple. They kept on going farther and farther till Krishna’s Chariot horses- Saibya, Sugriva, Meghapushpa, and Balahaka- lost their way as there was complete darkness. The Sudarsan Chakra cut through the darkness as its effulgence showed the way and as the radiance was almost blinding, they realised that it was the phenomenon of Brahma Jyothi, the unparrelled Vision. There lied the Ananta-the mammoth Serpent-with thousand hoods with gems radiating fantastic light; on top of the hoods was lying Maha Vishnu comfortably with eight arms with ornaments Viz. conch shell, disc, bow and arrows, mace, the Kaustubh Gem and so on, along with His personal attendants headed by Sunanda and Nanda, His cohorts Pushti, Sri, Kirti and Aja and all His Mystic Powers. In such resonant and vibrant voice, Lord Maha Vishnu said that He was awaiting the arrival of Krishna and Arjun in search of the Brahmana boys who were purposively brought over there. Maha Vishnu asked Krishna and Arjuna to return after their assignments were over in their births, so that they should spread the message of Dharma (Virtue).