SHANTHA(CHOPAL)- Thousands of devotees are making beeline for the week-long congregation of Srimad Bhagwat that got to an auspicious start here, with the arrival of the Lord of  Land- Kulla Maharaj. The story of  Bhagvad is a revellation from the Creator himself. 

The presence of idols of Kulla Maharaj along with other Devtas adore the Patangan of the Shatbahi (Thaur), which is the presiding deity of the Bhadhaan Biradari,  has  added  an earthy aura to the Bhagwad.

Biradar is  organising Katha with an unmatching devotion and dedication.

Led by Kanyas(symbol of Shakti) and presiding Yajmans of Bhadhaan,  village Nambardar, Umesh Banchaik, Sita Ram Bhagta, Gopal Dilaik, Megh Ram Sadoli, Bipin Lal Banchaik, Kalash Yatra  starts from the  Bavudi, a perennial  sacred source of water after the Brahmins performed the puja of Varun and the water, a  fundamental source of life on Earth. 

Kalash Yatra  is accompanied by men women and children of the village. It is joined by the Ved Vyas and Bhagwat, sacred Book which is carried on the head by the devotee. 

The yatra  takes round of the village amid divine tunes of dhols, shehnai and karnal played by the Bajintri of the Kulla Devi and Thaur Devi.

The Kalash yatra reaches Patangan of the Devi, the venue of the Katha. 

Kalash is then placed  on the Mandap, where Brahmins performed puja, invoking and inviting all Gods and Devis and Devtas from the universe to be present there to deliver Bhagwat with all its divinity to the devotees. 

This is how Bhagwat Katha venue is purified  before Brahmins invoke   and invite Gods for the Katha to start.      

Katha Vachak, Ved Vyas Maneesh Dev Sharma, arrives at the venue. He is narrating Srimad Bhagwat Katha for the eighth time in this village.  

He narrates the story of Srimad Bhagvad in a  spontaneous flow. Why and How Bhagvad Katha originated?

Katha has come straight from the mouth of the Creator, Bhagwan himself, who does not discriminate among listeners  to the story- they can be anybody cutting across religions.

There is no such word in Bhagvad Katha Puran that paints a religious picture about this Book.    

But all that one needs is that ‘Shrota’ should have thirst (Jigyasa) for ‘Knowing’ God  and devotion to listen and replicate it in his heart, body and mind.  

Katha is ‘Amrit’ for the devotee who imbibe its true meaning that gives life to lifeless, washes away sins,Paap and Rog from the body and mind and devotee attains salvation and Mukti.

What is more significant about this Bhagwat is that  two more Ved Viyas- Anil Sharma and Sunil Sharma- and in all 21 Brahman are in attendance,  performing other liturgical aspects of Srimad Bhagvad to the devotees in a flawless divine Sanskrit Mantras.

Bhagwad Khatha has got an all-the-more divine atmosphere for Shradhalus, who continue to pour in from all the region to give rapt audience to the Bhagvad Katha imbibing Prasaad of knowledge.

The mantras of Katha are narrated in Hindi understandable to the audience. The Story entails and integrates Lord Bhrahma,  Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva- the Hindu Trinity-  as manifestations of God.

For the Householders Bhagwad enlists universal Human values righting from development of foetus and birth of child to his Naamkaran Sanskar, other different stages of life.  

Names bring like deeds in children. Great and meaningful  names make great persons and bad brings in bad qualities in children.  

The story moves on narrating anecdotes from the Puran, Mahabharat and Veda. Making audience realize what is good for them.     

Katha unfolds “symptoms and signs of time”- valueless values of the Kaliyug which have entered the Modern world.

Kalyug did so by diplomatically convincing legendary King Parikshit to allow him to get some land in his kingdom.

It will become easier for his subjects to get  things done easily  and attain God easily. By Tapsya it would take years but by acquiring Kalyugi   “Gun or qualities” people will attain God in a short span of  time.

This is how Parikshit got convinced and granted permission to Kalyug in his kingdom.

The story goes on…   

People having black money will organise Congregations and Bhagvad Katha to “attain God and to wash away their sins of which they are guilty of” by doing so.

Cows will not be in their Goshala, they will be more seen on the roads roaming as strays.

Cow gives is nectar in the name of Ghee, but ironically world feeding on medicines will not eat ghee on this or that ruse…

Can Kalyugi people reverse trends in this world?

Bhagvad Katha promises so. It takes Shrotas to the realm of God: How Katha has begun and why?

It is only on Prithvilok that Lord Vishnu takes its Human avatar to uphold Dharma  and moral order in the world.

Katha has begun due to human craving for more, for Gyan, yearning for attaining  Amrit and 'Mukti' and getting answers to the questions: Who created this world and why?

The Bhagvad katha has manifested due to human ‘Jigyasa’ to know the world and universe as to why we take birth and die.

Can Human begins Conquer death and get rid of the cycle of birth and death?  

These eternal questions have puzzled scientists. The religions have tried to find to answers to them in their own way.

Lord shiva is the God of gods, nothing can happen without His will. No universe is complete without Him.  Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva revolve around Nucleus, Bhagwan like electron, neutron and electron are parts of an Atom.     

Srimad Bhagwad is born with this ‘Jigyasa’ as God Himself gives answers 'Tatva Gyan' to these  questions only to ‘Supatra’.

Lord Shiva in Devlok and Kailash Parvat narrates Bhagwad Katha to his Consort Parvati when Rishi Narada provokes her to know about the secret of  “dead heads” that garland him

Lord Shiva tells  her that this Katha of Creator  can be narrated in a secluded quiet place. They drove away creatures from Kailash to create the atmosphere  but one ripen egg was left behind which could not get attention of Goddess Parvat as she ignored  it. 

As Lord Shiva  was narrating the story to her, she fell asleep in middle of katha. It was Sukhdev Rishi,  who sprouted from the egg by the power the Bhagvad katha and responded to Shiva's narrative. 

When Lord Shiva got to know it that Katha or secret of creation was stolen by 'Shuknas'  not by her Consort, he got enraged and chased Shuknas a tiny bird then which flew into the womb of her mother. 

She sought forgiveness  and Lord Shiva disappeared back to his abode. Shuknas  grew up by leaps and bonds in womb of his mother and came out when he was assured forgiveness from Lord Shiva. Later he became Shuknas Rishi.