PANDAVA GITA OR PRAPANNA GITA

Contents

. Introduction

. Teachings of the Prapanna or Pandava Gita

. Conclusion

Introduction

The Prapanna Gita or the Pandava Gita is referred to as the song of surrender. It is a collection of beautiful verses taken from different sources. It is in the form of a stotra or hymn which when chanted regularly is said to definitely confer wisdom on the seeker. The theme of the hymn is based on the principle of surrender or Sharanagati. It is considered as exquisitely beautiful in Sanskrit literature.

Teachings of the Prapanna Gita

The hymn begins with homage being paid to those devotees of the Lord who have stood out in history for their spirit of surrender and devotion like Prahlad, Pundareeka, Ambareesha, Shuka, Saunaka, Vyasa, Narada,                          Parasara, Arjuna, Vasishta, Vibheeshana and others like them.

Lomaharshana, the disciple of Vyasa stated that the Pandavas were at such an exalted state that repeating Yudhisthira’s name increases all virtues, Bheema’s name destroys all sins and evil qualities, Arjuna’s name causes all enemies to perish and repeating the names of Nakula and Sahadeva removes all illnesses and afflictions.

Brahma said that those who are free from desires and the world of dualities, who are forever immersed in Lord Narayana in meditation, their consciousness becomes ever purified and they are filled with bliss.

Indra said that the very name Narayana who is a thief and stealer of hearts removes bondage of millions of lifetimes as he steals all the sins of all our past lifetimes.

Yudhishthira said that he bows to Lord Vishnu, the Lord of the three worlds, the lotus eyed Lord, dressed in yellow silk who sees not caste, creed or gender but merit alone as criteria for liberation.

Bheeshma said he bowed to the Lord who took the form of the wild boar and raised Mother Earth in his horns during the deluge and prayed that he would always be pleased with his devotion.

Arjuna said he surrendered to the one Lord Hari, the master of the universe, the eternal, beginningless, endless, imperishable lord who permeates the whole universe and who is the Lord of all creation.

Nakula said that no matter how many births he would take, whether he would be born as an insect or a bird or any lower birth without a clan or even hundred times as a worm he prayed to lord Keshava only for pure, unsullied and unshakeable devotion in all those births.

Sahadeva said he offered his humble salutations at the lotus feet of the beloved Lord Vishnu who took the form of a wild boar and with his supreme effulgence fills the world with bliss.

Kunti said that her only prayer was that no matter how many births she took and whatever forms they were depending on her karma, in all those births she wanted nothing else but pure and unstinted devotion to Lord Krishna.

Madri said that those who constantly contemplate on Krishna, who think of him every moment of the day in whatever bodies they are, they become one with him just as mantras and sacrificial offerings become one with fire.

Draupadi said no matter what birth she takes in the countless lifetimes, whether it is a bird, beast, insect, spirit or demon, she wished only for unalloyed and unshakeable devotion to Lord Krishna.

Subhadra said that it is more important to bow once before Lord Krishna which is equivalent to taking ritual bath and earning merit from ten Ashwamedha sacrifices and even that may lead to rebirth but bowing once would remove all rebirths.

Abhimanyu said that he offered salutations to Govinda, Krishna, Mukunda  the destroyer of Mura, the wielder of the discus, his beloved Keshava.

Drishtadumnya said he bowed down to Mukunda, Rama, Krishna, The Lord without beginning or end, Vishnu who dwells in Vaikunta and took Narasimha avatar and asked that he be saved and protected as he had been bitten by the serpent of Samsara or worldliness.

Satyaki said that he humbly bowed down and offered his salutations to Lord Vishnu, Krishna, Damodara, the Knower of all, the Eternal one, the lord who was without beginning or end.

Uddhava said that any man who worshipped other gods and gave up Krishna was a fool similar to one who is thirsty and digs a well on the banks of the Ganges.

Dhaumya said that he prayed that if while sitting in the banks of rivers, during day or night or at any time if he had ever done even small acts of merit, Lord Krishna the destroyer of evil would be pleased with them and shower his mercy on him and bless him.

Sanjaya said during times of stress and suffering, if fear or despondency assails them, if trapped by wild animals or in any such terrible situation, people had to just chant the name of the Lord Narayana and they would be free from sorrow and gain happiness.

Akrura said that there was no Lord other Lord Narayana in the whole universe and he was but a slave of the slave of the slave of the slave of the slave of the Lord and because of that he considered himself most blessed among all men.

Virata said that he wished to be a slave of the slave of all those serene ones who were devotees of Vasudeva , Krishna and who were always meditating upon him.

Bheeshma said that in times of need, when relatives and friends were no longer there to protect him, he prayed that Lord Krishna who was his only refuge would show mercy on him and protect him.

Drona said that even the anger of lord Krishna, Janadhana, wielder of the discus, Lord of the three worlds was a blessing as each and every one of the demons destroyed by the Lord had gone to the sacred world of Vishnu after his death.

Kripa said that the only blessing he prayed for in this world was that Lord Vishnu the Lord of the Universe would allow him to be the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of the Lord’s servant.

Ashwathama said that he offered his most humble salutations to the Lord Krishna, Mukunda, Janardhana, Lord of Infinite forms, Lord Damodara, Lord Purushothama, Padmanabha and prayed for the honour of servitude to him.

Karna said that he thought of none else, spoke of none other and heard of nothing else but the Lord Srinivasa, Purushothama. He depended and meditated on him alone and his thoughts were only concentrated on the Lord’s lotus feet. He prayed that the Lord would make him his humble servant.

Dhritarashtra said that he offered his salutations to the Supreme Being Lord Narayana who took the form of Vamana, who is the wielder of the bow, mace and conch.

Gandhari said that the Lord alone was her mother, her father, her friend, her wealth, her knowledge and her kinsman, He alone was everything to her.

Drupada said that he offered his salutations to the Lord of Sacrifices,                           Vishnu, Vasudeva, Hrishikesha, Ananta, Madhava.

Jayadratha said he offered his salutations to the Lord of Boundless power, Lord Krishna, Supreme Brahman, Lord of Yoga and Yoga himself and had completely surrendered himself to the Lord who was his only refuge.

Vikarna said he offered his humble salutations again and again to Krishna who was the son of Vasudeva, who delighted Devaki and who was the beloved child of the cowherd Nanda.

Virata said that he offered his salutations again and again to Lord Krishna, Govinda who was worshipped by Brahmins and who was the benefactor of the world.

Shalya said that those who bowed to the Lord Govinda, the Lord who wore yellow garments and who was beautiful like the hemp flower would never know any fear.

Balarama said that he prayed that Krishna, Purushothama, who was the refuge of those who were helpless in the world of samsara would have mercy on them and be pleased.

Krishna said that those who cry out Krishna, Krishna every moment of the day would be pulled out by the Lord from hell just as a lotus is pulled from the water. He said that anyone who calls his name Janardhana,                            Narasimha, Mukunda would be given anything by the Lord even if they were worthless like rocks or timber.

Ishwara said that taking the name of the Lord Narayana even once was equivalent to bathing in the sacred waters of the Ganges and other rivers for the endless periods of three kalpas.

Suta said that wherever the exalted story of Achutha is being narrated there every single tirtha like Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Saraswati is to be found there.

Yama said that when a man was being roasted in hell being the lord of the dead, he would ask him one important question of why he didn’t worship Lord Keshava the destroyer of afllictions.

Narada said that devotion to Lord Krishna in the heart of man can arise only when through devotion, austerities, meditation practised over a thousand previous births all sins are destroyed.

Prahlada said that he prayed to the Lord that as he wandered from birth to birth in different forms, he would have unshakeable devotion to the Lord Achyuta at all times and would have steadfast love and remember him always just as the ignorant man remembers sensual pleasures.

Vishwamitra said there is no need for bathing in sacred waters, austerities and sacrifices for the man who with an unswerving mind meditates on Lord Narayana.

Jamadagni said that for those whose heart dwelt on the auspicious Lord Hari every single day was auspicious and every day was a festival.

Bharadwaja said that those in whose heart Janardhana resides, victory is theirs and profits are theirs forever and there is never any chance of failure.

Gautama said that just remembering the name of the Lord Govinda alone yields more than living on the banks of the Ganga or Prayag or bathing in Kashi every eclipse or giving a hundred thousand cows or a mountain of gold in charity or performing ten thousand sacrifices.

Agni said that the three syllabled name of Govinda is the Supreme Brahman so whoever meditates on him constantly, repeating it at every bath and chanting it every moment of the day will realise the ultimate truth and realise the all pervading Brahman.

Vyasa said Lord Ananta is the wishing cow Kamadhenu, Lord Achyuta is the wishing tree Kalpavriksha, Lord Govinda is the gem Chintamani that grants all wishes, hence think of Lord Hari and meditate on him constantly.

Indra said victory to Krishna the son of Devaki, to Mukunda who is the reliever of all burdens, victory to the one who has a hue of a dark cloud, victory, victory to him.

Pippalayana said his salutations were to Lord Hari who was the great teacher who had incarnated as Narasimha and whose emblem was the eagle Garuda who ends all afflictions and who is the medicine for those bound by the disease of samsara, his salutations to Lord Krishna who heals man from all diseases caused by fire, water, scorpion or snake.

Avihotra said that he prayed that his mind woud be fixed every moment at the lotus feet of the Lord as it would be impossible to remember the lord at the last moment when death would choke him and all thoughts would be on catching hold of the life breath.

Vidura said that Hari was the only name that supported him and he was his only refuge in the dark age of Kali and his name alone was the source of his life.

Vasishta said millions of lifetimes of sins are burnt away from that man whose tongue utters the divine and blessed name of Krishna.

Arundhati said that her salutations were to Lord Hari, the supreme self, Lord Krishna the son of Vasudeva, to Govinda who was the destroyer of sins of those who prostrated before the Lord.

Kashyapa said that just remembering the name of Krishna shatters the cage of all sins of previous births as a mountain shatters when it is struck by lightning.

Duryodhana said inspite of knowing what was wrong he could not keep away from it and inspite of knowing what’s right he was unable to practise it and he felt he was a machine directed by some unknown mysterious power and since Krishna was the one ran this machine he should forgive its faults and not blame him for whatever he did.

Bhrigu said that the power of the name was so strong that it was a hundred times more powerful than the Lord itself and its mere utterance would bless the devotee and grant him liberation.

Lomasha said that he constantly remembered the name of Narayana, he worshipped him constantly, he bowed down at his lotus feet and meditated upon his changeless essence.

Shaunaka said that constant remembrance of the name of lord Hari increased devotion in the heart and instilled in man everything that was good and to such an eternal, changeless Lord he took refuge in.

Garga said that inspite of the name Narayana people still fall under the fires of hell and temptation which is a great wonder.

Dalbhya said that there is no use of the many mantras that exist for Janardhana when the mantra ‘Namo Narayana’ which grants every desire exists.

Vaishampayana said that according to his belief wherever Lord Krishna the Lord of the Yogas and the wielder of the bow Partha exists, there will always be justice, victory and prosperity there.

Agni said that just as fire burns when touched unintentionally, Hari takes away the sins even of the wicked man who remembers him.

Parameshwara said that the utterance of the two syllables of Hari even once enables a man to have a retinue escorting him to liberation.

Pulasthya said that he prayed that his tongue which was always fond of sweetness and which knew the essence of rasa would always drink the nectar of the Lord’s name Narayana.

Vyasa said that there is only one truth and nothing but the truth and that was that there is no God higher than Keshava and no scripture superior to the Vedas.

Dhanvantari said that he spoke only of one truth and that is that by uttering the medicine of the names of Ananta, Govinda and Achyuta ,all diseases could be destroyed.

Markandeya said that it is impossible not to think even briefly of Vasudeva who grants liberation and happiness and who is the Guru of the whole world.

Agasthya said that wherever anyone thinks of Vishnu even for a second there exists the sacred place of Kurukshetra, Prayag or the Naimisha forest.

Vamadeva said that thinking of Vishnu for even one second grants desires for millions of years.

Shuka said that after having thoroughly studied the scriptures and contemplated on them again and again the only truth emerging out of it was that Lord Narayana had to be meditated upon constantly every single moment of one’s life.

Mahadeva said that when the body turns old and frail and weak and is afflicted by diseases the Lord Hari, Narayana is the only physician and the Ganges water is the only medicine.

Shaunaka said that the devotees of Vishnu needlessly worried about food and clothing as the compassionate Lord who sustains and preserves the whole world would surely not neglect his own devotees.

Sanatkumara said that he prayed that Lord Vishnu who held the conch, mace, discus and lotus and whose vehicle was the eagle Garuda would always be pleased with him.

Conclusion

In this way the Gods and the great sages who practised rigorous austerities sang the praises of Lord Narayana. This hymn was thus sung by the Pandavas as it was said to destroy all sins and grant liberation. Thus it is said that all those who recite this hymn everyday with a clean and pure mind are freed from al sins and go straight to the abode of Lord Vishnu where they are granted everlasting bliss and happiness.