Bhagavata Condensed in the Poetʼs Own Words /11

RY OF CULtruths which they wish to impress on the
mind by recourse to exaggeration. TURE
 
166
 
Ahe
importance of obedience to the father is
illustrated by the story of Parasurama
who killed even his mother at the bidding
of his father. TA
 
he banishment of Sita to
the forest is intended to illustrate the
obligation of the sovereign to sacrifice
his own personal happiness for the
purpose of avoiding even the slightest
breath of scandal against the throne. The
value of the invocation of the Deity and
he repetition of His name as a means of
leading the mind to the thought of GOVERNMENT O
 
524
 
FOREWORD
 
truths which they wish to impress on t
 
The
 
mind by recourse tood
and concentration upon the idea of God
is illustrated by the exaggeration.
importance of obedience to the father is
illustrated by the story of Parasurama
who killed even his mother at the bidding
of his father. The banishment of Sita to
the forest is intended to illustrate the
obligation of the sovereign to sacrifice
the
his own personal happiness for
purpose of avoiding even the slightest
breath of scandal against the throne. The
value of the invocation of the Deity and
he repetition of His name as a means of
leading the mind to the thought of God
and concentration upon the idea of God
is illustrated by the extravagant story of
travagant story of
Ajamila who was saved after a life of
libertinism by pronouncing the name of

libertinism by pronouncing the name of
Narayana. The human wish for longevity

which often expresses itself in the
longing for eternity is illustrated in the

longing for eternity is illustrated in the
story of an ancient king Bharata who is

said to have lived for ten million years.

The slaughter of Kshatriyas by Parasu-

rama must be interpreted not as a wanton

act of revenge, but as an attempt to crush

the growing militarism and aggressive-

ness of the warrior caste.
 

 
The amours of Krishna have often

proved a stumbling-block to the faithful
and have furnished a handle to the critics

and have furnished a handle to the critics
of Hinduism. Several explanations have
been attempted and the author of the
 

been attempted and the author of the