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Chapters 5,6,7,8
CHAPTER 5
Prachinabarhis and His Sons the Prachetases
Prominent in the long line of descendants of Prithu was
Prachinabarhis who was famous for performing yagnas. He
performed them so continuously that if the kusa grass used for it
was laid end to end, it would girdle the earth. He had twelve sons
all alike and virtuous . The king asked them to travel and meditate
until they found Hari. They travelled due west and reached a lake
near the sea coast. They could hear a heavenly music. A gentle
breeze wafted heavenly scents. And there emerged from the lake
the glorious form of Lord Siva , like a burnished statue of gold
with shining face, a bluish neck and a coiled serpent as necklace.
With arms outstretched and one leg raised he was dancing the
cosmic dance.
The princes overcome with awe and wonder prostrated
before the Lord and prayed for guidance.
Lord Siva, addressed them thus, “You are blessed princes!
The lovers of Sri Hari are dear to me. Brahma, Vishnu and myself
are the same. We are only three aspects of the one, universal,
Omnipotent power. As Brahma it creates, as Vishnu it sustains
and as Siva it destroys and this cycle rotates .So worship without
any difference and escape from this cycle of birth and death.”
Saying this Sri Siva vanished.
Sri Siva’s address to the princes is known as the famous
Rudra Geetham.The princes repeated this hymn and immersed in
the lake. They did penance for many years until after a very
long time Sri Hari himself appeared in a blaze of glory, mounted
on Garuda and with goddess Lakshmy by his side. He was flanked
Sk 4. Ch 25 - Slokam 58
by the heavenly retinue. Sri Hari said, “I am pleased with your
tapas and your innate purity and devotion to Sri Rudra. Ask me
any boon”.
The princes, thrilled with the vision, with one voice requested,
“Grant us O Lord! That wherever we may be , we will have the
company of holy sages . Nothing is dearer to us than hearing
your glory.” The lord granted their request and added, “He who is
kind to all creatures is always blessed. Now depart and do as
your father desires.”
Accordingly, they returned to their kingdom and ruled over
their vast kingdom as advised by the sages. They married and
after a glorious reign, crowned their eldest son Daksha ,who was
a re-incarnation of the earlier Daksha, as king. They returned to
the forest to do penance and attained freedom.
Meanwhile Sree Narada approached Prachinabarhis. who
had become old. and was still performing yajnas.. Sree Narada
said, “O King! Enough of these desire motivated sacrifices. Just
touch me and look there!” As the king looked he observed all
the cattle he had slaughtered in the sacrifices. They were waiting
to tear him to pieces when he too would go to the other world.
The king was terrified and then Sree Narada told the following
story.
The Allegory of King Puranjana
King Puranjana accompanied by his close friend Avijnata
wandered in search of an ideal place to build a city. At last he
found an ideal place in the southern side of the Himalayas. Every
where, there were verdant meadows and murmuring streams that
joined the broad river that encircled the city. The city itself was
divided into perfect squares with wide roads crossing each other
at right angles. Tall avenue trees like poplars, cedars and deodar
lined the streets and birds of brilliant plumage, parrots and
peacocks darted about. A pleasant breeze wafted divine fragrance.
It had nine gates for exit and entrance.
The king congratulated himself thinking that he had reached
the end of his search. Meanwhile his companion had slipped away.
Then the king heard a pleasant sound as of anklets near by. A
beautiful damsel approached him. She was accompanied by
soldiers and a serpent. The king was spell bound to see her beauty.
He said.” Are you the goddess Parvathy, Lakshmy or Saraswathy?
Or an apsara? It cannot be, because your feet are touching the
ground. These grim soldiers following you, are they your
guardians? And this coiled serpent with five hoods, is he also your
guardian?” The damsel replied, “I am the queen of this city. I am
unmarried and I am looking for a protector and husband. Who
would not be attracted by such a handsome, noble warrior like
you? Let us together enjoy all these gifts of God”.
Puranjana who had a natural liking for sensual pleasures,
needed no further persuasion and embarked on a life of stark
enjoyment. He was so engrossed in sensual pleasures that he forgot
everything else. He would talk when she talked, he would sing
when she sang and he would dance when she danced . He wept
when she would weep, and laughed when she would laugh. He
did not trouble himself with the affairs of government and left it
entirely to his councillors. He would go out hunting all-day
carousing and sleeping all night.
Thus passed months and months lengthened into years, many
years. The king, like any one else, was getting old and time brought
changes that were not too pleasant. The gandharvas three hundred
and sixty in number accompanied by their ladies fair and dark,
mounted an attack on Puranjana’s city. They were assisted by the
yavanas. A fearful lady called kala kanya(time) who could suck
the strength out of one’s limbs and Prajivara (disease), her ally ,
visited Puranjana.. Weakened by a long life of reckless indulgence,
deserted by sons and friends he put up a brave resistance. His
guards were beaten back; even the guardian serpent could do
nothing. The enemy swarmed in like a flood and the king sank
back, still thinking of his wife. He could never think about god
even in his last moments. As he could think only about his queen
always after death he was born as a woman, the daughter of the
king of Vidarbha. The child soon grew up as a beautiful princess
and in due time was married to Malayadhwaja, the Pandyan king.
The sacred river Tambraparni flows through his kingdom. They
had five sons and a daughter. Being a saintly king, he entrusted
the rule to his sons and retired to the forest accompanied by the
queen. Very soon he attained Brahmam and the queen was now
left with a corpse. She (king Puranjana) wailed her loss and
gathered a funeral pyre. She took a dip in the river and was about
to jump into the lighted pyre when a sage suddenly appeared and
stopped her.
The sage was Avijnata (the unknown) his former boon
companion .The two had together roamed over the world He
said,“Dear friend, we are two birds . Together we were roaming
over the world .. We were sitting on a tree enjoying the calm.
Then you the ‘Jeeva’ wanted to taste the pleasures of the world.
You plunged into it leaving me alone. Now you have tasted the
pleasures. You are not this widowed queen; not even Puranjana.
You are my image. Remove the reflecting medium ,mind, and we
are one. Come! We shall fly over land and sea and over hill and
dale; basking in God’s sunshine; enjoying eternal bliss.” And the two,
now one, flew away.
As Narada concluded, king Prachina Barhis asked. “Great
Sage! I have not fully understood the meaning of the allegory.
Kindly explain more fully .” Then Sri Narada continued, “The city
with the nine gates is your body with the nine holes,. two eyes,
ears, nostrils, mouth and so on. The queen is none other than
“Budhi” i.e. intellect whom every one obeys. The serpent with
five hoods is the prana (breath) with five aspects as prana, apana,
vyana , udana, and samana. The attacking gandharvas are days
and nights. Kala kanya is the terrible maid of time, and Prajivara
is disease to which all must succumb and Avijnata is our immortal
conscience which we must never neglect. And if you want to end
this seemingly endless sequence of birth and death take refuge in
Sri Hari. Resort to the company of the saints and enjoy everlasting
peace and bliss.”
The king listened to the advice. He gave up all sacrifices
and retired to the forest. He went to Kapilasram and doing intense
penance, attained Brahmam.
CHAPTER 6
Prachetas
Prachetasa Daksha created devas, asuras, men and other
creatures merely by his tapas. When this was found to be
insufficient he began tapas by the side of lake Aghamarshana.
The Lord said your method of peopling the earth is not rapid enough.
You must marry the daughter of Prajapthy Panchajana. Her name
is Asikni and by marrying her you can people the world. It is said
that the institution of marriage began from that time.
Prachetasa Daksha had many sons. All of them were well
versed in the sastras and before settling down, Daksha told them
to travel towards the west, so that they could gather more
experience and knowledge. They reached the estuary of the Indus
with the ocean. Bathing in the Narayana lake they were completely
purified and sunk in contemplation. Sri Narada Maharishi appeared
before them. He raised a series of paradoxical questions the
purport of which was that they were trying to get divine sanction
for getting involved in worldly affairs. As a result, the princes
renounced all worldly desires for ever and became immersed in
contemplation of god and god alone. When their father heard of
his sons’ fate, he got annoyed and again begot one thousand sons
known as Sabalaswars. Like their brothers these boys also
travelled west, reached the same lake and met the same Sri Narada
who repeated his former success.
Daksha became very angry and said, “You have misled my
poor sons from doing their duty to their forefathers, the rishis and
gods. So, I curse you to wander perpetually unable to reside in
any place for more than a few hours”.
Sk 5. Ch 5 - Slokam 1
Sri Narada had already known that the princes were all
free souls. As for Daksha’s curse, he accepted that too as a
blessing!
Dakshas’ Daughters
To avoid this apparent perversion by Sri Narada Daksha
prayed for daughters and he was blessed with sixty daughters all
fair and beautiful. He gave ten daughters to Dharma, thirteen to
Kashyapa, twenty seven to Tharkshya . The progeny of these
peopled the earth. Some were god like, others were demoniac
some were vultures , some reptiles and the rest became the various
forms of life
Priyavrata
Swayambhuva Manu had two sons. Uttanapada was the
elder, whose story has already been told and now we turn to the
story of Priyavrata. He had no interest in state affairs and being
of an ascetic turn of mind, he was interested in tapas for self
realization. Now he was commanded by his father and Brahma
(one of the Trinity) himself to return to the kingdom and assume
the reins of kingship. Brahma had to plead rather sternly.
“Dear son, none of us is really free to do whatever we like.
Neither myself nor Lord Siva nor your father nor any one else is
really free. We are all led by the nose as it were by our own
karma, directed by Sri Hari. Even a realized saint has to suffer
the consequences of his past actions. But he knows that it is all
transitory and therefore he is not much affected. A house holder
is like a king in a fort. Temperate living helps him to overcome the
senses gradually. As a fort helps the king to ward off the enemy,
a family life helps the house holder to ward off the attacks of the
senses. Therefore return to your kingdom and assume the reins
of government and in the end you can resume the saintly life and
come to me.”
Priyavrata obeyed. He was an ideal ruler strong and just.
The seven seas, the mountain ridges and the continents were
evolved as the king drove around the world in his mighty chariot.
People gladly obeyed the law as otherwise punishment would be
quick and stern. At the end of his glorious reign, the king woke up
as it were, from a dream and resuming his original natural bent of
mind, entrusted the vast kingdom to his sons. He gave up everything
and after intense penance, attained the feet of Hari.
Agnidhra and Purvajithi
Agnidhra, Priyavrata’s son was now ruler of the entire
Jambudvipa. He was young, energetic and well skilled in the arts
of war and peace. After some years, desiring an heir, he retired
to the forest and prayed to Sri Hari.
The Lord grants whatever a devotee desires. Worldly desires
are very readily granted. Soon there was a change in the
atmosphere .. A pleasant wind wafted the scents from opening
lotus flowers,champak and jasmine. Voluptuous music trilled from
the anklets of a dancing apsara coming towards him. The prince
was dumbfounded by her celestial beauty and began to talk
incoherently.“O beautiful lady! Are you a mortal or a goddess? I
will be your slave, I cannot live without you.” The damsel complied
smilingly. She was an apsara named Purvajiti sent by Indra for
this very purpose. They returned to the capital and to year long
celebrations by the people. Aghnidhra had nine sons, Nabhi,
Kimpurusha, Harivarsha, Ilavita, Ramyaka, Hiranmaya, Kuru,
Bhadrasura, and Ketumala. They all had great beauty of form
and divine qualities like their mother , Purvajithi. ; her mission
done she decided to return to her apsara world. But the king was
loath to leave her and so both went to the apsara world where
they live to this day.
The Story Of Nabhi
King Nabhi and his queen Merudevi desirous of ensuring
prosperity of his subjects and the glory of his line decided to
perform a great yagna. Preparations were made on a very large
scale. Only purest of ingredients were used and the priests were
self realized sages. They poured offerings into the sacrificial fire
reciting vedic mantras in praise of Vishnu (Hari). So great was
their sincerity and purity that Sri Hari himself appeared and asked
what they wanted. They said. “Great lord! This noble king wants
an heir to the throne, who will be the equal of Lord Hari himself
.”Sri Hari was amused. Still he said, “How is that possible? O
Sages! There is none quite equal to me. Still because of your
sincerity and the purity of this king and queen I shall be born as
their son, a partial avatar.” The king, queen and the assembled
rishis were greatly delighted and all departed awaiting the happy
event. In due time the queen gave birth to a beautiful son with all
the divine marks of conch, the chakra -wheel - and mace engraved
in his palms and feet. The child Rishabha, grew up very rapidly
into a tall, powerful and handsome person, the very picture of Sri
Hari. The parents, knew that their time was over. They handed
over the great kingdom to their divine son and retired to the forest
for the final penance. Rishabha married Jayanthi, daughter of Indra
and had a hundred sons. Bharata was the eldest who ruled this
land , known thereafter as Bharat. Nine of his brothers were known
as Navayogis whom we shall see later. The remaining sons had
brahmanic qualities and became brahmins.
King Rishabha ,also known as Rishabha Deva, in the course
of his travels came to Brahmavarta where the Brahma Rishis
were holding a great conference. Finding such a fine responsive
audience Rishabha Deva wanted to address them. His sons were
also there among the audience.
Rishaba addressed the assembled sages.
“O Rishis and you my sons, hear me patiently,.
This human body is not for miserable pleasures,.
These pleasures are given even to filth eating worms,
The human body is for divine tapas by which you can be purified
And attain permanent happiness
Service of the great is the gate to freedom eternal,
Company of the lechers is the open door to darkness and hell!
They who love Me are only moderately attached to wife, family
and relatives,
Not taking from them anything but the minimum. They come back
to Me easily
But they who indulge in pleasures without restraint
And they who commit prohibited acts ,I do not approve of them
As long as they do not want to know the reality
So long their ignorance will continue, and attachment will persist
And the mind carries it over to the next birth.
And even then, because of their forgetfulness they again indulge
In sex and sense pleasures, the home and possessions seem real
The bonds are further strengthened.
The sense of duality is the strongest bond that binds the heart.
When the mind forcibly breaks asunder this bond (the result of
previous actions) then the soul now free from the bond of duality
goes back to its source.
From where do we get this required force? From teachers who
are realized saints
by implicit obedience to them ,rejecting duality with great fortitude,
knowing the sorrow of all,
by a great desire to know the cause of all these and by desireless
action,
devoting them to me, delighting in my stories and in the
companionship of my devotees,
with enmity towards none ,with equality to all, by engaging in
spiritual studies,
getting control over the mind through proper pranayama
by good attention and practice of brahmacharya, (celibacy) by
controlled speech without any exaggeration,
and seeing my presence everywhere and by wisdom embellished
with knowledge
by practicing yoga with satvic determination . Give up once for
all the idea of I and mine.
This idea is the seat and origin of all actions. It is due to ignorance
After reaching this stage there is nothing more to get, so retire
from everything even yoga.
As there are no bonds any more, you have reached
Brahmanandam.
Those who aspire to come to My world and receive My blessings,
whether they are parents,
teachers or kings should without anger guide the aspirants to avoid
the pitfalls.
Otherwise they fail in their allotted duty.
People blind to their real progress, intensely desirous of
amassing riches earn only misery and with it intense enmity and
the chimera of happiness.
Which wise man, full of kindness will fail to guide a fool
wandering from one foolishness to another? Should not one, who
is blessed by sight, guide a blind man who has lost his way?
He is not a teacher, he is not a relative,
He is not a father and she is not a mother,
And that god is no god nor that husband a true one,
Who does not release one from approaching death.
This body is difficult to understand
But my heart is full of sathvic virtues and dharma,
And I have put adharma far behind,
Hence the wise ones call me Rishabha.
You are all born, out of my heart
Therefore all of you deserve to follow,
And obey implicitly your eldest brother Bharata,
That way, you will be serving me and the people.
Among creation you have immovable things like stones,
Then come tanks and rivers, then trees and reptiles,
Then human beings, and then gandharvas,
And then yakshas and beyond them gods.
And there is Indra, chief of gods, above him Daksha, the
sons of Brahma,
And Lord Siva, part of me, I follow the realized sages and
Brahmins,
These Brahmins are above every one else and the offerings
made to them,
Is superior even to offerings in the fire made to me.
The Vedas are my body, the Brahmins preserve it by study,
by restraint of mind and body, by following the truth,
by penance and by fortitude
Even from me, the dispenser of all blessings and final
salvation,
These wandering sages desire nothing but continuous
devotion.
My sons! Worship not only Brahmins, worship all living
creatures
And even inanimate nature, because I abide everywhere.
That is real worship, let all your actions, and words be
dedicated to Me,
and only this dedication will help you to escape from the
meshes of death.
Thus advising his sons , who were by nature already saintly,
King Rishabha handed over the reins of government to Bharata
and taking nothing with him, left for the forest, completely alone.
He travelled over hill and dale, not caring for the big
mosquitoes or even wild animals. He subsisted on wild fruits and
roots, making no attempt to get food, slaking his thirst from the
mountain streams, sometimes lying down, and not even taking a
bath. But, strange to say a sweet fragrance like that of musk
spread all over the place. Various sidhis such as distant vision,
entering another body, transporting oneself to any place, reading
another’s thoughts and the like now presented themselves before
Rishabha willing to obey him but Rishabha declined. Instead he
continued to wander in the southern regions of coorg.
Rishabha had already become free. The body alone was
moving about and it was consumed in a moment by a forest fire.
O King! This omnipresent Lord was the guide, friend, charioteer,
and even the servant of your ancestors the Pandavas. A man can
wish for nothing more
CHAPTER 7
The Story of Bharata
King Rishabha had made Bharata king of this land that was
known as Ajanabha. Bharata married Panchajani and had five
sons through her. He ruled over his subjects like a father. He
performed numerous sacrifices - yagnas and kratus . During his
rule all his subjects performed their duties as enjoined by their
nature so that no one was dissatisfied. All were contented and
happy. As a result of these yagnas and benign rule he became
filled with boundless devotion towards Sree Hari. Dividing Bharata
Varsha among his sons he repaired to the forest for doing tapas.
He reached Pulahasrama by the side of which flows the river
Gandaki also known as Chakranadi.
Bharata would wake up much before sunrise and have a
dip in the river . With water dripping from his locks, dress, he
would face the rising sun as the manifestation of God and offer
prayers. His food consisted of ripe fruits lying on the ground and
the tender leaves. The rest of the time was spent in contemplation
so deep, that his eyes became wet with tears while an intense
bliss filled his heart. One morning as usual, he had just finished his
bath, when he saw a full grown female deer on the other shore.
She was big with child. Suddenly there was the terrific roar of a
lion. The deer made a tremendous leap to cross the river and as
she was half way over the river the fawn dropped from her womb
and the swift current was bearing it away. The deer itself reached
the opposite bank but was so much exhausted that it fell down
dead. The swift current carried the fawn to the very spot, where
Sk 5. Ch 8 - Slokam 1
Bharata was standing. As he had a merciful heart , Bharata took
it up as a gift of god, wrapped it up in his own cloak with great
tenderness and took it to his ashram.
Bharata, who had given up even an empire, was now
attracted by the fawn.
He began to gather tender leaves and flowers for the little
deer. He daily watched it growing up with growing affection within
his heart. He took it out daily for a morning walk and never left it
alone for fear of wolves and other wild animals. Whenever he
had to leave it alone in the ashram for taking his bath and gathering
fruits he would think, “O! What will happen to my darling! O Lord!
Thou who seeth everything, everywhere, kindly protect my darling.”
When Bharatha returned, the fawn would jump about him gently
rubbing its sprouting horns against Bharata’s body. Thus Bharatha
was engrossed night and day in looking after the fawn.. He even
forgot the routine daily worship and contemplation. It was “The
fawn O! my pretty fawn!“, all the time.
Thus days passed in complete oblivion of all his duties, even
his daily worship. But time and tide wait for no one and Bharata
was facing death. Even in this extremity his thoughts were for the
deer.” What will happen to my darling deer?” Thinking thus he
breathed his last.
Now whatever a man thinks of at the last moment, that, he
becomes! And Bharata was born as a deer some distance away.
Because of its meritorious actions in its previous life, the deer
remembered his previous life and determined not to commit the
same folly. So, the little deer repaired to Pulahasramam, heard
the discourses of the rishis, and lived on tender leaves and the
prasadams – food offered to gods - given by the rishis who treated
it as an inmate. The deer grew old and when its time arrived
thinking of God all the while expired, casting off its body in the
river.
Bharata The Brahmin
There was at that time a pious brahmin of the Angiras
gothra, known for his learning and austerity. He had a large family
of sons and one daughter. Bharata the deer was born to the second
wife of this Angiras brahmin. Bharata knew all about his previous
births because of the great tapas and austerities he had undergone
and was now determined to avoid all contacts. To achieve this, he
pretended to be a hopeless dunce. When addressed by others he
would reply irrelevant answers, or pretended not to hear at all. In
spite of this, his father invested him with the sacred thread and
tried his best to teach him the holy manthra Gayathri without
success. In due course the father expired and Bharata’s mother
accompanied him performing sathi.
To do them justice, the brothers tried to bring him up but
without success. Bharata was left to look after the fields and work
in them, as an ordinary labourer. Even this he would do indifferently.
He would go on digging deeper and deeper or levelling up endlessly.
As wages he would be given stale bread, which he ate with great
glee. He would sleep in the open watching the corn and the wonder
of it was that though he would not drive away the birds or rodents
and other pests, there was always a bumper harvest.
Now, about this time, there was a fierce brigand, spreading
terror and devastation. He had no children and to please the demons
he determined to perform a human sacrifice. His followers
captured some poor fellow for this purpose. This poor man had
escaped from custody and the brigand’s followers were now
searching for a proxy. And as fate would have it they came upon
poor Bharata in the fields. The ruffians pounced upon him, bound
his hands and feet and led him to their chief. The chief and the
sacrificing priest were more than pleased to see the young, robust
victim. Surely Bhadrakali would be immensely pleased. The
robbers and their chief gathered round the image of the goddess
and began to recite the final verses.
All this time Bharata was quite indifferent completely
absorbed in the infinite, enjoying infinite bliss. The priest took up
the sword and danced around and was about to bring it down on
Bharata’s neck. With a great roar Badrakali sprang out of the
image snatched the sword from the priest’s hand and cut off his
head. Not satisfied, the goddess with her minions cut off the heads
of all the ruffians and began to play football with their heads.
Bharata watched this gory game with the same serenity . When
the game was over the goddess and her attendants vanished,
thereby teaching the world that such would be the fate of those
who would harm Lord’s devotees.
Bharata and Rahugana
Rahugana was the king of the Soaviras (Sind). He was past
middle age and thought that the time was ripe to know more about
the mysteries of life. With this end he undertook a pilgrimage to
the north where perchance he might meet some great yogi. He
was travelling rather in pomp, in a palanquin accompanied by
body guards. They were looking for a good palanquin bearer and
as luck would have it, saw Bharata by the banks of the river
Ikshumathy. Here was a young athletic figure and they made the
unresisting brahmin a palanquin bearer. The fresh recruit had a
peculiar habit. He was very careful to avoid treading on worms
and ants and always looked yards ahead and would jump aside if
there was any insect and the palanquin would also be jerked.
Rahugana was jolted badly and he got annoyed. He shouted
angrily.“Ho! Ho! Bearers! Be careful.” The bearers humbly
replied, “Sire, it is the new recruit. He is often jumping about. It is
very difficult to work with him.”.
Rahugana looked at the new recruit; with some anger and
sarcasm he observed “Ho! Ho! Bearer! You are old and weak!
Or I could teach you a lesson”.
The bearer replied, “Sir, who is master and who is servant?
Both the terms are myths. If you refer to this body it is not true. It
is perishable and will return to the elements from which it is made.
If you refer to the soul, it is immortal, part of the universal soul.”
Rahugana looked more carefully and observed the sacred
thread clinging on the body of the bearer. He sprang down and
bowing low said, “Pardon! Pardon! Holy Brahmin! You may be
the sage I am searching for. Tell me further.”
Bharata continued. “In between the body and the soul there
is the powerful mind, - a combination of the three gunas - a product
of Maya. The mind works through the senses and it is at the root
of all the differences that you see. No amount of learning or
austerity will help. Get hold of the feet of a great guru and he will
show the way. By the lord’s maya the jiva is thrown into a forest
where six dacoits live- desire, anger, greed, delusion, pride and
jealousy are their names. They devour the soul as wolves tear
down a sheep. Tormented with thirst the tired traveller approaches
grass covered wells without water. In life don’t we approach
pitiless people for help? The hungry traveller gets only poisonous
fruits. At last the traveller thinks he has reached shelter but that
proves to be a dream city. The traveller and his partner sit like
two monkeys on the branch of a tree grinning at each other and
think that this is felicity. Panting for water, he sees it at a distance.
But when he goes near it vanishes. It was a mirage. Sometimes
for the sake of little money he quarrels bitterly with fellow travellers
and they become mortal enemies. When in need of a little help he
gets contempt and disgrace. His friends prove to be jackals and
vultures. This is the Bhava adavi or the worldly forest. Only His
grace can help you to cross this.”
“O! Master! How kind you are! You are like all followers
of Hari. They save not only themselves but also others. I bow to
you, I bow to every one!” Thus worshipped by Rahugana, the
great sage Bharata calm and full like the great ocean, went on his
way.
CHAPTER 8
Ajamila
The successors of Bharata were all worthy of their
forefather. Sri Suka now digresses for some time to give a detailed
description of this earth and the universe. Bharatavarsha is ringed
by mountain ranges in concentric rings and in between there are
oceans of lime, milk and nectar . The rings of mountains rise higher
and higher and from there originate great rivers. Different people
of various hues and stature, gods and demigods; some golden and
others dark or fair came to exist there . They enjoyed heavenly
pleasures without disease or old age and yet longed to be born in
Bharatavarsha ( our country), because this is the karma bhumi
where you can earn merit through actions and attain the region
from which you need not return. Then Suka Brahmam gives
fascinating description of the abode of Ananta, the serpent, of
Indra, lord of the gods. Finally he gives a gruesome picture of hell
where sinners are sent to be punished for their sins. Now there
are as many types of hells as there are sins. Burning coals are
forced down the throats of those who habitually lie. Those who
have evicted their poor relatives through false documents are made
to run through sharp blades of leaves - that look like pointed lances
- that cut their skin. A little further off, there is a cauldron of
boiling oil and some screaming wretches are thrown into it. They
had done the same thing while alive - frying live things like chicken.
Tortured sinners’ groans came from some other quarters.
Parikshit was a bold man; still he was thoroughly frightened.
However Sri Suka comforted him “O King! The punishments you
have seen are terrible but they can be averted. If a sinner is really
Sk 6. Ch 2 - Slokam 15
repentant and cries ‘“Om Namo Narayanaya’, gods and angels
will appear, and putting to flight the devils , will escort the
repentant man to Gods’ presence. So take heart, and listen to the
famous story of Ajamila”.
The Story of Ajamila
In the city of Kanyakubj there was an old sinner named
Ajamila. A hunter and robber by turns he was eighty-eight years
old and was now on his deathbed. The messengers of Yama, , the
god of death ,appeared with fearful countenances with ropes in
hand . They were wresting the soul from his heart when Ajamila
in a quavering voice called for his youngest son who was named
Narayana. “O! Narayana! Narayana!” Then a miracle happened!
A group of Vishnu Parshadas ,attendants of Sri Vishnu,
immediately appeared from no where. They were all brilliantly
clad. All were youthful and four armed like Sri Hari himself. They
had lotus like eyes exuding energy. They scattered the
messengers of Yama. Yama’s messengers enquired in great fear.
“Who are you that prevent us from our duty. Are you gods? We
have been ordered by our master Lord Yama to bring this old
sinner to Samyamani where he will be punished in the purgatories
and purified”.
The angels, were curious and asked what he had done.
Yama’s minions replied.“Ajamila has grievously strayed from
Dharma. He was born to a pious father, well versed in all the
shastras and married to a virtuous wife. He lead an ideal life. One
day he went to the forest as usual and saw a hunter and his mistress
singing lewd songs and engaged in shameless amorous play. Their
different postures entwined together affected his mind badly. All
the training and asceticism of the young brahmin were vain, his
heart was shaken by cupid. He left his aged parents and virtuous
wife, squandered all his wealth for a shameless woman and took
to brigandage and hunting for a livelihood. We are taking him to
hell by our master’s orders.”
The angels replied.” You say, you are the guardians of
Dharma! It is a pity you have not fully understood the law of
Dharma which is as follows. However much a man has sinned, if
at the last moment of death he utters the four syllabled words
NA-RA-YA-NA he is completely purified. No matter if he says
it in fun, in mockery or accidentally , he is completely absolved.
You may say that he was only calling his son. That does not matter.”
Yama’s followers were in doubt and they returned to their
master. The angels too vanished . Ajamila woke up as from a
dream. But it was no dream. He could distinctly recall every word.
“Alas ! What a fool I have been! Leaving my destitute old parents
and my chaste virtuous wife I committed all kinds of ugly acts
with a drunken bawd. Please Lord, have mercy on me!”
Thoroughly repentant, he spent the few remaining days of his life
on the banks of the Ganges and when at last his last day came, he
saw the same heavenly messengers. He was given a new heavenly
body and the Lord’s messengers escorted him to Vaikunta the
abode of Sri Hari.
Yama Raja’s messengers returned to Samyamani, and said,
“O! Master! How many judges are there? By your order, we went
to earth to fetch the sinner Ajamila and had tied even his hands
and feet. Then we were thrown back by the superior energy of a
group of glittering angels. They said that by uttering the word
“Narayana” Ajamila was purified. Pray, is that the law?”
The stern lawgiver closed his eyes in contemplation and
bowing to Sri Hari in his heart, said, “Lord Hari is above us all. He
permeates everything moving and unmoving like the warp and
woof of a cloth. Myself, Indra, all the chief gods and even the
sages freed from the three gunas are led like oxen by the nose
strings held by the driver. We twelve - myself ,Brahma, Sri Narada,
Siva, Kumara, Kapila, Manu, Prahlada, Janaka, Bhishma, Bali and
Sri Suka - know the law, the great Dharma and therefore we have
become immortal. Uttering the name of the Lord “Narayana” at
the last moment absolves one of all sins and even the tendency to
commit sin is destroyed. All other forms of worship and remedies
remove only past sins but not the tendency to commit them. The
word “Narayana” though uttered chokingly, in a faltering voice
purifies one forever and ushers him into the kingdom of God
forever.”
And Yama Raja humbly added, “May the great Lord Hari
forgive me for this one error.” And turning to his followers he
added, “My dear followers, do not even approach hereafter any
dying person who is uttering the holy name Hari or Narayana.
Give them a wide berth. Do not be aghast. There is plenty of
work for you. If any one moves about a place of worship without
bowing his head or who has never uttered the name of God, bring
that rascal here binding his hands and feet and then do your
assigned work. OM! NARAYANA! NARAYANA”.
Indra’s Disrespect of Guru
Indra, Lord of the gods was holding court. He was seated
on a glittering throne, with full regal paraphernalia, surrounded by
the lesser gods singing his glory. The king of the gods was elated
by his own greatness, when there entered his old Guru, the
venerable Brihaspati, tottering with age . Indra did not rise from
his seat. Though he saw the sage enter, he pretended not to see
and the sage quietly retreated. Indra immediately realized his
mistake and starting up in alarm, hastened after the Guru, but
could not find him. By his yogic powers the sage had made himself
invisible.
The absence of the guru soon began to be felt. The enemies
of the gods, the asuras were now emboldened and with the help
of their guru, the great Sukracharya, made inroads even into
heaven. They put to flight the gods and usurped their places. Indra
now bitterly repented and putting himself at the head of the gods
approached Lord Brahma. The Lord roundly reprimanded the
deputation.
“Proud of your position and prosperity, you have insulted a
most learned Brahmin, the master of all secrets. See the
consequence. You had to flee from your palaces and your enemies
who deeply respect and honour their acharya have driven you
out. Your times are bad now, wait for better days. But you must
have a guru, a worthy substitute. Viswarupa, the son of Thwashta
, is a very great sage and he may accept your request and guide
you back to your former glory. However, there is a slight flaw in
this arrangement. This sage Viswarupa is related through his
mother to the asuras. But you need have no qualms. A learned
scholar will not refuse to instruct an eager student.” The devas
were clever in arguing. Humbly approaching Viswarupa they said.
“Great sage! We request you to become our acharya. As a sister
is the personification of kindness, the mother the symbol of earth’s
patience and father the symbol of lord Brahma himself. , the
acharya is our protector and guide. Kindly lead us the right way,
so we can regain our lost glory”.
Viswarupa was young and deeply learned but reluctant.
Still, out of deep respect for the elders he agreed and became the
acharya of the devas. Viswarupa then brought out a famous
incantation known as Narayana Kavacham. Reciting this mantram
with great faith Indra and the devas became invincible and regained
all their glory.
Narayana Kavacham
Viswarupa taught.” After washing hands and feet and
performing achamanam pray as follows. May lord Hari with all
his weapons protect me from all evils. May the lord in the form of
the fish protect me in water and may the lord as Vamana protect
me from all dangers on land. May The lord as Narasimha guard
me from all fierce enemies. May lord Kapila save me from
bondage of action. May the lord in the forms of his various avatars
protect me from every conceivable evil. May the divine chakra
burn up every obstruction.” The above is only the gist of the full
mantra. Reciting the full mantra Indra and the devas became
irresistible and occupied their own former abodes.
Viswarupa had three heads. With one he drank soma , with
the second he drank sura or wine , and with the third he consumed
rice. He performed yagnas for Indra with great devotion and
proffered offerings into the sacrificial fire liberally for the benefit
of the gods. But moved by affection for his relatives through his
mother he unobtrusively offered offerings for asuras also. Indra
was incensed and cut off the heads of Viswarupa. One of the
heads became the black cock, another became the sparrow and
the third became a partridge. As a result of killing a brahmin
saint Indra incurred the sin of Brahmahathya. He divided it among
earth water, trees and women. When old Thwashta heard of the
sad end of his young son, he decided to take revenge. He performed
a powerful hellish homa and reciting the powerful spell, poured
the oblation into the Dakshinagni. A huge form Vritra came out.
Dark like the winter cloud with eyes shooting fire and tongue lolling
out, he looked like death .. Wielding a huge trident from which
lightning flashed, he fell upon the devas and began to gobble them
up. The gods were no cowards but what could they do against
such, an enemy? They made a fervent appeal to Sree Hari. They
prayed recalling with gratitude how as a giant fish he had saved
them from the flood and all the previous occasions when he had
come to their help. Sri Hari revealed Himself.
“I am pleased with your repentance. Approach Dadichi
Maharishi. He is an old Brahmajnani (knower of Brahmam) whose
bones have hardened through tapas and request him to give you
his back bone out of which a weapon can be fashioned to kill this
asura.”
The Strange Request of Devas to Dadichi
The devas approached Dadichi Maharshi with their strange
request .“Great Sire,” the devas said, “Be pleased to give us your
bones to overcome our enemy. There is nothing that great sages
like you will not give to relieve the miseries of helpless people,”
Dadichi the knower of Brahmam was amused. He said.” If I give
my backbone I shall surely die, And which man is not afraid of
death?” The devas were abashed. Still they continued, “We know
your great power and attainments. No one else can help us.”
The great rishi agreed and relaxed into eternal Samadhi. The devas
reverently took his bones and fashioned a terrible weapon the
Vajrayudham out of it. Indra took it up with confidence and faced
the enemy.
The Battle Between Indra and Vritra
All the asuras now rallied under Vritra. The battle raged
for days but at last the asuras were overpowered and began to
flee. Vritra stopped them, and commanded.” Do not fly like
cowards. Be heroes, follow me.”
With his flaming trident in one hand and a maze in the other
Vritra strode forward. He smashed the enemy in dozens and
impaled scores in his trident. The devas were beaten back. The
opponents were now face to face. Indra was seated on his white
elephant. As usual verbal recriminations preceded. Vritra said.”
By god’s grace you are in my power now. You killed your preceptor,
insulted your guru, you are the slave of your senses and have
committed many shameful acts.” Saying so he struck a terrible
blow. The white elephant was beaten down and Vritra swallowed
Indra. The celestials and sages who were watching the fight from
above groaned with fear.” Only Lord Hari can save Indra now!”
Indra with his divine weapon slashed his way out. Vritra
now went berserk. His form was immense, his mouth bigger than
a cavern and he gobbled up all the devas he could lay hands upon.
But Indra rallied and cut off his right arm. Then Vritra roared
with pain but continued the havoc with his left arm and addressed
Indra thus.
“ I will go back happy like an eaglet waiting for its mother
eagle; like a calf running to its mother cow. Like a maiden waiting
for her absent lover I am waiting to be united to my lord. Now
strike my friend and gain what you want. I go back gladly to my
lord.”
And those watching outside saw a dazzling light, rising up
and moving across the sky until it merged with the infinite.
How Indra Was Saved From The Sin Of Brahmahatya
The celestials and sages now relieved from Vritra’s
oppression, returned to their respective abodes. But Indra was
unwell and the sages now performed a great yagna, “The
Rajasuya”. Brahmahatya or the sin of killing a brahmin now took
the form of an old hag with dishevelled hair, fierce eyes and exuding
a nasty odour pursued Indra. He fled over the three worlds and at
last took refuge in the fiber of lotus flower in the Manasa - saras.
The devas wanted a substitute ruler to rule over them and
lead them in battle against the asuras. There was a powerful king
named Nahusha. He agreed to rule over them and was installed
as the temporary Indra. He ruled well, winning victories against
the asuras. But this Nahusha had an evil streak in his character.
He insisted that the chaste Indrani (queen of Indra) should be his
partner. The poor queen was in a fix. But she was clever and
thought of a stratagem. She told Nahusha to come in a palanquin
borne by the great seven sages. The foolish Nahusha agreed and
came riding in a palanquin borne by the seven sages. Agastya one
of the bearers, was of short stature and the progress of the
palanquin was rather slow. The substitute Indra was impatient.
He cried “Sarpa, Sarpa” – meaning “Quick Quick” and prodded
the great sage Agastya with his feet. The all powerful sage became
angry and said. “You fool! Since you have said ‘Sarpa, Sarpa’
you will become a serpent.” At once Nahusha fell off the palanquin
becoming a huge serpent in the process. After aeons of existence
as serpent Nahusha got his release in Dwapara Yuga as will be
told later
In the land of the Surasenas, there was once a great emperor
Chitraketu by name. He was the overlord, getting tribute from
subordinate kings , enjoying all the pleasures of life. He was in
full vigour of life and had more than a thousand wives, all as fair
as the dawn and yet Chitraketu was unhappy. He had no son. Just
then, by chance, the great sage Angiras came to visit him. The
emperor immediately rose and received the sage with the greatest
respect. The all knowing sage smilingly addressed the king. “O!
King! You are ruling over your subjects with great justice and
your subjects are happy and contented and yet some discontent is
clouding your face” “What shall I say to thee who knowest all!
Yet I shall obey your command” The king continued “I have no
son to continue the line. Who will protect my poor subjects and
who will repay our debt to our forefathers and gods by performing
the annual Sradhas and daily poojas I will be punished and banished
to the nether world like a felon for failure in my duties” The poor
king could proceed no further.
The kind hearted sage gently said “Take heart, great king. I
shall perform a great yagna for the Sun god and you will have a
son.” Angiras immediately performed a sacrifice to the Sun god
and gave the remnants as prasad to the king who in turn gave it to
his eldest queen Kritadyuti who partook of it with great devotion.
Soon she became pregnant and in due time gave birth to a fine
son. There were great rejoicings, throughout the land. The baby
grew up a fine boy bringing joy to whoever looked on him. He
was the darling of the step mothers and nurses and the courtiers.
The king spent most of his time fondling his son and attending its
mother and unfortunately he began to neglect his other wives.
They wailed “Alas how unfortunate are we childless and neglected.
Our lot is worse than that of the female servants” As their misery
grew they lost their reason and poisoned the child. The poor queen
Kritadyuti thought the child was sleeping and engaged herself in
some household work. Time passed, the child did not wake up and
the queen told an old nurse to wake it up. The old nurse gently
approached the child. Its eyes were fixed; there was no breath;
she fell down with a cry. The queen now came near and finding
the child was dead, she uttered a wild cry and fell down in a
swoon. The servants ran here and there and the king beat his
breast wailing “Alas! What sin have I committed that I am suffering
thus. Great God! Take us also. We cannot bear this loss.”
Just then old Angiras Maharishi arrived along with Sri
Narada. “Grieve not O! King! Nothing of this world is real It is all
dream-land Your palace, kingdom, your armies will all disappear
into the womb of nature and your own body will become a handful
of dust or ashes. I would have told you all this when we first met
but your desire for a son was so great that you could not receive
any message” Sri Narada now thought of a more effective method
than just advice. Facing the dead body of the child he said “Rise
again O! Jiva and gladden the hearts of all these people. Enjoy
your throne . Your father and mother are grieving. Gladden their
hearts again.” To the intense astonishment of all, the Jiva said
“Pray which father and mother am I to choose? I have so many
fathers and mothers and relatives through my various births in
different wombs, human, divine quadrupeds and even reptiles.
According to one’s actions, a person is born. Escape from this
coil by selfless service to all fellow beings” Saying this the soul
again left the child Chitraketu and others now convinced of the
unreality of the body and the reality of the soul were more or less
calmed took their bath in the river and performed the funeral rites.
Even the cruel step mothers repented for their cruel action.
Realized that they were just pawns in the game of fate, and
becoming really sorry, had a peaceful end. Sri Narada went one
step more. It is the nature of saints to shower blessings wherever
they go. He decided to teach Chitraketu how to overcome maya ,
illusion , by worshiping Bhagavan Sankarshana (Adisesha) But
before that he had to be taught something important. Sri Narada
taught him how to recognize the Lord in various aspects such as
budhi (Intellect) mind , feelings , in twelve divine mantras. As
the mind became free, he could travel anywhere and reached
Adisesha’s abode. He was very fair, clad in blue silk, adorned
with rare gold ornaments and jewels such as warriors wear and
his eyes were long and rather reddish. He was surrounded by
groups of immortals. At this grand sight out of sheer devotion
tears welled up in Chitraketu’s eyes. He did not know what to ask
for, as he wanted nothing. Still the Lord blessed him as the supreme
master of the Bhajan form of worship (musical recital of gods’
actions).
Chitraketu roamed over the spheres with his band of
musicians blessing bhajan parties with their presence. In the course
of his wanderings the party happened to pass by Mount Kailas
and wishing to pay homage to Lord Siva, they alighted near the
Ashram. Lord Siva with Sri Parwathy seated on his lap and
embracing her with one hand was expounding the meaning of the
Vedas to the assembled sages.
Chitraketu laughed loudly. “The great exemplar who should
set an example is embracing Sri Parvathy in public. Even ignorant
persons do so only in privacy” Lord Siva only smiled and did not
react. But Sri Parvathy was enraged “Who is this person who has
dared to insult Lord Siva, when venerable sages and even Hari
and Brahma see nothing wrong” The Devi continued “You do not
deserve to be the minstrel of God. You have too much of Rajasic
guna. I curse you to be born as an asura” Though Chitraketu
could curse in return, he did not do so. He meekly accepted the
curse and was born as Vritra in the Homam that was being
performed by Thwasta.
Shri Siva observed , “You see my dear Parvathy the
greatness of the devotees of Hari. They are free from anger and
all such maladies” Such was Vritra’s origin. No wonder he regained
his former status after a comparative short relapse.
CHAPTER 9
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Prahlada
We have now to look back a little.
Hiranyakasipu’s tapas lasted for a long time. It was an asuric
form of
Prachinabarhis and His Sons the Prachetases
Prominent in the long line of descendants of Prithu was
Prachinabarhis who was famous for performing yagnas. He
performed them so continuously that if the kusa grass used for it
was laid end to end, it would girdle the earth. He had twelve sons
all alike and virtuous . The king asked them to travel and meditate
until they found Hari. They travelled due west and reached a lake
near the sea coast. They could hear a heavenly music. A gentle
breeze wafted heavenly scents. And there emerged from the lake
the glorious form of Lord Siva , like a burnished statue of gold
with shining face, a bluish neck and a coiled serpent as necklace.
With arms outstretched and one leg raised he was dancing the
cosmic dance.
The princes overcome with awe and wonder prostrated
before the Lord and prayed for guidance.
Lord Siva, addressed them thus, “You are blessed princes!
The lovers of Sri Hari are dear to me. Brahma, Vishnu and myself
are the same. We are only three aspects of the one, universal,
Omnipotent power. As Brahma it creates, as Vishnu it sustains
and as Siva it destroys and this cycle rotates .So worship without
any difference and escape from this cycle of birth and death.”
Saying this Sri Siva vanished.
Sri Siva’s address to the princes is known as the famous
Rudra Geetham.The princes repeated this hymn and immersed in
the lake. They did penance for many years until after a very
long time Sri Hari himself appeared in a blaze of glory, mounted
on Garuda and with goddess Lakshmy by his side. He was flanked
Sk 4. Ch 25 - Slokam 58
by the heavenly retinue. Sri Hari said, “I am pleased with your
tapas and your innate purity and devotion to Sri Rudra. Ask me
any boon”.
The princes, thrilled with the vision, with one voice requested,
“Grant us O Lord! That wherever we may be , we will have the
company of holy sages . Nothing is dearer to us than hearing
your glory.” The lord granted their request and added, “He who is
kind to all creatures is always blessed. Now depart and do as
your father desires.”
Accordingly, they returned to their kingdom and ruled over
their vast kingdom as advised by the sages. They married and
after a glorious reign, crowned their eldest son Daksha ,who was
a re-incarnation of the earlier Daksha, as king. They returned to
the forest to do penance and attained freedom.
Meanwhile Sree Narada approached Prachinabarhis. who
had become old. and was still performing yajnas.. Sree Narada
said, “O King! Enough of these desire motivated sacrifices. Just
touch me and look there!” As the king looked he observed all
the cattle he had slaughtered in the sacrifices. They were waiting
to tear him to pieces when he too would go to the other world.
The king was terrified and then Sree Narada told the following
story.
The Allegory of King Puranjana
King Puranjana accompanied by his close friend Avijnata
wandered in search of an ideal place to build a city. At last he
found an ideal place in the southern side of the Himalayas. Every
where, there were verdant meadows and murmuring streams that
joined the broad river that encircled the city. The city itself was
divided into perfect squares with wide roads crossing each other
at right angles. Tall avenue trees like poplars, cedars and deodar
lined the streets and birds of brilliant plumage, parrots and
peacocks darted about. A pleasant breeze wafted divine fragrance.
It had nine gates for exit and entrance.
The king congratulated himself thinking that he had reached
the end of his search. Meanwhile his companion had slipped away.
Then the king heard a pleasant sound as of anklets near by. A
beautiful damsel approached him. She was accompanied by
soldiers and a serpent. The king was spell bound to see her beauty.
He said.” Are you the goddess Parvathy, Lakshmy or Saraswathy?
Or an apsara? It cannot be, because your feet are touching the
ground. These grim soldiers following you, are they your
guardians? And this coiled serpent with five hoods, is he also your
guardian?” The damsel replied, “I am the queen of this city. I am
unmarried and I am looking for a protector and husband. Who
would not be attracted by such a handsome, noble warrior like
you? Let us together enjoy all these gifts of God”.
Puranjana who had a natural liking for sensual pleasures,
needed no further persuasion and embarked on a life of stark
enjoyment. He was so engrossed in sensual pleasures that he forgot
everything else. He would talk when she talked, he would sing
when she sang and he would dance when she danced . He wept
when she would weep, and laughed when she would laugh. He
did not trouble himself with the affairs of government and left it
entirely to his councillors. He would go out hunting all-day
carousing and sleeping all night.
Thus passed months and months lengthened into years, many
years. The king, like any one else, was getting old and time brought
changes that were not too pleasant. The gandharvas three hundred
and sixty in number accompanied by their ladies fair and dark,
mounted an attack on Puranjana’s city. They were assisted by the
yavanas. A fearful lady called kala kanya(time) who could suck
the strength out of one’s limbs and Prajivara (disease), her ally ,
visited Puranjana.. Weakened by a long life of reckless indulgence,
deserted by sons and friends he put up a brave resistance. His
guards were beaten back; even the guardian serpent could do
nothing. The enemy swarmed in like a flood and the king sank
back, still thinking of his wife. He could never think about god
even in his last moments. As he could think only about his queen
always after death he was born as a woman, the daughter of the
king of Vidarbha. The child soon grew up as a beautiful princess
and in due time was married to Malayadhwaja, the Pandyan king.
The sacred river Tambraparni flows through his kingdom. They
had five sons and a daughter. Being a saintly king, he entrusted
the rule to his sons and retired to the forest accompanied by the
queen. Very soon he attained Brahmam and the queen was now
left with a corpse. She (king Puranjana) wailed her loss and
gathered a funeral pyre. She took a dip in the river and was about
to jump into the lighted pyre when a sage suddenly appeared and
stopped her.
The sage was Avijnata (the unknown) his former boon
companion .The two had together roamed over the world He
said,“Dear friend, we are two birds . Together we were roaming
over the world .. We were sitting on a tree enjoying the calm.
Then you the ‘Jeeva’ wanted to taste the pleasures of the world.
You plunged into it leaving me alone. Now you have tasted the
pleasures. You are not this widowed queen; not even Puranjana.
You are my image. Remove the reflecting medium ,mind, and we
are one. Come! We shall fly over land and sea and over hill and
dale; basking in God’s sunshine; enjoying eternal bliss.” And the two,
now one, flew away.
As Narada concluded, king Prachina Barhis asked. “Great
Sage! I have not fully understood the meaning of the allegory.
Kindly explain more fully .” Then Sri Narada continued, “The city
with the nine gates is your body with the nine holes,. two eyes,
ears, nostrils, mouth and so on. The queen is none other than
“Budhi” i.e. intellect whom every one obeys. The serpent with
five hoods is the prana (breath) with five aspects as prana, apana,
vyana , udana, and samana. The attacking gandharvas are days
and nights. Kala kanya is the terrible maid of time, and Prajivara
is disease to which all must succumb and Avijnata is our immortal
conscience which we must never neglect. And if you want to end
this seemingly endless sequence of birth and death take refuge in
Sri Hari. Resort to the company of the saints and enjoy everlasting
peace and bliss.”
The king listened to the advice. He gave up all sacrifices
and retired to the forest. He went to Kapilasram and doing intense
penance, attained Brahmam.
CHAPTER 6
Prachetas
Prachetasa Daksha created devas, asuras, men and other
creatures merely by his tapas. When this was found to be
insufficient he began tapas by the side of lake Aghamarshana.
The Lord said your method of peopling the earth is not rapid enough.
You must marry the daughter of Prajapthy Panchajana. Her name
is Asikni and by marrying her you can people the world. It is said
that the institution of marriage began from that time.
Prachetasa Daksha had many sons. All of them were well
versed in the sastras and before settling down, Daksha told them
to travel towards the west, so that they could gather more
experience and knowledge. They reached the estuary of the Indus
with the ocean. Bathing in the Narayana lake they were completely
purified and sunk in contemplation. Sri Narada Maharishi appeared
before them. He raised a series of paradoxical questions the
purport of which was that they were trying to get divine sanction
for getting involved in worldly affairs. As a result, the princes
renounced all worldly desires for ever and became immersed in
contemplation of god and god alone. When their father heard of
his sons’ fate, he got annoyed and again begot one thousand sons
known as Sabalaswars. Like their brothers these boys also
travelled west, reached the same lake and met the same Sri Narada
who repeated his former success.
Daksha became very angry and said, “You have misled my
poor sons from doing their duty to their forefathers, the rishis and
gods. So, I curse you to wander perpetually unable to reside in
any place for more than a few hours”.
Sk 5. Ch 5 - Slokam 1
Sri Narada had already known that the princes were all
free souls. As for Daksha’s curse, he accepted that too as a
blessing!
Dakshas’ Daughters
To avoid this apparent perversion by Sri Narada Daksha
prayed for daughters and he was blessed with sixty daughters all
fair and beautiful. He gave ten daughters to Dharma, thirteen to
Kashyapa, twenty seven to Tharkshya . The progeny of these
peopled the earth. Some were god like, others were demoniac
some were vultures , some reptiles and the rest became the various
forms of life
Priyavrata
Swayambhuva Manu had two sons. Uttanapada was the
elder, whose story has already been told and now we turn to the
story of Priyavrata. He had no interest in state affairs and being
of an ascetic turn of mind, he was interested in tapas for self
realization. Now he was commanded by his father and Brahma
(one of the Trinity) himself to return to the kingdom and assume
the reins of kingship. Brahma had to plead rather sternly.
“Dear son, none of us is really free to do whatever we like.
Neither myself nor Lord Siva nor your father nor any one else is
really free. We are all led by the nose as it were by our own
karma, directed by Sri Hari. Even a realized saint has to suffer
the consequences of his past actions. But he knows that it is all
transitory and therefore he is not much affected. A house holder
is like a king in a fort. Temperate living helps him to overcome the
senses gradually. As a fort helps the king to ward off the enemy,
a family life helps the house holder to ward off the attacks of the
senses. Therefore return to your kingdom and assume the reins
of government and in the end you can resume the saintly life and
come to me.”
Priyavrata obeyed. He was an ideal ruler strong and just.
The seven seas, the mountain ridges and the continents were
evolved as the king drove around the world in his mighty chariot.
People gladly obeyed the law as otherwise punishment would be
quick and stern. At the end of his glorious reign, the king woke up
as it were, from a dream and resuming his original natural bent of
mind, entrusted the vast kingdom to his sons. He gave up everything
and after intense penance, attained the feet of Hari.
Agnidhra and Purvajithi
Agnidhra, Priyavrata’s son was now ruler of the entire
Jambudvipa. He was young, energetic and well skilled in the arts
of war and peace. After some years, desiring an heir, he retired
to the forest and prayed to Sri Hari.
The Lord grants whatever a devotee desires. Worldly desires
are very readily granted. Soon there was a change in the
atmosphere .. A pleasant wind wafted the scents from opening
lotus flowers,champak and jasmine. Voluptuous music trilled from
the anklets of a dancing apsara coming towards him. The prince
was dumbfounded by her celestial beauty and began to talk
incoherently.“O beautiful lady! Are you a mortal or a goddess? I
will be your slave, I cannot live without you.” The damsel complied
smilingly. She was an apsara named Purvajiti sent by Indra for
this very purpose. They returned to the capital and to year long
celebrations by the people. Aghnidhra had nine sons, Nabhi,
Kimpurusha, Harivarsha, Ilavita, Ramyaka, Hiranmaya, Kuru,
Bhadrasura, and Ketumala. They all had great beauty of form
and divine qualities like their mother , Purvajithi. ; her mission
done she decided to return to her apsara world. But the king was
loath to leave her and so both went to the apsara world where
they live to this day.
The Story Of Nabhi
King Nabhi and his queen Merudevi desirous of ensuring
prosperity of his subjects and the glory of his line decided to
perform a great yagna. Preparations were made on a very large
scale. Only purest of ingredients were used and the priests were
self realized sages. They poured offerings into the sacrificial fire
reciting vedic mantras in praise of Vishnu (Hari). So great was
their sincerity and purity that Sri Hari himself appeared and asked
what they wanted. They said. “Great lord! This noble king wants
an heir to the throne, who will be the equal of Lord Hari himself
.”Sri Hari was amused. Still he said, “How is that possible? O
Sages! There is none quite equal to me. Still because of your
sincerity and the purity of this king and queen I shall be born as
their son, a partial avatar.” The king, queen and the assembled
rishis were greatly delighted and all departed awaiting the happy
event. In due time the queen gave birth to a beautiful son with all
the divine marks of conch, the chakra -wheel - and mace engraved
in his palms and feet. The child Rishabha, grew up very rapidly
into a tall, powerful and handsome person, the very picture of Sri
Hari. The parents, knew that their time was over. They handed
over the great kingdom to their divine son and retired to the forest
for the final penance. Rishabha married Jayanthi, daughter of Indra
and had a hundred sons. Bharata was the eldest who ruled this
land , known thereafter as Bharat. Nine of his brothers were known
as Navayogis whom we shall see later. The remaining sons had
brahmanic qualities and became brahmins.
King Rishabha ,also known as Rishabha Deva, in the course
of his travels came to Brahmavarta where the Brahma Rishis
were holding a great conference. Finding such a fine responsive
audience Rishabha Deva wanted to address them. His sons were
also there among the audience.
Rishaba addressed the assembled sages.
“O Rishis and you my sons, hear me patiently,.
This human body is not for miserable pleasures,.
These pleasures are given even to filth eating worms,
The human body is for divine tapas by which you can be purified
And attain permanent happiness
Service of the great is the gate to freedom eternal,
Company of the lechers is the open door to darkness and hell!
They who love Me are only moderately attached to wife, family
and relatives,
Not taking from them anything but the minimum. They come back
to Me easily
But they who indulge in pleasures without restraint
And they who commit prohibited acts ,I do not approve of them
As long as they do not want to know the reality
So long their ignorance will continue, and attachment will persist
And the mind carries it over to the next birth.
And even then, because of their forgetfulness they again indulge
In sex and sense pleasures, the home and possessions seem real
The bonds are further strengthened.
The sense of duality is the strongest bond that binds the heart.
When the mind forcibly breaks asunder this bond (the result of
previous actions) then the soul now free from the bond of duality
goes back to its source.
From where do we get this required force? From teachers who
are realized saints
by implicit obedience to them ,rejecting duality with great fortitude,
knowing the sorrow of all,
by a great desire to know the cause of all these and by desireless
action,
devoting them to me, delighting in my stories and in the
companionship of my devotees,
with enmity towards none ,with equality to all, by engaging in
spiritual studies,
getting control over the mind through proper pranayama
by good attention and practice of brahmacharya, (celibacy) by
controlled speech without any exaggeration,
and seeing my presence everywhere and by wisdom embellished
with knowledge
by practicing yoga with satvic determination . Give up once for
all the idea of I and mine.
This idea is the seat and origin of all actions. It is due to ignorance
After reaching this stage there is nothing more to get, so retire
from everything even yoga.
As there are no bonds any more, you have reached
Brahmanandam.
Those who aspire to come to My world and receive My blessings,
whether they are parents,
teachers or kings should without anger guide the aspirants to avoid
the pitfalls.
Otherwise they fail in their allotted duty.
People blind to their real progress, intensely desirous of
amassing riches earn only misery and with it intense enmity and
the chimera of happiness.
Which wise man, full of kindness will fail to guide a fool
wandering from one foolishness to another? Should not one, who
is blessed by sight, guide a blind man who has lost his way?
He is not a teacher, he is not a relative,
He is not a father and she is not a mother,
And that god is no god nor that husband a true one,
Who does not release one from approaching death.
This body is difficult to understand
But my heart is full of sathvic virtues and dharma,
And I have put adharma far behind,
Hence the wise ones call me Rishabha.
You are all born, out of my heart
Therefore all of you deserve to follow,
And obey implicitly your eldest brother Bharata,
That way, you will be serving me and the people.
Among creation you have immovable things like stones,
Then come tanks and rivers, then trees and reptiles,
Then human beings, and then gandharvas,
And then yakshas and beyond them gods.
And there is Indra, chief of gods, above him Daksha, the
sons of Brahma,
And Lord Siva, part of me, I follow the realized sages and
Brahmins,
These Brahmins are above every one else and the offerings
made to them,
Is superior even to offerings in the fire made to me.
The Vedas are my body, the Brahmins preserve it by study,
by restraint of mind and body, by following the truth,
by penance and by fortitude
Even from me, the dispenser of all blessings and final
salvation,
These wandering sages desire nothing but continuous
devotion.
My sons! Worship not only Brahmins, worship all living
creatures
And even inanimate nature, because I abide everywhere.
That is real worship, let all your actions, and words be
dedicated to Me,
and only this dedication will help you to escape from the
meshes of death.
Thus advising his sons , who were by nature already saintly,
King Rishabha handed over the reins of government to Bharata
and taking nothing with him, left for the forest, completely alone.
He travelled over hill and dale, not caring for the big
mosquitoes or even wild animals. He subsisted on wild fruits and
roots, making no attempt to get food, slaking his thirst from the
mountain streams, sometimes lying down, and not even taking a
bath. But, strange to say a sweet fragrance like that of musk
spread all over the place. Various sidhis such as distant vision,
entering another body, transporting oneself to any place, reading
another’s thoughts and the like now presented themselves before
Rishabha willing to obey him but Rishabha declined. Instead he
continued to wander in the southern regions of coorg.
Rishabha had already become free. The body alone was
moving about and it was consumed in a moment by a forest fire.
O King! This omnipresent Lord was the guide, friend, charioteer,
and even the servant of your ancestors the Pandavas. A man can
wish for nothing more
CHAPTER 7
The Story of Bharata
King Rishabha had made Bharata king of this land that was
known as Ajanabha. Bharata married Panchajani and had five
sons through her. He ruled over his subjects like a father. He
performed numerous sacrifices - yagnas and kratus . During his
rule all his subjects performed their duties as enjoined by their
nature so that no one was dissatisfied. All were contented and
happy. As a result of these yagnas and benign rule he became
filled with boundless devotion towards Sree Hari. Dividing Bharata
Varsha among his sons he repaired to the forest for doing tapas.
He reached Pulahasrama by the side of which flows the river
Gandaki also known as Chakranadi.
Bharata would wake up much before sunrise and have a
dip in the river . With water dripping from his locks, dress, he
would face the rising sun as the manifestation of God and offer
prayers. His food consisted of ripe fruits lying on the ground and
the tender leaves. The rest of the time was spent in contemplation
so deep, that his eyes became wet with tears while an intense
bliss filled his heart. One morning as usual, he had just finished his
bath, when he saw a full grown female deer on the other shore.
She was big with child. Suddenly there was the terrific roar of a
lion. The deer made a tremendous leap to cross the river and as
she was half way over the river the fawn dropped from her womb
and the swift current was bearing it away. The deer itself reached
the opposite bank but was so much exhausted that it fell down
dead. The swift current carried the fawn to the very spot, where
Sk 5. Ch 8 - Slokam 1
Bharata was standing. As he had a merciful heart , Bharata took
it up as a gift of god, wrapped it up in his own cloak with great
tenderness and took it to his ashram.
Bharata, who had given up even an empire, was now
attracted by the fawn.
He began to gather tender leaves and flowers for the little
deer. He daily watched it growing up with growing affection within
his heart. He took it out daily for a morning walk and never left it
alone for fear of wolves and other wild animals. Whenever he
had to leave it alone in the ashram for taking his bath and gathering
fruits he would think, “O! What will happen to my darling! O Lord!
Thou who seeth everything, everywhere, kindly protect my darling.”
When Bharatha returned, the fawn would jump about him gently
rubbing its sprouting horns against Bharata’s body. Thus Bharatha
was engrossed night and day in looking after the fawn.. He even
forgot the routine daily worship and contemplation. It was “The
fawn O! my pretty fawn!“, all the time.
Thus days passed in complete oblivion of all his duties, even
his daily worship. But time and tide wait for no one and Bharata
was facing death. Even in this extremity his thoughts were for the
deer.” What will happen to my darling deer?” Thinking thus he
breathed his last.
Now whatever a man thinks of at the last moment, that, he
becomes! And Bharata was born as a deer some distance away.
Because of its meritorious actions in its previous life, the deer
remembered his previous life and determined not to commit the
same folly. So, the little deer repaired to Pulahasramam, heard
the discourses of the rishis, and lived on tender leaves and the
prasadams – food offered to gods - given by the rishis who treated
it as an inmate. The deer grew old and when its time arrived
thinking of God all the while expired, casting off its body in the
river.
Bharata The Brahmin
There was at that time a pious brahmin of the Angiras
gothra, known for his learning and austerity. He had a large family
of sons and one daughter. Bharata the deer was born to the second
wife of this Angiras brahmin. Bharata knew all about his previous
births because of the great tapas and austerities he had undergone
and was now determined to avoid all contacts. To achieve this, he
pretended to be a hopeless dunce. When addressed by others he
would reply irrelevant answers, or pretended not to hear at all. In
spite of this, his father invested him with the sacred thread and
tried his best to teach him the holy manthra Gayathri without
success. In due course the father expired and Bharata’s mother
accompanied him performing sathi.
To do them justice, the brothers tried to bring him up but
without success. Bharata was left to look after the fields and work
in them, as an ordinary labourer. Even this he would do indifferently.
He would go on digging deeper and deeper or levelling up endlessly.
As wages he would be given stale bread, which he ate with great
glee. He would sleep in the open watching the corn and the wonder
of it was that though he would not drive away the birds or rodents
and other pests, there was always a bumper harvest.
Now, about this time, there was a fierce brigand, spreading
terror and devastation. He had no children and to please the demons
he determined to perform a human sacrifice. His followers
captured some poor fellow for this purpose. This poor man had
escaped from custody and the brigand’s followers were now
searching for a proxy. And as fate would have it they came upon
poor Bharata in the fields. The ruffians pounced upon him, bound
his hands and feet and led him to their chief. The chief and the
sacrificing priest were more than pleased to see the young, robust
victim. Surely Bhadrakali would be immensely pleased. The
robbers and their chief gathered round the image of the goddess
and began to recite the final verses.
All this time Bharata was quite indifferent completely
absorbed in the infinite, enjoying infinite bliss. The priest took up
the sword and danced around and was about to bring it down on
Bharata’s neck. With a great roar Badrakali sprang out of the
image snatched the sword from the priest’s hand and cut off his
head. Not satisfied, the goddess with her minions cut off the heads
of all the ruffians and began to play football with their heads.
Bharata watched this gory game with the same serenity . When
the game was over the goddess and her attendants vanished,
thereby teaching the world that such would be the fate of those
who would harm Lord’s devotees.
Bharata and Rahugana
Rahugana was the king of the Soaviras (Sind). He was past
middle age and thought that the time was ripe to know more about
the mysteries of life. With this end he undertook a pilgrimage to
the north where perchance he might meet some great yogi. He
was travelling rather in pomp, in a palanquin accompanied by
body guards. They were looking for a good palanquin bearer and
as luck would have it, saw Bharata by the banks of the river
Ikshumathy. Here was a young athletic figure and they made the
unresisting brahmin a palanquin bearer. The fresh recruit had a
peculiar habit. He was very careful to avoid treading on worms
and ants and always looked yards ahead and would jump aside if
there was any insect and the palanquin would also be jerked.
Rahugana was jolted badly and he got annoyed. He shouted
angrily.“Ho! Ho! Bearers! Be careful.” The bearers humbly
replied, “Sire, it is the new recruit. He is often jumping about. It is
very difficult to work with him.”.
Rahugana looked at the new recruit; with some anger and
sarcasm he observed “Ho! Ho! Bearer! You are old and weak!
Or I could teach you a lesson”.
The bearer replied, “Sir, who is master and who is servant?
Both the terms are myths. If you refer to this body it is not true. It
is perishable and will return to the elements from which it is made.
If you refer to the soul, it is immortal, part of the universal soul.”
Rahugana looked more carefully and observed the sacred
thread clinging on the body of the bearer. He sprang down and
bowing low said, “Pardon! Pardon! Holy Brahmin! You may be
the sage I am searching for. Tell me further.”
Bharata continued. “In between the body and the soul there
is the powerful mind, - a combination of the three gunas - a product
of Maya. The mind works through the senses and it is at the root
of all the differences that you see. No amount of learning or
austerity will help. Get hold of the feet of a great guru and he will
show the way. By the lord’s maya the jiva is thrown into a forest
where six dacoits live- desire, anger, greed, delusion, pride and
jealousy are their names. They devour the soul as wolves tear
down a sheep. Tormented with thirst the tired traveller approaches
grass covered wells without water. In life don’t we approach
pitiless people for help? The hungry traveller gets only poisonous
fruits. At last the traveller thinks he has reached shelter but that
proves to be a dream city. The traveller and his partner sit like
two monkeys on the branch of a tree grinning at each other and
think that this is felicity. Panting for water, he sees it at a distance.
But when he goes near it vanishes. It was a mirage. Sometimes
for the sake of little money he quarrels bitterly with fellow travellers
and they become mortal enemies. When in need of a little help he
gets contempt and disgrace. His friends prove to be jackals and
vultures. This is the Bhava adavi or the worldly forest. Only His
grace can help you to cross this.”
“O! Master! How kind you are! You are like all followers
of Hari. They save not only themselves but also others. I bow to
you, I bow to every one!” Thus worshipped by Rahugana, the
great sage Bharata calm and full like the great ocean, went on his
way.
CHAPTER 8
Ajamila
The successors of Bharata were all worthy of their
forefather. Sri Suka now digresses for some time to give a detailed
description of this earth and the universe. Bharatavarsha is ringed
by mountain ranges in concentric rings and in between there are
oceans of lime, milk and nectar . The rings of mountains rise higher
and higher and from there originate great rivers. Different people
of various hues and stature, gods and demigods; some golden and
others dark or fair came to exist there . They enjoyed heavenly
pleasures without disease or old age and yet longed to be born in
Bharatavarsha ( our country), because this is the karma bhumi
where you can earn merit through actions and attain the region
from which you need not return. Then Suka Brahmam gives
fascinating description of the abode of Ananta, the serpent, of
Indra, lord of the gods. Finally he gives a gruesome picture of hell
where sinners are sent to be punished for their sins. Now there
are as many types of hells as there are sins. Burning coals are
forced down the throats of those who habitually lie. Those who
have evicted their poor relatives through false documents are made
to run through sharp blades of leaves - that look like pointed lances
- that cut their skin. A little further off, there is a cauldron of
boiling oil and some screaming wretches are thrown into it. They
had done the same thing while alive - frying live things like chicken.
Tortured sinners’ groans came from some other quarters.
Parikshit was a bold man; still he was thoroughly frightened.
However Sri Suka comforted him “O King! The punishments you
have seen are terrible but they can be averted. If a sinner is really
Sk 6. Ch 2 - Slokam 15
repentant and cries ‘“Om Namo Narayanaya’, gods and angels
will appear, and putting to flight the devils , will escort the
repentant man to Gods’ presence. So take heart, and listen to the
famous story of Ajamila”.
The Story of Ajamila
In the city of Kanyakubj there was an old sinner named
Ajamila. A hunter and robber by turns he was eighty-eight years
old and was now on his deathbed. The messengers of Yama, , the
god of death ,appeared with fearful countenances with ropes in
hand . They were wresting the soul from his heart when Ajamila
in a quavering voice called for his youngest son who was named
Narayana. “O! Narayana! Narayana!” Then a miracle happened!
A group of Vishnu Parshadas ,attendants of Sri Vishnu,
immediately appeared from no where. They were all brilliantly
clad. All were youthful and four armed like Sri Hari himself. They
had lotus like eyes exuding energy. They scattered the
messengers of Yama. Yama’s messengers enquired in great fear.
“Who are you that prevent us from our duty. Are you gods? We
have been ordered by our master Lord Yama to bring this old
sinner to Samyamani where he will be punished in the purgatories
and purified”.
The angels, were curious and asked what he had done.
Yama’s minions replied.“Ajamila has grievously strayed from
Dharma. He was born to a pious father, well versed in all the
shastras and married to a virtuous wife. He lead an ideal life. One
day he went to the forest as usual and saw a hunter and his mistress
singing lewd songs and engaged in shameless amorous play. Their
different postures entwined together affected his mind badly. All
the training and asceticism of the young brahmin were vain, his
heart was shaken by cupid. He left his aged parents and virtuous
wife, squandered all his wealth for a shameless woman and took
to brigandage and hunting for a livelihood. We are taking him to
hell by our master’s orders.”
The angels replied.” You say, you are the guardians of
Dharma! It is a pity you have not fully understood the law of
Dharma which is as follows. However much a man has sinned, if
at the last moment of death he utters the four syllabled words
NA-RA-YA-NA he is completely purified. No matter if he says
it in fun, in mockery or accidentally , he is completely absolved.
You may say that he was only calling his son. That does not matter.”
Yama’s followers were in doubt and they returned to their
master. The angels too vanished . Ajamila woke up as from a
dream. But it was no dream. He could distinctly recall every word.
“Alas ! What a fool I have been! Leaving my destitute old parents
and my chaste virtuous wife I committed all kinds of ugly acts
with a drunken bawd. Please Lord, have mercy on me!”
Thoroughly repentant, he spent the few remaining days of his life
on the banks of the Ganges and when at last his last day came, he
saw the same heavenly messengers. He was given a new heavenly
body and the Lord’s messengers escorted him to Vaikunta the
abode of Sri Hari.
Yama Raja’s messengers returned to Samyamani, and said,
“O! Master! How many judges are there? By your order, we went
to earth to fetch the sinner Ajamila and had tied even his hands
and feet. Then we were thrown back by the superior energy of a
group of glittering angels. They said that by uttering the word
“Narayana” Ajamila was purified. Pray, is that the law?”
The stern lawgiver closed his eyes in contemplation and
bowing to Sri Hari in his heart, said, “Lord Hari is above us all. He
permeates everything moving and unmoving like the warp and
woof of a cloth. Myself, Indra, all the chief gods and even the
sages freed from the three gunas are led like oxen by the nose
strings held by the driver. We twelve - myself ,Brahma, Sri Narada,
Siva, Kumara, Kapila, Manu, Prahlada, Janaka, Bhishma, Bali and
Sri Suka - know the law, the great Dharma and therefore we have
become immortal. Uttering the name of the Lord “Narayana” at
the last moment absolves one of all sins and even the tendency to
commit sin is destroyed. All other forms of worship and remedies
remove only past sins but not the tendency to commit them. The
word “Narayana” though uttered chokingly, in a faltering voice
purifies one forever and ushers him into the kingdom of God
forever.”
And Yama Raja humbly added, “May the great Lord Hari
forgive me for this one error.” And turning to his followers he
added, “My dear followers, do not even approach hereafter any
dying person who is uttering the holy name Hari or Narayana.
Give them a wide berth. Do not be aghast. There is plenty of
work for you. If any one moves about a place of worship without
bowing his head or who has never uttered the name of God, bring
that rascal here binding his hands and feet and then do your
assigned work. OM! NARAYANA! NARAYANA”.
Indra’s Disrespect of Guru
Indra, Lord of the gods was holding court. He was seated
on a glittering throne, with full regal paraphernalia, surrounded by
the lesser gods singing his glory. The king of the gods was elated
by his own greatness, when there entered his old Guru, the
venerable Brihaspati, tottering with age . Indra did not rise from
his seat. Though he saw the sage enter, he pretended not to see
and the sage quietly retreated. Indra immediately realized his
mistake and starting up in alarm, hastened after the Guru, but
could not find him. By his yogic powers the sage had made himself
invisible.
The absence of the guru soon began to be felt. The enemies
of the gods, the asuras were now emboldened and with the help
of their guru, the great Sukracharya, made inroads even into
heaven. They put to flight the gods and usurped their places. Indra
now bitterly repented and putting himself at the head of the gods
approached Lord Brahma. The Lord roundly reprimanded the
deputation.
“Proud of your position and prosperity, you have insulted a
most learned Brahmin, the master of all secrets. See the
consequence. You had to flee from your palaces and your enemies
who deeply respect and honour their acharya have driven you
out. Your times are bad now, wait for better days. But you must
have a guru, a worthy substitute. Viswarupa, the son of Thwashta
, is a very great sage and he may accept your request and guide
you back to your former glory. However, there is a slight flaw in
this arrangement. This sage Viswarupa is related through his
mother to the asuras. But you need have no qualms. A learned
scholar will not refuse to instruct an eager student.” The devas
were clever in arguing. Humbly approaching Viswarupa they said.
“Great sage! We request you to become our acharya. As a sister
is the personification of kindness, the mother the symbol of earth’s
patience and father the symbol of lord Brahma himself. , the
acharya is our protector and guide. Kindly lead us the right way,
so we can regain our lost glory”.
Viswarupa was young and deeply learned but reluctant.
Still, out of deep respect for the elders he agreed and became the
acharya of the devas. Viswarupa then brought out a famous
incantation known as Narayana Kavacham. Reciting this mantram
with great faith Indra and the devas became invincible and regained
all their glory.
Narayana Kavacham
Viswarupa taught.” After washing hands and feet and
performing achamanam pray as follows. May lord Hari with all
his weapons protect me from all evils. May the lord in the form of
the fish protect me in water and may the lord as Vamana protect
me from all dangers on land. May The lord as Narasimha guard
me from all fierce enemies. May lord Kapila save me from
bondage of action. May the lord in the forms of his various avatars
protect me from every conceivable evil. May the divine chakra
burn up every obstruction.” The above is only the gist of the full
mantra. Reciting the full mantra Indra and the devas became
irresistible and occupied their own former abodes.
Viswarupa had three heads. With one he drank soma , with
the second he drank sura or wine , and with the third he consumed
rice. He performed yagnas for Indra with great devotion and
proffered offerings into the sacrificial fire liberally for the benefit
of the gods. But moved by affection for his relatives through his
mother he unobtrusively offered offerings for asuras also. Indra
was incensed and cut off the heads of Viswarupa. One of the
heads became the black cock, another became the sparrow and
the third became a partridge. As a result of killing a brahmin
saint Indra incurred the sin of Brahmahathya. He divided it among
earth water, trees and women. When old Thwashta heard of the
sad end of his young son, he decided to take revenge. He performed
a powerful hellish homa and reciting the powerful spell, poured
the oblation into the Dakshinagni. A huge form Vritra came out.
Dark like the winter cloud with eyes shooting fire and tongue lolling
out, he looked like death .. Wielding a huge trident from which
lightning flashed, he fell upon the devas and began to gobble them
up. The gods were no cowards but what could they do against
such, an enemy? They made a fervent appeal to Sree Hari. They
prayed recalling with gratitude how as a giant fish he had saved
them from the flood and all the previous occasions when he had
come to their help. Sri Hari revealed Himself.
“I am pleased with your repentance. Approach Dadichi
Maharishi. He is an old Brahmajnani (knower of Brahmam) whose
bones have hardened through tapas and request him to give you
his back bone out of which a weapon can be fashioned to kill this
asura.”
The Strange Request of Devas to Dadichi
The devas approached Dadichi Maharshi with their strange
request .“Great Sire,” the devas said, “Be pleased to give us your
bones to overcome our enemy. There is nothing that great sages
like you will not give to relieve the miseries of helpless people,”
Dadichi the knower of Brahmam was amused. He said.” If I give
my backbone I shall surely die, And which man is not afraid of
death?” The devas were abashed. Still they continued, “We know
your great power and attainments. No one else can help us.”
The great rishi agreed and relaxed into eternal Samadhi. The devas
reverently took his bones and fashioned a terrible weapon the
Vajrayudham out of it. Indra took it up with confidence and faced
the enemy.
The Battle Between Indra and Vritra
All the asuras now rallied under Vritra. The battle raged
for days but at last the asuras were overpowered and began to
flee. Vritra stopped them, and commanded.” Do not fly like
cowards. Be heroes, follow me.”
With his flaming trident in one hand and a maze in the other
Vritra strode forward. He smashed the enemy in dozens and
impaled scores in his trident. The devas were beaten back. The
opponents were now face to face. Indra was seated on his white
elephant. As usual verbal recriminations preceded. Vritra said.”
By god’s grace you are in my power now. You killed your preceptor,
insulted your guru, you are the slave of your senses and have
committed many shameful acts.” Saying so he struck a terrible
blow. The white elephant was beaten down and Vritra swallowed
Indra. The celestials and sages who were watching the fight from
above groaned with fear.” Only Lord Hari can save Indra now!”
Indra with his divine weapon slashed his way out. Vritra
now went berserk. His form was immense, his mouth bigger than
a cavern and he gobbled up all the devas he could lay hands upon.
But Indra rallied and cut off his right arm. Then Vritra roared
with pain but continued the havoc with his left arm and addressed
Indra thus.
“ I will go back happy like an eaglet waiting for its mother
eagle; like a calf running to its mother cow. Like a maiden waiting
for her absent lover I am waiting to be united to my lord. Now
strike my friend and gain what you want. I go back gladly to my
lord.”
And those watching outside saw a dazzling light, rising up
and moving across the sky until it merged with the infinite.
How Indra Was Saved From The Sin Of Brahmahatya
The celestials and sages now relieved from Vritra’s
oppression, returned to their respective abodes. But Indra was
unwell and the sages now performed a great yagna, “The
Rajasuya”. Brahmahatya or the sin of killing a brahmin now took
the form of an old hag with dishevelled hair, fierce eyes and exuding
a nasty odour pursued Indra. He fled over the three worlds and at
last took refuge in the fiber of lotus flower in the Manasa - saras.
The devas wanted a substitute ruler to rule over them and
lead them in battle against the asuras. There was a powerful king
named Nahusha. He agreed to rule over them and was installed
as the temporary Indra. He ruled well, winning victories against
the asuras. But this Nahusha had an evil streak in his character.
He insisted that the chaste Indrani (queen of Indra) should be his
partner. The poor queen was in a fix. But she was clever and
thought of a stratagem. She told Nahusha to come in a palanquin
borne by the great seven sages. The foolish Nahusha agreed and
came riding in a palanquin borne by the seven sages. Agastya one
of the bearers, was of short stature and the progress of the
palanquin was rather slow. The substitute Indra was impatient.
He cried “Sarpa, Sarpa” – meaning “Quick Quick” and prodded
the great sage Agastya with his feet. The all powerful sage became
angry and said. “You fool! Since you have said ‘Sarpa, Sarpa’
you will become a serpent.” At once Nahusha fell off the palanquin
becoming a huge serpent in the process. After aeons of existence
as serpent Nahusha got his release in Dwapara Yuga as will be
told later
In the land of the Surasenas, there was once a great emperor
Chitraketu by name. He was the overlord, getting tribute from
subordinate kings , enjoying all the pleasures of life. He was in
full vigour of life and had more than a thousand wives, all as fair
as the dawn and yet Chitraketu was unhappy. He had no son. Just
then, by chance, the great sage Angiras came to visit him. The
emperor immediately rose and received the sage with the greatest
respect. The all knowing sage smilingly addressed the king. “O!
King! You are ruling over your subjects with great justice and
your subjects are happy and contented and yet some discontent is
clouding your face” “What shall I say to thee who knowest all!
Yet I shall obey your command” The king continued “I have no
son to continue the line. Who will protect my poor subjects and
who will repay our debt to our forefathers and gods by performing
the annual Sradhas and daily poojas I will be punished and banished
to the nether world like a felon for failure in my duties” The poor
king could proceed no further.
The kind hearted sage gently said “Take heart, great king. I
shall perform a great yagna for the Sun god and you will have a
son.” Angiras immediately performed a sacrifice to the Sun god
and gave the remnants as prasad to the king who in turn gave it to
his eldest queen Kritadyuti who partook of it with great devotion.
Soon she became pregnant and in due time gave birth to a fine
son. There were great rejoicings, throughout the land. The baby
grew up a fine boy bringing joy to whoever looked on him. He
was the darling of the step mothers and nurses and the courtiers.
The king spent most of his time fondling his son and attending its
mother and unfortunately he began to neglect his other wives.
They wailed “Alas how unfortunate are we childless and neglected.
Our lot is worse than that of the female servants” As their misery
grew they lost their reason and poisoned the child. The poor queen
Kritadyuti thought the child was sleeping and engaged herself in
some household work. Time passed, the child did not wake up and
the queen told an old nurse to wake it up. The old nurse gently
approached the child. Its eyes were fixed; there was no breath;
she fell down with a cry. The queen now came near and finding
the child was dead, she uttered a wild cry and fell down in a
swoon. The servants ran here and there and the king beat his
breast wailing “Alas! What sin have I committed that I am suffering
thus. Great God! Take us also. We cannot bear this loss.”
Just then old Angiras Maharishi arrived along with Sri
Narada. “Grieve not O! King! Nothing of this world is real It is all
dream-land Your palace, kingdom, your armies will all disappear
into the womb of nature and your own body will become a handful
of dust or ashes. I would have told you all this when we first met
but your desire for a son was so great that you could not receive
any message” Sri Narada now thought of a more effective method
than just advice. Facing the dead body of the child he said “Rise
again O! Jiva and gladden the hearts of all these people. Enjoy
your throne . Your father and mother are grieving. Gladden their
hearts again.” To the intense astonishment of all, the Jiva said
“Pray which father and mother am I to choose? I have so many
fathers and mothers and relatives through my various births in
different wombs, human, divine quadrupeds and even reptiles.
According to one’s actions, a person is born. Escape from this
coil by selfless service to all fellow beings” Saying this the soul
again left the child Chitraketu and others now convinced of the
unreality of the body and the reality of the soul were more or less
calmed took their bath in the river and performed the funeral rites.
Even the cruel step mothers repented for their cruel action.
Realized that they were just pawns in the game of fate, and
becoming really sorry, had a peaceful end. Sri Narada went one
step more. It is the nature of saints to shower blessings wherever
they go. He decided to teach Chitraketu how to overcome maya ,
illusion , by worshiping Bhagavan Sankarshana (Adisesha) But
before that he had to be taught something important. Sri Narada
taught him how to recognize the Lord in various aspects such as
budhi (Intellect) mind , feelings , in twelve divine mantras. As
the mind became free, he could travel anywhere and reached
Adisesha’s abode. He was very fair, clad in blue silk, adorned
with rare gold ornaments and jewels such as warriors wear and
his eyes were long and rather reddish. He was surrounded by
groups of immortals. At this grand sight out of sheer devotion
tears welled up in Chitraketu’s eyes. He did not know what to ask
for, as he wanted nothing. Still the Lord blessed him as the supreme
master of the Bhajan form of worship (musical recital of gods’
actions).
Chitraketu roamed over the spheres with his band of
musicians blessing bhajan parties with their presence. In the course
of his wanderings the party happened to pass by Mount Kailas
and wishing to pay homage to Lord Siva, they alighted near the
Ashram. Lord Siva with Sri Parwathy seated on his lap and
embracing her with one hand was expounding the meaning of the
Vedas to the assembled sages.
Chitraketu laughed loudly. “The great exemplar who should
set an example is embracing Sri Parvathy in public. Even ignorant
persons do so only in privacy” Lord Siva only smiled and did not
react. But Sri Parvathy was enraged “Who is this person who has
dared to insult Lord Siva, when venerable sages and even Hari
and Brahma see nothing wrong” The Devi continued “You do not
deserve to be the minstrel of God. You have too much of Rajasic
guna. I curse you to be born as an asura” Though Chitraketu
could curse in return, he did not do so. He meekly accepted the
curse and was born as Vritra in the Homam that was being
performed by Thwasta.
Shri Siva observed , “You see my dear Parvathy the
greatness of the devotees of Hari. They are free from anger and
all such maladies” Such was Vritra’s origin. No wonder he regained
his former status after a comparative short relapse.
CHAPTER 9
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Prahlada
We have now to look back a little.
Hiranyakasipu’s tapas lasted for a long time. It was an asuric
form of
| Tales from Bhagavatham(Contents) |  |
| Preface | |
| Prologue | |
| Chapters 1,2,3,4 | |
| Chapters 5,6,7,8 | |
| Chapters 9,10,11,12 | |
| Chapters 13,14,14,16 | |
| Chapters 17,18,19,20 | |
| Chapters 21,22,23 | |
| Chapters 24,25,26 | |
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