August 20, 2017 archive

Srihari continued, “The dharma known as protecting citizens bestows auspiciousness upon the king. The king obtains 1/6^th share in the meritorious deeds performed by the citizens. He enjoys that merit in heavenly worlds. Contrary to this, the king who extracts labour and taxes from citizens simply without offering them any protection or without striving for their wellbeing will take on the sins of his citizens. His merit (punya) gets transferred to his subjects.

Therefore, follow the dharma that has been prescribed by the Maharishis. Treat everyone equally. Maintain equipoise. The responsibility to rule the kingdom is obtained hereditarily.  Rule the citizens and the country wisely. Before long, accomplished saints will come to your house to bless you.

O King, I am pleased with your exemplary character and qualities. Seek any boon. I am easily obtained by those who have a balanced outlook towards both happiness and sorrows. I will never be satisfied by the limitless yogas, yagnas, pujas, penance and other rituals performed by those who lack good character and qualities!”

Hearing these nectarous words uttered by Lord Srihari, who pervades and illumines everything in the creation, Prithu was supremely happy. He dedicatedly accepted the Lord’s orders upon his head.

Indra who was ashamed of his actions fell on Prithu’s feet. Discarding feelings of enmity, Prithu lovingly lifted him up and embraced him. With a heart that was overflowing with devotion, Prithu lovingly and reverentially worshipped Srihari, who exists in the form of this world. He held on to the Lord’s lotus feet.

Srihari is the friend of saints. He who is under the grip of his devotees was getting ready to leave. Yet his compassionate gaze was fixed upon Prithu. Hence He did not leave.

Emperor Prithu understood that the Lord was not departing purely due to love towards him. He folded his hands and offered obeisance. However, as his eyes were filled completely with tears of joy, his vision was blurred. Hence he could not see the Lord clearly. He just stood there with his folded hands and mentally embraced the Lord.

Gently he wiped his tears. The Lord rested his hand on Garuda’s raised shoulders. He had rested his lotus feet on the ground. Emperor Prithu was not satisfied even after looking at the Lord for a long time. He said,

“O Lord, You are the God for even Devatas who grant boons. Trapped by the senses, living beings who consider themselves to be the body, entertain desires. Intelligent persons however never seek to fulfill their desires in the form of boons from You. This is because sensory pleasures can be enjoyed even by the sinners in hell. Hence I do not seek such boons from You, the Lord who bestows liberation!

O Lord, Mahatmas retain your lotus feet in their heart. The nectar called Your lotus feet drips from the lips of such saints in the form of Your divine stories. I do not seek that liberation in which such nectar is absent. Therefore, O Lord, please bless me with the joy that is obtained when your stories are listened to with 10 lakh ears. To me, this is the most important boon.

O Lord, we living beings have a very wavering instable mind. We have forgotten the path of Supreme Knowledge. The nectar called the lotus feet drips from the mouths of great saints. Even when the air which carries these droplets of nectar touches the skin it gives great satisfaction. It gives us a chance to remember You. Therefore, O Lord, I do not seek any boons.

O Lord, You have a pure reputation! Barring a fool who has animal tendencies, any person who even accidently listens to your divine stories due to associating with saints, will automatically crave to hear them again and again”.

To be frank even a fool appreciates divine story. He will think it’s so nice. I wish I could listen from the beginning once again’. A person who is totally of animal tendencies will not want to listen to such stories. He cannot understand the greatness that is hidden within Your divine stories. Even after listening to Your glories he fails to appreciate them. This is due to his dull-wittedness. This is because he seeks to go back to the demonic ways. He wants to go back to hell. So he would have begun the preparations now by demonstrating his animal tendencies. The person whose body does not horripilate upon hearing the Lord’s name, who does not feel, ‘I wish I could hear this story again’ is undoubtedly a fool. Such a person cannot relish the joy contained in those stories. This is the meaning of Prithu’s statement.

“Mother Goddess Lakshmi also desired to listen to Your divine glories, which explain all your divine qualities. Just like Goddess Lakshmi’s great enthusiasm, I too seek to listen to Your divine glories”.

Time and again one should listen to the Lord’s glories. He should recollect them again and again. He should chant the divine names repeatedly.

“O Lord, who is the shelter for the trigunas! Both Goddess Lakshmi and me will quarrel to get a chance to serve You as our sole Lord. Our minds are permanently fixed at Your lotus feet. Hence please ensure that we both do not quarrel and that there is no enmity between us”.

Haraye namah.

Srikrishnāya namah.

The Supreme Lord said, “Wise, noble persons do not get angry at other living beings. Neither do they seek to cheat others. Such persons are the most supreme amongst humans. This is because they realize that the gross body is different from the Self (atma).

Coming under the spell of My illusion, if people like you also entertain malicious feelings towards others, then the benefits accrued from serving elders for extended periods of time gets nullified. All your good efforts will be reduced to a sheer waste of time.

Ataḥ kāyam imaṁ vidvān avidyā-kāma-karmabhiḥ

Ārabdha iti naivāsmin pratibuddho ’nuṣajjate

As the human being fails to realize that inherently he is a state of completeness, desires arise in him. In his attempt to fulfill those desires, he performs fruitive actions due to which he gets this gross body. The intelligent person who realizes this profound truth gives up feelings of ‘I and mine’ as well as attachment towards this gross body.

A person who does not associate with his gross body automatically ceases to have attachments with objects connected to it such as house, property, children, spouse etc.

Bodies are many but Self is one. Self is non-dual. It is unconnected to virtue or sin (punya-pāpa). It is eternally pure. It inherently illumines. It is the shelter for the trigunas but yet its existence is independent of the trigunas. It is all-pervading. It is the eternal witness for all actions.

Ya evaṁ santam ātmānam ātma-sthaṁ veda pūruṣaḥ

Nājyate prakṛti-stho ’pi tad-guṇaiḥ sa mayi sthitaḥ

The original Self makes itself visible to living beings in the form of feelings of ‘I’ (egoism). The person who realizes that this Self is different from the gross body remains in his original form (atma rupa). He remains firmly established in Parabrahma. Even though he is living in this body which is composed of the trigunas, he is unconnected to the virtues and sins that accrue on account of the body.

O King, the mind of the person who, giving up desires in totality completes his assigned duties with absolute dedication and meditates upon me without any expectation, gradually turns pure.

The yoga practitioner who has a pure mind will be unaffected by the joys and sorrows that arise due to the trigunas. He will be in a state of equipoise. He will realize that the Lord pervades everything and hence will be freed from worldly bondages. He obtains liberation which is the ultimate peace.  He will be totally established in Me, the Self. This is known as advaita (non-dual) state.

The Self is changeless and is merely a witness. The person who realizes that such Self is beyond the body, senses and mind crosses this samsāra (worldly bondages) and attains liberation. In other words, the person who recognizes his original form obtains liberation.

How can a person who considers his body to be his Self understand these topics? If their focus is only upon their pain and other bodily afflictions then how can they be taught about the Self (atma)? On the other hand the person who understands that he inherently is the Self can obtain liberation from this world and its bondages. Bondages mean repeated births. Birth means actions. Actions include both meritorious and sinful activities. As a result of sinful actions the person has to be re-born. As a result of meritorious actions also he has to be re-born.

Therefore along with performing meritorious actions the person should strive to learn about the Self. This will pave the way to liberation!

A person normally listens to such topics for a certain fixed time during the day, say for about an hour or so. Thereafter he gets involved in frutitive actions for the rest of the day i.e. he will be focused upon material possessions, attachments and accompanying sorrows. Of what use are the couple of hours spent on spiritual lessons? Hence it is imperative that in all times and under all circumstances the person should focus only on the Self!

The person who believes this gross body to be his real Self, will endlessly experience the joys-sorrows and attachments that arise due to the trigunas birth after birth. Contrary to this, the person who is totally established in the Self will neither bloat during prosperity nor shrink at times of sorrows and losses. He will remain as a witness in all situations.

Therefore, subduing the mind and the senses, learn to treat happiness and sorrows equally.  Treat the worthy, mediocre and worthless persons equally. Protect all living beings in this creation of mine”.

Janārdhanāya namah.

Those impure disguises which Indra had donned for the purposes of stealing the horse represent sin. This is stated in the Shastras. Those who do not have the ability to walk on the path of knowledge (jnana yoga) accept these sinful disguises. In order to disrupt Prithu’s Yagnas, Indra donned many disguises. Those who accepted these sinful disguises are Pākhanḍas.

Carried away by their disguises, people consider them to be ascetics who are bound by dharma. Although externally the actions of these Pākhanḍa’s appear righteous, their path is unrighteous.Some Pākhanḍās are naked. Some wear red clothing. Some others hold skulls, bones, and have long matted hair. All these people have great expertise in attracting people towards them. They have great debating skills. Influenced by their arguments, people get easily fooled.

The venerable Emperor Prithu came to know of Indra’s repeated attempts in stealing his sacrificial horse. In fury he took up his bow and readied the arrow intending to kill Indra. The glow on his angry face created extreme fear in every heart. Enemies of Prithu did not have the capacity to handle his dexterity and speed.

The priests who saw him aiming his arrow at Indra intervened and said, “O King, you are supremely wise. In this sacrificial hall, no animal apart from the sacrificial horse should be killed. Indra is trying to disrupt your Yagna and thus is your enemy. Due to your righteous deeds, his popularity has already diminished. Using powerful Vedic hymns we shall call him here and then shall forcibly throw him into the sacrificial homa fire”. They thus pacified Prithu.

Holding the sacrificial ladle in their hands, the angry priests were about to begin chanting of the appropriate Vedic hymns, when Lord Brahma arrived there. He stopped them and then said,

“Just because Indra is causing impediments in your Yagna, you plan to perform another Yagna and destroy him. Killing Indra is not a justifiable act, is it? Indra’s another name is Yagna. He is none other than an incarnation of the Supreme Lord. All Devatas who are invoked in the Yagna are his different manifestations. Therefore, it is incorrect to harm Indra.

O Vedic scholars, by attempting to disrupt Prithu’s Yagna, Indra has undoubtedly committed serious mistakes in aspect of the dharma prescribed by our Mahatmas. Through his various disguises he has created a new path of imposters (pākhanḍa). Understand this clearly. If you do not understand Indra’s intention, Prithu will end up performing only 99 Ashwamedha Yāgas”.

Lord Brahma then said to Prithu, “O King, you have successfully completed many good deeds. Moreover, you know the path of liberation (moksha dharma). Is it right for you to seek completion of the 100^th Ashwamedha Yāga with fruitive intentions? Why do you seek the result of completing 100 Yāgas?

Therefore, stop with this 99^th Yagna. Indra is also another of your forms. Both of you are incarnations of that Supreme Lord. Hence please maintain friendly relation with him. Enmity between you is not acceptable. May you be blessed with auspiciousness!

O king, do not get agitated in this matter. Please adhere to my words with respect. When destiny creates impediments, one should not get agitated. It means, one should not ponder about those tasks in which impediments are being faced due to destiny. By thinking about it the mind will be filled with extreme anger. This extreme anger will push the person into darkest areas of spiritual ignorance (ajnana).

Due to these pākhanḍa activities created by Indra, many deviations have arisen in dharmic path. Hence please stop this Yagna that has become a cause of irritation to the Devatas. By stealing the horse Indra has cheated you. The pākhanḍas whom he has created are already attracting the people towards their unrighteous path. See how people are following them.

O son of Vena! At the time when righteousness had declined among people due to Vena’s evil deeds, seizing a right opportunity you incarnated from Vena’s body to set right the situation. O king, you are an incarnation of Srihari. Please ponder about the origin of this creation. Please fulfill the desire of the Prajāpatis.  You are supremely efficient. Please put an end to this pākhanḍa path that has become immensely popular due to Indra’s actions”.

Prithu abided by the orders of Lord Brahma. He maintained friendly relations with Indra. He took the avabruta snana, the obligatory bath taken at the time of conclusion of the Yagna, and concluded his Yagna. All the Devatas showered Prithu, who had performed many Yagnas, with plentiful boons. They blessed him profusely.

After this Prithu gave plentiful dakshinas to the priests who had conducted the Yagna. The priests who were pleased showered many blessings upon him. They said, “O king, you are supremely powerful. All the Devatas, fore-fathers, Maharishis and humans accepted your worship. Duly honoured by you they are very satisfied”.

With this the nineteenth chapter of the fourth canto comes to an end.

Fourth Canto Chapter Twenty

Maitreya Maharishi said, “At the time when the priests were extolling Prithu, the Supreme Lord who is the embodiment of all Yagnas and who resides in Vaikunṭha, appeared there along with Indra. He said,

“O King, for your 100^th Ashwamedha Yāga, Indra created impediments. He now begs pardon. Please forgive him. In this world, wise, noble persons do not get angry with other living beings”.

Srikrishnaya namah

“Yatra yajña-patiḥ sākṣād bhagavān harir īśvaraḥ

Anvabhūyata sarvātmā sarva-loka-guruḥ prabhuḥ

The Supreme Lord exists in the form of Yagna. He is the Lord of all Yagnas. He is the father of all the worlds. He is the repository of all energies. Such Lord Mahavishnu appeared in the Yagna being performed by Prithu.

Along with Him, Brahma, Rudra, the Guardian-deities of the world and their subordinates together with their troops arrived. Gandharvas, Apsarasās and Maharishis extolled His greatness.

Accomplished siddhas, celestials such as vidhyādharas, the devotees belonging to the demon race, Yakshas, Srihari’s primary attendants Nanda and Sunanda, Maharishi Kapila, Nārada Maharishi, Dattātreya who is the leader of great Yogis, Maharishi Sanaka and his brothers as well as other ardent devotees who desired to serve Him, accompanied Srihari to the sacrificial hall.

Mother Earth ensured that all ingredients necessary for purposes of Yagna were available in plenty. Like the wish-fulfilling cow Kāmadhenu, she ensured that all necessities of Prithu were taken care of.

Milk, curd, pānakam, ghee and other liquids flowed like rivers. Oceans supplied precious gems and pearls.  Mountains supplied 4 types of edible substances i.e. foods that can be tasted through the tongue, foods that could be chewed, juices that could be sipped and foods that could be drunk. Vassal kings presented many royal gifts.

Prithu dedicatedly conducted the Yagna in a grand manner while worshipping that Supreme Lord who cannot be understood through any visible direct proofs (pratyakshāsi pramāna). Indra, the Lord of heaven, could not tolerate Prithu’s prosperity and the grand manner in which he was conducting the Yagnas. He created obstacles.

While Prithu was engrossed in worshipping Srihari during the 100^th Ashwamedha Yāga, Indra, the Lord of heaven, who was filled with feelings of jealousy, invisibly stole the sacrificial horse. He disguised as a pākahnḍa so that he could not be recognized. Taking the sacrificial horse, he quickly disappeared through the path of the skies.

Pākhanḍa is an imposter who fools people by disguising as a righteous religious person and who presents his unrighteous activities as righteous. His actions are all unrighteous. But he projects them as if they are righteous, so much so that others get carried away by his activities and accept them as dharmic.

The venerable Sage Atri who noticed Indra’s dishonest activity instantly alerted Prithu’s son. Prithu’s son, who was a supreme warrior, was angered. Screaming ‘wait, wait’ he chased Indra. However, seeing Indra who was disguised like a saint with Vibhuti on his forehead and with long braids, Prithu’s son mistook him for a righteous person and hence did not direct his arrow towards Indra.

Noticing this hesitancy in releasing the arrow, Maharishi Atri cautioned him and said, “My son, this Indra is the worst among all Devatas. He has arrived here solely for disrupting this Yagna. Therefore, go ahead and kill him”.

Hearing this Prithu’s son was even more infuriated with Indra. Just as the vulture Jatayu furiously attacked Ravana, he pounced upon Indra who was fleeing at the great speeds. Indra then abandoned his disguise. Leaving the horse there he became invisible. Prithu’s son, the great hero, returned back to the sacrificial hall with the horse.

Appreciating his might and valour, the Maharishis named him Vijitāśva. Vijitāśva means ‘conqueror of the horse’.

Indra however did not give up. He now created impenetrable darkness and then stole the horse that was tied with the help of golden ropes to a pole and quickly fled. Maharishi Atri again pointed out to Vijitāśva that Indra was fleeing with the horse. As Indra had once again disguised himself as a righteous religious ascetic and was holding a staff with a skull, Vijitāśva hesitated to kill him.

Seeing this, Maharishi Atri once again advised Vijitaśva to kill Indra. With this he was angered and instantly he readied his bow. Indra immediately gave up his disguise. Leaving the horse he disappeared. The valourous Vijitāśva returned back with the horse to the sacrificial hall.

Those impure disguises which Indra had donned for the purposes of stealing the horse, symbolize sin. This is stated in the Shastras.

Janārdhanāya namah.

Janārdhanāya namah

Mother Earth continued, “O King, kindly level the surface of the earth, which currently is full of highs and lows. Due to this even after the rainy season ends, I will continue to hold water and remain moistened. May you be blessed with auspiciousness”.

In this way, Mother Earth uttered pleasing words in a melodious voice. Emperor Prithu respected her advice. He converted Swāyambhuva Manu into a calf. Using his cupped hands as the milking vessel, he milked all herbs and food grains from her.

Wise persons absorb the essence at every juncture. After he had milked the Mother Earth, many others followed him and milked her freely. It means they obtained from earth whatever they desired.

In addition to food grains, Earth also supplies minerals, gems, other precious stones and even sustains life. It is said that she remains in the form of a cow. She is an embodiment of righteousness and also protects it.  In this way, she protects the living beings.

Maharishis converted Brihaspati into a calf. Using mind, speech and ear as the milking vessel, they extracted from her the milk called Vedas.

Devatas transformed Indra into a calf. In a golden pot they milked nectar which energizes the senses, mind and body.

Demons used Prahlada, who was the most supreme amongst them, as a calf. Using an iron vessel they extracted intoxicating substances.

Gandharvas and Apsarasas milked the earth using Vishwāvasu, the supreme Gandharva as the calf. Using a lotus flowered vessel they extracted melodious musical knowledge and beauty.  With this they achieved great fame.

Fore-fathers (pitr-devatas) made Aryama into a calf and extracted the milk called Kavya.

Using Kapila as the calf and space as the milking vessel, accomplished siddhas extracted the milk called supernatural powers known as Anima and others.

Vidyadhāras and other celestials extracted the mystical powers such as the art of making oneself invisible etc.

Kimpuruṣās who possess illusory capacities, used the demon Māyasura as the calf. They extracted illusory mystical capacity from earth. Due to this capacity they are able to disappear from one place, assume any form per their wish etc.

Yakshas, demons, witches and meat-eating ghosts used Rudra, their leader, as the calf. They collected blood in skulls. This blood causes intoxication in them.

Snakes without hood, snakes with hood, other varieties of poisonous snakes, scorpions and other insects that sting used Takshaka as the calf. Using their mouths as the milking vessel, they extracted the milk called poison.

Animals used Nandi bull as the calf. Using the forests as the milking vessel, they extracted the milk called grass, which is their fodder. Tiger and other wild carnivorous animals used lion as the calf. In the milking vessel known as their body, they extracted the milk called raw flesh/ meat. The birds used Garuda (eagle) as the calf. In the milking vessel called their body, they extracted the milk called insects and fruits.

Trees used the Banyan tree as the calf. They extracted the milk called various juices. Mountains used Himavan as the calf. In the milking vessel known as mountain peaks, they extracted gold and various other types of minerals.

Likewise, every species of living beings used the leader of that species as the calf. In their milking vessels they extracted their food.  In this way, earth which was subdued by Prithu fulfilled the desire of every living being through its milk. Every living entity in the creation, be it an insect, wild animal, bacteria, obtained from earth the type of food suitable to it.

Emperor Prithu was immensely pleased with this result. He then accepted this Mother Earth, who had fulfilled the desire of every living entity, as his daughter. He showered her with fatherly affection.

Thereafter this king of kings, the supremely valiant Prithu used the sharp ends of his bow to hit the high mountains and thus broke them. He leveled all the rough edges and evened most of earth’s surface.

Athāsmin bhagavān vainyaḥ prajānāṁ vṛttidaḥ pitā

Nivāsān kalpayāṁ cakre tatra tatra yathārhataḥ

The venerable Prithu, who was the son of Vena, created livelihoods for all people. He protected them with a fatherly attitude. In accordance with the climate of the region he had houses built for them.

Grāmān puraḥ pattanāni durgāṇi vividhāni ca

Ghoṣān vrajān sa-śibirān ākarān kheṭa-kharvaṭān

He constructed villages, towns, cities and other forms of settlements everywhere. He built different types of forts, mining territories, layouts earmarked for pasture, residences for the cowherds, cattle-sheds, stables, agricultural settlements and mountain villages. He created living quarters for the army soldiers.

Prior to Prithu’s rule the concept of villages, towns and other types of settlements did not exist. He was the first king to define these territories and undertake town planning. Prior to this people lived in places of their choice. After Prithu outlined the settlements and undertook town planning, people moved into these settlements wherein they could live comfortably without any fear.

With this the eighteenth chapter comes to an end.

Fourth Canto Chapter Nineteen

In this chapter, the following are covered: Prithu’s 100^th Ashwamedha Yāga, Indra repeatedly stealing the sacrificial horse, Prithu’s son repeatedly retrieving the horse, the priests trying to offer Indra into the sacrificial fire, Brahma’s intervention and Brahma causing friendly relations between Indra and Prithu.

Maitreya Maharishi continued, “O Vidura, Emperor Prithu was determined to complete 100 Ashwamedha Yāgas in the Brahmavarta region. In the past Swāyambhuva Manu had performed Yagnas in this very same place. Here River Saraswati flows towards the east.

Indra was jealous that Prithu would, through completion of 100 Ashwamedha yāgas, would rise above him in superiority. He could not tolerate the grandeur of Prithu’s Yagnas”.

Janārdhanaya namah