Srihari continued, “The dharma known as protecting citizens bestows auspiciousness upon the king. The king obtains 1/6th 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.
