Tuesday 30 April 2013

Srimadh Bagawatham - Dhundhukari Moksham part 1




Once, in a city on the banks of River Tungabadhra lived a Vedic scholar called Atmadeva. He was a very pious man but his wife Dundhuli was always fuelled by materialistic desires. The couple was wealthy but they did not have any children.
One day, Atmadeva decided to go to the forest to seek a rishi to bless him and his wife with a child. Atmadeva met a rishi in the forest.
‘What do you require?’ enquired the sage pleased with Atnadeva’s devotion.
‘I am very unlucky. If I feed a cow it never gives milk, if I plant seeds they never germinate, if I buy fruits they rot even before I reach my home. I feel my life would be better if I had a son. Please bless me and my wife with a son,’ begged Atmadeva.
The rishi looked at Atmadeva with compassion. He said, ‘you are better off without any children. I can see that you will undergo great sufferings if you have a son. Go home and rest happily. Don’t ask for a son.’
Atmadeva refused to listen to the rishi and kept begging the rishi to bless him.
‘I can see with the help of my powers that for the past seven lives you had no children and you are not destined to have children in the next seven lives either. Don’t seek that which you cannot have. Be happy with what you have. You cannot have a good child even if you perform putrakameshti yagam.’ said the sage.
Even after listening to the sage, Atmadevar was adamant.
‘Alas,’ said the rishi, ‘I can never prevent fate. If it is fated that you should suffer because of your son, who am I to prevent it?’ So syaing the rishi produced a fruit. ‘Give this fruit to your wife and you will soon have a son.’
Atmadeva returned home with joy and handed over the fruit to his wife. He then left on a tour. Dhundhuli was worried that she will lose her beauty if she became pregnant. She approached her sister who was visiting her. The sister was pregnant. Dhundhuli made a pact with her sister to get her child in exchange for a portion of property to be given to the sister. She then fed their cow with the fruit. In due course, the sister handed over her son after lying to her inlaws that the child had died prematurely. Dhundhuli showed the child as their son when Atmadeva returned home; the boy was named as Dhundhukari. In the meantime, the cow gave birth to a human child but with ears like a cow and he was named as Gokarnan. Atmadeva soon came to know abot his wife’s plot.
Dhundhukari grew up in to an evil minded young man. Gokarnan on the other hand became a great scholar. Dhundukari started to spend his time with bad company. He soon learned to gamble, spend time with unscrupulous women and started to come home intoxicated. Atmadevar tried to discipline him but Dhundhukari beat Atmadevar mercilessly. Atmadevar ran out of the house and found Gokarnan reading Bhagawatha Puranam under a tree.
‘Gokarna save me from Dhundhukari!’ he cried. ‘My son is hitting me!’
‘Who is whose son?’ asked Gokarnan. ‘Our body will definitely perish and all relationships we have are experienced because of blood ties. Dhundhukari is teaching you that it is futile to keep so much love and affection on a relationship which will eventually perish. Instead, place your love and affection on Lord Krishna. He will fulfill your needs and be your son.’ Atmadevar understood Gokarnan’s words. He developed detachment for worldly life and retired to the forest where he passed away peacefully.
 Dhundhukari soon killed Dhundhuli for the inheritance. He asked the women he was spending time with to move in with him. The women plotted against him. They killed him and took all his moveable property and ran away. The women burried his body in the back yard; as no one performed Dhundukari’s last rites on time and as he had been very bad in life, Dhundhukari became a ghost.

Monday 29 April 2013

Srimadh Bagawatham - Bakthi, Gnanam and Vairagyam




The Bagawatha Puranam brings us closer to Lord Krishna by reviving our devotion for Him. We not only feel love for Him but we also gain knowledge about Him and develop determination to follow the prescribed devotional practices to attain Him.
Sage Naradar once met a young maiden trying to revive two old men on the banks of River Yamuna. The sage went to help the woman.
‘My name is Bakthi,’ said the woman. ‘These are my sons Gnanam and vairagyam.’
The sage was surprised to see that her sons looked older compared to her.
‘I was born in Tamil Nadu and as I traveled with my sons from Tamil Nadu to Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat, we started to mature as we grew older. Finally we arrived at the banks of River Yamuna and here at Vrindavan my sons fell down from exhaustion. I was able to revive myself and the waters of the river turned me in to a young woman but I am unable to revive my sons. Originally we used to be a team of four members. We were sent by Lord from Sri Vaikuntham. I had a friend called Mukthi. I and my sons along with Mukthi stayed here throughout Krita, Treta and Dwapara Yugam. As soon as Kali Yugam arrived, Mukthi went back to Sri Vaikuntham promising to return if I called for her. Soon, my sons Gnanam and Vairagyam fell down as well.’

Bakthi’s narration shows us that if Bakthi is present, we will easily get Mukthi. Knowledge (Gnanam) and Vairagyam (determination) are difficult to perform in Kali Yugam. Even in Kali Yugam, it is very easy for people to do Bakthi. Many people go to temples during utsavam but very few people go to attend lectures in order to gain knowledge or follow prescribed practices like Ekadashi fast with determination.

Sage Naradar vowed to help Bakthi. At that moment an akashvani was heard which instructed Sage Naradar to do that good deed which will revive the two men. The voice did not specify which deed must be performed. As Sage Naradar, stood on the banks of river Yamuna trying to figure out the deed that must be performed, the Sanakathi Munivars arrived to instruct Sage Narada. They asked the sage to read Srimadh Bagawatham in seven days in order to revive Gnanam and Vairagyam. They then narrated the following story to show the importance of Srimadh Bagawatham.
The story will be continued in the next post.

Sunday 28 April 2013

Srimadh Bagawatham - Story of Katwangan




Bagawatha Sapthaham:
Parikshit Maharaja wanted to know if seven days were enough for Parikshit to attain the Lord’s feet.
‘You have plenty of time!’ said Suka Brahmam maharishi. ‘King Katwangan of the Ishvaku dynasty attained the Lord’s feet in just 1 muhurtham! King Katwangan helped the Devas wage war against the Asuras. After they won the war, Devendran wanted to bless the king with some boon. King Katwangan wanted to know how long he had left to live. Devendran replied that unfortunately the king had only 1 muhurtham left to live. The king did not feel worried or sad. He left for Earth immediately, divided his kingdom amongst his sons and taught them how to govern the people righteously. He then left this world by meditating upon the Lord’s divine feet thus reaching the Lord’s eternal abode.’
A Muhurtham equals 2 Ghaiyas or Ghaīkā or approximately 48 minutes. It is stated in Manu Sahitā that 18 nimeas (twinkling of the eye) are 1 Kāṣṭhā, 30 Kāṣṭhās are 1 Kāla, 30 Kālas are one Muhurtham, and as many (Muhurtham) one day and night.
No.
 -----Time ------
Muhurta Name
1
 06:00 to 06:47
 Rudra
2
 06:48 - 07:35
Ahi
3
07:36 - 08:23
 MITRA
4
 08:24 - 09:11
Pitru
5
 09:12 - 09:59
Vasu
6
 10:00 - 10:47
Varah
7
10:48 - 11:35
Visvadeva
8
11:36 - 12:23
Vidhi
9
12:24 –13:11
Satamukhi
10
 13:12 - 13:59
Puruhuta
11
 14:00 - 14:47
Vahini
12
 14:48 - 15:35
Naktanakara
13
 15:36 - 16:23
Varuna
14
 16:24 - 17:11
Aryama
15
 17:12 - 17:59
Bhaga
16
 18:00 - 18:47
Girisa
17
 18:48 - 19:35
Ajapada
18
 19:36 - 20:23
Ahira Budhnya
19
 20:24 - 21:11
Puna
20
 21:12 - 21:59
Asvini
21
 22:00 - 22:47
Yama
22
22:48 - 23:35
Agni
23
 23:36 - 00:23
Vidhatru
24
 00:24 – 01:11
Kanda
25
 01:12 - 01:59
Aditi
26
 02:00 - 02:47
Jiva
27
02:48 - 03:35
Vishu
28
 03:36 - 04:23
Yumigadyuti
29
 04:24 - 05:11
Brahma
30
05:12 - 05:59
Samudrama


At the end of seven days, King Parikshit obtained Mukthi as he had listened to Srimadh Bagawatham with great devotion. The king neither ate nor slept and spent his waking hours in listening to Srimadh Bagawatham.

Translate

Blog Archive

Search This Blog