Thursday, May 9, 2024
Contents
Introduction
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This skanda dwells on the ashram dharma. It is replete with several important and impressive messages. The history of Priyavrata is helpful for those crossing the sea of life like a boat. Brahma Deva advises Priyavrata that just as fighting the enemy from inside the fort is better, a family way of life is suitable for overcoming lust, rage, hatred and covetousness.
Through marriage it is possible to overcome past memories. It is better to take up sanyasa after several years of married life. While praising married way of life, Bharata's life shows that by renunciation one can go beyond worldly transactions.
Desires are very tricky. Any one strong desire can cause rebirth. Bharata loved a doe and died thinking about it. As a result, he was reborn as a doe. Hence one has to be wary about the kinds of desires one entertains. The apsarasa Poorvachitta was symbolic of the pent up desires.
Priyavrata's Story
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Men don't want sorrow but they don't want to change their attitude towards things that cause sorrow. They sow a pumpkin seed and expect a mango tree. Similarly one stands in the scorching sun and dreams about air conditioning.
Everyone seeks pleasures. But they don't perform the karma that gives a happy fruit. Without sowing the right seed, they want to enjoy fruits.
Bondage is not external. Beauty is within. As long as one is under the delusion of mind, there is no escape from strife. One with disease won't sleep well even on a silk mattress. The beautiful nature isn't there for the blind. When one's mind is in bondage, seeking external pleasures, there is no liberation. The shackles of bondage won't go away that easily.
One can ask"Is renouncing bondage the answer?" True, but the seeds of bondage would still be there. They are there with us and will be there with us. Hence seekers should work hard to not let them grow into mighty trees.
There is no lasting peace in bondage. Nor is there complete happiness. Sorrow and happiness are states of the mind. The memories of the past instigate karma. For as long as the memories linger, one is a problem to oneself, no matter where he is living. One has to train the mind and make it stable. One should be satisfied with what he has.
Only God can rescue one tormented with worldly affairs. One has to have complete faith in the paramatma. One should believe in God's grace. One should not trust the senses. One must stay away from fleeting temptations.
With ardent devotion when one seeks refuge in the Lord, there is no power that can shake it. Devotion is supreme. It frightens the cause of fright and gives sorrow to the cause of sorrow. It takes care of the well being of the devotee. The devotee need not worry about how to overcome an obstacle. When all doors are closed, the door leading to paramatma is always open. If one can obtain the grace of the Lord, then the world will be at his feet.
Like waves in the ocean, life is full of ups and downs. Just as one bathes between the waves of an ocean, one has to pursue a spiritual life within the ups and downs of life. This is what this skanda teaches. It gives peace of mind.
Soota told Sounaka and other rishis gathered in Naimisa: Pareekshit asked the virtuous Suka Brahma"Mahatma, Priyavrata is a noble person. He was always immersed in self. How could he turn into a householder? How did he enjoy it? Isn't it the case that those seeking salvation won't partake in worldly transactions? Those wishing to lay at the feet of the Lord, will have to remain aloof from the transactional world. How could they gain the grace of the Lord?"
"O king, those who imbibe the nectar from the lotus feet of the Lord, can't give up the thoughts of Sri Hari because of their bonds with wife and family. Priyavrata got his initiation from sage Narada and was interested in self-realization. But his father, Manu, wanted him to have a family. But Priyavrata didn't agree to it. He felt a family would interfere with his devotion. To change his mind the four-faced creator, Brahma Deva, arrived" said Suka Brahma.
In a deserted cave, that was far from bustle, Narada was giving a discourse to Priyavrata. Manu arrived there to pick up his son Priyavrata. At that moment, on his swan Brahma Deva arrived. They all praised Brahma Deva.
Brahma Dev said"Son, Priyavrata, jiva is under the control of Eswara and doesn't always have free-will. Just as with reins men steer the horses, with the three gunas paramatma controls jivas".
Jiva performs karma and God gives the fruit. Accepting the auspicious fruit, like the blind following others, jivas follow paramatma. They experience happiness and sorrow based on the fruit paramatma gives them.
A self-realized person, even when performing karma, is not attached to it. Just as a person waking up after a dream recognizes the dream, a self realized person views the happiness and sorrow in life as an illusion. He won't be caught in the birth-death cycle of life.
To one who is self-realized there is no rebirth. He will renounce everything. But one who hasn't realized the self shouldn't give up karma. Even when he goes to a forest, there will be a possibility that he will raise a family.
Unless the lust for family is completely gone, there is nothing one can gain from renouncing the material world and going to a forest. For those free from all kinds of lust, there is no need to go to the forest.
When the desire is strong, one has to live without giving up the world. For as long as one stays in the world, the desires multiply without ever getting nullified. So how can a jiva attain salvation? Since the desires are present, he has to partake in worldly activities. To get rid of them, he has to renounce everything in his mind. This is the secret of karma yoga. And the supremeness of household duties. One with dangerous enemies can't roam freely. For a seeker there are six enemies: the five senses and the mind. They can wreak havoc at any time.
One who destroys his enemies can roam freely anywhere. A soldier shooting arrows from inside the fort finds it easy to destroy the enemy. Similarly one should stay in the household affairs to overcome the enemies: the five senses and the mind. Once he controls them, he will attain the paramatma.
Katha Upanishad said"The state when senses, mind, intellect are firmly in control is the highest one can achieve".
Partaking in the household duties, one has to wisely overcome desires. One who conquered his senses can rest well in his house. But one who is a slave to his senses can't experience joy by taking up sanyasa and moving to a forest. Thus, Brahma Deva advised Priyavrata to take up family way. Priyavrata agreed to it.
Manu abdicated his throne to Priyavrata and took up sanyasa. As per Lord Brahma's command, Priyavrata carried out his royal duties. He married Viswakarma's daughter Barimmati. He ruled the earth with dharma.
Priyavrata had ten sons and a daughter called Urjaswati. She was given in marriage to Sukracharya. They had a daughter called Devayani.
As time passed, once again Priyavrata's mind was with thoughts of renunciation. One day he called his sons, divided his kingdom equally among them, and leaving behind his wife and family, he went to seek self-realization as sage Narada taught him.
After Priyavrata went to forests, his son Agneedhru succeeded him. He ruled with dharma and treated all of his subjects like his children.
Once Agneedhru had a desire to have a child who would please his forefathers. He went to Mount Mandhara and did penance for Brahma Deva. Brahma Deva sent an apsarasa called Poorvachitta to test Agneedhru.
Agneedhru's History
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As Agneedhru was doing penance, Poorvachitta approached him. He opened his eyes and saw her. His mind was perturbed. The cupid took control of his heart.
Agneedhru married Poorvachitta who lusted for him. They had nine children.
The desires in the mind are Poorvachitta. Poorvachitta distracted Agneedhru when he was in penance. When we sit down for meditation, the forms, sounds, experiences from the past haunt us. It means Poorvachitta came to rule the mind and distract it away from meditation.
Past memories are obstacles to progress. One should treat them as enemies and disarm them. The thoughts from the past cause one to perform acts, some of which are sinful. Objects and transactions are external. Mind seeking them creates feelings of pleasure. It will cover-up wisdom and make reality disappear.
Poorvachitta brings up past desires during meditation and entices us. One has to be blind to it. One might have had several desires and experienced some of them. But the lust would not have subsided. Satisfaction was not gained. Why should we witness desires that cause dissatisfaction and sorrow? By meditating on Lord Krishna or Lord Siva Poorvachitta would be discouraged.
Sometimes during pooja the thoughts from the past resurface effortlessly. At such times one has to deal with them firmly."I won't listen to Poorvachitta. Nor will I enjoy it. Is the pleasure gained from reciting Lord's names present in the desires of the past?" Thus, one should ask and Poorvachitta will disappear.
When one wants to silence his mind, Poorvachitta tries to make him talkative. If one can't help, then one should follow her and begin talking. But they should be about the Lord. Singing praises of the Lord will help. Like birds leaving a tree, Poorvachitta will exit from the mind.
The thoughts of pleasure seeking are because of Poorvachitta. Hence the seeker should be awake and avoid the bondage with desires of pleasure seeking. This will pave the way for salvation.
Maho Upanishad said"The thrill seeking is bondage. Renouncing is salvation".
Poorvachitta had nine sons. She eventually left Agneedhru and returned to Brahma Deva's abode. Agneedhru divided his kingdom among his sons. But he couldn't live without Poorvachitta. He couldn't gain satisfaction in comforts.
One can't be satisfied with comforts in life. The finite comforts can't provide infinite bliss. The mind demands more and more thrills. The desires from the past memories haunt the mind. Refraining from them and not following them will make them disappear. On the contrary, if one entertains such thoughts, the karma will be performed accordingly. Newer desires will unfold. The mind thus distracted causes misery.
Agneedhru couldn't overcome the separation from Poorvachitta. He spent all of his time thinking about her. After dying, he was reborn as an apsarasa.
We decide our destination by ourselves. The desires make us act and decide the destiny. Good thoughts will make us walk in a noble path which will lead to a positive outcome. With bad thoughts, one will turn evil and attain hell. Hence one should refrain from thinking about ephemeral things. One has to meditate on that which is permanent. One should not confuse the body for self which is the witness of the intellect and sat-chit-ananda.
Skaanda Purana said"One should give up the delusion of the impermanent body as the self. One should always think of oneself as truthful, knowledgeable and a witness to intellect and mind."
As Agneedhru went to the loka of apsarasas, his sons, Nabhi et al., married the nine daughters of Meru.
Rushabha Deva
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Agneedhru passed away. His son Nabhi, wanting a son with dharma, performed a yagna.
It was said in Veda"Yagna is the knavel for all the worlds whose center is the Jamboo Dweepa".
Nabhi performed the yagna with his wife Meru Devi. As a result they had a son called Rushabha Deva.
All actions done to benefit the world are called yagna. People performing such a yagna will be blessed and conceive a child who will be wise and enlighten the world.
Rushabha means one who is second to none. In reality it is God that has no second. Hence Rushabha is the avatar of the Lord to set the world on the right course. The Rushabha avatar is an embodiment of knowledge.
Nabhi's subjects were elated and he was satisfied that his subjects approved of his son. Nabhi abdicated his throne to Rushabha and went to Badarika forest along with his wife. There he did penance and attained salvation.
Rushabha married Jayanti. They had several sons out of whom Bharata was well known.
Bharata was a virtuous man. His lineage gave rise to Bharata Varsha which was formerly called Jamboo Dweepa.
Rushabha was the embodiment of all good attributes. He didn't discriminate against anyone. He used to feel sorrow when others were sad. He showed by example how to lead the life of a householder. In his rule, his subjects never sought anything from anyone. The king took care of all of their needs.
Rushabha taught the scripture to his sons. Later he bequeathed his kingdom to them.
"A man's body is supreme. After being born as a human, one should not carry out actions that cause sorrow. Free will and pleasure seeking can't be the goal of humans because even birds and animals seek them. With meditation and penance one should purify his heart. This is the single most dharma of a man" said Rushabha.
A man seeking pleasure with his body eventually falls ill. Desires prompt one to carry out karma. This will lead to rebirth. The body suffers and the mind feels sorrow. Hence karma is not to be followed. Only knowledge is worth following.
We don't lead a blind man to an open pit. Similarly we don't tell a man intent on salvation to keep on performing karma.
"Sons, man should shed ignorance. Knowledge alone can do that. Like sun rise drives away darkness, enlightenment will end the ignorance" said Rushabha.
One should always think of the Lord and give up actions provoked by desires; listen to tales about the Lord;by staying away from lust and rage, sing praises of the Lord's gunas; control the senses, mind and intellect; endure dualities; join a group of spiritual minded people and be satisfied in their company; be of firm belief that the body is impermanent. Anyone becoming an obstacle to devotion should be avoided. One should always follow dharma.
"Sons, I never detoured from the path of rectitude. Hence everyone called me Vrushabha" said Rushabha.
Rushabha made his eldest son Bharata as the king and went about his way. He shed royal clothes and ornaments. He left the capital all by himself. After renouncing everything he sought the path of knowledge.
Rushabha roamed around like a madman. He was blind to others, dumb to those seeking him and deaf to people talking to him.
Evil people thinking of him as gone mad, tormented him in multiple ways. In some places he was kicked by people. Some defecated on him. He was spat at. Others threw stones and soil on him. Some abused him. Despite all the suffering, Rushabha Deva never felt sorrow. He moved with a pure conscience.
He was always reveling in the Self. He only ate what others gave in alms and did not crave for food.
Rushabha Deva had shown by example how to renounce. He transcended salvation itself. He never displayed any miracles. He led a life without bondage.
"O king, a hunter won't trust the prey he catches. Because it would run away if he is not careful. Similarly mahatmas, despite controlling their senses and mind, won't trust them. Hence Rushabha Deva didn't perform any miracles and showed enormous strength of the mind" said Suka Brahma to Pareekshit.
Rushabha Deva had arrived in Karnataka. There he was roaming in a bamboo forest. Once by the friction of the bamboo shoots, fire erupted. It soon burnt the entire forest. Rushabha Deva didn't run away. He coddled Agni Deva and perished in the fire. It is not possible to imitate him by anyone.
Suka said"Can any yogi be like Rushabha Deva? They will be going after miracles which Rushabha Deva abhorred. I salute the Rushabha Deva for being one of a kind".
Bharata's Story
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Rushabha's son Bharata became the king. He married Viswarupa's daughter Panchajanani and had five sons. He ruled the land with utmost care towards his subjects. Hence the land that was called"Ajanabha" was renamed as Bharata Desa.
Bharata performed several yagnas and dedicated the fruit to Sri Krishna. Because of this detachment while doing karma, his mind was cleansed. He had immense devotion for Lord Krishna. So he turned his mind inward and remained content.
Bharata used to wear deerskin. His hair was matted. He meditated on the Lord at all times. He abdicated his throne to his sons and renounced all things before moving to Pulaha ashram.
He renounced at a young age when he could still enjoy the comforts of a royal life. His mind was fixated on the Lord.
These days people enjoy pleasures until retirement age. They plan on renouncing after retirement. It is ignorant to think that when all the youthful days are spent on worldly pleasures, asceticism will dawn suddenly in old age. Many people falsely think that as the body withers the desires in the mind will subside.
Those who put off devotion to post-retirement are not guaranteed to live that long. So it is better to start on a spiritual path as early as possible.
All the relationships we establish in life are fleeting and end at the time of death. People ignoring this will be in bondage and far from salvation.
One should start a devotional way of life when the body is still willing. Worldly pleasures and attractions delude the devotees. They adversely affect the intellect, increase selfishness, and will not help in renunciation.
After knowing the truth, one will develop aversion for worldly pleasures. Then the intellect will pursue renunciation. Devotion acquired at an old age is not real. Old people with unfulfilled desires take up devotion.
Students take competitive exams at a young age -- not after they retire. So devotion and renunciation have to be done when one is still young. Success or loss should be determined at that age. The test of spirituality taken at an advanced age has nothing to do with devotion.
Bharata was young, a king, married, wealthy beyond imagination, yet he renounced all of them and went in search of the parameswara. He gave up desires with his wisdom and perseverance.
Everyone has to renounce everything one day. A seeker is one who knows this truth. When we renounce out of ignorance, we feel sorrow. Whereas renouncing with wisdom causes happiness.
Desires and bonds have to be given up one day. So they should not preoccupy the mind. That which stays constant with us is the paramatma. Knowing this truth Bharata sought paramatma. A true sanyasi is one who has utmost aversion to the world.
One day Bharata, after doing ablutions in the river, sat on the river bank in meditation. A pregnant deer came to drink the river water. As it was about to drink, a lion roared nearby. The deer got frightened and ran across the river.
The doe in her womb got delivered as the deer jumped in fright. The deer died upon reaching the other bank. Bharata saw the doe in the river and felt sympathy. He rescued the doe and took it to his ashram.
Bharata deeply loved the doe that had no mother. He thought"Who will give it milk? Who will raise it?" and felt very sad.
Man is under the delusion that he feeds his family all by himself. He forgets by whose kindness he is able to live. He thinks he achieved something all by himself. He forgets who gave him the intellect. He thinks he is the most handsome among all. He forgets who gave him the good attributes.
When we do a pious act, we should be aware that it is possible because of god. Egotism leads to fall. Bharata did the right thing by rescuing the doe, but was wrong to think that he alone could bring it up. Such a thought creates attachment that will cause rebirth.
Bharata gave up his kingdom but not the affection for the doe. A desire starts with a wave and soon spreads like an ocean. To show kindness is good. But to stay attached to something is detrimental.
Bharata was raising the doe in his ashram. He would cuddle with it, play with it, feed it and sleep with it. One can have a dog as a pet. But to bark with it is not the proper conduct. If God decides that one wants to be a dog, then that's what one gets in the next birth.
The love for the doe made Bharata neglect his meditation. He didn't want to leave the doe to the mercy of elements and stopped going to forest to fetch flowers and fruits, thereby neglecting his pooja. He used to jump when the doe jumped. He would sing lullabies as it slept.
It is to be remembered that Bharata's great grandfather Agneedhru gave up penance by falling in love with the apsarasa Poorvachitta. Poorvachitta stands for past memories. The karma in the past resurfaces as Poorvachitta during meditation
In the past Bharata used to take care of his children and look after their well being. That karma created the new bond with the doe. The doe could be the most recent attachment, but the love and affection for beings had been there in all of his earlier life.
Worldly matters are obstacles to meditation. One who faces turmoil, can't sleep well. Like an oil lamp that is put off by wind, the mediation will go awry with past memories.
Bharata would start his pooja and frequently open his eyes to ensure the doe was safe.
The doe was not in the ashram but in Bharata's heart. It doesn't matter who is in the mind as long as it is the Lord. Bharata renounced all materialistic bonds but there still remained his affection for beings.
Bharata used to pray to god for the welfare of all. After acquiring the doe, he would pray just for its well being.
If the doe ran out of view, Bharata would be perturbed like someone who lost his wallet. He would cry until the doe came to view.
If the doe was out of his view, Bharata would think:"Is my doe safe? Did a wolf attack it? The doe has no one but me to care for. I am a wretched being. I left the doe all by itself. God, I hope it didn't die. Will it roam in the grass freely and happily? Am I fortunate enough to watch it return to safety?"
We see this kind of thinking in all households. Parents will be worried, when their children go out of their homes even for a few hours. They will pray for the safe return of their children. Bharata was having similar feelings and sentiments. Hence it was said the householders are auspicious. If desires can be regulated as householders then handling sanyasa will be easier.
Mind is good at projecting what-if scenarios. It imagines and deludes. If the mind is fixated on one thing, then it will go into paranoia. Bharata was paranoid about the doe.
Bharata would cry"When will my doe return and make me happy? When will it make me content by hopping and running hither and thither? When I am in meditation, will it rub its budding horns on my back? Will I be able to play hide-and-seek as usual during pooja?"
Bharata was inviting obstacles to his pooja and meditation because of his love for the doe. It was strange that after taking sanyasa and renouncing everything, Bharata was still in bondage due to the doe.
Suka Brahma told Pareekshit"Thus, Bharata's meditation, penance, recitation of Lord's name and pooja went wayward because of the doe. His mind always thought about the doe and nothing else. Even a great sanyasi like Bharata could not avoid karma. So what more can be said about ordinary humans?"
Where can one go leaving behind the attachments of the world? Wherever he goes a new attachment will emerge. Bharata wasted his time thinking about the doe. But time doesn't stop for anyone. The lord of death doesn't care how busy we are tending to our loved ones.
Like a snake entering a rat hole, the time had arrived for Bharata to die. Everyone must face death. People waste time being unaware of it.
Death can arrive at any time. If all the wakeful moments are spent in constructive activities, death won't be a burden. At the time of death we will remember things we are attached to.
In the throes of death, Bharata was hallucinating about the doe as if it was crying for him. Time has dharma but not kindness. Bharata eventually died. Because of his attachment with the doe, Bharata died like a common man, even though he gave up his kingdom to attain salvation.
Bharata was reborn as he was thinking intensely about the doe when he lay dying. Since he was thinking about the doe he was reborn as a deer.
That deer had the memory of the past life. It remembered all the spots along Gandaki river. It was reminiscing about the places where it rescued the doe and took its care. Bharata, in deer form, recalled how he gave up his kingdom and family to be in the penance for the Lord. Then he realized how much he degraded because of his attachment with the doe. Thus he fell into sorrow.
Bharata, in the form of deer, went to Pulaha ashram. He remained detached from everything around. He took care not to repeat the mistakes of the past lives. He wanted to exhaust the accumulated karma and not create new karma. He realized attachment wouldn't do any good and would cause sorrow.
Bharata, in deer's form, would get up before sunrise and bathe in the Gandaki river. Then it would cry for not being able to lift its arms in salutation to the sun god. When mahatmas arrived at the ashram, it would observe them keenly so that it could overcome the degradation it had in the previous life.
If it felt hungry, it would only eat dry grass. It was worried about accumulating sin by eating the green grass which would be alive. Because of that sin, it was afraid, it might incur the risk of rebirth. People who are afraid of sin will be noble and of clean conscience.
When the people at the ashram sang praises of the Lord, it would feel elated and cry silently. It used to fast once in fortnight along with the ashram people.
Bharata, in the deer form, realized that the time to end its life had arrived. He ran towards the river, took a bath and sat on the river bank in meditation. He died with his mind fixated on the Lord.
Bharata's Birth As A Brahmin
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Bharata was born to a noble brahmin who studied vedas, gave alms to the poor, was free from jealousy, was always humble and devotional.
The brahmin had two wives. The first wife had nine sons who followed their father's footsteps in acquiring the traditional knowledge. Bharata was born to the second wife who also had twin daughters. This was the final birth of Bharata.
Bharata remembered his previous lives. He was aware he was born as a deer. So he decided to lead a life as an inert and dumb person so as not to accrue more karma.
The brahmin used to love Bharata dearly. But Bharata didn't want any more attachments as he resolved not to be born again.
The brahmin performed his thread marriage even though Bharata was protesting. As his father tried to teach him mantras, he would purposely mispronounce them. He would not follow cleanliness in general. The brahmin tried to make him change without success. The brahmin eventually died. Bharata's mother also died.
After the brahmin's demise, Bharata's brothers didn't take good care of him. So he was not well educated. The brothers practised the karma of vedas. Bharata transcended them with knowledge. So they never understood him. People also were insulting Bharata for his looks.
If someone called out his name, Bharata wouldn't respond. He was aware of his short-comings when he took care of the mute doe. If he needed to talk, he would do so with the devotees of the Lord.
Bharata, considered as deaf and dumb, was taken advantage of by others. They would make him run errands and give him food in return.
Bharata didn't wear clean clothes. He was not bothered by cold and hot seasons. He always slept on the ground. Without daily ablutions, his body was unclean. Everyone looked down upon him.
Bharata would think: one should indulge in talk only where necessary; eat food without bothering about its taste; while walking be attentive about the insects that might get trampled upon. In the last birth, bodily senses, mind and intellect were conditioned to attain salvation.
A king called Vrushalapati wanted to sacrifice a human to propitiate Goddess Kali so that he could beget a son. He sent out his soldiers in search of a man. The soldiers found Bharata and brought him to the temple.
The soldiers made Bharata take a bath and gave him new clothes. They decorated him with ornaments. They asked him to bend his neck. They took out a big sword to decapitate him.
Then Kalika Devi emerged from the idol. She grabbed the sword and cut them asunder. She didn't hurt her devotees.
Suka Brahma said:"O King Pareekshit, mahatmas are not perturbed even when in mortal danger. For them it is just an ordinary event";
Meeting Between Bharata and Rahooguna
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One day the King of Sindhu, Rahooguna, was headed to Kapila Maharshi's ashram to obtain knowledge about Brahma. One of the palanquin bearers was missing. The king ordered that they find someone to bear the palanquin. They found Bharata.
Bharata was young and strong. So they dragged him to the palanquin against his will.
Destiny couldn't be avoided by the great king Bharata who once rode on a palanquin. That didn't bother Bharata. Having no attachment to his body, he found no difference between royal or menial duties.
As the palanquin was being carried, the king was inconvenienced by the vibrations because of Bharata. He was stepping carefully, sometimes jumping to avoid crushing an insect under his feet.
The king said"The ride is not comfortable. Be careful"
The frightened bearers said"We are being careful. But this newly recruited bearer is jumping and stopping at times. He is very strange. Because of him your ride is unpleasant".
Rahooguna followed Dharma. But at the moment he was enraged.
The king made fun of Bharata."Brother, you are tired of carrying the palanquin all by yourself. Hope you don't feel sleepy. You are a weakling" said the King.
Bharata carried the palanquin without replying back. Once again the palanquin vibrated. The enraged king said"You scoundrel, you are so arrogant. Are you dead? I am the king. You are disobeying me. I can punish you like the god of death in a minute. Be Careful".
Bharata said"O king, you said I am a weakling. That is true. Being strong or weak is the attribute of the body. As I am not this body, what you say is true"
"You said I am dead while being alive. That too is the truth. The body you are seeing and conversing with, even though still alive, had to die one day. In this world every object that is seen is destined to die", said Bharata.
"You called yourself the king. That is also true. You are not the body made of the five elements. Nor the senses, mind and intellect. You are a witness to all of them. You are the self that is resplendent. Hence you are the king, witness and all pervading"
"O king, you said you will punish me. Even that is alright. Since identifying with your body, you thought I am the same way. There is no need for falsities. The events seen in dream are perceived as false in the wakeful state"
The King was flabbergasted. He got down from the palanquin and fell on the feet of Bharata.
"Mahatma, who are you? You are wearing the ceremonial thread. Are you a brahmin? Or are you a saint? Who are your disciples? Why are you roaming? Did you come to enlighten me? I hope you are not Kapila maharshi for whom I am making this trip" said the king.
"Mahatma, I am not afraid of Indra's weapons. Nor am I afraid of the tridents carried by the Devas. Fire, sun, wind, kubera can't frighten me. But I am subservient to pandits who know about Brahman. When they are hurt, I am perturbed. Please forgive me. You are the avatar of Brahman. Please enlighten me and save me".
"O King Pareekshit, the ruler of Sindhu had keenness of mind making him eligible for the knowledge about Brahman" said Suka Brahma.
When the king chided him the first time Bharata didn't respond. Since the king was talking to his body, he didn't feel it necessary to converse with him.
In the second chiding, Bharata decided to preach to him. He wanted to carry the weight of both the body and mind of the king. With his extra sense Bharata could see king Rahooguna's nobility. He knew the king was headed to the Kapila ashram to receive the knowledge of Brahman. So he wanted to prepare him. An egotistical person is not eligible to receive scriptural knowledge from a guru. Only the humble ones are eligible. He removed the last remaining fault in the king before he met Kapila maharshi. By listening to Bharata the king gained enormous wisdom.
Non Duality
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Bharata was equanimous with praise and censure. Realizing this, the king sought his forgiveness. Rahooguna was a noble king who followed dharma. He was keen to learn scripture. He wanted to take advantage of the opportunity presented to him in the form of Bharata to clear his doubts.
"Mahatma, your words are very cryptic and loaded with great knowledge. I am an ordinary being unable to understand the deeper significance of your words. Please clarify my doubts in lay man's terms" said the King.
"Mahatma, you said you don't have gross and subtle bodies. I am unable to understand it. I am not willing to accept that the body is an illusion. I am under the impression that the body is melded with self. Body has a relationship with the senses. They in turn have ties with the mind. Mind is linked with intellect. And intellect is attached to self. Viewed thus, the body and self are inseparable. Isn't milk in a pot on fire boiling? Isn't rice cooked the same way" asked the King.
Bharata said raw rice turns into cooked rice upon the application of heat. It need not be rice. It could be wheat.
Self doesn't undergo change. It is a witness. Since self is unattached, it has no relationship with the body. The functions of the body are related to the mind and its alterations. Because of the mind, men think their self is the body.
In dreams, we experience several things including happiness and sorrow. We know they are not real. When do we realize it? After we wake up. Whoever has detached himself from the senses, has woken up. He has realized that the world is an illusion.
The world has no meaning unless one perceives it with his mind. As the mind perceives, so is the world. The alterations one sees in the world are in fact the different states of mind. The mind has gunas, attributes, likes, dislikes, sins and the rest. Because of the mind, one is attached with the world and drawn to its pleasures.
Maha Upanishad said"Mind is responsible for everything. Because of the mind there is a world. As the mind retreats, so does the world. Hence it is better to keep it under control".
To revel in pleasures, the mind creates attachments. When the mind is restrained from the worldly pleasures, then it helps us attain salvation.
Rahooguna saluted Bharata and said"The serpent of attachment to body has poisoned my wisdom. Your eminent words have resuscitated me. Mahatma, please make your words palatable to the ignorant one like me".
"O King, the world is seen as the congregation of bodies made of the five basic elements. The five elements make all forms including the palanquin and palanquin bearers. The king of Sindhu riding the palanquin is also made of the same five elements. The self is equated with the body made of the elements. The king is suffering from the disease of identifying his self with the body. This is the illusion of maya" said Bharata.
If the world and bodies are an illusion, then what is real?
Only knowledge is real. It is pure, transcendental, all pervading, resplendent in all. Such a non-dual form is Vasudeva.
Such non-dualistic knowledge is acquired by mingling with yogis.
"O King, in my earlier birth I was a king called Bharata. Because my mind was overpowered by senses I was born as an animal".
"O King, the god's grace is unparalleled and exceptional. Even though I was born as an animal, because of god's grace, my memory of the past lives was intact. As a result, I was afraid of mingling with people creating more karma and sin for myself. By being a loner, pure at heart, I fixated my mind on the Lord's feet" said Bharata.
"O king, by listening to Lord's stories, mingling with Lord's devotees, acquire the sword of knowledge and cross the ocean of life without attachments" said Bharata.
The Jungle of Life
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After talking about self, Bharata went on a discourse about the jungle of life. Those who cross the jungle of life, attain a peaceful world. One without a map can't find the destination.
The attachments in the world are because of pleasure seeking. Those who lost their way enter the jungle of life where they can't get peace of mind.
There are six thieves in the jungle of life. They are the five senses and the mind. They steal the wealth of knowledge from a merchant called intellect when he loses his way in the jungle.
The wild animals in the jungle are the wife and children. They enter the mind and ravage it.
In this jungle there is a garden with creepers and thorns. That is the home. It looks fine and safe from outside. But as soon as you enter it, it is hard to exit. Hence one should not travel alone in the jungle of life. One has to follow his predecessors. And eventually reach Vaikuntha.
Sant Namadev Maharaj sang"Maharshis traversed on a path called Lord Hari's chant which has taken them to the Lord's abode".
In the jungle of life there is no rest or sleep. The mosquitoes of karma constantly bite. For a restless pilgrim a town of Gandharvas will come to sight. It is not real. Yet it looks that way. Similarly in the jungle of life, the body and mind look real when they really aren't.
There is a disembodied ghost in the jungle of life. That is the gold. In Kali yuga, Kali resides in gold. Like a monster it will frighten one and all. There is sorrow in earning and safe keeping it. Does gold provide comfort?
For as long as man is desirous of wealth, he has no peace of mind. It is hard to discern the true friend among those who flock around a rich man. The ones who befriend a pauper are the real friends. Wealth does not translate into nobility. Both immoral people and thieves have wealth.
Like the one traveling in the jungle loses his way after being covered in the eyes by the rising dust, in the jungle of life the gunas stirred by the whirlwinds of lust cover up the eyes. As a result, one doesn't see what needs to be seen and won't hear what needs to be heard.
In the jungle of life there will be bad people like owls that hoot and wild animals making ominous sounds. The bad people speak harshly. No matter how hard one tries to ignore them, it is impossible unless the Lord's names are uttered. Thus, reciting Lord's names will yield good results even in an otherwise harsh jungle of life.
Sant Eknath Maharaj said"A house where the Lord's names are chanted always is as holy as Kasi. Hence recite Lord's names peacefully."
Tyagaraja sang"Is wealth comforting? Or Lord Rama's proximity soothing?"
In the jungle of life one is subject to hunger. He will seek the company of people who don't follow dharma to end his hunger. This results in sins, thus disturbing the peace of mind.
Sometimes when one is thirsty, he will run after mirages. That will result in tiredness but the thirst remains. In the jungle of life the mirages are covetous people who refuse to part with their wealth.
In the real jungle thieves waylay and steal the money. In the jungle of life, everything is stolen by powerful people. Watching them makes one grieve.
In the jungle of life there are huge mountains. One will try to climb them. Without proper shoes he will suffer from thorn pricks. Similarly as one tries to acquire scriptural knowledge without a guru, he will have outstanding doubts that will torment him like thorns.
If one survives after all these, when he tries to rest, a poisonous serpent bites him. Sleep is that serpent. The sleeping man looks like a corpse.
In the jungle, one sees a bee hive and tries to extract the honey but gets bitten by the bees. In the jungle of life, one tries to romance with a woman and gets abused by her relatives.
"O King, you too are walking in the jungle of life. Give up the attitude to punish and choose to love all. Attain bliss by leaving aside the worldly transactions. Overcome the maya by praying to the Lord" said Bharata.
"Mahatma, one can meet noble people like you only on this earth. Hence the human birth is most exalted and pious. The dust from the feet of the virtuous like you is only available on the earth. It has the power to cleanse even a sinner. Here one can attain ardent devotion not possible for even Brahma and Devas. My ignorance was dispelled by your discourse. By being ignorant I made you suffer. Please forgive me" said Rahoogunu and prostrated before Bharata.
Suka Brahma said"King Pareekshit, Bharata's mind was in bliss like an ocean without waves. He took the censure and praise from king Rahooguna equanimously. Rahooguna gave up his attachment to the body".
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