Bhagwat Stories for All. 25th Jan 2006

Summary of Bhagwat Pravachan

Date: 25th Jan 2006
Original Hindi : Pt.Satyavan Mishraji
English Translation: Suresh Kumar Ranga

Continuing from last week about the two sons Atmadev had got. Gokarn the one born from cow, the holy and righteous (with ears like a cow-Go) and Dhundhkari. As time passed, GoKarn being the religious, righteous and good man grew in stature. Where as his brother, Dhundhkari, had all the wrong habits. There was a world of difference between the brothers, but never the less they were still close. Dhundhkari died when he reached his age and because of all his misdeeds, became a demon. An evil spirit. Gokarn came to know about this because he was in meditation always. He felt very sad. He decided to do something. So he went to the Lord Brahmaji and asked him. He said that he is very saddened by the fact that his brother is an evil spirit now. He wanted to do something so that he could relieve his brother of this misery. Brahmaji thought for a while and told him to recite the Bhagwat. The Bhagwat is the scripture of the lord that can relieve not only humans of their misery and misdeeds (karma) but also spirits. Gokarn’s hopes raised. He decided to do as he was told.

In the month of Jyeshta (according to the Hindu calendar. It comes roughly in the June-July month of the English calendar), he went to the place Gaya (the one in modern Bihar of India) and decided to have a Bhagwat Saptah (the word Saptah means a week or 7 days, when the entire Bhagwat is completed in a week, that is known as Bhagwat Saptah). Gokarn went to each house in the village (those days Gaya used to be a village, today it is a large city) and told the village folk that, he was organizing the Bhagwat Saptah. They were all invited to come and listen to the same. So the entire village turned up for the Saptah.

Before we do any activitiy (religious prayers etc) we need to do a Sankalp (or promise or the objective why we are doing this). Gokarnji also made a Sankalp that he wanted his brother to be liberated from evil form. Gokarnji brought one large bamboo stick that had seven knots on it. He began the Bhagwat Saptah. Dhundhkari (his brother in evil spirit form), came to listen the Bhagwat as well. He sat on the top knot of the bamboo stick. The Bhagwat was recited in a very easy and clear form. All the listeners were getting interested to know about it. Something strange was happening at the end of each day. The Bamboo stick was getting sliced into half, day by day. At the end of each day, the length till one knot used to get sliced off. At the end of the 7th day the entire bamboo stick sliced to two pieces.

From inside came a well dressed Brahmin. Once he came out he recited the prayer to the lord. Gokarn was very surprised. He asked the Brahmin who he was. The Brahmin said, brother I am Dhundhkari, your brother. I had been listening to your Bhagwat all these days and surprisingly on the last day, I shed by evil form, through some miracle. I then took up this Brahmin form. I thank you and thank the lord for having mercy on me. Gokarn also noticed that some devtas had come there from Lord Vishnu. Gokarn was surprised to see them there. He asked them, how they had come there. The devtas said that, they were specially sent there by the Lord Vishnu Himself. He told them to go to the place where Gokarn was having his Bhagwat Saptah. To bring Dhundhkari to him once the saptah was over. The Lord was very impressed by the dedication of Dhundhkari.
Gokarn asked the devtas, that was so special that was done by Dhundhkari, although everyone from the village was also listening to the Bhagwat. The devtas replied that, Dhundhkari listened to the entire Scripture told in the day. In the night he contemplated on the stories that were told. The remaining time he spent meditating on the lord and thanking him for such a wonderful opportunity. In this way he spent all his days and no wonder that the lord was so happy with him. Gokarn was very happy that the sankalp that he took before starting of the Bhagwat had got fulfilled as well.

He then turned towards the villagers assembled there. He told them that had you all also listened with the same intend you all would have achieved the same result. The people in the Village told that, Dhundhkari was a spirit. So he did not have any worldly work. But we are all here with our family. We have our children, parents, spouses to take care. We are so busy with our day to day work that there is very little time for us to focus on meditating on the Bhagwat. But nevertheless they told Gokarnji that they were also interested in Moksha.

Gokarnji knew from his vision that his parents had passed to the next world. His father and mother were living on the banks of Ganga in their Old Age. He felt very sad on their demise, but wanted to do something so that they can also get liberated of their karmas.

Our shastras say that if there is a holy person in our family he can liberate seven generations of ours. If any of our seven generation are in lower planes they can be transferred to higher planes. At the same time if there is an un-holy person in our family. He can downgrade seven generations to lower planes. That is the importance of our human birth. We can stay good and liberate not only ourselves but also our ancestors who for any reason are lying in lower planes. Gokarnji here is a good example of a holy son. He helped not only himself but all his ancestors as well.

So in the coming months of Shravan (the rainy season), Gokarn again organized another Bhagwat Saptah. This time he took the sankalp of liberating his parents. He also called the entire village again. He told them that this time they have to have full attention and intend while listening to the Bhagwat. In this way Gokarn, did a great service to mankind. All this happened because of greatness of Bhagwat. All those who listen to Bhagwat will all interest, contemplate on the message within and meditate the lord for liberation, can with no doubt achieve liberation within this lifetime itself.

One nice incident was narrated by Panditji. He was telling about the time when Lord Krishna, killed Kamsa (his evil uncle) and reinstated Ugrasen (Kamsa’s father) as the King. After Kamsa’s defeat and death, his friend Jarasandh was very angry. He thought of teaching Krishna a lesson. So he attacked Lord Krishna’s armies. 16 times the Lord fought and pushed him back. Jarasandh had a boon. And the Lord knew about it. Jarasandh used to go back wait for a couple of months, reassemble his armies and come back and attack the lord.
In the Seventeenth attempt, the lord decided other wise. Once he saw Jarasandh coming, he turned his back and started to act as if he was running away from the war. Jarasandh thought the lord was running away. He kept on shouting, Oh Krishna, don’t be a coward, face and fight me. (In our current day we have a name of Lord Krishna has Ranchoddasji which when literally translated means one who leaves the battlefield and flees). So Lord Krishna on the front and Jarasandh behind. When the lord reached a hill, he saw one king by name Mirkit sleeping there. The lord quickly took out his battle gown (the overcoat with bright golden colors also called Pitambar). He put it on the sleeping king. When Jarasandh reached a while later he thought Krishna got scared and was hiding. He shouted saying, come out you coward and gave a kick. The king woke up and as he opened his eyes Jarasandh was burnt to ashes. The Lord has his own ways.
The story of this king, is thus. He used to have a kingdom on earth and was a powerful king. In one of the wars between the devas and asuras, the king was called. He went to fight for the devas and managed to defeat the asuras. The devas were very happy and asked him to spent time in devlok. The king wanted to return back. The devas told him, why don’t you ask for a boon. The king said, I am going down to earth, and want to sleep. If any one wakes me up, and I see the person he should be destroyed to ashes. So he selected a place in the hills and decided to rest there. Lord Krishna the creator knew about this and brought the end of Jarasandh in this way.

Thus ended towards pravachan. Panditji thanked all the people who had assembled there to listen to the pravachan (talk). He said from the next week he would start with the Chapter 1.

Bhagwat Stories for All. 18th Jan 2006

Summary of Bhagwat Pravachan

Date: 18th Jan 2006
Original Hindi : Pt.Satyavan Mishraji
English Translation: Suresh Kumar Ranga

Panditji started by telling the story of a Brahmin called Atmadev who lived on the banks of the river Tungabhadra.

Explanation on Atmadev and Tungabhadra.
Atma is Soul and Dev is body. Atmadev is here referring to all of us. All of us are Atmadev. So through this story we are learning something about ourselves. Tungabhadra is a river in Southern India. The word tunga means high and bhadra means serving.

Atmadev had all material comforts. He had large amount of wealth, good food, large house etc. Physically he was living a good life. He was already 50 years. He was worried of only one thing. He had no children, particularly son. He was very much worried of this fact. So one day he decided to end his life by drowning in a pond. He made up his mind and started to go towards the pond. On the banks of the pond he met a Mahatma (Monk). The Monk was coming back after collecting alms.

Collecting Alms.
In Ancient India, Monks used to wander for alms. They used to collect alms before 12 noon. They used to ask for alms only from 5 houses. Once they collected the alms they would go to the pond. Wash all the vegetables of all spices. All Chapathis used to be washed of to remove any taste. This way they used to offer all the taste to God and used to eat food to sustain their body only. This food was called as Madhukari.

The discussion went further in this way.

Mahatma. What is your name and why do you look so down?
Atmadev. My name is Atmadev. I have come here to end my life.
Mahatma. I have some food with me, so why don’t you eat some. You can then tell me your story.
Atmadev. I have enough food in my house, In fact the problem is I don’t have anyone to eat the food. I have a large house but no one to live.
Mahatma. So your problem is you don’t have a son?
Atmadev. Yes, Mahatmaji, you have told correctly, I don’t have a son. And scriptures say that without a son, who will do my Pinda-dan (offerings to our ancestors who have passed).

Explanation of Pindadan and its significance as mentioned in our scriptures.
In our times when we live in this world, we develop lots of desires. When we die, we are sometimes still worried about our spouse, children, business, work, property etc etc. So even after we die our desires remain un fulfilled. During Pindadaan the son offers these though symbolically to the soul so that it can remove the desires. The Pindadaan does not help in any way to achieve salvation. Hence what ever good deeds we want to do it has to done while we are alive. Nothing can be done once we die.


Mahatma. Very good, you are so blessed that you don’t have a son. See if you had one you would be thinking of the welfare of the son all the time. You would worry of his education, health, marriage etc. God has blessed you by having no son, this way you can concentrate on your self and meditate to realize your higher self.
Atmadev. Mahatmaji, you are making light of my problems. I am really very down. If I don’t have a son, who will light the lamp on my body when I pass.
Mahatma. See Atmadev, you are getting worried unnecessarily. First of all why don’t you offer pindadan your self to your self to the God. Then you need not worry about who will offer it later. In Kaliyug getting a son who is going to be faithful is very difficult. So don’t worry about the lighting of the lamp.

Panditji narrated a real experience he had when a lady came crying to our Sh.Maharajji. Once in Mathura when Panditji was with Maharajji, a lady came and fell to feet of Maharajji. She was crying. Maharajji asked her what was the matter. She said she has no son. So she is destined to go to Narak or hell. Maharajji smiled and told her, in that case, you will find me there too. I have not married and hence have no son. He said there are hundreds of thousands of couples who don’t have sons and they too will be there with us. So when we meet there we will recite the 12th chapter of Geeta and achieve salvation. All doubts of the women cleared. She returned back cheerful thanking Maharajji.

Atmadev. See Mahatmaji, I agree to what you say. But still I long for a son, so can you do something for me atleast. With your blessings I am sure I can get a son.

Mahatmaji was overwhelmed with the request. And as all Mahatma’s who are so kind in heart, he gave a fruit to Atmadev and told him to give it to his wife. He said after his wife has the fruit, they should live a Sattvic (Righteous) life. That way the kid born will be a righteous and good child.

Atmadev, went back home and gave the fruit to his wife. But he did not insist her to eat it then and there. The wife’s name was Dhundli. Atma’s wife is called Buddhi or Intellect. The wife was in two minds, as what Intellect is. One part says, yes then the other part says no, bringing the dual confusion (Dwand) in our life.

Example. When we come to the Satsang, one part of our mind will tell us, there are so many important things to be done, so let us finish all that, satsang can wait. The other part says, that work in the world will never finish. Something will keep cropping up, we have got this good chance to listen to bhagwat so let us go and listen it. This duality is called as dwand.

Dhundli thinks that, after she eats the fruit, she will get pregnant and has to carry the baby for 9 months. All the pain and problems. Now she was so happy, there was no need to worry. So she decided she did not want to eat the fruit. She had a sister. She told the same to her sister also. The sister is our Mind. So we have Soul (Atma) whose wife is Intellect (Buddhi) and whose sister is Mind (Mun). The sister supported the argument of Dhundli. She said that she was any way pregnant and could understand what her sister was telling. So the sisters decided that, when dhundlli’s sister gives birth to a child, dhundhli will tell her husband that it is her child.

An advice to pregnant women. Normally when women are pregnant the type of thoughts they have make the child’s character. When Draupadi was pregnant, Arjun revealed the Charkravyuh knowledge and Abhimanyu in Draupadi’s womb could understand everything. If our women folk also lead Sattvic lives during their pregnancy, we can have brilliant and realized souls.

Dhundli gives the fruit to the cow to eat. At the end of period, dhundhli tells her husband that she has given birth to a child. The child was actually a couple of weeks old. Atmadev got surprised. He told his wife I never say symptoms of pregnancy in you and this child looks a couple of weeks old. The wife told that, this is the Mahatmaji’s fruit’s wonder. At the same time, the cow gave birth to a calf. Because of the Mahatma’s fruit, there had to be a result. The calf was actually not a usual calf. He was born as a child but with ears of a cow. In no time Atmadev understood what had happened. He was anyway happy that instead of one son he got two sons now. He called the son from the cow as Go-Karn.

There was one more instance mentioned here. After the Mahabharata the victorious Pandavas went to meet Dhratrashtra and Gandhari. Dhratrashtra had lost all his sons in the war. He had no sosn left or he had no more generation to look after. He was very angry. He said that he was very angry and wanted to meet Bheem. Lord Krishna told that when people are very angry, they should be either let to cry or let what they want even for a small time. This would reduce the anger. So he ordered that an Iron Image of Bheem be made. He then gave that statue to Dhratrashtra. The old king was still so strong that he caught the statue with all his anger till he managed to crush it. Next Gandhari said, that he has no complaints against the Pandavas but was very angry with Sri Krishna. She summoned Sri Krishna. She gave a curse to him saying that just like in front of my very eyes my entire generation has got finished, I curse that you also loose your entire generation in front of your eyes. Sri Krishna said smilingly, Ok, Bua (Auntie) if you say that then it will be like that.

Closing the day’s talk Panditji mentioned that it took 7 days non stop, for all the Bhagwat to be told to Raja Parikshit by Shukdevji. But since we are meeting once a week for one hour, it will take us almost 2 years to complete the entire Bhagwat. He thanked all those who had come and wished that they come continuously.

Bhagwat Stories for All. 11th Jan 2006

Summary of Bhagwat Pravachan

Date: 11th Jan 2006
Original Hindi : Pt.Satyavan Mishraji
English Translation: Suresh Kumar Ranga

In today’s pravchan Panditji told us about how the Bhagwat was told by Sootji a philosopher and saint to other Saints at the place called Naimisharanya. The Saints once assembled and went to asked Brahmaji that we would like to do a Yagna. So they
asked which place would be the best to do it. Brahmaji asked them to go to a place called Naimisharanya.

Naimisharanya. In modern India this place is located 90 Kms from Lucknow, the capital of UttarPradesh state. The place is very famous for its unique place in Indian Spirituality. It was in the forests of Naimisharanya that Mahabharata was written by Sri Ved Vyasji.

So 60 thousand of saints got assembled in Naimisharanya. They thought that what should they do to relieve the human kind of misery and direct their concentration towards the lord. In kaliyuga it was very difficult to meditate as the mind was wavering always. Everything would be for sale in this yuga. It would also be very difficult for people to become saints and renounce the world. So the Saints thought why not we do something that can be of help. While they were thinking. Sootji a very famous saint and philosopher was passing that area. He spoke to the saints and asked them their reason to be there. The saints told their purpose of assembling and the question they were pondering on. Soothji was very impressed and told them that, their thoughts were very superior. He told them that Sri Bhagwat was a scripture that if people in Kaliyug either read or even just listen to it, will guarantee them salvation. At that time Sage Naradji came. Naradji is cheerful always. But on that particular occasion he was not. So Sootji asked Naradji what was the matter. Naradji said he was coming from Vrindavan where he saw a strange sight. He saw a woman with two old persons with her. The two were lying motionless as if were on the death bed. The lady was very worried. Naradji asked the lady what was all this? The lady said, she was born in dravid region (south India). When she grew up she moved to Karnatak Pradesh (the current Karnataka). From there she moved to Gujarat. The two old men were her son. She said her name was Bhakti (devotion). The two sons she had were Gyan (Knowledge) and Vairagya (Renunciation). The two were old as soon as they were born. When she reached Vrindavan, (which is a place full of bhakti and devotion), she became young, but the sons remains still old.

Panditji says, so is the situation of society today. In this Kaliyuga Knowledge and Renunciation are not the priorities of humans any more. Hence when we are born these two have become already old. Where as Bhakti becomes young when we go for satsangs.

Naradji then told the Vedas to the two sons of Bhakti. They got some energy stood and within no time fell down again. Naradji narrated the Bhagwat geeta to them. Same thing happened. For a few moments they had energy and then they fell down. This made Naradji very sad. So he had come to meet Sootji. Sootji told to Naradji, please proceed to Vrindavan and bring Bhakti with her children. Once they listen to Bhagwat they will regain their youth.

This way Panditji said that in the Kaliyuga or the present times, the Bhagwat is a very powerful scripture that can guide us towards salvation. We can either read it and if we are not able to do that, then we atleast listen to the message. He said he is very happy that all the people who have come to listen to Bhagwat have made a good decision. To bring back our knowledge and renunciation, Bhagwat is an easy path.

Continuing on the Bhagwat Panditji said that in the hindu scriptures there are 7 rivers that are considered to be very holy. The seven are Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Godavri, Narmada and Indus. Of all the Narmada river is considered to be the most holy. It flows from the central India to the Arabian Sea. People like to do a parikrama or walk along the entire perimeter of the river, along its banks. Bheeshma, Karna, Ashwatdhama etc are still there in their divine forms. The people along the banks are helpful to the people who take such spiritual journeys. There was another story also came up.

Vyasji was blessed with a son, Shukdevji. When Shukdevji completed his formal education, Vyasji decided that it was time to get him married. Shukdevji, when asked, said that he is not destined to marry and wanted to be an ascetic. So one day Shukdevji left the house. Vyasji followed to convince and bring back his son. The son did not want to return. While the father and son were crossing a pond a strange thing happened. Some village women were bathing in the pond. On seeing Shukdevji passing they did not do anything, and continued to bathe. But when Vyasji followed they quickly ran and dressed up. Vyasji surprisingly asked the women, as Why did they cover themselves when they saw him, where as did not do the same when his son, Shukdevji passed the same way. The ladies said that, your son Shukdevji is has a divine presence in him. He is beyond the man, woman relationships. He is too much engrossed in God. Hence there was no need for covering up. Where as you (Vyasji) are still lost in relationships of father and son, man and woman. Hence you are very much human. We there fore covered ourselves. Vyasji continued in search of his son and finally found him. Vyasji insisted his son to return home again.

Shukdevji said to his father, that Oh learned one, you are still caught up in the relationships in this world. Hence you are seeing me as your son. But I have grown over all these relationships. I no more see you as my father or myself as your son. Hence you please return home. Vyasji did not relent. Shukdevji then told his father. Let us do this. I sit and meditate on this side of the river and you meditate on the other side. Forget that you are my son and I am your father and meditate. And then you decide whether you want me to come with you or not. Vyasji followed his son’s instructions. He meditated and found that, his son was already a realized soul. So how does one become religious?

There was one more incident that Panditji mentioned during his Bhagwat discourse. He said that when Shukdevji was narrating the Bhagwat to Raja Parikshit, the devas came down. They offered Raja Parikshit an option, that he could take the Pot full of nectar and let them listen to the Bhagwat. Shukdevji told to Raja Parikshit. The pot of Nectar can make your immortal. Immortal means that it can give you a longer life than other people. Those who come to this world have to return back sooner or later. With the nectar you can delay your death. But this knowledge of Bhagwat can take your off from the cycle of birth and death. Raja Parikshit said he does not want the nectar but prefer the Knowledge of Bhagwat. Thus this Bhagwat is more than a scripture. It has a relevant message for all of us. Just by listening to it, we can free ourselves from the cycle of birth and death.