Bhagwat Stories for All - 8th Feb 2006

Summary of Bhagwat Pravachan

Date: 08 Feb 2006
Original Hindi : Pt.Satyavan Mishraji
English Translation: Suresh Kumar Ranga

Today’s pravchan started with Panditji making a prayer to Hariharji Maharaj and thanking all brothers and sisters who had come to the temple.

After the Mangalachar, discussed last week, Sootji went ahead and asked Shaunak Rishi about the Bhagwat. He asked that Shukdevji was such a learned and Brahmagyani (knower of the Brahman). Then why did he still go ahead and tell the Bhagwat to Raja Parkishit. He was already liberated, unlike all of us who are on the path to achieve liberation.

Shaunak Rishi told of an incident. Once in Raja Janak’s court, the two rishis arrived. One was Shukdevji and the other was Naradji. Since both the rishis were learned it became difficult for the ministers to decide whom among the two should be given a higher seat. They asked Raja Janak to decide. Raja Janak thought for a while, he told that both the rishis are very respected and learned. So he told it is very difficult for him to decide. In the mean time the Queen Sunayna, heard of the problem faced by her husband, Raja Janak. She spoke to Raja Janak. She told him not worry and would find out a solution. He told Raja Janak that after the day’s proceedings were over, both Shukdevji and Naradji can come to her chamber and retire for the day there. Raja Janakji told the rishis about the same. The rishis agreed. In the evening they went to the Queen’s chamber. Shukdevji was a Gyan Yogi (knowledge) where as Naradji was a Bhagkti Yogi (Devotion). They sat to meditate in the name of the lord in their own ways. The queen after some time came. She was looking gorgeous. With all ornaments and royal clothings she was looking very beautiful. Naradji on seeing her, moved to one corner of the room. Shukdevji on the other day, remained motion less. For him the queen’s presence or not did not make any difference.

The next day, the queen announce in the darbar of Raja Janak. That she found that Shukdevji was superior to Naradji and deserved a higher seat. The reason being that, Naradji still had the distinction between Male and Female. Shukdevji had risen far higher than the mortal distinction of the male and female. Shukdevji was hence a brahmagyani and the right person to tell the Bhagwat. He went to Raja Parikshit’s place and told the Sri Bhagwat to him.

In a related incident Panditji was telling about an incident when Naradji went to Vyasji and asked him to write about stories of Lord Krishna’s Childhood. Vyasji wanted to know about these stories from Naradji himself. Vyasji asked Naradji, that you are revered sage. What did you do to reach this level of divinity? Naradji said that he remembers about his previous births. In human beings, we normally don’t remember our past lives. Getting birth and dying are two painful incidents, in front of which all other pains seem pale. But Naradji said he remembers all about his previous birth. He further said to Vyasji that he will now tell the story of his previous birth.

In his previous birth, Nardji was born to a poor Brahmin lady. He lost his father when he was young. His mother worked as a maid in a rich man’s house. She had to work long hours every day to make two ends meet. Naradji as a little boy spent his time playing with the people of the village. The owner of the house where Naradji’s mother used to work was a nice man. Once in the village a group of saints had come wandering. The villagers were very happy. They requested the saints to stay in the village in the rainy season. Sages normally don’t travel in the rainy season. The rainy season lasts for 4 months and is called Chatur (Four) Mas (months). The saints agreed. The owner of the house, where Naradji’s mother worked, was a rich man. He went to the sages, bowed with respect, and requested the head monk to take Naradji as his assistant. He told that this boy, is from a very poor family. His mother is very poor and works hard all day. So please let him be at your service. The head monk accepted. Naradji worked very hard, from early in the morning to late in the night he used to server the monks. He used to wake up an hour before the head monk. The head monk was very pleased with him. He used to listen to the talks given by the head monk daily with full interest.

In one of the talks, the chief monk talked of a story of Lord Krishna in his childhood. Lord Krishna had two friends who used to play with him every day. One day Krishna told them that, they should be strong, well built and muscular. The friends told Krishna that, you are lucky. Your father is the king, and so have all the pleasures in the house. You can eat butter, drink milk etc. So no wonder you are so healthy and beautiful. Our parents are very poor. Mother has to work all day, and even after that she does not earn enough to buy us milk. So she buys butter milk and we drink that only. So how do you think we can get strong as you. Lord Krishna felt the words. He thus used to rob butter (makhan chor) from neighbours house and fed the butter to his friends. Lord Krishna was thus called makhan chor, he didn’t mind doing it for his friends. Naradji was very impressed and deeply moved by this story. He also prayed to Krishna and told that see I am also poor, I am also not a King’s son, my mother also does not earn enough, so when will you come and bless me with makhan.

At the end of four months, the monks all decided to leave and continue their journey. So on the last day, they had a big feast. The chief monk asked Naradji if he had his meal. Naradji said, he has his meals after every one has eaten. The chief monk was moved. He asked Naradji to eat from the food that he had just completed.

Panditji says, by having food that is offered to God or holy men and eating the same as Prasad, helps us in getting the blessings as well as their good qualities. That is why in our temple we have the offering of food to the lord and later we all have it.

When the time came to depart, Naradji asked the chief monk, that he be allowed to follow him. The chief monk told him that he is impressed by his desire to lead a spiritual life, but he has to serve his mother first. His mother has nurtured him in his womb for 9 months, so it is his duty to server the mother. Naradji said that, his mother was interested in getting him married, produce kids so that she could live comfortably in the company of her grand children. Naradji said he was not interested to live such a life. He gave some more examples. He said that in the past, when Rani Kaikeyee told Sri Ram to leave for forest for 14 years, and have her son Bharat be made the King. When Bharatji returned from his grandparents and came to know of this, he told his mother that he was so angry that he wanted to strangle her, but because Sri Ram also called her as a mother, he was not doing so. Naradji said that in this incident, Kaikayee did not do what befits a mother. Naradji gave another example that Prahlad, was also caught up in house hold. His father the Raja Hiranyakaship did not like Prahlad praying Lord Vishnu all the time and gave all sorts of problems to son. Where was parental love. In recent time when Meera Bai wanted to become a saint, her parents did not allow her. They got her married forcibly. They wanted her to live a householder life. She wrote to tulsidasji and asked her, What she must do? Tulsidasji said in simple words. Go to the place where you are loved. If you are not loved then don’t stay there. Meerabai left Mewar. Legend tells us that after Meera Bai’s departure, Mewar also lost its glory and independence.

Naradji tried hard, but could not convince the chief monk to take him along. The chief monk told Naradji, that your time to become an ascetic will come. Just wait. Naradji though dejected returned to his house. He stayed and served his mother. One day, in the early morning, when Naradji mother was going out, she accidentally stepped on a snake. The snake bit her and she died. Naradji was left alone in the world. After performing the last rites of his mother he decided that, since he has nobody in the world, it is the right time to become an ascetic. What ever he had as a house and the things in the house, he disposed them, and moved from the village. He wandered from place to place. He reached the banks of river Ganga and began meditating. When he recited 1.3 million times the God’s name, he saw a bright light. The light engulfed him. It brought him inner peace. He knew the existence and the meaning of it. He received the message that if he completes another 1.3 million recitation, lord would appear before him.

Panditji, has told something interesting here. When ever we do chanting, we are normally very conscious of the numbers. For instance if we decide to have fast on 7 Mondays then normally after the first few, we wait for the 7 to finish. We spent more effort in counting and trying to finish the 7 so that we can lead our normal lives. Similarly when we are chanting we are more worried about the numbers rather than the spirit of chanting. In such a context we don’t achieve the desired results. So he advices the advice given to us by Naradji that, let us concentrate on chanting and let God do the counting. When we complete the numbers, HE knows and will come. If we focus on the counting then there is no surprise that we fail to achieve what we want.

So after another 1.3 million recitations, Lord Vishnu appeared ito Naradji and blessed him. He made him his messenger. And told him that you are now blessed, take this instrument and chant my name in all the 7 worlds. Since that day Naradji has been doing the chanting and even today, he is there at all those places where Lords chanting takes place.

Vyasji was very impressed by the Naradji’s narration. He then told Naradji that why don’t you help me complete the bhagwat. Naradji said, no not me. I will request Lord Ganesha to come and help you get through the writing of Bhagwat. Lord Ganesha thus wrote down, all that was recited by Vyasji, and that has become the blessed, divine scripture called Sri Bhagwat.

Hari Om.