Bhagwat Stories for All 22nd March 2006

Summary of Bhagwat Pravachan

Date: 22 March 2006
Original Hindi : Pt.Satyavan Mishraji
English Translation: Suresh Kumar Ranga

Today’s class was a continuation of the previous class. Incidentally this class all understood hindi, hence there was no translation online.

Raja Parikshit had asked Shukdevji two questions. The first one, what should ordinary people do before dying so that they can be liberated. In the last class we had seen that what are the signs that God gives us when death is approaching. The signs start from one year till 7 days. For those of us who can see those signs we should start preparing. Raja Pariskshit thus asked Shukdevji that when we know that death is impending, what are the preparations that we should do.

To reply to this, Shukdevji said that one should renounce the following.
a. Asakti or attachment for the house
b. Asakti or attachment for the family.

Starting with the attachment for the house. We all work hard our life so that we can have a house. Panditji says that it is better that we leave the house than the house leave us. What do we mean by the term we leave the house. In our ancient times as well as in current times, it is believed that we should not die under a roof. So even today in India, when a person is nearing his death. He/She is quickly moved from the house, to a place outside the house. Thus the when the person approaches death even the house disowns the person. So before this stage arrives, a person should leave the house. And move over to other place. What are the other places that a person can move. Various Ashrams in India have made places for people to stay. Even Geeta Ashram in Delhi as well as Geeta Dham has place for people to stay. So slowly the attachment for the house has to be left.
The attachment has to be broken gradually. It cannot happen overnight. Panditji told that we need to change our mindset. We have to change the way we think. For eg when we stay in a rest house, we are not bothered of the cracks in the wall, or the ceiling or floor, or some paint that has gone off from the walls, or the windows etc. This is because we don’t have the attachment. We know that we are going to stay for the night and then leave the next or the following day. If we can build the same type of mindset with our own homes then the attachment does not get built.
Also once man/women complete their responsibilities it is high time that they pass over the responsibilities to their children and spend their time in chanting the name of God.
The second detachment that we need to build is the detachment towards the family. We should not forgo our responsibilities towards the family. But at the same time it should be done with detachment in mind.
In olden days the life cycle would be spent in the following way.
0-25 years – in the process of getting education as well as some skill
25-50 years – getting married and raising a family.
50-75 years – this time was used to reduce the attachment towards the family, gradually.
75-100 years – leave the house and proceed to some ashram.

Shukdevji told Raja Pariskshit that once you build this detachment or Asakthi, the next stage would be to meditate. Raja Parikshit asked Shukdevji to tell him more about meditation. How is it done and what are the steps to be following? Shukdevji told the way in which meditation has to be done. He told that you can either meditate with your head or the heart. The mind is made of two types.

To simplify and explain about this, Panditji said all assembled in the ashram, are listening to Bhagwat. Their mind is listening to the class. At the same time another part of the mind (the gross part) is wandering here and there. It normally goes to the person whom we love the most. It does not want to come back. In meditation we don’t want any such distractions. We want the mind to be within ourselves and not wander here and there. We want the mind to be focused towards God. To do this Shukdevji told the Raja that there are two things that needs to be done.
a. Purity of the body
b. One pointed focus towards the Lord.

Purity of the body is a very essential part. To keep the body pure it is not only necessary to bath, but also to keep it away from all germs. In olden days (and even today some people follow this), people used to keep head covered while going to the wash room. They used to wash their hands and feet after, and gargle atleast 5 times. The new generation has very little time even to keep themselves clean. God lives in a clean body. So we should keep ourselves, as well our places of prayer and worship clean.

To have a one pointed focus we have to redirect our attention. Panditji says that attachment that we build is between to living beings and not two bodies. This is a deep concept. When we say we are attached to some one, we achieve some satisfaction from the relation ship. The attachment is not to the body. Even a wife who loves her husband so much, if is sitting next to his body, will not want to hug it any more after a few hours have passed. She would still love and remember him, but would be scared to go anywhere near the body. So the attachment is surely not to ones body. On thinking further on the same line, we realize that we are being created by God. So we when two souls of the lord get attachment it generated happiness. If two souls that are two images can generate so much happiness, then how much happiness will be there when we develop our attachment to the lord directly.

Also when we think of some one, or we love some one we become like that person. There is a story from the Ramayana that has a special mention. When Sitaji was in the Ashok Vatika, under King Ravana, she was given lot of trouble from the servants of Ravana. The head of the ladies that took care of sita was one Trijata. Though in front of Ravan she behaved as if she was scaring Sita Mata, but in reality she loved her. So she asked Sita mata, that how much does she remember her husband Lord Rama. Sitaji said that she remembered him a lot. She said when she kept thinking of Lord Rama, she forgot her own existence and she herself was becoming like him. This feeling was scaring her. Trijata asked her, why was she so scared. On this Sita Mata replied that, if she also became Ram then who will press Rama’s feet when he falls asleep in the night. At this Trijata told, mata, even Lord Rama remembers you so much. So if you become Rama then he would become Sita because he is also thinking of you always.

Thus what we think we become like them. Hence we should always direct our concentration and attention towards the Lord. Then we can become like him. The second thing is we should keep chanting the name of the lord non stop. If we do this every day then a time will come when what ever we are doing the lord’s name is always on our lips. At the time of our death this name continues to be on our lips, as it becomes natural for us. Since we remember the Lord at the time of death we are with the lord later.

Shukdevji continued telling Raja Parikshit that contolling breathing is one good way to steady the mind from wandering. There was a practical demo by Panditji on how to do this.

Thus ended today’s class.

Bhagwat Stories for All 15th March 2006

Due to Holi there was no Class. Holi is also the birthday
of our beloved Swami Hari Harji Maharaj.
Please proceed to http://sriguruji.blogspot.com to read
more about Guru Maharajji.

Bhagwat Stories for All 8th March 2006

In Progress

Bhagwat Stories For All - 1st March 2006

Summary of Bhagwat Pravachan

Date: 01 March 2006
Original Hindi : Pt.Satyavan Mishraji
English Translation: Suresh Kumar Ranga

Today’s class focused on Raja Parikshit. Raja Parikshit was a chakravarti samrat, or an Emperor. He was kind and ruled his masses with benevolence and justice. He was fair, forward looking and honest. Once while going through his kingdom, he was a very old and malnourished cow and an ox with just one feet. The sight made Raja very sad. He was thinking that in my Kingdom it is very sad to see this situation of cow. The Cow is considered to be very holy. She takes in very little (eats little) but gives milk that is healthy. The cow’s milk contains less fats, more vitamins and is a complete food for children. Compare this with Buffalo’s milk. The milk if fattening and thick and no so suitable for growing kids. Cow dung is an importance source of manure. It is used in Villages still. The cow is thus a very useful animal and is considered holy.

In olden days the kings used to take care of every one in their kingdom. Particularly cow and the learned people. The Brahmins were the learned people. A Brahmin is one who gives knowledge and guidance to the society without expecting anything in return. They use their knowledge and expertise for the benefit to the people in the society.


Raja Parikshit was very hurt that in his kingdom there was this one legged ox and a weak and malnourished cow. Ox is the vehicle for Lord Shiva. The Ox has special significance in our mythology. It is quoted that in Rig Veda, when someone asked the Rishis that how did Brahma look like. The rishis knew it was very difficult to explain and describe for the ordinary folk to understand. So the rishis told that Brahma had four properties, more like the four legs of the Ox. The four legs denoted Truth (Satya), Purity (Pavitrata), Penance (Tap) and Charity & Benevolence (Dana). In the various eras of the humankind, one by on the legs have been lost.

In Satyug, the first era, all the four legs were intact. In the Dwapur yug or the second era, Satys or Truthfullness leg dropped. The dharma was on three legs. In the Treta yug, the next leg, Pavitrata or Purity dropped. Dharma was on two legs now, the Penance and Charity. In the next or current yuga the Kaliyuga the third leg of Penance or Tap has also dropped. Dharma is on one leg, that is the Charity or Dana.

So the Raja questioned the Ox that why are you on one leg and what has happened to your remaining three legs. The Ox told about the dharma and its relevance. Raja was in thought now. The Ox said that he did not want to blame for his loss of legs on any body.

Normally we blame our success or failure on one or more of the following three reasons.
a. Kaal or Timing. Time waits for no man. It also does not let humans stay at the same place for long. We are all in kaal chakra or the wheel of time. So we use time as a good excuse. If we achieve success and fame and wealth, we say we are having a good time. If we fail, lose or are down, we say we are having a bad time. So time becomes a punching bag for our excuses.
b. Karma or Fate. The second common excuse is we can blame our karma or our fate. We can say that we are successful because it is my karma. We are successful or a failure because it is our fate or karma.
c. Personality or Nature (Prakriti). We can attribute to our personality also our failures and success. For eg people say that, they don’t lose anger, because it is their nature.

The Ox did not want to blame as he was knowledgeable. Raja Pariskshit knew at that instance that this is not an ordinary Ox. With his knowledge he knew that, the Ox was actually Kali. Kali is the Kaliyuga. The Kaliyuga was approaching and these were the signs. Raja Parikshit was intelligent. He thought that, if Kaliyuga comes, what will happen to my subjects. They will degrade further. So he decided to kill the ox. He took out his bow and before he could shoot, Kali came in his normal form, and bowed to Raja Parikshit. He told that the Raja, about himself and fell at his feet. He told that I am in your security. You can either pardon me or you can shoot me. But good manners, means anyone who has taken refuge with you should be treated kindly. Raja Parikshit, thought for awhile and then put back the arrow. He told Kali, that I will do no harm. But beware, you must not stay in the borders of my kingdom. At this point, Kali said, you are Chakravarti Samrat, and your kingdom extents to all the are where there is sun light. So where do you want me to go. Raja Parikshit had no other choice but to let, Kali stay in his kingdom. But we added some conditions. He said you live in the following four places. Gambling dens, Prostitutes and Characterless women, Places where money is made through cheating, Places where there is adharma. Kali thought for a while, he was wise, so he told the Raja, that can he not get at least one good place to stay. The Raja finally agreed and said, ok you can stay in Gold.
In a lighter moment, Panditji says women love gold, and so indirectly love kaliyuga. Women should reduce the love for gold.

So Kaliyuga finally managed to enter the kingdom of Raja Parikshit. Now the kingdom stayed on one leg (the charity or dana leg). During those days, Raja Parikshit thought of looking at some of cases that were left by his ancestors. While going through one of the case he saw a golden crown. It was beautiful. It was made of Gold. Raja liked it so much (he too was in kaliyuga), and he put it on his head. In other words, Kaliyuga entered his head as well.

The crown belonged to Raja Jarasandh. In the Mahabharat war, Bheema had killed Raja Jarasandh. After killing him when he returned with his crown, Yudheesthar, his elder brother told him not to keep the crown. He told Jarasandh was a wicked king. By using his crown you get all his qualities. Bheema left the crown in a case. The same crown was now worn by Raja Parikshit.

Raja Parikshit decided to go for hunting. After hours of hunting he was very tired and thirsty. He saw a Rishi Ashram and decided to go in. Inside was a Rishi deep in Samadhi. Raja Parikshit because of effect of Kaliyuga, mocked the rishi. He thought this rishi, does not have the courtesy to welcome the king. He doubted whether the rishi was acting or was in meditation. He saw a snake nearby. He killed the snake, lifted the lifeless body of the snake with an arrow, and put it as a garland around the saints head. He left to his palace. In the mean time, the Saint’s son returned and saw the dead snake around his father’s head. He got very angry, he took some holy water in his hand, and cursed that whosoever has done this to my father, will die in the next 7 day. The giant Takshak Snake with bite him, after becoming a garland around his neck.

When the Rishi came out of his medidation, after knowing what has happened, he was angry on his son. He told his son that you have cursed the king. The son did not know this. The rishi had known the king as a knowledgeable and kind man, who had great respect for learned people. He instructed his son to go the King and tell him about the curse. He told that tell the king, you have 7 more days to live. So prepare for what ever you decide.

The Raja when he came back to his palace, took out his crown. Immediately he realized his mistake. He felt very bad. He thought, where did my wisdom go? He wanted to repent to the rishi. He was about to leave, when the rishi’s son came and told the king, that he had cursed him. The king told the son, I am very happy. I am surprised that I have got 7 days to live. With the kind of act I have done, I should not be given even an hour to live.

The king then left his palace, his wives, servants, he wore a normal dress, took a mat and left for River Ganges. One of the servants followed him with a golden chair. When the Raja reached the banks of river Ganges, he took a dip, and prayed to Gangaji. He told the sin he had committed and the repentance he was feeling. After that he came out and prayed to Lord Krishna. He begged for mercy to the Lord. He prayed the lord, asking that you have taken care of my birth and life so far, now take care of my death as well. Lord Krishna was very happy.

In the mean time, various rishis, Sage Agastya, Sage Vyasji all came there. They asked the Raja why he had abandoned his kingdom. The Raja told then the reason. The servant left the chair near the Raja and left. Then there was a very bright light. It was like Sun had descended to the earth. When the light came nearer the Rishis were pleasantly surprised to see, Sage Shukracharyaji there. Many of them only heard about him, they were seeing him for the first time. Shukracharyaji was wearning nothing, his concentration was always on the tip of his nose. As we came all the rishis bowed in respect. He came near to the Raja and sat on the golden chair. Lord Krishna had decided to help the Raja through Shukracharyaji. Shukracharyaji laid his hands on the kings head and in an instant the king was merged with the infinite. He had visions of Lord Krishna.

Panditji says that, Gurus can either give us a guru mantra (that we recite and reach salvation) or can touch us (sparsh). The touch can get us instant salvation and all our karma will get burnt. Ramakrishna Paramhansa was one such sage. When he used to touch any body they used to be in Samadhi for over 2 hours.

The king told to Shukracharyaji, O’ larned sage I am no more afraid of dying. Your blessing has given me the courage. I have only 7 days to live. I want to know from you, what should people do in this kaliyuga so that they can travel the path of salvation. Secondly how can old people who are nearing death overcome the fear of dying.

To be continued in the next class on 8th March 2006