Great Bhaktas:
Bhakta Prahlaad
“O putra! Do you have any lesser Aishvaryam? Santrupti is what gives aanandam. However because Dharmaraaja is a Sheelavanta, Shri Lakshmi will always be with him. Hence by being a Sheelavanta you can also get all the things which the Dharmaatmas, Paandavas have”. He went on to tell the following Itihaasam:
“We all know Prahlaada, the greatest Vishnu-bhakta, Dharmaatma. He is a Vidvaan, prajaa-ranjaka. Due to his Dharma-vartanam, Prahlaada ruled all the Tri-bhuvanas. Devendra, who lost his Raajyam, went to His Guru, Bruhaspati and asked him to tell the way how He can again get back His Raajyam. Bruhaspati asked Him to go to Bhaargava (Parashuraama). Indra, the Devaadhipati, then took aashrayam of Bhaargava. Bhaargava said “ask Prahlaada only how to get so much Shakti and try to get that Shakti from him”. Since Vidya must be learnt through Guru-sushruusha, Devendra took the form of a Vipra and became the shishya of Prahlaada. For a very long time He did seva, with Bhakti, to Prahlaada. Prahlaada became Prasanna and said
“O Putra! Why are you doing this seva to me?”. Shachii-pati replied “Aarya! I want to know how you got Triloka-aadhipatyam?” Prahlaada replied “I never have the Ahankaaram of being a Raaja. I try to stay away from Himsa. I never let Iirsha, asuuya, dvesham enter me. If someone asks me something, I will give it to him, without saying “no”. Due to my adrushtam (puurva-janma Punyam), I got this sat-sheelam. Hence I got Triloka-aadhipatyam”.
Sahasraaksha then asked “you are indeed a great Daana-sheela. Please give me your Sheelam as Daanam”. Taking pity on the Vipra, Prahlaada then gave his Sheelam as Daanam. Purandara became happy and went away.
Then a mahaa-tejas came out of Prahlaada in a Purusha-aakruti. Prahlaada asked who he was. He went away saying
“I am your Sheelam. Since you gave Me as Daanam, I am leaving you”. After this many such tejas left Prahlaada and he asked who they were. One Tejas replied
“I am Satyam. I take Sheelam as aashrayam and stay. Since Sheelam left you, I am also leaving you”. The other said
“I am Ruju-vartanam. I take Satyam as aashrayam and stay. I am also going”.
“I am Balam. I will always be with Ruju-vartanam (sat-pravartanam). I am leaving”.
“I am Shri Lakshmi. I will be there where Balam is. I am going”. Prahlaada said “Amma! You are also leaving me? Please dont go. Who is that Vipra?” Shri Lakshmi replied “He is Devedra. Coming under His influence you gave off your Sheelam as Daanam. Following that, Dharmam, Satyam everthing left you. Sheelam is the muulam (root) for all these and since you gave that away as Daanam, I am also leaving you.”
But what is impossible for a true Vishnu-bhakta? Prahlaada regained all his Sadgunams and always while listing the great Bhaktas names, we put his name first.
Hence Duryodhana, you become a Sheela-vanta first. Then everything will follow.”
Having Bhuuta-daya, doing harm to none, trying to do Paropakaaram as far as possible, trying to tell hitam to others, without paining them, not having Duraasha are some of the lakshanas of a Sheela-vanta.
“Aarya! You know Dharma-adharmas well. Without putra-mamakaaram, tell who better deserves Keshini me or your putra? If you tell adharmam Devendra’s Vajraayudham will break your head into two pieces” said Sudhanva. Prahlaada then told Kashyapa maharshi about this Vivaadam. Kashyapa maharshi replied “Prahlaada! A person who gives saaksham and is a Dharma-darshi must never leave Dharma-maargam. If in a Dharma-sabha, wrong decision is made, the paapam is shared by the members in the sabha. A portion of the paapam, if wrong decision is given, goes to the members, a portion to the King and the remaining to the person who actually did the adharmam. If the members take the correct decision, then only the person who does the adharmam gets the whole of it. Hence while doing Dharma-nirnayam one must think a lot with suukshma-buddhi and given the right decision.”
Prahlaada then thought and said that Sudhanva is a greater Guna-vanta than Virochana. Sudhanva then did abhinandanam (congratulations) to Prahlaada for being impartial and telling the Dharmam and did Kalyaanam with Keshini.
Morals in the story:
- The Samavartittvam (impartiality) of Prahlaada is shown in the story. Though Virochana was his own putra, he said Sudhanva is more gunavanta and hence deserves Keshini.
- The importance of doing Dharma Nirnayam correctly is well shown in the story. As Kashyapa maharshi said, the people who give the wrong decision, the King and the person who committed crime equally share the paapam of the adharma kaaryam.
Shri Gosvaami Tulasidas
Near the famous Punyakshetram Prayaaga, in “Baanda” nagaram a graamam by name “Raajapuram” is there. There a Sarayuu-paariina-brahmana by name Aatmaaraam dubey used to live. Shrimati Hulasidevi was his dharmapatni. In the year 1554 V.S. (Vikramaarka Shakam), on Shraavana Shuddha-saptami, on Abhuktamuulaa Nakshatram, Shri Tulasidas was born to them
The baby had 12 months of garbha-vaasam. The baby never cried; people used to hear Shri Raama naamam from the baby instead. He had 32 teeth and looked like a 5 year old kid. Seeing these adbhuta-lakshanas, Hulasidevi feared amangalas for the kid and asked a dasi by name Chuniya to look after the baby. Then the baby was 10 days old and vidhivashah, Hulasidevi left her physical body. Chuniya brought up the child with lot of affection. However she too died when Tulasidas was around 5 years old.
Jagajjanani Shri Parvatidevi took pity on the anaatha baalaka, Shri Tulasidas, and used to feed him everyday with Her own hands. Aaha! who can surpass Shri Tulasidas in his adrushtam (adrushtam is that which cannot to seen — it is one’s previous janma-janmaantara karma). He had the adrushtam of taking aahaaram for the hands of Annapuurnadevi Herself. Shri Narahari Aananda, the priya shishya of Shri Anantaanandaji, came searching for Tulasidas. He was sent by Parameshvara. He named the baalaka “Raambola” and took him along with him to the divya Ayodhya nagaram.
On Maagha shuddha-panchami, Shukravaasaram, in 1561 V.S., Shri Narahari Aananda did Upanayana-aadi Samskaaras to Raambola. Raambola was an eka-santaagraahi and a buddhi-shaali. After Vidyaabhyaasam of Raambola, they left for “Varaaha-kshetram” and there Raambola heard Shri Raama Charitam from Shri Naraharisvami. Later they shifted to the anata-phaladaayaka Kaashi Kshetram.
In Kaashi kshetram, under Sheshasanaatanasvaami, Raambola did Veda-Vedaanga adhyayanam for 15 years. Raambola had all the Veda-Vedaantas on his jihvaagram. After taking the anugnya of his Guru, he then left for Raajapuram. He did Yathaavidhi Shraaddhakarmas to his Maata-pitas, when he came to know that they were no more. He used to sing Shri Raama Charitam and spend his time.
On Jyeshtha Shuddha-trayodashi, Guruvaasaram, in 1583 V.S., Raambola and Ratnaavali had Kalyaanam. Raambola used to like Ratnaavali very much. Once when she went to her father’s place, Raambola couldnt bear the viraham and went to her. Seeing the blind prema of Raambola she said “O Praaneshvara! If you show even half of the prema you are showing on me, you would have long time back got Moksham”. Antarmathanam started in Raambola, he immediately left that place and reached Prayaaga. After that he did many Teertha-yatras.
In Maanasasarovaram he had the darshanam of the great Raama bhakta, Kaakabhushundi. Tulasidas used to do Raamkatha-pravachanam in Kaashi Kshetram. Everyday after Sandhyaavandanam, Tulasidas used to pour the Teertham near the root of a Vruksham. A Brahmaraakshasa (the form a Braahmana who does not spread his knowledge gets), who was living on the Vruksham, got Vimukti due to the mahima of the Teertham. The Brahmaraakshasa told Tulasidas “because of your Teertha prabhaavam, I got Vimukti. Please tell me in what way I can help you?”. Tulasidas asked him in what way he can have Shri Raama divya darshanam. Brahmaraakshasa replied “I dont know that. But you take the aashrayam of Shri Aanjaneya and then you will have the darshanam of Shri Raama”. When asked by Tulasidas how to get the aashrayam of Shri Aanjaneya, the Brahmaraakshasa replied “Yetra Yetra Raghunaatha Keertanam Tatra Tatra ….”.
To listen to Shri Tulasidas’s Raama Charita Pravachanam, everyday a Vruddha Brahmana used to come. He used to come before everyone comes and leave after everyone leaves. Listening to Shri Raama gaadha, he used to have Aananda-bhaashpas. Seeing the tanmyayatvam of the Vruddha, once Shri Tulasidas asked “Svaami! Who are You?”. Shri Hanumaan showed his Divya-ruupam. Shri Tulasidas did His praarthana and asked Him how he will have Shri Raama Darshanam. Aanjaneya Svaami replied “go to Chitrakuuta-parvatam. There you will have Shri Raama Chandra Svaami’s Darshanam”. Shri Tulasidas immediately went to Chitrakuutam and lived near Raamaghattam.
Once Shri Tulasidas went for Kaamada-giri-pradakshinam. There he saw two Manohara Divya Raajakumaaras, with Dhanurbaanas, going on two Maha-ashvas. Shri Tulasidas became a mugdha on seeing Them, but didnt recognize Them. Later Shri Hanumaan told him who They were. Shri Hanumaan told to Tulasidas, when he was having pashchaattaapam, “do not worry. You will again have Shri Raama darshanam tomorrow”.
On Mouni-amaavaasya, Saumyavaasaram, in 1607 V.S., Shri Tulasidas again had the Divya Darshanam of Shri Raama and Lakshmana. Shri Raama asked “Baabaa! Please give Us this chandanam”. Shri Hanumaan took the form of a Parrot and told a doha which hinted Shri Tulasidas that it is Shri Raama who was asking him for chandanam. Shri Tulasidas lost the effect of indriyas and stood looking at Shri Raama Divya manohara ruupam. Shri Raama took the chandanam from the hands of Shri Tulasidas and put Tilakam for Himself and to Tulasidas and disappeared.
He then went to Ayodhya Kshetram and then to Prayaaga Teertham during Meghamela. He then had the Divya darshanam of Shri Bharadvaaja and Yaagnyavalka maharshis, near a Vata-Vruksham. He then went to Varaaha Kshetram and lived in a Braahmana’s house near Prahlaadaghaat in Kaashi Kshetram. There he got Kavitaa-shakti, by Shri Shaarada Kataaksham. He used to write Shlokas in Samskrutam and by the next day they used to disappear. Samething happened everyday. On the eighth day, Shri Parameshvara appeared in Tulasidas’s dream and told him “you continue your Kaavya-rachana in your Vyavahaara Bhaasha only”. Shri Tulasidas woke up and Lord Shiva, along with Shri Parvatidevi, appeared before him. Shri Tulasidas did pranaamam and Parameshvara replied
“you go to Ayodhya and do Kaavya-rachana in Avadhi bhaasha. With My aashirvaadam, your Kaavyam will be equal to Saamavedam. Many will sing your Raamaayanam and get the phalitam of singing Saamavedam”.
Shri Tulasidas started Shri Raama Charita Maanasa rachana in the Praatah-kaalam of the Shri Raama Navami in 1631 V.S. at Ayodhya Kshetram. He took 2 years, 7 months and 26 days to complete the rachana of Shri Raama Charita Maanas. Following Parameshvara aagnya he reached Kaashi and sang Shri Raama Charita Maanas before Paarvati-Parameshvara. That night Tulasidas left the Divya Grantham near Vishvanaatha mandiram and when he opened it the next day he saw “Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram” written on it. It was also signed by Parameshvara at the bottom.
Listening to this chamatkaaram, the Panditas got Iirsha on Tulasidas. They did ninda of Tulasidas. They tried to do Grantha-chauryam and appointed two chorakas for it. The chorakas near the Kutiiram of Shri Tulasidas. They saw two Ati-sundara Veeras gaurding the Kutiiram. One of Them had Shyaama-varna, the other Goura-varna shariiram. Choraka’s buddhi changed just on seeing the Veeras. They immediately left chauryam and started Shri Raama bhajana.
The Panditas, who were burning with Iirsha, asked Shri Madhusuudana Sarasvatiji to go through the Grantham. After reading the Raama Charita Maanas Shri Madhusuudanaji became very happy and praised Shri Tulasidas. This increased the Iirsha of the Panditas. They tried one more thing: they placed Veda-Shaastra-Puraana Granthas and Shri Tulasidas’s Raama Charita Maanas, as the bottom most Grantham, before Vishveshvara sannidhi. They closed doors and came next day morning. To their surprise Raama Charita Maanas was on the top of all the Granthams. They realized their mistake and fell at the feet of Shri Tulasidas.
On Aashaadha Krishna-Tadiya, Shanivaasaram, in 1680 V.S., near Aasiighaat, Shri Tulasidas reached Paramapadam.
Morals in the story:
- We learnt the greatness of Shri Raama charita Maanas and Shri Tulasidas. Parama Shiva Himself showed us that Shri Raama Charita Maanas is as valuable as Veda-Shaastra-Puraanas and Saamavedam.
- Raambola always followed all Dharmas. He did Guru-seva and learnt many Shaastras. God always likes such people. Through Ratnaavali He turned Raambola into a great Bhakta and ultimately gave him moksham.
- Iirsha make even great people do really bad things. The Panditas, though they learnt many times that Iirsha is an enemy, they got Iirsha and did very bad things. One must always be away from such durgunas
Bhakta Kuchela
Sudaama and Krishna Bhagavan were good friends. The friendship started at their gurukulam with Shri Saandeepa. As always duty takes more priority than everything. Hence, after completing their studies they had to part. However, neither Krishna nor Sudaama could forget each other. Sudaama, knowing who Krishna really was, also had true devotion for him. Sudaama never was interested in earning lot of money or other such aihikechchas. Once after many years, not able to bear the separation from Krishna anymore, sets off to meet Krishna.
On hearing the news of his friend’s arrival, Krishna runs to the city gates to receive Sudaama personally. Krishna, the paramaatma, hugs Sudaama several times and they break into tears with uncontrollable aanandam. Krishna takes Sudaama to his palace and makes him sit comfortably on the shayanaasanam of Krishna and Rukmini Devi. Krishna, whose feet Brahma himself washed to produce the holy waters of Ganga, washed the feet of his friend, together with Rukmini, with utmost care. Then the Lord of the worlds, purifies himself, his queens and the palace with the paada jalam of the great scholar, Sudaama. Though Sudaama was very poor and did not even have money to eat food, he did not even think about it while he was with Krishna. Krishna took the atukulu brought by Sudaama for him and commented that it was one of his best ever meals. Both of them talked a lot, till their hearts were full and finally Sudaama returned to his house with a full heart, thoroughly satisfied with the Lord’s sweet words.
(Ofcourse, the sthiti kaaraka of the worlds, Krishna, blesses him with all worldly pleasures too…)
- Money, property and other pleasures are Kshanabhanguraas and as a person keeps satisfying them, they will only increase. Hence, like Sudaama, one needs to be content with what he has. Even given a chance to ask anything from Krishna, he did not choose to ask him!
- The nature of pure friendship is exposed by Krishna and Sudaama. Krishna, being the lord of the universe, washed the feet of his friend and purifies himself with the paada-jalam. Sudaama, though was extremely poor, never asked Krishna for wealth and make friendship a business.
- Notice that only a guru is one who makes a person meet God. This is reflected clearly in the story. It is because of Saandeepa that Krishna and Sudaama knew each other and met each other again.
- Krishna making his friend sit on his shayya, talk with him what Rukmini and he talk intimately and receiving Sudaama at the gates of the city show how intimate & sincere friendship must be.
- The kind of respect one must give to an Atithi and a scholar is well brought out by Krishna.
Pundarika (Puṇḍarīka)
Once upon a time, there used to live a great Bhakta of Krishna. He had a wife, who deserved to be his ardhaangi. However, they had a son, Pundarika, who had all kinds of vyasanas. In the attraction for a mere vaaraangana, he drives his parents out of his house, does not love his wife and finally looses all his money. The vaaraangana, whose love he thought was eternal, left him once his money was over. In the sorrow of being apart from the vaaraangana, he walks into a forest and finally reaches a lonely kutir of a great person by name, Kukkuta muni. He sees the following wonder when he reaches the place:
Three very ugly looking old females, suffering from terrible diseases, will be cleaning the ashram. After doing all the cleaning required, they go inside the kutir and to his surprise, three very beautiful, young women with the tejas of sun come out. Out of his usual attraction to women, he goes and holds the hand of one of the women and immediately she turns ugly like before. The woman tells Pundarika “because people like you take dip in our holy waters everyday, we get these ugly forms and have to bare with such dreadful diseases. We are Ganga, Yamuna and Sarawathi. Everyday we clean the kutir of Kukkuta muni and have his darshan to relieve the loads of paapas you maanavas leave with us and get back our divya shariraas.” She again has darshan of Kukkuta muni and all the three leave the place (They wondered why a common human, that too a bad person, was able to see them in human form at the first place).
Pundarika, just to see what is there inside, goes into the kutir. He sees nothing great — no jewels, no big furniture nothing. He sees a person totally immersed in pressing the legs of his father. The person was totally engrossed in it and the only other thing he had in mind was the thought of Lord Shiva.Seeing Kukkuta muni, Pundarika asks him many questions about the woman etc., but sees that the muni gave back no reply, since the muni was totally engrossed with the seva to his father. Not able to bear the rejection, out of ahankaar, he tries to kick the muni and immediately falls on the ground loosing both his legs. Pundarika cries for help and the muni gets disturbed by his cries and attends to his help. Pundarika begs the muni to pardon him and the muni immediately pardons him. Pundarika realizes all the mistakes he has done in his life and asks the muni for prayaschittam. The muni says that there is nothing that can help him except the seva to his parents and even a bhrashta can achieve moksha by serving his parents. Immediately Pundarika, pulling himself with his hands, sets off in the search for his parents, whom he drove away from his house. He truly and whole heartedly repents for his mistakes and continues his journey to his parents.
He does not think about food, water, his bleeding legs, the only thing he has in his mind is to search for his parents, beg them to pardonhim and do their seva. He does not care about thorny paths, heat of the sun, steep mountain cliffs etc. and continues his journey. When he falls off a cliff, Lord Krishna used to catch him safely and let him move on. At all stages,Pundarika’s heart was filled only with the want of doing seva to parents, and hence Krishna bhagavaan used to help him all along. Finally, he reaches the kutir of his parents and falls on their feet. He begs them to pardon him for being so cruel to them and pleaded them to grant him the chance of doing their seva. The parents immediately pardon Pundarika and Pundarika again gets back his legs. From that day onwards, he always used to be busy doing seva to his parents and always think of Krishna paramaatma in his mind.
Unable to bear the separation from his bhakta, one day Lord Krishna comes to see Pundarika. He waits at the door of Pundarika’s kutir and calls for him. Pundarika sees Krishna, the paramaatma for whose darshan even great munis spend their entire lives in tapas, standing at his door. But Pundarika was at that time pressing the feet of his parents, who were asleep, with legs in his lap. Krishna asks Pundarika to come and take Him inside. Pundarika, seeing the Lord becomes very happy, but asks Him to wait a bit, since he cannot stop seva to his parents and he will come after taking their permission. Lord Krishna waits at the door and by being touched by his lotus feet, Indra who was lying in the form of a stone because of the curse of Lord Shiva, takes back His original form and leaves to Indraloka.
Meanwhile Pundarika’s father wakes up and asks him what happened. Pundarika says that Lord Krishna had come but he was unable to receive him. Immediately Pundarika’s father runs to receive the Lord, but does not see Him. He then asks Pundarika to call Krishna. Krishna appears immediately on the call of Pundarika and blesses moksha for Pundarika, his wife and his parents. Krishna also stays permanently at the house of Pundarika to bless bhaktas and it became the well known kshetram of Pandarpur. The kshetram is so ancient that the legs of the Pandarnath’s idol are half eroded just by the touchings of bhaktas!
Morals in the story:
1. Only because Pundarika did true seva to his parents, did Krishna wait for him at his door and immediately come when called by Pundarika. This shows the importance of being obedient to parents ans doing their seva.
2. Seva of parents is the most basic thing that the Indian culture prescribes. A person going against the word of his parents will not be liked by God.
Bhakta Bhima (Bhakta Bhīma)
After the kalyāṇam of Padmāvatī devi, the daughter of Akāśarāja, and Śrī Venkaṭeśvara, the Lord made the Saptagiris as His abode and accepted the pūjas of bhaktas. Akāsharāja ruled a maṇḍala by name Toṇḍa and had a brother by name Toṇḍamān. Toṇḍamān was a great bhakta of Śrī Venkaṭeśvara. On His ājña Toṇḍamān built a divya-ālayam for the Lord. Toli-pūja, nitya-seva and nitya-sambhāṣhaṇam with the Lord were the bhāgyas he had. Brahmādi devatas come to this ālayam everyday and have the darshanam of Śrīṇivāsa, the pūrna avatār of Mahāviṣhṇu. Toṇḍamān ruled his kingdom on the ājña of Śrī Venkaṭeśvara. He gave Navaratna khacita svarṇa kirīṭas, svarṇa kusumas, ratnahāras, many patakas, many golden bhūṣhaṇas, svarṇa gopuram and many other things to the Svāmi. With great śraddha he used to do all the sevas.
Once ākāśavāṇi praised Toṇḍamān "O cakravarti! There is no greater Viṣhṇu bhakta than you". Toṇḍamān did vitarka within himself feeling that what ākāśavāṇi said is true! Aaha! How many forms does ahankār have! Finally, even in Bhakti ahankār can enter. When 'Me' , 'I' are related to this deham all anarthas happen. However once if you come under His śaraṇāgati He will only remove all your doṣhas. Since Toṇḍamān said "ananya śaraṇaH śaraṇam prapadye| Śrī Venkaṭeśa charaṇau śaraṇam prapadye||", God decided to teach Toṇḍamān a lesson and thus save him.
Meanwhile Toṇḍamān's ahambhāvam increased and once he asked Śrīṇivāsa directly "Svāmī! There is no greater bhakta than me in the tribhuvanas. Do you have any bhakta other than me?" Śrimannārāyaṇa maintained maunam; in this maunam only he did śrīkāram for a lesson to Toṇḍamān.
One day, as usual Toṇḍamān with great bhakti did suprabhāta seva to Svāmi and closed his eyes and concentrated on the God. He opened his eyes and saw the kali-nāśaka pādas of Śrī Venkaṭeśvara. He was about to remove the nirmālyam near the padapankajas of the Lord. He then saw a kanḍola filled with tulasīdalas. He observed that they had little paṅkam (wet mud) on them and was surprised who brought them in. He thought why will Svāmi accept pūja with such tulasīdalas. He asked this directly to the Svāmi. The smitapūrvāvibhāṣhi, Svāmi, told Toṇḍamān "O son! In this anata-viśvam there are many bhaktas who are under my āśrayam. Similar to how you built an ālayam for Me Here, others bhaktas also make their hṛdayam as my āsanam and their śarīras as My ālayam and do yathā-śakti pūjā to Me, in the way they came to know from their elders. Such one bhakti of Mine lives in a poor village near by. He does not have as much sampada as you and cannot construct suvarṇamaya prākāras for Me. His name is Bhīma. He is a kulāla (potter). He has prema for Me which has no limits. While preparing the paṅkam, while rotating the wheel, while making the ghaṭam, always he thinks about Me only. Not only he, his entire family do not know anything except Me. They do my seva through a wooden vigraham of Mine. And where my bhaktas want me to be present, I will be there. Poor bhakta, he does not know any mantras, tantras, yāgas. He never compares his bhakti with others. Actually except Me, he does not even think of anything else. What his varṇāśrama āchāram says, that only he does. He rises well before the Sun, and he takes bath the way taught by his elders, he knows only a few nāmas of Me that he learnt and always offers Me tulasīdalas. What tulasīdalas he put there, you are seeing them here. The vairāgyam, bhakti of Bhīma made Me his bandhi.". Listening to the vāk-amṛtam of the veda vedya, Svāmi, all the māya, moham of Toṇḍamān were completely removed. With bhāṣhpa-pūrita nayanas, he cried "Prabhū!", falling on His divya pādas. After sometime he controlled himself and in gadgada svaram said "Svāmi! Please forgive me. With ahankār I said that there is no bhakta greater tham me. How much of this universe did I see. How many few mahātmas I know". Taking Svāmi's anujña, he immediately ran to have the darśan of the bhakta.
Knowing that a puṇyakṣhetram must always be visited by walk, he did not take his ratham to Bhīma's place. Since it is well known that "Nāham vasāmi vaikuṭhe, na yogi hṛdaye ravau. MadbhaktāH yatra gāyanti tatra tiṣhṭhāmi nārada!", going to Bhīma's place is indeed a tīrtha yātra. Asking the villagers finally he traced the house of Bhīma. He was running towards the house and was able to hear Viṣhṇu sankīrtanam from inside the Bhīma's house. Since the King was never used to bend down his head, he in the hurry to meet Bhīma, banged his head by mistake against the dvāram, which was too low. On hearing the sound, Bhīma came and helped the King. Toṇḍamān said "O mahānubhāva! Śrī Venkaṭeśvara, who is praised by everyone, praised you. I came to make myself pure with your pādadhūli".
Suddenly a mahāteja-kānti punjam came and from the middle of that prabhāmaṇḍalam, Mahāviṣhṇu came along with Lakṣhmī devi on Garuḍa. Bhīma did stuti of Mahāviṣhṇu, with whatever small padas he knew, with great bhakti. He said "Svāmi! I do not even deserve to be a sevaka of great bhaktas like Vidura, Śabarī, Gajendra, Vibhīṣhaṇa, Uddhava. But you are the greatest dayāmaya. What can I offer you." Immediately tamālinī, the wife of Bhīma, with whatever śuci, śubhrata she knew, prepared a food item with the stem of lotus and offered it to Lakṣhmi and Nārāyaṇa. Before the eyes of everyone the couple got sārupya-mukti and went to Vaikuṇṭham.
Witnessing all this divya leela, Toṇḍamān asked "Svāmi! Please save me too". Śrīṇivāsa replied very kindly "Cakravartī! after leaving this śarīram, in your next janma you will be a ekānta-bhakta and then I will grant you mokṣham". Svāmi continued: "In your previous janma you were a bhakta by name Rangadāsa and were the śiśya of a mahātma by name Vykhānasa. You used to do all required preparations of his pūja and help him. Once you saw a Gandharva rāja and his wifes doing jalakrīḍa in a puṣhkariṇi and you forgot your Guru seva in it. You later had great paścāttāpam. Because of your otherwise impeccable Guru seva and good deeds you did in that janma, you got My sāngatyam in this janma. I will grant you mukti in your next janma". Thus Toṇḍamān finally attained mokṣham.
Morals in the story:
- Ahankār is the start for one's fall. One must be very careful when others praise so as to never get ahankār.
- The power of śaraṇāgati to God is shown well in the story. Śrīṇivāsa seeing the buddhi doṣham in Toṇḍamān, taught him a lesson and saved him.
- Śrī Venkaṭeśvara was so impressed by Bhīma's sat-guṇas and bhakti that He Himself praised Bhīma.
- The importance of Guru bhakti can be learnt from Toṇḍamān's previous janma story.
Om Tat Sat
(Continued...)
(My humble greatfulness to Moral Stories dot com, Hindu dot com and Devotees for the collection)
( A tribute to the great Bharatiya Samskruti)
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