Great Indian maharshis: 3

Great Indian maharshis:

Aadikavi Shri Valmiki maharshi

In the great Bhrugu vamsham, where aadi Lakshmi took her first avataar as Shrii devi, a maharshi by name Sumati was born. He was always immersed in Bhagavat-dhyaanam. His wife also had an impeccable character and used to provide as much co-operation as she could to the maharshi in his tapas. Once when she was a garbhavati, Sumati was deeply involved with his tapas and she did not want to disturb him. She decided to make her own arrangements for the living and help Sumati in his tapas. Once she went to a forest in search of phalas for aahaaram. Vidhivashaat, a gang of robbers saw her, noticed that she was a garbhavati and was searching for food. Out of sympathy they gave the phalas which they had to her, which they stealed from somewhere. She accepted the phalas and happily returned to the aashram and fed her children and herself.
In course of time, she delivered a baby, who they named Agni sharma. As the kid grew up, Sumati noticed that the kid posessed very faint chaurya gunas. Sumati did not understand from where Agni sharma picked up these habits. With his divya-drushti he saw that Agni sharma’s mother ate fruits that had chaurya dosham when she was garbhavati!
Agni sharma was not able to learn the Vedas well too. Slowly he grew old and he was married. Once a great kshaamam came and living became difficult for Agni sharma and his family. Vidhivashah Agni sharma met some robber gang in forests and he joined them. Everyday he used to earn money, food by doing chauryam.
One day he saw Saptarishis travelling by and he thought of robbing them too. Saptarishis asked him “being born in Bhrugu vamsham why are you doing such paapa karyas?” Agni sharma replied “what is wrong, right. Is it not my duty to feed my family?”. Atri maharshi (taapatreya rahitaH atri), the Guru of Shri Dattatreya, the janaka of Duurvaasa maharshi and one of the Brahma maanasa putras replied “O Agni sharma! Ask your family if they will share any of your paapam (else the immense paapa raashi must be experienced by you only)”. Agni sharma said he never asked this, but hoped that his family would share some paapa-bhaaram. He wanted to go and enquire. Saptarishis said they would wait for him till he comes back. He asked his father. Father replied that “you are responsible for your karma”. He asked his mother. Mother said “did we anytime tell you earn by chauryam?”. Then he asked his arthaangi; she replied “as you know in our Bhaarateeya Kalyaanam we say ‘dharmecha arthecha kaamecha naaticharitavyaaiti naaticharaami’ – so this does not include Moksham. Hence paapa punyaas, Kaivalyam are separate accounts! Ofcourse being your arthaangi I will get share of Punyaas”.
Agni sharma came back to Saptarishis and told them that no one can take the paapa-bhaaram. Saptarishis replied “then all this entire paapam will fall on your head. Is it not?” Agni sharma had great pashchaattaapam. He fell on Saptarshi’s feet and begged them to show him some way of saving himself. Saptarishis, seeing that Agni sharma had true pashchaattaapam, gave Agni sharma the upadesham of the great Shiva Panchaaksharii mantram. They asked him to do the mantra japam with utmost concentration till they come back. Agni sharma exactly did as the Saptarshis said. After 12 years the Saptarshis returned and saw the Agni sharma who was glowing with divya tejas and surrounded by huge Valmikams (ant-hills). They told Agni sharma that he became a dhanya and ask him to go to the great Ganga tiiram and continue his tapas. Agni sharma did as directed by the Saptarshis and did pratishtha of the Valmiikesvara Lingam and continued tapas for Paramashiva. Shankara bhagavan appeared before him and said “you will be henceforth called Valmiki and you will become the Aadi kavi and write the great Shrii Raama divya katha with Gayatri mantra niyamam”
Valmiki then went to Chitrakuuta parvatam and built an ashramam near Tamasaa nadi. Once Naarada (Naaram dadaati – he is the one who gives Gnyaanam), the great Brahmarshi, came to Valmiki maharshi’s ashramam. Valmiki maharshi welcomed the great Brahmarshi and asked him “Who is the Divya purusha who is Shodasha-kalaa-paripurna (Dharmagnya, Satyasandha …)?” Naarada replied:
“Raama. He is the son of our Dasharatha maharaaja, who is now the king of Ayodhya. Words in Samskrutam are not enough to describe His sadgunas. He is a Gunavanta, Dhairyavanta, Paraakramashaali, Aishvaryavanta, Satyashaali,… Shodasha-kalaa-paripurna. In addition to these He has many uttama purusha lakshanaas – Prashaanta chittam, Suprasanna rupam, Sundara mandahaasa sphurita sundara vadanaaravindam, Smitapuurvaavibhaashii, Mrudu – puurvantu bhaashate (he only greets before the others do)…. He will never utter a parusha vaakyam — not even when Raavana comes before Him. He always has Hrudaya poorvaka mandahaasam. He will never forget even one small upakaaram, He will never remember any apakaars done to Him (Shatamapi apakaaraanaam vismarati). He is a Buddhimaan, Madhuraa bhaashii, Priyamvadah, Viiryavaan — but never sees Himself and has ahankar, he has great Vinayam (see these: 1 2). Shri Raama is an adarsha purusha. He has the 39 gunas of Paramaatma and in addition has Brahmanyata, Sharanyataadi mahaagunas”.
Valmiki maharshi then sang the Divya Raamaayana Katha.
 (After the Vyaadha episode (Shri Raama comes as Vyaadha to test Valmiki), Brahmadeva comes and blesses Valimiki …. its another long story…. then Valmiki starts Divya Ramayana Gaadha.)
Morals in the story:

1. Our aachaaras impose a lot of niyamas for a garbhavati. A garbhavati needs to be very careful, since even small mistakes have magnifying effect on the baby.
2. One must be very careful not to do paapa karyas. As Agni sharma’s family told, one is responsible for his own paapas.
3. Shri Raama gunas are many (Aganita gunagana bhuushita Raam). We must try and inculcate atleast some of these sadgunas.

Dadhiichi Mahaa-muni

One who does Paropakaaram will get all Sampadas and will have no difficulties. The Punyam which one gains by doing Paropakaaram is Anantam. Once Brahmadeva put the Punyam got by doing all Dharma-kaaryas and Daanams on one side of the balance and the Punyam got by Paropakaaram on the other — the Punyam gained by doing Paropakaaram out-weighed the other!
“Paraa” was the putrika of Hiranyakashipa and the Bhaarya of Tvashta. Once, she did Tapas for Paramashiva for 1000 years to get santaanam. When Shuula-paani appeared before her, she asked “O Devadeva! Please give me a Shuura, Shastra-astra-avadhya as a Putra”. Paraa after some time, got a putra by name Vrutra. Vrutra right from birth had mahaa-tejas, which increased with the anugraham of Shukraachaarya, the Guru of the asuras.
With Bala-garvam, Vrutraasura attacked Deva-lokam and Devendra. For 5000 years there was a ghora-yuddham between Devatas and Daityas. All the Tri-bhuvanas were affected, disturbed. In the end, Vrutraasura won the Yuddham because of the Varam of Pinaaka-paani. Devendra then went to Brahma-lokam and took aashrayam.
Vrutraasura said to Shukraachaarya “I must also go to Brahmalokam”. Shukraachaarya replied “Daanavanaatha! Now you dont have any way of reaching Brahma-lokam. Be the King of the Tri-bhuvanas and be happy”. Vrutra then replied “Bhaargava! I wont be happy till Devendra is alive. After His naashanam only I will be happy. Why cant I go to Brahma-lokam?”. “Long time ago, Devendra did Tapas with great Nishtha for Shankara-bhagavaan in the pavitra Naimishaaranyam. After such 1000 years of Teevra-Tapas, Devendra got the shakti to go and come from Brahma-lokam. Without any doubt, anybody who does such Tapas in Naimishaaranyam will also get the same phalam”. Knowing this, Vrutraasura started Tapas with ekaagra-chittam for Bhola-shankara.
Seeing Devendra, the Sharana-arthi, Mahaavishnu said “On Sarasvatii-nadii-teeram, Dadhiichi Muni is doing Tapas with parama-nishtha. His asthi (skeleton) is twice as hard as diamond. Request the Muni to give his asthi and using the ‘Vajra-aayudham’ made with his asthi, You can kill Vrutraasura”. In Vipra-vesham, Devendra then reached Dadhiichi Muni, said “Svasti” and sat beside him. Seeing this Dadhiichi asked “O Vaasava! Why did You come in Vipra-vesham? Are all Devatas safe? Please tell me the cause of Your fear”. Devendra told him what happened and asked the Mahaa-muni to give his asthi as Daanam!

Listening to this, Dadhiichi became very happy!! He thought what can be better than giving away the life for others, that too to Uttama-purushas like the Devatas. With his Yoga-shakti, he did Deha-tyaagam. Devendra then did Vrutraasura samhaaram using the Vajra-aayudham built from the asthi of Dadhiichi Muni and restored peace to all worlds.

Morals in the Story:

1. The Paropakaara buddhi of Dadhiichi Muni was well shown in the story. With great aanandam he did deha-tyaagam for saving the Devatas.
2. Santrupti is very important. One must be satisfied with whatever he has. Though Shukraachaarya adviced Vrutraasura to be satisfied being the King of the Tri-bhuvanas, he was not and with Duraasha continued enemity with the Devatas. Duraasha always leads to difficulties.

Hard work can do wonders

In Indian culture vairaagyam was always given ultimate importance. But careful, there is a very thin line that separates vairaagyam and laziness. In vairaagyam all karma is done but without expecting anything in return, without being involved in the materialistic aspects of karma. Bhagiratha, with his unparalleled effort to bring Ganga to earth, showed us how much effort a man can put in and as a result what wonders can be done.
On knowing that his ancestors (60000 Sagara Kumaras) will reach swarga only if the pure waters of Ganga flow through their ashes, from his mother, Bhagiratha immediately leaves to Himalayas to do tapas for Lord Brahma:

1. After purifying himself in a pushkarini, it starts tapas with extra-ordinary concentration.
2. Starts with padmaasana and in winter stood in the freezing waters of the lake with water up to chest!
3. In Summer stands in the middle of burning pancha-agnis (four agnis + sun) and steadily stared at the sun with eyes wide open (all the while concentrating on Brahma deva)!!
4. During the first few days, he had food only once a day. Later it was once in a few days. Then it became once in a month. After that, he just used to drink a little water and continue his ‘Tapas’. Finally the air was his only food!!!
5. 1000 years passed….!!!!

Brahma, the creator of the worlds, on the requests of Gods to save them from the tremendous tapaagni of Bhagiratha, appears before him and blesses him with children and Ganga. However, Brahma deva suggests that none except Parama Shiva can take the force when Ganga falls onto earth, and if not with that force earth will be washed away…
Men are of three kinds:

1. There are cowards, who do not begin their work at all, afraid that some trouble may arise midway.
2. Those who begin but later give up the task, afraid of the difficulties that arise.
3. Brave people who belong to a third group. They continue to work in spite of even an army of difficulties, and finally achieve the goal.

Bhagiratha belonged to this third category of brave men. He again began a severe ‘Tapas’ to please Lord Ishwara. With folded hands, and standing on one leg, he meditated on Lord iswara with the deepest concentration. So a whole year passed. Pleased with Bhagiratha’s devotion Lord ishwara takes the immense force of Ganga and controls her in his jataajutam. He completely stops her from flowing to teach her a lesson (she was a mischievous girl, proud of her strength!), but for Bhagiratha it was another difficulty… But he again with tapas pleases Lord Shiva to release Ganga down to earth. Ganga followed Bhagiratha shyly and slowly, like his daughter (Bhaagirathi). But she grew a little mischievous, though Shiva taught her a lesson once, when near Jahnu maharshi’s ashram. She wandered all over the Ashrama like a small girl and the entire place was filled with water. Disturbed from tapas by it, Jahnu maharshi in a single gulp swallows her entirely. And suddenly difficulties again for Bhagiratha. But it is not the first time for him, so immediately pleases Jahnu maharshi (Jaahnavi comes out of Jahnu maharshi’s ear) and finally sends his ancestors to higher worlds…..

Morals in the story:

1. Karma must be done in massive quantity as Bhagiratha did, but selflessly…
2. Brave people continue to work in spite of even an army of difficulties, and finally achieve their goal.
3. Man can achieve wonders, once he puts in effort and dedication….
4. One must never be proud of one’s strength or other qualities. Else you will be humiliated when you meet a greater person. (Shiva taught the naughty kid, Ganga, a lesson by controlling her unparralled strength & force, with great ease….)

Message:
Let us all put effort, learn all the good qualities and be true Indians. Impossible is nothing.

Satyameva Jayate

No collection of moral stories will be complete without the mention of Satya Harishcandra. His story is well known and praised by everyone. Truth is the most fundamental moral to be learnt by everyone and it is alone enough to reach God. The following is a small incident showing the satya vaak paripaalanam of Harishchandra:
When travelling in the forest, with his family and Nakshatraka to the great kaashi kshetram, Harishchandra sees un-controllable Daavaagni (forest fire) sorrounding them. They donot understand the reason for it and Nakshatraka worries a lot, not knowing any way of getting out of the fire. Harishchandra worries for a different reason. He was not worried for loosing his life, but if he dies in the agni, then he will not be able to return the debt to Vishwaamitra maharshi and thus will not be able to keep up his word.
Seeing this, Agnideva (sent by Vishwaamitra) tells them a way to cross the fire safely. He says anyone who says that his name is not his own name, can safely walk through him. Immediately Nakshatraka, to attract them to say a lie, says I name is not Nakshatraka and walks into the fires. Nothing happens to him and he walks back suggesting Harishchandra and his family to try out the same. Obviously Harishchandra will not say a lie, but gets worried since he will be not be able to repay Vishwaamitra maharshi. Seeing the worry of her husband, Chandramati devi does a stotram to agni saying that if she were a pativrata, then the agni must stop. Immediately the huge daavaagni vanishes and they cross the forest safely.
The whole episode of Vishwaamitra maharshi testing Harishchandra starts with a conversion at Indra Sabha: A discussion will be raised to zero-in on a vratam which anyone whether rich or poor, whether king or servant, kid or elder, male or female can follow, exists or not. Vasishta maharshi suggests that satya vratam (speaking truth always) is there and tells that Harishchandra is a firm follower of it. Vasishta and Vishwaamitra both challenge each other, Vasishta saying "In the impossible event of Harishchandra uttering a lie I will leave sandhyaavandanaadi aahnikas, japa, tapas, remove yagnyopavita, become Bhrasta, have wine and behave in a way co-rishis will hate me, throw me out of there community and eventually goto naraka!". Vishwaanitra says "If Harishchandra stands my tests I will give half of my till now earned entire tapashshakti, make him rule the earth for many years and for 14 manvantaras will make him occupy the ardha-simhaasanam of Indra". Harishchandra in the end qualifies the tests of Vishwaamitra, enjoys all these bhogas and in the end with Lord Shiva's anugraham gets Moksham.
Morals in the Story:

1. Let even death may came, one must never leave the path of truth.
2. Though a person has to face temporary difficulties for following the path of truth, in the end always truth only wins.
3. The power of pativrata is enormous. It seems the power of Agni or howmuch ever tapashshakti cannot equal that of a pativrata. This is evident by the power of Chandramati devi.

4.    निन्दन्तु नीतिनिपुणाः यदि वा स्तुवन्तु
लक्ष्मीः समाविशतु गच्छतु वा यथेष्टम्।
अद्यैव वा मरणमस्तु युगान्तरे वा
न्याय्यात्पथः प्रविचलन्ति पदं न धीराः॥
— भर्तृहरेः नीतिशतकम्
nindantu nītinipuṇāḥ yadi vā stuvantu
lakṣmīḥ āgacchatu gacchatu vā yatheṣṭam|
adyaiva maraṇamastu yugāantare vā
nyāyyātpathaḥ pravicalanti padaṁ na dhīrāḥ||
— bhartṛhareḥ nītiśatakam

“May those proficient in law praise or decry;
May the Goddess of Wealth come or go as she pleases;
Let Death come today or at the end of the yuga;
The resolute will not deviate from the path of righteousness!”

Om Tat Sat

                                                        

(Continued...) 

 

<sub>(My humble greatfulness to Moral Stories dot com,  Hindu dot com and Devotees   for the   collection)

( A tribute to the great Bharatiya Samskruti)</sub>