Naarad Jee said - "Hey Dharm Raaj,  If a Vaanprasthee has the ability to understand Brahm, then he should go for Sanyaas, leaving everything else, except his body and spend only one night at one place, If he wants to wear any cloth he can wear only a lower cloth and till any emergency arises he should not accept any left out thing (which he has left for taking Sanyaas) except a scepter and his Aashram things. He should not be dependent on anybody and he should live independently in himself. He should not work for living, should not argue for argument sake only, and should not speak in favor of anybody, should not gather disciples, should not study many books, should not deliver sermons and should not begin any big projects. For any Mahaatmaa or Sanyaasee, bondage of any Aashram is not the cause of Dharm. He can accept or leave the characteristics of his Aashram, but he should be indulged in the research of soul only.

There is one story in this regard, that is the dialog between Prahlaad and Dattaatreya - "Once Prahlaad was roaming around with his ministers. He saw a Muni lying in the valley of Sahya mountain on the bank of Kaaveree. His body was covered with dust etc. Prahlaad touched him from his head to feet and worshipped him and asked - "Bhagavan, your body is healthy. This is the rule of the world that who works, gets wealth, wealthy people enjoy pleasures and who enjoy pleasures are healthy. You don't do any work, so you don't have any wealth, so you don't enjoy pleasures, then how come that your body is healthy? If you think proper then tell me about this." That man was Muni Dattaatreya.

He said - "O King of Daitya, All regards to you. You know very well that whatever fruits people get, they get it after doing Karm and not doing Karm; besides Bhagavaan continues to destroy your A-Gyaan, still whatever I have known, I attempt to reply your questions according to my knowledge, because who wish to purify their souls, must be regarded properly.

Prahlaad Jee, Desire is such a thing that it never gets satisfied even if you enjoy lots of pleasures. These desires had made me work like anything, and because of them I went through several Yoni (species). Now I have got this human species which is the gate of Swarg, Moksh and even to get this human species again. If I do some Punya in this Yoni then I will attain Swarg, if I do Paap (sins) then I will attain animal or bird Yoni, if I don't do anything then I will attain Moksh, and if I do both types of Karm then I will attain human Yoni again. But what I see in this world that people do Karm (actions) to get comfort but get sorrows, that is why I have abandoned my actions. As an ignorant person cannot recognize the water covered with straws and water plants and runs towards mirage for water; in the same way he thinks that pleasure is in the worldly pleasures only, while it is in soul and that is how his all Karm go waste. This body etc depends on Praarabdh (fate) only, thus who wants to enjoy pleasures through that body etc, he cannot be successful in his aim. His all Karm will go waste. I see rich people daily, they cannot sleep at night because of fear of losing money, that is why human being should abandon the wealth and desires of life which are the cause of sorrows, love, anger, cowardice, work etc.

In this Lok, I have two greatest Guru - python and bee. they teach us Vairaagya (not to love anything) and Santosh (contentment). As bee collects honey with hard labor, the people collect wealth; and somebody else takes that honey, some other people take away that wealth. From this I have learned that one should keep away from worldly pleasures. I lie effortlessly here like the python and whatever I get, I am contented in that, and if I don't get anything, then I keep patience. Sometimes I eat less, sometimes I eat more, sometimes I eat delicious food sometimes tasteless, sometimes given with love sometimes given with insult, sometimes in day sometimes in night, sometimes only once, sometimes thrice. Whatever I get to wear, I wear, whether it is deer skin, yellow cloth, silken cloth or anything else. Sometimes I sleep on leaves on the floor, and sometimes to see other people satisfied I sleep on best kinds of beds. People are of different nature, so neither I abuse anybody nor I praise anybody. My story is very secret and beyond this Lok and Shaastra. Since you are a great devotee of Bhagavaan, that is why I have told you this all."

Prahlaad again worshipped him and went back to his capital.

Yudhishthir asked - "Hey Naarad Jee, How a Grihasth like me can get such Pad without much hard work, please tell me." Naarad Jee said - "A Grahasthee should perform all duties of a Grihasth but he should offer them to Bhagavaan. He should serve saints and Mahaatmaa people. As people forget dreams, after dreams are over, in the same way as their heart and mind get pure and purer, they should leave the love of their families, wealth, body etc also; because one day or the other all of these will be left in this world. He should serve his family and body as much only as those people need, not more. From inside he should be indifferent, from outside he should behave like a common man. Whatever people say or do, just say yes to them without any Mamataa (indulgence). Intelligent people may enjoy everything but should not collect them. People have right only that much amount whatever is needed for their need, to store more is regarded as theft, he should be punished. One should consider deer, camels, donkeys, monkeys. mice, birds . everybody like his children. A Grihasthee also should not work hard for Dharm, Arth nd Kaam, but get contented whatever he can get easily. One should use his own property after offering to others, even he should appoint his wife in the service of his guest.

Hey Yudhishthir, All Yagya go to Bhagavaan, but He is best satisfied by feeding a Braahman, not by doing Havan, therefore one should feed everybody considering Bhagavaan in him.

A wealthy Grahasthee should do Shraaddh in the Krishn Paksh of Aashwin Maas. Besides, this fortnight one can do Shraadh on following days also -
1. Ayan (Kark and Makar Sankraanti - in July and January months), 
2. Vishuv (Tula and Mesh Sankraanti - in September and March months when day and night are equal), 
3. Vyateepaat, 
4. Din-kshaya, 
5. at the time of Lunar or Solar eclipse, 
6. Dwaadashee day, during the constellations of Shravan, Dhanishthaa and Anuraadhaa; 
7. Vaishaakh Shukla third day (Akshaya Teej); 
8. Kaartik Shukla Navmee (Akshaya Navmee); 
9. Krishn Ashtamee of Agahan, Paush, Maagh and Phaalgun Maas; 
10. Maagh Shukla Saptamee; 
11. Maagh Poornimaa with Maghaa Constellation; 
12. Poornimaa of every month which has its own Maas constellation (Chitraa in Chaitra, Vishaakhaa in Vaishaakh, Jyeshthaa in Jyeshth etc.) whether Moon is complete or not complete;
13. Dwaadashee Tithi with Anuraadhaa, Shravan, Uttraa-phaalgun, Uttaraa-aashaad, Uttaraa-bhaadrapad constellations;
14. Ekaadashee Tithi with Uttaraa-aashaad, Uttaraa-bhadrapad, Uttaraphaalgun constellations or with Shravan constellation.

All these days are good to do Shraaddh, and not only for Shraaddh but for all auspicious actions (Punya). Do all good things during these periods. Who takes bath, does Jap, Havan, fast or worship Devtaa or Braahman and whatever gives to Devtaa, Pitar human beings, and living beings, its Punya is Akshaya (never destroyed). In the same way at the time of Jaat Karm and other Sanskaar of a child, on the day of funeral, or annual Shraaddh, or during any Shubh Karm, alms etc should be given."

Naarad Jee further said -"Hey Yudhishthir, Now listen to those places which help you attain Dharm. The holiest country is it where you get all good men, where you can get Bhagavaan's idols, where Bhagavaan is worshipped, where Gangaa etc holy rivers are there, where Pushkar etc holy ponds are there, Kurukshetra, Prayaag, Pulah Aashram (Shaaligraam Kshetra), Naimish Aranya, Phaalgun Kshetra, Setubandh, Prabhaas Kshetra, Gayaa Jee, Dwaarkaa, Kaashee, Mathuraa, Pampaasar, Badarik Aashram, Alaknandaa, Ayodhyaa, Chitrakoot etc places are like thus, because all these places are sacred. People should visit these places as many times as they can. Whatever Punya Karm are performed in these places, you get thousand times more for them.

In Tretaa Yug when learned people observed that people were insulting one another, they started keeping idols of Bhagavaan Jee and since then they have started worshipping Bhagavaan in temples.

Home  |  Bhaagvat

Previous  | Next