Fruits of Paap and Punya            Story Cont...     Teerth Cont...

Yayaati asked - "People commit great sins on this Prithvi, what fruit they get for those Karm? Tell me this now."
Maatali said - "Who abuse Ved, who do not follow Ved's prescribed actions, who follow other Varn's behavior, and who afflict saints, they all are sinners. Who beat their sisters or abuse their parents, they all are certainly sinners. Who do not invite his nephew (sister's son), son-in-law, sister living within five Kos (12 mile) and feed only others, Pitar do not accept his food. Ignoring son-in-law is like killing one's father for the person who does Shraaddh. In the same way if there are many Braahman present, and if only one or a few Braahman are given things, it destroys the fruit of Daan. This is mandatory for all Varn to give something to poor Braahman on auspicious Punya occasions. Who doesn't give Dakshinaa to a Braahman after taking any work from him, he is attached to cow killing sin.

First one should worship Bhaagvat Puraan, then he should worship Vishnu Puraan, Harivansh, Matsya Puraan, Koorm Puraan. Who worship Padm Puraan, they worship Madhusoodan in person. Reading or writing Puraan without worshipping it, or selling it because of greed, or keeping it in dirty places, or reading it in unclean places - all this is regarded as abusing Guru. Who disregards Guru in any way, he falls in Kumbheepaak Narak for one Kalp.

Creating obstacles for those who are hungry and thirsty and who want to eat food, are regarded as killing Braahman. Who abuse devotees of Shiv; who take Braahman's money; kill innocent animals; set fire to cows' residing places, temples, villages and cities; find fault in everyone; all are considered as Braahman's killers. Taking poor people's money; taking other's woman, elephant, camphor, sweets, clothes etc; not marrying the girl who is of marriageable age; having illegal relations with friends' and brother's wives and one's own sisters; raping unmarried girls under the age of 10-11 - these sins are like having illicit relations with Guru's wife.

Ignoring Saadhu and Tapaswee; selling garden, pond, woman, children, fruits of Teerth Yaatraa, fasts, Vrat, auspicious Karm; living on woman's money, opening the secret A-Dharm Karm of somebody; destroying temple, gardens, trees etc come under the sin of cow killing. Ved abuse the people who eat alone without giving food to woman, son, children, old person, weak person, servant, guest, brothers and relations; who eat good food himself and don't give even necessary food to others. Who set discipline themselves and break it themselves; who are lazy; who sleep a lot; who kill cows and bulls etc - they all are great sinners. Who take other's things, even small ones, they fall in Narak.

If any good man accidentally commits any sin, then his Guru can cleanse his sin; such people do not go Yam Raaj. If a crime is committed, government can punish him, but the sins which are committed secretly, only Yam Raaj punishes them. That is why one should always do Praayashchit for one's sins. I told you about sins, now what do you want to hear?"

Yayaati said - "Now you tell me about the fruits of Dharm."
Maatali said - "Who donate shoes to Braahman, they go to another world comfortably riding on a big Vimaan. Who donate clothes to Braahman, they go to another world wearing Divine clothes. Donating chairs, mattresses, take men comfortably to other world. Who donate flower garland, they go by Pushpak Vimaan; who build houses, residing places for Devtaa, Sanyaasee, orphans and patients, they live in good palaces in the other world. Therefore one should donate things with Shraddhaa. It certainly yields results.

There are 10 ways to earn Dharm - (1) Ahinsaa (non-violence), (2) Kshamaa (forgiveness), (3) Satya (Truth), (4) Lajjaa (feeling shame on doing wrong things), (5) Shraddhaa (devotion), (6) Indriya Nigrah (control on senses), (7) Daan (donation), (8) Yagya, (9) Dhyaan (meditation) and (10) Gyaan (knowledge). Who gives food, he is called life-giver, and who gives life, he is all in all, therefore by donating Ann (food) one gets the fruit of all kinds of Daan. One can earn Punya only after eating food, so half of the Punya goes to who donates food, and the other half Punya goes to who does Punya. Body is the highest means to attain Dharm, Arth, Kaam and Moksh; and food nourishes the body, therefore there is no greater Daan than donating food.

Food, water, horse, cow, clothes, bed, thread and Aasan - donating these eight things are good for Pret Lok. By donating these things one goes to Yam Lok comfortably. Daan is good to be comfortable. Who worships Shiv with Bhakti even one day, he goes to Shiv Lok; so if somebody has worshipped him several times, no need to say anything about him. Who worship Vishnu, they go to Vishnu Dhaam. Vishnu Lok is above Shiv Lok. The highest human beings and learned Braahman go to Brahm Lok. Kshatriya who go to battle ground enthusiastically go to Indra Lok."

Yayaati Converts Prithvi into Swarg Lok

Yayaati said - "Now you describe the locations of Devtaa's Lok. Tell me their number and whoever has attained whichever Lok, tell me that also."
Maatali said - "Devtaa's Lok are like feelings. Feelings have various forms, their number may go up to millions, but for Punyavaan people their number is only 28, which are located one above the other and are very large in size. Who do Pranaam to Shiv, they attain Shiv Lok, who meditate upon Vishnu, they go to His Dhaam only. Shiv and Vishnu's Lok are almost the same, because both are the same. Vishnu lives in Shiv's heart, and Shiv Lives in Vishnu's heart. Brahmaa, Vishnu and Shiv, all three are the same, difference is only of their attributes. Hey Raajan, You are the devotee of Shiv and love Vishnu, that is why all three Devtaa are kind on you. Since I have come here by the order of Indra, that is why first you go to Indra Lok, then you will go to Shiv Lok and Vishnu Lok. Those Lok are without heat and Pralaya."

Here Pippal asked Sukarmaa - "What did Yayaati do after hearing Maatali, please tell me that in detail." Sukarmaa said - "Yayaati said to Maatali - "You have already told me the merits and demerits of Swarg, that is why I will not go to Swarg now leaving my body here. You may go back and tell this to Indra. Bhagavaan Hrisheekesh's names are the best. I pronounce them daily by which my all sins are destroyed. It is so surprising that in spite of taking Krishn's name, people are getting sick and committing sin. Bhagavaan's worship, meditation, speaking truth and Daan clean the body and destroy the diseases and impurities. I will convert this Prithvi into Swarg with the power of my Tap and Dharm. So you may go now, and I will not go to Swarg Lok." Hearing this Maatali went back and told everything to Indra. Indra got worried at this and started thinking as how to bring him in Swarg Lok.

After Maatali had left, Yayaati pondered for a while, called his chief messengers and preached them some Dharm and asked them to go to other countries to tell what he said to them - "Make sure that they should follow your sayings, meditate on Bhagavaan, worship Madhusoodan, and see everywhere Shree Hari. Whoever will not obey me, he will be punished. He will be considered as thief." Messengers started delivering king's message - "Listen all people, King Yayaati has brought Amrit here itself on this Prithvi, and that is Vaishnav Dharm. Drink this Amrit and be happy. He is known as Raam here. Whoever reads His name Stotra, he never comes back to Prithvi." Thus they used to wander around and deliver this message to people.

So the people started worshipping Bhagavaan Vishnu. Now they did everything for Vishnu. All became Punyavaan and Tapaswee. Nobody was sick, nobody was poor, everybody had good cows, nobody died untimely, Shankh (conch) sound was heard everywhere, everybody sang the praise of Keshav. People used to pronounce the names of Hari - Muraaree, Shreesh, Govind, Krishn, Raam, Mukund, Naaraayan, Padmnaabh, Kapil etc. Women pronounced His name even while being busy in their house jobs. Children worshipped Vishnu even while playing. People on Earth also pronounced Vishnu's names as Vaishnav pronounced it in Vaikunth. Thus Yayaati's preaching converted everybody to a Vaishnav."

Vishnu said - "Hey Vane, Yayaati had passed 100,000 years on Prithvi, but his body was as young as of a 25 years man. People of earth did not go to Yam Raj. They were happy with Daan Punya. They used to live long. They did not get old. [But Indra was worried] One day he called Kaam Dev and Gandharv and asked them to bring Yayaati anyhow to Swarg. So they came to Yayaati and said to him - "We wish to play a good play in your court ." King Yayaati permitted them, even he himself came to see that play. They played the drama of Vaaman Avataar. At that time Vasant (spring) polluted king's mind."

Story Cont...     Teerth Cont...