Kunjal Preaches His son Ujjwal         Story Cont...    Teerth Cont...

Vane said - "Hey Bhagavan, You have told me about wife Teerth, Pitri Teerth and Maatri (mother) Teerth, now please tell me about Guru Teerth." Vishnu said - "Guru Teerth is very holy. Guru is the means of knowing about worldly behavior and Vigyaan and attaining Moksh. Sun gives light in daytime, Moon gives light in nighttime, lamp gives light only in the house, but Guru always gives light in his disciple's heart. He destroys the darkness of his disciple's ignorance. One should always serve his Guru with mind, speech and action.

There was a great Rishi, named Chyavan, born in Bhaargav Vansh. One day he thought, "When will I attain Gyaan?" Thinking thus he thought to go on Teerth Yaatraa (pilgrimage) because it fulfills desired wish. So he started wandering around and went to many Teerth. Now he came to Omkaareshwar Teerth and lay down under the shade of a banyan tree. After a while he heard the sound of some birds. In fact there lived an immortal parrot with his wife on that tree. His name was Kunjal. That parrot was very knowledgeable. He had four sons - Ujjwal, Samujjwal, Vijjwal, and Kapinjal. All the four sons were a great devotee of their parents. As the evening fell all came back home after eating food outside. They greeted their father and started fanning their parents with their feathers. When their parents had finished their food, Kunjal started telling them Divine stories.

Ujjwal said - "Father, First you tell me what is good for me, then tell me about Dhyaan (meditation), Vrat (vows), Punya, and Bhagavaan's "Shat-Naam" (hundred names of Bhagavaan)." Kunjal said - "First I tell you about Moksh which nobody has seen. It is second to none and without sorrows. As a lamp burns without any disturbance in an airless place, in the same way this Soul is also stable and without any impurity. Soul is neither anybody's friend nor is anybody's enemy. When Indriyaan detach themselves from all kinds of pleasures, at that time only Soul remains and he attains Moksh. As a lamp sucks oil through wick and throws it out as Kaajal (black powder obtained from this wick), but it itself is always clear and clean; in the same way this Soul sucks Karm through this wick like body. He throws Karm out in the form of pleasures and cleanses himself with Jap. He has no anger etc impurities. This Soul is in the form of Gyaan [and the same is called Paramaatmaa].

Now I tell you about how to meditate upon Vishnu. There are two ways to do that - Niraakaar and Saakaar. Niraakaar can be meditated upon through Gyaan. Only Yogee can see Him. He goes without feet, He sees without eyes, he does everything without Indriyaan. He is independent and He is not under anybody's control, still He is under His Bhakt's control. Nobody can know Him completely. The other form is Saakaar. His Chatur-bhuj Roop is a popular one to meditate upon. Whoever meditates Him in this way, he gets free from all sins and goes to Vishnu Lok. Now I tell the types of Vrat by which Vishnu is worshipped. Jayaa, Vijayaa, Paapnaashinee, Jayantee, Trih-Sprashaa, Vanjulee, Tilgandhaa, Akhandaa and Manorakshaa - all these are the different names of Ekaadashee and Dwaadashee. Besides these there are several other Tithi whose effects are Divine. Both A-Shoonya Shayan and Janmaaashtamee are great Vrat. By observing these Vrat all kinds of sins are destroyed.

There is Vishnu's Shat Naam Stotra which also destroys sins and gives good Gati. Its Rishi is Brahmaa, Devtaa is Omkaar, and Chhand is Anushtup. It is used to fulfill all desires and attain Moksh. ( Vishnu Shat Naam Stotra is given on p 313-314) Who does Jap of this Stotra daily, he gets the fruit of Gangaa Snaan. Who does Maagh Snaan and if he meditates and listens to or reads this Stotra, he attains Param Pad. Who reads this Stotra in front of Braahman who eats in Shraaddh time, his Pitar also get good Gati."

Kunjal Preaches His Son Vijjwal

After this Kunjal said to his another son Vijjwal - "In every enjoyment or sorrow (Bhog or result of Karm) good and bad Karm are the reasons behind them. If somebody does good Karm, he gets pleasures; and if he does bad Karm, he has to suffer because of them. Even the reason of destruction of this body is Karm. We all are under the control of Karm. Only Karm are Jeev's everybody - children, friends, brothers etc. As a farmer harvests whatever seeds he sows, in the same way a man enjoys or suffers according to his actions done in the past. He takes birth according to his Karm only - such as Devtaa, human being, animal, bird, tree etc. There is no being who can avoid his Karm done in his past lives. All beings enjoy or suffer according to their Karm.

Subjects of Indriyaan are a type of obstacles. They afflict a person repetitively according to his Karm. Whoever one has to enjoy or suffer, Daiv (creator) takes him there only to enjoy or suffer. There was a king named Subaahu in Chole Desh. Gemini named Braahman was his Purohit. One day Gemini said to the king - "You should donate something good. One gets pleasures only because of Daan, one attains good Lok only because of Daan, that is why one should always do Daan something or the other." The King asked - "Hey Dwij, Which one is more difficult? Daan or Tapasyaa? And which gives more fruits in Par Lok (other world)?"

Jaimini said - "There is nothing more difficult than Daan on the Prithvi, because the whole world is affected by greed. People go to dense forest and deep seas just because to get some money. Many serve others for money. Learned people read for money, many people do many violent jobs only for money. Thus it is very difficult to give up such wealth. If somebody earns money in a justified way, and then he donates it, it gives him eternal fruits. If such wealth is donated with Shraddhaa, its fruits are immeasurable. Shraddhaa is the daughter of Dharm. She makes the world holy. Wise people meditate with Shraddhaa only. Whoever Muni did not have anything, they have attained the Swarg only because Shraddhaa.

Daan is of many types, but there is no greater Daan than Ann Daan to attain good Gati. It is necessary to speak sweet words while giving Daan. If anyone gives Ann Daan even once with pure heart and Shraddhaa, he always enjoys its fruits. One should always donate a handful Ann from his own food. This Daan is very effective. Who cannot give one Ser (one Kilogram, or two pounds) Ann daily, he should feed a Braahman on any festival with Shraddhaa. Ann has appeared from Amrit, that is why whoever has donated Ann, he has given life to a person. That is why you must donate Ann."

Subaahu said - "Please tell me the characteristics of Swarg." Jaimini said - "There are many Divine gardens in Swarg. They fulfill many desires. There are many Vimaan also. People wander around riding those Vimaan. No atheist goes there, nor go there cruel, unfaithful, and proud people. There is no disease, no old age, no death, no sorrows, no winter, summer or rains, no hunger or thirst there. Its greatest demerit is that one feels dissatisfied seeing other people's increased wealth; and who are indulged in Divine pleasures, they fall from there as their Punya (good Karm) are finished. Whatever good Karm is done here in this world, one enjoys its pleasure there. Prithvi is Karm Bhoomi and Swarg is Bhog Bhoomi."

Subaahu said - "If there is any other faultless Lok other than Swarg Lok, please tell me about that also." Jaimini said - "Above Brahm Lok, there is Vishnu's Parampad. Who are indulged in all kinds of worldly pleasures, they cannot go there, only saints go there." Subaahu said - "I will not like to go to Swarg from where one has to fall one day. I will worship Lakshmeepati and go to Vishnu Lok only." Jaimini said - "You are right, O king. Kings donate many things. They do big Yagya and all kinds of Daan are given in those Yagya. In all best Yagyas, first is donated Ann, then clothes and then betel leaves are donated. After this, gold, land and cow donations are mentioned. So you also do Daan of wealth."

Subaahu asked - "By which bad Karm people fall in Narak, and by which good Karm they go to Swarg?" Jaimini said -"Greedy, atheists, who do not give wealth to Braahman in spite of vowing to give it to them, proud, liar, killer, who spoil water bodies, who take food without feeding guests, who do not follow rules of their Varn and Aashram - they all fall in Narak. Who manufacture weapons, who ignore guests, who are unkind, who first vow for doing something and then break it themselves, they also fall in Narak.

Now I tell you about the people who go to Swarg. Who follow Dharm by truth, Tapasyaa, Gyaan, meditation, self study, worship Bhagavaan, who live in holy places, who serve their parents, give Daan, forgive people, never complain about anything and anybody, are kind, praise friends and enemies alike - they all go to Swarg. Who serve their parents, sit with saints, respect old people, feed others, donate to needy people, become happy to see wise people, and behave according to Shaastra, they go to Swarg. Who never speak harsh words, who have planted gardens or trees, who have dug wells or ponds, who are kind to everybody, they go to Swarg Lok."

Kunjal said - "Hearing all this from Jaimini, Subaahu said - "I will try to follow Dharm, not A-Dharm. I will always sing praise of Bhagavaan Vaasudev." With this intention king Subaahu followed Dharm and went to Vishnu Lok.

Later Kunjal preached Vaasudev-Abhidhaan Stotra to Vijjwal. He said - "Its Chhand is Anushtup, Rishi is Naarad Jee and Devtaa is Omkaar. It is done to destroy all sins and to attain the four Purushaarth - Dharm, Arth, Kaam and Moksh. The 12-letter Mantra is its Mool Mantra. ( Vaasudev Abhidhaan Stotra is given on p 318-320, 77 Shlok) Vishnu said - "Thus I told you this, now you listen to their further conversation."

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