Jadbharat     Contd...  on  Next Page

Maitreya Muni said - "Hey Muni, Now I wish to listen to about Bharat whose name you have mentioned earlier. It is said that he used to live in Shaal Graam (village) area meditating on Vaasudev. Why couldn't he get freedom from life or emancipation even after doing such Punya and he had to reborn as a Braahman?"

Paraashar said - "Yes, that Lord of Prithvi lived in Shaal Graam area for a very long time and attained all kinds of qualities. He always used to pronounce Bhagavaan's names. He used to collect only wood, flower and Kush grass only for worship. He did not use to do any other Karm.

One day he went to a river to take bath. He saw a pregnant she-deer coming to drink water. When she had drank water, a terrible sound of lion's roar was heard all around. She got frightened and jumped on the shore. The shore was high and because of climbing on the shore her child fell in the river. The she-deer died and Bharat brought that child to his Aashram.

He used to take care of that child. When he grew a little, he used to go around Aashram, but sometimes he went far also. But normally he used to come back by evening. Bharat loved him very much. If he got late he worried too much about his welfare, and when he had come he became very happy to see him.

Later Bharat died looking at that deer as if he was his own child. After some time, because of his strong desire in that deer child, he was born as a deer in Jamboo Maarg (Kaalanjar mountain). He remembered his previous life so he did not like the world and started living in Shal Graam area. Later he was born in a Braahman family. He still remembered about his previous life. He did not read Ved in spite of his Guru's teachings. Neither he did any Karm, nor he read any Shaastra. If somebody asked him anything, he spoke only a few irregular words. Because of living as a dirty man people insulted him.

A Yogee's greatest enemy is his respect. A Yogee who is insulted by others, quickly obtains Siddhi. Kulmaash (barley) or rice or greens, whatever he got he ate it and passed his time. Later he started helping his brother in farming. Others also used to take work from him just in exchange of food.

Once king of Prishat used him as a sacrifice animal for Kaalee, but Kaalee cut the neck of that person appearing in person. One day the king of Sauveer was going somewhere that his servants saw him very healthy and took him as the servant of the king. One day the king intended to go to Kapil Muni's Aashram on the banks of Ikshumatee River to ask him, "What should a man do in this sorrowful world?". So his servants included him as a servant to carry the king's palanquin. 

Since he was an intelligent Braahman, he used to walk slowly seeing a little further, but the others were walking faster. Seeing this the king said to his servants - "Walk properly." But still they walked in the same way. The king got angry, he again asked them to walk properly. Then the servants said - "We are walking all right, only this new man is walking slowly." The King said to him - "You have carried this palanquin for a very little distance, are you tired so soon? You look fat and strong, still you can't carry this palanquin?"

Braahman said - "Hey Raajan, Neither I am fat, nor I am strong, nor I am carrying your palanquin, nor I am tired, nor I need to bear this load." The king said - "But apparently you look healthy and strong, and this palanquin is also kept on your shoulders and it is natural to be tired when somebody carries some load."

At his Braahman said - "Raajan, Tell me first what do you see apparently. Talk to me later about my being fat or being weak." The king said - "That you are carrying the load of my palanquin and it is still kept on your shoulder." "This is wrong." the Braahamn said - "See I am standing and my feet are on Prithvi. My thighs are on my feet, above that is my stomach, above that is my chest, and above that are my shoulders. And on shoulders is kept the palanquin. That is why I am not carrying this load. In reality, you are in palanquin, and I am on Prithvi is also wrong. Hey Raajan, All are carried by Panch Bhoot and these Bhoot exist because of Gun. Besides, these Gun are subjected to Karm and Karm is all because of ignorance in all living beings.

Soul is pure, A-Kshar (indestructible, eternal), peaceful, Nir-Gun (attributeless) and beyond Prakriti (nature). And that One is in all beings and He neither grows nor decays. So Hey Raajan, When He neither grows nor decays, then how do you say that I am fat? And if this palanquin is heavy for me it can be heavy for you also. And why this palanquin only, all beings have taken the load of tree, mountains, houses, Prithvi etc. When a man is separate from the causes of Prakriti, then his labor is also not dependent on them and whatever material is used to build for this palanquin, the same material is used for your and my bodies also."

Paraashar said - After saying this Braahman became silent still keeping the palanquin on his shoulder. The king immediately came down from his palanquin, fell on his feet and said - "Please leave this palanquin and be merciful to me. Tell me who are you in this guise? What for you have come here?" The Braahman said - "These things cannot be talked and as you have asked the reason of my coming here, so going and coming etc are only to bear the fruits of Karm. To bear the pleasure and sorrow is the cause of getting this physical body. These Dharm and A-Dharm are the only causes of all states of this Jeev (soul), then why do you ask me the reason of my coming here?"

The King said - "This is certain that all states of soul are because of this Dharm and A-Dharm and beings take one body to another to bear the fruits of their Karm, but as you said that, "who am I" cannot be talked" I wish to know this. Why can't we say this, "Whatever is" (means whoever exists in all and acts as a doer and enjoyer) is "the same is I".

The Braahman said - "Raajan, You have rightly said that "I" (Aham or ego) does not attach any fault to "soul", but this "I" gives a wrong notion of the knowledge of Self, because that is not Self. "Aham" word is spoken from the tongue, teeth etc parts of mouth, therefore these parts are only the cause of pronouncing that word, not that "Aham" or "I" himself speaks that word. Then does this speech pronounce "Aham" for self?" No, but in this situation saying "you are fat" is not appropriate, because this body is separate from soul."

The King asked - "Therefore where should I use this "Aham" word?" The Braahman replied - "If there is any other soul than ours, then it can be said for that soul "This is I and that is another" but when only one soul exists in all physical bodies then all those sentences are useless. You are king, this is palanquin, these are the palanquin carriers and these are all your subjects - none is true. Tree produces wood and that wood is used to build this palanquin, then tell me whether it should be considered as wood or tree? "The king is sitting on a tree" - nobody can say like this, nor it can be said  that "the king is sitting on wood". All say that "you are sitting in palanquin". This special structure, built with the help of wood, is named as palanquin. 

If it is different from wood, then first you separate it from wood, then try to find it out what is this? First separate the spokes from the royal umbrella then think where does the royal umbrella stand? The same thing applies to you and me too - means yours and my bodies are composed of Panch Bhoot. And this body is for doing Karm only. Hey Raajan, Purush (Jeev or soul) is neither Devtaa, nor human, nor animal, nor tree. They all are the different forms of bodies to do their own Karm.

Whatever things are in the world, they are not true, they are all imaginary, which have only one name, no other one, even in later times - that is the only truth. You can see yourself, for some people you are king, for your son you are father, for your wife you are husband; then tell me what should I call you? Are you the head, or neck, or feet etc? And what are this head, neck and feet of yours? Hey Raajan, You are different from them, therefore ponder on "Who am I?" Thus "Aatm" Tattwa is different and it can be explained only after separating from all others things. Then how can I tell you about it from "Aham" word?"

Jadbharat and the King's Dialog

Paraashar further said - "Hey Muni, Hearing this the king said bowing his head to him - "Hey Bhagavan, What you have said, hearing that I have become a little confused. You have told me about Vigyaan in all the Jeev (beings), that is certainly Brahm beyond Prakriti, but you said that, "I am not bearing palanquin. Whoever is bearing its weight that body is separate from me. Pravritti of Jeev is decided by Gun (Sat, Raj and Tam) and Gun are decided by Karm - I have nothing to do with it." I am unable to understand this.

I was going to Kapil Muni to ask him that what Karm is most important for a human being, but since you told me these sentences while I was on the way to his Aashram,  I am very interested to know and to hear about Paramaarth. This Kapil Muni is a part Avataar of Vishnu and he has taken this incarnation to remove the Moh (darkness) of this world. But whatever you are saying, it seems that Kapil Muni himself has come here to preach me for my good. Therefore you tell me now what is important Karm for me?"

Braahman said - "Do you want to ask me about the important Karm or Paramaarth? Because Hey Raajan, An important Karm is always A-Paramaarth (which is not Paramaarth). Hey Raajan, Who worships any Devee (goddess) or Devtaa (god) with any wish (for example, for a son, or for wealth, or for victory etc) that is the only important Karm for him. Even who worships Him with the wish for Swarg, that is also an important Karm for him. But the highest and most important Karm is not to wish for anything. Therefore a Yogee should always meditate upon the Spirit. To join Him is the only real important Karm of life.

Thus important Karm may be hundreds and thousands but they are not Paramaarth. Now listen to what is Paramaarth - "If wealth is Paramaarth then why is it forsaken for Dharm, and then why is it spent to buy desired pleasures? (that is why it is not Paramaarth). If we consider the son or children as Paramaarth, then the father is also Paramaarth of somebody else's. (that is why the children are also not Paramaarth). If we take Yagya Karm prescribed in Ved as Paramaarth, then their fruits also do not last long. Then what is Paramaarth?

Hey Raajan, Whatever acts as the cause of the result, its result should also be considered the same because without that cause the result cannot happen. Thus because Yagya is done with the help of Kush, wood, Ghee etc and those materials are perishable, so the fruits of the Yagya Karm are also perishable.

But learned people tell Paramaarth eternal and an eternal thing cannot come out of perishable things. Even if we do any Karm without the desire of its result, then also because of being only the means to get Mukti (salvation) it is only a means to get Mukti, not the Paramaarth itself, because two things cannot unite together. Therefore they all are important Karm but not Paramaarth.

Soul is One, omnipresent, pure, attributeless and beyond Prakriti (Maayaa or illusion). It is all full of knowledge. It has never united with Untruth, nor it will ever unite with it. Although it exists in all beings, still it is One. Only this type of knowledge is called Paramaarth. As the same air creates several sounds through the holes of the flute, in the same way one soul exists in every being of different form. The same Paramaatmaa seems different because of the look of existed physical body. And this external or physical body is the result of its Karm. As the result of those Karm are finished that body is also gone."

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