Vishwamitra

25 May 1995, Summer Course 1995, Brindavan

Published English.

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Nasti Lobha Samo Vyadhih Nasti Krodha Samo Ripuh. Nasti Daridryavat Dukham Nasti Jnana Samo Sukham.

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The says, - a human birth is difficult to acquire. says, - A human birth is rarest among all beings. The teach that among the 8,400,000 species of beings in the world, humans are the most evolved. When we ponder over these scriptural statements, we realize how pure, valuable and sacred human life is. Today we have forgotten that a human birth is priceless, potentially Divine and full of Bliss. Thus we invite sorrow upon ourselves.

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The story of King In the there was an emperor called . He was a great King in every way. He was truthful, an embodiment of , and he treated his subjects as if they were his own children. His heart was full of compassion. In spite of his excellent qualities, could not limit one peculiar desire that found a way into his heart: He yearned to dwell in heaven in his physical body.

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To this end, went to his family , Sage . He said, "Respected , please help me achieve this desire and bring fulfillment into my life." remarked, "Shame on you! Your desire is unnatural. This body is dirty. It is the home of mucus, waste matter, and disease. To take this ephemeral body to the heavenly realms is like dragging a corpse along with you. People earn heaven after good actions and done over many lifetimes. It is impossible to take the physical body there. It is against God’s rules for Creation to even attempt it. This thought is not worthy of you. I cannot help you. If you are adamant, you may approach another sage."

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went home dejected. After some time he journeyed northward. He went to meet the bright, austere, powerful and highly esteemed sons of . The sons of had surpassed even their father! No one was greater than them in wisdom, fame, and austerity. told them his problem as well as ’s words. They said, "! Our father is your personal and the of your dynasty. By coming to us, you have disobeyed him, insulted him. Why would we overrule our father? Do you want us to go against our father like you did? There is no place among us for a disciple who doesn’t value his ’s words. Go away!"

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had nowhere to go. So he went to . This was also a King originally. But his kingly pride took a fall when he opposed ’s spiritual power. So, at that time, he was engaged in arduous penance for spiritual powers. decided to satisfy at any cost, only because had refused to do so. Why? hated and envied intensely. was a while he was only a .

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had exerted tremendously to achieve the status of a , but had failed till then. What was the reason? His hatred, anger, and jealousy prevented him from advancing beyond the stage of . One who harbors anger and jealousy can never prosper. He can never achieve his goals. There is no enemy greater than anger. There is no disease greater than envy. There is a medicine for every disease but none for jealousy. And sought help from , in whom so many bad qualities were present.

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assured him, "I will send you to heaven in your physical body without fail!" He began planning a yagna and summoned many . None of them approved of this yagna, but they still came, fearing ’s wrath. was anger personified. The did not want to be burnt in the fire of his anger. They told themselves, "Let us just go there quietly and do our job."

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The yagna to send to heaven began. No were seen approaching to accept the offerings of the yagna. understood that the disapproved of ’s motive. He decided to send to heaven solely by the power of his penance. He poured all his spiritual powers into a wooden staff. Then, holding the staff aloft, he announced, "! I command you to ascend to heaven." began rising in the air and soon, he went out of sight. Everyone was speechless at this incredible event. After some time, they heard shouts, "! !" When they looked up, they saw falling down shouting, "! did not permit me to enter heaven. What should I do? I await your command."

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was incensed at the audacity of the who had refused admission to his supplicant. He said, "You stay there, don’t come down." With as the central point, began creating a second universe by the strength of his spiritual power! He created new Sun, Moon, planets, stars, heaven, and so on. But the looked upon these creations as artificial and ignored them.

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The story of While was in that state, his son ruled the kingdom. This was not , who is famous for his truthfulness! His name was , that’s all! This prayed to Lord for a son. He promised that he would surrender the son to soon after he was born. heard his prayer and a son was born in a few months. The son was named . could not bring himself to give away to . He reneged on his promise. came to know of his father’s mistake. He thought, "I wonder what calamities might beset me in this kingdom," and ran away to the forest. He spent many years wandering aimlessly, subsisting on roots and tubers. Meanwhile, as a consequence of breaking his promise, was afflicted with a chronic disease.

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What is the inner meaning of these stories? The father, , nursed a desire that went against the Laws of Nature. The son, , did not keep his word. These stories are told to illustrate the sorrow that ensues from these two actions - breaking one’s word and going against the Divine Law. Everyone, without distinction, must necessarily follow the rules and disciplines of Nature. No one has the authority to oppose these rules, which represent the Divine Law. To break such laws is to invite great calamity. This is an important teaching of the .

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came to know of his father’s disease. He attempted to return home many times. But appeared to him and dissuaded him every time. considered himself responsible for his father’s condition. He continuously searched for a solution to this dilemma. He thought about his father’s promise to - One living being had to be offered to in a yagna.

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The father can have love for his sons, no doubt. But it should be within limits. It should be neither excessive like ’s love, nor deficient like ’s love. Years roll by and old age arrives, but man’s attachment only grows and grows! This is the reason why today’s man experiences hell. Why? Attachment and possessiveness alone are responsible for misery. Attachment must have limits. Without limits, man forgets his Divine nature, behaves like an animal and loses respect in society.

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resolved to return and put an end to his father’s suffering. On the way, he met a couple and their three sons. told them, "I will give you untold wealth and cows and land in exchange for one of your sons. I need a boy for a yagna. Will you give me your oldest son?" The man said, "I love my oldest son immensely. I cannot live without him." persisted, "How about your youngest son, then?" The wife interjected, "He is the darling of my heart. I cannot part with him." The middle son was not as much loved as the other two. The father said, "You can have our second son."

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The second son told himself, "How unfortunate I am! I couldn’t become worthy of my parents’ affection. It is much better to offer my life in a yagna than to live such a life." He went with of his own volition. This boy was . They walked for a long distance and felt tired. They felt hungry but could see no human habitation nearby. They noticed a hermitage at a distance and ran into it. The hermitage was the abode of the noble Sage .

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spoke his heart to . "O Great Sage! This is my pitiable situation. Please protect me somehow and make me your disciple," he pleaded. assured him, "Don’t worry, I will definitely save you." Immediately he sent for his three sons and instructed, "One of you must agree to go to the yagna instead of this boy. is performing a yagna in which one being must be offered to . - Our bodies are meant to be of service to others. We must be ever ready to give our life to protect another’s." ’s sons burst out laughing. "Father, you are ready to sacrifice your own sons for the sake of some unknown boy? Is this what you are supposed to teach us?" None of them agreed to renounce his life. Then called near and said, "Son, two are required for this yagna to be completed. I will teach them to you now. Recite them in the yagna."

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learnt the two by heart and proceeded with . ’s yagna began. felt guilty that he was ready to sacrifice someone else’s son to . He recognized his acute selfishness. also suffered terribly with feelings of guilt. But he could not go against his father’s order for to be sacrificed.

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As the yagna neared conclusion, recited his loudly. In that peaceful atmosphere, those illumined the surroundings. noticed the brilliance of the and descended to the site Himself. said, "! You promised me something and did something else. Your disease is nothing but the fruit of this sinful act. The given word must be upheld. No one is exempt from this injunction. Even at the cost of one’s life, do not go back on your promise. - There is no higher than truth. This whole universe has emerged from , and it merges into ultimately. There is no place in the world without Truth. Instead of protecting and experiencing Truth, you opposed it and invited misery. However, your son prayed that should be saved at any cost. Yielding to ’s and pure feelings, I have come Myself." Paying money to buy someone else’s son and sacrifice him? This is a great sin. The parents also offered the son by yielding to greed.

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We must realize the inner meaning here. Who was the root cause of all this suffering? It was . He went against the Natural Law. He wanted a second creation to be made just for himself! This is against the Will of God. These traits also appeared in his son to a certain extent. One who opposes God’s Will cannot survive in this world. To disobey the Will of God is and , treachery towards God and . suffered because he was a traitor to God and to his . One should be ever obedient to one’s father also. Devotion and obedience to God, father, and : these are the hallmarks of Indian Culture. was one who disregarded the sanctity of these three relations.

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The story of was only a king. But look at the Sage ! He had immense wisdom and tremendous penance to his credit. Yet, he stooped to the level of helping in his questionable desire. would not have helped under normal circumstances, but his hatred for made him take that step. Hatred clouds discrimination. What is the use of arduous penance, and many kinds of education? was a master of all scriptures, possessed boundless spiritual power and was an embodiment of . But he allowed hatred into his heart and laid all these virtues to waste. He performed a task that even ordinary people would have recognized as wrong!

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For this reason ’s respect gradually diminished. Only his penance and powers sustained his waning reputation. ’s penance had jealousy as its foundation. He was jealous that had earned the title of . Despite his penance, could not curb his anger. Even after appeared to him and honored him with the title of , his anger did not subside. knew that was full of and hence, gave him the title of . One with is a . The one who recognizes the nature of and acts according to the prompting of the is a .

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was originally a king. Many, many years ago, he went to the forest for a hunt. He was exhausted after a full day of hunting. He came across a hermitage - Sage ’s hermitage. He paid his respects to . Enthralled by the serenity and natural beauty of the hermitage, tarried there, conversing with . After some time, he requested ’s permission to return to his city. said, "You are the emperor of this land. Under your rule, we ascetics are able to live peacefully in the forest. Through your administrative policies, you are ever attentive to the protection and care of sages. It is our duty to honor our King as a special guest. You must accept my hospitality."

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said humbly, "! I am not here alone. Thousands of soldiers are with me. If you give me a glass of water or milk, that is sufficient. Please don’t trouble yourself." said, "O King! There is no dearth of anything in this hermitage. Where God’s Grace showers, all-round abundance follows. I am capable of providing hospitality to any number of your soldiers." was surprised. He wondered, "How is this sage planning to provide my entire army with food?" ’s arrogance rose and he thought, "Let me test this sage." He agreed to ’s request.

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called out lovingly, ", !" A cow came there. told the cow, "Look here, . The king is our guest today. Please arrange for his comfort and that of his soldiers." In the twinkling of an eye, everything appeared! was a , a wish-fulfilling cow gifted by Lord . There was food even for 's elephants and horses, what to talk of his soldiers and himself! was an emperor. But even his royal kitchens had never produced such delicious food. Arrogance and greed entered 's heart. He thought, "This miraculous cow must reside with a King, not with a recluse in a forest."

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finished eating. Then he told , "O Sage! I have a small request. Please give me ." said, "That is impossible. is meant to be with me." tried to convince him in many ways but wouldn’t yield. lost his patience, turned to his soldiers and said, "Drag this cow to our city." The soldiers began dragging away and she cried out to , "! What fault have I done? Why do you let them drag me away?"

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told her, "Here is a king who is proud of his physical and intellectual strength, but he has no strength of virtue. How can I reason with a king devoid of virtue?" He tried advising , but to no avail. Now, ’s army consisted of hundreds of thousands of soldiers. Who could defy such a force? Knowing ’s strength, told her, "I permit you to deal with them as you wish."

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All of a sudden, created a divine army of millions out of nowhere, which fell upon ’s army. ’s men were annihilated in a matter of minutes. Not a single soldier survived. Even the sons of were not spared! The only one left alive was himself, who returned home humiliated. Since then, his hatred for grew into a raging fire.

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’s anger and hatred were a curse to him. was ever peaceful, even during this incident. cautioned him, "The angry man cannot succeed. He commits sins and loses his respect. He distances himself from his near and dear ones and is despised by all. This dire enemy, anger, destroys every happiness of man. Your enemy is within you, not outside." But ’s peaceful demeanor and advice would cause ’s anger to increase even more!

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The true meaning of sacrifice What is the reason for anger and loss of discrimination? It is only attachment! Why should a prosperous emperor desire this cow? He has all comforts in his kingdom. This cow belonged to the sage and was a Divine blessing for feeding the denizens of the forest. Why not let the cow dwell where its services were most needed? Craving for objects that he shouldn’t desire is the reason for man’s ruin. is replete with ideals:

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Yes, you may have attachment for your wife and children. But keep it within limits. Not only must you limit your attachment but limit its duration also. Your householder life is only till fifty years of age. By sixty years, you must enter . You should snap ties with wife and children and be free of all responsibilities. The age of seventy years is the time for complete renunciation ().

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Instead of cultivating such sacrifice, men today refuse to renounce attachments till death. Only hell can result to such people. Help your family and others to the extent possible. Discharge your duties towards everyone. And remember that every person is independent, governed by his individual . Everyone is responsible for themself. Don’t cultivate attachment, which is the root cause of sorrow.

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In this modem age, 9 out of 1 people spend their lives in attachment. Even those with perfect renunciation in ancient could not escape sorrow! Then how can modern man, submerged in attachment, expect to live happily? Remember, each one is responsible for oneself. Develop such feelings of sacrifice. For this reason the advise:

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What is the meaning of 'sacrifice' ? Attachment () and hatred () must be sacrificed. People talk about the who must be appeased so that our lives are free of misfortunes. Really, there are not nine, but only two that we must be mindful of: attachment and hatred! These two put us through suffering. Renounce attachment and hatred. This alone is true sacrifice, true renunciation:

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Cultivate thoughts of God and think of everyone’s welfare. - May all the worlds be happy. You must pray in this manner every day. Do not limit yourself to your family, friends, and relatives. Everyone must be happy. With such prayer, victory and peace will fill you!

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One small example: Once, for a mistake, was cursed by Lord and took birth as a pig. He wallowed in mud all day and it seemed to be to him! Then he married a she-pig and became a father to nine piglets. This pigNarada was so happy wading through filth along with his wife and children. For him, that filth was , his pig-wife was and his children were heaven! From time to time, would pass-by and remonstrate with him, "What is this pitiable state, ? Shed this attachment to a pig’s body.

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We are on our way to meet Lord . Realize your true identity and come with us."

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Then the pig- would reply, "No, no, no! I don’t want your tasteless world. See how happy I am here! My wife is so beautiful! I have nine children, as glorious as the nine planets. And the enjoyment of wading in this mud is not available to me even in heaven! How can I simply leave these joys and come away?"

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What is the lesson here? Who was overcome by attachment? None other than , a mentally created son of ! So, you may definitely have attachment and desires. But limit them. With limited desires, attain the limitless Divinity - This is the easy path. If you fail to put a ceiling on desires, you distance yourself from God.

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Students, plan your life along idealistic lines from a young age and demonstrate it to society. You definitely have the freedom and the right to desire the necessities of life. But don’t cultivate too many desires. Cut your ego and limit attachment, thereby letting Divine feelings flourish. This is what and the advise.

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The is 'His Story' There are many stories, some strange, in .

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You might find them long or cumbersome. No, no. They are all 'histories' . 'History' means 'His Story' - stories of God. Unfortunately we are unable to appreciate the . Hence, we violate its teachings. Truly, every verse of this scripture is a pearl, a diamond. was written for the very purpose of teaching the secrets of attaining God. Otherwise, why would sit dispiritedly on the banks of River after composing the eighteen , and why would go there and advise him to compose ?

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told , "You wrote the and the and earned the name - giver of divine verses. But your (divine verses) could not dispel your (sorrow). You inquired into the intentions of the wicked and described their characters in the . Thus your mind was sullied. To cleanse yourself, now describe the stories of the Lord. Write the ." There is no text greater than the . Why? The alone explains the nature of God in entirety.

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Give up to attain There was a being who was able to assume different forms. Assuming the form of a monkey, he went around telling people, "You fools! Look at me. I am a monkey. I dwell inside you as your mind. I am responsible for your fickleness. Even monkeys served despite their unsteadiness. But you men follow instead of ."

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Do you see? Even monkeys were intelligent to serve . But men run after . They are more foolish than monkeys! Desires, desires, desires... How can grant His Vision to one drowned in desires? Decrease your desires gradually. Like the horns of a bull, which grow with age, your desires are ever-increasing! This is not proper. Human values will degenerate into animal qualities if this trend persists.

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