Var-10
One Oankar, the primal energy, realised through the grace of the divine preceptor.
Pauri-1 Dhruva Bhagat
Boy Dhruv came smiling to his house and his father full of love put him into his lap. Seeing this, the stepmother got angry and catching hold of his arm pushed him out of the lap of his father. Tearful with fear he asked his mother whether she was a queen or a maidservant. O son! I was born queen but I did not remember God and did not undertake acts of devotion and this is the reason of yours and mine plight. With that effort can the kingdom be had, asked Dhruv and how can the foe be turned into friends. The Lord should be worshipped and thus the sinners also get scared. Listening to this and getting totally detached in his mind Dhruv went out to jungle to undertake rigorous discipline On the way, sage Narad taught him the technique of devotion and Dhruv quaffed the nectar from the ocean of the Name of the Lord. After some time King Uttanpad called him back and asked Dhruv to rule forever. The Gurmukhs who seem to be losing that is who turn their faces from the evil propensities, conquer the world.
Pauri-2 Bhagat Prahlad
Prahlad, the saint,was born in the house of a demon King Haranakhas in the same way as a lotus blooms in barren land. When he was sent to seminary, the brahmin purohit got elated as King’s son was his disciple. Prahlad would remember the name of Ram in his heart and outwardly also he would eulogise Lord. Now all the disciples became devotees of Lord, which was an awful and embarrassing situation for all the teachers. The teacher reported to the King that his son has become devotee of God. The malevolent demon picked up the quarrel- Prahlad was thrown into fire and water but with the grace of Guru neither he was burnt nor drowned. Angered as he was, Hiranyaksyapu took out his double edged sword and asked him who was his Guru and he replied that God was his Guru. At the same moment Lord God in the form of man-lion came out of pillar. His form was grand and majestic. That wicked demon was thrown down and killed and thus it was proved that the Lord is kind to devotees since time immemorial. Seeing this Brahma and other deities started praising the Lord.
Pauri 3 Bali the King
Bali, the King, was busy in performing a yajna in his palace. A dwarf in the form of Brahmin came and recited all the four vedas to him. The King after calling him in asked him to demand anything he liked. Immediately Sukracharya priest made the King Bali understand that this dwarf is certainly God who had come to delude him. The dwarf Brahmin demanded two and a half steps length of land which was granted readily by Bali. Then the dwarf expanded his body so much that now even the three worlds were insufficient for him. Even knowing this deception Bali allowed himself to be deceived so and seeing it Lord Vishnu embraced him. When he covered the entire three worlds in two steps, for third half step Bali offered his own back and he was given Kingdom of nether world where surrendering to God he engaged himself in continuous praise of God with complete devotion. Vishnu considered himself fortunate even to be the doorkeeper of King Bali.
Pauri-4 Bhagar Ambarik
One evening while King Ambarik was fasting sage Durvasa came to visit him. The King was to break his fast while serving Durvasa but the sage went to the river to take bath. Fearing the change in date, that would have deemed his fast futile, the King broke his fast by taking water that he poured at the feet of Durvasa. When the sage came to know that King had not served him first and taken water without asking him, he ran to curse Ambarik. On this, Vishnu ordered his Sudarshan Chakra- death like disc to move towards Durvasa and thus ego of the sage was dispelled. Now Brahmin Durvasa was running for his life. Even the Gods and other deities refused to give shelter to him for the fear of offending Vishnu. He was refused shelter in the abodes of Indra, Shiva, Brahma and the heavens. Gods made him understand that only Ambaris could save him. Then he surrendered before Ambaris and he rescued the dying sage. The Lord God came to be known in the world as benevolent to devotees.
Pauri-5 King Janak
King Janak was a great saint who amidst maya remained indifferent to it. Along with gans and gandharvas he went to the abode of the gods. From there, he hearing the cries of inhabitants of hell, went to see them. He asked the god of Death Yama to relieve their sufferings. Hearing this, god of death told him that he was a mere servant of the eternal Lord and without His decree he cannot release them. Janak offered a part of his devotion as ransom in remembrance of the name of the Lord. All the sins of hell were found not equal even to the counterweight the balance. In fact no balance can weigh the fruits of recitation and utterance of Lord’s name by a Gurmukh. All the creatures got liberated from hell and the noose of death was cut. Liberation and technique of attaining it are the servants of the name of the Lord.
Pauri-6 Harishchandra and Rani Taramati
King Harishchandra had a queen with beautiful eyes Taramati who had made his home full of comforts. At night she would go to the place where in the form of holy congregation, would recite the holy hymns. King realised in the middle of night on waking up that queen was not there. He could not find Queen anywhere in the palace and his heart was astonished. Next night he followed the queen The queen reached the holy congregation and King took one of her sandals from there as evidence of Queen’s infidelity. When about to leave, the queen concentrated upon the holy congregation with such an intensity that the one sandal became a pair. The King upheld this feat and realised that her matching sandal was a miracle. I am sacrifice unto the holy congregation.
Pauri-7 Bidar and Duryodhana
Hearing that Lord Krishna was served and stayed at humble Bidar’s home, Duryodhana remarked sarcastically leaving our grand palaces, how much happiness and comfort did you attain in the home of a servant. You gave up even Bhikhaum, Dohna and Karan who are recognised as great men and are respected in all courts. We have all been anguished to find that you have lived in a hut. Then smilingly, Lord Krishna asked the King to come forward and listen carefully. I see no love and devotion in you and hence I have not come to you. No heart I see has even a fraction of the love that Bidar bears in his heart. The Lord needs loving devotion and nothing else.
Pauri- 8 Draupadi
Dusasanai brought Draupadi into the assembly by dragging her by hair. He commanded his men to strip Draupadi stark naked. All the five Pandavas, who were her husbands watched helplessly. Crying, totally dejected and helpless, she closed her eyes. Single mindedly she invoked Krishna for help. The servants were taking off clothes from her body but more layers of clothes formed a citadel around her; the servants got tired but the layers of clothes were never ending.
Pauri-9 Bhagat Sudama
Sudama, a poor brahman, was known to be a friend of Krishna from childhood. His brahmin wife always pestered him as to why he doesn’t go to Lord Krishna to alleviate their poverty. He was perplexed and pondered over how he could get reintroduced to Krishna, who could help him meet the Lord. He reached the town of Dwarka and stood before the main gate of palace of Krishna. Seeing him from a distance, Krishna, the Lord, came to Sudama leaving his throne. First he circumambulated around Sudama and then touching his feet he embraced him. Washing his feet he took that water and made Sudama sit on the throne. Then Krishna lovingly enquired about his welfare and talked about the time when they were together in the service of Guru Sandipani. Krishna asked for the rice sent by Sudama’s wife and after eating it, came to see off his friend. Though all the four boons- righteousness, wealth, fulfilment of desire and liberation- were given to Sudama by Krishna, but still Krishna’s humbleness made him feel totally helpless.
Pauri- 10 Bhagat Jaideva
Getting immersed in the loving devotion, the devotee Jaidev would sing the songs of Lord Govind. He would describe the glorious feats accomplished by God and was greatly loved by him. He knew no word and hence binding his book would return home in the evening. God, the repository of all virtues in the form of the devotee Himself wrote all the songs for him . Jaidev saw a wonderful tree in the deep forest. Each and every leaf had the songs of the Lord Govind written on it. He could not comprehend this mystery. Due to the love for the devotee, God embraced him in person. God and saint have no veil in between.
Pauri-11 Bhagat Namdev
Namdev’s father was called to some work so he called Namdev. He told Namdev to serve Thakur, the Lord with milk. After taking bath Namdev brought the milk of black teat cow. Having bathed the Thakur, he put the water used to wash the Thakur on his own head. Now with folded hands he requested the Lord to take milk. Becoming steadfast in his thoughts when he prayed with intense concentration, so the Lord appeared before him. Namdev made Lord drink the tumblerfull of milk. On another occasion God bought a dead cow to life and also constructed his hut. On yet another occasion, God rotated the temple, after Namdev was denied entry into temple by the priests and made all the four castes or varnas bow at his feet. The Lord accomplishes whatever is done and desired by saints.
Pauri-12 Namdev and Trilochan
Trilochan got up early daily just to have a sight of Namdev. Together they would concentrate on the Lord and Namdev would tell him the grand stories of God. Trilochan asked Namdev to pray for him also so that if Lord accepts then he can also have a glimpse of His blessed vision. Namdev asked Thakur as to how Trilochan can behold Him. The Lord God or Tahkur smiled and explained to Namdev, Lord does not need offerings. Out of my delight only, I would make Trilochan to behold Me. I am under the total control of the devotees and their loving claims I can never refuse, rather I myself also cannot comprehend them. Their loving devotion, in fact becomes mediator and makes them meet Him.
Pauri-13 Dhanna and Brahmin
A brahman would worship deities in the form of stone idols where Dhanna used to graze his cow. On seeing his worship, Dhanna asked the Brahmin what he was doing. Brahman replieed that service to the Thakur gives the desired results. Dhanna requested Brahmin to give one Thakur one to him also. The brahmin rolled a stone and gave it to Dhanna to get rid of him. Dhanna bathed the Thakur and offered him bread and buttermilk. With folded hands and falling at the feet of the stone he begged for his offerings to be accepted. Dhanna resolved not to eat anything till Thakur accepted his offerings because if Thakur is annoyed how can he be happy. Seeing his true and loving devotion God was forced to appear and take his bread and buttermilk. In fact, innocence like that of Dhanna makes the sight of the Lord available.
Pauri- 14 Bhagat Beni
Saint Beni, a gurmukh, used to sit solitude and would enter a meditative trance. He would perform spiritual activities and in humbleness would never tell anyone. Returning home he would tell people that he had gone to the door of his King- the Supreme Lord. When his wife asked for some household material he would avoid her and thus spend his time in performing spiritual activities. One day, while concentrating on the Lord with single minded devotion, a strange miracle happened. To keep the glory of the devotee, God Himself came to his house in the guise of a King. In great joy, he consoled everyone and made available adequate amount of money for spending. From there He came to His devotee Beni and compassionately loved him. This way He arranges applause for his devotees.
Pauri- 15 Kabir and Ramanand
Being detached from the world Brahmin Ramanand lived in Benares. Rising early in the morning he would go to bathe in Ganges. Once even before Ramanand, Kabir was lying in the way of Ramanand. Touching with his feet Ramanand awakened Kabir and told him to utter Ram the true spiritual teaching. As the iron, touched by Philsospher’s stone gets gold and margosa tree gets fragrance just by growing near the Sandal plant. The wondrous Guru turns even beasts and ghosts into angels. Meeting the wondrous Guru the disciple wonderfully merges into the great wondrous Lord. Then from the self springs a fountain and the words of the gurmukhs shape a beautiful form. Now Ram and Kabir have become identical- one and the same.
Pauri-16 Sain- the Barber
Hearing of the glory of Kabir, Sain also turned to be a disciple. In the night he would immerse in loving devotion and in the morning he would serve at the King’s palace. One night some sadhus came to meet him and the whole night was spent in singing the Lord’s praises through devotional hymns. Sain could not leave the company of the Saints and consequently he could not go to the palace to serve the King next morning. God Himself taking his form served the King in such a way that filled King with joy. Bidding adieu to the saints, Sain comes to the palace of the King apprehensively that King would scold him for his absence. But to his surprise King called him near and offered his own robes to Bhagat Sain. King said You have overpowered me and his words echoes in the walls of the palace and heard by every courtier. God Himself manifests the grandeur of His devotees.
Pauri-17 Bhagat Ravidas
The tanner Ravidas became renowned as bhagat in all the four directions. In accordance with his family tradition he would cobble the shoes and carry away the dead animals. This was his outward routine but in reality he was gem wrapped in a rag. He would preach all the four varnas. His preaching made them rapt in the meditative devotion for the Lord. Once, a group of people went to Varanasi to bathe in River Ganges. Ravidas gave one dhela- half a pice- to one person to offer on his behalf to the Ganges. Public saw a wonderful miracle on the great festival of Abhijit Naksatr. Ganges, herself took out her hand from the water to accept even the paltry amount of offering proving that Ravidas was one with Ganges as warp and weft threads of a cloth. For Bhagats God is their mother, father and son all in one.
Pauri-18 Ahilya & Gautam
Ahilya was wife of Gautam. Indra, the King of Heaven, set eyes on her and was filled with lust on beholding her. He entered their house, got curse of being with thousands of pudendum and repented. The abode of Indra, became desolate and getting ashamed of himself he hid in a pond. On revocation of the curse when all those holes turned eyes, only then he returned to his habitat. Ahilya who could not remain steadfast in her chastity became stone and remained lying on the river bank. Touching the holy feet of Lord Rama, she was lifted to the heavens. Because of His benevolence He is mother-like to the devotees and being forgiver of the sinners. He is called redeemer of the fallen ones. Doing good is returned by good gestures always, but he who does good to the evil is known as virtuous. How can the greatness of that Unmanifest Lord can be explained.
Pauri-19 Valmiki
Valmik was a highway man who would rob and kill travellers passing by for looting their wealth and money. Then he began serving the True Guru that made his mind diffident about his work. His mind still urged to kill people but his hands would not obey. The true Guru made his mind tranquil and all the volition of mind came to an end. He unfolded all the evils of his mind before the Guru by saying ‘O’ Lord this is my profession’. The Guru asked him to enquire at home as to which family member would be his co-partner of his evil deeds at the time of his death. Though his family members were always ready go sacrifice anything for him but none of them were ready to accept the responsibility of his evil acts. On returning, Guru placed the sermon of truth within his heart and made him a liberated one. With a single leap he was released from the net of worldliness. Becoming Gurmukh, one becomes capable of jumping across even mountains of sins.
Pauri-20 Ajamal
Ajamil- the fallen sinner- lived with a harlot. He became an atheist, and was entangled in the cobweb of evil deeds. His life was wasted in futile deeds and was tossed and thrown within the terrifying worldly ocean. While with the prostitute, he became father of six sons. As a result of his bad deeds they all became robbers. A seventh son was born to them and he pondered over to keep his name. He asked Guru to keep the name of his seventh child and he named him Narayan- a name of God. At death, seeing the messengers of death Ajamil cried for Narayan. The name of God made the death messengers run away. So Ajamil went to heaven and did not suffer the beatings of the club of the messengers of death. Utterance of Lord’s Name dispeller all his sorrows.
Pauri-21 Ganika
Ganika was a sinful prostitute who adored the necklace of evil around her neck. Once a sage halted in her courtyard. Seeing her bad plight he gave her a special parrot out of compassion for her. He told her to teach the parrot to repeat the name of Ram. After that he went away. Each and every day with full concentration she would teach parrot to utter Ram. The name of Lord is the liberator of the fallen ones. It washed away her evil wisdom and evil acts. At the time of death, it cut away the noose of Yama- the God of Death. So due to the name of Ram she did not have to drown in the ocean of hell. Due to the elixir of the name of Lord she became totally devoid of sins and was lifted to the heavens. The name of the Lord is the last refuge of the unsheltered ones.
Pauri-22 Putna
The ill-reputed Putna applied poison to both her teats. She came to the family of Nand and started to express her affection and belongingness to the family. Through her clever deception she lifted Krishna in her lap. With great pride she pressed her breast teat in the mouth of Lord Krishna. Now she expanded her body to a great extent. Krishna also getting the full weight of the three worlds hung and stuck to her neck. Getting unconscious, she fell down into the forest like a mountain. Lord Krishna liberated her at last and gave her status of equal to his mother’s friend.
Pauri-23 Demise of Krishna at the hands of a hunter.
At the sacred place of Prabhas, Krishna slept cross legged with his foot on his knee. The lotus sign in his foot was shining like a star. A hunter came and considering it as an eye of a deer, shot the arrow. As he came near he realised that he had hit Lord Krishna, he became full of sorrow and begged forgiveness. Krishna, ignoring his wrong act, embraced him. Gracefully Krishna asked him to be full of perseverance and gave shelter to the wrong doer. The good is said good by everyone but the acts of evil doers are set right by Lord only. He has liberated many fallen sinners.
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