Srimad Bhagavatam – day 437
Haraye namah
Lord Dattātreya continued, “I am contented with whatever destiny showers upon me”.
Through the medium of Prahlāda, Lord Dattātreya is imparting this knowledge to the ordinary folks like us. What is the need for the Lord to abide by such disciplines? He is Yogi, bhogi, tyagi, viragi, unmatta and paisācha.
“At times I sleep on the bare floor or on leaves, dust and grime. At other times, upon the request of others, I sleep in palatial luxurious beds having silken bedspreads”.
All these are the characteristics of an Avadhoota.
“On some occasions, I bathe in pure waters and decorate my body with sandal paste. Wearing beautiful silken clothing I will mount a chariot or sit on an elephant or horse and travel. On other occasions, like a ghost I will walk about naked.
As different people are of different attitudes, I do not curse the person who abuses me. I do not praise the person who glorifies me. I consider both to be equal. I consider a shower of rain to be the same as a shower of stones. I will not remember, honour nor praise the person who rains flowers upon me. Similarly I will not curse the person who rains stones upon me. Irrespective of whether they rain flowers or stones upon me, I only pray that they obtain merger (kalyana) into the ultimate Lord. I pray for their liberation.
The spiritual aspirant should mentally merge the feelings of differentiation (bheda) into the mental modifications (mano vṛtti). The mental modifications should be merged into the mind which causes the illusory experience of the multifarious creation. The mind should be merged into the egoism (ahamkara). Ahamkara should be merged into the illusory energy (māya shakti).
Thereafter through introspection he should search for the Absolute Truth. He should mentally merge the illusory energy (māya shakti) in Self-realization. With this Self-realization, he should develop absolute dedication towards the Self (atma nishta) and having been freed from karmic bondages which arise due to the feelings ‘I am the performer of the action’, he should discard the path of outward expansion (pravṛtti mārga) and instead travel on the path of return (nivṛtti mārga).
Prahlāda, as you have surrendered completely to the Supreme Lord, I have revealed this utmost secretive story of mine.”
It is our fortune that Lord Datta taught this knowledge to Prahlāda and through him to us. Prahlāda was a true devotee who was desirous of searching for the Self. Unconcerned that he was the king of demons he focussed exclusively on Lord Srihari with the intent of merging into Him.
“As you are a pure person I have revealed my story to you, which in reality is absolutely secretive. This story of mine is beyond the dictates of Yoga and Shastras. It is beyond all rules and regulations. Abiding by these disciplines cannot harm any living entity”.
In this way Lord Datta, while displaying the disciplines of the Ajagara vṛta, directly taught Prahlāda. Prahlāda who was immensely pleased upon learning the ultimate disciplines adhered to by the greatest saints belonging to the Paramahamsa cadre, offered obeisance and worshipped the saint. He took leave and then returned back home”- said Maharishi Nārada.
With this the thirteenth chapter of the Seventh Canto comes to an end.
Seventh Canto Chapter Fourteen
In this chapter, the duties of householders (grihasta dharma) are explained.
Emperor Dharmaraja enquired, “O Devarishi Nārada! Please teach me the easiest way through which people like me, who have taken up householder’s way of life, can easily attain Self-realization.
Maharishi Nārada replied,
“Gṛheṣv avasthito rājan kriyāḥ kurvan yathocitāḥ
Vāsudevārpaṇaṁ sākṣād upāsīta mahā-munīn
O King, the householder (grihasta) should perform actions associated with his stage of life with the belief that he is offering them all to Lord Vāsudeva. He should serve great saints. While completing all the mandated duties, he should spend all his free time in the company of the pious who have attained dispassion. With great dedication, he should repeatedly listen to the nectar called the transcendental sports of the varied incarnations of the Lord.
Body, spouse, children and other material belongings will one day or the other desert the person. Nevertheless, the person maintains feelings of ‘I-ness’ and attachment towards them all! Just as a person upon waking from sleep detaches from the objects seen in the dream, with the influence of the great saints, the person should gradually detach from all these material belongings.
The wise intelligent person should enjoy his body and house only as much as is absolutely necessary! Even though the householder has attained dispassion, he should, when mingling with others in the society, externally behave as if he is very much attached to home and family matters. Even though he is absolutely unattached, he should listen to the suggestions of his relatives, parents, brothers, children and friends.
Wealth is of three types. Crops obtained due to timely rainfall are divine wealth. Gold and other metals obtained through mining and the wealth that is unexpectedly obtained are the other two types of wealth. Recognise that all these three types of wealth have been directly created by the Supreme Lord Srihari.
The intelligent person should recognise this fact and while enjoying these three types of wealth should engage in his mandated duties in the methods explained above.
A human being has the right to enjoy only as much wealth as is needed to fill his stomach”.
Haraye namah