Some 88000 Rishis and Munis had assembled for a satsang in Naimisharanya. Lord Vedavyasji also arrived at this huge assembly and was heartily welcomed. Vaishampayan and other Rishis sang hymns and recited couplets in honour of Maharshi Vedavyas.
Taking the consent of Maharshi Vedavyas, a special sessions was earmarked for acquiring divine knowledge. In order to enhance their wisdom, Vedavyasji posed a question to the Rishis, Munis, ascetics and devotees assembled there, “Who is condemnable in this world? Who is reprehensible? Who is the meanest, vilest and most wretched of all? Whose life is absolutely future?”
One ascetic stood up and replied, “He who has no wealth is the most reprehensible. The rich are adulated and the poor are snubbed. One who has no money ends up carrying out the meanest of jobs and even stoops to begging. Therefore a poor person is the most wretched of all.”
The second Rishi said, “One without education is the meanest of all. An erudite person can acquire wealth and thereby earn honour. He receives hospitality even if he is ugly. An illiterate fool is therefore the most wretched of all.”
A third person opined something and a fourth gave yet another idea but everyone was waiting for the right answer. Finally, all of them supplicated Vedavyasji with folded hands, “O Lord, You are the most enlightened amongst seers. You are the author of 18 Puranas and the fifth Veda, Mahabharata. You are also the author of Brahamasutra, the first philosophical treatise of world. We would like to hear from your auspicious mouth, your esteemed opinion on who is the meanest of all.”
Vyasji replied, “A poor man is not mean, nor for that matter is an uneducated person, neither a sick person, a weakling, a male, a female nor any person belonging to any caste or creed. Yet there is someone who is the most wretched of all. The one who, despite being born as a human, does not remember, contemplate on or meditate on the Lord is indeed the most wretched of all.”
Making his point clearer, Vyasji said, “A person, despite being born as a human, is the most wretched if he does not remember and contemplate on the Lord who provided us with the Sun, the Moon, thousands of fruits and flowers, who is ever forgiving us for thousands of mistakes and still leads us on the path of emancipation. Abstaining from devotion and chanting of the Lord’s name even after attaining this rare human birth is absolutely condemnable.”
Tulsidas ji has said,
Only he, who sings the glory of the Lord, is pious and fortunate. Dear Students! If you have gained something from this story, then do adopt a resolute regimen of doing japa of the Lord’s name and contemplating on the Lord.
Taking the consent of Maharshi Vedavyas, a special sessions was earmarked for acquiring divine knowledge. In order to enhance their wisdom, Vedavyasji posed a question to the Rishis, Munis, ascetics and devotees assembled there, “Who is condemnable in this world? Who is reprehensible? Who is the meanest, vilest and most wretched of all? Whose life is absolutely future?”
One ascetic stood up and replied, “He who has no wealth is the most reprehensible. The rich are adulated and the poor are snubbed. One who has no money ends up carrying out the meanest of jobs and even stoops to begging. Therefore a poor person is the most wretched of all.”
The second Rishi said, “One without education is the meanest of all. An erudite person can acquire wealth and thereby earn honour. He receives hospitality even if he is ugly. An illiterate fool is therefore the most wretched of all.”
A third person opined something and a fourth gave yet another idea but everyone was waiting for the right answer. Finally, all of them supplicated Vedavyasji with folded hands, “O Lord, You are the most enlightened amongst seers. You are the author of 18 Puranas and the fifth Veda, Mahabharata. You are also the author of Brahamasutra, the first philosophical treatise of world. We would like to hear from your auspicious mouth, your esteemed opinion on who is the meanest of all.”
Vyasji replied, “A poor man is not mean, nor for that matter is an uneducated person, neither a sick person, a weakling, a male, a female nor any person belonging to any caste or creed. Yet there is someone who is the most wretched of all. The one who, despite being born as a human, does not remember, contemplate on or meditate on the Lord is indeed the most wretched of all.”
Making his point clearer, Vyasji said, “A person, despite being born as a human, is the most wretched if he does not remember and contemplate on the Lord who provided us with the Sun, the Moon, thousands of fruits and flowers, who is ever forgiving us for thousands of mistakes and still leads us on the path of emancipation. Abstaining from devotion and chanting of the Lord’s name even after attaining this rare human birth is absolutely condemnable.”
Tulsidas ji has said,
Only he, who sings the glory of the Lord, is pious and fortunate. Dear Students! If you have gained something from this story, then do adopt a resolute regimen of doing japa of the Lord’s name and contemplating on the Lord.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment