King Raghu once thought, ‘Living in the world particularly in royal luxury brings in its wake loads of desire, anger, greed and other negative tendencies and attaining God-Realization is the only worthwhile thing to do in human life. ‘ He handed over his kingdom to his son Aj and went to live in the jungle to attain God-Realization.
One day when King Raghu was engaged in austerities, a demon saw a Brahmin and ran after him. The demon was saying, “You are my favourite food. I am hungry and Lord Brahma has sent you for me only. “The Brahman ran and ran for his life. The demon too ranfor his life for he was dying of hunger. The Brahman ran and took refuge at King Raghu’s feet. He said, “Sir! I am in your shelter.”
King Raghu said, “What is the matter?”
“I am very scared.”
“Shed all your fear.”
Giving the gift of deliverance from fear is the biggest charity. By listening to a satsang we get this gift. The King delivered him from fear. Having given refuge and having told someone to shed fear, it becomes one’s dutey to protect such a one even if it means putting one’s own life at stake. This is the principal of kindness tone to whom refuge has been granted. King Raghu was aware of this principle.
In the meanwhile, the demon reached there saying, “Give him up, give him up.” He said, “Sir! Give him up. I am hungry. Lord Brahma has apportioned this food to me.”
“He has taken my shelter. I cannot abandon him.”
“I am hungry. If you give him refuge I will die of hunger. You are a sage, who sees God in every living being, who harbours no enmity for anyone in his heart. Why do you treat me like your enemy by snatching away my prey? If you save him, you will incur the sin of killing me.”
“I will not give him up. You can ask for any other food of your choice.”
“I am a demon. Meat is my favourite food. You are well versed in scriptures. You must be knowing that it is sin if someone dies of hunger because of you. You have decided to protect him. Does that mean you will commit the sin of killing me?”
King Raghu was in a quandary; he thought, “My vow is Not to bear enmity towards anyone, not to want ill for anyone. Now if I protect the Brahmin, this poor demon will die of hunger and if I protect this demon, then the Brahimn will have to give up his life. Now what shouldI do?” He then remembered Guru Vasishthaji’s satsang that in times of hardship, remembering God is the only way out.
Listen to a satsang does you good not only at thr time when you are listening. Even later on, the words of satsung will protect you from trobles, from falling prey to attractions nd from calamities.
What should one in a difficult situation do? He should repeat God’s name and become calm… again he should utter the name and again he should become clam.
King Raghu meditated on God with an implicit faith and said, God show me the way. Hari O……mmmm. Hari! Hari! O my Guide! O Friend of the downtrodden! O protector of the downtrodden! My life is in your hands! I am under the protection of Hari! O Vishnu , You reside in all! I am under Your protection,”
As soon as the king remembered God, the demon instantly acquired a divine form. Sumiran (remembering God) destroyed the effect of the demon’s negative karma. He said, “Sadho Sadho! (Excellent!) I was King Shatadyumna in my last birth. Maharshi Vasishthaji cursed me because of my sinful deeds and thus I acquired this form of demon! O King! You took refuge in God. I got liberated by listening to Lord’s name from a righteous soul like you. Now I don’t need to fill my stomach by killing this Brahmin. Even I take refuge Hari.” The demon met with death and acquired an elevated state. The Brahmin was delivered from fear and king Raghu become happy and contented. What a great power lies in the words of satsung! Fortunate are those who derive benefit from satsung! And the great good fortune of those who make it possible for others to listen to a satsung can not be described in words!
‘Blessed are the parents of one whose heart is filled with devotion to the Guru, blessed is his lingeage, his descendants and also blessed is the land where he lives.’
Follow the Guru’s precepts
With faith and conviction.
Do what the Shastras says;
Shed all doubt and fear.
What the Guru and the Shastras
Say is absolutely correct.
Dobut it never if you want
Your supreme good.
(From Ashram’s booklet ‘Atma-Gunjan’)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment