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Sree Guru Charitra
Index
Chapter 15
Namadharaka who listened to the account of Sree Guru’s life and
deeds with faith and devotions wished to know of one point in
greater detail. He said to Siddha, “Holy Lord, you have said that
through the grace of Sree Guru, a fallen Brahmin became a wise
one. Pray, tell me what has happened to him afterwards.”
Siddha said, “My son, the Brahmin was spiritually awakened by the
grace of the Guru and prayed to him, ‘Please tell me why I am
fallen from my former state.’ Sree Nrisimha Saraswathi replied:
“Virtuous deeds elevate us to higher realms of existence, while
sinful ones drag us down to lower states of being. Thus the ego
will ever be shuffling between the higher and lower realms of
existence like a rotating automation. Those who desert their
gurus, mothers, wives, children, and their ordained path of
righteous living and their deities of worship will suffer the
respective punishments in their subtle bodies soon after death.
Then, in order to work out those consequences of their sins, which
can be experienced only by a gross physical body, they will be
born in this earthly realm with gross bodies in the wombs of the
low born ones. So too, the one with a violent nature, the false
one, and the one who rails at sadhus, pious Brahmins, gods, holy
places of pilgrimage, Vedas and sacred texts, the one who spoils
public water tanks, wells, gardens and public roads and religious
sacrifices, the one who eats on such holy days as ekadasi on which
religious vows are to be observed, one who indulges in sexual
union on festive days, on the holy days, on days of ceremonial
offerings to the manes and in water; the one who betrays the trust
reposed in him; one who takes back what he had given away to
someone as a gift; one who fails to keep his word; one who
deliberately shoulders the tasks which legitimately belong to
others; one who always proclaims purposefully the meritorious
deeds he has performed and the wicked deeds of others; one who
boasts of greatness which he lacks; one who heartily associates
with the wicked, murderers and thieves; the murderer, one who
practices such forms of black magic as killing others; one who
undertakes to treat a patient without really having the necessary
medical knowledge and thereby endangers the lives of others; one
who has cast away his sacred duties and one who causes grief to
others – all these will pay for their misdeeds in the subtle
bodies after death, in the world of Death. Then, to suffer for
their sins which can be atoned for only through gross physical
bodies on earth, they will be reborn in the families of the lowest
of low”.
On hearing these words, Namadharaka had a doubt. So he said, “Sir,
when I hear you talk of the subtle body and the world of Death, I
have a question to ask you. And only you are capable of answering
it. I only hesitate for fear of interrupting the continuity of
your story”.
Siddha said, “Namadharaka, it is better for you to present your
question as soon as it arose. For, if you do not get it cleared,
your mind will be diverted from my account of Sree Guru in
ruminating over it. In this manner, it is better for you to put
forth the question and be done with rather than shutting it up in
the heart for fear of interrupting my account”.
Overwhelmed by the loving patience of Siddha, Namadharaka bowed to
him and said: “It is said that the soul reaps the consequences of
its actions in the next birth. For instance, in this life, I
perform some actions, which are meritorious, and some, which are
otherwise. I will have to reap the consequences of both in my next
life. But, how come, they say that the souls, after leaving this
body, will suffer the consequences of its actions in the subtler
realms like heaven and hell. How is it that the soul has to
experience the consequences of its actions twice – once in the
subtler realms beyond death, and again in the next birth? Is it
just or proper that it should be so? It looks as though one has to
experience the effects of a single action twice! How is it?”
Siddha replied, “Namadharaka, your doubt will not be resolved
unless you listen very attentively to what I say. As you have
said, it is not proper for the soul to reap the consequences twice
for the same act. This physical form can stand and experience only
joys and sufferings of a particular kind. Hence, it is called ‘the
body which is destined to die, or fall’ (patanaavadhi,
maranaavadhi, sarira). This body, for instance, cannot
withstand the suffering called death. It is fit only to experience
pleasures and sufferings within that range. The soul experiences
these pleasures and pains which cannot experienced through the
physical body in the subtler realms of heaven and hell. The body,
which suffers the torments of hell, is not the material body, but
it is the subtle suukshma body. It is also called the
yaatana sarira or ‘the body that suffers’. Thus the soul
experiences these punishments of its sins which are beyond the
range of the abilities of the physical body to suffer, in hell. In
order to experience these sufferings of a lower order than death,
the soul again takes birth in this world with a material body.
Thus the consequences of one’s actions that the soul suffers in
hell and heaven are distinct from the consequences of action
experienced in the next birth on earth. There is no question of
paying for a single act twice, as you seem to suppose”.
Thus, his doubt dispelled, Namadharaka asked Siddha, “Be pleased
to tell me what kind of sins lead to what kinds of rebirths”.
Siddha explained: “Earlier, I have explained to you to some extent
what sinful deeds in this birth lead to one’s rebirth in the
families of sinners (Chandala). Besides, one who is
vengeful, infatuated with a low-born woman, one who has given up
holy acts enjoined by Sastras for daily and occasional
observances, one who rides a bull, one who sells ginger, leaves,
cows and Vedas, one who partakes of a cow’s milk without first
offering it to the Supreme Lord of the Creation, one who eats
prohibited food stuff, one who accepts the offerings of the
wicked, one who robs others of their livelihood, one who sleeps
during the twilight hours (morning and evening sandhya) at
dawn and sunset, even if such a one were a Brahmin in this life
will be born in the next as a sinner (Chandala).
The punishments for sins which have to be endured through the
subtle body in the realm of death (yamaloka) are eight crore and
forty lakhs in number. Out of these, twenty-one are the most
prominent ones. Lord Yama ordains the appropriate punishments to
sinners.
The sinner leaves his gross physical form on earth. Immediately
after that, the attendants of Death (Yama) tie up his vital
forces and put them in the subtle body (Yaatana sarira) and
lead him along a path in which every step forward is fought with
terrors. Then the soul will experience unbearable thirst and
hunger and finds it extremely difficult to walk along. But the
attendants of Death will frighten him till he faints with pain and
fright. They restore him to his senses and drag him along the
river of pus and blood called vaitarini so that he sinks
and floats in it by turns. Thus they take him to the presence of
the Lord of Death (Yama). Thereafter, undergoing all kinds of
suffering in punishments for his sins which can only be
experienced by him through it. If, somehow, he does not take
birth, owing to the force of the accumulated store of psychic
associations (Vasanas), he wanders about as a spirit, ghost
or ghoul and suffers the attendant sufferings.
Now listen further: One who betrays his teachers or guru and one
who puts pious Brahmins to shame becomes a brahmaraakshasa.
One who serves mean fellows will be born as an ass. One who eats
alone, leaving his unexpected guest (athithis) hungry will take
birth as a hen. He who steals other’s money will be born as a
camel. He who pilfers fruits, leaves and vegetables will take
birth as a monkey. One who steals honey will become a bird in his
next life. Stealing of flesh makes one a raven. One who steals
cooked rice will be born as a rat; and the one who steals water
will take birth as a chaataka bird. One who commits theft
of food grains will become a locust. By stealing gold, one will be
born among the grass-eating cattle. One who eats food without
consecrating it with appropriate mantra will be a crow in his next
life. One who betrays a friend will be a kite. The boastful one
will take birth as a crane.
He who hurts the feelings of others will suffer from diseases of
the heart in his next life. He who deserts his guru and who steals
gold will suffer from leprosy. He who tortures pious Brahmins will
be overtaken by consumption in his future life. He who steals
others’ books will be born blind. He who betrays trust through
ingratitude will suffer from nausea and vomiting. He who
misappropriates public money will suffer chronic disease of the
glands of his neck (ganda roga). He who usurps others of
their wealth will have no children in his next life. One who
steals garments will be a leper. He who utters falsehood or
scandalizes others or steals food – these three types of sinners
will suffer from diseases of the spleen. Theft of oil makes one
suffer from stinking diseases of the mouth. Theft of bronze and
iron will make one suffer from white leprosy. He who swallows the
funds of temples and shrines will be born anaemic.
Indeed, Oh, Namadharaka, all the diseases are consequences of past
sins. He who embraces a woman who does not legitimately belong to
him will be born a hundred times a dog. He who willfully steals
the sight of private parts of a woman will be born blind. He who
entices the wives of his relatives will become an ass and a snake.
He who embraces others’ women with bad intent will suffer heart
pain in his next life. He who entices and cohabits with the wife
of his uncle or friend will be born as a dog. Women too, when they
commit such sins as adultery will suffer like punishments in the
future births”.
As Sree Guru went on, Trivikrama asked him, “Holy Sir, if once
anyone, knowingly or unknowingly, commits any of these sins, is
there no means at all of salvation from the same? Is one condemned
to go through this miserable round of births?”
Sree Guru smiled and replied, ‘My son, Trivikrama, the sins that
accrue from one’s previous misdeeds can be washed off through
hearty repentance, through penitentiary religious acts and by
confessing one’s sins in the public assembly and by gladly
receiving the punishment thereof as per the judgment of the
elders. If one is really not capable of observing the penitentiary
vows, he can save himself by giving away a cow or its price as
gift to a pious Brahmin. Part of the sins can also be undone by
taking the ‘ten-baths’ (dasa-snaana), by performing 200
praanaayaamas and by gifting away gold. But by devoutly
serving the Sadguru, even very great sins will vanish. Indeed,
there is no better means than this.
Now I shall explain to you a few of the penitentiary vows (Vratas)
enjoined in the Sastras.
Praajaapatya Krichra Vrata:
For three days, one takes food only in the day and fasts at night.
During the next three days, he fasts during the day and eats only
at night. For three days thereafter, he accepts whatever food
comes to him unasked, as the Lord’s gift (prasad). Then for
three days hence, he has to fast completely.
One who is incapable of observing such a vow can, instead, do japa
of the Gayatri mantra 10,000 times; then he should offer ghee as
oblation to sacred fire with the chanting of Gayatri Mantra 1000
times. Then he has to feed 12 pious Brahmins and offer them cows
and money (dakshina) as gifts. Those who cannot afford to gift
away cows can offer money instead, to the best of their ability
along with a small quantity of gold.
Chaandraayana Vrata:
In the brighter half of the lunar month, one should take only one
morsel (i.e., mouthful) of food on the first day; two on the
second day and so on. Thus he should go on increasing the number
of morsels of food. From the next day of the darker phase of the
moon, he should go on reducing the number of morsels again by one
per day, so that he takes 14 morsels on the 14th day
(i.e., the day before the new moon day). As the food intake is
increased and reduced as per the phases of the moon, it is called
the Chaandraayana Vrata. Through its performance, one can
undo his earlier sins to some extent.
The right manner of taking food consists in partaking twelve
morsels in the day and fifteen at night. This is sufficient to
maintain the body in perfect health. By eating only a little food
for one month, or subsisting on only milk will also purify a man
from his sins to some extent. When leaves of Bel (Bilwa)
tree, peepul twigs, lotuses and darbha grass are put in
water and the water is used for bathing, it removes some of the
sins. Pilgrimages also purify a man, though partially. Holy dip in
the Ganga or in the sea at Rameshwar, the performance of japa
and other spiritual practices in holy places will cleanse one of
even the sin of killing a pious Brahmin.
The following sins can be annihilated through the corresponding
japa of the Gayatri mantra.
No. of japa
Sins destroyed
100,000 Drinking
10,000,000 Killing a Brahmin
800,000 Adultery with the Guru’s wife
700,000 Stealing Gold
Sastras
enjoin the chanting of the following portions of the Vedas for one
month for the annihilation of all sins: the 610 Pavamaani
Suukhtas, the two suukthas of Indra and Mitra, the
Sunassepa Suukhtas commencing with “Kasyanunam”,
Santhi Suukhtas like “Samna Indra”, the Suukhtas
of “Thrisuparna”, paurusham Naachiketam and
Aghamarshanam. One who has committed all the major sins (Mahaapaapas)
has to do the same, but for six months.
The pacification of all sins to some extent can be achieved by
sipping water in which darbha grass is kept and by
partaking the pancha gavya (or the five products of
the cow viz., its urine, dung, milk, curd and ghee i.e.,
classified butter). If both the husband and wife have committed
sins, then both of them have to observe the penitentiary vows.
Even if one has not personally committed sins, but associated
himself with sinners, he shares them. Such a one has to observe
the penitentiary vows.
Namadharaka, mark this one truth carefully: Suppose a pot is full
of toddy, and it is placed in the river Ganga, however long it is
kept like that, the liquor does not escape from the pot, nor does
a drop of the holy Ganga water enter the pot! So too, if one is
not devoted to Lord Vishnu (the all-pervading Divine), his sins
are not washed away by any number of penitentiary vows he may
observe. One has to observe the vows with faith in, and devotion
to, the Lord. In the absence of faith and devotion, it is useless
to observe these vows,” So said Sree Guru to the fallen Brahmin
and added, “You have deserted your parents in your previous birth.
So you are now born as a Chandala in this life. If you take
bath every day at the Sangama, you will be purified.”
The Chandala said,” Lord, I am already purified by the
Ganga-like current of your grace. Henceforth, may I be made a
member of the Brahmin community”. Sree Guru replied: “My son, if
the impurity of your physical constitution is totally dispelled,
that will certainly be possible. I shall recount the story of sage
Viswamitra which pertains to this truth: In ancient days,
Viswamitra who was a Kshatriya by caste, wished to become a
Brahmarshi and did intense Tapas. Then gods granted him their
vision and directed him to serve sage Vasishta in order to realize
his ambition. Accordingly, he approached the sage and prayed that
he be accepted as a Brahmarshi. But the latter did not
agree to do so for the raajasik nature still existed in
him. Viswamitra grew angry with him and killed all the hundred
sons of Vasishta with the spiritual power acquired by tapas.
Indeed, he wished to kill the sage too, but was afraid of his
brahmic power i.e., totally sattvic nature of his
tapasic power. Subsequently he prayed to the sage in
repentance, and as per his order, did tapas for thousands
of divine years. Again, owing to his infatuation with the divine
damsel Menaka, all his tapas came to naught. Again he did
Tapas with redoubled resolution and finally, he became a
Brahmarshi. You too shall be born a Brahmin in your next
life.”
The man prostrated to the feet of Sree Guru and said, ‘Once a
piece of iron is alchemized into gold, it will be henceforth
regarded as gold only and not as iron. So too, by the power of
your grace I have become a Brahmin. So please rehabilitate me in
that caste’. Sree Guru then ordered one of his disciples to bathe
the man in the river. When he was so bathed, the man totally
forgot all that had happened a little earlier and went away as the
fallen man he already was. Then Trivikrama Bharati asked Sree
Guru, ‘Lord! Why did the man go away as a fallen one in spite of
the fact that he was graced by you and sanctified by the bath in
the holy river?” The Master replied, ‘The earlier revelation he
had was due to the spiritual power of holy ash that was applied to
his body. As soon as he bathed in the river, the ash was washed
away and with it, his knowledge of his previous lives too. So he
went away as he was earlier.’ Then Trivikrama requested the Guru
to expound the virtues of holy ash in greater detail. The latter
recounted the following story from the Puranas.
“Once upon a time, sage Vaamadeva was wandering about in his
supreme state of Gnana, immersed as he was in
Brahmananda, quite detached from all touch of worldliness.
When he was passing through a dense forest, a Brahmaraakshasa
attacked him with the intent of devouring him. The moment the
latter touched the sage’s body he was uplifted from the miserable
state of existence and at once the memory of his previous
existences dawned in him. So he bowed to the sage and said:
“Swami, I was a king in one of my previous lives. Then I was
blinded by pride of wealth and lust. I enjoyed sex pleasures with
all kinds of women – be they poor or rich and of every caste or
social status. The people of my land feared that their women were
not safe in my realm and so migrated to other parts of the land
along with their families. I died after sometime and suffered
untold torments in hell along with the spirits of my ancestors.
When the sufferings I was due to experience with my subtle body
were through, I again took twenty four births on earth in
different forms. The sequence of my births was: a tiger, python,
wolf, pig, dog, fox, stag, wild foul, monkey, mongoose, crow,
bear, cock, cat, donkey, frog, tortoise, fish, bandicoot, owl and
elephant. In my twenty fifth birth which is the present, I have
become a Brahmaraakshasa. Having reaped the full
consequences of my evil acts, I have contacted you now and thereby
gained this noble transformation. The ancient saying, ‘The
religious merit of seeing sages are great; that their touch is
destructive of sin’ is now confirmed in my case. Now, noble Sir,
please tell me, what is the cause of present transformation and
uplift?”
The sage replied, ‘My son, owing to contact with the sacred ash on
my body, you have gained the knowledge of your previous
existences. This ash was bestowed on my by Lord Shiva Himself. The
power of the holy ash is indeed unimaginable. Once upon a time, a
Brahmin who was being dragged by the attendant angels of Death to
the terrible hells was saved by the touch of the holy ash. At once
he was taken by the attendants of deities of Lord Shiva to the
blessed Shivaloka and he attained one-ness with the Lord.’
On hearing of it, the erstwhile Brahmaraakshasa prayed to
the sage Vaamadeva: Is this holy ash so hallowed? Indeed, I long
to besmear myself with it at all times. Please enlighten me
regarding its preparation and the prescribed method of applying it
to my body. When I was a king, I arranged means of living to
several pious Brahmins. I got wells sunk wherever there was water
scarcity. Perhaps, such noble deeds have secured for me this
meeting with you, once the consequences of my previous misdeeds
were exhausted’.
Sage Vaamadeva went on: ‘My son, in ancient times, sage
Sanathkumara went to the Supreme Lord and prayed to Him, “Oh
three-eyed and the five-headed one, thou shiniest with the with
the glory of the weapons in your ten hands, which ever chastise
the wicked; thou the wearer of the serpent as your sacred thread,
thou dressed in a tiger’s skin! The crescent moon shines on thy
brow. Thou with your head covered by matted locks which are
sanctified by holy Ganga, thou the Supreme Lord, the One ever
united with the Mother of Creation, thou in-dweller of your
devotees’ hearts, I prostrate to your feet again and again. Thou
Ocean of Mercy, the Cause of the whole creation! The various kinds
of yoga practices and religious sacrifices enumerated in the
Sastras of yore for the liberation of the souls bound in ignorance
are very difficult to practice. So, Oh Lord, teach us an easier
means of attaining that goal and crossing this ocean of misery of
phenomenal existence”.
Lord Shiva was well phased with his adoration and said, “My son
Sanathkumara, the easiest means of attaining liberation is the
proper use of holy ash. All of one’s sins are destroyed merely by
the application of the ash to one’s body in the prescribed manner
which is as follows: The holy ashes of a religious fire-sacrifice
or ashes made from cow dung-cakes should be fetched. It should be
consecrated by chanting such mantras as the one commencing ‘Bhasmaagnim’.
Then it should be applied to forehead and other parts of the body
by holding it with the thumb and the index fingers, and chanting
the mantra commencing ‘Trayayusham’. Thus three beautiful
lines (horizontal) will be drawn on the forehead. These are called
the Bhasma Tripundras. They signify the three sounds
(A,U,M), the ‘Trinity of Gods’, the three Gunas, the three souls
(Jivatma, Pratyagatma, and Paramatma), the three powers, the three
chandases (metres), the three Vedas, the three realms or
states (lokas) of existence, the Trishavanas (ritual
baths at dawn, noon and sunset). This holy ash burns up one’s
sins. All can wear it in this matter. Even if one does not know
the relevant mantras and is an ignorant one, if he wears it with
faith and reverence, it will be as efficacious. There is no other
thing which will help to attain liberation. One who has reviled at
cows or ladies of another’s family, or one who has betrayed them,
one who spoils full grown crops, one who purposely hurts the minds
of others, one who sets houses on fire, one who sells such holy
things as betel leaves and Vedas, one who is given to uttering
falsehood, one who accepts base things from persons of a base
temperament, one who commits adultery with widows and Sudra women
– all those who commit such other sins as these, either knowingly
or unknowingly, if they regularly apply holy ash with faith and
reverence, shall be liberated. The darbha (or Kusa)
grass which is capable of securing all the (four) objects of man’s
efforts, the holy ash and rudrakshas – by wearing these,
one becomes worthy of honors even in the divine realms of
existence (heaven). It needs no mention that the holy ash which
can annihilate the sins of thousands of past lives can eradicate
all diseases. By wearing the holy ash, one can secure all the
higher states of existence (lokas) and gradually attain to
Kailasa (the highest loka, the abode of Lord Shiva). This
is the easiest means which you have wished to know.” Thus has the
Supreme Lord expounded to sage Sanathkumara.’ So saying, sage
Vaamadeva offered a little of the holy ash to the erstwhile
Brahmaraakshasa and told him to apply it to his body. The
moment he did so, he left off his body of a Rakshasa and was
liberated. Anon came a heavenly aerial vehicle, took him in and
left. So, Trivikrama, apply the sacred ash to your body with full
awareness of all I have told you”.
Trivikrama agreed to do so, prostrated to Sree Guru and went away.
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