Bhagwat Session 35

Shrimad Bhagavata Mahapurana Synopsis of the Thirtieth Fifth Session (Part 1)

Bhagavata Chaturth Skanda (Book Five)

Chapter 5 and 6

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Story: 

King Rishabh was actually the foremost and he had 100 sons as divine as him, Bharat being the eldest. Under the love, care and guidance of Jayanti, their mother, they all grew up to be very pious. 

Rishabh dev treated his Praja and Putra equally and always taught his children in the open where all others could also join. On one such day Rishabdev touring around his kingdom, reached Brahmavarta, there in the gathering of foremost Brahmanas he addressed his sons. 

Note: 

We have to understand that a King, who was a Grihasta, who had been not only a perfect Brahmachari and later a divine Grihast, Was addressing his sons, who where to later, rule the kingdom and enter the Grihasta Ashram themselves. 

So, while reading the teaching we cannot shrug our shoulder and decline the applicability of the teaching on us, saying we are Grihastas and not Sanyasis. 

After imparting the divine truth of existence, he left everything behind, and went to a place where none recognised him. His body was his soul companion, with only the sky to cover it. He waked around like a dumb, mute and mad man. People abused and insulted him, yet he smiled through all that.

He crossed many cities during his wandering years and finally, entered a forest, and sat in one position, not moving and eating what came his way. Soon the forest caught fire and Rishabdev, just put a stone in his mouth and let the universe do his final rites and became one with the divine.

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Points to Ponder:

The points to ponder have been divided into two part: 1. The address/teaching imparted to his sons - An important advice for parenting 2. The learning from Rishabdev’s Avadhuta - wandering stage

The teachings imparted to his Son’s

“These day the parents buy their children gifts, give them the best academic education, and provide them with different kinds of knowledge and training to teach them how to earn a living. Yet never do they tell their children how wealth should be used to support Dharma or how Dharma should be practiced to take them to Moksh.

Under such condition, if the children get spoiled and walk unrighteous paths, whose fault is it? Parents have to won their responsibility.” Swami Tejomayananda 

A teacher is no teacher, a relation is no relation, a father is no father, a mother is no mother, a deity is no deity nor is a husband a husband;

- Who is unable to redeem his pupil, relation, son, votary or wife fallen into the whirlpool of transmigration. - Who does not lead the one depending on him or her to God, to become free from all worldly bondage.

It is like directing a blind man who is following a wrong track to continue on that path.

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This human body should not be indulged in the pursuits of sensuous pleasures. These kind of pleasure are enjoyed even by swines, dogs and other animals. It is worth of being devoted to actives through which the mind is purified.

Note: An erring soul commits sin only when he endeavours to gratify his senses.

Sub Story 1:

Ones upon a time, there was a poor wood cutter, and he used to work very hard for a living. One day when he was toiling in the sun, the King reached there and was very thirsty and tired.

The woodcutter offered him water and made the king comfortable. The king was very pleased and he sent his minister to the wood cutter and gifted him a...