Until now we heard about the various higher and lower planetary systems. We learnt of those actions that reward us with heaven and about how life in heaven is blissful. It is said that for even an insignificant meritorious deed performed, the person is blessed with heaven. Such messages boost our enthusiasm towards meritorious deeds. Towards the end of the fifth canto the topics covered were really frightening. The description of various hells, the punishments imposed for the different types of sins committed on earth were covered. How is the Vedic scholar punished for his sins? How are the ordinary people punished? Details pertaining to them were explained. Listening to them sends shivers down the spine. For this reason Jains take great precautions in every aspect. This is because they want to lead life without harming other living entities.

In addition to filling us with fear, these descriptions fill us with remorse. We now repent all our past sinful deeds. There is no escape from the punishment for these sins already committed. You may perhaps believe that engaging in some meritorious deeds will set off these hellish punishments. Merits and sins cannot be set off. They are separate experiences that need to be undergone separately. Hence caution towards sinful deeds is most critical.

For this reason, by the age of 8 children are taught Bhagavatam. In North India even to this date there are people to conduct Bhagawata chanting regularly at their homes. Likewise Sikhs regularly read their holy text, the Guru-granth sahib.

Just as we accord great importance to our Vedic scriptures, people of every religion accord great respect to their holy texts and read them regularly. They begin to introduce these concepts to their children right from an early age. Their school routine incorporates their daily prayers. We should pick good habits from every religion.

We should develop fear of sin (pāpa- bheeti). Only when we fear punishments, we will inculcate good habits. We will learn to respect others, speak lovingly to them and not harm them in any way. Neglecting and causing pain to parents, causing pain to our family members, abusing Guru, speaking arrogantly in His presence are all sins.

Again and again we should listen to these episodes that describe the various hells and the punishments meted out there. **We should regularly introspect and figure out where we have gone wrong in life and try to rectify those mistakes in future. **

In Mexico, many people have willingly given up meat and alcohol. They are descendants of Mayan civilization. Before retiring to bed every night they make a note in their diary about the day’s activities. They note down the good and bad deeds for the day. At the end of the year, they confess all their sins in front of their elders. The elders then guide them to perform good deeds to counter these bad deeds. Here do not conclude that due to confession they have been absolved of their sins.

Once during Shivaratri thousands of Brahmins were proceeding to the River Ganga for a holy bath. Seeing the mammoth crowd Goddess Parvati enquired, “O Lord, all the Brahmins are rushing for the holy bath. It is said that river bath on this day absolves the person of all the sins. Does it mean that with just a river bath these people will all be purified and will reach our abode Kailāsa? How are we to accommodate so many people if they all were to arrive here?”

Shiva replied, “My dear! Do not worry. Not everyone is eligible to reach Kailāsa. Among them all just one or two will make it. Let us disguise as aged couple and sit near the banks of this river. I will enact as if I am about to die. You implore people who are returning from the holy bath saying, “please save my husband. All of you are noble people. Moreover due to bathing in River Ganga on this auspicious Shivaratri day you all have been purified and freed from all your sins. Please fetch a fistful of Ganga water and pour it in my husband’s mouth. With this he will survive. Please help me in any way you can. Only if a pure person who is totally sinless pours water into his mouth he will survive. Else he will die. Someone please come to my rescue.” Let us see what happens thereafter.

As agreed both of them sat near the banks of Ganga. Mother Parvati, who is disguised as an aged woman, begged all the passersby to help her ailing husband who was lying down beside her. However none of the so called learned Vedic Brahmins heeded to her request.

Hearing the strange condition put forth by her they were petrified. They thought, “Yes, it is true that we bathed in Ganga and are purified. However what if some sin still sticks to us? If we pour water into his mouth and if due to our impurity he dies we shall be held responsible for his death. It is better to go away without helping them.” Each of them thought in this manner.

The old lady continued to lament. No one helped her. The crowd had all dispersed and the banks were almost deserted. At that time a notorious dacoit arrived there. Tired of leading a sinful life, this criminal had decided to bathe in Ganga, free himself from all sins and begin a pure life. He heard the old lady who was weeping and decided to help her. He entered the waters of the river and dipped into them. With a pure heart he prayed, “O Lord, please cleanse me of all my sins. Om Namah shivaya. I seek to do a good deed and help that man who is about to die. Hence please wash away all my sins and make me pure. I know I have to experience the punishment for my sins in future. I am willing to go through it. However for now I believe that I am totally pure. I have merged into that Supreme Shiva.”

Having bathed in the river he came out and began to search for a proper vessel in which he could carry water for that old man who was far away. He thought, “If I carry the water in my cupped hands, it is sure to leak. There is no vessel here. If I fail to give him water before sunset he will die. Hence I cannot delay any further”.

With a pure mind and with a firm belief that he was now totally pure after the river bath, the dacoit washed his mouth clean and then filled it with water. He approached the dying man and poured water into his mouth. The old lady stared at the dacoit in shock. Meanwhile the old man suddenly recovered.

He addressed his wife and said, “This is what I was saying Parvati. Crores of people have bathed here since morning. But this man alone has a pure heart and mind. We shall take him to Kailāsa with us.”

He addressed the dacoit and said, “You have to pay for your sins. Hence you have to go to hell and experience the punishment. Thereafter you will come to heavens and get a very noble birth.”

The sixth canto which we are about to start is wonderful in many ways. It is like an encyclopedia in itself. Every aspect is covered in it. This canto is very dear to Lord Vishnu.

Haraye namah