Madhusudanaya namah

The sons of Daksha continued to introspect, “The Self is like a luminous mirror. Such Self is the real form of the living entity. **Instead of trying to understand his true Self, if the ignorant human wastes his time on fruitive activities which conceal his real form, then what benefit does he derive? **

The spiritual Scriptures which teach about bondages and liberation i.e. the two aspects which define the Supreme Lord, are comparable to the swan that teaches Spiritual Knowledge. Just as a swan segregates the water from the milk, Scriptures which preach Spiritual Knowledge segregate the Seer (dŗṣṭa) from the Seen (dṛṣya). This knowledge should be used for Self-realization. What is the use of those fruitive rituals which, instead of helping the person become inward facing, make him external facing?

The wheel of time endlessly rotates. While thus independently rotating it shreds into bits this huge universe, with its diamond sharp blades. What is the use of those fruitive activities, which forcefully throw the person into the trap of time, without helping him understand its true form?

Scriptures are our father. They preach Self-knowledge which helps us walk on the path of return (nivṛtti path) i.e. they help us shred our bondages. The human who keeps his faith entirely upon these bondages which are composed of the three attributes of Nature (trigunas), does not show any inclination towards the Scriptures that preach Self-essence. He never understands that Scriptures i.e. the father who bestows spiritual knowledge is far superior to the earthly father who has given him birth”.

Haryaśvās thus introspected deeply and deciphered the hidden significance contained in Maharishi Nārada’s words. They fixed this knowledge completely in their intellect and were convinced about it. With a firm mind they reverentially circumambulated Maharishi Nārada and bowed to him. They began to seriously strive for that Self-knowledge, which frees the person from the bondages of re-births.

For exponents in music, Srihari manifests in the form of the seven musical notes. Maharishi Nārada has fixed his mind exclusively upon the lotus feet of this Lord as he travels throughout the world.

Daksha Prajāpati understood that his noble sons had deviated from the house-holders’ way of life and had, based on the initiation received from Maharishi Nārada, shifted into the path of liberation. He was deeply saddened. His noble sons had become the cause of grief to him. At that moment Lord Brahma consoled Daksha Prajāpati.

Thereafter Daksha once again begot 1000 sons from wife Asiknī. They were known as Savalāśvas. Daksha ordered these sons to beget progeny. In order to fulfill their father’s command these 1000 sons reached the Lake Nārāyana-saras, -the place where their elder brothers had obtained liberation.

As soon as they bathed in the waters of this lake, their mental impurities were totally destroyed. They undertook intense penance while meditating upon the supreme AUM mantra. For some months they lived on water; thereafter for some months they lived on air. They propitiated Srihari with the following mantra:

“Oṁ namo nārāyaṇāya puruṣāya mahātmane Viśuddha-sattva-dhiṣṇyāya mahā-haṁsāya dhīmahi

Nārāyaṇa is complete. He incarnates in an absolutely pure mind. He exists in the form for the most-supreme saints known as Paramahamsas. We meditate upon Him and offer our obeisance to Him”.

Observing these brothers who had undertaken intense austerities with the intent of begetting worthy progeny, Maharishi Nārada approached them. Just as he had advised his elder brothers in the past, he initiated them into the supreme secretive knowledge and said,

“O sons of Daksha! All of you love your elder brothers, the Haryaśvās. Please listen to my initiation. Thereafter please follow your elder brothers in their path. When luck shines on the younger brother who walks on the dharmic path treaded by his elder brother, he enjoys in heaven with the Marut-devatas, who shower brotherly affection upon him”.

Maharishi Śuka continued, “O Emperor Parikshit, having said this Nārada vanished. Maharishi Nārada’s visit never goes for a waste. It renders very auspicious results. Sabalāśvas who obtained initiation from him walked on the same path treaded by their elder brothers.

**The inward journey towards Godhead is the most auspicious path for a human being. It is most easy and comfortable path. **Just like the past nights that vanish totally, these brothers who walked on this path have not returned to-date.

At this moment Daksha Prajāpati spotted many inauspicious omens. Learning that Maharishi Nārada had initiated his sons into the path of Self-knowledge and had dissuaded them from accepting the house-holder’s stage of life, Daksha Prajāpati swooned. He was deeply infuriated with Maharishi Nārada.

When he met Nārada, with his lips quivering in rage, Daksha seethed, “Nārada, you dress like a supreme saint although in reality you are very wicked. You have harmed a saintly person like me. You have initiated my children into the path of mendicants.

O sinner, my children are not yet freed from their debts towards Gods, fore-father rishis and (Deva, pitr and rishi runa). They have not completed their obligatory duties. You have deprived them of the chance to discriminatively understand the impermanency of fruitive rituals and learn from them. You have obstructed their progress both in this world and the next. Compassion is missing from your heart due to which you have behaved in this manner.

Mingling amidst the attendants of Srihari, you are bound to bring ill-repute to Him. You are a shameless wretch. Devoid of all feelings of friendliness, you create enmity even with those who do not entertain feelings of aversion towards you. Apart from you, every other noble soul in this creation is ever-ready to shower auspicious blessings upon all forms of life.

You perhaps believe that through absolute sense-control a living entity will jump out of the shackles of these repeated re-births. However, treading on the path preached by saints like you, a person can never ever obtain dispassion.

Unless a person experiences sensory pleasures, how is he to learn that they are the cause of all sorrows? Only after experiencing sensory pleasures, and after undergoing the resultant suffering, the person gradually treads the path of renunciation. A fickle-minded person can never obtain dispassion merely by listening to lectures about the subject. House-holders like us are inclined towards fruitive actions. Your actions are despicable. Saintly persons like us are deeply saddened by your deeds. Even then I have tolerated your insulting behavior!

O wretched fool! You have cut my thread called progeny. I therefore curse that you should never have a fixed place of residence in this creation”.

Vāmānāya namah