Even when they are on the death-bed and are falling unconscious, the people are still attached to their body. Even at that stage, they beg for some medication by which their life can be extended.
Hearing the words of Maharishi Dadhici the Devatas said, “O revered saint! You are renowned for your extreme compassion to all forms of life. Such are your supreme wonderous deeds that great Mahatmas, who are truly praise-worthy, sing your glories. O Mahatma, is there anything that supreme saints like you cannot give up?
Nūnaṁ svārtha-paro loko na veda para-saṅkaṭam Yadi veda na yāceta neti nāha yad īśvaraḥ
In this world, selfish people give utmost importance to their personal tasks so much so that they do not even seek to understand the problems of others. Had they been empathetic to the problems of others, they would never have begged from others. Nevertheless, a generous donor always seeks to fulfill the request of the person who has begged his help”. In response Maharishi Dadhici said, “O Devatas, my words were aimed at extracting the rules of dharma from you. For your benefit I am now going to give up this body which is extremely dear to me. Anyway one day or the other I have to give up this body. I will therefore give it up now and help you.”
Swamiji says: Quite a few people seek to donate their organs after death. Donating kidneys, eyes or other organs, after death, to the needy is truly a charitable deed.
“Yo ’dhruveṇātmanā nāthā na dharmaṁ na yaśaḥ pumān Īheta bhūta-dayayā sa śocyaḥ sthāvarair api
O Devatas! Even trees and insects pity the person who, lacking compassion towards other forms of life, does not use this perishable, fleeting body for performance of righteous, meritorious deeds and thus abstains from earning any renown. These are people who waste their entire lifetime in useless activities.
Etāvān avyayo dharmaḥ puṇya-ślokair upāsitaḥ Yo bhūta-śoka-harṣābhyām ātmā śocati hṛṣyati
Pious persons grieve when others around them are grieving and rejoice when others around them are happy. This is the imperishable dharma which people with pure reputation diligently abide by!
**Wealth, relatives and body, which are impermanent and destructible, can never ever pave the way towards accomplishing the ultimate goal of life. They are solely for the benefit of others. **Pitiable are those humans who do not use these transitory possessions for charitable purposes. Their behavior is lamentable”. Having said this, the supreme saint Maharishi Dadhici retained his mind exclusively upon Lord Srihari and gave up his body.
Maharishi Dadhici who was proficient in Self-knowledge was freed from all worldly bondages. He tied down his senses, life-force, mind and intellect and obtained the ultimate levels of concentration. Maharishi Dadhici possessed the most-pure body. How fortunate he was! He merged into the supreme consciousness and lost memory of his body. He was unaware that it dropped dead.
Thereafter, using Maharishi’s bones, Vishwakarma, the celestial architect, created a tremendously powerful weapon called Vajrayudha (thunderbolt). Unimaginable was the power contained in Maharishi’s bones! Sinners burn under its gaze.
Lord Indra held the Vajrayudha weapon and mounted his elephant Airavata. He was glowing with Srihari’s radiance that had entered him. The Devatas followed him. All eminent Maharishis sang his praise. He shone so radiantly that it appeared as if he was showering happiness unto all the three worlds.
Together with his enormous army, Demon Vṛtta has readied for battle. Just as the furious Rudra had violently attacked Yama in the past, the furious Indra violently rushed forward to attack Vṛtta. Therefore, at the end of the first eon called Kṛta Yuga and at the beginning of the second eon called Treta Yuga, a fearsome battle ensued between the Devatas and demons on the banks of River Narmada.
Indra who was holding the thunderbolt was surrounded by Rudras, Vasus, Adithyas, Ashwini-kumaras, fore-fathers, Fire-gods, Maruts, Rbhus, Sadhyas and other demigods. His effulgence was unbearable to the demons leaving them stupefied.
As demons lived on earth, the Devatas had to come here for their elimination. Vṛtta was accompanied by mighty ferocious demons such as Namuci, Śambara, Dvimūrdha, Rṣabha, Anarva, Ambara, Hayagriva, Śankuśira, Vipracitti, Ayomukha, Puloma, Vṛṣaparva, Praheti, Heti, Utkala, Sumāli, Māli and others. Under their guidance thousands of Yakshas and demons were rushing for war.
These arrogant demons decked in golden ornaments began to roar tumultuously. They attacked and injured the Devatas with their maces, bows and arrows, bludgeons, darts, lance, swords, knives, tridents, spears, iron needled poles and other weapons. They hurled innumerable weapons from all directions upon the Devatas. It was raining weapons everywhere.
Just like the stars enveloped by dark clouds, the Devatas were submerged under the weapons. Yet the Devatas protected themselves by shredding into bits these weapons even when they were in space.
Aniruddhāya namah