Sixth Canto Chapter Fifteen
In this chapter, Maharishi Angirasa preaches about dispassion (vairagya) to King Chitraketu.
Maharishi Śuka continued, “O Emperor, due to the death of his son, Chitraketu, who had totally succumbed to grief, had become a living corpse. Maharishis Angira and Nārada consoled this desolate king saying,
“O King, you are grieving for this child. In this creation, in what way is this boy related to you presently? How was he related to you in your previous births and how will he be related to you in your future births? What connection do you have with him now? In the long list of fathers that he has had over various births, which father are you?
Yathā prayānti saṁyānti sroto-vegena bālukāḥ Saṁyujyante viyujyante tathā kālena dehinaḥ
Due to the force of the flowing waters, particles of sand gather together and subsequently separate. Likewise, due to the flow of time conditioned souls meet only to disperse again. From grains of paddy that are sown, newer grains emerge which also ultimately merge into the soil. Likewise, influenced by the Lord’s illusory power, some individual souls are born as children to other individual souls. There is no rule that they should eternally remain in that state. These individual souls die.
O king! You, we, the people around us, all moving as well as all non-moving entities are presently located here at this point of time. Will we exist here after our death? Did we exist here before our birth? Since we did not exist in the past and will not exist in the future we can say that we do not presently exist.
Only that which exists during all three times i.e. past, present and future, is real. That which is presently visible but which will not exist in future is only illusory. It does not have a real existence”.
Before taking this body did you exist here? No. It is just that presently you think you have a particular name and belong to particular lineage. You do not know in which planet you existed at that point of time. Likewise, after death you will not remain here but perhaps in some other planet. Understand therefore that when past and future existence is missing then the present existence, although appearing real, is actually unreal. We can thus conclude that we are not here at the moment.
“From this understand that birth and death are not real. There is nothing that Srihari, who is birthless and who sustains this universe, has to gain from this creation. Just as small children build castles in the sand only to dismantle them at the end of their play, the Supreme Lord creates these living entities, who lack independence. Through them he creates newer living entities, ensures their nourishment and then once again through other living entities causes their destruction.
Dehena dehino rājan dehād deho ’bhijāyate Bījād eva yathā bījaṁ dehy artha iva śāśvataḥ
O King! Just as one seed emerges from another seed, the merger of two bodies gives rise to another body. It just creates an impression as if the inner dweller (dehi), who is the presiding force for the body, has also taken birth along with the created body. However just as mud is the material cause for the creation of pots and other mud utensils, the inner dweller (dehi) is eternal. It is only the gross bodies that are created and destroyed.
deha-dehi-vibhāgo ’yam aviveka-kṛtaḥ purā jāti-vyakti-vibhāgo ’yaṁ yathā vastuni kalpitaḥ
Although mud is the same, from it pot or other objects, with general or specialized differences, are created. Likewise, in the non-dual Supreme Lord, distinctions such as body (deha) and inner dweller (dehi) are created due to spiritual ignorance”.
The two great saints thus consoled King Chitraketu. Swallowing his grief Chitraketu addressed them and said, “O venerable saints! You both are embodiments of knowledge. You are the most supreme amongst saints. You have come here in disguise. Please tell me who you truly are. Self-realized saints are the original form of the Supreme Lord. For the well-being of ignorant persons like me who are sunk into material comforts, they wander through earth disguised as mad men.
Maharishis Sanat-kumara, Narada, Rbhu, Angirasa, Devala, Asita, Apāntarama, Vyāsa, Markandeya, Gautama, Vashishta, Paraśurama, Kapila, Pādarāyana, Vyāsa’s son Śuka, Durvasa, Yajnavalka, Jātukarṇya Arūni, Romasa, Chyavana, Dattātreya, Āsuri, Patanjali, Vedyaśiras, Bodhya-muni, Pancaśirasa, Hiraṇyanābha, Kauśalya, Śrutadeva, Rtadhwaja and other eminent saints impart Spiritual Knowledge to all the people in the world as they wander freely.
Addicted to material comforts I am living like an animal. Infatuation and attachments have enveloped my wisdom. Drowned in spiritual ignorance I am covered by tamas. I request you both to please light the lamp of knowledge in me”.
Maharishi Angirasa then replied, “O King, I am Angirasa, the saint who fulfilled your desire for a son. This other saint is none other than the venerable Maharishi Nārada, the mind born son of Lord Brahma.
We heard that you, an ardent devotee of the Lord, are absolutely sunk into grief due to the demise of your son. Coming to know that you have sunk to low levels of spiritual ignorance, we have come to help you.
A true devotee of the Lord who also reveres and worships learned Brahmins should never succumb to grief. When I last paid you a visit I would have imparted to you the Supreme Self-knowledge. However your mind deeply desired a son and hence I fulfilled your desire and granted you a son. You are currently experiencing the sorrow that parents experience due to having children. Along with the joy of having children, such parents also have to experience sorrows.
Similarly, wife, house, material prosperity, comforts, wealth, sensory pleasures known as touch, form, taste, sound and smell, this Earth, army, kingdom, granaries, servants, friends and enemies are all impermanent creations.”