Shri Hari’s desire to listen to Bhagavata Puran.
Shri Hari’s desire to listen to Bhagavata Puran.
Suvrat said:-
O King ! The son of king Abhay (i.e. Uttam) along with his family started serving Shri Hari everyday with devotion and without pretense, when Shri Hari was staying in his palace. 1
For the pleasure of Shri Hari, he celebrated the festival of Anna- kuta and the festival of Prabodhini , as astonishingly as before. 2
Bhagavan Shri Hari also made happy that devotee along with his family and celebrated the two festivals inviting all his devotees from other places. 3
When the Prabodhini festival was over and people from other places returned to their abodes, Bhagavan, the protector of people, (despite) himself being omniscient, started listening to the Bhagavata Puran because he wanted to establish among his people, the religion prescribed in the Vedas. 4 -5
Bhagavan Shri Hari woke up early in the morning on the sixth day (of bright fortnight of the month of Margashirsha (Samvat 1877), observed morning prayers and invited a preacher, well- versed in Puranas and expert in sacrifice etc. 6
Outside his own abode, He spread a cloth and sat on it. The preacher and other members went there. 7
All of them took their seats in the mandapa according to their respective statuses. Then, Bhagavan said to the Brahmin named Mayaram. 8
Narayan Muni said:-
“O excellent Brahmin expert in astronomy, this is the month of Margashirsha, which is the best of months. 9
The great sages have told that this month is the grandeur (Vibhuti) of Vasudev. Therefore O Brahmin, I wish to listen to the Purana during this month. 10
So, please tell me which is the auspicious time for beginning the Puran. The work begun on an auspicious time can be completed without any difficulty. 11
Then the Brahmin, who was an expert in astronomy, took out his Lunar calendar from the big covering, went through it, and said to Shri Hari, ‘O Master ! Tomorrow is the auspicious time as you want it. 12
Tomorrow is ‘Mitra’, a day when there is a union of Dhanishtha constellation with a Wednesday. So you may please start listening to the Purana on such occasions. 13
When the Brahmin told this, Bhagavan uttered these words to the preacher, “I want to begin listening Bhagavata from tomorrow. 14
In that case, ‘O Brahmin, we should get up very early in the morning everyday and perform out daily rites during the first Prahara (phase) of the day. 15
After that, we should start reading and listening (to) the Bhagavat-katha and complete the same at mid-day. Then we should perform the mid-day rites. 16
Again, we should start Bhagavat-katha and complete it at the end of the third Prahara (phase) and then perform the evening rites, if you like so. 17
The preacher said:-
‘O Master! I will follow this routine everyday and read the Bhagavata-katha at a proper time sitting firmly in one place. 18
O Master! I am very much pleased that you have arranged for resting time between two sessions. Otherwise, it would have been troublesome for our bodies. 19
‘Then come tomorrow’ said Shri Hari to the preacher. Shri Hari then uttered these pleasing words to his devotees and the listeners of Puranas 20
Importance of listening to katha narrated by Shri Hari.
Shri Narayan Muni said:-
O devotees, listen to these words which are beneficial for you all: All of you should listen to the Puran-katha. 21
All people belonging to the four castes and belonging to any of the four Ashramas, have the right to listen to the Puran. 22
This is the common and direct way for the achievement of all the desired goals. This is declared by the great sages and is followed by Gods as well. 23
Knowledge of one’s own self is not possible for humans without listening to the Hari-katha, and without it, destruction of the chain of births and deaths is not possible. 24
Therefore, constant engagement in the Puranas written by the sage Vyas and listening to the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata is essential. 25
This (The engagement) is the lamp which gives knowledge and perfection for those who have become blind due to the darkness of ignorance. Listening to the Vishnu-puran is the cure recommen- ded to patients suffering from the disease of bondage. 26
The people who ardently wish to gain merit (i.e. Punya) should always listen devotedly to the auspicious stories narrated in the Puranas. 27
He, who is unable to listen to Bhagavat-katha all the time, should listen to the same at least for a short while everyday with concentration. 28
He who is unable to listen to it every day, should listen it on the auspicious days like ‘Ekadashi’ etc. and during the auspicious month of Sravana. 29
Those who listen to the holy story devotedly for a short time or for even for a moment will never have to face the state of (spiritual) deterioration. 30
Men can achieve the benefit of all sacrifices and all charity by solely listening to the holy Bhagavat-katha devotedly. 31
Especially in the Kaliyug, there is no superior religion or a better way to salvation except listening to the Puran. 32
Honourable Badarayan, being merciful (towards those steeped in bondage), prepared a medicine named ‘Puran’ for the benefit of people in the Kaliyug, considering that they lead short lives, are weak suffer from pains, have vicious minds and do not follow the rules of religion. 33-34.
If someone drinks nectar after long hard-work, he alone can become immortal. But he who drinks the nectar called ‘Puran’ makes his whole dynasty immortal. 35
If a man does not listen to the Purana-katha, he is thought to be a beast. So, one should essentially do it in a proper way if he longs for his own benefit. 36
Suvrat said:-
Thus speaking, Shri Hari was saluted by king Uttam. Then folding his hands in all eagerness to listen to the ‘Puran’ Uttam devotedly asked. 37
Ritual of listening to Katha narrated by Shri Hari.
The king said:-
O God! I wish to hear the procedure of listening to the Puran. What is the proper time and proper place for that? How is the preacher of a Puran described? What kind of listeners should be there? Andwhat should be offered by them at the end? 38-39
O God! Please tell me that! When the king asked such questions, Shri Hari who knew the ardent desire of all the listeners to hear (the Puran), explained to them. 40
Procedure according to Skanda Puran as explained by Shri Hari.
Narayan Muni said:-
He who wishes to be free from all the sins, should respectfully listen the Puran which is the best thing to be listened to. 41
If it is not suitable for a man all times, then he should listen to Puran during Chaturmas (four months from Ashadhi Ekadashi) and Parva days (i.e. the eighth and fourteenth of each fortnight and the full-moon day and new moon day) which are auspicious days. 42
The fruit-yielding procedure of listening to Puran is explained in Puranas like Skanda etc. I will tell that to you in brief. 43
After observing the daily rites, he should invite the preacher well-versed in his field, welcome him by offering seat and respectfully salute him. 44
Placing the holy Bhagavata on a high seat, he should make the preacher sit on a seat called Vyaspitha, which is very soft and a little lower than the seat of holy Bhagavata. 45
The holy Bhagavata should be worshipped first and then the preacher has to be worshipped by offering him sandal paste, Akshata, garlands of flowers, frankincense and deep (i.e. Nirajana lamp). 46
Then food, Tambula and monetary gift (Dakshina) should be given to him and he should be respectfully saluted. 47
‘O Bhagavan Vyas, expert in knowledge of the Vedas, the idol of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh, and the son of Satyavati, I salute you’. 48
Method and manner of sitting in Sabha.
Uttering this mantra, saluting the preacher, ‘O king, the chief listener should then worship properly all the (gathered) listeners and Brahmins. 49
After that, sitting on a seat lower than the seat of the preacher, all should listen to the Puran with a calm and quiet mind. 50
In the assembly, the Brahmins should sit in the front; behind them should sit Kshatriyas (warrior class people). The merchant class people should sit behind them and then the Sudras (the serving people). 51
People born into castes that involve inter-mixture should sit modestly behind the Sudras and listen to the story of Bhagavan. 52
The learned Brahmins, ascetics and those absorbed in contemplation of the Supreme Spirit should be made to sit in front of all. 53
For listening to the stories of Shri Hari, ladies should modestly sit at a distance of four hands from the gents. 54
People should offer a silver coin or a copper coin or a flower or a fruit or leaves (i.e. Vegetables) or a handful of grain to the preacher and then listen to the Puran. 55
The listeners desirous of gaining merit (Punya) should always respect and worship the preacher, irrespective of whether he is small, young or aged (old), weak or poor. 56
Never should the preacher be looked down upon as an ordinary man because the speech from his mouth is as nourishing for the people as the wish-yielding cow. 57
There are a number of preceptors of people in this world. Some are superior by birth, while some are superior by their virtues. Of them all, the preacher is the most excellent preceptor. 58
The preacher gives knowledge of Shri Hari to people who wander through thousands and thousands of births and experience sorrow. Hence how can any other preceptor be superior to the preacher? 59
Characteristics of Vakta (speaker).
The preacher who is a Brahmin by caste, a scholar of the Puran, pious, calm and quiet, self-controlled, who has conquered jealousy, who is like a saint, who is merciful and is a good orator, should narrate the story. 60
The other one who belongs to the Kshatriya or Vaishya caste can also have the right to narrate the Bhagavata-katha only if he is initiated into the Bhagavata religion, observes the eightfold celibacy and is not greedy. 61
‘O king, the man who sits on the seat (of) Vyas and becomes a preacher, should not salute anybody until the end of reading holy Bhagavata. 62
Even if the determined devotees of Shri Hari or Shri Hari himself in the form of a man attend the Bhagavata-katha, they should still salute the preacher. 63
Prohibitions related to the narration of Puran.
The people who are cunning, misbehaving and jealous of conquest-are all crooked people. Bhagavata-katha should not be narrated in front of such crooked people. 64
The intelligent person should not narrate Bhagavata-katha in a place crowded with wicked people, Sudras, beasts and in the house of gambling. 65
He should narrate the Bhagavata-katha in a place of wellbehaved people, in a temple, on the bank of a river, in a holy house and in a place where people are given food. 66
The listeners whose hearts are full of devotion and faith, who have no craving for any other work, have control over their speech, who are pious in mind and body, who listen with concentration – such listeners gain merit. 67
Those who listen Bhagavata-katha without worshipping (the preacher) with sandal-paste etc., or salutation are considered to be poor in devotion. 68
Those who go elsewhere when the Bhagavata-katha recital is going on, their wives and wealth are lost at the time of enjoyment. 69
While listening to the Bhagavata-katha, the listener should not wear any turban etc., should not consume betel-nut, a roll of betel leaves (i.e. Tambula), and tobacco.70
He should not sit on a seat higher than or equal to the seat of preacher. He should not sit with his legs up, nor should he sit in the posture of Virasan (because all this is supposed to be insulting to the preacher). 71
The listener should not listen to the Bhagavata-katha with his feet covered with cloth. Similarly he should not listen to the Puran in a sleeping posture except when he is suffering from some physical problem. 72
Those who gaze at the faces of women while listening to the Katha are fickle, passionate and lustful and are bound to become village-pigs in the next birth. 73
Those who talk about something else when Bhagavata-katha is being narrated, they are born as donkeys in the next birth or as obstinate. 74
‘O great king! Those rogues who create hindrances and disturbances while listening to Bhagavata-katha, indeed become ghosts in their next birth. 75
Those, who blame (i.e. abuse) the preacher or the Bhagavata– katha, the listening of which destroys all the sins, certainly become dogs during their next hundred births. 76
Therefore, ‘O king! The Shri Hari-katha should be listened to with respect and modesty and according to the rules of listening, so that the preacher is not disturbed. 77
The preacher should be given a bath with proper shampooing after massaging his limbs with oil. He should also be given tasty, well-prepared food every day. 78
Every morning, the preacher should be given strained, warm cow-milk with sugar for the sake of begetting a clear and smooth voice. 79
At the end of a chapter, a section or a Skanda on auspicious days, the preacher should be specially worshipped and given monetary gifts according to one’s own ability. 80
At the final end of reading Bhagavata-katha, a grand worship of the preacher should be arranged and all the listeners should give him a golden gift as per their ability. 81
If a golden gift is not possible, then listeners should give him a silver coin, copper coin, cloth, food or a vehicle according to their ability. The poor should give wood or clay. 82
The listeners should worship the preacher with clothes and ornaments, make him sit on a beautiful vehicle and lead him to his home along with songs and musical instruments (in a procession). 83
‘O King! Thus I have explained to you the general procedure of listening to all the Puranas and the sub-Puranas. 84
Those who listen to the Puranas according to this procedure, will no doubt, obtain the complete fruit as described in Purana. 85
One should try to understand this procedure first and then listen to the Puranas according to this procedure, so that all his desires are fulfilled. 86
O King! Shrimad Bhagavata Puran is a very valuable Puran and it has something special about it than the other Puranas. 87
By listening to this Puran as per the procedures, engaging in its reiteration (i.e. Purascharya), and donating according to one’s own ability, people achieve imperishable merit. 88
Suvrat said:-
‘O King! Listening to the speech of Narayan, the king with pure mind, saluted Shri Hari and modestly asked him again out of his intellectual curiosity. 89
Thus ends the first chapter entitled ‘Explanation of procedure of listening Purana’ in the fourth Prakaran of Satsangijivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as ‘Dharmashastra’ (the rules of the code of conduct). 1
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