Shri Hari decides to write the Shikshapatri, while listening to the tenth chapter of Shreemad Bhagwat at an isolated location.
Shri Hari decides to write the Shikshapatri, while listening to the tenth chapter of Shreemad Bhagwat at an isolated location.
Suvrat said:-
Residing there at his own lodging, Shri Hariotherwise known as remover of misery, praised king (Sayajirao) in his meeting. 1.
He gave all garments, ornaments and money received at Vadodara to Raghuvir (his adopted son). 2.
Thereafter he was desirous of listening to the tenth Skanda (part) of the Bhagavata with an undisturbed heart; deciding to send away Uttam and others to Durgapur, he said to them- 3.
‘O king Uttam, for now you should go to Durgapur with your people; and ‘O you, all friends, you should also go along with him.’ 4.
After having listened to the tenth Skanda (part), I will also go there, I like this (arrangement); therefore you all should go. 5.
Thus directed by him who wished to live in solitude, they reluctantly went to their places since his words were binding on them. 6.
King Uttam with his people, Ramapratap and other relatives of the Lord who came from the west and from Bhalla country and also others who had gathered there went back to their respective places as directed by Hari. 7.8.
Then he directed the ascetics (to go) for the enlightenment of the people in different regions, and they departed accordingly. 9.
Then, beginning from the day of Ekadasi, he listened reverentially in solitude to the tenth Skanda (part); it took him one month and a half (to complete this exercise). 10.
O king, he greatly liked the tenth Skanda and praised it with much respect. 11.
Then up to the fifth day of Magha (i.e. the day of Vasantapancami), he listened to the fifth Skanda and praised it greatly in his meeting. 12.
These two parts of the Bhagavata-Puran were very favourite to the Lord. 13.
Then, after having felicitated the reader of the Puran with garments, ornaments and money, he celebrated at mid-day the spring festival. (Vasantotsava). 14.
Then he arranged for a great worship of Laksmi-Narayan at the hands of the best of the religious students; it resounded with songs and instrumental music. 15.
The Lord fed a thousand Brahmins that day and gave them Daksina and soft blankets. 16.
At that time, numerous devotees living in nearby villages came to have a glimpse of him and returned. 17.
Then the Lord, sitting all alone in the afternoon, decided to write an epistle to the people with their well-being in his mind. 18.
‘I shall write an epistle for teaching piety to all countries; as a result of this all my devotees will behave according to the instructions.’ 19.
By virtue of it (i.e. the epistle), they will understand my point of view as it is and they all will be free from doubt. 20.
When I disappear from the earth, it will be the sole support of my followers in the world since it is clearly in the form of my own sentences. 21.
Having thought in this way, that soul of Dharma asked an attendant to bring paper, pen and chalk (khatika). 22.
The Lord then, with good sense, extracted the essence of all the scriptures and wrote the epistle making dharma steadfast on the earth. 23.
Dhyan of Shri Hari while writing ‘Shikshapatri’. With head slightly bent, holding the expanse of paper with At that time, numerous devotees living in nearby villages came to have a glimpse of him and returned. 17.
Then the Lord, sitting all alone in the afternoon, decided to write an epistle to the people with their well-being in his mind. 18.
‘I shall write an epistle for teaching piety to all countries; as a result of this all my devotees will behave according to the instructions.’ 19.
By virtue of it (i.e. the epistle), they will understand my point of view as it is and they all will be free from doubt. 20.
When I disappear from the earth, it will be the sole support of my followers in the world since it is clearly in the form of my own sentences. 21.
Having thought in this way, that soul of Dharma asked an attendant to bring paper, pen and chalk (khatika). 22.
The Lord then, with good sense, extracted the essence of all the scriptures and wrote the epistle making dharma steadfast on the earth. 23.
Dhyan of Shri Hari while writing ‘Shikshapatri’.
With head slightly bent, holding the expanse of paper with the left hand, with the pen in his right hand, he wrote the epistle in the following manner- 24.
Thus ends the forty third chapter entitled ‘Dispersal of devotees from Vadodara and Narayan Muni’s cogitations on the Bhagavata’ in the fourth Prakaran of Satsangijivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as ‘Dharmashastra’ (the rules of the code of conduct).43
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