Incarnation of Dharmadev and Bhaktidevi on Earth.
Birth and early life of Dharma, father of Shri Hari
Suvrat said:-
There is a town named Ittar, in Kaushal province, on the north bank of river Sarayu, which is the abode of the people of four castes. 1.
There lived a Brahmin who was well known in the province by the name Lakshman Sharma. He belonged to the lineage of Savarni, with three high-ranking ancestors Bhargava, Vaitahvya and Savetas, and was the follower of the Kauthumi branch of Samaveda. 2-3.
Vamshidhara was his son, and Vedamana was Vamshidhara’s son. Vedmana’s son was known as Kaniyan (kanhiram) who settled in Mehadava town. He was a learned scholar, and was honoured by the royal descendant of Suraneta family. 4 -5.
His son, Balasharma was well versed in the Vedas and Shastras. He was righteous, pure minded, truth-speaking and had restrained his senses. 6.
He was a partial incarnation of Brahma, a brilliant offspring of a pious family, performer of sacrifices and highly intellectual. He was endowed with virtues like knowledge, peace, mercy, modesty and was bearing a good moral conduct. His wife Bhagyavati was also adorned with virtues, and with her co-operation, the Brahmin Balasharma could follow the path of righteousness. 7- 8.
O king, then the God Dharma decided in his mind, to have the couple as his own parents as they were pious hearted. Dharma entered the womb of Bhagyavati and dwelt there as a mortal being. 9-10.
When the tenth month commenced Vrush, the powerful, self-willed one (Dharma) took birth as a human being pleasing the good men. 11.
Knowing that the bearer of the world has appeared on the earth, the gods were eager to see Him, to bring flowers from the divine garden of the heaven to shower on Him. They stood politely with folded hands and showered flowers on Him, with words of victory to Him. Hearing those words, the demons were frightened, anticipating the arrival of their terminator. 12.
Bhagyavati gave birth to Dharma in the human form, in Vikram Yuga (i.e. era) 1796. (Indu=moon=1; Aga=mountains=7; Anka=numbers=9; Rasa=tastes=6). The name of the year was Pramoda. At that time the sun was tending to the winter solstice. The season was autumn, the month Kartika, and it was the 11th day of the bright fortnight on a Wednesday, on Uttara Bhadrapada constellation, and Vajra Yoga. The Karan was Kalyani (showing good signs). The sun was in Kumbha Zodiac. The Mars, the Jupiter, the Venus and the Mercury were in a central square. 13-15.
When Dharma manifested himself, on the earth, gods showered flowers from the sky. They played musical instruments like large kettle drums and others. They played them with great delight, with a pitched sound which reverberated in the three worlds. 16-17.
The divine singers sang sweet melodies and the celestial damsels gathered to dance in the heavens. 18.
It was indeed a great festival for the celestial divinities who were showering flowers on the house where Dharma himself was born. 19.
Auspicious signs were visible in the cities, towns and villages on the earth. The flames of sacred fires blazed without smoke. 20.
The minds of all good men felt at peace, the ponds were clean and full of blossomed lotuses. 21.
The breeze blew pleasantly; the sky became azure (a shade of blue). The super humans-Siddhas expressed Victorious sounds and the sages bestowed their blessings. 22.
The Brahmin was a bit confused due to the great joy at his son’s birth. As he was well versed in the Vedas, he honoured the Brahmins and performed the rituals customary to the birth of a child and he gave presents to the Brahmins according to his ability. 23.
The child was tender and delicate. Even then he endured the scratches of mosquito-bites. Seeing the tolerance of the boy, wise men and women anticipated him to have been a Yogi in his past birth. 24.
The parents were overwhelmed with joy knowing that their son was none other than god himself, as he was luminous and handsome like new rain-clouds. His arms reached his knees (like divine persons). His face was beautiful, smiling and the child behaved superbly as a human being. 25.
The father named his son on the twelfth day according to the rituals. As the child was very beautiful and lustrous, he was named as Devasharma. 26.
He won the heart of his father who named him as Devasharma. Relatives and all the people of his caste often wished to have a look at him. 27.
He was fortunate. He grew day by day swiftly, blackish in colour having a snow like glow. His teeth sprouted. When he uttered his first words the listeners were very pleased to hear his sweet chatter. 28.
He went through all purification rites in due course of time, like eating solid food for the first time. Then he had his thread ceremony (maunji bandhan : tying a girdle of Maunja grass and putting sacred thread going from the left shoulder to the right side towards the waist and taking an oath of celibacy). Afterwards he studied all the Vedas along with ancillary texts, staying in a hermitage for a period of twelve years. After completing his studies and satisfying his teacher, he returned home. He offered his preceptor whatever he wished. 29.
O King, he then wished to marry a girl from a religious family adorned with virtues, as his wife. 30.
Birth of Murti, mother of Shri Hari
There was a river named Manorama in that province. On its bank, there was a holy place called Makhouda, reputed for removing sins. 31.
To its north there was a town named Chuppaya wherein lived people belonging to all four castes. The place was beautiful with a pond of pellucid water and was surrounded by various gigantic trees. 32-33.
There lived a Brahmin scholar named Krishna Sharma with his senses restrained, whose wife was Bhavani, a saintly and virtuous woman. 34.
The devout couple of pure heart always had a great devotion to Para Vasudeva (Vishnu). 35.
A daughter was born to them who was ‘Murti’, wife of Dharma in her previous birth. She was adorned with many virtues and was rich with high morals. 36.
She was born in Vikram Samvat the year 1798 (i.e.Indu=moon=1; Ashva=horses=7; Anka=number=9; Gaja= elephants=8), on Wednes- day which was the bright full moon day of the month of Kartik. 37.
Having luminous divine body, she appeared, at the rise of full moon in the saffron hued eastern horizon. 38.
When ‘Murti’ was born on this earth, due to a curse of a sage, men and gods were enthusiastic about singing and listening to the glories of Lord Shri Krishna. There was a great festive mood in every house as everyone was in joyous mood, celebrating the birth. At this time the demons felt that their end was nearing. 39.
Thus ends the eleventh chapter entitled ‘Birth Festivals of Dharma and Bhakti’ in the first Prakarana of Satsangi Jivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as ‘Dharmashastra’ (the rules of the code of conduct). 11