Chapter 2 - Mangalacharan by Suvrat Muni

Mangalacharan by Suvrat Muni. 

Suvrat said:- 

Those who always contemplate on His beautiful white glow in their hearts, Shri Hari reveals to them His attractive, divine form. I salute that Shri Hari. 1.  

He destroys Maya, the cosmic illusion consisting of three Gunas (Sattva, Rajas and Tamas) of those embodied souls who have surrendered to Him, and also (destroys) their hard Karmic bonds just with His compassionate glance and leads them to Brahmapura (ultimate abode) which is very hard to attain for mortals. 2.  

I eulogise the Lord, who is like a beautiful moon to the eyes of the devotees like that of a Chakor bird longing for moon; who resides in and out of the heart, who has offered protective hand to Goddess Lakshmi, and who bears dark complexion resembling black cloud wearing white garment. 3.  

Though being the Lord of the whole universe He shines with divine form taken by His own will; His feet are worshipped by king of Gods and men. To that Shri Hari, who is the Lord of Lords and beyond change and challenge; I offer my salutations. May He now make my speech and thoughts pure! 4. 

Reverence to Guru 

I (Suvrat) salute the son of Vishnudatta ( a Maithili Brahmin), my own Guru, who abandoned all sensual objects with strong force of detachment and who acquired entire yogic powers by the grace of Lord Vishnu and who gaine d firm self-stand by the strength of cognitive worship of Krishna’s feet. 5. 

May that Shatanand Muni, who attained omniscience by the grace of the Lord Shri Hari, and who composed this novel biography of Him and narrated to us, in the role of the son of Vyasa (Shukadeva), be pleased with us. 6. 

O royal fortune-teller, you have appropriately put this question, being eager of liberation, you are asking me to narrate the story of Vishnu which liberates one from the cycle of birth and death. 7.

Those people alone will have ability for listening to the life-story of Lord Shri Hari, who to their credit, have accumulated merit in thousands of lives. 8. 

That ascetic Shatanand who had obtained omniscience by the virtue of His grace and who mastered Yoga with his sharp intellect composed the biography of Shri Hari. 9. 

O King! I shall narrate completely that supremely sacred biography called ‘Satsangijivan’, which I have learnt exactly from him. 10. 

Questions asked by King Pratapsinh 

The king asked, ‘who was that Shatanand Muni, where was he born, whose son was he? How he appeased Lord Vishnu and in which place, did he compose this biography ? 11. 

O doyen of Sages, kindly tell me all that. I am desirous of knowing it. In fact, nothing is unknown to you, O great sage, omniscient as you are. 12. 

My mind is attentive without diversion. I have abandoned the lust for low sensory pleasures; therefore please narrate me that discourse in full. I am eager to listen. 13.

When the king requested him thus, the devout Brahmin Suvrat narrated, with pleasure, all that as imbibed by him. 14. 

Biography of Shatanand Swami 

Suvrat said:- 

O king, on this earth, there is a holy city, Mithila. There lived a great Brahmin Vishnudatta, who was steadfastly religious. 15. 

His son named Shatanand was a confirmed celibate, reputed for host of virtues and was a devout disciple of his Guru. 16. 

He was expert in scriptures, Shastras and Puranas and well versed in import of Pancharatra. He was detached from sensory pleasures and had a firm belief in his own faith. 17. 

He was expert in recognizing divine and human qualities and could discriminate between good and bad on account of this Shastra-based vision. Hence he was calm, generous and soft spoken. 18. 

He imbibed non-violence and was compassionate. He enjoyed the company of saintly people. He used to offer devotional service to Lord Vishnu according to Shastras, but his heart was yearning to have direct vision of the Lord. 19.

He developed conviction through Shastric vision that the firm devo-tee aspiring for liberation perceives Lord Shri Hari directly. 20. 

He used to read Shrimad Bhagavata always and also contemplated on its meaning, sitting in isolation. 21. 

Once, pondering over the fifth canto of Shrimad Bhagavata, he came to realise that duo of Nar-Narayan is adorable in this land of Bharata. He is practicing penance in Badrikasrama (in Visala) continuing up to the end of Kalpa, Himself being propitiated by sage Narada and Uddhava. 22. 

Afterwards, with zeal to have His Darshan, so as to fulfill the purpose of human life, Shatanand Muni proceeded to Badrikasrama, along with fellow-pilgrims. 23-24. 

Over there, the great river Ganga flowed down from the feet of Vishnu, releasing devotees from the birth - death cycle. There are holy pools like Narada pool, hot water pool, absorbing sins, having the union of Ganga- Urvashi, Panchashila, and also many other holy fords. 25-26. 

Shatanand Muni arrived there, on the third day of bright half of the Month of Vaikuntha (Akshaya Tritiya) and had Darshan of the image of Narayan Rishi, the great ascetic. He stayed there peacefully, performing rituals related to sacred ford according to religious code. 27-28. 

O King, thereafter when the fellow-pilgrims completed pilgrimage and returned, the sensible Shatanand Muni started propitiating Narayan Rishi. 29. 

Every day, after discharging routine ritual, he used to read the 10th canto of Shrimad Bhagavata in full, as per due procedure. 30. 

In this way, six months passed, while he was engaged in (tapas) propitiation, surviving on fruits and withstanding fatigue, aiming at his destined goal. 31. 

On the day of Prabodhini Ekadashi: the 11th day of the bright fortnight of Kartika Month (when Lord Vishnu wakes up from His yogic sleep), he performed the recitation of Shrimad Bhagavata and routine worship during day time. Then at night he kept awake, himself fasting. 32. 

Darshan of Lord Narayan 

There upon the Lord, the abode of compassion was pleased with him. He manifested Himself before him in His marvellous divine form, perceivable by those who are single-minded and chosen by Himself. 33. 

Suddenly he was astonished after witnessing his own desirable deity, two armed, with dark complexion, extremely calm, in celibate attire with brilliance of countless suns shining simultaneously. 34. 

Having recognised Him to be the Lord of Badri, Shatanand instantly got up and prostrated before Him on the ground, with tears of love in his eyes, with his body filled with intense emotion and folding both palms, he started singing laudations to Him. 35. 

Thus ends the second chapter entitled ‘Worship of Badrinath performed by Shatanand’ in the first Prakarana of Satsangi Jivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as ‘Dharmashastra’(the rules of the code of conduct). 2