Chapter 20 - Decision not to talk of Lord Shree Krishna to be born due to fear of demons

Ashvattama curses Dharma. 

Suvrat said:- 

O King, having completed the sacrifice of chanting hymns of Vishnu; they offered their concluding feast in the exceeding joy of seeing Shri Krishna in person. 1. 

Then sitting together they made it a mutual understanding amongst themselves, that these happenings should never be disclosed to any one at all. 2. 

There is no need to worry that when Krishna is manifested, how it is possible to keep the secret by any one as he is the master of all. It means he will reveal himself. 3. 

Having decided this way amongst themselves they greeted each other, then departed and went home. By the will of god Dharma and the great sages only had memories of their past lives at certain times and not always. 4 -5. 

Dharma, with his wife, was satisfied, having fulfilled his desires completely, and now headed for their home town, via the forest of Naimisa. 6. 

While travelling through that thick forest they missed their way at the sight of those devils. 7. 

They lost track of the main road while wandering in the wilderness. There was no sight of any village as dusk approached. 8. 

Finding no way further, O king, though hungry and thirsty both of them halted there, with courage and worrying where to go in the dark. 9. 

They saw an ascetic, arriving there, dark as a cloud, having red wide eyes, lock of matted hair and a man of an imposing stature too. 10. 

He had wide forehead and was wearing garments meant for an ascetic. Thinking him as the spiritually powerful person, Dharma saluted and stood before him. The ascetic spoke to him: 11. 

‘Who are you ? Such a brave man, why are you wandering with your wife at night in this inaccessible forest? Tell me all this quickly.’ Having thus asked by him, Dharma replied: 12. 

‘I am a Brahmin, born in the country of Kausala, my name is Devasharma. Having got into extreme poverty and miserable condition out of fear of enemies, I left my house and went to the sacred place of Vrindavan. 13. 

Worshipping Krishna with Yajna of repetition of chant of Vishnu in a prescribed manner, I was conferred with a boon from Him. Returning back home, by chance I missed the way. Now I am delighted at your sight. 14.

That ascetic became furious hearing the name of Krishna, asked Dharma to tell him about the boon he received from Krishna and then he (Dharma) replied: 15. 

‘I narrated the pleasing Krishna and about my affliction rendered by the rivals, then He told me that all your rivals are demons on the earth. 16. 

They helped Duryodhana, the incarnation of Kali, previously. Some of them were killed by Bh􀀀ma and Arjuna in the war, some by Me and others by Balarama. 17. 

The demons and other devils watching Me (though through their animosity towards Me) who came into My contact thus, propelled to salvation deserving for a devotee. 18. 

Those who died without My grace are born here now, tied in the thirst of sensual pleasures with strong desires. They are indeed born again as My enemies on this earth, as devils. 19. 

With a sense of strong vengeance towards Me, they may know you as very religious and a partial incarnate of Me, pinch you and my people. 20. 

I shall be your son and then surely finish those enemies of gods. He disappeared after bestowing this boon, and now I am on my way home.’ 21. 

Suvrat said:- 

O king! On hearing the words elevating Krishna and lowering him from Dharma, the ascetic become infuriated. 22. 

As if he would burn Dharma by his sight, gnawing his lower lip in anguish, he told Dharma that surely Krishna will be born to him as his son. 23. 

‘Only I know his virtues and vices and no one else. He has acted offensively upon our dear king Duryodhana. 24. 

That Shri Harioteer of Partha has given me a lot of pain. Know me for certain that I am Ashvatthama’ the friend of Duryodhana. 25. 

Therefore, O Brahmin, I discharge this curse in favour of my dear demon folk and in the name of retaliation for the old rivalry. 26. 

That son of yours will never be able to hold a weapon and without which enemies will never be destroyed. 27. 

However great and valiant a man may be, without weapon never can he kill his enemy. 28. 

If he holds a weapon on any occasion ignoring my words, he will get defeated at the hands of his enemies.’ 29. 

O King! Having cursed thus, that son of Dronacharya (Ashvatthama) disappeared. Then that Brahmin-couple in the worry of his curse, became disheartened. 30. 

Dharma tells story of Rama; Hanuman blesses them.

Courage, acquired only through the grace of Krishna, was the boat to float for that helpless couple, merging in the ocean of never ending miseries. 31. 

Dharma then said to his beloved one, distressed by the feminist nature, ‘O nice lady, misfortune has obstructed our efforts when they were about to become fruitful. 32. 

To get rid of all the woes, a vow in the name of Gajapati has to be observed as advocated in Purana, which fulfils one’s aspirations as well. 33. 

My father had asked me to undergo this vow at the time of our leaving for the town when our marriage ceremony was over. 34. 

Ganayak is said to be the incarnation of Shri Krishna and therefore a vow dedicated to him removes all obstacles. 35.

We do observe it annually on the fourth day of the bright half of the month of Bhadrapada. Pleased with it he will protect us from obstacles. 36 

They thus decided thinking to undergo the vow. Then Dharma spoke these consoling words to Bhakti - 37. 

O Nice lady, do not think that we are the only to get such misery on earth because the whole world is full of miseries. 38. 

Shri Rama, though himself being god, had to bear pains of living in the forest with his wife and brother.’ 39. 

Dharma thus narrated the deeds of Rama to her, with the greatness of Hanuman, until three parts of the night had passed. 40. 

She contemplated in her mind the acts of help rendered to Rama by Hanuman on those occasions, while listening to the story. 41. 

Hey, Hanuman the dear one to Rama who is our family deity; being such an able one, how will he ignore us in this great misery ? 42. 

Manifestation of Hanumanji 

When she was uttering the words ‘O Hanuman, protect, protect’, Hanuman, manifested himself before her in the form of a Brahmin. 43. 

He was present there in the night to listen to the story of Rama, being narrated by Dharma to his wife and had remained invisible to the people there. 44. 

Appearing before them he said: ‘O Bhakti, O Dharma, do not be distressed. I am your favourite family deity Hanuman; I shall protect you. 45. 

Your son shall not carry weapon due to the curse of Ashvatthama; however he will be able to conquer the universe through his intelligence. 46. 

He will never have any fear from the enemies though he remains unarmed. He will also rid you of the pains of poverty.’ 47. 

Hanuman, after uttering these words, got the wonderstruck couple up to the main road and disappeared. Then they thought of proceeding further on their way. 48. 

Then after, O king, the couple got rid of all their worries; they obtained food and cloths, hence without afflictions, they become peaceful. 49. 

They walked fearlessly on the main road which they knew before, remembering Shri Krishna who is kind to His devotees, in their heart. 50. 

On the way that loving lady, pleasing her husband with sweat words, asked him about the story of Hanuman becoming immortal. 51. 

‘Having heard and seen the magnanimity of Shri Hanuman, bliss has dawned in my heart. 52. 

‘O Lord! How Hanuman became immortal? Having left the heavens, what does he do forever on earth’? 53. 

Why Hanumanji is eternal (Chiranjivi) 

Thus Dharma, having been asked by his loving wife, told her about the grace of Rama and Sita, upon which Hanuman became immortal. 54. 

Killing Ravan in the battle, Rama returning to Ayodhya with His army, ascended the throne. 55. 

‘O good lady, the army consisted of monkeys, demons and bears, having divine-forms, stayed there for one year, as they could not bear to be separated from Him (Rama). 56. 

Serving Him with insignia of royal umbrella and fan etc., their love and adoration for Him grew day by day, which made them totally ignorant of earthly life. 57. 

Sending them off to their homes, the Lord honoured them and bestowed garments, ornaments, valuables and so on, as they stood before Him. 58. 

The Lord having honoured Sugriva and other monkeys, bid farewell to them with difficulty, as His eyes welled up with tears. 59. 

Then Hanuman, who was to leave, with tears of love trickling (down the cheeks), in a great difficulty to leave, told Him humbly with folded hands. 60. 

‘I should have the strongest love for You forever, O Lord, with natural devotion unto You. O brave one, my mind should not move towards anything else. 61. 

O Rama, I would like to live on earth listening to your life-story as so long as it is being narrated here. 62. 

I beg even, O Rama, that whenever I am in the region of Kimpurusas, the Gandharvas also should narrate (sing) your story for me all  time. 63. 

It is for certain that I have no desire for the heavenly abode, neither for prosperity, as I have the only aspiration in my heart of drinking the nectar of Your life story’. 64. 

When Hanuman uttered these words, Rama got up from the throne, embraced Hanuman with love and said: 65. 

‘O Monkey-supreme, everything will come true as it is without a doubt. By virtue of my boon all your aspirations will be fruitful’. 66. 

Thus, O woman of nice conduct, Hanuman, for whom the story of Rama is his breath, stays immortal here due to the boon received from Rama. 67. 

Following this boon He visits all the places on earth where the story of Rama is being narrated and listens to it. 68. 

He really came to listen, when in the night I was telling you the story and went away after manifesting himself before us. 69. 

Obstacles were destroyed after our resolving for the sacred vow of Ganesh, and Hanuman became visible to us; hence be sure that our pur- pose is served. 70. 

Dharma returns to his native place. 

Bhakti, hearing these words, was happy. They reached their town travelling to the best of their ability. 71. 

O King! Having reached his home-town in one and half a months, all of his kith and kin, seeing them were extremely happy. 72. 

With the influence of Krishna all foes as if turned to friends now, began to fear him as well, when they saw him. 73. 

Gradually his house grew and prospered better now with wealth, grains, vehicles and cattle and other valuables than before. 74. 

As the grace of Lord Shri Hari dawned on the best of Brahmins, he came to be known as ‘Shri Hariprasad’ himself on this earth once again. 75. 

Now god, the ocean of compassion, wanted to have a human form to suffice the (Nar-Narayan) intent, for the welfare of beings. 76. 

He became manifested in the heart of Dharma by turning himself into one (originally being two) by his own will. 75. 

He knew that god himself has been manifested within him since he excelled into a super-human brilliance and sudden prosperity. 76. 

On one fine Thursday of star Pushya, the sixteenth day of the period of his wife Bhakti, He conceived Himself in the womb of an auspicious woman, thereupon she shone brilliantly just like Devahuti. 77. 

Thus ends the twentieth chapter entitled ‘Narration of Ashvattama’s curse to Dharma and his returning home’ in the first Prakarana of Satsangi Jivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as ‘Dharmashastra’ (the rules of the code of conduct). 20