Chapter 29 - Dharmadev initiates devotees as his role as Acharya

Dharma preaches Vaishnavism; code of conduct advised by him. 

Suvrat said:- 

Living in the city of Ayodhya, Dharmadev became devoted to Vaishnava religion i.e. the worship of Shri Krishna and adored by all the people for his noble and virtuous qualities. 1. 

The citizens observed signs of a good preacher in Dharma and became his followers. Being pleased they worshipped him often with grains, money, clothes and ornaments etc. 2. 

He taught the hymn of Krishna to those who have surrendered to him and also the words of ethics to be followed, that he had heard from his preceptor accordingly. 3. 

Those who followed the preaching of Dharma got well acquainted with knowledge, detachment and virtue. They were firmly devoted to the consort of Radha (Krishna). 4.

Social reform activities by Dharmadev. 

Some people with the habit of drinking wines, after coming into his contact, now withdrew from taking wines, flesh. Even in the name of oblations to manes and in sacrifices, they stayed away from consuming flesh. 5. 

Those married men who followed him, began to perform sacrifices in the name of Vishnu (Vishnuyaga). Following non-violence, they used to offer barley, rice grains, milk and other substances as oblations. 6. 

Those priests under his shelter, who used to perform sacrifices, stopped using animals in their rituals and the Brahmins who used to consume wines in the sacrifices like ‘Sautramani’, desisted from it. 7

Bhaktimata as Guru of female devotees. 

Having seen women in thousands, desirous of following and coming to him, he began to consider over the beneficial ways for the lineage of disciples. 8. 

Great people should differentiate between good and bad and act accordingly; as they are liable to be followed by many. 9. 

‘’Those people who want to preach women, may have obsession towards them as they are under the influence of the preceptors, hence they would become dishonoured. 10. 

Men should avoid all attachments towards women in general; they should be feared as ‘snakes by the preachers in particular. 11. 

A preacher wishing the welfare of women should preach the hymn of Krishna to his wife with all necessary instructions, then she may preach other women the same but the preacher himself should not see and speak to a woman. 12. 

Any sort of relation or attachment should be avoided by the preacher except his wife. No other women, anywhere should be seen, or spoken to, or touched. This is the best of conducts. 13. 

Thinking thus, O King, Dharma preached his wife the devotion of Krishna. He made her to convey these religious instructions among housewives and widows, considering their ability. 14. 

Those women who were true to their husbands or even impure ones, under Bhakti’s shelter, turned into virtuous wives and became known for their nobilities, by Shri Hari’s influence. 15. 

O King! Dharma lived in Ayodhya with his relatives observing the six duties like studying and teaching, performing sacrifices for oneself and for others, giving charities as well as accepting; and six rites such as three times Sandhya and offering oblations to sacrificial fire three times a day; along with worship of Krishna. 16. 

Offering Krishna with pure and rich food substances, he used to adore Him with lighted lamps. 17. 

He used to observe and celebrate great festivals of birth occasions of Shri Krishna, Shri Rama and other deities and he used to keep himself awake whole night during Krishna’s birth festivity. 18. 

Like royal personage celebrating the festivity of Shri Krishna every year with passion, he used to offer various sweets to Krishna and distributed the same to people as Prasad. 19. 

Every year in the month of Bhadrapada (Aug-Sept) on the fourth day of bright fortnight, he used to celebrate the great festival of Ganesh according to rituals, during mid-noon. 20. 

Every year on the fourteenth day of Ashwin month, during dark fortnight, he observed ritualistically the great festivity of Maruti, the deity of his family. 21. 

He used to recite for himself the narrations of Krishna’s incarnation, every after-noon. 22. 

The wise Dharma used to study for himself and preach others the sacred texts and ponder over it whenever possible. Therefore to be engaged in one’s own religious practices and conquering the inner enemies without fear of rivals by Krishna’s influence. Dharma lived there with his wife and children, influencing the people who approached him, in nobler ways. 23-24. 

Thus ends the twenty-ninth chapter entitled ‘Code of conduct for men, women and preceptors as advised by Dharma’ in the first Prakarana of Satsangi Jivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as ‘Dharmashastra’ (the rules of the code of conduct). 29