* Shree Hari recalls the reason for His incarnation and resolves to stay at home for the purpose of studying the Vedas. * Shree Hari notes the essence of scriptures. * Defeat of demons. Bhaktimata becomes ill. * Shree Hari reveals His true nature to Bhaktimata.
Shri Hari learns entire Vedic lore.
Suvrat said:-
O great king, after his thread ceremony Shri Shri Hari observing his duties as instructed by the preceptor, served his parents with love. 1.
Then he, desirous of leaving the house to serve the purpose of his incarnation, he thought to strengthen the situation of the religion. 2.
’Religion and nobility has to be established by stopping those raising hostile forces towards the learned, here, for which I am born’ thus he thought. 3.
If I were to leave the house now, my parents who are devoid of enemy’s fear and also blissful in my presence will certainly become sorrowful. 4.
As my parents cannot bear the pain of my separation, I leave this house as and when I free them from the curse of the Brahmin. 5.
He, having this hidden intent, the adorer of the Vedas, dwelt there in the name of learning the Vedas, worshipping Rama, and Krishna. 6.
For the learned men, their fathers are the real teachers rather than others. He followed the same trait and began his study with the third Veda i.e. Samaveda under his father. 7.
Incredibly with his sharp intellect, within short span, he completed the learning of the Vedas, obtaining his father and other scholars as teachers. 8.
Then he studied the epics, dramas, and systems of philosophy, Puranas, the great commentaries or expositions. He studied everything which his father Dharma knew and taught him. 9.
Dharma seeing himself getting older, opted to the philosophy of Sankhya, and with a great intent to renounce everything, he merged in the meditation of Krishna. 10.
Blending his experience and traits of scriptural precepts, he taught his son one’s own religion, knowledge, detachment, Yoga, and devotion. 11.
He told his son the nobility of his preceptor, Shri Ramanand Swami, and then the situation of Saurastra and the ways and means of his own sect entirely and truly. 12.
With his learning and virtues, he attained excellence equivalent to his father within short time, becoming most adorable among men. 13.
Every day he used to hear dedicatedly the recitation of Shrimad Bhagavata Purana rendered by his father, in the house. 14.
Shri Shri Hari notes the essence of scriptures.
He heard from his father entire text of Mahabharata and all the seven cantos of Skanda Purana as well. 15.
O King! He being undeterred and an adorer of virtues, (religion) used to hear his father reading to him, all the sacred scriptures of religion, and the texts of religious codes (Smritis). 16.
That sharp intellect, with his real understanding of those subjects taught, used to write down the essence of each subject individually, for further self-study. 17.
He wrote the fifth and the tenth Skandha from Shrimad Bhagavata, and the greatness of Shri Vasudeva (Vasudeva Mahatmyam) from Skanda-Purana, separately. 18.
Then he wrote down these three- the Gita, the Vidura Niti and Vishnusahasranama from the Mahabharata. 19.
Then with love, he wrote Yajnyavalkya smriti separately which is the only one and the best gist of all the religious scriptures. 20.
Having written these four texts he showed it to his father upon which the pleasing father came to know that his son’s intellect was that of a super-human. 21.
Father told Shri Hari to continue to study these texts whenever possible after the worship of Krishna every day, or these may be narrated to the audience by him. 22.
Addressing to his father’s words, he observed it as a ritual every day, making narration of the stories ever pleasing to the ears of listeners. 23.
Writing the essence of those four texts himself onto a small leaf-let, he used to have that book of leaf-let with him always preserving it. 24.
With everyday listening to Shrimad Bhagavat and other sacred texts he was convinced that Lord Krishna is the unique reliever. 25.
His father in accordance with the tradition gave the wishing son the intiation of ‘Vaishnavism’ which is common to all traditional followers. 26.
Preaching to that humble son, with eight syllabled hymn of Krishna and then the three syllabled one, he also taught the nobilities of the religion. 27.
Then he happily worshipped Lord Krishna as taught by his father and followed all the religious principles which were pre-eminently present in himself. 28.
O King!, In this world observing the vow of complete celibacy is a tough task for the common folk. Being God Himself, he followed the vow to set an example for the people. 29.
Thus worshipping Lord Krishna and practicing and observing scriptural ways, Shri Harisharma, grew up to eleven years old. 30.
Shri Hari destroys demons, cleverly.
Then again demons in hundreds gathered in groups, were eager to kill their weapon-less enemy Krishna. 31.
Those red-eyed, strong, intoxicated demons possessing lethal swords, had disguised into Vaishnava suits. 32.
Attracted by the charm of Nilakantha (Shri Hari), there arose hatred among those demons and they killed each other with their weapons. 33.
As in Mahabharata, where Arjuna killed those avowed warriors (Samshaptaka) by his Tvashrastra ’, here Shri Hari, made these demons to kill each other ; thus caused entire destruction of them. 34.
Having defeated those demons who had come there, the Lord wished to defeat other demons hiding in different places. 35.
Bhakti’s last days; she asks Shri Hari for spiritual advice.
Observing vow in the month of Kartika during one midnight on the bright eighth day, Bhakti, weakened due to observance of vows, had a fever. 36.
Ramapratap and other relatives bringing a doctor home, got her treated, in the manner they thought better. 37.
The efforts by them to reduce the illness never brought it down. On the ninth night, Krishna made her realise the situation. 38.
Knowing these to be her last days Krishna engaging himself in her service, sitting near, and wishfully told her the real knowledge. 39.
O Mother! Pay attention to my soothing words which are in agreement with sacred scriptures. This world of miseries is nothing but an illusion of Vishnu. 40.
With unflinching devotion to Krishna with knowledge, doing one’s own religious duties and detachment then follows the dispelling of illusion. 41.
This is the only way to cross the illusory ocean, which is the bed of all miseries, according to my perception. 42.
Thus Sankhya, Yoga, Agamas like Pancharatra and other approved texts along with the great sages, have believed the same approved facts. 43
Suvrat said:-
Thus paying attention to son’s words humbly, she got recollections of the past as before, by his wish. 44.
Learning that her celibate son is Narayan, she surrendered unto him, pleasingly, with complete detachment in other things. 45.
Getting up from the bed, folding both her hands to pay respect, sitting before him, with a complete detached mind from the worldly affairs, she asked him the means of liberation. 46.
Thus ends the thirty-first chapter entitled ‘Erudite Shri Hari initiated into Vaishnava order and vanquishing the demons with his intellect’ in the first Prakarana of Satsangi Jivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as ‘Dharmashastra’ (the rules of the code of conduct). 31