Chapter 50 - Shree Nilkanth Varni graces Bhutpuri, Kanyakumari, Janardan, Adikeshav, Sakshigopal Tirth, Kishkindha and Pandharpur

Shri Hari’s journey in various holy places.

Suvrat said:-

Nilakantha, at the disappearance of His beloved god Shankara, went to Bhutapuri, recollecting him. 1. 

There, He, having seen and worshipped Ramanujacharya’s idol, went ahead towards a Durga named Kanyakumari. 2. 

Then the celibate-king moved to the place of Padmanabha and from there to Janardana, and eventually reaching the place of Vishnu of another name AdiKeshava. 3. 

As previously in Manasa city, the demons were killed by the brave king Satradharma, there also the religious minded king killed the two thousand demons having weapons in their hands. 4 - 5 

Then, the dedicated pilgrim Narayana, went to the high mountain named Malaya, beset with various kinds of trees. 6. 

He paid homage to Shakshi Gopala on that mountain and stayed there for five days in the forest of sandal trees, pervaded by snakes. 7. 

From there, he came to Pundalikapura on the bank of Chandrabhaga river. There he saluted Shri Vitthala who is the incarnation of Sri Vishnu. 8. 

Shri Hari stayed there for two months, taking bath in the river and worshipping and reciting the hymns of Vitthala every day. 9. 

There, two thousand virtuous, men took His refuge, having abandoned evil association, and became staunch followers of Him. 10. 

Then saluting Vitthala, and embracing him with adoration, praising the greatness of that holy place, he went to Dandakaranya. 11. 

Taking a round of that Dandakaranya, he came to the city named Nasik. Having seen the God Tryambakeshwara, he went to Tapti (Tapi) river. 12.

After that, He, doing the pilgrimage of river Narmada, crossed Mahindi River and sailing Sabarmati River, came to the place of Shankara named Bhimanatha. 13. 

Then He came to Gopanatha and did the pilgrimage of five holy places. Afterwords He, Nilakantha came to the city named Makaralaya. 14. 

Thus wandering about holy fords, as well as preserving noble religion, He executed the irreligious herds of those places, with His real vigour. 15. 

Having conquered heretic gurus, in disputations, in conformity with classical scriptures, He, giving protection to the seekers of liberation from those men, eventually liberated them from trans-migrations. 16.

Observing penance and following the belief of celibacy He Himself, showed ways and means of a renunciate, and a pilgrim. 17.

Shri Hari shows the characteristics of an ascetic.

He the renunciation, was tranquil, enduring, lonely, dispassionate and without gaining tendency, and only wore a strip of cloth for loins, and deer-skin for the upper garment and had his hair matted. 18.

He kept his body uncovered with any other garment in all seasons, day and night, and lived under a tree out of township, and never in the town. 19.

He was taking bath thrice a day as well as worshipping Shri Krishna, and at the end of the worship, read five chapters from sacred scriptures every day. 20. 

The exercise of controlling breath and doing yogic postures, were carried thrice a day, and in the cold season, He never took to the warmth of fire, willingly. 21.

He remained dedicated to the Self fearlessly, and had his looks steady, without shutting the eyes. His body was weak with only skin and bones, prominently manifesting veins. 22. 

He was insensitive to his body while moving on stones or thorns, without foot-wears, and never asked about the way. 23. 

Moving about dangerous dense forests or mountains, He remained fearless and uninjured by wild lions, tigers or snakes. 24. 

He ate only once, some cooked food, or fruits or herbs or leaves. Sometimes He went without any intake or only surviving on water at other times. 25. 

He remained only taking air once, for few days, or sometimes went without seeking anything from anyone, and at times remained observing acute vows. 26. 

He was detached from five attractive objects of pleasure and was firmly against entertaining women in particular not tolerating even their smell. 27.

On all Ekadashi days (eleventh day of every fortnight) and on all Shri Hari’s birthdays, He did not even smell food, and being in complete self-discipline, conquering the senses. 28.

Having seen this great ascetic, other renunciates and ascetics, them-selves becoming desirous of following His traits, sought His association. 29. 

Those who were obsessed by bodily pains and those who were possessive of their bodies were never able to stay near Him and also men of self-pride. 30.

Some men, having met Him, could not with stand His association for more than three or five nights or at the best ten nights, else they all ran away. 31. 

Thus observing in the forests penances that were impossible to ordinary men, Shri Hari moved about for seven years and one month. 32. 

In 1856, of Vikrama Samvat, when the sun was in southern solstice, in the year shukla, in the month of Shravana, on the sixth day of bright fortnight (Wednesday, Shravan Vad 6 [Randhar Chhath]), Shri Hari reached the city of Lojpur. 33. 

Staying out of that city, He, the celibate-king sat near a well for a while, pondering on His beloved god at heart, the moon of Vrindavan, the consort of Radhika. 34. 

Thus ends the fiftieth chapter entitled ‘Shri Hari’s arrival at Lojpur’ in the first Prakarana of Satsangi Jivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as ‘Dharmashastra’ (the rules of the code of conduct). 50