* Rushis describe the evil spread across India. * The gift of fearlessness (abhaydan). * Arrival of parents Dharma and Bhakti.
Lord Shri Hari’s liking for the sages
Suvrat said:-
The Lord, happily spoke words towards His devotees, whom He loved dearly as much as the sages who sat comfortably with folded hands. 1.
The Lord said:-
Welcome to you, O great sages! You have come here, hence I am extremely pleased. It was indeed my intention to see you. 2.
Places like Goloka, Yogic accomplishments and gods like Brahma and those who bring me offerings, are not as dear to me, as much as you are. 3.
You are my favourites as you constantly think about me, and you compassionately teach those ignorant souls, the means of liberation. 4.
Great charities, penances, sacrifices, and observing vows could not be equated with that of assuring protection to beings. 5.
Therefore O obliging sirs, I am thinking of you always in my mind, as you are devoted to me and are of pure minds. 6.
I know that your roaming through the worlds is for the highest good of the beings. 7.
Oh good sirs! Please tell me where you have just come from?, from heaven, or nether world, or the earth? 8.
Sages talk about the commencement of Kali’s influence.
Thus the sages said:-
O Master! Having travelled throughout the land of Bharata doing pilgrimage, visiting all the sacred places, we have come here to see you. 9.
The Lord said:-
O Brahmins! Do the subjects obey the rules of goodness set for them by me? Getting human birth in this land of Bharata is very rare. 10.
The Sages said:-
O Lord! Presently irreligion is growing with all its vices in all the subjects, with the help of Kali. 11.
He (Kali) has started working amongst those, O Lord, who are kings, teachers, the protectors of religion; therefore, all of them have broken the rules formulated by You. 12.
Men have become attached to great and smaller sins, have become over-greedy for sense-objects and (consequently) far from good con-duct. 13.
Therefore the way to Yamapuri, the abode of the god of death, is filled with people, and the road has become too narrow with the amount of people using it. Nobody is seemingly protecting others at all on this earth. 14.
You are the only object of devotion for the people of Bharata, for whom you practice severe penance; please save them from sins. 15.
Arrival of Dharma and Murti in the assembly
Suvrat said:-
Having listened to the speech of those sages, the Lord became moved, and was inclined to protect His own subjects against impiety, by revealing Himself. 16.
O King! There came Dharma (Prajapati) with his wife Murti, know- ing that the group of sages has arrived. 17.
Fair complexioned, a little slim due to penance, with matted hair on the head, face beautiful like full moon, lotus-eyes full of compassion, at- tractive with sacred-thread, he wore pure white dress, and taking Darbha- grass in hand, he saluted to Lord Narayan. 18.
Lord Narayan, the wide shelter of forgiveness, the friend of the diseased, the master pleasing with graceful form to look at with eyes and minds, looked beautiful with his lotus-face, delightfully happy, looking to the gathering of devotees with compassionate eyes. 19.
Looking to Him amongst the circle of sages, that great Dharma came with his heart full of extreme joy. 20.
The Lord, seeing His father Dharma coming there, quickly rose from His seat, and approaching and embracing him, bowed down before his feet. 21.
He also had his eyes full of joyful tears, and O king, congratulated Him with good blessings in joy, seeing Nar in that condition. 22.
Nar and Narayan saluted their mother, Murti and she also blessed them. 23.
O king! Then all the sages rose, came to them respectfully, and so to say bewildered with extreme joy, and saluted the two. 24.
They both honoured the sages with due respect. Then Nar offered his seat of Darbha-grass to both of them. 25.
All of them sat with the Lord with due propriety, and the Lord Narayan caringly asked Dharma, about his visit. 26.
Having heard about the irreligious disturbance caused by out- laws on the earth as told by sages, the Lord began to speak. 27.
O king! While they were listening to the words coming from the lotus- face of Narayan, all their mental faculties were concentrated as in deep meditation. 28.
Thus ends the eighth chapter entitled ‘Information on Irreligious Disturbances’ in the first Prakarana of Satsangi Jivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as ‘Dharmashastra’ (the rules of the code of conduct). 8