Brahmaji defeated by lust.
Brahmaji defeated by lust.
Sri Narayan muni said:-
‘Once upon a time, Sarasvati became a subject of love to her own father Brahma, the creator of the world. When he attempted to embrace her, frightened that she was, she ran away assuming the form of a female deer. 1 - 2.
Though the girl was not supposed to be desired by him (as she was his own daughter), he had developed a fascination for her. Forfeiting his wisdom due to that immoral desire, he shamelessly followed her assuming the form a deer. 3 - 4.
Sage Marichi and others saw this and tried to enlighten him who had crossed the limits of morality and overcome by ill motive. 5.
Even an ordinary man will not be overcome by such an evil desire and chase his own daughter. Brahma, Sarasvati is running from you for safety. 6.
O father, this is not becoming of divine persons like you. People like you are to prove themselves exemplary in the path of righteousness in the world. 7.
As great men are followed by others in all their dealings, whatever standards he sets, the people follow. 8.
Thus enlightened by the sons, god Brahma felt ashamed of himself and was afraid of his immoral and defaming act. Instantly he gave up the form of the deer. 9.
O Brahmin, thus, in ancient times, the creator of the world was also overcome by desire for sensual pleasures or passion and behaved like an animal shamelessly. 10.
Even today, this act of god Brahma is condemned even by a low born. I have told you about the humiliation Brahma suffered due to excessive lust. Now I will tell you the story of a steadfast ascetic Saubhari. 11 - 12.
Saubhari Muni defeated by lust.
Once the great ascetic–sage named Saubhari was observing severe penance entering in the waters of river Yamuna for a thousand years. 13.
There he happened to see a mega-fish overwhelmed with lust and enjoying the pleasure of union with a female fish. Looking at that sight, the desire for company of a woman flamed up in his heart. Then, abandoning penance, he kept thinking about woman only. 14 - 15.
Desirous of having some princess, as a bride, and learning about King Mandhat having a number of daughters, sage Saubhari went to him and prayed for one of them as his bride. 16.
At that time, Saubhari was very old due to which his body was trembling, and he had become very lean because of the hard penance. Nevertheless, fearing the sage’s curse, the King asked the sage to go to his palace and choose among his daughters. A servant led the sage to the palace. 17 - 18.
Knowing that the King was not happy with him due to his old age, the sage immediately adopted a divine form that would attract even the divinities. 19.
Looking at that handsome divine person all the fifty daughters of the King got attracted and wanted to marry him on their own will. 20.
Wedding them all, the sage brought them to his hermitage and with his miraculous powers gained through penance, created then and there, a grand celestial palace rich with luxurious amenities. 21.
Saubhari was so much engrossed in enjoying pleasures in their company, that he was not aware of the passing days and nights. He gave birth to thousands of beautiful sons from his wives. 22.
Thus, an accomplished sage Saubhari, who had practiced severe penance that pleased the Gods, fell from the path of penance due to his fascination for women. 23.
Thus I have told you the story of Saubhari. O good Brahmin, now I tell you how the king of gods was defeated by the overdue lust. 24.
Indra defeated by lust.
Once, wandering aimlessly, sitting in an celestial car, Indra, the king of gods saw the wife of sage Gautama (Ahalya) coming to the river Ganga to bathe. 25.
The moment Indra saw that most beautiful Ahalya, he was seized by a desire for her, forfeited his wisdom and began to fancy her in his heart all the while. 26.
He contemplated to win her over without disclosing his identity, for he knew that she was devoted to the sage. He followed her in his invisible form and hence went unnoticed. 27.
Reaching the hermitage and seeing sage Gautama there, he was scared. But still he waited there looking for an opportune moment. 28.
For performing daily rituals, Gautama went to the banks of the river Ganga. At that time evil-minded Indra, entered into the hermitage in disguise of the sage (Gautama) himself and enjoyed her. 29.
Completing the routine rituals, sage Gautama returned to the hermitage and saw Indra, engaged in amorous dalliance with Ahalya in his own guise. 30.
Knowing his crookedness, the sage became furious. His eyes became red. He harshly condemned Indra in many ways and cursed him for his illicit act. 31.
‘O perverted lover! Hence-forth your whole body will have thousands of vaginas oozing blood and bad odour!’ The moment he was cursed thus, Indra transformed thus. His condition became miserable and he had to face great defamation in the world. 32 -33
Ahalya disappeared into the forest due to the curse of sage Gautama. (But being a faithful wife) she was also cursing in her mind, Indra, who had spoiled her chastity. 34.
King Nahush defeated by lust.
Thus, I have told you how immoral desire for sexual pleasure defeated Indra. Now listen to the story of Nahusha who had been of the status of Indra himself. 35.
Once Indra sinned by killing a Brahmin by name Vrtra. He hid himself in a lotus-creeper in Lake Manasa. 36.
As the heaven was without a king, all the gods and divine sages unanimously crowned Nahush as their king. 37.
Being a pious person endowed with good intellect, penance and yogic powers, he ruled the three worlds conscientiously. 38.
All the attendants of Indra, all the prosperity of heaven and all the divine communities like heavenly singers, nymphs etc. rendered their services to him. 39.
Although he enjoyed entire wealth of Indra, he was still dissatisfied, for he could not win over Shachi (consort of Indra). He accosted and requested her, “O Lotus-eyed one, please marry me, the Indra.” 40.
She said: ‘O righteous one! You will never be happy by seduc- ing the wife of another person. O good one, leave me alone.’ 41.
Although thus enlightened by her, King Nahusha, due to his pride and passion, persisted with his cajoling. 42.
Surmising that dodging him would be the best way, she said to him, ‘O gentleman! At present I am observing a vow. I will wed you after I am done with it. You may now leave please.’ 43.
After he (Nahush) left for his abode, she sought the wise counsel of Brhaspati, the preceptor of the Gods, worshipped goddess Upasrti, invoked Indra and narrated the incident to him. Indra suggested a way out. 44.
Following the advice of Indra, she smilingly said to King Nahush, who accosted her again, ‘If you arrive here in a wonderful vehicle carried by the great divine sages, I will definitely wed you.’ 45 - 46.
He summoned and ordered those great sages to carry him in his palanquin and hastily embarked on the journey. His unbridled and misplaced passion eventually led him to his doom. 47.
His fortune running out, he angrily kicked the sage Agastya who was slow on his feet and said, ‘Be quick, move on.’ 48.
The enraged sage cursed him, ‘O sinful one! You will live life as a serpent (sarpa) on earth for a long time to come.’ 49 - 50.
Because of that curse of Agastya, King Nahusha morphed into a serpent and fell to the earth no time. O Brahmin, there are so many great sages, kings and even liberated ones who were defeated because of their overpowering immoral desire. I have told you how vile cupid is; the wise should keep off it. You are my people, my devotees. Hence bear this in your mind firmly, and abandon that enemy forthwith. 51 - 52.
Thus ends the twelfth chapter entitled ‘Defeat of Brahma and others due to lust’ in the second Prakarana of Satsangijivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as ‘Dharmashastra’ (the rules of the code of conduct). 12
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