Shri Hari celebrating RamaNavami in Bhuj.
Shri Hari celebrating RamaNavami in Bhuj.
When the people of town Bujangpur heard about the miraculous deeds of the Lord, they were very eager to see Him, and when they actually perceived Him, they were greatly delighted. 1.
Very happily they offered Him prompt services in every possible way. O King, I will tell you the names of the prominent devotees among them. 2.
Brahmins headed by Prayagjit, carpenters like Sunderji, Hirji, Bhagavanji, Jiva, Pragji, Devaram, intelligent Narayanji, Raghavji and others, Shudras (of fourth caste) like Shivaram, Harajit, Utkar, Vallabh and others and wrestlers Gangeya and others were present to attend to Him. 3-5
O King, women like Punja, Amari, Labdha, Lahari, Suraja and others were engaged lovingly in His service. 6.
On the ninth bright day of Chaitra (Madhu), a grand celebration was arranged there. People came from places far and near and gathered there (at Bhujangpur). 7.
A well-decorated large canopy was erected and at midday. The Lord worshipped Sri Ramachandra according to the rituals, O King. 8.
On that day the commoners, ascetics and Sri Hari Himself, including others present there, observed fast and kept awake at night singing glories of Lord Rama. 9.
After worshipping Rama, the celibate-Supreme, fully contented that he was, exhorted learned pious Brahmins and saints to establish religious order though Himself. 10.
Prayagajit visualizing Shri Hari as Krishna, extols.
In the afternoon He was seated on a beautifully decorated golden throne in a grand meeting. Saluting Him devotees started to worship Him.
Brahmin Prayagajit, a prominent among learned scholars in Vedic lore, bowed down before Him and offered sandal paste, flowers, new clothes etc. He then stood up and gazed lovingly at the Lord. In a moment he went into Samadhi.
The next moment he saw the Lord in celibate attire, in the glow of his inner self and again as Krishna in the illumined Golok. Then coming to the wakeful state he saw Him in celibate form, all by the will of Sri Hari! 11-14.
Then that wise virtuous Brahmin praised Him with folded palms, firmly held His Lotus feet and spoke thus: 15.
Veneration by Pragji Purani.
Prayagajit said:-
‘Obeisance to Thee, merciful Lord, sporting with Radha and Gopis in Golok and there in the divine splendor of Aksaradham, playing notes on flute. I salute you. Be gracious to me. 16.
Obeisance to Thee, O Sri Hari, Vasudev, Krishna, I salute Thee, ever pure, giving right intellect, always ready to protect devotees. Be gracious to me. 17.
Obeisance to Thee, the son of Bhakti and Dharma, destroyer of evils, appearing as a celibate supreme, promoter of religion. Thou art the spade digging out irreligion. Be merciful to me! 18.
O Laudable by gods and by Indra, the king of gods, obeisance to Thee. Thou art worshipped by Lotus-born Brahma and threeeyed Shiva. You are the sustainer of innumerable universes resting in each hair on your body. 19.
O merciful Lord, thou art the creator and sustainer of the world. Thou has to be meditated on by those wishing happiness. Thou art the Supreme Being beyond perishable and imperishable. 20.
O merciful lord, you have taken forms of the Fish, Tortoise, Boar, Man-lion, Vaman the dwarf, Parashuram, Ram and Krishna to protect your devotees. 21.
O merciful Lord, you manifest yourself in several incarnations for suppressing irreligion and promulgating religion time and again. You being self-willed are nevertheless bridled by the love of the devotees. 22.
O merciful Lord, bear with me as a father would his child and a friend would his friend, and look after my welfare, O merciful Lord.’ 23.
Suvrat said:-
The Lord appreciated his hymn of praise, and knowing his erudition in Puranas, enrolled him in the group of His associates to read Puranas and other holy texts. 24.
Sunderjit, one of the ministers of the king, who equaled the celestial architect (Tvasta) in ability and possessed wealth becoming of a king, worshipped Him in his stately mansion, just as the devoted king Ambarish did, with fragrant sandal paste, garlands, lots of flowers and various beautiful, soft, valuable clothes and ornaments. 25 - 26.
Offering thousands of gold-coins at the feet of Sri Hari, and waving-lamps along with his wife, son and brother, he prostrated before Him with folded palms and ecstatic with joy, he kept looking at that majestic figure of the lord. 27- 28.
Divine trance of Sundarji Suthar.
Looking at Him intently he reached the highest state of Samadhi. Then in the middle of the abounding splendour he saw the Lord in celibate attire without, and within in the light of his inner self he saw him as Sri Krishna in Golok playing the flute in a state of Rasa. 29 - 30.
Then he saw in Avyakrut Dham (non-illustrative brilliance) His enor-mous (Bhuma) eight armed figure gracefully lying on the bed of Shesh. 31.
Then he saw him in the imperishable abode, served by number of NirannaMuktas –celestial associates in the form of universal beings, and the Master of yoga served by Rama resting on Shesh in the celestial ocean in Vaikunth. 32 - 33.
Then in a sacred fire as the presiding deity of sacrifice, marked by Sruk and Sruva (sacrificial utensils) in hands; and again in the orb of the Sun in the golden form of Narayan. 34.
Then in Badarivan as Nar-Narayan and again as Sri Hari in celibate form as he had seen Him before. 35.
When he was awakened by Lord’s gracious glance, knowing Him to be the originator of all, he happily saluted and praised Him. 36.
Veneration by Sundarji.
Sunderji said:-
‘O Lord of Golok, the Supreme Person, Krishna, you are the controller of Kala (Time) and Maya (cosmic illusion). You are the lord governing all, you are beyond perishable and imperishable, you are the self luminous divine person, the indwelling Self, the Supreme Being, shining with affluence and prowess. I bow before you O wish-yielding divine tree in the form of a celibate! 37.
In Avyakrut Dham you are the immeasurable Bhuma, you are the Supreme Person in Vaikunth and in the celestial ocean you are ‘Yogeshwar’ Vishnu. You are the Lord of sacrifice in the sacred fire and the shining golden-person in the orb of the sun. On earth, you are living in Badarivan as Nar-Narayan! 38.
fear of Maya, Kala (Time) and god of death. You reside in those abodes with your divine powers and supremacy along with your attendants. Now you are born as human for the beatitude of men and to compassionately lead them to Samadhi and show them those divine forms of yours. 39.
Thus praising and prostrating along with his brother, son and other relatives, that large hearted man worshipped him again and again. 40
Witnessing lord’s divine prowess with great affection, each of them offered valuable presents, worshipped and praised Him thus: 41.
Veneration by family members of Sundarji.
O Lord, you are the refuter of irreligion, you grace pure intellect, you thrash away sensuality and strike out anger and greed. You punish those entertaining wicked thoughts and their allies. You are the armour of those who support virtue (or virtuous). You root out vicious ways and condemn passion and infatuation. 42.
O the Lord of the virtuous, the original cause of the universe, the devotees’ boat for crossing the ocean of worldly miseries, the destroyer of inner foes (like passion, greed etc.) of the devotees, the decimator of distresses arising out of human infirmities (like hunger-thirst, sorrow-delusion, old age, death), the one who wards off desires causing seduction, the supporter of righteous ways, the disseminator of benevolence, the decimator of miseries, I salute you. 43.
humbly, O staying in a beautiful mansion (of Sunderjit), O the lord of bliss (giving happiness). Victory to Thee, O Lord of extraordinary powers and adept at imparting knowledge, of divine qualities, protector of devotees, of eyes like lotus petals, of gait like an elephant’s, Victory to thee!
Victory to Thee O Lord who gives joy to the dispassionate, who bestows peace for just salutations, who destroys bondage, who eradicates sins, who enlightens those who chant thy names, who brings delight to the virtuous, who is enraged at the ways of the vicious, who promotes righteous path, who is the jewel of the righteous, who is free from blemish, who is always absorbed in the Self. Victory to Thee. 44.
Victory to Thee, O blaster of tribulations, ever pure (spotless), conferrer of delight to the liberated, of attractive and beautiful eyes, reliever of bondage. O Lord of emancipated ones, Victory to Thee, O merciful to the beings, giver of spiritual knowledge like the soothing moon, skilled in yogic practices, respecting devotees, beautiful than cupid, O Lord of the devotees;
Victory to Thee, O exterminator of base-natured men, decimator of ostentation, eliminator of sins, furtherer of religion, bestower of desired object and enjoyments;
Victory to Thee, O one who being saluted by the hosts of guardian deities of the quarters and officiating deities of the world, ye give happiness to the learned thinkers and remove doubts. O Lord of redemption, victory unto Thee. 45.
O Shri Hari, I bow down before Thy Lotus-feet that take away darkness of ignorance from the hearts of the devotees by the light of the row of nails shining like full-moon; (Thy feet) the only abode of highest happiness; bearing a long Urdhvarekha mark. O Lord bless us. 46.
Divine trance and prayer of devotees of Bhuj.
Suvrat said:-
Thus praising Shri Hari the giver of bliss and salvation to the exclusion of restraints etc., they saluted Him and sat. 47.
Then all other commoners worshipped Him according to their capacity by offering clothes, ornaments, money etc. 48.
Adoring Him thus and looking intently at Him, in a moment they went into Samadhi by virtue of His grace. 49.
They saw Him reigning in all those celestial abodes, pro- minently in Golok, the incarnate of Truth-ConsciousnessBliss. 50.
They all enjoyed the highest bliss and were convinced about His Supremacy undoubtedly. Hence they took to His shelter firmly. 51.
Then they, with folded palms, kept looking at His face and prayed to the Lord, the wish-yielding gem. 52.
O Lord, Thou art the helmsman in this ocean of worldly life. With a human body as a boat to cross that ocean, the being is being tossed and shaken by high and low tides in the form of six inner enemies like lust & anger, swirling in the whirls of greed for wealth and familial infatuations (wife, sons and friends) serving as crocodiles to drag the stricken boat. 53.
Uttering your name by a man who is on his death bed even once would repel the mighty servants of the god of death (Yama). We humbly worship you who are ever adorable to the saints. 54.
Thus offering praises, those devotees saluted the Master reverentially and sat down, full of delight. 55.
Then the Lord gave away all those clothes, ornaments etc., whatever was offered to Him by devotees to Brahmins who were present there. 56.
Noticing it, even those wicked men inimical to Him were surprised. They thought that He must be some great favourite deity appeased by those devotees. 57.
Next morning Shri Hari offered food to thousands of Brahmins and ascetics and gave adorable presents to them. 58.
Benefitted by His actual presence, serving and worshipping the Supreme Person, the ocean of mercy and forgiveness, the citizens believed themselves to be blessed. They felt the purpose of their human life was fulfilled, O King! 59.
Thus ends the eighteenth chapter entitled ‘Narration of eulogies sung by Sunderjit and others in Ramanavami fesitival ‘ in the second Prakarana of Satsangijivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as ‘Dharmashastra’ (the rules of the code of conduct). 18
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