CHAPTER – 1

Suvrat said:-

‘In this way, making men and women, living in His own city as also the people in other cities, very happy, eight years of Shri Hari`s stay elapsed in the city of Durgapur.’ 1.

In the meantime, the aged King, Abhaya, who had fulfilled all his desires, abandoned his earthly body. He obtained a divine body and reached the celestial ‘Golok’. 2.

While performing his funeral rites, his son, Uttam, who had a very pious mind, pleased the ascetics, devotees of Krishna and the other Brahmins by offering them delicious food. 3.

Unique Daasatva-Bhakti of Uttam Raja with family.

Even though he i.e. King Uttam, as the crowned king, he humbly rendered his services to Shri Hari and to the other saints. He served them every day, with great pleasure, entrusting the responsibility of the whole kingdom with Lord Krishna. O King ! he excelled his father in respect of the qualities like intelligence, knowledge, devotion to Shri Hari, learning, rendering services to good people, righteousness as well as fame and freedom from the worldly attachment. 4 - 5.

By the grace of Shri Hari, he surpassed all the other kings in the worldly pleasures, agri-wealth and prosperity. The citizens in his kingdom enhanced their values of life because Shri Hari Himself stayed with them in that city. 6.

His sisters, two mothers, two wives - Kumuda and Juhu, and hundreds of maid-servants, also served Shri Hari on proper occasions. 7.

Idol of Radha-Krishna offered by Shree Hari for worship.

For Him, they always performed the activities like grinding, threshing, fetching water, cleaning of the temple, sweeping and swabbing the floor etc., as also washing the clothes which Shri Hari used to put on. 8.

Shri Hari was very much pleased when He noticed that the king and his relatives were devoid of ego, anger and jealousy; and were possessed of the qualities like devotion, generosity and had firm faith in their own religion as well. 9.

Shri Hari, with his own hands gave the idols of RadhaKrishna to his devotees, for their daily worship. They also humbly accepted them and brought them home. 10. 

O King, they were not at all satisfied even though they obtained the idols of Radha-Krishna, directly from the hands of Shri Hari. All their faculties were concentrated in Him. They identified Shri Hari with the idols of RadhaKrishna. 11.

Having realized their whole-hearted devotion in His existing human form, than that of His previous incarnation, He consequently, gave them His own idol. 12.

The king was very much delighted, and worshipped Shri Hari every day, along with his sisters. He could not differentiate between Shri Hari and His previous incarnation. 13.

O King ‘even though everyday they worshipped Lord Krishna, they also worshipped the two idols sincerely and respectfully, as per His instructions.’ 14.

Excellent devotee Lalitaba.

Amongst them, Lalita surpassed others in revealing her unreserved devotion to Lord Krishna. Pleased with her dedication, He said to her, ‘O blessed one! ‘Ask for any boon from Me, as per your wish’. 15.

As usual, she worshipped the idols of Lord Krishna, in the same manner as the friends of Radha worshipped Him every day. Then, eager to feed Him with the food cooked by herself, she said, ‘O Swami, in my inner mind I am very much eager to ask you something, but I cannot express it. Since You are bearing a divine form and your firm conviction towards social behaviour and the four stages of life restrain me from expressing myself to you.’ 16-17.

Shri Hari, smilingly said to her, ‘O auspicious lady! I am fully aware of your implicit wish. It will be fulfilled when you will worship both the idols of mine.’ 18.

She was very much pleased by the boon granted to her by Shri Hari. While she was worshipping His idols, she was surprised to see that Shri Hari (Lord Krishna) in actuality had accepted all the offerings of worship given by her. 19.

O King! with her heart full of joy, she cooked delicious food every day and offered it to Shri Hari (Lord Krishna) at the time of worship. He also enjoyed it to her satisfaction. In this way, for many days Lalita experienced the joy of the gesture of accepting the food offered by her to Shri Hari. In no time, by word of mouth, everybody came to know that Shri Hari i.e. Lord Krishna ate all the food offerings i.e. Naivedya, prepared by Lalita. 20 - 21.

Hearing about this miracle, Jaya and other women stood near her at the time of worship and intently stared at her with popped eyes. 22.

While offering food (Naivedya) to Shri Hari (Lord Krishna), they praised her (Lalita) and Nilakantha, since they saw with their own eyes that four varieties of food (fit to be eaten, masticated, licked and sucked), were partially eaten. As they could not see Him (Lord Krishna) who in actuality had eaten the offered food) they just went away. 23.

Idols accept offerings from Jayaba.

They, were very much disappointed, since they realized that their intrinsic devotion towards Shri Hari (Lord Krishna) was much inferior to that of Lalita. Hence, they sincerely resolved to attain the status of the unparalleled devotion as that of Lalita. 24. 

O King! subsequently, Jaya and other women also achieved the status of unparalleled devotion for Him, as that of Lalita. King Uttam also wholeheartedly dedicated himself to the services of Shri Hari and succeeded in achieving the same status of devotion to Shri Hari as that of Lalita. 25.

Occasionally, Shri Hari, through His idols, actually accepted the gifts offered to Him with utter joy, to fulfill their desires. 26.

Thus, overjoyed as they were, they served Him incessantly and with full dedication, and Shri Hari too, Who was subjected to their devotion, did not think of leaving them and going elsewhere. 27.

In spite of the repeated requests made by His devotees and other kings, to visit their own cities and villages, He preferred to stay there itself. (in Durgapur). Just as formerly, Lord rishna lived in Vraja-desha to please Yashoda,Vraja-raja (Nanda), and His devotee cowherds and milkmaids, Shri Hari stayed in (Durgapur) out of His love for them. (King Uttam and others). 28 -29.

O King, just as King Uttam had an unreserved devotion towards Shri Hari, He also strongly admired the king. Because of His love for the king, Shri Hari lived in King Uttam’s palace, considering it as His own. 30.

One who admires Shri Hari, without being a hypocrite, Shri Hari too, always admires him. He considers even the small offerings given by His devotees, as His very valued possession. 31.

Thus ends the first chapter entitled,’ An account of the excellence of the devotion of King Uttam and others.’ in the third Prakaran of Satsangi jivan, the life story of Lord Narayan,also titled as Dharmashastra, (the rules of the code of conduct). 1