CHAPTER – 14

Suvrat said-

O King! (after taking food), Hari rested for a while. Then, He, along with His attendants, ascended the throne near the altar. At the end of the third period of the day, groups of sages, men and women assembled there and took their seats as before. 1-2

Premanand and the other sages started praising Hari by playing Veena, Mrudang (drum), flute and Vipanchika. (multi coloured Veena). 3

O King! in the meanwhile, Hari in order to listen the stories from the Puranas and Shastras invited a learned scholar (Pauranik) named Prayagajit. 4

Prayagajit, who was a man of a good physique, and by the grace of God was also proficient in all the Shastras, Puranas and Vedic literature. He was also a good orator and possessed a very soft and gentle voice. He arrived there and saluted the sages. 5

He, with folded hands placed his head on the feet of Hari and humbly bowed down to His attendants and other (devotees). Shri Hari (Narayan) too, asked him to take a seat on the dais, which was at a little higher level, and respectfully bowed down to the Brahmin (Prayagajit). 6

Shri Hari was the Brahmanyadeva Himself, adored by Gods, had appeared on this earth to safeguard the path of religion. He worshiped Goddess Saraswati and then the great Brahmin Prayagajit with flowers, sandal-paste and offered him fruits etc. 7

Prayagaji, in the beginning of reading the fifth canto (Skandha) of the Bhagavat Purana in regular order, recited the following two benedictory verses. 8

Mangalacharan.

‘All glory to Hari (Narayan Muni), who is wearing a beautiful shawl (woven) with the dots of pure golden threads, a saffron red upper garment, and a beautiful shining red waist garment, who has put on golden necklaces, a golden crown, armlets, bracelets and whose smiling face looking like a moon; may ever shine before my eyes.’ 9

‘Hari (Narayan muni), in spite of being the Lord of all, with His own will, has opted to appear in a human form. He is the abode of happiness, an ocean of tenderness and is the patron (supporter) of those who are suffering in this ocean of world. People in general and the Gods who do not long for a reward of their actions fall at His feet. I bow down to Narayan Muni (Hari) who is the Supreme Soul’. 10

After reciting these auspicious introductory verses, the Brahmin Prayagaji, began narrating the story. Wherever necessary, He explained the philosophical portion during the discourse.11

when the narrator: Prayagji completed the fifth canto, on that day, The Lord (Hari) worshiped him and offered him a turban and a sumptuous amount of money. He also offered him Dhoti and other clothes, bracelets, armlets and other ornaments. 12-13

Deepotsav

Hari offered His horse named Rohit, decorated with ornaments of gold which even the kings aspired to possess, to Prayagaji. Then, Prayagaji, having got down from his seat bowed down to Hari. It was late evening and the Sun had set. He then took his seat amongst the sages. 14-15

As it was a day of lights, artisans had built a very big pavilion in the court-yard of the temple of Vasudeva. The pavilion was very big, auspicious, four cornered and had four doors. 16

Then in that pavilion Divakirti (Devaram?) and other devotees arranged thousands of lamps in an array. They arranged the lamps in parallel, obliquely and also in lines going straight upwards. 17

On the altars erected in the outskirts of the temple, Bambus were fixed high and myriads of huge lamps were lighted on them in big bowls, by the devotees. 18

Hundreds of small lamps and candle sticks in the silver stands were kindled before Hari. 19

The devotees kindled hundreds of lamps and chandeliers made of glass, in all the quarters and sub quarters on the Neem tree. 20

The carpenters, in front of Shri Hari designed (a sort of) merry-go-round in which hundreds of lamps were (continuously) rotating. 21

Those kindling lamps were glittering, bright like gems. The dark- ness of that new-moon night was as if fused in (those lights). 22

After having invited the Brahmins expert in Vedas, in the pavilion, Hari, worshipped the golden image of the Goddess Laxmi with a variety of offerings. 23

Symphony of the musical notes, songs and various musical instruments, which were beaten, resonated (during the worship). Then Hari offered clothes, ornaments, and Dakshina to the Brahmins. 24

Beautiful adornments offered to Shree Hari by Uttamraja.

O Lord of the earth! As inspired by Jaya, King Uttama arrived there, and in that great assembly. He ardently worshipped Shri Hari. 25

King Uttama offered him a long salwar of red colour. Due to his love for (the king), Hari put it on over His Dhoti (already worn by him) for a while. 26

King (also) offered a very costly turban to Shri Hari. And then the king offered Him a loin cloth of saffron colour woven with golden threads. He immediately tied it around His waist. 27-28

After offering a costly, auspicious, white upper garment (a shawl) to Hari the king stood in front of Him with folded hands. Being called by Lalita, the king walked up to her. He handed over the ornaments given by her to Shri Hari. 29-30

Then, the King Uttama, put on the anklets decorated with small bells, a beautiful girdle around His waist, bracelets of gold in both of His hands and armlets on His arms. Then, the king put on a golden ring studded with diamonds around His finger, earrings in His ears and varied necklaces around His neck. The king bowed to Him with folded hands. 31-33

Then in order to please the devotees, Hari got up from his seat and ascended the throne (situated in) the pavilion and took His seat. 34

Then having firmly tied His waist-girdle Shri ‘Hari started clapping his hands and recited the holy names of Narayan, in high pitch. He invoked Him, ‘O, Radha Krishna! O Govind! O Nara- narayana! O Prabhu! O Vasudeva! O Hari! O Swami!’ 35-36

With this, all the people and sages were delighted to recite the names of Narayan and joyfully clapped their hands. 37

The jingle of the tumult aroused (due to the recitation and clapping), which had the power of destroying the accumulated sins, a loud sound pervaded everywhere. 38

Having praised Narayan in such a manner for some time, Hari took his seat. All the people, having praised Narayan with a variety of old and instantaneous new compositions, in Sanskrit and Prakrit language, saluted Narayan Muni. 39-40

At that time a Brahmin named Dinanath, who was expert in composing poems, praised Him with folded hands by the following poem consisting of eight verses. 41

Eulogy of Shri Hari by poet Deenanath. (Karunashtak Stotra.)

‘I am really blessed by the very sight of Shri Hari who is seated on a glittering and lustrous throne, who has held a white umbrella on His head, and a pair of gleaming fans held behind, and the lustre of whose nails has illumined the whole assembly. 42

‘Let Thou, whose divine lotus-like smiling face always inspire my mind, who looks at the people with his eyes which resemble a full-bloomed lotus, who has worn pearl necklaces, who has put on a crest of flowers on His head, has worn a divine upper garment and put on anklets on His lotus-like feet. 43

‘I firmly believe that, those who fall at Your feet can easily cross this ocean of worldly life with Your kind consideration. O Hari! You alone are the Lord of the (three) worlds. Hence; I have come to take Your shelter. 44

‘I am ignorant of the different principles laid down in the Shastras. I am not aware of the imaginative legends from the Puranas, nor do I know about the holy sports of the various divinities and the great sages (but) I know for sure, that I will certainly overcome the cycle of birth and death, only if I surrender to You. 45

‘I have not performed severe penance, not (observed) any vows, nor (followed religious) restrictions, nor (gave donations, neither (did I participate) in sacrificial and charitable works, nor is there any firmness in my listening (to sacred texts), reflection and study; I have not studied (any of these means) in order to reach You here; Still, I could see You. I do not know the reason behind this except your extreme compassion. 46

‘O Lord! for me, who is extremely stricken by the lots of sins as also by passion, pride, ego etc. how I (deserve to) see Your lotus-feet which is just enough for me, O Lord! If You do not offer (me) manifold compassion, only this much is (requested) unto You. 47

‘I have no intellectual strength, O Hari! nor there is (strength) of a good many restrictions, (far from strength) of self-knowledge shining forth with extremely firm dislike (of worldly pleasures). (I have come to You) on seeing only your single definite promise to relieve (us) from the worldly (distress). (So I request You) Please bring me up from the ocean of worldly pleasures. 48

‘I do not know the very mysterious ways of religious duties, nor do I know the rules of chanting, nor the ways of various Tantras and Agama texts, nor the method of worshipping Your lotus-feet, to be followed by the devotees; Hence, humble that I am, I am prostrating before Your feet’. 49

To him, who was thus offering eulogy composed by himself with this Karunashtaka Stotra (prayer of eight stanzas for compassion), the Lord was pleased and gave (him) a promise of safety. 50

Then, all the sages, keeping the Lord in the middle, began to sing and respectfully circumambulated Him. 51

They pleased the Lord while walking in a circular way, singing and clapping their hands simultaneously. 52

Then, Bhagwan, who was pleased, allowed the people and the sages to return to their respective places. As per His instructions, all the (people) departed. 53

O King! Shri Hari, instructing the Brahmin cooks, ‘Tomorrow prepare the food on time (without any delay)’, returned to his abode. 54

Having taken His (holy) bath and performing the Sandhya offerings, and regular sacrificial rites, in the first phase of the night, (Shri Hari) enjoyed a Yogic sleep while the night slipped away. 55

Thus ends the fourteenth chapter entitled, ‘Narration of celebration of Dipavali festival at the time of Annakoototsava.’ in the Third Prakaran of Satsangi Jivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as Dharmashastra (the rules of the code of conduct). 14