CHAPTER – 8

Suvrat said:-

O King! The omniscient Shri Hari, got up in the early morning, and having purified himself took holy bath and finished his daily morning rites. 1.

Then, Shri Hari, who was a delightful spectacle to the devotees, got himself seated on the Seat on holy altar in the outer courtyard, which was specially decorated by His attendants. 2. 

Thus seated, all the saints, (ascetics) householders, servant devotees and women devotees saluted Him, who held a garland of beads in his hands and evoked Lord Krishna. 3.

King (Uttam), after performing his daily rites, approached Him and worshipped him with sandalwood paste, flowers and Akshata (holy rice grains), etc. 4.

Brahmin Mukundananda stood behind Shri Hari and held white Chamar and King Uttam wafted gentle breeze by waving fans. 5.

Haranatha, an old florist offered Him a garland of flowers and flowerets and at once Rati, (a woman devotee) sent by Lalita holding a packet of new clothes on her waist, duly covered by a cloth, approached Shri Hari and paid obeisance to Him, 6-7.

Having seen her, standing at a distance, Shri Hari, skilled in interpreting the internal feelings, smilingly asked her, ‘what is it that has been wrapped in a cloth?’ Soma and others replied, ‘Today being a Dhanatrayodashi (13th) day, she has brought new clothes for you, O Lord! please, accept them. 8-9.

Message of arrival of Shree Hari given by Jodha Bharwad.

Shri Hari said:-

‘I will wear them on the first day (of the month). Today you celebrate this day by cleaning up the ornaments of Lord Krishna. ‘While Shri Hari was uttering these words, a Gopal named Yodha, having seen Sages approaching Durgapur from a far distance came to the door-keeper and immediately narrated this news. 10-11.

Mayarambhatta after taking his bath, and making a vertical tilaka mark (urdhvapunda) on (his forehead), with a jar of water in his hand was coming hurriedly near Acchuta (Shri Hari). He was confused by hearing the news of the arrival of the sages. 12.

He (Mayarama), who had tied his waist (by a loin cloth), breathing very hard, and running fast with faltering steps, came near Shri Hari with folded hands and narrated (exactly) what Shri Hari was reflecting upon. 13.

He said, ‘O Lord ! an assembly of dignified sages has arrived from Gujarat and other neighbouring states. Let them enjoy the experience of getting the virtual pleasure of the divine sight of Your Highness.’ 14.

Shree Hari marched ahead to meet the saints.

Overjoyed by hearing the news of the arrival of his loving devotees, the Lord of the sages, who was an ardent benefactor of his devotees, who had a lotus like face, with His eyes wide open, suddenly rose from his holy seat and proceeded to receive them with love. 15.

Incidentally, as instructed by King Uttam, a devotee named Bhruguji, brought a fast paced horse to Shri Hari. At once, Shri Hari, tied His waist by His white upper garment and quickly climbed the horse with a smart jump. He held the reins to check the speed as the path was blocked by the crowd of His own people walking before and after Him. Having set them aside by waving His hands, He slowly went out of the town. 16-17.

Soma and others, holding spears in their hands, sat on their respective fast paced horses, but having tied the reins very lose, moved very slowly ahead A few foot soldiers, who were carrying swords in their hand followed them. Thousands of men and women, leaving their (daily) jobs in hand, followed Him. As soon as He came out (crossed the boundary) of the town, He kicked the horse and urged him to jog (trot) fast. 18-19.

Having noticed that Shri Hari has crossed a long distance, other horsemen also whipped out their horses and the devotees running with the horses also, hastened to see Shri Hari. All the onlookers assembled there were thinking, ‘Are these horses flying towards the heaven from this earth, or else, are the swans descending on this earth from the sky ? Or are they eagles? or is it the wind itself ?.’When they looked at the sages and the men and women devotees, they noticed that all directions were resounding with the sound of the chanting of the songs. 20-21.

Excited saints ran to meet Shree Hari.

All the great sages also, from a distance, looked at Shri Hari, who was riding the horse with a speed, as swift as thought, who gave virtual delight to their eyes. They, as revealed by their inner emotions, thought, “here is the Supreme Lord Krishna Himself, under the disguise of Lord Shri Hari.” Thus, being extremely delighted and seeing the horsemen who followed Him, the noble sages started running in groups with their fellow-men. 22.

Just as the wild elephants, who have been badly affected by the forest fire rush to the river Ganga, or swans, when surrounded by frost, fly towards the Manasa lake, or if, poor beggars, afflicted by poverty, come across a generous benefactor, they immediately set out to seize his shelter, likewise, all of them, having caught sight of the divine form of Shri Hari, Who was riding a horse at a great pace, lost control over the conscience of their physical body, as it were. 23

They pressed themselves forward towards Shri Hari, just as Shuka, who lost his control over his senses, when he saw Vyasa, and zoomed towards him, like an upcoming arrow, forcibly ejected from a bow. 24.

Lord Shri Hari also, instantaneously caused His swift paced horse to stand motionless and the sages, too with their eyes full of tears of joy and affection, made a respectful obeisance by prostrating their body on the ground with reverence. Men and women also sat down and rested their heads on their folded hands placed on the ground. 25.

Soma and other attendants of Shri Hari, also dismounted their horses, saluted all the sages, and again jumped and mounted their respective horses. The sages, who were extremely delighted to see Him, Whom they admired most, with a smile on their face quickly, paid their obeisance to Him. 26.

Description of Shree Hari whose Darshan was performed by the saints

Lord Shri Hari, pulled His agitating and unstable horse which was tied to a post. He snatched him by the reins in His one hand and carried a whip in the other. On His head fluttered a crown of flowers. Eager as He was to see His devotees, and being in a hurry, He was not wearing any upper garment. Yet His chest was gleaming because of the garland of fragrant flowers. He had put a yellow mark on His forehead, and had worn a pure white robe. 27.

He Himself, looked at His own devotees, with His loving eyes, Whose divine sight itself, could not satiate them. The great sages and His followers, stood before Him with folded hands. He by honouring them made them happy and simultaneously, entertained the sages and the other people, during their return journey to the town. 28.

He, patiently listened to the beating of drums, whore and conch etc. and the singing of melodious songs sung by the women devotees, who had come from other towns, who held cooking utensils and carried baggage containing their personal belongings like clothes etc. on their heads. 29.

Having entered the campus of the king in the town, Shri Hari, descended from the horse, and gave due instructions for the living accommodation of the sages. He took His jewelled seat on the altar under the neem tree, and motivating the devotees, initiated them to expedite the work of the preparation of food for the ascetics and devotees. 30.

O King! having seen Shri Hari, after a very long time, all the devotees and sages were eager to enjoy His eye-catching sight. Even though, they saw Him, over and over again, with their eyes, longing to drink the nectar from His lotus-like face, they failed to satiate themselves. 31.

Thus ends the eighth chapter entitled, ‘Description of the joy of the divine Darshana of Shri Hari in the company of the sages at the time of Annakuta featival .’ in the third Prakaran of Satsangi jivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as Dharmashastra, (the rules of the code of conduct). 8