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22 March 2017 - Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.15 We return to the scene of Citraketu weeping, grief-stricken upon beholding the dead body of his son. While the king and the rest of the people gathered all lamented, the sages Angira Rsi and Narada Rsi came to give spiritual advice. Advice is only true advice when it is based on sastra. The advice of sadhus is nirguna while the advice of ordinary persons is tainted by the three modes of material nature. The sages, who were at first not recognized by the king, told Maharaja Citraketu, “O Maharaja, why do you lament? Have you created this person? Who is he? Do you think your relationship with him is eternal? You are thinking he is your son, but previously he has been your father and the relative of many others. “As the flow of a great river sometimes causes parts of the bank to break and fall inside the water, only to form small islands in the middle of the river in the future and then break once more, similarly, the destination of the jivas is always changing and not in our control. “A farmer plants many seeds of grains in his field and after some time they grow. When the time is right, he harvests the grain and cuts those plants with his own hands. In the same way, everyone in this world is destined to die just as those plants are destined to be cut. Everything in this world is temporary. Do not be bewildered by this. “Maharaja, in this world, no one stays in one place. This body is born with no possessions and will die also with nothing. No one is really yours. This cycle of birth and death will continue, but it is like a dream. “Jagadisvara created this universe and the conditioned souls within it move about in the many species of life and think they are the doers and creators themselves, but really, only He, the Supreme Lord, is the all-powerful and is our true relative. “As a single seed can grow into a plant with many more seeds, similarly, children soon grow and give birth to many other children. Thus jivas take up and discard many bodies during their time in this material world. This process naturally continues. There is no need to lament about the movements of nature. Only ignorant people identify themselves as the material body and think that their temporary relationship with other bodies are permanent.” Thus the sages advised King Citraketu. Not only did they fill him with strength by their speech but they gave him Gods mercy and removed his lamentation and suffering. Citraketu said, “O great ones, I see that you have come here in the dress of simple mendicants, but who are you really? Please tell me, who offers me such immaculate knowledge? You are surely two great persons in disguise. I know well that I am ignorant and saturated by anarthas, but you are so kind to give me this advice.” There are many givers of useless advice, but by hearing and following Sri Guru’s advice one can gain the power to chant the mantra he gives and have sambandha with the mantra-devata. Sri Guru can thus make even an ordinary person a realized soul very easily. The king went on: kumāro nārada ṛbhur aṅgirā devalo 'sitaḥ apāntaratamā vyāso mārkaṇḍeyo 'tha gautamaḥ vasiṣṭho bhagavān rāmaḥ kapilo bādarāyaṇiḥ durvāsā yājñavalkyaś ca jātukarṇas tathāruṇiḥ romaśaś cyavano datta āsuriḥ sapatañjaliḥ ṛṣir veda-śirā dhaumyo muniḥ pañcaśikhas tathā hiraṇyanābhaḥ kauśalyaḥ śrutadeva ṛtadhvajaḥ ete pare ca siddheśāś caranti jñāna-hetavaḥ Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.15.12-15 O great souls, I have heard that among the great and perfect persons wandering the surface of the earth to instruct knowledge to people covered by ignorance are Sanat-kumāra, Nārada, Ṛbhu, Aṅgirā, Devala, Asita, Apāntaratamā [Vyāsadeva], Mārkaṇḍeya, Gautama, Vasiṣṭha, Bhagavān Paraśurāma, Kapila, Śukadeva, Durvāsā, Yājñavalkya, Jātukarṇa and Aruṇi. Others are Romaśa, Cyavana, Dattātreya, Āsuri, Patañjali, the great sage Dhaumya who is like the head of the Vedas, the sage Pañcaśikha, Hiraṇyanābha, Kauśalya, Śrutadeva and Ṛtadhvaja. You must certainly be among them. “These perfected souls purify those who are ignorant by the power of their advice. They make them followers of the soul and Supreme Soul. “Who are you? I am fallen and like an animal blinded by darkness. You have brought me to the light. I therefore, take shelter of you. Please help me, for I fear that in the near future I will forget your advice and fall into illusion once again.” Angira Rsi said, “O King, I am that same Angira from whom you begged the boon of a son. I am Angira and this is Narada Rsi. Maharaja, you are a devotee of Bhagavan. It does not befit you to lament. We came to give you brahma-jnana. Bhaktas have this jnana and are therefore never disturbed. “It was my desire that you accept this jnana when I first appeared to you, but you desired so strongly a son and could think of nothing else. I therefore first fulfilled that desire of yours. If I did not do this, you would not be able to understand my advice. “Your kindom and all its opulence, your treasury, your army, your family—all of this is temporary. They only divide your attention and cause you to forget Bhagavan. They are like heavenly beings who come to this world, enjoy with someone, and then leave abruptly. They are actually cheaters, causing you much harm. Maya devi’s gifts seem great and beautiful, but they are just shadows. They are unreal, like a mirage. O Citraketu, we have come to tell you about the reality, which is beyond this.” Narada Rsi said, “Dear king, with a peaceful mind, think about your true identity. Till now, you have been allowing worldly loss after gain to disturb you. It is now time to transcend mundane conception and practice spiritual life very seriously. “I will now give you a mantra. By the power of this mantra you will no longer see and identify with material bodies and you will have vision of your svarupa. Chant this mantra and Lord Sankarsana will give you darsana and His mercy in seven nights from now.” Those who are blessed by Sri Guru utilize all their worldly possessions, and most importantly their body—in the service of Guru and God. Devotees are aloof from the happenings of this world and continuously serve God. Sons, daughter, or any of your relatives come to you according to your previous sin and pious actions. Thinking that your true self is subject to loss or gain of these relations is ignorance. If you have relationship with Vasudeva, then you will be pure and He will always care for you. [CC by ND-NC Bhaktabandhav] Click to Support!