| SAPTHAGIRI - April 2003 | ||
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After the victory in the Kurukshetra war, Yudhistira, the Pandava king performed Aswamedha Yaga. Kings from all over the kingdom of Bharat were invited. They all praised the way in which the Yaga was performed with great pomp and gaiety. To the several hundreds of brahmins, poor people and destitutes, Yudhistira gave by way of charity large sums of money and gifts. All were entertained to sumptuous luncheon and dinner. They said that there was no greater philanthropist than Yudhistira.
While the Yaga was in progress, a mongoose suddenly appeared in the Yagasala from nowhere. One side of the animal was shining like gold. It stood among those assembled and began to laugh mockingly. Everybody was taken aback with surprise seeing the animal laughing like that. They suspected that it might be a devil that had come to destroy the Yaga. It began to address those assembled thus :
"Oh great kings and brahmins assembled here, listen. Are you all feeling proud that the king Yudhistira is performing with such pomp and gaiety and is giving lavishly charity and gifts that has no parallel. This charity given by the king is nothing when compared to what a poor brahmin once while gave. It was really very great, the present charity now dispensed is insignificant. As such why are you all so elated and praising it so loudly?"
The brahmins were stunned and asked the mongoose :
"Who are you? From where are you coming ?
Why are you criticising the charity of Yudhistira, the very embodiment of Dharma, like this. When the Yaga is being performed according to the Sastras and everybody is satisfied, it is not proper on your part to criticise like this."
The mongoose in reply said :
'Oh, learned brahmins ! There is not even an iota of untruth in what I have said. I am not jealous of Dharmaraja. I reiterate that the charity dispensed by the poor brahmin was far greater than what is being now dispensed here. As a consequence of the charity dispensed by the poor brahmin, he along with his wife, son and daughter-in-law, all found a place in Swargaloka. I was a witness to that. I shall now narrate the episode, please listen.
"A poor brahmin was living on alms, before the Kurukshetra war. He was even gathering the grain that had fallen on the ground for their food. His family was sharing that food equally among them. He never used to gather grain more than what was required for that day. Sometimes he could not get any grain at all and on that day they all had to starve. Once famine struck the kingdom. For want of rains there were no agricultural operations. Not a single grain used to be available to the poor brahmin. Some days they used to sustain by drinking water.
'One day however he was lucky enough to procure one measure of maize. They converted it into flour and were about to share it for their lunch that afternoon. Just then a brahmin came with hunger. He was invited into the house as a guest and to have the afternoon lunch. He told the guest :
"I am a poor brahmin living by begging. Please be satisfied with whatever is available with me and what I offer you."
First the poor brahmin served his share of the flour. This did not abate the hunger of the guest. He craved for some more food. The poor brahmin looked at his wife. She understood the husband's wish and she agreed to part with the flour to the guest most gladly. But he said to her :
"Even ants get food and serve to their wives and children. I am worse than even ants. I am even snatching away your share of the flour and make you suffer from hunger. What benefit would accrue to me if I make the charity at the expense of another person's suffering?"
She did not agree. She consoled him saying :
"Respected husband, we both are, according to Dharma Sastra, expected to share either good or bad, happiness or sorrow, being couples. So I am bound to come to your rescue when your honour is at stake. It is our duty to feed a guest to his full satisfaction."
The guest ate that part of the flour also and even then his hunger did not abate. He was looking for more food. Then the son offered his share of the flour to the guest. His father said to him :
"Beloved son, youth and old people can withstand hunger. But not children of your age. I am loath to take away even your share of the food and offer it to the guest ."
His son consoled his father thus :
"Father, it is the duty of a son to come to the aid of his old father when he is discharging the Dharma of feeding a guest to his full satisfaction. I am only a part of you, is it not? As such my share of the flour belongs to you also. Satisfy the hunger of the guest."
The guest observed :
"Dear boy, your behaviour makes me feel proud of you. May God bless you".
The guest took the share of the boy also and yet he continued to feel that his hunger has not abated. He looked at the poor brahmin for some flour. The poor brahmin was at a loss as to from where to get more flour. His daughter-in-law seeing the predicament of his father-in-law offered her share of the flour. But the brahmin felt that it was very uncharitable to deprive her also of her share of the food when she was also hungry. He said to her :
"If I deprive you of your food, I would be committing a great sin. You are still very young and would not be able to withstand hunger like either me or your mother-in-law." She however insisted on taking her share saying :
"You are lord to my lord. Master to my master. I am not younger than your son. If you satisfy the hunger of the guest with the share of my flour I will also reap the benefit of a good act done. So please take my share of the food and serve it to the hungry guest."
The guest blessed her also. Now his hunger was fully met and looked satisfied. He told them :
"Your charity dispensation today has no parallel in the world. See, Gods are showering flowers on you from the heaven! They, the Devatas and the Gandharvas, have also come from the heaven to personally, look at you and bless you. On account of your charity today all your ancestors have also found a place in Swargaloka. People who are hungry lose their moral and Dharma sense but you four though very hungry yet did not give up the Dharma of feeding a guest to his full satisfaction. The benefit that accrues to persons performing Rajasooya and Aswamedha Yagas is very insignificant compared to the fruit of your charitable act that has accrued to you today.
"Divine Chariot has arrived to take you all to Swargaloka. God bless you all."
The guest thereafter disappeared from that place. The Mongoose continued :
"I was witness to the above happening. The poor brahmin along with his family thus went to Swargaloka".
I was very near the place where the poor brahmin had kept the flour. As soon as I smelt the flour, all my head began to shine like gold. I then went and rolled my body on the floor where the flour was kept. As soon as the remnant flour on the floor touched a part of my body, that part also shone like gold. With a view to get my whole body shine like gold I visited several Yagasalas where charity was being dispensed on a large scale. I have now come here where I learn Yudhistira is dispensing charity in a way unparalleled. But as you all see my body has not acquired that gold shine to my great disappointment.
'You have all listened to the episode of the poor brahmin and his charity dispensation. The poor brahmin gave away in charity what he and his family absolutely needed for themselves, to sustain their lives while Yudhistira is dispensing only a part of his wealth which is surplus and without which he and his family members would not suffer in any way. Oh learned brahmins ! Now tell which is greater ? The charity of the poor brahmin or that of Yudhistira!"
So saying the mongoose disappeared from there.
Dharma or order is basic to life. Absence of dharma will lead to chaos. Whenever Dharma or order gets derailed God Himself comes to earth to reestablish it. 'Dharma samsthapanarthaya sambhavami yuge, yuge' says Lord Krishna in Bhagavat Gita. Even the planets, the five elements namely the earth, the water, the wind, the fire, the space and the entire universe follow an order. The society too has to follow an order, that is, to observe dharma without which there will be chaos or jungle raj. Therefore man who is a part of the society should base his conduct on dharma.
At the primary level it is the conduct of the individual that is to be based on dharma -. Achara prabhavo dharma. As a father, as a son, as a master, as a ruler, as a ruled - every one has a dharma or a rule of conduct. It is this rule of conduct or dharma that keeps each individual on proper path and makes the society / nation / world into a cohesive and orderly unit.
This dharma has to be innate. It is not some thing to be imposed through a law or regal order. For example it is dharma (nature) of fire to burn. Therefore dharma has to be followed voluntarily because that is the natural way one has to conduct oneself. Though innate, man forgets dharma or strays away from dharma because of ignorance. The right knowledge of dharma will dawn when the individual realises that dharma is basically linked to Lord / God - Dharmasya prabhurachyutah. In fact God Himself is Dharma. The Vishnu sahasranama says 'Dharmo Dharmaviduttamah'. That is one of the Lord's names is Dharma. Rama is described as 'Vigrahavan Dharmah' (embodiment of Dharma). So man should know how to link his conduct based on Dharma with God. This has to be done through his understanding that God indwells in every being - Iswara sarva bhutanam hriddese Arjuna, thistathi' (Lord indwells in every being) says Lord Krishna in Bhagavat Gita. If one proceeds with this understanding there will not be any confusion, misunderstanding and unrest and will ensure that society runs smoothly. Man will be kind to his fellow beings including animals and trees, will be conscious of others needs thereby avoiding avarice and greed and conduct himself in a way that is not harmful to others. When each one follows this then there will be no room for bickerings, animosities and all the ills that disturb smooth functioning of the society. There will be real order and peace. By observing dharma or dharmic conduct man is not only ensuring peace in society but also endearing himself to God who is Dharma. That is why Hinduism attaches foremost importance to dharma.
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