Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Gurucharitra- chapter 2

The Cause for Sri Hari taking Incarnations on Earth
Namdharak prayed to Siddha Yogi to accept him as his disciple. He pleaded "pray, enlighten me more and fully on Guru Leelas. Also let me know about your way of life, what type of food you take, etc.

The Siddha Yogi said "unceasing remembrance of Guru Nath's Glory, chanting of his (GuruNath's) Name and reading and re-reading (Parayana) of the Guru Charitra Text (which recounts the Leelas of Guru Nath), are my sole sustenance and very way of life. He showed him the palm-leaves bundle(book), which was a record of the Guru Leelas, which he always carried with him, and which was his priceless treasure. He further said,"Guru Charitra is the panacea for all the ills of the world, and reading it or listening to its narration, will relieve men of all their mundane worries, and would endow on them enduring peace, happiness and spiritual enlightment. It is like Kamadhenu (the celestial cow) and the Kalpavriksha (the celestial tree) and will fulfill all human desires and aspirations". Speaking thus, the Siddha Yogi led Namdharak to the holy Aswatha Tree on the banks of the river Bhima-Amaraja Sangam. Siddha Yogi seated himself at the foot of the tree and asked Namdharak also to be seated in front of him. Namdharak pleaded with Siddha Yogi to narrate the Guru Charitra and said "One great doubt troubles me much, and you must first clear it for me. Why would the One, who is beyond all Gunas and qualities, who is formless, take form at all and especially the human form, and come down to earth? I am unable to reason out and understand why, while men strive all their lives to conquer and transcend their Gunas and take to severest penances, with the sole objective of getting freedom from the tradom of the body and to merge in the formless God, the formless God should assume human form and incarnate on earth."What is the reason for Nirgun to become Saguna? Please make it clear to me" asked Namdharak.

The Siddha Yogi hen began to narrate as follows:

Whenever earth is overpowered by evil and the gentle and pious folks are harassed and troubled by asuras i.e., by the demonic-natured people, and whenever righteousness is on the decline, God incarnates on earth to restore Dharma, to punish the wicked and to reform them, and to protect the pious and the good. The devotees especially will be ever protected by God; God brooks no harm to be done to his ardent and faithful devotees by anyone or being. Let me tell you the ancedote of Ambareesha, which will explain to you clearly the mystery of the Avatars.

King Ambareesha was a very righteous ruler and was a great devotee of Lord Sri Hari. He was a scrupulous follower of all Sastraic injunctions. Once, after observing the Ekadashi fast, on the following morning he was about to break his fast. Just at that time, Sage Durvasa arrived. The King offered is obeisance to the sage and prayed that he should accept his hospitality. The sage agreed and went to bathe in the river telling that he would return soon. But hours passed by and yet the sage did not return, It was nearing mid-day and the Dwadasi hours were passing away. Unless Ambareesha broke the fast before the Dwadasi hours passed away, the fruits of the Ekadasi fast would be lost altogether. Consulting his priests, he sipped a little water, taking the Lord's name. The fast was thereby symbolically broken, yet without actually any food being taken. The sage returned after mid-day. He was furious that the king had taken something, though it was just water, without he himself (the guest) partaking of the food first. He was about to curse the king in fury, that he would be born as a fish, tortoise, pig(boar), etc. Just as this instance, as Ambareesha was all the time praying and was totally absorbed in the thought of Lord Sri Hari, the later appeared and told Durvasa, that he (Durvasa) might curse him (Sri Hari) instead of cursing Ambareesha, his devotee. Durvasa foresaw how immensely the curse was going to benefit the world, and pronounced the curse upon Sri Hari that he would have to born again and again in the world, beginning with the life of a fish and further that in one of the Avatars, he would have no steady place to live in and would be continuously wandering and be ever on the move from place to place, thus indicating the Dattavatara too.

The curse of Durvasa thus became a blessing to the world. The Lord had to take incarnations on earth. Besides the ten principal Incarnations, he took many other incarnations, which were all described in Srimad Bhagavata, One of the most glorious Incarnations was that of Sri Dattatreya.

Thus ends the Third Chapter of Sri Guru Charitra describing Sage Durvasa's curse on Sri Hari and which led to the Lord's taking Incarnations on the earth.

For devotee's sake, God would court any amount of trouble, like a mother for her child and even very much more. Glory to the All-merciful, the Omni present and the ever-responsive Guru Nath! Each of the Avatars has a profound message.
Matya (Fish) Recover the resure of wisdom from the deluge of doubt.
Kurma (Tortoise) Live unattached as master of here and hereafter.
Varaha (Boar) Carry the burden of duty on the twin tusks of discipline and devotion.
Narasimha (Man-Lion form) Let not your ego hide the glory of God
Vamana Offer yourself at the feet of the lord and gain the Feet
Parashurama Learn the lessons of surrender or suffer.
Sri Rama What one meets in life is destiny and how one meets it is self effort.
Sri Krishna Strive to become an instrument in my hand
Buddha Perfect yourselves so that you may aid others to perfect themselves.
Kalki Build the mansion of life on Truth, Morality, Peace, Love and Non-violence. (Sathy, Dharma, Shanti, Prema and Ahimsa)

 

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