An Account of Devasharman's Good Deeds of Previous Birth

Devasharman said:

1-4. You have described to me these deeds done (by me) in my former existence; for, О brahmana, I earned wealth as a Shudra only. (But) О best brahmana, how is it that I attained brahmanahood? Tell me the reason for all this, О you who are proficient in sacred and profane knowledge. Birth in the Bharata country is difficult. More difficult is to get manhood (i.e. to be born as a human being). In manhood to be born as a brahmana is difficult; and extremely difficult is to be born in a good family. There also, due to what did I get a chaste wife, knowing every­thing, speaking agreeably, endowed with all virtues and difficult to obtain?

VasUiha said:

5-16. О brahmana, I shall now describe the righteous deeds that you did in (your) former (existence). If you think (like listening), listen. There was a brahmana who was highly religious-minded, who was of a good conduct, who was very wise, who was a devotee of Vishnu, who was religious-minded, who was always solely devoted to Vishnu. He always roamed over the earth for bathing at the holy places. While wandering the very intelligent one came to your house. Merely on seeing good thought was produced (in your mind), since, when the arrival of the good takes place into one’s house, what is not obtained by one, О brahmana? Whatever is difficult to be obtained in the world, even the stable place of salvation (is obtained) by service to Vishnu. О best one, he (i.e. that brah­mapa) asked for a place to stay in. Your wife and you, along with your sons, gave it to him. “O brahmana, come, come comfortably to my house.” Thus you repeatedly said to that holy brahmana, a devotee ©fVishnu. “Stay here comfortably; this is your house, О you of a good vow. Today I am blessed; I am meritorious; I have gone to a holy place. О brahmana, on seeing you today I have obtained the fruit of (visiting) a sacred place. You have shown me the great meritorious place where cows live.” You shampooed his body, properly rubbed his feet, and washed them with water; and you bathed with the water (flowing from) his feet. You instantly gave ghee, curd, milk and many other sub­stances to that brahmana, as you were urged by destiny. О glorious brahmana, with your wife and sons you thus pleased that brahmana, the devotee of Vishnu, and proficient in sacred knowledge.

17-26a. Then, in the bright morning, in the month of Vaiakha, he who, being pleased, was going to Gaitga, taught you through kindness, the greatness of the bath in Vaishakha; and he made you, with your wife and sons, bathe properly. “As in the world there is no lake like the ocean, similarly there is no (other) month like Vaiakha, dear to Vishnu. Till the month of Vaishakha, destroying sins, does not arrive, sins remain without any obstacle in the body”. О brahmana, having heard his words, you resorted (to bathing daily) in Vaishakha, and with a pleased mind you worshipped Vispu. Beginning with the eleventh day you took a morning-bath (every day) with proper rites, for the remaining five days of the month. Due to your devotion to the brahmana, you every day took bath in Reva (river) during the month of Vaishakha. You worshipped the highest lord, the god of gods and the killer of (the demon) Madhu. You did not get (a chance) to bathe for a full month from the beginning. Thus, you could bathe (only) fbr five days. Due to that religious merit and especially due to the company of that brahmaija, and due to the favour of Govinda (i.e. Vishnu) you obtained brahmanahood.

26b-27a. Due to your contact with that month, you got (birth in) this great family which is endowed with truth and righteousness difficult to be obtained (even) by brahman as.

27b-33a. You also obtained a very chaste wife bom in the Tiouse (i.e. family) of Chyavana and a teacher of the Vedas. О great sage, beauty alone is a great ornament of women. The second (ornament) is good character. The third is truthfulness. Always being noble is the fourth (ornament). The fifth (ornament) is -excellent religious merit. Sweetness is the sixth (ornament). The seventh (ornament) — a full ornament — is their constant great purity within and without. Devotion to the husband is the eighth (ornament). Service (to him) is the ninth (ornament). Patience is the tenth (ornament). Affection is the eleventh (ornament) of women, О best brahmaga. Your chaste wife, expounder of the Vedas, is adorned with these (ornaments). You Jiave respectfully got her due to your bathing in the month of Vaishakha.

33b-41. Which difficult things are not obtained by bathing in the month of Vaiiakha and by duly worshipping the lord? You were deluded by attachment. Your mind was occupied by -avarice. О brahmaija, in the former existence you amassed wealth only. You never gave it to brahmanas or to other poor people or to your relatives or sons or wife. While dying you thought of greed only. You did not give (gifts); you did not offer oblations into fire; you did not mutter (prayers); you did not die at a holy place. You did not meditate upon god Narayapa who destroys all sins. When there is wealth with a man, he becomes a miser. What is more painful than that he dies with* out giving (gifts). By bathing at a sacred place etc., by penance a birth in a (good) family is obtained. О brahmana, nothing except (the merit due to) the gifts stands by a man. Due to that sinful thought you were reduced to poverty. You were sonless -and were always tormented by affliction. Due to the peculiar virtue of bathing in Vaiakha even for five days and to worship of Vijpu at that time, and due to the company of that brahmana, О brahmana, you obtained birth in a (good) family.

42-47a. Even brahmanahood is difficult (to have). A good son, a (good) family, brahmagahood, wealth, grains, excellent women, good birth and death, good enjoyments, so also happiness, always to have a strong desire to give (gifts), gene­rosity, excellent courage — (thus) О brahmaga, all desired accom* plishments are had by the favour of that high-souled god, Vishgu. Having bathed (daily) in the month of Kartika, or in the month of Phalguna, or in the month of Vaishakha, and having worship­ped Madhustidana (i.e. Vishgu), having devoutly given presents, having enjoyed worldly pleasures, a man then goes to Vishgu. By taking a bath (every day) in the month of Vaishakha, the row of sins committed in many existences disappears, as, О brahmaga, darkness disappears at sunrise.

47b-54. The self-born one (i.e. Brahma) told me these words. Vishgu conceived a pure idea; (so) he first brought about the rite (in) the month of Vaiiakha, to make people go to heaven,, after having mentally thought (i.e. known) Yama’s secret. There­fore, in this month of Vaishakha, that has now come, having bathed in a sacred place having holy water (every morning) before the sun has risen, and having, with proper rites, worshipped MadhusQdana, and having enjoyed (i.e. having had) sons, grandsons, wealth, good fortune and desired pleasures, you will, in the end, obtain heaven. О brahmaga, I have told you all that (i.e. all those deeds which) you did in the former existence. О glorious one, having known like this, especially (the importance) of' Vaishakha, bathe (daily) and with proper rites worship Vishnu, Govinda, Narayaga, Anamaya, the god that should be worship­ped. (Thereby) you will obtain happiness, a son, wealth and immutable Vishgu.

Narada said:

55-57. The best brahmaga, of great prowess, instructed by Brahma’s son (i.e. Vasishtha), was glad, and the magnanimous one, having saluted Vasishtha there, and having taken his leave of the brahmaga, went home; and the great sage spoke to his wife, Sumana: “Due to your favour that brahmaga (i.e. Vasishtha> told me all the account of my former deeds. О good one, Vasishtha brought to light all of them. Today only my delusion is destroyed. I shall devoutly worship Vishgu, after (daily) bathr­ing in the month of Vaishakha.”

Narada said:

58. Having heard these very pure, very auspicious words leading to an auspicious result, she, who was delighted, said to her dear husband: “You are blessed, since you have been advised by the brahmana (i.e. Vasishtha).“

 

CHAPTER NINETYONE

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