॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
***
Parikshit asks now a very interesting question.
श्रीराजोवाच
देवासुरमनुष्येषु ये भजन्त्यशिवं शिवम् । प्रायस्ते धनिनो भोजा न तु लक्ष्म्या: पतिं हरिम् ॥
T: Parikshit asked: "Dear Sage, why do gods, demons and humans always pray to Lord Shiva for material riches and boons when he is indeed an ascetic Tapasvi, instead of praying for material boons from Bhagavan Sri Hari, the consort of Goddess Lakshmi herself!?"
"Indeed, how does Shiva confer worldly boons when he is himself a renunciate!?"
श्रीशुक उवाच
शिव: शक्तियुत: शश्वत् त्रिलिङ्गो गुणसंवृत: । वैकारिकस्तैजसश्च तामसश्चेत्यहं त्रिधा ॥
T: Sage Shuka replied: "Lord Shiva is always united with Devi Shakti, who embodies material nature and powers. In response to Shakti's impulses, he manifests as Rajas, Tamas and Sattva Gunas. This forms the basis of ego and desire. Indeed the sixteen components of creation are the mind, the five senses of perception, the five senses of action and the five elements - sixteen. This combination creates wealth and enjoyment."
हरिर्हि निर्गुण: साक्षात् पुरुष: प्रकृते: पर: । स सर्वदृगुपद्रष्टा तं भजन् निर्गुणो भवेत् ॥
T: "However, Sri Hari is without Gunas, and beyond these effects. He is Parama Purusha, the eternal witness. The one who prays to Sri Hari will himself become a Nirguna."
"Dear Parikshit, your grandfather King Yudhishthira asked the very same question after the great Yajnas to Bhagavan Sri Krishna and I shall share what the answer was."
श्रीभगवानुवाच
यस्याहमनुगृह्णामि हरिष्ये तद्धनं शनै: । ततोऽधनं त्यजन्त्यस्य स्वजना दु:खदु:खितम् ॥
T: Bhagavan Sri Krishna said: "If I especially favour someone, I gradually deprive him of his wealth. Then the relatives and friends of such a poverty-stricken man abandon him. In this way, he suffers one distress after another. When he becomes frustrated in his attempts to make money thereafter starts to befriend holy men, my devotees (for their obvious sense of peace and contentment), I bestow my special grace upon him. A person who has thus become sober fully realizes the Absolute as the highest truth, the most subtle and perfect manifestation of spirit, the transcendental existence without end. In this way, realizing that the Supreme Truth is the foundation of his own existence, he is freed from the cycle of material life. This is liberation in its truest sense."
अतो मां सुदुराराध्यं हित्वान्यान् भजते जन: । ततस्त आशुतोषेभ्यो लब्धराज्यश्रियोद्धता: ।
मत्ता: प्रमत्ता वरदान् विस्मयन्त्यवजानते ॥
T: "Because I am difficult to worship, people generally avoid me and instead worship other deities, who are quickly satisfied. When people receive kingly riches and superpowers from these deities, they become arrogant, intoxicated with pride and neglectful of their duties. They dare to offend even the gods who have bestowed benedictions upon them."
श्रीशुक उवाच
शापप्रसादयोरीशा ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवादय: । सद्य:शापप्रसादोऽङ्ग शिवो ब्रह्मा न चाच्युत: ॥
T: Sage Shuka continued: " Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva and others can curse or bless anyone in any way they please. Lord Shiva and Lord Brahma are very quick to curse or bestow benedictions, but the infallible Supreme Lord Vishnu is not so ready with his grace."
Now Sage Shuka tells an ancient story.
***
Once, an Asura called Vrika, nephew of the Asura named Shakuni, met Sage Narada in the foothills of the Himalayas. He wanted to know from whom among the Trimurtis he could obtain the quickest of boons with the minimum effort. Sage Narada said with a smile, ' Why, of course! Worship Lord Shiva and you will soon achieve success. He quickly becomes pleased by seeing his worshipper’s slightest good qualities — and is also equally quickly angered by seeing his slightest fault. Shiva became pleased with ten-headed Ravana, and also with Bana when they each chanted his glories, like bards in a royal court. Lord Shiva then bestowed unprecedented power upon each of them, but in both cases, he was consequently beset with great difficulty."
Vrika was delighted. He rushed to Kedaranatha Kshetra. He began a huge Yajna fire, which symbolises Lord Shiva's flaming mouth, and all the while chanting Shiva's name, he started cutting off parts of his body and putting them into the fire as Ahuti!
Finally, Vrika was ready to cut off his own head with a hatchet. Lord Shiva appeared in a hurry out of the sacred fire, crying, "Stop! Stop!" and touched Vrika by grabbing with his arms. That instant, Vrika was completely whole, healed and well.
तमाह चाङ्गालमलं वृणीष्व मे यथाभिकामं वितरामि ते वरम् ।
प्रीयेय तोयेन नृणां प्रपद्यतामहो त्वयात्मा भृशमर्द्यते वृथा ॥
T: Lord Shiva said to Vrikasura: "My friend, please stop, stop! Ask from me whatever you want, and I will bestow that boon upon you. Alas, you have subjected your body to great torment for no reason, since I am pleased with a simple offering of water from those who approach me for shelter."
The benediction sinful Vrika chose from the lord would terrify all living beings. Vrika said, “May death come to whomever I touch upon the head with my hand. Lord Shiva, grant me this boon."
Upon hearing this, Lord Rudra seemed somewhat disturbed. Nonetheless, he uttered Om to signify his assent, granting Vrika the benediction with an ironic smile, as if giving milk to a poisonous snake.
At once, to test Lord Shambhu’s benediction, the demon then tried to put his hand on the Lord’s head. Now Shiva became frightened because of what he had done सोऽबिभ्यत् स्वकृताच्छिव:.
As the demon pursued him, Lord Shiva fled swiftly from his abode in the north, shaking with terror. He ran as far as the limits of the earth, the sky and the corners of the universe. The great gods could only remain silent, not knowing how to counteract the benediction. Then Lord Shiva reached the luminous realm of Vaikuntha, beyond all darkness, where the Supreme Lord Narayana is manifest. That realm is the destination of advanced renunciates who have attained peace and given up all violence against other creatures. Going there, one never returns.
The Supreme Lord, who infallibly relieves his devotees’ distress, had seen from afar that Lord Shiva was in danger. Thus, by his Maya Yoga Shakti, Narayana assumed the form of a Brahmachari, with the appropriate belt, deerskin, staff and prayer beads, and appeared before Vrikasura. The Lord’s effulgence glowed brilliantly like fire. Holding kusha grass in his hand, he respectfully greeted the demon.
The Lord said: "My dear son of Shakuni, you appear tired. Why have you come such a great distance? Please rest for a minute. After all, it is one’s body that fulfils all one’s desires. Oh mighty one, please tell me what you intend to do, if you think me fit to know. Usually one accomplishes his purposes by taking help from others!"
Vrika was completely disarmed by the grace and poise of the young Brahmin. He blurted out everything that had happened. Now this did not amuse the Brahmachari!
श्रीभगवानुवाच
एवं चेत्तर्हि तद्वाक्यं न वयं श्रद्दधीमहि । यो दक्षशापात् पैशाच्यं प्राप्त: प्रेतपिशाचराट् ॥
T: The Supreme Lord said: 'What! Indeed! If this is the case, We cannot believe what Shiva says. Shiva is the same lord of the Pretas and Pishachas whom Daksha cursed to become a carnivorous hobgoblin!
Oh, best of the demons, if you have any faith in him because he is "the spiritual master of the universe", then without delay put your hand on your head and see what happens. If the words of Lord Shambhu prove untrue in any way, Oh best of the demons, then kill the liar so he may never lie again."
Thus bewildered by Bhagavan's enchanting, artful words, foolish Vrika, without realizing what he was doing, placed his hand on his head. Instantly his head shattered as if struck by a lightning bolt, and the demon fell down dead. From the sky were heard cries of “Victory!” “Obeisances!” and “Well done!”
The celestial sages, Pitris and Gandharvas rained down flowers to celebrate the killing of sinful Vrikasura. Now Lord Shiva was out of danger.
Bhagavan wryly remarked to a much relieved Shiva: "Indeed, what living being can hope for good fortune if he offends exalted saints, what to speak of offending the lord and spiritual master of the universe?”
Sage Shuka concluded by saying how this story when heard with true devotion liberates the devotee.
***
