॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
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Bhagavan Sri Krishna describes the misery of a man in this world, who, despite his best spiritual inclinations, finds it nearly impossible to withstand the torment of others' derision, insults and tortures.
श्रीभगवानुवाच
बार्हस्पत्य स नास्त्यत्र साधुर्वै दुर्जनेरितै: ।दुरक्तैर्भिन्नमात्मानं य: समाधातुमीश्वर: ॥
न तथा तप्यते विद्ध: पुमान् बाणैस्तु मर्मगै: । यथा तुदन्ति मर्मस्था ह्यसतां परुषेषव: ॥
T: Sri Krishna said: "Dear Uddhava, you're a disciple of Brihaspati, the teacher of gods! I must tell you that the most difficult thing even for a saintly person in this world is to remain undisturbed by the insulting words of uncivilized men around him. Even if one's chest and heart are rent by sharp arrows, that pain pales in comparison to the barbs of harsh, insulting words that become lodged within the heart when spoken by uncivil and gross men."
Sri Krishna now told the story of a rich man and his suffering. In Avanti, there was a rich brahmin. He was extremely prosperous and engaged in very profitable commerce. His one quality that stood out was extreme miserliness. he was lusty, greedy and quick to anger. He was discourteous to everyone in the family and to guests, and never spoke a tender word. He was so miserly that he never enjoyed any pleasures himself! His behaviour elicited a highly negative attitude from his wife, sons, daughters, servants and relatives. विषण्णा नाचरन् प्रियम् They never wished him well or did anything to please this miser.
तदवध्यानविस्रस्तपुण्यस्कन्धस्य भूरिद । अर्थोऽप्यगच्छन्निधनं बह्वायासपरिश्रम: ॥
T: This Brahmin's dereliction in duty towards the gods, and lack of Dharma, soon exhausted whatever Punya he had brought forward from before. His wealth diminished rapidly, and he could not arrest his slide despite extreme efforts. Some of the wealth of this so-called Brahmin was taken away by his relatives, some by thieves, some by the whims of providence, some by the effects of time, some by ordinary men and some by government authorities in the name of tax levies.
When the man was totally flattened financially, he saw how he had totally wasted his life in hoarding wealth while pursuing neither Dharma, nor Artha (meaningful spending) nor Kama (pleasures). Death was now knocking, and he had achieved zilch!
Having lost all his wealth, he felt great pain and lamentation. His throat choked up with tears, and he meditated for a long time on his fortune. Then a powerful feeling of renunciation came over him.
The life of a miser was most despicable. He neither enjoyed this life, nor was there any prospect other than hell awaiting him in the next. Even a trace of such evil quality like miserliness was enough to destroy a man's good reputation, like a small patch of leprosy or vitiligo made even a beautiful man ugly. And to what troubles man went to hoard money!!! Labour, anxiety, delusion...
Bhagavan now lists all the evils associated with greed:
स्तेयं हिंसानृतं दम्भ: काम: क्रोध: स्मयो मद: । भेदो वैरमविश्वास: संस्पर्धा व्यसनानि च ॥
एते पञ्चदशानर्था ह्यर्थमूला मता नृणाम् । तस्मादनर्थमर्थाख्यं श्रेयोऽर्थी दूरतस्त्यजेत् ॥
T: Theft, violence, speaking lies, duplicity, lust, anger, delusion, arrogance, quarrels, enmity, betrayal, rivalry, jealousy and the dangers caused by a weakness for women, gambling and intoxication- these are the fifteen undesirable qualities that contaminate men because of greed for wealth. Although these qualities are undesirable, men extol them as economic virtues of wellbeing! Alas! One who wants real prosperity (i.e. spiritual wellbeing) should stay well clear of these qualities and habits.
Even a man’s brothers, wife, parents and friends united with him in love will immediately break off their affectionate relationships and become enemies over a single farthing, such is the evil of money.
One's kith and kin even will start acting as rivals, and they quickly give up all sentiments of goodwill and will antagonise the man at a moment’s notice, even to the point of committing his murder.
Now consider this, thought that unfortunate miser. Even the gods covet a human life, because only a human life affords one the rare opportunity to advance spiritually. Then how come man becomes so stupid and greedy? How depraved should be that man, having achieved this human life, which is the very gateway to both heaven and liberation, who would willingly become attached to that abode of worthlessness called material prosperity!?
An intelligent man engages fully his wealth, health and education to further himself spiritually. And here was this Brahmin who had brought upon himself total ruin! Alas, the play of Maya! All of one's wealth cannot prevent death, and the consequences of one's misdeeds.
Now the Brahmin had an epiphany!
नूनं मे भगवांस्तुष्ट: सर्वदेवमयो हरि: । येन नीतो दशामेतां निर्वेदश्चात्मन: प्लव: ॥
सोऽहं कालावशेषेण शोषयिष्येऽङ्गमात्मन: । अप्रमत्तोऽखिलस्वार्थे यदि स्यात् सिद्ध आत्मनि ॥
तत्र मामनुमोदेरन् देवात्रिभुवनेश्वरा: । मुहूर्तेन ब्रह्मलोकं खट्वाङ्ग: समसाधयत् ॥
T: "Bhagavan Sri Hari, the Lord of all gods, must indeed be pleased to bestow his grace on me! he has provided me this boat of detachment after reducing me to this state of utter misery! he will help me cross over this material bondage! I shall spend whatever life remains in this body in Tapas and live most frugally (something that came easily to our miser 😁). Without further confusion, I shall pursue that which constitutes my entire self-interest in life, and I shall remain satisfied within the self. I recall how King Khatvanga was able to realise the Truth within just a couple of hours!"
Bhagavan concluded that this fortunate Brahmin was thus able to cut the bonds of material attachment and begin the life of a true Sannyasi.
His story continues...
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