Jaya Guru Datta. Bhagareetha convinced his neighboring king with good words and somehow entrusted his kingdom to the king. Afterwards, during midnight, he disguised himself and went away to another country. So nobody recognized him there, he used to stay in stealth during the day. At night however, he used to beg and live like a mendicant. After sometime, he gained a little confidence that the ego in his mind was destroyed. He then began begging for alms fearlessly during daytime as well. In a few days, he reached his own country of Ayodhya and continued begging for alms there. Nobody in Ayodhya was able to recognize him. One day, he went straight to the king himself and asked him for alms. In the meanwhile, one of the guards there recognized king Bhageeratha by his voice and some of his physical features and reported to the king. That king prostrated humbly to Bhageeratha and prayed, “Please accept this kingdom”. Bhageeratha unwilling to do so, was obstinate in his refusal, “King, please give me alms if you wish, if not that is okay”. What could that king do? Unable to say anything else, he offered alms. Bhageeratha very happily received those alms and left. After some time, the king ruling Ayodhya died. He had no heirs. Therefore, the people of the country searched and searched, found Bhageeratha and insisted, “As our Bhiksha (food/donations offered to one asking for alms), you must accept this kingdom. You have no choice”. By then, Bhageeratha who had attained God-realization agreed to the people’s request. Previously, when he was being forced to accept his kingdom back, he did not yield to that temptation. This time, when people prayed to him to accept the kingdom that was orphaned due to lack of a king, Bhageeratha did not even refuse. Because he had gained self-realization by then, the kingdom did not at all appear as an obstacle to Bhageeratha, “Come what may, what can it do to me? I had darshana of Paramatman”. Previously, before he attained unison with the principle of the Absolute, he would say, “There is nothing in this world. We have to leave everything behind one day. So, why should I worry about this? I do not need anything”. Now, he attained unison with the principle of the Absolute. He attained bliss. That is why he said, “Okay, I will do as you say. You are saying that the kingdom is orphaned. No problem”. The kingdom did not seem like an obstacle to him. He accepted the responsibility out of desire for universal welfare. It was because he was a great soul who could reach such a magnanimous state that emperor Bhageeratha was able to bring even Ganga Devi to the earth for the welfare of all the worlds. Emperor Bhageeratha’s inner nature and commitment to universal welfare should be an ideal for all seekers. It is due to Bhageeratha’s attempts that we have Mother Ganga (on earth) today. If we were able to get Mother Ganga so quickly in answer to Bhageeratha’s Tapasya, if she came down to earth as requested by Bhageeratha, it was because he had no attachment towards anything, he was reveling in Absolute bliss. Therefore, Mother Ganga was pleased and came down to earth. Similarly, I pray to Lord Datta that Bhageeratha be an ideal for spiritual practice in all of our lives. Jaya Guru Datta.
Posted on: Mon, 20 Oct 2014 12:15:43 +0000
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