Chapter 80(b) - The Story of the Brāhmaṇa Śrīdāman

[Note: The text of the Bhāgavata Purāṇa is silent about the name of the Brāhmaṇa [Śrīdāman]. The name given here is on the strength of the colophon of the chapter.]

King Parīkṣit requested:

1. O worshipful sage! We desire to hear of other glorious exploits of the noble-souled Kṛṣṇa of infinite powers and glory, O master.

2. What person (on earth) who has the power of discernment of what is excellent and the quintessence of things but has suffered sorely from the shafts of passions and desires, and had once the opportunity of listening to the holy and true stories of the Lord of hallowed renown, would desist from listening to them, O Brāhmaṇa sage?

3. That is the only real speech (tongue) with which Lord’s excellences are extolled. Those hands deserve their designation as hands which engage themselves in his service. That mind is worth its name which contemplates on him who abides in all the mobile and immobile creation. Only that ear (is the blessed and) deserves to be called such (viz. the ear) which listens to the holy stories of the Lord.

4. That head deserves to be tailed such as bows down to him as manifested in both mobile or immobile forms (or lays itself on the ground to bow to him and his votaries). That is the real eye which sees the Lord (in everything and everywhere). Those are the real parts of the body, which always resort to the waters that wash the feet of the Lord as well as those of his devotees (i.e. sprinkle themselves and get purified with those waters).^[1]

Sūta said:

5. When the worshipful son of Bādarāyaṇa was thus requested by king Parīkṣit, Śuka whose heart is immersed in (the meditations of) the glorious Lord Vāsudeva, said.

Śrī Śuka began to narrate:

6. There was a certain Brāhmaṇa friend of Lord Kṛṣṇa. He was a pastmaster in the knowledge of the Vedas (or the supreme Brahman), free from attachment to the objects of senses. He was perfectly serene in mind and possessed complete control over his senses.

7. Though he was leading the life of a householder, he subsisted on whatever came his way without asking or trying for it. He was (naturally) ill-clad and his wife also who was like him (had no sufficient clothing to cover her person) but was of the same spirit, had grown emaciated with hunger.

8. That poverty-stricken chaste lady who was devoted to her husband but whose body was trembling (with weakness) and with a withered countenance, approached her husband and submitted:

9. “Is it not a fact, O Brāhmaṇa, that Kṛṣṇa, the Consort of Lakṣmī incarnate, is a personal friend of your worshipful self? The glorious Lord, the leader of Sātvatas, is a friend and devotee of Brāhmaṇas and a worthy asylum to those who seek shelter in him.

10. Blessed Sir, be pleased to approach him who is the ultimate resort of the righteous and saintly people. He will (immediately understand your circumstances and) bestow abundant wealth on you, who are a poverty-stricken householder.

11. That Lord of Bhoja, Vṛṣṇi and Andhaka clans now resides at Dvārakā. If his lotus feet are remembered, he gives away even his own self (to them. He is so generous). Will not that father and preceptor of the world confer wealth and worldly desires on his devotees, as both these are not very- important comparatively (as gifts to his votaries).

12. When he was thus softly entreated by his wife many times, the soft-natured Brāhmaṇa thought, “It will be a supreme blessing at least that I shall gain at the sight of the Lord of holy renown.

13. With these considerations, he made up his mind to go (to Dvārakā). (As it was customary not to see a king or a guest empty-handed, but to offer him something as a present) he said, “Is there anything in the house worth giving as a present to Kṛṣṇa? If so, give that with me, O blessed lady.”

14. The lady solicited the (neighbouring) Brāhmaṇas to give her some pṛthukas (fried and beaten rice). Having secured four handfuls of such rice, she tyed them up in a rag and handed over them to her husband as ‘Present’ to Lord Kṛṣṇa.

15. With those handfuls of rice as present, the Brāhmaṇa travelled the city of Dvārakā anxiously thinking all the while, “How will it be possible for me to gain a sight of Lord Kṛṣṇa?”

16. Accompanied by other Brāhmaṇas, he crossed the three check posts of guards^[2] and the defensive ramparts of the city and the mansions of Andhakas and Vṛṣṇis who followed the path of righteousness ordained by Lord Kṛṣṇa—which were inaccessible to other persons.

17. Out of the sixteen thousand palaces of the queens of Kṛṣṇa, the Brāhmaṇa entered one of them which appeared specially affluent and splendid, with the feeling of supreme bliss in merging with the Brahman.

18. Noticing from a distance that the Brāhmaṇa was coming, Lord Kṛṣṇa who then occupied a sofa with his beloved (Rukmiṇī), instantly rose from his seat, went forward to receive him and joyfully embraced him closely with both of his arms.

19. The lotus-eyed Lord felt extremely happy at the touch of the person of his beloved friend, the Brāhmaṇa sage and he shed tears of joy from his eyes.

20-21. Then he seated him on his own couch; and personally washed his feet and sprinkled his own head with the drops of water with which he washed the Brāhmaṇa’s feet. O king Parīkṣit, the Lord who purifies the whole universe, smeared the Brāhmaṇa with excellent perfumes such as pastes of sandal aloe-wood and saffron.

22. Having worshipped his friend with perfumed fumes and rows of lamps, he offered him a cow as a gift, a betel-leaf (with its usual contents of areca-nut powder, cloves, etc.) and greeted him warmly with sweet words of welcome.

23. It is said that the queen Rukmiṇī herself, with a chowrie in her hand, fanned the ill-clad Brāhmaṇa of emaciated dusty body the veins of which were visible.

24. The ladies in the harem were really astonished to see that a semi-nude Brāhmaṇa is worshipped with so much affection by Lord Kṛṣṇa of such a spotless reputation.

25-26. (They commented): “What meritorious act must have been performed by this naked beggarly Brāhmaṇa, destitute of wealth and censured as worthless in the world, that he was greatly honoured by the preceptor of the three worlds, the abode of the goddess Śrī. But he discarded the goddess Lakṣmī who was occupying the sofa with him and embraced him as if he were his elder brother.”

27. O king! Holding each other by the hand, they recounted to each other the sweet stories of the incidents that happened while both of them lived together in their teacher’s hermitage in their student days.

The glorious Lord enquired:

28. O dear Brāhmaṇa, expert in religion! Please tell me if, after the completion of your course of education and after honouring your teacher with the payment of fee for education, you have married a wife suitable to you or have not done so as yet.

29. I learn that even as a householder, your mind is not interested in objects of enjoyment and being a learned man you are not so much after money.

30. Like unto myself who perform action to set example to the world, there are some people who discharge their duties without being affected by desires at heart and avoid the fascinations created by the celestial potency of the Lord.

31. Do you remember, O Brāhmaṇa. our stay in the house of our preceptor? It is there that a twice-born one knows everything worth knowing from his preceptor and ultimately reaches beyond the darkness (of saṃsāra).

32. Dear friend! He from whom one is born (and thus invested with the body) is the first guru (preceptor). He from whom one becomes twice-born (by performance of the upanayana—investiture of the sacred thread) and becomes eligible for study of Vedas and performance of religious duties is the second preceptor. And one who imparts spiritual knowledge directly to persons belonging to all āśramas (stages of life)—is the Third guru (preceptor) and is veritably identical with me.

33. (Hence, those who resort to me as the preceptor giving enlightenment in spiritual knowledge, and cross the saṃsāra are the really intelligent ones) O Brāhmaṇa! Those who, in this mundane existence, obtain oral instructions (in spiritual matters) from me as their preceptor, easily cross the ocean of saṃsāra, as they know the real essence in the order of varṇas (social classes) and āśramas (stages of life).

34. I abide in all beings as their Inner Controller. Just as I am pleased by rendering services (to the spiritual preceptor), I shall not be pleased (that much) by performance of sacrifices (or the duties of a householder’s life), by birth in excellent family, by the performance of the investiture of the sacred thread of upanayana (implying the observance of duties of a brahmacārin or a celibate person). Nor shall I be pleased so much with penance (in the Vānaprastha stage of life) or by the path of quietism (followed by sannyāsins).

35. Do you remember, O Brāhmaṇa, the incident which happened while we were staying at our preceptor’s hermitage and were once sent by our preceptor’s wife to bring fuel.

36. And how when we entered into the thick jungle, suddenly, out of season, there was an outbreak of a mighty violent storm, heavy down-pour of rain and terrible roaring of thunder over our heads.

37. In the meanwhile the sun set and all the quarters were enveloped in darkness and the undulations of the ground being covered under water we could not discern the high or the low level of the land.

38. Then failing to discern the direction to be followed and sorely beaten by the repeated violent blasts of wind and showers in the forest flooded with water, we were afraid and holding each other by hand, wandered here and there.

39. Having come to know of this after sunrise, our teacher Sāndīpani came in search of us with his disciples and found us in a bewildered conḍition.

40. He cried out, “O my children, you have undergone extreme hardships for our sake. Life or the sou) is verily dearest to all. But you evinced devotion unto me disregarding even that (your life).

41. It is in this manner that a good disciple should repay his debt (of gratitude) to his preceptor, namely that he should offer with a sincere heart, whatever he has with him (including his very life).

42. O prominent among twice-borns! I am really very much pleased. Let all your desires be fulfilled. May your knowledge of the Vedas never fail you either here or hereafter.”

43. Many other such incidents took place during our residence in the house of our preceptor. It is by the grace of the preceptor that a man becomes perfect and eligible for supreme peace.

The Brāhmaṇa (Śrīdāman) replied:

44. O God of gods! O Preceptor of the universe! When we stayed in the preceptor’s house, what was there that we did not accomplish through the help of you whose resolutions always turn out to be true.

45. O Almighty Lord! Your person is constituted of the Vedas and you are the repository of all blessings; your stay in the house of the preceptor is certainly a wonderful imitation of the ways of the world.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

VT. cautions that this sprinkling is limited to the limbs of the upper part (nābher ūrdhvam) of the body.

[2]:

According to verse quoted by VT. a gulma or checkpost consists of nine elephants, nine chariots, twentyseven horsemen and fortyfive footsoldiers.