Karma stories part 2

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna.This is the continuation of the story of garuda which Jan Mares

Prabhu had posted --

 

ys

 

skdas

 

 

High in the reaches of Mount Kailasa is the abode of Shiva, the Lord of

destruction. One evening Vishnu, responsible for preserving the cosmic

order, came to see Shiva. He left behind at the entrance Garuda, the

half-man, half-eagle composite, who served as his vehicle. Garuda sat alone,

marveling at the natural splendor of the place. Suddenly his eyes fell on a

beautiful creature, a little bird seated on the arch crowning the entrance

to Shiva's place. Garuda wondered aloud: "How marvelous is this creation!

One who has created these lofty mountains has also made this tiny bird -

and both seem equally wonderful."

 

Just then Yama, the god of death who rides a buffalo, came passing by with

the intention of meeting Shiva. As he crossed the arch, his eyes went over

to the bird and he raised his brows in a quizzical expression. Then he took

his eyes off the bird and disappeared inside. Now, in the ancient thought of

India, even a slight glance of Yama is said to be the harbinger of death.

Garuda, who had observed Yama's action, told himself, "Yama looking intently

at the bird can mean only one thing - the bird's time is up. Perhaps on his

way back he will carry away the bird's soul with him."Garuda's heart was

filled with pity for the helpless creature.

 

That it was oblivious of its own impending doom further agonized Garuda and

he resolved to save the bird from the clutches of death. He swooped it up in

his mighty talons, rushed to a forest thousands of miles away and left the

bird on a rock beside a brook. Then he returned to Kailasa and regained his

position at the entrance gate.

 

Soon after, Yama emerged from inside, and nodded to Garuda in recognition.

Garuda greeted the god of death and said: "May I put a question to you?

While going in, you saw a bird and for a moment you became pensive, why?"

Yama answered him thus: "Well, when my eyes fell on the little bird, I saw

that it was to die in a few minutes, swallowed by a python, far away from

here in a forest near a brook. I wondered how this tiny creature would

traverse the thousand of miles separating it from its destiny in such a

short time. Then I forgot. Surely it must have happened somehow."

 

Saying this, Yama smiled and went away. Did he know about Garuda's specific

role in the matter? Nobody can know for sure. Garuda sat perplexed, mulling

over the surprising turn events had taken.

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SECOND PART

He had the mystic powers to look beyond space and time. So he started

looking at what happened on the rock besides the brook in the forest

thousands of miles away where he left the little bird. The little bird was

happily sitting there, chirping excitedly about his long flight. The bird

was eager to tell this to some one and he saw another bird of his own

species sitting there on the other side of the rock. He started off, "Do you

know what ? I was waiting here for my lover to come. One demon took me from

this place and offered my gross body to a ghost in a ghastly sacrifice. At

the time of death, I looked a the eagle and thought, "What is the use of

being a bird ? Who is there to protect the lives of birds ? Who is the king

of birds ?" I dont know what happened next, but I was in a snow clad

mountain where a big royal bird was sitting. He must be the king of birds

and seems very powerful. The moment he looked at me I got my gross body

back, which is much more beautiful and stronger than what it used to be. Not

only that He personally

carried me over a long distance across the oceans and mountains in a

fraction of a second and left me here."

 

The other bird replied,"You must have met Garuda, the vehicle of Narayana. I

am the demon who killed you to take over your body. I needed your body

because I wanted to go to the captivate the mind of the princess of this

kingdom and take over the kingdom. I know they will be traveling this way

any moment. The moment the princess sees me, she will fall in love with me

and take me to her palace thinking I am a bird. Then I will control her mind

and take over the kingdom. But your new body looks much more beautiful. So,

I am going to kill you and take this body." Saying thus the demon

jumped on the little bird. But the little bird jumped on to the other side

with his agile new body where the demon was sitting before.

 

The yama dhootas came at the appointed time to take the little bird's life.

They started talking abongst themselves. One asked, "There are two birds

here. Which one should we kill ?" The other replied, " The one on the left

side of the rock" pointing to the demon where the good bird was sitting

before. Inspired by the yamadhootas, the python swallowed the demon causing

his end.

 

Garuda was pleased that the little bird, who remembered him unknowingly, was

protected by the grace of the lord. Also, he was glad that the kingdom was

saved from the demon's wicked plans. Also, he was happy for the demon

because he hd chanted the name of Narayana. This had protected the demon

from committing further sins such as deceiving the princess and taking over

the kingdom. Now, he understood why Yama was smiling mysteriously. He turned

and looked at Yama's place. Yama told him, "Sir, even a casual act by a pure

devotee of your calibre produces all auspicious results for every one. While

prarabdha karma, is hard to overcome, it can be easily destroyed if one even

unknowingly thinks of the Lord or His pure devotee in devotion. Hari Hari

Bol"