The Brahmachari and the chaste wife

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The Brahmachari And The Chaste Wife

BY MADHAVANANDA DAS

Adapted from the Nrsimha Purana

The following story from the Nrsimha Purana appeared in issue number 11 of

Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu, the free fortnightly email magazine from ISKCON

Gopal Jiu Publications. It illustrates the negative effects of pride, as well

as the power of a chaste lady.

SPECIAL POWER

There was once a righteous brahmana named Kasyapa. He had mastered all of the

scriptures and was expert in explaining them. Disinclined to performing

another’s duty, he was daily absorbed in the worship of Lord Narasimha and was

always engaged in performing yajna. Every morning and evening he would offer

oblations into the sacred fire and he would always show proper hospitality to

the brahmanas and guests at his residence.

His wife was named Savitri. She was a high-minded lady, was honored for her

virtue, and she led a spotless life in service to her husband. Due to her

chastity and devotion she was endowed with the power of knowing things beyond

the range of the senses.

GREAT BRAHMACARI

There was also a wise brahmana named Yajnasharman living in the land of

Koshala. He had a devoted and religious wife named Rohini who was endowed with

all auspicious features and an unblemished character.

After some time Rohini gave birth to a son. Yajnasharman performed all of the

recommended purificatory ceremonies for his son as described in the Vedas. The

boy was named Devasharman. When he was eight years old his father performed his

sacred thread ceremony and engaged him in study of the Vedas.

After Devasharman had mastered the Vedas his father died.

At the death of Yajnasharman, both the son and the mother were

grief-stricken. Devasharman performed the funeral ceremonies for his father

according to the instructions of saintly persons, and then he decided to travel

to different places of pilgrimage. Devasharman’s fame as a great brahmacari

gradually spread far and wide. He had no residence and was always wandering

from one place to another. Maintaining himself by begging alms, he was always

chanting Vedic mantras and performing sacrifices. Meanwhile, with her husband

dead and her only son living as an ascetic, Devasharman’s mother Rohini had no

means of support and was suffering terribly.

BURNT TO ASHES

In the course of his wanderings, one day Devasharman came to the bank of a

river, where he took bath. Spreading his cloth on the ground to dry, he sat in

meditation. Just then, a crow and a crane came and suddenly flew away with his

cloth. Seeing this, Devasharman became angry and shouted abuses at them. The

birds then dropped the cloth on the ground, passed stool on it, and flew away.

Devasharman looked at them with wrath, and immediately the birds burned to

ashes. Surprised to see this, Devasharman concluded that there was no one in

the world equal to him in penance.

Proud of the strength of his austerity, Devasharman left the river to seek

alms at a nearby village. He came to the house where the devoted wife Savitri

and her husband Kasyapa lived. Devasharman came to their door and requested

Savitri to give him alms. However, Savitri was just then serving her husband

his mid-day meal. Although she saw Devasharman at the door, she remained silent

and attentive to her husband. After her husband had eaten, she washed his feet

with warm water. Only then did she come forward to offer alms to the

brahmacari.

Having been made to wait for so long, Devasharman was very angry. He glared

at the devoted housewife again and again with red-hot eyes. Seeing his conduct,

Savitri laughed and said, “O furious sage! I am not the crow or the crane that

fell down dead on the bank of the river by the strength of your anger. If you

want to accept alms from me you will have to behave properly.”

Collecting the alms given by Savitri, Devasharman quietly left that place.

Walking back to the river, he again and again thought in his mind, “How it

was that she had come to know of the death of the crow and the crane?” Leaving

his begging bowl by the river, Devasharman returned to the village.

After the devoted Savitri had finished her meal and her husband had gone out,

the brahmacari came to her residence and said, “O blessed woman, please tell me

how you acquired this mystic power of knowing things beyond the senses?”

SAGACIOUS ADVICE

That virtuous and devoted woman Savitri replied, “O brahmana, please listen

attentively to the answer to this question. The mystic power that I possess is

the result of careful and consistent observance of the prescribed duties of a

chaste wife. Service to one’s husband is the established duty of women.

O high-minded one, I have always followed that duty. Indeed, I know nothing

else. I have acquired this power because day and night, without questioning, I

have given complete satisfaction to my husband, waiting upon him with love and

devotion.

“If you are interested to listen, I will tell you something else. Your father

was a brahmana who lived on alms. You took lessons from him on the Vedas. When

he died you performed his funeral ceremonies. Then, ignoring your aged and

widowed mother, you came here. That poor wretched woman is now without any

support while your sole interest is only to feed yourself! Your mother bore you

in her womb. After you were born she nurtured you and brought you up with all

love and affection. She did everything for you including cleaning your stool.

You have deserted her and have been practicing austerities in the forest. O

brahmana, aren’t you ashamed? What do you hope to gain by wandering about in

the forest?

“Because of the suffering of your mother a bad odor is coming from your

mouth. Whatever strength and power you have is only due to your father, who

performed various samskaras in your life.

“O evil-minded sinner! Just recently, for no reason, you have burnt to death

two innocent birds. As a result of this all of your sacred baths, your visits

to different holy places, and all your meditation and sacrifices have been in

vain. O brahmana, that person who sees their mother in a poor and wretched

condition lives in vain, whereas he who is full of regard for his mother and

who always protects her with devotion gets all rewards in this world and

hereafter.

“You should immediately go to your mother and save her life. Her protection

is your highest penance. Give up your anger, for it destroys all merits

accumulated in this world and in the next. You should atone for the sin of

killing the birds. O brahmacari, what I have spoken to you is correct. If you

are interested in ultimate happiness you should follow my advice.”

Having thus advised the son of the brahmana, the devoted wife fell silent.

Devasharman then said to Savitri, “O blessed lady, please forgive me for the

harm I have done to you by looking at you in anger. You have told me what is

good for me. O righteous lady, after returning to take care of my mother, what

duties shall I perform to attain the supreme goal?”

TRIDANDI SANNYASA

The devoted wife Savitri replied, “Listen carefully. I shall now tell you the

duties that you have to perform. You should maintain your mother by begging,

and you should also perform the prescribed atonement for the sin of killing the

two birds.

“In the land of Kosala there is a girl born in a brahmana family who is

destined to be your wife. When you return home her father will offer her to

you. You should accept her at that time. She will give birth to a baby boy who

will perpetuate your family.

punar-mrtayam bharyayam bhavita tvam tridandakah sa yaty asrama dharmena

yathoktyanusthitena ca narasimha-prasadena vaisnavam padapapsyasi

“With the passing away of your wife you should take up the order of

tridandi-sannyasa. Provided you sincerely follow the disciplines of the

sannyasa asrama, then by the grace of Lord Narasimhadev you will certainly

attain the abode of Lord Vishnu.

“Because you have inquired from me I have prophesized all of these things.

If you do not have faith in my words then you may do as you like.”

The brahmana Devasharman said, “O devoted wife, I will immediately return to

take care of my mother. O auspicious one, when I reach there I will do

everything according to your advice.”

Having said this, Devasharman at once started for his home. There, free from

anger and delusion, he maintained his mother with all care. He got married and

was blessed with a son. When his wife passed away he took up the life of a

wandering mendicant. He treated pebbles, stones, and gold on an equal level and

by the grace of Lord Narasimhadev he attained the spiritual abode of the Lord.

* * *

One may ask how it was that the brahmacari was obliged to maintain his aged

mother? Since he had devoted himself to religious pursuits and was strictly

following the vows of brahmacarya, would he not be free from this obligation as

per the following injunction of Srimad Bhagavatam 11.5.41?

devarsi-bhutapta-nrnam pitnam na kinkaro nayam rni ca rajan sarvatmana yah

saranam saranyam gato mukundam parihrtya kartam

“Anyone who has completely given up all worldly relationships and has taken

absolute shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord, who gives us salvation and who

alone is fit to be taken shelter of, is no longer a debtor or servant of

anyone, including the demigods, forefathers, sages, other living entities,

relatives, and members of human society.”

It should be noted, however, that this injunction of the Bhagavatam applies

only to those persons who have taken full shelter of the Lord. Although the

brahmacari Devasharman appeared to be living a highly pious life, his

activities were still on the material platform. His objective was material

piety through performing religious activities and visiting places of

pilgrimage. He had not left home in pursuit of the Supreme Lord, nor had he

sought out the association of transcendentalists, nor had he taken shelter of a

bonafide spiritual master. Although he considered himself to be free from

obligations to this world, because his pursuits were only external it was

improper for him to abandon his religious mother.

Since his activities were still on the material platform, the only fruit he

received from them was an increase in his false prestige. This pride developed

into anger, which then impelled him to kill the two birds.

Devasharman had some faith in pious religious activities, thus he had

karma-adhikara, or qualification for acting according to the Vedic system of

religiosity. But he did not have faith in surrendering to the Lord, thus he was

devoid of bhakti-adhikara, or qualification for performing krsna-bhakti.

If those possessing karma-adhikara do not follow the principles of

varnasrama-dharma then they become implicated in sin. For this reason the

chaste and omniscient housewife advised him to return home.

Krishna has instructed Uddhava (Bhag. 11.20.9):

tavat karmani kurvita na nirvidyeta yavata mat-katha-sravanadau va sraddha

yavan na jayate

“As long as one is not detached from fruitive activity and material

enjoyment, and as long as one has no faith in devotion to Krishna, beginning

with the process of hearing and chanting His glories, one has to act according

to the religious principles of karma or varnasrama.”

In the next chapter of the eleventh canto Krishna again says (11.21.2):

sve sve ‘dhikare ya nistha sa gunah parikirtitah viparyayas tu dosah syad

ubhayor esa niscayah

“Being fixed in the position for which one is qualified is virtuous. The

opposite, accepting a position for which one is unqualified, is irresponsible

and is considered impious. This is the definite conclusion.”

By acting according to his position in the Vedic system of varnasrama dharma,

Devasharman gradually developed genuine detachment. He then took to the order

of sannyasa and in the end achieved the spiritual abode of the Lord.

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Your humble servant

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