The great rishis of India- 4 Maitreya Maharishi

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The great Sages of India – No 4--Shri Maitreya Maharishi & Maitreya Biksha

Most of us are earning money to remain comfortable, which incidentally happens to be an endless affair.. After arranging the basic needs, I do not think we need money and thereafter wards our role becomes a watch dog affair for the property which we accumulate. What else we can do by retaining more money. Up to the level of safety zone one can earn and it is each one of our duty to support the less fortunate and perform Anabaena and Vastradaana – the basic needs. It is a live and let live policy. Earning depends on how Lords preferred to give us but spending depends on the culture with which we lead our life. Secondly the relationship between a learner and a guide should always be such the learner remains obedient to his master. These two points can be noticed from the history of this Sage.

Maitreya Maharishi was at the Lotus feet of his Master –Guru – Parasara Maharishi, who taught him all the secrets which he himself realized. In other words, Parasara Maharishi was immensely pleased with the obedience of his disciple and passed on the knowledge with all affection. He taught Maitreya astronomy, astrology, time span, yug dharma, the four stages of a human being commencing from Brahmacharya and also Shri Vishnu Puran etc. Parasara Maharishi knowledge is known in the name of Parasara Samhita.

After some time Maitreya Maharishi, on knowing about Kauravaas misdeeds, he approached Dhritarashtra who was already been signaled by the Sage Vyasa about the arrival of Maitreya Maharishi. When King Dhritarashtra was listening to the Maitreya Maharishi, Duryodhana misbehaved and started thumbing his thighs which was noticed by Maitreya Maharishi. Maitreya Maharishi disliked the behavior of Duryodhana and cursed him to death in the war due to breaking up of the thighs. King Dhritarashtra repeatedly requested Maitreya Maharishi to ignore the misdeeds of his son and bless him. But Maitreya Maharishi referred the name of Vidura and asked the king to approach him for the clarification of his doubts.

On one occasion Vidura searched for this great sage and approached him to learn the modus of elevation of a soul. Maitreya Maharishi informed Vidura about the secret of his birth and told him that Vidura was born due to the curse of Sage Mandavya. Maitreya Maharishi clarified Vidura on his doubts relating to Rishi Sampradayaanugatam, Purushottama Strotram Shri Mad Bhagavatam.

Bhagavan Vyasa Maharishi desired to test Maitreya when Maitreya Maharishi was in Varanasi. Bhagavan Vyas did not disclose who he is. Bhagavan Vyas was offered food by Maitreya Maharishi. Suddenly on seeing the smiling face of Bhagavan Vyas, Maitreya Maharishi could realize that he is none else than Vyas and requested him to disclose the reason behind his smiling face. Bhagavan Vyas started narrating that Daana – sacrifice – more particularly Annadaana – food offering, is the best of all Danas. Only on account of eating, living beings can retain their physical body and when only the physical body is existent, the astral body can play its role. The offering of Maitreya Maharishi to Bhagavan Vyas is called as Maitreya Biksha.

My dear friends, at the time of leaving this world, the physical body will not be of any help to carry anything physically. Only the deeds which we perform; the deeds which help the society; and the results thereof follow us and that is the only strength which we can gain through this physical body.

There fore let us perform Annadaana to the extent of our capacity – surely not to a belly full person, but certainly to a deserving who knows the value of hunger so that OUR DEEDS AND MONEY GETS QUALIFIED beyond our imagination and that is the only ASSET WE CAN CREATE ON THIS EARTH.

Let us all religiously adapt MAITREYA BIKSHA, while remembering Geetha 18th – 5th Sloka.

I shall be back again soon with the history of another great sage.

Yours affly HARA HARA MAHADEVA DR P V SESHA SAI ASWAMEDHAYAAJI