Home/Bhaktachintamani/Chapters

Bhaktachintamani Prakaran 24

Read the whole text

Hasmukh Patadia

Gujarati narration
Auto-continues · 164 in section
1×
Reading

That much has been told; now hear, all you wise ones, the story that follows, with pure understanding and a mind full of joy.

Whoever holds in their heart, with great love, the deeds of Hari Krishna, even if they be one steeped in the five great sins, shall at once be purified.

Such is this unparalleled glory; the fortunate shall hear it with their ears. Now hear attentively the story that follows.

Premavati, called "the devoted mother" (Bhakti), her name was threefold. Austerity's heat had entered her body, and now at last she found relief.

On the eighth day of the bright half of Kartik, the mother fell ill that day. Her body, made frail through vows and austerities, had grown exceedingly weak.

Her form was as delicate as a flower, exceedingly tender, unable to bear hardship. Seeing this, her eldest son made efforts, applying remedies and medicines.

Many kinds of treatment were tried, but not one of them took effect. Then the Lord reflected: "Her body will not endure much longer with certainty.

I shall give her spiritual knowledge this very moment, mother, by which suffering is instantly dispelled." Then Hari said, "Listen, mother, giving me your undivided attention to my words.

These are words found in the true scriptures, giving happiness at such a time as this: this Maya of mine, in the form of birth and death, brings sorrow to all.

The followers of Panchratra and Sankhya-yoga say this; believe it, mother dear. So through knowledge, detachment, and dharma, joined with devotion to Krishna, one attains liberation.

There is no other means to end all sorrow but this." Hearing these words of her son, the mother reflected within her mind.

"All that Markandeya had told - all of this now has come to pass. It was told that Hari is beyond price - there is nothing mistaken in that.

And it was also told that in Vrindavan..." - all of this she recalled in her mind. Then, recognizing her son as Shri Krishna himself, she became humble and spoke:

"I have come to take refuge in you. Give me your best counsel. You spoke of knowledge and detachment, and of devotion joined with dharma and good fortune -

explain to me their divisions in proper order, with great love, O Hari. And also tell me, out of compassion, the true nature of a genuine sadhu, giving me happiness."

Thus Premavati asked with love, and then Hari, of supreme wisdom, spoke. As the ninth night passed into the fourth watch, Ghanshyam spoke to his mother.

To give his mother the gift of knowledge, he recited the Hari Gita to her. He gave enlightenment in five parts, which increases joy in whoever hears it.

It has five chapters. In the first chapter he told: devotion joined with one's own dharma arises through the company of a sadhu.

He explained and showed the characteristics of such a sadhu right there. In the second chapter he explained the dharma of the varnas and ashramas (stages of life), showing its essence.

In the third chapter he told his mother the knowledge of the individual soul (jivatma), and further explained knowledge of the Supreme Self, Shri Krishna, in answer to her question.

In the fourth chapter he told, in a manner giving happiness, the unparalleled nature of detachment (vairagya), and all the means by which such detachment arises.

In the fifth chapter he explained, thoughtfully, the ninefold divisions of devotion. Thus through these five chapters, Hari gave his mother complete instruction.

Having thus recited the Hari Gita in this way, the mother listened to it with her own ears. Then the mother spoke to her son: "Listen, Hari, my Lord, to my words.

You told me to hold devotion to Krishna with great love. You yourself are that very Krishna, my son - we have recognized this with certainty.

The one called Krishna who dwells in Goloka - you have become he, in the name of Hari. O Lord, through your very words, all my doubts have been dispelled and have vanished.

My mind has become fixed upon you, and it has been freed from the fear of Time and Maya. Now I go to your abode" - saying this, she found rest.

Then she held meditation upon the Lord, and through it forgot all bodily awareness. As she did so, the sun rose, and then the Lord went to bathe.

Then, having performed his daily rites and duties, the Lord came to the fire-chamber (agnishala). At that moment the mother beheld the Lord within her own heart.

His face was joyful, his form radiant, his hair bound in a fine topknot. His face shone like the light of the moon, his eyes like fresh-blossomed lotuses.

His dark-cloud-hued body was beautiful; he wore a loincloth beneath a covering garment. Upon his shoulder he held a white cloth, and around his neck two lovely garlands.

Five sacred marks (urdhva-pundras) adorned him, pure and holy, and he wore a white sacred thread. Her mind became fixed upon this divine form, and she experienced great inner joy.

Then she beheld her own soul (atma), a boundless expanse of light upon light. That which illumines the mind, the life-breath, the senses, the qualities, and the body -

such was the radiance of her own soul, which merged in play with Brahman itself. And within that light of Brahman, the mother beheld Hari, that very Krishna, directly.

Charming and beautiful, dark as a raincloud - beholding his beauty, millions of Kamadevs (gods of love) would feel shame. With the brilliance of millions upon millions of moons, light shone from every part of his form.

His garments shone like gold, and his waist-belt was studded with jewels. A peacock-feather crown set with gems adorned his head, and fish-shaped earrings, as they are described.

Around his neck was the Kaustubha gem on a chain, and countless strings of pearls adorned him. Rings and bracelets shone upon his raised hands, and armlets and chain ornaments adorned him.

Beautiful anklets adorned his feet, in the tender grace of youth. Sandal paste was applied, garlands worn, and floral wreaths and bouquets adorned him beyond measure.

He wore the beautiful Vaijayanti garland, which made him appear all the more lovely. His flute shone beautifully - such was the divine dancer (Natvar) the mother beheld.

Beholding him, the mother-in-honor was filled with joy; then she saw him also as a brahmachari (celibate student). "Krishna is Hari, Hari is that very Krishna" - such was the vision that came to the mother.

Then, folding her hands, becoming humble, mother Rai (Premavati) spoke to Krishna. She offered praise, saying: "Blessed, blessed, O Krishna, Lord Hari!

You who protect the sadhus, the gods, and true dharma, you who are the complete Brahman - blessed, blessed, O Krishna, Lord Hari!

You are also the protector of brahmins and cows - blessed, blessed, O Krishna, Lord Hari! To protect your own devotees, O merciful one, you have come from Goloka,

becoming my son to be my support - blessed, blessed, O Krishna, Lord Hari! And to dispel the darkness of ignorance, like the sun,

you have ever upheld the exclusive path of dharma (Ekantik Dharma) - blessed, blessed, O Krishna, Lord Hari! With one hand you grant boons, with the other you establish fearlessness,

bearer of the name that burns away the forest of sin - blessed, blessed, O Krishna, Lord Hari! To destroy false and hypocritical religion, you have manifested as the king of the wise -

the very limit of happiness for those who take refuge in you - blessed, blessed, O Krishna, Lord Hari! You are the treasury of knowledge, devotion, and detachment, and of boundless dharma including nonviolence -

so many virtues are in you - blessed, blessed, O Krishna, Lord Hari! You are the incarnate one of unfathomable form, now remaining in the guise of a merchant's son."

Thus the mother offered praise. In this way, with love and devotion, she offered supplication before that divine form.

She bowed in reverence again and again - "Blessed, blessed, O Krishna, Lord Hari!" Saying this, she gave up her body, her mind fixed upon the form of Shri Krishna.

Thus abandoning her body in devotion, Premavati attained a divine body. Leaving this body with great joy, she remained in the company of Shraddha and the other twelve (attendant virtues/goddesses).

The curse of Durvasa was thereby lifted, and she obtained the very body she had had before. In the year Samvat eighteen hundred forty-eight,

on the tenth day of the bright half of Kartik, on a beautiful Saturday morning, the mother then gave up her body.

Then her relatives took up the body and performed the cremation rites according to proper procedure. Then Ramprataap, the wise one, performed the rites as prescribed by scripture.

Then Hari came to regard the wife of his elder brother as his mother, and she showed him great love. His sister-in-law (bhabhi) held him with great affection, cherishing Hari deeply in every way.

She would feed him daily and eat only afterward herself; whatever he said, she would bear with patience. If he was away from her even half a moment, she would grow restless without seeing him.

She held great love also for his younger brother, never eating or drinking while forgetting him. If he went out to play, she would grow anxious, unable to find peace until she saw him.

Hari himself was exceedingly free of desire, holding no attachment to food or drink. His modesty, contentment, and great saintliness marked him as the very embodiment of austerity and renunciation.

His father had also given her this instruction: "Take great care of him. He gives no thought to his own body's needs - you must be his guardian and protector."

Thus in the Bhaktachintamani, composed by Nishkulanand Muni, disciple of Shri Sahajanand Swami, the establisher of the exclusive path of devotion, ends the twenty-fourth chapter, named "The Departure of Bhakti (Bhakti's Passing)."

Shree Swaminarayan Temple, Bhuj-Kutch / Vadtal Gadi, AI-translated, unverified · Source details