|| Sri Ram Jaya Ram Jaya Jaya Ram ||

Chapter -11 - Uththara Kandam

Lord Shiva's life after Devi Sati's demise in Yogagni / Lord Shiva's meeting with the crow Kakabhushundi in Nilgiris/ The meeting between Garuda and Maharishi Narada 

Prabhu who is most promising and ocean of mercy, with his brothers and Hanuman, conducted a visit to the outer areas of the city of Ayodhya and performed charities of an abundance of horses, elephants, and chariots. Thus, Prabhu who removes the exhaustion of others has become tired, entered into a mangrove to get some cool air, found a huge mango tree, and prepared to take a seat beneath it.  Soon, Bharatha spread his upper clothe under the shade of the tree, Prabhu took a seat on it, brothers and Vayuputhra fanned him and shed tears. Lord Shiva speaks “Oh! Girija, there is no one in the Universe fortunate than Vayuputhra, and there is no one has the Ananyabhakthi like Vayuputhra at the lotus feet of Prabhu. There were several times Prabhu praised the sincerity and devotion of him. At that moment, Maharishi Narada arrived in the mangrove; he beautifully sang in praise of the Lord and playing melodious music on his Veena. Maharishi Narada eulogizes “Oh! Pankajalochana, Chinthavimochan, kindly shower your grace on us, Oh! Hare, who has dark cloud complexioned and lovely appearance, you are the honey bee that takes extreme pleasure in the lotus-like heart of Kamari, you are the destroyer of the clan of demons, you are the source of happiness to the ascetics, and noble-souls, you are the remover of the accumulated sins of Jeeva. You are most promising to the twice-born, like the rain clouds to the shrunken paddy field, Oh! Prabho, Dheenabhando, you are the shelter place of the distressed people, you have destroyed the wicked demons, Khara, Dhooshana, Thrishirass, and fourteen thousands of demons and reduced the burden of the Mother Earth. Oh! Anandaroopa, Oh! Ravanashathro, illustrious among the kings, resembles full moon to the lotus-like famous clan of Raghu, Victory to you! Your splendor is known to Veda, Agama and Shastras, Tantras, and scriptures, and it is constantly recited in the assemblies of deities and ascetics, Rishis and Sages. Oh! Kosaladheesha, you remove the impurities in the Jeeva, your names are capable to remove Kalimala and Samsarabandhana. Oh! Lord of Tulsidas, kindly protects your devotees.” In this way, Maharishi Narada highly praised Prabhu who is the ocean of beauty and returned to Bhramaloka.

Lord Shiva speaks “Oh! Girija, I have described a few of the glorious legends of that supreme Lord Rama according to my intellect, there are several thousands and crores of marvelous legends of Prabhu, it is numberless, cannot be explained by Veda or Devi Sharadha. Rama is Anantha, and his glorious myths are endless. His incarnation as the son of King Dhasharatha and Devi Kausalya, his various childhood amusements, and sacred names are endless. It would be possible to count the raindrops and sands on the Earth, but it is impossible to describe his glories. These glorious myths are capable to transport the devotees to his Paramdhama, it provides intense devotion at his lotus feet, Oh! Uma, I have narrated all those legends which are explained by Sage Kakabhushundi to Garuda, Oh! Bhavani, I have described the virtues of Lord Rama, let me know what would you like to hear from me?”

Devi Parvathi got highly pleased after listening to the marvelous Harikatha, she spoke in a soft and melodious voice “ Oh! Thripurari, I am satisfied and contented, after listening to the glorious myths of Lord Sri Rama who removes the fears and anxieties of worldly existence. Oh! Karunasindho, I have attained fruitfulness of my life with your grace, I have no desires left in me. I have understood the Chidhanandaswaroopa of Lord Rama and his splendor. Oh! Natha, I think am not satisfied yet with those nectar-like glorious myths of Rama, heard from your mouth resembles lustrous Chandra. Oh! Prabho, the people who feel satisfied after listening to the glorious legends of Rama, does not know the taste of it. The Jeevanmukthas and ascetics constantly listen to the splendor of Rama.  The Harikatha is the sturdy ferry for those who want to cross the ocean of Samsara, even the people who are soaked in material welfare and bondage takes great pleasure in it, and it provides immense bliss to Jeeva. Who is not get satisfied with the glorious legends of Raghupathi? The person who is not attracted to Harikatha is dead alive, dull-minded, and Athmaghathi as well. Oh! Prabho, I have thoroughly enjoyed the Haricharitha like Manasasaras beautifully sung by you.  Oh! Prabho, you have mentioned that it was described by Sage Kakabhushundi to Garuda, as of my knowledge Sage Kakabhushundi is the symbol of Virakthi, Gnana and Vignana, have intense faith and devotion at the lotus feet of Rama, I have a doubt to clear with you, how did Sage Kakbhushundi who has the body of crow, worshipped Lord Raghuram? Oh! Thripurari, the Veda pronounce that 1) The one in thousands of people follow the Dharmic way of living, and 2) The one in one crore of Dharmasheela would refrain from sensual pleasures and material welfare, and continue to be Viraktha and Vairagin, 3) The one in crores of Vairagin would attain the supreme wisdom, and 4) The one in crores of wise becomes Jeevanmuktha. 5) The one in thousands will be the Mahajjyani and immersed in Bhramam, Oh! Sureshwara, it is difficult to find a person who is  Dharmasheela, Virakatha, Jjyani, Jeevanmuktha, Bhramaleen, free from Madham and Maya, and take great pleasure in the devotion to Lord Rama. Oh! Vishwanatha, kindly elaborate how did the crow attain such an intense devotion at the lotus feet of Srihari. Oh! Prabho, how did Sage Kakabhushundi who has supreme devotion at the lotus feet of Rama, Gnani, the storehouse of virtues, and firm minded attained the body of a crow. Oh! Prabho, how did that crow achieved the glorious legends of Rama? Oh! Kamari, how did you happen to listen to him? I feel extremely mysterious listening to it. Garuda is the symbol of the storehouse of virtues and wisdom; he is a sincere attendant of Srihari and lives in the abode of that Lord. Why Garuda did choose Kakabhushundi, leaving all those intellectuals, ascetics, Rishis and Sages to listen to the stories of Rama? Crow and Garuda are devotees of Srihari, how did they happen to communicate?”

Lord Mahadeva was highly pleased listening to the innocent, intelligent, and beautiful words of Gauri, spoke affectionately “ Oh! Sathi, you are the fortunate one, your purpose to enquire all those have to purify the Jeevas. You have intense devotion at the lotus feet of Sri Ramachandra, so I shall narrate the glorious legend of Prabhu, that would take away all the Maya/hallucination, interest in material welfare and bondage, it would multiply the devotion to Rama, finally, the Jeeva could easily cross the ocean of worldly existence at ease. Oh! Uma, even the Pakshiraja had the same qualms to clear with the Sage Kakabhushundi, listen to me carefully, Oh! Sumukhi, Oh! Sulochana, I shall describe the incident when did I meet Kakabhushundi and happen to listen to the glorious legend of Rama which is Samsaramochini.”

Lord Mahadeva speaks “Oh! Devi, you have born to Dhakshaprajapathi, with the name Devi Sathi, you have faced humiliation from him in a grand Yaga, eventually, you have sacrificed life in Yogagni in extreme rage, further my attendants destroyed the Yaga of Daksha, you are well aware of all those. Oh! Priye, I have sunk in deep distress due to the grief of separation from you, I have been wandering all over the Earth, and spend life in the woods, beautiful hills, mountains, streams, and rivers, but I did not get peace of mind. There is a beautiful mountain Neelgiri on the northern side of Sumeru, it has four golden branches of peaks that provided some kind of peace in me.   The four beautiful peaks were the abode of four kinds of huge trees of Vatavruksha, Peepal, Palasha, and mango, there was a beautiful pond decorated gem-studded stone steps has cool and crystal clear water with the sweetness, crowded with the cluster of lotus flowers, was the dwelling place of the pack of swans, and buzzing honey bees, lures the hearts of everyone was the dwelling place of Sage Kakabhushundi. This mountain is free from the evil and good effects of Maya, free from Moham/lust, Kama/desire, and Agnana/ignorance. Oh! Uma, listen to me, the crow/Kakabhushundi spends its time devoted at the lotus feet of Lord Srihari, it undertakes Dhyana under the shade of Peepal, it performs Japayajja under the shade of Palasha and performs Manasapooja of Prabhu under the shade of Mango tree, it has nothing to do other than perform Haribhajan, it conducts regular discourses under the shade of Vatavruksha, and there will be a huge number of birds and swans as listeners. Kakabhushundi sings various legends in praise of Hari, and the swans lived in the ponds took great pleasure in it. I have arrived in this place, and it captivated my heart and I have assumed the form of Swan and lived in the pond listening to the Kakabhushundi, in this way I have spent several years in the association of the Sage and returned to Mount Kailash.”

Lord Mahadeva continues “Oh! Girija, this is how I met the Kakabhushundi, I will describe how did the crow meet Garuda. There was a vicious battle that took place between Raghunatha and Meghanath, in that Prabhu performed an amusement, I feel sad to remember all those, Prabhu made himself got tide with the Nagapasha shot by Meghanath. At that moment, Maharishi Narada instructed Garuda to go to Ragunatha and remove the Nagapasha. Garuda rushed to the site and got freed the Prabhu from it, while returning he experienced deep grief, and thought “Prabhu is all-pervasive, unconquerable, Vairagin, supreme Bhramam, Vageeshwara, free from illusions, and Parameshwara took birth on Earth to reduce her burden. I did not see any divinity in him, whose name relieves the bondage of the worldly existence of Jeeva, could not get himself out of the Nagapasha, how did he get fasten to it by a Kshudra Rakshasa?.” Garuda immersed in deep thought to find out the truth of the mysterious happening, but his wisdom did not come to help him, he was confused, with different conflicts and doubts in minds, besieged with intense grief. He approached Maharishi Narada and confessed before him and requested to remove his qualm. Maharishi Narada felt sorry for Garuda and advised “Oh! Garuda listen to me carefully, the Maya of Lord Rama is so powerful, it would easily persuade the mind of the highly intelligent ones, and it would cover up their intellect with the clouds like desire, Oh! Pakshiraja, that powerful Maya persuaded me several times had caught hold of you, you have given space to sprout Mahamoha in your mind, that won’t die with my words, therefore go and meet Lord Bhrama and speak to him.” In this way, the highly intelligent Narada pacified Garuda, and kept moving to contemplate and singing in praise of Lord Sri Hari and remembering his unconquerable Maya.”