||Sri Ram Jaya Ram Jaya Jaya Ram||

 

Chapter -19 - Uththarakandam

Sage Bhushundi describes the evilness of the Kali era and its merits as well/Kakabhushundi meeting with a scholarly Bhramin in Ujjain

Sage Bhushundi speaks “Oh! Pakshishwara, listen to me, in this Kali era, 39) there will be evilness of deceitfulness, untruthfulness, ill fame, adamancy, enmity, disbelief, pride, endless desire, lust, and haughtiness, these would overpower the entire Universe. 40) The humans will undertake Japa, Thapa, Yoga, Yaga, Vratham, Dhanam, and austerities to fulfill their personal desires, and in this way they earn sins.41) There will be the scarcity of rain; the seeds will not provide its fruit.  42)The woman folks take great interest in the hairdos and eat more than that required to maintain their health, they take great pleasure in worldly interests, even though they face a shortage of money and difficulties in taking care of the family, they constantly chase after the pleasure to appease their senses, won’t be considered as Dharmathma, they do not follow any righteous deeds, narrow-minded, selfish, and not soft-hearted as the way it should be. 43)The men will undergo various illnesses, will not have any happiness or peace in their lives, they will be swollen with pride and keep enmity with others, their life span will be short, not more than fifty years. 44) The men will have the misconception that they will live till the end of Kalpa and take pride in the material welfare and bondage. 45) Kali era drives humans to insane, they will not respect women folks, be it mother, sister, wife, or daughter. 46)No one will have knowledge of goodness and evil, peace, or happiness.  47)All the Varnnas engage in begging for alms, throw abusive languages on each other, jealous and greedy at each other. 48)There will be no equality among the people; all are snowed down with the pain of sorrows of separation, and depression. 49)No one will follow Varnna and Ashrama Dharma or Sadhacharas/disciplines and morals,  50)there will be no trace of self-control, Dhanam, Dhaya, Gnanam, and there will be the rush of Vyamoha, and wickedness.51) The male and females will take great pleasure in decorating their bodies, and feed it with various things to present it attractive. 52)The people will take great pleasure in disrespecting or disgracing others. Oh! Sarppashathro, the Kali era is a storehouse of impurities and immoral deeds, but this era has a benefit too. In this Kali era, Mokshaprapthi is easily attainable. In the previous three Yugas of Kritha, Thretha, and Dwaparayuga,  people engaged in Tapas, Yaga and worship of deities respectively, in this Kali era no such deeds are required, mere remembrance of Harinama would provide Moksha to the Jeeva.”

 

Sage Kakabhushundi speaks “Oh! Pakshiraja, In Krithayuga people, was Yogi, wise and learned, therefore they undertook extreme penances and austerities/ Tapa, contemplating upon Lord Hari and crossed the worldly existence. In the Threthayuga, people engaged in various Yaga/fire sacrifices, and surrendered all those deeds at the lotus feet of Prabhu, and attained Moksha. In the Dwaparayuga people engaged in the veneration of Sagunaswaroopa/Sagunopasana, and crossed the ocean of worldly existence. Oh! Sarppashathro, In the Kali era, mere remembering and reciting the glorious names and legends of Prabhu, singing in praise of him would help the Jeeva to cross the unfathomable ocean of worldly existence. Oh! Garuda, therefore in the Kali era there is not much help with the Yoga, Yaga, and Gnana, other than singing in praise and listening to the glorious legends of Rama. Hence, whoever engages in the constant contemplation and meditation of Prabhu and singing in praise of his glorious would easily cross the worldly existence. Kali era stands for the ‘Namaprabhava’/significance of the sacred names of the Lord. There is one more merit in this Kali era, the Manasika Puja/worship of favorite deities in their own hearts would provide an abundance of merits, and it would remove the sins. The Kaliyuga cannot be compared with the other Yugas, in this Yuga singing in praise of the virtues of Rama, the Jeeva could easily cross the ocean of worldly existence.”

 

Sage Kakabhushundi continues “There are four feet for Dharma, and one in the Kali era has very important to it, the performance of charities helps to achieve the Athmakalyan/piousness. Oh! Pakshiraja, these four Yugas are initiated from the Maya of that Prabhu reflects on the Dharma as well as Thrigunas in the Jeeva. In the Krita Yuga, the Sathvik nature resembles peace; serenity, happiness, and wisdom were predominant. In the Thretha Yuga, there was little rise of Rajoguna along with the Sathvik nature, Karmavasana, and interest in comforts were the characteristics of Thretha Yuga. In the Dwaparayuga, there was little Sathvik, and more and more Rajasik and a little bit of Thamasik nature prevailed in this Yuga, therefore the mixture of happiness and fear was more visible. In the Kali Yuga, enormous Thamasik, and a little bit of Rajasik and enmity and conflicts are predominant. The wise and learned who has the knowledge of the nature of the Yugas, abandon the Adharma and follows the Dharma, therefore the Kala or Dharma won’t affect the worshiper who is sincerely devoted to the lotus feet of Sri Ramachandra. Oh! Pakshiraja, magicians perform intricate tricks to fool the audiences, but it won’t work with the people who are with the magician. The goodness and evilness of Maya of Sri Hari are impossible to get rid without contemplating the virtues of him; therefore Jeeva should understand this fact, leaving all the desire they have to take shelter at his lotus feet.”

 

Sage Kakabhushundi speaks “Oh! Pakshiraja, it was one of the Kali eras, I have taken birth in the Ayodhya, live there for several years, there was a sudden outbreak of famine so I had to move out from Ayodhya. Oh! Sarppashathro, I have become pathetic, penniless, and distressed went to Ujjain, and earned some wealth, and conducted the worship of Lord Shambhu. There was a twice-born, an ardent devotee of  Lord Shiva, engaged in the worship of the Lord according to Vedic rites in a shrine, he has no other work, he was poor and highly knowledgeable, had great reverence for Lord Sri Hari too. I served that twice-born with a selfish motive, that twice-born was innocent and honest, he trusted me and he considered me as his son and gave Manthroupadhesha to worship Lord Shambhu and taught me various lessons. I have been so arrogant and proud, went to the shrine of Lord Shiva, and practiced the Manthropadhesha given by the Bhramin. I was born in the lowly clan, impure, wicked, had a dislike towards the devotee of Lord Srihari and twice-born, my preceptor was very sad to watch my behavior, advised me several times, I did not follow his advice, it irritates me, will it taste good the advice of a Sadhu to wicked? One day, my preceptor called me and taught me lessons from Neethishashtra, and spoke “Oh! Son, the worship of Lord Shiva would provide devotion at the lotus feet of Srihari, Oh! Thatha, Lord Bhrama, and Lord Shiva worship that supreme Lord Rama, therefore needless to say about the ordinary people like us. Oh! Unfortunate one, do you think the enmity towards the devotees of Lord Hari would bring goodness to you? Lord Shiva is the fervent devotee and a sincere servant of Lord Sri Hari.” Oh! Pakshiraja, I got thoroughly annoyed listening to the comment about Lord Shiva, as I was born in the lowly clan, the meager knowledge that I have attained worked like the serpent served with the milk. I have decided to humiliate my preceptor for his truthful comment, but my preceptor was extremely kind and blameless, began to advise me more and more. Oh! Pakshiraja, a wicked person would make all efforts to kill or destroy the person, who brought progress to him, Oh! Thatha, listen to me, the smoke comes out of the fire, later it takes shelter in the sky and causes downpour and put off the fire. The dust on the street treated with hatred, wind raises the dust in the sky, later it would fall on the eyes or on the crown of the King. The learned have the knowledge, so they will abandon the companionship with the Dhurjjana. The wise and intellectuals say that do not make friends or fight with a wicked, it is always good to keep the wicked people out of reach, and they should consider dogs. As I was born Shudra, wicked and deceitful I have considered all those promising advice of my preceptor are not related to me.”