||Sri Ram Jaya Ram Jaya Jaya Ram||

 

Chapter -22 - Uththarakandam

 

Sage Kakabhushundi recommends the Haribhakthi and Namasmaran as the supreme method to cross the ocean of worldly existence

 

Lord Mahadeva speaks “ Oh! Uma, whoever devoted at the lotus feet of Lord Sri Ramachandra, and free from Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Madha, Moha and Mathshcharya, and realizes the all-pervasive nature of the Supreme Lord would achieve admiration.”

 

Sage Kakabhushundi speaks “Oh! Garuda, Sage Lomasha cannot be blamed for the curse on me, the Maya of Raghupathi persuaded the Sage. That supreme Lord Kripasindhu was testing my devotion by covering the intellect of Sage Lomasha with his Maya. Prabhu understood that I am a sincere servant of him with words, mind, and deeds, soon Sage Lomasha regained his serenity and Sage highly praised my devotion at the feet of Prabhu, he regretted about the sudden rush of anger, once again called me, he pacified me and showered an abundance of affection, and whispered the sacred ‘Ramamanthra’ on my ears. The compassionate Sage advised me to contemplate upon the childhood form of that supreme Lord. Sage described the marvelous form of that divine child, I have already narrated to you. Sage Lomasha advised me to stay in his hermitage for some time, he advised the entire legend of ‘Sri Ramcharitha Manas’ and spoke to me affectionately “Oh! Puthra, I have come to know the highly confidential and beautiful pond of Ramacharitha, from Lord Mahadeva. I have narrated everything about this mesmerizing Ramcharitha Manas, to you; I know that you are a passionate devotee of Supreme Lord Rama. It should not be recited in front of the people who have no devotion to that Lord Rama,” Maharishi Lomasa advised several confidential philosophies of supreme Lord, before leaving him, I reverentially prostrated before him, he affectionately patted on my body and blessed “You will have sincere devotion at the lotus feet of Supreme Lord Rama. You would become beloved of Rama, you are the storehouse of virtues, wisdom, knowledge, Virakthi and you are free from impurities, you are capable to change your form according to your wish, you will be free from Janana and Marana.  The place and its surroundings of one Yojana of your stay would be sanctified, and remain free from ignorance. You will not get affected by the grief of Kala, Karma, Guna, Dhosha, and Swabhava.  All those glorious legends of Rama narrated in the Ithihasa, Purana, and all those confidential philosophies in the sacred texts would remain in your intellect forever. The flame of devotion at the feet of Lord Rama would brighten always, whatever you desire would be fulfilled with the grace of that Prabhu.”

 

Sage Kakabhushundi continues “Oh! Garuda, listen to me, at that moment there was a divine voice heard in the sky, that affirmed the predictions of the Mahajjyani Sage Lomasha, I have got relieved from the misconceptions, and I repeatedly prostrated before the Sage Lomasha and returned to this hermitage. I am living in this hermitage for the past twenty-seven Kalpa, singing in praise of the splendor of Raghupathi and all those wise birds would come and listen to it. Whenever that supreme Lord incarnate as Raghuram in the sacred city of Ayodhya, I would go and live in that city and take great pleasure in watching the various amusements of that divine child, and I fix my heart in the Balaram and return to my hermitage. I have narrated how did I attain the form of a crow, I think I have answered all your queries; the splendor of Sri Rama is beyond description. This is also one of the reasons I would love to appear as a crow, I have achieved intense devotion at the lotus feet of Rama with the body of a crow, I have attained the Dharshan of that divine child in Ayodhya and all my misperceptions got disappeared with the same form. I have strongly recommended the Bhakti marga and I got a curse from Sage Lomasha, later it provided the highest of the spiritual achievements which are difficult to achieve even for the Rishis and Sages. I strongly believe that Namasmaran is the greatest way to get rid of miseries and sorrows of the worldly existence. The people who are engaged in search of Gnanamarga are dull-minded, leaving the Kamadhenu like Bhakthimarga, considered as an unfruitful effort, as same as leaving the Kamadhenu and chasing an animal with tail for milking. Oh! Pakshiraja, listen to me, whoever adopt various practices, leaving the practice of devotion/HariBhakthi, are dull-minded, it is like an effort to cross the ocean without the help of a ferry.” Lord Mahadeva speaks “Oh! Bhavani, Garuda was highly pleased with the advice of the Sage Bhushundi”.