|| Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 13– The legend of Lord Krishna -  13 – Mahathmayi – The legend of Athmadeva

Yevam  Sapthadhinashchaiva  Sapthagrandhivibhedhanam | Krithva Sa  Dhvadhasha Skandha Shravanath Prethatham Jahau || Dhivyaroopadharo Jathath Thulasidhama Manditha: | Peethavasa Ghanashayamo Mukuti Kundalanvitha: ||

The body undergoes transformation and ruin, the soul have neither birth nor death.  The mind and intellect originated from the soul get attached to the worldly matters and persons, while leaving the mortal coil, the unfinished desires and lust causes rebirth, though Dhundhukari left his body after the sequence of physical pain, his soul attained the form of a spirit. Gokarna who was on a spiritual tour came to know about the death of his brother Dhundhukari, he went to Gaya and performed the final rite for his brother and returned home.  One day, it was the hours of dusk; Gokarna could hear frightening loud cries, a shadow moving around him, assuming various forms like elephant, goat, bull, fire, etc. He sprinkled water from the Kamandalu on the shadow. The spirit spoke “Oh! Bhratha, I am Dhundhukari even though I have achieved a birth in the highest clan of twice-born, I have met a horrible death due to my immoral deeds. Oh! Brother, I have no one other than you; kindly relieve me from the body of spirit.” Gokarna replied “Oh! Brother, I have already performed Gaya Shradham for you, did not that bring liberation to your soul? What should I do to relieve your soul?” The spirit replied “Oh! Brother, if you perform hundreds of Gaya Shraddha I would not get relief from the body of spirit, I have no one to help me out, you are the only one could help me.” Gokarna was an ardent devotee of Lord Surya, underwent meditation, on the next day early hours of dawn, he stopped Lord Surya’s movement and requested “Oh! Lord, kindly advise me how I could liberate the soul of my brother who has attained the body of spirit.” Lord Surya advised Gokarna to recite the glorious Srimad Bhagavath Mahapuran for seven days to liberate the soul from the body of spirit.

Gokarna made arranged for the Sapthahapadanam/recital of Srimad Bhagavath Mahapura for seven consecutive days. Dhundhukari’s soul was invoked inside the bamboo shoot that has seven holes in it, as soon as the spirit entered the shoot the seven holes were closed, at the end of the recital on the first day, one of the holes rips opened, and it repeated the second day as well, thus at the end of the seventh day, all those seven holes on the bamboo shoot were open. A divine form appeared out of the bamboo shoot, adorned in yellow silk garment, dark-complexioned, adorned in Vanamala, Kausthubham, and Srivathsam, magnificent ear ornaments, crown, ornaments on the chest, waist, and feet.  It was Dhundhukari with folded hands revealed his gratitude to Gokarna.  Thus, Dhundhukari attained freedom from the dreadful form of spirit that was roaming consuming heat and air, ultimately attained the divine form of Lord Vishnu at the end of the seventh day of the recital of Srimad Bhagavath Mahapuran.

Whoever recites or listens to the recital of Srimad Bhagavath Mahapuran, would get destroy all their sins instantly.  The human body is impermanent, fastened with several thousand veins, bones, flesh, blood, secretes of waste, undergoes aging, illnesses, depression, body emit a foul smell if it is not washed for a few days, undergoes constant foray of worms inside, and it continues after death as well. The human life is like a water bubble, it is like a fragile creature, therefore while residing in the temporary nature of body, the soul that has immense potential should strive to attain the eternal Bramham.  Whoever listens or recites the glorious scripture for seven days would get liberated from the cycles of repeated births.

|| Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 12– The legend of Lord Krishna -  12 – Mahathmayi – The legend of Athmadeva

Athmadeva brought up the children Dhundhukari and Gokarna affectionately.  Dhundhukari did not show any interest in the spiritual or religious rites, even the basic hygiene he did not follow, he was swollen with pride and anger, he eats meat, steals things from home and others, he harasses the children in the village and throws them in the well, had a demonic nature, associated with the prostitutes.  Once, he looked around for money did not get, once he physically abused his father for money.  Athmadeva was deeply hurt, never expected such an atrocity from his own son, and could not bear the humiliation, he ran out of the house.  On his way, Athmadeva met Gokarna who was pious, highly intellectual, performs all the Dharmic deeds, and has great respect for parents. Gokarna advised his father “ Oh! Father, this body is made of flesh, bones and blood have to ruin one day, do not get anxious about it, kindly leave your body-conscious and attachment to your wife and son, and contemplate upon supreme Lord Hari, read the sacred scripture Srimad Bhagavath Mahapuran and elevate your soul. Therefore, kindly proceed to woods, and conduct austerities and penances contemplating upon supreme Lord.”

Once, Athmadeva left home forever, Dhundhukari brought five prostitutes to his home and started living with them. Dhundhuli opposed the deed of Dhundhukari has to face utter humiliation.  Gokarna decided to leave home, Dhundhuli had to go through rough times, once she had an argument with her son, Dhundhukari abused her physically and forced her to kill herself. Thus, Dhundhuli left her mortal coil jumping into a deep well. Dhundhukari lived a pleasurable life with the prostitutes at home.  One day, the prostitute requested Dhundhukari to bring some ornaments and clothes; he pilfered exquisite ornaments and magnificent clothes from the palace of the King and handed it to the prostitutes.  On that night, the women were gathered in private and expressed their qualms that the Kingsmen would come in search of wealth stolen and it may lead them to get caught unnecessarily.   Finally, they have arrived in the conclusion that if they kill Dhundhukari, the wealth will not get lost, safe in their hands and they can escape from the verdict of imprisonment.  The prostitutes fastened the neck of Dhundhukari with a rope while he was asleep, further they took the burning charcoal and deposited in his mouth and body parts.  Thus, Dhundhukari had an extremely painful death; they buried the corpse in a well and left home. Dhundhukari attained the form of a spirit after death.

|| Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 11– The legend of Lord Krishna -  11 – Mahathmayi – The legend of Athmadeva

Sanathkumara describes the legend of Athmadeva to Rishis and assembled along with Devi Bhakti, Gnana and Vairagya.  There was a twice-born Athmadeva lived on the riverbank of Tungabhadra.   He was pious, honest and performs various Dharmic rites, his wife Dhundhuli was a beautiful woman but wicked natured, this couple had no offspring for a long time.  Thus, several years have passed Athmadeva besieged with extreme distress due to a lack of offspring to perform ancestral rites. He left home and arrived in the woods, decided to commit suicide.  He saw a pond, got on his knees and quenches his thirst. Soon, there arrived a saintly man, Athmadeva rushed to him and prostrated before him; the saintly person enquired the reason for his grief.  Athmadeva replied “ Oh! Sage, my life is futile without an offspring; a house lacks children cannot be addressed as home, what’s the meaning of wealth without a child? What’s the existence of the clan? I have nurtured a cow, that also not giving birth to a calf if I nurture plantain, that will not yield flowers or fruits if I nurture rooted vegetables, that will not bear flowers or vegetables.  Oh! Mahatma, my life has become monotonous without a child; therefore kindly bless me to have a child.”

Yathi spoke “Oh! Vipra, listen to me carefully, I could read your destiny and predict that for another seven births you will not have a child.” Athmadeva became inconsolable, Yathi advised him “Oh! Vipra, haven’t heard the legend of King Chithrakethu who grieved over a child? Therefore, contemplate upon the supreme Lord and elevate your soul, eventually, you will get rid of sorrows.” Athmadeva was adamant, not willing to leave the Yathi, announced his death before him, which would bring Bhramahathya sin to Yathi.  Yathi intervened and put a halt to his deed, decided to fulfill the desire of Athmadeva, underwent meditation and handed a fruit to him and instructed to give it to his wife.  Athmadeva was extremely happy, Yathi advised him to instruct his wife to follow extreme austerities during the period of pregnancy, take limited meals, not engage in unwanted talks, meditate upon supreme Lord, and  follow Sathyam/truth, Shaucham/austerities, Dhaya/kindness, Dhanam/charities, Bhakti/devotion, and serve meals to the devotee of Lord and perform all those righteous deeds to have a virtuous son.

Athmadeva returned home happily and handed the fruit to his wife Dhundhuli, and advised her to follow strict austerities to attain a virtuous son.  Dhundhuli who is extremely wicked and deceitful, mentally prepared to discard the fruit at once, she had a talk with her attendant about it, the fruit would bring the child in her womb, she could not eat meals comfortably as she wants, the limited meals and austerities would cause extreme tiredness and spoil her attractiveness.  She expressed her fear of not able to move around with the big stomach, she remembered the story of Shukha who lived twelve years in mothers’ womb that created intense trepidation. Dhundhuli had no faith in the Yathi, do not want to risk her image and appearance.  She expressed her impious opinion to her companion that the most fortunate ones in the world are the widow and childless women.  Finally, she decided to discard the fruit; luckily she had her sister who was pregnant with a child for the sixth time appeared before her.  Dhundhuli discussed her problem with her sister who was already having the trouble of five children at home and they mutually agreed to shift the child born to her to Dhundhuli.  Thus, Dhundhuli agreed to adopt her sister’s child without the knowledge of her husband Athmadeva, in return Dhundhuli would offer some money for the child to her sister.  The sisters decided to feed the fruit to the cow, thus Dhundhuli put the finest drama before her husband and fooled him.  In due course of time, the child born to her sister was transferred to Dhundhuli, thus she announced the birth of the child, Athmadeva was extremely happy.  He invited several twice-born in the village and fed them with a sumptuous meal and offered an abundance of contributions.  The child was named Dhundhukari, in the meantime, the cow that ate the fruit became pregnant and gave birth to a male child with the ear of the cow named ‘Gokarna’.

|| Srimad Bhagavath Mahapuran||

|| Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 20 – The legend of Athmadeva

Sutha Pauranika describes the legend of Athmadeva,  a pious Brahmin who lived with his wife Dhundhuli on the river banks of Thungabadhra.  Athmadeva and Dhundhuli had no children after several years of marriage; he was distressed to think of the end of his clan and absence of offspring to perform ancestral rites.  He witnessed even the trees and shrubs in his home are not giving fruits or flowers, his cow was not given calves.   His wife Dhunduli was not a pleasing woman, she had no belief in religious rites, and she was wicked and greedy.  One day Athmadeva set his travel to the woods, where he met a Yogi and revealed his pathetic state.  The saintly person advised Athmadeva to remain contented with his present life.  But Athmadeva was yearning for a child, so the Yogi gave a divine fruit and advised him to give to his wife so that she could conceive with a child.  Athmadeva prostrated before the Yogi and returned home extremely happy.  He handed the fruit to his wife Dhunduli who was not happy with the idea of conceiving a child which could spoil her physical attractiveness.  She had no faith in the divine fruit, so she handed the fruit to his sister who was already pregnant with a child, eventually, her sister fed the cow with the fruit in their home.  The two sisters had an agreement; Dhundhuli would keep the child born to her sister and share all her wealth with the child born to her.  Her sister was immensely pleased with the idea and offered her help to look after the child. 

The two sisters returned to their maternal home for delivery.  In due course of time, Dhundhuli’s sister gave birth to a child; in the meantime, the cow in the house of Athmadeva also given birth to a human child who had ear resembles the ear of a cow.  Dhundhuli returned home after the delivery with the child of her sister was named Dhundhukari.  The child born to the cow was named Gokarna who has the ear resembles a cow.  The two children grew up together in different ways, Gokarna was pious like his father Athmadeva, Dhundhukari has grown wicked and selfish like his mother Dhundhuli.  Athmadeva who was leaving home was stopped by Gokarnna and said " Oh! Father, where are you leaving? why are you leaving? "  Athmadeva said " Son, I am leaving this material world, I am fed of this life.  I was not willing to listen to the Yogi who advised me to be content with what I have.  I  was asked for boon and brought Dhundhukari in this world, and others are going through the atrocities of him. "  Gokarna who had supreme wisdom advised his father " Oh! Father, contemplate upon supreme Lord, we are guests in this material world.  We have to leave this world anytime.  The soul is different from the body, it has to leave once the Karma is over, therefore do not feel desperate.  We are travellers in the world of Samsara conducts journey together and once the Karma is over, we have to return to our destination, therefore do not keep attachments with your co-travellers like wife, children and relatives, live with peace and generosity while living in this world, do not keep any attachments.  Therefore contemplate upon the supreme Lord who resides as a soul in the living beings."   Thus, the atrocities of Dhundhukari forced Athmadeva to return to the woods; he undertook extreme austerities and Tapasya and attained Moksha.  Dhundhuli had to undergo mental and physical tortures of her son and she also left her mortal coil.  Gokarna left for spiritual tour.  Dhundukari got into the association of morally wrong people; he committed various sins, put himself into danger and had accidental death.   After death, Dhundhukari attained the form of a spirit and wandered all over.

Gokarna who was leading a righteous life in the village came to know about the unexpected death of his brother Dhundukari and performed his final rites in Gaya.  One night, he could hear somebody forcefully knocking at his door.  He went to check and found no one at the door, all he could witness was fog like a form before him; it was his brother Dhundukari who had attained the form of a spirit.  Dhundhukari desperately asked for help from Gokarna to get released from the body of the spirit.   Gokarna felt pity on his brother and promised that he would do something to get relief for him.  The next day, while performing the sun worship, Gokarna appealed to Lord Surya to advise him to resolve his brother’s problem, Lord Surya advised reciting Srimad Bhagavatha Mahapuran.  A grand recital program of Srimad Bhagavatham was organized, Dhundhukari was invoked in a bamboo shoot with seven holes, and at the end of the everyday recitation, one of the eyes of bamboo shoot thirst opened as a sign that Dhundhukari getting relief from his state of spirit.  At the end of the seventh day of recitation, Dhundhukari attained liberation.