||Srimad Bhagavath Mahapuran||

||Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 37– The Legend of Druva - The glorious Druvasthuthi

Druva eulogizes the glories of the Supreme Lord who resides as soul and protects it in three states known as awakening, sleeping, and dreaming "I shall prostrate before the supreme Lord who is the protector of the soul. You are all per-vading, I have realized your presence in everything; I shall surrender at your lotus feet.  How can I forget you? You are the safest asylum of all the living beings.  You are the closest associate of the distressed souls.  Oh! Bhagavan,  in order to attain intense devotion and faith upon you, it is essential to listen to your endless glorious myths.  Thus, a person who engages in the recitation of glories of you would never face any distress.  I have realized the compassion of supreme Lord, therefore wealth, or money, or fame, or richness,  or relatives,  or sons, or daughters or wife are not dear to me.  You are pure, you are free from impurities, illusions, bondage, you are primordial.  You are Yajjapurusha, and represents fire sacrifices, sacrificial priest, and fruitful accomplishment of fire sacrifices as well. I shall repeatedly prostrate before you.  Oh! Purusharththamoorthe, I am a child, I have praised your glories with intense love, kindly shower your grace upon me.”  Lord Vishnu was pleased and offered boons to Druva “ Oh! Dear child, you will become a pole star which is firm and bright,  surrounded by the seven stars/Saptharshi,  you will rule the Kingdom for thirty-six thousand years.” Druva shed tears witnessing the compassion of the Supreme Lord.

Vidura asked Maitreya “  Oh! Rishi, after receiving the two marvelous boons why did Druva was unhappy?”.   Druva felt unhappy for receiving those boons after five months of extreme penance, he was deeply disappointed,  he was not expecting to get any boons, he did not want any boons which is bound by time and perishable.  He remembered, he got advice from Maharishi Narada where to go and perform penance? Who to worship? How to worship? Etc... but he forgot to get advice on what to ask from the supreme Lord when he appears before him.  Druva returned to the palace with gloominess, he was received by King Uththanapadha, Suruchi, Uththama, and Sunithi with the accompaniments of sounds of divine instruments.  Initially, Druva moved to Suruchi who was the cause to leave the Kingdom in search of the supreme Lord and prostrated before her, and she shed tears of guilt.  The supreme Lord will be highly pleased to people whoever treats the fellow beings in respect, humility, kindness, love, and care, even the deities showers their blessings upon him/her. Druva prostrated before his father, and turned to his beloved mother Sunithi, she embraced her son with extreme joy, tears overflowed and kissed on his forehead.  The whole Kingdom received Druva with great honor.  Years passed, Druva earned great respect and fame among the people of the Kingdom.  King Uththanapadha decided to leave the Kingdom; he crowned Druva as the Emperor of the Kingdom and returned to woods to achieve a higher state in spirituality.

||Srimad Bhagavath Mahapuran||

||Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 36– The Legend of Druva – The penance of Druva

Maharishi Narada arrived at the place of King Uththanapadha and found the King was besieged with intense grief; Narada enquired the reason for his agony.  The King replied “ Oh! Maharishi, I have deeply hurt my five-year-old son Druva, I did not respond to the affection of my child who was trying to get on my lap. My son left to woods, I am deeply worried about him, and he should not get into trouble by the wild animals in the woods.” Maharishi Narada said “Your son will be a great soul, he will envision the supreme Lord Hari, I have met him in the woods, he is determined to witness the supreme Lord.  One day he will add fame to your clan.”  The King Uththanapadha was extremely happy to hear about the five-year-old Druva.  Suruchi heard the conversation between the King and Maharishi, she rushed to Sunithi and fallen at her feet, begged for forgiveness.  Later, the two wives peacefully started living with the King in the palace.

Druva arrived in Madhuvan and performed ablution, and immersed in the meditation upon the Supreme Lord.  During the first month, every three days he woke up from the meditation and consumed fruits from the forest, on the second month he woke up from the meditation on every sixth day and consumed leaves, on the third month, he woke up from the meditation on every ninth day and consumed water from the river Yamuna, on the fourth month, he woke up from meditation on every twelfth day and consumed air, on the fifth month, he did not wake up from the meditation, he stood on the one leg and controlled his breath, in this way he continued to penance for five months.  He witnessed the glorious form of the Supreme Lord within his heart and continued to recite the glorious chant.  The deities appealed to Lord Vishnu that the essential elements felt uneasiness by the penance of Druva.  Lord Vishnu pacified the deities and said: “ Uththanapadhi is undertaking extreme penance contemplating upon me, soon he will be blessed and come back to the real world.”  Thus Lord Hari left the abode of Sri Vaikundham to bless the child Druva.

The Supreme Lord Vishnu mounted on his celestial vehicle Garuda and arrived at Madhuvan to bless his ardent devotee.  Druva did not open his eyes and was immersed in meditation, in fact, he was taking pleasure in the magnificent form of Lord in his heart, soon Lord Hari erased his form from the heart of Druva,  he felt disturbed and immediately opened his eyes, witnessed the supreme Lord before him.  He remembered the glorious form of Lord Vishnu described by Maharishi Narada.  He prostrated before Lord and his eyes overflow with tears, he was trying to utter words, but Druva found difficulty in uttering any words.  The supreme Lord affectionately touched with his conch on his cheek and patted on his head.  Druva realized the compassion of Lord, soon he started eulogizing Lord in marvelous verses.

||Srimad Bhagavath Mahapuran||

||Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 35– The Legend of Druva - The conversation between Druva and Maharishi Narada

Druva had no idea of his destination; on his way he met Maharishi Narada who enquired the details of the child Druva.  He introduced himself as the son of Devi Sunithi and King Uththanapadha and revealed his intention to envision the supreme Lord.   Maharishi Narada advised the child to return to Palace and enjoy the pleasures, instead of wandering in the dangerous wood, he advised the child that it is not the easiest task to envision the Lord who is attainable to the illustrious Rishi and Sages after several years of extreme penance.  Maharishi repeatedly advised Druva to return to the palace.  Maharishi Narada said “ Oh! Vathsa, you are a small child, you should not feel humiliation at this tender age, this is your age to engage in childhood pastimes.  Your mother Sunithi was right, but it is difficult to envision the Lord, several Rishis and Yogis perform extreme penances to attain the Lord.”  Druva  prostrated before Maharishi Narada and said “ Oh! Maharishi, kindly let me allow envisaging the Lord.  I am deeply hurt by the words of my aunt Suruchi, I am exhausted and worn out of sorrows.  Oh! Maharishi,  Kindly bless me to relieve my sorrows and grief.”  Maharishi Narada said “ Oh! Vathsa, I was testing your determination to envisage the Lord.  You have to meet the Lord who resides as a soul in you.  I shall guide you to conduct the penance.  Oh! Dear child, proceed to Madhuvan on the river banks of Yamuna where Lord Hari resides permanently, take ablutions on the river Kalindi, take a seat under the Vatavruksha on Padmasana posture, practice three types of Pranayama, contemplate upon the supreme Lord who has four arms that hold Shankha/conch, Chakra/disc, Gadha/mace,  and Padma/lotus flower, he has attractive physical features,  a beautiful smiling face,  attired in marvelous yellow silk garment, decorated in gem Kausthubha and Srivathsa on the chest which is the permanent dwelling place of Goddess Sri Mahalakshmi, he has the complexion of dark clouds, he is adorned  in magnificent Vanamala and crown attached to the feathers of the peacock on the head, beautiful eyes resemble lotus flower petals, his forehead is decorated with sandalwood paste and vermilion, he is adorned in ear ornaments,  armlets, waist ornament and various precious ornaments all over the body.  I shall advise you the glorious hymn of Dwadhashakshari to recite, ‘Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya’ contemplate upon his marvelous form and recite this glorious chant. Oh! Dear child, utilize your mind and body, contemplate upon the Supreme Lord and attain his blessings.  You can precede your  journey.”  Druva was highly pleased with the advice of Maharishi Narada and said “ Oh! Maharishi, I am truly blessed to have the Dharshan of you. I am leaving to Madhuvan to contemplate upon supreme Lord Hari.”  Thus Druva left to the wood.

||Srimad Bhagavath Mahapuran||

||Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 34– The Legend of Druva

Sage Maitreya describes to Vidura “ Adharma/immorality had a wife Mrisha/untruthful, this couple had a son Dhambha/ego and daughter Maya/illusion, these two children were adopted by Nairuthi, Dhamba, and Maya married and had two children Lobha/ and Nikrithi/possessiveness, later these children were married together and had two children Krodha/anger and Himsa/violence, and these children married together and had children Kali and Dhurukthi, these children were married together and had two children fear and death and these children married together and had two children's sorrow and aging/illnesses.  Thus the clan of Adharma/immorality had the children of impurities like ego, illusion, anger, selfishness, etc.. I shall narrate the details of the clan of Swayambhuva Manu and Devi Shatharoopa.  This couple had two sons Priyavratha and Uththanapadha and three daughters Devahoothi, Prasoothi, and Ahoothi.”

Sage Maitreya continued “ King Uththanapadha had two wives, Sunithi and Suruchi.  Suniti was righteous, chaste and devoted to Lord, but she was not so beautiful as Suruchi,  was wicked and selfish.  Sunithi had a son Druva who was heir to the throne and Suruchi had a son Uththama.  It irked Suruchi who yearned for the throne of the Kingdom to her only son Uththama, so she influenced the King and tactfully removed Sunithi and Druva from the sight of King Uththanapadha, eventually Sunithi was removed from the palace and started living out with not any complaints. King completely forgot the existence of Sunithi and the five-year-old son Druva.  One day, while the children Uththama and Druva were playing together, Uththama rushed to his father and seated on his lap, Druva also desired to be seated on the lap of his father, he approached his father and tried to get on his lap.  Soon there arrived Suruchi caught hold of Druva and said in anger “ Hey, Vathsa, you have no right to be seated on the lap of the King, your father had no liking towards you or to your mother, therefore you have no right to be here.  If you were born to me, you would have the right to be here, hence you have no right to be seated on your father’s lap.  You are jealous of Uththama if you want to be seated on the lap of your father, leave your body and take place in my womb that would give you the right to be seated on your father's lap.”  Druva was deeply hurt by the words of Suruchi and looked at his father’s eyes, but he was quiet.  Druva rushed to his mother with tears overflowing on his cheeks.  Sunithi hugged her son and kissed him, consoled him and asked for the reason of his grief; the attendants of the palace informed Sunithi about the incident that took place.  Sunithi was hurt for a second, she released a sigh of grief and soon regained serenity. She began to speak “Oh! Dear child, don’t get angry or hate your aunt Suruchi, never hurt anyone it will come back to us, what you sow shall you reap, do not give sorrow to anyone and it will come back to you.  Oh! Dear child, Your aunt Suruchi was absolutely right because your father never considered me as his wife, you have born to an unfortunate woman, don’t feel sad for the humiliation.  Dear child, wake up and don’t get disappointed, we have supreme Lord as a father, who never leaves us.  Oh! Vathsa, whoever surrendered to the lotus feet of Supreme Lord was not neglected by him, therefore meditate upon supreme Lord,  all your sorrows will go away, divert your attention to the supreme Lord.  The Supreme Lord will accept you with intense delight the way as he accepted Goddess Sri.”  Druva regained his confidence, and felt his mother’s advice is fruitful, he wanted to envision that supreme Lord who resides as a soul in him.  The five-year-old Druva removed his royal attire and embraced the saffron robes, and got out of the home. Devi Sunithi did not stop Druva from his endeavor. 

||Srimad Bhagavath Mahapuran||

||Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 33– Legend of Kapila - Kapilopakhyanam

After Kardhama Prajapathi left to woods, mother Devahoothi and Kapila lived in the hermitage near the Saraswathi River.  The purpose of the incarnation of Kapila was to establish the Sankhya philosophy,  while Kardhama Prajapathi was alive, Devahoothi was immersed in the duties of a chaste wife, after his death she felt the need to attain the knowledge of self from her son Kapila.  Sage Maitreya describes the knowledge of Sankhya philosophies to Vidhura, later it was retold to Shaunakadhis by Sutha Pauranika.

One day Devahoothi approached Kapila, she considered him as her preceptor and prostrated before him “ Dear child, I have been enjoying the sensual pleasures all these years, Oh! Prabho, I have been wandering in the darkness of ignorance, it is filled with sorrows and grief, I am not capable to get relieved from sorrows and fears,  Oh! Dear child kindly liberates me from the darkness of ignorance, sorrows, and fears. You are not an ordinary soul, you are divine personified, whose brilliance resembles Sun that removes the darkness, kindly remove the darkness of ignorance with your brilliance,  I shall take refuge at your lotus feet which is the origin of supreme wisdom and knowledge.  Oh! Dear child, I shall repeatedly prostrate before your lotus feet.”

Kapila advises his mother “ Oh! Mother, the realization of self and supreme Lord who is absolute Bhramam, elevates the soul from the miseries and grief, the supreme Lord is all-pervading and witnesses the deeds of souls, involvement in spiritual deeds elevates the soul from the worldly bondage.  The supreme Lord symbolizes wisdom and knowledge, represents ‘Oneness in All’. It relieves the intellect from the worldly bondage with the intense devotion and faith upon the supreme Lord.  It removes the miseries and sorrows of worldly existence. Oh! Dear Mother, contemplate upon supreme Lord, who resides as a soul in living beings, it is eternal and has supreme radiance.  Every individual is capable to meditate upon the Supreme Lord with the Gnana/wisdom and knowledge, Vairagya/abandonment/control over senses/renunciation and Bhakti/devotion.  The practice of Gnana, Vairagya, and Bhakti provides ‘Oneness-in-All’/serenity of mind as well.  Therefore, Oh! Mother, kindly practice intense devotion and dedication upon supreme Lord, that would relieve you from the sorrows and worldly bondage.  Whoever listens to the glorious myths of me and spread the glories of me would be relieved from miseries and sorrows,   the body is perishable, the soul has no death and it is eternal, therefore attachment to the body is meaningless, which is bounded to Jara /aging as well as Maranam/death.  Hence, Oh! Mother, contemplate upon me, which could relieve you from the miseries and grief.  Whoever surrenders to my lotus feet, contemplates upon my glorious myths would be relieved from worldly bondage with the Gnana, Vairagya, and Bhakti.”  Devahoothi requests Kapila to explain the nature of knowledge, renunciation and devotion.

Kapila continues “ Oh! Mother, Bhakti is the prime tool to attain Moksha, listening to the glorious myths of supreme Lord and his pastimes, in this way utilize your senses contemplates upon the supreme Lord.  The practice of realization of the presence of the supreme Lord in every deed, and everything surrounded by you and envision the presence of the supreme Lord in happiness and sorrows as well.  It would burn the miseries and sorrows of worldly existence, like the Agni/fire which digest the food consumed.  Finally, it would take you to supreme bliss.  Oh! Mother, contemplate upon me and practice intense devotion and faith upon me.  I shall remain the preceptor, companion, son, relative, and will remain everything to them to whoever contemplates upon me with intense devotion and faith.”

||Srimad Bhagavath Mahapuran||

||Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 32 – Legend of Kapila

Sutha Pauranika continued “ Swayambuva Manu had two sons, Priyavratha and Uththanapadha, and the three daughters.  The daughters were Devahoothi, Prasoothi, and Ahoothi,  Devahoothi was married to Sage Kardhama Prajapathi, this couple had nine daughters and they were married to Saptha Rishis.  Sage Mareechi was married to Kala,  Sage Athri was married to Anasuya,  Sage Angirass was married to Shraddha, Sage Pulastya was married to Havi, Sage Pulaha was married to Gathi, Sage Krathu was married to Kriya, Sage Bhrigu was married to Khyathi,  Sage Vashishta was married to  Arundhathi, and Sage Atharvana was married to Shanthi,  finally, Lord Vishnu was born as Kapila to this pious couple. " 

The second incarnation of supreme Lord of Vishnu as Kapila, who was born to Devahoothi and Kardhama Prajapathi.  Lord Bhrama prostrates before the glorious incarnation of Lord Vishnu as Kapila.  The couple was led an extremely happy life with the child, soon after Kardhama Prajapathi decided to withdraw to Vanaprasatha as he was promised earlier.  He prayed to Kapila “ Oh! Supreme Lord, Sages, and Rishis are blessed to envision your divine form in their lotus-like hearts by their extreme austerities and penances; we are truly blessed to have you as our child, though we did not take any extreme austerities. Oh! Bhagavan, I shall reverentially prostrate before you, kindly shower your grace to liberate me from the worldly bondage, kindly bless me to envision your glorious form in my heart, and give permission to withdraw to woods.”   Kapila replied “ Oh! Father, I have incarnated to liberate the souls from the worldly bondage, and impart the knowledge of self, kindly proceed to the Sanyashrama and envision the glories of me.   I am a supreme soul which has the nature of supreme brightness, intellect, wisdom, and knowledge, resides as a soul in living beings; it has an all-pervading nature.  Therefore, relieve your sorrows and proceed to woods.”  Thus, Lord Kapila enthused his father to proceed to Sanyasashrama on the river banks of river Saraswathi, where he immersed in the meditation upon supreme Lord who is omnipresent, ultimately attained Moksha at the lotus feet of supreme Lord.

||Srimad Bhagavath Mahapuran||

||Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 31 – Yudhishtira’s grief and Bhishmopadhesham

Krishna entered the palace and found Yudhishtira in utter grief.  Krishna enquired the reason for his gloominess.  Yudhishtira replied “ Oh! Krishna, whenever I see the widows, elderly people, and children in our Kingdom, I feel extremely miserable, I have caused the death of several warriors to fulfill my desire to the throne.  I am not feeling comfortable after the battle of Kurukshetra, the victory is not giving me any happiness, and I feel I am responsible for the sorrows of all those people who lost their lives on the battlefield.  My greed to the throne took innumerable lives and made their dependents grieve over them.”   Krishna realized Yudhishtira needs a preceptor to describe the Dharma, not a friend, he needs someone who is elderly to advise him about the Dharma.   Krishna pacified Yudhishtira that he is not responsible for any of the disastrous events that took place on the battlefield, as a friend he has already advised the Gita which is the essence of scriptures, but they have not understood it thoroughly.  Moreover, Bhishma Pithamaha is waiting on the bed of arrows to finish Dhakshinayana, so Krishna decided to take the Pandavas to Bhishma Pithamaha.

Bhishma Pithamaha looked at Arjun and asked “ Arjun, why did you come? Where is your charioteer?” Krishna instantly came forward and stood near his face and asked “ Pithamaha! Did you remember me?’ Bhishma Pithamaha who was in the bed of arrows was extremely worn out, he heartily greeted Krishna and began to speak “ Oh! Arjun, Do you know who is this Krishna?’ Arjun said, “ Pithamaha, he is my beloved uncle Vasudev’s son”.  Bhishma Pithamaha continued “ Arjun, you have assumed him as your uncle’s son, Subhadhra’s brother and your brother-in-law, he was your preceptor and advised glorious Bhagavad Gita in the battlefield, he assisted you in the Kurukshetra war as your charioteer,  he is your closest companion to whom you can share all your family matters, but you have not understood him thoroughly.  Oh! Prabho, Krishna kindly fulfill my last wish,  I was waiting for all these days to get a glimpse of you, therefore it  is your turn to wait for me until I take last breathe.”  Bhishma Pithamaha had a boon to die as per his wish/Sweccha Mrithyu, he was waited in the bed of arrows until the Dhakshinaya to get over, and even the Lord Yama was not possible to take his life.  Bhishma Pithamaha advised the righteousness and all the queries of Yudhishtira were answered.  He eulogized the thousand and eight sacred names of Lord and said “ Oh! Prabho, Krishna, I have a final desire, kindly accept my young maiden as your bride.” Krishna laughed and said “ Pithamaha, you are a Naishtika Bhramachari, where did she come as a daughter of you?” Pithamaha said “ Krishna, my intellect is my daughter, I did not place anyone on my intellect other you.  I have not found any suitable groom as you for my daughter, therefore kindly accept my intellect as your wife.”  Krishna asked “ What are the qualities of your daughter?” Bhishma Pithamaha said “she is void of Thrishna/impurities, she has no attachment towards material welfare/ sacrificed the throne of the Kingdom of Hasthinapur, she has no love for offspring/remained unmarried, and she has no love for fame or appreciation.  Therefore she is qualified to become your bride.  You have discarded the vow on the battlefield and lifted the wheel of the chariot to attack me; you are too kind to me.  I shall take surrender at your lotus feet.”

Thus the Uththarayana has arrived, Bhishma Pithamaha looked at the pleasing face of Lord Krishna and let his mortal coil, the deities showered flowers upon him and attained Moksha.  He became one of the great devotees of Lord /Bhagavatha, and others are Swayambu, Shambhu, Narada, Sanath Kumaras, Kapila, Manu, Prahlada, Janaka and Bali.  Krishna and Arjuna returned to Dwaraka.