( Srimad Bhagavatam)
Srimad
Bhagavatam has several allegorical stories which have hidden spiritual meaning.
One such episode appears in 4th Skandha of this Maha Purana. This story
is somewhat strange in nature and narration. Sage Narada narrates this to King
Prachinabarhi.
Puranjana
was a famous king of his times, liked by his subjects for his modest rule and
kind behaviour to his subjects. He had a close friend whose name is ‘ anonymous’.
He accompanied the king in all his journeys, but no one knows his whereabouts,
not even his name!
Once
the king and his friend were travelling to a certain city. On their way, they found
a magnificent city endowed with all grandeur which even his capital did not have.
The King was curious to know more, so he wandered around this city with child
like curiosity.
His
new found city had 9 doors, beautiful gardens, pleasant weather, which made the king to like it and
make it as his capital. On his way further, he saw a beautiful who was guarded
by strong men on either side. In fact, her security staff looked like an army. Apart
from this, there was a ferocious snake, hissing all along, with 5 hoods, and reddish eyes!
King
Puranjana, went near the beautiful woman and enquired her whereabouts: ‘ Oh
dear lady! who are you? May I know your parents? The woman
replied: I don’t know, all these people are guarding me, more than tclosed
doors, his I don’t know anything. King readily offered to marry her, she
agreed. They got married, and wandered in that beautiful land for long.
Several months
and years passed like this, both forgot the world around them. As a king’s
pastime, he wanted to go on a hunting spree. He tried to come out of the fort,
but failed as it had 9 closed doors., 7 above and 2 below. Somehow, he went out
of this strong fort. His chariot had 2 wheels. After some time, he was
encountered by 360 Gandharvas, 360 their women folk. All attacked the king and
defeated him in the fight. Puranjana was miserably defeated losing his newly
acquired city.
पुरुषं
पुरन्जनं विद्यात् बुद्धिं तु प्रमदाम् तथा
सखाय
इन्द्रियगणो ज्ञानं कर्म च यत्कृतं ||
Purusha,
the person who is dwelling in a physical from is Puramjana, a resident of
Pura-human form. His intellect is Buddhi, friends are sensory organs, his
actions are determined by Jnana, his knowledge.
The valuable
message of this allegory is a true seeker-Sadhaka, shall keep himself carefully
and intentionally away from deceitful sense organs, and seek the help of
Buddhi, and never Manas, the wandering wild horse like mind. If he makes this a
habit, chances of him getting mesmerized by ever increasing demands of mind,
body and sensuous desires, which lead him directly, but slowly to the dreadful
path of misery and pain. After all, it is a god given physical form through our
parents, which obviously is under our control.
सख्यः
तद्व्रुत्तयः प्राणः पञ्चवृत्तिर्यथोरगः
अविज्ञातःवयस्तत्र यो पुरुषस्य सखेश्वरः ||
Puranjana travelled in a 2 wheeled
chariot, with 5 horses. Papa, and Punya are
two wheels, 5 horses are 5 sensory organs. Human form itself is a chariot.
Those who obstructed his journey
are 360 days, 360 nights. Srimad Bhagavatam asks us: ‘ Will you dance to the
tune of your wild mind? By doing so, will you lose this precious human form
given to you for good? We all dream and get highly illusioned by the fleeting mind.
Our life is given to the hands of weird mind, not wise intellect. So beware of
this and act wisely, as per your Buddhi, and never manas, the mind!
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