Hindu scriptures proclaim the necessity of acquiring spiritual knowledge to facilitate one’s spiritual journey. In Vedic times, the guru imparted such divinely revealed knowledge orally to his disciples. These divine revelations and oral interactions were the source material for the foundational Hindu shastras, which have been recited and elaborated upon for millennia to provide spiritual guidance to all Hindus. The shastras are the basis of Hindu doctrines and recount the stories of God, his avatars, and devotees. Among the more well-known and widely accessed shastras are the Mahabharat (which includes the Bhagavad Gita), Ramayan and Shrimad Bhagvat. Narration and commentaries on these and other shastras is commonly referred to as katha – spiritual discourses.
Katha takes many forms and lasts for varying durations—from a few minutes to many days. However, genuine spiritual seekers must listen to katha daily to maintain constant vigilance and progress on the spiritual path. Katha can free one from all material bondage and lead one to liberation. This glory of the effect of katha is described in the Shrimad Bhagvat through the true stories of Dhundhukari and King Parikshit.
Pramukh Swami Maharaj seen engaged in a conversation with a follower. (Photo provided by BAPS Sanstha)
The story of Dhundhukari
A devout and affluent Brahmin named Atmadev resided serenely along the banks of the River Tungabhadra with his wife, Dhundhuli. Despite their wealth and contentment, Atmadev yearned deeply for a son, the one missing joy in his otherwise blissful life.
One day, Atmadev met a rishi and expressed his desire for a child. The rishi revealed to Atmadev that he would have no children in his next seven lives and that not everyone with children is happy. Atmadev insisted, so the rishi gave him a special fruit and told him to give it to his wife to eat. Atmadev was delighted and rushed home.
Dhundhuli was not keen on having children. She discussed the situation with her sister, who had just become pregnant. Her sister agreed to give her child to Dhundhuli in return for some property. Dhundhuli fed the fruit to a cow, pretending to be pregnant, and claimed her sister's son as her own, naming him Dhundhukari. Simultaneously, the cow had a human child named Gokarna with cow-like ears.
Dhundhukari grew into a reckless, immoral man, causing his father immense grief and distress. fedup, Atmadev went to the forest and soon passed away. In Atmadev’s absence, Dhundhukari killed his mother out of greed to inherit her wealth. He continued his immoral existence, and the vulgar women he associated with soon killed him and escaped with all his moveable assets. Due to his sins, Dhundhukari became a ghost.
Meanwhile, Gokarna, having embraced piety and wisdom, embarked on a pilgrimage. Learning of Dhundhukari's plight in Gaya, Gokarna also arranged for a seven-day recital of the Shrimad Bhagvat and invited many people. Dhundhukari’s soul entered the hollow of a bamboo shoot, from where he listened to the scriptural recital with great attention and affection. At the conclusion of the recital, messengers from Bhagwan Vishnu came in a celestial chariot to take Dhundhukari to Vaikunth. Gokarna and others questioned why they did not attain liberation since they had also listened to the discourses. The messengers revealed that none had listened with the attention and faith that Dhundhukari had, and none had introspected on the content of the discourses like him. So, this story of the wayward Dhundhukari reveals that listening intently and sincerely to katha can relieve one of all sins and lead to liberation. To be continued in the next article with the story of King Parikshith.
- Amrutvijaydas Swami
BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha
