STORIES FROM SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM - 2: THE STORY OF ATMADEVA

     Long ago, in a beautiful town on the banks of the river Tungabhadra, there lived a Brahmin named Atmadeva. He was rich and well-versed in the Vedas. However, his wife Dhundhuli, though from a good family, was cunning and cruel.

They had a good house and lived well, but they had no children. As they grew old, Atmadeva became very sad because they had no child. One day, he left home for the forest. He decided to end his life in the forest, but he was seen by a Samnyasi.

The Samnyasi asked him, “O Brahmana, who are you? Why do you look so sad?”. Atmadeva told him the cause of his misery and started weeping. The Samnyasi saw the lines on Atmadeva’s forehead and told him, “Good Brahmana, through my Yogic power, I have looked into your past Karma (actions), and I can see that you are not destined to have a child for seven lives. Who can change destiny which is brought upon by us on ourselves through our own Karma? Therefore, give up this desire for a child. There is all happiness in Samnyasa (renunciation).”

But Aatmadeva, in his great grief, said, “O Saint, life is meaningless without a child. If you don’t bless me with a child,  I will end my life here and now.” The Sanyasi reluctantly said, “As you are so insistent, I will give you a fruit. Take it and give it to your wife. If she eats it, she will give birth to a son. For one year, she must practice truthfulness, cleanliness, be kind-hearted, give alms to the poor, and take one simple meal a day. If she does so, you will get a great and highly virtuous son.” Saying this, the Samnyasi gave Atmadeva a fruit and went away.

Atmadeva was delighted. He ran home and gave the fruit to his wife. He told her the Samnyasi’s words and asked her to eat the fruit. After this, he went out of the house for some other work.

The wicked woman Dhundhuli took the fruit from her husband, but did not eat it. She thought to herself, “Who wants a child? Why should I go through the pain of giving birth to a child? Besides, I cannot practice truthfulness, cleanliness and other virtues for a full year.” Thinking thus, she gave the fruit to a cow. When her husband returned after some time and asked her if she had eaten the fruit, she lied to him that she had.

One day, Dhundhuli’s sister came to visit her. Dhundhuli told her sister the story of the fruit and said, “Dear Sister, I am greatly worried. As I did not eat the fruit, no child will be born to me. My husband will soon find out that I have lied to him. I am greatly worried.”

The sister - who was as cunning and cruel as Dhundhuli – comforted her saying, “Do not worry. I am expecting a child in a few months. When my child is born, I will secretly hand it over to you. I will make people believe that my child died in infancy. Meanwhile, you just pretend that you are expecting a child. Do as I say, and everything will be well.”

The two sisters carried out their cunning plan. After some months, a son was born to Dhundhuli’s sister. Dhundhuli had it brought home secretly and showed it to her husband as their own son. Atmadeva was very happy to have a son. The child was named Dhundhukari.

Meanwhile, the cow also gave birth – miraculously - to a human child. The child was god-like. His ears were like a cow’s ears. Atmadeva named this child Gokarna (cow’s ears).

With the passage of time, the two boys grew up. Gokarna became a pure and wise young man. But Dhundhukari grew up to be a wicked and unclean good-for-nothing. He committed thefts, killed little children by throwing them into a well and oppressed weak and blind people. He fell into the company of evil women and squandered away his father’s wealth. One day, he beat up his own parents and took away all the possessions – even utensils – from the house.

Atmadeva was very sad at his son’s behavior. “It would have been much better if I had no child, rather than having this evil son,” he lamented loudly.

At that moment, Gokarna arrived there. Gokarna advised Atmadeva, “This world is full of misery and is a source of great Moha (infatuation or selfish attachment to one’s spouse, child, house or wealth). From now on, renounce this world full of suffering and go to the woods. Spend the rest of your days in prayer and the company of saints, or in solitude remembering God.” Atmadeva did as advised by Gokarna. He renounced his home and engaged himself in prayer and service of Sri Hari. Finally, he attained Sri Krishna by regularly reading the Dashama Skandha (tenth book) of Srimad Bhagavatam. The tenth book is about Krishnavatara – the story of Sri Krishna.

What can we learn from the story of Atmadeva? The first lesson is that we must have faith in the words of the wise. Despite the Samnyasi’s advise, Atmadeva kept pestering him to bless him with a child – and even threatened to commit suicide. If he had listened to the holy man, he could have avoided all the suffering brought into his life by his evil son.

The second lesson is that Moha is a great hurdle to attaining peace and to attaining God. Moha – also called infatuation or delusion – is extreme, selfish and narrow-minded attachment to one’s own spouse, child, property, etc. Of course, one must provide for one’s family and show one’s children the right path – but Moha or over-attachment is harmful both to the person who is thus attached, and to the person who is the object of this attachment. This is why wise teachers advise detachment. Sri Krishna - in the Bhagavad Gita – teaches again and again that we must do our duty to the best of our ability, but with a spirit of detachment. This may seem contradictory to some. How can we do our best if we are detached? To be detached does not mean to be listless or lethargic. If you have seen true Karma Yogis at work, you will know what I mean. What the Lord advises us is to do our duty – whatever be your duty - as if it were an offering to God Himself. In other words, Work is Worship. If you are student, study well keeping in mind that your study is your offering to God. Naturally, you are bound to do your best! After all, you don’t want to make a half-hearted offering to God, do you? After doing your best – Sri Krishna advises – do not be over-attached to the results of your actions – leave this to God.

Moha is one of the six great enemies to be carefully avoided. Do you know what the other five enemies are? They are Kama (endless and insatiable desires), Krodha (anger), Lobha (anger), Mada (false pride or vanity) and Matsarya (jealousy). Let us rid ourselves of these six enemies this very moment and enjoy supreme bliss!

The most wonderful lesson from the story is how Atmadeva – despite leading a life of Moha and foolishness – was able to finally attain Sri Krishna! How was this? As we saw, after experiencing the miseries of a worldly life, Atmadeva developed disgust for such a life. At Gokarna’s advice, he took to a life of renunciation and prayer. By regularly reading Srimad Bhagavatam, he was able to attain the Lord. That is the greatness of Srimad Bhagavatam.

 

(This story forms part of the 4^th discourse of Bhagavata Mahatmyam in the Uttara Khanda of Padma Purana)