SAMRADITYA SAGA Part 2 - TANGLES OF HATRED

Jeevraj got trapped

Acharya Shri Dharmghosh was sitting calmly  under a huge banyan tree in Nagdev Park. His body had become thin due to austerities and endurance but his glow was bright like gold. Around him, many monks were engaged in various spiritual practices.
The dawn had turned out to be quite pleasant and breathtaking. The golden rays of the sun from the clean, white sky were sparkling beauty over the lush green trees of the garden.
Acharya Dharmghosh opened his eyes. He looked at the sun with a fixed gaze. He felt as if rays of divine light had arisen in his heart and the entire world was being illuminated, becoming pure and moving towards liberation by those rays. Where there is no fear or sorrow, only eternity and bliss.
The tide of emotions rose high.
‘May I uplift the people immersed in suffering, materialistic pleasures and afflicted by the sorrows of birth and death. For this, I’ll share the treasure of knowledge with them.’
Acharya Shri Dharmghosh was well-known in Jaipur and its surrounding areas. Everyone was proud of his knowledge, penance and accomplishments. Praises of Dharmghoshsuriji’s virtues would resonate amidst the people. Kings, merchants and rich people from far and wide used to come to the garden to worship him. They considered themselves blessed to have worshipped Acharyaji who had renounced everything including the attachment towards his own body.
The sun was yet to rise.
Venus, the morning star was shining like a diamond in the yellow eastern sky.
Sinhkumar’s palace named Neelpadma Prasad of was situated in the middle of the lake of blue lotus. Various coloured gems were adorned from top to bottom on the walls of the palace. There was a beautiful bridge to walk from the outer courtyard to the palace. Golden railing was built on both sides of the bridge. The water of the lake was clean and transparent like sapphire. Huge blue-coloured lotuses were always present in that water. In various places, small artificial islands were built which had shelters for birds like swan, skylark and cuckoo. The chirping of those birds, the beauty of the blue lotuses, the reflection of the palace in the clear water, all of it was all marvellous. It was a sight to behold. Prince Sinhkumar and his wife Kusumavali used to reside in this palace.
Sinhkumar was sitting on a marble bench at the bank of the lake. He was staring at the star twinkling above the eastern horizon. Shadows of sadness were hovering over his face. Various thoughts were gathering in his mind. He was thinking about his endless past and apprehensive future! There was a conflict going on within him.
Sins and fortune!
Happiness and sorrow!
Renunciation and detachment!
He was trying to synchronise his life with all of these. In the meantime, Kusumavali suddenly came and stood behind him. She had worn a white outfit. Blue lotus was entwined in her hair. Cascades of radiance, glow, melody and tenderness were flowing from her body. A necklace of precious gems was shining around her neck.
She spent a few moments waiting impatiently. Ultimately, she could not restrain herself. She drew Sinhkumar’s attention.
“Swami! Since when have you come and sit here alone?” She smiled with joined hands.
The prince looked at Kusumavali. He kept looking, this look, this youth, this fun, this fragrance, all of this is wonderful!
Still, Acharyaji says, “All this is perishable, momentary and fleeting. He was still immersed in the world of thoughts! Kusumavali sat near his feet.
She caressed his feet with rose petals. As she started speaking, it seemed as if the strings of veena and the ghungroos of anklet started jingling!
“What are you thinking, Swami? Won’t you tell me? I am not separate from you! I am your heart! I am your everything.”
“Kusum, the impermanence of relationships, its transitory nature has given rise to a conflict within me! Some strange kind of fear is spreading shivers down the spine. Sometimes, the joy of realising the truth overwhelms me. Kusum, it seems I will be able to become detached by giving up all the relations of the world. But there is one such relation which will never let me get detached. This is what I feel.”
“Which relation is that, Swami?”
“The one that I have with the idol of my love sitting in front of me.”
Kusumavali got emotional! Her eyes lit up. Her throat got blocked. She held both his hands.
“As long as I am alive, you do not even have to be detached. The day, the moment you become detached, that moment my life will...”
The prince pressed his palm on her mouth. He changed the topic.
“Tell me, how did you like the personality of Acharya Dharmghoshsuriji? His intellect, his aura?”
“Wonderful! Everything about him seemed wonderful. I was awestruck at the very first sight. Then as I kept listening to his pleasant voice, the feeling of devotion kept increasing. He established such a clear picture of the creatures wandering in the four categories of incarnations! He explained the reality of happiness and sorrow very well. I heard such heart-touching things for the first time.
However, I had heard from old ladies and friends, about gods, demons and also about saints. I even used to think about it many times. Curiosity would arise for things like hypnotism and other such practices. But all that did not impress my heart and mind. Sometimes, I used to listen to the predictions of astrologers and laugh. After all, their purpose was the desire for material happiness only. Although I like material pleasures, I get bored with their discussions. Whereas my mind was pleased with the words of Acharya Dharmghosh. I felt extremely blissful! Swami! Whenever you go to Acharyaji, take me with you.”
Kusumavali would often dance seeing her splendid physique in the clear waters of the sapphire lake. She would feel overwhelmed and jump with joy! Her desires, which had become calm and dormant, would spring up. The pride of her beauty would emerge in her heart and mind. She would get lost in the memories of Sinhkumar.
In no time, she would see Sinhkumar standing in front of her! She would forget everything as soon as she would see his face glowing like the sun. And when he would praise her beauty, her face would glow like red flowers due to shyness. An hour or so would pass in affectionate talks. Then both husband and wife would return to the palace! Today, affectionate talks had been replaced by spiritual talks. Because Acharya Dharmghoshsuriji had made a strong place between the two of them.
***
Today, Sinhkumar and Kusumavali went to Nagdev Park quite early. They took a detour in the vast garden. Many indigenous and foreign trees were growing in the garden. The path between the rows of trees seemed very pleasant. A huge pond was created to irrigate those trees. All the trees and plants in the garden were watered from that pond. Small artificial mountains were built around that pond. Artistic pillars and beautiful sculptures were installed. Their shadows would fall in the water and form various patterns. Arbours were established at various spots. Attracted by the fragrance of colourful flowers, a swarm of bees was buzzing there.
Sinhkumar and Kusumavali walked slowly through the path and went where Gurudev was sitting. Several huts made of mud and grass were built there. Since a long time, monks used to stay in those huts. That area was such that monkhood could be practised easily and beautifully there. The monks would get solitude which was significant for them. The prince and his wife saw monks immersed in self-study. Some monks were chanting mantras. Some were diving in the depths of meditation. They also saw a monk standing with his eyes in the direction of the sun. They saw the marvellous atmosphere sparkling with purity.
Kusumavali said, “Such a detached and pure life living in the lap of nature! Truly, only such saints can attain salvation. They must be liberated. Now these monks cannot live in this physical world.”
They reached near Acharyaji and worshipped him. Gurudev blessed both of them by saying ‘Dharmlabh’. The sat down with modesty and kept looking at Acharyaji’s bright face.
The prince requested humbly, “Gurudev, give such light of knowledge today that the essencelessness of materialistic pleasures fixes in the heart and the implementation of Dharm fixes strongly in the mind.”
Acharya said in a sweet and intense voice, “Today, I will tell you a fictional story. Your curiosity will be satisfied only through that story.
There was a man named Jeevraj. Poverty and hardships had supressed him. To earn money abroad, he left home. He kept  walking from village to village, town to town, passed through jungles, mountains, valleys and rivers. However, he forgot the way and got lost in a dense forest. There were sal, bakul and tilak trees. The thicket of trees like neem, banyan, mango, jamun and tamarind made that forest more dense. It was difficult even for the rays of the sun to reach there. Thousands of plants of red flowers covered the ground. Tigers, lions, bears, rhinos, deer, bulls and numerous other wild animals roamed freely in that forest area. Frantic wild buffaloes used to play in the deep waterbodies. The atmosphere seemed even more frightening due to the screams of wild animals.
Jeevraj reached such a terrific forest. He wandered here and there to escape from the clutches of wild animals. He was very hungry. His throat had dried due to thirst. His eyes had widened with fear and terror! His body was drenched with sweat. His body was cracking due to fatigue. He had no idea about which direction he should go in. Stumbling on the uneven ground, he fell down. Beating his head and trembling with fear, he looked around. There he saw a terrible sight. He lost consciousness. As black as the thunderous clouds and fierce as the storm, a wild elephant was running towards him.
As soon as he looked backwards, a dreaded demon dressed in black robes was swooping in towards him. She had swords like the fluttering tongue of a snake in both her hands. Jeevraj was terrified. He stood up and looked towards the east. He saw a huge banyan tree as high as the peak of Udayachal. He thought, 'If I climb this tree, then that elephant will not be able to harm me and I will remain away from this demon too.’ He ran. A sharp spine of grass pricked his feet. Though his leg was bleeding, he ran and reached that banyan tree. But Alas! He collapsed in despair. It was impossible for him to climb that high tree.
The elephant was walking towards him. The demon was also looking forward to trap him. Jivraj lost his senses, his face was wet with tears. He ran around the tree to find a place to hide. Suddenly, his eyes fell on a huge well covered with grass. 'Either I will live or die.’ Thinking this, he jumped into the well. As soon as he fell into the well, he caught hold of the grass that grew in the walls of the well. A branch of the banyan tree was hanging on that well. Jeevraj stretched his hand, grabbed the branch and remained hanging in the well.
Now, he could see the scene inside the well. In the pits of the wall, he saw huge and ferocious snakes. Those snakes were hissing in anger. It seemed as if fire was showering from their eyes and their tongue had become a flame of fire. Swirling their hood high above, they were ready to bite Jeevraj.
Panic-stricken Jeevraj looked down in the well. A long and fat python was hissing there. His teeth were sharper than a saw. He had a massive body like a giant. His mouth was open and he was looking at Jeevraj with red eyes. It was waiting for him to fall down so that it could I swallow him.
Jeevraj’s panic knew no bounds. He looked up. ‘I’ll be alive only till the time there is support of this grass and I hang holding this branch.’ Before he could think further, he saw two rats sitting on the branch. As fat as dogs, one of the rats was white and the other was black. They were biting the branch with their sharp teeth and cutting it.
On the other hand, the entire tree was shaking. Jeevraj noticed that the wild elephant was holding the tree with its trunk and shaking it. He was trying to uproot the tree.
The demon was standing on the edge of the well, biting her long teeth and tossing the sharp swords in both her hands. Jeevraj closed his eyes.
Meanwhile, a drop of honey fell on his head. He opened his eyes and looked up. There was a huge honeycomb on the branch. Due to the shake of the tree, the bees of the hive had flown and honey was dripping from it. Jeevraj opened his mouth and stretched his tongue out. Drops of honey started falling on his tongue. He enjoyed it and forgot all the pain. Fear and apprehension seemed to have vanished.
He got engrossed in the taste of the drops of honey. Just then, a new calamity broke out. Those bees started stinging Jeevraj’s body angrily. But Jeevraj was busy sucking the honey. He had forgotten everything else.
Acharyaji stopped.
Kumar and Kusumavali were attentively listening to the story.
When Acharyaji stopped, the prince asked, “Gurudev, what happened then?”
“Prince, this is a fictional story. The story ends here. Now I will explain you its crux.”