SVETAKETU AND SUVARCHALA ATTAINED DIVINE IN GRIHASTHA

Svetaketu and Suvarchala gets married and later acquire Supreme Pada in the Grihastha

After Yudhisthira was crowned as King of Hastinapur, Lord Krishna freed amazing Bhishma from all of his sufferings before his death and requested him to relieve Yudhisthira from mourning over the lifeless Kshatriyas by the way of advising him on Dharma.  Yudhishthira asked his Pitamaha to introduce him If there is such a man, who lived in a householder's ashram along with his wife with restraint and rules, had overcome all worldly bondages and tolerated them by staying away from all of the dualities, because this kind of great man was typically rare. Bhishma noted him the history of Brahmarshi Svetaketu that is the best medicine to remove the fear of diseases like birth and death. Let us know approximately it in short.

Incredible Devala was proficient in the knowledge of the scriptures, pious, religious and always worshipped the deities and brahmins. He had a daughter, who was known by the name of Suvarchala. That glorious female was endowed with all of the auspicious signs, was neither too short nor too tall, and was not very thin. Gradually he attained the age of marriage. Her father started thinking, the husband of his daughter must be a superior Shrotriya brahmin, who, besides being a scholar, should be an excellent speaker, a great ascetic and single. However wherein should this type of guy be available? Suvarchala went near her worried father and said in this manner, 'Father! you are intelligent, learned and sage. You'll entrust me to such a man, who would be blind and be having eyes. Remember this prayer of mine.” He stated, “daughter! I do not think that this prayer of yours can be fulfilled. Because how can it be possible that one person could be blind or not? I feel sorry for hearing this. You're saying terrible like a mad.” Suvarchala said, “Father! I'm not crazy. I'm telling you this kind of thing with great care. If a woman finds this kind of Vedic scholar as her husband, then he can maintain me. Invite here all the brahmins in whose hands you want to give me. I will pick out a suitable husband from him according to my choice.”

Then, agreeing to his daughter, the sage said to the disciples, “Disciples! One who's endowed with the knowledge of Vedas, born of impeccable parents, son of an innocent family, having pure morals, having auspicious signs, healthful, shrewd, modest and endowed with sattva, free from the defect of varna amongst gotras, prepared to observe the Vedokta system, successful, having living parents and who desires to marry my daughter, bring such high-quality Brahmins right here quickly.” His disciples at once went to the ashrams and villages and informed the Brahmins about it. Knowing the effect of the sage and that girl, many great Brahmins came to the ashram of Maharishi Devala. Devala after giving due respect and worship to the sages and rishikumars who came there, said to his daughter, “Daughter! these sages who've come right here are full of Vedas, noble and modest. They're as dear to me as my son. From among these humans, choose the incredible Rishikumar whom you want to make husband today, I will marry you with him.” Suvarchala, seeing that community of brahmins, after bowing to all of them, said, “in this Brahmin-assembly that one will be my husband who is blind and not even blind.” Hearing this talk of the girl, all the sages started looking at each other's faces and didn't say anything considering that girl to be childish. Those first-class sages, who lived in distinct nations, became enraged and whilst condemning sage Devala in their mind returned to their places.

After that, at some point of time a scholar, a devotee of a brahmin, a philosopher of justice, skilled in celibacy, full of virtue, a Vedveta, a Vedatattvajna, a karma-kandvisar, sage Shvetketu, after listening to the whole story, came quickly to the ashram with admiration for that girl. Seeing Uddalaka's son, the great sage Svetaketu, came, Devala worshipped him properly and said to his daughter to choose such a superb pundit and a well-versed scholar of Vedas, Rishi Kumara Shvetaketu. Hearing this from her father, the daughter got angry and looked at Rishikumar Shvetaketu. Then Brahmarishi Shvetaketu stated to that girl, “Bhadre! I am the one whom you need, I have come here for you simplest. I am blind, this is the fact. I always believe so in my mind. At the same time, being, without doubt, I'm also having eyes. that is how you understand me. Indescribable beauty! you accept me. I'm able to fulfil your needs. The Supreme Soul through whose power the soul continually sees receives, touches, smells, speaks, constantly tastes numerous things, contemplates the essence and comes to a decision through the intellect, that God is referred to as chakshu or eye. He who is devoid of this eye is known as blind. (Having the eye of God, I will also not be the anandha chakshu or blind-eyed.) Inside whom this whole world behaviour takes place. The eyes with which he sees this world, hands which touch the skin, nose that smells through the nostrils, and that I have no relation with the cosmic eye with which these kinds of behaves, consequently I'm blind. You choose me.

From the point of view of the group of humans, I do daily routine etc here and do not indulge in all those activities because of having regular self-vision. Contemplating on God as the cause, I usually depend upon Him in a calm spirit. Having crossed death through the rituals of actions, I've realized the nectar of God through knowledge, and seeing with an equal mindset anything is received by means of destiny, I stay right here, free from jealousy and aversion. Dear! I'm able to feed you. so you pick me.” Listening to this, Suvarchala said, “scholar! I've chosen you with my heart. My father is the one who will fulfil the remaining tasks mentioned in the scriptures. You ask me from him. This is prescribed importance as in keeping with Vedas.”

(Chaste Iti Chakshu: He who sees is the eye. according to this yutpattika, the omniscient supreme Soul is the meaning of the word Chakshu.)


Thereafter, Suvarchala's father Devala along with Uddalaka worshipped Shvetaketu, and after taking Sankalp with water in the front of the sages, he gave his daughter to Shvetaketu. Seeing Shvetaketu there, the sages stated like this it is as if here in the form of Shvetketu, Lord Madhusudana, who resides in everybody's heart-lotus, the best personality of Godhead was seated. Shvetaketu took married her lawfully. Then the wise Shvetaketu, after completing the best marriage arrangements made by the sages, whilst dwelling inside the householder's ashram, stated to his spouse that, “Shobhane! You well perform all of the auspicious deeds that are prescribed within the Vedas by staying with me and becoming my true companion. I am in this bhava and also you must additionally stay the same, so do all the actions in line with my orders, then I will additionally do your preferred work. Thereafter, ‘all these actions aren't mine and I am not the doer of them’ with this feeling, burn all the deeds in the Jnanagni or fire of knowledge, You are most fortunate. You have to continually act like this without affection and ego and I must do the same. Regardless of the best man conducts, so do other people, therefore for the accomplishment of public behaviour and self-welfare, both of us ought to keep performing rituals of karma.”

By giving such a sermon, Shvetaketu produced many sons from Suvarchala, satisfied the deities by way of yajna sacrifices; Then via being constantly prepared in Atmayoga or self-yoga, he became devoid of Nirdvanda or conflicts and Parigraha or possessiveness. Shvetaketu, having found a spouse suitable to him, was illuminated in the same manner as a Kshetragya after getting an intellect. Each of them used to reach even in the Lokantara and used to move happily in this world like a witness.

After that, one day she asked her husband Shvetketu, “Dwijshrestha! who are you tell me this!” At that time the Lord Shvetaketu told her that, “Devi! you have already come to know about me, there is no question about it. You have additionally addressed me as Dwijshrestha. Then who else are you asking other than that Dwijshrestha?” Then Suvarchala said to her husband, “Nath! I ask the souls who're sleeping inside the caves of the heart.” Shvetaketu answered, “Bhamini! He won't say anything. In case you recognize souls by means of name and gotra, if you trust it to be yukt, then this is your false belief, due to the fact having a name-gotra one gets the bondage of the body. Aham (i am) is established in the soul. You have the same feeling. You are also bhava, I am additionally bhava and all this is in the form of bhava. There is no essence of supremity in it. Then why do you ask?”

Then the virtuous wife Suvarchala was very pleased, she smiled and said, “Brahmarshe! what is the purpose of many types of opposition? Your knowledge is getting lost by means of continually getting involved in this kind of activity. So you tell me the reason because I am going to comply with you.” Shvetaketu said, “dear! whatever the best man does, others also do the equal thing; Consequently, by giving up our karma, this entire community will be corrupted by the defect of hybridity. In this manner, while there is narrowness in religion, the sankarata spreads among the people and when it spreads, there is a tendency of Matsyanyaya or the precept of the regulation of fish everywhere. (As strong fish swallow up the weak fish, so strong men harass the weak) Dear! This is not desired through the supreme Soul, Sri Hari, who maintains the whole world, all this creation of the world is the play of God. The more particles of dust, the more the bibhuti of Shri Hari and so are his illusions and the powers of those Mayas. It is the statement of Lord Narayana Himself that 'the effort giving man who seeks salvation, stays in a very deep cave and goes away after breaking the bondage of birth and death, he's a learned man who finds me. I am that yogi man, there's no doubt that.’ This is God's commitment. Those who generate idiots, evil ones, a man with low dignity and who creates dharmasankarata, fall in hell and are borns from a demonic yoni. That is additionally the discipline of the same God. You should also observe the rules of humans for the protection of the world. I am additionally situated in the safety of public dignity in the same bhava.”

Suvarchala asked, “Mahamune! what's the ’Shabda’ here known as and what's its meaning? You describe them one at a time by referring to their shape and features.” Shvetaketu said, “The thing which is released whilst the community of ‘Aa’ kara and different classes are uttered in order or reverse order, it needs to be referred to as 'shabda' and the meaning which appears from that word, is 'Artha'.”

Suvarchala asked, “If there's an opinion then tell me if there is any relation between these Shabda and Artha or not?”Shvetaketu said, “there is no constant relation between word and meaning. know that there is an inextricable relation between the words and meanings like lotus leaf located at the water.” Suvarchala asked, “Mahapragya! the position of the word is at the meaning itself, otherwise it cannot have its position. If there's a word without meaning, tell me.” Shvetaketu said, “the word has a verbal relationship with the meaning and that relationship is eternal. If there is a word, then its meaning is constantly there. Even when pronounced within the opposite order, the word has some or the opposite meaning (like Nadi, Deen and so on.).”

Survachala said, “the basis of the word, that is, the Vedas, means the supreme Soul. The same scholars have said and this is my opinion too. Without taking the basis of that meaning, the word can not survive. But you do not believe in any fixed relationship in them, so your statement is contrary to significance.” Shvetaketu said, “I have not said anything contrary to it. look, the earth or the terrestrial world cannot survive without the sky, but there's no consistent relationship among them. The relation of word and meaning should also be considered the identical.”

Suvarchala quoted, “The word 'aham' is usually clearly used in the sense of the soul, but yato vacho nivartante' in keeping with this Shruti there is no access of speech, so the use of the term 'aham' for the soul would also be false.” Shvetaketu said, “The word bhava is not used in the atma, but the ahambhava is used within the atmabhava. Because Saguna materialistic words are unable to make sense of Achintya Parabrahma Paramatma. Just as the earthen pot has the bhava of statues, in an identical manner the supreme personality of Godhead is desired in each substance created from the perfect Soul. Therefore ahambhava in the Achintya Parabrahman Paramatma is self-realization and this is the truth. 'I', 'You' and these 'all these names are conceived via us in Parabrahma Parmatma (not real), so speech cannot reach that supreme Soul' there is no conflict with this assertion of Shruti. man uses the terms bhava and so on only via a delusional thought. Just as the whole world situated in the sky seems to be adjacent to it, further all the visible phenomena situated inside the supreme God appear to be connected to him. In addition, there's no contact of Brahman with the world, yet it is taken into consideration to be real due to its origin. That Brahman is supremely pure and without likeness; therefore it can't be defined via speech. He cannot be seen with those eyes and he is visible through the eyes of knowledge, this is my opinion.”

Suvarchala stated, “Then it has to be believed that simply as the formless, limitless and all-pervading sky is usually seen, inside the same manner the soul in the form of knowledge is also seen.” Shvetaketu stated, “the man repeatedly touches the air in the sky via the skin, via the nostrils, again and again, smells the fragrance of the sky and sees the radiance through the eyes. apart from this, darkness, a group of rays, clouds of clouds, rain and stars are also visible frequently. But the sky is not visible. The Sattva form God is the sky of that sky additionally, which means that he is the great space that gives rest to the sky. it is certain. For Him and through Him the entire world has been created. He is genuine and all-pervading. That omnipresent God can not be acquired even via the eyes, mind and any other sense organs. He cannot be defined even by speech. He can be contemplated and realized simplest by using the subtle intellect. All this Prapancha (Samasthi and Vyasthi-world) is established in Him alone. He is neither male nor female and also not a eunuch, he is situated simplest in the shape of knowledge. On that basis, the whole world is established. Due to the Union of Nature and the soul, the advent manifests in many ways in keeping with the qualities and deeds. Just as a thirsty person gains satisfaction through consuming water, in addition, the seeker attains satisfaction and entire knowledge by way of remembering the Brahmobodhaka discipline, and from that knowledge, his happiness turns progressively higher.”

Suvarchala said, “by this Shabda what is going to be accomplished? I have such a belief that nothing is going to manifest by means of the same. However, the mythological scholars accept as true that the preferred Soul is inconceivable and Vedagmya. Like in humans Many words are meaningless, so are Vedic words. The same thing comes to my mind. Therefore, please tell me the real facts.” Shvetaketu said, “The pure supreme Being, the Supreme Soul, is Vedagmya. this declaration of Shruti is the final truth. The atheists on this subject say that the said Shruti statement isn't due to the lack of direct attainment of Parabrahma because it is contaminated with Vyaghat Dosha. If the believers give the answer to this, then only the subtle body, the specific gross body, we get the achievement of the supreme Brahman within the form of the soul. Therefore, the above statement of Shrutika is true. No secular word is meaningless. Then how can a Vedic word be useless? Words that do not have each other - which are unrelated to each other, The worldly men call them useless. Like worldly words, Vedic words, although taken into consideration meaningful, but they're unable to convey the realization of God. Due to the fact, God is stated to be imperceptible in speech and his imperceptibility is also rational. The Vedas preach the worship of Brahman or the means of Brahman’s attainment. Remedies for worship have also been stated. (As Rahu is seen with the Moon and the sun during an eclipse, in an equal manner) through Upalaksana-Yoga in each body as a living entity, only the position of Brahman has been demonstrated. Vistyadhikadvishtata or neti etc., have pointed toward the true form of Brahman through non-attachment. That's why the pure supreme Soul is the only Veda, that is my precise belief. It should be known to you that with the contemplation of the spiritual principle, eternal knowledge begins to shine clearly like a lamp. by that knowledge, people obtain the supreme state. The opulence of Parabrahma Parmatma is visible in many forms? Air has no access there. Surya and Agni cannot illuminate the supreme personality of Godhead. This whole world is perfected by the supreme Soul and He is living within the heart of each living being in the form of the Self. This is the only supreme science. The existence of both people isn't eternal, such a belief occurs due to ignorance.”

Suvarchala was delighted when her husband Shvetaketu gave such accurate teachings. She began behaving accordingly by being consistent with the philosophy. Shvetaketu used to engage in daily routine activities by keeping his wife with him. He used to devote all his deeds to the supreme Soul, who is living in all people's hearts, and used to remain engrossed in his meditation. in this way, after contemplating on God for a long time, he attained Parama Gati.

(In this manner, both the husband and wife, taking shelter of the householder or Grihastha religion, attained the divine.)

Ref: Mahabharata Book Shanti Parva

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