Story of Dharmavyaadha - AreKatika Suryavanshi Kshatriya Khatik

Story of Dharmavyaadha ( AreKatika Suryavanshi Kshatriya Khatik )
Its a beautiful forest near by a village. There is a prashaanta-pradesham in that forest, where a small river used to flow. On the banks of the river was a huge tree giving shade to many. Under the treeKaushika, a Vipra, was doing Tapas. At afternoons he used to go to village, do Bhikshaatanam and divide the aahaaram into four parts — 3/4 he used to use for Daanam and other Dharma-kaaryas. The remaining 1/4 he used to eat. When he was living such a life, one day, a baka (crane) put its droppings on him. The baka got burnt just as he saw it with Krodham. That day as usual he went for bhikshaatana. He stood in front of one house and said “Bhavati! Bhikshaam Dehi”. On hearing this the Gruha-lakshmi went towards the kitchen to bring him some food. But at the same time, her Bharta came back after a long journey. On seeing him, she washed his feet with cool water, fanned air for him for sometime, gave him someaahaaram and made him sleep. After doing pati-seva like this, she came with some aahaaram for Kaushika. Again Kaushika saw with Krodham. Seeing this the Gruha-lakshmi said “Svaami! I not not the baka to get burnt. After Pati-seva-dharmam only there are other Dharmas for me”. Surprised, the muni replied “Amma! How did you come to know about the story that happened far off in the forest? Please do Gnyaana-bodha to me”. She replied “Muniishvara! Little away from here is Mithilaanagaram. There lives a Vyaadha who makes his living by selling maamsam. Approach him, he will tell you everything”. Immediately he left for Mithila. He enquired about Dharmavyaada and reached his shop. Seeing different jantu-maamsam, he stood away. Dharmavyaadha, seeing the Muni, went and did Yathaavidhi namaskaaram and said “Muniishvara! Namaskaaram. Is the Pativrata who sent you to me doing well?” Kaushika was awe-struck to listen to these words of Dharmavyaadha. He thought “there that woman and here this person. Even after doing so much Tapas, Idont have so much power. May be because that woman was a Pativrata, she was able to know what happened in the forest. But how come this kasai, who lives selling maamsam, have Divya-drushti?” Seeing Kaushika thinking, Dharmavyaadha continued “Svaami! You cant tolerate this smell. Please come I will take you to my house and show you how I got all these divya-shaktis”. With great Vinayam, Dharmavyaadha took Kaushika to his house. Just on entering his house, Dharmavyaadha did pranaamam to his Pita who was taking rest. After asking him Kushala-prashnas, he went to his Maata and did Yathaavidhi namaskaaram to her. He then did her seva. After this he told Kaushika “Svaami! This is the only thing that I do. Many ever Vratas, Japams, Tapas we do, if we dont do the seva of Maata-Pita, there will be no prayojanam. A Maata carries her shishu in her Garbham for 9 months, experiences prasava-vedana and then protects the shishu like how an eye-lid protects the eye. A Pita gives us this shariiram to do paropakaaram and Daiva-praarthana. He experience many difficulties in doing our poshana. Our very existence is because of them. Howmuch ever seva we do to them, we will never to able to repay this runam. I do seva of my Maata-Pita and so poshana of my Samsaaram. Thats all. Also I dont cheat people while selling maamsam. I dont expect adhika-laabham and be happy with what I get. I never leave my Sva-dharmam of being a Vyaadha, neither do I take up Para-dharmam. I try to do poshana of people who come under my aashrayam and enquire their Yoga-kshemam. More important than all of these, one must have Samyamam. We must never have Raaga-dvesham. WIth Nirmala-chittam, we must always do Parameshvara-aaraadhana”. Listening to these Amruta-vaakyas of Dharmavyaadha, Kaushika went away and continued his Tapas, this time with a nishchala-manas. Morals in the story: Importance of Maata-Pita seva is well shown in the story. Just by doing this, Dharmavyaadha got many great shaktis and was always involved in Parameshvara-dhyaanam. Greatness of a Pativrata is also shown in the story. What, even with great Tapas, Kaushika could not achieve, the Gruha-lakshmi achieved with her Paativratyam. Search Terms: Dharmavyadha, Kowshika, Kausika, Kousika, Kowsika, Koushika, parents