Chapter 4 – Redemption of a Brāhmaṇa (Ātmadeva)
Sūta said:
1-4. Now perceiving extraordinary devotion in the mind of His devotees, the Lord, who is so fond of His devotees, entered the sinless hearts of His afore-mentioned devotees, leaving His own realm (Vaikuṇṭha). He had a garland of sylvan flowers around His neck, was dark-brown as a rainy cloud, was clad in yellow silk of exquisite texture, stole the mind of all by His extreme comeliness of form, was resplendent with a shining girdle and was adorned with a brilliant diadem and alligator-shaped ear-rings. He stood in a lovely pose with His body slanting at three places, and was decked with the charming Kaustubha (a diamond-like gem hanging on His chest). He possessed the grace of millions of cupids and was daubed with heavenly sandal-paste, was an embodiment of supreme bliss and consciousness, most charming in aspect, and held a flute against His lips.
Short Note – Meaning of six excellences (Bhagavān) – unlimited wealth, unlimited fame, unlimited strength, unlimited beauty, unlimited knowledge and unlimited renunciation.
He stood in a beautiful posture with his body slanting at three places (the Tribhaṅgī pose).
5. The denizens of Vaikuṇṭha as well as those like Uddhava, who are devoted to Lord Viṣṇu here, were present there under disguised character with the object of listening to the story.
6. Then (at the appearance of the Lord) there arose an applause and shouts of hailing (“victory to the Lord”), extraordinary super-abundance of joy, shower of scented powder and flowers and a fan-fare of conch blasting.
7. Those present in that assembly forgot (all about) their body, place and (even) their own self. Perceiving this state of their absorption, Nārada submitted as follows:
8. “Oh great sages! This supremely pre-eminent greatness (and efficacy) accruing from (the special sacrifice called) the Bhāgavata week has been witnessed by me today. All beings including the irrational and egoists, beasts and birds that are present here—all of them become absolutely cleared of sins.
9. Hence, in the Kali age, in this world, there is no other act which purifies the mind as well as destroys the flood of sins, similar to the story of the Bhāgavata Purāṇa.
10. Be pleased to tell me what types of sinners are purified by the sacrifice in the form of (the reading of) the story of the Bhāgavata. Taking into consideration the welfare of the world, some indescribable new path has been revealed by you who are so very compassionate.
Kumāras said:
11. Even those human beings who constantly perpetrate sinful deeds, who are ever addicted to immoral practices, who take to evil ways, who are consumed by the fire of anger, and who are wicked and full of passion are purified in Kaliyuga through a seven days’ Yajña (as aforesaid).
12. Persons who indulge in lying (lit. are lacking in truthfulness), offend their parents; are overwhelmed with covetousness; have abandoned the duties prescribed for their particular stage of life (āśrama); are hypocrites, envious of others and even commit injury to living beings—all such persons become pure and sinless through (their attendance at) the sacrifice in the form of Bhāgavata week in the Kali age.
Special Note – Āśrama Means – Brahmacharya (student), Gṛhastha (householder), Vanaprastha (forest dweller), and Sannyasa (renunciate).
13. Persons who have committed five heinous sins, who practice roguery and fraudulent tricks, who are ruthless like piśācas (demons), have grown rich by exploiting Brāhmaṇas and indulge in adultery—all these get their sins wiped out through the sacrifice called The Bhāgavata Week in this Kali aeon.
Special Note – Manu has enumerated them as follows: (1) Killing a Brāhmaṇa (A learnt person who is striving for the welfare of this creation), (2) Wine-drinking, (3) Stealing, (4) Sexual intercourse with another’s spouse, (5) Contact with the above type of sinners (Manu-Smṛti. 11.54).
14. The fools persistently and deliberately always commit sins through their body (physical activities), speech and mind (sinful mental activities), and have grown fat (rich) by misappropriating other people’s property, are full of evil desires and are wicked at heart—all these become sinless through the sacrifice in the form of the Bhāgavata-week in this Kali age.
15. I shall now narrate to you an ancient historical legend by simply listening to which, (one’s) sins are annihilated.
16. In ancient times there was a beautiful town on the bank of the Tuṅgabhadrā, all the inhabitants thereof were diligently abiding by the duties of their respective orders (varṇas), spoke the truth, and were exclusively devoted to righteous acts.
17. In that town, there lived Ātmadeva who was adept in the entire Vedic lore, and was well-versed in the righteous acts and rites prescribed in the Vedas and the Smṛtis. He was like another sun in glory.
18. Though he maintained himself on alms, he was wealthy. His beloved wife known as Dhundhulī was born in a respectable family and beautiful in appearance, but she always asserted her own say in all matters.
19. She indulged in worldly gossip, mostly talked a lot, was cruel and miserly and expert in household duties, though quarrelsome.
20. So the couple lived together affectionately and enjoyed life. They had enough to satisfy their desires and achieve their objects. They had a good house to live in yet they were not happy.
21. Ultimately they took to performing righteous acts with the object of getting a child. They began to give cows, land, gold as gifts to the distressed and the needy.
22. Even though they spent half of their wealth in giving donations, they begot neither a son nor a daughter. They were extremely weighed down with anxiety.
23. One day, the Brāhmaṇa, distressed as he was, left his house for the forest. At midday he felt thirsty and therefore went up to a tank.
24. After drinking water, he sat down in a dejected mood. He had become emaciated due to his grief of childlessness. Within a short while (muhūrta—about forty eight minutes) a certain sannyāsī happened to come to the same place.
25. Seeing that the sannyāsī had drunk water, the Brāhmaṇa approached him, and after bowing at his feet stood in front of him sighing.
The Sannyāsī said:
26. How is it that you are crying, Oh Brahmāṇa? What is the deep anxiety that overwhelms you? Please tell me immediately the cause of your misery.
The Brāhmaṇa replied:
27. O sage, what description shall I give you of my sorrow earned through sins I did in my previous lives? When I offer oblations of water to (the spirits of) my (departed) ancestors, the water becomes lukewarm through their sighs and they drink that lukewarm water.
Special Note – “Ancestors” drinking “lukewarm water” refers to their suffering in the afterlife or ancestral realm (pitṛloka). Well-being of one’s ancestors after death depends on the proper performance of rituals, like śrāddha, tarpaṇa, and offerings. If these are neglected—or if sins have been committed—the ancestors do not receive the nourishing offerings of cool, clean water and food. Instead, they suffer, symbolized by drinking impure, lukewarm, or bitter water.
28. Gods and Brāhmaṇas do not accept with pleasure whatever I give them as gifts. I have become completely dejected due to my grief of issuelessness (not having a child) I have come here to give up my life (commit suicide).
Special Note – Despite making offerings, the gods and holy beings reject them, indicating his actions are not bearing fruit— due to past karma & impurity.
29. Cursed is the life of an issueless person. Wretched is a home devoid of children. Worthless is the wealth of an issueless person. Fie upon the family which is childless.
30. Whichever cow I keep becomes completely barren. And a tree that is planted by me becomes devoid of flowers and fruits (an index of barrenness).
31. Whatever fruit is sent to my house immediately becomes dry and rotten. What is the propriety of living in the case of a luckless and childless person like me?
32. Saying these words he, being overpowered with grief, lamented loudly, by the side of the sannyāsin. Then the heart of the sannyāsin was deeply moved with compassion for him.
33. The sannyāsin who was well-versed in yoga read the series of letters written on the Brāhmaṇa’s forehead. And coming to know everything, he explained that in details to the Brāhmaṇa.
The Sannyāsi said:
34. Oh Brāhmaṇa, give up this ignorance in the form of the desire for having children. Most powerful is the course of (one’s) destiny. Taking recourse to wisdom, give up the craving for mundane existence (worldly desire which will again become the reason for saṃsāra).
35. Listen to me Oh Brāhmaṇa. I have seen today your destiny controlled by the fruition of past deeds. For seven lives you will have absolutely no children at all.
36. In ancient times, King Sagar came to grief through his sons. The same was the case with the king of Aṅga. Therefore, give up all hope and desire for rearing a family. There is absolute happiness in sannyās (renunciation).
Special Note – King Sagar’s had 60,000 sons, they went on search for a stolen sacrificial horse (of Ashvamedha Yagna), they eventually found the horse in sage Kapila’s ashram, but instead of recognizing the sage’s importance, they disturbed his meditation, believing he had stolen the horse. They were then reduced to ashes by Sage Kapila’s fiery gaze when they disturbed his meditation. King Sagar was devastated by the loss of his sons, and their souls were trapped without peace or salvation due to the manner of their death.
Later, Bhagirath, Sagar’s great-grandson, sought to free his ancestors’ souls by bringing the Gangā (sacred river) down to earth, which allowed the souls to attain salvation.
King Aṅga’s was disheartened by son Vena’s character, and left his kingdom and went into the forest for penance. In a later stage, Vena was cursed to death by sages for his bad character and blasphemy against the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The Brāhmaṇa said:
37. Of what use is your advice of discrimination (viveka). Give me a son(if possible) by the force of your merits. Otherwise I will in your (very) presence become unconscious with grief and give up my life.
38. This renunciation, which is being devoid of the pleasure of not having children (grandchildren) etc, is definitely dry and useless. The only sweet thing in this world is a family life crowded with children and grandchildren.
39. Noticing the insistence of the Brāhmaṇa (to beget a child), the sage (to whom penance was a wealth) spoke out, “In an attempt to undo his destiny in the past, even king Citraketu had to suffer (heavily).
40. Just as all the efforts of an unlucky person are frustrated, you will not be happy even after begetting a child. Despite this, you are still insistent, what should I call a seeker like you?”
41. Observing his determined insistence (on begetting a child), the sage gave him a fruit and instructed, “Make your wife eat this fruit. She will give birth to a child”.
42. “Your wife must observe for a period of one year the vows of truthfulness, cleanliness, compassion, almsgiving, and eating one meal per day—thereby she will beget a child of extremely pious nature”.
43. Saying these words, the yogī went his way. Returning home, the Brāhmaṇa handed over the fruit to his wife and went away somewhere.
44-46. His wife, though youthful, was crooked by nature. She lamented before her (female) friend, “Oh I am worried with anxiety. Hence I shall not eat the fruit.
By eating the fruit, I shall become pregnant and pregnancy will greatly increase the size of my belly. I shall have to be moderate in eating, which will lead to weakness. How can I be able to carry on my domestic work?
How will it be possible for a pregnant woman to run in case there is unfortunately a sudden attack of ḍacoits on the village? In case the foetus stays on in the womb like the sage Śuka, how can she deliver it?
Special Note – Śuka stayed for sixteen years in his mother’s womb.
47. If (at the time of the delivery) the foetus comes in a slanting position, I shall surely die. (Even otherwise) how can a lady of delicate health as I am, bear the extreme pangs of delivery?
48. When I become less active (in advanced pregnancy and confinement after delivery) my husband’s sister will take away everything belonging to me. The vows of truth, cleanliness and others appear to be very difficult for me to observe.
49. Even after safe delivery, there is a lot of trouble in bringing up the child. It is my opinion that a barren woman and a widow are the really happy women.
50. With such fallacious reasoning, the fruit was not eaten by her. When she was asked by her husband whether she had eaten the fruit, she replied that she had eaten it (which was a lie).
51-53. One day her sister came to her house of her own accord. She narrated everything to her and said, “I am greatly agitated over this. I am getting weak (day by day) on account of this worry. Sister, what shall I do?”
The sister replied, “I am pregnant. I shall give you the child after delivery”. Till that time, you stay comfortably at home pretending to be pregnant. Offer some money to my husband, and he will hand over the child to you.
54. (I will so manipulate things that) people will say my child died at the age of six months, while I will come to your house daily and suckle the child.
55. With a view to verify the efficacy of the fruit, you give it now to the cow for eating.” Due to her ignorant nature, the Brāhmaṇa’s wife carried out all the instructions as advised by her sister.
56. In due course, the woman gave birth to a child which its father brought secretly and handed over to Dhundhulī.
57. She (Dhundhulī) reported to her husband that she had an easy delivery. People became happy to learn that Ātmadeva begot a child.
58. He performed the requisite ceremony at the birth of a child (jāta-karma / ceremony welcoming the baby into the world) and presented gifts to Brāhmaṇas. There was a fanfare of musical instruments and songs before his door and many auspicious rites were performed by the couple.
59. Dhundhulī complained to her husband as follows, “There is no milk in my breasts. I myself being milkless, how can I feed the child with the milk of another (unrelated) woman?
60. My sister has (recently) given birth to a child, but the child died. Invite her, request her to stay in our house, so that she will suckle the baby and nourish it.”
61. For the protection of his son, her husband carried out thoroughly whatever was told to him. The mother called her son as ‘Dhunḍhukārī’.
62. Later on, after a period of three months, the cow gave birth to a (human) child which was beautiful and shapely in all the parts of its body, brilliant, clean and pure and resplendent like gold in complexion.
63. On seeing the child, the Brāhmaṇa was so pleased that he personally performed all the ceremonials (like jātakarma) pertaining to the birth of a child. Thinking it (the birth of a human child from a cow) as a miracle, all people came to see him.
64. “Look here! How good luck has now come to the lot of Ātmadeva? Certainly it is miraculous that a god-like child is born of a cow.”
65. Fortunately nobody came to know the secret (of this wonderful phenomenon). Seeing that the child had its ears like those of a cow, he (the Brāhmaṇa) called him ‘Gōkarṇa’.
66. In course of time, when the sons attained youth, Gokarṇa became a wise, learned scholar, while Dhunḍhukārī, a very wicked fellow.
67. He never washed himself nor did he observe cleanliness and other rules of good conduct. He ate undesirable things. His anger knew no bounds. He possessed evil things (accepting undesirable gifts) and even ate food touched by the hands of a dead body.
Special Note – Hands of a dead body is a phrase to mention that the person is living a life of deep impurity, ignorance, and moral corruption—consuming what is spiritually toxic
68. He committed thefts and bore ill-will to all. He set fire to other’s houses. He took children in his arms apparently in order to fondle (pretending to show love and care), and immediately threw them into a well.
69. With lethal weapons in hand, he used to kill (living beings). He greatly harassed the blind and distressed people. He delighted in the company of monstrous & wicked people, and always carried a noose in his hands and was accompanied with dogs.
70. Falling in the evil company of prostitutes he squandered (all) his paternal fortune. One day he bashed his parents and carried off the utensils (from his house) himself.
71. When all his property was thus lost, the miserly father of Dhundhukarī began to wail at the top of his voiceHe said, “It would have been much better if his mother remained childless. An evil son is a source of agony.
72. Where should I stay? Where should I go? Who will relieve me of my miseries? What a calamity has befallen me? I shall commit suicide due to this distress.”
73. That (very) moment the wise Gōkarṇa arrived there. Revealing the glory of dispassion (renunciation), he tried to open his father’s eyes.
74. (He said) “There is no substance in this world. It is full of misery and is a source of great infatuation. Neither progeny, nor wealth, really belongs to us. A person attached to these has to burn day and night (on their account).
75. Happiness neither belongs to Indra (the king of gods) nor to the emperor of the world. He alone who is disgusted with the pleasures of the senses, is given to silent contemplation (on God), and lives in seclusion is (really) happy.
76. Give up your ignorance in the form of (attachment to) your progeny, for delusion leads to hell. This body is going to fall (one day). Therefore, discarding everything, repair to the forest.”
77. Hearing Gokarṇa’s words, his father, being desirous of going to the forest, asked, “Oh child, explain to me in details, what I should do while living in the forest.
78. I, being ignorant, was bound down by the ties of affection and thus being crippled I was pushed by my past actions into the dark well of saṃsāra. A receptacle of compassion as you are, do lift me up.”
Gokarṇa said:
79. Cease you to identify yourself with the body consisting of bones, flesh and blood. Give up forever the feeling of mineness with regard to spouse, progeny and so on. Constantly look upon this world as momentary, take interest in sweet renunciation and be thoroughly established in your devotion to the Lord.
80. Constantly practise the virtue of remembering the Lord. Abandon all temporal duties. Wait upon saintly persons and give up the thirst for the pleasures of the senses. Immediately cease to brood over the merits and demerits of other persons, enjoy you exclusively the delight of serving the Lord and listening to His stories.
81. Leaving his house in response to his son’s advice, Ātmadeva withdrew to the forest with a firm determination, even though he was more than sixty. Engaged day and night in worship of Śrī Hari, he attained to Śrī Krsna by regularly reading Book Ten (tenth Skandha) of the Bhāgavata Purāṇa.
Thus ends the fourth discourse entitled “The Deliverance of Atmadeva (a Brahmana), “ forming part of the “Glory of Srimad Bhagavata” in the Uttara-Khanda of the glorious Padma-Purana.
Summarization Of The Entire Chapter :
The chapter begins with Sūta describing the Lord’s appearance as He manifests in the hearts of His devoted listeners during the Bhāgavata week. The Lord is depicted in a beautiful and enchanting form. The scene is filled with joyous exclamations, showers of flowers, and the blowing of conches, as even celestial beings and devotees like Uddhava arrive in disguise to witness the event.
Witnessing the profound absorption of the attendees, Nārada praises the extraordinary power of the Bhāgavata week in purifying even the most sinful beings, including irrational creatures. He emphasizes that in the Kali age, there is no greater act for cleansing the mind and destroying sins than hearing the stories of the Bhāgavata Purāṇa. The Kumāras then elaborate on the types of sinners who are purified by attending this seven-day recitation, including those who are constantly sinful, addicted to immoral practices, wicked, passionate, liars, disrespectful to parents, covetous, neglectful of their duties, hypocritical, envious, harmful to living beings, perpetrators of heinous sins, roguish, fraudulent, ruthless, exploiters of people, adulterers, and those who accumulate wealth through dishonest means.
To illustrate the power of the Bhāgavata, the Kumāras narrate an ancient story about a priest named Ātmadeva and his wife Dhundhulī, who lived in a righteous town on the bank of the Tuṅgabhadrā. Despite their wealth and performance of good deeds, they were unhappy due to their childlessness. Distressed, Ātmadeva went to the forest, where he met a Sannyāsī. Ātmadeva lamented his plight, believing his ancestors suffered due to his sins and that his offerings were rejected. He expressed his despair over being childless and even considered suicide.
The compassionate Sannyāsī, through his yogic powers, read Ātmadeva’s destiny, revealing that he would be childless for seven lifetimes due to past karma. He advised Ātmadeva to abandon his desire for children and embrace renunciation, citing the misfortunes of King Sagar and King Aṅga due to their progeny. However, Ātmadeva insisted on having a son and threatened to end his life.
Seeing his unwavering desire, the sage reluctantly gave him a fruit to be eaten by his wife, instructing her to observe strict vows for a year to beget a pious child. Ātmadeva returned home and gave the fruit to Dhundhulī. However, Dhundhulī, being of a crooked nature, worried about the difficulties of pregnancy and childbirth. Influenced by her sister, she devised a plan: her pregnant sister would give her the child after delivery, and Dhundhulī would pretend to be pregnant. To test the fruit, they gave it to a cow.
In due course, Dhundhulī’s sister gave birth to a child, which her sisters husband secretly brought home and gave to Dhundhulī. She then claimed to her husband (Ātmadeva), that she had an easy delivery. They named the child Dhunḍhukārī. Three months later, the cow miraculously gave birth to a beautiful human child with cow-like ears, whom they named Gōkarṇa.
As the sons grew, Gōkarṇa became wise and learned, while Dhunḍhukārī turned out to be extremely wicked, indulging in impure habits, theft, violence, and squandering his father’s wealth. He even abused his parents. Distraught by his son’s behavior, Ātmadeva lamented his misfortune and contemplated to commit suicide.
At that moment, the wise Gōkarṇa arrived and enlightened his father on the illusory nature of the world, the suffering caused by attachment to family and wealth, and the true happiness found in detachment and devotion to the Lord. He advised his father to renounce his attachments, see the world as temporary, and dedicate himself to the Lord.
Following Gōkarṇa’s advice, the sixty-year-old Ātmadeva went to the forest with firm resolve and, by constantly worshipping Śrī Hari and regularly reading the Tenth Skandha of the Bhāgavata Purāṇa, ultimately attained Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
Short Question & Answers :
Q1: What prompted the Lord to appear to His devotees?
A: Extraordinary devotion in the minds of the Lord’s devotees, which pleased the Lord greatly and caused Him to leave His realm (Vaikuṇṭha) and enter their sinless hearts.
Q2: Describe the appearance of the Lord as He manifested before His devotees.
A: The Lord had a garland of sylvan flowers, was dark-brown like a rainy cloud, wore yellow silk, had an extremely comely form, a shining girdle, a brilliant diadem, and alligator-shaped earrings. He stood in the Tribhaṅgī pose, adorned with the Kaustubha gem, possessed the grace of millions of cupids, was daubed with heavenly sandal-paste, embodied supreme bliss and consciousness, and held a flute to His lips.
Q3: Who else was present during the Lord’s appearance and what was their purpose?
A: The denizens of Vaikuṇṭha and devotees like Uddhava, who are devoted to Lord Viṣṇu, were present in disguise to listen to the story.
Q4: What was the atmosphere like when the Lord appeared?
A: There was applause, shouts of “victory to the Lord,” extraordinary joy, a shower of scented powder and flowers, and the sound of conch shells.
Q5: How did those present in the assembly react to the Lord’s appearance?
A: Those present became completely absorbed, forgetting about their bodies, their location, and even their own selves.
Q6: What did Nārada say upon witnessing this extraordinary event?
A: Nārada exclaimed that he had witnessed the supreme greatness and efficacy of the Bhāgavata week, noting that all beings present, including irrational creatures, were being cleared of their sins.
Q7: According to Nārada, what is the unparalleled benefit of the Bhāgavata Purāṇa in the Kali age?
A: In the Kali age, there is no other act that purifies the mind and destroys the multitude of sins as effectively as hearing the stories of the Bhāgavata Purāṇa.
Q8: What did Nārada request the great sages to explain?
A: Nārada asked the sages to explain what types of sinners are purified by the sacrifice in the form of reading the story of the Bhāgavata, considering the welfare of the world.
Q9: According to the Kumāras, what kind of individuals are purified by the seven-day Yajña in Kaliyuga?
A: Even those who constantly commit sinful deeds, are addicted to immoral practices, take to evil ways, are consumed by anger, and are wicked and full of passion are purified in Kaliyuga through the seven-day Yajña.
Q10: What other categories of sinners are mentioned as being purified by the Bhāgavata week in the Kali age?
A: Persons who lie, offend their parents, are covetous, abandon their prescribed duties, are hypocrites, envious, and harm living beings are purified.
Q11: What are the five heinous sins mentioned in the chapter, and what other types of individuals are said to be cleansed by the Bhāgavata week?
A: The five heinous sins are killing a Brāhmaṇa, drinking wine, stealing, sexual intercourse with another’s spouse, and associating with such sinners. Additionally, those who practice roguery, fraudulent tricks, are ruthless, grow rich by exploiting people, and indulge in adultery are also purified.
Q12: How are those who persistently commit sins through their body, speech, and mind, and who accumulate wealth dishonestly, purified in the Kali age?
A: They become sinless through the sacrifice in the form of the Bhāgavata week.
Q13: What did the Kumāras decide to narrate to illustrate the power of listening to the Bhāgavata?
A: They decided to narrate an ancient historical legend by simply listening to which, one’s sins are annihilated.
Q14: Describe the town where Ātmadeva lived.
A: It was a beautiful town on the bank of the Tuṅgabhadrā, where all inhabitants diligently followed their prescribed duties, spoke the truth, and were devoted to righteous acts.
Q15: Who was Ātmadeva and what were his characteristics?
A: Ātmadeva was a priest adept in Vedic lore and well-versed in righteous acts. He was wealthy despite living on alms.
Q16: Describe Ātmadeva’s wife, Dhundhulī.
A: Dhundhulī was born in a respectable family and beautiful, but she was opinionated, gossipy, talkative, cruel, miserly, and quarrelsome, though expert in household duties.
Q17: Despite their comfortable life, what was the primary source of unhappiness for Ātmadeva and Dhundhulī?
A: Their primary source of unhappiness was their childlessness.
Q18: What did the couple do in an attempt to have a child?
A: They performed righteous acts and gave cows, land, and gold as gifts to the distressed and needy.
Q19: What led Ātmadeva to go to the forest?
A: He was distressed by his continued childlessness.
Q20: Whom did Ātmadeva meet in the forest and what did he do?
A: He met a Sannyāsī by a tank and, after bowing to him, stood before him sighing, expressing his sorrow.
Q21: What was the Ātmadeva’s explanation for his deep sorrow?
A: He believed his past sins caused his ancestors to suffer, as the water he offered them became lukewarm from their sighs. He also felt his offerings to gods and ancestors were not accepted.
Q22: What did Ātmadeva express his intention to do due to his grief?
A: He expressed his intention to give up his life (commit suicide).
Q23: What were some of the lamentations of the childless Ātmadeva?
A: He cursed the life of an issueless person, the wretchedness of a childless home, the worthlessness of their wealth, and the misfortune of their family. He also noted the barrenness that seemed to follow him.
Q24: How did the Sannyāsī react to the Ātmadeva’s lamentations?
A: The Sannyāsī’s heart was deeply moved with compassion for him.
Q25: How did the Sannyāsī come to know the cause of Ātmadeva’s misery?
A: The Sannyāsī, being well-versed in yoga, read the series of letters written on Ātmadeva’s forehead.
Q26: What advice did the Sannyāsī initially give to Ātmadeva?
A: The Sannyāsī advised him to give up his desire for children, recognizing the power of destiny and suggesting he take recourse to wisdom and renounce worldly desires.
Q27: What did the Sannyāsī reveal about Ātmadeva’s destiny regarding children?
A: The Sannyāsī revealed that according to his destiny, Ātmadeva would have absolutely no children for seven lives.
Q28: What examples did the Sannyāsī give to support his advice on giving up the desire for progeny?
A: He cited the grief of King Sagar due to his sons and the similar case of the king of Aṅga.
Q29: How did Ātmadeva react to the Sannyāsī’s advice on renunciation?
A: Ātmadeva dismissed the advice, insisting on having a son through the Sannyāsī’s merits and threatening to give up his life if not. He considered a life without children and grandchildren dry and useless.
Q30: What did the Sannyāsī say about Ātmadeva’s insistence on having a child despite his destiny?
A: The sage mentioned that even King Citraketu had suffered trying to undo his destiny and that Ātmadeva, despite the likelihood of unhappiness even with a child, was still insistent.
Q31: What did the sage finally give Ātmadeva and what instructions did he provide?
A: The sage gave him a fruit and instructed him to have his wife eat it after observing vows of truthfulness, cleanliness, compassion, almsgiving, and eating one meal per day for a year, promising a pious child.
Q32: What did the Ātmadeva’s wife do upon receiving the fruit?
A: Despite being youthful, she was crooked and lamented to her friend about the worries of pregnancy and childbirth, deciding not to eat the fruit.
Q33: What were some of Dhundhulī’s reasons for not wanting to eat the fruit?
A: She worried about her belly size, the need for moderate eating leading to weakness, her inability to perform domestic work, difficulty in case of attack during pregnancy, the possibility of a prolonged pregnancy like Śuka, the dangers of a slanting delivery, her delicate health during childbirth, and the potential loss of her belongings to her sister-in-law during her confinement. She also found the vows difficult to observe and felt raising a child was troublesome, considering barren women and widows happier.
Q34: What lie did Dhundhulī tell her husband?
A: When asked if she had eaten the fruit, she lied and said she had.
Q35: What plan did Dhundhulī devise with her sister?
A: Her pregnant sister would give her the child after delivery, and Dhundhulī would pretend to be pregnant until then. They planned to give money to the sister’s husband for the child, and they would claim the sister’s child died at six months, while she would secretly nurse Dhundhulī’s adopted child.
Q36: What did Dhundhulī do with the fruit to verify its efficacy?
A: Following her sister’s advice, she gave the fruit to a cow to eat.
Q37: What happened in due course regarding the two women?
A: Dhundhulī’s sister gave birth to a child, which her sister’s husband secretly brought and gave to Dhundhulī.
Q38: What did Dhundhulī tell her husband (Ātmadeva) about the delivery?
A: She reported to her husband (Ātmadeva ) that she had an easy delivery.
Q39: What ceremonies were performed after the child’s birth?
A: Ātmadeva performed the jāta-karma ceremony and presented gifts to priests. There was music and singing, and auspicious rites were performed.
Q40: What complaint did Dhundhulī make to her husband after the birth?
A: She complained that she had no milk in her breasts and questioned how she could feed the child with another woman’s (unknown persons) milk.
Q41: How did Dhundhulī arrange for the baby to be nursed?
A: She suggested inviting her sister, whose child had supposedly died, to stay with them and nurse the baby.
Q42: What name did they give to the child Dhundhulī claimed as her own?
A: They named him Dhunḍhukārī.
Q43: What miraculous event occurred after three months?
A: The cow that ate the fruit gave birth to a beautiful human child with golden complexion and cow-like ears.
Q44: How did Ātmadeva and the people react to the birth of the child from the cow?
A: Ātmadeva was very pleased and personally performed the birth ceremonies. People considered it a miracle and came to see the child.
Q45: What name did Ātmadeva give to the child born from the cow and why?
A: He named him Gōkarṇa because the child had ears like those of a cow.
Q46: Describe the contrasting characters of the two sons as they grew up.
A: Gōkarṇa became a wise and learned scholar, while Dhunḍhukārī became a very wicked fellow with impure habits, uncontrollable anger, and a tendency towards theft and violence.
Q47: What were some of Dhunḍhukārī’s evil deeds?
A: He never washed or observed cleanliness, ate undesirable things, was uncontrollably angry, accepted impure gifts, ate food touched by the dead, committed thefts, bore ill-will, set fire to houses, threw children into wells, killed living beings, harassed the blind and distressed, kept company with wicked people, and squandered his father’s wealth on prostitutes.
Q48: How did Dhunḍhukārī treat his parents?
A: He bashed his parents and even carried off the utensils from their house.
Q49: How did Ātmadeva react to the loss of his property due to Dhunḍhukārī’s actions?
A: He wailed loudly, regretting having such an evil son and lamenting his fate, even contemplating suicide.
Q50: Who came to Ātmadeva at that moment and what did he do?
A: The wise Gōkarṇa arrived and tried to enlighten his father by revealing the glory of dispassion (renunciation).
Q51: What was Gōkarṇa’s advice to his father?
A: He advised his father to recognize the insubstantial and miserable nature of the world, understand that progeny and wealth do not truly belong to us, and that true happiness lies in detachment, contemplation on God, and living in seclusion. He urged him to give up attachment to his progeny and embrace renunciation.
Q52: What did Ātmadeva ask Gōkarṇa when he expressed his desire to go to the forest?
A: Ātmadeva, acknowledging his ignorance and bondage to affection, asked Gōkarṇa to explain in detail what he should do while living in the forest.
Q53: What instructions did Gōkarṇa give to his father for living in the forest?
A: Gōkarṇa advised him to cease identifying with his physical body, give up the feeling of ownership regarding spouse and progeny, view the world as temporary, cultivate renunciation, be devoted to the Lord, constantly remember the Lord, abandon temporal duties, associate with saintly persons, give up sensual desires, stop dwelling on others’ merits and demerits, and focus solely on serving the Lord and listening to His stories.
Q54: What did Ātmadeva do in response to Gōkarṇa’s advice and what did he attain?
A: Leaving his house with firm determination, Ātmadeva withdrew to the forest and, by engaging day and night in the worship of Śrī Hari and regularly reading the Tenth Skandha of the Bhāgavata Purāṇa, attained Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
