From the time we are born we are attached – to parents, family, friends, school, work, wife, children, grandchildren etc. This list is endless. Attachment at worldly level is love. When this love is transferred to God- it is called bhakti. Bhakti gives peace of mind, wisdom, endless love and strength. Worldly love gives some happiness but a lot more misery, stress, pain and responsibilities. When we need relief from all the stress and miseries of life, we seek the Love of God.
One of the ways of developing love for God is by knowing Him through the stories and experiences given in the Sacred texts and lives of saints and devotees. The more we come to know of Him, the more we are attracted to Him. Strong attraction to God leads to sustained love for God or bhakti. This is possible by Shravana. Shravana means hearing. It is to hear with love and devotion the leelas or miracles of God. Shravana comes along with Satsang or company of lovers of God, saints and Gurus. In their company, we are blessed and shown the way to God. Shravana leads to salvation when we are very sincere and totally dedicated and absorbed in the name and deeds of God. The story of King Parikshit from Srimad Bhagvad tells us of the great value of Shravana:
Maharaj Parikshit was the son of Abhimanyu, and grandson of Arjun. Arjun was one of the five Pandavas and was the best friend of Krishna. When he was in the womb of his mother, he was attacked by a mantra weapon. Lord Krishna protected him and saved him. Later he became the sovereign ruler of Earth. He was a just king. His subjects were happy and prosperous.
Once when Parikshit was hunting in the forest, he was very thirsty and he entered the hermitage of Shamika Rishi who was meditating at that time. He asked for water but the Rishi was in deep meditation and did not hear him. In rage, Parikshit picked up a dead snake and placed it on the shoulder of the Sage. The Rishi’s son who noticed this later, cursed Parikshit to die on the subsequent 7th day by a snake bite.
When Shamika Rishi came to know about the curse, he rebuked his son and sent the bad news to the King. Parikshit accepted this curse as good news. He immediately gave up his royal duties and went to the banks of the Ganges. He knew that one who hears the glories of the Supreme Lord gets liberated from the cycle of birth and death. He desired satsang with great saints who could speak to him about Krishna. Great saints and Rishis who had heard of Parikshit’s wish for satsang came together on the banks of river Ganges. The great Sage Sukadev also came. Parikshit accepted him as his Guru and asked him to narrate the glorious pastimes of the Lord. Sage Sukadev was pleased with the request and attitude of Parikshit. So he narrated the thrilling stories of the Lord. These are compiled in the book of Srimad Bhagvad.
Parikshit was completely absorbed in hearing about the stories of the Lord. After hearing the katha or stories for seven days and nights without sleeping, eating or drinking, Parikshit fixed his mind on the Lord and meditated on Him. The snake called Takshaka bit the king. The body of the king immediately burst into flames and was burned to ashes due to the fire of the snake’s poison.
Parikshit Maharaj went back home, back to Godhead by hearing the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He attained the Supreme Reality after giving up his mortal body. We can also perfect our lives by regularly reading and hearing about the beautiful pastimes of the Almighty. Anyone who hears the HariKatha or the stories of God with great love and sincerity is on the pathway to getting liberated from the endless cycle of birth and death.
