Among the easiest ways of attaining salvation or moksha is serving our parents with love and devotion. Our parents gave us birth and took care of us and educated us and made us fit to face life. We are indebted to them for the gift of life and it is very difficult to repay them. In the natural progression of life, when we were small and incapable, they took care of us and when they grow old and incapable, we must take care of them. Loving our parents and serving them is not a difficulty. It is a pleasurable means of repaying to a small extent what has been done unto us when we needed help. The ancient texts teach us: Matru Devo Bhava, Pitru Devo Bhava – the mother is God, the father is God. When we see God in our parents and serve them with love, we are on a fast track to salvation. Divinity itself honors and takes care of us when we take care of our parents. This is the story of Pundarika and his seva to his parents which was his short-cut to moksha or salvation.
Pundarika was the spoilt son of good parents. He was addicted to gambling, drinking and women. His parents tried to correct him but it was of no use. In anger, he drove them out of the house and sold whatever was possible and continued enjoying life. Once his money was gone, the prostitute left him and his friends deserted him. In sorrow he wandered about in the nearby forest and it was evening time when he saw an ashram. He was about to enter it when he saw three very ugly women enter the ashram. They were covered with sores and pus and were utterly filthy. He saw them move around the ashram and clean it. Then they entered the hut and came out in a short time. They were transformed into radiant beautiful women. Pundarika was attracted to them and stepped forward to talk to them. Seeing him, all three turned into their former ugly sick selves. He was shocked at this and sought an explanation. The three women said that they were Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati rivers. People came and bathed in their pure waters and left the filth of their karma in them and purified themselves. They came to this ashram where Kukutta Muni lived and served his parents. They served the Muni and cleaned his ashram and before leaving they had his darsan. The radiance of goodness of the Muni who served his parents, cleansed them and helped them to attain their former purity. The next evening they were back carrying the filth and karma of millions who bathed in them to serve the Muni and purify themselves.
Pundarika was extremely shocked at the bad karma he had incurred. He had seen for himself that his sins alone were more than equal to the bad karmas of millions who bathed daily in the three holy rivers. He was very remorseful at the wrong he had done to his parents. He searched for them and found them. He took them back home and began to take care of them with love and dedication. His mind was always fixed on Sri Krishna and his hands and body served his parents. His smaran of the Lord and his selfless seva pulled the Lord to him like a powerful magnet which attracts iron bars. Pundarika never had time to visit the temple. So the Lord came to his home to see him. He knocked at the door and Pundarika answered saying: O Lord please wait as I am massaging my father’s feet. The Lord replied: It is raining here. So Pundarika threw a brick outside and the Lord stood on it to keep His Feet from getting wet. After the massage, Pundarika was busy cooking, cleaning, washing, drawing water and completing other tasks. Pundarika’s father woke up and asked who had called out. Pundarika replied that Sri Krishna was waiting out. His father asked that the Lord be brought into their home. Sri Krishna granted moksha to his parents and also stayed back at the same place where He waited for His bhakta – standing on a brick, with His Hands on His Hips. By the Grace of seva done to his parents, Pundarika attained salvation and attained the Feet of Sri Krishna.
Even today, this figure of Sri Krishna is there in Pandharpur where the Lord came to visit Pundarika. Here the Lord is called Panduranga or Vitthala and from this centre countless Saints and Siddhas spread the message of bhakti and principles of Santhana Dharma i.e – Hinduism. The dictum of honor thine parents is there in all religions. Even when we disagree with them, we must still respect and honor them, take care of them and love them.
