Gita

Margasirsha month is also mentioned in the Bhagvad Gita by Lord Sri Krishna. The below sloka tells about the significance and spiritual importance of margasirsha maasa.

Bruhatsama thatha samnam  Gayatri Chandasamaham

Masanam Margashirshoam Ruthunam Kusumakarna ||   [ BG 10.35 ]

It means – Lord Krishna says “I, myself, stay in Bruhathsama in the Samaveda, Gayatri in Chandassu or literature, Margashira or Margasirsha in months and Vasant rithu in rithus or seasons”. I manifest more in Margasirsha Masa among the different months in a year. The Sannidhana of the Lord is more in Margasirsha Masa. Hence this Masa is regarded as superior to other Masas.

And the other important event in Dhanur Masa is the “Gita Jayanti” which is observed It is on this day many ages ago, in the sacred battlefield of Kurushetra, Lord Krishna not only blessed Arjuna with His amrutopadesha but the entire world with His words. Bhagavad-gita is also known as Gitopanishad. The Bhagavadgita, or the Song of the Lord, is a dialogue between Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu, and His friend and disciple, Arjuna. This dialogue takes place in the Bhishma Parva of the Mahabharata. The Bhagavad Gita is composed of 701  shlokas (verses) arranged in 18 chapters. It is one of the best-known philosophical texts of Hinduism, and is said to contain the essence of Upanishadic thought. No other work in the world has been translated in as many different languages as the Gita. It is eternal and applicable to entire world at all times.

The Bhagavad Gita has not only attained the status of Classics in literature but also accepted as the Pre-eminent scripture.  The fact that it has attracted numerous commentaries by many saints exhibits that it is the philosophy of  perennial nature.  The word Gita  itself would mean nectar. The Baghavad Gita scores a point over the vedhas for the  following reason.  The vedhas praise the Lord Krishna  and therefore the paramatma is superior to the vedhas.  Gita being the essence of the vedhas is the word of the Lord and hence the conclusion. And we need to note here with gratitude, our great Acharyaru has written not one but two granthas on Gita in Gita Bhasya and Gita Tatparya. Such is the emphasis and greatness of this Gita. No other Acharya has done this.

In the first of the series on Gita, we would look at Gita Mahatmayam in this article. Varaha Purana has this and it is also found in Padma Purana where the Gita Mahatmayam is mentioned and there is a story associated with every chapter of Bhagavad Gita in it. Padma Purana discusses in detail the glory and greatness of The Bhagavad Gita in Uttarkhand section of the purana. Uttarkhand contains a discussion about the metaphysical knowledge of religion presented in a dialogue style between Lord Shiva and Parvati.  Lord Vishnu says He himself has manifested in the form of Bhagavad Gita and anyone who daily recites one chapter or even one shloka will attain great position by His grace.

Thanks to Samskrita Bharati and in particular, Sri Venkatakrishnan Mahodaya for bringing me closer to Bhagavad Gita and helping me to sail steady in this Ocean of Knowledge.

Well researched

 https://youtu.be/UOcJGkl3qlw

Jiva

 Sastras say that the relationship of the jiva with God is eternal and unbroken. Visishtadvaita philosophy explains the nature of the association between the ‘jiva tatva’ and ‘Ishwara Tatva’ as that which exists between the body and the atma. This perspective known as ‘sarira-sariri bhava’ or ‘sarira-atma bhava’ is unique to this school of thought, pointed out Asuri Sri Madhavachariar in a discourse. The import is that the entire creation comprising the sentient, chetana and the insentient, the achetana, form the body of the Lord who is the ‘sarva antaratma’, the antaryami or indweller in each and every aspect of creation.

Just as the atma is the support of the jiva’s body mind intellect complex, the Paramatma is the sole support of all creation, the sole Master who commands everything and everyone in this universe. Whether the jiva accepts it or not, he belongs to God alone and is by nature bound to Him. He is always subservient and answerable to Him and this is explained as the Sesha Seshi bhava.

The jiva, through several births in the past, had thought himself to be independent and his own master. Only when, by the grace of Lord and of the preceptor and his own past good samskaras, he is taught about this relationship that the jiva has the chance to shed this ignorance and appreciate his privileged role as Sesha to none other than the Almighty, the Sarva Seshi.

In our daily life the jiva plays different roles in different contexts, as son, father, employee, employer, teacher, student, husband, wife, etc. These roles are owing to individual karma and can change with time or circumstance. But just as a conch is always white, the jiva is never without this quality of ‘seshatva’ with respect to the Lord.

Charioteer sanjay

 Sanjay, a Sanskrit name meaning victory, was the son of Gavalyagana. Like his father before him, he was a charioteer and adviser of Dhritarashtra, the King of Hastinapur. A loyal, humble and devoted man, Sanjay, who was a great devotee of Maharishi Ved Vyasa, didn’t directly participate in the Kurukshetra battle between the Pandavas and the Kauravas but, through his divine vision, which he was blessed with by his guru Maharishi Ved Vyas, he had the knowledge of everything that was happening during the battle.

Charioteer

After Adirath, the charioteer of King Dhritarashtra, took leave from the King to tend to his adopted child, Bheesma along with Guru Kripacharya and Vidur conducted a recruitment process, one which demanded a clear understanding of one’s duties and responsibilities. Sanjay, who was selected for his intelligence and decision-making abilities, displayed his prowess and, along with Vidur, became close confidantes of Dhritarashtra. He was a Suta who drove chariots, attended and provided news and information to the King, composed epic poems that praised the heroic deeds of kings and warriors and entertained the King by singing songs that glorified his achievements.

A good counselor, he made Dhritarashtra aware of Shakuni’s evil schemes and Kauravas’ misdeeds. A true follower of dharma and a man of principle, Sanjay acted as an ambassador between the Pandavas and the Kauravas during the unsuccessful peace negotiations. Such was his nature that Dhritarashtra and the Kauravas believed that the only person who could convey their message of not agreeing to the Pandavas’ demand that Indraprastha be handed back to them was Sanjay, who would put forward the message in the politest way possible.

Divya Drishti (Divine Vision)

In Mahabharata, the night before the war, the Pandavas and the Kauravas have already discussed the plans and strategies for the first day of the war. Bhisma, aware of the ruins the war would certainly bring, is at unease and wants to do something to prevent the war. As a last resort, he visits Lord Krishna and asks him for some solution. Lord Krishna tries to explain that the war isunavoidable but offers Bhisma a glimmer of hope. He advises Bhisma to ask Maharishi Ved Vyasa to visit Dhritarashtra. Ved Vyasa complies and visits Dhritarashtra, who Sanjay is attending to.

Maharishi Vyasa admonishes the King for submitting passively to the immoral desires of his sons, esp. Duryodhana and Dushasana, and tries, albeit unsuccessfully, to persuade Dhritarashtra to act as a mediator between the Kauravas and Pandavas. Furious at Dhritarashtra, Maharishi Vyasa tells him that his name would forever be tainted for his passivity, which has resulted in a chaotic situation. Showing remorse for his actions and asking for forgiveness, Dhritarashtra then mentions to Vyasa his desire to know the events during the battle and puts forward a request to bestow upon his charioteer Sanjay the divine vision or Divya Drishti. Maharishi Vyasa tells Dhritarashtra that if he wants divine vision, he himself could accept it. Dhritarashtra, fearing that he might have to witness the deaths of his sons and his army, refuses to accept it and asks him to grant Sanjay the divine vision. Sanjay, being loyal to his master, accepts it with grace.

After being endowed with Divya Drishti, Sanjay, at the request of King Dhritarashtra, starts to explain to him everything about the then world. This is mentioned at the beginning of Bhisma Parva in the Mahabharata. He describes to his master, in great detail, the diversity of life, his theories on the matter, life forms, geography, etc.

During the battle, Sanjay reports everything to Dhritarashtra in great detail. Clear, honest and without taking sides, Sanjay never turns away from reporting the loss of his master’s sons in the battlefield, though it’s an excruciating job telling a parent the gruesome death of his sons at the hands of the Pandavas. Despite this, he never shies away from narrating the actual events; he, however, comforts Dhritarashtra and Gandhari whenever he reports the loss of their sons.

Along with Arjun, Hanuman, and Barbarika, Sanjay is a direct listener of the Gita, recited by Lord Krishna himself, which he then narrates to his master, King Dhritarashtra. He is also one of the two witnesses to the Vishwaroop, the universal form of Lord Krishna.

After the battle

After the war was over which ended in the Pandavas being victorious, Sanjay followed Dhritarashtra, Gandhari, Vidur and Kunti into retirement to Vyasa’s ashram, or hut, to spend the rest of their lives as sanyasi or saints where Vidur died. They, then, decided to head to Gangadwara, currently known as Haridwara, to meditate along the banks of the holy river Ganges. One day, there was a wildfire, one which Dhritarashtra, Gandhari, and Kunti choose to be consumed by since being engulfed by fire is a death befitting a saint. However, on Dhritarashtra’s instruction to escape the fire and leave them be, he then retired to the Himalayas, never to be seen again, which is described by Narada to Yudhishthir, now the King of Hastinapur, in this chapter of the Ashramavasika Parva of the Mahabharata:

Q & A

 kachchid etach chhrutaṁ pārtha tvayaikāgreṇa chetasā

kachchid ajñāna-sammohaḥ pranaṣhṭas te dhanañjaya

O Arjun, have you heard me with a concentrated mind? Have your ignorance and delusion been destroyed?

O Partha, kaccit etat, has this that has been said by Me; been srutam, listened to, grasped through hearing; ekagrena, with a one-pointed; cetasa, mind? Or have you been inattentive? O Dhananjaya, kaccit, has; te, your; ajnana-sammohah, delusion caused by ignorance, bewilderment, natural indiscrimination; been pranastah, destroyed, for which purpose has there been this effort on your part for hearing the Scripture, and on My part, the effort of being a teacher?

naṣṭo mohaḥ smṛtirlabdhā tvatprasādānmayācyuta
sthito’smi gatasandehaḥ kariṣye vacanaṃ tava

---

Arjuna said: Destroyed is my delusion, as I have now gained my memory (knowledge) through your grace, O Achyuta. I am firm; my doubts are gone. I will do according to your word (bidding) .

---

arjuna uvāca = Arjuna said; naṣṭaḥ = dispelled; mohaḥ = illusion; smṛtiḥ = memory; labdhā = regained; tvatprasādāt = by Your mercy; mayā = by me; acyuta = O infallible Krishna; sthitaḥ = situated; asmi = I am; gata = removed; sandehaḥ = all doubts; kariṣye = I shall execute; vacanaṃ = order; tava = Your.;

Arjuna said, My dear Krsna, O infallible one, my illusion is now gone. I have regained my memory by Your mercy, and I am now firm and free from doubt and am prepared to act according to Your instructions.

At the outset, Arjun was faced with a bewildering situation, and confused about his duty in the situation. Overwhelmed with sorrow, he had sat down on his chariot, giving up his weapons. He had confessed that he could find no remedy to the grief that attacked his body and senses. But he now finds himself completely transformed, and announces that he is situated in knowledge and no longer perplexed. He has given himself to the will of God and shall do what Shree Krishna instructed him to do. This was the impact of the message of Bhagavad Gita upon him. However, he adds tvat prasādān mayāchyuta, meaning, “O Shree Krishna, it was not just your lecture, but your grace that dispelled my ignorance.”

Material knowledge does not require grace. We can pay the educational institute or teacher and receive knowledge in return, but spiritual knowledge can neither be purchased nor sold. It is offered through grace and received through faith and humbleness. Thus, if we approach the Bhagavad Gita with an attitude of pride, “I am so intelligent. I will evaluate what the net worth of this message is,” we will never be able to comprehend it. Our intellect will find some apparent defect in the scripture to dwell upon, and on that pretext we will reject the entire scripture as incorrect. There have been so many commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita and innumerable readers of the divine message in the last 5,000 years, but how many people have become enlightened like Arjun? If we wish to truly receive this knowledge, we must not merely read it, but also attract Shree Krishna’s grace with an attitude of faith and loving surrender. Then we will know the purport of the Bhagavad Gita by his grace.

The constitutional position of a living entity, represented by Arjuna, is that he has to act according to the order of the Supreme Lord. He is meant for self-discipline. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that the actual position of the living entity is that of eternal servant of the Supreme Lord. Forgetting this principle, the living entity becomes conditioned by material nature, but in serving the Supreme Lord, he becomes the liberated servant of God. The living entity's constitutional position is to be servitor; he either has to serve the illusory maya or the Supreme Lord. If he serves the Supreme Lord, he is in his normal condition, but if he prefers to serve the illusory external energy, then certainly he will be in bondage. In illusion the living entity is serving in this material world. He is bound by his lust and desires, yet he thinks of himself as the master of the world. This is called illusion. When a person is liberated, his illusion is over, and he voluntarily surrenders unto the Supreme to act according to His desires. The last illusion, the last snare of maya to trap the living entity, is the proposition that he is God. The living entity thinks that he is no longer a conditioned soul, but God. He is so unintelligent that he does not think that if he were God, then how could he be in doubt? That he does not consider. So that is the last snare of illusion. Actually to become free from the illusory energy is to understand Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and agree to act according to His order. The word mohah is very important in this verse. Mohah refers to that which is opposed to knowledge. Actually real knowledge is the understanding that every living being is eternally servitor of the Lord, but instead of thinking oneself in that position, the living entity thinks that he is not servant, that he is the master of this material world, for he wants to lord it over the material nature. That is his illusion. This illusion can be overcome by the mercy of the Lord or by the mercy of a pure devotee. When that illusion is over, one agrees to act in Krsna consciousness.

Krsna consciousness is acting according to Krsna's order. A conditioned soul illusioned by the external energy of matter does not know that the Supreme Lord is the master who is full of knowledge and who is the proprietor of everything. Whatever He desires He can bestow upon His devotees; He is the friend of everyone, and He is especially inclined to His devotee. He is the controller of this material nature and of all living entities. He is also the controller of inexhaustible time, and He is full of all opulences and all potencies. The Supreme Personality of Godhead can even give Himself to the devotee. One who does not know Him is under the spell of illusion; he does not become a devotee, but a servitor of maya. Arjuna, however, after hearing Bhagavad-gita from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, became free from all illusion. He could understand that Krsna was not only his friend, but the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And he understood Krsna factually. So to study Bhagavad-gita is to understand Krsna factually. When a person is in full knowledge, he naturally surrenders to Krsna. When Arjuna understood that it was Krsna's plan to reduce the unnecessary increase of population, he agreed to fight according to Krsna's desire. He again took up his weapons-his arrows and bow-to fight under the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

The great dialog between atma and paramathma. It's like the father is eager to know after he has explained the truth if it has been understood or has he to teach all over again and if understood, does he, the  son, now able to take the right decision.

Magnanimous indeed is the Lord he has showered the atma with free will yet he wants to protect to see if right is achieved.

Each verse ,word even, for that matter of this great scripture a book of all times unique in world history ,a teacher taught relation, a father son dialogue, grateful we must be to the author vedavyasa for creating a character like Sanjaya who is powered by the sight and knowledge to pass this on to the future.

if you answer you know you dont know.

यदि मन्यसे सुवेदेति दहरमेवापि नूनम् त्वं वेत्थ ब्रह्मणो रूपम् यदस्य त्वं यदस्य देवेष्वथ नु मीमांस्येमेव ते मन्ये विदितम् ॥ १ ॥

yadi manyase suvedeti daharamevāpi nūnam tvaṃ vettha brahmaṇo rūpam yadasya tvaṃ yadasya deveṣvatha nu mīmāṃsyemeva te manye viditam || 1 ||

yadi—if, O Rudra!; manyase—thou thinkest; su-veda—I know well, being taught so by you; iti—thus; daharam—little, minor; eva—surely, indeed, Api, but; nūnam—certainly; Tvam vettha—thou knowest; brahmaṇaḥ—of Brahman; rūpam—form, nature; yat—because; asya—of this (Unconditioned Brahman, above Time, Space and Causation); tvam—thou (art but one of the many conditioned consciousnesses); In thee, the nominative used in the sense of Locative; That aspect which is in thee; yat—that (form of Brahman which is other than thy conditioned self); asya—of this (Brahman in nature); deveṣu—in the Devas, nature gods like Indra, Agni, etc; atha—therefore; nu—now; mīmāṃsyam—should be thought out; eva—indeed, alone; te—of thee, by thee; manye—I think; viditam—known.

1. (O Maheśvara!) If thou thinkest “I know (Brahman) fully” then even thou also verily knowest but the minor manifestation of Brahman. Because (of this little knowledge), therefore, now thou must think (over the other) manifestations of Brahman, as it is in thee and the Devas. “I think I know”.

Notes:

(An objection is raised, “you have said that Brahman is not known by the Deva of the mind even. But that is improper. I, Rudra, am the Deva of the mind, I certainly know Brahman completely. Why do you then, O Brahmā! say that the Deva of the mind even does not know Brahman completely.” This objection raised by Rudra, is answered by Brahmā in the present verse.)

O Rudra! If thou thinkest “I know Brahman well,” then thou even, like others, hast known only a small portion of the essence of Brahman. Because thou knowest only a small aspect of Brahman (the Dahara Brahman) therefore, that aspect of Brahman which is in thee and that aspect which exists in the Devas, must now be investigated by thee.

नाहं मन्ये सुवेदेति नो न वेदेति वेद च ।
यो नस्तद्वेद तद्वेद नो न वेदेति वेद च ॥ २ ॥

nāhaṃ manye suvedeti no na vedeti veda ca |
yo nastadveda tadveda no na vedeti veda ca || 2 ||

na aham—not I, ie, even I Brahmā; manye—think; (Madhva reads it as “anye”—“others”—“na ahaṃ, anye”; suveda—I well know (or I fully know Brahman); iti—thus; no—not; Na veda—I not know, (ie, I do not know at all); iti—thus (nor is this knowledge an uncertain thing, for); Veda ca—and I know (and knowing it, I do not know; It is no object as I have no idea of difference between me and it for I know); yaḥ—who (different from me); naḥ—amongst us (pupils); tad—that (as I have described above, ie, not fully known, nor totally unknown, but known as near one); veda—knows; tad—that; Veda knows. no—not; Na veda—I do not know; iti—thus; veda—he knows; ca—and.

2. I do not think I know Him fully; though others (say) ‘we know Him fully.’ Nor do I say I know Him not at all, for I know. Amongst us who says “I know Him,” he knows Him not. He who says “I do not know Him,” he knows indeed.—10.

Notes:

The words “I think I know or it is known,” are taken by Madhva as part of the next verse.

Note.—(Admitted that none knows Brahman completely except thee, O Brahma! But thou at least knowest Him fully, for such we have always heard. Therefore, it is not correct to say that Brahman is unknown to all the Devas: To this Brahmā replies)

I do not think that Brahman is fully known by me.

(How does then the world say that thou knowest Brahman fully? The world says so, through ignorance.)

The others (namely, the ignorant only) say that I (Brahma) know Brahman fully.

(Dost thou then know nothing of Brahman?)

It is not a fact that I do not know Brahman at all. I know him a little.

(If thou dost not know Brahman fully, then thou art also an ignorant being and cannot be the Teacher of the whole universe. To this Brahma replies, I am not an ajñānin but a jñānin. For he is an ajñānin or a non-knower of Brahman who thinks that he knows Brahman fully: while he, who thinks that he does not know Brahman fully, is called a jñānin. Thus Brahmā establishes the truth that Brahman is unknowable in His entirety, but knowable in part only.]

Amongst us, that person, who says “I know that Brahman completely” is a nonknower of Brahman, (for he would not have said so had he known Brahman—for he takes the partial knowledge of Brahman to be full knowledge, and thinks Brahman to be a limited Being that can be fully known).

But he, who says “I do not fully know that Brahman,” knows Him (for he has not limited Brahman by the littleness of his knowledge).

यस्यामतं तस्य मतं मतं यस्य न वेद सः ।
अविज्ञातं विजानतां विज्ञातमविजानताम् ॥ ३ ॥

yasyāmataṃ tasya mataṃ mataṃ yasya na veda saḥ |
avijñātaṃ vijānatāṃ vijñātamavijānatām || 3 ||

yasya—by whom (of that knower of Brahman); amatam—is not thought (who thinks that he does not know Brahman) not to be reasoned or thought out or determined; tasya—by him; of him; matam—it is known; matam—it is thought (who thinks that he knows Brahman); yasya—by whom; na—not; veda—he knows; saḥ—he; avijñātam—not known, not realised; vijānatām—of (by) the difference=knowers (who still have the idea of distinctions of the knower, knowledge and known); vijñātam—known; avijānatām—by (of) non-difference knowers, who do not know distinctions of knower, known, and knowledge The force of is to denote “distinction, mainfoldness”.

3. Of whom (the opinion is) “Brahman is not to be thought of,” by him He is (rightly) thought. He who thinks “Brahman has been thought of by me,” he does not know. By those who consider “we have realised Brahman,” He has not been realised. By those who consider “we cannot fully realise Brahman” He is realised.

Notes:

He who thinks “I can not completely think out Brahman”—has got an idea of Brahman—(has brought some portion of Brahman within the grasp of his mind. For he does not fall into the error that Brahman can be made an object of complete mental apprehension).

But he, who thinks “I have completely thought out Brahman,” has got no idea of Brahman (for he has got the wrong notion that Brahman can be completely thought out: and he limits Brahman).

He who thinks “I have made the entire Brahman an object of my meditation, and in my meditation, I have known him entirely” has not known Brahman.

But he who thinks “I cannot know Brahman fully even in meditation,” knows Him.

प्रतिबोध विदितं मतममृतत्वं हि विन्दते ।
आत्मना विन्दते वीर्यं विद्यया विन्दतेऽमृतम् ॥ ३ ॥

pratibodha viditaṃ matamamṛtatvaṃ hi vindate |
ātmanā vindate vīryaṃ vidyayā vindate'mṛtam || 4 ||

prati-bodha-viditam—known as (a witness of or behind) every (act of) cognition (or intellection), known according to one’s intelligence, Understood as an object of intuitive knowledge, realised by direct perception; matam—thought of (according to the extent of one’s intelligence); Is to be understood; (It is to be realised in every act of cognition, and not where cognition ceases, as in deep sleep or trance); By meditation, matam or meditation is means of pratibodham or realisation; amṛtatvam—immortality, Brahman; hi—indeed, because; vindate—he obtains, is made to obtain (causative); ātmanā—by (the knowledge of) self, by performance of sacrifices, by his own effort or by his lower Self, by the grace of the SELF; vindate—he obtains; vīryam—power, strength, (like wealth, etc, but not immortality); or the strength (to destroy ignorance) intense joy; vidyayā—by knowledge; vindate—he obtains; amṛtam—immortality.

4. Understanding (thinking and realising) Him according to one’s intelligence, as a direct object of intuition, verily he obtains immortality. By one’s own (exertion in the performance of duties even after attaining wisdom) he obtains intense joy, through the grace of the Supreme SELF; and by direct knowledge of Brahman, he obtains immortality.—12.

Notes:

He who has realised Brahman directly in the method mentioned above, attains immortality. The words “pratibodha viditam” mean intuitive and direct perception of an object. When Brahman is thus directly realised, He gives salvation to such a person. But what is the nature of this “aparokṣa” called here “pratibodha” and how is this to be gained? The answer to this is “matam” meditation: meditate, meditate meditate-matam, matam, matam—and you will have pratibodha or aparokṣa—direct beatific vision.

But there are texts—such as “the drinking of ambrosia gives immortality”——showing that salvation may be obtained by things other than meditation, namely, by karma or action. The jñāna is not the only means of getting immortality or salvation.

This objection is raised under a misapprehension. The salvation always depends upon jñāna [jñānam] or knowledge and never on karma or action. The Karma is a contributory cause of mukti. Tho Pravṛtti or self-related karmas never lead to mukti. The Nivṛtti karmas or actions performed unselfishly, purify the soul and are instrumental in producing knowledge. The action performed before Mukti leads to knowledge and not to mukti. The actions performed after attaining mukti have a specific efleet of their own. This is mentioned in the verso “ātmanā vindate vīryam, vidyayā vindate amṛtam”——The actions performed after the attainment of wisdom produce the grace of the Lord, and through such grace of the SELF (ātmanā) there results vīrya [vīryam] or intense felicity or expansion of power—the man attains to the fulness of his vīrya [vīryam] or manhood. But the immortality or amṛtatva [amṛtatvam] depends upon vidyā alone—the mukti is obtained through knowledge alone. Thus, if a person after attaining mukti, performs karmas, they tend towards the increase of his bliss: while the non-performance of any karma then, keeps the bliss stationary: there is no increase in it.

kachit sarga

 [Rāma enquires about various aspects of the kingdom. These also teach how to rule the kingdom.]

Seeing Rāma with matted locks and dressed in cloths of bark, Bhārata fell on the ground in salutation and like the Sun at the time deluge, it was impossible to see him. 100.1

Rāma with great difficulty recognized, his emaciated brother Bhārata with pale looks and having recognized him caught hold his arm and lifted him up. 100.2

Having kissed him on the head Rāma also hugged him and made him sit on his lap and with composed mind enquired. 100.3

"Oh child, you have come to forest and where does our father live? It is not proper for you to come to the forest while he is still living. 100.4

"I have come to a very long distance in to this forest and after a long time, I am seeing you. Oh Bhārata, why have you come with emaciated limbs in to this forest?" 100.5

"Oh child, when you came here, was Daśaratha our father, alive and in good health? Did he depart from this world due to great dejection?" 100.6

"Oh soft natured one, being sad I hope you have not lost the stability of the kingdom? I hope you have not lost the trust of the people? Dear Child, I am hoping that you are doing service to our father who is valorous in truth?" 100.7

"I hope the king Daśaratha is true to his promise and he is performing Yāgas like Aśvamedha and Rājasūya and has determined to observe Dharma. " 100.8

"Oh lad, I hope that you are honouring Brahmins, learned people, people who daily observe Dharma, people of great lustre and the teachers of Ikshvāku clan." 100.9

"Oh lad I hope that Kauśalya and Sumitrā are happy being honoured by citizens and the honoured Lady Kaikeyi is happy." 100.10

"I hope you are honouring the priest [Sujajñā son of Vasiṣṭha] who is famous, of a noble family, not envious and person with great humility." 100.11

"I hope that a intelligent Brahmin learned in rituals and just, who is employed to protect the sacred fires informs you in time about it and feeds the fire with oblations in time." 100.12

"Oh lad, I hope that you honour the gods, your ancestors, your teachers, your aged father, doctors as well as Brahmins." 100.13

"Oh lad, I hope you treat with respect Sudhanvā, your teacher in archery, who is well versed in upkeep of arrows and bows as well as in political economy." 100.14

"I hope the ministers who are equal in valour to you and who are learned and are able to control their senses and are born in noble families and skilled in interpretation of signs are assigned to you." 100.15

"Oh Bhārata, proper advise is the main source of victory of kings, which are given in secret by great ministers who are well versed in Śāstras." 100.16

"I hope you do not become a slave to sleep and are able to wake up at the proper time. I hope you think about appropriateness of an action late at night." 100.17

"I hope you do not analyse a problem alone nor do it with large number of people. I hope these analysis or consultations with ministers does not reach the people before decision is taken." 100.18

"Oh Bhārata, I hope, you execute your actions speedily, after determining its cost [need] and benefit for large number of people." 100.19

"I hope the other kings know about you plans after they are implemented and those which are properly completed but not those you have planned." 100.20

"Oh lad, I hope others do not know about your discussions and strategies or enquiries with your ministers which you have not made known." 100.21

"I hope you desire to consult one wise man rather than one thousand fools, for a wise man would be able to take decision on difficult matters to your advantage." 100.22

"If a king employs one thousand fools or even ten thousand of them, he will not get any real help from them." 100.23

"Even a single bold, intelligent, skilful and discerning minister can bring great prosperity to a king or one rules a kingdom." 100.24

"I hope you have employed most efficient people to do most important jobs, mediocre people for jobs of medium importance, people of inferior intellect to do unimportant jobs." 100.25

"I hope you are choosing ministers who do not give way to temptations, who have high integrity, whose father and forefathers were ministers and who are eminent for attending to superior tasks." 100.26

"Oh son of Kaikeyi, I hope that your ministers would not permit citizens to be terrorized with excessive punishment." 100.27

"I hope the priests in charge of performing sacrifice, do not hold you in contempt for receiving unmerited [terrible] gifts like a women holding contempt men with great lust." 100.28

"All educated expert tricksters, warriors who are greatly passionate for wealth and those who corrupt the mind of servants to rebel against the master, would destroy the king and so should be killed." 100.29

"I hope you have appointed a man as commander in chief, who is contended, brave, intelligent m steadfast, honest, thoroughbred devoted and efficient." 100.30

"I hope you honour those great soldiers who are strong, skilled in warfare, who were responsible for heroic deeds and courageous." 100.31

"I hope you properly feed your army and give them suitable wages when they are due without any delay whatsoever." 100.32

"It has been told in the scriptures that if the wages and compensation for the servants are unduly delayed, they would turn against the master and calamity would result." 100.33

"I hope all men of good birth are loyal to you and I hope that those men of steady mind would be prepared to sacrifice their life for your cause." 100.34

"Oh Bhārata, I hope you have chosen an efficient and intelligent man who belongs to our folk, who is an intellectual, a realist and an expert, as your representative [ambassador / messenger]." 100.35

"I hope you gather intelligence using three spies each who cannot be recognized, about, eighteen important officers of the enemy and fifteen of your side." 100.36

"Oh killer of enemies, I hope you are alert about all enemies who were defeated by you and gone back, especially the weak ones." 100.37

"Oh lad, I hope you do not serve those Brahmins, who are this worldly, think that they are the only great ones and bother only about themselves since they are sure to bring disaster." 100.38

"These bad brained ones having acquired futile knowledge relating to science and logic, unnecessarily enter in to arguments, even though the Dharma Śāstras are existing." 100.39

"Oh lad, I am hoping that you are protecting Ayodhyā, formerly inhabited by our ancestors, and true to its name [that which cannot be conquered] with sturdy gates, crowded by elephants, horses and chariots, inhabited by thousands of Brahmins who are busy with their rituals, who have full control over their sense organs who are highly energetic and venerable, by Kshatriyas and Vaisyas engaged in their own professions, surrounded by palaces of every kind, thronged by very learned people with availability of anything that is needed." 100.40-100.42

"Oh Bhārata, I hope the villages are adorned with hundreds of altars, filled with abundantly peaceful people, shining with temples, free water storages for distribution, filled with happy men and women, with many community festivals, well tilled land, with lots of cattle, totally free of cruelties, pretty lands exclusively dependent on rain which is kept free of pests, which land is also free of the fear uncertainties, studded with mines of various mineral ores, which villages are free of destitute and sinful people, well protected by our forefathers, and full of abodes filled with prosperity and happiness." 100.43-100.46

"Oh lad, I trust that all those depending on agriculture and Animal husbandry are favourable to you, for the happiness of the world depends on their efforts." 100.47

"I hope you are helping to maintain and protect their efforts and prevent adversities for them. The king protects according his Dharma all people living in his kingdom." 100.48

"I hope you pacify women as well give them good protection. I hope you do not trust them completely or share any secrets with them." 100.49

"I hope you protect the elephants in the forest and I hope there are she elephants there. I hope you have large number of mares and you are not contented with their number." 100.50

"I hope you rise up very early and also see daily and present yourself well adorned to the people of the great avenue." 100.51

"I hope that the servants do not present themselves directly to you. I hope that they do not stay far away due to fear of you. It is better that you follow a middle course." 100.52

"I hope that all forts are provided with wealth, grains and water. I hope that they are provided with complete machines of war and craftsmen to repair it and also have men armed with bow." 100.53

"Oh Bhārata, I hope that your revenue is abundant and expenditure is much less. I hope that your treasury is not put under control of undeserving persons." 100.54

"I hope you are spending only on Gods, ancestors, Brahmins, guests, warriors and your hoard of friends." 100.55

"I hope a pure hearted man who is venerable and honest who is accused of unworthy act is not slain out of avarice without consulting scholars well versed in scriptures." 100.56

"Oh best among men, a thief who is caught at time of the stealing, accused and interrogated is not set free due to avarice of money, if there is sufficient evidence." 100.57

"Oh Bhārata, I hope that your ministers are well informed and behave without partiality towards a rich man or a poor man who is suffering." 100.58

"Oh Bhārata, the tears of those who are falsely accused and commanded by the king for the sake of getting pleasure, would destroy his sons as well as cattle." 100.59

"Oh Bhārata I hope you handle children, old people and learned people with gift, affection and kind words, so that those groups would thrive." 100.60

"I am hoping that you treat with respect your gurus, old people, sages, gods, guests, temples, great people and Brahmins." 100.61

"I am hoping that you are not destroying Dharma for the sake of property, not destroying prosperity for words of flattery and not destroying both for the sake of sensual enjoyment." 100.62

"Oh Bhārata, you are a victor, chosen one, expert in allocation of time and granter of wishes and I hope you are attending to Dharma, Artha and Kama by allocating sufficient time for each." 100.63

"Oh Very intelligent one who has understood the meaning of all Śāstras, I hope the Brahmins and other citizens of our kingdom are seeking your welfare." 100.64

"I hope you are avoiding the fourteen draw backs of a king viz. atheism, propensity to tell lies, anger, listless attention, laziness, avoiding wise people, lethargy, gratification of the five senses, planning the matters regarding state alone, consultation in people who are experts in worthless acts, failure to carry out acts which has been already decided, inability to keep advice received as secret, not doing auspicious acts, and making preparations for an unpractical war. 100.65-100.67

"O, wise Bhārata, I hope you understand the following and deal them properly the ten evils; the five kinds of fortifications; the four expedients; the seven limbs of state; the eight evils [born of anger] the three objects of human pursuit; the three branches of learning subjugation of the senses, the six strategic expedients; adversity brought about by divine agencies; and by human agencies; the twenty types of monarchies; and the entire population of the kingdom, setting about an expedition, drawing up an army in a battle-array and the two bases i.e., peace and war." 100.68-100.70 [I have reproduced this śloka from another translation as this is not clear to me - Translator.]

"I believe that you are consulting with three or four ministers separately as well as combined in complete secrecy, as laid in Śāstras." 100.71

"I think reading of Vedas is good for you. I hope your actions teach you to do better. I hope your wife serves you fruitfully. I hope you learn good things from what you hear." 100.72

"Oh Bhārata, I hope that whatever I have told you is agreeing with your own thought process and would lead to fame, Dharma, Artha and Kama." 100.73

"I hope you are following the principles followed by our father and our ancestors, because those auspicious principles will lead you in the path of Dharma." 100.74

"Oh Bhārata, I hope you do not eat food that is deliciously prepared all alone, but you share it with those friends who desire for that food." 100.75

"That king of great intelligence, who acquires the entire earth and rules the earth with Dharma, punishes the people according to tradition, after his death will reach the heaven after death." 100.76