Prajapati message

 

Millions of years ago, the creator ( referred to as “Prajapati”) created the different worlds and different beings like Devas (gods), Asuras (demons) and the Manushyas (humans). Gods, humans and demons had their education together under Prajapati himself. All of them , gave their best to learn as much as possible from their master. Their education got over and came the final day of their graduation. All of them decide to meet Prajapati to seek his blessings.

They go to Prajapati and say ” Master !!!! you have given us all possible knowledge that is required for us to start our lives and carry on with our respective duties and responsibilities. We thank you from the bottom of our heart for all your kindness in imparting us the required knowledge.“

Prajapati replies ” I am so happy to teach the required values and skills to all of you. I hope you all perform your duties to the best of your abilities and follow dharma (right path“

Devas come forward and replies ” Oh master !!! we will perform our duties with utmost righteousness. We would like to hear a farewell message from you. Give us one piece of advice, which we should remember forever.”

The moment devas asked this question, thunder responded “DA“. Prajapati turned towards devas and asked them, ” Did you understand the message???“. Devas responded humbly “Yes master!!!! we understood your farewell message“. Prajapati asks them in return ” What have you understood from this?? explain to me, your understanding“. Devas responded ” Oh master !!! we understood DA means Damyata (sanskrit word for self control). Devaloka (place where devas live) is a place for pleasures. So our conscience tells us that we should have more self control while lavishing of pleasurable things“. Prajapati replies back ” Very well understood. The farewell message that I give you is to restrain yourselves from unwanted pleasures so that you don’t land up in unwanted troubles and live a happy life“. Devas leave Prajapati’s place after taking this advice from him.

Seeing this, Manushyas asked Prajapati ” Oh dear master !!! please give us also a farwell message“. The moment manushyas asked this question, thunder responded “DA“. Prajapati turned towards manushyas and asked them, “Did you understand the message??“. Manushyas responded very humbly “Yes master !!!! we understood your farewell message“. Prajapati asks them in return ” What have you understood from this?? explain to me, your understanding“. Manushyas responded ” Oh master !!! we understood DA means Datta ( Sanskrit word which means to give or to donate). we humans are the most selfish creatures in this world. we try to hoard things for ourselves and fail to think about others. In the process of accumulating wealth, we become miserly and forget that sharing is caring. So our conscience tells us that we should learn to give more to others and we should start practicing donation to the less fortunate“. Prajapati replies back ” Very well understood. The farewell message that I give you is to start giving more to fellow living beings and live a happy and peaceful life togeather“. Manushyas also leave Prajapati’s place after taking this valuable advice from him.

Finally came the Asuras. They asked Prajapati ” Oh dear master !!! you have bestowed upon the devas and the manushyas a very valuable message each. please give us also a farwell message that we should remember forever“. The moment asuras asked this question, thunder responded “DA“. Prajapati turned towards asuras and asked them, “Did you understand the message??“. Asuras responded very humbly “Yes master !!!! we understood your farewell message“. Prajapati asks them in return ” What have you understood from this?? explain to me, your understanding“. Asuras responded ” Oh great master !!! we understood DA means Dayatva ( Sanskrit word which means to be compassionate). we asuras are known for our mercilessly cruel nature. So our conscience tells us that we should learn to be more kind towards others and start practicing compassion“. Prajapati replies back ” Very well understood. The farewell message that I give you is to start being more kind and compassion towards other life forms and live a happy and peaceful life“. Asuras immensely thank Prajapati for his most valuable farewell message and leave his place.

Humans are such complex and wonderful beings who can possess the qualities of both devas and asuras. we could be so godly at one point in time and be so merciless at another point of time. So all three secret messages from the thunder “DA DA DA” applies to us humans. Whenever we become so godly and lavishing on the worldly pleasures, we should start exercising self control, which in turn will give us the time, energy and resources to start sharing what we have with others. when we start sharing things with others, it brings out the kindness in us and make us more compassionate beings

Maitreyi,

 
Maitreyi
This story teaches us that one can attain God only through true knowledge.
Story

A long time ago, there was a great and knowledgeable sage named Yajnavalkya. He had a very skilled and wise wife, Maitreyi, who had a great knowledge of the Vedas and she had also composed ten hymns included in the Rigveda.

She enjoyed discussing the Vedas with Sage Yajnavalkya. Whenever Yajnavalkya imparted knowledge to his disciples, Maitreyi also used to listen to him.

One day, Sage Yajnavalkya said to Maitreyi, "I will give you all my wealth and then go to the forest for meditation. There, I will spend the rest of my life. You can use this wealth to live happily."

Upon hearing this, Maitreyi asked her husband, "Swami, if I were to receive all the wealth of this earth, would I become immortal?"

Yajnavalkya replied, "No, your life will be spent in comfort and luxury with that wealth, but you will not become immortal."

After hearing Yajnavalkya's response, Maitreyi said to him, "I do not want wealth; please impart to me the knowledge through which I may become immortal."

Yajnavalkya explained to her, "Maitreyi, just as the ocean cannot exist without water, the fragrance cannot be smelt without a nose, and the taste cannot be known without a tongue.

knowledge cannot exist without hearing, work cannot be done without hands, one cannot walk without feet, and a book cannot be written without words, similarly, this world or anything in it cannot exist without God or truth.

We are not separate from God; rather, God and we are the same, and God always exists. One who understands this truth becomes immortal."

Maitreyi contemplated the lesson given by Yajnavalkya for a long time and understood it, thus becoming immortal herself.

 Nothing is greater than knowledge because only through true knowledge we can attain God.

 

Gaegi

 
Gargi
This story teaches us that we should be humble about what we know and should respect people who are wiser than us.
Story

Gargi, the daughter of Rishi Vachaknu, had a keen interest in the knowledge of the Vedas and Upanishads from a young age.

She attained knowledge of all four Vedas at a young age. She was very intelligent.

As she grew older, her understanding of the Vedas deepened. She used to discuss the Vedas with knowledgeable sages and imparted knowledge to everyone.

For this reason, she was called Brahmavadini. Gargi was one of the nine jewels in the court of King Janak of Mithila.

Once, a meeting of sages was held in King Janak's court. Many great and knowledgeable sages came from far and wide to that gathering.

Among those sages was a very great sage - Rishi Yajnavalkya. All the sages were asking him deep questions about the Vedas, to which he was giving correct answers.

Gargi challenged Sage Yajnavalkya by saying, "I will ask you two questions. If you answer those questions correctly, you will be considered the winner of this assembly."

Yajnavalkya agreed to Gargi's request and allowed her to ask the questions.

Gargi asked her first question, "What is that which is above the heavens and below the earth, which is also between heaven and earth? Which existed before, exists now, and will always exist. And what is it mixed with?"

Yajnavalkya replied, "That is the sky."

Gargi then asked her second question, "What is the sky made of?"

Yajnavalkya answered, "The sky is made of that truth which is neither big nor small, neither hot nor cold, neither bright nor dark. It has no taste, no smell, no ears, no nose, no mouth, no mind. It neither has life nor energy. It cannot be measured. There is nothing inside it, and there is nothing outside it. It is because of this truth that the sun and the moon are in their places, and the earth and the sky are in their places. It is because of that truth, day and night occur and months and seasons change." Rivers flow because of that truth. Without knowing this truth, no one can achieve anything even after doing penance for thousands of years. One who knows this truth becomes wise. This truth cannot be seen, but the truth itself is the seer; it cannot be heard, but the truth itself is the hearer. The sky is also made of this truth."

Gargi was very satisfied after hearing Yajnavalkya's answer. Gargi and all the Brahmins paid their respects to him and considered him the winner.

From Gargi's life, we learn that we should not be arrogant about our knowledge and should respect those who are wiser than us.
 
 

Satyakama

   Satyakama
This story teaches us that everything in this world is a part of God.
Story

The story of a ten-year-old boy named Satyakam is found in the Chandogya Upanishad. Satyakam one day arrived at the ashram of Sage Gautama, he wanted to become his disciple.

The sage asked him, "What is your father's name? What is your gotra?"

The boy replied, "I do not know my lineage. My mother's name is Jabala, and she was a maidservant. She served in many places and was always busy, so she did not know my father's name and gotra. (Taking into consideration the mental well-being of children, we have made some changes here.)

The sage was pleased to see the courage and honesty of the boy. He accepted him as his disciple and gave him the name Satyakam Jabala.

One day, Sage Gautama instructed Satyakam, "Take these 400 cows, go into the forest, and return when they multiply to 1000."

Following his Guru's command, Satyakam took the cows into the forest. He found a beautiful and clean place in the jungle and decided to stay there with the cows. Satyakam grazed the cows, served them, and protected them from wild animals.

Several years passed, and one day, a bull spoke in a human voice, "Our number has reached 1000. Now you can take us back to the ashram. You have served us well, so I will give you some knowledge."

In the form of a bull, Vayudeva (the wind deity) gave a quarter of the knowledge of God or Truth to Satyakam: "The four directions are all part of God. Further knowledge will be given to you by Agnideva (the fire deity)."

 

Satyakam set out towards the ashram with the cows. On the way, he lit a fire and called upon Agnideva. Agnideva said, "Earth, ocean, air, and sky are all parts of God."

The next morning, as Satyakam continued his journey with the cows, a swan flew down to him. The swan told him, "The sun, moon, and fire are all parts of God." Taking knowledge from the swan, Satyakam continued on his path. As Satyakam moved ahead with the cows, a bird from the water came near him. The bird shared, "Eyes, ears, mind, and breath are all parts of God."

Thanking the water bird, Satyakam moved forward and soon reached the ashram with the cows. In the ashram, Sage Gautama imparted the final knowledge to Satyakam, handed him the ashram's responsibility, and left. So, children, we should all be brave like Satyakam and speak the truth.

This story teaches us that everything in this world – the earth, sky, sun, moon, fire, air, water, all living beings, and even every part of our body and mind – is a part of God.
 

Svetaketu

 
 Svetaketu
This story teaches us that God exists in everything.
 
Once upon a time, there was a great sage named Uddalaka. He had a 12-year-old son named Svetaketu. Svetaketu spent most of his time playing and having fun with his friends. His father was worried about his education, so he sent Svetaketu to a capable guru to get educated.
After completing his education, Svetaketu returned home. His father sensed that Svetaketu had become proud of his knowledge. Knowing that such arrogance would stop him from understanding the truth of life, his father decided to teach him a valuable lesson.
One day, the father called Svetaketu and asked, "Dear son, have you gained knowledge that enables you to hear what is unheard, think what is unthinkable, and know what is unknowable?"
Svetaketu couldn't answer his father's questions. His father explained, "Look at this piece of clay. When a potter shapes it into a pot, its form and appearance change, but fundamentally, it is still clay. In the same way, all things in this world are the various forms, colours, and shapes of the same ONE God. God is at the core of everything. Just as a pot cannot exist without clay, neither can this world nor anything in it exist without God. You too are a form of God, Svetaketu - Tat Tvam Asi." (Rishi Uddalaka told Svetaketu that by understanding the lump of clay, we can know about everything made from it because the essence of everything made from clay is ultimately clay itself. To explain this to the children, we have made some modifications to this statement.)

Svetaketu understood his father's words, but he wanted his father to prove that God is in everything. To illustrate, his father gave him a fruit from a banyan tree and asked him to cut it open. Svetaketu did as instructed.

The father asked, "What is inside the fruit?" Svetaketu replied, "It contains seeds, father." Then his father said, "Now, cut one of those seeds." Svetaketu did so and replied, "There is nothing inside, father." His father explained, "What you cannot see is the power (God) that will grow into a large banyan tree."

To further explain the concept, the father asked Svetaketu to mix a little salt in a vessel filled with water. Then, his father asked Svetaketu, "Can you see salt in the water?"

"No, Father," Svetaketu replied.

"But the taste of salt is present in every drop of water. In the same way, there is God in every small and large thing in the world. He is in me, and He is in you too, Svetaketu."

 God exists in every aspect of the world, and though we may not see Him, we can feel His presence in everything. As the Chandogya Upanishad says, "Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma" - everything is indeed divine.

 

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