Narrator:
Salutations to Sri Sri Gupta Sadhak Shamakhapa. Greetings! We are beginning today's program from Shantikunj by paying our respects to Gurudev Gupta Sadhak Sri Sri Shamakhapa. Let's all listen to Gurudev's invaluable words together.
Devotee:
Greetings, Gurudev.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Greetings, child. Greetings, greetings.
Devotee:
Today, we would like to hear about the tales of Narada from you.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Oh, Narada! Well, Narada was like a journalist. He used a "Dhenki" (a traditional rice-husker) as his vehicle and traveled everywhere on it. Wherever needed, he would go on his Dhenki, gather news, and bring it back to the gods.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
One day, Narada suddenly appeared before Lord Narayan. Goddess Lakshmi was also seated there. Narada kept chanting "Narayan, Narayan." Narayan asked, "What's the news? Why have you come so suddenly?" Narada replied, "Lord, we must visit Earth (Martya) once."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Narayan asked, "What will I do on Earth?" Narada insisted, "No, you must go. I have a humble request; you have to go." Narayan said, "Since you've brought news, I must go. Tell me, how shall we go?" Narada suggested they go disguised as Brahmins.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
So, both of them disguised themselves as Brahmins and went to a poor Brahmin's house. This Brahmin had only one scrawny, old cow. They lived off whatever little milk it gave and would manage a meal only once every three or four days by selling that milk.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Narada knew this. However, that couple was deeply devoted to Narayan; they wouldn't eat anything without first offering it to him. Despite their old age, they understood nothing but devotion to Narayan. Narayan knew this too. Narada led him there.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
The disguised Narayan and Narada arrived and said, "We have come to you. If you could give us some food, we would be grateful. We haven't eaten for five or six days; we've just been wandering around." The Brahmin's wife replied that her husband had gone to bathe. After four days, they had finally managed to cook a small amount of food and were planning to eat it together after offering it to Narayan.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
She said, "Please sit down. You seem to have come from afar and are Brahmins. Let my husband return and see what he says." When the Brahmin returned and saw the two Brahmins waiting, he folded his hands and asked what he could do for them. They said, "We haven't eaten for five or six days, and we would like to eat something."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
The Brahmin said, "Look, we didn't have any food either. After four days, our cow gave a little milk, which we sold to buy some food. But you say you haven't eaten for five or six days, whereas we've only missed meals for three. It's no problem; we can go another day without eating."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
"Very well, very well," Narayan said. The couple gave their only meal—the one they had just prepared—to the guests. After eating, as they were resting, Narada said, "Lord, you ate their only food. Please bless them."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Narayan said, "Let their cow die."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Narada was furious. "You ate their food and this is the blessing you give them?"
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Narayan replied, "Narada, you won't understand. I'll explain it to you when we return to Vaikuntha."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Next, Narada took him to a wealthy landlord's house. They arrived disguised as Brahmins during mealtime. The landlord was heavily intoxicated. When the guards told him two Brahmins had come to eat after many days of fasting, the landlord became enraged. "Tell them to go eat poison! Why have they come here to eat now?" His associates were even ruder.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
The guards returned and said, "Please leave. The landlord said if you can't find food, you should eat poison." Narayan raised his hand and said, "Let him have even more wealth."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Narada was once again furious. "Lord, what is this? You bless the one who insulted us and drove us away?"
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Narayan told him again, "Narada, you won't understand. Listen, that old couple couldn't attain salvation because of their attachment to that cow. They were suffering, eating only once every few days, but their attachment to the cow prevented them from being free. If the cow dies, their last tie to the world is broken, and I will have to go myself to bring them to Vaikuntha on my chariot. They will live in the celestial realm. As for the landlord, I said 'let him have more' because when his wealth increases, so will his arrogance. Then, I will send the messengers of death (Yamadutas), and the punishment he will face is beyond your imagination. He will suffer for his deeds. You were right to bring me here; this is the law of karma."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
There's another story about Narada. Once, while wandering, he reached Sage Durvasa's ashram. He saw preparations for a grand Yagna (ritual). No one could tell him what the ritual was for or who it was for. Finally, someone mentioned the name "Indra" twice.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Narada immediately understood. He loved to stir things up. He went to Indra's court. Indra asked, "Why are you here now? Menaka and Urvashi are performing their dance. Why have you come?" Narada replied, "You are enjoying yourself, but I've brought bad news."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Indra asked what it was. Narada said, "You won't be able to enjoy this for long. Down on Earth, Sage Durvasa is performing a Yagna that will snatch away your throne. All your luxury will be destroyed, and you will become a beggar."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Indra immediately dismissed his court and called upon the gods of the ten directions—the gods of wind, death, wealth, and others. He ordered, "Suck up all the water! Let there not be a single flower or leaf on any tree. Durvasa is trying to take my throne."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
The gods obeyed and destroyed everything—flowers, fruits, leaves, and even the water supply. Durvasa realized this was Indra's doing. He was actually performing the Yagna for the welfare of the world and to alleviate the country's misery. He used to perform so many rituals that his mouth would often bleed from the strain, and he would drink the juice of "Durba" grass to soothe it. That's why he's called Durvasa.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
When he saw that nothing was available for the ritual, he decided, "I will perform the Yagna with Durba grass." He told his disciples to make bundles of ten blades of Durba grass each. Since no flowers, fruits, or wood were available, he used Durba.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
This is why, when we worship Lord Ganesha during Ganesha Chaturthi, we use Durba grass. We make bundles of 108 blades, tied together, and use them for the ritual. Ganesha, who is an incarnation of Narayan, loves this offering.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Durba grass is unique; even if you step on it and crush it, it springs back to life after a while. Durvasa performed the ritual with this grass. Later, when Indra realized the Yagna was for the world's welfare, he went to Durvasa and begged for forgiveness. He explained that Narada had misled him. Durvasa laughed and said that from then on, no ritual offering would be considered pure unless it included Durba grass.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
This is why we always include Durba in our offerings. There is a mantra for this as well: "Durbakshata samayuktan billapatra tathaparam, shobhanam shankhapatrastha grihanarghya harapriye." This means we place Durba grass, wood apple leaves, and sun-dried rice on a conch shell while chanting the mantra to make an offering to the deity.
Narrator:
You were just listening to the words of Gurudev Gupta Sadhak Sri Sri Shamakhapa. Please let us know how you liked it. To hear Gurudev's invaluable words regularly, please subscribe to the Shamakhapa channel, and like, share, and comment on the videos. To contact Gurudev, please send a WhatsApp message with your name, location, and phone number between 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM daily. Gurudev will call you back as soon as possible. The WhatsApp number is 8080539595. With salutations to Gurudev and wishing you his blessed greetings and well-being, we conclude today's program. Stay well, everyone. Namaskar.