Indian Antiquary Vol 31

SR No.: 032523
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 556
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 19 MB

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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(NOVEMBIR, 1902.
thousand yojanas broad, is known as Karmic land and would lead to a life of virtue. The others are intended only for enjoyment.
Human life is the result of good deeds in many a thousand prior incarnation. And by good deeds done in millions of previous human existences a man becomes a dvija, i, e., twice-born. Consider him an ass who, after attaining human life, the most difficult to attain, does not bathe in the Kâvêri. The man who constantly bathes in the Kavêrt in the Tuli month need not be troubled with other pralds, etc. By bathing once in the Kávêrî he becomes as Nårâyaņa. There are expiations for any shortcomings in other vratás. A thishnim bath, even without a mantra or any niyama, rids one of all sins committed in seven former births. If the same is done with niyama, the parents for seven generations attain móksha, and the bather reaches Hari. Rising in Brahma Muhúrta in the early norn, meditating on Hari, cleaning the teeth with flowers in the hand, chanting the Kávêri, worshipping Ranganatha, telling the Aghamarshana Sukta, bathing in its sacred waters, after sipping water thrice, rising on the bank, wearing a clean white cloth, with sacred ashes on the forehead, performing the daily ablutions, one should hear the story patiently, after worshipping the Brahman well versed in narrating the Purana
The people should all assemble at a particular spot, and with mute attention prepare an elevated scrupulously clean Beat with a fine soft clean cloth on it, should take the best of Brahmans, - & subduer of the senses, a patient man, & subduer of anger, an ever-clean person, a man well versed in the Vedas and Vedunas, a man fondly bent on hearing the Vedanta, an observer of the Dharma Sastras, one well conversant with the Puranas, one extremely diligent, one treading always in the path of virtue, - and adorn him with new clothes, new jewels, sandal, etc. They should consider him to be no other than the great Vyksa, and with hands uplifted should prostrate before him and inform him of their desire to hear the Kaveri Mahimya. Have mercy on us therefore and make us attain final beatitude. From beginning to end, attention must hold them mute.
The bath in the Kávērt must be taken with a niyama, as one otherwise is utterly useless. If one is unable to maintain a niyama, he may take a thoushim bath. A bath taken in the proper way leads to the attainment of starga. Anointing the head with oil, sleeping in the day, shaving, beetle-chewing, partaking of the food of the less virtuous, copulation, friendship with the vicious, useless cant, sleeping on a mat, using forbidden vegetables, receiving of gifts, taking meals in a stranger's house, going on a journey - all these are forbidden. Kúshmanda, embylic myrabolan, Bengal grem, gram, ddl, drum-stick, cucumber, etc., etc., eating in a plate, supper, eating stale food. eating at dusk, of fried food, of the remnants of food eaten by boys, cold rice, of milk of a she-buffalo and sheep, of bad food, of food not consecrated to the gods, of food which is a feminine remnant, of food filled with hair, áraddha remnants, Sudrs remnants, all these must be rejected by the bathers in the Kaveri. As móksha cannot be got except by hard and often painful application of the physique, these niyamas must be observed. A partaker of forbidden fooil with a sense of strong desire in him becomes a pig. There is hardly any doubt that the person who bathes in the Kávêri, void of all desire and of the enjoyment of previously enjoyed objects, obtains mukti. Even a non-niyamic bath parges a man of all his sins,
This mundane existence of ours, saturated with urine, etc., is a mere bubble. Yams is always pondcing on this jira of ours lying in our body. O King! Morning and evening are devourers of our life-time. We must seek for the attainment of móksha while the senses, etc., are in order and while the body is easily pliable. I tell you over and over again not to waste the day. While sacred streams are available, in the pleasant winter season, one must give up the devil like sleep, rise very early in the morning and batbe in the waters of the Kâvêri. I raise my right hand and hammer my thoughts into you. The Kávért, which would rid yon of all sins, flows on forever. It waters, therefore, sro capable of yielding excellent results anattainable otherwise. So said sage Agastya to King Harischandra, Dalbhya to Dharma Varma, and Stita to Saunake
(To be continued.)