A Story for the Children

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Glory of Srimad Bhãgavatam!

In the state of Kerala there lived a Mahan by name Poondãnam. He was a great devotee of Lord Guruvãyurappa. Every morning he would wake up early to worship the Lord and was ever in remembrance of the Lord. The Holy Text Srimad Bhãgavatam is verily Lord Sri Krishna. Sri Guruvãyurappa is extremely pleased by the reading of this Holy Text and for this reason Poondãnam used to read this Holy Text. He had several children and due to family circumstances he could not read Srimad Bhãgavatam inside his home in peace. There were two huge plantain trees in his garden. He would sit on a ‘darbhãsana’ placed under the plantain trees, place Srimad Bhãgavatam on a wooden surface in front of him, offer Tulasi to Bhãgavatam, prostrate to it with reverence and then commence the pãrãyana (reading). This was his daily routine.

One day, Poondãnam was reading the third Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam with great relish. Vaikunta (the abode of Lord Vishnu) has been described vividly in this. The desire to see Vaikunta is roused in anyone who reads these descriptions. The desire to see Vaikunta took strong hold of Poondãnam. He deeply yearned, “These descriptions about Vaikunta is indeed fascinating. I yearn to see Sri Vaikunta. Will I be blessed with the darshan of that Holy place?” He wept bitterly and prayed to the Lord. Will the Lord set aside the prayers of his dear and true devotees? Never! Moved by the heart-felt, sincere prayers of Poondãnam, the Lord blessed him with the vision of Vaikunta.

Poondãnam saw that all those who were present in Vaikunta had four arms, held Conch and Disc (shankha and chakra) and were decked with floral wreaths. All of them, clad in yellow silk, were extremely handsome. Called the ‘Vishnu pãrshadãs’ (messengers of Lord Vishnu), these messengers of Lord Vishnu had an appearance similar to Lord Vishnu. The hairs on the body of Poondãnam stood on their end. Two ‘Vishnu pãrshadãs’ approached Poondãnam and fell at his feet. Poondãnam was taken aback! He was astounded. He thought, “They are ‘Vishnu pãrshadãs’ and live in the proximity of the Lord. I am an ordinary man and have had the vision of Vaikunta purely by the grace of Lord Guruvãyyrappa. This being the case, why are they prostrating to me?”
At that moment, the two of them spoke,“Revered sir! By your grace we have attained this Vaikunta and have become ‘Vishnu pãrshadãs’”.
Amazed by their words Poondãnam asked them,“ Who are you two? What have I done? I do not even know you two.”
The ‘Vishnu pãrshadãs’ explained, “Were you not reading Srimad Bhagavatam under two plantain trees every day? We are those very same plantain trees. We have attained Vaikunta as a result of listening to your reading daily. Not only that, we have also been blessed to be ‘Vishnu pãrshadãs’ (the messengers of Lord Vishnu). You are the sole reason for this.” Saying so, they prostrated Poondãnam again.

Poondanam came out of ‘bhãva samãdhi’ (spiritual trance). Even when out of ‘bhãva samadhi’ he could remember every thing about Vaikunta including his conversation with the ‘Vishnu pãrshadãs’. He went to the spot where stood the two plantain trees under which he used to read the Holy Text daily. But, lo! Those two plantain trees were found in an uprooted condition! Those two souls had reached a high state. Merely by listening to Srimad Bhagavatam, they had been blessed not only with Vaikunta but had also become ‘Vishnu pãrshadãs’.

From this it can be ascertained that by Nãmasankirtan and by listening to the glories of the Lord all souls can attain a very high state.

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