The desires of Suratha and Vaisya fulfilled
Narada said – You kindly tell me how king Suratha achieved from the Medhas, the best of the sages, divine knowledge and ultimately achieved salvation.
Sri Narayana said – Nandi the grandson of Dhruva who happened to be the son of Utkala and belonged to the race of Svayambhuvamanu, was truthful and self disciplined. He together with his hundred Aksauhinl army surrounded the kingdom of Kola, ruled by Suratha.
О Narada, the war continued regularly for a year. Thereafter Nandi who enjoyed a long life and was a Vaisnavas, defeated Suratha.
Suratha was alone and was driven out from the kingdom. He somehow escaped at the dead of night and mounted on a horse, went to a thick forest. In the forest he met a Vaisya on the bank of Puspabhadra river. О sage, soon they became intimate friends.
Thereafter, accompanied by Vaisya the king Suratha went to the hermitage of the sage Medhas which happened to be a sacred place and was known as the remover of the misfortune of noble people. The king found the sage having immense glory, teaching the divine tattvas to his disciples.
Both the king and the Vais’ya bowed in reverence to the king. The sage in turn blessed them both welcoming them. Enquiring about their caste and named separately, the sage enquired of them about their welfare. The king then replied to the best of the sages.
Suratha said – О Brahmana, my name is Suratha and I am born in the Caitra race. Currently the powerful king Nandi has defeated me and separated me from my kingdom.
O virtuous one, what remedy should I apply, by which I could regain my lost kingdom? You kindly tell me. I have therefore come to take refuge with you.
This is the Vaisya named Samadhi. By a turn of destiny, his son and the wife, over-powered by greed, have turned out this religious person from the house.
He used to give away a crore of gold coins in charity to the Brahmanas daily. The sons, wives and brothers objected to his performing charity. When he did not listen to them, they were enraged and ultimately they drove him out. When their anger subsided, they tried to find out his whereabouts. The noble hearted Vaisya developed detachment and he could not return his home.
On the other hand to the sons left their home with the separation of the father. In the forest getting relieved of all the karmas they distributed the entire riches to the Brahmanas.
Now only one desire is left with him to become the slave of the lord. He is the person with the only desire to know can how he achieve it; you kindly tell us.
The sage Medhas said – The unconquerable Visnumaya possessing three gums pervades the entire universe at the command of lord Krsna who is devoid of all the gunas.
On whomsoever the merciful goddess showers her grace, he achieves the devotion of lord Krs na, which is difficult to get.
О king, the one on whom the goddess does not shower her grace, he is entangled with her illusion and has to face several types of miseries.
In this perishable universe she roams about always and separating the people from the lord, she creates illusions.
As a result of this, a person afflicted with grief, meditates upon false deities with false mantras. They ultimately become devotees of goddess Durga after adoring her for seven births. Thereafter, they serve for seven births the compassionate and eternal Visnumaya, who is also called Durga and thereafter they achieve the devotion of lord Durga. Siva who is eternal also bestows divine knowledge. Then‘after adoring lord Siva, the great god of knowledge, they achieve the devotion of lord Visnu. And after serving Visnu they achieve the spotless divine knowledge.
Thus while serving Visnu, the possessor of all the gunas, the Sdttvika-Vaisnavas achieve the devotion of lord Krsna who is beyond Prakrti. His devotees and the noble people recite his spotless mantra and by serving lord Krsna with the same, they are themselves deprived of all the gunas.
Such of the Vaisnava people always adore lord Visnu in Goloka and continue there in that position up to the life of innumerable Brahma. Such of the persons who are indeed the best, receive the mantra of lord Krsna, who redeems a thousand generations from his mother’s as well as father’s side besides the servants and ultimately proceeds to the Goloka.
The illusion of Maya becomes a sailor in the terrific ocean of the universe and makes the devotees to cross it mounted on the boat of the devotion of lord Krsna.
The same Vaisnavl, the illusion of lord Krsna, cuts off all the bondages of the Vaisnavas with sharp weapons.
О king, the s’akti is divided into two parts viz. – Vivecika and Avar am. Initially she bestows on a devotee the Avarani-sakti.
Lord Krsna happens to be the form of truth and all things which are separated from him are perishable. Similarly the Vivecika-sakti is also bestowed by the goddess to the Vaisnavas.
Such of the people who enjoy the rewards of their karmas are either opponents of Vaisnava or are wicked people and they are always engrossed in Avaranl s’akti which creates illusions for them. This is quite surprising.
О king, I am the son of Varuna and the grandson of Brahma; after achieving the divine knowledge from Siva I always recite the name of lord Krsna.
О king, you also go to the bank of the river and adore Durga the eternal goddess. Since you have a desire in your mind, you will achieve the knowledge of Avaranl.
The merciful goddess Vaisnavl will bestow the Vivecika knowledge on Vaisya who intends to adore her without keeping any desire in his mind.
The merciful sage thus speaking explained to both of them the method of the adoration of goddess Durga, her stotra, kavaca and mantra.
Thereafter the Vais’ya adored the merciful goddess Bhagavatl and then achieved all his lost kingdom and glory and then achieved salvation. He ultimately became Manu. Thus I have narrated to you the story of goddess Durga who bestows welfare and grants salvation; what else do you want to listen to from me?
