DAS LAKSHANA DAY 3: UTTAM ARJAV - SUPREME STRAIGHTFORWARDNESS OR HONESTY

The word Aarjava means uprightness, straightforwardness, simplicity, frank speaking, honesty, non-hypocrisy, large-heartedness and freedom from deceit.

Two saints named Gundhar and Vineydhar were staying in a garden. Saint Gundhar performed the penance of self-torture (aatpanadi yog). During the four months of his rainy season (Chaturmas) he used to remain standing, unmoved at one and the same spot in a posture of bodily torture. Once, when the prescribed period of Chaturmas was over, the gods worshiped him. The whole sky resounded with the slogan 'Victory! Victory to thee'. The smell of flowers showered by the gods made the whole surrounding atmosphere fragrant. This news spread in the whole city like a forest fire. The next morning, the city people set out to visit and pay homage to the saint. But by the time the city-dwellers reached the garden, the saint had left the place on the completion of his Chaturmas; and saint Vineydhar had come there instead and settled there. The city people mistook him for the saint Gundhar who had performed his four months rainy season stay (varshanu yog) there. Worshipping him with great devotion and respect and singing hymns and saying prayers they began to adore him, "O Holy Saint! Even long-accumulated sins are washed away in on time by seeing a detached saint like you."

Saint Vineydhar thought that if he disclosed the truth to the people, they would not worship him. Thinking so, concealing the deceitful feeling in his mind, he sat motionless with closed eyes in a posture of deep meditation. Having worshiped him, the city people left for home. Holy Vineydhar's mind was polluted a bit by deceitfulness. Therefore, after death, he was reborn as a semi-god (Deva). Again, on the completion of his life period as a semi-god, he was born as an elephant named Triloke Mandan. One day Ram and Sita were swimming. In the meantime, an elephant named Triloke Mandan, uprooting a pillar reached the city near the same tank where Ram & Sita were in the water, and as soon as he saw them he had a recollection of his previous birth (Jati Smaran). Now he began to repent on his deceitful conduct in the previous life.

"Ah! Bharat and I had performed penance together at the same time. But on account of my deceitful conduct to entertain people's worship and homage, I am born as an elephant." Ultimately, by performing severe penance in successive births the elephant, Triloke Mandan, later on, attained the superb state of man i.e., godhood.

Thus, even a petty deceitful deed may lead to birth in a lower realm. On being reduced to this low state of birth, a creature has to suffer untold types of tortures. One who is deceitful in conduct is fated to be born in an animal state due to his bondage of Karmas. So every living being should give up deceitful conduct.

Paryushan Mahaparva 2019 Glimpses

Paryushan Mahaparva 2019 with Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshbhai was an amalgamation of timeless wisdom and practical lessons, unconcealed joy and silent repentance, deep reverence and throbbing devotion.

Watch the glimpses of this life-transforming occasion on below video:

QUOTE

By sincerity, a man gains physical, mental and linguistic straightforwardness, and harmonious tendency; that is, congruence of speech and action.

- Bhagwan Mahavir

UTTAM ARJAV