Epics in Imprints-1.pdf - Vivekananda Kendra Prakashan

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA
‘Beholding ones Atman in all beings and
all beings in one’s Atman, one should live
without being attached to anything. He
who views all beings as the same, praise
and censure, pleasure and pain, gold and
iron and the life and death with equanimity
reaches the Supreme’. Janaka added, ‘You
have already apprehended the Truth.
Your mind is steady and tranquil. You are
free from desires and are truly evenminded”.
On hearing King Janaka’s words,
Suka’s doubts and vacillations ceased.
Once it so happened, that Vyasa sat near
the Ganga. When the naked apsaras
sporting in the Ganga saw him they
became agitated. Filled with a sense of
shame, some plunged deep into the
waters; some ran into the groves while
some quickly covered themselves with
their clothes. Recalling that the apsaras
had not minded remaining undressed in
Suka’s presence, Vyasa felt proud of his
son but he was ashamed of himself.
4
One day, the celestial sage Narada met
Suka when the later was alone and spoke
to him at length about Moksha. However,
Suka decided to disply his yogic powers to
the world and then cast off his body
through yoga and attain the state of
disembodied liberation. Though Vyasa felt
proud of his son Suka, he was plunged
into grief when Suka left him finally.
Dispassion, equanimity and mind control
are vital for a spiritual aspirant—these are
some of the lessons from Suka’s life.
The Vedas determine what is Dharma.
Dharma is the main source of peace and
happiness in this world. Even the
acquisition of wealth and satisfaction of
desires should be based on Dharma.
So Veda Vyasa proclaims in Mahabharata:
‘Why should not Dharma be observed if it
yields wealth and desire’.
Hence the Lord incarnates to protect the
good and destroy evil and for establishing
righteousness (Dharma).