1.21 Vedavyas hills
About two kilometers off the main road connecting Rourkela and Sambalpur is
Vedavyasa, believed to be the hermitage of sage Vyasa.
"To the west of the river Brahmi, in the midst of a deep jungle was the `ashram'
of Vyasa. Every morning the saint took bath in the waters of the river Saraswati
and offering paeans to Lord Vishnu, sat in meditation." Thus goes a `sloka' in
`Srimad Bhagavatam'. Indicating where the poet lived.
The river Brahmi is taken to be the Brahmani River in western Orissa. A thickly
wooded area here is called Vedavyasa, lies to the west of this river 14 km away
from the steel city of Rourkela.
In fact, the hallowed place is at the confluence of three rivers â€" the Koel,
the Sankh and the Saraswati. Everyday many come here just to take bath in the
river Brahmani.
Legend has it that the great saint Parasara lived near this place in a village
known as `Parasharamunda.'
1.22 Vyasa Purnima
Vyasa Purnima (The full moon day of the Asadha) is celebrated with much pomp
everywhere. It is commonly believed that Vyasa completed the epic `Mahabharata'
on this day.
2. SAGE SUGA
2.1 Sage Suga’s peculiar birth
Once, a desire arose in the mind of .He met the sage Jabali and proposed to
marry his daughter Vatika. Accepting the proposal, the sage Jabali happily
married his daughter Vatika to VedaVyasa. Thus, living in his hermitage amidst
the forests, Maharishi Vedavyasa began his married life.
With time, his wife Vatika became pregnant and a foetus began to grow in her
womb. That foetus continued to grow for 12 years but no child was born.
The foetus heard those discussions and recitations in the hermitage. Whatever
the foetus heard in the womb, it at once remembered that. Thus the foetus
studied and got expertise in Sanga, Vedas, Smriti, Puranas and all the
Muktishastras (mere hearing or study of which is beneficial for a man's life).
Since the foetus had grown extraordinarily large, so the mother was experiencing
a lot of pain. One day Vyasa angrily asked the foetus: "Who are you in the womb
of my wife? Why don't you come out? Do you want to kill the pregnant lady?"
The foetus replied: " I can become anything, devil, god, human, animal etc.
because I have come here after wandering through 84 lakh births. So how can I
tell you about my identity? I can know that presently I have come in human form
in the womb of your wife. I want to stay in the womb in the same form.
Presently, I am practicing Yoga here and I know for certain that I will receive
Moksha (salvation) right from here.
As long as the life remains in the womb, it has the knowledge, detachment and
the memories of its previous births. When it comes out of the womb, all of its
knowledge, detachment disappears. Hence, staying in the womb, I will receive
salvation â€"said foetus
Sage Vyasa asked the foetus to come out and free him from the obligation of
being a father."
The foetus desired an assurance from Lord Krisha that the worldly illusions will
not affect him. On account of this sage Vyasa went to Dwaraka and related the
condition of the foetus to Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna at once arrived at Vyasa's
hermitage and said to the foetus: " O child, as soon as you come out of the
womb, I will destroy your illusions. Hence, you come out soon and the path for
your well being."
Thus assured by Lord Krishna, the foetus came out of the womb
2.2 The boy Suga go to forest
After coming out of the womb he greeted his mother and father and lord Krishna
began to go to the forests at once. He had already reached the age of 12 at the
time of coming out from his mother's womb.
Seeing him walk towards the forests, Vyasa said: " Son, please stay put at home,
so that I can carry out the necessary rituals for you." But the boy replied: " O
great among the sages, thousands of rituals were carried out in many of my
births. These bondages of rituals have submerged me in the illusions of the
world."
Hearing the boy's words, Lord Krishna said to Vyasa: " O sage, your son is
talking like a Shukha (parrot). Hence name this boy as Shukhdev. This boy,
proficient in YogaVidya will not stay in your home because he is free from every
passion and illusion. Let him go as per his wishes but bestow your love on him,
for now having seen his face, you are free from the obligations of a father."
Saying these words, Lord Krishna returned to Dwaraka.
After Lord Krishna had left, Vyasa tried to coax the boy again but he did not
stop and continued his departure to the forests. Seeing him go like that and
disturbed by anxiety, Vyasa also followed him and called out to him saying: " O
son, O son." But since Shukhdev did not have a differentiating mind, he used to
see all the living and non-living things of the world alike.
--
If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.
Every moment, thank God
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