Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 11 Chapter 23:1-12

Book 11: Chapter 23

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Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 11: Chapter 23: Verses 1-12

Sri Suka (the son of Vedavyasa) began again : Thus prayed to by Uddhava, the foremost of the Lord's devotees, and welcoming the words of His servant (Uddhava), Lord Sri Krsna (the Bestower of Liberation) the Jewel of the Dasarhas, the story of whose exploits is worth listening to, addressed him (as follows). (I) The glorious Lord said Indeed, there is scarcely any pious soul in this world, 0 pupil of the sage Brhaspati, who is really able to compose his mind agitated by the abusive words uttered by a wicked fellow. A man is not so (severely) pained when pierced by shafts that have deeply entered his vital parts as indeed by the shaft-like pungent words of the wicked, that wrankle in his heart and torment him. In this connection the wise narrate, 0 Uddhava, a most sacred story (of his despondency) told by some mendicant, who was subjected to indignity by wicked people and (yet) remained full of composure, recongnizing it to be the consequence of his own (evil) deeds. I shall (presently) relate it to you; please hear it with a fully concentrated mind. In the principality of Avanti (Malwa) there lived a certain Brahmana richly endowed with wealth, though parsimonious", lascivious, greedy and most irascible, and pursued the vocation of agriculture and trade. Neither relatives nor guests were (ever) honoured by him even with bare words. (Nay,) living in a house devoid of piety and ritual acts, even his own person was never gratified with pleasures when there was time for it. The relations and servants, (nay, even) the wife and sons as well as the daughters of that ill-behaved and stingy fellow felt disgusted (with him) and not only did not do what was liked by him but (actually) bore ill-will to him. The five claimants (viz., the gods, the manes, the subhuman species, human beings, i.e., newcomers and the Brahmana seers, to whom offerings are made during the five great sacrifices) got angry at that Brahmana, who (simply) guarded his wealth like a Yaksa (a species of demigods) as aforesaid, was destitute of piety and enjoyment (both) and (as such) had fallen from this world as well as from the next. Even the wealth-that had cost him so much (fruitless) exertion through pursuits (like agriculture) which entailed untold hardships-of that Brahmana, whose (residual) stock of merit had run out through his neglect of the said (five) claimants, 0 liberal-minded Uddhava, met with destruction. The relations seized a portion of the wealth of that unworthy Brahmana, robbers laid their hands on another, 0 Uddhava; while the rest was lost through the agency of Providence (in the shape of fire etc., time, the king and other human beings. His wealth having been lost in the aforesaid manner, the Brahmana, who was destitute of (all) piety and enjoyment and was neglected by his: own people, gave way to anxiety that was hard to overcome.

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