Power of Sravanam - Part 1 - Dhundukari and Gokarna

The Vishnu Purana and the Srimad Bhagavata have delineated nine forms of Bhakti to attain the lotus feet of Vishnu.

Ø  Sravana (hearing of God's Lilas and stories),

Ø  Kirtana (singing of His glories),

Ø  Smarana (remembrance of His Name and presence),

Ø  Padasevana (service of His feet),

Ø  Archana (worship of God),

Ø  Vandana (prostration to the Lord),

Ø  Dasya (cultivating the Bhava of a servant with God), Sakhya (cultivation of the friend-Bhava) and

Ø  Atmanivedana (complete surrender of the self).

Let us see an interesting story in the Bhagavada Purana that helps us understand the power of Sravana. (Listening)

Dhundukari and Gokarna – Part 1

(Story from Bhagavada Purana)

In ancient times there was a quaint little town on the banks of the Thungabadra. In that town resided a brahmin by the name Atmadeva with his wife Dhunduli. While Atmadeva was a pious and simple man, Dhunduli was different. She was arrogant and engaged in gossiping and trouble making. The couple were childless and were worried about that. They did many austerities and yagnas. They donated wealth and fed the poor and the brahmins. Nothing seemed to please the Gods and it only increased their anxiety.

One day a dejected Atmadeva left home in frustration. He was wandering the forests near his village. At noon, thirsty and tired, he went to a well there and drank water. While resting nearby, he noticed a sanyasi sitting nearby. They got talking and Atmadeva felt that the learned man can help him.

Atmadeva told the sanyasi about his childless state and requested him to help him somehow. The sanyasi dissuaded Atmadeva and said that having a child doesn’t always give a person happiness as then a person gets worried about the child’s health, learning, habits etc. Atmadeva was adamant and said that getting a child would give him and his wife the greatest happiness. Finally, the sanyasi relented. He gave Atmadeva a fruit and asked him to give it to his wife.

Atmadeva gave the fruit to his wife Dhunduli. Dhunduli was not happy. She was suspicious about eating the fruit and did not know how it will affect her and if it would give her a healthy child. She called her sister and told her that she did not want to eat the fruit but her husband expected her to.

Dhunduli’s sister told her “Sister, don’t do it if you are uncomfortable. I am going to have a child in a few months time. I shall give the child to you. As I am poor, please pay my husband some amount so that he would not object and can give you the new born in secret. We can tell the world that my child was born dead. You pretend like you are pregnant. I will visit you daily and feed my child so that he does not starve.”

Dhunduli was happy with the plan. She then asked her sister “What should I do with this fruit that my husband brought?” He sister said “Just give it to your cow.” The sisters went ahead with this devious plan. Atmadeva was happy that his wife was pregnant. After a few months, Dhunduli pretended to have a child a few hours after her sister. The sisters told everyone that Dhunduli’s child survived, while her sister’s did not. Dhunduli convinced her husband to invite her sister to stay with them to feed the new born as she was unable to give enough nourishment to the child. Atmadeva agreed for the sake of his son and all was well. Atmadeva and Dhunduli named their son Dhundukari.

After a few months, the cow that ate the blessed fruit gave birth to a human child that looked divine and glorious. Except that the baby had pulled ears like a cow. Atmadeva who was unaware of his wife’s doings was still happy about having a second child in his home. He named the new born son Gokarna (Cow’s ears).

The two boys grew up in the same household but could not have been more different. While Dhundukari was lazy, arrogant and indulgent, Gokarna was studious, respectful and pious. At a particular age, Gokarna left home to pursue further studies in religion and philosophy from Gurus in other kingdoms. The family lost touch with him.

Time passed. Dhundukari became very selfish and violent and indulged in all kind of prohibited practices and acquired many bad habits. Atmadeva was distressed to see his son degenerate so much and retired to the forest and died of heartbreak. Dhundukari beat up his mother and tried to take all the wealth. Heartbroken and repenting for her many mistakes, Dhunduli committed suicide by jumping into the well.

With both parents gone, Dhundukari was uncontrollable. He became a violent thief living with many women in his parent’s home. He completely forgot his lineage and teachings of his father and Gurus. One day, the women living with him decided that they will kill him and take all his wealth before he gets arrested by the soldiers and they lose everything.

They made a plan. That night, they got Dhundukari intoxicated with lot of wine. When he had slept into his heavy sleep, they took a rope and made a noos90out of it and tried to hang him. When he did not die, they set him on fire using hot coals. He died in severe pain and shock.

The inauspicious death of Dhundukari coupled with the kind of sins he committed during his life made him a restless spirit. He wandered all over his village and was terrifying travellers in the night. Dhundukari was in deep misery and did not know how to get salvation from his state as a ghost.

What happened to him? Did he attain peace? Let us see in the next story tomorrow.