10/5/09
Even though every sloka of Bhgavad Gita is important, chapter two is considered as the essence. There is a small story about how reading this chapter everyday with sincere devotion to Lord Hari will enlighten us, calm our mind and help us to completely surrender at His feet.
A devotee by the name Sukama lived in a forest near a Shiva temple in Sowpur village. He collected flowers from the forest and pure water from the springs and offered them to Lord Shiva and prayed for Krishna Bhakthi. He knew that Lord Shiva is one of the greatest Bhaktha of Lord Krishna and believed that He would bless him with unswerving devotion to Krishna.
One day a sage visited this forest and Sukama welcomed him with a heart filled with love and did everything he could to please the sage. Sukama told the sage that he was praying Lord Shiva to give him Krishna Bhakthi and the sage should guide him and bless him. He said he was doing all these austerities and penances only to know Krishna. Sukama told the sage:
"Guro! I think Lord Shiva and Lord Krishna have sent you here to guide me and advise me to attain all knowledge about Krishna."
The sage was very pleased and he went near the river and wrote the whole Chapter two of Bhagavad Gita on a big stone. Then he advised Sukama to read the whole chapter two of Bhagavd Gita everyday. Sage said:
"Sukama, if you read this second chapter of Bhagavad Gita every day, your mind will be slowly enlightened with the knowledge of Krishna and you will become the greatest devotee and servant of Krishna."
Saying thus the sage disappeared in to the thin air. Who was the sage?
Sukama earnestly started reciting the chapter two of Bhagavad Gita infront of the temple of Lord Shiva and became a very knowledgeable devotee of Krishna. He saw Krishna in everything and lived like a Jeevan Muktha until his body fell after exhausting all his prarabdha karmaas. While Sukama read the Gita, Lord Shiva enjoyed it with His consort Parvathi Devi. The whole forest became a peaceful place and even animals forgot their natural enmity towards each other.
It is said that when a devotee enters this forest, his mind becomes calm and free from the influence of indriyaas or senses. The power of the second chapter of Gita engraved on the stone gives a peaceful atmosphere in the forest and a devotee who reads the second Chapter everyday with Bhakthi will attain his goal of knowing Krishna.
(Based on an article on Bhakthi by Swami Sivananda)
ഹരശങ്കര ശിവശങ്കര ദുരിതം കള ശിവനേ
ഹർദാസ്യമൊടനിശം മമ വളരാൻ വഴി വരണേ
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