Mrigshring Muni-1

Vashishth Jee said - "Hey Raajan, Now I will tell you the glory of Maagh Maas, hearing that people get free from sins. In the Sat Yug of olden Rathantar Kalp, there was a Rishi named Kuts who was Brahmaa Jee's son. He married Kardam Rishi's daughter and had a son from her named Vats. When he became 5 years old, he performed his Upanayan Sanskaar, taught Gaayatree Mantra and sent him to Bhrigu Kul. He followed his Brahmcharya Aashram strictly and always remained peacefully. When Soorya Dev came to Makar Raashi (Capricorn Sign), he always took Snaan in the morning (Brahm Belaa) - when only a few stars were visible in the sky; then he took Snaan when half Soorya was out. He did Maagh Snaan in Kaaveree river for 3 years. Then he came to Kalyaan Teerth with the permission of his parents and Guru. There also he did Maagh Snaan once, and then he started doing Tapasyaa.

Vishnu got very pleased with him, so He appeared before him and said - "Mrigshring, I am very pleased with your Tapasyaa." and touched his forehead. Vats prayed Him. Bhagavaan said - "I am very pleased with your prayer. This Maagh Snaan is dearer to me than Yagya, Daan, other disciplines etc. First you ask for anything you desire for, then I will give you my desired Var. You follow my instructions for my happiness. Now you do Yagya to satisfy Devtaa and produce children to satisfy Pitar. In your next life you will be born as Brahmaa's son Ribhu, will preach Vedaant Gyaan to Nidaagh and attain Param Dhaam."

Mrigshring Jee said - "Hey Jagannaath, You always live here, provide all kinds of pleasures and wealth to all. If you are pleased with me then bestow this Var to me. Be pleased with me, I am in your shelter." Bhagavaan said - "So be it. I will always live here. Who will worship me here, they will get all kinds of wealth. Especially when Soorya Dev is in Makar Raashi, if one will take Snaan in this pond, he will be free from all sins and attain my Param Pad. Whoever will do Snaan here, will donate something, and will read the Stotra recited by you, in Vyateepaat Yog, in Vishuv Yog, on the day of the beginning of Ayan, on Sankraanti, on Poornimaa and Amaavasyaa days, on the days of Solar and Lunar eclipses times, he will attain my Lok."

Vats again said - "Hey Deveshwar, I am the son of Kuts Muni, then why did you address me as Mrigshring?" Bhagavaan said - "Brahman, When you were doing Tapasyaa here, whoever Mrig (deer) used to come here to drink water, they rubbed their Shring (horns) against your body fearlessly, that is why Muni here called you Mrigshring. From today, all will call you Mrigshring." After saying this Bhagavaan started living there. Muni worshipped Bhagavaan and went from there with His permission. He decided to accept Grihasth Dharm to do good to this world. He came to his birth place Bhojaraaj Nagar and told everything to his parents. His parents got very happy to hear all that and they embraced him several times. He studied Ved serving his parents and Guru.

After his studies he said to his father - "Father, Whatever difficulties one has to suffer for to have a son, one cannot repay for them even in 100 years, therefore it is obligatory for the son that he should do all that which is dear to his parents and Guru too. If all these three are satisfied, all Tapasyaa is considered complete. Their service is the greatest Tap. A son should study serving these three and then enter Grihasth Aashram. If wife is in one's control, then there is nothing better than that. If both live live in harmony one attains Dharm, Arth and Kaam. If she is favorable then Swarg is nothing in comparison to home. Home itself becomes Swarg. She should be intelligent, skilled in household jobs, producing children, speaking soft and sweet speech and obedient to husband. She should not have any disease, she should have a brother, she should be a little younger in age and shorter in height, should be beautiful and should speak sweetly. Her name should not be on any mountain, or tree, or river, or snake, or bird's name. A girl with good conduct increases life. Father, Where can I get such a girl?"

Kuts said - "Mrigshring, You need not to worry about. There is nothing difficult for you. Maag Maas Snaan will give you everything." Vashishth Jee said - "Hearing this Mrigshring got very happy.

Upliftment of an Elephant and Life to Dead Girls

Vashishth Jee said - "There was a Muni named Uchathya in Bhojpur. He had a beautiful daughter named Suvrittaa. She used to go to Kaaveree Rier for Maagh Snaan with her unmarried friends. She prayed Kaaveree - "O Devee, Destroy my sins, give me husband, wealth, son and strength to follow my Dharm." Thus she took bath for three Maagh Maas. Her father was very happy with her. He used to think "To whom I should marry my daughter?" In the meantime Kuts also thought about Suvrittaa for his son. Vats also expressed his desire to marry her.

One day Suvrittaa went to Kaaveree for Maagh Snaan with her three friends. At the same time a terrible elephant came out of the river. Seeing that elephant those girls ran away. Elephant also followed them. Soon they started panting and fell down in a dry well which was covered with straws and leaves. As they fell they died. When they did not come back home, their parents came there in search for them. They found the girls lying dead in a dry well. Their mothers went to them and they started lamenting for them calling their names - Vimalaa, Kamalaa, Suvrittaa, Surasaa.

When they were lamenting for them, that Mrigshring Muni came there. He said to them - "Till I bring them to life, you guard their bodies." Then he went to Kaaveree banks and stood in its waters. He prayed Mrityu Devtaa looking at Soorya Dev. In the meantime, an elephant rose from the waters and came near him with the intention to kill him, but Mrigshring was not afraid of him. Surprisingly he became calm, he lifted Rishi with his trunk and made him sit on his back. Rishi finished his Jap, took some water in his hand and said - "I gave the Punya of 8 days of my Maagh Snaan to you." and sprinkled that water on the elephant's head. As if the elephant had understood this, he roared with a great sound. Rishi caressed his head and he left his elephant body and was seen in sky with a Divine body.

He said to Muni - "Today I am blessed. You uplifted me from this sinful animal Yoni. Now I tell you my story. In earlier times, there lived a Vaishya named Vishwagupt in Naishadh Nagar. He was very religious. I was his son, and my name was Dharmgupt. Self-study, doing Yagya, taking interest on money, rearing animals were my jobs. I always escaped from unjust jobs and always tried to follow the path of Dharm. Thus I had earned 10 million (1 Crore) gold coins. I had one son who was also very qualitative. I gave half money to my son and with my own share I dug many ponds, planted a garden, built temples, donated food.

Once a Kaapaalik came to me and described his art very nicely, so much so that I agreed what he said to me and my all money got wasted in making gold and silver. Now came the month of Maagh. I took bath in a river for 10 days, but could not continue because of my old age. My son went to some other country, my horses died, farms were destroyed, son kept a prostitute in his house. Now I was subsisting upon selling my Dharm. Only thing I could not sell was the fruit of my Maagh Snaan. One day I ate lots of sweets, so I died. Because of the fruit of Maagh Snaan, I lived in Swarg for 1 Manvantar, then I was born as an elephant. Who sell their their Dharm, they are born as elephant. But today you have uplifted me. I greet you, I greet you.' and he went to Swarg.

Mrigshring Jee prayed Soorya's son Yam Raaj Jee. [ A long prayer, Stotra, of Yam Raaj is given here ] Yam Raaj got very pleased with Mrigshring' prayer and appeared before him and asked him to ask for any Var. He asked the life of those four girls. Yam Raaj brought them to life and they woke up. Seeing this their mothers got very happy. They took them to their house. Yam Raaj disappeared after bestowing him Var, Muni also came back to his Aashram after getting this Var. Who will recite this Yam Stotra daily, he will not have to suffer Yam's punishment. Yam Raaj will be pleased with him. His children will never have to see bad death. He will never fall ill and will get lots of wealth."

Girls Describe Yam Lok

The King Dileep asked - "Hey Muni, What description the Muni girls gave to their mothers? I wish to hear about the fruits of Punya and Paap." Vashishth Jee said - "The girls said to their mothers - "Yam Lok is very terrible and creates feat in hearts. All kinds of Jeev have to go there. Chitragupt considers the case of good and bad. Punyavaan people go there by soft path. Yam Lok is full of Punyavaan people. Who have done Maagh Snaan, they are specially treated there. Then they go to Swarg.

Sinners have to go a very tuff road and there also they are scolded by Yam Raaj. They are punished by him. There are 28 grades of Narak below this Earth, they all are situated in a dense dark below the 7th Tal - (1) Ghoraa, (2) Sughoraa, (3) Atighoraa, (4) Mahaaghoraa, (5) Ghor-roopaa, (6) Taraltaaraa, (7) Bhayaanakaa, (8) Kaal Raatri, (9) Bhayotkataa, (10) Chandaa, (11) Mahaachandaa, (12) Chandkolaahalaa, (13) Prachandaa, (14) Narnaayikaa, (15) Karaalaa, (16) Vikaraalaa, (17) Vajraa - there are three more, (21) Trikonaa, (22) Panchkonaa, (23) Sudeerghaa, (24) Parivartulaa, (25) Saptbhaumaa, (26) Ashtbhaumaa, (27) Deeptaa, and Maayaa. Thus these 28 Koti of Narak are told. Even these 28 Narak have 5 Naayak each. (their names are given here in the book). Thus there are 140 Narak." Mothers said - "Stop now telling us about them."

The girls said - "Mother, To be born in Bhaarat is very rare. And to get human life is really after dong very hard Tap. Bhaarat Varsh has been said as "Karm Bhoomi" (where people do their Karm.) Other lands are "Bhog Bhoomi" (pleasure lands). Bhaarat has been regarded the best among all lands because here people can attain Dharm, Swarg and Moksh. Even Devtaa long to take birth here to visit or to take a dip in a Teerth. Who have Daan wealth they go on the path of Yam Lok comfortably. Thus a man should always do Punya. Half of our age goes in sleeping, some is spent in taking food, some in childhood, some in old age and some in enjoying pleasures, then how much remains for Bhagavaan's worship? When Soorya Dev is in Makar Raashi, take bath in the morning and serve your husband, then you will never fear Narak. Ekaadashee Tithi which comes every fortnight, also removes fear from Narak."

Vashishth Jee said - "Thus these girls again started donating, Maagh Snaan etc."