4-Story of Gokarn

Soot Jee said - "At that time when Bhakti entered in hari's devotees' hearts, Bhagvaan came there from His Dhaam. Uddhav Jee also came there secretly to listen to Bhagvaan's Kathaa. I found that even the greatest sinners became sinless." Who and who become sinless in this Kathaa recitation? Sanakaadi Jee said - "Who always commit sins, burn in their anger like fire, are lusty, always lie, speak bad about their parents, are jealous seeing the progress of others - they all become holy by listening to the 7-day Kathaa. The five kinds of great sinners - who drink liquor, kill Braahman, steal gold, adultery with Guru's wife, and cheating; and cheaters, cruel, surviving on Braahman's wealth and adultery - even these people also become sinless by this week long recitation.

Hey Naarad Jee, Now we will tell you a very ancient story. All sins are destroyed just by listening to it. In earlier times there was a city on the banks of Tungbhadraa River. There lived people from all Varn and they worked according to their Varn. There lived a Braahman also, named Aatm Dev, who knew Ved very well. He shone like Soorya. Although he was very rich but still he lived on alms. He had a lovely wife, Dhundhulee, but she was very adamant on her own wishes. She used to enjoy to talk about others. She was of cruel nature. She was good at household duties, but was quarrelsome. Thus this Braahman couple lived comfortably in their house.

When they became old, and still they did not have any child, they started giving cow, land, gold etc in alms. Thus they had spent about half of their wealth, but still they did not have any child. One day that Braahman set off to forest. In the afternoon he felt very thirsty, so he came to the shore of a pond. He was very tired too, so after drinking water from that pond he sat down there only. After a while there came a Sanyaasee. He was also thirsty so when he had drank water, Aatm Dev came to him, greeted him sat near him in a sad mood. Sanyaasee asked - "O Braahman, Tell me, why do you weep? What kind of worry you have? Tell me the reason of your worry soon."

Aatm Dev said - "Mahaaraaj, How can I describe the sorrows resulted from my previous lives' sins. Devtaa and Pitar do not accept my water with happy heart. I am too much worried for a child, that I don't see anything in this world. Fie on childless life, fie on childless house, fie on childless wealth, fie on childless family. Whichever cow I tend she does not give birth to any calf. Whichever tree I plant, it does not give flowers and fruits. Whichever fruit I bring home, it gets spoilt soon. When I am so much unfortunate then what will I do of my life." After saying this Naam Dev broke into tears." That Sanyaasee was a great Yogee. He knew his destiny by reading his forehead.

He said to Aatm Dev - "Hey Braahman, Do not desire for progeny. Karm's effects are very strong, so be a Gyaanee and do not get involved in the world. I have come to know reading your destiny that you will not have any child for another 7 lives. In earlier times, even Raajaa Sagar and Raajaa Ang also had to suffer because of their children. So do not desire for a family and be happy in Sanyaas." Braahman said - "Gyaan cannot do anything good for me. Please give me a son forcefully, otherwise I commit suicide here in front of you. Such Sanyaas is useless which does not have the pleasure of wife and children." Seeing Braahman's such intentions, the Sanyaasee said to him - "See, Because of being adamant to oppose his Destiny, Raajaa Chitraketu also suffered, therefore whatever God does not want that will not give you pleasure. But you are forcing me to do it and threatening me to commit suicide [if I did not give you a son], then what can I say to you in this situation?" So the Sanyaasee gave him a fruit and said - "You feed this fruit to your wife, she will have a son. Your wife should live with control herself - she should observe Shauch (cleanliness), kindness, give alms, and eat only one grain in one time. If she will do this then the child be of very good natured."

After saying this Sanyaasee went away and Aatm Dev came back to his house. he gave that fruit to his wife and asked her to eat it. Now as his wife was of ill-natured. She told her friend crying that she would not eat that fruit, because by eating that fruit she would become pregnant, pregnancy will expand her stomach, she would not be able to eat anything, she would become weak and then who will do the house jobs. And if unfortunately robbers had attacked, how she would run away from her house; and if, like Shuk Dev Jee, if this fetus stayed back in the womb then how it will be taken out; etc etc. She thought in this way and she did not eat that fruit, and when her husband asked her whether she had eaten that fruit, she said "Yes, I have eaten it."

One day her sister came to her house. She told her the whole story to her sister and said - "I am very worried about it. I am pregnant and I am getting weaker and weaker day by day. What do I do?" Her sister said - "I am also pregnant, do not worry, when I will have my child, i will give it to you. Till then you stay in house secretly like a pregnant woman. If you will give some money to my husband, he will give the child to you. [We will do something like this] that everyone will say that "her child died after 6 months." I will be coming daily to your house and will be taking care of him regularly. You do one thing that just to test this fruit, you feed this fruit to your cow." So Dhundhulee did as her sister said to her to do.

When the time came, Dhundhulee's sister gave birth to a boy and his father gave that boy to Dhundhulee. She informed Aatm Dev that she had delivered the child comfortably. Aatm Dev got very happy to hear this news that he had a son. He performed his Sanskaar and donated much money and things to Braahman. Dhundhulee said - "I do not have milk in my breasts, then how can I give him a cow's milk? My sister also gave birth to a baby, but it has died, so if we keep her here, she could take care of this child." Aatm Dev, finding no other solution, agreed at this and he called Dhundhulee's sister to take care of his son. Dhundhulee named the boy Dhundhukaaree.

After three months had passed, that cow also gave birth to a child. He was very beautiful, Divine looking and was of golden complexioned. Braahman got very happy to see him too and he performed all his Sanskaar with his own hands. Villagers were also very happy as they knew that now Aatm Dev had two children. That child had the ears like a cow's ears, so Aatm Dev named him Go-Karn (who has ears like cow's ears].

After some time both children became young and mature. Gokarn proved a very learned man but Dhundhukaaree was very cruel. He had nothing like any conduct of a Braahman, nor he had any restrictions on his food and drinks. He was very angry all the time. He used to steal things, set fire in other's houses. He took playing children in his laps, but soon he threw them in a well. He had spent all his father's wealth on prostitutes. Seeing all this his father Aatm Dev started crying and said - "It had been better if his mother had remained barren. A bad son is worse than not having a son."

At that Gyaanee Gokarn Jee came there and explained his father Vairaagya and said - "Father, This world is useless and full of sorrows. Whose son? Whose wealth? An affectionate person is in sorrow day and night; Indra and Chakravartee kings are also not happy. if there is any  happiness, that is in solidarity and detachment. Leave this idea that "he is my son", because such attachment will take you to Narak. That is why you go to forest." Hearing Gokarn, Aatm dev got ready to go to forest and said - "Son, What should I do while living in the forest? Tell me it in detail. I am a great fool. You are very kind, uplift me."

Gokarn said - "O father, This body is only the loath of bones, flesh and blood, so do not regard it as "Mine" and never call your wife and sons as "mine". Look at this word as it is momentary. Nothing is permanent in this world, so keep doing Bhakti in Bhagvaan's feet. Do not pay any attention to these worldly comforts and always listen to Bhagvaan's stories." Thus Aatm Dev left his house and went to forest. He was 60 years old that time but he was still perfect in his mind. There he worshipped Bhagvaan day and night, recited the 10th Skandh of Bhaagvat Puraan, and achieved Krishn.