Glimpses of The Devi Bhagavatam: 03. SHUKADEV’S OBJECTION TO MARRIAGE

 

INDIAN MYTHOLOGY

Glimpses of The Devi Bhagavatam: 03. SHUKADEV’S OBJECTION TO MARRIAGE

Suta the sage went on with his narration: Vyasa was charmed to see his son Sukadev. His friends, the other sages in the forest, were left in no doubt about the fact that the newborn was a great soul. Several happy signs were evident at the time of Suka’s birth.

The Ganga flowed through the forest. The spirit of the river, Mother Ganga herself, nursed the boy. When it was time for him to receive education, his father took him to Brihaspati, the teacher of the gods. Years later Sukadev completed his studies to his guru’s great satisfaction and went back to his father.

“Son, it's time for you to get married. Once I get your consent, I would go looking for a suitable bride. I hope you will lead the life of an ideal son, an ideal husband, and an ideal father,” Vyasa told Sukadev.

“Father, from the very moment I became conscious of my being, I've been seeking Truth. I’ve no desire for raising a family. I've no attraction for worldly life. Hence I pray to you to withdraw your proposal concerning my marriage," answered Sukadev.

Vyasa looked grave. He nodded and said, "My son, don't feel worried on account of difficulties in running a family. It would be my responsibility to run your family. I shall arrange for meeting its needs. Get married as desired by me. I look forward to the pleasure of being blessed with a grandson."

"Father, it's very kind of you to offer to shoulder the burden of my family. You're an ideal father, but I won't be able to prove myself equally ideal. For the simple reason, I've no desire to remain in a family and suffer the pains and pangs which I've seen others suffer. No doubt, a family is a source of happiness, but that is for those who can derive pleasure out of it. I cannot. From the very beginning, it'll be a shackle around my feet. Total freedom is necessary for any great quest," explained Sukadev.

"My son, your ideas about life in a family are not correct. One can lead a truthful life while remaining in the family. The great seers of the past have divided our life into phases. After you have experienced your life in the family, you can, at a later stage, renounce it and retire into the jungle for meditation. Don't look down upon family life. Don't forget that as great a sage as Vasishtha, too, had a family," argued Vyasa.

But Sukadev did not seem to be convinced. He said, "What you say is of great worth–but for others, not for me. I don't know about Vasishtha. But I know the lives of the gods and even of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara. Each of them had a myriad of troubles, thanks to their family ties. In any case, my nature is different. I ought to remain sincere and truthful to my nature."

Vyasa fell silent. He realised that there was no point in persuading Sukadev to marry. He sighed and smiled and said, "Very well, my son, let your wish prevail. Remain a celibate. If it is the light of wisdom you are seeking, I shall do my best to help you."

Vyasa said further: "Infinite are the power, the compassion and the Grace of the Divine Mother. As you already know, once while Vishnu reduced himself to the form of an infant and relaxed on a banyan leaf that floated on the sea, by and by he forgot his origin and grew bewildered.

Before him appeared the Divine Mother. Vishnu could not recognize her. She smiled sweetly and said, ‘Immersed in the universal nature, you too have forgotten yourself for a moment. The Universal illusion has partly conquered even you. But this is in accordance with the Divine scheme. A lotus would spring from your navel. From the lotus would emerge Brahma. He would be the creator of a material Universe. Thereafter would appear Rudra. It will be for you to sustain the creation. Rudra would wield the power for destruction. I shall remain hidden in your heart and, with my power, help you in your function.’

Said Vishnu, ‘I faintly remember a few words-half of a hymn–that I heard a little while ago. Who had uttered it?’

‘I had uttered it before I manifested in this form. Now I utter the other half of the hymn. Thereby I establish a link between the manifest and what has not manifested,’ said the Divine Mother.

Thereafter she taught the full hymn to Vishnu. It is by the power of this hymn that Vishnu killed the demons. Madhu and Kaitav. From him Brahma learned the hymn. Later Brahma passed on the hymn to Narada. Narada taught it to Vyasa.

Now Vyasa passed on the hymn to Sukadev. By reciting the hymn, Sukadev mastered new branches of knowledge.

One day Vyasa saw Sukadev engrossed in deep thought. "My son," said Vyasa, "I'm happy that you have gathered much wisdom. But know this, my boy, that wisdom is not to be found only in the scriptures. The world, society, and the family can also be fields for gathering knowledge and making true progress in life. Take the case of King Janaka. He is busy looking after his kingdom. Yet there are very few among the sages whose consciousnesses can be compared to his."

"How can a king pursue true knowledge? As a ruler, he has often to make compromises with falsehood, he has to pamper and patronize the unworthy and ignore the worthy. While he metes out judgements, he cannot be totally immune to injustice. How can such a man be compared to sages?" asked Sukadev. He appeared agitated.