GITA : - Glorification of Chapter Eighteen

After telling Parvati   the glories of the seventeenth chapter of the Bhagavad-gita, Lord Shiva said, “O daughter of the Himalayas, please listen to the glories of the eighteenth chapter of the Bhagavad-gita which is higher than the Vedas and  which bestows unlimited bliss. When it enters one’s ears, it destroys all material desires. For the pure devotee, it is divine nectar. It is Lord Vishnu’s very life, and it is a solace to the hearts of Lord Indra and the demigods, as well as to the great yogis headed by Sanaka and Sananda. One who recites it sends the messengers of Yamaraja far away. There is no other recitation able so quickly to destroy all sin or free one from the threefold miseries of this world. Now listen with great devotion.” Then he told the following story.

On the topmost peak of

Mount Meru,

 the fabulous golden mountain standing in the center of the universe, is Amaravati, where Lord Indra is served by the demigods. One day Indra saw a beautiful young person arrive, being served by the servants of Lord Vishnu. When Lord Indra saw this, he at once fell to the ground, and the crown he had been wearing was placed on the young person’s head. Thereupon all the demigods and denizens of the heavenly planets started to worship and serve the new King Indra, even though he had not performed the one hundred horse sacrifices the holder of the post of Indra usually performs.

 

When the old Indra saw this, be was very much surprised, and he wondered how this new Indra had attained the post without the necessary activities. The old Indra, greatly disturbed, went to the ocean of milk to pray to Lord Vishnu. Upon finally obtaining an audience with Lord Vishnu, the old Indra asked, “My dear Lord Vishnu, in the past I performed many sacrifices and pious activities, for which I was installed as the lord of heaven. But now another person has taken my place, and apparently he never performed any great Vedic sacrifices. So how is it possible that he obtained the throne?

Lord Vishnu replied, “My dear Indra, that great soul has daily recited the eighteenth chapter of the Bhagavad-gita. During his life he recited five verses from this daily, and by doing so he obtained the results of all pious activities and sacrifices. After enjoying as the king of heaven for many years, he will enter My personal abode. If you also recite this chapter daily, you also can do this.”

After hearing Lord Vishnu’s words, the former Indra took the form of a brahmana went to the town of Kalikagrama, the sacred residence of Kaleshvara, a form of the Supreme Lord. Near this town, on the bank of the Godavari river, sat a pure, merciful brahmana who understood the topmost goal and secret of the Vedic literatures. Daily he sat there and recited verses of the eighteenth chapter of the Bhagavad-gita. The former Indra, happy to see him, at once fell at his feet and requested him to teach him this chapter.

After reciting from the eighteenth chapter, the former Indra attained the topmost abode, Vishnuloka, where he realized that the pleasure he had enjoyed as Indra had been insignificant. For this reason, the eighteenth chapter of the Bhagavad-gita is especially chanted by great sages, who quickly attain the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu.

 

Sources : ISKCON

GITA : - Glorification of Chapter Seventeen

King Khadga-bahu’s son had a crafty but foolish servant named Dushasana. Once this servant made a bet with the prince that the servant could ride the passionate male elephant. Thereupon the servant jumped on top of it and went a few steps, but people urged him not to ride that dangerous elephant. Dushasana, however, started to prod the elephant to make it move faster. Suddenly the elephant became angry and ran wildly here and there. Dushasana fell to the ground, was trampled by the elephant and died.
 

Thereafter Dushasana attained the body of an elephant in Simhala-dvipa, where he lived near the palace of the king of Simhala-dvipa, a close friend of King Khadga-bahu. One day the king of Simhala-dvipa decided to send this elephant to his friend as a present. Upon receiving the elephant, King Khadga-bahu presented it to a poet who had pleased him with beautiful verse. This poet in turn sold the elephant to the king of Malava for one hundred gold coins.

After some time, the elephant contracted a terminal disease. When the elephant-keepers saw that the elephant had stopped eating and drinking, they reported the matter to the king, who then went to the elephant shed with the best animal doctors. At that time, much to the surprise of the king and everyone else, the elephant started to speak.

The elephant said, “My dear king, you are a pious and strict follower of the

Vedas,

  and you always worship the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu. So you should know that at this time these doctors will be of no avail. No hind of charity or sacrifice will help me at this time of death. If you care for me and want to help me, then kindly bring someone who daily recites the seventeenth chapter of the Bhagavad-gita.

Thus requested by the elephant, the king brought a great devotee who regularly recited the seventeenth chapter of the Bhagavad-gita. As this devotee chanted, he sprinkled water on the elephant, who then gave up its elephant body and attained a four-armed form, similar to that of Lord Vishnu. The former elephant, who had previously been Dushasana, sat down in a airplane that had been sent for him from

Vaikuntha.

  The king then inquired from him about his previous birth. Dushasana told him everything and then left for Vaikuntha.

 

After these events, that best of men the king of Malava also regularly recited the seventeenth chapter of the Bhagavad-gita and after a short time he attained, the lotus feet of Lord Krishna.

Sources : ISKCON

GITA : - Glorification of Chapter Sixteen

Once a king named Khadga-bahu kept a passionate male elephant. One day this elephant broke loose and in a fit of anger started to destroy the elephant shed. Then the elephant ran here and there, wildly chasing the citizens, who fled as fast as possible. When the king got the news, he at once went out to where the elephant was running amok, because the king knew the art of controlling elephants. Many people were running away from the elephant, but the king saw that one brahmana was returning peacefully from taking his bath in a lake. This brahmana was softly reciting the first three verses of the sixteenth chapter of the Bhagavad-gita which start with the word “abhayam” (“fearlessness”).

When the people saw the brahmana walking toward the elephant, they warned him, but he paid them no heed and walked straight toward it. When the elephant saw the brahmana approach, it at once lost its anger and lay down peacefully, and the brahmana started rubbing it gently. After stroking the elephant for a few moments, the brahmana went peacefully on his way. When the king and the citizens saw this amazing incident, they stood there dumbfounded. The king then went after the brahmana, fell at his feet, and inquired what austerities and worship the brahmana had performed to attain his amazing power. The brahmana replied, “I daily recite some stanzas from the sixteenth chapter of the Bhagavad-gita.”

The king then offered him a hundred gold coins in charity and requested him to visit the palace and give some instructions in chanting those verses from the sixteenth chapter. After that the king, thus instructed, had been chanting those verses for some time, he ordered the release of the passionate elephant. Fearing that the elephant would run wild again, the citizens were upset with the king. But when the king approached the elephant, it lay down at once, and the king stroked it. Afterward, the king returned to his palace, installed his son on the throne, and left for the forest, where he worshiped Lord Krishna by chanting verses from the sixteenth chapter of the Bhagavad-gita. Quickly he attained the lotus feet of Lord Krishna.

One may be quite sinful, but if one chants this chapter from the Bhagavad-gita, he quickly attains the lotus feet of Lord Krishna.

 

Sources : ISKCON

GITA : - Glorification of Chapter Fifteen

In Gaudadesha there lived a king named Kripana-narasimha, who could defeat the demigods. This king had a greedy commander named Sarabha-bherunda, who, together with the prince, was conspiring to assassinate the king. But before Sarabha-bherunda could execute the plan, he died of cholera. In his next life, Sarabha-bherunda took birth as an excellent horse.

 

One day a merchant bought this horse and went to the capital of Gaudadesha to sell it to the king. Upon reaching the palace, the merchant came before the king and explained that he had an incomparable horse to sell. The king took an interest and asked to see the horse at once. He examined it and without hesitation paid the sum the merchant asked.

After some days the king decided to go to the forest to hunt. As he rode on this horse he saw a deer and began chasing it. The chase went on and on, but finally the king became tired and thirsty, so he stopped to rest. He tied the horse to a tree and sat on a large rock.

A little later, a piece of parchment landed next to the king. On it was written half a verse of the fifteenth chapter of the Bhagavad-gita, and as the king read it aloud, the horse fell on the ground and at once gave up its body. Instantaneously, it attained a transcendental four-armed form. This liberated soul then sat down in a

Vaikuntha

  airplane and returned the spiritual world.

 

After calming down, the king noticed that close by there was a beautiful hermitage. Entering hermitage, the king found that a brahmana lived there named Vishnusharma who had complete control over his senses. The king offered respects to that brahmana and inquired how it was possible that his horse had attained Vaikuntha. The brahmana replied, “O king, previously you had a commander in your army named Sarabha-bherunda. Together with the prince, he had planned to usurp the throne. But before he could do so, he died of cholera. He took birth as that outstanding horse, and when he heard some words from the fifteenth chapter of the Bhagavad-gita he attained Vaikuntha. The king there upon again offered respects to that and returned to his capital.

Back in his capital, the king repeatedly read what was written on that piece of parchment. After a short time he installed his son as the king of Gaudadesha and retired to the forest. There he regularly recited the fifteenth chapter of the Bhagavad-gita and quickly attained the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu.

Sources : ISKCON

GITA : - Glorification of Chapter Fourteen

After narrating the glories of thirteenth chapter Lord Shiva then asked Parvati to listen attentively to his narration of the glories of the fourteenth chapter of the Bhagavad-gita.

Once a king named Vikrama-vetala went to the forest to hunt, with his son and two dogs. Upon reaching the forest, they released a dog to chase a rabbit, which of course ran quickly away. After some time the dog and rabbit reached a beautiful hermitage. There the deer were sitting happily under the shade of trees, monkeys were eating the fruits of those trees, cubs of tigers were playing with baby elephants, and the snakes were crawling over the peacocks.

At the hermitage dwelled a great sage named Vatsa, who worshiped Lord Krishna by reciting the fourteenth chapter of the Bhagavad-gita. On this particular day, a disciple of the sage was washing his own feet, while he himself chanted the fourteenth chapter, and the water was moistening the earth. Suddenly the rabbit and dog appeared. Running fast, they both slipped in the mud, gave up their animal bodies, and attained heavenly bodies. An airplane then descended to take them to the heavenly worlds.

Seeing these amusing events, King Vikrama-vetala and the disciple laughed, and the king inquired from the disciple how the rabbit and the dog had gone to heaven before their very eyes. The disciple replied, “In this hermitage lives the great sage Vatsa, who has completely conquered his senses and is always chanting the fourteenth, chapter of the Bhagavad-gita.

I am his disciple, and I was also reciting the fourteenth chapter. Because the rabbit and dog slipped on the water that had washed my feet, they both attained the higher planets.

“Now I will tell you why I laughed. Once a brahmana named Keshava and his wife, Vilobhana, lived in the town of Pratyudaka. She was a loose woman, and he was a cruel man. He murdered her because she kept company with other men. Therefore she became that dog in her next life and he became that rabbit.”

Thereafter, Lord Shiva said, King Vikrama-vetala also began reciting the fourteenth chapter of the Bhagavad-gita daily. When he finally gave up his body, he went to Vaikuntha, where he eternally serves the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu.

Sources:ISKCON

GITA : - Glorification of Chapter Thirteen

After reciting the Glories of Twelfth chapter Lord Shiva then invited Parvati to enjoy hearing the glories of the thirteenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita.... 

Once in Hari-hara-pura, a town where the deity of Lord Shiva (Hari-hara) is worshiped, there lived a brahmana named Hari-dikshita. He was learned and led a simple austere life. His wife, however, was called by people Durachara (“Bad Behavior”) because of her low-class activities. She was addicted to intoxicants. She always spoke to her husband in abusive language and had never slept with him. Moreover, she kept the company of other men to satisfy her desires, and she had constructed a small hut in the forest to meet with lovers.

One night she went to this hut because she wanted a lover to satisfy her. But no one was present, so she wandered in the forest hoping to find someone. Then, agitated and frustrated, she sat down and cried. Hearing her sobbing, a hungry tiger ran in her direction. She heard someone coming and thought it was someone who would satisfy her lust. Suddenly the tiger appeared, about to rip her apart. The woman said, “Why have you come here to kill me? First tell me this, and then you may kill me.”

The tiger laughed and told a story: “Previously I was born in a brahmana’s family. Still, I was greedy and had no control over my senses. I used to sit on the riverbanks and perform sacrifices for persons unqualified to take part in them. I also accepted food from materialistic persons, and for my sense gratification I collected more funds than necessary, and under false pretenses. I would criticize brahmanas who strictly followed regulative principles, and I would never give charity to anyone. Even when I became old and weak, I collected and hoarded funds.

One day some cruel brahmanas set some dogs upon me, one of which bit my leg. I fell over and quickly died. After that, I attained this body of a tiger? but I was able lo remember my former birth. Therefore in this birth I do not attack any devotees, renunciants or chaste ladies. I eat only sinful persons and unchaste women. Since you are the most unchaste and sinful woman, you will definitely become my meal.”

After being devoured by the tiger, the woman was taken by the

Yamadutas

  to the hell known as Puyoda, a lake full of stool, urine and blood. She had to stay there for ten million kalpas (one kalpa is 4,320,000,000 years). Later she was thrown into the hell known as Raurava, where she remained for one hundred manvantaras (one manvantaras equals 306,720,000 years). Finally she took birth again on earth, this time as a female candala (dog-eater). Then she continued her sinful way of life, and consequently she contracted serious diseases.

 

By good fortune, however, she went to the holy place Hari-hara-pura, where she had once lived, and there she heard the great saint Vasudeva recite the thirteenth chapter of the Bhagavad-gita. She became attracted and wanted to hear it again and again, and by that hearing she became completely free from the reactions of her past sinful activities, attained a four-armed form, and was taken to

Vaikuntha.

 

Sources : ISKCON

GITA : - Glorification of Chapter Twelve

After that  
Lord Shiva then recited the wonderful glories of the twelfth chapter of the Bhagavad-gita.
Once a young prince arrived in the holy place Kolhapura. He first took a bath and worshiped his ancestors. Then he went to the temple of Maha Lakshmi Devi, the Lord’s divine consort. Because she fulfills all desires, the prince offered his obeisances to her and prayed: 
“O Devi, whose heart is full of mercy, you are worshiped as the giver of all fortune and the mother of creation. You are the wonderful energy of Lord Acyuta,  who maintains the whole world. You protect the devotees, fulfill their desires, and engage them in the service of Lord Achyuta. Kindly be merciful to me.”

When Maha Lakshmi heard his prayers, she fell pleased and told him he could ask for any benediction. The prince told Maha Lakshmi that his father, King Brihadratha, had been performing a horse sacrifice but had become ill and died, leaving the sacrifice incomplete. The prince now aspired to complete the sacrifice to fulfill his father’s desire. One of the horses, however, had been stolen, and he had not been able to find it. Therefore he had decided to ask her for this particular horse, which had already been purified for this purpose.

Maha Lakshmi-devi told the prince about a brahmana named Siddha-samadhi, who lived by the gate of her temple. He would be able to grant the prince his desire. The prince went and found Siddha-samadhi, who said to him, “You have been sent here by mother Maha Lakshmi-devi, so I shall fulfill your desire. “Thereafter, by chanting mantras Siddha-samadhi summoned all the demigods and asked them to bring back the prince’s horse, which had been stolen by Lord Indra. At once the demigods brought the horse, and Siddha-samadhi dismissed them.

When the prince saw all these wonders, he fell at the feet of Siddha-samadhi. Could Siddha-samadhi, the prince asked, kindly bring the prince’s father back to life? Siddha-samadhi chuckled, and together they went to the place where the prince had kept his father’s body. There Siddha-samadhi took some water in his hand and chanted some mantras as he sprinkled on the head of King Brihadratha’s dead body. As soon as the water touched the king’s head, the king sat up and asked Siddha-samadhi to identify himself.

When the king learned all that had taken place, he repeatedly offered obeisances to Siddha-samadhi and then inquired what austerities he had performed to attain such powers. Siddha-samadhi replied, “Dear King Brihadratha, daily I recite the twelfth chapter of the Bhagavad-gita.” Hearing these words of that great devotee, the king learned the twelfth chapter of the Bhagavad-gita from Siddha-samadhi, and in the course of time both the king and his son attained devotion to the lotus feet of Lord Krishna.

Sources: ISKCON