Essence Of Skanda Purana

Narada seeks replies to a questionnaire and bestows Brahma’s Charity to Kalaap Village

An illustrious King of yore named Indradyumna was highly virtuous and propagated Dharma (high merit) all over his Kingdom to such an extent as to make announcements of the next Ekadasi Vrata to be performed with sincerity! The King was an extraordinary example of charity to all the needy subjects, especially Brahmanas.

Lord Brahma did the unique honour of inviting him in human body form by an aeroplane to Brahma Loka to let him enjoy the just pleasures there and return back. The King met the memorable  Sage Markandeya, Nadijangh Baka ( in the form of a Crane), Prakarakarma Uluk (in the form of an Owl), Chirayu Gadhi Raj ( in the form of a Donkey) and Manthar Kacchuva  (in the form of Tortoise)-all of exceptional learning of Scriptures! He also met Sage Lomesh of the famed Kalaap Village near Kedareswara mentioned above. He prostrated before all the Experts of Scriptures and got the benefit of their discussions on Parama Tatvas of high learning. Sage Lomesh revealed that the King was in his past life a ‘Sudra’, who entered a waterbody and performed several pujas with Lotuses to Parama Siva very sincerely and died eventually. In the next earlier birth, he was a Brahmana with the knowledge of his earlier life and even from childhood had strange behaviour but as a penchant for Siva Puja and used to talk of ‘Avidya’ (ignorance), Maya (illusion) and Siva ‘Aradhana’. Eventually the boy secured Siva Darshan (Vision) and gave him the boon of longevity till such time that all his body hairs dropped away. Such was the background of the King that Lord Siva Himself taught him ‘Bahir Yoga’ and ‘Antar Yoga’. He performed innumerable Yagnas and a series of debates on Dharmik Topics in the august company of the ‘Sadhu Sabhas’ or ‘Satsangs’ of Vedic Luminaries like Markandeya, Lomesh, Baka, Uluk, Gadhiraj and Kacchuva. The Collective Aradhanas of these and such other Mahatmas ( The Great Souls) generated waves of blissful Ambrosia full of ‘Bhakta Shadrasas’( or Six Bhavas) viz. Dasya Rathi, Sakya Rathi, Vatsalya Rathi, Shantha Rathi, Kranta Rathi, and Adbhuta Rati! They also performed sacred ‘snaans’ (baths) in the River Mahanadi, (next in importance of Mahi Sagara Sangam), and its various other Tirthas like Kasi, Kurukshetra, Ganga, Narmada, Sarasvati, Tapa, Payoshmi, Nirvindhya, Gaya, Godavari, Aruna, Varuna and such other twenty thousand six hundred rivers on Prithvi! The conclusion of the Satsang Group states: Human life is full of Avidya (Ignorance), Asmitha (Anger), Raag (Desire), Dvesha (Hatred) and Abhinivesh (Death). Since such factors in mind are abounding with sins, it is highly unlikely that one could meditate Sada Siva; it is highly unlikely that one could take birth in the Karma Bhumi of Bharata Desa; it is highly unlikely to have Ganga Snan; it is unlikely to practise charity to virtuous Brahmanas; it is unlikely that one could make oblations to Agni Deva; and it is also unlikely to worship Siva regularly.

( Papohat Buddhinaam Siva Varthapi durlabham, Durlabham Bharatey  Janma durlabham Siva pujanam / Durlabham Jahnavi snanam Sivey Bhakti sudurlabham, Durlabham Braahmaney daanam durlabham Vahni pujanam / Alpa punaischa dushpraapyam Purushotthama pujanam / ) Thus Tirtha Snaan, Japa, Tapasya, and such Acts of would alone redeem human life and Siva Aradhana should be the only objective of purposeful life.Why does a foolish person run after mirages having kept in hand a full vessel of Ambrosia!