Holy Company-Part II

Faith Mysticism

oi-Priya Devi

By Priya Devi

Friday, May 7, 2010, 15:01

Holy company is very difficult to obtain and when obtained very difficult to comprehend. Satsang or Holy Company is very difficult to come by in this world which is dominated by commercialism and competition. For every jewel of a Holy Man there will be a hundred imitation jewels of holy men. We fall for the imitation company. A classic example is given in Mahabharata for this.

Balarama, the brother of Lord Krishna was so much enamoured about holy persons, he used to worship the very place where the holy persons walked. When Arjuna came to Dwaraka in the guise of a Sanyasin, Krishna first met him and advised his parents of his intention of giving Subhadra, his sister in marriage to Arjuna and then instructed Arjuna the kind of behaviour expected of him when and if Balarama meets him. Krishna himself spread the word in the city that a Parantahamsa is residing outside the city and only purified persons can see and talk to him and those who get a glimpse are really lucky.

Balarama in an auspicious moment met the Sanyasin and when invited to come to the Palace, Arjuna said that he has no wish to come to the Palace. He wished to spend his days in solitude, contemplation, prayer and meditation and he has no wish other than to suffer his Prarabdha. Balarama was very much pleased to hear these words and requested Arjuna to spend the four Chathunnas months in his palace were only his sister Subhadra will serve the holy person and no body will disturb him.

When Krishna objected about the arrangement, Balarama pacified him that being an elder brother he knew what is better and who is who without a doubt and let the result be his responsibility. The sister of Balarama and Krishna, the beautiful, innocent Subhadra had heard about the many names and power obtained by Arjuna.

She had heard about his qualities of valour, courage, the patience required to abstain from injuring others, impartiality, truth, sincerity, modesty, steadiness, freedom from wrath unless provoked, contentment, sweetness of speech, freedom from malice, etc. She had given her heart to Arjuna even without meeting him.

When Balarama brought Arjuna to his palace and asked Subhadra to serve Arjuna, naturally they fell in love with each other. Instead of prayer, puja and meditation, Arjuna engaged himself in winning the heart of Subhadra who had given her heart already to Arjuna. When Arjuna revealed his identity Subhadra approached Krishna and with the permission of the parents, the marriage of Subhadra and Arjuna took place and the young couple was sent back to Indraprasta with due ceremony. When Balarama came to know about this he wanted to wage a war on Arjuna. But Krishna pacified him saying that Arjuna was also equally eligible for Subhadra's hand just as Duryodhan - as both were 'Kuru' princes.

Thus it is necessary to know the holy company and the first duty of all spiritual aspirant should be to instal God in the sanctuary of their own hearts.

About the author

This article is written by Padma Bai R S for the Vedanta Vani of 'Chinmaya Mission'