If a man prays before lord Vishnu, serves cow well and looks after with a clean heart, he gets blessings. Acts based on dharma fulfill desires. Cow symbolizes many gods, for each limb of cow is a house of gods and goddesses.  To alleviate sufferings of cow is a virtuous karma, it keeps ancestors contented, and satisfied, when cows blesses. A modern man realizes the sanctity of cow but cares little and it causes inner suffering. Cow is object of reverence and worship they say and quote scriptures but scarcely anyone grants it a life free from thirst and hunger –just look at the stray cows and it confirms pretense.   Sinners and sinful people go to hell but a man of dharma works hard to lessen sufferings while noble people go to heaven. In case, a noble man gives fruit of punya karmas to the bad and the impious, it purifies and the process of cleanliness glorifies and grants him deliverance. Rulers and people of ancient times obey laws of dharma, dedicate lives and wealth to the service of people, and serve. Now, everyone works for self-interest and appropriate national wealth and scrupulously avoid altruistic tendencies. It a man surrenders at the feet of Supreme, he attains the sacred objective of life.

Ritambhara, Satyavana

Great yajna, Rama organized continued and the horse reached Tejpur, a vast country of king Satyavana. Satyavana functioned and governed courteously and justly, adhered to dictates of dharma and truth and looked after his people properly. Later on, the annihilator of enemies Shatrughana, younger brother of Rama reached Tejpur with many of warriors, who followed religiously the horse of yajna that passed through a beautiful and grand city of King Satyavana.  Glorious city known for its beautiful palaces and forts attracted attention of travelers. Many magnificent and well-decorated temples of gods and goddesses enhanced exquisiteness of the city while monks and sages added divine splendor. River Bhagirathi with its source in the forehead of lord Shiva flowed through the city. On the riverbank, many sages lived. Smoke of yajna rising from the house of each brahmin after the oblation, sanctified sinners and evil doers.

When Shatrughana observed amazing beauty of the capital of Satyavana, he asked Sumati, “O wise minister, it is a beautiful town. Do you know to whom does it belong? It gives immense pleasure because I find it values ethics and pursues principles of dharma.”

Satyavana, a devotee of Sri Rama and a man of humanity looks after people and spends time in prayers and understands the significance of yajnas …a man of dharma relieves the sinners from sufferings

Sumati observed genuine curiosity in the eyes of Shatru, and said, “O lord, the king is a devotee of Vishnu. Please listen to the tale of the king, who always works for the welfare of people. A man is absolved of offense of killing a brahmin if he merely listens to the story of the king. Yes, I told you he is Satyavana, a bhakta of Sri Rama and takes shelter at the feet of Sri Rama, an incarnation of lord Vishnu. He understands the import of yajna and has knowledge how yajna helps man and humankind. He knows how to organize and perform. He is a hard working king and guardian of public.

In ancient times, king Ritambhara ruled the country. He did not have offspring but had many women. He got no son from the wombs of the queens and so was a disillusioned man. As it was destined to happen, one day with the grace of god, monk Jabali arrived in the capital. He received the monk politely and extended greetings properly, bowed in devotion and then requested the sage to fulfill a long cherished wish.

Ritambhara said, “O lord, I am without an offspring. Please suggest a way out that helps me in getting a son. I shall act upon the advice so that I am able to get a son capable of protecting a great dynasty.”

Sage Jabali heard and understood the cause of worries. He thought for a while and said, “O king, I find three ways to get a son for a man desirous of offspring. He should pray, attain the blessing and seek mercy of lord Vishnu, cow and lord Shiva. Therefore, you worship cow as if a goddess. In the tail of a cow, mouth, horns and posterior, the great gods reside. A man, who serves a cow with grass etcetera daily, and worships, he keeps satisfied many gods and manes (pitres). He, who adheres to sacred laws, observes fast, regularly gives food to a cow, and performs acts of truth and dharma, the Supreme lord fulfills his desires. If a man does not cares for a thirty cow or does not think of future of a grown up girl still unmarried or if he does not propitiate gods, such acts destroy good results of noble karmas. Ancestors and pitres of a man, who tries to stop a grazing cow, trembles with fear of destruction. Further, a stupid man, who thrashes a cow with a stick, enters the land of Yama sans hands. He, who tries to alleviate the sufferings of cow, is blessed and the ancestors are happy and satisfied.”

A true knower touches the subject minutely, who worships cows religiously. While deliberating on the significance of devotion and service to cows, Sumati, a wise minister of prince Shatru, then, narrates an ancient incident of import.

He resumes, “Once upon a time, a very astonishing incident took place in the presence of King Janaka while he was in the city of king of dharma. King Janaka discarded body with a severe practice of yoga. When he performed this stupendous feat, a beautiful aerial car decorated with tiny bells appeared. King with a godly body ascended the air car whereas servants of king took the body away. King Janaka passed through adjoining path of city of the lord of dharma. At that time, millions of sinners suffered in the hell, and the moment the air emitting from the body of King Janaka touched the wicked souls, they were relieved of sufferings.

Hell, one believes is a place where sinners live and for men of dharma heaven is the right place…Yama the lord of Death tells about the sinners, wicked people and criminals and those who work against men all go to hell…a man of dharma Janaka wants to go to hell so that suffering people get relief…

Nevertheless, when the king went ahead, living beings of hell, filled with fears began to cry with tear-jerking voices. They did not wish that the king should go. They said with a poignant voice, “O holy soul, do not go.  Air touching your body, touches us and therefore, relieves us of sufferings and we feel happy.”

King Janaka was a man of dharma, a virtuous man, and when he heard heartbreaking words and pleas, pity and empathy filled him, and so he thought loudly, “If living beings of hell get comforts while I stay, then I will live in this city. It is a real heaven.”

Thinking so, king Janaka stayed near the door of hell so that living beings of hell are happy, comfortable and devoid of miseries. At that time, his heart brimmed up with mercy and sympathy. In the meanwhile, lord Yama, the punisher of sinners, appeared. He saw King Janaka aboard an air car on the threshold. Seeing the king, the king of ghosts laughed and then spoke, “O king, you are the lord of men of dharma. How are you here? Here, sinners and killers of living beings live. Pious souls do not come here. You should go to heaven. Men, who are jealous and violent, level spurious allegations against others, loot and rob people, and earn livelihood, come to the land of Yama.”

After a pause, the lord of death said, “He, who rejects a devoted woman without a cause, also comes here. In greed for money, a man, who deceives a friend reaches here, and gets severe punishment. Those, who are foolish, full of pride, ego, and jealousy, and nurse satirical thoughts in mind and heart, and never remember Sri Rama with prayers or good acts, get tied up with chains and then, are pushed deep into the fire of hell and there, I roast evil men. Those, who want to get salvation from miseries and agonies of hell should pray and remember Sri Hari, go out of the earthly existence and attain heaven, Vaikuntha. Sin stays in the hearts and bodies of men until the tongues do not pronounce the name of Sri Rama.” He told Janaka in humility.

After a pause, he said again, “Envoys of Yama bring sinners to lord’s land. They cannot even see men of dharma like you. Therefore, O king please go and enjoy divine delight in heaven. Take a divine car and whatever punyas -virtuous deeds and blessings you earned, enjoy.”

Janaka answered, “O lord, I feel pity for the suffering beings. Therefore, I cannot leave and go. Air passing through the body gives comforts and peace to the suffering people. O king of Dharma, if you free inhabitants of hell, then I can go to heaven, the abode of holy souls.”

Dharma said, “O king, now look at the man, who just stands here. He violated a woman, a friend’s wife, who reposed full faith in him. After the envoys cook the sinner in hell Lohshanka for ten thousand years, he will take birth in the yoni of pig, and at the end will get yoni of a man. Other man forcibly hugged women and therefore, he would suffer searing heat in the hell Lohshanka for one hundred years. Look that man is mean, for he stole wealth of people and enjoyed, and therefore, the messengers would cut off man’s hands and he will suffer in hell.”

Dharma spoke of men, who committed various sins and thereafter, narrated the amount and severity of punishment. Janaka continued to listen. At last, he said, “O noble king, living beings suffer for sins they commit and then, get freedom. Therefore, you go to heaven and enjoy.”

King was not satisfied. He was deeply worried about people, who underwent punishment in hell for various sins. Dharma was not ready to lessen severity of punishment awarded to sinners.

Gift of virtuous karmas helps the wicked and sinners and later purifies and so when a man of god and dharma gives punyas to vicious souls, it grants them deliverance…

Janaka did not move but stood in a contemplative mood. Obviously, he was not ready to go. After some time, he, a man of yoga said, “O lord of Dharma, how suffering people will get deliverance? How they would get freedom from hell? Please tell how I can perform a suitable yajna for the miserable so that agonized beings get relief.”

Dharma said, “O king, they never meditated on lord Vishnu. They did not listen to the holy tale. Then, how can they get freedom from hell? They are great sinners and even then, if you wish liberation and freedom for the evil beings, you offer punyas -fruit of holy deeds. I know you would ask about virtuous deeds. I will tell you. One day, you got up in the morning, remembered Sri Raghunathji, and meditated on him. His name destroys sins. O lord, the greatest among men, on that day, you abruptly pronounced the name of ‘Rama’ ‘Rama’. You may give punya -virtuous fruit of that act to the suffering people and thus, they will be free from the pains of hell.” None spoke for a few moments.

Janaka understood the suggestion of the lord of Dharma and offered the entire punyas of life to the sinners. The moment he pledged to offer benevolence of noble deeds, all beings suffering in hell, at once, got deliverance, assumed divine bodies, and said to Janaka, “O king, we are free from sufferings in a moment, for you bestowed compassion. Now, we go to Vaikuntha -the great heaven.” Janaka was a man of compassion, and loved living beings. When he observed that suffering people got divine figures and attained heaven, he felt extremely happy while the freed beings went to heaven praising kindness and generosity of the great king.

After they left for the heaven, King Janaka said to Dharma, “O lord of Dharma, you said that only sinners come to the place, and people engaged in the religious discourses, do not come. If it is the situation and the law of dharma, then how is it that I came here? You are an embodiment of dharma. Please tell about the sin I committed and therefore, I am here.”

Dharma said mildly, “O king, your punyas are numerous and colossal. On this earth, I find no other person, whose punyas (charitable acts) are equal to you. You are always lost in memory of Sri Rama and taste the divine nectar of memory. Radiance-filled holy Ganga of your noble and charitable acts cleanses the filth-ridden bodies of sinners and thus, purify. Purification of bodies and souls gives pleasure, and consecrates sinners and thus, they are free from the entanglement of sins. Even then, you asked about the sin you committed. I shall definitely tell you… and it will reveal the cause of arrival to the land of sinners, the hell.”

Dharma looked at Janaka and was penetrative. On the other hand, the king was curious to know about the gravity of sin he committed long back.

A sinful act however tiny it may look is a cause of reprimand and penalty, a sinner ought to know, Janaka suffers for the sin, and so arrives at the door of hell…later serves cow who bestows blessings…

It was a difficult situation. However, for holy souls in love with justice, dharma and truth, it was immaterial. After a short pause, Dharma said, “Once, it so happened that a cow was grazing somewhere. You reached near it and created obstacles for the cow and so it could not graze properly. It was a sin and for the sin, which you did inadvertently, you endured punishment and had to see the door of hell. This time, you are free from the sin and now, earnings of punyas (charitable deeds) have increased manifold. Now, it is time for you to take pleasure in the fruit of charity and go to heaven, the abode of holy and virtuous souls.”

Yama continued, “Sri Rama is an ocean of pity and compassion. He sent you, a great vaishnav, to the great path so that you are able to deliver suffering people from tortures of hell. Had you not come, none would have salvaged ‘the miserable’. O man of wisdom, people of compassion and pity like you feel anguished at the sufferings and so help people get rid of miseries and pains.”

Dharma looked at the king, who saluted him and went to heaven. Sage Jabali told, “O king of kings, you serve and worship cow. After she is pleased, she would bless you with a son, who would follow dharma.”

When he heard soft pleasing words after a great tale of self-sacrifice, King Ritambhara asked politely, “O monk, how one should worship a cow that is correct and blissful. After a man serves and worships a cow, how he feels?”

Jabali said, “A man, who wishes to serve a cow, should take it to the grazing ground early in the morning. He should give yav (barley) to the cow, and when it eases out, he should collect dung and clean it. A man who is desirous of a son should eat grains of yav, dictate of scriptures it is. When cow drinks water, he should also quench his thirst. When the cow lives or stands at a higher place, he should live or stand below. He should scare away flies and mosquitoes from the body of cow and bring grass. When you serve cow as told, you will be blessed with a son, who would be a man of dharma.”

Ritambhara remembered Sri Rama after he heard inspiring advice from monk Jabali, and thereafter, after cleansing the body, observed fast, served and worshiped cows. On instructions from the monk, the king took the cows regularly to the forest for grazing and thus, devoted time and energy to the service and worship of cows and considered it dharma. To chant name of Sri Rama and keep serving living beings devotedly was a habit. Holy cow Surabhi was highly delighted at the devotion and bhakti and so pleased and satisfied, she said to the king, “O king, you nurse an earnest desire and so what is quite dear to you, you ask. I shall bless you.”

He was very happy and therefore, said to holy cow, “O goddess, bless me with a very good-looking son, a bhakta of Sri Rama, a devotee of father, who should adhere to the laws of dharma.”

Holy cow blessed him with whatever he devotedly asked and immediately disappeared. The king continued to stand at the place and was very happy. At the appropriate time, he got a son Satyavana, a supreme vaishnava and a true devotee of Rama. He was devotee of his father and was as mighty and supreme as lord Indra. Ritambhara was very happy to have a great son. Considering Satyavana as a man of dharma, king always remained contented and joyous in temper. When the king found him fit, he handed over the reins of the kingdom to Satyavana and left for the forest to undergo meditation and tapasya.  He underwent tapa and penance for a long time, and then, left for heaven.

Satyavana adheres to truth and principles of dharma and meditates on Sri Rama…a compassionate king, he thought of well being of the people only and wanted people to observe fast on Ekadeshi, adored Tulsi …when Shatrughana arrives, he hands over wealth and kingdom to him and becomes devotee of lord Rama

After the king left for forest, Satyavana held fast to tenets of dharma and constantly meditated on Sri Rama and satisfied the lord. Lord was happy with the king and so allowed him to serve at his feet, a boon very difficult to get even for the great souls, who perform yajnas and are engaged in many charitable deeds. With a devoted mind and heart, he organized a gathering of devotees and arranged the rendering of legend of Sri Rama as a regular practice. He was full of compassion for everyone. He, who did not worship Sri Rama, got severe punishment. It was with intent that each one should be a true devotee so that life is meaningful. As a king, he always thought to transport, and infuse purity in the minds and hearts of people.  A true man of dharma he was, and therefore, wanted people to become true and righteous. He continued to teach people the art of prayers and worship. He thought that a person right from the age of eight to eighty should resort to fast on Ekadeshi. He also prayed and worshipped holy Tulsi. As a devotee, he wore holy necklace, which adored the feet of Vishnu.

Not only sages of the age but also the people of the country revered the king. He was a devotee of Rama served at his feet with dedication.  Sacred acts purified him and thus, washed away sins of the king. Misfortunes in life disappeared as life earned punyas.

Thus, a wise minister of Shatrughana continued to relate a wonderful tale of Satyavana, an embodiment of devotion, who lived to make people happy. After a pause, he told, “O king, Satyavana is a great mahatma, a noble soul. He would definitely recognize the amazing horse of Sri Rama and thereafter, would surrender a vast and wonderful kingdom.” After he finished telling tale of a wonderful man of dharma, Sumati was quiet.

After sometime, the astonishing horse of Sri Rama entered capital of Satyavana. People of the kingdom appeared before the king and pleaded, “O king, the holy horse of yajna Sri Rama organized now passes through the middle of the city. Shatrughana is the sentinel of this bold voyage that would sanctify everyone.”

After he heard beautiful and divine name of Rama, Satyavana was very happy and experienced intense pleasure. With a smiling face, he said, “I always nurse and keep Rama in heart and contemplate on the holy name. Today, the holy horse of yajna has come to the city with Shatrughana. I presume lord Hanuman, who is always devoted to the holy feet of Sri Rama, must be with Shatrughana. Hanuman is present where the younger brother of Rama is. Hanuman never forgets Sri Rama even for a moment. Other devotes of Sri Rama must be present. Therefore, I must go.” He thought of Rama and wished to fulfill ‘the self’ with dinvity.

After some time, he said to one of the ministers, “You take the entire treasure and precious wealth of the kingdom and follow. I shall go to guard the horse of yajna of Sri Rama or else I go to serve Rama and at the same time, I shall meditate on Rama’s holy feet.”

Saying so, he left to the place where Shatrughana encamped with hundreds of men. At the same time, Shatrughana arrived at the capital of Satyavana, who after paying respects at his feet, handed over the entire wealth of nation. Shatru was very happy at the generous attitude of the king and eloquently admired king’s generosity and reverential spirit. He immediately gave the entire wealth and kingdom to Rukma, a son of Satyavana. He greeted everyone accompanying Shatru and later on, became part of the historic yajna, and joined the longest epochal march.

That none wanted to confront Rama is not the whole truth.  Spirit of righteousness and truth of Sri Rama enamoured every king and emperor together with sages and saints, and therefore, question of conflict never arose. Everyone surrendered wealth and services at the feet of Sri Rama, each one got back to the capital with whatever he received, and thereafter, every such king or emperor of substance with a spirit of undying devotion at the feet of Sri Rama felt divinely blessed. They were kings of ancient times, who cared for the laws of dharma and dedicated lives and wealth to the service of people and who, in order to make better citizens, set examples and so followed the principles of dharma. Alas, this sole spirit is absent among the contemporary rulers, who work for self-promotion and in erroneous belief embezzle wealth of nation. Vulnerable segment of society hopes for a golden era but remains buried, and still alive in projects and plans of modern rulers, who are rarely realistic or practicable.