Vedmali, a famous Brahmin lived ages back. He was a learned man of Vedas and an authority on Vedanga, whom none else could prove wrong when it was the question of interpretation of the subtle knowledge of the Brahma and the soul. Vedmali nursed feelings and thoughts of love and compassion for living beings on earth, and thus, people loved and revered him immensely. He was a man of meditation engaged in religious acts, and was consistently involved in tapa and penance. Vedmali’s life was an embodiment of prayers and worship. Unfortunately, in later life, he was involved in pursuit of livelihood, and thus, became interested in earning money and material comforts, and now, women, sons and friends were the centers of attraction. He was a worldly wise man now and naturally was pragmatic, and therefore, affairs of the world received attention and the consequent transformation surprised everyone.

He began to sell things that did not need any selling. He began to sell juices etc. because his serious objective was to make livelihood comfortable and rich. Not only this, he got interested in acts and nature of chandals - men working in the burial grounds for earning livelihood, and in the process, began to accept whatever they gave in dana. He charged money for any act of tapa, yajna and fasting, he did the task for the benefit and betterment of patrons. Even when he undertook pilgrimage, he did it for the clients, and therefore, charged money for religious acts, yajnas, fasts and pilgrimages. He did certain acts to please the woman. Love for the woman and children occupied mind and heart, and thus, he destroyed slowly but surely, the sanctity attached to upright, religious and virtuous karmas.

As he took interest in money and women so, other holy matters did not get attention. His love for the woman was sufficient to grant happiness and pleasure. In due course of time, his woman gave birth to handsome twins - Yagyamali and Sumali. Afterward, Vedmali as a father did karmas properly and therefore, as they grew, he devised means and exploited various sources to earn money so that he could take care of sons with love, warmth and affection. He resorted to different karmas and made efforts to earn more money to make life of sons easy and comfortable.

When a man of religious and righteous nature decides to earn money as a worldly man, it becomes a cause of tension because it destroys the sanctity of virtuous acts

One day, a thought occurred about money he had earned. For years, he continued to earn money, and he did not keep account of earnings. Now, he thought to assess the treasure he held and so began to count money. He had earned a lot and spent lot of time in counting it. It inflated ego, and therefore, he was greatly happy with the amount of efforts he put in to earn so much wealth. At the same time, he was a bit worried about the earning and huge stock of money not only surprised but also made him ponder over seriously, as to how he should look after wealth.

He thought sincerely. He charged money and accepted to do tapa and meditation for others’ wellbeing and prosperity. He took Dana - gift or fee for doing noble acts for the benefit of patrons from unclean and unholy persons. He sold undesirable goods and religious acts and things with an objective to earn more money. Even he sold tapa etc. earned money, and thus, the earning was not pious or a sacred act. Despite the fact that he earned so much, thirst for money remained unquenched. He thought on each aspect deeply, and very soon, disillusionment made life miserable.

He looked at the heap of money and said loudly, “O god, thirst for money is not yet over. I feel intensity of thirst. I understand that thirst for material gains gives pain. It leads to suffering. It is the basis of agonies. Because of the greed for money, even if a man is able to achieve pleasures of life and is able to fulfill desires, he still remains discontented and begins to aspire for more.”

He deliberated with a hurt conscience while life of religious fervour of past flashed on the mind. He thought loudly, “When old age arrives, hair turns grey, teeth began to fall, eyes and ears grow weak as the power to see and hear is lessened. Unfortunately, thirst for money and passion remains young and insatiable, and it tortures if not fulfilled. All senses grow feeble and frail. Old age destroyed my strength. However, my thirst for richness is young and grows in intensity each day. O god…”

Attachment to material prosperity and passion for more distressed him and it was cause of perennial worry, agony and torture.

Loss of virtuous life makes Vedmali greedy, and therefore, thirst for material richness disturbs… now, he decides to live a life of virtues

A life of vainness haunted when he thought comforts bought with money were as disquieting and agonizing as the thirst for wealth grew more and more.

He cried in pain, “Where thirst is alive in the minds of men, it leads only to agony and sufferings. Thirst hurts. A man of thirst for passion and wealth becomes a huge fool even if he is a learned man. If a wise man is at peace and harmony, thirst for money drives to anger and makes life wretched. Thus, even if he is wise and learned, he turns a great fool. To hope and aspire is as dreadful as an enemy…and one cannot conquer.”

Loud speaking to the inner man filled Vedmali with sorrow and compunction. Now, he slowly turned to the pages of wisdom he had learnt long back.

Analyzing life’s predicament, he said, “Even if a man finds strength, glory of success, knowledge, prestige, honour and respect increasing each day, and also knows that he belongs to a great family. The facts prove disastrous and self-damaging when thirst and wish for more money fill heart and mind with lethal or detrimental uneasiness and excitement, and eventually it destroys virtues.”

“O god…” He thought loudly and then was silent.

After a short pause, he grumbled, “I exerted hard and earned wealth after suffering immensely and did no noble deeds. At this age, the body is frail and rotten. Old age has destroyed strength. Therefore, I shall make efforts to improve life so that next life is comfortable and noble.”

After a prolonged thought, Vedmali decided to tread the path of virtues. A great truth dawned upon when he came to know the futility of material comforts and pleasures, bodily or otherwise. He began walking on the path of dharma and righteousness. At that moment, he divided the entire wealth that he had earned in life into four equal parts. He gave two portions of wealth to two sons and kept secure the remaining half for obvious reasons. He wanted to make life noble, holy and virtuous. He began to construct ponds, water tanks, pokharas -wells, gardens and many temples of gods. Thereafter, he went to the bank of Ganges, and gave grains in Dana to the needy and performed legible acts of charity. He was now, engaged in karmas of dharma, tapa and Dana.

It continued for a few years. After virtuous acts of welfare of people and charity, a spirit of devotion for Vishnu filled him with divine pleasure, and therefore, with noble thoughts and feelings of bhakti, he resolved to go to the ashrama of Nara-Narayana situated in the forest of Badri for tapasya and meditation. He saw an extremely fascinating ashrama where many sages and monks lived. Many fruit-trees added beauty and glory to the ashrama. Many flower plants, trees and groups of wonderful trees beautified the entire surroundings. Many sages and monks with devotional minds fixed on Vishnu engaged in deep reflections on the teachings of Holy Scriptures spread aura of peace, love and harmony. Engaged in the praise of Supreme and Parambrahma, the lord of gods, the sages and monks enhanced the grandeur and enchantment of the ashrama.

Vedmali enjoys holy darshana of monk Jaananti, a sage of divine glow, who teaches him the art of honest and graceful behaviour …nurse no evil designs for anyone…path of truth and dharma is a way to salvation

The beauty of the ashrama fascinated Vedmali, and soon after, he entered the holy ashrama and went to have darshana of Jaananti, a great and eminent monk who sat calm, smiled and talked as faithful disciples surrounded. He imparted knowledge of essence of Brahma. Jaananti appeared a punj -a concentrated and dazzling mass of divine glow and brightness. He was an embodiment of restraint, dama - intensity of power, discipline and virtues. He did not harbour feelings of jealousy or obsession, attachment or ravenousness. He was bereft of any flaws that make life of a man miserable. He used to eat dry leaves, and thus, observed austerity while adding meaning and purpose to life. When Vedmali saw Jaananti, he bowed and saluted the monk.

Monk Jaananti greeted and offered kanda - fruit of the earth, roots and fruit and then, worshipped Vedmali, a brahmin in search of salvation. As a guest, the monk treated Vedmali warmly and honourably.

He was very happy, and therefore, bowed before sage Jaananti and said, “O great soul, I am obliged to you. I feel mere your darshana have washed away my sins. You are a learned man. O great sage, please impart knowledge so that I get salvation.”

Sage Jaananti heard reverent words, and said, “O brahmin, you meditate on lord Vishnu. If you meditate on the most powerful Sri Narayana, it will benefit. Do speak favorably and desist from speaking unpleasantly. O holy soul, you should always do acts for the wellbeing of people and as I said earlier, divert unsteady mind to the worship of Vishnu and stop meeting fools and people of evil and sinful thoughts. You will get peace of mind if you cast off feelings of passion, anger, greed, fixation, pride, bodily obsession and attachment.”

After a moment, the sage added, “Never speak ill of others even inadvertently. You renounce deceitful behaviour, ego, malice and cruelty. Show mercy toward living beings and keep serving holy men with devotion. Even if one asks about noble karmas or acts of dharma, never reveal the nature of karmas. If you hold enough strength and see cruel acts of others, you must stop but do not be casual. Do not oppose family and friends and treat guests properly.”

Sage Jaananti told Vedmali to follow a path of truth and dharma. He told not to speak any word against anyone but if one could help others, one must offer sincere services. If a man is engaged in bhakti of the Supreme lord, he attains deliverance but devotion, prayer and worship should not carry any thought of reward or fruit. Vedmali heard words like a devoted man in need of peace and liberation, for earlier life of waste tortured him.

After some time, he said, “You discharge essential religious ceremonies and thus, worship gods, goddesses, sages and holy men. You hold prayers and yajnas for the peace of ancestors, for they bless. O holy Brahmin, never forget to worship the lord of Fire. You broom, clean and wash the floor of temples daily, and thereafter, varnish and beautify it with the paste of cow dung. Whenever, you find walls of the temples cracked or the plaster peeled off, you refurbish. You decorate the main entrance of the temple with flags, buntings and flowers. Keep a burning deeva - earthen lamp, in the temple of lord Vishnu.”

Later on, the great sage advised him to keep reading Holy Scriptures, for only study of Vedas, Vedanta and holy books elevates and ennobles. Knowledge destroys sins and paves the way for moksa he told. After the advice of sage Jaananti, Vedmali meditated, and undertook tapasya for long and so he lived as a happy man and afterward, attained salvation.