ॐ Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya
The Divine Journey of the Prachetas: From Penance to Enlightenment
A timeless tale of ten royal brothers whose deep penance, divine vision, and spiritual awakening teach us the power of devotion, detachment, and the true purpose of life.
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| Lord narayana descending gracefully on garuda surronunded by divine light, as seen by the meditating prachetas near the ocean |
The Story of the Prachetas
The Prachetas’ minds were filled with joy. As soon as they had the divine vision, they prostrated fully with devotion.
In a sweet tone, Lord Shri Hari said to the Prachetas, “O sons of the king, may you be blessed. There is deep love among you.
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I am pleased by the love you have for one another. Ask for a boon. Whoever remembers you in the evening by chanting ‘Pracheta, Pracheta!’ will always have love among his brothers and friendship with all living beings in the world.
The one who recites the hymn composed by Rudra in praise of me, both morning and evening, to him I will grant desirable boons and the gift of pure intellect.
Your fame as dutiful sons will spread across the world. You will have a son who will be as wise as Brahma himself.
O princes! Long ago, from the sage named Kandu and the celestial nymph Pramloca, a beautiful daughter was born. Leaving her behind, the apsara returned to heaven.
Manu said, “We cannot grasp it completely! Lord Shankar taught us your hymn. We sang it with the best of our ability. Kindly accept it with grace!
O Lord Vasudeva! We bow to you!”
Maitreya and Vidura, the speaker and the listener, were deeply immersed.
Maitreya further said, “Hearing the praises of the Prachetas, Lord Vishnu said ‘So be it’ and disappeared.
The Prachetas – ten royal sons – came out from the ocean. All over the earth, there were only trees! Thousands of years had passed. The Prachetas could not even find a path to walk!
From their mouths, they generated powerful wind and flames of fire. They intended to destroy and burn down all the trees. But Lord Brahma came and pacified their anger. The trees offered the daughter of the apsara Pramloca to the Prachetas. Her name was Marisha.
A Return to Silence: The Prachetas Seek the Supreme Again
The Prachetas married her. The son born to her was none other than Daksha from the previous era. Due to a curse from Lord Shankar, he had earlier acquired a body with a goat’s head. Renouncing that body, he was born again as the son of the Prachetas. During the era of Chakshusha Manu, he created life.
Prajapati Daksha was skilled in action. Later, Brahma appointed him as the leader of the Prajapatis.
Ten million years passed. The Prachetas left Marisha and her son behind and once again began their yoga and penance at the seashore! They entered into deep meditation! Their minds merged into the formless Brahman.
At that time, Sage Narada came there. The Prachetas welcomed him. They said, “No matter how much effort we make, our minds still get drawn toward household life. Please once again guide us on the path of spiritual knowledge and devotion.”
Narada's Vision: Guiding Souls from Rituals to Real Devotion
Narada then elaborated to them the teachings of devotion, attachment-detachment, yoga, karma, mortality of the body, the insignificance of worldly life, and the greatness of self-realization. He sang the glory of the Supreme Being, the formless and eternal Lord.
He told them, “Become filled with Hari! See Hari and yourself as one. Remain in a state of non-duality. The grace of Hari is upon the one who possesses nothing of his own in this world. For him, Hari alone is the support
The one who surrenders fully is the true devotee! Those who despise poor saints, the downtrodden, the sick, and the orphans, and hypocritically worship Hari with costly offerings – how can Vishnu be pleased with them?
Narada told them the wondrous and sweet stories of the devotees of the past like Dhruva. The glory of Dhruva, which Narada narrated in the court of the Prachetas, was told at this very time!”
Maitreya said
To Vidura, Maitreya narrated the words of Narada with loving and sweet expressions. Tears flowed from Vidura’s eyes. He bowed with deep reverence, placing his head at Maitreya’s feet.
“You are an ocean of compassion. You have dispelled the darkness of my ignorance. You have linked me with the most merciful Shri Hari – the strength of the weak, the wealth of the poor, the protector of the neglected. You have showered complete grace upon me.” Vidura again joined his hands, took Maitreya’s blessings, and departed for Hastinapur.
But now, his mind was completely at peace.
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Shuka said to Parikshit
“O King! I have told you the story of Uttanapada and Dhruva and their lineage. Now I will tell you the story of Priyavrata tomorrow.”
Evening had arrived. Shuka, Parikshit, and the other listeners rose for their daily rituals.
From the mouth of Suta, the sage Shaunaka and others were eagerly listening to the tales of the devotees of Bhagavan.
In Naimisharanya, the gathering of sages continued to grow. Kings on pilgrimages, ascetics, wandering monks, elders, and renunciates kept arriving in that forest and sat to hear the sacred tales. Their travel plans were put on hold.
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| prachetas meditating in forest near ocean ancient spiritual story |
The stories of Lord Vasudeva, the embodiment of Dharma in Bharatvarsha, gave solace to the sorrowful. They brought peace to all, yet kindled a yearning to hear more. They were sweet and beneficial, not bitter and obligatory. For beings scorched by
the fire of worldly suffering, the tales of the Lord were like nectar.
What We Learn from This Story
The story of the Prachetas teaches us the value of deep devotion, unity, and patience. Through intense penance, they earned the blessings of Lord Narayana, showing that sincere effort and faith never go unnoticed. Their mutual love pleased the Lord, highlighting the power of brotherhood and harmony. The story also reminds us to control anger and act with wisdom, as shown when Brahma stops them from destroying the trees. The guidance from Sage Narada leads them toward self-realization, showing the importance of true spiritual knowledge and detachment. In the end, it’s a journey from worldly duties to divine consciousness.Subscribe by Email
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