dhruva jnanam

Stories from
THE MAHĀBHĀRATA

Ār a Parampara Samp aka

Brahmasri Dr. Samavedam Shanmukha Sarma
Rushipeetham Charitable Trust, Hyderabad
STORIES FROM THE MAHĀBHĀRATA
Brahmasri Dr. Samavedam Shanmukha Sarma

How to get relieved from sins committed?

Maharshi Vishwamitra tries to feed his family
Once upon a time, during the yuga-sandhi of Treta Yuga and Dwapara Yuga, there was a
great drought. During this time, Maharshi Vishwamitra and his family were unable to find
food and were starving. One day, Maharshi Vishwamitra saw a meat market. There, he saw
a piece of dog meat and decided to steal it in order to sustain himself and his family.

Butcher recognizes Maharshi Vishwamitra

That night when he was attempting to steal the meat, the owner of the shop saw him.
When the shop owner discovered who it was, he asked him what he was doing. Then
Vishwamitra explained the situation of his family and tells the butcher that he was stealing
the meat to feed his family. The butcher then says that for Vishwamitra the meat was not
something he should eat and says that what he was doing is wrong.

Discussion between the butcher and Maharshi Vishwamitra

There is then a discussion between the butcher and Vishwamitra. Vishwamitra then
explains to the butcher that he was not eating meat because he wanted to taste it, but rather
because he needed it to keep himself alive which was his main duty at that moment. He
also tells the shopkeeper that he knew how to cleanse himself of the sin he would acquire
by eating the meat and would do that later. Vishwamitra then requests the butcher that if
he was pitying them, then he would please give him the meat so that he would not acquire
the sin of stealing.

Moral of the story

This story tells us about how to accommodate Dharma in certain situations. It seems here
that Dharma is broken in order to keep oneself alive. But what is more important is along
with that, it also tells us how we can get rid of previously acquired sin. If we don t know
how to get rid of a sin, we should approach a Guru and find the method stipulated in
scriptures.

By admitting that we have made a mistake and repenting about it, we lose a quarter of the
sin, by promising to never do it again we lose another quarter, by deciding to do only good
things in the future we lose another quarter, and by starting to do that good thing we lose
the final quarter.
- Story as told by Bhishma to Yudhisthira
Questions

1. Why Maharshi Vishwamitra requested the butcher to give him the meat?
2. How can one get relief from the sin committed?
3. Why Maharshi Vishwamitra attempted to steal the meat?
4. How should we find the method to get rid of a sin committed?

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