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Start your day on a positive note with Daily Mantras - Ancient wisdom for happiness, health and wealth, a podcast that draws wisdom from ancient traditions to provide mantras, meditations, and mindful practices that promote happiness, health and prosperity. Tune in each morning to receive inspiration and tools to live your best life through the healing power of sacred sounds and thoughtful reflection. Uplifting episodes delivered daily.
As Janmashtami approaches, I wanted to share a beautiful story about Lord Krishna, specifically about one of his names - Lord Vitthal or Panduranga Vittala. This story holds a powerful lesson that resonates with our daily lives. Welcome to Daily Mantras, and let's learn about, "Duty, Devotion, and Divinity".
In the heart of Maharashtra, resides Lord Vitthal. He is known for his boundless compassion and dwells in the Pandharpur Rukmini Vitthal Temple. But this tale is not just about him; it's about a seeker named Pundalik and the wisdom he gained. Pundalik was on a journey to the holy city of Kashi. On his way, he met a sage who had never been to Kashi. Pundalik questioned the sage's authenticity, believing that a true sage should have visited such a sacred place. However, the sage's reply was silence. One night, something miraculous happened. Pundalik saw the celestial rivers - Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati - as maidens adorning the sage's ashram. He was amazed and asked how a sage who never went to Kashi could summon divine rivers. The rivers revealed that spirituality isn't measured by pilgrimages or offerings but by unwavering devotion to one's duties. The sage's duty was to care for his aging parents, a selfless act that attracted the gods' attention. Pundalik realized the importance of his own duty to his parents, which he had neglected. He returned home, serving his parents with newfound sincerity. Eventually, Lord Krishna himself visited Pundalik's home. Even in the presence of the Supreme, Pundalik remained devoted to his duty. Offering Lord Krishna nothing but a simple brick to stand on, Pundalik requested, "Dear Lord, please wait a moment. My first duty is to my parents." This selfless devotion moved Krishna deeply. He stood on the brick and patiently waited. When Krishna offered Pundalik a boon, Pundalik's simple request was for Krishna to remain on Earth to guide seekers on their spiritual path. Krishna agreed, and he stands in Pandharpur as Vithoba, the Lord who stands on a brick.
This story teaches us that spirituality is not in the distant heavens; it lives in our daily actions. Devotion and duty are intertwined. True spirituality is found in selfless service, just like the sage's devotion to his parents. This tale reminds us that divinity is present in our actions, here and now.
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