Story of Great Kaakbhushundi-I (from Yog-Vashishth)

Bhagwan Ram asked a question to Gurudev Vashishth:

Hey Bhagwan! After realization of the true knowledge, how does one enters in to state of Jivanmukt, kindly explain.

Gurudev Vashishth Replied: The process of transcending the creation is called Yog. It is of two kinds: One is true knowledge¹ and other is Pranayam².

Shri Ram ji again questioned: Which is the easier of these two paths, where there is less pain and agitation of mind?

Vashishth ji Replied: Though both mean yog but stopping the flow of pran vayu is called Yog. Yog and knowledge both help us to transcend the world. Sadashiv has explained the result of both the paths as same. O Ram, for some yog is easier and knowledge is difficult but for some knowledge is easier but yog is difficult. But if you ask me, then out of the two paths of knowledge is easier because there is less effort and pain in it. Knowing the knowable things, then one does not feel any confusion even during dreaming state because he observes as a third person. Intelligent yogi also do not face any extraordinary efforts, they proceed naturally and achieve the result by the technique taught by their Guru and their intellect becomes peaceful. O Ram, sidhhi in both the paths is achieved through practice. Without practice nothing is achieved, to know that knowable which resides in the heart is called knowledge. That is astride the chariot of Pran and Apan and lives in the cave of the heart. Listen to the sequence of this yog. I will explain the process of stopping the pranvayu which flows through nasal and mouth. With this intellect achieves peace.

In some particle of the Brahm form ether appeared this creation current like in desert water seem to appear due to rays of the Sun. It arose from the navel of the Brahm and became the cause of the world creation. That itself is called the great father or Pitamaha and I, the great Vashishth has taken birth from his mind. I dwell in the nakshatras and stars from eons. Once I flew from the nakshatra realm and flew to the meeting hall of Indra, king of the divines. I saw Rishivar and Munishwars, sitting there. When discussion veered to Narad etc. ever presents, a bright Rishivar by the name of Shatatap said, ‘ O Sadho, out of all the ever livings, there is one who living in the form of a crow Kakbhushundi resides on a southern shoot of the Kalpvriksh (all providing tree) where many other crows also reside, atop a natural cave named Padmraag, on one corner of mountain Sumeru. He is beyond senses and very intelligent. His nest is on that great tree. As he lives nobody has ever lived or will ever live. He has great knowledge, very peaceful and knower of the time. His attraction towards the creation kept waning and is established in the true knowledge now.

Thus Shatatapa explained Kaakbhushundi in the meeting of the divines. Then all present there asked him to give his detailed account. Then when he explained again about hi all were surprised. When the meeting ended everybody got up and proceeded to their quarters, then I started thinking how to meet such bird. Dwelling on it I proceeded towards the mountain Sumeru and in a moment reached there. Top of that place was adorned with precious stones and it was reddish in colour. Light coming out of it was just the colour of a fire flame. In the middle Neelmani was like smoke. It was so much effulgent as if red clouds of the evening had gathered; or fire coking out of the crown of all the yogis appeared collectively or fire coming out of the ocean has occupied space in the clouds. It was extremely beautiful. Above it was flowing the Ganges like the sacred thread. Gandharwas were singing, there places for Devis’ to stay and many places of enacting playful activities.   

O Ram, at such a top I saw a Kalpvriksh (wish fulfilling tree). It was full of great fruits, precious stones were hanging from it in bundles and all the creepers were of gold. There were double the number of flowers on than the stars in the sky. There were double the number of leaves than the air drops of the falling rain. I could see divinites, Kinners, Vidyadhars and dancing singing divine damsels on its leaves. One could find the flowers and fruits of all the six seasons at one time on it. On one of the branches of it, some birds were sitting and eating fruits, on some Hamsa of Brahma ji were sitting, at some places fire divinity’s transport Parrots were sitting, some place Ashwini Kumars were sitting. Some places devis Peacocks were sitting, at some places pigeons and some places Garud were sitting and making such a sound that it felt as if Brahma after taking birth from a lotus is chanting ‘OM’. I saw some such birds which had two beaks instead of one. As I proceed forwarded I found that many crows were sitting still who were guards of yajnas of Sun, Moon, Varun, Kuber and Indra; deliverer of happy messages of husbands to women who perform pious deeds. In the middle of them a great effulgent and respected Crow was sitting with its neck held up. His neck was shining like a precious stone Neelmani. There a ever living Purusha was sitting who was worth respecting, very long living, inward directed, vanquisher of Pran vayu, who has seen kingdoms of many Indras’, who has seem many births of all the Lokpals, Varuns, Kubers, Yamas, divinites and sidhas etc. whose antahkaran is replete with happiness and very solemn, whose beautiful speech is without any crookedness, who is pure and without ego every one’s friend, who is like a father to children like and child like to others who are like father to him. He who is always, in every way, happy and capable of everything, greatly knowledgeable, with great manners, I saw him there.

For this I have flown through the sky and my body was shining like a great light. When I landed there all the birds sitting there experienced agitation as one gets during earthquake or wind spoils the stillness of the line of lotuses. Amidst Bhushsundi who saw me suddenly but  came to know that It is Vashishth. He stood up and asked, ‘ O Munishwar, Are you well? Is your health fine?’ Saying thus through his sankalp with hast (hand) mudra he did all my poojan very respectfully. Asking his servants to make place he offered a seat of big leaf to me to sit on and said, ‘ I am surprised, you showered me with great grace by coming here giving me chance to see you. We are getting filled with the nectar of your presence along with the whole tree after such a long time. All my pious deeds of the past came together and made you appear here. O Munishvar, divinities are to be praised but you are to be praised by the divinities even. Please let me know that under what requirement you have come here and what you desire. Just by having darshan of your feet I have come to know that in the meeting of the divinities when the discussion on ever livings ensued, then I also came there and thus you have come to purify me. Now I desire the Prasad of the lord in the form of your speech, kindly say something to me in this regard.’

On hearing this from Kakbhushundi, O Ram! I said, ‘ O great king of the birds, whatever you have said is true. I came here because there was a discussion on the ever livings in the meeting of Indra and your name came up in it. You seem to be at peace, a statue of good deeds, one who is out of the net of the creation, so kindly remove my confusions as to when did you take birth, how much is your life span, all the things which you have seen that you remember and why are you living here?               

He replied , ‘O Munishvar, I will tell everything you have asked for, so listen it slowly slowly. You yourself are the knower of everything, all three types of time divisions but since you have ordered me to explain, I will surely adhere to your directions. Whatever negativity is there inside one mind gets annihilated just by seeing great men like you in the same way as on the arrival of clouds heat of the Sun gets removed. I this creation greatest of all divinities is lord Sadashiv whose wife is Bhagwati who is very beautiful and has three eyes. He has great tresses, moon on his forehead from where nectar keeps falling down continuously. Ganga flows around the tresses like flower garland around a neck. Due to drinking of the great poison his throat is blue in colour, with a garland of skull in the nack and whole body smeared with ashes. His house is in the cremation ground and all the directions like his clothes. He moves around in great peace. Those who are with are very terrifying. Some has three eyes like Rudra, some have faces like parrots, camel, donkey, bison. Some entering others hearts eat their flesh and drink their blood, many live in mountains, some in forests, caves or cremation grounds. They are accompanied by devis also who are also very terrifying in their activities. Listen to direction in which the main devis out of them live. Jaya, Vijaya, Jit, Aparajita live in the left direction on the support of Tumbur Rudra; Sidha, Mukhka, Raktka and Utla live on the support of Bhairav Rudra; In the middle of all these devis are the Ashtnayikas and 100,000 devis like Rukmani, Vaishnavi, Brahmani, Varahi, Vayavi, Kaumari, Vaasavi and Sauri. In the realm of Ether there are others also with them in the form of  wifes of Kinners, Gandharvas, Purushas. There are millions on Earth, taking so many kinds of forms and names they consume the humans. Donkeys, Camels, Crows, Monkeys, Parrots are their transports. Out of them some are performing karmas of lowest order, some of middle order and some are jivan mukt or are free. In the middle of them is the Alambusha devi. As Vishnu’s transport is Garud, her transport is crow. She is adorned with the powers of 8 sidhis.’

Telling the whole story further Kakbhushundi told , ‘Once these ladies though that Lord Sadasiv does not love them, to show their power, they planned a poojan of Tumbur and Bhairav, as they thought that no one acknowledges till ones shows one’s power. So they influenced Uma, took her along and enjoyed flesh and wine. They killed Parvati and cooked her like rice and served Sadashiv some of her parts in food. Then Sadashiv realized that they have killed his beloved Parvati and he became very angry. Then all of them through their own body parts took out Uma’s body parts. Thus they created a new form of Parvati and remarried her to Sadashiv. Then Sadashiv got happy and everywhere there was joy and all the devis went to their respective places. Alambusha Devis transport Crow mated with Hamsini, transport of Brahmini. Then Hansisni accosted Brahmini and told her that she does not have the power to lift her know. Brahmini told her that she is pregnant, so she should go away now and come later. Saying thus Brahmini, went in to trance and sat on a lotus in the pond in her navel, which is her creation point. As time passed the Hansisni laid 3-3 eggs, like this 21 eggs got laid. Out of them our (crows) bodies were generated. When all of them were able to fly, she took all to Brahmini. On seeing us, Brahmini who had just got up from Samadhi, put her hand on our head and all our ignorance got annihilated, we got great peace and became eternally free. Then this desire came to us that by some way or the other we should go to some secluded place and meditate there. Then with devis instruction we came to our father who embraced us and kissed our forehead. Then we did poojan of Alambusha devi and our father told us that you children are not entangled in the world and I will request the devi to bless you. But we told him that we have known everything whatever is to be known. We just need one secluded place where we can go. Then our father told us that Sumeru is the best place and is revered in the whole world and it is 16 yojan in the pataal where naagas and daityas do its poojan. It is 84 yojan above where Devta, Gandharva, Kinner, Rajkshas and humans do its poojan. Such a mountain is located only at one point in this earth and 14 different types of things are supported by it. It is a very high mountain. On its Padmaraag named top, there is a tree as if it’s a reflection of the whole creation. On the Southern branch of it is a nest where I have also stayed when devi went into Samadhi. So you should go there and stay. There other children of the crow also live and their hearts are also pure and at peace due to great knowledge. You will get both bhog and moksha there. O Vashishth! When our father said like that then we touched the feet of our father and he kissed our foreheads. Thus we flew from Vindhyachal mountain and flying through various clouds, nakshatras, stars and different realms reached Brahmlok of Devi and bowed down to her. She blessed her, embraced us and kissed our foreheads. We also bowed to her proceeded to Sumeru mountain. So O Munishvar, this is the whole story of our creation, acquisition of knowledge and our staying here.’

Bhushundji said, ‘Whatever details I have explained to you are from the times of earlier creation than this particular creation but I tried to explain it in the form of present. O Munishwar, It were some past good deeds of mine that I could have your uninterrupted presence in front of me, my whole tree, nest, etc has got sanctified. Now whatever is your doubt, you may please ask.’ Vashishth ji said, ‘Saying like this he did my proper poojan with great respect. Then I asked him as to where his other brothers are who are knower of the truth like him because he seemed to be alone. He informed that he has been on that tree from eons and his brothers over time has left their bodies and acquired Shivatmapad. O Munishvar, whether one is old or Sidh or very powerful or having everything, time consumes everyone. Then I asked him that when annihilation comes then all Sun, Moon, Nakshatras, Wind, Clouds leave their behaviors and great agitation occurs. But at that time too why you are not agitated? With the heat of the Sun all the direction turn to ashes but why are you not affected?

Bhushundji replied, ‘Some jeev are living based on the creation and some live free without any support. Those who command armies and have many things with them they are with support and those who are without any such things are without support. But for me both are insignificant and none of them is true. In that birds species is contemptible as they stay in uninhabited jungles and that itself is their food and everything. They are without support and their life has been made like that only. O Munishvar, I am also happy, established in my own self and I am satisfied with complacency of my soul. Never affected by any agitation in the world and always established in my own self without any unnecessary painful activity. O Brahmin, now I just spend time and none of the good or bad of the cosmos affects me. I have no desire to die or to live. I have no attachment to live and no dislike of dying. Whatever is there, I am totally satisfied. I have seen many who just turned to ashes and seeing them agitation of my mind kept going away. I am sitting on this Kalpvriksh which has creepers of precious stones. I observe my flow of pran and apan sitting on it. The subtle movement of this very practice, I am the knower of that. With right intellect, I know Time and creation and annihilation too. O Munishvar, whatever expansion of the creation seems, it is not true, it is all false. Nothing is truth and hence I do not desire anything that is seen. I am established in the ultimate annihilation of mind and at total peace. Had I taken support of the world and its objects then I would never have been able to stay in peace. Whosoever taken support it is never at rest and never happy. In comparison to that I am unmoving like a stone as neither I desire anything and nor I spite anything. Whole world seems insignificant, all these flows are going into the mouth of the time. But I am standing on the bank and that’s why I never drown in these rivers while all jivas do. But some like you have come out of them. With your blessing I am also established in non-agitated state of my atma. I am without any agitation and have achieved the ultimate state. Meeting you I have acquired great happiness. A saints company is like cool rays of the moonlight. Where is the one, who will not achieve great bliss on getting a saints company. O Munishvar, a saints company is greater than even the nectar of the moon because that is cool and gross and removes the heat of the body only but company of saints removes the pain of the antahkaran. That nectar was derived from the churning of the ocean while the company of a saint provides this nectar very easily and gives great bliss of atma – hence it is the best. I do not consider anything better then it. Company of a saint is the best. Saints are also only those whose all desires has been annihilated and who consider the whole creation as insignificant which seem to be everything without contemplation. They are always dwelling in the joy of their souls. They are established in oneness. They do not have any duality in thoughts and always established in the atmas joy, such are called saints.  Their company is like a chintamani, getting which all pains disappear. In all the three worlds you seem to be the best. Your words are filled with nectar, they are very gentle, full of nectar of soul, breed patience, that is why you are the best. By just meeting you all my pains got removed and today my birth has generated the real fruit. Company of saints like you provide atmapad and all pains and fear are removed and one becomes fearless.’

To be continued in the next part II......................Om.