[Advaita-l] Stories from the Shiva Purana - 3 (Gunanidhi’s Salvation)

[S Jayanarayanan]

(Continued from the previous post. This mirrors the life of Ajamila in the Srimad Bhagavatam, where an incessant sinner is saved
by a small prayer-like action near the end of his life — which in Ajamila's case was uttering the name of his son, “Narayana”.
https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/shiva-purana-english/d/doc226015.html
Section 2.1, Chapter 17)
 
 
In the city of Kampilya, there was a sacrificer named Yajnadatta. He knew Vedas and Vedangas. He was honoured by the king.
He was a liberal-minded donor and as such his fame had spread far and wide. His son, Gunanidhi, was of a very handsome
complexion and shone like the moon’s disc. After the investiture with the sacred thread, he learned all the eight lores over
and over again. Yet, unknown to his father he indulged in gambling. He eschewed all Brahminical ways and conduct of life.
He was averse to the performance of Sandhya prayers and ceremonial ablutions. He began to speak ill of the Vedas, sacred texts,
devas and Brahmins. Although constantly advised thus by his mother to shun his wicked ways, the wicked boy did not abandon them.
For, an idiot indulging in vice is beyond redemption.
 
The wicked fellow (Gunanidhi) used to lay his hands on whatever he could see in the house, a cloth, a base metal etc. and take it to
the gambling den, there to lose the same to his brother gamblers. After wandering aimlessly for a long time, he, the wicked fellow,
felt the abandonment keenly and losing all hopes halted at a place. In the meantime a certain devotee of Lord Shiva came out of the
city taking with him various articles of offering. He had observed fast on the Shivaratri day. In order to worship Lord Shiva, he was
on his way, along with his kinsmen and was carrying different sorts of delightful offerings.
 
The devotee entered the temple of Shiva where he worshipped Him in the prescribed manner with sincere devotion. The Brahmin boy,
son of Yajnadatta, devoid of his mother and dismissed by his father, was very hungry by this time. He inhaled the sweet fragrance
of the sweet puddings and followed the devotee. When the worship was over, the songs and dances of prayer were duly concluded,
the devotees lay down and began to sleep. Immediately, the young man entered the sanctum sanctorum of Shiva in order to steal the
eatables left there.
 
The lamp was burning very dimly. Hence in order to see the puddings clearly, he tore a piece of cloth from his lower garment and put
that piece in the lamp as a wick thus making the lamp give a good light. Yajnadatta’s son gleefully took plenty of the sweets offered
as eatables to Lord Shiva by the devotees. With sweets in his hands he came out hurriedly. In his hurry, he stamped on some person
lying there who woke up immediately. “Who is that? Who is running away so fast? Catch him.” So shouted the man who woke up in a voice
hoarse with fear. The Brahmin boy (Gunanidhi) who ran for life became blind. So he was caught and killed by the watchmen on duty.
 
The terrible soldiers of Yama who desired to take him to Samyamani (the abode of Yama), approached him with nooses and clubs in their
hands and bound him. In the meantime, the attendants of Shiva with tridents in their hands and tinkling anklets on their arms reached
the spot in an aerial chariot in order to take him to Shivaloka.
 
Shivaganas said, “O attendants of Yama, leave this righteous Brahmin alone. He cannot be punished since his sins have been burnt off.”
 
On hearing these words of Shiva’s attendants, the attendants of Yama (Yamaganas) became terrified and addressed the attendants of Shiva,
“O Ganas, this is a wicked Brahmin who has broken the traditions and conventions of his family. He has disobeyed his father’s directions
and has forsaken truthfulness or purity. He does not offer his Sandhya prayers. He does not take his ceremonial baths regularly.”
 
Shiva’s attendants said, “O attendants of Yama, Shiva’s ideas of Dharma are very subtle. They can be observed only by persons of subtle
and keen vision, not by people like you whose aim is only the gross exterior. The shadow of the lamp was falling on the top of the linga
and this Brahmin prevented it by adding a wick to the lamp at night, cutting a piece from his lower cloth. Another great merit he derived
from listening to the names of Shiva, though casually, O attendants. He witnessed the worship that was being performed duly by a devotee.
He was observing a fast and his mind was concentrated too. Let him go to Shivaloka along with us. As Shiva’s follower let him enjoy great
pleasures there for sometime.”
 
Thus freed from the emissaries of Yama, Gunanidhi became pure-minded and went to Shivaloka along with the attendants of Shiva. Thus even
the smallest service rendered to Shiva bears rich fruit in time. Let all persons seeking happiness realise this and continue the worship
of Shiva. The story is pleasing to Shiva and grants all desires of the listening devotees.
 
 
(To be Continued)