A Devotee's Play with Words
As Sudhanva prepares to meet Shri Krishna in battle, a playful exchange with his wife reveals a deeper spiritual truth.
Once upon a time, there was a prince named Sudhanva. He was very religious and was a devotee of Shri Krishna. As per the tradition of his dynasty and kingdom all men were bound to have one wife only. Once, during Krishnaavtaar, when Shri Krishna and Arjun were travelling together for the accomplishment of Ashvamedh Yagya (Victory on the entire world campaign).
Sudhanva was desperate to see Krishna and also wanted to be killed at the hands of Shri Krishna. So, he decided to engage Arjun in a fight
At the time of bidding him farewell for the battle, Sudhanva’s wife joked with her husband, “Today you are going to break your vow of having one wife.”
Sudhanva asked with surprise, “Why?”
In a lighthearted vein she said, “Since you will embrace Mukti Devi on being killed in the fight with Shri Krishna today.”
Mukti means liberation, and in Sanskrit grammar it is a feminine noun.
The king understood the joke and said jokingly, “you are also going to give up your vow of loyalty to your husband (pativrat dharm).”
“No. How would I?” The wife asked him.
He said, “After my death you will perform sati. So you will embrace MOKSHA".
Moksha means liberation. In Sanskrit, it is a masculine noun.
Sati is a vedic practice where pativrat wives willingly give up life by self-immolating themselves on the pyre of their dead husband.
Though this is a humorous story, the wordplay points to a spiritual truth. Attaining God does not violate their worldly vows, because God is beyond the limitations of Maya. The story points beyond worldly dharma toward the higher spiritual dharma of the soul.
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JKP Literature
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