Devadas, Chapter 6

BY: SUN STAFF - 26.11 2024

A transcendental novel in 21 chapters, by His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur.

In due course of time Devadas passed the L.A.B.A. examination. Since he begged highest mark in the most of the subjects he was awarded quite a few scholarships from the university. Finally when he was preparing for M.A. examination at that time one day he received a message that his father was afflicted with severe fever and lying on the bed. The disease gradually became serious. As soon as he received the news, he and his uncle immediately left for Ramakrishnapur.

Shrikrishna Babu was suffering from intense pain. Various symptoms were arised and made the disease more complicated. On seeing his brother and son beside his bed, Shrikrishna Babu felt some temporary relief in his restless heart. He instructed his brother and son to sit at the side of his bed and inquired from his brother about the well-being of his family. After a brief conversation he became tired. So in order to remove his fatigue his brother and son began to fan him with a fan made of palm leaves and massaged his body. On seeing the condition of the patient both of them became disheartened. They learned from the doctors that the patient has very little hope for survival.

Devadas constantly remained with his father and served him in any way required. He did not know whether it was day or night. He was simply engaged in the service of his father. The father attained great happiness by the service of his son. Gradually his body became more and more skinny. One day with a soft voice he called his brother and son by his side. When they came near him he said, "The time of my death is imminent. O brother, I am handing Devadas over to you; from today onwards take care of him like the father. My dear Devadas, I am greatly pleased by having a learned and obedient son like you. I have no regret for leaving this material world. I am blessing you that you may fix your mind at the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord and carry on with your duties."

After speaking in this way he began to chant the holy names of the Lord. He did not utter anything else at the fag end of his life except this holy name. Thereafter considering that his death is very near Shrikrishna Babu, Devadas and a few neighbors brought him to the bank of the holy river Ganges and submerging half of his body up to the naval into the water of the Ganges they chanted Ganga Narayana Brahma or all glories to the Supreme Lord Narayana, the source of the Ganges. Within a few movements the life air left his body.

It is useless to lament for death; although Devadas knew this very well still he became extremely disturbed by the storm in the form of his dear father's death. He began to cry like a small boy. After a while he regained his composer and began to think. The way my father was tolerating the pains of the disease, it is extremely miserable and sad to suffer in this way for a long time. Finally death came and vanquished all his pain. Due to the influence of the illusory energy of the Lord a living entity becomes extremely attached to this material world. Although he suffers various miseries yet due to attachment he is extremely hesitant to give up his body, son, daughter, wife and assets. Therefore at the time of death he is subjected to suffer unlimited miseries. The amount of the illusory energies influence one has conquered by the mercy of the Lord, it is to be understood that at the time of death he will be freed from the same amount of miseries.

Just see this dog walking in front of us, his entire body is full of injuries and due to lack of food he is very skinny. As a result of weakness he is walking on the road with great difficulty. But take a stick and attempt to beat him and you will see that he will try to protect himself by running away fearing that his painful body will be destroyed. For the dog to remain alive is not at all a happy situation, rather it is simply miserable. Yet by the influence of maya, he is reluctant to give up his miserable painful life. Actually if one carefully considers he will understand that death brings peace for the living entity; In such a situation the most merciful Lord without considering sends the death which takes away all one's distresses to mitigate all his pains without considering his attachment.

Those who are relatives of the dead person they due to attachment by the influence of illusory energy desire various kinds of happiness from him. Although they may have no hope of achieving happiness from the dead person yet due to living together for a long time or due to affection they cannot leave him. As long as a living entity remains in this world he lives within all kinds of attachment like a silk worm lives with its shell. To remain aloof from attachment is extremely unbearable for a living entity.

After duly completing the funeral rites of his father, Devadas returned home. As soon as he came home, his mother began to cry loudly. On hearing her pathetic cry, Devadas again became disturbed. Both the mother and the son began to cry. Although the neighbors tried to pacify them, all their solacing words were of no use. After some time Devadas regained his composer and began to pacify his mother. Gradually the crying stopped.

In due course of time the sraddha ceremony of Devadas's father was properly performed. Thereafter Devadas returned to Calcutta. In order to make an arrangement of their ancestral house of Ramakrishnapur, Shrikrishnababu donated all the moveable and immovable properties such as the land and garden to the poor people. Thereafter he took Devadas's mother and brought her to Calcutta. From then on, Devadas and his mother lived at the house of his uncle. Devadas's uncle had only one daughter and no sons. His daughter was already married. Most of the time she stayed at the house of her father-in-law and some time she visited her father's house. Therefore most of the time there were only four people lived at the house of Devadas's uncle.

Whatever monthly scholarship Devadas received he handed over the entire sum to his uncle except for a small amount for his personal expenditure. His uncle spent the entire amount for Devadas only and did not take a penny for himself. Gradually the time for Devadas's M.A. examination arrived. Like his previous examinations he stood first in this examination also. On hearing the genius of his knowledge and intelligence the government officials appointed him in a governmental service with a monthly salary of Rs.300/-. His working place was in Calcutta.