JANAJASWANT THE MERCHANT SAINT
1. This is an suspicious day. The wise, God-loving hearers who have assembled here, having had all desires fulfilled, are here where the delightful stories are being
related.
2. The merchant Janajaswant was'a great bhakta, devoted to the worship of Rama. Listen, you wise and pious hearers, to his exceedingly delightful story.
3. He had five sons. He was a millionaire. His house was filled with every form of wealth. Still day and night he worshipped Shri Rama with love.
4. If uninvited guests appeared he gave them food. He gave respect to all sadhus. Those who asked alms.of him were made happy. He sent no one away empty-handed.
5. His desire to give away money for charitable objects was great. In the meantime his sons grew up but they were miserable evildoers. They turned away from the worship of Hari.
6. Just as the hater of Vishnu, Ravana, was born in the family of Pulastya, or as Duryodhan who was in the family line of the moon was a man with exceedingly many faults,
7. so from Janajaswant these non-b/iaktas and evil-doers were born. They did not know what right or wrong was. They were wicked rascals, most contemptible.
8. They had no love for giving charity. They would exclaim, ' The old man is crazy, what shall we do with him ? ' Such was their constant thought.
9. All men come to befriend one in prosperity, but finally they abandon him. Therefore one
should always have a wakeful mind.
10. While the tongue is active, one should be relating the good deeds of Shri Hari. While one possesses hands, one should worship Vishnu with devotion.
PARRICIDAL SONS
11. While one has feet he should without any shame dance whenever Hari's good deeds are described. While one has ears he should listen with fondness to the stories of the saints.
12. While one is in good health he should constantly go on pilgrimage ; and while one has
eyes he should look with love on the Husband of Bukmini.
JANAJASWANT'S SONS AND THE KING CONSPIRE AGAINST HIM
13. Janajaswant was alive to his duties to all men, but his sons and his wife did not like his deeds of charity.
14. They exclaimed, ' He is our enemy. He has ruined our business.' So they stole some of his money and hid it away.
15. Evil men do not like good men. Thieves do not like the moon to shine. An adulteress becomes irritated if she hears a faithful wife praised.
1 6. When the sun rises, owls think the time to die has come. Seeing a wise fandit
fools are unhappy.
17. Seeing sadhus, revilers become supremely displeased. A man of physical weakness has no
liking for a powerful and courageous man.
18. Seeing a Brahman devoted to good deeds, the wicked become very much disgusted. And so the wi eked sons of Janajaswant raged in many ways against their father.
19. Therefore they said, ' Let us go to the door of the king, and tell him our complaint.' They decided that they would kill their father.
PARRICIDAL SONS
20. The four men went to the king's door and told him their complaint. They said, 'Our father is a complete fool. He scatters his money according to his own wish.
21. While we possess money we consider it as yours, O king. Should you fall into any distress, it would certainly be of use to you.
22. So call him and punish him, O king.' Listening to the evil thoughts of these wicked persons the
low-minded king became angry.
23. That exceedingly thoughtless king, having listened to their words and with- out giving the matter any further thought, sent word to Janajaswant to come to him.
PLACES TO BE AVOIDED
24. Where a king is thoughtless, and his ministers wicked, where the water of a river is not seen, and where pious God-loving men do not live, one should immediately leave such a place.
25. The place where there are no good people and sadhiis and where there is no praise of Hari,
where there is no thought about the soul, where there is no listening to the Puranas, one should leaA'e such a place-
26. Where there is no love for good deeds, where the king pays no attention to justice and morals, where unrighteous customs are prevalent, one should not seat himself in any company at such a place.
27. Where there are neither rich men, nor gardens, and where men are thoughtless, good
men should not remain there a single moment.
JANAJASWANT TO BE DROWNED
28. The kins: said to Janajaswant, 'Why are you so obstinate ? You distribute your money to beggars without the knowledge of your sons.'
29. Janajaswant gave reply, ' That is my nature to be obstinate. With love for the wor-
ship of Shri Rama, I pay respect to sadhus and saints.'
30. Hearing him say this the king became full of rage; just as when a parrot speaks from within his cage, a falcon becomes angry.
31. Then the evil-minded king said to the sons of Janajaswant, 'With your consent I will kill your
father.'
32. The sons then said, 'He is not our father; he is our enemy. Fasten him in a bundle, and throw him into the water.'
33. Janajaswant was then fastened in a bundle with stones in it and thrown into a pond in front full of
water.
GOD SAVES JANAJASWANT
34. As soon as the Husband of Janaki (Rama) saw this He appeared for the sake of His bhakta. The Husband of Bama took the form of a tortoise and held him on its back.
35. Janajaswant said to the king, "The Lord of the heart is protecting me, just as He upholds the heaven without a pillar.
36. He who gives light to the sun and the moon, and by Whose -light they revolve, He, the Pervader of the universe and the Lord of the world, protects His bhnktas.
37. During tha avatarsMp of Rama, He made the stones float on the water. That Life of Janaki, the Son of Raghu, is my Protector,
38. In the form of a tortoise He has lifted Janajaswant up and is holding me in the air. Come and
see this for yourself,*
THE KING'S PENITENCE
39. Hearing- these words the king became repentant. He leaped into the water and drew Janajaswant out.
40. He untied the bundle with his own hands. He grasped the feet of Janajaswant and exclaimed, 'I have done wrong. Forgive me, O king of bliaktas.'
41. Having punished the sons he told them to go as suppliants to their father. They also accepted the command and prostrated themselves before him.
42. Having abandoned all evil thoughts, with reverence they worshipped their father. Seeing the miracle in the case of their father, God's bhakta, they now devoted themselves to the worship of Shri Rama.
https://archive.org/search.php?query=StoriesofIndianSaints
1. This is an suspicious day. The wise, God-loving hearers who have assembled here, having had all desires fulfilled, are here where the delightful stories are being
related.
2. The merchant Janajaswant was'a great bhakta, devoted to the worship of Rama. Listen, you wise and pious hearers, to his exceedingly delightful story.
3. He had five sons. He was a millionaire. His house was filled with every form of wealth. Still day and night he worshipped Shri Rama with love.
4. If uninvited guests appeared he gave them food. He gave respect to all sadhus. Those who asked alms.of him were made happy. He sent no one away empty-handed.
5. His desire to give away money for charitable objects was great. In the meantime his sons grew up but they were miserable evildoers. They turned away from the worship of Hari.
6. Just as the hater of Vishnu, Ravana, was born in the family of Pulastya, or as Duryodhan who was in the family line of the moon was a man with exceedingly many faults,
7. so from Janajaswant these non-b/iaktas and evil-doers were born. They did not know what right or wrong was. They were wicked rascals, most contemptible.
8. They had no love for giving charity. They would exclaim, ' The old man is crazy, what shall we do with him ? ' Such was their constant thought.
9. All men come to befriend one in prosperity, but finally they abandon him. Therefore one
should always have a wakeful mind.
10. While the tongue is active, one should be relating the good deeds of Shri Hari. While one possesses hands, one should worship Vishnu with devotion.
PARRICIDAL SONS
11. While one has feet he should without any shame dance whenever Hari's good deeds are described. While one has ears he should listen with fondness to the stories of the saints.
12. While one is in good health he should constantly go on pilgrimage ; and while one has
eyes he should look with love on the Husband of Bukmini.
JANAJASWANT'S SONS AND THE KING CONSPIRE AGAINST HIM
13. Janajaswant was alive to his duties to all men, but his sons and his wife did not like his deeds of charity.
14. They exclaimed, ' He is our enemy. He has ruined our business.' So they stole some of his money and hid it away.
15. Evil men do not like good men. Thieves do not like the moon to shine. An adulteress becomes irritated if she hears a faithful wife praised.
1 6. When the sun rises, owls think the time to die has come. Seeing a wise fandit
fools are unhappy.
17. Seeing sadhus, revilers become supremely displeased. A man of physical weakness has no
liking for a powerful and courageous man.
18. Seeing a Brahman devoted to good deeds, the wicked become very much disgusted. And so the wi eked sons of Janajaswant raged in many ways against their father.
19. Therefore they said, ' Let us go to the door of the king, and tell him our complaint.' They decided that they would kill their father.
PARRICIDAL SONS
20. The four men went to the king's door and told him their complaint. They said, 'Our father is a complete fool. He scatters his money according to his own wish.
21. While we possess money we consider it as yours, O king. Should you fall into any distress, it would certainly be of use to you.
22. So call him and punish him, O king.' Listening to the evil thoughts of these wicked persons the
low-minded king became angry.
23. That exceedingly thoughtless king, having listened to their words and with- out giving the matter any further thought, sent word to Janajaswant to come to him.
PLACES TO BE AVOIDED
24. Where a king is thoughtless, and his ministers wicked, where the water of a river is not seen, and where pious God-loving men do not live, one should immediately leave such a place.
25. The place where there are no good people and sadhiis and where there is no praise of Hari,
where there is no thought about the soul, where there is no listening to the Puranas, one should leaA'e such a place-
26. Where there is no love for good deeds, where the king pays no attention to justice and morals, where unrighteous customs are prevalent, one should not seat himself in any company at such a place.
27. Where there are neither rich men, nor gardens, and where men are thoughtless, good
men should not remain there a single moment.
JANAJASWANT TO BE DROWNED
28. The kins: said to Janajaswant, 'Why are you so obstinate ? You distribute your money to beggars without the knowledge of your sons.'
29. Janajaswant gave reply, ' That is my nature to be obstinate. With love for the wor-
ship of Shri Rama, I pay respect to sadhus and saints.'
30. Hearing him say this the king became full of rage; just as when a parrot speaks from within his cage, a falcon becomes angry.
31. Then the evil-minded king said to the sons of Janajaswant, 'With your consent I will kill your
father.'
32. The sons then said, 'He is not our father; he is our enemy. Fasten him in a bundle, and throw him into the water.'
33. Janajaswant was then fastened in a bundle with stones in it and thrown into a pond in front full of
water.
GOD SAVES JANAJASWANT
34. As soon as the Husband of Janaki (Rama) saw this He appeared for the sake of His bhakta. The Husband of Bama took the form of a tortoise and held him on its back.
35. Janajaswant said to the king, "The Lord of the heart is protecting me, just as He upholds the heaven without a pillar.
36. He who gives light to the sun and the moon, and by Whose -light they revolve, He, the Pervader of the universe and the Lord of the world, protects His bhnktas.
37. During tha avatarsMp of Rama, He made the stones float on the water. That Life of Janaki, the Son of Raghu, is my Protector,
38. In the form of a tortoise He has lifted Janajaswant up and is holding me in the air. Come and
see this for yourself,*
THE KING'S PENITENCE
39. Hearing- these words the king became repentant. He leaped into the water and drew Janajaswant out.
40. He untied the bundle with his own hands. He grasped the feet of Janajaswant and exclaimed, 'I have done wrong. Forgive me, O king of bliaktas.'
41. Having punished the sons he told them to go as suppliants to their father. They also accepted the command and prostrated themselves before him.
42. Having abandoned all evil thoughts, with reverence they worshipped their father. Seeing the miracle in the case of their father, God's bhakta, they now devoted themselves to the worship of Shri Rama.
https://archive.org/search.php?query=StoriesofIndianSaints
