Jay Ghosh Vijay Ghosh
Jay Ghosh was a sage, born in a brahmanical family but had taken the great vows of the Nirgranth, he had subdued all his senses and walked down the right path. Wandering from village to village, he came to the town of Banaras (now Varanasi) he lodged himself in a pleasant park outside the town. The monk Jay Ghosh after having fasted for duration of a whole month, went to the holy sacrifice spot of Vijay Ghosh and begged alms (gouchari).Vijay Ghosh who had pride in his knowledge of Vedas and artless, and other sacrificial science refused to give alms to the great sage. On refusal the great sage was neither angry nor pleased, but he spoke the following words- without the motive to obtain food or drink I say you do not know what is the most essential, in the Vedas, nor in the sacrifice, nor about heavenly bodies, (nakshatras) nor about dharma nor do you know those who are able to save themselves and others, but if you do then speak out!! The priest Vijay Ghosh did not give a reply to defend himself, but with folded hands questioned the great sage about the essential subject of the Vedas, one essential of sacrifice, the first of heavenly bodies, and the best of dharma and wanted and know, who are able to save themselves and others.
The great sage willing obliged and answered, “The most essential subject in Vedas is agnihotras and that of sacrifice –is the purpose of sacrifice. The first of heavenly bodies is the moon, the best of dharma is that of kashyapa (Rishabhdev). He further explained that the brahmana who has no worldly attachment, he who is exempt from love hatred and fear, the one who does penance and is pious and who shall attend nirvana is the true Brahmana. He who thoroughly knows living beings movable and immovable and does not injure them by mind speech and body, him we call Brahmana. He who does not speak untruth, he who does not take anything that is not given freely, he who observes celibacy he who, is not defiled by pleasures (not greedy) who lives unknown, he who has no house, no property, he who has given up all his former relations, him we call a Brahmana. The binding of animals to the sacrificial pole of the Vedas, being causes of sins, cannot save the sinner.
The bondage of Karman is very powerful, one does not become Shramana by tonsure (lounch), nor a brahmana by repeating the syllable OM, nor muni by living in the woods, nor a tapas ( tapasvi) (one who does penance) by wearing clothes of kusha grass and sleeping on it.
One becomes a shramana by equanimity, brahmana by chastity. a muni by knowledge and Tapasvi by penance. By one’s action one becomes Brahmana or a Kshatriya or a shudra. The enlightened one has declared these good qualities to become a Sanatak (perfect) sage – a monk. It is these men, possessing these good qualities are able save themselves and other.
Vijay Ghosh was very pleased on hearing this and spoke as follows. “you well declared to me what true Brahmana hood is, you knows the Vedas the Astrology and perfectly the law. You are able to save yourself and others do us the honour and except our alms.
Yet Jay Ghosh did not take any alms, but explained him about taking diksha and cross the samsara. He also gave example, of two clod of clay one wet and other dry to be flung against the wall, the wet well stick. Similarly, foolish man full of passions will be fastened to karman but the passionless will not, like the dry clod of clay. Vijay Ghosh got himself (diksha) initiated, learnt the law, and they both annihilated their karma, by restraint and penance and crossed the samsara . (liberation) .
Moral: – Place of birth, caste, creed, is irrelevant, only right knowledge, perception, action will ensure liberation.
