Countless jivatmas pass through various countless births and it is astonishing to note that though beings are pushed towards the end by the powerful and irresistible Time, even as clouds are by the wind, they fail to understand their predicament. To reinforce this truth in a powerful manner the Lord in His incarnation as Kapila describes an extraordinary situation when the full grown foetus in the mother’s womb is shown to be fully aware of its plight ahead of its entry into the world, pointed out Sri R. Krishnamurthy Sastrigal in a discourse. It prays to God to halt its birth and grant moksha. It is a fervent prayer but the force of Maya that can draw a veil over this awareness is also indicated in this situation.
All this jnana is bound to disappear once it is born, as it would easily associate with the world of family, bondage and karma. Maybe it is an imaginary situation, but each one can vibe with the anguish and desperate experience of the foetus.
Somewhat similar is the incident in the story of Chitraketu wherein crucial Vedanta truths are reinforced with a sense of practicality. Chitraketu is inconsolable when he loses his son whom he had gained with great penance and the grace of sage Narada. The sages Narada and Angiras console him and also make the dead son appear before him. The spiritual maturity in the words spoken by the son is astonishing. Who is the son and who is the father in this endless cycle of birth, he asks. All the souls are tossed into the world and come into contact or get separated as a matter of course. Should not one try to get out of this cycle by seeking the Lord’s feet?
Incidentally, Chitraketu is born as Vritrasura and with the jnana gained intact in this birth he finally attains salvation.
