No Need of Sons

A couple of days ago I wrote an article in favor of having a son by citing some references from our scriptures. Today I am going to write some other references, again citing from our scriptures, which show that having children is not necessary. In fact they are the hindrance in attaining Moksh, as they attract us towards the world. Although there are only very few people of such caliber, because most people born in this world desire family and children, even great Rishi are not spared from this feeling, but still there are some. Next time I will write about those great Rishi who desired for family and children.

(1) Sanakaadi Muni
Sanakaaadi Muni are four and they are Brahmaa Jee's first sons. He produced them to extend his creation. When Brahmaa Jee commanded them to produce children, they refused to obey him saying that "since we are born from Tap, we will not produce any children. We are going to do Tap." and they went to do Tap.

Thus they are not married, they don't have any child, not even a daughter, they have got the boon to be always young and look like a 5-year child. We have not heard about their death or anything else bad etc also about them.

(2) Kratu, Pulah and Naarad Jee
When Sanakaadi Muni did not listen to Brahmaa Jee and did not produce any children, he got a bit angry and then he produced 10 sons - Angiraa, Atri, Bhrigu, Daksh, Kashyap, Kratu, Pulah, Pulastya, Vashishth, and Naarad. Everybody knows that among these 10 sons of Brahmaa Jee, Naarad Jee is alone and does have any family. Kratu and Pulah also do not have a family.

So what has happened to them if they did not have any son? We do not hear anything bad about them.

(3) Daksh's 1,500 Sons
This story comes in Vishnu Puraan in which Naarad Jee stopped Daksh's 500 sons, named Haryaashwa Gan, to produce children and sent them to do Tapasyaa. When they did not return, and Daksh came to know that Naarad Jee had misguided them, he got very angry, and produced 1,000 more sons, Shabalaashwa Gan, and asked them to produce children. They followed the same path as of their elder brothers and went there only where their brothers went, but Naarad Jee again sent them to do Tapasyaa and they also did not return.

So what happened to them if they did not have any son? We do not hear anything bad about them. And Naarad Jee cannot misguide so many people.

(4) Dattaatreya
This story comes in Bhaagvat Puraan. Dattaatreya Jee is the incarnation of Vishnu, born to Rishi Atri and his wife Anasooyaa. He is said to be the joint incarnation of Brahmaa, Vishnu and Shiv too, that is why he is depicted by three faces and carrying all the things of the three Devtaa in his hands. Once he met a king named Yadu and he preached him. His preaching show that if you enter into Grihasth Aashram (marrying and having children etc) you are bound yourself to this world. And as all know that our life's objective is to break all bindings of the world, not to bind ourselves with this world.

Raajaa Yadu asked him - "Brahman, You don't do any Karm, then where did you get this wisdom. It is seen that man searches Dharm, Arth, Kaam etc with the desire of age, fame, beauty, wealth etc, but I see that you can do Karm, you are learned, your fate and beauty are also admirable, still you are living like an unconscious, insane or Pishaach. Most people in this world are affected with Kaam and greed, but you are free from all of them. You are living in yourself with great pleasure. How could you do that?"

Dattaatreya Jee then told him the stories of his 24 Guru as what did he learn from whom. Then he told him what did he learn from his own body. He said - "To please this body, whatever body he takes, this Jeev is always busy in desiring many things, does Karm for that and collects wealth with great difficulty to fulfill them. The same body is destroyed after its time is completed. As many co-wives pull their one husband towards them, in the same way, its many Indriyaan also pull the single Jeev towards them - tongue towards tasty food, ears towards sweet music, nose towards sweet smell etc. Although Bhagavaan has created many Yoni (species), but he did not get satisfied with them, then he created Manushya Yoni (human being).

This body had Buddhi (wisdom, and logic) which could see Brahm. He got very happy to create this Yoni. So even though this body is destructible but still one can attain Paramaarth and Moksh through this body. Therefore an intelligent person should attain the Moksh before this body is destructed. Moksh is the main objective of this body, because pleasures can be achieved in many other Yoni (species), but Moksh can be attained only in this Yoni. Therefore one should not waste this valuable Yoni in enjoying pleasures. Thinking thus I took Vairaagya. Neither I love anything, nor I am proud of anything."

What happened to Dattaatreya? Nothing.

(5) Durvaasaa Muni
Durvaasaa Muni is the brother of Dattaatreya Jee. He is the incarnation of Shiv. We don't hear about his marriage anywhere. This shows that he is also not bound to the world.

(6) Bheeshm
Everybody knows Bheeshm Pitaamaha. He did not marry, did not have any progeny, he got Moksh and he never came back on Earth. What else do we want - we want the same thing that we should not be reborn?

Sushma Gupta
www.sushmajee.com