Performing Yagyas and Recitations via an Unauthorized Person is Futile

Minutes to read.

An unauthorized person is one who does not have the authority to guide others toward the Supreme God and does not possess the three authentic mantras of true worship. It is beneficial to accept a Complete Saint—who imparts the actual spiritual practice of the Supreme Lord—as one’s Guru and perform all religious rituals only through him.

(Meaning: Kabir says that chanting on a rosary or giving charity without a Guru is fruitless; ask the Vedas and Puranas. Any sacrifice or burnt offering performed without a Guru goes in vain and never bears fruit.)

Once, King Parikshit was destined to be bitten by a snake on the seventh day. At that time, all the sages decided that the King should listen to the recitation of the Srimad Bhagavat Sudhasagar for seven days so that his worldly attachments could be severed. The question was: which sage is authorized to perform this recitation so that the King may achieve spiritual welfare?

Consider this: It would be revealed on the seventh day whether the narrator was authorized or not. Therefore, all the sages and seers present on Earth declined the task. Being acquainted with God's laws, these great souls did not want to gamble with King Parikshit’s life. Meanwhile, the hypocrites stayed away out of fear that their lack of power would be exposed on the seventh day.

At that moment, Maharishi Shukdev Ji was summoned from heaven and arrived in a celestial vehicle. Upon arrival, Shukdev Ji told King Parikshit, "O King! You must take initiation from me; only by making me your Guru will the fruit of this recitation be attained." King Parikshit accepted Shukdev Ji as his Guru, and for seven days, the Bhagavat Sudhasagar (the divine plays of Shri Vishnu alias Shri Krishna) was narrated.

On the seventh day, the snake bit the King and he died. In his subtle body, King Parikshit sat in the celestial vehicle with his Guru Shukdev Ji and went to heaven. This happened because the King was naturally religious and had accumulated merits through previous virtuous deeds.

King Parikshit had also previously received initiation from Shri Krishna and had performed much charity under his guidance. However, due to the influence of Kalyug, he later committed an undignified act by placing a dead snake around Sage Shringi's (Bhindi) neck, which nullified his initiation. At that time, no other sage had the courage to initiate the King because they were not worthy of being Gurus; they lacked the authority to impart initiation. Only Shri Krishna used to give initiation; he was the Guru of the Pandavas and the 56 crore Yadavs.

Based on King Parikshit’s merits, Shukdev Ji became his Guru, recited the stories to detach him from the world, and took him only as far as heaven. This was the extent of the benefit the King received. Once the time in heaven is completed—meaning once the merits are exhausted—King Parikshit and Shukdev Ji will also go to hell and subsequently endure various sufferings in the bodies of 8.4 million species of life. Their cycle of birth and death did not end; they did not achieve complete liberation.