Ways To Cross The River
There are a few ways to cross this river. It is important to note that as mentioned in the description of the river, only those souls who have sinned have to cross this river. The souls with good deeds or good karma do not travel on the path through which the Vaitarna River flows.
- The person who commits good deeds in his life and does not have to cross this river.
- A sinner who has done certain meritorious deeds can get a boat to cross the river after travelling on the terrible way of Yama for some time. These deeds include donating a cow, food, wealth or any sacrifice etc.
- It is said that even though a person is a sinner, if he is following a real spiritual guru, the sinner can cross the river holding his Guru's hand.
- If the sinner cannot cross using the above two methods, he has to wait many years till it is decided that he will cross or the servants of Yama drag him through the river.
- The descendents of the sinful soul can help him cross the river by chanting the name "Shree Gurudev Datta". This is the chant for the Hindu god Dattatreya.
Read more about this topic: Vaitarna River
Famous quotes containing the words ways, cross and/or river:
“So they, who climb to wealth, forget
The friends in darker fortunes tried.
I copied thembut I regret
That I should ape the ways of pride.”
—William Cullen Bryant (17941878)
“Men are not to be told anything they might find too painful; the secret depths of human nature, the sordid physicalities, might overwhelm or damage them. For instance, men often faint at the sight of their own blood, to which they are not accustomed. For this reason you should never stand behind one in the line at the Red Cross donor clinic.”
—Margaret Atwood (b. 1939)
“It is ... despair at the mutability of all created things that links the Artist and the Ascetica desire to purify and preserveto set oneself apartsomehowfrom the river flowing onward to the grave.”
—Michele Murray (19331974)