The Brahma Purana
In the forest known as naimisharanya.
The sages (maharshis) arranged for a
sacrifice (yajna) in this forest and the ceremony went on for twelve years.
Naimisharanya forest was a wonderful place to arange sacrifices in. The climate
was pleasant. There were trees full of flowers and fruit. There was no
shortange of food in the forest, and animals, birds and sages lived there
happily.
Many sages ame to attend the sacrifice that
had been arranged in naimisharanya. With them was Romaharshana (alternatively
Lomaharshana). Vedavyasa’s disciple. Vedavyasa had instructed this disciple of
his in the knowledge of the Puranas. The assembled sages worshipped the learned
Romaharshana and said, Please tell us the stories of the Puranas. Who created
the universe, who is its preserver and who will destroy it? Please instruct us
in all these mysteries.
Romaharshana replied, Many years ago, Daksha
and the other sages had asked Brahma these very questions. I have learnt about
Brahma’s replies from my guru (teacher) Vedvyasa. I will relate to you what I
know.
In the beginning , there was water everywhere
and the brahman (the divine essence) slept on this water in the form of Vishnu.
Since water is called nara
and since ayana means a bed, Vishnu is known as Narayana.
In the water there emerged a golden egg
(anda). Brahma was born inside the egg. Since he created himself, he is called
Svayambhu, born (bhu) by himself (svayam). For one whole year, Brahma lived
inside the egg. He then split the egg into two and created heaven (svarga) and
the earth (prithivi) from the two parts of the egg. Skies, directions, time,
language and senses were created in both heaven and earth.
From the powers of his mind, Brahma gave
birth to seven great sages. Their names were Marichi, Atri, Angira, Pulastya,
Pulaha, Kratu and Vashistha. Brahma also created the god Rudra and the sage
Santhkumara.
More Creation
More Creation
To continue with the process of creation, Brahma
gave birth to a man and a woman from his own body. The man was named
Svayambhuva Manu and the woman was named Shatarupa. Humans are descended from
Manu. That is the reason they are known as manava. Manu and Shatarupa had three
sons named Vira, Priyavarata and Uttanapada.
Uttanapada’s son was the great Dhruva, Dhruva
performed very difficult meditation (tapasya) for three thousand divine years.
Brahma was so pleased at this that he granted Dhruva an eternal place in the
sky, near the constellation that is known as saptarshi or the seven sages. This
is the constellation Ursa Majoris and Dhruva is the Pole Star.
In Dhruva’s line there was a king named
Prachinavarhi. Prachinavarhi had ten sons, known as the Prachetas. These
Prachetas were supposed to look after the world and rule over it, but they were
not interested in such mundane matters. They went off instead to perform
tapasya under the ocean. The tapasya went on for ten thousand years. The upshot
was that the earth had no ruler and began to suffer. People started to die and
thick forests sprouted everywhere. So thick were the forests that even the
winds could not blow.
News of this catastrophe reached the
Prachetas. They were furious with the trees and created wind (vayu) and fire
(agni) from their mouths. The wind dried up the trees and the fire burnt them,
so that, very soon, there were very few trees left on earth.
Everyone was alarmed at the effects of the
Prachetas’ anger. The moon-god Soma (or Chandra) came to the Prachetas with a
beautiful woman and said, Prachetas, please control your anger. You need
someone to rule over the world so that you can concentrate on your tapasya.
This beautiful woman is named Marisha, she is the daughter of the trees. Marry
her and you will have a son named Daksha. He will rule over the world.
The Prachetas agreed to this proposal and
Daksha was born. The word praja means subject and the word pati means master.
Since Daksha ruled over the world and its subjects, Daksha came to be known as
Prajapati.
The sages interrupted Romaharshana. They
said, Sage, we are completely confused. We have heard that Daksha was born from
Brahma’s toe. And yet you have told us that Daksha was the son of the
Prachetas. How is this possible?
Romaharshana replied, There is no reason for
bewilderment. Many Dakshas have been born to rule over the world. One was born
from Brahma’s toe, yet another was the son of the Prachetas.
Daksha’s Offspring
Daksha’s Offspring
Daksha’s wife was named Asikli and Asikli
gave birth to five thousand sons. They were known as the Haryashvas. The
Haryashvas were destined to rule over the world. But the sage Narada went to
the Haryashvas and said, How can you rule over the world if you don’t even know
what the world looks like? Are you familiar with its geography and its limits?
First find out about these things, before you contemplate ruling ove the world.
The Haryashvas went off to explore the world
and never returned.
Daksha and Asikli then had another thousand
sons who were named the Shavalashvas. Narada told them what he had told the
Haryashvas and the Shavalashvas also went off to explore the world and never
returned.
Daksha and Asiki were distressed that their
children should disappear in this manner. Daksha blamed Narada for the
instigation and proposed to kill him. But Brahma intervened and persuaded
Daksha to control his anger. This Daksha agreed to do, provided that his
conditions were met. Brahma must marry my daughter Priya, he said. And Narada
must be born as Priya’s son.
These conditions were accepted.
In fact, Daksha and Asikli had sixty
daughters. (Elsewhere, the Brahma Purana mentions fifty daughters.) Ten of
these daughters were married to the god Dharma and thirteen to the sage
Kashyapa. Twenty-seven daughters were married to Soma or Chandra. The remaining
daughters were married to the sages Arishtanemi, Vahuputra, Angirasa and
Krishashva.
The ten daughters who were married to the god
Dharma were named Arundhati, Vasu, Yami, Lamba, Bhanu, Marutvati, Sankalpa,
Muhurta, Sadhya and Vishva, Arundhati’s children were the objects (vishaya) of
the world. Vasu’s children were the eight gods known as the Vasus. Their names
were Apa, Dhruva, Soma, Dhara, Salila, Anala, Pratyusha and Prabhasa. Anala’s
son was Kumara. Because Kumara was brought up by goddesses known as the
Krittikas, he came to be called Kartikeya. Prabhasa’s son was Vishvakarma.
Vishvakarma was skilled in architecture and the making of jewellery. He became
the architect of the gods. Sadhya’s children were the gods known as Sadhyadevas
and Vishva’s children were the gods known as Vishvadevas.
The twenty-seven daughters of Daksha who were
married to Soma are known as the nakshatras (stars).
As you have already been told, Kashyapa
married thirteen of Daksha’s daughters. Their names were Aditi, Diti, Danu,
Arishta, Surasa, Khasa, Surabhi, Vinata, Tamra, Krodhavasha, Ida, Kadru and
Muni.
Aditi’s sons were the twelve gods known as
the adityas. Their names were Vishnu, Shakra, Aryama, Dhata, Vidhata, Tvashta,
Pusha, Vivasvana, Savita, Mitravaruna, Amsha and Bhaga.
Diti’s sons were the daityas (demons). They
were named Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakshipu, and amongst their descendants were
several other powerful daityas like Vali and Vanasura. Diti also had a daughter
named Simhika who was married to a danava (demon) named Viprachitti. Their
offsprings were terrible demons like Vatapi, Namuchi, Ilvala, Maricha and the
nivatakavachas.
The hundred sons of Danu came to be known as
danavas. The danavas were thus cousins to the daityas and also to the adityas.
In the danava line were born demons like the poulamas and kalakeyas.
Arishta’s sons were the gandharvas (singers
of heaven).
Surasa gave birth to the snakes (sarpa).
Khasa’s children were the yakshas (demi-gods
who were the companions of Kubera, the god of wealth) and the rakshasas
(demons).
Surabhi’s descendants were cows and
buffaloes.
Vinata had two sons named Aruna and Garuda.
Garuda became the king of the birds.
Garuda became the king of the birds.
Tamara had six daughters. From these
daughters were born owls, eagles, vultures, crows, water-fowl, horses, camels
and donkeys.
Krodhavasha had fourteen thousand children
known as nagas (snakes).
Ila gave birth to trees, creepers, shrubs and
bushes.
Kadru’s sons were also known as nagas or
snakes. Among the more important of Kadru’s sons were Ananta, Vasuki, Takshaka
and Nahusha.
Muni gave birth to the apsaras (dancers of
heaven).
Diti’s children (daityas) and Aditi’s
children (adityas) continually fought amongst themselves. On one particular
occasion, the gods succeeded in killing many of the demons. Thirsting for
revenge, Diti began to pray to her husband, Kashyapa that she might give birth
to a son who would kill Indra, the king of the gods.
Kashyapa found it difficult to refuse his
wife outright. All right, he said. You will have to bear the son in your womb
for a hundred years. And throughout this period, you will have to observe
various rites of cleanliness. If you can successfully do this, your son will
indeed kill Indra. But if you do not observe these instructions to the letter,
your desire will not be satisfied.
Diti resolved to do as her husband had bidden
her. But Indra had got to know about Diti’s resolve and was waiting for an
opportuniy to save himself. There was an occasion when, tired after her
prayers. Diti went to sleep without first washing her feet. This was an unclean
act and it gave Indra the required opportunity. He adopted a miniscule form and
entered Diti’s womb. With his weapon vajra, he sliced up the baby inside the
womb into seven parts. The baby naturally began to cry at the pain.
Indra kept on saying, ma ruda, that is, don’t
cry. But the baby, or rather its seven parts, would not listen. Indra thereupon
sliced up each of the seven parts into seven more sections, so that there were
forty-nine sections in all. When these forty-nine sections in all. When these
forty-nine sections were born, they came to be known as the Maruts, from the
words that Indra had addressed them. Since Diti had not been able to adhere to
the conditions her husband had set, the Maruts did not kill Indra. They instead
became Indra’s followers or companions, and were treated as gods.
Prithu
In Dhruva’s line there was a king named Anga.
Anga was religious and followed the righteous path. But unfortunately, Anga’s
son Vena inherited none of the good qualities of his father. Vena’s mother was
Sunitha and she happened to be the daughter of Mrityu. Mrityu was notorious for
his evil ways and deeds. Vena spent a lot of time with his maternal grandfather
and picked up these evil characteristics.
Vena gave up the religion that was laid down
in the Vedas and stopped all yajnas. He instructed his subjects that he alone
was to be worshipped.
The sages led by Marichi came to Vena to try
and persuade him to mend his ways. But Vena was in no mood to listen. He
insisted that there was no one equal to him in the whole universe.
The sages realized that Vena was a lost
cause. They physically caught hold of Vena and began to knead his right thigh.
From this kneading there emerged a horrible looking creature. It was a dwarf
and its complexion was extemely dark. The sage Arti was so aghast at the
dwarf’s appearance that he blurted out, nishida, which means sit. From this the
dwarf came to be known as nishada. The race of nishadas became hunters and
fishermen, and lived in the Vindhya mountains. From them were also descended
uncivilized races like tusharas and tunduras.
The evil that was in Vena’s body and mind
came out with the emergence of the nishada.
When the sages began to knead Vena’s right
arm, Prithu emerged. He shone like a flaming fire and his energy lit up the
four directions. He held a bow in his hand and he was clad in beautiful armour.
As soon as Prithu was born, Vena died.
All the rivers and the oceans arrived with
their waters and their jewels to anoint Prithu as the king. The gods and the
sages also came for the coronation. Brahma himself crowned Prithu the king of
the earth. He also took the opportunity to apportion out the lordships of other
parts of the universe. Soma was appointed lord over creepers, herbs, stars
(nakshatras), planets (grahas), sacrifices, meditation (tapasya) and over the
first of the four classes (brahmans). Varuna became lord of the oceans, Kubera
of all the kings, Vishnu of the adityas, Agni of vasus, Daksha of all
Prajapatis, Indra of Maruts, Prahlada of daityas and danavas, Yama of the
pritris (ancestors), Shiva of yakshas, rakshasas and pishachas (ghosts), and
Himalaya of the mountains.
The ocean (samudra) was made the lord of all
rivers. Chitraratha of gandharvas, Vasuki of nagas,
Takshaka of sarpas, Garuda of birds, the tiger of deer, Airavata of elephants, Ucchaihshrava of horses, the bull of cows and the ashvattha tree (a banyan) of all trees. Brahma also appointed four overlords (dikapalas) for the four directions. To the east there was Sudhanva, to the south Shankhapada, to the west Ketumana and to the north Hiranyaroma.
Takshaka of sarpas, Garuda of birds, the tiger of deer, Airavata of elephants, Ucchaihshrava of horses, the bull of cows and the ashvattha tree (a banyan) of all trees. Brahma also appointed four overlords (dikapalas) for the four directions. To the east there was Sudhanva, to the south Shankhapada, to the west Ketumana and to the north Hiranyaroma.
Prithu was a king who ruled the earth well.
During his reign, the earth was laden with foodgrains. The cows were full of
milk and the subjects were happy. To glorify King Prithu, the sages performed a
sacrifice and from this sacrifice there emerged two races known as the sutas
and the magadhas.
The sages decreed that henceforth, these two races would be given the task of
singing praises in honour of great kings and holy personages. But first, they
desired that the sutas and the magadhas
should sing praises in honour of Prithu.
But what praise will we sing? asked the sutas
and the magadhas.
Prithu is till young. He has not done much that can be praised.
That may be true, replied the sages. But he
will do wonderous deeds in the future. Sing praises of those wonderful deeds.
We will tell you about them.
Having learnt of these future deeds from the
sages, the sutas and the magadhas
began to compose songs and chant praises in honour of Prithu. These stories
were related throughout the earth. Some of Prithu’s subjects heard these
stories and came to see Prithu. King , they said. We have heard of your great
deeds. But we find it difficult to make a living. Please indicate to us our
habitations on earth. And tell us where we may be able to get the food we need
for subsistence.
King Prithu picked up his bow and arrow. He
decided to kill the earth, since the earth was not yielding foodgrains to his
subjects. The earth adopted the form of a cow and began to flee. But wherever
the earth went, Prithu followed with his bow and arrow. He followed the earth
to the heaven and to the underworld.
Finally, in desperation, the earth started to
pray to Prithu. King, she said, please control your anger. I am woman. Killing
me will only mean a sin for you. Besides, what purpose will killing me serve?
Your subjects will then be without a place to live in. There will be some other
way of ensuring that your subjects can make a livng.’
The earth then herself offered a solution and
King Prithu did her bidding. With his bow, he levelled out the earth. The
plains could now be used for villages and cities and for agriculture and animal
husbandry. The mountains were gathered together in select places, instead of
being littered over the whole earth. Earlier, Prithu ‘s subjects had lived off
fruits and roots. Now Prithu milked the earth (in her form of a cow) and
obtained the seeds of foodgrains on which people could live. Because of Prithu’s
deeds, the earth came to be known as prithivi.
Manvantaras
Manvantaras
A manvantara is an era. There are four
smaller eras (yugas) and their names are satya or krita yuga, treta yuga,
dvapara yuga and kali yuga. Each cycle of satya yuga, treta yuga, dvapara yuga
and kali yuga is called a mahayuga. A mahayuga comprises of 12,000 years of the
gods, or equivalently, 4,320,000 years for human. 71 mahayugas constitute a
manvantara and 14 manvantaras constitute a cycle (kalpa). One kalpa is one of
Brahma’s days and the universe is destroyed at the end of a kalpa.
Each manvantara is ruled over by a Manu. In
the present kalpa, six manvantaras have already passed and the names of the six
Manus who ruled were Svayambhuva, Svarochisha, Uttama, Tamasa, Raivata and
Chakshusha. The name of the seventh Manu, who rules over the seventh manvantara
of the present kalpa, is Vaivasvata.
The titles of the seven great sages
(saptarshi) as well as the title of Indra change from manvantara to manvantara.
The gods also change.
In the present vaivasvata manvantara, the
seven great sages are Atri, Vashishtha, Kashyapa, Goutama, Bharadvaja,
Vishvamitra and Jamadagni. The gods now are the sadhyas, the rudras, the
vishvadevas, the vasus, the maruts, the adityas and the two ashvinis.
There will be seven manus in the future
before the universe is destroyed. Five of these Manus will be known as Savarni
Manus. The remaining two will be called Bhoutya and Rouchya.
The Sun and the Solar Dynasty
The Sun and the Solar Dynasty
You have probably forgotten by now that
Kashyapa and Aditi had a son named Vivasvana. This was the sun god, also known
as Surya or Martanda.
Surya was married to Samjna, Vishvakarma’s
daughter. They had two sons. The first son was Vaivasvata Manu and the second
son was Yama or Shraddhadeva, the god of death. Yama had a twin sister named
Yamuna.
The sun’ s energy was so strong that Samjna
could not bear to look at her husband. Through her powers, she created an image
from her own body that looked exactly like her. This image was called Chhaya
(shadow).
Samjna told Chhaya, I cannot bear the energy
of my husband. I am going off to my father’s house. Stay here, pretend to be
Samjna and look after my children. Under no circumstances tell anyone,
certainly not my husband, that you are not Samjna.
I will do as you have asked me to, replied
Chhaya. But the moment someone curses me or pulls me by the hair, I shall be
forced to reveal the truth.
Samjna went to her father Vishvakarma and
told him what she had done. Vishvakarma kept asking her to return to her husband.
But this Samjna refused to do. Instead, she went to the land known as Uttara
Kuru and started to live there as a mare.
Meanwhile, Surya, who had not realized that
Samjna had been replaced by Chhaya, had two sons through Chhaya. They were
named Savarni Manu and Shani (Saturn). As soon as her own children were born,
Chhaya no longer displayed as much of love for Samjna’s children as she used to
do. Vaivasvata Manu was a quiet sort of person and he ignored the implied
neglect. But Yama was not that tolerant. Besides, he was also younger. He
raised his leg to kick Chhaya. At this, Chhaya cursed Yama that his legs would
fall off.
Yama went and complained to Surya. I have not
really kicked her, he said. I only threatened to. And does a mother ever curse
her children?
I can’t undo the curse, replied Surya. At
best, I can reduce its severity. Your legs will not actually fall off. Some of
the flesh from your legs will fall off onto the earth and create worms.
Thereby, you will be freed of your curse.
But nevertheless, Surya felt that there was
some truth in Yama’s asking whether a mother would ever curse her children. He
taxed Chhaya with the truth, but Chhaya would not reveal anything. Surya then
grasped her by the hair and threatened to curse her. Since her conditions were
now violated, Chhaya blurted out the truth.
In an extremely angry mood, Surya dashed off
to Vishvakarma’s house. Vishvakarma tried to cool him down. It is all because
of your excess energy that this has happened, exclaimed Vishvakarma. If you
permit, I will shave off some of the extra energy. Then Samjna will be able to
look at you.
Surya agreed to this proposition. With the
shaved off energy, Vishvakarma manufactured Vishnu’s chakra (a weapon like a
bladed discus).
Surya found out that Samjna was in Uttara
Kuru in the form of mare. He joined her there in the form of a horse. As
horses, they had two sons named Nasatya and Dasra. Since ashva means horse, the
sons were also known as the two Ashvinis and became the physicians of the gods.
Surya and Samjna then gave up their equine
forms and lived happily ever after.
Vaivasvata Manu’s Children
Vaivasvata Manu had no children and he
arranged for a sacrifice so that he might have a son. Nine sons were born as a
result of this sacrifice. Their names were Ikshvaku, Nabhaga, Dhrishta,
Sharyati, Narishyanta, Pramshu, Rishta, Karusha and Prishadhra. Manu also made
an offering to the two gods Mitra and Varuna. As a result of this offering, a
daughter named Ila was born.
Buddha was the son of Chandra, and Buddha and
Ila had a son named Pururava. Subsequently, thanks to a boon conferred on her
by Mitra and Varuna, Ila became a man named Sudyumna. Sudyumna’s sons were
Utkala, Gaya
and Vinatashva. Utkala ruled in Orissa, Gaya in the region that is also called
Gaya, and Vinatashva in the west.
Sudyumna was not entitled to rule since he
had earlier been a woman. He lived in the city known as Pratishthana. Pururava
inherited this later on.
When Vaivasvata Manu died, his ten sons
divided up the earth amongst themselves. Ikshvaku ruled in the central regions.
He had a hundred sons, the eldest of whom was named Vikukshi. Vikukshi came to
be known as Shashada. Thereby hangs a tale.
Ikshvaku wanted to organize a sacrifice and
he sent his son Vikukshi to the forest to fetch some meat for the sacrifice.
While hunting for game, Vikushi felt very hungry and ate up some of the meat.
This was a sacrilege and the sage Vashishtha advised Ikshvaku to banish
Vikukshi from his kingdom. Because the meat that he had eaten had been the meat
of a rabbit (shashaka), Vikukshi came to be known as Shashada.
But after Ikshvaku died, Vikukshi returned to
his father’s kingdom and began to rule there. This was the kingdom of Ayodhya.
One of Vikukshi’s sons was Kakutstha, and Rama of Ramayana fame was born in
this line.
Kubalashva
Kubalashva
Kubalashva was one of the kings descended
from Kakutstha. Kubalashva’s father was named Vrihadashva.
After Vrihadashva had ruled for many years,
he desired to retire to the forest. He therefore prepared to hand over the
kingdom to his son Kubalashva. But learning of King Vrihadashva’s resolve, a
sage named Utanka came to meet the king.
Don’t go to the forest right now, Utanka told
the king. My hermitage (ashrama) is on the shores of the ocean and is surrounded
by sand in all directons. A strong rakshasa named Dhundhu lives under the sand.
He is so strong that even the gods have been unable to kill him. Once every
year, Dhundhu exhales his breath and this raises a temendous cloud of sand and
dust. For an entire week the sun remains shrouded in dust and for the whole
week, there are earthquakes as a result of Dhundhu’s exhalation. This is
disturbing my meditation (tapasya) and you can’t very well go away to the
forest without first doing something about Dhundhu. Only you are capable of
killing him. I have accumulated a lot of power as a result of my tapasya and I
will give this to you if you kill Dhundhu.
Vrihadashva told Utanka that there was no
need for Vrihadashva himself to kill Dhundhu. He would go to the forest as he
had decided. His son Kubalashva was perfectly capable of killing Dhundhu and
would accompany Utanka.
Kubalashva and his hundred sons went to the
shores of the ocean where all the sand was Kubalashva asked his sons to start
digging so that they might find Dhundhu. Dhundhu attacked Kubalashva’s sons and
killed all of them but three. The three who escaped were named Dridashva,
Chandrashva and Kapilashva. But Dhundhu himself was killed by Kubalashva. As a
result of this great feat, Kubabashva came to be known as Dhundhumara. The sage
Utanaka blessed Kubalashva and by the sage’s blessings, Kubalashva’s dead sons
went straight to heaven.
Trishanku
Trishanku
From Dridashva was descended a king named
Trayaruni. Trayaruni was a righteous king and followed all the religious
dectates. But Trayaruni’s son Satyavrata was quite the opposite and refused to
follow the righteous path. King Trayaruni’s chief priest was the great sage
Vashishtha. Vashishtha advised the king that his evil son should be banished
from the kingdom. Trayaruni accepted the sage’s advice. Consequently, Satyara
started to live with outcasts (chandalas) outside the kingdom.
After some time, Trayaruni relinquished his
kingship and went away to the forest. The kingdom had no king and degenerated into
anarchy. The absence of a king is also frowned upon by the gods and for twelve
years there was a terrible drought.
Vishvamitra was another great sage. While all
this was going on, Vishvamitra was not present in the kingdom. He had gone away
to perform tapasya on the shores of the ocean, having left his wife and
children in a hermitage (ashrama) that was in the kingdom. But because there
was such a long spell of drought, there was also famine in the kingdom. People
started to strave. Vishvamitra’s wife decided to sell her son so that she might
have some foods to eat. She tied a rope round the son’s neck and took him to
the market – place. There, she sold him in exchange for a thousand cows. Since
a rope ahd been tied around the son’s neck(gala), he came to be known as
Galava.
But Satyavrata discovered what terrible
straits Vishvamitra’s family was in. He freed Galava and started to take care
of Vishvamitra’s wife and children.
Satyavrata had not been terribly fond of Vashishta. He blamed the sage for his banishment. When there was famine everywhere, Satyavarata stole Vashishtha’s cow. He killed the cow and served the meat to Vishvamitra’s sons, apart from eating it himself.
Satyavrata had not been terribly fond of Vashishta. He blamed the sage for his banishment. When there was famine everywhere, Satyavarata stole Vashishtha’s cow. He killed the cow and served the meat to Vishvamitra’s sons, apart from eating it himself.
Vashishtha was in a terrible rage when he got
to know about this incident. He cursed Satyavrata.
You have committed three sins (shanku),
Vashishtha told Satyavarata. Firstly, you have angered your father Trayaruni.
Secondly, you have stolen and killed a cow. Thirdly, you have eaten beef, a
forbiiden meat. Because of these three sins, you will henceforth be known as
Trishanku and be eternally cursed. (The word tri means three.)
Satyavrata had however taken care of
Vishvamitra’s family when the sage was away on his meditation. After
Vishvamitra returned, he was very happy to learn about what Trishanku had done
and offered to grant him a boon. Trishanku desired the boon that he might be
allowed to go to heaven in his own physical body. Thanks to Vishvamitra’s
immense powers, even this virtually impossible task was accomplished. Trishanku
became king in Trayaruni’s kingdom and Vishvamitra acted as his chief priest.
Sagara
Sagara
Trishanku’s son was Harishchandra and from
Harishchandra was descended a king named Bahu. Bahu devoted too much to
pleasurable pursuits. The upshot of this was that the defect of the kingdom was
not properly taken care of. Enemy kings seized this opportunity to attack
Bahu’s kingdom. They drove Bahnu out and Bahu went off to the forest with his
wife Yadavi.
The enemy kings who dislodged Bahu were led
by the Haihaya and Talajangha kings. They were aided by the Shakas, Yavanas,
Paradas, Kambojas and Pahlavas.
King Bahu died in the forest. His wife Yadavi
desired to die on her husband’s funeral pyre. But since Yadavi was pregnant at
the time, the sage Ourva persuaded her that such an act would be a sin. He
brought Yadavi to his own hermitage and began to take care of her.
Bahu had also had a second wife and she had
once tried to poison Yadavi. The poison (gara) had however done Yadavi no harm
and emerged when the baby was born. Since the baby was born together with
poison, he came to be known as Sagara.
The sage Ourva took care of Sagara’s
education. He imparted to Sagara the knowledge of all the shastras and also the
usage of weapons. Amongst other things, Sagara acquired the skill of using a
divine weapon known as agneyastra.
When he grew up, Sagara attacked the Haihaya
kings and defeated them through the use of agneyastra. He then defeated the
Shakas, Yavanas, Paradas, Kambojas and Pahlavas and was about to kill them all.
But these enemy kings fled to the sage Vashishtha for refuge and Vashishtha
persuaded Sagara not to kill his enemies. Instead , the heads of the Shakas
were half shaven off. The Yavanas and Kambojas had their heads completely
shaven. The Pahlavas were instructed that they would have to keep beards. These
enemy kings also lost all right to follow the religion laid down in the Vedas.
Amongst the other kings whom Sagara defeated were the Konasarpas, the
Mahishakas, the Darvas, the Cholas and the Keralas.
King Sagara had two wives. The first was
named Keshini and she was the daughter of the king of Vidarbha. The Brahma
Purana does not tell us the name of the second wife, but from the Mahabharata
we know that it was Sumati. Keshini and Sumati had no sons. They therefore
began to pray to Ourva so that they might have sons.
Ourva was pleased at these prayers and said,
both of you wil have sons. But one of you will have a single son and the other
will have sixty thousand sons. Tell me, who want what.
Keshini asked for a single son and Sumati
asked for sixty thousand sons. In due course, Keshini gave birth to a son named
Panchajana. Sumati gave birth to a gourd. Inside the gourd there was a lump of
meat. The gourd was placed inside a pot full of clarifed butter (ghrita). And
from the lump of meat were born sixty thousand sons.
King Sagara proceeded to conquer the entire
earth. As a recognition of this conquest, he initiated an ashvamedha yajna
(horse sacrifice). In this ceremony, the sacrifical horse is left free to
wander all over the earth. The sixty thousand sons accompanied the horse as its
gurads. The horse eventually reached the shores of the ocean that lies towards
the south-east. While Sagara’s sons were resting, the horse was stolen. The
sons started to look for the horse and began to dig up the sands in their
search. In this proces, they came upon the sage Kapila. Kapila had been
meditating and his meditation was disturbed by the terrible din that Sagara’s
sons made. He gazed at them in fury and all but four of the sons were burnt to
ashes. The four sons who were saved were named Varhiketu, Suketu, Dharmaketu
and Panchajana.
The Brahma Purana is slightly confused here.
Was Panchajana Keshini’ son or Sumati’s son? There is some inconsistency with
the account given in the Mahabharata. In the Mahabharata, it is Keshini who
gave birth to sixty thousand sons and it is Sumati who had a single on named
Asmanja. Also in the Mahabharata, all sixty thousand sons were burnt to ashes.
The Brahma Purana also tells us that the
sacrificial horse was obtained by Sagara from the ocean. That is the reason why
the ocean is referred to as sagara/
To come back to the account given in the
Brahma Purana, Panchajana’s son Amshumana and Amshumana’s son was Dilipa.
Dilipa had a son named Bhagiratha. Bhagiratha brought down the river Ganga from heaven to earth and thus redeemed his
ancestors who had been burnt to ashes by Kapila. It was because of this that
the river Ganga came to be known as
Bhagirathi.
From Bhagiratha was descended Raghu. Raghu’s
son was Aja. Aja’s son Dasharatha and Dasharatha’s son Rama.
The Moon and the Lunar Dynasty
There was a sage named Atri. Atri performed
very difficult tapasya. So difficult was the tapasya that Atri’s energy was
thrown up into the sky. The sky could not bear the energy and hurled it down
onto the earth. This energy then gave birth to Soma or Chandra, the moon god.
Brahma took Chandra up into his chariot and drove the chariot around the earth
twenty-one times. From whatever energy was left after Chandra had been created,
the herbs were born.
Chandra also performed very difficult
tapasya. One padma year consists of 10,000,000,000,000 normal years. For one
hundred such padma years, Chandra meditated. After the meditation was over,
Brahma appointed Chandra lord over seeds, herbs, brahmanas and the oceans.
Chandra also performed a rajasuya yajna (royal sacrifice) as a celebration of
his lordship. This gave him a lot of pomp, glory, wealth and respect.
But all this merely served to turn Chandra’s
head. The guru (teacher) of the gods was the sage Brihaspati. Brihaspati had a
wife named Tara and Chandra abducted Tara.
Despite the gods and the sages asking Chandra to return Tara., the moon god
would not listen. A terrible war then raged over Tara,
the gods fighting for Brihaspati and the demons fighting for Chandra.
Bhukracharay, the guru of the demons, fought on Chandra’s side and Shiva fought
on Brihaspati’s side. This war (samgrama) came to be known as tarakamaya
samgrama, since it was fought over Tara.
Finally Brahma intervened and a truce was
called. But Chandra and Tara had by then had a son, and Brihaspati refused to
accept this son as his own. This son wa Budha. As you already know, Budha
married Ila and they had a son named Pururava.
The Brahma Purana now describes several kings
belonging to the lunar dynasty.
Yayati
Yayati
In the lunar dynasty, there was born a
powerful king named Nahusha. He married Viraja and they had six sons named
Yati., Yajati, Samyati, Ayati, Yati and Suyati. Yati became a hermit. So
although Yayati was not the eldest, he was crowned king after Nahusha.
Yayati had two wives. The first was Devayani,
daughter of Shukracharaya. And the second was Sharmishtha, daughter of
Vrishaparva, the king of the danavas. Devayani had two sons named Yadu and
Turvasu and Sharmishtha had three sons named Druhya, Anu and Puru. Yayati
conquered the whole earth and ruled over it. When he became old, he divided the
earth amongst his five sons. Yadu was given the lands to the east, Puru the
lands in the centre, Turvasu the lands to the south and south-east, Druhya
those to the north and Anu those to the west.
Yayati gave up his weapons and decided to
travel throughout the world. He called Yadu to him and said, I wish to explore
the world and my old age is a hindrance. Please accept my old age and give your
youth in return.
Yadu refused. I will not, he said. One cannot
eat well when one is old, nor can one pleasure the comforts of the world. Old
age is not pleasant. Ask one of my brothers instead.
Yadu’s refusal angered Yayati. He cursed Yadu
that he or his descendants would never be kings. Yayati next requested Druhya,
Turvasu and Anu, but they too refused and were similarly cursed by their
father. But Puru agreed to his father’s request and gladly accepted the old
age. He was blessed by his father.
After many years had passed, Yayati got tired
of the world and returned Puru’s youth to him. He accepted back his old age and
retired to the forest to meditate.
From Puru was descended King Bharata after
whom the land came to be known as Bharatavarsha. Also in this line was King
Kuru, after whom all the descendants came to be known as Kauravas. The sacred
place named Kurukshetra owes its name ot King Kuru.
From Turvasu were descended the kings of
Pandya, Kerala, Kola and Chola.
From Druhya wre descended the kings of
Gandhara. The horses of the Gandhara kingdom are famous.
Yadu had five sons, Sahasrada, Payoda,
Kroshtu, Nila and Anjika. Sahasrada’s descendants were the Haihayas, amongst
whom the most famous was Kartyavirya Arjuna. Arjuna pleased the sage Dattatreya
and became invincible. He also had a thousand arms. Arjuna’s great deeds were
his defeat and imprisonment of Ravana, king of Lanka. Kroshtu’s descendants
were Vrishni and Andhaka and in the Vrishni line was born Krishna.
Geography
Geography
Having heard accounts of the solar and lunar
dynasties, the sages requested Romaharshana. Tell us a little about the
geography of the world. What does the earth look like? What are its limits?
Romaharshana obliged.
The earth is divided into seven regions
(dvipas). Their names are Jambudvipa, Plakshavipa, Shalmaladvipa, Kushadvipa,
Krouchadvipa, Shakadvipa and Pushkaradvipa. These regions are surrounded by
seven oceans and their names are Lavana, Ikshu, Sura, Sarpi, Dadhi, Dugha and
Jala.
Jambudvipa is in the centre and right in the
middle of Jambudvipa is Mount
Sumeru. To the south of
Sumeru are the mountains Himavana, Hemakuta and Nishadha and to the north of
Sumeru are the mountains Nila, Shveta and Shringi. Jambudvipa itself is divided
into several regions (varshas). For example, Sumeru is in the middle of
Ilavritavarsha. Bharatavarsha is to the south of Sumeru. To the east of Sumeru
is Bhadrashvavarsha and to the west is Ketumalavarsha. Harivarsha lies to the
south and Ramyakavarsha to the north. Still further northis Hiranmayavarsha and
beyond that , Uttarakuruvarsha.
Brahma’s city is on the peak of Sumeru.
It is there that the river Ganga descends from
heaven and gets divided into four tributaries. Sita flows eastwards, Chakshu
westwards, Bhadra northwards and Alakananda southwards into Bharatavarsha.
There are seven major mountain ranges in
Bharatavarsha and their names are Mahendra, Malya, Sahya, Shuktimana, Riksha,
Vindhya and Pariyatra. Bharatavarsha itself is divided into nine regions
(dvipas). The names of eight of these regions are Indradvipa, Kaserumana,
Tamraparna, Gabhastimana, Nagadvipa, Soumya, Gandharva and Varuna. The ninth
region is completely surrounded by the ocean in all directions. To the east of
Bharatavarsha live the Kiratas and to the west the Yavanas.
Below the earth lie the seven regions of the
underworld (patala). Their names are Atala, Vitala, Nitala, Sutala, Talatala,
Rasatala and Patala. The daityas, danavas and the snakes (sarpa) live there.
The underworld is a wonderful place, more beautiful than heaven itself. The
sage Narada once went on a trip to the underworld and was bowled over by its
beauty. It is full of palaces and jewels. The sun rises there, but does not
radiate too much of heat. The moon also rises, but its beam are not at all
chilly. The forest are populated by beautiful trees and the ponds are thick
with lotus flowers, the songs of cuckoo birds are heard everywhere. Below the
underworld sleeps a great snake, known as Shesha or Anata. It has a thousand
hoods, all covered with jewels. In fact, this snake is really Vishnu in one of
his various forms.
Also part of the world are hells (naraka),
presided over by Yama, the god of death. Those are full of weapons, fire and
poisons and sinners are sent there to be punished. Sins that are punished by
despatch to one of the several hells are lying, murder, killing cows,
destroying cities, drinking, killing brahmanas, theft, selling wine or hair,
criticizing the Vedas, insulting elders, making weapons, selling lac or meat,
dabbling in astronomy, selling salt, destroying forests needlessly, killing
sheep or deer, cheating and studying under one’s own son. Each sinner receives
a punishment that is in proportion to the severity of his sin. Of course, if
one performs penance (prayashchitta) for one’s sin, one need not go to naraka.
The best form of penance is praying to Krishna.
The earth (prithivi or bhuloka) extends upto
those parts of the sky that can be lit up by the rays of the sun and the moon.
The expanse from there to the solar circle is known as bhuvarloka and holy
sages live there. Above the solar circle is the lunar circle and beyond it, in
succession, come the regions of Mercury (Budha), Venus (Shukra), Mars (Mangala),
Jupiter (Brihaspati), Saturn (Shani), the Great Bear constelation (saptarshi)
and the Pole Star (Dhruva). The region from the solar circle to Dhruvaloka is
known as heaven (svarloka or svarga). Beyond Dhruvaloka is Maharloka and
further away, Janaloka, Brahma’s sons live in Janaloka. Beyond Janaloka are
Tapaloka and Satyaloka. At the end of a kalpa, all the three lokas (regions) of
bhuloka, bhuvarloka and svarloka are destroyed. But the four lokas of
Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapaloka and Satyaloka are not destroyed.
Konaraka
There is an ocean to the south of
Bharatavarsha. On the shores of this great ocean there is a land named Ondra or
Utkala (present Orrisa). Utkala is populated by religious people and the
brahmanas who live there are learned in the Vedas. They are very good priests,
learned in the Puranas and the shastras and skilled in the art of sacrifices.
In the land of Utkala, there is an image of the sun
(Surya) known as Konaditya. The word aditya also means the sun, as does the
word arka. Thus, Konaditya is the same as Konarka, a corruption of the latter
word being Konaraka. The image of Konadiya is so wonderful that even if one
gazes at the image, all one’s sins are forgiven.
All around the temple there is sand. But
nevertheless, many trees grow around the temple. The best time to worship the
sun there is at the time of sunrise. One has to face the east and draw a lotus
flower on the ground with red sandalwood. The lotus flower must have exactly
eight petals. A copper vessel has to be placed at the centre of the flower and
filled with paddy, sesamum, water, red, sandalwood, red flowers and sacred
grass. One prays to Surya to descend on the lotus flower that has thus been
drawn. If one worships Konaditya according to these prescribed rites, the sins
of seven preceding generations are forgiven.
The twelve adityas are nothing but different
forms of Surya. Their names are Indra, Dhata, Parjanya, Tvashta, Pusha, Aryama,
Bhaga, Vivasvana, Vishnu, Amashumana, Varuna and Mitra, As Indra, Surya
destroys the enemies of the gods. As Dhata, he creates living beings. As
Parjanya, he showers down rain. As Tvashta, he lives in the trees and herbs. As
Pusha, he makes foodgrains grow. As Aryama, he is in the wind. As Bhaga, he is
in the body of all 0living beings. As Vivasvana, he is in fire and helps to
cook food. As Vishnu, he destroys the enemies of the gods. As Amshumana, he is
again in the wind. As Varuna, Surya is in the waters and as Mitra, he is in the
moon and in the oceans.
In each month of the year, it is a different
aditya who shines, Indra shines in the month of Ashvina, Dhata in Kartika ,
Parjanya in Shravana, Tvashta in Falguna, Pusha in Pousha, Aryama in Vaishakha,
Bhaga in Magha, Vivasvana in Jyaishtha, Vishnu in Chaitra, Amshumana in Ashada,
Varuna in Bhadra and Mitra in Agrahayana. Vishnu has twelve hundred rays,
Aryama one thousand and three hundred, Vivasvana seventy-two, Amshumana
fifteen, Parjanya seventy-two, Varuna one thousand and three hudnred, Tvashta
one thousand and one hundred, Indra two thousand and two hundred, Dhata eleven
hundred, Mitra one thousand and Pusha nine hundred. Apart from the names of the
twelve adityas, Surya has twevle other names as well. These are Aditya, Savita,
Surya, Mihira, Arka, Prabhakara, Martanda, Bhaskara, Bhanu, Chitrabhanu,
Divakara and Ravi.
Brahma once recounted to the sages the one
hundred and eight sacred names of Surya. The Brahma Purana lists these names
and we reproduce them nine groups of twelve names each.
(1) Surya, Archana, Bhagavana, Tvashta, Pusha, Arka, Savita, Ravi, Gabhastimana, Aja, Kala, Mrityu.
(2) Dhata, Prabhakara, Prithivi, Jala, Teja, Akasha, Vayu, Parayana, Soma, Brihaspati, Shukra, Budha.
(3) Angaraka, Indra, Vivasvana, Diptamshu, Shuchi, Shouri,Shanaishvara, Brahma, Vishu, Rudra, Skanda, Vaishravana.
(4) Yama, Vaidyuta, Jathara, Agni, Aindhana, Tejohapti, Dharmadhvaja, Vedakarta, Vedanga, Vedavahana, Krita, Treta.
(5) Dvapara, Kali, Sarvasurashraya, Kala, Kashtha, Muhurta, Kshapa, Yama, Kshana, Samvatsara, Ashvattha, Kalachakra.
(6) Vibhavasu, Shashvata, Purusha, Yogi, Vyaktavyakta, Sanatana, Kaladhyaksha, Prajadhyaksha, Vishvakarma, Tamonuda, Varuna, Sagara.
(7) Amsha, Jimuta, Jivana, Ariha, Bhutashraya, Bhutapati, Sarvalokanamaskrita, Shrashta, Samvartaka, Vahni, Sarvadi, Alolupa.
(8) Anata, Kapila, Bhanu, Kamada, Sarvotamukha, Jaya, Vishala, Varada, Sarvabhutasevita, Mana, Suparna, Bhutadi.
(9) Shighraga, Pranadharana, Dhanvantari, Dhumaketu, Adideva, Aditinandana, Dvadashatma, Ravi, Daksha, Pita, Mata, Pitamaha.
Indradyumna and Purushottama Kshetra
(1) Surya, Archana, Bhagavana, Tvashta, Pusha, Arka, Savita, Ravi, Gabhastimana, Aja, Kala, Mrityu.
(2) Dhata, Prabhakara, Prithivi, Jala, Teja, Akasha, Vayu, Parayana, Soma, Brihaspati, Shukra, Budha.
(3) Angaraka, Indra, Vivasvana, Diptamshu, Shuchi, Shouri,Shanaishvara, Brahma, Vishu, Rudra, Skanda, Vaishravana.
(4) Yama, Vaidyuta, Jathara, Agni, Aindhana, Tejohapti, Dharmadhvaja, Vedakarta, Vedanga, Vedavahana, Krita, Treta.
(5) Dvapara, Kali, Sarvasurashraya, Kala, Kashtha, Muhurta, Kshapa, Yama, Kshana, Samvatsara, Ashvattha, Kalachakra.
(6) Vibhavasu, Shashvata, Purusha, Yogi, Vyaktavyakta, Sanatana, Kaladhyaksha, Prajadhyaksha, Vishvakarma, Tamonuda, Varuna, Sagara.
(7) Amsha, Jimuta, Jivana, Ariha, Bhutashraya, Bhutapati, Sarvalokanamaskrita, Shrashta, Samvartaka, Vahni, Sarvadi, Alolupa.
(8) Anata, Kapila, Bhanu, Kamada, Sarvotamukha, Jaya, Vishala, Varada, Sarvabhutasevita, Mana, Suparna, Bhutadi.
(9) Shighraga, Pranadharana, Dhanvantari, Dhumaketu, Adideva, Aditinandana, Dvadashatma, Ravi, Daksha, Pita, Mata, Pitamaha.
Indradyumna and Purushottama Kshetra
In satya yuga there was a king named
Indradyumna. He was a very powerful king, as powerful as Indra himself. He was
handsome, honest and truthful, learned in the shastras and the Vedas, and
skilled in the use of weapons. His radiance put the sun to shame. Indradyumna
was devoted to Vishnu. He once decided that he would worship Vishnu. A tirtha
is a sacred place of pilgrimage. Indradyumna scanned all the existing tirthas
and cities. But none of them satisfied him. None of them, he felt, was
appropriate as a place for worshiping Vishnu.
Indradyumna’s own capital was the city of
Avanti, in the kingdom
of Malava. Avanti was a
beautiful and wealthy city, surrounded on all sides by moats and other
fortifications. Traders from many countries came there with all sorts of
commodities for trading. The roads of the city were lined with shops. The
houses were painted white. The king’s stables were full of horses and
elephants. All citizens of Avanti were pleasant of appearance and happy.
Sacrifices were held fairly often. Many were the temples, groves and ponds in
Avanti. Any tree that grew on earth could be found there.
There was a temple to Shiva in the city. This
was known as the temple
of Mahakala. The image
there was so sacred that worshipping Shiva in the temple of Mahaka
was tantamount to performing one thousand ashvamedha yajnas.
The river Shipra flowed past Avanti. On the
banks of the river there was a temple to Vishnu known as Govindasvami. Another
temple to Vishnu was named Vikramasvami.
But Indradyumna was not satisfied with these temples. He wanted to build another temple to Vishnu. He left Avanti to look for a proper place. His soldiers and subjects accompanied their king, so that it looked as if the entire city of Avanti was on the march. After travelling for any days, they arrived on the shores of the southern ocean, the ocean that is known as lavana samudra.
But Indradyumna was not satisfied with these temples. He wanted to build another temple to Vishnu. He left Avanti to look for a proper place. His soldiers and subjects accompanied their king, so that it looked as if the entire city of Avanti was on the march. After travelling for any days, they arrived on the shores of the southern ocean, the ocean that is known as lavana samudra.
There were so many waves in the ocean that
the ocean itself seemed to be dancing. Marine animals lived in the ocean and
the waters were also the source of all sorts of jewels. Indradyumna began to
live on the shores of the ocean. He discovered a place near the ocean that was
thick with flower and fruit trees. Many types of birds gathered there to eat
the fruit. This was the place known as Purushottama kshetra (place), the city
of Puri of
modern times.
Purushottama kshetra was a very important
tirtha. But all knowledge of this tirtha had been hidden until Indradyumna
arrived on the scene. There was a reason for this. Many years ago, there used
to be an image of Vishnu there, where people used to pray. So sacred was the
image that all the sins of the worshippers were immediately forgiven. The
result was that Yama could not punish any of the sinners. They simply prayed to
Vishnu’s image and escaped. Yama therefore prayed to Vishnu for a solution.
Vishnu hid the image under the sand so that no one knew that it existed.
Indradyumna liked Purushottama kshetra. The
river Mahanadi or Chitroplala flowed not very
far away. The people who lived around the place were religious. He decided that
this was the right place for building a temple to Vishnu. On an auspicious day,
the foundation stone was laid.
Indradyumna then got in touch with the kings
of Kalinga, Utkala and Koshala. He requested their help in fetching stones for
the building of the temple. The kings sent their architects to the Vindhya
mountains. The stones were gathered from these mountains and brought to
Purushottama Kshetra in boats and chariots. Messengers were also sent to several
other kings for aid. They came with their armies and with a lot of wealth.
Indradyumna told the assembled kings, I wish
to accomplish two difficult tasks. The first is to perform an ashvamedha yajna
here. And the second is to build a temple to Vishnu. Both of these difficult
jobs, particularly the second. But if you help me, I am confident that both
jobs can be done.
The kings agreed to help. They offered
jewels, wealth, gold, clothes, foodgrains and other objects. The place where
the yajna was to beheld was made entriely out of gold. In fact, all the objects
used in the yajna were made out of gold. Brahmanas from all over Jambudvipa
came to witnesss the sacrifice. They were donated elephants, horses and cows as
alms. Never has there been any other sacrifice to rival the one that
Indradyumna peformed.
After the sacrifice was over and the temple
built, there remained the more important question of the image. How was this to
be made? Indradyumna began to pray to Vishnu for guidance.
Vishnu appeared before Indradyumna in a dream
and said, Why are you so miserable? When the sun rises, got to the shores of
the ocean. There you will find a tree. Half of the tree is in the water and the
remaining half in the sand. Chop down this tree. Its wood will give you the
material for the image.
In the morning, Indradyumna went to the
seashore and found the tree. It was just as Vishnu had described it to be. With
an axe, he chopped down the tree. As he was about to slice the trunk in two,
two brahmanas appeared before him. Although Indradyumna did not know it, these
two brahmanas were Vishnu and Vishvakarma in disguise.
King, what have you done? exclaimed the
brahmanas. You have cut down the only tree that was on the shores of the ocean.
Forgive me, replied Indradyumna. I wished to
make an image of Vishnu. Vishnu has instructed me in a dream that this is the
tree from which the image should be made.
That is an excellent idea, said the brahmana
who was Vishnu in disguise. There is nothing so holy as praying to Vishnu. Meet
my companion. He is as skilled as the great Vishvakarma himself. If you want,
he will build the image for you.
King Indradyumna agreed. And instructed by
Vishnu, Vishvakarma started to build the image. Or, to be more accurate, there
were three diffferent images. The first one was that of Baladeva or Balarama.
This was completely while in colour, except for the eyes, which were red. The
image was dressed in blue and snake held its hood over Balarama’s head. A club
and a mace were in Balarama’s hands. The second image was Krishna’s
This was blue in colour, with eyes like lotus flowers. The image was dressed in
yellow and had a chakra inits hand. The third image was that of Krishna’s sister Subhadra. This image was golden in
colour and was dressed in wonderful clothes.
When Indradyumna discovered that the images
were made in a matter of minutes, he was thundersturck. He realized that the
two brhamanas could not be mere mortals. He fell at their feet and said, Please
tell me who you are. You cannot be humans.
Vishnu and Vishvakarma then revealed their
true selves and Indradyumna was thrilled. Vishnu blessed the king and told him
that he would rule for ten thousand and nine hundred years. And even after
Indradyumna died, a place would be reserved for him in heaven.
On an auspicious day, the three images were
instated in the temple.
Markandeya
Many years ago, a great destruction (pralaya)
took place. The earth was shrouded in darkness and nothing could be seen. There
was neither sun nor moon. Lightning and thunder crushed mountains and trees.
There were showers of meteors. Lakes and rivers dried up. The entire earth
burnt with fire and the flames of the fire reached down to the underworld. All
living beings perished in this fire, including the gods and the demons.
There was a sage named Markandeya. While all
this was going on, Markandeya was busy meditating. Such was the power of
Markandeya’s tapasya that the fire dared not touch him. But it is also true
that Markandeya was scared of the fire that raged all around him. He suffered
from hunger and thirst and forgot all about his tapasya. His lips and throat
dried up from fear. Markandeya discovered that there was a banyan tree that was
untouched by all these ravages. He retired to the shade of the banyan tree and
started to pray to Vishnu.
Clouds gathered in the sky. They were thick
and dark clouds and they spread all over the earth. It started to rain and it
poured and poured. Water was everywhere and the earth was flooded. The water
put out the fire. It rained continuously for twelve years. The oceans flooded
the shores and the mountains were pulverised. Vishnu slept on the water.
Markandeya did not know what to do. There
water everywhere and he floated on it. But he continued to pray to Vishnu.
Vishnu spoke to Markandeya. Do not be
frightened. Markandeya, he said. You are devoted to me and I shall protect you.
Markandeya did not realize that it was Vishnu
who was speaking. Who dares to address me thus? he demanded. Am I a child that
I should be so addressed? I am the great Markandeya, blessed by Brahma himself.
But try as he might, Markandeya could not see
anyone anywhere. Where had the voice come from then? Had it all been an
illusion? Not knowing what to do, he started to pray again to Vishnu. Suddenly
he saw the banyan tree floating on the water. A golden bed was spread on the
branches of the tree and on the bed there slept a small boy. Markandeya was
exceedingly surprised to see the small boy floating in the middle of this
deluge. He was so confused by his illusions that he did not realize tha thtis
boy was none other than Vishnu.
The boy spoke to Markandeya. You are tired,
said the boy. You are looking for a refuge. Enter my body and rest for
sometime.
Markandeya was so confused that, before he could
react, he entered the boy’s body through the mouth. Inside the boy’s stomach
Markandeya discovered all the worlds the seven regions and the seven oceans.
The mountains and the kingdoms were all there. So were all living beings.
Markandeya did not know what to make of all
this. He started to pray to Vishnu. No sooner than he had started, he came out
of the boy’s mouth. Vishnu now appeared before him and blessed him. The sage
spent a thousand years with Vishnu. Vishnu then asked, I wish to grant you a boon.
What is your desire?
I want to build a temple to Shiva in
Purushottama kshetra, replied Markandeya. This will prove to everyone that
Vishnu and Shiva are really one and the same.
Vishnu granted the boon and Markandeya built
a temple to Shiva known as Bhuvaneshvara (Lord of the World).
King Shveta
King Shveta
In satya yuga there used to be a king named
Shveta. He was such a good king that during his reign people lived for ten
thousand years. No one died as a child. Longevity was high and there was no
infant mortality.
But there was a sage named Kapalagoutama.
Unfortunately, the sage’s son died as an infant. The sage brought the dead body
to Shveta and the king resolved that if he could not bring the sage’s son back
to life within a week, he would immolate himself in a fire. Having thus taken
an oath. King Shveta worshipped Shiva with one thousand and one hundred blue
lotus flowers. Shiva appreared before the king and granted the boon tha tthe
infant son might be brought back to life.
King Shveta ruled for a thousand years. He
also built a temple to Vishnu in Purushottama kshetra. The temple that had been
built by Indradyumna was known as the temple of Jagannatha.
Shveta’s temple was not very far from this and known as the temple of Shvetamadhava.
The image in this temple was as white as the moon.
Vali
Vali
There was a king of the daitya named Vali. He
was powerful and invincible. He was also righteous and truthful. The gods could
not bear to see Vali’s prosperity and began to plot how Vali might be foiled.
So well did Vali rule that disease, drought and evil disappeared throughout the
three worlds.
In desperation, the gods approached Vishnu. Please do something about Vali, they requested. You always help us out when we are in trouble.
In desperation, the gods approached Vishnu. Please do something about Vali, they requested. You always help us out when we are in trouble.
There is no difference between Vali and the
gods so far as I am concerned, replied Vishnu Vali is devoted to me. I cannot
therefore fight with him. But I will think of a way so that his kingdom might
be taken away from him and given to you.
Vishnu decided to be born as Aditi’s son. The
son was a dwarf. This was the vamana avatara (dwarf incarnation) of Vishnu.
Vali proposed to organize a horse sacrifice.
Many sages came to the sacrifice and Shukracharya was the chief priest. The
dwarf also arrived to wintess the yajna.
Shukracharya realized that the dwarf was none
other than Vishnu. He told Vali. I suspect that this dwarf is Vishnu in
disguise. He must have come here to ask you for something. Please do not grant
him anything without first consulting me,
Certainly not, replied Vali. It is good
fortune indeed that the great Vishnu has come to my house. What is there to
consult about? I shall grant Vishnu whatever he wants.
Vali went to the dwarf to ascertain what the
dwarf wanted. Vishnu expressed the wish that he might be given as much of land
as might be covered in three of the dwarf’s steps. This boon Vali readily
granted. But no sooner than the boon had been granted, the dwarf adopted a
gigantic form. He place one foot on Vali’s yajna and the second on Brahmaloka.
Where will I place my third step? demanded
Vishnu. There is no more space left in the entire universe. Find a place for my
third step.
Vali smiled and said, Place it on my back.
Vishnu was charmed at Vali’s generosity. He
granted Vali the boon that Vali would hold the title of Indra in a furture
manvantara. He then appointed Vali king of the underwold. But Indra’s kingdom
of heaven, which Vali had conquered, was returned to Indra.
Brahma had all this while been in Brahmaloka.
When Vishnu placed his second foot on Brahmaloka, Brahma felt that he should
welcome and worship the foot. He used holy water from his water-pot (kamandalu)
to wash the foot. The water spilled over from the foot and fell on the
mountains. There the water divided into four. Vishnu accepted the flow that
went northwards. The flow that went westwards returned to Brahma’s kamandalu.
The flow that went eastwards was gathered up by the gods and the sages. But the
flow that went southwards got entangled in Shiva’s matted hair. This water was
the river Ganga.
Goutama
Part of the water of the Ganga
that got stuck in Shiva’s hair was brought down to earth by Bhagiratha. The
remaining part was brought down by the sage Goutama.
Parvati was married to Shiva, but Shiva
seemed to be fonder of Ganga than of Parvati.
Parvati resolved that a way had to be found to remove Ganga
from Shiva’s hair. She tried persuasion, but Shiva refused to listen.
At the time, there was a terrible drought on
earth which went on for fourteen years. The only place that was not affected by
the drought was the sage Goutama’s hermitage. Other people also gathered in the
hermitage to save themselves from the drought and Goutama welcomed them all.
Ganesha thought that he might be able to devise a way to free his mother of the
Ganga problem. He went and began to live in
Goutama’s hermitage.
Goutama’s hermitage.
Ganesha cultivated the acquaintance of the
other sages and became quite friendly with them.
One of Parvati’s companions were Jaya.
Ganesha told Jaya that she was to adopt the form of a cow and up the grain in
Goutama’s fields. And the moment she was struck, she was to lie down on the
ground and pretend to be dead.
Goutama notieced that a cow eating up his
grain. He tried to drive away the cow by striking with a blade of grass. As
soon as he did this, the cow uttered a shrill bellow and fell down on the
ground. Ganesh and the other sages came running to see what had happened. They
discovered that, to all intents and purposes, a cow had been struck down dead
by sage Goutama. They therefore refused to stay in an ashrama where such a sin
had been committed.
Goutama tried to restrain them. Please do not
go away and forsake me, he said. Tell me how I may perform penance.
You will have to bring down Ganga
from Shiva’s hair, replied Ganesha. When that water touches the dead body of
the cow, your sin will be forgiven.
Ganesha was so friendly with the other sages
that they all accepted his solution. Goutama also agreed to do the needful.
Accordingly, Goutama went to Mount Kailasa
and began to pray to Shiva. Shiva was pleased at Goutama’s tapasya and offered
to grant a boon. Goutama naturally wanted the boon that Ganga
might be brought down to earth. Shiva agreed. It was thus that Ganga was brought down to earth by the sage Goutama. Ganga has four tributaries in heaven, seven on earth and
four in the underworld. Since it was Goutama who brought Ganga
down to earth, the river is also known as Goutami Ganga.
The Doves
The Doves
In the mountain known as Brahmagiri there
used to live a hunter who was very cruel. He not only killed birds and animals,
but brahmanas and sages as well.
The hunter once went on a hunt. He killed
many animals and birds and some he put in his cages. He had penetrated so far
inside the forest that he was far from home. It became night and also started to
rain. Hungry and thirsty, the hunter lost his way. He climbed up a tree and
decided to spend the night there. But his mind kept going back to his wife and
children at home.
For many years a dove and its family had
lived happily on that tree. Both the male and the female had gone out to look
for food. But although the male dove had returned to the nest, the female dove
had not. In fact, the female had been captured by the hunter and was now inside
a cage. The male did not know this. He mourned for his wife.
These words of mourning were heard by the
female dove inside the cage and she made her presence felt. The male dove came
down and discovered his wife inside the cage. The hunter is sleeping now, he
said. Now is the time for me to free you.
No, replied the female dove. You know how it
is with living beings. One living being lives on another. I can find no fault
with the hunter, he is merely collecting his food. He is like a guest to us.
And it is our duty to offer up our bodies for the sake of a guest.
You are quite right, said the male dove. I
lost my sense of propriety. We have to serve our guest. But how do we serve our
guest? We have nothing that we can call our own.
At the moment the hunter is suffering most
from the cold, replied the female dove. We have to light a fire to warm him up.
Go and find a fire and bring plenty of dead leaves and branches so that the
fire may burn.
The male dove found a flaming branch. He also
brought many dry leaves and branches so that the fire could burn. The rain had
stopped and the fire warmed the hunter.
Now , said the female dove, Free me so that I
may immolate myself in the fire. My roasted flesh will serve as food for the
hunter.
Never, replied the male dove. It is my right
to serve the guest first.
Saying this, the male dove hurled himself
into the fire. The hunter had heard the entire conversation and marvelled that
two doves could be so altruistic. The female dove now requested the hunter to
free her from the cage . And as soon as he did this, the female dove also
hurled herself into the fire.
This selfless deed of the two doves was so
wonderful that a space vehicle (vimana) came down to take the two doves
straight to heaven. The cruel hunter was also impressed and repented his past
misdeeds. He told the doves, You are indeed blessed. Before you go to heaven,
please tell me how I may perform penance for my sins.
Go to Goutami Ganga and bathe there for
fifteen days, replied the doves. Your sins will also be forgiven.
The hunter did as he had been asked to. The
place where the doves immolated themselves became a holy tirtha known as
kapotatirtha, since the word kapota means dove.
Garuda and Maninaga
Garuda and Maninaga
You have already been told about the great
snake (naga) Ananta. Anata had a son named Maninaga. Garuda was the enemy of
the snakes and the snakes were all afraid of Garuda.
Maninaga began to pray to Shiva. Having
pleased Shiva, he obtained the boon that Garuda would be able to do him no
harm. Armed with this boon. Maninaga started to wander around freely and did
not run away even when faced with Garuda. Garuda found this to be exceedinly
strange. Although he could not kill Maninaga, he captured him and kept him
imprisoned in his own house.
Shiva had a compassion named Nandi. Nandi
told Shiva, Lord, what has happened to Maninaga? We have not seen him for some
time. I hope that Garuda has not done him some harm.
Shiva of course knew what had happened. He
advised Nandi to pray to Vishnu. Nandi was to please Vishnu and then ask for
the boon that Maninaga might be freed from Garuda’s imprisonment. Nandi did
this and Vishnu asked Garuda to release Maninaga.
Lord, Garuda told Vishnu, this is very
unfair. Other masters treat their servants very well. They give their servants
gifts. See how Shiva has sent Nandi himself to rescue Shiva’s devotee Maninaga.
You never give me any gifts. Moreover, when I obtain something on my own, you
ask me to relinquish it. Is this proper on your part? It is on me that you ride
when you go out to fight the demons. They get defeated because of my prowess.
And yet it tickles your ego no end to think that you have defeated them
yourself.
Vishnu smiled and replied, Garuda, you are
quite right. You have become thin and lean from bearing my weight. It is quite
true that I can defeat the demons only because of your prowess. You have a lot
of strength. Why don’t you bear the weight of my little finger and demonstrate
your strength?
Vishnu placed his little finger on Garuda’s
head. So heavy was the finger that Garuda was crushed against the ground.
Please forgive me, said Garuda. I have been
very stupid. I am an ignorant ass and you are the lord of everything. I have
been completely flattened by the weight of your little finger. Please tell me
how I may regain my old self.
Vishnu asked Nandi to take Garuda to Shiva.
Shiva would find a way of restoring Garuda’s old appearance. Maninaga was
released and Nandi took Garuda to Shiva. Shiva asked Garuda to bathe in Goutami
Ganga. This would make his appearance normal again.
Garuda did this. Not only was his old
appearance restored, he became stronger and swifter than he used to be. The
place where Garuda bathed is a tirtha known as Garudatirtha.
Vishvamitra and Indra
Many years ago, there was a terrible drought.
Ther was no food to be had.
The sage Vishvamitra had come to the banks of
the river Goutami Ganga with his disciples. Vishvamitra’s wife, children and
disciples were all hungry. The sage therefore sent his disciples out to look
for food. They searched everywhere, but could find no food. The only object
that they could find was the body of a dead dog. They brought this to
Vishvamitra.
We have no choice, Vishvamitra told his disciples. Clean the meat carefully with water. Then offer it to the gods, the sages and the ancestors. This what we have to live on.
We have no choice, Vishvamitra told his disciples. Clean the meat carefully with water. Then offer it to the gods, the sages and the ancestors. This what we have to live on.
Offering the meat of a dog to the gods was
unheard of. Indra adopted the form of a hawk and stole the vessel in which the
meat was kept. But Vishvamitra go to know about this and got ready to curse
Indra. Indra was naturally scared of Vishvamitra’s curse. He changed the
dog-meat into amrita ( a heavenly drink) and brough the vessel back.
I don’t want amrita, Vishvamitra told Indra.
Bring the dog-meat back. I don’t want to have amrita when the whole world is
starving for food. There is no food available and I do not see any sin in
eating dog-meat. Nor should there be a sin in offering it to the gods.
Indra was the god of rains. He realized that
the only way to persuade Vishvamitra against eating the dog-meat was to make it
rain so that there would be an end to the drought. Instructed by Indra, the
clouds poured down rain. Vishvamitra and his disciples now consented to partake
of the ammrita.
The place where all this happend has come to
be known as Vishvamitratirtha.
Shveta
Shveta
There used to be a brahmana named Shveta. He
was a friend of the sage Goutama and had a hermitage on the banks of the
Goutami Ganga. Shveta was also devoted to Shiva. In due course, Shveta died and
Yama’s messengers arrived to take Shveta to Yama. But they could not even enter
Shveta’s house.
Finding that Yama’s messengers were not
returning, Yama’s companion Chitraka told Yama, What do you think has happened?
Why aren’t the messengers returning?
Yama now sent his companion Mrityu (literally
death) to find out what was going on. Mrityu went to Shveta’s house and found
Yama’s messages standing outside the house. They explained that they were
unable to enter the house because Shiva himself was guarding Shveta’s body.
One of Shiva’s companions asked Mrityu. What
are you doing here? What do you want?
I have come to take Shveta to Yama, replied
Mrityu. His time on earth is up.
Mrityu flung a noose to grasp Shveta’s body.
But Shiva’s companion struck Mrityu with a rod and killed him. When the news of
this was taken to Yama, he was furious. With all his companions he attacked
Shveta’s house. Nandi, Ganesha, Kartikeya and several of Shiva’s companions
came to fight on Shiva’s side, and a battle royal raged. All the gods arrived
to mediate and end the strife. Things had got a bit out of hand and Yama
himself had been killed by Kartikeya.
The problem seemed to defy solution. Yama
was, after all, performing his duty. But Shiva insisted that his devotees would
never be taken to Yama, but would instead go straight to heaven. Shiva’s conditon
was finally agreed to. Nandi brought water from the Goutami Ganga and sprinkled
it on Yama and the others who had died in the fighting. They were all
immediately brought back to life.
Kubera
Kubera
Kubera was the eldest son of the sage
Vishrava. Vishrava had two wives. The first wife gave birth to Kubera. The
second wife was a rakshasa (demon) woman and gave birth to Ravana, Kumbhakarna
and Vibhishana. Kubera used to rule in Lanka and his relations with his cousins
were extemely good. But Ravana’s mother did not like idea of her sons mixing so
much with Kubera.
She called her sons and said, What are you up
to? Why do you cause me so much of pain? You are demons and Kubera is a god. Is
it proper that you should be so friendly with him? The relation between gods
and demons is one of enmity. Consider Kubera’s pomp and glory. Have you got
anything like that to show for yourselves? Do something so as to improve your
own statures.
Thus instructed by their mother, Ravana,
Kumbhakarna and Vibhishana went off to the forest to perform tapasya. They
pleased Brahma with their prayers and desired the boon that they might win over
the kingdom of Lanka, Ravana also obtained the boon
that he would become very strong.
Thus fortified with the boons, the demons
attacked Kubera and defeated him. They drove Kubera out of Lanka, Kubera
possessed a beautiful vimana named pushpaka. This was also appropriated by
Ravana. Ravana also made it known that whoever gave Kuber refuge would be
killed by him. This meant that no one dared give refuge to Kubera.
Kubera sought the advice of his grandfather
Pulastya. Pulastya told him to go to the banks of the Goutami Ganga and pray to
Shiva there. Shiva appeared before Kubera and blessed him. He granted Kubera
that Kubera would become the god of all wealth.
Harishchandra
Harishchandra
In the Ikshvaku dynasty there ruled a king
named Harishchandra. Harishchandra had so son. One day two sages named narada
and Parvata came to visit harishchandra and told him that he would go to hell
if he did not have a son.
How can I obtain a son? asked Harischchandra.
Go to the banks of the Goutamai Ganga.
advised the sges. Pray to the god Varuna there. We are sure that Varuna will
grant you a son.
Harishchandra pleased Varuna with his prayers
and asked for a son.
You will have ason, said Varuna. But there is
a conditon attached. You will have to suubsequently organize a yajna in my
honour and you will have to sacrifice your son at this yajna. Tell me if this
condition is acceptable to you.
Yes indeed, replied Harischchandra.
In due course, Harishchandra had a son who
was named Rohita.
Varuna came ot Harishchandra and asked, What
about the yajna in my honour?
Please let him grow his teeth, replied
Harishchandra. Animals are sacrificed at yajnas. And no one becomes an animal
until he actually has teeth.
Varuna waited till the teeth grew and
returned When Rohita was seven years of age. What about the yajna in my honour?
he asked.
These are only milk teeth, replied
harishchandra. These do not characterise an animal. Please wait until hi
sproper teeth have grown.
Varuna returned whent he proper teeth grew
and asked, What about the yajna in my honour?
He is the son of a kshatriya (the second of
the four classes, a warrior class). Replied Harishchandra. But his rtraining in
the art of fighting has not even begun. He cannot be called a kshatriya unitl
he knows how to fight. Till that day he is an incomplete man. Do you really
want such an incomplete man as a sacrifce?
After some years had passed, Rohita became
skilled in the art of fighting and was appointed the heir-apparent (yuvaraja)
to the kingdom. He was then sixteen years of age.
Varuna appeared again and asked, What about
the yajna in my honour?
This time the entire converstation took place
in front of the prince and Rohita intervened before Harishchandra could say
anything. Fahter, he said I have already resolved to perform a yajna I Vishnus
honour. Grant me the permision to complete that first. After that , do what you
will.
Rohita went off to the forest. Meanwhile,
Varuna had ha d enough and he afflicted harishchandra with a painful stomach
ailment. News of his father’s illiness was taken to Rohita in the forest. In
the forest, Rohita met a sage named Ajigarata. The sage was very poor and,
together with his wife and three sons, was starving.
Will you sell one of your three sons to me?
asked Rohita. The boy is needed for a sacrifice.
I shall not sell my eldest son, said the
sage. My wife will not permit the yougest one to be sold. You can have the one
in the middle. His name is Shunahshefa. The price will be one thouand cows, one
thousand golden coins, one thousand pieces of clothing and a lot of wealth.
Rohita paid the price and brought Shunahshefa
home to Harishchandra.
We can’t do this, said Harishchandra. It is
the duty of kings to protect the brahmanas. How can we sacrifice the son of a
brahmana? It is better to die instead. Go and return Shunahshefa to his father.
Just then a divine voice was heard from
heaven. The voice said, There is no need for anyone to die. Take Shunahshefa to
the banks of the Goutami Ganga and perform the yajna to Varuna there. Goutami
Ganga is such a sacred river that no human sacrifices are needed if a yajna is
performed there.
This is what Harishchandra did and Varuna was
satisfied. As for Shunahshefa, he was adopted by the Vishvamitra as a son.
Vriddhagoutama
The sage Goutama had a son named
Vriddhagoutama. Vriddhagoutama was also a sage. But he was very ugly. Besides,
he had no nose; had never had one since he had been born. He was so ashamed of
this deformity that he could not bear to join the other children of the sages
in studying the Vedas and shastras under a teacher. But Vriddhagoutama knew
some incantations (mantras) which he always chanted. He also worshipped the god
Agni.
When he grew a bit older, Vriddhagoutama went
out to tour the world. He travelled to many places and met many people. Since
he was deformed, he never got married. Who would want to marry a person so ugly
as he?
In the course of his travels, Vriddhagoutama
arrived at a mountain named Shitagiri. He discovered a beautiful cave in the
moutain and thought that this might be a good place to live in. So he entered
the cave and was very surprised to find an old woman inside. The woman had
obviously been living inside the cave for many years. He body was thin and
wasted from the rigor of severe tapasya.
Vriddhagoutama was about to touch the feet of
such a venerable old woman, but the woman restrained him. Please don’t touch my
feet, said the woman. You are my guru. Does a guru ever bow before his
disciple?
Vriddhagoutama was surprised at these words.
This was the first time in his life that he had met the old woman. How can I be
your guru?, he asked. You are much older than me. Besides, I have never learnt
anything and you are clearly a respected ascetic. Your words are a complete
mystery to me.
Let me tell you my story, said the old woman.
Otherwise, you will not understand.’
There used to be a handsome and brave prince
named Ritadhvaja. He was the son of King Arshtishena. Ritadhvaja went on a hunt
to the forest and arrived at that very cave. There he happened to meet an
apsara named Sushyama. The two fell in love with each other and got married.
But eventually, Ritadhvaja had to return home and Sushyama gave birth to a
daughter there. Sushyama left her daughter in the cave itself with the
instruction that she was not to leave the cave. The first man to enter the cave
would become her husband. It was this daughter who had now become the old
woman. Ritadhvaja had reigned for eighty thousand years. After that,
Ritadhvaja’s son had reigned for ten thousand years. All this while, Sushyama’s
daughter had lived in the cave, that is, for ninety thousand years all
together.
Now you see that you are to be my husband,
said the old woman. Is a husband not a guru?
What you say is quite impossible, replied
Vriddhagoutama. You are much older than me. I am only a thousand years old and
you more than ninety thousand. How can we marry? I am like a child next to you.
If you do not marry me, I will kill myself,
said the old woman.
But I am ugly, protested Vriddhagoutam. I
will promise you this much. If I ever become handome and learned, I will indeed
marry you.
I have pleased the goddess Sarasvati, who
presides over all learning, through my tapasya, said the old woman. She will
make you learned. I have also pleased the Varuna and he will make you handsome.
Vriddhagoutama became handome and learned and
married the old woman. They lived happily in the cave.
One day, various sages came to visit the
couple. Amongst them, there were learned sages like Vashishtha and Vamadeva.
But here were also young sages who were not all that sensible. The younger
sages started to laught at the sight of the young and handsome Vriddhagoutama and
his aged wife.
Who is this man? they asked the old woman. Is
he your son or your grandson?
The sages went away, but the couple felt
ashamed. They asked the sage Agastya what they might do. Agastya told them to
go and bathe in the river Goutami Ganga. The river is so sacred that all one’s
heart’s desires are thereby granted. The couple did this and prayed to Vishnu
and Shiva. Wonder of wonders, the old woman became young and pretty. The place
on the banks of the river where these wonderful things happened is a tirtha
named vriddhasangama.
Pippalada
Pippalada
Many years ago, there used to be a sage named
Dadhichi. His wife was Lopamudra. Dadhichi’s hermitage was right next to the
holy river Ganga. Lopamudra’s sister
Gabhastini also used to live in the hermitage. Such was the sage Dadhichi’s
powers that daityas and danavas dared not set foot inside the hermitage.
The gods once fought with the demons and
managed to defeat them. After the war was over, they came to pay their respects
to Dadhichi. Dadhichi welcomed his guests and wanted to know how they were
faring.
Thanks to your blessings, we are fine,
replied the gods. We have just defeated the demons in a war. In fact, we have a
slight problem. We no longer need our weapons now that the demons have run
away. We don’t know of a safe place where we can store all these weapons. We
were wondering if we might keep the weapons in your ashrama. This is one of the
safest places that can be found.
Dadhichi consented to this proposal. The gods
left their weapons in the hermitage and went back to heaven.
When Lopamudra heard what Dadhichi had done,
she was not at all pleased. You have done something that is most improper, she
told her husband. One should never accept responsibility for someone else’s
property, especially if one is an ascetic and has no material possessions of
one’s own. Moreover, you have agreed to store the weapons of the gods. Does
this not mean that those who are the gods’ enemies will look upon you too as an
enemy? And what are you going to do if something should happen to the weapons?
Will the gods not blame you then?
Your points are well taken, said Dadhichi.
But I had not thought of them and I have given the gods my word. I can’t very
well go back on my word now.
A hundred years passed. The gods did not
return to collect their weapons. The weapons began to lose their lustre.
Dadhichi did not know how the energy of the weapons might be preserved. He
washed them with holy water and the energy of the weapons got dissoved in the
water. Dadhichi then drank up the water. As for the weapons themselves, they
faded away once their energy was gone.
Finally the gods came to claim their weapons.
Can we have our weapons back? they asked. Our enemies have become powerful
again. We need our weapons.
That may be, said Dadhichi. But the weapons
are no longer there. I have swallowed up their energy. Let me tell you what can
be done. I will use the powers of meditation (yoga) to give up my life. Then
excellent weapons can be made out of my bones.
The gods were reluctant, but there was no
other solution. Dadhichi died and the gods requested Vishvakarma to make
weapons for them out of Dadhichi’s bones. Vishvakrama complied and the weapon
name vajra that he made was truly remarkable.
Lopamudra was away when this incident ook
place. She returned and found that her husband had died. She was afflictd with
sorrow and wished to immolate herself in a fire. But she happened to be
pregnant at the time, so that this could not immediately be done. Once the baby
was born, she killed herself, after having handed over the baby to a pippala
(fig) tree to rearing.
Since the pippala tree brought up the boy, he
came to be known as Pippalada. Chandra was the lord over all trees. The trees
asked Chandra for some amrita for Pippalada and Chandra obliged . The amrita
gave Pippalada a lot of strength.
When Pippalada grew up, he wanted to know who
his parents were and the trees told him the story. Pippalada blamed the gods
for his parents’ death and decided to seek revenge. The trees brought Pippalada
to Chandra.
You are still too young, said Chandra. First
you must become learned and well-versed in the use of weapons. Go the forest of
dandakaranya. The river Goutami Ganga flows through that forest. Pray to Shiva
there and I am sure that your wishes will be fulfilled.
Pippalada pleased Shiva through his prayers.
What boon do you desire? asked Shiva.
I want the boon that I may be able to destroy
the gods, replied Pippalada.
I have a third eye in the middle of my
forehead, said Shiva. The day you can see my third eye, your wish will be
granted.
Try as he might, Pippalada could not see
Shiva’s third eye. Pippalada therefore performed even more difficult tapasya
for even more years. Eventually he managed to see Shiva’s third eye. From
Shiva’s third eye was born a demon that looked like a mare.
What is your desire? asked the demon of
Pippalda.
Kill my enemies, the gods, was the reply.
The demon immediately attacked Pippalada.
What are you doing? asked Pippalada. Why are
you trying to kill me? I asked you to kill the gods.
But your body has been created by the gods.
Replied the demon. I will therefore kill you also.
Pippalada ran to Shiva for deliverance. Shiva
earmarked a region inside the forest for Pippalada. There the demon was not
permitted to enter. Pippalada lived there , protected from the ravages of the
demon. Meanwhile, the gods requested Shiva to save them as well. Shiva
persuaded Pippalada to control his anger. He convinced Pippalada that nothing
was to be gained by killing the gods. That would not bring his parents back.
Pippalada agreed. But he wished to see his
parents once. Accordingly, a vimana descended from heaven on which Dadhichi and
Lopamudra were seated. They blessed Pippalada and asked him to marry and have
children.
As for the demon, it became a river and
merged with the holy Ganga.
Nageshvara
There was a city named Pratishthana. A king
named Shruasena ruled in that city. Shurasena did not have any sons. After a
lot of effort, a son was born to him. But the son happened to be a snake. The
king and the queen were mortified at this turn of events. But they brought up
their son in great secrecy. Not even the king’s ministers and priests knew that
the prince was a snake.
When the prince grew slightly, he began to
talk like a human, even though he was a snake. King Shurasena arranged for the
prince’s education. After the snake had become learned in the knowledge of the
Vedas, he told his father, Father it is time for me to get married. If I do not
have a son, I am certain to go to naraka.
King Shurasena was very surprised to hear
this. How is that possible? he asked. Which princess will consent to marry a
snake?
I don’t know, replied the prince. But I do
know that I have to get married. Otherwise, I will commit suicide. There are
many forms of marriage that are permissible. Perhaps a princess can be
kidnapped and married to me.
Shurasena called his ministers and told them,
My son Nageshvara has now come of age. He has also been made the heir-apparent
to the kingdom. There is no one equal to him in bravery on earth, in heaven or
in the underworld. I am getting old. Please arrange for Nageshvara to get
married. I shall then reliquish my kindom and retire to the forest.
The king did not of course tell his ministers
that Nageshvara was a snake.
Shurasena had an aged minister. This minister reported that there was a king named Vijaya who ruled in the eastern part of the country. King Vijaya had eight sons and one daughter. The daughter’s name was Bhogavati and she was very beautiful. She would be the right match for Nageshvara.
Shurasena had an aged minister. This minister reported that there was a king named Vijaya who ruled in the eastern part of the country. King Vijaya had eight sons and one daughter. The daughter’s name was Bhogavati and she was very beautiful. She would be the right match for Nageshvara.
The aged minister was sent as a messenger to
Vijaya and the king agreed to the match. There was a custom amongst kshatriyas
that the bride did not always have to be married to the bridegroom in person.
She could also be married to the bridegroom’s sword or some other weapon. The
minister explained to King Vijaya that there were some private reasons which
mad eit impossible for Nageshvara to come in person for the marriage. Bhogavati
should be married off to Nageshvara’s sword. Vijaya consented to this and the
marriage ceremony was performed. The entire retinue then returned to the city
of Pratishthana.
But waht was to be done now that the marriage
was over? Nageshvara’s mother sent a maid to Bhogavati. The maid was to tell
Bhogavati that her husband was actually a snake and the observe her reaction.
The maid told Bhogavati, Your husband is a
god, but he has the form of snake.
That is my good fortune, replied Bhogavati.
Normally, women are married to men. I must have performed many good deeds in my
earlier life to have been married to a god.
Bhogavati was then brought to Nageshvara and
at the sight of Bhogavati, Nageshvara remembered his earlier life. He used to
be a snake (naga) in his earlier life and was a companion of Shiva’s. His wife
in the earlier life was Bhogavati.
There had been an occasion when Shiva had
laughed at a joke of Parvati’s and Nageshvara had also laughed. This had
annoyed Shiva and he had cursed Nageshvara that he would be born on earth as
the son of a human, but in the form of a snake. When he went and bathed in
Goutami Ganga, the period of the curse would be over. When Nageshvara recounted
these incidents to Bhogavati, she also remembered her earlier life. The two
went and bathed in the sacred river and Nageshvara ruled after Shurasena’s
death. And when Nageshvara and Bhogavati died, they went back to Kailasa to
live with Shiva.
On the banks of the Goutami Ganga, Nageshvara
and Bhogavati built a temple to Shiva. This a famous tirtha known as
nagatirtha.
Brahma’s Head
Brahma’s Head
Years ago, there was a war between the gods
and the demons and the gods came to Brahma for advice and Brahma asked them to
pray to Shiva.
When Shiva appeared before them, the gods
said, The demons have defeated us. Please kill them and save us.
Shiva went to fight with the demons. He drove
the demons off from Mount
Sumeru and out of heaven.
He pursued them to the ends of the earth. All this exertion made Shiva sweat.
And wherever the drops of sweat fell down on the ground, terrible ogresses
named matris were created. The matris also started to kill the demons and
pursued them down to the underworld.
While the matris were killing the demons in
the underworld, Brahma and the other gods waited on the banks of the river
Goutami Ganga. This place came to be known as Pratishthana.
When the matris had killed all the demons,
they returned to earth and began to live on the banks of the Goutami Ganga.
This tirtha has come to be known as matritirtha.
Brahma used to have five heads. The fifth
head was in the shape of a donkey’s head. When the demons were running away to
the underworld, this donkey’s head addressed the demons and said, Why are you
running away? Come back and fight with the gods. I shall aid you in your fight.
The gods were alarmed at this paradoxical
situation. Brahma was helping them in their fight with the demons and Brahma’s
fifth head was trying to help the demons. They went to Vishnu and said, Please
cut off Brahma’s fifth head. It is causing too much of confusion.
I can do what you want, replied Vishnu, but
there is a problem. When the cut-off head falls on earth, it will destroy the
earth. I think you should pray to Shiva to find a way out.
The gods prayed to Shiva and Shiva agreed to
cut off the head. But what was to be done with the severed head? The earth
refused to bear it and so did the ocean. Finally it was decided that Shiva
himself would bear the head.
The place where Shiva cut off Brahma’s fifth
head is known as rudratirtha. Ever since that day, Brahma has had four heads
and is known as Chaturmukha (chatur connotes four and mukha connotes face).
There is temple to Brahma on the banks of the Goutami Ganges. This is a holy
known as brahmatirtha. A killer of brahmanas is pardoned his sin if he visits
this temple.
The Owl and the Dove
The Owl and the Dove
A dove used to live on the banks of the
Goutami Ganga. The dove’s name was Anuhrada and its wife’s name was Heti.
Anuhrada was Yama’s grandson.
Not very far away, there lived an owl named
Uluka. The owl’s wife was called Uluki. The owls were descended from the god
Agni.
The doves and the owls were enemies. They
fought amongst themselves continually. The doves had received all sorts of
weapons from Yama and the owls had received all sorts of weapons from Agni.
These divine weapons threatened to burn up everything. But Yama and Agni
intervened . They persuaded the owls and the doves to forget their enmity and
live together as friends.
The place where the doves lived came to be
known as a tirtha named yamyatirtha. And the place where the owls lived came to
be known as agnitirtha.
The Hunter
There was a sage named Veda. He used to pray
to Shiva every day. The prayers lasted till the afternoon and after the prayers
were over, Veda used to go the nearby villages to beg alms.
A hunter named Bhilla used to come to the
forest every afternoon to hunt. After the hunt was over, he used to come to
Shiva’s linga (image) and offer to Shiva whatever it was that he had hunted. In
the process of doing this, he often moved Veda’s offerings out of the way.
Strange though it might seem, Shiva was stirred by Bhilla’s offerings and
eagerly used to wait for it every day.
Bhilla and Veda never met. But Veda noticed
that every day his offerings lay scattered and a little bit of meat lay by the
side. Since this always happened when Veda had gone out to beg for alms, Veda
did not know who was responsible. But one day, he decided to wait in hiding so
as to catch the culprit red-handed.
While Veda waited, Bhilla arrived and offered
what he had brought to Shiva. Veda was amazed to discover that Shiva himself
appeared before Bhilla and asked, Why are you late today? I have been waiting
for you. Did you get very tired?
Bhilla went away after making his offerings.
But Veda came up to Shiva and said, What is all this? This is a cruel and evil
hunter, and yet, you appear before him. I have been performing tapasya for so
many years and you never appear before me. I am disgusted at this partially. I
will break your linga with this stone.
Do it if you must, replied Shiva. But please
wait till tomorrow.
Next day, when Veda came to present his
offerings, he found traces of blood on top of the linga. He carefully washed
away the traces of blood and completed his prayers.
After some time, Bhilla also came to present
his offerings and discovered traces of blood on top of the linga. He thought
that he was in some way responsible for this and blamed himself for some
unknown transgression. He picked up a sharp arrow and began to pierce his body
repeatedly with this arrow as punishment.
Shiva appeared before both of them and said,
Now you see the difference betwen Veda and Bhilla. Veda has given me his
offerings, but Bhilla has given me his whole soul. That is the difference
between ritual and true devotion.
The place where Bhilla used to pray to Shiva
is a famous tirtha known as bhillatirtha.
Goutama and Manikundala
Goutama and Manikundala
There was a city named Bhouvana. In that city
there lived a brahmana named Goutama. The brahmana had a vaishya friend named
Manikundala. (A vaishya belongs to the third of the three classes and his
primary duties are trade and agriculture.)
Goutama’s mother gave him a lot of ill
advice. As a result of this, Goutama told Manikundala, Let us go to other
countries to trade and make profits.
But my father has a lot of wealth, replied
Manikundala. What is the need to obtain more wealth?
You don’t have the proper perspective, said
Goutama. A successful person is one who does not thrive on what is left to him
by his father. He makes his own fortune.
Manikundala was convinced by Goutama’s logic.
He did not realize that his so-called friend was out of defraud him.
The two friends set out on their journey,
Manikundala providing all the capital.
In the course of their travels Goutama
remarked, Have you noticed how those who follow the path of dharma
(righteousness) always suffer? They are neither wealthy nor happy. There seems
to be no point in being righteous.
Please don’t say that, protested Manikundala.
Happiness lies in following the path of dharma. Poverty and misery are
inevitable, they are of no account at all.
The two friends argued over this, but could
not decide who was right. They resolved to have a bet. They would ask the
opinions of others. And whoever lost the bet would surrender all his wealth to
the winner. They asked many people for their opinions. Naturally most people
said that it was the evil who thrived and prospered. And it was the righteous
who suffered. The upshot of this was that Manikundala surrendered all his
wealth to Goutama. But Manikundala continued to praise dharma.
You are an utter ass, said Goutama. Haven’t
you lost all your wealth to me? Yet you continue to praise dharma.
The wealth is of no account at all, replied
Manikundala. Dharma is on my side and your apparent victory is only an
illusion. Dharma will triumph in the end.
The two friends decided to have another bet.
This time it was agreed that whoever lost the bet would have his two arms
chopped off. They again asked several people and most people said that it was
adharma (evil) which triumphed. So Manikundala lost his two arms.
How does it feel now? asked Goutama.
The same as ever, replied Manikundala. What
is important is dharma. And dharma is on my side.
Goutama lost his temper at this. He
threatened to cut off Manikundala’s head if Manikundala persisted in his praise
of dharma. But Manikundala was unperturbed. The friends decided to have another
bet. This time it was agreed that whoever lost would forfeit his life.
Manikundala lost yet again. And Goutama gouged out Manikundala’s eyes and left
him for dead.
Manikundala lay on the banks of the Goutami
Gang and pondered about the fate that had befallen him. It became night.
There was an image of Vishnu on the banks of
the river and the rakshasa Vibhishana used to come there every night to pray to
Vishnu. Vibhishana’s son discovered Manikundala lying there and found out from
him the entire story. He recounted the story to his father.
Many years ago, I had joined Rama in his
fight with Ravana, Vibhishana told his son. Ravan’s son Meghanada shot a
venomous arrow at Rama’s brother Lakshmana. Lakshmana fell unconscious. The
monkey Hanumana then went to the Himalayas and
brought a mountain named Gandhamadana to Lanka. On that mountain there was a
wonderful herb named vishalyakarani which cures all illnesses. When Hanumana
returned the moutain to the Himalayas, a bit
of the vishalyakarani fell down at this spot, near Vishnu’s image. Let us try
and find it. We should be able to cure Manikundala.
Father and son hunted for the herb. The
vishalyakarani had become a huge tree. They looped off a branch and placed it
on Manikundala’s chest. Manikundala immediately regained his eyes and arms.
After curing Manikundala, Vibhishana and his retinue returned to Lanka.
Manikundala began to travel. He eventually
came to a city named Mahapura where a king named Maharaja ruled. Maharaja had
no sons, only a daughter. The daughter was blind. Maharaja had announced that
whoever cured his daughter would become his son-in-law and rule after him.
Manikundala cured the princess with his knowledge of the vishalyakarani. He
then married the princess and became king of Mahapura after Maharaja.
Many years later, Goutama was brought before
Manikundala by the soldiers. He had been arrested on the charge of committing a
crime. Goutama had lost all his wealth by then and was no more than a beggar.
Manikundala pardoned his friend and shared with him whatever he had.
Such are the virtues of following the path of
dharma. There are many tirthas along the banks of the Goutami Ganga where these
wonderful incidents took place.
Kandu
There was a sage named Kandu. He had a
hermitage on the banks of the Goutami Ganga. The ashrama was a beautiful place
and Kandu performed very difficult tapasya there. In the summer Kandu meditated
in the hot sun, in the monsoon he meditated on the wet ground, and in the
winter he meditated dressed in wet clothing.
Indra got scared as a result of all this
tapasya. He thought that the sage Kandu might want to become Indra, the king of
the gods. He therefore called an apsara named Pramlocha and told her, Go and
disturb Kandu’s tapasya.
Pramlocha went to the hermitage and began to
sing there in a beautiful voice. This disturbed Kandu and he discovered a
beautiful woman wandering around in his ashrama.
Who are you? Kandu asked the woman.
I have come here to pluck flowers, replied
Pramlocha, I am your servant, I will do whatever you wish me to.
Kandu had fallen in love with Pramlocha and
he married her. He forgot all about his tapasya and Indra haved a sigh of
relief. Years passed. Pramlocha wished to return to heaven but Kandu would not
let her.
After years and years had passed, Kandu came
out of his hut, looking rather distracted. It was then evening and Kandu was
obviously going somewhere.
Where are you going? pramlocha asked.
What a stupid question! exclaimed Kandu.
Can’t you see that it is now evening? I have got to go and observe the evening
rites. The day has passed.
What day?, asked Pramlocha. Several days have
passed and several evenings have come and gone.
No, you came here this morning, said Kandu. I
brought you to my hut and it is now evening. I don’t understand what you are
trying to say. Explain yourself.
It is true that I came here in the morning.
Answered Pramlocha. But that was a morning which dawned many years ago.
Hundreds of years have passed since tha tday.
How many years? asked Kandu. When did you
come here?
Sixteen hundred years, six months and three
days ago, replied Pramlocha.
Are you sure? asked Kandu. It seems like a
single day to me.
I am sure, said Pramlocha. I dare not to lie
to you.
You have dislodged me from my tapasaya,
responded Kandu. But I will not curse you, since you have been my wife. Go back
to heaven. I have to atone for my sins.
The sage Kandu went to Purushottama kshetra
and performed penance for his sins. He was blessed by Vishnu.
Kandu and Pramlocha had a daughter named
Marisha.
The Brahma Purana also describes several
other tirthas. Most of these are on the banks of the river Goutami Ganga. This
is now identified as the river Godavari.
After describing these several tirthas, the
text describes incidents in Krishna’s life.
These we will skip, since they are described in much greater detail in the
other Puranas.
Varnashrama
There are four varnas (classes). Their names
are brahmana, kshatriya, vaishya and shudra.
The duties of a brahmana are to donate alms, perform tapasya, worship the gods, perform yajnas and study the Vedas. To earn a living, bramanas are authorized to teach and act as priests at sacrifices. The duties of a kshatriya are to bear arms and protect the earth, donate alms and perform sacrifices. A kshatriya is also permitted to study the shastras. The duties of a vaishya are agriculture, animal husbandry and trade. That apart, vaishyas should donate alms, perform sacrifices and study the shastras. The duties of a shudra are to serve brahmanas. Shudras can also be shopkeepers and artisans.
The duties of a brahmana are to donate alms, perform tapasya, worship the gods, perform yajnas and study the Vedas. To earn a living, bramanas are authorized to teach and act as priests at sacrifices. The duties of a kshatriya are to bear arms and protect the earth, donate alms and perform sacrifices. A kshatriya is also permitted to study the shastras. The duties of a vaishya are agriculture, animal husbandry and trade. That apart, vaishyas should donate alms, perform sacrifices and study the shastras. The duties of a shudra are to serve brahmanas. Shudras can also be shopkeepers and artisans.
The times of emergency, a brahmana is allowed
to adopt the livelihoods of kshatriyas or vaishyas to earn a living. In similar
fashion, a kshatriya is permitted to adopt the livelihoods of vaishyas or
shudras and a vaishya is permitted to adopt the livelihoods of shudras.
There are four ashramas (stages of life) as
well. The first of these is known as brahmachargya (celibate studenthood).
During this period, the individual spends this days with his guru and studies
the Vedas well. He has to serve his guru in proper fashion and live on alms.
The next ashrama is that of garhasthya (householder stage). The individual now
gets married and has children. He serves the gods, the sages, the ancestors and
guests. It is householders who provide alms for sages and hermits. That is the
reason why the householders who provide alms for sages and hermits. That is the
reason why the householder stage is so very important. The third ashrama is
known as vanaprastha (forest-dwelling stage). The individual now retires to the
forest and withdraws his mind from the earthly life. He can leave his wife in
the care of his sons or take her with him. He lives on roots, fruits and leaves
and makes a bed for himself under the trees. He is not permitted to shave or
cut his hair and his clothes have to be made out of bark or skins. The final
ashrama is that of sannyasa (hermithood). A hermit gives up all association
with the world and lives alone. He grows completely detached. He lives alone.
He gets his food through begging. He is not permitted to spend more than one
night in a village, or more than five nights at a time in a city.
The Chandala and the Brahmarakshasa
The Chandala and the Brahmarakshasa
A chandala is an outcast. On the outskirts of
the city named Avanti lived a chandala. There was a temple of Vishnu
in Avanti and the chandala was devoted to Vishnu. He was also a good singer. Ekadashi
tithi is the eleventh lunar day. Every month, on ekadashi tithi, the chandala
would fast during the day. At night he would go to Vishnu’s temple and sing
praises of Vishnu. He never failed to observe this ritual.
The river Kshipra (Shipra) flowed by the city
of Avanti. On
one particular night, on ekadashi tithi, the chandala went to the banks of the
river to collect some flowers for worshipping Vishnu. On the banks of the river
there was a tree and on that tree there lived a brahmarakshasa (demon). As soon
as the demon saw the chandala, it wished to devour him.
Please not tonight, said the chandala. I have
to worship Vishnu throughout the night. Let me go now.
Not on your life, replied the demon. I have
not eaten for ten days and I am famished, I can’t let you go.
Please, said the chandala, let me go. I
promise that I will come back once the prayers are over. You will then be free
to do with me as you will.
The demon let the chandala go. The chandala
went to the temple. He worshipped Vishnu and spent the night in singing
Vishnu’s praises. Next day, he returned to the demon.
I am indeed surprised, said the demon. You
are very truthful. You can’t be a chandala. You must be a brahmana. Answer my
questions. What did you do all night?
I stood outside Vishnu’s temple and sang his
praise, replied the chandala.
For how long have you been doing this? asked
the demon.
For twenty years, was the chandala’s reply.
You have acquired a lot of punya (store of
merit) through this, said the demon. Please grant me one night’s punya. I am a
sinner.
No, replied the chandala, I will not part
with my punya. I have given you my body, eat me if you will. But the punya is
mine own.
Very well then, said the demon. Give me two
hours’ worth of punya. I am a sinner.
I have told you that I will not give you any
of my punya, replied the chandala. But what is your sin?
The brahmarakshasa related his story.
His name was Somasharma and he was the son of
Devasharma. Devasharma was a righteous brahmana. But Somasharma fell into evil
ways. A brahmana is not authorized to act as a priest in a sacrifice before he
has had his sacred-thread ceremony (upanayana). But Somasharma became a priest
at a yajna even though his upanayana had not been held. As a result of this
sin, when he died, he became a demon. The chandala was stirred to pity at his
sad story and parted with some of his punya. The demon was delighted and
expressed his gratitude. He went to a tirtha and performed penance. Thus it was
that the demon was freed.
What about the chandala? He returned home and
then left for a tour of all the sacred places of pilgrimage. At one such
tirtha, he remembered the story of his earlier life.
He used to be a hermit well-versed in the
Vedas and the shastras. He used to beg alms for a living. Once he had obtained
some alms. But some thieves were then in the process of stealing cows, and the
hooves of the cows raised a cloud of dust. The dust fell onto the food and the
hermit threw away the alms in disgust. Since he had thrown away alms, he was
born as a chandala.
After performing penance for this sin, the
chandala was pardoned.
Yoga
The word yoga means union. Yoga is thus a form of meditation that unites the human soul (atman) with the divine soul (paramatman), or equivalently, with the divine essence (brahman).
Yoga
The word yoga means union. Yoga is thus a form of meditation that unites the human soul (atman) with the divine soul (paramatman), or equivalently, with the divine essence (brahman).
A practitioner of yoga has to study the
Puranas, the Vedas and history. He has to exercise restraint regarding the sort
of food he eats. The best forms of food are yoghurt, fruits , roots and milk.
Yoga should be practiced in a place that is pleasant. It should not be too hot
or too cold there. Nor should there be any noise to distract the practitioner.
Yoga has to be performed in a proper posture
(asana). The practitioner concentrates the entire focus of his mind on the tip
of his nose. He contemplates the form of the brahmana. This can only be
successful if one is detached and controls ones’s senses completely.
If yoga is performed properly, there comes
the knowledge that the same paramatman is in all living beings. To think that
living beings are distinct from one another is only to fall prey to one’s
illusions. All the elements have the same paramatman in them.
Epilogue
Romanharshana said to the sages who had assembled in naimisharanya, Many years ago, the great Vedavyasa had recited the adi Purana to sages. The sages had been delighted to learn the wisdom that was in the great Brahman Purana. Whatever Vedavyasa had told those sages, I have now recited before you. Everyone should listen to a recital of this Purana, be he a householder or a hermit.
Epilogue
Romanharshana said to the sages who had assembled in naimisharanya, Many years ago, the great Vedavyasa had recited the adi Purana to sages. The sages had been delighted to learn the wisdom that was in the great Brahman Purana. Whatever Vedavyasa had told those sages, I have now recited before you. Everyone should listen to a recital of this Purana, be he a householder or a hermit.
A brahmana who listens to a recital of the
Brahma Purana becomes learned, a kshatriya becomes victorious, a vaishya
becomes rich and a shudra achieves happiness. One who listens to the recital
faithfully attains all his wishes. The fruits of listening to such a recital
are superior to visiting the most holy of tirthas or performing the most
difficult of yajnas.
Romaharshana blessed the sages and returned
to his own hermitage, with the express injunction that the secrets of the Purana
should never be divulged to atheists who did not believe in god.
End of The Brahma
Purana
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