Mahabharata - Utanka

Utanka

Veda had a disciple called Utanka. One day Veda, while leaving for some business, appointed Utanka in charge of his household duties. Utanka performed it so well that Veda, after having returned, was very pleased and granted him leave. Utanka wanted to give him guru dakshina before leaving. Veda told him to go to his wife and do her bidding. Utanka went to the wife of his guru and asked her what she would like him to do as guru dakshina. Veda's wife said that she desired a pair of ear rings which were worn by the queen of the king Paushya. So Utanka should go and beg the king for them. However he must return on the fourth day from that day, as on that day she wished to wear those rings and appear in a dinner which she had hosted in honour of the Brahmanas. Utanka agreed and departed to fetch the rings. On the way he met a very large sized bull and a man mounted on it. The man asked Utanka to pertake the dung of that bull. Utanka at first did not comply, but then the man said that, "Utanka, eat it. Your master had done it before." On hearing that his master Veda also ate the dung, Utanka did not hesitate any further. After washing his hands Utanka set off for the palace of the king Paushya.

On arriving at the palace Utanka saw the king sitted on the throne and told him the purpose of his visit. The king asked him to meet his queen in the inner chambers and get the ear rings himself. Utanka therefore went to the inner chambers but could not find anybody there. Being dissapointed he came back to the king and told the outcome. The king told him, "My wife is very chaste. She cannot be seen by anybody who is defiled or impure. Now please do try to remember, are you, for any reason in a state of impurity?" Utanka thought for a while and said, "It may be so, because after eating something on the wayside, being in a hurry, I did not perform my ablutions properly." Then Utanka performed his ablutions, washed his hand, mouth and feet in accordance with scriptures, in a seating posture, facing the East. Thus satisfying himself on his state of purity he once again went to the inner chamber. This time he saw the queen who welcomed him and asked him what she could do for him. Utanka begged for her ear rings which she gladly gave away. She however warned Utanka, "Beware Sir, Takshaka, the serpent king, is desirous of possessing these wonderful rings. Therefore you may be in danger from him if you are not careful." Utanka told her that Takshaka would not be able to do anything to him.

Thus said, he came to the king for seeking farewell and the king asked him to stay back in order to duly honour him with a Sraddha (feast). However the food that was served to Utanka was impure as it contained a hair, and was cold. Utanka therefore got angry and cursed the king to become blind. The king was at first skeptical about the accusation and thought that Utanka had lied about the quality of the food and unjustly cursed him. He therefore as well in anger cursed him to remain childless. Utanka then showed him that the food was truly impure and cold. At this the king was ashamed and repented. Utanka took back his curse but the king, being a Kshatriya, could not do so. Utanka then told him that his curse would have no effect as he had cursed him thinking that Utanka had lied which was obviously not true. Then he left the king and went his way.

As he made his return journey, he perceived that a mendicant beggar was following him. He saw a water tank and being thirsty he went to drink water keeping the ear rings on the ground. After performing his ablutions he saw that the beggar took the rings and ran as fast as he could. At this Utanka chased him and when he was about to get hold of him, the beggar took his real form, viz. that of the Takshaka and disappeared underground. The serpents lived in Pataala region, the nether region, which lies far beneath the surface, which is inaccessible to human beings. Utanka, however started digging a hole with the help of an ordinary stick, but could not make much progress. The king of Gods, Indra, seeing the distress of Utanka, got compassionate and hid his vajra or thunder rod in that stick. As the vajra worked its wonders, Utanka suddenly found that the ordinary stick he was using could dig open a large hole which led to the nether regions. When he entered the Pataala, he found elegant mansions and palaces and other wonders, but he could not find Takshaka. Therefore he began to chant hymns in praise of the serpents. However no serpent came to help him. On advancing further, Utanka beheld two women at a loom weaving a piece of cloth with balck and white threads. There was a man who was standing with a beautiful horse.  Six boys were driving a large wheel. He realized that the wheel with the circumference divided into twenty four divisions (pakshas or lunar phases - 24 pakshas in one year) represented the Time. The wheel was set in motion by six boys who represented the six seasons. The two women were the mother nature who, with the black and white threads representing the day and night resp. were continuously weaving a cloth, which represented the fabric of the universe where manifold worlds are being brought in and destroyed every moment. He also recognized that the man with the horse was none other than Indra or Sakra, and sang a hymn in his praise.

Indra was gratified and asked Utanka what he should do for him. Utanka sought his help in bringing the serpents under his control. Indra asked him to blow unto the horse, which actually was Agni, the God of fire. When Utanka did as he was told, there emanated from the horse flames and smokes which permeated the nether regions. All the serpents suffered much and Takshaka, being terrified, came out of hiding and returned the ear rings to Utanka. But then Utanka realized with horror that it was the very day on which the wife of his preceptor would be hosting the dinner and he could never reach her on time. As he was worried and pondering over what to do, Indra realized his predicament and told him to take the horse to reach his place. The horse took him to his preceptor's house in an instance. The wife of Veda had taken a bath and as Utanka had not returned, was about to curse him. But just at that moment Utanka came to her with the ear rings and saluted her. She was extremely pleased and instead of cursing, blessed him heartily.

Utanka then approached his guru who fondly asked him the reason for his delay. Utanka then narrated his tale to Veda. He said, "Lord, because of Takshaka's behaviour I got delayed on my way. But I saw thee two women weaving threads on a large loom with black and white threads, and there were these six boys who were moving a large wheel. There I saw a man standing with a horse. What does all these signify? Also while going to the king's palace one large man riding a bull offered me the dung to eat and he told me that you had also tasted that dung. Who was that man?

Veda replied, "The two women represented the dhata and vidhata, the bestower of all fruits of actions and controller of time. The black and white threads were days and nights. The boys were the six seasons and the large wheel the year. The man with the horse was Parjanya, the God of rain. The horse was Agni. The large bull on the roadside was Airavata, the man riding it was Indra and the dung was nectar, Amrita. Indra is my friend and therefore he granted you the favour of tasting Amrita. That is the reason why you were able to enter and come out alive from the nether regions which are inaccessible to human beings. I now grant you leave and may you be blessed with good fortune."

Thus everything ended happily, but Utanka never forgot the troubles that he had on account of Takshaka. After having been discharged by his guru he went towards Hastinapur to king Janamejaya in order to urge him to initiate a yajna for the destruction of Takshaka. He told him that his father Parikshit had been killed by Takshaka and it did not befit him to reign without first avenging the death of his father. By hearing the account of his father's death Janamejaya was enraged and resolved to do Utanka's bidding. Thus began the grand Sarpa Yajna or Serpent Sacrifice.