Mahabharata - Story of Kuvalaswa (Dhundhumara)

Kuvalaswa (Dhundhumara)

The sage Utanka used to live in a hermitage in a desoltae place and for many years he practised severe penance to please Lord Vishnu. At last Vishnu, being satisified with the penance appeared before Utanka in His form and Utanka recited many hymns in His praise. The Lord was happy by the hymns and wanted to give a boon. Sage Utanka said that he was satisfied to get a vision of the God and that he did not want anything else. Lord Vishnu was happy by the devotion but nevertheless He pressed for a boon. Utanka then asked for the boon that he should remain devoted to Vishnu come whatever may and he should never deviate from truth, purity, virtue and self content. At this the Lord was very pleased and granted the same. He also said that great work will be accomplished by Utanka for which the three worlds will be gratified. There was a great Asura named Dhundhu who was undergoing the severemost ascetic penances to rule the world. There was a great king named Vrihadaswa in the Ikshaku dynasty and he would be having a very powerful son called Kuvalaswa. Urged and guided by Utanka, the king, aided by the great Yoga power of Vishnu, would slay the Asura Dhundhu and would become famous in the world as Dhundhumara. Saying this, Lord Vishnu disappeared.

After the demise of Ikshaku, his son Sasada ascended the throne of Ayodhya. After Sasada, came in succession Kakutstha of great power. King Yuvanaswa was born in the same race and the grandson of Yuvanaswa was Vrihadaswa. Vrihadaswa's sone was Kuvalaswa. Kuvalaswa had many sons and was mightier and fiercer than his father. The royal sage Vrihadaswa installed his son on his throne and was about to retire to the woods to practice ascetism when sage Utanka, hearing that news came to meet him. Utanka persuaded Vrihadaswa is many ways not to give up the throne. He said that the king was a Kshatriya and it was his duty to protect people. He could not relinquish that duty. There was a terrible Asura named Dhundhu who was the son of the two ancient demons Madhu and Kaitava (whom Vishnu slayed in an earlier age during creation). In order to get ascendancy over the three worlds the demon was performing a terrible penance living in a desert called Ujjalaka, which was near to Utanka's hermitage. That demon got a boon from Brahma and hence could not be slayed by deities and gandharvas and rakshasas and other celestials. He was living underneath that vast desert and once in a year when he came out to breathe, it caused a great havoc in surrounding nature. Utanka then told Vrihadaswa to come and slay the asura. He assured that the king's energy will be enhanced by Lord Vishnu and he would be much more powerful on account of that divine energy or shakti. 

King Vrihadaswa replied with folded hands as a gesture of respect, that he would not be able to go and slay the asura as he had renounced his throne and given up all his weapons but he would ensure that Utanka's purpose did not go in vain. He therefore requested Utanka to take help of his son Kuvalaswa who he thought would be the best person to confront the demon. He then asked his son to help in Utanka's mission. Utanka also heartily agreed to this proposal.

Dhundhu was born of Madhu and Kaitava, the two Asuras who were slain by Vishnu. Dhundhu was therefore angry with Vishnu and had one purpose in life, that of defeating Him. He therefore performed severemost penances and the grandfather of the creation, Lord Brahma, was happy with his penance and asked him for a boon. Dhundhu replied that he should be unslayable by deities, demons, rakshasas, gandharvas, nagas, yakshas and other celestials. Brahma readily agreed and went His way. Dhundhu then went to destroy Vishnu. He began to distress the celestials and then came to the region of the desert known as ujjalaka where he spent time is severe penances with the object of destroying the three worlds. In the vicinity was Utanka's ashrama which was troubled on account of the asura.

Kuvalaswa then together with his vast army, his twenty one thousand sons and Utanka came to the spot where the asura was living. Lord Vishnu enhanced his energy and he was shining like a blazing fire. The celestials were very pleased with the mission and Indra showered a gentle rain to wash away all dusts on the way. Cool breeze began to blow and celestial cars could be seen and celestial drums were beaten to celebrate the success. Kuvalaswa's sons surrounded the region where the mighty asura lay and excavated the sand nearby for seven days. They also began to hit the asura hard with their battle weapons. At this the demon was much afflicted and he was filled with wrath. He began to emit fire from his mouth which engulfed the army, destroyed all weapons and burnt to ashes the sons of Kuvalaswa.

Kuvalaswa then himself took charge of the battle. Aided by the Yoga power of Lord Vishnu, he emitted from his body a stream of water which soon extinguished the fire of the asura. He then took the mighty weapon called brahmastra and killed the asura with it. This feat was extremely wonderful and was applauded by all the sages and the celestials and the king came to be called as Dhundumara on account of it (literally: one which has killed Dhundhu). All the celestials and sages then wanted to give boons to the king for performing for them a highly agreeable task and thus saving the world from destruction. the king requested that he should be always established in virtue and should have everlasting friendship with Vishnu, should able to always give gifts to best of Brahmins and should reside in heaven forever after his death. The celestials and sages gladly granted the same. The king still had three of his sons who survived the battle and through them the Ikshaku dynasty continued its glory.

Mahabharata - Story of Madhu and Kaitava

Madhu and Kaitava

At the beginning of creation when the entire universe was submerged in causal water (i.e. unmanifest, cause of all beings, not real water, probably an illusion of the form of water), Vishnu, the great Lord was sleeping on His bed of Ananta or Infinite, depicting the infinite cosmic energy in a coiled up form. From His navel, sprang up a beautiful lotus on which was born the great grandfather of the cosmos, Brahma. In the meanwhile two demons called Madhu and Kaitava had come to the place. When they saw The Lord Hari resting on her bed and when they also saw Brahma, they began to disturb Brahma in different ways. They were invincible demons and hence could not be killed by anybody except Narayana Himself. So Brahma began to mentally pray to the Lord Narayana who woke up and seeing the two danavas, began to address them. Narayana said that He was gratified by the two danavas and wanted to give them boons. At this the proud and haughty demons said that they were pleased with Narayana and would like to give boon to Him. The Lord of the Universe smiled and solicited a boon by which He should be able to kill the demons. The demons were now in a quandary. However they had great presence of mind. Seeing water (causal water or unmanifest where no created beings, save themselves and Brahma were present), they wanted to be killed in a sport where it is free of water. The greatest of all gods then after careful deliberation chose His own thigh to be such a spot, and killed the demons on that spot. Thus the two earliest demons were killed by the Lord and he came to be known as Madhusudana or killer of Madhu. It is also said that the flesh of the two demons, called Med in sanskrit, created the earth and therefore earth came to be known as Medini.

Mahabharata - Story of King Indradyumna

Story of King Indradyumna

There was a certain king Indradyumna who after expiration of his merits fell from the heaven. While falling he was very anxious that his achievements were all lost and that was why he fell. He therefore enquired sage Markandeya who was immortal and knew almost everything whether he knew about the exploits of the king. Markandeya replied that since he was busy with ascetic practices and since rishis do not stay in towns or villages, it was very difficult for them to know about exploits of the kings. Indradyumna then asked Markandeya whether there was any one who was older than him. Markandeya replied that in Himalayas there lived an owl called Pravarakarna who was very old. But that owl lived in a part of the Himalayas that was very far from the place on earth where Indradyumna fell. Indradyumna however, anxious that he was, assumed the form of a horse and took Markandeya on his back. Together they reached the place where the owl lived and asked him whether he knew king Indradyumna. The owl reflected for a moment and told that he did not know the king. The king then asked whether there was anybody who was older than the owl. The owl replied that there was a lake called Indradyumna. There lived a crane called Nadijangha. He was older than the owl and it might be that he knew the king. At this Indradyumna took the owl and Markandeya and went to the lake called Indradyumna. There they met the crane and the king asked him the same question. But the bird denied that he knew him. The king then asked the bird if there was anybody who was older than him. The crane replied that in that very lake lived a tortoise whose name was Akupara. He was older than the crane. Then the crane called the tortoise and it came up to the bank of the lake where they all were. The crane asked the tortoise if he knew king Indradyumna. At this the tortoise seemed to reflect a little and his eyes were filled with tears and his voice choked. He became so much emotional that he seemed to loss his senses. He said in a choked voice, "I definitely know king Indradyumna. he had conducted a very big sacrifice and had built a huge sacrificial alter. This lake was formed by the hooves of the cows given away in that sacrifice (i.e. innumerable cows were given away). At this a celestial vehicle arrived and an ethereal voice was heard saying, "Indradyumna, lucky you are that your exploits are still remembered by denizens of earth. He whose virtue is remembered and reported to heaven lasts in heaven as long as the report of that virtue lasts. Similarly he whose vices and sins are reported to the hell and nether worlds, lasts in hell as long as that report lasts." King Indradyumna then asked the celestial vehicle to wait till he kept back the owl and the sage to the resp. places where there dwelt and then he ascended the heaven once again.

Mahabharata - The greatness of king Sivi

Greatness of King Sivi

A certain king of name Suhotra of Kuru race had gone to visit the great rishis and was returning from the errand.  He encountered king Sivi, the son of Usinara who was sitted in his chariot. Both of them respectfully bowed to each other treating each other as equal, but both of them refused to give way to each other. At this stage Narada, the heavenly rishi came and saw what had happened. He asked both of them as to why they were blocking each other's way. Both of them replied unto him that sages have declared that one should give way to those who are more able or who are superior to oneself. Both the kings, even after judging carefully could not consider the other to be superior to himself and hence they could not give way. At this Narada recited three slokas which represented an extremely good philosophy. Narada said that those who are wicked misbehaves with those who are humble, those who are humble behaves with humility even towards those who are considered to be wicked. Those who are honest behave honestly towards those who are dishonest and therefore why should not he behave honestly towards those who are honest? An honest man regards the service done to him to be hundred times greater than it really is. This is also the practice among gods. Certainly it is the royal son of Usinara who is superior in every respect and deserves honour. A mean person should be conquered by charity, untruthful should be conquered by truth, wickedness should be conquered by forgiveness and dishonesty by honesty. Then Narada told them that both the kings were great and therefore according to the sloka one of them should stand aside respectfully and let the other pass. In that way nobody would be considered inferior to the other.

At this king Suhotra became delighted and by showing due respect to king Sivi, who was a very great and virtuous king, gave him the right of way and the dispute was settled amicably.

One day the gods Indra and Agni decided to test the greatness of king Sivi the son of Usinara. They both came to earth in disguise. Agni assumed the form of a pigeon while Indra that of a hawk. The pigeon, as if being afraid of the hawk, came and fell down on the lap of king Sivi who was sitted on his throne. The priests then told the king that it was bad omen and foretold danger when a pigeon fell like that on a person. Therefore the king should give away his wealth in charity. The pigeon then addressed the king and said that he (the pigeon) was a Brahmin who was well acquainted with Vedas and was well versed with ascetic practices and therefore deserved to be saved from the vicious hawk. At this the hawk addressed the king saying that he was hungry and the pigeon was his food. The pigeon might have been related to the king in his previous birth and that's why he chose him for protection. However it did not befit the king to interfere with the hawk's food. At this the king became surprised and addressed the assembly saying that it was very surprising that birds were speaking so eloquently the ideas of virtue. However the king felt that it was his duty to protect one who had sought his protection as that is the dharma of the Kshatriyas. He further said that one who did not protect the one who deserved to protected by him lost all honor and respect, and earned great demerit. Even gods did not accept offerings in sacrifice of such a person and that person who did not protect another but instead gave him or her away to the danger confronting him or her sank in the deepest hell. Then he addressed the hawk and told him that he could not give away the pigeon. Instead his folks would offer him a bull with rice to appease his hunger. The hawk said that he would be satisfied with the pigeon's meat and did not want a bull, because the pigeon had been ordained as his food for the day by the gods.

At this the king said that he could not give away the pigeon. However he was ready to do anything else the hawk ordered him to do, in exchange for the life of the pigeon. At this the hawk said that the king should then cut an equal measure (of the weight of the pigeon) of flesh from his own body and gave to the hawk. The king delightedly agreed at this proposal thinking the pigeon to be light weight and cut a portion of his flesh from the thigh and weighed it in a balance against the weight of the pigeon. However everyone was surprised to see that the pigeon still weighed more. The king cut more of his flesh and weighed but everytime the pigeon's weight was greater. The king was in great pain and bleeding all over but he refused to give up and himself ascended the balance. At this Agni and Indra assumed their own forms blessed the great king and gave him boons. Agni gave him the boon that all his injuries would heal and the skin would assume the colour of gold and would emit a sweet perfume and he would have a son born from his own body that would be a delight to his race. On the expiry of his term, because of the great merit acquired king Sivi would ascend to the heavens to enjoy the felicities there.

There came in the great Aswamedha (horse sacrifice) of king Ashtaka of Viswamitra's race many great kings. The three brothers of the king Ashtaka, Pratardana, Vasumana and king Sivi, the son of Usinara also came there. After the sacrifice was over, king Ashtaka was proceeding in the chariot along with his brothers when they beheld rishi Narada. King Ashtaka duly worshipped Narada and asked him the following question. He said that all the brotehrs had great merit and therefore all of them would go to the heaven and stay there for a long period. Who among them would be the first to fall from heaven (i.e. who among them had the least merit and the privilege of staying in heaven)? At this Narada replied that king Ashtaka would fall first. Ashtaka then asked him why it was ordained to be so. Narada said that one day he went with Ashtaka in his chariot outside his town and there he beheld thousands of cattle with different colours. He asked Ashtaka that whom these cattle belonged to. At this Ashtaka replied (with pride) that it was he who had given away these cattle. Since he was proud of his achievement and proclaimed the same, he would be the first to fall.

At this another brother asked, who amongst the three remaining would be the first to fall. Then Narada replied that it would be Pratardana. When asked why he said that he dwelt with Pratardana for sometime and one day when they went out in his car a certain Brahmin came and asked for a steed from the king. The king replied that he would give it to him upon returning but the Brahmin wanted it immediately and hence the king unyoked one of his horses and gave it to the Brahmin. Then while proceeding he met another Brahmin who asked for a steed and the king had to unyoke another of his steed and give it away. He did the same to a third Brahmin when solicited thus. Then came a fourth Brahmin who similarly asked for a steed and the king unyoked the only steed he had and began to pull the chariot himself. He said that now there was nothing for the Brahmins. Since he thus expressed his dissatisfaction in giving away what he had, he therefore on account of that lost his merit and would fall from heaven.

Then the remaining two kings asked Narada as to whom among them would fall first. Narada replied that it would be Vasumana. This was because being solicited by Narada he gave away a car decked with flowers twice when Narada had praised it, but the third time he said rather tersely that Narada had praised the car enough, implying that he would not be given the flowery car any more.

Then the kings asked him, of Sivi and Narada who would be living in the heaven longer and Narada said that without doubt it was king Sivi who would be lasting longer. At this everybody was surprised and asked the reason. Narada said that a certain Brahmin once came to the king Sivi and asked for alms. The king was ready to give him everything that he possessed and the Brahmin then asked him for his son to be cooked and prepared for the Brahmin. At this Sivi, without displaying any wrath, cooked the flesh of his own son for the Brahmin and came in search of him but the Brahmin was no longer there. Somebody then told him that while he was so engaged in cooking the flesh of his son, that wicked Brahmin had gone and set fire to his city, to his palace, to his treasury and the apartments of females as well as the stables for horses and elephants. In short, the king had lost everything to that Brahmin. The king still displayed no wrath and went to the Brahmin to beg him to eat the food prepared. At this the Brahmin, as if to insult him further, said to the king to eat the flesh himself. The king displayed no signs of anger and took the vessel for eating. The Brahmin then assumed his own form. He was none other than one of the gods who was testing the virtue of king Sivi and everything was restored as before. Later when one of the counselors asked the king as to why he did what he did, the king said that he did not do anything for the sake of name, fame, wealth or merit and he did it because it was virtuous. He only followed the footsteps of the great ones.

Mahabharata - Vamadeva and Vami horses

Vamadeva and Vami Horses

Sala, Dala and Vala were the three sons of Parikshit and Sushovana. When their father Pariskshit became old, he installed the eldest one Sala on the throne and himself along with Sushovana retired to the forest to live a secluded life, in accordance with Hindu customs. Sala, one day had gone out for hunting and had chased a deer. He urged his charioteer to drive fast so that he could catch up with his deer. His charioteer said that with the horses that the king had, he had no chance of getting to the deer. If only he had the Vami horses, he could have surely caught up with the agility of a deer. Now the Vami horses belonged to Vamadeva, a very powerful Brahmin Rishi who was a son of Vasistha, the great sage. The king asked the charioteer to tell him where to get the Vami horses and threatened to slay him otherwise. At this the charioteer was frightened, thinking of the consequences of Vamadeva's curse and could not respond. The king then raised his sword to kill the charioteer. The charioteer was afraid and he revealed to the king that Vami horses belonged to Vamadeva and they were as fast as that of lightning. At this the king asked him to take him to the hermitage of the Rishi and on arriving there the king asked the rishi to lend him the pair of Vami horses for catching the deer that escaped him. The great sage lent the pair of horses on condition of returning them to him after the purpose for which they were being borrowed was accomplished. The king however told his charioteer that the Brahmin did not deserve the horses like that pair and they were the property of Kshatriya king. Therefore returning to his kingdom he hid the horses in his inner apartments and decided not to return them.

Meanwhile sage Vamadeva had become very anxious on account of the Vami horses. He thought to himself that the king did not look trustworthy as he was young and not conversant with ways of life. He might decide not to return those Vami horses. The sage therefore decided to solicit them from the king and sent one of his disciples, Atreya to go to the king and ask him for returning the Vami horses. Accordingly Atreya went to the king, the king told him that the Vami horses belonged to Kshatriyas and Brahmins should have no business with horses. Atreya returned and told his preceptor everything that transpired. The sage now himself went to the king and reminded him of his promise. The king said that a Brahmin should not have anything to do with horses, that they belonged legitimately to the king and the Brahmin should be satisfied with a pair of docile bulls that the king would give the sage in exchange. At this sage demanded the horses to be given back to him. The king refused and told to sage to take any substitute like assess and mules. Vamadeva became very angry and by the power of his ascetic penances he mentally thought of destruction of the king. Then four terrible Rakshasas came out with lances and killed the king. Even while dying he refused to give up the Vami horses. Then his brother Dala became the king. When Vamadeva cam to him for getting back the Vami horses, Dala too at first refused to give him and also decided to punish him for killing his brother. But the arrow that he took up and aimed at the Muni, by the sages' will, killed his ten year old son Senajit. The king became grief stricken and took another arrow to kill the Muni Vamadeva. But he was not able to shoot it at all. At this the king became very agitated and knew that he had done a wrong thing. He begged forgiveness from the Brahmin and his queen too came and asked for forgiveness and told Vamadeva that she would teach the king to behave properly with Brahmins henceforth. Vamadeva became very pleased and blessed them so that the king would not have to incur any sin on account of disrespect of a Brahmin. The king was also very pleased and gave back the Vami horses to Vamadeva who returned satisfied.

Mahabharata - Parikshit and Sushobhana

Parikshit and Sushobhana

Once upon a time there was a king called Pariskshit belonging to the Ikshaku dynasty of Ayodhya. He had gone for hunting. The deer whom he was chasing led him astray and he lost his way and was far away from the human habitat. He was extremely fatigued and afflicted with hunger and thirst and saw himself in a dense forest devoid of any human habitation. In that forest he came across a vast lake of weet water. Being extremely thirsty, he took a bath, drank water, unharnessed his horse to give it good grass and water and took some rest. While resting he heard a sweet music and being curious about it he searched and found a very beautiful lady who was singing while gathering flowers. The king was fascinated by her beauty and without much enquiry asked for her hand in marriage. The lady consented upon one condition, that the king would never show her any water. The king agreed and they got married and had a great time together. In the meanwhile king's soldiers came to that spot searching for him and by seeing him along with the beautiful lady, they were delighted and too both of them back to the capital. After coming back to the palace the king forgot all his duties and remained with the fair lady day and night. Nobody could meet the king and all royal duties came to a standstill. At this the minster became very anxious and he enquired the king's companions the reason for king ignoring his duties. The companions told him that the king is married to a beautiful lady and made a pledge before her that he would never show her water and he was busy in her company day and night. At this the minister formed an idea. He caused an artificial forest to be created near the royal palace and also built a tank full of sweet water in one corner and covered it with a net of pearl to keep it hidden. Then he told the king that the king could roam around delightfully with his queen in that beautifu forest. The king accordingly took the queen out and sported with her. After a while he got tired and thirsty and discovered the tank. He sat beside the tank and told his wife to take a plunge in it, quite forgetting his pledge. At this the fair lady took a plunge in the water but never came back. At this the king was extremely sad and he ordered the water of the tank to be drawn out to make it empty, in the hope of discovering his love. However when all the water was drawn out he could see nothing but a frog near a water hole. At this the king was enraged and said that the frog must have killed his wife. Therefore all frogs should be exterminated. He ordered in wrath that nobody should visit him without giving him a tribute of dead frogs killed by that person. Soon there began a terrible slaughter of frogs in his kingdom and all the frogs became very much afraid and went to their king. The king of frogs became very sad seeing his subjects getting killed, transformed himself into an ascetic and came to meet the king Parikshit. He told Parikshit that it was not proper for him to kill innocent frogs. Parikshit told him that a frog killed his wife and he must kill them to avenge her death. At this the frog king said that he was the king of frogs and that his name was Ayu. The king had actually married his daughter Sushobhana, who was that beautiful maiden. She had played a prank with him, as she had done earlier with several kings. The king then requested him to giver his daughter in marriage to him, to which the frog king consented. However the frog king was very angry with his daughter as because of him so many innocent frogs had died and so many kings were deceived by her. He cursed her saying that her sons would not respect or obey Brahmins and thereby incur great unpleasantness. Sushobhana married Parikshit and had three sons by the names of Sala, Dala and Vala.

Mahabharata - Story of the Four Yugas

Story of the Four Yugas

In Krita or Satya age, Truth and morality prevailed. Everybody was pure and virtuous and nothing bad or evil could happen. Dharma or the ethics was like a cow with four legs. In the Treta age there was one leg of unrighteousness and therefore vices came into being. In Dwapara, virtue and vice were both in equal measures. In the Kali age, virtue was only one fourth while vice reigned supreme. Period of life, strength, intellect and size of men as well as their energy decreases in every age, being of the highest in Krita age. In Kali age men behave deceitfully towards fellow beings. Truth and morality decreases and hence the lifespan of man is short. Therefore they do not acquire knowledge and are bereft of all wisdom. They are ruled by greed, lust, anger, jealousies, hatred towards fellow human beings and calamity befalls them repeatedly. The four orders do not adhere to their prescribed duties and esp. Brahmins are much fallen and degenerated to the level of Sudras. Men will appropriate what belongs to others. They will do all such activities that are strictly forbidden in scriptures. The behaviors of Melcchas (one who are devoid of the Vedas) will become the norm and all sacrifices cease to exist. Along with them all joys and happiness will go away and misery will reign. The Kshatriyas, instead of performing their duties (of upholding virtue through chastisement) will contribute towards an increase in disharmony and discord through constant warfares. Instead of protecting then honest and virtuous they will like plunderers rob them of their weath, wives and possessions. Men who betray the truth and are immoral will appear as men of learning while true men of learning will not get any attention. Cowards will be considered brave while real bravehearts will perish unsung. All men will behave like Sudras and towards the end of the Yuga all virtues will disappear. The householders, husbands, wives, sons, daughters will forget their duties and will always break all scriptural injunctions of a virtuous life, by being immoral and corrupt. Religion will be only in symbols and people will falsely try to appear as religious. Malice and hatred will fill the earth. There will be famines and earthquakes and all sorts of natural calamities in consequence of the evil deeds of mankind. Men will become cruel, selfish and devoid of all compassion. Kings will levy oppressive taxes and subjects will perish without protection. They will destroy trees, gardens and other natural resources. When men thus begin to slay each other, take their possessions, when the good are very few and unprotected, when evil reigns supreme, the Yuga will come to an end. All kinds of unnatural things will happen and clouds will rain incessantly. Disciples will not listen to gurus and Sudras will rule over Brahmins. Men of learning and wisdom will have to fear for their lives and there will be no distinction (on the basis of knowledge, piousness, wisdom and merit). People will only covet after wealth and sinfully indulge in lust and sense pleasures. Crops will not grow and men will perish like insects. Men will leave their own country and migrate to others in search of food and livelihood. When such is the state of affair of all living beings, creation will begin anew. When the planetary conjunctions are auspicious, Krita yuga will begin once again and prosperity, health and abundance will once again return on earth. About this time will be born the divine Kalki. He will be born in the small village called Sambhala. He will be ever devoted to virtue and will get everything needed to bring about the transformation. He will destroy all evil and restore peace and harmony. After exterminating the Mlecchas, i.e. people of vulgar behavior, Kalki, in a great horse sacrifice will give away the earth to the Brahmins. Countries of the earth, one after another will be subjugated by him.  When sin is thus rooted out and virtue flourishes, Krita age will set in. Brahmins will become true Brahmins devoted to truth, penance, sacrifices and ever possessed of wisdom and all other orders will follow their course. Peace and prosperity will rule all over the earth.

Mahabharata - Story of Sage Markandeya

Story of Sage Markandeya

After the pralaya or the universal dissolution, Marakandeya alone, with a heavy heart by seeing the destruction and dissolution, roams around over that vast mass of water. Wandering over that huge expanse of water he became fatigued but could see no resting place. Then he came across a gigantic banyan tree. On one branch of the tree there was a conch and a beautiful celestial bed on which was seated a beautiful boy of tender age. At this sight the sage was filled with wonder and he began to think within himself as to wherefrom this boy came. Although the sage was aware of the past, present and future, he could not ascertain anything about the boy. The boy had the mark of Sreevatsa and had eyes as large as petals of lotus and hue of the atasi flower. Seeing the sage the boy told him that he was fatigued after exertion and hence he was invited to take rest within him. The boy opened his mouth and sage Markendeya entered in that mouth as if driven by an irresistible urge. Inside he beheld with wonder all the sights of the very earth before its destruction, as if nothing had changed. He saw the rivers, Ganga, Yamuna, Sarswati, Sindhu, chandrabhaga, Satadru, Godavari and others, he saw kingdoms and cities and villages, the mighty oceans full of sea creatures, the mountains Himalayas and Vindhyas, the Brahmins engaged in sacrifices, Kshatriyas in governing, Vaishyas in trade and agriculture and Sudras in serving. Markandeya became very surprised. He could not ascertain as to how it was possible to have the whole of universe within that child and that too in the form that he saw before the universal dissolution. He saw all animals and the forests, he even saw all the gods with their chief Indra, he also saw the asuras. He dwelt in that body for many years but could never find the end of the universe or of that body. Then humility developed in him and he sought the protection of that divine being. Then when his mind had become purified and tranquil and his anxiety got dispelled through devotion, he suddenly found himself ejected from that body through the mouth. Then he found himself once again on that same branch of the same banyan tree with that young child with sreevatsa mark (of Vishnu), attired in yellow robes. The boy then spoke to the sage saying that, "Oh Markandeya, take some rest, for you have been tired of living in my body." At these words of the boy the cloud of ignorance got dispelled and Markandeya realized at once the divine illusion and got emancipated from the world or samsara. He developed the supreme knowledge and also supreme devotion. He approached that divine boy with reverence and worshipped Him mentally. He wished to know from the divine boy the meaning of the illusion that he saw. The divine boy, who was in reality Vishnu, said that even gods do not know Him properly. He is called Narayana because when the entire universe is submerged in water (causal state or the state where everythings dissolves), Vishnu stays and hence He is called Narayana (Nara - water, ayana - home). He is the source of all things. he is the creator, the preserver and destroyer. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are really the same Supreme Being, the eternal Vishnu who is beyond all space and time. All gods including their chief Indra reside in Him. Vedas and all knowledge originate from Him. He is the originator and also the recipient of all sacrifices. He is the force that holds the earth and all the planets, He is the energy that pervades the universe. He is there in all human beings and He has become Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas and Shudras, the four orders. He is also the all destroyer flame called Samvartaka. The sun, moon, stars, oceans and all other living and non living objects constitute His great body called Virata. He is really the cause behind everything, all actions. It is His will that is driving this universe, not human will. At times when virtue and morality decreases and sins increase, He appears in new forms for establishing righteousness, for the sake of good and His devotees. When foremost rakshasas and demons take birth on earth, He also takes birth in virtuous homes for exterminating the evil and for reestablishing virtue. There are four ages in which the Lord assumes four different hues, like white (purity) in Krita or Satya, yellow (some purity and some impure action in Treta), red (mostly impure action like wars) in Dwapar and black (darkness, tamas, impurity and inaction) in Kali age. At the end of ages He appears like Rudra, the destroyer. He is the cause of existence of all objects, in Him exists all and in Him returns all at the time of dissolution. One of His innumerable forms is that of divine Vishnu with the conch shell, discuss (Sudarshana), mace and lotus. At the time of universal dissolution when Brahma goes to sleep, Vishnu, taking the form of a little boy stays in that gigantic banyan tree created by His illusion. In Him rests the entire universe. The universe with its immovable and movable objects and creatures remain in seed form within Him, just as the mighty banyan tree is in a tiny seed that sprouts in time. The divine Vishnu then told the rishi to stay with Him as long as Brahma was sleeping. Once Brahma was awakened , the creation would begin all over again.

Mahabharata - Story of Pralaya

Story of Pralaya - the great destruction and dissolution

Markendeya was a sage who had the rare fortune of being immortal. He could see the different ages and their dissolution and upon questioned by Yudhisthira on the same, he narrated his experience. Krita or Satya Yuga, the first after creation, is of four thousand and eight hundred years in duration. The Treta is three thousand six hundred, Dwapara is two thousand four hundred and Kali is one thousand and two hundred years long. After Kali ends, Krita comes again. A cycle of Yugas is twelve thousand years in duration. a thousand such Yugas comprise of a day of Brahma. When the dissolution of the last yuga comes very near, people become addicted to falsehood and people generally do not follow the norms and dictum stipulated by the Vedas. There is unrighteousness everywhere and the Mlecchas rule the earth. There is a general decay of religion and piousness and unholiness and improper conduct prevails. Men become sinful and take recourse vices in trades and professions. People who are virtuous live in misery while those who are sinful live happily. Under such a circumstance men becomes short lived and evil reigns. This is the time when universal dissolution comes forth.

At first there is a drought that extends for many years. Then men and creatures perish by thousands on the wayside, and famines dwindle the population. Then seven blazing suns appear on the horizon, sucking up all the water from the rivers and seas. Every thing is reduced to ashes by the heat. All the greenery dries up. Then the fire called Samvartaka, propelled by the winds, appear and consumes everything, even the nether regions. Then there arise in the sky large masses of clouds, monstrous in appearance, with terrible lightnings.  They then pour rain over the earth. The rain soon floods the entire surface of the earth. When the entire world is thus flooded, no movable or immovable creatures or beings can remain alive, even gods, yakshas, rakshashas, asuras, nagas, all are destroyed. The trees, plants, mountains all disappear and the first cause of everything, the creator Lord Brahma, goes to sleep.