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.
