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.