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.

Mahabharata - Story of Vaivaswat Manu

Vaivaswat Manu was a rishi who was also the son of Vivaswan, the sun god. He was equal to his father and grandfather Brahma in terms of power, glory, strength and austerities performed. He practised tremendous penance in the forest of Badari for ten thousand years. One day, while he was engaged in ascetic practices, a fish approached him on the banks of river Chirini and addressed him thus, "Oh respectful rishi, I am a little fish residing here in this river and I am afraid that big fishes will swallow me. Because the large fishes always live upon small fishes, my life is in constant danger. Therefore do protect me from such an eventuality. Kindly take me with you and keep me in a place where I am safe from predators. This act will earn you merits.

The rishi was taken by compassion for the little fish and took it to his home after taking it out from water. He then put it back in an earthen water vessel and reared it carefully. The fish began to grow in size in that vessel and atlast one day it could no longer remain inside that earthen pot. It therefore entreated Manu to take it out and place it in a larger body of water. Accordingly Manu took the fish out of the vessel and carried it to a large tank and put it in the water of the tank. After many years the fish grew up there as well and the space in the tank was inadequate for it even though the tank was big enough. The fish then requested Manu to take it to Ganga where it can play around with much more ease. Manu complied with its wish and placed it in Ganga. There the fish played around for a long time and then one day it became so big that even Ganga could not hold it and therefore it requested Manu to put it in the ocean. Manu then took out the fish to the sea and put it there with ease, despite the great bulk. When it was being pushed to the ocean it told Manu smilingly, "You have taken care of me most lovingly and therefore I would pay back your debt. Listen to me carefully. The pralaya or universal destruction is going to take place for ending this period of creation. Therefore the entire universe will be dissolved and will be recreated. All the mobile and immobile creatures will perish. Since you have so faithfully served me, I shall save you. A huge flood is coming that will engulf the entire earth. You must build a huge boat which will be strong enough to carry you and the other seven pious rishis, and all the seeds and preserve them carefully. The boat shall be tied to a strong rope. Then wait for me. I shall appear before you having a horn on my nose and you can thus recognize me. Thus said the fish disappeared and Manu accordingly built a strong boat, procured the different seeds and set sail on a surging sea. Then he thought of the fish and the fish appeared before him with a horn on his nose and Manu tied the boat with the rope to that horn. The sea got even more furious and the entire universe was flooded with water. But the fish moved with ease on that roaring and extremely turbulent sea. Many and his companions had no difficulty at all. There was no land to be seen anywhere. Everywhere there was water. The fish diligently carried Manu and his boat over that ocean for many days and then they could see in the horizon the mighty peak of the Himalayas. The fish directed itself towards that peak and helped them tie the boat to that peak. The peak therefore became known as Nauvandhana or the harbour. The fish then addressed the rishis saying that it was Brahma, the Lord of all creatures who assumed the form of a fish to save the rishis from the great flood. He also entrusted Manu to create again all beings by acquiring the power of creation through severe austerities. Vaivaswat Manu therefore set on the task of creating all beings again and the period thereafter came to be known after him as Vaivaswat Manvantara. One Manvantara consists of 71 cycles of four Yugas and in one Kalpa or a day of Brahma there are 14 such Manvantaras. The present Manvantara is Vaivaswat Manvantara after Manu and it is the seventh Manvantara in present Kalpa according to Puranas. Some Puranas also depict the fish to be the first avatara or incarnation of Lord Vishnu. 

Mahabharata - Penance of Yavakri

Yavakri's penance

The sages Bharadwaj and Raivya were two friends. They dwelt in the hermitages which were near to each other and took delight in each other's company. Raivya had two sons Arvavasu and Paravasu and Bharadwaja had only one son, Yavakri. Raivya and his sons were versed on Vedas and were extremely learned and erudite. Bharadwaja however was known for his asceticism. Raivya therefore enjoyed much goodwill and respect while Bharadwaja, on account of his not being a scholar, did not enjoy that respect. Therefore Bharadwaj's son, Yavakri was very unhappy and one day he set out to obtain the knowledge of Vedas by docuting severe penance.  He first exposed his body to a flaming fire. By practising the hardest of austerities, he was atlast able to cause anxiety among gods and Indra esp. became very anxious, lest he would be losing his Indrahood to Yavakri. He therefore came to Yavakri and asked him the purpose behind his rigid vows. Yavakri respectfully bowed to him and replied that he wanted to have a complete mastery over all Vedas and obtain knowledge so that he might never be slighted again. Indra said that that was not the proper way of getting the knowledge of Vedas which can only be obtained from the lips of a preceptor. Yavakri then once more started his penances and the severity of his penances once again disturbed Indra. He came to Yavakri and told him that his purpose of obtaining Vedic knowledge for himself and his father through penances will never be ssatisfied. So penance was not the proper way. He must go back and learn Vedas from a preceptor. Yavakri replied that he was determined to learn Vedas in that way and therefore would resourt to even stronger ascetism by offering hsi own limbs into fire.

Indra became very concerned and after some reflections he devised an idea. He assumed the role of a Brahmin and began to build a dam in that part of Bhagirathi where Yavakri used to go for ablutions. The Brahmin began to fill Ganga with sands and he threw handful of sand to Ganga and this attracted the attention of the sage. Yavakri asked him laughing, what was the Brahmin thinking by trying to fill the river with sand? Indra in the guise of Brahmin answered that it was very difficult for people to cross Bhagirathi using a boat. For that purpose he was building a dam to help people to cross the river. Yavakri laughed aloud and said that it was an impossible task to fill Ganga by using handful of sands. So the Brahmin as well might leave it and go home and do something practical instead of attempting the impractical and impossible. The Brahmin said that if Yavakri could hope to obtain knowledge of the the Vedas by mere penance  then it was possible for filling up Ganga using such handful of sands. At this Yavakri realized that the Brahmin was none other than Sankra, the chief of celestials and therefoore told him that even though it was impractical for him to attain the knowledge of Vedas using penance, Indra could make it practical by giving boons.

Atlast Indra agreed and gave him the boon that Vedas will be revealed to him and his father Bharadwaja and his wishes would be fulfilled. At this Yavakri became very happy and went to his father Bharadwaja and told him that by Indra's boon Vedas would be revealed to them both. Bharadwaja however was a wise man and he knew the pitfalls. He therefore warned his son that having the knowledge would make him proud and pride might result in destruction. He then narrated a story. In ancient times there was a sage called Valadhi who was much grief stricken by the death of his child. He therefore performed severest of penance and obtained a child that would be immortal. However the gods told him that a mortal's son cannot become immortal just like that. There must be some riders to the immortality clause. So the sage requested that the mountains which were nearby should be the instrumental cause, i.e. only upon the destruction of that mountain his son would die, knowing very well that it was impossible to destroy the mountain as it had existed for millions of years. Afterwards a son was born to the sage and he was called Medhavi. The boy was hot tempered and as he learned the circumstances of his birth he became very vain and proud and maltreated every sage and doing all sorts of mischiefs. Atlast he met a muni called Dhannushaksha whom he treated very roughly. The sage was very powerful and he cursed Medhavi to be reduced to ashes but nothing happened. Knowing the instrumental cause of the immortality of Medhavi by his power of Yoga, the sage created huge buffaloes and ordered them to destroy the mountain that was the cause of Medhavi's immortality. Once that mountain was destroyed, Medhavi fell down dead. All the sages therefore said that under no condition can a man overcome what has been ordained by his fate (past karma). Dhannusaksha destroyed a mountain using buffaloes.

Having told his son this story, Bharadwaja warned his son that he should not become proud and vain. Otherwise he would be destroyed. He should never disregard Raivya and his sons as Raivya was short tempered but very powerful sage and he could curse him. Yavakri assured his father that he would not do anything to offend Raivya as he had greatest respect for him. However, such was his nature that soon vanity overtook him and he began to insult other sages.

One day he went to the hermitage of Raivya and insulted his daughter in law. When Raivya came to know about this incident he flared up in anger and uttered mantras by tearing off a matted lock of his hair. At this sprang up an ogeress exactly resembling his daughter in law. Then he plucked another matted lock and offered it as another sacrifice with a mantra and there emerged a terrible demon. Both of them asked Raivya what would they do. Raivya told them to go and kill Yavakri. The ogeress enchanted Yavakri and deprived him of his water pot which rendered him an easy target for the demon to kill. Yavakri ran for his life to find a sacred pool of water where he could perform ablutions to escape his terrible fate but found none. Atlast he came to his father's hermitage and tried to enter the room of agnihotra sacrifice but was prevented from entering by a Sudra. And then the demon hurled a spear and killed him.

When Bharadwaja returned to his hermitage at the end of the day he was alarmed to find that the sacrifical fire did not burn so enthusiastically and also the Sudra did not rejoice upon seeing him. At this, he asked the Sudra about the facts and soon came to know from him that Raivya's curse had killed his son. Being mad with grief he cursed Raivya saying that his eldest son would kill him as he made Bharadwaja suffer on account of the loss of his only son. Then he realized his folly and lamented that he stooped so low that he gave way to wrath and cursed his friend. He was miserable on account of the death of his only son and therefore entered into a blazing fire.

At that time Vrihadyumna, whose priest was Raivya, commenced a great sacrifice and the two sons of Raivya, Aravavasu and Paravasu were engaged by the monarch to assist him in performance of the ceremony. Raivya remained in the hermitage. Paravasu returned to the hermitage at the end of the day. His father was wrapped in a black deer skin and Paravasu, being sleepy, thought that it was a dark coloured wild animal, and being afraid of his life, he killed his father, all the while thinking it to be an animal which might attack him. After realizing his mistake, he performed the last rites of his father and returned to the place of sacrifice. He then told his brother to observe a vow for him to expiate him from the sin of killing his father, a Brahmin. Arvavasu therefore went back to the hermitage to perform penance to expiate his brother from the sin and subsequently at the end of the vow, returned to the sacrifice. Seeing him, Paravasu conceived a devious plan and told the king that his brother was the real killer of his father and for that reason had gone for getting rid of the sin and a killer of Brahmin must never enter the place of sacrifice. The king immediately ordered his men to  turn out Arvavasu and they called him as a slayer of Brahmin. Aravavasu repeatedly said that it was not he who was the killer but his brother, but nobody paid any heed. Grief stricken, the sage returned to the woods and performed most severest kind of penance to please the sun god and the sun and other gods being pleased with him made him the chief priest of the sacrifice and compelled the king to dismiss Paravasu. They then granted boons to Arvavasu who asked for the life of his father Raivya. Then he further prayed that his brother should be absolved from sin, his father would have no recollection of being killed, and that both Bharadwaja and Yavakri would come alive. The gods happily bestowed all the boons and Yavakri and Bharadwaja became alive again. Yavakri on regaining his life asked the gods including Agni that even though he had succeeded in learning the Vedas and did severe penances, how could Raivya kill him in that manner. At this the gods told him that he had learnt the Vedas without any hard work and without the aid of a preceptor. But Raivya had obtained it the hard way by serving his preceptor and over a long period of time. That was why he could belittle Yavakri. No great work can be accomplished using short cuts. One has to work hard to gain knowledge and that hard earned knowledge only has value.

Mahabharata - Story of Ashtavakra

Ashtavakra and Vandin

Sage Uddalaka had a disciple named Kahoda who was devoted to his guru and had acquired much knowledge and wisdom. Uddalaka was delighted by his disciple's progress and being satisfied by the service rendered decided to give his daughter Sujata in marriage to Kahoda. Sujata and Kahoda was expecting a son, who became conversant with Vedas even while he was in the womb of the mother. One day when Kahoda was giving a discourse on Vedas the son, even while it was in an embryo stage, addressed its father and told him that what he read was not correct. Thus he insulted his father in front of all his disciples and Kahoda was livid with anger. He therefore cursed the foetus saying that it will be born with eight parts of its body crooked since it did not know how how respect its own father. The child was thus born crooked and was named as Ashtavakra. The child had an uncle (son of Uddalaka) of the same age, named Swetaketu. When the pregnancy was in its tenth month, Sujata, requested Kahoda to devise some means of sustenance of the family and accordingly Kahoda went to the court of king Janaka of Mithila who was a great royal sage. Janaka in his court had a great debator named Vandin who used to engage people in debate with him and those who were defeated were killed by being drowned. Kahoda was also defeated and he was killed by Vandin. Hearing this Uddalaka told Sujata to keep it a secret from Ashtavakra and accordingly the child grew up without knowing his true father. One day when Ashtavakra was twelve years old, he was sitting on the lap of Uddalaka. Swetaketu came there and told Ashtavakra to go away because he had the first right to sit in his father's lap. Such cruel words inflicted a deep wound in the heart of the child. Ashtavakra went to his mother crying and aksed her as to who was his father. Sujata, shedding lot of tears, told her son about his father who was killed by Vandin in Janaka's court. At this Ashtavakra became very angry and he asked Swetaketu to come with him to the court of Janaka to meet Vandin. He however enticed his uncle by saying that there in the court by listening to learned Brahmins the knowledge and wisdom would increase and therefore they should go. The nephew and the uncle went to the king's place but the gate keeper would not allow children to enter the assembly of the erudites thinking them to be mere curious onlookers. Ashtavakra then met the king and told him that it is said in the scriptures that if there is no Brahmin on the way, the right of way belongs to the blind, deaf, women, carrier of burden and then king. But if there is a Brahmin he has the right of way. The king was surprised by the eloquency of a child and allowed him to enter the assembly. The gatekeeper said that he was merely carrying out the order of Vandin that lads were not allowed to enter and only learned old Brahmins would be allowed. Ashtavakra argued that he might be young in age but old in knowledge and wisdom and therefore should not be slighted. At this the gatekeeper told him to recite a verse from the vedas eulogizing the Supreme Being. Ashtavakra further argued with him saying that wisdom does not depend upon age. He even said that he would enter the assembly and would defeat Vandin by his power of knowledge and oratory. The gatekeeper was still sceptical and then Ashtavakra once again told the king that he would like to enter into a debate with Vandin and he would definitely defeat him. The king said that it was not possible for him to defeat Vandin as men of far superior knowledge and abilities had been defeated and killed by Vandin. So Ashtavakra should not risk his life. But Ashtavakra was adamant. The king Janaka therefore to test the boy asked him a few questions. They were - the significance of the thing that had thirty divisions, twelve parts, twenty four joints and three hundred and sixty spokes. Ashtavakra replied that it was the ever moving wheel (of time) that had twelve peripheries (months), twenty four joints (hours), six naves (seasons) and sixty spokes (lunar phases or pakshas - fortnights). The king was pleased and asked again, "Which two always come together ordained by Gods, snatch away like hawks and from where are they produced?" He was asking about miseries and death. Ashtavakra understood and replied that these two should not find their place in the king's house and even in the houses of his enemies and that they are produced in the one that has wind as his charioteer (the mind that races like wind, i.e. uncontrolled mind gives birth to miseries and ultimately causes death). The king further asked, "What does not close its eyes even while sleeping, what does not move after birth, what has no heart and what increases even at its own speed?" ashtavakra replied that it is the fish that does not close its eyes while sleeping, the egg after birth does not move (i.e. after its produced it remains still until hatched), a stone as no heart and a river increase in its own speed. The king was very pleased with these answers and permitted him to enter into a debate with Vandin. Ashtavakra then declared his presence and demanded that Vandin be brought in front of him and Vandin appeared, suprised that a mere boy had the audacity of calling him into a debate and then he presented his first line of thoughts. He said,  "there is one fire that takes various shapes, there is one sun that illuminates the world, there is one Lord of the celestials, Indra, and there is one Lord of the manes, Yama." Ashtavakra said, "There are two friends in celestial world, Indra and Agni, who always move together, Narada and Parvata are two celestial sages, Aswinikumaras are twins and wheels of a car are two, husband and wife form a couple." Vandin said, "Three kinds of born beings are produced by acts, three vedas are together used for performing vajapeya sacrifice, three are number of words and three are divine lights." Ashtavakra said, "Four are the ashramas, four orders perform sacrifices, four are the cardinal points, four are the legs of cows." Vandin said, "There are five fires, five sacrifices, five sacred rivers." Ashtavakra said, "There are six seasons, six senses, six stars in constellation Kirtika." Vandin uses number seven as seven domestic animals, seven wild animals, seven rishis of the yore and seven strings of Vina. Ashtavakra said on number eight that there are eight vasus, eight angles of Yupa, eight legs of an animal called Sarabha. Vandin then narrates the properties of number nine and in this way Ashtavakra takes the argument to number twelve. Vandin then mentions about thirteen islands and thirteenth lunar day and stops being unable to proceed farther. Ashtavakra provided some more examples with the number thirteen and thus won the battle.

The real significance of this battle was not playing with numbers but to prove the superiority of the concept of Advaita, i.e. one Supreme Being who pervades everything, the grand cosmic unity, that was later preached by Ashtavakra. Vandin did not accept the superiority of consciousness or Atman as the Supreme Being that pervades everything and therefore brought forward arguments from a pure materialistic standpoint, asserting the superiority of sense, sense objects, sense organs and intellect and denying consciousness. But Ashtavakra pushed him to the limit to assert that one consciousness underlying everything. When a person attains the knowledge of Self or Atman all bonds break for him and he becomes emancipated.

The assembly broke into a loud uproar as everybody was disgusted with Vandin and his ways. Brahmins began to praise Ashtavakra. Ashtavakra then said that Vandin must be killed by drowning as he had done with others who were defeated by him. At this Vandin was delighted and said that he was actually the son of Varuna, the lord of all waters. Lord Varuna had commenced a sacrifice extending for twelve years for which Vandin was entrusted to send the best of Brahmins and he did the same by sending all who were defeated by him. None of them had drowned. All of them had been happily enjoying the hospitality of king Varuna. Ashtavakra was so angry that he refused to listen and asked Janaka to drown Vandin as per agreement. Janaka said that as per the terms Vandin was in now Ashtavakra's hand and he was free to do what he wanted with him. Vandin said that he was really Varuna's son and that drowning him would help him to return to his abode. He also said that Ashtavakra's father Kahoda would appear immediately in front of him and he would be very happy with his son's accomplishments.

Then Kahoda along with all Brahmins who were drowned appeared in the king's court and everybody was amazed. Kahoda told king Janaka that it is because that a son can surpass his father in merit that a man wants to have son. His son had accomplished what he failed to do and he was proud of that. Vandin then duly worshipping the Brahmins and praising the august assembly and sacrifice of the king, entered into his realms in the water. Ashtavakra duly worshipped his father and returned to his hermitage along with his uncle. Then in presence of his mother his father asked him to enter into the water of the river Samanga. When Ashtavakra did the same all his crooked limbs became straightened and from that time onwards the river came to be known as Samanga or straightened limbs and developed purifying power. Ashtavakra became a very famous sage and his doctrine concerned unity of every being with God or the Advaita (non dualism).

Mahabharata - Story of king Usinara

Story of King Usinara and his greatness

Once king Usinara who was very pious and very virtuous, was conducting a sacrifice on the bank of Yamuna. The celestials had heard of the king's greatness and therefore they decided to test him. Indra assumed the shape of a hawk and Agni that of a pigeon and they came to the spot where the king was conducting the yajna and the pigeon, out of fear took refuge with the king. The hawk tod the king that it was his duty to give up the pigeon as the pigeon was the food of the hawk and the king being a just and virtuous ruler, should not deprive a living being of its food. The king said that the pigeon was trembling with fear and had taken refuge with him and therefore as a Kshatriya it is his duty to protect it. He could not give up the pigeon. To give up one who has taken shlter is a great crime. At this the hawk said that a life is sustained by food. If the hawk is deprived of food by the king he may perish and so will his family. Therefore the king will then commit sin of being the cause of death of so many. The king then said that forsaking one who had taken shelter is not virtue. Instead the hawk can take any other food offered by the king and thus save himself. The hawk refused any other food and said that since heaven ordained that the pigeon was his food for that day he should take the pigeon and nothing else. He further said that hawks survive on pigeon flesh and therefore it is desirable that the king gave up this pigeon rather than tmpting him with other foods. The king then told him that it was not possible for him to give up that pigeon, but instead he is willing to agree to any other condition imposed by the hawk. The hawk can demand anything else from the king apart from the pigeon.

The hawk then said that if the king Usinara so insisted he must cut from his body an equivalent amount of flesh as that would equal the pigeon flesh and offer to the hawk.  The king gladly agreed thinking that a pigeon  did not have much flesh and cut a portion of his body flesh and weighed in a balance against the pigeon. To his suprise he found that he fell short. He then cut a further portion and weighed and this time also his flesh weighed less than that of the frail pigeon. The king however did not give up and tried again. When in this manner a substantial portion of his flesh was gone and he was in the danger of losing his own life, he put his whole body in the balance, i.e. he decided to give up his life to save the pigeon. At this the hawk and the pigeon assumed their own forms of Indra and Agni resp. and told the king that they were testing his virtue and were extremely happy to see the great sacrifice of life that the king was willing to undergo to save the life of a pigeon. They blessed him saying that his noble deed would bring him much glory in the earth and he will acquire great merit and ascend to the heaven. Then and there the king ascended to heaven blazing like the sun on account of his virtues and acquired many high celestial regions after his death.

Mahabharata - Story of Sage Ani Mandavya

Ani Mandavya and Dharma

Mandavya was an ascetic who lived a very pious and religious life. He was conversant with all the Vedas and used to observe the vow of silence by upraising his arms at the entrance of the hermitage. One day a gang of thieves had stolen some booties and they were hard chased by the king's men. The thieves had come near the hermitage and dumped their spoils nearby an hid themselves. The guards came and knew for sure that the thief or thieves were nearby and they could not find anybody other than the rishi. They then asked the rishi as to the whereabouts of the robbers. The rishi did not answer as he was under a vow of silence. The guards then discovered the booty nearby and thinking that the rishi belonged to the gang of robbers, arrested him and took him to the king. The thieves were also caught. The king ordered them to be executed by impaling them (over a Shula or a sharp edged long pole). The executioners carried out the order and impaled the sage but Mandavya did not die. He suffered terribly but because of his great Yogic power he survived and also called other great sages to him. The other sages thus summoned became very sad but the great ascetic did not blame anybody than himself for the suffering. The officers finding the sage to be alive informed the king. The king hurriedly came to the spot and asked to be pardoned. Finding the rishi to be free of any anger he himself brought the rishi down and attempted to cut him from the stake. However a part of stake remained in the rishi's body and thus he came to be known as Ani-Mandavya. With that the rishi performed severest of penances and attained highest regions (of heaven).

After his death the rishi came to Dharma or Yama, the king of justice and asked him the reason for his suffering despite being blameless. Dharma replied that he had in childhood pierced an insect with a blade of grass. That is the reason why he had to suffer. The rishi became angry at this and said that it is a common knowledge that the sin committed in childhood is no sin at all. He also promulgated that any sin committed before age of fourteen would not be considered as sin as below that age senses of virtue and sin do not develop fully in a child. He then cursed king Dharma to be born on earth as a mortal and suffer from all trials and tribulations to which a mortal is subjected. And for that curse Dharma was born on earth as Vidura, the uncle of Pandavas and Kauravas and son of Vyasa, in the womb of  s Sudra woman.

Mahabharata - King Somaka and his Ritwika

Somaka and his Ritwika

Once upon a time there lived a king named Somaka who had one hundred wives but had no son out of wedlock. The king was extremely unhappy on that account and after a very long time a son was born to one of the queens and he was named as Jantu. This son was very dear to all the queens and also the king. All the one hundred queens dotted on him and they were concerned if slightest of pains were caused to him and tried their best to provide him with all kinds of pleasure and objects of enjoyment.

One day an ant bit the child and the boy cried in pain. All the one hundred queens came rushing to the aid of the boy and they started crying as well. This created a tumultuous uproar which reached the ears of the king who was seated with his minsters with his Ritwika or priest by the side. The king, on hearing the noise, rushed to the chamber of his queens. He heard what had happened and he soothed his son. On coming back he became very forlorn and distressed. He told his ministers and priests that it was better to have no son at all than to have only one son and bear a constant anxiety, for in a world full of uncertainties that son could be victim to any accidents or disease. It was far better that he had no son at all as that would have ensured peace of mind. The king further lamented saying that if it was possible for him to obtain one hundred sons he would do that, by any means at his disposal, good or evil. One hundred sons would dispel his constant worry and he would have a worthy successor to his throne. He had tried all means at his disposal to get worth sons but they were of no avail and now he and his wives were aging.  So he would like to know if there was any way by which he could beget one hundred sons. Then his Ritwika said that there is a way by which he could obtain one hundred sons and that the Ritwika would help him. The king would have to perform a Yajna where the flesh and fat of Jantu would have to be offered as oblation and the fume of that oblation has to be smelled by the queens who would conceive by that process. Among the new born sons, Jantu himself would be born, and on his back there will be a mark of gold.

The king agreed to this ghastly proposal, desirous as he was of sons. Then the priest prepared for the sacrifice where Jantu had to be sacrificed. But when the child was brought for sacrifice his mothers were inconsolable and they did not let him go. They pulled him by his right hand. The Ritwika applied his full might to snatch the boy away from his mothers in the cruelest and vicious manner and the mothers cried and lamented piteously. The Ritwika dragged the son, killed him and made an offering with his fats in the fire. When the smell of that fat reached the nostrils of the queens they fell down unconscious. Soon the ghastly ritual was over and the one hundred queens became pregnant. In ten months the gave birth to one hundred sons and Jantu was reborn among them, being the eldest and the foremost. All his mothers loved him more than they loved their own sons and he had a golden mark on his back. He was also very intelligent and meritorious. The king was eternally grateful to the Ritwika for fulfilling his desire.

After some time the Ritwik died and king Somaka’s end also came. The king, when he went to heaven enquired after his priest, the Ritwika and saw that he was being grilled in the most terrible hell. On being asked, Ritwika replied, “Oh King, this torture is on account of mine having officiated in your yajna where I had offered our son as a sacrifice.  For that reason I have been put into hell. The king said that since it was he who permitted Ritwika to kill his son for his selfish desire it would only be proper that Ritwika should be set free and the king himself must be put into hell, for he only had permitted the sacrifice. At this dharma, the god of virtue said that one could not suffer on account of another person’s acts or faults because everbody’s karma is his own. So Ritwika will have to suffer on account of his karma and the king is entitled to blessed regions on account of his merits. The king said that since he had been equally responsible and had sanctioned the ghastly act, it was he who was primarily accountable and hence he should be an equal part. Moreover he would like to stay with his Ritwika who was suffering on his account and would also like to share the blessed regions along with him.

The king of death and justice dharma was very happy to hear this and he therefore ordered the king to share the punishment with his Ritwika. When the sins were worked out in hell, he, shared his merits with Ritwika, being find and grateful of him and then together enjoyed the blessed regions of heaven.