Story #50: Bhagadhaththa's story

Story #49: The gaurava who battled in Pandavas side

    Hasthinapur was ruled by Dhridharashtra, whose wife was Gandhari. Dhridarashtra's Brother Pandu had Kunti and Madhri as his wives. All the three women were expecting child to be born at the same time.

   When time came, Kunti begot Yudhishtra. However, Gandhari didn't deliver the baby well beyond the expected time. She then hurt herself in a rage of anger over herself and delivered a hard ball kind of flesh. This flesh was divided into 100 pieces and put into 100 pots filled with ghee and kept covered under high care as per the advise of sage Vyasa. Vyasa assured that she would get 100 children from those pots at end of an year.

   Dhridarashtra wa not able to count on this completely. He began to fear that if, those pieces of flesh didn't turn to children, then the kingdom ruling authority would go over to the kids of Pandu. To keep the ruling clan he got a child thru the maid of Gandhari, Sugadha. The child was named Yuyutsu.

   Though Yuyutsu was born and brought up with the Kauravas, he was always very righteous. He couldn't however come away from them. He began to work as informer of Pandavas.

   Once Dhuryodhana tried to kill Bheema by poisoning water that he was to drink. Yuyutsu came to the rescue by alerting Bheema about the plot.

   Yuyutsu, then became friends with Pandavas, when he opposed the act of insulting them and Draupadi in the court. He then battled for Pandavas during the Kurukshethra war.

   When Krishna left to Gholokha, all the Pandavas were ready to go along. Before retiring, they gave the rule to Parikshit and made Yuyutsu the supervisor of affairs for the kingdom.

   We learn from Yuyutsu that wherever we are being righteous is important.

Sathyameva Jeyathe !!

Story #48: Story of Uloopi

   Uloopi is another lesser known character from Mahabharatha. Uloopi was the daughter of the Naga King Kauravya, who ruled over the underwater kingdom of Ganga. Uloopi once got to see Arjuna and was mesmerized by his charisma. With her magical powers she pulled Arjuna instantly to her father's court.

   She then asked Arjuna to marry her. However, Arjuna denied as he was on a mission to go to Himalayas to do penance and there by get powerful weapons. Uloopi and her father consoles him at length and makes him marry Uloopi.

   After this Uloopi gave birth to Iravan or Aravan. She got so pleased on getting a son. So, she gave Arjuna the boon that he would not be affected by any underwater creatures.

   After the Mahabharatha battle, the Saptha Vasus, brothers of Bhisma, became very angry with Arjuna for killing their brother. They curse Arjuna that he would die at the hands of his own son in a battle.

   Uloopi became very disturbed when she heard of this. She goes to Ganga matha and asks her if there is any remedy. For this Ganga ma says she can't take back the curse. On hearing persistent prayers of Uloopi, Ganga matha gave Uloopi a stone jewel which if she would keep on the chest of Arjuna after he died, would bring him back to life.

   Uloopi was not only rich and powerful but was also very intelligent. She wondered that the stone will be of no use, if Arjuna died when she wasn't there near him.

   She hatches a plan. Acccordingly, she meets Babruvahana, who was son of Arjuna and Chitrangadaa. She confuses them so much that Babruvahana declares a war against Arjuna, when he was trying to do Ashwameda yaga.

   During this war, Arjuna dies in accordance with the curse he got from the vasus. Uloopi immediately brings Arjuna back to life. Seeing all this commotion, Chitrangada and Babruvahana gets angry at Uloopi.

   Uloopi patiently calmed them down and explained the curse and remedy. She said it was for the well being of Arjuna only, she kindled Babruvahana to wage a war and kill Arjuna. Pleased with her thought process Arjuna and others praise her.

   We learn from this, that even the worse situation could be twisted in a positive way, only by using a proper plan and executing it at the right time. So, a clear mind at any situation provides ample benefits.

Jai Ganga Matha ! Jai Sri Uloopi ! 

Story #47: Mystery of no living thing in Madurai temple tank

   Long ago, there was a heron who was accustomed to live on the fish of some large lotus-filled tanks. The heron lived in a tank near the southern bank of river Vaigai.

   Once there had been a famine in that area, causing the tank to become dry. The heron in the hopes of finding another tank with water and food, came to another lake. This the heron found was full of water, fishes, crabs and all that it would have as food. This tank was near an ashram in which many rishis resided and prayed for the well-being of the world.

   The Saathvik character of the rishis, slowly transfused into the heron. It began to listen to the dissertation that were given by the rishis everyday in the evening. This began to make huge changes in the heron.It realized that killing another life for one's own happiness is unforgivable sin. It also became very much interested in going to Madurai, about which the rishis talked very highly about.

   So, the heron started to fly day in and out for 15 days (1 paksha). Finally it reached Madurai and came to the potramarai kulam(golden lotus tank). It became even more serene and peaceful there. It decided to stop eating any other creature. Lord Shiva pleased with such a transformation in a five-sensed creature, wanted to test it. He made a fish leap out of the bank in its own accord, as if offering itself as feast to the heron.

   Strong instinct urged the heron to devour its prey; but it recollected that the place was holy, and considered that severe punishment would follow. It therefore abstained. Happy with the determination of the heron, lord Shiva appeared there.

   The lord asked the heron what he desired. The heron said that it desired two things. First one was that it could reside in the abode of Shiva forever. Second desire was to make no living creature to live or reproduce in that lake, as it would help all other herons to move in spiritual way and not get any sin by eating other lives.

   The lord was very happy for the selfless wish of the heron and blessed it that the wishes would come true. We still can't see any living thing in the temple tank of Meenakshi temple.

   We learn from this thinking about all is much preferred and accepted by the gods.

Lokha Samastha Sukino Bhavanthu !!

Story #46: Indra's relief - First Thiruvilayadal

   Once Indra was witnessing the dance performance of Apsaras. He was so involved in the dance that he didn't even see Brihaspathi, the guru of all the Devas, come there. This made the guru little angry. However, he waited till the performance was over. Indra, then saw Guru there in his court. He didn't budge from his throne or ask for forgiveness.

   This infuriated the Guru so much that he said that he wouldn't stay in the court or meet Indra and went away. All the knowledge that Indra had disappeared in an instance, so did the brilliance of his court. Not knowing what to do, he went to meet Brahma for his advice.  Indra still didn't repent for what he did. He just wanted to have a replacement of Guru.

   Brahma wanted to teach him a lesson. He advised Indra to ask Vishvaroopa, who was son of Daksha prajapathi, to be the Guru. Brahma also warned him to be careful as Vishvaroopa was son-in-law of Asuras. With the thought that there was no other person who could suit the position well Indra accepted the idea readily. He asked Vishvaroopa to be his Guru.

   Vishvaroopa accepted this and began doing many japas and yagnas. He was secretly giving the avirbhaga to Asuras. This was making the asuras more powerful. When Indra came to know this truth, he cut off the head of Vishvaroopa. This caused Brahmahathi dhosham. A black demon started following Indra everywhere that he went. It was threatening Indra continuously. This caused terrific mental agony for Indra.

    Meanwhile, Dhaksha prajapathi, heard the news that his son was beheaded by Indra. So, he began to do yagna, from which came a rakshasha. This also started to follow Indra wherever he followed and went on giving trouble to him.

   With both the demons following Indra didn't know what to do. So, he took the form of a bee and went inside the stem of Lotus plant. For the first time he realized his mistake of not respecting Guru. He started to meditate upon Brihaspathi. After many years Brihaspathi appeared before him and advised him to visit many Kshethrams on earth. On the way he would get rid of the demons.

    Thus Indra started his journey. When he reached kadambavanam, present day Madurai, the demons disappeared. As per the advise of Brihaspathi, he raised a temple for the Shivalinga that he found there, with the help of Vishwakarma.

   This sport of Sokkanatha to help Indra get rid of the demons is the first thiruvilayadal among the 64 leelas, that the lord performed in Madurai.

   We learn from this the importance of respecting and treating Guru with utmost importance.

Om Sri Gurave Namaha !!

Story #45: Dhaumya- the purohit of pandavas

   During their exile, Pandavas kept on moving from one place to another. After slaying Bakasura and helping the village of Ekachakra, the Pandavas moved towards the town of Panchala. On the way while crossing river Ganga, they saw a Gandharva named Angaaraparvana, who was Kubera's friend. He was bathing in the river with his wife.

   He thought that the Pandavas were there to disturb him. He made such a situation, which pressurized Arjuna to battle against the Gandharva. The Gandharva fought with over-confidence that after all a human could never defeat him. He wasn't aware of the valour of Arjuna. He faought with Arjuna and lost miserably.

    Arjuna, heeding to the advise of Dharma, left the Gandharva to go citing the gandharva's wife's plea. The gandharva was happy to be left alone, however he didn't want to show a defeated face to his wife. So, he told Arjuna that he was ready to give him anything that he wanted.

   Arjuna promptly declined his offer saying that he didn't need any. The Gandharva however convinced Arjuna and said he was ready to give each of the Pandava brothers fifty horses, which never felt tired or hungry.

   Arjuna was amazed by such gift. He said that he would get those when the time comes for it. He also gave a poweful asthra to the Gandharva as a return gift. Thus they both became good friends.

   While talking the Gandharva stressed the importance of purohit or a priest for the wellness of the family and clan. He said it was because of Vasishta, who acted as purohit of king Samavarna, that Kuru was born.

   Understanding the importance of the purohit, they marched in the direction that the Gandharva showed. There they saw Sage Dhaumya in a forest near Ganga. They all immediately felt a connect with the sage and a calmness prevailed in their minds.

   The sage readily acceptedthe position and became the purohit of the Pandavas. He travelled with the Pandavas during their entire exile and also thereafter when they ruled over the kingdom.

Acharyaya Namaha !!

Story #44: Navagunjara

    In North eastern versions of Mahabharata, this incident is described.  During exile Arjuna wandered in the forest,  uncertain as to perform penance towards which form of the Lord.

    At this time he comes across a strange animal that he had never seen before. The animal was composite of nine animals.  It had the head of a rooster, the neck of a peacock, the waist of a lion, the hump of a bull, serpent as tail, the leg of an elephant, another leg of a tiger, yet another leg of a horse and a human hand holding a lotus or chakra. It was termed as Navgunjara.

   Arjuna’s natural reaction was to take his bow and attack the monster before it could attack him. But then Arjuna noticed that Navagunjara was holding a lotus. So,  he lowered his bow and wondered what kind of creature it was.

   Krishna then appears to him and says that the navagunjara is another of his forms, (similar to the Virata Rupa of the Bhagwad Gita). In the navagunjara, Krishna expresses the plurality of approaches to understanding of reality. Krishna says that the ultimate reality is one,  but appears different to different people.  So whatever penance he do it ultimately a penance towards Krishna himself.

    We have a number of gods and goddesses which lead to different religious sects and, therefore, there are many and varied temples, festivals, rites and rituals. Just like many branches arise from the same trunk which finds its nourishment in the springs of water in the earth; it is the same water that they drink. This aadharam or base is called brahman.

   The navagunjara motif is sculpted at the northern side of the Jagannath Temple, Puri. Also, the Nila Chakra disc on the temple has eight navagunjaras carved on it, with all facing towards the flagpole above.

Om brahmane namah!!