35 panchatrimshadashakah' - anugrahavaichitryam
३५ पञ्चत्रिंशदशकः - अनुग्रहवैत्ित्र्यम्-The different blessings
(This chapter deals with several stories of the Goddess in which due
to her mercy, she solves many problems of people. These are taken
from here and there from Devi Bhagawatham)
भाग्योदये त्रीणि भवन्ति नूनं
मनुष्यता सज्जनसङ्गमश्च ।
त्वदीयमाहात्म्यकथाश्रुणतश्च
यतः पुमां स्त्वत्पदभन्तिमेणत ॥ ३५-१॥
bhaagyodaye treeni bhavanti noonam
manushyataa sajjanasangamashcha .
tvadeeyamaahaatmyakathaashrutishcha
yatah' pumaamstvatpadabhaktimeti .. 35-1..
1.Humaneness, company of good people and hearing stories about
your greatness, these three come together only when one is lucky.
It is only through these paths one gets devotion to your feet.
A soul that goes through the cycle of birth and death as a fly, cat,
dog, tiger, is born as a human only when it gets lucky. The human
life begins fruitful only when the great union takes place. When there
is association with devotees then we get the opportunity to hear
devi’s stories and glories. How devi blesses all her devotees are her
stories. Hearing this repeatedly will begin to arouse devotion to devi
within. By repeated association with devi devotees we can nurture
our devotion to devi. devi devotees in their own life will experience
sweetness equally, in troubles, in success, in sadness, in happiness.
ततः प्रसीदस्यन्तिलाथथकामान्
भिस्य यच्छस्यभयं च मातः ।
क्षमां कृतागस्सु करोणि चायो-
रन्योन्यवैरं शमयस्यनीहा ॥ ३५-२॥
tatah' praseedasyakhilaarthakaamaan
bhaktasya yachchhasyabhayam cha maatah' .
kshamaam kri'taagassu karoshi chaaryo-
ranyonyavairam shamayasyaneehaa .. 35-2..
2.Oh mother, you get pleased due to them. You fulfil desires and
wishes of devotees. You as well remove fear from them, you also
forgive those who make mistakes. You who do not have any
expectations, also removes the mutual enmity between two enemies.
Those who are devoted, devi always pleases them. Everything that a
devotee is entitled for, the proper desires, you provide for them. You
destroy a devotees greatest fear; overlook mistakes. When 2
devotees fight with each other, you will intervene and get a
reconciliation. By doing all this what is the use for devi?- no use. She
is doing out of mercy.
दु ष्कीणतथभीत्या पृथया कुमायाथ
त्यिं तणिन्यां सुतमकथलब्धम् ।
संप्राणथथता त्वं पररपालयिी
प्रादशथयः स्वं करुिाप्रवाहम् ॥ ३५-३॥
dushkeertibheetyaa pri'thayaa kumaaryaa
tyaktam tat'inyaam sutamarkalabdham .
sampraarthitaa tvam paripaalayantee
praadarshayah' svam karunaapravaaham .. 35-3..
3. A young unmarried girl called Pritha, fearing dishonour, had to
forego her son begot by Surya, in the sea, requested you earnestly
to look after him and then you showed her your mercy.
Shurasena’s daughter Pritha, when she was young, stayed for
sometime in the palace of kuntibhoja. At that time durvasa muni
came there for 4 months. Pritha took care of him with full respect.
The happy muni gave a mantra and left the place. One day she saw
the rising sun and chanted the mantra. Surya left his domain, and
reached near to Pritha immediately. A meeting also took place
between them. Pritha who had got pregnant without getting
married, with time, delivered. If somebody comes to know about it
will create a bad name for her and her family. To prevent that Pritha
put her son in a closed box and floated onto a river. ‘May that
mother of the world who provides milk to all the living things in this
universe, protect you’-Pritha blessed her son; she also presented her
prayers to devi to protect her son. The devi who was contacted, took
care of the deserted baby. This is the baby who became famous as
karna in the Mahabharata.
In the 2nd shloka it was said that devi gives fearlessness to her
devotees. This incident is a very good example. Pritha feared that her
prestige would be destroyed. That fear, devi destroyed for her.
The story of an unmarried Pritha giving birth to a son by surya and
floating it in the river is explained in devi bhagavatham skandam 2
chapter 6.
सुतान् कुरुक्षेत्ररिे हतान् स्वान्
णददृक्षवे मातृगिाय कृष्णः ।
संप्राणथथतस्त्वत्करुिाणभणििः
प्रदर्श्थ सवाथ न् समतोियच्च ॥ ३५-४॥
sutaan kurukshetrarane hataan svaan
didri'kshave maatri'ganaaya kri'shnah' .
sampraarthitastvatkarunaabhishiktah'
pradarshya sarvaan samatoshayachcha .. 35-4..
4.When the mothers were desirous to see their sons who were killed
in the Kurukshethra war, as per their request, You with overflowing
mercy, with the help of the sage Veda Vyasa, showed the sons to their
mothers, and made them happy.
Yudhishtira ruled the kingdom for 36 years after the Kurukshetra war.
He even took care of Gandhari and Dhritrashtra and gave them the
respect due to them. One day Dhritrastra told yudhishtra that he
wished to go to the forest and hence to organise everything neede
for that. Yudhishtra did all that was needed. The Pandavas dropped
dhritrashtra, kuntidevi, Gandhari and vidura in the forest. These 4
people settled in the forest. In this way 6years passed by. Yudhistra
along with his family went to meet them in the forest. He met all of
them in the ashrama of sage shataupasana, he saluted them with
respect. A bright light that came out of vidura, merged with
yudhishtira face. Vidura thus died. Everybody was very sad with
vidura’s demise. During this period, ved vyasa mahirshi came there.
When the mothers expressed the desire to see their dead sons, who
were killed in the Kurukshetra war-gandhari wanted to see
Duryodhana, kunti wanted to see karna, Subhadra wanted to see
Abhimanyu. They requested veda vyasa maharshi to show them their
sons immediately. He then during dusk, had a bath in the ganga river,
and prayed to the devi who resides in manidweepa. Devi was pleased.
Vyaasa showed the mothers their sons. It is not impossible for those
who have devi’s blessing to do anything.
This story is explained in devi bhagavatham skanda 2 chapter 7.
वणिक् सुशीलः िलु नष्टणवत्तो
व्रतं चरन् प्राङ् नवरात्रमायथः ।
त्वां दे णव सम्पू ज्य दररद्रभावान्
मुिः क्रमाणित्तसमृन्तिमाप ॥ ३५-५॥
vanik susheelah' khalu nasht'avitto vratam charan
praangnavaraatramaaryah' .
tvaam devi sampoojya daridrabhaavaanmuktah'
kramaadvittasamri'ddhimaapa .. 35-5..
5.Oh Goddess once upon a time a merchant Called Susheela , lost all
his wealth and became poor; after worshipping you for 9 days with
true devotion, he got rid of his poverty; and in due course became
prosperous and a rich man.
Long ago a merchant named susheela lost all his wealth and was in
extreme poverty. He suffered to such an extent that he could not
provide meals for 1 time to feed even his children. On meeting a
brahmana unexpectedly, he was advised to pray to devi with full
devotion to get rid of his poverty-pray to devi by observing
Navaratri fast with all devotion. After learning the method for
performing the devi puja from the brahmana, susheela performed
the puja with total devotion. He chanted the maya beej mantra
‘hreem’ with complete devotion. This continued for some time. One
day devi appeared before him and blessed him. He became
prosperous like before-the large heartedness of devi’s blessings.
Susheela’s story is explained in devi bhagavathan skanda 3
chapter 27.
It was mentioned in the 2nd shloka that devi provides her devotees
with wealth and desires. the story of susheela is a good example of
this
a man who has committed a heinous offence, five such are enumerated, viz. (1)
killing a Brāhmaṇ, (2) drinking liquor, (3) stealing gold, (4) adultery with the
wife of a spiritual guide (5) associating with any such person, if he performs
the Navarātra vow, he will be absolved entirely from all such sins; there is no
doubt in this.
Once upon a time there lived in the country of Kosala, a trader, poor and
miserable, having under him many relations and dependants in his family,
whose provisions he had to provide.
He had many sons and daughters; when they were very hungry and distressed,
then they used to get a little food and that in the evening, only once in
twenty-four hours.
That trader, too, worked under another, the whole day; and when it was
evening, he used also to take his meals. Thus, being very much anxious and
distressed, he maintained somehow or other his family members (that are to
be maintained).
This trader was of a quiet temper, of a good conduct, truthful, always ready to
act religiously, devoid of anger, steady and contented, void of vanity and
jealousy; daily he used to worship the Devas, Pitris, and the guests and used to
take his meals after all his family members had taken their meals.
Thus many days passed away when that good trader, named Susheela, being
very much perplexed with poverty and hunger, asked a quiet tempered
Brāhmin “O Bhūdeva! (deva incarnate on the earth) kindly tell me positively
how this state of poverty can be got rid off!
O holy minded! Kindly advise me such as preserves my honour; I do not want
wealth, nor do I like to be a rich man; O Brāhmin! I want just enough to meet
with the expenses, acquired in maintaining my family; please advise so that I
may be able to earn this much only.
I have many sons; I have not got any food, sufficient enough to give them
even a handful of rice.
Alas! My youngest son was crying today for food; I have driven him out of the
house by chastising him. O Brāhmin! What am I do? I have got no wealth; my
heart is burning with grief and sorrow; my baby has gone out of the house,
weeping and hungry.
My daughter has come to a marriageable age; I have no money. Her age has
exceeded ten years; the marriageable age limit has been exceeded. Alas! What
am I to do?
O Brāhmin! I am expressing my sorrow for all that. You are merciful, and all-
knowing; tell me any means, be it asceticism, gifts, vow, or the reciting of any
mantrams by which I can maintain my family; I want wealth just sufficient for
that purpose and nothing more.
O high minded one! Kindly devise and tell me some means by which my family
members become happy in this world.”
The Brāhmin that used to practice vows when thus asked by the trader told
him gladly “O trader! Do now the Navarātri vow, the most auspicious, and
worship the Bhagavatī, perform Homa, and feast the Brāhmins. Have the Vedas
and Purāṇas recited and recite then slowly the Śakti mantram and try, as much
as you can, to do other concomitant ceremonies; and your desires will thus be
undoubtedly fulfilled.There is no other vow superior to this in this world; this
vow is very holy and will bring unto you happiness.This vow leads to wisdom
and liberation; destroys enemies and increases posterity and prosperity.
In former days, Śrī Rāma Candra suffered very much owing to his being
deprived of his kingdom; and, then on account of his wife being stolen away.
Subsequently he performed this Navarātra vow in Kiskindhyā, his heart being
heavily laden with grief.
Though troubled very much, on account of the bereavement of Sītā, still Rāma
Candra observed the Vow of Navarātra and worshipped the Goddess
according to the prescribed rules and rites.
As a fruit of this worship he was able to bridge the great ocean and kill the
giant Kumbha Karṇa, Meghanāda, the Rāvaṇa’s son, and Rāvaṇa, the king of
Lanka; and subsequently he was able to recover his Sītā. He installed Vibhīṣaṇa
on the throne of Lanka (Ceylon) and at last returned to Ayodhyā and reigned
there without any enemies.
O best of the Vaiśyas! Rāma Candra, of incomparable prowess, was able to
obtain happiness in this world on account of the influence of this Navarātra
ceremony.
That Vaiśya, hearing thus the Brāhmin’s words, made him his Guru, was
initiated by him in the seed mantra of Māyā and ceaselessly, without any
laziness, recited slowly the mantram for nine nights and worshipped the Devī,
with great caution and with various offerings. Thus for nine consecutive years
he devoted himself to the Japam (reciting slowly) of the seed mantra of Māyā
till, at last, when the ninth year was completed, the Great Goddess appeared
distinctly before his eyes on the night of the great Astamī tithi (the eighth day
of the bright half) and gave him various boons and delivered the Vaiśya from
poverty and bestowed on him wealth and his other desired things.
दे वद्रुहो दे णव रिे त्वयैव
दै त्या हता गणहथ तधमथशास्त्ाः ।
प्रह्लादमुख्यानसुरान् स्वभिान्
दे वां श्च सन्त्यिरिानकािषः ॥ ३५-६॥
devadruho devi rane tvayaiva
daityaa hataa garhitadharmashaastraah' .
prahlaadamukhyaanasuraan svabhaktaan
devaamshcha santyaktaranaanakaarsheeh' .. 35-6..
6.Oh Goddess, you only killed in war those Asuras who were against
the law as well as troubling the devas. You also made the devas who
were your devotees and asuras like Prahlada to forsake the war.
Generally the asuras like to trouble the devas. They do not follow the
rules of the law. Asuras like mahishasura, shumbha and nishumbha
fall in this category. They were not only atheists but did not listen to
good advice also. Devi killed both of them. There was a war that was
fought between prahlada and the devas. The devas were defeated.
They prayed to the devi. Devi appeared before prahlaada and his
followers and the devas. Prahlaad saluted the devi and prayed.
Hearing this the very satisfied devi advised, the asuras can stay in the
netherworld and the devas can stay in the heavens. Both places have
all the comforts. You go and stay in the place where you are entitled.
Then the need for rebellion will not arise.’ Everybody felt that
whatever devi said was correct. Both the parties stopped the war.
The devas went to heaven and the asuras went to the nether world.
When 2 devotees fight against each other due to enemity, it was said
in the 2nd shloka that devi interferes and ends the resentment
between them. The story of the war between prahalada and the
devas is a very good example of this.
This story has been explained in devi bhagavatham 4th skandam
chapter 15.
पुरन्दरे पापणतरोणहते तत्
स्थानाणधरूढान्नहुिात्स्मराताथ त् ।
भीता शची त्वां पररपूज्य दृष्ट्वा
पणतं क्रमाद्भीणतणवमुन्तिमाप ॥ ३५-७॥
purandare paapatirohite
tatsthaanaadhirood'haannahushaatsmaraartaat .
bheetaa shachee tvaam paripoojya dri'sht'vaa patim
kramaadbheetivimuktimaapa .. 35-7..
7.When Indra was hiding due to sins, then his position was usurped
by the passionate Nahusha, the scared Indrani worshipped you well,
and she was able to locate her husband, and in due course got rid
of all her fear.
Indra killed Trishirasa for no reason when he was meditating in
solitude, he deceived the truthful and devoted vritasura by
pretending to be his good friend and stayed with him(vritasura) and
when he(indra) got the opportunity killed him(vritasura). Because he
had committed these 2 sins he lost all his powers, ran away to
someplace and hid himself. The place of Indra was vacant. This is not
a good thing some felt. So nahusha, who had performed 100 yagyas,
seiged the position of indra. when he saw Indrani he got infatuated.
She was scared that her chastity will be breached took refuge in her
guru. As per the instructions given to her by the guru she prayed to
devi with full devotion, she saw devi in front of her also. By the
blessing of devi she was able to find her husband-indra. in due
course her fear towards nahusha also was removed.
The story of indra’s sins and prayers by indrani, has been
explained in devi bhagavatham 6th skanda chapters 1-9. In the
8th chapter how indrani prayed to devi has been explained.
Indra kills Trisira and Vritra and his penance
Prajapati Visvakarma, the famed Architect of Devas, had a son named Trisira or
the three headed Brahmana boy who used to practise ascetism with one head,
drink wine with another and look around in all directions with the third. Being
an devoted student of Vedas, he was always engaged in severe Tapasya,
especially ‘Panchagni Sadhana’ hanging upside down a tree branch exposed to
Summer Sun, winter cold and heavy rainy season without food conquering
worldly desires.
Being highly suspicious of the intentions of Trisira who might pose problem to
his own throne, Indra despatched Apsarasas to disturb Trisira’s rigorous
meditation but to no avail. Indra thus killed him even when he was in
meditation, even as he knew that killing a pious Brahmana in meditation was
the highest possible sin. Furious with Indra’s dreadful deed, Visvakarma
performed an inexorable Sacrifice by ‘Abhichara’ process (taking revenge)
reciting Atharva Veda Mantras, created a mountain like and ferocious boy with
the sole objective of killng Indra. The huge boy was named Vritra or who could
save his father as Vrinjina. Visvakarma equipped him with all kinds of war
tactics and divine armoury including a swift and sturdy Chariot, a ‘Sudarshan’
like Disc, and a‘Trisula’ like spear. As Vritra grew, Indra was getting nervous
and approached Deva Guru to prevent any risk from the Demon. Brihaspati
warned Indra that he should better be prepared for a Big Battle as the
forebodings were not conducive, as after all Indra had committed a heinous
crime of killing a Brahmana out of pride and fear. Meanwhile Vritra
formulated his plans of attack and grouped a vengeful and desperate army of
Danavas as his support. As the dooms day arrived, Indra and Devas were
attacked and a furious Danava clan fought for hundred years and Indra leapt
for life from Elephant ‘Airavata’ and ran by foot and Varuna, Vayu, Agni and all
other Planetary heads and Devatas, Gandharvas, Kinnaras and so on fled too
incognito. At one stage Vritra caught hold of Indra and literally devoured him.
All the Deva Chiefs prayed to Deva Guru to some how save Indra and
Brihaspati managed Vritra to yawn with his mouth wide open and somehow
helped Indra to manage to bale out from his mountain-cave like mouth of
Vritra! As Indra and Devas fled and hid themselves from Vritra, the latter ruled
Heavens for thousand years and Devas continued sporadic efforts to defeat
Vritra and Danavas but to no avail. Indra and Devas approached Maha Deva
for help and together along with Maha Vishnu prayed to Maha Devi and got
Her blessings. Some senior Sages went in a delegation to Vritra requesting for
truce with Indra and Devas. Vritra agreed that the truce be agreed provided
that his death should take place neither during day or night, with a dry or
liquid substance or by wood, stone, thunderbolt and similar substance.The
Sages agreed to the conditions. But Vritra’s father Visvakarma cautioned the
son that past history was a witness to Indra’s vicious acts and that he would
certainly strike Vritra at an opportune time; he said that Indra was such a crook
that he killed the foetus of his own mother’s sister Diti by entering into her
womb by Anima and other Siddhis and killing it into pieces; by taking the
form of Sage Gautam and cheated the Sage’s wife Ahalya into bed, and
recently killed Trisira on the suspicion that he might usurp his throne and so
on. In course of the function like ‘Suthika Sauchak’ie one month after birth till
‘Samavartan’ or boy returning from ‘Gurukula’ after studies. Meanwhile Rahu
came to realise that Varun had been demanding the Naramedha and ran away.
After some time when he came to know that his father was exremely ill with
dropsy as a result of Varuna’s curse, Rahu wanted to return home but Lord
Indra advised him against it. Sage Vasishtha the well wisher Guru of
Harischandra suggested that an alternate way of performing Naramedha as
approved by Scriptures was neither day nor night but the twilight time. It was
wrongly deduced that it was Indra who killed Vritra, but the actual position
was that Maha Bhagavati entered and energised the Sea foam and terminated
Vritra. That was why Maha Bhagavati was known as ‘Vritranihantri’. [ Srimad
Maha Bhagavatha Purana stated that Maha Vishnu advised Devas to implore
Sage Dadhichi to spare his backbone which was converted into a thunderbolt
by Visvakarma the Architect of Devas with which was killed Vritra by Indra.]
Badly hurt by the sense of guilt that he killed a Brahmana the result of which
would be that of a Great Sin of ‘Brahma paataka’ as this woud be a second sin
of killing Trisura, who was also a Bramhana, Indra felt miserable and hid
himself in the stalk of a lotus in Manasarovar lake. As Indra was absconding for
a long time, another Indra King Nahusha was installed, and puffed up by the
new position Nahusha asked for Sachi Devi to serve him, as he was the King
then. Sachi asked for some time Indra befriended Vritra and when the latter
was roaming on the Sea beach he took advantage of the situation and sent his
thunderbolt to dip itself in the froth of the Sea waves and killed Vritra as the
time time to make sure that her husband was really hiding or dead. She prayed
to Devi Maha Bhagavati and explained her predicament to Her. Maha Devi
asked Sachi to accompany a female messenger named Visvakama; they went
by an air-borne vehicle to Manasarovar where she met Indra who was
frightened with the sense of guilt hiding inside the stalk of a lotus. On
narratinig the happenings of the new Indra, his desire to own Sachi as his wife,
her asking him for time, praying to Maha Devi and the messenger Visvakama
helped locating Indra, the latter advised Sachi to allure Nahusha into a forest
by a Vehicle meant for Sages. She returned to Nahusha who borrowed the
‘Vimana’ ( air plane) of Sages who understood the deceipt of Nahusha and
allowed both of them to board the vehicle saying : SARPA SARPA, which had
the double meaning of ‘ Get In and go’ and also ‘Serpent, Serpent’!The Great
Muni was whipped by Nahusha to let the Vehicle go fast. The Vehicle dropped
Nahusha in the thick of a forest who took the shape of a huge serpent and
picked up the real Indra and Sachi Devi back to Heavens safe, when all the
Devas were happy that original Indra returned! Nahusha secured his liberation
only after the Maha Bharata was over and the Five Pandavas passed through
the forest and King Dharmaraja answered the questions correctly from his
serpent formation and liberated him too. By the Grace of Devi Bhagavati, Indra
was reinstated and the curse of his ‘Brahma Hatya Pathaka’( killing a
Brahmana) was already dissolved by way of atonement and sufferance in
hiding at ‘Manasarovara’. Such was the Supreme Justice that Devi Maya did to
every being without favour or prejudice. The powerful ‘Karma’or Fate works
equitably to Tri Murthis downward to a grass blade, but the norms change
with the passage of Yugas from Satya to Treta to Dvapara and Kali Yuga when
the percentage of Gunas would witness radical change by way of reduction to
Satvik, medium to Rajas and maximum to Tamas and when the peak reaches
to Tamas, it then would be time for Universal Dissolution!
शप्तो वणसष्ठे न णनणमणवथदेहो
भूत्वाऽणप दे णव त्वदनुग्रहे ि ।
ज्ञानं परं प्राप णनमेः प्रयोगा
णन्नमेणििो जीवगिा भवन्ति ॥ ३५-८॥
shapto vasisht'hena nimirvideho
bhootvaa'pi devi tvadanugrahena .
jnyaanam param praapa nimeh' prayogaa
nnimeshino jeevaganaa bhavanti .. 35-8..
8.Oh Goddess, due to a curse by Vasishta, Nimi lost his body. Due to
your blessing he got divine wisdom, And due this power to blink,
beings got the ability to open and close their eyelids(blink)
A king named Nimi, who was a suryavanshi king, got cursed by his
guru vasishtha. “May you be without a body” were the words of the
curse. Nimi in return cursed the guru with the same words.
According to the instructions given by brahma, Vasishta merged with
mitra-varuna. Later he was reborn as their son, mitra-varuni. Nimi
prayed to Devi with full devotion. He requested the devi for the
ultimate knowledge and also that he should be able to reside on the
eyelids of all living beings. Devi accepted both his wishes. He gained
the ultimate knowledge. Even today he resides on the eyelids of all
living beings. It is due to the presence of nimi, living things are able
to blink(nimesham)-the opening and closing of the eyelids. A very
good example of, we can get anything if we please devi.
The story of the curses of Vasishta and nimi is explained in devi
bhagavatham skanda 6 chapters 14 & 15
The story of king Nimmi
The King Nimi was cursed by the Ṛiṣhi and the Ṛṣi was cursed again by the King
Nimi; thus they met with greater calamities and painful sufferings. There was a
king named Nimi, born of the family of Ikṣāku. He was beautiful, well qualified,
virtuous, truthful, charitable, endearing to his people, a sacrificer, of pure
conduct and manners, ready to govern his subjects, intelligent and endowed
with knowledge. For the benefit of the Brāhmaṇas, that high-souled king
established a city named Jayantupur in close vicinity to the hermitage of
Gautama. Thus some time passed when this Rājasik idea arose in his mind that
“I will perform a sacrifice extending for a good many years when I will give
exhorbitant Dakṣiṇās (remunerations to the priests and Brāhmins).” Getting
permission from his own father Ikṣāku, he began to collect all the ingredients
necessary for the sacrifice, as advised by the high-souled persons. He invited the
all-knowing Munis and ascetics, versed in the Vedas and in conducting sacrifices,
e.g., Bhṛgu, Aṅgirā, Vāmadeva, Gautama, Vaśiṣṭha, Pulastya, Richika, Pulaha,
Kratu and others, all well-versed in the Vedas. Then that religious King Nimi,
collecting all the materials necessary for sacrifice worshipped his own Guru
Vaśiṣṭha and then spoke to him (the Guru) with great humility. O Best of Munis!
I will perform a sacrifice; kindly perform this my sacrificial act; you are my Guru
and therefore you know everything; so do this sacrifice for me. All the articles
for this purpose are brought and cleansed. O Guru! Know that for five thousand
years I mean to be engaged in this sacrifice, this is my Saṅkalpa (will). I will
worship the Goddess Ambikā in this sacrifice and for Her satisfaction I am
arranging for it according to the prescribed rules.
Hearing the King Nimi’s words, Vaśiṣṭha said :-- “O best of Kings! Indra, the King
of the Devas, has already selected me for his sacrificial ceremony. Now Indra is
ready to do the sacrifice for the propitiation of the Highest Śakti and I have
initiated him for five hundred years. Therefore, O King! You will have to wait till
I complete the Indra’s Yajñā. After fully completing all his works, I will come here.
Therefore, O King! Wait till then.”
The King said :-- “O Best of Munis! I have already invited other Munis for this
sacrifice and have collected all the materials; how, then, can I wait for you? O
Brāhmaṇa! You are the foremost of those versed in the Vedas and you are the
family Guru of the noble Ikṣāku. How is it, then, avoiding my work you are ready
to go elsewhere O Best of Brāhmins! Under the uncontrollable greed of wealth
you have lost all senses and you are ready to go away without doing my work.
This does not behove you.” O King! Though thus tempted by the King Nimi, the
Ṛṣi Vaśiṣṭha went to the Indra’s sacrifice. The King, too, became absent-minded
and selected for the sacrifice the Ṛṣi Gautama. He then commenced his sacrificial
ceremony close to the ocean by the side of the Himālayān range and gave
profusely the Dakṣiṇās. The King Nimi was engaged in this sacrificial act for five
thousand years. In this the Rittviks (priests) were worshipped with sufficient
wealth and cows; they were extremely glad. Then, when the five hundred years
extending sacrifice of Indra was completed, the Ṛṣi Vaśiṣṭha came to see the King
Nimi’s sacrifice and waited there to see the King. The king was then asleep; so
the servants did not awake him from his sleep; and the King did not come to
the Ṛṣi. Feeling insult at this, the Maharṣi Vaśiṣṭha became infuriated with rage.
Not seeing the King, he became very angry; and, subject to this, he cursed the
King, When I am your lifelong Guru, especially when I prohibited you and you
have forsaken me and selected another Guru and by your sheer force you are
initiated, then be devoid of your body. Let your body fall off today.
Vyāsa said :-- The King’s attendants, hearing thus the curse given by Vaśiṣṭha to
the King, instantly awoke him from his sleep and informed him that the Ṛṣi
Vaśiṣṭha not seeing you, became very angry. The King Nimi, quite sinless, went
then to the angry Vaśiṣṭha and humbly spoke to him the following reasonable
words, pregnant with meaning. O Knower of Dharma! I am your Yajamāna;
though I repeatedly requested you to perform my sacrifice, yet you quitted me
out of the covetousness and went somewhere else. I cannot be charged with
any fault. You are the foremost of Brāhmins; and knowing that contentment is
the substance of your Dharma, you did not feel ashamed to do this blameable
act. You are the son of Brahmā; and, being versed in the Vedas and Vedāṅgas,
you are yet unaware of the subtle and very difficult nature of the Brāhminic
religion. Now you want to cast your own fault on my shoulders and you are
trying in vain to curse me. Anger is more to be blamed than Cāṇḍāla! The wise
men should overcome it by all means. When you, infuriated with rage, have been
able to curse me for nothing, then I now curse you, “Let your this body, inflamed
with anger, drop off.” Thus the King cursed the Muni and the Muni cursed the
King; and both of them were, therefore, very sorry.
Vaśiṣṭha then became troubled with cares and took shelter with Brahmā and
informing him about the great curse given by the King Nimi said :-- Father! The
King has cursed me saying, “Let your body fall off today. Now the great trouble
due to the falling off of the body has arisen. What am to do now?
O Father! Kindly tell me from whom shall I take my birth and take such means
as I can get a body like what I have now. Also by Your unbounded power, do so
that I can retain the knowledge in that body as I have at present; You are fully
competent to do this.”
Hearing thus the words of Vaśiṣṭha, Brahmā spoke thus to his dear son :-- Go
and enter into the Tejas (essence) of Mitrā Varuṇa and remain contented; then
you will get, in due time, a body not born of any womb and you will be again
religious, truthful, knower of the Vedas, all-knowing and worshipped by all; there
is no doubt in this. When Brahmā said this, the Maharṣi Vaśiṣṭha bowed down
to the Grand Sire, and circumambulating him, went to the abode of Varuṇa. Then
he quitted his excellent body; and, with his subtle body, the part of his Jīva,
entered into the body of Mitrā Varuṇa. Then once on a time Urvaśī, exquisitely
beautiful and lovely, surrounded by her comrades, went wilfully into the abode
of Varuṇa.
Mitrā-Varuṇa, the two Devas became very passionate to see that Apsarā (the
celestial nymph) endowed with youth and beauty and being enchanted with
the arrows of cupid, and, being senseless, addressed to the Deva Kanyā Urvaśī,
beautiful in all her parts, thus :-- “O Lovely One! Seeing you, we are very much
troubled with the arrows of cupid; O Beautiful One! Select us and remain and
enjoy here at your pleasure.” When they said thus, Urvaśī became attached to
them; and, under their control, began to stay in the house of Mitrā Varuṇa.
When Urvaśī began to remain there, strongly attached to them, the semen of
Mitrā Varuṇa dropped in an uncovered jar. And the two beautiful sons of the
Ṛṣis were born out of that; Agasti was the first child and Vaśiṣṭha the second.
Thus, out of the semen of Mitrā Varuṇa, the two ascetics were born. The first
Agasti turned out a great ascetic in his childhood and resorted to forest; Ikṣāku
the best of Kings, selected Vaśiṣṭha as his family priest. O King! Ikṣāku, the best
of Kings, nursed him for the welfare of his own line; the more so, because to
know that he was the Muni Vaśiṣṭha; and thus he was very pleased with him.
Janamejaya! Thus I have described to you about the getting of another body
by Vaśiṣṭha, due to the curse of Nimi, and have also described his re-birth in
Mitrā-Varuṇa’s family.
The priests engaged at the sacrifice by Nimi began to consider, when the Ṛṣi
Vaśiṣṭha cursed him, in the following way :-- Oh! What a wonderful thing is this?
Before the sacrifice is complete, the King Nimi has been cursed; this is against
what we had expected; What can we do? What is inevitable must come to pass;
how can we thwart it? By various Mantrams, they kept alive the body of the King
in which breathing was still going on a little; and they prevented the body from
decaying by worshipping the body with various Mantra Śaktis and kept it in a
stationary state. When the sacrificial ceremony was completed, the Ṛṣis began
to praise the gods with hymns whereon the Devas became pleased and came
to that spot.
When the Munis informed the Devas fully of the condition of the King’s body,
the Devas spoke to the sorrowful King thus :-- “O Performer of good vows! We
are all pleased with your sacrifice; now ask boons from us. O King! You ought to
get an excellent birth as the fruit of performing this sacrifice. So ask what body,
the body of a Deva or of a man, you desire? Or you can ask, if you like, for
another similar body, that your priest Brihaspati has got quitting his first body
whereby he has become proud and is now staying in the Loka of Yama.”
At these words the King Nimi was very glad and spoke to them thus :-- O Devas!
I have no aspiration for the body that is always liable to destruction; I therefore
want to reside on the top of the eyelids of all the beings. Therefore I ask this
boon that I be able to move in the shape of Vāyu (air) on the top of the eyes of
all the beings.
Thus said, the Devas spoke to the soul of Nimi :-- “O King! Pray to the most
auspicious Deity, the Devī, the Highest Goddess. She has been pleased with this
sacrifice; therefore your prayer will certainly be granted.” Hearing thus, the King
began to pray with various hymns with intense devotion, in tremulous voice, the
Devī. The Devī became pleased and appeared before him. Seeing Her shining
like a crore of suns and looking exceedingly lovely and beautiful, all the persons
there became very happy. They began to think themselves as very blessed and
as having done all what they had to do.
Knowing the Devī Bhagavatī pleased, the King asked this boon from her :-- “O
Devī! Give me that knowledge, pure and simple, whereby final liberation is
obtained. Also, I may be able to reside on the top of the eyes of all the beings.”
The Devī, the Lord of the Devas, the Mother of the World being highly pleased,
said thus :-- “O King! At the expiry of this your Prārabdha Karma, you will
acquire pure knowledge and you will reside on the tops of the eyes in the
shape of Vāyu, and through your residing there the beings will twinkle, i.e.,
open and close their eyes. The men, beasts, and birds will twinkle due to your
residing there; but the Immortals will always remain with a steadfast gaze; they
will not twinkle.”
Vashishta ji’s curse to King Nimi and boon to the king by
Bhagwati Jagadamba
Long ago there used to be a king named Nimi, who was very religious. At one time ,
Nimi pledged to perform a yjana. He collected all the necessary items and built a
Yagya altar too, after finding a clean place . The king built a very large pavilion in
place of the altar. Nimi sent invitations to many great sages for that yajna.
Vashisht ji was the master of King Nimi. For this reason, it was decided to make him
Acharya. Nimi went to vashistha with invitation . After listening to Nimi, Vashistha
says, Rajan, I have already taken the task of preforming the yagya of Devraj
Indra. The duration of which is 500 years. That is why I will finish the work of Indra
first and do your work later. Till then you wait for me. Listening to Vashistha Ji,
Nimi says, Gurudev, I have collected all the materials. How to handle them now, it is
difficult to keep them for 500 years. That is why you first perform my yajna and then
go to perform the yajna of Indra.
Vashishtinje, did not even listen to a word of Nimi. He went to perform the yajna of
Indra. This made King Nimi very sad. After this, Maharaja Nimi made Rishi
Gautama his Acharya and started his yagna. After the completion of the yajna, king
gave many gifts to the Brahmins. Meanwhile, after 500 years, Vashisht ji came after
completing the Yajna of Indra. He remembered that, earlier, I was asked by the
king Nimi to perform a yajna. Now I should go over there and see what King Nimi
is doing. Thinking this, Vashisht ji went to Nimi’s palace. Vashisht ji asked the
guards to inform the king about his arrival. But at that time King Nimi was sleeping,
so the guards did not wake him up.
The king was in deep sleep and Vasishtha ji thought that the king was insulting
him. Vashisht came to know that the king has completed his yagna through the sage
Gautama. With the king not coming, Vasistha was enraged. Vashishta cursed the
kimg Nimi that, you become Videha means body less . When the soldiers heard the
curse, they were horrified. Soon after, they went the king and woke him up, hearing
this news, King Nimi came in front of the angry Vasishtha. Maharaj did not have any
ill feelings in his mind. He started saying very sweet and serious words.
The king said, Gurudev you are a very godly person. Still how you got angry. You
know, I am innocent, I begged you a lot, but you did not listen to me. By becoming
greedh you went to , perform indra’s yajna. For this reason, I performed my yjana by
making Maharishi Gautam Acharya. You cursed me in vain in anger. Brahmins
should never be angry, because anger is more untouchable than Chandal. Gurudev,
Brahmins should always remain calm, always benefit others. You are the son of Lord
Brahma himself, yet how did you become influenced by anger. Subjugated by this
anger, you cursed me in vain ,without any reason.
After saying this , the king said, Guruvar, now I curse you too. The anger that
caused you to curse me, I also curse you that this body full of anger may be
destroyed. In this way Vashistha and Nimi cursed each other. Hearing that Maharaja
Nimi got cursed, many sages of his kingdom kept the king’s soul in his body by
mantra. Because the king had initiated the yajna at that time. The sages applied
sandalwood to hos body, many garlands of various types of flowers and performed a
yagna through him.
As soon as the yagya was over, all the gods come there. The sages welcomed them
and all the gods were very happy. They said to King Nimi, Maharaj, ask for your
desired boon. Like Vashishtaji, you can take any body of a god or a human. We will
definitely fulfill that wish. Hearing the words of the gods, the king said, Devraj Indra,
I want to be free from the cycle of birth and death . I do not want to take any body. I
wish that I could be in the eyes of all beings. As a result, from where all living
beings see, I live there. Hearing this, the gods said, Rajan, if you have this desire, then
you worship Bhagwati Jagadamba, she is capable of fulfilling this desire. At this time
Goddess Bhagwati Jagadamba is very pleased with your yjana.
Listening to Devaraja, King Nimi praised Bhagwati Jagadamba. Bhagwati Jagadamba
appeared there at the same time with delight. She was seated on the lion and millions
of sun-like light was spreading from her body. Devi said to King Nimi, I am very
happy with you. Whatever you desire in your mind, ask for it, it will surely be
fulfilled. Hearing this, the king said, Goddess, give me the knowledge to release me
from bondage, so that I do not have to sufder in the cycle of birth and death. Hearing
the king’s words, the goddess said, “King Nimi, you still have some karma left. That
is why you cannot get rid of the cycle of birth and death right now. But you no longer
have to take a body. You be a breeze in the eyes of all living beings. I will provide
you with knowledge, so that you will be freed. Having said this, Goddess Jagadamba
disappeared by meeting the sages present there.
At that time King Nimi’s soul came out of his body. But the sages present at that
place did not burn that body. They started churning the body with wood etc. so that
heir of the king could be born. After some time another beautiful boy appeared from
that body. He was as if the king nimi himself was born again. Due to his appearance
from churning, this child was called Mithi. Being born from the father’s body he was
called Janaka. Because of Nimi being Videha, each king born in their clan is
called Videha. Later, every king born in that family was named Janak.
In this way, the Nimi king was cursed by g Vasishta. By the grace of Goddess
Jagadamba, he remains in the eyelids of all beings as air and this reason, each king
born in their clan is called Videha.
हा भागथवा लोभणवकोपणचत्तैः
प्रपीणिता है हयवंशजातैः ।
णहमाणद्रमाप्ता भवतीं प्रपूज्य
प्रसाद्य भीतेः िलु मुन्तिमापुः ॥ ३५-९॥
haa bhaargavaa lobhavikopachittaih'
prapeed'itaa haihayavamshajaataih' .
himaadrimaaptaa bhavateem prapoojya
prasaadya bheeteh' khalu muktimaapuh' .. 35-9..
9. What a pity! The bhargavas who were troubled by those born in
the family of the hehayaas-who were filled with anger and greed in
them-went to the Himalayas, prayed to devi and pleased her, and
got freed from the fear.
Kaarthveeryarjuna was a famous king of the hehayaa family. He had
conducted a lot of yagyas. The bhargavas who were the family
priests got a lot of dakshinas. After the reign of arjuna the hehayaas
began to decline, they became poor. They begged the rich
bhargavas for money. The bhargavas did not give. The hehayaas thus
got into the houses of the bhargavas killed and stole all their wealth-
jewellery etc. because the bhargavas did not give them earlier, the
cruel hehayaas started to trouble the bhargavas. They did not even
leave the children or the ladies. They even tortured the pregnant
ladies. Some of the bhargavas ran to the Himalaya and prayed to
devi. Devi appeared before them and said,”there is somebody
amongst you who will give birth from the thighs. Through her you
will be saved”. Haihayaas attacked the lady-who was heavy due to
the weight of her pregnancy on her thigh- who was slowly moving
away. She delivered immediately. Immediately the haihayas became
blind. They understood their mistake. They relented having troubled
their own family priests. They saluted asked for forgiveness in front
of the mother and the new born baby. They soon regained their
eyesight. In this way, due to devi’s blessings the bhargavas got rid of
the panic caused by the haihayaas.
The story of how the haihayaas attacked the bhargavas is
explained in skanda 6 chapters 16 & 17 of devi bhagavatham.
दस्रौ युवानां च्यवनं पणतं च
समानरूपानणभदृर्श् मुग्धा ।
सती सुकन्या तव संस्मृताया
भक्त्या प्रसादात्स्वपणतं व्याजानात् ॥ ३५-१०॥
dasrau yuvaanaam chyavanam patim cha
samaanaroopaanabhidri'shya mugdhaa .
satee sukanyaa tava samsmri'taayaa
bhaktyaa prasaadaatsvapatim vyaajaanaat .. 35-10..
10.When the two young Nasathyas and her husband Chyavana
appeared in the same form, the shocked and virtuous Sukanya with
devotion meditated on you, and due to your blessing was able to
identify her husband.
Sukanya, the daughter of King Sharyaati got married to chyawan, an
old and blind maharshi. She lived in the ashrama taking care of her
husband with full faith and devotion. One day the handsome
physicians of heavens, Naasatyas approached her. They tried to
tempt her by telling her many things. they were unsuccessful as she
was devoted to her husband and was very firm in her mind. Finally
they told her that they would make chyawan young and also return
his eyesight. She agreed to that. The old and blind chyawana
maharshi took a dip in the lake pointed out by them. Naasatyaas
also dipped along with him. When they came out of the water all 3
looked the same! The devoted Sukanya was stunned. She started to
pray to devi. Devi was pleased. Due to the blessings of the devi she
was able to recognize her husband.
The story of chyawana and Sukanya has been explained in devi
bhagavatham skanda 7 chapters 2-7.
The Story of Sage Chyavana
In Hindu mythology, Sukanya was the daughter of Sharyati, son of
Vaivasvata Manu and the wife of the great sage Chyavana.
The sage had spent so long in meditation that he was covered by a
crow’s nest. The beautiful girl Sukanya came upon the nest and saw
two shining objects inside. Not realizing these were the eyes of the
sage, she poked playfully at them, and the sage was blinded.
Chyavana was enraged, and Sukanya’s father placated him by offering
her in marriage. After their marriage Sukanya served the sage
cheerfully, despite his old age and blindness.
One day she was spotted by the Ashwini Kumaras, identical twins who
served as physicians of the gods, who decided that her ethereal
beauty was worthy of residence in heaven rather than languishing on
the Earth serving an old blind sage. They asked her to marry one of
them. Being a faithful wife, she vehemently objected to their request.
Pleased with her devotion to her husband, the Ashwini Kumaras
offered to restore her husband’s youth and eyesight.
The bargain was conditional on Sukanya’s ability to distinguish her
husband from the twins themselves. If she failed to do so they would
return him to old age and blindness. All parties accepted these terms.
The Ashwini Kumaras asked Chyavana to accompany them into the
nearby pond. Being demigods, the Ashwini Kumaras left no footprints
on the bank as they exited the pond. Although the rejuvenated sage
looked identical to the twins, he left footprints. The Ashwini Kumaras
blessed the couple and left. In return they also requested that the sage
give them a share of the sacrificial offerings in the future.
The secret meaning of the story of Rishi Chyavana
Chyavana represents the human body and is derived etymologically
from the Sanskrit root, Chgu, to go. It is never fixed but always moves
from one state to the other, thus it grows from childhood to old age,
and finally dissolves. The Devas are the Jnanendriyas in the body. They
are ever maintained young and energetic by the force of Prana. Just
like we go to the physician for bodily ailments, for their supply of
energy and vitality they will have to depend on the Ashwini
Kumaras(Divine Physicians or Physicians to the Gods).
The Aswini Kumaras are the Prana and Apana. They are termed so,
because they are always galloping within this body like two horses,
without rest for even a moment. Further, they are inseparable. That is
why they are referred to as the Twins. Chyavana’s befriending the
Twins means bringing under control the Prana and Apana and utilising
them to enjoy youth, vigour and energy.
Thus the real Chyavanaprash, the medicine that Rishi Chyavana used
to attain everlasting youth, is the control and manipulation of breath
through Yoga, and this alone is the never-failing nervine tonic and
energy-giver. Therefore, it is the imperative need for every individual
who wishes to live a healthy life of longevity, full of energy and
vigour.
सत्यव्रतो णवप्रवधूं प्रसह्य
हताथ णनरस्तो जनकेन राज्यात् ।
वणसष्ठशप्तोऽणप तव प्रसादाद्
राज्येऽणभणििोऽथ णदवं गतश्च ॥ ३५-११॥
satyavrato vipravadhoom prasahya
hartaa nirasto janakena raajyaat .
vasisht'hashapto'pi tava prasaadaad
raajye'bhishikto'tha divam gatashcha .. 35-11..
11.When Sathyavratha abducted a Brahmin girl, he was driven away
from his kingdom by his father and he was also cursed by sage
Vasishta. Still, due to your grace he was made the king and later
managed to reach heaven.
Satyavratha was the son of Aruna, a suryavanshi king. He happened
to abduct a young brahmana girl. Because of which he was expelled
from the kingdom by his father. He went and stayed in the forest. It
was the time when viswamitra gone to do his tapas. Maharshi’s wife
and sons had a tough time trying to get food. Satyavrata took up the
responsibility of providing them with food everyday. Satyavrata duly
performed his duty also. One day, because he did not get anything,
he killed and cooked vasishta’s cow and served it. He was cursed by
Vasishta-like that he became trishanku-killing a cow(go-vadham),
abducting a young girl(kanya-haranam), making his father
angry(pitra-kopam), these 3 incidents became an obstacle to his
future development. But, he learnt the navakshari mantra from the
son of a sage. He meditated on the devi by chanting on the mantra.
One day he decided to give up his life. Suddenly devi, in the form of
simharoodi, appeared and stopped him. She also blessed him.
Immediately after that, the ministers came from the kingdom and
took him back the kingdom. Aruna, the father, crowned Satyavratha,
the son, as the king. For many years styavrata ruled the kingdom.
One day he made a request to Vasishta, that he wished to go to
heaven with his mortal body. Vasishta said that was not possible.
Then satyavrata said that he would search for another guru. ‘even
after you are dead may you not reach heaven’-cursed Vasishta.
Satyavrata returned to the forest. He roamed around like an
unwanted person. That time, vishwamitra returned after his tapas.
Vishwamitra wished to reward satyavrata, who gave food to his wife
and sons regularly, during the famine. By co-incidence they met.
With the help of vishwamitra he reached heaven in his mortal body.
The cursed satyavrata meditated on devi by chanting the navakshari
mantra. Remember, tihat is why he was crowned as the king and was
able to go to heaven in his mortal body. In front of devi’s blessings a
guru’s curse is meaningless.
The story of satyavrata can be found in devi bhagavatham
skanda 7 chapters 10-13.
Story of Satyavrata
Aruṇa’s son was Satyavrata; he was very avaricious, lustful, wicked and wilful.
Once on an occasion that vicious prince, overpowered by lust, stole away the
wife of one Brāhmin and so created an hindrance in his marriage.
O King! The Brāhmins, united in a body, came to the King Aruṇa, bewailing and
lamenting and uttered repeatedly :-- Alas! We are ruined! The King addressed
to the grieved subjects, the Brāhmins :-- “O Brāhmins! What harm has been
done to you by my son.”
Hearing thus the good words of the King, the Dvijas, versed in the Vedas,
repeatedly blessed him and said :-O King! You are the foremost of the powerful.
So your son is like you. Today he has forcibly stolen away during the marriage
ceremony a Brāhmin daughter already given over in marriage. O Vicious One!
Get away from my house! O Sinner! You will never be able to live in my territory!”
Seeing his father angry, Satyavrata repeatedly said :-- Father! Where shall I go?
He said :-- “Live with the Caṇḍalas. You have stolen a Brāhmin’s wife and so has
acted like a Cāṇḍala. Go and live with them happily. O Disgrace to your family! I
don’t like to get issues through you: you have obliterated this family’s name. So,
O Sinner! go wherever you like.” Hearing the the words from his angry father,
Satyavrata instantly quitted the house and went to the Cāṇḍālas. The prince,
wearing his coat of armour and holding bows and arrows, began to spend away
his time with the Cāṇḍālas; but he could not get out of his breast his feeling of
sympathy and mercy. When he was banished by his liberal minded angry father
the Guru Vaśiṣṭha instigated the King to the above purpose. Satyavrata was
therefore angry with Vaśiṣṭha, inasmuch as he, versed the Dharma Śāstras, did
not dissuade the father from banishing his son. His father, then, owing to some
inexplicable cause, quitted the city and, for the sake of his son, went to the forest
to practise austerities. O King! Owing to that sinful act, Indra did not rain at all
in his kingdom for twelve years. O King! Just then Viśvāmitra, too, keeping his
wife and children in that kingdom, began to practise severe austerities on the
banks of the river Kauśikī. The beautiful wife of Kuśika then fell into great trouble
how she could maintain the family. All the children, pained with hunger, began
to cry, begging for Nibār rice food. The chaste wife of Kauśika became very much
troubled seeing all this. She thought, seeing the children hungry, “Where am I
to go now and from whom to beg, and what to do, inasmuch as the King was
not then staying in the Kingdom. The husband is not also near; so who would
protect my children? The boys are incessantly crying. Fie therefore to my life!”
She thought also thus :-- “My husband left me in this penniless state; we are
suffering for want of money. He does not know these, though he is quite able.
Save my husband, who else will support my sons? They will all die now of
starvation. I might sell one of my sons, whatever I get out of that, I can support
the others; this is now my highest duty. I ought not to do otherwise and kill all
my children; so I will now sell one of my sons to support the others.” Thus
hardening her mind, she went out, tying the child by a rope round his neck. The
Muni’s wife, for the sake of the other children, fastened the middle son by a cord
and got out of her house.
The prince Satyavrata saw her distressed with pain and sorrow and asked :-- “O
Beautiful One! What are you now going to do? Who are you? This boy is crying;
Why have you tied him by a rope round his neck? O Fair One! Speak out truly
to me the cause of all this.”
The wife said :-- “O Prince! I am the wife of Viśvāmitra. These are my sons. I am
now going, for want of food, to sell one of these out of my own accord. O King!
My husband has gone away to practise tapasyā; I do not know where he has
gone. There is no food in the house; so I will sell one to support the other sons.”
Satyavrata said :-- “O Chaste One! Save your children. I will bring to you your
articles of food from the forest till your husband does not come here. Daily I
will fasten some food on a tree close by your Āśrama. This I speak truly.” The
wife of Viśvāmitra, hearing these words of the prince, freed the child of the
fastening and took him to her Āśrama. The child was named afterwards as
Gālaba, due to his being fastened by the neck. He became a great Ṛṣi
afterwards. The Viśvāmitra’s wife then felt great pleasure in her home,
surrounded by her children. Filled with regard, and mercy, Satyavrata duly
performed his task and provided daily the family of Viśvāmitra with their food.
He used to hunt wild boars, deer, buffaloes, etc., and used to take their flesh to
the place where used to dwell the wife of Viśvāmitra and the children and tie
that up to an adjoining tree. The Ṛṣi’s wife used to give those to her children.
Thus getting excellent food, she felt very happy.
Satyavrata cherished always in his heart, for some cause, a feeling of anger
towards Vaśiṣṭha. When his father banished his religious son, Vaśiṣṭha did not
prevent his father. This is the cause of Satyavrata’s anger. Marriage does not
become valid until seven footsteps are trodden (a ceremony); so the stealing
away of a girl within that period is not equivalent to stealing away a Brāhmin’s
wife. The virtuous Vaśiṣṭha knew that; yet he did not prevent the King. One day
the prince did not find anything for hunting; he saw in the forest the cow of
Vaśiṣṭha giving milk. Very much distressed by hunger, the King killed the cow
like a dacoit, partly out of anger and partly out of delusion. He fastened part of
the flesh to that tree for the wife of Viśvāmitra and the remainder he ate himself.
O One of good vows! The Viśvāmitra’s wife did not know that to be beef and
thought it to be deer’s and so fed her sons with that. Now when Vaśiṣṭha came
to know that his cow had been killed, he was inflamed with anger and spoke to
Satyavrata “O Vicious One! What a heinous crime have you committed, like a
Piśāca, by killing the cow? For the killing of the cow, the stealing of a Brāhmin’s
wife and the fiery anger of your father, for these three crimes, let there come
out on your head three Śaṅkus or three marks of leprosy as the signs for your
crimes. From this day you will be widely known by the name of Triśaṅku and you
will show your Piśāca form to all the beings.” The prince Satyavrata thus cursed
by Vaiśiṣṭha remained in that retreat and practised severe tapasyā.
But he got from a Muni’s son the excellent Mantram of the Highest auspicious
Devī Bhagavatī and became merged in the contemplation of that. Satyavrata,
cursed by Vaśiṣṭha, was transformed into a demoniacal state (Piśācatva); but he
became a great devotee of the Devī and passed away his time in that Āśrama.
One day he repeating slowly the nine-lettered Mantram of the Bhagavatī,
wished to perform the Puraścaraṇa ceremony (repeating the name of a deity
attended with burnt offerings, oblations, etc.)
The Brāhmaṇas said :-- “O Prince! You are cursed by your Guru and you are now
turned into a demoniacal state. You have now no right to the Vedas; especially
you are now in the Piśāca state; it is blamed by all the persons; so now you are
not fit to be initiated into the ceremony.” Hearing them, the prince got very sad
and dejected and thought My father has forsaken me; I am banished from the
kingdom; again, by the Guru’s curse, I have got this Piśāca state; I therefore can’t
decide what to do.” The prince, then, collecting fuel, prepared the funeral pile
for himself, remembered the Candikā Devī and repeating Her Mantram, resolved
to jump into the fire. At this moment, the Devī Bhagavatī, knowing that the
prince was ready to burn himself, came instantly to the spot on the back of the
lion, She manifested Herself before him and spoke in a voice deep like a rain-
cloud.
“O Virtuous One What is all this? What have you settled all these? Never throw
yourself in fire; be patient. O Fortunate One! Your father is now aged; he will
give you his kingdom and will go to the forest for tapasyā; therefore, O Hero!
Do leave your depression of spirits. O King! Tomorrow the ministers of your
father will came to you to take you there. By My Grace, your father will install
you on the throne and, in due time, he will conquer his desires and will go
undoubtedly to the Brahmā loka.”
Cursed by Vaśiṣṭha, Satyavrata became then and there transformed into a Piśāca,
very ugly, violent and terrible to all; but when he worshipped the Devī with
devotion, immediately the Devī gave him a beautiful divine body. By the grace
of the Devī, his sins were all washed away and his Piśāca form vanished.
Satyavrata, then, freed from his sins became very much vigorous and energetic.
Vaśiṣṭha also became pleased with him, blessed thus by the Supreme Force and
so was his father, too. When his father died, the virtuous Satyavrata became
King, governed his subjects and performed various sacrifices and worshipped,
too, the Eternal Mother of the Gods. O King! Triśaṅku had a very beautiful son
born to him, named Hariścandra, endowed in all his limbs with auspicious signs.
The King Triśaṅku wanted to make his son Yuvarāja (the Crown prince) and then
in his that very body while living, enjoy the Heavens. The King went to the
Āśrama of Vaśiṣṭha and gladly asked him, with folded palms, bowing down
before him duly.
O Ascetic! You are the son of Brahmā , versed in all the Vaidik Mantrams; so you
are exceedingly fortunate; now I beg to inform you one thing; hear it gladly. I
now desire to enjoy the happiness of the Heavens and all the enjoyments of the
Devas, while I am in this body. To enjoy in the Nandana Garden, to live with the
Apsarās and to hear the sweet music of the Devas and the Gandharbas, these
ideas now have taken a strong hold of my heart. Therefore, O Great Muni!
Engage me in such a sacrifice as will enable me, in this very body to live in the
Svarloka. O Muni! You are fully competent to do this; therefore be ready for this.
Have the sacrifice done and let me have quickly the Devaloka, so difficult to be
obtained!
Vaśiṣṭha said :-- “O King! It is exceedingly hard to live in the Heavens while in
this mortal body. The departed only live in the
Heavens by their merits, this is a known fact. Therefore, O Omniscient One! Your
desire is hard to be attained. I am afraid of this. O King! The living men can
hardly enjoy the Apsarās. Therefore, O Blessed One! Do the sacrifice first. Then,
when you leave this body, you will go to the Heavens.”
He again spoke to the Maharṣi :-- O Brāhmaṇa! If you do not allow me to do the
sacrifice, on account of your haughtiness, I will have the sacrifice performed now
by another priest.
Vaśiṣṭha became very angry at the words of the King and cursed him :-- “O
evilminded One! Be as soon as possible a Cāṇḍāla in this body. You have
committed acts by which your path to the Heaven is obstructed. You have stolen
a Brāhmini’s wife, and defiled the path of religion; you have killed the Surabhi
Cow and you are a libertine. Therefore, O Sinner! Never you will go to the
Heavens, even after your death.”
The King installed his son on the throne and began to pass his days in that forest
in the meditation of Bhagavatī Bhavānī. Thus some time passed when Viśvāmitra,
the son of Kauśika, completing his course of Tapasyā with an intent mind
returned to his home to see his wife and sons.
On coming back to his house, the intelligent Muni found his sons and other
members of the family happy and well conditioned, became very glad and when
his wife came to him for his service, asked her :-- O Fair-eyed One! How did you
spend your time in days of famine? There was nothing whatsoever of the stock
of rice, etc., in the house; how then did you nourish these boys? Please speak to
me. O Fair One! I was very busy with my austerities, I could not therefore come
to you and see my boys; how then, O Beloved, and what measures did you resort
to for their maintenance? O good and auspicious One! When I heard of the dire
famine, I thought then “I have no wealth; so what shall I do if I go there?” Thus
thinking I did not come then. O Beautiful One! At that time, one day I was very
hungry and being very much tired I entered into the house of a Cāṇḍāla, with
the object of stealing. On entering the house I found the Cāṇḍāla sleeping; then
being extremely distressed with hunger, I entered into his kitchen if I could find
anything there. When the dishes were sought and turned, and when I was going
to take cooked dog’s flesh I immediately fell into the sight of that Cāṇḍāla. He
asked me very affectionately “Who are you? Why have you entered here at this
hour of night? Why are your looking after the dishes? Speak what you want.”
I am an ascetic Brāhmin very much pained by hunger; I have entered your house
stealthily and am looking out for some eatables from your cooking pots. O
Intelligent One! I am now your guest in the form of a thief; I am now specially
very hungry; so I will now eat your cooked meat; kindly permit me.
Hearing these words, the Cāṇḍāla spoke to me in words authorised by the
Śāstras :-- O One of the Superior Varṇa! Know this to be the house of a Cāṇḍāla;
so never eat that flesh.
O Brāhmin! I am now by my actions turned into a Cāṇḍāla and so forsaken by
all; there is no doubt in this. I am forbidding you so that this fault of Varṇa
Śaṅkara may not suddenly attack you. Always and by all means it is advisable to
keep up the body if sin be thereby iñcurred, one ought to perform Prāyaścitta
(penance) for its purification when the time of danger is over. But if one commits
sin when the time is not one of danger, one gets degraded; not so in the time
of danger. The man that dies out of hunger, goes to hell, no doubt. Therefore
every man seeking for his welfare must satisfy his hunger. Therefore I intend to
steal for preserving my body. O Cāṇḍāla See! The sin, iñcurred in stealing during
famine, which the Pundits have declared, goes to the God of rains until he does
not pour forth rain.” Just when I spoke these words, the God of Rains began to
pour forth rain so desired by all, like that coming out of the elephant’s trunk.
When the clouds thus poured forth rains with the glitterings of the lightnings, I
felt very glad and left the house of the Cāṇḍāla.
The sweet speaking lady spoke :-- Hear, how I passed my time in times of famine.
O Muni! After you had gone to practise Tapasyā, the dire famine raged; and my
sons, exhausted of hunger, became very anxious for food. I became very anxious
to see the sons hungry; I then went out to the forest in quest of wild rice; and I
got some fruits. Thus I spent some months by collecting the rice growing wildly
in the forest; then in times these also could not be got and I became again
anxious. The Nibāra rice, too, is now not available and nothing is obtained also
by begging; there are no fruits on the trees and no roots are found under the
earth. The sons are crying in agony of hunger. What to do? And where to go?
What am I to say now to the hungry boys? Oh God! Thus thinking on various
ways, I at last came to this conclusion that I would sell one of my sons to a rich
man and whatever price I can fetch, with that I will preserve the lives of the other
sons. O Dear! Thus thinking, I became ready and went out. O Fortunate One!
Then this boy began to cry aloud and became very distressed; yet I was so
shameless that I took the crying boy and got out of my Āśrama. At this time one
Rājarṣi Satyavrata seeing me very distressed, asked me “O One of good vows!
Why is this boy weeping?” O Muni! I spoke to him “Today I am going to sell this
boy.”
The King’s heart became overfilled with pity, and spoke to me :-- “Take back to
your Āśrama this boy. Daily I will supply you with meat for the food of your boys
until the Muni returns home.” O Muni! The King from that time used to bring,
with great pity, daily the flesh of deer and boar killed by him in the forest and
he used to tie that on this tree. O Beloved! Thus I could protect my sons in that
fearful ocean of crisis; but that King was cursed by Vaśiṣṭha only for my sake.
One day that King did not get any meat in the forest; so he slaughtered the
Kāma Dhenu (the cow giving all desires) of Vaśiṣṭha and the Muni became
therefore very angry with him. The high-souled Muni, angry on account of the
killing of his cow, called the King by the name of Triśaṅku and made him a
Cāṇḍāla. O Kauśika! The prince turned into a Cāṇḍāla because he came forward
to do good to me, so I am very sorry for his sake. So it is your urgent duty to
save the King from his terrible position by any means or by the influence of your
powerful Tapasyā. Thus consoling his wife at that moment, Kauśika, the Knower
of the Highest Reality, began to think how he could destroy the pains and
miseries of the King. the Muni went to the King Triśaṅku, who was staying at
that time very humbly in a village of the Cāṇḍālas, in the garb of a Cāṇḍāla.
Seeing the Muni coming, the King was greatly astonished and instantly threw
himself before his feet like a piece of stick.
Kauśika raised the fallen King and consoling him said :-- O King! You are cursed,
on my account, by the Muni Vaśiṣṭha. I will, therefore, fulfil your desires. Now
speak what I am to do. Settling in his mind what to do, the great ascetic
Viśvāmitra collected all the materials necessary for the sacrifice and invited all
the Munis. Thus invited by Viśvāmitra, the Munis became informed all about the
Sacrifice; but, owing to the fact that the Muni Vaśiṣṭha prevented them, none of
them went to the sacrifice. When Viśvāmitra, the son of Gādhi, came to know
this, he became very anxious and very sad and came to the King Triśaṅku and
sat.
The Maharsi Kauśika then became angry and said :-- “O King! Vaśiṣṭha
preventing the Brāhmins have all refused to come to the sacrifice. But, O King!
See my power of tapasyā; I will immediately fulfil your desires; I will instantly
send you to the Heavens, the abode of the Gods.” Thus saying, that Muni took
water in his hand and repeated the Gāyatrī Mantram. He gave to the King all the
Puṇyams (merits) that he collected for himself up to then.
When the King of the Vipras, Viśvāmitra, spoke thus, the King Triśaṅku, by virtue
of the Muni’s Tapas, got high up in the air without any delay like a quick flying
bird.
Thus getting up and up, when the King reached the abode of Indra, the Devas,
seeing the terrible Cāṇḍāla-like appearance of Triśaṅku, spoke out to Indra :--
“Who is this person coming like a Deva with a violent speed in the air? Why does
he look like a Cāṇḍāla and is so fierce-looking?” Hearing thus, Indra got up at
once and saw that one, the meanest of the human beings and knowing him to
be Triśaṅku, reproachingly said to him :-- You are a Cāṇḍāla, quite unfit for the
Devaloka; so where are you going? You ought not to remain here; so go
immediately back to the earth. O Destroyer of the enemies! Indra speaking thus,
the King dropped from the Heavens and, like a Deva whose merits had been
exhausted, fell down immediately. Triśaṅku then cried out frequently “O
Viśvāmitra! O Viśvāmitra! Being displaced from the Heavens I am now falling
very violently; so save me from this trouble.”
O King! Hearing his cry and seeing him getting down, Viśvāmitra said :-- “Wait,
wait.” Though displaced from Heaven, the King by virtue of the Muni’s Tapas,
remained stationed at that place in the middle of the air. Viśvāmitra then began
to do Ācaman (sip water) and commenced his great Sacrifice to create another
new creation and a second Svargaloka (Heaven).
Seeing his resolve, the Lord of Śacī became very anxious and eagerly came to
the son of Gādhi without the least delay and said :-- “O Brāhmaṇa! What are you
going to do? O Saint! Why are you so very angry? O Muni!
There is no necessity to create another new creation. Order now what I am to
do.”
Viśvāmitra said :-- “O Lord of the Devas! The King Triśaṅku has become very
miserable to have a fall from the Heavens. Therefore this is now my intention
that you gladly take him to your own abode.”
Vyāsa said :-- O King! Indra was thoroughly aware of his determined resolve and
very powerful asceticism; so he accepted to do according to his word, out of
terror. The Lord Indra then gave the King a bright and divine body and made
him take his seat in an excellent car and taking leave of Kauśika went with the
King to his own abode. Viśvāmitra became glad to see Triśaṅku go to the
Heavens with Indra and remained happy in his own Āśrama.
हा हा हररश्चन्द्रनृपो णवपत्सु
मग्नः शताक्षीं परदे वतां त्वाम् ।
संस्मृत्य सद्यः स्वणवपणन्नवृत्तः
कारुण्यतस्ते सुरलोकमाप ॥ ३५-१२॥
haa haa harishchandranri'po vipatsu
magnah' shataaksheem paradevataam tvaam .
samsmri'tya sadyah' svavipannivri'ttah'
kaarunyataste suralokamaapa .. 35-12..
12. Alas! the king Harischandra got drowned in several troubles. But
when he meditated on your form which was prominently known as,
shataakshi (the hundred eyed Goddess), he was able to cross those
dangers, and due to your mercy reached the heavens later.
Harishchandra was the son of satyavratha, who was described in the
previous shloka. When he was living peacefully in ayodhya, he
conducted the rajasuya yagya, and became a famous as a ruler of 4
continents. With that his arrogance got elevated. Not just that he
even stopped prayed to the Gods. Along with that he started to face
a lot of problems. Vishwamitra, in the guise of an old man, usurped
his entire kingdom by deceit. To repay the debt he owed to that old
brahman, Harishchandra left his wife and son, and spent 1 year as an
assistant to a chandala guarding a cemetery. During a certain time,
there came a situation, where it was considered religiously correct to
kill one’s wife. At that time he meditated on Shataakshi Devi. with
that all his problems got solved. Indra came down to earth and took
him to heavens.
If we forget devi we will keep having problems. If we keep
meditating on devi the problems will keep getting solved. If the light
of devi’s devotion is there in one’s mind and heart then the darkness
created by problems will not exist. If the light goes, darkness will
evade. When light comes darkness will go. The story of
Harishchandra is an authoritative declaration of this reality.
The story of Harishchandra can be found in skanda 7 chapters
15-27 of devi bhagavatham
अगस्त्यपूजां पररगृ ह्य दे णव
णवभाणस णवन्ध्याणद्रणनवाणसनी त्वम् ।
द्रक्ष्ये कदा त्वां मम दे णह भन्तिं
कारुण्यमूत्ते सततं नमस्ते ॥ ३५-१३॥
agastyapoojaam parigri'hya devi
vibhaasi vindhyaadrinivaasinee tvam .
drakshye kadaa tvaam mama dehi bhaktim
kaarunyamoortte satatam namaste .. 35-13..
13. Oh Goddess after you accepted the worship performed by sage
Agasthya, you resided in the Vindhya mountains and you shined;
When will I be able to see you? Please give me devotion.
Oh merciful one , I salute you .
This chapter recollects the examples of how devotion to devi has
helped the devotees. In order to help one overcome troublesome
situation always meditate on devi-there is no other alternative.
Anyone can call out devi from anywhere. Devi’s presence is felt in the
place wherever a devotee calls out to devi. it is this merciful form of
devi that resides in the Vindhya mountains. The mind born son of
brahma, svaayambhuva, started worshipping devi, on the banks of
the milky ocean, by chanting the vaagbeeja mantra(aim). After
blessing him, devi went to the Vindhya mountains, at a certain time
Vindhya mountain started to grow taller. Thus blocking the path and
speed of surya. On the request of the devas, rishi Agastya, started
from kashi and reached near to the Vindhya mountains. As the
maharshi could not climb the mountain, it lowered its head-that is it
reduced its height. Maharshi stayed on top of mount Vindhya. As
devi was held by Agastya( due to his worshipping her), she resided in
the mountains(vindhyachala nivaasini)
This story of vindhyachalaanivaasini-of Agastya-can be found in
the 10th skandam chapters 1-7 of devi bhagavatham.
The poet wishes that he be able to see that devi who is always
blessing her devotees. Only if you have devotion will you be able to
see devi. The poet ends this chapter by meditating and praying to
devi for devotion.
STORY OF VINDHYA MOUNTAINS AND SAGE AGASTYA
Vindhya is the name of a mountain range which indicates knowledge, which
begets humility. Because remember, Vindhya, he had a very interesting story,
he did tremendous tapasya. He said to Shiva, “I want to be taller than Mount
Meru.” And Shiva said, “What would you want that for?” And he said, “Well I’m
tired of being looked down upon, I want to be the tallest among mountains.”
Shiva said, “Tatastu (so be it).” And Vindhya started to grow, and he started to
grow so tall.
Now, the Sun was making his daily circumambulation of the earth, and he saw
this huge mountain standing in his way. And He said, “Hey Vindhya, What are
you doing? Get out of my way! I gotta go around the earth.” Vindhya said,
“No, I got the boon, and I can be taller than Meru and I’m not moving. I’m not
moving for anyone.” Surya got stuck. And then nobody on earth knew what
time it was and they all stopped their yagyas. And the Gods got weak, no one
was feeding the Gods.
So then the Gods got really scared. What happened? And they went to see,
and they saw Vindhya was taller than Meru, and the Sun was stuck there and
couldn’t pass. They said, “What are we gonna do? How are we going to make
Vindhya come down to his normal size?”
They thought and meditated and they all decided to go to Benares. And they
went to Benares, and in a cave on the bank of the Ganga, Agastya Muni was
meditating. All the Gods came to Agastya Muni’s cave. Agastya bowed down
with devotion, “All the Gods have come, what seva can I possibly do for you?
The Gods said, “Vindhya got the boon that he would be taller than Meru, and
now the Sun is stuck and He can’t pass to make his daily circumambulation of
the earth. And nobody’s making yagya, nobody’s worshiping and the Gods are
getting weak. You have to find a way to humble Vindhya and make him lower
himself. You have to destroy his pride.”
Agastya said, “Namaste. I am pleased and privileged to serve the Gods.” He
took his asan and his kamandalu and he started to walk. And he walked right
up to the Vindhya mountains. And Vindhya said, “Namaste. Agastya Muni has
come to me. What seva can I do for you?” And Agastya said, “Vindhya, I’m on a
pilgrimage to the south of India, and you have become so tall that I can’t
cross. Would you please lower yourself just for a moment so I can pass, and I’ll
complete my pilgrimage?” And Vindhya said, “Yes, I’m pleased to serve a Rishi
like you.”
And Agastya climbed over Vindhya, and He said, “Oh, and please just stay
there until I come back!”
Thus ends the 35th chapter
