Indian Mythology - Hindu Mythology and Technology.: 4/8/07 - 4/15/07

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Friday, April 13, 2007

Indian Scientists Working On Sanjeevani Booti.

In what could be a happy marriage of tradition and modernity — or mythology and technology
— scientists are drawing inspiration from the Ramayana, to find a way to make crops drought-resistant. In the Ramayana, Hanuman was asked to look for the Sanjeevani herb that was reputed to have magical curative properties — it was believed to even bring the dead back to life — to treat Lakshman who lay unconscious on the battlefield. Unable to identify the herb, Hanuman simply uprooted an entire Himalayan mountain and delivered it in time to revive the mortally wounded Lakshman. Indian scientists are today studying the potential of the mythical 'herb of immortality'— the invincible Sanjeevani booti — to understand its survival quality that enables it to live without water. In the absence of water, the herb dries up like any other plant but with a difference — it does not die. Once it comes in contact with water, it gets revived in a matter of hours, and its curative properties remain intact. What makes the plant survive for more than 300 years? Scientists at the National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) are looking for answers. A five-year programme designed by the NBRI will research the Sanjeevani's gene profile to identify the gene or group of genes that is responsible for the plant's resistance to drought and capacity to survive for long in punishing conditions. Through genetic engineering, crop biotechnologists have been making headway in reducing vulnerability of cotton, corn and even soya to pests. If the Sanjeevani's survival gene is identified and injected into rice and wheat varieties, they could well turn out to be drought-resistant. This would enable food crops in India to develop a 'natural'resistance to drought, thereby forever changing agriculture dynamics. So far, the Sanjeevani herb has been used by tribals with some success in treating diseases like jaundice, heat stroke, kidney infection, diarrhoea and venereal disease. If the herb were found to contain the blueprint for crop survival, it would be a bonanza for Indian agriculture, including future returns from patents and knowledge-sharing. With future wars projected to be fought over water, Sanjeevani's DNA could hold the answer to growing threat of droughts.

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Did Iron Existed in India during the vedic period ...?

This paper deals with the word- ' ayas ' used in the Hindu Scriptures. Many Indologists have concluded that it does not mean iron. They believed that iron found its way into India through the Aryan migration after 11th Century BC . Therefore, they concluded that Vedas and other Scriptures could be as recent as 11th Century BC. Furthermore, many think that the description about iron mentioned in the Mahabharata has been added around 2nd Century BC because it did not exist at the time of the Mahabharata War. This paper contradicts these views and shows that iron was present in the Indian Sub-continent since 2000 BC, and that the Scriptures could date back to the times of the Harappan Civilization.

The meaning of the Sanskrit word > ayas > has been debated for a long time. Many have believed that iron did not exist during the Vedic Period, so >ayas > means non ferrous alloys ( bronze, brass etc ). So far, there was no evidence to prove that iron was known to the sages like Vyas, Valmiki etc. It was also believed that iron was brought by the so called Aryans into India, and the plains ( Ganga - Yamuna ) were inhabited after the cutting off of the forests in the swamps by iron tools. Before this era, the population of the India was first settled along the Indus River, and then along the India - Nepal border.
Are such beliefs true ? The answer, according to the author is - no. We can see this by examining the evidences presented here.
Fig. 1
shows the Bow that was used to select the proper person to marry Sitajee, as described in the Valmiki Ramayana . King Janaka had set the condition that whosoever lifts this Bow, can marry his daughter Sita . Fig. 1 shows Ravana, and Banasura who were trying their luck to lift this Bow ( Ramcharit Maanas by Saint Tulsidas ). The description of how this Bow was brought for lifting is shown in Fig. 3
as mentioned in the Valmiki Ramayana . The appropriate verses number from 1 to 4 . These verses are in Sanskrit with their Hindi translation is written below each of the verses. Did the person who translated these verses not realize that iron( Loha ) did not exist in those days ? Fig. 2
shows the Bow in a eight - wheeled box. It was wheeled to the place of contest by the ministers of King Janaka.
Not only this, it is well known that Dhritrashtra embraced a dummy made of iron , instead of Bhima, after the Mahabharata War . Bhima=s mace was made of iron . Similarly there are clear descriptions of iron in the Mahabharata at many places. Many say that these descriptions were written or included many centuries after the Mahabharata War, if that War ever took place.
The word > ayas > has been mentioned in the Vedas many times. The Rig Veda was composed close to the Harappan Civilization. Could some one have known about iron in those days ? How old are the Vedas ? The early Rig-Veda mentions about the Asuras who were described to be nice people in the beginning .

source :-

http://www.engr.mun.ca/~asharan/bihar/ironage/IRONAGEINDIA2.htm

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अथर्ववेद:, (Atharvavéda)

The Artharva-Veda is the "Knowledge of the Fire Priests [atharvans]". An atharvan was a priest who worshipped fire and Soma.[19]
The Atharva-Veda Saṃhitā has 760 hymns, and about one-sixth of the hymns are in common with the Rig-Veda.[20] Most of the verses are metrical, but some are in prose.[21]
It was compiled around 900 BCE, although some of its material may go back to the time of the Rig Veda,[22] and some parts of the Atharva-Veda are older than the Rig-Veda.[23]
The Atharvana-Veda is preserved in two editions, the Paippalāda and Śaunaka.[24] According to Apte it has nine schools (shakhas).[25]
Unlike the other three Vedas, the Atharvana-Veda has less connection with sacrifice.[26] It consists chiefly of spells and incantations, concerned with protection against demons and disaster, spells for the healing of diseases, for long life, etc.

सामवेद, (Sāmaveda).

The Samaveda ranks next in sanctity and liturgical importance to the Rigveda or Veda of Recited praise. Its Sanhita, or metrical portion, consists chiefly of hymns to be chanted by the Udgatar priests at the performance of those important sacrifices in which the juice of the Soma plant, clarified and mixed with milk and other ingredients, was offered in libation to various deities.The Collection is made up of hymns, portions of hymns, and detached verses, taken mainly from the Rigveda, transposed and re-arranged, without reference to their original order, to suit the religious ceremonies in which they were to be employed. The verses are not intended to be chanted, but to be sung in specifically indicated melodies using the seven svaras or notes. Such songs are called Samagana and in this sense the Samaveda is really a book of hymns.In these compiled hymns there are frequent variations, of more or less importance, from the text of the Rigveda as we now possess it which variations, although in some cases they are apparently explanatory, seem in others to be older and more original than the readings of the Rigveda [citation needed]. In singing, the verses are still further altered by prolongation, repetition and insertion of syllables, and various modulations, rests, and other modifications prescribed, for the guidance of the officiating priests, in the Ganas or Song-books. Two of these manuals, the Gramageyagana, or Congregational, and the Aranyagana or Forest Song-Book, follow the order of the verses of part I, of the Sanhita, and two others, the Uhagana, the Uhyagana, of Part II. This part is less disjointed than part I, and is generally arranged in triplets whose first verse is often the repetition of a verse that has occurred in part I.

यजुर्वेदः (Yajurveda).

The Yajurveda gives sacrificial prayers and the Atharvaveda gives charms, incantations, magic formulas etc. Apart from these there are some stray secular material, legends, etc. Yajurveda is the Veda of yajana or worship. It refers to acts of worship such as oblations made into Agni or Fire. It has two branches, Krishna or Black and Shukla or White. While both contain mantras or incantations to be chanted at rituals, Black Yajurveda also has many explanations. The recensions of Black Yajurveda are Taittirya, Katthaka, Maitrayani and Kapishtthala. Those of White Yajurveda are Madhyanadina and Kanva. The literary value of Yajurveda is mostly for its prose, which consists of short terse sentences full of meaning and cadence.

ऋग्वेद.(Rigveda)

The Rigveda contains the oldest part of the corpus, and consists of 1028 hymns. Rigveda means the Veda of Adoration and mostly contains verses adoring or adulating deities. But it also dealt with other subjects, like the procedure of wedding, the folly of gambling.
About two-thirds of Rigveda is about the gods Agni (Fire) and Indra (Ruler of the gods). Other Rigvedic gods include Rudra, the two Ashvins,Savitar and Surya, Varuna, the Maruts and the Ribhus. There are references to a divine creeper, the Soma, whose juice was an energizer.
Some animals like horses, some rivers, and even some implements (like mortar and pestle) were deified. Rigveda contains a sense of intimate communion between Nature and the Rishis or visionaries.
According to some, the concerns of Rigveda are those of simple, nomadic, pastoral Aryans. According to others, the people in the times of the Rigveda had a settled home, definite mode of life, developed social customs, political organizations, and even arts and amusements. Rigveda is the oldest, largest and most important of the Vedas, containing 10 thousand verses forming 1017 poems in 20 groups.

वेद: (The Vedas.)

The Vedas collectively refers to a corpus of ancient Indo Aryan religious literature that are considered by adherents of Hinduism to be revealed knowledge. The word Veda means Knowledge and is cognate with the word "wit" in English (as well as "vision" through Latin). Many Hindus believe the Vedas existed since the beginning of creation. The texts of the Vedas have several references to specific patterns in the ancient flows of the Ganges River, which coincide with the sites of its ancient (but now dried) tributaries.

The newest parts of the Vedas are estimated to date back to around 500 BCE.
The oldest text (RigVeda) found is now dated to around 1,500 BCE, but most Indologists agree that a long oral tradition possibly existed before it was written down.
They represent the oldest stratum of Indian Literature and according to modern scholars are written in forms of a language which evolved into Sanskrit. They consider the use of Vedic Sanskrit for the language of the texts an anachronism, although it is generally accepted.
The Vedas consist of several kinds of texts, all of which date back to early times. The core is formed by the Mantras which represent hymns, prayers, incantations, magic and ritual formulas, charms etc. The hymns and prayers are addressed to a pantheon of gods (and a few goddesses), important members of which are Rudra, Varuna, Indra, Agni, etc. The mantras are supplemented by texts regarding the sacrificial rituals in which these mantras are used as well as texts exploring the philosophical aspects of the ritual tradition, narratives etc.
The Mantras are collected into anthologies called Samhitas.

There are four Samhitas: the Rk (poetry), Saman (song), Yajus (prayer), and Atharvan (a kind of priest). They are commonly referred to as the Rigveda, Samaveda, Yajurveda, and Atharvaveda respectively. Each Samhita is preserved in a number of versions or recensions (shakhas), the differences among them being minor, except in the case of the Yajur Veda, where two "White" (shukla) recensions contain the Mantras only, while four "Black" (krishna) recensions interspersed the Brahmana parts among the Mantras.

Map of Ancient India .

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

JAI.. Hanuman..!

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Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Hindu Mythology Story 1 :- Yama Kumar .

Once upon a time Yama, the god of death, fell in love with a mortal woman. He disguised himself as a mortal man and won her hand. As she was mortal, he lived with her on earth rather than taking her to his underworld kingdom, Yamapuri. But it was not long before he discovered that the wife he had chosen was shrewish and quarrelsome.
She became even worse after she bore him a son. The son was named Yama Kumar. Yama frequently disagreed with his mortal wife over Yama Kumar’s upbringing, but she argued so violently with him that in the end Yama agreed to whatever she said

Finally, Yama couldn't bear her bad temper any more and returned to his kingdom. From there he kept an eye on his son whom he loved very much. Unfortunately, his wife was unable to raise the boy properly and he grew up without learning anything to make a living for himself.
One night Yama appeared before his son and promised him the gift of healing if Yama Kumar work very hard and learn about medicinal herbs and plants. The young man gratefully accepted his father’s gift. After some time, the young man became a qualified doctor.
"I am proud of you, my son," Yama said, "Now any time you approach a patient, if you see me sitting at the patient’s head, that means the patient will die. Then you should refuse to treat that patient."
The boy followed his father’s instructions and soon became widely known for his excellent diagnosis and treatment.
Some years later, the princess became very ill. Royal physicians came from far and near to cure her but they were all unsuccessful. The princess grew weaker and weaker. The king’s courtiers then told the king about Yama Kumar. The king decided to let Yama Kumar try to cure the princess.
Yama Kumar was thrilled at the opportunity to compete with the royal physicians. But as he approached the princess’ bed he was dismayed to see his father sitting there.

"Oh father!" Yama pleaded, "Please spare her life! She is so young and beautiful. Must you take her life away now?" Yama loved his son very much and wanted to let the princess live, but he was also duty bound to take her. Finally he agreed to let her live for just three more days.
Thanking his father, Yama turned to the king and queen who could not see or hear the conversation between father and son.
"Your majesties, your daughter is very ill" Yama Kumar told them. "I think she may have only three days of life left. However, if she outlives these, she will live to a ripe old age." Saying this he sat down beside her and thought hard of a plan to save her life. Yama Kumar never left the princess’ bedside
Finally, on the third day, he saw his father approaching from a distance. Before Yama could reach the princess, Yama Kumar slyly called out, "Oh mother! How nice of you to come to see father!"
Upon hearing his son’s words, Yama immediately fled before he could even reach the princess’ bedside. Yama’s sense of duty could not overcome his fear of his shrewish wife! Yama Kumar’s trick had worked!
As soon as Yama left, the color began to return miraculously to the princess’ cheeks. After a week had passed, Yama Kumar announced to the king that his daughter was cured.
So happy were the king and the queen that they married the young man to their daughter and the couple lived happily to a ripe old age.

Hindu Mythology story 2 - PRAHLAD.

The mythological story of Prahlad, is described in Vishnu Puran as the fourth incarnation of Vishnu, Nara-simhavatar.
Prahlad was the son of the Asura king Hiranyakashipu. The Asuras were super-humans who lived in the underworld, unrighteous in act and were hostile to gods. Hiranyakashipu wanted to be the undisputed ruler of the three worlds - the heaven, the earth and the underworld. He performed severe penance to seek blessing of Brahma for immortality.
Brahma, however, declined, saying "All living beings must face death Hiranyakashipul. You can, however, choose your death wish." Hiranyakashipu then asked for three conditions, as his death wish, "He be killed by someone who is neither human nor a beast, in a time which is neither during the day nor during the night, and in a place which is neither inside nor outside." Brahma agreed and Hiranyakashipu got his death wishes granted. Thus he became practically immortal.
Hiranyakashipu, with his new powers, attacked heaven and subdued all the gods. He then declared himself to be the king of all the three worlds. He soon ordered all people to worship him and no one else. His hostilities knew no bounds. The gods approached Lord Vishnu for His help. Vishnu assured that He will take rebirth when the time comes.
Soon Hiranyakashipu got a son. He was named Prahlad. Prahlad grew up to be a lovely boy. His father was unaware of the fact that Prahlad was an ardent devotee of Vishnu. Hiranyakashipu, however, wanted his son to be the king of the Asuras, strong and ruthless. One day Hiranyakashipu lovingly asked his son, "Dear Son, what do you think is the best thing in life?" Prahlad replied, "To renounce the world and seek refuge in Vishnu." Hiranyakashipu was shocked to hear this. He could not tolerate the idea that his son loves the sworn enemy of the Asuras, Lord Vishnu. He felt that someone deliberately trying to brainwash his son, undermining his future dreams. To find this out, Hiranyakashipu sent Prahlad to his teacher.
The teacher lovingly asked Prahlad, "Who has taught you about Vishnu?" Prahlad calmly replied, "Vishnu himself." The teacher was furious. He called for his cane and beat Prahlad mercilessly. Prahlad stayed quiet and completed his education. He quietly shared his feelings with his friends without the knowledge of his teacher. His serene behavior and thoughts of divine happiness appealed the young students. They believed that Vishnu is all prevailing, caring and the true preserver of the universe.
After his graduation, Prahlad returned to his father. Hiranyakashipu expected his son to behave like an Asura prince. So he loving asked, "What worthwhile occupation did you learn from the teacher?"
Prahlad unhesitatingly said, "Father, the only worthwhile occupation that I learnt is to dedicate my life in the work of Vishnu, the Lord of Preservation."
Hiranyakashipu shouted, "You wicked teacher, you taught my son to worship my worst enemy, Vishnu!" The teacher repeatedly tried to assure that he did not teach such a thing.

Prahlad tried to convince his father "Father, my friends in the school believed me when I said Lord Vishnu reveals Himself to all who devoted to Him. You should also do the same and humbly accept Vishnu as the Lord of the Universe."
Hiranyakashipu raged in anger and ordered his subordinates to kill Prahlad. They tried different means but Prahlad stayed in deep meditation of Vishnu and nothing hurt him.
Hiranyakashipu became thoughtful. "This boy is immortal and fears nothing. Will he be the cause of my death?" He shouted in anger, "You wicked wretch! Are you trying to destroy me and my race! The rulers of the three worlds quake before me. What is the source of your power?"
"Oh father" replied Prahlad, "It is Vishnu. He is the source of our power. He is present everywhere and protects all who believed in Him."
Impatient Hiranyakashipu could not bear any longer. He pulled out his sword and challenged Prahlad, "I will see how Vishnu can protect you." Hiranyakashipu pointed towards the pillar outside the hall and shouted, "Is He present in this pillar?"
"Yes father" was the calm reply from little Prahlad. Hiranyakashipu outrageously ran towards the pillar shouting, "I will first kick the pillar to prove that you are wrong and then I will kill you."

When Hiranyakashipu kicked the pillar with great force, to his utter surprise, he saw the pillar burst open and Lord Vishnu emerged as Nara-simha, half human and half lion. Hiranyakashipu remembered his first death wish, "To be killed by some one who is neither human nor beast." It was also the twilight hour, neither day nor night, the second death wish. Nara-simha caught Hiranyakashipu and carried to the threshold of the courtroom. The place was neither inside nor outside. This was Hiranyakashipu’s third death wish. There Hiranyakashipu was killed by the fourth incarnation of Vishnu, Nara-simha. Other three were fish, turtle and wild boar. After killing Hiranyakashipu, Narasimha sat at his thrown and peace came back to the earth.
All the gods came to pay homage to the incarnation of Vishnu and asked Prahlad, who was not the least afraid of the horrible beast, to pacify him so that He comes back to his normal peaceful form. Narsimha was touched by Prahlad’s devotion. He came back to his normal form and asked Prahlad to ask for any boon. Prahlad humbly said, "Let my father be purified of all his sins." Vishnu blessed Prahlad and asked him to reign in his place and perform the duties of a just ruler. Prahlad ruled wisely and well ever after.

Hindu Mythology Story - TWAM TAT ASI .

This short story, quoting the conversation between Swetaketu and his father, attempts to disclose a profound and subtle teaching of Vedas - "Thou Art That (Twam Tat Asi)."

All people, have in themselves an eternal truth and reality called Atman, which corresponds to an identical but greater all-encompassing reality called Brahman. The life in this world is actually an illusion (maya) and the only way to escape the wheel of suffering between life and death is to realize that unchanging reality within one's individual self, through devotion, penance and meditation.
"Believe me, my son," said Svetketu's father, a sage. "An invisible and subtle essence is the Spirit of the whole Universe. That is Reality. That is Atman. Thou Art That."

"Explain more to me, father," said Svetaketu.
"So be it, my son. Place this lump of salt in water and return tomorrow morning."
Svetaketu did as he was commanded.
In the morning his father asked him to take out the lump of salt. Svetketu looked into the water, but could not find the salt, as it had dissolved.
His father then said, "Taste the water. How is it?"
"It is salty" replied Svetketu.
"Look for the salt again" the father addressed.
"I cannot see the salt, father. I only see water that tastes salty" commented Svetketu.
Svetketu's father then said, "In the same way, O my son, you cannot see the Sprit. But in truth he is here. An invisible and subtle essence is the Spirit of the whole universe. That is Reality. That is Truth. Thou art that (Twam Tat Asi)."

SAVITRI AND SATYAVAN .

In ancient India there was a king who had everything except a child. He worshipped the gods for many years and finally Goddess Savitri gave the king the gift of a daughter. She was named Savitri after the goddess. Savitri was so beautiful and intelligent that no one dared to marry her. The king asked Savitri to choose a suitable husband for herself.
Savitri traveled for many years until she reached a hermitage where many princes lived as ascetics giving up their luxury, wealth and power. When Savitri entered the hall of worship and paid respects to the eldest teacher, a young man entered the hall, guiding an old, blind man. Savitri asked the teacher, "Who is he?" The teacher replied, "He is prince Satyavan, a virtuous man, guiding his blind father who lost his kingdom. Like his name, he is the emblem of truth." Savitri decided to marry Satyavan.
When Savitri returned home, her father inquired. Savitri happily replied, "Father, I have decided to marry Satyavan." But seeing Satyavan's horoscope, the astrologer said, "Satyavan will die one year from today." The king was stunned to hear this and requested Savitri to choose someone else. Savitri trembled and said, "But father, I have already chosen Satyavan, and I will not choose another man. I will share the precious one year with him only."

Soon the king rode with Savitri to the hermitage to formalize the proposal. Satyavan was overjoyed to be offered such a bride. His father, the blind king, asked, "Savitri you are a princess, can you bear the hard life of the hermitage, living on fruits and wearing the matted barks?" Savitri replied, "I will be content." Savitri and Satyavan were married.
For a year they lived happily. But Savitri could never forget that Satyavan's death was drawing closer. Finally, when only three days remained, Savitri prayed for three days and three nights. On the final day, she came out from the prayer room with the rising sun. Satyavan wondered to himself, why Savitri was praying so hard?
When Satyavan was ready to go out to collect wood for the fire, Savitri rushed to his side and said, "I will come with you." "You look tired" said Satyavan " I will return soon. You rest." But Savitri insisted on accompanying him.

In the woods, Satyavan suddenly felt dizzy while chopping the firewood and laid down. Savitri raised his head on her lap watching Satyavan's face carefully. Satyavan closed his eyes and began to breath slowly. Suddenly Lord Yama, the god of death, arrived. He caught the soul of Satyavan with his noose and headed towards his kingdom. Satyavan's body lay dead. Yama tried to console Savitri by saying, "Satyavan was a man of great virtue and happiness awaits him in my kingdom."
Savitri did not say anything but rose and started after Yama. Yama objected, "You cannot follow me to the land of the dead!" Savitri replied, "Lord Yama. I know you are doing your duty of taking away the soul of my husband when it is time. But my duty as his wife is to stay beside him."
"Your duty is over with the death of your husband. I admire your loyalty. I will grant you anything but the life of your husband." Savitri most respectfully asked for the restoration of the kingdom and sight of her father-in-law." Yama granted the wishes and once again headed towards south through the rough roads of thorns and ditches. Savitri continued to follow, with torn clothes and bleeding feet. Yama said, "Savitri you have come far enough, now go back." Savitri said, "Lord Yama, my husband will find happiness in your kingdom but you are carrying away the happiness that is mine."
"I admire your devotion" Yama said, "But you have to bend to your faith. I will grant you another wish except the life of your husband." "Give many children to my father, I was his only child" said Savitri and Yama granted her wish. Then he began to climb a steep hill. When Yama looked back he saw Savitri coming up the steep hill, tired and exhausted.
"Savitri," Yama said in a loud voice "I forbid you to come farther. I am telling for the last time you have come far enough. I admire your courage and your firmness. I grant you one last favor, anything, but the life of your husband."
Savitri got her last chance, and said, "Lord, then grant me many children, and let them be the children of Satyavan." Yama was surprised by Savitri's wit and strong will, "You have not asked for your husband's life, yet I cannot grant your wish without releasing Satyavan. You have won your husband's life."
Savitri found herself at the same spot where she took her dying husband's head on her lap. Satyavan woke up and saw Savitri both crying and laughing. When asked what happened, Savitri said, "My love, let us return home."
Yama fulfilled all of Savitri's wishes. Satyavan became king and Savitri his queen. They lived long and were blessed with many children. When they were old, Yama came and together they happily departed for his kingdom.

Mythological Story 4:- King YAYATI .

This story, from the Mahabharata, conveys the timeless message of self control and restraint.

Sukracharya was the preceptor of Asuras (demons). The Asura king Vrishaparva greatly respected Sukracharya as he knew the secret of Mritasanjibani, a drug that brings the dead back to life. Devayani was Sukracharya's only daughter and spoiled by her father's indulgence.
One morning, Sharmishtha, the Asura princess, daughter of Vrishaparva, came to Sukracharya's hermitage with her friends. She asked Sukracharya to allow Devayani to accompany them for a bath in a nearby lake. Sukracharya agreed. They soon reached the lake and left their clothes on the bank to go into the water. Suddenly a storm blew up and scattered their clothes. The girls hurriedly came out of the lake and got dressed. It so happened that the princess Sharmishtha, by mistake, clad herself in Devayani's clothes. Angered by this, Devayani insulted Sharmishtha, the Asura princess. Argument began and Sharmishtha pushed Devayani into a dry well and left Devayani in the well.

It so happened that Yayati, the king of a nearby state, came hunting in the forest and was looking for water to drink. When he came near the well he was surprised to find Devayani lying at the bottom. Devayani introduced herself and said that she fell into the well. She then requested the king to pull her out. Yayati helped her out. Devayani demanded that Yayati marry her as he has held her by the right hand. Yayati was alarmed and turned down her request on the ground that he belonged to lower Khatriya (or warrior) caste, and Devayani was a Brahmin (priestly) maid. Yayati then left and Devayani continued to sit under a tree.
When she did not return, Sukracharya set out in search of her. He found Devayani under a tree, her eyes filled with tears of anger and grief. When Sukracharya inquired, Devayani told her father every thing, carefully hiding her own faults. She refused to return to the kingdom of Vrishaparva as she was badly insulted by the Asura princess, Sharmishtha. Failing to change her mind, Sukracharya returned to Vrishaparva and announced that he was leaving the Asura kingdom because of his daughter Devayani's unhappy conflict with princess Sharmishtha. Vrishaparva begged Sukracharya to stay. Sukracharya left the decision with his daughter Devayani.
Vrishaparva wasted no time and went to Devayani taking his daughter Sharmishtha along. He begged forgiveness for his daughter. Devayani agreed to return on one condition that Sharmishtha be her handmaiden for the rest of her life. Sharmishtha agreed for the sake of her father, the king. Devayani was pacified and returned to her father's hermitage. But Devayani was vindictive and humiliated Sharmishtha by asking to massage her legs and run errands

One day, king Yayati passed that way. Devayani introduced Sharmishtha as her maid and reminded Yayati that he should marry her. Yayati repeated that he could not marry a Brahmin maid. Devayani then took Yayati to her father. Sukrachaya gave his blessing on their marriage. They were soon married and led a happy life. Devayani had two sons.
Sharmishtha continued to stay as Devayani's handmaid. Yayati made a palace for Shramishtha at the request of Devayani. One day Sharmishtha secretly met Yayati and told him what happened between her and Devayani. Yayati was sympathetic. Sharmishtha begged Yayati to take her as the second wife. Yayati agreed and married her but without the knowledge of Devayani. Sharmishtha had three sons.
One day, Devayani met the three sons of Sharmishtha. She asked the boys the name of their father. They pointed to Yayati. Devayani was shocked. She felt deceived and ran to her father's hermitage. Sukracharya was enraged and cursed Yayati with premature old age. Yayati begged for forgiveness. Sukracharya and Devayani felt sorry for him. Sukracharya then said, "I cannot take back my curse, but if any of your sons is ready to exchange his youth for your old age, you will be young again as long as you wish."
Yayati, now an old man, quickly returned to his kingdom and called for his eldest son. "My dutiful son, take my old age and give me your youth, at least for a while, until I am ready to embrace my old age." The eldest son turned down his father's request and so also the next three older brothers. Then came the youngest, Puru. He agreed and immediately turned old. Yayati rushed out as a young man to enjoy his life. After years spent in vain effort to quench his desires by indulgence, Yayati finally came into senses. He returned to Puru and said, "Dear son, sensual desire is never quenched by indulgence any more than fire is extinguished by pouring oil on it. Take back your youth and rule the kingdom wisely and well."
Yayati then returned to the forest and spent the rest of his days in austerities, meditating upon Brahman, the ultimate reality. In due course, he attained heaven.

Mythological Story :- The Magic Bowl.

The celebrations of Dashera and Diwali, are one of the most important festivities in India. Dashera is the day when Ravana, the ten-headed demon king, was slain by Rama; Diwali marks Ramaís victorious return to Ayodhya. This festive period also marks the time of offering respect to our ancestors and worshipping various forms of the goddess Parvati and Durga. These forms include Sarswati, Ambika, Kali and Lakshmi which are worshipped in different parts of India. In fact, Rama worshipped Durga, three days before slaying Ravana. Lakshmi is worshipped five days after Dashera and Kali is worshipped one month later on the day of Diwali. In some parts of India, Parvati and Saraswati are worshipped in the place of Kali. Mahalakshmi is worshipped by the business communities before Diwali, called Dhanteras. These Goddesses, and many others, are the manifestations of the same female power. A funny story associated with Dashera and Diwali is presented here.

Once there was a poor old man who lived with his wife in a small hut in a village of Rajasthan. The old man lost his job because of his age. He was too proud to beg and so he and his wife began to starve. Ultimately he decided to go to the Parvati temple two days before the Dashera. It took all day to get there and when he reached the temple the door was closing. Hungry and tired the old man sat down on the door steps of the temple and fell asleep. Goddess Parvati felt uncomfortable inside the temple and asked her attendants to get the old man.

Very soon the old man was brought in and he was surprised to see the living Parvati. He thought he was dreaming. He fell down on Goddess Parvatiís feet and with tears in his eyes he narrated the miseries he was going through. Goddess Parvati took pity and gave him a magic bowl.

The Goddess said, "Take this bowl with you. Whenever you are hungry ask the bowl to give you whatever food you want and as much as you want."

The old man returned home happily with his bowl.

The wife was very happy to know that their bad days are over by the grace of Goddess Parvati. The old man always wanted to share his food with the king and others. So he decided to invite them for a dinner on the day of Diwali. But when he approached the palace the guard stopped the old man. He explained that he wanted to invite the king to his hut for dinner. The guard approached the King and sought his permission. The courtiers laughed and were looking forward to the fun. The old man requested the king and the queen and the courtiers to have dinner with him on the evening of Diwali. The king and his ministers laughed in amusement. The chief minister cautioned, "If we come back hungry, you will be hanged for playing jokes with His Majesty." The old man agreed.

As the day approached the king was impatient to know what was going on. So he sent his attendant to find out what the old man was up to. The attendant came back and informed him that no preparations were on hand. The old man was not the least worried about the royal visit except that he put up a tent big enough to hold the royal party. The king arrived with the queen and courtiers. At dinner time, the old man came with his magic bowl and asked the king to wish for any food he wants. The king thought that the old man was joking and ordered some of the most exotic foods in the world. Much to his disbelief, before he could finish, the food was served. Thus the old man, with the help of his magic bowl, served food to the queen and the courtiers. The wicked chief minister asked the king to take away such a valuable magic bowl for the treasury. The old man tried to explain that he would starve without the bowl but no one listened. He lost the bowl. Unfortunately, the bowl did not work for any one but the proud chief minister refused to return the bowl to the old man.

Soon the couple were starving again. They some how managed to survive for a year until Dashera came again. The old man decided to go back to the temple seeking Parvatiís blessings. He reached the temple in the middle of the night and started his prayers. Once again Goddess Parvati called him in and inquired what happened. When the old man explained, the Goddess decided to teach the king a lesson. This time she gave the old man a stick and asked him to go home and use the stick the same way as the magic bowl to get his food. But she asked the old man to invite the king again for a dinner on the day of Diwali. Goddess Parvati further explained that the stick would beat everyone until the bowl was returned to him.

The old man did as he was told. The king readily believed him this time and agreed to come with the queen and courtiers. The old man came with the stick. When the orders were placed, the stick began to beat the king, the queen and the ministers. No one could stop the stick so they begged the old man to rescue them. The old man explained, "The stick wants its partner, the magic bowl, until then it will keep on beating you." The minister ran to the treasury to fetch the bowl. The bowl was then placed in the hands of the old man and the stick stopped. Soon dinner was served and the king once again enjoyed the worldís best food. The king then built a special house for the old man where he lived happily with his wife.

Hindu Mythology Story 5 - DHRUVA ,The story of the Pole Star.

The Vedic name of the Pole Star is Dhruva Nakshatra, named after Dhruva, the son of King Uttanapad. At a very young age, Dhruva demonstrated such steadfast commitment to Lord Vishnu that he was blessed by Vishnu to take the position of the steadfast Pole star.
Let us hear the story of Dhruva which is taken from the Bhagawat Purana. Dhruva's father, King Uttanapad, was a great ruler of ancient India. He had two queens. The elder one, Queen Suniti, was Dhruva's mother. Queen Suruchi, the younger one, did not like her stepson, Dhruva and wanted her own son, Uttam, to become king . Unfortunately, King Uttanapad liked Queen Suruchi better than Queen Suniti and did not want to disagree with her even though Dhruva was older and was the rightful heir to the throne.
One day, little Dhruva went to sit on his father's lap along with his stepbrother, Uttam. But he was stopped by Queen Suruchi's cruel words. "You are not allowed in your father's lap," she scolded. "Only my son is allowed to sit on the King's lap. Pray to Lord Vishnu that you should die and be reborn as my son if you want to sit in your father's lap!" Deeply hurt, Dhruva went crying to his mother. But Queen Suniti was helpless. "Pray to Lord Vishnu," she said. "He will surely help you if you can pray long and hard enough."
Dhruva made up his mind that he would go deep into the jungle to meditate on Lord Vishnu and would not return to the kingdom until the Lord had answered his prayers. On his way to the jungle, he met the eternal sage, Narada. Narada was concerned that Dhruva was too young to be in the jungle alone. He tried to dissuade Dhruva, warning him that he would be eaten up by wild animals if he stayed. But Dhruva was steadfast in his resolve. Satisfied that Dhruva had the mental strength to remain in the jungle, Narada taught Dhruva the art of meditation.\par \par Little Dhruva meditated for many months, giving up all worldly comforts. He even stopped eating. Lord Vishnu was amazed at the little boy's determination and finally appeared before him. He blessed the boy and told him to return to his kingdom.
In the meantime, King Uttanapad repented the injustice done to Dhruva. He was heartbroken at the thought of little Dhruva being devoured by wild beasts. Narada consoled him, telling him that Dhruva's resolve was firm and that he would received Lord Vishnu's blessings. Narada was sure that Lord Vishnu would protect the boy from the wild animals.
When Dhruva finally returned safely home after receiving Lord Vishnu's blessings, King Uttanapad went personally to receive him. Queen Suniti was overjoyed at her son's safe return. In the course of time, when King Uttanapad became old, Dhruva was crowned king, and ruled wisely for many years.
The story of Dhruva is a lesson to us all. We do not have to wait until we are old to attain spirituality. Sincere, steadfast, meditation on God helped such a young child overcome the obstacles thrown in his way. It can help us all.
source:-Narrated by: Kanai L Mukherjee (Grandpa), Edited by: Arundhati Khanwalkar Courtesy: Association of Grandparents of Indian Immigrants (AGII)

ASHTAVAKRA...( An story from Mahabharata)..

( The story of Ashtavakra is taken from the great ancient Indian epic, the Mahabharata. It is the story of a deformed young boy whose intelligence surpassed many old sages of his time. )

Sage Uddalaka ran a school (Ashram) teaching Vedic knowledge. Kahoda was one of his best disciples. Uddalaka was so pleased with him that he got his daughter Sujata married to him. Sujata, eventually got pregnant and wanted her child to surpass all the sages of his time. So, she began to sit in the classes taught by Uddalaka and Kahoda, listening to their chanting with the unborn baby. It was one day, in a class taught by Kahoda, the unborn baby spoke up from inside the womb, "This is not the way to chant the verse, father." Kahoda felt insulted in front of the class and cursed, "You will be born deformed."
Sujata did not take the instance too seriously and was ambitious. She wanted more money to raise her child the best. So she asked her husband to go to king Janak who was then preparing for a fire worship ceremony (Yagna) hoping that the ceremony will bring money to the family.
When Kahoda approached Janak, the king received him respectfully but said with regret "Kahoda, I am unable to perform the Yagna which I decided to perform several years back. Sage, Bandhi arrived from no where and asked me to start the Yagna only after he is defeated in an academic discussion with the sages participating in the Yagna. His condition further includes that the sages who come forth for the debate, if defeated, will be drowned. So far he has killed many learned sages. Now it is up to you to take the challenge." Kahoda agreed to debate with Bandhi. He was defeated and drowned in the nearby river. The widowed Sujata heard the news and repented her actions. A few months later she gave birth to a boy who was deformed at eight joints and so named Ashtavakra. He got his education from his grandfather Uddalaka. Ashtavakra was extremely intelligent and his grandfather loved him dearly and was very proud of him. When Ashtavakra was only twelve, he finished all that he needed to know from his grandfather. He also heard the fate of his father and the Yagna of king Janak which still remained unfinished as no one could defeat Bandhi.
One night Ashtavakra ran away from the hermitage and came to king Janak. Looking to his deformed body, the guards were amused. Ashtavakra retorted, "Do not judge a person by his appearance and age, judge him by what he knows. Inform your king that there is a person ready to challenge Bandhi." The king came and was surprised to see a small deformed boy. He asked a few questions and was greatly impressed by his knowledge. King Janak soon arranged for the debate with Bandhi. When the spectators laughed on seeing the deformed Ashtavakra, Ashtavakra said with anger, "I did not know that the so called learned gathering is no better than a bunch of cobblers who judge a person by the skin and not by the knowledge he has."
To everyone's surprise Ashtavakara defeated Bandhi in no time. With vengeance he then requested the king to drown his father's killer.
Bandhi then disclosed his identity. He said, "I am the son of Varuna, the god of water. I came to earth on the request of my father to get the best sages from here to perform his twelve years of Yagna. The only way I could get them to my father was to challenge them in a debate and throw them into water. Now that my father has completed the Yagna, let us go to the river band and watch the sages walk out of the river."
People rushed to the river bank and watched the sages return from the river. Kahoda came and embraced his learned son Ashtavakra. He then openly admitted that his son Ashtavakra was a lot more intelligent than he. Bandhi then asked Ashtavakra to take a dip in the river, with the blessings of his father, Varuna, which would make him normal. Ashtavakra did as he was told and came out of the river as a handsome young man. Janak rewarded Ashtavakra and Kahoda. They went back to their hermitage to be united with the family. Uddalaka, was so happy to see his worthy grandson surpassing in knowledge to all the great sages of his time. Sujata rejoiced at seeing her handsome son and the husband.
source:-Narrated by: Kanai L Mukherjee (Grandpa), Edited by: Anuradha Chakravarthy Courtesy: Association of Grandparents of Indian Immigrants (AGII)

Hindu Mythology Story 6 :- Sati and Shiva .

According to Hindu view of life, Shiva, the principle male power, unites with his female counterpart in order to acquire the ability to create and destroy. The story of Sati and Shiva, described in the Purana, presents in simple language, the truth and beauty of such a lofty vedic concept.

In the days of ancient mythology, Brahma, the Prajapati, mentally created ten sons (manasa putra) to carry out his task of creation and destruction. Both Shiva and Daksha were the outcome of such a creation but Shiva had superior powers. Daksha, however, never liked the supremacy of Shiva. So, he took Shiva as his rival.
One of the daughters of Daksha, named Sati, was a great devotee of Shiva. She was beautiful and virtuous. Most of the time Sati immersed in the thoughts of Shiva and dreamed of being his wife.
Sati, through her sincere and devotional prayers, acquired the blessings of all gods and goddesses. Shiva finally yielded and appeared before Sati. She paid her reverence and kneeling down to Shiva chanted in praise of him.

Shiva asked her to choose a boon. Shiva knew what she would ask but wanted her to speak for herself.
Sati was hesitant, "How can I say that I want nothing else but Him!"
After a while Sati gathered her courage and started to say, "Lord will you ----"
Shiva did not let Sati complete her question, and he blessed her, "Be my consort Sati."
Soon Sati was married to Shiva amidst numerous gods and goddesses.
After the wedding, Shiva took Sati to Kailas where they spent many a happy days.
Then one day, Shiva requested Sati to accompany him to Prayag, today's Allahabad, to attend a fire- worship ceremony or Yagna.
When Shiva entered the Yagna hall, every one stood up to pay respect.
After some time Daksha entered the Yagna hall. Everyone stood up to pay respect except Shiva. Daksha felt insulted.
"How dare my son-in-law, Shiva, did not stand up! This is a deliberate insult to me," Daksha said to himself.
Shiva, on the other hand, thought to himself, "Being a superior power, it will not be nice if I stand up, and harm may befall on Daksha." Shiva did not mean to insult Daksha.
Taking this instance as an exception, Daksha promised to insult Shiva in public. He hurriedly returned home and declared that he will hold a grand sacrificial ceremony. He invited all gods and goddesses, but deliberately excluded Shiva.
When Sati, Shiva's beautiful wife and Daksha's daughter, noticed a large procession of gods and goddesses passing by, she curiously asked Shiva, "Where are they going?"
Shiva replied, "To the grand sacrificial ceremony to be held by Daksha, your father."
Sati was amazed.
"Then why have you not been invited?" she demanded angrily. "You should have been the first to be asked."
Shiva smiled gently at his wife's loyalty and fervor.
"Daksha has always been hostile to me," Shiva tried to explain.
But Sati's disbelief increased, "Does my father not realize that you are the supreme power and no one can equal you?"
"You are a good and true wife Sati," Shiva replied gently, "but Daksha thinks differently, he takes me as his rival."
"Invited or not," Sati said furiously, "I think we should go. It is after all my own father's house and I atleast need no invitation."
"Then go with my blessings Sati," replied Shiva. "but do not forget that Daksha will shower insults upon me. You must be strong enough to bear it silently and not allow your rage to show in your father's presence. If you are unable to tolerate his insults, I fear you may come to harm."
Taking Nandi, the gentle white bull who was Shiva's companion and mount, Sati arrived at her father's grand sacrificial ceremony.
Daksha reluctantly received her and publicly condemned Shiva - calling him the demon of death and an impious haunter of cremation grounds.
"What place has the goblin lord of witches and foul spirits in a sacred ceremony such as mine?" Daksha boomed.
Sati was hurt by his insults to her husband and begged her father to stop, but Daksha could not contain himself.
"It is disgraceful for a so-called god to wear filthy rags, cover himself with snakes and dance like a madman at ceremonies ---" continued Daksha on and on until Sati could not stand any longer. She remembered her husband's caution, "Do not allow your rage to get over you."
Sati painfully said, "I am ashamed to be known as your daughter. As I have promised my husband not to take any revenge, much less upon you, I merely denounce you before this assembly. I shall consume myself in a fire and return to mother Earth until I am born again to a father whom I can respect."

Daksha ignored the disappearance of Sati and ordered to continue with the sacrifice.
When news reached Shiva, through Nandi, that his beloved wife was dead, he let out a mighty roar that shook Heaven and Earth. He soon created a powerful demon, named Virabhadra, from his matted hair. Shiva also created a huge army of demons to accompany Virabhadra. They descended like a hurricane on Daksha's feast, destroying the sacrificial offering and killing all those who dared defend Daksha. Finally every one walked over to Shiva's side to seek refuge with him

Shiva was about to destroy the universe, when Brahma came with other gods to calm him down. Shiva was still quivering and shook with wrath and grief at the loss of Sati. All the gods soothed the furious Shiva and pleaded with him to forgive Daksha and allow him to complete the sacrificial ceremony, which he had started, otherwise he would go to hell.
Relenting, Shiva brought back to life all the people who had been killed in the battle and cured all those who had been injured. Finally he looked up, suppressing the power of his destructive third eye, and stated, "I will return Daksha to life, but he must bear the mark of his foolishness forever."
The gods agreed to Shiva's condition and Daksha was revived. The mark of his foolishness was clear for all to see for instead of his own head, he wore the head of a goat. Daksha fell at Shiva's feet weeping with gratitude, and finally acknowledged Shiva's supremacy.
With a mighty effort Shiva contained his grief for the loss of Sati, and he fell into profound meditation, waiting for the time when she would be reincarnated as Parvati and be his wife once again

source:-Narrated by: Grandpa, Edited by: Indrani Chakrabarti Courtesy: Association of Grandparents of Indian Immigrants (AGII)

Hindu Mythology Story 8 :UTTANKA, (A story from Mahabharata).

There was once a great sage named Gautama. Many disciples came to the sage in the pursuit of knowledge. Among them was Uttanka, who was exemplary in his devotion to Gautama. Uttanka did the household work for Gautama, helped him prepare for the sacrificial rites and knew exactly what his guru (teacher) needed at the right time. His knowledge of the Vedas was outstanding and the other disciples went to him for tutoring. Gautama had never had such a sincere and intelligent student before.

Uttanka and his classmates graduated. All his classmates left the hermitage (ashram) but the guru loved Uttanka dearly and did not permit him to go. Year after year new students came, they graduated and left the hermitage in their independent search for knowledge but Uttanka stayed back as he was hesitant to hurt his guru.
As years passed by, Uttanka became old. He was unable to carry the load of firewood, his back ached and his hair began to turn white. One day when he was unable to do the household chores due to his declining strength. He came to his guru Gautama in frustration and poured his heart out.
“Gurudeva, you did not allow me to leave the ashram for all these years. Now, I am old and unable to take care of your household chores. I am unhappy that I could not enjoy worldly pleasures as other disciples did.”
Gautama replied, “My son, I kept you here because of my love for you. But if you wish to go, you have my permission and my blessings. With the power of your penance in serving me, you will become a young man again and I shall give my daughter to you in marriage.”
Immediately, Uttanka regained the looks and strength of a young man. He was very grateful to his guru. He married Gautama's daughter and was ready to lead his independent life.
Before his departure Uttanka wanted to pay tribute (gurudakshina) to Gautama. The sage said, "You have served me with devotion for all these years. No other tribute is necessary.” Then Uttanka went to Gautama's wife and requested her to ask for something that she had wanted all her life.
After repeated coaxing, Gautama's wife said, “Uttanka, if you insist, I want the earrings worn by king Saudasa’s wife. I have heard so much about these earrings that I yearn for them in my dreams.”
Uttanka promised to get the earrings. He knew that it was not an easy task and he would face many dangers. So, he asked his bride to stay with her parents while he set out in search of the earrings. Uttanka was confident that his sincere penance to his guru would help him in his challenging, forthcoming task.
When sage Gautama heard that Uttanka has left on a dangerous endeavor, he was concerned. He told his wife, “You should have not asked for the earrings, my dear. Uttanka will face many dangers that may even threaten his life.” Gautama's wife regretted her request, but it was too late. Uttanka had already left on his quest, eager for success.
King Saudasa was living in a remote forest. He had annoyed Vasistha, and was cursed by the sage to lead the life of a cannibal.
Uttanka trudged on until he came to Saudasa’s abode. As soon as Saudasa saw Uttanka he attacked him. Uttanka stopped him by saying, “Oh king, wait! I have come on an errand for my guru. It is against Dharma (righteousness) to injure someone who is on such mission. I promise that I will offer myself to you after I have completed my errand.”
Saudasa inquired what the errand was about.
“I have come to beg for your wife’s earrings.” Saudasa was taken aback. He admired the courage of Uttanka, in approaching him, a cannibal. He said, “Go to my wife and tell her that I would like her to give the earrings to you. This good act may reduce my life of suffering as a cannibal.”
Uttanka went to the queen with Saudasa's message. The queen immediately parted with her earrings with the hope that her husband would benefit by her good deed.
When Uttanka examined the earrings, he could not find anything special with them. Out of curiosity, he asked, “What is special about these earrings?”
The queen said, “This is a celestial ornament. The wearer will be free from hunger and thirst and will be protected from all dangers.”
The queen further warned, “The nagas (serpents) have coveted these earrings for a long time and will steal them at their first opportunity. So, guard them well. Hide them in the folds of your deerskin and never part with them.”
Uttanka thanked the queen and assured her, “I shall protect them with my life.” Then he left and came back to Saudasa as he had promised. He requested the cannibal to spare him until he had handed over the earrings to his guru's wife. Saudasa agreed.
Uttanka then added, “You helped me in getting the earrings and in fulfilling my promise to my guru’s wife. Your good deed will reduce the tenure of your life as a cannibal. Hence, I have also been of help to you. By helping each other, we have become friends. The scriptures say that one should not eat the flesh of a friend. So you would surely not like to eat me…..?”
Saudasa was struck by Uttanka’s logic, and could not disagree with him. There was even the possibility of leading a normal life soon! Uttanka quickly departed before Saudasa changed his mind.
On way to Gautama's hermitage, Uttanka felt tired. So he tied the deerskin, which was encasing the earrings, on the branch of a tree and lay down to rest in its shade. Unfortunately, the deerskin slipped off and fell on the ground. A naga was waiting for this opportunity. It quickly picked up the earrings and sneaked away. Uttanka saw the naga slipping away with the earrings and chased it. The naga disappeared into an anthill. Uttanka started digging the anthill with his staff. He continued to dig for several days without food or water. He was determined to give up his life in the search of the earrings rather than return to his guru's hermitage empty handed.
An old man suddenly arrived on the scene and asked “What are you doing, young man?”
Uttanka explained, “A naga stole the celestial earring that I was carrying for my guru's wife and went into this anthill. I am trying to find the naga.”
The old man said, “You must be joking! The naga may be hidden thousands of miles deep into the soil. It may take you your entire life to dig with your staff which can hardly make a dent in this hard soil.”
“I prefer to die here rather than face my guru's wife without fulfilling her wishes. I am so very ashamed”, said Uttanka, sorrowfully.
The old man was none other than Indra, king of the devas (gods). Appreciating the determination of Uttanka, Indra assumed his real form and asked Uttanka to strike his staff onto his bajra (the thunder weapon that Indra carries). Uttanka did as he was told and his staff was energized. The invigorated staff accelerated the process of digging into the anthill.

Uttanka soon tunneled into the kingdom of Nagas (serpants). It was huge and well protected by the nagas. Uttanka was puzzled. “How can I search this place and where can I look for the naga who stole my earrings?”
Suddenly he saw a horse standing before him with blazing fire around him. Uttanka, overcome by awe, did not move. The horse spoke, “Do not be afraid, Uttanka. I am Agni (god of fire). You have served me well at your guru's hermitage. I am very pleased with you. Blow at me hard and I will emit smoke that will choke the nagas. They will come to you for rescue. Then, you can ask the naga king to return the earrings.”
Uttanka did as he was told and in no time the entire naga kingdom was filled with smoke. The nagas could not breathe and they were all forced to come out of their homes. They bowed before Uttanka. Uttanka asked the nagas to return the earrings. The nagas realized that they had to choose between their lives and the earrings. And of course, they chose to save their lives and quickly returned the earrings!
Uttanka returned to Gautama’s ashrama and gave the earrings to Gautama’s wife. Everyone was very happy at Uttanka’s safe return. Gautama and his wife showered their blessings on Uttanka. Uttanka fulfilled his obligation of giving gurudakshina and was finally free to lead his own life.

THE ENLIGHTENED BUTCHER

This story from Mahabharata brings to light that our spiritual achievement is useless if we neglect our duties or Dharma.

Kaushika was his parents' only son.
"Mother," he said one day, " I want to go off into the jungle and devote myself to spiritual studies. "
His mother said with concern, "But son, your father and I are very old. Your father is so sick he can hardly move. If you go away, what will happen to us? Who will attend to our needs?"
Kaushika did not listen. He was determined to study the Vedas. His mother cried in vain as she watched her son turn his back on her and leave for the jungle.
Eventually Kaushika acquired great mystical powers.
One afternoon, as he was meditating under a tree, a crane flew up, and perched herself on a branch above Kaushika. Some bird droppings fell on Kaushika's head. Kaushika furiously threw a fiery gaze at the crane.
The crane immediately fell dead.
The sage felt sorry for what he had done. "How could I have allowed my anger to take over me that way?" He mourned.
Later in the day, he went to a village to beg for alms. The lady of the house asked him to wait and went to get some food. Right then her husband arrived. She immediately set aside the pot of food she was taking to the sage and went to attend her husband.
After washing his feet, giving him food, and attending to his needs, she came back out to give the alms to the sage. The sage was very insulted. "You put your husband before a pious sage? Do you know the power of a Brahmin?"
She calmly replied, "Yes, a true Brahmin is he who has mastered his anger. Please do not threaten me, I am not a crane that will die by your fiery gaze."
The sage was amazed. "How does she know about the crane?" he wondered.
The lady continued, "Oh holy one! You are a learned Brahmin but you have not understood the truth about virtue. If you want to be enlightened, go to Dharmavyadha who lives in Mathura. Any one will tell you where he lives."
The sage thanked the lady and hurried to Mathura. "He must be a great and learned sage indeed," Kaushika thought to himself.
But when he finally reached Dharmavyadaha's place, he found it to be a butcher shop!
A very ordinary looking man came out and said, "Welcome holy one. I am Dharmavyadaha, the man you seek."
"How can a butcher be spiritually enlightened?" Kaushika asked in amazement.
Dharmavyadaha smiled and said with compassion, "I know the story of the crane and of the woman who sent you here. Come, let us go to my house. "
The sage could not contain himself and blurted out, "But butchering animals is such a sinful profession! Are you not ashamed?"
"I am not," the butcher calmly said. "I am engaged in a family trade. I work hard and honestly at it. There is no reason for me to be ashamed of my work!"
"Holy one," continued the butcher. "If I do injury to other creatures, so do you as you did to the crane. "
"As we walk on the soil, we are trampling on numerous creatures. Nor is the air devoid of creatures."
"You see that farmer tilling the land? He is killing so many animals that thrive under the soil."
They reached the butcher's house. The butcher's wife was doing her house hold chores and his two boys were playing.
The butcher introduced the sage to his wife and boys.
Then the butcher entered the house and touched his parents' feet.
"Here is a learned Brahmin who has come from a far-off place." the butcher told his old father.
"Welcome, holy one," the father said.
Before leaving the room, the butcher remarked, "My parents are my Gods. My wife and my children attend to them with devotion and love. We consider caring for them to be our greatest duty."

"In doing one's duty cheerfully, lies true virtue. This is what the dutiful wife sent you to learn."
"Oh learned one!" the butcher continued, "You have run away from your responsibilities and deserted your aged father and mother. Spiritual achievement is useless if one has neglected one's Dharma, or duties."
The sage remembered his mother crying, "Who will look after us when you are gone my son?"
The sage apologized, "You have shown me the path of true virtue, the true meaning of Dharma, Oh pious one. I am deeply indebted to you."
Kaushika immediately returned to his parents and served them lovingly till the end of their days.

"In doing one's duty cheerfully, lies true virtue. This is what the dutiful wife sent you to learn."
"Oh learned one!" the butcher continued, "You have run away from your responsibilities and deserted your aged father and mother. Spiritual achievement is useless if one has neglected one's Dharma, or duties."
The sage remembered his mother crying, "Who will look after us when you are gone my son?"
The sage apologized, "You have shown me the path of true virtue, the true meaning of Dharma, Oh pious one. I am deeply indebted to you."
Kaushika immediately returned to his parents and served them lovingly till the end of their days.

source:- (A story from Mahabharata)Narrated by: Kanai L Mukherjee (Grandpa), Edited by: Arundhati Khanwalkar Courtesy: Association of Grandparents of Indian Immigrants (AGII)

Aruni

Aruni and Uttanka. These stories are taken from Mahabharata that illustrate the special relationship that ought to exist between the teacher (guru) and disciple (shishya). In these stories, the faith of the student in his teacher is matched by the teacher's perception of his pupil's abilities.

Aruni of Panchala was a dedicated student of the ancient sage Dhoumya. In the days of yore, a student had to stay with the teacher and help in the teacher’s daily chores in order to receive the knowledge he sought.
It was a day of cold winter. Aruni was carrying the firewood he had collected for the sage's household. As he was passing by a field, which belonged to the sage, he noticed a breach in the embankment that was holding water in his teacher's field. He realized that the water would seep away and the field’s crops would die with no water.
"What should I do? If I stop to build the embankment I will be delayed and there is no firewood at the hermitage to keep the place warm. I better rush to the hermitage with the firewood and then come back to take care of the breach."

Meanwhile the sage and his disciples had assembled for the day's lesson. Aruni was missing.
Soon Aruni rushed in, dropped the firewood in the courtyard, and informed the teacher about the breach of the embankment. Then he quickly rushed out.
Sage Dhoumya felt proud of his disciple, "It is hard to get such a responsible disciple."
Aruni ran all the way back to the troubled spot and tried to stop the leakage of water by putting some logs and mud. However, this did not stop the leak. The heavy pressure of water washed away the dam Aruni made. He felt helpless. It seemed impossible for him to stop the leakage without help. He thought for a while and then made a plan.
It was getting dark and the teacher became worried. He called his disciples and set out looking for Aruni. As he called out for Aruni, he heard a faint voice, "Here I am master!"
The teacher and his disciples rushed to the spot and saw Aruni lying on the breach, in order to hold the water in the field. The disciples quickly pulled Aruni out from the freezing water. He was repeatedly muttering, "The water is flowing out, the crops will die ---."
"Don't worry Aruni! We will take care of the breach," said the disciples.
"Never mind my son! You are more precious than the crop," said the teacher.
Aruni was covered in a blanket and brought home. Sage Dhoumya himself tended to Aruni. The sage then blessed his disciple with pride, "You shall, forever, be renowned for your unmatched devotion and obedience to your guru.
source:-
(A story from Mahabharata) Narrated by: Kanai L Mukherjee (Grandpa), Edited by: Chetana Neerchal Courtesy: Association of Grandparents of Indian Immigrants (AGII)

Kacha And Devyani .

Prologue:-

Devayani was the beautiful daughter of Shukracahrya, preceptor to the Asuras, the demons. Shukracharya knew the secret of Mritasanjibani that brings back to life the Asuras, killed in the war with the gods, the devas. The devas also wanted to know the secret of Mritasanjibani. So they sent Kacha, the handsome son of Brihaspati, preceptor to the Devas, to fall in love with Devayani. This is the story of Kacha and Devayani and how the devas learnt the secret of Mritasanjibani.
Feature story
Long ago, the Devas and the Asuras fought all the time for the lordship of the three worlds. The Asuras were care free and happy as long as Shukracharya, their preceptor, was with them. The valiant Devas, tired of the unequal struggle, went to Kach, the handsome son of Brihaspati, preceptor of the Devas and asked him to go to Shukracharya and learn the secret of Mritasanjibani.
The obedient and dutiful Kacha immediately set out to meet Shukracharya. He humbly presented himself before the great wise man, introduced himself as the son of Brihaspati, and asked to become his disciple.
Shukracharya was a true teacher. He immediately recognized Kacha’s brilliance as a student. Shukracharya did not differentiate between his students. He gave Kacha a warm welcome and accepted him as his pupil.
Shukracharya had a daugher, Devayani, whom he loved dearly. He introduced Kacha to his daughter saying, "Kacha has vowed to be my pupil till the period of his studies is over."
All learning in those days was handed down by word of mouth. The pupil lived with his guru's family as one of the household. In return for his education, the pupil served his guru with love and devotion. However, Shukracharya was very busy either at court or he was deep in meditation. So Kacha helped Devayani with her daily chores and watched after her.

Within a few days of his arrival, Kacha found himself spending all his leisure hours in the company of the lively Devayani. Devayani was slowly drawn towards Kacha and they fell in love.
Shukracharya liked Kacha because he was an attentive disciple.
As the years passed, the Asuras became suspicious of Kacha. They wanted to get rid of him. One day as Kacha was attending Shukracharya’s cattle, the Asuras fell upon him and slew him. Then they cut him into pieces and fed his flesh to their dogs.
When Kacha did not come home at the normal hour, Devayani became alarmed. When the cattle came back without Kacha she ran in a panic to her father and told him that Kacha was missing. Shukracharya closed his eyes and to the great relief of Devayani, Kacha came back to life and appeared before her. When Devayani inquired about his disappearance, Kacha tried to explain in a puzzled voice, "I was killed by the Asuras but I do not know how I came back to life?" Shukracharya just smiled.
The love between Kacha and Devayani grew day by day. The Asuras were worried. They guessed right, Kacha was there to learn the secret of Mritasanjibani.
One day Devayani asked Kacha to get her a particular flower that only grows in the deep forest. Kacha went for it. The Asuras followed him and once again killed him. But this time they carried his body to a secluded spot, grounded up into a paste, and dissolved it in the water of the ocean.
Devayani waited and waited. When Kacha did not return she went again to her father. Shukracharya meditated and once again used the secret knowledge to revive Kacha. Devayani was overjoyed.
The Asuras were now at their wits end. "How can we kill Kacha? Every time we kill him, his guru brings him to life!"
They went to one of the senior Asuras and asked him how to destroy Kacha for good. The senior Asura gave them an idea. The next day, when Kacha went out with the cattle, they again slew him. This time then burnt him in the jungle. Then they took the ashes home and mixed it in a wine which Shukracharya was very fond of. They took the drink to Shukracharya for a taste. Shukracharya loved it. He immediately drank it and blessed the Asuras.
When the cattle once again returned home without Kacha Devajani knew what had happened.
"Will Kacha ever be mine?" she asked herself "The Asuras will never leave him alone!"
She went to Shukracharya and wept. "Father, without Kacha I am as good as dead, please bring him back to life."
Shukracharya waited for a while thinking. "It is no good to bring Kacha to life. The Asuras will only kill him again. "
He tried to console his daughter, "It is futile Devajani to bring Kacha to life. The Asuras are determined to get rid of him. A wise soul, like you, should not grieve at a loved one's death. You are young and beautiful and you have your own life to live."
But Devajani was adamant. So strong was her love for Kacha.
" Father” she said, “Kacha was your best student. I am in love with him. I can not live without him."

Devajani stopped eating. Shukracharya could no longer bear to see his daughter in such agony. Again Shukracharya used his secret knowledge and called upon Kacha to come back to the world of the living. Kacha came back to life and spoke from inside the stomach of Shukracharya.
"The Asuras killed me but I do not know how I happen to be inside your stomach?" echoed Kach.
Shukracharya cursed himself for drinking the wine given by the Asuras. "Henceforth, wine shall be forbidden for those engaged in the pursuit of wisdom," declared Shukracharya in great frustration. Now Shukracharya had a real dilemma of his own. He could ask Kacha to come out but that would mean his own death.
When he told Debjani of his dilemma she was again adamant, "Father, I can not live if either of you dies."
After long deliberation Shukracharya thought of a way out. He knew now the real purpose of Kacha's visit. He addressed Kacha, "I now see why you came and truly you have succeeded. There is only one way by which both of us can ensure Devayani's happiness. I will have to teach you the craft of Mritasanjivani.
With his new knowledge Kacha emerged from Shukracharya's dying body and then immediately brought his guru back to life. Shukracharya could not have been happier with his pupil's progress.
When the Asuras came to offer him wine, Shukracharya shouted, "You fools! Kacha now knows my secret. You helped him learn by your foolish deeds. But rest assured Kacha will continue to live with me because of his love for Devayani.
But Shukracharya was wrong. Kacha too faced the troubling dilemma. Waiting for the period of his studies to come to an end, Kacha kept silent. While his love for Devayani was deep, his sense of duty towards the devas was no less strong.
On the last the day of his studies, Kacha went to Shukracharya for his blessing. As a wise man and a dedicated teacher, Shukracharya concealed his grudge against Kacha but he was wondering how Kacha was going to bid farewell to Devayani.

Devayani waited for Kacha to propose marriage. But when Kacha broke the heart-breaking news that he was going to fulfill his obligations to his own people, her joy turned to tears. Devayani pleaded with Kacha to take her as his wife. But Kacha replied, "Peerless one! I was reborn in your father's stomach. I am therefore your brother. I can't marry you. I must return to heaven."
The broken-hearted Devayani cried out in her grief. She accused Kacha of using her to attain his goal. Distort she cursed Kacha, "You will never be able to use the craft of Mritasanjivani."
Kacha quietly listened and then spoke, "Devayani, it is wrong to curse me. I could have walked away without reviving your father. There is no doubt that my love was sincere and truthful. But, I also have a duty to perform towards my own people. Because of your unfairness to me, I am cursing you. No Rishi's son will ever marry you. I may still teach the craft of Mritasanjivani to others, even though I may not be able to use it myself." Saying this Kacha departed for the abode of Indra, king of the Devas. Shukhacharya gently led Devayani away.
With the passage of time, Devayani completely forgot about Kacha. She once again became playful and lived happily with her father and her playmates in the city of Vrishaparva, king of the Asuras. Of her playmates, the most important was princess Sharmistha, the daughter of king Vrishaparva. In our next story we will tell how Devayani fought with Sharmistha and married king Yayati, a Kshitriya, who belonged to the warrior race.

Narrated by: Kanai L Mukherjee (Grandpa), Edited by: Professor Bruce Robertson ) Courtesy: Association of Grandparents of Indian Immigrants (AGII) Picture acknowledgement: Indian Book House Ltd., Mumbai, India (Amar Chitra Katha)

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