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Kathaa-G - 4-Van - page 21

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Paandav's Teerth Yaatraa-5

[3-121] Lomash Muni said - "When Raajaa Nrig did sacrifice here, he pleased Indra with Som Juice and Indra was well pleased with him. Devtaa along with Indra have enjoyed many sacrifices here and have bestowed many favors to priests.  Here Amoortaraya has also satisfied Indra with Som Juice after he had finished seven Ashwamedh Yagya. He used all things made of gold instead of timber, wood and earth in all the seven Yagya. And it is said that in all those rites, seven sets of stakes, rings for the sacrificial stakes, spots, ladles, utensils, spoons were all prepared of gold by him. On each sacrificial stake, seven rings were fastened at the top. And, O Yudhishthir, the celestials together with Indra, themselves erected the sacrificial stakes of shining gold which had been prepared for his sacred rites. Priests also got unlimited wealth in those sacrifices. The wealth which was given away was uncountable. The image-makers also got lots of wealth from the King. he attained the region of Indra. Gaya also did sacrifices here and he also used gold in all the things used in those sacrifices. he erected sacrificial piles at so many places that little space was left on the surface of the Earth. Who takes bath in this river goes to the region of Gaya."

Vaishampaayan Jee said - "All took bath in that river and proceeded towards Neel Giri and Narmadaa. Lomash Muni had been telling them the names of all the spots they were passing. Lomash Muni said - "Who visits Neel Giri and takes a dip in Narmadaaa River gets freed from all sins. Here King Sharyaati performed sacrifice and Indra appeared in person along with Ashwinee Kumaar and drank Som Juice. Bhrigu's son Chyavan got angry with Indra, and he paralyzed him. Then he married Sukanyaa."

Yudhishthir asked - "How the killer of Paak, possessor of six attributes, was paralyzed by Chyavan? And why did he become angry with Indra? And how did he raise Ashwinee Kumaar to drink Som Juice? I want to hear this, please tell me."

Story of Rishi Chyavan

[3-122] Lomash Muni said - "Bhrigu Jee had a son named Chyavan. He started practicing austerities near a lake. He sat in the Veer posture and sat for many long years in the same posture. Ants made anthill around his body and he looked like heap of earth. His austerities continued. Once Sharyaati went to that lake and camped near it for entertainment. He had a beautiful daughter named Sukanyaa. Wandering around with her friends she came to Rishi. There she started breaking some twigs bearing blossoms. Bhrigu's son saw her, when she was alone, in one piece of cloth and adorned with ornaments. Seeing her like this Rishi inspired with desire called her in low soft voice, but she did not hear him. Then she saw the anthill and two eyes of Maharshi. She got curious and saying, "What is this? What is this?" she pierced those eyes with a thorn. Maharshi felt pain, he got angry and he obstructed the excretion system of the King's army. Seeing this Sharyaati understood that somebody has played with Maharshi, so he asked - "Who has played with Maharshi? tell me quickly if you know it." All soldiers showed their innocence. Then he asked his friends, but they also their innocence. Sukanyaa was watching all this, seeing everybody in distress, she said - "When I was wandering in the forest, I saw two bright things in an anthill. I thought that they were glowworm, so I pierced them with a thorn." Hearing this Sharyaati immediately came to Rishi and there he found Bhrigu's son Chyavan engaged in austerities. Sharyaati asked the Rishi his forgiveness for his daughter's behavior. Chyavan Rishi said - "This proud girl has insulted me by piercing my eyes, but still I want her as my bride. I tell you the truth that I will forgive her only this condition."

Lomash Jee said - "Hearing this Sharyaati married his daughter to Muni. Muni got very happy to get married to Sukanyaa and after receiving grace of Muni Sharyaati went to his kingdom. Sukanyaa also started serving Muni with devotion and penance.

[3-123] Lomash Muni said - "Once Ashwinee Kumaar saw beautiful Sukanyaa. She had just taken bath and she was bear. Ashwinee Kumaar got attracted to her and said to her - "O Beautiful, Whose daughter are you and what do you in the woods? O auspicious one, We wish to know this, please tell us." Bashfully she spoke - "I am King Sharyaati's daughter and Chyavan's wife." At this Ashwinee Kumaar said - "Why your father bestowed you to such a person who is verging on death? Although you look like a celestial and you are looking so beautiful even without beautiful clothes in this woods, still you will look more beautiful if you are adorned with gorgeous clothes and ornaments. Why do you serve your old husband, leave your husband Chyavan and come to one of us. Why do you waste you youth?"

Sukanyaa aid - "I am devoted to my husband, do not doubt upon my faithfulness." Ashwinee Kumaar said - "We are celestial traditional doctors. We will make your husband young and beautiful, then you select one of us - between ourselves and your husband. If you promise this, then bring your husband here." Sukanyaa went to her husband and told him what Ashwinee Kumaar had said to her. Chyavan Rishi said - "Do so." She also said to Ashwinee Kumaar - "Do so." So Ashwinee Kumaar asked her to let her husband enter into that water. Chyavan Rishi to get beauty and youth entered the water and Ashwinee Kumaar also entered with him too. Within a moment they all came out surpassing beautiful forms and they all had the same appearance. Now all said to her - "Now you choose one of us, whosoever pleases you." Sukanyaa saw three identical personalities, she could not recognize her own husband. Chyavan Rishi understood the dilemma of his wife, so he said to Ashwinee Kumaar - "You have given the youth to an old man and this wife to me, I will offer you Som Ras in the presence of Indra, this I tell you truly." Hearing this Ashwinee Kumaar went to Heaven and Chayavan and Sukanyaa lived happily like celestials.

[3-124] Lomash Jee said - "Now Sharyaati and his wife came to know that Rishi Chyavan has got youth, they came to his Aashram and got very happy to see those two celestial-like children. they also received King and Queen with love and respect. Chyavan Rishi said to him - "I will officiate you in a sacrifice, you make arrangements for the sacrifice." Sharyaati got very happy to hear this. On an auspicious day Sharyaati erected beautiful altar with all required things. Now you listen to wonderful things that happened there at that time. Chyavan Rishi took a little Som Juice intending to offer to Ashwinee Kumaar, but Indra objected that they had no right to receive Som Juice. They are the physicians of Devtaa and their profession does not entitle them to receive Som Juice offering. Chyavan Muni said - "They are mighty and beautiful and graceful. They even have me the youth and beauty. So why only you are entitled for Som Juice and not they? They are also Devtaa." Indra said - "Since they heal Devtaa, they are counted as the servants of Devtaa. They assume any form they want and wander in the mortal world, how can they be eligible for Som Juice?"

When these words were said again and again by Indra and Chyavan Muni, Chyavan Muni took up the Som Juice intended to offer to Ashwinee Kumaar ans as he was going to do so, Indra objected again and said - "If you did so, I shall hurt you by my Vajra." At this warning Chyavan Muni smiles and took up a good quantity of Som Juice to make an offering. Immediately Indra hurled his Vajra at Muni's arm, but what? Muni paralyzed his arm by reciting sacred hymns and made the offering in Fire. He had achieved his objective and now he attempted to destroy that celestial. At the same time by the Muni's ascetic powers a huge gigantic demon came into being, named Mad (literal meaning is intoxication). His body was so huge that it was impossible to measure even by Daitya or Devtaa. His one of the jaws rested on Earth and the other one touched the Heavens. He had four fangs which were one hundred Yojan long, and the other fangs were as far as 10 Yojans long. His arms extended for 10,000 Yojan. His mouth open, he rushed towards Indra to eat him."

[3-125] Lomash Jee said - "When Indra saw the demon coming towards him, his arm paralyzed [as he could not protect himself], he spoke to Muni - "O Muni, From today Ashwinee Kumaar will be entitled for Som Juice, and this is the rule. My objective was just to give you fame and right to display your powers. My other objective was to spread the fame Raajaa Sharyaati also. So please have mercy on me and the same will happen as you will wish." Chyavan Muni got pleased with this and he freed Indra. He distributed Mad into drinks, in women, in gambling, and in field sports. Thus after destroying the demon Mad and gratifying Indra with a Som draught, Chyavan Muni completed Sharyaati's Yagya and went to forest with his wife Sukanyaa. This is his lake, offer here libations to your forefathers. After this you will go to Sikataaksh and then to Saindhav forest and will se many artificial rivers. Touch the water of all the holy lakes and recite the hymns of Shiv and get success in all undertakings. Since this is the junction of two Yug - Dwaapar and kali, so this is the time to cleanse one's all sins.

Near it is Archikaa Hill where Baal Khilyaadi and Paavak Rishi live who subsist on air only. These are three peaks and three springs. You may walk around them all, one by one. Here live all Devtaa and even your forefathers, they eat Kheer (rice cooked in milk).  And here is Yamunaa where Krishn did Tap. We all will go with you to this place. Maandhaataa did a sacrifice here for Devtaa and Somak, the son of Sahadev, too.

Story of Maandhaataa

[3-126] Yudhhishthir asked - "O Rishi, How Maandhaataa, Yuvanaashwa's son, was born? And how he attained so much glory that all the three worlds were under his control? I desire to hear thhis and I also desire to know how he came to be known as Maandhaataa and how he was born with unrivalled strength?" Lomash Muni said - "How Maandhaataa got famous in the Three worlds. There was a king in Ikshwaaku Vansh, named Yuvanaashwa. he performed many sacrifices and donated lots of things, but he did not have a son. So he handed over his kingdom to his ministers and went to woods where he started living rigid austere life. Once he did a fast and he felt hungry and thirsty in the night, so he entered the Aashram of Bhrigu. In that night Bhrigu Jee had also gone for a religious ceremony with the objective to get a son to Saudyumni. But there was a large jar of water which was kept earlier, consecrated with Mantra for the purpose of the wife of Saudyumni to drink to get a son. The saints must have kept the jar there and slept. As he entered the Aashram, he called for water in his feeble voice, but nobody heard him. He was very thirsty, so he himself took out the water from the Jaar and drank that water from it and came back to his own hut. When the saints woke up, they found that the water of the jar had gone. They thought and thought that who might have drank it, then Yuvanaashwa truthfully admitted that he drank the water from it. Then the son of Bhrigu spoke - "You should not have done so as this water was consecrated with Mantra for your wife to get a son. After performing severe austerities I consecrated this water for your wife to get a son for you and that a son who can take your fame up to Indra would be born to you, but by drinking it you have not done good. At the same time we cannot reverse this too. It seems this was in your fate. Since you have drank the water you yourself may bring the son born out of your own body. Then we will perform the due rites for him to be like the son we have described you."

After 100 years had passed, the King gave birth to a son from his left side. The son was very mighty, and it was also strange that Yuvanaashwa also did not die. Indra himself came to pay him a visit. The Deities asked - "What he will suck upon?" Indra gave his index finger in his mouth and said - "he will suck me." So all named Maandhaataa (which literally means "Me he will suck"). The boy sucking on Indra's finger grew to 13 cubits (1 cubit = 18" so 13 cubits = 6.5 yards). He had learnt all sacred learning and science of arms just unassisted, all by his thoughts. And all at once, the celebrated bow named Ajagav and a number of shafts made of horn, together with an impenetrable coat of mail, came to his possession on the very same day, and he was crowned on the throne by Indra himself and he conquered the three worlds in a righteous way. All gems came into his possession automatically. The mighty king is said to have donated 10,000 Padm cows to Braahman. When there was a drought, which continued for twelve consecutive years, the mighty King caused rain to come down for the growth of crops, paying no heed to Indra who just remained staring [at him]. he killed one Chandra Vanshee King of Gaandhaar also. Thus I have told you about the birth of Maandhaataa. It indeed was of its own kind."

Vaishampaayan Jee said - After hearing this Yudhishthir immediately asked about Somak."

 

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Created by Sushma Gupta On 05/27/04
Contact: sushmajee@yahoo.com
Modified on 01/16/12