Macha Avatharam (MATSYA AVATHARAM)
Matsya Avatar or the Fish Incarnation is the first of the
ten Divine Incarnations or Dasavatars of Lord
Vishnu. Vishnu is the Preserver of the Universe in the Holy Trinity or
Trimurti of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva
in Hinduism. Indeed, the renowned Maithali (a region of India) poet , and dedicated devotee
of Shri Vishnu, celebrated the marvelous aura of Matsya Avatar, " All
glories to you, O Lord of the Universe, who took the form of a fish. When the
sacred hyms of the Vedas were lost in the waters of universal devastation, you
swam like a boat in that vast ocean to resue them.
A Kalpa, meaning one cycle of existence, with a span of 4320 million years, in
Hindu Mythology, is equal to one day of Brahma, the Creator of the Universe. On
the verge of completion of each Kalpa, and one day of Brahma, Brahma falls
asleep. When he does so all of Creation, dissolves into his sleep, signifying
the end of Creation. Except, the Vedas are immutable and beyond destruction.
Their habitat is inside Brahma. They contain the instructions for Creation, and
are hence indispensable to resume the Divine Creational Process. Bhagvat
Purana, reports, that once Brahma yawned and the precious Vedas, flowed out of
his lips.
Meanwhile, Hayagriva, the Asura or demon, scheming to gain the desired
immortality, a prerogative of the Devas or gods, was wandering nearby. He
instantly stole the Vedas and devoured them. Such insidious intent of the
Asura, precipitated a crisis. Vishnu, who feigned Nidra or Sleep, witnessed the
entire offence. He was speculating on how to retrieve the treasured Vedas, when
he located the pious King Satyavrata, offering prayers to Vishnu, with his
waist deep down in water. Satyavrata is also called King Manu. Manu is the
poto-Adam figure, and the progenitor of mankind. Manu and his wife were the
first parents of the Kalpa.
Vishnu immediately assumed the shape of a tiny fish and swam into Satyavrata`s
hands. Vishnu, in the disguise of a fish, entreated Manu, who is virtue
personified, to save him from being engulfed by the big fish. The kind Manu put
the small creature inside a vessel, full of water. Overnight, the fish outgrew
on a surprising scale. Manu had to shift him from the vessel into a bigger
tank. But the fish continued growing abnormally. It requested Manu for larger
space to live, and Manu accordingly kept it in a pond. Manu, exhorted by the
enlarging fish, then dropped it in the greater expanse of a large lake.
However, the growth rate did not stop escalating. Finally, the bewildered Manu,
impelled by the fervent appeal of the mammoth fish for enormous space, placed
him in the ocean. But the fish urged Manu, not to leave him in the ocean. Otherwise,
the gigantic ocean-beings would swallow him. It was then that the devout
Satyavrata, already amazed by the extraordinary growth-speed of the magical
fish, pledged it to disclose its actual identity.
Lord Vishnu made his Celestial Revelation before the awed Manu. Satyavrata,
instantly bowed down before him and wished to know the reason behind the Lord`s
appearance in the frame of a fish. The omniscient Lord, informed him about the
forthcoming Pralaya or Destructive Forces that would vanquishing the Earth,
with Great Deluge- "I have manifested for the protection of this universe
and for the destruction of the wicked. Just a week from now, the ocean will
rise and inundate the entire Universe. At that time you will see a spacious
boat approaching you. Do collect all the seeds , plants and animals required
for the next spell of creation and get into the boat and wait for me. Take
Vasuki, the King of Snakes. The Sapta Rishi or the Seven Sages will also be
with you."
Matsya Avatar left to accomplish its mission. He tore apart the Asura
Hayagriva, and collected the lost Vedas.
As had been predicted by the Divine Fish, an all-annihilating flood occurred.
Meanwhile, a boat appeared where Satyavrata was waiting with the seeds, plants
and animals, and the Sapta Rishi, to take refuge in the boat amidst death`s
clutches. When everybody had boarded the huge boat, the boat was fastened to
the Fish`s horn, with Vasuki serving as the rope. They sailed in the turbulent
water, all through the night of Brahma`s single day. Vishnu thus, rescued life
from ceasing. He also by giving shelter to all the creatures, maintained the
flow of life that will perpetuate in the next Created Cosmos.
The Matsya Avatar of Vishnu focuses the perpetual love and concern of the
benevolent Vishnu, for the entire Creation that had sprouted from
Ishvara.
THE MATSYA PURANA
Thre are eighteen major Puranas or mahapuranas, the word
maha, meaning great. There are also several other minor Puranas or
upapuranas, the word upa signifying minor.
Amongst the eighteen mahapuranas, the Matsya Purana is
number sixteen.
The Puranas themselves describes the five characteristics
(pancha lakshana) that a text must satisfy before being classified as a
mahapurana. That is, any such text must dscribe five different subjects.
These are the original creation of the universe (sarga), the periodical
process of destruction and re-creation (pratisaryga), the various eras
(manvantara), the histories of the solar dynasty (surya vamsha), and lunar
dynasty (chandra vamsha) and royal genealogies (vamshanucharita). The Matysa
Purana describe these five different subjects.
Traditionally, the Ramayana is believed to have been composed
by the sage Valmiki and the Mahabharata by the sage Vedavyasa. Vedavyasa
was the son of Satyavati and the sage Parashara. His real name was
Krishna Dvaipayana. The word krishna means dark and he came to acquire
the name because he was dark in complexion. The word dvipa means
island and the sage acquired the name of Dvaipayana as he was born on an
island.
The Mahabharata has one lakh shlokas or couplets.
After composing the Mahabharata, Vedavyasa composed the eighteen mahapuranas.
These texts have four lakh shlokas between them, although they are not
equal in length. The Matsya Purana is a medium-length Purana, and
consists of fifteen thousand couplets. The longest Purana, the Skanda
Purana, has eighty-one thousand. And the shortest Purana, the Markandeya
Purana, has only nine thousand. The fourteen thousand shlokas of
the Maysya Purana are divided into two hundred and ninety-one chapters
(adhyaya).
The eighteen mahapuranas are sometimes divided into three
groups, with six Puranas in each group. There are 33 million administrative
demigods mentioned in the vedas. But the primary gods are Brahma,
Vishnu and Shiva. Brahma is regarded as the creator, Vishnu as the
maintainer, and Shiva the destroyer. Since all three are important
gods, any sacred text will glorify each of them. But the relative
emphasis often varies from text to text. For example, a text which
spends many chapters on the act of creation tends to glorify Brahma relatively
more and is known as a rajasika Purana. A text which describes the
forms (avatara) of Vishnu in great detail tends to glorify Vishnu more
and is known as a sattvika Purana. A text mainly concerned with rituals
and norms tends to attach more importance to Shiva and is known as a tamasika
Purana.
The word matsya means fish. Usually Vishnu is regarded
as having had nine incarnations, with a tenth one, Kalki, due to come in
the future. The names of these incarnations are as follows.
(i) Matsya or fish.
This is sometimes also referred to as the mina
(fish) avatara.
(ii) Kurma or turtle.
(iii) Varaha or boar.
(iv) Nrisimha or narasimha, the half-man
and half-lion.
(v) Vamana or dwarf.
(vi) Parashurama.
(vii) Rama
(viii) Krishna
(ix) Buddha
(x) Kalki.
The Matsya Purana is so named because it was first
recited by Vishnu himself, in his incarnation of a fish.
Vedavyasa did much more than compose the Mahabharata and
the Puranas. So far as the Vedas are concerned. Krishna Dvaipayana
had four other disciples. But the Puranas were taught only to Romaharshana.
This is what Romaharshana has to say.
Romaharshana and the Other Sages ( Setting the scene )
There was a forest known as naimisharanya. Many
years ago, several sages organized a yajna (sacrifice) in the forest.
After the sacrifice was over, the assembled sages told Romaharshana.
You have recited to us many Puranas. These suject matter is so pleasing
that we would like to hear them once more. Please satisfy our thirst
for hearing.
I will recount for you the most holy of all the Puranas,
replied Romaharshana. This is the great Matsya Purana, told by Vishnu
to Manu. Get prepared for I am about begin.
Vishnu and Manu
There used to be a king named Manu. He was the son
of the sun-god.
In fact, in every era, there are fourteen manus.
The Manu mentioned here is the seventh in the present era and his name
was Vaivasvata Manu. He was the son of the sun-god Vivasvana.)
When it was time for Manu to retire to the forest, he
handed over the kingdom to his son. (The son’s name is Ikshvaku.)
Manu then went to the foothills of Mount Malaya and started to perform
tapasya (meditation \ austerity). Thousands and thousands of years
passed. After some time Brahma appeared to him
I am pleased with your prayers, said Brahma; "what
ever you like you can have just ask".
I have only one boon to ask for, replied Manu. Sooner
or later there will be a destruction (pralaya) and the world will no longer
exist. Please grant me the boon that it will be I who will save the
world. Grant me this service.
Brahma readily granted this boon.
Days passed. On one particular occasion, Manu was performing
ablutions in a pond near his hermitage. He immersed his hands in
the water so that he might offer some water to his ancestors. When
he raised his cupped hands, he found that there was a minnow (shafari)
swimming around in the water. Manu had no desire to kill the minnow.
He placed it carefully in his water-pot (kamandalu).
But the minnow started to grow and within a day, it was
sixteen fingers in length. Save me, king. said the fish. This
water-pot is too small for me.
Manu then placed the fish in a jar. But the fish
continued to grow and, within a day, it was three hands in length.
Save me, king. said the fish. This jar is too small for me.
Manu put the fish in a well, but the well soon became
too small for the fish. Manu transferred the fish to a pond, but
the pond was also too small for the fish. Manu now removed the fish
to the holy river Ganga, but even this was too small for the fish.
Finally, Manu transferred the fish to the ocean. There the fish grew
so much that it soon occupied the entire ocean.
Who are you? asked Manu. I have never seen or heard
of such wonders. Are you a demon that is deluding me with its illusions?
No, I do not think that you are a demon. Perhaps you are great Vishnu
himself. Please tell me the truth and satisfy my curiosity.
Vishnu then revealed that it was indeed he who had adopted
the form of a fish. He told Manu that the earth would soon be flooded
with water. Vishnu had a boat built by the gods. When
the earth was flooded, Manu was to place all living beings in the boat
and thus save them. Vishnu would himself arrive in his form of the
fish and Manu was to tie the boat to the fish’s horn. Thus the living
beings would be saved. And when the waters of the flood receded,
Manu could populate the world and rule over it.
Vishnu disappeared, and for a hundred years there was
a terrible drought on earth. The drough led to famine and people
died of starvation. Meanwhile, the sun blazed in fury and burnt up
the entire world. When everything had burnt to ashes, dark clouds
loomed in the sky. These are the clouds that appear at the time of
destruction and there are seven classes of such clouds, known as samvarta,
bhimananda, drona, chanda, valahaka, vidyutapataka and kona. From
the clouds, rain began to pour and soon, water engulfed the entire earth.
The land mass was flooded. As instructed by Vishnu, Manu gathered
together living beings inside the boat. And when the fish appeared,
he tied the boat to the fish’s horn.
While the boat was being dragged around by the fish,
Manu asked Vishnu several questions. The answeres that Vishnu
provided form the text of the Matsya Purana.
The Creation.
In the beginning, there was nothing in the universe.
The was only darkness.
When the time came for creation to beigin, Vishnu removed
the darkness and expaned into three. These three parts came to be
known as Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The first object that appeared
was water and Vishnu slept on this water. Since nara means water
and ayana means resting-place, Vishnu is accordingly also known as Narayana.
In this water next appeared a golden (hiranya) egg (anda).
The egg shone with the radiance of a thousand suns. Inside the egg,
Brahma grew from the navel of Vishnu. The egg was golden. Garbha
means womb, and since Vishnu appeared inside a golden egg, he is also known
as Hiranyagarbha.
For a thousand years Brahma stayed inside the egg.
He then split the shell into two and emerged out. Heaven (svarga)
was made from one half of the shell and the earth from the remaining half.
All the land masses, the oceans, the rivers and the mountains, had been
inside the egg in embryonic form. Brahma made them manifest.
Since he was the first (adi) being to be born, he is known
as Aditya. (The name Aditya is more commonly explained as characterising
the offspring of Aditi, from whom all the gods were descended. The
Matsya Purana refers to this later.)
Brahma’s first act was to meditate. It was while
he was meditating that the Vedas were revealed from with in his heart.
He then distributed that knowledge.
Ten sons were also born to Brahma. Created from
Brahma’s mental powers, they all became sages. Their names were Marichi,
Atri, Angira, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Pracheta, Vashishtha, Bhrigu and
Narada. There were others too who were born. Daksha was born
from Brahma’s right toe. And the god Dharma was born from his chest.
But for further creation to continue, it was essential
that created beings should have proper mothers and fathers. Brahma
accordingly created two beings from his body, one was male and the other
was female. The male half was named Svayambhuva Manu and the female
half was named Shatarupa.
Shatarupa is also referred to as Savitri, Gayatri, Sarasvati
or Brahmani. Since she had been born from Brahma’s body, she was
like Brahma’s daughter. In fact, Vashishtha and the other sages who
were Brahma’s sons welcomed her as their sister. But Shatarupa was
so beautiful that Brahma fell in love with her and wished to marry her.
Shatarupa circled Brahma and showed her respects to him.
When she stood in front of him. Brahma gazed upon her with the face
that he had. But when she went and stood behind him, Brahma could
see her no longer. (Brahma, obviously, did not want to turn his head.)
Another head with another face therefore sprouted behind Brahma’s first
head so that he might be able to see Shatarupa. In similar fashion,
a head sprouted to Brahma’s first head so that he might be able to see
Shatarpa. In similar fashion, a head sprouted to Brahma’s right an
another one to his left.
Brahma married Shatarupa and they lived together as man
and wife for a hundred years. Their son was named Svayambhuva Manu.
Remember that this story was being told by Vishnu to Vaivasvata
Manu.
Hearing the account, Vaivasvata Manu exclaimed. What you
have just said is truly amazing.
To continue with the account of the creation, Brahma created
the four kumars from his menatal powers and their names are Sananda, Sanaka,
Sanatana and Sanatakumara, and they became celebate brahmacaries .
Shiva appeared as well.
Brahma asked Shiva to help him in the act of creation.
Why don’t you create some beings as well?’ asked Brahma. Shiva complied
and started to create. But all the beings that he created were just
like him in appearance. That is , they were all immortal.
What are you doing? asked Brahma. Don’t create
immortal beings. Create mortal ones instead.
That I refuse to do, retorted Shiva. If I am to
create, I shall create only immortals.
Please do not create then, requested Brahma. I will
take care of creation myself.
Svayambhuva Manu performed very difficult tapsaya and
obtained a wife named Anati. (In other Puranas, Svayambhuva Manu
is stated to have married Shatarupa.) Svayambhuva Manu and Ananti
had two sons named Priyavrata and Uttanapada.
From Uttanapada was descended Prachinavarhi. Prachinavarahi
married Savarna, the daugther of the ocean, and they had ten sons.
These sons were known as the Prachetas. The ten Prachetas married
a woman named Marisha. That is, all of them had the same wife.
Daksha was the son of the Prachetas and Marisha.
Daksha’s Descendants
Daksha married Panchanjani. (The more usual name,
as given in the other Puranas, is Asikli or Prasuti. Prasuti is said
to have been the daughter of Svayhambhuva Manu and Shatarupa. Asikli
was the daughter of Virana and is also referred to as Vairini.)
Daksha and Panchajani had one thousand sons. These
were known as the Haryakshas (alternatively, Haryashvas). Daksha
asked his sons to create more living beings.
But the sage Narada came and told the Haryakshas, You
can’t possibly create living beings unless you know where they are going
to live. Have you explored the universe that your creations are going
to populate? Why don’t you start out on a voyage of discovery?
The Haryakshas did this and have never been heard of since.
They did not return. Instead became devoted brahmacaries.
Daksha and Panchajani now had another thousand sons.
These were name the Shavalas. (The more usual name is the Shavalshvas.)
Narada asked the Shavalas also to explore the universe and they too disappeared.
Sixty daughters were next born to Daksha and Panchajani.
Sometimes the number is given as sixty, sometimes as fifty and sometimes
as twenty-four.) Ten of these daughers were married to the god Dharma,
twenty-seven were married to the moon-god Chandra, and thirteen were married
to the sage Kashyapa. The remaining daughters were married to various
other sages.
The thirteen daughters who were married to Kashyapa were
named Aditi, Diti, Danu, Arishta, Surasa, Surabhi, Vinata, Tamra, Krodhavasha,
Ira, Kadru, Vishva and Muni, (The names of Kashyapa’s wives,
particularly the minor ones, sometimes vary from Purana to Purana.)
Aditi’s sons were known as the adityas. There were
twelve of them and they were named Indra, Dhata, Bhaga, Tvashta, Mitra,
Varuna, Yama, Vivasvana, Savita, Pusha, Amshumana and Vishnu. These
were the gods. (Yama is more commonly regarded as having been the
son of the sun-god and his wife Samjna.)
Diti’s sons were the daityas (demons). There were
two of them, named Hiranyakshipu and Hiranyaksha. Their sons also
came to be known as the daityas. Hiranyaksha’s sons were Uluka. Shakuni,
Bhutasantapana and Mahanabha. (More commonly, Hiranyaksha’s son is
said to have been Andhaka. In some accounts, Hiranyaksha did not
have a son and Andhaka was adopted as a son.) Hiranyakshipu’s sons
were Prahlada, Anuhlada, Samhlada and Hlada. Prahlada’s son was Virochana,
Virochana’s son was Vali, and Vali’s son was Vanasura.
Danu had a hundred sons. These and their descendants
were known as the danavas (demons). Chief among the hundred sons
was Viprachitti. Maya, the archietect of the demons, was descended
from this line.
Tamra had six daughters. These were the mothers
of the birds and of goats, horse, sheep, camels and donkeys.
Vinata had two sons, Aruna and Garuda. Aruna’s sons
were Sampati and Jatayu.
Both Surasa and Kadru gave birth to snakes (nagas or sarpas).
Krodhavasha was the mother of rakshasas (demons); Surabhi
of cows and buffaloes; Muni of apsaras (dancers of heaven); Arishta aof
gandharvas (singers of heaven); Ira of trees and herbs; and Vishva of yakashas
(demi-gods).
The Maruts
Although the gods and the demons were cousins, they did
not like each other and fought amongst themselves all the time. Many
daityas were killed by Vishnu and the other gods.
Diti was disturbed to see her children suffer thus. She
resolved that she would meditate so as to obtain a son who would be so
powerful that he would kill Indra, the king of the gods. There was
a tirtha (place of pigrimage) named Syamantapanchaka on the banks of the
sacred river Sarasvati. Diti went there and started to pray to the
sage Kashyapa. She lived on roots and fruits and meditated for a
hundred years.
These prayers pleased Kashyapa. Ask for a boon,
he said.
Please grant me a son who will kill indra, replied Diti.
It shall be as you wish, said Kashyapa. But there
are some conditions. You will have to live in this hermitage for
a hundred years more. Throughout these hundred years you will
bear the baby in your womb. But there are certain conditions of cleanliness
that you must obeserved. You must not eat in the evening, nor must
you sleep under a tree at night. Excercise is not permitted in any
form. Do not sleep with your hair unbraided, or without having had
a bath. If you can observed these rules for a hundred years, you
will have the son you wish for.
Kashyapa went away and Diti began to observe the rites
that the sage had prescribed. But Indra had got to know what was
afoot and he was naturally in no mood to permit the birth of a son who
would be the cause of his own destruction. He hung around Diti’s
hermitage, pretending to serve his aunt. He brought her firewood
and fruit and served her in other ways. But in reality, he was merely
waiting for an opportunity. He was waiting for the moment when Diti
would fail to observed the norms of cleaniness that had been laid down
for her.
Ninety-nine years and three hundred and sixty-two days
passed. That is, only three days were left for the period of one
hundred years to be over. (In some other Puranas,it is stated that
ninety years had passed uneventfully.)
Diti was tired on one particular occasion. Since
the period of her ordeal was soon to end, she had also become somewhat
careless. She fell asleep without washing her hair. What was
worse, she went to sleep without having braided her hair. This was
an act of gross uncleanliness.
Indra seized his chance. Since Diti had committed
an unclean act, her defences had been lowered. Indra entered Diti’s
womb in a trice. Indra has a wonderful weapon named vajra.
(This is sometimes with a club.) With the vajra, Indra sliced the
baby in Diti’s womb into seven parts. These parts started to cry.
Ma ruda, said Indra. Don’t cry.
But the parts continued to cry. Indra therefore
chopped up each of the parts into seven more sections, so that there were
forty-nine parts in all.
Since Diti had failed to observe the prescribed rites,
these forty-nine sections were no longer a threat to Indra. When
they were born, they came to be known as the maruts from the words Indra
had used in addressing them. They were elevated to the status of
gods and became Indra’s friends and constant companions.
The Manvantaras
Each manvantara is an age and is ruled over by a Manu.
One of Brahma’s days is known as a kalpa and there are fourteen manvantaras
in every kalpa. At the end of every kalpa, the universe is destroyed
and has to be created afresh.
In the present kalpa, six manvantaras have already passed
and the seventh manvantara is now current. There will be seven more manvantaras
in the future before the universe and its inmates are destroyed.
The gods, the seven great sages (saptarshis) and the individual who holds
the title of Indra, change from one manvantara to another. The fourteen
eras of the present kalpa are as follows.
(1) The first Manu was Svayambhuva. The gods
then were the yamas.
(2) Svarochisha was the second Manu.
The gods were the tushitas and the names of the seven great sages were
Dattoli, Chyavana, Stambha, Prana, Kashyapa, Ourva and Brihaspati.
(3) The third Manu was Outtama. The
gods were named the bhavanas and Koukurundi, Dalbhya, Shankha, Pravahana,
Shiva, Sita and Sasmita were the saptarshis.
(4) Tamas was the fourth Manu. The seven
great sages were Kavi,Prithu, Agni, Akapi, Kapi, Jalpa and Dhimana and
the gods were known as the sadhyas.
(5) The fifth manvantara was ruled over by
a Manu named Raivata. The gods were the abhutarajas and the seven great
sages were Devavahu, Suvahu, Parjanya, Somapa, Munti, Hiranyaroma and
Saptashva.
(6) Chakshusha was the sixth Manu. The
gods were known as the lekhas and the seven great sages were Bhrigu, Sudhama,
Viraja, Sahishnu, Nada, Vivasvana, and Atinama.
(7) The seventh manvantara is the one
that is now current and the name of the Manu is Vaivasvata.
The saptarshis are Atri, Vashishtha, Kashyapa, Goutama, Bharadvaja, Vishvamitra
and
Jamadagni. The gods are the sadhyas, the vishvadevas, the maruts,
the vasus, the two ashvinis and the adityas.
(8) The eighth Manu will be Savarni and the
seven great sages of this era will be Ashvatthama, Sharadvana, Koushika,
Galava, Shatananda, Kashyapa and Rama.
(9) The ninth Manu wil be Rouchya.
(10) Bhoutya will be the tenth Manu.
(11) The eleventh Manu will be named Merusavarni.
(12) Rita will be the twelfth Manu.
(13) Ritadhama will be the thirteenth Manu.
(14) The fourteenth and final Manu will be
named Vishvakasena.
Prithu
A king named Anga was descended from Svayuambhuva Manu.
Anga married Sunitha, the daughter of Mrityu, and they had a son named
Vena. Mrityu was an evil person. From his childhood, Vena associated
with this maternal grandfather of his and thus came to acquire evil ways.
When Vena became king after Anga, he started to
oppress the world. He stopped all yajnas and the prayers to the gods.
He insisted that people should pray only to Vena. The sages did their
level best to persuade Vena to return to the righteous path, but Vena would
not listen.
The sages then killed Vena. (The Matsya Purana merely
states that Vena died as a result of the curse imposed on him by the sages.
The other Puranas say that the sages actually killed him with some straw
over which incantations had been chanted.)
Vena had no sons and a kingdom does not flourish in the
absence of a king. Therefore, when Vena was dead, the sages started
to knead the dead body so that a son might be born. The first being
that emerged as a result of this kneading was a dark and dwarfish son.
All the evil that was in Vena’s body entered the body of this son so that
there was no more evil left in the dead body. (Other Puranas state
that this son came to be known as nishada and this name was also passed
on to his descendants. The nishadas became a class of hunters and
fishermen.)
When the kneading continued, a handsome son was born from
Vena’s right hand. He was born fully grown and held bows, arrows
and clubs in his hands when he emerged. His entire body was clad
in shining armour. The word prithu means great. Since the son
was born after a great deal of effort, he was given the name Prithu.
The sages made arrangements for Prithu’s coronation.
Prithu was a good king who ruled well.
But Prithu’s subjects still did not have the meansl to
make a living. They asked their king to do something about this.
Prithu decided that since the earth was not providing any foodgrains, he
would kill the earth. The earth adopted the form of a cow and started
to flee.
Wherever the earth went, the king followed in hot pursuit.
The earth finally realized that she could not escape by
running away. She told Prithu, Please do not kill me. Then
your subjects will not even have a place to live in. Your object
is to find a means of living for your subjects. How will that be
accomplished if you kill me? Milk me instead of killing me.
The foodgrains that the milking will yield will provide the sustenance
for your subjects.
Prithu accordingly milked the earth. It is because
of this that the earth is known as prithivi. Prithu also levelled
out the earth with his bow so that his subjects could live in the plains
thus created.
The earth prospered during Prithu’s rule. Poverty,
disease and sins were unknown. Everyone was righteous.
The Solar Line
The sages requested Romaharshana. Please tell us
the history of the solar line.
Romaharshana explained.
Aditi and the sage Kashyapa gave birth to the sun-god,
Vivasvana or Surya, as a son.
Surya had three wives, Samjna, Rajni and Prabha. Rajna
had a son named Revata and Prabha had a son named Prabhata (morning).
(Usually, only Samjna is mentioned in the other Puranas.)
Surya and Samjna had two sons and a daughter. The
eldest son was Vaivasvata Manu. And the remaining two offspring were
twins named Yama and Yamuna.
The sun’s radiance was however too much for Samjna to
bear. After a while, she could not bear it any longer. She
therefore created a woman out of her own body. The woman looked exactly
like Samjna and was named Chhaya (shadow). There was no way of telling
the two apart.
Stay here and pretend to be me, said Samjna. Look
after my husband and my children. No one will know the truth unless
you tell them. As for me, I am going away.
Surya did not realize that Samjna had left. He took
Chhaya to be his wife, and Surya and Chhaya had two sons and two daughters.
The sons were Savarni Manu and Shani (Saturn) and the daughters were Tapati
and Vishti. (The second daughter named Vishti does not usually occur
in the other Puranas.)
Chhaya was clearly fonder of her own children and neglected
Samjna’s. This did not bother Vaivasvata Manu too much. He
was the eldest and more collected and balanced. But Yama resented
this favouritism of Chhaya’s. In a fit of petulance, he raised his foot
to kick Chhaya.
Chhaya cursed Yama. I curse you that your foot may
be devoured by worms, she said. May it be infected with pus and blood.
This alarmed Yama and he rushed to his father. My
mother has cursed me, he told Surya. I am only a child. Even
if I did commit a sin, does a mother ever curse her children? I have
serious suspicion that she is not our mother at all.
When Surya presented Chhaya with this, she came out with
the truth and Surya learnt that Samjna had left. Samjna’s father
was Vishvakarma, the architect of the gods. Surya went to his father-in-law
to find out if he knew anything of Chhaya’s whereabouts.
Indeed, I do, replied Vishvakarma. When Samjna left
your house, she came to me in the form of a mare. But I refused to
let her live in my house, since she had left her husband’s house without
seeking his permission. She is living at the moment in the desert.
But Samjna did what she did because she could not bear to stand your energy
and radiance. If you permit, I shall shave off some of the excess
energy, so that people can look at you.
Vishvakarma shaved off some of the sun’s energy.
With the excess energy were constructed many of the weapons of the gods
such as Vishnu’s chakra (a bladed-discus), Shiva’s trident (trishula)
and Indra’s vajra. This made the sun’s appearance much more pleasant
and bearable. The only parts of Surya’s body that were not thus modified
were the feet. No one can bear to look at Surya’s feet and it is
forbidden to visualise the sun-god’s feet when one is praying to him.
A person who does not follow this injuction is a sinner and is made to
suffer from leprosy.
Surya now went to look for Samjna and found her in the
form of a mare. He too adopted the form of a horse and joined her.
As horses, they had two sons. Since ashva means horse, the
sons were known as the Ashvinis. They became the physicians
of the gods and were also known as Nasatya and Dasra. After
the Ashvinis were born, Surya and Samjna gave up their forms of horses
and returned to their usual forms.
Savarni Manu went away to perform tapasya (meditation)
on Mount Sumeru. He is destined to be one of the future Manus.
Shani became a planet and Yamuna a river. As for Tapati, she too
became a river (Tapai), (The Mahabharata states that Tapati married
King Samvarana and gave birth a son named Kuru. From Kuru the line
came to be known as that of the Kauravas.)
Yama had been cursed by Chhaya that his feet would rot
and be infected with worms. To mitigate the effects of the curse,
Surya gave Yama a bird which ate up all the worms. Thereafter, Yama
went to a tirtha named Gokarna and started to pray to Shiva. For
thousands of years he prayed and eventually managed to please Shiva.
Shiva granted Yama the boon that he would be the god of death. He
would mete out punishments to sinners in accordance with the sins (papa)
that they had committed. He would also keep account of the store
of merit (punya) that righteous people accumulated.
Vaivasvata Manu ruled as Manu. He had ten sons.
The eldest was named Ila. (In many other Puranas, Ila is said
to have been a daughter.) The other sons were named Ikshvaku, Kushanabha,
Arishta, Dhrishta, Narishyanata, Karusha, Sharyati, Prishadhra and Nabhaga.
The solar line owes its origin to Ikshavaku. In
this line was born king Bhagiratha, who brought the sacred river Ganga
down from heaven. (The story is related in the Mahabharata)
Further down the line was Dasharatha and Dasharatha’s son was Rama.
Ila and the Lunar Line
Vaisvasvata Manu’s eldest son was Ila. (As mentioned
earlier, many Puranas state that Ila was a daughter. Vaivasvata Manu
did not have a son and performed a yajna so that a son might be born.
But a daughter was born instead, and Manu brought her up as a son.
This daughter was Ila. Ikshvaku and her other brothers were born
only subsequently.)
When Vaivasvata Manu became old, he retired to the forest.
Ila was appointed the ruler in his place. Ila set out on a voyage
of conquest and travelled throughout the world.
There was a forest named sharavana, frequented by Shiva
and Parvati. Shiva had decreed that any man who entered the forest
would become a woman. King Ila did not know about this rule and set
foot in the forest inadvertently he immediaely got transformed into a woman.
What is going to happen to me now? thought Ila.
Where will I live? He even forgot all about his earlier life.
The moon-god, Chandra, had a son named Budha. While
Ila was wandering around. Budha came upon her and fell in love with
her. The two had a son named Pururava and Pururava was the ancestor
of the lunar line.
Meanwhile, Ikshvaku and the other brothers had started
to look for Ila. When they could find no trace of their brother,
they asked the sage Vashishtha if he knew of Ila’s whereabouts. Vashishtha
used his mental powers to find out what had happened. He asked the
princes
to pray to Shiva and Parvati. That was the only way to make Ila a
man once more.
The prayers pleased Shiva and Parvati and they found out
what the princes want. But what you desire is quite impossible, they
told Ikshvaku and his brother. Ila can never be made a man
once again. At best, we will grant you the following boon.
Ila will alternate between being a man for one month and a woman for one
month.
The princes had to be content with this. As a woman,
Ila continued to be known as Ila. But as a man, he came to known
as Sudyumna and had three sons named Utkala, Gaya and Haritashva.
Daksha and Sati
I will now tell you about Daksha and Sati, Romaharshana
told the sages.
Daksha had a daughter named Sati who was married to Shiva.
Daksha did not like his son-in-law at all. When he organized a yajna,
he did not invite Shiva to attend the ceremony. (The story of the
destruction of Daksha’s yajna is mentioned in almost every Purana.
The actual destruction is not described in the Matsya Purana. It
can be found, for example, in the Bhagavata Purana.)
But Sati went to the ceremony, although Shiva had not
been invited. Why did you not invite Shiva? Sati asked
her father.
Because your husband is undeserving of such honour, replied
Daksha. He is not fit to be treated on par with the other gods.
These words angered Sati. I am ashamed that I am
your daughter. She said. Cursed am I that I have had to hear
such abuses of the great Shiva. I no longer wish to be your daughter.
I will therefore give up this physical body that I owe to you, by suicide.
As for you, I curse you that you will be born on earth as the son of the
ten Prachetas. You will then try to perform an ashvamdha yajna
(horse sacrifice). But Shiva will destroy the ceremony.
Daksha tried to pacify Sati. Please have mercy on
me, he said. You are the mother of the entire universe. How
will the universe survive if you die? It is only through your good
grace that you manifested as my daughter. Please do not forsake me.
What I have said cannot be negated, replied Sati.
But I will grant you this much. When you are born on earth, you will
continue to be devoted to me.
Where will I pray to you? asked Daksha. At
what tirthas? And what are the names by which I will address you
in the course of my prayers?
Sati then told Daksha one hundred and eight of her names.
She also told him the names of one hundred and eight tirthas at which she
was known by these respective names. These names and tirthas are
as follows, witht he names being given first and the tirthas second.
(1) Vishalakshi at Varanasi
(2) Lingadharini at Naimisha.
(3) Lalitadevi at Prayaga.
(4) Kamakshi at Gandhamadana.
(5) Kumuda at Manasa.
(6) Vishvakaya at Ambara.
(7) Gomati at Gomanta.
(8) Kamacharini at Mandara.
(9) Madotkata at Chaitraratha.
(10) Jayanti at Hastinapura.
(11) Gouri at Kanyakuvja.
(12) Rambha at Malayachala.
(13) Kirtimati at Ekamra.
(14) Vishva at Vishveshvara.
(15) Puruhuta at Pushkara.
(16) Margadayini at Kedara.
(17) Nanda at Himalaya.
(18) Bhadrakarnika at Gokarna.
(19) Bhavani at Sthaneshvara.
(20) Vilvapatrikat at Vilva.
(21) Madhavi at Shrishaila.
(22) Bhadra at Bhadreshvara.
(23) Jaya at Varahashaila.
(24) Kamala at Kamalalalya.
(25) Rudrani at Rudrakoti.
(26) Kali at Kalanjara.
(27) Kapila at Mahalinga.
(28) Mukuteshvari at Markata.
(29) Mahadevi at Shalagrama.
(30) Janapriya at Shivalinga.
(31) Kumari at Mayapuri.
(32) Lalita at Santana.
(33) Utpalakshi at Sahasraksha
(34) Mahotpala at Kamalaksha.
(35) Mangala at Gangatira.
(36) Vimala at Purushottama.
(37) Amoghakshi at Vipasha.
(38) Patala at Pundravarddhana.
(39) Narayani at Suparshva.
(40) Bhadrasundari at Vikuta.
(41) Vipula at Vipula.
(42) Kalyani at Malalyachala.
(43) Kotavi at Kotitirtha.
(44) Sugandha at Madhavana.
(45) Trisandhya at Godasharma.
(46) Ratipriya at Gangadvara.
(47) Shivananda at Shivakunda
(48) Nandini at Devikatata.
(49) Rukmini at Dvaravati.
(50) Radha at Vrindavana.
(51) Devaki at Mathura.
(52) Parameshvari at Patala.
(53) Sita at Chitrakuta.
(54) Vindyavasini at Vindhya.
(55) Ekavira at Sahyadri.
(56) Chandrika at Harichandra.
(57) Aroga at Vaidyanatha.
(58) Maheshvari at Mahakala.
(59) Abhaya at Ushnatirtha.
(60) Amrita at Vindhyakandara.
(61) Mandavi at Mandavya.
(62) Svaha at Maheshvarapura.
(63) Prachanda at Chhagalanda.
(64) Chandrika at
Makaranda.
(65) Vararoha at Someshvara.
(66) Pushkaravati at Prabhasa.
(67) Devamata at Sarasvati.
(68) Mata at Sagara.
(69) Mahabhaga at Mahalaya.
(70) Pingaleshvari at Payoshni.
(71) Simhika at Kritashoucha.
(72) Yashaskari at Kartikeya.
(73) Lola at Utapalvarta.
(74) Subhadra at Shonasangama.
(75) Lakshimata at Siddhapura.
(76) Angana at Bharatashrama.
(77) Vishvamukhi at Jalandhara.
(78) Tara at Kishkindhyachala.
(79) Pushti at Devadaruvana.
(80) Medha at Kashmiramandala.
(81) Bhimadevi at Himachala.
(82) Pushti at Vishveshvara.
(83) Shuddhi at Kapalamochana.
(84) Sita at Mayavarohana.
(85) Dhvani at Shankhoddhara.
(86) Dhriti at Pendara.
(87) Kala at Chandrabhaga.
(88) Shivakarini at Achchhodatira.
(89) Amrita at Vena.
(90) Urvashi at Vadrivina
(91) Oushadhi at Uttarakur.
(92) Kushodaka at Kushavdvipa
(93) Manmatha at Hemakuta.
(94) Satyavadini at Mukuta.
(95) Vandaniy at Ashvattha.
(96) Nidhi at Kuberalaya.
(97) Gayatri at Vedavadana.
(98) Parvati at Shivasannidhana.
(99) Indrani at Devaloka.
(100) Sarasvati at Brahmamukha.
(101) Prabha at Suryabimba.
(102) Vaishnavi at Matrigana.
(103) Arundhati at Satismukha.
(104) Tilottama.
(105) Brahmakala.
(106) Shakti.
Having recited these names, Sati immolated herself.
She was later reborn as Parvati or Uma, the daughter of Menaka and Himalaya.
She was remarried to Shiva.
As for Daksha, he was born on earth as the son of the
ten Prachetas.
The Matsya Pruana now devotes several sections to shradha
(funeral) ceremonies.
Brahmadatta
There used to be a sage named Koushika. Koushika
had seven sons named Svasripa, Krodhana, Himsra, Pishuna, Kavi, Vagadushta
and Pitrivarti. These sons all became disciples of the sage Garga.
After Koushika died, there was a terrible drought on earth.
Famine raged and people went hungry. Garga had asked his disciples
to tend to his cattle and the seven brothers had taken the cattle to the
forest so that they might browse on the grass that grew there.
The brothers suffered so much from hunger that they decided
to slay one of the cows and eat it.
Killing a cow would be a sin, remarked the youngest.
If we have to kill the cow, let us at least perform its funeral ceremony.
Perhaps that will reduce the severity of the sin that we are committing.
The other brothers agreed to this. The funeral rites
of the cow were observed. It was then killed and eaten. The
brothers returned to Garga and told him. A cow has been killed and
eaten by a tiger.
Garga saw no reason to disbelieve them. But the
sin remained a sin. And as a consequence of having committed a crime,
the brothers were born as hunters in their next lies. They were born as
jatismaras. That is, they remembered the incidents of their earlier
lives.
Since the brothers remembed what they had been in their
earlier lives, they saw no reason to live as hunters. They therefore
fasted until they died. They were next reborn as deer. But
the deer continued to be jatismaras and fasted to death. The brothers
were reborn as birds. Four of the brothers continued to be detached
from material pursuits and spent their time in meditation. But the
three remaining brothers were not so lucky.
The king of Panchala had once come to the forest with
his group. The king’s name was Vibhraja. One of the birds was
struck by the king’s pomp and glory and wished to be born as a king in
his next life. King Vibhraja and two ministers with him and all the
soldiers seemed to be following the instructions of the ministers.
Accordingly, two of the birds desired to be born as ministers in their
next lives.
The one who wished to be a king was born as Brahmadatta,
King Vibhraja’s son. The two who desired to be born as ministers
became Pundarika and Suvalaka, the sons of the two ministers whom they
had seen. The remaining three brothers were not attached to material
pursuits and were born as brahmanas (the first of the four classes).
Brahmadatta married Kalyani. Kayanti had been the
cow whom the brothers had killed.
What was most remarkable was the fact that Brahmadatta
could understand the languages of all living beings.
Brahmadatta and Kalyani were once taking a walk in their
garden. Brahmadata heard two ants conversing. Since he could
understand the languages of all living beings, he could follow what the
ants were saying.
Why are you angry with me?’ asked the male ant. Why are
you refusing to speak to me?
Go away and do not pester me, replied the female ant.
You say you love me very much. And yet, when you got some grains
of sugar yesterday, you gave them to another ant and not to me. I
refuse to speak to you.
That was my mistake, said the male ant. I thought
that it was you to whom I was giving the grains of sugar. I will
never make such a mistake in the future. Please pardon me and smile.
I cannot bear to see you so angry. The ants made up.
The conversation made Brahmadatta laugh. Kalyani
naturally wanted to know why Brahmadatta was laughing and the king reported
the entire conversation to his wife.
But Kalyani refused to believe her husband. How
can any man understand the language of ants? she wanted to know.
You are lying. You must have been laughing at me.
Brahmadatta tried to convince his wife, but Kalyani would
not listen. The king did not know what to do. But while he
was sleeping, he dreamt that Vishnu appeared before him and told him to
wait till the next morning. Brahmadatta’s mind would be set at rest
then.
Remember the four brothers who had been born as brahmanas
? They were born as the sons of a brahmana named Sudaridra
and were named Dhritimana, Tattvadarshi, Vidyachanda and Tapotsuka.
Since they were born as jatismaras, they remembered their earlier lives
and had no desire to tied down by material pursuits. They wanted
to retire to the forest and meditate.
But Sudaridra tried to restrain his sons. How can
you do that? he asked How can you retire to the forest to meditate?
Your duty is to look after me in my old age. If you do not look after
me, I shall starve to death. Please do not commit that sin.You will
not starve to death, replied his sons. Go to King Brahmadatta and
ask him for wealth. He will give you gold and villages. Tell
him to remember the sage Garga, the hunters, the deer and the birds. The
four sons went away to the foest. Sudarida came to meet the king. He met
the king on the day following Brahmadatta’s dream. Sudaridra’s words
reminded Brahmadatta of what he had been in his earlier lives. He
was ashamed that he had forgotten those incidents and had become addicted
to material pursuits. He decided to join his brothers in the forest.
He gave Sudaridra as much wealth as the brahmana wanted and handed over
the kingdom to the prince, Vishvaksena.
The brothers Pundarika and Suvalaka also accompanied Brahmadatta
to the forest. It was thus that Koushika’s seven sons eventually
attained salvation. There is one thing we do not understnad, said the sages.
How was it that Brahmadatta could understand the languages of all living
beings? That is easily explained. Replied Romaharshana.
King Vibraja had prayed to Vishnu that he might obtain such a son and the
boon was granted.
The Matysa Purana now continues with a cataloguing of
the major tirthas.
Chandra and Budha
You forgot to tell us how Budha was born, remarked the
sages. Nor did you tell us anything about Chandra’s birth.
Romaharshana filled in the blanks. The sage Atri was Brahma’s
son. Atri once performed very difficult tapasya. A tremendous
amount of energy was released as a result of this meditation and the moon-god,
Chandra or Soma, was born from this energy. Brahma appointed Chandra
ruler over all stars, planets and herbs (oshadhi).
Twenty-seven of Daksha’ daughter were married to Chandra.
These were the nakshatras (stars). Chandra performed a rajasuya yajna (royal
sacrifice) and the ceremony was an outstanding success. But all this success
and glory went to Chandra’s head. The preceptor of the gods was the sage
Brihaspati and Brihaspati’s wife was Tara. Chandra’s eyes fell upon
Tara and he forcibly abducted her. On several occasions Brihaspati
asked Chandra to return Tara, but the moon-god would not listen.
A terrible war then raged between
the gods and demons over Tara. The gods fought on Brihaspati’s side
and the demons aided Chandra. Shiva also fought on the side of the gods.
As the war raged, Shiva let fly a terrible divine weapon named brahmashirsha
at Chandra. Chandra countered this with another terrible divine weapon
named somastra. These two weapons of destruction threatened to burn
up the entire universe. Brahma decided that it was time for him to intervene.
Stop this nonsense at once, he told Chandra. What you have done is
most improper. Return Tara at once. These words ashamed Chandra and
he returned Tara. But Chandra and Tara had already had a handsome
son named Budha. Budha became very skilled in the handling of elephants.
In fact, the knowledge of tackling and handling elephants goes back to
Budha. You already know that Budha married Ila and that they had a son
named Pururava. Pururava and Urvashi Pururava was a very strong king who
ruled the earth well. He performed one hundred ashvamedha yajnas.
The three goals of human life are dharma (righteousness),
artha (wealth) and kama (that which is desired). (Usually, a fourth
goal of moksha salvation) is added.) These three goals wished to see which
of them Pururava desired the most. They therefore adopted human forms
and came to visit Pururava. Pururava treated them with utmost respect
and gave them golden seats to sit on. He offered them all sorts of
offerings. In the process, Dharma received more of the offerings
than Artha and Kama. This angered Artha and Kama. You will be destroyed,
Artha cursed Pururava. You will go mad over Urvashi, Kama cursed Pururava
But Dharma blessed Pururava. You will live for long and you will
never deviate from the righteous path, he said. Your descendants
will rule for ever. Having thus cursed and blessed Pururava, Dharma, Artha
and Kama disappeared. On one particular occasion, Pururava was driving
his chariot through a forest. He suddenly found that a demon named
Keshi was abducting an apsara (dancer of heaven). This apsara was
none other than Urvashi. Pururava defeated the demon and rescued
Urvashi. He restored her to Indra, the king of the gods. Indra
was deligthed at this act and Indra and Pururava became friends.
The sage Bharata taught mankind how to sing and dance.
To celebrate Urvashi’s return, Indra asked Bharata to stage a performance.
As entertainers, Bharata chose three apsaras. They were Menaka, Urvashi
and Rambha. Menaka and Rambha danced as they should. But Urvashiw
was attracted by King Pururava and kept looking at him. The result
was that Urvashi fell out of step. This angered Bharata and he cursed
Urvashi that she would have to spend fifty-five years on earth. On earth,
Urvashi married Pururava and they had eight sons named Ayu, Dridayau, Ashvayu,
Dhanayu, Dhritamana, Vasu, Shuchividya and Shatayu. (The story of how Pururava
lost Urvashi is not given in the Matsya Purana. Apart from the Mahabharata,
it can be found in several other Puranas.)
Yayati
In the lunar line there was a king named Nahusha and Nahusha’s
son was Yayati. Yayati had two wives , Sharmishtha and Devayani.
Sharmishtha was the daughter of Vrishaparva, the king of the danavas (demons).
And Devayani’s father was Shukracharya, the preceptor of the demons.
Devayani gave birth to Yadu and Turvasu and Sharmishtha gave birth to Druhya,
Anu and Puru. Yayati ruled the world extremely well for many years.
He performed many yajnas. But eventually he grew old. The problem
was that although Yayati grew old, he was not yet tired of sensual pleasures.
He still desired to savour the joys that the world had to offer. Yayati
told his five sons.
Because of Shukracharya’s curse, an untimely old age has
come upon me and I am not content with what I have savoured of life.
I request one of you to give me his youth and accept my old age in return.
When I have satified myself with worldly pleasures, I will take back my
old age and return the youth. Except for Puru, the other four sons flatly
refused such an exchange. They had no desire to part with their valued
youth. They were thereupon cursed by their father. (Although
not mentioned in the Matsya Purana., the curse was that they or their descendants
would never be kings.) As for Puru, he said, Please accept my youth and
be happy. It is my duty to serve and I will gladly take upon me your
old age.
For a thousand years Yayati savoured the pleasures of
the world with Puru’s youth. A thousand years were not enough to
satisfy Yayati. He accepted his old age and returned Puru’s youth.
He blessed Puru for his obedience and announced to the word that Puru was
his only true son. Puru inherited the kingdom after Yayati.
His descendants were known as the Pauravas. It was in this line that
King Bharata was born. It is after Bharata that the land we live
in is known as Bharatavarsha.
The sages interrupted Romaharshana. What is this
curse of Shukracharya’s that Yayati referred to?
You have forgotten to tell us about that. I will, replied
Romaharshana. But first, let me tell you about Kacha and Devayani.
Kacha and Devayani The gods and the demons fought with each other all the
time. As you know, Brihaspati was the preceptor of the gods and Shukracharya
was the preceptor of the demons. Shukracharya knew a wonderful art
known as mritasanjivani. This was the knowledge of bringing back
dead people to life. (The Harivamsha tells us that Shukracharya learnt
this art by praying to Shiva and pleasing him. The Matsya Purana
refers to this story later.) Since Shukracharya knew this art, the gods
were terrified.
Any demons whom the gods killed were promptly brought
back to life by Shukracharya. But Brihaspati knew no such art.
So any gods that the demons killed, stayed dead. The gods pondered
about this problem and finally arrived at a solution. Brihaspati had a
son named Kacha. The gods told Kacha. Go and become Shukracharya’s
disciple. Try to learn the art of mritasanjivani from him.
Shukracharya has a beautiful daughter named Devayani. Try to gain
her favour so that your task may become easier. Kacha went to Shukracharya.
Please accept me as your disciple, he said. I am the great
Brihaspati’s son. I will serve you faithfully for a thousand years.
Since no mention was made of mritasanjivani. Shukracharya gladly
agreed to ths proposition. Kacha lived with Shukracharya and served
his guru (teacher). He became friendly with Devayani and Devayani
started to fall in love with Kacha. Five hundred years passed. The
demons got to know that Kacha was Brihaspati’s son. Since they hated
Brihaspati, they hated Kacha as well. Kacha was in the habit of taking
Shukracharya’s cattle to the forest to graze. When Kacha was alone
in the forest, the demons seized their chance. They slew Kacha and
fed his body to the tigers. In the evening, the cattle returned home alone.
Kacha was not with them. Seeing this, Devayani told her father, The
cattle have returned home without Kacha. I am certain that someone
has killed him. I am in love with Kacha and cannot survive without
him. Please do something. Do not worry, Shukracharya
told Devayani. I will bring Kacha back to life with the art of mritasanijivani.
As soon as Shukracharya recited the magical mantra (incantation),
Kacha appeared before them, strong and healthy. Days passed. Kacha
went to the forest once more, this time to get flowers. The demons
killed him again. But this time they burnt the dead body and mixed
the ashes in a goblet of wine. They then served the wine to Shukracharya
to drink. When Kacha did not return, Devayani again told her father.
I am certain that someone has killed Kacha. I cannot survive
without him. Please do something.
Through this powers, Shukracharya discovered what had
happened. He told his daughter, We have a real problem on our hands.
Kacha is inside my stomach. I can revive Kacha by summoning him through
mritasanjivani. But in the process, he will have to tear asunder
my body and I shall die. Tell me, beloved daughter, which do you
want ? Either Kacha or your father ?
I refuse the choice. replied Devayani. Both you
and Kacha must live. I cannot survive without either. Shukracharya
then decided that there was only one way out. He addressed Kacha, who was
inside his stomach, and taught him the words of the mrtasanjivani mantra.
He then recited the words himself and out came Kacha. Shukracharya’s
body was torn apart and the sage died. But Kacha had learnt the words
of the mantra. He now recited them to bring Shukracharya back to
life. Kacha thus learnt what he had set out to achieve. After spending
a thousand years with Shukracharya, he prepared to return to heaven. Where
are you going? asked Devayani. Do you not know that I am in love
with you? Please marry me. I am afraid that I cannot do that, replied
Kacha. You are my guru’s daughter. Therefore, you are my superior
just as my guru is my superior. I cannot marry you. Moreover,
I have spent some time inside his body. And when I came out, it was
as if a son had been born from him. You are therefore my sister.
How can I possibly marry you? Thus spurned. Devayani became very
angry. You are playing with words, she said. I curse you that
although you have learnt the art of mritasanjivani, it will prove to be
of no use to you. You have needlessly cursed me, retorted Kacha.
I too curse you that no brahmana will ever marry you and that you will
never get whatever it is that you wish for.
Sharmishtha and Devayani
Sharmishtha was the daughter of Vrishaparva, the king
of the danavas. Sharmishtha and Devayani were great friends, until
Indra played some mischief. The two friends had gone to bathe in a pond
and had left their clothes on the bank. Indra adopted the form of
a breeze and mixed up the clothes. When Sharmishtha got her clothes
after having had her bath, she put on Devayani’s clothes by mistake. Devayani
said, How dare you wear my clothes ? My father is your father’s teacher
and you are my inferior in every respect. You have no business to
put on my clothes. I am not your inferior. replied Sharmishatha.
It is you who are my inferior. My father is the king and your father
thrives on my father’s generoisty. The two friends started to quarrel.
Sharmishtha flung Devayani into a well and left her there, taking her to
be dead. At that time, King Yayati came to the forest on a hunt.
He was thirsty and looked for some water. When he found the well,
he discovered Devayani inside it. He rescued Devayani. Yayati
also fell in love with her, so that the two got married. Shukracharya got
to know about all this and was furious at the treatment that Sharmishtha
had meted out to his daughter. He threatened to leave the demons.
Vrishaparva did his best to persuade Shukracharya not to leave them, but
Shukracharya insisted that he would stay only if Devayani was pacified.
Vrishaparva promised to give Devayani whatever it was
that she wished for. Sharmishtha has insulted me, said Devayani.
She has called me her inferior. My mind will be set at rest only
if Sharmishtha serves as a servant. Vrishaparva agree to this conditon
and Sharistha became Devayani’s servant, together with one thousand other
demon women. After Yayati and Devayani got married. Shukracharya
told Yayati, Sharmish is Devayani’s servant and you are married to
Devayani. Under no circumstances marry Sharmishtha, otherwise
I am going to curse you. In due course, Devayani gave birth to Yadu and
Turvasu. Sharmishtha had secretly married Yayati and she too gave
birth to Druhya, Anu and Puru. How come you to have sons? Asked Devayani.
Who is your husband? My husband is a brahmana, replied Sharmishtha.
I do not know his name. But when Devayani asked Druhya, Anu and Puru about
their father, the truth came out. They told her that they were King
Yayati’s sons. You have insulted me,
Devayani told Yayati.
You have married my servant. Shukracharya was also furious.
Yayati had gone against his wishes and had married Sharmishtha. Shukracharya
cursed Yayati that old age would set upon the king, although he was still
in the prime of youth. Please do not curse me, said Yayati. I am
married to your daughter. I wish to live with her as her husband.
Do you wish your son-in-law to be an old servant? My curse cannot be lifted,
replied Shukracharya. But I will try and mitigate the effects.
I grant you the power that you can pass on this old age to whomsoever you
wish. It was this old age that Puru accepted. The Matsya Purana now
describes the descendants of Yadu, Turvasu, Druhya, Anu and Puru.Mritasanjivani
But what about mritasanyjivani? asked the sages.
You haven’t told us how Shukracharya came to acquire this wonderful knowledge.
Romaharshana told them the following story.
The gods and the demons fought all the time and the demons
were sometimes beaten up in these encounters. Shukracharya consoled the
demons. Do not worry, he said. I will try and acquire powers
that will make the demons invincible. I am going off to pray.
While I am gone, do not fight with the gods. Give up arms and lead
the lives of hermits. Wait till my return. Shukracharya’s father
was the sage Brhrigu. The demons were instructed to wait in Bhrigu’s
hermitage for Shukracharya’s return. The preceptor of the demons began
to pray to Shiva. When Shiva appeared, Shukracharya told him that
he wished to be taught a mantra that would make the demons invincible.
I will grant your request, said Shiva. But you will have to
observe a difficult vrata (religious rite). For a thousand years
you will have to meditate. And you will have to live only on smoke.
Shukracharya agreed to observe the vrata.
Meanwhile, the gods got to know what Shukracharya was
up to. They realized that, once Shukracharya returned, they would
be in no position to tackle the demons. The best thing to do was
to attack the demons immediately, while they had given up arms and were
living as hermits. The demons tried to tell the gods that this was
not fair. They should not be attacked when they had forsaken arms.
But the gods would not listen. They started to kill the demons.
The demons fled to Shukracharya’s mother, Bhrigu’s wife, for protecion.
Do not despair, she assured the demons. I will protect you. When
the gods attacked, the lady used her powers to make Indra completely immobile.
Indra could not move at all. He stood there like a statue.
This strange sight scared the gods so much that they started to run away.
Vishnu came to help Indra. He told Indra to enter his body, so that
Vishnu might be able to save him. I will burn both of you up through my
powers, said Shukracharya’s mother. What are you waiting for? Indra asked
Vishnu. Cant you see that this woman will destroy us both?
Kill her at once. Vishnu summoned up his sudarshana chakra and with this,
he neatly severed the lady’s head. The sage Bhrigu was not present at that
time. When he returned and found out what had happened, he was greatly
angered. Vishnu had committed the crime of killing a woman. Bhrigu
therefore cursed Vishnu that he would have to be born several times on
earth. These are Vishnu’s avataras (incarnations). As for his
own wife, Bhrigu resurrected her through his powers.
Indra had a daughter named Jayanti.
Having failed in his attempt to kill the demons, Indra
reasoned that he ought to try and disturb Shukracharya’s meditation.
He therefore sent Jayanti to the place where Shukracharya was praying.
Her instructions were to try and distract the sage. Jayanti served Shukracharya
faithfully throughout the appointed period of a thousand years. When
the vrata was over, Shiva appeared before Shukracharva and taught him the
art of mritasanjivani. It was then that Shukracharya noticed Jayanti.
Who are you? he asked. And why have you been serving me thus?
I am exceedingly pleased with what you have done. Tell me what I
can do for you. If you wish to grant me a boon, marry me and live as my
husband for ten years, replied Jayanti. Shukracharya was lured away by
Jayanti.
Indra was bent upon the destruction of the demons
and he now hit upon a plan. He asked Brihaspati to adopt Shukracharya’s
form and go to the demons. The demons were expecting their guru backafter
the thousand years were over and took Brihaspati to be Shukracharya.
They honoured him and served him faithfully. When the ten years with Jayanti
were over, Shukracharya returned and discovered Brihaspati among the demons.
Who is this upstart?’ he demanded to know. Give him up and seek refuge
with me. I am the real Shukracharya. Not at all, replied Brihaspati.
I am the real Shukracharya. The demons were very upset and confused.
Brihaspati and Shukracharya were as alike as two peas in a pod; there was
no way of telling the apart. They finally reasoned that the person
who had been living with them for the last ten years must be their real
guru. They therefore accepted Brihaspati and chased Shukracharya
away.
Shukracharya cursed the demons that they were bound to
be destroyed. As soon as Shukracharya cursed the demons, Brihaspati
adopted his own form. The demons realized that they had been tricked, but
the harm had been done.
The Puranas ( Histories )
Romaharshana now gave the sages
a list of the eighteen mahapuranas. In the beginning, there was only one
Purana. The sage Vedavyasa divided this original Purana into eighteen
mahapuranas. The mahapuranas have four lakh shlokas all together
and their names are as follows.
( I ) The Brahma Purana:
This was originally recited by Brahma to the sage Marichi and has
thirteen thousand shlokas. This text should be donated on a
full moon night (purnima) in the month of Vaishakha. Such a
donation brings undying punya.
( II ) The Padma Purana:
This has fifty-five thousand shlokas and should be donated in the month
of Jyaishtha.
( III ) The Vishnu Purana: This was first recited
by the sage Parashara and has twenty-three thousand shlokas. It is
auspicious to donate this text in the month of Ashada.
( IV ) The Vayu Purana: This has twenty-four
thousand shlokas and was first recited by the wind-god Vayu.
It should be donated in the month of Shravana.
( V ) The Bhagavata Purana: This has eighteen
thousand shlokas and should be donated in the month of Bhadra, on the night
of the full moon.
( VI ) The Narada Purana: this was first recited
by the sage Narada and has twenty-five thousand shokas. It should
be donated on the night of the new moon (amavasya) in the month of
Ashvina.
( VII ) The Markandeya Purana: This has nine thousand
shlokas. A person desirous of obtaining punya should donate this
text in month of Margashirsa.
( VIII ) The Agni Purana: This was first recited
by the fire-god Agni to the sage Vashishtha. It has sixteen thousand
shlokas and should be donated in the month of Margashirsha.
( IX ) The Bhavishya Purana: Brahma himself
was the first reciter of this Purana and it has fourteen thousand and five
hundred shlokas. It is primarily concerned with what is due to happen
in the future. The text should be donated on the occasion of purnima,
in the month of Pousha.
( X ) The Brahmavaivarta Purana: This was first
recited by Savarni Manu to the sage Narada. It has eighteen thousand
shlokas and should be donated on purnima in the month of Magha.
( XI ) The Linga Purana: Brahma recited this
first and it has eleven thousand sholkas. Punya is acquired if this
text is donated in the month of Falguna.
( XII ) The Varaha Purana: The great Vishnu
first recited this to the earth. It has twenty-four thousand shlokas
and is to be donated in the month of Chaitra.
( XIII ) The Skanda Purana: This was
composed by the god Skanda or Kartikeya. It has eighty-one thousand
shlokas and one desirous of punya donates the text in the month of Chaitra.
( XIV ) The Vamana Purana: Brahma was the
first person to recite this. It has ten thousand shlokas and the
text should be donated in early autumn (sharat).
( XV ) The Kurma Purana: Vishnu recited this in
his form of a turtle. It has eighteen thousand shlokas and should
be donated at the time of the equinoxes.
( XVI ) The Matsya Purana: Vishnu recited
this in his form of a fish to Manu. It has fourteen thousand shlokas
and should be donated at the time of the equinoxes.
( XVII ) The Garuda Purana: Krishna was the
first person to recite this and it has eighteen thousand shlokas.
(When this text is to be donated is not stated.)
( XVIII )The Brahmanda Purana: Brahma recited this
and it has twelve thousand and two hundred shlokas. (The time of
donation is again not indicated.) But these Puranas, as stated, are merely
for human consumption. Much longer versions are read by the gods.
The total number of shlokas in the Puranas that the gods read is one hundred
crores.
The Matsya Purana now enumerates the details of various
vratas. It continues with a description of the glories of the sacred
city of Prayaga (Allahabad), located at the confluence of the holy rivers
Ganga and Yamuna. Geographical and astronomical details are also
given.
Tipura There was a danava named Maya.
Just as Vishvakarma was the architect of the gods,
Maya was the architect of the demons. When the demons were
defeated by the gods, Maya started to perfrom very difficult tapasya so
that the gods might be defeated. Maya’s meditation inspired two other
demons to also meditate. Their names were Vidyunmali and Taraka.
The meditation was so difficult that the world marvelled at the sight of
what the demons were doing. Finally, Brahma was pleased at all this
effort and appeared before the demons.
I am pleased with what you have done, said Brahma.
What boon do you want?
We have been defeated by the gods, replied Maya.
We wish to build a fort that the gods will not be able to destroy.
The fort will be named Tripura and we will live in it and become immortal.
Immortality is a boon that cannot be granted. Said Brahma. If you
want, set difficult conditions for your deaths. Very well then, replied
Maya. We will be killed only if Shiva himself destroys Tripura with
a single arrow. Let that be the appoined method of our deaths. This
boon Brahma granted and Maya began the task of constructing the fort.
In fact, he built three (tri) fortresses (pura).
One was made of iron, the second of silver and the third
of gold.
Normally, the fortresses were distinct. But once
every thousand years, when the nakshatra Pushya was in the sky, the three
cities came together in the sky and were called Tripura. Each of
the fortresses was stocked with diverse weapons as protections against
raids by the gods. Taraka lived in the fort made of iron, Vidyunmali
in the one make o f silver, and Maya himself lived in the one that was
made of gold.
The other demons got to know that three invincible forts
had been built. They came and populated the three cities. But the
demons were not evil at all. They observed all sorts of religious
rites. In particular, they were devoted to Shiva and prayed to him
all the time. They did not want Shiva to be angry with them.
It was, after all, Shiva alone who could be the instrument for their destruction.
Eventually, the demons became intoxicated with their own power and adopted
evil ways. They warred upon other living beings and started to oppress
the universe. Maya did try to persuade them to mend their ways, but
the demons would not listen to Maya’s good advice. All the living beings
in the universe went to Brahma to complain. Please save us from this
oppression, They said; It is because of your boon that the demons have
become so powerful.
I cannot help you, replied Brahma. The boon is such
that Shiva alone can destroy Tripura. Let us all pray to Shiva. The
gods, the sages and the humans started to pray to Shiva.
Pleased with these prayers, Shiva promised to destroy
Tripura.
A special chariot was built for Shiva to ride in.
Brahma himself agreed to be the charioteer. The army of the gods
got ready to help Shiva in his war against Tripura. A terrible war raged
between the gods and the demons. Nandi is one of Shiva’s companions.
Nandi fought with Vidyunmali and slew the demon after a fierce battle.
But Maya knew all sorts of magical tricks. He was particularly well-versed
in the use of herbs. Maya gave Vidyunmali a bath in the juice of
magical herbs and Vidyunmali immediately revived.
This act greatly boosted the demons morale and they began
to fight with renewed vigour. Any demons,who were killed, were instantly
revived by Maya. But when Shiva himself entered the area the demons were
put to flight. Even the herbs that resurrected dead demons proved
to be of no avail. Nandi killed Tarakasura after a fierce duel.
The demons were disheartened, but Maya reassured them. Don’t forget the
boon, he said, There are only some special conditions under which Tripura
can be destroyed. Otherwise it is indestructible. Pushya nakshatra
is in the sky now and soon the three cities will come together as one.
The only person who can destroy it then is Shiva. And he must do
it with a single arrow. All we have to do is ensure that Shiva cannot shoot
the arrow and we are safe. But this was easier said than done. It
was no easy task to repel Shiva and his cohorts.
Nandi killed Vidyunmali a second time. As soon as
the three cities came together, Shiva shot a flaming arrow which completely
burnt up Tripura and all the demons who were within. The only one
who was saved was Maya. He did not die because he was extremely devoted
to Shiva. Ever since that day, Maya has lived under the water.
The Measurement of Time
The smallest unit of time is a nimesha; this is the amount
of time it takes to blink. Fifteen nimeshas make one kashtha and
thirty kashthas are one kala. Thirty kalas one muhurta and there
are thirty muhurtas in one divaratra (one day). Fifteen muhurtas
constitute the day and fifteen muhurtas make up the night.
One month for humans is one day for the ancestors (pitri).
Shuklapaksha is the lunar fortnight during which the moon waxes and krishnapaksha
is the lunar fortnight during which the moon wanes. Shuklapaksha
corresponds to night for the ancestors and krishnapaksha corresponds to
day.
Thus, thirty human months are merely one month for the
ancestors.
Three hundred and sixty human months are one year for
the ancesotrs. One human year is one divaratara for the gods. The
human year is divided into two ayanas, each consisting of six months.
These are known as uttarayana and dakshinayana. Uttarayana is day
for the gods and dakshinayana is night.
Thirty human years are one month for the gods and
three hundred and sixty human years are one year for the gods.
Time is divided into four yugas (eras). These are
known as satya yuga or krita yuga, treta yuga, dvapara yuga and kali yuga.
The lengths of these yugas are defined in terms of years of the gods.
Satya yuga has four thousand years of the gods, treta yuga three thousand,
dvapara yuga two thousand and kali yuga one thousand. A cycle of satya
yuga, treta yuga, dvapara yuga and kali yuga is known as a mahayuga.
Thus, a mahayuga would seem to consist of ten thousand years of the gods.
But this is not quite correct. In between any two yugas are intervening
periods, known as sandhyamshas. For example, the sandhyamsha for
satya yuga is four hundred years, for teta yuga three hundred years, for
dvapara yuga two hundred years and for kali yuga one hundred years.
Once one adds the sandhyamshas, a mahayuga adds up to
twelve thousand years of the gods. A little over seventy-one yugas constitute
one manvantara. Fourteen such manvantaras are one kalpa. A
kalpa is merely one day for Brahma. At the end of Brahma’s day, the
universe is destroyed. It is then created afresh when a new day dawns
for Brahma.The Characteristics of the Yugas As one progressively moves
down the scale from satya yuga to kali yuga, the power of righteous diminishes
and evil starts to triumph.
In treta yuga people were righteous.
The system of varnashrama dharma goes back to teta yuga.
This is typified in the principle of four varnas (classes) and four ashramas
(stages of life). The four varnas are brhamanas, kshatriyas, vaishyas
and shudreas. Each class has its proper place, each its assigned
occupations as determined by the principles of division of labour.
The four ashramas are brhamacharya (celibate studenthood). Garhasthya
(householder stage), vanaprastha (forest-dwelling stage and sannyasa (hermithood).
Everyone followed the tenets of varnashrama aharma in treta yuga.
Individuals were equally handsome and equally wealthy. Poverty and
disease were unknown. The weather was clement and, initialy, there
was no need to build houses. Cities and villages were not known.
People lived freely in the mountains and on the shores of the oceans. But
as people became evil, the weather turned inclement. Houses had to
built so the people might be protected from the heat and the cold.
Cities and villages were planned and constructed.
Evil became even more prevalent in dvapara yuga.
In some cases, individuals began to practise that which was against the
dictates of varnashrama dharma.
To bring men back to the righteous path, the knowledge
of the sacred Vedas had to be disseminated amongst humans. To this
end, the great Vedavyasa divided the Vedas into four. Various other
shastras (sacred texts) were also composed in dvapara yuga. These
include ayurveda (medicine), jyotisha (astronomy) and arthashastra (economics).
Hatred, jealousy, warfare and other evils first originated
in dvapara yuga. Individuals did not stick to their own classes while
marrying, and cross-breeds started to be born. But some remnants
of righteousness could still be found, so that average life expectancies
amounted to two thousand years.
Kali yuga is the worst of the four eras. Theft,
hatred, falsehood, fraudulence and egotism become the norm. As a
natural corollary to such evils, drought and famine recur again and again.
Even the brahmans are led astray. They do not study the Vedas, nor
do they perform yajnas. The brahmanas degenerate so much that they
mix with shudras. As for the shudras, they become kings.
Shudras even start to study the Vedas. Evil always
has its effect. Disease becomes rampant and life expectancies go
down.
Vajranaga
Indra had killed many of Diti’s children, the daityas.
Diti had wished to obtain a son who would kill Indra. But because
she had not been able to adhere to the stipulated religious rites, the
sons who had been born had become friends and companions of Indra. But
Indra continued to attack and kill the demons. Diti therefore prayed to
her husband Kashyapa yet again that she might have a son who would defeat
Indra. Your wish will be granted, said Kashyapa. But you will
have to meditate hard for ten thousand years. Indra’s weapon is the
vajra and the son who will be born will have a body (anga) that is as tough
as the vajra will be able to do him no harm. Diti meditated for ten thousand
years and in due course, gave birth to this powerful son. Vajranga was
invincible. When Vajranga grew up, Didti told her son, Indra has
killed many of my sons. I am thirsting for revenge. Go and kill Indra.
Vajranga set for heaven. He defeated Indra very easily and tied him
up. He then brought Indra home to his mother and prepared to kill
the king of the gods.
Indra’s death would have been a great calamity so Brahma
and Kashyapa rushed there. Vajranga, they said. Please do not
kill Indra. Let him go. If someone who deserves respect is
insulted, that is like death for him. Indra has been defeated
by you. He has therefore been insulted and is as good as dead. There
is no need to physically kill him. Moreover, the very fact that you
are letting Indra go at our request will be known to all. Even if
he lives, everyone is going to regard him as dead. Listen to our
request and let him go. I am not averse to that suggestion at all, replied
Vajranga. I have no intention of killing Indra. I was merely obeying
my mother’s instructions. How can I refuse two such revered individuals
like you? One of you is the creator of the whole universe and the
other one is my own father. I will let Indra go. But please
grant me a boon. Grant me the boon that I may be able to perform
a lot of tapasya. This boon was readily granted. In addition, Brahma
created a beautiful woman named Varangi and married her off to Vajranga.
Vajranga went to the forest to meditate. For a thousand years, he
stood with his arms raised up towards the sky. And in this
posture, he meditated. He then stood on his head for a thousand years
more and meditated. As a final part of the tapasya, he wished to
meditate under the water for a thousand years more. When Vajranga
entered the water, his wife Varangi patiently waited for her husband to
return. And all the while, she too meditated.
Indra was not going to forget and wanted to retaliate.
He adopted the form of a monkey and uprooted all the trees in Varangi’s
hermitage. He next adopted the form of a sheep and ate up all the
grass that was there. As a snake, he tried to bite the lady.
Finally, he adopted the form of a cloud and drenched the hermitage in torrents
of rain. Since Varangi was meditating, she was in no position to
retaliate or protect herself. She had to bear all these depredations.
When the thousand years were over, Vajranga returned. He was shocked
to learn of the tortures that his wife had been subjected to by Indra.
He began to meditate again. This time, he wished for a son who would
kill Indra. Brahma appeared and granted Vajranga the desired boon.
You will have a son who will be the terror of the gods, said Brahma.
He will be called Taraka. For a thousand years Varangi bore the baby in
her womb. When Taraka was born, the earth trembled and tidal waves
were created in the ocean. Fierce storms started to rage. Wild
animals rejoiced and the sages shuddered. In due course, Taraka was crowned
the king of the demons.
Taraka’s Tapasya
Tarka was determinded to defeat the gods. But he
realize that, prior to waging war on the gods, he would have to become
powerful. Such powers could be attained through tapasya. Taraka went
to the Pariparta mountains and selected a cave there for his meditation.
For some days Taraka ate nothing, for some more days he survived only on
water, and on other days he ate only leaves, Every day he sliced off some
flesh from his body and offered it to the fire as a token of his devotion.
All this hardship pleased Brahma and he appeared before Taraka. Enough
is enough, said Brahma. I am pleased at your devotion. What
boon can I grant you? I want to fight with the gods, replied Taraka.
The gods have been giving the demons a hard time and I intended to reverse
the tide. Please grant me the boon that I may be invincible and immortal.
Immortality is not a boon that can be granted to any living being. Said
Brahma. All living beings must die. But if you want, set difficult
conditions for your death. In that case, please grant me the boon that
I can only be killed by a seven year old child, requested Taraka. Brahma
gladly granted this boon.The War Between the Gods and the Demons Fortified
with Brahma’s boon, Taraka started to rule the demons. After some
years had passed and after Taraka had raised a strong army, he decided
to attack heaven. A huge army of demons was accordingly raised. There
were thousands of elephants, horses and chariots in the army.
Apart from Taraka, the major generals in the army were
Jambha, Kujambha, Mahisha, Kunjara, Megha, Kalanemi, Nimi, Mathana, Jambhaka
and Shumbha, Diverse were the weapons that the demons armed themselves
with. The gods also prepared themselves for the war, having first appointed
Yama as their general. Yama rode into battle on a bufflao.
Indra had his chariot, driven by his charioteer Matali. The fire-god
Agni rode on a goat and Varuna, the lord of the oceans, rode a snake.
Amongst the other gods who were in the army were Chandra, Surya and Kubera,
the god of prosperity and wealth. The war was terrible to behold.
The trumpeting of elephants, the neighing of horses and the beating of
drums made a terrible racket Above all this there was the noise of
weapons clanging and bows twanging. Chariots fought with Chariots,
elephants with elephants, horses with horses and foot-soldiers with foot-soldiers.
The sky was thick with spears, maces, axes, swords, tridents, clubs and
arrows flying around. Dead bodies littered the battlefield
and rivers of blood began to flow. Yama fought a fierce duel with a demon
named Grasana and Kubera fought with Jambha. Kujambha also fought
with Kubera and put Kubera to flight. Kalanemi fought with both Chandra
and Surya. The two Ashvinis received a good beating from the hands
of Kalanemi’s. The news that the gods were being slaughtered reached Vishnu
so Vishnu decided to join the fight. The demons immediately attacked
Vishnu, but were no match for him. One of Vishnu’s maces knocked
Kalanemi unconscious. Vishnu’s cakra sliced off Grasana’s head.
Jambha did manage to knock Vishnu unconscious with a club.
But Indra slew Jambha with a divine weapon. The trouble however was with
Taraka. When he came to fight, the gods had no option but to flee.
Those who did not, were captured and imprisoned. The demon won a resounding
victory.
Brahma’s Advice
Of the gods who had survived the battle and were still
free started to pray to Brahma.
What can I do for you? asked Brahma. Why are all
of you looking so despondent?
You are the one who is responsible for our misfortune,
replied the gods. You have granted Taraka a boon that has made him virtally
invincible. Armed with this boon, he is oppressing the universe and
has soundly thrashed us. What are we to do now?
There is no cause for such despondency, said Brahma.
Taraka is not immortal. He will be slain by a seven year old child.
Unfortunately that child has not yet been born. He will be the son
of Shiva. The problem is that Shiva is unmarried. He was earlier
married to Sati, but Sati commited suicide at the time of a yajna.
She has now been reborn as Parvati. The task at hand is to get Shiva
and Parvati married. Their son will kill Taraka. It was necessary
to make Shiva fall in love with Parvati.
Madana, the god of love, was sent by Indra to Shiva’s
hermitage so that this might be achieved. But because this disturbed
Shiva’s meditation, Shiva burnt Madana up. Meanwhile, Parvati had begun
to perform tapasya so that she might have Shiva for a husband. For
one hundred years more, she ate only one leaf a day. And for the
final hundred years, she meditated and continued fasting. The seven
great sages went and told Shiva about Parvati’s tapasya and Shiva agreed
to marry Parvati. The marriage took place amidst a great deal of fanfare.
All the rivers and the mountains came to attend the ceremony. So
did the sages, the gods, the gandharvas, the apsaras and the yakshas.
Brahma himself acted as the priest for the marriage ceremony.
Kali Becomes Gouri On one particular occasion, Shiva addressed
Parvati as Kali. The word kali means dark and Parvati thought that
Shiva referring to her dark complexion. She did not realize that
Shiva was merely trying to tease her a bit. Greatly incensed at the
imagined slight, Parvarti decided that she would meditate so that
she might become fair. She wore clothing made of barks of trees and
performed tapasya. In the summer she prayed inside a raging fire
and in the winter she prayed under the water. Sometimes, she ate
only roots and fruits. At other times, she fasted. Prior to leaving
for her tapasaya, Parvati had instructed Nandi that he was to stand guard
at Shiva’s door and permit no other woman to enter. There was a demon named
Adi. This fellow had performed a lot of tapasya and had manage to
please Brahma. When Brahma agreed to grant him a boon. Adi
asked for the boon of immortality. Brahma naturally refused this
boon. He however granted Adi the boon that the demon would die only
when he changd his form twice, not otherwise. Adi happened to come to Shiva
and Parvati’s house and discovered Nandi standing guard at the door.
Wondering what there was to be guarded, he adopted the form of a snake
and slithered in. Nandi did not notice the snake, but this was Adi’s
first transformation. Inside the house, Adi encountered Shiva and thought
that he would play a trick on Shiva. He adopted Parvati’s form.
This was his second transformation. In the form of Parvati, Adi went up
to Shiva and greeted him. Initially, Shiva did not realize that this was
not Parvati. He greeted the demon and said, Darling, I am delighted
tht you have returned. I can see that your rage has cooled down.
But in a little while Shiva realized that this was not Parvati. He
slew the demon.
Meanwhile, Parvati was continuing with her tapsaya and
pleased Brahma with her prayers. Brahma granted her the boon that
she would become fair. Since the word gouri means fair, Parvati was
thereafter known as Gouri. A goddess named Koushiki emerged out of
Parvati’s cells, thus named because the word kosha means cell. The
darkness of Parvti’s complexion entered Koushiki’s body. Brahma requested
the goddess Koushiki to go and live in the Vindhya mountains. She
is therefore also known as Vindhyavasini.
Kartikeya and Taraka Kartikeya or Skanda was born after
some days.
The boys shone with the radiance of a thousand suns and
had six (shada) faces (anana). He was therefore also known as Shadanana.
(Some other Puranas like the Brahmavaivarata Purana state that Skanda got
lost when he was small and was brought up by the Krittikas.
That is how he acquired the name of Kartikeya. The Krittikas were
goddesses, also identified as stars (the Pleiades).) The gods armed Kartikeya
with diverse weapons and appointed him their general. They requested
him to kill the demon Taraka and arrangements were made for the battle.
When Taraka saw Kartikeya he said, What is a boy like you doing in a battlefield?
Go and play with a ball instead. A battlefield is not the place for idle
talk, replied Kartikeya. Show me your prowess instead. At these words,
Taraka flung a club at Kartikeya. But Kartikeya easily repelled the
club with a vajra. The demon next hurled an axe, but Kartikeya effortless
caught the axe in his hand. He then struck the demon with a club
of his own. This angered Taraka so much that the demon showered all
sorts of weapons on Kartikeya. But the boy repelled all of these
and started to kill demons with his own weapons. Many demons fled
in dismay. As for Taraka himself, Kartikeya’s spear pierced him in
the chest and killed him. Thus it was that Brahma’s boon became ture.
Hiranyakashipu Diti had a son named Hiranyakashipu.
This demon meditated for eleven thousand years under the
water. Throught this period, he did not eat or talk at all. These
meditations pleased Brahma and Brahma offered to grant Hiranyakasipu a
boon. What boon do you wish for? he asked. If you are pleased, grant
me the following boon, replied the demon. I will not be killed by
gods, demons, gandharvas, yakshas, rakshasas or snakes. I will not
be killed by humans or ghosts. The sages will not be able to curse
me. I will not killed by a weapon, a mountain or a tree. I
will not be killed during the day or at night. I will not be killed
by something that is dry or by something that is wet. This rather strange
boon Brahma granted. But the sages, the gods, the gandarvas and the snakes
went and complained to Brahma. What have you done? they asked.
This demon is now going to oppress the entire universe. Don’t worry, replied
Brahma. When the time comes, Vishnu himself will kill Hiranyakashipu.
But true to expectations, the demon started to oppress the world.
He destroyed the hermitages of the sages and drove the gods out of heaven.
All yajnas were stopped. The gods and the sages started praying to Vishnu.
Stirred by these prayers, Vishnu adopted the form of a strange being who
was half-man and half-lion. Since nara means man and simha means
lion, this being was called Narasimha. Narasimha went on a visit to Hiranyakashipu’s
court. Hiranyakashipu had a son named Prahlada and at the sight of
Narasimha. Prahlada exclaimed. I have a strong suspicion that
this being is none other than Vishnu and that we demons will suffer at
his hands. Hiranyakashipu asked his soldiers to capture the creature.
Or, if that proved to be impossible, to kill it. But the soldiers
could do no such thing; Narasimha killed them all. Hiranyakasipu
then himself hurled all sorts of weapons at Narasimha. But great
was his bewilderment at finding that all these weapons could do the strange
creature no harm. Any weapons could do the strange creature no harm.
Any weapon that was hurled was simply swallowed up by Narasimha.
The rocks that were flung at him could not even reach him.
Narasimha grasped Hiranyakashipu and placed him across
his thighs. He then tore apart the demon’s chest with his claws.
Thus, Hiranyakashipu was not killed by a weapon, a mountain or a tree,
or by something that was either wet or dry. Vishnu in his Narasimha
form was not a god, a demon, a gandharva, a yaksha, a rakshasa, a snake,
a human or a ghost. Since the slaying took place in the evening,
it was neither night nor day. All the conditions of Brahma’s boon
were met. The entire world rejoiced at the demon-king’s death.
The Matysa Purana now describes the glories of several
tirthas, including the sacred city of Varanasi or Kashi. It also
lists the lineages of various famous sages like Bhrigu, Angira, Atri, Vishvamitra,
Kashyapa, Vashishtha, Parashara and Agastya.Savitri
There used to be a king named Ashvapati who ruled in the
kingdom of Madra. Ashvapati had no sons. He therefore began
to pray to the goddess Savitri so that he might have a son. He performed
thousands and thousands of yajnas. Eventually the goddess appeared before
the king and said, You will not have a son. But I am going to grant
you a daughter.’ The daughter was named Malati. But since she was
born as a result of a boon received from the goddess Savitri, she was more
popularly known as Savitri. When Savitri grew up, she was married to Satyavana,
the son of King Dyumatsena.
The sage Narada once came to visit them and told them.
Satyavana is going to die within a year. Hearing this, Savitri and Satyavana
went off to the forest to prepare themselves for the impending death.
When only four days of the appointed life span were left, Savitri observed
a religious rite that has now become famous savitri rata. Amongst
other things, this involved fasting for a period of three days On the fourth
and final day, Satyavana went to collect fodder, roots and fruits
in the dense part of the forest and Savitri also accompanied her husband.
When they were tired, Savitri sat down beside a pond to rest. Satyavana
continued to collect fodder and firewood near the pond. While he
was thus engaged, he started to suffer from a splitting headache. Savitri,
he said, I cannot bear this pain any longer. Let me rest for a while with
my head in your lap. While Satyavana was resting with his head on Savitri’s
lap, Yama arrived to claim Satyavana. Yama’s complexion was dark and he
was dressed entirely in yellow. His crown was golden. Armlets graced
his arms and necklaces hung around his neck. In each human body there is
an entity that is only the size of a finger in length. This is the
part of the body that is claimed by Yama and taken to his abode.
When this is done, only the dead body is left. Yama tied up Satyavana’s
minute body in a noose and prepared to take it to his abode. But when Yama
left, Savitri followd him. Where do you think you are going? asked yama.
I am following my husband, replied Savitri. There is no greater duty
for a wife than serving her husband. Since my husband is leaving,
I have to leave with him. I am pleased at your devotion, said Yama.
Ask for a boon and I shall grant it to you. The only thing that you
cannot ask for is that Satyavana be brought back to life. My father-in-law
has become blind, replied Saviti. He can therefore no longer be the
king. Please grant me the boon that his eyesight is restored so that
he can become the king again. I grant you that. Said Yama. Now please
return. You will unnecessarily get tired if you follow me. How I
can get tired if I follow you? asked Savitri. You are the chief of
all the gods. Is it possible to get tired if one follows you? That
pleases me even more, said Yama. Ask for another boon. But
under no circumstances are you allowed to ask that Satyavana be brought
back to life. My father has no sons, replied Savitri. Please grant
me the boon that he may have a hundred sons. I grant you that, said Yama.
Now return. Go and perform your husband’s funeral rites. Serve your
parents and parents-in-law well. You are unnecessarily tiring yourself
by following me around. I thank you for your advice. Replied Savitri.
But I have already told you that I cannot possibly get tired . You
are the lord of dharma, the lord of righteousness. Can one possibly
tire oneself by following such a person? Your devotion is truly amazing,
Ask for another boon. But do not ask for Satyavana’s life. Please
grant me the boon that Satyavana and I may have a hundred sons, requested
Savitri. Yama granted the boon without thinking and Savitri then pointed
out that what Yama had agreed to would be impossible if Satyavana died.
Yama had no option but to restore Satyavana to life. Yama blessed Savitri
and went away.
In due course, Satyavana and Savitri had a hundred sons
named that Malvas. Savitri is a model for all devoted wives to follow.
The Matsya Purana follows this up with a recital of the
duties of kings and a cataloguing of various omens. There is also
a section on the interpretation of dreams.
Vali
There was a demon named Vali who was descended from Hiranyakashipu.
Extemely strong, he defeated the gods and drove them out of heaven. The
mother of all the gods was Aditi and Aditi was despondent that her sons
should suffer so at the hands of demons. She therefore began to pray
to Vishnu so that she might have a powerful son who would provide a fitting
reply tot he demons, particularily to Vali. For a thousand years,
Aditi meditated. Vishnu was pleased at these prayers and appeared before
Aditi. What boon do you wish for? he asked. The demons are oppressing
my children, replied Aditi. Please grant me a son who will defeat
the demons. Do not despair, said Vishnu. I myself will be born as
your son. I will take care of the demons.
Aditi’s husband was the sage Kashyapa. Kashyapa
and Aditi accordingly had a son. This son was a dwarf (vamana).
Vali happened to organize a yajna and the dwarf came to attend the ceremony.
On the occasion of the yajna. Vali had decided that he would not
refuse anyone what he asked for.
Shukracharya was the preceptor of the demons and naturally,
he was Vali’ guru as well. Shukracharya saw through the trickery
that was involved and realized that the dwarf was none other than Vishnu.
He tried to put Vali on his guard and warned Vali that he should not grant
what the dwarf asked for. But Vali would not listen. Vishnu is the
lord of everything. He said. I am indeed fortunate if Vishnu
has come to grace my ceremony in the disguise of a dwarf. How can
I refuse what he asks for? Vali welcomed the dwarf with offerings.
What is your desire? he asked. I am duty bound to give you what you
ask for. I desire nothing much, replied the dwarf. I do not want
gold or riches or elephants or horses. All that I ask for is as much
of land as can be covered in three of my footsteps. Granted, said Vail.
No sooner were the words uttered that he dwarf assumed a gigantic form.
His head rose way up into the sky. With each one of his footsteps,
Vishnu covered one of the three worlds. Thus Vali ended up by donating
all of the three worlds to Vishnu and there was nowhere for the demons
to live in. But Vishnu was pleased at Vali’s generosity.
He therefore decreed that, henceforth, the demons would
live in the underworld. As for heaven, it was returned to Indra.
This was the story of Vishnu’s dwarf incarnation.The Boar Incarnation At
the end of the last kalpa, there was a general destruction and the universe
was flooded with water. Vishnu alone slept on this water in his form
of Narayana. When it was time for creation to begin, Brahma appeared inside
an egg. All the worlds that would be there in the universe and all
the beings who would populate these worlds were inside the egg. But
before creation could start, the earth had to be created so that living
beings might have a place to live in. When the earth was first created,
it was full of mountain ranges and these mountains were exceedingly heavy.
The upshot of this was that the earth could not bear the weight of these
mountains and started to get immersed in the water. She went all
the way down to the underworld. The earth started to pray to Vishnu
so that she might be saved. Vishnu adopted the form of a gigantic boar
(varaha). He entered the water and raised the earth up on his tusks.
He laid her to rest on the water, having first levelled out the mountains.
This was the story of Vishnu’s boar incarnation. The pastime of the boar
incarnation is linked to the story of the demon Hiranyaksha. Hiranyaksha
was Hiranyakashipu’s brother. He sent the earth to the underworld
and also stole the Vedas.
Vishnu killed Hiranyaksha in his form of a boar and rescued
the earth and the Vedas. The Hiranyaksha story is found in several
Puranas, such as the Vishnu Purana.
The Churning of the Ocean The gods and the demons always
fought with one another. In the process, many demons and gods were
killed. This was no problem for the demons. Their teacher,
Shukracharya, knew the art of mritasanjivani and immediately brought the
dead demons back to life. But the gods who were killed stayed dead.
The gods went to Brahma for his advice. Having a temporaty
truce with the demons, said Brahma. Unite with them and churn the
ocean. This churning will make you immortal and you will have no
reason to fear the demons. The gods went to meet Vali, the king of the
demons, with the proposal and Vali agreed to the temporary truce.
Preparations were made for the churning of the ocean. Mount Mandara
was used as the rod for churning and the great snake Vasuki agreed to be
the churning-rope . The problem however was the Mount Mandara had
no base to rest on. And without a base, the peak would move and the
churning could not proceed. The great Vishnu adopted the form of a huge
turtle (kurma). The back of the turtle provided
the base on which Mount Mandara could rest. The churning started.
The gods held Vasuki’s tail and the demons the head. The churning
went on for a thousand years of the gods. The first object to emerge as
a result of the churning was the moon. Chandra.
His emergence as a result of the churning was thus akin
to are birth.) Shiva accepted Chandra as an adornment for his forehead.
Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, emerged next and was united
with Vishnu, Sura, the goddess of wine and drinking, came out next.
She was followed by the divine horse. Uchchaishrava. This was
appropriated
by Indra. (Other accounts of the churning, such as in the Mahabharata,
mention an elephant named Airavata, also appropriated by Indra.)
A beautiful jewel named koustubha came out next and was accepted by Vishnu
as his adornment. After these wonderous objects had come out, smoke started
to billow out and clouded the atmosphere. The cloud was followed
by tongues of fire which threatened to burn up the gods and the demons.
From the fire there came out all sorts of poisonous snakes and venomous
insects. This was followed by a terrible poison known as kalakuta.
No one knew what to do with the poison, it would have killed them all.
The gods and the demons began to pray to Shiva for deliverance. Shiva appeared
and swallowed up the poison. It suck in his throat and made his throat
blue in colour. Since nila means blue and kantha means throat, Shiva
came to be known as Nilakantha.
With the danger removed, the churning continued and Dhanvantari
came out of the ocean. He was the physician of the gods and the originator
of medicine (ayurveda). Dhanvantari held the pot of amrita in his
hands. The demons immediately started to fight over the possession of the
amrita. But Vishnu adopted the form of a beautiful woman (known as mohini).
This woman was so pretty that all the demons fell in love with her and
gladly handed over the pot of amrita to her. But they continued to
fight with the gods. While the fighting went on, Vishnu secretly
fed the gods the amrita. The gods became immortal. The demons
received no amrita, not a single drop except for rahu .
There was a demon named Rahu. He adopted the form
of a god and managed to get a little bit of the amrita. But Surya
and Chandra spotted the deception and pointed it out to Vishnu. Vishnu
promptly severed Rahu’s head with his chakra. The amrita never
percolated down beyond Rahu’s throat. But the demon’s head had had
its share of the amrita and became immortal. Rahu never forgave Surya and
Chandra for telling on him. Rahu’s head tries to swallow up the sun
and the moon, given a chance. You can see this happening at the time
of the solar and lunar eclipses.
Architecture
The science of architecture owes its origin to eighteen
great sages. Their names are Bhrigu, Atri, Vashishtha, Vishvakarma,
Maya, Narada, Nagnajita, Vishalaksha, Puranadara, Brahma, Kartikeya, Nandishvara,
Shounaka, Garga, Vasudeva, Aniruddha, Shukra and Brihaspati .
The building of a house should never be begun in the month
of Chaitra. A person who does this is sure to contract a disease.
The month of Vaishakha is a good time to begin. One who does this
is bound to own many cows.
The months of Agrahayana, Magha and Falguna are also auspicious.
An individual who begins the task in Agrahayana has full granaires, one
who begins it in Magha attains all sorts of riches and one who begins it
in Falguna obtains gold and sons. Ashada is also a good month
to start. Servants and animals are owed by a person who starts the
building in Ashada.
The months of Jyaishtha, Shravana, Bhadra, Ashvina and
Pousha are inauspicious. If you start in Jyaishta, you will
die soon; you will also die if you begin in Shravana; begin in Bhadra and
you will suffer from all manner of losses; your wife will die if you start
the task in the month of Ashvina; and all your goods will be stolen if
you start in the month of Pousha. It is best to begin the building of a
house when the nakshatras Ashvini, Rohini, Mula, Uttarabhadrapada,
Uttarashada, Uttarafalguni or Mrigashira are in the sky. Any day
is permissible with the exception of Sunday and Tuesday. The ground on
which the house is to be build has to be tested. A pit should be
dug and a sapling planted. If the sapling thrives and growns into
a big tree, the ground has been well-chosen. But if the tree withers
away or does not grow into a strong tree, one ought to move somewhere else.
A diagram is then drawn on the ground, in the form of a square with eighty-one
smaller squares inside it. That is the larger square will be subdivided
into nine squares along very side. Nine multiplied by nine gives
the eighty- one smaller squares. In each of these eight-one smaller
squares, a specific god has to be worshipped.
Different types of houses.
A house that has doors on all four sides is known as a
sarvatobhadra. Such a configuration is recommended for palaces or
temples. A house that does not have a door to the west is known as
a nandyavarta; a house that does not have a door to the south is known
as a varddhamana; a house that does not have a door to the east is known
as a svastika; and a house that does not have a door to the north
is known as ruchaka.
A palace should be one hundred and eight cubits
(hand-lenghts) in length. If a prince, and not a king, is to live
in the palace, sixty-six cubits are the recommmended length. Other
recommended lengths are sixty-four cubits for generals, forty-eight cubits
for ministers, twenty-eight cubits for artisans and twelve cubits for messengers
and guards. Priests and physicians are entitled to twenty-four cubits.
An ordinary householder should build a house that is thirty-two cubits
in length. The sole exception is an outcast, he is entitled to only
sixteen cubits. There should not be any trees in the front of the house.
But trees have to be planted towards the back. The wood with which the
house has to be built must be carefully chosen. One must not cut
down a tree that birds have built nests on. Certain trees must
never be chosen. These include those that have been gashed by an
elephant or struck by lightning. They also include trees that grow
near temples or at the of rivers and trees from cremation grounds.
Neem trees and mango trees must never be used for building
houses. The height of the tree should be multiplied by its circumference.
This product should now be divided by eight. If the remainder that
is left is one, the timber can be used in building any part of the house.
Such timber is known as dhvaja. When the remainder is two the timber
is known vrisha and should be used in constructing the western door.
When the remainder is three the timber is called simha and should be used
for the northern door. The name is vrishabha if the remainder is
four and such wood should be used for the eastern door. When the
remainder is five the timber is given the name of hasti and should be used
for the southern door.
Dieties must to be installed in temples.
Vishnu’s image should have either eight hands or four.
If there are eight hands, the arms to the right should hold a shankha (concha-shell),
a gada (mace), a shara (arrow) and a padma (lotus). The arms to the
left should hold dhanu (bow), a padma, a shankha and a chakra (bladed-discus).
If there are four hands, the mace and the lotus should be to the right
and the chakra and the conch-shell to the left. Vishnu will be shown standing
on the world.
Garuda, the king of the birds, bears him around Garuda
will therefore be shown at Vishnu’s feet, towards the right. Lakshmi’s
image must always be to the left of Vishnu’s image and Lakshmi will hold
a lotus in her hand.
The best dieties are made out of gold, silver, copper,
jewels, stone, wood, from alloys. The proportions of the various
parts of the body must be exactly right. Shiva’s image must have matted
hair and he must wear a crescent moon on his forehead. The dieties
must convey the impression that Shiva is sixteen years old. Shiva
must be dressed in tigerskin and must be garlanded with snakes. A
peacock feather should adorn on ear. If a spear, a rod or a trident
are shown, they must be to the right. And if a skull, a snake or
a sword are shown, they must be to the left. When Shiva is show riding
a bull, his image has two hands. But when he is shown in a dancing
posture, the image has ten hands. If the intention is to show him
destroying Tripura, the image must have sixteen hands.
There is one particular image that deserves special mention.
This is known as arddhanarishvara, half-male and half-female. The
Shiva part of the image will be to the right and the Parvati part of the
image will be to the left. The right hand of the image will hold
a skull or a trident and the left hand of the image will hold a lotus or
a mirror.
There is another type of image known as Uma-Maheshvara.
In this case, there are two separate images, one of Shiva and the other
of Parvati. The dieties of various other gods and goddesses are also described.
Pavilions (mandapa)?
These are classified in terms of the number of pillars
that are used in their construction, and there are twenty-seven main types
of pavilions.
(I) A pushpaka
pavilion has sixty-four pillars.
(II) A pushpabhadra
pavilion has sixty-two pillars.
(III) A suvrata pavilion
has sixty pillars.
(IV) An amritanandana pavilion
has fifty-eight pillars.
(V) A doushalya pavilion
has fifty-six pillars.
(VI) A buddhisamkirna pavilion
has fifty-four pillars.
(VII) A gajabhadra pavilion has
fifty-two pillars.
(VIII) A jayavaha pavilion has fifty
pillars.
(IX) A shrivatsa pavilion
has forty-eight pillars.
(X) A vijaya pavilion
has forty-six pillars.
(XI) A vastukirti pavilion
has forty-four pillars.
(XII) A shrutinjaya pavilion
has forty-two pillars.
(XIII) A yajnabhadra pavilion has forty
pillars.
(XIV) A vishala pavilion has thirty-eight
pillars.
(XV) A sushlishta pavilion has
thirty-six pillars.
(XVI) A shatrumardana pavilion has
thrity-four pillars.
(XVII) A bhagapancha pavilion has thrity-two
pillars.
(XVIII) A nandana pavilion has thirty pillars.
(XIX) A manava pavilion has twenty-eight
pillars.
(XX) A manabhadraka pavilion
has twenty-six pillars.
(XXI) A sugriva pavilion has twenty-four
pillars.
(XXII) A hairta pavilion has twenty-two pillars.
(XXIII) A karnikara pavilion has twenty pillars.
(XXIV) A shatarddhika pavilion has eighteen pillars.
(XXV) A simha pavilion has sixteen pillars.
(XXVI) A shyamabhadra pavilion has fourteen pillars.
(XXVII) A samudra pavilion has twelve pillars. Pavilions
should be triangular, semi-circular or rectangular.
The kings of the kali era and their dynasties are next
described.
Donations
There are different methods of donating alms. One
of the most sacred is known as tulapurusha. In this, a pair of scales
is used. The person who is donating the alms ascends on one side
of the scales and gold is placed on the other side until the scales are
exactly balanced. This is the amount of gold that has to be donated
if punya is to be acquired.
A second sort of donation is known as hiranyagarbha.
In this , a pot full of gold is donated.
In a third form of donation a model of the universe (brahmanda)
is fashioned out of gold and donated. This form of donation
is therfore known as brahmanda.
The fourth form of donation, known as kalpadapa?
In this, a tree is made out of gold and donated.
The fifth form of donation is known as gosahasra and
involves the donation of a thousand cows.
The sixth form of donation is known as kamadhenu.
The object of donation in this case is a cow and calf, both made out of
gold.
The seventh form of donation is similar and is known
as hiranyashva. A horse made out of gold is donated.
The eighth form of donation is called ashvaratha.
A horse (ashva) and four chariots (ratha) have to be donated and both have
to be made out of gold.
Hemahastiratha is the ninth form of donation. The
objects or donation in this case are an elephant and a chariot made out
of gold.
The tenth form of donation is known as panchalngalaka.
In this case, ten ploughs are donated. Five of them have to be made
of wood and the remaining five have to be made of gold.
The eleven form of donation is dhara. Int his case,a
golden model of the earth is donated.
The twelfth form of donation is known as vishvachakra.
The object that is donated is again a model made out of gold. The
model is that of the universe in the shape of a wheel.
The thirteenth form of donation is mahakalapalaka.
Ten creepers made out of god are donated.
The fourteenth form of donation is saptasagara.
Pits are made in the ground, there being seven of them. Each pit
stands for one of the seven oceans. In the first pit is put salt,
in the second milk, in the third clarified butter, in the fourth molasses,
in the fifth curds, in the sixth sugar and in the seventh holy water.
An image of a god or goddess is then placed in each pit- Brahma in the
first, Vishnu in the second, Shiva in the third, Surya in the fourth, Yama
in the fifth. Lakshmi in the sixth and Parvati in the seventh.
The images must be made out of gold. The pits are then filed to the
brim with jewels and the entire contents donated.
The fifteenth form of donation is called ratnadhenu.
In this case, a cow made out of gold is donated. The nose, the eyes,
the brows and various other parts of the cow should be made out of jewels.
The sixteen form of donation is called mahabhutaghata.
A pot is made out of gold, filled with jewels and donated.
These different forms of donation are superior to all
other forms of donation, and bring undying punya.
Romaharshana completed his recital of the Matsya Purana
by offering respects to the audience.
A person who reads even one chapter of the text goes to
heaven and all his sins are forgiven.
The sages thanked Romaharshana and departed.
Warns about
Mahapralaya (Deluge)
The pious man realizes the fish is Narayana and
prostates before it. Matsya then told him that there will be a Mahapralaya in
seven days. Matsya requests him to gather the seeds of all plants and a pair
each of all living beings. He is asked to put them in a ship and wait for the
deluge (Mahapralaya).
Matsya also tells the pious man that it will
again appear during the deluge and he will need to tie the boat to its horn
using Snake Vasuki as the rope. In some versions, Matsya sprouts the horn and
uses Ananta Sesha as the rope and navigates the boat to safety without the help
of the pious man.
In Bhagavad Purana, the boat is not build by
the pious man but instead it appears before the deluge and he has to enter it
with the seeds of all plants. When the boat was tossed hither and thither in
the massive flood, Matsya appeared near the boat and Satyavrata tied the boat
to the horn of Matsya using Snake Vasuki as the rope.
Matsya navigated the boat safely to the top of Mount
Meru.
Matsya
Rescuing Vedas
When the deluge was taking place, the Vedas was
forgotten by the pious man. Matsya plunged into the flood to rescue it. A demon
named Damanaka had stolen the Vedas and he had taken refuge in a conch-shell.
After a terrible fight with Damanaka, the Vedas
are restored and returned to the pious man. In some versions, the Vedas are stolen by a
demon named Hayagriva and Matsya Avatara restores it from the demon.
Very briefly, this avatar was taken to retrieve the Vedas which had been
stolen by Hayagriva, when the creator Brahma went into slumber. The
Lord took the form of a big whale to restore the Vedas after slaying the
demon Hayagriva and taught the Puranas dealing with Brahma to
Satyavratha (a royal sage son of Vivaswin, exalted to the position of
Manu by the Lord) and other seers.
The story goes thus:
One
day when Sathyavratha was offering water to the horses standing on the
bank of river Krantamala, he found a small fish in the hollow of his
palm containing water. When he dropped the fish, it requested
Sathyavratha to protect it. Thereupon he put it into the vessel of
water he had brought along with him (kamandala). There it grew and
again requested Sathyavratha to place it in such a place where it can
comfortably live. Then Sathyavratha transferred it to a pitcher; there
also it grew. Thus Sathyavratha went on transferring the fish from the
pitcher to a pond, from a pond to a lake and from a lake to several
lakes as the fish went on growing wherever it was placed. Hence,
finally it was thrown into the ocean. The fish pleaded with
Sathyavratha not to leave it alone, as it was afraid of alligators.
Sathyavratha realised that it was not an ordinary fish; it was the Lord
himself taking the form of a fish for a particular purpose. He then
beseeched the Lord to tell him the true facts.
The
Lord pleased by this, told Sathyavratha that on the seventh day all the
three lokas (Bhooloka, Bhoovarloka and the ocean) will be in deluge and
at that time a mysterious boat will come floating. He then directed
Sathyavratha to board the vessels with all types of seeds, herbs and
animal plants and attach the boat by means of serpent snake to his horn.
Eventually when the golden whale with thorns was perceived by
Sathyavratha, he did as directed by the Lord.
Sathyavratha
was taught Puranic lore mysteries (Matsya Putana), while on board the
vessel. The Lord then handed over the restored Vedas after killing
Hayagriva to Brahma who woke up from his slumber at the end of Pralaya.
Sathyavratha also called Sraddhadevas was bestowed with spiritual
knowledge and wisdom by Lord Vishnu himself.
