Part 32 (1/2)
THE STORY OF VIVSVARuPA.
*SKANDHA VI. CHAP. 7-8.*
Indra surrounded by the Devas, was seated on the throne of _Triloki_. He felt the pride of his position. Brihaspati, the preceptor and guide of all Devas came, but Indra did not rise up to receive him. Thus insulted, Brihaspati left the place at once and abandoned the Devas. The Asuras took this opportunity to put down the Devas and carried on a severe struggle under the lead of Sukra. The Devas were worsted in the fight and they went to Brahma for redress. Brahma advised them to accept the guidance of Visvarupa, son of Tvastri. They gladly went to Visvarupa and he consented to be their preceptor. Visvarupa initiated Indra into the mysteries of Narayana Kabacha (an invocation to Vishnu which preserves one against all danger. The invocation must be read in the original, so no attempt has been made to render it into English). With the help of that Kabacha, Indra easily conquered the Asuras and firmly established once more the Kingdom of Triloki.
Visvarupa had three mouths. With one he used to drink Soma, with another he used to drink wine and with the third he used to take his food. While performing Yajna, he openly gave oblations to the Devas, but secretly reserved some for his mother's relations the Asuras. Indra once found out this treachery. He became angry and cut off the three heads of Visvarupa. The Soma drinking head became Chataka (the Swallow, supposed to live only on rain drops). The liquor imbibing head became Chataka (the Sparrow). The food eating head became t.i.ttiri (the francoline partridge). The sin of killing a Brahmana attached to Indra. He divided it into equal parts and distributed them between earth, water, trees and woman. Earth accepted her part on receiving the boon that her cavities would be filled up by nature. But the sin manifests itself in the barren lands. The trees took their part in return for the boon that the wounds on their cuticle should naturally heal up of themselves. But the sin shows itself in the exudation. Water was persuaded by the boon that it could mix with any other substance. But the sin shows itself in bubbles and foam.
THE STORY OF VRITRU.
*SKANDHA VI. CHAP. 9-13.*
Tvastri became enraged at the death of his son. He gave offerings to Agni for the destruction of Indra. A huge and fearful Asura rose out of the sacrificial fire. The Devas threw their weapons at him, but he swallowed them all. Wonderstruck they prayed to Vishnu for help. Vishnu asked them to go to Dadhichi and pray for his body and a.s.sured them that the weapon made of his bones by Visvakarma would cut off the head of Vritra. The Devas went to Dadhichi and got his body. Visvakarma made the thunderbolt instrument (Vajra) out of his bones. Indra went with this instrument at the head of the Devas to fight with Vritra. _The fight took place at the commencement of Treta Yuga in the first Yuga cycle of Vaivasvata Manvantara,_ on the banks of the Narmada. After a severe fight, the chances shewed themselves favourable to the Devas. The Daitya and Danava chiefs began to shew their backs to the enemies. ”What is this my companions?” exclaimed Vritra, ”Is not death inevitable? And what death is more enviable than that with honor and glory? There are two modes of death, rare though they be, that are given the palm in all religious books - one is by control of the Pranas by means of Yoga and the other is by facing enemies foremost of all, in the battle field.”
But the Asuras heeded him not. The Devas ran after them. ”O ye cowards?”
exclaimed Vritra, ”What glory do you gain by running after those that fly away. Come and approach those that are in the field.” So saying he attacked Indra. Indra in anger threw a large club at him. Vritra easily took it up with his left hand. He struck it with force on the head of Airavata, the elephant of Indra. The elephant receded 28 cubits and vomitted blood, The magnanimous Vritra seeing the distress of the animal did not strike it again. Indra softly touched the injured animal, trying to give it relief and he took respite for some time. Vritra remembered the wicked deeds of Indra and addressed him thus ”O thou a.s.sa.s.sinator of a Brahmana! Thou didst kill thy own Guru, my brother Visvarupa. Thou didst raise faith and trust in my brother's mind and still thou didst kill that innocent, wise Brahmana, your own Guru, having been initiated by him in Yajna. Your karma makes you worse than even Rakshasas. It is meet that I shall kill thee with this Trident and make over thy body as food for vultures. And if thou, O Indra, cuttest off my head, I shall be free from the bond of Karma, by offering my body as Bali (sacrificial food) to the animals. Here I stand before thee. Why dost thou not strike with the Vajra. Thou hast been favoured by Vishnu and by Dadhichi.
Victory and all the virtues always follow Vishnu. I will do as advised by my deity Sankarshana and attain after death the state of Yogins by sacrificing this body. O Bhagavat, may I ever and ever remain in the Service of thy votaries. This I deem a thousand times more desirable than the attainment of the Supreme Abode, or of Siddhis or of Mukti.”
Vritra then took the trident in hand and attacked Indra - Indra then had recourse to Vajra and he easily cut off both the trident and one hand of Vritra. Vritra took a club in the other hand and struck both Indra and the elephant. The Vajra slipped out of the hands of Indra and he felt ashamed to pick it up in the presence of his enemy. ”Pick it up, O King of Devas, and kill your enemy. This is no time for shame or sorrow. It is not you or I that are the real actors. Bhagavan is guiding us all. He guides the whole Universe. Look at me. I have been worsted, hand and weapon gone, still I am trying my best to kill you. This our fight is but like the game of dice in which the life of one of us is the stake.”
Indra could not help wondering at the wisdom and magnanimity of Vritra.
He exclaimed ”O king of Danavas! thou hast got over the Maya of Vishnu.
The Asura nature has altogether- left thee and thou art fixed in devotion to Vishnu. Verily thou art a Mahatma now.”
They again engaged in fight. This time Indra cut off both the club and the other hand with the help of Vajra - Vritra then opened his mouth and swallowed Indra. There was loud wailing and lamentation all round. But Indra broke through the interior of Vritra with the help of Vajra, and he then forcibly applied the bolt to cut off the head of Vritra. The bolt though actively employed could only sever the head of the Asura King in 360 days. The flame of self from Vritra's body merged in Shankarshana in the presence of the Devas.
The sin of killing a Brahmana a second time followed Indra in the form of a hideous old outcaste woman. He fled away into the Manasa lake and entered the filament of a lotus stalk. He remained there concealed for one thousand years. King Nahusha reigned in Svarga during that time. But as he became maddened in pride, Sachi the wife of Indra made him a serpent. The Brahmanas then called back Indra to Svarga, and he reigned there again.
THE STORY OF CHITRAKETU.
*SKANDHA VI. CHAP. 14-17.*
Chitraketu, the King of Surasena had ten millions of wives, but he had no son. Ris.h.i.+ Angiras once came to him. The King expressed regret for his childlessness. Angiras performed a Yajna in honor of Tvastri, and gave the sacrificial remnants to the eldest wife. ”You shall have a son, O King!” said Angiras. ”But he will give you joy and sorrow both.” In time the eldest Queen bore a son. Her co-wives grew jealous and poisoned the child. Chitraketu was deeply moved, and he wept profusely. At the time Narada and Angiras came to him. They taught him the wors.h.i.+p of Shankarshana. Chitraketu became fixed in the meditation of this second manifestation of Chaturvyuha, and this made him very powerful. He became the King of the Vidyadharas.
Once Chitraketu was roaming over the firmament on the chariot given him by Vishnu, when he saw Siva surrounded by his attendants openly embracing His consort Bhavani. Chitraketu made some taunting remarks in the hearing of all. Siva simply smiled, and so did His attendants. But Bhavani cursed Chitraketu with an Asura birth. Chitaketu accepted the curse with an unruffled mind, saying it was the way of all beings to meet with things pleasant and unpleasant in this perishable world, and he only asked Bhavani to pardon him, if he had offended her. ”Look how bold the followers of Vishnu are!” exclaimed Siva, ”They fear no body in this world. I am also a follower of Vishnu. So I took no offence at the words of the King Vidyadhara.”
Chitraketu became Vritra by this curse, but his magnanimity and devotion to Vishnu were not lost.
THE DAITYAS.
*SKANDHA VI. CHAP. 18.*
KASYAPA = Diti.
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Hiranyakasipu Hiranyaksha 49 Maruts.
= Kayadhu = Bhanu