Guhan and his Boatman Kevat...

So this is the last blog post on mythological stories. I thought to get into something interesting about Ramayan and I found out a story of how Boatman Kevat helped Rama to cross the Ganga river. Let's take a look at the story...

After getting Vanvas Lord Rama along with Laxman & Sita started their new journey in van. One day they found out river Ganga which they need to cross.

When Lord Sri Ramachandra reached the forest with Sita and Lakshmana they had to cross river Ganga.

Guha had heard about the banishment of Lord Rama and came running to help Him.

One of his boatmen was unloading people on the opposite bank and Guha said to Kevat to bring the boat and take divine personalities on other side of mother Ganga.

Kevat brought the boat near Lord Rama, got down and did namaskaar with intense devotion to Lord Rama.

He started and ended his days with prayers to Lord Rama and throughout the day he was well known for talking about the glories of Lord.

Kevat asked Guha whether he could wash Lord’s feet before He stepped into the boat. Guha told him to wash His feet after seating Him in the boat.

But Kevat was adamant and told Guha that he would like to wash Lord’s feet before he got into the boat. Guha was a little angry at his stubbornness and was about to loose temper.

Then Kevat decided to explain his point to Lord Rama himself. “Lord, the limited income I have as a boatman is just enough to make both ends meet in life and I am afraid that I cannot afford any more boats. So let me please wash the dust on your feet before you step into my boat.”

Lord Rama smiled looking at Sita devi and remained silent.

Kevat continued:”Lord, I have heard that the dust from your feet embraced a stone in the forest and it became a woman. My boat is made of several pieces of wood and if the dust of your feet fell on my boat, I am afraid the boat would turn into several women corresponding to each piece of wood.. I sincerely cannot take care of any more members in my household. That is why I am requesting to wash the feet and make it dust free before you step into the boat. Please be kind to me.”

Lord Rama appreciated his pure and innocent faith.

After washing their feet Kevat place his hands on earth and ask Lord to first step on his hand before stepping into the boat. This way he washed all his sins by having a touch of Lords feet.

After washing the Lord’s feet, Kevat ferried them across the river. As soon as they alighted from the boat, Ma Sita immediately withdrew a ring from her finger and handed it over to Lord Rama, signaling to him to pass it on to the boatman.

Lord Rama: Here Brother, that is all we can pay you for your kind service. Please accept it!

Kevat: (Shaking his head). No, My Lord! I can not possibly accept this from you.

Lord Rama: Why?

Kevat: Because people of the same profession do not charge each other for their services. A barber never takes payment, when he gives a haircut to another barber. Even a washer-man never charges a fellow washer-man.

Lord Rama: Brother, how can you and I be of the same profession? You are a boatman and I am….

Kevat: Lord, both of us do the same work. I ferry people from this shore of the Ganges to the other. You ferry people across the ocean of Samsaara(Bhav-sagar),through the journey of life.

How can I accept payment from you? Prabhu! I don’t want anything. But please, as I have made you cross this river today, when my time comes, take me across sansaar saagar [the ocean of material existence!]. That would be your return to me.

The Lord was so overwhelmed at this devotional request from Kevat, that he held out his arms and embraced the boatman. Later, the expert ferryman was delivered from the cycle of birth and death just because of this little service done unto the Supreme Lord!

He also asked Lord for endless devotion to lotus feet of Lord Rama.

Lord Rama said that from today you not need to take another birth, and granted Kevat – Mukti from material world.

Krishna:Death by many CURSE:Adapted from The Mahabharatha-3

THE FINAL SHOWDOWN

So we saw how Gandhari and Rishi Kanav cursed Lord Krishna and Yadavas. This is the last part of the story where we see the Destruction of Yadavas so lets go ahead and see what happened.

Time rolled by. The triangular piece of the mace was swallowed by a fish. The fish was caught by a hunter, who upon finding the piece in the fish’s entrails immediately used it to craft a fine poisonous arrow. The fine powder, on the other hand, washed back ashore and deposited itself by the beautiful coast of Dwaraka. A certain grass grew in lush abundance in the area where the powder was deposited. Everything was set for the final showdown.

One day, the Yadavas went on a picnic to the beach. They were in their usual high state and the liquor that they drank on the beautiful beach made them to lose their senses totally. In this total state of uncontrol, they started teasing one another, bringing up the ghory pasts and gruesome mistakes of each other. They taunted one another, bringing back memories of the ghory war. Pradyumna, the son of Krishna, innocent though he was, found himself in the thick of the fight and was killed.The Yadavas, in their state of ignorance, threw the grass blades at one another. The curse of Kanva Maharishi started acting and each blade of grass became a mace, smashing into the Yadavas, killing them instantly. It was a matter of moments before the Yadavas lay dead, killed by their own clan members and infront of their very King.

Having seen this total destruction unfold before his very eyes, Krishna then decided that it is time for him to shed his coils too. He entrusted the Yadava women to Arjuna and along with Balarama left to the forest. The moment Krishna left Dwaraka, a huge wave splurged up from the oceans and swallowed the beautiful city into its deep depths, where it continues to lie till this very day.

Balarama, vexed with the battles of life, sat down in meditation and very soon the thousand headed serpent, AdiSesha, came out from his mouth and offering its salutations to Krishna, glided towards the sea. By the amazing wills of fate, the hunter saw the foot of Krishna sticking out from the bushes and assuming it to be a deer shot it down with an arrow. The very arrow made from the lone surviving triangular piece from the mace that was delivered by Sambha. Krishna was killed by the poisoned.

The death of Krishna was none other than the great Vaali in his last birth. Shri Narayana, in his previous avatar as the beloved of the Raghu clan, had killed Vaali from a hidden spot atop a tree. Vaali had committed no act against Shri Raama and hence Raama had no reason, whatsoever to kill him. This story beautifully brings out the very important fact that, even for the Ruler of the Universe, the laws of Karma remain the same..

Krishna:Death by many CURSE:Adapted from The Mahabharatha-2

Kanav Maharishi Curse

In the last part we saw how Gandhari curse Lord Krishna, now lets get to another curse which cause

Krishna Death.

The Yadavas were in eternal bliss in Dwaraka. So much bliss, that they forgot good conduct, morals and the importance of discipline and humility. So once when some of the SapthaRishis came down to visit Krishna and Balarama, they went beyond the restraints of respect for the maha purushas.

“Let’s test the powers of these so called Thava sreshtas (best of the people in tapas)”, suggested Sambha, the son of Krishna, to his friends. Sambha dressed himself as a woman, and then placed a mace underneath his dress, and led by two other men approached the rishis, the very picture of an expecting mother. “Oh learned men”, one of the yadavas voiced.”My wife here is pregnant. Can you, by the divine powers vested in you, predict the gender of the child to be born?”

The rishis were furious. They saw through the whole hoax immediately. Kanva maharishi immedialty grabbed his kamandala and in the heat of fury sprinkled some water on the three yadavas. “May the very thing that he bears in his stomach be born to him. And that thing will lead to the extinction of the entire Yadava clan”, he cursed. The Yadavas, shocked though they were, were too arrogant to even apologise. They left the scene, laughing off the curse as the speech of one who had lost all his sanity.

Things were however very different the next morning. Sambha developed labour pains and soon delivered a mace from within him. The Yadavas were now struck with fear. They immediately rushed with the mace to Akroora and Ugrasena and in the presence of Krishna himself, they narrated the weird tide of events. Akroora imediately ordered,”Grind the mace to a fine powder and cast it into the seas.” The yadavas nodded and retreated. Akroora cast his gaze at Krishna, his eyes full of questions. Krishna simply smiled back. “The wheels of time are turning Uncle”, he said,”and Sambha has played his part perfectly.” He left without another word, leaving both of them bewildered.

Outside the palace, the Yadavas had obeyed Akroora’s command to the dot. They had ground the mace finely. Everything was ground except a sharp triangular piece which appeared to be very hard indeed. And then they had thrown the fine powder and the lone piece into the sea. Happy that they had taken care of the matter so easily, they returned back to their general state of intoxication and bliss.

Krishna:Death by many CURSE:Adapted from The Mahabharatha-1

CURSE OF GANDHARI

Kurukshetra was silent. The battle had come to an end and the war ground was strewn with bodies of royal and commoners alike. The Pandavas were not rejoicing their win. Rather they were devasted at the destruction that a single war had caused. Stunned and speechless, they scanned the ground for people in need of help.

“Duryodhanaaaaaaaaaaa….”, shrieked a voice from far far away, “Dhur… Dhuryodhanaaaa. My son, open your eyes. Speak… Speak to me my first born… Speak to me… A hundred did we bear, all fine and proud. Was it for such a foolish end. Dhuryodhana…. speak out.. SPEAK OUT…” Gandhari, was bent over the bloody mess of  her son’s body, tears pouring down, slurring her speech. Her husband, the blind king Dritharashtra stood by, looking helpless.

The Pandavas along with Krishna hurried over to Gandhari and the King, to offer their respects, apologies and condolences. Gandhari, however, totally ignored them and aided by Sanjaya, came up to Krishna.”You”, she shouted,”You, the young king of Dwaraka. You, who I worshipped everyday, as Vishnu himself and You, who I know to be an avatar of the supreme godhead. Are’nt you ashamed of your doings? Should’nt you have averted this war with your divine will and power? Is this what you do to your own creation? I have requested you, each and every day in the past troubled times to avert this disaster. Is this how you answer my prayers? Ask yor mother, Devaki, the pain of losing a child. She had seven of her children being killed at birth and now I have seen a hundred sons of mine being butchered to death” Gandhari, was shaking, her anger. She was shocked to hear that Krishna was laughing gently at her. 

Her fury vent itself out, “Do you smile after all this? What a nerve you have. Listen to this, oh mocking God. If my years of Vishnu Bhakthi have been true, and if my PathiBhakthi since my marriage has been unshaken and strong, then, may you die in 36 years from today. May Dwaraka be flooded and may every one of your Yadava kin perish by killing each other, just as you made the kins of Kuru kill one another. Since the Yadavas cannot be killed by any other race, they will die at each other’s hands. May the Yadavas die out…. may the Yadavas die out….”

Ganesh and Ravan the Demon

Here I come with my second story of lord Ganesh

Ganesh and Ravan the Demon

As we all are aware about the demon Ravan from Ramayana. He was defeated by lord Ram. The story is, once Ravan took under very difficult tapas. As a repercussion Lord Shiva appeared to him. Ravan asked for a boon that his kingdom and he itself could not be damage or destroyed. As a present Shiva gave him a Shiv Lingam which is called as symbol of lord Shiva and asked him to bring this back to his kingdom and place it in the temple with requisite rituals.

After placing the Shiv Lingam in his temple he would become unconquerable. But there was a condition; whatever happens he had responsibility of not laying down the Lingam on the floor.

Overjoyed, Ravan welcome the Lingam. The Deva were afraid of the power that Ravan could obtain. They requested Lord Ganesh before any action. Then Varun Dev, Lord of water entered into the abdomen of Ravan causing in some trouble which forced him to stop on his way. Ravan was disturbed with the pain but at the same time he was careful of not laying down the Lingam. He saw a young Brahman coming on the same way he called him and asked to hold the Lingam for a movement.

As soon as Ravan deposited the Lingam to the young Brahman; the Brahman shouted for help for 3 times getting no reply he put the Lingam on the ground. When Ravan came back and saw the Lingam on the ground he was very angry and dismissed the boy who just appeared to be Lord Ganesh in reality. Ravan had the power of Lingam so Lord Ganesh could easily quench the devil, kicking to the sky. Ravan realized his limitation and power of Lord Ganesh.

The place where Shiv Lingam was deposit is called Gokarna, and is located in Karnataka western coast; it is a worshiping place till nowadays.

Female Avatar of Lord Ganesh

Unknown Stories of Lord Ganesha

Through this secession I would like to tell you some unknown stories of lord Ganesh which will let you know some more things about him and his various avatars. Daily a new story of him so stay tuned daily..

Female Avatar of Lord Ganesh     

    

The female form of Ganesh emerged in the 16th century when a separate sect of religion called tantric came in existence. The sect was popularized because they were worshiping the female avatar of lord Ganesh. The tantric believed that female avatar is source of generative power where as the male is responsible for implanting life.

The Purans mention Malini the elephant headed colleague of goddess Parvati. She was the nursemaid of Lord Ganesh. Therefore female avatar of Ganesh is nothing but an exaggerated description of Malini.

The birth of female form of Lord Ganesh Vinayaki is mentioned in the Matsaya Puran. You have learnt the story of the demon Andhaka who wanted to marry goddess Parvati. He also tried to take her by Lord Shiva who injured him by his trishul. Andhaka have a boon that when the blood trill from his body and touched ground every drop would turn into new Andhaka.

Parvati called all the deities and asked them to fight with the demon in their female form. So Indrani, Vaishnavi and Brahmani came forward to fight Andhaka and absorb the blood before it touched the ground. It was finally Lord Ganesha’s female form Vinayaki who drank the whole blood of Andhaka and helped the deities to destroy Andhaka.

Why do we celebrate Dussehra

                              Ya devi sarva bhutesu, shanti rupena sansitha
                             Ya devi sarva bhutesu, shakti rupena sansthita
                             Ya devi sarva bhutesu, matra rupena sansthita
                       Namastasyai, namastasyai, namastasyai, namo namaha!

Meaning:-          

                 The goddess who is omnipresent as the personification of universal mother
                         The goddess who is omnipresent as the embodiment of power
                         The goddess who is omnipresent as the symbol of peace
                             I bow to her, I bow to her, I bow to her again & again.

Dussehra also known as Vijayadashmi which means ‘Vijay’ means victory and ‘Dashmi’ means the tenth day. It is said that on this day Lord Ram killed the demon-king Ravan and rescued his wife Sita. In other word it is a triumph of good over evil.The legendary triumph is reenacted to the day. In the northern parts of India, huge effigies of Ravana, his giant brother Kumbhkarna and son Meghnath are placed in vast open grounds. Fireworks and crackers are placed inside the effigies.

The program starts before 10 days of the day. The whole act is enacted telling the whole story of Ramayana. The actor dress as Lord Ram along with his wife Sita and brother Laxman. They enact the climax after the battle climax of war with Ravan the actor playing lord Ram shoots a flaming arrow towards the effigies of Ravana and the crowd burst into cheers with the lightning up of the fire.

As India is a country with many religions the Dussehra is also celebrated in different manner in Kolkata. Kolkata celebrate Dussehra as their main festival as Durga Pooja. This day is mark as the end of Durga Pooja nine days celebration popularly named as Navratri. Vijayadashmi is dedicated to Mother Goddess Shakti, who incarnated in the form of Goddess Durga, a combined manifestation of the divine energies of the Holy Trinity - Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh and all the other devatas, when they summoned her to kill the mighty demon known as Mahishasura and freed the world from his terror.

On this day the idol of Goddess Durga is immersed into the water after nine days of festival. It is belived that people at the eastern part of India adopt Durga as their daughter and thus she visits her parent house every year during last four days of Navratri. She comes with her son lord Ganesh and Kartikey, along with daughter Laxmi and Saraswati. She finally left for her husband house on Vijayadashmi.

Although the motive to celebrate it remains the same, triumph of good over evil.