Bhima revives the old woman who died

When I was a kid my father used to tell us stories from Ramayana & Mahabharata.

I remember one such story.

When the Pandavas,  were in Vanawas, one day Bhima was very hungry and was going in for food. He saw a banana grove, went inside and started eating bananas in thousands.

Them Grove belonged to an old woman who saw this and shouted at Bhima to stop & get out.

He did not listen nor obeyed her.

Then she started abusing him in all profanities, obscenities and vulgar languages.

Bhima ignored her and ate to his content & left.

The old woman died suddenly. All villagers came to Dharmaputra and complained that Bhima had killed the woman.

Bhima denied the accusations and said he just ate the bananas.

Dharmaputra was confused. He asked Lord Krishna to help.

Krishna said "ask Bhima to go to the dead body and scold her the same way she did to him".

So Bhima went to the corpse of the woman & scolded her the same way she did.

Wonder of wonders the woman came back to life.

Lord Krishna said when you abuse somebody it all come back to you to haunt & punish you. That old woman got punished for abusing Bhima but when Bhima returned the abuses she came back to life as her curses got neutralized.

Vyasar and his son Sugar.

Vyasar Maharishi wrote the Mahabharata and also compiled the four Vedhas. His son was Sugar maharishi. Sugar was highly educated and versatile in all Vedhas, Upanishads and other godly things. One day he just ran away from the ashram of Vyasa without wearing anything.

Vyasar came after him and calling him to return while Sugar never listened and was running naked.On the way there was a pond in which many young women were taking bath naked. Sugar ran on the bank of the pond without even noticing them and they also sat there taking bath without covering themselves.

Vysar was coming after Sugar and when Vyasar came near all the girls who were taking bath jumped into the pond and covered themselves in water.

Vyasar saw this and in wonder asked them "My son who was so young and handsome ran this way and you girls never covered your self but when I came here you have covered yourself in water. I am much older and like your father. So why you did this?

One of the girls replied. "Vyasar maharaj your son ran away this way naked but he did not notice us. But you an older man and noticed us and waited to ask this question. That is why we have hid our self in water".

Vyasar now accepted his fault of noticing the girls even though he was such a pious and highly respected saint while his son who was not aware of the women was much more pious and great.

Nala and Damayanthi.

Nala  and Damayanthi.

Nala wa the king of  Nishada and was a famous warrior and a very good cook making varieties of food which could make anybody fascinated and a slave of Nala.

One day Nala was in his palace garden and saw a beautiful, golden Swan floating in the pool of the garden. He was so attracted by its beauty, he sent his servants  to catch and bring it to him. The servants caught it and brought it to him. The swan was frightened and shivering. Nala assured it of protection and told it that he caught it just to see its beauty and not for killing it.

The Swan was happy and praised him for his kind hearted and noble gesture and told him that for such a nice and warrior like him a bride is waiting in the kingdom of Vidarbha, the daughter of the King of Vidarbha, a beauty of unparalleled virtues and was the real and suitable wife for him. Nala was impressed and asked the swan to go and tell Damayanthi that he was in love with her and would like to marry her.

The swan went to Damayanthi and told her the handsome and warrior king of Nishad, King Nala was in love with her. She was also fascinated with the description of Nala and consented to marry him.

The king of Vidarbha arranged a Swayamvara (selection of Husband by the bride of her own choice). All princes and kings came to the Swayamvara and Nala also came there. But the gods of Inthra, Agni, Varuna, Yama and Saturn also were interested in marrying her and attended the Swayamvara and knowing the desire of Damayanthi they disguised themselves as Nala and sat there near Nala.

Damayanthi came with her lady escorts and was seeing each one of the princes and was interested only in Nala and was about to find him but was shocked to see so many Nalas sitting there. She was confused and prayed to her god and  wanted to garland only the King Nala and not others. Suddenly she had some idea. The Gods would not close & open their eyes like the humans who open and shut their eyes naturally. Also the devas or gods are not born through natural means and would not have a NAVEL (like normal humans). So she watched each of them and found the real Nala and garlanded him.

She also fell on the feet of the gods and asked their pardon in not choosing them. They blessed her and vanished except the Lord Saturn who was vengeful and wanted to punish Nala  for the insult of not selecting him as her husband and waited for his time. 

One day Nala while doing his evening prayer but did not wash his feet properly and immediately the Saturn entered him. 

One day Nala played Saduranka (chess) with his minister Pushkara who cunningly defeated him and took away all his country, assets and other things and forced him to leave the kingdom. Nala and Damayanthi went to a  very old temple and slept there when he lost his clothes and had to cover himself with half  of the sari of his wife. 

He thought of the pitiable condition he was in and wanted to desert his wife and left her in the jungle and went away so that she could go back to her parents and live comfortably. While going he saw a snake in fire and tried protecting it and when the snake was protected it suddenly bit him and it made him very dark and dwarf. Nala was annoyed and asked the snake why it was do ungrateful? The snake told him that this would make him look different and protect him so saying it went away.

Nala went  and was appointed as a charioteer for the king Rituparma  and showed him  how he  could run the chariot in the speed of thought. The King also taught him the technique of just seeing a tree he could tell the number of leaves in it. Nala also made delicious food and gave the king sumptuous meals which endeared him to the king.

Meanwhile Damayanthi left alone in the forest was worried and searched for him but not able to locate him, went back to her father and remained there with her two children. She was sending spies everywhere to find Nala and bring him back. One day one spy came back to her and said that the cook and charioteer in the Palace of king of Ayodya was a very good cook and a very good charioteer who could run his chariot at the speed of thought. Damayanthi was sure it must be Nala as only he could run chariot at this speed. So she send the same spy back to the king of Ayoadya and to tell the king of a Swayamvara at the palace of king of  Vidarbha the next day.

King of Vidarbha was impressed with the beauty of Damayanthi but was worried how he could go to Vidarbha in one day. Nala was shocked to know of this news of his wife’s Swayamvara but assured the king that he could take him there the next day. They arrived to the palace of the king of Vidarbha but there was no celebrations of a Swayamvara. So they approached the king who introduced them to his daughter Damayanthi who asked Nala to cook a meal. The preparation of the foods and also the speed of the chariot driven had convinced Damayanthi about Nala’s real identity and Nala also confessed of his real person.

 As seven and half years of Saturn was also over Saturn left Nala and Nala got back his own figure and went to his country fought with his minister and got back his kingdom. And they lived long years as King and queen.

Prahalada

Hiranya kasibu was a very powerful demonic king who controlled all the three worlds and imprisoned all Devas and Gods were afraid of him. He had obtained the boons from Lord Shiva which made him so powerful. One of the boon is that he  could not be killed in the day time nor in the night, he could not be killed  by any weapons, he could not be killed inside the house or outside the house, he could not be killed by a man or animal , he could not be killed either in the space or on the earth etc. These conditions made him so invincible he continued to rule and harass all the Devas and their king Devendra.

 All the Devas went to Lord Vishnu and asked him for relief from this demon. The boons were given by Lord Shiva and boons once given cannot be taken back. So Vishnu promised them some relief  and asked them to remain  calm and patient.

Hiranyakasibu  had a son called Prahalada. Huranyakasibu loved his son so much and brought him up as a son to reign after his death and gave all kinds of education, skills in archery, horse riding, sword fighting, elephant riding etc.

But Prahalada was a very ardent believer of Lord Vishnu and always used to say “OM NARAYANA NAMO” which annoyed Hiranyakasibu. He called his son’s teachers and threatened  to execute them for this instead of telling “Hiranyakasibu Namo” all the time. 

The teachers fell at his feet and told him that whatever effort they take the boy Prahalada was adamant and said “OM NAMO NARAYANA”.

Hiranyakasibu got so wild that he ordered  his men to put him under the feet of the elephants and kill him. But the elephants did not stomp him as he was going on saying PM NAMO NARAYANA. Then he was tied to a rock and thrown into the sea so he would drown and die. But again he was saved by the Lord Vishnu. Later he was fed with poison and even this did not kill him.

Finally Hiranyakasibu called his son and asked him why he was muttering  his enemy’s name “OM NAMO NARAYANA all the time as he was the real God and not Vishnu. Prahalad replied that Lord Vishnu was the real God and hence he was uttering his name all the time.

Hiranyakasibu asked Prahalad  “where is the Vishnu and show him to me.”

Prahalad said “He is everywhere. In Pillar and in dust”.

Hiranyakasibu then showed a pillar in his palace and asked “is he in this pillar?”

Prahalad said “yes he is in there.”

It was late in the evening and sun was setting so it was neither day or night. Hiranyakasibu got so wild he took his Mace and hit the pillar. The pillar split into two and  A huge animal like thing, half Lion and half man came out of the pillar and took Hiranyakasibu in its lap, sat on the entrance to the palace  and tore his chest and bought out his heart and ate and killed him.

 This Narasimha Moorthy killed Hiranyakasibu and finished off his despotic rule. Prahalad prostrated in from of it and prayed to cool its temper and praised Lord Vishnu who came in the form of the Narasimha moorthy. 

The Lord calmed down and made Prahalad as the king and vanished.

Lord Vishnu as Narasimhamoorthy was neither an animal or man, it used its nails to kill Hiranyakasibu as he could not be killed by any weapon, he was neither on the earth nor in space but on the lap of the Moorthy, he was killed neither in day nor in night but in the evening  , he was not killed inside the house or outside but on the entrance of the palace and so on.

So his boon had not helped him as he was killed meeting all his stated conditions.

Aswaththama's revenge and Krishna's curse

Aswaththama  got very much affected by the death of Duryodhana and his own father Dronachariar by deceit. So he went to the place where Duryodhana was lying, slowly dying.

He declared that "HE WOULD KILL THE PANDAVAS THAT NIGHT ITSELF". Duryodhana was happy and blessed him to accomplish that and made him the chief of the Kaurava army. Aswaththama and his uncle Kirubar went into the forest and spend that night in the forest.

In that tree some crows were staying and one owl came and attacked the crows one by one and killed them. This gave him an idea and decided to do the same to the Pandavas and their army when they were sleeping and tired.

He told his uncle Kirubar  who protested against this and advised him against this as it is against Dharma (justice) and against the deeds of a Brahmin, but Aswaththama was firm in what he has decided to do. Whatever Kirubar advised him against doing this revenge only strengthened his decision. So Kirubar has told him "since you wanted to do this I will also follow you and do what you do."

Kiruthvarma also joined them. They entered the Pandava's tents and as everybody were sleeping they killed one by one and then set fire to all the tents. When the fire escalated to other tents soldiers and others got up and ran helter shelter and Aswaththama killed those who were running. After killing most of those all the three went back to Duryodhana and informed him that they had killed all the Pandava's army and there only seven people  were  left and on his side they three were alive"

Duryodhana was overwhelmed by this news  and told them that hey have done what even Bhishma, Karna and others could not do. Saying this he died.

Udhishtra was terribly worried and felt dejected by the death of  their sons and others and Draupathi cried out  "is there are not any man who could kill  Aswaththama who killed all my sons?"

Immediately all the Pandavas went in search of Aswaththama and found him hiding behind Vyasa near the ganga. When Aswaththama saw the Pandavas and Krishna he took a small grass and  sent it to destroy all the Pandavas by saying some Mantras. That grass went and hit the fetus in the womb of Uthira the wife of Abhimanyu. but Krishna saved it from death and when it was born it was dark and was called Parishath and he expanded the Pandava lineage.

Aswaththama took the Jewel on his head and gave it to Bheem and went  to forest. The jewel was given to Draupadi and Draupadi gave it to Yudhishtra as he was only fit to wear that. 

Aswaththama became a demon and moving around the world even today because he was cursed to be one.

One measure of rice flour not equal to the Aswametha yaga

After the war with the Kaurava was over Yudishtra conducted the Aswametha Yaga for which all the kings of India were invited. Many poor Brahmans and others came and attended the function and received sumptuous food and gifts. The function went as per plans and Yudhishtra was proud and happy that everything went well and as planned.

When the function was over a mongoose suddenly appeared from somewhere and laughed at Yudhishtra. The members who gathered there asked the mongoose why it was laughing.

The Mongoose whose one part of the body was shining as gold started to talk. "Oh Kings, Brahmans and other respected guests, Once a Poor Brahman living at Kurushetra donated a measure of rice flour. And this has made him and his family to go to the heaven. Your Aswametha yaga and other paraphernalia would not equal to it and that is why I laughed. Why  you feel proud and happy ? " 

The gathered Brahmans asked the mongoose " how it would equal to a measure of flour when everything was conducted as per 'Sastra' and all rules were followed very strictly." So explain the reason for the laughing and why our Yaga was inferior to the Flour?" they asked the mongoose.

The Mongoose said "Learned Men I never meant any discourtesy or disrespect to you. But want you to listen the the incident I have seen and experienced "

Then It started to explain the incident.

Once long ago one very poor Brahman lived in Kurushetra and lived by doing "Unchavirthy" (In those days Brahmans have to beg for their food from others and when they get rice, wheat, flour. fruits etc they would bring them home, cook and eat and this is called "Unchavirthy" ). He had one wife, one son and his wife and all the four used to cook and eat what this Brahman used to bring. They will share all the food that they used to get in equal parts and never keep the food for the next day.  If they did not get any food they would remain without food for that day.  The country had severe drought and no rain meant no food grains and people had suffered the worst. As things were difficult for all, the Brahman had difficulty to collect food. After going through much hardship One day the Brahman with some difficulty collected a measure of rice flour and brought it home. After cooking the rice flour they did the Pooja and then divided the flour into four parts and sat to eat that. At that instant one old Brahman came to their home and asked them to give some food as he was very hungry.

The Brahman told him that they are very poor and have nothing to offer him other than what they have now and offered his part of the flour to the guest. The guest took the flour and was not satisfied with that and wanted more. Then the Brahman's wife offered her part of the flour.  Even this was not sufficient and the son and daughter-in-law offered their food. The Brahman Guest was very happy and praised the Brahman and his family members for their utmost sacrifice in going without that frugal food and offering the same to a Guest. He said "see the Donation of food has made the Gods in heaven happy and you and your family members would go to the Heaven and the Pushpaka Vimanam is waiting for you to go to heaven" and saying this he disappeared .

The smell of the flour has changed my head into gold and I fell on the flour which was lying there and the part of the body which fell on the flour became golden. This is the reason why I said that the "Aswamatha yaga" was not equivalent to the flour the Brahmin offered to his guest." Thus said the Mongoose. And then it vanished.

Vidhura's curse in his previous birth as Yama

Mandavya rishi, a pious and famous Rishi or sage built a hut and was living and meditating in a jungle and doing his service to God. One day some thieves entered the palace of the King and stole valuables from there and ran away. After stealing everything they were going to the forest and on the way saw a sage doing penance, meditating  under a tree. One of the thieves threw an expensive gold chain on the neck of the sage and they went away. The palace soldiers came after them. The thieves  threw the  necklace on the meditating sage, which fell on his neck  thinking that the soldiers would stop pursuing them. 

The soldiers came to the tree where the sage was meditating, saw the necklace on his neck. The sage was concentrating on his penance and was not aware of what happened to him. They went back to the king and informed him about this sage with the chain on his neck. The King in a fit of rage asked the soldiers to catch the sage and impale him on a sharp knife in sitting position.  This is a punishment in olden days  and impalement was carried out on a long erect knife fixed no  a  dais and on which the accused would be asked to sit cross legged. The knife would slowly pierce him from his bottom and come out through his head. In olden days it was a punishment, a serious punishment for adultery, stealing, murder etc.

The soldiers took the sage to the street corner and impaled him in sitting position. The knife went from his bottom and came out through his head. But he did not die but was still meditating, but with excruciating pain. When evening came, the other sages, his friends,  came to enquire after him in the guise  of birds as he did not return to his abode. They found him impaled in the knife and asked him why he was punished like this. The sage replied that these were the fate of his sins of previous birth. The soldiers guarding him found birds talking to him and he was still alive. They were frightened and sensed something was wrong and  went and informed the king about this.

The king understood that some thing wrong had been committed against the sage. He came running and asked the soldiers to pull out the sage from the knife and fell on his feet and apologized for his mistake. The sage just ignored him and went to the god of Justice Yama and asked him why he had to undergo this punishment when he had not done any mistakes in his whole life.  

Yama who had the records of everybody's goods and sins  told him that as a young boy the sage was catching and maiming butterflies and for that reason he had to undergo this punishment.

The sage got wild. He said "Yama, you do not know the justice. A boy under twelve years does things because of his ignorance and these could not be construed as sins, so you have committed the injustice and I had to undergo the punishment. Anybody  committing any sins below the age of twelve could not be considered as sin. Hence I curse you to be born as Vidhura and with all your knowledge and intelligence nobody would listen to your advices and ignore and insult you. You will suffer like this till your death."

Thus the God of justice was born as Vidhura, the brother of Yudhishtra & Pandu but through a servant maid by Rishi Vyasar. He was always insulted by Duryodhana.