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.

The birth of Jarasanthan

Birugathradha was the king of Magadha and he married the twin daughters of King of Kasi (Banaras). While marrying he promised them that he would treat them equally in all respects.

After his marriage he did not have any offspring for long and he waited for years. He became very old and thought there is no use in ruling further and left for the jungle to meditate along with his wives after handing over the administration to his trusted ministers. 

One day he visited Sanda Kausika Rishi, a famous sage and reported his problem and asked him to help him to over come his problem of having  no issues.

The Rishi was touched by  his problem and went into meditation under a tree. When he was in deep meditation a Mango fell on his lap. The rishi took it and gave to Birugathradha and told him to give it to his wife and his problem would be solved.

Birugathradha took the mango and rushed to his wives and as he has promised them earlier, that he would share everything equally between them,  he cut the mango into two and fed them. Both his wives became pregnant and delivered two pieces of a baby identical to each other but of two sides of the same body. Each body part had one eye,one ear, half head, half body, one leg etc. So the wives became more sorrowful and the king asked his servant to take the bodies and throw them into the garbage.

One witch came to the place where the bodies were thrown and took them and put them together and it became one and started moving. The witch did not eat that child but brought it to the king and gave it to him as he is the saviour of all.  King Birugathradha was very happy and gave the baby to his wives and they brought up that baby. Since the body was joined as one from two it has the capacity to join and separate. The child named as Jarasanthan and grew up to become one of the most powerful kings who could not be defeated by anybody.

Finally he was killed by Bheem who was also very powerful man and the son of Vayu.

First Respect or Honour and Sisubala's death

After Jarasanthan was killed by Bheem, Yudhishtra  called all the kings and conducted Rajasooya yagnam. All the kings came to take part in the Yagnam.  Then one question was raised. Who should be the first person to be honoured & respected as Guest? 

First Respect was to be given to a suitable King before Rajasooya yagnam  and the Pandavas were discussing to whom the FIRST RESPECT should be given.

Each one of them were suggesting somebody for the FIRST RESPECT.

Yudhishtra consulted Bheeshma and he, without any  hesitation said that it should be Lord Krishna. As this was acceptable to Yudhishtra he asked his brother Sahadev to bring all pooja materials and submit them to Krishna.

Sisubala, the king of Sedhi country did not like it. Sisubalan insulted Krishna and abused him and also went on abusing him. Sisubala was the cousin of Krishna and he had a curse to be killed by Krishna. So  when this was known to Sisubala's mother she was worried and wanted to do something to save her son.

Sisubalan’s mother  came to Krishna and had requested Krishna not to kill or harm him. Krishna had promised her that he would not kill Sisubala till  that time he had abused him  one hundred  times,  but once he goes above that he would be killed by him.

So Krishna tolerated as Susubala's  verbal attack went on and on and when it crossed the  hundred mark he fought with him and killed him.

Rajasooya yagnam was then completed and Udhishtra was crowned as the King of Kings.

Jarasanthan and his death.

Jarasanthan was a very powerful and valiant king who defeated many kings and dethroned them and jailed them and had their countries under him.

After becoming the King of Indhra Prastha, Pandavas ruled it very ably and with justice and hence people loved them and supported them. So the near and dear ones of Udhishtra wanted him to do Rajasooya yagam which could make him the undisputed king of all the kings. So Yudhishtra sent word for Krishna to come and advice him in this.

Krishna came from Dwaraka and when told  about Yudhishtra doing the Rajasooya yagam, explained to him that Jarasanthan is the ruling king of all and is the most powerful king and until and unless he was defeated and  killed nobody could carry out the Rajasooya Yagam. He also told Yudhishtra that Jarasanthan was supported by powerful kings like Sisubala.

Krishna also said that he and Balarama fought Jarasanthan for three continuous years but were defeated and had to move away from  their 'Mathura' city and had to go to 'Dwaraka' where they were settled now. So Yudhishra has to kill Jarasanthan and release all the kings whom he has jailed. Then only he could carry out  Rajasooya yagam.

Initially Yudhishtra was not agreeing to this proposal of attacking Jarasanthan as even lord Krishna could not kill him, but Bheem encouraged him and persuaded him saying that he, Arjun and Krishna could kill and subdue Jarasanthan with their powers and abilities. Finally Yudhishtra agreed to this after Krishna and Arjun also sided with Bheem saying the combined strength of all the three could defeat Jarasanthan.

In those times a Kshtriya has to accept duels from another one and has to fight. Bheem, Arjun and Krishna reached the state of Jarasanthan. Since they went in disguise Jarasanthan thought they were  some sages and received them and offered them rest and shelter. Bheem and Arjun did not speak and Krishna explained their silence to a vow and that they would speak only in the night.

In the night Jarasantham visited them and the three told him that they had come to fight him and he could select one of them to fight. Jarasanthan discarded Krishna as a Yadava (Sheppard) and Arjun too young and hence agreed to fight Bheem.

Bheem and Jarasanthan fought for thirteen days without food or rest. On the fourteenth day Jarasanthan was tired. Then Krishna told Bheem to kill him. Bheem took Jarasanthan over his head , rotated him and tore his body into two. but the two parts of body again joined and Jarasanthan started fighting. Bheem was disappointed. but Krishna took a piece if grass and tore it into two and reversed the parts and threw it. Seeing this Bheem took Jarasanthan into his hands and tore him into two and reversed the parts and threw it. The part of bodies could not join now and Jarasanthan died.

The Pandavas released all the jailed kings and Princes and celebrated their Rajasooya yagnam.

Yudhishtra playing SADURANGA and gets defeated

After visiting and participating in the Rajasooya yaga of Yudhishtra , Duryodhana was crest fallen with jealousy as he had seen the huge accumulation of wealth, assets, ornaments, jewelries  etc of the Pandavas and the respect they have from other kings and the number of friends they had. So he was sad and worried and sat brooding over it.

His uncle Sakuni came to console him to whom Duryodhana expressed his fears of the Pandavas becoming extremely powerful and rule the world. Sakuni consoled him saying that he need not worry as he had the support and help of Drona, Aswathama, Bheeshma, Kirupar and other relatives including himself and hence he was not to worry. He also told him that if not by force, the Pandavas could be defeated by deceit  and could be driven out of Indraprastha and it could be taken over by Duryodhana without any war.

Listening to this Duryodhana was impressed and with ecstasy asked Sakuni how this could be achieved?

Sakuni replied that Yudhistra did not know to play  ‘Sadhuranga’  (CHESS PLAY) and Sakuni was an expert in it. So they could call Yudhishtra for playing   Sadhuranga,  ask him to bet  all his wealth and state and even his brothers and wife. Sakuni offered to play the game for Duryodhana.

So both uncle and nephew went to Dhirdhrashtra and apprised him about the plan of calling the Pandavas for a gamble play. Initially Dhirthrashtra was not willing to agree for such low and unjustified plan but he finally agreed after Sakuni and Duryodhana persuaded him after their assurance of fair play in the game. Finally Dhirthurashtra agreed to their plan and invite.  Pandava Yudhishtra  for playing the Sadhuranga game.

Vidhura objected to this and protested against this to Dhirdhrashtra but as usual his protest was ignored.  Vidhura was asked to go to Yudhishtra to invite him to play Sadhuranga game , representing Dhirdhrashtra.

 Vidhura was received  with all respects he was due and given a high seat and after he has taken rest Yudhishtra asked him whether all the relatives and others in Hastinapuram  were keeping good health. Vidhura said they were all fine and that he had come to invite Yudhishtra for a game of Sadhuranga. Even though Yudhishtra was concerned about playing such a game, it was not proper to refuse a call from one King to another one and as such he  accepted  to play the game. So he and his brothers with all their ministerial paraphernalia went to Hastinapuram. They were received by Sakuni and Duryodhana and given all facilities to rest and enjoy their stay. Later Yudhishtra was called by Sakuni to play the game as everything was kept ready for playing.

All sat down to play and then Duryodhana said that he would not play and on his behalf  Sakuni would play . Initially Yudhishtra was taken aback by this announcement but finally agreed to play.

They started playing and Yudhishtra was loosing his jewels, diamonds, horses, palaces etc and finally lost all his belongings. Then he pledged Bheem, Arjun, and Nakul and Sahadev one by one. He lost them also. He lost himself. Finally he had nothing to pledge but Duryodhana told him to pledge Panchali or Draupathi and as told by them Yudhishtra lost her also.

 Duryodhana asked Vidhura to go and bring Draupadi to the hall. But Vidhura was so angry he scolded   Duryodhana that he was doing a great sin and that Yudhishtra had no right to pledge Draupadi as he had lost the game and became a slave of Duryodhana and he had lost his right to pledge her.  Then Duryodhana asked his charioteer  Prathikami to go and bring Draupadi to the court of the King Dhirdhrashtra. Prathikami went to Draupadi and asked her to come to the court explaining her the reason for that.

Then Draupadi asked him to go ask her Husband Yudhistra  ‘whether he  pledged himself or his wife Draupadi first?

Prathikami went back to the court and asked Yudhishtra the question Draupadi asked him to ask Yudhishtra. Yudhishtra did not reply.

Then Duryodhana asked him to go back to Draupadi and asked her to come to the court. Prathikami again went to Draupadi and asked her to come to court hall.

When Prathikami said that Yudhishtra had not replied Draupadi asked him to go back to the court and ask the members of the court the same question. So he went back to the court and asked that question.

Duryodhana got angry and scolded him and told his brother Dushchadhana to go and bring Draupadi to the court. Dushchadhana went to her and caught her by her hair and dragged her to the court in spite of Draupadi telling him that she could not enter the court as she was on her monthly 'periods'. He did not listen to her and dragged her to the court hall.

Draupadi looked at all the great ministers, teachers and others and demanded to know how she could be pledged by Yudhishtra when he himself was pledged and defeated in the game. Vikarnan, a brother of Duryodhana was the only one to get up and support her but was silenced by Karna.  Duryodhana  shouted at her to come and sit on his lap.

Listening to this Bheem swore in a loud voice that he would kill Duryodhana by hitting at his thighs and drink his blood.Duryodhana asked Dushchdhana to disrobe Draupadi. Dushchdhana started pulling her sari with which she was draped. 

Draupadi prayed to Lord Krishna to save her from this insult and shame and wonder of wonder the sari Dushchadhana was pulling out of her was coming endlessly still covering Draupadi. Dushchadhana became tired pulling her sari as it was coming out endlessly and became weak and left it and sat down.

 Bheem got up and swore again that he would kill Dushchadhana  and  that he would tear his heart away after killing him and drink his blood.

Hearing all this Dhirdhrashtra was terrified and knew that his family and sons were going to be killed and destroyed by the Pandavas. He stopped all this and  returned all that Sakuni won back to Yudhishtra.

 But the Pandavas did not accept it and again wanted to play in spite of all the people present there telling them to avoid gambling again except the Kauravas and played the game again on the condition that ‘the defeated should leave the state and had to live in the jungles for twelve years and one year incognito." Yudhishtra again played and lost and had to leave everything except his brothers and wife and had to be away for thirteen  years.

They left for the Jungles with people going after them crying and cursing the Kauravas.