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RURU

I hope you all remember that in the previous blog ---Puloma- the beautiful—I told about how the Bharagavas came into being.This is a continuation of the episode.
Chavana, Bhrigu’s son married Sukanya. Pramati was born to them. He  in turn fathered Ruru and the boy grew up to be a famous hermit.
Rishi Sthulakesa was a contemporary sage who not only possessed great ascetic powers but also was well known for his humanitarian approach to life. Now, there was another king- the king of the Gandharvas- Viswavasu,who had an affair with Maneka, the ravishing Apsara of those times. In due time Maneka gave birth to a beautiful girl child and abandoned her near the hermitage of Rishi Sthulakesa. The rishi took pity upon the hapless being,brought her home and reared her with great love and care.
The girl was named Pramadvara. She grew up to be an exceedingly beautiful and virtuous woman. A chance encounter at the hermitage of Sthulakesa brought Ruru and Pramadvara together. Ruru was just bowled over. His father Pramati approached rishi Sthulakesa to ask for his daughter’s hand in marriage. The rishi was more than happy to agree at such an alliance.
 Both the parties were happily making arrangements for the marriage when tragedy struck.  Pramadvara, while playing with her friends got  bitten by a snake. The maiden dropped on the ground lifeless like a log. All the Brahmanas present there  rushed  immidiately to her rescue. But alas! No one could turn the wheels of fate in her favour. A sense of hopelessness and agony struck Ruru. He groaned in pain,’’If I’ve  led a pious life, and respected my elders, if I have controlled my passions and adhered to my vows then o the masters of heaven ,let my fair beloved raise from the ground.’’
The Gods in heaven took pity  on Ruru and sent a messenger. The Devduta{messenger} told him, ‘’The days of this maiden were numbered, dear child,don’t let grief take control over all your emotions. However, the Gods are kind, and they have proposed that if you comply to give half of your remaining life to Pramadvara she will come back to her senses.’’ Ruru readily agreed.The king of the Gandharvas{Pramadvara’s biological father}and the Devduta appealed to Dharmaraja{the judge of the dead}to restore back life to Pramadvara. And the girl was given a new lease of life endued with a moiety of Ruru’s life.
Then on an auspicious day the two loving souls were married off. But Ruru couldn’t get over his wrath of the serpents.Whenever he spotted one he eliminated it from the face of mother earth.
One day,as he entered a forest,he saw an old Dundubha{ a particular harmless member  of the serpent family} stretched on the ground. He was about to strike it when the old serpent said,’’I haven’t done any harm to you,why will you want to slay me ?’’Ruru answered,’’ My dearest wife was bitten by one of your brothers, so I’ve taken a vow to erase your species from the face of earth.’’

Dundubha sombrely replied,’’The snakes that bite are different from us.You cannot kill the Dundubhas under this misapprehension.’’There was something in his voice which forced Ruru to pay attention. He asked,’’Tell me serpent,who you truly are.’’To this the wretched creature replied,’’I was formerly a rishi named Shahasrapat. A Brahmana’s curse has worked its spell on me, thereby metamorphosing me to a serpent.’’
                                                 {To be continued}

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