Skip to main content

DUNDUBHA--SAHASRAPAT'S STORY

         
The Dundubha (Sahasrapat) had a friend named Khagama. He possessed great spiritual powers. Whatever he uttered never went futile. One day when Khagama was engaged in Agni-hotra(Fire-sacrifice), Sahasrapat made an animated snake of blades of grass. He  tried to frighten Khagama with it. Khagama lost his consciousess immidiately. On recovering he cried out,’’Just as you have mocked me with a powerless  snake, you yourself will turn into one.’’ Sahasrapat was thunderstruck. He pleaded,’’I just wanted to have some fun, dear friend. I had no intention of hurting you. Please forgive me and take back your words.’’
On seeing him so disturbed,Khagama said,’’I cannot take back my words. But take solace , for you will be delivered from the curse the moment you spot Ruru,Pramati’s son.’’ That moment had arrived. Ruru was right there in front of him.
 Sahasrapat left his snake body and attained his own form and original brightness. He told Ruru a few things for his own good.’’ Always remember  that,Ahimsa is the highest virtue of a Brahmana, thus a Brahmana never should take the life of any creature. He should be benevolent, truthful and forgiving. His paramount duty is to retain the vedas in his memory. Do not follow the ideals of a Kshatriya. To be stern,to wield arms and to rule his subjects are the duties of a Kshatriya.  The Kshatriya king Janamejaya’s snake-sacrifice had wreaked havoc  in the serpent world.  Astika, the powerful and benevolent Brahmana, profound in Vedic knowledge then  delivered the snakes from their misery.’’
Saying all this he vanished from  sight. Ruru looked hard but couldn’t find him. Dejected, he went back to his ashrama and learnt about the famous Sarpa-yajna [snake-sacrifice] from his father.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

STORIES OF ARUNI,UPAMANYU AND VEDA

Ayoda-Dhaumya was a contemporary sage who had three disciples named Upamanyu,Aruni, and Veda.The disciples resided in his hermitage and performed the various tasks that were assigned to them. One fine day,the rishi came to know about a paddy field where a sudden breach of a water course was causing havoc.He  asked Aruni of Panchala to go and stop the flow. Aruni left immediately for the field and on reaching there he saw that he couldn’t stop it by any ordinary means.He was distressed as he didn't want to let down his master. So he went down  and lied down prostrate on the ground,and thus the water was confined. After quite  some time Ayoda-Dhaumya became aware of Aruni’s absence.When he enquired about Aruni,his other disciples reminded him of the errand that the boy had been send for.The guru instantly reached the field along with his disciples to see what the matter was.He cried out for Aruni.On hearing his master’s voice Aruni came out running from  the water...
Post a Comment
Read more

THE STORY OF JANMEJAYA

Janmejaya, along with his three brothers was attending a yajna on the plains of Kurushkhetra.There arrived the offspring of the celestial bitch, Sarama. Belaboured by the brothers of Janmejaya, it went crying to its mother. The mother was infuriated. She went to the brothers and asked them,”Why did u hurt my son without any fault of his?’’ ‘’He neither  looked at your sacrifical butter nor did he touch it with his tongue.’’The brothers had no answer. Possessed by pain and anger she said,’’As you have beaten my son who hadn’t committed any fault so evil will come upon you when you least expect it.’’ Janmejaya was shocked.After the yajna was over,he returned to Hastinapura. There he began to search for a saint who could do away with the effect of the curse. One day,while he was in a hunting expedition,he came across the hermitage of rishi Srutasrava. He had a son named Somasrava who was ascetically devoted,accomplished in the study of the Vedas,and was born of a she snake who h...
Post a Comment
Read more

UTANKA AND THE TAKSHAKA-2

Utanka decided to avenge the vile act of the Takshaka. He reached Hastinapur and met King Janmejaya .The king had just returned victorious from Takshasila . Celebration was in the air. Utanka seized the opportunity. He said,’’You are the mightiest of all the monarchs  that have ever lived. How come you are spending your time in mere merry and mirth when such a grave issue is looming large on your head?’’. He acknowledged,’’Yes, I was carried away,please tell me revered Brahmana, what is the call of the day?’’Utanka replied,’’ Go and avenge the death of your benevolent father, King Parikshita who was bitten without any reason by the vile serpent –Takshaka. The wicked fellow also drove away the physician,Kasyapa,who was coming to help your father.’’ Utanka went on,’’Conduct the snake –sacrifice yajna and let the wretch burn in blazing fire. Your father’s death would be avenged this way and I would be pleased too as the Takshaka had given be enough trouble.’’ The king was overcome...
Post a Comment
Read more