MAHABHARATA SERIES BOOK#1: The Forest of Stories (Mba)

by Ashok K. Banker

  Then Indra led the devas in an assault on Garuda. Stung and nicked by their weapons and blows, he roared, filling the three worlds with his fearsome cry. Beating his great wings, he rose up into the sky above the heads of the devas. The gods attacked him on every side, with every weapon at their disposal, flinging spears, javelins, lances, arrows, cutting with swords, axes, chakras, jabbing trishuls, striking powerful blows with hammers, iron maces, clubs and weapons of every kind and description. Garuda withstood all their blows without coming to harm. On and on the battle raged, but Vinata’s son fought on relentlessly, showing no signs of weariness or pain. Even though he was but one, and they were many, and immortal, yet it was the devas who grew the worse for wear. For he tore into them with savage ferocity, mangling bodies with his deadly beak and talons, sending entire scores of them scattering with a single flutter of his wings. Immortal though they were, they were not immune to pain and began to suffer grievious injuries and wounds. Then, unable to bear the assault of the king of birds, the defending line of the devas disintegrated. They began a phased retreat to save their own lives. The saddhyas and gandharvas retreated eastwards, the vasus and rudras to the south, the adityas to the west and the ashwins, who are also called the nasatyas, went north. They did not simply flee but fought every step of the way, rallying any number of times. But it was to no avail. As the field cleared, individual champions began to try their best to hold off the invader so that their fellows might retreat safely. The great Garuda fought in single combat with the brave Ashvakranda, killing and rending him apart. He battled the bird Renuka and reduced her to feathers, bones and blood. The valiant Krathana was ripped to shreds. The bird Tapana fared the same. Uluka, Shvasana, Nimesha—also a bird, Praruja and Pulina all died fighting valiantly but hopelessly. Like Shiva at the end of each yuga, in his final form as Pinaki, wielding his celestial bow, Garuda wreaked havoc in the ranks of the once omnipotent gods.

  Finally, the devas routed thoroughly, the battlefield his and his alone, the best of birds went to claim his prize. There lay the gourd pot, only a short distance away, unguarded now and his for the taking. He screeched with joy and flew towards it. To his surprise, as he approached, a great wall of fire sprang up. It covered the world from ground to sky, and raged with violent winds, buffetting the flames in every direction. The entire world seemed to be ablaze and the intensity of the fire was equivalent to the heat and brightness of the sun itself at its prime.

  But Garuda was not about to admit defeat. Able to change his form at will, he assumed ninety times ninety mouths and flew down to earth. There, he scooped up the water from countless rivers, filling every one of his beaks, then flew back to the heavenly realm at the speed of thought. Driving the raging firestorm before him by beating his wings to form a perpetual set of bellows, he sprayed the water from his eight thousand one hundred giant beaks at the flames with unimaginable force. That jet of water quenched the fire wall long enough to create a small gap. Instantly, Garuda reduced himself to the size of a fly, and flew through the gap, passing through the wall of fire.

  Jetting through the gap in the wall of fire with lightning speed, Garuda approached the gourd pot containing the ambrosia. He saw a chakra near the gourd, edged with sharp blades and spinning at frantic speed, blazing with an emanation of terrible heat and blinding light. Any creature attempting to subvert it would be instantly chopped into fine bits. Garuda reduced his body further, to the size of a pin point, and slipped through the spokes in the chakra.

  Past the chakra, he saw two enormous Nagas standing guard over the Amrit. They were not ordinary snakes, for their jewelled scales glittered brightly and their tongues shot lightning bolts as they flicked out of their fanged mouths. Their eyes glinted malevolently and shot out firebolts that would sear anyone that approached. Garuda threw dirt into their eyes, blinding them as well as rendering their firebolts useless. They shot fire and lightning at him but as they were unable to see, he was able to avoid every blast. Then, enraged at being blinded, they began to spit venom like acid and lunged repeatedly. A single strike of those venomous fangs could render him senseless, perhaps even kill him, but Garuda was able to evade those attacks as well. Then, creeping in beneath their hoods, he attacked them viciously. With the eternal enmity of birds towards snakes, he tore into them and shredded their scaled bodies to strips of bloodied meat. Finally, nothing lay between him and the Amrit.

  Vinata’s son seized his prize with his beak and flew up into the sky at the speed of light. So swift was his passage that the gourd pot containing the sacred elixir shattered instantly. But he caught every last drop of ambrosia in his beak, without drinking any of it. He carried it thus to his destination, still as strong and radiant as when he had first set out on his mission.

  A shadow came between him and the sun, taking him by surprise. He looked up and saw Vishnu hovering before him. Vishnu joined his palms in the gesture of respectful greeting and said, ‘I am not here to do battle with you. Rather, I admire your sacrifice. You could have consumed the Amrit yourself just now. Instead, you only held it in your beak to carry back home to your cousins, the Nagas. This is a commendable act of self-denial. In return for this great sacrifice, I wish to offer you a boon. Name your desire.’

  Garuda replied, ‘I wish to always be above you. Immortal, free from the decay of age, yet without drinking a single drop of Amrita.’

  Vishnu laughed at this and granted Garuda’s wishes. Then Garuda surprised the great Hari by announcing that he wished to confer a boon upon him!

  The Black-skinned God smiled mischievously, and asked that Garuda should always be his vaahan, or carrier. Garuda agreed. Vishnu then emblazoned the effigy of Garuda upon his krtadhvaj and showed the bird the banner, saying, ‘Thus shall you always be above me!’ Garuda smiled in response and nodded, acknowledging the greatness of Hari, the evergreen one. But Indra was not willing to accept his defeat. As Garuda flew on, still carrying the Amrit in his beak, Purandara attacked him with his vajra. Struck by the lightning bolts time and time again, Garuda said to Indra in an ironic tone: ‘I feel no pain at your attack nor have I suffered any harm. But because I respect the rishi from whose bones your weapon was originally constructed, therefore I shall shed a single feather. You will never be able to find its ends.’ Thereupon, Garuda cast off a solitary feather, more beautiful than anything else on earth. Seeing the beauty of that feather, the devas exclaimed and renamed the bird Suparna, One with Beautiful Feathers. Even arrogant Indra was humbled by this magnanimous gesture.

  Acknowledging the greatness of Garuda, the Lord of Storms joined his palms in acquiescence and asked Garuda to make him his friend and ally, as he desired to know the limits of Garuda’s strength and abilities. Garuda agreed graciously. ‘We shall be friends henceforth, Purandara,’ Garuda said, ‘but as for knowing the limits of my strength, it is not right for me to boast of my own prowess or praise my own qualities. Still, Shatakratu, since you are now my friend and you have asked me this question in friendship, I shall attempt to answer. Hear me, Shakra. On any single feather on my body I can bear the entire world, with all its mountains, forests, oceans, all things that move and those that do not move—you can even add your own weight to it, and I shall bear it all easily, upon that single feather. Therefore judge for yourself the extent of my strength.’

  Indra was grateful to the king of birds. ‘Thank you for sharing this confidence with me. Now that we are friends I wish to say something to you. If you give this soma to those who asked for it, they will become immortal and wage war against us devas. As king of the gods, it is my dharma to prevent that from happening. Therefore I request you as a friend now, kindly return the Amrit to me.’

  Garuda was amused by Indra’s request. ‘God of a thousand eyes, I cannot return this Amrit to you now for it is my sworn mission to fetch it. Yet I resent my cousins the Nagas who demanded this task of me, for they enslaved my mother and caused her to suffer many humiliations. There is still something we can do to prevent their
drinking it and benefitting from its magical properties. I shall set down the soma before them and fulfil my mission. But you may accompany me and pick it up at that exact moment and bring it back! That way, both our purposes will be fulfilled.’

  Indra was pleased at this plan and agreed at once. In return for Garuda’s aid in returning the Amrit to the devas, he granted the bird king any boon he desired. Garuda dipped his beak and answered, ‘Great Shakra, I possess power enough to do anything I please. Yet grant me this one boon: Make the Naga, the mightiest snakes of the world, my natural food.’ Both sealed their pact and Suparna proceeded to his destination, where the Nagas eagerly awaited his return, Indra following discreetly.

  At the sight of Garuda descending from the sky, the Nagas sent up a great hissing in jubilation. Landing with a flourish of his mighty wings, Garuda emptied the Amrit from his beak into a receptacle of darbha grass. At once the Nagas sought to pounce upon and drink thirstily of the elixir of immortality. But Garuda cautioned them, ‘Surely you must first bathe and purify yourself before partaking of this divine nectar, that it may be most efficacious in its results.’ The Nagas paused, realizing the truth in Garuda’s words. Suparna went on, ‘As you can see, I have accomplished the impossible task you set me. Now fulfil your part of our bargain. Set my mother free this instant.’ Happily, the Nagas agreed and freed Vinata of her enslavement, then went to cleanse and purify themselves before partaking of the ambrosia. The instant their backs were turned, Indra descended like the vajra that was his trademark, took the Amrit, and returned to the heavenly realm. After they had bathed and performed their purification rites, the snakes returned but saw they had been deceived. Out of desperation, they began to lick the darbha grass on which the nectar had been placed, in the hope that there might still be some traces left. But Indra had used his power to carry away every last droplet and the snakes only succeeded in cutting their tongues on the razor-sharp darbha grass. Thus did snakes get their forked tongues and darbha grass become sacred thereafter.

  Returning home with his mother, Garuda and Vinata lived happily in the forest. As decreed by Indra, snakes became his natural food thereafter and he devoured them in great quantities, sharing them with his fellow birds as well and enjoying great fame. This is his story and all who know it will be eternally graced by the great-souled lord of birds.

  ||Thirteen||

  Kulapati Shaunaka asked, ‘Sauti, among many wonderful things, you have also told us the names of two birds born from Vinata. But what were the names of the snake sons of Kadru? Pray, tell us at least the names of those who were foremost among the Nagas.’

  Sauti replied, ‘Great one, the number of the snakes runs to thousands, hundreds of thousands, ten hundred thousand or prayuta, and even a hundred million or arbuda, or more. It is impossible to recount all their names. I shall relate to you the chief genealogy of the first snakes to be created. First was Shesha. After him came Vasuki. Then Airavata, Takshaka, Karkotaka, Dhananjaya, Kaliya, Maninaga, Apurana, Pinjaraka, Elapatra, Vamana, Nila, Anila, Kalmasha, Shabala, Aryaka, Adika, Shalapotaka, Sumanomukha, Dadhimukha, Vimalapindaka, Apta, Kotanaka, Shankha, Valishikha, Nishthayunaka, Hemaguha, Nahusha, Pingala, Bahyakarna, Hastipada, Mudgarapindaka, Kambala, Ashvatara, Kaliyaka, Vritta, Samvartaka, two known as Padma, Shankhanaka, Sphandaka, Kshemaka, Pindaraka, Karavira, Pushpadamshtra, Haridraka, Aparajita, Jyotika, Shrivaha, Kauravya, Dhritarashtra, Pushkara, Shalyaka, Virajas, Subahu, the mighty Shalipinda, Hastibhadra, Pitharaka, Kumuda, Kumdaksha, Tittiri, Halika, Karkara, Akaraka, Mukhara, Konavasana, Kunjara, Kurara, Prabhakara, Kundodara and Mahodara.’

  Shaunaka thanked Ugrasrava Lomarsana and said, ‘What happened to the snakes after they were cursed by their mother for not aiding her in deceiving her sister?’ Lomarsana then told him the story of Shesha and Mother Earth.

  ||Fourteen||

  Shesha left the home of his mother Kadru and went to Mount Gandhamadana to practise severe penance and austerities. Existing only on air, he travelled to other holy sites such as Badri, Gokarna, the aranya of Pushkara, and the slopes of the sacred Himalayas. In these sacred tirthas he observed his vows scrupulously and lived a life of self-deprivation. Brahma watched him thus for a long time, then finally could bear it no more and appeared before him. ‘Shesha, why do you suffer thus? What is your desire?’ Shesha bowed to the mighty grandfather of humankind. ‘My brothers who shared my womb are wicked. They are constantly jealous of one another. Even though Vinata is our kin and her son is our brother, yet they have treated him unkindly. They have shown much cruelty to both our aunt and cousin. In turn, he too shows them great hatred. I cannot bear to see my own brothers fight thus. I have no desire to reside with them. Let me live alone and pursue my own existence independently. Our great father Kashyapa was a superior being, of great fortitude. I wish to follow his example and continue my austerities until this life is ended. Pray, let me do so.’

  Brahma was saddened by Shesha’s words. ‘What you say is true, Shesha. Your brothers are liable to suffer great consequences for their mother’s offences and their own. But I do not wish to see you suffer for their fault. I entreat you, stop grieving and punishing yourself thus. Ask me any boon you desire. If you seek to serve dharma, then ask me a boon that will enable you to serve dharma even more effectively!’ Shesha saw the wisdom in Brahma’s appeal and said, ‘Divine forebear, in that case, let my boon be simply to achieve all delight, joy and satisfaction through this same peaceful pursuit of dharma through austerities!’ Brahma was impressed by Shesha’s modest demand and blessed him profusely. ‘Shesha, your stability and fortitude is unmatched in the three worlds. Your tranquil nature and peaceful independence is awe-inspiring. There is much instability and violence in the world today. I ask you therefore to bear the world itself and hold it stable that humankind may find peace and tranquillity and all life may remain in balance.’ Shesha agreed readily, asking Brahma to place the world upon his head. Brahma then instructed Shesha to burrow deep inside the earth, where Prithvi Maa herself would open a passage specially for him, placing him at the perfect spot to provide maximum stability to the world. Shesha entered the passage in the earth and took the burden of the world upon his head. He remains there to this day, carrying the Devi named Prithvi which is our mortal planet, upon his head, surrounded by a girdle of oceans. For this great undertaking he was praised effusively by mighty Brahma himself, who then instructed Vinata’s son Garuda to always aid his cousin Shesha—or Anantha as he is also known—in his time of need.

  ||Fifteen||

  Vasuki, now the eldest and most senior of the Nagas, had heard of the curse pronounced by his own mother. He called a meeting with Airavata and all their other siblings. ‘Brothers, as you know our own mother has cursed us. Anyone who is cursed by his own mother has no hope of remedy. What is more, Brahma himself was witness to this curse, which makes it immutable. Now, we are all doomed to die in the sarpa satra of Raja Janamajaya which is but the same curse of our mother Kadru brought to fruition. Still, I know that we are wise beyond measure and by combining our wisdom, we may yet find a loophole in dharma which enables us to survive the ill effects of this curse. I invite your suggestions.’

  Some snakes suggested that they turn themselves into brahmarishis and exhort Janamajaya to call off the sacrifice. Others expounded on this strategem: ‘We shall travel back in time to insinuate ourselves as mortal brahmins among his advisors. Over time, we shall gain his confidence and respect. When the time comes to start the sacrifice, we shall advise him against initiating it in the first place. Thereby, the sacrifice shall never begin therefore it can never succeed in destroying our species!’ The suggestions continued: ‘If all else fails and the sarpa yagna still goes forward, we can go to the chief preceptor and bite him with venom, killing him before he initiates the sacrifice. We shall kill all priests who dare to officiate at the sacrifice!’ But some of their brothers objected saying, ‘This is the very reason why we are facing this calamity today! We cannot resolve our problem thr
ough further violence. Killing brahmins will only compound our sins thousandfold. The only way to resolve the situation is through peaceful means. At all times, we must adhere to dharma. Adharma will only lead to death and destruction.’ After further thought, a suggestion was offered: ‘Let us become rainclouds and shower torrential rain to extinguish the yagna fire.’ Yet another was made: ‘Let us sneak into the site of the yagna under cover of night and steal the ladles for the sacrifice.’ The more violent Nagas shouted again: ‘Let us go in great numbers and kill everyone present!’ Other angry ones suggested, ‘Let us defile the yagna offerings of food with our dung and urine, rendering the yagna itself worthless!’ Someone proferred: ‘Let us become officiating brahmins at the satra and demand an impossible guru-dakshina in order to proceed with the sacrifice!’ Someone cried out, ‘Yes, and let the dakshina be that Raja Janamajaya does not perform the yagna at all!’ Another group suggested: ‘Without violence, let us kidnap the king and hold him ransom until the yagna is cancelled!’ Still others said, ‘The only way to be certain is through violence— let us bite Janamajaya as we bit his father before him. With the Kuru king dead, there can be no sarpa satra!’

  Vasuki heard the clamour of suggestions and considered them all carefully. Finally, after much thought and consultation he said, ‘Brother snakes, I am sorry but none of our ideas seem practicable. I am not satisfied with any of our plans. We must still think further. I take full responsibility and blame if we fail in this endeavour but I cannot go ahead with any of these suggestions.’

  In the gloomy silence that followed Vasuki’s announcement, Elapatra raised his hood and hissed, ‘This talk of preventing the sarpa satra from beginning is pointless, as is the idea of kidnapping or killing Raja Janamajaya. Let us first accept these two facts: One, Raja Janamajaya is determined to host this yagna, and two, the yagna will take place as scheduled. But there is something I heard once that may be of use to us now. Soon after our mother pronounced our curse, I overheard the devas speaking to Lord Brahma. They were amazed that a mother could curse her own children so harshly and not be reprimanded by the great Creator. This is how he answered them: ‘The snakes have become too numerous, too venomous, and too violent. They threaten the existence of all life on earth. For their sake, I permitted Kadru to pronounce her curse and the curse to take effect. But it is not as cruel as it sounds. Only the most venomous and vicious snakes shall actually perish in the sarpa satra of Raja Janamajaya. Once they are dead, the other snakes who are peaceful and observe dharma diligently, may still escape. A great rishi will rise in the line of the yayavaras named Jaratkaru. He shall marry a woman bearing the same name as his own, and their son will be named Astika. Rishi Astika will be the one to halt the sacrifice and ensure the survival of those snakes who are virtuous, peace-abiding and follow dharma.’ Elapatra then pointed out, among their gathering, their sister named Jaratkaru. ‘Since Jaratkaru’s wife is to bear the same name as himself, and there sits our sister of that name, let us offer her as wife to the rishi, that he may cohabit with her and produce a son named Astika. Thus shall one of our own kith and kin become our salvation.’