Gayatri - Essence of All
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Wednesday, August 3, 2022
dilapidated
There was a big forest and in that forest, there were many trees, peacocks, and lots of noises but still it looked like a dilapidated forest. Just like a dilapidated house, dilapidated city, dilapidated village, that forest looked very dilapidated.
Immediately, Sri Rama asks Sage Vishwamitra, “Why is this forest dilapidated?” The sage replied, “O Rama! I narrated Srimad Bhagavatham, do you remember? In that Indra killed a demon named Vritrasura. As he killed Vritrasura, Indra was affected by the sin of slaying a brahmana (brahmahathi dosha). He was distressed and roamed here and there. He could not sleep and did not have hunger. If someone spoke to him, he would speak unrelated things. Indra, who was affected by this sin, was brought to this place and the sages chanted Vedas and by pouring jars of holy water charged with mantras over him. By doing so, the sages washed off Indra’s sin. Indra was pleased by this. This is that place where Indra was freed from the sin of brahmahathi. This is the story behind this forest.”
“After the forest became like this (and his sin was removed) Indra became very happy. If kings become pleased, they would establish a couple towns or villages and donate them. So, Indra too established 2 cities. One city was named as Maladha. Other city was named as Karusha. This place had many roads, shops, parks and gardens. This was once a beautiful city and people lived happily here. This way Indra established 2 cities.”
https://freeglobaluniversity.blogspot.com/search/label/Indra
Immediately, Sri Rama asked, “You mentioned that he established two cities but this looks like a dilapidated forest.”
(So Vishwamitra replied) “Sage Agastya was doing penance here. He planted many trees useful for his Shiva puja. Flowers from trees like Champak (shenbagam in Tamil), bullet wood (maghizham in Tamil), paadiripushpam (a flower that grows on trees). Using these flowers, he would worship Lord Shiva.
During the time, when he was worshipping Lord Siva like this, a yaksha lived here by the name Suketu. That yaksha Suketu did penance praying to Lord Brahma for a son (putra). Brahma blessed him and a daughter (putri) was born. So, he thought, “I did penance praying for a son but I am blessed with a daughter.”
Brahma told him, “Worry not! Your daughter will have the strength of 1000 elephants.” She is none other than Tadaka, a yakshini. Suketu was a Yaksha, so Yaksha’s daughter is Yakshini. Isn’t it? So, Tadaka was a Yakshini. Jamban was also a Yaksha. Jamba’s son was Sundan, who was also a Yaksha. Sundan and Tadaka were married to each other. After that, Subahu and Maricha, 2 Yakshas, were born as their children. Sundan naughtily played in the gardens maintained by Sage Agastya. This irritated Agastya and so he reduced Sundan to ashes. Seeing this, Tadaka got furious. So, Tadaka, Maricha and Subahu, all 3 of them went to swallow Sage Agastya. Agastya saw this.”
A curse is generally given based on the nature of the receiver. Nalakubera and Manigreeva drank liquor and drinking liquor is a Tamas quality. Trees are also Tamasic in nature. So, they were cursed to become trees by Sage Narada. A (gandharva) pulled the legs of a Sage literally and pulling the legs is the nature of a crocodile so the sage cursed him to become a crocodile. Despite seeing Sage Agastya, he (the king Indradyumna) ignored the sage as he was filled with pride and ego. To be filled with pride and ego is the very quality of elephants so the sage cursed him to be an elephant.
A curse is given in line with the nature of the receiver. Here Tadaka, Subahu, Maricha, all 3 of them opened their mouth to swallow Agastya. So, Sage Agastya cursed them, “Cha! Become a man-eater!”
“From that day onwards, Subahu, Maricha, Tadaka became Rakshasas even though they were born as Yakshas, they are living in this forest by eating human flesh! We should kill that Tadaka only. As they occupied this forest, humans could no longer live in this forest without any fear, so they left this place and hence this place became dilapidated.”, said Vishvamitra
There was indeed no movement of people! “We should also enter this forest with utmost care. O Rama!” All these were narrated by Sage Vishwamitra as they entered.
https://freeglobaluniversity.blogspot.com/search/label/Agastya