Stories from Mahabharata Part -8

Stories from Mahabharata

 

 

Story of Banasura
Stories from Mahabharata

 

Banasura, a mighty demon once ruled over a large kingdom. So strong and fierce was his influence that all the kings and even some of the gods shuddered in front of his might. An ardent devotee of lord Shiva, Banasura once worshipped Shiva with great devotion. The god was so pleased with him that he promised to grant Banasura a boon. Banasura, in turn asked Shiva to come and guard the gates of his city.
Shiva was furious but he had to give in to Banasura's wish, as he had already given his word to him. Bana was not only pleased with his achievement, but with Shiva at his service, he became all the more arrogant. One day Banasura told Lord Shiva that he wanted to fight with somebody who was as strong and as mighty as him. "Yes, yes," replied Shiva. "You will certainly get the chance to fight. Whenever you see your flag-staff broken and the flag fallen down then you will know that the chance for a fight is coming." But Shiva also warned him, that he would be a great warrior who will curb Banasura's pride.
Banasura had a beautiful daughter named Usha, who had received many proposals for marriage but Bana had refused to get him married to anyone of them. Usha had a very clever and talented friend, Chitralekha, who was the daughter of Bana's minister. One night Usha dreamt of a handsome prince. She fell in love with him instantly. But on not finding the prince on waking up, she started crying for him and said that she would die without him. Chitralekha thought deeply over the matter. She knew that her friend had only been dreaming, but decided to help her on seeing Usha's pathetic condition.
She wrote down the names of all the gods, kings and princes whom Usha might have seen in her dream and started drawing portraits of each one of them. She drew Indira, Brahma and many other devas. But Usha refused them all. It was only when she drew the picture of Krishna's grandson Anirudha that Usha smiled and said that he was the prince who had come in her dreams.
At midnight, Chitralekha, then set out on her mission to search for the prince. With her magical powers she carried the sleeping Anirudha, out of Krishna's palace and brought him to Bana's city. The next morning, when Anirudha woke up in Usha's palace, he was surprised but at the same time enamored by the princess' beauty and expressed the desire to marry her. Usha immediately agreed to it, but when they went for Bana's consent, he not only refused but also put Anirudha in the prison.
Narada, meanwhile went and told Krishna about the whole event. When Krishna came to know about it, he knew that the only way to free his grandson was by waging a war against Banasura. So, Krishna gathered a large army and declared war on him by breaking his flagstaff.
Seeing the flagstaff broken Bana was overjoyed, as he knew the time for a fight had come. A terrible fight then ensued between the two till they met in a one to one battle. Krishna proved to be much more powerful and as he was about to kill Bana, Shiva came forward and requested Krishna to spare his live. Krishna accepted the request only on the condition that Bana would mend his ways and apologise to Shiva for his wrong doings. Bana realising his mistake apologized to both Shiva and Krishna. Krishna then graciously accepted Usha as his grand daughter-in-law and married Anirudha to her.

 

Story of Uttanka
Stories from Mahabharata

 

The third disciple of Saint Ayodhdhaumya was Ved. One day his guru said to him, "Son, you stay in my house for a few days and take care of us, and you shall be blessed." Ved stayed with his guru for a long time and took good care of him and his family. His guru, to test his patience, would give him a lot of work to do and treat him like a beast of burden. But Ved went on serving him without being perturbed. He never once disobeyed his guru and did all that he was told. After many days his guru was pleased with him and blessed him and told him that he would be all-knowledgeable.
Ved then returned from the hermitage and left the stage of Brahmacharya (student life) and entered the stage of Grihastya (married life). He too had three disciples studying at his hermitage. But he would never ask any of his disciples to work for him or run errands for him because he realised the pains that a student has to face in the Gurukul (the school). Ved had to go out when he was appointed as a priest to do something for the king. Whenever he went out he would assign one of his disciples to look after the hermitage and his family. Once, when he was appointed as the priest to serve King Paushya, he appointed Uttank, his favourite disciple to be the caretaker in his absence.
When he came back after finishing his obligations at the palace he heard great things about the genteel behaviour of Uttank. Ved was very pleased and he blessed Uttank. He said, "Son, you have taken good care in my absence. May all your wishes be fulfilled. Now you may go and start a new life." Uttank asked his guru what he should present him as fee. The guru at first refused to accept anything, but when Uttank insisted he told him to ask his wife. Then Uttank went to the wife of his Guru and asked her what she would like as a present. The wife said that he should bring her the earrings of the queen as she wanted to wear them four days from that day and serve food to the brahmins. She told him that if he fulfilled her wishes he would be blessed.
Uttank took leave and started on his journey to the palace of King Paushya. On his way he saw a huge man sitting on a giant bull. He addressed Uttank and asked him to eat the dung of the bull. Uttank refused. But the man said that he should not hesitate as his guru, Ved, had also eaten the dung. Hearing this Uttank ate a little of the dung and started on his journey as he was in a hurry. He washed his mouth as he was moving. When he reached the palace of Paushya he blessed the king and told him that he had come to ask him for something. When Paushya learnt what Uttank wanted he sent him to the antahpur (the queen's residence). When Uttank reached the living quarters of the queen he did not find her there. So he came back to the king and told him that his queen was not to be found. To this the king replied that his wife was a pious women and very faithful and no man who was impure could see her.
Uttank remembered that he had not washed himself properly after he had eaten and performing ablutions while one is moving is not permitted. So Uttank performed his ablutions according to rituals with pure water, mantras and foam and when he finished he went to the queen again. This time he was able to see her and she gave him the earrings. She also warned him that Takshak, the snake wanted these earrings and would do anything to get them. She asked him to be careful, as Takshak would steal it from him if he was careless.
Uttank started on his journey home. On his way he noticed that there was a snake called Kshapnak following him. This snake would sometimes appear and then disappear. Uttank was thirsty and he put down the earrings to drink some water. As soon as he did that the snake Kshapnak disappeared with the earrings. It was Takshak disguised as Kshapnak who had come to steal the earrings from Uttank. Uttank summoned the Vajra (the weapon of Indra, the god of Thunder and Lightening) and with its help followed Takshak to the heavens. Takshak was scared of the power of Uttank and returned the earrings to Uttank.
Uttank reached the hermitage of his guru on time and presented the earrings to his guru's wife. He then took leave and reached Hastinapur. Uttank was very angry with Takshak and wanted to take revenge on him. By that time King Janmejaya (the great grandson of the Pandavas) had returned to Hastinapur after having conquered Takshila. Uttank went to him and said to him, "O King, Takshak killed your father by biting him. You must avenge your father's death. Please perform a yajna so that Takshak can be killed. A brahmin called Kashyap was coming to revive your father from the poison but Takshak tricked him into going back from where he had come. You perform the Snake Yajna and burn the sinner Takshak in the pure fires of the Yajna. He has troubled me a lot and if you perform the snake Yajna then you will be avenged and I shall be happy too." Saying this Uttank returned home and Janmejaya started to find out the real cause of his father's death, which led him to perform the Snake Yajna in which many snakes were burnt.