Great Indian Women -1

Great Indian Women

Importance of keeping one’s word

We all know that the pandavas left their kingdom for 13 long years for keeping up their word! Well, for Arjuna going away from the bhogas of a king, for the sake of truth, was not new. He did it once well before the aranyavaas. The story goes like this:
The kalyaanam of pandavas with Draupadi was an unusual one. However, it was perfectly according to dharma shastras. Infact Draupadi is one of the greatest pativratas and praised even by Lord Krishna for her Dharma vartana. A few reasons to justify the kalyaanam:

1. Kunti Devi, the mother of pandavas, who never knew what a lie was, gave her will.
2. Vyaasa Maharshi, one of the avataar of Lord Vishnu, ordered the kalyaanam to be done.
3. Lord Shiva, pleased with her tapas, gave a boon to Draupadi to marry the pandavas.
4. Pandavas, though were five physically, were all amshas of Indra, the King of the Gods. Hence, pandavas were actually one.

Naarada, again an avataar of Lord Vishnu, suggested some rules to be followed by pandavas and Draupadi for living together. This is because, though they were amshas of Gods and Godesses, since they had a human form some addition rules according to dharma shastras needed to be followed. One of the rules was that: Draupadi should spend one year with each of the pandavas and while she was with one of them, no other pandavas should visit the palace where they might be. In case of any breach of their rule, one-year pilgrimage was prescribed by way of penance leaving the kingdom.The pandavas and Draupadi were living happily until one day: a brahmana came running to Arjuna saying that the thieves had stolen his cows. Arjuna wanted to rush with him to catch the thieves but he realised that his bow and arrows were kept in Yudhisthira's palace and he was there in the company of Draupadi. He hesitated for a while, then seeing brahmana's plight he rushed in to Yudhisthira 's palace took his bow and arrows and ran to catch the thieves. After he caught the thieves and punished them, after restoring the cows of the brahmana, Arjuna came back to Yudhisthira and told him about his transgression of the rule.
Yudhisthira, knowing the reason of the breach of their rule, said their is no need for Arjuna to take the pilgrimage. Since it is a mistake committed towards him, and that too for a good reason, he will pardon arjuna . However, Arjuna would never break his word. He immediately set out for a one-year pilgrimage. May be this is why Arjuna is such a favourite sakha of Lord Krishna.
Morals in the Story:

1. The story shows how important it is to keep up ones word, whether it is of any consequence or not, how much ever difficult it is.
2. Arjuna, knowing that he will be punished for breaching the rule, did not stop doing his duty as a king to protect his people and punish the theif. Thus, one must always perform his duty without any laziness or any kind of fear.
3. Rewards for such people do show up as immediate difficulties, but in the end – it is truth is what always wins (Satyameva jayate). Arjuna's win was in the way of gaining eternal friendship with the Lord.

Message:

1. Imagine if everyone keeps his word and always speaks truth — will we have corruption? will we have poverty? Though its a very difficult to inculcate, unless we are truthful there will be no development.
2. Like Arjuna if everyone does they duty — will there be such slow development for such a large community of intelligent people?
3. Temporal gains got by saying lies never will be permanent. They will not only bring us down on a long run in life, leave aside winning the heart of the God.

Draupadi, an ikon of a true Indian woman

Draupadi, the daughter of King Drupada, appears from the yagnyaagni as a full grown, in the bloom of her youth. One can observe that it is always Paramaatma who takes birth and avataaras (“Paritraanaaya sadhunam …”). However, always Yoga-Maaya (or Shakti) never takes birth, she just appears. It is the same case with Sita devi, Rukmini devi, Draupadi, Maatulungi etc. The following piece of story of draupadi shows the boundaries of following Dharma. May be none can be better!
Ashwatthaama, the chiranjeevi, does a daaruna krutyam after the Mahaabhaaratam. Unusual to his nature, He, without even little daya, beheads the sleeping babies of draupadi — the upa-paandavas. Draupadi realizes what happened. All her 10 sons, who were little baalakas, who were sleeping, who never did any kind of harm to Ashwatthaama and who cannot even react to the harm committed to them were lying in a pool of blood. Draupadi breaks down to tears and weeps in great sorrow. Arjuna very sad himself, consoles Her and says it does not look nice for a Veera maata to cry like this. He says that He will immediately avenge the act and kill Ashwatthaama. On killing him, she can take bath standing on his head. Immediately Lord Krishna and Arjuna set out on their Hanumadhdhvaja ratham to catch the fleeing Ashwatthaama.
Seeing that Arjuna is closing by his ratham and that his horses are a little exhausted, Aswaththaama sees Brahmaastra as the only way to save himself. Though not knowing the way of retrieving the astra, he immediately uses Brahmaastra on Arjuna, after stopping the ratham, doing aachamanam and purifying himself. Lord Krishna orders Arjuna to use Brahmaastra to counter Ashwatthaama’s. Arjuna also purifies himself, does achamanam, does a pradakshina to the Almighty and uses Brahmaastra. The two astras, one like Agni and the other like sun, fight each other and in no time the worlds start to burn under the influence of the astras. Krishna, the protector of the worlds, immediately orders Arjuna to take back both Astras, as only a Brahmachaari can take back a Brahmaastra!
Arjuna takes back both the Brahmaastras, showing clearly what a perfect Brahmachaari he was. Arjuna, who was the friend of the Askalita Brahmachaari Lord Krishna, obviously knows the shastras and the ways to maintain his Brahmacharyam, though married. Arjuna ties Ahswaththaama and takes him to Draupadi, like a Yagnya pashu is taken to the Yagnya shaala. The acts of Draupadi in this following episode make even Krishna praise Krishnaa (Draupadi) for her Dharma.
On seeing the killer of all her sons being brought by Arjuna, Draupadi, of the beauty of her nature out of compassion, does a namaskar to him and says as per the Vedas in the absence of the Guru, Guru-putra takes his place, so she is doing a namaskaar to Drona! It was unbearable for her having him brought being bound and she said: “Release him, for he is a brahmana, our Aacharya. Do not make his mother, Drona’s wife, cry the way I do in my chastity shedding tears constantly in distress over a lost child”. Yudhishtira, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva, Saatyaki, Krishna and other queens supported the statements of Paanchaali as they were in accord with the principles of Sanaatana Dharma, of justice, merciful, without duplicity and glorious in equity. Krishna, amazed by the Dharmya vartana of Draupadi, praises her very much. However, Bhima also raised a valid point that a person who by nature has daya is a brahmana, is Ashwatthaama, who mercilessly killed the baalakas, worth being called one? Saying “surely death is the only punishment for such a person”, Bhima proceeds to kill Ashwatthaama, but the Lord, with His chaturbhuja’s stops Bhima and says the following with a smile:

“The Guru-putra, a braahmana must not be killed – this both is by Me, certainly prescribed to be carried out abiding by the rules.” However, Arjuna has to keep to the truth as promised while pacifying his wife, and also act to the satisfaction of Bhima and Himself (by punishing the bad). So they remove the divya mani on the head of Ashwatthaama and remove his hair, as, for a veera, tonsuring is equivalent to killing him.
Morals in the story:

1. The Dhramya vartana of Draupadi is well portrayed in the story. This shows us that, even at the time of great stress, sorrow, difficulty, one never must deviate from the path of truth, Dharma.
2. Even though Ashwatthaama was great, in his momentary anger he committed an unpardonable crime. One must be very careful and need to think what is right and what is wrong before acting. This is what the pandavas do in the later part of the story, with the help of Krishna. They, though Kshattriyas, were not overwhelmed by revenge. They acted according to the words of Krishna, who is Dharma in human form.
3. The importance given to keeping up one’s word is protrayed well. Arjuna promises Draupadi to kill Ashwatthaama, but according to Dharma is must not be killed. So they do an equivalent act of killing.
4. The importance of cleanliness is also displayed. Both Ashwatthaama and Arjuna purify themselves, do aachamanam before chanting the mantras for Brahmaastra. They do this even when they were in such a great press for time.
5. The power of Brahmacharyam is well shown through this story. Arjuna, who knew the Shatras, was a brahmachaari and hence could not only take back his, but Ashwatthaama’s astra too.
6. The heart of a mother is well exposed when Draupadi comments “Do not make his mother, Drona’s wife, cry the way I do in my chastity shedding tears constantly in distress over a lost child“. She knows the pain of loosing children, so did not want another mother to experience it!

Message to present society:
Being Kshatriyas, people with lot of Shauryam, Paandavas thought so much (analyzing what is Dharmam, what is adharmam) before avenging their son’s death. Now-a-days even films show people mercilessly killing each other in the name of revenge.

Ghosha Yaatra 

One who tries to spoil others will himself get spoilt. This was very true in case of Duryodhana. Right from childhood Duryodhana, Dusshaasana, Karna and Shakuni (Dushtachatushtayam) tried to harm the Paandavas in many many ways. This episode happened during the Vanavaasam of the Paandavas.
Once Duryodhana, who didnt want to let Paandavas live peacefully even in their vanavaasam, asked his guudhachaari to inform himself about the whereabouts, dina-charya etc. of the Paandavas. The guudhachaaris performed their duty and reported like this:
“Arya! According to your aagnya we searched all forests. We enquired all the things you asked for. Dharmaraaja is doing many Yaagas, Vratas. Currently he is doing a Divya Yaagam by name ‘Sadyaskadam’, with the help of Munis”. Listening to this news Duryodhana got Mati-bhramanam. He thought if we let these Paandavas continue to do such Yaagas, Vratas and get many siddhis then it will be still more difficult to kill them. He wanted to destroy the Yaagam somehow. Since it was already late, all of them started to the forests immediately. Duryodhana told the Kuru-kula-vruddhas like Bheeshmaacharya, Dronaachaarya that they were going for Ghosha-Yaatra (and told nothing about disturbing the Paandavas). In Ghosha-Yaatra, the King goes to see the Yoga-kshemam of the Gomaatas in his Raajyam. They telling that it is Ghosha-Yaatra, instead of going to Go-shaalas, reached the forests and tried to camp near the place where Paandavas were doing the Yaagam.
Duryodhana ordered to put tents around the Sarovaram (that was near by). Immediately Gandharva-veeras appeared and said like this “O muurkha-maanavas! This area in currently under the control of the Gandharva-Raaja Chitrasena (Chitrasena was the Gandharva who taught Arjuna Naatyam, when he went to Indra-lokam). No one must(can) enter this. Please go away. Else we will kill you”. The ahankaari, Duryodhana, didnt like these words. He ordered his sainyam to occupy by force. Immediately many many Gandharva-veeras came there and a big Yuddham started between Gandharvas and Duryodhana, Dushshaasana, Karna aadi Kaurava-veeras. In no time Chitrasena defeated the Kaurava sena. Kaurava Naayakas like Duryodhana, Dushshaasana and Karna were lying unconscious. Kaurava Raanis, with Bhayam, ordered the sainikas to go and request Paandavas, the Dharma-vartis, for help. Listening to the aartanaadam of the Kaurava-sainikas, one of the first to respond was Draupadi.
Draupadi said “I think helping our bandhu-janam in their kashta-kaalam is good”. Yudhishthira, the Dharma-nandana, immediately asked his brothers to go and help the Kauravas. Yudhishthira-anujas replied “Priya Bhraata! we will immediately go and save Kauravas from Gandharvas and come back”. They did Namaskaaram to Yudhishthira and went to Chitrasena.
In no time Bhiima-arjuna defeated the Gandharvas, Chitrasena and released the Kauravas. Seeing the super-human Bala-paraakramas of Arjuna, Chitrasena praised Arjuna and requested them to grant him the Darshanam of Yudhishthira, the Dharma-muurti. With aanandam, Bhiima-arjuna took Chitrasena along with Kauravas to Dharmaraaja. Seeing Yudhishthira, Chitrasena did pranaamam and said
“O Dharmanandana! Knowing that Duryodhana aadi Kauravas planned to do apakaaram to you, Devendra sent me here to stop them. However, with a Vishaala-hrudayam, you sent your brothers to save these paapaatmas”.
Even after knowing the kutila-buddhi of Duryodhana, Dharmaraaja didnt show any disrespect to him. He freed him from the bandhas, did hita-bodha and sent them away. Taking along with him Karna, Dushshaasana and other Kauravas, who bent their heads down with shy, Duryodhana left for Hastinaapuram.
Morals in the story:

1. People who try to do bad to others will face difficulties themselves. Duryodhana, who was burning with Asuuya, Iirsha tried to harm the Paandavas; instead he got ghora-apamaanam.
2. The Kshama gunam of Dharmaraaja is well shown in the story. Uttama purushas do Upakaaram even to an Apakaari.
3. The Dharmya-vartanam of Draupadi and Paandavas is once again shown in this story. They immediately helped the Kauravas, who were in trouble, though always Kauravas tried to destroy them. Draupadi devi deserves a very special mention because, she helped the Kauravas even though they did the great insult of her in the way of her Vastraapakarshana.
4. Knowing that elders like Bhishma, Drona will say “no” if they know the truth that Kauravas are going to disturb the Paandavas, the Kauravas told that they were going for Ghosha-Yaatra. Telling lies is a very bad thing.

Satyameva Jayate

No collection of moral stories will be complete without the mention of Satya Harishcandra. His story is well known and praised by everyone. Truth is the most fundamental moral to be learnt by everyone and it is alone enough to reach God. The following is a small incident showing the satya vaak paripaalanam of Harishchandra:
When travelling in the forest, with his family and Nakshatraka to the great kaashi kshetram, Harishchandra sees un-controllable Daavaagni (forest fire) sorrounding them. They donot understand the reason for it and Nakshatraka worries a lot, not knowing any way of getting out of the fire. Harishchandra worries for a different reason. He was not worried for loosing his life, but if he dies in the agni, then he will not be able to return the debt to Vishwaamitra maharshi and thus will not be able to keep up his word.
Seeing this, Agnideva (sent by Vishwaamitra) tells them a way to cross the fire safely. He says anyone who says that his name is not his own name, can safely walk through him. Immediately Nakshatraka, to attract them to say a lie, says I name is not Nakshatraka and walks into the fires. Nothing happens to him and he walks back suggesting Harishchandra and his family to try out the same. Obviously Harishchandra will not say a lie, but gets worried since he will be not be able to repay Vishwaamitra maharshi. Seeing the worry of her husband, Chandramati devi does a stotram to agni saying that if she were a pativrata, then the agni must stop. Immediately the huge daavaagni vanishes and they cross the forest safely.
The whole episode of Vishwaamitra maharshi testing Harishchandra starts with a conversion at Indra Sabha: A discussion will be raised to zero-in on a vratam which anyone whether rich or poor, whether king or servant, kid or elder, male or female can follow, exists or not. Vasishta maharshi suggests that satya vratam (speaking truth always) is there and tells that Harishchandra is a firm follower of it. Vasishta and Vishwaamitra both challenge each other, Vasishta saying "In the impossible event of Harishchandra uttering a lie I will leave sandhyaavandanaadi aahnikas, japa, tapas, remove yagnyopavita, become Bhrasta, have wine and behave in a way co-rishis will hate me, throw me out of there community and eventually goto naraka!". Vishwaanitra says "If Harishchandra stands my tests I will give half of my till now earned entire tapashshakti, make him rule the earth for many years and for 14 manvantaras will make him occupy the ardha-simhaasanam of Indra". Harishchandra in the end qualifies the tests of Vishwaamitra, enjoys all these bhogas and in the end with Lord Shiva's anugraham gets Moksham.
Morals in the Story:

1. Let even death may came, one must never leave the path of truth.
2. Though a person has to face temporary difficulties for following the path of truth, in the end always truth only wins.
3. The power of pativrata is enormous. It seems the power of Agni or howmuch ever tapashshakti cannot equal that of a pativrata. This is evident by the power of Chandramati devi.

4.    निन्दन्तु नीतिनिपुणाः यदि वा स्तुवन्तु
लक्ष्मीः समाविशतु गच्छतु वा यथेष्टम्।
अद्यैव वा मरणमस्तु युगान्तरे वा
न्याय्यात्पथः प्रविचलन्ति पदं न धीराः॥
— भर्तृहरेः नीतिशतकम्
nindantu nītinipuṇāḥ yadi vā stuvantu
lakṣmīḥ āgacchatu gacchatu vā yatheṣṭam|
adyaiva maraṇamastu yugāantare vā
nyāyyātpathaḥ pravicalanti padaṁ na dhīrāḥ||
— bhartṛhareḥ nītiśatakam

“May those proficient in law praise or decry;
May the Goddess of Wealth come or go as she pleases;
Let Death come today or at the end of the yuga;
The resolute will not deviate from the path of righteousness!”

Ekachakrapura Baka Vadha

Yudhishthira said to Kuntidevi “Maata! why are you doing such a Saahasam? Why are you doing Putra-tyaagam? Believing in whose Baahu-balam we are living happily, believing in whose balam we are hoping that we will get our Raajyam back, fearing whose Veeryam Duryodhana aadi Kauravas dont get sleep, depending on whose Veeratvam we all saved our lives in the laakshaa-gruham (wax-house), whose greatness put an end to Purochana — why are you doing Tyaagam of such a Bhiimasena?”
Kuntidevi replied “we are now living under the aashrayam of this Viprotaama. It is our minimum duty to show Krutagnyata and do Pratyupakaaram to him. Even otherwise, since we are Kshatriyas (one who saves from Kshatam or difficulties), we must protect the people who need help. Hence we must protect this Braahmana. We need not worry about Bhiimasena; he will surely come back safely — we saw his ananta-balam when he killed Hidimbaasura. He carried all of us in Vaaranaavatam and saved us from the fire. He even has the strength of doing Yuddham with Devendra! On the very day he was born, when I dropped him by mistake, he was unaffected whereas the stone on which he fell broke into pieces! Thinking of all these things I have sent Bhiimasena to kill Bakaasura and save the villagers. Vyaasa Bhagavaan told us to what uttama-lokas a person whose does Paropakaaram will reach”.
Yudhidhthira was happy listening to these amruta-vaakyas of Kuntidevi and with full-heart did aashiirvachanam to Bhiimasena. As planned, Bhiimasena reached the nivaasam of the raakshsa, along with the cart full of aahaaram. He shouted for the raakshasa and he himself started eating the food in the cart. Seeing that the food which was brought for him, was being eaten away by Bhiimasena, the raakshasa started stamping his foot onto the ground with great strength. Bhiimasena didnt respond. Seeing this, the raakshasa gave a mushti-ghaatam (strong punch) on Bhiima’s back. Bhiimasena didnt feel anything and continued to eat. With anger, the raakshasa tried to uproot a mahaa-vruksham and throw it on Bhiimasena. Meanwhile, Bhiimasena completed his Bhojanam, did aachamanam, shuddhi of his hands and legs (see this too) and got ready for the Yuddham.
Bhiimasena threw back the Vruksham. For sometime they did Yuddham with Vrukshams. Then raakshasa caught Bhiimasena binding him, Bhiimasena also did the same. Both were squeezing each other. Finally the raakshasa became tired. Then, supporting with legs, Bhiimasena gave a strong mushti-ghaaatam on Bakasura’s back.

Crying for help, bleeding, the raakshasa died. Hearing this aarta-naadam, the relatives of the raakshasa came out. Bhiimasena said “if you all do pratignya and leave Maanava-aahaaram, I will spare you; else you will get the same fate as Bakaasura”. Immediately everyone did Pratignya. The villagers happy to see the end of the Bakaasura.
Morals in the story:

1. The Dharma-bodha of Kuntidevi shows us the importance of Krutagnyata and parokaaram.
2. How a sajjana uses his Balam, Dhairyam and helps the society is well shown in the story. On the other hand, Kauravas spent all their strength in destroying Paandavas, due to their Iirsha, Asuuya and Maatsaryam.

Om Tat Sat

                                                        

(Continued...)  

 
<sub>(My humble greatfulness to Moral Stories dot com,  Hindu dot com and Devotees   for the   collection)

( A tribute to the great Bharatiya Samskruti)</sub>