Anec. 11&12 from Part I Myths

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Dear Bhagavatas,

In this post,is presented Anecdotes 11 and 12 from Part - I Myths.

Dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy

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11. The power of Devotion (Markandeya and Kannappa)

 

Markandeya

 

The Sage Mrikandu invoked Siva in his penance and prayed that he be

blessed with a son. Siva asked him whether he wanted a son who will live

long but without any virtue or one who would be virtuous but live up to

16 years of age. Being a virtuous person himself, the sage preferred the

latter. Soon, the son was born. He was named Markandeya. He was a

personification of all virtues.

 

As age 16 was approaching, his parents were worried. When enquired, they

narrated to him the reasons for their sorrow. Markandeya replied that if

he was born on account of a boon of Siva who saved the world by drinking

the Kaalakuta poison at the time of the churning of the milky ocean, the

same Siva would save him also, if propitiated. Accordingly, he set out

wholeheartedly to worshipping Siva. As he was half way through his

routine, the Lord of death appeared before him and cast his noose around

the boy disregarding his plea to wait till he finished his chores. At

that moment, the linga burst open and Siva emerged from it. Siva kicked

Yama on the chest and Yama fell reeling down. Pleased with the devotion

of Markandeya, Siva blessed that he would forever remain a youth of 16

years of age and vanished back into the linga.

 

Kannappa

 

A hunter by name Thinnan one day saw a Sivalingam on the top of a hill.

Suddenly. he developed a deep devotion and wanted to perform worship to

the lingam. He had earlier seen a priest pouring water on the lingam and

offering flowers and sweetmeats. He wanted to follow the same procedure.

He had no vessel to bring water. So, he stored some water in his mouth

from a nearby river and spat it on the lingam. Then, he presented some

wild flower which he was wearing in his locks of hair and offered as

food what little meat remained after his having tasted it.

 

The regular priest came the next day. Not knowing what had happened as

he saw raw meat strewn all around, he cleaned the place and performed

the routine worship according to the Agamas. For five days, the two

kinds of worship were going on. One day, the priest hid himself besides

a bush to observe what was happening.

 

As Thinnan approached the lingam, he noticed blood oozing from the right

eye of the lingam. Immediately, he plucked his own right eye with an

arrow and placed it on the bloody eye. The blood stopped but started

oozing from the left eye. Unhesitatingly, Thinnan proceeded to pluck his

other eye also but to make sure the location of the left eye of the

lingam (as he would not be able to identify in the absence of both

eyes), he with his footwear still on, kept his foot on the spot. As he

was about to pluck his other eye, Siva appeared before him and stayed

him calling him 'Kannappa'- the one who gave his eye. He restored the

eyesight of the right eye also, blessed him and disappeared into the

lingam

 

Comment

 

Though the Markandeya story is from Rajasa Purana which is not

authentic and the Kannappa story is from a later day Saiva Agama which

some people hold are copycat version from the authentic Satvika Puranas,

they serve to show that the depth of devotion should be such as to

disregard any personal discomfort, loss of limb or injury or even death.

When the devotion is so total, God would certainly save the situation.

 

The modern skeptic mind is apt to question how all this could happen.

The answer is that 'there is no knowing the way without going'. If one

could muster up enough intensity of devotion as did Markandeya and

Kannappa, one cannot fail to secure the grace of God. If one does not

succeed, it only means that one's devotion is not perfect.

 

Mere disputations will not help. This is true not only in Hinduism but

in every religion of the World. Faith and devotion are the sheet anchors

of all religions. Mutual trust governs all our interactions with family,

friends and society even in our day to day life. This sincerity and

devotion to God is but an extension of the same mutual trust and faith.

 

12. The power of Dharma ( Tuladhara)

 

Sage Jajali performed severe penance. Since he sat motionless, sparrows

built nest on his matted locks of hair and begot children there itself.

When the sage came out of his meditation and saw this phenomenon, he

became proud thinking who else could do such great service by giving

room to sparrows on one's own head.

 

An Asareeri (bodyless voice) was heard saying" Oh! Sage! You can never

beat in Dharma the great Tulaadara who lives in Varanasi. He does not

indulge in such self praise". On hearing this, he became curious and

went to Varanasi to meet with Tulaadara. He saw Tulaadara, a Vaisya by

birth, a merchant selling groceries. Even before Jajali could reach

him, Tulaadara came running to him, narrated to him how he had heard the

ethereal voice and had come to him. The sage was astonished and prayed

Tulaadara to advise him on Dharma. Tulaadara advised him on various

subjects including doing good to living beings, not harming

anyone,simple living, never finding fault with others, desirelessness,

Aachara , granting refuge without expecting any return or pride etc.

Jajali became saner and sober on meeting Tulaadara.

 

Comment

 

The story shows that one should never indulge in self praise.

Tulaadara's advice to Jajali are words that should be engraved in gold

for the benefit of mankind all through the ages. The essence is the

emphasis on Dharma - that which sustains the World.

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