raavana remembeing garudan 4

March 11, 2008

Dear sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer,

We completed one part of raavaNa remembering garudan's feats. To take up the next feat, let us go back to sreemadh raamaayaNam aaraNya kaaNdam 35th sargam.

sa thEna thu praharshENa dhviguNee kutha vikramah |

amrutha aanayana artham vai chakaara mathimaan mathim || 3-35-34

meaning: When his valour has become twice as much with that happiness that heedful Garuda indeed resolved to bring ambrosia from heaven. [3-35-34]

ayo jaalaani nirmathya bhiththvaa rathna gruham varam |

mahEndhra bhavanaath guptham aajahaara amrutham thathah || 3-35-35

Meaning: Smashing the guard of iron-grid completely and crashing the unbreakable diamond-like strong room in which the ambrosia is safeguarded, then Garuda carried off ambrosia from the palace of Indhra.

Point: dear readers, these are the 2 slokams of 'thought recollection' by raavaNa, while he is traveling from lanka to aaraNya with the intention of meeting maareecha for seeking help in abducting seethaa. This is after the first portion of thoughts on garudan eating the elephant and tortoise.

Also recall how garuda's strength became twice – father kasyapa prajaapathi blessed son garuda that all the 4 vedhaas and Upanishads constitute his strength. Earlier itself he was holding that 100 yojana length banyan tree branch. Now he got additional strength by way of vedhaas and upanishadhs.

Now we will switch ourselves on to that story why the 2 sisters vinathaa and kadru started fighting and thereby garuda was asked to bring amirtham for the sake of snakes, who are the sons of kadru and also garudan's brothers [father kasyapa is same, only mother is different].

For that we have to go back to mahaa bhaaratham aasthika parvam.

From 17th section of aasthika parvam in mahaa bhaaratham 'aadhi parvam' the first of 18 chapters

Quote—

" Sauti said, 'O ascetic, about this time the 2 sisters [MGV adds for clarity sake vinathaa and kadru] saw approaching near, that steed of complacent appearance named Uchchaihsravas who was worshipped by the gods, that gem of steeds, who arose at the churning of the Ocean for nectar. Divine, graceful, perpetually young, creation's master-piece, and of irresistible vigour, it was blest with every auspicious mark.'

20th section of aasthika parvam -- Sauti said, 'Thus have I recited to you the whole story of how Amrita was churned out of the Ocean, and the occasion on which the horse Uchchaihsravas of great beauty and incomparable prowess was obtained.

[MGV adds – from this, dear readers, you can understand, between 17th section to 20th section the story of churning of milk ocean was dealt with and the horse came out- I deleted that portion since not of relevance to us now]

quote continued-- It was this horse about which Kadru asked Vinata, saying, 'Tell me, amiable sister, without taking much time, of what colour Uchchaishravas is.' And Vinata answered, 'That prince of steeds is certainly white. What dost thou think, sister? Say thou what is its colour. Let us lay a wager upon it.'

Kadru replied, then, 'O thou of sweet smiles. I think that horse is black in its tail. Beauteous one, bet with me that she who loseth will become the other's slave.'

[Comment by MGV: So the betting was there even in those days and that has led to many problems is evident from following]

20th section continued -- Sauti continued, 'Thus wagering with each other about menial service as a slave, the sisters went home, and resolved to satisfy themselves by examining the horse next day. And Kadru, bent upon practising a deception, ordered her 1000 [MGV adds snake sons] sons to transform themselves into black hair and speedily cover the horse's tail in order that she might not become a slave. But her sons, the snakes, refused to do her bidding.

She cursed them, saying, 'During the snake-sacrifice of the wise king Janamejaya of the Pandava race, Agni shall consume you all.' And the Grandsire (Brahman) himself heard this exceedingly cruel curse pronounced by Kadru, impelled by the fate. And seeing that the snakes had multiplied exceedingly, the Grandsire, moved by kind consideration for his creatures, sanctioned with all the gods this curse of Kadru. Indeed, as the snakes were of virulent poison, great prowess and excess of strength, and ever bent on biting other creatures, their mother's conduct towards them - those persecutors of all creatures, - was very proper for the good of all creatures. Fate always inflicts punishment of death on those who seek the death of other creatures. The gods, having exchanged such sentiments with one another, supported Kadru's action (and went away). And Brahman, calling Kasyapa to him, spake unto him these words, 'O thou pure one who overcomest all enemies, these snakes begotten by you, who are of virulent poison and huge bodies, and ever intent on biting other creatures, have been cursed by their mother. O son, do not grieve for it in the least. The destruction of the snakes in the sacrifice hath, indeed, been ordained long ago' Saying this, the divine Creator of the Universe comforted Kasyapa and imparted to that illustrious one the knowledge of neutralising poison. " – unquote.

Point: So a bet between the two sisters caused the curse of all snakes. Also the bad intention of one sister seeking her sons help to deceive her own sister was prevalent then itself. That is evident from this story. By even resorting to cunning methods one should win his or her bet – see the great 'greediness' – that I must win at any cost. That is also evident from this story.

Whether kadru succeeded in her bet? Yes. But that portion is in next post.

Dhasan

-- Vasudevan MG