Jai Sriman Narayana !!
The great epic Mahabharath was composed by Maharishi Veda
Vyasa/Krishna Dwaipayana, son of Sage Parasara and Sathyavati, a woman from
fishermen clan. Mahabharath describes
the legend of Bharatha Dynasty. It
was written in 18 Parva such as Adhi Parva, Sabha Parva, Vana Parva, Virada
Parva, Udhyoga Parva, Bhishma Parva, Drona Parva, Karna Parva, Shalya Parva,
Soupthika Parva, Stri Parva, Shanthi Parva, Anushasana Parva, Ashwamedha Parva,
Ashramavasika Parva, Musala Parva, Mahaprasthanika Parva and Swargarohana Parva
and each Parva has divided into many Upaparva and has chapters in detail. Adhi Parva depicts the life of King
Dushyantha and his wife Shakunthala and their son Sarvadhamanan, who was
famously known as Bharatha, a righteous ruler of Bharatha Empior.
Lord Brahma created deities, Sages and Prajapathis. It was the beginning of the growth of human
race from the sixty daughters of Daksha Prajapathi. Pururavass,
Yayathi, Puru, Dushyantha, Bharatha, Shanthanu were born in the family
of Dithi, one of the daughters of Daksha Prajapathi.
King Janamejaya, son of
King Pareekshit conducted a grand Yagna to please serpent Gods. There were a huge number of Rishis &
Sages were present in the magnificent Yagna, Maharishi Veda Vyasa along with
his disciple Rishi Vaishampayana and Sage Ugrasrava Sauti was also amongst
them. Rishi Vaishampayana narrated the
stories of Kuru Dynasty to King Janamejaya at the time of Naga Yagna. Later, this anecdote was described to the
Sages and Rishis assembled in Naimisharanya by Sage Sauti, son of Sage
Romaharshana/Lomaharshana, disciple of Maharishi Veda Vyasa.
Pandu praised the knowledge
of Kunthi, King Vyushithasva was equivalent to deities, and he has attained highly
commendable virtues with his righteous deeds when he was alive. Pandu described the egoless liberated life
style of women broadly accepted in olden days; they were not dependent to their
husband or relatives. There were no
prescribed rules for the married women to follow the vows of a married life and it
was not treated as anomalous either and they were lived like the life of birds
and animals, it was not regarded as sinful at all. There was no hard and fast rules imposed upon
women in those days to follow their husband.
Pandu narrated the reason for brining restrictions in the life of a
married woman and who brought them into practices.
Sage Uddhalaka and his
chaste wife had a virtuous son Swethakethu who brought restrictions in the life
of married women to protect them from the peril. Swethakethu witnessed the pathetic state of
his mother, she was seized by an unmarried old Brahmin against her will;
Swethakethu was enraged to see the superciliousness of the Brahmin and
vulnerability of his mother. Sage
Uddhalaka saw Swethakethu fuming with anger, advised him not to get annoyed by
the action of the Brahmin, it was prevalent in those days that the married
women were free to have physical relationship with any men, it was not compulsory
to follow their own family or husband and vice versa men were free to have any
woman at their own will, due to this women and men had to face extreme
guilt and turned out to be sinners. Swethakethu
disapproved the existing norms of life and established a new custom to protect people
from defiance. Pandu set appropriate
examples before Kunthi, Madayanthi wife of Saudasa was instructed to have
children from Sage Vashishta, she sincerely followed the words of her husband
and attained child Asmaka from Sage Vashishta,
in the same way Kuru Dynasty obtained children from Maharishi Veda
Vyasa. Pandu explained the freedom as
well as responsibilities of a married woman prescribed in the scriptures, she
should be at the service of her husband after the menstruation period. Pandu sorrowfully stated that as he was
incapable to have progeny, Kunthi should follow his command. Pandu raised both the hands above his head
and prayed to Kunthi to have a child from a Brahmin of high virtues that would
provide liberation to him.
Kunthi narrated an incident
happened while she was in her maiden days in Kunthiboj. She was serving the Sages and holy men
visited the palace. Once, Sage Durvassa
visited the palace of Kunthibhoj was relentlessly served by Kunthi, Sage
Durvassa was pleased at the dedication and devotion of Kunthi and provided her
with a boon to invoke any deities with the sacred hymns, they would be responsible
to provide child to her. Kunthi affirmed that the boon provided by
Sage Durvass will never go astray; it is the accurate time to have the fruit
and experience the bliss. Pandu was in a
state ecstasy advised Kunthi to invoke Lord Dharmarajan, one who protects
righteousness in the Universe would provide a progeny to protect Kuru
Dynasty. Kunthi dutifully followed the
words of her husband and circumambulated him and immersed in prayers.
Jai Sriman Narayana !!
No comments:
Post a Comment