Mahabharat Katha:T#4; Part 52 On Pg 140

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proteeti

@sambhavami

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Posted: 10 years ago

#421

Originally posted by: Avyakta
Well written update Radhika . Thank you

Thank you so much Di!!

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proteeti

@sambhavami

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+ 12

Posted: 10 years ago

#422

Originally posted by: Chaithali
Wonderful and interesting writeup.

I'm glad you liked it Di!!

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proteeti

@sambhavami

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Posted: 10 years ago

#423

Part 44

Once, when the Pandavs had been living with the Brahmin in Ekchakra, Satyavati's son Sage Ved Vyaas came to meet them. After some general questions about their well-being and their conduct in the society, Vyaas narrated to them a story. He said, "A long time ago, in a certain ashram, there lived a beautiful lady, who as a result of her own bad karma, could not acquire a husband. Thus she engaged herself in severe austerities. Soon, Lord Shiv was pleased with her and came to bestow on her a boon. Elated, she asked for a husband excelling in all spheres for herself. Mahadev said, "So be it. You'll be blessed with five husbands." The damsel said, alarmed, "Lord, but I wanted a single worthy husband!" The Lord smiled, "But you asked for him five times; and my words can't be untrue. So, you will have five husbands in your next birth." Now, this beautiful lady has taken birth in Panchal, as Drupad's daughter. Go to her city in Panchal, and I am sure, you five brothers will get her as a wife."

After this the Pandavs traveled towards the north. After traveling for a whole day, they reached a holy place called Shomashrayaayan. Arjun took a light and advanced slowly towards the river Ganga. The king of the Gandharvs, and a noted warrior, had been sporting in the water, at that time. No sooner did he lose his temper that he heard the Pandavs approaching the banks of the holy river. He raised his bow and shouted, "The night has been reserved for the demons, yakshas and gandharvs. The whole of the day has been given to you humans for fulfilling your earthly duties! Even the most powerful kings are barred from coming to the riverside at night! The learned always condemn those who visit a river at night. So, come forth! Let me destroy you with my friends, the demons! My name is Angarparna, I depend only on my powers. I am extremely moody, jealous and a close friend of Kuver. And the forest who see there is called Angarparna as well! No God, demon, or man can penetrate it. Tell me, how did you come here, then?" Enraged by the rudeness of the gandharv, Arjun said, "You fool! The ocean, the mountains and these riverbanks and not anybody's property, and let me tell you that no one can be debarred from visiting Mother Ganga at any time of the day, be it night or be it day. This river Ganga meets the ocean, in the forms of the seven rivers, namely, Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Rathastha, Sarayu, Gomati and Gandaki. A man can get rid of all his sins by simply touching the waters of these seven rivers! Ganga, after traveling through the skies, was known as Alakananda in the heavens. Lord Baadaraayani says that for the benefit of our ancestors, She has flowed on our earth as Vaitarani. No sinful person can cross her. All the persons of all castes bathe in this divine river, and who are you to stop us? We will go just now, and freshen up in this river, let me see who dares to stop us!"

The moment he heard this Angarparna, unleased a hail of arrows on Arjun, which the latter stopped by wheeling his armour and the light in his hand. He said, "Gandharv! It is useless to try to frighten me with such stupid magical tricks! This will only prove that the gandharvs can be defeated by any humane power! Lets forget magic for the moment and fight with weapons. A long time back, Sage Vrihaspati had given this Aagneyaastra to Sage Bhardwaaj who gave it to Sage Agniveshya, who in turn gave it to my Guru, Sage Dron. My Guru, deeming me to be the best has given this to me. I shall now destroy you and your pride with this divine weapon." Saying thus Arjun hurled this weapon at the gandharv. His chariot burned to ashes the moment the weapon touched it and the king of the celestial singers was left unconscious on the bare ground. Seeing his enemy helpless, unable to protect himself, Arjun dragged him to Yudhishthir. Meanwhile the queen of Angarparna, sensing that only Yudhishthir could save her husband from Arjun, fell at his feet and said, "Sir, I am Kumbhinasi, the Gandharv King's queen, please have mercy on me and forgive my Lord!" Yudhishthir nodded and said, "Arjun! It is not right to kill a powerless, defeated enemy. Leave him alone!" Arjun said to the defeated King, "Gandharv, you have been pardoned by Yuvaraj Yudhishthir, so I can't harm you. You may leave now!" Angarparna then said, "I leave my name of Angarparna this very moment! And you have burnt my vichitra (spectacular) chariot by your weapon, so I shall be known as Dagdharath (one with a burnt chariot) instead of Chitarath (one with a spectacular chariot). I am highly impressed by your brother, Arjun! I'd like to give him a divine power, called Chakshusi vidya. This was given to Soma, by Lord Manu, who later gave it to Vishwavasu. I have acquired this from Vishwavasu. This is the power by which we celestial beings can behold anything we wish and perform many kinds of wonders. One had to stand on one leg for six months and pray to acquire this, and I will give it to you without the penance. Also, I will give a hundred Gandharvaj horses to each of you. They are beautiful, and faster even than the mind! They never get old; neither does their speed decrease. In the old days, Lord Indra's Vajra was invented to kill Vritraasur. It had broken down to a hundred pieces when it collided with the asur's head. After this, the Gods worshiped those broken pieces, and from these pieces these horses had evolved, and thus they cannot be killed!" Arjun said, "King! You aren't giving this to me just because you are impressed or afraid that we shall end your life. And anyways, I won't accept any gift if I cannot give you a return gift!"
"Arjun, I am highly impressed by your prowess, and thus I give these to you and if you want I'll take from you your Brahmaastra and a medicine called Vridhhi."
"Fine! I will give you Brahmaastra and take your horses, but I want to ensure that we will remain friends forever. So, please tell us why were we so rudely addressed by you even though we are staunch followers of the Vedas and haven't committed a sin in our lives as far as I can remember. Have we, Brother Yudhishthir?"
"Arjun, you brothers have not got a purohit, and haven't performed a suitable yajna. This is why I had been rude with you. Otherwise, your dynasty is the one of best in history! I myself have been benefited by your family when I was traveling around the earth. I am well versed with your Guru, Dron. I even knew your father, Pandu. I had to insult you even when I knew the reason of your arrival. You know, one can't bear to be insulted, especially in front of his wife, and my wife was with me, and our powers increase manifold in the night. Due to all these reasons, my temper had got the better of me! Now let me tell you who you were able to defeat me. You are a bachelor, and no person under the spell of lust can defeat us at night. But yes, if one offers all he owns to a Brahmin, and then fights, he's bound to win. So Taapatya, you should also approach a good, and austere Brahmin to lead and guide you in your journey into the spiritual world. The King who has not got a purohit, can never retain his won lands for long!" Arjun said, "King! Why did you call me Taapatya? We are all Kaunteyas? Who was Tapati? And why were we addressed by her name?"
"Arjun, let me tell you the story of Tapati. Then you will understand very clearly, why I called you the son of Tapati."

Edited by Radhikerani - 10 years ago