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सूत्रधार - भारत की कहानियाँ

@MySutradhar

Mar 26

Stories of Chadravamsha - The First of the Chandravamshis - Story of Pururava and Urvashi

After Sudyumna, Ila and Budha's son Pururava became the king. He was an illustrious king who was famous even among the gods. Apsara Urvashi had heard about his fame and was infatuated with him.

Once Urvashi with her friend Chitralekha was visiting earth and she got kidnapped by an asura named Keshi. Pururava heard Chitralekha's screaming and came for the rescue. Pururava chased Keshi and rescued Urvashi.

After this encounter both Uravshi and Pururava were smitten by each other.

Once during a performance in Indraloka directed by Bharat Muni, Urvashi, who was playing the role of Devi Lakshmi mentioned Pururava's name instead of Narayana. This angered Bharat Muni, who cursed her to live with this human whom she was so smitten by and bear children with him.

This curse felt like a boon to Urvashi, who was too happy to get a chance to spend time with Pururava. However she always knew that one day she would have to leave him and return to heaven, so before agreeing to their union she presented her conditions to Pururava.

Urvashi's first condition was that Pururava would take care of and protect Urvashi's pet sheep she brought with her. Her second condition was that she should not see Pururava naked outside their bedroom.

Many years passed and gods in the heaven started missing Urvashi. They wanted her to return. So they played a trick. One night while Pururava and Urvashi were in their bedroom, Gandharvas stole Urvashi's sheep. Hearing their sound Pururava rushed to protect them, without bothering to dress up. Urvashi followed Pururava outside their bedroom and as soon as they both were out, Indra caused lightening thus making him break Urvashi's conditions.

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सूत्रधार - भारत की कहानियाँ

@MySutradhar

Mar 18

When Karna faced Arjuna for the first time.

Karna harboured the desire to defeat Arjuna in a duel all his life. Since the time they came together during their time in Drona's ashram Karna developed a sense of competition towards Arjuna.

This desire made him quit Drona's ashram and approach Bhagwan Parashuram. This was his demand when he gate-crashed the Rangabhumi where Hastinapur princes had gathered to demonstrate their skills.

His desire to face Arjuna was fulfilled for the first time when he along with other failed suitors decided to attack Draupadi's father and brothers.

When many Kings present during Draupadi's swayamvar led by Karna and Shalya decided to attack Drupada and his sons, Arjuna and Bhima, who were disguised as poor Brahmins intervened.

Arjuna took on Karna, while Bhima faced Shalya.

Shrikrishna had already recognised them and stopped Balaram from intervening.

So it was Arjuna vs Karna and Bhima vs Shalya; while neither Karna nor Shalya knew the true identities of the warriors they were facing.

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सूत्रधार - भारत की कहानियाँ

@MySutradhar

Mar 16

Stories of Chandravamsha - the Origin

It the beginning there was Vivasvan (Sun) and we are currently living is the manvantar named after his son, Vaivaswat Manu.

Vaivaswat Manu conducted a sacrifice for Mitra-Varuna under the guidance of Brahmarshi Vashishtha to get a son but his wife secretly wished for a daughter and thus they got Ila who became Sudyumna.

One day Sudyumna was out hunting and he unknowingly entered an enchanted garden. The divine garden was created by Mahadev for devi Parvati. The enchantment covering the garden would convert any man entering there into a woman.

Thus Sudyumna became Ila.

Sudyumna worshipped Mahadev and devi Parvati and asked them to be converted into a man again.

Mahadev did not reverse the enchantment completely but allowed Ila/Sudyumna to switch between a man and a woman every month. Thus for a month he was Sudyumna and then next became Ila.

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सूत्रधार - भारत की कहानियाँ

@MySutradhar

Mar 10

षड्गर्भ - श्रीकृष्ण के छः बड़े भाई

श्रीकृष्ण के जन्म की कथा हम सभी तो ज्ञात है। किस प्रकार देवकी के गर्भ से जन्म लेने वाले आठवें पुत्र द्वारा अपनी मृत्यु की आकाशवाणी सुनकर देवकी के भाई कंस ने नियति को बदलने की सोची। नारद मुनि से मिलने के पश्चात कंस ने देवकी और वसुदेव के सभी पुत्रों को जन्म लेते ही मृत्यु के घाट उतारने का निर्णय लिया।

कंस ने देवकी और वसुदेव को उनके ही आवास में बन्दी बना लिया और महल के सभी सेवकों को देवकी और वसुदेव पर दृष्टि रखने का निर्देश दिया और देवकी के गर्भवती होते ही उस पर नियंत्रण और बढ़ाने के लिए कहा। देवकी के पुत्र के जन्म लेते ही सेवक कंस को सूचित कर देते और वह बिना समय व्यर्थ किए नवजात शिशु को शिला पर पटककर नष्ट कर देता। इस प्रकार उसने देवकी के छः पुत्रों को नष्ट कर दिया।

यह लेख उन छः पुत्रों के विषय में है।

देवकी के सभी पुत्रों का विनाश करने के कंस के निर्णय करने पर भगवान विष्णु की दृष्टि पाताललोक में शयन कर रहे षड्गर्भ नामक दैत्यों पर पड़ी। कालनेमि दैत्य के पुत्र वो छः दैत्यकुलश्रेष्ठ अपने पितामह हिरण्यकशिपु की अवहेलना कर लोकपितामह ब्रह्मदेव की आराधना में लीन रहते थे।

उनकी तपस्या से प्रसन्न होकर ब्रह्मदेव उनके समक्ष प्रकट हुए और उनसे इच्छानुसार वर माँगने को कहा। षड्गर्भ दैत्यों ने एक सुर में ब्रह्मदेव से कहा - "भगवन्! हम देवताओं तथा बड़े-बड़े नागों से अवध्य हों। शाप द्वारा प्रहार करने वाले महर्षियों से भी हमारा सदा कल्याण हो। यक्ष, गंधर्व, चारण और मनुष्यों द्वारा भी हमारा वध न हो।"

ब्रह्मदेव उन दैत्यों को वर देकर ब्रह्मलोक चले गए पर। उधर हिरण्यकशिपु को इस पर बड़ा रोष हुआ और उसने क्रोध के वशीभूत होकर कहा - "तुमने मुझे त्यागकर ब्रह्मा को ग्रहण किया है और अपने प्रति मेरे स्नेह का त्याग कर दिया है। अब तुम लोग मेरे लिए शत्रु के समान हो और मैं तुम्हारा त्याग करता हूँ। जिस पिता ने तुम्हें षड्गर्भ नाम दिया है वही तुम्हें नष्ट कर देगा।"

उनका स्मरण होते ही भगवान विष्णु पाताललोक गए और वहाँ शयन कर रहे षड्गर्भ दैत्यों को निद्रा देवी को समर्पित कर दिया और बोले - "निद्रे! तुम मेरी प्रेरणा से इन षड्गर्भ दैत्यों को ले जाकर एक-एक कर देवकी के गर्भ में स्थापित करो। जब ये देवकी के गर्भ से जन्म लेंगे तब अपने पिता कालनेमि के अवतार कंस के हाथों यमलोक भेज दिए जाएंगे। इस प्रकार कंस का प्रयत्न निष्फल और देवकी का परिश्रम सफल होगा।"

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सूत्रधार - भारत की कहानियाँ

@MySutradhar

Feb 24

Shadgarbha - 6 brothers of ShriKrishna

Everyone knows the story of Shrikrishna's birth and the events in his parents' lives leading up to that. Kamsa out of fear for his life at the hands of the eighth son of Devaki decided kill all of them at childbirth.

Chapter 2 of Vishnu Parva of Shri Harivamsha Purana tells the backstory of the first 6 sons of Devaki and Vasudev, who were killed by Kamsa. This post is about them.

Read on to know more...

Kamsa ordered the ministers to be engaged in destroying the conception of Devaki.

"Starting with the first, all the conceptions shall be destroyed as they are born. Where there is an apprehension about a danger, it should be destroyed at the root.

Let Devaki move freely in the house, guarded by my men in disguise. When she becomes pregnant, she should be placed under guard.

My women will track her pregnancy and we will do the needful at the time of delivery.

Servants desiring my benefit shall guard Vasudeva in the women's quarters throughout day and night.

Only such human efforts are possible by humans. But a powerful man like me can thwart the course of fate by certain means. Listen.

With the chanting of mantra-s, appropriate use of medicines and using suitable tactics, fate can be made favourable."

Thus Kamsa began to make efforts to destroy Devaki's conception. He had understood everything from Narada. Frightened, he began to make plans for his protection.

Hearing about the efforts of Kamsa which will bring disaster, the invincible, valiant Bhagwan Vishnu contemplated as follows:
"Kamsa will definitely kill the seven conceptions of Devaki. I should install myself as her eighth conception."

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सूत्रधार - भारत की कहानियाँ

@MySutradhar

Feb 19

Who was Eklavya? Was his a story of social discrimination?

Eklavya is another example often quoted by many to demonstrate how our society in ancient times used to discriminate against the lower classes.

But before we jump to any conclusion, let's first find out who exactly was Eklavya.

Everyone remembers the story of a poor tribal boy who wanted to study archery under Guru Dronacharya. When the renowned Guru declined to accept him as his student, that boy built a statue of the Guru and started learning by observing the great teacher in action and then practicing under the statue he had built.

One day when Eklavya was practicing a wild dog kept barking, making it difficult for him to focus. Irritated by this the boy shot multiple arrows inside the dog's mouth and blocked it without fatally wounding the dog.

When everyone at Drona's academy saw that dog, they were amazed at the skill used in blocking his mouth and wanted to find out who this skilled archer was. They found Eklavya practicing nearby.

The great teacher asked Eklavya where he had learned archery from and the boy said that Drona was his teacher. Drona's beloved student Arjuna looked at him with disappointment. The boy Arjuna was disappointed because Drona had promised to make him the best archer in the world, while he seemed to have been clearly teaching someone else in secret.

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