Mahabharata – 96
by
Sankar Mukherjee
&
Dr. Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                            Aadivamsavatarana Parva

The famous Pururava took birth from Ila .And  we learned  that Ila was
the father & mother of Pururava. The famous Pururava being a human was
brutal in nature. He used to rule thirteen islands of the ocean. The
mighty Pururava entered into dispute with the Brahmins & despite
their laments, he took away their wealth by force. And then Sanatkumar
advised Pururava from Bramahaloka. But he never paid heed to
Sanatkumar’s words.Then the greedy & haughty & insensible Pururava was
ruined due to the curse of the great sages.
Before that he along with Urvashi brought from the Gandharvaloka three
fires for the sacrificial rites. Thus Pururava was the Prometheus of
Indian mythology. Prometheus defied the gods & stole fire from heaven
to help man in innovative activity. But our Pururava was enamoured  of
the child of heaven – Urvashi. And thereby he could bring three fires
from heaven so that the men on earth could develop spiritually through
the observation of fire sacrifice.
Be that as it may, while Prometheus was tortured ceaselessly by the
angry gods as he had stolen fire from heaven Pururava had to undergo
the curse of gods & sages for becoming cruel to his subjects & to
other men. Anyone can guess where ancient Indian myths differ from the
Greek myths.

Mahabharata – 95                                            
by
Sankar Mukherjee
&
Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                            Aadivamsavatarana Parva

Janamejaya said, Oh great sage Vaisampayana! I heard from you the
account of the incarnations, of the gods, the Danavas, the
Rakshasas,&of the Gandharvas & the Apsaras as well. I now desire that
you recite the beginning of the Kuru race.
Vaisampayana said, Oh king! The characters of the  kings were
diverse.Because each king had his own way of pursuing Dharma,Artha &
kama.
To hear the narration of the races generated by  Dakshaprajapati, is a
secred rite.
The utterance of Vaisampayana is significant. Commonly it is assumed
that ancient India was indifferent to history. But this is not
true. Because Vaisampayana looks upon recalling the past as a sacred
activity.
Vaisampana adds that the kings like Vaibaswata ,Manu,Bharata,Kuru,Puru Ajmera, were great ksatryas. Kastryas are the warrior clan.So it is expected that they excel in fights & battles.But Vaisampayana observed that these ksatryas were as great devotee as the
sages.Thus ancient India cherished the notion of a sage king just as
Plato spoke of the philosopher king.To recount their stories yields
good fortune,virtue, wealth, fame & long life.
At the outset  the creator Brahma had ten sons. All of them were
demons.So Brahma burnt them all with the fire from his mouth.
There after Daksa was born from the thumb of the Brahma. It was from
Daksa that the universe was peopled. That is why Brahma is called the
grandfather of the existence.
Daksa the son of Brahma had thousand sons by his wife Veerini.Each son
was spiritually as advanced as Daksa himself.
Narada taught them the philosophy of Samkhya so that they might
attain liberation.
There after Daksa deemed his fifty daughters as sons to beget
children so that the world is peopled.
He gave away ten daughters to Dharma & thirteen daughters to
Kashyapa.He gave away twenty seven daughters to Moon.
Kashyapa had thirteen wives.The eldest of them was Aditi.With the aid
of Kasyapa Aditi gave birth to all the gods such as Indra etc. She was
the mother of Sun god as well.The Sun god in turn gave birth to Yama
or the god of death.
The Sun god had a daughter in Yamuna & a second son in Manu. Brahma
entrusted Manu  to create man. And the word man perhaps derived from
manava only suggests that s/he has generated from Manu. Among them
there were Ksatryas & Brahamanas.
The Brahamanas were engrossed with the Vedas.But
Vena,Dhrisnu,Narisyanta,Nabhaga,Iksvaku,Karusa,Saryati,Ila,Prisadhra &
Nabhagarista – these ten sons of Manu became Kastryas in their
aptitutes.
Manu also gave birth to another fifty sons. But they were ruined due
to fighting with each other. This we heard.

Mahabharata – 94
by
Sankar Mukherjee
&
Dr. Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                            Aadivamsavatarana Parva

And Narayana--the god of gods—the eternal one, incarnated on earth as
the most influential Krishna. And Valadeva of great strength was a
portion of the Naga Ananta. And Pradyumna of great energy was
Sanatkumara.
And in this way  portions of the energies of various other gods
incarnated in the race of Vasudeva. Gada - Sarana & others became best
among human race.And,O king, the portions of the race of Apsaras which
I have mentioned already,also became incarnate on earth in obedience
to Indra's commands.And sixteen thousand portions of those goddesses
showed up in this world of men.The wives of Shrikrishna
 were all goddesses in human disguise. A  portion of goddes Lakshmi
herself became incarnate on earth, for the pleasure of Shrikrishna as
the daughter of Bhishmaka & her name was  Rukmini.
And Draupadi, was born of a portion of Sachidevi wife of Indra the
king of heavens as the daughter of Drupada from the sacrificial altar.
And she was neither short nor tall in stature. And she had the
fragrance of the blue lotus, & her eyes were   as large as
lotus-petals.Her  thighs were fair and round.  She had dense masses of
black curly hair that used to float around with her breath. And  with
all fortunate features and of complexion like that of the emerald, she
became the paragon of a woman who charmed  the hearts of five men who
likened the gods like Indra.
And the two goddesses Siddhi and Dhriti became the mothers of those
five men - the five brothers known as Pandavas. Siddhi & Dhriti were
Kunti and Madri in mortal raiments. And the goddes named  Mati  became
Gandhari  the mother of Dyurodhana & others.
Thus, O king, have I recited to you  all about the incarnation, of the
gods, the Asuras, the Gandharvas, the Apsaras, and of the Rakshasas.
They who were born on earth as kings great warriors  in the battle,
those high-souled ones who were born in the vast race of the Yadus &
they who were born as mighty kings in other races, & also they who
were born as Brahmanas and Kshatriyas and Vaisyas, have all been
recited by me duly.
 And this section of the incarnation capable of giving wealth, fame,
offspring, long life, and success, should always be listened to in a
proper frame of mind without finding fault of others.

Mahabharata – 93

by

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr. Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya

                                        Aadivamsavatarana Parva

In a number of sections above we have noted the names of those who

were the chief protagonists in the action of the heroic poetry the

Mahabharata. The names themselves are  significant if we decode them

etymologically.

Besides none of them was human.They were either the children of gods

or of demons & the like.This reminds us of Homer.In Homer the gods

often cohabit with wemen & beget children there by.They are always of

extra ordinary prowess in relation to their mortal counter parts.But

these demigods in human flesh are however not gods and they are not

immortals.The gods take care of their children in human form.For

exampleArjuna was the son of Indra the king of heaven by Kunti & Indra

took care of Arjuna over & over again. Thus one wonders whether gods &

demons chose the earth & human society as the theatre for war between

them.During the second world war the theatre of war was Europe.We are

afraid that Asia could be the theatre of war in the next great war.

The proper names chanted together give us a symphony.

The birth stories of the protagonists of the Mahabharata war often

give us  the foretaste of how they would fare in times to come.

Curiously enough,while we look upon the Moon as symbolic of  love &

tenderness the spiritual son of Moon god in human shape, it has been

pointed out, was a fearsome warrior even in his teens.This might be

an eye opener for the astrologers.

What has been told in these sections only evoke the curosity of the

readers.The rest of the great war will narrate in an elaborate way the

stories put here in out line.Later in the narrative when Abhimanyu

dies battling we are shocked with his untimely death.But here it has

been observed that the Moon god wanted his child back at the age of

sixteen.Thus every happening in the Mahabharata is preordained.

Despite that when one dies we can not but lament for his death.No one

dies.The bodies are destroyed.But the owners of the body are unhurt.

Be that as it may we look upon the living body as the self & when a

living body is shattered we think that the self of the body  or the

owner of the body  has been destroyed. This is not the truth according

to the Mahabharata.But we are always swayed by the upheavals of

appearance.

It is assumed that gods & demons are inimical to each other. Fine. But

the circumstances on earth often makes the gods friendly with the

demons. Karna the son of the Sun god becomes the ally of Duryodhana &

his party who are devils incarnate.

This is the paradox of the way of the world   where mortals act. In

fact the Close Reading school opines that it is the paradoxes that go

to forge great poetry.The followers of Kuntaka might find in it

vakrokti.

The birth story of Karna reminds us of the birth story of Moses & the

birth story of Romulus.Thus the Mahabharata is loaded with archetypes

that makes us ponder over the inscrutable mystery of human existence.

Mahabharata – 92

By 

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                            Aadivamsavatarana Parva

O Maharaja, the mighty car-warrior Dhrishtadyumna was a portion of Agni. Also that Sikhandi, who was at first a female & later became a male, was the incarnation of a Rakshasa. And they who became the five sons of Draupadi, were the gods known as the Viswas. Their names were Pritivindhya by yudhisthira, Sutasoma by Bhima, Srutakirti by Arjuna, Satanika by Nakula, and Srutasena by Sahadeva.

Sura of the Yadus, was the father of Vasudeva. He had a daughter called Pritha, who for her beauty, was unparallelled on earth. And that Sura, had promised that he would give his firstborn child to Kuntibhoja, the son of his paternal aunt, who was without offspring.Here Sura’s first born child was a daughter & he  gave his daughter to Kuntibhoja  according to his earlier promise. And  in the house of  her adoptive father, engaged in attending upon Brahmanas & guests. One day she met  a  cruel ascetic of rigid vows, Durvasa by name.He was fully conversant with all the theories of religion. And Pritha with all possible care satisfied the furious ascetic whose soul & senses were under his complete control. The holy one, satisfied with the attentions given to him by Kunti, told her, 'I am satisfied with you O fortunate one, By this mantra you shall be able to call any god  you like. And by their grace you shall  also obtain a male child.

 Thus addressed, the girl being a maiden, out of curiosity, summoned the god Surya at once. And the Sun then only made her conceive.And in course of time she gave birth  to a son  with ear-rings & armour. And he had the beauty  of a divine child.In splendour he was like  the Sun. Every part of his body was  well decked with ornaments.In course of time the child became the best of the warriors.

Kunti however threw away the child into the waters least her parents could find her out. But the child thus thrown into the water was rescued by the  husband of Radha. He thought that this would be the son of his wife Radha. And the couple called  him  by the name Vasusena & the child  became known all over the land by the name Vasusena. And, as he grew he became exceedingly strong.He was a great votary of the Brahmins. During his study time there was nothing he would not  give away to the Brahmanas. At that time Indra, moved by the desire of the well being of  his own son Arjuna, assumed the guise of a Brahmana, & came to him, and begged  his ear-rings and natural armour. And then Karna taking off his ear-rings and armour gave them away to the Brahmana. The ear – ring & the amulet of an armour were organically related to the Karnas body.When Karna gave away them to Indra what he really did was to cut off a particular limb of his body & gave it away to Indra in the disguise of a Brahmin.And Indra  presented him with a lethal weapon being  surprised , and addressed him in these words, O great Karna! This weapon that I give you can kill any one under the Sun be it a man or a demon or the demi gods like the gandarvas or the nagas. And the son of Surya was at first known in the world by the name of Vasusena. But, for his deeds of giving away the armour & the ear - ring  he subsequently came to be called Karna or Vaikartana. And, the great prowess  began to grow up in the house of Adhiratha. And that Karna—the best among the men being the  part of the Sun god the slayer of foes,a terrible warrior became the friend and counsellor of Duryodhana.

Mahabharata – 91

by 

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                            Aadivamsavatarana Parva

Thus, O king, I have narrated the names of the hundred sons and also the name of the daughter . Now it is known to you their names according to the order of their births. All of them were great warriors & charioteers,& well acquented  in the art of warfare. Besides, all of them were versed in the Vedas, & Laws.And all of them had gone through the scriptures. All of them were mighty soldiers, and all of them were blessed with learning & fame. And, O monarch! All of them had wives suitable to them in grace & identical.

And Dhritarastra bestowed his daughter Duhsala to  Jayadratha, the king of the Sindhus, as per  the counsels of Sakuni.

And on the other hand  king Yudhishthira was a portion of Dharma. Bhimasena was of the portion of windgod. Arjuna was of Indra, the king of the gods, and  Nakula and Sahadeva, the most handsome  among all individuals, having unparalleled beauty on earth,were the  portions of the twin Aswins. And Varcha the son of the Moon became Abhimanyu famous for the great deeds.He became the son of Arjuna.

 And before his incarnation,Moon had said these words to the gods, 'I cannot part with  my son. He is dearer to me than my life. Let us agree upon the following. For the destruction of the Asuras on earth is our work  & therefore let this Varchas  go there, but let him not stay there for long. Nara, whose companion is Narayana, will be born as Indra's son & will be known as Arjuna, the mighty son of Pandu. This boy of mine shall be his son & become a mighty car-warrior in his boyhood. And let him stay on earth  only for sixteen years. And when he will attain his sixteenth year, the battle of Kuruskhetra shall take place in which all who are born of your portions  Like Bhima & others shall be engaged in killing of the enemies  & in that war both Nara and Narayana (will be engaged with the Samsaptaka in other corner of the battle field). The enemies will fight with you making impenetratable Chakravyuha. And my son shall compel all foes to pull out before him. The boy of mighty arms having penetrated the impenetrable Chakravyuha shall fight  fearlessly and send a fourth part of the hostile force, in course of half a day to death. Then when numerous great warriors & mighty car-warriors will attack him again & again towards the close of the day, my boy of mighty arms, shall reappear before me. And he shall give birth to  one great son in his line, who shall continue the almost extinct Bharata race. Hearing these words of Moon, gods said So be it. And then all together applauded Moon. Thus, O king,thus  I recited to you the particulars of the birth of your grandfather.

Mahabharata – 90

by 

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                            Aadivamsavatarana Parva

The ninetynine brothers always supported Duryodhana. And over and above these hundred, Dhritarashtra had one son named Yuyutsu born of a Vaisya wife.

Janamejaya said, O great one! Tell me the names of Dhritarashtra's sons according to the order of their birth beginning from the eldest.

Vaisampayana said, 'O king, they are as follows: 1.Duryodhana,2. Yuyutsu,3. Duhsasana; 4.Duhsaha 5.Duhshala, 6.Durmukha, 7.Vivinsati,8Vikarna, 9Jalasandha,10. Sulochana, 11.Vinda 12.Anuvinda, 13.Durdharsha, 14.Suvahu, 15.Dushpradharshana,16.Durmarshana,17.Durmurka18.Dushkarna,19 Karna, 20.Chitra 21Upachitra, 22.Chitraksha, 23Charuchitra, 24 Angada, 25.Durmada,26. Dushpraharsha, 27.Vivitsu, 28.Vikata, 29.Sama, 30.Urnanabha,31 Padmanabha, 32.Nanda33. Upananda,34. Senapati, 35.Sushena, 36.Kundodara,37.Mahodara,38.Chitravahu,39.Chitravarma,40.Suvarman, 41.Durvirochana,42. Ayovahu, 43.Mahavahu, 44.Chitrachapa45. Sukundala, 46.Bhimavega, 47Bhimavala, 48.Valaki,49. Bhimavikrama, 50.Ugrayudha, 51.Bhimasara, 52.Kanakayu, 53.Dridhayudha,54. Dridhavarman,55. Dridhakshatra 56.Somakirti, 57.Anadara,58.Jarasandha, 59.Dridhasandha,60. Satyasandha,61. Sahasravakh,62. Ugrasravas, 63.Ugrasena,64. Kshemamurti,65.Aparajita,66. Panditaka, 67.Visalaksha,68. Duradhara,69. Dridhahasta,70. Suhasta, 71.Vatavega,72.  Suvarchasa,73Adityaketu, 74.Vahvasi,75. Nagadatta 76.Anuyai,77. Nishangi, 78.Kavachi,79. Dandi, 80.Dandadhara, 81.Dhanugraha,82 Ugra, 83.Bhimaratha, 84.Vira, 85.Viravahu, 86.Alolupa,87.Abhaya,88. Raudrakarma,89. Dridharatha,90.Chaya,91.Anadhrishya, 92.Kundavedi,93. Viravi, 94.Dirghalochana,95. Dirghavahu,96.(second)Mahavahu97.Vyudhoru, 98.Kanakangada,99. Kundaja & 100. Chitraka. There was also a daughter named Duhsala who was over and above the hundred. And Yuyutsu who was Dhritarashtra's son by a Vaisya wife, was also over and above the hundred.

Mahabharata – 89

by 

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                            Aadivamsavatarana Parva

                               

Vaisampayana said, Oh king! I shall narrate duly about the celestials and Danavas that were born in the earth as human --The Danava Viprachitti, took birth as Jarasandha of great prowess. And,  the son of Diti, who was known as Hiranyakasipu, was born on earth as the powerful Sisupala. Samhlada, the younger brother of Prahlada, became the famous Salya of Vahllika. The spirited Anuhlada who had been the youngest brother of Prahalad & others  was born  as Dhrishtaketu. And another demon named as  Sivi became on earth  the famous monarch Druma. The famous Asura Vashkala became the great Bhagadatta on earth.

The five Asuras of great prowess, Ayahsira, Aswasira,Aysanku, Gaganamurdha, and Vegavan, were all born at Kekaya and all became great Kings separately. That other mighty Asura known by the name Ketuman was born on earth as the king  Uttamaujas  of terrible nature.

That great Asura of fair looking who was known as Swarbhanu was born on earth as the king Ugrasena of fierce nature

 That prosperous Asura named Aswa was born  on earth as the king Asoka of great prowess. And, Oh the  king! the younger brother of Aswa who was known as Aswapati, became on earth as the King Hardikya. The great fortunate Asura who was named as Vrishaparva was born on earth as the king Dirghaprajna.The younger brother of Vrishaparva named as Ajaka became noted on earth as king Salya.

The powerful and mighty Asura Aswagriva by name was born on earth as king Rochamana. And the wise & intelligent Asura who was known as Sukshna, was born on earth as the famous king Vrihadratha.

Tuhunda the principal Asura, was known in the globe as the king Senavindu.

The most powerful Asura of great strength who was known as Ekapada became the king Nagnajita of great prowess.

The great Asura Ekachakra became the king Pritivindhya on earh.

The great Asura Virupaksha master of diverse art of fighting became the king Chitravarma on earth.

The slayer of foes Hara the demon,became the king Suvahu on earth.

The slayer of foes the mighty  Asura  Aahara by name became the famous king Vallika on earth. Nichandra the great demon having moon like face became the king Munjakesha on earth.

Nikumbha the great demon of great intelligence, who never  lost a battle was born on earth as the  king Devadhipa, the best  among the kings.

 Sarabha the great Asura became on earth the majestic king called Paurava. Mighty prosperous Kupatha,  the Asura was born on earth as the king Suparswa. The pious Asura Kapata was born on the earth as the fair complexion king Parvateya looking like splendid mountain Sumeru.

 Second Salabha amongst the Asuras,  became on earth as  the king Prahlada in the country of the Valhikas.

Chandra the demon  handsome to look at like Moon, became on earth the king Chandravarman, in the king dom of  Kamvoja.

 Arka the best of the Asuras became on earth,  the majestic king called Rishika.

That best of Asuras Ghritapa became on earth named Anupak in the western countries. The mighty Asura Gabishtha was known  as the  king Drumasena on earth.

The famous  Asura known as Mayura became the king Viswa on earth.

 The younger brother of Mayura  Suvarna was born  on earth as the king Kalakirti.

Chandrahanta the principal of the Asuras was born  on earth as the majestic king Sunaka. The great Asura known as Chandravijayee  became king Janaki on earth.  The demon Dirghajihva, became the king of Kashi .

The Graha who was generated by Sinhika and who maltreated the Sun and the Moon was born on earth as the king Kratha.

The eldest of the four sons of Danayu, who was known as famous Vikshara, became known on earth as the king Vasumitra. The younger brother of Vikshara, was born on earth as the king of the country, called Pandya.

That great Asura Valina was born on earth as  the king Paundramatsyaka. And the  great Asura who was known as Vritra was born on earth as the king Maniman.

That Asura Krodhahanta the younger brother of Vritra  was born  on earth as the king Danda.

 The other Asura who was known as Krodhavardhana was born on earth as the king Dandadhara.

The eight sons of the Kalakeas were born on earth.They  all became the  great kings of prwoess like that of the lion. The eldest of them was known as  king Jayatsena in Magadha. The second of them, in prowess, like Indra, became king  Aparajita. The third of them of  great energy and power was born on earth as the cunning king of the Nishadas.

  The fourth of Kalekeyas was born on earth as king Sreniman. The fifth of them became king Mahaujas. The most intelligent & wise who was the sixth of them was born on earth as  king Abhiru. The seventh of them was born on earth as the pious king Samudrasena. The eighth of the Kalekeyas became the pious king Vrihat doing  good to all the creatures.

One  mighty Danava known by the name of Kukshi became on earth a fair complexioned Parvatiya comparable with  Sumeru mountain. The mighty & fair Asura Krathana  became on earth  the King Suryaksha. Amongst the Asuras known by the name of Surya, became on earth the King of the principal Valhikas by name Darada. And, O king, from the race of Asuras called Krodhavasa, of whom I have already told you, were born many mighty kings on earth. Madraka, Karnaveshta, Siddhartha, Kitaka; Suvira,Suvahu, and MahaviraValhika, Kratha, Vichitra, Suratha,Nila,Chiravasa, Dantavakra,Durjaya, Rukmi,Janamejaya, Ashada, Vayuvega Bhurivajas, Ekalavya,Sumitra, Vatadhana, Gomukha, Karushakas, Khemadhurti; Srutayu, Udvaha,  Vrihatsena; Kshema, Ugratirtha,Kuhara &Iswara. These  fortunate  kings of Madraka were all born from the Asura race called Krodhavasa. They became famous & mighty.

The  mightiest among the  Asuras known as Kalanemi, of  great strength, became the famous son of Ugrasena &  wasa known  on earth by the name of Kansa.

And Devaka the great Asura, magnificent like Indra,was born on earth as the foremost king of the Gandharvas.

 And, O King, know that Drona, the son of Bharadwaja race, not born of any woman, took birth from a portion of the great sage Vrihaspati of great splendour. And he was the greatest of all bowmen, & well conversant with all the weapons,of great energy. He was also well-acquainted with the Vedas and the science of arms. Because of his wonderful deeds his race became famous. And, O king, his son the great Aswatthama, was born on earth, of the united portions of Mahadeva, Yama, Kala, & Krodha. And due to the curse of Vasishtha and the command also of Indra, the eight Vasus were born of Ganga by her husband Santanu. The youngest of them was Bhishma, who used to resolve the  fears of the Kurus, of great intelligence.He was the  killer of enemies. He was  well conversant with the Vedas & a great orator. And well acquainted with all the  weapons, he encountered the illustrious Parusharama. And, O king, that Brahman  known on earth by the name of Kripa –the divine sage  was born from the portion of Rudras of great prowess. And the mighty chariot fighter the king who was on earth  known by the name of Sakuni, was Dwapara

And he who was known by the name Satyaki of great Vrishni race, honest &  slayer of all foes, was born from the portion of the gods forty nine Vayu. And that royal king Drupada was also born from the same god  Maruta on earth & he was the best of the warrior class. And the peerless warrior Kritavarma was also born on earth from the portion of the same god Maruta.

And that royal king also, Virata by name, the great killer of all foes & great threat to the archenemy was born of the portion of the same gods.

That son of Arishta who was known by the name of Hansa, was born in the Kuru race and became the king of the Gandharvas. He who was known as Dhritarashtra was born of the seed of Krishna-Dwaipayana, andwas  gifted with long arms and  great energy & power.He became blind in consequence of the fault of his mother & the curse of the sages. His younger brother who was possessed of great strength and was really a gem was known as Pandu.He was  devoted to truth and virtue.

The man known on earth as Vidura, the most virtuous among men & fortunate was the god Dharma himself.

O king The evil-minded and the wicked king Duryodhana, the cause of the destruction of the warrior classes, was born from the portion of Kali on earth.

He it was who caused all the warrior class  to  be destroyed because of the enmity & hostality with the Pandavas. The demons were born on earth among men as  Duryodhana's brothers.He had  Dusasana, Durmukha, Duhsaha, and others & their acts were  unkind in nature.