Mahabharata – 141

by

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

Shakuntala along with her son visited the king Dushmanta’s court on her own.King Dushmanta had married Shakuntala secretly.It was by this marriage that a son was born to Shakuntala. But at the court Dushmanta did not acknowledge Shakuntala as his lawful wife. In response Shakuntala argued that Dushmanta was a liar. The argument started in the earlier section.It continues in the present section as well.

Shkuntala posited that the  husband enters into the wife & is born as a son.Therefore the wife is called ‘Jayaa’ according to the puranic scriptures.If a person under goes  the Vedic rites he is born  in the womb of his wife as his son. And the process goes on through generations.That is how the ancestors are liberated from the hell named ‘Put.’ The wife is an agent of this process. She is the wife who is  efficient in household duties. She is the wife who has a son.She is the wife who loves her husband as her second self.She is the wife who is devoted to her husband.The wife is the half of a person.The wife is the best friend.The wife is the source of dharma,artha & kama.And she is the only way to liberation.The person having a wife is alone entitled for observing sacrifices.They are the householders.They can participate in merry social gatherings.They fit in every occasion fair speaking wife is the friend in a solitary place.The wife is as it were the father during the performance of  the religious rites.And she is like the  mother for an ailing person.In the  worldly life of a person. The wife is the only resting place for a man.The person having a wife earns  respectability.Therefore in the domestic life the wife is the only support.After death when the husband travels through the most difficult way,the devoted wife follows him.If the wife dies before her husband she waits in the other world for her husband.

Oh king!A person marries to  get the company of his wife in both the worlds.The wise say that the husband is reborn in the womb of his wife.Therefore the husband must treat his wife having a son as mother.As one sees the reflection of his own person in a mirror similarly a person sees own image in his son born through his wife.Just as a pious person becomes joyful in achieving the heaven similarly the father becomes cheerful seeing his son.As a person perspiring all over is contented after bathing in water,similarly the ailing & dejected person  feels cheerful united with his wife.Understanding that pleasure,love & dharma all are centered around one’s wife,the husband despite in anger never does any unpleasant act towards a woman.It is the woman who is the source of a man.  Without a woman even the sages can not procreate. What would be more pleasant than when the son covered by dust adores his father.Your son is here on his own & very much willing to be in your arms & glancing at you. Why are you  ignoring him? Even ants never leave their eggs. Rather they  maintain the eggs.And you being a righteous person why should you not maintain your son? Fine clothes,beautiful women & cold water may not be so pleasing as taking the son in the arms.Among the biped animals brahmanas are the best.Amongst the quadruped animals the cow is the best.Amongst the senior person father is the best.Similarly amongst the touchable objects the son is the most pleasant to touch.Let this handsome looking son of yours embrace you.There is nothing pleasant in the world other than the touch of a son.Oh king after the completion of three years from my conception I gave birth to this son & since then I could some how bear your separation.At the time of his birth a celestial voice announced that this boy of Puru clan would perform hundred horse sacrifices in future.Oh king! I feel that when a person leaving for abroad takes the son in his arms out of affection smelling his head he gets untold satisfaction.During the religious rites the brhamanas spell following slokas from Vedas ------- Oh my son you have originated from my heart & ideology.My soul is renamed as my son.May you live for hundred years.During old age you will maintain me.Your clan will be eternal.You be happy & live for hundred years.Oh king the boy originated from your ideology.Therefore from a male another male springs. As one sees reflection in a clean water of a pond similarly one soul becomes two.As the sacrificer produces Ahvaniya agni from garhyapatta agni.Similarly god  produced this boy from you.Therefore you are now divided into two from one.

Oh king! In the past you had been to the forest for hunting.A deer attracted you & you were carried away to the ashrama of the great sage Kanva.And you got me there in the virgin state.Urvashi,Purvachitti,Sahaajanya,Menaka,Biswachi & Ghritachi are the principal celestial dancers.The daughter of Brahma, Menaka is foremost among them.And she begot me  on the earth from the seed of Viswamitra.The hard hearted Menaka gave my birth on the planes of the Himalayas & she left me there to go back to her abode.For what offence in the past life my dear one left me in my early childhood,I do not know.And presently you left me.You are at liberty to leave me.In that situation I shall go back to my ashrama.But this boy is yours.Therefore you can not leave him.

Mahabharata – 140

by

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

Dushmanta the king of Hasthinapur narried Shakuntala secretly at the ashrama of sage Kanva.cDushmanta then went away to his palace,cShakuntala was left all alone in the ashrama of sage Kanva.In course of time Shakuntala became carrying. Shakuntala gave birth to a beautiful & spirited baby.The great sage Kanva observed religious rites fit for a kshatriya boy as per the rules.The boy gradually grew older in the ashrama of Kanva and turned out to be a strong,powerful handsome youth.Born & brought up in the forest, he played around with the wild animals in the forest and grew to be a fearless, mighty and extremely active youth. At the age of six years. he used to ride  the wild animals & climb trees. Also he used to bring lions, tigers, elephants in the ashrama & tied them in the nearby trees of the ashrama for which the residents of the ashrama named him Sarvadamana.

In course of time the boy grew to become a handsome and intelligent young man – Seeing his activity & might the great sage Kanva said to Shakuntala --- This is the right time for him to become the crown prince. Then he  commanded his disciples to take Shakuntala with her son to the palace of Dushmanta. If a woman lives in his father’s place for a long time after marriage she may deviate from righteousnes. And that is not desirable.You should take her to her husband presently.And his disciples proceeded towards the Hasthinapur along with Shakuntala & his son. And the lotus eyed Shakuntala with her son resplendent in divine  light reached  Hastinapur the capital of king Dushmanta.The royal gate keeper informed the king as to the arrival of Shakuntala.On approval of the king, they allowed Shakuntala to enter the royal palace with her spirited son who looked  like the Sun.In the mean time the ashrama boys who accompanied Shakuntala left the palace & the city of Hastinapur to go back to their sylvan retreat.

Shakuntala after paying due respect to the king said --- Oh king! This is your son. Oh king! In the past you begot this divine son in my womb. You promised earlier that my son should be the crown prince. Remember the promise you made at the ashrama of the great sage Kanva.Now this boy is of age.I brought him here. Keep your promise. 

On hearing Shakuntala, the king Dushmanta remembered his past affairs with Shakuntala vividly. But he denied the facts. He said, Oh I do not remember that I had any relation with you ever on any plane of dharma, artha or kama. How is it that you are my wife? It seems that you are a wicked ascetic. Who sent you here?

Hearing this the poor Shakuntala felt terriblly humuliated. Shocked it seemed that she lost he consciousness for a time.So she stood there without any stir like a pillar. Swayed by anger & restlessness her eyes became copper coloured. Her lips trembled.She looked at the king in a meaningful way. It seemed as if she would burn the king with her gaze.A little later she hid her anger. She earned great prowess through penance. Anger fuelled this prowess. But she controlled it. Thereafter, after a moment’s reflection, while gazing at the king constantly she spoke to the king in sorrow & anger --- Oh king! Even though you remember everything in details why do you speak like a common man? Your heart knows whether I am telling you lie or not.So speak like a honest witnes. Don’t make yourself & your soul the butt of ridicule by telling lies. The person who represents his self as different from what actually he is, is but a thief who steals his self from the self.He can commit any type of sin & crime. Oh king! You think that you are wise.But you are not aware of the fact that your individual soul had no beginning. The soul is always aware of what a person feels & thinks. It is aware of what a person does & speaks. You are committing sin before your soul that had no begining. People commit sin in a secluded place & think that they are unseen by any body.But the soul of the every person is a witness to what he does.The gods can do also espy whatever one does in a sequestered place hidden from the eye of the society.

Moreover Sun, Moon, Wind, Fire, Sky, Earth, Water, Mind, God of Death, days, night, morning prayer & evening prayer keeps all  the information about the individual soul.The individual soul is the witness of all the acts of oneself. Pleased by the honest act of a person the god of death forgives all his misconducts. But that individual soul is displeased by the wicked act of a person.The god of death puts  him in distress.The person who ignores his self & soul & projects himself  in a different way is cursed by the gods.Because his soul will not bear witness  to what he professes.I am a faithful wife.I am here on my own. Don’t ignore me.The wife is always adorable even if she comes on her own. You are not ready to welcome me.You are ignoring me at the court.You treat me as if I am a lowly women. Why? And am I crying in vain? You are not hearing me.I am praying to stay with you & if you do not keep my prayer then your head will be broken into hundred pieces.         

Mahabharata – 139

by

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

It was the middle of the night by a remote castle clock. And the  birds cuckoo & cockatwoo & a flock of crows were awakened by the castle clock. And when they found a little child all alone giggling at the sight of the fool moon & at the murmuring of the river Malini they at once crowded around the baby. The hissing snake saw them & returned to its hole. The hawling wolf saw the crowd of birds & passed by into denser forest. Birds protected the baby in that forest full of beasts by surrounding the baby. The sage Kanva was also taken by surprise by chirping of the birds standing in a flock making a circle. The sage came near the birds.Though they were scared they did not take to their wings. The sage espied the baby protected by the birds.This was a strange sight. And at once the sage Kanva named the baby Shakuntala one who is protected by the birds. Seeing the sage Kanva the birds made room for him & the sage softly took the baby in his arms & went into his ashrama. 

He brought her up as his daughter. He became the de facto father of the little child. Needless to say the little child was me. The sage Kanva brought me up & he is my father.

In the relegious text there are three types of father mentioned ---  1.one who gives birth,2.one who saves life,& 3.one who provides food.Thus Shakuntala became the daughter of Kanva.

 Shakuntala said to Dushmanta --- Oh king this is my birth story as said by sage Kanva to that brahamana & you also must know me as Kanva’s daughter in that fashion.Ido not know my biological father.I consider Kanva as my father.

Dushmanta replied Oh fortunate lady you are by birth the daughter of a Kshatriya. Therefore Oh fair lady! Marry me. Tell me  what I can do for you.

Oh beautiful lady! Right now I am arranging for you different clothes,neckless,ear – rings,number of gems & jewellery,skin of the deer ,along with covering of the breast.You please accept me as your husband.Let it be an instance of gaandharva marriage.For the kshatriyas this is the best type of marriage.

The Gaandharva Marriage is the best out of eight types of marriage according to the scriptures.

Gaandharva marriage is similar to love marriage in our times. In this case, the bride and the groom get married secretly, without the knowledge of their parents. It is not considered a right kind of marriage in India today, as it is done without the consent of the parents.

Shakuntala replied ------- Oh King wait for some time. Let my father come.He has gone out to collect fruits & flowers.He will bestow me on you.My father is always my friend philosopher & guide.Who ever is chosen by him as my bride groom will be my husband.

 Before marriage girls are usually maintaned by the father.During her youth she is
maintaned by her husband.During old age she is maintained by the children.She is never ever  independent.

Therefore how can I accept you as my husband ignoring my father?.

Dushmanta replied  ------ Oh my fair lady never say like this.Your father is a great sage & his passions are under  control.

Shakuntala said ------- Anger is the only weapon of the Brahamanas.But they seldom use the weapon.Indra uses the thunder to slay demons. Similarly the brahmanas kill the wrong doers by rage.Fire burns with  the power of its inherent spirit,Sun burns with  the rays.

Dushmanta said -- Oh graceful lady! Adore me,as I am staying here only for you & my mind is distracted for you.Look my lady one had better decide for himself/herself.You therefore  bestow yourself upon me.It will not be transgressing.

There are eight kinds of marriage  as per the scriptures in,1.brahma marriage,2.daiva marriage, 3.arya marriage,4. prajapatya marriage,5.gaandharva marriage,6.rakshasa marriage,7.paisacha marriage,8.asura marriage. The first four are  best for brahmanas & first six are  best for kshatriyas.But rakshasa marriage is also considered righteous by the sastras for kshatriyas & for the sudras & vaisyas. Asurik marriage is also considered as legal by the shastras.But brahma marriage,daiva marriage,prajapatya marriage,are best.Arya marriage & asura mnarriage are considered as inferior.Brahmanas never marry as per the guide line of asura marriage.Brahmanas & other castes never marry acccording to the pisacha rule.For the kshatriya mainly gaandharva & rakshasa are legitimate.You might not be scared of it.As I fell in love at the first sight & you also fell in love with me,therefore you can be my wife in accordance with the rule of the gaandharba marriage.

Shakuntala replied --- Oh best of the Pauravas! If it righteous & if I am able to bestow me, please listen to my prayer. Whatever I tell you in this solitary place you must keep them righteously.The first son will be born to me should be the crown prince.Oh King if this is possible I promise you that I shall consider you as my husband.

The king then without considering much replied --- let it be so.

The king  also assured her that he would take her to his capital, as she deserved to live in the capital. And  the king married Shakuntala in accordance with the principle of gaandharva marriage & had union with her. Before leaving the place the king promised  Shakuntala that he would send his troops to bring Shakuntala to the palace in the capital.While leaving Shakuntala, the king’s mind was full of anxiety about the repercussion of the great sage Kanva.After some time  Kanva returned to the ashrama.But Shakuntala out of shyness did not meet him.The great sage Kanva with divine wisdom saw into Shakuntala’s situation & told her -- Oh lady!You are lucky.Without my knowledge you came in contact with a male in a solitary place.There by you did not lose your virtue.When a passionate man in a solitary place accepts the hands of a lustful lady without any ritual whatsoever is known as gaandharva marriage.For the kshariyas that is the best one.The person whom you accepted as your husband is lovable & righteous with great soul. He is the  best of the men.You will give birth to a son.He will be  of great prowess & of  great soul.He will be the king of the whole globe.Your son will never be defeated by the enemies.And Shakuntala paid homage to the great sage Kanva.She washed his feet & collected the wood,kusha,fruits & flowers. She arranged the place for his rest.

Shakuntala said to Kanva -- At my own will I accepted Dushmanta as my husband. You please grace him with his ministers.

Kanva replied ---- I am pleased with Dushmanta.You ask for any boon from me.

Mahabharata – 138

by

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

Menaka the celestial dancer as advised by Indra the lord of the heaven visited Vishwamitra’s ashrama. She observed that all his lust were destroyed. Vishwamitra was engaged in penance.After showing respect to  Vishwamitra she started dancing in front him.Her clothes were white ; finer than moon’s rays. And the wind god wafted away her clothes.Then she out of shame blamed the wind god for the act.Vishwamitra gazed at her with great interest.She then went near to the Vishwamitra to collect her clothes.Vishwamitra saw the naked beauty of Menaka as all her female organs were exposed.They  were of boundless beauty.One can not blame any of her female parts.But she was in a hurry to collect her clothes. Vishwamitra excited to have Menaka in his possession   presently proposed to Menaka ; Menaka also condescended to it.They spent a long time together. Consequently a daughter of Viswamitra and Menaka was born near the river Malini on the plains of the Himalaya.

Menaka became successful in her errand.Victorious she  went to the court of Indra leaving behind the new born baby.

The story of Viswamitra & Menaka puts forward many issues of significance.Firstly Menaka recollects many incidents of Viswamitra’s life.They prove  that  physical might & materialistic prowess such as money or men simply pale beside spiritual prowess.With the aid of spiritual prowess one can transcend the limitations of the society for example cast system might stand in the way like juggernaut of a persons growth.But legislation might not help him.By sheer hard work & studies Dr.Ambedkar who was lowly born became the law giver of the country.Truly speaking he became a brahmin. Actually Viswamitra was his role model in this context.Many other instances of the circulation of the elite could be cited from the Indian history.A true brahmin as he was his heart was full of the milk of love for the down trodden.Hence his sharp criticism of the cast system among the Hindus.In the self same way Viswamitra though born a khastriya transcended the limitations of the caste system . He was acknowledged as brahmin. If we survey his life & work we find that he was a great iconoclast & revolutionary. He was a first revolutionary in India who dare to challenge all existing customs.He improvised fresh rules of Yajna. He created a fresh galaxy.

Indra the king of heaven could be here deemed as the representative of the establishment.And he sends Menaka to allure him so that Viswamitra deviated from the path of penance &revolution.Had Viswamitra become Indra of the heaven he might have had changed the ethos of the world.We have seen king Yayati also who ascended the heaven by sheer force of his penance.But Yayati was all for establishment.He always alluded to the scriptures to explain his acts & to defend his thought process.But Viswamitra himself composed many Vedic hymns.He was one of the founders of the scriptures.

When Menaka was asked by Indra to delude the great sage she was visibly scared.She was as it were between two fires.On one side there was the command of Indra the lord of heaven if she did not oblige Indra might be she would have to fall from heaven.But if the all knowing sage Viswamitra could read her intention he might put her into flames.This fear in Menaka makes her human.

Menaka has been successful in seducing the great sage.That shows the power of sex & sensuous beauty.Even gods & the greatest sages succumbed to it forgetting their pursuit.

The celestial ladies like Menaka Urvashi & others are rather divinities of prostitutes.Here it might be argued that prostitution was deviate in ancient days.In Buddhist lore we have the instance of great prostitute who attaintained the Buddha nature.

These celestial prostitutes were apparently heartless no wonder that the baby born to Menaka was left on earth with no body to look after her.                 

Mahabharata – 137

by

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

After duly honored the king said to the exquisite sweet voiced lady --- Oh fortunate lady! I have come to pay respect to the great sage Kanva.Please let me know where he is?

Shakuntala said --- My father has gone out to collect fruits. Please wait a bit. Meet him when he comes.

 Looking at the exquisite young lady with beautiful thighs the king said   ----- Oh fortunate lady with beautiful buttocks! who are you? Whose daughter are you? How have you come to this forest? Oh fortunate lady!I became your admirer, at first sight. Please tell me as to your identity.

The lady answered in sweet voice & with smile. People say that I am the daughter of the high souled, pious & great sage Kanva.

The king said Oh beautiful lady! Respected great sage Kanva always controlled his semen as he is of rigid vow. Even the god of justice might deviate from celibacy.But the great sage Kanva will never succumb to the call of the flesh. How could you be her daughter? Please clear my doubts.

Shakuntala replied --Please listen to the story in details of my birth,as I have heard.Once upon a time one rishi came to this ashrama & asked the great sage Kanva about my birth.In reply I tell you whatever he said to the rishi.

In the past Vishwamitra was engaged in severe penance & Indra the lord of the heaven was very much worried.Indra was well aware of Vishwamitra's powers and feared that if he grew stronger spiritually,he would easily be able to usurp his throne.Indra said to  Menaka --- You have become the chief of the celestial dancers due to your unwordly attributes.Therefore Oh fortunate lady! Do me a favou.The great sage Vishwamitra spirited like the Sun,is engaged in mighty and powerful penance. I am worried.Oh Menaka! I am entrusting you to distract the praise worthy great sage from his mighty and powerful penance lest he dethrones me. Oh beautiful lady! You are youthful and vibrant.You are also well-versed in all the fine arts.Allure him by your sweet smile & soft words and see to that he deviates from severe penance.

Menaka said -- You know that the ascetic of rigid vow Vishwamitra is very cruel. And you are also scared of his spiritual power and might. I am also scared of him. He destroyed the dearest sons of Vasistha.  Being a kshatriya through his capability he became a Brahamin. He made the bottomless river Kausiki near his ashrama for taking bath.

In the remote past there was a hunter named Trisanku. A hunter though he was very pious.He looked after the wives of Viswamitra during famine. When the famine was over Viswamitra came back to his sylvan retreat. He was very happy with Trisanku. He functioned as the priest of Trisanku.The gods including yourself were also scared of him.And you could not but visit him & drink somarasa offered by him.

Once he was very angry. He created a fresh galaxy where such stars as Shravana figure.

The great sage Vasishta cursed Trisanku.Trisanku doubted whether his priest Viswamitra could rescue him.Viswamitra however did rescue him.The gods ignored Viswamitra’s sacrificial rites.But Viswamitra was at that time capable of creating preserving & destroying the world.So he improvised fresh sacrificial rites.And with his great prowess he sent Trisanku presntly to the heaven.        

 I am scared about him who can perform such amazing acts.Oh lord of the heaven!Please see to that the furious Vishwamitra does not burn me.He can burn the three worlds.He can agitate the earth by his footsteps.Also he can make mountain Sumeru smaller & he is able to change the directions.How a lady like me can touch that great sage whose passions are under control & whose spirit is ablaze like fire.Oh lord of the heaven! His eyes are like the sun & the moon.The yama or god of  death is placed in his tongue & sacrificial fire is placed in his mouth.How shall I touch that spirited great sage Vishwamitra?God of death, Moon sages, Sadhyas,Vasus & Valakhillya sages are also scared of him.Why should not a lady like me fear him? At the same time Oh lord of the heaven! How can I disobey your order? Therefore you look into the safety of mine so that I may serve your purpose. Oh lord! When I shall play near Vishwamitra, the wind god  must displace my clothes and Cupid or Kamadeva must help me in this mission. Also when I tempted Vishwamitra the fragrant air should blow.

On hearing Menaka Lord of the heaven said let it be so and he ordered the wind god & kamadeva accordingly. And Menaka went to the ashrama of Vishwamitra.

Mahabharata – 136

by

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

Dushmanta episode gives us a vivid description of an ashrama in the Mahabharata age. While Dushmanta was approaching the great sage Kanva he saw the bees  humming around the ashrama & the brahmanas were engaged there in their activities.The yajnas were being performed. The Rigvedi brahamanas were chanting the principal sections & the sub  sections of the Rigveda to invoke the gods & goddesses. The king listened to them with all attention.The master in yajnas & angasastra, the  learned brahamanas with rigid vow ---- the Samavedi brahamanas enriched the ashrama with their melodious voices. The air of the ashrama was filled with the chanting of that section of the Samaveda which is known as Bharundu.The last part of the Atharvaveda was also being recited. In fact it is the Rigvedi brahamanas who invites the gods at the site of the yajnas. Once the gods show up at the site of the yajna the Samavedic brahamanas chant hymns to please the ears of the gods & to entertain them. Their voice seemed to add to the beauty of the environment of the ashrama. Here is an  instance of synaesthesia.The king also was over hearing the discussions between the experienced brahamanas on the principles of the rituals. Education, logic, the Upanishad & the Vedas were the subject matter of the discussion. They also discussed on such topics as meditation & the way to liberation. Grammer, liguistics, astrology, chemistry, Ayurveda & decoding the cries of the animals & the like figured in their discussions. He also found in some other places some others engaged in meditation or in sacrifice or in prayers.The king was amazed seeing that numerous seats were placed with great care.The brahamanas kept the rooms neat & clean. Seeing this the king thought that he was at Brahmaloka.The ashrama was so enchanting & beautiful that the more he saw it the more he longed for it.

Then the king saw the house of great sage Kanva.The blessed place was very pure & excellent. Many great sages were staying there.

The king leaving the priests & the ministers entered into that ashrama house  alone. Seeing no body there the king in deep voice asked --- Who is there? The king’s voice filled the air of that hermitage. On hearing the king’s voice a female ascetic looking like goddess Lakshmi came out from the ashrama.The beautiful eyed lady seeing  Dushmanta the king, paid due respect  to the king & asked him whether he came here to the ashrama  with joyful mind? The lady offered the king welcome offerings like arghya, paddya & seat. Then she asked him ---- Are you maintaining good health & is every one in your kingdom well & happy?