Jalandhar – Part 1

Here is an interesting story of Jalandhar, which I am writing on the request of some of my readers who seem to be trifle confused based on some popular depiction of the same.

Once, Lord Indra accompanied with Sage Brishaspati, decided to visit Lord Shiva at his abode. When Shiva came to know about it, he decided to test Indra’s devotion. He took the form of an ascetic and sat meditating at a distance from his abode. On the way,

vajra

Indra asked the ascetic, if he knew the way to Shiva’s abode. The ascetic did not reply. On repeated asking by Indra, when the ascetic did not reply, Indra got angry and picked up his vajra, to hurl at the ascetic.

Seeing this Shiva got angry and froze Indra’s hands. Brihaspati recognised the angry bloodshot eyes of Shiva, and sought pardon on behalf of both of them. Shiva was appeased and he diverted the radiation of his angry eyes towards the confluence of the Ganga and the sea, Gangasagar. From the confluence was born a child, who started crying ferociously and would not stop. His ranting grew louder and everybody around was quite unsettled by his shrieks. The sea approached Lord Brahma and sought a solution to the child.

Lord Brahma reached the spot and took the child on his lap. As soon as the child sat on his lap, he got hold of Brahma’s neck (some versions say, he pulled his beard so hard), that tears rolled down Brahma’s cheeks, and the lord named the child, Jalandhar! Brahma also blessed the child that he would grow up to be a brave and fearless king and would be vanquished by none other than Shiva himself. He then gave the child to the sea and asked him to bring up the child as his own.

This child grew up and on the advice of Shukracharya, his father withdrew the waters from a portion of the land, where Maya build a beautiful city. He was then appointed the king of the place and later married Vrinda, the daughter of Kalnemi, the demon king. This region went on to become the modern day city of Jallandhar. On growing up, he came to know all about the churning of the ocean, and how all that emerged from the sea was taken by the gods and the killing of Rahu by Lord Vishnu for drinking a drop of amrit, which anyways they deserved. All this enraged him and he decided to avenge the injustice.

Jalandhar sent a messenger to Lord Indra, seeking answers as to why all the wealth of his father, that emerged from the churning of the ocean was appropriated by him. The messenger was sent back without any attention or any proper answer. This antagonised Jalandhar to no end, and he waged a war on the gods, which inflicted heavy casualties on both sides. However, both seemed to be ready to fight nonetheless. On the part of the demons, their guru Shukracharya was ensuring that none died as he had the knowledge of the mritasanjivani. On the other side sage Brihaspati was also healing all those injured on the side of the gods through medicinal herbs. This was going nowhere.

Shukracharya, then advised Jalandhar to submerge the Dronagiri mountains in the ocean, thus eliminating the source of the herbs for Brihaspati. Jalandhar did so, and soon the mountain range was submerged in the sea, and the gods started losing out to the demons, as Brihaspati was not able to prepare his medicines to cure them.

The gods approached Lord Vishnu to bail them out. Vishnu agreed to help them, except that he had a problem. His consort Lakshmi considered Jalandhar as her brother, as she too was the child of the sea, and had made Vishnu promise that he would not kill Jalandhar. A fierce battle took place between Jalandhar and Vishnu, and it left Vishnu rather impressed by his bravery. He instead asked Jalandhar to seek a boon from him!

Jalandhar, asked that he and his sister, Lakshmi should make their abode in the Ksheersagar, the abode of Jalandhar. Vishnu agreed and started staying with Jalandhar. This left the gods back in trouble as Vishnu whose help was sought to bail them out, had now gone to stay with Jalandhar. This also gave an advantage to Jalandhar, and soon, his fame spread far and wide.

The gods now appealed to Lord Shiva to help them.

We will next read what Shiva did and how he helped the gods. Keep reading…

Easter

Good Friday is the day Jesus Christ was crucified. Easter Sunday is the day, of his Resurrection. This is also the beginning of the Easters. Just what has Easter bunny and Easter eggs got to do with Jesus Christ?

Nothing. Exactly, the Easter bunnies and eggs have nothing directly to do with Jesus.

Easter is a per-Christian spring festival. The Anglo-Saxons worshiped a spring deity by the name of Eostre. The celebration took place on the Vernal Equinox (the equinox that falls in the month of March or spring). Eostre was depicted in attendance of hares. Hares and rabbits are fertility symbols of ancient times.  Rabbits and hares are prolific breeders and it is said that some of them can conceive a second litter even before the previous ones have been delivered. It is but natural, that the hares are seen as fertility symbols, for a generation surviving on agriculture and worshiping abundance.

When the Christian missionaries came across the ancient Saxons, they tried to convert them to Christianity and take them away from the pagan-worship that the Saxons were used to. However, the early converts could not shed their Pagan ways and festivities. Lest this be a point of confrontation, the missionaries allowed Pagan festivals with a Christian fervor. Since the Resurrection coincided with the worship of Eostre, such intermingling was allowed initially, till the newer generations saw it as a Christian celebration only. Eostre worship gave way to Easter celebration and the pagan celebration gave way to Christian tradition.

What stuck on was the association of rabbits and eggs.

The Easter rabbit or the bunny as it is lovingly called, has remained and is akin to Santa Claus in Christmas. According to legends, it brings along with it gifts, toys and candies, along with eggs for children who have been good and nice all year long. The Romans believed that all life came from eggs and the Christians believed that an egg was the starting point of life. Decorating eggs in different colours also stood for the colours that spring heralds with its advent. Some orthodox Christians colour the eggs red, depicting the blood of Christ, while some colour them green, in the depicting the colour of leaf in Spring. Over time, the eggs have changed to being painted in different hues and designs. Another practice that is still followed is the rolling of eggs on the next day of Easter, i.e. on Easter Monday.

In some of the Scandinavian countries, children roll eggs (boiled) down the hill. This is compared to the rolling of the rock of Jesus Christ’s tomb, when he resurrected. Till date, White House sponsors this sport for all children below the age of twelve, a practice started by the wife of the fourth President of US.

So on this day, let us celebrate both the Resurrection as well as the advent of the season of colour and love, Spring!

Happy Easter!!

Holi and Karma

According to an interesting myth, once there was drought on earth for a prolonged period of time. People were going through tough time due to scarcity of water and thus no crops and fodder for cattle.

It was believed, that Lord Indra was responsible for the rains and whenever it rained, Lord Shiva would play his damru (a small hand-drum). Parvati, Shiva’s consort was worried about the situation and both of them decided to descend to earth, in a disguise and check for themselves, the state of their devotees.

The scene on earth was as expected. Land had cracked up; dead cattle lay all around, with the sun blazing down on earth. There was not a drop of water anywhere and people were migrating to wherever they thought there was water. Amidst all this, they were surprised to see a lone farmer, plowing his field.

Both of them, in their disguise approached the farmer and asked him as to why was he plowing when there was no scope of rains. The farmer, replied, that Lord Indra can afford to forget his responsibility of sending the rains and so can Lord Shiva afford not to play his damru, as they were gods. But he was a mere mortal; he could not afford to forget how to plough his field. Also, it was his responsibility to plough the land and he must do his job, rains or no rains, as he did not have the luxury of abdicating his responsibility like the gods. None would question the gods for failing in their responsibility, but he was answerable to his family.

Both Siva and Parvati were taken aback, by the response and were ashamed. It was then that Shiva decided that he should do his job, rains or no rains, and he started playing the damru. Hearing Lord Shiva’s damru, Indra realised his folly and sent down the rains and the drought ended.

A very simple myth, but such an important lesson.

No matter what, do not run away from your responsibility. Even if the circumstances are not favourable, just do your bit. If the powers-that-be have not taken heed of the massive drought in certain parts of the country, we must do your bit by contributing in whatever form we can. Farmers are dying and their families are left to fend for themselves. Many of us don’t/can’t do much, except feel sorry.

Tomorrow is Holi. Celebrate the festival with all the fervour it deserves. Spare a thought for the ones who are suffering from drought like conditions and are parched for water. Many have vociferously come out saying, why should we not play holi with water, when the responsibility of the acute shortage rests with nature and government? If the government does not take adequate steps, why should we and our children undergo austerities? 

No dispute to the question and so true too.

But I have just one thing to remind many of us of a simple emotion that many of us have grown up with. Earlier, when most of us have stayed in smaller buildings prior to moving in to large societies, if someone in the building died, as a mark of respect or solidarity with the family, we used to refrain from watching TV or listening to loud music for a few days. The situation is not very different. Some of our brethren are deprived of water for basic needs, for whosoever’s fault it might be. Under such circumstances, how humane would it seem to celebrate holi with rain dances, et al?

Do play holi, by all means, just spare a thought for people who get water once in 35-40 days for basic necessity while passive authorities are busy politicking. You do your bit – play holi, but spare the wasteful splash!

 

Happy Holi!!

  

My previous articles on Holi –

Holi – Festival of Colours 

Holi & Women's Day

Pics Courtesy -

Drought pic - www.madhyaman.com
Rain dance - www.thesouthasiantimes.info
Holi - Internet

The Fall of Phaethon

Here is a Greek myth, the lesson of which is valid even today.

Helios

Phaethon was the son of the Greek Sun God Helios* and Clymene, a mortal from Ethiopia. Since Helios had a tough job of driving the sun from across one end to the other every day in his chariot, Phaethon stayed with his mother on earth. Once one of his friends laughed at him when he said that he was the son of Helios and refused to believe him. Later his mother too assured him about it, but he would not believe. His doubt took him to the heavens where he found himself in the presence of the mighty Helios who was bright and radiant, and so was his palace with lofty pillars of gold and bronze, all shining like burning fire.

When Phaethon asked Helios if he was really his father, Helios agreed and assured him about it. Helios went a step further by announcing to all in his palace that Phaethon was indeed his son. Seeing that the son had not quite been assured, Helios told Phaethon that he was willing to do anything to prove his paternity and to that effect, he can ask for anything from him, and he would do it.

On hearing this, Phaethon asked to drive his father’s chariot for a day. Helios realised that he had erred and tried to convince him out of his demand. He explained to him that the chariot was no ordinary chariot as it was fiery hot and the horses breathed fire, so much so that even Zeus, the king of all gods, could not control the chariot. But Phaethon would not relent, and having made a commitment, Helios could not go back on his word, even though he realised his folly of hasty commitment. So with a heavy heart, he allowed him to take the chariot out the next day.

The chariot was truly majestic. It had axle and pole made of gold and so were the wheels of gold with silver spokes. The yoke was set with jewels and the horses which were fed on ambrosia were breathing fire ready to charge. Helios applied an ointment on Phaethon to protect him from the intense heat that he would be subjected and advised him to tread the middle path and not to drive it too low towards the earth or high towards the sky. As night had retreated on the Western end and dawn was breaking in and it was time for the sun to appear on the horizon and so Helios bade his son, goodbye.

Phaethon took hold of the reins and charged. But this was no ordinary chariot and nor was he used to holding such heavenly horses. Soon the chariot was beginning to get out of control. It went too high towards the skies, drying up all the clouds. Seeing this, he plunged the chariot down towards the seas, but it only ended up drying the waters. When Poseidon, the Lord of the seas, saw this, he came out to warn the charioteer, but the uncontrolled charge towards him made him plunge deep into the sea, with casualties of dead sea-creatures which upset him to no end. The chariot burnt up forests, melt down ice-capped mountains and it is said that it went too close to modern-day Ethiopia (supposedly to have his friend get a closer look of him on the chariot), the people there became black, since the heat drew the blood to the surface of the body of the people there. It is also said that it went so close to the modern-day Libya that the area became a desert and the river Nile was so scared that it went and hid its head in the earth which is hidden till date!

Earth was in flames, the waters had dried up and sky was scorched. The gods came out and appealed to Zeus to stop the menace. Zeus seeing no option hurled his thunderbolt and brought down the chariot and the charioteer to the ground and soon all was well, but Helios lost his son. Helios was sad, but he realised his folly too.

The Fall of Phaethon - A Painting

The myth leaves us with a very important lesson. Helios shouldn’t have made a promise, without thinking about its ramifications. Also, he should not have allowed his responsibility to become a juveniles sport. Driving the chariot across the sky was an important responsibility and Phaethon was neither experienced nor capable of handling it. He was too young to even understand the gravity of his father’s responsibility which for him was a matter of adventure, or misadventure as it turned out to be.

I find this myth so contemporary when I read about underage children driving their parents’ vehicles irresponsibly leaving a trail of tragedy behind them, when they are unable to control the vehicle. Myths of this nature highlight the repercussions of granting a child’s wish too hastily without giving it forethought. It also highlights that one shouldn’t abdicate ones responsibility in favour of parental affection.

To quote Joseph Campbell, the well known author – “This tale (i.e. the tale of Phaethon) of indulgent parenthood illustrates the antique idea that when the roles of life are assumed by the improperly initiated, chaos supervenes”.

*Different versions of this myth have used the names Phoebus and at times Apollo in place of Helios. The other details remain more or less the same.

All Pics taken from Internet.