AraniPrapti - Recovery of Lost Article

By Sri Chiraan 2009/06/17

When there are benefics in the 2 ,3 4 or 11, then lost articles are recovered.

As Pandavs were living peacefully in the forest after Karna and Duryodhan were rescued by Arjun from gandharva Chitrasen. A Bramhin one day came by to the place where pandavs were dwelling.

Bramhin had his arani carried away by a deer. What is arani? 

In olden days Bramhins resorted to Agnihotra everyday. Agnihotra required the fire to be lit in the Homa Kunda. This fire was lit with the help of sticks known as Arani. Two Arani sticks when rubbed caused fire to be lit through kusha and samit.

As Arani was carried away by the deer stuck in its horns. Bramhin came to Pandavs to get back the Arani from the deer which might be wandering in the forest.

All the five brothers set out into the forest. They looked into the direction where deer hoofs were found. They chased the deer deep into the forest, and deer suddenly vanished.

All the five brothers were tired and thirsty due to prolonged chase.

Nakul sad at the events and failure thus spoke to Yudhisthir, "Oh elder one, as far as I know our ancestors have never turned down the request of the subjects. Neither did we ever fail in our daily oblations and prayer towards the Lord. Nor do I remember a day when we have sinned or missed a vow. Then what caused our failure to catch this deer".

Sahadev said "I did not make any mistakes in my life except when Shakuni deceived in the dice, I should have killed him then and there, but I failed to do so, thus today because of that karma seeing this day of exhaustion and failure".

Arjun too claimed "he should have slit the throat of Karna as he uttered those words to Draupadi".

Bheema agreed with them, but Yudhisthir said, which karma we are reaping now is in the hands of Yama [dharma], so we cannot exactly be reaping instantaneous karma. Strange are the ways of destiny known only to Dharma.

Yudhisthir then ordered Nakul to look for water nearby. Nakul climbed the tree and saw a watery bushes and cranes flying. Thus He told nearby a pond must be there. Yudhisthir ordered to bring water to quench the thirst.

Nakul went to the Pond. Dharma disguised as baka bird warned "oh son answer my question and then drink, else you shall die".

Nakul without paying heed drank the water and lay still.

Sahadev went and similarly laid still.

Arjun went and listening to the voice looked in all directions, took a arrow and hit the shabdavedhi arrow to cover entire pond with arrows.

Yama said "why this much of effort just answer few questions and drink".

Arjun did not pay heed.

Bheema to did not pay heed and laid still.

To answer the questions and take water would be akin to using Vidya for self-sustenance. This is not allowed for kshatriyas. Thus even if these knew the answers. They preferred death than foregoing Dharma.

Yudhisthir, however in order to revive his brothers thought to answer the Yaksha.

Yaksha asked many questions. Yudhisthir answered them successfully.

Happy with dharma’s son answers, Yama said he would revive only one of the brothers.

Yudhisthir asked Nakul to be revived.

Yama said, "Yudhisthir, everyone knows Bheema is quiet dear to you, he is the one who has brought kingdom to you, and he is the one you are relying to gain back Kingdom from Duryodhan. Why did you then choose Nakul to be revived".

Yudhisthir said, "oh noble one, you seem not to be ordinary yaksha for none in this entire universe except celestials can put these to slumber. Neither these brothers of mine have turned pale due to poison of pond.

It seems your maya has made them so, but I chose Nakul because I am the surviving son of Kunti. My father’s other wife Madri, is also equally a mother to me. It is for that her son should also be alive I asked Nakul".

Yaksha happy with Yudhisthir revived all the brothers. Revealing himself as Yama, as father of Yudhisthir. Yama said it was to test him, he disguised as deer took the Arani of the Bramhin. Pleased he asked Yudhisthir to seek a boon.

Yudhisthir asked "let this Bramhin never fail in his agnihotra".

Yama happy asked Yudhisthir to seek another boon. Yudhisthir said "12 years have completed in forest, 13th year is to commence, they have to live incognito [in disguise]. Let no one recognise them in this year".

Yama replied "I give you all a boon to assume any form of your choice, as long as you wish and resume at your will. No one will be able to recognise you all by my boon, even if you all are in original forms".

Yudhisthir said "as they are all born to devatas, they have naturally very high radiance, far superior to ordinary men and kings. This would definitely raise a suspicion in the minds of people and Duryodhans’ spies may easily target them".

Yama by his maya reduced their lustre. Assured them they would never be recognised.

Pleased with Yudhisthir, Yama asked to seek another boon, Yudhisthir asked to ever remain in Dharma. Yama blessed it to be so, as to become very nature of Yudhisthir.

Happily Pandavs returned the Arani to Bramhin. Went to Virat for Agnyat Vasa.

Krishnarpana

4th House - Antah Kapat

By Sri Chiraan 2009/02/19 

If there is Rahu or Mars and Saturn in the fourth house one will be kapati [man of evil intentions].

When Pandava's were in exile, Duryodhana wanted to show his prosperity to them and wanted to make fun of them. So to show that he has performed better yagnya than Rajsooya of Yudhisthir, he opted for Paundrika yaag. Sent invitation to pandava's. Bheemasena sent away his emissary by saying there can be only one yagnya now, and that is Yudhdha yagnya. Duryodhana completed yaag, but is intention of showing wealth to others and pandava's did not materialise, as Pandava's did not attend. [Yagnya or other austerities done without pleasing Vishnu bhaktas don't give good results], unhappy Duryodhan and Karna went to the forest to tease the Pandavas under the pretext of Go samrakshana [yagnya ends with cattle grazing and feeding them]. Since Duryodhanas main intention was to insult Pandavas, Indra [lord of yagnyas] wanted to teach Duryodhana a lesson and save Pandava's from embarrassment. So he [Bramha] and other deities gave boon to one Gandharva Chitrasena as to be invincible for a day, and sent to instigate Duryodhan.
Duryodhana was taking a bath in the pond, guarded by his soldiers. Just when gandharva descended to the pond. Guards objected, gandharvas replied they were from heaven and were not obliged by the rule of a human king [chakravarti]. Duryodhana and guards became angry and waged a war.

Chitrasen with the boon soon overpowered Duryodhan. Karna fought with him, but as he was fighting with a jeal to insult Pandava's, [parshuram had cursed him, if he fought with jeal or competition he would lose], he lost and ran away.
Gandharva tied Duryodhan and dragged him towards heaven.
Kaurav ministers ran to Pandava camp and asked Bheemsena to help to save family prestige. Bheema refused, But Yudhisthira was in a day's deeksha, and hence asked Bheema to rescue Duryodhana.
Bheema and others went and fought with Chitrasena and released Duryodan.
Chitrasena told in front of all the gathering the evil intention of Duryodhan. Yudhisthir and other elders scolded him to discontinue his evil ways like a child.
Duryodhana totally ashamed returned to his camp, and undertook fast unto death [for he could not avenge Pandava's yet had to take their refuge].

Krishnarpana

Ninth House - Bhikshashanam

By Sri Chiraan 2009/02/13 

When ninth lord is debilitated and 10th lord and 3rd lord are weak, the subject will go begging for the food. 

Vedvyasa took all the Pandava's to Ekchakra nagar to a bramhin, and told him that these were his disciples and He should give them shelter. bramhin agreed as per the Lord’s words. Pandavas and Kunti devi were living in the house of bramhins. Pandava's were engaged in study of Vedas and lived by Bhiksha.

Kshatriyas should not ask Bhiksha. Bhima was param Bhagavata and hence would never go against Dharma, but here there was no option but to beg. How to save themselves from defaulting Dharma?

Just then a potters house got caught fire from all the sides. Bheemasen, standing a few feet's away from the house amidst fire, kicked hard in the ground. By the force of his kick, the house on the other side emerged out of the ground, along with the earth beneath it. Bheemasena lifted entire house by his hands, and put it out of fire on to the other side.

Indebted potter created a earthen vessel as big as the village itself and  gifted it to Yudhisthira. Now Bheemasena taking the earthen vessel just roared into the air, panicked by his roar, villagers gave away Bhiksha into the vessel even without their asking for it. This was akin to Kings giving their wealth as a tax to Indraprastha for the fear of losing kingdom and acceptance of Pandava supremacy.

But Yudhisthira said, this type of roar and eating vessel full of meals would alert Duryodhana, and his friends about their whereabouts, and thus requested Bheema to stay away from Bhikshashan, and eat whatever they would bring for him. Bheema was happy to save his dharma.

One day the bramhin and his family were bereaving and loud cry’s were heard. Bheema asked Kunti to find out the reason for the distress of their host. He could have gone himself, but woman in the family would get uncomfortable at the sight of another man, thus he sent his mother.

Kunti standing by the wall heard their conversation before asking them.

The bramhin said, "oh my wife, I had already told to leave this place, you were not ready look, now its time for embracing death. I shall go from my family and embrace death". 

Wife said "oh my lord, let me go into the mouth of death, for I would attain good lokas for having saved you".

Daughter said "a daughter is of no use, why not let me go to the den of Bakasur ?"

Father said "Shruti [Vedas] say a daughter is the one who graces the dynasties of both father and husband by her deeds and good virtue, a son only uplifts one family. Birth of a daughter is more auspicious, sending you will only put me further into naraka, so as worthy son of my lineage let me take on death".

The child in the family tottered, and with a small twig in the hand said "oh father, I will kill Bakasur with this twig let me go".

Taking these words of child as good omen [Bheemasena her child would break Bakasura as easily as a twig], Kunti entered to ask bramhin for their plight.

Bramhin said "there is a demon named Bakasur in the vicinity, who demands a cart full of food, milk, animal, birds and a human as bali. Every thirteen years a family has to send a human from their family to satisfy the demon . Its now their turn". Kunti said "she has five sons and would send one of her sons". Bramhin says "it will be a sin to take someone else’s life to save oneself". Kunti assured that her son has a VIDYA which cannot be confronted by devatas and demons and hence she is not afraid.

Kunti came back and told Bheema about the Bakasura. Bakasura was a demon and maternal uncle of Ravana. By the fear of RAMABANA of Lord Rama had hidden in the caves. After Ramayana, he came out and was not defeated by Bharath, Jarasndha, Narakasura etc. and was freely creating havoc. Now Bheemasena killing him would have an opportunity to please Lord.

Yudhisthira and others came back from Bhiksha and seeing Bheema in a very happy mood asked Kunti "Ma, why is Bheema so happy?", Kunti said "he is going tomorrow to Bakasura’s den". Yudhisthir panicked said "what a bad decision, we are all living by the hope of Bheema, owing to his strength and protection, we are dreaming of gaining back our kingdom, now Bakasura is living giant from Tretayuga, how will we live without Bheema?"

Kunti said, "let there not be a doubt about Bheema' s strength, even as a child he powered the entire mountain range Shatashrunga. NO [MAI KA LAAL] among devatas and demons can kill him as he is very VAYU himself ". 

Thus next day Bheemasen set out with the cart full of food and milk. He thought to finish the meals even before demon touches it and makes it impure. As demon saw him eating his food, he became angry and uprooted a tree to hit the Bheema. Bheema stopping the tree with his left hand, drank all the milk and then did ACHAMAAN. [This implies that food should be eaten in  a pure manner untouched by others, and achamaan should be done after meals].

Bakasura threw a mountain on the Bheema, it broke to pieces, after long battle, Bheema set his foot on one foot of Bakasura, and he held the other feet with his palms and slit him through middle like a sugarcane. Thus Bakasura was killed. He brought the dead body to the village gate and left it. People afraid of the giant body ran here and there in fear. After bramhin assured them about his death, villagers became happy and agreed to pay the cart full of meals to Bheema from then. But Bheema asked them to offer it Lord Narsimha in the village temple.

Thus from there Pandava's went to Draupadi swayamvar.

Krishnarpana

Ascendant - Qualities of Individual

By Sri Chiraan 2008/12/26

Ascendant is the sign rising in the east, at the time of birth. Ascendant determines the qualities of an individual. 

• When aspected by benefics one will have beauty and happiness of the body
• When tenanted by benefics ,one will have bodily beauty
• When moon is conjunct benefics , one will be beautiful
• When moon is aspected by benefics , one will be beautiful
• When in good bhavas, one will be righteous
• Jupiter or venus in kendras will make one righteous

Pandu wanted a son who would justly rule the world. Thus he asked Kunti to pray Dharmaraj [Yama] to bestow a son by his grace who would be Just and righteous. Thus Yudhisthira was born.

Again at the end of the year Pandu thought, it will just be not enough to be good and righteous, one requires strength to save oneself from the enemies, thus he asked Kunti to pray the most powerful in the universe to bestow son. Lord is most powerful, after him Lord vayu is most powerful, thus Kunti prayed Vayu to bestow her a strong son. Bheema was born, as she was holding him [child] on the peak of a mountain [shatshrunga], the child slipped, mother was in a state of shock, but Lo! as the child fell on the mountain, it broke it pieces [such was the strength of Bheema, even as a child], now it rightly justified its shatashrunga [mountain with hundred peaks owing to cracks].

Pandu again contemplated, when enemy attacks, Bheema may save him from external aggression, on an expedition, other enemies might attack the land, hence there has to be one more strong warrior son to save the land during such times. Now Vayu was the most powerful, he has already been approached, Kunti cannot call him again [as per the boon of Durvasa], after Vayu, Garuda shesha and Rudra are powerful, Garuda does not take birth on earth [as principle], Shesha and Rudra are very hot tempered personalities, thus it would not be wise to have such sons. So next in line is INDRA, so Kunti prays Indra to bestow a son, thus Arjuna is born.

Pandu now wished to have more sons, but this time a handsome one, with bodily felicity. Kunti refused, just as previous requests were justified for the sake of kingdom, this one was purely personal and did not justify the niyog process of obtaining a son. So Pandu insisted on giving the devavashikarana mantra to Madri, Kunti gave upadesha to Madri with a condition that she could use it only once [because if she had more sons than her, then they may engage in mutual fight]. Madri wanted two sons and hence thought to call Ashwini twins to get two sons in one stroke. Thus Nakul and Sahadev were born. They were extremely beautiful.

Bheema and Arjuna were also beautiful [handsome] but their bodies were extremely hard and well toned. Probably people consider only tender bodies to be handsome and beautiful in the world. Beauty is of two types 1. inner beauty of qualities, beauty of mind [suniti] and external beauty of features.

Nakul was very handsome [beauty of body] and Sahadeva was extremely noble  with expertise in neetishastra [beauty of mind].

• All women like people who are noble. [Sahadev]
• Women like people who have good features more than noble persons. [Nakul]
• Women like truthful people more than men with beauty. [Yudhisthira]
• Women like dynamic,brilliant successful people more than truthful men [Arjuna]
• Women like well built, intelligent saviour men more than anything else in this world [Bheemasena].

Thus Bheema was most liked by Both Krushnaa [Draupadi] and Krishna [Lord Vishnu].

krishnarpana.