Nara Narayan and Karna

By Sri Chiraan 2009/05/14

Karna was a demon by name Dambhodbhav in his previous birth. Dambodbhav did penance to Sun for many years. Pleased with his penance, Sun appeared before him and asked him to partake a boon. Dambodbhav asked for immortality. Sun said no one can become immortal, as all those who have taken birth should die, this the law of the nature set by NARAYANA, thus he can ask for something else.

Dambodbhav asked something that would be akin to immortality. He asked "oh Lord Sun kindly give me a 1000 KAvach – Kundal that should not break for at least 1000 years, and one who breaks it should die immediately". Sun grants him the boon. 

Dambodbhav smitten with pride created havoc in the world, and none could kill Dambodbhav, and none dared to fight as that would mean definite death. So when the world was besieged with the cruelty of Dambodbhav, sages and devatas went to Lord Narayana asked for the relief.

Lord Narayana took the form of two sages along with NARA. NARA-NARAYANA. The sages confronted the Demon, Narayana sat in meditation tapasya, for a 1000 years with mrit sanjeevani vidya, while nara would fight with Dambhodbhav. After 1000 years Nara would break the kavach and die, Narayana would bring him back to life and continue the fight. Nara would complete the tapasya for 1000 years as Narayana fought the battle and break another kavach, thus each would alternatively fight and practise tapasya and cut the kavach. This continued for 999 times in 1000000 years. The fight went on for 1000000 years, and when the last Kavach was left, Dambhodbhav fled the battle field and hid behind SUN in surya mandal, Sun gave him shelter. Nara Narayana demanded the demon to be handed over but SUN pleaded on behalf of him. Thus Nara cursed SUN to be born along with the demon and be killed.

For having given shelter to Demon and going against Narayana, Sun took the birth as KARNA along with suryavarman demon [ Dambhodbhav]. This time he was born with the 1000th kavach kundal naturally by the grace of previous boon by SUN.

Nara and NARAYANA were born again as Arjun and Krishna.

This kavach whoever breaks it would die and hence, had to be begged back by Indra. As demon would not give it, Karna had SUN also born in this birth as Amsa. With the quality of giving dana readily, SUN gave back the KAVACH he had been tricked to offer by DAMBHODBHAV, and created havoc in the world. Thus Indra tricked Dambhodbhav, and SUN rectified his mistake.

The presence of Dambhodbhav and Narkasur in the Karna made him undergo untold misery and misfortunes. But his previous tapasya and presence of SUN made him a hero as well. Apart from that due to immense devotion that Sugreeeva had done in Ramayana. Krishna himself manifested in KARNA to make him unparalleled due to Parshuram’s chariot and Bhargava astra. Whenever the whole Pandava ARMY trembled on account of KARNA, it was actually Krishna in him that made the balance in the WAR. At all such times, Karna won and became difficult to conquer like swayamvar of Jarasandha’s daughter, use of Bhargav astra, use of shakti, use of Bramhastra, riding Chariot of Parshuram etc.

As with Kavach on, had Arjun killed Karna, even Arjun would have lost his life, just like previous birth fight. Thus Kavach was taken away and returned to Suryaloka. Now Sun had to be released from runanubandha of Indra, on account of shelter to demon and also on account of killing VALI.

Thus he was killed unarmed to set right the score and make way for sun to go back to Surya Loka and NARA NARAYANA to return to NARAYANAASHRAMA in upper Badri .

Krishnarpanamastu

Astrology and importance of efforts

By Sri Chiraan 2008/10/21 

Astrological charts shows the effects of past karma. What is past karma, the deeds we have done through mind, speech and actions in the past lives. Are we not doing anything in this life as karma? Does this mean whatever Pooja, prayers ,good deeds I am doing now are only for next life? why then astrologers suggest remedy ? remedy that we do now are they not karma,do they give effect in this life or next life?

Most of these questions we have answered in this article that karmas done in this life also contribute to the present and alters effects we reap now, but when things go wrong even after extreme efforts, we leave it to fate and become passive. Does shastras permit such kind of behaviour. is there any incident highlighting this conclusion.

We shall examine few incidence :

1. Dharmashastra says whatever lost in the gamble or whatever given to a wife can be taken back ,and should not be considered as commitment. Hence when Yudhisthira lost his Kingdom in a gamble to kauravas. He could have claimed it back. Even Vidur suggests Dhritarashtra to return Kingdom on account of above shastra. Bheemasena asks his brother Yudhistira to attack Hastinapur after 12 months of vanvasa, here for the purpose of keeping dharma 12 months of vanvasa was enough to have undergone 12 years (there are many types of years in astrology, chandra, saura, btahaspatya, nakshatri, savanmana, pitrumana, devmana, bramhamana, varying in number of days in a year, for various occasions various years need to be considered). This is dharma [right conduct]. But Yudhistira refuses (a tendency for lack of efforts). Finally when vanvasa is over Duryodhana refuses to accept chandraman, because he follows saura mana solar year of 365days, and according to him 12+1 years was not yet over still few months left, thus war breaks out due to dispute.
2. Hanuman was a great astrologer too. He knew Ravana was to be killed by Rama, so even if he was capable of killing Ravana, he spared him many times. Yet when Ravan was taking away Seeta Devi, both Hanuman and Sugreeva watch him take away, since Rama had not yet approached Sugreeva, he preferred inaction, But Hanuman flew immediately (here Ramayana would have been over even before Rama meets Sugreeva), so Sugreeva stops him as an order from the king, Hanuman was minister. 
3. Bheemasena and Duryodhana both were special beings as they did not require formal education to get their respective knowledge. Hence both from the day 1 of the birth knew that they were rivals and wanted to kill each other. Bheemasena had he been eldest among Pandavas, would have killed Duryodhana the day he was born, such is his zeal to perform duty towards the Lord Krishna. Yudhistira being eldest stops time and again to stretch Mahabharath to point where it is fought when Arjuna was 68 years old. Duryodhan was 70 years of age at the time of war.
4. Lord Krishna makes an effort for peace between Kauravas and Pandavas, (though HE knew there would be a war eventually according to the great prediction of VedVyasa, who had written Mahabharath even before Bheeshma was born). He made an effort by selecting a suitable muhurtha named “maitra” on a Dwadashi  day. He went to Hastinapur proposed peace but was rejected and insulted by Shakuni.

 (Can we imagine God himself making a vain effort!)

1. When vastraharan of Draupadi Devi was taking place, Draupadi devi had her fists completely clenching her sari (a sign of doubt on God and extreme confidence on one’s own strength, so that if god does not come to help at least I can still hold on to the saree and avoid being stripped) as Dushyasana was pulling it. Draupadi Devi was praying for help to Krishna, who had not yet come. Slowly Draupadi Devi realised she would not be able to hold on to the clasp of saree for long and hence she leaves the clasp and raises both hands to completely depend on God for help. Here Krishna appears losing no time and supplies reams of saree such that her honour is saved and Dushyasan faints.

From above incidents we can conclude that, though astrology says (according to our past karma) we do not have luck to succeed immediately, we should not remain passive like Yudhistira and Sugreeva, but when it comes to duty we must immediately rush for it, irrespective of good days and bad days, irrespective of chances of success or failure according to Astrology (if there is no chance of success, we need not avoid a duty [avashya karma]) like Hanuman and Bheemasena. If there is really a destiny to negate our efforts then it would come in a Godly inspiration as in forms of Yudhistira as elder brother, or Sugreeva as a superior authority, and we are spared from the clutches of karma. If destiny is favourable we shall succeed.

Effort is an Effort, it should be made sincerely with all the might and force. Situation like good time and bad time should not downsize our efforts especially those which are our prime duty. Success and failures are subject to God’s will. What counts for a soul is only efforts. In Bhagavadgeeta Arjuna asks "Hey Krishna what use is killing all my brethren and preceptors and relatives and friends, all I would get is only a kingdom that would end with my death as well is this war really worth it", Krishna says to Arjuna, "hey Arjun even if you don’t fight, I would still get all these people killed and that too by your own hands, but you shall go to hell for not obeying me. And you shall face disgrace in history for your cowardice too. But if willingly you fight you would attain my grace."

A soul’s Karma is judged more on the basis of his efforts rather than outcome of his karma

Sri krishnarpana