Indra’s show off to Shiva

Indra’s show off to Shiva

(A story from Holy Scriptures)

Sham S. Misri

Once upon a time Indra wanted to show off his grandeur to Shiva. Accompanied by sage Brihaspati they went to Kailash. Shiva, an enemy of ego changed himself into a gatekeeper at the mountain. He restrained Indra from entering Kailash. A fight took place between the two. The gatekeeper pulled out the Vajra from the hands of Indra. Brihaspati immediately thought that the great fighter could not be a simple gatekeeper but the Lord Siva himself. In order to save the world at large from the wrath of Shiva he sat down to appease him. He pleaded with him to have mercy. Shiv was pacified but his anger had entered the Vajra, which he flung away.

    The hot Vajra, representing the wrath of Shiva fell into the ocean (Sagar), and the ocean began to boil. Indra then ordered a heavy downpour of rain. The Vajra transformed itself into a boy. The new born boy started crying loudly. His loud cries were heard all over in the universe. Brahma inquired as to whose child this was. Sagar quickly gave the child to Brahma. He named the child Jal-andhar. Because the child was born of Shivas anger he stated that only Shiva can kill the child. Sagar was the worldly father of the child. The boy was very strong. Brahma transformed Jalandhar from boyhood to youth.

    Shukracharya, the guru of the asuras, recognized that Jal-andhar was very powerful indeed. He crowned him the king of the asuras. Brahma ordered Shukracharya to wed Jalandhar with Tulsi, the daughter of Kalnemi. Tulsi was a very pious lady. She was an ideal wife. Because of her purity and chastity, Jalandhar was unconquerable.

    As time passed, the asuras and the daityas became very strong under the control of Jalandhar. In general, there was an increase of evil among the people. On seeing the headless Rahu, Jalandhar was puzzled and anxious and asked Guru Shukracharya, the reason for Rahus condition. Then Shukracharya narrated the incidents of Samudra Manthan. Rahu had posed as a devata and had shared the amrit. But when the nectar reached his throat, Surya and Chandrama told Vishnu about Rahu. Vishnu beheaded him with his chakra. Stealing away the nectar and jewels by the devatas was felt as an insult to daityas by Jalandhar. He sent his agent to Indra. Boldly the agent entered Indra’s palace. Without showing even common courtesy to the members he announced: the devatas should return the precious jewels of Samudra Manthan or else...

    Indra was taken aback. Fear and surprise gripped him. How could Sagar demand such a thing? After all, the devatas had only taken the jewels, they could have taken away all the evil powers of the asuras and daityas, but they did not. Indra told the agent that the claim of the devatas over the jewels was right and that the jewels will not be returned to Sagar or Jalandhar. The agent returned with the details of the events at Indra’s place. Jalandhar was sad to know about Indra’s attitude. He gathered all the asuras and the daityas, appointed Shumbha and Nishumbha as the commanders and declared war with the devatas. There was a prolonged battle and both sides incurred heavy casualties. The asuras planned another strategy. The Dronachal Parvat was famous for the medicinal plant that grew on it. The asuras and daityas thought that if this mountain could be thrown away then the devatas would be cornered. All the asuras got together and flung the Dronachal Parvat into the ocean. All the devatas fled and took shelter in the caves and crevices of the Sumeru Parvat. Jalandhars victory was imminent. Guru Brihaspati and the devatas who were hiding in the mountains then pleaded with Lord Vishnu, for help from Jalandhar. Vishnu decided to take immediate action, climbed his vehicle, Garuda, and set forth to the place of battle. But before leaving, Lakshmi intervened, Since Jalandhar is born of Samudra, he is my brother. So, please do not kill him.

    When Jalandhar saw Vishnu coming to the battleground he entered into a duel with Lord Vishnu. They first fought with arms, and then continued the combat without arms. The duel raged on without any result. Vishnu, too, admitted the prowess of Jalandhar. Then Vishnu told Jalandhar about his relationship with Lakshmi they are both born of Sagar and hence are siblings. Jalandhar, acknowledging the relationship, invited Vishnu and Lakshmi to stay in his palace. Meanwhile, he replaced all devatas' appointments with asuras. He confiscated all the wealth of the devatas, kinnars, Gandharvas, yakshas etc. He was now the supreme ruler of all the loks.

    Narad looking for Vishnu visited Jalandhar's city. Jalandhar was extremely happy to play host to Narad. He told Jalandhar that his kingdom was no less than that of Kailash with the sole exception that Ma Parvati was with Shiva. Jalandhar then decided to steal Parvati from Shiva. Jalandhar sent Rahu to Kailash with a message for Shiva that he, the ash smeared yogi, with unkempt locks, wearing a garland of skulls, is not a befitting consort for the beautiful Parvati. Therefore, he should send Parvati to Jalandhar who is the king of all the three Lokas. The moment Rahu concluded his speech, a very angry Shiva created a dangerous, horrifying human being from his eyebrows. The fearsome human had a face like a lion's, red eyes, and hair like sharp spikes. This organism decided to eat the headless Rahu. Rahu got scared and pleaded with Shiva to spare him he was a Brahmin and only an agent of Jalandhar. Shiva caught hold of Rahu and hurled him in the sky and he tore into the earth. When Jalandhar heard of the fate of his emissary he was enraged. He gathered together the huge army of daityas and led them to battle. There were many bad omens when he left his palace but he was determined to fight Shiva.

    Meanwhile, Shiva called for Vishnu and asked him why he had not killed Jalandhar. Further, he admonished Vishnu for residing with Lakshmi in the palace of Jalandhar. Vishnu explained the details of the birth of Jalandhar and that his death was ordained in the hands of Shiva. Both Shiva and Vishnu understood that the pious Tulsi devotion to her husband was giving Jalandhar unfailing strength. There was a need to do something about it. By this time Jalandhar with his huge army had reached the gates of Kailash. There was pitched battle among the devatas and daityas. Whenever the devatas killed the daityas, Guru Shukracharya would restore them to life. Then, Shiva produced a fearsome girl from his mouth. She was Taaljangha. She took away Shukracharya and disappeared. The disappointed daityas started retreating. Then, Jalandhar played a trick, and he rushed to the side of Parvati with the intention of stealing her and making her his own. But Parvati, anticipating his evil plan, had turned invisible. Parvati called for Vishnu and expressed her anguish over the incident. Vishnu then decided to use the same trick on Jalandhar.

    Tulsi was very worried about Jalandhar. She had disturbing dreams warning disaster. While she was searching for Jalandhar in the forests, Vishnu took the form of Jalandhar, and stayed with the unsuspecting Tulsi. She believed him but later realized that this Jalandhar did not have the evil qualities that were so evident in her husband. Since she had been deceived, she cursed Vishnu to become a stone and always stay at her feet. Vishnu accepted the curse but urged Tulsi to see that while her husband was spreading evil, she, in the capacity of a wife did not stop him. Thus, she became a partner in crime. He then cursed Tulsi to become a plant. In sheer guilt, realizing the misdeeds of her husband, Tulsi died and fell at the feet of Parvati in punishment of her husband’s sins. With the death of Tulsi, Jalandhar was no longer unconquerable. Meanwhile, Jalandhar played yet another trick on Shiva. He created another Parvati and started attacking her. Shiva was surprised and troubled. Vishnu then apprised him of the creation of the false Parvati. Jalandhars strength in any case was receding owing to the death of Tulsi. During the combat, Shiva killed Jalandhar.

    When Tulsi died, Vishnu sat gloomily with her ashes, still admiring her. The devatas then approached Yogmaya to address the problem and bring some cheer and normalcy to Vishnu. She gave the devatas three seeds and asked them to sow the seeds where Vishnu was seated. Three plants grew from them -- Malti, Aanwla and Tulsi. While Aanwla and Tulsi are used for the worship of Vishnu, Malti is prohibited. The curse of Tulsi and Vishnu had taken effect. Vishnu is worshiped in the form of a stone (Shaligram) and the great, chaste Tulsi has become the plant vrinda (Tulsi) with remarkable qualities. The worship of Vishnu is not complete without Tulsi leaves. Tulsi has been given the greatest honour as Vishnu, in the avatar of Krishna, played and frolicked in Vrindavan. Puja is offered in all pious houses by watering the plant in the morning and lighting a diya in the evening. Tulsi Vivah is celebrated on the Kartik Shukla dwadashi. While Jalandhar is remembered as a daitya, Tulsi attained immortality.