Markandeya

 Sham S.Misri

The story Markandeya attaining immortality by the grace of Lord Shiva is taken from the Skanda Purana.

There was once a great rishi (Saint) whose name was Mrikandu. Sometimes he felt very sad since he had no son. So he prayed to God Shiva day and night. At last, Shiva appeared before Mrikandu, and said:

"Mrikandu! I am very pleased with your tapas (Prayer). Ask for any boon that you desire."

"O great God", said Mrikandu, "I want a son."

"You shall have a son," said Shiva. "But you must now choose the kind of son you want. Do you wish to have a son perfect in every way, handsome and good and wise, and loved by the entire world, but doomed to be no older than his sixteen year? Or, do you wish to have an ordinary son who will live long, but will be devoid of every virtue? Choose."

Mrikandu and his wife were sorrowful: for to choose was not easy. How could they bear their son to die when he was sixteen? Yet how could they bear to have an ordinary son, like any other that come into the world, and had troubles and sufferings, and died at last, without leaving a name behind him? The more they thought, the more the choice puzzled them.

At last Mrikandu said:

"O great God, I will have the perfect son."

Shiva granted the prayer. "You shall have a son who will live only for sixteen years. He will be very wise and virtuous." With that Shiva disappeared.

So, in due course of time, Marudvati, the wife of Mrikandu, gave birth to a handsome child who shone brightly like the Sun-God himself. The child was named Markandeya. He was wise, and strong, and gentle, and kind. Everyone loved him. He gave love to all. He spread happiness wherever he went.

Year passed. His father and mother had not forgotten all these years what the great God Shiva had told them about their son. "No older than his sixteen year," had said Shiva, the great God. And their son, Markandeya, was in his sixteen year.

One day Mrikandu looked very sad. His wife too was in tears. Markandeya approached them and asked:

"What troubles you that both weep so bitterly?"

"It is for you that we grieve, my son," said the father. "We got you as a gift from Shiva. But He told us that you would live only for sixteen years. The sixteen years are now coming to an end. What shall we do if you die?"

When Markandeya heard this, he said with great confidence and cheerfulness: "Father, do not weep; do not grieve that I am to die. No, I shall not die. Is not the great God Shiva the conqueror of death? Is He not more powerful than death? To Him then shall I pray to grant me immortality?"So saying, Markandeya went to the shores of the ocean and installed there a Linga of Shiva - a large round black pebble. Bathing thrice - morning, noon and night - he worshipped Shiva. At the end of each worship he sang prayers to the great God.

One night, after finishing his worship, Markandeya was about to sing his prayers to the great God Shiva when there stood before him. Yama, the God of Death.Approaching Markandeya, he cast his noose over the boy's person. Turning to him, Markandeya said:"Stay; stay for a while. Bear with me while I sing this prayer to Shiva. I will not leave this place before I finish it. Nothing is dearer to me than this prayer; no, not even my life." Yama's eyes turned red with anger. He roared, and said: "Fool! Do you hope to escape from me in this way? Know that countless Brahmans have met with death at my hands."Saying this, Yama threw the noose around Markandaye’s neck tried to draw him by force to himself. At this moment, the Linga burst open and the great Shiva Himself came out of it. Raising His foot, He kicked Yama on his chest and ordered him to go back to his kingdom of Death. "And you shall not return to the world of the-things-that-pass, till I bid you," said Shiva. Markandeya saw that Yama was defeated. He bowed his head before Shiva and praised Him with heart and soul.

Shiva was pleased with His devotee and made him one of the immortals and then disappeared into the Linga. Markandeya came home and his parents were happy to see him come back alive. He told them of the boon that Shiva had granted him and they too blessed their son. After paying respect to his parents, Markandeya travelled to many holy cities and finally became one with the Lord. This legend of Shiva killing death itself is frozen in metal and held in worship at Tirukkadavur. 

The Elephant God (Ganesha)

Sham S. Misri

Ganesha is the elder son of Siva and Parvati. Lord Ganesha, popularly known and easily recognized as the Elephant-God, is one of the most important deities of the Hindu pantheon. Before every undertaking, be it laying of the foundation of a house, or opening of a store or beginning any other work, Lord Ganesha is first worshiped so at to invoke his blessings.

The story according to "Siva Purana"

One day, Parvati was preparing to take a bath. She ordered Nandi to stand guard outside her house. She instructed him not to let anyone enter without her permission.

Later Nandi saw Shiva approaching the house. "How can I stop my master from entering his home?” he wondered.

Nandi allowed Shiva to enter. Parvati came from her bath and was startled by her husband. Shiva laughed when he saw how his presence had scared her, but Parvati was not amused.

"All my servants are Shiva's servants first," she thought. "I need someone who will obey me above all others."

The next day, Parvati created someone who would be devoted only to her. Pulling ointments and creams from the surface of her body she built a statue of a young boy. Then, with her divine powers, she gave the statue life and created a son.

"Guard this door and let no one enter without my permission," said Parvati.

"As you wish," the boy replied.

Shiva returned home but was blocked by the strange boy. "How dare you keep me from my own home!” said Shiva. But the boy only repeated that no one was to enter without his mother's permission.

Shiva could not believe that this boy would stop a god from entering his own house. He sent Nandi to teach the boy a lesson.

Nandi took a small group of Ganas, Shiva's army, and went to the house. When Nandi tried to remove the boy from his post the boy threw him to the ground. Nandi became angry and attacked with his men, but the boy fought them all with such strength that Nandi had no choice but to retreat.

"I have never witnessed such a thing," he told Shiva, "We could not defeat the boy. He was too strong and too fast."

All the Gods in the Heavens had heard of Shiva's conflict with the boy. The gods and their armies assembled to assist Shiva.

Brahma, the god of creation, spoke of peaceful solution. "He is just a boy," he said. "Let me talk to him." But when Brahma tried to talk, the boy chased him off.

When Shiva saw how the boy treated Brahma he became extremely upset.

He stood up and addressed the troops. "Man your weapons! The boy has given us no choice but to fight!"

And so the battle continued with the boy successfully defending his mother's house.

Parvati was furious.

"Why Shiva" She cried, "Why would you go to such lengths rather than simply ask permission to enter? Why would you bring so many great warriors to get rid of one small boy?"

Parvati focused all her anger to create two powerful warrior goddesses and ordered them to go help her son.

The goddesses created from Pavarotti's anger were very powerful. Using their magic they swallowed up the weapons of the soldiers. Most of the men ran away so that only the strongest warriors and gods remained to continue fighting.

Shiva became even more determined to defeat the boy. He turned to Lord Vishnu, to protect of the world, and said, "We must work together to defeat his child. I have a plan."

So carried by his loyal servant Garuda, Vishnu flew down from the sky and engaged the boy in fierce combat.

Seeing his chance, Shiva crept up behind the boy with his golden trident raised...

Shiva threw his weapon and removed the boy's head.

The Heavens rejoiced at Shiva's victory, but Parvati was enraged. The waters of the oceans boiled. The mountains shook and there were fires and disasters throughout the heavens and Earth.

The gods pleaded with Parvati to stop the destruction and asked how they could make up for her son's death.

"Shiva must bring my son back to life and honor him as a god," she replied.

Shiva agreed to Parvati's conditions.

Since the boy's head could not be found, Shiva sent Nandi and his men to bring back the head of the first animal they saw. Nandi obeyed and returned with the head of a magnificent white elephant. The elephant whose head was placed upon Ganesha’s body was Indra's elephant.

Shiva was pleased. He placed the head on the boy's body, gave it his blessings and brought the boy back to life.

In honour of the boy's bravery and courage, Shiva named him Ganesha, leader of the Ganas. Shiva announced to the Heavens and Earth that Ganesha was to be known as the Lord of Beginnings, the Protector of all that is new.

Supposed incarnation of Ganesha

Sham S.Misri

In recent times there has been a supposed incarnation of Ganesha, whose descendant and representative was visited by Captain E. Moor during the 20th century.

The following is the account of his visit:

*—"Muraba Goseyn was a Brahman of Poona who by asceticism, and prayer, merited above others the favourable regards of the Almighty. Ganpat accordingly granted to appear to him at Chinchoor in a vision by night; desired him to arise and bathe; and, whilst in the act of ablution, to seize and hold sacred to the Godhead the first tangible substance that his hand encountered. The god covenanted that a portion of his Holy Spirit should pervade the person thus favoured, and he continued as far as the seventh generation to his seed, who were to become successively hereditary guardians of this sacred substance, which proved to be a stone, in which the god was understood as mystically typified. This type is duly reverenced, carefully preserved, and has ever been the constant companion of the sanctified person inheriting with it the divine patrimony. This annunciation happened about A.D. 1640; and at the time Captain Moor visited the place, the sixth descendant was the representative of the Deity.

"It does not now appear what was the precise extent of the divine energy originally conceded, but it is inferred to have been a limited power of working miracles, such as healing sickness, answering the prayers of pious suppliants, and the faculty of foretelling future events. These gifts were enjoyed in a more extensive degree by the earlier representatives of the god; but the person whom Moor saw professed to have performed several miracles. The third in descent is reported to have performed a wonderful work.

It was in his time that the Mogul army of Hyderabad so successfully invaded the Marhatta country. After plundering and burning Poona, a party proceeded to Chinchoor, the residence of this Deity, to lay it under contribution. To this the Deo refused to submit, confiding in the divine influence wherewith he was invested.

The Musalmans derided such superstition, and with a view of rendering it ridiculous offered to send a present to the Deo. The offer was accepted, the Deo betook himself to prayers, and the insulting bigots deputed certain persons to see the result, as apparently a well-behaved and appropriate present was given. It consisted, however, of cow's flesh, hatred in the eyes of a Hindu. When the trays were uncovered, they were greatly astonished to find that, instead of the cow's flesh, the trays were filled with the finest and most sacred flowers of the Hindus. The Musalmans, seeing this, recognized the finger of God in the transaction, and so struck were they with the reality of the miracle that a valuable grant of land was made to the Deo, which his temple enjoys to this day."

The Deo eats, sleeps, marries, and lives the life of an ordinary mortal; and though he is regarded as a fool in worldly matters, he is worshiped as a god. On special occasions his actions and movements are most carefully watched, as they are transient manifestations of the divine will, and are regarded as prophetic. Thus, on a particular night of the year, should he remain in peaceful sleep, national repose is predicted; should his slumbers or his waking moments be disturbed, national calamities are expected. If he start wildly from his seat, seize a sword, or make any warlike movement, war may be looked for."

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.