1.Sage Pulastya and his family
The previous Stories of Ravana are narrated in the Uttarakanda of Ramayana. They were narrated by Sage Agastya to Lord Rama. Once Lord Rama came back to Ayodhya after his exile, many sages came headed by Sage Agastya and appreciated him for killing the terrific demon king Ravana and his sons. At that time,they appreciated Lakshmana's prowess too for killing Indrajit, the son of Ravana who was more powerful than him.Rama wondered and asked how Indrajit was more powerful than Ravana. Agastya agreed to tell him but he first narrated Ravana's origin and exploits. These stories are very interesting.
It starts from the story of Sage Pulastya, for Ravana was his grandson. Sage Pulastya was the son of Lord Brahma himself, and one of the Saptarshis. Once Pulastya on searching a calm place for meditation came to the ashram of King Trinabindu. Trinabindu was a Rajarshi,a king and a sage. Finding this ashram very peaceful he began meditating there along with studying the Vedas. Now, finding this ashram very peaceful and the garden surrounding it to be very pleasent,many apsaras would come here and enjoy their day, singing and dancing. This disturbed the penance of Sage Pulastya. So,to be free from them he gave a curse to the place itself. He cursed that any girl who would come there would become pregnant! From then onwards the apsaras didn't come there.Now,one day,Trinabindu's daughter,not knowing this,came strolling with her friends,and slowly separating from them came here alone. Hearing the sage chanting Vedas she came near him. And lo! She suddenly turned pregnant! Noticing the changes in herself and unable to understand how it happened she ran crying to her father. She told about the changes in her and her father too wondered. He then went into a trance and came to know that it was due to the curse of Sage Pulastya. Not knowing what to do,he took his daughter to Sage Pulastya and telling him what had happened, requested him to marry his daughter. Pulastya agreed and married her. In due course of time,she gave birth to a radiant son. Sage Pulastya was very happy and named him Vishravas, since he was borne in his mother's womb when she had shravana,or heard him (shravana meaning hearing) chanting Vedas. Vishravas grew up to be a very wise and knowledgeable boy interested in penance, Vedic studies and holy rites.
As Vishravas grew up into a young man, Sage Bharadwaja brought his daughter Devavarnini and married her to him. In due course of time,Sage Vishravas begot a virtuous son from her. Sage Pulastya named him as Vaishravana,being the son of Vishravas.He predicted that he would become the treasurer of gods. Vaishravana in future became known as Kubera. As Kubera grew up into a young man,he engaged himself in a long penance. Lord Brahma,pleased by his penance,appeared before him and told him to ask for a boon. And Kubera asked for the post of the lokapalatva, guardian deity of the world. Brahma bestowed him that boon and also bestowed him a boon that he would become the treasurer of gods. He also gifted him an airplane called Pushpaka Vimana and then disappeared. Feeling happy,Kubera then went to his father Vishravas and told him about his achievement of boons. He then asked him for a place to stay. Sage Vishravas told him to go to a city called Lanka which was situated on the Mountain Trikuta beyond the southern ocean. That city which was built by Vishvakarma, the architect of gods was a powerful golden city impenetrable by anyone. Kubera agreed and went to Lanka in his Pushpaka Vimana. Seeing that he came to Lanka,many rakshasas who had earlier lived in Lanka and had forsaken it,now came to Lanka to live under him Thus,Kubera lived in Lanka ruling upon the rakshasas.
To continue
No comments:
Post a Comment