MAHABHARATA SERIES BOOK#1: The Forest of Stories (Mba)

by Ashok K. Banker

  Through the power of his mind, Brahma created six sons— Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha and Kratu. Marichi had a son named Kashyapa and all mortals were subsequently descended from Kashyapa. Prajapati Daksha was blessed with thirteen daughters—Aditi, Diti, Danu, Kala, Anayu, Simhika, Muni, Krodha, Prava, Arishta, Vinata, Kapila and Kadru. All living species on earth, human or otherwise, are descended from Daksha’s daughters. Do not confuse some of these names with the names of various devas or personages as they are quite distinct.

  From Aditi were born the twelve rulers of the world, the Adityas— Dhata, Mitra, Aryamana, Shakra, Varuna, Amsha, Bhaga, Vivasvana, Pusha, Savita, Tvashta and Vishnu.

  Diti was blessed with only one son, Hiranyakashipu. He sired five sons—Prahlada, Samhrada, Anuhrada, Shibi and Bashkala. Prahlada in turn had three sons—Virochana, Kumbha and Nikumbha. Virochana’s son was the powerful Bali and Bali’s son was the famous asura Bana.

  Danu had forty sons—the eldest and most famous was Viprachaitti. The others were Shambara, Namuchi, Puloman, Asiloman, Keshi, Durjaya, Ayahshira, Ashvashira, Ashvashanku, Gaganamurdhana, Vegavan, Ketuman, Svarbhanu, Ashva, Ashvapati, Vrishaparva, Ajaka, Ashvagriva, Sukshma, Tuhundu, Isripa, Ekachakra, Virupaksha, Hara, Ahara, Nichandra, Nikumbha, Kupatha, Kapatha, Sharabha, Shalabha, Surya and Chandrama— the last two bearing no relation to the Sun and Moon gods of the same names—Ekaksha, Mritapa, Pralamba, Naraka, Vatapi, Shatrutapana, Shatha, Gavihstha, Danayu and Dirghajihva. Their offspring were innumerable.

  Simhika birthed a son named Rahu, who was indeed the same asura who swallowed the Amrit and was exposed by the devas Surya and Chandra and had his head cut off, as well as three other sons— Suchandra, Chandraharta and Chandravimardana. Krodha was as her name suggested: the very meaning of the word Krodha derives from her qualities; cruel, angry, wrathful—and so were all her offspring, earning great notoriety in their persecution of innocents. In contrast, Anayu’s four sons were asuras only in name and were filled with the best qualities—their names were Vikshara, Bala, Vira and Vritra. Four of Kala’s sons—Vinashana, Krodha, Krodhahantra and Krodhashatru—were, as their names suggest, destroyers and anger-wielders who crushed their enemies on earth. Kala had many other sons whose names are not known but are collectively termed as the Kaleyas.

  Guru Shukra was the preceptor of the asuras and a great brahmin in his own right. Also known as Ushanas, he had four sons, who performed all ceremonies and rites for the asuras—Tvashtavara, Atri and two unnamed ones. Their knowledge of mantras was prodigal, their ability to manipulate the brahman unequalled.

  Apart from Garuda and Aruna who was also known as Tarkshya, Vinata had three other sons named Arishtanemi, Aruni and Varuni. Of Kadru’sonethousandsonsthebest-knownwereShesha,Ananta, Vasuki, Takshakaa, Kurma and Kulika. Muni was a divine gandharva. His sons were Bhimasena, Ugrasena, Suparna, Varuna, Gopati, Dhritarashtra, Suryavarcha, Pattravan, Arkaparna, Prayuta, Bhima, Chitrakaratha, Shalishira, Pradyumna, Kali and Narada and all were justly famous as munis in their own right.

  Prava was also a gandharva and she birthed Anavadya, Anuvasha, Anuranuna, Priya, Anupa, Subhaga, d Bhasi, Siddha, Purna, Barhi, Purnayu, Brahmachari, Ratiguna, Suparna, Vishvavasu, Bhanu, Suchandra. Through the Sage Kashyapa she birthed the race known as apsaras, starting with Alambusha, Mishrakeshi, Vidyutparna, Tulanagha, Aruna, Rakshita, Rambha, Asita, Subahu, Suvrata, Subhuja and Supriya. Of the race of gandharvas, the four most famous were Atibahu, Haha, Huhu, and Tumbura.

  ||Two||

  Shiva in his identity as Sthanu also birthed eleven great sons through the power of his mind, just as Brahma had done— Mrigavyadha, Sarva, Nirriti, Aja, Ekapada, Pinaki the famous destroyer of enemies, Dahana, Ishvara, Kapali, Sthanu and Bhaga. Collectively, they were known as the Rudras.

  The six sons of Brahma engendered many powerful beings. Maharishi Angiras sired Brihaspati, Utathya and Samvartha. Maharishi Atri had many sons, all maharishis in their own right. Maharishi Pulastya sired the rakshasa race, the vanaras and the kinnaras, those wondrous hybrid beings with the bodies of humans and heads of horses. Maharishi Pulaha created the deer, the lions, the tigers, and the kimpurushas who were akin to the kinnaras in most respects. Maharishi Kratu’s sons were the valakhilya sages, sixty thousand in all, born of his own body, each the size of a man’s thumb or smaller, and their task was to precede the chariot of the sun and be Surya’s companion.

  Daksha himself, a great prajapati in his own stead, was born from Brahma’s right toe. From the left toe of Brahma was born Daksha’s wife, through whom the Prajapati had fifty daughters, all with eyes like the lotus and perfect in feature and aspect. Daksha sired no sons so he declared his daughters putrikas, for eventually even a daughter becomes a son and a son becomes a daughter— when either marries, their spouse becomes as one’s own son or daughter. Of his fifty daughters, Prajapati Daksha gave ten to Dharma, twenty-seven to Indu who was also Chandra the moon, and thirteen to Kashyapa. Brahma then decreed that the ten wives of Dharma would themselves be the doorways to dharma. The wives of Soma, also known as Indu or Chandra, the moon, were appointed the task of measuring the passing of time and were known as nakshatras or constellations of stars which mark the movement of worlds and the growth of the universe.

  Grandsire Brahma’s son Manu sired the eight Vasus. Note their names: Dhara, Dhruva, Soma, Aha, Anila, Anala, Pratyusha, and Prabhasa. Dhara and Dhruva’s mother was Dhumra, Soma who is also named Chandra or Indu, was born of Manasvini. Anila was also known as Shvasana as his mother was Shvasa. Aha’s mother was named Rata. Anala, also known as Hutashana, for he was fire itself, was born of Shandilya. Pratyusha and Prabhasa were born of Prabhata.

  Dhara in turn engendered Dravina and Hutahavyavaha. Dhruva’s son was the mighty Timelord Kala, controller of the great Samay Chakra, the eternal Wheel of Time that regulates all worlds. Soma had a son Varcha and Varcha’s sons were Shishira, Prana and Ramana. Aha’s sons were Jyoti, Shama, Shanta and Muni. Anala who is also known as Agni had a son named Kumara. Born in a bed of reeds, because he was raised by the krittikas, he became famous as Kartikeya. Anala’s other sons were named Shakha, Vishakha and Naigamesha. Anila married Shiva and on her sired Purojava and Avijnatagati. Pratyusha’s son was the renowned Rishi Devala who had two sons. Sage Brihaspati, preceptor of the devas, had a sister named Vivasvat who chose to remain celibate and walked the path of self-renunciation through yoga for many years. Eventually, Vivasvat became the wife of Prabhasa, the eighth vasu, with whom she begot Vishwakarma, the first craftsman, who created all arts on earth. Artisan to the devas themselves, jeweller, designer, builder, engineer and chariot-maker, he bestowed on humankind the knowledge and skill of all crafts.

  Dharma was born of a cleft in Brahma’s right breast and assumed human form. This bringer of happiness to all beings, had three sons—Shama, Kama and Harsha. Their energy supports the world. Kama married Rati, Shama took Prapti as his wife, and Harsha wed Nanda. Together, they sustain worlds.

  Now, of Marichi was born Kashyapa. And from Kashyapa were born the devas and asuras themselves, the gods and the demons. Therefore Kashyapa engendered both races that ruled and begat the world. This is their genealogy.

  Vivasvat’s son Vishwakarma, in the form of a mare, Tvashtri, became wife to Savita and gave birth to the celestial horse twins, the Ashwins. Aditi bore twelve sons, among them Shakra the eldest who became famous as Indra, king of the gods, and Vishnu the youngest, preserver of worlds.

  These were the thirty-three gods; now here are their progeny classified by pakshas, kulas and ganas.

  Rudras, saddhyas, maruts, vasus, bhargavasand vishvadevas are counted in groups or pakshas.

  Vinata’s son Garuda, his brother Aruna and Brihaspati are considered to be part of the adityas. The twin Ashwins along with all species of flora and fauna are numbered among the guhyakas, the attendants who wait on Kubera, lord of wealth.

  The great Bhrigu, founder of the Bhargavas, emerged from Brahma’s body by cleaving open his h
eart. His son was Shukra, who is also the planet of the same name. Celibate, austere, a master yogi and supremely wise, he became the preceptor to both the devas and the asuras. His given task was to seek out new knowledge and preserve that which had been obtained. Bhrigu’s other son Chyavana, who emerged from his mother’s womb to slay her abductor, wed Arushi, daughter of Manu, and together they begat Aurva, who birthed himself by ripping open his mother’s thighs. Even as an infant, Aurva’s energy was immense and in time he sired Richika, who then sired Jamadagni, one of whose four sons was Parashurama. Jamadagni then went on to sire thousands of offspring, thus propagating the Bhrigu race. Brahma’s two other sons were Dhata and Vidhata who lived with Manu. Their sister is the resplendent Lakshmi, who lives in the lotus flower and whose sons, born of her mind, are the horses that race across the sky. Shukra begat the devi named Jyeshta who married Varuna, lord of the oceans, and birthed a son named Bala and a daughter named Shura, both of whom were much beloved by the devas.

  When animals began to feed upon one another for sustenance, instead of surviving on the inert foods of the world, Adharma was born. This was the beginning of sin, destroyer of all living creatures. Adharma was sin manifest, and he fathered the race of rakshasas upon his wife Nirriti, because of which rakshasas are also know as nairritas. Of the many sons of Nirriti from Adharma were Bhaya, Mahabhaya, and Mrityu—Fear, Terror and Death. Goddess Tamra bore five daughters—Kaki, Shyeni, Bhasi, Dhritarashtri and Shuki. Kaki created the species of owls, Shyeni the hawks, Bhasi the cocks and vultures, Dhritarashtri the ducks, swans and geese, and Shuki the parrots.

  Krodha, whose name is synonymous with Wrath, had nine daughters, all manifesting aspects of their father—Mrigi, Mrigamanda, Hari, Bhadramana, Matangi, Sharduli, Shweta, Surabhi, and Surasa. Mrigi begat the species of deer, Mrigamanda the bears and some varieties of deer and yaks, Bhadramana, the elephant Airavata, from whom all pachyderms descend, Hari the tawny and dextrous vanaras who are now evolved as monkeys as well as the golangulas—those cow-tailed monkeys with dark bodies and red parts, Sharduli the great cats—lions, tigers, leopards, panthers, Shweta, the swift elephants of the same name that guard the cardinal points of the compass, Surabhi, the beautiful Rohini and Gandharvi, with Rohini engendering cattle and Gandharvi, horses. Surasa created the Nagas, Kadru the Pannagas or snakes and serpents. Anala created the seven varieties of tree that bear rounded fruits. Aruna and his wife Shyeni, the falcon hawk, birthed Sampati and Jatayu, lords of birdkind.

  ||Three||

  These are the accounts of the asuras who assumed human form. Viprachitti, a bull among danavas, took the form of a great warrior-king named Jarasandha. Hiranyakashipu, son of Diti, became Shishupala. Prahlada’s younger brother Samhrada became Shalya, chief of the Bahlikas, and their youngest brother became Dhrishtaketu. Shibi took birth as a king named Druma. Bashkala became Bhagadatta. Five asuras—Ayahshira, Ashwashira, Ayahshankhu, Gaganamurdha and Veghavan—took birth in the Kekaya lineage as great kings. A mighty demon named Ketumana was reborn as the raja named Amitouja. Svarbhanu became King Ugrasena. Ashwa became King Ashoka, while his younger brother Ashwapati was born as King Hardikya. Vrishaparva became King Dirghaprajna, his younger brother Ajaka became King Malla. Ashvagriva was reborn as King Rochamana. Sukshma became King Brihanta. Tuhunda became King Senabindu. Isripa became King Papajit. Ekachakra became Prativindhya. Virupaksha, famous for being capable of fighting in myriad modes, was reborn as King Chitravarmana. The danava Hara, famous for abducting and killing his enemies, took birth as Suvastu. Ahara, capable of destroying entire armies, became King Bahlika. Nichandra, so named because his face was like the moon, became King Munjakesha. Nikhumbha became Devadhipa. Sharabha was birthed as Rajarshi Paurava. Shalabha was reborn as King Prahrada of the Bahlikas. Chandra, so named because his beauty was equal to that of the moon god, incarnated as Rajarshi Rishika. Mritapa was reborn as King Paschimanupaka. Gavishtha turned into King Drumasena. Mayura transformed as Vishwa while his younger brother Suparna became King Kalakriti. Chandrahanta became Rajarashi Shunaka. Chandravinashana became Rajarashi Janaki. The danava Dirghajihva was birthed as king of Kashi. Rahu, the bodiless asura with the immortal head, took birth as Kratha. Vikshara, son of Anayu, became King Vasumitra, while his brother became king of Pamsu. Balavira became Paoundramatsyaka. Vritra became Rajarshi Manimana and his younger brother Kroshdahanta took the form of King Danda. Krodhavardhana became Dandadhara.

  The eight sons of the asura named Kalaka were reborn as eight powerful kings: the eldest became King Jayatsena of Magadha, the second King Aparajita, the third became king of the Nishadas, the fourth the great Rajarshi Shrenimana, the fifth King Mahuja, the sixth Rajarshi Abhiru, the seventh Samundrasena, and the eighth was known as King Brihata.

  From krodhavasha asuras—the race who are enslaved by their own anger—many took rebirth on earth as the kings Nandika, Karnaveshta, Siddhartha, Kitaka, Suvira, Subahu, Mahavira, Bahlika, Krodha, Vichitya, Surasa, Nila, Viradhama, Dantavaka, Durjaya, Rukmi, Janamajaya, Ashada, Vayuvega, Buriteja, Ekalavya, Sumitra, Vatadhana, Gomukha, Karushaka, Kshemadhurti, Shrutayau, Uddhava, Brihatsena, Kshema, Ugratirtha, Kuhara, and Ishvara, king of Kalinga and Matimana. Devaka, as resplendent as any deva himself, was born on earth as the lord of the gandharvas.

  Not all took birth from mortal wombs. Drona, son of Bharadvaja, emerged whole from the body of Devarshi Brihaspati. This great master of weapons was the supreme teacher of weaponry and warcraft who ever lived. Ashwatthama was born from the body of Mahadeva, Shiva himself, and formed when three separate parts of the great god—Yama, Kama and Krodha: Destruction, Desire and Wrath—merged into one being.

  The eight vasus chose to be reborn as sons of Shantanu, through Ganga, according to a pact they made with the goddess of the river. The youngest among them grew up to be the famous Devavrata, better known later in life as Bhishma Pitama, the great Kuru regent who was able to equal even the legendary Parashurama in combat. Brahmarishi Kripa was in fact one of the rudras reborn. As for the notorious Shakuni, a Maharatha among warriors, why, he was Dvapara himself in human form! Satyaki the Vrishni was in fact one of the maruts. Rajarshi Drupada was also an asura reborn on earth. Kritavarma and Rajarshi Virata were also maruts. Arishta’s son Hamsa, king of the gandharvas, was reborn as Dhritarashtra, son of Krishna Dweipayana and lord of the Kurus during the time of the historic Maha Bharata war. We shall know his story in due course. Vidura, born in the house of Kurus, sired by Krishna Dweipayana upon a maid, was in fact the son of Atri himself. Duryodhana, eldest of the Kuru princes, was an amsa of Kali, that notorious asura after whom the fourth and last Yuga of the world is named. His siblings, the Kauravas, were in fact Pulastya’s sons and daughter. Yudhishtira was but Dharma in mortal amsa, Bhimasena an amsa of Vayu, Arjuna part of Indra, Nakula and Sahadeva the twin Ashwins. Suvarcha son of Soma became Abhimanyu, son of Arjuna on earth. Maharatha Dhrishtadyumna was an amsa of Agni, or Anila. The hermaphrodite Shikhandi was a rakshasa reborn. Draupadi’s five sons were in fact five of the vishvadevas, the ten sons of Vishva Devi. Karna, the greatest warrior of all, was an amsa of Surya, the sun god. Narayana incarnated himself on earth as the mighty Vasudeva Krishna. His half-brother Baladeva was an amsa of Shesha Naga, on whose coils Hari Vishnu rests eternally. Pradyumna was an avatara of Sanatkumara. Thus were many other gods also born in Vasudeva’s line, to aid him in his mission upon earth against the asuras.

  The apsaras took birth under instruction from Vasava. Sixteen thousand of them were born as princesses, to be rescued by and married to Vasudeva Krishna. Sri, the goddess Lakshmi, herself took birth as a daughter of King Drupada. Rising up out of a yagna chaukat—the sacrificial square—she was perfectly dark as dusk, just like Lakshmi herself, of perfect height, perfectly formed and shaped, with long lush black hair, black eyes shaped like lotus leaves and the fragrance of a blue lotus. Her lustrous black skin gleamed and glittered like Vaiduryamani, lapis lazuli. The goddesses Siddhi and Dhriti became the queens Kunti and Madri. Mati becam
e Gandhari, daughter of Subala.

  ||Four||

  ‘Raja Janamajaya was pleased at this great accounting of incarnations. Having heard it in all its detail, he then requested his great- grandfather’s disciple Vaisampayana to recite the history of his own lineage. Vaisampayana gladly complied.’ Sauti paused and looked around. His audience was enraptured as always. When he had begun, he could see the far end of the lines of brahmins and brahmacharyas of Naimisha-sharanya, then a considerable gap, and then, at the far end of the clearing, the treeline resumed again. Now, he could see nothing but a forest of faces. Due to the infrequent pools of dim light, after a few score yards, even his keen eyes could not discern individual faces. The forms blurred one into the other until all he could make out was an audience that surely exceeded all the denizens of the ashram of Kulapati Shaunaka. Even if the kulapati lived up to his name and gathered together every last one of the ten thousand acolytes he had trained in his entire lifetime, they would still not have formed as vast an assemblage as now sat before Ugrasrava Lomarsana Sauti. The suta felt no disquiet or sense of alarm, merely a fascination at this supernatural occurrence. Was it true then? Were the souls of the millions killed in the Maha Bharata war truly lost and wandering the deep jungles of Naimisha? And were they now gathered around the ashram to listen to his recounting of the great conflict as well as the numerous histories that led up to the war itself?

  He was accustomed to requests from his listeners. Already, he had indulged the kulapati several times by delving into this history or that lineage, or recounting a certain story first, then another. Vyasa himself had done the same on numerous occasions, as had Vaisampayana at the sarpa satra of Janamajaya, within earshot of Ugrasrava himself. That was the beauty of such a masterpiece: one could begin at any point and one would always be able to find one’s way to the ending. Of course, if a person heard all these pre-tales and histories before he heard the actual tale, it did help a great deal. For one thing, it prepared one with some background of the underlying forces that were at work, invisibly aiding and abetting the escalation of the conflict and its tragic resolution. Therefore, when the reader actually came to the core story of the Bharata epic, he or she already possessed a knowledge of the cultural and historical background against which that core story unfolded.