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Tidbits-16

Who and Who Did Tapasyaa After Being Insulted?
In Hindu mythology, there are some people who did Tapasyaa after being insulted to take revenge or to get rid of ...

(1) Indra
First name comes to our mind is of Indra. After playing with Gautam Muni's wife Ahalyaa, when he was going back, Muni saw him coming out of his Aashram and knew what was he up to? He cursed him that "Because of which he came to his Aashram, he should have that mark all over his body." And Indra's body was covered with that mark. He felt very ashamed and did Tapasyaa to please Shiv Jee. Shiv Jee got pleased and he converted those marks into eyes. Since then he became a 1000-eyed - Sahastraaksh.

(2) Ambaa
Ambaa was the princess of Kaashee. Bheeshm brought these three princesses - Ambaa, Amibikaa, and Ambalikaa, for his half brother Vichitraveerya by declaring. Among them Ambikaa and Ambaalikaa had accepted Vichitraveerya their husband, but Ambaa did not accept him because she Shaalv king. After coming to Hastinaapur, she told this to the king. King agreed and sent her back to Shaalv king. Shaalv king did not accept her because Bheeshm took her after defeating Shaalv, so Shaalv said that he does not take the lost thing back in donation.

Now Ambaa again went back to Hastinaapur and asked the revenge of this insult. She wanted to marry Bheeshm, but Bheeshm could not marry her as he was vow-bound to remain bachelor for his whole life. Ambaa felt insulted and did severe Tap for Shiv Jee. Shiv Jee got pleased and asked her to ask for a boon. She told that she wanted to be the cause of Bheeshm's death. "So be it" On asking "How can I kill him, I am a woman and I cannot go in battlefield.", Shiv Jee said - "When you will be born next time, you will  remember your previous life and you will be able to kill him." She was born as Shikhandee and was able to kill Bheeshm.

(3) Jayadrath
The second name is of Jayadrath. Jayadrath was the husband of Dhritraashta's daughter Dushalaa's husband. He was one of the candidates of Draupadee, but a Braahman took her away. Since then he kept an eye on her. When Paandav were in exile, he got an opportunity to abduct her; but Arjun and Bheem knew about it and followed him. They brought him back and punished him by leaving five locks of hair on his head to remind him that Paandav insulted him. He could not tolerate this insult so he did not go to his own kingdom or Hastinaapur; but went to do Tap for Shiv Jee. Shiv Jee got pleased and asked him to ask or any boon. He asked that he wanted to defeat Paandav. Shiv Jee said - "Paandav are invincible, you cannot win Paandav, but yes, you can defeat other Paandav than Arjun and Krishn on one day." Jayadrath got satisfied with this boon. This was the day when Abhimanyu was killed.


Fights Between Gods
There have been times when even Devtaa fought among themselves. When were those times and who were those gods?

Vishnu and Shiv-1
In the beginning, Brahmaa Jee produced Rudra and gave him Gauree (born from Naaraayan) and asked him to create the Creation. Rudra was detached to all worldly pleasures so he went to do tap, and seeing this Gauree got absorbed in Brahmaa. Brahmaa got angry at this and he produced then several Maanas Putra, one of them was Daksh. He asked them to create and they filled the earth with their creation. Gauree was born to Daksh. Daksh organized a grand Yagya. All were invited in it. In the meantime Rudra appeared and saw that the whole Prithvi was filled with many kinds of creatures. Seeing this Rudra got angry that who has transgressed his authority, so he produced many Bhoot, Pishaach etc from his ears and started destroying Daksh's Yagya. Vishnu tried to protect the Yagya, and because of which a great fight ensued between them. Brahmaa had to intervene to stop the fight and then he named them as Har and Hari.
[Varaah Puraan, ]

Vishnu and Shiv-2
The first one I remember of Vishnu and Shiv. When Daitya Raaj Baanaasur's daughter Ushaa got Aniruddh through her friend Chitralekhaa and kept him with her for some time, Krishn and Pradyumn got worried about him and then came to know that he was with Baanaasur. So both went there with their army to get him back. There they wanted to enter Baanaasur's city but Shiv was guarding his city, so both had to fight with Shiv first to enter his city. And that is where a fight between Vishnu (Krishn) and Shiv took place.
[Bhaagvat Puraan, 10/u10]

Ganesh and Parashuraam
Parashuraam Jee, Vishnu's 6th incarnation, was a great devotee of Shiv. Shiv gave him his Pharasaa by which Parashuraam Jee was killing Kshatriya. Once Parashuraam Jee came to see Shiv. Ganesh Jee was guarding his dwelling place. So as he wanted to enter the place to meet Shiv, Ganesh Jee tried to stop him saying that Shiv was taking rest and he could not meet him at that time, but Parashuraam Jee told him that he had the permission to meet him any time, so he wanted to see him urgently. But Ganesh was adamant, so both started fighting. Once Ganesh Jee got him on his tusks and threw him on the ground. Parashuraam Jee got fainted for a while but when he got up he threw his Pharasaa on Ganesh Jee. Ganesh Jee recognized the Pharasaa as his father's weapon. If he wanted to destroy it, he could have but respecting it he took it on one of his teeth and dropped his one tooth to honor it. Since than Ganesh Jee was known as Ekdant.
[Ganesh, Stories/Ekdant]


How Many Personalities are Elephant-headed
In our mythological literature there are a few characters who have elphant's head on their body, who are they?

(1) Ganesh
The first name comes to our mind is of Ganesh Jee who has an elephant's head and who is worshipped first everywhere.

(2) Gajaasur
Gajaasur was a Daitya whose head was of elephant.

(3) Maalinee
She was a goddess and lived in Gangaa River. Once Paarvatee Jee took bath near Gangaa River and threw the bath water in the River. There lived an elephant-headed goddess Maalinee. She drank that water. She gave birth to a boy with five elephant heads and four arms, Ganesh. Then Gangaa claimed him as her own son, but Shiv declared him as Paarvatee's son because he was born from Paarvatee's bathe water. He reduced his five heads to only one head.
[Read the story Ganesh/stories-2]


Uncommon Illusions in the Battlefield
Illusory battle has been common in both Raam-Raavan and MBH wars, but these following incidents are not common and in all cases Lakshman, Seetaa, and Krishn swooned away -

(1) By Meghnaad
Meghnaad created this illusion - showing Raam the killing of Seetaa; and showing Seetaa the killing of Raam

(2) By Shaalv
A similar illusion was created by Shaalv, while fighting with Krishn, by showing Him His dead father Vasudev
[MBH, G-4-Van/6]


 

 

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Created by Sushma Gupta on 5/27/04
Contact:  sushmajee@yahoo.com
Updated on 02/12/13