9-Story of Raajaa Bhageerath

Shuk Dev Jee said - "Hey Pareekshit, Anshumaan did very intense Tap to bring Gangaa River on Prithvi, but he could not succeed. His son was Dileep, he also did similar efforts but he also could not succeed. Dileep's son was Raajaa Bhageerath. He also did Tap. Pleased with his Tap, Gangaa Jee gave him Darshan and asked him to ask for any Var. Bhageerath explained everything to her politely and requested to come to Mrityu Lok.

Gangaa Jee said - "Yes, I can come, but when I will fall down then somebody should be there who can bear my force, otherwise I will break Prithvi and will go to Rasaatal. Besides I will not go to Prithvi only, because people should wash their sins in my water, then where will I wash my sins? So think carefully and tell me." Bhageerath said - "Hey Maa, Who have no desire of Lok-Par-Lok, wealth, women and sons etc who are always indulged in others welfare, only they will destroy your sins with their touch, because Bhagavaan always lives in their heart. And Rudra Dev will bear your force."

After saying this to Gangaa, Bhageerath pleased Bhagavaan Shankar Jee with his Tap. Then Shiv Jee bore Gangaa on his head. First of all Bhageerath took her to Kapil Muni's Aashram where his Pitar's ashes were lying. Thus at the Gangaa Saagar Sangam Gangaa covered the ashes and Bhageerath's all Pitar went to Swarg. Hey Preekshit, Just think when only her touch can send the ashes to Swarg, then nothing to say about who drink its water, or who bathe in her waters with great Shraddhaa and Bhakti.

Bhageerath's son was Shrut and his son was Naabh (this Naabh is different from the previous Naabh), his son was Sindhudweep, and his son was Ayutaaryu, and his son was Rituparn. He was the friend of Raajaa Nal and he taught how to throw dice and learnt the knowledge of horses in return of that. Rituparn's son was Sarvkaam, his son was Saudaas. Saudaas's wife's name was Madayantee. Saudaas was known as Mitrasaha as well as Kalmaashpaad. He became Raakshas because of Vashishth's Shaap and then became childless because of his own Karm."

Story of Saudaas

Pareekshit Jee said - "If it is possible we want to know that why Vashishth Jee gave Shaap to Saudaas Jee?"  Shuk Dev Jee said - "Pareekshit, Once Raajaa Saudaas went on a hunting trip. There he killed some Raakshas but left his brother. The brother considered the act of killing his brother unjust and went to the palace of Raajaa to take revenge of his brother in the form of a cook. One day when Guru Vashishth Jee came to Raajaa's palace, he offered him food. The cook offered him human flesh in the food. When Vashishth Jee found the food completely uneatable, he gave Shaap to Raajaa in a great anger - "You will become a Raakshas because of this act." When later Vashishth Jee came to know that this was the act of a Raakshas not of Raajaa, then he lessened the duration of Shaap only for 12 years. At that time Saudaas also got ready to give Shaap to Vashishth Jee, but his wife Madayantee stopped him to do so. Then Saudaas asked - "Directions, sky, Prithvi all are living beings, then where I should drop this Abhimantrit Jal?" At last he dropped it on his own feet - that is why he was called as Mitrasaha. His feet became black because of that Jal - that is why he was named as Kalmaashpaad.

Because of the Shaap he had become Raakshas. One day he saw a Braahman couple together, he was hungry, so he caught the Braahman. Braahman's wife's desire was still not fulfilled. She said - "Raajan, You are not a Raakshas, you are the husband of Madayantee and come from the respectable Ikshwaaku family. You should not behave in such unreligious way. We want to have a child, so please leave my husband and give him to me. This human body makes Dharm, Arth, Kaam, and Moksh all the four available to a human being, that is why to kill this body is called to kill all Purushaarth (efforts). And this Braahman is very learned. You are very mighty and know the secrets of Dharm. As it is not good for a father to kill his son, it is not good for you to kill my good Braahman husband. If you still want to eat my husband, then eat me first, because I will not be alive without him even for a moment." And Braahman's wife started crying.

But Saudaas did not pay any attention to her request and ate the Braahman. Then Satee Braahmanee gave Shaap to Raajaa - "You have eaten my husband in this situation (when we wanted to have a child), you will also die whenever you will want to have a child." After giving Shaap to Saudaas she became Satee with her husband's bones.

After 12 years, Raajaa got freed from the Shaap. He could not produce a child because of the Braahmanee's Shaap, so he remained childless. Then Vashishth Jee arranged his wife's pregnancy on his request. She was pregnant for seven years but the child did not born. (MBH, 3-Youth/7 says that she remained pregnant for 12 years) Then Vashishth Jee hit a stone on her stomach then the child was born. Because he was born with the help of Ashm (stone), he was called Ashmak. Ashmak's son was Moolak. When Parashuraam Jee was killing Kshatriya then women hid him from Him. That is why his another name was Naaree-Kavach (Naree = woman, and Kavach = guarded, means who has been guarded by women). And he was called Moolak because then he became the Mool (root) of that lineage after Prithvi became without Kshatriya.

Moolak's son was Dasharath, his son was Edvid, and his son was Raajaa Vishwasaha. Vishwasaha's son was Khatwaang. He became a Chakravartee Samraat (emperor). Nobody could win him in war, He killed Daitya on the request of Devtaa. When he came to know through Devtaa that his life was only for two Ghadee more, then he returned to his capital and sat in meditation. He started thinking - "I love Braahman more than my own life. I have never thought of A-Dharm. Devtaa asked me to ask for Var but I did not desire for any kind of worldly pleasures. That is why now I am taking shelter in Bhagavaan's feet."

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