| |
|
Varaah Mihir-2
[Taken from
shyamasundaradsa.com]
How Mihir Got the Name of Varaah Mihir?
It is indeed an interesting story that how Mihir got his name as Varaah
Mihir? Mihir was one of the Nine Gems, Nava Ratna, in the court of the
great king, Vikramaaditya of Ujjain - a Paramaar king of Ujjain (100 BC-19
AD) in Jyotirvid Aabharan of Kaali Daas. This book is vehemently opposed by
Oxford loyalists as fake because it mentions that Vikramaaditya had captured
Julius Caesar and paraded him in Ujjain for 1 month. That was war at Sela
(Xela) in Syria in support of Mitra Datta of Persia who erected a statue of
Vikramaaditya in Shamee town as gratitude. That defeat was sole reason of
killing of Caesar by Brutus - it has been projected as 6 months missing period
by Roman historians. Capture of Caesar by Vikramaaditya of Ujjain (82
BC-19 AD) - defeat of Caesar is noted in many places, eg at
http://www.heritage-history.com. After the fall of Gupt empire, Vikramaaditya ruled over
the entire Bhaarat of ancient era with visible influences on Arab and even on
Julian Calendar. Due to that influence Shaalivaahan Shak was used in Philippines
and Cambodia also in many inscriptions.
He was greatly honored by the king for his vast learning and correct predictions.
Once, after the birth of the King's son, Mihir was asked to make predictions about
the prince's future. Going into meditation after studying the chart, Mihir observed
that "a serious and irremediable danger beset the path of the longevity of the
royal child and that he would be killed by a Varaah, or a boar, on a particular day
in a certain month of his 18th year and no human remedies could save the prince
from the jaws of death."
Having learnt of this danger to his son from his most reliable of court
astrologers, Vikramaaditya consulted with Bhattee, his Chief Minister. It
was decided that a special palace would be constructed with stupendous
walls 80 feet high. Ten thousand elite troops would patrol both inside and
outside the property as well as in the palace. Such careful watch was
taken of the palace that not even a cat or rat could enter the compound
what to speak of a wild boar. Every precaution was taken and the prince
was under constant guard and practically under house arrest, he was not
allowed to leave his compound for any reason. In fact he was ensconced on
the seventh floor and not allowed to go even to a lower floor. The precautions
were so thorough that they boasted that the prince may die but certainly
not by the agency of a Varaah.
After such security measures were put into place Mihir was asked if he
would like to reconsider his former prediction. He emphatically stated
that there was nothing that could save the boy. As the date grew near and
near, he was again asked to reconsider, and again gave the same reply. Tension
began to mount, not so much for the sake of the boy but for the reputation
of Mihir. His detractors thought that Mihir's reputation exceeded his
ability, and though the boy might die, the possibility of it be caused by
a boar was so remote that Mihir would be publicly disgraced. Even his
friends, who had implicit faith in him and knew of his great abilities,
had doubts as to how his prediction would be successful, because it was
impossible for even a rat to move about undetected in that palace.
On the fateful day Vikramaaditya held court. Reports were brought to him
every hour on the safety and health of the Prince, now 18 years old. All
the chief Pandit were assembled as well as the Nava Ratna, the nine
greatly learned men, of the King's court. The whole city was waiting for
the result of Mihir's prediction. Would it come true or not? The time of
death had been fixed at 5:00 PM in the afternoon. The King, though a great
admirer of Mihir, was beginning to doubt Mihir's abilities. With a
condescending smile he addressed Mihir, did he still want to maintain his
previous prediction that the boy should be killed by a wild boar this
afternoon. Did any new calculation possibly change his mind, would the
child just die, this was possible, but death by a wild boar would be
impossible. The King suggested that Mihir gracefully back down from his
former stance, without losing face. The King vowed that if the impossible
happened, he would give Mihir the highest honor and bestow on him the
golden and be-jeweled Royal ensign or emblem, the Varaah, wild boar, that
was currently on his crown and transfer it to Mihir's head-dress and that
for posterity he would henceforth be given the title Varaah Mihir.
Everyone applauded the King.
All eyes focused on Mihir. He rose and gave a speech in which he
deprecated his own learning, that unfortunately no great Rishi such as
Vashishth were present to reverse the Karm of the Prince. He took a vow
that if his prediction failed he would never practice astrology again, he
would never enter the court of the King, and indeed, would leave Ujjain
altogether and go deep into the forest to practice Tapasyaa (austerities)
till his last day. But Mihir stated that indeed the death would come true
as predicted, there could be no thwarting of fate and the Prince would be
killed by a boar. He then calmly sat down.
In the afternoon at 2:00 PM the King again convened his court. Senior
military commanders came every half hour with news of the Prince. He was
hale and hearty. Everything was going smoothly. The King had given orders
that the guard be on the highest alert and was confident that no harm
could befall his son. But Mihiraachaarya was totally calm, how could this be
so, in only a few hours his prediction would be proven wrong, yet he was
still placid. Time went on, a half hour after the appointed time of death
a guard reported that there was no disturbance in the Prince's palace.
Mihir calmly told the King that the boy had already died at the appointed
time and they should go see for themselves. Just then another guard came
to report that all was still peaceful in the palace. On the way to the
palace other guards confirmed that all was quite and calm at the palace.
It was now about 6:00 PM and the King told Mihir that his prediction must
have been wrong because nothing at all wrong had been reported, he couldn't
believe that his officers were liars.
Mihir replied - "Victorious Monarch, The prince has died at such and
such hour, minute, and second, I have named and none of your watchmen has
noticed it. It is a sad event no doubt but it has happened and your son is
lying dead in a pool of blood, unnoticed by his watchmen and personal companions,
and you will see the truth of my prediction. Let us go and examine."
On entering the palace they noticed on every floor that peace and calm
prevailed. On the 7th floor they found a dozen or so of the Prince's
friends engaged in assorted games such as chess. When the Emperor made
inquiries about the Prince, they all replied that he had been playing with
them a little while ago and that he was quite hale and hearty and that he
had just gone out to take some air on the open terrace of the 7th floor.
Mihir said - "The Prince must be lying dead in a pool of blood caused by
the injuries of a boar, and if you go to the terrace you will be shocked to find
him dead as predicted by me. This wonderful prediction is not mine. My knowledge
is too humble and too limited to make such inconceivable and surprising predictions.
I have made all my predictions under the guidance of Soorya Naaraayan. Could such
predictions inspired under His grace ever fail?"
They all went to the terrace and saw with horror and sorrow the Prince
lying dead on a cot in pool of blood. He was disfigured by the iron hooves
of the artificial boar - the Royal Emblem - that was attached to the flag
staff. Everyone was thrown into simultaneous gloom and ecstasy by the
successful prediction. Vikramaaditya awarded Mihir with the Royal Emblem
and he was hence forth called Varaah Mihir.
The Prince's death had transpired in the following way : At about 4:00 PM,
the Prince, who had been playing with his friends, began to feel a sort of
oppression in his chest and giving over his cards to a nearby friend asked
him to play in his place. He then rose without complaint and went out to
the terrace. A tall flag staff, emblem of Royalty, rose high in the air,
it had an artificial boar attached to its top.
As this emblem of royalty was affixed to all important turrets and towers
of all the Emperor's palaces no one took any notice of them. Near the flag
staff was a cot with soft cushions for the Prince to take rest whenever he
felt fatigued. The Prince feeling tired while playing games with his
friends came to lay down in the cool air. At 5:00 PM precisely, a very
strong gust of wind knocked loose the iron boar. This fell down onto the
Prince who was lying on his back. The hooves struck severely against his
breast and stomach and the tusks struck his head and mouth. The Prince
lost copious amounts of blood and died immediately. The mattress on the
cot absorbed the sound of the crash so no one heard it fall. And as the
Prince would often go to the terrace, and as the game was very absorbing,
no one noticed the Prince's absence.
|