Dove and the Eagle

Lomesh then said to Yudhistira - Listen to the story of the eagle and the dove. This land was once the kingdom of Shibi, in whose land all were in perfect harmony. There was a king there called Ushnir. Indra wanted to test him. After talking to Agni, Indra took the form of an eagle and Agni took the form of a dove.
The king was performing a sacrifice when a dove came to him, asking for shelter. The dove was being chased by an eagle. The king gave shelter to the dove. The eagle then came and said this was not justice. The dove was his meal.
The king said the dove had asked for protection, fearing its life, and as a king it was his duty to protect the bird.
The eagle said it was dying of hunger and needed food immediately else it would die. The king said he would arrange for food for the bird. The eagle said it only hunted and ate doves. If the king was so interested in protecting the dove, then the king should cut off his own flesh and offer that to the eagle.
If that amount of flesh was equal in weight to that of the dove, then he would go happy. 

Parashurama humbled

Continuing his tale, the sage Lomesh said - The place where you are now, is a great pilgrim spot. Anyone who comes here, attains Vaikuntha. This was the place where Parashurama was subdued.

Yudhistira wanted to know what had happened to Parashurama. Lomesh said - Years ago, there was a king called Dashratha who had four sons, who were incarnations of Vishnu. Lakshmi was born as the daughter of king Janaka.
Janaka had made a promise - any one who could break the bow of Shiva would marry his daughter.
The news went around and all came to try their luck.

In the ashrama of the sage Vishwamitra, Rama heard this. He was then living with Vishwamitra, helping the sage fight rakshasas.
Rama went to the palace of Janaka and broke the bow. Winning the hand of Sita, he was on his way back, when he came across Parashurama, who was holding a bow on his left shoulder and an axe (Parashu) in his right hand. He had a quiver on his back full of arrows and he had matted hair oh his head.

His eyes glowing, he said to Rama - You go, breaking a bow and taking Sita, in front of me. All kshatriya are my enemy. I have made the earth free of kshatriyas three hundred times. If you think you are brave, string my bow and show me.

Rama easily strung the bow. Parashurama then gave him a celestial arrow. Rama asked the sage, in which direction should he release the arrow.

The sage said Shoot the arrow and block my passage to heaven.

Rama shot the arrow and Parashurama's pride vanished. 

Bhagiratha gets Ganga

Bhagiratha went to the Himalayas and started severe austerities. The sages around were amazed to see his dedication. He started his meditation first living on fruits, then on leaves, then on air and finally gave up that too. He was reduced to only skin and bones.

Pleased Ganga came to him to give him a boon, With folded hands Bhagiratha said that his ancestors had been burnt by the sage Kapila and they would attain salvation only when they were touched by the waters of Ganga.

Ganga said she would come but who would be able to bear the force of her waters when she started her journey towards earth.

Bhagiratha then went and started praying to Shiva. Pleased, Shiva appeared before him. Listening to Bhagiratha, Shiva agreed to help him. He went to the Himalayas and asked the mountain range to release Ganga.

Ganga jumped on Shiva's head and from there she began flowing in three different directions. The river flowing towards heaven became known as Mandakini. The river flowing towards earth became Alaknanda and the one flowing to the nether world became known as Bhogvati.

Ganga then said to Bhagiratha - I have come to earth on your invite. Tell me in which direction should I flow. Where are your ancestors?

Bhagiratha started leading the way and Ganga started flowing behind him. She soon got lost in the Himalayan mountains. Ganga then thought of Airavata, the elephant. When the elephant came, Bhagiratha asked the elephant to create a way for Ganga. The elephant said he would be willing to do so if Ganga pleased him.

Bhagiratha, ashamed, told Ganga what Airavata had said. Ganga said to Bhagiratha - Go tell the elephant, if he can withstand my waves, I will please him.

Airavata then created a path with his tusks. Ganga gushed out and soon Airavata was fighting for his life. He appealed to Ganga to save him. Ganga slowed herself, and the elephant fled from there.

They soon reached the ashrama of the sage Jahnu. The sage seeing the river, drank it up. Not seeing the flowing river behind him, Bhagiratha appealed to the sage. The sage, released the river from his knee, by tearing open his flesh. From then on, Ganga became known as Jhanavi.

People were pleased to see Ganga flowing on earth. Flowing behind Bhagiratha, Ganga reached the ashrama of the sage Kapila.

Touched by the waters of Ganga, the sons of Sagara attained salvation and went towards Vaikuntha.

Flowing onwards, Ganga went into the ocean and the ocean was full again.

Story of Sagara

Hearing this, Yudhistira asked Who is this Bhagiratha? What did he do?

The sage Lomesh said - There was a king called Sagara. He was a great just king, an enemy of all evil. With his wives Shiavya and Vaidharvi, he went to pray to Shiva to have a son.  Pleased Shiva asked the king to ask for a boon.

The king asked for sixty thousand sons.

Shiva said So be it. You will have sixty thousand sons who will die together. One son will be left who will take care of your dynasty. That son would be born to Shaivya.
Saying this, Shiva vanished.

After sometime Shaivya gave birth to a beautiful boy. Vaidharvi gave birth to a lump of flesh. The king was wondering what to do with this and was about to give orders to discard the lump, when a voice said Why do you discard the seed of your dynasty. Get sixty thousands pots full of clarified butter and divide the lump equally and place the parts in the pots.
The king did as told and soon sixty thousand sons were born.

After a few years the king started the Ashwamedha (horse) sacrifice and asked the sixty thousand sons to guard the horse.

Indra fearing the power of the king stole the horse and hid it in the nether world where the sage Kapila was meditating.

The princes went back and reported to the king that the horse was missing. The king asked them why they had returned empty handed. He asked them to go in search of the horse. The princes went forth. Searching the whole earth, they then dug a hole into the nether world

Reaching the nether world they saw the sage Kapila meditating. Next to him to him was the horse. Thinking the sage was the horse thief, they insulted the sage.

The sage was disturbed. He opened his eyes. Fire came out and the sixty thousand sons of Sagara were burnt instantly.

Narada told Sagara about the incident. The king asked Anshuman, son of Asmanjas to go and get the horse. Asmanjas was the other son of the king. The king said I have forsaken your father as he was a misbehaved prince. You have all the qualities of a good person. Go and fetch the horse and let the sacrifice complete.

Yudhistira at this point wanted to know about Asmanjas. The sage said :

Asmanjas's behavior was bad since childhood. He used to push children and enjoy them being hurt. The king's subjects complained about the behavior of the prince. The king ordered the prince to be exiled.

Anshuman went where the sage Kapila was meditating. He prayed to the sage and asked for forgiveness. The sage was pleased and asked the prince what he wanted. The prince said he wanted the horse and also wanted to know how his uncles would be liberated.

The sage As per destiny, your grandson will the one who will liberate your uncles. He will please Shiva and get Ganga. For now, take the horse and complete the sacrifice.

Anshuman took the horse. The sacrifice was completed.

After some years, Sagara passed away, making Anshuman the king. Anshuman ruled the kingdom well. He had a son named Dilip. Dilip hearing about his ancestors, tried to please Shiva but was unable to. Dilip has a son called Bhagiratha.

When Bhagiratha heard about how his ancestors had burned, he gave the control the kingdom to his ministers and went to the forests to please Shiva.

Agastya drinks up the Ocean

The sage said - Listen Son of Pandu. The asuras took refuge in the ocean. They hid in the water in the day, and in the evening, they would come out and attack the sages.
The tormented sages, who managed to save themselves and the Gods went to Vishnu asking for help. Vishnu asked them to approach Brahma. Brahma took the Gods where Agastya was. They asked the sage for help.
Agastya went to the ocean and said that for the welfare of all, he would drink up the ocean. He then sucked in and swallowed all the water. The Gods were ready with their weapons. They attacked the asuras hiding in the water. They killed the asuras.

With the ocean now dry, the Gods were worried. They asked Brahma for a solution. Brahma said the ocean would remain dry till Bhagiratha was born on this earth, He would help fill in the ocean. 

Indra kills Vritta

Yudhistira asked the sage What was done with the body of the sage?
The sage said - the bones were taken to the celestial architect who decided to form a weapon from the bones of the sage.
A Vajra was formed and given to Indra. Indra attacked the asura. A fight started between the Gods and the asuras. Climbing on his elephant, Indra attacked the asura with his Vajra. Seeing Indra, the asura increased his size, and started swallowing all the Gods. Indra asked Vishnu for help. Vishnu gave his blessing.
In that fight, Indra killed Vritta using the Vajra. The army of Vritta seeing him dead, fled and hid in the ocean.

Dadhichi donates his body

Yudhistira said - I have heard Agastya had drunk up the ocean. How did that happen?

Lomesh continued - In the earlier days, there was a asura called Vritta. He managed to create an army of ferocious Danavas and asuras and with he attacked all. Indra, leading the Gods went to Brahma and asked how would they be relieved from this menace.

Brahma said I had been thinking of this for a long time. This asura will not be destroyed by any ordinary weapon. Approach the sage Dadhichi. If he is pleased with you, he will donate his body to you. Use his bones then to make a weapon called the Vajra, and using that, Indra is to kill the asura.

The Gods went to Dadhichi, who asked them the reason for their visit. When the Gods expressed their wish, Dadhichi gladly left his body. 

Vindhya humbled

Lomesh said to Yudhistira, Hear me, when I tell you how the sage dispelled the great darkness.
Off the great mountains, the Sun went around the mountain Sumeru. This hurt the ego of the Vindhya mountain. He asked the sun to go around him also. The Sun said he went where he had been told to go, the creator.
This angered Vindhya. He said I will see how you go around someone else. Saying this, the mountain began increasing its size till the Sun's rays were not visible on the other side.

The Gods appealed to the mountain but he would not listen. Having no other option, they went to Agastya and asked him to help.

Agastya went to Vindhya. Seeing Agastya, the mountain bowed down at him. Agastya smiled and said, I am going southwards. Till the time I return, remain in this position.

Saying this, the sage went southwards and never returned back, and not able to refuse Agastya, the mountain remained in that position, and the universe was saved. 

Ilvala and Vatapi

Pandavas reached the forest of Naimasha and from there, having bathed in the river Gomati they went towards Prayag where Yamuna meets Ganga. There, they reached the ashrama of the sage Agastya. Lomesh said to the Pandavas, this is where Agastya killed demons and setup his abode. Listen while I tell you about Agastya.

One day, the sage saw his deceased ancestors hanging in a pit, upside down. Agastya asked them why they were in the pit, and that too upside down.

The ancestors  said they were in this position as he, Agastya, was a celibate and did not have any children.

Agastya decided to get married, but to whom? After much thinking, he decided that the princess of Vidharba, Lopamudra, was the person who would be his wife.

In Vidharba, the king was wondering, who would be the fit husband for his daughter. Agastya then came there. The king asked him for the reason of his visit. The sage said he wanted Lopamudra as his wife. The king did not know what to say. He went to his queen and asked for her advice. Lopamudra, hearing this, went to her parents and said Do not grieve for me. Give my hand to Agastya.

The king agreed and with all rituals, he gave away Lopamudra to Agastya. Agastya asked Lopamudra to discard her royal clothes and jewels and take the garb of an sage's wife. Lopamudra immediately did so.

Agastya took Lopamudra with him and lived on the banks of Ganges. One day he said to his wife, I married you to get children. What is the use of our marriage, if we do not have any children.

Lopamudra, with folded hands, said My Lord, As per the rules of nature, physical intimacy is needed to have children. If you want to arouse passion, then give me royal clothes and jewels. Wearing those, my beauty will arouse you and then a child could be born.

Agastya then approached a king called Shutarva and asked for wealth. The king said there was little he could spare. He said there were two demons Ilvala and Vatapi. They were cunning demons who were well versed in magic. Vatapi took the form of a goat and the same was fed to sages. Then Ilvala would call out to Vatapi, and Vatapi would come out tearing the stomach of the sages and the people who had eaten the meat thus killing those people, thereby robbing them.

Agastya decided to teach them a lesson. He went alone to the house of Ilvala. When Ilvala asked him the reason for the visit, the sage he was tired and hungry. Ilvala said he would feed him lamb and asked him to wait. Ilvala had Vatapi take the form of a lamb, which was offered to Agastya. The sage said he wanted to have the whole lamb with skin and bones, leaving nothing out. The wishes of the sage was complied with.  The sage ate up everything.

Ilvala then started calling out to Vatapi., Agastya smiled and said Vatapi had been digested and would never come out. Ilvala, bowing down to the sage, asked what he could do. The sage said Give up violence. Give me all the wealth you have accumulated.

Ilvala brought all the wealth out.

The sage brought the wealth over to his wife. Seeing his wife decked up, the sage's passion was aroused. The sage asked what she wanted, and Lopamudra said she wanted only one son.

Soon a son was born to them.

Lomesh rishi visits the Pandavas

The sage said to Janmajeya - Listen, O descendant of Parkshit. When the four sons of Pandu were in the Kamya forest, the sage Lomesh came to see them. The brothers worshiped the sage and asked him the reason for his arrival.
The sage said When I went to see Indra one day, I saw Arjuna sitting on the throne of Indra. When I asked Indra about this, Indra asked me to tell you that Arjuna is fine. When his learning is over, he will join you. Arjuna has served Shiva and has got his blessings. He has gained the knowledge of the great Pashupati weapon. All the Gods have given their weapons to Arjuna.

Continuing, the sage said I have been asked to tell you that you should be going on a pilgrimage and should visit the pilgrim places. I have come to take you around the great pilgrim spots. I have been there a few times and will go again along with you. You will get your kingdom back.

Pleased to hear the news of Arjuna, the Pandavas and Draupadi agreed to go on a pilgrimage with the sage. 

Narada talks about the pilgrim spots

In the forest, the Pandavas were visited by Narada. The Pandavas worshiped him and gave him a place to sit. Draupadi also made her offerings to the sage.

Narada said In the earlier days, Bhishma had performed the Satyavrata vow. He was in the forest, making offerings to the departed ancestors when he met the sage Pulastya. Approaching the sage, Bhishma said I am freed of my sins by seeing you.

The sage was pleased to hear this and asked Bhishma what he wanted. Bhishma said he wanted to know about the greatness of the pilgrim sites.

The sage said - One who had full control over his words and actions would get the full merit of the pilgrim site. The person should not be greedy and should have control over anger.

The sacrifices can be performed by the rich or by the kings. If the poor man visits the pilgrim site and fasts and takes the name of God, he will get the merits of the sacrifices.

There is a pilgrim spot called Pushkara. If someone has a bath in the lake, in this holy spot, all his sins will be washed away.

The second most important pilgrim spot is Dwaravati. Taking the name of God here, one gets saved from the clutches of Yama.

The next spot is Kurkshetra, taking the name of the place itself absolves the sins of the resource. Then one goes to the place called Vara where the great Varaha was born.

The next is placte called Ramarishi. Parashurama had bathed here after killing the khastriyas.

The next is the place called Kapila where people who bathe, go the realm of the Sun.

Having mentioned these places, Narada left.

Yudhistira then wanted to visit these pilgrim spots. 

Pandavas miss Arjuna

Janmajeya then asked the sage - How did the Pandavas live, when Arjuna was not there.
The sage said -
The Pandavas were sad and cheerless all the time.

Draupadi said to Yudhistira - I feel restless not seeing Arjuna.

All the pandavas agreed that, without Arjuna, they had no joy there in their daily life in the forest.