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.