Sant Ravidas and Ganga Maiya’s Kangan

Rama Devi

Sant Ravidas (or Raidas) was a mystic poet and a social reformer who constantly fought for the removal of social divisions of caste and gender and promoted unity through spiritual pursuits.

Scholars believe that Ravidas lived in the 14th or 15th century. Though the year of his birth is not very clear, his birthday is celebrated every year as Ravidas Jayanthi on the full moon day of Magha month (February - March).

Ravidas’s father was a cobbler. When he grew up, Ravidas took to his father’s occupation for a living. However, his mind was more inclined towards spiritual pursuits. He used to sit at the banks of the Ganga and spend a lot of time in the company of Sufi saints and ascetics. He was a disciple of Guru Ramananda and a younger contemporary of Kabirdas. Mirabai was his disciple.

Ravidas was drawn to Nirguna bhakti (devotion to the formless God) and his poetic hymns inspired people from various backgrounds. ‘Adi Granth,’ the holy book of the Sikhs contains 41 of Ravidas' poems.

One of his sayings, ‘Man Changa To Katothi Mein Ganga’ (मन चंगा तो कठोती में गंगा – If the mind is pure, Ganga will appear in a small vessel) is backed by an interesting legend. 

 

Ravidas lived in a village near Varanasi. He used to sit by the side of a road that led to the River Ganga and wait for customers. Though he had great love for Mother Ganga, he had never gone near the river. As he was a cobbler by birth and profession, he was treated as an untouchable by the society and was not allowed to touch the holy waters of the river. He would worship Ganga Maiya from a distance.

One day, a learned pundit was walking towards the Ganga. Suddenly, his footwear snapped. As he looked for a cobbler to mend his footwear, he found Ravidas sitting by the roadside. He went to him and requested him to mend his footwear. Ravidas immediately obliged and did a neat job of it. The pundit was pleased and offered him a coin.

Ravidas said, “Master! I don’t want any money. It is enough that I got a chance to serve a scholar and devotee like you.”

But the pundit would not agree. He insisted that he would pay Ravidas what was his due.

Ravidas said, “Master! In that case, please give this coin to Ganga Maiya on my behalf. I can’t directly go and give her. Please do me this favour.”

The pundit agreed and left. (Even today, we can see people throwing coins into the waters of holy rivers, as offering.)

After bathing in the Ganga and offering his worship to her, the pundit remembered the coin given by Ravidas. He threw the coin into the waters saying, “Mother, that cobbler has given this coin to you.”

And, lo! Two beautiful hands decked with bangles appeared above the surface of the water, received the coin with great respect and gave an exquisitely designed Kangan (Bracelet) to the pundit, in return. At the same time, there was an Ashareeri (The formless voice) that said, “I have accepted this offering given by my devotee Ravidas. Please hand over this kangan to him as my gift.”

The pundit could not believe his eyes. The kangan dazzled in his hands.

The pundit was actually not a bad person. But he could not resist the temptation to take the kangan to his home. He thought, “How will Ravidas know that Ganga Maiya has given this kangan to him? And, what will he do with this kangan? I will take it to my wife.”

His wife was of course very happy to receive the kangan. But she would not be able to wear it outside and show off. People would not believe that such a poor woman could afford to buy such a valuable kangan. They might suspect that it was a stolen jewel.

So, she asked her husband to gift it to the king. She was sure the king would reward him generously.

When the pundit gave the kangan to the king, he happily accepted it and gave the pundit a lot of money.

When the king took the kangan to his wife, she was delighted. “Oh! How beautiful! See how these stones dazzle!”, she cried. But the next minute she said, “There should be one more. I want that too for the other hand.”

The king could not displease his wife. He sent for the pundit and asked him to give the other kangan too.

Now, what would the pundit do? If he did not carry out the king’s command, he would lose his life. He ran to Ravidas, and fell at his feet. Ravidas was shocked and got up in a hurry. He said, “Master! I should only fall at your feet. Why are you doing this?”

With folded hands, the pundit narrated the whole story. “Please forgive me, Ravidas. My life is in danger. If I don’t take the other kangan to the king, I will lose my life. Only you can save me. Please get the other kangan from Ganga Maiya.”

Ravidas closed his eyes. He looked at the small vessel with soiled water that was used for cleaning leather and prayed, “Mother! Please give the other kangan and save this pundit’s life.”

As they were looking into the water, they could see something shining inside the dirty water. Ravidas took it out. It was a similar kangan that Ganga Maiya had given to the pundit for Ravidas. Ravidas gave it to the pundit and asked him to give it to the king.

But the pundit had undergone a transformation as he was watching all this. He realized the greatness of Ravidas’s devotion. Ravidas could get anything just by asking God. But he led a simple life because he knew the worthlessness of worldly things. The pundit was born again as a devotee. All the impurities of his heart were washed away in the dirty water in the small vessel.

He fell at Ravidas’s feet once again. “He said, “Master! My ignorance has vanished. I have understood what is real wealth. Please accept me as your disciple and show me the way.”

From that day, he became an ardent disciple of Ravidas and spent the rest of his life serving him.

This news spread far and wide. Ravidas was accepted as a saint and people came in large numbers seeking his guidance.

The following poem by Ravidas describes his intense devotion that makes him inseparable from the Divine.

 If you want to listen to this, here is the link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KYl8Zn4vxE

 प्रभु जी तुम चंदन हम पानी,

जानकि अंग अंग बॉस समानी,

प्रभु जी, तुम घन, बान हम मोरा,

जैसे चेतवंत चांद चाकोरा,

प्रभु जी तुम चंदन हम पानी..........

प्रभु जी तुम मोती हम धागा,

जैसे सोहने मिलत सुहागा,

प्रभु जी तुम चंदन हम पानी..........

प्रभु जी, तुम दीपक हम बाती,

जाकी ज्योति जले दीनी राती,

प्रभु जी तुम चंदन हम पानी..........

प्रभु जी, तुम स्वामी, हम दसा,

एसी भक्ति करै रैदासा,

प्रभु जी तुम चंदन हम पानी..........

Explanation:

Prabhuji Tum Chandan, Hum Pani . Janaki ang ang baas samaanee.

My Lord! You are the sandalwood and I am water. Together we make the sandal paste and fill the body with fragrance.

Prabhuji, Tum Ghan Ban, Hum Mora Jaise Chitwat Chand Chakora

My Lord! You are the dark cloud and I am the peacock. Like the Chakora bird that never stops gazing at the Moon, I too keep gazing at your sweet face, all the time.

Prabhuji Tum Deepak, Hum Baati Jaaki Jyoti Barai Din Raati

My Lord! You are the lamp and I am the wick. Together we give light day and night.

Prabhuji Tum Swami, Hum Dasa ; Aisi Bhakti Karai Raidasa

My Lord! You are the Lord and I am your slave. Ravidas’s devotion is like that.

People who are familiar with Bharathiyar’s poems, will immediately think of the following poem. 

பாயு மொளி நீ யெனக்கு, பார்க்கும் விழி நானுனக்கு, தோயும் மது நீ யெனக்கு, தும்பியடி நானுனக்கு.

You are my light and I am your eye; your are honey to me and I am the bee.

வீணையடி நீ யெனக்கு, மேவும் விரல் நானுனக்கு; பூணும் வடம் நீ யெனக்கு, புது வைரம் நானுனக்கு;

You are the veena and I am the finger that brings music out of it. You are the necklace that I wear and I am the diamond studded in it.

வான மழை நீ யெனக்கு வண்ண மயில் நானுனக்கு; பான மடி நீ யெனக்கு, பாண்டமடி நானுனக்கு;

You are the rain and I am the peacock that rejoices in the rain. You are my drink and I am your container.

வெண்ணிலவு நீ யெனக்கு, மேவு கடல் நானுனக்கு; பண்ணு சுதி நீ யெனக்கு, பாட்டினிமை நானுனக்கு;

You are the pure Moon and I am the ocean that dances in joy looking at you. You are the sruthi for me and I am the sweet music.

வீசு கமழ் நீ யெனக்கு, விரியுமலர் நானுனக்கு; பேசுபொருள் நீ யெனக்கு,பேணுமொழி நானுனக்கு;

You are the fragrance and I am the flower; You are the subject of my talk and I am your language.

காதலடி நீ யெனக்கு, காந்தமடி நானுனக்கு; வேதமடி நீ யெனக்கு, வித்தையடி நானுனக்கு;

காதலடி நீ யெனக்கு, காந்தமடி நானுனக்கு; வேதமடி நீ யெனக்கு, வித்தையடி நானுனக்கு;

You are my love and I am the attraction; You are the knowledge and I am the learning.

You are my love and I am the attraction; You are the knowledge and I am the learning.

Whatever be the period they have lived in, whatever be their faith and whatever be the language they used to express themselves, it is always an indisputable fact that great men think alike.

B. Ramadevi is a teacher of English and a freelance reviewer of music and dance. Being a polyglot, she gets inputs from various sources and loves to share it with interested people. She contributes articles for Verandah Club on characters from Indian scriptures and classics.

Sant Ravidas and Ganga Maiya’s Kangan

PAURANIKO PATRO Sant Ravidas and Ganga Maiya’s Kangan Rama Devi Sant Ravidas (or Raidas) was a mystic poet and a social reformer who constantly fought for the removal of social divisions of caste and gender and promoted unity through spiritual pursuits. Scholars believe that Ravidas lived in the 14th or 15th century. Though the year of his birth is not very clear, his birthday is celebrated every year as Ravidas Jayanthi on the full moon day of Magha month (February - March). Ravidas’s father was a cobbler. When he grew up, Ravidas took to his father’s occupation for a living. However, his mind was more inclined towards spiritual pursuits. He used to sit at the banks of the Ganga and spend a lot of time in the company of Sufi saints and ascetics. He was a disciple of Guru Ramananda and a younger contemporary of Kabirdas. Mirabai was his disciple. Ravidas was drawn to Nirguna bhakti (devotion to the formless God) and his poetic hymns inspired people from various backgrounds. ‘Adi Granth,’ the holy book of the Sikhs contains 41 of Ravidas' poems. One of his sayings, ‘Man Changa To Katothi Mein Ganga’ (मन चंगा तो कठोती में गंगा – If the mind is pure, Ganga will appear in a small vessel) is backed by an interesting legend. Ravidas lived in a village near Varanasi. He used to sit by the side of a road that led to the River Ganga and wait for customers. Though he had great love for Mother Ganga, he had never gone near the river. As he was a cobbler by birth and profession, he was treated as an untouchable by the society and was not allowed to touch the holy waters of the river. He would worship Ganga Maiya from a distance. One day, a learned pundit was walking towards the Ganga. Suddenly, his footwear snapped. As he looked for a cobbler to mend his footwear, he found Ravidas sitting by the roadside. He went to him and requested him to mend his footwear. Ravidas immediately obliged and did a neat job of it. The pundit was pleased and offered him a coin. Ravidas said, “Master! I don’t want any money. It is enough that I got a chance to serve a scholar and devotee like you.” But the pundit would not agree. He insisted that he would pay Ravidas what was his due. Ravidas said, “Master! In that case, please give this coin to Ganga Maiya on my behalf. I can’t directly go and give her. Please do me this favour.” The pundit agreed and left. (Even today, we can see people throwing coins into the waters of holy rivers, as offering.) After bathing in the Ganga and offering his worship to her, the pundit remembered the coin given by Ravidas. He threw the coin into the waters saying, “Mother, that cobbler has given this coin to you.” And, lo! Two beautiful hands decked with bangles appeared above the surface of the water, received the coin with great respect and gave an exquisitely designed Kangan (Bracelet) to the pundit, in return. At the same time, there was an Ashareeri (The formless voice) that said, “I have accepted this offering given by my devotee Ravidas. Please hand over this kangan to him as my gift.” The pundit could not believe his eyes. The kangan dazzled in his hands. The pundit was actually not a bad person. But he could not resist the temptation to take the kangan to his home. He thought, “How will Ravidas know that Ganga Maiya has given this kangan to him? And, what will he do with this kangan? I will take it to my wife.” His wife was of course very happy to receive the kangan. But she would not be able to wear it outside and show off. People would not believe that such a poor woman could afford to buy such a valuable kangan. They might suspect that it was a stolen jewel. So, she asked her husband to gift it to the king. She was sure the king would reward him generously. When the pundit gave the kangan to the king, he happily accepted it and gave the pundit a lot of money. When the king took the kangan to his wife, she was delighted. “Oh! How beautiful! See how these stones dazzle!”, she cried. But the next minute she said, “There should be one more. I want that too for the other hand.” The king could not displease his wife. He sent for the pundit and asked him to give the other kangan too. Now, what would the pundit do? If he did not carry out the king’s command, he would lose his life. He ran to Ravidas, and fell at his feet. Ravidas was shocked and got up in a hurry. He said, “Master! I should only fall at your feet. Why are you doing this?” With folded hands, the pundit narrated the whole story. “Please forgive me, Ravidas. My life is in danger. If I don’t take the other kangan to the king, I will lose my life. Only you can save me. Please get the other kangan from Ganga Maiya.” Ravidas closed his eyes. He looked at the small vessel with soiled water that was used for cleaning leather and prayed, “Mother! Please give the other kangan and save this pundit’s life.” As they were looking into the water, they could see something shining inside the dirty water. Ravidas took it out. It was a similar kangan that Ganga Maiya had given to the pundit for Ravidas. Ravidas gave it to the pundit and asked him to give it to the king. But the pundit had undergone a transformation as he was watching all this. He realized the greatness of Ravidas’s devotion. Ravidas could get anything just by asking God. But he led a simple life because he knew the worthlessness of worldly things. The pundit was born again as a devotee. All the impurities of his heart were washed away in the dirty water in the small vessel. He fell at Ravidas’s feet once again. “He said, “Master! My ignorance has vanished. I have understood what is real wealth. Please accept me as your disciple and show me the way.” From that day, he became an ardent disciple of Ravidas and spent the rest of his life serving him. This news spread far and wide. Ravidas was accepted as a saint and people came in large numbers seeking his guidance. The following poem by Ravidas describes his intense devotion that makes him inseparable from the Divine. If you want to listen to this, here is the link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KYl8Zn4vxE प्रभु जी तुम चंदन हम पानी, जानकि अंग अंग बॉस समानी, प्रभु जी, तुम घन, बान हम मोरा, जैसे चेतवंत चांद चाकोरा, प्रभु जी तुम चंदन हम पानी.......... प्रभु जी तुम मोती हम धागा, जैसे सोहने मिलत सुहागा, प्रभु जी तुम चंदन हम पानी.......... प्रभु जी, तुम दीपक हम बाती, जाकी ज्योति जले दीनी राती, प्रभु जी तुम चंदन हम पानी.......... प्रभु जी, तुम स्वामी, हम दसा, एसी भक्ति करै रैदासा, प्रभु जी तुम चंदन हम पानी.......... Explanation: Prabhuji Tum Chandan, Hum Pani . Janaki ang ang baas samaanee. My Lord! You are the sandalwood and I am water. Together we make the sandal paste and fill the body with fragrance. Prabhuji, Tum Ghan Ban, Hum Mora Jaise Chitwat Chand Chakora My Lord! You are the dark cloud and I am the peacock. Like the Chakora bird that never stops gazing at the Moon, I too keep gazing at your sweet face, all the time. Prabhuji Tum Deepak, Hum Baati Jaaki Jyoti Barai Din Raati My Lord! You are the lamp and I am the wick. Together we give light day and night. Prabhuji Tum Swami, Hum Dasa ; Aisi Bhakti Karai Raidasa My Lord! You are the Lord and I am your slave. Ravidas’s devotion is like that. People who are familiar with Bharathiyar’s poems, will immediately think of the following poem. பாயு மொளி நீ யெனக்கு, பார்க்கும் விழி நானுனக்கு, தோயும் மது நீ யெனக்கு, தும்பியடி நானுனக்கு. You are my light and I am your eye; your are honey to me and I am the bee. வீணையடி நீ யெனக்கு, மேவும் விரல் நானுனக்கு; பூணும் வடம் நீ யெனக்கு, புது வைரம் நானுனக்கு; You are the veena and I am the finger that brings music out of it. You are the necklace that I wear and I am the diamond studded in it. வான மழை நீ யெனக்கு வண்ண மயில் நானுனக்கு; பான மடி நீ யெனக்கு, பாண்டமடி நானுனக்கு; You are the rain and I am the peacock that rejoices in the rain. You are my drink and I am your container. வெண்ணிலவு நீ யெனக்கு, மேவு கடல் நானுனக்கு; பண்ணு சுதி நீ யெனக்கு, பாட்டினிமை நானுனக்கு; You are the pure Moon and I am the ocean that dances in joy looking at you. You are the sruthi for me and I am the sweet music. வீசு கமழ் நீ யெனக்கு, விரியுமலர் நானுனக்கு; பேசுபொருள் நீ யெனக்கு,பேணுமொழி நானுனக்கு; You are the fragrance and I am the flower; You are the subject of my talk and I am your language. காதலடி நீ யெனக்கு, காந்தமடி நானுனக்கு; வேதமடி நீ யெனக்கு, வித்தையடி நானுனக்கு; காதலடி நீ யெனக்கு, காந்தமடி நானுனக்கு; வேதமடி நீ யெனக்கு, வித்தையடி நானுனக்கு; You are my love and I am the attraction; You are the knowledge and I am the learning. You are my love and I am the attraction; You are the knowledge and I am the learning. Whatever be the period they have lived in, whatever be their faith and whatever be the language they used to express themselves, it is always an indisputable fact that great men think alike. B. Ramadevi is a teacher of English and a freelance reviewer of music and dance. Being a polyglot, she gets inputs from various sources and loves to share it with interested people. She contributes articles for Verandah Club on characters from Indian scriptures and classics.

 

PAURANIKO PATRO

Bhaskaracharya and Lilavati

B. Ramadevi

  
 
 

Bhaskaracharya II (1114-1185), a great mathematician as well as a skillful astronomer was born in Karnataka and has made immense contribution to the fields of arithmetic, algebra, trigonometry, calculus and astronomy.  His works are known for their systemization and use of improved methods. Bhaskaracharya’s magnum opus, ‘Siddhanta Shiromani,’ is divided into 4 parts, ‘Lilavati,’ ‘Bijaganita,’ ‘Grahaganita,’ and ‘Goladhyaya.’

While ‘Lilavati’ deals with calculations, progressions and permutation, ‘Bijaganita’ deals with algebra, ‘Grahaganita’ with planetology and ‘Goladhyaya’ with the study of the spheres.

This article is about the first part of his book, ‘Lilavati’. The mathematical formulae and the puzzles of Bhaskaracharya will be understood only by mathematicians. But the legend behind the name Lilavati is quite interesting.

Bhaskaracharya II had a beautiful and intelligent daughter named Lilavati. She was the apple of his eye and he had great hopes for her future. Being an astrologer himself, he eagerly studied his daughter’s horoscope to know what the future held for her. What he saw shocked and upset him. He could clearly see that Lilavati would remain single and childless.

A girl remaining unmarried was unheard of those days. It was considered a fate worse than death. Bhaskaracharya decided to take a risk and get his daughter married during a wonderfully auspicious muhurta. He looked for a suitable groom and made all arrangements. Those were the days, when there were no clocks. So, to make sure that he knew the exact time when the auspicious muhurta occurred, he made a hole in an empty cup and let it float in a vessel filled with water. As the water slowly entered the cup through the hole, the cup would become full and sink. The minute the cup sank, the wedding would be conducted.

After making all these arrangements, Bhaskaracharya warned the girls not to go near the place where the cup and water were kept. The usually obedient Lilavati could not contain her curiosity that day. She wanted to see exactly when the cup sank and went near the water and peered into it. As she bent over the vessel, without her knowledge, a tiny pearl from her bridal dress (some say, it was from her nose ring) fell into the cup and blocked the hole. And so, the cup never became full and never sank. The auspicious time passed by, but none knew about it. Bhaskaracharya was greatly upset. The wedding was conducted anyway, but very soon, Lilavati’s husband died.

Bhaskaracharya was devastated. Lilavati became inconsolable. She was also guilty because the muhurta could not be noticed because of her.

After a few days, Bhaskaracharya said, “My child! It is immensely sad that you have lost your husband. But how long will you be grieving over your loss? You have to get over this and try to lead a normal life.”

Lilavati said, “Yes, father! What you are saying is true. But I don’t know what to do. The thought of my loss keeps coming back to my mind and I am not able to focus on anything.”

Bhaskaracharya decided to find a way to wean his daughter out of her grief.

One day, Bhaskaracharya had an idea. He knew that his daughter had a sharp intellect. He posed a mathematical puzzle to her and said, “Lilavati! Why don’t you solve this problem? You have always been interested in solving problems. Take it as a challenge and do it.”

Lilavati agreed immediately. As she got involved in solving the problem, she was totally drawn into it. She felt jubilant when she solved it. The dejection and depression disappeared magically. It was as if she was born again. Life became interesting and filled with possibilities.

Bhaskaracharya was quite proficient in Sanskrit. He could write poems effortlessly. He thought of new problems every day and set them in the form of verses that were rich in lyrical beauty. He gave his daughter complex problems which are now resolved using the Pythagoras theorem. Lilavati looked forward to the challenge posed by each of those problems. In time, she became adept at solving difficult and complex problems.

Bhaskaracharya collected all those problems he had created for his daughter and arranged them into thirteen chapters. He named this work Lilavati, after his beloved daughter.

Thus, a treatise on mathematics, got the name of a girl.

Points to notice and remember:

• Lilavati is one of the earliest eminent women mathematicians of India.
• Bhaskaracharya II has not only given the value of pi as 22/7 in his book but has also suggested a more accurate ratio of 3927/1250.
• In Lilavati, we can find several methods of computing numbers such as multiplications, squares, and progressions, with examples using kings and elephants.

Sample puzzles from Lilavati:

1. Of a group of elephants, half and one third of the half went into a cave, one sixth and one seventh of one sixth was drinking water from a river. One eight and one ninth of one eighth were sporting in a pond full of lotuses. The lover king of the elephants was leading three female elephants; how many elephants were there in the flock?

2. Oh! You, auspicious girl with the enchanting eyes of a fawn, Lilavati, if you have well understood the above methods of multiplication, tell me what is the product of 135 and 12? Also, tell me what number you will obtain when the product is divided by 12.

If any of you have the courage and confidence, try solving these problems.

B. Ramadevi is a teacher of English and a freelance reviewer of music and dance. Being a polyglot, she gets inputs from various sources and loves to share it with interested people. She contributes articles for Verandah Club on characters from Indian scriptures and classics.

Sources:

https://www.thebetterindia.com/72676/mathematics-lens-ancient-india-history/

http://4go10tales.blogspot.com/2012/06/lilavati.html

https://www.datatorch.com/life/Curious_prediction_of_Bhaskaracharya_about_daughter_Lilavati

http://shabananazar.blogspot.com/2015/10/bhaskaracharya-greatindian.html 

 

PAURANIKO PATRO

Rishi Dadhichi and the Parama Vir Chakra

B. Rama Devi

 
 
 
 

Param Vir Chakra (P V C) or ‘The Wheel of the Ultimate Brave’ is India’s highest military decoration, awarded for displaying distinguished bravery during wartime. The PVC is considered to be equivalent to the Victoria Cross in the United Kingdom and the Medal of Honor in the United States.

The Param Vir Chakra was established by Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India, on our first Republic Day (26 January 1950), with effect from 15 August 1947.

The medal carries in the centre, on a raised circle, the state emblem, surrounded by four replicas of Indra's  Vajrayudha, flanked by two copies of Bhavani, Emperor Shivaji’s sword. The motif symbolizes the supreme sacrifice of Rishi Dadhichi, who gave his bones to the gods to make the  vajrayudha  to kill the evil demon  Vritrasura. Dadhichi’s story is found in many sacred texts such as the Rig Veda, Srimat Bhagavatam, Srimat Devi Bhagavatam, and the Mahabharata. 

Rishi Dadhichi, son of Rishi Atharvan of the  Atharvaveda is believed to have lived in Dudheshwara on the banks of Sabarmati River near present-day  Ahmedabad.  He had received the Madhu-vidya that could grant people immortality, from Indra, the king of the gods, on condition that he would not pass it on to anyone else. Indra had also vowed that he would cut off the head of the one who taught the Madhu-vidya to anyone else.

But as fate would have it, the Ashwini Twins, the two devas in the form of children, desired to learn Madhu-vidya and approached Dadhichi. They came ready with a plan to prevent Dadhichi’s death in the hands of Indra. They told Dadhichi that they themselves would cut off his head, preserve it and replace it with the head of a horse. When Indra would cut off Dadhichi’s horse head, they would replace it with the original. Dadhichi agreed, and taught them Madhu-vidya. When he heard about this, Indra was blind with fury. He cut off Dadhichi’s head, without even noticing that it was not his original head. After that, as planned, the Ashwini Twins fitted Dadhichi’s original head on his neck and brought him back alive in his true form. Thus, Dadhichi got another name –– Ashvashira, the one with the horse’s head.

Later, a powerful demon named Vritrasura dethroned Indra and drove him out of Heaven. His atrocities knew no bounds. He stole all the water in the world for his own use and that of his army so that all other living beings would perish due to thirst and hunger. He thought, by doing so, he would make sure that there was no human or god alive to challenge his place in Heaven. Indra ran to Lord Brahma for help. Brahma said that the asura could be killed only with a spear formed from the spine of Sage Dadhichi.

Having no other go, Indra went to the banks of the Sabarmati and requested Dadhichi to give up his body for killing the asura. Dadhichi could have turned down the request because Indra had cut off his head once. But when he realized that his sacrifice would destroy the evil asura and help the humanity and the devas, he drew up his breath force and willingly vacated his body. The animals licked away the flesh and Indra got vajrayudha made with Dadhichi’s spine. After a long drawn battle, Indra killed the demon, got back his throne and released the water for the use of all living beings.

But, how did Dadhichi’s bones become so strong and powerful?

Our mythology has a ready answer for this.

Earlier, the devas had left their weapons in Dadhichi’s ashram, promising to come and collect them soon. After waiting for long, the rishi lost hope that they would come back for them. He melted all the weapons and drank them. His bones absorbed the power of all the weapons. So, his bones had the power of all the divine weapons put together.

And now, do we know who was responsible for bringing the Dadhichi connection to our Parama Vir Chakra? 

It is none other than the Swiss born Savitri Khanolkar, the wife of an Indian Army officer, Vikram Khanolkar of the Sikh Regiment.

Savitri was born as Eve Yvonne Maday de Maros (20 July 1913 – 26 November 1990) in Switzerland, married Indian Army  Captain (later Major General)  Vikram Ramji Khanolkar in 1932, and subsequently changed her name to Savitri Bai Khanolkar. Having been fascinated with Indian culture, she read extensively from  Hindu scriptures and had a deep knowledge of India's ancient history and legends. She identified closely with Hindu traditions and ideals and effortlessly integrated herself into the Indian society. She could speak Marathi, Sanskrit and Hindi fluently and learned Indian music, dance and painting.

After the decision was taken about the establishment of the gallantry awards, Jawaharlal Nehru entrusted Major General Hira Lal Atal with the responsibility of designing their medals. Major General Hira Lal Atal had heard that Savitri Bai Khanolkar was a skilful designer and had a deep knowledge of the Hindu scriptures and legends. So, he approached her and requested her to design the medal for the Parama Vir Chakra.

Savitribai gladly agreed. She felt that the medal should be a symbol of passionate patriotism and selfless sacrifice. Immediately, Sage Dadhichi’s supreme sacrifice and Emperor Shivaji’s intense patriotism came to her mind. She gave the prime place to the vajrayudha made of Dadhichi’s bones and placed Shivaji’s sword that he called ‘Bhavani’, on its both sides. Thus, India’s highest wartime medal, came to possess Indra's vajra, flanked by Shivaji's sword Bhavani. 

Indian Government’s Ministry of communications has honoured Maharshi Dadhichi by issuing a commemorative stamp in his honour on March 26, 1988.

Dadhichi and Thirukkural 

Is there a Dadhichi-connection to this 'Thirukkural,'

‘அன்பிலார் எல்லாம் தமக்குரியர் அன்புடையார் 

என்பும் உரியர் பிறர்க்கு.’ ? 

While talking about the greatness of love, Thiruvalluvar says, ‘People who don’t love others, keep everything for themselves, but those whose hearts are filled with love, are willing to give up their bones too for the sake of others. 

Why did Valluvar talk about the bones? Would he have used the word ‘enbu’ just to rhyme with ‘anbu’ in the previous line? Or was he referring to Sage Dadhichi, who gave up his bones to make a powerful weapon that would destroy a demon and protect humanity? 

B. Ramadevi is a teacher of English and a freelance reviewer of music and dance. Being a polyglot, she gets inputs from various sources and loves to share it with interested people. She contributes articles for Verandah Club on characters from Indian scriptures and classics.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Param_Vir_Chakra#History

2. https://www.amritapuri.org/3617/dadhichi-saves.aum

3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madhu-vidya

4. https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/questions/28691/indra-and-vritra-the-tale-of-the-vajrayudha

       

The Incredibly Selfless Bhamati

 

Vachaspati Mishra was a philosopher of the Advaita Vedanta tradition. He is believed to have lived in the ninth or tenth century ECE, in Bihar. He had written extensively and his bhasyas (commentaries) on texts of Hindu philosophy are highly respected by scholars even today.

‘Bhamati’, one of his most famous works, is a bhashya on Adi Sankara’s Brahma Sutra. Later, a sub-school of Advaita Vedanta came to be called Bhamati.

The word ‘Bhamati’ sounds like the name of a woman. Why was a philosophical treatise named so? Who was Bhamati? What is the connection between the Brahma sutra and this lady?

Though very little authentic details are available regarding Vachaspati Misra and ‘Bhamati’, the story that connects them, is truly fascinating.

Young Vachaspati  Misra had no interest in the normal life of a householder. He was a great scholar and was firmly rooted on the path of spirituality. He had decided that he would become an ascetic after completing the commentary on ‘Brahma Sutra’.

But, his mother Vatsala wanted to get him married and hoped that after the wedding, his attitude would change. She spoke to the father of a girl from a neighbouring village and almost finalised the alliance.

When Vachaspati came to know of this, he wrote to the bride’s father confessing that he had no intention of taking the responsibilities of a house holder and planned to leave the village after completing his work.

Bhamati's (bride) father was upset when he got the letter but glad that he knew about it before the wedding and decided to call it off. But Bhamati, who heard about this, was impressed by Vachaspati’s mission and was moved by his honesty.  She insisted on marrying Vachaspati. The father was surprised, but seeing that his daughter was firm, got her married to Vachaspati on the auspicious ‘Guru Poornima’ day. Soon after the wedding, Bhamati left for her husband’s house.

Vachaspati busied himself in writing. He did not realize the passage of time. He did not earn anything and was not even conscious that there was another person in the house.

The young and beautiful Bhamati somehow managed to run the house and always made sure that her husband got food at the correct time and his lamp had enough oil.  Misra would eat when he was hungry without even looking up to see who was serving him food. And then, he would go back to his work. He did not know how he got food and who provided it. Nor did he bother to know. His only focus was his work.

Seven years passed like this. And then, one day, Vachaspati Misra completed his magnum opus. With great relief, he looked up and was surprised to find a young lady in his house.

"Who are you young lady? What are you doing in my house?" he asked.

"I'm your wife, Bhamati. We were married seven years ago," replied Bhamati.

Vachaspati could immediately recollect their wedding. He realised  that it was she, who had taken care of him all these years. He remembered the set of hands that served him food, and poured oil into his lamp.

"Show me your hands," asked Vachaspati. Bhamati showed her hands. "Yes. These are the same hands I have been seeing every day, all these years.”

He said, "Bhamati! I have completed my work. This will be my contribution to humanity. Now that I have fulfilled my duty, I want to renounce this world."

"My lord! Do as you wish, I will not stop you." said Bhamati.

"Dear, how will you manage after I am gone?”, Vachaspati asked her feeling guilty that he was leaving a young woman, all alone.

"The merciful force that took care of me all these years will take care of me hereafter, also. Don't worry about me. I will consider myself fortunate that I got to serve you while you were making an extraordinary contribution to the world."

Instead of protesting and throwing tantrums, Bhamati made it easy for Vachaspati Misra to pursue his goal.

Vachaspati saw that she was an extraordinary woman with an enormous generosity. He was overwhelmed. How can a person be so utterly selfless?

He said, "I will forever be grateful to you, Bhamati. I surrender all my life's work at your feet. I will name this book "BHAMATI" so that everyone would come to know about you and hear about your selfless sacrifice. You will become immortal.”

Though he renounced his householder’s life, he remembered her gratefully as long as he lived.

Though Bhamati had nothing to do with the Advaita Vedanta discussed in the book that carried her name, it is a fact that the book became possible because of her selfless support and sacrifice.

True to Misra’s prediction, more people know about Bhamati than about the composer, Vachaspati Misra!

B. Ramadevi

References:

http://aumamen.com/story/story-of-bhamati-wife-of-vachaspati-mishra-love-is-unconditional

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V

 

The Couplet that saved a life

 

Mahakavi Bharavi is known for his immortal epic ‘Kirataarjuneeyam’. Its main theme is the ferocious fight between Lord Shiva and Arjuna.  Towards the end of the Pandavas’ exile, Arjuna leaves to propitiate Lord Shiva and receive the powerful weapon Pasupata Astra from Him. After a long penance, Arjuna is able to please Shiva. Nevertheless, Shiva wants to test Arjuna’s prowess.  He appears in front of Arjuna in the form of a Kirata (a tribal from a mountain) and creates an opportunity to fight with him. Arjuna brings out all his skill to defeat the Kirata, which is not easy. The thoroughly impressed Shiva appears in front of Arjuna in His true form and presents the Astra to Arjuna.

The above couplet appears in the course of this story, before Arjuna leaves for his penance.

Very little authentic information is available about this great poet ‘Bharavi’ , whose name means ‘lustre of the Sun’. However, certain facts are accepted as probably true. His original name was Damodara and he seems to have flourished during the reigns of the King Durvinita of the Western Ganga dynasty and King Simhavishnu of the Pallava dynasty.

Bharavi’s poetry is characterized by its intricate styles and lofty expressions. If Kalidasa is famous for his similes, (‘Upama Kalidasasya’ )Bharavi is celebrated  for his ‘weight of meaning’ (arthagauravam). (उपमा कालिदासस्य भारवेरर्थगौरवम् ।)

 

There is an interesting story about the shloka ‘Sahasaa Vidadheeta na kriyaam’ that appears in Kirataarjuneeyam.

 

The shloka goes like this.

 

'सहसा विदधीत न क्रियाम्
अविवेकाः परमापदाम् पदम।
व्रुणुते हि विम्रुश्य कारिणम्
गुणलुब्धाः स्वयमेव सम्पदाः॥'

 

Sahasaa Vidadheeta na kriyaam|

Avivekaa: parama aapadaam padam |

Vrunute hi vimrushya kaarinam |

Gunalubdhaa: svayameva sampadaa:||

 

(It means – Do not do anything in haste. Thoughtless action will lead to great danger. Wealth likes only those who act sensibly and will come to them willingly.)

 

And now, the story –––

 

A Brahmin named Mahadeva lived on the banks of River Godavari. His eldest son Bharavi was blessed with an extraordinary memory power and could compose poems effortlessly.  His popularity grew day by day and his fame started spreading far and wide.

 

But there was one person, who did not care for his abilities. It was none other than his own father. He never appreciated his son. Whenever Bharavi showed his father some trophy he had won, his father would only say, “How childish! What is so great about it? Go and mind your business.”

 

Bharavi was very upset about his father’s attitude. Bharavi longed for one word of praise from his father. But his father continued to insult and belittle him.

 

As he grew older, Bharavi’s sorrow turned into anger. One day, his father went too far in disparaging  Bharavi.  The son could bear it no longer. He decided to kill his father. Bharavi got a heavy club to beat his father with. As he tried to open the door of his house with the club in hand, he heard his mother say something to his father. He paused, looked through the keyhole and listened.

 

His mother was telling his father, “Why do you hurt our son Bharavi like this? Poor boy! He is longing for some recognition from you. You are consistently insulting him. This is not the way to treat a grown up young man.”

 

His father laughed and replied, “Alas! Even you have not understood me.  I am extremely proud of our son Bharavi. But I do not praise him because, too much of praise will make one arrogant. Once a person becomes arrogant, he will make no progress. Worse, he will start deteriorating. Our Bharavi has a great future. One day, the whole world will celebrate him. I am waiting to see that day.”

 

Hearing these words, the club slipped from Bharavi’s hand. Tears rolled down his cheeks. He knocked at the door and entered the house. He fell at the feet of his father and cried, “Father! I am a great sinner. I was also stupid.  I could not understand your good heart. I actually came here to kill you with a club. I just happened to overhear the conversation between you and Amma. If I had not heard that, I would have killed you by now. Please give me a suitable punishment.”

 

His father raised him with great affection. “Get up, my child! This is not your mistake alone. I too have exceeded my limit in insulting you. Forget it. Now you have realized your mistake. That is enough. You do not need any punishment.”

 

But Bharavi did not agree.

 

He said, “If you do not give me the punishment I deserve, I will not be at peace. Please do not show any mercy towards me. I will do anything you tell. What should I do?”

 

 His father Mahadev thought for a while and said, “Yes; what you are telling is also correct. Punishment will cleanse you and purify you. Take your wife and go to your father in law’s house. Be there till I call you back. ”

 

This peculiar punishment surprised Bharavi. ‘Life at the father in law’s house will be comfortable and enjoyable. One will get a lot of love and respect there. How can it be a punishment?’

 

But he did not argue with his father. He took his wife Janaki and left for his father in law’s house.

 

Bharavi’s father in law was a great scholar, too. He had two more sons besides his daughter, who was Bharavi’s wife. The sons lived with the father as a joint family. They had some land and were leading a reasonably comfortable life.

 

Seeing Bharavi and Janaki, they welcomed them with great joy. Narrating the whole story, Bharavi informed them that he would be staying with them till his father called him back.  The father in law’s face changed after hearing this. He said curtly, “Okay; get inside.”

 

Bharavi had a totally different experience at the father in law’s house, this time. All the work had to be done by his wife. He had to take care of the outside work. Nobody invited them for meals. They had to go and eat if they felt hungry. On festive occasions, the other members bought new clothes for themselves, but did not include Bharavi or Janaki in anything. Life was miserable. Bharavi was longing to go back to his house.

 

Despite all this, Bharavi’s ability to write poetry became more and more refined.

 

One day, Janaki came to him and told him with great excitement, “ I have a friend who is very wealthy. She is fond of poetry. Please compose a good poem for her. She will pay me well for that. Our position in this house may improve if we give them some money.”

 

“Oh! Really? Who is she? You have never mentioned her before.”

 

“I met her recently after many years.   Hers is a strange story. Her husband left home when her son was seven years old, in order to expand his business. He did not return after that. Many years have passed. My friend’s attempts to trace him were futile. Finally, she took over the family business. Her business has flourished. She has become quite rich. She has remodeled her old house beautifully. Her son has also grown up and is helping her in her business. She does a lot of charitable work and is hoping that someday her husband will come back.”

 

Bharavi immediately wrote a couplet and gave it to his wife. (This couplet is given above with the meaning.) “This couplet will find a place in the epic I am planning to compose. Your friend will be the first one to see this couplet. Give it to her with my regards.”

 

Janaki was very happy. She gave the couplet to her friend. Her friend was overjoyed and gave Janaki a lot of gifts.

Janaki’s friend was so impressed with the couplet that she got it written on a silk cloth and hung it at her bed room’s entrance . She wanted to see it every day and remember what it said.

 

In the mean time, her husband had made good progress in his business.  After eleven years, he decided to go back to his family and spend the rest of his life with them. As he rode on his horse, cartloads of silk, jewels and expensive gifts followed.

 

It was a full moon day. The moon had covered the whole world with its silver light. The merchant left the carts outside the city and rode into the city by himself. The sight of the familiar streets and houses filled him with joy. He came to the place where his house used to be. It was not there. A huge mansion stood in its place. He became worried. Slowly, he dismounted the horse and knocked at the door with hesitation.

 

The old servant who came to open the door recognized him and was about to shout in joy. The merchant asked him to be silent and moved slowly towards the bedroom. The windows were open. His wife was sleeping peacefully. She had become more beautiful with age.

 

But, who is that good looking young man, who was sleeping next to her?

 

The merchant was filled with rage. He wanted to kill the young man who dared to sleep next to his wife. He drew his sword and tried to enter the bedroom.

 

At that time, his eyes stopped at the silk cloth with a couplet written on it. The beauty of the words and their depth of meaning impressed him so much that he read it again and again.

 

The couplet said, “Never do anything in haste. A hasty mind is the abode of all dangers. One who thinks and acts will always be prosperous.”

 

These words went straight to his heart. He slowed down and knocked at the door. His wife opened the door and shrieked in joy. The next minute she noticed the suspicion and anger in his eyes. She woke up the young man. “Get up, son! Your father has come.”

 

When the merchant knew that the young man was his own son, he was overjoyed. As he embraced him, he shuddered to think what would have happened if he had not read the couplet.

 

The next day, he invited Bharavi and his wife home, fell at their feet and gave them a lot of gold and other gifts.

 

This news spread fast and Bharavi became even more famous. His father also heard about it. He felt very happy and invited him and his wife back home.

 

Bharavi composed many great poems after that. His ‘Kirataarjuneeyam’ in which the couplet found a place, is considered to be the best of his creations.

 

References:

https://www.freepressjournal.in/latest-news/bharavi-the-great-sanskrit-poet https://www.indianetzone.com/67/sanskrit_litterateurs.htm

https://vichaarsankalan.wordpress.com/2010/08/26