Friday 24 June 2011

Srimayuresh


In the Treta Yuga. there lived a righteous King named Chakrapani who ruled over the Mithila kingdom with Gandaki as its capital city. His queen was Ugra. The king was sad that he had no son to inherit the kingdom. Sage Saunaka of Puranic fame advised him to propitiate the Sun deity to beget a son, and initiated him and the queen Into a year-long austerity. After a few months, the queen became pregnant. As the child developed in her womb, she was subjected to extreme physical uneasiness and her body temperature started rising. A time came when she was unable to bear the foetus in the womb any longer and so she secretly went to the sea shore along with her nurses and abandoned the foetus in the sea. The king was sad at this act but he could do nothing.

The foetus developed into a boy It had a brilliant face with three eyes and its body was strong and muscular. When it cried, the whole earth trembled, and the terrified creatures of the sea fled for their lives. The sea god brought the boy to the palace and handed him over to the king. The king was overjoyed to get his son.

The boy was named Sindhu because of his birth on the sea shore He grew up fast, and after completion of his studies, performed severe austerities, propitiated the Sun deity and obtained from him powerful weapons of destruction, which made him invincible. The king handed over his kingdom to the son and retired to the forests with his queen. Sindhu defeated all the kings on earth and even extended his power to the nether worlds and heavens. He invoked Lord Vishnu by his penance and requested Him to come down to earth and stay in his capital city. Hearing this. Lord Siva decided to go away for the time being from Kailash along with Goddess Parvati and all the attendants (Ganas).

 As they passed over the plains. Mother Parvati was attracted by a serene and beautiful place, and alt of them decided to settle down there. Lord Siva, as usual, went into long spells of meditation while the Ganas served and worshipped Him along with the Rishis and other pious people who had gathered and camped around the place.

One day Mother Parvati asked the Lord: “On Whom are you meditating?”, and He said: ‘ On Him, Who is the supporter of the entire universe”. “Can I also meditate on Him and behold Him ?” she asked. “Of course”, said the Lord, and initiated Her into the mono-syllabled Ganeshamantra Gem, She repaired to a lonely and beautiful place on Lekhanadri hills and performed penance for twelve years. Lord Ganesha appeared before Her and asked what boon She wanted. Mother Parvati said : “I wish to have You as my son so that I can always see You and serve You”. “Be it so” said the lord, and He vanished.

Lord Siva, the Ganas, the Rishis and pious men greeted the news of Lord Ganesha’s incarnation as Mother Parvati’s son with great enthusiasm. And in due course, on the fourth day of the bright half of the Bhaadrapaada month, when the Swati star was in combination with the Moon, when the constellation of Leo was ascending (Simha Lagna), Lord Ganesha manifested Himself in front of Mother Parvati in all His divine glory. After prostrating to Him, the Mother requested Him to reveil His divine form and assume the form of an ordinary child so that She could take Him in Her arms and fondle Him. The Lord accordingly assumed the form of a handsome young child.

All the three worlds rejoiced at the “birth” of the Lord. Lord Siva performed the Jata Karmas of the child. The Rishis and the pious men beheld the boy as a personification of all great qualities (Gunas). On the eleventh day. Lord Siva named the child “Gunesha”. meaning the repository of all gunas. Gunesha grew up under the tender care and love of the divine parents ang in the company of the children of the Rishis. A number of demons who came to disturb the peaceful life there, were killed by Ganesha.

Once while chasing a demon, Ganesha along with the children came upon a mango grove full of ripe juicy fruits. They let themselves loose in the garden, plucking and eating the mangoes and throwing the seeds at each other. In that garden, atop a tree, a woman was keeping guard over a big egg and one of the seeds thrown by the children fell on her. Disturbed in her roost, she came down and started chasing the children. Ganesha immediately climbed the tree and took the egg in his hands. As soon as he did so, the egg cracked and out came a huge bird from it having a blue neck, a powerful peacock. It was so hungry that it jumped down in search of food and tried to swallow the running boys Ganesha jumped on the bird caught hold of its wings Then he mounted the bird and brought it under his control.

Seeing the victory of Ganesha the woman prostrated to him and said : “Lord I I am Vinata, wife of Sage Kasyapa This bird is my son My husband had told me that the person who would break the egg that I had laid, would become its master. I had been waiting here for years on end for this to happen- Now I am happy and have fulfilled my duty- My other sons like Jatayu, Shyena. Sampaati and others are held captive by the powerful serpents in their kingdom- Please be kind enough to release them.”

The peacock by this time had recovered from the pains of fight with Ganesha and surrendered to him. Mounting his new vehicle, Ganesha returned to his parents He was given the name MAYURESH the Lord of Mayur, by the Rishis Thereafter he conquered the serpent kingdom and released the celestial birds from captivity. He conquered a number of demons who had become powerful under the reign of the demonic king Sindhu. Seeing the superhuman capabilities of Mayuresh, Brahmaji offered His two daughters Siddhi and Buddhi in marriage to Mayuresh. However, he declined to marry them immediately. He wanted first to fulfil his mission of destroying Sindhu.

Seeing that Mayuresh had come of age. Lord Siva and Parvati decided to return to Kailashh, and the whole entourage set forth on their journey. On the way, a number of Asuras attacked them, but Mayuresh vanquished them all.

Sindhu became restless. He waged a war against Mayuresh, and sent his two powerful sons Dharma and Adharma to defeat the enemy. They were killed in the battle. Sindhu himself came upon the field; a fierce battle ensued and at last Sindhu was killed. With his death. Lord Vishnu and others were free to go back to their respective worlds. The cosmic rhythm disturbed by Sindhu, was set again to its normal equilibrium The marriage of Mayuresh with Siddhi and Buddhi was solemnised.

It was time for Mayuresh to fold up his manifestation in the world. So, one day, he conveyed his intention to Lord Siva, Parvati and others “When can I again have the privilege of having you as My son ” asked the Mother. “In Dwapara Yuga. I will again be born to you to kill the terrible demon Sindur, said the Lord. Kartikeya, younger brother of Mayuresh said : “Please don’t leave me alone- Take me also with you.” In a sweet brotherly voice Mayuresh replied: “Where am I going away from you I am the inner consciousness in all beings, and so I am very much in your heart also, at all times.” He then gave His Mayur (Peacock) to Kartikeya and addressed him as “Mayuradhwaja i “, and then ascended to His imperishable world

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