BharatiyaStories

  Know your Heritage *A Conversation in a Temple Courtyard* (Deivam Manushya Rupena – God in the form of a Human) It was Anna’s first visit to India and to a temple. She had been in India for a week. She loved the colours, the energy and the chaos. Her hotel manager had recommended that she visit the local Devi temple during evening arthi time for a “feel” of India. Anna was not disappointed, The chanting of Sanskrit verses, the women and men carrying puja articles, the ringing of the bells were all mesmerising in the dusk. Anna felt very peaceful and positive. She wanted to understand what the various sculptures and rituals meant. She did not know whom to ask. She looked around curiously. An old priest sitting with his beads saw her and beckoned her. She went to him and sat down in front of him. Then she started hesitantly. “Swamiji, I’ve travelled to many countries, but in India, I feel temples are so diverse. Sometimes you worship animals, sometimes nature, sometime...

  Rama Returns to Ayodhya (Retold based on Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 128) Nandigram - a small village near Ayodhya. People were gathered. Many looked like royals but in hermit clothes. There was a majestic monkey that was waiting with them. All eyes were turned southward towards the sky. Were they waiting for a celestial event? No. They were waiting for their brother, master, king and Lord – Rama and his beautiful consort Sita. Rama had been banished from the kingdom to spend 14 years in the jungle by his father King Dasaratha. Who were the people waiting? Bharata, Shatrugna, Hanuman (who had flown earlier with news of Rama’s expected arrival), the ministers, the queen mothers Kausalya, Kaikeyi and Sumithra, the other royal folk and of course the citizens who loved Rama as their own family. Then they saw it! A distant glint that became bigger and bigger and dazzled the onlookers with the sunlight hitting its go...

  Renuka and Jamadagni Bhishma was lying on the bed of arrows. Having been defeated by Arjuna, Bhishma fell but did not die. He had a boon that he could choose his time of death. He was waiting for Uttararyana Punyakaalam when the sun starts its northern movement towards the northern hemisphere. Yudhishtira being the knowledge seeker, used this period to get the knowledge and wisdom of Bhishma. This is called as the Bhishma – Yudhishtira Samvaad and continued for six days. The following story was one told by Bhishma to Yudhishtira during this conversation. Yudhishtira asked Bhishma how did the practice of giving footwear and umbrellas as an offering to the ancestors in the shrardh ceremony started. Bhishma narrated this story to Yudhishtira. Sage Jamadagni loved archery. He was happy when he honed his archery. He loved to set himself difficult targets and shoot at them. All this was nice except that his wife Renuka was his assistant. Since arrows were limited and took time to...

  Vikram and Betaal – Story 6 We saw how King Vikramaditya (Vikram) went to the cremation ground at the instruction of a sage to get a dead body and found a ghost. It agreed to come on the condition that the king should not talk till he reached his destination. The ghost had been telling him stories and tricked him into talking by putting an interesting question. The ghost also threatened him saying he will die if he knew the answer and did not answer. Vikram had the problem of either knowing the answer and dying or opening his mouth and letting the ghost go. He chose to answer as obviously he had to live to do the sage’s bidding. Here goes yet another trip and yet another story. Bringing a dead lion alive Once in a village called Sabarvani, there lived a brahmin called Saranga. Saranga was not only learned but was well trained in many other aspects such as medicine, magic and tantra. Saranga had four sons – Madhava, Rishiskesha, Aditya and Rudra. As was the practice, Saranga...

The earth becomes Pruthvi There was a time when Mother Earth decided not to share her wealth with humans. She was angered at the misuse and arrogance of humans in using her resources. This resulted in famine, hunger and death. Sounds very familiar to what we hear now? Misuse of natural resources results in climate change, drought, floods and untimely rains. This story from the puranas highlights the need to treat Mother Earth with respect. The earth had no ruler after the death of the cruel ruler Vena. The Saptharishis realised something needs to be done as a land without a ruler will be the breeding ground of Arajaga or lawlessness. They used the power of their penance to generate a being from the right thigh of Vena. From that came a very evil looking person emerged. The sages realised that this person was evil and shouted Nishada Nishada. Nishada means sit. But the evil dwarf like creature ran out of the yagna shaala. With his exit all the evil from Vena’s body had left. The s...

  Vikram and Betaal – Story 5 We saw how King Vikramaditya (Vikram) went to the cremation ground at the instruction of a sage to get a dead body and found a ghost. It agreed to come on the condition that the king should not talk till he reached his destination. The ghost had been telling him stories and tricked him into talking by putting an interesting question. The ghost also threatened him saying he will die if he knew the answer and did not answer. Vikram had the problem of either knowing the answer and dying or opening his mouth and letting the ghost go. He chose to answer as obviously he had to live to do the sage’s bidding. Here goes yet another trip and yet another story. The three suitors There lived a famous priest in one of the village near Ujjain. It so happened that he was blessed with a very beautiful. If there is a beautiful girl in a home, there will be young men who will be interested. The girl, named Mandravati also had a problem of plenty. She had many suit...