MADHYAMA-THE MIDDLE-ONE! STORY OF SUNASHEPA AND BHEEMA

Present-day couple generally limits their off springs to one or two, so that they could provide them, good education and comfort in life. But in olden days this awareness had not come. It was common to have a family of 3 to 4 children. Whenever there were three sons, generally the eldest was liked by the father as he was considered essential for the salvation of the parents; (by performing funeral rights to parents on their demise so that they could attain salvation) The youngest was generally the darling of the mother! But neither father nor mother stood by for the Middle-one and he had to fend for himself!

Let us see two stories of such Middle-ones.  “Madhyama” in Sanskrit.

A.  Sunashepa;

A holy man had predicted that a kingdom was going to be struck by volcanic eruption and ‘tsunami’ (tidal waves). The king wanted to save his subjects from this calamity. He was advised to perform a Yaaga to please the God of Fire and God of Sea and thus save the country from the calamity.

When he is half way through the Yaaga, the king finds that the animal meant for sacrifice had been stolen. The priests suggest that the only way to conclude the Yaaga was, that a human being could be substitute for the sacrificial animal, provided he willingly accepts to be sacrificed. As the king cannot leave the yaagashaala in the middle of the Yaaga, the prince goes in search of a substitute.

The prince meets a poor man with his wife and three sons, and asks if he could part with one of his sons; He offers one thousand cows in return. The poor man says he cannot part with the eldest because he likes him much. When he dies, he will not get salvation unless the eldest one performs the funeral rights. The mother says she cannot live without the youngest. Thus it is the middle-one who could be spared. Sunashepa is the name of this middle-one or Madhyama (in Sanskrit). He thinks; I am disowned by both my father and mother. If, by my agreeing to be sacrificed, they could get a thousand cows and live a comfortable life, I feel I have done my duty as a son. Thus, Sunashepa follows the prince and they are heading towards the place of Yaaga. On the way, they stop to take rest near a hermitage. While the prince is fast asleep, Sunashepa does not get sleep. He is worried.

Sunashepa wants to live and learn all the Vedas and become a scholar, if he could. .He wanders into the hermitage .He sees the saint in meditation. Sunashepa goes and falls at the feet of the saint and tells his predicament and his eagerness to learn. The saint is impressed by the boy’s good nature and his eagerness to learn. He calls his hundred sons and asks if any one is ready to replace Sunashepa, but none comes forward. He scolds them for their selfishness and tells Sunashepa “Do not worry, I will teach you two spells (Mantras). You should repeat these correctly, just when you are to be sacrificed on the stake.” Sunashepa learns the mantras and returns to the prince. Prince has just woken up and is glad that Sunashepa has not run away but is ready to proceed on their journey.

Soon they reach the place of yaaga. King is very happy that a willing person is found as substitute for sacrifice. Sunashepa is tied to the stake and a sacrificial fire is blazing. The king is praying that God of Fire and God of Ocean may be pleased with the yaaga and the sacrifice and save his country from the calamity. The final act of offering the sacrifice had commenced. Sunashepa is bold and calm. At that moment he recites the mantra taught by the saint. And Lo! The Gods of Fire and Ocean appear in person! They tell, they are pleased by the mantras of Sunashepa and so he need not be sacrificed on the fire. Further, they are fully satisfied by the Yaaga and they will protect the country from the calamity. King is greatly surprised and happy .He honors Sunashepa for his truthfulness, selfless and bold nature and his keenness to learn.   Sunashepa returns to the ashram and becomes an ideal student. and a great scholar.

 B   Now, story of Bheema, another Madhyama or Middle-one

Kauravas plan to grab the throne by eliminating Kunti and Pandavas by housing them in a Laakshaagriha or ‘wax-house’ and setting fire to it, Luckily, Pandavas escape, but Kauravas believe Kunti and Pandavas have perished.

 Kunthi and her sons are living incognito in a small village in a forest, after escaping from the’wax-house’.Dharmaraja, Bheema and Arjuna are the three sons of Kunti and thus Bheema is also called ‘Madhyama’ or  ‘the middle-one’.

 The forest belongs to a’ demon ‘called Hidambaa.Unlike her brother Hidamba and other demons, she is not evil. She has been doing a penance and has completed a fasting. She is to break her fast and needs food. Being a demon, she likes human flesh. She asks her son, Ghatod-gaja, to get her a breakfast. He wanders in the forest, looking for a nice human. He meets a family of a father, mother and three sons, and demands one of them to be the pray. The father and mother are old and so, do not interest him. He demands one of the boys to be given. As expected, it is the middle-one or Madhyama whom they spare. Whatever be his name, he is called Madhyama.The young demon is taking the boy for his mother’s breakfast.

On the way, it is noon and Madhyama says it is time for him to do Sandhya-vandanam, or prayers to Sun god.Ghatodgaja allow him to go to the lake and come early. Even after a time, there is no sign of Madhyama.So Ghatodgaja goes in search of him shouting “Madhyama Come.” Bheema who hears this call wonders who is calling him. He goes to find out, and soon meets Ghatodgaja.Either does not know who the other is. When Bheema, a very well-built man, comes and says “I am Madhyama”, Ghatodgaja is surprised and pleased to find a hefty man in place of the rickety one he was taking to his mother’s breakfast.

When Bheema learns that he is to go as a food for a demon called Hidambaa, he is amused as he realizes that Ghatodgaja is his own son, because Bheema had married Hidambaa some 15 years back but they had not met each other after their marriage.

He wants to tease his son, Gatodgaja, a little. So he says’ I will come, but you should catch and tie me up and carry me to your mother.’ Though Ghatodgaja is big and strong for his age, being a demon, he is no match to Bheema the strongest. However much Ghatodgaja tries, he can not subdue and tie up Bheema.Gatodgaja gets frustrated and worried that it is getting late and his mother is hungry. After some mock-fight with his own son, Bheema allows himself to be tied and led into the presence of Hidambaa.

Gatodgaja proudly announces to his mother, ’See what I have brought for your breakfast! A nice hefty human to satisfy your hunger!’  Hidambaa comes out to find that her ‘pray’ is none other than her dear husband! She is immensely happy to meet her husband, but shy that her own son had brought him tied up. Ghatodgaja, who is watching his mother, can not understand the hesitation of his mother to go with her breakfast. Instead, Hidambaa scolds her son ‘What a foolish act you have done! First, untie him and fall at his feet. Do you know? , He is your dear father!

All the while Bheema is enjoying the drama and when the perplexed and shy Gatodgaja falls at his feet, gathers him smiling and hugs the dear boy and his mother. It is a happy reunion of the family after a long interval.

This story is based on a play “Madhyama-vyaayoga” written by a famous poet Bhaasa more than 2000 yea