Maarkandeya, the boy who conquered Death

Dear Children:        

 The hero of our story today is a boy who defied Death and became “Chiranjeevi”- or Ever-Living! Maarkandeya is ever remembered for the “Mrityunjaya Mantra” he gave to the world.

Long ago, there was a great sage called Mrikandu. His wife was Sumitra. The couple did not have a child for a long time. They did severe penance to please Shiva. Shiva was pleased with their penance and manifested before them and asked if they had any desire.  Mrikandu humbly asked for a son as a boon. Shiva gave a choice- Several children with long life but dull-headed ones, or a single son who would be wise and righteous, but had limited life. Mrikandu chose the latter, and Shiva granted the boon.

Soon Sumitra was in the family way and after a time, gave birth to a cute, bright boy. He was named Markandeya, the son of Mrikandu. The sages who studied his horoscope (position of planets at the time of birth), were surprised to find that the boy had all the features of a great person, but, alas, he was to live only up to his 16^th year !.Only the parents were told about this.

Markandeya grew up as a very brilliant boy who mastered all the Vedas and Shaastras even at his young age. He was very obedient and devoted to his parents and elders and everyone whom he met were immensely pleased with him.

 One day he was sent to the forest for collecting Dharba-grass and Samits , articles of worship. Sapta-Rishis, the seven great sages of Heaven, happened to pass by in the forest. They disguised themselves as ordinary ascetics and met the boy. .Markandeya did not know who they were, yet showed respect and prostrated before them. The ascetics in disguise were pleased with him, and the usual words of blessing ‘Dheerga aayushmaan Bhava’ (May you live long), came out of their mouth!  It was then, that Saptarishis realized that the boy whom they had blessed was destined for a short life! But, they had a gift from Lord Brahma that, what they uttered would always become true! They went to Brahma and told what had happened. –that they had inadvertently blessed the boy for long life while he was destined for a short life. Brahma smiled and said that it was the same destiny that had prompted them now to bless the boy, and the will of God would prevail. Neither the boy nor his parents and other humans were aware of all that happened.

Markandeya noticed that his parents were very worried and unhappy as days passed.  He said it was his duty as a son, to make them happy. When he pressed for the reason, they were in tears, they told him of his limited life. The boy said, “Do not worry on that account. I too want to live long as I have a lot to learn and do good to this world. I will do penance and pray Lord to give me long life”. He sought their blessings and went to forest to do penance. He installed a Shiva-linga at an auspicious place on the banks of Holy River Tungabhadra and began his worship of Shiva and do intense penance to please Shiva.

Soon, the day of his end of life came. He was in deep meditation. At the appointed time, the servants of Yama, the God of Death, came to him to take his life.  They tried to throw their noose on Markandeya. Markandeya who was in deep meditation suddenly felt his five senses (seeing,hearing, smelling, touch, and taste) were failing, but  his mind and consciousness were clear and sharp, because of his meditation.The Yama-dootas(servants of Yama) failed to pull out his soul. They had never experienced such failure in their task and had to go back to Yama without the boy’s soul. Yama was very angry as his servants could not enforce the laws of nature. He decided to do it himself .He rode his Buffalo and came to Markandeya, to throw his Paasha or noose and drag his soul.  Markandeya was hugging the Shiva-linga and intensely praying, unaware of these happenings. When Yama tried to pull the boy’s soul, an angry Shiva manifested from the Linga and demanded,” Yama, how dare you disturb my dear young devotee  when he is in deep meditation on Me”. Yama pleaded that Markandeya’s life was to end, and he had come to do his duty of taking away,the soul of the boy.

All this commotion distracted Markandeya . He opened his eyes, realized the situation and started praying to Shiva loudly :-

“ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे   सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम् 

उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान् मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मामृतात् ॥“

                                                    
Om Try-Ambakam Yajaamahe 
Sugandhim Pusstti-Vardhanam
Urvaarukam-Iva Bandhanaan 
Mrtyor-Mukssiiya Maa-[A]mrtaat ||

Meaning:Ma
1: Om, We Worship the Three-Eyed One (Lord Shiva), 
2: Who is Fragrant (Spiritual Essence) and Who Nourishes all beings.
3: May He severe our Bondage of Samsara (Worldly Life), like a Cucumber (severed from the bondage of its Creeper), .
4: ... and thus Liberate us from the Fear of Death, by making us realize that we are never separated from our Immortal Nature.

Shiva was immensely pleased with this hymn from His devotee and, not only did He send away Yama ,but made Markandeya, a ‘Chiranjeevi’ or immortal.  The mantra or prayer became famous as Mahaa Mrutyunjaya Mantra or a hymn to win over Death.

Thus, Markandeya conquered Death and returned to

his parents, they were immensely happy and proud 

of such an illustrious son

.

This story illustrates that, with determination, perseverance and firm faith in God, most difficult things can be achieved

Mrutyunjaya, the boy, evolving into a Maharishi, and his adventures, is another interesting story

Ack. The hymn and its meaning from link; on WEB http://greenmesg.org/mantras_slokas/sri_shiva-mahamrityunjaya_mantra.php

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                                               Sankalpa-A vow to God,

   Sankalpa is a Vow to God, expressed in Deva-naagari,a language given by HIM  !

You will have noticed that on special occasions, or while performing “Pooja” our elders begin the function by reciting ‘Sankalpa’ in Sanskrit.’ Sankalpa’ means, a vow or an affirmation to commence a job, and seeking God’s grace to fulfill it. It specifies elaborately, when and where the vow is   taken,ie. time and place, expressed in terms of God’s Creation of Universe.

If anybody asks you what day is today, you readily reply, it is 8^th of August 2013.This is as per English calendar (also called Gregorian calendar which came into use in year 1582)

It means: 8th day in the month of August in the year 2013 after a particular event, in this case, the period that has lapsed since the time of Jesus Christ

         But Hindu calendar counts the time more elaborately - from the time the Universe was created! This method of count is in vogue since thousands of years, and that count is closer to what the scientists of today estimate as the age of our universe!

Let me begin with a small story:  *1*

     Once a person did penance intensely to please Brahma. After a time, Brahma appeared before him and asked what he wanted. He said , ‘Lord, I am in urgent need of 10 lakhs of money for my daughter’s marriage. Brahma was amused at his paltry request, and said,

'You will have it in a minute’, and vanished. The person waited for a year and since nothing happened, again prayed to Brahma.  Brahma manifested and said “I told you, you will have it in a minute. I meant it in my timescale which is equal to 6 million years of you –humans!”      That is the Celestial scale of Time!       

The format generally used for Sankalpa is as below:-

A.     Time component:

Aadya Brahmanaha, dwitiya paraardhay, Sweta Varaaha Kalpay

Vaivaswata Manvantaray, Kali Yugay Prathama paaday,    

asmin vartamaana vyavahaarikay,Chaandra-maanena, Prabhavaadi shasthi samvatsaraanaam madhyay,

Vijaya naama Samvatsaray,Dakshinaayanay Varsha Rutou Shraavana maasay, Shukla pakshay,Dwiteeyaayam tithou, Guru Vaasara yuktaayaam-- - asyaam shubha tithou (On this auspicious day)…  then, B, the space component , is specified.

Earlier part in italics is in celestial scale of time or Deva Maana, beginning with the Creator-Brahma. Latter part in highlighted italics is in  Maanusha Maana ie human scale or  the current usage-Year, season, month, date, day etc.

Let us see the relation of these two Scales of time measurement:-

        Celestial scale (Deva Maana) and        Terrestrial   Scale                                                                                (Maanusha Maana)

       One day  in  celestial scale              One Year   in Human scale.

          One Celestial Year                                 360 Years of man

       Kali Yuga =1200celestial yrs.             4,32,000 years of man *

    Tretaa Yuga (Twice Kali yuga)              8,64,000 years of man

    Dwaapara Yuga(thriceKali Yuga)        12,96,000 years

   Krita Yuga( four times Kali)                   17,28,000 years

One Chaturyuga( a set of 4 yugas )          43,20,000 years of man               or ten times kali yuga 

One chatur-yuga is a Deva-Yuga                                                         71 Deva yuga is one Manvantara      =     30,65,71,428.5 yrs of man

One Kalpa =1000 Chaturyugas or 14 Manvantaras +6 Devayugas as Sandhyaamsha i.e. transition between Brahma's day and night.

One Kalpa is Brahma's half  day=       432 crores or                                                                                         4320million yrs of man  .                                   

Brahma’s one minute is 6 million years of man!

  Brahma’s life= Para or century =100 years.Two Paraardhas or half Century of 50 yrs

Each year has 360 days  called  Kalpa

 and each day has two half-days, day time in which the world is Vyakta  or manifested  and night , in which the world is Avyakta . or dissolved (it is there but not manifested)

  

During the day- time of Brahma, evolution takes place. And as the night sets in ,Pralaya or dissolution starts The cycle of evolution and dissolution starts as the next day dawns to Brahma.

Now, let us see the meaning of Sankalpa mentioned above:First,the celestial scale in italics- Deva mana

                                                                                                      Aadya Brahmanaha Dwiteeya Paraardhay=Second half century of First Brahma (in his51st year)

Sweta Varaaha Kalpay= In Sweta Varaaha Kalpa    

                                     

 Vaivaswata Manvantara: ,       Vaivaswata is 7th manvantara in the Sweta Varaha Kalpa.

Kali Yuge, Prathama paade     during  First Quarter of Kali Yuga (whose duration is 4,32,000years)*

                                             We are now in 5114^th year of Kaliyuga

According to Panchanga or Indian Almanac,it is 195,58,85,114  years since the beginning of Creation after the  last Deluge .

Brahma’s life span of 100 years is roughly equivalent to  311trillion ,40 million human years.!         

      

 It may be of interest to note that, according to Bhagavata Puraana, at the end of each day of Brahma, a Naimittika Pralaya  occurs when the living world will get consumed in a deluge, and, the next day starts with new creation.  At the end of 100 years life of Brahma, a Prakritaka Pralaya  occurs when the whole Universe will get absorbed into God, He is visualized as a small baby floating on a leaf in the Primordial  Ocean with the Universe within  His stomach. He creates a new Brahman and the process of creating Universe starts, all over again.

         

  

 Now we come to the present era: in Maanusha maana

( Asmin vartamaana Vyavahaarikay , Chaandramaanena Prabhavaadi Shasthi Samvatsaraanaam madhye Vijaya naama Samvatsaray…)In current usage of Chaandramaana, among the sixty years cycle beginning with Prabhava, the  current year is called Vijaya..

There are mainly two traditions of calculating the year in India (1) Souramaana or Solar calendar based on period of time taken by Earth to go round the Sun and, Chandramaana  (lunar),based on moon going round the Earth. In Tamil Nadu, the Solar calendar is followed while, in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, the Chandramana is in vogue.

We have a cycle of 60 years, each with a name, starting from Prabhava, Vibhava and so on….The current year is called Vijaya Samvatsara.

Dakshinaayanay:  The year is divided into Uttaraayana and Dakshinaayana depending on the apparent movement of Sun towards north or south. Now it is Dakshinaayana

Varsha rutou, Season-Rainy season …There are 6 seasons of 2 months each.

   Names of  Twelve months of year and their corresponding season :Chaitra,Vaishaaka, (Vasanta Rutou) Jestha Aashaada (Ghreeshma rutou)  Shraavana, Bhaadrapada (Varsha rutou), Aashwayuja,Kaarthika (Sharad rutou), Maargashira Pushya  (Hemanta Rutou),  Maagha Phaalguna (Shishira Rutou)

Shraavana maasay : In the month of Shraavana

Shukla pakshay   In brighter Fortnight(Vaxing of moon)…(Shukla and Krishna pakshas –Vaxing and Waning fortnight)

Dwiteeyaayam tithou     Second day(15 days in each fortnight :PrathamaDwiteeya,Thriteeya,Chaturthi,Panchami, Shasthi, Saptami, Asthami, Navami, Dashami, Ekaadashi, Dwaadashi,Trayodashi, Chaturdashi, and Poornima or Fullmoon,/ Amaasya or no-moonday )

Guru vaasara     Thursday (7 days: Ravi,Soma, Mangala or Bhouma, Budha, Guru/Bruhaspati Shukra, Shani

   Thus this auspicious day is designated precisely.)

(B) Space Componant:-

Not only the time is specified linked to the creation of Universe, but Space is also specified as elaborately, linking to our location on Earth –  

We start with    Jamboo Dweepay, Bharata Khanday ,Bhaarata varshay, Meraoho Dakshina Dig-bhaagay,Kaaveri Teeray Mahisha puray Asmad Grihay,……

Roughly translated, it indicates:    Continent- Jamboo Dweepa ,Sub-continent Bharata Khanda,

Country, Bharata Varsha, South of Meru mountains,Near the banks of River Kauveri, In Mahisooru,town, and in our house!! 

, The Sankalpa thus locates us in Universal Space and Time. This makes us humble before God and His Creation.

Sources:

            Universal message of The Bhagavad Gita bySwami Ranganaathananda.*1* Vol. 2 p.314

                Sri Vishnu Puranam Vol.1, Ramakrishna Math,Bengaluru

                Srimad Bhagavata Maha-Purana  in English –Gita press, Gorakhpur.

                Wikipedia  Google

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RISHYASRINGA the sage with a horn on forehead.

 Dear Children,    Last month, we had read about Asthaavakra the sage with eight deformities.

Now, let us read about another great sage with a horn on his forehead! He was named Rishyasringa. Sringa in Sanskrit means horn.

If a person behaves as if he is ‘special’, we ask him in Kannada, “Do you have a horn on your head?” This figure of speech might have Rishyasringa as the origin!

 Vibhandaka was a sage of Treta yuga (Lord Rama’s period.) He was pursuing a very hard and strict penance, the intensity of which, frightened Indra, the Lord of Heaven. He became apprehensive that Vibhandaka might seek his throne as a boon to his penance. He decided to abort the possibility by obstructing the penance, Indra sent a Celestial Dancer, Urvashi,to entice Vibhandaka, and poor Vibhandaka, fell a pray. He forgot his penance and fell in love with Urvashi, who was very beautiful and talented. A son was born to them. As the boy was born with a horn-like projection on fore-head, he was named Rishyasringa.

As soon as Urvashi’s task of obstructing the penance was over, she left for Heaven, leaving the new-born child with Vibhandaka, though he pleaded for his love to her and her need to bring up the child.. This heart -less act of Urvashi made Vibhandaka to hate womankind. He decided to bring up the child himself and isolating the child from seeing any woman.

Under the care and tutelage of Vibhandaka, Rishyasringa grew up to be a great scholar of Vedas and Scriptures even at an early age. Because of his chastity and piety,he got a boon from Gods that wherever he went, there would be prosperity.

King Romapaada was ruling the Anga kingdom. Once, there was a severe famine. There was no rain and all lakes dried and crops failed.There was starvation deaths. King Romapaada had to find a solution. The Pundits in his court suggested that if Rishyasringa could be brought to the country, there would be rains and prosperity would return. The king asked his ministers to go to Vibhandaka with gifts and riches to persuade him to send Rishyasringa. But they said, as Vibhandaka hated women, he would not allow his son to come to the city, where the boy may meet womenfolk. After a lot of discussion, a plan was hatched: A group of beautiful women should go to the Ashram when Vibhandaka had gone out on a journey. They should take with them   fruits and riches which the people in the ashram would not have seen or tasted. They should meet the boy-Rishyasringa when he was alone and use all their guile and tempt him to come with them. Once they are out of the Ashram, the chariots waiting for them would bring them to Anga capital they should accomplish this before Vibhandaka returned.

  It was very difficult to persuade the women as it involved lot of risk and if they were caught in their act, they would face the curse of the sage. Finally they agreed to take that risk, to save the country from famine.

As soon as they learnt that sage Vibhandka had left Ashram on a long journey, they hurried to carry out their plan. They went to ashram and met Rishyasringa and prostrated to him and inquired if he was fine and if his penance was without any hindrance. Rishyasringa had not seen such nice looking and attractive persons. He was very happy to meet them. He thought they were also some sages and welcomed the guests with courtesy and reverence. When he prostrated to them, they said, they wished to greet him in their special way. The leader went and hugged the boy, and offered the sweets and rare fruits they had brought. Rishyasringa, who had not seen a woman till then, felt it was a new and very pleasant experience. He was thrilled with the nice features, pleasant touch and sweet voice,and  the warm embrace of the lady  After a while in their pleasant  company, they requested him to come to visit their hermitage. Rishyasringa readily agreed.He came out of the ashram with the ladies and sat in the chariot which sped towards Anga desha.

 As the chariot with Rishyasringa entered the Anga kingdom, the spell of drought in the land was broken and it started raining! Everybody was dancing and singing. King Romapaada came out of the palace to welcome the honored guest who had saved the country from famine. In gratitude, Romapaada offered his daughter Shanta in marriage to Rishyasringa. He was proud to have alliance with a sage like Vibhandaka and a scholar like Rishyasringa as his son-in-law. Though Rishyasringa was with a horn on his forehead, his innocent looks and pleasant manners, his radiant face and the scholarly knowledge, had won the heart of princess Shanta. Rishyasringa was also very happy in the company of the bride.

 King Romapaada was happy that his plan to end the famine had succeeded and also, his daughter was happy with Rishyasringa. But, he was worried how to face the rage of Vibhandaka, when he comes to know that his innocent son had been tricked out of ashram by the king. In order to pacify the sage,he kept large herds of cattle in the villages along the route from the ashram to the capital, and instructed the cow-herds to welcome Vibhandaka and    proclaim they are servants of sage Rishyasringa looking after the cows belonging to him.

 Sage Vibhandaka returned to the Ashram and was very angry that his son was missing.Soon, he found out that during his absence, King Romapaada had contrived to get his son out of Ashram to save his country from famine. Fuming Vibhandaka marched to Anga Desha. All along the way, he found people praising his son for saving them from famine; and saw the cattle and cow-herds belonging to his son. His anger gave way to pride for his son. On reaching the capital, he was received with great honor and led to the palace. The King himself came out to welcome him. He saw his son, Rishyasringa and the beautiful bride Shanta seated on the throne with the king, and was pleased with the honor and regard given to his son. He blessed the new couple for happy and contented life and asked his son to return to Ashram after they got a child who could be the heir to the king .He blessed the King and his Kingdom also for prosperity.

 Rishyasringa spent a few years in the palace, enjoying happy married life with Shanta. Shanta gave birth to a beautiful male child who was to be the next king. When Rishyasringa went to King Romapaada to bid good-bye, princess Shanta insisted that she would accompany him to the forest to remain with him to assist in his spiritual pursuits, as expected of a dutiful wife.

Sage Vibhandaka was immensely pleased that his son returned to ashram with his wife who had left the comforts of a palace to come to forest to look after his house and also pursue spiritual activities with her husband. Rishyasringa became a very great scholar in Vedic Rites.  King Dasharatha, on the advice of his Gurus, invited Sage Rishyasringa to come and conduct the Putra-Kaamesthi Yaaga for obtaining sons .The birth of Sri Rama and his three brothers was the result of this Yaaga supervised by Rishyasringa .

(Acknowledgement: “Maha Bhaarata “By Sri. Rajagopalachari that I had read is the main source for this article).

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Lilavati (Leelaavathi)  of Bhaskaraacharya

    Dear Children,

 Let us hear about a young girl, Leelaavathi ,  daughter of Bhaskaraacharya, a famous mathematician of India who lived in 12^th century. One of the books he wrote was named after her , and is famous  as Leelavathi  Ganita .

Bhaskaraacharya II was a great scholar in Mathematics, Astronomy, Astrology and a Sanskrit Poet as well. He adored his young daughter, Leelaavati who was a brilliant student of arithmetic. When she came of marriageable age, he found her an eligible boy. Being a good astrologer, he studied the horoscope of his daughter and, to his horror, found that there was a “Dosha” or defect in her time of birth ,due to which ,she would become a widow soon after marriage.. He used all his skill and fixed an auspicious date and time for marriage such that, she would not become a widow if she was married in that ‘lagna’.

In those days, there were no clocks, .Time was measured in a “water clock” where water was allowed to drip from one part of a vessel into another through a small hole and the level of water in the lower vessel indicated the time.

 Bhaskaraacharya set up the water clock carefully .The time of arrival of the auspicious ‘lagna’ was marked on the vessel to announce the time of marriage. Leelavathi often would come and peep to see the time. Though Bhaskaraacharya had used all his skill to avert the widowhood, Fate could not be hoodwinked! A pearl from the dress of the bride had slipped into the water clock, which nobody noticed. The pearl had clogged the hole. The rate of flow of water had changed and the Auspicious time  of Lagna had passed before the marriage! Leelavathi had to endure the widowhood at a tender age.

Since Leelavathi was fond of arithmetic, her father used to tell her stories and puzzles, in order to cheer her up, and  endure the grief .That is how Leelavathi Mathmatics was born! It became a popular text for children to learn arithmetic without the usual hardship or boredom!

  Here is a puzzle which my teacher used to tell as an example.

  There is a mango grove protected by seven rows of fences, each having a gate, guarded by a gate-keeper. The trees are full of nice juicy fruits. A boy pleads with the gate-keepers to be allowed to pluck some fruits. He   agrees to give the gate-keeper,  half of whatever quantity of fruits  he has at the time of crossing the gate, but pleads that the gate-keeper should give back  one fruit , This, he promises to each of the 7 gate-keepers,to which they agree.

 The boy plucks as many fruits as he wants, passes through all the 7 gates after fulfilling his promise to each of the gate-keepers.  

 When he comes out, he finds he has as many fruits as he had plucked!!! How many, he plucked?

It is desirable if it is answered orally. You may use pen and paper also!

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 Another puzzle which was popular in my school-days:-

Three friends go to a restaurant for snacks. They decide to share the bill equally. Each gives a ten rupee note. The bill is for Rs.25 and the waiter returns five one rupee notes. Each pocket one rupee and leave 2 rupees to the waiter.

On coming out, one of them pauses and says:- We had put ten rupees each, ie Thirty rupees. We got back one each. So, each have spent nine rupees, which makes it 9x3=27. we gave the waiter 2 rupees. It accounts for27+2=29. But, we came with 10x3=30 rupees. Where is the one rupee gone?

Can you find the one rupee which is lost?

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