A Page from Ancient Literature

Now we know the birth of history of glory and majesty. It is an amazing origin of relations among human beings and gods, the men of tapa and penance could visualize the birth of Kuru, the first king of dynasty of Kuru who on maturity marries Saudamini.

Divine union of a daughter of Sun god and son of Riks, Samavarana was a great celestial event. It was a momentous occasion of birth of relations, which linked gods and human beings, and thus, created history of eternal truth and grandeur. After return of sage Vasistha, the royal priest, the son of Varuna and Samavarana, son of King Riks celebrations and festivities on the auspicious occasion gave immense and unending joy to the people. After some time, Tapti gave birth to a son through one of the greatest men Samavarana. Magnificent royal attributes and regal characteristics of young prince amazed everyone. King reared up the child prince grandly. Virtues, worldly conduct and wisdom guided the young prince, who grew up like flames as the priests pour ghee into the fire of yajna.

Later on, he imparted education with religious and idealistic viewpoints whereas the royal priests and teachers taught young prince -Kuru teachings and wisdom of Holy Scriptures. With hard work, persistence, drive, zeal and systematic teaching, Kuru became an authority in Vedas and various scriptures. When he was twenty-four, people admired and revered young, great and dignified Kuru as a man of knowledge, sagacity and wisdom in totality. Later on, Kuru governed the entire earth and adhered to the principles of dharma. When virtuous and mighty king Samavarana observed that Kuru was fit, strong and an eligible young man, he thought of marriage. A search for a suitable girl of equally wonderful virtues and beauty of body, head and heart, began.

After an intense search, king Samavarana’s choice fell on Saudamini, a beautiful and virtuous daughter of Saudama, who offered his daughter to Kuru willingly. After marrying a princess of beauty of head, heart and magnificent divine physique, Kuru lived married life ecstatically and happily like lord Indra and wife Sachi, and as expected from a virtuous man, he pursued principles of dharma, ethics and artha -matters relating to economy and governed a vast empire.

As if lord Indra in the guise of Kuru lived on earth with Sachi as Saudamini, a great beauty, many believed. Now, Kuru lived true life of a householder, and thus, fulfilled dharma of grahasthaashrama -principles governing laws of an ideal householder. Samavarana found prince Kuru eligible and competent to control the huge kingdom, and therefore, carried out essential rites at appropriate time, and afterward, he declared him the king amidst cheery celebrations and enjoyments. Now, Kuru like an aurus son looked after the kingdom and people where the principles of justice and dharma became the law of land.

An ideal king of truth, justice and humaneness, Kuru looked after the land and the people and later, finds river Sarswati the destroyer of sins

Kuru served people and land and took care of people’s welfare so that they are happy and prosperous. Growth and health of people were Kuru’s major anxieties. Kuru, a man of dharma in future was eminent and people devotedly called him the guardian of land, people and the animal world. He was a mighty king, who was always worried about the happiness and prosperity of people, and therefore, cared to serve the people. He loved people and land because he knew the mother earth looked after the needs of people and living beings whether men, animals, birds or other beings on earth, in the air or water. Glory and grandeur were the real and true attainments in the world he thought.

To attain fame and prestige he worked hard, nursed firm faith and belief that so long, glory, truth and radiance in words, deeds and conduct of people determined life, the gods of heavens love to live with men. A man of noble attributes lives with gods. Such virtuous thoughts ruled Kuru’s psyche He treasured and considered pious feelings, pragmatic thoughts and realistic approach to life, and therefore, to achieve fame and magnificence, he went around the world and met people so that he could understand people and their problems.

He went around, felt the pulse of people, exhibited anxiety and concern, and got immense satisfaction and inner happiness. With noble objectives in mind, once the most powerful emperor of the world Kuru entered a legendary forest of Dwaita, experienced contentment, and after contemplation, entered the depths of the dense forest. When he wandered in the forest, he found the holiest river Sarswati flowing that provided immense pleasure. He realized that it destroyed sins of human beings. He knew river Sarswati was born of Pakara tree but people thought it was a daughter of Supreme Brahma.

River Sarswati also known as Hari-jeevaha is the tongue of lord Hari, Brahmaputri, a daughter of Brahma and Sudarshana-janani, the mother of Sudarshana, situated in a very large and beautiful lake. Thousands of tirthas –the holy places and temples of worship, situated on the bank of sacred river Sarswati enhance its beauty. The moment Kuru saw clear water, he was eager to take bath. He took bath, felt very pleased and satisfied. After taking bath, he arrived at samant- panchaka of Supreme Brahma. It appeared a vast area spread over to five yojnas.

A dialogue between gods and Vishnu at samant-panchaka, the five altars of Brahma, Kuru wishes to raise crop of dharma… if inner world of man is full of ethical values and cultivates principles of dharma it enriches the world with supreme bliss and happiness as divine pleasure descends

King Kuru came to know of an ancient conversation that took place between gods and Vishnu where Supreme Vishnu spoke in eulogizing voice and words about the altars of Brahma. He learnt that the sacred five altars of the swamy of lokas - heavens and other worlds, Supreme Brahma were like dharma. The terrains or bridges of dharma where supreme lord of gods Sri Sambhu, the lord of the universe performed a great yajna, he came to know. Kuru learnt that Prayag was a place of worship situated in the middle while Gaya was in the east. The most benignly perfect altar of Brahma situated in south at Jaganathpuri attracted devotees from different regions.

Well-ornamented altar with three deep wells -havan kunds or deep pits for burning sacrificial fire located westward in sanctified Puskara granted moksa he learnt. He was immensely pleased after knowing about the land and the tirthas, and thought to make five places – samant-panchaka the most sacred, valuable and heavenly that would fulfill desires and wishes of people, and further resolved that he would work for the enhancement of this kind of harvest of comforts and virtues. Thus, the king was always worried about the happiness of people. For the joy, pleasure and comforts of people he demonstrated strong will and determination to go to any extent.

Glorious and excellent thoughts about the welfare and comforts brought intense happiness and joy to Kuru. He got down from the chariot, thought deeply, looked around and decided to make the holy place unforgettable. Therefore, Kuru constructed a wonderful structure, a harbinger of glory and magnificence for the kingdom. He wanted people to pursue him in what he says and how he acts and therefore, they ought to adhere to truth, honesty and virtues so that virtues prevail in the entire monarchy.

King Kuru got a golden plough –hulla, a divine artisan had made and then, yoked and tied up the bulls of lord Sankara, the buffalo Paundraka of lord Yama, and thereafter, was ready to till the land. Indra observed carefully and learnt about the sacred intents of the king, who was ready to till the land.

Indra appeared before the king and said, “O king, what do you wish to do? You look ready to plow and cultivate land.”

King Kuru said politely, “O Indra, I wish to grow crops of tapa, truth, forgiveness, compassion, saucha -discipline and purity, dana -acts of charity, yoga and brahmacharya -a life of celibacy. I plan to complete eight important parts of an ideal karma …it requires momentous efforts. A crop of efforts I am going to sow and harvest is essential for the wellbeing, truthful and honest life of people of the world here on earth and beyond.”

Kuru was conscious of the eternal truth. If a man lives a life of devotion and dharma, he lives and grows elegantly, it brings lasting happiness, and divine bliss on earth and beyond he believed. If one adheres to noble qualities, and adorns words, acts and living with virtues, life automatically assumes divine features.

Indra was quite clear about the intents and objectives of king Kuru. He deliberated for some time and said again, “O king of kings, from where you would get means, machinery, plough and seeds for the crop and how?”

Kuru is figurative, and therefore, Indra used metaphors to elucidate grand thoughts - agricultural activity stands for cultivation of values and virtues in totality so that life is meaningful and divine. At another level, the metaphors touch real world. Indra spoke lightheartedly, spread ironical smiles and laughs around, and then, disappeared. He wanted to convey a subtle message Kuru wished to spread on earth and beyond because the wellbeing of people was supreme for him. A man does not achieve real peace and meaning at the physical, material or worldly level. Efforts to glorify and purify the inner world of man are forerunners to real growth and prosperity. However, truth and dictums of dharma must guide man.

Kuru wants man to grow within –elevate ‘the inner self’, which in fact is essential for the growth of humankind…Kuru wants to grow crop of – penance and meditation, truth, forgiveness, compassion, discipline and wholesomeness, acts of charity, yoga and brahmacharya -a life of celibacy –true dharma of man

If a man grows within, attains inner peace, harmony and prosperity, and then, moves out to register presence in the external world, life is purposeful, true, dignified, humane and superbly divine and it is the real objective of life. A sane counsel of ancient King Kuru is still pertinent and true. A contemporary man speaks in symbols, metaphors and similes, harps on the spiritual and virtuous but inside lives in intense darkness. No ray of light and hope ever illuminates. Perhaps, a modern man learns to live in darkness and feels satisfied, and when a thin line of light appears somewhere, he is unaware of light and hope.

At moments of light and hope, he talks of virtues as a congenial variant. After lord Indra left, Kuru ploughed and tilled land daily. He would get up early morning, and then, plough with bulls and buffalo for seven kosas, a symbolic act. King took upon the arduous task as a mission and continued to spread eight-fold virtues and qualities without relenting and so in spite of immense efforts he was never fatigued.

Interestingly, it is worthwhile to examine the act from contemporary stance. Now, kings, rulers of different hues are least worried about virtuous qualities of life, and therefore, only evils and negative qualities flourish.

At that moment, lord Vishnu appeared before Kuru and said, “O Kuru, what are you doing?”

He heard Vishnu and said, “I wish to grow a yield of eight-fold dharmas – penance and meditation, truth, forgiveness, compassion, discipline and wholesomeness, acts of charity, yoga and brahmacharya -a life of celibacy.” Vishnu smiles softly at the metaphoric idiom.

Vishnu asked, “O king, where the seeds are?”

Without waste of a moment, the king said, “O lord, seeds are within.”

Vishnu caringly said, “Give seeds. I will sow these amazing seeds. You invest in the land, the land of feelings and thoughts of the entire world of human beings. A man should prepare the land properly before one sows seeds of virtues and dharma of truth and righteousness.” Lord Vishnu wanted Kuru to prepare people physically and psychologically so that they accept seeds of dharma.

Vishnu’s softness spoke of request. King Kuru spread his right hand. Vishnu saw his spread out hand, released Chakra -disc, cut it into thousands of fragments, and later on, asked the king to offer little pieces of hand to gods of heavens. Kuru was determined. He offered the left arm. The lord also sliced it into numerous pieces. Similarly, he handed over legs and the lord again cut asunder legs into several fragments. When the king observed that the lord was not satisfied, he offered his head. Spirit of sacrifice and renunciation of Kuru extremely delighted and impressed Vishnu.

Vishnu smiled and said, “O king, I bestow a boon on you.”

Kuru was immensely pleased to hear a blissful and generous lord of gods.

He thought and said, “O great lord, whatever area I ploughed, should be a land of dharma where people attain punya -upright living of truth and charity, take bath, purify body, and after death achieve salvation. Again, a man ought to know relevance in life, O Madhava, holder of Chakra and Conch, bless devotees, who undertake fast on auspicious occasions, take dip, act charitably, do japa or chanting of mantras, perform havans, sacrifice or yajna. Bless people, who love virtuous karmas and pursue tenets of dharma. Do not bless men, who do not act virtuously and perform bad karmas, when they enter blessed region of dharma, O lord. It should bestow on such people eternal blessings and reward. O Supreme lord, you glorified my karmas and me. I wish you stay at Kurukshetra with gods and lord Shiva.”

Kuru expressed inner pious feelings and thoughts.

Vishnu wants to give more… blessed with a divine body Kuru, a man of dharma, truth and righteousness, an embodiment of eight-fold dharma merges with the Supreme

Vishnu heard true and genuine plea of Kuru, who appeared concerned about the wellbeing of people.

After a moment, Vishnu said, “I agree. Let it be so. O king, I bless you with a divine body. Follow principles of dharma firmly, and dissolve ‘the self’ in me in the end when death arrives.”

Kuru listened to the lord with a devoted heart. He beheld benign and divine lord Vishnu, who said, “O Kuru, your glory and grandeur will live forever. People of yajna will continue to perform yajna and religious ceremonies in the region, and thus, live a dharmic life.”

Vishnu did not feel satisfied. He wanted to give more to Kuru, a dharmic man. He spoke benignly, blessed Kuru and offered services of divine beings. Supreme Purusa Vishnu asked yakasa, Chandra, snake Vasuki, vidhyadhara Sunkukarana, king of rakasasas Sukeshi, a king Aajavana and Agni, Mahadeva and various celestial beings to go to the sacred land and protect it, the sacred land. Therefore, as the lord wished, the gods, the celestial beings, the devotees, and the attendants went to the sacred land and protected Kurujangala from all sides so that no adharmic karma ever raises head.

Eight thousand archers drove away sinners from the region. Transformed into dreadful figures, they restricted and stopped wicked and immoral created beings and did not permit vicious fellows to take bath. In the centre of holy Prithuka, a river with pure and sacred water flowed eastward. River Prithuka took birth at the time of creation of earth, air and water, Agni, sky etc. and at that moment, Pitamahaha Brahma created different living beings. Mighty-armed Brahma created water of seas and oceans, tirthas, sources of water and springs, lakes, and so, one finds the entire creation in the image of sacred river. Words fail to portray the grandeur of the Holy River.

Kuru, a man of dharma and truth knew the significance of the sacred region and blessings of Vishnu he ardently required for growth, prosperity and wellbeing of people, land and created beings.

Holy lakes and sarovaras of enormous inviolability situated between river Sarswati and Gaggar had divine properties. Sage Lomharshana was enamoured of the divine virtues of water of lakes. Mahatma Rudra went to the middle of lake, enjoyed its divine water, and the lord blessed him with supreme steadiness, steadfastness and eternal bliss. It was possible because of the grandeur of holy tirtha. Afterward, when king Kuru tilled the land and sowed virtues and dharma, it became Kurukshetra, a land of dharma incarnate.