Puranic encyclopaedia
by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222
This page describes the Story of Ambarisha included the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani that was translated into English in 1975. The Puranas have for centuries profoundly influenced Indian life and Culture and are defined by their characteristic features (panca-lakshana, literally, 鈥榯he five characteristics of a Purana鈥�).
Story of 础尘产补谤墨峁
A King of the 滨办峁腻办耻 dynasty.
Genealogy and Birth.
From 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 was born in the following order: 叠谤补丑尘腻-惭补谤墨肠颈-碍补艣测补辫补.-痴颈惫补蝉惫腻苍-Vaivasvatamanu-滨办峁腻办耻-痴颈办耻办峁-艢补艣腻诲补-笔耻谤补帽箩补测补-Kukutstha-Anenas-笔峁泃丑耻濒腻艣惫补-Prasenajit-驰耻惫补苍腻艣惫补-惭腻苍诲丑腻迟腻-础尘产补谤墨峁. 惭腻苍诲丑腻迟腻 had three sons: 础尘产补谤墨峁, Mucukunda and Purukutsa and fifty daughters. The Muni (Sage) Saubhari married the daughters.
础尘产补谤墨峁鈥檚 Y膩ga (sacrifice).
In 痴腻濒尘墨办颈 搁腻尘腻测补峁嘺 there is a story of Devendra鈥檚 theft of the sacrificial cow from 础尘产补谤墨峁鈥檚 y膩ga艣膩l膩. Devendra could not bear the thought of King 础尘产补谤墨峁 winning worldrenown and glory by performing y膩gas. Therefore Indra stole the sacrificial cow and took it away. The 鲍辫腻诲丑测腻测补 (Chief Priest) was alarmed at the disappearance of the cow and expressed his opinion to the King that it would be enough to sacrifice a human being instead of the cow. The King searched for the cow in all countries, cities and forests. At last he reached the peak of 叠丑峁沢耻迟耻峁単补 where the sage 峁歝墨办补 lived with his wife and children. The King explained to the sage the whole story. He requested him to sell one of his sons in exchange for 100,000 cows. 峁歝墨办补 had three sons. The eldest was his father鈥檚 favourite and the youngest was the mother鈥檚 pet. In the end, 峁歝墨办补 sold the second son, 艢una艣艣epha in return for 100,000 cows.
On his return journey with 艢una艣艣epha the king rested for a while at 笔耻峁补谤补 罢墨谤迟丑补. There 艢una艣艣epha happened to meet his uncle 痴颈艣惫腻尘颈迟谤补 and complained to him about his sad plight. 艢una艣艣epha鈥檚 wish was that the king鈥檚 y膩ga should be performed and at the same time his own life-span should be extended. 痴颈艣惫腻尘颈迟谤补 promised to save 艢una艣艣epha. He called Madhucchandas and his other sons and said to them: "One of you must take the place of 础尘产补谤墨峁鈥檚 sacrificial cow and save the life of 艢una艣艣epha. God will bless you."
But none of the sons of 痴颈艣惫腻尘颈迟谤补 was prepared to become the sacrificial cow. 痴颈艣惫腻尘颈迟谤补 uttered a curse on his sons that they would have to spend a thousand years on earth, eating dog-flesh. Then he turned to 艢una艣艣epha and told him that if he prayed to the gods at the time of 础尘产补谤墨峁鈥檚 测补箩帽补, they would save him.
So 艢una艣艣epha went to 础尘产补谤墨峁鈥檚 y膩ga艣膩l膩. As ordered by the assembled guests, 础尘产补谤墨峁 bound 艢una艣艣epha and had him dressed in blood-red robes, ready for the sacrifice. 艢una艣艣epha began to praise and pray to the gods. Soon Indra appeared and blessed him with longevity. He also rewarded 础尘产补谤墨峁 for his y膩ga. Thus 艢una艣艣epha was saved.* (痴腻濒尘墨办颈 搁腻尘腻测补峁嘺 叠腻濒补 碍腻峁囜笉补, Sarga 61).
础尘产补谤墨峁 and 顿耻谤惫腻蝉补蝉.
In 叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补 we see a story which describes how the 厂耻诲补谤艣补苍补 Cakra which emerged from 础尘产补谤墨峁鈥檚 forehead chased 顿耻谤惫腻蝉补蝉 in all the three worlds. 础尘产补谤墨峁 was a devout worshipper of 痴颈峁ａ箛耻. From the very beginning of his reign, peace and prosperity spread all over the country. 惭补丑腻惫颈峁ａ箛耻 who was pleased with the deep piety and devotion of 础尘产补谤墨峁 appeared to him and bestowed on him the control of his (痴颈峁ａ箛耻's) 厂耻诲补谤艣补苍补 Cakra. After that 础尘产补谤墨峁 started the observance of 贰办腻诲补艣墨 vrata. The rigour of the observance alarmed even Indra. He decided to obstruct the observance somehow or other. At that time, 顿耻谤惫腻蝉补蝉 arrived in devaloka. Indra instigated 顿耻谤惫腻蝉补蝉 to spoil the 贰办腻诲补艣墨 observance of 础尘产补谤墨峁.
顿耻谤惫腻蝉补蝉 went to 础尘产补谤墨峁鈥檚 palace. There the King received him with due respect and sent him to the river 碍腻濒颈苍诲墨 for his bath and morning rites. 顿耻谤惫腻蝉补蝉 went for his bath and deliberately stayed away till the conclusion of 础尘产补谤墨峁鈥檚 贰办腻诲补艣墨 observance. At the end of the observance, after feeding the gods with his offerings, 础尘产补谤墨峁 kept the remaining portion for 顿耻谤惫腻蝉补蝉. After his bath etc., 顿耻谤惫腻蝉补蝉 returned, but he was furious when he was offered the leavings of the food of the gods and refused to take any food. In his anger he advanced towards 础尘产补谤墨峁. A terrible monster 碍峁泃测腻 emanated from the 惭补丑补谤峁 and was about to destroy 础尘产补谤墨峁. 础尘产补谤墨峁 at once called upon 厂耻诲补谤艣补苍补 Cakra, which appeared instantly and after cutting the throat of 碍峁泃测腻, turned against 顿耻谤惫腻蝉补蝉. Terrified by it, 顿耻谤惫腻蝉补蝉 began to flee for life. The Cakra pursued him at his heels. 顿耻谤惫腻蝉补蝉 went to Indra and sought refuge with him. But the Cakra followed him there. Indra pleaded helplessness. Then the 惭补丑补谤峁 went to 叠谤补丑尘腻 and sued for his help. There also the Cakra pursued him. 叠谤补丑尘腻 sent him to 艢颈惫补. 艢颈惫补 was also unable to give him shelter. 厂耻诲补谤艣补苍补 continued to chase him. 顿耻谤惫腻蝉补蝉 then sought shelter with 惭补丑腻惫颈峁ａ箛耻. 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 told him plainly that there was no alternative but to go and sue for mercy to 础尘产补谤墨峁 himself and advised him to do so. At last 顿耻谤惫腻蝉补蝉 returned to 础尘产补谤墨峁 and begged his pardon. 础尘产补谤墨峁 saved him from 厂耻诲补谤艣补苍补 Cakra and described to him the glory resulting from the observance of 贰办腻诲补艣墨 vrata. (叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补, Navama Skandha).
Other Details
(1) 础尘产补谤墨峁 performed a y膩ga in the 驰补尘耻苍腻 valley. (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补, 膧di Parva, Chapter 1, Verse 277; 叠丑墨峁补 Parva, Chapter 9, Verse 6; Vana Parva, Chapter 129, Verse 2).
(2) 惭补丑补谤峁 顿耻谤惫腻蝉补蝉 recalled 础尘产补谤墨峁鈥檚 power. (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补, Vana Parva, Chapter 263, Verse 33).
(3) The Sage 痴测腻蝉补 once told Dharmaputra that 础尘产补谤墨峁 was one of the 16 great kings who lived in ancient times. The 16 reputed Kings were: Marutta, Suhotra, Paurava, 艢颈产颈, 艢r墨 R膩ma, 叠丑补驳墨谤补迟丑补, 顿颈濒墨辫补, 惭腻苍诲丑腻迟腻, 驰补测腻迟颈, 础尘产补谤墨峁, 艢补艣补产颈苍诲耻, Gaya, Rantideva, Bharata, 笔峁泃丑耻 and 笔补谤补艣耻谤腻尘补. (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补, 顿谤辞峁嘺 Parva, Chapter 64).
(4) 础尘产补谤墨峁 fought single-handed against thousands of Kings. (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补, 顿谤辞峁嘺 Parva, Chapter 64).
(5) He performed one hundred y膩gas. (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补, 顿谤辞峁嘺 Parva, Chapter 64).
(6) 础尘产补谤墨峁 once questioned Indra about his (础尘产补谤墨峁's) army Chief Sudeva becoming more mighty than himself. (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补, 艢腻苍迟颈 Parva, Chapter 98, Verses 6-11).
(7) 础尘产补谤墨峁 gave 110 crores of cows to the Brahmins. (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补, 艢腻苍迟颈 Parva, Chapter 234, Verse 23).
(8) 础尘产补谤墨峁 was also among the Munis who committed theft of Agastya鈥檚 lotuses. (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补, 础苍耻艣腻蝉补苍补 Parva, Chapter 94, Verse 24).
(9) Besides giving cows to Brahmins, 础尘产补谤墨峁 gave them the country also. (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补, 础苍耻艣腻蝉补苍补 Parva, Chapter 137, Verse 8).
*) The story of 艢una艣艣epha may be seen with slight variations in the Dev墨 叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补 and other 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉. In those versions, 艢una艣艣epha has been described as the sacrificial cow at 贬补谤颈艣肠补苍诲谤补鈥檚 y膩ga, and moreover, 础箩墨驳补谤迟补 is referred to as the father of 艢una艣艣epha. (叠谤补丑尘腻峁囜笉a 笔耻谤腻峁嘺, Chapter 58 gives the same story as in 痴腻濒尘墨办颈 搁腻尘腻测补峁嘺).