Aug 18, 2007

Chapter 46: Story of Janaka

Vishnu says he will be Dasharath’s son, but Lakshmi is not to live alone. She’s to take birth as Janaka’s daughter. Lakshmi asks ‘Who is Janaka?’

Vishnu replies: Once there was a king called Nimi. He visited Rishi Vasisht to ask him to perform yagna. RV refuses the particular date as he has to perform yagna to Indra. Hence Nimi goes to Rishi gautam, who accepts and does perform. After the yagna at Indra’s is over and done with, RV visits King’s palace to start the yagna. Upon hearing that another Rishi had already performed, RV is humiliated, because he is the actual guru of the King. Therefore, RV curses the king that his soul will depart his body the very same day. Therefore King Nimi dies.

Since there was no heir to the kingdom, Rishi Gautam performs rituals and pours milk on coffin of dead body of Nimi and curdles it with appropriate set of tools (‘manthan’). The milk turns into a golden yellow froth from which comes a new body and a new person, who is named as Mithila (one from manthan) or janaka (who takes care of kingdom). He was handed the reins of the Kingdom. All subsequent Kings were named as mithi** or jana** and hence janaka’s daughter is named as Janaki.

Chapter 47: Payasams to get children

Meanwhile, Ravana hears that all saints and Rishis with their yagna performances have run away from Lanka and is hence very happy. But he also hears that his own brother Vibhushan, a Vishnu devotee, is performing yagna and is outraged. He visits Vibhushan and – by way of testing – obtains the promise that he will never do a yagna again. But Vibhushan can never take Vishnu away from his mind, and continues to be an ardent devotee.

Meanwhile Dasharath marries Kaikeyi, with the agreement of Kausalya and Sumithra, just for the sake of bearing a child. All wives live in great harmony and love one another extremely. But, Kaikeyi, too fails to satisfy the needs. Extremely disappointed, D goes to Royal Sage and asks for advice on heir to kingdom. The sage informs that not to worry. He needs to perform a yagna. But Dasharath asks why couldnt this yagna have been done prior to marrying Kaikeyi - because one of the sole reasons for marrying her was to beget a son. Sage informs that the time was not right at that time. But now it is the right time. So yagna is performed. The Fire God appears and gives 4 payasams (morsel-like) to the 3 wives. Kausalya takes and drinks one, Kaikeyi takes and drinks one and Sumithra takes two in the hope of giving one to Kaikeyi but God of Fire says that the person who picks up should drink. So she drinks 2. All 3 wives become pregnant.

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