Less Known facts of Ramayanam

• Ramayana has been written by Maharshi Valmiki. This epic has 24,000 shlokas, 500 upkhand and 7 Kand with answers. The time when King Dashrath had organized a yagya for the birth of Lord Rama, his age was 60 years.
• According to Ramayana, King Dashrath had organized the yagya with the help of sage Rishyashring. Rishyashring’s father was Vibandak. One day while Vibandak were bathing in the river, he ejaculated inside water. A female drank that water and Rishyashring was born.
• As per Shri Ramcharit Manas, during Sita’s swayamvar, Parshuram had come, but according to Ramayana, when Lord Rama was returning to Ayodhya after marrying Sita, that time Parshuram had come.
• When Lakshman came to know about Lord Rama being asked to go on exile, he was very angry and had asked Rama to fight with his own father and win the throne. But he calmed down after Rama explained him. 
• Bharat had come to know about his father, King Dashrath’s death through his dream. He had seen his father wearing black clothes in his dream.
• Vidyutjinn was the husband of Shrupnakha who was Raavan’s sister. He was a senapati in the army of Kalkay King. When Raavan was out to conquer the world, he fought with Kalkay too. In this battle, Vidyutjinn died. Angry Shrupnakha cursed Raavan that she will become a reason for her brother’s death.
• When Lord Rama and Lakshman were searching for Sita in the forest, they had come across a demon, Kambadh whom they killed. Actually Kambadh had become a demon due to a curse. When Lord Rama went to burn his dead body, his soul was relived from the curse and he told him to do friendship with Sugreev.
• As per Ramayana, it had taken 5 days to construct a bridge over the ocean.
• Once Raavan went to Kailash Mountain to meet Lord Shiva. At Kailash he made fun of Nandi and laughed at him. In anger Nandi cursed Raavan. His curse was that a monkey will become a reason for Raavan’s destruction
• As per Ramayana, when Raavan had lifted Mount Kailash to impress Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati had got scared and cursed Raavan that he will die because of a woman.
• When the battle between Rama and Raavan was being fought, Indra Dev had sent his magical cart for Rama. Lord Rama sitting in that cart had killed Raavan.
• Once Raavan was going somewhere in his Ppushpak Viman when he saw a beautiful woman busy in worshipping Lord Vishnu to marry the God himself. Raavan pulled her hair and ordered her to go with him. The woman sacrificed her body on the spot and cursed Raavan. 
• Raavan was the king of all demons. As a child he was feared by all the people because of his ten heads. He was a firm believer of Lord Shiva. It’s a known thing that Ravana was also a very good scholar and studied the Vedas, but the reason of having the instrument veena as a symbol in his flag is that he was also an excellent player of veena. Though much of consideration was not given to this art in him, he liked playing this instrument.
• The fight between Rama and Raavan ended by Rama killing Raavan, but it couldn’t have happened if not for Vibhisan support. When Raavan discussed about his war against Rama, all his ministers advised him to fight, while his younger brother Vibhisan advised Raavan to set Sita free and ask for forgiveness from Rama. But Vibhisan was sent away from the kingdom as Raavan was angry on him for taking sides of Rama. So Vibhisana helped Rama at the time of war, and Raavan made Rama believe with illusions that Sita is dead. When Rama fell fainted, it is Vibhisan who makes Rama understand the power of black magic of Raavan and how he can be killed with the power of his ten heads and his boon of immortal of nectar drink. If not for Vibhisan, the war could have ended differently. So Rama was able to defeat Raavan with the help of Vibhisan, hence Rama makes him the king of Lanka, after the death of Raavan.
• According to the entire story, Raavan was pictured as a cruel, most monstrous demon, which disrespected all the holy people. When he heard about Rama’s attack because of kidnapping Sita, his brother advised him to surrender. Being as adamant to his powers Raavan denied the fact that he will be killed, instead he stood his ground to fight in order to get moksha/mukthi from Rama’s hands and reach back to Lord Vishnu. He said “if Rama and Lakshmana are two normal humans, than I will carry Sita and win over the humans, but if they are Gods, then I will die in their hands with arrows and will attain Moksha”
• One of the most intriguing episodes of the entire Ramayana story is the Lakshman Rekha, in which Lakshman draws a line circled their hut in the forest. When Sita requests to catch the deer, Rama follows it and tries to kill when it takes the form of a demon Maricha. At the time of dying the Rakshasa cries out for Lakshmana and Sita in the voice of Rama. So Sita urges Lakshmana to go and help his brother as he might be in some trouble. Though Lakshmana was reluctant at first to leave her alone in the forests, he agrees to go as he should obey Sita’s requests and help his brother if he is indeed in trouble. Hence to protect her he draws a line around the hut, through which no one can enter inside, if so anyone enters, they burn to ashes and requests Sita not to step out of it until his and Rama return. The unknown fact of this episode is that, the story is not a part of either Valmiki’s version of Ramayan or Ramacharitamanas. But in the Lanka Kanda version of Ramacharitmanas, its been mentioned by Mandodari wife of Ravana, when he boasts of his strength and his wife points out to him that he could not even cross the line drawn by Lakshmana.
   
• It is believed that Rama left the earth by taking the jala samadhi in the Sarayu River, when Sita is taken back by her mother earth Bhoodevi. When Sita could not bear yet another test to her innocence, while living in the forest, she requests the Goddess of earth to take her back. The Goddess parts the earth into two and Sita is taken back, while her son Kush tries to hold his mother. Later Kush being disappointed with losing his mother also follows her. Rama feels it unbearable to lose his beloved wife he ends his human life on the earth and reaches Lord Vishnu in Sarayu River.

• It is believed that Lakshman did not sleep for the entire period of the exile of 14 years in order to protect his brother and sister- in-law. Because of this he is called Gudakesh. When the goddess of sleep appeared before him at the first night of the their exile to the forests and when Rama and Sita were asleep, Lakshman requested the goddess to give him no sleep for the entire 14 years, so that he can be awake to protect his beloved brother and Sita.
  
  The goddess was impressed by this and granted the boon on a condition that someone else has to bear his sleep. On Lakshman request the goddess visited his wife Urmila, sister of Sita. Urmila agreed to share her husband loss of sleep, and thus slept for entire 14 years. Hence the reason she is not much in the story, but a strong reason for helping Laksman to kill Ravana son Meghnadh in the war against to Ravana as Meghnadh could be killed only by a man who have not slept for 14 years.
• Raavan used to like in Lanka, which was made of gold. Lanka was first ruled by Raavan’s elder brother Kuber. Raavan had won Lanka from his brother in a battle. 

Read More

Lord Krishna's triumph - Mahabharath A Epic Story

In Mahabharatham before Kurukshetra  begins Duryodhana requested Sahadeva to find him a suitable auspicious date to offer ‘Kalabali’ – a ritualistic sacrifice before war that would ensure victory for the performer.Sahadeva, the great astrologer and one of the pandavas.  And following the path of Dharma, Sahadeva told the recipe of pandavas downfall.Enter Shri Krishna, when he came to know about this, he devised a way out of this. A day before the new moon, Krishna calmly went down to the banks of river Yamuna and with the help of two brahmin priests, started performing Tarpana, a ritual submitting offerings to ancestors and divine entities which is usually done only on new moon day (amavasya).Brahmins nearby watched Krishna performing Tarpana on a non new moon day with surprise.  They were puzzled as to why Krishna, the all knowing supreme Lord would perform the ritual of tarpana on a non new moon day.They thought that no way Krishna would do tarpana on the wrong day and that their own prediction of new moon day as the next day was wrong.  They were convinced that since Krishna was doing tarpana that day, then that day would indeed be new moon day as great Shri Krishna would never be wrong.The sun god Surya and moon god Chandra who were watching the activities of Lord Krishna and other brahmins giving Tarpana on earth were intrigued as even they knew it was the next day they would align and come together to form new moon day.  They thought that there would have been a mistake somewhere and that they should bring it to the notice of Lord Krishna.Both, Surya and Chandra descended to earth and met with Lord Krishna to enquire about the ongoing activity and explained him that it was chaturdashi, not the new moon day to perform tarpana.Lord Krishna greeted them both and responded that it was indeed new moon that day.  The puzzled deities questioned him how was it possible.  Krishna asked them what exactly happens on a new moon day.  The two stellar deities explained that the day when the Sun and Moon align and appear together, the lunar eclipse takes place and that day is the new moon day.Shri Krishna on hearing that said that since that very day, Sun God Surya and Moon God Chandra came appearing together before him, it was indeed the new moon day (amavasya) and that was the reason he was performing tarpana on that day.The Sun and Moon gods could not argue against Lord Krishna who so tactfully elaborated the reason for his strange activity and accepted His verdict and thus the entire world changed the new moon day, a day in advance to its usual occurrence at that point. Krishna, once accomplishing this superhuman feat, at once ordered the Pandavas to perform the Kalabali from their end the very same day.  Since it was accepted by the sun and moon gods that it was indeed the new moon day, the Pandavas performed the Kalabali ritual on the newly established auspicious date which brought them victory in the Mahabharata war at Kurukshetra.  Duryodhana, on the other hand, performed the ritual on the next day (the usual new moon day) all in vain.

Read More

Less known facts of Mahabharatham - A great Indian epic story

Interesting Facts of Mahabharata

Mahabharata is such a vast treasure house of facts and knowledge that it is impossible for anyone to know everything! Many of the facts are missed out or unknown. These are some of the facts that I collected from various sites and through my own research. (Although there may be some facts that have collected from folktales and such.) 

1. Sahadeva knew everything about the future. He knew that a war was going to occur but he kept silent because he was under a curse that if he revealed anything to anybody he would die.

2. Krishna had a sister named Ekanaga born from Nanda and Yashoda. (Known as Ekanamsa in Harivansha) 

3. Bhishma knew that Shikhandi was the woman Amba from his past. This was why he lowered his arrows whenever Arjuna used her as a shield. 

4. Bhanumati (Duryodhana's wife) was a devotee of Lord Krishna.

5. Balarama was Abhimanyu's father-in-law. His daughter Vatsala was Abhimanyu's wife. Actually Balarama wanted to marry Vatsala to Laxman (Duryodhana's son) but Abhimanyu did not like this because he loved Vatsala. He asked his brother Ghatotkacha to intervene. Ghatotkacha went to Laxman's marriage ceremony and frightened the groom. He brought Vatsala for Abhimanyu by magic. Laxman, traumatized from the fright vowed never to marry. Duryodhana's anger was further fueled when he learned about Vatsala's marriage to Abhimanyu. 

6. Lakshmana the sister of Laxman was married to Samba(Krishna's son).

7. Balarama had originally planned to marry Subhadra to Duryodhana. But Subhadra wanted to marry Arjuna so she ran away with him. 

8. Arjuna's 'pilgrimage' for breaking his marital laws with Draupadi earned him three more wives. They were: Chitrangada (Manipura), Ulupi (Naga) and Subhadra.

9. Abhimanyu was actually the soul of a daitya named Kalyavana. Krishna after burning Kalyavana to death had captured his soul (tied him in a knot of his upper cloth) and taken him to Dwaraka only to stuff him into a cupboard. Ghatotkacha(who had been sent by Hidimba to take care of Subhadra in Dwarka as Pandavas were in the forest.) saw Krishna and got a scolding from him. He went and reported the matter to Subhadra who went downstairs to check. She opened the cupboard and a light entered her womb which caused her to fall unconscious. This was the main reason why Krishna divulged only half the secret of Chakravyuha to Abhimanyu when he was in the womb. 

10. Ekalavya was actually Krishna's cousin. He was the son of Devashrava (brother of Vasudeva) who got lost in the forest and was found by a Nishada Hiranyadhanu. Ekalavya died protecting his father during Rukmini Swayamvar. He was killed by Krishna.

11. Yudhistira had another wife named Devika. She was the daughter of Govasana of the Saivya tribe. Her son was Yaudheya. 

12. Shikhandi had a son named Kshatradeva. Shikhandi was married to a Dasrana princess. 

13. Karna lost his first son Sudaman(16 year old) in Draupadi Swayamvar. He also lost his foster brother Shatruntapa(Shon) in Virat war. Both were killed cruelly by Arjuna.

14. Krishna took charge of Vrishaketu, Karna's youngest son after Mahabharata war. Krishna taught him all the divya astras but told him not to teach them to anybody else as the people of Kaliyuga would take advantage of it. 

15. Lakshmana went sati on Samba's pyre. 

16. Arjuna was unable to defend the wives of Krishna from common robbers after Krishna's departure to Vaikuntha. His bow became heavy and he forgot all his mantras. The 8 main wives committed suicide. The others were kidnapped by robbers. 

17. The 16,000 wives of Krishna were actually incarnations of Apsaras. 

18. Yuyutsu was the half-brother of Duryodhana. He was the son of Dhritrashtra's Vaishya wife. Duryodhana had appointed him as the finance minister. Later on he was appointed as Parikshit's caretaker and the regent of Hastinapura. He looked after the throne until Parikshit was old enough to rule. Yuyutsu committed suicide when he couldn't save Parikshit from Takshaka.

19. Dhritarashtra and Gandhari retired to the forest 15 years after Yudhisthira's coronation. The main reason for this was Bhima's taunts which depressed them.

20. Parikshit's wife Madravati was a frog!

21. Draupadi laughed at Bhishma in his last moments while he was giving them knowledge he possessed. 

22. Duryodhana had gone to Dwaita forest to humiliate the Pandavas with all the servants from Indraprastha. There the Gandharava Chitrasena and his apsaras were enjoying in the pond. Duryodhana asked Chitrasena to abandon the pool but as he refused, a heated argument broke out between them. Chitrasena attacked Duryodhana. The Pandavas who were nearby asked Chitrasena to let him alone. Chitrasena who was a friend of Arjuna spared Duryodhana but not before tying him with vines and setting him on his horse. Duryodhana though humiliated, thanked Arjuna and asked him what he wanted for the turn he had done to him. Arjuna said that he would ask from him some other time. 

23. During the war, Duryodhana accused Bhishma of not using his full power because he favoured the Pandavas. Bhishma in his anger took 5 gold arrows and infused them with mantras. He vowed that the Pandavas would die before sunset the next day through these arrows. Duryodhana suspected that Bhishma would never use those arrows so he kept them with him and decided to give them to Bhishma the next day on the brink of the war. Krishna on the other hand reminded Arjuna of the boon Duryodhana had promised him. He told Arjuna to ask for 5 gold arrows from Duryodhana. Arjuna did so. Duryodhana was surprised but did not grudge Arjuna and gave the arrows away. Duryodhana asked Arjuna. "Who told you that I have such arrows?" Arjuna replied. "Krishna, who else?"

24. Karna was the first person in attempting to kill Jarasandha. He did this in Bhanumati Swayamvar when Duryodhana ran away with the princess. He grabbed Jarasandha's knees in wrestling and started pulling them apart. Jarasandha immediately apologized and made Karna his friend.

25. Draupadi was asked 3 times by Duryodhana to come to the court after her husbands lost her in dicing. Draupadi kept denying and asked Duryodhana to question Yudhistira whether he staked himself first or her first. Duryodhana asked Draupadi to question her husband in court directly. Yet Draupadi refused to come and sent the attendant back. Duryodhana lost his temper and ordered Dusshasana to bring her there at any cost. 

26. The disrobing of Draupadi was instigated by Karna not Duryodhana. Duryodhana has been remarkably quiet during the entire episode except while asking Draupadi to come in court.

27. The Akshaya Patra was obtained by Yudhistira from the Sun God for Draupadi and the Brahmanas.

28. Arjuna skipped his 5 years of exile by visiting Indra for the Divya Astras. During this time the others performed a pilgrimage with the Brahmins and had their first encounter with Babreeka (Bhima's grandson). 

29. Balarama's wife Revati was from the 1st Manavantara. She was so tall that Balarama used his plough to pull her down to the right size.

30. The Upapandavas (Pandavas's sons) all died unmarried. 

31. Duryodhana expressed deep regret when Ashwatthama killed the Upapandavas in a fit of rage in their sleep on the 18th day.

32. Flowers rained on Duryodhana when he was felled on the 18th day by Bhima.

33. Bhima had one surviving son named Sarvaga by Balandhara who was not given the throne despite being much elder to Parikshit. He became the ruler of Kashi(his mother's land) instead. 

34. Bhanumati and Balandhara were cousins who were married to the two fierce rivals in Mahabharata.

35. Drupada had 10 more sons in addition to Dhristadyumna. 

36. Satyaki's real name was Yuyudhana. 

37. Draupadi asked for Ashwatthama's Chintamani when Arjuna and Bhima catch him on the last day of the war. She says that she shall not eat or sleep until her wishes are fulfilled. The mani is then fixed onto Yudhistira's crown.

38. Yudhistira learnt to play dice from the Sage Vrihadaswa who narrated the story of Nala and Damayanti in their exile. 

39. Raja Janaka the ruler of Mithila(Videha) was still alive when Balarama visited him while chasing Satadhwana for the Syamantaka jewel.

40. Kichaka was 30 years old when he proposed Draupadi. Draupadi herself was 50!

41. Duryodhana was born on Ashwin Krishna Dashmi. His Nakshatra was Bharani.

42. Yudhistira was born on Kartik Shukla Panchami. He was two years elder to Duryodhana. His Nakshatra was Jyeshtha.

43. Akrura (Kansa's charioteer) enjoyed the power of the Syamantaka Mani for 52 years before Krishna caught him out. Still, he was allowed to keep the jewel as it was proving to be beneficial to all.

44. Draupadi was carried off to be burnt on Kichaka’s pyre by his 100 brothers after his gruesome death. Bhima saved her and killed all the 100 brothers. The only other time this kind of an act was attempted was in Draupadi Swayamvara when the Kshatriyas declare that Draupadi should be burnt to death for insulting all of them. 

45. Draupadi sends Bhima to pick out the Saugandhika flowers when they are staying with sages near Badrikashrama during their exile. She does not want the flowers for herself but for Yudhistira. 

46. Bhima drank 8 pots of amrita in Naagloka (after Duryodhana poisoned him and threw him in the river) and this gave him the strength of 10,000 elephants.

47. Bhima killed all the 100 sons of Dhritrashtra. He felt intense remorse on killing Vikarna. (Vikarna was the one that defended Draupadi during the dice game.) 

48. Arjuna was beaten up by Lord Shiva who was disguised as a Kirata when he was performing tapasya to gain the Pashupata astra. 

49. Arjuna bestowed the epithet “Parthasarthy” on Krishna. 

50. Nakula could direct his chariot in rainfall without getting wet. 

51. Kalyavana was the son of Sage Garga. Sage Garga had specially produced Kalyavana due to his anger against the Yadavas who had laughed at him because he (Garga) was proclaimed as a eunuch.

52. After the War, the Pandavas come to Dhritrashtra and Gandhari to seek their blessings. The old couple was filled with grief and hence Dhritrashtra attempts to kill Bhima by crushing him. Lord Krishna substitutes the real Bhima with an iron statue of Bhima that Duryodhana used to practice with. Dhritrashtra apologizes for his behaviour. Gandhari’s fiery gaze chars Yudhistira’s toes black and the Pandavas cower behind Krishna. Krishna appeals to Gandhari to forgive her nephews. 

53. Gandhari gains a spiritual eye when she visits the battlefield to mourn the dead, which enables her to see everything. She describes the lamentation of the Kuru women.  The most heart-breaking description is of her daughter Dusshala who is wandering like a mad woman searching for her husband’s missing head. 

54. Lord Krishna loses his sleep over Arjuna’s vow of killing Jayadratha before the sunset. He gets up in the middle of the night and summons Daruka (his charioteer) telling him that if Arjuna fails in accomplishing his task, he (Krishna) would have to break his vow of not fighting. Daruka is instructed to keep Krishna’s chariot ready loaded with weapons and if he hears the Panchajanya conch, he should come on the battlefield with the chariot. 

55. Bhanumati was the daughter of King Chitrangad of Kalinga. She was abducted by Duryodhana from her Swayamvar. She was the mother of Laxman and Lakshmana.

Note: This list will be updated every time I discover newer information. :) So please keep checking back! 

Read More