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6-MBH Cursed Lives

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6-MBH Cursed Lives

In Mahaabhaarat times many people were living under curse, let us see who and who were living under curse --

Shaantanu
The first cursed person in Mahaabhaarat is Shaantanu. MBH tells the story of his curse like this that in his previous life he was Mahaabhish named King. He was a friend of Indra and used to go Indra's court occasionally to see Apsaraa's dances. Once when he was sitting there, Gangaa also came there with her father Brahmaa Jee. Mahaabhish saw Gangaa and Gangaa saw Mahaabhish, both continued to look each other for some time. Mean while wind came and it removed Gangaa's cloth from her body. Seeing this the other Devtaa sitting there bent their heads, but Mahaabhish and Gangaa kept looking at each other. Seeing this Brahmaa Jee cursed him - "You have forgotten yourself seeing Gangaa, you will be reborn on Earth but then will come back here. She will also be born on Earth and will do injuries to you. But when you will be angry at her, you will be free from my curse." So King Mahaabhish decided to be born as the son of Prateep, and Gangaa also went away from there thinking about him.

Gangaa
The second cursed person, in the same context as of Shaantanu, is Gangaa. Mahaabhish King was a friend of Indra and used to go  to Indra's court occasionally to see Apsaraa's dances. Once when he was sitting there, Gangaa also came there with her father Brahmaa Jee. Mahaabhish saw Gangaa and Gangaa saw Mahaabhish, both continued to look each other for some time. Mean while wind came and it removed Gangaa's cloth from her body. Seeing this the other Devtaa sitting there bent their heads, but Mahaabhish and Gangaa kept looking at each other. Seeing this Brahmaa Jee cursed Gangaa to live with Mahaabhish on Prithvi.

Bheeshm
Bheeshm was one of the eight Vasu. He was also living a cursed life on Prithvi. When Gangaa was going back from Indra's court after her father's curse, she met eight Vasu on her way. They were all sad. She asked them why were they so sad. They told her their story - "We are cursed by Vashishth. He was sitting for his evening worship, we could not see him and crossed him, so he cursed us to be born on Earth. Since you are also cursed by Brahmaa Jee to be born on Prithvi, you be our mother, because we do not want to be born from any human female." Gangaa said - "So be it, but whom you would like to be your father on Earth?"

Vasu said - "King Prateep will have a son Shaantanu." Gangaa said - "That was exactly what I was thinking." Vasu again said - "You may throw your children in your water as soon as they are born, so that we won't have to live there for long time." Gangaa said - "That is fine, but my living with him should not be completely fruitless, so one of you should live there." At this Vasu said - "We each will give 1/8th part of our energy to your one son and he will live there according to your and his wish. But this son will not have any child on Earth." After this Vasu went away.

And this cursed Vasu was Bheeshm.

Vidur
Vidur was the incarnation of Dharm Raaj and was born to live on Prithvi by the curse of a Rishi Animaandavya. Once Maandavya Rishi was mistakenly caught by the servants of a King, along with some other people, for a theft and was hung upon a stake to die. Since he was doing Tapasyaa, he neither felt any pain, nor he knew that he was caught. Luckily, a prostitute was carrying her husband on her shoulder. So while she was carrying him, her husband's foot hit the body of the Rishi. He woke up and felt pain. He cried - "Take me off from this stake. Who has put me here?" The servants told him that he was hung there because he stole the things. Rishi said - "Do I look like a thief? Take me to your King, I want to see him." In the meantime, the King heard that among the thieves caught for the theft there was an ascetic also. He immediately ordered to take him off from the stake. The servants took him off from the stake. The King asked for his forgiveness and he forgave the King.

But then he went to Yam Raaj and asked him why he had to suffer this much pain. Yam Raaj asked his accountant Chitrarath and he told him that the Muni had pierced a Tiddee by a Kush grass in his childhood. Muni said - "It must have been in my childhood when I was not aware of the sin." Chitrarath said - "Yes this was when you were 5 years old." Muni said - "Absurd. No 5 year old child knows about sin. Since you have given me so much pain without even considering the situation, you will be born on Prithvi in a Shoodra family."

And because of this curse Yam Raaj was born as Vidur in a Shoodra family (serving family).

Python
While Paandav were living in exile and when Arjun had gone to Swarg, once Draupadee saw a divine flower, Mandar flower, and asked Bheem to find more for her. Bheem brought them for her but somehow all Paandav joined him later. When they were coming back they stayed in Vishaaksh Yoop Van for one year. One day Bheem just went out and breaking the trees and following the wild animals he found a huge snake in a cave. The snake caught him in his coil so forcefully that Bheem, even being so powerful could not come out of his grip. He himself was very surprised to see this that he could not come out of his grip even being so powerful. Then he told the story of his curse - that he was Raajaa Nahush. Because of his good Karm he was appointed Indra in the emergency. As he became Indra, he became proud and desired for Indraanee. Indraanee went to Dev Guru Brihaspati to find a solution of this problem. He suggested her to ask the King to come to her in the palanquin lifted by Rishi. In the happiness of getting Indraanee, the King forgot all etiquette and asked Rishi to carry his palanquin to Indraanee's palace.

So they took him to Indraanee's palace. Since Rishi did not have the habit to carry loads, they were walking slowly, but unfortunate Nahush was in hurry to meet Indraanee, so he said to them - "Sarp, Sarp." Now Sarp in Sanskrit language has two meanings - snake and walk fast. Since Nahush was in hurry, he said this word a few times to those Rishi. Among those Rishi there was Agastya Rishi too. Once he kicked him with his foot to walk fast. Agastya Rishi filled with anger cursed him - "You are telling us "Sarp, Sarp" (walk fast), you yourself become Sarp (snake) and fall on Prithvi." As he cursed like this,, Nahush became Sarp and started falling down from Swarg. Frightened as he was he prayed Rishi and asked the time of the release from his curse. Agastya Jee said - "When in Dwaapar Yug, you will catch hold the mightiest person, his brother Yudhishthir will come to you, and when he will reply your all questions then you will be released from my curse."

That snake said - "Since then I have caught many people and have eaten them. It is you only to whom I could not eat." In the meantime Yudhishthir came there. Nahush asked a few questions from him, Yudhishthir replied all those questions and then only he released Bheem.

Thus that snake, Raajaa Nahush, was also living a cursed life in Mahaabhaarat times.

 

 

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Created by Sushma Gupta On 05/27/04
Contact: sushmajee@yahoo.com
Modified on 11/23/12