Punyam: Stories from Scriptures

By Ritesh Gupta

From the author of, ‘The Blazing Trident’ and ‘The Astral Rainbow’, comes another spiritual must-read: PUNYAM - a collection of short stories from India’s greatest scriptures viz the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas and Upanishads.

Whether you are waiting at the airport lounge or riding the metro on your way to work or simply lazing around the house on a dull Sunday afternoon, refresh yourself by reading your favourite anecdote from this collection of entertaining stories. These short stories will not only inspire you but also provide you with valuable insights on how to get through the rough and tumble of life.

So, what are you waiting for? Grab your copy today and benefit from India’s timeless wisdom captured in these stories.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ritesh Gupta
• Release date: Apr 26, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005822453

Ritesh Gupta

http://www.dews.in/about

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STORIES FROM RAMAYANA

SRI RAMA’S AGONY – AND ITS’ CURE

The demon Ravana had abducted Sita, the divine consort of Lord Rama. The Lord, carrying out the lila of His earthly incarnation, was spending a fourteen-year period of exile in the forest. Sita, the divine consort of Sri Rama, and brother Lakshmana had also accompanied the Lord to the forest.

Ravana, besotted with Sita’s unparalleled beauty, had decided to carry her away to his own kingdom of Lanka. To accomplish this sinful act, Ravana took the help of his uncle Marichi and commanded him to make use of his supernatural powers to take on the form of a golden deer, and to frolic about in front of the hut where Ram, Sita and Lakshmana were staying. Ravana’s plan was that seeing the golden-skinned deer, Sita would definitely be enamoured of it and would insist that Ram and Lakshmana capture it for her. The ‘deer’ would deliberately lead the two brothers far away from the hut and then Ravana would forcefully carry Sita away.

The sinister design of the demon king panned out exactly the way he had planned it.

Sita saw the golden deer and immediately wished to possess it. She expressed her desire to her consort, Sri Rama, who cautioned her that there is no such thing in Nature as a ‘golden’ deer and that it was either a mirage or, even a foreboding of some imminent danger. Sita, of course, would have none of it! She persisted until Sri Rama finally relented and leaving Lakshmana behind for Sita’s safety, he went in pursuit of the delusive golden-deer.

Marichi led Sri Rama far into the forest; finally, as a fatal arrow from the Lord’s bow struck the demon, he went down with a cry – emitted in the exact voice of Sri Rama, calling out to Lakshmana for help.

Sita heard the cry and assumed that it was her lord who needed help. She immediately asked Lakshmana, who was guarding the hut, to go and help his brother but Lakshmana refused to budge from the spot. Well aware of the infinite powers of His divine brother, Lakshmana knew that no harm could even come near the Lord but Sita remonstrated with Lakshmana and scolded him for refusing to go for his elder brother’s help. Finally, Lakshmana relented and he left in search of Sri Rama.

This was exactly the moment that Ravana was waiting for; he immediately took on the guise of an ascetic and went to the hut begging for alms. Sita initially refused to cross the safety line that Lakshmana had drawn before leaving but Ravana finally convinced Sita to cross the line and give alms. Once Sita did so, Ravana forcefully carried her away.

Rama was taken aback to see Lakshmana approaching him. Already suspecting some foul play when the ‘golden deer’ took on the form of the demon Marichi and then died uttering a false cry for help in his voice, Sri Rama’s fear of an impending calamity grew stronger when he saw Lakshmana too in the forest. The two brothers hastened back to the hut, only to find it bereft of Sita.

Sri Rama was very much shaken on account of the bereavement of Sita and spoke in a sorrowful tone to his younger brother:

"O Lakshmana! No doubt, that the desires of my step-mother Kakieye are now fulfilled because Sita has been kidnapped and I doubt if I will find her again; there is no question of going back to Ayodhya without Sita, in fact, I will not even be able to survive without her.

O brother, see how the cruel hands of destiny are tormenting me – I lost the kingdom, came to dwell in the forests, then father left his body and at last, my dear wife is also lost. What more pain will I now suffer, how can I say? What is to happen is very hard to know beforehand for men; I too do not know what is written in my fate after this, painful or otherwise.

O Lakshmana! It is because of fate only that you too, abandoning the comforts of the royal household, have come to the forest and are now suffering along with me. No one in our family suffered so much as we are suffering; in fact, why even talk of our family? No human being was ever born or will take birth that suffered or will suffer so many troubles like me, will be like me incapacitated and a penniless pauper.

O Son of Sumitra! I am drowned in the ocean of pain and troubles. What am I to do now? I have no means to cross this ocean; no money, no armies. O hero! You are my one and only companion. Whom do I blame when my own destiny has turned against me? Alas! The kingdom that rivalled in prosperity to that of Indra, the chief of Gods, was almost obtained by me when, in an instant, I lost it and am now exiled in the forest. Who can know what is in the womb of destiny?

O Lakshmana, that fair daughter of Janaka is extremely devoted to me; she is pure and holy. She will never come under the control of Ravana and if, out of his lordly position, he does try to exercise any violence on Sita, she will rather put an end to her life than come under Ravana’s control. O brother, know this for sure that if Sita sacrifices her life, I too will do the same for of what use will this body of mine remain to me once my beloved one has gone away!"

While the lotus eyed Ramachandra was thus lamenting, Devrishi Narada appeared there from the sky above singing the Sama Veda hymns with his renowned lute.

On beholding the revered sage arrived there, Sri Rama, of unmatched prowess, rose up from his seat and quickly offered the same to Narada and also offered him water for washing his feet. Then Sri Rama worshipped the Muni and stood with folded hands. When the Muni ordered him, then only did Ramachandra take a seat close by Narada.

Seeing Sri Rama desolate, Narada asked him in a sweet tone:

"O son of Dasratha! Why are you afflicted with sorrow like an ordinary mortal? I know that the evil minded Ravana has stolen Sita Devi. I heard this while in the heavens and was amused because that rakshasa could not have known that the very object of his fascination would become the cause of his death. O Ramchandra! It is for the killing of the vile Ravana that your birth has taken place and it is for this purpose that Janaki Devi has been stolen now."

The high-souled Muni, son of Prajapati Brahma, further addressed Sri Rama in these words: "O Raghava! Devi Janaki, in her previous birth, was the daughter of a rishi and practised severe austerities. While she was engaged in her penance in her father’s hermitage that Ravana happened to arrive there and looking at the lady’s beautiful form, desired that she become his wife. Hearing this, that fiery ascetic gave a good reproach to the rakshasa, upon which he forcibly caught hold of her hair and tried to drag her away. That ascetic woman became very angry and considering her body polluted as a result of contact with the devil, resolved to put an end to her life and she cursed Ravana in these words: O Villain! I will be born on the surface of the earth, not from any womb but simply for your destruction and ruin. Thus saying, she parted with her life.

O Tormentor of the foes! Ravana has mistook an extremely poisonous serpent for a garland and has carried away Sita Devi, the part incarnation of Lakshmi, in order to root out his race. When the Devas prayed for the destruction of that wicked and insolent Ravana who is difficult to defeat in battle, you were born on earth, as a part incarnate of the eternal Vishnu.

O mighty-armed! Have patience; Sita Devi is safe and is meditating on you day and night. Indra himself, king of the Devas, secretly sends nectar and the heavenly cow’s milk in a pot to her daily and Sita Devi is living on these alone without any hunger and thirst.

O Ramchandra! I will now tell you the way through which you will get Sita Devi back and Ravana will also be killed. Perform, in this month of Ashvin, worship of the Great Bhagavati, the Supreme Mother of the Universe. Fasting continuously for nine days and night, meditate upon Her while silently chanting Her mantra; and then, on the final day, perform yajna ceremony. By doing all of this, you will be able to obtain Her Grace and will certainly be able to free Sita Devi by killing the evil Ravana.

O Raghava! In times of yore, Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh and all the Devas, performed this worship of the Goddess and were thus able to free themselves of their calamities. Similarly, even the great rishis such as Visvamitra, Bhrigu, Vasishtha and Kasyapa, all of them have performed this worship at various times in the past. When the wife of Brihaspati, the Guru of the Devas, was stolen away, he too, on the basis of this worship, was able to get her back. Indra, king of the Devas, practised this vow for the destruction of the powerful demon Vritra; Siva practised it for the killing of the asura Tripura and Vishnu, for the slaughter of the indomitable demons Madhu and Kaitabha. Thus, you too should perform this worship with all your heart.

O Ramchandra! Every person, who desires his happiness, especially those who have fallen under great difficulties, ought to perform this most auspicious ceremony, without any hesitation."

On being thus counselled by the immortal sage Narada, Sri Ramachandra asked him:

O Ocean of Knowledge! Who is that Devi? What is Her Influence? When did She came into being and what is Her Name? Kindly describe all these to me in detail.

Narada answered:

"O Raghava! That Goddess is Eternal and ever constant Primordial Force. She is the source of Brahma, Vishnu and of all living beings. Without Her force, nobody would even be able to move their limbs. That Supreme Auspicious Goddess is the preserving energy of Vishnu, is the creative power of Brahma and is the destroying force of Siva. Whatever exists in this infinite Universe, whether Temporal or Eternal, She is the underlying force of all; how then can She have an origin?

Her source is neither Brahma, nor Vishnu, nor Mahesh and neither any of the other Devas. She is the Giver of Salvation, the Full Prakriti. At the time of the dissolution of the Universe, She lives with the Supreme Purusha. In Her Nirguna aspect, She is devoid of any qualities but in Her Saguna form, She is endowed with all the qualities and has created Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh and has empowered them in every way to create, sustain and destroy this three-fold creation of physical, astral and causal Universes.

She is Supreme Knowledge, existing before the Vedas and the Originator of the Vedas. The jiva, on knowing Her true Nature through yoga meditation, is able to free himself from the bondages of this world and attains mukti. She is known by endless names which I’m unable to describe."

Sri Ramachandra said:

O best of the Munis! Please describe briefly all the rules and regulations as to how that nine-day worship is to be performed. With my heart full of faith and devotion, I will worship the Great Goddess.

Narada replied:

O Raghava! On a level plot of ground, prepare an altar. Place the Goddess there and fast for nine days. I will be your priest and will assist you in carrying out this worship in order to fulfil the work of the Gods.

Then, on arrival of the month of Ashvin, Sri Ramachandra prepared the altar on top of a hill and installed a clay image of the Supreme Goddess. Fasting for nine days, Sri Rama and Lakshmana observed all the rules of worship.

On the grand night of the eighth lunar day, the Supreme Bhagavati was pleased with the worship of the two brothers and appeared before them, mounted on a lion. She then addressed them in a sweet grave tone, like the rumbling of the rain cloud:

"Rama! I am satisfied by your worship; ask from Me the boon that you desire.

Rama! You are born as a part incarnate of Narayana and have been sent by the Gods for the destruction of Ravana. Your younger brother Lakshmana is the incarnate of Sesa serpent and this indomitable man will kill Indrajit, the son of Ravana, while you will kill Ravana and free your wife Sita. You will then worship Me and go on to enjoy your kingdom for a full eleven thousand years and after that you will re-enter your heavenly abode."

Thus speaking, the Great Goddess disappeared then and there. Sri Ramachandra became very glad and completing the worship, he gave lots of presents to Narada and bade him farewell. Sri Rama then himself proceeded towards the ocean and and after erecting a bridge across it, he went on to kill Ravana and free his wife, Janaki devi.

Notes:

Devrishi Narada: Also known as Narad Muni, is a god-sage, famous in Hindu mythology as a travelling musician and storyteller, who carries news and enlightening wisdom. He is believed to be one of the mind-born sons of Prajapati Brahma.

Month of Ashvin: 7th lunar month of Hindu calendar; roughly corresponds to mid-September to mid-October period of Georgian Calendar.

Supreme Purusha (that aspect of God which is beyond creation); jiva (individual soul); mukti (salvation);

Sesa serpent (king of all serpents, with a thousand hoods spread umbrella-like over Lord Vishnu as He rests on the serpent)

HANUMAN AND THE PEARL NECKLACE

Lord Sri Rama had returned to Ayodhya after defeating the demon Ravana. There was great celebration in Ayodhya; the happiness of the citizens knew no bounds as they decorated the city beautifully like a newly wedded bride. Everyone looked forward to the first darbar that Sri Rama would hold as it was the heartfelt desire of everyone to see their beloved Rama crowned as king.

Amidst great rejoicing, Sri