Post No.7729
Date uploaded in London – 22 March 2020
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Tamil poet Valluvar and first Law Maker of the world Manu agree on the power of ascetics. Here are three interesting stories
Manu gives three stories in one sloka/ couplet.
Who would not be destroyed if he provoked the anger of those who made,
1.Fire omnivorous
2.The ocean water undrinkable and
3The moon to wax and wane ?- Manu 10-314
Fire eats everything that comes into contact with it. It does not show any difference between the good and the bad.
Moon is waxing and waxing due to its position with the sun. But Hindu story is that it was cursed.
Sea is salty because the water evaporates in large quantity and the density of salt increases.
But Manu gives three stories behind these phenomenon.
Fire became Omnivorous
When the god of fire told an ogre that he had a right to take the wife of great sage Bhrgu, he cursed Fire to be omnivorous.
This story is in two places in the Mahabharata 1-6 and 12-369-43
Bhrgu is connected with the fire like the Greek Prometheus.
Bhrighus means roasters and consumers. They are a class of mythical beings who belonged to middle class of gods. They are connected with Agni, fire god. They are spoken of producers and nourishers of fire. They are associated with the Angirasas and Atharvans in Vedic literature.
Another Rishi with the same name Bhrgu was angry with Shiva and Brahma because they didn’t recognise him when he visited them. Whereas Vishnu, though was kicked by Bhrgu, welcomed him. So Bhrgu proclaimed that Vishnu only deserves worship by humans. This is in Padma Purana. These stories show that he was so powerful and even Gods were punished.
Actual message is that he was the one who showed the primitive men the proper use of fire.
Ocean made Salty
Vadavamukha meant ‘Horse Mouth’ and it is a sub marine fire. It is in the sea ever burning. He is a sage who was Vishnu’s incarnation. When he called the sea, it refused to come. So he cursed it to become salty with the sweat of the sage. This story is also in the Mahabharata.
As we know sun’s heat evaporates water in the sea and the salt becomes concentrated in the remaining water and it tastes salty. Here we may interpret Vadava heat to sun’s heat.
Waning and Waxing of Moon
Daksha had 27 daughters. He gave all his daughters in marriage to Soma, that is Moon. Soma favoured Rohini of the 27 stars. And so he cursed the moon to wax and wane. This is also in the Mahabharata.
All the natural phenomena were well observed by the Hindus and then incorporated into Puranic stories. If they Interpret them scientifically laymen wouldn’t understand them.
The 27 stars mentioned above form the Hindu Zodiac.
About the power of scholars and sages, Tamil poet Tiruvalluvar And Manu agree:
Manu says
Even during the utmost extremity, he/king should not make priests angry, for when angry they could instantly destroy him with all his army and vehicles. 10-313
Tamil poet Tiruvalluvar saysin his book Tirukkural,
If those of rigorous penance become enraged, even Indra will crash from power and position.
Though possessed of great support, they/kings who are exposed to the wrath of persons of exceeding penance will perish
Kural 899 and 900
Another translation of the above two couplets:-
If men of stern austerities were to frown, even the king of the gods would tumble down from the summit of his glory.
Though blessed with numberless allies, a sovereign perishes by the wrath of the men of severe penance (899 and 900 of Tirukkural)
Manu and Tiruvalluvar actually refer to Nahusa who when kicked the great sage Agastya, Nahusa was thrown out of the post of Indra from the heaven. Another bad king by name Vena was killed by the priests and a new son was made by cloning from his body. His name was Prithvi and the priests named the earth Prithvi.
tags –sea, salty, moon waxing, Vadavagni, , Manu, Bhrgu,27 daughters
Subham
Tamil and Vedas 