Krishna’s Friend died in ‘Wheel’ Accident! (Post No.5485)

Written by London Swaminathan
swami_48@yahoo.com
Date: 28 September 2018

 

Time uploaded in London – 13-30 (British Summer Time)

 

Post No. 5485

 

Pictures shown here are taken from various sources including google, Wikipedia, Facebook friends and newspapers. This is a non- commercial blog.

 

Krishna’s Friend died in ‘Wheel’ Accident! (Post No.5485)

 

Strange stories about Lord Krishna are available in Tamil literature which are not found in Sanskrit scriptures. I have already given the story about Dadhipandan who got Moksha (liberation) for him and his pot. Now there is another story told by Perialvar, a Vaishnavite saint, who lived 1400 years ago.

 

There was a cowherd by name Srimalikan who was great friend of Lord Krishna. He told Krishna that he would carry his Sudarsana wheel so that he could feel a bit relaxed. But Krishna told him that it would be dangerous, because it may cut his head off. But he was always nagging Krishna to leave the wheel with him. At last Krishna yielded to his demand and gave him the Wheel. As soon as he received the wheel it cut his head. We can guess that he would have reached heaven because it was the holy wheel and it happened in front of the Lord.

 

But there are some morals in the story:

Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar in the Tamil Veda Tirukkural says,

Consider the aim, the obstacle and the greatness of the ultimate gain and then resort to action- Kural 676

 

Curiosity Killed the Cat

We are reminded of the saying ‘Curiosity Killed the Cat’.

Be Johnson used the following in his drama ‘Every Man in His Humour’ and Shakespeare acted in it:

“Helter skelter, hang sorrow, care will kill a cat, up-tails all, and a pox on the hangman”.

 

Later Shakespeare also used this in his drama Much ado about Nothing:

What, courage man! what though care killed a cat, thou hast mettle enough in thee to kill care

-Much Ado about Nothing.

 

Thus, we learn that unnecessary curiosity is not good. Moreover, if great people like Lord Krishna say something, we must listen to them.

 

–subham–

 

 

 

Lord Krishna’s Generous Donations!

beauiful-krishna-radha

Compiled by london swaminathan

Post No: 1600: Dated 24 January 2015

Lot of us who read Bagavatha Purana and Maha Bharata miss one important point. That is, Krishna was very generous and a great philanthrophist.

 

He have Sudama, a poor old friend, immense wealth. Sudama who was a class mate of Krishna at school, took just a few handfuls of pounded rice (powa), when he went to see him at his palace. Krishna took one handful and tasted it. Atonce Sudama’s hut became a palatial building. He went from rags to rich.

 

When Draupadi was almost disrobed by Duschasana and his team in the assembly, Lord Krishna gave her saree. When Duschasana tried to remove her cloth,  one after another appeared. It grew longer and longer that they could not do any harm to her. Her honour was saved.

 

When Duryodhana and Arjuna went for Lord Krishna’s help to win the war, Krishna gave the first chance to Duryodhana. Poor Duryodhana underestimated Krishna and asked for all his his army and weapons. Krishna smiled at him andsaid,Dadastu! ‘pease take it’. Arjuna was satisfied when Krishna said, “I will be your driver”. And he did drove his chariot to victory!

 

When the Symantaka diamond led to many frauds and murders he gave it to Akrura!

(Please read my research paper on Krishna’s Diamond in USA? — posted here on 23 April 2012).

 

When Gopis, girls from the cowherd community, gave him boundless love, he showered them with love thousand times more!

 

(Please read my post ‘Swami Vivekananda on Krishna and Gopis’ – posted here on March 8, 2014)

Was Draupadi Disrobed

Lord Krishna gave Viswarupa Darsanam to Arjuna and then to Bhisma.

 

When there was very heavy rain and the cowherd boys ran helter shelter, he gave them an umbrella made up of Govardhana Hill !!

 

Righto! Draupadi got X, Gopis got Y, Akrura got Z; you may wonder what do I get?

He has already given to you —  the entire humanity — a small and wonderful book called Bhagawad Gita– just 700 couplets — only 1400 lines! but the concentrated juice of Hinduism!

Drinking the juice in diluted form or concentrated form or not using it is in your own hands.

 

Here is a quote from Swami Vivekananda:-

 

“Krishna can never be understood until you have studied the Gita, for he was the embodiment of his own teaching. Everyone of these incarnations came as a living illustration of what they came to preach. Krishna, the preacher of the Gita, was all his life the embodiment of the Song Celestial; he was the great illustration of non attachment. He gives up his throne and never cares for it. He, the leader of India, at whose words kings come down from their thrones, never wants to be a king. He is the simple Krishna, ever the same Krishna who played with the Gopis.Ah, that marvellous passage of his life, the most difficult to understand, and which none ought to attempt to understand until he has become perfectly chaste and pure.” — Swami Vivekananda

 

Please read my two part post, Atom Bomb to Zoo of the Bhagavad Gita — posted here on November 22 and November 23 ,2011).


contact swami_48@yahoo.com

Eight Janamejayas and Five Krishnas!!

Krishna-Arjuna

Dictionary Of Indian Kings – Part 11

 

Compiled by london swaminathan

Post No: 1598: Dated 23 January 2015


First part of the article –146 kings beginning with letter ‘A’.

Second part– 65 Pandya Kings of Madurai+ Puranic Kings

Third part — 122 kings beginning with letter ‘B’

Fourth Part- 43 Kings of Vijayanagara Empire + 34 Kings under letter C.

Fifth Part – 106 Kashmiri Hindu Kings

Sixth Part – 30 Satavahana  Kings  + 136 Kings underletter D.

Seventh Part –  35 Tamil Pandya Kings of Sangam Age.

Eighth Part – List of Chera (Kerala) 22 kings of Sangam Age+  Kings listed under E (3),G(37) & H(28)=68kings

160 Kings in Rig Veda published here on 23rd November 2014.

Ninth Part- 39 Choza Kings of Tamil Nadu

Tenth Part- 104 kings from Cambodia, Champa, Sri Vjaya and Pallava

 

11th part:Under ‘I’  13 kings+ Under ‘J’ 40 kings+ Under ‘K” 147 kings are listed.

So far 1320 Kings were listed

 

Kings names under I,J,K from R Morton Smith’s book:

 

i1)IBHAVANT, FATHER OF PRATIDARSA – 1180 BCE

i2)IKSVAKU MANAVA – 1840 BCE

i3)IKSVAKAU KSAUPA- 1840

ILA MANAVI- 1840

 

i4)ILAVILA NABHAGI -1220 BCE

ILINA, DAUGHTER OF MEDHATITHI- 1220 BCE

i5)INDRA VAIKUNTA – 1090 BCE

i6)INDRA VRSABHUTA

i7)Indradyumna, a king who earned the wrath of Agastya

i8)Indradyumna, a king who went to Swarga and came back

i9)Indravarma – king of Malawa, whose elephant’s name was Ashvattama. The death of the elephant changed the course of Mahabharata war!!

 

i10)INDRABHA KAURAVA -1050

i11)1INDRADHANVAN BANI -1230

INDRASENA, WIFE OF BRAHMISHTA- 1210

INDRASENA PARIKSITA

i12)INDROTA DAIVAPI SAUNAKA – 895 BCE

i13)ISIRATHA OF GADHI- 1390


mahabharat

j1)JAGANDHARA SATYABHAMEYA

j2)JAGANDHARA BHAIRATHA

 

j3)JAHNU KAUSIKA -1480 BCE

j4)JAHNU KAURAVA – 1250

JAIMINI, PUPIL OF VYASA -975 BCE

j5)Jalasandha- A descendant of Madhuvamsha, fought the war on Kaurava side.

 

JAMA ,FATHER IN LAW OF SUDYUMNA

JAMADAGNI ARCIKA BHARGAVA – 1344

j6)JAMADAGNI SUNASEPHA -1260 BCE

j7)JAMBAVANT RKSRAJA-1110

JAAMBAVATI ROHINI, WIFE OF VISVAKSENA, 1080 BCE

j8)JANANISADA -1130 BCE

JANADEVA JANAKI

j8)JANKA OF MITHILA – 1500 BCE

j9)JANAKA OF VIDEHA – 810 BCE

j10)JAANAKI KRATUJIT RAJANI – 880 BCE

j11)JAANAKI AYASTHUNI – 750 BCE

j12)JANAKI JANADEVA –

 

j13)JANAMEJAYA VAISALI – 1100 BCE

j14)JANAMEJAYA III PARIKSITHA – 955

j15)JANAMEJAYA SATYAKARMANAANAVA -1425 BCE

j16)JANAMEJAYA VISVAJIT ANAVA -830

j17)JANAMEJAYA PAURAVA – 1760 BCE

j18)JANAMEJAYA  DURBUDHDHI NIPA – 1025

j19)JANAMEJAYA KAURAVA -1230

j20)JANAMEJAYA MAUNEYA -1400 BCE

00005_Janamejaya_and_brothers

j21)JANASTAMBA SAURA -1250

j22)JANTU PURUDVAHA

j23)JANTU PANCHALA – 10354 BCE

JARAN, PROPEER FORM JANA

JARANDHARA

 

j24)JARASANDHAOF MAGADHA- 1035

j25)JAYA VAIDEHA – 550 BCE

j26)JAYA KSHATRADHARMANA- 1530 BCE

JAYA DASARHI, WIFE OF  BHUVAMANYU

j27)JAYADHVAJA YADAVA ARJUNI– 1330

j28)JAYADRATHA– ANAVA -910

j29)jayanta VARSHABA -1120

j30)jayasena, King of Avanti, Father of Kunti

j31)jayashva – Panchala king, klled by Asvattama

JAYANTI, MOTHER OF AJAMIDHA –1375 BCE

j32)JAYATSENA KSATRADHARMANA-  1400

j33)JAYATSENA SARVABHAUMA PARAVA – 1140

j34)JAYATSENA OF MAGADHA – 812

j35)JAYATSENA OF BUDHDHA -590 BE

 

j36)JETR MADHCCHANDASA – 1240 BCE

j37)JIIMUUTA VAIDARBHA – 1150 BCE

j38)JITAARI PAURAVA – 1325

JVALANA, WIFE OF RCEPU TAKSAKI -1560

j39)JYAMAGHA PARAVRTA YADAVA – 1320 BCE

j40)JYESTHAMITRA SUGNA

pandavas

k1)KABANDHA ATHARVANA -950 BCE

k2)KACCHAPA  VAIVAMITRA

k3)KAIKEYA – 940 BCE

KAIKEYI, DAUGHTER OF KAIKEYA

 

k4)KAISIKA VAIDARBHA -1270 BCE

k5)KAKSASENA PARIKSITA – 920

k6)KAAKAVARNIN OF MAGADHA – 370

k7)KAKSEYU BHADRASVA

k8)KAKSEYU PAURAVA

KAKSIVANT DAIRGATAMASA – 1215 BCE

k9)KAKSIVANT  PAJRIYA – 11240 BCE

k10)KAKUDMIN RAIVATA – 1360

k11)KAKUSTHA AIKSVAKAVA – 1800 BCE

k12)KAALAANALA  SAABHAANARI-1500 BCE

k13)KAALAASOKA KAKAVARNIN – 421

KAALI ,DAUGHTER OF VASU- 1170

KAALI SATYAVATI – 1035 BCE

k14)KAALINDI MITRAVINDA –

 

KAALINDI, WIFE TO APRATIRATHA TAMSU -1510

k15)KALINGA BALEYA –

k16)KALMAASAPAADA MITRASAHA

KAAMALI RENUKA- 1325

KAAMAPRI -1340 BCE

k17)KAMBALABARHIS ANDHAKI YADAVA -1150

k18)KAMBALABARHIS MARUTTA -1380

k19)KAMPILA BHARMYASVA –  1220

k20)KAMSA AUGRASAYINA – 1000

KAMSAVATI AUGRASAYINA – 1000

 

k21)KANAKA DAURDAMA YADAVA – 1408 BCE

k22)KANAKA PAURVADYA – 1250 BCE

k23)KANAKA VARANTA YADAVA – 1100 BCE

k24)KANAVAKA SAURA -1180

k25)KANCANA KAUSIKA – 1520 BCE

k26)KAANCANAVARMAN

 

k27)KANDARIIKA DVIVEDIN – 1080 BCE

k28)KANKA SUNAMAN -950 BCE

KANVA APRATIRATHA -1490 BCE

KANVA AJAMIDHA 1330

k29)KAPI BHARATA – 1120 BCE

k30)KAPI VISNUVRRDHA

k31)KAPILA SAURI

k32)KAPILASVA AIKSVAKAVA – 1610 BCE

k33)KAPOTAROMANYADAVA – 1130 BCE

k34)KARAMBHA VAIDARBHA – 1030 BCE

 

k35)KARENUMATI CAIDYA – 975

k36)KARKOTAKA NAGA -1370

k37)KARNA ANAVA ANGI – 970

k38)KAARTA YADAVA -1510

kartavirya 1375 BCE, listed under Arjun Karavirya

k39)Kashiraja: King of Kasi; father of Amba, Ambika, Ambalika

 

k40)KARUSA MANAVA 1510

k41)KAASA SAUNAHOTRA – 1550

k42)KASIKA VAIDARBHA – 118

k43)KASYAPA MARICA – 1250 BCE

k44)KATIYA VAISVAMITRA – 1250 BCE

KAUSALYA, WIFE OF dASARATHA

KAUSALYA. WIFE PF BHIMA

KAUSALYA WIFE OF PURU

k45)KAUSIKA SAURI

 

k46)KAUSIKA PIPPILADI – 875 BCE

k47)KAUSIKA LAUMAPADA  VAIDARBHA – 1160

k48)KAUSIKA CANDA GAUTAMA – 1180 BCE

janamej

KAUTALYA VISNU GUPTA CANAKYA

k49)KAVERI YAUVANASVI – 1480

k50)KAVYA SAINAJITA NIPA – 1300

k51)KAVYOVADHI BHANGASVINA- 1360

k52)KEKAYA SAIBYA ANAVA -1320 BCE

k53)KESIDVAJA JANAKA -980

k54)KESIN KUMARA (JAINA) -460

KESINI VAIDHARBI, WIFE OF SAGARA

KESINI, WIFE OF SUHOTRA – 1500

KESINI, WIFE OF AJAMIDHA – 1350 BCE

k55)KETUMANT  DHANVANTAREYA – 1460 BCE

k56)KETUMANT KSAIMA KASYA – 1220 BCE

k57) Ketuvarma: Son of Trigarta king Susharma and brother of Suryavarma. Arjuna killed Suryavarma

k58)Kritavarma:  A Yadava of Bhoja lineage; son of Hrdika

KEVALA, EPITHET OF DUNDHUMANT

k59)KHANDIKYA JANAKA -980 BCE

k60)KHANITRA PARAJANEYA -1420

k61)KHANINETRA PRAJANEYA – 1340 BCE

k62)KHARANDHAMA PRAJANEYA – 1320 BCE

k63)KHARANDHAMA TAURVASA – 1315

k64)KHARAVELA OF KALINGA – 175

k65)KINNARASVA AIKVAKAVA – 715.

k66)KIRTIMANT ROHITASVA -1050

k67)KRTIMAANT SAURA -945

k68)KIRTIRATHA VAIDEHA – 1240

k69)KRATHA VAIDARBHA – 1270

k70)KRATHA KAURAVA – 1110

k71)KRATUJIT RAJANI VAIDEHA – 880 BCE

k72)KRKANA YADAVA – 1175 BCE

k73)KRMI YADAVA -1180

k74)KRMI AUSINARA 1444

KRMILASVA

KRMILASVA

k75)KRODHAVASA GANA

k76)KROSTRU YADAva – 1640

KRPI, sister to krpa

k77)KRPA satyadhrta – 1030

k78)KRASASVA VAISALA – 1140

k79)KRSASVA AIKSVAKAVA – 1540

krishna-hindu-god

k80)KRSNA ARJUNI YADAVA – 1380

k81)KRSNA SYAMA/WESTERN KRSNA- 1115

k82)KRSNA VASUDEVA -980

k83)KRSNA DVAIPAYANA VYASA – 1050- 980

k84)KRSNA ANDHRA – 188 BCE

 

k85)KRTA DVIMIDHA – 1060

k86)KRTA KSATRADHARMANA – 1490

k87)KRTA CYAVANA KAURAVA – 1205

 

k88)KRTADEVA VAISVAMITRA – 1270

k89)KRTADHARMAN  KSATRADHARMANA – 1350

k90)KRTADHARMAN DHARMANETRA -1530

k91)KRTADHVAJA JANAKA -1000

k92)KRTAAGNI KAAKI YADAVA – 1370

KRTAKSANA KRTIA

k93)KRTANJAYA AIKSVAKAVA – 600

k94)KRTAROMAN MAHAROMAN

 

k95)KRTASARMAN VRDDHASARMAN NABAGI –

k96)KRATAUJAS KANAKI YADAVA -1370

KRTAVARMAN KANAKI YADAVA -1370

KRTAVIRYA KANAKI YADAVA -1370

 

k97)KRTAVIRYA, FATHER IN LAW OF AHAMPATI – 1620

k98)KRTAYAJNA KAURAVA 1205

k99)KRTI VAIDEHA – 398

k100)KRTIRATA VAIDEHA – 1160

KRTVI, WIFE TO  ANUHA – 1120

k101)KSATRA YAUDAJITA YADAVA – 1120

k102)KSATRADHARMAN AYAVA -1600

Kshatranjaya:Kshatra Varma:Kshatra Dharma: sons of Dhristadyumna; killed by Drona

 

k103)KSATRAUJAS OF MAGADHA – 545

k104)KSEMAVRDDHA AYAVA -1600

k105)KSEMA RAKSASA

k106)KSEMA ALARKI KASYA – 1240

k107)KSEMA KSEMYA – 1010

k108)KSEMA OF MAGADHA – 781

k109)KSEMA OF VATSA – 390

k110)KSEMA OF KALINGA -900

k111)KSEMADHANVAN AIKSVAKAVA -1300

k112)KSEMADHARMAN OF MAGADHA – 400

KSEMADHRTVAN

KSEMADHURTI

KSEMAJIT

k113)KSEMAPI VAIDEHA – 770

KSEMARI

Mauryan_Kings__India

k114)KSEMYA AUGRAYUDHA – 1010

k115)KSIPTA SAURA -1180

k116)KSUDRAKA AIKSVAKAVA – 485 BCE

k117)KSUPA PRAMSAVA -1400

k118)KUBERA VAISRAVANA- King of Yakshas; Treasurer of Gods.

k119)KUBARA OF KALINGA – 950

k120)KUKSI AIKSVAKAVA

k121)KUKSIMITRA VASUDEVA

k122)KUKURA ANDHAKI YADAVA -1170

k123)KULAKA AIKSVAKAVA – 460

k124)KUMARASENA PRADYOTA – 500

KUMBHAKARNA

k125)KUMBHANAHA BALEYA -1250

k126)KUMUDA KANAKA

k127)KUNALA MAURYA -254

shivaji

k128)KUNDALA KAURAVA 1090

k129)KUNDIKA KAURAVA – 1170

KUNI VAIDEHA – 970

KUNTI KARTA YADAVA –

KUNTI VAIDARBHA 1250

k130)KUNTI bhoja

k131)KURU SAMVARANA – 1280

k132)KUSA, SON OF RAMA – 1040

k133)KUSA BALAKASVA – 1380

k134)KUSA MANIVAHANA CAIDYA – 1170

k135)KUSADVAJA VAIDEHA – 1050

k136)KUSAGRA OF MAGADHA – 1150

k137)KUSANABHA,SON OF KUSA – 1360

k138)Kuru: ancestor of Kauravas and Pandavas; son of Samvarata and Queen Tapti

k139)Kurushadhipali: ancient king who abandoned his kingdom for the sake of truth.

k140)Kushambu/ manivahana: son of King Uparichara

k141)KUSARAKA RAUHINEYA

k142)KUSASVA KAUSIKA – 1360

KUSITAKA

KUSMANDA

k143)KUVALASVA DUNDHUMARA AIKSVAKAVA -1640 BCE

K144)KUVALASVA VAIDEHA BAHULASVA – 418

k145)KUVALASVA  RTADVAJA -1290

k146)KUVALAYASVAk

k147)Kuvalayaksha: another name of Dundhumara; son of Brihadasva.

 

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BULL FIGHTING: Indus Valley to Spain via Tamil Nadu

 

Bull fighting is practised till this day in two different parts of the world- Tamil Nadu in India and Spain in Europe. Both are poles apart culturally and geographically. Bull fighting in Europe is at least two thousand years old. It has its origin in Mithraism cult. They have 2000 year old Roman sculptures showing killing bulls. Mitra is a Vedic God of friendship. We have archaeological evidence about Vedic Mitra from the Bogakoy (Turkey) inscription dated to 1400 BC. All the important Vedic gods Indra, Mitra, Varuna and Ashwins find their place in the inscription of Hittite Friendship treaty with the Mittannis. But the Mithraic cult has nothing to do with the Vedic Mitra. It has come to Europe from Persian Mithra. We did not know how it got corrupted to killing bulls. In the Vedas, Indra was identified with the bull. Probably the Zoroastrians who opposed the Vedic hierarchy of gods and changed them upside down (Asura as Sura and Sura as Asura) might have done it to avenge Indra (bull).

 

In India the earliest archaeological evidence comes from the Indus Valley seals according to some scholars. But it is doubtful. It looks like a ritual killing of a buffalo to satisfy a god or a goddess. Those who argued that it was the most ancient bull fighting figure did not put together all the available seals. Other available seals clearly show it was a ritual killing of a buffalo to a god or goddess(Please see the pictures) . Bengalis sacrifice buffaloes to goddess Durga during Durga Puja.

 

If we consider our Hindu mythology pre dates the Indus seals we have the earliest reference of a killing of buffalo in the story of Mahisasuramardhani. Probably this is the only reference to a woman killing a buffalo in the world. In Indus seals men kill buffaloes for the gods. In the story of Mahisasura, it was a demon that comes in the form of a buffalo and got killed by the goddess. There are beautiful sculptures portraying this episode from Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu to Ellora in the North.

 

Bull fighting in Spain started around 18th century. There are different versions of bull fighting. In Spain the bull is killed ,that too with a weapon like we see in the Indus seals. This type of bull fighting has spread to Latin America and Mexico when the Spanish culture was introduced.

 

Whether it is Tamil Nadu or Spain special kind of bulls are raised exclusively for this purpose with a special type of diet and special training. Tamils have practised this ancient sport for at least two thousand years. They call it Jalli kattu or Manju Virattu or Eru Thazuvuthal. It means chasing the bull or tackling the bull. In ancient Tamil Nadu the horns of the bulls were tied with coins, may be gold coins. Whoever tackled the bull took it and in some places the owner of the bull gave his daughter to the person who tackled the bull. They were considered heroes. Like the Kshatriyas practised Swayamvaram ( a princess choosing her own husband from among the kings and princes), the Yadava Chief’s girls (cowherd community) choose their husbands from among the heroic bull fighters.

 

Now the bull fighting is conducted every year in Alanganallur, Palamedu, Avaniapuram and several other places around Madurai. Huge crowds gather to watch such events. After protest from animal welfare groups the government has introduced new laws for the safety of the animas and the bull fighters.

Lord Krishna started Bull Fighting

 

We have lot of proof to believe that the Bull fighting was started by Lord Krishna who was the most popular cowherd (Yadava Kula Tilaka) in the world. Kaliyuga started in 3102 BC after the death of Krishna. But Mahabharata war took place between 1000 and 1500 BC according to majority of the scholars. Even if we go by this date, Krishna was the first one to have a fight with almost all the animals. He fought with an elephant, a bull, a python, a horse, a cran , a donkey and many more . All were set up by his uncle Kamsa according to Hindu mythology. These anecdotes have produced huge literature in Tamil and Sanskrit which has got no parallel in any part of the world. Krishna’s episodes are mentioned in film songs even today in almost all the Indian languages. The bull Krishna fought was Aristasura.

 

The proof for Krishna starting this comes from 2000 year old Sangam Tamil literature. Kalitokai is one of the eight anthologies of Sangam (Cankam) period. Nalluruthtiranar who sang Mullai Kali gave a graphic description of bull fighting. Justifying his name Shiva (Rudra), the poet mentioned Lord Siva in all his poems. Justifying that it was started during Mahabaharata days the poet gave lot of references to Mahabharata episodes. He said that it was practised by the Ayar community (cowherds)in the pastoral areas.

 

The poet mentioned how the bulls tear the bull fighters apart like the buffalo riding Yama, God of Death. The colourful bulls are described and compared to various personalities -white bull to Balarama and black bull to Krishna and so on. The Mullaik Kali has got 16 poems beautifully describing the pastoral culture of ancient Tamilnadu. Anyone who reads this Mullaik Kali will get a better picture of how it was practised in ancient Tamil Nadu. All the suspense, gossip, flirting, amorous desires of Ayar girls are dealt with in hundreds of lines- a feast to Tamil lovers.

*****************

 

Tulabharam: Indian-Sumerian connection

By S Swaminathan


 
Sibi in Borobudur (Indonesia)

Tulabharam is a Hindu ritual that has been practised from Dwapara Yuga. Tulabharam means a person weighing himself or herself in a balance and pay in equal weight of gold, fruits or grains to God when one’s prayers are fulfilled. Temples in Tirupati, Guruvayur, Dwaraka, Udupi and several other towns practice such offerings. Recently, Guruvayur temple hit the headlines in newspapers when a businessman from Bangalore gave the temple his weight in gold – 70 kg. Tirupati temple hits the headlines now and then when famous politicians and film stars give something to god measure for measure. This is offered to the gods when their prayers are answered.

The earliest reference to a Tulabharam comes from the Mahabharata, about the great emperor Sibi. He was so famous his name is found in ancient Tamil Sangam literature in four places and later in hundreds of places. He was even praised in Buddhist Jataka stories and Borobudur (Indonesia) sculptures. Emperor Sibi was a just king. Lord Indra and Agni wanted to test him and came in the form of an eagle and a dove. When the dove came to Sibi for protection from the chasing eagle, Sibi was ready to offer anything to save the dove. The eagle asked him to give his flesh measure for measure. Sibi cut himself bit by bit but the pans in the balance were never equal. At last when he himself stood on the pan the Gods appeared in front of him and blessed him. The story is found in other Sanskrit works as well.

The Tamil king who refused to take gold

The worst thing we read in Sangam Tamil literature is the execution of a little girl just because she took a mango fruit from the king’s garden. Tamil poets were so angry that not only they refused to sing about him but also ridiculed him in the Cankam poems. The story is as follows: Nannan was a king who ruled part of Kerala called Poozi Nadu. A mango fell from one of the trees in his garden and it was washed away in the water of a canal. Any little girl or boy who sees a fruit will naturally go for it. So did a little girl in his town. The servants reported this ‘theft’. Immediately Nannan ordered to kill the girl for theft. The whole town rose against him. The girl’s father with the support of the VIP’s of the town met the king and begged to release his daughter. He even came forward to give Nannan 81 elephants as a penalty. Nannan did not budge.

Then her father told him that that he WOULD GIVE GOLD MEASURE FOR MEASURE. But evil Nannan executed the girl refusing to accept the gold. One of the great poets of Tamil Cankam (Tamil Academy) Paranar gave this story in Kurunthokai poem 292. Perunthalai Sathanar who sang a poem long after this incident refused to sing about another king Ilam Vichiko (puram 151) just because he was born in Nannan’s clan. Till this day Nannan was ridiculed as a ‘Murderer of a little girl’. This story shows the practice of Tulabharam in ancient Tamil Nadu. Look at the words – MEASURE FOR MEASURE in gold.

Tulabharam in Silappadikaram

Indian kings used to give sixteen kinds of gifts to Brahmins and poets. The Vijayanagara empire period inscriptions mention Tulabharam as one of them. We have a literary reference to such a practice in the famous Tamil epic Silappadikaram. Cheran Chenguttuvan who went to the holy Himalayas to get a stone for the chaste woman Kannaki washed it in the holy river Ganges and consecrated the statue at a place in modern Kerala. At that time he gifted his body weight of gold to a Brahmin called Matalan. The epic says the king weighed 50 Tulams (not Tola which is only 12 grams).

Periapuranam: Amarneethi Nayanar

Peria Puranam gives the life story of 63 Saivite saints called Nayanmars. Amarneethi Nayanar of Pazaiyarai was one of them. He was running an inn at Thirunalloor. One day a bachelor came to the town and asked Amarneethi to take care of his loin cloth until he comes back from bathing in a nearby river. When he came back the loin cloth was not found at the place he left it. After a frantic search Amarneethi started panicking and offered anything in compensation. The bachelor, who was God himself in disguise, asked him to give some cloth equal in weight to what he was keeping as a spare. When Amarneethi put one loin cloth after loin cloth on the pan, it did not rise even a single inch. Getting ready to sacrifice himself he stood on it. Even then, the scale did not move. When all his family members came and stood on the pan of the balance the pans were equal. God blessed all of them after this Tulabharam.

Krishna Tulabharam

 
Telegu film of Krishna Tulabharam


The most famous Tulabharam story comes from the life of Lord Krishna. Tamil and Telugu films were made using this story long back. Krishna had several wives including Rukmini, Sathyabhama and Jhambavati.

There was a rivalry between the posh, proud, jealous and fashionable Sathyabhama and simple and innocent Rukmini. The heavenly sage Narada wanted to teach Sathyabhama a lesson. When he met her he mooted a plan to attract Krishna towards her. Sathyabhama fell prey to his clever and cunning plan. The plan was to sell Krishna as a slave to Narada and buy him back with gold. Whoever pays more would win Krishna. Sathyabhama was so confident that she would win hands down because Rukmini was not as rich as her. Innocent Rukmini had to accept this when Krishna himself agreed to be sold. When the scene was set, Sathyabhama brought all her gold and diamond jewellery to buy back Krishna. It could not match Krishna’s weight. Seeing Sathyabhama struggling, the mischievous Narada himself suggested that she borrowed some gold from Rukmini. Pure hearted Rukmini knew that nothing was greater than the Tulsi (Holy Basil) leaves and she put some Tulsi leaves onto the pan after removing all of the jewellery. The problem was thus solved. This story also showed the importance of Tulsi in Hindu worship. Tulsi is one of the most powerful medicinal herbs.

Sumerian Tulabharam

Sumerian culture has a lot of similarities with Indian culture. No one can dismiss them as sheer coincidences. (Please read my article DOUBLE HEADED EAGLE: INDIAN SUMERIAN CONNECTION). Clay tablets from the 13th century BC unearthed at Ugarit give some interesting information about a king. His name is given only in consonants KRT (perhaps Kirta or Kurita rather than Keret). The king lost his brothers and seven wives but had no heir. Praying for a son, he was advised in a dream by their chief god El to sacrifice to Baal then march with his army to Udumu to ask for it’s king’s daughter Hurriya as his wife. On the way he VOWED TO GIVE TWICE HER WEIGHT IN SILVER AND THRICE HER WEIGHT IN GOLD TO THE GODDESS ATHIRAT (AHSERATH) of Tyre, if he were successful. When he got her, he did not fulfil his vow to the god Athirat. The god struck him with an illness. This story of Keret was published in the Dictionary of the Ancient Near East. The story continued with what his wife did later etc. We can even see some similarities in the names with Hindu mythological names Kratu (KRT), Surya (Hurriya), Kreeta and many more. But we could clearly see the practice of Tulabharam to gods and goddesses, offering in silver and gold.


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